Theme: PEDALS (65A. Parts of 17-, 26-, 43- and 56-Across) - Pedals are used in each theme answers.
17A. Fitness center array: STATIONARY BIKES. Ours is collecting dust in the basement.
26A. Instruments that often have chord buttons: ELECTRIC ORGANS. Ditto above comment, only in the dining room.
43A. Seamstresses' aids: SEWING MACHINES. I like how it crosses THIMBLE (42D. Monopoly token). Sewing aid also.
56A. Birdlike crafts for lake rides: SWAN PADDLE BOATS. I've never taken one. Shaped like a swan.
All of the theme answers are in plural form. I liked the consistency. Liked the unifier entry too.
Also a bit of computer/internet thread:
32A. 30-day trial versions, e.g.: DEMOS
10D. E-tailer's creation: WEB PAGE
11D. Collaborative Internet project: WIKI. Hawaiian for "fast". Wikipedia is one of the Wikis.
29D. Software installation source, perhaps: CD-ROM
Most of the non-theme entries are rather short. Forty 4-letter answers in the grid. I am eager to see how Jerome & Jazzbumpa amuse us with their anagram and symmetry observations.
Across:
1. Entertainer in a kimono: GEISHA. "Memoirs of a Geisha" is a great read.
7. Chew like a chipmunk: GNAW
11. Triumphed: WON
14. Netanyahu's nation: ISRAEL. Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He graduated from MIT (40. Charles River sch.), whose clue stumped me.
15. Seat of Georgia's Floyd County: ROME. Wikipedia says the city was built on seven hills with a river running between them, same as Rome Italy then.
16. Words before testimony: I DO
20. Spray-on salon treatment: TAN
21. Fed. investigators: G-MEN. I tried FBIS first.
22. Speaker's asset: POISE
23. Former 3-Down leader: SHAH. And IRAN (3D. OPEC founding member).
24. Medieval invader's obstacle: MOAT
33. Mete (out): DOLE
34. Hankering: YEN
36. Admit openly: AVOW. Always hesitate between AVOW and AVER.
37. Smoothie fruit: BERRY
39. Muse of history: CLIO. We see her sister Erato more often.
41. ___ boots: '60s fashion: GO-GO
42. Head-turning swimwear: THONG. Not a swimwear, but head-turning nevertheless.
47. Numbers in photo album captions: AGES
48. Genesis forecast: RAIN. 40 days & 40 nights.
49. Hyundai sedan: AZERA. What does Azera mean?
52. Soccer star Mia: HAMM
53. "___ Misérables": LES. The MOREL guy's favorite musical.
60. According to: PER
61. Shorten, perhaps: EDIT
62. "Tracey Takes On..." comedian: ULLMAN (Tracey). Her name escaped me. We had this clue before.
63. Wrong: SIN
64. Anna of "Fringe": TORV. Nope. Not in my radar. An Aussi.
Down:
1. Basic idea: GIST
2. Esteban's "this": ESTA
4. Didn't play: SAT
5. Hilltop: HEIGHTS. The clue for MOOR (24D. "Wuthering Heights" setting) should be redone to avoid heights duplication.
6. Baseball family name: ALOMAR. Sandy/Roberto. Nice to see a change from ALOU.
7. __ Torino: 1970s Ford: GRAN. I had never seen any movie concerning the Hmong gang until "Gran Torino", Bill G.
8. "__ gloom of night ...": NOR. "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night ...". Postal Service creed.
9. "Rehab" singer Winehouse: AMY. Train wreck.
12. Sapphic verses: ODES. Sappho was a Greek poet, born in Lesbos, from which the word lesbian is derived. Sappho is a lesbian.
13. Clown costume piece: NOSE
18. Classic fruit soda: NEHI. The drink for Radar (M*A*S*H").
19. Tiny amount: IOTA
23. Garbage transport: SCOW. Boat.
25. Air France destination: ORLY. Air France's hub is Charles de Gaulle Airport. Orly is close by.
26. Red-coated wheel: EDAM. The Dutch cheese.
27. Jeans giant: LEVI'S
28. Push the envelope, theatrically: EMOTE
30. Tent material: NYLON
31. View from the Louvre: SEINE
35. Nutmeg-flavored drinks: NOGS. I always call it eggnog.
37. Dog biscuit shape: BONE
38. Caviar, basically: EGGS
39. It may be stroked in thought: CHIN. Why "in thought"?
41. Compu Kitty or Digital Doggie: GIGA PET. Not familiar with this virtual pet.
44. Shout "Fore!" to: WARN
45. Asian sea: ARAL. Shrinking.
46. Arose: CAME UP
49. Nile dangers: ASPS
50. German couple?: ZWEI. German for "two".
51. Collect from work: EARN
52. Home theater component, briefly: HDTV
53. Dalai __ : LAMA
54. Class action lawsuit abbr. : ET AL.
55. Work IDs: SSNS
57. Commotion: ADO
58. Dept. head: DIR (Director)
59. Told too often: OLD
Answer grid.
C.C.
17A. Fitness center array: STATIONARY BIKES. Ours is collecting dust in the basement.
26A. Instruments that often have chord buttons: ELECTRIC ORGANS. Ditto above comment, only in the dining room.
43A. Seamstresses' aids: SEWING MACHINES. I like how it crosses THIMBLE (42D. Monopoly token). Sewing aid also.
56A. Birdlike crafts for lake rides: SWAN PADDLE BOATS. I've never taken one. Shaped like a swan.
All of the theme answers are in plural form. I liked the consistency. Liked the unifier entry too.
Also a bit of computer/internet thread:
32A. 30-day trial versions, e.g.: DEMOS
10D. E-tailer's creation: WEB PAGE
11D. Collaborative Internet project: WIKI. Hawaiian for "fast". Wikipedia is one of the Wikis.
29D. Software installation source, perhaps: CD-ROM
Most of the non-theme entries are rather short. Forty 4-letter answers in the grid. I am eager to see how Jerome & Jazzbumpa amuse us with their anagram and symmetry observations.
Across:
1. Entertainer in a kimono: GEISHA. "Memoirs of a Geisha" is a great read.
7. Chew like a chipmunk: GNAW
11. Triumphed: WON
14. Netanyahu's nation: ISRAEL. Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He graduated from MIT (40. Charles River sch.), whose clue stumped me.
15. Seat of Georgia's Floyd County: ROME. Wikipedia says the city was built on seven hills with a river running between them, same as Rome Italy then.
16. Words before testimony: I DO
20. Spray-on salon treatment: TAN
21. Fed. investigators: G-MEN. I tried FBIS first.
22. Speaker's asset: POISE
23. Former 3-Down leader: SHAH. And IRAN (3D. OPEC founding member).
24. Medieval invader's obstacle: MOAT
33. Mete (out): DOLE
34. Hankering: YEN
36. Admit openly: AVOW. Always hesitate between AVOW and AVER.
37. Smoothie fruit: BERRY
39. Muse of history: CLIO. We see her sister Erato more often.
41. ___ boots: '60s fashion: GO-GO
42. Head-turning swimwear: THONG. Not a swimwear, but head-turning nevertheless.
47. Numbers in photo album captions: AGES
48. Genesis forecast: RAIN. 40 days & 40 nights.
49. Hyundai sedan: AZERA. What does Azera mean?
52. Soccer star Mia: HAMM
53. "___ Misérables": LES. The MOREL guy's favorite musical.
60. According to: PER
61. Shorten, perhaps: EDIT
62. "Tracey Takes On..." comedian: ULLMAN (Tracey). Her name escaped me. We had this clue before.
63. Wrong: SIN
64. Anna of "Fringe": TORV. Nope. Not in my radar. An Aussi.
Down:
1. Basic idea: GIST
2. Esteban's "this": ESTA
4. Didn't play: SAT
5. Hilltop: HEIGHTS. The clue for MOOR (24D. "Wuthering Heights" setting) should be redone to avoid heights duplication.
6. Baseball family name: ALOMAR. Sandy/Roberto. Nice to see a change from ALOU.
7. __ Torino: 1970s Ford: GRAN. I had never seen any movie concerning the Hmong gang until "Gran Torino", Bill G.
8. "__ gloom of night ...": NOR. "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night ...". Postal Service creed.
9. "Rehab" singer Winehouse: AMY. Train wreck.
12. Sapphic verses: ODES. Sappho was a Greek poet, born in Lesbos, from which the word lesbian is derived. Sappho is a lesbian.
13. Clown costume piece: NOSE
18. Classic fruit soda: NEHI. The drink for Radar (M*A*S*H").
19. Tiny amount: IOTA
23. Garbage transport: SCOW. Boat.
25. Air France destination: ORLY. Air France's hub is Charles de Gaulle Airport. Orly is close by.
26. Red-coated wheel: EDAM. The Dutch cheese.
27. Jeans giant: LEVI'S
28. Push the envelope, theatrically: EMOTE
30. Tent material: NYLON
31. View from the Louvre: SEINE
35. Nutmeg-flavored drinks: NOGS. I always call it eggnog.
37. Dog biscuit shape: BONE
38. Caviar, basically: EGGS
39. It may be stroked in thought: CHIN. Why "in thought"?
41. Compu Kitty or Digital Doggie: GIGA PET. Not familiar with this virtual pet.
44. Shout "Fore!" to: WARN
45. Asian sea: ARAL. Shrinking.
46. Arose: CAME UP
49. Nile dangers: ASPS
50. German couple?: ZWEI. German for "two".
51. Collect from work: EARN
52. Home theater component, briefly: HDTV
53. Dalai __ : LAMA
54. Class action lawsuit abbr. : ET AL.
55. Work IDs: SSNS
57. Commotion: ADO
58. Dept. head: DIR (Director)
59. Told too often: OLD
Answer grid.
C.C.
60 comments:
Good morning, C.C. and gang - well, this puzzle certainly triggered some good memories from my wayward youth, what with 'geisha' and 'gogo' boots. And I must be on Todd's wavelength this morning, because the puzzle fell quickly with only a couple pauses for 'Azera' and 'Gigapet'. Couldn't come up with the theme, however, until the very last fill. C.C., as with you, I did pick up on the computer sub-theme.
For some reason, I enjoyed the juxtaposition of 'nylon', 'thong' and 'chin'. (Yes, I know I'll get grief; I'm pre-ashamed.) And I'm a big fan of Anna Torv from Fringe; not only is she a very good actor, but she's a knockout when not in Fringe guise. C.C., even that picture doesn't do her justice.
Loved 'Gran Torino'. I've tried that "Get off my lawn" voice on the occasional goose that stops by from the lake; not quite as effective as Clint.
Today is Donald Duck Day.
Good morning C.C. and all. Nice Wednesday puzzle. Had the same hangups as Dennis. Needed red letter help with gigapet. Got the theme only near the end. Favorite fills were RAIN, EDAM, and AGES.
Interesting cross of IRAN and ISRAEL; as in real life.
Planet update. After sunset around 9pm, you can see Venus, Mars and Saturn in the west and southwest. Mars is only a couple ºs from Regulus in Leo. See The Sky This Week
Enjoy the day.
Hello all, a slow start for us all; a rare Todd McClary puzzle; I wonder if he is from Boston? A comparatively easy Wednesday, even though the theme itself was not immediately apparent, each of the long answers were very accessible, and made most of the fill easy. I found myself putting letters in before reading the clues, it all flowed so well.
I know nothing of a Giga Pet, but with the names given it had to be something like that, and I put it in confidently, even though I have never heard of Anna TORV which reminds me of our own OZ escapee, KAZIE who would have appreciated how easy ZWEI (two in German) was, even if she did not like the other proper name, the HYUNDAI AZERA, which I have never heard anything about.
I thought it to be a fun and funny puzzle, I enjoyed having MIT and SWAN PADDLE BOATS, both of which conjure images from my youth hanging out in Boston, with all the college girls going to the aquarium and the BOSTON COMMON to ride the Swans, and read about them in all of Robert Parker’s Spenser novels…I loved RED-COATED WHEEL: EDAM, and a break from the ALOU family, and the mention of the ALOMARS, Sandy Alomar Sr., Sandy Alomar. Jr, Roberto Alomar.
Donald Duck, Swans all part of the original world wide web(bed feet).
Good Morning, CC and all. I couldn't sleep last night ~ way too hot without the A/C, so was doing the puzzle on line at 2:00 a.m. Even though I was sleep-deprived, this was a fairly easy run.
I immediately like Geisha start. As CC noted, the book was a great read. All the more astonishing because it was a woman's view, but written by a man.
Years ago, I taught a bio lab at MIT, so that was a given for me. Often saw the Swan Boats in the Boston Commons, but never took a ride in one.
My favorite clue in this puzzle was Genesis Forecast = RAIN.
How convenient for Tony. Wonder if he knows about this?
QOD: You are better off knowing what the rules are before your try to break them. ~ Stephen King
C.C, this may help you associate the Charles River and Boston. Standells-Dirty Water (Rare Version with lyrics) (Some of the worst lip sync ever.)
Re: Azera, from Strategic Name Development, Inc.
"Hyundai picked the Azera name for its XG350 replacement for several reasons, the most sensible of which is the company considers this an all-new vehicle. (They also mentioned things like "the era of A to Z" and that Azera evokes the French word azure or blue, as in the color of blue skies in Hyundai's optimistic view of the future. Whatever.)"
By Bob Gritzinger, AutoWeek Online
Good morning, C.C. and all,
What a revelation to see the blog today and realize our newspaper has the puzzle for tomorrow, June 10th and all I will tell you is, what a nice surprise!
So I shall wish you a wondeful Wednesday. I don't want to read your comments in the hope that today's puzzle will be published tomorrow.
I was cruising thru the puzzle with ease until I got a phone call about 2/3 down. When I came back, it took me a bit to get the rhythm going again.
Speaking of rhythm, no grief from me, Dennis. It was thought-provoking...and made me smile.
One of my all-time favorite movies is on TCM tonight - "The Hasty Heart" with Ronald Reagan, Patricial Neal and Richard Todd. It doesn't appear very often, so I'm really excited to see it again.
FUN Wednesday.
Only write-over, WEBPAGE for website. Figured out the Medieval obstacle had to be a MOAT not a moit ...
Liked the themes, searched out and got PEDALS early.
Never thought the spelling of the german two, ZWEI would get me a cor model AZERA that I never heard of before.
GIGAPET was new to me also. Have to admit, if it is a craze for kids I probably have not encountered it (like ZOEY, yesterday).
Good Morning All, I've got a fuzzy brain this morning after 14 hours at our polling place. There was a very low turnout, even considering that we have about 50% vote-by-mail. But we all got caught up on the area news and we had books to read during the slow times.
I didn't even have time, early or late, to look at yesterday's puzzle or comments.
For today, I'll save some writing and just agree with Lemonade714 about GIGAPET, TORV and AZERA. The SW was my last area to be completed
I liked the cross of SEWING MACHINES and THIMBLES, both seamtresses' aids.
To avoid conflict with 5D HEIGHTS, perhaps 24D clue "Wuthering Heights setting" for MOOR could have been "Heathcliff's neighborhood".
The new refrigerator was delivered yesterday, so today is my day to decide what goes where. GAH did a fine job of checking that all the paperwork is there, even the $200 energy rebate form!
Happy Birthday, Annette! Hope you have a great day.
Glad you helped with the democratic process yesterday, Clear Ayes. It's important.
Hello Puzzlers -
Yep, I hit the same speed bumps: TORV, AZERA, and GIGAPET. Eventually sussed them out from perps.
I haven't been to Boston in a couple of years, but I seem to recall a smaller version of Swan Boat available for rent. It's a pedal-powered paddle boat for 2 or 3 people.
Tarrajo from yesterday - I'm still new here, but your good attitude comes through, and I suspect you're an excellent mom.
Fairly easy puzzle. 13 minutes to complete. Didn't know a couple of them (64A TORV, 49A AZERA) but could work them out from the crosses.
Swan Boat correction - After surfing around some, I can't find evidence of swan paddle boats in Boston - though they do show up in other cities. Sorry 'bout that.
Hi c.c. and all:
No real problems although I didn't know Torv or Azera, but got them from the perps. I guessed on the "a" in Gigapets, wasn't sure if it was Gigi or Giga, but guessed right.
Lemonade: I have never been to Boston, but Boston Commons looks just beautiful. My daughter went there on one of her interviews for her residency training and just loved Boston.
Have a wonderful day everyone!
Good morning CC and all,
This was a fun ride. I was on the same wave length for most of the puzzle, but came to an abrupt stop in the SW corner.Had to look up Azera to move on, which gave me zwei and asps.An a-ha with swan. Again I stalled with "gigap" WTF? Then the big A-HA!
Loved red coated wheel which had to be filled with perps.Also enjoyed thimble/sewing machine. My daughter is the queen of the s.machine as was my mom. She sewed all her prom dresses. I am the master of the thimble; can darn most anything, a rare happening, but I treasure my Grandma's silver thimble.
Another good read is Geisha, a Life which is about a woman who was born in 1949 and started her training at 5 to be a geisha. She retired at 29 and wrote about it.
Happy Bithday Annette! Maybe you'd like to see for a very special treat Donald in Mathmagicland, part I. The gist of it is "Without egg heads there would be no music."
Once I got "azera" (uh ZAIR uh)...I could spell "zwei" correctly and got "per" and "sin". Spelled Ullman with an "a" for a while until "came up" fell. When I play Monopoly (the new, electronic version is awesome!) I still am the thimble. BTW, aren`t Gigapets sort of "yard sale" items now?
I have a friend who can speak like Donald Duck. I have to be sure there`s no liquid in my mouth when he does something "serious" as Hamlet`s Soliloquy in Donald`s "voice."
TJ: Raising any child as a single Mom is rough, especially a boy. My (straw with a bright orange and aquamarine scarf band) hat is off to you.
I thought this was a typical Wednesday puzzle. I had a bit of trouble with the South because as with many of the other folk I didn't know AZERA or TORV. I was also stumped by ULLMAN and didn't catch the PEDALS commonality.
Enjoyable puzzle today. Finished in 20 min, unusual for me on a Wed. Thank you Lemonade714 for the link to Boston Common. Although I went to college at Tufts, never took advantage of the sights. Had my head in a book, mostly. Always enjoy the writeup to the clues, C.C. and also this blog. MMW
Hello All--I'm with CA. My brain and body are all in slow motion. We had a long day yesterday and I'm tired. I did get to say, "HI" to neighbors as they came to vote and this is always a plus.
As for the puzzle, I enjoyed getting through most of it without help. Sorry to say I had to look up the Baseball name, Alomar and the Hyundai sedan name. After those two lookups I was able to fill in all the rest unaided.
My aha moment for the day was the Red-coated wheel clue.
Happy belated birthday to Tarrajo times two. What a lovely boy you have to plan your day for you. He is a true romantic. Keep him that way.
Annette, Many happy returns of the day to you. I hope you have the best day ever.
Hello everybody.
Just a quick note to note how interesting it is that we often know (and don't know) completely different things. Specifically, several of you say you never heard of the Hyundai Azera. Interstingly, that was one entry I pencilled in easily, because last summer when our son came up to visit us he drove a rented Azera. He encouraged me to take it out for a test drive, because he was trying to convince me to buy a new car (mine was 15 years old already, a Camry by the way) and thought I would fall in love with the Azera. It turns out that he and I both ended up deciding the car just wasn't really all that good.
More later, maybe.
Best wishes, felicitations, congratulations, and handshakes to you all.
Whenever I see the word DOLE (33A) I think of the 13th Persian poet Saadi, who was born in the city of Shiraz, in what is now modern Iran. This is one of my favorite verses.
If of thy worldly goods, thou are bereft,
And of thy slender store two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with thy DOLE,
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.
Saadi also wrote the verse that is in the entrance to the Hall of Nations of the UN building in New York.
Of one essence is the Human Race,
Thusly has Creation put the base.
One limb impacted is sufficient,
For all others to feel the mace.
The unconcern'd with others' plight,
Are but brutes with human face.
I just looked over last night's posts and the previous verse seems particularly significant regarding trolls.
Belated Happy Birthday to Tarrajo and her sister. You're doing a fine job T-jo. Also, Happy Birthday to Annette.
Chickie, glad to hear to made it through yesterday too!
I knew Dennis would like GEISHA... HE'S A GI.
WON crosses NOSE. Literally we have, WON by a NOSE.
Good name for a golf WEBPAGE, WE BE PGA.
THIMBLE sketch of my Asian tour- I SAW MING CHINESE SEWING MACHINES. Don't needle me about that anagram and I won't carry the thread any further.
I thought about the Swan Boats in the Boston Public Garden and they aren't paddle boats, but swan themed larger boats that carry several passengers.
Robert McCloskey wrote about the boats in the Boston Public Garden in his 1948 book, "Make Way For Ducklings." This is where some may have mistaken them for paddle boats. If you have young children/ grandchildren this is a wonderful book about nature and a mother duck caring for her young.
Our news this morning was about a mother goose and her goslings leaving the hiway on a popular offramp near hear. She stopped the traffic until they could get her back into the ponds where they belonged. This is a typical spring time happening around here as the ponds are near the freeway.
A very Happy Birthday, Annette and many more.
And to you, Tarrajo, belatedly.
Howdy all,
An enjoyable humpday puzzle that seemed to have an international flavor. Apart from the joining of 'Iran' and 'Israel' in the NW and 'Shah' just below, there are entries from Japan ('Geisha'), Holland ('edam' cheese), and Tibet (Dalai 'Lama'). There are also three foreign-language fills: German ('zwei'), Spanish ('esta'), and French ('Les'). France pops up two more times with the Seine river and d'Orly airport. Although not clued as such, I'd add two other international entries: Korea ('won') and Italy ('Rome'). Finally, I'd make a case for Britain's appearance with 'moor' and 'moat'.
When I filled in 'moor', I though 'Heathcliff's heath' would be a nice fill, but perhaps it wouldn't be allowed by crossword rules. Bronte country (and Yorkshire in general) has much moorland, which is beatiful in its own way, particularly when the heather is in bloom. I've visited Howarth and hiked to the ruins reputably the setting for "Wuthering Heights". For those interested, here's Haworth village infomation, Hike details from The Guardian, and a nice painting.
Back to the puzzle. With only the 'g' in place for 42A, I thought of thong, but disregarded it. I suppose it is (personally) accurate if 'head turning AWAY swimwear', but 'nausea-inducing swimwear' would be more accurate. Frankly, I'd have more trouble with this image over breakfast than the dead body fill of recent comments. Then again, on a male...??? :-0 Nah, Speedos are bad enough.
Jerome: impressive anagrams. No needling; no needling at all (but the first one got a groaned 'Oh, brother').
Off figure out what needs fixed on my non-stationary bike.
Otis
Hi all -
Great little puzzler this one, I did enjoy it. (so did my V-8 can as I didn't put anymore dents in it :))
I did stare at 1D for the longest time, I has 1A (Geisha) but couldn't figure out what a salon would spray on anyone if it wasn't hair spray. Do they really spray on tans??? Weird...but so it frying your bod in one of those booths.
Loved 26D (red-coated wheel/Edam).I was thinking about cars/trucks/trains so it took me a while to get that one. I have never tried Edam but bet it is good.
41D was accomplished by a WAG (hee, hee)
Swan boats brought back memories of my Dad's company picnics when I was a kid...there was a large pond and they had paddle boats shaped like swans, ducks etc. Lot's of fun for kids...and some patient adults.
Happy Birthday Annette. Hope you do whatever you want today and try not to get arrested - LOL
Carol, LOL about spray-on tans. Our local ABC-TV affilate has a new meteorologist whose orangy-brown TAN is a dead give-away that he has been spending a lot of time in the spray booth. Then there are Kiefer Sutherland and Christina Aguillera with normal toned Steven Spielberg. Poor Kiefer, poor Christina...do they really think nobody will know?
Hello CC, et al,
Fun puzzle today. Kind of ran aground in the SW corner, but kept coming back to it. OK I G'd Azera & Torv.
The geisha fill brought back memories of when I was in Tokyo years ago on assignment. The writer and I were taken to a Geisha House one night. A lovely Geisha Girl was stationed at each man's side pouring saki and generally making each of us feel well taken care of. Just at the point at which you thought you were scoring big points, the Geishas would get up and rotate, so you had to start your charm pitch all over again. This went on all night until we were finally deposited at our hotel as the lovely Geishas rode off in the taxi.
CdelO
CA: thanks for the pictures of 'tans'. They are so dark! What is the tanning spray made from, I wonder if it smears off or lasts through several showers. Would be funny to see someone wipe their lips or nose and leave a white patch! Oh wait, is is ALL OVER their bods or just the neck and face? Hmmmm...
They must want a tan face
really bad,
I guess it's a popular fad,
but if they are nude
would it be real rude
for one to holler EGAD?
Just for you, Otis-
On the Congo river SWAN PADDLE BOATS ADDLES BWANA, STOP!
Hi, Again,
Happy birthday, Annette,
It occurred to me this afternoon that the puzzle was available to print from the blog, and voila! So it was.
This was a nice sashay through the park, with some detours here and there, namely AZERA where I filled ALERA and since my German is nonexistent, I left LWEI and corrected it here.
Hand up for loving Edam cheese on crackers, yum, along with fruit.
Also, for gigapets. They were included in many Christmas stockings in years past.
All of you clever early birds found the subthemes and relationships; that is why I love this blog. And then Jerome steps in with funny anagrams. It's so entertaining and fun.
Tarrajo, I have not told you how much I admire you and your devotion to your son. I predict he will be a strong, loving man.
Clear Ayes and Chickie:
My thanks, too, for working at the polls. It's so important.
Well, I've done tomorrow's puzzle, which I predict you are going to enjoy; and it's a good thing, too, because my granddaughters will be spending the night and I may not have time for puzzling in the morning.
And I loved Gran Torino, too.
I hope you are having a lovely Wednesday! I'm going to collect the girls.
Because you inspire me, Lucina-
ELECTRIC ORGANS-
"Boomer, is Woods a fraud?"
"NO, C.C., TIGER'S REAL"
The heat index is now at 105F. Thank goodness my A/C is somewhat repaired. I need a new coil, but at least I have a temporary measure now and the house is cool. Maybe I can sleep tonight!
HBDTYM HBDTY HAppy Birthday 'Netti
Hi gang -
Tough grind for me today. Fighting a multiple Excedrin headache, and couldn't find the groove or the wavelength. I even parsed 26A as ELECTRI-CORGANS. Imagine my confusion.
AZERA is unknown, as are a few others.
Jerome came through in grand fashion. but I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint. Other than bidding a mis-spelt ADO to the train wreck that is AMY, There isn't much, though, as the picture illustrated THONG DEMOS can be show stoppers. Do I see her HAMMs?
She has LES TAN, though she hung around the MOAT for AGES.
Wait a minte. Did CLIO AVOW ASPS?
The Japanese student wanted to study engineering, but didn't have the YEN to go to MIT.
I think it's time to PEDAL on outta here.
Cheers!
JzB who is losing his POISE
Thank you for all the Birthday wishes.
JD, thanks for the cartoon! I've always liked Donald Duck, much better than Mickey Mouse. Well, ducks in general. I used to collect duck figurines, and I've somehow come across live ducks on most trips I've taken and always take photos of them.
ARBAON, I used to work with a really sweet go-to guy that did "the voice" too. He moved to another office, so I'd forgotten all about it - thanks for the reminder!
Lemonade, Lol - just when I thought I'd seen every possible variation of my first name (I won't even go into variations on my last name too...), you came up with a new one! I like it.
JzB, I hope the headache clears soon.
This morning I decided that it was time to review my lengthy list of words that I have collected on this blog for the past 2 years.
Of course we must begin with alpha...
Last adar, while resting in an alcove next to the Aar, absorbing an alcopop(which tasted a bit like alegar) and smelling the abscisic odor of alar, I was pondering the ara and all the astra in the abysmal abyss. Having just consulted an agha about accruing an amah, I was disheartened as his agio was unaffordable. My alveoli was twitching assai allegro so I donned my antipodal anorak and set off to consult an abbe who could be located in the apse of an antiquated abbey. Apparently my apparel was appalling but it was axenic. The abba arrived with an awesome aureole (not an areole) surrounding his shaft(aril-less!). I knew I was in Asgard, the playground of anis and asses.Oh where did I park my Azera?
Oh JD, that was really GREAT!!! Loved it, bravo!
JD -
Brava!
Cheers!
JzB
Hi all,
I found yesterdays and todays puzzles hard but plodded thru them.
One I did get was tan- because:
a couple days ago I was watching a program 'little miss perfect' on TV. They dress little girls like beauty contestants and the Mother teach them to parade around on stage, dance etc. One thing they were doing to make the little girl(from 2 years old to 12) more "beautiful" was to spray them with tan spray on any part of their body that shows, including their faces. I couldn't watch it anymore. The mothers claimed the girls loved it.
There is also a program called Toddlers and Tiaras.
Have a good day!
Back from a very full day.
JD, absolutely brilliant! Just outstanding.
Annette, sorry, we didn't have your birthday on the master list; do now. I hope it's been a wonderful, fun-filled day for you.
Marge, I saw the previews for that show; all I could think was, 'what a terrible thing to do to a little girl'. Can't imagine putting a kid through that for the parents' gratification.
Spitzboov, I got a new Droid phone, and one of the apps is a program where you just point the phone up at the night sky, and based on GPS and the camera position, it tells you just what you're looking at up there. Pretty neat.
To any Hyundai executives out there, after reading today's blog, you might want to work on increasing your car's name recognition.
Annette; Happy Birthday. Hope you have had a great day.
Dennis: That sounds pretty neat. Sure beats the Rude Star Finder.
Argyle
A toast to you.
When I was doing the puzzle early this morning, as a guy (you know what I mean), I thought to myself: How the hell have I missed the 'name' of a car.
Geez, I peruse a few auto mags a month but when I filled in AZERA it was a complete WTF? moment.
Just glad to learn it wasn't "Just me!"
Jeezus, Spitzboov, they're still around? And weren't they primarily for aircraft, or am I thinking of something else?
Good evening, CC, et al., I'm late to the party but what a fun puzzle, and for a Weds at that! Great hump day fun. 3 in a row. I'm not expecting to make it 4, but there's always hope. I had the same sticking points as has already been said, so won't repeat.
Otis: loved your internat'l analysis of the puzzle. Excellent. I would've missed it. Good job!
Geisha (the early concept) got me excited from the get go-go.
Then 'bone' 'came up'. Holy
'wiki'd Hotwick! I envisioned
'G-men' giving 'demos' of
'electric organs' in 'thong's which took me to new mental 'heights' of an 'old' profession. This was 'moor' than just 'chin' music for the in'seine', this was borderline
'sin' in 'nylon's and I loved it! Too bad it's not 'Sat.' night. I'd be ready for 'a-ral'ly. 'E-dam' the luck!
Happy birthday, Annette. Hope your day was a fantabulous one.
Enjoy the night.
Dennis, I'm jealous! I was "this close" to buying a droid today too. I spent so long asking a lot of questions, comparing models, comparing providers, etc. I finally took the leap and chose the one they'd originally recommended. As I was getting excited about my decision, they go to get me one...and had none in stock!
JD, great job! I've just started my list. It only has 3 items on it, starting with Lethologica. Of course, since it's on the list, I had no trouble remembering it just now...
I forgot to mention that I enjoyed seeing ZWEI in the puzzle. I haven't had a chance to use my 4 condensed semesters of college German very much over the past 30 years.
Forgot: JD your post was outstanding! LOL! Cute, cute, cute!
Jerome: loved that 'won' by a 'nose'. You are just so clever!
Carol: the limerick queen. Cute!
Dennis: I believe Quartermasters are still required to know how to use them, notwithstanding the availability of satellite navigation. They were used on ships, and, I assume, aircraft in conjunction with the bubble sextant. I defer to any 'brown shoes' out there.
Good night everyone.
This is my first sight of this fabulous blog. Had the carpets cleaned, which meant couldn't get to my Mac to see the ones I missed. Got most of it.
Happy birthday,if belated, Annette.
Just chiming in late today. Loved the puzzle. Was more challenging than I would have thought but finished it all.
I never took those Swan boats. They look lovely. But I did ride the Ducks in Boston, and I would highly recommend the trip. Lots of fun, and a character driving each one. Ours was "Captain Incredible" or something like that. He had a cape and an old style pilots hat and goggles. You have to quack if you see another duck driving down the street, and anyone that wants can steer the duck when they head into the back bay. Lots of fun.
As for Gigapets, they were all the rage when our kids were in elementary school. Incredibly annoying toys. It is an "electronic" pet and it tells you when it is hungry, when it cries and on and on and on. If you don't respond it gets annoying, and eventually will die if you don't feed it. I really despised them, but it was fun to see them in the puzzle. Great fill, along with many others. Azera was my only unknown but got that through the perps easily.
Good evening, all.
Puzzle-wize I really liked 26D: Red coated wheel. I think this is a great clue for this frequent fill.
As often happens, I'm late for the party, and you've all said most of what I would have said.
Annette-Happy Birthday! With best wishes for many more.
JD, You were over the top with your post at 7:55. Bravo!
Hahtool, your gulf coast looks devastating, according to what we're viewing on on our local news.
Night, all.
KQ, I sold the predecessor of gigapets back in the late 90s, the 'Tamagotchi'; same principle, and insanely popular but a bit more rudimentary.
Annette, you'll LOVE the Droid if you're a gadget freak like I am. It's just got so many cool features and apps, including one where you take a picture of any UPC code, and it tells you where in the area that product is available and where it's cheapest.
JD, Brilliant take on all your "new" words, and it is just the first letter of the alphabet! What else do you have in store for us?
And Carol, our Limmerick specialist. I laughed at the image you presented with your latest creation.
A note about yesterday's puzzle, which I finished after dinner this evening--(No time yesterday).
I confidently penciled in SJS for Washington Sq. campus. I thought to myself, "My alma mater is clued in a crossword. How cool!"
Much to my chagrin, San Jose State U. was NOT the answer. It was NYU. The address for San Jose's campus is 1 Washington Square. So I had a legitimate mistake--I think.
The school was just San Jose State when I went there and achieved university status many years after I graduated.
KQ, I wanted to tell you what a great memory you've made for your son, and yourself!
Carol, remember when George Hamilton was the tan guy? When he went on DWTS everyone was just as tan because of the spray.According to my neighbor,a spray "tan" lasts about 3 days. Loved your limerick!
Lois, it's amazing how you contort the c/w verbiage to say exactly what you want. I'm in awe amiga..had to use an A.
Yes Chickie, I plan to bore you all with alphabet stories. Tomorrow .....the B!!! It does me no good to add words to a list if I never use them.The B list is sparse.
Holy Hotwick, Lois! Thanks for the compliment. Does this mean I'm kinda, sorta, a little bit, maybe, somewhat, a tad off your s--t list?
I hope so.
Egad, indeed, my friends, you are an entertaining bunch.
JD:
I loved your narrative and can't wait for the sequels!
Jazz:
What can I say? You are a one man jazz narrative. So clever.
Jerome:
Applause. Applause. Again, you amuse us.
Carol:
Great limerick.
All the rest, you are just awesome with the insight and wisdom you so generously share with us.
Have a good night and say hello to Dan in the morning.
JD, Terrific creation! Looking forward to the Bs or whatever you choose to do next! Clever!
I thought today was pretty easy. No mistakes. God Bless.
gmony
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