Theme: B and B - Besides the obvious 53 Across, there are three other grid-spanning B and B's, plus the easy to miss but dead center, 35 Across.
17A. Consequences of a minor accident, perhaps : BUMPS AND BRUISES
22A. "The Greatest Show on Earth" promoters : BARNUM AND BAILEY
35A. Before long : BY AND BY
46A. Product improvement slogan : BIGGER AND BETTER
53A. Cozy inn whose abbreviation is a hint to this puzzle's theme : BED AND BREAKFAST
And the fill BBs (31. Air gun ammo) has to be intentional. FYI, total 14B's in the puzzle.
Argyle here.
Four grid spanners. Total 67 theme squares. Heavy themage. Good job, Jeff.
The theme gimmick is similar to Jeff's last C.C. puzzle where the initialism of the last theme entry is the hint to the other theme answers, but with an extra central answer this time.
Across:
1. Green gem : JADE
5. Runs easily : TROTS
10. Ruler marking : INCH
14. High spot : APEX
15. Baton-passing event : RELAY
16. Delhi dress : SARI
20. Less than 90 degrees, anglewise : ACUTE. If greater than 90 degrees but less than 180, the angle is obtuse.
21. Baseball card data : STATS
27. Totally dreadful : ABYSMAL. One B.
28. Place for cookies : JAR
29. Like EEE shoes : WIDE
30. Skin: Suff. : DERM. As in dermatology, the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases. Update: I gave a prefix, Kazie reminded me it called for a suffix. Same meaning but different word; à la pachyderm, someone (or something) with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus
34. '50s political monogram : DDE. Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th President.
38. Span of history : ERA
39. "So's __ old man!" : YER
40. "¿Cómo __ usted?" : ESTÁ. It means "how are you" singular formal. I await confirmation.
41. Horse's stride : GAIT
42. Adjust to the desired wake-up time, as an alarm : SET
43. Gently slips past : EASES BY. One B. Regrettable duplication of BY with 35A BY.
51. Be __ model: exemplify grace in success : A ROLE
52. Hideous sorts : OGRES
59. Grandson of Adam : ENOS
60. Celtic priest of old : DRUID
61. Basis of an invention : IDEA
62. Tennis do-overs : LETS
63. 1,000 kilograms : TONNE. Metric ton, 2204.6 pounds.
64. Word with ghost or boom : TOWN
Down:
1. Sharp punch : JAB. One B.
2. "The Simpsons" storekeeper : APU. We will never see his full name, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.
3. FDR or JFK, politically : DEM. Democrats, both.
4. Wide-open space : EXPANSE
5. Emotional shock : TRAUMA
6. Hertz auto, e.g. : RENTAL
7. Of days gone by : OLDEN
8. Bar bill : TAB. One B, but double B alliteration.
9. Damascus' land: Abbr. : SYR. Damascus is the capital of Syria.
10. "Lord, __?": Last Supper question : "IS IT I?"
11. __ decongestant : NASAL
12. Greek island where Minos ruled : CRETE. Minos was the mythical king of Crete. The island is not mythical.
13. __ fit: tantrum : HISSY
18. Pond gunk : SCUM
19. G.I.'s group : US ARMY
22. Off-color : BAWDY. One B.
23. Tolerate : ABIDE. One B.
24. Winona of "Edward Scissorhands" : RYDER. Her straps are twisted. I would volunteer to straighten them for her.
25. Spun CDs at a party : DJ'ED
26. Caustic remark : BARB. Two B's
30. Crime lab evidence, briefly : DNA
31. Beauty's beloved : BEAST. One B, but triple B alliteration.
32. Payola, e.g. : BRIBE. Two B's
33. Mythical man-goat : SATYR
35. Get noticed : BE SEEN. One B.
36. River of Flanders : YSER
37. Lead-in to girl or boy : ATTA. Tried "It's a" first
41. Tones one's body : GETS FIT
43. Enter stealthily : EDGE IN
44. Use emery on : ABRADE. One B.
45. Hide's partner : SEEK
46. Genesis tower locale : BABEL. Two B's.
47. Dancer Castle : IRENE. She was the wife half of Vernon and Irene Castle, a team of ballroom dancers of the early 20th century.
48. No-show in a Beckett play : GODOT. Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait for someone named Godot.
49. Half-full or half-empty item : GLASS
50. Smudge-proof, like mascara : NO RUN
54. Banned bug spray : DDT
55. Certain sib : BRO. One B.
56. Commotion : ADO
57. Use a Singer : SEW
58. Beachgoer's shade : TAN. Tricky clue.
Answer grid.
Argyle
17A. Consequences of a minor accident, perhaps : BUMPS AND BRUISES
22A. "The Greatest Show on Earth" promoters : BARNUM AND BAILEY
35A. Before long : BY AND BY
46A. Product improvement slogan : BIGGER AND BETTER
53A. Cozy inn whose abbreviation is a hint to this puzzle's theme : BED AND BREAKFAST
And the fill BBs (31. Air gun ammo) has to be intentional. FYI, total 14B's in the puzzle.
Argyle here.
Four grid spanners. Total 67 theme squares. Heavy themage. Good job, Jeff.
The theme gimmick is similar to Jeff's last C.C. puzzle where the initialism of the last theme entry is the hint to the other theme answers, but with an extra central answer this time.
Across:
1. Green gem : JADE
5. Runs easily : TROTS
10. Ruler marking : INCH
14. High spot : APEX
15. Baton-passing event : RELAY
16. Delhi dress : SARI
20. Less than 90 degrees, anglewise : ACUTE. If greater than 90 degrees but less than 180, the angle is obtuse.
21. Baseball card data : STATS
27. Totally dreadful : ABYSMAL. One B.
28. Place for cookies : JAR
29. Like EEE shoes : WIDE
30. Skin: Suff. : DERM. As in dermatology, the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases. Update: I gave a prefix, Kazie reminded me it called for a suffix. Same meaning but different word; à la pachyderm, someone (or something) with thick skin. It is used for animals such as an elephant or a hippopotamus
34. '50s political monogram : DDE. Dwight D. Eisenhower, our 34th President.
38. Span of history : ERA
39. "So's __ old man!" : YER
40. "¿Cómo __ usted?" : ESTÁ. It means "how are you" singular formal. I await confirmation.
41. Horse's stride : GAIT
42. Adjust to the desired wake-up time, as an alarm : SET
43. Gently slips past : EASES BY. One B. Regrettable duplication of BY with 35A BY.
51. Be __ model: exemplify grace in success : A ROLE
52. Hideous sorts : OGRES
59. Grandson of Adam : ENOS
60. Celtic priest of old : DRUID
61. Basis of an invention : IDEA
62. Tennis do-overs : LETS
63. 1,000 kilograms : TONNE. Metric ton, 2204.6 pounds.
64. Word with ghost or boom : TOWN
Down:
1. Sharp punch : JAB. One B.
2. "The Simpsons" storekeeper : APU. We will never see his full name, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.
3. FDR or JFK, politically : DEM. Democrats, both.
4. Wide-open space : EXPANSE
5. Emotional shock : TRAUMA
6. Hertz auto, e.g. : RENTAL
7. Of days gone by : OLDEN
8. Bar bill : TAB. One B, but double B alliteration.
9. Damascus' land: Abbr. : SYR. Damascus is the capital of Syria.
10. "Lord, __?": Last Supper question : "IS IT I?"
11. __ decongestant : NASAL
12. Greek island where Minos ruled : CRETE. Minos was the mythical king of Crete. The island is not mythical.
13. __ fit: tantrum : HISSY
18. Pond gunk : SCUM
19. G.I.'s group : US ARMY
22. Off-color : BAWDY. One B.
23. Tolerate : ABIDE. One B.
24. Winona of "Edward Scissorhands" : RYDER. Her straps are twisted. I would volunteer to straighten them for her.
25. Spun CDs at a party : DJ'ED
26. Caustic remark : BARB. Two B's
30. Crime lab evidence, briefly : DNA
31. Beauty's beloved : BEAST. One B, but triple B alliteration.
32. Payola, e.g. : BRIBE. Two B's
33. Mythical man-goat : SATYR
35. Get noticed : BE SEEN. One B.
36. River of Flanders : YSER
37. Lead-in to girl or boy : ATTA. Tried "It's a" first
41. Tones one's body : GETS FIT
43. Enter stealthily : EDGE IN
44. Use emery on : ABRADE. One B.
45. Hide's partner : SEEK
46. Genesis tower locale : BABEL. Two B's.
47. Dancer Castle : IRENE. She was the wife half of Vernon and Irene Castle, a team of ballroom dancers of the early 20th century.
48. No-show in a Beckett play : GODOT. Waiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait for someone named Godot.
49. Half-full or half-empty item : GLASS
50. Smudge-proof, like mascara : NO RUN
54. Banned bug spray : DDT
55. Certain sib : BRO. One B.
56. Commotion : ADO
57. Use a Singer : SEW
58. Beachgoer's shade : TAN. Tricky clue.
Answer grid.
Argyle
Good morning, Argyle, C.C. and gang - not a whole lot to comment on today; this one turned into a speed run without any pauses or help. As Argyle pointed out, a nice job by Jeff Chen with the theme; in particular, I liked the subtle inclusion of 'BBs'. I'd like to see a end-of-week puzzle by Jeff sometime if we haven't already.
ReplyDeleteToday is Defy Superstition Day, Fortune Cookie Day, National Peanut Day, Positive Thinking Day and Uncle Sam Day. Good luck working all that in today.
Did You Know?:
- Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.
- In Kingsville, Texas, there is a law against two pigs having sex on the city's airport property.
- A blue whale's testicles are the size of a family car.
Good Morning, CC, Argyle and all. In answer to your question, Argyle, I am doing just fine, but I feel a cold coming on.
ReplyDeleteI quickly caught on to today's theme, and was thinking of BED AND BREAKFAST long before that response revealed itself. You are right, that BY AND BY was a bit tricky here.
My favorite clue was Beachgoer's Shade = TAN.
Irene and Vernon Castle.
QOD: When someone says something is "off the record" they (sic) have already told 20 people. When it is "strictly off the record" they have already told 200. ~ John Betjeman
Good Morning C.C.,Argyle and all,
ReplyDeleteToday's puzzle was very quick;no 'bumps or bruises'.The 'B's were the fun part of this puzzle,and as Argyle said there were plenty of them.
Nice write up and links, Argyle.
Pleasant, after the weekend babel!
Have a nice day everyone.
Good morning all. Nice commenting, Argyle.
ReplyDeleteEasy one today, One pass, and a little back fill at top center and it was done. Not much to comment on. Did a WAG on where the 'and' fit on 46a. Chuckled at the BAWDY cross with DDE. The puzzle had no 'pace' but did have TROTs and GAIT. Only one foreign word, ESTA, and geography, YSER, but they have been frequent visitors.
A fun puzzle, Jeff; keep them coming.
My posts are never this high on the list. Must be a lazy morning.
ReplyDeleteI am only done as it was such a quick fill, and couldn't sleep so rose early. Fun theme today and I liked all the fills. A few unknowns were quickly solved via perps.
Lovely weekend here. Busy day ahead.
Dennis, I hate to even comment on that whale stat. I do have some advice for the women today though, and I have no idea who to attribute this piece of knowledge to. I believe I saw it on the internet the other day:
Any woman who thinks the way to a man's heart is through his stomach is aiming about 10 inches too high.
Have a great day all.
I found this beautiful acappella version of In the Sweet By and By. May you find some comfort in this old time gospel hymn.
ReplyDeleteHello Puzzlers - I nominate this puzzle for the Most Interesting for a Monday prize. Love all those grid-spanners!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the write-up, Argyle, especially for the reminder of how adorable Winona Ryder is. She certainly caught my attention in Little Women.
Cheers, All!
Good morning Argyle, C.C., and all.
ReplyDeleteAs has been mentioned, today's puzzle was easily clued at Monday's level, put had a well developed theme. And fun to see fill like ABYSMAL, DRUID, and HISSY fit. Thanks, Jeff Chen, for an enjoyable Monday ride.
Argyle, thanks for the link to the beautiful version of "In the Sweet By and By". I can remember DH's grandmother singing that song many, many years ago.
Enjoy the day!
Argyle - I enjoyed your blog very much. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI did todays puzzle although I am choch full of work ... Jeff Chen has done a puzzle of marvelous construction - even though it was relatively easy. Thank you Jeff Chen -may we see you soon again.
The 'sweet by and by' was also a VERY nice linkup ... I loved the song ... puts us all in a good mood.
Wistfully , I miss your old avatar .... your face gave that extra something - je' ne sais qua ' (?) - a small sense of peace and comfort in the 'give and take' of the comments page.
As already mentioned, a nice easy one today, but full of interesting stuff. I was thinking first of Jekyl to go with Hide, and it's a for atta until the theme came to me.
ReplyDeleteSeven Ys has to be pretty high on the scale too, isn't it?
The derm clue said suff., rather than pref., so ecto- or mesoderm would be examples.
KQ quoted: Any woman who thinks the way to a man's heart is through his stomach is aiming about 10 inches too high.
My response is another unattributable quote: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach and what hangs from it.
Rather cynical, I know.
Dennis,
I want to know: one car each, or all together?
I for one am looking forward to Jeff Chen's DD puzzle. Hope it's not a Saturday.
ReplyDeleteOn a (semi)related note:
Where the hell is Buckeye?
Good Morning Argyle et al.
ReplyDeleteNice easy puzzle, as it should be for a Monday. Nice clean theme, with some extra BB’s thrown in for good measure. How many other theme possibilities are there?
I thought of “Bag and baggage”, but it is only 13 letters – not a grid spanner like the others.
Great write-up Argyle, and thanks for the “BY AND BY” link. A beautiful way to start the day! I kinda like the new Avatar – if I ‘m not mistaken, that’s the “Auto Reverse” puzzle from last Thursday? And a couple of VERY nice malt whiskeys !
Hahtool, sorry to hear you’re coming down with a cold. My husband had one last week, and it was touch and go for a while…you know how it is when they catch a ”Man Cold”: the world comes to an end. Just be glad you’re a woman, and will live through it ;-D
Have a great day walking under ladders while eating fortune cookies and peanuts
and whistling “What a Wonderful World”, wearing your red white and blue top hats.
And Kazie:
ReplyDeleteNot cynical at all, just honest and real. We all have needs, and food is only one of them. Why does our puritanical culture require us to deny one the most basic and reduce it to jokes (as I just did above)?
Continuing the "unattributable" quote theme:
"people have more fun than anybody".
Good morning, Argyle, C.C. and everyone. Great blog, Argyle. Yes, ESTA is singular, formal, present tense.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I'm up this early!
But it's worth it to finish this puzzle by Jeff Chen. What a lovely piece of work. Almost all first pass runs, except ACME instead of APEX but the error soon became appparent.
Agreed, beachgoer's shade, TAN is a gem.
Loved ABYSMAL, ABRADE, BAWDY, BEAST, BRIBE; so many Bs!
Thanks Jeff.
Dennis:
I am always a positive thinker and I love peanuts so that won't be a problem. Normally, I do defy superstitions, but lately it almost seems that I am fighting a curse having to do with my telephone. I believe that's why I woke early. Calling them is on my mind.
You all have a lovely Monday!
Good morning, everyone!
ReplyDeleteI’ve been among the missing for a few weeks because my schedule has taken a dramatic change and I’m just beginning to adjust so I can do the puzzle and make comments. I’ve returned to work full time so I have to keep my nose to the grind stone and learn my new job. I don’t want to get into the habit of checking the blog during my working day, so I’ll only have a chance to comment on the first couple of hours of comments and then try to catch up in the evening.
I’m typing these comments up on Sunday night and will paste them into the submission box in the morning.
I got the theme after solving 17A, bit still made a mis-entry for 46A. Hey, BIGGERAND BIGGER fits in there as well. The perps showed me the error of my ways.
Happy Monday to all of you wonderful residents of the Corner.
Argyle, excellent write-up of a FUN Monday offering by Jeff.
ReplyDeleteAfter my week at Hedonism II, Negril, Jamaica
(I think this was my 40th trip) all I can say is my
*all-over* TAN is once again ... perfect.
Best part of the week at an "all-inclusive" resort is not having a bar TAB to pay when checking out. Trust me, it would have approached National Debt proportions!
Now I have to make my own coffee and breakfast and somehow try to remember how to engage the brain cells early in the morning.
BY AND BY I'll be back to the old routine.
After my week at Hedonism II, Negril, Jamaica
ReplyDelete(I think this was my 40th trip) all I can say is my
*all-over* TAN is once again ... perfect.
Talk about TMI.
Where's Lois been? I always look forward to her analysis. And why does C.C. no longer comment?
Vidwan827 said @ 7:51 AM:
ReplyDeleteArgyle - I miss your old avatar
But my new avatar gives me peace and comfort. Since I've figured out why I couldn't transfer my photos to the PC(forgot to format my new ScanDisc), I'll get an avatar that shows all of us together.
SurfingMama,
ReplyDeleteI add my comments to every write-up when I feel certain strength of puzzle construction is not noticed. You ask too much. And your TMI is rude.
Argyle:
ReplyDeleteYou know I love your Avatar.
Cheers !!!
Dennis:
As to those Blue Whales, timely info, goes with the theme. BIGGER AND BETTER ...
Funny thing, after not doing a crossword puzzle for a week (nor read a newspaper, for that matter) for a Monday this was more of a challenge than usual.
Five theme answers plus the BBS.
This was really a GREAT grid!
I really liked the EEE in the clue leading to WIDE.
Now I have to figure out how to get ABYSMAL into a conversation today.
On the plus side, I just printed out last weeks
Mon-Sat puzzles. So for my adjustment back to the real world I have some FUN to catch up on.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteNo BUMPS AND BRUISES with this fun puzzle. Made me feel so smart to finish quickly and not even reach for my V-8 can.
Dennis, puts a whole new meaning to 'BLUE BALLS' doesn't it? :0
Crockett, what all you doing 'full time'????
a man's stomach is certainly not the only way to his heart - but there's a great line from 'like water for chocolate': cooking is the way a woman enters a man.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful Monday opener. Awesome design and sharp clues! My nitpick is asking myself if jade is really a gem. No e-garbage and almost no crosswordese, wow!!
ReplyDeleteOh, since when is EEE wide? I occasionally (when I can find them) buy 13EEEEEE but usually settle on 14EEEE.
Off to see if I can rent out some property.
KQ, Kazie, Melissa, excellent takes on an old saying. All true. Melissa, I never heard that last one before, but it's pretty damn good.
ReplyDeleteKazie, I have to believe it's altogether, otherwise I doubt they could come up for air.
HeartRx, congratulations, you nailed the 'Today is' routine.
I echo Windhover's question: Where the hell is Buckeye?
Lucinda, a 'curse' involving your telephone? You gotta give us more than that.
WB, Crockett and Tinbeni - Crockett, what have you gone back to full time? Tinbeni, nice catch re the whales and 'bigger and better'. Didn't even realize it when I posted it.
Carol, just perfect.
Argyle, Noticed in your new avatar
ReplyDeletethat you high light the theme ans-
weres. I use orange. Will try your brand when I scrape enough pennies
together.
Happy thoughts.
Argyle
ReplyDeletere 25D + pic + Blue Whales + general tone of today's discussion:
I was not aware of your keen interest in the Ryder Cup. Perhaps we could arrange a mixed Four-ball?
As to the theme, BIG AND BOUNCY is too short, I know, but to the point, perhaps.
End of Schoolboy Humor.
NC
Hi all!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your nice comments. It's such a great group of commenters here on this blog!
This grid took me such a long time, due to the heavy theme constraints. But I love constructing grids, so it was even fun to work through all the knotty sections.
My first Sunday size puzzle is coming out this Sunday (LAT)! I'm a little nervous.
Jeff
Jeff, thanks for checking in and congratulations on the Sunday puzzle; I know we're all looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteDitto!
ReplyDeleteWell, Dennis, since you asked.
ReplyDeleteLast week, being in a hurry and now learning that haste really does make waste, I loaded my cell phone, wallet, keys, water in a tote bag and head for the gym.
Having failed to check the water bottle, it turned out to be lose and you guessed it, drowned my cell phone and other items.
At the Verizon office, they could not revive my phone, talked me into transferring my land line and it's been a headache ever since especially since messages were being sent to cyber space.
After talking to numerous techs, some good ones, some not, I am finally going to retrieve my land line and then deal with Verizon about the new phone they "gave" me.
So I can tell you it has been an ABYSMAL experience! And it's not over yet.
And hey, talk about sperm whales!
Welcome back, Tinbeni and Crockett. I have missed you!
ReplyDeleteGreetings from the teacher's lounge. I am bored stiff but I can take it for $139/day.
ReplyDeletePuzzle was a fun solve and coming up with those spanners looks like a tough contruct to me.
As only he can, here's a Dave Barry's non-religious take on religion.
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteThis was a fun puzzle! Had a few problems at the bottom but eventually got them.
I loved the HISSY fit.
Seeing the Flanders clue, I had to think of the poem we had to learn in the fifth grade. It was 1942 and WW II had just started so we were learning about WW I. 'In Flanders Field' was a poem we all learned to say together for some kind of program. It started with "In Flanders Fields the poppies grow between the crosses row on row' is all I remember but it was refering to all the cemetaries in France where many of our soldiers were buried. At that time we didn't know much about war yet but we learned a lot in the next few years.
Tomorrow is our Primary election and I've had two phone calls while reading the blog. Had a lot more over the weekend.
Have a good day all!
Marge
Marge, that is a beautiful poem written during WW I (1915) by Canadian John McCrae. I remember that first line too.
ReplyDeleteDennis, thanks for the Dave Barry link. Funny stuff as always.
By the way, I'm just finishing a young adult book called THE HAND OF HEROES that has a little bit of crosswording involved (I couldn't help myself). The entire "find an agent" process has been daunting. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions for me?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Jeff
Hi gang -
ReplyDeleteMost fun I've had with a Monday puzzle -- maybe ever.
Argyl - Fine work, as always
Great link on BY AND BY. A capella, and a marvelous key change at "To our bountiful." And a jazz chord at the end. Just Wow!
It means "how are you" singular formal. I await confirmation.
Si!
DERM can be a prefix or a suffix - a dual-purpose affix.
Does that biblical quote seem to be coming up a lot or, IS IT just I?
51A - AROLE - Ahhh, so close . . .
And SATYR so close to BEAST.
Hmmmm -
BEAST RYDER takes on a BAWDY SATYR.
They would never ABIDE a BRIBE in the DDE ERA.
But Senator Craig had a WIDE GAIT.
The passed holly branches at the DRUID RELAY.
Join the navy to see the world; join the U S ARMY to BE SEEN.
Down at the pond, do the ducks SEEK SCUM?
Do you like the way those line cross?
Yes. It's such ACUTE little angle.
LET'S INCH our way to EDGE IN or EASE BY, BY AND BY.
Sorry. Guess its in my DNA.
Cheers!
JzB
Marge,
ReplyDeleteThose poppies are everywhere in Europe in the Spring. They line the roadsides and train tracks. They grow densely and are always small bright red flowers. So I imagine they also grow in the cemeteries in Normandy where so many D-Day casualties are buried. I don't remember seeing them in Belgium, but maybe the season was wrong when I was there, but I always think of the poem when I see the painting depicting a woman with a parasol on a hillside covered with them. It's by Claude Monet. His poppies look oversized though. I think the poem implied the blood of the fallen was mingling with the res of the poppies
Glad to see you back, Crockett. You have been missed. What type of work are you doing that keeps you from the blog?
ReplyDeleteJazzB: "It Is I" is clearly becoming a crossword staple. We have been seeing the phrase a lot recently.
Tower of BABEL?
In Flanders fields the poppies blow, / Between the crosses, row on row, / That mark our place; and in the sky / The larks, still bravely singing, fly / Scarce heard amid the guns below.
ReplyDeleteWe are the Dead. Short days ago / We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, / Loved, and were loved, and now we lie / In Flanders fields.
Take up your quarrel with the foe: / To you from failing hands we throw / The torch; be yours to hold it high. / If we break faith with us who die / We shall not sleep, though poppies brow / In Flanders fields.
McCrae's poem is an anti war poem. He was a medical officer who had attended to the horrible injuries suffered by the soldiers in many battles all over Europe.
Doreen
Second to last line, third stanza is "poppies grow" not "poppies brow." My proofreading was hurried. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteDoreen
Another Pleasant Valley Monday... (sorry, Beatles fans)
ReplyDeleteLoved this puzzle although DERM as a suffix threw me for a minim. I'd forgotten how multipurpose an affix it is. I smiled each time another BB revealed itself.
Jeff, I loved your puzzle, so much work to make it both theme intensive and a Monday level.
ReplyDeleteIf you email, I will tell you my experience in getting agents for authors; it ain't easy. Like banks they want the clients who do not need them.
Very busy catching up from all the various holidays, and besides Buckeye, where are the rest of our part timers?
For you Jerome, the worst pun I have heard in a while:
Paddy is passing by Mick's hay shed one day when through a gap in the door he sees Mick doing a slow and sensual striptease in front of an old red Massey Ferguson.
Buttocks clenched he performs a slow pirouette and gently slides off first the right welly (wellington boot), followed by the left.
He then hunches his shoulders forward and in a classic striptease move lets his braces (suspenders) fall down from his shoulders to dangle by his hips over his corduroy trousers.
Grabbing both sides of his checked shirt he rips it apart to reveal his tea stained vest underneath and with a final flourish he hurls his flat cap on to a pile of hay.
'What on earth are you doing Mick', says Paddy.
'Jeez Paddy, ye frightened the livin bejasus out of me', says an obviously embarrassed Mick, 'but me and the Missus been having some trouble lately in the bedroom department, and the therapist suggested I do something sexy to a tractor .'
Quick fills, as typical for Monday. 11 minutes to finish.
ReplyDeleteLemonade- Right up my alley! Great joke and the homophone is perfect. I'd love to use the joke as a theme. The last line would be a terrific "Aha" moment. Trouble is, there's no market for a 113x113 size puzzle. :)
ReplyDeleteWikWak,
ReplyDeleteNope. The Monkees.
Hello All--I have to agree with everyone else that this was a great Monday puzzle with a fun theme. I had counted the B's, as well, and was amazed at how many Jeff fit into today's puzzle. Good job.
ReplyDeleteMy only hang up was with Hide (and) Seek. I had put in Hide (nor) Hair. That error was quickly remedied. The couple of unknowns were quickly filled in with the perps.
I'm sure we'll all be looking forward to the Sunday puzzle, Jeff. I don't usually do the Sunday CW, but will look for it this coming week.
Thank you, Doreen, for the lovely poem. While in France, our tour guide took us to one of those "Fields" of crosses, and it was a very sobering experience. Acres, and acres of white crosses as far as you could see. There are WWII cemetaries there as well.
This poem was a lovely tribute, even though it was an anti war statement. Lest we forget!
What I learned today: If a recipe calls for creaming the sugar with the eggs and butter, but you already added the sugar to the flour mixture, mixing the eggs and butter only, then adding all the dry ingredients will affect the outcome of the cake. And not in a good way. More baking tomorrow. Next time I will pay more attention to the directions.
ReplyDeleteJeff, I can't wait for Sunday! Great job. Good luck with the book.
ReplyDeleteHi again.
ReplyDeleteKazie-thanks for the picture, it was beautiful!
Doreen- thanks for the whole poem! I also goofed, I had poppies grow in stead of poppies blow.
Marge
Hahtool,
ReplyDeleteThat's why I only bake bread--never cakes.
Chickie,
If everyone was anti-war, there'd be a lot fewer young men sent to die for the gains of others.
I liked this puzzle very much. I have a personal relationship with the letter B, not just my bestbird ID, but my real initials are BB. My firstborn also has BB as his initials.
ReplyDeleteHere's some other B and B phrases, with the requisite "and":
Bread and butter
Buttons and bows
Birds and bees
And, Dennis, those pigs in Kingsville, TX, aren't cops, I hope.
Kazie, I'm mostly anti-war but what would you have done about Germany and Japan before WW II started?
ReplyDeleteIt feels like war is bad but maybe not all wars?
That's what I said... Monkees.
ReplyDelete[shuffles feet, blushes...]
ReplyDeleteCarol, Dennis and all, I took a job in the office at Chess for Success -- 40 hours a week, Sept through May. I had to give up my volunteer stint at the radio station and at the library, but the job was just up my alley and I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by.
ReplyDeleteJeff, I may just have to have a go at that Sunday puzzle. Congrats!
Thank you, Lucina and Hahtool
Lemonade, nice chuckle!
See you in the morn..
Argyle - After a busy day I'm just now getting caught up with today's posts. I really enjoyed that rendition of Sweet By and By! I'm a fiercely loyal fan of traditional A Capella. Luckily, I live in a part of the world where it's available in quantity.
ReplyDeleteDudley, I thought it would be interesting and enjoyable to hear that song done by a barbershop quartet. Or, even better, by the Manhattan Transfer.
ReplyDeleteBill G. - I quite agree. In the case of Man. Transfer, I'd be interested to learn whether they'd choose to do it a capella. I can only think of two a capella pieces in their whole 35-year repertoire: A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, and Foreign Affair, both arranged for them by Gene Puerling. I wish there were more!
ReplyDelete@ Windhover Nurse Ratchet probably has him tied down to the bed again.
ReplyDelete