Theme: Y me? - The letter Y is added to the start of the first word of each common phrase to create a new phrase which is quite punny. A very simple theme (add a “Y”) executed to entertain. This is only our second puzzle from Mr. Berniker, who brought us the What’s in a Name Puzzle (WOODY, ROCKY and SANDY) back in April, though this emergency room physician has had a number of NYT and other puzzles published, the theme is simple and clean.
17A. Those who outwit safecrackers?: YEGG BEATERS. The lazy man’s egg product, meets a safecracker, better known as a YEGG. YEGG has been in detective fiction from the early 1900’s, but no one is quite sure where it came from.
26A. 1945 view for Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin?: YALTA VISTA. YALTA was the site of the second of three wartime conferences between the leaders of Great Britain, Russia and the US. Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt, were present, and the meeting took place on the black sea because the powerful dictator Stalin was afraid to fly. ALTA VISTA was one of the very early search engines for the world wide web, which like LYCOS, faded away under the Google onslaught.
39A. Chronologists?: YEAR SPECIALISTS. Chronology is the study of the sequence of events, and I bet you all know what an Ear Specialist is.
50A. Core of the dark side?: YIN ESSENCE. I really like this multi level clue, as it teases us with Star Wars like reference to the dark side, while literally meaning just dark. We recently discussed YIN being the shadowy side and YANG being the bright side, and of course, the essence of something is its core.
60A. Paradise brewing aid?: YEAST OF EDEN. Okay, I cannot help it, these puzzles just seem to hone in on me and my family, especially now that they both are beer maestros, with yeast the key to fermenting combined with the John Steinbeck novel East of Eden (which was made into a motion picture with James Dean) transformed into some biblical yeast to make great beer. Since beer predates wine, I guess it all makes good sense. When CAIN was exiled, it was to the east of Eden, to the land of Nod, which I mention since the book is sort of a retelling of that story. It is rumored a remake of the movie is in the works.
Lemonade here, and I enjoyed the cluing, lots of literary references with some deception and wit, for example:
33A. Bucks: BREAD. As the old joke goes, “What is a buccaneer? A really high price for corn.”
71A. Parts of pig tales: OINKS. The tails – tales reference is cute.
My favorite, 31D. Paper cutters, briefly?: EDS. Newspaper editors, tipped off by the “?” and the briefly…
38D. Lamb piece: ESSAY. Wonderful, no baa baa, but, the writer CHARLES LAMB who wrote as Elia, and had a very tragic life.
Also, in keeping with Friday and my blogging day, there are many law related references:
15A. Accustom: ENURE. We love this word, used in describing rights which enure to the benefit of someone.
16A. Its law sch. is in Concord: UNH. University of New Hampshire Law School is in “Cahncahd.”
23A. Law school standards-setting org.: ABA. American Bar Association.
56A. Auspices: AEGIS. Like ENURE, a favorite word in legal writing.
Well, enough of that, on with the show:
Across:
1. '50s headline event: A TEST. What is it with the fascination with A bombs and H bombs lately? We also have the tie in with President Eisenhower from the 50’s.
6. Architectural style: TUDOR. One of the long lasting results of the BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY.
11. Status follower: QUO. This is an Anglicization of the Latin STATU QUO, which the state in which.
14. Princess Toadstool's rescuer: MARIO. Which was played on 65D. Old console using Game Paks: NES. My boys came along just in time for me to learn all about those wacky brothers Mario and Luigi.
19. "__ Believer": I'M A. I am sure most remember this SONG but for my fellow Connecticut followers, I remind everyone Peter Tork is the son of a UConn professor (Nee Thorkelson) and Peter now lives in Storrs.
20. Artist Matisse: HENRI. He was featured in a recent puzzle, and was a master of color and a friend and rival of Picasso.
21. Regarding: AS PER. Okay, also used by lawyers but I do not want to overdo.
29. Beef: RED MEAT. I quoted Clara Peller last week, remember?
32. Really riles: IRES. A real crossword word.
34. See 51-Down: IKE. And, 51D. With 34-Across, '50s slogan: I LIKE. My earliest memory was when Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart came to my small home town, campaigning for Adlai Stevenson, and my father met them at the train station and took them to meet the mayor etc.
35. Zap with a weapon: TASE. And this VIDEO was a proud University of Florida moment.
43. Asian wrap: SARI. Cute, made you think of food didn’t he?
44. TV world: ORK. Enough already, is Robin Williams paying the constructors?
45. Chimú conquerors: INCAS. Last week I had the Aztecs now the Incas and the CHIMU .
46. Light bites: NIPS. Why many people do not like little dogs, who are yippy and bite.
48. Botanical cavity: ALVEOLA. We also had this as the cavity in the lungs, for example, but it is the same in Botany and Zoology.
54. Miss Pym's creator: TEY. How timely, as Fermatprime brought her up Wednesday; Elizabeth MacIntosh produced only ten or twelve books under various pseudonyms, but did line into her 50s, and is said to have influenced all the great cozy writers like Agatha Christie. Martha Grimes recently paid tribute to her The Daughter of Time in two Inspector Jury novels.
55. Woman in a "Paint Your Wagon" song: ELISA. I love the version sung by CLINT EASTWOOD ; where is our author Elissa?
59. Do some bartending: MIX. Yes, a bar, that is what my oldest and my nephew want to open in Buffalo.
66. Squeeze (out): EKE. The second of this puzzles tired but needed crosswordese.
67. Ranch wanderer: STRAY. Why do I picture a loose crouton trying to escape my fork? kinda goes with 64D. Forest ranger?: ELK. Well, luckily there are not many three lettered animals in the forest.
68. Boosted: STOLE. This comes from the organized shoplifters, who used a booster box, a device with a false bottom, which would be placed on top of merchandise, which would then get taken out. The store detective never saw the perp touch the merchandise.
69. Neighbor of Homer: NED. Not the author, but the Simpson, and the religious Mr. Flanders.
70. Newbery Medal winner for "Island of the Blue Dolphins": ODELL. Never heard of the BOOK or Mr. O’Dell. Whew, we are thru the acrosses.
Down:
1. Etiquette guru Vanderbilt: AMY. With a name like Vanderbilt (you all should tour the home in Newport, R.I.) who would not read this TOME .
2. Inventing initials: TAE. Thomas Alva Edison. The wizard of Menlo Park.
3. Fraction of a joule: ERG. All you need to know about ENERGY.
4. [I give up]: SIGH. Come on, no time to quit now, we are going to finish.
5. Start of a classic question: TO BE. Or not to be, that is the question; in my all boys high school, I played Gertrude in our production of Hamlet; the rest were too insecure.
6. Claw: TEAR AT. This too is timely, if you have ever seen a rabid group of children and their presents on Christmas morning.
7. Up to: UNTIL. The punch line, “Up to now, everything was okay.” The joke?
8. Anticipated: DUE.
9. Boston sports legend: ORR. Another New England reference.
10. Back up anew: RESAVE.
11. Marx forte: QUIPS. Karl? Groucho? Both?
12. Like certain expectations: UNMET. Life unfulfilled desires, also apt at Christmas as we see bonuses dwindling, presents shrinking…
13. "Pal Joey" author: O'HARA. Another author and a contemporary of John Steinbeck. When Steinbeck won the Pulitzer prize O’Hara sent him a telegram saying, he could only think of one other author who deserved the prize. O’Hara was great with dialogue, I still read his books.
18. "A Day Without Rain" musician: ENYA. Our new age queen is back.
22. __ Chapel: SISTINE. Another ceiling reference?
23. Fast food chain known for roast beef: ARBY'S. One of many food chains that began in Ohio, the name is not RB for Roast Beef, but RB for Raffel Brothers, the founders. They were the first chain to ban smoking in their facilities.
24. First multiracial coed college in the South: BEREA. The history of this COLLEGE is amazing, but I will leave the details to our own Windhover.
25. "Be __ ...": A DEAR. And get me a beer while you are up. Or take out the garbage.
27. Kind of torch: TIKI. Very big in south Florida.
28. Gazetteer figure: AREA. Gazetteer is an atlas including information like population and area.
30. Quantico inhabitants: MARINES. A shout out to our soon to be traveling and resting Dennis.
34. Opposite of "Yum!": ICK. Recall this MOVIE ?
36. English racing town: ASCOT. Next year will be the 300th anniversary of the world’s most famous horse race course.
37. Old hat: STALE. Not a fedora, or the race track Derby.
40. Opens, as a hood: POPS. Okay buddy, pop open the hood and lets see what’s making that noise.
41. Gaelic tongue: ERSE. This is the root word for what we now call IRISH.
42. Tyler of "The Incredible Hulk": LIV. Poor CHILD started out thinking she was Liv Rundgren, Todd’s daughter.
47. Words after "Because": I SAY SO. The magic words of parenting, changed my life.
48. Like a vinegar radical: ACETYL. ACETUM is the Latin word for vinegar, which is a weak acid produced by fermentation like alcohol.
49. One of more than 245,000 in a Christmas tree at a California theme park: LEGO. TREE .
50. Oman neighbor: YEMEN. Ah back in Oman.
52. Put the kibosh on: NIXED. Pronounced KIE bosh, likely from Hebrew which oddly does not use vowels.
53. Like a cold sufferer's voice: NASAL. SOUND .
57. "Say that's true ...": IF SO. Hmm, lawyers and logicians use this…
58. "The X-Files" gp.: SETI. Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence.
61. LAX listing: ETD. If it is an airport, it is going to be ETA or ETD. A=Arrival, D= Departure.
62. Exist: ARE.
63. Tough boss: DON. The Godfather.
Answer grid.
Golly, the year is almost done, I do not expect many will have time to comment today, but I wish you a very happy holiday week, until next time.
Lemonade
17A. Those who outwit safecrackers?: YEGG BEATERS. The lazy man’s egg product, meets a safecracker, better known as a YEGG. YEGG has been in detective fiction from the early 1900’s, but no one is quite sure where it came from.
26A. 1945 view for Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin?: YALTA VISTA. YALTA was the site of the second of three wartime conferences between the leaders of Great Britain, Russia and the US. Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt, were present, and the meeting took place on the black sea because the powerful dictator Stalin was afraid to fly. ALTA VISTA was one of the very early search engines for the world wide web, which like LYCOS, faded away under the Google onslaught.
39A. Chronologists?: YEAR SPECIALISTS. Chronology is the study of the sequence of events, and I bet you all know what an Ear Specialist is.
50A. Core of the dark side?: YIN ESSENCE. I really like this multi level clue, as it teases us with Star Wars like reference to the dark side, while literally meaning just dark. We recently discussed YIN being the shadowy side and YANG being the bright side, and of course, the essence of something is its core.
60A. Paradise brewing aid?: YEAST OF EDEN. Okay, I cannot help it, these puzzles just seem to hone in on me and my family, especially now that they both are beer maestros, with yeast the key to fermenting combined with the John Steinbeck novel East of Eden (which was made into a motion picture with James Dean) transformed into some biblical yeast to make great beer. Since beer predates wine, I guess it all makes good sense. When CAIN was exiled, it was to the east of Eden, to the land of Nod, which I mention since the book is sort of a retelling of that story. It is rumored a remake of the movie is in the works.
Lemonade here, and I enjoyed the cluing, lots of literary references with some deception and wit, for example:
33A. Bucks: BREAD. As the old joke goes, “What is a buccaneer? A really high price for corn.”
71A. Parts of pig tales: OINKS. The tails – tales reference is cute.
My favorite, 31D. Paper cutters, briefly?: EDS. Newspaper editors, tipped off by the “?” and the briefly…
38D. Lamb piece: ESSAY. Wonderful, no baa baa, but, the writer CHARLES LAMB who wrote as Elia, and had a very tragic life.
Also, in keeping with Friday and my blogging day, there are many law related references:
15A. Accustom: ENURE. We love this word, used in describing rights which enure to the benefit of someone.
16A. Its law sch. is in Concord: UNH. University of New Hampshire Law School is in “Cahncahd.”
23A. Law school standards-setting org.: ABA. American Bar Association.
56A. Auspices: AEGIS. Like ENURE, a favorite word in legal writing.
Well, enough of that, on with the show:
Across:
1. '50s headline event: A TEST. What is it with the fascination with A bombs and H bombs lately? We also have the tie in with President Eisenhower from the 50’s.
6. Architectural style: TUDOR. One of the long lasting results of the BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY.
11. Status follower: QUO. This is an Anglicization of the Latin STATU QUO, which the state in which.
14. Princess Toadstool's rescuer: MARIO. Which was played on 65D. Old console using Game Paks: NES. My boys came along just in time for me to learn all about those wacky brothers Mario and Luigi.
19. "__ Believer": I'M A. I am sure most remember this SONG but for my fellow Connecticut followers, I remind everyone Peter Tork is the son of a UConn professor (Nee Thorkelson) and Peter now lives in Storrs.
20. Artist Matisse: HENRI. He was featured in a recent puzzle, and was a master of color and a friend and rival of Picasso.
21. Regarding: AS PER. Okay, also used by lawyers but I do not want to overdo.
29. Beef: RED MEAT. I quoted Clara Peller last week, remember?
32. Really riles: IRES. A real crossword word.
34. See 51-Down: IKE. And, 51D. With 34-Across, '50s slogan: I LIKE. My earliest memory was when Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart came to my small home town, campaigning for Adlai Stevenson, and my father met them at the train station and took them to meet the mayor etc.
35. Zap with a weapon: TASE. And this VIDEO was a proud University of Florida moment.
43. Asian wrap: SARI. Cute, made you think of food didn’t he?
44. TV world: ORK. Enough already, is Robin Williams paying the constructors?
45. Chimú conquerors: INCAS. Last week I had the Aztecs now the Incas and the CHIMU .
46. Light bites: NIPS. Why many people do not like little dogs, who are yippy and bite.
48. Botanical cavity: ALVEOLA. We also had this as the cavity in the lungs, for example, but it is the same in Botany and Zoology.
54. Miss Pym's creator: TEY. How timely, as Fermatprime brought her up Wednesday; Elizabeth MacIntosh produced only ten or twelve books under various pseudonyms, but did line into her 50s, and is said to have influenced all the great cozy writers like Agatha Christie. Martha Grimes recently paid tribute to her The Daughter of Time in two Inspector Jury novels.
55. Woman in a "Paint Your Wagon" song: ELISA. I love the version sung by CLINT EASTWOOD ; where is our author Elissa?
59. Do some bartending: MIX. Yes, a bar, that is what my oldest and my nephew want to open in Buffalo.
66. Squeeze (out): EKE. The second of this puzzles tired but needed crosswordese.
67. Ranch wanderer: STRAY. Why do I picture a loose crouton trying to escape my fork? kinda goes with 64D. Forest ranger?: ELK. Well, luckily there are not many three lettered animals in the forest.
68. Boosted: STOLE. This comes from the organized shoplifters, who used a booster box, a device with a false bottom, which would be placed on top of merchandise, which would then get taken out. The store detective never saw the perp touch the merchandise.
69. Neighbor of Homer: NED. Not the author, but the Simpson, and the religious Mr. Flanders.
70. Newbery Medal winner for "Island of the Blue Dolphins": ODELL. Never heard of the BOOK or Mr. O’Dell. Whew, we are thru the acrosses.
Down:
1. Etiquette guru Vanderbilt: AMY. With a name like Vanderbilt (you all should tour the home in Newport, R.I.) who would not read this TOME .
2. Inventing initials: TAE. Thomas Alva Edison. The wizard of Menlo Park.
3. Fraction of a joule: ERG. All you need to know about ENERGY.
4. [I give up]: SIGH. Come on, no time to quit now, we are going to finish.
5. Start of a classic question: TO BE. Or not to be, that is the question; in my all boys high school, I played Gertrude in our production of Hamlet; the rest were too insecure.
6. Claw: TEAR AT. This too is timely, if you have ever seen a rabid group of children and their presents on Christmas morning.
7. Up to: UNTIL. The punch line, “Up to now, everything was okay.” The joke?
8. Anticipated: DUE.
9. Boston sports legend: ORR. Another New England reference.
10. Back up anew: RESAVE.
11. Marx forte: QUIPS. Karl? Groucho? Both?
12. Like certain expectations: UNMET. Life unfulfilled desires, also apt at Christmas as we see bonuses dwindling, presents shrinking…
13. "Pal Joey" author: O'HARA. Another author and a contemporary of John Steinbeck. When Steinbeck won the Pulitzer prize O’Hara sent him a telegram saying, he could only think of one other author who deserved the prize. O’Hara was great with dialogue, I still read his books.
18. "A Day Without Rain" musician: ENYA. Our new age queen is back.
22. __ Chapel: SISTINE. Another ceiling reference?
23. Fast food chain known for roast beef: ARBY'S. One of many food chains that began in Ohio, the name is not RB for Roast Beef, but RB for Raffel Brothers, the founders. They were the first chain to ban smoking in their facilities.
24. First multiracial coed college in the South: BEREA. The history of this COLLEGE is amazing, but I will leave the details to our own Windhover.
25. "Be __ ...": A DEAR. And get me a beer while you are up. Or take out the garbage.
27. Kind of torch: TIKI. Very big in south Florida.
28. Gazetteer figure: AREA. Gazetteer is an atlas including information like population and area.
30. Quantico inhabitants: MARINES. A shout out to our soon to be traveling and resting Dennis.
34. Opposite of "Yum!": ICK. Recall this MOVIE ?
36. English racing town: ASCOT. Next year will be the 300th anniversary of the world’s most famous horse race course.
37. Old hat: STALE. Not a fedora, or the race track Derby.
40. Opens, as a hood: POPS. Okay buddy, pop open the hood and lets see what’s making that noise.
41. Gaelic tongue: ERSE. This is the root word for what we now call IRISH.
42. Tyler of "The Incredible Hulk": LIV. Poor CHILD started out thinking she was Liv Rundgren, Todd’s daughter.
47. Words after "Because": I SAY SO. The magic words of parenting, changed my life.
48. Like a vinegar radical: ACETYL. ACETUM is the Latin word for vinegar, which is a weak acid produced by fermentation like alcohol.
49. One of more than 245,000 in a Christmas tree at a California theme park: LEGO. TREE .
50. Oman neighbor: YEMEN. Ah back in Oman.
52. Put the kibosh on: NIXED. Pronounced KIE bosh, likely from Hebrew which oddly does not use vowels.
53. Like a cold sufferer's voice: NASAL. SOUND .
57. "Say that's true ...": IF SO. Hmm, lawyers and logicians use this…
58. "The X-Files" gp.: SETI. Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence.
61. LAX listing: ETD. If it is an airport, it is going to be ETA or ETD. A=Arrival, D= Departure.
62. Exist: ARE.
63. Tough boss: DON. The Godfather.
Answer grid.
Golly, the year is almost done, I do not expect many will have time to comment today, but I wish you a very happy holiday week, until next time.
Lemonade
34 comments:
Good Morning, Lemonade and Friends. A quite morning! This was a good puzzle. I quickly realized that the theme was an added "Y" at the beginning of the phrase, but it took a bit for met to tease out some the correct responses.
The UNH Law School is also known as the Franklin Pierce School of Law. UNH in Durham is where I earned my graduate degree. Alas, I did not stay in New Hampshire for my law degree.
I knew BERAE, but only because of my friend Windhover!
I was almost stumped by Neighbor of Homer. All I could think of was the tiny town of Homer, Louisiana, and was racking my brain for the town nearest to it!
If anyone is in southern Louisiana today, check out the Bonfires on the Levee. There are bonfires all along the levee from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. It's an interesting tradition.
Fermaprime: An early Happy Birthday!
Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope you are all able to spend time with loved ones.
QOD: Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. ~ Hamilton Wright Mabi
Good morning Lemonade, CC et al.
I didn't recognise the constructor, but I really enjoyed the puzzle. There was enough misdirection and obscure stuff to make me really think, but enough easy fill to point me in the right direction. I got the theme right away, but YIN ESSENCE evaded me until I quit thinking Star Wars and remembered our discussion about yin and yang last week.
Major slowdown was putting 'shank' for the lamb piece and 'raspy' for the cold suffer's voice. 'Yuk' instead of ICK didn't help either.
I spelled ENURE with an I which left me staring at TIARAT for claw. I finally smacked myself upside the head, corrected my spelling error and parsed the phrase.
Merry Christmas to all and a special Christmas Eve toast (eggnog with brandy will be my choice) from sunny South Florida.
Hahtool, thanks for the link to the bonfires. All of those pictures of the Cajun food bring back fond memories of Port Sulphur, LA and shrimp Po'boy sandwiches for lunch.
I wonder if they saved the oil soaked straw booms and used them for fuel in the bonfires?
Hello cruciverbalists!
Fine blogging, Lemonade. (You might check out your second link.)
Thanks, Hahtool!
I read on WebMD that one is not supposed to take one's vitamins, prescriptions and pain pills before bed! Well, I tried that and guess what? I slept a whole 5 hours, after going for several days with no more than 2 hours. Sure hope that it was not a fluke!
Puzzle was fun. Thanks Kenneth! Did take a bit of time, though. Caught on to the Ys early, thank goodness. Favorite answer: I SAY SO. (Didn't work very well around here, though.)
Everyone have a great day mañana!
Lemonade, Thank you for a very informative, in depth, write-up.
Especially liked the "Cahn-Cahd" ref. for Concord.
Plus the "TASE" clip. Yeah, questions protected by the 1st Amendment need "A Bro to be tased."
And the info re: BEREA college.
(Yeah, learning something NEW each day is FUN).
Ho,Ho,Ho ... on Christmas Eve, with the assistance of more than a few NIPS of my Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Liquor I let out a SIGH and came up with a DNF.
Well I didn't know the 'Botanical cavity' was ALVEOLA.
And I had put in 'star' for that 250,000 things on the California Christmas Tree and never got today's LEGO.
Then at YALTA VISTA I had entered Yalta River.
So along with that unknown UNH as the site of the Concord Law Sch., that NE AREA never came together either.
But I had a FUN time trying.
A "toast" and Merry Christmas to all at Sunset.
Cheer's !!!
Good Morning Lemonade, C.C. et al.
Great write-up, Lemonade. Thanks for explaining 31D EDS. Even after I filled it in with perps, I still couldn't figure it out - a real V8 moment when I read your comment.
I already had YEGG... and YALTA... but it wasn't until I got YIN ESSENCE that I figured out the theme with the added "Y". Very clever! I hope we see more of this constructor. Fav clues were "Forest Ranger" for ELK and "Lamb piece" for ESSAY.
Hahtool, Thanks for the link to the Bonfires on the Levee. Really neat tradition. I wonder if our N.O. friends will be attending tonight?
Fermatprime - good to hear you finally got some uninterrupted sleep. And Happy early birthday!! I'm not sure when it is, being a newbie?
Everyone, have a wonderful holiday. And an eggnog toast to all tonight!
Good Morning C.C.,Lemon and all,
Good job with the write-up,Lemon.
I took my time this a.m.,and almost finished it. I quit looking at the Tase video-too much on a pleasant morning, after a fantastic family gathering last night. Warm feelings all around.
Kenneth Berniker has produced an excellent puzzle in my opinion.
It was definitely challenging. It caught me on the 16A,13D cross. Just didn't even wag. The "Xfiles group" and "boosted"cross was my other unknown. I've never heard of that definition; I have heard 'lifted' for 'stole' before. Is that the same thing?
There is Berea again. The clue made me especially proud. I didn't go there like Windhover, but it says a lot for Kentucky.
I thought the theme and clues were fresh. Fav was 'paper cutters'.
All in all, I give this puzzle an 'A', even with my two blank squares.
Have a nice day everyone.
Hello~!
A Merry Christmas to all the cruciverbalists here, and just a few comments on today's puzzle, which was a good one.
I grabbed the theme pretty quickly, and had only a couple of mistakes and one sticking point -
Had LEDS for LEGO, so I was "half" right. Seemed to make sense to me...HEXED for NIXED, oh so close...and COILS for OINKS, yup, read the clue wrong.
Was looking forward to the architectural link to TUDOR, but it seems to lead to our LAMB link instead, oh well...
Take care, and we will see you late tomorrow (?)
Splynter
Hahtool, when is Fermatprimes birthday? Why early?
Fixed the TUDOR link. My bad. A bit of blog glitch this morning.
I screwed this up right royally. I had lots missing or wrong due to lack of knowledge or time to google it all. My missing were: A-TEST, MARIO, ABA, RED MEAT, TIKI, AREA, BREAD, yearSPecIAlists, NIPS, yINEssense (MAriNES) too) ELISA, AEGIS, MIX, NED, STOlE, OINkS.
First theme one to fall was Yeast of Eden, and that gave me the idea, but it still didn't help with 39A and 50A.
Hope you all have a great Christmas and time to rest up afterwards!
Season's greeting to all, and thanks Lemonade
I had been too busy at the time to follow the "Don't tase me bro" incident, so thanks for the link. I will say no more since freedom of (political) speech does not extend to this blog - something I totally agree with (of course, officer).
I immediately wrote in ENT for 64D, the OTHER 3-letter forest ranger, albeit mythical. The usage of BOOST to mean "shoplifting" was not in my vocabulary - but thanks for the explanation, L.
Otherwise, a jollY little romp. YALTA gave the game away - what an unforgettable image of 3 chums drawing an Iron Curtain across Europe for 45 years:
Uncle Joe and friends
Appropriately straightforward for Christmas eve. And for you late shoppers, here is the ideal gift for the man or woman who has everything (with apologies to George O.):
Homage to (S)Catalonia
On a lighter note, L., you missed the musical link to STATUS QUO, a Brit glam-rock institution:
Here in 1975:
ARE YOU DANCIN'?
and still fine festive fare:
TOO OLD TO ROCK AND ROLL?"
Rock on
NC
Hello Everyone ~~
I really enjoyed this puzzle -- it was just challenging enough but without the need for look-ups. Lemonade -- a very entertaining write-up with great links. I thought of you immediately with the 'Yeast of Eden' clue. I learned something new in your mention of Peter Tork living here in Connecticut and Storrs is the land of the UCONN Huskies!
Busy days today and tomorrow ~~ I hope everyone enjoys special times with family and friends.
Happy Holidays to all!
I enjoyed the puzzle and the insightful writeup. Thanks to Kenneth Berniker, Lemonade, C.C. and everybody else who makes this such a fun place to visit.
It may be too late, what with everybody being busy on Christmas Eve, but I want to thank my friends here for who you are and for being my friends. I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.
~ Bill G.
Good day, Lemonade, C.C. et al.
Lovely blogging, L, with so much information, especially on boosters. I'd never heard of them and in fact left the T blank on STOLE as I wasn't sure of SETI either. Not an X files fan.
This was great fun, thanks to Kenneth J. Berniker. I glommed onto the theme with YEGGBEATERS and an initial Y really helped.
I echo Grumpy 1; I had INURE and TIARAT didn't make sense. Finally the light turned on.
Even though TEY, NED and ELISA were unknown, they gradually emerged. Unfamiliar with ODELL and had OAELL/ETA and only realized it with your blog, L.
Made me smile:
forest ranger, ELK
Asian wrap, SARI (didn't fool me)
paper cutters, EDS (ditto)
BEREA has become a favorite.
Such fun this morning, now I must start the cooking for Christmas Eve dinner. My daughter likes apple pie so I want to bake one for her from scratch.
When is your birthday, Fermatprime? I assume tomorrow. So happy birthday greetings.
And a wonderful, joyous Christmas to all my cyber friends. You have enriched my world.
Happy holidays folks,
Today was a grind, one letter at a time and I was totally shut out in the SE corner. Not one fill. Talk about brain dead. Yet, I enjoyed the puzzle. I thought it was a fair challenge and lots of fun. Hope Mr. Berniker comes by again.
Company arriving soon. Plenty of spirits and ice. Food is up to the missus and as far as "us guys" are concerned, it's optional! Like Tinbeni, no waiting for the sunset today.
Talk to everyone on Monday.
fermatprime, Happy Birthday! I'm beginning to think its tomorrow also; in case its today, I'm putting in my 'two cents' worth of Happy Birthday now, and if its tomorrow, I pray my head retains that for 24 hrs. If not,like everyone,an early Happy Birthday.
Seriously,hope its a pleasant day for you- Birthday and/or Christmas.
How is it going with the rehab?
Merry CHRISTmas, however you may celebrate it, and the most prosperous and happiest of New Years.
To: C.C., Lemonade, and especially Ken Berniker, congratulations to all. I thought the puzzle was great. I only worked on it for three hours. The first hour got me through the entire puzzle, except for 68A STOLE. I could not figure that out for the life of me. I did not know the third letter of SE I or the middle letter of N S, either. Not being a sci-fi person or a gamer. By the way, what does NES refer to? Can anyone help? The next two hours I tried everything my little brain could think of, but to no avail. As I said, the rest of the puzzle was great. It was certainly not easy, but with diligence I was able to complete it.
I really enjoyed the link to Berea provided by lemonade. From that I learned that the college was initially started from Oberlin College in Ohio. I used to live near there and became quite familiar with Oberlin and its music curriculum. Interesting. Thanks Lemonade.
I initially had RIB MEAT for 29A, but eventually figured that out with the help of 25D.
11D QUIPS gave me pause for a while. I kept trying to think of Harpo and his antics, but eventually remembered Groucho and his show, which I believe was called "You Bet Your Life." Correct me if I am wrong. He always had great quips.
I did this puzzle at home and not on the bus, because I am off today. I normally get up at 4:30 AM and head to work at 5:45. Today I woke up at 4:30 AM and went back to sleep until 7:15. Felt good.
Merry Christmas to all. Tonight I play the tuba at church at our 10:30 PM candlelight service. We have quite a nice orchestra.
Looking forward to Saturday's puzzle. Hope to start early, but we'll see. Abejo
Good Afternoon All, GAH and I are heading out to see family and friends in just a little while. We won't be back until after Christmas.
In the meantime, here is a little poem by (38D) Charles Lamb.
Beauty's Song
What's Life still changing ev'ry hour?
Tis all the seasons in a Day!
The Smile, the Tear, the Sun, the Show'r"
Tis now December, now tis May
At morn we hail some envied Queen;
At eve she sinks some Cottage guest;
Yet if contentment gilds the scene
Contentment makes the Cottage blest.
Who more than I, this truth can feel?
I feel it yet am charm'd to find
While thus I turn the spinning-wheel
The station humbles not the mind.
Ah no! in days of youth and health
Nature will smile tho' fortune frown
Be this my song Content is wealth"
And duty ev'ry toil shall crown.
Have a wonderful, peaceful Christmas, everyone.
Tis the season, Counselor, so how about Rocky's version of a Christmas song- YO TANNENBAUM
Good afternoon Lemonade, CC, et al., Excellent job, Lemonade. Learned so much. Had no idea that 'stole' meant boosted. Loved 38D Lamb piece..essay. I sure wasn't heading in that direction. I had all those sweet things backing up. Also 30D Marines is a shout out to our favorite Santa too, who will be coming in my chimney tonight!!! Can't wait.
Santa, baby, I guess I'm on your 'Good' List. Never got a definitive answer. Do we need a definition of 'good' perhaps? Or maybe the question will be resolved tonight when you come. In any case, coal or bling, I'll make you glad to see me. Safe travels.
Dennis: safe travels to you too. Hope your R&R on the bare breasted beaches helps you feel refreshed. I'm sure it'll perk up something.
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to each and every one of you.
Best wishes to you all for a happy and joyous holiday during this most holy and festive time of year.
The joke:When the child finally spoke, he complained about the porridge. His parents asked, "Why did you wait to start speaking until now?
Happy Holiday wishes to all of you.
Safe travels. Love.
Good afternoon Lemonade and all, a tough puzzle for me today. I had to walk away several times before figuring out the insertion of the Y. After I saw the Y I began to get the theme answers and I needed all of them for help. This was a somewhat difficult puzzle for me, but doable. Thanks you Mr. Berniker. Lemonade another fine blog today.
I initially had retape for resave which caused some angst in that area before I got yegg beaters which cleared up the errors. I wanted talon for claw, but I could not make it fit. By having tase for 35A it made essay easy for lamb piece.
Hahtool, I bet that the fires on the levee are something to see. I have been in Germany and have seen Rhine on Flama and it is spectacular.
I don’t have much time today, but do want to wish all of you a bountiful holiday season and may you all be blessed with health and happiness.
An old comedy routine from early television. You don't see acts like this any more.
Nice job Anonymous, you got most of the joke, but why not take credit for your misspent youth?About to get ready for the Noche Buena with the in-laws, Jerome, thanks for stopping by and to the rest of you puzzle diehards, thank you so much for being here today. My best to each and every one of you, maybe...
Hello Puzzlers - A bit late to the party today, so all the pertinent solving comments have been made already.
Thanks Lemonade for another informative blog! I would like to point out respectfully that you had the phrase "hone in" instead of "home in" - can't tell whether it was a typo in your case, but for some reason America is saying hone these days. BTW, there was a fire quite recently at Cranwell which destroyed the old carriage house. The rest of the campus was unharmed.
To them as celebrates it, Merry Christmas! To them as doesn't, Happy (fill in the blank)!
Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year to all my blog friends! You make every season cheery.
Hola Everyone, I must have been on Mr Berniker's wavelength today as I filled in most of the puzzle up to the SE corner! I put in kinks for oinks and didn't know seti (Not an x-files fan) and N-S just wouldn't fill in for the game console.
Thanks Lemonade for your informative blog and for the answers I couldn't fill in.
I didn't know the Search Engine for the web was Alta Vista. Interesting bit of trivia.
Favorite clues today:
Lamb piece/Essay, Asian wrap/Sari,and Bucks/Bread.
Hahtool, the levee bonfires must be awesome. The food looked even better!
Happy Early birthday, Fermatprime.
Have a sparkling holiday season everyone. Enjoy your time with family and friends.
For Lois:
There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very, very good,
But when she was bad, she was even better.
Santa
Abejo, NES is Nintendo Entertainment System.
hone 1 (hn)
n.
1. A fine-grained whetstone for giving a keen edge to a cutting tool.
2. A tool with a rotating abrasive tip for enlarging holes to precise dimensions.
tr.v. honed, hon·ing, hones
1. To sharpen on a fine-grained whetstone.
2. To perfect or make more intense or effective: a speaker who honed her delivery by long practice.
Phrasal Verb:
hone in
1. To move or advance toward a target or goal: The missiles honed in on the military installation.
2. To direct one's attention; focus: The lawyer honed in on the gist of the plaintiff's testimony..
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