Theme: Play Time - Each of the words in the theme entries can proceed the word GAME.
17A. Miniature data storage device: MEMORY CARD. A device with many shapes and names(examples). A MEMORY GAME, in its simplest form, is recalling the position of a item to form a pair. CARD GAME doesn't need an explanation.
24A. Teen group sleepover: PAJAMA PARTY. Also known as a slumber party. PAJAMA GAME was a Broadway musical, based on the novel 7½ Cents and made into a film staring Doris Day in 1957. PARTY GAMES, I miss them.
38A. With 40-Across, in an advantageous position (and what both words in 17-, 24-, 47- and 60-Across can be): AHEAD OF.... And 40A. See 38-Across: ...THE GAME
47A. Like an actor who doesn't miss a line: WORD PERFECT. I wonder why the word processing application wasn't used as the clue. The meaning like 2D. To __: precisely : A TEE seems out-dated to me. WORD GAME: Fictionary comes to mind. PERFECT GAME is a baseball game in which no opposing player reaches base or a 300-point game in bowling. C.C.'s husband, Boomer, has several.
60A. Bobby Vee hit with the line "I come bouncing back to you": RUBBER BALL. The song. RUBBER GAME is needed to decide the winner if a series is tied at an even number of wins. The use of the word Rubber to describe a tiebreaker is believed to have originated in the English game bowls(lawn bowling). And that's the BALL GAME.
Argyle here. Gosh, I don't know if I got anything left in me to comment on the rest of this ambitious Monday puzzle but I'll try.
Across:
1. Things to make notes on : PADS
5. Gate clasp : LATCH
10. Woeful word : "ALAS!"
14. Home of the Osmonds : UTAH
15. Impressive display : ARRAY
16. Coke or Pepsi : COLA
19. Like many a movie twin : EVIL
20. Faraway friend who likes to write : PEN PAL
21. Traditional stories : LORE
23. New England hrs. : EST. Eastern Standard Time.
27. Bolivian high points : ANDES The South American mountain range.
31. Above-the-street trains : ELS
32. Second afterthought, in a ltr. : PPS
33. Heckle : JEER
34. Writer's deg. : MFA. Master of Fine Arts (MFA).
35. Itzhak Perlman's instrument : VIOLIN. A virtuoso; feel free to link your favorite piece.
41. Tears to shreds : RIPS UP
42. Seaman's call for assistance : SOS
43. Baseball's Slaughter : ENOS. During a 19-year baseball career, he played from 1938-1942 and 1946-1959 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the St. Louis Cardinals.
44. Not masc. : FEM.
45. Old Mideast org. : UAR. United Arab Republic.
46. Digs for : SEEKS
51. "Toto, __ a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" : I'VE
52. Encl. with a manuscript : SASE. Self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).
53. Gap : HIATUS
58. Require : NEED
62. Ricelike pasta : ORZO
63. Judges hear them : PLEAs
64. Sicilian volcano : ETNA
65. Wine glass part : STEM
66. Occupied, as a desk : SAT AT
67. Hurdle (over) : LEAP
Down:
1. It gives you gas : PUMP. Good one.
3. Rhett's last word : DAMN
4. Hit the mall : SHOP
5. 1971 Clapton classic : "LAYLA"
6. Pop-up path : ARC
7. Song refrain : TRA, LA, LA. A great song with many lyrics. "Tra la la Boome de ay, I lost my mind today, won't miss it any way."
8. Pool shots : CAROMS. Sometimes called the "kiss" shot, the carom shot involves bouncing your ball off another to get it in the pocket.
9. Beast that grew two heads every time it lost one : HYDRA
10. King topper : ACE
11. Where romantic couples park : LOVERS' LANE
12. Crème de la crème : A-LIST
13. Like the sea : SALTY
18. Jay-Z performances : RAPS
22. "Silas Marner" foundling : EPPIE
25. Funny Foxworthy : JEFF
26. Orbital high point : APOGEE
27. Barely open : AJAR
28. Pop your pop might have liked : NEHI
29. Suspended animation : DEEP FREEZE
30. Took off the board : ERASED
34. Floor-washing aid : MOP
35. Videotape format : VHS. The Video Home System is better known by its abbreviation VHS and I was expecting something more technical.
36. Response to "You all right?" : "I'M OK"
37. Storied loch : NESS. In Scotland.
39. Down in the __ : DUMPS
40. Raced : TORE
42. Wager that isn't risky : SAFE BET
45. Bond girl Andress : URSULA. Image.
46. Hullabaloo : STIR
47. Indigent imbibers : WINOs. We haven't seen much alliteration lately.
48. In full view : OVERT. Covert - hidden from view. Whoopi, on the View.
49. Wild West brothers : EARPs. There were six brothers: Newton (from their father's first marriage), James, Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan and Warren. There were also three sisters: Martha, Virgina and Adelia. Web site.
50. Where the toys are : CHEST. How is the latest "Toy Story"?
54. One slain by Cain : ABEL
55. Westminster gallery : TATE
56. Forearm bone : ULNA
57. Open-handed blow : SLAP
59. __ Pérignon : DOM. Champagne.
61. Sheep sound : "BAA!"
Answer grid.
Argyle
17A. Miniature data storage device: MEMORY CARD. A device with many shapes and names(examples). A MEMORY GAME, in its simplest form, is recalling the position of a item to form a pair. CARD GAME doesn't need an explanation.
24A. Teen group sleepover: PAJAMA PARTY. Also known as a slumber party. PAJAMA GAME was a Broadway musical, based on the novel 7½ Cents and made into a film staring Doris Day in 1957. PARTY GAMES, I miss them.
38A. With 40-Across, in an advantageous position (and what both words in 17-, 24-, 47- and 60-Across can be): AHEAD OF.... And 40A. See 38-Across: ...THE GAME
47A. Like an actor who doesn't miss a line: WORD PERFECT. I wonder why the word processing application wasn't used as the clue. The meaning like 2D. To __: precisely : A TEE seems out-dated to me. WORD GAME: Fictionary comes to mind. PERFECT GAME is a baseball game in which no opposing player reaches base or a 300-point game in bowling. C.C.'s husband, Boomer, has several.
60A. Bobby Vee hit with the line "I come bouncing back to you": RUBBER BALL. The song. RUBBER GAME is needed to decide the winner if a series is tied at an even number of wins. The use of the word Rubber to describe a tiebreaker is believed to have originated in the English game bowls(lawn bowling). And that's the BALL GAME.
Argyle here. Gosh, I don't know if I got anything left in me to comment on the rest of this ambitious Monday puzzle but I'll try.
Across:
1. Things to make notes on : PADS
5. Gate clasp : LATCH
10. Woeful word : "ALAS!"
14. Home of the Osmonds : UTAH
15. Impressive display : ARRAY
16. Coke or Pepsi : COLA
19. Like many a movie twin : EVIL
20. Faraway friend who likes to write : PEN PAL
21. Traditional stories : LORE
23. New England hrs. : EST. Eastern Standard Time.
27. Bolivian high points : ANDES The South American mountain range.
31. Above-the-street trains : ELS
32. Second afterthought, in a ltr. : PPS
33. Heckle : JEER
34. Writer's deg. : MFA. Master of Fine Arts (MFA).
35. Itzhak Perlman's instrument : VIOLIN. A virtuoso; feel free to link your favorite piece.
41. Tears to shreds : RIPS UP
42. Seaman's call for assistance : SOS
43. Baseball's Slaughter : ENOS. During a 19-year baseball career, he played from 1938-1942 and 1946-1959 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the St. Louis Cardinals.
44. Not masc. : FEM.
45. Old Mideast org. : UAR. United Arab Republic.
46. Digs for : SEEKS
51. "Toto, __ a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" : I'VE
52. Encl. with a manuscript : SASE. Self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).
53. Gap : HIATUS
58. Require : NEED
62. Ricelike pasta : ORZO
63. Judges hear them : PLEAs
64. Sicilian volcano : ETNA
65. Wine glass part : STEM
66. Occupied, as a desk : SAT AT
67. Hurdle (over) : LEAP
Down:
1. It gives you gas : PUMP. Good one.
3. Rhett's last word : DAMN
4. Hit the mall : SHOP
5. 1971 Clapton classic : "LAYLA"
6. Pop-up path : ARC
7. Song refrain : TRA, LA, LA. A great song with many lyrics. "Tra la la Boome de ay, I lost my mind today, won't miss it any way."
8. Pool shots : CAROMS. Sometimes called the "kiss" shot, the carom shot involves bouncing your ball off another to get it in the pocket.
9. Beast that grew two heads every time it lost one : HYDRA
10. King topper : ACE
11. Where romantic couples park : LOVERS' LANE
12. Crème de la crème : A-LIST
13. Like the sea : SALTY
18. Jay-Z performances : RAPS
22. "Silas Marner" foundling : EPPIE
25. Funny Foxworthy : JEFF
26. Orbital high point : APOGEE
27. Barely open : AJAR
28. Pop your pop might have liked : NEHI
29. Suspended animation : DEEP FREEZE
30. Took off the board : ERASED
34. Floor-washing aid : MOP
35. Videotape format : VHS. The Video Home System is better known by its abbreviation VHS and I was expecting something more technical.
36. Response to "You all right?" : "I'M OK"
37. Storied loch : NESS. In Scotland.
39. Down in the __ : DUMPS
40. Raced : TORE
42. Wager that isn't risky : SAFE BET
45. Bond girl Andress : URSULA. Image.
46. Hullabaloo : STIR
47. Indigent imbibers : WINOs. We haven't seen much alliteration lately.
48. In full view : OVERT. Covert - hidden from view. Whoopi, on the View.
49. Wild West brothers : EARPs. There were six brothers: Newton (from their father's first marriage), James, Virgil, Wyatt, Morgan and Warren. There were also three sisters: Martha, Virgina and Adelia. Web site.
50. Where the toys are : CHEST. How is the latest "Toy Story"?
54. One slain by Cain : ABEL
55. Westminster gallery : TATE
56. Forearm bone : ULNA
57. Open-handed blow : SLAP
59. __ Pérignon : DOM. Champagne.
61. Sheep sound : "BAA!"
Answer grid.
Argyle
Good morning, Argyle, C.C. and gang - surprisingly, since I had a couple unknowns, this turned into a sub-five-minute speed run. The perps covered 'Eppie' and 'MFA' pretty quickly, and the clues made the theme answers pretty easy, which filled in big chunks. Pretty clever of Gary to get eight words in four pairs that can all precede 'game'.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Argyle, not a whole lot else to comment on. And Argyle, the Ursula Andress pic is always appreciated.
Did anyone else watch the Eagles game yesterday? Down 31-10 with eight minutes left in the game, they came back and won it on a punt return as time ran out. One of the most amazing comebacks I've ever seen.
4 and a wake-up, and boy, do I need it.
Today is Go Caroling Day. And whatever happened to nude caroling?
Happy holidays to all cruciverbalists!
ReplyDeleteFinally got my Christmas cards ready to be mailed! The letter is always a chore. Didn't send one last year, as I was trying to recuperate from torn shoulder. (Do not deal with 41+ year old kids anymore. They never had the glories that other people's letters expounded upon anyway!)
The amount of sodium in a half slice of Cheesecake Factory's gluten-free chocolate cheesecake must be enormous! My heart was beating like a trip hammer all Saturday night. Just what I needed--more insomnia!
I also read every thing by MARGARET MARON, although, having no communicable sibling, I am horribly jealous of Deborah Knott. I really liked the New York Sigrid Harald books and miss them.
Thank you JEANNIE for the good wishes on Friday. (Three PM PST seems to be too late for most people!)
Puzzle was cute. The few unknowns were taken care of by other directions.
Good Morning C.C.,Argyle and all,
ReplyDeleteArgyle, you did have your work cut out for you. I had to slowly proceed, in order to take in all the games. I'd never heard of Rubber Game. Oh, well.
The puzzle was fun; actually ,
clever. The theme was thought provoking,while I was working it.
Good to see you, Dennis. Thanks for showing upm at your busiest time.
Have a nice day everyone.
Good Morning, Argyle and Friends. I was AHEAD OF THE GAME this morning, as insomnia convinced me to try the puzzle on-line at 3:00 this morning. Even in that semi-stupor, I was able to easily finish the puzzle. There were a few clues that I never even read because they were filled in by the time I got to them.
ReplyDeleteNot being a pool player, the only unknown word to me was CAROMS. As I noted, however, the meaning was not needed to complete the puzzle.
My favorite clue was It Gives You Gas = PUMP.
A short, but incredibly busy, work week.
QOD: Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do. ~ Benjamin Franklin
Dennis, I'm waiting for some responses to your question. It has opened up a whole new world for me this a.m.
ReplyDeleteGood day folks,
ReplyDeleteNot exactly a speed run because of the north central section. Eventually my brain kicked in, but hydra was a swag. I wavered back and forth on Memory card or cart, but card made the cut. Not a lot else to comment on.
Why do the Giants always save the worse for the Eagles? You could see it coming starting in the 3rd Quarter. Fortunately, I avoided it by watching the UConn ladies make a "little" noise.
Enjoy your day.
Argyle, Great write-up.
ReplyDeleteReally liked this theme and the reveal.
Fave was that RUBBER BALL. The perfect present for this "perpetual 8yo" ... maybe Santa will remember later this week.
Wanted that "Indigent imbibers" WINOS to be Avatar, but it wouldn't fit.
LOVERS LANE brought back memories of High School.
On a personal note:
The 'trip' was interesting.
I did last Monday's puzzle with my new Russian buddy, Boris. Showed him the blog and how to get the puzzles on-line. He liked the clever cluing and maybe he'll join us.
Toasted you all from Red Square (with Vodka) at 3:54pm.
DAMN, the Sun sets early over there.
Muscat, Oman was a bit warmer (77 degrees).
But I am glad to be "Back in the US ...
Back in the US ...
Back in the U.S.of America!"
Hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas week.
Good Morning Argyle, C.C., and everybody. This is becoming a great experience for me to logon after I have finished the daily puzzle and make a few comments after reading those provided by all you fine folks. I did this on the bus on the way to work this morning and finished it before i got off the bus. It was pretty easy. But, that is good for a Monday, after the tough ones this weekend. The only word I did not know was ORZO. I am not a big pasta person or else I may have heard of it. The crosswords gave it to me.
ReplyDeleteIt was 11 degrees when I left the house this morning. No wind, however. That made it tolerable.
Hope the Bears pull one off tonight. I think they are the underdogs. See you all tomorrow. Abejo
Hi All~!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation of Pajama Game, Argyle - the only theme answer I had no "clue" about...otherwise, I know what a RUBBER GAME is, and the only other goof I had at first was FLASH DRIVE for MEMORY CARD.
Fictionary sounds a lot like Balderdash, a board game with the same premise - a deck of cards with obscure words on them, and points are scored for the right definition as well as when other players pick your "fake" definition.
I liked "It gives you gas" too.
Love shooting pool, played in a league years ago.
One down, four to go at the "Brown House"
Splynter
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteLate start for me today -- I stayed up late watching the Pats narrowly defeat Green Bay in a nail-biter that was supposed to be a total blow-out. Any given Sunday, eh?
Fairly straightforward effort for a Monday -- like Dennis, I managed to pull it in at under 5 minutes. I didn't even bother wasting my time reading the long clue for the theme reveal, since it became obvious early on that I didn't need to know the them in order to solve the puzzle.
EPPIE was the closest to an unknown this puzzle had to offer (I knew it, but couldn't think of it up front), although I did have to pause when trying to recall whether the pasta was spelled ORZU or ORZO. And, of course, PUMP wasn't the first thing that came to mind when I read, "It gives you gas," but neither BEANS nor CABBAGE fit... ^_^
Morning everyone,
ReplyDeleteThanks Argyle for your very explicit explanation of the theme entries. Your dedication is very much appreciated. Knew carom shot just normally can’t do it successfully. We have a pool table in our basement rec room and I am trying to get back into playing again. Have Nehi memorized now but never drank it.
@Dennis, by half time of the Eagles game, I started to read a Vince Flynn book because I thought the game was pretty much over. And then---wow, what an ending. So much fun; although, I did feel sorry for the punter of the Giants. Got over that feeling pretty quickly. Cliff Lee with the Phillies; and yes it was a great week for fans of Philly teams.
Hope everyone has a great holiday season.
Good Morning Argyle, C.C. et al.
ReplyDeleteWonderful Monday puzzle. Thanks for the write-up, Argyle ! You really nailed all the theme cues - I thought of "The Pajama Game" when I filled in 24A, and also wondered why The WORD PERFECT clue didn't use the computer software! But I guess Corel is not as well known as Microsoft Word.
Ah, well, that's about the extent of musings this morning. The brain isn't fully awake, because like Barry G, I stayed up to watch the Patriot's GAME.
Welcome back, Tinbeni - I knew you would be sampling some of the vodka while you were there. Did you have any "favorite" brand? DH likes a martini on occasion, and I was thinking of getting him a really nice bottle for the holidays.
Have a great day everyone!
Good Monday puzzle! Good morning everyone. Good blogging Argyle. Good to hear from you Dennis. It's all good!
ReplyDeleteI did a triple-take on Jeanne's avatar, above,
ReplyDelete( If I may humbly say so, you look very nice - strictly a platonic comment, not meant to be considered patronizing, or anything - lol - ;-D)
I thought it was our Jeannie, - and I thought, my how she's changed. One letter can make such a difference.
Good morning Argyle and all, very easy and a typical Monday puzzle. I never saw the reveal answers until I had completed the puzzle as the clues/answers just kept flowing. As to the games I recognized all of them, but Pajama Game had to be dredged from the recess of my mind. I remember seeing the movie featuring Doris Day. I think I was in love with her back in the day.
ReplyDeleteFavorite clue/answer: gives you gas/pump
Like others not much else to comment on so I will go do some chores like plowing some snow. Yuck!
Hope you all have a great Monday.
Good morning all. Nice front end discussion, Argyle.
ReplyDeleteAbout the right difficulty for a Monday. Had to skip parts of the N center and NE on the first pass, but the perps provided help with LAYLA and COLA. So it was not quite a speed run. The clueing was straightforward and no searches were needed.
Don't forget, there is a lunar eclipse early on the 21st. Here is a graphic link (note times are universal - UT) describing it in case you missed yesterday's blog.
The full eclipse occurs 0132 ➙0354 EST. The Winter solstice occurs on the 21st at 1838 EST. So while it is a rare for both events to occur on the same day, ALAS they do not overlap. (Sorry, Wiccans and Druids)
Have a good day
Not a speed run for me today. I guessed HYDRA and then erased it because I decided the 7D/17A had to be FAHLALA/CHIP. Thought the theme would center around computerese. So that ruined a few things for a while. Had to google LAYLA.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't "see" ARC as a pop-up path--wanted to ask what a popup path was. Then when I was here it dawned on me.
The rest fell into place easily. Don't play most games, so none of those terms rang my bell.
Have a great day everyone. Hope your shopping is all done.
Good morning Argyle, CC et al and welcome home Tinbeni. I'll join you in a Florida sunset toast at 5:39 this evening.
ReplyDeleteThis was a pretty easy run, just what a Monday puzzle should be. My only brief snag was having SURE BET instead of SAFE BET, but that got sorted out easily enough.
Uh, Dennis, I don't recall the nude caroling thing. Did I miss something? A winter Woodstock perhaps?
That thing that gives you gas is really starting to give me pains in the wallet, too. At least my BP branded Visa card gives me 5% off and is keeping the price below $3.00 per gallon.
ORZO came easily. It seems that everything in a restaurant is served on a "bed of Orzo pasta" these days. Does it do anything except keep the item on top warm? Is it really a pasta if it doesn't end in 'i'?
I used WordPerfect for years, going back to the early DOS versions, before being forced into Microsoft Word. DW was a medical transcriptionist and her hospital used a system that was based on WordPerfect DOS right up to when she retired in 2002. The next month they transitioned to a Windows based system and now all of the transcription work is farmed out to "work-at-home" people. None of her former co-workers are making what they did under the old system. I guess that's what they mean by progress.
Christmas shopping is done, cards are mailed. It's time to relax for a few days.
Grumpy,
ReplyDeleteThe "i" at the end of most pasta names indicates a masculine Italian plural, the singular would end in "o". So since I don't know what orzo is, I assume it's a single slab of pasta, whereas is if you eat spaghetti, linguini or manicotti, you get more than one. Lasagna is a feminine singular, even though we usually get more than one piece there too. So perhaps they all defy logic.
Tinbeni,
So did you decide if you want either job? Or do we get to keep you here? Welcome back anyway!
Hi all - great Monday puzzle, just as it should be. The few 'stumblers' I had were quickly taken care of.
ReplyDeleteDennis: I hate to be the bearer of bad news but nude caroling stopped last year, everyone froze their T's and A's off and were too uncomfortable to continue. They will be missed.
Call me crazy, but I really loved that goofy 'bubble-gum' song Red Rubber Ball...but I was young and not so cranky then.
Mornin' all.
ReplyDeleteNot much to comment on today after the diffiulties over the weekend. Saturday's puzzle was a DNF for me, but Sunday's finally came together with WAGS, SWAGS, and perps.
I'm not big on playing games, but I loved the game theme - because it was easy. Favorite clue was "It gives you gas" PUMP. The only thing I didn't know was CAROMS and it came with perps.
Today is Go Caroling Day. And whatever happened to nude caroling?
Maybe they got a chilly reception.
Jeanne, yes, a great week to be a Philly sports fan. Win over the Cowgirls, Cliff Lee signs with the Phils, snubbing the Yankees, and then yesterday; one of the greatest comebacks in football history.
ReplyDeleteFrom yesterday: No, MR. ED, I'm not on vacation yet; just really busy with the stores.
Also, you don't really need to post under the 'ELI' screen name; you never get close to 5 posts in any given day, and it just tends to confuse people.
Speaking of multiple screen names, Avatar Watcher/Committed Asian Woman/Penny Panties/Girls in Front/etc., please pick a screen name and stick with it.
Otis, we'll all try to do a better job of monitoring this; stay with us.
Good Morning Argyle and others on this historic juxtaposition of the Winter Solstice and a Lunar Eclipse (last one was over 400 years ago!), Fairly slim pickings today but the variations on the theme were fun! FermatPrime, every once in a while my wife reminds me to check my birth certificate when I want to engage in age-inappropriate activities.
ReplyDeleteMusings
-had SODA for COLA
-every Saturday when Kansas and K-State were getting ready to absorb their annual shellacking at the hands of the Huskers, UNL would play the “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore!” scene on the huge screen and it generated a lot of partisan screams!
-Pop-up reminded me of Harry Caray’s line when a Cub would hit a weak pop up in a critical situation. He would dissolutely say, “Paaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhed him up!” and sigh!
-I have been in more than a few pool halls and the word CAROM never came up. Bank, masse, kiss, corner, cross corner, slop, side, ad nauseum – yes!
-Tinbeni, glad you’re not “Back in the U.S.S.R.
-Barrie, that Pat/Pack game was fabulous!
-Nude Caroling? The Polar Plunge was called off last week in Omaha because it was too damned cold! Huh?
-Ursula Andress stirred up a lot of hormones in us adolescents in Dr. No! Great Playboy spread (so they told me!)
-SAFEBET not SUREBET
-JAMES brothers fit too
-Toys in the Attic? Too literary?
Back to subbing (last time this year) as someone let a bunch of 13 year olds loose in here!
Hi all.
ReplyDeleteNot quite a speed run. But, nice dense theme.
Welcome back Tin. You are just in time for the lunar eclipse.
Totality starts at 2:40AM for the right coast and 11:40 PM for the left coast. Weather permitting.
Cussler book getting intererting.
The bad guys tunneled under the old section of Jerusalem and planted explosives.
Happy Solstice all. Please, no shortest day of the year this time.
Take care.
Speaking of Christmas letters, here is a tongue-in-cheek one I composed about 10 years ago. But it will work for this year too.
ReplyDeleteChristmas is coming, the geese are getting fat. Please put a penny in an old man's hat. If you haven't got a penny, a ha-penny will do. If you haven't got a ha-penny, may God bless you.
Actually, this has been a great year for our family! No ha-pennies for us this year! Barbara and I gave up teaching and became entrepreneurs. Our new business is grossing over 2.5 mil a year. Our children continue to make us proud. They all graduated Magna Cum Laude and are now studying at the most prestigious schools in Europe. It looks like two doctors and a rocket scientist at the moment but one of the prospective doctors is considering changing his major to nuclear physics. We all enjoyed our several holiday trips to the Bahamas, Switzerland and the back country of Monte Carlo. While our children appreciated our Christmas presents of the Rolls Royces, Barbara and I amused ourselves with getting our pilot's licenses to fly our new Lear jet. Sammy and Beatrice, our pet dog and cat, made us proud too. The kennel-club awards were the icing on the cake to a good year for our family. We're looking forward to even bigger and better next year.
Bill G,
ReplyDeleteYour tongue in cheek letter reminds me of some I've received from an ex-student and his wife, also an ex-student. They made up the most fantastic tales imaginable, and had us busting our sides laughing every year. Now they have a couple of children, they seem to have gotten more serious and don't do it, but I really miss those earlier ones.
It was always a laugh riot when at a nudist colony I belonged to a group of us would get dressed and walk around singing carols on Christmas day. It was hilarious to see so many shocked reactions. Most people, I'm sure, came to the conclusion that it was all in good fun.
ReplyDeleteCarol, I thought Dennis was referring to you when he mentioned nude Carol singing. Oh, it was nude caroling.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning All, Ever had a cold that just wouldn't take the hint and leave? Every morning I'd get up and think I was doing better and by evening I'd be all stuffed up, raspy and miserable again. I finally started to feel like joining the human race again on Friday. I sure hope I am on the mend enough to stick around this time.
ReplyDeleteThis was the first puzzle I've done for a week. Was it really a Monday? It seemed a little tougher than that for me, but I'll play the "I've been sick" CARD to account for any difficulty I had.
Both CAROMS and HYDRA were slow in coming and I didn't know EPPIE at all.
I love ORZO in Greek Avgolemono (chicken/lemon soup), but I couldn't remember it. I had to wait for DEEP FREEZE to jog my MEMORY.
I've heard of "RUBBER match", but never RUBBER GAME.
I enjoyed seeing PAJAMA/GAME. The movie was enjoyable, but it was Rosemary Clooney's "hit parade" version of Hey There that I remember best.
Our chorus group had its Christmas concert yesterday. I was iffy about trying to sing, but I'm glad I did. One of our songs was "Les Cloches du Hameau", which has some great TRA LA LA's.
We are having our 5th (or is it 6th?) day of rain and more to come. GAH has cabin fever. He seldom has to go this long without a round of golf.
Thanks to everybody for their concern. I appreciate all the get well wishes.
Hola Everyone, Even though the puzzle seemed a little harder for me than a normal Monday, I was able to finish without much help.
ReplyDeleteBut then after reading Argyle's excellent writeup, I found that Soda wasn't correct for Cola. I didn't go back and check the Down answers! Shame on me!
Hands up for Sure bet instead of Safe Bet. Though Eppie was a given from way back in HS. Silas Marner was required reading back then.
I don't play pool, but Carom is a word that I've learned from doing CW's.
Glad you're back Tinbeni. A trip to Russia in the Winter isn't my idea of something fun.
Have a great week everyone. Last minute chores before all the kids arrive will keep me pretty busy. We'll have 7 extra people for two nights so the house will be humming.
This was a pretty straight forward Monday puzzle. I really didn’t get the theme though, just filled them in one by one. I too, have never heard of the term “carom”. You Lois? I also needed perp help with Enos, and Hydra. I also made a WAG at what Perlman’s instrument was. When my mom and I played cribbage and were tied one-to-one we would always have the “rubber game”. BTW, anyone here ever had a “perfect hand”? I have not.
ReplyDeleteTinbeni, I am glad that you are home safe and sound. Are you here to stay awhile?
Clearayes, I am happy to hear you are on the mend and were able to sing in your Chorus.
Bill G, it sure sounds like you had a “banner” year! LMAO.
Dennis, good to hear that your business is booming, and no one told me that the naked caroling is no longer practiced.
Surprise, surprise it is snowing here again. 5-7" expected by this time tomorrow so I doubt I will be witnessing the lunar eclipse. I just heard they closed the schools out my way so I may ask to leave a little early today.
I'ts so good to see you back CA. I'm glad that you are on the mend. Also thanks for the "Les Clouches du Hameau". It was lovely. I wish I could have been a Christmas Mouse at your concert yesterday.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I forgot to mention, my English pen-pal of over 60 years and I had a wonderful Holiday telephone conversation this past week. Yes, even devoted letter writers pick up the phone now and then just to hear the lovely voice on the other end of the line.
Hi gang -
ReplyDeleteGenuinely great puzzle today - what an ambitious theme!
Among symmetries, the first to pop up is LOVER'S LANE DEEP FREEZE. That's a bad night.
Imagine Pete Townsend in the Symphony as he RIPS UP his VIOLIN.
Got some gifts for the LW today. I was ABLE to SHOP in under an hour.
I have no context for URSULA CAROMS. Use your imagination.
Nude carolers? Isn't it a little nippie out?
I looked for nude carolers on YouTube -- no dice, but instead found this.
Popcorn - and Cheers!
JzB
Good morning Argyle, C.C. and all,
ReplyDeleteWelcome back CA and Tinman!And, nice to see you, Jeanne!
This was a fun quickie, although MFA,Eppie and SASE had to be filled with perps.We see SASE enough that I should remember.
Extra EE's would have been my take on the theme; rarely do I grok the real one.
Caroms was a favorite past time as I lived across the street from a park. We played endlessly.When I started teaching and we had recesses (before kids were moved to middle school)I bought 2 or 3 boards which were especially good on rainy days.
Argyle, great write up, as usual. Thank for linking Rubber Ball, a catchy tune. I adored Bobby Vee and all his songs. He started his career at 15 on "The Day the Music Died." When Buddy Holly's plane went down, his group, which had only been together for 5 days, filled in. They quickly named themselves The Shadows.
Hello from snowy(again) Minnesota.
ReplyDeleteWhat a winter to stay home instead of Florida or Arizona. Currently, deciding what our next meal will be can be an important topic that has now invaded the puzzles. Today, right out of the chute, 1D, I confidently put pulp!
Well Dennis, they're not nude caroling but they are very talented...
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon everyone.
ReplyDeleteNice easy today. That's why I like Monday; I can do them!
But I do have two comments. I do not understand ARC. And my understanding is that Rhett did NOT say damn in GWTW. It's apocryphal.
Glad to see Jeanne and glad that CA is feeling well enough to sing.
Cheers
Deadlines, deadlines; and I do not not make more money, get a Rolls Royce or even time to fly the Lear.
ReplyDeleteA very detailed theme for a Monday, but I never saw a theme as the puzzle did not cause even a single erasure. I looked at PEN PAL and PAJAMA PARTY and was thinking Ps, or double letters, but was done before I came up with anything. I cannot do them in under 5 minutes even if I know all the answers, but it was pretty straight forward. It had some new slants.
The football was pretty interesting, but I cannot help but be overwhelmed by the poor fuundamnetals of these professionals. As exciting and awesome as the Eagles win was, if Selek had been tackled, if the punt had gone out of bounds, or if the Packers had not let a lineman run 71 yards with a "squib" kick, which is historically as effective as a "prevent" defense. Also, Tim Tebow and Rex Grossman, too much. I did not like Tim's comment after his touchdown, it seemed like he was smirking.
For Kazie and others, this is ORZO .
CA, feel better, I must type words.
later
Go watch GONE WITH THE WIND
ReplyDeleteSallie: A pop-up is a short fly ball in baseball. The ball follows arched path off the bat into the glove. In baseball lingo it is called also called a can of corn.
ReplyDeleteDennis:
ReplyDeleteI live in an "Over 55" neighborhood.
I'm glad "Nude Caroling" has gone out-of-style here.
HeartRx:
The Vodka was a Russian brand I never heard of before. Very potent.
It had snowed earlier in the day but the Sun came out and Red Square was clear-of-snow for a while ... and "toasting" at 3:56pm works for me.
Grumpy1
At the same exact time, tonight's 'toast' on Honeymoon Island should be perfect.
(Plus about 50 degrees warmer).
Kazie, Jeannie, eddyB. etal
Both locations have produced very attractive "offers" ... Negotiations should be interesting.
But $ isn't everything to this "stuck-in-the-'60's idealist.
I have until next week to decide ...
Sallie, a pop-up in baseball is a little fly ball. Its path is an arc like a rainbow. Well, not really a rainbow. The arc is the shape of a parabola, sort of like the St. Louis arch shape (but not exactly from a mathematical point-of-view.)
ReplyDeleteRegarding Rhett Butler (from Wiki): When he finally receives Scarlett's love, it is too late to salvage the love he once had for her, so he leaves her with his famous parting shot: "My dear, I don't give a damn." It has since been immortalized in film in an altered version: "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."
CA, I'm glad you are on the mend. It's good to hear from you.
So eddyB, what's the problem with saying that the winter solstice has the shortest amount of daylight of any day of the year?
Sallie - think "pop up" as in a pop fly to the outfield in baseball. The path the ball takes is an "arc". Kind of lame, but it works.
ReplyDeleteand after three pop-ups the inning is over...
ReplyDeleteHello, Argyle and fellow puzzlers.
ReplyDeleteLate to this party today because my darling daughter called at 6:30 to say all were sick except the baby and would I take her to day care to keep her away from them. So what is a grandmother to do but go and help.
Luckily the xwd was a speed run but no time to post this morning. Now I see that I left LAILA instead of LAYLA. For ORZO my first fill was ZITI (four letters, pasta, ziti or orzo).
Thanks for the music links, Santa and CA.
So glad to have you back, Clear Ayes and that you are better.
Tinbeni:
I'm happy your trip was successful and you are safely back in the USA!
Dennis:
Here in Arizona nude caroling is encouraged in winter to obtain vitamin D as the sun is weaker and the danger for skin cancer is diminished.
Shopping and wrapping are done! Now to clean house and prepare for guests.
I hope your Monday is special with this triple phenomena: lunar eclipse, winter solstice and full moon!
Thanks for the writeup Argyle,
ReplyDeleteThe only Rubber Ball song I could think of was Simon and Garfunkle’s “Red Rubber Ball”
at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRk9bA43kx4
(pardon me for not knowing how to add a link.) Just You Tube it.
I just love it.
Otherwise, perps helped with Eppi and Orzo and things like Cola vs. Soda.
Hello everybody. Nice puzzle today. Pleasantly easy, especially pleasant after the beating I took last Friday and Saturday. Argyle, thanks for the writeup.
ReplyDeleteUrsula Andress looks like she's seriously sucking in her gut in that photo.
Good luck to you, Tinbeni, whichever decision you make.
More later, maybe. Best wishes to you all.
Lucina- LOL with the vitamin D. You guys do have to watch out for the jumping cactus though.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me nude caroling would be real popular in New York since it's called the "Naked City".
Jerome, you're right! That's one time we want to be spineless.
ReplyDeleteAfternoon Argyle, CC and All,
ReplyDeleteSuffering from a Patriot's hangover. Stayed up way to late which a few extra shots of whiskey. My swim this morning was more like a controlled drowning.
Quick puzzle with a couple of erasures. Soda for Colas and Mines for Seeks were revealed with perps. I also wrote PSS instead of PPS. Duh!
Dennis, The Eagles comeback was fabulous. I've never seen an on sides kick executed so well. I thought it was pretty big of Coughlin to take responsibility for Dodge's punt in the post game interview after he chewed his ass on TV before the play even ended. Giants offense didn't show up for the 2nd half and the D had no way to answer Vick, who was fantastic.
The Pats...........I won't bore everyone with a rant. Besides, my head is still a bit ouchy! I made a wicked good vegetable beef soup and a stir fry though which both taste as good today as they did last night.
Have a great evening!
Hello all, great puzzle and as has been said not too hard. I wanted to put soda ubstead of cola in 16A but that was quickly corrected.
ReplyDeleteANy puzzle that has Eric Clapton, Ursula Andress and Jeff Foxworthy in it is ok with me.
Sorry I have not been on here for a while, my mother in law hasd a massive strike and passed away. Rough time for my wife as she lost her Dad in July.
Happy Holidays to everyone.
I just finished talking with my friend in Minneapolis, and he said that since early this morning, all his wife has done is look through the kitchen window and the snow is nearly waist high. He says that if it gets much worse, he may have to let her in...
ReplyDeleteSallie, I think this came up once before. It really IS in the book, at least in my copy.
ReplyDeleteBill G and Seen,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you explained pop up for Sallie. I imagined I had figured it out because the only pop up I was aware of was the kind that you find in children's books, so I thought it must refer to the path the cardboard pieces take as they rise from the page. Sounds more similar to a lob in tennis.Here's the St. Louis Arch as I remember it.
RED RUBBER BALL .
ReplyDeleteWe heard from Bonnie that Jordan had been sick overnight, throwing up, etc. So I drove Barbara's new car (and Barbara) over there to pick up his dirty laundry to wash in our machine. Then we decided to continue on in the rain to have lunch. I wanted a Philly cheesesteak sandwich to split but Barbara talked me into a Reuben (good choice too). So we split a bowl of cream of mushroom soup, a salad and a Reuben sandwich, plus drinks, all for $23 including tax. Not bad!
ReplyDeleteThen I insisted that Barbara drive home. She always was nervous driving the VW bug in the rain but her new car behaves very well. No problems. It has rained so much here that if it were snow, it would be several feet deep. I hope the folks in the canyon areas avoid mudslides.
Kazie, did you go up in the arch? It's a beautiful sight. Did you see the video about how it was constructed? Very interesting.
Dick: (ha, ha) but on occasion I do sing in the nude ;)
ReplyDeleteCA: Really glad you are on the mend, I was getting worried. Also nice you can sing again, maybe a nude chorus would be interesting.
Tinbeni: welcome home!
Bill G: Still chuckling about that 'brag' letter. We got a couple of those years ago but I think the people finally got the message: No one really enjoys reading them.
I would much rather hear from a friend/relative on a regular basis instead of once a year.
Grumpy 1 (3:50) LOL
Bill G,
ReplyDeleteNo, unfortunately we got there just as it was closing--halfway through a two day trip to Little Rock AR. We had to get to our overnight destination in Cape Girardeau, so might not have had time anyway.
Bill G. LOL at your letter...but I actually get "real" letters that sound very similar. Yuccchh.
ReplyDeleteGrumpy 1 @ 3:50, - you are too much! You sucked me right into that one. When DH and I were first married (he moved into this big old Victorian with me), he was enthralled by the snow here in New England. One morning in December, he got up early and stepped outside to admire the new fallen "frosting". As soon as he shut the french door, he realized that he had locked himself out. And when he looked back inside, the two cats were sitting there with their little faces in the panes of glass. Boy, I would have loved to hear what THEY were thinking:
Cat # 1: "Doesn't he know that this is New England, in DECEMBER?"
Cat # 2: "What is he doing out there in his bathrobe, with no snow suit or boots...or gloves?"
Cat # 1: "Why is he jumping up and down like that??"
Cat # 2: "Doesn't he know we don't have opposable thumbs, and can't open the door?"
Cat # 1: "Lets go eat, and then take a nap..."
Hi Bill.
ReplyDeleteSent you an answer via e-mail.
I am not making the same mistake
that I made last year.
Take care.
I should have proofread my 1:40 post. And here is a better link to the caroling.
ReplyDeleteHeartRx, that was a hoot of a story - gotta love cats! You don't know the meaning of being ignored until you have had cats. I really do love those furry little critters. They suit my personality. As a cold drink holder I have states: "I'm not insensitive, I just don't care".
ReplyDelete(as a disclaimer for all you rabid dog lovers, I love them too, I just have never had one). They need one-on-one time and should be with a person who can provide that.
Hello from the hotel lobby that I am sequestered in. I had just asked my boss if I could leave an hour early and the phone rang and it was the marketing manager offering me a hotel room across the street that we use quite a bit. A quick look outside, and a 1/2 mile trip to Target for some "essentials" and here I am. We already had about 6" of snow on the ground with more to come after midnight so I decided the 43 mile commute home tonight and then again tomorrow just wasn't worth it!
ReplyDeleteLucina, I hope your daughter's family all feel better before the holidays!
Rob, I am so sorry for the loss of your loved ones. It's always tough to lose them, especially this time of year.
Getting ready to settle in with a pizza to watch the Vikings/Bears game. For once, I can honestly say I am not witnessing that game in person!
Good night all.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the explanation of path of pop-up being arc, seen, Bill G., and mtnest995. I should have asked DH who played baseball for U. of Ill.(catcher).
Lucina, I hope your family is well for Christmas!
And Rob, I'm so sorry to read of your wife's losses.
Thanks to many for setting me straight about Rhett not giving a damn. I could swear I read somewhere
that he didn't say that. My retrieval system is not as good as it once was (I think).
Sallie, you are not alone. I think it was yesterday one of the answers was stile. We had a HUGE discussion on that over a year ago, yet it took me awhile to come up the word.
ReplyDeleteHi Bill.
ReplyDeleteI tried again. This time I added the _ between your names.
How are the clouds down there?
eb
eddyB, clouds? Lots of rain. No eclipse visible for sure. If the rain were snow, we would have several feet by now. Several more days of rain (through Wednesday) are forecast. I'm not complaining though. I like rain and I'm not tired of it just yet.
ReplyDeleteJeannie and Sallie:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind wishes. As of this evening they all seemed to be recovering possibly from a 24hour flu. I made chicken soup which they were able to retain so that's a good sign.
Rob:
I am so sorry for your loss. The holidays are especially difficult when a loved one is gone.
Good night everyone! I'll "see" you in the morning.
It's a pretty clear night here, with just a slight nip in the air. I can see the beautiful, bright, shiny moon almost straight overhead.
ReplyDeleteI can't stay up any longer to watch though. I'll try to fall asleep, but if I can't, I'll go out for another look.
It's very pretty as it is though, just makes me dizzy looking straight up at it!