Theme: What can I say? Each two-word theme answer consists of a present participle functioning as adjective & a three-letter noun ending in G. Did I miss something?
17A. Lather-holding cup : SHAVING MUG - I shave my mug every morning, but the lather comes from a can.
25A. Sock mender's tool : DARNING EGG - I'm not sure why it's called an egg. Looks more like a bowling pin to me. But then, everything looks like a bowling pin to me.
36A. Violin knob for pitch adjustments : TUNING PEG - The clue reminded me of Frankie "Sweet Music" Viola adjusting pitches in the 1987 World Series.
48A. Retriever or pointer : HUNTING DOG - Ours was a German Shorthair named Bruno. He could scare up pheasants 100 yards away.
57A. Joke that gets funnier with repetition : RUNNING GAG - See Jack Benny later in this blog.
Can you find a phrase in the above pattern but ending in a three-letter noun ?IG, which would allow us to have different vowel variable in the last word.
Good Morning All. Argyle's computer is sick. This is the Boomer from snowy Minnesota, but Spring is in the air - finally.
Across:
1. World Wide __ : WEB- Gets more tangled every day.
4. Gunpowder element : SULFUR - that great firecracker smell on the 4th of July.
10. Turns seaward : EBBS - Hmmmm - I thought ebb just meant recede - like my hairline.
14. Firefighter's tool : AXE
15. Dream up : CREATE
16. Losing strategy? : DIET - Losing weight. I was trying to think of a four letter word defining the play of the NBA Timberwolves or Cavaliers.
19. Homely fruit : UGLI
20. Eye part containing the pupil : IRIS
21. Timeline divisions : ERAS - Eras divided by Timelines are indefinite. I would have used "Pitcher's stats"
23. Habit wearer : NUN - I was taught by the good Sisters of St. Joseph, and there is a great Benedictine Convent in Clyde, MO, but the long black robes are becoming a thing of the past, not worn by many sisters any longer.
24. Kimono sashes : OBIs
28. Magi : WISE MEN - Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar.
30. Sweden neighbor : NORWAY - Ya sure, you betcha!
31. Utmost degree : NTH
32. Church instrument : ORGAN
35. Flag maker Betsy : ROSS
38. "__ to that!" : AMEN
40. Ecstatic way to walk : ON AIR
41. Roman 700 : DCC
44. 1992 Olympic skating champ Yamaguchi : KRISTI. A past champion of "Dancing with the Stars".
46. As an alternative : INSTEAD
51. Heidi's heights : ALPS - I liked her better on the "Good Ship, Lollipop".
52. 2011 minus year of birth, roughly : AGE
53. It replaced the franc : EURO
54. Handling the job : ON IT
55. Member of an Iraqi minority : KURD. 17% of Iraq's population.
61. "Now ___ me down ..." : I LAY
62. Complete : ENTIRE
63. Hurry, old-style : HIE
64. Clearance event : SALE - See 65A.
65. Smells to high heaven : STINKS - Yeah, Stinks could also be a "Clearance Event."
66. Blasting sply. : TNT - I wasn't sure of "sply". TNT is in a lot of puzzles.
Down:
1. Used to be : WAS
2. Lettered piece of court evidence : EXHIBIT - I get it. I watch "Law and Order" on TNT.
3. Pessimistic about Wall Street : BEARISH - Not sure about the bear, but Wall street has been "ISH" for a couple of years.
4. Biol. and chem. : SCIs
5. Coffeepot for a crowd : URN
6. Jeans part : LEG
7. Hall of __: enshrined athlete : FAMER - My all time favorite is Harmon Killebrew, now fighting cancer. On his left is C.C.'s avatar Justin Morneau.
8. One-eighty : U-TURN
9. Win back : REGAIN
10. Campus e-mail address letters : EDU
11. Special report subject : BIG NEWS - Lots of special reports on CNN coming from Japan this week. Mother Nature can be nasty. I feel sad for those who lost loved ones, homes, and had their lives disrupted.
12. Sturgeon yielding expensive caviar : BELUGAS - I have heard of Beluga whales. The St. Croix River will sometimes yield Sturgeon over 90 pounds, but I had never heard of a beluga sturgeon. Also known as Huso huso, these sturgeon are found in the Caspian Sea, and their eggs are the most expensive caviar around. Would you believe $7,000 to $10,000 per kilo?
13. Tight-fisted : STINGY - This word was invented for Jack Benny. Once a crook held him up, saying "Your money or your life!". The robber became impatient with Benny's silence, until he finally responded - "I'm thinking, I'm thinking".
18. Workbench clamp : VISE
22. Noisy sleepers : SNORERS - I stayed up all last night to see if I was one, but I didn't hear me snore at all.
24. Part of BYOB : OWN
25. Bruce of "Coming Home" : DERN
26. Prefix with -plasty : ANGIO
27. Pirate's quaff : GROG - Those ballplayers from Pittsburgh haven't had champagne for a while, but Snowshoe grog is wonderful on a cold day. A mixture of brandy and peppermint schnapps - keeps you warm in the winter.
29. Canadian lawman on horseback : MOUNTIE - Of course the most famous was Dudley Do-Right, constantly in pursuit of Boris and Natasha.
33. Raggedy doll : ANN - A wonderful simple kid's toy from years gone by. She had a twin brother Andy.
34. Whodunit writer Marsh : NGAIO. A Kiwi writer.
36. Try out : TEST
37. Unwelcome engine sound : PING - Has anyone noticed an engine ping doesn't sound like a ping at all. I once had a Ping putter - that thing could really ping. They don't make them like they used to.
38. Peppery salad green : ARUGULA - I use green peppers, or grind some fresh black pepper. Arugula sounds more like a former relief pitcher for the Twins and Mets: Rick Aguilera.
39. Twenty Questions choice : MINERAL - Toss in Animal and Vegetable and you've already used up 3 questions.
41. "Afternoon __": suggestive #1 hit of 1976 : DELIGHT
42. Ship's leader : CAPTAIN - Okay, but most military branches have captains. Those big ships like the USS Nimitz are actually led by Admirals. I don't remember Captain Kangaroo leading a ship, but I do remember that Mr. Green Jeans' pants had legs.
43. Jewel box contents, briefly : CDs
44. Military pants : KHAKIS - Khaki is a strange word. I think it actually describes a color, which is a light brown. The khaki uniform was between fatigues and full dress, and consisted of pants, shirt, and a soft cap.
45. Hardens : INURES
47. Zesty taste : TANG - Also an orange drink that astronauts made famous.
49. McJob holder : GRUNT - A bit condescending - I sold burgers for a few years back when they were 15 cents. Earned money for a car, a date now and then, and tuition, but never felt I was a grunt - (until I went into the Army).
50. "__ know you?" : DON'T I
54. Vending machine bills : ONES - Sad but true. Used to be you could buy most anything from a vending machine for a quarter or less. Now they have slot machines that accept $100 bills!
56. Hair coloring agent : DYE
58. Author Anaïs : NIN
59. Rub the wrong way : IRK
60. Retrieve : GET
Answer grid.
Boomer
17A. Lather-holding cup : SHAVING MUG - I shave my mug every morning, but the lather comes from a can.
25A. Sock mender's tool : DARNING EGG - I'm not sure why it's called an egg. Looks more like a bowling pin to me. But then, everything looks like a bowling pin to me.
36A. Violin knob for pitch adjustments : TUNING PEG - The clue reminded me of Frankie "Sweet Music" Viola adjusting pitches in the 1987 World Series.
48A. Retriever or pointer : HUNTING DOG - Ours was a German Shorthair named Bruno. He could scare up pheasants 100 yards away.
57A. Joke that gets funnier with repetition : RUNNING GAG - See Jack Benny later in this blog.
Can you find a phrase in the above pattern but ending in a three-letter noun ?IG, which would allow us to have different vowel variable in the last word.
Good Morning All. Argyle's computer is sick. This is the Boomer from snowy Minnesota, but Spring is in the air - finally.
Across:
1. World Wide __ : WEB- Gets more tangled every day.
4. Gunpowder element : SULFUR - that great firecracker smell on the 4th of July.
10. Turns seaward : EBBS - Hmmmm - I thought ebb just meant recede - like my hairline.
14. Firefighter's tool : AXE
15. Dream up : CREATE
16. Losing strategy? : DIET - Losing weight. I was trying to think of a four letter word defining the play of the NBA Timberwolves or Cavaliers.
19. Homely fruit : UGLI
20. Eye part containing the pupil : IRIS
21. Timeline divisions : ERAS - Eras divided by Timelines are indefinite. I would have used "Pitcher's stats"
23. Habit wearer : NUN - I was taught by the good Sisters of St. Joseph, and there is a great Benedictine Convent in Clyde, MO, but the long black robes are becoming a thing of the past, not worn by many sisters any longer.
24. Kimono sashes : OBIs
28. Magi : WISE MEN - Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar.
30. Sweden neighbor : NORWAY - Ya sure, you betcha!
31. Utmost degree : NTH
32. Church instrument : ORGAN
35. Flag maker Betsy : ROSS
38. "__ to that!" : AMEN
40. Ecstatic way to walk : ON AIR
41. Roman 700 : DCC
44. 1992 Olympic skating champ Yamaguchi : KRISTI. A past champion of "Dancing with the Stars".
46. As an alternative : INSTEAD
51. Heidi's heights : ALPS - I liked her better on the "Good Ship, Lollipop".
52. 2011 minus year of birth, roughly : AGE
53. It replaced the franc : EURO
54. Handling the job : ON IT
55. Member of an Iraqi minority : KURD. 17% of Iraq's population.
61. "Now ___ me down ..." : I LAY
62. Complete : ENTIRE
63. Hurry, old-style : HIE
64. Clearance event : SALE - See 65A.
65. Smells to high heaven : STINKS - Yeah, Stinks could also be a "Clearance Event."
66. Blasting sply. : TNT - I wasn't sure of "sply". TNT is in a lot of puzzles.
Down:
1. Used to be : WAS
2. Lettered piece of court evidence : EXHIBIT - I get it. I watch "Law and Order" on TNT.
3. Pessimistic about Wall Street : BEARISH - Not sure about the bear, but Wall street has been "ISH" for a couple of years.
4. Biol. and chem. : SCIs
5. Coffeepot for a crowd : URN
6. Jeans part : LEG
7. Hall of __: enshrined athlete : FAMER - My all time favorite is Harmon Killebrew, now fighting cancer. On his left is C.C.'s avatar Justin Morneau.
8. One-eighty : U-TURN
9. Win back : REGAIN
10. Campus e-mail address letters : EDU
11. Special report subject : BIG NEWS - Lots of special reports on CNN coming from Japan this week. Mother Nature can be nasty. I feel sad for those who lost loved ones, homes, and had their lives disrupted.
12. Sturgeon yielding expensive caviar : BELUGAS - I have heard of Beluga whales. The St. Croix River will sometimes yield Sturgeon over 90 pounds, but I had never heard of a beluga sturgeon. Also known as Huso huso, these sturgeon are found in the Caspian Sea, and their eggs are the most expensive caviar around. Would you believe $7,000 to $10,000 per kilo?
13. Tight-fisted : STINGY - This word was invented for Jack Benny. Once a crook held him up, saying "Your money or your life!". The robber became impatient with Benny's silence, until he finally responded - "I'm thinking, I'm thinking".
18. Workbench clamp : VISE
22. Noisy sleepers : SNORERS - I stayed up all last night to see if I was one, but I didn't hear me snore at all.
24. Part of BYOB : OWN
25. Bruce of "Coming Home" : DERN
26. Prefix with -plasty : ANGIO
27. Pirate's quaff : GROG - Those ballplayers from Pittsburgh haven't had champagne for a while, but Snowshoe grog is wonderful on a cold day. A mixture of brandy and peppermint schnapps - keeps you warm in the winter.
29. Canadian lawman on horseback : MOUNTIE - Of course the most famous was Dudley Do-Right, constantly in pursuit of Boris and Natasha.
33. Raggedy doll : ANN - A wonderful simple kid's toy from years gone by. She had a twin brother Andy.
34. Whodunit writer Marsh : NGAIO. A Kiwi writer.
36. Try out : TEST
37. Unwelcome engine sound : PING - Has anyone noticed an engine ping doesn't sound like a ping at all. I once had a Ping putter - that thing could really ping. They don't make them like they used to.
38. Peppery salad green : ARUGULA - I use green peppers, or grind some fresh black pepper. Arugula sounds more like a former relief pitcher for the Twins and Mets: Rick Aguilera.
39. Twenty Questions choice : MINERAL - Toss in Animal and Vegetable and you've already used up 3 questions.
41. "Afternoon __": suggestive #1 hit of 1976 : DELIGHT
42. Ship's leader : CAPTAIN - Okay, but most military branches have captains. Those big ships like the USS Nimitz are actually led by Admirals. I don't remember Captain Kangaroo leading a ship, but I do remember that Mr. Green Jeans' pants had legs.
43. Jewel box contents, briefly : CDs
44. Military pants : KHAKIS - Khaki is a strange word. I think it actually describes a color, which is a light brown. The khaki uniform was between fatigues and full dress, and consisted of pants, shirt, and a soft cap.
45. Hardens : INURES
47. Zesty taste : TANG - Also an orange drink that astronauts made famous.
49. McJob holder : GRUNT - A bit condescending - I sold burgers for a few years back when they were 15 cents. Earned money for a car, a date now and then, and tuition, but never felt I was a grunt - (until I went into the Army).
50. "__ know you?" : DON'T I
54. Vending machine bills : ONES - Sad but true. Used to be you could buy most anything from a vending machine for a quarter or less. Now they have slot machines that accept $100 bills!
56. Hair coloring agent : DYE
58. Author Anaïs : NIN
59. Rub the wrong way : IRK
60. Retrieve : GET
Answer grid.
Boomer
Good morning, Boomer, C.C. and gang - well, it can't get much easier than this. Easy clues, easy theme -- perfect for a Monday. Only unknown, which the perps got quickly, was 'tuning peg'.
ReplyDeleteOf course, my DF mind immediately noticed the juxtaposition of 'organ'/'mount...ie' and 'on it'/'delight', and 'u-turn' always reminds me of my prematurely bald friend who says his condition came from "too many u-turns under the sheets."
Boomer, great job with the blog - Mondays have to be tough to blog because of their simplicity, and I always enjoy your sense of humor. Good take on khakis as the 'in between' uniform; ours were starched so heavily, they felt like cardboard.
Today is Learn about Butterflies Day, National Potato Chip Day, and National Pi Day. Two of those are delicious.
Did You Know?
- From the Department of Irony: The slogan on New Hampshire license plates is "Live Free or Die." These license plates are manufactured by prisoners in the state prison in Concord.
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteOK, so today I am definitely feeling the effects of the time change, Could barely get out of bed and my brain feels very fuzzy right now. Unlike Dennis, I knew TUNING PEG but had no idea about DARNING EGG. I originally wanted DARNING NEEDLE, but that was way too long, obviously, and therefore abandoned the thought of DARNING whatsoever.
The theme was... odd. Other than "phrases ending with G" I couldn't find a unifier.
And speaking of Ms. Yamaguchi and "Dancing with the Stars," I always thought it was brutally unfair to the other contestants to have her compete as a "star" and not as a professional dancer paired with a normally clumsy pseudo-celebrity. As a professional figure skater, she already is basically a professional dancer.
How nice to "see" you this morning, Boomer, as I start the work week. Wonderful write-up for a very easy puzzle. Many of the answers had filled themselves in, so I appreciated your comments.
ReplyDeleteMy only unknown was the writer (Edith) NGAIO March. The NG at the beginning of the word didn't look right, but I knew the perps had to be correct.
Anyone else remember the short-lived TV show called Due South? It was about a MOUNTIE working with the Chicago PD.
CA: Glad you enjoyed Spamalot. We saw last fall. Great fun, but not a show for children.
In honor of 58-Down, here is today's QOD: When you make a world tolerable for yourself, you make a world tolerable for others. ~ Anais Nin
Good day folks,
ReplyDeleteTuning peg and darning egg were both new to me as was Ngaio Marsh. But the perps were solid so I wasn't concerned about any of the three. Only screw up was tart instead of tang, but again, perps corrected my error.
Time change has me out of sorts too, so I appreciate Ms Truitt's easy solve for the day. Anything more difficult probably would have been a DNF.
Dennis, is it Nat'l Pie Day or Pi Day?
Hello Puzzlers - What Barry said, about brain fuzziness that is. Saving the puzzle for later to have with coffee.
ReplyDeleteBill G from last night - I bet you're right! And ClearAyes - thanks for the positive review of Spamalot. I've been meaning to see it ever since Eric Idle brought his similar show, "The Greedy Bastards Tour", into town. It was a hoot! No cell phones went off during the performance.
The makers of Spam produced a special edition Spamalot can to honor that show's opening. It had Python art on the label, very tongue in cheek. I understand they were given out to folks waiting in line to see the NY shows.
Boomer, you are welcome entertainer for first Monday of Daylight Savings Time, and a very quick solve. Like others, there were many clues I did not see because the puzzled filled, and I too thought the theme was indescribable. My addition has to be RUTTING PIG.
ReplyDeleteNGAIO MARSH, along with DORTHY SAYERS, MARGERY ALLINGHAM and AGATHA CHRISTIE are the grand dames of detective fiction. Ms. Marsh’ creation was RODERICK ALLEYN, who was featured in the early 90s on BBC adaptations. The pilot episode starred SIMON WILLIAMS as ALLEYN and WILLIAM SIMONS as his sergeant, FOX.
Trying to adjust, enjoy the day
thehondohurricane, it's National Pi Day - it's just where my mind took me.
ReplyDeleteHello fellow solvers!
ReplyDeleteFine write-up, Boomer! Fun puzzle, Billie!
I managed to sleep approximately forever and felt well enough when I arose to dig into harder parts of taxes for 6 hours. So, here I am at the crack of dawn (not really, it's only 4:46 AM here) blogging.
Kazie--thought of your beautiful darning egg!
Hahtool--I adore anything with Paul Gross! Did you see the Canadian Shakespeare series (3 of them, if I recall correctly)? Wonderful. Couldn't believe how young he looked in "Witches of Eastwick" series. Wish that it hadn't been cancelled!
Time to conk out, with any luck. Eyes horribly tired.
Oops! Have to abort a paragraph!
Bye for now.
Hi again,
ReplyDeleteWanted to say that I called my Japanese friends (here). Fortunately their families were OK. But I cannot envision what the atmospheric consequences of these reactor problems will be. Somewhat of an unpleasant reminder for the population I imagine, also.
Hooray for DST!!!
Good morning all. Great write-up, Boomer.
ReplyDeleteEasy one today. One pass and return for a couple small mop-ups and it was done. If the theme was other than as Boomer described, it eluded me.
CAPTAIN - Is the title given to the ships leader or commander. It doesn't matter what his rank is. A lieutenant in command of a mine sweeper is still the captain. Same on civilian ships. Captains of large naval vessels usually have the rank of Captain as well. On an aircraft carrier there may be an admiral in charge of the whole task force which would include the carrier. But the ship's captain, a Captain, is in command of the ship, oversees conning the ship and carries out the ship's mission. He (she) reports to the admiral embarked for operational matters. I
Good Morning, folks: Thank you Billie for a nice start to the week. Thank you Boomer and C.C. for the follow-up.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this quick puzzle. I started at the bottom for a change, just for a change.
Enjoyed the SHAVINGMUG answer because that is what I use. Cheap mug, cheap soap, and expensive brush.
I have never had ARUGULA to my knowledge, but I think I will locate and try some. I am a salad nut, eating one every day for lunch.
HUNTINGDOG was easy because we have a Pointer.
Good start for the week. See you all tomorrow.
Abejo
Have to run today so will read comments later. Enjoyed the shoutout to my avatar today.
ReplyDeleteBoomer,
Not all DARNING EGGS have a stick attached. see mine. great blogging today presumably on short notice too. Thanks for all the giggles.
No problems except I took longer than I should have in the NE corner with EBBS and DIET. BELUGA looked familiar after it perped, but I couldn't come up with it.
See y'all this arvo.
Good Morning Boomer, C.C. et al.
ReplyDeleteGreat job today, Boomer! You certainly made an entertaining job out of this puzzle. And I’m glad I wasn’t the only one trying to read more into the theme than I should have.
I think the beauty of this one is its simplicity, with all very common expressions. I couldn’t think of any for “I” except “wedding gig” and “drilling rig”. But the first one is not as common as the ones that Billie came up with, and the second one has too many letters to fit the symmetry.
I’m off to gg all about butterflies. Have a great day everyone!
Good morning Boomer, CC, et al., Thank you, Ms Truitt and Boomer for such an entertaining morning. Well done, both of you.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh w/the whole central area! Even WISEMEN would need ANGIOplasty w/the PINGing I envisioned...much like Dennis. Nothing makes me PING better than a few tURNs of a TUNING PEG in my ORGAN. DON'T I know I say AMEN every time he TESTS the instrument - esp at this AGE. I walk ON AIR for hours then- or the ENTIRE week if its done by the CAPTAIN who has perfect pitch. Now that's an afternoon DELIGHT!! Enjoy your day.
Hi There ~!
ReplyDeleteWell said, Lois ~!
I too, wondered about the theme, but maybe that's just it - an easy one to get us in the DST frame of mind - I was OK yesterday, but I but did not want to get up this morning....
HeartRx, I liked Wedding Gig, it would fly with me.
Splynter
Good morning, C.C., Boomer and all. In honor of the ease and the dominant letter, I just titled this puzzle Gee Whiz! Good Grief, Gertie, we got a great gaggle of G's in this grid.
ReplyDeleteTuning peg was easy. My oldest son briefly studied cello. I remember the discussions about cello construction, Caspari tuning pegs vs the standard pegs, etc.
Since Pi isn't edible, I'm wondering if Dennis prefers his butterflys chocolate coated or deep fried.
Boomer; Excellent job filling in for Argyle.
ReplyDeleteEasy, even for a Monday.
Thought there were to many plurals: CDs, ERAs, OBIs, SNORERs, ALPs, STINKs.
Learning moment, NGAIO Marsh. Maybe I'll check her out at the library.
3.14 National PI day. Yummmm, I like Pi.
BTW, I love this "time-change" thingy very much.
I slept in until 5:00am this morning.
Cheers !!!
Grumpy1,
ReplyDeleteI doubt Dennis will be throwing down any insects, unless he's in the survivalist mode he referenced a few weeks ago, so my only question would be whether he prepares all his own pies.
Boomer, nice pinch hitting! No alarm necessary today as I defeated CDT! I am very fussy about being late. It sends the message that my time is more important than yours and so you can wait. Woe unto the child late for a Fla. bus where 50 peeps wait for them.
ReplyDeleteMusings
-Happy π day! Math classes are full of pie today!
-I had a girl who failed to tell me she was deathly allergic to sulfur and stood by me at the EPCOT fireworks finale where the smoke from the display washed over us. A call to 911, a shower and Benadryl got her back to normal again but she scared the bejeezus out of me that night.
-The Omaha diocese? Very few habits! The Lincoln diocese? Habits aplenty along with bells, chanting and incense.
-I remember Killebrew and Klusewski batting with their mighty biceps bared!
-Every once in a while Mother Nature lets us know we only rent this planet, we don’t own! What a tragedy in Japan!
Good Morning All, DARNING EGG? How could I not think of Kazie?
ReplyDeleteI've seen the name NGAIO Marsh, but I don't think I've ever read one of her books. What I'm really curious about is, how is her first name pronounced?
This was an easy to solve puzzle, but I enjoyed the more unusual fill like BELUGAS and ARUGULA.
CAPTAIN reminded me of the poem O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman. Most of us had to read it during our Civil War history lessons. It's a metaphor poem about the death of Abraham Lincoln.
Boomer, nice to see/read you. It's always fun to read you blogging.
A busy Monday, so I'll have to check in to read more later.
Hi gang -
ReplyDeleteEnjoyable puzzle today, though I am also scratching my head over the themelet.
Boomer - it's always a treat when you blog.
NGAIO = ANGIO
My sympathy to Argyle. My new laptop came up with the BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH last week. Got a new hard drive (hi, Lois) out of it, but lost all my files. Fortunately, not a lot, and all of it replaceable.
I'm just awestruck by the devastation in Japan. Here is a satellite view.
After a very busy weekend and DST switch, I'm beat.
Cheers!
JzB
Hi all - Nice job Boomer, good of you to fill in when needed.
ReplyDeleteFun run today, no major problems for me.
41D Loved that song...loved the concept!!!
Lots of DF stuff covered nicely by Lois! Welcome back!! We missed you and hope you will entertain us again soon.
Speaking of missing: where is Buckeye???
NGAIO is pronounced just the way it looks. I was hoping to hear from our anagram master Jerome about the ANGIO/NGAIO appearance.
ReplyDeleteWe have not had many Billie Truitt puzzles which I can recall, but the ones which come to mind had numerous clechoes, so maybe the anagram was intentional.
Since we already have 2 7/3 suggestions for "I" words ending in G, what about, the somewhat different EGG, which as much as I love the clue and fill, is not the same pattern as the others. Maybe our PIG or GIG should have appeared instead?
Hello.
ReplyDeleteNice easy puzzle to start the week.
No problems.
Had to get up early this AM to get Jill to the train station. She is in Sacto to lobby for more edu money.
Finished "The Jungle" by Cussler and Du Brul. Nice twist at the end.
Now back to Gai-Jin.
take care.
Good morning Boomer, C.C. and all,
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful surprise, and a fun write up, Boomer!
What was not to like on this xwd?Don't guitars have tuning pegs also?Remembering arugula, my least favorite salad green, wasthe hardest to fill.Like most of you, I did not know Ngaio, but easy to fill.
Bill, they just finished removing 140 tons of dead sardines off of Redondo Beach.No more "stinks."
In our area we have Monarch Butterflies that cover the trees during their migration. They are the only butterfly that migrates both no.& so., although no single butterfly can do that.Lifespan for those that lay eggs is 2 months, but for those who emerge later in the summer, they do not lay eggs and may live up to 7 mo.
Good day, Boomer and everyone! I always enjoy your sense of humor, Boomer.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your computer, Argyle, that is never fun.
What a nice, easy puzzle from Billie Truitt, just right to start Monday of spring break.
Kazie, I thought immediately of you and your lovely DARNINGEGG!
There's not too much to say that hasn't already been commented, only that I liked:
losing strategy, DIET
And how I remember afternoon DELIGHT with its TNT explosions!
At our parish NUNS still wear a white habit but the order I belonged to, The Sisters of the Precious Blood surrendered theirs in the 60s.
Have a gorgeous Monday, everyone!
Lemonade- ANGIO looks more like what a cockney surfer does.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of darning eggs, hello to kazie.
ReplyDeleteHello everybody. I liked the puzzle today. It was easy enough to solve even through the din of the workmen reeping off our roof this morning. So far it is a sunny day, which I hope is an omen for the next two days. We sure don't want it to rain while our house is bald.
ReplyDeleteThe only fill I didn't know today was also NGAIO. Nice to learn a new name.
Boomer, I laughed out loud when I read what you wrote about staying awake all night to see if you are a SNORER or not. Very funny!
Yes, I sort of remember the show Due South. I recall we found it pretty funny and fun.
More later.
Jerome, I have to admit, that one took me a minute. Outstanding.
ReplyDeleteGrumpy, WH is correct in his interpretation of my pi comment.
Windhover, as to preparation, they must be properly heated.
Jerome, 'ang 10, guv!
ReplyDeleteKristi Yamaguchi is a very classy woman.
Pi is such a cool number. One of my favorites. Hate radians, though.
I think daylight saving time should be in effect all year 'round. I like having daylight in the evenings when I'm awake rather than so doggone early in the mornings when I am still asleep. And no disruptive clock changes.
But man oh man I sure can't complain, what with the terrible disaster in Japan and the travails the people there are suffering.
As we contemplate the horrors of what had happened in Japan, we must remember, it is nature, which also gives us beautiful children and the MONARCH BUTTERFLY .
ReplyDeleteFriction is an outstanding source of heat.
ReplyDeleteSadly, heat is also an excellent source of friction.
ReplyDeleteSuckling Pig
ReplyDeleteBoomer, great to see you blog again! You must keep C.C. in stitches with your sense of humor. Have you bowled a 300 yet this year?
ReplyDeleteThis was a fun easy way to start DST Monday. The only two I wouldn't have gotten were Kurd and Ngaio but perps filled them in.
Abejo, I am surprised you haven't tried arugala. Like JD, I wouldn't use it as a salad base because of it's peppery taste. It is good however, on a sandwich.
Dennis, funny comment regarding your friends reason for baldness. What a guy!! I am also assuming you enjoy cream pi's....
Billie Truitt - very Nice xword - Thank you - Thanks to you and Mondays (yea !) I can start my week off perfect.
ReplyDeleteBoomer, thank you for a very nice blog. I always felt that a person who has such a magnificent talent on such an esoteric subject, it would be so nice to have a spouse who preferably shares that interest and thus co-appreciates that talent. I am aware that this is none of my business, I only mention it because in your case it happens to be serendipitously appropriate.
Khaki, originally invented, in 1800's in the indian sub-cont. by a british soldier, Sir Harry Lumsdem, Khaki comes from 'khak' - Urdu and Persian - meaning dirt. It is more 'darkish olive green' in most countries, but is a light beige/tan ( camel ?) here in the US. What better color, for a working uniform, in the dusty tropics than the color of ever prevalent dirt ? 'If the mountain won't come to Moses, Moses must go to the mountain ...'.
Or Muhammad.
ReplyDeleteLemonade, enjoyed that clip...so will Chickie as we both "raised" Monarchs in our classroom. Unfortunately our Milkweed source has been covered with new homes.
ReplyDeleteClear Ayes asked how Ngaio ( Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh ) was pronounced - reading through, several sources, I am given to understand, it is 'nyo', thats it. What does it mean ? ... per the lady herself (RIP) 'I dont know ... Maori words have several meanings - clever, light on the water, a little bug '- (Choose one or all - she had no idea of her parents' intentions ...)
ReplyDeleteI have always wondered about the above 'Ng...' names - generally in Vietnam and in eastern Nigeria - Ibo (Christian) tribe - remember the secession of Biafra, 1969 ? In Nigeria, N... is an 'uhn' (nasal grunt ).... thus Nwasu is 'uhn'-wasoo.
I enjoyed the puzzle and the clever writeup. Thanks. Listening for your own snoring, heh heh.
ReplyDeleteJD, I'm guessing there are still some dead sardines on the bottom that will turn into smelly floaters. They seem to have dealt with the mess pretty effectively. My son went there a few days back to volunteer but they were unable to delegate some of the chores effectively so he and a bunch of other volunteers left after waiting around a couple of hours.
Do you know you can find your phone number (and other numbers) in the infinite digits of pi? There's a website to tell you where it's located.
Locating number in the decimal Pi digits ----
ReplyDeleteTo locate your name, birthdate, social security number or phone number in the "pi digits" - just Google - 'pi digits search' - and (atleast - ) ten sites will turn up. (Alphabets are ordi-numerated A=1, B=2 etc. )
In accordance with statistical distribution - the longer the number ( string - ) of digits, that you are searching for - the less the likelyhood of them occurring - in the pi digit search.
Couldn't find my phone number or birthdate.
ReplyDeleteReally easy puzzle and just couldn't find anything to unify...still not sure.
ReplyDeleteNGAIO is pronounced NIYO...at least by the British...and for Vidwan...NGYUEN is generally pronounce WHEN or WIN...we live in an area with a huge Vietnamese population and it took me a while to get the pronunciation somewhat correct.
Been awestruck by what is happening in Japan and can hardly take in what faces them.
Re: 29 down. Dudley Do-Right had his own segment during the "Rocky and Bullwinkle Show." His nemesis was Snidely Whiplash. He didn't appear on the Rocky and Bullwinkle segments ith Boris and Natasha. Thanks for the blog.
ReplyDeleteDudley, nice pictures.
ReplyDeleteI'm back now. Thanks to all who thought of my darning egg today.
ReplyDeleteJZB,
Amazing satellite views of Ishinomaki. It's impossible to imagine returning to your "home" and finding everything completely gone. Not only the double whammy of earthquake and tsunami, but possible nuclear disaster as well. As one woman put it, at least they escaped with their lives, but she wasn't sure that was a good thing. I can certainly understand that sentiment.
Hola Everyone, Great to "see" you today Boomer. I enjoyed your humorous writeup. It was nice of you to sub for Argyle.
ReplyDeleteAs for the puzzle, it was easy and I was able to finish without lookups which is always an ego booster.
Kazie, I immediately thought of your beautiful darning egg.
Ngaio Marsh will certainly be on my library list.
My one hangup was the spelling of Kristi Yamaguchi's name. That was soon straightened out as was the rest of the SW corner.
My favorite clue today was Losing strategy?/Diet.
Have a great Monday everyone. By evening our internal clocks should be readjusting.
My internal clock is still off. I have been waking up a bit groggy. It's worse for me in the fall though when I wake up too early.
ReplyDeleteIn the pi search site I used to go to, you could easily find your seven-digit phone number several times in the first 200,000,000 digits of pi. Longer numbers will be found in later digits.
Nope. Same link I tried. Couldn't find my phone number or my birthday.
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteDitto to all about the fun puzzle and Boomer's write up,he made me laugh.
I darned socks the first few years we were married but don't anymore. I used an old lightbulb.
Kristi Yamaguchi was my favorite skating star-we saw her once in Madison and some of the other stars, like Scott Hamilton. I also remember "Deep South" and thought it was fun.
EddyB, I'm glad yor wife could lobby for more EDU funds, that won't happen in Wisconsin for awhile.
The Japan tragedy is going to last awhile, those poor people.
Our snow is melting, hoorah!
Good evening!
Marge
Bill G
ReplyDeleteFound my B-Day in Pi.
Phone # was not in the mix. Probably because there are some double numbers in my digits.
Well my time-change was easy since I did it on Friday morning.
Work-week ended "earlier" ... the Weekend was the same lenght.
And our Sunsets (and "toasts") are now at 7:37 pm.
Cheers to all later !!!
Good Evening C.C., Boomer and all,
ReplyDeleteThough I am sorry that Argyle's computer is on the blink, it's nice to become acquainted with you,Boomer; and what a pleasant sense of humor. Thanks, for your effort; fun read.
The puzzle was a welcome treat, after a difficult Saturday and an unworked Sunday. I have been completely tied up all weekend, and couldn't get on the corner.
I've enjoyed the posts though.
Billie had an interesting, though unnameable, theme.Thanks.
I'm going to read today's posts now.
Have a nice evening everyone.
Jerome, very funny! Do they 'ave big ones to ride over there?
ReplyDeleteJazzBumpa, incredible link to the before/after satellite shots. When I moved the line over what had been there before, the devastation hit home with incredible force.
Thank you, Lemonade, for the link to the Monarch butterflies. I can’t believe that those kids knew the scientific name “Danaus plexippus”. I always allow a few milkweed plants to grow in my garden, just so I can enjoy these creatures. Plus, at the end of the summer, I take several of the pods and arrange them on the rim of a wide vase, with chrysanthemums floating in the center. It looks for all the world like a bunch of green parrots enjoying the nectar of the flowers.
Here is a picture from the web showing the effect.
Hello again,
ReplyDeleteLooking over the puzzle, I saw SULFUR at the top and STINKS at the bottom with EGG veering toward the east. Reminded me of my chemistry lab days. LOL
I thought Gerund For a Day might be an alternate theme but I suppose only a grammarian would think so.
If you limit your pi searches to seven-digit numbers (or fewer), that site should be able to find almost all of them. It found an eight-digit number for me.
ReplyDeleteFun milkweed picture.
Tutoring time. I think I hear my first student approaching.
Marti Heart - Your picture was fabulous - I absolutely loved your 'arrangement' - never thought I'd ever seen something so beautiful - I actually thought they were a couple of humming birds or parakeets - - so you are also an artist with 'living pods' as well ... Over the past 17 yrs, I've tried to grow orchids of various hybrids, ( often with disastrous results ...) so I know how difficult growing stuff can be.
ReplyDeleteI thought of Kazie too, when I saw darning egg - tho' I never darn knitted anything in my life - this summer, I am going to a bunch of fancy flea market of sorts, and see if I can buy a darning egg for my mantelpiece... Last year, I managed to get a whole bunch of 'evil eye preventers' , but the actual impact on my life seems to be mixed .... to early to tell...
Vidwan, darling, that was not a picture of my own arrangement. I couldn't find my pictures in the thousands I have on file, so I just found one on the internet. Although, I think my own are more "dear", since they are from my own garden. If I ever do find them, I'll be sure to post...
ReplyDeleteOh, and I do grow orchids as well! I have one that is extremely prolific. It's a Phalaenopsis that right now is sprouting 2 blooming branches with about 14 separate buds. I will try to take a picture when it is finished blooming...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pronunciation help on NGAIO. I was still confused and found the spoken version at Oxnard Advanced Learners Dictionary. Both the British and American versions were "nigh-oh". (I should have known to ask when we were in New Zealand ;o)
ReplyDeleteJazz, Your link was an amazing and tragic photo comparison of the Japanese coastline areas. It really made an impression on us.
Heart Rx- The Cleveland (Ohio) Botanical Gardens is having its annual orchid-mania show running right now. I had a 'most favorite' orchid, hybrid called 'Sherri baby' - apparently fairly well known - , which used to bloom a cluster of flowers ( unusual for an orchid... ) light yellow, with brown spots, about half inch diameter each, which used to exude a vanilla-chocolate fragrance ... alas all good things must come to an end, and this did, rather suddenly.
ReplyDeleteDennis did not make clear - today is Pi day because March 14th, 3/14, 3.14159 - so technically at 1.59 am, this morning.
There is also palindromic day 01/02/2010 ( long past ) ... next one 11-02-2011. Nothing to do with Sarah Palin, unless you .... 'harass Sarah' - and for equal time - 'Star comedy by Democrats'. ( Too many sources to attribute.)
Vidwan, I think our posters are smart enough to know that today is Pi day because it's 3/14. I didn't feel Captain Obvious needed to make an appearance.
ReplyDeleteTo Dennis: It took me a while, but I finally realized what National Pi Day referred to, 3.14 (22/7) (3-14-2011). Very good.
ReplyDeleteTo Jeannie: I spotted some arugula in the store and bought it. I will try it tomorrow in my salad at work. Will let you know how I liked it.
Tomorrow night I am cooking 80 pounds of corned beef for a dinner on Wednesday. Wish me luck.
Abejo
One might ask why Japan has so many nuclear plants for such a small country. They really have no choice. High population densities and not much in the way of fuel resources. Forests are hard to grow on rocky, volcanic soil (that`s why they made houses out of paper), not much coal to mine, very little oil...very few rivers for water turbines and so this whole scenario will probably be repeated some day...sadly. The Japanese ate with chopsticks because metals were so scarce. Their smaller stature was the result of limited dietary opportunities. And now, all this!
ReplyDeleteOne thing they do have in abundance though is intelligence and a solid work ethic. They`ve risen from ashes before...they will again...and faster than most countries would. But I ramble...
Jazz 10:15: LOL, I'll see your new hard drive and raise you one RAM... as I remember, the more RAM you have the faster your machine runs.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Jazz, thanks for that satelite picture. How sad!
WH: Spoken like the perfect specimen of a true burnin' hot, heat producin' hunk of desirable friction that you are.
JD, Lemon: thanks for the links and info on the Monarchs. Very cool. One of my favorites.
Jeannie: LMAO - yeah, I think Dennis enjoys his pi w/cream... & if he has trouble doing it himself, he knows who to call.
Carol: Good to see you too. Just really busy - in and out - just the way I'm rollin' right now. Gotta make hay while the sun shines...and make somethin else when it doesn't. It's all good!
Dennis: what is it w/license plates up in New Eng. Even yours in NJ is ironic: Garden state... yep,'guardin' your car, guardin your house, 'guardin' your family, it's the Garden state all right. Ours is too: VIRGINia is for lovers! That's real Southern hospitality there, don't ya just know.
Fun one today!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite was running gag. It reminded me of my drinking days. Don't ask.
Pi day? Ugh.
Enjoy what's left of the evening!
Lois, you making hay when the sun don't shine????? I'd say HEY, HEY, OOOH BABY would be more like it :) How's that organ mount/tuning peg workin' out for you? LOL
ReplyDeleteDennis better be gardin' his "frontal weather watcher"...could be trouble heading his way. Perhaps the Hair Club could assist.
WH: ewe 'causin' sparks?????
I just finished listening to the end of Prairie Home Companion's St. Patrick's Day show. They finished with a lovely rendition of Danny Boy. Has a prettier melody ever been composed?
ReplyDeleteFishing jig.
ReplyDeleteSinging gig.
I don't care if I am the only one left in the world... I absolutely HATE daylight savings time! I just can't abide it.
ReplyDeleteBut I did like the puzzle today--and I had me a pi.
Khaki is a fabric as well as a color.
ReplyDeleteJust FYI. :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaki