Theme: A New Dimension in Crossword Entertainment ! - The theme entries all have the word SOUND surrounding the phrases front and back, with the unifier at 50A: Home theater feature, and a hint to the puzzle theme in 19-, 22-, 32-, 46-Across, and the first (sic) word of this answer : SURROUND SOUND. At first, I thought that was a typo, until I realized that it was a hint that the first word of the unifier also contains "sound" surrounding it...great stuff!
19A. "Afraid you can't have your money back" : SORRY NO REFUND. I wonder why they wouldn't take back the thong I bought last month?
22A. Progresso or Lipton : SOUP BRAND. Would you believe, I was looking for types of tea??
32A. Refuse to budge : STAND ONES GROUND. A grid-spanning anchor in the center of the Home Entertainment System!
46A. Home of Notre Dame : SOUTH BEND. Alma Mater.
You got me, C.C. !
Marti here, and she didn't tell me it was her puzzle when she asked me to fill in today. How great to blog one of our dynamic duo's puzzles!! (See notes from C.C. and Don at the end.)
Across:
1. Winter break? : THAW. We really needed one this past winter. Didn't happen until, oh, about three days ago...
5. Drink noisily : SLURP.
10. Agcy. that established rules for kite flying : FAA. Go fly a kite! (But not near the airport...)
13. Poet known for inventing words : NASH.
"Reflection on Babies"
A bit of talcum
Is always walcum.
14. Prairie home : TEPEE
15. "__ la Douce" : IRMA. Great 1963 flick with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.
16. The Dixie Chicks, e.g. : TRIO. Aww, do I have to? (link)
17. "__ of robins in her hair": Kilmer : A NEST. Help, Clear Ayes!
18. Strip light : NEON. Dennis, are there strip lights on South Beach?
24. Climber's toehold : LEDGE. Yes, and pitons, cables or anything else I could get my big toe into...
25. Fertile desert spot : OASIS
26. New Deal inits. : FDR. Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
27. Sch. with a Spokane campus : WSU. Washington State University. Top 10 in the country for using clean technology on campus.
28. Like the Parthenon : ANCIENT. No, like me.
38. Young in films : LORETTA. Is she ancient now?
39. Sushi topping : ROE. Roe, roe, roe your boat...Oh, oops - I did that last time... (This is really hard, guys!)
40. Lincoln or Ford : CAR. Ha Ha. You didn't fool me. I knew right away that "prez" wouldn't fit!
41. Rapids transit : CANOE. Great pun on Rapid Transit. But I confidently filled in "kayak".
43. Chinese, e.g. : ASIAN. Do you think of yourself as "Asian" or "Chinese", C.C.? I think of myself as "American", not "USA'an".
52. Cement piece : SLAB
53. Auto buyer's choice : SEDAN
54. Ages and ages : EONS. I just keep aging and aging...
57. Hgts. : ALTS. "Alps" would fit, but I don't think the Down would fit the "breakfast test"...
58. Ragú rival : PREGO
59. Hurry : RUSH. We all know Hurry Limbaugh, right?
60. Food additive : DYE. Ewwww, and we got a lesson the other day about what exactly is in those dyes.
61. Scatter : STREW
62. Hang around : STAY. I can't STAY. I have to go DOWN...
Down:
1. "We know drama" channel : TNT. Turner Network Television.
2. Guffaw syllable : HAR. Haw, haw, hee hee, ho ho!
3. Customarily : AS IS USUAL. Great phrase. As is usual, our constructors brought out their "A" game today!
4. Moderator of a panel including Joy, Elisabeth and Sherri : WHOOPI. Goldberg.
5. Best successor of 1962 : STARR. Pete Best, Ringo Starr. If this were Monday, they would never get away with this clue - great misdirection!
6. Actress Lotte : LENYA. OK, maybe you don't remember her. But do you remember "Mack the Knife", written for her by her husband Kurt Weill? Ok, so it's in German, and not the Louis Armstrong-famous version, but it is Lotte Lenya, which is probably why you don't remember her...
7. Wharton's sch. : UPENN. Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.
8. Fix, as a green : RESOD. They need to RESOD the greens at my local course. Terrible shape! None of my putts would go in today...
9. Sykora of the NHL : PETR. Now playing in Russia, he played around with the Devils, Ducks, Rangers, Oilers, Penguins and Wild before finally saying sayonara to the USA. I bet Eddy B. and JD know him.
10. "The Ego and the Id" author : FREUD.
11. Included in : AMONG
12. "Dog the Bounty Hunter" airer : A AND E. Whew! This one threw me for a while. Finally parsed it.
15. Oven, so to speak : INFERNO. Does anyone remember the movie?
20. NFL ball carriers : RBS. National Football league, Running Backs.
21. Revered figure : ELDER. Oh, so I should be revered, right?
22. Plants : SOWS
23. Hops drier : OAST
26. Newton fruit : FIG. Not an apple?
28. Farm denizen : ANT
29. Bottom line : NET
30. Rebs' gp. : CSA. Confederate States of America.
31. Ended up : TURNED OUT. Turned out, I didn't have to worry about another blitch...so far, so good.
33. Feature of some extreme diets : NO CARBS
34. Pipe cleaner : DRANO. I wonder if Drano would take care of ear wax?
35. Atop, poetically : O'ER.
36. High time? : NOON. Already? I just got started...
37. Safe document : DEED. Nope, don't have one in my safe. Only a huge mortgage note from the bank. Oh, maybe they have the deed in their safe?
41. Obama's secretary of energy : CHU. Chattanooga Chu? (Sorry - it's Steven.)
42. Doubleday and Yokum : ABNERS
43. Syrian president : ASSAD. Bashar al-Assad wanted to be an opthamologist, until his older brother died in a car accident. So he became heir apparent and was elected president in 2000 when his father died.
44. Tarnish : SULLY
45. Steaming : IRATE. My veggies were really irate while I was cooking them tonight. (Well, wouldn't you be?)
46. Hägar's dog : SNERT. Love him in the comic strip!
47. More eccentric : ODDER
48. Linguist's concern : USAGE
49. Thus far : TO NOW. To now, I don't think I've made any boo-boos, have I?
51. Mail letters : USPS. United States Postal Service. Did you know? The USPS does not have a motto. The saying "Neither rain, nor sleet, etc." is simply an inscription on a Post Office in NYC.
55. Gp. whose insignia consists of a bald eagle holding a key : NSA. National Security Agency.
56. Bashful : SHY. Not elf? Oh, that's a dwarf...sorry, I'm getting Sleepy. Er, no, I'm not "getting" Sleepy tonight. At least, he hasn't called yet...
Good night, Marti.
Note from C.C. & Don:
Don came up with this nifty idea while we were brain storming a "* AROUND" theme where the * bookends each theme entry. We tried to even it out with different SO* *UND pattern. SOUTHERLY WIND and SOUVENIR STAND ended up on the cutting room floor. Did you all notice that the unifier word SURROUND is also surrounded by SOUND?
Hello Puzzlers - Another snappy, smart, and smooth project from the C.C. D.G. Team! Well done. Love the rapid transit clue, even though I did just what Hearti did, and popped KAYAK right in there. Despite all the news about the Arab Spring, ASSAD simply wouldn't come to memory, had to wait for perps.
ReplyDeleteProper nouns got me again, as I don't know Loretta Young or Irma La Douce. Or the two Abners, for that matter.
Keep 'em coming CCDG, and you too Hearti! Love your style.
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteAnother fine effort from our fearless leader (and Mr. Gagliardo, of course).
Expected difficulty for a Wednesday, I guess. I never thought of ROE being a sushi topper, but I guess cluing it as "___ v. Wade" would be too easy for a Wednesday. I also had no idea that "Wharton's School us UPENN.
Lots of acronyms today -- NSA, CSA, FDR, FAA, WSU.
FIG Newtons were named after the town of Newton, Massachusetts. They may be available with other fruits these days, but they originally were only made with figs.
Anybody else find TO NOW a bit awkward? I've heard "til now" or "up to now" before, but TO NOW doesn't seem quite right to me.
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteFun puzzle, for sure! Congrats, C. C. and Don. Great explanations, Marti! Very amusing!
Have been out of commission again. After 2 years in searing left shoulder pain after operation to reconnect tendons, found out I have a torn rotator cuff that was never fixed! May be fixed rather easily. Wouldn't that be g r e a t?
Sorry folks, I misread the buckets problem!!! Connected with an old version that I had seen before. It sure generated lots of blog, didn't it!
So, Hahtool, what did you think of the Mentalist ending? (Bradley Whitford is really fantastic, too.)
Liked Jessie Stone because I could never get enough of Selleck! Anyone remember "Did You See the Sunrise", Magnum episode? (Maybe am misquoting title.) Mentalist reminded me of this episode.
Today's puzzle easier and more fun than Tuesday!
Happy hump day!
Good Morning, Marti, C.C. and friends. Wow, you are becoming quite a regular crossword c onstructor, C.C.
ReplyDeleteGreat Job. Loved the commentary, too, Marti.
I'm running a bit late this morning, so will comment more after I catch my breath.
QOD: As I grow older and older, And totter toward the tomb, I find that I care less and less, Who goes to bed with whom. ~ Dorothy L. Sayers
Thanks C.C., Don G. and Marti, this was a fun humpday offering with lots of wit. I found it pretty easy, though the BEST/STARR and CANOE were very well done. The theme also was great, as the words were so visually accurate. It is so impressive how quickly you are getting these puzzles together and published.
ReplyDeleteNice theme with a bit of a twist. I didn't get it for awhile, I must admit.
ReplyDeleteAbner Doubleday (credited with baseball) and Li'l Abner Youkum, husband of the fabulous Daisy Mae (a comic strip set in Dogpatch by Al Capp).
Remember Big Fig?
Tom Sawyer was the first novel written on a typewriter.
A knot is a group of toads.
A five cent bill was once issued by the US.
The voice of E.T. was Debra Winger.
Ding Dong is a city in Texas.
Marti,
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, I think of myself as a Chinese first, then Asian. The CANOE clue ("Rapids transit") is Rich's. He always makes us look smart. Love your sense of humor.
Creature, JD et al,
Thanks for the concern over our safety last weekend. A tornado touched down a few miles from our house. I just lost a few flowers and our internet connection was shaky a bit. Otherwise, everything was fine.
Good day folks,
ReplyDeleteAnother fun offering from CC and Don G. And to top it off, a terrific write up from Marti. Thank you all for starting today out in an enjoyable fashion.
Until Marti's explanation, I had no idea how the theme clues and unifier meshed together. Very clever guys!
The puzzle went along smoothly and I had no need for any Wags. FAA as the kite flying overseer a "did not know." And Wash St. U a top ten for clean technology? Can someone explain what clean tech is. I'm sure it's more then what is creeping around the recesses of my R Rated mind.
The thaw in Ct began yesterday and is supposed to be around for a week. I'll believe it when it happens.
Happy hump day all.
Good Morning all, What a delightful respite from a cool, rainy day on the Great Plains. I’m glad I’m not in a TEPEE today (TEEPEE in USA Today puzzle yesterday). It was aStOUNDing! Ferreting out the theme answers had to be a Herculean task!
ReplyDeleteMusings
-Lovely touch on the write-up Marti! I loved the graphic insert!!!
-WSU – also known as WAZOO as in “Up the…”
-Am I the only one who remembers Loretta sweeping onto the set of her TV show?
-What TV show featured a dizzy blonde named Loretta Tortelli?
-Marti, How ‘bout …and pretty maids all in a ROE?
-Frankie Vali’s falsetto wasn’t quite there in this late version but ya gotta love his Stay
-LOVED Best successor – had RINGO first.
-Lance Armstrong’s saga might SULLY the USPS!
-Hahtool, me too as long as it’s consensual.
-Yup, C.C., I did notice! Wow!
I now know why Dennis is not here yet today, he was investigating this topless rumor in MIAMI .
ReplyDeleteGood Morning C.C., Marti and all,
ReplyDeleteGreat write-up, Marti. Thanks, for your humor.
C.C. and Don, way to go! Totally fun and made me do some work to solve the special theme. That SURROUND business almost got the best of me; and no, C.C., my brain quit before that wonderful aha moment when SURROUND was its own solution! Please keep it up.
‘Winter break?’ THAW- creative way to start!
CA and Carol- such pretty girls! Thanks for sharing your photos.
Enjoyed the country music links, from last night.
BillG you have the dear links to ‘critters’. For some reason, I can’t get the picture to start for the ‘fawn’; the black screen comes up, but then nothing. I’m going back later to try it again.
Have a nice day everyone.
Good morning, C.C., Don G, Hearti and all. Kudos to our constructor duo for a fun puzzle and to our 'revered' blogger for her great write up.
ReplyDeleteLike 99.9% of the solvers, I put in 'kayak'. I don't think of a CANOE as a good way to transit rapids. Nice to know I can blame Rich for that one, since I was on the Don G/CC wavelength for almost everything else.
A AND E took a few extra looks before I could parse it.
I chuckled at hurry/RUSH. Rush is the last name of one branch of my family and I have a cousin with that name that has one speed... very slow. His father called him to do something one day, watched as my cousin slowly ambled across the yard, shook his head and said "his name may be Rush, but it sure ain't hurry".
thehondohurricane, “Clean Technology” is very much a concern in Europe. It involves things like sustainable farming (Husker Gary?), renewable energy fuels (like rapeseed oil), using eco-friendly building materials, and a host of other environmental issues.
ReplyDeleteI had a very interesting discussion with my friends about this when I was over there. It seems that there is so much solar energy and wind energy being generated by private citizens that the electric companies are obliged to buy back any excess, and end up actually paying their “customers”! After the earthquakes in Japan and the resulting nuclear disaster, they also closed several of their nuclear plants.
Great link, Lemon. Any P.R. man will tell ‘ya, “There ain’t no such thing as bad publicity!” That girl has more plastic in her chest than Mattel’s Barbie! Oh well, there’s gotta be bigger things to be concerned about and I did admire her work in Prairie Home Companion.
ReplyDeleteShe still finds work and Charlie Sheen sells out venues for his “show”. In the words of Yakov Smirnov, “What a country!” No one makes us go see them.
We’re off to Lincoln to get Heckle and Jeckle (6 and 9 year old grandkids) for a couple of days so their mom can close out her school year in peace. May you all have peaceful winds and low water today!
Another of Ogden Nash's made up words: Parsley is gharsley.
ReplyDeleteGood morning all. Nice write-up, Marti. Another entertaining puzzle from 2 of our favorite constructors.
ReplyDeleteThe theme phrases came relatively easily from the perps. The full scope of the 'sound' surround unification only became clear when coming here, but was not needed to assist the solve. I wanted 'kayak', too, but held off because the 'k's' didn't look right, and then ABNERS clinched CANOE. I liked ANT farm.
Love ELDERberry SOUP with dumplings. See picture
Have a good day
-What TV show featured a dizzy blonde named Loretta Tortelli?
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna go with "Cheers." If I remember correctly, Tortelli was Carla the Bar Maid's last name, and Loretta was the second wife of her ex-husband. I don't remember the name of the actress who played Loretta, but I remember reading that in real life she was married to Casey Casem (the guy that used to do the weekly "top 40" countdown on the radio and still does, for all I know).
errrr... Make the Casey Kasem. According to Wikipedia, his full name is actually Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem. Who knew?
ReplyDeleteGreat puzzle today. Even if I was dense and didn't catch the theme. That was a DOH! moment.
ReplyDeleteI did get CANOE, but had trouble with A AND E. Can't believe I had trouble with STARR, my favorite Beatle!
I do remember watching LORETTA as a kid. The way she swept into the room. I believe Alfred Hitchcock had a show on Sunday night also.
It's raining, again. I don't think So Oregon is ever going to have summer. Oh well, will save bucks on our electric and water bills:}
Wow C.C. and Don, great job!! I had fun trying to figure all the ins and outs of this one. I didn't get the theme, but that seldom happens and doesn't bother me.
ReplyDeleteMarti, great write up and I love your sense of humor too.
5D really fooled me! Very clever.
Hope all of you in the path of tornado's and other horrendous storms will be safe...I don't know what I would do. I know this is a silly question but do most homes/farms in 'Tornado Alley' have storm cellars???
Hard to think that the season has just begun.
37D DEED - I heard that most of the recent foreclosures on homes were not really 'legal' as the banks/lending institution did not have the 'deeds' or proper paperwork in their possession, they had sold it to other institutions sometimes several of them. Unless the foreclosing bank can show they possess the deed/mortgage they cannot foreclose. Interesting.
Good Morning All, Don and C.C. are getting to be a happy habit. No wonder C.C. has less time available to blog herself. Marti, both as constructor and blogger is a great asset.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun beginning. I was cruising along and got the theme after three phrases. That helped with adding "S" at the beginning and "ND" at the end of the remaining theme phrases.
Only one name left me blank. I could not think of the 43D)President of Syria. That messed up the rest of the SW corner, since 43D) Chinese, eg could be so many things...DIM SUM? YUAN? CHECKERS? I know, they didn't fit, but it was too late... the only way out was Google for "Syrian president".
LORETTA Young was lovely and talented, but had a secret daughter with Clark Gable in 1935. It was covered up, and politely ignored, but then, there were no paparazzi at the time.
Marti,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation. Sort of begs the question as to why others aren't following WASU's lead (or are there others). My oldest son works for EPA so I think I'll "grill" him on the subject.
Again, many thanks.
Very Nice puzzle from our own Cc and her partner-sage Don G. I completed almost all, and the 'rosy' glow overshadows all missteps...
ReplyDeleteI never got the unifier - but who cares - If the letters fit, don't push the logic....
I had 'soup blend' and that messed up Starr and Lenya. Somehow, I kept thinking about A. M. Best - the Muni bond and Insurance company rating service - OMG, have they changed their name or been taken over ?? Too much knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Marti, your blogging was wonderful - and your wit and humour are a pleasure to behold. BTW, (Re:Al-Assad) you misspelled OpHthalmology. I make the same mistake sometimes .... guess you did not have your spell check on. The extra H has been mandated by Medicare rules, for us 'ancients', to make sure that we actually need so see the specialist ....(lol)
Hi There ~!
ReplyDeletePhew ~! I was scheduled to blog, and put a reminder in my calendar, and when I saw it at 11am this morning, I panicked - glad to see Marti had taken care of it - C.C. and I had changed the sked, and I just didn't change my end.
I was denied access here yeterday, not sure why....
Vancouver ~!!!!
Their last Stanley Cup trip was in '94, when my other team won it's last cup - the NY Rangers
And I forgot that PETR had one season with them; thanks, Marti for an educational blog, too ~!
Sorry, EddyB....
Hockey for me today,
Splynter
Did anybody else, also notice ASSAD actually sounds like a commercial for a 'beast of burden' ?
ReplyDeleteI also had FTC and FHC before FAA, for kite flying rules. FTC because I thought some 3rd world nation was making and selling kites that were not actually capable of flying - thus gouging the consumers.
FHC, because - 'kiting' ( an accounting term - ) is a standard age-old scam used by some 'shady' banking customers to defraud banks and others. I thought it was being used in some sort of housing 'straw' buyer context here.
Nice, Marti. Your writing is as fresh as your puzzles.
ReplyDeleteGagliardo/Burnikel: One hell of a puzzle creating duo! Today's was a beaut. Nothing scares these two... stacking theme entries is pretty brave. Thank goodness for WHOOPE, STARR, LENYA, and PETR. :) Elegant move to mix up the S O U N D progression. And the two that were alike, SOU ND are symmetrical partners!
You guys are worth your weight in gold. Too bad constructors are always SO UNDer paid.
Good morning Marti, CC, et al.,
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative, fun, clever puzzle from our fearless leader and Mr. HardG! very impressive, CC. Congratulations on yet another success. So proud of you.
Great job, Marti. Love your sense of humor.
Enjoyed this puzzle a lot. Busted out laughing at the memory of Loretta Young coming swishing into the room and my mom saying something to the effect of "It's a good thing she doesn't have a Dutch Door". My image of Loretta swishing into the closed top half of that door still makes me LOL.
Love seeing Nash here again. And signs of spring and love are here w/all the 'prego's walking 'among' us w/their baby bumps, which in fact won't be delivered by the USPS. 'Freud' would have a field day here. It's 'a-ssad' commentary on the otherwise 'starr's of this generation. Wish they had a diet of no 'whoopi' instead of 'no carbs'. They're in such a 'rush' to grow up. 'sorry, no refund' on that adult decision once the
'deed' is done. Some 'turned out' just fine but with a good support system. I try to help the girls
'stand ones ground'. No means no. Being 'shy' is a little misplaced sometimes.
Enjoy your day.
One would wonder just how much of these puzzles C.C. actually does. I think not so much...
ReplyDeleteMarti, Wonderful write-up.
ReplyDeleteC.C. & Don G. FUN Wednesday offering.
I bounced around this grid, didn't feel like I had any traction.
Then I entered LEDGE and noticed I was done.
So I counted the number of clues I had not crossed-off (I'm very picky about this) and it was 11.
So I'll just thanks the perps for all their great work.
eddyB: Did you finally shave this morning?
Hey, it was a Great Season none-the-less for the Sharks !!!
Splynter: I'll be watching also tonight.
Good Luck, either way it goes.
Cheers to the Bolts at Sunset.
Anon 11:38
ReplyDeleteI think C.C. does MOST of these puzzles and Don G., as her mentor, provides some puzzle construction guidance and 'tricks-of-the-trade.'
Either way, I find your comment out-of-line.
Anon@11:38, Don Gagliardo is a seasoned constructor who has had many puzzles published on his own. He wouldn't have any reason to share credit if it weren't deserved. Moreover, C.C. is an ethical person, who wouldn't allow unearned credit to be given her. I believe that Don and C.C. have a genuine collaboration, where each contributes equally, although areas of expertise may vary. You are foolish to think otherwise.
ReplyDeleteYou’d think C.C. was some sort of a God. Do you really have to stroke her ego more than she already does herself?
ReplyDeleteWe were all having a good time and basking in warm feelings, and someone has to come in and spoil the party and ruin it for all of us ...
ReplyDeleteOh Dennis, brother, where are thou ??
Don't feed the trolls.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite clue the Safe Document = DEED.
Yesterday's glitch really messed up my computer. I hope all is well now.
Good afternoon, folks! Thank you, C.C. and Don G. for a great Wednesday puzzle. Thank you HeartRx for the swell write-up.
ReplyDeleteWorked this after I got to Chicago this morning. Bought a Trib and headed home on the train. Finished before I got home.
Had a fun time in the Pittsburgh area.
Enjoyed the theme answers. However, I did not pick up on the them until I read this blog. All the answers were very doable.
Had no problem with anything except the NW corner. Had ISASUSUAL for while then entered ASISUSUAL.
For 26A was thinking of CCC or WPA for a bit, then FDR jumped out.
Curious about 28D, Farm Denizen/ANT. That gives you the impression that ants are mainly on farms. Ants are everywhere. I get them in my house in the spring. Just a thought.
That's it! Fun puzzle.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
Hola Everone, A great puzzle today, but even though I had everything filled in, the theme escaped me. Thanks Heart RX for your great writeup.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun that you had another CC DG puzzle and you didn't know ahead of time. Maybe that was a good thing?
As usual, Football and proper nouns were my downfall. However, the perps took care of most of them. I did have to change WPA to FDR when Fig fell into place.
My favorite clue today was Winter Break/thaw. I couldn't get a school break out of my head so nothing fit.
We have an outdoor High School Graduation today and there is rain predicted. I'm looking forward to seeing my granddaughter graduate, but not to freezing while watching the 500+ grads walk across the stage! Hopefully it will hold off until after things are over.
I am still wondering if it is Lotte Lenya or Lenya Lotte? Sounds like it could be either. But I'm sticking with Lotte Lenya...
ReplyDeleteVidwan, great catch on "Ophthalmology". I did have my spell check on, and it kept coming up red underlined. But for the life of me, I couldn't see the missing "h" to correct it. Ah well, at midnight, after a couple glasses of wine, I was lucky I could even see the keyboard! And I guess you really need to see one, because I was also missing the "L" ! (LoL)
Chickie, I think it was a really good thing that I didn't know ahead of time, or even notice the constructors' names when I opened the puzzle. If I had, I would have wondered if I enjoyed it so much just because it was from the Dynamic Duo. This way, I know for sure that my opinion of it was not biased !
ReplyDeleteGreat puzzle C.C. and Don(hard)G! I must admit that I didn’t catch the theme until reading your witty write up Marti. Today I had trouble with the ladies, Irma, Lenya, and Loretta, but with some WAG’s and some red letter help didn’t have to visit the g-spot. I’m not a hockey fan in the least, so would never have gotten Petr Sykora without the perps. Favorite clue today was “Best successor of 1962”- Starr.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite RB of all time was Walter Payton. I had the good fortune to meet him once and it’s no wonder his nickname was “Sweetness”. He died much too young.
MFCounselor, I was wondering about the “Miami” sighting and got roped into reading about the “Brazilian blowout”, which I thought might have a whole different meaning.
Creature re: the riddle yesterday. You win….The letter U.
C.C. I never cease to be amazed at your language ability. You have a real gift. I really enjoyed today's offereing from you and DonG.
ReplyDeleteAbejo, I think that the Farm Denizen clue referred to Ant Farms and not farms in general. I do have to agree, though, that Ants are everywhere. They are certainly pesky creatures to evict from my kitchen once they get a toehold.
HeartRx/Marti
ReplyDeleteLotte LENYA played Rosa Klebb in the James Bond movie From Russia With Love.
I googled her and she had a very long music and acting career.
Actually a very interesting learning moment I hope to remember.
Seems to me, lately these LM's have been things I wanted to forget as quickly as they were learned.
This was a really enjoyable puzzle. Clever clues and theme. Fun writeup too. Thanks all.
ReplyDeleteAANDE was gotten from the crosses. It sure didn't make much sense at first.
I would never have known 'ophthalmology' was misspelled. It took me several tries to get it right just now. I did notice 'judgment' was misspelled a couple of times recently. In the US, it's spelled with just one 'e'. In the UK and Canade, it's 'judgement.' I think their way makes more sense and looks better.
In a couple of hours, my financial advisor is stopping by. He will help me figure out how much to take in distributions from my Tax Sheltered Annuity (like an IRA) that I contributed to as a teacher. I also have to decide how much to withhold in federal and state taxes.
Best wishes for all those dealing with tornadoes or flooding. You may have to be sending me those good wishes if an 'The Big One' earthquake hits near here.
Thanks to Marti and all who took the time to comment on our puzzle. You are all crazy, happy word people.
ReplyDeleteIt may have been my theme idea, but C.C. came up with the theme answers. One reason I really like to work with her is because she is very willing to search high and low for theme answers. It is the hardest part of the process. With two heads working on it, you have a better chance.
Jerome so aptly pointed out the challenge of stacking theme answers. I try to avoid that. Any time you see five theme answers in a puzzle, you know that the constructor has probably suffered. Six theme answers often works out easier. Something about putting an answer in the center makes for many strategic obstacles.
Jerome also noticed how we carefully arranged the theme answers. One reason we searched high and low for theme answers was to disguise as much as possible the pattern of SOUND.
Lastly, our unsung hero partner, Rich, is responsible in every puzzle to make sure the clues are fresh. If you have never clued a puzzle, it is very tedious work. I wish I had more time to do it. C.C. and I split the clues. We try to be as original as possible. Rich tries to keep intact the original context of the clues. C.C. and I have very different styles of cluing, which makes for more variety. I think that is more desirable for the solver.
Anon @ 12:59,
ReplyDeleteClip the hair in your palms and get back to stroking yourself.
Yes, Marti, I have never lived on or near a farm but I know agricultural methods of today are sustainable and feed the world. Favorite bumper sticker – “When you criticize farmers, don’t talk with your mouth full!” If today’s hybrids and methods were available 70 years ago, we would have averted a dust bowl! My neighbor is thinking 300 bushels/acre on dry land corn this year.
ReplyDeleteBarry G., yes, Loretta was Nick Tortelli’s trophy second wife after (before) he left Carla.
Lotte Lenya was one of the characters put in the song Mack The Knife
( Aah … I said Jenny Diver … whoa … Sukey Tawdry
Look out to Miss Lotte Lenya and old Lucy Brown)
by her husband Kurt Weill. This link will take you to Lotte Lenya herself singing the familiar song in original German. I loved the Bobby Darin version.
D'oh, I almost thought it was a legitimate criticism. But really, our fun isn't ruined in any way.
ReplyDeleteMarti, as Tinbeni said, it is Lotte Lenya. Her husband, Kurt Weill wrote "Mack The Knife" for her to sing in "The Three Penny Opera". Maybe not our more modern cuppa tea, but here's Lotte's version
Never have liked FIGs, in Newtons, or anything else, all those little bitty seeds getting stuck in your teeth.
Today's learning moment is opHthaLmology. I guess I've never written it out and if left to my own devices, it would turn out opthamology and has always been pronounced as such. Now I find out it is oph·thal·mol·o·gy, with a beginning "F" sound and an extra "L" that is pronounced too.
Just had a nice call from a cousin in Sweden. It's always nice to hear from her. It sounds like their spring weather (in the south) is well underway.
Hello all.
ReplyDeleteHit preview and lost every thing.
To summmerize:
Loved this xwrd. Nice shout out at the other place.
Tough way to end the season. Twelve lousy seconds! Still don't
believe that last goal. Beard stays on since it's on the new DL.
Petr was a favorite. Oh well! On to Indy.
New math course on Diff Equations
came so I have those DVDs to go through.
Wouldn't take my canoe through rapids. It wouldn'sink but it would go turtle.
Take care.
C.C. and Don - again a fun and thought-provoking puzzle from you two. But I cannot imagine so many people knowing who Pete Best is. I had not a clue. So thank you guys for another fine bit of work.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Mr. Anonymous 11:38 and 12:59:
You really should keep your mouth shut until you know something of what you speak.
My best to all the rest.
Hayrake
Here’s a couple of riddles for today:
ReplyDeleteWhat English word retains the same pronunciation even when you take away 4 of it’s 5 letters?
What English word has three consecutive double letters?
HuskerGary,
ReplyDeleteRespectfully beg to disagree. Just one (very) small example: Google- Gulf of Mexico hypoxic Zone.
I have farmed all my life, put three children through college with only farm income. The way most American farmers are operating today has only been made possible by externalizing the real long term consequences and is in no definition of the term outside Monsanto corporate propaganda "sustainable". That is to say: while it may have worked (for some) it will not much longer. We have to and will find better methods, although like my neighbor used to say about a drought-ending rain, it will come "one day before it's too late."
Jeannie:
ReplyDeleteDon't know the first one.
The second one is bookkeeper.
Hello everybody. Wow I loved this puzzle and loved your writeup, HeartRx. Love your sense of humor, too, oh aged one.
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud at "Best successor" and then basked in the aftertaste of how clever/sneaky it was. I have been enjoying many hours of pleasure and entertainment from it since. Fooled my wife with it, haha.
Wanted EEL for Sushi topping at first, but I *knew* NOON just had to be the "High time" so easily changed it to ROE.
Love love loved the labyrinth of the SURROUND SOUND structures. Am still savoring them, too. Such a complex, multi-layered puzzle, like a fine red wine.
More later.
Tinbeni,
ReplyDeleteActually Don does most of the hard work. Those who have constructed puzzles know how tough it is to conceptualize & implement a theme idea. Don is a genius at this and I'm very lucky to watch his mind at work. You guys just can't believe how imaginative his brain is.
Jeannie: how about queue.
ReplyDeleteAs far as 'green', mass transit would help. How about this ?
Knew most of the proper names today, not Petr, but all the rest. Helped immensely. Perfect Wed. Completed in record time. Knew all the acronyms. Didn't know Best/Starr but with the other fills it worked out fine.
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun puzzle from C.C, and Hard G. And I agree with all of you who appreciate Marti's humor and good write ups.
I must shout DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS!
It just encourages them and strokes their ego.
It happened to me today that I had to leave the puzzle with much undone that I thought I could not figure out, but after my walk and lunch most of the rest came to mind. It's been said many times.
Cheers
C.C., I think most of us enjoy observing how our fellow bloggers' brains work. I know I do.
ReplyDeleteDon "Hard G" does the "hard" work, eh? Do you do, um, the soft work? Hahaha.
Chickie, I hope the ceremony didn't get rained on.
Tinbeni and Spitzboov are the winners today!
ReplyDelete1. queue
2. bookkeeper
Sallie:
ReplyDeleteEgo wasn't what I had in mind. ;-}
M.
ReplyDeleteIf you click on the red underlined word, spell check will tell you the correct spelling.
Hayrake, how nice to hear from you.
What a nice group we are today.
Dang! Someone beat me to Jeannie's riddles. I hate when that happens, especially when it has to do with words.
ReplyDeleteWindhover, that's some scary stuff about the Gulf of Mexico. I have been to several conferences on "sustainable farming". (Don't ask why - I have a lot of weird interests.) (Not that farming is weird...) (Just weird that I would be interested...) And even the panelists, when confronted, admit that they really don't have a universal solution.
Spitzboov - that was quite a train clip. Wonder if any of them ever considered relocating?
Husker G and I linked Lotte Lenya at exactly the same time. A lotta Lotte.
ReplyDeleteSpitzboov,...just business as usual. You have to admire the marketeers for their entrepreneurial spirit. :O)
Hello everyone!
ReplyDeleteFirst, congratulations, again, to C.C. and Don! That dynamic duo has done it again; it was only the Sunday before I left that they had one. That is some energy! I loved the SURROUNDSOUND!
Second, today I had to buy a new computer as mine died a few days before I left for Ohio/Kentucky and have spent today readjusting documents, security, etc.
Third, I know Windhover told you we met for a lovely afternoon last week while I visited my pals, former convent classmates and friends in Ohio. Meeting him and The Irish was a real treat. She is a beautiful woman! Hold on to her, WH.
I have so much catching up to do and I hope you are all safe from those destructive storms.
Spitzboov, when they bought that property for a farmers' market, they didn't understand what the word 'easement' meant.
ReplyDeleteGrumpy and CA: Gives enhanced meaning to the phrase "multiple use". Also gives new meaning to the word "easement" as practiced in other countries.
ReplyDeleteLucina, so nice to see you back. Glad you had a good time. Sorry your computer died but glad your new one is working well.
ReplyDeleteHeartRx, nah, you're not weird.
All of our wives are beautiful and all of our husbands are gorgeous. Let's hang on to them for dear life.
Jayce:
ReplyDeleteThank you. I had a wonderful time visiting friends and observing RAIN first hand. Quite a phenomenon! Amazingly, I feel lost without a computer but the new one with Windows 7 seems like a good replacement.
Marti:
I failed to tell you how much I enjoyed your contribution to today's entertainment with your blogging. Great stuff.
Jayce @5:54, thanks for the reassurance, but I still wonder sometimes…
ReplyDeleteThanks to all who appreciated the blogging today, but I had some great stuff to work with, and it gave me a
SOlid groUND and I became
SpellbOUND by the brilliance of this one,
and felt like I was lazing on some kind of
SOUth sea islaND while doing it…
But, I can’t quite fit in SOUth beach (…ummmm) mammary glaND ?
Rats! I was going to give the answers to Jeannie's riddles but I was too slow. So here's another from my puzzle column a while back.
ReplyDeleteName an emotion that is an anagram of a homonym of an antonym of a homonym of an anagram of wolf.
Fear
ReplyDeleteGood evening C.C., Marti, et al,
ReplyDeleteToday's puzzle was a winner all around.Kudos to C.C. and she's so lucky to have Don G. as her mentor.I remember when reading all your interviews, C.C., that many great constructors had been 'showed the ropes' by other "greats."
AND, we were doubly blessed with Marti's humor.Loved your sense of humor AND knowledge.
Theme? Very well hidden...very tricky. Left one hole, square #12, the aande thing..must go back to reread what it means.
Lois, loved the visual of Loretta.
Starr was my favorite as soon as I learned just who we were referring to. I was REALLY frustrated thinking it was Ken. Obviously the perps filled that one.
Those storms are still a-brewin', and I am nervous for anyone who lives in that area.
I don't know if Eddy shaved, but I did.sigh
JD:
ReplyDeletePictures, please?
JD, 12D "A AND E" stands for A&E, or "Arts and Entertainment" channel on cable TV.
ReplyDeleteLots of gritty reality TV, like "Hoarders", "Intervention", "Manhunters", etc. I hope I never show up as a segment on that channel!
With all this talk of Green Technology, reminded me of this article about truly green cars, not just hybrids. The company is about to put Hawaii, or at least some of the state on a grid. I've seen the prototype and was impressed. Also, all of the new schools that are being build in New Orleans post-Katrina are Green buildings.
ReplyDeleteLucina: Nice to have you back again. How nice to have had the opportunity to meet our philosopher/farmer and his wife.
Fermaprime: With regard to the Mentalist, well ... it will be interesting to see what next season brings.
Love reading your post :)
ReplyDeleteCame here to visit u back...
Don G. @ 2:03, thanks so much for visiting today! I actually was looking for you, but evidently your post headed over to the spam bucket before it could be retrieved. Really, I didn't find anything offensive in it at all, and can't imagine why you were so unceremoniously defenestrated.
ReplyDeleteSo some may have missed it. Come back soon, and often!
-Marti
Evening friends,
ReplyDeleteWonderful puzzle, C.C. and Don! As is usual, I didn't get the theme. I'm too involved with the words themselves, I guess. But it was very very clever. You two are so talented!
I enjoyed working the puzzle, too. It almost put itself together for me. The perps really kept me going. One thing: I don't get the what's so amazing about Best/Starr. I never heard of Best and would never have got the answer except for perps. Was he a drummer with the Beatles before Ringo? Please explain. I enjoyed the Beatles but was a little past the age to be very 'into' them.
Jayce, what a complement to all of us. Bear in mind that quite a lot of us don't have husbands, though, which is why we have so much time for the puzzles!
Marti, I didn't have enough lines to laud your commentary. Love your sense of humor. Good job!
ReplyDeleteBill G. I have a feeling you are probably wondering what I am, here on the left coast: Wonder when we'll get ours! Don't mean to be a
pessimist but we have beenlucky with our nice long beautiful spring this year. Our roses have never been lovlier!
Hooray! I got published instead of wiped out!
ReplyDeleteDodo, I think we ARE fortunate living where we do. The weather has been really nice here too. I feel very sad for those who experienced the recent flooding and tornadoes. I have managed to get through two pretty big earthquakes with little damage, mostly because the epicenter was 20 miles away or so. If a big one hits closer to here, then all of the other folks can be sorry for what I will be going through. I have earthquake insurance but it's expensive and only kicks in if your house is partly destroyed.
ReplyDeleteGreat puzzle. BTW, I didn't know what "blitch" was but found it at the urban dictionary.com. I voted thumbs up for it. Everyone do the same and it might end up in Webster's.
ReplyDelete