google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

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Jun 22, 2011

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Solve This Puzzle. Each theme answer is a 3-word, common, in-the-language phrase beginning with the letters S, T, and P, in that order.

16A. Makes an offer more desirable : SWEETENS THE POT. Adds some inducements or incentives to an offer you can otherwise refuse.

27A. Hopelessly ruined : SHOT TO PIECES. Literally destroyed by firearms, figuratively in a bad state for any reason.

36A. Stock trader's goal : SHORT TERM PROFIT. The average holding period of stocks purchased on the NYSE is about 20 seconds. I am not making this up.

44A. "Satisfaction guaranteed" catchphrase : SURE TO PLEASE. Ad slogan.

58A. Editor's "Whoa!" : STOP THE PRESSES. Wait a minute, something just came up . . .

And the unifier:
58. Auto additives co. that hints at this puzzle's theme : STP. A company that makes engine oil and fuel additives, functional fluids and appearance products for your car or truck, and sponsors racers.

Hi gang, it's JazzBumpa, fresh from rehearsal and finishing off a busy day with an outing with our good friends C.C. and Don. Hop aboard and let's see where they take us.

Across:

1. Religious ritual : MASS. Not just any RITE (my first shot) but the Catholic service.

5. Bell sound : PEAL. Ding-dong, not this appealing belle.

9. Like freshly washed hair : DAMP. Or today's weather in S-E Michigan.

13. Skip : OMIT. My peer group demonstrates what can happen if you OMIT your partner.

14. Used cars : RODE. Nice misdirection - not pre-owned vehicles, but motor trips you have taken.

15. Jacob's twin : ESAU. He was the hungry one who gave up his birthright for a not particularly appetizing meal.

19. Entertain at one's loft : HAVE UP. Or, perhaps, invite someone up to your 6th floor walk-up.

20. Big rig : SEMI. Trucking. The tractor part of a tractor-trailer rig.

21. Lookers : EYERS. Lookers use their eyes, for sure; but "lookers" can also mean "those worth looking at." Here is a cross-section.

22. Org. that provides handicaps : U.S.G.A. U. S. Golf Association. A handicap is a numerical representation of a player's ability. A low number indicates higher ability.

24. They appear before U : R-S-T. Clever clue for an alphabet string.

31. Digital comm. method? : A.S.L. American Sign Language - a nice misdirection - here, digital means "of the fingers," rather than something expressed in discrete numerical form.

34. Santa __ winds : ANA. Strong, hot winds from inland towards the sea. Perhaps our California contingent can elaborate.

35. Dumbbell : STUPE. Someone who's not very bright, possibly even stupid.

41. Former country on its own peninsula : KOREA. I guess it's a former country because it has been severed into two separate current countries.

42. Little piggy, so to speak : TOE. Remember the "low digits" clue from not too long ago?

43. Govt. Rx watchdog : F.D.A. Food and Drug Administration

49. Ranch handle : TEX. Typical nickname for a cowpoke.

50. Votes of support : AYES. I agree.

51. Editor's ruthless overhaul, informally : AX JOB. Not an expression I'm familiar with, though the meaning is clear. "Hatchet job" seems more natural.

55. Blog comment : POST

57. Take to the air : AVIATE. It's plane to see, you can entertain at a much higher elevation than a mere loft.

62. Shock with a stun gun : TASE. "Don't tase me, bro!"

63. Cookie since 1912 : OREO. A cream filled sandwich cookie, in black and white.

64. Ripped : TORE

65. Multicolored : PIED

66. Geeky type : NERD

67. Foul mood : SNIT

Down:

1. Mideast statesman Dayan : MOSHE. MOSHE Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician.

2. Network marketing giant : AMWAY. Founded by Richard DeVos and Jay Van Andel in Ada, MI.

3. Strainer : SIEVE. Kitchen gadget.

4. Takes the helm : STEERS.

5. SAT practice : PREP. SAT used to stand for something - Scholastic Aptitude or Scholastic Assessment Test. Now it's just a three letter name (like STP) for a standardized test used in college admissions. To PREP is to prepare, which sort of blows the purpose of the test.

6. Long time, even in the singular : EON. Still, two EONS are longer than one.

7. Paper back items? : ADS. More misdirection from the devious duo - not a paper-back book, but the back section of your news paper.

8. "Time to leave" : LET'S GO. ¡Vámonos!" en Español.

9. Regard : DEEM

10. Aim for : ASPIRE TO. To ASPIRE is to aim high, from the Latin word for desire.

11. Statesman on a 100-yuan note : MAO. Chairman MAO Tse-Tung, former leader of the Chinese Communist Party and author of "The Little Red Book.

12. Delay, with "off" : PUT. Never do today what you can PUT off until tomorrow.
17. Fanny : TUSH. Human hindquarters. Does anyone have background on this word?

18. Clunker : HEAP. Either way, a decrepit automobile, possibly in need of STP.

22. __ Reader: eclectic bimonthly : UTNE. Magazine founded by Eric UTNE and Nina Rothschild UTNE.

23. Surprise with a "Boo!" : STARTLE. I stopped when she startled me, and didn't restart because I was estopped.

25. Shoe mark : SCUFF. A mark on the shoe, not a mark made by the shoe. I almost missed the mark.

26. Lukewarm : TEPID

28. Brittle cake grain : OAT

29. 1-Down's land: Abbr. : ISR. Israel. MOSHE Dayan was an Israeli military leader and politician.

30. Words with date or record : SET A. To SET A record you have to break a record. To SET A date, breaking a date is not usually required

31. Seeks, as permission : ASKS. Could I? Pretty please with sugar . . .

32. Loud tone : SHOUT. Tone of voice. I was thinking of a musical tone.

33. Moto player : LORRE. Peter Lorre portrayed Kentaro Moto, a Japanese detective, in a series of eight movies from 1937 to '39, based on the novels of John P. Marquand.

37. Uncover again : REEXPOSE. Imagine something being uncovered, recovered, then REEXPOSED. The imagery is quite amusing

38. What Tweety tawt he taw : TAT. Tweety is the famous EYER of a certain fat cat.

39. "The Simpsons" bar : MOES. Everything I know about the Simpsons I learned from crossword puzzles.

40. Green shade : PEA. From the eponymous legume.

45. Brewery oven : OAST. This is a kiln for drying hops.

46. Long boa : PYTHON. A snake, not a long, fluffy scarf.

47. Keep for later : SAVE

48. Lives : EXISTS. A singular verb, not a plural noun.

52. "Friday the 13th" villain : JASON. Jason is the slasher in an even dozen horror films. Why is there no Friday the 13th 13?

53. Ferrell's partner in "SNL" Spartan Cheerleaders bits : OTERI. On Saturday Night Live, Cheri OTERI and Will Ferrell, as Arianna and Craig, cheered for their High School chess team.

54. Harass : BESET. Cheri OTERI and Will Ferrell, as Craig and Arianna, BESET their H.S. chess team.

56. Guest columnist's piece : OP-ED. A feature or commentary printed on the page OPposite the EDitorial page.

57. 2007 signer of the richest contract in MLB history : AROD, aka Major League Baseball player Alexander Emmanuel (Alex) RODriguez of the New York Yankees. Of course, we will have baseball!

59. Mai __ : TAI. The rum concoction so familiar to cruciverbalists.

60. Long beginning? : ERE. Beginning signifies a prefix fragment. ERElong is an archaic way of saying "before long."

61. By authority of : PER.

Answer grid.

There you have it folks. Hope you enjoyed the ride. Constructor's notes follow ERElong, PER C.C.

Cheers!
JzB

Constructors' Notes:

Don came up with STP when we were brainstorming a common acronym expanding idea. Rather than going with THE for all the middle words, we tried our best to come up with different S* T* P* phrases. The long theme entries (13x2, 14x2 & 15) made the gridding challenging. Don tried various grids and finally decided to go with Rich's corner blacks suggestion (the three black squares along the top right and lower left edges of the grid). Don call them side pockets. Hope it's a smooth solve for you. A big Thank-you to eddyB for the quick and detailed STP info in our early brainstorming session.

60 comments:

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Not quite a speed run today, primarily due to the NW corner where it took me far to long to remove RITE from 1A. Also, similar to SEEABLE from the other day, I was resistant to putting in EYERS at 21A. Ugly, ugly word that I sincerely doubt has ever been used outside of crossword puzzles in the entire history of the English language. OK, so maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but still. Ugh!

The rest of the puzzle, on the other hand, was a real delight. "Used cars" for RODE provided a particularly great "aha!" moment. "Loud tone" was also a nice misdirection for SHOUT.

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

Jazzbumpa,
Excellent title! I filled in AX JOB and actually re-worked that area after Boomer said he's not familiar with the term. Don thought it's an intuitive term and made a nice scrabbly corner. Plus, a shout-out to JASON our Lemonade. So we kept it. Thanks for the fun write-up.

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, JazzBumpa, CC and Don Hard-G. This was a fun puzzle that I was able to quickly solve.

I did get off to a bit of a false start with initially trying Rite in lieu of MASS for 1-Across, but my old friend MOSHE quickly straightened me out.

I also tried PSAT for SAT Practice. I vaguely recall taking a PSAT exam back in High School a year before I took the SAT exams.

When I read the clue for Moto Player, I initially thought we were looking for some sort of machine. It wasn't until the perps gave me LORRE, that i realized it must be some role in a movie.

Heavy, heavy rains here last night, but not the damage seen by Husker Gary yesterday.

QOD: Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired. ~ Jules Renard

creature said...

Good Morning C.C., Jazz and all,

Great write-up and fun links. Thanks, Jazz.

Original and clever theme; well thought out, with outstanding fill. Also, enjoyed the fresh clues for a Wednesday puzzle: 14A, 31A, 49A. ‘Tush’ was cute and since the Simpsons is a staple with us, I’ll try to remember MOES. I’m TEPID about EYERS; not close to Barry’s reaction, but not comfy either.

I’d say a super puzzle. Thanks, C.C. and Don. This is getting to be a pleasant habit. Keep it up.

Have a nice day everyone.

Spitzboov said...

Good morning all. Nice breezy informative write-up, JazzB.

Another nice challenge from the dynamic duo. Liked the theme and the unifier. Helped with 44a, the S in SURE TO PLEASE. No lookups needed, but I did guess wrong on the Moto clue. Did not get AS 'L' as I did not take 'digital comm method' as a clue for sign language, as more than the digits are involved; especially the arms. JMHO. Good job, Don and C.C. and thanks for the constructor's note.

Have a good day.

thehondohurricane said...

Good day folks,

This was a smooth run today with only one or two hiccups. For 9A I initially entered "SOFT" & for 38D began with "KAT". Perps got me back on track.

Liked the theme entry's, each one a common expression we all use. Of course, until the tax rates were changed, a SHORT TERM PROFIT was not always a traders objective.

"HAVE UP" for entertaining at one's loft brought back some pleasant memories of the days when I was courting my better half. And CC/Don, thanks for using me as the clue for 13A. Was given that moniker on the 2nd day of my existence or so I was told.

Only day 2 of summer and I'm already fed up with the humidity. Thank God for the A/C.

HeartRx said...

Good Morning Jazzbumpa, C.C. et al.

Terrific write-up, JzB! The first thing I noticed was the unusual grid design on this one. You don’t often see more than four blocks in a row, but this one had 5 vertical ones in the NE and SW. I guess it was because of the puzzle was chock-full of theme entries.

I shot myself in the foot from the get-go, by putting “rite” instead of MASS. Then “ding” instead of PEAL. I ended up going back and forth between the across and down clues in order to get it done.

I have never seen REEXPOSE in a puzzle. I got very creative on that one, and filled in “reexhume”. Gad, I really know how to mess up a puzzle.

SWEETENS THE POT was the first theme answer to appear. But it took a couple more to guess at the theme. The unifier at 58D confirmed my suspicions. Loved STOP THE PRESSES ! Great stuff. Thanks Don and C.C. for another entertaining hump day!

Hahtoolah said...

JazzBumpa: the word "tush" is derived from the Yiddish word, "tukhus."

kazie said...

Just a quick thank you to C.C. and Don for a Wednesday challenge that was satisfying.
I had RITE at first for MASS, but then I got several with WAGs. I missed LORRE because I guessed ASM not having a clue for 31A and going with something electronic for 'digital'. Another mystery was USGA/UTNE, but there I guessed right. You two are becoming a regular team. Congratulations!

And Jazz,
I have to leave for the day, but will return to enjoy your write up.

Tinbeni said...

WOW, 5 slick (as STP) themes.

My fave was the 'SHOUT-out' to Clear AYES.

UTNE Reader I learned from crossword.

Spitzboov said...

In honor of Jzb's fine performance and his national heritage I submit this festive march performed on instruments related to his.

Times have sure changed. I came across this article. Who would have thought?

creature said...

Tinbeni,
After trying to figure out your Bogart remark from yesterday,I read
Attributed last words,"I should never have switched from scotch to martini's'.
Also, I'm wanting to sample the Utne Reader;guess a bookstore.

Bogart?

Jayce said...

Hello everybody. I promised to publish a reminder this morning about the news broadcast tonight at 11:00 PM about my company's latest equipment installation. Tonight, NBC Bay Area (KNTV, channel 11) "News at 11" will carry a story by Garvin Thomas covering QuakeFinder's ongoing network expansion. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, be sure to watch or record this segment, and please tell your friends! The story will include video footage from our new instrument site installation in San Mateo, California. We will post the clip on YouTube as soon as we can.

eddyB said...

Hello all.

Don't remember helping but, happy if I did. Really enjoyed today's puzzle.

It has been awhile since the #43
King Petty days. A recent artical
said that STP could be harmful to next year's racing engine. Fuels and oil are much cleaner.

Woke up very confused this morning.
Thought it was Thursday and had
forgotten to put out the garbage cans.

One thing for sure, have not needed
to wear socks to bed to keep the feet warm. Back yard shade shouldn't break 90.

Take care.















break 90

Husker Gary said...

Great puzzle by C.C. and Hard G for both ends of my pencil and a fun write-up by Jazz!

Musings
-I agree with Jazz on his clever cluing mentions
-Rite wasn’t right for me either
-Big fan of Emma Peal!
-Damp here for all of June
-Driving the big rigs look like it would be fun – for an hour
-My mother is the only one I ever knew to use the word STUPE
-When I used to get calls from former, peripheral acquaintances out of the blue, I could smell AMWAY
-AD’s hate scuff marks on their gym floors
-Cheri Oteri was so funny but dropped off the comedy scene. Only SNL men seem to be able to extend their careers
-Got the single ASL from a guy in traffic the other day and did NOT respond – everyone today has an attitude and a gun

Clear Ayes said...

Good Morning, liked the misdirection of 14)Used cars/RODE. 7)Paper back items?/ADS and 25)Shoe mark/SCUFF.

It took me a while (STUPE) to get the theme when I found STP in SWEETENS THE POT. I finally figured out it was the second T. After I got the cobwebs out, the rest of the theme answers came pretty easily.

What a relief to remember UTNE this time around.

Gee, Tinbeni@8:12, I don't know, but I hope the AYES have it.

HG "Only SNL men seem to be able to extend their careers." It's looking pretty good for both Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

Jazz, I loved the clip for 53D/OTERI. It's always good to start the morning with a laugh.

Are C.C. and Don G. getting tired of congratulations? It's still quite an accomplishment.

Dudley said...

Hello Puzzlers - Clever theme in the puzzle, and clever title in the write-up!

Engineering and Physics courses such as Fluid Mechanics use STP as a convenient shorthand for "standard temperature and pressure". Of course, that's much too long for a puzzle.

Was baffled by the "former country" status of KOREA until JazzB turned on the light. Had TORN for TORE, thus blocked BESET for rather a long time.

Looking forward to the next DGCC production!

Jazzbumpa said...

Hi gang -

Fun puzzle today, rich in themeage.

Spitzboov, you rascal, thanks for the March. Those kids sound pretty good.

I ran the title, "Magyar Vér induló" through a translator and got "Hungarian Blood Starter."

As if we hot-blooded types needed any encouragement.

Hatool - I knew "tukhus" butt didn't make the connection. Thanks for getting to the bottom of it. I knew you'd back me up.

Did you hear about the butcher who backed into the meat grinder? He got a little behind in his work.

Cheers!
JzB who for some reason is rather tired today.

WM said...

C.C. and Don G...another great co-op effort! My RITE never went in because I knew it was MOSHE but I had to get STEERS before the light dawned. With Barry G on EYERS but sometimes, needs must. Lot of misdirection but doable for Wednesday.

I just keep thinking how all of this has progressed from creating this wonderful space for educating us and making the working of puzzles so enjoyable to ultimately creating wonderfully fun puzzles for all of us...Huge Kudos C.C...you are a most remarkable person. :o)

Anonymous said...

SNL cast members Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Sarah Silverman are doing alright for themselves too, Joe Piscopo, not so much.

Jayce said...

Hi again everybody. You all have had the same feelings and experience with today's puzzle that I did, from pencilling in RITE, through getting a chuckle out of RODE and ASL, to feeling a tad less than elated about EYERS and AXJOB.

I was also a bit jarred by the large amount of black area at the NE and SW corners.

Altogether an enjoyable Wednesday puzzle. Thank you.

As for short-term profits, I always wonder how the investment advisors advise folks like you and me to "stay for the long term" and not try to time the market or buy and sell often, and yet the "professional" investors buy and sell rapidly and often as knee-jerk reactions to "worries" or "uncertainty." I guess it's because they're paid by the trade; the more they buy and sell the more money they earn. The incentive seems misplaced to me.

Best wishes to you all.

Jayce said...

JazzB, thanks for the butcher joke. I loved it. And, like you, everything I know about The Simpsons, which isn't much, is from doing crossword puzzles.

Hondo, I didn't know you are called Skip. Cool.

Dudley, speaking of engineering and thinking like an engineer, I hastily and reflexively pencilled in FPGA for 22A and only later I realized what I had done. LOL

Hahtool, thank you for the QODs (QsOD?).

Husker Gary, love your musings.

Spitzboov said...

JazzB - I downloaded this (a different orchestra) album from Itunes. They even do some stuff from ABBA. From what I can get Induló is their word for a "March"

Lemonade714 said...

C.C and Hard G. another fun romp, with a puzzle chock full of theme and many witty clues. Obviously I loved the shout out as your favorite serial killer, and like some, knew MOSHE so MASS kept RITE at bay. JzB you must have been dreaming with all your links, and did anyone see Cameron Diaz feeding popcorn to David Letterman? We have our TOE hold back and while EYERS may be stretching, I liked having AYES in the same pzzle, especially with our own CA feeling better. Finally, any puzzle which gets Peter Lorre involved is a winner in my book; thanks guys

Anonymous said...

Good afternoon everyone.

Great puzzle. Thanks C.C. and D.G. The STP clue helped me get the theme answers. (But DH had to tell me STP.)
SE left me blank. Left out JOB and a few other spaces. Harass I know, but couldn't figure BESET. Doesn't quite jibe with my understanding of harass.

But the fill was outstanding everywhere else.

Cheers

Grumpy 1 said...

Thanks C.C. and Don for another STP. (That's Superbly Themed Puzzle) Very enjoyable!

I was so sure of rite for 1a I didn't even look at the downs. RODE was still a mystery even after the perps filled the squares. I finally woke up and realized there is another way to use 'used'. MOSHE and SIEVE kicked out 'rite' and things got back on track.

On the other hand, ASL and TOE and KOREA didn't fool me at all so the bottom part of the puzzle filled easily.

Congratulations to our dynamic duo for being able to work good fresh fill in among 5 theme entries and coming up with clever cluing when you did have to resort to a few overused fill.

Jerome said...

I was going to write about how ugly the word EYERS is. But on second thought, I decided that doing so would be monstrously silly considering that the puzzle is mostly well written and entertaining. I do admit, however, that I came close to being a dull-witted boor.

JD said...

Kudos once more to C.C. and Don G.
I love Wed.You didn't disappoint.

Great write up Jazz; you always bring me many smiles.

Got the theme when I filled STP. Stared at sweetens the pot and shot to pieces. Kazaam in slo-mo!

Went with downs, so entering mass after Moshe was no problem. Had to criss cross when I arrived at UTNE. Moes, Oteri, and beset were also filled with perps. Like Sallie, I would have never thought of beset for that clue.Do people really say stupe? I wagged it.

Nice shout outs to Jason and Skip, and I'm sure we have a Tex somewhere.

Loved the oreo clue. Who knew?

Chickie said...

Hola Everyone, Not a complete speed run today, but I did manage to finish on my own without any lookups. Utne Reader was unknown but I managed to get that with the perps. A-rod was a question mark until the perps filled that in.

STP unifier helped me finish off the theme phrases and as people say, "It was all downhill after that."

My knowledge of baseball and pop music is not the best, but crosswords have helped me expand in those areas.

I loved the misdirection for Used cars/Rode, and Paper back items/Ads.

Thanks C.C. and DonG. for a great puzzle and Jazz for the enlightening writeup.

Jayce said...

I am certainly not a dull-witted boor, although I did learn late about the death of Bob Pease, a wonderful and brilliant analog engineer at National Semiconductor. He led a full and interesting life. You can read more about him here.

seminars said...

Tush ....comes from the Hebrew "Tuchas"... shortened to tush

Chickie said...

Jayce, Thanks for the reminder about the news program tonight. We'll be sure to watch--or record.

JD--Loved the picture of you and grandson and his big boy sandals. New shoes are always such fun!

Lots to do today to get ready to meet Dodo and Lucina and Clear Ayes for lunch tomorrow. Can't wait. It will be a hot time tomorrow in more ways than one.

Jazzbumpa said...

Spitzboov -

I ran "march" back through the translator and got:
március
menet
menetelés
induló

Looks like you're on to something.

Hungarian Blood March . . . lovely. I hope there's something missing in the translation.

Dudley - Chemists also use "STP" as a convenient shorthand for "standard temperature and pressure." Some standard - there are two different versions. I'm remembering NIST.

C.C. -

Don's right - AX JOB is intuitive.

Cheers!
JzB belatedly amused by REEXPOSED crossing SURE TO PLEASE

Bill G. said...

Hi C.C. and Don. I certainly enjoyed the clever puzzle, EYERS included. I'm sure I've seen 'eyeing' used before, such as 'He was eyeing me suspiciously from behind his newspaper.' I've never or heard or seen EYERS used though I guess it would be as valid as oglers. Interesting that the blog spellchecker doesn't recognize it apparently. I didn't care for STUPE much (though the blog spellchecker doesn't object) and had to guess it from the crossing letters. I've never heard or seen it used. I'm guessing it was a necessary fill to make the surrounding words come out OK. Yes?

I enjoyed the article on analog engineering. Analog devices seem so much more intuitive than digital devices. I used to have a digital watch though I much prefer the analog display that I have now. Interesting that none of my kids wear a watch. They just glance at their cell phone (which is always out anyway).

Anonymous said...

FYI, a python is not actually a type of boa. Boa constrictors and pythons are two distinct families of snake.

eddyB said...

Hi

Jayce. Small world dept. I also
started At NSC in 1976 but was in
bipolar proms. Big news back then
was our 5 inch waffer fab. Was interviewed by EDN. Don't remember
if we were the cover story or not.

CC. Now I remember. You must have a lot of memory to store all of this stuff.

JD. Thanks. I appreciate the support. My lips are sealed on the other thing.

Am stopping at three barrels of
ivy. Getting tired and achy.

Hope to return as a dog someday.

eddy

erieruth said...

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again invited readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.


Here are some of the winners:

1. Cashtration (n...): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

3. Intaxicaton: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

Frenchie said...

Good Afternoon Argyle, C.C. and folk,

Thanks for a good offering today, Mr. G.

1a. MASS could easily have been clued with a non-religious clue. _____murderer, _____production, etc.

5a. PEAL isn't what I envisioned when I read the clue. I thought clang, ding, dong, etc.

Lots of fun items! I didn't know 31. ASL- Digital Comm. Method. Otherwise, a nice smooth Wed. Enjoyed 4a.Takes the Helm-STEERS.
It reminds me of Peter learning how to pilot the boat! It's quite an undertaking! Anyone have experience with it? Tempus Fugit

Off to read the write up and the posts. What a beautiful day! Hope it is the same for all.

@eddyB, how are the medical issues comming along. I feel so worried about you!
@Husker Gary, That storm blast was terrifying! It is really incredible the way the neighbors and you gathered together helping each
other out. Beautiful! You live on such beautiful property! So green!
@lemonade714, how are the old orbs functioning? Has the blood gone away?

I read the posts every day and think of you all. I get to it so late, it's hard to come up with anything original. I try here and there!
You are all so bright, intelligent and learned. I feel lucky to be among you!

I'm out.

#1

Jeannie said...

Thanks C.C. and Don (Hard G) for another entertaining puzzle. For once I got the theme without sneaking a peak at the unifier as they are all common phrases to me. Loved the misdirection and the clever clues for “used cars” – rode and “paper back item”- ads. I needed some perp help with Mao, Utne, and Arod but “mass” came right away as I solve across and down simultaneously and knew Moshe was correct. All in all a fun way to get back into the swing of crossword solving. Jazz, I’ll have to open some of your links when I get home as I can’t access Youtube from work.

Everyone enjoy the rest of your day!

JD said...

Small world, Jayce and eddy,my daughter works at Nat.Semi.She says everyone is saddened over the death of Bob Pease.

Clear Ayes said...

I sensibly went to Costco, where the AC was cool and comfortable and spent $265.00. GAH....went golfing in 105 degree heat. He hit 92 and came home happy, so maybe I'm the one who doesn't get it.

Avg Joe, I wanted to comment on your post from last night. It was a pretty accurate assessment. You're right. We will never meet most of the people on this blog. Depending on them as we would our real life family and friends is not a good idea. But that doesn't mean most of them aren't kind thoughtful people, who are genuinely concerned about the other posters they have come to know via this blog. Some of us have become very fond of some of our imaginary friends. (No, Buckeye, I will not lend you money!)

Many of our blog people have met and formed real friendships "on the outside". Example, the women known as The California Coven are getting together tomorrow. It will definitely be fun with friends.

Frenchie said...

Fantastic work C.C.! (And Don. G.! which I mentioned in my early post!) I am really enjoying your constructions! It is also fun to read your insightful process description! Thank you so much!

@Jazzbumpa, I really enjoyed your write up and am hereby cleared up on any misdirections I may have suffered! Also, the links were quite enjoyable!

@Jayce, sad about Mr. Pease...such a brilliant life! Thanks for enriching our knowledge everyday, Jayce! You are a very good person.

I think words like 'stupe' were used in tv offerings like "The Three Stooges," "Mac and Meyer for Hire" etc.

Erie Ruth, clever! LOL

Hi Jerome!
Hi Jeannie!
@eddyB. I was never invited to a 'bipolar prom' It sounds like I've missed out!

missive 2 and
I'm out.

carol said...

CA (5:00) Very well said. I was a part of the last 'California coven' meeting and had a wonderful time. It was truly fun meeting fellow crossword 'nuts'. From there friendships developed and future trips were taken together. Joe and I look forward to another get together in August at Tahoe.

I had an eye exam this morning and they dilated my eyes so I just came out of the fog about an hour or so ago.

I did work the puzzle before the exam and loved it!!
I just could not see very well when I returned home so could not comment right away and then much needed errands got ahead of my 'blog time'. This place is so addictive (in a nice way). Oh, I also stocked up on V-8 juice so I will have plenty of cans for future use. :)

Don G. said...

Hi Everyone!

Jazzbumpa deserves the gold star for coming up with his own brilliant STP. If Jazzbumpa is not already constructing puzzles, he should be. He has the necessary wit.

We touched a lot of nerves with EYERS. We felt so fortunate to cram in these five theme answers that we were happy with EYERS. At one point I almost gave up on creating a grid, and possibly changing some theme answers.

I also put in RITE in one-across, so I fooled myself. C.C. pointed out that Rich kept a great number of our clues, which is a good sign that we are being creative. It is hard work trying to bring freshness to common words. C.C. and I will just be a couple eyers, looking for new ways to use words.

BTW, anonymous, our original clue for PYTHON was "Long suffocator". It was probably cut for being too gruesome or awkward. But I did read up on them. It is true that they are distinguished from boas because of certain skull characteristics, and laying eggs instead of live birth. Dictionaries do define pythons as boa constrictors.

Husker Gary said...

Just back from 8 hours in Omaha with the 6 and 9 year old! The culmination was the little girl and Joann going to Kung Fu Panda 2 and Hudson and I went to Pirates of the Caribbean 4.

Tina Fey is doing quite well but Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Eddy Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Will Ferrell, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, etc. have had phenomenal success. SNL Women don’t seem to have the same luck and I find some of them hilarious! Just musing!

Jayce, thanks for the kind words.

Frenchie, the yards in our neighborhood ARE very green and later in the season I will post a picture of what my lovely, green-thumbed wife has done to our yard.

Off to watch Apollo 13 with grandson.

C.C., I continue to greatly admire your knowledge of culture on this side of the Pacific but I also see your Twins are starting to make a move!

HUTCH said...

I dnf this puzzle because I did not realize the unifier STP. I put in died instead of pied. But I do not care. For me this was a great puzzle 'cause I got all the rest. I even got USGA [ United States Geriactric Assn.] HEY! It worked for me.

Jeannie said...

Avg Joe, I have a thick skin and sometimes shouldn't post later at night when I am feeling blue. I do however find some solace here once in awhile and consider some of these cyber friends my own. Just because I haven't met them, somehow I am comfortable sharing "little snippets" from my life, even if it's just to make me feel good because I know I'll get a response whether good or bad. I would give my last $5.00 to be a fly on the wall or better yet make a nice luncheon for that California Coven. It's just one more reason why this blog has been so successful.

Jeannie said...

BTW ladies, I have the menu already in mind, and yes wine is on the menu.

Lo-li-ta.

Jazzbumpa said...

Don G -

You are exceedingly kind.

I have too many blind spots and other perceptual deficiencies to ever be a crossword constructor.

Also, I'm pretty sure I lack the patience and persistence.

However, I do know how to be grateful.

Thanx!

I used to look askance at fill like EYERS, but now I think about what Dan Naddor told us about the trade-offs between theme and fill. A puzzle as thematically rich as this one demands accommodation in other areas, and I've come to appreciate that. C.C.'s note suggests that there were technical difficulties with the grid as well.

My hat's off to both of you for conquering this challenge, and making it so much fun.

Cheers!
JzB

Jeannie said...

forgive me if I have posted this before. It's a newer song stuck in my head but I like the music and lyrics.

Clear Ayes said...

Jeannie, thanks for the mental menu. Be back tomorrow evening to see how close it came.

Have a nice evening everyone.

Chickie said...

Jeannie, how pleasant to think about a menu you have concocted for the CA Coven. I'm glad wine is involved.

We'll see how close you come to what we'll have tomorrow at Dodo's marvelous retirement establishment.

Captain Obvious said...

For Dennis to miss a Don G./C.C. puzzle is troubling. Either something is happening or he finally got fed up with something.

I hope it is the latter.

GarlicGal said...

I am honored to be included in the glorious coven! I've never been so excited to go to Stockton before!

Anonymous said...

Mr. (I mean Captain) Obvious, "long time listener, first time caller." Aren't you the one who is supposed to be answering the questions and figuring out the mysteries? What's your take on the missing Dennis?

Captain Obvious said...

i just hope he and his are okay.

sorry avg. joe, i care.

i loveS The Puzzle.

Clear Ayes said...

Garlic Gal, don't forget to bring a flounder, gaiters and galoshes....part of the initiation, you know. Since we only have one day, we may have to omit those interesting rituals and go straight to the purple hair dye. You'll love it...it is so empowering I dont want to give away too much symbolism, so we will leave it at that. See you then!

Bill G. said...

I'm jealous of this coven meeting. Is it really a coven? Do you have 13? I'm looking forward to the photos and stories.

GarlicGal said...

Clear Eyes - Damn! My gaiters are at the cleaners and my galoshes are getting retreaded. If only I had known.

Bill G - Come on. What happens in Stockton, stays in Stockton!

Avg Joe said...

It's Thu morning here, but I'll post on this page cuz it's where the discussion is taking place.

I don't mean to be as cynical as my post sounded and I certainly don't intend any disrespect to any of the group, especially EddyB. But I do know from experience that communicating in a venue such as this can result in some unexpected surprises. The level of sincerity is higher here than any board or blog I've ever been a member of. I guess I've just developed a thick skin as a defense mechanism.