THEME: Leaping Lizards, we have leaking letters! The first letter of a common phrase 'leaks' off the page, leaving a new and humorously clued phrase. The first two depart on the left, with the first letter going bye bye, and the last two leave on the right, losing the last letter. Another new trick to keep you guessing as part of what I found to be a very challenging puzzle. Fresh cluing, interesting subjects and another fine entry from our own dynamic duo. All on the rare 11/11/11 ; a double honor. Let's see what else we have here.
17A. Jack Benny's 39?:WAGE FREEZE. I did not stop at 39, I go backwards as long as my age is divisible; this year I am 21. We have not had a wage freeze since Jimmy Carter.
24A. Mix-up among the peas?:IPOD SHUFFLE. Nice imagery, and one of Apple's major successes.
17A. Jack Benny's 39?:
24A. Mix-up among the peas?:
51A. Amorous ship leader?: CAPTAIN COOK. Cooing comes from love birds, and Captain Cook, while not as famous as Captain Crunch, Cook a British looker (explorer) did introduce Europe to New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii, right K man?
59A. Bird with a droll wit?: DRY MARTINI. Martins are types of swallows (the birds, not the spit or swallow swallow controversy) and Martinis have made a major comeback.
and the reveal:
36A. Julian Assange's controversial website, and a hint to what's missing from this puzzle's four longest answers : WIKI LEAKS. Do you all remember the big scandal? See the authors' comment below. I was more amazed to read this ARTICLE than the original news.
Across:
1. REO part: OLDS. I do not like it when I start in reverse, and REO in my current existence means Real Estate Owned, or what the foreclosed homes become, not the famous automaker and crossword staple Ransom E. Olds, who apparently actually invented the assembly line.
5. 7-Down portrayer on "Frasier": PERI. Gilpin, who played 7. See 5-Across: ROZ, a fine SITCOM character.
9. Medicine cabinet item: RAZOR. Gee, a simple one.
14. First-century Roman leader: NERO. Go watch I Claudius, the PBS series starring Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Nero's uncle.
15. Cross: ROOD. Oh boy had to really dig in my brain for this one, it symbolizes the crucifixion and is usually set up in the entry to a church. A difficult religious reference.
16. Lickety-split: A PACE. Ah, the A word.
19. Was about to blow up : FUMED.
20. Mizrahi of "The Fashion Show": ISAAC. I guess Asimov is too easy for Friday, but I never heard of this designer and REALITY TV guy.
21. Insurance co. employee: AGT. Co. = company: AGT = Agent.
23. __-relief: BAS. Low contrast sculpture.
27. Top-shelf : A-ONE.
28. Charlotte-to-Raleigh dir : ENE.
29. Texas NLer : STRO. Well, the only National League team in Texas is the Houston Astros.
30. Aslan's land : NARNIA. The Lion in the Chronicles. C. S. Lewis, the author, who was a Christian apologist, described Aslan as an alternative version of Christ, that is, as the form in which Christ might have appeared in a fantasy world. Hmm, more religion?
59A. Bird with a droll wit?: DRY MARTIN
and the reveal:
36A. Julian Assange's controversial website, and a hint to what's missing from this puzzle's four longest answers : WIKI LEAKS. Do you all remember the big scandal? See the authors' comment below. I was more amazed to read this ARTICLE than the original news.
Across:
1. REO part: OLDS. I do not like it when I start in reverse, and REO in my current existence means Real Estate Owned, or what the foreclosed homes become, not the famous automaker and crossword staple Ransom E. Olds, who apparently actually invented the assembly line.
5. 7-Down portrayer on "Frasier": PERI. Gilpin, who played 7. See 5-Across: ROZ, a fine SITCOM character.
9. Medicine cabinet item: RAZOR. Gee, a simple one.
14. First-century Roman leader: NERO. Go watch I Claudius, the PBS series starring Derek Jacobi as Claudius, Nero's uncle.
15. Cross: ROOD. Oh boy had to really dig in my brain for this one, it symbolizes the crucifixion and is usually set up in the entry to a church. A difficult religious reference.
16. Lickety-split: A PACE. Ah, the A word.
19. Was about to blow up : FUMED.
20. Mizrahi of "The Fashion Show": ISAAC. I guess Asimov is too easy for Friday, but I never heard of this designer and REALITY TV guy.
21. Insurance co. employee: AGT. Co. = company: AGT = Agent.
23. __-relief: BAS. Low contrast sculpture.
27. Top-shelf : A-ONE.
28. Charlotte-to-Raleigh dir : ENE.
29. Texas NLer : STRO. Well, the only National League team in Texas is the Houston Astros.
30. Aslan's land : NARNIA. The Lion in the Chronicles. C. S. Lewis, the author, who was a Christian apologist, described Aslan as an alternative version of Christ, that is, as the form in which Christ might have appeared in a fantasy world. Hmm, more religion?
32. "It __ Nice": '60s protest song : IS N'T. Never heard it, when we were in the admin buildings it was either dirges or We Shall Overcome.
34. Doubter: AGNOSTIC. A little sub-theme perhaps with C. S. Lewis and 13D. Site of a legendary parting: RED SEA. Another religious reference; I thought of this PARTING, ladies? Also, 42D. Rigorously abstinent: ASCETIC. Self-discipline and abstinence in some form and degree are parts of religious practice within many religious and spiritual traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Not to be confused with the fun loving aesthetics who seek pleasure. The modern agnostics are an impressive GROUP.
39. Federal statute trumps it: STATE LAW. The preemption doctrine.
41. New England law school: YALE.
45. Mercury, e.g.: PLANET. Metal was too short.
46. Old school addition?: MARM. Such a nice old fashioned word.
49. Rolls around the house: SOD. Sod is often sold in big round rolls, so it easier to lay to make a lawn. also a favorite word among British policemen in fiction.
50. Hierarchy level: RUNG. Climbing the ladder of success.
54. Bug: IRK. I do not know why but I hate bugs.
55. Third deg.?: PHD. Bachelors, masters and...
56. Like some tragedies: GREEK.
57. Club relative: SPADE. Let's call it like it is.
63. Earn: MERIT.Like all the raises no one is getting.
64. Tulip chair designer Saarinen: EERO. You must know this name to do puzzles.
65. Chianti, for one: VINO. From Tuscany. Italian.
66. Swamp plant: SEDGE. A large family of plants including the water chestnut and the papyrus sedge from which the Ancient Egyptian writing material was made. This family also includes cotton-grass, spike-rush and out Florida favorite, sawgrass which grows from the Everglades.
67. Speak like Don Corleone: RASP.
68. Ticker tapes, briefly?: ECGS. ElectroCardioGrams. Cute clue.
Down:
1. __ mission: ON A. Yes, we are half way and we are heading to the finish line.
2. Throngs: LEGIONS.
3. Saxony's capital : DRESDEN. The famous CITY of arts which was featured so prominently in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. A great book which became a great movie.
4. Beds, at times: SOFAS. Especially the king ones, right guys.
5. Like some quilt kits: PRE-CUT. Quilts? Really?
6. Want ad letter : EOE. Equal Opportunity Employer.
8. Pipe dream, say: IDEAL. Why would dreaming about a pipe be ideal? A cigar maybe; oh maybe they mean like in the sink.
9. Castaway's creation: RAFT. Wilson, where are you?
10. "The Simpsons" character with an 18-letter last name: APU. Nahasapeemapetilon, easy for you to say.
11. Big name on the ice: ZAMBONI. The big machine used to smooth the surface of ice.
41. New England law school: YALE.
45. Mercury, e.g.: PLANET. Metal was too short.
46. Old school addition?: MARM. Such a nice old fashioned word.
49. Rolls around the house: SOD. Sod is often sold in big round rolls, so it easier to lay to make a lawn. also a favorite word among British policemen in fiction.
50. Hierarchy level: RUNG. Climbing the ladder of success.
54. Bug: IRK. I do not know why but I hate bugs.
55. Third deg.?: PHD. Bachelors, masters and...
56. Like some tragedies: GREEK.
57. Club relative: SPADE. Let's call it like it is.
63. Earn: MERIT.Like all the raises no one is getting.
64. Tulip chair designer Saarinen: EERO. You must know this name to do puzzles.
65. Chianti, for one: VINO. From Tuscany. Italian.
66. Swamp plant: SEDGE. A large family of plants including the water chestnut and the papyrus sedge from which the Ancient Egyptian writing material was made. This family also includes cotton-grass, spike-rush and out Florida favorite, sawgrass which grows from the Everglades.
67. Speak like Don Corleone: RASP.
68. Ticker tapes, briefly?: ECGS. ElectroCardioGrams. Cute clue.
Down:
1. __ mission: ON A. Yes, we are half way and we are heading to the finish line.
2. Throngs: LEGIONS.
3. Saxony's capital : DRESDEN. The famous CITY of arts which was featured so prominently in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. A great book which became a great movie.
4. Beds, at times: SOFAS. Especially the king ones, right guys.
5. Like some quilt kits: PRE-CUT. Quilts? Really?
6. Want ad letter : EOE. Equal Opportunity Employer.
8. Pipe dream, say: IDEAL. Why would dreaming about a pipe be ideal? A cigar maybe; oh maybe they mean like in the sink.
9. Castaway's creation: RAFT. Wilson, where are you?
10. "The Simpsons" character with an 18-letter last name: APU. Nahasapeemapetilon, easy for you to say.
11. Big name on the ice: ZAMBONI. The big machine used to smooth the surface of ice.
12. Vast: OCEANIC.
18. Fan support: RAHS. Rah Rah Ree, kick them in the knee; Rah Rah Rass, kick them in the other knee.
22. Ligurian seaport: GENOA. Well, now I know the part of Italy that borders France is part of Liguria and is also where San Remo is located. All I knew about the area was the salami, salame genovese di Sant'Olcese. No baloney.
24. Shar-__: PEI. The wrinkle dogs from china. have you all eaten at a PEI WEI?
25. Weak: FRAIL.
26. Aid on a misty night: FOG LAMP. I had trouble with this, not realizing I was in a car on that misty night.
27. Pretentious: ARTSY. Rhymes with fartsy.
31. "Don't __!": ASK. Don't tell, now a thing of the past.
33. Country music sound: TWANG. Did anyone watch the CMA show Wednesday?
35. Just starting : NEW AT. For anyone doing their first crossword puzzle today, come back Monday and start again.
37. Suffix with vulcan: ITE. This has nothing to do with Spock, but the copper telluride mineral.
38. Craft with a mizzen : KETCH. Like the Yawl, a two masted ship, with a smaller jigger mast and a mizzen mast. Jeannie?
39. 7-Eleven beverage: SLURPEE. Not to be confused with Apu's Squishy or even an ICEE. (2:08) funny?
40. Vessel with a hinged cover: TANKARD. A beer reference; similar to a beer stein. Not every tankard has a lid.
43. Exploring : LOOKING. Like Captain Cook.
44. Shogun stronghold: EDO. Now known as Tokyo.
45. Binocular features: PRISMS.
47. 1950 #1 Ames Brothers hit: RAGMOP. Before becoming famous as Mongo on Daniel Boone, and for his tomahawak throwing on Johnny Carson, Ed Ames was one of these singing BROTHERS.
48. She played Romy in "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion": MIRA. Daughter of actor and opera singer Paul; she also won an Oscar for Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite.
52. Scary snake: ADDER. A family of deadly snakes, like the black adder and even the puff adder, not to be confused with Mr. Bean.
53. Fortitude: NERVE. Well those of you have made it this far in this wonderful but exhausting Friday effort have shown guts.
55. Tennis great Sampras: PETE. The American with the most major titles in tennis; his total was exceeded by Roger Federer.
58. Shovel: DIG.
60. Mens __: criminal intent: REA. Oh goody, a legal term meaning generally a 'guilty mind.' It is the intent part of a criminal act.
61. Sch. levels: YRS. What year is your son now?
62. Signs of resistance: NOS. Not yes, but no.
Answer grid.
Another Friday done, and the joy of blogging a hard G and C.C. special. That and it is Veteran's Day tomorrow so I do not have to get up early. Be sure to remember all who have served, and those who gave their lives. Sears donates money to our servicemen, and whether a war is popular or not, the soldiers deserve our support, respect and gratitude. Thanksgiving is coming so all of you old timers who are now quiet, all you lookie lous and and the rest please plan on saying at least hi, or more on Wednesday November 23, 2011 for our second annual check in and check up. Thanks all.
Constructors Note:
"Terry Gross's interview with a NY Times reporter regarding Times' publishing of WikiLeaks' cable inspired this theme. We thought it would be fun to orderly leak WIKI from the left and right edges of the grid. Rich liked the contemporariness of the theme, though Don and I were concerned that the puzzle would lose its relevance when it finally runs."
Hello.
ReplyDeleteSaw the six letter corner and wondered if this was the in/on goal
one. As soon as I filled in razor,
I filled in zamboni and was off and running.
Nice plug for the Sharks. They broke the 3x tie for 2nd place by beating the Wild. Phoenix and LA lost last night.
Seems as if everyone has now lawyered-up. Corbit has the Nat Guard on alert for Sat.
take care. eddy
C.C. needn't have worried. Julian Assange is in the news again today after having lost his fight not to be extradited to Sweden.
ReplyDeleteGood day folks,
ReplyDeleteThought I had a successful finish, but when I compared my fills to the answer grid, I found I blew it in the NW corner. 1A, 20A, 3D were my downfall. Had OLDL, ISTAC, & LOFTS. Admittedly, those fills had me in deep doubt, but REO & MIZRAHI were total unknowns and I wasn't going to visit Mr G so late in the solve. Either way, I would have considered it a DNF.
CC & Don G created a nice Friday offering. Next time I'll do better. Lemonade, alway enjoy your write ups.
Several fun clues, but favorite was TICKER TAPES, BRIEFLY/ ECGS, which began as EKGS. 42D, ASCETIC fixed that error.
Enjoy the weekend. HG, hope Penn St keeps your team out of harms way & football is the order ONLY of the day.
To all you VETS, thank you.
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a bit of a brain buster for me this morning. I managed to eventually get through it thanks to some educated and semi-educated guesses, but it was definitely not a speed run.
I had no idea who ISAAC Mizrahi was, but guessed it with the help of the perps. Ditto with vulcanITE, ISNT and RAGMOP.
I also had no idea that DRESDEN was the capital of Saxony, but at least I've heard of the place and could guess it with help from the perps.
I still loathe STRO, but at least I know it now.
I really wanted EKGS instead of ECGS, but I know they are both correct.
I'm not sure where I managed to pull KETCH out of, but fortunately it was buried somewhere deep in the recesses of my cerebellum.
And, of course, there was the usual assortment of super tricky clues today. You know who you are.
Lemonade,
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Very seldom do I find you're unaware of names I happen to know. Fashion! Isaac Mizrahi is a quirky character. Extremely talented. Thanks for the informative write-up. "No baloney" is fun!
Argyle,
Thanks for the inspiration for AGE FREEZE clue.
Wow! Great puzzle, DG and CC. I came very close to a DNF. No traction in the NW, so I wound up starting in the NE and clockwise back to the top. Still was almost stuck in the N thinking LIZ for ROZ and TERI for PERI. But that made no sense for "cross", so I kept picking at it until I finally worried it out.
ReplyDeleteLearning moment: MENS REA. Really?
Felt like a Saturday puzzle to me. I like it when it's a stretch rather than a romp.
Good morning, all. Thanks, Don and C.C. for an excellent puzzle and Lemonade for the write up.
ReplyDeleteIt took a little doing to get my head around this one. If I had paid more attention to the unifier it would have been easier. I really overthought the 'amourous ship leader'. Well, that just has to be refering to the Love Boat and CAPTAIN was filling nicely... but how do I get Stubing into three spaces? I had already spotted the missing 'I' on two clues and written them in at the edges of the puzzle. When the missing 'W' dawned on me, I knew I needed a 'K' on the end and it alldropped into place.
Lots of really good cluing and misdirection. I really enjoyed it.
Mornin' to all:
ReplyDeleteUGH!
Only thing I liked about this puzzle was Lemonade's discussion on the clues.
Hello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteI have to chalk up a DNF today. Led myself astray too many places, and there were too many unknowns to pull it off.
I always thought the song title was RAGG MOPP because that's the way the song goes, but apparently that's wrong. Tried ANGELIC for ASCETIC and jammed the southeast. Guessed ROZ easily enough, but couldn't remember the actress.
Unknowns: ISAAC, STRO, MIRA, others. Due to time limits I chose to bail rather than red letter my way home.
This is a great puzzle. It was fun to have one this week that required some thought. I liked RED SEA, PHD, MARM, ECG. Thanks for the interesting info,Lemonade. I found the NW and SE filled fairly quickly, but then I slowed down until I got WIKILEAKS and realized the theme answers were leaking a letter.
ReplyDeleteI got ROOD right off, as it seems to be a x-word favorite. I liked the way SPADE and DIG intersected.
A pipe dream is usually about an IDEAL situation.
C.C., with all of the cable channels overrun with new 'reality' stars, I just cannot keep up. I also stopped receiving TV Guide, so I am lost for most new television information.
ReplyDeleteEddy B. I thought you might appreciate the zamboni pic; and yes, Santa is another who does not age.
It feels odd to not be heading to work somewhere. Maybe the pool?
Good morning all. Great write-up, Lemonade.
ReplyDeleteA truly great puzzle today which I finally wrestled to the ground without outside help. Fortunately , WIKI LEAKS came early, and when DRY MARTIN(i) loomed, the execution of the theme became clear. I guessed that two of the truncations would be from the front and was rewarded with (w)AGE FREEZE and (i)POD SHUFFLE. (was thinking along the lines of kerfuffle at first). Knowing the whereabouts of the Ligurian Sea made GENOA a good guess. Also had 'algae' before SEDGE. A difficult solve which became a real treat to be able to complete. BZ to Don and C.C.
Off this morning in the direction of Argyle (Round Lake) to have lunch with some HS alums.
Have a great day.
This was really clever, unfortunately, too much so for me. Lack of memory, knowledge of popular culture and names did me in. I resorted to Google for names, and still didn't latch onto the theme. For some reason had forgotten that is was Wiki LEAKS and not LINKS. Too much else on my mind, I guess--at least I hope that's all it is.
ReplyDeleteUniversities don't need expensive sports teams. Why don't they just become institutes of learning like in other enlightened countries? Do away with the distractions.
Have a great weekend all of you!
Hi gang -
ReplyDeleteLemonade - very insightful write-up.
Tough go for me today. Even coming from our beloved dynamic duo, I don't appreciate self-referential clues, like "old school addition" no matter how clever, and cross-referenced clues that contain only half a clue between them, like 5A, 7D.
I wanted a female name for the fashion show person. No go. ROZ was cool, but I didn't know PERI's name either. Wanted SKEPTIC for 34A, but it's not long enough!
Recognized MIRA's name, but have no clue as to her film credits.
Got WIKILEAKS, and the dropped final letters, but couldn't get the dropped initials. Seriously brilliant theme.
A plethora of 7-letter fill ups the technical ante. Very impressive.
EEO, EOE, EEOC, EIEIO - Never can keep them straight.
Cheers!
JzB now thinking about a DRY MARTINI
Kind of blah theme and blah fill, didn't leave me with much of a sparkle. Did like ZAMBONI, got stuck with LISA Kudrow instead of MIRA Sorvino and that took some time to unknot, otherwise lots of easy fill to get toe-holds in the puzzle.
ReplyDeleteAnother inscrutable puzzle for me that took Lemonade's comments to finish.
ReplyDeleteThe NE corner fell into place easily and I even got Wikileaks, but couldn't see how to apply it.
I couldn't remember the OLDS connection with REO but got NERO and AGE. Also got CAPTAIN and DRY.
On these tricky ones, I mostly get the logical half and fail the cute or pun side. Strange, since I've always been a groan producing punster myself.
I'm proud to say, I got more this time than on the last DON-CC masterpiece. Progress!!?
Cannot imagine the songs for an opera on Wikileaks. Must be something like a Gilbert and Sullivan. All tongue-in-cheek.
-PK
Excellent puzzle today. Tricky, but not too tricky. A perfect Friday puzzle. Another "A" for DG & CCB.
ReplyDeleteVeterans: Thank you for your service.
Another great achievement by 'our team' ! Many, many Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteI had a tough time, but I am glad I came here to listen to the erudite lime- flavored slurpee give his views. Lots of humor, as expected, on his blog, and gentle wise-cracking jokes. Thank you.
BTW, I googled 'Apu's ' last name - and found no one in India has that name. ( Maybe, the 'Simpsons' creator has a copyright on it - ).
Alt QOD:- The old begin to complain of the conduct of the young when they are no longer able to set a bad example.~ Francois de la Rochefoucauld.
Anyone here drink Stroh's Beer? Not very good, but I pick it up every so often for that nostalgic trip back to my youth.
ReplyDeleteThe ASCETIC AGNOSTIC sounds like a great name for a pub.
This song (2:40) gets played a lot while the ZAMBONI clears the ice. Check out the different creations in the video.
A tip o' the glass and a nod o' the head to all vets. Thank you.
Oops!
ReplyDeleteZAMBONI
Ant:
ReplyDeleteI agree on that Pub name.
ASCETIC & AGNOSTIC describe me to a tee.
Though, I will admit, my TANKARD has never been filled with SLURPEE.
What a FUN Friday.
Thank you very much Don G. & C.C.
The first "toast" tonight at Sunset goes out to all our wonderful Veterans!
Cheers
P.S.
Joon on Jeopardy tonight.
P.S.S.
It took Amy (Orange) longer to do the LAT than the NYT. (Note: She is a whiz, her times are amazing).
Good morning Lemonade, C.C. et al.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, informative write-up this morning, Lemonade. I always find some new bit of wisdom from you! This morning it was Mens REA. Funny Icee clip from TBBT, one of my favorite shows. And thanks for the Johnny Depp pic – we are going to see his newest movie this weekend. I smiled when I saw ISAAC Mizrahi, as I know how CC loves fashion.
Challenging puzzle today, and quite suitable for a Friday. The theme, even with the reveal smack dab in the middle, totally eluded me for a while. I must have spent at least five minutes staring at AGE FREEZE, wondering what a “wikiage freeze” was. Finally smacked myself with the V-8 can when I realized the other theme entries lost I-K-I. Great job, and I think this one will still be contemporary years from now, as Assange is an icon of modern journalism. Thanks C.C. and Don G!
Both ketches and yawls have a main mast and a mizzen mast. The difference is in the placement of the mizzen mast. On a ketch, the mizzen is stepped forward of the rudder post. On a yawl, it is stepped aft of the post.
ReplyDeleteDR
Awesome, I thoroughly enjoyed the puzzle and write-up, great job everyone.
ReplyDeleteSeriously thought this was going to be a rare DNF but refused to give in. Got the reveal right away, but it was a while before the penny dropped.
Lots of unknowns in the pop culture field, but eventually the crosses filled everything in. I had LIZ for ROZ which stumped me at the top until somehow I saw past my mistake with ROOD and finally crossed the finish line.
In the Brit vernacular, Don and CC sure are crafty SODs.
Thanks to all who served.
Good morning all,
ReplyDeleteLots of fun stuff in today's puzzle, but unfortunately it was a DNF for me.That SE corner had me baffled, and although I know I could count on G for help, I'd rather get the fun scoop here. And Lemonade, you always give us a delightful read.
I did, however, go to my dictionary for mizzen.
No idea of theme even after wikileaks showed up. Kudos to C.C. and Don once again.
Got a smile from PHD, and, of course, loved zamboni.Marm-not so much.
Happy Veterans' Day, Lemonade, C.C., and all.
ReplyDeleteYowza! Lemonade, I nearly spit out my coffee on your witty comments!
Amazingly, WIKILEAKS popped up right away and to my complete surprise I saw the "leaky" letters. This hardly ever happens with me.
I'm not familiar with The Fashion Show,but know that ISAAC Misrahi used to advertise for Target.
Working one across and one down certainly helped to WAG much of the tricky fill such as DRESDEN, MIRA, (not LISA) REDSEA and ZAMBONI.
My main slog was at REA as I was LOOKING for LEX; thank you, Counselor, for the lesson.
Clever theme, dynamic duo! Your names always bring a smile and I know I'm in for some challenging fun.
Thank you, all Veterans!
Happy Friday, everyone!
The thesaurus has harmless synonyms for PIPE DREAM, such as wishful thinking, an ideal impossible to realize, etc. However, the saying seems to have originated with the opium pipe. Coleridge claimed to have written "Kubla Kahn" under the influence of opium.
ReplyDeleteLink PIPE DREAM
Here is the poem, Kubla Khan
ReplyDeleteLink Kubla Khan
Great puzzle, great write-up, and great comments with no snarking so far! Many thanks everybody!
ReplyDeleteGot 'Wikileaks' right away but had trouble with theme words nonetheless--e.g. Dan Martin (Laugh-in, eons ago?) in place of Dry Martini. At least figured out Captain Coo!
It also helped that I got Zamboni. Why do I always associate that with Peanuts comics? Makes no sense at all.
Thanks, Lemonade, for tracking the religious theme woven here and there into the puzzle. Interesting!
Now to rest up for the devilish Saturday puzzle tomorrow!
Q: Do ice rink staff use "zamboni" as a verb as often the British use "hoover"?
ReplyDeleteA: Yes, we do.
Have often wondered whether the owners of certain brand names are proud or angry when their TMs become generic.
Hi Everyone ~~
ReplyDeleteWow ... a Friday C.C. and Don G. puzzle is starting to be like like a Saturday Silkie! Somehow I finished it all but one letter --I had EKG instead of ECG ... I didn't know ASCETIC. I've come to realize that the thing I do most on puzzles from the duo (besides tax my brain) is ... ERASE!
~~ Skeptic (not enough letters) before AGNOSTIC
~~ Newly before NEW AT
~~ Goggles (dumb) before FOGLAMP
~~ Slushie before SLURPEE
~~ Math before MARM
As others have mentioned, the SE corner was the toughest. I stared at CAPTAINCOO for a long time before the light bulb finally came on. That led me to the theme ... so clever! I'm amazed that I figured it out!
Thanks, Lemonade for a wonderful write-up. I had it all filled in but didn't get some of it ... i.e. NOS for 'Signs of resistance.'
Favorites were 'Rolls around the house' -- SOD and 'Ticker tapes, briefly' -- ECGS.
Many thanks to all Veterans ~~
Enjoy the day!
Actually Misty it was Dan Rowan and Dick Martin. CLIP (4:22)
ReplyDeleteMy DIL just sent a picture of our veteran. My son is a major in the USAF, a former pilot now "flying" a desk with service since 1999.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all you veterans. Also thank you to all the spouses of veterans who sometimes have very hazardous duty at home.
- PK
Lemon, your first paragraph sums up my take on this fun puzzle! I am blogging from the high school where I am subbing and, unlike junior high subbing, I can actually give an assignment and work on what I want to do. Cool! Nicely done C.C. and Don! I will read comments at home.
ReplyDeleteMusings
-Fun cluing for Red Sea, Marm, Sod, ECG’s, et al
-Oh, that’s where REO comes from!
-I always thought Peri was the girl with the British accent. Nope, that was Jane Leeves. Frasier was smart and funny.
-I saw Asian and not Aslan first.
-You never see mercury clued as hydrargyrum (Hg) – water/silver. Wonder why?
-No one is sure what will happen at the Penn State/Husker game tomorrow but Tom Osborne has warned Husker fans to be as inconspicuous as possible. PSU is famous for incivility to rival fans anyway I am told and now the Paterno/Sandusky mess has emotions running very high.
-Well, here come the seniors, gotta go.
For Misty
ReplyDeleteZamboni.
I thought maybe Misty was thinking of Vince Guaraldi -- the guy who did all the music for the Charlie Brown TV specials. Guaraldi / Zamboni -- sound similar to me.
ReplyDeleteWell, yesterday I got Jeff Bridges and Josh Brolin mixed up, in "True Grit," and today I got "Dan Rowan and Dick Martin" mixed up on "Laught-In." Looks like I'm not good at sorting out male duos whose first names start with the same letter! But it was worth it to get that hilarious clip from Lemonade! Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteAnd Argyle, I can't believe you found the Peanuts Zamboni cartoon! Thank you, thank you. Glad that this wasn't just an off the wall association!
Hello everybody. Saw that the puzzle today is by Don and C.C. so I just had to work it. Thenks to the both of you, and to Lemonade, for giving me a couple hours of great pleasure today.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember when Denver started using ORANGE CRUSH for their team? The beverage company raised a big stink and took them to court.
ReplyDeleteI believe Kimberly-Clark also tried to stop Kleenex from becoming a generic name.
So, no, I guess companies don't like their products morphing into the language.
I am no veteran.
ReplyDeleteOn this day I'll salute those who are or were.
My older step son has done several tours in various mid-east locations. My brother-in-law just got his tour in Kuwait as a chaplain cut short because he has a ruptured disk in his lower cervicals (neck vertebrae) and evidently needs surgery.
Companies are very sensitive about their trade marks, and will protect them like a mamma bear.
On a totally different note, let's not forget Dean Martin and Don Martin.
Cheers!
JzB
Well the seniors are busy with a worksheet on electron levels in the periodic families and so I can finish.
ReplyDeleteMusings 2
-Here is a picture of my lovely bride on her 65th BD - Joann’s Birthday and the chocolate "soda" I gave her.
-What is the thickness of hockey ice?. It shocked me but I’ll bet Eddy knew.
-BTW, perfect for a Friday puzzle and the theme was not helpful but was a nice reveal at the end.
HG:
ReplyDeleteLooks to me like Joann really likes her gift. Great pic.
I thought it was 1 inch, off by a quarter. lol
Your earlier comment re: the Husker-v-Penn St. game had me thinking "What time is kickoff?"
Glad to see it is Noon.
HG: Nice pic and many more. The ice link was great, one the many things in life I have never thought about but am now happy to know.
ReplyDeleteNot a pleasant experience. Some of the theme answers made sense on their own. But CAPTAIN COO? DRY MARTIN? The first didn't appear on Love Boat, and the latter never attempted wit. I reached them finally, under protest--and had to come to the Corner to find out what the heck was going on.
ReplyDeleteHG:
ReplyDeleteI love your wife's bouquet! Congratulations to her.
Husker Gary, congratulations to you both.
ReplyDeleteHusker Gary ~~
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pic and great gift idea! Congrats to both of you!
Hi. The mizzen placement on a yawl
ReplyDeleteallows the ship to sail backwards.
Don't worry about the fans tomorrow. The Feds have moved on campus. The tragedy is turnning
a farce worthy of Willie S.
Ice thickness can vary depending
on who is playing. Have seen the puck hydroplane and create a rooster tail as it shot down the ice. Happens in Phoenix. Good way
to slow down older players.
eddy
Hola Everyone, A DNF for me today, though I did enjoy the puzzle. I shot myself in the foot over Vino vs wine, Apu vs Ari, ENE vs ESE and Prisms vs Lenses. I don't know the East Coast cities and the direction they take in relation to each other so there were areas of the puzzle which had some "funny" words when I filled in the answers.
ReplyDeleteI have been to Dresden, so that filled in easily. A beautiful German City with some amazing meseums. But the signs of WWII are still evident and there is a lot of rebuilding still going on.
Husker, Joann looks as if she has a gleam in her eye over those Snickers. I made Snickers Blond Brownies yesterday!
Rain here today, so another good day for baking. Almond Biscotti today.
Speaking of trademarks, i forgot to mention another blunder on this puzzle. I wanted 7 Eleven's BIG GULP instead of SLURPEE.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought about the Peanuts cartoon with Woodstock driving the Zamboni across the frozen birdbath. Peanuts was my Dad's favorite cartoon.
Thank you DG and CC for another great learning experience. I've added some new words to my personal CW dictionary.
ReplyDeleteI put in TPS at first for rolls around the house. I couldn't for the life of me think of anything else that would fit.
Our Shark Zamboni is one of a kind, I think.
Have a lovely weekend everyone and think about our boys who have given their all for our country. One day of remembrance really isn't enough.
Fun puzzle. Thanks C.C. and Don.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes and good thoughts for all the Veterans and their families.
Husker, happy birthday to your wife. Great photo!
All this talk about Snoopy and the Zamboni got me to thinking about comic strips. Peanuts was always a favorite. Other favorites were Calvin and Hobbes, Pogo and many of the Far Side classics. My favorite of those was the weird kid pushing the door marked 'Pull' at Midvale School for the Gifted. Also, the deer standing up with a bulls eye on him with his other deer friend saying, "Bummer of a birthmark, Hal." Great stuff!
Ant - the name of your ASCETIC AGNOSTIC pub would be even more ironic when the locals refer to it as the AA.
ReplyDeleteTinB - did you notice the grid when you did the NYT?
JzB - thanks for the Don Martin link! Mad Magazine was required reading as a kid, and his artwork was the best of the bunch.
Clever puzzle, C.C. & the Hard G (hey, they could be the pub band). Though the game is afoot, the word APACE always seems to conjure up thoughts of Sherlock Holmes (with Watson behind struggling to keep up).
Happy Veterans Day. I second the shout-out to the families who sacrifice so much.
Good Afternnon, folks. Thank you Don and C.C. For the puzzle. It was tough.
ReplyDeleteI made it to Long Beach and purchased a real L A Times. Pried through this off and on all day. t was tough.
Thought ZAMBONI was real good.
Good to see EERO again.
My big gripe is with VINO. I guess I do not look for foreign words unless there is a hint.
Hope tomorrow goes better.
Abejo
Chianti: both a clue and a hint.
ReplyDeleteBut I missed it too. Plus, I had DRY MAGPIE.
ReplyDeleteHi. Am I the onle one who was missing clues??? I'm in new York, journal news reprint.
ReplyDeleteA typical Friday for us with several trips to Google. I just don't know names from the entertainment world.
ReplyDeleteI haven't commented for quite awhile. Irv's been having a lot of headaches & will be seeing a neurologist soon. Since he never had headaches in the last 97 years he sees no reason for having them now.
My main reason for commenting this evening is to say a big "thank you" to all of our veterans. I hope Dennis & his fellow Marines stops in to hear our thanks.
I tried to post this and lost it. Will try again.
Dot
This was a brilliant theme, and I was so happy I got it. I HTG some non-theme stuff like MIRA's movie.
ReplyDeleteHad PRicey before PRECUT.
Gotta figure out how to get back my Blogger picture.
Dot great to hear from you and Irv; I hope his headaches are not anything. I agree with the shout out to Dennis and all our veterans here at the corner, and everywhere.
ReplyDeleteGood night
Happy 11/11/11 all! I was working the puzzle at 11:11 a.m., stopped to get the day's errands done, and had to admit defeat at 11:11 p.m. Oy!
ReplyDeleteThe culprits who did me in included ROOD, EERO, STRO (I wanted Astro, duh), and, surprisingly, SOD. My SOD came in rectangles, not rolls. I should have thought on a larger scale.
Thank you to all veterans and those who continue to serve. I am truly in awe of you. Thank you for keeping me safe and free. Happy Veterans Day.