Theme: Article 17 of the Geneva Convention - The first words of the theme entries are the three things(split into four parts) that the unifier(in the center) is required to give interrogators.
20A. *Reason consumers purchase certain brands : NAME RECOGNITION
28A. *Bumbling beginner : RANK AMATEUR
39A. Mil. detainee who may reveal only the starts of the answers to starred clues : POW
48A. *Hookups for computer peripherals : SERIAL PORTS
54A. *Financial analysts : NUMBER CRUNCHERS
Argyle, corporal, 2083472. OK, I'll talk. I liked this one better than yesterday's, as one might expect from Bruce and Gail. Tight theme, minimum crosswordese, strong corners, classic grid. Two grid spanners.
Across:
1. Hook or Cook: Abbr. : CAPT. Spelling it Cap'n reflects sailors' pronunciation, as in Cap'n Horatio Magellan Crunch.
5. For the calorie-conscious : LITE
9. Purse handle : STRAP
14. Fairy tale baddie : OGRE
15. Ugandan baddie : AMIN. Idi
16. Remove pencil marks : ERASE
17. Completely destroy : RUIN
18. Rikki-Tikki-__: Kipling critter : TAVI. A story from the Jungle Book describing the mongoose's, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, fight with Nag, the big black cobra.
19. __ Carlo: Grand Prix setting : MONTE. It is part of Monaco, the sovereign city state on the French Riviera.
23. Ankle artwork, briefly : TAT
24. Fathers and grandfathers : MEN
25. Bks.-to-be : MSs. (manuscripts)
35. Historic WWII bomber : ENOLA GAY. Always good to see both names.
37. Threat punctuator : OR ELSE. Yes, punctuator is in the dictionary, as a related noun form.
38. Timber wolf : LOBO
41. Paper purchase : REAM. International standards organizations define the ream as 500 identical sheets.
42. Poll findings : TRENDS
45. Island state of Australia : TASMANIA
50. Dadaist Jean : ARP. When Arp spoke in German he referred to himself as "Hans", and when he spoke in French he referred to himself as "Jean".
51. Wish undone : RUE
52. Opposite of 'neath : O'ER
63. Inventor Howe : ELIAS. American inventor and sewing machine pioneer.
64. Winslet of "Titanic" : KATE. At age 11. Image.
65. "The rest __ to you" : IS UP
66. Insurance giant : AETNA
67. "Did You __ See a Dream Walking?" : EVER. Clip(6:43) but you might want to stop when Ginger Rogers starts singing at 1:03.
68. Int'l alliance : NATO
69. "Our Gang" dog : PETEY
70. Ph.D. hurdle : DISS. (dissertation)
71. Remove from power : OUST
Down:
1. Ear on your plate : CORN
2. Isla surrounder : AGUA. Spanish island/water.
3. Stiffly neat : PRIM
4. Religious belief : TENET
5. Infielder's untimely move : LATE TAG
6. 1998 Apple debut : IMAC
7. DVR pioneer : TIVO. Digital Video Recorder (DVR).
8. Tough nut to crack : ENIGMA
9. Advanced study group : SEMINAR
10. Relaxed pace : TROT
11. Hindu princess : RANI
12. Regarding : AS TO
13. Rounded end of a hammer : PEEN
21. Uncommon, avis-wise : RARA. Latin: rara avis - rare bird
22. Much sought-after clownfish of film : NEMO
25. Gets all gooey : MELTS. Tinbeni doesn't want his avatar gooey so he stays away from ice.
26. Nocturnal noise : SNORE
27. Clearheaded : SOBER
29. Brit : lie-down :: Yank : __ : NAP
30. Former Japanese capital : KYOTO. Some say that Tokyo and Kyoto are simultaneously capitals of Japan. Not me, I only know what I read in Wikipedia.
31. Trillion: Pref. : TERA
32. Kagan of the Supreme Court : ELENA
33. TWA competitor : USAIR
34. Plot a new route : REMAP
36. Actress Anderson : LONI
40. Serious conflict : WAR
43. Assume as probable : DARESAY
44. Disparaging remark : SLUR
46. Habitual pot smokers : STONERS. "Dudes!"
47. Fraction of a min. : MSEC (millisecond)
49. Ate like a bird : PECKED
53. Thick-skinned beast : RHINO
54. Kind of tide : NEAP
55. Fonda's beekeeper : ULEE. From the movie, "Ulee's Gold".(1997)
56. Oven user's accessory : MITT
57. Thorn in one's side : BANE
58. Shankar with a sitar : RAVI. Strangely alliterated clue.
59. Western natives : UTEs
60. Biblical twin : ESAU
61. Grooves in the road : RUTS
62. Carpet cleaner's concern : SPOT
Argyle
Good morning Argyle, C.C. et al.
ReplyDeleteAfter filling in NAME RECOGNITION and RANK AMATEUR, I immediately checked for the SERIAL and NUMBER answers, and filled in the rest of the theme entries before anything else.
Seeing a fairy tale baddie and a Ugandan baddie side by side made me wonder if they could force CAPT Hook or Cook to reveal more than the puzzle demanded. Then there’s the ENOLA GAY sitting in the wings…and the threatening OR ELSE punctuating the other side. But NATO comes in at the end to make peace and OUST the baddies. So it all turned out OK.
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteTotal speed run today with nary a speed bump in sight. Much faster than yesterday, in fact. POW happened to be the last thing I filled in and I didn't even notice there was a theme while solving.
I wasn't thrilled about DISS as an abbreviation for dissertation, but everything else was extremely smooth today.
Hello all!
ReplyDeleteNice puzzle, Bruce and Gail. Swell write-up, Argyle.
Nothing particular to note. Was surprised by DISS. Weird one.
Castle was really good tonight. Anybody watch it?
I did not see the premiere of Alcatraz. Did not understand what I saw of it tonight. Is it worth the effort?
Back to regular programming. Hooray! Can't seem to get into any of the movies that are on cable.
Happy Tuesday!
Good Morning, Argyle and Friends. Today's offering seemed a tad difficult on the the first pass, then the light went on and I realized that NAME, RANK and SERIAL NUMBER were the the only things to be revealed by a POW.
ReplyDeleteAs I began, I first read Ear On Your Plate and thought Yuck! what kind of puzzle am I getting into this morning!
I wasn't keen on DISS(ertation) for the Ph.D. hurdle.
My only error was to think that to have eaten like a bird was to Pick At instead of PECK AT.
Some fresh clues for our old crossword answer ENOLA GAY.
I thought of Kazie when I came to TASMANIA.
QOD: Frequently the more trifling the subject, the more animated and protracted the discussion. ~ Franklin Pierce
Hello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteWBS about DISS. I'm guessing the modern slang word Diss is considered too tough to clue for a Tuesday. Otherwise a solid, smooth project.
Saw a dream walking, once. I was waiting to pick up my date at a local expensive women's college. The poised and lovely woman in question descended the grand staircase with such grace as to make it an art form, memorable all these years later. I was several levels out of my depth with that one, only had the one date.
Right away, I liked that the puzzle included a fictitious and a real life baddie. And POW gave me the last theme answer. Thanks go to Bruce & Venzke for giving us a great puzzle. Also, thanks to Argyle. I really enjoyed the comments, links and flashbacks (especially to Ginger Rogers).
ReplyDeleteAbbreviations are always ENIGMAS to me. They can come in different forms to make the answer fit--CAPT, DISS & MSS.
AETNA was a give-away to me since they have been my main insurance. I started Medicare this month since Saturday, February 11th is my 65th birthday. Aetna is now my secondary.
I am not sure this is a good thing since I had met my deductible with Aetna. Since my Colon Cancer, chemo and a bout with a Staph infection, I met it in 3 months.
Morning, all.
ReplyDeleteEasy romp today. In my case it was just one minute longer than yesterday's speed run. Missed the theme, as usual, but no complaints.
Arp's Hans/Jean reminds me of Samuel L. Jackson's remark in "Long Kiss Goodnight" -- "I'm always frank and ernest with women. In New York I'm Frank, and in Chicago I'm Ernest."
Off to do some taxes...
Argyle: Nice write-up & links.
ReplyDeleteBruce & Gail: FUN Tuesday.
Liked the themes. Fave was NUMBER CRUNCHERS.
Noticed POW crossed WAR.
Nice conundrum with SOBER and STONERS.
Cheers to all at Sunset.
Nice! Great factoid about Jean Arp's first name, Argyle. I didn't know that!
ReplyDeleteWEES about DISS. Easy UK clue would be "Norfolk town" but that would probably rate a Saturday-level here.
Fun to see STONERS in the grid. Makes me homesick for LA. Dude!
As much of a speed run as I ever get today. Only one unknown--TAG but Enola GAY took care of perping it. I also always have to wait on perps for my hesitant spelling of REAM and PEEN--I can never remember which is EA and which is EE.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shout out, Hahtool. I was only ever in Tassie once--at age 8 when I'd won the trip for a coloring contest. I could have chosen a weekend in any capital city, and I chose Hobart. However my son #2 has driven all over the island on a trip he took alone several years ago.
On Jean Arp's name: Jean is French for John, and Johann is German for John while Hans is short for Johann, so his name changes make sense.
Only a few hours in, and there's not much to say about the grid that hasn't already been said. Pre-filled SERIAL NUMBER - check. Faster than yesterday - check. DISS - yuck (I mean, check).
ReplyDeleteI tried to find some live ENIGMA to link to, but didn't see any. Then I couldn't decide which track off their first album to use, since they're all so good. Finally, I found someone had up-loaded the whole album! Listen to this in the background while you're doing other things on the computer today.
MCMXC a.D. (59:59) - ENIGMA
Btw, I didn't listen to this whole link, but my CD running time is considerably less than the one hour showing here. So, either there are bonus tracks, or...who knows. Corner warning?
Morning all,
ReplyDeleteNice Tuesday morning puzzle. I was OK with DISS, but didn't like MSS at 25A (mainly because I didn't get it). 24A (Fathers and grandfathers: MEN) was cute. Odd wording on 21D: Uncommon rara-wise.
This morning I loved HeartRX's puzzle tale, and Desper-otto's Samuel L. Jackson quote.
Fermatprime: Alcatraz probably makes a lot more sense if you see the pilot episode. Could you get it On Demand?
Ok, I just jumped ahead - and it's the Limited Edition version of this album - with four remixes!
ReplyDeleteSweet! As the "video" plays, it tells you what song you're listening to (I mean, to which song you are listening).
Hope you all get a chance to go through the whole thing...
Good morning and happy Tuezday! Parse that as Tu-E-Z-day, which pretty well says it all for this puzzle.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bruce and Gail for a nice, fun, and easy puzzle, and dear Argyle, as always for a comforting commentary.... I notice you had less pictures than normally so.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know Kyoto was also a capital once, I thought it was 'Edo'... or is that the other name for Tokyo.?
Got the theme early on ... for a change it actually helped.
Bill G., RE; Number sequence problem ...I got I-55 as the Rte from LA to IL via TN .... still don't get the algorithm of the seq. ... tho' numbers pretty much double ... could you post the answer today.
ALT QOD:- England is a country with sixty different religious sects and only one sauce. ~ Caracciolo.
Good morning everyone. Good comments, Argyle.
ReplyDeletePretty much had the solving experience that HeartRx outlined. I rarely "jump ahead' to fill in themes. No issues. No look-ups. NATO backwards is OTAN, the French acronym for the NATO organization.
Enjoy the day.
Good morning Argyle and the corner gang. Marti, I like your take on the puzzle. I solved it the same as you after seeing NAME... RANK... I didn't even read the clue for NUMBER before I wrote in that part of the entry. CRUNCHERS just looked so obvious I was tempted to write it in also, but waited until I had read the clue.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else, I found DISS as an abbr. for dissertation a little strange. As far as cluing it as the slang for put down, that is usually dis (for disrespect) rather than diss.
Thanks for the write up and links, Argyle.
You're still off by one number (see last night...I think Bill missed it). After correcting this, put them in numerical order. Then try to angulate the missing two digits.
ReplyDeleteMouse, believe it or not, there's a minor hint in Argyle's Ginger Rogers link.
ReplyDeleteLike Mari, I too, LOVED HeartRx's 'puzzle tale' and the Samuel L. Jackson quote by Desper-otto. Thank you both ...
ReplyDeleteOn treatment of POWs - I know the Geneva Convention requires only that the name, rank and serial no. of the enemy POWs be disclosed ... but what if the captors are THEMSELVES fighting for their lives ?
I mean the lines of battle are very fluid, and reversals can happen at any moment. The 'captors' may be overwhelmed and over-run in the next hour.
In the Battle of the Bulge, ( where captured US soldiers, by then POWs, were shot and killed - ) and elsewhere and in later wars, like the 1967 Mideast conflict, POWs have been shot and killed, because, among other things, the captors themselves were at risk of being killed or captured.... or the captors just didn't have the logistics to 'hold on' to the very large number of captured POWs. What do you do ? Set them free ( unlikely - ) or just mow them down ?
You do what you got to do.
ReplyDeleteWar is hell.
I usually try to work to savor the puzzle and completely fill in down to certain lines before going on but today I did a 4 min. or so speed run and found it less satisfying. Tomayto/tomahto.
ReplyDeleteMusings
-Theme was fun and useful and I agree with Argyle’s assessment.
-I’ve been to Dachau and watched Hogan’s Heroes. Hmmm…
-Only had to work out of DIET/LITE mix-up
-ENOLA GAY was built in Omaha and kept my dad from having to be part of invasion of Japanese homeland
-PETEY seemed to be an unthreatening pit bull
-Base stealer always seems to be called out if ball is there before him despite a LATE TAG
-I wonder if UTES drive UTES?
-Amen on QOD! Try debating Elvis vs Beatles
-BTW, George Bush the elder’s wife, Barbara (nee Barbara Pierce) was a direct descendant of Franklin Pierce
-I need SNORE help. I can buy a $59.95 applicance online or pay $2,700 to a dentist in Omaha. Does anyone have any good remedies to help my long suffering wife?
Here is one mening of manuscript, "author's original text: an author's text for a book, article, or other piece of written work as it is submitted for publication." So a manuscript is actually a book to be.
ReplyDeleteMS is the traditional abbreviation for manuscript and MSS is the traditonal abbreviation for manuscripts.
I stared at DISS and then realized and later confirmed that it is a legitimate abbreviation for dissertation, although I have seldom or never seen it used. It had good perps and made sense, so I think it is fair to use on Tue.
Although this puzzle was fast and easy, it was more satisfying than yesterday's.
Husker Gary, if my wife snores, a not-so-gentle sharp elbow nudge in the ribs, and a 'turn over darling', generally does the trick. Saves you sixty bucks, as well.
ReplyDeletePinch her nose and roll over.
ReplyDeleteIf the capturing forces, shoot their POWs, and then, are themselves captured, then the American or the Russian conventions apply. In the US convention, the Germans were sentenced to one year in jail and then set free. The Russian convention needs no explanation, but it does apply equally to all - Polish officer friendlies in Black Forest, their own compatriots who had been previous POWs and'any and all other riff raff and cr--'.
ReplyDeleteAnony-mouse, I can tell you, unfortunately from first-hand experience, that what Cump said @9:02 is correct.
ReplyDeleteThe earliest capital of Japan was Heian Kyo later named Kyoto. During the Tokugawa Shogunate(1603-1868), although the emperor still lived in Kyoto, Edo beacme the defacto capital of Japan because Edo was the seat of power.
ReplyDeleteIn 1868 the Shogunate was overthrown during the Meiji Restoration. Emperor Meiji moved to Edo which became the capital and its name was changed to Tokyo.
Kyoto is a city that retains much of its ancient "flavor" and culture because it was the only major Japanese city that escaped WW II bombing raids. I loved the ancient feel of the city. BTW We even saw some real Gesiha's going to parties.
Maybe I was not clear, I am the snorer and she is the snoree.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cump and Dennis as well. Restraint and striped pants diplomacy can vaporize in a hurry in the heat of battle. The physical and mental anguish of war can elicit behaviors that seem horrible in retrospect to people who were not there.
BTW, over 12,000 POW's were shipped to Nebraska for confinement and to supplement the depleted workforce.
Morning all,
ReplyDeleteThis was so easy that I had a hard time
finding a good reason to bother Grumpy1
with a question .
Y'all have a good day
Grumpy 8:36 -
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure how to spell dis / diss either, so I checked with Wikipedia and Urban Dictionary. Wiki has little to say about it, other than mention "diss tracks" in the music business (tracks made just to annoy a person).
Urban has entries for both spellings, and seems to favor diss. I wonder what Rich Norris prefers. Actually, didn't we have diss in a puzzle in recent months?
WEES about the puzzle. Really enjoyed the theme and cluing, Bruce and Gail. Sterling write up as usual, Argyle.
ReplyDeleteHG - have you been to a sleep specialist for a sleep study? You may have sleep apnea which is easily resolved with a CPap. I suffered for years as my husband's freight train resided in our bedroom. Now, it's all peace and harmony! Your wife has my sympathy-been there, done that. Good luck!
As requested, here are the answers to yesterday's math puzzle. (Congratulations to several of you who got part/all the way to the correct answer.)
ReplyDeletea) The Bo number (Bo Derek = 10)
b) The second smallest perfect number (28)
c) The percent of inspiration required for genius according to TAE (According to Edison, it's one percent.)
d) LA to IL via TN (on I-?) (From Louisiana to Illinois via Tennessee, you use Interstate 55)
e) The missing number in this sequence (It turns out to be 15)
f) The exterior angle of a 120-gon (It's 3 degrees)
g) The 7th digit of pi after the decimal point (6)
h) One fewer than Yosarian's problem (Catch 22 minus 1 = 21)
i) (4!)/[sqrt(.44444...)] [24/(2/3)] = 36
j) Three times the missing number (45)
In order, the numbers are 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45, 55
These are called triangular numbers. For example, the 10 pins in a bowling alley form a perfect triangle.
The formula is n(n+1)/2. For example, if n=4, then 4(4+1)/2 = 20/2 = 10.
WEES Having done a diss, no problem with diss--though I too don't think I'd ever use the abbr.
ReplyDeleteI always love a speed run, so thanks B & G. And thanks to Argyle for the write up, and HeartRX for the second write-up!
Have a great Tuesday, everybody! We're expecting rain in southern California, which makes the plants happy, though not me--the local hydrophobe.
Yellowrocks - You are a fountain of knowledge especially on Japanese history and culture. That's so fascinating.
ReplyDeleteYou mention that you actually saw some dressed up real Geishas going to a party. Trust the Japanese to elevate the 'world's oldest profession' into an art form. So much nicer than the ladies of Rome, with their lewd behavior and cruder gestures, or our local h-s who keep manhandling the tourists.
Spitzbboov, so OTAN is the French 'NATO' ? Do the French do everything in reverse ? I wonder that when they shout 'charge', in the heat of battle, is that a code word to actually retreat ?
Hi Argyle & gang,
ReplyDeleteMy wife came up with lobo for wolf before I could.
Here's a link to Blanca: Lobo's mate - Lobo - The Wolf That Changed America - BBC
Hello, Argyle and fellow puzzlers.
ReplyDeleteWAS, What Argyle said. I liked the tightness of this and lack of crosswordese.
Nice recap, HeartRx, after NAME and RANK I also looked for SERIAL and NUMBER, sashayed through the rest.
I see most of you noticed OGRE AMIN side by side.
Hand up for disliking DISS but the perps were solid.
Thank you, Bruce and Gail for today's entertainment.
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
To add to Bill G's DISSertation, if you add any two adjacent numbers in the triangular number sequence, they form PERFECT SQUARES (which is where I assumed Bill got the idea for his article).
ReplyDeleteI was actually taught the (x² + x)/2 formula. Same diff. Try graphing these numbers some time!
"One for Five" = 15 45
Too cryptic, Bill?
-Peg
Hello.
ReplyDeleteBelieve that Kyoto was the primary
target for the bomb but was clouded over.
GP of Monaco, Indy 500 and Nascar
600 all run on Memorial Day.
491 08 42.
eddy
Another piece of trivia: the difference between the triangular numbers follow the natural order (1, 2, 3, 4, etc), so if you know the triangular number of 200 is 20,100, then the triangular number of 201 is 20,301 (20,100 + 201).
ReplyDelete-Peg
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteHahtool, I had the same reaction when I read 1D....thought why the heck would someone put their ear on your plate..ewwww!! Ah, now I know why I have a cup of coffee in the morning :)
After my foggy brain went into gear, I didn't have anymore problems.
I also thought of Kazie when I saw 45A. Our niece went there several years ago. She was going to stay a week, but she loved it so much, she stayed a month.
Anon (9:25) Where's the foreplay???
yellorocks:
ReplyDeleteThat is fascinating about the capitals of Japan. I'm impressed by your facility in that area.
What about Nara? I have seen that in other puzzles.
Carol, ha ha, good one. I guess "pinch her nose" could be an euphemism for foreplay.
ReplyDeleteIf you use Ant's link for mood music, does that mean foreplay must last for 59 minutes?
I still have the Geneva Convention Identification Card that they gave us when I was in the Navy (STG2) in the 60's. When I saw there were four crossing theme answers, I thought Wait, there were four things we were required to reveal? I only remember three---name, rank and serial number. Maybe I shouldn't have spent so much time with the STONERS in the early 70's.
ReplyDeleteSo giving the first two their own theme entry but splitting the third between two theme entries threw me for a moment.
Also wondered why the reveal at 39A POW wasn't tied in with the connected 40D WAR in the cluing.
Got to ride the Bullet Train (Shinkansen---sheen kahn sin) from Tokyo to Kyoto while working in Japan in the 80's. Agree with Yellowrocks, it's an enchanting city. It sometimes appears in xwords clued as "Home of the Golden Pavilion", one of Kyoto's most famous and recognizable landmarks.
Hi y'all,
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the puzzle and write-up! Thanks! Put in Tanzania at first, but realized shortly that wasn't right. I knew the answer. Should eat before puzzling.
Speaking of war protocol: Did anyone else think the media coverage was out of proportion for the urination on dead enemies? Not nice, but the call to jail the guys...get real. After a scary intense fire fight, it looked to me more like letting off steam. The female media reps were so shocked.
The worst had already happened to the enemies--they were dead. The ladies didn't seem to find dead as offensive as hosing them down. Seemed like too much ado about very little to me. Especially in a country where the other side would possibly display their enemy heads on a pike.
@eddyB 11:46 Kyoto was the favored target of the atomic bomb drop, but according to a 1975 book by Martin Sherwin, it was Secretary of War Henry Stimson who vetoed it as a target. He feared its historical value as an ancient temple city with no industrial value would create world-wide outrage if it were bombed.
ReplyDeleteI remembered and googling confirms that the original targets for the atomic bomb were Hiroshima, Kokura, and Nagasaki, in that order. Hiroshima was hit on the first mission but on the second mission three days later, Kokura was clouded over, so Nagasaki was chosen.
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese coined the phrase "Luck of Kokura" to describe when someone escapes a disaster without even realizing they were in danger.
Only here would I learn about the "luck of Kokura." Thanks, Anoa Bob! I will remember that.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with those who found today's puzzle easy. My only flub was on the Our Gang Dog's name. I remembered PETE, but not PETEY. The down phrase didn't help because I was nearly content with DARE AS, instead of DARESAY.
But crosswords are a great way to remind us of the power of the human brain, and also, of course, of its frailty.
Misty@12:35 I agree. I have read that in many places. Also Secretary of State Henry Stimson had honeymooned in Kyoto.The cultural treasures and the lack of military and industrial significance also saved Kyoto from the regular bombing blitzes other cities suffered. Anoa Bob@1:11, I read Kokura was also considered.
ReplyDeleteI was reading about Nara to remember wat I saw there. I relearned that Nara was capital of Japan from 710-784- AD,followed by Nagaoka (news to me)from 784-794 when the capital moved to Heian Kyo (Kyoto)
In Nara Park the protected deer were so brazen and galling that they snatched treats from our hands and nosed our pockets. Nara had palaces, shrines, and Temples. We saw there the famous largest Buddha in Japan.
Hi all:
ReplyDeleteRunning a little late today. Puzzle was fun and, for me, more challenging than yesterday's. Nice write-up as usual, Argyle.
Bill G: As I have little to no math background, your math puzzle made my head spin, then ache! I'll stick to words, thank you very much.
Happy Tuesday.
Dear Square Peg,
ReplyDeleteYes, maybe a little bit too cryptic. I felt as though it was a clue that meant you had figured out the answer but it seemed more like 145 so I wasn't sure.
My friend saw a LA Dodgers license plate frame. The vanity plate read PAHRRK. Any guesses? I was told the answer but didn't get it myself. How about the make of car sporting a license plate that read TAN 270?
Bill G, I'm guessing the Tan 270 license plate was on an Infinity since the Tangent of 270 degrees is infinity (or undefined because of division by 0).
ReplyDeleteStill working on Pahrrk.
True geisha are not really prostitutes. They are skilled in the arts, music, dance, and conversation and flattery. Although. at times, sex may have been involved, that was not the primary purpose.There was the Flower World (prostitution) and the Willow World (geisha.) The geisha name lost some status during WW II because prostitutes began referring to themselves as "geisha girls" to American military men.
ReplyDeleteHave you read, "Memoirs of a Geisha"? Great novel.
Bill G. There is also an elementary school concept in the progression of your numbers.
In order, the numbers are 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45, 55.
To get the next number you successively add 2, add 3, add 4 , add 5 etc.
See the Nara deer in my new avatar.
Anon @ 11:13: NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization
ReplyDeleteOTAN = Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique Nord
In French, most adjectives or adjective phrases follow the nouns they modify.
Hello everybody. Nice puzzle, well characterized by Argyle. All of your comments are interesting.
ReplyDeleteI sorta recall that Edgar Allan Poe wrote a story entitled MS Found in a Bottle. When I read that as a kid, I didn't know at first what the heck an "MS" was.
Last night I ended up having the skirt steak and my wife opted for the étouffée. Both were okay but not great. Virginia, I looked for Dixie beer on the menu but they didn't have it. Instead, I tried something called Arrogant Bastard Ale, which turns out to be brewed in California, not Louisiana. It's a very hearty ale, and it slapped me around the head and shoulders a bit before finally tucking me snugly into bed, tight-tight night-night.
Hahtool, thanks for your QsOD. Anony-Mouse, thanks for your ALT QsOD.
TAVI and RAVI, eh?
Best wishes to you all.
Guess that I shouldn't believe
ReplyDeleteevery thing that I read.
Also read that the Pres wasn't on the list to receive news of the pending attack on Midway.
Watched Castle last night. The Kiss
was a let-down after all of the hype. If you blinked, you missed it. Wonder what his wife thought of it
Sack and bag are also regionalisms.
Cgy/Anh went to 16 shots in the SO.
45 days to St Pete. Have about 40 to decide.
eddy
YR, We traveled to Nara and Kyoto in '69. I was stationed on Guam at the time, so it was a short air hop to a nice vacation spot. I'm only sure of the year because we arrived in Tokyo on July 20th and watched Neil Armstrong's moon-walk on the TV in our hotel room.
ReplyDeleteI think it was near Kyoto where we visited Fushimi Inari Shrine with hundreds (if not thousands) of torii gates forming a tunnel around the hillside. Our tour guide explained that torii gate translated as bird-perch, and that the Shinto believe their ancestors return to earth as birds after death. I found it interesting that outside the park there were numerous stands selling sparrow-on-a-stick and other avian delights. That takes ancestor worship to a whole new level!
My first thought on 1A was CPTS, and 1D ear made me think COBS. i always seem to miss the singular vs plural cluing. I also felt that the 39A clue was too easy, and would have preferred "Theme that may reveal only the starts..." (or would it have made no difference?)
ReplyDeleteRe: yesterday, Carol (2/6 5:05pm)
i thought you meant "if i can still drink" ( i do love my beer )but when Lois 2/6 @7:56pm was LMAO is realized that the english language is very complicated.
NotChester 2/6@8:13 (nice catch)
Re: Today
HeartRx@5:41 sees a story in the details, where we see that all the tiny details make up her Heart.
Jayce: your trying to find good Cajun food outside of Louisiana reminded me of something that happened to a friend a few years ago. He was traveling in an unnamed State far from Louisiana. H stopped in a restaurant and was informed that the evening's special was something "Cajun-style.". So, he asked what made it "Cajun."
ReplyDeleteThe waitress said, "well, I think it's made with Cheyanne pepper."
My friend then asked, "Would that be Cheyanne, Wyoming or Cheyanne, Louisiana?"
"Oh, that would be Cheyanne, Louisiana," the waitress too him.
Hahtool: Your story reminds me of an acquaintance (sp?) who often mangles her words; she refers to cayenne pepper as "canine". Well, I guess they both can bite!
ReplyDeleteHahtool: good story. Unnamed state far from Louisiana, eh?
ReplyDeleteHahtool reminds me of one of my own experiences. I was traveling on business and stopped at an unfamiliar restaurant for breakfast. They had Eggs Benedict on the menu. I really like properly prepared Eggs Benedict.
ReplyDeleteI asked the wait person if it was good. "I don't know. I've never seen anyone order it." was the response. (Hardly an endorsement, but I had to give him points for honesty).
Despite that huge caution flag, I ordered it. "It wasn't awful" is the most charitable thing I can say.
CrossEyedDave: I love my beer too, and I am glad you are not too old to drink either! Sounds like you are doing just fine, 'keep it up' ;0
ReplyDeleteAvg Joe: I've been meaning to tell you that I love your card-playing snowmen avatar.
ReplyDeleteYellowrocks, fascinating information about Japan's capitals. Now, do you think I can keep them all straight next time I come across them?
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, our book club read "Memoirs of a Geisha". Wonderful story about women, written by a man! We also went to see the movie after we had reviewed the book. The visuals were wonderful, but we all agreed that the book had much more depth.
Hahtool, I had to laugh at your "Cheyanne" story!! DH lived in N.O. for many years, and still loves to make me a real "Shrimp boil" with seasonings he brings back from his jobs down there...we just had it on Sunday for our "tail-gating" party. Yummm!!
Husker - on snoring.
ReplyDeletePlace a piece of ahesive tape over your mouth at night. It will force you to breath through your nose and greatly reduce your snoring.
My wife is a chronic snorer it helps quite a bit.
Secondly stop drinking cheap supermarket wine.
Lastly a second bedroom works the best.
Good luck!
Hahtool,
ReplyDeleteThat avatar is just one of those silly things somebody sent me over the years. Don't even remember where I got it, but do remember that is was during a nasty spell of winter we we're having a few years back. If you look at the title, you'll note it's called "Happy Hour in Nebraska". After our foot of wet snow this past weekend, I thought it appropriate. And for the others that commented on same, I didn't fail to notice your comments, I just didn't want to add too much clutter to the board. Glad ya'll like it.
Now....must get the earworm "She can eat her own weight up in crabmeat" out of head! (That's your fault Hearti:-)
I thought the 3-down column was too political.
ReplyDeletePRIM SOBER MITT ...
Husker:
Maybe you should get that REM-AP.
Cheers!
Enjoyed today's puzzle tremendously. Straight-forward and to the point with the unifier right in the middle- typical of the military, I might add. Very clever indeed.
ReplyDeleteArgyle - thanks for that nice clip of Ginger Rogers! I never saw that movie. What a lovely woman she was. Not such a great singer, but boy could she dance. I liked her in that B film she made with Ronald Reagan. Trying to remember the name of it. He played the cop and I think Doris Day portrayed her abused sister. Her husband was always beating her. I will post again if I can figure it out.
Husker:
ReplyDeleteBuy some Breathe-Rite nasal strips. They helped me with my breathing until I had my septoplasty back in 2000. Possibility they could help you with your snoring as well. If all else fails, there is the CPAP suggestion I saw, and now dentists can work wonders.
Tinbeni, your 3-D comment was funny!
Great lessons on Japanese geographic and geisha history! It had me doing more research.
ReplyDeletePapa Cass – no cheap wine on premises and we have 2 other bedrooms. Mouth tape? Not so much.
Tin, what the heck is REM-AP?
BTW, wife is very tolerant as snoring never lasts over 15 minutes.
A hint for that baseball license plate earlier. It might be easier if I parse it this way. PA(HR)RK.
ReplyDeleteSomething Average Joe wrote reminded me of a Wordie. Do you know of them? You write a word or words in such a way that it reminds you of a common saying. Here are two examples. The answer is below.
WEAR
LONG
PRO MISE
The first is LONG UNDERWEAR and the second is BROKEN PROMISE.
Here are two trickier and more clever ones. The first one is the one Avg. Joe reminded me of. I wish I had been able to figure out the second one but I had to look at the answer.
WHEATHER
ENTURY
I just came across these marvelous microscopic time-lapse video images from MSNBC.
ReplyDeleteThe first one is a bad spell of weather.
ReplyDeleteThe second one is Long time no see.:
ReplyDeleteTonight's Incredible Performance Video. (C.C. and Jayce can probably understand the emcee.)
ReplyDeleteBill G 6:12 PA(HR)RK An hour in the park? a hitter in the park? What do I know about baseball?
ReplyDeleteIn case anybody is interested, the movie I was referring to in my earlier post is called Storm Warning. It was made in 1951, and I think I've seen it twice. I remember being quite scared the first time, so it might be worth a viewing.
ReplyDeleteA good night to all - there is a full moon tonight!
"Sack and bag are also regionalisms."
ReplyDeleteLine of the day.
Inside the park home run.
ReplyDeleteSpitzboov, I confess I am so rusty that I did not understand the emcee. She was speaking very fast.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
ReplyDeleteKazie, It's a shame you couldn't find Dixie Beer, I remember it fondly; however, my favorite Cajun restaurant (it's now a Starbucks) used to do a " Cajun Martini". Take a bottle of Beefeater's gin, put in a couple of Jalapenos and let it sit for a couple of weeks or more, then poor over a couple if ice cubes. It's just wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with tonight's snoring, Tin-Man.
ReplyDeletevirginia @9:01
ReplyDeleteThe "Cajun Martini" sounds nice.
Though I would have it "Neat."
(ICE is NOT allowed at Villa Incognito).
Virginia ,
ReplyDeleteAre you mixing me up with another poster? I didn't mention anything about Dixie beer. I've been gone all day after my early post this morning @7:55.
Most entertaining days of comments; thank you all. arrogant bastard is a very strong ale, and one of the very first successful craft brews from Stone Brewery in California. It is more than 7% alcohol, so there is kick as well as hops.
ReplyDeleteJayce(12:49 PM, Monday) wanted a beer to go with some Louisiana-style food Monday night.
ReplyDeleteBill G. and Square Peg.
ReplyDeleteI may not be half as smart as either of you, but I appreciate your information. The n(n+1) / 2 reminds me of this apocryphal story.
Carl Gauss was a child prodigy... he was sent to school when he was 4 yrs. old. One day, his classroom teacher, wanted to keep him 'occupied', so he told him to add all the numbers from 1 to 100.... and thought it would occupy him for an hour. Carl gave him the answer in 2 mins... because Carl figured that he could make pairs like 100+1=101, 99+2=101, 98+3=101 , so there were 50 pairs of 101, so the total was 101x50 = 5050...which is n(n+1) / 2. As I said, the story is apocryphal ( a word, which I just learnt how to spell ;-O ) - so probably not true.
For a more entertaining version, see - google -"Carl Frederich Gauss Wiki ".
Tinbeni, maybe you should put 2 "scotch bonnet" peppers instead of the Jalapenos, in the Gin bottle, and then try to sip a glass of it.
ReplyDeleteThis is called the 'Cajun Arrogant Bastard Martini' - and it is guaranteed to make you beg for ICE.
<<<< :-oooooo)
I loved Memoirs of a Geisha and enjoyed the movie as well although as Marti noted, a movie rarely has the same depth as the book.
ReplyDeleteyellorocks:
Thank you for further information on Nara.
Tin, LOL at your 3D observation.
Great comments today, everyone.
This is an aggressive ale. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory–maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make things taste better. Perhaps you’re mouthing your words as you read this.
ReplyDeleteAt Stone Brewing, we believe that pandering to the lowest common denominator represents the height of tyranny - a virtual form of keeping the consumer barefoot and stupid. Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste. As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity. There have been many nods to Arrogant Bastard Ale…even outright attempts to copy it… but only one can ever embody the true nature of liquid Arrogance!
Anony-Mouse, great story about little Gauss. It's funny because I almost included it in one of my previous posts. Also, I would tell it just the way you related it to my students each year.
ReplyDeleteThanks to whoever alerted us to last night's "Castle" episode. We had it taped and watched it tonight: great fun!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy CASTLE very much, but was not a fan of the ridiculous attempt to change the voices of Rick and Kate when they were John and Vera. Neither one could decide what accent they were projecting, and it made all the scenes from the 40's seem foolish. It was nice see Chad Everett again, though he looked much too young. No spoilers here.
ReplyDelete