Theme: Letter of Introduction - Each theme entry is a blend of a letter-starting phrase & a common phrase which share the same word with the former.
27A. Packrat's moving need? : LONG U-HAUL. Long haul. U-Haul. (Sorry for the Long U error earlier.)
29A. Scan on a bulb? : X-RAY OF LIGHT. X-ray. Ray of light.
46A. Stripper's scrapbook item? : FIRST G-STRING. First string. G-string.
65A. Topnotch Carnival vessel? : A-ONE LINER. A-One. One-liner.
86A. Spot for digital greeting displays? : E-CARD COUNTER. E-card. Card counter.
106A. Moisture-resistant pullover? : RUBBER V-NECK. Rubberneck. V-neck.
110A. Touchscreen device with a strap? : WRIST iPAD. Wrist pad. iPad.
37D. Profit from a swab? : Q-TIP INCOME. Q-tip. Tip income.
42D. Silly-looking steak? : FUNNY T-BONE. Funny bone. T-bone.
I mentioned last week that Mr. Ed's grid is a good Sunday template for 7-theme entry puzzle. Today we have 9, but none longer than 12-letter. 9/11 or 10/10 for the first two theme entries tend to make gridding easier as you can put them in the same row.
Gail's grid is never fancy. Just super smooth & solver friendly. Like Marti, Gail loves gardening and golfing. I have a feeling that she always shoots straight and seldom finds herself in the rough or downhill lie.
Across:
1. Tip off : TELL
5. Symbols of thinness : DIMES. Thought of RAILS first.
10. Name of four Holy Roman emperors : OTTO. Hi there cat-loving D-Otto!
14. Cost for classified info : AD FEE
19. Rod on a rig : AXLE
20. Tennyson work : IDYLL
21. Club for a chip : IRON. When I first played golf, all the clubs I used were 7 Iron and putter.
22. Back biter? : MOLAR. Nice clue.
23. "Let's leave __ that" : IT AT
24. Olive Oyl's creator : SEGAR. E.C. Segar.
25. Penitent period : LENT
26. Univ. VIPs : BMOCs. BMOC = Big Man on Campus.
31. How Hawaiian shirts are worn : LOOSELY. Sorry, Dennis, the dog is cuter.
32. Wears a long face : POUTS
33. Cartoon dog : REN. Pal of Stimpy's.
34. Multi-vol. references : OEDs
35. Bungles : FLUBS
36. Like Handel's music : BAROQUE
40. Big, in Variety : BOFFO
43. Stretched to the max : TAUT
44. Holiday landing site : HOUSETOP. For Santa.
45. Writer Santha Rama __ : RAU. Indian American. New name to me.
51. Gullible sort : SIMP
52. Annapolis inst. : USNA. So most SEALs don't attend this school, right, Spitzboov/D-Otto/eddyB?
54. It might consist of sandbags : DIKE
55. Cry of exasperation : AARGH
56. Not neg. : POS
57. Uncompromising words : I INSIST. Two consecutive I's look odd in the grid.
59. Jackie's predecessor : MAMIE (Eisenhower)
61. Spicy cuisine : THAI. Steve would have linked you a delicious looking Thai plate. Do you like Thai food, Jayce?
64. Self-titled 1990s band album : 'N SYNC
69. Choreographer de Mille : AGNES. Our Irish Miss' real name.
72. Plays (with) : TOYS
74. Handrail post : NEWEL
75. On the up-and-up : ETHICAL
77. Consumer protection org. : BBB
79. Tavern turmoil : MELEE
81. Half a '50s comedy couple : DESI (Arnaz). "I Love Lucy".
83. __ bene : NOTA
84. Per : A POP
90. Weather report staple : MAP
91. Like many rewards : MONETARY
93. Mysterious character : RUNE. Not a person.
94. Acts as a shill for, say : ABETS
96. Sheer : SEE-THRU. Remember this? Just designs on the back. You can't really see through.
97. "All done" : THERE
99. Darth's daughter : LEIA
101. Poetic preposition : ERE
102. They may need breaking in : SHOES
103. Scholar's pursuit, briefly : POSTDOC
112. Nocturnal disturbance : APNEA. Do you read books before falling asleep? I always listen to Terry Gross's "Fresh Air".
113. Bop on the bean : CONK
114. Rivera of Broadway's "West Side Story" : CHITA
115. Hamlet, for one : DANE
116. Go easy? : COAST
117. Court cover-up : ROBE
118. Comfy-cozy : HOMEY
119. City north of Pittsburgh : ERIE. Abejo grew up there.
120. Works on a muffler : KNITS
121. Legal postponement : STAY
122. Impressionists : APERS
123. Mail-routing abbr. : ATTN
Down:
1. Watch from behind : TAIL. For investigators.
2. Praise highly : EXTOL
3. South American plain : LLANO
4. Release : LET GO OF
5. Served : DISHED
6. Lofty standards : IDEALS
7. 1964 Mary Wells hit : MY GUY. No idea.
8. Mideast airline : EL AL
9. 35mm camera type : SLR
10. Massage option : OIL RUB. Never had an oil rub. I imagine it feels good. What kind of oil do you use, Melissa?
11. Takes care of dinner, say : TREATS
12. Stage awards : TONYs
13. In the know about : ONTO
14. Hurriers they're not : AMBLERS
15. Rectangular game pieces : DOMINOES
16. Thrash : FLOG
17. Pricing word : EACH
18. Formerly, formerly : ERST. Super-friendly letter combo for constructors.
28. Make __: employ : USE OF
29. Deletions : X'OUTS
30. Filled (with) : FRAUGHT
32. Good word : PLUG
35. The way it goes : FATE
36. Dull, ringing sound : BONG
38. Man of Milano : UOMO. Meet Giovanna Battaglia, editor of L'Uomo Vogue. Lovely bag.
39. "House" actor : EPPS (Omar). Who else is a fan of "House" besides Argyle?
40. UCLA athlete : BRUIN
41. Mirage, maybe : OASIS
43. "Naughty!" : TSK
44. New addition : HIREE
47. Cards with pics : IDS
48. '90s U.S. Poet Laureate __ Dove : RITA
49. Sri Lankan language : TAMIL
50. Parade concern : RAIN
53. "This comes __ surprise" : AS NO
58. Needing salt, perhaps : ICY. I was thinking of food.
59. Asked for milk, in a way : MEWED. Fun clue.
60. Yard filler : ALE
62. "Yeah, right!" : HAH
63. Fightin' : AGIN
66. Dental restoration : ONLAY
67. Poet's adverb : NE'ER
68. Put one's feet up : REST. We went to a neighborhood yard sale yesterday. Alas, no bobbleheads.
70. Trouble big-time : EAT AT
71. High-fives, e.g. : SLAPS
73. Nasty campaigner : SMEARER
76. Knot : TIE
77. Loud thuds : BAMS
78. Letters often seen under antlers : BPOE. Hi Abejo again!
80. Neutral tone : ECRU
81. Beachgoer's shield from an offshore breeze : DUNE. Also a perfume name. I like Dune.
82. GPS reading : ENE
85. Ringo Starr predecessor : PETE BEST. Was he forced out?
87. Golf course hazard : CREEK
88. Couple's pronoun : OURS
89. "Luck of the Draw" vocalist : RAITT (Bonnie)
92. They may be idle : THREATS
95. Hardly encouraging words : BAD IDEA! So I was reading "The ? of ?" while taking a hot bath the other day. Bad idea!
97. Hoops gp. : THE NBA
98. Game played with sticks : HOCKEY. Can never understand the beauty of hockey.
99. Hang around : LOITER
100. Think pieces : ESSAYS
102. Supercilious type : SNOOT
103. Heyday : PRIME
104. Illusory display : OP-ART
105. "Zip your lip!" : CAN IT
106. Display aid : RACK
107. Lying atop : UPON
108. __ B'rith : B'NAI
109. Passé TV attachments : VCRs
110. Hit hard : WHOP
111. "Paula's Home Cooking" host : DEEN. Not a fan. I like Ina Garten. Who's your favorite TV chef?
114. Half a dance : CHA
Answer grid.
C.C.
27A. Packrat's moving need? : LONG U-HAUL. Long haul. U-Haul. (Sorry for the Long U error earlier.)
29A. Scan on a bulb? : X-RAY OF LIGHT. X-ray. Ray of light.
46A. Stripper's scrapbook item? : FIRST G-STRING. First string. G-string.
65A. Topnotch Carnival vessel? : A-ONE LINER. A-One. One-liner.
86A. Spot for digital greeting displays? : E-CARD COUNTER. E-card. Card counter.
106A. Moisture-resistant pullover? : RUBBER V-NECK. Rubberneck. V-neck.
110A. Touchscreen device with a strap? : WRIST iPAD. Wrist pad. iPad.
37D. Profit from a swab? : Q-TIP INCOME. Q-tip. Tip income.
42D. Silly-looking steak? : FUNNY T-BONE. Funny bone. T-bone.
I mentioned last week that Mr. Ed's grid is a good Sunday template for 7-theme entry puzzle. Today we have 9, but none longer than 12-letter. 9/11 or 10/10 for the first two theme entries tend to make gridding easier as you can put them in the same row.
Gail's grid is never fancy. Just super smooth & solver friendly. Like Marti, Gail loves gardening and golfing. I have a feeling that she always shoots straight and seldom finds herself in the rough or downhill lie.
Across:
1. Tip off : TELL
5. Symbols of thinness : DIMES. Thought of RAILS first.
10. Name of four Holy Roman emperors : OTTO. Hi there cat-loving D-Otto!
14. Cost for classified info : AD FEE
19. Rod on a rig : AXLE
20. Tennyson work : IDYLL
21. Club for a chip : IRON. When I first played golf, all the clubs I used were 7 Iron and putter.
22. Back biter? : MOLAR. Nice clue.
23. "Let's leave __ that" : IT AT
24. Olive Oyl's creator : SEGAR. E.C. Segar.
25. Penitent period : LENT
26. Univ. VIPs : BMOCs. BMOC = Big Man on Campus.
31. How Hawaiian shirts are worn : LOOSELY. Sorry, Dennis, the dog is cuter.
32. Wears a long face : POUTS33. Cartoon dog : REN. Pal of Stimpy's.
34. Multi-vol. references : OEDs
35. Bungles : FLUBS
36. Like Handel's music : BAROQUE
40. Big, in Variety : BOFFO
43. Stretched to the max : TAUT
44. Holiday landing site : HOUSETOP. For Santa.
45. Writer Santha Rama __ : RAU. Indian American. New name to me.
51. Gullible sort : SIMP
52. Annapolis inst. : USNA. So most SEALs don't attend this school, right, Spitzboov/D-Otto/eddyB?
54. It might consist of sandbags : DIKE
55. Cry of exasperation : AARGH
56. Not neg. : POS
57. Uncompromising words : I INSIST. Two consecutive I's look odd in the grid.
59. Jackie's predecessor : MAMIE (Eisenhower)
61. Spicy cuisine : THAI. Steve would have linked you a delicious looking Thai plate. Do you like Thai food, Jayce?
64. Self-titled 1990s band album : 'N SYNC
69. Choreographer de Mille : AGNES. Our Irish Miss' real name.
72. Plays (with) : TOYS
74. Handrail post : NEWEL
75. On the up-and-up : ETHICAL
77. Consumer protection org. : BBB
79. Tavern turmoil : MELEE
81. Half a '50s comedy couple : DESI (Arnaz). "I Love Lucy".
83. __ bene : NOTA
84. Per : A POP
90. Weather report staple : MAP
91. Like many rewards : MONETARY
93. Mysterious character : RUNE. Not a person.
94. Acts as a shill for, say : ABETS
96. Sheer : SEE-THRU. Remember this? Just designs on the back. You can't really see through.
97. "All done" : THERE
99. Darth's daughter : LEIA
101. Poetic preposition : ERE
102. They may need breaking in : SHOES
103. Scholar's pursuit, briefly : POSTDOC
112. Nocturnal disturbance : APNEA. Do you read books before falling asleep? I always listen to Terry Gross's "Fresh Air".
113. Bop on the bean : CONK
114. Rivera of Broadway's "West Side Story" : CHITA
115. Hamlet, for one : DANE
116. Go easy? : COAST
117. Court cover-up : ROBE
118. Comfy-cozy : HOMEY
119. City north of Pittsburgh : ERIE. Abejo grew up there.
120. Works on a muffler : KNITS
121. Legal postponement : STAY
122. Impressionists : APERS
123. Mail-routing abbr. : ATTN
Down:
1. Watch from behind : TAIL. For investigators.
2. Praise highly : EXTOL
3. South American plain : LLANO
4. Release : LET GO OF
5. Served : DISHED
6. Lofty standards : IDEALS
7. 1964 Mary Wells hit : MY GUY. No idea.
8. Mideast airline : EL AL
9. 35mm camera type : SLR
10. Massage option : OIL RUB. Never had an oil rub. I imagine it feels good. What kind of oil do you use, Melissa?
11. Takes care of dinner, say : TREATS
12. Stage awards : TONYs
13. In the know about : ONTO
14. Hurriers they're not : AMBLERS
15. Rectangular game pieces : DOMINOES
16. Thrash : FLOG
17. Pricing word : EACH
18. Formerly, formerly : ERST. Super-friendly letter combo for constructors.
28. Make __: employ : USE OF
29. Deletions : X'OUTS
30. Filled (with) : FRAUGHT
32. Good word : PLUG
35. The way it goes : FATE
36. Dull, ringing sound : BONG
38. Man of Milano : UOMO. Meet Giovanna Battaglia, editor of L'Uomo Vogue. Lovely bag.
39. "House" actor : EPPS (Omar). Who else is a fan of "House" besides Argyle?
40. UCLA athlete : BRUIN
41. Mirage, maybe : OASIS
43. "Naughty!" : TSK
44. New addition : HIREE
47. Cards with pics : IDS
48. '90s U.S. Poet Laureate __ Dove : RITA
49. Sri Lankan language : TAMIL
50. Parade concern : RAIN
53. "This comes __ surprise" : AS NO
58. Needing salt, perhaps : ICY. I was thinking of food.
59. Asked for milk, in a way : MEWED. Fun clue.
60. Yard filler : ALE
62. "Yeah, right!" : HAH
63. Fightin' : AGIN
66. Dental restoration : ONLAY
67. Poet's adverb : NE'ER
68. Put one's feet up : REST. We went to a neighborhood yard sale yesterday. Alas, no bobbleheads.
70. Trouble big-time : EAT AT
71. High-fives, e.g. : SLAPS
73. Nasty campaigner : SMEARER
76. Knot : TIE
77. Loud thuds : BAMS
78. Letters often seen under antlers : BPOE. Hi Abejo again!
80. Neutral tone : ECRU
81. Beachgoer's shield from an offshore breeze : DUNE. Also a perfume name. I like Dune.
82. GPS reading : ENE
85. Ringo Starr predecessor : PETE BEST. Was he forced out?
87. Golf course hazard : CREEK
88. Couple's pronoun : OURS
89. "Luck of the Draw" vocalist : RAITT (Bonnie)
92. They may be idle : THREATS
95. Hardly encouraging words : BAD IDEA! So I was reading "The ? of ?" while taking a hot bath the other day. Bad idea!
97. Hoops gp. : THE NBA
98. Game played with sticks : HOCKEY. Can never understand the beauty of hockey.
99. Hang around : LOITER
100. Think pieces : ESSAYS
102. Supercilious type : SNOOT
103. Heyday : PRIME
104. Illusory display : OP-ART
105. "Zip your lip!" : CAN IT
106. Display aid : RACK
107. Lying atop : UPON
108. __ B'rith : B'NAI
109. Passé TV attachments : VCRs
110. Hit hard : WHOP
111. "Paula's Home Cooking" host : DEEN. Not a fan. I like Ina Garten. Who's your favorite TV chef?
114. Half a dance : CHA
Answer grid.
C.C.
43 comments:
Morning, all!
Nice puzzle overall, and I really enjoyed the theme. Well, most of the theme. Of all the theme answers, CARD COUNTER is not a phrase that leaps immediately to mind (at least, not to my mind) and I thought the clue for QTIP INCOME ("Profit from a swab") was a bit of a stretch.
I struggled a bit, as always, with some of the names. This time around it was Santha Rama RAU and RITA Dove. I guessed the latter after getting the first three letters, but the former needed every cross. On the bright side, I actually knew SEGAR, CHITA and PETE BEST...
Missteps today included BIRTH instead of HIREE at 44D (which gave me MAMIT for awhile at 59A) and INLAY instead of ONLAY at 66D. ONLAY? Seriously? If you say so...
Minor annoyances/nitpicks today include WHOP (is that really a word?) and SEE-THRU (shouldn't that be SEE-THROUGH?)
Overall, though, a very enjoyable Sunday solving experience.
Good Morning, C.C. and friends. Although I caught on to the theme with E-CARD COUNTER, I found this puzzle to be a challenge. I had so many alternative answers that semed perfectly reasonable until I came to the perps!
I really wanted EACH to be the answer for the Per clue, but it wanted to appear as a Pricing Word.
I listen to Fresh Air on my iPod. I, too, like DUNE.
QOD: There is a foolish corner in the brain of the wisest man. ~ Aristotle
Chef Ramsay and Kate Garraway, and a yard of ale. An F_ word of course with Chef Ramsay but only one by my count. Clip.(3:45)
Good morning, Sunday Solvers (or in my case Sloggers).
I found this one to be very tough. Like Hahtoolah, I had some perfectly logical, but still incorrect fill that kept tripping me up: reeds/DIMES, deans/BMOCS, ears/VCRS, mimes/APERS, tarp/ROBE. The grid was FRAUGHT with landmines. (Is FRAUGHT ever used with something positive?)
Double-takes: IINSIST, UOMO, ONLAY. I didn't like the looks of any of them.
Favorite TV Chef: Bridget Lancaster of America's Test Kitchen. I've learned a lot from her.
Thanks for the shout-out, CC. And thanks for the workout, Gail.
Base phrase for 27a is LONG HAUL?
Morning C.C. et al.
I loved the little dog in the Hawaiian shirt, C.C. So cute! (And yes, much cuter than Dennis.) It’s a gorgeous day out, so I’m torn between golf and gardening. Maybe some gardening this morning, golf in the afternoon? But then, my kayak is sitting there just waiting to get strapped to the car roof and go for a ride…
I really enjoyed this puzzle, and got the theme at X-RAY OF LIGHT, so that really helped with the other entries. Loved seeing CONK, WHOP, MELEE, SLAPS and BAMS in the same grid. But SEE THRU gave me fits – I wanted something like UTTERLY for “Sheer”, because SEE THRough wouldn’t fit. Fun pics of that one, C.C.. I imagine those skirts got a lot of double-takes…
Nice misdirection in the clues for RUNE, MOLAR, KNITS and ICY. Not a speed run for me today, but Sunday’s are meant to be relaxed, so I enjoyed the ride. Have a great day, everyone!
Happy Sunday. After yesterday's flub, I redeemed myself today. I had quite a few write-overs, but finished in good time. I never heard of ONLAY or UOMO, but on researching them now, I find it's all good. They held me back until I decided to accept them.
I liked works on muffler/KNITS.
I'm off to church and then to an award ceremenony in the PM (for me). See you later.
I apologize for my silence yesterday, but when C.C. emailed me that she'd publish the photos "tomorrow" I didn't check when she'd written it, and I was reading the email yesterday morning. Since I had no luck getting a foothold in yesterday's Silkie, I didn't even look at the blog again until today.
Thank you to all who commented on my first lot of photos. A few responses:
Yes, C.C.,
I would agree the sweatshirt is cranberry. It's one of my favorites.
Sallie and Desperotto,
The name really is Peniscola. It is located a little north of the halfway point between Valencia and Barcelona. I had the same reaction to its name as you!
Splynter,
I don't know about Cuenca hanging houses being an aerie, but check this hanging monastery out--something another trip participant sent me last week.
Lucina,
They are estimating the Familia Sagrada to be complete in 2026.Here is a ,video of the interior.
Good morning everyone. Nice commenting, C.C.
I found this one a little on the easy side for a Sunday, As usual, missed the them but it didn't trip me up. No Baltic feeders; no baseball buzz. Unknowns like RAO and REN were easily gotten from the perps. A few misdirections to keep it interesting but several very clever clues such as for 21a IRON, and 22a MOLAR. I liked 'works on a muffler' - KNITS. CHITA is also a city in Siberia E of L. Baikal. Good job, Gail.
NB - C.C. question on USNA. I believe you are right. I think the SEAL talent comes from all over like most of the rest of the Navy. I believe the current special ops head's accession was through NROTC (Tex) while his predecessor was USNA. Unlike past decades, promotion to senior ranks is not dependent on a USNA pedigree. The current most senior Naval officer's bio shows him to be a graduate of the NROTC at Georgia Tech.
Yellowrocks - let us know what your award was for. Congratulations in advance.
Enjoy the day
I live in L.A. and my paper always carries a different crossword on Sundays than the one being discussed in this forum. What gives? Today I have the Merl Reagle "Cliche Couples".
Musings
-DIMES always reminds me of the March we all took part in during grade school
-CARD COUNTERS are not welcome in casinos and will be thrown out (or worse) if caught.
-At first – Bribes were cost of info, Deans were campus VIP’s, a Birth was a new addition
-My best holes are where I don’t have to CHIP
-Olive is worth fighting over? Really?
-If you FLUB catching a punt, it is called a MUFF.
-I thought Charlie Brown always said AARGH but all I can find it AAUGH.
-Fab pix of “see through” clothing, C.C. I’ll bet they get “Watched from behind”!
-Sporting goods stores BREAK IN new baseball gloves by steaming them in a machine and then pounding on them with a rubber mallet for several minutes. Would that work for a pair of wing tips?
-My favorite Dane (:27)
-Remember this variation of My Guy (2:34)?
-Larry’s massage option on Curb Your Enthusiasm was not oil
-Irregular golf balls are called X-outs.
-Most of this salt mine’s output is used to melt ice
-The creek on #17 owes me a lot of golf balls
-Carl received no MONETARY reward for caddying for the Dali Lama. What did he get instead?
Spitz, I don't think that's what YR meant. I think she's going to an awards ceremony, and since she lives on the right coast, it'll be afternoon for her, but not necessarily for the rest of us.
HeartRx, you're supposed to put the kayak in the water, not on the car roof!
No, she probably means herself and is hoping we will all ask what the Award is for.
Sorry HG, forgot to answer you yesterday. As for today's follow-up; total consciousness.
I solved today's puzzle easily. So, I got that going for me, which is nice.
Good morning everyone:
I found this to be a tad more difficult than the usual Sunday offering, but patience and perserverence paid off. Liked the clues for molar and knits and thought the theme was very clever.
Thanks, Gail, for the mental work-out, and thanks to CC for the shout out and the fine expo.
I watched two good movies recently, Margin Call and Midnight in Paris. Margin Call is about the ramifications of the 2008 Wall Street high-jinks that led to the economic crisis and bank failures. The cast includes Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore, Paul Bettany, and Stanley Tucci. Midnight in Paris is a lovely, poignant tale of love lost, love found, and what is important in life. The photography is outstanding and will tempt you to hop on the next plane to Paris!
I have become disenchanted with the Food Network chefs in general. IMO, they are now more interested in being a celebrity who entertains the audience, rather than a chef who teaches the viewers. I prefer the cooking shows that are on PBS: America's Test Kitchen, Jacques Pepin (sp), Lydia Bastianich, etc.
Happy Sunday to all.
Hello, super solvers. Very nice job, C.C., thank you.
Congratulations, Gail Grabowski! You created a wonderful puzzle with only four sports clues and one foreign word. It can be done!
Sailed THRU the top in record time, AMBLED along the center, and slogged at the bottom in a clear case of over thinking. RITA Dove teaches at ASU so her name is familiar to me from Alumni publications.
I saw SEGAR in a puzzle yesterday and PETE BEST just seeped out of somewhere. VCRs may be passe, but I still have one that plays dual media, tapes and DVDs. My collection of VHS cassettes is too large to replace all at once.
Initially I had A ONE LINER but refused to accept ONLAY and so changed it to INLAY though it made little sense. BAD IDEA!
Also could not parse BMOCS so waited for C.C. to do that.
Liked the cluing for RUNE,ROBE and MELEE.
What a beautiful video, Kazie, thank you for posting it.
Normally I believe Celine Dion's voice sounds forced but her Ave Maria is superb!
I hope your Sunday is lovely, everyone!
With profound apologies to our intrepid facilitator, I submit my favorite 'strip' from today's paper Link . Sounds good.
Our favorite chef is Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Seems to specialize in Alsatian dishes. Great restaurant at Columbus Circle in NYC.
D-Otto - You may be right. Maybe I was a little too fast out of the chute.
My paper doesn't print the Sunday puzzle, we get Saturday's on Sunday and I just wanted to say the ULTIMATE frontman was Freddie Mercury, an incredible talent. And in our world, water skis are singles, not pairs. So....that said, I'll go find today's puzzle on line.
I guess I'm in the Sunday Strugglers group today. I went with what I thought was the obvious answer too many times: reeds, inlays, deans, fails, exalt, etc. I guess I just didn't SEE THRU the misdirections as well as I usually do.
From 'inlays' my Carnival ship was a 'fine liner' (fine line being a perfectly good base phrase) but who the heck is Ritf Dove? AARGH! It all sorted itself out, but took way too long (I was in it for the LONG HAUL) and left me with a very messy bunch of writeovers.
No complaints, though. Thanks for the exercize for my brain, Gail, and thanks, C.C. for 'splainin' it all.
My dad was a dentist, so the onlay answer came pretty easily. They are more technically difficult and time consuming, but save more of the natural tooth. But most dentists these days just take the quicker and more financially lucrative route of just putting on a crown.
I also thought of the Sister Act parody of "My Guy". Whoopi was great in that.
Hi. Spitzboov correct. Most enlisted men are senior NCOs and offifers are USNA or ROTC grads. Their school is in San Diego and often "play" with the Marines at
Pendelton. Seals aka SWCC (Special Weapons, Combatant Crewman)
Would love to take you and Boomer
to a hockey game. It is a thing of beauty. Kings won again in OT with an unassisted goal.
Hello everybody. Man oh man I had a lot of trouble solving this puzzle today, but it sure was fun. Pretty much WEES with regard to the fill and clever clues.
I see we have BOFFO today.
For "Univ. VIPs" I put in DEANS at first, then realized they were looking for an abbreviation, so changed it to PROFS, which caused me trouble in that corner.
Some of the answers I filled first, although not actually gimmes in the sense that I was 100% certain I was right, include IDYLL, USNA, and LLANO. Come to think of it, MAMIE, CHITA, AGNES, and TAMIL were gimmes.
I love Thai food! Favorites include yellow curry and good ole Pad Thai.
A television chef that LW and I liked a lot is Jacques Pepin.
We also used to watch the "Yan Can Cook" show with Martin Yan; it seems he's retired now, but he's still doing a commercial for granite-top kitchen counters. When he frowns, he's a scary-looking guy! When he smiles he's charming as heck.
I used to read before falling asleep, and the association in my mind with reading and going to sleep became so ingrained that I still fall asleep after reading a few pages. I'm trying to break the habit, because I like to read, but it's slow going. Better than having a worse addiction, though.
Best wishes to you all.
CC-I forgot to thank you for the picture of that adorable Yorkie!
I enjoyed the puzzle. It took me a long time and I didn't suss out the theme until I was mostly finished.
Unlike eddyB, I have never been able to 'get into' hockey. I have been fast forwarding over the games until I see the score change and then I watch the goal. Are the Kings that good or have they been lucky? Years ago we went to a game. The puck sailed up into the crowd and under my wife's seat. As I bent over to reach for it, the guy next to me put his arm across my throat to keep me from bending down and he retrieved the puck.
Irish Miss: I liked Midnight in Paris too. Gary: Like you, I also recorded and am watching The Guns of Navaronne. I didn't remember most of it from years ago when I watched it the first time.
Jayce:
I love Pat Thai! When cooked properly, it is a feast for the taste buds.
Just before bedtime, I read for an hour to sometimes 90 minutes, depending on the book, then go right to sleep. At the moment the travails of the War of the Roses is engrossing me. I can't decide if Richard III actually murdered the two princes or not. History is not clear on that but Philippa Gregory makes a sound argument for his innocence. On that, at least.
Good afternoon everyone.
DNF as usual on the weekend, but did get some right. Thought the clues were very funny, even if I had no clue as to the answer. Like silly steaks.
If you did receive an award Yellowrocks, please set the record straight. And congratulations whether you did or didn't.
Cheers
You know who your are, snarky, bitter, needs-a-life anon.
Spitzboov,
I love that name of your favorite chef--French first names to seem more chef-like, and Vongerichten = of dishes in German to signify what he does!
Bob C
I really liked this one. At first it seemed too hard and that I would have to do some looking up but after I kept at it and found the rhythm it fell into place. A lot of nice misdirect in the clues (Back Biter & Rod on a Rig).
Thanks, C.C. for a fine explanation. You gave me the courage and clues to fill the rest in. I did the puzzle very early then slept all day.
I started out all right in the NW corner, but thought I was wrong. The "OF"s threw me. I parsed 4D as LET GOOF. What? Surely not! I thought it should be sET free for a bit but didn't change the right words.
Got a lot of the words, like BOFFO, RAU and USNA but didn't think IINS____looked right so didn't finish writing it in. FUNNY TBONE?--thought it should be Tibia or something. Very frustrating. Not in my wave length at all.
Maybe its just me, but I thought Dennis and the car were cuter than the dog!
Great links, Kazie! Seeing the hanging temples reminded me of the Cliff dwellings in our American southwest. Not as sophisticated, but for me very spiritually moving experiences at Mesa Verde. Guess people have always wanted to get "high".
I must say, this was the hardest Sunday puzzle i ever did! Just not on the Constructors wavelength. Every clue i got wrong, I.E. Hang around = loiter (i had linger) messed up my whole day. "But" there is nothing i can complain about, even the impossible "Holiday Landing Site" is a great clue for for "housetop" (housetop???, how do you get such a word approved?)
Yard of Ale, great clip. I must try that some day. The one time i had a chance was in Disney when my friend ordered one. (his & my) DW's reaction soured the whole VK!
I am going back to try & look at the Temples on the cliffs. (i could never visit in real life without a safety line!)
Hi folks,
I haven't done today's puzzle yet but I need to log in, so I can stop and say 'hello' anyway. I hope you're all well and happy and I'll try to get back later. dodo
I have just returned and have enjoyed reading your Sunday comments.
This AM I really was not sure of exactly what this afternoon was all about. I knew it was orchestrated by the Senior Ministries Dept. of our Diocese and that our local congregation was sponsoring my friend Dave and me for an award.
It turned out to be a Lifetime Achievement Award for 97 seniors who have been very active in our 50 congregations for many years. It made me face the reality that I really am a senior. Ouch!! They told us this did not mean we were through working. LOL I do enjoy the challenges.
There was a lovely sung Episcopalian Evensong service. Our pastor and main lay leader took Dave and me out to dinner afterwards. It was a fine afternoon and it was nice to feel appreciated.
Congratulations, Yellowrocks. You must be very pleased.
YR - Once again, congratulations.
Kazie - @4:18, I had the same thoughts. You said it well. They treat you well there. No snooty stuff.
YR @ 7:50-Congratulations on your award; I'm sure it was well-deserved.
Greetings!
Thanks for the interesting puzzle, Gail; of course, thanks once again to CC.
I worked this rather hurriedly late today. Didn't quite finish. Not much sleep lately. Didn't want to check in late. (Did anyone see my complaints about Barclay Card late last night?)
Congratulations YR!
Great pics Kazie!
CC: I watched House also. Replied to Argyle's query a while back. Was pretty bummed that he had ended up in jail. So now I have the summer to watch the other episodes I missed last year.
Did anyone watch the finale of Awake?
Sleep tight!
To crosseyedDave: "Up on the Housetop reindeer pause," etc. is what I thought of for that clue. Hope that helps.
Bea
"Up on the housetop, click, click, click, Down thru' the chimney with good Saint Nick."
Ho,Ho,Ho, who should know, me! And maybe Buckeye. He was around when it was new.
"Up on the House Top" is a Christmas song written by Benjamin Hanby in 1864 in the town of New Paris, Ohio. (per Wiki)
Good evening, folks. Thank you, Gail Grabowski, for a great puzzle. Little tough, but that's OK. Thank you, C.C. For a great write-up.
C.C.: You must have a great memory, or a file on all of us. To remember that I am from Erie and that I am an Elk, wow. I am impressed. And, I actually belong to the Elks in Erie. Erie Lodge #67.
Went to the Elks in Johnsonburg last Tuesday and had their chicken wings. Sweet and Fire. Outstanding!
Tough start. I believe my first two answers were EL AL and SLR for 8 and 9 Down. DOMINOES came next. That was easy. From there I just bounced around all over the grid.
Nice to see my hometown hit the puzzle again, ERIE. C.C. Remembered. Thanks. The clue referenced the city north of Pittsburgh. I usually think of Pittsburgh as the city south of Erie.
The theme appeared after I got a couple of the answers. Pretty clever.
My last area to get was the NE. Had a problem with AD FEE and MOLAR. MOLAR was clever. I liked it once I got it.
Yellowrocks: Congratulations on your church award. I admire your hard work.
I got started earlyyoday on the puzzle. Had so much work to do I could not finish until now. Now I am ready for bed.
Heading back to Illinois tomorrow.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
Anon @10:01AM--You can access the Sunday puzzle discussed on this blog by clicking on the link C.C. has graciously included. The LA Times newspaper currently publishes a Merl Reagle puzzle every Sunday.
Favorite TV chef is Ming Tsai. I love how he combines selected ingredients in a variety of dishes, many of which are relatively healthy.
I always enjoy Gail Grabowski's puzzles, and today was no exception. Always "neat and tidy" and solver friendly, as C.C. has stated.
Have a good week!
Yellowrocks:
Applause! Applause! Congratulations! I'm sure you deserve the award because volunteering usually falls to the few who work relentlessly and are usually not much appreciated. As a church volunteer, I know!
"click, click, click"?
Is that the sound of a pair and a half of skis touching down?
Been through New Paris many times, never saw Santa.
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