google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Kurt Mueller

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Sep 25, 2012

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Kurt Mueller

Theme: "Bad girls, bad girls, whatcha gonna do when they come for you."

17A. 31/42-Across in a 1967 Dustin Hoffman film : MRS. ROBINSON
 
 

23A. 31/42-Across in a Ken Kesey novel : NURSE RATCHED
 
 

51A. 31/42-Across in a 1961 Disney animated film : CRUELLA DE VIL
 
 

64A. 31/42-Across in a Shakespeare tragedy : LADY MACBETH
 
 

31A. With 42-Across, a 1975 hit for 41-Across : EVIL and 42A. See 31-Across : WOMAN
 
 

41A. Rock gp. known for its symphonic sound : ELO. (Electric Light Orchestra)


Argyle here. A nice change of pace for the theme today. I'd say more but I have some evil women to round up.

Across:

1. Spell starter : ABRA. (Abracadabra)

5. Scours : SCRUBS

11. "Viva __ Vegas!" : LAS

14. Roller coaster feature : LOOP. Hands up for you daring individuals who have ridden a loop coaster.

15. Muscat natives : OMANIs. Muscat is the capital of Oman.

16. Blow away : AWE

19. Detroit labor org. : UAW. (United Auto Workers)

20. "Volunteers?" : "ANY ONE?"

21. Precious stone : GEM

22. Shrek, e.g. : OGRE

26. Director Craven : WES

29. Shar-__: wrinkly dog : PEI

30. Seashell seller : SHE. She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells she sells are surely seashells. So if she sells shells on the seashore, I'm sure she sells seashore shells.

33. Writes briefly (to) : DROPS A LINE

39. Neighbor of Chad : NIGER. Map.

43. Loving feelings : TENDERNESS

46. Like Granny Smith apples : TART

47. "Golly!" : "GEE!"

48. Looney Tunes dynamo, familiarly : TAZ

50. Injection amts. : CC's

57. Man around the Haus : HERR. German.

58. Actress Lupino : IDA

59. Win the heart of : ENAMOR

63. Batting stat. : AVG.

66. Take to court : SUE. For selling sea shells without a license.

67. Necessarily involve : ENTAIL

68. Suffix with switch : EROO

69. Septiembre, por ejemplo : MES. Spanish "month".

70. Without a musical key : ATONAL

71. On sale, say : LESS. This seems a little odd.

Down:

1. __ mater : ALMA

2. Brought into existence : BORN

3. Like a good outlook : ROSY

4. It may have strings attached : APRON. Cool.

5. Put all kidding aside : SOBERED

6. Roman 901 : CMI

7. Mountain chain : RANGE

8. Indy great Al : UNSER

9. Organic matter used for fuel : BIOMASS

10. Payroll ID : SSN

11. Cackle or chuckle : LAUGH

12. Clued in : AWARE

13. Put in stitches : SEWED

18. "Movin' __": "The Jeffersons" theme : ON UP. Closing theme. Much jazzier than the opening.

22. Spotted wildcat : OCELOT. What would you do if you spotted a wildcat?

24. Police car warning : SIREN

25. Winter warmer of a sort : THAW

26. "They __ thataway!" : WENT. From the old oaters.

27. Singer/songwriter Sands : EVIE. Poor quality but interesting video.(4:08) Wiki entry.

28. Omen : SIGN

32. Bookkeeper's book : LEDGER

34. Corrida cheer : ¡OLÉ!

35. Madame's mail : POSTE. French.

36. 14-year-old Apple : iMAC

37. Drug cop : NARC

38. Sinusitis docs : ENT's. (ear, nose, and throat)

40. Movie roll : REEL. Outdated.

44. Dependent : RELIANT

45. Receptacle for preventing waste : SAVE-ALL. I am unclear on what this is. Anyone with personal experience that would like to weigh in on it, please do.

49. Metal in pennies : ZINC. Thin veneer of copper.

51. Deep fissure : CHASM

52. Song-and-dance program : REVUE. Another outdated.

53. Impulses : URGES

54. Supplement : ADD TO

55. Six-Day War leader Moshe : DAYAN

56. Clothing tag : LABEL

60. Piddling : MERE

61. Midwest Native Americans : OTOs. Without the E this time.

62. P's on sorority sweaters : RHOs

64. Meadow : LEA

65. Jane Eyre portrayer Wasikowska : MIA. Image.


Argyle


102 comments:

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Man, I had the hardest time figuring out the theme on this one. Partially because the clues were so long (my attention span is short early in the morning), partially because the theme reveal was split between two answers and referred to a song I didn't know, and partially because I got MRS ROBINSON first and, well, I never really considered her to be EVIL...

The rest of the puzzle had a surprising number of speed bumps for a Tuesday. MIA Wasikowska? Whatever happened to MIA Farrow (or Hamm)? And no, SAVE-ALL isn't in my wheelhouse either, Argyle. Ditto for EVIE Sands. I have heard of DAYAN, but just barely.

My biggest problem, though, was self-inflicted when I confidently put in ENDEAR instead of ENAMOR at 59A. It seemed so right, but ended up causing a massive traffic jam down in the SE corner until I finally fixed it.

HeartRx said...

Good morning Argyle, C.C. et al.

I had my post all written and went back to check for typos, when I realized I was repeating everything from out first poster this morning. So I erased it all, and here is my revised version:

WBS !!

Unclefred said...

59 endear, 68 aroo, and 71asis had me stymied for a while. Tough when you get three wrong in the same area. Eventually tried enamor, which gave me label which gave me less, then fixed aroo to euro. Sure thought it was "switch aroo" though, not "switcheroo". Tough, for a Tuesday puzzle. Way over my time.

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, Argyle and friends. I had fun with this puzzle. MRS. ROBINSON immediately popped into my head. While she wasn't evil like the other women, it certainly wasn't nice to seduce her daughter's fiance.

Like Barry, I wanted Endear instead of ENAMOR.

My favorite clue was It May Have Strings Attached = APRON.

And no, I have never ridden on a LOOP Roller Coaster. I am more of the Ferris Wheel type.

In honor of what would have been his 115th birthday, here is the QOD: A mule will labor ten years willingly and patiently for you, for the privilege of kicking you once. ~ William Faulkner

TTP said...

Thanks Kurt Mueller. Thanks Argyle.

I have three or 4 ELO albumns. They're in mint condition.

Ditto 59A ENAMOR not ENDEAR but perps corrected.

Anyone ?

desper-otto said...

Good Tuesday, all.

My SCOURS got SCRUBbed, my ANDES were out of RANGE and WROTE A NOTE became the lsd-like DROP SALINE.

Hand up for being LOOPless and for not knowing what a SAVEALL is, though some garages around here are used that way.

But, I got the theme for a change.

Middletown Bomber said...

nice puzzle and writeup, Not to easy but not hard by any means. Got the theme clues fairly easily the theme answer worked it self out.

Splynter said...

Hi there~!

Hand up for ENDEAR

Nice~! A lefty woman guitarist - and she plays natural, too - I re-string my guitar so the heavy stings are on top.

Thanks Argyle; can't help with the SAVE-ALL....

Splynter

TTP said...


Argyle we had the Wild Cat at Idora Park in Youngstown. Always rated one of the very best in the world. I wouldn't get on it. It didn't need a loop. Definitely wouldn't get on one with a loop. No idea on SAVEALL, but it fits via perps. Maybe it's a stretch like On Sale = LESS.

D-O, just noticed you DROP SALINE. Be careful, I've heard that's a contributor to hypertension

HBP

Mari said...

I may be LOOPy, but I'm among the LOOPless...although I do work in the Chicago LOOP.

My dad and sibs love roller coasters. Mom and I wave from below. No thanks!

No SAVE ALLs here.

Anybody watch the Packers/Seahawks game last night? What's your take on the scab refs?

Spitzboov said...

Good morning everyone.

I agree with Argyle about the change of pace for the theme. Mechanically, though I am bothered by excessive cross referencing on the cluing. It's hard enough to see straight in the morning. Good job, tho, Kurt; I enjoyed it.
I remember Moshe DAYAN with his eye patch along with Abba EBAN.
No lookups, no nits.

Have a great day

Anonymous said...

Mrs. Robinson didn't seduce her daughter's fiance, did she? I thought she seduced Dustin Hoffman before he fell in love with the daughter.

thehondohurricane said...

Hello everyone,

Lots of wags today so I figured one or more would be wrong and I was right! Never heard of Nurse RATCHED and had ROTCHER. BIOMASS looked sound & I guessed SEWER instead of SEWED.

CRUELLA DEVIL, MIA Wasikowska & Shar PEI were wags I lucked out on..

SAVEALL was a gimme .... I'm married to one. If MRS ROBINSON was an evil woman, wish she had been my neighbor.

Fun Tuesday effort even though it was another DNF.






Yellowrocks said...

Argyle, very clever blog, especially your title. This was a little crunchy for a Tuesday which made it more fun, but it wasn’t too difficult because all the unknowns were covered by perps.

I don't care for roller coasters, with or without loops. When I was a kid I ate right before riding one and lost my lunch. Never again!

Enamour was my first choice. Moshe Dayan was a gimme. I guess I am a news junkie.

The theme roles came easily. For some reason I was looking for a name for 31/42 A, even though I realized that these roles all were played by different actresses. Finally seeing all of the themes together, EVIL WOMEN became my last fill.

What would you do if you spotted a wildcat? Ogden Nash knew what to do when called by a panther.

The panther is like a leopard,
Except it hasn't been peppered.
Should you behold a panther crouch,
Prepare to say Ouch.
Better yet, if called by a panther,
Don't anther.

Anony-Mouse said...

Thank you Kurt Mueller, for a very nice, somewhat challenging puzzle.... I barely got it. And thanks, Argyle, for your daily sparkle .... always a great pleasure ...( I wonder how you are in real life ....)

Here's hoping you herd at least one 'evil' woman, preferably in the likes of Ms. Robinson, ... and at your age, a much younger Ms. Robinson....

'Save All' ?? .... that's me personified ... I still have the stub from the very first paycheck I ever received.... ( I better move on, lest the 'evil' woman, in my life, sees this - and starts her monologue ...). Talking of which, it'll be nearly 40 years tomorrow - drat, I'll probably forget it by this evening .... as always. Funny enough, I don't even remember anything of my PMS ( pre married stage - ) ... it was so long ago.

From yesterday, Cross eyed Dave, CED, DR. Linkletter ... you da man !

Thought of our great fearless leader in 'CCs'.



ALT QOD:- The single most romantic thing any woman ever said to be in bed was, "Are you sure you're not a cop ?" ~ Larry Brown.

For all our lawyers out there - does a detective-John ever answer that question truthfully ?? I remember reading that if a cop-John ever drops his pants in a 'sting', the case gets thrown out of court (as entrapment - ).

Anonymous said...

Mrs. Robinson was not an evil woman - she was every male's James Thurberesque Walter Mitty-mistress. She was not a leopard, or a panther, she was a cougar. Dustin Hoffman not only got his fill of her, ( I think - ), he also got an Oscar, to boot. Plus she gained fame in a song, with Simon and Garfunkle, which is an earwig even today.

Whats to complain - may we all be that unlucky !

Anonymous said...

At the end of the film Mrs. Robinson, who has always been manipulative, becomes vengeful and vindictive, not a pretty sight.

Criminal JD in Rochester,NY said...

Good point Anony-mouse ! If there are any cruciverbalist Madames reading this, beware. To protect your rights, don't worry about the "mail"s, but make sure the male undresses first, before starting the negotiations.

Qli said...

Hi all,

Well, the NW corner did me in on this great puzzle. I had filled in ABCS for 1A, which got me off on the wrong foot. Enjoyed the links, Argyle.

I thought ENAMOR didn't sound quite right, but not sure why. I've always heard "enamored of".

Loved SHE as the person who sells seashells, and also Argyle's extension of that tongue twister, which I hadn't heard before.

SAVEALL fit and sounded logical, even though I wasn't sure what it meant.

ELO was a fabulous band from my college days, so the theme was kind of easy to get. Always thought CRUELLADEVIL had two more Ls and an E at the end.

Thanks for the Ogden Nash poem, Yellowrocks. I am not a big poetry fan, but i do love his work!

I am off to try taking a shower without bending the leg that has the broken patella...wish me luck.

Anonymous said...

Pretty simple. A bit of trivia; 41 across answer is ELO. 34 down is OLE, they intersect. OLE was ELO's first compilation/greatest hits album, "OLE ELO". "Evil Woman" was a track on it.

kazie said...

I did OK today except the top. I never did get APRON or SOBERED, so Mrs just sat there with -O-INGON (UNGER: I can never remember those pesky sport names either). For the Dustin Hoffman movie, I was thinking of Midnight Cowboy, wondering if there was even a woman in that, so Robinson never entered my mind.

I couldn't get into Hotmail earlier today. Anyone else? It's OK now, but it gave me a fright. More than half my world is ties up with all those contacts!

Anonymous said...

A save-all is a receptacle that prevents waste, loss, or damage. For example, a net that is strung up between a ship and a dock while the hold is being loaded or unloaded.

Lemonade714 said...

Happy erev Yom Kippur all; and thanks Kurt for a Tuesday workout. The OLE ELO semed so perfect after yesterdays anagramfest, but I did not recall that was the album name. I kept thinking it was NURSE RATCHET, so that slowed the process, and it is Cruella de Vil, though the lle ending looks good too. See you all Thursday

windhover said...

Mari -
You said it all when you said "scab".

And while I love poetry and Ogden Nash, not every thing that rhymes is a poem.

CrossEyedDave said...

I am surprised to hear all of the troubles you had with this puzzle, for once, i breezed right though most of it. It was only the very NE & SW corners that had me scratching my head for a while. Different life experiences i guess, plus having seen switcheroo before helped a lot.

Alas, i am coming up empty on the save-all also. but the dictionary has some nautical descriptions that i also cannot find pics for.

evil woman proof?

Yellowrocks said...

Disney Wiki spells it De Vil, a play on the word, Devil.
Link Disney Wiki
QLI, I hope your knee heels quickly.

Ron Worden said...

Good morning to all, thanks Argyle and Mr. Mueller for a fun Tuesday puzzle. No smudges or write overs for me. ELO was one of my favorite rock bands of all time. I had all their LPs at one time and saw them live twice. Loved the blend of rock and classical sound. I also believe the NFL films guy that recently passed, Steve Sabol used the song Fire on high in a highlight reel.
I don't think we should blame the replacement officials as much as the commisioner for failing to reach an agreement for what is a mere pittance of money to the NFL.
Have a great day to all. RJW.

Irish Miss said...

Good morning:

Fun and clever theme, Mr. Mueller; thanks. And thanks to Argyle for his usual witty write-up. No hand up here for a loop roller coaster. No roller coaster, period. I don't even like getting on escalators or elevators!

Liked the clues for apron and sewed. I wouldn't put Mrs. Robinson in the same category as the other "ladies.". I, too, thought the correct spelling of Cruella's last name was DeVille.

Happy Tuesday to all.

Spitzboov said...

Cargo handling SAVE-ALL.

windhover said...

Ron Worden:
You're right, of course. And it isn't like the regular officials don't make the occasional mistake.

Anonymous said...

Or better yet, get rid of the unions that once again have disrupted things so that they can impose their (fortunately fading) force upon the American people.

Lemonade714 said...

In a world where people talk about karma, I believe the Seattle Seahawks saw a 14 year old curse broken by the last play of the game. While I do not agree the call was as obviously wrong as others, since as ESPN pointed out, when they hit ground both were possessing the ball; I do know the 1998 PHANTOM TOUCHDOWN of Vinnie Testaverde was clearly wrong as can be seen in all angles. As stated, this hastened the downfall of that franchise, which might just be on the way back. Now if only Dan carpenter would make a field goal I could say the same about the Dolphins.

HeartRx said...

There is another type of SAVE-ALL which is used by pulp mills.

Anonymous said...

Good afternoon everyone.

Qli: sorry to read about your broken patella. Good luck with your shower.

From yesterday: one of my anagrams was Illegal Shit. Nice, huh?

DNF. I truly hate cross referenced nothings. And frequently forget movie titles.

And speaking of Nurse Ratched, what has become of Buckeye? Haven't heard from him for a long time. I hope he is all right.

Cheers

Gentile Well-Wisher said...

To all our Jewish Friends, and especially those who observe. Sundown today is the beginning of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, for fasting, repenting, reflection and prayer. May your fast be fast (pun intended) and an easy one.

Lucina said...

Hello, Argyle, et alia. I like your take on the theme, Argyle.

I sashayed right through this although initially it seemed daunting with the cross-references but MRS ROBINSON appeared quickly as did each EVIL WOMAN.

NURSE RATCHED reminded me of our amusing friend from Florida. I wonder how he's doing.

Great cluing, it may have strings attached, APRON.

Have a terrific Tuesday, everyone! The packing continues.

Lemonade714 said...

For those of you interested, this what REFS WANT . As with most of life, nothing is simple, making a $149,000.00 as a part-time job is not bad, and pensions are complicated issues. No politics, but interesting reading.

Lemonade714 said...

GWW, thank you for your kind words.

Crossword Tyro said...

For fiendish Fridays

A flower is something that flows.
A number is something that numbs.

Then how would one interpret,' taking a shower without bending a leg ..' ?

(Seriously, my honestly sincere sympathies to the unfortunate afflicted one.)

Misty said...

Great puzzle this morning--many thanks, Kurt. And it was a sparkly write-up, Argyle--thanks to you too.

For the most part, WBS--re trouble with EVIE and SAVE ALL. Also, like Irish Miss, I thought it was Cruella De Ville. So it's fun to see that EVIL in her name.

Fun Ogden Nash "poem" (note my quotes), Yellowrocks. And Qli, I too wish you a refreshing and painless shower.

Have a good Tuesday, everybody!

Steven J. St. John said...

Good start to the week! Nice puzzle yesterday, nice one today. Really enjoyed the theme. I like the way the 4 evil women came from different genres and time periods.

Steven J. St. John said...

Yellowrocks - that's my favorite Ogden Nash poem.

Ron Worden said...

Thanks Lemon that was an enlightening article about the refs. Although I do believe they deserve what they are asking for. All the other major sports employ their officials full time . They do have many more games,but I don't believe the job is any less stressful and requires as much preparation and dedication. RJW .

TTP said...

RE: Nurse Ratched... look at her placement in this list:

Film Heroes and Villains I have a neighbor that looks just like her at that age. She doesn't get the Nurse Ratched reference. And I'm not going to 'splain it to her.

Lemonade, thanks for the Refs Want link. Good summary from that side.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is on strike but apparently a tentative agreement has been reached. CSO Strike Unlike the NFL, CSO operates in the red.

Thanks Spitz and HeartRx for clarifying SAVE ALL.

Hahtoolah said...

Qli: a speedy recovery to you. I broke my knee cap in a car accident about 10 years ago, so I know the challenges you are facing.

tampagirl said...

Hello all. Enjoyed the puzzle today although for some reason I thought the Mrs. was Doubtfire till I realized it wouldn't fit! Lots of nostalgia for films of yesterday. F bombs were not needed.I too thought it was Nurse Rachet. Good luck with the broken patella. Any knee problem is painful. Have a peaceful week.

Wearing stripes of a different kind said...

The unfortunate, but rigorous axiom of Capitalism is that, as an employee, you are paid what the market will bear and what the competition can compel.

For the NFL refs to expect more because the NFL can 'afford' more, is plainly irrelevant. Every (lower paid) NFL player could make the same argument. To the extent that the NFL referees can be replaced, (in a pinch), they will have to settle for whatever they can get. Otherwise, nurses 'should be' making twice as much (at least) and teachers should be making, at least, four times as much.

Defined benefit pension plans are a 'pie in the sky', total utopia for every other class of workers , except government workers, who don't have to worry about piddling things like gross receipts, income and profits. The autoworkers had a defined benefit plan, which, after nearly destroying the entire industry, has now gone to hell in a hand basket. Since Adam Smith, the basic fact of life is that you cannot legislate Capitalism, no more than you can legislate honesty, patriotism or goodwill.

BTW, I don't watch TV, leave alone the NFL.

desper-otto said...

TTP, interesting that Terminator played by De Arnold made both the hero and villain top 50, though not in the same movie.

Lemonade714 said...

TTP

Thanks for the list, bearing in mind it was from 2003, most seem fine, but I do not see Clarice as a major hero, certainly not #6. Also, having Thelma and Louise as heroes and Michael Corleone as a villain begs the gray areas of life.Though not eligible, Heath Ledger's Joker would be high on my current list. Also, if you include the Shark, Hal and "martians" the velociraptors in Jurassic Park deserve a mention.

fermatprime said...

Greetings!

Puzzle went rather swiftly! Thanks, Kurt. Swell expo, Lemonade!

Scratched head in a few places. Hand up regarding CRUELLA. Hadn't heard of EVIE (no surprise).

Computer problem: mail either not coming in or disappearing. Spent last 3 days with Apple and ATT. No one has solved the problem. Received a letter on gmail which disappeared before I was able to read it. HELP!!!

Cheers!

TTP said...

"Upon further inspection..." I did not notice that the list was from 2003.

And no Bruce Willis or Nicholas Cage as heroes ? :)

# 4 on the villains list scared the heck out of me at the time !

Husker Gary said...

I loved this puzzle and the puzzle in the puzzle, Kurt!

Musings
-Scroll down to Casting for great info on how Anne Bancroft became Mrs. Robinson
-I had no idea Cruella had been around that long.
-Lady Macbeth had laundry issues
-I told Joann I wanted to vacuum and SCRUB out my truck. Well, she got into it and we cleaned the truck inside and out, treated the box cover, cleaned and vacuumed the car and then completely rearranged the north wall of the garage. No SAVE-ALL she!
-Elvis also sang Viva Ann Margaret!
-Ben Stein’s “ANYONE, ANYONE?” is a Bueller classic.
-ANYONE, ANYONE?
-My iMac is 7 years old and has had NO issues
-My ENT had me take an MRI for a tumor on my ear nerve but only found I had Sinusitis. Ears are fine, just old.
-Pennies are now 97.5% Zn and 2.5% Cu
-I’ve ridden every LOOP coaster in Orlando and loved every one of them
-The replacement refs are not good but they didn’t sack Rogers 7 times in the first half and the call at the end of the game was a toss up but handled incorrectly. You gotta use somebody to play the games.

Jazzbumpa said...

Hi gang -

Good theme, and some tasty fill.

A few nits I could pick, but instead, I'll subject you to these alternate clues.

1A Holder of tiny treasures: A BRA.

33A Trip on ocean water: DROP SALINE.

43A Touched Untouchable: TENDER NESS.

With that, IMBO.

Cool regards,
JzB

HeartRx said...

TTP @ 12:23, some of the villains on that list give me the creeps just reading their names (i.e., #1). But I think that O-Ren-Ishii (a.k.a. "Cottonmouth) in Kill Bill was pure evil. Since the movie came out in 2003-2004, she didn't make that list.

Jayce said...

Hello everybody. Agree with you all about this puzzle. Loved the ELO/OLE crossing right in the center. Loved the theme, but had a hard time keeping the cross references straight. Once I solved it, however, it became clear. Loved the clue for SHE (or looking at it from the other side, loved SHE as an answer for that clue.) Also loved the clue for APRON.

The computer named HAL was clued as a villain in another puzzle. I don't see HAL as villain so much as a character who suffered a nervous breakdown and tried to execute his (its) mission in the face of conflicting demands.

I can't ride roller coasters any more. For some reason I have become more and more "phobic" about being accelerated to high speeds while simultaneously being constrained. For this reason I am physically unable (well, technically "able" but I get massively ill if I do) to travel in airplanes. Sorry, TMI.

Anonymous said...

Re: SCABS refs..Scabs are workers
who cross lines of fellow workers.
What you have in the NFL are workers hired by the owners to put
on a show for the populace. If the
Player's Union had any Balls they
would'nt take the field..but $$$
talks..Mike

Jayce said...

Argyle, liked your writeup today. Thank you. I picture you with a slight, sly smile on your face as you say something witty in your dry and subtle way.

I never caught on to the special spelling of Cruella's last name until today. As with DROP SALINE, mentioned by TTP, it's all in the parsing.

windhover said...

Stripes:
A) There are no "facts of life". (Your parents lied"
B) Nothing is inevitable. (Your teachers lied)
C) Capitalism is America's real religion. (your preacher lied)

We've been "legislating" our economic system for a hundred years (Sherman Antitrust, Clean Air, Clean Water, OSHA, etc) with mixed results. We will do better in the future, once my generation and those damned Xers ;-) are in the clay.

It is worth pointing out that the refs are not "on strike". They were locked out by the owners. There is a significant difference. That said, I really don't care who wins any particular game, or whether they even play. But the earlier commenter Mike was correct. If the players had any sense of fairness, not to mention the anatomical feature he mentioned, their union would support the refs union.
Also, it wasn't the pension format that whacked the Big 3. It was continuing to offer an inferior product in the face of superior quality imports. And they all seem to be doing quite well these days.
I'm glad we don't have to be concerned about the demise of the crossword puzzle "industry". Oh wait, forgot about the "commuter" crossword.
Bring it, anon. I'm braced. ;-)

Mari said...

When DH gets mad at me he sings EVIL WOMAN by ELO.

Lemonade - thanks for the Ref link. I'm going to check it out. I didn't see the end of the game last night but I was awokened by DH screaming at the TV.

Mari said...

The NHL is locked out too, are they not?

PK said...

Hi Y'all,

Fun puzzle despite all the back references. Thanks, Kurt! (Wonder what female in Kurt's life inspired this.)

Good Argyle, good Argyle!

About the NW corner: Running on a LOOP in my mind is the ROSY picture of Mrs. Robinson wearing only A BRA and an APRON, seducing ANYONE.

CED @ 10:44: Aren't you the father of two girls? Did you raise them to be your princesses?

A local newspaper article says a woman saw a cougar near the tree line back of a McDonald's here one morning last week. Wouldn't want to be the employee who takes out the trash last thing at night there. Cougar must be starving to hang around a fast-food place.

QLI: How'd you break your patella? Best wishes for a speedy healing.

PK said...

5A Scours is the name of a nasty form of dysentery which baby calves get and sometimes don't survive.

Tinbeni said...

Argyle: Wonderful write-up & links. Thank you very much!

Hmmmm, All kidding aside, here at Villa Incognito, SOBERED would only happen if I ran out of Pinch.

As for the play last night:
Did ANYONE else notice that the Ref who signaled "Touchdown" was also inept at NOT calling the obvious "Offenive Pass Interference" PUSH by the "receiver" before he jumped and "caught" the ball?

PK: Here in Tampa Bay we have "cougars" hanging-out everywhere. lol

Oh well, time to "Unsober" (if that's a word) ...
Cheers!!!

Stripes said...

Windhover, you are such a nice guy, and I mean it, that now I feel very bad.

I hereby formally request the webmaster to expurgate (now, that's a nice word for a crossword grid spanner) my earlier article, entirely, at his earliest possible convenience.

Peace, my friend.

Anonymous said...

What an interesting conversation about the NFL.

Even President Obama has weighed in. He said this is a crisis for America. If will not get solved overnight. We should be patient and give them more time to fix it. There will be bumps in the road. He recommends that Government intervene and regulate the NFL.

Abejo said...

Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Kurt Mueller, for a swell puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for the swell review.

Got started easily in the North and just worked my way down. Skipped over the theme answers for a while due to all the cross-referencing.

Once I got to the bottom, I went back and filled in the theme holes. Eventually I caught on. It was quite easy once that happened.

I never have seen MacBeth. so, I am not familiar with the story. I will have to read that play some day. It is certainly referenced enough.

Was not sure what a SAVE-ALL was, but it fit and made sense. The various links offered by our bloggers cleared that up.

Thought THAW was a good one for 25D.

Had to get a couple letters before NIGER became known to me.

Moshe DAYAN was quite a guy.

No comment on the Refs. That's a complicated issue.

Posting late today due to a funeral I went to earlier. Old friend of 25 years.

See you tomorrow.

Abejo

Anonymous said...

I don't know why I read books, newspapers or magazines. Nor why I listen to radio or watch television.

Everything that I need to understand could be gleaned from asking windy for his opinion!

windhover said...

Hey Stripes,
Don't quit on me now, my friend. It's all in fun, and not as if any of us can do anything other than pontificate (a worthy match for expurgate?) and roll with it.
And pay no attention to that snarky anon just before me. He or she probably just has their magic underwear in a bind.

Yep, PK, I think all us mammals get the scours. We just call it something different. Adds a whole new meaning to John Denver's "Life on the Farm is kinda laid back" doesn't it?

Bill G. said...

I enjoyed the puzzle, the writeup and almost all of the comments. WEES.

As a young man, I would have been putty in the hands of Mrs. Robinson.

The proper call seemed so obvious to me; I wonder how the refs saw it so differently.

I came across this slide show of The Most Romantic Movies. I thought you might enjoy it too.

CrossEyedDave said...

PK@3:45

I have 3 daughters. The princess thing lost it's cuteness real fast as each one of them reached their teens...

Perhaps Tinbeni can commiserate with me. You see, i have discovered the true meaning of "Evil." Last month my DW brought home a bottle "macallan" fine oak, triple cask matured, 10 year old single malt scotch whiskey, & told me i am not allowed to open it!

This month she brought home a bottle of Glenlivet 18 year old single malt scotch whiskey, "& two fine cigars!"

This time i protested the "do not open" command, & she said, ok, maybe you can open it on a special occasion...

Help!

Can anyone out there give me some suggestions for a special occasion? because a man's & a woman's definition of "special occasion" are incompatible!

(I think she's trying to kill me!)

Anonymous said...

Shouldn't is be "Whisky"? Windy?

Bill G. said...

Buy her a nice present too and make the special occasion the day you both open your gift to each other. Sounds like a good lead in to an enjoyable evening to me.

Tinbeni said...

CED:
Get in the program ...

I thought by now, from all my comments, that you would realize that EVERY SUNSET is a special occasion.

Cheers !!!


PS There are NO "do-not-open" rules when it comes to Single Malt Scotch.
At least none here at Villa Incognito!

Lucina said...

I agree with Bill G. Make it a special occasion and I predict the consequences would be enjoyable.

As for the sports debate: since I don't follow sports my solution to all sports problems is convert the stadiums into giant lecture venues where extraordinary and charismatic teachers could offer lessons, encourage learning and stimulate interesting debates.

That's my dream anyway.

Manac said...

Last night's call in case no one has seen it. The Call

Anonymous said...

Lucina--we already have those--they're called universities(which receive millions of dollars from their sports teams).

Manac said...

Lucina,
I find myself agreeing with Anon@5:23
Sports teaches our children much more than just the game itself but also fair play and sportsmanship, I can't think of a better link than this to show it. Heroic

PK said...

Tinbeni: With the low-cut tops some of the "cougars" shown on TV wear, "hanging out" is an apt description.

Anony-mouse: If tomorrow is your wedding anniversary, may your day be as full of joy as the first one.

akathelma said...

aka thelma..

Inregards to fermatprime from yesterday (I believe) I wanted to say how very very sorry I am to hear about your kitty, your cactus and your truck... my heart goes out to you.

And to the party that asked about the arms growing back... the saguaro does not grow arms for many many years to start with and they live to be many many years old...

In Cali the saguaro is federally protected which makes it a crime to harm one in any manner..

Just wanted to put my 2 cents in since I have had many smiles from your blog and I do want to say thanx...
T

akathelma said...

Sorry.... I may learn to do this... and then... I may not.. :( I certainly didn't want to send my message twice...

PK said...

Manac: Your "heroic" link is an uncommon act of sportsmanship. Loved it! However, some of the parents with Win-at-All-Cost Syndrome would probably chastise their kids for carrying an opponent to score.

Manac said...

PK, After spending many, many years watching my two daughters playing that sport and still at least one more to go it saddens me to say that I have run into that kind of parent more than I cared to. I Always watched the games away from the stands so the urge to strangle one of them didn't get the best of me. And by the way, the opposing team that carried her lost the game by that run and knew it was a possibility of losing before carrying her.

Argyle said...

NCIS season premier right now.

Jayce said...

OMG, 18-year-old Glenlivet! Open that sucker and sip away! MacAllen, wow yes, it is the best! I once spent $60 for a bottle of 18-year-old MacAllen and it was worth every 2 pennies!

Jayce said...

Hmm, decisions decisions: to watch NCIS and 2nd hour or DTWS, or ...

{coin flip} 1 hour of NCIS and the last hour of DTWS. The first hour is probably a recap of last night anyway. BTW, what's with Val Schmerkovsky smooching all over his partner? She was actually turning away from him and pushing him away. Sheesh. What a slob.

BTW, I just took the test to renew my driver's license and passed the test! Yay!

Bill G. said...

Manac, I've seen that video before and I love it. It's hard for me to imagine any parent finding fault with that behavior. Maybe there are some but...

I read somewhere (not here I hope) that The Princess Bride was 25 years old now. Hard to believe. That is high on my list of favorite movies.

Gary, for a teacher, that Ben Stein click is funny and painful.

HeartRx said...

CED @ 4:52, hmm...I think a "special occasion" would be any of the following:
- You picked up your wet towel from the bathroom floor without being yelled at
- You actually cleaned the cat's litter box without being reminded to do so
- You vacuumed the living room...
- You remembered to take out the trash
- You jumped up after dinner and said "Honey, go relax. I'll clear the dishes!"

...and BTW, DH makes those special occasions every day for me, so I truly know how truly "special" they are!!

Jayce said...

HeartRx, keep him!

Manac said...

CED,
I'm not so sure about marti's suggestion's. I'd just wait til her back is turned and grab the bottle and cigars and head to the garage for some quiet time, but that's just me:-).

CrossEyedDave said...

HeartRx@7:24

(Heavy sigh...)

Go take a look at the "occupation" on my profile, i do all that stuff 24/7 anyway :(

Tinbeni, i agree with you (& Jayce) 100%

Bill G's Sounds like the best alternative. I'll let you know...

CrossEyedDave said...

Ooooh! i got an idea for a present!

I'm going to get her some scotch & cigars too!

wish me luck!

TTP said...

Big NCIS fan here. Just watched the season premier. Now watching NCIS Los Angeles.

DW went off to Bible Study and left me to fend for my self. Should have pulled the Eggos out of the freezer. Went to the local golf course to see what the specials were. Must have been watching too much of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. Opted for the Pot Roast Nachos. Already starting to get a feeling that was a bad choice.

Avg Joe said...

Manac,

I find your comment extremely sexist and deeply offensive. And the smiley face does nothing to alleviate that.

Touche.

I will go now, but I will not go quietly.

Out

TTP said...

Fusion gone bad !

Anonymous said...

Avg Joe, how long have you been lurking and waiting for that opportunity? Sad.

Manac said...

Avg Joe,
I was taught to never get into a battle of wits with an unarmed man,
sooo...

Grateful Driver said...

I saw Jayce's yippee for passing the renewal of a drivers license exam, and normally I would have chuckled. But 3 years ago, I lost eyesight in my left eye, because of a detached retina, that could not be fixed. I have had 3 retinal surgery repairs, and an intraocular lens, but my left eye is worse than 20 / 400, and cannot be corrected anymore. Also because of hyper myopia, my right eye is less than 20 / 200, before correction. After correction, the right eye is 20 / 40.

The driver's renewal license exam in my state, is run by a private agency, on a bid basis. The whole test is just a simple eye exam, through a desk sized optical microscope - the clerk runs the test for each eye - with your glasses on. I never had any problems for the last 30 years. But now, I realized, no matter how hard I tried, the clerk knew my left eye was a goner. The clerk was a young afro-american, working for a little above minimum wage. She gave me 6 'tries', for the left eye, I failed them all. She could marked the license, for partial blindness, and that would have restricted my driving to daylight hours, required special visual equipment, and enlarged side mirrors - costing in all at least 900 Dollars. She just took a good look at me, checked my driving record, and quietly passed me, for both eyes. I haven't had a ticket in 12 years, no accidents for 16 years. God Bless her.

I come up for my driver's license renewal in 2013 ... Que sera, sera.

Bill G. said...

I wear glasses pretty much all the time now; mostly for reading but they improve my distance vision too. For some silly reason I would prefer not to be required to wear them for driving though I most always wear them anyway. When I went to take my driver's license test, I had to read an eye chart about fifty feet away. I couldn't do it with my worse eye. Then the tester had me look into a machine. It was much brighter and the contrast was much better. I passed easily.

windhover said...

Doesn't matter what you're taught if you ignore the lesson.

Anonymous said...

windy, seems you forgot the lessons your mother must have taught you. namely, myob.

Yellowrocks said...

How disappointed I was to arrive home just now and read all the snarky comments. Please lighten up, guys.
Yellowrocks (hugs) to all those on this blog are especially kind and warm hearted. You make it all worthwhile.

PK said...

AKAthelma: Thank you for the information on the Saguaro and for checking in. It was worth saying twice. Honey, we've all fluttered on that publish button and saw it come twice. Don't let that discourage you from posting.

YR: Having worked around macho men most of my life, I know they insult and give each other a hard time as a sport. It's just the same as rams butting heads. Usually the guy getting the most insults is the one that is most admired. And that's probably a sexist remark. LOL