theme: smile to hide the tears
17A. *Role in the films "Wichita" and "Tombstone" : WYATT EARP
3D. *Protection for jousters : PLATE ARMOR
9A. *2000s documentary whose first episode was "From Pole to Pole" : PLANET EARTH
24A. *One who was held up, most likely : LATE ARRIVAL
30A. *Indoor antenna : RABBIT EARS
62A. Rip to pieces, and a hint to what's hidden in the answers to this puzzle's starred clues : TEAR APART
melissa here. i love theme-heavy puzzles, so this was fun for me. just right wednesday level. definitely needed perps for the theme answers. what's not to love about a full grid with long downs & theme entry intersection?
gonna be quick today, internet connection a bit unstable, and it just started raining, which seems to make it worse (?). all my fault - i washed my car yesterday.
Across
1. Aphid's meal : SAP. i only know they like tomato plants, never knew it was the sap they were feeding on.
4. Marsh bird : EGRET
9. Neil Simon's "__ Suite" : PLAZA. simon's early work is stellar. especially love this scene from the odd couple.
14. Communication at Gallaudet U. : ASL. graduate school for deaf and hard of hearing students. did anyone know this?
15. Concert venue : ARENA
16. Bona fide : LEGIT
19. Opposite of après : AVANT. french for after / before.
20. Place for un chapeau : TETE. more french. head / hat.
21. Miracle-__ : GRO
22. Get-up-and-go : ENERGY
23. Opera featuring Iago : OTELLO. based on shakespeare's othello.
25. Lint collector : NAVEL. snort.
27. It may be set or set off : ALARM. off is best.
29. Glowing, perhaps : LIT. no comment.
30. Cleaning closet item : RAG
33. Nautical pole : SPRIT. had no idea. where's jeannie?
35. Spry : AGILE
37. Will Smith title role : ALI
38. French noble : COMTE. new to me. also a french raw milk cheese.
39. Trail behind : LAG
40. Grape-growing spot : ARBOR
42. Back when : AGO
43. Put to shame : ABASH
45. Mutineer : REBEL
46. Neither mate : NOR
47. Noisy quarrel : ROW
48. "Hotel Rwanda" tribe : TUTSI
50. Compote ingredient : FRUIT
52. Fired on : SHOT AT
55. __ of Gibraltar : STRAIT
58. Source of lean red meat : EMU. tastes like chicken?
60. Pertaining to planes : AERO. hmm. i thought it was relating to air …?
61. Pope after Sergius II : LEO IV. don't have these things memorized.
64. Lexus competitor : ACURA
65. Malady with swelling : MUMPS
66. "Norma __" : RAE
67. Potter's apparatus : WHEEL. as in pottery.
68. "Count me out" : I PASS
69. Part of DOS: Abbr. : SYS. the old days … disk operating system. anyone else feel old?
Down
1. Managed : SAW TO
2. So far : AS YET
4. "Mangia!" : EAT. italian.
5. Genetics pioneer Mendel : GREGOR. i'm studying anthropology and environmental science right now, otherwise i wouldn't have known this. the father of genetics - he studied pea plants. quite fascinating.
6. Derrière : REAR
7. 2001 bankruptcy filer : ENRON
8. Brew source : TAP
10. Video game stage : LEVEL
11. Ice cream thickener : AGAR. more science. a polymer, made from algae.
12. Criticize with barbs : ZING
13. DOJ employee : ATTY. department of justice - attorney.
18. "We want to hear the story" : TELL IT
22. Devil's work : EVIL
26. Land : ALIGHT. verb.
28. Mozambique neighbor : MALAWI
31. Lotion addition : ALOE
32. Gibson __ : GIRL
33. Diagnostic test : SCAN
34. Comic strip possum : POGO
36. Beetle juice? : GAS. ohhhh …. vw beetle. beetle juice is pretty spendy these days.
41. Lather again : RE-SOAP.
44. Flu fighter's episode : BOUT
49. Seizes unlawfully : USURPS. never knew the 'unlawful' part ….
50. Renaissance __ : FAIRE.
51. Start a hole : TEE UP. reminds me of work. the fry's tournament is this week. will be glad when it's over.
53. Variety : ARRAY
54. Big name in raingear : TOTES
55. Picnic side : SLAW
56. One helping after a crash : TECH. computer crash.
57. Cad : ROUE. beast!
59. Cass's title : MAMA. for eddyb:
62. "Spare me the details," in brief : TMI. too much information.
63. Backpacked beast : ASS
Answer grid.
Melissa
Note from C.C.:
I'm sorry to inform you the passing of dear Clear Ayes, whose wisdom and advice I relied on in the early days of this blog. Thanks for letting us know, Windhover.
Clear Ayes (Lois) & GAH (Golf Addicted Husband) Fred
Answer grid.
Melissa
Note from C.C.:
I'm sorry to inform you the passing of dear Clear Ayes, whose wisdom and advice I relied on in the early days of this blog. Thanks for letting us know, Windhover.
Clear Ayes (Lois) & GAH (Golf Addicted Husband) Fred
Good morning, MelissaBee, C.C. and gang - I had a rocky start this morning, as the only answer I was sure of in the NW was 'tete'. Once I hit the North central, I was able to pick up steam and work my way around, with my last fill being 'plate armor'. Getting the theme reveal earlier than normal certainly helped. I thought this was a nice Wednesday level puzzle with some fresh cluing; favorite was 'Beetle juice'.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, nice job, and I agree, seeing DOS does make one feel rather ancient.
Hope it's an outstanding day for everyone; do something fun!
Howdy folks,
ReplyDeleteIn a rush today .... heading to Newburyport (Barry's territory) for grandson's 16th birthday.
The theme was clever and like Dennis, needed a lot of perp help. 30a started as MOP, then perps found RAG for me. 18D TELL US made more sense to me then TELL IT, but SPRIT & COMTE corrected my thinking.
TUTSI sounds to me like the tribesman's lady friend, not the tribe itself.
Happy hump day.
Enjoy your hump day.
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Matt Skoczen, for a very good Wednesday puzzle. Thank you, as well, Melissa Bee, for a swell review.
ReplyDeleteI got up early and hit the puzzle running. Got no where until I hit the SE. Filled that in and then spread upward.
Had the theme unifier before any of the theme answers. It helped with the puzzle.
Too much French for me in this puzzle, but I was able to get them with perps. Chapeau came easily, however, because we wear one in the Commandery.
Did not know ASL for 14A. Thank you, Melissa, for explaining that. It is great that a school of hat nature exists.
I have never had EMU, but I have heard it is good. Maybe some day. I hear buffalo is a lean red meat. I have had it and it was good.
ALOE is a crossword regular. Maybe I should try some on my hand. I burned my two middle fingers on Saturday lifting a pot with a hot handle, that I did not know was hot. Second degree burns. Still hurt.
Heading out of Johnsonburg today. See you tomorrow.
Abejo
Good morning Melissa, C.C. et al.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the exposé, melissa! It certainly was theme-heavy, and the fill didn’t suffer at all. But when I saw AVANT followed by TETE and COMTE, I thought we might be in for some complaints today.
I did happen to know Gallaudet University, so ASL was a gimme. It also made me change 1A from “bud” to SAP, because “dL” didn’t seem likely as the start of a word at 3D. I did have some other stumbles, like “Elk” instead of EMU for my lean red meat, and a “mop” in my cleaning closet instead of a RAG. But they all corrected themselves in the end.
Loved the clue for GAS: “Beetle juice?” and NAVAL: “Lint collector.” And when I saw 22D, I immediately thought of this EVIL Woman. 3:38
Happy hump day, everyone!
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteSwell puzzle and write-up, Matt and mb!
Favorite answers: GAS, TEEUP and NAVEL. Did not see the theme until the giveaway. Just plowed right through.
We are definitely supposed to have that long-awaited rain today. We'll see! Vegetable plants will be thrilled.
Went to Costco at the right time to get an electric cart. Whoopee! Always find something new that I must have! Helper from the store packed lots of stuff on top of my wheelchair. We drove up to Lenscrafters to get one frame readjusted. Fellow within was nice enough to come out to the car!
Have watched 1.5 episodes of 666 Park Avenue and do not intend to watch anymore. Anyone else?
Cheers!
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a bit on the crunchy side for me today. Like Dennis, had trouble getting started in the NW corner, since I could only think of aphids eating plants and had no idea what/where Gallaudet U was.
By the time I got to the theme reveal I had already completed all the theme answers, so that was no help. Still, it was nice to go back and appreciate the theme after the fact.
@Hondo: Enjoy your trip! Feel free to honk as you drive past on your way up there.
Good Morning, MelissaBee and friends. I loved this Wednesday puzzle. RABBIT EARS was my first theme answer. I did need the unifier to help me find the TEARs in some of the other theme clues.
ReplyDeleteGallaudet University was in the news a few years ago when a new President was not considered deaf enough.
My favorite clue was One Helping in a Crash = TECH. Oh, the ubiquitous "help desk" TECH!
Gibson Girl.
I wanted Tell Me instead of TELL IT.
QOD: Age is not important unless you're a cheese. ~ Helen Hayes (October 10, 1900 - March 17, 1993)
Good morning all,
ReplyDeleteMy next door neighbor's son attended Gallaudet U, so learned about it as he related stories to my sons during school breaks.
This was a fun puzzle because I got most of the clues. NE was hardest for me, but perps got me through it. I didn't get the theme until coming here.
Taught students about Gregor and DOS, so, yes, I feel ancient. Tasted emu in Australia--so-so taste. I think my head was telling my taste buds I wasn't going to like it.
Have a good day,
Montana
Mon Dieu ! Enough French related clues and answers to last a week. Sacrebleu !
ReplyDeleteActually, no anger here. No real problems with them when the perps came to the rescue. Thanks Matt. Nice puzzle. Thank you as well Melissa. Is the Fry's tournament causing traffic problems ?
I went lickety split through the fist 8 rows with only SAP and ASL missing. All the proofs were there for PLATE ARMOR and PLANET EARTH. West side SPRIT and COMTE are unknowns, but perps SCAN and POGO came through. I too wanted TELL US, so IT was a LATE ARRIVAL. Pretty much everything tied together, and even though MALAWI and TUTSI were also unknowns, the intersecting perps were all gimmes to provide the necessary fill.
Beetle Juice = GAS has been in some of the other daily puzzles as of late, so even though a gimme, I still enjoy it as a fun clue. DOS, as in PC DOS, does seem ancient, but RPG and COBOL are much older. Trying to remember others.
Marti, is that "Evil Woman" an omen ? What are you constructing now ?
'scuse me. Lickety split through the first 6 rows.
ReplyDeleteMelissa: Nice write-up. Hope you have a profitable Golf Tournament.
ReplyDeleteMatt: Thank you for a FUN Wednesday. "tears" theme was appropriate.
For whatever reason, I solved from the bottom-UP.
Having the theme reveal TEAR-APART made for an easier trip.
Hondo: I also fell in the TELL-US thingy.
Couldn't figure out what a 'sprUt' was before the 'V-8 can-smack' (ouch!) got me SPRIT and TELL-IT appeared.
Hahtoolah: Thanks for the Gibson-GIRL stamp pic.
I'll have to google to learn why I needed all the 'perps' to get her.
Yellowrocks: Thanks for OTELLO comment yesterday. It made 20-A a gimmie.
A 'Toast' to all at Sunset.
Cheers !!!
There's a term I haven't heard in a while. Anyone know the origins of 'lickety-split'?
ReplyDeleteDennis, I'll bet its origin isn't the same as what I'm thinkin'. lol
ReplyDeleteGMTA, but I was trying to be good for a change.
ReplyDeleteGood Wednesday puzzle.
ReplyDeleteALT QOD: "Age is not important unless you're old."
Let's at least try to keep it real, please.
I see nothing unreal here. And doesn't "keep it real" mean to avoid untruths?
ReplyDeleteHello all,
ReplyDeleteOn the heels of the news about EddyB, we have lost another (former) Corner member.
The inimitable ClearAyes, aka Lois, has lost her battle with cancer. One of my favorite people I never actually met, she was a fountain of wit, and the wife of GAH (Golf Addicted Husband) aka Fred.
Other members of the California Coven will be able to say more, but we have and will miss her here.
TTP, well I hope you're happy: you got Tin and Dennis going, and it's not even 7:30 AM...
ReplyDeleteDamn, that's just terrible news. Lois was a mainstay of this blog for many years and I seriously doubt she ever had a detractor. She always displayed great empathy for anyone with problems, and always minimized her own battle. Her subtle wit and her gift for always coming up with the perfect poem, along with her compassion, will be truly missed. I'm really, really saddened by this; she was one of the truly good people here.
ReplyDeleteGallaudet is nearby, so I got ASL right away. Saw "tear" in 17a early so helped with the related clues. Now I know what a sprit is. Have a little knowledge about sailing, but obviously not enough. Grew up motorboating, mostly to be able to waterski. It's satisfying to be able to solve a Wednesday puzzle with relative ease!
ReplyDeletewindhover, that is terribly sad news about ClearAyes. I truly will miss her and the lovely poems she used to post. Such a sweet lady.
ReplyDeleteClearAyes/Lois was a joy.
ReplyDeleteI'll miss enjoying her poetry.
tears ...
RIP ClearAyes.
ReplyDeleteShe was one the first to welcome me to the blog. We had some fun banter on subjects like The Doors and middle children(one of my most memorable discussions on this forum). Very classy person.
I am deeply saddened by the news of Lois' passing. She was such a brave woman. She always knew just what to say and picked such lovely and appropriate poems. She will be dearly missed. I wish her husband and daughter the strength to get through this.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear of Clear Ayes' passing. I loved her wit, caring heart, and lovely poems. Rest in peace, dear.
ReplyDeleteTo Irish Miss and Missy from yesterday: I think Irish Mist is classy and delightful, just like you. Please take my comment as a compliment.
COMTE is another of those words frequently found in novels and not so much in everyday conversation.
My SIL is a volunteer interpreter for the deaf. She took several courses for interpreters at Gallaudet in Washington, DC.
When I was young I thought "beetle juice" was a strange name for the star in Orion. That's the way our teachers pronounced betelgeuse. It was close, but the final sound should be Z instead of S.
Beetle juice reminds me that we used to call Kool Ade bug juice.
I love Sally Field in her roles as strong women, such as Norma Rae, Places in the Heart, and Not Without My Daughter. IMO they are superior to the fluff of Gidget and The Flying Nun.
Plodded through this puzzle not to hard but definately not a speed run. A nice Wednesday puzzle.
ReplyDeletehappy hump day all.
RIP Clear Ayes/Lois. I always looked forward to the poems you would share with us. Often they were so appropriate to the discussion topic of the day.
ReplyDeleteA nice theme that if we had it on Sunday removing TEAR would leave something that would stand alone.
ReplyDeleteMusings
-Clear Eyes’ gentle notes and lovely poetry will be missed.
-WYATT’s Early Midwestern life
-Walter Matthau’s tour de force Plaza Suite coupled with Simon’s words is a personal fav of mine.
-She was not a Gallaudet grad but was in a hilarious scene from Seinfeld
-Too LEGIT to Quit
-Would you have joined the MUTINY against Captain Queeg or Bligh?
-I have had MUMPS and the others including chicken pox. Should I get the shingles shot? Flu shot?
-All of us middle school science teachers have probably taught Mendel squares at one time or another
-Nothing was found last month in my MRI head SCAN. Wait a minute…
-Hope springs eternal every time you TEE UP a ball.
-In what movie did the hero use a door from a potbellied stove for ARMOR in a gun fight?
-In what movie was the potter’s WHEEL part of a very sexy scene?
I was so saddened to hear of ClearAyes's passing. I wish I had the privilege of meeting her in person because she was such a classy and brave woman. She had a wonderful sense of humor, a broad knowledge of the Arts, and a kind and thoughtful sense of fair play. She will be missed by so many.
ReplyDeleteHi all, happy Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteThis was a good puzzle, I liked it a lot. I went with TELL US which caused a few snags, but otherwise things went well.
My favorite clues were:
- 55D: Picnic Side: SLAW
- 35D: Beetle Juice? GAS (didn't get that one at first. Cute clue.)
Am I sensing a sub-theme: REAR, GAS, ASS?
fermatprime @ 5:43 AM: I gave 666 Park Avenue two episodes. I'm done with it.
Sorry to hear about ClearAyes. I bet she and EddyB are discussing today's crossword somewhere...
Good morning Melissa and all.
ReplyDeleteEasy for a Wednesday. Liked the cluing, especially the Bettle juice clue: GAS. Had the same tellus TELL IT experience as Hondo. IT allowed SPRIT and COMTE to come home. SPRIT has not appeared in the LAT for several years. I did not use the TEAR theme in the solve; the theme words were easy. Good job, Matt.
Sorry to hear of Clear Aye's passing. She was a mainstay of this Corner when I first joined it. She always sounded like a person I would like to know better. Sympathies to her family.
Enjoy the day.
Thank you Matt Skoczen, for a nice challenging puzzle and for mellisa bee for a sparkling commentary. The puzzle was a challenge, but it all came through - though the subtle theme eluded me. Tinbeni mentioned a 'Gibson girl' stamp ... I looked four times (!), but I didn't see any 'pinups' in the blog... maybe it's just me...
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. to Clear Ayes, our poet laureate, and my condolences to her family. Maybe some of our bloggers can list a poem, each, in her memory....
Re:- ASL and Gallaudet - I had written in an earlier post, long time ago, about a non-fiction book ... 'When the mind hears' .... about the history of the development of 'alternate communication' for the deaf, .... from France, to England to the US. Its a long book, with no humor, but very well written, and I certainly recommend it. Like Hahtoolah, I also remember the protests and controversy, when the students of that college were insisting on the appointment of a college President who, they felt, MUST be / HAD to be hearing impaired (himself / herself ) ....
Who were the 'enemies' of the Tutsi ? .... It was the Hutu(s). The, then, illustrious Governor of our Great State of ----, at the time, exhorted his party members, not to fight like ' ... Hootsies and Tootsies ... '.
Seriously, the hatred we have for our fellow man, merely because some petty perceived 'differentness', are perhaps our long reticent latent DNA strands, that though they are pretty much suppressed by our Ego and Id, ... But even after 500,000 years of homo sapiens behavior, .... We have not been able to eradicate.
One more thing. Years ago I used to watch James Burke’s Connections on TV and loved his wit and telling of stories of the serendipity and interconnectedness of history. I have now stumbled onto them on YouTube and have LOVED watching them.
ReplyDeletePart of the synopsis for the one episode to which I am going to link –
In Touch - Starting from an attempt for cheaper fusion power using superconductivity, which was discovered by Onnes, with liquid gas provided by Louis-Paul Cailletet, who carried out experiments on a tower built by Gustave Eiffel, who also built the Statue of Liberty with its famous poem by the Jewish activist Emma Lazarus, helped by Oliphant, whose boss Elgin was the son of the man who stole the Elgin Marbles and sold them with the help of royal painter Thomas Lawrence, whose colleague…
I will wager that these hour long shows will hold most members of this educated blog in RAPT attention as we all delight in knowledge for knowledge’s sake. There are many other episodes as you will see in the right hand pane.
Enjoy James Burke’s Connections!
I'm terribly sorry to hear the news of Lois and Eddy.
ReplyDeleteWords fail, music tries....
For Lois
For Eddy
Thought the puzzle was a breeze till I came across errors in 33a and 38a. I, also, had "tell me". O well hard to be perfect, huh?
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed write up comments links. Happy hump day. We're having wonderful weather!
All went roaringly well until I hit the Neil Simon clue, and I really enjoyed his work! Did not help that I thought guar gum was the thickener for ice cream ... the theme answers were easy for me, but could not finish because of my guar obsession ... Pogza Suite? Yikes.
ReplyDeleteAvg. Joe, nicely done.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, all.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about ClearAyes -- this has been a sad week for the blog. She seemed to have a poem for every occasion. We'll miss her.
Gallaudet made ASL a gimme, but I have no idea why I knew it. I figured Abejo would have something to say about excessive Frawnch in today's puzzle.
PLANET EARTH was another gimme -- I recently bought the series on Amazon. The whole series, complete with a behind-the-scenes of every episode, was less than $20. The photography is stunning!
Husker, I remember James Burke's Connections very well. I anxiously awaited each episode on PBS, and I bought the hard-cover companion book for the series.
So sad to lose Clear Ayes so soon after Eddy B. She was definitely one of the greatest assets to this blog. RIP, Lois.
ReplyDeleteFermatprime,
I endured only about 10 minutes of the first episode of 666 Park Avenue and decided that was it.
Today was a fun run for me, but a bit challenging. I was married to TELL US for too long, and changing to IT was what helped me finish, with SPRIT and COMTE (French for count) being last to fall. That --STE at the end of the French noble had me spoofed, as I couldn't think of any French title ending that way.
I needed a lot of other perp/WAG help too, with several unknowns: SAP, ASL, PLAZA, POGO, TOTES, FAIRE, TECH. Not that most of those were complete unknowns, but my brain doesn't always hit the right buttons lately, so I do a lot of WAGging every time.
Liked seeing WYATT, as it always reminds me of my son's friend with that name, whose vanity license plate reads EARP, and I smile whenever I see it.
Oh, man... didn't see the notice about Lois's passing. Wasn't she our founding DF member?
ReplyDeleteMy day just got a little grayer.
So sorry to hear about ClearAyes. She will be missed.
ReplyDeleteMelissa - thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteMatt - good Xwork thanks.
CC as always thank you for your efforts.
I know Lois smiled down on us when Tin and Dennis started up.
Lois/ClearAyes and eddyB - fair winds and following seas as you start your new journey. Thank you to your families for sharing you with us.
One more one more thing before I go to sub – re: Vanity Plates. I followed a plate last night that read RAKI HLR or RIKA HLR (hey, I’m 66 and don’t remember where the vowels were exactly!). Any ideas on either one?
ReplyDeleteGood morning to all and happy hump day . Thanks to Matt for a fun puzzle, and MelissaB for your write up.
ReplyDeleteFondly remember rabbit ears we had several T.V.s with them and every time my Dad would change the channel I would have to adjust them, of course we only got 3 channels in those days.
So sorry to hear of ClearAyes passing. She was one of the first to welcome me here when the blog I began on closed. Lois you will be missed by all.
Have a great day to all. RJW .
For Clear Ayes:
ReplyDeleteCROSSING THE BAR
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
-Alfred Lord Tennyson
After reading dozens of poems, I settled on this one.
I was surprised to learn that Lois was ClearAyes ‘ alter ego.
ReplyDeleteAvg.Joe, it was good to hear from you. I missed you. Great choice of links.
Yellowrocks, Lois was ClearAyes' real name, not to be confused with the 'Lois' of DF fame on our blog. And where the hell IS Lois?
ReplyDeleteGood morning:
ReplyDeleteAlthough I didn't get to know Clear Ayes very well, I do remember her last few posts when she was dealing with the recurrence of cancer and how strong and brave she was. Rest in Peace, Lois.
I found today's puzzle a tad harder than a usual Wednesday but, as usual, the perps saved the day. Liked the clues for gas and navel. Nice job, Matt, and great expo, MelissaB.
Fermatprime and Mari: Ditto on 666 Park Avenue. I don't know why I watched it twice because I don't like the occult one bit! But I won't be watching it again. A new show that I do like a lot is Vegas with Dennis Quaid and Michael Chilkis. It's on Tuesdays at 10:00.
Chicago Fire is premiering tonight so I'll give that a look-see.
Have a great Wednesday.
Good morning, Melissa Bee and Gang.
ReplyDeleteHave to be quick as I have dental appt.
I am so very saddened by the passing of Clear Ayes, Lois, whom I met when visiting in California. I loved her posts with the inspiring poetry she so often posted. She was a larger than life person. Rest in Peace, dear Lois. You brought us joy and balance with your insight and sensibility.
Easily sashayed through the puzzle today. The West was especially quick as it all meshed together one letter APRES another. Knew but couldn't recall AVANT as it was the name of a local restaurant.
You all have a peaceful day today and let us enjoy each and every moment given to us.
Hi gang -
ReplyDeleteC.A. was such a joy. I've missed her and her poetry examples. The world is a bit dimmer now. Rest in peace, dear friend. I'm a bit misty eyed, though my TEARS are hidden.
Just this morning I told Gloria, sometimes we laugh to keep from crying.
Nice job, MB.
Tough go for me to day. DNF in the SW corner. Hard to figure, now that I see it filled in.
This seems like a really well constructed puzzle. Wish I were better alert so I could enjoy it more.
Got TEE UP totally from Perps.
I'm far from my best after a very bad sleeping night. Also fighting a cold. Back to bed for a while, I think.
Sadness in the synagogue: RABBI TEARS.
Cool regards,
JzB
YellowRocks, if I recollect, there is another 'Lois', a teacher from Virginia, who occasionally uses some risque' DF connotations - I'm pretty sure that was not Clear Ayes.
ReplyDeleteClear Ayes was a very kind, generous, and a lady of great empathy, who welcomed me to the blog.
Gary Husker, I would like to ( however, mildly ) take exception to '.. stole the Elgin marbles ...'. Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl Elgin, got permission, a firman, and paid for the marbles, and the shipping, and bought them from the Ottomans, who were entirely unappreciative of them, and of course, (the Turks were - ) grateful for British help, vis-a-vis Napoleon. He was not a PT Barnum, and his main intentions were the protection of the Art and History of the marbles. He spent a considerable amount of his own money ( ~Br.pounds 75,000 ) and eventually sold them to the Br. Govt. for Br.P. 35,000 - half the price, and lost his shirt. Now, 250 years later, the perspective changes entirely, like a Monday morning quarterback ....
My only interest in this matter, is because of his son, James Bruce, 8th Earl Elgin, who was, in his final years, Viceroy of India (1862-63) - a period I would rather forget. He died in India, and is buried in the Dharamsala, a town on the (present ) Indian side of the border.
ALT QOD:- When government does good things for you, it's social progress. When it does them for others, it's socialism. ~ Seth Grimaldi.
So saddened to hear of first EddyB and now ClearAyes: two characters who definitely added to the charm of this site. I especially remember ClearAyes as the first to welcome me aboard. She had a welcoming warmth about her that made it feel safe to ask stupid questions. I learned a lot from them both.
ReplyDeletefor husker: Reiki Healer
ReplyDeleteDennis, thanks for clearing that up. It seemed totally out of character for both to be the same person. I was astounded,to say the least. Clear Ayes welcomed me, as well as so many others, to the blog.
ReplyDeletefor Clear Eyes:
ReplyDeleteA few who have watched me sail away
Will miss my craft in the busy bay,
Some friendly barques that were anchored near,
Some loving souls whom my heart held dear,
In silent sorrow will drop a tear,
But I shall have peacefully furled my sail
In moorings sheltered from storm and gale,
And greeted the friends who have gone before,
O'er the unknown sea to the unseen shore.
Mornin' All!
ReplyDeleteIt's not yet 9:00am here and already 54 posts!
I pretty much zipped through this puzzle. Thanks Matt. Was enjoyable, and not so difficult for a Weds in my book. Got all the TEAR answers right away, although I didn't 'get' them as a theme until I read Melissa's excellent writeup.
I, too, had 'tell US' until perps put me right. Never heard of a SPRIT, even though I used to sail a lot. . .
Had some probs with the 'source of lean red meat' clue for EMU. Next time, the three space slot should clue me in...lol.
All in all, a fun cw morning. Thank you.
For Gary Husker,
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought,
RIKA HLR - (Am)erica 'Hailer'
Nice poem, Argyle.
Dennis,
ReplyDeleteWherever she (Lois) is, I'm betting there's either a cowboy or a Captain in the frame. :)
And to all who didn't know our other Lois (ClearAyes) first hand, she could hold her own in the DF department as well. A very well rounded personality. :-)
Thank you for posting poems for Clear Eyes, Yellowrocks and Argyle. How sad that we've lost two sweet fellow bloggers in just two weeks!
ReplyDeleteI did love this puzzle and got the whole thing--except for the theme, as usual. So thanks for explaining, Melissa. And thanks for a great Wednesday puzzle, Matt.
My husband taught a Genetics course at the university for many years, so GREGOR was easy for me. I believe Mendel was also Austrian, like my family.
Have to get our 2003 Subaru Outback serviced today. Hope the bill will be not too huge.
Have a great day, everybody!
Wow, how awful, yet I guess it was time for her suffering to end. CA and WM, along with CC, were the reason I became involved in this beyond coming looking for answers. They read and responded to my posts and got me thinking about puzzles as a shared enterprise, rather than a solitary one.
ReplyDeleteAnother night, another toast. And a prayer for all the missing posters from the past for good health and long life.
In honor of ClearAyes, maybe this poem I wrote years ago would have some meaning here.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you well, dear lady,
But sometimes on a very special day
We'd meet and stop to talk
Before I hurried on my homely way
Refreshed as though in an unexpected spot
I'd chanced to find a delicate flower.
And through the day sometimes I'd smile
Remembering its fragrance in an odd moment
Of a busy hour.
Today the sun shines brightly
And I wonder at its flamboyantly
Tasteless display.
For they told me early:
A lovely flower
Has ceased to bloom
Today.
Husker Gary,
ReplyDeleteI recorded the Connections shows from PBS and showed them in my science classes as long as I legally could. Still have the tapes, but not a VCR. Thanks for the info to see Utube.
Montana
Hi Y'all, Great puzzle and commentary! Not too many TEARS over this puzzle.
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who gave birth to a profoundly deaf son a few months before my youngest was born. He was mainstreamed in my son's classroom with a full-time signing aide. His speech was very impaired. He went to Gallaudet. The last I heard of him, he was a working welder.
I once interviewed some people from Malawi who were touring farms in the USA through our farm
cooperative network. Very interesting.
MANGIA is a new one on me.
Didn't catch onto Beetle Juice-GAS until MB 'splained it. Duh!
I almost went DF on "nautical pole" because I had
24d LAst ARRIVAL with 33a three blank spaces then "IS". Oh well, it's hard to get a thrill at my age.
Yellowrocks, Argyle, and PK: Thank you.
ReplyDeletePK:
ReplyDeleteI think that same group came to Kentucky. They were interested in growing tobacco. What's the name of your farm group. Reply by email if you like.
Sorry to hear about Lois. Now as for the puzzle stuck on tell us for waaaay too long, other than that I found it to be a good bit of fun. Liked the theme although I didn't pick up on it until I was over halfway through. Happy hump day everyone.
ReplyDeleteFor those interested in football, the huddle was first conceived at Gallaudet Univ. They huddled so the opposing team could not read their ASL play strategy. Also, the play count numbers were beat on a bass drum which the players could feel through their feet.
ReplyDeleteFor Lois' Family
ReplyDeleteAnony-Mouse @ 8:41am
ReplyDeleteThe Gibson GIRL stamp picture was posted by
Hahtoolah in her 5:55am comment.
Googled "Gibson Girl" and learned just enough to forget it by lunch.
I especially have enjoyed the poem tributes in ClearAyes honor.
My nightly Sunset "toasts" began when my wife was killed by a drunk-driver 27+ years ago.
Later my Father & Mother, and Bestfriend were added.
The list of those who have died seems to get longer.
As does the list of those who bring me joy each day.
Cheers to this wonderful group.
I'm not much good with words when it comes to saying goodbye. Now I've had to do it twice in a short period of time. You all do it so much better than I can. Best wishes to CA's family. I will miss her poetry and friendly presence here.
ReplyDeleteI have only made it half way through the comments, but I have to stop. I will try & continue later...
ReplyDeleteFor now, i must say that i see the puzzle theme differently after reading the write up.
Due to my skewed parsing, & mentality, The reveal now only tells me another Blog Member has been torn apart from us,,, and it has left us a crossword filled with tears...
Argyle - For popes, it's almost always LEO.
ReplyDelete@Tinbeni - I know what you're talking about. The only parts of the paper I always read are the crossword and the obits. The silent mojority, in Homer's ancient meaning.
To me, LEGIT is an abrev. and should be so noted (the word is legitimate, if anyone remembers).
Wed., still easy.
Hello everybody. EddyB and now ClearAyes. Sad.
ReplyDeleteLots of French today.
So, it was MUMPS, not EDEMA. And TELL IT, not TELL US. Beetle juice clue is excellent.
Well said, everyone.
Sfingi, thank you for that information although I don't know why you're telling me. There were five squares available so mb wouldn't have known we were looking for a three-lettered pope.
ReplyDeleteArgyle, I can go with Reiki Healer. I have never heard of it but I looked and found we have a Reiki master here in our little burg. How ‘bout dat?
ReplyDeleteAnony-Mouse, I have no dog in the Elgin Marble issue. The info I quoted is from John Burke and/or the BBC producers. The Connections series are like Lay’s Potato Chips. I betcha can’t watch just one.
While traveling in Europe, we would check our hometown papers daily and Joann and her twin sister always first checked the obits when we got the web sites up.
-Any takers on the pot-bellied stove used as armor plate or sexy potter’s wheel movies?
Answers
-Bullet proof ARMOR from a pot-bellied stove
-Potter’s Wheel
Don't knock the French--it's sometimes all that gets me my first toehold !-)
ReplyDeleteLike Bill G, I couldn't find much to say about CA this morning. But I've been thinking about her all day, and it feels like I've lost a really close friend, though I never met her. She gave the clearest instructions on how to do anything, and it was she who first told me how to link things, and how to get photos from Picasa without showing all the ones I didn't want. Then of course there was her inexhaustible supply of "just right" poems for any situation.
It's true, she has been, is, and will be sorely missed.
My heart and my prayers go out to the families of eddyb and clearayes, that`s how I knew them. But I also knew them by the content of their posts. Their (Our) personalities come through loud and clear.
ReplyDeleteI read the blog at least once a week...and I`ve missed cleareyes these last few months. It hurts to know I`ll have to miss her and eddyb from now on. None of us are promised tomorrow. Please make your peace with Whomever and whomever you should. As jimbo says, "Vaya con Dios."
After posting earlier, I got the mail and my hometown paper. I learned my best friend from when I lived there had died. Her husband died four months ago. They both had liver cancer!!! She is the second of my close female friends who has died in the past week from my hometown. She was cremated and no memorial service is planned. Her kids left a long time ago. To add insult to injury, a number of things in her obit are wrong.
ReplyDeleteSo sad!
Kazie, And here I thought you and Lucina preferred the sports oriented clues...
ReplyDeleteHusker Gary, Hope does spring eternal each time I TEE UP the ball. I hope that this one stays in the fairway, unlike so many that have gone before...
PK,
ReplyDeleteI have written my own obit, because I don't trust anyone else to get the details right. My kids and DH all know where it is. I guess that's the pedant in me, but you're right, it's a shame when things are not reported accurately.
Kazie, I've been thinking of writing a synopsis of my life for my kids. When I was doing genealogy 30 years ago, I did interviews with their grandparents. The trick is putting things where they can find them. I need to update my will too. It is several grandchildren out of date, although it has a clause in it listing as heirs any unborn children of my children.
ReplyDeleteSeven years ago on June 2, I lost my first internet "imaginary" friend in a car crash. Over several years we'd exchanged thousands of public comments on a bulletin board, then hundreds of private e-mails after we'd gotten to know one another better and had met in person a few times. It's a loss I still feel deeply, even though we were never truly a large part of one another's lives.
ReplyDeleteSave for two e-mail exchanges, my relationship with Lois/Clear Ayes played out on the pages of this blog. While it never reached the quantity of communication I'd had with Ben, the friendship seemed as important....and as genuine. In addition to her obvious sense of irony and humor, she possessed a quality I don't think I've ever observed in another human. Through incredible strife that most of us can't even imagine, I can't recall her ever having even the slightest hint of complaint in anything she wrote. She kept us informed, but never bitched about her lot. Above all else, I admire and will miss that.
On the 2nd of June every year, I link a tune in memory of Ben on that other venue. It fits him well, and while it's not quite the perfect fit for Lois, it ain't half bad. So...here is Shine on You Crazy Diamond
Lois, you are a diamond, and you will be missed by every person who's life you ever touched.
I hope I am not out of line for asking this, but does anyone have a link for Lois'/ClearAyes' obituary?
ReplyDeleteGood stuff, Joe.
ReplyDeleteTTP@3:34
ReplyDeleteLOL! I hope you don't take any bets on that one!
It's the classics and languages for me as I believe it is for Kazie.
I also have been thinking of Clear Ayes all day and feel deeply saddened. She usually was one of the first to welcome newbies to the blog. I hope we hear from Chickie, Garlic Gal, Dodo and JD if she has returned. I, too, would love to see her obit.
Lucina, I've got a lot of people that want to see MY obit, too.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else, I've been thinking about Lois a bunch today -- she really did know the right thing to say in any situation. A remarkable, strong woman.
Clear Ayes hardly ever spoke of her fight with cancer but she did on May 6, 2010. It's her entry at 2:30 pm. I'll try to Link it here.
ReplyDeleteMany of you wrote to her on the blog that day, I exchanged e-mails with her then, and I guess I will keep my copies for a while longer as a remembrance. She was one classy lady.
It was rather prescient of melissa b. to choose shedding of tears in her theme rather than the equally apt rending of things.
ReplyDeleteYou all have said it well, and I hope the others who were touched by CA can also stop by and assure us they are still there.
Hola Everyone, I haven't been able to do the puzzle today, but I wanted to say something about Lois' passing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Pk, Yellowrocks and Argyle for the lovely poetic tributes to our shining star here on the blog. She was as lovely in person as she was in her posts on the blog. She was jolly, humorous, compassionate and above all else, kind.
She was unable to come to our last lunch with the Calif. Coven. She had to cancel at the last minute due to taking a pain killer and was afraid to drive. Even then, humor punctuated her phone call to Dodo, with a promise to see us, "next time". Next time will not be in the cards for us, but I'll think of her everytime I see an evening star, for she was a star.
Our household has been given news five times in the past week of deaths of friends. It is hard to hear this kind of news, but the memories of all the good times will linger.
To quote Tinbeni,
"Tears"
I will always remember Clear Ayes whenever reading or listening to poetry. She added a sweet and caring personality to our group.
ReplyDeletePK, thanks for sharing your poem. Do you write poetry often?
HG, I also agree with Reiki healer interpretation. I took an online course in Alternative Medicine to gain hours to relicense. Has anyone here seen a Reiki healer? Also wondered if anyone had acupuncture and found it helpful?
Concerning ASL, the deaf community had a difficult time accepting Cochlear implants. What seemed like a miracle to the medical community was very controversial. Many felt that they might loose their community and the art of signing.
Good afternoon. I checked back in and saw where ClearAyes had passed away. I guess I missed it this morning. That certainly is depressing news. I, also, enjoyed her posts since I have been on this blog. It would be nice to read her Obit, if it is available.
ReplyDeleteTwo Blog Friends on one week. Sad news. See you tomorrow.
Abejo
Spitzboov, thank you for the link. I wasn't apart of this group at that time and it gave me a special incite into her strength and caring friends here.
ReplyDeleteSpitzboov : thanks for the link to Clear Ayes post when she commented on her cancer and treatments. In her typical style, she noted that it wasn't her way to say "why me?", but to look on the bright side and laugh with friends. Although I never met her in person, I got to know her through this blog and can say my life is better for her friendship.
ReplyDelete@Argyle - since there are 10 Leos, any number of spaces from 3 to 7 will do. First choice, anyway. I thought you were the author of this blog (?!)
ReplyDeleteSpitz, thank you so much for the CA link. It just validates my belief that CA was one classy lady and that there are lots of classy people on this blog. I am lucky to be included. Nice words Avg Joe.
ReplyDeletegood evening all,
ReplyDeleteTTP, this is the third year for the fry's tournament at cordevalle, and they've pretty much gotten the traffic flow and parking situation down to a science. players, employees and observers are all shuttled in from various locations. it's a bit of a hassle, but relatively smooth. only glitch today was a violent burst of hail that lasted about 20 minutes. did i mention i just washed my car?
tears were certainly an appropriate theme today. was so shocked and saddened to read of clear ayes's passing. she was a real class act, with such grace and strength. i have so missed her daily presence here, and will continue to think of her often.
Good evening all!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad week this has been at The Corner! First the loss of EddyB, and now the news that ClearAyes has lost her valiant battle with cancer, which she faced with such courage and dignity. In her honor and memory:
"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to my fellow man, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."
Stephen Grellet (1773-1855)
I am deeply saddened by the passing of 'Clear Eyes'. Even though I only knew her from this blog, I developed the utmost respect for her. When I had problems on this site, she helped me through it with some words of advice.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you Clear Eyes!
Joseph D. Koury
I am saddened to hear of the news that Clear Ayes has passed. I had read what might have been her last post on the blog when she talked of the return of the cancer...but don't remember when that was exactly. I nearly lost a sister to breast cancer so my heart goes out to her family. It makes me realize how long I had been reading the blog before beginning to post. thank you for the poems, words bring solace in some ways and she would have liked them. thank you also for the write up and puzzle today. Tinbeni, the older we get the more people we have to toast...
ReplyDeletePK
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely poem! Thank you for posting it. That's a wonderful talent.
Dennis:
Believe me no one is in a hurry to see your obit. Why, you haven't even make it to AZ for a house call.