Theme: One Big Happy Family - because in the end, they're all ARKIN (our kin).
17A. 2012 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee : BARRY LARKIN
24A. Best Supporting Actor nominee for "Argo" : ALAN ARKIN
38A. Relatives, and an apt title for this puzzle : KINFOLK
45A. Iowa senator since 1985 : TOM HARKIN
57A. Al Pacino's "Sea of Love" co-star : ELLEN BARKIN
Argyle Markin here. C.C. has delivered a crunchy Monday. Full names, that's always nice. Nine-letter Down fill is nice but more than a few three-letter fill was needed. Foreign words and locations add little nuggets of crunch.
Across:
1. Discoverers' shouts : A-HAs
5. Dictation takers : STENOs. These days they can find work as a 'court stenographer'. Beyond that?
11. "Every kiss begins with __": jeweler's slogan : KAY. "Since 1916, Kay Jewelers has grown from one store to more than 900 from coast to coast ... the #1 specialty jewelry brand in the United States" from the company web site.
14. Red salad veggie : BEET
15. Clear the fustiness from : AIR OUT. Like using a leaf blower to clean your car?
16. Grand __ Opry : OLE
19. Not too bright : DIM
20. Volume of maps : ATLAS
21. Versailles ruler : ROI. Des résidences du Roi au château de Versailles.
22. Plucky movie pig : BABE. (1995) Seventeen years ago already.
23. Michelle, to Barack : WIFE
27. Patio furniture repairman : CANER. I'll bet they are hard to find and expensive.
28. Expressive music subgenre : EMO. (no link available)
29. Report card figs. : AVG's
30. Hopi home : PUEBLO. Not as grand as Versailles.
34. Kind : ILK. Kind is derived from the same root as KIN; ILK is not but they have come to mean the same thing.
37. Modern, in Munich : NEU
39. "__ do not!" : NO, I. and never did.
40. Hee-hawing critter : ASS
41. Watchdogs from Japan : AKITAs
42. Get snippy with : SASS
43. Unrefined find : ORE
44. Superhero duds : CAPES. like 48D. Superman, on Krypton : KAL-EL
51. Elevator innovator : OTIS
52. "Can I get a word in?" : [AHEM!]
53. D-backs, on scoreboards : ARI. Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks.
54. Formal decrees : DICTA. Singular, DICTUM (edict, decree, fiat, order, declaration)
56. Party coffeemaker : URN
60. Statistical data: Abbr. : NO's
61. City known for its Boys' Choir : VIENNA
62. Giggly Muppet : ELMO
63. "Schedule uncertain at press time" abbr. : TBA. (to be announced)
64. Passages between buildings : ALLEYS
65. Gets the point : SEES
Down:
1. "Fernando" band : ABBA. No need to link; you're probably hearing it in your head already.
2. Stretches in the high 90s, say : HEAT WAVES
3. Flier with a shamrock logo : AER LINGUS
4. Fires on from above : STRAFES
5. "My gal" of song : SAL. The mule on the Erie canal, ye haven't forgotten her already, have ye?
6. Sparkling topper : TIARA
7. Flamboyant Flynn : ERROL. The best swashbuckler ever.
8. Cellphone giant : NOKIA
9. "I'd love to, Yvette!" : "OUI!"
10. MTA stop : STN. Unless you're poor old Charlie. He couldn't get off of that train.
11. Camera name since 1888 : KODAK
12. Suspect's excuse : ALIBI
13. Aden's country : YEMEN
18. Belgian river : YSER. So much geography, so little time.
22. Dude : BRO
25. Actress Carter and "little" Dickens character Trent : NELLs. Nell Carter was on Gimme a Break! and was noted for her 42-Across. "Little Nell Trent" was a character in Charles Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop.
26. Hog-wild : AMOK
27. Water-to-wine village : CANA
30. Penny pincher : PIKER. Etymology is in question.
31. Prefix with cycle : UNI
32. Wee newt : EFT
33. Showy wrap : BOA
34. Up the creek : IN A PICKLE. Funny, after having Vlasic yesterday.
35. Runs too slowly, as a watch : LOSES TIME
36. X, in valentines : KISS
38. Former "Idol" judge DioGuardi : KARA. She seems quite qualified to be a judge so she only lasted two seasons.
42. Ironic sketches : SATIRES
43. Resistance measure : OHM. Symbol: Ω
44. Musical wrap-up : CODA. Coda is the Italian word for “tail.” Makes sense now.
45. Talk trash to : TAUNT
46. "The Dick Van Dyke Show" catchphrase : "OH, ROB!". At 1:10.
47. Brainy bunch : MENSA
49. Dancer Castle : IRENE
50. Simpleton : NINNY
55. Years in España : ANOs
57. One of the Gabors : EVA
58. Small, in Dogpatch : LI'L
59. History majors' degs. : BA's
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
1) This is my original submitted grid with no unifier, just 5 *KIN people:
Rich said: "This is potentially a cute theme, but it needs a unifying element. The
one that jumps out at me is KINFOLK. If you can figure a way to include that
with 5 entries, that'd be great--but if not, I'd suggest cutting to 4 entries..."
I could not come up with clean fill with my 5 entries plus the unifier, so I chickened out and used 4. K's gave me trouble.
2) Happy Birthday to dear Warren, who has not made a comment since we started the Captcha. Hope all is well with you and Ruth!
 |
| Left to right: Warren, JD, EddyB, Chickie |
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteThis one gave my sleep-deprived Monday morning brain a good workout. I got the theme early on (totally missed the "Kin" bit and thought they all just rhymed, though), but of the four theme answers I only knew two of them. I appreciated the shout out with BARRY LARKIN, but he was unknown to me, as was TOM HARKIN.
KARA was another unknown at 38D, but the perps took care of her.
Tried IN TROUBLE instead of IN A PICKLE at 34D, which held me back a bit until I saw the light (or the brine, as the case may be).
And I don't think I will ever remember the real meaning of PIKER. I'm just going to go on blissfully thinking it means "jerk" regardless of how many times I see it in puzzles...
[Happy Birthday Warren!]
[lckunin or ickunin]
Good morning, gang - I felt right at home with this puzzle with AKITA, my favorite dogs, HEAT WAVE(s), my favorite oldies song, and MENSA, who opened many doors for me back in my job-hunting days after the Marines. And of course, ASS, which I've been called on occasion.
ReplyDeleteNice, simple but clever theme, and the rest was a smooth Monday fill except for 'Prefix with cycle', where I confidently threw in TRI.
Argyle, great write-up, and thanks for the pic of Ellen Barkin, who I always considered one of the sexiest women of her time. Something about the eyes, and of course the voice.
Have a fun day.
nice Monday wake up call from CC. Argyle glad to see you are back in the monday blog chair. This was a near speed run for me.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning, Argyle and friends. This did not seem like a Monday puzzle. It's all RELATIVE, I suppose. I knew only ALAN ARKIN (who was great in Argo), and ELLEN BARKIN (who isn't seen often enough in film). The other two were pure WAGS.
ReplyDeleteWhen Babe first came out, I was waiting in line for movie tickets. A group of college-age boys were in line as well, and were discussing what to see. Apparently, they didn't know that Babe was about a pig, and were contemplating seeing that film. I should say they were in for a surprise.
Happy Birthday, Warren. I hope all is well with you.
QOD: Officerholders are the agents of the people, not their masters. ~ Grover Cleveland (Mar. 18, 1837 ~ June 24, 1908)
[ntyend]
The Greek letter "omega" is the symbol for ohm.
ReplyDeleteCC, clever theme. I'm amazed at how different from your original this one is. How much of the new fill is your own? Does it bother you to have to change so much?
ReplyDeleteI soon tumbled to the fact that the theme answers contained ARKIN. There were plenty of perps to complete the names so it was not all that crunchy. All the other answers were easy.
I liked IN A PICKLE. I have often heard PIKER used for a cheapskate.
My Captcha is Buddy Ebsen's socks: JEDSHOSE
Easy, breezy Monday puzzle today, although I knew neither BARRY LARKIN nor TOM HARKIN. Kind of glad CC did not include SORKIN, as all the others ended in ARKIN- probably would have thrown me off. Thanks CC, you made my Monday morning a lot brighter!
ReplyDeleteBTW, symbol for OHM is the Greek letter Omega.
Great puzzle. OUR KIN / ARKIN...very clever.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know BARRY or TOM, but the downs helped out.
Maybe you can find a CANER in CANA.
Hahtoolah: Too funny about BABE!
Yellowrocks: Too funny about Jed's Hose!
Happy Birthday Warren. Hope you enjoy it, wherever you are.
Yellowrocks,
ReplyDeleteEvery answer in the new grid is mine. Very rarely does Rich change a big part of the grid himself, as he did with my MIDDLE CHILD puzzle last time. He does change lots of clues, 50% at least, every time. He always makes me look smarter than I really am.
Rampy,
Aaron Sorkin inspired 2 puzzles from me. This is one. Another is in the queue. Alas, both times I had to discard him.
Good morning, folks. Thank you, C.C., for a swell Monday puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for the swell review.
ReplyDeleteThis one seemed more on a Tuesday level for me.
Mari: Did you get 1D?
Got BARRY LARKIN with 11 perps. Piece of cake.
ALAN ARKIN was easy.
I even got OUI for 9D. I am getting better.
I had ELLEN MARKIN for 57A. I guessed at the M. 59D could have been either an M or a B. So, I missed that one.
Just had ELMO the other day.
Off to my day. Have to get my picks in for the NCAA. I am in a pool.
Happy Birthday, Warren.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
(lyzjci)
Knew only 2 of the 4 KINs, same ones as everybody. No problem there.
ReplyDeleteBut, on a Monday, had a Natick at ARI (sports) crosses KALEL (stuff I never read).
The only names I knew were ALAN and ELLEN. The rest were WAGS. I thought a PIKER was someone who always gets out of doing things that involve effort. So I went to my concise OED and it gave me "cautious or timid gambler, a poor sport". Webster gave "one who gambles with small amounts or does things in a small way".
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a little more Tuesdayish than Mondayish, but it is clever and the challenge was enjoyable. I liked the shout out at KAY too.
CC, your knowledge of the English language, slang and American culture is outstanding. Very impressive fill. For a non native speaker to know IN A PICKLE, PIKER, old time stars like IRENE Castle, etc. amazes me. Many non native speakers have trouble with that sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteArgyle, your explanations are always great, so informative and well researched.
BTW, I can view the images every team member posts, except for Splynter's. I always feel cheated after reading his wonderful blog when i cannot see his images.
My computer was getting slow and cranky. Then last night I received automatic updates and now it is much faster.
Good morning Argyle, C.C. et al.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Warren - I hope you'll stop by today and say hello!
Fun puzzle today, although I didn't know any of the people. Abejo, I chuckled at your comment about BARRY LARKIN...it was a "piece of cake" for me, too. 11 perps!!
But I loved the unifier, and I think your second grid is much better, C.C. Rich always makes us step it up, doesn't he? It was nice to see AER LINGUS as the complete name - and a day after St Paddy's day! Stacked nines can be a bear, but you pulled it off nicely. Thanks for a fun Monday warm-up for the week!
Good morning:
ReplyDeleteGreat puzzle, CC, with a little bite for a Monday. Loved seeing Aer Lingus as I was disappointed because neither the LA Times nor the NY Times had a St. Paddy's Day theme yesterday. Good expo, Argyle, as usual.
We are expecting 5-8" of snow tonight into tomorrow morning. The last hurrah, I hope.
Happy Monday everyone. Hondo, we miss you. (-:
Good morning everyone. Nice writeup, Argyle,
ReplyDeleteNice lead-in to the week with a C.C. puzzle. A good omen.
I love when puzzles have 'K' words¹, so this one was special. Just enough 'crunch' to enjoy the solve more. Favorite fill: IN A PICKLE. No searches, no erasures, no nits. Nice and clean. The theme fill highlighted an interesting set of people².
1. High density K words that come to mind include Kikkoman, Kirkkuk, Krakow. The puzzle had KODAK.
2. I think there are many 'kin' words - a few that come to mind include, Lampkin, lambkin, pumpkin, ramekin, napkin. Place names include Tonkin, and Old Head of Kinsale (a grid spanner). We have the Russian battleship Potemkin. And, of course 'kin' is buried in many words like king, kindergarten, and skin.
Sorry to have rambled on.
Happy Birthday, Warren.
Have a great day.
Hello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteMore pepper than usual for a Monday!
Morning, C.C., I'm with Yellowrocks in being amazed at your knowledge of the language and culture. Today's word "Piker" is a good example.
Here comes another busy week. Cheers all!
C.C., Very Nice and somewhat challenging, for me, puzzle. Really enjoyed it. Argyle, thank you for your swell review. Enjoyed it very much.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of Alan Arkin from 1969 (?) - The heart is a lonely hunter. Haven't seen Argo, yet. Senator Tom Harkin is sometimes in the news. The other two were pure guesses. I had problems with Dicta and Coda. I knew the latter was not 'Aria' .
I also have a tough time figuring out whether 'X' is HUGS or a KISS. So, if the receiver is a casual associate, and kisses are out of the question, does you sign 'OOOO' ? On the other hand, if the recipient is more 'closer', does "XXX" not sound somewhat salacious ?
Have a nice day, all.
Good morning all !
ReplyDeleteCC, there shall be no 0 for 8, but it was close. My PIKER was a misER, and since I had no idea about DioGuardi , and wasn't sure about "actress Carter" and "Hog-Wild", I was lost in the center. Finally took out mis and entered trusted AKITAS. At that point my presumed UNI, EFT and BOA all fit with ease. So that are was soon completed.
But wait, there's more ! No TADA. What ? Where is there an error ? I refused to tun on red letter because I wasn't going 0 for 8. Twenty minutes later, I finally see that I entered AVA "as one of the Gabors" so my ELLEN is an ALLEN. Change that letter and got the TADA.
Hello Mr Markin ! Thank you for the great write up. I did not know about the size of Kay Jewelers. I thoght they were regional. I don't think every kiss begins with Kay. Some begin with... I remember my first kiss(es.) I was the only boy at the party where the girls were playing Spin the Bottle. I was 10 or 11. They were older I think.
I did not link Fernando Listen closely to the enunciation in this early version. I recall it much reduced in later recordings.
Spitzboov and Manac, I see you two were on a roll last evening. Funny stuff.
Happy Birthday Warren.
Hi Yellowrocks, try pulling up Saturday's review in either Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. Does that help ?
Morning All - Mostly an easy solve for me on this Monday. I say mostly because I had 6 blanks in the middle so a DNF for me without look-ups. Thanks C.C. and Argyle for the time, energy and knowledge you put into the puzzles.
ReplyDeleteA couple of unknowns and a couple of mistakes - MISER for PIKER (not familiar with piker) and OBI FOR BOA. That threw everything else off. Oh well there's always tomorrow :)
WEES about the names, missed the ARKIN/OUR KIN link.
Had a busy weekend with company and St. Pat's party, so no time to stop by.
Had my race on Saturday. Was happy with my run and time - under 1H 5min for 8K. 12th of 15 in my age group and 262 of 289 runners overall. No speed records, but I was able to run the entire race. If someone had told me 2 years ago I would be running at 64, let alone running almost 5 miles, I would have told them they were crazy. But I do enjoy it and now will get ready for a 10K next month.
Tinbeni - This green beer's for you - wherever you are...
Happy Monday everyone!
fittru - very appropriate for me today :)
Yellowrocks, Splynter displays png images. So it is most likely that a) your browser does not support png, so the recommendation to try firefox or IE, or b) that there is either no association or a wrong association to the file type PNG on your computer. Try using a different browser first as suggested earlier. Does it display then ?
ReplyDeleteIf still no worky, and you have Windows XP, then:
START -> Control Panel -> Folder Options - File Types
Scroll down to extension JPEG or JPG. Left Click. Note "Details" under Opens with.
Now Scroll further down the list to PNG. Left click. Then take "Change" option in the Details section and select the same program (Windows Picture and Fax Viewer ?) as you noted when you looked at the JPEG or JPG file type.
If you do not have a File Type extension of png, let me know.
Congratulations Annie !
I did not know any of the names, perps to the rescue!
ReplyDeleteResistance is futile
Ohm
Happy Birthday Warren
(if you can get past the Captcha, I'll post a cake with your name on it!)
TTP, thanks. I can get Splynter's pictures in Firefox.
ReplyDeleteYellowrocks (hugs) from Kathy
This would have been a lot easier had I not misread "cellphone" as "cellophane"!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a caner in a long time. Workshops for the blind used to have superb caners.
Hello, all. It's great to see you back today, Argyle.
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations, C.C., on going solo. This was a fun puzzle. I loved the KIN connection. ALAN ARKIN is a really good actor and Argo was a riveting film, however, after the movie I wanted take them all and wash their mouths with soap!
Of the four names,the only unkown was BARRY LARKIN but I thought of our own BARRY who is the first poster.
A nice shoutout to Kazie at KAY.
I've never heard of KARA DioGardi, but it perped easily.
AnonyMouse:
Hugs are always OOO, KISSES are XXX
Happy birthday, Warren!
Congratulations, Annie!
Have a fabulous Monday, everyone! I can't believe there is still snow for some of you!
Got the theme and that helped to fill in the names. Seemed more Tuesday level to me too. Thanks C.C. for a look at the background of the construction and Argyle for the explanations.
ReplyDeleteHand up for TRIcycle and miser. Haven't heard PIKER before - must remember!
I also noted some Irish hangover with Aer Lingus!
Still cold here. Waiting for spring.
Hi All ~~
ReplyDeleteFast and fun today ~ C.C. ~ you are amazing! I loved both the theme and having KIN FOLK right in the middle. I recognized all the "ARKIN" folks except for Tom. I agree that 'Sorkin' wouldn't have fit in as well.
~ No problem areas and only one write-over - 'Miser' to PIKER, which I now remember from other puzzles.
~ I liked the long verticals - HEAT WAVES and IN A PICKLE. Seems like lots of fresh cluing today!
~ Thanks for the great write-up, Argyle. Loved your comments and yes, "Fernando" was already in my head. :-)
~ Happy Birthday, Warren ~ hope you stop in today!
~ Like Irish Miss, we're getting set for another winter storm. Just two days 'til Spring - can't wait!
Late to the party due to my quarterly teeth-cleaning. Look, Ma, no cavities!
ReplyDeleteThanks, C.C., for another nice solo outing. I knew Arkin, Harkin and Barkin, but Larkin was an unknown. I loved Ellen Barkin as the trailer-trash mother in Drop Dead Gorgeous, a funny movie with no socially redeeming value. It was great!
I remember KALEL from my ute, along with his father Jorel and his mother Lara Lor-Van. Now that would be a cw Natick! I immediately entered AER LINGUS, because the longer lingus wouldn't fit.
Annie, I'm impressed. I don't think I could run to the end of my driveway. Even in my prime my best distance was about two miles.
HBD, Warren. Why don't you drop in?
Got excited as soon as I saw it was a C.C. puzzle, and thought at first it was going to be a speed run. But hit a feared possible Natick since I didn't know either BARRY LARKIN or NOKIA. Happily, once I got the KIN theme, that worked itself out. Then hit another possible Natick with KAL EL and ARI, and had to just plain guess on that one. But it worked--TA DA! However, like others, this felt more like a Tuesday or a Wednesday than a Monday to me. But, my goodness, what hard work constructing is! Thanks for showing us your different versions, C.C. And thanks for sticking with it and giving us a great puzzle.
ReplyDeleteAlways, love your expo, Argyle.
Funny "Babe" story, Hahtoolah.
Have a great Monday, everybody!
Hi C.C. & Gang,
ReplyDeleteHere goes my second attempt to post.
Here's link to our next pottery sale.
HBDTY Warren, and many more. we miss hearing your success before work.
ReplyDeleteBarry LARKIN now is a regular baseball analyst on ESPN.
Ellen Barkin who still looks and sounds great stars as a great-grandmother(!) in the new TV series The New Normal but I loved her best as the mother in DROP DEAD GORGEOUS a very funny movie witha great cast. You can see Ellen's beer can hand about 1:54.
C.C., thank you for the continued insight into building your masterpieces.
YR, I am sorry, it was not Buddy Epsen's socks they were talking about.
Finally, I wish CW puzzles would learn DICTA in an order of decree is not the good stuff, but the extra language that is not controlling.
OK I finally got past the captcha
ReplyDeleteHave to put a space between every letter?
C.C. & gang, thanks for all of the birthday wishes!
For LD and Chickie: check out the URL I posted for out next pottery sale.
Good afternoon everyone.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Warren. Hope you come back, or at least read all your good wishes.
Congratulations Annie. I have never tried to run (since I was a kid), but I do walk a mile 5 times a week. You are impressive.
Glad for another shout out: Sal.
My DH fixed a delightful corned beef and cabbage dinner last night. Good sandwiches for lunch!
Cheers
PS Oh yes, the puzzle. Had a hard time, but loved the KIN help.Had two blank spaces; the Os in46D. And it is fascinating to see the before and after puzzles, C.C. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAnd the write up was superb, Argyle.
Warren, how good to see you. I hope our other California kids stop by your sale; here is my baby Charlotte after getting her latest round of shots.
ReplyDelete11 minutes.
ReplyDeleteHello all!
ReplyDeleteNice puzzle, CC. You are amazing! Thanks, Argyle!
Very crunchy for me. Several WAGs.
Isn't station usually STA?
Never heard of KARA and two of the KINs. But muddled through.
Good to "see" you, Warren! A very happy birthday!
Good for you, Annie!
Cheers!
Too see even a little bit of the crossword process during construction is amazing. Never realized so much was involved and that the grid itself can change spans and its sex, its color and outlook, and that its innate facial characteristics can undergo such a radical metamorphosis before the finished product is presented as an opus. We must marvel at the multi-talented genius that can accomplish so much, so radically and so smoothly. The cruciverbalist molds the clay of the fill to bring forth a illusion of immense beauty. And one must also marvel at the editor and editors, for they are the Solomons who have to handle 400 wives, each to a unique flavor, angle and passion. Not meant in any vulgar manner but in a sense of genuine, profound appreciation. And thus each of them, in their own manner, earn their well deserved pay. And charm our socks off.
ReplyDeleteHi gang -
ReplyDeleteHBD Warren!
Another fine effort by our fearless leader, and yes, a bit on the crunchy side.
Barry was a swag [who knows from National League?] but knew all the other KINFOLK right off the bat [so to speak.]
Had no idea Alan Arkin was still at it. I remember him from The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and this 1966 Classic.
Cheers!
JzB
Hello everybody. Fun puzzle today. I agree with what you all had to say about it, and had the same areas of difficulty. I thought the middle would be my downfall for quite a while. And filling KOR EL for Superman's father sure didn't help me at the bottom, either. Oh yeah, then there was my putting an answer into the wrong column, entering LAURA into the 45 Down spot. Left me scratching my head for a while. I got KARA from 4 perps :)
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Warren, you man of few words you.
I love Ellen Barkin's crooked mouth. I think a certain amount of ASSymmetry enhances one's physical attractiveness.
Thanks for all the great jokes last night!
Congrats on yet another solo flight, C.C.!!!
ReplyDeleteFun puzzle.
Love BEETs in a salad.
Did not know KAL-EL or STRAFES.
IN A PICKLE cracks me up.
Made one really dumb mistake reading the clue too quickly: NELLe...
which gave me AKITAe ! whaaa???
Finally finished Sunday x-word. Not as much fun on Monday.
Happy Birthday Warren, and many more.
Hatoolah switched avatars ...
What is it, Hatoolah???
Mr. Argyle Markin, your commentary today is outstanding, and clearly displays your ample and wry sense of humor, which, it seems, I am not the only one who appreciates.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Warren -- good to see you back here.
ReplyDeleteJayce, you nailed it. I think Ellen's crooked grin is as much a turn-on as an SI swimsuit model.
CED Wow ! You da the Big massa man with the Link and the Host with the Most @!@ How do you manage to get all this wonderful material. Simply Wow !
ReplyDeleteJazzyB, The Russians are coming, repeat twice. is so funny. Gave me a BIG stomach ache, ha, ha, ha, MUST see that movie again. Hilarious. Simply WOW, again.
Happy Birthday, Warren! Nice to see you back here!
ReplyDeleteWe are in the midst of an unwelcome snowstorm here today. I think everyone is sick of winter. There's so much ice on the pavements under the fresh snow, I'm afraid of falling if I even go out to get the mail, since you can't see where it is.
Excellelnt puzzle, C.C.! I knew most of it today. Argyle, thanks for the explanations and pics of the people.
ReplyDeleteHere in Reds country, Barry Larkin is a gimme. I knew Ellen Barkin but not the other two names.
4D was sniper. 30 D was miser. Perps corrected those. The rest was easy.
Looking forward to another easy puzzle tomorrow.
Pat
niyacym--a new mineral?
No paper in Tenn. carries this puzzle and so I had to work CC's lovely offering on a bus on an iPhone. Yuk!
ReplyDeleteWe are now on Dplly Parton's home town where they are fighting a big fire in the hills.
HOla Everyone, A simple but elegant puzzle from our fearless leader. Thanks C.C. for the workout today and Argyle for the writeup.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Barry Larkin, and Ellen Barkin I knew, but not the movie she was in. There were just enough known perps to give me what I needed for both the answers. I managed to get this puzzle done while having my second cup of coffee.
Happy Birthday, Warren. It was sad to see Eddie B. in the picture with the rest of us at one of the last pottery sales he attended. I received a card from Warren's potting group and he has another sale coming up in April. I expect he and Ruth have been busy getting ready for that.
Good Job, Annie.
Hatoolah, What a funny story about the boys in the movie line.
Have a great day everyone. A busy one for me.
Warren, you posted while I was writing my comments. It was good seeing you today.
ReplyDeleteThanks CC and Argyle, I enjoyed the puzzle and writeup.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Warren! I always enjoy hearing from you.
I noticed the LARKIN/ARKIN connection after the first two theme answers. I always appreciate it when sussing out the theme helps with the solving. I didn't catch the clever connection with KINFOLK until it percolated through my brain for a little while. Well done!
A big power!
Find the ones digit of 3^153 or 3 to the 153rd power. When I gave this puzzle to my students, they asked if they could use their calculator. I said “Sure.” They were delighted for a few seconds.
[crappily]
Hi Y'all! Another great one, C.C.! Always enjoyable, Argyle! I got the theme as "AR KIN" with the second one which helped. Funny! Some good fill.
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm used to the new Chicago Trib site, I like it. I can get the puzzle just after midnight. The mental gymnastics empties my brain enough to sleep better.
Happy birthday, Warren! Don't get too potted on your big day.
Annie, congratulations on your run! You go girl! Hey, I thought I was doing good when I upped my daily (usually) walk around my house from 10 to 15 minutes once. I am just very thankful I can still walk, never mind running.
The last man I went out with was a lovely man, but such a PIKER in the sense of the word today. He was a cousin of my late husband who also pinched a nickel until the buffalo bellowed. I decided it must be a dominate trait gene among those KINFOLKS.
Glad your trip is going well. Honk, as you go by Dolly.
Bill G:
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck does 9.9896891e+72
mean?
When WAS the last time we heard from Tinbeni?
Pas de Chat: that is the aftermath of the St. Patrick's parade that occurred last Saturday.
ReplyDeleteI believe Tinbeni commented several times on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteTrying it again...
ReplyDeleteI just got back from a loft bed project and saw several more comments...
My wife and I finished 99% of today's puzzle, we got hung up on 53A 'ARI' with 48D Kalel. Monday is usually the only day of the week that we don't 'cheat', to save time on the later week puzzles I do it online and my wife does it in pencil. FYI Ruth has taken early retirement from her job as SLAC and is now taking physical therapy for her back. She also is now a volunteer at the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley and is their main photographer.
Bill G - I believe it is a 7.
ReplyDeleteEvening All, This was a nice crunchy Monday to start the week. Not a big fan of proper names but these were not too obscure. I remember Alan Arkin in Catch-22
ReplyDeleteand of course this Scene
Pas, it's the way your calculator uses Scientific Notation to deal with very large (or very small) numbers like you might run into with astronomy or chemistry. The calculator has rounded off the answer and told you to multiply the decimal part by 10 seventy-two times. That moves the decimal point 72 places to the right and in the case of your answer, you'd have to add 65 zeroes. For example, the sun is about 93,000,000 miles from the earth. In Scientific Notation, that number would appear as 9.3 x 10^7 or 9.3e+7. I hope that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteSpitz, I don't think your answer is correct.
Had to chime in! Enjoyed the puzzle and write-up. Thanks CC and Argyle. A Monday speed run for me, too.
ReplyDeleteHappy B-Day Warren. Thanks for including the Pottery Sale flyer. Maybe I'll be able to make it this year.
I agree. Drop Dead Gorgeous is a very funny movie. A little sacrilegious, maybe...but funny and quirky. Ellen Barkin and Allison Janney play such "colorful" roles. OMG, the beer can...hilarious.
I knew Kalel from watching The Big Bang Theory. According to Sheldon after hacking into Leonard's computer he announced "it's Leonard's password".
Happy evening, all.
Great run, Annie. Congrats.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Warren. It was good to hear from you.
This is an unexpected night home from the square dance class because it's snowing like crazy. I'm a class co-ordinator and "angel." Angels are experienced dancers who who help guide the newbies.
This gal who loved winter has now had enough. I am so ready for spring.
Yellowrocks (hugs) to all.
Kathy
Good evening Argyle Markin (LOL) & CC. Fun puzzle, perfect for a Mon, and as always, excellent write up, Santa darlin'. You Rock!! CC, you just never cease to amaze me. Thank you for the fun.
ReplyDeleteI thought of Dennis w/Akita and Mensa...and a bit with Aer Lingus for some reason. Maybe 'cause he's been uh..traveling lately? But never ever with ASS. Not in my world.
Loved the theme of this puzzle altho I didn't get it right away. I think some LIL Leprechaun named O'ROB KISSed all the AIR OUT of my head last nite. I need somebody, hopefully wearing one of two CAPES, to blow in my ear and fill it up again. Maybe he can blow out the earworm by ABBA too. The ILK of that BABE must be no NINNY nor PIKER, for sure. Until then, I will stay IN A PICKLE, running AMOK, until OTIS gives me a lift, the ROI of all YE MEN blows me KISSes, or my NOSey BRO cARIes me hOHM. Some KINFOLK are just plain party poopers! Now that's an ASS!
Happy Birthday, Warren. Wish you many many more.
Annie: your athleticism is admirable. Congratulations on your outstanding accomplishments and good luck in the next big run.
Enjoy your night.
A perfect Monday puzzle , thank you! I love seeing the original grids & the changes , oh to be so talented! Liked the unifier ! 3-5 inches of snow & freezing rain predicted here overnight ...hurry spring !
ReplyDeleteJust talked to my cousin in northern MN.
ReplyDeleteYou don't even want to know.
Let it snow x 3, Bill G!
BTW, My guess is 2, but don't make me show how I got the answer. ;)
I checked some older posts and Tinman last checked in on March 9.
Didn't say anything about going on a trip.
Where's AnonyMouse?
I wanted to thank him for his response concerning Indian food.
He suggested youtube for recipes, and he's right! I learned how to make spanikopita watching a Greek chef, and it was delicious.
Tonight, I'm trying lamb and rice dolmas (stuffed grape leaves).
Also learned Moussaka from youtube.
Gee, and I'm not even Greek!
Sounds like a pattern to me???
DARN!, I forgot to ask all you math geeks out there.....
ReplyDeleteI found that 153 is a narcissistic number.
Because 1^3+5^3+ 3^3 =153.
Does that have anything to do with Bill G.'s puzzle?
Gee, the things I ALMOST learn on this blog.
Aw crap! Weatherman says I'm in the jackpot zone for 8 to 14" of wet heavy snow. I'll take 2' of light fluffy stuff any day. Today's snow blowers use governors or restrictors
ReplyDeletesupposivley for our own good.
But I rewired it (so to speak). It's now like Mark McGwire on steroids.
(sorry Bill, Had to get that in)
KALEL was also Jerry Seinfeld's ATM password. Goodnight from Asheville,NC. Biltmore Estate tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGary
Happy Birthday Warren!
ReplyDeletealso,,,, ARR-KIN!
Puzzle hint.
ReplyDelete3^1 = 3
3^2 = 3x3 = 9
3^3 = 3x3x3 = 27
3^4 = 3x3x3x3 = 81
3^5 = 3x3x3x3x3 = 243
3^6 = a3x3x3x3x3x3 = 729
etc.
So the ones digit is cycling through 3, 9, 7, 1, 3, 9, 7, 1, etc.
Pas said, "I found that 153 is a narcissistic number." Interesting though I don't think it has anything to do with the puzzle. I had never heard of narcissistic numbers. Perfect numbers, yes.
Tax appointment tomorrow morning.
Manac, so your machine can outblow the neighbors, eh? You'll never get in the record books though without an asterisk next to your name...
Arr-kin, heh heh!
[arrpoop]
Just dropped in and glad I did on a CC puzzle day! I read one of your comments, CC and you seem to be completely Americanized in your (gentrified) language skills, "Alas, both times I had to discard him." :)
ReplyDeleteGood to see some "old" regulars but I wonder about Jeanie, Jimbo and Lois and Windhover.
Winter`s gone (unless you live in the upper midwest) and I hope your spring is soft and sweet.
Can`t get a blank puzzle page to print anymore and so I content myself with the others my paper prints.
My best to you all.
OK Bill G. Now I'm REALLY lost.
ReplyDeleteJust finished making 30 dolmas and had a lot of grape leaves left over. Probably enough for 90! Aack!
It probably takes a village to make enough of these, maybe like tamales- Lucina.
They have to steam for an hour.
I'll let you know how they came out tomorrow.
Meantime, Jeopardy.
And if that dweeb Matt Lauer takes over, I'll NEVER watch it again.
CED you kept your promise to Warren.
Wasn't Arkin in a movie where he kept saying Zig-Zag?
Pas De Chat -
ReplyDeleteI think you mean "serpentine, serpentine!", said by Peter Falk's character to Alan Arkin's, in "The In-Laws". It's a reminder not to run in a straight line when under fire.
DUDLEY! Thanks, that was it!
ReplyDeleteFunny stuff.
SERPINTINE
Guess I remembered that my dad said the only reason he survived Pearl Harbor was that they Zigged when they should have Zagged.
And that's about all he ever said about the war.
Late St. Patrick's Day joke: A farmer named Muldoon lived alone on the Irish countryside with a big black lab he doted on. The dog finally died and Muldoon went to the parish priest and said, "Father, the dog is dead. Could you be saying the mass for the creature?" Father Patrick replied, "No, we cannot have service for an animal in the church. But there is a new denomination down the road. No telling what they believe, but maybe they'll do something for the animal." Muldoon said, "I will go right now." Do you think $50,000 is enough to donate for the service?" Father Patrick said, "Why didn't you tell me the dog was Catholic?"
ReplyDeleteAs much as I loved Peter Falk in Columbo and The Princess Bride, I don't think I should be too upset by missing The In-Laws.
Pas, I can understand why your Dad might not want to talk about his wartime experiences much. Since I didn't experience the horrors of combat, I can enjoy movies about that period of history; the clothes, the cars, the music, the emotions, etc. I mentioned that I am reading the book called The Last Convertible about a group of Harvard students in that era. The TV miniseries was excellent and I'm enjoying the book.
Power puzzle answer: The digits in the ones place go through a pattern of 3, 9, 7, 1, 3, 9, 7, 1, . . . , repeating every four terms. The powers that are multiples of four all end in 1. Since the 153rd power is one more than a multiple of four, the ones digit is three.
I really washed out on this wkend puzzles and didn't comment because I totally felt like a dolt.
ReplyDeleteFinished today' puzzle with the help of perps which didn't help my self esteem. I didn't know the names and failed to stop and look at ARKIN ending...Duh! Very well thought out puzzle, CC. Thanks Argyle for s'plana it.
Happy Birthday, Warren!
Annie, great run! What age did you start training? Impressive
I love to watch children giggle when the mice show up to explain the next part of BABE.
Just to update. I treated my strained Achilles tendon for last 7 days and now well again. One more minor bump in the road.
BTW, Happy St Paddy's Day! Belated,of course. The jokes and puns were a perfect celebration.
hello everyone:
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the solo puzzle today C.C. Haven't done the puzzle yet. Only looked it over before falling asleep this morning.
Husker Gary, I hope you and your wife are having a great trip.
Our house has become quite popular as a stopping spot of late. We have a pair of great horned owls nesting in the sycamore right above the house. Two fledgings are keeping both birds busy. We had been hearing their call in January. I showed the neighbor's boy where the nest was and let him look through the binoculars. Really amazing raptors. The young owlets drop food as they are learning to eat what they parents bring.
Having read the write up yet but thanks Argyle.
roopa doo
I meant earlier that I hadnt read the blog...
ReplyDeleteAnyway loved the puzzle. Some good old standard cross word nouns in here..I think eft is one of the first I learned. When my daughter got one of her earliest jobs in highschool she bought me several books with crossword puzzles. I learned many of the rivers from them.
Loved seeing a reference to Dick van Dike. One of my old favorite tv shows. Would love to see a puzzle for him.