google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Saturday, Mar 2nd, 2013, Julian Lim

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Mar 2, 2013

Saturday, Mar 2nd, 2013, Julian Lim

Theme: None

Words: 68 (missing J,Q)

Blocks: 32

 Julian Lim's Saturday grids usually intimidate me, and this one looked to be no different.  But there were just enough solvable short answers, and I surprised myself with how fast I finished.  Big blocks of white in every corner, triple 8's and 6's, with one grid spanner;

37A. "Whatever" : I DON'T REALLY CARE - You know she's not happy with you if all she has to say is "whatever"....
Also - 10D. "It's hard to tell" : I CAN'T SAY, and 53D. Answer from the unwilling : NOT I

And some other long answers of note;

11. Long-haired pet : PERSIAN CAT - my brother has one, not this cute, named Sherlock

 

27. "Straight Outta Compton" genre : GANGSTA RAP - N.W.A., Ice Cube's original act, so you can pretty much figure out what N.W.A. stands for....here's a link to something less gangsta, but still rap - "ain't outta Compton..." @3:24 - WARNING: strong lyrical content~!

O   N   W   A   R   D   ~   !   !   !

ACROSS:

1. Installment in a modern series : WEBISODE - Episode didn't fit, but once the "W" was there, 'modern' now made sense

9. Thing to be cracked : CIPHER

15. Loge : OPERA BOX

16. Purchase provider : ICE AXE - ah, that kind of purchase; the one with 'grip'

17. Olympic winner : MEDALIST - first long fill for me

18. Hero with a memorable yell : TARZAN - This was my first thought, but I wouldn't necessarily call him a "hero" per se

19. Bird that dines on stingers : BEE-EATER - well, it makes sense, and followed by:

20. Bug : INSECT

21. PC debut of 1981 : MS-DOS

23. Leans : TILTS

24. Truffles, e.g. : FUNGI

28. Unit in una zona residencial : CASA - I am guessing Spanish, for a "house" in the residential zone; I went bar-hopping with the guys tonight (I was the Designated Driver, so my sodas were "free"), and my buddy Bob has the last name Casa

30. Most suitable for service : ONE-A

31. In danger of snapping : UNBALANCED

39. 1959 Cornelius Ryan best-seller about the Normandy invasion, with "The" : LONGEST DAY

41. Keister : SEAT
42. Prepare for a game, as Jenga blocks : STACK


43. They may generate interest: Abbr. : ACCounTS

50. "Hysterical" : HA-HA-HA - HEY~!!! That's MY line~! (OK, HAR-HAR is mine )

52. On balance : ALL IN ALL - great fill

57. God wed to his sister : OSIRIS - a little Egyptian history, for those who care

58. Rather wicked : DIABOLIC - DEMONIC was too short

59. Say : REMARK - UTTER was too short

60. Not barred : ADMITTED - ALLOWED was too short

61. Good guys? : ADEPTS - AD-epts, the noun

62. Many characters on "The L Word" : LESBIANS - I didn't think this word would fit; not sure why.  Never seen the show, but I knew what the "L" stood for

DOWN:

1. Place of development : WOMB

2. It has about a 35-inch blade : EPEE

3. Saint who wrote the earliest history of England : BEDE

4. Requiem Mass hymn word : IRAE

5. Sub base? : SALAMI - Sub, Hero, Hoagie

6. Bye lines? : OBITS - I said "bye" to my dad Jan 12th; we did not publish an obituary

7. Did a nurse's job : DOSED

8. Version's beginning? : EXTRO - In psychology, extroversion is focusing one's attention on things outside the self; I am a Type 5 (with a 4 wing) thinker with INtroversion tendencies

9. One of U.S. banking's Big Four : CITI - Citigroup, along with JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo; they hold 39% of customer deposits in 2009 per Wiki; My money is with Chase, and I have WF stock.

12. Nut-producing tree : HAZEL - PECAN would fit, but I had the "L" from TILTS already

13. Like some change : EXACT - not LOOSE

14. Uses Zipcar, say : RENTS - never heard of them but I have heard of: 40A. Its Nasdaq symbol is CAR : AVIS

22. Milan's La __ : SCALA

24. Keep from happening : FOIL - another word for EPEE, too

25. Wreck : UNDO

26. Light element : NEON

29. She has your back : ALLY

31. __ Major : URSA

32. Modern entertainment : NET TV - I am investing in NETFLIX this weekend, I believe

33. Maleficent : BAD

34. Vena __ : CAVA - : any of the large veins by which in air-breathing vertebrates the blood is returned to the right atrium of the heart; Merriam Webster

35. "Fast Food Nation" author Schlosser : ERIC - had the "C", seemed like a perfectly good Wild-Ass Guess to me

36. Work area : DESK - mine has the back ends of four brown trucks....

38. Top choice : TEE SHIRT - and 46. 38-Down option : V-NECK

42. Apparel for the slopes : SKI BIB - Marti, got one or two?  Do they match the Jimmy Choos?  I like ski bunnies - so cute in their tight little outfits


43. Now, in Nogales : AHORA

44. Checked out badly? : CASED - Like watching the bank before the heist

45. Ring : CHIME

47. Seven-time French Open winner : NADAL - LENDL fit, too, bit I have no clue who has won what in tennis....

48. Fail to say : ELIDE - consonants, that is

49. Simoleons : CLAMS - Had MOOLA to start; money slang

51. Petitions : ASKS

54. Medicine Hat's prov. : ALTA - Map

55. Homeowner's burden : LIEN - Well, so is the LAWN

56. Some TV screens : LCDs - Liquid Crystal Displays

Splynter

75 comments:

  1. Hi Y'all, Julian Lim puzzles always seem to be in my mental range although there were a number of unknowns. I had some terrific WAGS. Enjoyed this one. Got WOMB immediately, but WEBISODE eluded me, as did NETTV & GANGSTARAP.

    Splynter, Thanks for the great explanations, especially for 8A with the psych. I've heard of EXTROvert but not "version". I perped it but looked at it a long time to make sense of it.

    54D ALTA was a gimmee. We went through there on my Canadian bus tour in 2003. Beautiful country!

    39A LONGEST DAY was also a gimmee. I read every word of the book aloud to my husband.

    Never heard of "The L Word" but it perped out.

    I did yesterday's puzzle and had everybody else's gripes about the Tribune's entry mess, etc.

    YR: take care about twisting your body with a true
    rib fracture. Sometimes they come loose and puncture a lung. Scary!

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  2. Good morning Splynter, C.C. et al.

    I’m with you on this one, Splynter. It looked daunting at the first pass, but I ended up finishing it all fairly quickly for a Saturday. I couldn’t remember the open winner NADAL either, so it’s good that all the crossings were easy. My last fill was ICE AXE. “Purchase” just threw me for a loop, and I needed almost every perp before it appeared.

    I do own several SKI BIBs, but I usually wear a one-piece ski suit like this. I like to use the bibs for spring skiing, because I can take off my jacket if it gets too warm.

    I never heard of a BEE EATER, but they are so pretty! I really wanted to put in BEEF EATER, but it just wouldn’t fit.

    Have a lovely Saturday, everyone!

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  3. Morning, all!

    Well, according to the new app, I scored 1930 on this puzzle. Is that good, or does that just mean I filled in all the squares?

    A little challenging today, but not too hard. Had trouble getting started, though. Tried PECAN instead of HAZEL, which didn't help a bit.

    Never heard of SKI BIB before, but once I had SKIB__ there wasn't much else it could be and still be an item of clothing.

    Resisted putting in ALLY because of the clue, even after getting the first couple of letters. Was there some significance to the "she" reference in the clue, or was Mr. Lim just trying to obfuscate?

    Had REAR instead of SEAT, so GANGSTA RAP didn't come easily, but once I fixed my error it fell into place.

    Thank heavens I remembered NADAL!

    [taxipon]???

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  4. Like barry I scored a 1930. whih i think means you correctly filled in the squares. I heard back from the tribune they said the appreciate the feed back. I think I will comment again and ask them to restore the old format.

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  5. Middletown Bomber, maybe you could sue them.

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  6. Did we do the same puzzle? "I surprised myself with how fast I finished." "..quickly for a Saturday." Not! This match went into overtime. I finally won, but it was a struggle.

    I knew it had to be CITI or BOFA, and TARZAN settled that. I knew the LONGEST DAY, and was sure that Medicine Hat was in ALTA, and pretty sure OSIRIS married his sister, Isis. I spread out from those toeholds and finally prevailed. Anybody ever seen LESBIANS in a cw before? Not I.

    Interesting stone figures on Keister Island, Splynter. Yuk-yuk.

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  7. Just finished. Didn't read Splynter yet and just scanned the other comments. Just over an hour here, with main struggles in the NW and SW.

    Bomber, Barry, try http://www.merriam-webster.com/game/uclick/latimesdaily.htm

    A nice Anon posted it last evening.

    Also could have been JPMC...

    Gotta run. Have to add a gas line and hook up an oven, and pull a couple of 220V lines. All day affair. My friend's son bought a house with his new bride. Will check in later if I don't blow the place up or electrocute myself. If I do, someone think of the appropriate bye lines.

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  8. Hi Everyone ~~

    As others have already commented, this was tough but doable. Julian Lim always presents a challenge but I enjoyed my struggle. I'm feeling dense this morning (not enough coffee yet?) but even after reading Splynter's write-up, there are a couple of things I still don't get - ICEAXE.?? Ad EPTS?? Oh well, I'm sure when it's spelled out for me I'll get it - maybe!

    ~ I had many of the same first thoughts already mentioned, i.e. Rear/SEAT, Allowed/ADMITTED, Demonic/DIABOLIC, and also Relate/REMARK for 59A - Say.

    ~ Sometimes, especially on Saturdays, I'm hesitant to write in a straightforward answer, but Bug/ INSECT and Leans/TILTS were right.

    ~ Does Wreck = UNDO? I suppose it can, but...

    ~ Favorites: Sub base/SALAMI, Checked out badly/CASED, and Top choice/TEE SHIRT.

    ~ Last to fill was the SW corner ~ guessed the O at the crossing of AHORA and OSIRIS.

    Thanks for a great write-up, Splynter. Interesting info on introverts/extroverts. All these years I've thought of myself as an introvert because I'm not too out-going- tend to keep to myself. Not the same thing at all!

    I'll be out today, however - we're going to make our annual contribution to the local casino - Mohegan Sun. The blizzard kept us from making our usual trip around my birthday. ~~ Enjoy your day!

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  9. I'm with D-O on this one. A real slog, but ultimately doable and satisfying. First fill was Revere for 18A (Bzzt). Pecan took that out (Bzzt). First correct fill was RENTS. Thankfully I'd heard of them..they rent cars by the hour. Then came CAVA, which allowed a wag at AVIS, which gave me desk. Scala gave me Casa. And so it went...

    On the Debit side, didn't care much for MSDOS since the clue seemed to imply hardware not software, but accepted it. On the Credit side, really liked the clue for ELIDE.

    Captcha: ttitche. Really. Sounds uncomfortable.

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  10. Highly enjoyable Saturday offering. Thank you.

    [ekukccrcso]

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  11. -Funny, my first entries were all foreign words: CASA, CAVA, AHORA, SCALA, URSA, and FUNGI. From there I eked the answers out little by little until I gained purchase with the entire NW corner completed. After that I moved faster and finished in my usual Saturday time. I liked purchase provider=ICE AXE.
    -In NYC at the Metropolitan Opera and on Broadway LOGE seats are in the mezzanine (balcony). I know that the dictionary gives BOX seats as a definiton of LOGE, but I have never seen a theater where that is so. Has anyone else?
    -Thanks to all for your concern about my broken rib. Yes, it is broken all the way through, but cleanly. Lemonade, thanks for the bubble wrap suggestion. HA HA HA. Last year it was not a broken bone, but a repair on a torn meniscus in my knee, caused not by an accident, but just because my knees are much older and more worn out than the rest of me. I think it's a conspiracy to keep me off the dance floor. Except for my knees I would feel 10 to 15 years younger than my actual age.
    -An ADEPT (n.) is a highly skilled person, a guy who is good at his field.
    -Purchase is agrip or a toehold

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  12. Good morning, Saturday Solvers! Julian really put me through my paces this morning, but ALL IN ALL it was a worthwhile effort. Thanks for a great write-up, Splynter, and a hearty Har-Har at the Keister Island cartoon.

    Lots of white space remained after a couple passes, so I tried the “solve from the bottom up” method and finally got a toe-hold in the SE. Had OBERON before OSIRIS (confused my Shakespeare and Egyptian gods). Really wanted some type of bread for the sub base, so SALAMI was slow to fill. I “get” Good Guys? = ADEPTS (guys who are good/adept at something) but … meh. On the other hand, Purchase Provider = ICE AXE was very clever. Nice shout-out to all the feline-lovers on the blog with PERSIAN CATS. Thanks for the beautiful photo of the BEE EATER, Marti.

    Class is wrapping up this week, so today will be mostly devoted to putting the finishing touches on my term paper and studying for the final exam. Then over the break DH and I are heading to Atlanta to visit our youngest daughter.

    Have a great weekend, all!

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  13. I am going to show my total ignorance but can someone please explain what ice axe has to do with purchase provider? went way over my head.

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  14. Anon , This sense of purchase has nothing to do with buying. To gain purchase or to get puchase is to grasp or get hold of. A mountain climber uses an ice axe to provide purchase or a hold on an icy slope. When your tires cannot gain purchase on an icy street you either slide or spin your tires without moving ofrward.

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  15. I'll only piggyback on YR's comment Anon, but I did go looking for a good definition. Couldn't find a great one, but Google "Gain Purchase" and check out the OED link (for some reason it won't allow a copy and paste....never ran into that before). Near the end of the definitions, it gives two examples of this use. It is archaic, but does appear in period literature with some frequency.

    Another definition I noticed was in reference to annual rent. Hadn't heard that one before today.

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  16. Just want to comment that foil is not another word for épée. They are different weapons. In fencing, there are three types of weapons used: foil, sabre, and épée. Not only are the weapons themselves different, but they have different scoring criteria.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fencing#Weapons

    To the anonymous above me: Not "purchase" meaning buying something. "Purchase" meaning a position or device affording means to move or secure a weight. :)

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  17. Ai-ya, we still use purchase to mean get a grip around here.

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  18. Hard, but not impossible (as yesterday's nightmare). Googled a few (Jenga, CAR, Cornelius Ryan, Schlosser). One needs to learn new things, and this was painless.

    Never heard of WEBISODE,The L Word, Straight Outta Compton, Zipcar, but figured them out. The Spanish was guessable, too.

    The only real sports clue was NADAL, and I keep trying to remember him.

    Another incestuous god is Zeus, if you need a 4-letter one.

    Things to be cracked: book,code, joke, knuckle, nut, smile, whip, window; CIPHER.

    Just to annoy some - Captcha is bedTech. What is that? better yet, what is the algorithm for creating these?

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  19. Good morning:

    A tough but, IMO, less difficult than normal Saturday offering. Mind you, it wasn't a speed run, but it wasn't a slog, either. My only write-over was rear before seat.

    Thanks, Mr. Lim, for the challenge and, thanks, Splynter, for the commentary.

    Another gloomy March day, with snow, sleet, and rain predicted for later. Ugh!

    Have a super Saturday.

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  20. After reading the comments regarding the two answers I didn't understand, I now know why I didn't "get" them. I had no idea of the meaning of 'purchase' used here - learning moment - and while I know the meaning of ADEPT, I would never have thought of it fitting the clue 'Good guys.' OK - that's cleared up!

    The vet just called with good news about Grace's blood work from yesterday ~ great numbers, so still no need to restart insulin. She doesn't need another recheck for three months. =^..^=

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  21. This sense of purchase is as up to date as today and is in common usage.
    NYT March 27, 2012
    "The inability of the Syrian opposition to unite or gain PURCHASE among ethnic and sectarian minorities results to a great extent from the perception that the strongest elements of the opposition to the Alawite Shiite Bashar al-Assad are Sunni extremists."
    PURCHASE is frequently used in mountain climbing.
    From the Climber's Glossary.
    "Jamming:
    A technique for climbing cracks in which the fingers, hands, or feet are wedged inside a rock crack to gain PURCHASE and facilitate upward progress."

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  22. Splynter: Exceptional write-up & links.

    My solving experience was Maleficent/BAD ... on my way to another Saturday INK-BLOT - DNF.

    I can see making an AXE purchase but there is NOT a chance-in-hell I'd make an ICE purchase.

    Avatar MUST BE enjoyed NEAT.

    Cheers !!!

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  23. Well, after my first pass through this puzzle I thought "OMG, this is as bad as a dreaded Silkie!". The only things I had were LA SCALA (we toured it once, but without watching an opera or sitting in the LOGE), CASA, and OSIRIS. Then slowly and patiently it did start filling in and I didn't have to start cheating until I was about 2/3 done. And I have to confess there were lots of enjoyable clues, so many thanks, Julian. (I won't start referring to you as the "dreaded Limmie" just yet).

    Splynter, your KIESTER ISLAND cracked me up.

    Never heard of SKI BIB, maybe because I don't ski. Does ALTA stand for ALBERTA? (I kept trying ABTA). And weirdly I too knew LESBIANS but didn't think it fit until later.

    LaLaLinda, what great news about your kitty! You go, Grace!

    Have a great weekend everybody. We're going to an Italian dinner at a neighbor's house tonight, and I'm bringing the antipasti.

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  24. Linda-Great news about Grace.

    A belated welcome to Michael Barrett.

    YR-Hope you heal quickly.

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  25. Just finished catching up on yesterday's posts -- sorry to hear about your tumble over the ottoman, Yellow Rocks! Hope you are on the mend in double-quick time.

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  26. Barry, When I had SKIB__, I tried Bra, thinking it was some special kind of sports bra. Red Letters! Then I remembered buying ski pants with a BIB back when I still sat on bleachers to watch my kids in marching band at football games. Never went downhill in them except to exit those bleachers.

    YR: A dear friend of mine with a broken rib turned his body to reach the paper on the back of the commode, the rib slipped sideways and punctured his lung. He went back to his recliner in great pain. Luckily, a guy was there fixing his satellite dish and came in to ask a question. He called the paramedics. My friend was DOA at the hospital, but they managed to bring him back. They had to drain the blood out of his chest cavity. Very scary! He then got pneumonia which took a while to recover.

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  27. I scored 1920 whatever that means. It took me longer than usual because I'm not used to the new Flash format. As far as asking the Tribune to go back to the "old" Flash format.... that will never happen. So, I guess we have to get used to this one.

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  28. Had to LIMber up the gray matter this morning to get through.
    Slow but sure.

    Sfingi (9:52): a bedTech sounds like someone who might be handy to have around.

    Was 88° here yesterday and more of the same today.

    Here's to GRACE under pressure.
    My favorite cat next to my own BIZIN and HANAKO is MARU on YouTube.
    Have a great weekend, everyone.

    [trLoge]

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  29. Hola, amigos y amigas from my CASA to yours.
    Excellent expo, Splynter, thank you.

    WEES about Julian Lim's puzzles. My heart sank when I saw it, but it was doable. It took two episodes as I awoke too early, managed to fill the entire center starting with CASA and SCALA which is a magnificent building but not sure if it has OPERA BOXes.

    I returned to bed, then one and a half hours later came back to it. Since the TEE was there I added SHIRT and was off to the finish the SW but not before changing REAR to SEAT.

    Next to fall was the NE and didn't get ICE AXE at first but loved it when the light turned on.

    ALL IN ALL, this turned out great and a very good challenge from Mr. Lim

    LaLaLinda, that's good news about your cat. I'm happy for you.

    YR:
    You should seriously consider the bubble wrap suggestion. Please take good care.

    BillG:
    This weekend promises to be balmy here in the desert, 80 degs. How is it in your area?

    Have a fantastic Saturday, everyone!

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  30. With temperatures in the 70s , and my mind is on " maybe I'll BBQ tonight " mode , I went with Prime Cut and T-Bone at 38D and 46A , and spent valuable time to correct that mess,

    Lawn , Leak , Lien

    Ski Bag , Ski Bib , thanks to the Lesbians .

    V-Neck ? Not I

    Ahora I go to work ,,,Obit

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  31. Good puzzle today. Almost got it all, but failed in the southern region.
    Wanted PRONTO for 43D, but did not fit. Had to go to translate to get AHORA. That fixed the SW corner.
    Had AGASI for 47D, but that was wrong. Searched French Open, saw NADAL had seven wins, that fixed that corner.
    But a whole lot better than Fridays demon!

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  32. Liked the puzzle.

    Thanks YR to your great explanation about purchase. I knew what it meant but alway enjoy your information.

    I knew purchase but had not heard of elide.. Had to look it up.

    Also I looked up zip cars. It is a very cool concept.

    Hope you get better soon YR

    Cold and windy in southeast Texas. Next weekend is the azalea trail, hope they will be ready..last year was cold and rainy.

    Kathryn

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  33. Is it finally Saturday? Whew, what a week.

    Thank you to everyone offering the "purchase provider" explanation. I had never heard purchase used in that way.

    Although I finished it in a fairly good time (for a Sat.) I had an incorrect fill at 8D/21A. "EXTRA/MSDAS. Extro was an unknown, but I should have caught MS-DOS. Duh!

    Big welcome to all the new posters. Nice to have you here. Gotta get the tax crap together today. Oh joy...more like dies irae...

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  34. I had one of those bad computer days yesterday when i had to delete Norton Antivirus in favor of a different one, little did i know that when i deleted Norton, it took my WIFI with it. (the kids were not amused...) I spent 2 days trying to figure out why passwords were invalid. When i finally found the install disk that came with the router, i discovered my password was now "admin" & & all security settings were deleted???

    So, in the middle of all that, i go to do the crossword online, & they changed the *&^^%$*^&%( thing!!!, it was just too much, i gave up & went back to bed...

    Bill G. Loved the depression era pics yesterday, i never knew they had color back then! (& it is really weird to see things as they really were...)

    Re: todays puzzle, the crossing of Persian Cat & I really don't care was interesting, but "I really don't care" brings this to mind for me...

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  35. Klilly@12:23 -- The azaleas in my neck of the woods are almost finished. Rather than too cold, I expect the folks at Bayou Bend have had to ice down the bushes to keep 'em from blossoming too early.

    YR, I think the bubble wrap is a good idea. Of course, then you've got to figure out where to ship yourself. ;)

    Pas de chat (from last night), I enjoyed your Maru clip. Lying on his back with all legs splayed out reminds me of avatar. DW is constantly reminding him to "close up shop." (If you've seen Drop Dead Gorgeous you'll understand.)

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  36. I enjoyed this Julian Lim puzzle. Didn't finish, but had fun. I goofed up in the middle, trying BUTT and REAR before SEAT. I also had CANDY for truffle, and moved on to FUDGY before realizing that he was talking FUNGI.

    Splynter, you did a great job of 'splaining things.

    Marti, thanks for the BEEEATER pic. Lovely little creatures!

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  37. Hello everybody. I also enjoyed this puzzle, but had to work hard to solve it. A pleasurable challenge.

    I learned it was not CHUMP change.
    Gimmes for me were La SCALA, CASA, URSA, CAVA, TARZAN, and The LONGEST DAY.
    I so much wanted balcony for loge and episode i for installment. 'Twas not to be.

    Best wishes to you all.

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  38. SL Zalameh said "With temperatures in the 70s, and my mind is on " maybe I'll BBQ tonight " mode...

    I guffawed when I read that. It was about 36 the other night, and DH decided it was finally "warm" enough to go out and BBQ some steaks!! I guess everything is relative...

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  39. This puzle was like a CIPHER to be cracked. Solving it took THE LONGEST DAY. DIABOLIC is a good way to describe it. Only finished this by calling 87 yr old Mom for help. She is very ADEPT at these. Whoops, she didnt have the NW filled in either. Together we got it done. ALL IN ALL, a tough Saturday puzzle.
    I did know the "other" definition of purchase, however.
    Feeling a bit UNBALANCED now, gotta rest....

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  40. DNF after 40 minutes. Had all but the NW corner at 30. Some NW terms seemed too generic (BEEEATER) or jargon-based (WEBISODE) to me, but they were parallel, not crossing, so I guess it was OK.

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  41. deper-otto @12:37
    I didn't post a Maru link, and I went back to yesterday's comments and couldn't find one.
    I just posted Grand Jeté.
    Where was it?
    DNF today after half done, but
    I DON'T REALLY CARE.
    I know when I'm beaten.

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  42. GRACE
    1.Way to go, Grace, you sweet kitty. I wish you continued good health.
    1. Example of Grace under pressure is Princess Grace in a girdle. (It WAS the 50's.)
    2. We always PRAYED before meals. My kids didn't know from GRACE. When my MIL asked my toddler son to say GRACE, he obediently said, "GRACE."
    3. My image of saying GRACE is from Norman Rockwell. I love all his work.
    Link GRACE

    PK @ 11:20, thanks for the warning. I am not feeling all that frisky right now, although I am not wearing a bra! HAH! (The band goes right around the broken rib.) I imagine as I feel better the temptation will arise.

    Finally a CAPTCHA that makes sense. SECTOR PR. This 7th army sector fought bravely.

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  43. Pas de Chat (2:33): I posted the MARU link at 11:36.

    Funny Captcha for BIZIN [hiBasen]

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  44. Pas de chat -- My Bad! It wasn't from yesterday, and it wasn't your post. It was from this morning, and it was posted by AWOL. It's hell to get old! But it was cute.

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  45. Hola Everyone, Wees about the puzzle. I had a DNF, but learned about purchase, webisode, and Bee Eater, among other things. There is always a learning moment or two or three with a Julian Lim puzzle.

    Yellowrocks, Take care of that broken rib.

    Garlic Gal, my exact sentiments about getting all the tax stuff together!!

    Have a great weekend everyone.

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  46. Saturdays are always a struggle for me but I finally got it done with red-letter help.

    Lucina, 76 and beautiful here today. It's supposed to be 10 degrees cooler for the next week.

    I've had a cracked rib once and bruised rib cartilage once, both from elbows playing basketball. Very painful. Sneezing was the worst!

    OK, we've talked about the new Chicago Trib CW puzzle format change. Thanks to an anon, I've switched to Merriam-Webster. But nobody has answered the question, "Why the change?" None of thinks the new format is better. Is it cheaper or more profitable for the Trib? Does it solve some problem I'm unaware of? The LAT made a similar change a couple of months back. There must be a reason for the change, right?

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  47. We're talkin' Chicago here; it's probably kickbacks.

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  48. I'm inclined to think that someone wanted a little more pay at whatever office oversees the puzzle link, so they played around with it. Graphically more pleasing so they think it's improved. Then they plop an ad over it to pay for their mischief.

    I used to take my computer home at the newspaper whenever I had advance warning about our computer "expert" coming. He always "improved" only my frustration. After he deleted a bunch of files I badly needed, I told the manager if he ever let the guy on my computer again, I would be out the door.

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  49. AWOL: That was a cute video!
    And Maru's owner is a very good housekeeper.....unlike this dog's owner:


    Dog steals Baguette

    And just for fun:

    Dog steals cabbage

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  50. Jeannie k, i just read yesterdays posts. so yous finally decided to show your face at the blog. everybodys were all getting so anxious about your whereabouts so I just made up a happy Hallmark story to give you a fairy tale ending. Made all our old timers bloggers very happy and thats not a bad thing. now that youre back here you can continue to take up your persona from here onwards. i loves pigs ears and chickens feets so why dont you give us the recipe anyway. wishing you the bests of all good things as always.

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  51. Pas, I just LOVED your video about the dog stealing the baguette. You can almost see the wheels going around in his little pea brain trying to solve the problem. Great stuff!

    Our daughter, Bonnie, has a new boy friend. He seems like a really good guy and something happened this afternoon that confirmed it for me. He came by to pick up Bonnie's bicycle to go on a ride together. He had his four-year-old son along. After putting air in her tires, they were going to come inside for a short visit. He leaned over and quietly told his son to remember to be polite and keep his hands at his side (so as not to touch or break stuff). What a pleasant change from some of the yuppie parents who don't want to set limits or say 'no' to their kids.

    I just came across "The Apartment" on cable. What a classic movie!

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  52. Back after a full day. Electric and gas work is done. New gas stove is installed and the kids can now cook at home. Fixed a leaky toilet as well. Maybe I'll open a handyman service when I retire.

    The Tribune Co is coming out of bankruptcy proceedings. They're looking for buyers for a number of their newspapers, including the LA Times.

    I would speculate that UuClick got paid far less than what they were owed in the bankruptcy, and they terminated the deal with the Tribune Co. Doubt that complaining to the Tribune Co will do any good.

    I also bookmarked the Merriam-Webster site since I prefer UuClick over the "new" version.

    Yellowrocks, ouch ! Please take care.

    Pas de Chat, loved the dog vids.

    AWOL, Maru is is a favorite on the Corner. Thanks for posting.

    Splynter, great write up. Thought it might be lawn at first, but it's a labor of love for me, and LIEN was more apt. Keister Island artwork is now etched in the gray matter.

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  53. Couldn't wait to get to the blog for the explanation for the purchase provider clue... completed puzzle after much effort, as expected for a Saturday from Mr. Lim. Thank you!

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  54. Why is it that I see the pictures posted by some of the blogging team and not others? I can never see Splynter's. I would like to see his KEISTERS.

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  55. TTP,
    SERIOUSLY....! Email me or comment. Was it Natural or LP gas. Big difference as almost all stoves are setup at the factory for Natural gas.

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  56. Yellow Rocks,
    please take care. I had no complications with my broken ribs other than it took six weeks to heal!

    Well yesterday's puzzle knocked me down and I got back again today. I liked this toughie. I put it down a few times.... Also got a toe hold in the southern purchase and moved north. I was able to easily get many of the longer fill clues. Didn't know the spanish clue for 43D.

    Have a good evening.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Don't click on the Netent and Jack links.
    Can someone please delete them?

    ReplyDelete
  58. Thanks Bill G and TTP.
    Bill, he sounds like a parent with brains, not the over-indulgent type.
    Had Mom's house re-roofed and when it was time to pay, roofer brought two of brattiest grandkids with him. They ran all over, tried to climb the tree nosed through stuff in the garage(we were sitting outside) and the girl actually TOOK some things from the garage. If I hadn't checked the plastic bag she decided was hers, she would have taken home a couple of 1940's items.I wrote him a scathing email.
    TTP, Isn't it GREAT to know how to
    to repair and install things?
    My brother had a few different jobs and retired from mechanical maintenance at Disneyland. He said he never regrets learning how to fix stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Yellowrocks, at first I thought you were kidding, but then I remembered... Try pulling up the blog in Internet Explorer or download Mozilla Firefox or Chrome and see if you can see Splynter's pics. They are in the Portable Networks Graphics format (PNG) and some browsers can't render them.

    Manac, natural gas. The line just needed to be tapped and the new line run to the stove. Lucked out that there was a tee with a plug in the line to the furnace, so a street 90, with a couple of standard sections of pipe, three more regular elbows, a few nipples, couplings, and a shutoff, and that part was done. Only had to make two trips to Home Depot, and the second one was for the fill valve for the toilet and to return the extra NPT parts. Yea, if I would have had to convert the stove to LP, it would have taken much longer in that you have to replace all of the orifices.

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  60. We are just back from Lincoln after one of our annual trips to state basketball tournament with Hudson. We are now watching the rest of the finals on NETV – Nebraska Educational Television. Not quite NETTV but… I started this in the motel this morning and finished here in Dodge County. The puzzle was hard and NW corner cost me two cells but was worth the effort. Back to the game!

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  61. TTP, maybe that's part of my problem; Maybe I need some orifices replaced...

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  62. TTP, Thanks for the feed back. My concern was that most people are not aware of these things but you obviously are quite adept to handle it. You did test all the joints with soapy water, right?
    Reminds me of a birthday card I got years ago from my daughter.."How many Dads does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but he has to make three trips to the hardware store to do it :)

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  63. Pas de chat, yes. My BIL could fix and repair almost anything. When he bought something new, he would take it completely apart and then reassemble it. Drove my sister nuts.

    Bill G, still laughing ! But more so for some of the snarks that could use some Loctite to close their orifices.

    Manac, yes, soap test, although I made the obligatory facetious jokes about using the match light test when doing the gas work. Gen Xer thought I was serious ! Too funny.

    I think I'm out of posts. Have a good evening all, and see you on the flip side.

    ReplyDelete
  64. My father was a very clever, intelligent and capable man in many ways, an excellent and loving father I'd say. But he had little interest in fixing things. So I had no training in that skill and no example to follow. Still, I seemed to have an interest on my own and developed a knack for it. I could fix most things that I put my mind to. However, if I got thwarted by a project, it was often by little nuisances such as a screw that I couldn't get loose.

    BTW, I just came across an old crossword puzzle I'd saved from Cruciverb about eight months ago. It is one of the cleverest theme ideas I've ever seen. Without giving too much away, it's a puzzle where a letter in several squares represents two letters or, in other words, a square contains two letters. A theme like that won't show up in an LAT puzzle, (please correct me if I'm wrong about that), but if you like clever themes and clever puzzles, this one is top-notch. It was in The Chronicle of Higher Education by George Barany on June 22nd, 2012. I highly recommend it.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Bill G. @ 8:52
    Sorry to ask, but are you trying to say that you're the only here without a screw loose?? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  66. My husband was one of those people who could fix anything. If he couldn't fix it, it couldn't be fixed. If he couldn't find a part, he usually could manufacture one--until electronics took over. His mother said she found him under the kitchen table when he was eight with all the pieces of her alarm clock laid out in the order he'd taken them apart on the floor. She was alarmed but didn't say anything. (unbelievable) The next time she came in from chores, the clock was back together and ticking away. Kept perfect time.

    If I hadn't seen him do the same thing fixing my car when we were dating, I would never have believed her. It was the first time I really saw that work could be beautiful and thought he was a keeper. My elder
    son has the same gift and my younger son has a degree in mechanical engineering. I sorta shopped for the "handy gene", I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Jeannie Impostor, thank you for your kind reply. I will have to go through all of my recipes to find the best ones for pigs ears and chicken feet.

    Fermatprime, thanks for your help, but it appears I need more. Check your e-mail.

    Went to a sledding party today/tonight and used my friends as guinea pigs on a new recipe. It was a hit!

    Warm Italian Dip

    1/2 C sour cream
    1 8oz pkg cream cheese softened
    1/2 cup ricotta
    1/4 cup grated parmesan
    1 garlic clove minced
    1 Tbspn dried Italian seasoning. Mine includes thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil.
    1 1/2 to 2 cups grated gruyere cheese
    1 lg can of San Marzano diced Italian tomatoes (drained)
    Salt and pepper to your taste

    Mix all ingredients together and put in a buttered casserole dish. Bake 30-35 minutes in 350 degree oven. Serve with slices of baguettes, ciabatta, or any crusty Italian bread.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Imagine that...I got my lucky number!!

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  69. Oh Yellowrocks! I am so sorry to hear about your broken rib. My 1st reaction was to send something funny to cheer you up, but then i realized that laughing may not be the best thing right now.

    Then I thought i would tell you about the time I took the kids sledding & slipped. I looked like a dancer on stage jumping up sideways & clicking his heels together. As i fell (in slow motion) I realized i was going to fall sideways on my elbow & it would probably break one of my ribs, so i tried to hold my arm out away from my falling 250lb body. You know that ball & socket joint that connects your arm to your shoulder? Well i cracked that ball right in half! I still can't comb my hair with my left arm... But then i realized the saying "misery loves company" is not true...

    Hmm, I am going to have to do some research to find something appropriate to cheer you up.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Even though I previewed the recipe I managed to forget that you need to add 1/2 of a green pepper seeded and diced.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Ack!

    I just discovered something!

    I went to email Yellowrocks to ask her about what type of computer/operating system/internet browser she was using to see if i could help figure out why some of her links were not opening, & my stupid new windows 8 (minus outlook) does not know how to open the profile email link! I cannot email any of you guys!

    Ack!!!

    Yes, i know the solution would be to download (&/or) buy microsoft windows outlook, but i am using my cable companys' email system which works pretty good except except I cannot connect it to, or see the actual email address in the profiles...

    Double Ack!

    what to do? Any ideas?

    ReplyDelete
  72. Oh, never mind, i figured it out...

    If i hold my mouse cursor over the link, a tiny (minuscule) note opens at the bottom of the screen with the email address. All I have to do is find a pencil to copy it down so i can transfer it to the cable co's email contacts. If i move my mouse cursor off the blue email link to copy & paste, the little window disappears!

    (Why do they do that! How many times have you tried to click a link & the entire image moves just enough so that you click on the wrong thingie! I think my spell checker is wrong! It's not a cursor, it's a curser!!!)

    ReplyDelete
  73. Dave,

    There's an option to change your browser's default email setting. Just change it from Outlook. Look under your browser's Tool Menu.

    ReplyDelete

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