Theme: "Strictly Speaking" -
Clues are key here. Each consists of 2 words. The second word describes
each spoken phrase type:
words/expression/request/talk/assertion/statement; the first word aptly
describes the content of each phrase.
24A. Heated words? : GREAT BALLS OF FIRE. Heated, FIRE.
32A. Blanket expression? : I'VE GOT YOU COVERED. Blanket, COVERED.
56A. Formal request? : SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME. Formal, DANCE.
82A. Frank talk? : HOT DOGS, GET YOUR HOT DOGS. Frank, HOT DOGS.
110A. Bald assertion? : THAT'S GOT TO BE A WIG. Bald, WIG.
118A. Mission statement? : REMEMBER THE ALAMO. Mission, ALAMO.
Hard to describe this theme succinctly & clearly. Thank God for Argyle, who's always there for me.
Ed gave us 2 grid spanners & lots of nice long words today. The grid only has 68 black squares. I definitely need 76 to 78.
Across:
1. "Thick & Fluffy" breakfast brand : EGGO
5. He edged TED in 1948 : HST. I don't know who TED is. OK, Thomas Edmund Dewey.
8. __ out: thoroughly : INSIDE
14. Brutus accomplice : CASCA. He was the first to stab Caesar.
19. Mouthy minor : BRAT
20. 18-Down reaction : OOH. And 18D. Wonder : AWE
21. British magazine founded in 1709 : TATLER. Click here. The magazine was founded in 1901. But the first issue was 1709? Needs Yellowrocks' though research.
22. On the bias : ASKEW
23. Head honcho : BOSS. And 64. Head honcho : MR. BIG
27. Symbolic yet insubstantial : TOKEN
29. Dash letters : RPM
30. Kitty's bit : ORT
31. Performed an entrechat : LEAPT. I'll leave the comment to Pas de chat.
37. Winding way, maybe : ROAD. And 39. Winding way, maybe : DETOUR.
40. Tulsa sch. : OSU
41. One rushing into a relationship? : ELOPER
43. Pinocchio's peccadillo : LIE
44. Plural maker : ESS. Can't be more straightforward.
45. Big oil source : GUSHER
47. Luau garland : LEI
48. Justice Kagan : ELENA. I linked the love letter Ruth Bader Ginsburg's husband Marty wrote to him shortly before he died. No one commented? Sigh. It was so moving.
50. "What __ God wrought?" : HATH
51. Org. with an Arrow of Light award : BSA
54. Hook's mate : SMEE
66. Peterhof Palace resident : TSAR. Oh, I just noticed yesterday that the newspaper call Putin's soon-to-be-ex-wife Putina. Does it mean that my surname would be Burnikel-na in Russian?
67. Foundry waste : SLAG
68. "La Bohème" heroine : MIMI
69. News item : REPORT
70. Where most states have their own page : ATLAS
72. Sky : FIRMAMENT. Oh well, you guys never said "blue firmament" on the blog. How could I know?
75. "First Blood" hero : RAMBO
76. Opening bout, briefly : PRELIM
78. Verging on : NEAR
79. 1-Down relative : NEAP. 1D. Coastal recession : EBB TIDE
81. Dancer's restraint : REIN. Santa's Dancer.
86. One way to make up for lost time : RUSH
87. Suggest, as a price : ASK
88. Unfolds, in verse : OPES. Opens.
89. White House nickname : DUBYA. He'll be sad to learn that Mel Brooks refused the earlier Kennedy Center honor because he was the president.
92. Mil. support gp. : USO
95. Old Flatbush field : EBBETS. Ebbets Field.
98. First word of Dante's "Inferno" : NEL. Who knew?
101. Dossier letters : AKA
102. New Hampshire city : NASHUA. Looks pretty. What is it famous for?
105. Miss Piggy's pronoun : MOI
106. Comfy (with) : AT HOME
108. Friends : BUDS
113. Not the best plan for becoming a millionaire : LOTTO. Our neighbor won 100K then gambled all his money away. He even lost his house.
115. Orch. section : STR
116. Confessional music genre : EMO
117. Ecuadoran province once famous for its gold : EL ORO. Makes sense. Do you use Ecuadorian or Ecuadoran as the adjective?
123. Preceders of las : TRAs
124. Coeur d'__ : ALENE
125. Fluoride beneficiary : ENAMEL. And 126. Fluoride-in-water meas. : PPM. Man, parts per million.
127. Italian noble family : ESTE
128. Mortise mate : TENON
129. One-person craft : KAYAKS. For Marti.
130. Gender-specific pronoun : SHE. She's in Italy right now.
131. It's in Off! : DEET
Down:
2. Record tracks : GROOVES
3. Seals that avoid water? : GASKETS. Not the cute seal.
4. Cooperstown's Lake : OTSEGO. Anyone visited Cooperstown?
5. Slop slurper : HOG
6. Rueful : SORRY
7. Winnie's title? : THE POOH
8. Old comm. giant : ITT. GTE for Abejo.
9. Queen Amidala's "Star Wars" home : NABOO. I forgot. We had this before.
10. Crave, with "for" : STARVE
11. Schoolyard threat : I'LL TELL
12. Sun City developer Webb : DEL. Lucina might know him.
13. Interjections of indecision : ERs
14. Stylish eatery : CAFE
15. Equidistant : AS FAR
16. It's planted in the snow : SKI POLE. Needs Lucina's V-8 Splash.
17. Sure : CERTAIN
25. Play the jester : AMUSE
26. Like many shoppes : OLDE
28. Chewy confection : NOUGAT. Do you have a sweet tooth?
33. Aphorisms : TRUTHS
34. Sidewalk sides : CURBS
35. Eggs from the sea : ROE
36. Protestant denom. : EPISC
38. Latin goddess : DEA. Feminine form of DIO?
42. Pea jacket relative : REEFER
46. China supporter : SHELF. Most of the starting China in clues is just china.
49. Smallest of the roaring cats : LEOPARDS. What are the biggest?
50. Coat-of-arms science : HERALDRY
52. Common church name : ST. MARY'S
53. Take __ view of : A DIM
55. La Méditerranée, e.g. : MER
56. Bacteria in grapelike clusters : STAPH
57. Houston player : ASTRO. Gary mentioned that Ed Grimes (who? from me too) holds the MLB record of 17 consecutive games with an RBI. Click here. Look at the stats on the right. Total 18 career RBIs.
58. Double-parker who gives out tickets : VALET
59. "The Divided Self" author R.D. : LAING. No idea. Scottish psychiatrist.
60. Come to terms : AGREE
61. Waiter's question ending : A MENU
62. Forty-__ : NINER
63. He said "I die," and then did : ROMEO. Thus, with a kiss I die.
65. School collars : ETONs
71. Great Plains language family : SIOUAN
73. First name in spydom : MATA. Mata Hari.
74. Sierra Nevada resort : TAHOE
77. Classic British two-seaters : MGs
80. Can opener : POP TAB
83. "Cut out the racket!" : SHUSH
84. Vermont ski resort : OKEMO. Wanted STOWE.
85. One who sits for SATs : TESTEE
89. Brief application : DAB
90. A pricey one may be made of koa wood : UKULELE. Gary showed this clip of Warren Buffet playing ukulele on CCTV last time. What a classic guy, esp the way he handled his unusual love affair.
91. Broken mirror, for some : BAD OMEN
93. __ Na Na : SHA
94. Remain beyond, as one's welcome : OUT-STAY
96. Waterside stopover : BOTEL
97. Computer image formats : BITMAPS
98. Stable : NO WORSE
99. Dubai or Sharjah : EMIRATE. All parts of UAE, whose official religion is Muslim. Man, can you imagine US has an official religion?
100. You can build a 5,922-piece Taj Mahal replica with the largest one ever made : LEGO SET. Nice trivia.
103. First step in a progression : A TO B
104. Often-allergic condition : ASTHMA
107. Suspended : HALTED
109. Note taker using symbols : STENO
111. With "The," L.A. theater at which Neil Diamond recorded "Hot August Night" : GREEK. Is this very well-known?
112. Pizazz : OOMPH
114. Govt. agents : T-MEN
118. See 119-Down : RAT. 119. Reaction to a 118-Down : EEK. No-clue clue.
120. Genetic building blocks : RNA
121. Michaels and Franken : ALs
122. Partner of 'earth? : 'OME. Hearth & home.
Happy Birthday to dear Annette, who was very active on the blog for some time. Any special plans today, Annette?
 |
| Annette & Lemonade, April 2012 |
C.C.
57 comments:
Happy Sunday everyone!
At first I thought this was going to be a puzzle with songs as the theme (Great Balls of Fire, Save the Last Dance for Me), but no, it was not meant to be. Still don’t quite get the Strictly Speaking bit, maybe Literally Speaking would be more apropos…? Just brain farting….
SWAGS (thank you, perps!) – CASCA, ELENA, DEA, NASHUA, OKEMO, OTSEGO, NEL
Do-Overs – ST. MARK’S for ST. MARY’S, ASTI for ESTE, CHEZ for CAFÉ, POP TOP for POP TAB….
Did not fall for – REIN, ELOPER, EMO…. Took awhile to accept KAYAKS (the plural part)….
I’ve been to a concert at the GREEK Theatre in Berkeley (the Doobie Bros, not the REEFER Bros.), but not the one in L.A…..
The ASTROs switched over to the junior circuit in 2013 and are not doing so well. Only the Miami Marlins have an overall WORSE record than the boys from Houston….
Speaking of sports, the NINERs’ new stadium (Levi’s has bought the naming rights) is scheduled to open in 2014, and will host the 2016 Stupor Bowl (which will be Stupor Bowl L, for future crossword reference)…. In totally unrelated news, it took just over 49 minutes to complete the puzzle today….
Finally (back to songs as the theme), this is my kind of Rush (no, not Limbaugh, you silly Nēnē !)
Hi, all!
I took five minutes more, Doha! Had a pesky typo that was hard to find. But, (whew) no cheats!
It's a good thing that I was able to retrieve EBBETS Field from the old brain. Had some of the stalls that Doha mentioned.
Fluoride is poisonous and is not needed for teeth. (See Dr. Mercola's site. Am very tired or would look it up.)
Happy birthday, Annette! (Recognized handsome face of Lemonade right away!)
Don't quite fathom the theme yet.
Thanks Ed and CC! It was fun!
Hello Puzzlers -
Put me down for a DNF. The SE corner and the hot dog phrase just would not fill in. Grrr.
Morning, CC - yes, I have a sweet tooth, with a particular fondness for good dark chocolate. On the other hand, I'm not much impressed by ice cream. I assume the lions are the biggest cats - they sure look hefty. I nonetheless want to meet a tame one and pet its big kitty nose! The Ginsburg letter is indeed touching.
Cheers All
Morning, all!
No joy for me today. Couldn't get the Mensa link for the puzzle to work and had to sit through the advertisement on the LA Times website to access the puzzle there, which always puts me in a bad mood (not to mention I really hate the puzzle interface there).
TATLER, NEL, BOTEL, EBBETS, DEL, OKEMO, OTSEGO... I finally just gave up, to be honest, and turned on the red-letter help just so I could finish it without spending any more time on it.
Sorry, Ed!
[onadc]
[asunady]
Good Morning, C.C. and friends. I didn't much care for today's puzzle. The gimmick was strange, and too many obscure clues for me.
I did like Where Most States Have Their Own Page = ATLAS.
Seals that Avoid Water = GASKETS was also a good clue and answer.
I visited Cooperstown once, many many years ago. I don't remember too much about the Baseball Hall of Fame, although we did go there.
Today is the birthday of the actress who played Queen Amidala of NABOO.
QOD: Smart women love smart men more than smart men love smart women. ~ Natalie Portman (June 9, 1981)
[soiila]
dmorednI enjoyed this puzzle once I realized that we were going simply for punny phrases.
For DASH letters, I first thought MSG.
ENTRCHAT Hi Pas de chat, thought of you right off.
EARTH and OME was a stretch.
I thought it was ECUADORAN, but now I see ECUADORIAN is okay, too.
Wiki lists two Tatlers.
Tatler (1709), a British literary and society journal founded by Richard Steele in 1709.
Tatler (1901), a British magazine, founded in 1901, published by Condé Nast Publications, focusing on society, fashion, politics and lifestyle
I think I knew of only the later one, but got it anyway.
Happy Birthday,Annette.
Just lurking today. When I saw Winnie the Pooh, it reminded me that I never did understand why he was called "Pooh." My Dad used to read me the stories when I was very little, & could not understand my laughter every time he said Winnie The Pooh. (To an Aussie 4 year old, he was saying "Winnie The Shit.") So some 50 years later, with the aid of the Internet, I tried to look it up.
(pretty much the same definition,,,Winnie The Shit.
Google was no help either, but I did find this interesting explanation under Winnie The Pooh/Wiki:
In the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh, Milne offers this explanation of why Winnie-the-Pooh is often called simply "Pooh":
But his arms were so stiff ... they stayed up straight in the air for more than a week, and whenever a fly came and settled on his nose he had to blow it off. And I think – but I am not sure – that that is why he is always called Pooh.
Why is Nashua famous? (I have no idea.)
HBD Annette
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Ed Sessa, for an excellent puzzle. Thank you, C.C., for the great write-up.
C.C.: Yes, I caught your note about me and GTE. And, yes, I almost wrote that in for 8D, but held off until I had a crossword, as I always try to do. Glad I did. I got the 3rd letter, "T" and knew GTE would not work. I knew that ATT could not be the answer. When INSIDE appeared, I wrote in ITT. That is my thinking process. That is why the puzzle took me over two hours to finish, but I got it.
Enjoyed this much more than yesterday's puzzle. It just flowed along.
My first theme answer was I'VE GOT YOU COVERED. That helped with the rest of them.
Tried TOTEM for 27A, but fixed that with GASKETS to TOKEN.
HAD ORU for 40A, but AMUSE fixed that to OSU. Had been thinking of Oral Roberts University at first, which we have had in the past, many times.
Had POP TOP for 80D, but perps fixed that to POP TAB. OK.
Liked FIRMAMENT for Sky. Great clue/answer.
MATA (Hari) was easy for 73D. Have not had her for a while in a puzzle.
I also tried ST. MARKS for 52D. The long HOT DOG one fixed that.
Great puzzle. Fun morning. Off to church and then more gardening in Illinois.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
(osebtai)
Oops. Happy Birthday, Annette. Hope all is well.
Abejo
TATLER, ORT, and NABOO were unknowns that prevented a finish for me.
One gripe with this puzzle - OSU (Oklahoma State) is in Stillwater, while ORU (Oral Roberts) is in Tulsa. I knew AMURE couldn't be right, but OSU isn't correct either.
I too had problems with the Mensa website. You can also try the Merriam-Webster site.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/game/uclick/latimesdaily.htm
There's still an ad, but the user interface is the same.
I hate the new format adopted by the LA Times.
Good morning! I'm a little late to the party. We had to switch to our summer schedule: walking or biking at 7:30 to avoid the beastly summer heat.
I got EGGO right off the bat and that gave me EROSION at 1D. And so it went. Got it all, but still don't understand "Preceders of las" = TRAS. I guess Ed means Tra-La, but that's a stretch. I did like I'LL TELL crossing TATLER. This puzzle seemed to favor the east coasters with OTSEGO, NASHUA, OKEMO -- only vaguely familiar to me.
C.C., we're fortunate here. Thanks to the First Amendment to the Constitution, we don't need to worry about any "official" religion in this country.
Yes, TRA LA LA. I liked that one.
Regarding POOH. I never associated POOH with poop, which I spell poo, although I guess that it IS spelled both ways. I associated Winnie's name with POOH-POOH, a mild expression of disdain, but even that seemed strange.
This site says much of what CED said. Maybe he visited it. POOH, the sound of blowing a fly off his nose. As for the swan, being named POOH, it could just be baby talk.
Link POOH
Congrats to all speed demons. Ed’s wonderful Sunday puzzle took me an hour but it was worth the time. Mission Statement was my fav!
Musings
-At Husker games, one guy was yelling GET YOUR HOT DOGS but the 7-Up guy was yelling, “Mix, get your mix!” in the “dry” stadium.
-Me too Chan, the Oklahoma OSU school I know is in Stillwater
-Those ELOPERS are going to have to face her mother eventually
-The Washington Post has a 1 – 4 PINOCCHIO Scale for lies (scroll down for visual expo). They’re busy!
-Putin’s new girlfriend
-When Vegas pawners ASK a price, Rick Harrison usually laughs
-Jeff Foxworthy calls LOTTO a redneck 401K
-We used to put a coin on the tone arm when the needle wouldn’t stay in the GROOVE
-We ate at Mac’s CAFÉ last night and it’s good but not stylish
-Only have heard of REEFER as a joint or refrigerated truck trailer
-Wow, CC, 17 in a row and then, “Hello oblivion”. Thanks Elias.
Warren Buffet and Bill Gates playing Ping Pong against a 16 yr old girl in Omaha
-Some of those TMEN and WOMEN have been shown to be disgraceful
-What singer “stepped on a POP TOP” not a POP TAB?
Another great review of a good puzzle. I believe there is an error in the clues, Okla State University is in Stillwater, not Tulsa. Oral Roberts U is in Tulsa and I kept trying to fit ORU instead of OSU!
@ Husker Gary 10:27 a.m.
Jimmy Buffet!
Apparently there is a branch of Oklahoma State University in Tulsa. Although, I, too, wanted Oral Roberts University.
Annette, I forgot to mention your birthday. I miss you and hope you will come back. Hope you have a great day.
-I’ve been to the beautiful Stillwater, OK campus when OSU was in the Big 8 and the Big 12 and am guessing Tulsa just slipped through accidentally (or as my students say, “on accident”). The University of Nebraska has branches all over the state here too, but UNL would be the first answer for Lincoln school.
-Sure Buckeye, Jimmy Buffet stepped on that POP TOP but probably didn’t feel too much pain as he was in downtown Margaritaville at the time.
-Another silly baseball stat/bar bet - What brothers hold the record for most combined home runs hit? answer
-We are off to an open house at Joann’s old grade school that has been turned into a lovely home complete with a swimming pool.
Good Morning:
While I caught the theme early on, I still struggled in spots and although I finished w/o help, it took almost an hour.
So, thanks, Ed Sessa, for a nice challenge and thanks, CC, (and Argyle) for explaining the two words connection; it made perfect sense.
We have a lovely, sunny day but more rain is coming tomorrow and throughout the entire week. )-:
CC, I don't have a sweet tooth but you better hide your potato chips if I'm around! I visited Cooperstown back in the 70's and was very impressed with the Hall of Fame. That area is very beautiful.
BTW, yesterday's grumpiness has been replaced by a Sunday serenity! (-:
Have a great day.
Husker Gary, in the link you Provided for Ariel Hsing, the table tennis champ, who played table tennis with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, - the reporter involved was Jared Diamond of the Wall St. Journal.
Jared Diamond is also the name of a famous author, of 'Guns, germs and steel', and 'Collapse', and 'The third Chimpanzee' and 'Why is sex fun' (huh ? ), and a Pulitzer prize and a McArthur fellowship award winner. The two identical names confused me.
From yesterday: "As all get out" I grew up in WI and heard this often, usually as in, "It's hotter than all get out."
Thank you, C.C.
This was a love-hate relationship with the puzzle today. The less I knew, the more I disliked it...but wait, the more I knew, the better I liked it.
Failed in the SE: POPTop, Sols for preceders of las, NEL? and the dreadful 'OME.
Entrechat is not a step I learned, it is way too advanced for me to execute.
Here is a clip from my favorite ballet Giselle.
The Wilis (the spirits of young girls who have died before their wedding day)and their queen make Albrecht dance until dawn with the intention of killing him by exhaustion.(example of both male and female dancers doing entrechat)
Giselle
Hands up for ORU for Tulsa school. There is an OSU- Tulsa, a small branch campus of the main campus in Stillwater kind of like Purdue is in West Lafayette, but there is a campus in Indianapolis.
also had Sols instead of Tras for Las preceder.
Also got tripped up on the St. Mark for St. Marys-- thought it would be a clecho for Episcopal as most St. Mark's churches and schools are of that denomination ( except the most famous St. Mark's in Venice.)
Yikes! my post disappeared!
WEES about POPTop, 'Ome, etc.
C.C. entrechat is way too advanced for me, but here is a clip from my favorite ballet Giselle. The Wilis (spirits of girls who died before marriage) and their queen attempt to make Albrecht dance to his death. The second half is an example of a female dancer executing the entrechat.
Giselle
Good afternoon everyone.
Got 'er halfway done this am and lost power. Started in again later and did other half. WEES. Fairly easy but fun. I like Ed Sessa's offerings.
When I was 12, I saw the Dodgers play the Phillies at EBBETS Field. The Phillies won.
My Webster's says Ecuadoran. But Rich must have a reference. He's a good editor.
We're about 70 minutes from OTSEGO Lake. Very pretty lake. In addition to BB Hall of Fame, Cooperstown is home of Ommegang Beer. Otsego Lake outlet is the headwater of the Susquehanna River.
Well that was weird. It disappeared and then reappeared.Wonder what happened?
Giselle was in the spam filter. Why? Don't know.
Cooperstown is home to the excellent Farmers Museum. I was in an ice race out on the lake one winter.
Well I got to the LAT puzzle early today because the NYT puzzle that's always in our Sunday paper was one of those "2-3 letters in a space thingy". Sorry Elizabeth Gorski...clever but I just don't enjoy them.
Strictly Speaking, I had a DNF. I filled in ATT, didn't know NABOO, so INSIDE eluded me. Now if the clue had been Addams Uncle...
On Sundays when I print out the LAT puzzle I just come to the Corner site, avoid looking at the write up and print from the link on the right. It works every time.
Love the W. Buffett uke link. Loved the J.Buffett reference, HG. To quote him again " the weather is here, wish you were beautiful"... Y'all have a super duper Sunday!
From yesterday: loved the steam videos! Went back to view them today.
CC - speaking of steam, and Nashua NH, as I recall the Segway inventor, Dean Kamen, lives in or near Nashua. He has a nicely restored steam engine as the centerpiece of his house.
Back in 1956, my best friends Dad was transferred from IBM in San Jose, CA to IBM in Nashua, NH. I have never forgiven Nashua, NH for letting IBM have offices there. Do I know how to hold a grudge? You bet. I'm Italian!!
Thanks for the theme summary - I got the theme, but I had no idea how to summarize it!
Hello, C.C. and all you Sunday solvers.
Yes, indeed, DEL Webb is a well-known developer here for the Sun Cities he built. Three are here and only people over 55 may live there although I learned yesterday that one of them allows younger residents.
Lawsuits have been filed for people who bring their grandchildren to live with them. Very strict. Speed limit throughout is 20 MPH or less.
I loved this puzzle but the bottom beat me to a pulp. I had EBBETS Field, then EMMETS then erased it, replaced it. BITMAP is the one I didn't know and for the life of me could not suss confessional music genre. U, too, used the V8 Splash! BTW, I love that stuff especially the peach mango.
ECUADORAN is the one I would use because it is the Spanish version.
My guests are visiting with family who lives here and who happen to live in the aforementioned Sun City number 3.
I remember studying The TATLER which was founded by Richard Steele, in English Lit. and recalled it fairly quickly.
Now I have to tidy my house for company.
You all have a stupendous Sunday! I'll read you later.
Gary, Actually it is Oscar Grimes of the Chicago Cubs, not Ed, who set the record of 17 straight games with an RBI In 1922. Ed would have been a better story!
Hi Y'all! I thought this puzzle was AMUSEing at 1 a.m., Ed. I got most of the long ones with only a few letters which helped on the shorter fills. Did it in an hour with red-letter redirection. Slept all day. Wish I could get back on a day schedule.
Great as always, C.C.! The Ginsburg letter is so poignant & intimate, it leaves one speechless.
We're each a TESTEE when we do crosswords. Sometimes the clues make us "testy".
I thought "Winnie" was going to be Churchill for some dumb reason. Couldn't fit in prime minister.
Didn't know the Italian noble family. Is that the base word for "esteem"?
WEES about everything else. I finally got lucky and got the SE but it took several looks.
My daughter & granddaughter went KAYAKing off Cocoa Beach & got horribly sunburned. I guess her dislocated shoulder must be better if she's paddling a boat on the ocean.
Happy birthday, Annette! I was in a rush earlier and forgot. I hope you're having a blast.
Thanks for the memory of the wonderful night when I had dinner with John Lampkin and Annette. I know she is busy but keeps up with JL and his creative process.
The theme cluing was almost London Times like in the simplicity/trickiness of cluing those phrases all with two word clues, really enjoyed them though some were hiding for a while.
We got some sun back today, so going to work was hard, but I am here taking a break to say hi to all.
Thanks C.C. and Mr. Sessa.
Garlic Gal, I worked that NYT puzzle in the SJ Mercury today. That "2-3 letters in a space thingy" you mentioned was actually 3 letters for the down entries, and 4 letters for the across entries. You would hate it. Frankly, I didn't like it so much myself. So why did I work it? I was bored and didn't feel like reading a book. Can't find any books that attract my interest.
I found today's LAT puzzle hard. Y'all have already said about it what I would say.
Pas de chat, thanks for the Giselle link.
Lucina, I saw an aerial photograph of Sun City (I didn't know there are 3 of them), and man oh man it is a weird looking city from the air. Laid out in concentric circles! Our DIL's grandmother lived there.
I just listened to some Rossini overtures and could not help but think of Jazzbumpa. Some really fun-sounding trombone parts in them! (I played tenor sax in high school band and loved it when we got to play things like La Gazza Ladra and The Light Cavalry overtures instead of those boring ole Sousa marches. The tenor sax parts were basically identical to the trombone and baritone parts.)
Best wishes to you this fine 9th day of Johnny.
My mother was called Poohbear by all of us family members. Her mother, the wise one, who was called Wol, gave her that nickname. Her grandchildren called her Gramma Poohbear. She always cheered us up by telling stories about heffalumps and woozles. On dark and stormy nights, however, she would scare us by telling stories about the horribly evil witch, Baba Yaga. Fun times.
After a near speed run through most of the puzzle, all came to a screeching HALT in the SE corner. Hand up for POPTop and SOLS. Also had ATeasE instead of ATHOME. Even though I correctly had LEGOSET, EL ORO, ESTE and DEET, I just couldn't see what the problem was. Even after looking up Dante's Inferno and guessing NEL, it still didnt make sense. SO, DNF!
I live in DEL Webb's Sun City, so that answer was easy. Lucina, you must be 55 or older to own, 50 or older to live here, but young people can stay too, just not for long periods of time. And we have normal speed limits- its 25 mph only on side streets. Best description of Sun City is ANTISEPTIC-too clean.
If I remember correctly, the reason for Sun City to be laid out in circles was to discourage robbers and such- the theory being they could get lost on the getaway. Unfortunately, the residents can get lost just as easily...
C.C.:
The Ginsberg letter is really touching. Thank you for posting it and I don't recall having seen it linked before this.
Rampy:
Thanks for setting me straight about Sun City. I had a friend who lived there and we visited once a year for her great Christmas party and I just recall having to drive very slo-o-o-wly.
Years ago it took almost 90 minutes to get there but since the loop 202 was extended it's much faster!
You are so right, Jayce. In fact I just picked the paper up again , but after reading your review, I'll go ahead and throw it in the recycle bin.
On to Merl Reagl. We'll see how crazy he makes me today!
All that and I forgot to wish HB to Annette and Natalie Portman as well as Johnny Depp and Michael J. Fox.
Happy Sunday! I haven't read CC's writeup or any comments yet but here goes anyway. This took me even longer than most Sunday puzzles take and for some reason, it seemed harder and less fun. So, I'll emulate Thumper and then head off to read the analysis and comments of cleverer people.
Now that I've read CC's comments, I like this puzzle a little better but not much. I agree with Jayce and WEES. i enjoyed the Ginsberg letter. Happy birthday Annette!
I used to aspire to somewhat serious table tennis (ping pong). I took lessons from a Chinese woman who had been on the US Olympic team. I was pretty good compared to the average people playing in their backyards but wasn't so hot compared against other serious players. I finally gave it up due to shoulder woes.
Well another coincidence... I spent most of my day in Nashua today doing repairs and maintenance on my dear MIL's house. Was well worth it. A couple of ice cold Yuengling Lagers.
Abejo, My FIL hailed from Pottsville Pa. and relatives would always bring a case or two when visiting them.
Those were the last two.. Time for someone to visit. The Port is rather good also.
Doha Doc..... where in cali did you leave your heart... ? :)
I didn't know there was a Greek Theatre in Berkeley...I have been to the one in LA 3 0r 4 times.... one was Hot August Night... :) many years ago....
CC... yes, "The Greek" is very will known.... at least in the LA area... :) it was a lovely place outside... and I'm sure it still is.....
thelma
Hey -- just wanted to pop back in and congratulate C.C. on what I believe is her debut puzzle for the NYT!
GET OUT! BarryG! Seriously C.C. has a NYT puzzle???
C.C. you never said anything :-)
BTW, didn't you (and maybe Don) have one published before? I remember asking you about it and I think you said you weren't allowed to share until it was published.
When did the other one run in the paper? What great news, Barry for our Fearless Leader!!!!
Pop tab? never heard of it.
OSU is in Stillwater, not Tulsa
I've had four large boats, but never heard of a BOTEL. Always docked at a marina or spent the night anchored.
As for OKEMO,OSTEGO, TATLER, you would think this guy made them up
NY Times, Tue, Nov 13, 2012 Don & C.C.
Thank you everyone for the nice Birthday wishes! It meant a lot to have been remembered after all this time.
I'm going to have to get more involved again, if for no other reason that to share a more flattering photo of myself! It is a good reminder of a really nice evening spent with two such bright and charming gentlemen!
Oh Jason, you left out that it's also Donald Duck's 79th birthday too! I'm in very interesting company...
Best wishes to everybody!
Annette
Barry G and others. i suggest playing the puzzle on Yahoo games, under downloads. I just found it and so far it's works great.
Lucina, I read something that seemed to indicate you might be suffering from near record heat in your neck of the woods. Yes?
Damn Dodgers...
The Greek Theater is a pretty outdoor venue sort of like a smaller Hollywood Bowl. Like the Hollywood Bowl, it's a drive through traffic to get there and it's a hassle to park. I think that's where we first saw The Manhattan Transfer years ago.
I am starting to agree with those of you who were touting "The Big Bang Theory." I still like "Modern Family" the most but reruns of TBBT has its moments. At worst, it's about the existence of annoying social misfits with a laugh track. At best, it's about the misadventures of geeky people doing and saying droll and witty stuff. Penny is awfully cute.
BillG:
Yes, that is correct. Temperatures upwards of 110 are unusual in June, that normally happens later in the summer. June temps should be in the low 100s.
We are sizzling in 111, 112 degrees which is, to say the least, extremely hot!
Manac: I had some ancestors who lived in Pottsville, PA. But my connection was way back in the early 1800's. Can't remember which surname it was. It's been 30 years since I was back there researching.
Finally, took the burlap off my newly planted grass today and have a much better stand than expected. WOOHOO! Now if i can keep it growing during the expected heat blowing in from Lucina's state next week. Don't like heat, but we need it for drying the
wheat so they can harvest.
Thank you, Argyle I will research it tomorrow.
Congrats, C.C.!
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