google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Thursday, December 19, 2013 Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen

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Dec 19, 2013

Thursday, December 19, 2013 Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen

Theme: "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear…"

(...But Mary and Jeff sure make a smooth as silk puzzle out of one!)

17. Some broadcasting equipment : HAM RADIOS.

30. Political patronage : PORK BARREL.

36. Degrees of separation from actor Kevin, in a parlor game : BACON NUMBER.

41. Dachshunds, familiarly : WIENER DOGS.

And the unifier:

58. Obstinate, and what the other four longest puzzle answers are? : PIGHEADED. The beginnings of the theme answers all are varieties of PIG dishes.  (DH would be in hog heaven with this one!!)

I forgot to check my time when I finished, but I know it was way under 10 minutes. Did you find it easy for a Thursday, or did some of the tricky clues trip you up?  Let's check out where those were.

Across:

1. Lines at the checkout? : UPCs. OK, right off the bat we have a misdirection.

5. Powdery mineral : TALC. Pretty straightforward.

9. Org. for a 4-Down : ASPCA. And 4-Down. Rescued one, hopefully : STRAY. The clue for 9-Across actually let me fill both entries without further ado.

14. It may thicken : PLOT. My mother always used to say, "The thought plickens…"

15. Baseball's Jesus or Moises : ALOU. Ha!  Finally remembered the family name after four perps...

16. "She loves you" followers, in song : YEAHS. "…yeah, yeah, yeah."

19. "Cut the chatter!" : CAN IT!

20. Hoopster Shaquille : O'NEAL.

21. Woman in two Goya works : MAJADesnuda and vestida. Her real identity is uncertain.

23. Women's org. based at Constitution Hall : DARDaughters of the American Revolution.

24. Brightly colored beetle : LADYBUG.


27. Lincoln or Ford : CAR.

28. MPG watchdog : EPA.

29. Opposite of sweet : DRY. When referring to wine, that is.

33. Proportion : RATIO.

35. Swim competition : MEET.

39. Common Oscar gown feature : SLIT. Now, this is a slit!

40. Anxious anticipation : DREAD.

44. One involved in a pickup : CAB. Another tricky clue. Did it fool you?

47. __ carte : A LA. Followed by another straightforward clue.

48. Fourth grade? : DEE. Teacher's grading papers: A, B, C, D, F. Did any of you make it past first grade? (I didn't think so!!)

49. iPod accessories : EARBUDS.

52. Sam Spade type : TEC.

53. Eye layer : UVEA.

55. Roman fountain : TREVI.

56. Not cool : UNHIP.

61. Court figure : STENO.

62. Singer Adams : EDIE. I really couldn't find one of her songs. I remember her from the Muriel cigar commercials: (In a Mae West accent) "Why not pick one up and smoke it sometime?"  Maybe CED can help me find a clip.

63. Creepy thing : VINE.

64. "The Master Builder" playwright : IBSEN.

65. Go on and on : RANT.

66. Busy crawlers : ANTS.

Down:

1. Support : UPHOLD.

2. Two-dimensional : PLANAR. Of a plane, as opposed to "cubic" or "spheroid" which would be three-dimensional.

3. Funny business? : COMEDY.

5. Minute amount : TAD.

6. Baba of folklore : ALI.

7. Device with shuttles : LOOM.

8. John who played Nixon in "The Butler" : CUSACK.

9. Bart Simpson catchphrase : AY CARAMBA. Did not know that was his catch phrase, but filled it in with just the "AY…"

10. Salty expanse : SEA.

11. Person who caters to base interests : PANDERER. One who pleases others for their own interests...

12. Watch-Me-Grow fad : CHIA PET. Now they have "Duck Dynasty" chia pets?

13. Celestial : ASTRAL.

18. Priestly garb : ALB.

22. Poke : JAB.

25. Until : UP TO. Short phrases are sometimes tough...

26. Cross the threshold : GO IN. As I said, short phrases are sometimes tough...

31. Sonata movement : RONDO.

32. Swamp thing : REED.

33. Showers, say : RAIN.

34. Followed, as a hunch : ACTED UPON.

36. Laundry room supplies : BLEACHES.

37. Push : URGE.

38. Southwestern formation : MESA.

39. Dumb ending? : SILENT B.

41. '60s dance : WATUSI. Remember The Orlons?? They're still goin' after all these years...

42. Prepare to drag : REV.

43. More profound : DEEPER.

44. Informed : CUED IN.

45. Pre-Christmas period : ADVENT.

46. Backs of singles : B-SIDES. This is kind of an outdated clue/answer, isn't it?  Do mp3 files have b-sides?

50. GPS recommendation : RTE. Route.

51. Cry to a diva : BRAVA. and a slight clecho with 54-D:

54. Classic role for a diva : AIDA.

57. Like the finale of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto : IN E.

59. Bathtub booze : GIN.

60. __ up: angry : HET. Don't get all het up with me…I just report 'em as I see 'em!

That's all for this week, folks!
Marti



Notes from C.C.:

1) George Barany co-constructed today's NY Times. Click here. A special on-line version is provided. Don't forget to click on the Solution and read their notes. Congratulations, George!

2) JD just came back from her trip to Kauai. She and Bob even took a helicopter ride over the Waimea Canyon. Here are a few pictures.






78 comments:

Lemonade714 said...

I adore this theme, really love how it all ties together even ifit is not kosher. I filled the C in cab last, but the rest did fill very quickly. Thanks Jeff and Mary Lou. Warti you too

Dudley said...

Hello Puzzlers -

Yes Marti, this one seemed easy for a Thursday. The only stumble was having Tab for Cab, and forgetting to fix it. The theme emerged quickly as well.

The parlor game involving Bacon Number is unfamiliar, but sounds interesting.

OwenKL said...

PIG HEADED Limericks

The RADIO operator was a HAM.
He would emo to the max when on cam.
His BACON NUMBER was low,
He'd cooked breakfast in a show,
But he couldn't tell BACON from Spam!

Speaking of chefs who are Swedish,
Who knows how to fix a lutefisk dish,
His Börk Börk was in börk peril
Till a project, PORK BARREL,
Let him blanket WIENER DOGS with great relish!

[Breezy solve today. 39D I tried dumbBELL___ first, which meshed with WEINER (sic) and A LA, so that gave some minor difficulty. I caught "lines at the checkout" right away, but expected "person who caters to base interests" to be a PX manager or mess officer or something.

Claim to fame, I have a Bacon Number of 2 !]

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Very straightforward solve today. A few tricky clues, such as "Fourth grade" for DEE and "Creepy thing" for VINE had me thinking for a bit, but not for long.

My biggest problem was with 36A. The only answer I could think of was SIX, which obviously didn't fit. And, since I had incorrectly put in PROD instead of URGE at 37D, I was looking at ___ONNPMBER and thinking there must be some weird rebus or something to represent the number six. Once I finally got the initial three letters, however, it all became clear...

[heitrWo]

Barry G. said...

Hmmmm... so much for posting early this morning! ^_^

fermatprime said...

Greetings!

Thanks Mary Lou and Jeff for a very pleasant puzzle! Thanks also to fantastic Marti!

Have been absent lately as am not feeling at all well. Perhaps I mentioned that I had prolotherapy for back. Have been suffering more than usual ever since. (Needs several stem-cell treatments to work, if, indeed it does.)

Loving dog Millie's biopsy turned out negative. What a relief!

Cheers to you all!

OwenKL said...

Bacon Number: Kevin Bacon is 0. Anyone who has been in a movie with him has a BN of 1. Anyone else who has been in a movie with someone with a BN of 1 is a 2. And so on. Some people who you wouldn't expect to have any Bacon Number at all have them, sometimes very high ones. (I was a community theater actor with a bit part in one movie.)

TTP said...

A fun fast puzzle. Just a couple of type overs. Never heard of the Orlons.

Early start at work today, and hopefully an early finish. Off tomorrow, and most of next week. I'm already in Holiday mode !

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, Marti and friends. This theme may have been Treif, by it amused me. The Hebrew National WEINERS (a shout out to Misty), however, would not fit this theme.

You, too, can play Six Degrees of Kevin BACON.

My favorite clue was It My Thicken = PLOT.

I also liked Creepy Thing = VINE, which wasn't the Swamp Thing (REED).

Yes, Anonymous T, we are saddened by the death of George Rodrigue.

QOD: I’d like to see one person ~ just one ~ who would own up to having been a coward. ~ Edith Piaf (Dec. 19, 1915 ~ Oct. 11, 1963)

Are the Capta's now phone numbers? [86858588]

Middletown Bomber said...

Good theme good Thursday difficulty for me. Great job to Mary Lou and Jeff. I filled in the J for Jab an Maja last.
Dudley, the game is 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon I think I get to Kevin Bacon in 3 degrees 2 different ways. I think I have to take exception to wiener as being a pure pork product usually wieners have several meats melded together.

Montana said...

Lovely pictures, JD.

I only have 10 free minutes in the morning. I didn't need all of them for the puzzle this morning. It seemed like Monday. I even got the theme right away.

MEET & REED slowed me own but perps helped immediately. Relating to PLANAR, have any of you read the book "Flatland?" I admit, only math folks would enjoy it.

Puzzle + posing < 10 minutes total on a Thursday. Wow!

Montana

My Captcha is 'Barry'

Anonymous said...

"The Butler" is a different movie (much older). The one with John Cusack is "Lee Daniels' The Butler."

thehondohurricane said...

Hello folks,

Color me the dumb ass of the day because I had 2 across fills and 3 downs that did me in.

16A YEAHS, 9D, AYCARAMBA, 11D PANDERER, 36A BACON NUMBER & 11D RONDO were the culprits.

BACONNUMBER I still don't get & Owen please don't try to enlighten me; my head still hurts after reading your posted explanation. AYCARAMBA validates my complete ignorance of The Simpsons. I thought RONDO was the point guard the Celtics are trying to trade.

Oh well. tomorrow is another day.

Al Cyone said...

Re: Anonymous@6:57:

Warner Bros. Pictures released the 1916 silent short film The Butler (1916), and filed a claim with the MPAA to rename this film. The MPAA allowed the Weinstein Company to add Daniels' name in front of the title, under the condition that his name was "75% the size of The Butler". On July 23, 2013, the distributor unveiled a revised film poster, with the title "Lee Daniels' The Butler".

- From IMDB

[9:14]

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

I had REED, but for the longest time couldn't figure out how that was "Showers, say." Oh, I can't READ! I needed the perps for the vowels in AY CARAMBA. Never heard of a BACON NUMBER. Still, it was a zippy Thursday.

Marti, I also remember EDIE Adams as the Muriel girl on her hubby's The Ernie Kovacs Show.

PANDERER dredged up memories of Tom Lehrer's Smut: "Novels that pander to my taste for candor give me a pleasure sublime. Let's face it, I love slime!"

UNHIP and PIG HEADED -- those are words DW uses to describe me. She's right.

Abejo said...

Good morning, folks. Thank you, Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen, for an excellent puzzle. Thank you, Marti, for the fine review.

I still did not get yesterday's done yet, but I will!

D-O: Yes I remember the Ernie Kovacs Show very well, and Edie Adams. Also remember the Kapusta Kid in Outer Space.

This puzzle zipped right along. Most were easy.

However, I had MARY for 21A. That did not work. Got MAJA with perps. Did not know the name. However, when I saw the paintings that Marti displayed, I remembered them.

PORK BARREL was easy. Especially when you live in Illinois. It runs rampant.

BACON NUMBER? Had no idea. OwenKL's explanation made sense and then I saw it on Wiki. OK, just never played that game.

Of course I spelled WIENER DOGS with the I and E reversed. Fixed that after BLEACHES.

WATUSI was easy after a couple letters. Watched the Utube. Had no idea they were still entertaining. Good for them. i remember the song well.

Wanted BRAVO for 51D. BRAVA must be the female way to say it. OK, I can still learn.

Fun experience today.

See you tomorrow.

Abejo

(inernty)

Mari said...

Good morning everybody. I also found this puzzle to be easy for a Thursday. I had minimal hang ups - mostly due to misspellings.

I liked these clues:
- 48A: Fourth grade: DEE
- 63A: Creepy thing: VINE
- 44A: One involved in a pickup: CAB
- 39D: Dumb ending? SILENT B

I'm used to hearing sweet paired with Sour. I was surprised to see DRY at 29A. I'm assuming this is in reference to wine?

Have a great day!



Mari said...

PS: Great photos JD!

Magilla Go-Rilla said...

A bit tough but I made it with only one access to a crossword dictionary. For 58a I had "bigheaded" which made 43d tough to guess. When the dictionary suggested "deeper" I realized I should have written "pigheaded". A few sneaky clues made it fun, too.

Martin said...

INE, EARBUDS and BRAVA were unknowns so I didn't get STENO, IBSEN, CUED IN and VINE either. I wanted EARPADS for EARBUDS and BONE for VINE.

Spitzboov said...

Good morning everyone.

Nice pix, JD, thanks for sharing.

Fairly easy for a Thursday, I thought, but I did manage to need wite-out on about 10 assorted squares. Ie, I had aria before AIDA, and june bug before LADY BUG. Sigh. But it all worked out and no searches were needed. I was close to entering 12d, when behind me I was hearing a commercial for CHIA PET. TV does seem to have some value at times.

Off to play some bridge.

Have a great day.

buckeye bob said...

Here is a link to an Edie Adams cigar commercial. Not the one you are thinking of, but the same idea.

Edie Adams Cigar Commercial

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-I went HOG WILD over your puzzle Mary and Jeff and this is from a man who lives in a town where PIGS are a big deal!
-ABC’s King of political PORK
-Lines in theme parks are QUES not at the grocery
-The PLOT thickens – Golf partner just found out ex-daughter-in-law is unexpectedly coming for Christmas
-CAN IT has been yelled into the back of our car on occasion
-Best and worst EPA mileage ratings
-It’s gotta kill Bill G that FB announcers say turnover RATIO when they mean turnover differential
-I DREAD doing my taxes to the nth degree (both the work and what I’m funding)
-A gypsy (unlicensed) CAB got us from Yankee stadium to our midtown hotel
-I prefer headphones over EAR BUDS but they make my ears uncomfortably warm
-VINES seem to take over abandoned buildings
-If you can’t take verbal JABS, stay out of golf foursomes
-On The Price Is Right your bid can be UP TO but not over the MSRP
-DIdn’t it RAIN? (2:33 of great music from my iTunes que)
-Catholic ADVENT services are devoid of Christmas songs. They don’t sing them until you are tired of them
-Beautiful picture of JD in front of a salty expanse

Lemonade714 said...

Come and spend a little dime with me!

Excellent pics JD. I must expand my travel horizons...

Lucina said...

Hello, friends! Well done, Marti. Thank you. I'm glad you posted both MAJAs. Last time provoked a quibble.

For a Thursday, this was a quick sashay with only one erasure, ARIA to AIDA. I didn't know AY CARAMBA was the Simpson catch phrase but it was easily grokked.

I had heard only of six degrees of separation so didn't know it was called BACON NUMBER. Mine would be zero I'm sure.

Thank you Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen.

Have a special Thursday, everyone!

Lucina said...

Thank you for sharing your pics, JD. It looks like a wonderful time.

Loved the WAHTUSI link!

buckeye bob said...

Thank you Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen for a fun puzzle. It brought back a few memories! Thank you Marti for an excellent write-up!

I also found this puzzle to be pretty easy. My time was almost the same as Wednesday’s. I can’t imagine doing a crossword puzzle in 10 minutes or less. I could only hope to be that good. I am surprised LAT published this on Thursday. What happened to the LAT difficulty pattern 1-1-2-3-3-4-3?

I correctly interpreted the misdirections, but couldn’t recall several answers right away. Knew what 1A wanted, but couldn’t remember the term. After I got 1D, I got UPCS right away. Same thing happened at 49A EARBUDS. It can be tough aging!

I enjoyed the clip of the Orlon’s singing the Watusi. PBS does a nice job of oldies concerts when they are on a pledge drive. I wonder why some singers lose their ability to carry a note when they age, but others still sound so good?

PK said...

This was easier than Wed. Cute theme, Mary Lou and Jeff. You know how to HAM it up.

I always have to perp those silly bar codes. Can't remember the initials.

2D I tried "linear" before PLANAR. That word just doesn't look right to me. I don't need to be schooled on it. It just looked funny at 2 a.m.

I expected a swamp thing to be some kind of critter, but zombie didn't fit. Croc? Nah!

Wasn't the Bacon number thing originally a movie or in a movie? When I went on bus tours, I didn't dare misbehave because there was usually one or several people on the trip who knew someone from my hometown who knew me. Not that I still had any inclination to act up, but you never know. I figured there weren't enough degrees of separation to chance it though.

Husker Gary said...

Addenda
-I got 100% on TTP’s news quiz yesterday - more by eliminating bad answers than knowing the answer straight up. When my good friend and colleague could not recall an answer he would always say, “Gary, I’d get it on multiple choice”
-I sent this picture of me golfing in the winter yesterday in Nebraska to Tin and he suggested that I post it today so…
-Bob, I sing better now at 67 than I did at 27 but not in the same key and don’t try to sing that high any more
-Fun expo as always Marti!

Tinbeni said...

Marti: Wonderful write-up and informative links.

Mary Lou & Jeff: Thank you for a FUN Thursday puzzle with a yummy theme!

Now I have to admit I'm probably the slowest solver here.
(I usually have on CNBC, paying more attention to Squawk Box ... as such, for me, this was a slog).

Like Abejo, I fell into the 'Bravo' before BRAVA trap. (What the heck are Onts? ... oh, they're ANTS!)
And I wanted my 'Brightly colored beetle' to be scarabs before LADY-BUG appeared.
V-8 can smack at CHIA PET. AY, CARAMBA!

Lots to eat, but nothing to drink (DRY may refer to wine ... but ...)
Oh well ... Cheers!!!

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

I'll bet our foodie, Steve, loved this tasty puzzle! Nice job, Mary Lou and Jeff and witty expo, Marti. Nice shout-out to Misty's Doxies.

Blue skies, radiant sunshine, but brrrr! Warmer temps on the way, though.

Beautiful photos, JD.

Have a great day.

Lucina said...

Tinbeni:
What about GIN, 59D? I thought of you when I saw it.

We're having a cool down today from yesterday's 81 to the 60s and rain!

Tinbeni said...

Lucina:
Aaaarrrggghhhh!
(and I 'love' Bathtub GIN!!!)

Irish Miss said...

Tin, you forgot about the "bathtub booze" = Gin. (-:

Magilla Go-Rilla said...

Crossword dictionary is at


http://crosswordheaven.com/search/result?clue=Rice+cake&answer=Crossword dictionary is at

http://crosswordheaven.com/search/result?clue=Rice+cake&answer=

Yellowrocks said...

Lovely pics, JD.
I agree that this was very easy for a Thursday.
I enjoyed the row of colorful Beetles. I love my colorful scarab bracelets, Tinbeni.
I am amazed that six degrees of separation really pans out. You never know who will see you and report back to your mother. I am not into Bacon Numbers. I couldn't care less about who starred in what movie.
PK, isn't it strange how an answer that you know is correct still looks odd? Many of us felt that way about ADDL yesterday. The oddness always piques my curiosity and so I try to learn more about it.
The IE in German words doesn't trick me when I remember this. When E and I are together you pronounce the second one and it is long. You say the long E in WIENER because it comes after the I. In WEIMARANER dog you pronounce the long I because it comes after the E. Another example is the Third Reich, The I is long because it comes after the E. In spelling, whatever the long vowel is will be written second.

Misty said...

Fun speed run for a Thursday morning--many thanks, Mary Lou and Jeff! And thanks for your always fun expo, Marti!

Well, of course, our dachshunds, Dusty and Misty (named after her mom), were a little miffed by Owen's second limerick, but I told them to lighten up! They just don't get euphemisms.

Fermatprime, so sorry you've been under the weather, but so happy that Millie is okay.

JD, what beautiful photos of Kauai. My husband and I had two lovely vacations there before his stroke--like two second honeymoons.

Have a great day, everybody!

john28man said...

If I would have referred to I before E..., I would have got the SW and if I hadn't had a mental block about HAM RADIO it wouldn't have been a DNF. Anyway thank you HeartRx, May Lou & Jeff for a enjoyable puzzle.

Yellowrocks said...

But. I before E would have just been lucky in this case. Many German words have E before I.
Reich- (long I) nation or realm
Leider- (long I) hard work, but Lieder (long e) - songs
WEIN (long I) wine, but Wien (long e)Vienna

MaryLou said...

Thanks for the nice write up Marti and everyone's kind words. Glad most of you were able to solve and enjoy the puzzle. It went through several revisions. Your enjoyment makes it worthwhile. Thanks to Jeff, Rich and Patti for all their work, suggestions and perseverance.

Kent Mauk said...

The Daily Oklahoman seems to have published the Friday puzzle today. Brace yourselves! :)

Bill G. said...

Hi everybody! It's a rainy Thursday here and I do enjoy the seldom-occurring rain.

I liked the puzzle. Thanks Mary Lou, Jeff and Marti. I especially like "Dumb ending" >> SILENT B. Ratios and proportions are not the same though I give the clue a pass since they are certainly related and one suggests the other. If you aren't so sure about the difference, here's a simple example. Say, the ratio of boys to girls in a classroom is 2/3 (or 2 to 3 or 2:3). A proportion is an equation involving ratios; say, if the ratio of boys to girls is 2/3, how many girls are there if there are 18 boys? A little harder example of using a proportion might be; if the ratio of boys to girls is 3/4, how many boys would there be in a class of 28 students?

Dunno why but I initially thought CARAMBA should be spelled with a U as in CARUMBA. But I got it straighteded out.

Bill G. said...

While watching the Orlons on their video, I came across these other two links. The first is more Doo Wop; the second is an example of one of my favorite kinds of music.

One Fine Day by the Chiffons

Blue Moon of Kentucky by Mark Knopfler

Ol' Man Keith said...

Dear Marti,
Yes, I found it easy for a Thursday pzl. Maybe it was to make up for yesterday's nail-biter.
No re-writes or Googles needed today, I just filled in the threes and then connected 'em. The porkish theme came easily to this ol' ham.
"A-ba-dee aba-dee a-ba-dee, that's all folks!"

River Doc said...

Happy Thursday everybody!

Solved fairly quickly for a Thursday puzzle, as noted above....

Montana, yes this old math geek has read Flatland...

HG, wouldn't Boss Hogg be the ultimate King of Pork...?

Wish I could find some EAR BUDS with a piece that wraps around the ear, since mine are always falling out....

Which Blue Oyster Cult song contains the lyric, "Time to plat B-SIDES...?"

Finally, my Bacon number is 2. I appeared as an extra in Never Been Kissed, co-starring John C. Reilly, whose was in The River Wild with the Baconator....

River Doc said...

Sorry! Make that time to plaY B-SIDES....

Jazzbumpa said...

Hi gang -

NW corner was slow to fall. Had a hard time figuring out what kind of broadcasting equipment ends in ADIOS.

SCARABS - sure.

I think of all-beef franks, but ain't necessarily so.

Haven't thought of EDIE Adams since I was too young to appreciate her.

Call me PIG HEADED, but I'm very unfond of "Dumb ending?"

It's a shame one of the ALOU brothers wasn't named Roberto.

Cool Regards!
JzB

River Doc said...

JazzBumpa - Babalu, nice!

Lemonade714 said...

Mary Lou, thanks for stopping by. I imagine it is both invigorating and tiring working with the unstoppable Jeff Chen. Really loved the theme

Cautiously Curious said...

Thanks Marti, for an excellent blog.

I was wondering who the actress was who wore the suggestive slip, er, slit dress at the Oscars. Rather than ask, and wait for an answer, I looked thru 49 photos of the Daily Mail album.

If anyone else is interested, the actress was , or is, Naomie Harris. Now, to read the wiki about what she done.

CrossEyedDave said...

Very busy today, (I'm late, I'm late, With daughter #2 home from College I have 2 extra loads of laundry + Xmas shopping....) Marti, how am I going to find time to look for an Edie Adams Clip?

41D Watusi, I couldn't remember how it went, so I Googled it. Ah yes, I think I can do that dance...

HeartRx said...

Where do the days go?? Sorry to be so late to the party! But I do want to say how much I enjoyed your pictures, JD! Ah, to return to Hawaii. (Can I leave tomorrow??)

Mary Lou, thanks for stopping by! How many times have you and Jeff collaborated on puzzles? I found a few of them – all quite brilliant!

PK @ 11:05 and 12:40, you beat me to the explanation of German spellings. I always remember the correct way by thinking of Wien (Vienna) with a long “e” and wein (wine) with a long ‘i.” How could I ever go wrong with those two dear-to-my-heart mnemonics?!?!?!

Anon @ 3:31, sorry – I should have posted her name. You are correct – it was Naomi Harris. She played Eve Moneypenny in “Skyfall.” I think that is the Oscar picture of her for that film, but I could be wrong.

CED, I knew you’d come through!

And now, I’ll have my dinner and probably be in bed by 8:00 PM...

Spitzboov said...

Bill G @ 1335 - In thew sense that you posed the example, ie. 3/4 out of 28, ratio and proportion are identical. Per Merriam-Webster: def. of ratio:

b : the relationship in quantity, amount, or size between two or more things : proportion

PK said...

Marti, I enjoyed your expo, but you have the wrong initials for the German explanations. It warn't me! It was our super-teacher YR. Wish I were that fluent in another language, but never had the exposure.

BillG, thanks for the music. I browsed and listened through six different side links. Enjoyed it and just what I needed on this warm but gray dreary day.

Jayce said...

Cowabunga! I didn't have a cow over this puzzle; it was fun. As were all of your comments. Best wishes.

Manac said...

Evening All,
Sailed through this one but thought
that 41A Wiener dogs was the odd man out as a theme answer. I mean, They could be made out of chicken lips for all we know.

41D Watusi put this Earworm in my head all day. New Englanders will understand. Never been there but you can't escape the radio ads.

CrossEyedDave said...

some people enjoy ham more than others...

Ok, I am probably going to get in trouble for this... It is really disgusting, so don't click on it if you have a weak stomach. Gross! Ya really should have cooked it 1st!

You really can't go wrong with a classic! Bacon!

one happy weiner...

I know you want more funny pics, but I can be pigheaded too!

Jayce said...

Meat! *snort*

JD, great photos. Thanks for sharing.

I'll bet each and every one of us can be PIG HEADED once in a while.

Tinbeni, for several seconds I too wondered what ONTS were.

Lucina, some day I want to really see you sashay. I bet you do it well.

Husker Gary, man oh man, you really do like golf! Would you like Katharina Boehm to caddy for you?

I'm probably a million degrees away from Kevin Bacon.


Jayce said...

Jeeeze, I'm sitting here blubbering, tears running down my cheeks (like Kathleen Turner at the beginning of Romancing the Stone) as I listen to Elvis Presley's early songs like Heartbreak Hotel and Jailhouse Rock. Man oh man, there was a huge amount of talent poured into them! Those guys were really good musicians! Such a pity colonel Parker totally fucked up his life. Okay, back to more wallowing now.

HeartRx said...

PK @ 4:54, oops! Two letters, both consonants…uh (no excuse!) Sorry YR!!

windhover said...

I like Thursday puzzles, difficult but doable, though this one was a bit easier than usual.
I was hesitant about posting the following, but probably no worries now (thanks Jayce) as it seems mild by comparison:
39 A is not only a "feature", but what might also be revealed by same.

Dudley said...

So if I'm getting this right, your Bacon number can only be a reasonable integer if you've been in a movie. Since I've never been in a movie (actually, my hands were in a movie, but it was a local indie thing - doesn't count), my Bacon number must be infinite.

Now if knowing somebody who has been in a movie counts for anything, then my BN is <5. Not that I've been keeping track.

TTP said...

Doc, Burnin' For You "Time to play besides." Reminds me of that other song by CCR with the lyrics, "There's a bathroom on the right."

Manac said...

HG,
Just saw your Golf picture...

You really need to find a hobby
my friend ;~)

Bill G. said...

Spitz, the dictionary concept seems perfectly OK to me and I said something like that in my earlier post. "Ratios and proportions are not the same though I give the clue a pass since they are certainly related and one suggests the other." Still, in terms of teaching or explaining this math concept, a ratio simply compares two quantities like 2/3. A proportion is an equation involving two ratios set equal where often, one quantity is unknown.

In looking on the internet, most dictionaries define proportion like a ratio as you pointed out. However, in the math sources like "Math Dictionary", they define a proportion like I did. "A proportion is an equation written in the form stating that two ratios are equivalent."

I apologize for giving this discussion more time that it deserves. We all know what is meant in the everyday use of the word. I was just taking the viewpoint of a math teacher trying to explain these concepts to the students.

Speaking of golfing in the snow, Gary's photo reminded me of the Seinfeld spisode involving George's concern with shrinkage in cold temperatures. I didn't know they also turned orange. This blog is so educational...

Blue Iris said...

Thanks to YR and Irish Miss for the shout-out yesterday.

Buckeye Bob, your comment concerning older people's voices reminds me going to a little church, with my Grandma, that was mostly attended by old women. Thinking of their crackly, shrill and devout voices still makes me smile.

I love Michael Buble,s rendition of "That's All." If we live to our 50th anniversary, I would love to have that song sung. Do you think Michael B. could make it?? (38th in April)

I still have 50 45's and their B-SIDES from my youth. My children gave me a record player.(EBAY)

CED, enjoyed Adam's family Watusi clip.

Hope you all have a peaceful and not too erratic week!

River Doc said...

TTP, I also thought for years that John Fogerty was singing Bathroom on the Right instead of Bad Moon on the Rise. I guess we all hear what we need to, and the directions to the nearest loo seems like it could be more important information than the status of the lunar cycle if you really needed to go....

CED, nice bacon links. Mmmmm, bacon links.... How soon to breakfast...?

TTP said...

Manac, I missed HG's golf picture earlier.

HG, that looks like a pretty good lie. Looks like a TaylorMade Burner driver, but I can't be sure.

Regardless, let's break it down. Good balance, but feet a bit less than shoulder width. You're stance is a bit upright, and you're setup is pretty open. Left hand grip is good, right hand is really , really strong.

You're getting good distance off the tee, but tend to slice or push. Missing the fairway to the right is an issue. Every once in a while you're hitting one one of those 80to 100 yard duck hooks. That's when you are rolling that right wrist over.

Suggestions: Flex a little bit more at the knees and close the stance. Lighten up on that strong right hand grip. Unless you have Bubba Watson or Dustin Johnson distance, your first objective is hitting the fairway. Save that strong right hand grip for the deep rough.

Oh wait, that was just a quick impromptu pose. Never mind !!!

Cautiously Curious said...

HeartRx Marti, Thank you for your post of 4.34 pm. ... 1634 Hrs...

Just a little, tiny, small nit - it's Naomie , not Naomi. (Harris).

Not that I care about the actress.

But since you are also an eminent constructor, I wouldn't want to mess up (for you - ), a potential clue, for a future date ....

Lemonade714 said...

TTP great analysis.

Marti they are watching cloesly

Manac said...

TTP,
You're right!
Who would use a Driver when a Snow Wedge is the obvious choice!

Yellowrocks said...

CED, thanks for the Edie Adams clip. I love to hear her sing.

Husker Gary said...

Yeah, I had just teed off and walked down off the tee box through the little piece of snow toward the cart. I had an inspiration to hand the camera to my friend (the same one who witnessed my 3 stroke hole-in-one) and he took the picture after I plopped the orange ball onto the snow. I I then sent it to Tinman on the spot.
No, I didn’t really grip the club or take a stance with any forethought but I’m glad it supplied a topic of conversation!! I can imagine Marti taking a few swings in those circumstances on skis!
BTW, it was 52F with full sun and no wind and so I took off the jacket I had on the picture and played in shirtsleeves. We’re pretty hardy out here on the prairie!

Anonymous T said...

Good eve all!

DNF for me - I ran out of brain power after reading a "Cloud" contract and a scope-agreement. The SW did me in (just didn't get SILENTB - wanted Dumb SILENCE (me in this week's meetings) but STENO wouldn't let it happen). Mary Lou, Jeff, Marti, and all you guys made everything OK tonight. Thanks!

HG - Seriously? Hit into the rough where there's no snow :-)

Bill G. I was CUEDIN on the RATIO talk.

YR - I hope I remember that rule for German words. I always learned "I before E, except after C, unless it sounds like an 'A' as in neighbor and weigh. Unless the word is Weird." The last part I added... I still can't spell :-(.

We played 6 deg. of Kevin BACON in college. I stunk because I don't watch movies - I'm always the most UNHIP guy at parties -- until the GIN flows :-)

While playing / reading posts, I heard a reRUN of Radio Times on NPR interviewing Mari Reagle and 100 years of X-words. If you didn't catch it, you may want to give it a listen.

Cheers, -T

Anonymous T said...

Ooops Merl Reagle - all that i,e, talk.

BTW, Marti - Yes, I got a DEE in college and had to re-take Calc 3. Memorizing Integrals was not my bag - once I really understood them I got an A. I also got a DEE in HS Spanish. Now that I live in HOU, I know more words and phrases. C, -T

Bill G. said...

AnonT, I'm listening to your Merl Reagle clip and enjoying it.

I stumbled across "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and though I've watched it lots before, it sucked me in all over again.

Bill G. said...

Kent (1:26), you said a mouthful!

Anonymous T said...

@1:26 & Bill G. Tomorrow is a 1/2 day, Say No More!. (Warning, Python). :-)

Cheers, -T