I guess Steve would have been the ideal blogger for this one, as saying "F" in place of "TH" is apparently very common in parts of the British Isles. This is my first time reviewing Paul, though he has had a few LAT's and a few NYT's, half of which have been Sunday puzzles. I always enjoy the puzzles that use sound, so this was in my wheelhouse. The 4 theme answers are all long, cramming 58 letters in the theme. Lots of nice words like AL DAVIS, ANILINE, GLORY BE, MCMUFFIN, UV FILTER, HOT AND COLD, STARS ON ICE, as well as some very difficult cluing make this feel like a real Friday. Well let's get to work.
17A. Guys with plenty of time for child care? : FREEMEN AND A BABY. (15). (Three Men and a Baby). The Tom Selleck, Ted Danson movie. WATCH. (1:12)
26A. Lament following an Elizabethan wardrobe malfunction? : THE FRILL IS GONE.(14). The Thrill is gone. I love the tying of the frilly clothes of the distant past with a modern event, so named from the famous Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson Super Bowl event.
41A. Like Barney with his pal? : HANGING BY A FRED. (14) (Hanging by a thread). A Flintstone sighting; how cool even if the fill is a bit tortured.
53A. Got locked out of a Finnish sauna during winter? : FROZE IN THE TOWEL.(15) (Throws in the towel). This is a nice visual, but the "th" in "the" makes the fill more confusing to me.
Across:
1. Dominion : REALM. An odd word where the "A" is completely silent.
6. Food on a stick : KEBAB. This for me is the correct spelling, but you need to be flexible.
11. Olympus OM-2, briefly : SLR. Single Lens Reflex. I have this clue/fill so often. 36D. Outdoor camera user's accessory : UV FILTER. To dampen the sun.
14. Templo Mayor builder : AZTEC. This temple built in what is now Mexico City. LINK.
15. Home to some mollusks : ATOLL. My favorite is the BIKINI ATOLL,
"The island's English name is derived from the German colonial name Bikini given to the atoll when it was part of German New Guinea. The German name is transliterated from the Marshallese name for the island, Pikinni, "Pik" meaning "surface" and "Ni" meaning "coconut", or surface of coconuts(Per wiki). I wonder what people have to pay to visit there.
16. Plus : TOO.
20. Stirling topper : TAM. Back in the British Isles, this is the biggest CITY in central Scotland, home of the Tam O'sahnter.
21. One in Marseille : UNE. Straight French, no trickiness at all ( not to be confused with...).
22. Is gaga over : ADORES.
23. Astern : AFT.
24. They're established : GIVENS. Of course, that is a given!
31. Hei-tiki wearers : MAORI. Tiki is the Maori Adam.
32. Passes between peaks : COLS. A complete unknown and learning experience for me. It is the literal name for passes which exist between mountains.
33. "Stat!" : NOW. Nurses love this.
34. Pop star John : ELTON. Olivia Newton would not fit.
35. Sched. producer : IRS. Internal Revenue Service.
36. Tie together : UNITE.
38. Island R&B derivative : SKA.
39. "Dragonwyck" author Seton : ANYA. I was familiar with Foxfire, not this one. LINK.
40. Resolution targets : VICES. I like this clue, though I do not do New Year's resolutions.
45. "Twisted" actress Richards : DENISE. Charlie Sheen's ex, perhaps most famous for her scene with Neve.
46. Short life story? : BIOgraphy. This is how I like my three letter clues and fill. Snappy.
47. Small power source : AA CELL.
49. The lot : ALL.
50. Banff Upper Hot Springs, e.g. : SPA. Heh Canadian Eh!
57. Feel rotten : AIL.
58. End of __ : AN ERA.
59. Remove : ERASE.
60. Gnarly relative : RAD.
61. Greek salad features : FETAS. The cheese, please.
62. Lets : RENTS. Again more common over the pond, having a room to let.
Down:
1. Slew : RAFT. A fun, tricky secondary meaning for raft 2 (raft) n. Informal: A great number, amount, or collection: "As the prairie dog goes, conservation biologists say, so may go a raft of other creatures" (William K. Stevens).
2. University founder Cornell : EZRA. A slam dunk for our resident Cornell grad.
3. "Up and __!" : AT 'EM. Always reminds of this WEIRDNESS. (1:41).
4. Sheltered side : LEE. Not from Robert E.
5. Nationwide sandwich debut of 1972 : MCMUFFIN. I only found the ad from 1978. (0:31).
6. Citizen of Little Salem, Colorado : KANE. The award winning movie with Orson Welles and Rosebud.
7. Flight stat : ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival.
8. It's good for Michel : BON. Just a French translation, signaled by the name.
9. NFL owner who moved the Oakland Raiders to L.A. and back : AL DAVIS. A true pioneer, innovator and force in the AFL. Also, apparently a crazy man who wanted to control every decision. His son now runs the team.
10. 11-Down supporters : BLADES. The in word for skates.
11. Show founded as a vehicle for Scott Hamilton : STARS ON ICE. I did not know this was why they started this troupe.
12. Ear piece : LOBE.
13. Acuff and Orbison : ROYS. Two wonderful singers and my father's nickname.
18. __'acte : ENTR. More French, between the acts.
19. Big Ben sound : BONG. Onomatopoeia.
23. Prefix with ballistic : AERO. I almost went ballistic trying to make sense of this one. I guess I do not shoot enough guns or missile launchers.
24. "Hallelujah!" : GLORY BE. Fun phrase, and the first of four such fill. I enjoyed them all, even if they took a while.
25. "That's for sure!" : I'LL SAY.
26. __ blue streak : TALK A. Why blue? The suggestion was either (a) like lightening, or (b) face turning blue from forgetting to breathe.
27. Inconsistent way to run : HOT AND COLD. So many people are this way.
28. Baker's creations : ICINGS. Another easy answer I found very difficult, because I was looking for a result not an ingredient, or part of the process.
29. Pointed out : NOTED.
30. Milk sources for Pecorino cheese : EWES. Many who love this cheese do not know it comes from SHEEP.
31. Fit together well : MESH.
37. Actor Robert De __ : NIRO. Hard to remember he was ever young.
39. Dye compound : ANILINE. Read all about IT.
42. "Holy moly!" : GEEZ. A marti word.
43. Greening up : IN LEAF. I know this is legit (Idioms 17. in leaf, covered with foliage; having leaves: the pale green tint of the woods newly in leaf. Dictionary.com ) but I cannot imagine any of us ever actually saying this.
44. Willing cohort? : ABLE. Cute, from the phrase "ready, willing and able."
47. Way out there : AFAR.
48. Musical highlight : ARIA. This fill appears in so many puzzles.
49. Cries of discovery : AHAS.
50. Sibelius' "The __ of Tuonela" : SWAN. Not my area of expertise, I will let JzB and others discuss, but here it is by the Norwegian Radio Orchestra LINK. (9:00).
51. Unwanted visitor : PEST. In every sense of the word.
52. Some pints : ALES. Yeah beer! Hi Tinman. Supporting my children. The taproom my son manages just received this: LINK.
54. Fishing aid : NET.
55. Musical syllable : TRA. La la.
56. Profitable rock : ORE. Or Dwayne Johnson?
Well I had to refresh my recollection using the dictionary to make sense out of some of the fill that the perps provided, but in the end it was done and another Friday in the record books and another month gone by. Spring really is here, it just may snow some more. Enjoy, Lemonade out.
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteWell, I managed to make it through this one unassisted except for the help that figuring out the theme provided me. But it was tough going in spots.
ICECAPADES fit perfectly at 11D and I was sure it had to be right. Ditto for MCRIBLET at 5D and PRAISE BE at 24D. And COLS was such a WTF moment that it was last thing entered in the grid and I still didn't trust it even with COL_ in place.
Live and learn and forget it again tomorrow...
Good Morning, Lemonade and friends. I easily got the Free Men and a Baby, which helped with the theme.
ReplyDeleteThe only Barneys I could think of, however, were Barney Fife, from the Andy Griffith Show, and Barney, the purple dinosaur.
I learned that the phrase is Up and AT 'EM and not Up and AWAY.
I confidently wrote GOAT instead of EWES, even though I saw the clue was plural.
QOD: There is an incompatibility between literary creation and political activity. ~ Mario Vargas Llosa (Mar. 28, 1936)
"Up, up and away."
Delete- Superman
I came across COL while reading Jon Krakauer's 'Into Thin Air', his version of what happened on the South Col of Mt.Everest/Lohtse in May of 1996.
ReplyDeleteThe sothern col route is the path Sir Edmund Hillary used to summit Everest and is the most popular route used today.
This year's crop of climbers are probably in Kathmandu right now, gearing up for their ascent. April and May is peak season (pun intended) as it after the brutal winter and before the monsoon season.
Another crossword worthy word from this world is cwm. Pronounced 'coom'.
A fun theme with just a few sticking points. I had KEBOB before KEBAB, SCONES before ICINGS, ANNE before ANYA.
ReplyDeleteI knew COLS only from following the Tour de France. The Col du Galibier) is "the ninth highest paved road in the Alps and the sixth highest mountain pass. It is often the highest point of the Tour". The first two stages of the 2014 Tour will be in Yorkshire, England, from Leeds to Harrogate and then from York to Sheffield. I can't wait.
[11:26]
I finished but there were many WAGs and unknowns in doing so I had KABOB for KEBAB, GAPS for COLS (unknown), GONG for BONGand perped INLEAF (unknown). I managed to work all around the edges and got hung up in the center. I have MAVEN, GAPS, didn't know ANYA, but knew ICINGS was the only logical answer. Other self-made misdirections were HANGINGonATHREAD instead of by a thread.
ReplyDeleteHas anybody had a McMuffin lately? Egg or sausage? with or without cheese? With or without egg on the sausage? Prices vary from 99 cents to $2.98. My wife's occasional weekend treat.
Whew!
ReplyDeleteThat center section almost did me in. ICINGS? Really? Well, I'LL SAY GLORY BE. Not to mention the unknown AL DAVIS. COLS? What? I was in downtown Natick.
I didn't remember (and still don't) that KANE was from Little Salem, Colorado. I thought "Resolution" was a product, and "Stirling" was some guy's name.
Surprisingly, I finished in better-than-normal Friday time. But I was still unsure of the result, and came here for my comeuppance. Surprise! It was all correct.
Barry G., how did "Praise Be" fit in 24D?
ReplyDeleteGood morning Lemonade, C.C. et al.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly easy puzzle for a Friday, and I loved the theme idea. Obviously, FROZE IN THE TOWEL was my absolute favorite theme entry. UmmHmm…I can relate to that!!
Great write-up, Lemony, with fascinating links that have kept me occupied for the last hour or so. Thanks for linking Scott Hamilton - it was nice to see him back on the ice. I used to love that show!
COL was a gimme - that term is used in Alpine climbing all the time. So no write overs, and basically a speed run for this last Friday of the month.
April can't come too soon!!
TGIF everyone.
ReplyDeleteNot too much of a struggle today except for the center section. Caught onto Paul's deception with FREE MEN AND A BABY. But HANGING BY A FRED took a while. Wanted Hung out by a Fred, but it weren't working. Finally wagged COLS and it gave me ICINGS. That got me to the finish line.
Didn't get the KANE fill other then he must reside in Little Salem. Thanks for clearing it up Lemon.
Enjoy your weekend.
The Wiki link for EWES stated "On the first of May, Roman families traditionally eat Pecorino with fresh fava beans..."
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they also have a nice bottle of Chianti? Fftt, ffttt, ffttt.
ReplyDeleteI was stuck smack dab in the middle for the longest time. I originally had aromas (a good crossword word) for Baker's creations, but took it out when I could not get any perps with it. That and maVENS for "They're established" at 24A. Backspaced over that m and a as well.
So, sat and stared at 28D -----S, 24D ------E, and 25D ------. Finally parsed FRILL for FR--- using other theme answers as the model. Still didn't want to give up on single word eNLEAF, especially since we had no other EN words today, but realized that GBY would be correct if I changed it to two words IN LEAF.
With the tops and bottoms of those three blank words now filled, ICINGS (a better crossword word) practically filled itself. GLORY BE and I'LL SAY then came quickly.
Good Friday puzzle.
Hi gang -
ReplyDeleteI can never hear of either fava beans or Chianti without thinking of the other.
Didn't quite MESH today, but made it through with a lot of swags and perps - again. AZTEC/EZRA was a pure guess.
Even with Lemon's excellent review, I couldn't suss HANGING BY A FRED until Hatoolah's comment. Forgot about Barney Rubble. D'OH!
COLS and ANYA were unknown. VICES was a WTH?!? Didn't know DENISE Richards did Tangled - Granddaughter Abby's favorite movie.
Wanted CUSS A blue streak, but already had SKA.
I've played Finlandia a few Times and Sebelius' magnificent 2nd symphony, but was not familiar with the SWAN. Dreamy piece of music.
GLORY BE my lovely wife. [Gloria, actually, but close enough.]
Happy weekend, everybody.
Cool Regards!
JzB
Hannibal, thanks for stopping by. You have changed cava beans for most of us.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that you found this easy Marti, as I was slowed by quite a few clues.
Always liked Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble, and did not like the purple guy.
FAVA beans!!!! I hate autocorrect.
ReplyDeleteAl Davis was a Coach, General Manager, and owner of the Oakland Raiders. He was famous or infamous for filing an antitrust suit against the NFL, of which he was an owner.
ReplyDeleteTotally whupped, not on my wave length today.
ReplyDeleteI resorted to many Googles and red letters. Now that I have all the answers I see that it should have not been that difficult. It was a fine puzzle. I don't rate a puzzle as "meh" or Thumper just because I flop.
This followed four easy ones this week. I hope I'm more up for it tomorrow.
Lemony @ 8:20, I just must have been on someone's wavelength this morning - either Paul's or Rich's.
ReplyDeleteAfter all our labors next door this winter, I now have a new hell to face: our dining room sits directly under an upstairs bathroom, and we noticed a leak in the ceiling…right under the toilet. UGH!! So guess what we get to do this weekend?
Thank you for the puzzle, Paul. Thank you for the review, Lemonade.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a typical Friday puzzle. I got the theme after 2 answers, and it helped me with the other 2.
I had KABOB before KEBAB, ANNA before ANYA, and SONG before SWAN. The perps saved me.
I didn’t know COLS, TAM, and ANILINE, but the perps helped me again.
I don’t get 20A. Stirling topper: TAM, even after looking at Lemonade’s link. Can someone elaborate?
32A: The online dictionary only said this:
ReplyDeleteMain Entry: 1col
Pronunciation: \ˈkäl\
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Middle French, neck, from Latin collum
Date: 1853
Nothing about a mountain pass. Isn't that called a canyon?
And the stupidity of TH-FRONTING. I actually got some of those answers thinking they were just word plays. Is this going to be another destructive form of the English language? Don't encourage these idiots who come up with such trash!!
Hi Everyone ~~
ReplyDeleteA very enjoyable puzzle which went more smoothly than most Fridays for me. Most of my first thoughts were the right ones, which is not usually the case. My one write-over was 'Pacts' to VICES - I was thinking of a different kind of resolution.
~ The RAFT meaning of slew was new to me and I'm familiar with ANIL but not ANILINE.
~ I like simple clues such as 62A - 'Lets' - have to think in a number of directions.
~ Favorites: 10D - BLADES and 53A - FROZE IN THE TOWEL.
~ I enjoyed your write-up, Lemonade ~ lots of good info!
Have a great Friday!
Magilla at 9:15 --
ReplyDeleteI found “col” in several online dictionaries. Here is one entry. (It was new to me.)
col definition
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteSTARS ON ICE was a gimme because BH had been watching it for years, even travelling to Lake Placid to see the season kick-off on a Thanksgiving weekend.
Got most of the theme fill ok but had 'on' before BY (A FRED). Also had 'tors' before COLS.
Good Friday workout. Thanks Paul.
Have a good day.
This was a tough one for me, but since I did finish it using pencil in the paper, it couldn't have been a true Friday puzzle. The middle was the rough part with ICINGS, COLS and ANYA that I didn't know. Wags got me through it.
ReplyDeleteLike Magilla said. I had up and AWAY. Superman had a number of catchphrases and "up, up and away" has always stuck in my mind. Remember some of the other Superman Catchphrases.
It's near the end of March and the precipitation in rain, not snow and the weather in central PA is supposed to be in the 50s for the next week. Hope the weather is better for everyone.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteI found this to be a typical Friday-level challenge, but highly doable. Finished w/o help but perps certainly helped. Unknowns were cols and aniline.
Thanks, Paul,for a clever and funny theme and solve, and thanks, Lemon, for your informative write-up. And condolences to Tin for the dreaded _ _ _, making its second appearance this week. I'm beginning to think that the Crossword gods are conspiring to drive Tin to drink!
Raining here today but warmer temps. The beginning of April showers, perhaps. Oh well, maybe we'll finally get rid of all the snowbanks. Spring is going to get here, sooner or later.
Have a great day.
Fun, enjoyable puzzle by Paul. I like when the theme brings a smile to your face when solving (or a groan).
ReplyDeleteLemonade, liked your McMuffin ad.... don't remember seeing that long ago.
March will go out like a lamb here in HTown.
Hello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteSuper fast solve for a Friday, except for Cols. WBS about that, I didn't trust it even though I had no choice.
We decided to treat ourselves to our favorite bagel shop this morning. They have a fun scheme for collecting tips at the counter: Tip Wars. There are two side-by-side tip jars, each labelled with something for the customers to vote on. For instance, one might read "Peanut Butter and Jelly" and the other "Fluffernutter". Customers vote for their preferences with their tip dollars. So far so good. Well, now that it's March Madness time, they're using the tip jars to determine the winners among competing bagel flavors. We filled out our bracket picks earlier in the month. I'm looking for Asiago championship this year. :-)
Happy Friday everybody!
ReplyDeleteUnusually smooth run for a Friday puzzle. Only one lookup (ANYA), but otherwise done in close to Wednesday time....
Lots of GIVENS, especially AL DAVIS. Love him or hate him, he's got to be at the top of the list of most influential people in the game of football....
Hands up for thinking of the purple dinosaur instead of the caveman at first....
Hard to believe the Egg McThingie is over 40 years old....
Finally, have to agree with you Lemon - autocorrect is the new bane of our online existence, a real PEST, if you will....
I thought the theme was very clever, and it helped a lot. That didn't stop me from trying to misspell anAline, though. But Denise straightened that out. From my carpentry days I recall that aniline dye produces a desirable finish, but was thought to be carcinogenic. Don't know if that's been dis-proven or not.
ReplyDeleteThat C in col crossing icings was brutal. Had the rest and did 2 full mental alphabet runs for icings to make sure it couldn't be anything else. Never heard of col, but it had to be right. Funny how a place name you've never heard of is easy to accept, but a thing name is tougher....at least for me.
BON day, you all! Lemonade,I wondered what your theme title would be. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI have to say I was on Paul Hunsberger's wave length almost immediately when I started with EZRA which gave me AZTEC and the whole corner filled. I remembered the movie, Three Men and A Baby so the play on FREE was easy and it helped with the other theme answers.
I had to ERASE only twice, first NEST gave way to MESH and FROZEN became FROZE IN . . . Otherwise it was a very smooth solve and too quick for a Friday.
ANYA came easily because I read Dragonwyck back in the 70s and recall that it is a very dark story and Ms. Seton is a master of creating suspense.
Like others ANILINE was new for me but it emerged nicely and the C in ICINGS was my last fill because, again like others, I was looking for a product. COLS is the newest entry in my puzzle dictionary.
Thanks, Lemonade and Paul. Good fun today!
Have a fantatic Friday, everyone! I send you WARM greetings from our 80+ temps.
This puzzle required Friday level work. I got the theme with FROZE IN THE TOWEL but the NW and central were last to fall. Lots of AHAs!
ReplyDeleteHand up for AWAY before AT EM, KEBOB before KABAB, ANNA before ANYA. I had ICE FOLLIES before STARS ON ICE, and INCAS before AZTEC. Never heard of COLS either.
British use of LETS for RENTS was easy here. Lots (a SLEW) of French today with UNE, BON and ENTR'ACTE.
buckeye bob @9:01 - TAM is Scottish hat worn in STIRLING Scotland. I was not familiar with that city either.
ALE for Tin but ICE also.
The Finnish sauna reminded me of sauna experience in Northern Ontario and then jumping into frigid Lake Superior! Invigorating!
I prefer the experience of Banff Hot Springs. (Thanks for the Shout-out Lemon.) Beautiful warm water and the view is magnificent. (I will have to return to visit the spa!) The gondola ride and view from Sulphur Mountain are a must if you are visiting in the area. And be sure to see Lake Louise. IMHO the drive between Banff and Jasper is unrivalled (and I have seen the alps).
We are waiting for trees to be IN LEAF!! Somewhat warmer but rainy today.
Marti:
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about the leak. It sounds like a lot of work will be involved. Good luck!
As you can see by my late arrival on the Corner today I had a full night's sleep and managed to stay up until 10:30 last night. GLORY BE!! Thanks for all the advice on overcoming jet lag.
Glory be, a chance to link my favorite ice breaker. Link
ReplyDeleteGloomy day. It started snowing @ 6 last night and at 10 this morning I am still watching it snow.
ReplyDeleteI felt dumb trying to solve this puzzle. If I weren't looking forward to reading Lemon's expo and all your comments I would quit crossword puzzles today. So, I am thinking like Thumper right now.
I guess the thing to do is restart solving on Monday and get reenthused about puzzles.
Have a good weekend, everybody,
Montana
But where is your beard Argyle?
ReplyDeleteIt is fun to observe now that there is a hint of spring in the air, the atmosphere here is so much more upbeat.
Our weather cannot get better, but it will get hotter.
Tenzig, welcome and thanks for the real world reference to COL, which was always an abbreviation for Colonel, but that clue never cut the mustard.
ReplyDeleteLemon: Wonderful write-up & links.
ReplyDelete"Station 26 Brewing" looks like my-kind-of Pub.
My fave today, of course, was ALES.
DNF due to having "STARS-ON-_ _ _"(3 blank spaces).
Irish Miss: They're out-to-get-me! That makes it (at least) 9 DNF's due to THAT WORD!
Big Easy: I enjoy a couple of Sausage McMUFFIN's on occasion w/a Medium Coffee. $3.21 w/tax total.
Never the "EGG" one (which w/b better if they "scrambled" it).
Off to the Indy Race's in St.Pete this weekend. eddyB my co-pilot by proxy.
Cheers!!!
Is it OK to take the name of Allah or Mohamed in vain in a crossword puzzle? The reason I ask, of course, is that 42D "Holy Moly!" = GEEZ takes Jesus' name in vain. And, sauce for the goose, you know.
ReplyDeleteThere is a definition for Geez that does not take a deity's name in vain, but it does not allow for "Holy Moly!" as the clue.
Wow! I almost got a Friday! Only KEBOB instead of KEBAB messed me up. But I got the theme early and loved it--very clever. So, many thanks, Paul, for getting my Friday off to a great start. And thank you, Lemonade, for a fun expo, and especially, for the explanation for BIKINI. Never knew that.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of COLS and had TOLL before BONG for Big Ben's sound, but fixed them both in time.
Marti, my sympathies--we have problems in that area all the time--depressing. Hope you get it fixed for good.
Have a great day, everybody!
I got about half on paper and then went to my computer (with red letters on) but kept plugging away with out just testing letters and finally finished it.
ReplyDeleteI not that the top two themed entries were only replacing TH with F but that the bottom two had phonetic spelling of another word.
Marti @ 8:55, "So guess what we get to do this weekend?"
ReplyDeleteCall a plumber ?
We'll be in the privy as well. DW wanted a new lav faucet. What should have been an hour project has left us without use of that bathroom since last Sunday afternoon. One thing lead to another. Found out that DW has much more patience and skill than I do when it comes to grouting ceramic tile walls. Yea, should have been an hour job...
Hope yours is a simple fix like a new wax ring or something like that. Good luck.
I always have trouble with phonetic spelling puzzles...
ReplyDeleteHere are a few pics from a website on the subject:
#1
#2
& whatever the heck this is supposed to mean...
Hanging by a Fred was very difficult to conjure up an image for, this is the best I could do...
3 men & a baby...
I did well-- almost 100%-- on this one. But let's say 99% because I looked up SWAN to confirm it. So why don't I feel better about it? For some reason there was little joy in discovery, no AHAS while doing this. It was a slow slog, and all the unknowns came through perps, not through that inner explosion of delight when a tough word just seems to dawn. A few successful WAGs would have been more fun.
ReplyDeleteAnd anyway, why should a "Baker's creations" be ICINGS? If we're naming specialists, what happened to the Icer? And doesn't every Greek salad have multiple gobs of FETA, all identified in the singular? (How often do we list ingredients as including LettuceS?)
Just sayin' ...
And while I'm griping, what are we supposed to make of HANGING BY A FRED? We all know the saying, "Hanging by a thread," but if this joke version is supposed to be an allusion to the F'stones, then the idiom of "hanging with" a buddy should apply. In that case, we might accept "HANGING BY" without the article "A" attached. But are we ready for the wrong idiom and extraneous article?
ReplyDeleteCED's picture comes closer than anything else I could imagine! Thanks for the visual help, Dave!
A few days ago, we ere were talking to a guy whose wife has a business making cakes, and she has a huge mixer dedicated to making ICINGS for them.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that ICINGS for "Baker's creations" is perfectly cromulent.
Cheers!
JzB
Though I must agree that FETAS is just wrong.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
JzB
Fanks, Lemonade for ve foughtful write-up, and fanks too Paul for a frilling puzzle.
ReplyDelete@Al - I think it's funny that the Tour de France always seems to start in another country now. I think that if they start in England they should have to ride through the Channel Tunnel to get back to France. Might be a bit bumpy across the rail ties though :)
A really good Friday puzzle. Took me almost an hour.
ReplyDeleteFavorite DO comment: "I was in downtown Natick." LOL
You guys are usually way ahead of me on the related links, but I couldn't find a reference to this song. First thing that popped into my head. Maybe it's just my Chicago heritage.
I struggled throughout but I did manage to finish unassisted. I thought FETAS was just wrong.
ReplyDeleteI'm not looking forward to tomorrow's offering.
I have no idea how Barry G. got PRAISE BE to fit in 24D.
Hi Y'all! Found the long phrases amusing, Paul! RAFTS of obscure geographical stuff though. COL me!
ReplyDeleteDidn't know Sibelius' SWAN song but thanks to the link, Lemon, it sounded familiar. Back ground music in a movie maybe?
Hand up for Ice Capades until I got STAR then quickly filled in the rest. I've seen several of their tours including Scott. Enjoyed the clip. I'd forgotten Kurt Browning had hair.
Didn't know AL DAViS. Had D & V so lucky WAG.
AEROballistic? Okaaaaay, if you say so. My trees "LEAF out" not "in". ABLE? Not ABet?
CanadianEh, I'll vote for Banff & Lake Louise being some of the most gorgeous scenery. These were too brief stops on a wonderful bus trip ten years ago. Didn't remember there was a hot springs.
Marti: maybe you just need to tighten the nuts on the bolt that holds the toilet down. That loosens with time at my house and lets water ooze out from the wax ring.
Thanks to JzB (and Joey D.) for backing me on FETAS.
ReplyDeleteAs for ICINGS, well, I have no doubt that many a baker has the mixer and takes the time to provide the final touch to her cakes, but when we get right down to job descriptions, isn't that when she crosses a fine line? I used to pick some shows to do as Producer, stage some as Director, and be an Actor in others--sometimes functioning as all three on the same production. I grant that the term Baker might be a catch-all title, covering both Cook and Icer, but then again, maybe not.
Thanks for the great B.B. King link Karl.
ReplyDeleteWhile not as good a tune (or artists), the first song that popped into my head when that line filled was This one by the Eagles
Marti, definitely take PKs advise, but a quick shake of the toilet should reveal if it is loose.
ReplyDeleteI just had a leak behind the toilet & thought the worst, but it turned out that the connection where the water feed meets the tank had come loose. A quick wipe of all connections with a paper towel might reveal an easy fix before you take everything apart. Note that this doesn't work so well in summer when high humidity makes the tank sweat, so now is a good time...
Let's hope your problem is a simple one...
(& If it isn't, just remember it could always be worse...)
Avg Joe, my vote goes with your link by the Eagles…
ReplyDeletePK, we did replace the wax ring, tighten the bolts, done every other thing we could…checked the bathtub and sink, no leaks there. So we are thinking that it is an eroded drain for that area. Only way to tell, is to open up the ceiling in the dining room and have a look. I sh--ud--der to think what we will find tomorrow when we make the first hole…
Oh, and did I mention that yesterday, the garage door wouldn't open using the remote control? Changed the batteries, but still no luck. After much grunting and groaning to lift the door manually, we found a broken spring. Siiiiggggghhhhh…it just never stops!!
(Did I mention that I am looking for an RV? Anyone want to buy a 125 year-old house with a new dining room ceiling?? ...Anyone? Anyone???)
P.S. I will throw in the house next door, FOR FREE!!!
ReplyDeleteMarti, It could be the supply just as easily as the drain. But either one will require surgery. That's always.....intriguing. I hope it turns out to be nothing too major.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in a classy old Craftsman house for 22 years. Well, it was classy after I'd spent nearly double the purchase price on materials and 5,000~ hours working on it, anyway. Loved the place and loved the neighborhood. But I have to admit that having lived in a new house for the past 7 years that I don't miss classy old houses one teeny tiny little bit.
Marti, Ah the joys of home ownership! I had a guest bedroom under a bathroom and laundry room on the second floor on the farm. Usually had a water ring somewhere on the ceiling. Finally installed a pretty tile ceiling on metal clips on runners. Ended up replacing tiles on that ceiling many times. At least three times, the whole ceiling came down because of some stupid thing my kids were told not to do in the laundry because of a stupid thing the plumbers did in deviating from my original plan. Hooray, I don't live there now.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to decide if moving into a retirement complex where upkeep is supposedly done for you would be easier. I'm afraid I'd get in one where you wouldn't be able to get anyone motivated to get the stuff done.
Marti, The trouble with RVS is they have tires that go flat and waste tanks that need emptying and...
Here's another vote for the Eagles!
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon, folks. Thank you, Paul Hunsberger, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Lemonade, for a fine review.
ReplyDeleteLemonade: I liked the ad you showed for the Denver Tap Room. Looks like a great place.
Puzzle was fine and i bit easier than I expected.
Got the NW corner right off. Made me enthusiastic.
Wrote KABOB for 6A and changed it about an hour later to KEBAB. OK.
Liked the theme. It slowly appeared, but was fun.
I had ENYA and ENILINE for crossings in the center. That's the way it stayed so I had a DNF. Did not know either so I winged it and missed.
Took me a while to get ILL SAY, but I got it.
UV FILTER was good.
Going to a Hillbillies meeting tonight. See you tomorrow.
Abejo
(63 35834838)
Thank you Paul Hunsberger and Lemonade. Fun but kind of difficult puzzle. I also got a really late start on the puzzle today.
ReplyDeleteLucina: I did read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" a few years ago and really liked it, but it made me cry.
I finished the puzzle after many erasures. The trouble began in the NW when I misread the clue for 1D. I thought it was stew instead of slew. So I wrote in ragu before raft. 2D was away before at'em. Kane was all perps. 32A was gap before col. Never heard of col before, but when I finally filled in icings, the c had to be right.
Finally, I thought Barney was that purple thing. Didn't even think of Barney Rubble when I filled in Fred.
Have a great rest of your day.
Nancy
I really liked this puzzle. Lots of tricky stuff that I enjoyed better once I had them figured out. Otherwise, WEES
ReplyDeleteI figure that a constructor sometimes gets 'painted into a corner' and can't find any easy way out without throwing away most of the good stuff in a puzzle so they throw in a marginal word if they have to. Therefore, I am OK with FETAS. "Look at all the different cheeses on the table. There must be at least ten different fetas."
One of the nice benefits of being a retired teacher. I got stopped by an ex-student at the car wash. We chatted for five or ten minutes about the good old days. He fondly remembered my science class. Then a nice lady called my name in the coffee shop. She was a parent of a girl named Sunny who used to be in my class. The girl and her mother were/are both delightful. The mother went on about how much Sunny had enjoyed having both Barbara and me as teachers. Geez...
For some uncanny reason, I had an easier time with this puzzle than with Wednesday and Thursdays. Still lots of holes in the grid, to be sure, but still ...a better Friday than usual.
ReplyDeleteIn New Orleans at St. Joseph's' Day celebrations, they give out FAVA beans to keep in your wallet. They say if you do, you'll never be broke.
I also thought of Barney the dinosaur and Fife. Also about GEEZ being not particularly 'kosher.'
Tomorrow I will probably read the Blog before attempting the puzzle....Saturdays seem to go that way....
BillG, what did Barbara teach? I don't remember you ever saying she was a teacher.
ReplyDeleteWoops, forgot to peck in my initials in the query above.
ReplyDeleteMostly Barbara taught fourth grade and loved the creativity she could bring to her teaching. She had animals in her classroom; Guinea Pigs, etc. and often used then as a focal point for the lessons. The students would learn the metric system by measuring the animals' length and weight. They could average the weights. Sometimes the students would write essays with the animals somehow involved. And so on...
ReplyDeleteLater on, she taught middle school math but she preferred her experiences in the self-contained classroom.
Paul H - A very fraught provoking puzzle and Lemon franks for the writeup.
ReplyDeleteI vote for BB King on Thrill is Gone.
My only issue is: WHERE IS OWEN???
I don't regularly go to Mickey D's but granddaughter wanted to a while back. Saw the McMuffin with just egg white so thought I'd try it. Suffice it to say, won't make that mistake again.
Another earthquake! This one was bigger but farther away from us. It wasn't so much a jolt as our house starting shifting and rolling. Some hanging things in our house were swinging for a bit. It wasn't scary but it would have been if it got any bigger. Magnitude about 5.1 centered about 15 miles away.
ReplyDeleteGreetings!
ReplyDeleteBad tummy ache today. Just forced myself to work puzzle. Not bad under the circumstances. No cheats.
Good to hear from you all!
kjinkc: Don't worry, I'm still here. just couldn't pick up any inspiration from today's crossword (good puzzles and good poems don't always go together). But I've already got a trio of limericks set up for tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteAs for today's puzzle, KEBAB did me in, even after I had already changed it from KABOB to KEBOB.
Owen - good to hear. I don't have a creative bone in my body. I'm all black or white and full of analysis, so I'm extremely envious of your talent and I enjoy your writings. Off to work Saturday puzzle.
ReplyDelete