Theme: Saturday Silkie~!
Words: 72 (missing J,Q)
Blocks: 30
Today's challenge from Mr. Silk took some intuitive thinking, as quite a
few clues gave me fits. With the chunky triple 7-letter corners, I find
this type of grid to be the most difficult, especially when you can't
get a foothold. In my case, I struggled a bit in the SW, and bad
WAGs made some other spots slow to solve - and I had one wrong letter. One grid-spanner, and let's hope that it's a thing of the past for the next 12 months~!
35. Winter forecast : FREEZING DRIZZLE - I got the DRIZZLE part from MAZDA, so I tried "--- AND DRIZZLE", but that didn't help
Aw, Dr. NO~!
ACROSS:
1. Instrument played with mallets : MARIMBA - BAM~! Nailed it, not that I'm saying much - but hey, XYLOPHONE wouldn't fit
8. Pitcher's coup : PICK-OFF - I
don't watch baseball, but this is one of those nifty little plays that
make the game interesting - along with the "hidden ball" trick
15. Mine carriers : ORE CARS - Funny, ORE CARTS didn't fit, so I skipped it the first time around - and I was 114% correct
16. Orwell superstate : OCEANIA
17. 1980s Hollywood sex symbol : BO DEREK - I was trying to think of a popular male, and when the "K" appeared, I was stumped - oh, her - still looking good
18. Hang : SUSPEND
19. Meas. seen on a tee : YDs - Argh~! My first thought was golf, but then I thought "nope, he's going with T-shirt here", and tried "XXL"
20. Beguile : TEMPT - not TEASE, not GET AT
22. Warthog features : TUSKS - made the "Top 10 List" for ugliest animal~!
23. Screened conversation? : VIDEO CHAT - I was thinking this could be "CONFESSION", but it's one letter too many
25. 28-Across natives, e.g. : ASIANS - circular clues -->
28. The Mekong flows along its border : LAOS
29. Fighter acronym : MiG - Mikoyan-Gurevich, the Russian military aircraft company
25. 28-Across natives, e.g. : ASIANS - circular clues -->
28. The Mekong flows along its border : LAOS
29. Fighter acronym : MiG - Mikoyan-Gurevich, the Russian military aircraft company
32. Going downhill : WORSE
33. "The __ Affair": Jasper Fforde novel : EYRE - never heard of it; Saturday cluing
34. Lighten : EASE - a burden, for example
38. Servers at affairs : URNS
39. Ballpark figs. : MGRs - Ah, the guy in the dugout, not ESTs
40. Needles : RIDES
41. Food-curing chemical : LYE - not MSG
42. "__ Mia": 1965 hit : CARA - I tried MAMA, and that's 50% right, but I knew the date was wrong
43. Give away : DONATE
44. Funk band instrument : SAXOPHONE - I think this is funky
46. When to see die Sterne : NACHT - 'the star(s)' in German, and 'night'; there's also a band by the same name, so I guess you could see them at night, too
49. Pasta bit : SHELL
50. Card quality : WIT - Card as in ham, clown, cut-up, etc.
53. Odorless fuels : ETHANES - all the light ones are pretty much odorless; the stink from propane is actually ethyl percaptan, which is added to warn you of a leak - it was a gas explosion that leveled the two buildings in Harlem NYC this week.
55. Tennessee neighbor : ALABAMA - GEORGIA fit, too; KENTUCKY, ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, and VIRGINIA are all 8-letters long
49. Pasta bit : SHELL
50. Card quality : WIT - Card as in ham, clown, cut-up, etc.
53. Odorless fuels : ETHANES - all the light ones are pretty much odorless; the stink from propane is actually ethyl percaptan, which is added to warn you of a leak - it was a gas explosion that leveled the two buildings in Harlem NYC this week.
55. Tennessee neighbor : ALABAMA - GEORGIA fit, too; KENTUCKY, ARKANSAS, MISSOURI, and VIRGINIA are all 8-letters long
57. Zip up : ANIMATE - I was in "winter clothing" mode on this one, so this answer was slow to show
58. Extreme : RADICAL
59. Surfing annoyance : POP-UP AD - tell me about it; I hate that little 'hiccup' you get from ads on computers and mobile devices that shifts everything down one line JUST as you tap to move to the next link
60. Ship maintenance site : DRY DOCK - my Dodge Stratus and Ford Van are in 'dry dock' right now; today will be the first warm, dry day with no snow on the ground, allowing me to finally take a look and see what's wrong
DOWN:
1. Colorado State's __ Arena : MOBY
2. MLB nickname in recent news : A-ROD
3. Cabs, e.g. : REDS - DAH~! Wines, not Taxis
4. Winter coat : ICE - I've seen enough
5. Two-time 1990s A.L. batting champ Edgar : MARTINEZ - C.C. has more (From C.C.: He spent his whole career with the Mariners. He'll remain in the Hall of Fame ballot next year. Look at what I found:)
6. Procreates : BREEDS - Ah, not the Biblical BEGETS
7. Help desk sign : ASK ME
8. Deltiologist's collection : POSTCARDS - learning moment
9. Post-op area : ICU
10. Basque baskets : CESTAS
11. Shot : KAPUT
12. People : ONES - As in "the ones waiting for spring to arrive"
13. Rat : FINK
14. They come and go : FADS
21. Storyteller? : POLYGRAPH - TATTLE-TALE didn't fit
23. Arrangements may be made in them : VASES
24. Weed killer : HOER - my one missed letter; I had HOAR - hey, that could kill weeds, too - it kills the grass....
25. Horrific : AWFUL - not SCARY
26. Classic board game : SORRY!
27. Daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands : IRENE - Saturday cluing for a popular crossword name; this one goes back a bit, as Queen Juliana passed at 94 ten years ago
29. Tribute maker : MAZDA
30. Key : ISLET - ah, not iNSet
31. Inane ones : GEESE - "You silly gooses~!"
33. Absorbed : ENGROSSED - I did NOT try "---- UP" to start, as in "SOAKED"
34. Salon, for one : E-ZINE
36. Big name in movies? : IMAX - yep, that's a big screen
37. Nickname in 20th-century British leadership : IRON LADY - Margaret Thatcher - that's the second "Iron" to come out of Britain - I prefer Iron Maiden....
42. Short time out? : CAT-NAP
43. Word on a Canadian loonie : DOLLAR - no animals were tattooed in the making of this crossword
44. San Diego attraction : SHAMU - not ZOOOO....
45. Picked up : HEARD
46. Tide table term : NEAP
47. Words before time or point : AT NO
48. Wood __ : CHIP - ah, not SHED
50. City on the Brazos : WACO
51. Apple product : iMAC - It's going to be "i" something....
52. Converse : TALK
54. Touchdown info : ETA - airplanes, not football
56. Nod, at times : BID
58. Extreme : RADICAL
59. Surfing annoyance : POP-UP AD - tell me about it; I hate that little 'hiccup' you get from ads on computers and mobile devices that shifts everything down one line JUST as you tap to move to the next link
60. Ship maintenance site : DRY DOCK - my Dodge Stratus and Ford Van are in 'dry dock' right now; today will be the first warm, dry day with no snow on the ground, allowing me to finally take a look and see what's wrong
DOWN:
1. Colorado State's __ Arena : MOBY
2. MLB nickname in recent news : A-ROD
3. Cabs, e.g. : REDS - DAH~! Wines, not Taxis
4. Winter coat : ICE - I've seen enough
5. Two-time 1990s A.L. batting champ Edgar : MARTINEZ - C.C. has more (From C.C.: He spent his whole career with the Mariners. He'll remain in the Hall of Fame ballot next year. Look at what I found:)
 |
| 2-Down, Ken Griffey Jr, 5-Down |
6. Procreates : BREEDS - Ah, not the Biblical BEGETS
7. Help desk sign : ASK ME
8. Deltiologist's collection : POSTCARDS - learning moment
9. Post-op area : ICU
10. Basque baskets : CESTAS
11. Shot : KAPUT
12. People : ONES - As in "the ones waiting for spring to arrive"
13. Rat : FINK
14. They come and go : FADS
21. Storyteller? : POLYGRAPH - TATTLE-TALE didn't fit
23. Arrangements may be made in them : VASES
24. Weed killer : HOER - my one missed letter; I had HOAR - hey, that could kill weeds, too - it kills the grass....
25. Horrific : AWFUL - not SCARY
26. Classic board game : SORRY!
29. Tribute maker : MAZDA
30. Key : ISLET - ah, not iNSet
31. Inane ones : GEESE - "You silly gooses~!"
33. Absorbed : ENGROSSED - I did NOT try "---- UP" to start, as in "SOAKED"
34. Salon, for one : E-ZINE
36. Big name in movies? : IMAX - yep, that's a big screen
37. Nickname in 20th-century British leadership : IRON LADY - Margaret Thatcher - that's the second "Iron" to come out of Britain - I prefer Iron Maiden....
42. Short time out? : CAT-NAP
43. Word on a Canadian loonie : DOLLAR - no animals were tattooed in the making of this crossword
44. San Diego attraction : SHAMU - not ZOOOO....
45. Picked up : HEARD
46. Tide table term : NEAP
47. Words before time or point : AT NO
48. Wood __ : CHIP - ah, not SHED
50. City on the Brazos : WACO
51. Apple product : iMAC - It's going to be "i" something....
52. Converse : TALK
54. Touchdown info : ETA - airplanes, not football
56. Nod, at times : BID
Splynter
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteQuite a mental workout today. Some complete unknowns like MOBY, IRENE, MARTINEZ and EYRE contributed partially to the difficulty, but it was mostly the obscure cluing that nearly killed me. Par for the course on a Saturday, though.
I finished with an error that took a long time to track down. Everything looked solid, except that I thought EYRA looked a bit odd for a name. I was sure that HOAR was correct as a "weed killer", though (HOAR frost kills off all plants, including weeds). And then the light bulb finally went on and I realized it was actually HOER, as in "one who hoes."
I think there may just possible be a mistake with the cluing for CESTA, btw. CESTA is the Spanish word for basket, but the Basque people speak their own language completely unrelated to Spanish (or any other language on the planet, as far as I know). It's a cute clue, but it reminds me of the way Rich keeps cluing SETI with regard to UFOs. Unless, of course, I'm completely wrong...
Good morning, Saturday Soldiers!
ReplyDeleteSplynter, your anagrammed "onward" cracked me up. Here's a hand up for BEGETS, and I entered the "M" for MAMA before I came to my senses.
Don't know why, but CESTAS came to me immediately. I think I've seen it clued as a jai alai basket, and didn't the Basques invent jai alai? The rest of the northeast was in severe whiteout conditions. That area was the last to see spring arrive.
I'm typing this on my IMAC, so that was a gimme. I like the machine, but I've found it to be absolutely terrible with my ancient Delphi development environment. The mouse cursor jumps around like a fart in a mitten, and the familiar function keys don't work at all. Ugh!
Great Silkie. Success in average Saturday time. Interesting blog, Splynter.
ReplyDeleteHand up for inlet before islet, begets before breeds.
I was looking for something more specific than ASIANS.
At first I had Mama Mia, way too modern for 1965.
Cute clues: cabs/reds, surfing annoyance/popup ads, card quality/wit.
Off to the gym. I wish exercise would improve my knees as much as it has my shoulder which is 99% recovered in only 2 1/2 months.
It seems CESTA is Basque , as well as Spanish
Link CESTA
Yikes! Of course my first reaction was that this was going to be a DNF. I managed to get an odd word here and there but no real foothold. And the more I got the more I knew I'd be annoyed by not finishing. Somehow I filled in all the squares but no "TaDa!". So, you guessed it, I was off on a typo hunt.
ReplyDeleteI guess by now I shouldn't be surprised to learn it was WBS. I had to change HOAR (a killing frost?) to HOER.
[28:51]
Good morning everyone!
ReplyDeleteGuess who filled in REDS for "Cabs" immediately?!?! So with one answer in the NW, I was feeling pretty cocky about my chances for a Silkie Speed Run.
Halfway through, it still looked a lot like my front yard - patches of black mud, but still a lot of white out there. I was really tempted to Google EYRE, but resisted and was satisfied to finally finish everything unassisted, in my typical Saturday time.
I liked seeing IMAC and IMAX in the same puzzle. And the clues for POLYGRAPH and VIDEO CHAT were just plain devious.
Today is really a day off for us, and we are planning to go into Boston to see the flower show. At least we'll escape the FREEZING DRIZZLE and ICE for a few hours!
Click here for some pictures from the ACPT (courtesy of the NY Times).
ReplyDeleteHello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteFirst pass through looked fairly Arctic. Tough to get a foothold in a Saturday Silkie, but there were a two answers I put right in: Mig, and surprisingly, Hoer. Hand up for Begets, which seemed so solid I resisted Videochats even when it was obvious. WEES about Mama before Cara.
Had trouble relating Zip up to Animate. Flat out couldn't remember the word for the Jai Alai basket, or the place name from Orwell's 1984, but of course these got perped eventually. Ultimately, a no-peeky solution.
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteThe trick for me is not to overthink a Silkie, except sometimes when you need to.
Had ORE CART until I saw the clue was plural. Changed to ORE CARS. Sigh. Also needed white-out with CATNAP. Had Mama before CARA so, ergo, had mATNAP at first. Nice shout outs to my Germanity with NACHT and KAPUT. Also shout outs to my sea time with NEAP and DRY DOCK. Agree with Splynter abput POP UP AD.
Always a learning. Heretofore thought that a deltiologist was an expert on depositions in southern Louisiana.
Always like the word 'beguile' but don't seem to use it in my personal vocabulary.
Beware the Ides of March.
Did anyone really finish this one without cheating? Some clues were quite a stretch!
ReplyDeleteHi All ~~
ReplyDeleteAs always with Silkies, I started thinking I had no chance and then was amazed when I finished it. That's not to say it wasn't a challenge, but it was an enjoyable struggle. So many clues had so many possible answers ~ a lot of thinking and then rethinking!
~ I, too, fell into the 'Mama' before CARA Mia trap ~ I just wasn't paying attention to the year.
~ I liked having FINK and KAPUT in the puzzle.
~ Tricky but clever cluing: Zip up / ANIMATE, Storyteller / POLYGRAPH, Card quality / WIT and a number of others.
~ Thanks for the wonderful write-up, Splynter ~ I like the way you think. I didn't catch the "Aw, Dr. No" anagram until desper-otto commented on it!
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteThis was a typical Silkie: first pass, not much; second pass, a little more, final pass, slowly but surely, everything falls into place. But, sadly, no TADA. Went back and couldn't find any typos, so turned on the remove all errors option and there it was: had riles instead of rides and mazla instead of Mazda. I thought tribute maker had something to do with Mazel Tov, therefore mazla looked okay and not knowing cars models didn't help. So, a FIW.
I truly enjoy Barry's puzzles despite their toughness because they are usually fair and doable, even with misdirection in the cluing. I may sometimes get frustrated but I never feel manipulated, either. Good expo, Splynter.
Another day of no libations for Tin, but 4D will certainly "shiver his timbers,"
Bill G, have you been watching Suits? The last episode had Harvey's (Gabriel Macht) real-life father, Steven Macht, playing the part of the esteemed Harvard Ethics professor .
Have a great day.
Haven't done the puzzle yet, I was doing some research.
ReplyDeleteFrom yest. HeartRx@6:12pm You did not cause me grief, I love being puzzled. If it were anyone else's puzzle I would have given up long ago, since it was yours, I enjoyed puzzling over it longer than any other puzzle to date.
Avg Joe@5:38&6:54pm re: Mandy Patinkin.
I 1st heard of The Princess Bride from the Blog, & enjoyed the movie that I probably would not have watched if everyone on the Blog wasn't raving about how good it was. I had no idea of the rich & varied life of Mandy Patinkin until I started looking for Danny Boy being sung on Chicago Hope.
Here is one of the many clips I enjoyed while researching. try to watch this without smiling..
I thought perhaps he may have sung during the famous musical episode, season 4 episode 3.
Your right, there is nothing on YouTube of Mandy singing Danny Boy, & it is very hard to find full episodes of Chicago Hope. But in trying to narrow it down I ran into another conundrum. Danny boy does not appear on any list of songs sung on Chicago Hope??? Is it possible you heard him sing it elsewhere?
Anyway, if this is any indication, I would love to hear him sing Danny boy, & will continue to keep looking.
Until then, I leave you with this great performance.
P.S. here is a list of TV & film performances, can anyone narrow Danny Boy down to a single performance?
ReplyDeleteMagilla, here's a friendly hint. Especially with Thursday through Sunday puzzles, if you can't find a straight forward literal answer, start looking for a mis-direction. Think of wacky or "punny" contexts in which the words can be used. Instead of thinking of them as stretches, many of us find mis-directions the most enjoyable parts of the puzzle. Many posters have said they got this puzzle correct without cheating and I believe them. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteANIMATE, POP UP AD (not a PAD) held me up but, undaunted, I soldiered on and got an official “got ‘er done”
ReplyDeleteMusings
-Our tee boxes are getting new YD markers. They won’t help my slice but they’re nice
-Any man who said BO DEREK didn’t TEMPT him in the 80’s couldn’t pass a POLYGRAPH test
-I helped EMMA with logarithms for 2 hours via VIDEO CHAT
-The weather is done getting WORSE and I saw some green in the grass this week
-Baseball is the only sport where MGRS where the same uniform as the players
-If you shoot an air ball in a basketball game, the other team’s fans will RIDE you
-I’ve linked Jay and the Americans’ CARA MIA before. Fabulous!
-Are you more familiar with Stille NACHT or Eine Kleine NACHTmusik?
-We had a spectacular rural GAS Explosion yesterday
-A-ROD and Barry Bonds seem determined to not admit anything unlike Mark McGwire and others
-Hudson says SORRY when he sends me back to Start but it’s not that sincere
-There are many “SHAMUS” just like there were many “Lassies”
-My MOBY
-What movie had an infamous WOOD CHIPPER scene?
Did I just use where for wear? Wear was my mind? ;-)
ReplyDeleteProofreading is for the unimaginative.
Irish Miss, yes I've been watching Suits though I don't like it as much as I wish I did. I think much of the dialog sounds like it was badly written rather than words people would actually say to each other. I like Mike and his girl friend. (I haven't watched the most recent episode yet.)
ReplyDeleteWear was the wood chipper scene? That would be Fargo. Frances MacDormand was much of the reason why that movie was so popular I think.
DNF for me this sunny Saturday (probably will get up to the high, high 70's today).
ReplyDeleteSo, so so many wrong fills..where do I start? Shot? LAYUP. Mazda? HONDA. Pickoff? HITLESS. Mig? TKO. And it just goes down hill from there.
C'est la vie said the old folks. Goes to show you never can tell!
Happy Birthday to all the March babies. I have been remiss in posting lately and have missed quite a few. I have enjoyed all the links though, you puzzlers are so creative!
Thanks again to CC and all you daily bloggers.
Signing off from Gilroy.
A quick quiz and reveal a la Husker G.
ReplyDeleteWho is the fourth player in that awesome picture of Seattle Mariner greats?
Hint: He was George Constanza's father's first concern while having George Steinbreiner explain that the former might be dead. (confused?)
Answer
Thank you for the challenging puzzle, Barry. Thank you for the splendid review, Splynter.
ReplyDeleteAfter my first pass through the Acrosses and Downs, I still had more than half the puzzle blank. After some WAGS and type overs, I finally finished in my normal Saturday time without Googles or red letter help. Yea! It seemed to start slowly, but finish faster. As I got more answers, the perps helped get more answers. It was sort of a snowball effect.
Hand up for MAMA before CARA. I wanted UMPS and then ESTS before MGRS, GEORGIA before ALABAMA, and HONDA before MAZDA. I wanted HMONGS before ASIANS, but I don’t think the “S” goes with HMONG, and the perps set me straight anyway.
I didn’t know MOBY arena, or what a deltiologist is, but the answers slowly emerged with the perps.
I thought 57A Zip up: ANIMATE was clunky. I thought 12D People: ONES was pretty vague.
Hand up for Aw, Dr. No~! I looked at that, trying to figure out what it had to do with the theme, or the puzzle. I couldn’t see a thing, so I gave up and moved on. Thanks to deper-otto for the answer to that one! D'oh!
WEES. Had to do one dictionary look-up and extensive red-letter help, so I can't claim a victory, but at least I got closer than I was afraid I might after my first pass.
ReplyDeleteCab is short for Cabernet? I'm not a wine drinker, so couldn't figure that one even after perps gave it. And I still don't know how ANIMATE can come from zip up. Will someone please enlighten me?
Hi Y'all! First, thanks Al Cyone for the Mensa link last night. I thought my troubles with losing puzzles was the fault of my internet provider. However, Mensa puzzle stayed with me for the duration. Surprising how much that improved my disposition.
ReplyDeleteI thought I was on a roll when MARIMBA went in without turning red. Dulcimer & chimes wouldn't fit. Loved the Bach on the MARIMBA, Splynter! Thanks for everything.
Spitz definition for Deltiologists was good.
Basque? Now we gotta learn Basque for crosswords? Groan! Talk about obscure.
Storyteller: I was thinking more like Aesop or a word for a tribesman who memorizes a primitive people's history without written language. Big fat liar didn't fit.
I'm SORRY but I've never seen a SORRY board. I did see SHAMU in San Diego.
I'm not ashamed to say I had to do several red-letter runs to get a start in places. Whatever it takes to get the project done, is my motto.
Husker Gary 11:23 AM --
ReplyDeleteI am not a big fan of classical music, but there are probably a dozen or so pieces I like. Eine kleine Nachtmusik is one of them.
Eine kleine Nachtmusik YouTube
Eine kleine Nachtmusik Wiki
Here is another SAXOPHONE clip. Make sure to close the POP UP AD so you can see the scenario: 25 seconds to go, Syracuse needs a 3 pointer to tie the game and send into overtime.
ReplyDeleteSORRY that your shooting went ICE cold as you launched a FREEZING DRIZZLE of AWFUL shots. Whats WORSE is that N.C. State couldn't PICK OFF a pass nor get a rebound.
Well, at least the 'Cuse will get a BID to the big dance with EASE. ASK ME later about N.C. State's chances.
p.s. If you haven't HEARD I'm totally ENGROSSED in this March Madness TALK because I will bet some of my ONES in the office DOLLAR bracket pool on Monday.
Owen, I finally decided "to animate" means to make something move and zip can mean move rapidly. That one puzzled me too.
ReplyDeleteOwenKL @ 12:45, yes, CAB is short for cabernet. Here are some others:
ReplyDeleteZIN - Zinfandel
CHARD (pronounced shard, and not like the swiss lettuce) - Chardonnay
SAUV BLANC (not often used) - Sauvignon Blanc
I got most of the East rather quickly and I thought I may be able to finish a Silky but, alas, I got stuck in the SW. I still don't get the Zip up: ANIMATE.
ReplyDeleteI also want to put my hand up for liking the all numbers to prove I am n ot a robot.
Irish Miss 10:15 AM --
ReplyDeleteI am curious what you mean when you say FIW. I know FWIW (For What It's Worth) but not FIW.
Splynter: Excellent write-up explaining my Ink Blot ... DNF.
ReplyDeleteIrish Miss: I guess REDS (barely) qualifies as a libation ... just not something available at Villa Incognito.
But you're right, I like my grids NEAT ... just like my Scotch.
Therefore, for (at least) the 6th time this year the answer @4-D was a blank.
Just curious, but if you need/use "red-letter-help" to correct answers ... shouldn't you admit to a DNF or FIW (Filled-In-Wrong)?
A toast to ALL at Sunset.
Cheers!!!
Hello everybody. Well-constructed puzzle today, which I had to struggle to solve. Wanted HMONGS so much, even though the "S" seemed fishy to me, that I blocked myself from solving the entire west side. Only after looking up Queen Juliana's daughter (I only knew Beatrix) did I unclog that logjam. After all that, ASIANS (sheesh) really let me down
ReplyDeleteHand up for BEGETS, and my other hand up for thinking of taxicabs instead of Cabernet. I also wanted CYMBALOM for 1A but it wouldn't fit. Are those padded drumsticks, which look a lot kettle-drum sticks, really called mallets?
Anyway, I got OCEANIA right off the bat, and nailed NACHT. A fun workout this fine morning.
Best wishes to you all.
P.S. to Bill G. Guess where my wife is shopping for rib-eye steaks at the moment? Yep, Costco.
This was pretty typical of a Silk solve for me. So many possibilities and too few proving crosses. I think Ice and Laos were my first fills, and I'd looked at every A and D clue to get that far. Mazda came easily as did IMAX then saxophone. From that point on it was a fishing expedition, but I did get it all. Didn't even think of hoar for a weed killer, so no confusion there. Wanted Mama but waited since I knew the decade was off.
ReplyDeleteDave, I'm sure I heard Mandy sing Danny Boy on Chicago Hope. It would have been late in the series run, and probably in the last year, but can't get any closer than that. The tone was very similar to what he employed in The Christmas Song, but with even more falsetto and a strange affected brogue. An odd blend of cultures, but it was haunting and memorable. I've tried every back door I can think of to find it, but so far no luck. Thanks for trying.
Happy Saturday everybody!
ReplyDeleteDNF, but got close. Moral victory, considering it was a Silkie....
Deltiologist...?
Hands up for falling into the MAMA Mia trap, which left the short time out as MAN NAP...?
The Baja MARIMBA Band was the poor man's Tijuana Brass back in the day. Just mho. Actually, they were part of the A&M (Alpert & Moss) stable....
Agree with others about the strategy to solve a Silkie. Plod along, word here, phrase there. My undoing was the central California coastline....
Finally, if I have anything to say about it, this DOCk will never be dry....
Speaking of saxophones, yesterday I took my iPod along on a picture safari and set it on shuffle all. This song popped up and I cranked it to jet engine with afterburner volume. I must have looked like the guy in the old Maxell commercial, but it was worth it.
ReplyDeleteTurn it UP!!: Spanish Steps
Happy IDES O' MARCH everybody! Famous last words:
ReplyDelete"What can be avoided
Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods?
Yet Caesar shall go forth!" ~from act II of Julius Caesar, leading to act III consequences.
In honor of what used to be our national tax day, we visited our CPA yesterday and did our duty as good citizens. Whew!
A fine pzl today. I shared most of Splynter's first WAGs. Still proud of myself for only two lookups to get me going-- EYRE and IRENE-- excused only because I couldn't get a toe-hold otherwise (except for NACHT) and, anyway, who knows ANY of the Dutch royals except for Juliana and Beatrix?
Once under way, with the ice broken, there were lots of pleasant Aha! moments, the kind that deliver minor frissons of recognition, esp. when a WAG hits home w/o perps to assist-- as with DRY DOCK, OCEANIA, SHAMU, and most surprising (because I don't follow Baseball) MARTINEZ.
Tinbeni (who I'm sure already knows this, but a lot of newbies might not): except for annual tournaments, we each set our individual rules for what's a win. DNF (especially for online playing) rarely really means did not finish, but Did Not Finish before I had to break my personal limits. For me, Mon-Wed red letter is beyond the line, Thur-Sun, only excessive use of red letters or using it for alphabet runs. For a weekend NYT puzzle, even Google and Wiki are okay as long as they save me needing the dreaded [Reveal] button!
ReplyDeleteAnother great Saturday Silkie challenge. The northeast was my undoing with oceania and cestas.
ReplyDeleteTo tuck away in future crossword solving parts of the brain: the ABBA song /musical is MAMMA MIA-- with two m's so it wouldn't have fit
even if the year had been right- 1975.
Thanks Splynter for wading through a challenging puzzle!
How did i miss this? I have just viewed "Of Mice an Men" for the first time, never having read the book, although I have read 5 other Steinbeck novels. It was a great movie.
ReplyDeleteI found it especially moving and personal. Although my son is more aware and is very gentle I could easily relate to Lennie and, even more, to George. I despised Curley's manipulative wife for most of the time, but came to understand her.
Steinbeck always offers us a slice of gritty life as it is actually lived.
This morning at the gym I overexerted myself somewhat past the point of real pain. This afternoon I am experiencing less pain in my knees than usual. The trick is to find the exact point between too little and too much.
OwenKL
ReplyDeleteI accept that reasoning.
It is "after-all" your puzzle to solve.
But if you solve on-line and don't get the "ta-da" ...
Then needed the "red-letter-help" to finish ...
I don't think you should also "pat-yourself-on-the-back" and say that "you solved" the puzzle.
... just saying ...
Buckeye Bob @ 1:42 - To me, FIW means Finished It Wrong.
ReplyDeleteTin @ 1:55 - Sorry, I forgot about the cabs=reds entry. And I know how often that dreaded three letter word pops up because I usually zing you (nicely) about it! :-)
OwenKL@3:26: " DNF (especially for online playing) rarely really means did not finish"
ReplyDeleteCall me old-fashioned but I think DNF really means "Did Not Finish" (i.e. did not solve). Simply putting letters in every square (FIW?) doesn't count. Using red-letter help isn't solving the puzzle.
I think that doing research (e.g. Google) is "cheating" but that's just me. It's a good way to learn new things but I look at crossword puzzles as a test of what you know (even if you didn't know you knew it!) rather than test of what you can find out (especially in the Age of Google when it's really no test at all).
So, for me, unless I hear the "TaDa!", with no red-letter help and no Googling (not that there's anything wrong with that), it's a DNF.
The 1st time I heard FIW was a post from Jayce.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I am concerned, you cannot FIW a puzzle online.
FIW meaning "finished it wrong" refers to doing the (*^%&%) puzzle in pen on paper, thinking you had completed it, coming to the Blog & finding out you had ONE LETTER WRONG!
It happens to me all the time. FIW is not like DNF, it is a *^%*(%&^*^% exasperation...
Let's toss one more factor into this conversation. Especially since the real debate is about dead tree solving vs on line solving. I believe that if you have the on line solve set at expert level, but get to the end and don't hear a "tada" that you're relying on computerized assistance. You then go on a typo hunt and you either find it or you don't. Sure, you largely did it on your own, but not entirely. The machine tipped you off. With the dead tree, you fill the blanks and hope you have it right. No feedback. Period.
ReplyDeleteOf course how one chooses to report at that point is another matter. :-)
We all set our own rules and we all see things differently. It's that way in all aspects of life. As I've noted before: Man is not so much a rational being, but a rationalizing being.
For me, DNF is not an option. A CW puzzle is not a contest but something I do to amuse myself. If it keeps my brain sharp, even better. For the record, when I was a CW novice, I used to use red letters all the time when I started solving online. Now I almost never need them until Friday maybe. But if I get stuck or if I am spending more time than I want to, then I'll use red letters or Google, whatever it takes to fill in all the squares. I always need red letters on Saturday; the only question is how far I can get without some help. The people who finish a puzzle on paper without Googling or asking somebody when they get stuck are obviously better at CWs than I am but I don't think they enjoy it any more.
ReplyDeleteLeaving a puzzle unfinished or obviously filled in incorrectly would be unsatisfying for me.
Irish Miss:
ReplyDeleteI always appreciate "your zings" ...
Especially about the "ONE Word" I have banned from ever filling in (again!). lol
My "first" Sunset toast tonight is to you.
Hope you enjoy some Dewar's "On-The-Rocks" ... though my Pinch will be NEAT!
Cheers!!!
CED @ 3:55 - Please go back and read my post at 10:15 and tell me how I should state my solving experience. :-)
ReplyDeleteTin @ 4:31 - Every time I get _ _ _ from the _ _ _ maker for my Dewar's, guess who I think of? Cheers to you at Sunset!
Never heard of cab or cabs referring to the wine. Who uses that term? And any thoughts on that being an abbreviation and reds not?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Oh, how do I respond to all this controversy about DNF, FIW, etc. I used to solve on paper every day, but the "green" me hates to print out anything these days, so that is why I solve online. I always do "expert" mode, and when I fill in the last square and do not get the "Ta-Da," then I count it as a failure. Period. No DNF, or FIW - just BZZZZT!! As Al Cyone said, a crossword is a test of what I know, not what I can look up. BTW, at the ACPT, you don't have reference books, crossword dictionaries or google to help you - either you know it, or you don't!! I am not saying that my standards should apply to everyone else. All I am saying, is that everyone should set their own standards. So lighten up, and just enjoy the experience!
ReplyDeleteBill G. I like to complete a puzzle with pen and paper without peeking, however long it takes. But, as a last resort, Googling is more satisfying than not finishing at all. And when some of the answers appear odd or uncertain I look them up before I read the daily blog. But any mistakes or helps I consider as DNF. On paper I am much more patient and disinclined to cheat than I am with online solving. After the fact many answers raise interesting questions in my mind even when they are correct, so I look for additional info. Any puzzle that interests me enough to do additional digging is a good puzzle. In a way I consider a crossword a self contest, trying to improve my personal best in the same way a runner tries to shave a few seconds off his mile.
ReplyDeleteIn a restaurant I often order a CAB. No one objects to a Labrador dog being called a Lab, so why not call a Cabernet a Cab, unless she is too potted to walk home. LOL
Wow! all this "discussion" because I asked what FIW means?
ReplyDeleteI agree we all set our own standards, at least until we enter a formal tournament, like ACPT. But then it's a different situation.
Having said that, a crossword puzzle is NOT a contest to me, including a "self-contest".
I used to be a Type-A, competitive person until 2 significant life events in 2009 changed my outlook.
I do crossword puzzles for fun, for the mental challenge, and for a learning experience.
Labeling a puzzle effort a DNF misses the point.
Having said all that, I agree with Bill G at 4:29 PM totally, completely, 100%.
Just my opinion. YMMV, and that's OK too.
I enjoy reading the discussion between veteran solvers as to their interps of DNF, FIW, and other achy acronyms. I certainly agree with those (everyone?) who insist the definitions are personal and that we do these pzls for fun, not strife. But still I acknowledge that we will occasionally explain our personal standards here-- to reinforce the notion of individual consistency, if for no other reason.
ReplyDeleteI no longer claim DNFs because I won't leave any squares unfilled. FIWs will certainly happen, but that code doesn't reveal much in itself. I've begun sometimes posting percentages, subtracting maybe 2 points for an error. It doesn't feel bad that I can post a 96% solution today (because I checked EYRE and IRENE).
The other factors upon which I'll comment is the time it took me, or the general ease or difficulty, or the cleverness of the creator or lack thereof. After such generalizations, it's time for me either to discuss particular cluings/answers or just... ahem, change the subject.
Did anyone see how creepy Louis Calhern was in The Man With Two Faces?
I will add one thing: When I finish online and don't get Tada!, I go back to see if a letter got changed. One of the vagaries of online solving is letters get changed and you don't notice it. Can't happen on paper. So if I find that, I don't count it against me.
ReplyDeleteOMK@6:20: "I've begun sometimes posting percentages, subtracting maybe 2 points for an error.
ReplyDeleteThat's fine. As long as everyone is aware of your peculiar formula. And it's consistent.
But sometimes? Maybe?
Argyle@6:32: "One of the vagaries of online solving is letters get changed and you don't notice it."
ReplyDeleteHow do you think those letters got changed?
I don't understand how 57 Acreoss clue "Zip up" relates to the answer "animate". A couple posters haves brought it up, but I still don't see the connection. Animate may mean to enliven, but how does "zip up" mean enliven (unless zip up is the same as pep up)?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think zip up is very much like pep up.
ReplyDeleteOne meaning of ZIP from Dictionary.com:
"to add vitality or zest to (usually followed by up ): A little garlic zips up a salad."
For me, solving is a very personal experience. So personal that I have my own rules and don't see a need to share them. I also don't concern myself with others solving prowess or dnf's or finishing times. I see the ACPT as an excercise in.....um....nevermind. To each his own I say.
ReplyDeleteI love the challenge and get a certain level of satisfaction in relation to how I did that day per my personal standards. )On paper by the way.)
My reason for following this blog is not to see how fast or completely others solved the puzzle, but rather to discuss the clues and answers and to learn something more about certain trivia brought forth by the day's puzzle.
If the trivia can be expounded upon with links and humor, then even better.
Thanks everyone. Your awesome. :)
BB, I looked at your résumé and I see we like much of the same music, movies and authors. You need to come to a steak dinner with Jayce and me.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes get wrong letters too that aren't intentional. I'll be typing across and they go down due to my carelessness in navigating and I may not notice them at first.
Al Cyone @ 6:41 ===>
ReplyDeleteThanks for agreeing.
I'm not sure what "But sometimes? Maybe?" means. I won't swear that my percentages will be 100% accurate, but expect they'll be generally understood and will certainly be more precise than the acronyms. We all know (don't we?) that if we fudge on our self-reports, nobody loses (or, for that matter, cares) but ourselves.
~ Ides, out.
AcrossLite changes direction with a right click and Flash changes by a double click on the left button. I do both and get confused sometimes. I suppose I could check all the entries before filling in the last square but I don't. After the last square is filled, you get the results, no options.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in my twenties this was the funnest night of the year! The parade was over, the Chicago river was losing it's emerald color.... but the partying was just beginning in all the Irish bars we have here. What a night!
ReplyDeleteOne of Mr. Silk's harder Saturday offerings, I forgot the Basque word for jai-ali baskets... so I did look it up.
Never was a big Edgar Martinez fan. He's a DH and wasn't even the best one of his era (Frank Thomas). Not a Hall of Famer in my mind
Irish Miss@ 4:50
ReplyDeleteActually your 10:15 post is what made me post in the 1st place, & I reread it before posting @ 3:55
What I was trying to say, is that if you are doing the puzzle online & do not get the TADA, you are not finished.
It is only on paper that you can be deceived into thinking that you did finish it correctly, only to find out later on the Blog that you were wrong. (I.E. Finished It Wrong...)
Also, to me DNF means I gave up with blank spaces left.
Anything else, other than a completed puzzle, means I cheated. However "cheated" is a word that needs clarification now that I found using a crossword solver is a puzzle in itself...
Saturdays....I read the blog to see how the other half lives....pretty much out of my league, but I have to give it a try nontheless. Basically, DNF, FIW, grrrrrr. Clues themselves stumped me. Glad to see that you all got it right.
ReplyDeleteI anxiously await Monday. BTW, what puzzle do you do on Sunday? The L A Times doesn't match up with the blog.
Work at it Mary and you'll get better. And if you have the patience and time staying with a puzzle for a good while helps. You'll get better and in time you'll be able to start filling in more and more.
ReplyDeleteMary: I don't know about the other half. We've got a pretty wide range of solving levels here.
ReplyDeleteThere are reports that some papers run the LA Times puzzles Mon-Sat, and the more difficult NY Times puzzle on Sundays, without making it clear that they're from different sources. Bad enough, but to make it worse, it's not even the current NYT puzzle, but one at least a week old! Thus, it won't match up with discussions on the NYT CW blogs, either.
The LAT Sunday paper runs the Merl Reagle puzzle but they syndicate their own Sunday puzzle edited by Rich Norris.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think we've covered everything but the iced tea vs. ice tea debate. Any new thoughts?
ReplyDeletechecking in to see if i was the only one dying to fill ODIST for the tribute maker...once i realized there were Z's involved, i put an end to that thought
ReplyDelete