Theme: "Catchy Phrases" -Y is added to the end of the first word or first part of the first word. Catch-Y phrases indeed.
25A. What determines when the bash ends? : PARTY TIMER. Part-timer.
27A. Awkward work period? : STICKY SHIFT. Stick shift.
46A. Chess great keeping warm? : TOASTY MASTER. Toastmaster. Four one-word base phrases in the set.
71A. Containers for some pork cuts? : BELLY JARS. Bell jars. The only one in plural form.
94A. Hoedown official having a bad day? : CRANKY CALLER. Crank caller.
113A. Demand for fabric softener? : DOWNY MARKET. Downmarket.
118A. Yellowstone roughneck? : BULLY MOOSE. Bull Moose, the party.
35D. Chauffeur who's off his rocker? : SCREWY DRIVER. Screwdriver.
40D. Agent in need of Weight Watchers? : STOCKY BROKER. Stockbroker.
Classical 9-themer grid design. 7 Across & 2 Down.
I
had an easy time, probably because the grid is very solver-friendly
(lots of 4 & 5 letter words) and super clean. No obscure words or
strange abbreviations. In fact, there are a limited few abbreviations in this puzzle, that's hard to achieve with a 21 & 21 grid.
Across:
1. Place with canoes : CAMP
5. Tableland : MESA
9. Groups of foxhounds : PACKS. Oh, I only know wolves/lies.
14. Little one on a board : PAWN. Chessboard.
18. Sashes with bows : OBIS
19. Skating maneuvers : AXELS
21. Interwoven hair : PLAIT. Pretty braid.
22. "Wonderfilled" cookie : OREO. 3D. 22-Across variety : MINI
23. Unimposing : PUNY
24. Wrangler's rope : RIATA. Just fill in R?ATA, then you wait.
30. Walks leisurely : MOSEYS
31. Must : HAS TO
32. "The Thin Blue Line" director Morris : ERROL. Forgot. I googled him before.
34. Outlaw tracker : POSSE
38. Vision-correcting aid : LASER
41. Student-teacher calculation, say : RATIO
43. Savanna newborn : LION CUB
45. Acct. posting : INT. 23-Across, if any.
51. "For that reason ..." : ERGO
52. Uncultured sort : BOOR
54. Chevy subcompact : AVEO. Hi there Gary!
55. Soap staple : DRAMA
56. Superman portrayer Cain : DEAN. With Terri Hatcher.
57. Italian cheesecake cheese : RICOTTA
59. Crisp quality : NIP
62. Sudden burst : SPATE
64. Like Thurber's humor : WRY. James Thurber.
65. Tattoo sites, perhaps : ANKLES
66. Course often taken first : SALAD. Lovely clue.
68. Thermal __ : ENERGY
70. Modus operandi : STYLE
73. '50s sci-fi flier : RODAN
76. Unlikely to be talked out of : BENT ON
78. Looks : SEEMS
79. Reporter's need : SOURCE. I miss Anthony Shadid.
80. Disfigure : MAR
82. Planter : SOWER
84. R.I. summer hours : EDT
85. Bullet propellant : CORDITE. New word to me.
86. Macbeth, for one : SCOT
88. Prompt, as a forgetful actor : RE-CUE
90. Give a tongue-lashing, with "out" : REAM
92. Passionate : AVID
93. Reheat, in a way : NUKE
98. Pre-event period : EVE
99. Like Marilyn Monroe's voice : BREATHY. Jackie Kennedy's voice too.
101. Stoppers of spirits : CORKS. I need to stop thinking of ghosts when I see "spirits".
102. Paddled : OARED
104. __ Rossi: wine brand : CARLO. Gimme for Marti.
105. Was brilliant : SHONE
107. Pastry bag filler : ICING. I know the tool, D-Otto, not the term pastry bag.
110. Mile High player : BRONCO. Mile High Stadium.
122. Diving birds : LOONS
123. Take the edge off : EASE
124. Biblical barterer : ESAU
125. Actor with seven Emmys : ASNER. It's a record for a male actor.
126. Causing shudders, maybe : EERIE
127. "Slippery" trees : ELMS
128. Stare : GAPE
129. Swamp growths : REEDS
130. Ones breaking away : SECT. Stupidly put S in the last square.
131. Bug repellent ingredient : DEET
Down:
1. Cruiser drivers : COPS
2. Bump up against : ABUT
4. Freudian concern : PSYCHE
5. "The Bells of St. __" : MARY'S. Did any of you see this movie?
6. Be real : EXIST
7. Fish that swims upright : SEAHORSE
8. Voices in il coro : ALTI. Used Google Translate: il coro = the choir.
9. Very quietly, in music : PPP
10. 1836 battle site : ALAMO
11. December number : CAROL
12. Hobbyists' purchases : KITS
13. Eyelid irritation : STYE
14. Like a certain fairy tale apple : POISONED. Putin only eats food prepared by his Russian chefs, even if he's traveling abroad.
15. Give pieces to : ARM
16. Very early: WEE
17. Scand. land : NOR
20. Rare football result : SAFETY. I don't follow football. How rare?
26. Dash for cash, e.g. : TYPO. So easy in retrospect.
28. Go-__ : KART
29. Remove fat from : TRIM
33. Teams are often on it, with "the" : ROAD
36. Baking staple : SUGAR
37. Key wood : EBONY. Did you read it as "Key word"?
38. Ones who are astrologically balanced? : LIBRAS. Scales.
39. Honor with oil : ANOINT
42. Unkeyed : ATONAL
43. Racing's 24 Hours of __ : LE MANS. Held in the French city Le Mans.
44. On the warpath : IRATE
47. Feed bag feed : OATS
48. Clark's "Mogambo" co-star : AVA
49. Most retirees: Abbr. : SRS
50. Winds down, with "off" : TAPERS
53. "Good Times" star : ROLLE (Esther)
58. Romeo and Juliet, e.g. : TEENS. Also a great clue for ROLES.
60. Afflictions : ILLS
61. Word on a check : PAYEE
63. Eraser target : ERROR
66. Adviser to Nero : SENECA
67. Worked a dance, for short : DJ'ED
69. Cheese from the Netherlands : GOUDA
71. Manhattan area, with "the" : BOWERY
72. Sunset Limited operator : AMTRAK. Did you nail this, Anon T? I'm not familiar with Sunset Limited.
74. Busy : ACTIVE
75. More than wanted : NEEDED
77. Liberty Island symbol : TORCH
79. Not all : SOME
80. Cable news station : MSNBC
81. Legend creator : ACURA. Can't fool me.
83. Preside over : RUN
85. 20th-century White House nickname : CAL
87. Crayola color retired in 2003 : TEAL BLUE
89. Kitchen gadget brand : EKCO
91. Kronborg Castle, in Shakespeare : ELSINORE. "Hamlet".
95. Over there, to Shakespeare : YOND
96. Big Easy cuisine : CREOLE. Hi there, Big Easy on our blog.
97. Author Jaffe : RONA
100. British Conservative : TORY
103. Was like-minded : AGREED
105. Quick bread choice : SCONE. I made sweet potato scones last year. Not as good as they look here.
106. Took for a ride : HOSED
108. Pessimist : CYNIC
109. "Nothing more required here" : I'M SET
111. Epps of "The Mod Squad" : OMAR
112. Wine taster's concern : NOSE
114. Hardships : WOES
115. Leafy vegetable : KALE
116. Salinger's "With Love and Squalor" girl : ESME
117. __ pilot : TEST
118. Mooch : BEG
119. "White Collar" network : USA. Irish Miss & JD might be following this show.
120. Full circuit : LAP
121. Waffling sounds : ERs
C.C.
56 comments:
Sunday's the day when the week turns around.
The theme's not too weak and the fill is sound.
The grids are larger,
The clues are harder,
If they're too much, take comfort, we're Monday bound!
Morning, all!
I got off to a bad start with this one when I couldn't get anything to work in the NW corner. I finally just left it blank and moved onto the rest of the grid, which went a lot smoother.
I did figure out the theme pretty quickly, but I still struggled with many of the actual theme answers simply because I couldn't think of the base phrases without lots of perp help. I did get a nice *AHA* moment with each one once I finally got it, however.
At the end, everything was filled out except for that NW corner. I was fairly sure that 1A would be LAKE and I knew that 2D had to be ABUT and 18A was OBIS, but that was all. I couldn't think of what a "cruiser driver" referred to, didn't know of any type of OREO that would fit _I_I. KIWI? And with LAKE erroneously in place and not being able to guess PUNY from the clue, I just couldn't make sense of ES_CHE.
I finally ditched LAKE and ran the alphabet in my mind to get COP. That let me get CAMP and PUNY, which led to MINI and PSYCHE. *TADA*
Good morning!
My experience was a lot like Barry's with the NW filling dead last. It didn't help that I misread the cross-reference to 22a as 32a and wondered what type of ERROL a _I_I could be. D'oh!
C.C., yes I know what a pastry bag is, but only from watching (and usually fast-forwarding through the baking portions) of cooking shows.
Music played a part in this puzzle. ppp (and sometimes even more p's) stands for pianississimo (say that three times fast). It basically means play it as softly as you can. I'm wondering what key signature is indicated in the staff of an atonal piece. Anybody know? Key of C, maybe, so all sharps or flats would be accidentals?
Nice CSO to Big Easy and Hahtoolah with CREOLE. And just where is Hahtoolah?
I saw the Bells of St Mary's many years ago. Yesterday, on a whim, I watched Gergory Peccary in Keys of the Kingdom. Peck played a Catholic missionary to China. I understand it was his second film, and he was nominated for an Oscar. I related more to the Thomas Mitchell character than to Peck's.
I had a ball with this puzzle. I skipped around more than usual, but getting DOWNY MARKET gave me the theme and made the remaining theme answers easier, Then I was off and running. SCREWY DRIVER was my favorite. I thought of COPS early on, so I got CAMP and the NW was fine.
I have danced to almost no CRANKY CALLERS. They are paid to provide fun and entertainment. It is the "Laugh though your heart is breaking" philosophy.
ERROL was the only really unknown, but I needed plenty of perps as reminders for others
The scones we ate in Scotland were delicious. I make them occasionally. I doubt I would like sweet potato scones.
I have seen The Bells of St.Mary's several times. Good film.
I find the SEAHORSE very interesting. After several mating dances the male releases sperm into the seawater. Then the feamle deposits her eggs into a pouch on the male. While the pouch is still open the sperm must float into the pouch before it quickly closes and seals. Seahorse obviously do not mate for fun. The male carries the young until they emerge fully formed.
Alan and I spent the past week renting a housekeeping cottage in the mountains of WV with two of my sisters. We have seen most of the attractions in WV. I have stayed at various locations all over the state during the past 40 years, many several times over. So we spent the week relaxing, reading, soaking up the wonderful scenery and catching up with each other. We all had fun.
When I arrived home after the long drive yesterday I was tired and "brain dead." The puzzle was beyond me. I red-lettered so many alphabet runs, it spoiled the fun. Today I believe i am back in stride.
Happy Sunday all. It was a very nice leisurely solve with the CAP to C.C. and our other Minnesotans with the state bird LOON.
I read up on quick breads, a term I really did not know. I do love me a good scone.
D-O nice Frank Zappa reference.
Speaking of references, how many of you all recall this TV SERIES from back in the day?
The story of Cordite which replaced gunpowder as the propellant for shells includes Alfred Nobel suing, claiming the product infringed on his gunpowder patent.
If you read lots of hardboiled detective fiction you would have seen many references to the smell of Cordite in the air
Pretty much WBS. No obscure words (as noted in the write-up) but some very clever clues. Of course had I not finished I'd probably choose a different descriptor. "Dash for cash", for example, had me thinking of ATMs and IPOs. "Cruisers" had me thinking of boats, not police cars. There were others.
Barring any DNFs in the interim, I'll be back next Friday. Have a great week!
[24:11]
P.S. The CAPTCHA is displaying an ad for something called "camiocam". Do I type "camiocam"? Do I refresh? What to do.
In US football a "safety" is worth two points. It happens when the team in possession takes the ball into their own end zone and can't get it back out. Happened to Peyton Manning and the Broncos in their first play in the 2014 Super Bowl. Was good news to me; I always cheer against Denver. Love the city but not the Broncos!
Musings
-C.C.’s summation works for me. What a shock! Go AVEO, et al! ;-)
-Making water boil by removing air over it under a BELL JAR (;24) shows the THERMAL energy hidden in seemingly inert water
-Did you learn to drive with a STICK SHIFT like I did?
-I first had DOWN(Y) MARKER
-Teddy running as a BULL MOOSE gave us Woodrow Wilson in 1912
-I ran the alphabet to get PAWN from P A _ N. Duh!
-In High Noon, Gary Cooper couldn’t get anyone to join a POSSE
-I hate wearing glasses, but I’m still squeamish about a LASER on my eyes
-My daughter’s student/teacher RATIO is going from 29:1 to 19:1 this year
-I had kids refute this: My sidewalk is wet ERGO it is raining
-Wonderful send-up of tiresome soap opera DRAMA
-Joann’s twin sister’s ANKLE tattoo at age 62 shocked her sister, her kids and her mother
-Should you be BENT ON getting one of these worthless college degrees?
-Nebraska’s most famous SOWER
-3 of the longest 5 field goals in NFL history were made in the BRONCO’S Mile High Stadium’s rare air
-What ultimate TORCH song, that was a hit for many singers, comes from Oliver?
Ten miles later, and "cruiser" reminds me of a bicycle -- one like mine -- one-speed, fat tires and a coaster brake.
Al Cyone, as you apparently figured out, yes you type "Camiocam." It's the Photo Sphere of today.
Ah, nothing like the smell of cordite at breakfast time.
Husker, we got an SUV for DW in 10 years ago. That was our first automatic transmission. My 9-year-old pickup is a 5-speed on-the-floor manual. I remember reading a news story a couple of months ago about some woman who was about to be car-jacked when....found it.
Good morning all.
I finished the puzzle about 4:40 AM and went back to bed. Just read the write up and early comments.
I didn't have any problem in the NW, or in the top 3rd or more. Breezed right through all of that, except that I wasn't quite positive about PPP / PLAIT, and I had temporarily had dRY for "Like Thurber's humor."
My troubles were mostly in the SW. I had SOLD ON instead of BENT ON for "Unlikely to be talked out of" and didn't reconsider it until I started questioning all of my entries in that area.
Hand up for having watched "The Bells of St. Mary's" at least twice.
Not sure that I would agree that SAFETY is a rare football event. Uncommon perhaps, but not rare. To compare,a no-hitter is uncommon. A perfect game is rare.
I owned a 70 LeMans and later a 72 LeMans. Loved those Indians.
"Legend creator" fooled me. I seem to always fall for these car name creator or maker clues. That contributed to the issues in the SW.
Didn't get stuck on ELSINORE. We just had that answer the other day with a Shakespeare clue. It will be my go to answer for 8 letter word related to Shakespeare, and may have increased my subject matter knowledge by five percent. Just never had any interest in it. Sorry Keith.
Thanky You, Marilyn Miller, and thank you too CC.
Good Morning:
This was a fun puzzle with a "catchy" theme which I caught almost immediately. Thought of YR at cranky caller and Tin at party timer and screwy driver. CSO to Big Easy and Hatoolah with creole.
Thanks, Melanie, for a satisfying Sunday romp and thanks, CC, for your spot on expo. No, I don't follow White Collar; the only USA show I watch is Suits.
Have seen the Bells of St. Mary's several times, also, Going My Way. Bing and Barry were quite the pair.
DO @ 7:21 - I watch a lot of cooking shows but none of the baking ones. I am not into sweets so I have no interest in cakes, pies, cookies, etc. I like the shows on PBS because they emphasize substance (cooking) over style (showmanship).
Have a great day.
So the question is, after reading Friday's comments, do we have the original Al Cyone and 1 imitator or 2? And who are you all?
Also have seen Bells multiple times
Greetings, Weekenders! Super expo, C.C., thank you.
I very much enjoyed this "catchy" theme. Like BG, I was stuck in the NW corner so left it and went across. The eastern seaboard fell like dominoes all the way across and down with vey few ERRORs. Knowing the theme helped with BELLY JARS as that one was tough to suss with DJ'ED in there.
I also have seen Bells of ST. MARYS many times.
I liked the fresh cluing for ESAU and "slippery" referring to ELMS not eels.
Thank you, Melanie Miller, for a fine challenge today.
Have a splendiferous Sunday, everyone!
Good morning everyone.
Mostly easy; liked the theme gimmick a lot. Unlike others, I hit rough grass in the NE. Well clued.
Got AVEO and ROLLE from the perps.
76a - BENT ON. Guess I tend to think of it (incorrectly) as forced.
In our DD engine room, we had an expression to "bend on turns" meaning to increase propeller RPMS (when already at a high rate of output.)
Have a great day.
Happy Sunday everybody!
Finished in 80% of allotted Sunday time....
Write-overs were TRYST for DRAMA, MC'ED for DJ'ED, THUS for ERGO, IT'S OK for I'M SET, BRAID for PLAIT, INTRO for SALAD (wrong kind of course), and LASIK for LASER (really should read the cluing better....)
WBS about the NW being the last to fall....
Finally, does anyone remember the BOWERY Boys with Huntz Hall and Leo Gorcey?
Doc out
Forget to say that -CHE led me to PSYCHE then CAMP, COPS, etc. Also finished in less time than usual.
Good Sunday morning! I started this late last night and just finished it. I liked it! Catchy theme and cleverly cluing.
How come the Brits pronounce 'scones' as 'scons'?
Irish Miss, I watch Suits too but I'm getting closer and closer to giving up on it. Except for Mike, his girl friend and Donna, the rest of the characters are pretty unlikeable. Also, I find the dialog artificial. I can't imagine real people talking like that. If it's really true-to-life in spite of my opinion, I'm glad I didn't end up in a law firm as opposed to a classroom.
I taught all of our kids how to drive a stick (our 1965 VW). Years ago, I successfully tutored a student. The mother called me later, told me they had gotten their daughter a graduation gift of a used car but it was a stick, she couldn't drive it and would I teach her? I did. I developed some clever little tricks that I continued to use with our kids.
Time for a nap and then to watch Sunday Morning, a favorite.
Bill @ 11:36 - I agree that most of the characters are unlikeable but that's what gives the story line tension. Also, with all their faults, every now and then, they do the right thing. There are times when I could strangle Lewis, but then he redeems himself, time and again. Granted, Mike, his girlfriend and Donna are more likable, but, they two, have had their fall from grace.
I don't find the dialogue stilted but I have worked in business settings (not Law) where people talked to each other in the same manner as on the show and, in some cases, even worse! :-)
Sorry, Bill G, you said artificial not stilted.
SUITS is meant to be entertainment and has little relation to reality. If you watch Court TV, or some of the famous trials and listen to the TV law analysts you can get some idea of how boring most of the lawyers and the trials are. If a show gets you to really like a character, or really dislike one, then it has accomplished its goal of getting your attention and generally your curiosity of what comes next. I do not think any show survives without some connection (good or bad) to the characters.
We (Daughter & I) both read 124A Biblical barterer as Biblical Bartender?
Hello fellow puzzlers!
Not much to add, but like Lucina, I thought this was much easier than a typical Sunday puzzle. I basically filled top to bottom, checking perps as I went.
C.C., I am curious why the numbers on most of the "down" clues are missing on your grid? When I am reading the comments, I often check back to the grid whenever someone references a particular clue #. Today I finally re-opened the grid I had finished on my iPad and used it for reference, instead.
Good morning!
I could not agree with C.C. more: this was a super clean Sunday puzzle. No crunchy corners, no pesky obscurity pile-ups. The few unknowns to me (PPP, CORDITE, ERROL Morris) easily fell into place with sturdy perps.
Like many, I also held off on the NW corner until last. Yet it was well worth the wait and pleasing to suss out.
I grew up driving stick, but I had to switch to automatic when I moved to Los Angeles; shifting through stop-and-go traffic can do quite a number on the lower back.
My favorite fill was SEAHORSE, and I was so thankful that it was not an across answer.
Have a great day everyone!
Musings 2
-More on the mother-in-law front. Here is a video of her yesterday during her 92nd birthday party playing a beanbag game in the yard with the kids. Note her enthusiasm, sense of humor and joie de vie. Particularly note her last toss. Also, ignore my too loud laughter as I got caught up in the moment.
Bill G - the pronunciation varies - some Brits say "SCON", some "SCONE" and it's always a source of lively debate which is correct. People from the north are more likely too say "SCON", those from the south "SCONE".
I don't think a safety is particularly rare in American Football. I saw a college game once which began with three in a row, resulting in the unique scoreline of 4-2.
CrossEyedDave @ 1:03, I also first read Biblical Bartender and grew very intrigued.
Maybe somebody should send Rick Norris a note requesting that he rework a clue next week to say, "Corner Bartender." Possible answerer, 'Badpourer.' Or he could have "Comer Barterer" as a clue; possible answer, 'Bouncer.'
Lemonade, and the Real Al Cyone.(go ahead, stand up and show yourself). I am one of the other 2 Al Cyones, and I thought that it would attract the attention, of who else, but only the shy, supposedly female, to the point poster. The real McKoy. And it did. Anyway, I have decided to quit and not bother with this alias anymore. Nice pleasant dedicated posters need to be left alone and respected and not to be fooled around with. Hopefully the other (im)poster will quit too. So Lemon there is only one Al Cyone from now on and hopefully everyone else will also leave her in peace.
Hi Y'all! I forgot to look for the title to this puzzle but caught on with PARTY TIMER & STICKY____, which helped with the rest.
COPS was my first fill, but CAMP took longer. I was thinking canoes at a "pier" which didn't jibe with COPS.
Like several clues, BENT ON took six perps and a puzzled "Hunh?" "Took for a ride" = HOSED was another puzzler.
I remember seeing St. MARY'S as a kid. I had just learned my grandparents had been married at a St. MARY'S so I thought the show would be about them. Nope! Such a disappointment.
I buy a little cup of MINI OREOS or Chips Ahoy every shopping trip and that's my cookie allotment for two weeks.
My car had a stick shift when I lived in Mass. I rode the clutch in rush hour traffic through town daily until my left knee became too painful. Then I walked several blocks & took the bus to work. Easier on my knee and better for weight control.
YR: We missed you. Glad you and Alan are okay.
River Doc, I watched the "BOWERY Boys" every Saturday as a kid. We also watched "Ma and Pa Kettle" movies and "Combat" on Saturdays. Very eclectic TV watching.
HG, Nice video of MIL's Birthday. What a treasure to have her!
My daughter has been staying with us since February. She earned her PhD in Toxicology and Pharmacology, from Michigan State, in January and planned to take a job in Ohio in March. She decided to turn down the job and stay home to help me. She and my hubby been doing most of the cooking and cleaning. She's been trying to get a job closer to home. She is moving to the University of Iowa, 5 hours away, tomorrow. I've sure appreciated having her around.
I have always been fascinated with sea horses. Ever wonder why seahorses are classified as fish?
From About Dot Com, Marine Life:
"After much debate over the years, scientists finally decided that seahorses are fish. They breathe using gills, have a swim bladder to control their buoyancy, and are classified in the Class Actinopterygii, the bony fish, which also includes larger fish such as cod and tuna. Seahorses have interlocking plates on the outside of their body, and this covers a spine made of bone. While they have no tail fins, they have 4 other fins - one at the base of the tail, one under the belly and one behind each cheek."
They feed almost constantly because they have no stomach and food passes right through their system.
Most references do not mention how the eggs get fertilized. Most fishes spray their milt (seminal fluid) over the eggs or roe, but I discovered that the sea horse sprays it into the seawater. The the milt has to find own its way into his pouch where the eggs are deposited.
Thanks for the welcome back, PK. The jury is still out on Alan's underlying condition, but he is comfortable for now. He has more tests tomorrow and again in six weeks time.
Hello everybody. I enjoyed this puzzle, both the fun theme, nifty fill, and some clever but not too far-fetched cluing. Melanie Miller, well done! And thank you for your writeup, C.C. Legend creator didn't fool me, either, but I did wrinkle my nose a little bit at RECUE, as opposed to just cue. Favorite was the clue for SALAD. And I love CRANKY CALLER. And how 'bout that HOSED, eh?
Best wishes to you all.
67D The past tense of DJ is DJ'D (DJD in a crossword puzzle answer – no apostrophe), not DJED.
Anon @ 1526 - Wiktionary says DJED.
I'm sure Rich has adequate sources of support for these puzzle entries.
An enjoyable Sunday solution. Clever theme, lots of good fill, very few clunkers. Just what a puzzle should be!
I learned to drive a with a stick...sort of. My first lesson was on a Farmall H. A few month later I graduated to a '55 F200' which had a 4 speed granny tranny. Didn't drive an automatic until 2 or 3 years later. I was probably 10 by then. Taught all 3 kids to drive one as well. Our daughter was the most difficult to teach, but it evidently took. She's never owned an automatic. And her chosen vocation is driving a truck, so I guess it was time well spent.
Blue Iris, our son just moved to Iowa City last week. 5 hours from us as well. It will be very nice having him that close. We're going there next week to see him.
Forgot to mention. The PGA Championship is turning into an incredible golf tournament today. Anyone watching?
Thank you clone.
Thank you HG great video
Spitzboov, I am glad I just read your last post: it made me realize that I accidently said RicK Norris @ 1:15. No wonder he never writes me back. Now, if I can only figure out why that Wild Shortz guy over at The New York Times doesn't return my calls.
Speaking of, if anyone feels deprived of a challenging puzzle today, the NYT's puzzle is quite a workout. For the past hour, I have been staring at a virtually empty SW hemisphere. Within just that one quadrant, there are 15 proper names I have never heard of before or cannot recall--though to be fair, I am including all 9 of "Any of nine kings of Thailand" (115a). Right now, I would give anything for a HEF or a ULEE... or even a little seahorse.
AvgJoe: I'm watching PGA. You're right, it is much more undecided than these usually are. I'm rooting for Ricky who was one of three in the lead when I took this break. He's due for a big one. Notice he and Michelson are chatting as they walk along to the next home and fist bumping on good ones. I like that.
Next HOLE, not home.
Ave Joe,
I've been watching all weekend. I'm rooting for Ricky if Rory can't take it, but I'll be happy as long as Stensen doesn't win. he has a Tiger personality.....crappy.
What a great tournament to watch, Joe.I'm sure the PGA and the sponsors wish Tiger was still in it but his game and/or his back are a messs.
Lemonade 714, I'm not an attorney like you, but I am friends with several and tailgate
with several more. They all agree with you. Courtroom proceedings are BORING! TV programs are a billboard to get you to watch the commercials. Just like the movie " The Paper Chase', take them with a grain of salt.
Greetings!
Great puzzle, Melanie! Nice expo, CC!
Had no problems with this one (after yesterday's disaster). The TA-DA came promptly. Really enjoyed the theme.
Too tired to work last night. (I need lots of sleep.) Had a good swim and brunch today.
Will write more perhaps after I read the blog!
Cheers!
Kevin @ 5:27 - I did the NYT puzzle earlier today and loved it! As a dog lover, it was a real "treat."
Bluehen @ 7:02 - I take every TV program with a grain of salt, especially the news! :-)
Skip, I've not watched enough this weekend due to other chores to gain perspective on the personal dynamics, so I don't know jack about Stensen. But I'll take your opinion at face value.
That said, Tiger has had an impact on golf. His day might be done, but he brought attention to the sport that was lacking before his entrance on the scene. I never liked his attitude, but he had, and has a following. I'd equate him to Roger Federer in tennis. I don't like him, but I do respect his talent. And no matter how I might feel, the sport is elevated and is better off.
Today is the perfect example, IMO. Young guys no one has heard of are in contention. I'm rooting for Phil, but it's still anyone's game. And that's a good thing
Irish Miss @ 7:13 - From one dog lover to another, I do not feel the least bit guilty that I knew all of the names of the Presidential dogs but none of the kings of Thailand. I also loved how the black squares made a doggy face, except that I felt like it was laughing at me while I slogged through the SW--beyond MILLIE (I grew up with an English Springer Spaniel) and NOBEL, I messed that corner up real bad. Incidentally, regarding yesterday's LAT puzzle, I was wondering why I had never heard of the TUSK breed of canines until I saw the picture Splynter linked--like they say, 'the thing about common sense is that it is not very common' (I should have that tattooed on my ankle).
It's great to have you back, Yellowrocks!
I learned on a shift and drove it up until 5 years ago when I could not bend in or out of my much-loved 1985 Firebird!
Harvey loves Suits so we watch it. (He does not have cable.) I half-watch it.
Lemon: Loved the Thurber show!
Husker: It has been great to not need to search the heavens and earth to find my glasses in the morning. (I was 20/400 in both eyes.) There is a downside to Lasix, in my case, however. Can't read w/o reading glasses now. (Result of having had astigmatism?) Of course, doesn't apply to computer.
Kevin @ 7:46 - Before I caught the canine theme, all I could think of for the Clinton's clue was Socks, the cat! BTW, I love your sense of humor.
Irish Miss - My mother always told me that when you receive a compliment, simply say "Thank You." So thank you!
On the note of Socks, I do feel that cats have gotten short shrift when it comes to White House pets--and I will most certainly not get into the politics of that. I will add, however, that George Washington had four Coonhounds named Drunkard, Taster, Tipler, and Tipsy. Have we made much progress? Well, JFK had a rabbit named Zsa Zsa--wouldn't that make an exciting crossword clue? Perhaps not; but at least he had the wherewithal not to name his two parakeets Marilyn and Monroe.
Kevin @ 10:16 - My mother had an adage for every situation,every meaning, every everything! They were all trite, but true. C'est la vie! :-)
Hi all!
Finally finished after a wonderful 5 hour nap! Why do kid's not sleep during a sleep-over?
WEES re: difficulty / pleasure ratio. Near perfect. Thanks Ms Miller and C.C. for the writeup.
C.C. I'm not sure why you'd think I'd know about the Sunset line, but I did! I met a cook in Austin who had that run. When I met him, he was on route to CHI, which ran behind my brother's house on 4th in SPI. I asked what time he'd be there; 4a was the reply. I said perfect - get someone to blow the whistle :-)
D-O: Eldest loves spy movies - I pointed out they all run from the bad guys in a manual transmission. She still hasn't gotten the hang of mine. I figure in 4 more lessons, I'll need a new clutch.
Bluehen - Movie/TV law scenes are pumped up just like hacking scenes are. Hacking* looks cool on TV but is mostly boring; though we have more beer :-)
CED - I'm going to print the "Jesus was here" pic. Priceless - someone deserves a gold star.
Cheers, -T
*a decent hack can take weeks to code / execute.
Spitsboov: "DJED"? As if, Wiktionary is now an authoritative source? How 'bout the Urban Dictionary, while we're at it?
Has anyone ever seen the word "payee" on a check? I haven't.
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