google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday, September 29, 2014 Matt Skoczen

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Sep 29, 2014

Monday, September 29, 2014 Matt Skoczen

Theme: Good Rap - Three types of wrap I can stand.

17A. Boil out of the pot : BUBBLE OVER. Bubble wrap, my favorite.

27A. Present in lieu of cash : GIFT CERTIFICATE. Gift wrap.

48A. Doctors doing reconstructive work : PLASTIC SURGEONS. Plastic wrap.

64A. Director's "We're done," and hint to the starts of 17-, 27- and 48-Across : "THAT'S A WRAP"

Argyle here. Matt has given us a pleasant start to the week. A couple of spans and tight stacks all around.

Across:

1. Headliners : STARS

6. Prefix with final or trailer : SEMI

10. Ward of "CSI: NY" : SELA

14. "Wowie!" : "OH BOY!"

15. Frau's home : HAUS and 67A. Frau's mate : HERR

16. Medicine cabinet swab : Q-TIP

19. Sch. near the Rio Grande : UTEP University of Texas at El Paso.

20. Old Testament twin : ESAU

21. Leaves : GOES. The leaves are turning, getting ready to go.

22. Goethe classic : FAUST. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust is a tragic play in two parts: ... read more here.

23. Sun. message : SER. (sermon)

25. Shortening for pie-making : LARD

35. Genetics lab subject : RNA

36. Mix with a spoon : STIR

37. Hard to lift : LEADEN. Often used to describe one's extremities.

38. Where serve-and-volley tennis players win a lot of points : AT NET

40. Dict. entry : DEF. (definition)

42. Sturm und __ : DRANG. Tumult; turmoil; upheaval; Dunder and Blixem.

43. Attacks : SETS AT. "Sic 'em!"

45. Gin flavoring : SLOE

47. Neither here __ there : NOR

51. Verdi opera : AIDA

52. Turkish bigwig : AGA

53. Where to find Houston St. and Penn Sta. : IN NYC

56. Hammer or saw : TOOL

59. Stadium cheers : RAHs

63. Hawaii's "Valley Isle" : MAUI

66. Requests : ASKS

68. Backyard barbecue site : PATIO

69. Newsman Huntley : CHET

70. Celestial bear : URSA

71. Wield : EXERT

Down:

1. Tea brand with a lizard logo : SOBE

2. Consequently : THUS

3. "Dancing Queen" band : ABBA. Sing along!



4. Strong and healthy : ROBUST

5. Word segment: Abbr. : SYL. (syllable)

6. "Scram, fly!" : "SHOO!"

7. Roof overhang : EAVE

8. Rolled oats cereal : MUESLI. From the fine folks that also bring us spelt flour.


9. Jerusalem's land: Abbr. : ISR. (Israel)

10. Cop show wheels : SQUAD CAR

11. Caesar's disbelieving words : "ET TU...?"

12. Golfers' concerns : LIES

13. Date bk. entry : APPT. (appointment)

18. "Snowy" heron : EGRET
22. Breakfast sandwich item : FRIED EGG

24. Deliriously happy : ECSTATIC

26. CIO partner : AFL. The American Federation of Labor / Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO)

27. Clutch tightly : GRASP

28. "__ inside": chipmaker's slogan : INTEL

29. Classic orange soda : FANTA

30. Get __ of: throw out : RID

31. Rapunzel feature : TRESS


32. Hersey's "A Bell for __" : ADANO

33. Mortise insert : TENON


34. Some MIT grads : ENGRs. (engineers)

39. Charles Lamb, notably : ESSAYIST

41. Winter ailment : FLU

44. Three times daily, on an Rx : TID. (Latin: ter in die)

46. Tough tests : ORALS

49. Novelist Willa : CATHER. There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm. ~ Willa Cather

50. Auditory canal blocker : EARWAX. Don't stick 16-Across in there.

53. Colorful old Apple : iMAC

54. "Parsley is gharsley" poet Ogden : NASH

55. Microwave : NUKE

57. Paddles, e.g. : OARS. Noun or verb, either works.

58. Mexican's "other" : OTRA

60. Comic Johnson : ARTE

61. Word with spray or style : HAIR

62. Laundry challenge : SPOT

64. Day before Fri. : THU.

65. Swinger in the jungle : APE



Argyle


49 comments:

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Mostly a fun and smooth solve today. I wasn't crazy about all the abbreviations (SER, ISR, APPT, DEF, ENGRS and especially SYL), but that's a minor nit.

Only misstep today was having _________F_CA__ at 27A and sticking in GIFT CARD (assuming there would be some additional descriptor at the beginning, like ONLINE or something).

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

The theme could've been "Tool Rhythm" -- THAT SAW RAP.

CSI NY died a couple of seasons ago. Wonder what SELA's doing now? Don't recall seeing SOBE on a store shelf. UTEP was a gimme, but it still sounds like an Egyptian god.

Had your FLU shot yet? That's bound to generate some lively discussion. Got mine last week. Walgreens pharmacist was so adept that I never felt it.

I'll bet AFL was the seed for Garrison Keillor's Federation of Associated Organizations on Prairie Home Companion.

Time to march...

HeartRx said...

Good morning all!

Thanks for the Abba link, Argyle. Now I'll have that earworm in my head all day!

I thought the theme was fun, and the reveal was spot on. But I really didn't enjoy the puzzle. It seemed there were several un-Monday-like entries with SOBE, HERR, HAUS and MUESLI.

I agree with Barry G that there were way too many initialisms and abbrs., and would add AFL, TID and THU to his list.

Finally, there was the nose-wrinkling and definitely not passing the breakfast test: EARWAX. Ugh.

I'll shut up now...

Prof T said...

WBS with respect to the abbreviations. Other than that it was a pretty easy solve. Nothing special, though.

Yellowrocks said...

I was surprised to find an unknown, SOBE which needed all perps, at 1D on a Monday. I have never come across it. Has anyone else? Otherwise this was quick and easy.The puzzle seemed very Germanic. FRAU's home/HAUS, Frau's mate/HERR, GOETHE'S FAUST, and STRUM UND DRANG, an early phase of romanticism, of which GOETHE was one of the major proponents. Goethe was also associated with Weimar Classicism.
We read the Gretchen Episode of FAUST in German Lit. class. Alas, I couldn't begin to read it today.

Lemonade714 said...

A nice smooth Monday, and yes a bit heavy on abbreviations but it is so hard to make the clues/fill so a new solver can get the puzzle.

SOBE is a national company, and we just had it as fill back on August 27.

EARWAX? I liked SQUAD CAR

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-Grandchildren now get (and prefer) GIFT CERTIFICATES. One size fits all
-I remember that Niles Crane’s mansion had a gift wrapping room
-Fascinating look at Dr. Garth Fisher(7:44) - PLASTIC SURGEON to the STARS
-In yesterday’s SER, Fr. Dave came across poorly as he excoriated our congregation of 7,000 for criticizing the church and not helping.
-I chose DNA, Era la OTRA palabra (It was the other word)
-I prefer tennis matches with lots of AT NET play
-The 7 loudest RAHS in college football
-Most wonderful music with THUS in its actual title (1:39)
-I am removing all the nests under our EAVES for the winter
-The Golfer’s credo: Play it where it LIES. However, the player with the fastest cart never has a bad LIE.
-How many incumbents will be thrown out in November?
-I didn’t get the FLU shot NOR the FLU last winter.
-I had always thought that Univ. of Nebr. grad Willa CATHER had written the wonderful A Lantern In Her Hand about the 1888 blizzard on the prairie but it was this this UNL honoree instead
-Want some germ cultures? Open a teacher’s lounge microwave

Yellowrocks said...

HG, I do believe Willa Cather wrote about the children's blizzard of 1888
in one of her novels. I read My Antonia and O Pioneers. It must have been one or the other.

Abejo said...

Good morning, folks. Thank you, Matt Skoczen, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.

I had to use the IPad this morning due to no paper being delivered today. That is rare. I called the Trib and they will have one out eventually.

My first word in the NW was ROBUST. With that I got the rest up there.

Never heard of SOBE tea. I wonder if they make Earl Grey?

Just had ET TU the other day. Looks like Caesar is in our minds.

That MUESLI looks pretty healthy. That probably explains why I have never had it. I should try it.

My buddy ESAU again. Jacob really snookered him, but that was the whole plan. That is where the 12 tribes evolved from.

AT NET was tough. I do not play tennis.

IN NYC was good. I was just at PENN Station this summer. Humongous.

Never been to MAUI. Heard it's beautiful. Also, some of my old compadres referred to Maui Wowie. I am not a part of that genre.

Had a great dinner last night at the Edelweiss on Irving Park in Norridge, IL. Great food and a live band.

See you tomorrow. Hope my paper shows up.

Abejo

(12311)

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

Did the puzzle last night but had to rush our earlier to a medical appointment. There was a bit of a bite for a Monday, but all ended well.

The Boston Red Sox did themselves proud with the send-off they gave Derek Jeter. That was one of the best examples of class and sportsmanship that I have ever seen. Bravo to Boston and Bon Voyage, Derek.

Thanks Matt and Argyle for getting the week off to a good start.

Have a great day.

Sallie said...

Good morning everyone.

I thought this was a very difficult Monday puzzle. Not the smooth ride I expect. SOBE? And how does SETS AT mean attacks? And adding IN to NYC seems a bit much for a Monday.

End of rant. DNF because of SETS AT and A_NET (and "inside chip maker's slogan).

Cheers

Sallie said...

P.S
I also don't understand how EXERT means Wield.

Misty said...


I love a Monday speed run, and this one was a total delight! Many thanks, Matt! Like Yellowrocks, I loved all the German words and allusions--right in my wheelhouse. I was also amused by all the cooking and food references: STIR, BUBBLE, NUKE, FRIED EGGS,LARD, MUESLI, along with all the drinks, FANTA, SLOE, and SOBE (never heard of it). Made me want to head to the PATIO for breakfast.

Argyle, cute RAPUNZEL and FALL pics!

Have a great week, everybody!

Lemonade714 said...

A president exerts his influence, he wields his power, Sallie.

SOBE only makes fancy elixirs, no regular teas like earl grey. Did you try Bigelow's earl grey?

Bill G. said...

I enjoyed the puzzle and theme.

Count me in with those who haven't heard of SOBE.

Gary, while I can imagine the inside of the Teacher's Lounge microwave may look dirty, I'm guessing the bacteria are all dead from being zapped.

“A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.”
― Steve Martin

Argyle said...

The main thing about Sobe is that it is found in coolers at convenience stores and gas stations. It is in individual bottles to be drunk right away. I've never seen it on the shelves of supermarkets.

Jack said...

Sturm und DRANG und Dunder und Blixem.

Sounds like you got a few new reindeer there, Santa!

Lucina said...

Hello, puzzlers.

WEES. This was a quick romp and although some fill often appears later in the week, there's nothing we haven't seen before so didn't have to EXERT myself much.

Misty:
Good catch on the mini cooking theme.

And "Valley Isle" is a new moniker for me even after having visited Hawaii many times over the years.

Willa CATHER's novels were read a lifetime ago so I barely remember the content except the prairies.

I thought this a ROBUST puzzle for a Monday and a great way to start the week.

Thank you Matt and Argyle.

CanadianEh! said...

Fun solve today with just a few head-scratchers solved by the perps, and some old favourites like ABBA, NUKE, RAHS. Thanks Matt & Argyle.

I had to remember my limited German and Spanish (HAUS,HERR,STRANG,OTRA).

DNA before RNA. Never heard of SOBE tea - you all know I use Red Rose.

My never-fail pastry recipe calls for shortening (I use Crisco) and says "never LARD".

44D was a given after my career.

PK said...

I am surprised to read of the unfamiliarity with SOBE here on this blog. I know it has appeared several times lately in the LAT puzzle. I even remember a discussion here that explained the origin of the name came from SOuth BEach. I tried to research this to prove it to y'all but the "search this blog" feature will not work for me. I swear it's all a giant conspiracy!

Anonymous said...

You'll wish for the shot if you ever get the flu. Just a matter of time.

Yellowrocks said...

I have been rereading many of the old classics in the last five years, including Willa Cather, Conrad Richter, Jack London, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Mitchel's Gone with the Wind and many others. Rereading them with the perspective of several decades makes them new and fresh. I focus on different aspects now.

Although Sobe is fair game and has been in LAT puzzles before, I am interested that so few of us have ever actually seen it in convenience stores or elsewhere. I hear no testimonials from those who tried it.

Ergo said...



WAGS on a Monday. How humiliating.

Sigh...

Lemonade714 said...

Bill G, you made the same comment about SOBE back on August 27th.

CrossEyedDave said...

Wees, a few stumbling blocks, but very perpable...

A modern miracle: Bubble wrap!

I have actually done something like this: Gift Wrap?

Hmm, I am not sure which pic is more blasphemous. ??? or !!!

HG, your 2001 link got me wondering what this video would have been like had Stanley Kubrick directed: That's a wrap!

Lucina said...

I have seen other SOBE products but never tea and perhaps it's as Argyle explained, because it's in vending machines.

A book I just read was set in Florida and many references were made to SoBe which I inferred to be South Beach, however, I didn't relate it to the brand SOBE. Where's that V8 can?!!

Bill G. said...

Lemon, thanks for looking out for me. I don't remember what I said two months ago; I sometimes don't remember what I said yesterday. But it any case, apparently I hadn't heard of SOBE on August 27th and still don't remember it. Consistency... However, I do seem to know some stuff that others don't. That should count for something.

I promise to try to remember SOBE from now on.

Avg Joe said...

Pretty tough outing for a Monday. Not all that difficult, but crunchier than typical. I also didn't remember SOBe, and likely won't next time. The only thing I consistently remember is that 2 wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do.

B. George said...

Lemonade714, thanks for calling out BillG. Maybe that's why karma continues to bite you in the arse.

Blue Iris said...

Matt S, thank you for a 'sweeeet' start to the week.

Santa, thanks for 'splain.' You should be well prepared with all the wraps!?

Bill G, I always worry that my post may be a repeat. I don't remember your prior post, but alas I watch many movies again because I don't remember the ending.

fermatprime said...

Greetings!

Thanks, Mark and Santa!

A bit crunchy for a Monday. Theme easy. NetWord puzzle much easier.

SOBE of all sorts is ubiquitous here. Have yet to find any sweetened with Stevia.

Haven't had a flu shot since age 19. Don't like mercury. Read Dr. Mercola.

What site do you use on iPad, folks?

Not thrilled with Agatha Christie mystery last night. Anyone else?

Cheers!

Falcon said...

Watch the emotion of youth BUBBLE OVER as our cadets from the Air Force Academy celebrate their unlikely victory over Boise State on Saturday. Did I see FANTA and SOBE bottles among the Gatorade and Aquafina?

Tinbeni said...

I liked all the abbreviations. SER, ISR, APPT, DEF, ENGRS, THU, TID, AFL, RNA, IN-NYC and especially SYL.

Afterall, A Monday solve should be "Short-but-Sweet."

ORALS for "Tough tests" had me thinkin' in an entirely different way ...

MAUI Wowie ... thanks for the memory Abejo!

Cheers!

Dudley said...

Hello Puzzlers -

Irish Miss from yesterday: my sister went from merely obnoxious to quite insufferable as a teenager, then settled down to married life, a family, real accomplishment, and generally to being the glue that holds the sibs together. So I guess all that old stuff was temporary.

Avg Joe said...

Tuneagement break.

I don't know if there was ever a song written about Maui Wowie, so even though it's not quite the same era, I guess this will have to do:

Panama Red

Lemonade714 said...

Bill G., I admit I was teasing you about SOBE, but we have a number of solvers who keep a notebook into which they enter fill that they did not know. We also have many teachers, and I know myself as a student and a teacher writing down something enhanced my ability to recall. I understand much of the fill is material we may not care about, but it does make for a better solving experience. I think that is part of what is expected that things will recognizable, at least until Friday-Saturday.

Husker Gary said...

I just received a notice of a $250 annual renewal for the Omaha World Herald which has lately only become where I look for my puzzle. Is it possible to get/print a daily copy of the LA Times puzzle so I don’t have to do it online. I have joined the generation that gets news online.

Thanks!

Avg Joe said...

Gary, on days our paper is late I always print it directly from the link on this site. It's not all that clunky and it only takes about a minute. Just select "print blank puzzle" . I don't like solving on line, but the print option is fine. The only downside is having to avoid reading anything in the current write up, but that's not that difficult.

FWIW, the JSP price was higher than your current quote for the weird harold on my last renewal in late March....$273. But I still read the dead tree version pretty much cover to cover. We'll see what next year brings.

Blue Iris said...

Husker Gary, We almost dropped the daily paper until a neighbor suggested we share one paper. He reads earlier in AM than I do and it has worked well for a year and a half now. I do the puzzle online @ MENSA site.

JLP said...

Maybe we can set up an e-mail list - and have the printable puzzle go out each morning to all those who subscribe?

Techies - make it so!

OwenKL said...

CCW has nothing today. Thought I did with ST: Quaker cereal grain OAT vs. LAT Rolled oats cereal QUAKER, but then got a twist thrown at me when LAT turned out to be MUESLI.

SoBe is a favorite of mine, but I don't think tea is the right word for them. The original drinks come only in glass bottles and in a cooler case at my store (Smith's). Since they were bought out, they've expanded their line into "energy drinks" I think. Carrot juice seems to enhance my thinking, but when the local store stopped selling any sort of it, the closest I could find was SoBe orange-carrot drink, so that's what I drink most, though I also like others, pina colada, orange cream. Rule of thumb, if it's a cloudy color, it's probably good.

GarlicGal said...

Husker Gary I too use the Mensa site to print out the Sunday puzzle (our paper carries the NYT's from the week before). www.us.mensa.org

Anonymous T said...

Hi puzzle pals!

AHBOY! A Monday DNF?!? Did I take the wrong meds this morning (why do I keep "stupid pills" in the house anyway?) My fail was 44d (Latin) x-ing 51a (opera? - I know I'm Italian and supposed to like it, but remember the name?). End Rant.

Glad to see this was also crunchy for the crew here. Lot's of stuff I had to totally WAG - I thought there was an i in HEiR, but OARS saved me.

Fun theme - got that. Thanks Argyle for keeping HAUS on the Monday blog.

Bill G. Don't worry about forgetting stuff - Some day's I feel I've forgotten more than I ever knew. i.e. today.

D-O: I love PHC. My favorite bits are Dusty & Lefty and Guy Noir.

SoBe is see in my house some times. I don't know how it shows up.

CED - Pop sent me a Christmas present wraped just like the pictured pan (it was a nice pot). The kids got a kick out of it.

HG - I'll second (or third) the Mensa site. Flash has to be on, but easy to print. That's my go-to on the road.

I gotta ask. Did no one else drop Orange Crush (REM) at 29d?

Cheers, -T

JD said...

yikes, it was smooth sibling except for sets at crossing tid... And it's a MONDAY! Not a good beginning. Loved it anyway. have a good week all.

Funny how I have to change my password when I use my iPad instead of my computer. Keeps me from blogging very often.

JD said...

Sailing...maybe not...took a few tries once more. I must have alienitis.

Yellowrocks said...

I bookmarked the Mensa site so there is no chance of seeing the write up before solving.








Anonymous T said...

I SEMI looked for a while for Doofensmirtz's "why do I put a self-destruct button on these things... and could only find this. C, -T

Maci45 said...

Did I oversleep? Surely this isn't the Monday puzzle? DRONG? TENON ? ATNET? Not the usual Monday zip through.

Anonymous said...

setsat??

*insert inflammatory language here*