Theme: 2's - Four words, to be exact, that indicate 2 start off the theme entries.
17A. 1971 road film co-starring James Taylor : "TWO LANE BLACKTOP". Classic cult film.
26A. Treachery : DOUBLE DEALING. Classic soap opera feature.
41A. Spectacles : PAIR OF GLASSES. Classic quote: "Men seldom make passes / at girls who wear glasses / but it really depends on their frames."
53A. Status of a multiple passport holder : DUAL CITIZENSHIP. Classic ???
Argyle(the one and only) here. An apt puzzle for today, if a bit uninspired. A couple of grid spanners, all in-language theme entries but I didn't warm to it. Your temperature may vary.
Across:
1. Gather for oneself : AMASS
6. __ accompli : FAIT. "fact accomplished" - or what we might called a 'done deal'.
10. Brontë or Boleyn : ANNE
14. Video game hedgehog : SONIC
15. Up to the task : ABLE
16. Cambodia neighbor : LAOS
20. Cozy stopover : INN
21. Golfer McIlroy : RORY.
# One.
22. Shaggy : HAIRY
23. City SW of Bogotá : CALI. Down in Colombia.
24. Prefix meaning "loving" : PHILO. "philosophy" = "love of wisdom" What would be "love of crosswords"?
30. Church organ features : PIPES. But don't tell the organist she has a nice set of pipes.
31. Two-masted vessel : YAWL
32. "Do You Know the __ to San Jose?" : WAY
34. Got older : AGED
35. Gets hot under the collar : BOILS [eew, bad image.]
37. Taste, as of a sandwich : BITE
38. Mangy mutt : CUR
39. Tight-knit family : CLAN
40. "Funeral Blues" poet W.H. __ : AUDEN
45. Hearty meals : STEWS
46. Ugh-producing : ICKY
47. Assume the role of : ACT AS
49. Poet Pound : EZRA
50. New Deal agcy. : WPA. Works Progress Administration (renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration)
57. Longfellow's bell town : ATRI It was in C.C.'s Sunday Aug. 17th puzzle.
58. Indian princess : RANI
59. R&B singer Sam : COOKE
60. Flat-topped hill : MESA
61. Fencing weapon : ÉPÉE
62. County in SE England : ESSEX
Down:
1. Piedmont wine region : ASTI
2. Cut with a Snapper, say : MOWN. (past tense) Forrest liked his.
3. Shortly, to Shakespeare : ANON
4. __ vous plaît : S'IL. "if you please"
5. Sacred Egyptian beetles : SCARABs. very pretty colors.
6. Spenser's "The __ Queene" : FAERIE
7. "Dear" advice giver : ABBY
8. Feeling poorly : ILL
9. Celestial Seasonings offering : TEA
10. Acid neutralizer : ALKALI
11. Company that's "on your side" : NATIONWIDE. Also, sponsor of the junior NASCAR circuit.
12. Jordanian queen dowager : NOOR. Biography
13. Catch sight of : ESPY 40D. With suspicion : ASKANCE
18. Hall of Fame NFL coach Chuck : NOLL. Biography
19. Kick back : CHILL
23. Prompted : CUED
24. Ring loudly : PEAL
25. Partner of hems : HAWS
26. Unearth : DIG UP
27. Big names at the Met : OPERA STARS
28. Fading away : DYING
29. Garden swingers : GATES
30. Source of some D.C. funding : PAC
33. Strong desire : YEN
35. Low __: cheap shot : BLOW
36. Clumsy sorts : OAFS
37. On a tight schedule : BUSY
39. Getting gradually louder, in mus. : CRESC. (Crescendo)
42. Bologna's land : ITALIA
43. Tin __: Model T : LIZZIE
44. Parcel of land : ACRE
47. Sandler of "Grown Ups" films : ADAM. There is a third one in the works.
48. Like kitten videos : CUTE
49. Berlin article : EINE
50. Start of a "Knock, knock" response : WHO'S [there]
51. Toll road : PIKE
52. Mountain climber's goal : APEX
54. Wrath : IRE
55. Sink feature : TAP
56. Sailor's distress signal : SOS
Argyle
51 comments:
There once were TWO ladies from Spain
Who thought the male sex were such pain.
So in DUAL they reasoned
With their nether regions;
Then they reasoned again. And again!
A chimpanzee DUO in the zoo
Revolted, flaming feces they threw.
A PAIR of keepers were hit
And injured a bit --
They got turd-debris burns in the coup!
(That second one was stolen and limericized from Colin Mochrie on last night's TV show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?)
It was neat that the puzzle ran on September 2 and seeing two poets, WH AUDEN and EDMUND SPENSER in the puzzle. Auden used to lecture about Spenser and co-wrote this timely TOME
Morning, all!
Got off to a bit of a slow start this morning thanks to TWO LANE BLACKTOP (never heard of it) and RORY (probably heard of him, but couldn't remember). I got enough perps to let me guess correctly in both cases, however.
After that, things settled down and the rest of the puzzle was smooth, if a bit on the dull side. Too many 3 and 4 letter answers, none of which had much bite to them (except, perhaps, for ATLI).
Good morning!
I consider it a tough Tuesday when I can't immediately write in the 1a answer. Today I had to wait for perps. And I got over-confident and inked in OPERA DIVAS (ink-blot alert!). I did remember how Spenser spelled FAERIE, though.
Learning moment: PHILO means loving. I guess the answer to your question, Argyle, is a philocruciverbalist. Forward that one to Alex Trebek for his 19-letter-words category.
DYING reminds me of one of our backyard pines. Fellow stopped by yesterday who "couldn't help" seeing the tall, dead pine in out back. He offered to bring it down and haul it off for a mere $550. I think I'll get a quote from my regular tree guy. It's a big tree -- fourth largest that we've got and 110 feet tall, so that guy's quote may be in the ballpark. It's only 60 feet from the house, so if it fell in the wrong direction....
Everyone must be sleeping in or busy with kids going back to school. When I normally log on, there have usually been at least a dozen comments.
It was an easy puzzle that required a few perps to fill in AUDEN, PHILO, ATRI AND ESSEX. A good Tuesday puzzle.
Enjoy the day and watch out for the school buses and the kids.
Much like the rest of you today--nothing too biting or exciting. Except maybe a nit at two sport names crossing: RORY and NOLL with CALI no help either.
Any other dual citizens here? Steve, maybe? I am since November 2003.
I think it was Ogden Nash who wrote,
Men seldom make passses,
At girls who wear glasses.
But later, he modified it -
The girl who wore glasses,
and pined for lost passes,
now chuckles and cleanses,
Her contact lenses.
Great blog, Argyle.
Since the US does not permit 'normal' dual citizenship, of native born US citizens, without a formal renunciation of their US citizenship, before a US consular officer .....
Only foreign citizens who acquire US citizenship, through the naturalisation procedures, can quietly ( and surreptitiously ? ) retain their so called 'foreign dual' citizenship status.
Anyone who becomes a naturalized US citizen is required to renounce any prior 'allegiance' to any other countries, during the naturalisation ceremony. That is the "de jure" procedure.
.... Title 8 of the Code of Federal Regulations (8 CFR)/8 CFR Part Sub-section 1337 - Oath of allegiance / sub sect. 1337.1 / Oath of allegiance.
'I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince and potentate, state or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen'. (ad verbatim-).
Words to the wise, to those, who have gone through the US Naturalisation ceremony, and sworn before a US District judge, no less.
Good Morning:
This was a tad dull both in theme and cluing. Thought a few entries were above a Tuesday level, but perps or a wag or two saved the day. Never heard of Two Lane Blacktop or Sonic. Had shill/chill, stops/pipes, and messy/hairy. Same learning moment as DO with philo. DO, I think I would stick with someone you know for that tree job.
Barry, how is your MIL doing? Hope all is well.
We're supposed to get heavy rains later today; I hope the humidity will disappear. Our temps/humidity are higher now than throughout much of the summer.
Great write-up, as usual, Argyle.
Good morning, folks. Thank you, KM and JMG, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
As someone else said, I also could not get started in the NW. Got ASTI and INN, then ANON. Then put LAWN. Everything stopped there. Came back later and fixed it.
I wrote in FAIRIE for 6D. It was easy to change the I to an E later on. No inkblot there.
Theme was fine. Made sense. Two grid spanners. Pretty good for a Tuesday. Actually, lots of long answers today.
Remembered SCARABS after a little thinking.
ASKANCE took me a while to arrive at. ICKY finally got the job done.
Off to church today to count. Then to a funeral tonight. When you are a Mason, you go to a lot of funerals.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
(2302)
Great write-up, Argyle. I did the puzzle last night and had to WAG one square (correctly) but this morning as I read the blog, I can’t figure out what two clues gave me trouble.
Kazie, my 4 youngest grandchildren are dual citizens. Casually Curious, I read your post with interest. That statement bothers one of my daughter-in-laws while her parents are still alive. She would need to give up citizenship in her birth country, Lithuania. My Aussie d-i-l is a dual citizen of AU and NZ. She says she will need to give up NZ citizenship when she gets her American citizenship. My Filipino d-i-l and grandson have been too busy to look at all the details of citizenship but the family plans for both to become Americans.
Have a good week, everyone,
Montana
Good morning everyone.
Guess it could be called Noah's Ark; 2 X 2, etc.
Solve went quickly; no issues. Cool theme.
9d - No Earl Grey tea today.
PAIR - reminds me of my trilingual childhood. Peer (pronounced 'pair') meant 'horses' in Low German'; and my Dad had two, a pair of 'Peer". or, as we would say, 'twee Peer". (Could've fried my brain.)
Good morning everyone!
Yep, Argyle - I had the same temp as you did for the theme. Never heard the term TWO LANE BLACKTOP. Even if I had, it is such a "meh" entry, that I probably would have rejected it before using it in a puzzle.
However, the fill somewhat made up for it with some nice entries: Tin LIZZIE, ASKANCE, SCARABS, NATIONWIDE, FAERIE, and OPERA STARS.
RORY McIlroy was a gimme, as we followed his play at the final round of the TPC Boston yesterday. So it all balanced out and ended up just about right for a Tuesday.
Hot and humid today, so CHILL!
It is CHILLy this morning here on the northern plains. I breezed through this puzzle with a couple of WAGs for NOLL and CALI.
It was fun to see SONIC today; I often think that if I stumble while using the very steep tunnel under the street at work, it would be fun to curl up in a ball and roll just like that cute little hedgehog!
Children born on US soil of foreign parents who have not become naturalized citizens, I believe, are dual citizens and do not need to renounce anything. Children of US citizens who are born in a foreign country, may also be dual citizens, depending if the country has a "born here, citizen here" policy like the US. Immigration is not an area of expertise but I have many friends who were born overseas of military parents who have dual citizenship.
Hello Puzzlers -
What Argyle and Marti said.
About dual citizenship: my late English neighbor married a woman from Iowa; he kept his UK citizenship throughout, an option I didn't know existed. Their daughter had the option of choosing allegiance to either the US or the UK, or holding dual citizenship. She chose the latter, and now as an adult with a PhD the world is wide open to her. She took a high dollar job with a firm in Sydney.
A short crossword-lover might be:
Philomin - pronounced as "fill 'em in"
or perhaps Philominer = one who fills 'em in….
…with alt. pronunc./meaning: "Philo-miner" - "one who loves to dig (for words)
NC
In re dual citizenship, the Brits to do not generally require any kind of "pledge of allegiance", certainly if you are a "natural born" Brit, in U.S. speak. The only time UK citizens are required to make a pledge of allegiance (to the Queen, as Head of State) is if they are elected to the House of Commons AND wish to sit and vote in the Commons.
This is linked to the constitutional concepts of "Her Majesty's Government" (led by the Majority Leader) and "Her Majesty's LOYAL Opposition" (led by the Minority Leader). Members of Parliament from Northern Island from strongly Republican parties, notably Sinn Féin, typically refuse the pledge and therefore cannot sit and vote in Parliament. They still retain their status and other rights, however.
UK passports include language about dual citizenship, which is explicitly allowed. However, while in their "other country", it is clearly stated that persons must obey all of the laws and obligations of that country (including military service and draft); and that they have no recourse to protection by the UK government. e.g., hiding in the British Embassy in the U.S to avoid the draft is not permitted.
NC
Gosh, I loved this nerdy puzzle and didn't find it boring at all. I mean, look at it, it had Spenser, Bronte, Auden, Opera Stars, references to all sorts of countries and languages, and even a sports figure I think I actually have hard of (Is RORY McIlroy that young Irish dude who's shaking the golf world?)So, many thanks, Kurt and Jan-Michele, for giving me a great Tuesday morning send-off. And Argyle, I can't believe I never stopped to think that PHILOSOPHY meant 'love of wisdom'!
Get to see all the flowers I got on Friday planted today--can't wait!
Have a terrific day, everybody!
Hi everybody. I agree with Marti (as I usually do). A perfectly pleasant Tuesday puzzle with a nice little theme. Thanks Kurt, Jan-Michele and Argyle.
Re. 30A, Argyle said, "But don't tell the organist she has a nice set of pipes." I would interpret that to mean she has a nice singing voice and can project to the back of the church.
Now that Labor Day has come and gone and most of the students are back in school, I should have the bike path to myself, pretty much. I mostly like it that way. Fewer people to watch but also fewer people wandering about, possibly creating the opportunity for an accident.
Hello, puzzlers. Nice job as always, Argyle.
I must agree with Misty on this puzzle just for having FAERIE Queen in it but SCARABS, OPERA STARS, ATRI, ANNE Bronte and Sam COOKE whom I could listen to forever!
It's true, the theme didn't "send me" but some days are like that especially Tuesdays. In PHIL 101 the first lesson was "love of wisdom."
Yellowrocks:
I am so sorry to learn that Alan is having such a difficult time and you dealing with it. I'll send some prayers for both of you.
Have a delightful Tuesday, everyone, and desper-otto, stay away from that tree!
Today's limerick - with a kinds of puns and innuendo ...
The pretty young collie just stared, with ASKANCE,
When the CUR came to her, and asked for a dance;
She'd seen him ESPY
Her long, HAIRY thighs,
And knew he just wanted to get in her "pants"!
"puzzling thoughts" ...
It was a pleasure to make a "corner connection" with Lemonade this past Friday nite - hope that at our next meeting we'll have more of a chance to socialize
Had a great weekend with my daughter and son-in-law; but am paying the price today for having crammed too many activities into too short a time!
Today's puzzle was fun and about the right difficulty for a Tuesday - only write-over was in 10A as I thought they were going for the plural of Ann; 13D quickly corrected that ...
Hi YAWL! Fun puzzle Kurt & Jan-Michele! Great expo, Argyle!
Didn't know AUDEN, NOLL or COOKE (but sure do remember his rendition of that song).
Misty, you are right about Rory McElroy being the young Irish dude. He's currently the #1 rated golfer in the world.
Most of the roads in my rural life were TWO-LANE BLACKTOPS and were called that unless they were dirt or gravel roads just off the BLACKTOPS. I didn't know James Taylor had a movie about that though.
My biking SIL went to a memorial bike ride last weekend for a 66 yr-old club member. The guy was riding his bike along a two-lane black top. A car headed the opposite direction pulled out to pass the car in front of him and smacked into SIL's friend. I'm glad you ride on a bike path, BillG.
I enjoyed this Tuesday level puzzle and zipped through it in good time. After a busy Labour Day (yes with a u here in Canada also ANON T), a restful day in the garden, doing CW, and reading is in order.
Actually Spitzboov, it looks like Celestial Seasonings makes Earl Grey. I have always thought of them as selling only herbal teas.
I haven't heard ASKANCE lately. Love that word!
Canadians can have dual citizenship. Conrad Black renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2001 and kept his UK one to be eligible for peerage. Now after his release from American prison, he thinks he may reapply for Canadian citizenship. Controversy looms.
good morning all,
Learning moment: philo.Wagged sonic. Perped WPA, atri and Noll.1 write over: anger to boils. Serves me right for not waiting for at least 1 letter.
Argyle, thanks for picture of THE SNAPPER... Had no idea. Enjoyed Sam Cooke.
Many of us on the blog know their way to San Jose. It's actually on the other side of my back fence.
Have a nice week.Welcome back Lucina!
Barry, how is your MIL doing? Hope all is well.
I was supposed to pick her up this morning, but they decided to keep her for another round of IV antibiotics. I plan to get her in a couple of hours, so hopefully she'll be able to come home then.
JD:
Thank you! It's good to be home but I really enjoyed those cool temperatures in WA, CA and Canada.
Barry G:
That's good news about your MIL.
Argyle (THE ONE & ONLY!) ... Nice write-up & the Sam COOKE link.
Kurt & Jan-Michele: Thank you for a FUN Tuesday puzzle.
TWO LANE BLACKTOP was a gimmie since I saw the movie when it came out in 1971.
Needed ESP (Every Single Perp) to get "Getting gradually louder, in mus." CRESC. But the perps were solid.
Years ago I named my car "LIZZIE" ... liked the CSO today.
My 85yo next-door neighbor died peacefully in his Villa yesterday.
tears ...
YAWL and Way are consecutive answers in the grid. It's a cool palindrome oddity.
You can find ITALIA in the biography section of your local library. It's right next to ITINA... though Shire and Turner don't share much in common.
I lived here on a green card for 30 years before acquiring US citizenship, because my Aussie birthplace would not allow us to acquire a dual citizenship until shortly before that. I don't recall having to renounce my Australian nationality during the service here. I also know of a German colleague who went through the process a bit before me. My cousin in HI has never renewed his Aussie passport since becoming an American, and I'm not sure I will again either--it costs a lot more to renew it than the A$10 an electronic visa costs for an American to visit Oz these days.
Since voting is required by law in Oz for all who are old enough, I had to formally request my name be removed from the rolls before leaving so as to avoid a fine every time there was an election.
Being in San Jose CA , I remember as a kid going to the El Rancho Drive-in in San Jose (torn down now). Saw "Play Misty For Me" and cohit "Two Lane Black Top". Yes that is the Same car that was used in "American Graffiti". TLBT was just released on DVD critireon collection. Bought it last week. Ok film. But puzzle was eh today. See yas.
two cute kittens
Double negative?
When a pair is better than 3 of a kind...
I missspelled "duel"...
I gots nits.
1. _____ accompli = FAIT is entirely in French.
2. _____ vous plaît = S'IL is entirely in French.
3. So why not clue EINE as _____ Kleine Nachtmusik, in keeping with clues and answers that are entirely in a foreign language?
Will we next see clues and answers in yet other foreign languages such as _____ gozaimasu or _____ akbar or _____ meiyou? If not, why not? What's the difference? (I think I know the answer.)
JD, San Jose is on both sides of our back fence. LOL
Constructors, please give us a break and avoid crossing the name of a sports figure with the name of another sports figure. More generally, please try to avoid crossing a specialized term in any area of expertise with another specialized term in the same area of expertise (eg African geography, pop music, religious terminology, etc.)
Okay, I got that off my chest. I feel so much lighter now!
Jayce@4:22
I'm in complete agreement with you and wish those Naticks could be avoided, especially with sports data. It becomes a guessing game otherwise.
Musings
-James Taylor and Beach Boy Dennis Wilson in a movie.
Who knew?
-Newly arrived Hispanic workers here at Hormel’s had their kids going to school ACT AS interpreters for them
-WPA built our old city auditorium.
-I’ve used SNAPPERS for over 30 years. I wonder what they paid for product placement in Forest Gump?
-I was going to link the SCARAB attack scene from The Mummy but it creeps me out and so you can do it yourself
-DEAR ABBY, my twin sister is writing an advice column too and it makes me BOIL…
-This former Steeler has Time Warner Ads every thirty seconds. Make it go away!
Yeah, this was fun. Just not twice as fun.
Hi all whoops dnf today looked 6a. Like Barry G I did not know 17a but perps got it in there since I figured the theme early on. Well Bon Mardi from Cajun Country!!
Kazie, my d-I-l forgot about the voting requirement and had to pay the fine her first year here. My son had superb health insurance through work at GE and they assumed that was good in Sydney. They both got fined for two years of not having AU health coverage while they lived in AU. He was being paid for work done in Australia by (USA) GE so assumed all was taken care of. It wasn't.
She can keep her AU citizenship if/when she wants US, but she can't keep all three, since she has a NZ passport also. She has to give one of them up.
Montana
Jayce, in answer to your question:
Arigatou gozaimasu (table for two - )
Ohayou gozaimasu ( for Ohio residents only -)
Allahoo akbar ( then a flash of light -)
You Mei You,( 3.58 ) and then a litter of kittens emerged.
Erev Tov
Baruch HaShem
Philo: I was going to make a list of philo words, but it got too long, so here's a reference link instead. Some particularly interesting ones: Philadelphia, philomel, philodendron, acidophilus, -philia, paraphilia, and especially philately.
This is brilliant! Patty cake
It's right up there with Ultimate Dog Tease. Remember that one?
Greetings!
Thanks Kurt, Jan-Michele and Argyle.
Really struggled with TWO LANE BLACK TOP. Otherwise, pretty easy.
Cheers!
Hi All:
Scrape me off the TWO_A_r BLACK TOP. I was flatted by a DOUBLE DEALING constructor!
I kept thinking buddy move - TWO's A ??. I also had NOOR spelled as my daughter's Egyptian friend Nour. That took a bit to sort out. Finally I had to look up 18d and that didn't help. Oh well, Kurt & Jan-Michele's puzzle was fun. Thanks for the writeup Argyle.
Bill G. I only clicked because I read party cake - that was funny. Thanks. Also, thanks for the kind words last night on my attempt at a poem.
All the talk of PHILOsophy makes me think of this Philosopher. :-)
Cheers, -T
The fact that so many had problems with two-lane blacktop just blows my mind. Do you only have 8-lane freeways in your life or is it just an unknown terminology? Don't you have two-lane asphalt streets in your residential areas?
You Mei You was enjoyable.
PK, just sayin'
"Mei you" means '(I) don't have' in Chinese.
The song "You Mei You", by the chinese muppet/ poppet girls (?) just means - ' "You", I don't have ' - so part english, part chinese. Some sort of romantic rock song for the teenagers.
Must be the latest fad going on right now, presumably in China, or nearby environs.
PK - For small roads like that we just call 'em BLACK TOPs - around here all are just two lanes.
To answer your question though, yes I'm surrounded by 8, 10, and 12 lane freeways. Here's the traffic now. For perspective, I live just beyond the river on the lower left side and work near the inner-loop. On Sunday I can drive it in 23 minutes. Monday AM it's one to TWO hours!
Cheers, -T
PK... LOL..... :) :) lots of two lane black tops in my life... :) like you I filled it right in and laughed out loud.... :) the best part of the puzzle...
Hope everyone's day and evening has been grand...
thelma :)
AnonT: Yikes! So much traffic! I experienced Houston traffic about 10 years ago on a tour bus trip. Shortly thereafter a young couple who had been living in Houston came and looked at my farmhouse which was for sale. They had great jobs in Houston but hated the traffic so bad, they were moving to my rural area where the only roads with more than two lanes were less than a mile long. The nearest lengthy four-lane was 30 miles away. They didn't buy my house but they did move to my area and invented their own jobs, totally unrelated to what they'd done in Houston. Much less income but also less expenses & stress.
PK - I totally get it. I keep 1/2-joking w/ DW (and anyone else who'll listen) that I've got 8 more years to AMASS my number and then I'm getting an ACRE and goats. I figure goats take care of themselves, keep the grass MOWN, give milk, and add to good STEWS later.
Ave Joe & HG, please don't spoil my dream :-)
Now, about that farm house...
Cheers, -T
I always enjoyed visiting my grandmother in Upperville, Virginia. There were lots of two-lane blacktop roads in the area, as well as one-lane dirt roads. I wish my kids and grandkids could have experienced some of those rural experiences.
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