Words: 70 (missing F,J,Q,X,Y,Z)
Blocks: 29
We have seen John before, this year, and I thought I was going to sail
to a quick finish - I was racing through some of the long fill - but
then the NE did me in for too long....oh well. Oh, and I was totally
off-point in a minor area of the SE, too. Long line of unused letters
today, but we have had seven on a Saturday. Triple 9-letter
across corners, triple 8-letter downs, and two 12-letter spanners;
32. 1970 Top 40 song with the lyric "And I'm lucky that you're mine" : RUBBER DUCKIE - I think I've heard it - link away~!
32. 1970 Top 40 song with the lyric "And I'm lucky that you're mine" : RUBBER DUCKIE - I think I've heard it - link away~!
38. Nickname for the NFL draft's last pick : Mr. IRRELEVANT - half perps, half educated guess - but it makes sense; the Wiki
ACROSS:
1. Go figure? : DO THE MATH - I have been looking for funny T-shirts for Christmas - I liked this one
10. Scented candle option : LILAC - Once I filled AVE MARIA, and WAGed CAROUSED, the ---AC made me realize this was not "TAPER"
15. One may become an exurb : RURAL AREA
16. Carew's Twins roommate : OLIVA - Oh, I know C.C. nailed this one~!
 |
| C.C. & Tony Oliva |
17. Monopoly duo : UTILITIES - I started putting in RAILROADS, which fit - but there's FOUR of those. Duh.
18. Inspiration for some Yahtzee categories : POKER - Had it, took it out, ended up trying it again
19. Reasons for handshakes : DEALS
20. Large volume : TOME
22. Alt-rock subgenre : EMO
23. Material for Caesar : GAGS - Ah, Sid Caesar
24. Russian crepes : BLINI
26. Egyptian __: cat breed : MAU - once I saw it, the V-8 can flew
27. Warm time for Nancy? : ETE - Is Nancy Frawnche~? I guess....
28. Nursery nourishment : LOAM - Good WAG on my part - I was in that nursery, not the kiddies
29. Slinky ad feature : STAIRS - oh, THAT Slinky - you know my mind was here - and see, Nancy is American, I'm sure
34. Restraining device : MANACLE
37. Numskull : AIRHEAD
40. High regard : ESTEEM
41. Alice's workplace : MEL'S - the Alice of TV fame
42. 1956 milestone for Ford: Abbr. : IPO - I put in LBO - which is, um, totally wrong
45. __ anglais: English horn : COR
46. Actor Ken and others : OLINS
48. Hitch : TOUR - the 'meh' clue for the day
49. Its Batman version contains a Joker : UNO
50. Like some annoying blog posts: Abbr. : ANON - let's see who pops in today~!
51. Coming-out party? : BELLE - har-har
52. Quality of a good math proof : RIGOR - still no algebra
54. Zen-like "Caddyshack" mantra : BE THE BALL - I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of this movie
57. Grenoble's river : ISERE
58. Hoops matchups : ONE-ON-ONES - basketball, not earrings
59. Former lab heaters : ETNAS - outdone by Bunsen
60. Like many lotteries : STATEWIDE
DOWN:
1. Lowly worker : DRUDGE
2. Best in a mess : OUT-EAT - I had OUT--T, and this just wouldn't come to me
3. ER protocol : TRIAGE
4. "Vapor Action" brand : HALLS
37. Numskull : AIRHEAD
40. High regard : ESTEEM
41. Alice's workplace : MEL'S - the Alice of TV fame
42. 1956 milestone for Ford: Abbr. : IPO - I put in LBO - which is, um, totally wrong
45. __ anglais: English horn : COR
46. Actor Ken and others : OLINS
48. Hitch : TOUR - the 'meh' clue for the day
49. Its Batman version contains a Joker : UNO
50. Like some annoying blog posts: Abbr. : ANON - let's see who pops in today~!
51. Coming-out party? : BELLE - har-har
52. Quality of a good math proof : RIGOR - still no algebra
54. Zen-like "Caddyshack" mantra : BE THE BALL - I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of this movie
57. Grenoble's river : ISERE
58. Hoops matchups : ONE-ON-ONES - basketball, not earrings
59. Former lab heaters : ETNAS - outdone by Bunsen
60. Like many lotteries : STATEWIDE
DOWN:
1. Lowly worker : DRUDGE
2. Best in a mess : OUT-EAT - I had OUT--T, and this just wouldn't come to me
3. ER protocol : TRIAGE
4. "Vapor Action" brand : HALLS
5. 2013 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey champs : ELIs - another WAG
6. Place to wrestle : MAT
7. George W.'s first press secretary : ARI - perps
8. Driver's appointment? : TEE TIME - nailed it
9. Sports : HAS ON - I had the "---ON" part, so no misdirection for me
10. Make big strides : LOPE
11. U.N. workers' gp. : ILO
12. 2002 Lil' Bow Wow film : LIKE MIKE - I had '--KE--KE', and a vague recollection crept into my mind - IMDb
13. Prayer sung by Desdemona in "Otello" : AVE MARIA
14. Carried on : CAROUSED
21. Makes bad calls? : MIS-DIALS
24. Hall of Fame pitcher who managed the Yankees to a 1978 title : BOB LEMON - more baseball for C.C.
25. Tag : LABEL
28. Ill-gotten loot : LUCRE
30. Chances : TURNS
31. Vier times zwei : ACHT - German 4 X 2 = 8 - still no algebra
32. Special : RARE
33. Poetic rapper : RAVEN - ah, that kind of rapper - as on a door....
34. Only woman with two Nobel prizes, formally : Mme CURIE - Oddly, I filled this in with only the -CU- in place; and she WAS French, technically - the Wiki
35. Insurance fraud perpetrator, perhaps : ARSONIST
36. Ammonia component : NITROGEN
39. Distinguished : EMINENT - I think the "arsonist" clue made me read this as "extinguished" first
42. Historic island palace : IOLANI - I'm a big fan of Hawaii Five-O, both the old and the new - some trivia, including the palace
43. __ pork : PULLED - I, um, had BALLed pork to start - my palace was LElani, and, well, cut me some slack - it's been a long month
44. Uncreative threat : OR ELSE
47. Latin rock group Los __ : LOBOS
48. First sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy : TEBOW
50. "Iliad" war god : ARES
51. Factor opening : BENE - benefactor
53. Mouths, anatomically : ORA
55. See 56-Down : TEA - circumferential, I got all the letters via perps
56. With 55-Down, sore throat soother : HOT
6. Place to wrestle : MAT
7. George W.'s first press secretary : ARI - perps
8. Driver's appointment? : TEE TIME - nailed it
9. Sports : HAS ON - I had the "---ON" part, so no misdirection for me
10. Make big strides : LOPE
11. U.N. workers' gp. : ILO
12. 2002 Lil' Bow Wow film : LIKE MIKE - I had '--KE--KE', and a vague recollection crept into my mind - IMDb
13. Prayer sung by Desdemona in "Otello" : AVE MARIA
14. Carried on : CAROUSED
21. Makes bad calls? : MIS-DIALS
24. Hall of Fame pitcher who managed the Yankees to a 1978 title : BOB LEMON - more baseball for C.C.
25. Tag : LABEL
28. Ill-gotten loot : LUCRE
30. Chances : TURNS
31. Vier times zwei : ACHT - German 4 X 2 = 8 - still no algebra
32. Special : RARE
33. Poetic rapper : RAVEN - ah, that kind of rapper - as on a door....
34. Only woman with two Nobel prizes, formally : Mme CURIE - Oddly, I filled this in with only the -CU- in place; and she WAS French, technically - the Wiki
35. Insurance fraud perpetrator, perhaps : ARSONIST
36. Ammonia component : NITROGEN
39. Distinguished : EMINENT - I think the "arsonist" clue made me read this as "extinguished" first
42. Historic island palace : IOLANI - I'm a big fan of Hawaii Five-O, both the old and the new - some trivia, including the palace
43. __ pork : PULLED - I, um, had BALLed pork to start - my palace was LElani, and, well, cut me some slack - it's been a long month
44. Uncreative threat : OR ELSE
47. Latin rock group Los __ : LOBOS
48. First sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy : TEBOW
50. "Iliad" war god : ARES
51. Factor opening : BENE - benefactor
53. Mouths, anatomically : ORA
55. See 56-Down : TEA - circumferential, I got all the letters via perps
56. With 55-Down, sore throat soother : HOT
Splynter
49 comments:
Let's just say I was creatively wrong today, i.e. MOO SHU pork.
But can't hate a puzzle that has RUBBER DUCKIE!
Morning, all!
Got through most of this one pretty easily, but the center section almost did me in. Couldn't think of RUBBER DUCKIE, even with D_CKIE in place (for some reason, I thought it was spelled DUCKY and could only think of DICKIE), didn't know MR IRRELEVANT, didn't know BOB LEMON, and kept thinking, "don't all rappers rhyme?"
I think what finally got me going in that section was when I figured out that 30D was TURNS instead of TRIES, which was enough to get me RUBBER DUCKIE and let me make a WAG at MR IRRELEVANT, and that let the light go on for RAVEN. Another WAG for BOB LEMON and everything else fell into place.
Good morning!
Ich did not LIEB dis putzle! I just knew that "Vapor Action" brand was VICKS! I was certain that "Hitch" was a SNAG. Don't ask me why I put CIGAR where RIGOR needed to be...
I even got all the sports stuff. Imagine! I smiled at OLIVA, WAGged MR. IRRELEVANT, and chuckled at the shoutout to the ANON. Heck, I even remembered ARI Fleischer (and I think I've spelled his name correctly).
But even after atoning for my multiple missteps, I still managed to screw things up. I was pretty sure the dog's name was IKE, and I had no idea on the cat -- any consonant'll do. So that movie just had to be LIKEN' IKE! Bzzzzzzztt! [Sob] DNF.
Bob Lemon was a fabulous pitcher who served for five years during World War II, but still came back to have a Hall of Fame career. In the 50s when I was first aware of baseball he was part of the Cleveland Indian rotation which included Bob Feller, Mike Garcia and Early Wynn. They hold the record for the highest winning percentage in major league history set in 1954.
Lemon began 1978 as manager of the White Sox, but was fired. He was then hired to replace Billy Martin who quit the Yankees and took them to win the title. He was fired and replaced Martin and then replaced Martin a second time.
I was big into baseball.
Found the puzzle relatively easy for Saturday.
Thanks John and Splynter
I am not a sports fan so puzzles with sports clues always hold me up and this was no exception. HITCH for TOUR I thought was a bit of a stretch but nothing else fit.
JCJ, in the military you can sign up for another hitch or another tour. I still have nightmares that I did that.
The way I started in the NW made me think it would be over in 5 minutes-WRONG. The NE killed me even though I guessed LOPE ILO & LILAC. Tony OLIVA i did know. I have never heard or seen LIKE MIKE nor played Yahtzee or heard of a MAU cat; I was doomed. I got Shakespeare and Verdi mixed up on Otello. Schubert wrote AVE MARIA long after William was dead and I wasn't thinking opera.
RUBBER DUCKIE you're the one- one of those songs that somehow got hot for no reason. Remember 'THE'RE COMING TO TAKE ME AWAY' or 'TIPTOE THROUGH THE TULIPS'?
The SW took a little thinking with UNO and ISERE being WAGS. Ammonia, which usually exists as an ion, NITROGEN and Hydrogen. MR IRRELEVANT fell into place after a few perps.
RAVEN strictly came from perps and does anybody remember the AIRHEAD from MEL'S Diner- FLO. She just morphed into a Progressive Insurance spokesman. I wonder how much she makes from those commercials.
43D- We went to a Bar-B-Que place last night and both had PULLED pork. But that didn't save me in the SE because I can never remember IOLANI (even though I have been there) and BE THE BALL just escapes me even though CADDYSHACK is one of the very few movies that can be enjoyed over and over.(My other two repeat movies are The Godfather and The Road Warrior (which seems to be happening in the Middle East.)
Uncle, I give, a big fat DNF.
Big Easy: Even more inexplicable than "They're Coming To Take Me Away" is what's on the flip side.
Big Easy: "Flo" from Mel's Diner (Alice) and "Flo" from the Progressive commercials are two unrelated characters (and actresses).
Hands up for VICKS until the perps straightened it out. Ditto for MOOSHU pork but the extant perps wouldn't allow it. Then the light bulb flashed on...as much as I barbeque and my first thought was mooshu pork? Duh! Needed ESP for IOLANI. Knew the last man drafted by the NFL was called MRIRRELEVANT, but didn't know why until today.
Got the "tada" moment in about typical Saturday time. Thanks, Mr. Lieb, for a challenging but eventually doable and entertaining puzzle. Thanks, Splynter, for an engaging and informative expo,
Yup DO, it just hade to be Vicks! And Prove Math proved it to be right. That took forever to sort out. But finally the wrong end of the pencil saved the day. Well sort of. It got a lot of use elsewhere, but in the end I went with Like Tike, thinking the cat had to be Tau. Bzzzzt! DNF.
Still, it was a fun run and I'll take one bad cell.
The eraser came in very handy today with VICKS for HALLS, MOOSHU for PULLED, TONS for TOME, but I finally got 'er done. It was a good feeling after yesterday's bog down.
Thanks, Splynter! Thanks for a great blog entry even though I'm sure you are tired with the last big UPS push!
A just right Saturday where I had to work hard but it all came together in each corner, the SE being the last.
Musings
-MR in football name was tricky and I wanted ELEVEN somewhere in there
-Algebra – The number of people who think C.C. missed the OLIVA question is the answer to x + 7 = 7
-Some algebraic-like thinking needed on this card - If U# = 0, then 0, If U# = 1, then 4x, If U# = 2, then 10x
-Handshake protocol of my ute
-I knew it was either Julius or Syd and Henry or Gerald
-The only toy grandma had was a slinky in her two story house
-Don’t these TOMES make you think you’re missing something on April 15?
-Letters to the editor changed dramatically when our paper required a verifiable signature and rejected ANON’s
-All press secretaries come out with a pig and a lotta lipstick
-A very odd venue (1:40) for one-on-one competition
-Very interesting Five-O trivia
-TEBOW and Manziel were Heisman winners and NFL busts (so far).
Hello Puzzlers -
Hand up for Vicks, Moo Shu, and Tons. Got those sorted out eventually, but that NE corner was downright intractable! I haven't played Yahtzee, never heard of the movie, don't know what cats Egyptians like, and jolly well don't know who rooms with whom in major league baseball!
Obviously it was time to cheat.
I Googled Yahtzee and guessed that they were talking about Poker hands. From there I could complete Caroused, and could guess at Oliva. I have to thank C.C. publicly for the latter - had she not befriended the big guy, I'd never have known he existed. So, a Technical DNF, but a good ride.
Bill G from last night - enjoyed the Colbert finale link. What a collection of friends the guy put together!
In other news, from yesterday: with help from a very well-informed John Lampkin I learned that the wasps whose nests I inspected are called Organ Pipe Mud Daubers, because of the shape of their mud tunnels. Fascinating creatures, really.
I am so not a robot.
Good Morning:
The first pass across yielded a grand total of 8 answers and the first pass down wasn't much better. But, like most Saturday puzzles, a chip here, a perp there, a wag or two and, before you know it, TADA!
I got Oliva, Tebow, Bob Lemon, Mme. Curie right off the bat but, Like Mike and Mr. Irrelevant were unknowns. I didn't catch the Raven connection until the write-up. I don't try to finish a puzzle with an eye on the clock but the app gives you the completion time; my Saturday norm has been 30-35 minutes.
Thanks, John, for giving us a workout and thanks, Splynter, for shedding some light on some gray areas. (In proof reading my post, I noticed that Mr. Buttinsky, AKA, Auto Correct, changed Mme. Curie to Mme. Cutie.)
Avg Joe, I made a batch of French Onion soup yesterday, using my new Calphalon Dutch Oven; what a difference that made in the caramelization process and the end result! Looking forward to having a nice, big bowl later on.
Have a great day
Anonymous @ 10:29 is Irish Miss. Google is acting up again.
Today my wall was the NE. I had ----ARIA, but AVEMARIA wouldn't come to me. I like cats but MAU eluded me, too. In fact the whole NE stymied me. Had a nice run until then. Later.
Happy winter solstice! (Izzit today?)
Splynter: Nice write-up and informative links.
Last Saturday I put-down/picked-up the puzzle 4 or 5 times before I finished ... but I didn't comment since it was so late when I finally finished.
Well today I "Got'er done!"
Learning moment was that Egyptian MAU (cat breed).
Wasn't to sure about IOLANI but the perps were solid.
Fave was the clue/answer for MR IRRELEVANT ...
Though RUBBER DUCKIE was a close second.
Heading to 75 with a clear blue sky ... Tampa Bay is brutal place to live weather wise.
A toast to ALL (except the snarky ANONs) at Sunset.
Cheers!!!
Rainman - tomorrow, 6:03 PM in the Eastern time zone.
11D: did anyone else think NSC for National Security Council?
And having been a math major in college, I cringe every time I see one of those dumb algebra remarks. If you're serious then I feel sorry for your ignorance because you have no clue as to how often you actually apply a bit of algebra to every day problems. Even simple arithmetic uses some form of algebra. Algebra is not as tough, nor stupid, as some people might think.
Today's soapbox!!
NANCY is a city in France.
Well, I knew I was going to have to cheat with all those sports references, but was surprised how much I actually did end up getting with just a little cheating. I have to remember to always look for a second meaning of words in Saturday puzzles like this--for example, that party can be a participant and not just an event, or that mess can be a dining space and not just a chaos. But in the end it was fun, and enjoyed your expo, too, Splynter--although I still don't understand how IPO was a milestone for Ford.
Have a great weekend, everybody!
Some of you will recall last year's discussion about Swedish Glögg. Well, it was such a hit last year, I made a bigger batch for tonight's party. The kitchen smells heavenly! I'll happily link the recipe if anyone is interested.
Ford, (NYSE: F ), went public on Jan. 17, 1956. Initial public offering (IPO)(Henry never wanted it.)
It was anguish. I completed only the NW and was tempted to raise my fist in mock victory and toss the thing away.
Eventually I returned and the other corners started to fall. Finally got to the center where MRIRRELEVANT and a few of his neighbors, did me in.
Thanks John and Splynter
"Do the math" -- IBEW Local 716 in Houston runs a TV ad about why you should hire an IBEW electrician. It's because they use calculus, trigonometry.....or algebra to solve your problem. I chuckle every time I see it.
Misty, the Ford family owned the company outright prior to that IPO. Henry Ford never wanted it to go public. Of course, he never lived to see it.
Bill G (from last night) -- thanx for that Colbert link.
Marie Curie was Polish. French by injection "comme on dit."
I had Vicks instead of Halls for too long. Loved the Sid Caesar clue.
Egyptian Mau 101
I've been doing the puzzles and reading the blog most days, but haven't made many comments as I'm usually not finished with the puzzle until after dinner. I start the puzzles in the waiting room at the clinic, then finish up later.
This morning I tried today's puzzle as my husband has the "weekends off" from his radiation treatments. However, I had to cheat ala Misty. I also had many of the same beginning errors such as Vicks, and Moo Shu pork. However, Ave Maria came easily as the V from Oliva was already in place before I read the down clue.
Warm time for Nancy didn't give me a problem. I think Ete is a great crossword word and can be clued so many ways.
I wanted to wish all of my blogger friends a Happy Holiday season whether it is Hanukah, Christmas or Kwanza. I hope everyone has their shopping done, as this weekend promises to be horrific at the mall.
Have a great day, everyone.
Dudley, count me in!
A quick note: If you have solar panels and a shake roof with a squirrel population near your home, beware of those pesky rodents.
One got under our solar panel and chewed/shredded the shakes to make a nice hole for a nest in the attic.
With our recent downpours the rain came gushing down our roof, into the hole and into an upstairs bedroom closet, then down into the living room ceiling.
Ugh and double ugh! Since the damage was critter caused, insurance doesn't cover it.
However, the critter chewed the cable to the solar panel and electrocuted himself. Sooo dead squirrel, non-working solar panels, and a hole in our roof (temporarily patched so more rain doesn't get in).
Never a dull moment here at our house!
Bluehen -
All righty then! Here's the link to the very tasty Glögg recipe.
Of all the spiced wines I've tried here and in Europe, Glögg gets my vote for the tastiest. It's a real crowd pleaser. We are always amused at the final recipe instruction: "Drink while seated and give your car keys to a friend."
"Nickname for the NFL draft's last pick" -- How the #!@*%$! should I know?
"Carew's Twins roommate" -- How the #!@*%$! should I know?
"2013 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey champs" -- How the #!@*%$! should I know?
"2002 Lil' Bow Wow film" -- How the #!@*%$! should I know?
"Hall of Fame pitcher who managed the Yankees to a 1978 title" -- How the #!@*%$! should I know?
"First sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy" -- How the #!@*%$! should I know?
And so it went. Good puzzle, though. Not the constructor's fault that this solver doesn't know squat about sports trivia.
Thanks, Dudley, it sounds delicious. If anyone is interested, I would gladly share my recipe for our favorite adult egg nog. I can't link it, because it's my own recipe and I haven't the foggiest how to link stuff, but you can email me. Bluehen2789@gmail.com
I'm really glad we got to enjoy the farewell show of Stephen Colbert through that video. Besides all of the guests and celebrities who dropped by to say goodbye, that song, "We'll Meet Again" is so nostalgic end emotional. It was one of the most famous songs from the WWII era made famous by Vera Lynn. According to Wikipedia, it resonated with soldiers (and their families and sweethearts) going off to fight. The assertion that "we'll meet again" is optimistic, as many soldiers did not survive to see their loved ones again.
I'm just so proud of myself that I have to post. I almost always use the Google to help with a Saturday puzzle, but today, strangely, given the trouble others had, I solved it completely without Mr. Google. There were a lot of helpful Perps, which I am thankful for, seeing as how I don't know sports trivia either.
P.S. I come to this site often for answers but it is my first time posting. Thanks for doing this, Splynter, CC and all.
I did the puzzle this morning in a post-Trans Siberian Orchestra haze. So I don't know if the puzzle was extra-tough for a Saturday, or if it was just the hangover kicking in.
Either way, I'm really late to comment today, and I see that it wasn't just me. I made the same mistakes and had the same experience as Dudley, so 'nuf said!
Bill G -- "We'll Meet Again" (the Vera Lynn version) accompanies the exploding H-Bombs in the final scene of Dr. Strangelove (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb)). It's very moving. It brought tears to my eyes.
Redtail, welcome to the madness.
Fun puzzle today. My sports loving son is visiting and he knew Mr. Irrelevant immediately. And Tebow. And Elis. He needs to visit more often. I knew Bob Lemon on my own. It took forever to understand "outeat" but I finally got it and the ta-da.
Jayce,
Eloquently said and exactly my
thoughts while solving.
Off topic It must be Christmas time
Santa needs a GPS
Shopping anyone?
D-O, I do remember that last scene from "Dr. Strangelove" and how emotional it was. A great film and a great song.
Jayce, you cracked me up!!
Redtail...Kudos!!
I finished this puzzle. Every time I got stuck, I pushed through. It was very satisfying because there were some proper nouns that I never heard of like oliva and isere. But, I said an Ave Maria and Pulled Through.
Hi all!
Well, before I cheated my butt off, I did get the south side of the puzzle. ONE ON ONES and Caddyshack quote broke it open. In the north, there were so many mis-WAGs there was no way to recover. 9d = wears, 10d = leap, 30d = TrieS, etc. The only thing right up there was ARI.
Thanks Splynter for the answers and GAGS.
I feel really stupid for not getting 13d. Eldest sang AVE MARIA last week at the Christmas show. I will brag on her - she stopped folks in their tracks.
Tomorrow is the last cookie push - the girls and I will do another 100 pizzelles and a batch of choc-chips.
Cheers, -T
Bill G:
I'm sure Colbert is still on my DVR, but I just got around to clicking the link you provided. I don't know what it says about me that I could ID more politicians / political commentators than I could "stars." The final segment, with Stewart thanking Colbert for his "report" was reminiscent of the end of Newhart.
Cheers, -T
I believe the Yale ice hockey team is not the Eli. I believe they are the Bulldogs.
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