Theme: SAT prep - There isn't a unifier so my take is that the last word could describe getting a student ready to take something like the SAT's. You're welcome to post a different slant; please do.
17A. Older name for a passenger bus : MOTOR COACH
24A. Wedding gown follower : BRIDAL TRAIN
34A. Like one resisting innovation : OLD SCHOOL
50A. Pirate Blackbeard's real name : EDWARD TEACH
58A. Hole-making tool : POWER DRILL
Argyle here. Looking over past puzzles from David I see he often doesn't give a unifier. The grid is notable for the strong corners,(we like corners). COACH, TRAIN, SCHOOL, TEACH and DRILL answers are all consistently used as nouns in the theme entries at a different context.
Across:
1. Peru's __ Picchu : MACHU
6. Angle iron : L-BAR
10. Highest point : ACME
14. Kindle download : eBOOK
15. SeaWorld performer : ORCA
16. Ellington's "Take __ Train" : THE 'A'
19. Glass darkener : TINT
20. Responded in court : PLED
21. Cape NNW of Cod : ANN
22. Saguaros, e.g. : CACTI
23. Covered up : HID
27. Place in quarantine : ISOLATE
29. Legal thing : RES
30. Came down with : GOT
31. Kate, before Petruchio's "taming" : SHREW. Shakespeare, "Taming of the Shrew".
32. Bit of legislation : ACT
33. U2 lead singer : BONO
38. Die dots : PIPS
41. Thumbs-up : YES
42. Best man's offering : TOAST
46. Santa __ winds : ANA
47. Fellows : MEN
48. Stir-fry vegetable : SNOW PEA
53. Rank below cpl. : PVT.
54. Believer in the Great Pumpkin : LINUS. from "Peanuts".
55. NYC airport : LGA. LaGuardia Airport (code LGA) in New York City.
56. Narrow opening : SLIT
57. Installed, as carpet : LAID
61. Years, to Nero : ANNI
62. Wows, and how : AWEs
63. Stone marker : STELE
64. Droops over time : SAGS
65. Peel in a cocktail : ZEST
66. Filled with cargo : LADED
Down:
1. Tennessee home of the NBA's Grizzlies : MEMPHIS
2. Do away with : ABOLISH
3. French department that translates to "golden slope" : CÔTE-D'OR
4. Robin __ : HOOD
5. Kiev is its cap. : UKR. (Ukraine)
6. Canadian coin nicknamed for the bird on it : LOONIE
7. Lego or Eggo, for example : BRAND
8. Duke Univ. conference : ACC. (Atlantic Coast Conference)
9. Stadium shout : RAH
10. Rose essence : ATTAR
11. Lake Michigan metropolis : CHICAGO
12. Bring up : MENTION
13. Chip away at : EAT INTO
18. Golfer's ride : CART
22. Dollar divs. : CTs Cents
24. Cry out loud : BAWL
25. Curved foot part : ARCH
26. "Dallas Buyers Club" actor Jared : LETO. IMDb
28. Some summer babies, astrologically : LEOs
32. Summer coolers, for short : ACs. (air condition)
33. What winds do : BLOW
35. Like Easter eggs : DYED
36. Emailed : SENT
37. Texter's "From a different angle ..." : OTOH. (On The Other Hand)
38. Spanish rice dishes : PAELLAs
39. Gary's home : INDIANA
40. Hocking : PAWNING
43. Answered a help-wanted ad, say : APPLIED
44. Whence Rossini's barber : SEVILLE. "The Barber of Seville"
45. Spilled the beans : TATTLED
47. Dalloway's title : MRS. Mrs Dalloway is a novel by Virginia Woolf published in 1925.
48. Most judicious : SAGEST
49. Virg. neighbor : N. CAR
51. German cars : AUDIs
52. Actor Cary : ELWES. The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Days of Thunder, Bram Stoker's Dracula, ...
56. Latina lass: Abbr. : SRTA. (senorita)
58. Peace, in Acapulco : PAZ
59. Be indebted to : OWE
60. High-speed www option : DSL. (digital subscriber line) not high speed.
Argyle
57 comments:
Morning, all!
Perfectly doable puzzle today, but definitely on the crunchy side for a Tuesday and the theme remained a mystery to me until I got here. I guess all the words highlighted by Argyle are loose synonyms of "instruct."
EDWARD TEACH was a complete unknown and I really had to hope I had gotten all the perps correct. Went with SNAP PEA before SNOW PEA and NDAK before NDCAR (don't ask), so that took a bit of perp help to get right. Oh -- and I assumed "angle iron" had something to do with golf. I was wrong.
On the bright side, I knew ELWES and LETO right off the bat with no perp help required, so that was nice.
Argyle, I think that David Poole's theme could be described as "It's Academic," with the five words (COACH, TRAIN, SCHOOL, TEACH and DRILL) all being shades of ways to impart knowledge. The words also work to describe ways to improve athletic performance, or to ensure a good military.
Anyhow, with March Madness just ended, congratulations to COACH K and the Duke Blue Devils, who prevailed over our neighbors, the Wisconsin Badgers. In past years, other teams cut down the net, and the college basketball fans among you might want to revisit 2014 in Ladies and Gentlemen ..., by Tim Croce, and 2013 in The Final Four, which I constructed with Brent Hartzell. Enjoy!
Looks like the early birds, excpet for BG, are out for worms!
I enjoyed this one: Thanks David. I did pick up on the SAT Prep, It's Academic themes, which I never usually notice until the very end. I had a few reading errors this morning, such as wanting ade for ACS because I ignored the s in the clue. I've seen ELWES but I had to play around with the spelling. On that bent, I had to do a little backtracking. Mr. Poole and Mr. Norris must have had strong feelings about this year's bracket with the Duke reference. Great game. On Wisconsin!
Thanks for the expo, Argyle--especially the A Train link.
Good morning, Argyle and friends. I just loved this puzzle - and what a good misdirection on the theme. I had the COACH and TRAIN, so thought we might be going for modes of transportation. OLD SCHOOL left me baffled for a moment until I remembered the pirate's name. Then I realized the true theme.
I was recently in Machu Picchu. Fabulous place to visit.
The NE corner was the last to fall for me. I had forgotten ATTAR, although it appears frequently in the puzzles.
20a The past tense of "plead" is "pleaded," not PLED. Most lawyers don't know this; few judges know this; no court reporter or clerk knows this (and, apparently, neither does a certain crossword puzzle constructor).
And apparently most dictionaries don't know it, either. Seriously, look it up!
Good morning everyone.
Good thoughtful intro, Argyle. Thank you.
Easy again but I enjoyed it. Had a nice cadence.
Didn't really focus on the theme, but was waiting for the unifier which didn't appear. No harm. Perps quickly pointed to OLD SCHOOL, for resisting innovation, but my mind thought of Luddite, first.
Thanks David for a good start to the day.
LOONIE - Hi, Canadian Eh. Too bad $ coins aren't more acceptable here. I try to use them, but banks are not good about having them available.
Nice Tuesday puzzle. Didn't get the theme, but didn't need it to solve the puzzle.
Anon @ 8:10 and BG: This Dictionary App agrees with David Poole about the word PLED.
Have a great day everyone.
Very interesting puzzle today. Thanks, David, and thanks, Argyle.
Some things I just didn't know like Cary Elwes and Leto, and the spellings didnt look right.
OTOH, some of the clues were such fun! Like 44d, Whence Rossini's barber, and 31a, Kate before taming.
I thought Blackbeard's name was Edward THach so that slowed me down a bit, but not for long.
Hope everyone has a good day.
Argyle: Nice write-up. I especially enjoyed the Chicago "Take THE A Train" link.
David: Thank you for a FUN Tuesday puzzle.
Kinda timely that the ACC's Duke won the B-Ball Championship last night in INDIANA.
Fave today was L-BAR ... "What the hell" it had BAR in the answer ... my kinda place. lol
Needed ESP to get LETO & ELWES ... my "First Thought" for Actor Cary was GRANT.
Stuck in perfect weather again ...
Cheers!
I also knew nothing of L-BARs and like Barry G thought it must be a golf reference.
I never thought of Côte d'or as meaning golden slope, but rather gold coast, which it could also mean since both equivalences are given in the dictionary for côte. But I've probably been influenced all these years by my familiarity with Queensland's Gold Coast in Oz, and never really gave thought to the location of this French département which is nowhere near a coastline. With 96 departments in France, it's far easier to recall the former provinces.
I also had several other glitches with unknown names and some I'd forgotten, so as usual perps were needed for those.
Good Morning:
Found this a pretty straightforward Tuesday with a tad of a crunch. Needed Argyle's expo to "get" the theme which, in retrospect, was obvious.
Nice job, David, and thanks to Argyle for the enlightening expo.
Have a great day.
Not only was Mr. Poole prescient about DUKE but he squeezed Cary Elwes and Robin Hood in the same grid. Also ACC, ACS, ACT, LETO next to LEOS and a CSO with LOONIE to our Canadian readers as well the Corner bird.
It somehow seems fitting that Bill Belichick and Coach K won additional titles this year.
THanks David and Argyle
Thank you David and Argyle.
Nothing too noteworthy. "Train" was used both in a clue and as part of an answer. From what I've read here in the past, that is x-word taboo.
COACH and TRAIN got me trapped in a 'means of transport' theme. SCHOOL, TEACH and DRILL then became head scratchers. But that's okay. The pirate clue was a bust and resulted in a DNF.
Pretty smooth speed run today. Had to think about the theme for a bit, but finally got it when completed.
Thanks, David, for a smooth and interesting puzzle.
Thanks, Argyle, for your usual great write-up.
I’m surprised there as no reveal, but your theme works for me, Argyle.
Musings
-Good luck with a POWER DRILL getting through cement board siding
-The psycho Boston bomber PLED guilty and we still are spending millions on his trial
-Sheldon in ISOLATION
-Bad wedding TOASTS
-Record drought and Santa ANA winds = CA disaster
-My good friend visited family in UKR. and was stunned by their poverty
-We’re considering this this MOTOR COACH Chicago tour. The drivers NEVER call it a bus. Click Featured Attractions to see details
-My ex-navy golfing buddy will break into, “BLOW, BLOW, BLOW the man down” on occasion
-In 2004 I APPLIED online on Sunday night and was hired Tuesday morning at 8 am
-C’mon, a 5-letter last name for an actor named CARY?
-Do you remember the John Wayne movie where his OLD SCHOOL methods to retrieve his kidnapped grandson worked better than the ones with the new-fangled motor cars?
Too many typos in my original post. I attempted to delete it. Doesn't look like it worked. This is my revised version.
"Take the 'A' Train was Duke's theme song. I don't know why you would use CHICAGO's rendition for a reference. You should have used Duke's recording. I like the group CHICAGO but their version doesn't do the tune justice. An after all, the lyrics do refer to the fact that the 'A' train takes you up to Sugar Hiil in Harlem".
And, of course, we all know that Duke didn't write the tune. It was written by the late, great Billy Stayhorn, Duke's long time collaborator. We all know that, don't we? If not, make a note of it. Billy wrote a lot of the music that was credited to Duke, mainly because everyone knew Duke's name but only the ones in the musical circles knew Billy's name; and Strayhorn didn't care for the limelight. Read his biography "Lush Life", named so because he wrote a wonderful tune by that name at the age of 19. He wrote bit the music and the lyrics. Sheer genius.
Here's the Duke.
http://youtu.be/cb2w2m1JmCY
Hi gang -
Nice puzzle. No unifier needed, thought the central SCHOOL could be used for one.
Gail Grabowski hit a double yesterday, with the L.A. Times and Newsday puzzles.
Language is about communication. If the meaning is clear, then no harm is done. Grammar is arbitrary in the first place, with the original rules set in place by illiterates, and then mutable. Give it a rest Grammar Nazis.
First comment at the link makes a strong case for pled. Pleaded might be right, but it sounds wrong.
In a few more decades it will go the way of the dodo.
Cool regards!
JzB
From Wikipedia: "On July 10, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev pleaded not guilty to 30 charges in his first public court appearance . . . "
Another take on the A Train.
Cheers!
JzB
From today's LA Times: "Madoff emails from jail: I wish I hadn't pled guilty".
BTW - pled is acceptable to Merriam Webster. Good enough for me.
Fact Checker – Yes he PLED not guilty but in his opening statement, Tsarnaev’s lawyer admitted It was him (Tsarnaev) that did it.. This legal strategy is seen as a way to at least avoid the death penalty. Did he commit the crime? 100% yes. Is he guilty?...
Back to the corner after a busy Easter weekend (no dyed eggs)and then company last night with their pictures from MACHU Picchu!
Agree with Barry that this one was a little crunchy for Tuesday. I had lime before ZEST, replied before APPLIED, JFK before LGA, safest before SAGEST and hand up for trying to fit Ades, then the dreaded Ice, before ACS.
Canadians may have no CTS but we have LOONIEs. Latest rumour is that we are getting a $5 coin. What would we call it??
Have a great day!
Thanks for the retrofitted theme. I didn't notice it as I have become a theme abstainer since the gnat was in the Tang.
Gee, I think DSL is pretty fast, at least compared to telephone dial-up. I guess the fiber optics is faster. I have U-Verse for my Internet and am resisting multiple offers for the TV part because I am broke.
I recall riding a motor coach driven by a Sikh in Kashmir on a yoga trip. You had to brace above with your hands so your head wouldn't hit the ceiling when the road was rough. This was in 1977.
HOla, amigas y amigos!
This puzzle appeared to have a mini Spanish theme: SEVILLE, SRTA, PAELLAS, and PAZ. That's my story, anyway.
However, I liked George Barany's, "It's Academic." I've always remembered Blackbeard's last name for obvious reasons as a TEACHer.
Thank you, David Poole for a snappy puzzle and Argyle, my hero, who labors for us every week.
There's also a CSO to all of us OLD SCHOOL puzzlers who like the tried and true version of solving with paper and pencil.
Fortunately, Cary ELWES perped itself as I don't recall hearing the name but Jared LETO did seem familiar.
And here in the torrid SW we have already turned on the A/C although this week we're having a reprieve with the temps in the 80s.
Have a great Tuesday, everyone!
Yes, a little crunchy for a Tuesday, and I had an awful moment when I realized I didn't know either EDWARD T_ACH or CARY __WES, and might mess up a Tuesday puzzle--the ultimate humiliation. But thank goodness, I checked out the theme, and realized it had to be TEACH, and LGA (La Guardia Airport) and so, at last, got the whole thing after all. Yay! Thanks, David, and Argyle, for what turned out to be a good morning.
Have a great day, everybody!
"puzzling thoughts"
My Natick was the TEACH/ELWES intersection, so today was officially a DNF. One blank square. Otherwise, I went through the puzzle unscathed - did not HTC or have any ink blots
Thanks Argyle for the explanation on the "themeless" puzzle; makes perfect sense after reading your explanation
I love how our language has caused such debate over the proper usage of words; especially tenses. A funny skit about grammar can be found here!
And it caused ME to come up with THIS limerick:
Fifth Amendment can be pleaded or pled;
Faulty clutch lines are bleeded or bled.
Can a baker, then say,
That the following's OK?
"My rye bread dough's both kneaded or kned!"
Cary ELWES was Westley in The Princess Bride.
Cheers!
JzB
Tuesday greetings all...
I also thought of a transportation theme at first, but after continuing on, knew that was wrong.
Perps put in EDWARD, but didn't know TEACH. Only Cary I know is GRANT, and the letters didn't support it. Had to wait for SNAP/SNOW PEA. COTEDOR, an unknown.
All told, a valient effort, but did not get the theme and TEACH/ELWES cross did me in.
I loved the A train reference. Spent many years riding it to work. Not a pleasant experience. By the time you arrive at your destination, you're exhausted from battling the crowds. But, truthfully, since moving to Florida, I miss the subways and the ease and frequency of mass transit that NYC has. If you don't have a car here, you're in trouble.
And that's a wrap for today.
Husker:
Big Jake is one of my favorite John Wayne movies.
Nice puzzle today. Since I knew EDWARD TEACH I entered ELWES instead of Grant. By the way, Cary Grant's real name was Archibald Leach. Rhymes with Teach.
Best wishes to you all.
Virginia Sycamore @ 11:11 - Thanks for the laugh-out loud comment about the gnat in the Tang. That struck my silly side, but good! The timing was perfect as I just finished wrestling with my taxes. ACK!
Hi Y'all! Fun & fast puzzle! Really liked it. Didn't catch on to the theme because I was looking at the first word for some relationship. Thanks, David & Argyle!
I knew Edward Teach. However, the most exciting thing I can say about this puzzle truthfully is "Hey, I got LAID." (Well, it was just a little exciting.)
Hello Puzzlers -
Hand up for Cary Grant first, but eventually I remembered Elwes from the Princess Bride. If you haven't seen it, it's worth getting. Attar was familiar only from old crosswords.
Howdy Argyle, I had no idea Chicago did a version of A Train. Watching the video, I was struck by how clean and shiny the trains looked, unlike their day-to-day appearance. I've heard lots of versions of A Train over the years, but my favorite has to be a circa 1950 recording with Betty Roché singing in front of the Ellington ensemble. Simply fabulous.
Man oh man, the tax laws are much more complicated this year. I never had to take so much into consideration and come up with answers to questions that have never been asked before. It is far to easy to overlook deductions or credits. Far too arcane. And, well, stupid in my opinion, just plain stupid.
coneyro: the Côte d'Or is also a reference to a large wine appellation in France known as Burgundy.
Some of the finest and most choice Chardonnay and Pinot Noir hails from the Côte d'Or
Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, David Poole, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
To me this puzzle seemed easier than Monday. Got through it quickly. Theme was fine. Liked it. No unifier, but that is OK.
MACHU was a piece of cake. As was EBOOK.
SHREW came easily. As did LINUS.
CHICAGO was a snap, living near here. Eventually I hope to live near another great lake, Erie.
EDWARD TEACH was a new one. A few perps and a wag.
Got up this morning at 3:30 AM to head to the Polling Place. It has been slow all day. Talk about voter apathy. We just hit 6 percent of the registered voters after 9 1/2 hours. We might hit 8 percent before the day is over.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
ELWES, and TEACH cross was a guess that I got right. COTE DOR an unknown. All three were perps. The rest of the puzzle filled so far that I never looked for any theme. I'm OLD SCHOOL, doing these puzzles in the paper but I always do them in ink. My only writeovers were PVT fot PFC and YES for OKS.
Big Easy, I, too, do the puzzles in the newspaper in ink. Maybe there is something in the water down here. Or maybe we're just crazy!
What fitting ? Coach K is a class act. Bill Bellicheat is a class ass. Just another AROD from a different generation.
Pled is perfectly acceptable. As is pleaded.
Pen and paper crossword solvers seem to suggest they should get some extra credit or pat on the back or accolade or god knows what just because they solve it old school. How often do you have to fill up your inkwell and change your quill ?
Miller Lite is less-filling.
Today's offering was a sled run but very enjoyable and well-constructed, filled and clued. Thanks to all who contributed.
No, I don't think the comments from some of the Anonymouses (Anony-mice?) can be called contributions.
Barry G, and others,
The "Anony-mice" on this blog may not be vermin but they certainly associate themselves with an element that chooses not to conform. And for the most part, it's not what an anonymous blogger says, it's how he says it. The word snarky has been used and is too kind. Those kinds of argumentative, meerkat-type comments make us constructive contributors shy away. Personally, I'd like to see them conform. I mean, it's not as if we all use our real names, anyway, so I don't understand the urge to just snipe slurs at everyone. You have to think it's to increase their own self-esteem by denigrating others.
Any support out there? Or is it better just to bear it?
Moe -
Love yer limerick
Cheers!
JzB
Rainman @ 6:06
I was encouraged to "go blue" shortly after joining this forum last year. I've met one of the fellow posters in person (Lemonade714) and had several email exchanges with others. There is a very supportive and friendly community here "at the corner", so I, too can't fathom why people want to post anonymously. But to each his own ...
Oh, and not to refute your comment that "it's not as if we all use our real names" ... Chairman Moe IS my real name!!
;^)
Chairman Moe,
I had no idea your name was really Chairman, but I like it. After this, I may be looking to go Anonymous myself... unless "Curly" or "Larry" are available.
When I was younger, BTW, all Maureens were called Moe, or Mo. Maybe still?
Thanks.
Rainman - would love to have a Curly or Larry here at the Corner! And I, too knew a Maureen who went by Mo - red hair and green eyes and totally Irish
Greetings!
Thanks, David and Santa! Nice theme, too!
No problems.
It was very cold here today. Had another smidgen of rain, also.
Cheers!
PS: Gail frequently has two puzzles published in one day!
Rainman, thank goodness for people like you! No, you won't change the Anonymice, but it's nice someone still wants to try!
They are obviously unhappy, insecure losers who get their jollies from sniping at cyber-targets who can't really fight back except in print. When I first got indignant at them I was advised to ignore them. It is HARD!! But as you say, we are all really anonymous, so they are irrelevant and in the end, not important.
"Canadians may have no CTS but we have LOONIEs. Latest rumour is that we are getting a $5 coin. What would we call it??"
I'd suggest "pentaloons."
I enjoyed the limerick too. I should be better about saying so since I appreciate it when people respond to something I post.
How does one edit ones Profile before posting something so that you have a blue name to click on? I went back to a post yesterday but there must be an easier way...?
Rainman, SwampCat, etc; I agree with your take on most Anons. I too find them hard to ignore. The problem with ignoring their comments is this: When they say something negative and nasty about someone here and no one calls them on it, it begins to feel a little bit like maybe others agree with their snarky comments. At least that's how I react sometimes.
BTW, my real name IS Bill G.
Bill G, you and I have discussed the Snarky Anons in the past. I don't know the answer. I agree with you that they need to be told we don't like what they say. But it doesn't help to confront them! They seem to thrive on our responses. When we respond, it seems to validate them in some sick way.
They are to be pitied, really. Imagine if your only ego-stroking was in saying snarky things about people you don't even know.
Hi All!
What a rotten day. Thank goodness for a puzzle and the corner. David - I liked the puzzle but 50a/52d natnik killed me. I PLEeD stupid :-) Thanks for the great writeup Argyle. THE A Train is still in my head.
C. Moe - thanks for TBBT clip. Eldest and I watched part of BTTF II and it would have dovetaileded nicely.
HowardW - How 'bout Pentaloonies?
Don't feed the trolls. Like P.J. O'Rouke says "Don't vote, it only encourages the bastards."
Cheers, -T
The rain's been audible on the skylights off and on for the past couple of hours. It's enough so we can turn off the lawn sprinklers for a few days but not enough to put much of a dent in the drought. Maybe it will add a small bit to the snow pack up in the Sierras. That'll help a little...
OK, OK, don't feed the trolls. I get it and I seldom do. But it seems as if their POV has some validity when nobody speaks up. What about, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do (say) nothing." (Edmund Burke)
Bill G. Don't feed the trolls isn't pointed at anyone (esp not you) - heck, I've been known to hand out a few bits of TOAST too.
Did you know the kids are going OLD SCHOOL? Eldest begged me to dig out my LPs. CHICAGO( 25 or 6 to 4) was on one of them.
Cheers, -T
Just read this joke in the paper..."The sole purpose of a child's middle name is so he can tell when he's in trouble." Yep, when I heard John, I knew it was deep dookie; if I was lucky, I'd just get SENT to my room.
Here's a link to my fav CHICAGO song. Cheers, -T
Cary Elwes played Robin Hood in the Mel Brooks comedy "Men in Tights".
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