Theme: Split the Distance - as the reveal explains at 60A, the three theme entries are book-ended by 1,760 yards.
17A. Key collection of records : MASTER FILE.
27A. Canadian crooner with four Grammys : MICHAEL BUBLE. I could link a song here, but I'll spare you the schmaltz.
45A. Telltale white line : MILK MUSTACHE. I could link a "Got Milk" topless David Beckham here, but I'll spare you the torso.
60A. Not even close to an agreement ... or, literally, what 17-, 27- and 45-Across have in common : MILES APART
Happy Tax Day, if there is such a thing. Hopefully everyone has come to an agreement with our friends at the IRS over how much figurative blood should have been sucked from our 2014 income. It's a sobering thought that Tax Freedom Day for the average American - the day you stop working for the IRS and start working for the state and finally yourself - doesn't arrive until April 21st. Now I've cheered you all up, let's dig into what Ed created for us today.
Its a straightforward theme, with the MILE separated on a 1-3, 2-2, 3-1 pattern. Is MASTER FILE still a thing? It's been quite some time since I've heard anyone refer to such a thing.
Across:
1. Request an ID from : CARD
5. Classic milk flavoring : BOSCO. Dick Van Dyke was a pitchman. His cockney accent in "Mary Poppins" was a thing of beauty. Not.
10. Degs. for choreographers : M.F.A.S. Masters degrees in Fine Arts.
14. Yours, to Yves : A TOI. What if you're an Yves who isn't French?
15. One making a leaf pile : RAKER
16. Wild speech : RANT
19. Command to Fido : STAY
20. Trophy : PRIZE
21. Slyly suggest : INSINUATE
23. Religious offense : SIN
24. Common "terrible twos" responses : NOS. Usually accompanied by a foot stamp, followed by a clip around the ear by a parent (back in the good old days), then squawking.
26. Quiet time : LULL
32. Came out with : ISSUED
35. Protein-rich beans : SOYS
36. Sushi fish : EEL. Food! Smoked eel is delicious in sushi rolls.
37. Scratching post users : CATS
38. Peeper : EYE. Jeepers, Creepers!
39. "Divergent" heroine __ Prior : TRIS. Thank you, crosses. This young lady has never before visited my wheelhouse.
40. Uplifting wear : BRA. OK, have at it, all you linkers.
41. Oil magnate Halliburton : ERLE. He also designed aluminum suitcases and was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame (What?) in 1957.
43. Feared African fly : TSETSE. Nasty little buggers, these. They cause sleeping sickness in humans and animals.
48. Home to Sean O'Casey : ERIN. "E" and wait for the crosses to decide between ERIN and EIRE.
49. Take to court : SUE
50. Buzzy body : BEE
53. Aspiring rock star's submissions : DEMO TAPES. Do these even exist any more? I'd have thought A&R men would today expect an emailed link to a YouTube clip, not a cassette tape in a padded envelope.
57. Mineral used in water softening : BORAX. We had a discussion about mule teams, muleteers and borax recently.
59. Dr. Seuss' "If __ the Circus" : I RAN
62. Like some beers : LITE. I'm not sure if these actually qualify for the term "beer". All the ones I've tried are a little bland for my taste.
63. Visually teasing genre : OP-ART
64. Continuously : EVER
65. Creepy look : LEER
66. Smallville family : KENTS. Jonathan and Martha were farmers in Smallville who adopted an alien from the planet Krypton named Kal-El. He grew up to be a pretty good journalist at the Daily Planet.
67. Zilch : NADA
Down:
1. Tent sites : CAMPS
2. Centipede video game creator : ATARI
3. Pitcher's gripping aid : ROSIN. Versatile stuff, it's also used on violin bows.
4. Ding-a-ling : DITZ
5. "Close the window!" : BRR
6. Like a boor : OAFISH
7. Crispy fried chicken part : SKIN Food! Sinful, but oh so good! I'm in Atlanta for a couple of days, I should go hunt down some righteous soul food.
8. Cartoon collectibles : CELS
9. "No Spin Zone" newsman : O'REILLY
10. Enterprise helmsman, to Kirk : MR SULU
11. "Hey hey hey!" toon : FAT ALBERT. Also a new visitor to my wheelhouse. He caused me a couple of problems in the nor'east today.
12. Gross subj.? : ANAT. If you want to be educated and entertained by all things human anatomical and dead, read "Stiff" by Mary Roach. She followed up with "Gulp", an entertaining journey through our alimentary canal. I love her writing.
13. 38-Across sore : STYE
18. Counting word in a rhyme : EENIE. I caused something of a stir before when I mentioned that this could also be spelled "EENY". I was surprised by the reaction, so I won't say that again. Oh dear, I think I just did.
22. Well-worn pencils : NUBS
25. Med. condition with repetitive behavior : O.C.D. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Excuse me while I go and make sure all the labels on my spice jars are facing the same way. There's only 60 or so jars to check.
27. Conservatory subj. : MUS. Oh - not the "greenhouse" definition. Although you could play music in the greenhouse, apparently tomatoes enjoy Mozart. I'm not kidding.
28. So far : AS YET
29. Fair-hiring initials : EOE. Equal Opportunity Employer
30. Flowery rings : LEIS
31. Ultimatum ender : ELSE. Back to the bratty two-year-old? Stop that squawking or else!
32. Long-range nuke : I-C.B.M. Inter-continental ballistic missile.
33. Rani's wrap : SARI. Vibrant, colorful garb for this Indian "Queen"
34. Deadlock : STALEMATE
38. Aboveground trains : ELS
39. Golf gadget : TEE. I think "gadget" is a bit of an elaborate description for a stick that you put your ball on.
41. Exude : EMIT
42. Go wild : RUN AMOK
43. Ft. Worth campus : T.C.U. Texas Christian University, home of the Horned Frogs.
44. Queen of __: noted visitor of King Solomon : SHEBA
46. Copenhagen coins : KRONER. I had "KRONAS" first, then saw sense.
47. State as fact : ASSERT
50. Cry to a prima donna : BRAVA. Bravo! to the tenor, Brava! to the soprano.
51. Dog-__: folded at the corner : EARED
52. Spare : EXTRA
53. Pickle herb : DILL
54. Albany-to-Buffalo canal : ERIE. When it was first built, "Clinton's Ditch" was dug only four feet deep to save on construction cost, to the befuddlement of potential suicides who tried to drown themselves in it by leaping from various bridges. It's 12 feet deep now.
55. Water carrier : PIPE
56. Spirited style : ELAN
58. Major tennis event : OPEN. Three Opens (Australian, French and US) make up three-quarters of the tennis Grand Slam. The fourth event, "The Championships, Wimbledon" is the only one played now played on grass. Those Brits have to be different, eh?
61. MD and ME, e.g. : STS. Which T in STATES is the abbreviation? I think we should be told.
That's enough from me - here's the answer grid.
Steve
Note from C.C.:
I got below note from Irish Miss. Can any of you help her? I recall JD had the same problem with her iPad before.
"Every time I go to the blog to post, I have to sign in to Google. I have never signed out but this happened once before, although it eventually cleared itself up, until recently. When I go to the blog home page, in the upper right hand corner, it shows only Sign In, there is no Dashboard. When I post my comments and sign in, then go back to the home page, my email address shows and Dashboard, too. If I go back to the blog later, no email address or Dashboard appears, just Sign In. I'm at a loss how to get signed in and stay signed in. Any ideas? Thanks."
17A. Key collection of records : MASTER FILE.
27A. Canadian crooner with four Grammys : MICHAEL BUBLE. I could link a song here, but I'll spare you the schmaltz.
45A. Telltale white line : MILK MUSTACHE. I could link a "Got Milk" topless David Beckham here, but I'll spare you the torso.
60A. Not even close to an agreement ... or, literally, what 17-, 27- and 45-Across have in common : MILES APART
Happy Tax Day, if there is such a thing. Hopefully everyone has come to an agreement with our friends at the IRS over how much figurative blood should have been sucked from our 2014 income. It's a sobering thought that Tax Freedom Day for the average American - the day you stop working for the IRS and start working for the state and finally yourself - doesn't arrive until April 21st. Now I've cheered you all up, let's dig into what Ed created for us today.
Its a straightforward theme, with the MILE separated on a 1-3, 2-2, 3-1 pattern. Is MASTER FILE still a thing? It's been quite some time since I've heard anyone refer to such a thing.
Across:
1. Request an ID from : CARD
5. Classic milk flavoring : BOSCO. Dick Van Dyke was a pitchman. His cockney accent in "Mary Poppins" was a thing of beauty. Not.
10. Degs. for choreographers : M.F.A.S. Masters degrees in Fine Arts.
14. Yours, to Yves : A TOI. What if you're an Yves who isn't French?
15. One making a leaf pile : RAKER
16. Wild speech : RANT
19. Command to Fido : STAY
20. Trophy : PRIZE
21. Slyly suggest : INSINUATE
23. Religious offense : SIN
24. Common "terrible twos" responses : NOS. Usually accompanied by a foot stamp, followed by a clip around the ear by a parent (back in the good old days), then squawking.
26. Quiet time : LULL
32. Came out with : ISSUED
35. Protein-rich beans : SOYS
36. Sushi fish : EEL. Food! Smoked eel is delicious in sushi rolls.
37. Scratching post users : CATS
38. Peeper : EYE. Jeepers, Creepers!
39. "Divergent" heroine __ Prior : TRIS. Thank you, crosses. This young lady has never before visited my wheelhouse.
40. Uplifting wear : BRA. OK, have at it, all you linkers.
41. Oil magnate Halliburton : ERLE. He also designed aluminum suitcases and was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame (What?) in 1957.
43. Feared African fly : TSETSE. Nasty little buggers, these. They cause sleeping sickness in humans and animals.
48. Home to Sean O'Casey : ERIN. "E" and wait for the crosses to decide between ERIN and EIRE.
49. Take to court : SUE
50. Buzzy body : BEE
53. Aspiring rock star's submissions : DEMO TAPES. Do these even exist any more? I'd have thought A&R men would today expect an emailed link to a YouTube clip, not a cassette tape in a padded envelope.
57. Mineral used in water softening : BORAX. We had a discussion about mule teams, muleteers and borax recently.
59. Dr. Seuss' "If __ the Circus" : I RAN
62. Like some beers : LITE. I'm not sure if these actually qualify for the term "beer". All the ones I've tried are a little bland for my taste.
63. Visually teasing genre : OP-ART
64. Continuously : EVER
65. Creepy look : LEER
66. Smallville family : KENTS. Jonathan and Martha were farmers in Smallville who adopted an alien from the planet Krypton named Kal-El. He grew up to be a pretty good journalist at the Daily Planet.
67. Zilch : NADA
Down:
1. Tent sites : CAMPS
2. Centipede video game creator : ATARI
3. Pitcher's gripping aid : ROSIN. Versatile stuff, it's also used on violin bows.
4. Ding-a-ling : DITZ
5. "Close the window!" : BRR
6. Like a boor : OAFISH
7. Crispy fried chicken part : SKIN Food! Sinful, but oh so good! I'm in Atlanta for a couple of days, I should go hunt down some righteous soul food.
8. Cartoon collectibles : CELS
9. "No Spin Zone" newsman : O'REILLY
10. Enterprise helmsman, to Kirk : MR SULU
11. "Hey hey hey!" toon : FAT ALBERT. Also a new visitor to my wheelhouse. He caused me a couple of problems in the nor'east today.
12. Gross subj.? : ANAT. If you want to be educated and entertained by all things human anatomical and dead, read "Stiff" by Mary Roach. She followed up with "Gulp", an entertaining journey through our alimentary canal. I love her writing.
13. 38-Across sore : STYE
18. Counting word in a rhyme : EENIE. I caused something of a stir before when I mentioned that this could also be spelled "EENY". I was surprised by the reaction, so I won't say that again. Oh dear, I think I just did.
22. Well-worn pencils : NUBS
25. Med. condition with repetitive behavior : O.C.D. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Excuse me while I go and make sure all the labels on my spice jars are facing the same way. There's only 60 or so jars to check.
27. Conservatory subj. : MUS. Oh - not the "greenhouse" definition. Although you could play music in the greenhouse, apparently tomatoes enjoy Mozart. I'm not kidding.
28. So far : AS YET
29. Fair-hiring initials : EOE. Equal Opportunity Employer
30. Flowery rings : LEIS
31. Ultimatum ender : ELSE. Back to the bratty two-year-old? Stop that squawking or else!
32. Long-range nuke : I-C.B.M. Inter-continental ballistic missile.
33. Rani's wrap : SARI. Vibrant, colorful garb for this Indian "Queen"
34. Deadlock : STALEMATE
38. Aboveground trains : ELS
39. Golf gadget : TEE. I think "gadget" is a bit of an elaborate description for a stick that you put your ball on.
41. Exude : EMIT
42. Go wild : RUN AMOK
43. Ft. Worth campus : T.C.U. Texas Christian University, home of the Horned Frogs.
44. Queen of __: noted visitor of King Solomon : SHEBA
46. Copenhagen coins : KRONER. I had "KRONAS" first, then saw sense.
47. State as fact : ASSERT
50. Cry to a prima donna : BRAVA. Bravo! to the tenor, Brava! to the soprano.
51. Dog-__: folded at the corner : EARED
52. Spare : EXTRA
53. Pickle herb : DILL
54. Albany-to-Buffalo canal : ERIE. When it was first built, "Clinton's Ditch" was dug only four feet deep to save on construction cost, to the befuddlement of potential suicides who tried to drown themselves in it by leaping from various bridges. It's 12 feet deep now.
55. Water carrier : PIPE
56. Spirited style : ELAN
58. Major tennis event : OPEN. Three Opens (Australian, French and US) make up three-quarters of the tennis Grand Slam. The fourth event, "The Championships, Wimbledon" is the only one played now played on grass. Those Brits have to be different, eh?
61. MD and ME, e.g. : STS. Which T in STATES is the abbreviation? I think we should be told.
That's enough from me - here's the answer grid.
Steve
Note from C.C.:
I got below note from Irish Miss. Can any of you help her? I recall JD had the same problem with her iPad before.
"Every time I go to the blog to post, I have to sign in to Google. I have never signed out but this happened once before, although it eventually cleared itself up, until recently. When I go to the blog home page, in the upper right hand corner, it shows only Sign In, there is no Dashboard. When I post my comments and sign in, then go back to the home page, my email address shows and Dashboard, too. If I go back to the blog later, no email address or Dashboard appears, just Sign In. I'm at a loss how to get signed in and stay signed in. Any ideas? Thanks."
72 comments:
Morning, all!
Got the theme before the end and it actually helped me get MILK MUSTACHE, so that was nice.
Overall a pretty smooth solve today. Learning moment was that Dr. Seuss apparently wrote a sequel (?) to "If I Ran the Zoo" (a book I read to my son many times when he was young).
TRIS was a complete unknown for me as well and the perps were needed for all letters.
So is Tris the actress or the character? WBS
Master file must still exist, law offices still need to keep files for 7 years.
A replacement clue for Perry Mason' s creator with the founder of a very big and controversial company.
Steve no MILEy Cyrus link?
Good morning all,
Somehow I managed to have a successful solve today. I attribute it to more luck then smarts.
For example, I wondered who Fatal Bert was in 11D. Perps saved me. Thanks to Steve I learned it is FAT ALBERT. Him I've heard of, but he was forgotten. Sorry Bert, whoever you may be.
Hand up for no knowing TRIS.
I started with Bravo for 50D, but NADA changed the O to A. Honestly, I never realized there was a feminine version to bravo.
Must be a slow day at Smallville Corners today. Only 2 posts.
A new type of ReCapcha wants me to identify different types of pasta and noodles in a set of 16 image grid settings. This ReCapcha was probably meant for you Steve. What will the ReCapcha people think of next ? A mini IQ test ? Or, hopefully - solve an algebraic equation - which will cut down the posts to half.
Good morning!
After DODO turned to DITZ early on, it was smooth sailing. I agree, Steve, MASTER FILE and DEMO TAPE are both old-timey.
That slimy, chocolaty BOSCO wasn't a "flavoring," it was a "milk amplifier."
I ashamed to admit that I don't recognize the name MICHAEL BUBLE. Is he good?
I've never heard of using BORAX in a water softener. Just plain old salt (NACL) is all I've seen. The "hard" calcium ions are exchanged for "soft" sodium ions. A layer of zeolite serves as a catalyst in the ion exchange process.
Dang, Hondo. When you said FATAL BERT, I looked at 11d and said to myself, "Sure enough! I don't remember putting that in!" D'oh!
Here's a Bosco commercial from the 50s. As kids we sang this alternate version:
I hate Bosco, it's not the drink for me.
Mommy puts it in my milk to try and poison me.
But I fooled Mommy, I put it in her tea,
And now I have no mommy to try and poison me.
Note: I don't clearly remember the first line. I found a variant online ("I hate Bosco, it's made with DDT") which works better but it's not what I remember (or don't remember).
Wikipedia says Bosco was used to simulate blood in the shower scene in "Psycho".
Didn't notice the theme while filling it out (well, until the reveal or course). I like the progression in the split.
Was unfamiliar with Beatrice ("TRIS") Prior, played by Shailene Woodley. (Thank you, Wikipedia.) And Halliburton's first name. But small speedbumps in a relatively quick solve.
Love your FATAL BERT interpretation of 11D, hondo!
For those wanting more links, here's a slightly different MILES.
I was enthralled by Spitz's link to the Ming Vase auction, yesterday. Charming and engrossing and good for a hearty laugh.
The link, with due credit to Spitzboov, here.
BTW, I watched 'Art of the heist - the lady in gold' on Youtube - the story of the painting 'The portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, #1' - which has been made into at least 3 documentaries and one movie (at least) - The lady in gold, currently running in theatres.
CAUTION: The above Youtube video is more than an hour long ! Watch it, at your own risk, of patience and time.
The only relevant point, to Spitz's video, is that in the actual auction, at Christie's, the auctioneer does not use a gavel to signal the end of the auction, but a wooden coin, which fits in three fingers.
Good Morning,
Smooth run. Thanks, Ed. I didn't see the theme until Steve revealed it. Nothing new there for me. I like the word ELAN; it expresses something special but not quite definable about a person. BOSCO--yuk! Didn't know it had a starring role in an all time great movie scene. Do you still lock the door when you take a shower--even if you're home alone?
It seems Spring is moving in. The forsythia here are magnificent! Have a fine day today.
Speed run except the NE corner. When I went back to see if perps had rescued me, there was no help. I didn't recognize FAT ALBERT, BUBLE OR TRIS. It didn't help that I had assumed SUL- was going to end in an A. So it was a real natick for me with three unknown names, and one forgotten one that looked like FATAL -E-T to me too. Popular culture is another of my weak spots.
Dick Van Dyke blamed his terrible Cockney pronunciation on Disney's giving him an Irishman for a vocal/accent coach.
Good Morning:
An enjoyable Wednesday offering with no real speed bumps. CSO to CED with cats and Abejo with Erie.
Thanks, Ed Sessa, and thanks, Steve, for the witty write-up.
Have a great day. I'm on my way to the opthamologist and those dreaded dilating drops!
Good morning everyone.
I usually like Ed's puzzles and I did today. Not much to add to Steve's great write-up. The MI LE apart schtick actually helped me get MICHAEL BUBLE.
54d - ERIE canal. I grew up on its major branch, the Champlain Canal and now live 4 MILES South of it near Utica.
In the 40's and 50's the Champlain section was very busy with cargo traffic - Fuel, northbound and, newsprint southbound from Quebec to NYC. The boats/barges would return in ballast or occasionally with misc. cargo.
Once, when I was maybe 10 or so, a barge and tug moored overnight to one of our willow trees on the bank at the edge of our cow pasture to wait out a very dense fog. A nice cook threw this young cowherder some very delicious donuts.
Sic transit gloria.
An interesting Wednesday with a few clues that left me clueless, even though I easily finished. the 'Hey hey hey!' fill of FATAL BERT was all crossed with a guess on TRIS, because I had no ideas on what "Divergent' was about.
I see we have another ERLE for future clues, knowing nothing about the oil service company's founder. BRAVA is s new one for me as I originally put BRAVO and saw that NODA wouldn't do.
I wanted STAND OFF for STALEMATE but quickly realized I had an extra square.
I'm signing in under my google name to see what the lass from Eire's problem might be.
No problems posting.
Big Easy
Steve: Nice write-up & links.
ED: Thank You for a FUN Wednesday puzzle that wasn't too taxing.
Really enjoyed the MILES APART theme. MILK MUSTACHE actually got a LOL!
Heading to the Post Office to mail my Tax Return.
Then it is off-to-the-liquor-store to get some BEER to cry into ...
Cheers!
I had no problem "until" I came to the Blog, apparently I put 3d = resin (French perped again!) Phooey!
Oh well, must try to be in an uplifting mood... Even tho it's 4/15...
Miles apart#1
Miles Apart #2?
I am not familiar with the toon Fat Albert, only the original...
Irish Miss, re: Ipad/Imac/Apple worms... I will be looking at responses to your inquiry closely, as whenever I go on vacation (like last week) I have to use DWs Ipad, or my Iphone. Neither of which I have found to be user friendly. I can lurk, but posting is a nightmare....
Quick solve for me today - most were "in my wheelhouse" as they say. Still needed the unifier clue to tie the theme answers together. Enjoyed the first Divergent film with Shailene Woodley as TRIS in the series last year, but haven't seen the recent one. As a kid, had BOSCO and listened to Bill Cosby's standups about FAT ALBERT who lived in his neighborhood.
D-otto - Michael Buble'is a modern pop artist who sings in a Frank Sinatra style. He has a fun Christmas special every year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AJmKkU5POA
Thanks Steve for the write-up and Ed for constructing!
Hi gang -
Nice bookend puzzle. Very well constructed.
For Hey hey toon, I'm picturing an orange cat with a fedora, about to exit stage left, but can't come up with a name. After perps filled it in, I really did see FATAL BERT, what the . . .?!?
Then it hit me.
For those contemplating tax free day, please be aware that 43% of Americans don't make enough to qualify for having a federal tax burden, down from 47% in 2009. The hazard of using aggregated numbers.
Nice day here, many things to do, so IMBO.
Cool regards,
JzB
Hmm,
(testing, 123...)
I am using DWs iPad, & at the bottom I am already signed in as CED, so I signed out.
Now, at the bottom it says I will be asked to sign in "after" I publish. The last time I tried this on my phone I got a msg that I had to be verified by answering a text that they sent to the wrong number, so let's se what happens.
Oh, before I do, I have another problem. Whenever i open a blogger link to a YouTube, & tap play, I get audio but no video? Yet if I open the separate YouTube app, & plug in the same video, it plays fine... Any ideas on what's wrong?
Greetings, All!
A quick and easy romp today, thank you, Ed Sessa. My only write over was the -ER at KRONER. I had KRONAS.
I believe Bill Cosby created the FAT ALBERT toon.
With EMIT in place, ERIN naturally fell in. And I had a laugh at gross ANAT.
Irish Miss, I had that problem for a long time then someone on the Blog helped me but I don't remember who. I'm sorry. Perhaps that person will come to your rescue.
I have to undergo a nuclear stress test as well as an echo cardiogram so it will be an all afternoon event.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
I forgot to thank you, Steve, for your always lively review.
Smooth solve today, with a very nice theme. Had to complete the puzzle to get it though. Thanks, Ed, for a fun puzzle. Loved the FAT ALBERT - got it right away. Guess you had to see it long ago to remember this Bill Cosby skit.
Thanks, Steve, for an always interesting and fun write-up.
Nice puzzle today and a nice write-up Steve. Didn't see the theme until I was done.
When I was a kid I believed the Bosco commercials and pestered my mother until she bought a jar for me. After one glass of it I realized it was terrible Brown Sludge. To teach me a lesson, my mother made me drink a glass every day until it was gone. I didn't pester her as much about buying stuff after that.
It's a nice day at the beach today. Not hot, but nice.
Hope everyone got their taxes done and can enjoy the day.
I was “MILES APART” from the “now obvious” theme (damned forest/trees) but really liked Ed’s midweek offering.
Musings
-I’ll bet you know what these telltale white lines are called
-It is criminal that ittakes a book this size to fulfill your civic duty
-Don’t we all have friends over 30 that still get CARDED?
-Our kitty only responds to a can of her food being opened
-During a LULL (Christmas truce), German and British soldiers did this in no man’s land
-Our kitty needs a scratching post because we will never declaw her
-The NuMale Medical Center in Omaha has started new radio ads for erectile dysfunction containing references to “Pitching your TENT faster, longer and whenever you want to. “Subtle!
-Has any American icon fallen farther and faster than Bill Cosby (Fat Albert)?
-OCD – “Knock, knock, knock, Penny? Knock, knock, knock, Penny? Knock, knock, knock, Penny?”
-Lady In Gold sidebar. Elizabeth McGovern (Lady Crawley) is in that movie and certainly got the role due to Downton Abbey fame like so many others have.
-BTW on Rotten Tomatoes, Lady In Gold got 53% approval from the critics and 89% approval from the hoi poloi.
Addendum:
-Scroll down a couple of screens to see how the ridiculous US Tax Code has progressed over the years
-Tinman, did you include all those Rubles you made? ;-)
Husker:
Since I have represented clients on 33 occasions before the IRS (in actually "Face-To-Face" Audits) ... and been successful BEATING THEM on ALL 33 audits ...
I know that my Tax Return is ALWAYS pulled by the IRS and reviewed by an IRS Agent.
As such, I always report all income.
BTW I wasn't paid in Rubles ... I was paid in EURO's (converted to Dollars!).
PS There was NO actual "crying-in-my-beer" ...
I don't concentrate on how much my taxes are ... IMHO It's cheap rent to live in this wonderful country.
I concentrate on how much I get to keep!
Cheers!
This tax season the complaint I heard the most (no, it wasn't Obamacare), it was taxation of Social Security benefits. Each year it affects more and more people. Until 1984 nobody paid tax on SS benefits.
But in '83, Congress decided that anybody who made more than 5X the federal poverty level was rich and should pay tax on up to 50% of their SS benefits. In '94 Congress upped the ante so that 85% of SS benefits could be subject to tax. That's where it stands today.
The problem? Congress never indexed the kick-in point to inflation -- it's still tied to 5X the 1983 federal poverty level. So if you're married, over 65, and collecting Social Security, and your family's non-SS income is more than $32K, guess what? You're rich! Congrats! You get to pay that tax.
Fun speed run except for the NE corner where three naticks (MR SULU, MICHAEL BUBLE and TRIS) made things tough for a bit. I had URSULA for Kirk's helmsman for a while, thinking it was weird gender switch, until I decided no degree began with a U and MR SULU fell into place. So, many thanks, Ed, for a fun Wednesday puzzle, and thanks, Steve, for explaining the Smallville family.
Have a great day, everybody!
Kazie,
If you enjoy Frank Sinatra's music you will enjoy Michael Buble.
I felt like a Dodo, a Dope and finally a DITZ doing this one.
I find that ROSIN is a product made from resin, but of course it's just a variant of the same word. Gotta love this crazy language.
I was FATALly naticked by the cross of FATAL BEaT with TaIS (my best WAGs) until I googled Divergent Prior.
Steve, you've got to be in a foul mood to diss Dick Van Dyke. Maybe it's because of the date. If 43% of us aren't paying taxes, does that mean the rest of us are working until August before paying off our taxes? Ouch!
"puzzling thoughts":
another speed run, or at least until I got closer to the bottom; finally got the theme as perps started solving MILES APART; enjoyed the MILK MUSTACHE clue/solve, though my own MUSTACHE has gotten so white that it looks as if I've just drank a glass
knew "CARD" right off which started my speed run; a few years back I owned a liquor store and bar so CARDing customers was "de rigueur". Fortunately, I subscribed to a service that protected me against any employee who did NOT CARD, resulting in an underAGED person being served. I had a real DITZ for a bartender (sorry, she was a blonde) and she got caught serving a minor one day (sting operation). She got fined by the state; I was not. She got fired by me shortly thereafter, as serving minors was indeed one of her more "minor" offenses
Nice CSO to Irish Miss with regard to the ERIE canal; her residence cannot be too far from it
OK - I will take a stab at a 40A Link. Wonder if our own CED has ever thought of wishing a happy birthday using this "Cupcake" BRA??!!
At our local ballpark they CARD everyone crazy enough to buy the overpriced beer, so I get to use my standard reply, "What? Are you going to give me the senior discount?"
Must say, so far the puzzles this week have been quite easy. Today was another speed run.
Got the theme right away. Getting smarter about key words in the reveal, such as "APART". Immediately thought the word MILE was separated. Feel so bright!
Michael Bublé is a forty year old Canadian entertainer. He is a crooner and pop style artist. The ladies love him! His voice is always being compared to Frank Sinatra. His Christmas specials are a traditional Yuletime treat. I think he is nice looking and very talented.
I was surprised that FAT ALBERT wasn't a gimme for most. He was one of Bill Cosby's most recognizable cartoon creation personalities. In the '70's, all the younger kids of my friends in NY loved this show which was based on the comic' s former childhood associates. My guess is that it was more popular and relatable to urban and intercity folk.
I remember when Centipede came out. My son loved to play video games, and had Atari and Sega consoles, among others. Considered such advanced technology for the times. We've come along way since then, but IMO not for the better. The graphics may be more realistic, but the subject matter has changed to violence and distruction. The kids are getting desensitized to brutality, and how will this benefit their future. As a parent, I am concerned. Just saying....
Anyhooo.. Enough ranting for today. Hope everyone survived tax season without too many scars. This year the forms were few, and many people were afraid they weren't going to be on time. There has to be a better way, America!
Til tomorrow.....
I wonder if Bill Cosby called his drug and date rape game 'buck, buck' ?
Nice puzzle and great write-up.
Steve, if you really suffered from OCD you'd know exactly how many spice jars you had in the cabinet. The difficulty would be how to organize them; from sweet to savory, chronologically by purchase date, color, alphabetically...maybe I should just reorganize the utensil drawer?
The story of the day, former New England patriot Aaron Hernandez being convicted of 1st degree murder has a tie in to today's theme. It's now being reported that his new home is only MILES AWAY from his former home field, Gillette Stadium. Oh, the irony.
And, yes, he once posed with a MILK MOUSTACHE.
Chairman Moe @ 12:08
I think I did...
It went something like this...
Coneyro - In case you haven't heard, Brooklyn is losing one of its revered treasures. Junior's is moving to New Jersey.
To clarify, posting is not a problem; staying signed-in is. It's just annoying to have to sign-in every time I post. ACK!
No dilating drops on today's visit. Hooray! And all good news, to boot! Can't ask for more than that!
CED @ 2:35
Nice! I figured you would have that in your photo album . . .
Anon at 2:02, not sure if you were serious posting the pictureof Aaron Rogers (not Hernandez) by Hernandez actaully was the spokesperson for a product known as Muscle Milk, a protein drink...was.
Where is our favorite Tween to tell us about Divergent and Tris?
Irish Miss @ 3:16
Have you tried previewing your post (while you are signed in) before publishing it? I've found that if I do this it will not ask me to verify my identity. Might be worth a shot.
How are you signed in, BTW? Via Google Account or which? I use a Google Account (my gmail address) although I funnel my email for this site through my MSN account
Hi Y'all! Fun puzzle but I didn't get the cute theme until Steve 'splained it. Thanks!
Never heard of BOSCO, thank you Mom!
Thought OPART was a single word. Oh, OP ART! Visually teasing? I tried "porno".
D-O: BUBLE is pronounced Booblay. Probably why you don't recognize the name.
Pitcher's gripping aid wasn't "seams" or "glove" but ROSIN? I thought they just grabbed a hand full of dirt.
I tried "Cosby Kids" before FAT ALBERT. I thought that was what the TV show was called. "Hey, hey, hey" was unforgettable.
Family lore said my paternal line great-grandfather worked on the Erie Canal. Don't know if he helped build it or floated on it.
Coneyro: I, too, worry about all the destructive movies and games. Monkey see, monkey do! I remember my younger brother and his friends bopping each other around just from watching The Three Stooges. With the current escalation in violence in America, there is certainly reason for concern. I have six grandsons that play some of those games.
Coneyro: My PK didn't print on the post about violence for some reason.
Coneyro - I misspoke; only Junior's bakery facilities are moving, not the restaurant. Sorry.
Chairman Moe @ 3:29 - I will give that a try. I am signed in through a Google account.
Finished this puzzle this morning but did not get to post until now because I was enjoying the sun outside. Finally we have spring and tulips coming up.
WEES about the theme, FATAL BERT, EIRE or ERIN. Buble is easy to listen to and Canadian!
Interesting use of DEMOTAPES &MASTERFILE.
I also noted ELS, ELSE and EEL in same puzzle.
DIL wore a gorgeous SARI for wedding reception.
O the Ear-eye-ee was a-risin'
And the gin was a-gettin' low.
And I scarcely think we'll get a drink
Till we get to Buff-a-lo-wo-o
Till we get to Buffalo.
PK, so I guess that might make him doubly sexy -- Boob - Lay. I listened to the clip that Inanehiker posted. It's OK, but not style. Not enough twang, I guess.
Good Afternoon Steve and friends. I am really late to the party today. Fun puzzle. I wondered at first what a MILK MUSTACHE and a MASTER FILE could have in common.
Did no one else think of George Costanza when BOSCO was revealed? My only reference to Bosco was that Seinfeld episode.
Laughed at the FATAL BERT! I had FAT for the longest time, before somewhere in the recesses of my mind i remembered that was a Bill Cosby character. Creepy!
QOD: The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation. ~ Corrie Ten Boom (Apr. 15, 1892 ~ Apr. 15, 1983)
Jacye@4:20: I was unfamiliar with that song. Here it is, sung by The Weavers. And here's the much more familiar Erie Canal song, sung by the late Pete Seeger (one of the members of The Weavers). And here it is by . . . wait for it . . . Bruce Springsteen.
Oops. Should have been Jayce
Greetings!
Puzzle went rather quickly! Thanks Ed and Steve! No problems. Do hate being reminded of Cosby, though.
Missed my swim as girlfriend still hasn't been able to print out her and hubby's tax forms using Turbo Tax on their printer.
Our local P. O. opens at 10 AM, BTW. This seems very strange. Is this true everywhere?
Had a taxing day here. Not related to the IRS, just have been swamped. But count me among those that consider it a bargain for the benefits received.
Fun puzzle. The theme was not that special, but the fill was. It's got a good beat and you can dance to it.
D-O, you're pronouncing it all wrong. It's "Boo-BLAY". :-)
Yes, Happy Tax Day.
Thanks Steve, I didn't know April 21 was our tax free day, or whatever it's called. I think we have it pretty good here, compared to many other countries. But we don't get as much in return.
Was hoping Canadian Eh or one of our friends would refresh my memory as to what the date is up in Canada now... I'm guessing June first.
Who else thinks Canada gets more return for their tax buck than we?
Nice puzzle, Ed. Thanks. Smooth, nice solve. I got the theme early and it helped a bit.
Enjoyed all your Erie Canal comments, links and posts. Closest I've been is Niagara Falls and New Paltz... gotta see it someday, just to say I saw it.
Rainman@5:11: New Paltz is very close to me (I got my BA from SUNY New Paltz) but it's not at all close to the Erie Canal.
Canawler:
Thanks. Yes, that's still a ways to Albany, too, and I didn't know it came THAT close.
At least, I've been to the Mohonk Mountain House!! Anyone who has stayed there is a time traveler, in a say.
Invite you to contact me directly. Talk more then.
Rainman@5:29: I worked (and lived) at Mohonk in the '70s. Some of the best years of my life. I think I want my ashes scattered up there. Not that it matters, of course.
Irish miss.
I have been playing with my iPhone. And lost several posts already
Below where you post. Does it say:
Comment as:
Google acct
If not. Hold your finger on it until you can change it to google acct.
Note that once you sign in. You lose your post. But a box should pop up from your browser asking do you want to save this password for this site. Choose yes.
HI All!
I've never worked a Wed so fast even with going off track a bit. I had to read 60a's clue 3x to convince myseft that 53a wasn't part of the theme (FILE, TAPE, storage!). Pail at 55d didn't help much either.
Thanks for the fun Ed and keeping it going Steve and friends.
Hand up - Hondo made me EYE 11d and think "how did I get that?"
CED - I had the YouTube issue until I uninstalled the app.
oc4 - Your BOSCO is DW's Jiffy Pop.
Here's how you know you are playing a DITZ STALEMATE in 10 moves. Warning - kinda dry.
Oh, favs: TSU xing SUE and BRA over MILK.
Cheers, -T
@KayUUJay - You have a point there. When I get home on Friday I'll post a picture of said cabinet and you can give me suggestions:)
Irish Miss,
Here is a forum conversation thread that may help you. It is for the browser called Safari.
What browser are you using?
Rainman@5:11
Canadian income tax deadline is midnight April 30 so we have a little longer. But mine is ready to go and I will help son with his tomorrow using TurboTax.
Very few people are satisfied that their tax dollars are being spent wisely it seems!
CED - So far today, I have been still signed in. Under Choose An Identity, it is showing Irish Miss (Google Account) which is what it's supposed to show. I use Safari, sometimes Dolphin and sometimes Chrome. I'm hoping the problem is going to self-correct as it did in the past. Thanks for your suggestions?
To JazzBumpa,
I am pretty sure the thespian cat that said, “Hey, hey, hey” was SnaggleTooth in one of the Hanna Barbera shows. Although Yogi Bear said it sometimes also.
For Dingaling, all I could think of was this Chuck Berry song "My Dingaling"; But the word I thought of didn’t fit the perps.
Irish Miss,
well, if u r still signed in, i guess it's fixed. But just in case...
My earlier forum conversation thread was for if you accidentally selected NEVER REMEMBER PASSWORD like you would want for a bank account etc... & was more for Mac than Ipad.
Here is a simple YouTube video that should be tried first.
CanadianEh! - Then maybe my accountant can figure out what to do w/ the peice of paper Canada sent me for working 1.5 days in Calgary before 4/30.
Not to get political, but I don't mind taxes. Tax payers helped me & DW get our degrees and now we pour way more $$ back into the system. I need to FILE more deductions (@18:34 - sorry couldn't find just the clip).
Cheers, -T
Irish Miss, wish I could help, but I never got mine resolved. It is hit and miss when I am on my iPad. One of the reasons I don't post very often any more is that when I'm away, my iPad always questions if it is me. I don't have the patience. My verizon email was part of the problem and now I do have a g mail account, but I haven't changed it on this site.
LOVED today's puzzle. What's not to like with words like insinuate, milk mustache and miles apart. I had to laugh when I saw that Hondo H also saw "Fatal Bert" like I did. So funny!
It was very slow going in the north east corner, but mostly a very smooth run. I did put SCUD for ICBM, but perps rectified it.
Here's another RANT on taxes. Same bit, but more polished and only 2:58. C, -T
I can see for MILES
Finally finished some taxes and 1040X's that came under the Statute of Limitations ( normally 3 years after the initial date due for filing).
TOP 1% of taxpayers pay 32% of the Federal income tax,
Top 5% pay 58%
Top 10 percent pay 78%
Top 50 percent pay 109 % of the taxes. No, Really.
Bottom 50% actually get 9% of the tax bill BACK as some sort of refunds or tax credits etc.
But everybody complains - because it makes them feel important. Hey ! That's my F-15 you're flying !
Correction on Snaggletooth.
In most of his cartoons his name was SnagglePuss, but there was a mention of Snaggletooth as a brother in an early one.
His Wikipedia article is very good.
I named one of my dogs Augie for Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy cartoons.
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