Theme: What you don't want your panties in - Again, the reveal is in the clue. Re-imagine a common thing as a group of people.
17A. Bunch of builders? : ERECTOR SET
55A. Bunch of valets? : PARKING LOT
10D. Bunch of contortionists? : ELASTIC BAND
24D. Bunch of cryptologists? : DECODER RING
Argyle here. Bunch of Corner constructors? ( ????? )
Across:
1. Netherlands dairy export : EDAM
5. Needle : TEASE
10. Car designer Ferrari : ENZO. 19-Across. Ferrari, e.g. : AUTO
14. O'Hara plantation : TARA
15. Hunt of "As Good as It Gets" : HELEN. Stars: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear and a Brussels Griffon. (no Westie)
16. Café au __ : LAIT. (French for "coffee with milk")
20. Salty expanse : SEA
21. Peter, Paul and Mary, e.g. : TRIO
22. White terrier, familiarly : WESTIE
24. Finished : DONE
25. "He __ Heavy, He's My Brother" : AIN'T
26. Derby drinks : JULEPS. The Belmont Jewel is the official drink of the Belmont Stakes. Created by mixologist Drew Revella, this drink is made with small-batch bourbon shaken with pomegranate and lemonade.
29. Talking heads : PUNDITS
32. Adidas rival : ASICS
33. Magazine unit : PAGE
34. Bloke : CHAP
36. Gambling town at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas : RENO
37. Found new digs : MOVED
38. Sonny & Cher surname : BONO
39. Took to court : SUED
40. Phone button abbr. : OPER. (operator)
41. Historic Vegas hotel, with "the" : SANDS
42. Before-marriage contracts, briefly : PRENUPS. (prenuptial agreement)
44. Mix at a party : MINGLE
45. Like Santa's cheeks : ROSY. Juleps and Jewels, ho, ho, ho!
46. Cottage cheese lump : CURD. deja clue.
47. South Dakota's capital : PIERRE
50. Boarding pass information : GATE
51. Boxing stat : KOs. (knock out)
54. Not pro : ANTI
58. Tend to a pressing task : IRON. Clever misdirection.
59. Not from Earth : ALIEN
60. Soccer superstar : PELE
61. Bumper defect : DING. DENT slowed me up.
62. Scatterbrained : DITSY
63. Sewer's row : SEAM
Down:
1. Hot times in Cannes : ÉTÉs. (French for "summer")
2. Take a chance : DARE. And one that does, is a DARER.
3. Word with gray or play : AREA
4. Scottish name prefix : MAC
5. Rose protectors : THORNS. Let not the fear of the thorn keep you from the beauty of the rose.
6. Like many a Poe story : EERIE
7. Too : ALSO
8. "What'd I tell you?" : "SEE!"
9. Woven together : ENTWINED
11. Ship-related: Abbr. : NAUT. (nautical)
12. Pasta that sounds like two letters : ZITI. (zee tee)
13. Oklahoma tribe : OTOE
18. Sporty sunroofs : T-TOPS
23. Finish : END
25. Wood shop tool : AUGER. Ahh, the ice augers are all put away.
26. Cookie holders : JARS. My favorite.
27. Run out of : USE UP
28. Ship with staterooms : LINER
29. Lays down blacktop : PAVES
30. Bit of beach footwear : THONG
31. Mortgage-issuing inst. : S AND L. (savings and loan association)
33. Flanders Fields flower : POPPY
35. One in a model's repertoire : POSE
37. Computer user's accessory : MOUSE PAD
41. Warning to pull over : SIREN
43. Swe. neighbor : NOR. (Sweden/Norway)
44. Crime on the Bounty : MUTINY
46. Bakery array : CAKES. CED specialty.
47. Picked up the tab : PAID
48. Crucifix inscription : INRI. Latin "Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum" ("Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews").
49. Prince William's alma mater : ETON
50. Spunk : GRIT
51. Swiss surrealist Paul : KLEE
 |
| Black Columns in a Landscape, 1919 |
52. "Return of the Jedi" dancing girl : OOLA. Lives on in crosswords.
53. Wineglass feature : STEM
56. __ Baba : ALI. A poor woodcutter who discovers the secret of a thieves' den.
57. High-tech rte. finder : GPS. deja clue.
Argyle
84 comments:
Hand up for dent where ding belonged.
Morning, all!
Smooth, delightful puzzle from our dear Marti today. I grokked the theme right from the onset with ERECTOR SET and was able to get all the rest of the theme answers based solely on the clues with no need for perp help. A few minor bumps along the way, including resisting NAUT for a bit, not knowing ASICS and really hating OOLA (as always), but those really were very minor bumps in an otherwise extremely enjoyable and smooth puzzle.
Hello Puzzlers -
Pretty much WBS: sussed the theme right away, and had a smooth ride. Nice and tidy construction from our own Marti!
What Barry and Dudley said. Thanks Marti!
Argyle, here's my guess at your clue--
Bunch of Corner constructors? : SQUARE CIRCLE
Johnny in English class was a cluck,
If he got something right, it was just dumb luck.
Teacher, with a doubtful frown,
Asked him for a collective noun,
To which Johnny answered, "A garbage truck!"
When cruciverbalists are in a group
How are they known; perhaps a troupe?
Do they come in a row or a column?
Perhaps a grid is what we'll call 'em!
Argyle: that jar is for tweats, right?
Pretty much WEES. Delightful puzzle, Marti. Thank you. An entertaining expo as always, Argyle. Thanks for the link to The Hollies. I always liked that song. I guess I'm dense, but I don't understand your theme for today. Could you elaborate, please?
Theme is bunches, just what you don't want your panties to get into.
From the other day, Crossword Complier allows you to change the background colors of the squares, also the letters, plus add circles.
Howard, very good but add a D. "Squared circle" is a more in language term.
Good Morning, Argyle and friends. Interesting Tuesday puzzle. ERECTOR SETS came to me on the first pass.
My first thought for the Boarding Pass Information was Name, then I moved to Date until the perp of DRIT didn't make any sense
RENO is also the home of the National Judicial College.
Did you ever wonder how the POPPY became associated with Flander's Field and World War I?
QOD: When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. ~ (Nora Ephron, May 19, 1941 ~ June 26, 2012)
Good morning!
Zip, zip, done! Almost. I always spell it DITZY, so that area needed fixin'. Nicely done, Marti. You, too, Argyle. Blluehen, as Argyle said, each of the common phrases, as clued, would be viewed as a group of people.
When I saw ERECT...I thought we were headed somewhere else. (think of TBBT "Wood" episode. In my early career I worked with a guy who traveled around the country setting up heavy construction equipment. His business card read "Erection Specialist." He was a hoot in bars.
On our morning march we're often greeted by a little WESTIE. He's appropriately named Hercules.
It's baaaaaaack! CURD makes yet another appearance in the cw.
Is there still such a thing as an S AND L? I don't think so.
Group of lying crossword constructors: Crucifiction
OK, now I get it. My first thought was one of Mr. Humphries favorite sayings, "Don't get your knickers in a twist", and I couldn't figure what a twist had to do with the puzzle. Thanks.
d-otto @ 6:57, brilliant!! :-)
Looks like we're on a run here. Pretty easy, but enjoyable romp. Thanks Marti and Argyle.
Had to wait for a few perps for Westie, Gate, Sands and the S in Ditsy. Solved the theme answers in turn and my first guess was right in all cases, but I couldn't bring myself to trust them....so I waited for perps there as well.
DO, my first job out of high school was building center pivot systems. I was on the erection crew. But we didn't have business cards. Our only identifier was our name on the shirt pocket.
Good Morning.
Thank you, Marti, for another fun run. I love the theme and the additional wordplay that will probably continue today. I stalled with seat for GATE, dent for DING, and ditzy for DITSY. IRON came easily. Sometimes, not often enough, I say the clue out loud, which allows me to change the emphasis--focused on "pressing" and TaDa.
Thanks, Argyle, for the expo and your always kind response when we are not seeing the theme or a clue.
Enjoy the day, everyone!
The puzzle was very nice and enjoyable. Thank you, a lot, Marti.
The blog was fantastic - You outdid yourself Argyle. I have always enjoyed your bon mots and witty jokes, and today was a special pleasure.
I loved, loved, loved the Tweety bird with the Puddy cat slippers, cookie jar. I'd love to buy that one right now. Serves that Puddy tat right.
I already have a chicken cookie jar that clucks disapproval, when opened.
I also have a 'policeman' ccokie jar, which, when opened, shouts, 'Stop ! Move away from the cookie jar' ...
(I don't eat cookies.)
Have a nice day, all.
Enjoyed the theme and got the theme answers to fill in the rest rather than the other way around.
Got a little slowed when I was looking for a mortgage institution that began with SAND and was thinking along the Tom Collins line for "Mix at a party" but all was easily worked out.
Thanks, Marti and Argyle! Is this Crossword Corner week? We'll see!
"Puzzling Thoughts":
Not even 9:00 and I'm number 20 to appear this morning! Maybe I should've done the crossword before Sudoku, Jumble and Celebrity Cryptoquip today!!
Nice and easy puzzle, Marti, with the obligatory wine clue/solve; an equally excellent re-cap, Argyle, which I sped through just as I did the crossword!! No ink blots; pretty much solved it left to right, top to bottom with only having to solve a few verticals now and again
Owen's been beating me to the punch in limericks lately, but I've been keeping a few ready when I see a word in the puzzle; a little wordplay for your amusement (?!):
A seamstress, who was seeking a beau,
Had a suitor, who worked down below
The street, in the SEWER;
He tried hard to woo her,
But she thought he was only sew-sew.
Erector Set
Thanks, Marti, for a fun CW! I loved the theme and got most of them right away. Wanted Plastic band at first for 10d, but Enzo wouldn't let me go there. ELASTIC band makes much more sense!
Favorite was Pressing Task for IRON.
And, Argyle, the write up was the best yet. Panties, indeed!
Bunch of ignorant people = don't know squad
Bunch of Japanese cars = Nissan Armada
The reason you always spell it DITZY is because THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SPELLED. It's a derivative of DITZ.
DITSY
Fun puzzle today, and more of a speed run than yesterday's. Thanks, Marti, for your cleverness and construction.
Nice expo, Argyle. I, too, liked the cookie jar!
Hola, amigos y amigas!
WEES. It must be Corner Sweep Week! Will Ron and C.C. be next?
What fun, Marti and Argyle. It's a great way to start my morning especially on the heels of the bad news that my niece died last night.
The theme was clear on the first pass with ERECTOR SET and the others flooded out. ASICS???? Never heard of that.
PARKING LOT was my favorite. DITSY with an S surprised me but CAKES confirmed it.
Have an absolutely wonderful day, everyone! Every day is a gift.
Good morning everyone.
Argyle, I don't think a THONG would make much of a 'bunch'.
Great Tuesday rendering, Marti. Thanks. Fun theme and some bright fill. Liked ENTWINED, MINGLE AND JULEPS. I enjoy grids with a couple long downs; in this case two of the theme phrases (11 ltr).
DECODER RING - Occasionally, as part of in-port watch duties I would have to decode incoming messages using a (mechanical) crypto machine, and typing seemingly endless 5 ltr random groups.
All done electronically and with computers now.
AUGER - At one time I was part of a working group that would gather ice data on eastern L. Erie to try to forecast Spring breakup. We would fly out in a helo provided by Ontario-Hydro, and land at selected spots up to 10 miles W of Buffalo. (S. of Pt. Abino, Ont.) We would then use an ice AUGER to measure ice depth. Sometimes if the ice seemed dangerously thin, the augerer would sit on the helo's pontoon to be safer.
Spitz, thin ice wouldn't augur well for the augerer. And I think a THONG might cause a bunch to gather, don't you?
Lucina, sorry to hear about your niece. I know you were expecting it, but it's still sad.
Wow, I' m late to the party at 10:30! WEES. Thanks Marty & Argyle. Smooth sailing today for the most part. Over before DONE, date before GATE, dent before DING.
Not familiar with ASICS or S and L.
CSOs to Marti at 53A, Argyle at 45A, Spitzboov at 11D.
Thanks Hahtoolah for the poppy link. Canadians are very familiar with McRae's In Flander's Fields poem!
ZITI clue only works for the American pronounciation.
LOL!
Condolences to Lucina on the passing of your niece.
LOL Spitz and D-Otto re thong!
Spitz, DH and I had supper last night in Pt Colborne, not far from Pt Abino, and breeze was coming off the still cool Lake Erie. Temp was a good 10 degrees C less than at home. It felt like that ice had barely melted.
Lucina, re GPS nit from yesterday: I had no problem with either clue on its own, but to clue GPS with RTE and then with MAP was not consistent re abbreviations in the same puzzle in my view.
Me!!
Good one!!
Sew sew the best
"Puzzling Thoughts 2":
Since you're all avoiding it, here are some cute links - a la CED - for a few grins:
Mabel doesn't get it
Lou doesn't get it
for the grammarians and wordplayers
for those into exercise
for those of us who won't accept we're getting old!
No "wise-cracks", please
and since Mabel didn't get it . . .
but despite the look, aren't you glad that beachwear has evolved from this?
Hi gang -
Very nice, Marti. Love the theme. Very creatice. Nice and easy solve for a Tuesday.
Lucina - so sorry about your niece.
Moe - thank you for that thong and dance.
Cool regards!
JzB
Good Morning:
I know I'm later than usual but 33 comments this early....Wow!
What a treat to have a Marti puzzle on the heels of a CC and Tom offering. This Corner rocks! Nice job, Marti; a fun theme and clever fill=a satisfying solve. Fun expo, too, Argyle, especially the cute cookie jar.
Did anyone watch the final episode of Stalker? As it has been canceled, weren't we left hanging with that ending? (Unless I'm misinformed about it not being renewed?)
Lucina, so sorry about your niece. Loss is difficult whether it is sudden or expected.
Have a great day.
Anonymous at 8:59: "[DITZY] is a derivative of DITZ." Likely the other way around: Merriam says the first known use of DITZY was 1973, that of DITZ was 1982.
Speedy run today 1-2-3 and done.
Bunch of nerdy dowels....SQUARE PEGS
Bunch of well behaved ova...GOOD EGGS
Thank you to those who participated in solving my puns yesterday. Appreciate your input.
Answers: 1)CRUISECONTROL
2)PRESIDENTIALSEAL
3)SECRETSERVICE
And I can't believe I stumped you on #4:
Money used to buy a tined utensil/FORKTENDER
LEMONADE at 11:48-I did not have a rhythm in mind when constructing my puns. The only commonality is that the answers are well known phrases.
ANON at 2:34-Rose water is used in the middle east as a flavoring, in the same way we use vanilla extract. It is made by steeping rose petals in water. It is a main ingredient in Turkish confections and an absolutely amazing rice pudding. Everyone on this blog has their own wheelhouse of knowledge. I'm sure that YOU know some facts that others are unfamiliar with. Take it in stride, and be kind.
Who else watched the MAD MEN finale? I thought it was terrific. Going to miss this show.
Got to go now . This loud mosquito is buzzing around me. As I get older, my senses are getting more pronounced. It's usually the opposite. LUCKY?? ME!
Until tomorrow then...
Mr Cranky says, A California newspaper should know that the name of the mountain range is Sierra Nevada. The entire mountain range is a "snowy saw" not a collection of "nevadas."
Moe, you got shuffled into the spam folder. Retrieved now.
I'm going to watch Stalker in a little while as it was recorded. Unfortunately, it HAS been cancelled. Too bad. Really good show. Dark and scary. Dylan McDermott can't catch a break. Since the Practice, most of his TV efforts have been for naught(except for AMERICAN HORRY STORY). Remember HOSTAGES? I liked that too. Well, on to his next gig.
Bunch of crossword constructors....WORD PROCESSORS . Just thought of it.
Sorry.. should have been CORNER constructors, not CTOSSWORD.
Coneyro, today's theme is a tad trickier than it seems. Each of today’s themed answers is a common phrase ending with a collective noun. However, the usual meaning of the phrase is ignored by the clue, which makes more literal use of that collective noun.
Very un-pc, but too funny not to share. (ran this by my fellow gay friends b4 posting. they all LOVED it!)
Bunch of homosexuals: FRUIT STAND
(stand = group of trees)
also...
Bunch of doctors: THIRD DEGREE MURDER
CROSSWORD!
coneyro @ 10:55
regarding #4 in your puzzlers from yesterday - I was looking for the "money" word to be first rather than second. In all of the previous 3 the object word (actor/Kate's ex = CRUISE; Obama's = PRESIDENTIAL; Clandestine = SECRET) came first; in #4 the word money = TENDER came after the second part of the riddle.
FORK TENDER is a great play on words for money for a tined utensil, but the "order" of the other 3 threw me off. Bad excuse, perhaps, but that's my answer and I am sticking to it!! ;^)
Here's one for you and the group:
Person who loves severing ties?
________ ______________
(note, the first word is generally a verb)
It took me a few secs to get ya, British cigarette. lol
Bunch of downsizers : CUTTING BOARD
Marti, I love seeing a Tuesday puzzle from you, and this one was a total treat. I sailed right through it, enjoying every clue and the evolving theme along the way. Wonderful way to start the day, along with Argyle's always wonderful pics and write-up. Thank you, thank you, both.
Owen and Moe, loved your morning poems!
Lucina, so sorry to hear about your niece.
All sorts of problems to deal with today. My husband's care agency is raising our rates but paying the care-givers less. What sense does that make? My Mozilla on the computer is acting up, so I can't do my solitaire games, the thing that keeps me calm and grounded on difficult days. But husband is in good health and shape and that's always the main good thing.
Have a great day, everybody!
Bunch of sommeliers: corks crew
;)
Boy, this is fun! Great wordplay Marti!
Bunch of Trump wannabes: FIRING RANGE
Bunch of hockey players: CANADIAN PARLIAMENT*
*think owls
Bunch of Sammy Davis Jr.'s accessories: I POD
Good afternoon everyone,
Thanks for a pleasant Tuesday offering Marti. had some fun with this one.
A few slowdowns today. Welte before WESTIE, tko before KOS, & Ritzy before RITSY. Needed perp help to get ASICS. OOLA???????? Never heard of her, him or it, whichever is appropriate.
All else went smoothly. See ya tomorrow.
Another week begun with home grown puzzles; this is in my top 5 favorite of marti's puzzles. It is just a really well put together effort in ever way.
coneyro, I was not downplaying your creativity, only misunderstanding your intention. Speaking of creativity, it is no wonder so may puzzles are being made by our own posters. Reading all of th suggestions today, you all are very talented.
My additions:
KNEE BRACE
ICE CREAM FLOAT
COUNTER CULTURE
LUCKY CHARM
I love the Santa SO!
Thanks
Nice easy Tuesday puzzle Marti.
I got what them them would be immediately, only thinking a better clue for ERECTOR SET could have been: Viagra, Levitra, & Cialis.
Also the clue for THONG, could have read "Bit of beach wear", as I have ween two types of THONGS on beaches.
HELEN was a guess even though I saw the movie. OOLA- perps. And then were was WESTIE- a complete unknown. I know most breeds of dogs but I have never heard of that one.
Big Easy, it's actually a West Highland White Terrier, but that's a mouthful. Everybody just calls 'em Westies.
Coneyro, thanx for enlightenment on that last one. I never would have gotten it. You should post an email address as part of your profile so folks could make guesses off-line without giving the answer away to the whole blog crew.
So many good puns today! I've loved every one of them!
I'll accept DITSY as a variation of DITZY, but I'm with those who agree DITZY would be the proper spelling! Despite this!
Never heard of FORKTENDER before, but find it is in at least one dictionary!
ASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company, generally in the upper price range. The name is an acronym for the Latin phrase anima sana in corpore sano, "a healthy mind in a healthy body" Their logo has a swirl in front of it which I always assumed was a stylized B, making the name BASICS.
A lovely, clever Marti offering on a near record cold day!
Musings
-On Thursday, a giant crane lift a swimming pool LINER over my neighbor’s house into a hole in his backyard
-VALET parking at the hotel where we met C.C. and Boomer in Minneapolis was pricey. We walked the short distance back to the front desk from the parking garage.
-All right, Who’s showing this DECODER RING that came with Ovaltine?
-My cheese expertise beyond Velveeta in sketchy
-Jack’s great line to some psychiatric patients, “What if this is as good as it gets?
-The most famous “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother” statue is 20 miles from here at ___
-How long PUNDITS have to talk/write until next presidential election
-Jesse James robbed with a PRE-NUP
-Queeg and Bligh both seemed like they brought on the MUTINY
-So sorry, Lucina
To me, the swirl in the ASICS logo looks more like a stylized "a" than a stylized "B".
Argyle: Nice write-up & links.
Marti: Thank You for a FUN Tuesday puzzle with a great theme.
OK, I will admit for 26-a, Derby drinks, MY first thought was SCOTCH ... but I already had the "J" from 26-d, Cookie holder, JARS ... so I went with JULEPS.
Had "A-Shot" with every Tampa Bay Lightning goal last night ...
They won 6 - 2 ... and I think I will make it only "Half-A-Shot" for the rest of the playoffs.
A "Toast-to-ALL" at Sunset.
Cheers!!!
The swirl looks like a stylized lower case eth.
Cheers!
JzB
Thanks to Marti and Argyle for a fun start to the day! However, I FIW because I left in DeNt; didn't think to look at the perps to see if it made sense.
My issues have already been discussed, so no reason to revisit them.
I've enjoyed all the puns today. Much fun!
Lucina, I'm sorry for your nieces passing. Even when you know it's inevitable, it's not easy to accept.
Enjoy your day!
Pat
Desper- Crucifiction... you nailed that one.
With an ERECTOR SET, you'd end up with a couple of condominiums
Wees!
(Thong & Dance, LOL!)
Dent b/4 ding, plus I had an "I" in Julip b/4 E which made decoding a bit dicey...
Great links (& write up) today, Anon @ 8:14 beat me to Erector Set. Still can't find anything funny enough for decoder ring, I will keep looking...
Bunches of fun today! Thanks, Marti, for giving us so much pleasure. Interesting to see SANDS crossing SANDL.
Hola Everyone, I didn't get to the crossword until lunch time today, so am late in posting my thoughts. A fun puzzle from Marti. Marti today, and C.C. and D-O yesterday--A great start to the week.
I had a technical DNF today, as I had put in Dent for a bumper defect and didn't go back to look at the Cryptologist's clue.
I did get the theme with Erector Set, and it helped with the other theme answers--except for Decoder Ring--Decoder Rint doesn't make the cut!
Thanks Argyle for your excellent write up once again.
My favorite clue today was Tend to a Pressing Task/Iron--which is what I have to do for the rest of the day.
Have a good one everyone.
Lucina, I'm so sorry to hear about the passing of your niece.
Loss of a loved one is always hard regardless of whether or not you expect it. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Argyle, How about "A Word Group" for the answer to your clue?
TO OWEN 2:05....FORK TENDER..Imagine a juicy piece of pot roast that is so moist and soft, a knife is not needed inorder to cut into it; just use your fork.
CHAIRMAN MOE 11:32...Would love to solve your pun, but it's hard when you do not provide a letter count. I'll give it a try, though.
Lucina, my sincere condolences. Like many of us I have lost loved ones when the passing was inevitable, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.
On another front, do any of you on the corner know OOLA's last name? Could it be La?
Cya.
"A Word Group" is nice but not as much of a stand alone phrase like "fork tender".
Now after looking at pictures of "fork tender", I must journey forth for my supper.
Hi Y'all! Great puzzle, Marti! (definitely not a DITSY lady!) Great expo, Argyle!
I had never heard that song "HE ain't heavy, he's my brother!" Very touching, since I have three younger brothers that I carted around as little ones and who remain very dear to me. I wept through the song.
But I sure got cheered up with all the puns today. Ya' gotta laugh to keep from groaning at some of them.
My last fill was the "U" in the NAUT/AUTO cross. I guess my DITSY mind wouldn't accept the possibility that a Ferrari would be anything as un-exotic as an AUTO. I was trying to remember some model name.
Lucina, my thoughts have been with you at this sad time.
Not that it's better, but if you wanted to warp Comeyro's pun into conformity with the other 3 you could go with: "Payment for a Podiatrists services."
Tenderfoot.
I know. Not good. As you were. :-)
coneyro @ 4:11 and whoever else wants to try it:
A wordplay for today (not based on today's theme, however).
Person who loves severing ties?
________(5) ______________(6)
(note, the first word is generally a verb). Letter count of each is in (); also, the two words are alliterative. My email is in my profile if you'd care to guess . . .
Moe: my first thought was a beau bow, but that would just be a person who loves ties.
How about BANANAS SPLIT?
My riddles:
A salaam that is awe-ful (6)
Harangue a person who departs (11) -- or --
Trustworthy Japanese PM (9)
Owen - check the letter count; first word has 5 letters, second word has 6 and they both start with the same letter (alliterative)
Greetings!
Great job, Marti, Santa!
No problems.
Enjoyed reading the blog. Very tired today.
Cheers!
Lucina, I was very sorry to hear about your niece. Best wishes for all of her family and friends.
A day or two ago I asked what words were most common in oral language. In addition to the obvious choices, I think the word "like" would be very high on the list for many young people. Some minor celebrities appearing as guests on talk shows manage to average about two or three "likes" to a sentence, maybe 10 or 15 or more per minute. Since it first showed up in "Valley girl speak" years ago, it's spread like a viral infection, affecting some people much worse than others. My daughter seemed to have been immune but she has a friend who had a bad case.
Lemonade, without the clues, your puns fall flat.
Forgot to comment, THIRD DEGREE MURDER is phenomenal.
Bunch of CPAS: COUNTER CULTURE
Bunch of shamrocks: LUCKY CHARM
@Tinbeni and Irish Mist:
Here's to you!
Great early week theme. No excuse for the top- and bottom-right corners. NAUT is desperation fill, OTOE is at best a necessary evil, here it’s not. It’s a 4×4 corner with one theme answer anchoring it!? Bottom-right is even less constrained. OOLA is not a word you put in out of choice. There are a million ways to fill that corner and avoid OOLA. Actually the same applies to the top-left and ETES. OTOE and ETES at least are acceptable when they hold together something, here they just seem to be there because they were the first thing that fit.
Great early week theme. No excuse for the top- and bottom-right corners. NAUT is desperation fill, OTOE is at best a necessary evil, here it’s not. It’s a 4×4 corner with one theme answer anchoring it!? Bottom-right is even less constrained. OOLA is not a word you put in out of choice. There are a million ways to fill that corner and avoid OOLA. Actually the same applies to the top-left and ETES. OTOE and ETES at least are acceptable when they hold together something, here they just seem to be there because they were the first thing that fit.
Flint @ 9:06 - Thanks for making me laugh so hard my tummy hurts! I hope Tin had the same reaction!
Our area is very happy and excited that a Capital Region resident won The Voice tonight. Sawyer Fredericks, a 16 year old farm boy from Fultonville, NY, captured a lot of hearts and minds with his talent, modesty, and genuineness.
Howard W, I loved your 'Corks crew.'
I just finished grilling a choice rib-eye steak. It wasn't from Costco but I'll make do...
Do you dislike cliffhangers as much as I do?
Re BASICS, I agree it looks more like 'd' or schwa, but reading it as 'B' is just so - BASIC!
Moe, your comment was posted just as I was polishing mine, so I didn't see it. Anyway, I still don't get it. Sorry.
A salaam that is awe-ful (6)
BOW WOW
Harangue a person who departs (11) -- or --
RAIL SPLITTER
Trustworthy Japanese PM (9)
HONEST ABE
Good Wednesday morning, folks. Thank you, Marti, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
Did this a day late. Too busy yesterday to even pick it up.
Puzzle was great. Theme became obvious early on.
An ERECTOR SET was one of my favorite toys as a child. I still have it.
Enjoyed seeing INRI. We use that in one of our Orders.
Could not remember OOLA. Perps.
Tried ROLW for 35D. ROSE won that battle after some Acrosses.
I have a package of POPPY seeds I bought at the WW-I Memorial in Kansas City, MO, where I went for an Easter Sunrise Service. They have about a half million poppies growing indoors at that site. Or, some large number.
May day is begging me for attention. See you later, or tomorrow.
Abejo
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