Theme: This and That - Take two related prefixes and send them in different directions with these new roots.
18A. Daniel Boone portrayer : FESS PARKER. Profess / Confess
24A. Cookie-cutter abode : TRACT HOME. Protract / Contract.
37A. Both sides of an argument ... and what can literally precede the starts of 18-, 24-, 53- and 60-Across : PROS AND CONS
53A. New car trial run : TEST DRIVE. Protest / Contest
60A. Unexpected source of cash : FOUND MONEY. Profound / Confound
Argyle here. Susan had a puzzle in '13 and again in '14; she's baaack. Neat, four entries with eight answers. Some unknowns to keep it interesting.
Across:
1. Lioness in "Born Free" : ELSA
5. __ optic cable : FIBER
10. It must be made with one hand : FIST
14. Ruth's husband, in the Bible : BOAZ and 15A. Massey of old films : ILONA. Two names I shan't remember.
16. "My treat" : "ON ME"
17. Rush off : BOLT
20. In the mail : SENT
22. Double play pair : OUTS
23. Road repair consequence : JAM
27. "If __ King of the Forest": Cowardly Lion's song : I WERE
29. Lend a hand : AID
30. Channel for bargain hunters : HSN. (Home Shopping Network)
31. Joan of Arc, e.g. : MARTYR
32. Forsaken child : WAIF
34. MASH system : TRIAGE
41. Slip by : ELAPSE
42. Falling out between friends : SPAT
45. "__ as she goes" : STEADY
48. Fireplace residue : ASH
51. UPS driver's assignment : RTE
52. Rush hour sounds : HONKS
56. Pumper's pride : ABs. "pumping iron"
57. Fairy tale bad guy : OGRE
59. Oodles : A LOT
63. Osbourne of rock : OZZY
66. Made haste : TORE
67. Supreme Court justice since 2006 : ALITO. (Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr)
68. Visionary : SEER
69. Slow-cooked meal : STEW
70. Spotless : CLEAN
71. Very, in Versailles : TRÈS
Down:
1. Flow out : EBB
2. London lav : LOO
3. Tortilla chip topper : SALSA DIP
4. Templo Mayor builder : AZTEC
5. Some whiskey purchases : FIFTHs
6. Project extension? : ILE. (projectile)
7. __ buddies : BOSOM
8. Happen as a result : ENSUE
9. Immersed (in), as a book : RAPT
10. In support of : FOR
11. Printer choice : INKJET
12. Easily smudged : SMEARY
13. First-__: rookie Congressman : TERMER
19. Italian cheese : ASIAGO
21. Ultimate degree : NTH
24. Noticed, to Tweety : TAW
25. Narrow waterway : RIA
26. Ready to draw, as ale : ON TAP
28. Little songbirds : WRENS
31. Big __: fast-food buy : MAC
33. One-in-a-million : FREAK
35. "M*A*S*H" staffers : RNs
36. Inspirations : IDEAS
38. Ireland, affectionately : OLD SOD. "ould sod"
39. Vocalize : SAY
40. Wine-and-soda drink : SPRITZER
43. Rugged transport, briefly : ATV. (all-terrain vehicle)
44. Casual top : TEE
45. Mine passages : SHAFTS
46. As well : TO BOOT
47. Make certain : ENSURE
49. Visit a bit longer : STAY ON
50. "Good" cholesterol letters : HDL. (high-density lipoprotein) We had "Bad" cholesterol letters last month.
53. Fairy tale bad guy : TROLL
54. Start of an elimination rhyme : EENIE
55. Pigeon perch : ROOST
58. Former auto financing co. : GMAC. (General Motors Acceptance Corporation, now Ally Financial)
61. Never done before : NEW
62. Approx. landing hour : ETA
64. New York's Tappan __ Bridge : ZEE
65. 12-mo. periods : YRs
Argyle
36 comments:
Morning, all!
Fun puzzle today with an interesting theme. I'm not usually a fan of puzzles with lots of obscure names, but for some reason I was able to remember BOAZ, ILONA and FESS PARKER right off the bat today, so no harm, no foul.
I don't have much experience with the Home Shopping Network except that I've seen some hideously overpriced modern silver coins they flog there on occasion. It's hard for me to think of HSN having anything to do with "bargains" as a result, but maybe the rest of the stuff they sell is actually a good deal. Given the costs inherent in running a channel, paying the hosts, etc., however, I tend to doubt it...
Oh -- and I agree that SALSA DIP seemed needlessly repetitive, redundant and reiterative.
Purists would say I racked up a FIW for today's puzzle. I put the wrong suffix in 6d, and since I'd never heard of 15a, I couldn't find what was stopping the td-da until I turned on red letters. Once I saw where the error was, I easily changed -IVE>-ILE, which changed IVONA>ILONA.
Amazing that the constructor found four pairs none of which were opposites of each other!
Here's irony. Some poems come to me fully-formed, and IMHO are wonderful! Those, I presume, and given to me by my Muses*, and I'm merely a transcriber. Others I labor over for lengthy times, with references and rhymers, and are usually mediocre. I include them only for respect of the labor I put into them. I'm afraid two of today's offerings are in the latter cast.
*Read as whatever supernatural or subconscious source you ascribe inspiration to.
The scandal involves several big-time sports icons,
But the public is jaded and collectively yawns.
There's been so many scams
Fleecing innocent lambs
That no one reads the full story about PROS AND CONS!
An octopus, a deep-sea swimmer
Has brains to go with arms so limber!
One taught to write
Received a fright
And thus became an INK-JET printer!
An OGRE one day was out for a stroll
When he came upon his friend, the TROLL.
He stayed for lunch
On a Arab they crunched,
And agreed 'twould be good in a crescent roll!
Good Morning, Argyle and friends. Quite a challenge for a Tuesday! Is today really only the second day of the week! I got the PROS and CONS, but struggled in the south west.
I liked how MASH System crossed with M*A*S*H Staffers and how the fairy tale bad guys of OGRE and TROLL crossed.
We've seen the Hungarian-born ILONA Massey (1910 ~ 1974) before, but I can never remember her name.
QOD: Smart women love smart men more than smart men love smart women. ~ Natalie Portman (b. June 9, 1981)
Good morning!
This was a good early week puzzle, though with _OA_ in place I was thinking NOAH. BOAZ doesn't seem particularly Tuesday-friendly, but the perps were solid. ILONA used to show up with some regularity. I remember FESS PARKER better as Davey Crockett than as Dan'l Boone. But nobody can forget his buddy, Mingo (Ed Ames), demonstrating the hatchet-throw on Johnny Carson.
In my town there are no TRACT HOMES; you can take your properly equipped golf cart for a TEST DRIVE on the city streets, but not an ATV.
Needed all perps for BOAZ and ILONA, other than that smooth sailing, fun puzzle, about right for a Tuesday. For once, I actually got the theme early(!!!!) which helped in the solve. Terrific write-up, Argyle, I loved the links!
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Susan Galfand, four a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
Owen KL: I hope you caught one of our major "Words" today.
Puzzle started easily with ELSA and EBB. There were some tough ones, though. ILONA, for one. ZEE for the other. The rest were not strange to me.
Liked the theme. Great job tying PRO and CON to one word four times.
SPRITZERS are not for me. Lots of people like them, however.
FOUND MONEY reminds me that I find money all the time. Just not big money, but a coin or two on the pavement. Did find a twenty once in Mansfield, Ohio. That was nice.
Just read a book that referenced LOO several times. "The Girl on the Train." Set in England.
Working outside today. Weather is supposed to be good. Off to Waukegan tonight.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
Musing
-I thought this was a very clever device
-This man’s name is synonymous with TRACT HOMES
-The Nebraska Unicameral abolished capital punishment last month. The PROS AND CONS will be raised again this summer
-FOUND MONEY – when your kids move out
-Drinks (sodas) are ON ME for my golf partner today
-Our kitty does not BOLT any more when she gets out of her halter. She knows who feeds her!
-My RTE as a ute
-“TORE open the shutters and threw up the sash”
-After all the POTUS and Congress do, the nine people in the black robes make the final decision (often 5 – 4)
-BIG MAC nutritional data
-I offered my car and $10,000 TO BOOT last month but it wasn’t enough
-FORE! My “reversal surgery” is Monday and so I’d better get in all the golf I can.
I put IVE for ILE and IVONA looked as good to me as anything else would have. I also didn't know how to spell OZZY and have never heard of the Tappan Zee Bridge. You east coasters kind of assume everyone knows all about your environs. I may be a world traveler but have never been to NY city other than a brief en route stop in a Greyhound bus station in 1974. At that time we were afraid to step outside in the middle of the night.
So what's the reason for such a weird bridge name?
However, the theme came easily and helped affirm my choices for the remaining long answers.
Pros & Cons can be affected by your state of mind...
Tappan Zee Bridge is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea" The Tappan tribe were a Lenape people who inhabited the region radiating from the Hudson Palisades and the New York – New Jersey Highlands at the time of European colonization in the 17th century.
I have crossed the Tappan Zee Bridge several times in error with driver friends who ended up in the wrong lane and couldn’t turn back. I crossed it once intentionally. I find this network of highways intimidating.
I found this puzzle easier than yesteday's. Boaz, Ilona, Fess Parker were gimmes. No unknowns. but I needed a few perps for suggestions. I saw that PRO or CON could be added to each theme answer. I looked too quickly to realize that both pro and con could be added to each one. (blush, blush)
I began driving yesterday,three weeks after my operation. Begging a ride, even from good hearted friends, is not my style. Since the third day after my operation I have visited Alan every day, many thanks to said supportive friends. Alan may come home Friday or Monday.
Good luck, Gary. I hope your ordeal is soon over and ends well.
This took longer than it should have, ILONA being my only real blank space. The cluing of FREAK had me as I was thinking one in a million was a compliment not in the 'freak accident' direction. Wondered about the MASH M*A*S*H semiclecho and adding DIP to SALSA seemed awkward especially as clued.The rest went reasonably well.
Thanks Susan and Argyle
YR,
Thanks for the explanation of the bridge. Maybe I'll remember it now!
Argyle: Nice write-up. I especially enjoyed the Tweety cartoon.
Fave was BOLT ... a CSO to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
(Wow! What a game last night. I was on the edge on my chair for those entire 13 seconds before the BOLTS tied it up ...)
OK, my real faves were FIFTHS and ON-TAP ... though I usually purchase my Scotch in 1.75L bottles.
A "toast" to ALL at Sunset.
Cheers!
Husker Gary
Did your RTE as a UTE have rags that carried such intriguing headlines as this ?
Pat Venditte is MLB's First...
Abejo, I just started reading "The Girl on the Train" yesterday. Did you enjoy it?
This puzzle reminded me of the "Opposition Leaders" puzzle that Don G and I did for C.C.'s Curious Conundrums section. If anyone wants an extra challenge today, you might take a look at that one.
Of course, today's offering was much simpler than ours, and so much better suited for a Tuesday. There were a couple tricky names, though, like BOAZ and ILONA. But my real head scratcher came in the NE with SMEARY next door to TERMER...("Whaaa?")
Have a great day, everyone!
Cruciverb link was down today so I had to fire up the laptop and use Mensa site.
I got the theme early today which helped the solve. Enjoyed the theme.
Horns before HONKS, and SUV before ATV but perps to the rescue.
Favourite clue today Pumpers pride=ABS.
I have The Girl on the Train e-book on hold but it looks like I am about 25th in line. Should I buy it??
Good Morning:
Fun puzzle with a clever theme which I, in my haste, saw only the con prefix until Argyle pro-vided the other half! (One more example of why I will never be your blogger of the day!). For some strange reason, I always remember Ilona. One w/o was sainte before martyr.
Have been over the Tappan Zee many, many times coming from Connecticut to Troy. A new bridge is under construction to the tune of $3.9 billion dollars (as of today).
Everyone would breathe a little easier if those two escaped murderers were caught. I hope it's soon.
Thanks to Susan and Argyle for a Tuesday treat.
Have a great day.
CanadianEh!, I got the ebook from Amazon for $6.95. So it's not a huge investment. ;-)
I solved yesterday's puzzle but never got on the blog because Rowland's weakness (has trouble standing and can't walk) got so bad, we spent the whole day in Emergency. Since tests showed no clear problem (no new stroke, thank goodness) we brought him home, and we'll see our doctor tomorrow and figure out what to do next.
I did do this morning's puzzle and got it without problem and took pleasure in seeing so many of my favorite things--the Cowardly Lion, Tweety, references to M.A.S.H. and BOSOM Buddies (can you believe that's how Tom Hanks got started). Thanks for all the sweet pictures and clips, Argyle.
The last two days reminded me how much the puzzles and the Corner contribute to reducing my stress.
Yellowrocks, so happy that you're doing well and that Alan is so much better.
Have a great day, everybody.
Hello, friends!
Unlike some of you I found this puzzle fast and easy though spelled BOAS first. A local newspaperman is surnamed that. BOAZ was corrected with AZTEC and recalled ILONA. As someone mentioned she once was popular in puzzles. Welcome back, ILONA!
I agree, TERMER, SMEARY and SALSA DIP were odd. However, I liked seeing WAIF, SPRITZER and TRIAGE. HONKS are rare here.
OGRE/TROLL together made me smile. In elementary school I recall seeing something about the TAPPAN ZEE though I don't remember the details. It was something about the construction or engineering.
I hope you're having a delightful day, everyone!
Oops, almost forgot. Thank you, Susan and Argyle for today's delights.
Marti - I tried opening Opposition Leaders as a puz. File and received the following message: Safari cannot open the page because there were too many redirects. (Whatever that means.). Any suggestions?
Great Tuesday puzzle.
I will just add my two cents regarding the story of Ruth. The mother-in-law, Naomi, is forced to return to Judah because her husband and her two sons, the husbands of Ruth and Orpah have died.
She tells her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab, their land. But Ruth goes with her. They get BOAZ to fall in love with and marry Ruth who becomes the great grandmother of King David.
It is interesting that Oprah Winfrey was supposed to be named Orpah, after the other sister but it was misspelled. Later, learning the full story I wondered WHY would you name a baby after the daughter-in-law who left? So it is probably good it was misspelled. Anyway, I always have trouble remembering BOAZ and had to get it from the perps.
Good Morning Everyone, This was a fairly easy puzzle for me, though I didn't get the theme until Argyle clarified that in his excellent write up. Thanks Susan for your Pro and Con puzzle.
I did have a couple of places where the answers just wouldn't come. If I had put in the right ones maybe that would have helped. I put in ION for Project instead of ILE and Ilona didn't come right away. Fess Parker cleared that up and I was off.
I couldn't figure out what could only be made with one hand! Fist, of course.
I'm reading Louise Penny mysteries right now. They are page turners for sure. I was told to read them in sequence, so I bought the first five on the Amazon used book site, and have the 4th one almost finished. I'll have to buy the next ones now, as I'm hooked.
Have a great day, everyone.
Marti - JJM sent me your puzzle; looking forward to solving it.
JJM - thanks for helping out IM!
I just finished World Gone By by Dennis Lehane.
And am currently RAPT in The Stranger by Harlan Coben.
Since I get all my books from the library ... they cost me nothing.
(And they will store them for me on their shelves when I'm finished).
Tinbeni, great line, "And they will store them for me on their shelves when I'm finished."
I do all my reading on my kindle which will go to 20+ type size
Marti - I just finished your pro-found and con-founding puzzle. Took awhile to figure out what was going on, but I finished w/o help, albeit at a snail's pace. Good mental workout! Thanks.
Hello Puzzlers -
Easy enough solve today, and a clever theme.
I've only skimmed today's posts, so maybe I'm repeating here: the Tappan Zee bridge is one of those important pieces of highway infrastructure that really should have been built somewhere else. It's placed right smack at one of the very widest places in the Hudson River, and of course it costs a lot more to build a long bridge than a short one. However, the governor wanted the toll revenue to go to the State instead of the Port Authority, and that necessitated building at a distance greater than 25 miles from Manhattan. Now we're stuck with it.
Easy Tuesday. Didn't know BOAZ or ILONA but the perps worked, so ...
Speaking of sunsets (Tinbeni@0849), I hope you didn't miss this past Friday's on our Florida Gulf Coast -- it was breathtaking. (I have a pic to prove it but no idea how to imbed it here.)
And last night's Stanley Cup game was crazy! No way I thought the BOLTs would win in Chicago but they never let up. Come to think of it, the Blackhawks never let up, either. Sixty minutes of all-out skating by both teams. Wow.
Re. e-books vs. books made from trees. Having grown up with them, I prefer the feel of a real book. However, my Nook has a big advantage. When I hear about a book I might like (such as the Louise Penny mysteries mentioned earlier), I can have it ready to read in about two minutes as opposed to getting into my car and driving to Barnes and Noble or the library. Plus, the electronic books are cheaper. Very convenient.
I was heading to the bike path along the beach when a few drops of water appeared on the windshield. Huh? What could it be? Water from the sky is almost unheard of in June around these parts. So I'm back home with a change of plans. I'll probably take my Nook to the espresso emporium.
Hello everybody. Fun puzzle today. I wanted ATHENA Massey but she wouldn't fit. And ANNA Massey was too short. As happened with Lucina, AZTEC changed BOAS to BOAZ.
When we had a lovely family reunion in Santa Barbara a couple of years ago, we all stayed at the FESS PARKER Doubletree Inn. It's a strangely designed hotel, and although it is very pleasant we all PRO-FESSed it to be somewhat overpriced.
Best wishes to you all.
Hi All!
PROS: Fun offering from Susan today; thanks! Argyle deserves thanks TO BOOT.
CONS: 5 INK-blots. HOrn b/f HONKS, EnNIE, and Flasks b/f FIFTHS. Oh, and the pesky Y in MARTYR and thought it was TRACk HOME (makes sense, like huge TRACTs of Land (Python @0:38)
WEES re: TROLLS xing OGRE and TRIAGE x RNS. Big MAC xing MARTYR is kinda funny too... if you've eaten one. [actually I like one every 6mo or so].
In Cairo you'll hear HONKS that ENSURE everyone knows they're there.
HG - I had a paper RTE too. My am RTE was lucrative - 100 papers in 5 blocks. The afternoon RTE took an hour on my bike riding about 2 mi for 35 papers.
1 in 10^6? China must be full of FREAKs...
OZZY is the "Just say No" poster-boy and ALITO is the please say yes :-)
Cheers, -T
Thanks Susan and Argyle for today's offering. Easy Tuesday for me...I must have been on the wavelength. What I didn't know was filled by perps. Lots of fun fills.
Chickie, et al, I have been a fan of Louise Penny for a long time. They are addictive. Enjoy!
And Owen, to heck with the muse. You are fun even when you have to work at it!! Loved today's poems.
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