Theme: Celebrations
17A. *Lightweight kitchen appliance : HAND MIXER. This is my hand mixer. It's called a whisk. Sometimes we like to over-complicate things.
24A. *"Let me help" : WHAT CAN I DO? You can whisk the egg whites, thanks!
37A. *Not doing one's job : DROPPING THE BALL. What if you're a soccer referee? That's part of your job!
50A. *Romance : LOVE AFFAIR. A tennis match before anyone scores a point?
61A. Wayne's World catchphrase, and a hint to the end of the answers to starred clues : PARTY TIME!
Morning all - Steve here pinch-hitting for JzB, who unfortunately can't join us today. I'll do my best on his behalf.
Four types of mostly formal gatherings in the thematics today (and the first time I've been able to link a song from my theme title!) I think of "do" as a "British" thing; however it was first used in the US in this sense in a magazine article in 1952, so it's been in the vocabulary for over 60 years so let's call it "assimilated".
Wayne's World is almost as old, most skits airing on "Saturday Night Live" between 1989 and 1992.When I saw the reveal, I wanted "Party On" rather than "Party Time" - our reveal is missing the "Excellent", so I'm underwhelmed by that. Minor nit, but it was a little awkward for me.
I don't often look too closely at grid designs, but the "extra" nine-letter entries at 13A and 67A made me wonder what caused that to happen. This is a 78-word puzzle (the maximum for an LAT 15x15) and there are already 42 black squares, so shortening the two 9's to two 8's would break Rich's 43-maximum count rule - you'd have 44. There are already six cheater squares in the grid, so there's not much wriggle room left.
OK, enough of that - let's trot down the rest of today's challenge:
Across:
1. "__ to Be Square": Huey Lewis & the News hit : HIP. I think we might have a retro theme working here - a 1986 Billboard #3 leads us off.
4. Pair on a rowing club wall : OARS
8. Press __ : CORPS. As we're on a history trip, I encourage you to read "Once Upon a Distant War" by William Prochnau - the story of the journalists Halberstam, Sheehan, Arnett and others trying to make sense of the early years of the Vietnam war.
13. "David Copperfield" blackmailer : URIAH HEEP. One of the odd 9-letter outliers.
16. Humble : ABASE
18. Himalayan region : TIBET
19. Thing on a ring : KEY
20. Story : YARN
22. Nevertheless : BUT
23. Energy : PEP
27. "To be continued" installment : PART TWO
29. "The Simpsons" shop owner : APU. Copyright rules forbid me to link the wonderful "Who loves the Kwik-e-Mart? I doooooo" clip. You may like to search for yourselves.
30. Works in a museum : ART
31. Father : SIRE
33. Brits' raincoats : MACS. The Mackintosh (note the "k") is a rubberized overcoat to keep out the rain. They also, being rubberized, keep in the sweat, so you're as wet with perspiration on the inside as you keep the precipitation out on the outside. Hopefully not made nowadays!
42. Since, in a seasonal song : SYNE
43. Nerd : GEEK
44. When repeated, a Kenyan rebel : MAU. "Rebel" might be a kindly word, but we tend to forgive.
45. Play about Capote : TRU
48. De __: strictly proper : RIGUEUR. Word of the day. I had "RIG" and I knew - KNEW! it had to be EUR but. Gosh darn it, I will remember that extra "U" for ever.
55. Game console letters : NES. Nintentdo Entertainment System. More time-warp. 1983? Later? Earlier? Who knows.
56. Saloon order : ALE
57. Says lovingly : COOS
58. Flop opposite : HIT
59. Capital of Belarus : MINSK
66. Bring to mind : EVOKE
67. Made a point of? : SHARPENED.
68. Mail in, as payment : REMIT
69. Bordeaux belief : IDÉE. Idea. French.
70. African antelope : GNU
Down:
1. "Say what?" : HUH?
2. Portfolio element, for short : I.R.A. I'm waiting for the "Irish Republican Army" to make a debut
3. Eponymous detective agency founder : PINKERTON
4. "Yowza!" : OH MY!
5. Sashimi tuna : AHI
6. T. __ : REX
7. "Ciao!" : SEE YA!
8. Forty winks : CATNAP
9. Geisha circler : OBI
10. Torah teacher : RABBI
11. False: Pref. : PSEUD. Not really, unless slang is inferred. PSEUDO might be accurate.
12. Little fight : SET-TO
14. Masterful : ADEPT
15. Backside, slangily : PRAT. Only in the "prat-fall" context. I'm not sure anyone fell on their "prat", or had a kick up the "prat". I'm sure Dictionary.com will have a different opinion, but I'm just working on common usage here.
21. "In the Year 2525" record label : RCA.
23. Fencing deflection : PARRY
24. Battle of the Bulge conflict, briefly : WWII
25. French __ : HORN. What a wonderful-looking instrument. Ron - can you play one of these?
26. Feeling nothing : NUMB
27. Paw parts : PADS
28. Chef's meas. : TSP.
32. Bird-to-be : EGG
34. First-name-only gathering : A.A. MEETING
35. Santa __ : CLAUS
36. Put-down : SLUR
38. Tennis great Sampras : PETE. I see that the Wimbledon Championships are being trailed on TV right now. Who are your favorites? Please "boo" any sports announcer who pronounces it "Wimble-Ton", It's a "D" and has been for *cough* couplehunderdyears *cough*. I used to live a couple of miles away from the venue - I have to confess I never saw a match at the All-England Club,but I did have a few beers at the Rose and Crown on Wimbledon Common.
39. Actress Hatcher : TERI
40. Will beneficiary : HEIR
41. Pre-op test : E.K.G.
46. Clamor : RACKET. Or racquet, at Wimbledon. "Quiet Please!"
47. What a weather balloon may be mistaken for, briefly : U.F.O.
49. Make one : UNITE
50. Less credible, excuse-wise : LAMER
51. Greenish color : OLIVE
52. Stingray secretion : VENOM
53. Fancy dressers : FOPS
54. Beer brand from Tokyo : ASAHI. Not Kirin? Damn. Do-Over.
58. Promote aggressively : HYPE.
60. Deal with moguls : SKI. Or pratfall, mostly, in my case
62. "Far out!" : RAD!
63. Afternoon ora : TRE. Ouch!
64. Patriarchy rulers : MEN
65. Kin of gov : EDU. There's COM, ORG, NET and all sorts to keep you company on your journey around the World Wide Web!
Apologies for the brevity - busy week this week! If you're confused about anything here, you've got my email address.
Look forward to seeing you all soon! Here's the grid:
Steve
17A. *Lightweight kitchen appliance : HAND MIXER. This is my hand mixer. It's called a whisk. Sometimes we like to over-complicate things.
37A. *Not doing one's job : DROPPING THE BALL. What if you're a soccer referee? That's part of your job!
50A. *Romance : LOVE AFFAIR. A tennis match before anyone scores a point?
61A. Wayne's World catchphrase, and a hint to the end of the answers to starred clues : PARTY TIME!
 |
| I think Gareth forgot the "Excellent" |
Morning all - Steve here pinch-hitting for JzB, who unfortunately can't join us today. I'll do my best on his behalf.
Four types of mostly formal gatherings in the thematics today (and the first time I've been able to link a song from my theme title!) I think of "do" as a "British" thing; however it was first used in the US in this sense in a magazine article in 1952, so it's been in the vocabulary for over 60 years so let's call it "assimilated".
Wayne's World is almost as old, most skits airing on "Saturday Night Live" between 1989 and 1992.When I saw the reveal, I wanted "Party On" rather than "Party Time" - our reveal is missing the "Excellent", so I'm underwhelmed by that. Minor nit, but it was a little awkward for me.
I don't often look too closely at grid designs, but the "extra" nine-letter entries at 13A and 67A made me wonder what caused that to happen. This is a 78-word puzzle (the maximum for an LAT 15x15) and there are already 42 black squares, so shortening the two 9's to two 8's would break Rich's 43-maximum count rule - you'd have 44. There are already six cheater squares in the grid, so there's not much wriggle room left.
OK, enough of that - let's trot down the rest of today's challenge:
Across:
1. "__ to Be Square": Huey Lewis & the News hit : HIP. I think we might have a retro theme working here - a 1986 Billboard #3 leads us off.
4. Pair on a rowing club wall : OARS
8. Press __ : CORPS. As we're on a history trip, I encourage you to read "Once Upon a Distant War" by William Prochnau - the story of the journalists Halberstam, Sheehan, Arnett and others trying to make sense of the early years of the Vietnam war.
13. "David Copperfield" blackmailer : URIAH HEEP. One of the odd 9-letter outliers.
16. Humble : ABASE
18. Himalayan region : TIBET
19. Thing on a ring : KEY
20. Story : YARN
22. Nevertheless : BUT
23. Energy : PEP
27. "To be continued" installment : PART TWO
29. "The Simpsons" shop owner : APU. Copyright rules forbid me to link the wonderful "Who loves the Kwik-e-Mart? I doooooo" clip. You may like to search for yourselves.
30. Works in a museum : ART
31. Father : SIRE
33. Brits' raincoats : MACS. The Mackintosh (note the "k") is a rubberized overcoat to keep out the rain. They also, being rubberized, keep in the sweat, so you're as wet with perspiration on the inside as you keep the precipitation out on the outside. Hopefully not made nowadays!
42. Since, in a seasonal song : SYNE
43. Nerd : GEEK
44. When repeated, a Kenyan rebel : MAU. "Rebel" might be a kindly word, but we tend to forgive.
45. Play about Capote : TRU
48. De __: strictly proper : RIGUEUR. Word of the day. I had "RIG" and I knew - KNEW! it had to be EUR but. Gosh darn it, I will remember that extra "U" for ever.
55. Game console letters : NES. Nintentdo Entertainment System. More time-warp. 1983? Later? Earlier? Who knows.
56. Saloon order : ALE
57. Says lovingly : COOS
58. Flop opposite : HIT
59. Capital of Belarus : MINSK
66. Bring to mind : EVOKE
67. Made a point of? : SHARPENED.
68. Mail in, as payment : REMIT
69. Bordeaux belief : IDÉE. Idea. French.
70. African antelope : GNU
Down:
1. "Say what?" : HUH?
2. Portfolio element, for short : I.R.A. I'm waiting for the "Irish Republican Army" to make a debut
3. Eponymous detective agency founder : PINKERTON
4. "Yowza!" : OH MY!
5. Sashimi tuna : AHI
6. T. __ : REX
7. "Ciao!" : SEE YA!
8. Forty winks : CATNAP
9. Geisha circler : OBI
10. Torah teacher : RABBI
11. False: Pref. : PSEUD. Not really, unless slang is inferred. PSEUDO might be accurate.
12. Little fight : SET-TO
14. Masterful : ADEPT
15. Backside, slangily : PRAT. Only in the "prat-fall" context. I'm not sure anyone fell on their "prat", or had a kick up the "prat". I'm sure Dictionary.com will have a different opinion, but I'm just working on common usage here.
21. "In the Year 2525" record label : RCA.
23. Fencing deflection : PARRY
24. Battle of the Bulge conflict, briefly : WWII
25. French __ : HORN. What a wonderful-looking instrument. Ron - can you play one of these?
26. Feeling nothing : NUMB
27. Paw parts : PADS
28. Chef's meas. : TSP.
32. Bird-to-be : EGG
34. First-name-only gathering : A.A. MEETING
35. Santa __ : CLAUS
36. Put-down : SLUR
38. Tennis great Sampras : PETE. I see that the Wimbledon Championships are being trailed on TV right now. Who are your favorites? Please "boo" any sports announcer who pronounces it "Wimble-Ton", It's a "D" and has been for *cough* couplehunderdyears *cough*. I used to live a couple of miles away from the venue - I have to confess I never saw a match at the All-England Club,but I did have a few beers at the Rose and Crown on Wimbledon Common.
 | |
| I never went here |
 |
| I went here a lot |
40. Will beneficiary : HEIR
41. Pre-op test : E.K.G.
46. Clamor : RACKET. Or racquet, at Wimbledon. "Quiet Please!"
47. What a weather balloon may be mistaken for, briefly : U.F.O.
49. Make one : UNITE
50. Less credible, excuse-wise : LAMER
51. Greenish color : OLIVE
52. Stingray secretion : VENOM
53. Fancy dressers : FOPS
54. Beer brand from Tokyo : ASAHI. Not Kirin? Damn. Do-Over.
58. Promote aggressively : HYPE.
60. Deal with moguls : SKI. Or pratfall, mostly, in my case
62. "Far out!" : RAD!
63. Afternoon ora : TRE. Ouch!
64. Patriarchy rulers : MEN
65. Kin of gov : EDU. There's COM, ORG, NET and all sorts to keep you company on your journey around the World Wide Web!
Apologies for the brevity - busy week this week! If you're confused about anything here, you've got my email address.
Look forward to seeing you all soon! Here's the grid:
Steve
Note from C.C.:
Just got this cheerful update from Joann:
"Good news! For now no surgery. Dr wants to wait and see if the small
intestine will open up more. Walking will help so we walk a lot at the
hospital. No food or drink yet for now; IV's give him nutrients and
meds. Dr told Gary that if he were in Gary's shoes he would wait and
see if this works. If not then last resort he will do surgery.
This will mean remaining in the hospital for a while longer but we both agreed we can live with that. We
got a kitty last September so she has been a god send to both of us.
Gary does miss seeing here but I send him lots of videos on his phone.
Thanks so much for all your thoughts and prayers. Keep them coming okay?"
 |
I was surprised to see doing in a theme clue with DO a theme answer but it did not throw me off.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to see PINKERTON a shout out to C.C., I also liked URIAH HEEP, DE RIGUEUR and A.A. MEETING
Thanks for the extra duty Steve and Garth oops I mean Gareth
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteBlew through this one in Monday time, with the only hesitation coming at TRE (due mostly to the clue). Didn't appreciate the theme at all during the solve, even after getting the theme reveal, mostly because I've never heard of a "do" referring to anything other than a hair style. If it's in the puzzle, however, it must be a thing...
A somewhat qualified victory today. I breezed thru almost all until the very bottom. ASAHI was a mystery, and I had TEA instead of TRE for ora (I thought it was another un*ed theme entry like AA MEETING). Those two kept me from seeing SHARPENED and IDEE. Once I hit the check button, and found out TEA was wrong, everything else fell in place (ESP for the beer). The few other missteps were all easily corrected by perps: SNOOZE>CATNAP, GEM>KEY, YET>BUT, OCHER>OLIVE. I even figured out the gimmick with just MIXER and DO! RIGUEUR I knew because I used it in a comment yesterday, and had to look it up. Found RIGEUR and RIGUEUR both listed. And PRAT I used in a limerick a couple weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteThere once was a GEEK, a real smarty
Who fancied himself to be very arty.
He was such a bore
That hosts would implore
For him to attend -- someone else's PARTY!
There once was a lady from Kalamazoo
Who was slated to go to a fancy DO.
She spent the whole day
Before the soiree
Getting her hair done in a fancy do!
(For years, I thought it was pronounced sorry, and that swarrae was a separate word. I found out my error from the closed captioning on a Star Trek:TNG episode.)
Good Morning, Steve and friends. Another easy puzzle in this week. I though Wayne and Garth said Party On!, but PARTY TIME. The theme made me think of this Go-Go's song. Hey, Steve's write up was retro!
ReplyDeleteTERI Hatcher's were real and they were spectacular.
Works in a museum = ART was my favorite clue of the puzzle.
Nice shout out to C.C. with Allan PINKERTON (1819 ~ 1884) and his detective agency.
QOD: Acquaintance: A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to. ~ Ambrose Bierce (June 24, 1842 ~ disappeared 1914)
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteI failed on this one in typical Monday time. CLAUS was CLARA, making NES into NEA and RIGUEUR into RIGUERR. I never noticed. DNF.
ASAHI was also the maker of the Japanese Pentax camera.
To my way of thinking, PART One indicates there must be a PART TWO, but PART TWO could be the conclusion. I guess the way the clue is worded takes that into account. Never mind.
Husker, you out there reading this? We're awaiting your healthy return.
I had a problem spelling DE RIGUEUR, but I knew it ended in UR. I thought CLAUS was too easy and went for CLARA first, but I also knew MAU MAU and that NES was a game console.
ReplyDeleteI can find no references for prat apart from fall, as in pratfall, except for dozens of references for PRAT used pejoratively to call someone an A**. I have seen this insult only in print, and not heard it voiced.
BTW, on today's weather forecast I learned a new use of the verb, train. "Thunder storms will be training through this area this afternoon." I assume from context that it means following one another closely like cars in a train. File for future reference.
I like ASAHI or KIRIN when I eat sushi.
"DO" for a big party is quite familiar to me. "We are having a big DO next weekend."
I like my electric hand MIXER for small jobs.
Could we parse 27A "To be continued" installment as the installment this phrase refers to, PART TWO?
I am beginning to feel "real" again with much less sciatic pain and 90% of my former function. I square danced one tip, or set, last night five weeks after surgery. There were six neophytes in the square who didn't have the experience to allow me to "fudge it" a little, as seasoned dancers would, but I appreciated dancing at least one tip.
What is "afternoon ORA"? The on-line dictionary has it meaning something to do with the mouth. How does that translate to TRE???? I can't seem to follow Gareth's train of thought for some of his clues. Anyone else?
ReplyDeleteJane, I agree.
ReplyDeleteAfternoon ora = afternoon hour. Tre as in three.
ReplyDeleteGreetings all.
ReplyDeleteJane: Ora is hour in Italian and TRE is three.
Thanks, Gareth. Fun. Of course my favorite was URIAH HEEP. Madame DeFarge likes the Dickensian GEEKs. My license plate is MME DFRG. Once I was out and a fellow kept pulling up to me waving his arms. Hmm. . . . When I finally returned a wave, he pulled off, and his plate read URIAH HP. :))
The rest of the puzzle seemed pretty straight forward for me today. I never quite understand when they click for me and when they don't. I guess that's why I like them so much.
Thanks, Steve, for the tour. I especially liked the hand mixer!!
YR: Glad to hear your DH is on the mend and ready to be home!!! GH: Lots of Corner "Carma" coming your way. Be well.
Everyone have a good day, rain or shine!
Thanks, MME DFRG. for your good wishes. Alan is my developmentally disabled 52 year old son. I am glad he is well and will very soon be home to keep me company. I am also glad for myself to end five weeks of daily jaunts to visit him and oversee his care. Life is returning to a semblance of order.
ReplyDeleteHello, friends!
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that this puzzle filled so quickly! And it's from Gareth Bain! I had a few write-overs, CLARA/CLAUS, SERIALS/PART TWO, AHI/REX, and YET/BUT. Knew RIGUEUR but had to check the spelling just the same as I wasn't sure about MAU/SLUR.
I didn't recognize PARTY TIME but PARTY ON would have been familiar.
My HAND MIXERs, I have two sizes, are in constant use. My whisk, too, but for small items, like eggs.
YR:
I am so happy for you that Alan can finally come home. Believe me, I understand that daily trip to the hospital.
Good wishes and prayers for Gary!
Thank you, Steve; even your abbreviated review is sparkling.
Have a delightful Wednesday, everyone! It's back to bed for me. Insomnia strikes again.
41D "Will beneficiary" = HEIR is technically (legally) incorrect. An "heir" is one who takes by intestate succession – i.e., by inheritance (without a will). The beneficiary of a last will is (besides "beneficiary") a LEGATEE or a DEVISEE.
ReplyDelete69A "French belief" = IDEE? It's a bit of a stretch, idea to belief. A better 4-letter answer (with first and last letters the same) would be ISME, as in "communisme."
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteAnother Gareth Bain offering to enjoy. Slightly choppy, but it came together well.
Favorite fill - RIGUEUR
Easiest fill - MINSK, TERI, GNU
Always like seeing FOPS in a puzzle.
Bill G. and others - Finally had a clear night so went out front around 9:30pm and saw the planets after first printing out the celestial navigation data from USNO. Besides Venus and Jupiter in the West, Saturn is in the SSE , just slightly higher. Also saw Arcturus very high in the South. Kinda liked how the 1st qtr. moon pointed toward Venus and Jupiter.
Best of luck to Gary today.
Crosswords usually use common parlance for terms, and only occasionally technical definitions. IMO both are correct. Today's HEIR is common parlance. From the dictionary: "A person who inherits or is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another."
ReplyDeleteHello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteHand up for trouble with the spare U in Rigueur. I probably knew how to spell it in High School, but that was a long time ago. The Uriah Heep answer had me thinking the theme was to be double consonants, but then I realized its clue had no asterisk.
Morning Steve, thanks for pinch hitting today. I have to agree that a Mackintosh is an uncomfortable thing to wear. In Australia I learned of the local Drizabone brand of rainwear, which looked more comfortable, but given the lack of rainfall I didn't have the opportunity to test an outfit in real conditions.
Another enjoyable puzzle. Thanks Gareth and Steve.
ReplyDeleteI was held up by the Italian Ora/TRE and U in RIGUEUR also.
ALE and ASAHI for Tin.
Canadians use ECG (we have had this discussion before) , and every good Canadian says Eh not HUH -LOL!
I thought Auld Lang Syne meant "old times sake" but apparently the literal translation is "old long since". What you don't learn doing crosswords!
Update: I see that the Aussie brand name is spelled Driza-Bone. My bad.
ReplyDeleteAh YR,
ReplyDeleteI misinterpreted Alan's relationship to you. Sorry. I'm glad he is doing better. It will be a relief to have him home.
Madame
Agree with Lemonade about "DO"... meh. Overall, did like the rest of the puzzle, even though never watched Wayne's World.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steve, for your pinch-hitting. Very nice job, even though brief!
Steve, until I read your explanation, I had no idea what 'WHAT CAN I DO' had to DO with a party. I was thinking maybe it was I DO and the reception after the wedding. I agree with Barry on that one. And D-O, I made exactly the same mistake as you due to my own sloppiness and had a DNF. So I will quote you: "I failed on this one in typical Monday time. CLAUS was CLARA, making NES into NEA and RIGUEUR into RIGUERR. I never noticed. DNF." Me either. I didn't even read the clue for NES and wouldn't have filled it correctly except by perps.
ReplyDeleteAs far as MACs go, I wore my lightweight rain jacket biking on a trip over the Golden Gate bridge; it didn't rain but I was soaked from sweat. Water can't get in but perspiration can't get out.
Afternoon ora-TRE??? Filled it correctly but didn't know why. PARTY TIME was all perps because Wayne's World is something I have never seen. ASAHI was the only other unknown.
And commenting on 'HIP to be square', square was the term way back when to describe a GEEK.
Third quick solve in a row this week. Once through the across and down clues and this was a wrap. Thank you both Gareth and Steve for the entertainment.
ReplyDeleteH.G. Great news. Continued best wishes.
Re: 49d. Have you heard the one about the Zen Buddhist who asked the hot dog vendor to "make me one with everything"?
Enough. Cya!
Wonderful news Gary and Joann! Wear out your track shoes if you have to.
ReplyDeleteFIW, I got stuck in the SE corner...
ReplyDeleteNot knowing Waynes World, I thought "party on dude!" (which I shortened to Party Dude) Which made patriarchy rulers=den? Combine that with afternoon ora = tea made it very difficult, but I finally sharpened up that corner, with the help of make one = unite, except for afternoon ora = tra?
Steve, you can thank Anon @ 7:32 & Madam Defarge for your not getting an E-mail from me...
(Italian? Shouldn't there be something in the clue to give you a clue?)
(also, flop, to me, means a place to sleep...)
Steve, Is this the Kwikee Mart reference?
Hmm, the word mixer for party seems to go way back....
I don't know why I saved this as a reference for "DO," but it reminds me I have to go...
a different interpretation of having a ball?
Affair? (I don't know what it says, but it speaks volumes...)
Party Time? (Aw, I should have saved this for some ones Birthday...)
Star Ledger Thought for today:
"All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher." - Ambrose Bierce, American author (born this date in 1842, disappeared in 1914???)
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteThis was a typical Wednesday offering with no real problems. Rigueur needed perps for correct spelling and had tale/yarn and Nepal/Tibet but all ended well.
Best wishes to Gary and fingers crossed that surgery can be avoided. Get well and get back here soon! Thanks to Joann for keeping us informed.
Thanks, Gareth, for a fun time and thanks, Steve, for your great review.
Have a great day.
What's the good news from Gary?
ReplyDeleteEvery party should a musical interlude...
ReplyDeleteFun and doable Wednesday puzzle, many thanks, Gareth. And thanks for subbing for Gary, Steve, even on a busy day. So good to get the encouraging message from Joann. And so glad things are looking up for Yellowrocks.
ReplyDeleteRowland just can't seem to handle physical therapy yet. He had another session yesterday and was so wiped out afterwards that we had to put him to bed after supper, and he had a terrible night. Think I'll put it on hold for a week or two until he's stronger and can handle it better.
Have a great day, everybody.
Good morning all,
ReplyDeleteGreat news about Gary; hopefully the walking will work in a day or two.
Today's puzzle stymied me in a few spots. I did recover in the SE corner, although it was slow filling...asahi was all perps.
Press corps did not come to mind so I left 2 holes. Set to?? a little fight? If I keep thinking about it, it will dawn on me. Lastly, I put slam instead of slur, knowing that rigueum was not right, but maa looked OK. Now I will read the comments and hear how easy this was for all of you.
Thanks for the write up, Steve.Am looking forward to W......DON, and I have to cheer for the Williams sister, although Venus is seeded 16. Lots of nice guys, but will cheer for Murray.
Gareth, there were so many enjoyable clues,so I had lots of smiles.
Nice write-up Steve. Thanks for a FUN Wednesday puzzle Gareth.
ReplyDeleteFaves today, of course, were ALE and ASAHI ... go figure.
Never been to an AA MEETING but I do have AU Meetings at Villa Incognito.
Cheers!
Irish Miss, I DID watch the 1st episode of Murder in the 1st last night... next Monday I will start taping the rest of the season. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMisty, I'm so sorry to hear that Rowland is not up to physical therapy. I hope he soon becomes strong enough to do it. You both are in my thoughts and prayers.
ReplyDeleteGary and Joann, you continue in my thoughts and prayers, also. I hope the walking will be effective.
Great big yellowrocks to all of you.
I had a problem getting to the blog. The date is erroneously June 22, 2015. Anyone else have a problem?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, very simple and got 'er done 1..2..3.
Did not know RIGUEUR or MAU, but perps filled it in. More like a Monday level solve. Tomorrow should be a little tougher.
That's all from me. Be well, all.
For Gary and Joann: just keep walking!
ReplyDeleteYay! Great news!
Easy, fun puzzle Gareth, and good write- up , Steve. I didn't notice it was brief because it was interesting.
ReplyDeleteMadame D, I also never know why some CWs click with me and others don't. I'd love to think the easy ones this week mean I am getting better, but that seems unlikely!
And it isn't always that the subject is one I am familiar with. Today, I knew some things, but others I didn't know we're just placed so that perps filled them in. Go figure...
ReplyDeleteGary and Joann, prayers coming from here.
Does anyone remember the Tom Wolfe book, "Radiacal Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers? On Amazon
ReplyDeleteIt was about "community organizers", i.e. Black Panthers bringing the largest black men they could find with them to City Hall to scare the poor "flak catchers" sent down to talk with them. As with football players, these men are often of South Sea Islander and such in origin.
My only nit is that the ora clue should have had more Italian in it. Maybe Italian for afternoon?
I am glad to hear that Gary may avoid surgery still.
I will keep praying for him and all others mentioned in this blog.
@coneyro - oops! Sorry about the date, that was my bad. Fixed now.
ReplyDeleteIn the late afternoon is nel tardo pomeriggio.
ReplyDeleteSo maybe ora in nel tardo pomeriggio? Of course, I don't understand that either. Maybe afternoon ora in Turin?
This was the easiest Gareth Bain puzzle that I've had the pleasure to work! Thank you, sir! Enjoyed your expo, Steve, busy day or not!
ReplyDeleteMy stumbling blocks were from my stupid mistakes. Perps corrected things, so all is good.
Positive thoughts and best wishes to Gary and Yellowrocks. I hope things keep improving.
Pat
My 7 doctors are getting together a strategy to try to straighten out my bowels that currently resemble Art Fern’s Tea Time Movie Map but they have settled on the least aggressive “let’s nature take its course” option. Ten days down here are wearing on me but I have great doctors, nurses and technicians. Today alone I talked to 4 doctors and their nurses and/or P.A.’s. I really appreciated the good wishes and especially Jerome’s very funny “threatening” admonition. I wish I had found you that day in your hometown and shared some of that good vintage around there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your support!
Musings-
-Today’s Gareth puzzle was a fun walk in the literary park
-Reading/watching anything about Vietnam today makes no sense at all to me
-Best use of “But” in a song lyric – “But, but, but, oh honey
But, oh baby you know what I like”
-One PART TWO as good as the first
-MINSK was an imaginary destination in a fake Seinfeld movie
-Allan PINKERTON saved Lincoln’s life earlier but was not in Ford’s Theater that Good Friday night
-Apocalyptic 2525 was performed by Lincoln’s own Zager and Evans
-I am NUMB to a lot of things after my time down here. How do men in jail survive being in the same room day after day after…
Hmm,
ReplyDeleteSorry HG, but I was curious. I had never heard of Art fern's Tea Time Movie Map.
I am glad you are not having surgery, these guys might cut off your Slawson?
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you, Gary!
Interesting puzzle, Gareth! Swell expo, Steve!
ASAHI was perped. Forgot extra U in RIGUEUR at first. No cheats.
(That was the second episode of Murder in the First. 16 grisly murders in the first.)
Cheers!
Great to here from you Gary! Hang in and get better. We miss you. Walk on by. Somebody please link. I don't know how to.
ReplyDeleteExtremely late to the "DO" tonight, but a busy day kept me moving.
ReplyDeletePositive thoughts and prayers to Gary, glad to hear you're holding up and even doing the CW's! keep it up!
I agreed with Steve on much today, and found this an enjoyable challenge, just right for a Wednesday.
Steve,
That extra "U" in RIGUEUR follows the rule for keeping a G hard before E or I, so if you know how it sounds, that rule will help with the French spelling of many words.
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteA fun mostly easy puzzle. I've checked twice and it is a Bain. I'm usually not on his wavelength and end w/ a DNF. Not today! Thanks Gareth. Thanks too to Steve for stepping in with a witty writeup during what must be a tough time for JzB.
W/os - ABASh b/f E, YET ->BUT, wOOS -> COOS (@57a) and the big one PSudo. The latter took a while to suss to PSUED. But I CAN DO'd it.
Fav - c/a pair @47d. Sure, like we're supposed to believe it was a "weather balloon." :-)
HG! You're back! I know you're still in a sterile prison, but it's good to hear from you. Have Joann put a putting green at each end of the hall - a good reason to walk back and forth :-)
Q. What's the difference between alcoholics and drunks
A. Alcoholics have to go to MEETINGS; I get to stay home. ;-)
Re: 49d. Dyslexics UNTIE!
Cheers, -T
@Kazie - thanks for the "G" rule advice!
ReplyDeleteAnonT, UNTIE indeed! For doG sake...
ReplyDeleteDid you guys look at Venus and Jupiter tonight? Getting closer!
Bill G - The clouds finally have parted and I did get to see it! Way cool! PARTY on!
ReplyDeleteFunny thing - my last post had a transposition - should have read PSEUD...
An agnostic dyslexic insomniac stays up all night wondering if there realy is a dog...
C, -T
Gary, I've been thinking and praying for you all along. I had an intestinal blockage years ago and I think it was worse than labor pains. You have gone through so much and are just too pleasant sounding! I bet the nurse enjoy taking care of such a compliant and sweet patient. Hope surgery will soon be ruled out.
ReplyDeleteI filled RIGUEUR with perps. I don't plan on remembering it.
URIAH HEEP brought back memories of reading my daughter "Great Expectations" while she was in high school. She just wasn't getting it. So I read it to her and then stopped to explain what we just read every few minutes. She finally learned to love it.
My mother had OLIVE carpet throughout the house while I was a kid. I'm glad it went out of fashion.
Take care all