Theme: Bug Bonanza - four bacteria are lurking in the theme entries
17A. *Temper-tempering strategy : ANGER MANAGEMENT. According to the American Psychological Association "Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion" so just remember that when I'm yelling at you, buster. It's you, not me.
23A. *Toon rodent superhero with a hamster assistant named Penfold : DANGER MOUSE. UK animated series from 1981-1992, scheduled to make a comeback in September.
30D. *Insect with patterned wings : TIGER MOTH. Also a training biplane used by the RAF in the 1930's. I remember standing next to one, awestruck, at an airshow when I was about five - the name has stuck in my mind ever since.
32D. *CBS weekend anchor during the Cronkite era : ROGER MUDD. No idea - thank you, crosses. When he was passed over in favor of Dan Rather to succeed Cronkite as the nightly news anchor he left for NBC.
69A. Popular disinfectant brand that fights what's hidden in the answers to starred clues : LYSOL. I use Clorox. Apparently I prefer benzalkonium chloride to sodium hypochlorite. Who knew?
Hail fellows, well met. Steve here forming a very minor part of a "Corner" trifecta - C.C. and Husker Gary put their heads together to come up with this one. The theme entries run both across and down, and the grid has vertical rather than the usual rotational symmetry which makes for an interesting grid design. All the GERMs are split in the same place, which is nicely consistent.
Let's see what else jumps out:
Across:
1. Tight-fitting : SNUG. Time to get back to the gym when my pants feel this way.
5. Office subs : TEMPS
10. Jogger's challenge : HILL. TEN-K went in. And came out.
14. Snapper rival : TORO. Battle of the lawnmowers and my last fill. I don't have a lawn, therefore no mower and no idea.
15. Walled Spanish city : AVILA. Pretty much slap-dab in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula too.
16. Cookie that has its own day every March 6 : OREO. Today is "National Middle Child" day. I'd better call my brother and congratulate him.
20. Holiday song sextet : GEESE. A-laying.
21. Hairstyles : DOS
22. Big tops, e.g. : TENTS
26. Lawn problem : WEED. So is a TORO with an oil leak.
27. Q5 automaker : AUDI. I thought it was an acronym for Auto Union Dortmund Industrie, but I can't find any corroboration of that. It's a good story though, so I'll stick to it. What does Google know anyway?
28. Detroit record label : MOTOWN
31. For only a select few : SECRET. Where does "Top Secret" come from? You'd have thought there would be a "Middle Secret" and "Bottom Secret" also, but apparently not.
35. Really bad : EVIL
36. Blink, say : REACT
40. Big Island coffee region : KONA
41. Baseball word with out or up : TAG. It's wouldn't be a C.C. puzzle without at least one baseball reference. Here's her homeboy Kennys Vargas tagging up from second. Sounds like I almost know what I'm talking about.
42. Floral industry hybrid : TEA ROSE
44. Jungle __ : GYM
45. Snowy 10-Across sights : SLEDS
47. Something worth waiting for? : TIP. We had "NO TIP" a couple of weeks ago - here's the balancing entry.
48. For a song : CHEAP
50. TV host Kelly : RIPA
52. Secure in a harbor : MOOR
53. Polished rocks : GEMS
55. Pipe cleaner : DRANO. More kitchen cleaning product.
59. Magazine contents : AMMO
62. Graceland middle name : ARON. Elvis "thank you thank you very much" Presley.
63. __ parking : VALET. Very common here in LA. If you want to steal a really nice car, put on a pair of black pants, a white shirt and red vest and stand outside a posh restaurant. Within two minutes someone will pull up in a $100,000 ride and toss you the keys.
64. U.S. territory since the Spanish-American War : GUAM
65. Delayed : LATE
66. "You’ve got a friend" : I CARE
67. Out of work : IDLE
68. Pasty-faced : ASHY. Ashy? I'd use "ashen" I think.
70. Paradise : EDEN
Down:
1. Dateless : STAG. In the UK, this is used more in the "men only" context rather than "solo".
2. What the fourth little piggy had : NONE. Either because the third piggy ate all the roast beef, or Number Four was vegetarian.
3. Prodded : URGED
4. Risks being caught off base : GOES AWOL. The military, not the baseball sense this time.
5. Tartan topper : TAM. The hat named for the Robert Burns character:
6. Sidestepped : EVADED
7. One with a fake ID, maybe : MINOR. You have to memorize how old you're pretending to be, and the star sign of your alleged birth date. Apparently.
8. Flat panel TV type : PLASMA
9. Give under pressure : SAG
10. Like a camp kid missing mom and dad : HOMESICK. "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah ..."
11. Dancer Castle : IRENE. Who? Thank you, crosses. I'm not really a ballroom dancing aficionado. Here she is in 1912.
12. Period of sacrifice : LENT
13. Quite a bit : LOTS
18. Keep from expiring : RENEW
19. Piano showpiece : ETUDE
24. Britcom, e.g. : GENRE. Nice portmanteau word to boot.
25. Kicks out : OUSTS
28. Citi Field squad : METS. New York baseball.
29. Almond-shaped : OVAL. In the pointy-oval, almond-shaped kind of way.
33. One-named Irish singer : ENYA. She was born Eithne Ní Bhraonáin. Cue some new age music.
34. Pack (down) : TAMP. The (clue) relationship with 37D is cute.
37. Gobble (up) : EAT
38. Former press secretary Fleischer : ARI
39. Arresting figure? : COP
42. Recipe meas. : TSP. My measures usually are along the lines of "a pinch", "some", "a whole lot" and occasionally "a boatload".
43. Green prefix : ECO
46. "Steamboat Willie" studio : DISNEY
49. Sub in Philly : HOAGIE. Food! I didn't know the origin of the word was from Philadelphia. No-one seems to be able to agree on the exact etymology though.
.jpg/220px-Mmm..._salami%2C_ham%2C_and_cheeses_on_a_hoagie_roll_(6879014927).jpg)
51. Ibuprofen brand : ADVIL. I use generics. Cheaper, and the same stuff, I think. Marti?
52. "Psycho" setting : MOTEL
53. Fete : GALA
54. Important times : ERAS
56. Provocative : RACY
57. "Regrettably ..." : ALAS
58. Detective Wolfe : NERO. Crosses filled this in for me, which is just as well, as I'd no idea who he was. Proper names from US politics or pop culture often defeat me.
60. Guy : MALE
61. Broken mirror, to some : OMEN. Ladders, black cats, umbrellas, all kinds of dangerous stuff out there. Be careful, folks.
That's it from me - here's the grid:
Steve
17A. *Temper-tempering strategy : ANGER MANAGEMENT. According to the American Psychological Association "Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion" so just remember that when I'm yelling at you, buster. It's you, not me.
23A. *Toon rodent superhero with a hamster assistant named Penfold : DANGER MOUSE. UK animated series from 1981-1992, scheduled to make a comeback in September.
30D. *Insect with patterned wings : TIGER MOTH. Also a training biplane used by the RAF in the 1930's. I remember standing next to one, awestruck, at an airshow when I was about five - the name has stuck in my mind ever since.
32D. *CBS weekend anchor during the Cronkite era : ROGER MUDD. No idea - thank you, crosses. When he was passed over in favor of Dan Rather to succeed Cronkite as the nightly news anchor he left for NBC.
69A. Popular disinfectant brand that fights what's hidden in the answers to starred clues : LYSOL. I use Clorox. Apparently I prefer benzalkonium chloride to sodium hypochlorite. Who knew?
Hail fellows, well met. Steve here forming a very minor part of a "Corner" trifecta - C.C. and Husker Gary put their heads together to come up with this one. The theme entries run both across and down, and the grid has vertical rather than the usual rotational symmetry which makes for an interesting grid design. All the GERMs are split in the same place, which is nicely consistent.
Let's see what else jumps out:
Across:
1. Tight-fitting : SNUG. Time to get back to the gym when my pants feel this way.
5. Office subs : TEMPS
10. Jogger's challenge : HILL. TEN-K went in. And came out.
14. Snapper rival : TORO. Battle of the lawnmowers and my last fill. I don't have a lawn, therefore no mower and no idea.
15. Walled Spanish city : AVILA. Pretty much slap-dab in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula too.
16. Cookie that has its own day every March 6 : OREO. Today is "National Middle Child" day. I'd better call my brother and congratulate him.
20. Holiday song sextet : GEESE. A-laying.
21. Hairstyles : DOS
22. Big tops, e.g. : TENTS
26. Lawn problem : WEED. So is a TORO with an oil leak.
27. Q5 automaker : AUDI. I thought it was an acronym for Auto Union Dortmund Industrie, but I can't find any corroboration of that. It's a good story though, so I'll stick to it. What does Google know anyway?
28. Detroit record label : MOTOWN
31. For only a select few : SECRET. Where does "Top Secret" come from? You'd have thought there would be a "Middle Secret" and "Bottom Secret" also, but apparently not.
35. Really bad : EVIL
36. Blink, say : REACT
40. Big Island coffee region : KONA
41. Baseball word with out or up : TAG. It's wouldn't be a C.C. puzzle without at least one baseball reference. Here's her homeboy Kennys Vargas tagging up from second. Sounds like I almost know what I'm talking about.
42. Floral industry hybrid : TEA ROSE
44. Jungle __ : GYM
45. Snowy 10-Across sights : SLEDS
47. Something worth waiting for? : TIP. We had "NO TIP" a couple of weeks ago - here's the balancing entry.
48. For a song : CHEAP
50. TV host Kelly : RIPA
52. Secure in a harbor : MOOR
53. Polished rocks : GEMS
55. Pipe cleaner : DRANO. More kitchen cleaning product.
59. Magazine contents : AMMO
62. Graceland middle name : ARON. Elvis "thank you thank you very much" Presley.
63. __ parking : VALET. Very common here in LA. If you want to steal a really nice car, put on a pair of black pants, a white shirt and red vest and stand outside a posh restaurant. Within two minutes someone will pull up in a $100,000 ride and toss you the keys.
64. U.S. territory since the Spanish-American War : GUAM
65. Delayed : LATE
66. "You’ve got a friend" : I CARE
67. Out of work : IDLE
68. Pasty-faced : ASHY. Ashy? I'd use "ashen" I think.
70. Paradise : EDEN
Down:
1. Dateless : STAG. In the UK, this is used more in the "men only" context rather than "solo".
2. What the fourth little piggy had : NONE. Either because the third piggy ate all the roast beef, or Number Four was vegetarian.
3. Prodded : URGED
4. Risks being caught off base : GOES AWOL. The military, not the baseball sense this time.
5. Tartan topper : TAM. The hat named for the Robert Burns character:
"... This truth fand honest Tam o' Shanter,
As he frae Ayr ae night did canter:
(Auld Ayr, wham ne'er a town surpasses,
For honest men and bonie lasses.) ..."
6. Sidestepped : EVADED
7. One with a fake ID, maybe : MINOR. You have to memorize how old you're pretending to be, and the star sign of your alleged birth date. Apparently.
8. Flat panel TV type : PLASMA
9. Give under pressure : SAG
10. Like a camp kid missing mom and dad : HOMESICK. "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah ..."
11. Dancer Castle : IRENE. Who? Thank you, crosses. I'm not really a ballroom dancing aficionado. Here she is in 1912.
12. Period of sacrifice : LENT
13. Quite a bit : LOTS
18. Keep from expiring : RENEW
19. Piano showpiece : ETUDE
24. Britcom, e.g. : GENRE. Nice portmanteau word to boot.
25. Kicks out : OUSTS
28. Citi Field squad : METS. New York baseball.
29. Almond-shaped : OVAL. In the pointy-oval, almond-shaped kind of way.
33. One-named Irish singer : ENYA. She was born Eithne Ní Bhraonáin. Cue some new age music.
34. Pack (down) : TAMP. The (clue) relationship with 37D is cute.
37. Gobble (up) : EAT
38. Former press secretary Fleischer : ARI
39. Arresting figure? : COP
42. Recipe meas. : TSP. My measures usually are along the lines of "a pinch", "some", "a whole lot" and occasionally "a boatload".
43. Green prefix : ECO
46. "Steamboat Willie" studio : DISNEY
49. Sub in Philly : HOAGIE. Food! I didn't know the origin of the word was from Philadelphia. No-one seems to be able to agree on the exact etymology though.
51. Ibuprofen brand : ADVIL. I use generics. Cheaper, and the same stuff, I think. Marti?
52. "Psycho" setting : MOTEL
53. Fete : GALA
54. Important times : ERAS
56. Provocative : RACY
57. "Regrettably ..." : ALAS
58. Detective Wolfe : NERO. Crosses filled this in for me, which is just as well, as I'd no idea who he was. Proper names from US politics or pop culture often defeat me.
60. Guy : MALE
61. Broken mirror, to some : OMEN. Ladders, black cats, umbrellas, all kinds of dangerous stuff out there. Be careful, folks.
That's it from me - here's the grid:
Steve
55 comments:
Very smooth ride today. Clever theme. No hiccups.
How fun to see C.C. and Gary collaborating again. As Steve said the using four answers all using the same GER M split. This was a speed run for me, I can relate to the difficulty in filling proper names like ROGER MUDD and NERO WOLFE from my efforts working the puzzles from the London Times, but the Orchid growing genius NERO is a regular fill and the American successor to Sherlock Holmes.
Happy humping all.
The creed of a GERM was to do what it could
To spread its EVIL through the neighborhood.
It would be sent aloft
By a sneeze or a cough --
An "ill" wind that blows no one any good!
A GERM is a teeny, tiny bug.
It gets in your insides, feeling SNUG.
It'll give you a cold,
Make you ache like you're old,
In short, it behaves like a drunken thug!
A GERM can be beat by a LYSOL scrub,
The aches will succumb to a nice back rub.
If your head feels ill
Take an ADVIL pill,
But don't clear your colon with a DRANO chug!
Morning, all!
Very smooth for me as well, although I did have a minor hiccup with TORO since I've never heard of Snapper before. Loved the clue for TIP.
AUDI: "The company name is based on the Latin translation of the surname of the founder, August Horch. "Horch", meaning "listen" in German, becomes "audi" in Latin." -Wikipedia
Good morning!
Congrats Husker and C.C. Nicely done BRITCOM, Steve. Was there any special reason for the unusual symmetry in the grid? Looks sorta like a face with a Fu Manchu mustache.
ETUDE is a showpiece? I thought it was a practice piece to master a particular technique.
GUAM was a gimme -- spent half of my military service there. Actually hated to leave. You could tell the temperature by the time of day, year-round. There's a marker on the south end of the island where Magellan landed during his round-the-world vacation cruise.
I really got things bollixed up in Texas: Aleve/ADVIL, Sexy/RACY, Event/VALET. It's always tough to see the forest when you've planted the wrong trees.
Couple of nice mis-directions today.Risks being caught off base/GOES AWOL & Magazine contents/AMMO. Initial thoughts were Takes a lead for 4d & ads for 59A. But 41A turned out to be the expected baseball clue.
OREO has its own day? Who knew?
If my lawn had a WEED, it would not be a problem, but the problem is it has (mucho) WEEDs. Spring feeding didn't work this year.
HOAGIE in Phila, Grinder in CT. What's it called in your area?
Congratulations on another publication Gary and C.C. Well done! No snags, no erasures.
Ibuprofin is my nsaid of choice. And yes, Steve. The generics are the same per every medical professional I've asked. Thanks for the writeup.
Fun puzzle, C.C. and Gary, thanx! Terrific write-up, as usual, Steve, thanx to you, too. And one more thanx goes to Owen for his limerick. It took a bit longer for me today as I'm sitting in the Hollywood Chrysler dealer customer waiting area. The whole place burned up two weeks ago, so they're working out of temporary double-wides. Customer lounge has no table. Tough to write with no table so slowed me down a lot until the lovely receptionist let me borrow a desk to finish the puzzle. This was apparently a pretty big fire they had. I read the paper every day and watch the news, yet somehow entirely missed that the place had burned down!! How did I miss that?? Oi.
Very quick puzzle. The only write-over was when I put POP instead of TAG without checking the crosses. It was soon resolved. Clever clues, Gary and CC. Interesting expo, Steve.
I pass by the TORO lawn tools store several times a week. Often the Snapper truck parks by the diner where we eat breakfast. Living in a condo I don't have a lawnmower or snow blower. It seems to me that the majority of home owners, as well, hire out those tasks. The landscapers' trucks and trailers block all our narrow streets.
IRENE Castle and NERO Wolfe are regular visitors to crossword puzzles.
Interesting how AUDI got its name.
It seems ETUDE has two meanings according to the Free Dictionary
1. A piece composed for the development of a specific point of technique.
2. A composition featuring a point of technique but performed because of its artistic merit.
In the Trenton/Princeton area of NJ those sandwiches are called hoagies, due to the proximity of Phila. Here in North Jersey we call them subs, the NYC influence.
C.C. and Husker: Thank You for a FUN Wednesday puzzle.
Steve: Excellent write-up. Thank You for the ENYA Orinoco Flow link.
The GOES AWOL clue/answer was very clever.
Also the one for TIP.
All-In-All a very enjoyable way to Start-My-Day.
Cheers!
YR: Is that a Snapper truck or a Snap-on tools truck? The latter are, I think, much more common.
"Snap-on Franchisees visit their customers in their place of work once weekly, in a van loaded with items for purchase."
Nice mid-week puzzle by CC and HG and interesting write-up by Steve. No nits but a few stumbles along the way before the A-ha moment.
I had runner's WALL before HILL, MIGHTY before DANGER MOUSE, YER out or up before TAG and SEXY before RACY. As usual, perps cleared things up.
Steve: During my career in the defense industry we dealt with many levels of "SECRET" documents that had different rules for dealing with them. Below the SECRET level there were Confidential (usually preceded by Company) and Classified which could be considered as Bottom and Middle Secret. Above the SECRET level there are many levels depending on the government agency that was classifying them. I guess if you were even informed about the levels, someone would have to kill you.
Have a great day everyone.
Barry G,
The TIP clue is from Gary. Rich changed a bit. Gary's original clue: [It's worth waiting for].
This was the very first puzzle Gary and I made. And Rich gave us the green light on Gary's birthday last September. He's an absolute joy to work with.
D-Otto,
Good observation! Steve asked me the same question. Gary and I had four odd-lettered theme entries. This was the best design we got. The two 9's deprived the grid of the long fill, so our priority was smooth & clean.
Mr. Google, you are probably correct. I have seen many Snap-on Tool trucks. I've seen both Toro and Snapper mowers at Home Depot. My curiosity leads me to look at many things that I don't need or won't buy.
Monday's Cryptoquote is a good one for crossword fans. "Try to learn something about everything and everything about something," by Thomas Huxley. This is a great goal. "Everything" is a tall order, but something to TRY for. Curiosity helps.
Owen, I liked your limericks today. Your last one is apropos. Alan is having a two day colon prep, not with Drano. Horrible! Double the trouble. I can't wait until the procedure early tomorrow when it all will end.
Mr. Google, I always enjoy your posts. I wish you would go blue so we could get to know you a little better.
Good morning everyone.
Special treat from C.C. and Gary. Good intro, Steve. Thank you all.
WEES. Mostly an easy breeze run. Did get hung up in the central S. Had Aleve, before ADVIL. VALET helped steer me to the change.
I will be in EDEN, NY, next week for a Memorial service for a dear friend.
Clever offering from Gary and C.C. Thanks! And Steve you outdid yourself explaining it all for us!
I even got the reveal, and used it to pull TIGERMOTH from the claws of error! I just didn't want to give up all those (wrong!) crosses. Pop before TAG, Foul before EVIL, Peaks before SLED. HEY, they made sense at the time.
Owen, I loved the poetry today, too. Too funny!
DO and C.C., I also saw the face in the grid. It made me smile.
Good Morning:
Before I got to the reveal, having mouse and moth filled in made me lean toward an animal-related theme. Crossings of Advil, Drano, and Lysol was neat. Knowing CC's MO, I got fooled on 4D, Risks being caught off base; had to be baseball related, right? WRONG! This was my idea of a perfect puzzle: a clever, well-executed theme, good cluing with some fair misdirection, solid fill, and an enjoyable and satisfying solve.
Well done, CC and Gary; you make a dynamic duo. Thanks, Steve, for the always delightfully humorous and informative expo.
In my area, subs rule but I am also familiar with the use of hoagies, grinders, po' boys, etc. When I lived in Stamford, Ct., they were called wedges, which never made any sense to me.
Have a great day.
IM, a wedgie meant something else in my neighborhood.
Anger Managment? (7:25)
(Wait, What? Cat pics are thought germs???)
(I have to think about this..)
Good Morning.
Thanks Gary and C.C., this was quite a bit of fun today! I wanted pop up or pop out for TAG! And given the Twins' number one fan is here, I was looking for baseball jargon (IMHO--the best in sports) for GOES AWOL. ALAS, no such luck.
Steve, your tour was, as usual, great fun itself! Thanks.
Owen, I remain amazed.
Enjoy the day!
Great job you two!
Very nice theme and puzzle. Thanks HG and C.C. Also thought about the symmetry, so thanks for the explanation, C.C.
Steve, very nice write-up. Thanks for the laughs!
C.C. & Gary- The puzzle filled very quickly for a Wednesday, even though I had never heard of DANGER MOUSE or TIGER MOTH. I was clueless on the clue Britcom and guessed G for GENRE. Every other fill was fast. I see you got DISNEY & MOUSE in the same puzzle.
Steve- Last time I checked, CLOROX bleach contained about 8% sodium hypochlorite. I guess their brand extensions use another disinfectant.
VALET parking- Last month, I bought my wife a new Mercedes and we went to a steak house a few days later. They had VALET parking and I told them if they thought that I was about to let somebody who can't get a real job drive her car they were nuts. I went to the parking lot next door and let the car park itself ( it really does)
D-O, ETUDE is a practice piect.
SPITZ- Aleve is Naproxen, which is basically a half strength Anaprox or Naprosyn.
PLASMA televisions are no longer being made.
MOTOWN moved to Los Angeles a long time ago.
CBS- Roger Mudd, Marvin Kalb, Bernard Goldberg, Charles Kuralt- all four of those reporters seemed to have a daily report on the CBS evening news way back when.
I used to think an etude was just a practice piece. Very many of them seem like much more than that. Then I learned it can be an artistic showcase for a technique. See my post above.
"2. A composition featuring a point of technique but performed because of its artistic merit."
As an arthritis sufferer I was well acquainted with the difference between ibuprofen, ADVIL and naproxen, Aleve.
Advil works faster, but for continuous relief, naproxen lasts longer and doesn't have the peaks and valleys of ibuprofen. My main beef is that it is harder to find generic naproxen at a decent price per pill.
I recalled the show with the superhero mouse when they said the assistant was Penfold, but I couldn't recall the name. I think I watched it with my sons as they were into daytime TV in the early 80's, especially Nickelodeon. I was able to get from perps, and of course, that it had to have GER M.
Yellowrocks, the Huxley quote reminds me about a joke about the PhD. "You learn more and more about less and less until you know everything about nothing!"
Good (late) morning all. Thank you CC, Gary and Steve. Great way to start the day (late) after a restless night.
Never heard of DANGER MOUSE, but it was easily proved.
ANGER MANAGEMENT ? Take this quiz starting on page 5 and see if you have hostility issues. issues. Anger Kills
oc4beach, found out early this AM that I'VE GOT A SECRET is also on TV in the early morning hours.
When reading TEA ROSE, I often have a mental image of portulaca, commonly known as moss rose, which we grew for years.
I love almost all of the MOTOWN sounds of the 60s.
A HOMESICK serviceman sometimes GOES AWOL. But probably not as often when they are serving overseas, say for example in GUAM.
Really had to think about "One with a fake ID, maybe" with only the M and O from the perps.
From 1971, You've got a Friend
Fast mid-week offering.
The only hiccups were "mile" before "HILL",which led to "eons" before "LOTS". Perps showed me the error of my ways, and all fixed.
Almost got me with 4D. But AWOL is definitely not part of a baseball term.
I don't use LYSOL or DRANO. I prefer natural, non toxic products. I have an intolerance to chemicals and am very environmentally sensitive. I remember years ago when a friend helping me out used glass cleaner near my birds and poisoned them. After that I made sure that no living thing in my household would be subjected to unsafe cleaning supplies.
What is your favorite way to eat an OREO? I open up several and pile the filling on one chocolate wafer. Remember when there was only one flavor. Now they come in many variations. "Double stuffed" is my go to. My husband is addicted to them, and I have to pull the package away, or he WILL eat the entire thing.
I've tasted the different versions of HOAGIES or subs. But IMO, nothing beats the bread of a good N.Y. Italian style hero. The others aren't fat, chrisp, or solid enough in texture. But to each their own. I've just been spoiled by Big Apple quality.
And that wraps up today's Hump Day comments. Ta ta all.
Belated thanks to Gareth for a fun puzzle yesterday--so many things to do I never made it to the Corner. And C.C. and Gary, this was a perfect Wednesday puzzle--challenging but doable and a lot of fun. I lucked out by getting LYSOL early and so figured out the GERM theme, which really helped with the longer fills. And Owen, great limericks to go with the theme!
Have a great Wednesday, everybody!
Hi everybody. That was a fun mid-week puzzle. I was on the correct wavelength and hit very few snags. Thanks Gary, CC and Steve.
DO, I had the same thought about ETUDE.
As a kid, my mother preferred Hydrox cookies to Oreos. Therefore, so did I.
I changed my avatar photo for those of you who pay attention. It's a ranunculus in my backyard with a ladybug hitchhiker.
When I was an engineer (before switching into teaching), I came across various classified documents. They might be Confidential, Secret, Top Secret and DBR. The last one stood for Destroy Before Reading.
Nero Wolfe is the name ot the detective
created by author Rex Stout in the 1930's.
Nothing to do with politics or pop culture.
Big Easy - Thanks for explaining. I don't use either Aleve or Advil . Needed something with 5 lts. incl. A and V
Excellent, easy puzzle today. I, too, had Aleve for Advil, but perps soon fixed that.
Audi is one of four German car companies that merged in the late Twenties: DKW, Audi, Horch, and Wanderer. The Four ring logo that Audis have today represents those companies. Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz competed in Grand Prix racing in the Thirties, crushing the other competition. When Auto-Union decided to sell cars in the U.S. seriously, they revived the Audi name. They had been selling DKW's here for a while in the 50s and 60s. DKW's were strange little cars with 3 cylinder, two stroke engines that were never very popular over here. Nowadays, Volkswagen owns Audi, and many cars share the same parts.
I enjoyed this puzzle LOTS. WEES. Irish Miss said it very well.
I’m sure you are all having a nice day but here’s mine: I just got in from 18 holes with my 13-year-old (on Friday) grandson and was able to take some credit for corroborating with my good friend C.C. on today’s puzzle. She makes everyone around her better! It has been a while since we made that puzzle and I had to work a little myself because, oh yeah, I’m an idiot! ;-) Steve’s write-up was fun and helpful as always.
Musings
-Can you find Heartbreak HILL and our cwd town of NATICK on this map of the Boston Marathon?
-I much prefer my easier-to turn Snapper to TORO’s personal pace mower
-The geese were “a layin’” in the fairway this morning
-MOTOWN’s modest beginning
-Sometimes the shortstop can TAG a base stealer in the mouth
-My huge Omaha hospital offered VALET parking
-Till Death Do Us Part was a BRITCOM that came across the pond to become All In The Family
-Baseball TAMPING
-ADVIL side-by-side comparison
-BTW, to answer my earlier in the week question, this character (3:31) made ‘em SWOON in 1963
Well, coneyro, since you asked, my favorite way to eat Oreos is admittedly bizarre and I've never heard of anyone else who shares my technique. (I do the same with most other types of cookies, as well.)
It's sort of an accelerated version of The Dunk; first, I bite off half the cookie. Then, without chewing, I take a small mouthful of milk. Next, I suck on them both, which quickly causes the milk to soak into the chocolate wafers. Then chew, swallow and repeat as needed.
Husker Gary - On the other hand golf got a little harder to do around here. The Link describes a fire which caused 37 electric golf carts to become ASHY. Sic Transit Gloria.
This has been a great crossword puzzle week so far! Fun puzzles and great expos! Congrats C.C. and HG on another accomplishment!
My only write-over was sexY/RACY. Got the theme (for a change).
I love MOTOWN music.
ADVIL--allergic to all NSAIDs. Bummer.
Love the poems, OKL
We finally have a day with low humidity and cooler temps as opposed to the sauna we've been dealing with.
Have a great day!
Pat
Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Husker Gary and C.C., for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Steve, for a fine review.
Fermatprime: Met up with Harvey in Buffalo. He looks real good. I got a couple pictures I will send you when I can. I am heading to Pennsylvania right now.
Owen KL: Just leaving the 66th Triennial Conclave of the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar in Buffalo, NY. A bit of trivia, the first Grand Master of the Grand Encampment was a New Yorker named Dewitt Clinton. The one that just went out of office was also a New Yorker named Deavid Goodwin. First and last, both New Yorkers. We had a great time!
This is the first puzzle I have done in several days. Too busy. This puzzle went really easy.
Liked the theme. I did notice the odd-shaped grid. No problem here. We have had them before.
I also tried POP befo TAG. Easily fixed.
Interesting info about AUDI. i Like that kind of stuff.
I am definitely a SNAPPER fan. I have owned two of them. When my current one wears out (if in my lifetime) I will buy another.
DRANO is one thing I never use. It is better to be careful about what you put down the sink. DRANO can eat up iron pipes.
Well, I am signing off. I will,try to get tomorrow's puzzle done while in PA. See you tomorrow.
Abejo
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Greetings!
Nice work, CC, Husker and Steve!
A few missteps at first: yer and Aleve.
YR: good luck to Alan. A friend of mine only had one prep. Why two?
Have to do this myself (6 months late).
Abejo: good to have you back!
Have a great day!
Ferm, thanks for your kind thoughts. Alan's body systems,symptoms, and reactions to treatment match no textbook cases. He had an incomplete colonoscopy in April. It took me until now to brave retesting. The prep of a disabled person is problematic and messy. I am again following the directions to the letter. I am hoping this time the prep is sufficient. Alan was up all night last night and tonight promises to be the same.
I need to explain Alan's 51 year medical history again and again. I have developed pages of his medical history in WORD which have stood me in good stead and given me strong props in advocating for him. I need to find the exact scoop on his recent hospitalization to add to the file. I am seriously worried about who will understand him when I am gone.
Ferm, you have so many health problems yourself. I always wroory about you..
Hi all - thanks for the plaudits and corrections - although I try to proof and fact-check, sometimes something slips through!
I hiked up to the top of the Hollywood sign this morning - I go up there quite often, so I don't usually take pictures, but this morning was quiet, peaceful and quite beautiful.
The reservoir was built in the 1920's by William Mulholland, the civil engineer who brought the water to Los Angeles. Worryingly, the dam was the same design as the St. Francis dam, which was built a year earlier and collapsed a year after the Hollywood one was completed with the loss of hundreds of lives. Millions of tons of rock and earth were piled against the "dry" side of Hollywood dam to reinforce it - I always wondered why the dam didn't seem to be very tall - that's why, most of the dry side is buried.
Very enjoyable puzzle today. Knowing C.C.'s affinity for baseball clues, I thought the clue for 4d was really clever. Also liked the clue for 59a.
Good collaboration between C.C. and Gary. Keep up the good work!
A very nice east, breezy Gary and C.C., I very much enjoyed it. One write over at 30D TIGER MOTH over gypsy MOTH.
Big Easy - Your comment to the VALET (probably his second or third job to make ends meet) was one of the rudest things I've read on this blog and nice brag on the Brand New Mercedes. UGH!
Easy might work a tad better than east.
Chefwen, right on! So rude!
I remember learning some classical guitar etudes by Sor. They all involved learning a particular technique and were very pleasant to listen to as well as being instructive.
I was pretty surprised and saddened to read Big Easy's comment as well.
Good puzzle - managed to finish w/o red letters, unusual for me. As others, was looking for baseball at 4d, publishing at 59a. And on reading "Jungle_" at 44a, immediately put in "JIM". Must have been in comic books or on the radio in my kidhood. Had a hard time coming up w/VALET at 63a - tried street and wished overnight would fit. Didn't help that I don't know which brand is what kind of drug (51d - orig. had Aleve) - would never buy a brand name when generic is available. One doctor kept saying I should take Tylenol for a temporary pain, but couldn't (or wouldn't) answer when I repeatedly asked whether it was ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Pharmacists are often better at this.
Some etudes are intended mainly or only for practice, some are also for performance. Had to learn many of the practice ones in music school. But look at all the concert performances and recordings of those for piano by Chopin; violin, viola and guitar by Paganini; and others I'm sure.
Virginia Sycamore at 10:52 - we have a bottle of 400 Kirkland (Costco's generic) Naproxin Sodium, 220mg. Don't remember what it cost, but probably less per pill than anywhere else. Hope you're able to relieve your pain.
Big Easy - good for you. Congrats - you sure put that lowly valet in his place. You really are a big, big man. Lucky he didn't see where you parked (rather, the car parked itself), or that expensive new finish could have been all keyed up.
Great puzzle today. Thanks C.C. And Gary.
Loved the baseball clues. Our Blue Jays just won their 10th straight game tonight! We can barely buy a ticket to the games because the fans are so excited. Toronto fans have not had any team to cheer about for quite a while. We'll enjoy this while it lasts- maybe right into October!
Hi All!
LATE to the party, but what a wonderful way to relax - a CC & HG puzzle. I loved it! Steve, as always, a fun writeup to kick-off the party. Owen #3 is my fav.
The TEMPS in HOU are hot and the WEEDs in my garden strong. I had a SECRET clearance with the DOD. I think that's why my Global Entry card came so quickly.
I was so hoping 27a was a CSO to my new Alfa :-)
W/Os - tons b/f LOTS @13d. Also, I can't tell why there's an inkblot at 24d & 37d xing 42a. Kinda looks like I spelled 24a GENRa at 1st. In the end it all worked out.
ESPs - the aforementioned AWOL and RIPA. RO_ERMUDD was close but I guessed the G...
4d didn't fool me for long I already had GOES???? - still took the last two perps...
Liked TIP leading to CHEAP. Pro TIP: TIP well the 1st day of a stay and everything is handled; be CHEAP and 'No sir, we can't give you a LATE check out.' In Vegas (w/ DW) the concierge had a a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries waiting in our room after the show she booked for us.
Fav: DANGER MOUSE. I read the clue and though, "No way is it DM..." It was! (D, M, & S was all I had when I ink'd it in)
CED - Great link on memes.
Big Easy - A read of Heads in Beds may change your mind a bit. Tomsky worked his way, way up from VALET in NOLA to big-time manager in NYC. VALET's TIPs are, erm, all cash. They make out quite well.
Mind you, I was going to ask the VALET to ride w/ me to the parking slot in the Quarter.
1. I've seen Ferris Bueller's Day off...
2. ALAS, the car has its tricks:
To get in 1st: clutch, go to second, then put in 1st.
1st to 2nd: clutch, drop out of 1st, swing stick all the way right, then left, then drop into second.
After that, it's normal 3rd, 4th, & 5th.
Unfortunately, I was a block away when it overheated and had to push it to the hotel :-)
Cheers, -T
Bill G - I almost forgot...
My mom got Hydrox cookies too... I think it was 'cuz they were CHEAP.
DBR is funny - but there are classifications above TS that are departmentalized / compartmentalized. FIL had a Q-something (?) when he worked at the AU Embassy as a Marine.
Quick story - I was at DOD w/ only a SECRET clearance and was involved w/ email (among other things). Someone accedentally sent an email about REDACTED. I'd just settled in for dinner, but was the 1st to answer my cell phone (this was in '95-ish). The information was above my clearance. I had to explain to the General (for an hr) that unless I knew what I was looking for, I cannot ensure the message has been eradicated through the path-hops cache, logs, etc. Eventually I was told and cleaned up the mess. I still haven't told anyone about REDACTED.* I recall reading a bit about REDACTED in the paper a few times.
Cheers, -T
*if you plan to put my family in DANGER to get the info... 1) you're EVIL 2) I remember NONE of it other than above - the absurdity of it stuck
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