google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Howard Barkin

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Oct 7, 2015

Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Howard Barkin

Theme: TIME OUT FOR HOCKEY SEASON.  And just in time, as the first of the regular season openers occur tonight, with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Montreal Canadiens and the Calgary flames hosting the Vancouver Canucks. Seven more games follow on Thursday.  My beloved Red Wings don't open until Friday, when they host the Maple Leafs [which I saw referred to as a dysfunctional organization with a psychotic fan base] now led by former Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.  

Today's theme entries are all hockey infractions.  Hockey is a rough, physical game, but there are limits, at least in theory.  For a minor penalty, the offending player is given a 2 minute time out, and his team mates must play a man short, either for the duration, or until the other team scores.  For a major penalty, the duration is 5 minutes and the team with the man advantage may score as many goals as they are able to. The team with the man advantage is said to be on the power play.  

17 A. Sleeping in the great outdoors, e.g. : ROUGHING IT.  AKA camping.  Not a lot of fun in the rain.  After camping with me one time, the LW made a strong case about the virtues of indoor plumbing.  In my role of excellent husband, I take such things very seriously.  The ROUGHING penalty involves excessive physical contact.

23 A. Making sense : HOLDING WATER.  Indicates a sound concept, by analogy to a bucket that does not leak.  The HOLDING penalty involves grabbing the opponent's body, equipment or clothing.

38 A. Fair odds : FIGHTING CHANCES.  This indicates a possibility of success, given sufficient effort.  The FIGHTING penalty is the only major on today's list.  Often they cancel, since it generally takes two to tangle; but uneven numbers sometimes participate, and actual melees have been observed at times.  With this kind of variability, it is possible for one or both teams to end up one or two men short while the penalties are served.

49 A. Airport agent's request : BOARDING PASS.  This is what gets you onto the plane.  The BOARDING penalty involves pushing an opponent violently into the wall surrounding the skating surface, while he is facing the wall.  This is often a blind side hit.

And the unifier -- 60 A. Hockey punishment for the starts of the longest across answers : PENALTY BOX.  This, also known as the sin bin, is where the time out is served.  

There are many more ways to go wrong in a hockey game, and you can read about them here.  And it can get a whole lot worse.  The Shark's infamous repeat-offending goon Raffi Torres has now been suspended for half the season due to a brutal hit to the head of Anaheim Ducks player Jakob Silfverberg in a pre-season game.  Torres received three penalty calls on the spot, and the longest suspension in hockey history after the league review.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here to referee this match.  Let's strap our skates on and get going.

Across:

1. Great Salt Lake component, to a chemist : NACL.  NaCl outside the all caps world of puzzles, is the chemist's symbol for sodium chloride, common table salt. I know this 'cuz I are one.

5. Moved for a better view, in a way : SAT UP.  More of a posture adjustment than a movement.

10. Lucy's partner : DESI. Lucille Ball and DESI Arnaz.  He is known to have had many other partners [in a DF kind of way,] a serious drinking problem, and a tendency to smoke way too many Cuban cigars. 

14. Fairy tale villain : OGRE.   

15. Yoga position : ASANA.   


16. Pair in a loaf : ENDS.  I take it this is referring to the heels on a loaf of bread

19. Big East or Big South org. : National Collegiate Athletic Association

20. Generation : AGE.  With baby boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, and millennials, this is the AGE of generations.

21. Org. recommending flossing : American Dental Association.  

22. Like many stunts : RISKY.   If they were safe, they wouldn't be stunts.

28. In the past : AGO.

29. Start of a spelling rule broken by deists? : I BEFORE E.   The word "deists" cleverly illustrates the breaking of the given rule.  I'm very cool toward self-referential clues, no matter how clever.

33. Flooded : AWASH.  Inundated, and one of the dreaded a-words.

36. Bring __ a substitute : IN AS.  Rather an awkward partial.

37. Co-star of Burt in "The Killers" : AVA.  Ms. Gardner plays Kitty Collins opposite Mr. Lancaster's Ole "Swede" Anderson in this suspense thriller based on a story by Ernest Hemingway.
42. Prefix with fold : TRI-.  Three panels and two folds, common in poster boards, pamphlets, and paper towels.  

43. "I get the idea!" : OK, OK.  Seems a bit impatient.

44. Skeptical : LEERY.

45. Guard : SENTINEL.

48. Korean automaker : KIA.  The name more or less translates as "Coming out of Asia."

54. Adolescent sidekick : ROBIN.  The Boy Wonder, associated with Bat Man.

57. Indifferent response : MEH.

58. "I did not need to know that" : Too Much Information.


59. Letter-shaped building part : I-BAR.  Metal beam with an I-shaped cross section.  Not this guy.


64. Narrated : TOLD.

65. "State of Affairs" star Katherine : HEIGL.


66. Clanton foe : EARP.  As I reported here, back on May 13th,  The EARP brothers, Virgil, Morgan and Wyatt along with Doc Holliday were on one side against Billy Claiborn, Ike and Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank McLaury. The combatants were only a few feet apart, and the incident was over in a matter of seconds.  It took place at a narrow vacant lot next to a photographer's shop, not at or adjacent to the eponymous corral. Probably the most famous gunfight in the history of the old west, but it was not well known to the American people until 50 years later.

67. Jazz finale? : ZEES.   A call out to me?  I suspect not, since it is a self-referential description of the last two letters of the word.

68. Schmoes : DOPES.  Stupid or obnoxious people.

69. Leaf support : STEM.  Plant life details.

Down

1. Ravi's musical daughter : NORAH.



2. Disco era suffix : A GOGO.  Term borrowed from the French, originally meaning something like "in abundance," later indicating a suggestive style of dancing.

3. Mean : CRUEL.

4. Wing alternative : LEG.  Chicken or turkey parts.

5. Flatly denied it : SAID NO.

6. Hit __: experience delays : A SNAG.  Anything holding up progress.


8. One at the front? : UNI-.  At the front = prefix.  

9. Butter serving : PAT.  

10. "Meet the Parents" actor : DE NIRO.

11. Contents of some envs. : ENCS.  Enclosures enclosed in envelopes.  So much redundancy; so few words.

12. Neb. neighbor : SDAK.  South DAKota.

13. "Do as __ ..." : I SAY.   I hear this in my dad's voice.

18. __-Ashbury: San Francisco section : HAIGHT.  Hippy hang out, back in the day.

22. Court official : REFeree.

24. Smidgen of spice : DASH.  Ask the Mrs.
25. Take the top medal : WIN GOLD.  Olympically speaking

26. By surprise : ABACK.  Unexpected way to be taken.

27. New Age musician John : TESH.  John.  I'm not linking.

30. Compete in a heat : RACE.  Heats are the preliminary rounds.  What were you thinking?

31. At any time : EVER.

32. "Nothing to it!" : EASY.

33. Siesta hrs. : AFTS.   Afternoons.

34. Charging cable, e.g. : WIRE.

35. Not fer : AGIN.   Down-homish vernacular for pro and con.

36. Graphic novel artist : INKER.  Not an adult getting paid to color, as you might expect.  The INKER interprets and embellishes the original pencil drawing.  The colorist applies color.

39. Isle of Mull neighbor : IONA.  Inner Hebrides islands.  Iona is a small island just west of Mull, home to about 200 people.  It is known for it's tranquility and natural beauty, and serves as a location for religious retreats and tourism.

40. Land : ALIGHT.  

41. Tide type : NEAP.  The tide just after the first and third quarters of the moon, when there is the least difference between high and low levels.

46. Classic Fords : T-BIRDS.   The T stands for THUNDER.


47. Accelerator particle : ION.   Used in high energy physics.

48. Mournful tolls : KNELLS.  The ringing of bells, as at a funeral.

50. Physical likeness : IMAGE.   A picture or sculpture.

51. Chance to swing : AT BAT.   Baseball, not Hockey's FIGHTING penalty.  Every time a player completes a turn batting, that is considered a plate appearance.   There are several events in which a plate appearance happens, but not an AT BAT  These include a base on balls, hit by pitch, sacrifice bunt or fly, and some other rare occurrences.  Most batting stats are based on AT BATs. 

52. Three-ingredient treat : S'MORE.  Graham cracker, chocolate and toasted marshmallow.  A treat best enjoyed around a camp fire while ROUGHING IT

53. Common dinner hr. : SIX PM.

54. Nabisco cracker : RITZ.

55. Concert reed : OBOE.  Most common X-word music maker.  The orchestra tunes to it.  

56. About 500 pounds of cotton : BALE.  Heavy.

60. Scholar's deg. : PHD.   Doctor of Philosophy in some specialized field.

61. Want-ad abbr. : EEO.  Equal Employment Opportunity.   Refers to laws prohibiting discrimination.

62. Quick drink : NIP.  Or a sip.  Take your pick 

63. Aye or hai : YES.  That's agreeable, in both Scotland and Japan.

Do you say aye or hai to this puzzle?   I have my nits, but won't call any major penalties.   Here's hoping your team wins all its games - unless they're playing my team, of course.   Now it's time for me to skate off into the sunset.

But first an aside, re: the Oxford comma.  In my usage, it occurs when I'm demarcating a list of multi-word phrases, as in the DESI comment at 10 A, but not when I'm demarcating a list of single word items.


Cool [on ice] regards!
JzB


Notes from C.C.:

1) D-Otto (Tom Uttormark) and I made today's Wall Street Journal Daily Crossword. You can click here to print out & solve.

2) For baseball fans who missed George Barany's Fast Ball yesterday, do go to his site and download the grid. It's fun.

67 comments:

Freond said...

Thanks for the writeup, JB. Decent puzzle, took a bit of work but nothing too hard. Yes, INAS is the weakest spot. Smear a little green paint over it. We're rooting for the Blackhawks in these parts. I have to check mortgage rates to see if there's a way to take the family to a games again this year. Hawks have a waiting list of 19,000 for season tickets! So tickets are only available on secondary market.

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

This one went buy pretty quickly, despite the fact that I know next to nothing about Hockey an NORAH was a complete unknown (as clued, at least). Than heavens for easily guessable theme phrases and fair perps!

A few minor speed bumps along the way included OKAY before OK OK and, well, that's actually the only one I can think of right now but I'm sure there were others...

Not crazy about some of the cluing for stuff like IBAR, AGE and WIRE, but I really enjoyed the clues for UNI ("One at the front?") and I BEFORE E ("Spelling rule broke by deists?"), so it all evened out.

Barry G. said...

Very odd weather lately, btw. Today it's currently 42 degrees but the predicted high is 72. Very hard to know what to wear...

Lemonade714 said...

Well I grew up in a sports family so the hockey terms were all familiar and I remember the Ravi Shankar Norah Jones connection with from puzzles and life. I really liked the I BEFORE E fill.

Thanks JzB and Howard

Lemonade714 said...

Barry, it is time for layers that you can subtract and add as the day warms and cools
We are still not there yet

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

I've only ever attended one hockey game, and that was at Michigan Tech in the U.P. They didn't have chilling coils under the ice -- they froze the entire building. You'd think they were Packers fans, he said coldly.

Things were going smoothly on this one until I got to Texas. My scholar had an MFA, so I was looking at F__GL above ASSES. Once I changed it to DOPES things fell into place. HEIGL was perped, but is still an unknown.

I've been to the OKOK Corral in Tombstone. Watched the re=creation of the event. Marched around on Boot Hill, looking at the humorous headstones, and visited the newspaper office of the Tombstone Epitaph. You can get an issue with your name printed in the headline. I didn't.

Am I a HEEL if I call the ENDS of the loaf the CRUSTS?

Yes, IN AS was ugly, ugly, ugly. But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Not a nit.

unclefred said...

Most difficult clue for me was "Pair in a loaf"; that slowed me down in the NE fir a while, but finally got 'er done. Fun puzzle overall, thanks, Howard. And terrific write-up, as usual, thanks JzB! Guess I have to come back later for Owen's limericks.

HowardW said...

Skated through this one easily to the goal without needing any assists, didn't even have to cross-check.

WEES said about "IN AS" and "I BEFORE E". I had never seen Norah Jones's full name, so didn't suspect the connection to Ravi Shankar.

Thanks Howard and Jazz!

Howard B said...

No problem, fellow Howard.
IN AS was kind of MEH in my book, but it was a nice bit of glue for that spot, sorry.
Very kind of the editor to slot this puzzle for NHL opening day (thanks, Mr. Norris!).
Many if my clues were a bit tricky or oddly worded, so many clues were changed in the editing process for difficulty and clarity, for the better.
The clue for I BEFORE E I will take credif for though, thanks :).
Have a great day!

Howard B said...

Credit, not credif. ;)

Big Easy said...

C.C.- I noticed the puzzles in the daily WSJ a few weeks ago. I have always done their Friday puzzle (since moved to Saturday) but didn't bother with the others. And YES, I did see ECHOES by Tom & Zhouquin on page B9 this morning. I'll work it later. Congratulations to both of you.

As for today's puzzle, not too much HOCKEY at the other end of the Mississippi so the theme was not apparent. HEIGL was a complete unknown and IONA was also filled by perps. For some strange reason ASANA was filled because it was the only yoga term I have heard of.

Nice write-up JzB. Mr. Harkin, this was Wednesday and nobody posting here was ROUGHING IT.

thehondohurricane said...

Morning,

Having been a Whaler season ticket holder for many years, the hockey theme was easily grasped. That being said, the central section was a grind. The WIN GOLD fill seemed like it should have been WIN the GOLD.

INKER saved me because I had SENTINEL as sentinal. Had pop for 7D, but TAG arrived shortly thereafter. HEIGL was unknown and I was sure it was wrong. I
'll think the same thing next time she is clued.

Agree with Jazz on 33A and I'll add 26D to my list.


Spitzboov said...

Good morning everyone.

Well, Aye to the puzzle today. But INKER was a stinker. After I finally got SENTINEL spelt right with an 'e', it made sense.
Thought the puzzle was lively with much fresh fill. Seemed to be a plethora of 'g's' today.
No searches or erasures today.
Thanks JzB for your always interesting intro.

Husker Gary said...

ROUGHING and HOLDING led me to football infractions but BOARDING erased all that in Howard’s fine puzzle. I’m IN AS a substitute on a beautiful fall day (not allowed on YouTube at school.)

Musings
-Hockey on TV doesn’t adequately show the speed and violence of the game
-On my lone fishing trip, we men competed to get the Bread ENDS (Heels)
-Sylvester Stallone said doing most of his stunts in in this movie was foolhardy
-Wanna see many TRI-FOLDS?
-Pictures of windmills are often labeled SENTINELS of the Prairie
-The ROBINS we see here in winter must be the DOPES that didn’t go south
-OK, OK I heard you the fourth time!
-A phantom TAG by Chuck Knoblach in the ’99 ALCS that got called an out.
-I’m anxious to see DENIRO in this new movie
-Driving across SDAK from Black Hills to Sioux Falls – ZZZZZ!
-Teachers and parents refrain - “Do as I SAY, not as I did”
-Change that T-BIRD to red and I’d be good to go
-In what hilarious 1992 movie does a lawyer say, “Does the defense’s case HOLD WATER?”

Tinbeni said...

Jazz: Outstanding write-up and links. Good Job !!!

Howard: Thank You for a FUN Wednesday puzzle. The Hockey Theme was excellent and timely.
Go Bolts !!!

Fave today was clue/answer for I-BEFORE-E.

Only needed ESP (Every Single Perp) to get NORAH and ASANA (since I don't do Yoga, I don't know the position's names).

Hmmm, since the weather is sunny and in the 70's (heading to low 80's) I think I'll probably just wear Shorts-and-a-T'Shirt (for probably the 200th day-in-a-row) today.

A "Toast-To-ALL" at Sunset.
Cheers !1!

Dudley said...

Hello Puzzlers -

The I Before E clue and fill get my vote for top ten cleverness of the year!

Not many speed bumps. Remembered Norah's relationship to Ravi because of crosswords, but recalling her name took longer. I played hockey in high school, albeit poorly, so I recognized the infractions. Mostly I was a bench-warmer (which is a big job in a frosty rink).

We bought our first Kia this year, a Sedona, their MPV model. They say it stands for Multi Purpose Vehicle, as opposed to Mini-van. We really like it overall.

We have Boarding Passes! Not to be outdone by our dear Marti, we are heading for Central Europe tomorrow. It's to be a river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, which means that the bulk of the voyage is in Germany and Austria.

Morning JzB, you're in fine form today!

Howard B said...

thehondohurricane:
I never got to see the Whalers, but I did see the Hartford Wolfpack (Rangers AHL team) play at the Civic Center. Hockey arena in a shopping mall. Loved it.
Thanks for the comments! HEIGL is a tricky one but crossword-friendly. She played Izzie (Izzy?) in Grey's Anatomy a bit earlier in her career.

Jazzbumpa said...

Hi Gang -

Howard B - thanks for stopping by. Always good to hear from the constructors.

Judging from the comments, I'm pretty much alone in my disdain for self-referential clues.

Ah, well . . .

Cool regards!
JzB

SwampCat said...


I had to work at this one, but it was rewarding in the end. Loved "I before e". The unknowns were filled by perps before I got to them .

I know nothing at all about hockey. We don't get much ice down here in the Swamp! But the theme phrases were easy enough and PENALTY BOX had just enough crosses to fill itself in. Great puzzle! Thanks, Howard.

Jazz, the expo took me almost as long as the puzzle thanks to your fun links. Good start to a beautiful morning.

TTP said...


Hockey fans rejoice.

I SAY good clean fun with this puzzle. Well, only if you ignore the FIGHTING, HOLDING, ROUGHING, and BOARDING.

The puck drops for the first time tonight as the 2015 season opens with the returning Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks raising their sixth Championship banner before taking the ice against the New York Rangers.

It was an EASY decision, and not many were taken ABACK, as the Swedish Hockey League SAID NO more to ex-Rangers enforcer Andre Deveaux.
"A former NHL goon was tossed out of a pro league in Sweden after he slashed an opposing player’s LEGs in an unprovoked attack during warmups." He claimed it was self defense.

(JzB, I wrote all that before seeing your write up.)

"He had a nasty reputation as a CRUEL dude." Who sang that ? "They said he was ruthless. They said he was crude."

AGO and AGOGO. AGOGO disco ? OK, OK. Concert Reed ? LOU ?

I BEFORE E broke the puzzle open for me. I had just enough to see it, and it proved other hunches, that quickly led getting two theme answers, and the game was soon over.

Back in a bit.

Madame Defarge said...

Greetings.

A late start for me today. Thanks Howard. Also liked I BEFORE E. Otherwise WES.

Thanks JazzB for ref-ing this match. I see your self-referential point.

Enjoy the day.

Anonymous said...

Does anybody remember that "I Before E" song from one of the Charlie Brown specials back in the 70s? Maybe one of our tech-savvy bloggers can post a link to it.

TTP said...

Told you I'd be back.

Dudley, that sounds wonderful. I think you will have a great time.

Thank you Howard Barkin and thank you JzB. Good stuff all around.

And speaking of good stuff, I really got a kick out of George Barany's Fast Ball puzzle yesterday, and it brought back countless memories after reading a couple of the attached links.

3D in Fast Ball was the answer that sent me off to a few hours of reading. He pitched relief for the 1971 World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates during the season, but was not on the roster in the playoffs. Pittsburgh faced the Baltimore Orioles and four twenty game winners. One of the color commentators for that series was 18A in Fast Ball.

I look forward to solving CC and Tom's puzzle later today.


Anon at 10:03: Here you go... A Boy Named Charlie Brown - I Before E Except After C

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

Before reading the expo, my knowledge of hockey would fill a thimble but the cluing and fill led to a satisfying and enjoyable solve. Only w/o was Lotus before Asana. Katherine Heigl has a reputation for being a diva and difficult to work with: she was never a favorite of mine.

Thank you, Howard B. for a fun Wednesday offering and for stopping by the Corner. JazzB, you outdid yourself with today's write-up. Thanks to the clarity and conciseness of your Hockey 101 lesson, I am better informed, although still uninterested in the sport.

Congrats to Tom and CC for the WSJ achievement and I second CC's advice on doing George Barany's puzzle and reading the two links he provided is must-reading.

Have a great day.

Chairman Moe said...

"Puzzling thoughts":

TTP @ 9:51 - in addition to the A GOGO / AGO, the constructor also used ION and IONA in close proximity; HowardB, intentional or coincidental?

My only write-overs were at 15a - where I inked in LOTUS (before perps led me to ASANA - my "unknown word of the day"), and I originally had ENCL for 11d before realizing it was a plural

WEES regarding 29a; outstanding clue/solve. I actually "got it" before I "GOT it" if you know what I mean ...

thehondohurricane @ 8:05 - I too, followed the Whalers back in the late '70's (WHA days) and '80's when I lived in W New England (Springfield MA and then Wethersfield CT). I split season tickets with one of my accounts, so I attended several games each year. Two recollections were:

1. Being on an airplane flight (from Minneapolis to Hartford) in 1978, following the loss the Whalers had in the final game of the WHA Championship (to the Winnepeg Jets). On board and sitting right behind me were Gordie Howe and John McKenzie; two erstwhile NHL stars who finished their careers in the WHA. Despite the loss, the "boys" were feeling no pain . . . the beverage cart was out of booze when it came around to my row!
2. Seeing the 1986 NHL All-Star Game the one and only time it was in Hartford - check out the legends of the game who played that year . . .

If you recall, The Whalers had a very unique theme song called Brass Bonanza. It was played each time the Whalers scored; JzB, lots of trombone!!

Irish Miss said...

Dudley, forgot to wish you a wonderful trip! ✈️ 🚢

Howard B said...

Chairman Moe:
"in addition to the A GOGO / AGO, the constructor also used ION and IONA in close proximity; HowardB, intentional or coincidental?"
This was unintentional. There is a feature in some constructing software that allows you to check for duplications of partial words. These were among those flagged as duplicates, but since both pairs are not related in any apparent way, I let them pass.
ION could have been changed but the entire corner would have suffered as a result.
Same with AGOGO. Sometimes you have to make some tough decisions in a grid. :)

Misty said...

Well, I found this a bit tougher than the usual Wednesday but in the end nearly got it all, goofing only on ASANA (I put Asada, clearly don't know Yoga, should probably take it up sometime)because I didn't go back to see that I needed UNI. Found the southeast tough too, but got it in the end. Still, challenging but fun, even though I know even less about hockey than about yoga--so, thanks, Howard, and you too, JazzB, for your always delightful expo.

Dudley, have a wonderful trip and say Hi to Austria for me.

C.C. and Desper-otto, congratulations on all the construction!

Have a great mid-week, everybody!

Bill G. said...

Hi everybody. I enjoyed that. Thanks. WEES

D-O, I call 'em crusts too.

I've never been a hockey fan. Many year ago I was given a pair of tickets for really good seats at a Kings game. So Barbara and I went. Somewhere along the way, an errant puck came sailing up into the stands and landed under Barbara's seat. As I bent over to reach for it, the goon next to me placed his arm firmly across my neck so I couldn't bend forward. He then reached down and got the puck. Barbara remained sitting upright trying to avoid the whole episode. Rats!

Anonymous said...

Major penalty: DEISTS does not break the rule, as both vowels are sounded separately. The rule applies to IE and EI only when they sound as a single E.

Minor penalties:
The TBIRDS clue needed an "short." Ditto for REF.
The proper clue for hit A SNAG would be "experience delay" (or "a delay"), not "delays."

Chairman Moe said...

It's an interesting thing, about HOCKEY,
Where the players are usually quite cocky.
After dropping the puck,
We can see who's got pluck;
But for FIGHTING, I'd rather watch "Rocky"!

Re-post; fixed a few grammar errors . . .

Lucina said...

Hello, friends!

Thank you, Howard Barkin, for a clever puzzle! Not being a hockey fan did not deter me from solving this quickly and fairly easily.

ASANA is part of my routine in yoga and I really liked Katherine HEIGL in 27 Dresses, an entertaining movie. I've seen the NORAH/Ravi connection in other puzzles.

Ditto on deist as a favorite.

Thanks again, Mr. B, and very special thanks to Jazzbumpa for your thorough and complete analysis which I appreciate because of my aforementioned lack of hockey ken.

Bon voyage, Dudley and Mrs. I know you'll love it!

Everyone, have a splendid day!

Chairman Moe said...

HowardB @ 11:07 ---> thanks for the explanation. I can only imagine how difficult it is to construct a crossword puzzle; I've never done one but it's on my "bucket list" (FTR, I have a HUGE bucket list!!)

Dudley @ 9:12 ----> habt eine gute Reise!

Lemonade714 said...

Howard B, appreciate all of the insight.

I before E CHARLIE BROWN .

Steve S said...

You forgot to mention the Stanley Cup holders Chicago Blackhawks v. the NY Rangers also open the season tonight.

Also, I've never heard or read the word "ibar" (59A) used anywhere but in x-word puzzles. I think the usual term is "I-beam".

Anonymous said...

Thanks for reading the comments, Bat. It's nice to know that my comments are not ignored. I had never seen that video before today. At 1026a.

Anonymous T said...

G'day puzzle pals,

Thanks HowardB for a fun puzzle (and inside base-ball on constructing) and JzB for the post-game review (I enjoyed The Police).

Easy start for me, but the codeine started to kick in by the time I got down to the SW (yeah, I broke down and took something - I have it from an Rx a Dr gave me, but I never used it) and ended up with an INK blob as I tried to fit "1/2 ton" for 56d. Silly...

Other W/os ENCl and EoC for 61d.

Fav - 29's c/a. I always have to say it when encountering i's & e's... I BEFORE E, except after C, unless is sounds A as in neighbor and weigh. Unless the word is weird - like deists :-). I assume HEIGL is pronounced w/ an A 'cuz she seems normal.

Everything I know about Hockey, I learned from these hosers.

Cheers, -T

K-Dub said...

TTP@9:51 am - Eagles - Life in the Fast Lane. Who were they singing about? Joe Walsh? He had a reputation as a serious party hound. I think 'Life's Been Good to Me So Far' might also be autobiographical.

Jazzbumpa said...

I checked the NHL schedule and it only listed the two games featuring the Canadian teams, not the Hawks - Rangers tonight.

The internet is imperfect! I am aghast.

C. C. and Tom. Very much enjoyed your WSJ puzzle.

Wondered where it was going after the first two theme entries. The last one was a total unknown. "Minor Key" is brilliant.

Also like the rainbow clecho.

Cheers!
JzB

thehondohurricane said...

Chairman Moe @ 10:46

The Whalers also played the Brass Bonanza every time the team came on the ice to start a period.

Almost did not go to the All Star game because two nights earlier the team had blown a 3-0 lead in the THIRD period against the Capitals losing 4-3. It was a miserable performance. But I did go and it was a memorable evening. Ron Francis was the teams top p;ayer in those days, but he missed the game because of a broken foot. He did received the loudest ovation in the pre- game introductions.

Some of the platers did like their spirits. I occasionally had a taste or two at an emporium they were known to visit. They were nice guys and did not expect fans to fund their evening. They are missed, Owner Peter Karmonos is still the most wanted, dead or alive, in Hartford. Yet,I doubt at todays prices they would still be here.

Lemonade714 said...

I-BAR vs. I-BEAM LINK .

JJM said...

My favorite time of year. Period. No offense JzB, but how could you forget that the defending Stanley Cup Champs the Chicago Blackhawks officially open up the Season tonite with a presentation ceremony and flag raising v. NYR. And at the same time the Cubs play the Pirates. Going down to the man cave tonite for sure.

On a side note, my 16 year old and I just got back from a Hockey Tournament in CO. where the Airline lost my son's 2 sticks somewhere between Denver and Chicago. Still no word, and at $200+ I'm not too happy about it.

GO HAWKS!!
GO CUBS!

fermatprime said...

Greetings!

Thanks, Howard and Jazz!

Easy Wednesday!

Has anyone watched Limitless? I think it is cool!

Cheers!

Steve S said...

This (Lemonade's link) doesn't clear it up for me. This power point never mentions either an I-bar or an I-beam by name. From a cursory review of the presentation it appears that he's calling a "bar element" a structural element that only carries axial stress. On the other hand a "beam element" carries bending stress as well as axial stress. Structural elements in the shape of an I are designed to efficiently carry bending stress. Although an I-element could carry only axial stress, they are almost always used in situations where resistance to bending stress is required. So an I element is almost always (maybe always always) a beam and not a bar, by Yan Zhuge's definition.

Steve S

CrossEyedDave said...

Fun puzzle Howard! Much of it jumped right out at me, however I was so puzzled at one point
that I had to put it down & come back later. I had a sea of white from what turned out to be OKOK in the center, all the way to Desi in the NE corner. Filling that in kept me busy for a quite a while...

Keigl was tough,but the perps image, & knells were solid. But I always thought the want ad abbr was Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) which made me want to change dopes for a while...

Last to fill in was INAS crossing Tesh, only because I kept looking for something better...

I may have to give up Roughing It because I can't carry all the stuff I need...

Holding water reminds me of our 1st house, latex paint & a leaky roof is an interesting combination.

DW always gives me a fighting chance...

What a great boarding pass! Look! It's 1st class!

Which reminds me, I guess I should apologize for all these silly links...

But, wait a sec...

TTP said...


Lemonade @ 11:59, I posted that Charlie Brown earlier at 10:26.

Steve S @ 12:17, see my 9:51 post. I mentioned it... Blackhawks at the Rangers... but it is definitely worth repeating. Chicago Blackhawks - Stanley Cup Champions. Also, I've never heard anyone in the trades call it an ibar. I-beam yes, i-bar, never. They'd get ridiculed off the job site. "And take your polyester tool belt with you !"

Anon @ 12:33, whose comments are not not being ignored ? You aren't me.

KayUUJay @ 1:41 Correct. I love the way he enunciates cruel in that song. Crew el. Definitely agree about Joe Walsh being a party hound and "Life's Been Good To Me So Far' is probably autobiographical. Do you remember when Walsh was part of the James Gang and they released Funk 49 ? Joe playing the blues like BB King and then sliding into Funk 49...

JJM @ 3:01, good to hear from you again and sorry your son lost his sticks. Or rather, that the Airlines' baggage handlers "lost" them. Isn't "Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks" music to your ears ?

The ballgame tonight should be a classic with Arrieta and Cole going at it. All my CUB friends are somewhere between cautiously optimistic and just this side of overly confident. Is this the year ?

VirginiaSycamore said...

Thanks Howard for a fun puzzle and Jazz for a great write-up.
I am late to the dance so mostly WEES. Congrats also to our blogger-constructors.

Anonymous –T, I liked the addition of “unless it is WEIRD” like DEISTS. I would also add, unless it is of German origin like Eider, Einstein and Eigenvalue. I had to explain that to a very nice Asian grad student who gave a talk using eigenvalues.

I recall being upset when I learned that “the rules” taught in 2nd or 3rd grade had a yard-long list of exceptions.

The Charlies Brown song was good, but seemed too complex. The former PBS show, The Electric Company had lots of songs for how to read and spell. Usually limited to one rule at a time. I wish it were still on. In my mind, those shows are never “old” since the viewers in the target group change every 5 years or so.

I first read the clue for 48d as “Mountain trolls”, then blinked to see Mourning tolls.

Husker Gary, to me, the Stallone movie with the scariest stunts was
CLIFFHANGER . I guess they used stunt men for the RISKiest scenes.

VS

Bill G. said...

Fermatprime asked: "Has anyone watched Limitless? I think it is cool!"

I thought it sounded cool too. However, I watched it twice and lost interest. For me, a TV show or movie (or fiction book) has got to have a good story AND it has to make me care about an interesting character (or characters). Foyle's War is a good example. I love Foyle and Samantha, his driver. Some of the other characters are enjoyable too. Limitless's characters didn't involve me much. That's also the reason I like NCIS, Downton Abbey and The Good Wife too. Also, reruns of Boston Legal, Gunsmoke and several others. I wonder if it is the writing that makes me care about a character or whether it's the personality of the actor? Dunno...

Tinbeni said...

Fermatprime
I've been watching Limitless and (Bill G.'s comment notwithstanding) find that it has a very good story and interesting characters.

Irish Miss
Public Morals just keeps getting better and better.

I also enjoy Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries on PBS ... I even have read several of the books by Kerry Greenwood.
I think the production values and presentation are on a par with Downton Abbey.

Chairman Moe said...

TTP @ 3:36 ----> always love to hear a little Funk 49, my friend! Joe Walsh was/is a great guitarist; the mid-1970's Eagles (Life in the Fast Lane) has many a tune that resembles F49. thanks for the link!

regarding the BB/WC playoffs, I am rooting for the Bucco's but will not be surprised if the Cubs, especially with Arrieta pitching, win. It is a shame that one of the three teams from the Central Division will be gone after one play-off game; and then, the winner (either PIT or CHI) will have to face STL in a best-of-five! Clearly a tough battle. Pitching rules at this time of the year. Saw it with Keuchel yesterday in NY.

Hope third time is a charm for the Steelers with a PK. I would've been shocked if they had NOT let Scobee go after last week's debacle.

C Moe

Anonymous T said...

Tin - DW & I love Ms. Fisher. I think we've blow through every episode on NetFlix. What to do to night now?

VS - Between Electric Company (Hey you guys!) & Sesame Street (num, num, num) I picked up a lot the Nuns held back. All the rules to spelling befuddle me (give me a logical language like C or, better yet perl).

When typing, I just weight for read underlines and hope their's no homonyms. :-)

Cheers, -T

Spitzboov said...

Hand up for Limitless. Watched it once and lost interest.

How do you pronounce ghoti? If you said fish, you get a cheroot.

coneyro said...

Just finished watching it a few minutes ago. One of the better new offerings. The female lead played Debra, the sister, on another of my favorites, Dexter.

coneyro said...

Public Morals is another really good show. Dark, gritty and reminds me of how it was in the old neighborhoods of NY when I was growing up. Very realistic.

Avg Joe said...

Enjoyed this puzzle quite a lot. Not a hockey fan, but it's certainly timely. Got through most of it without incident, but when perps filled GL at the end of Katherine's name I thought "uh oh. This won't end well" surprisingly, it did. I remember her from Gray's Anatomy, and have always considered her entirely lickable.

I did do the puzzle by Tom and C.C. A very sneaky outing. Didn't even figure out the echo until it was completed. Good job, both of you.

I had the pleasure of seeing Joe Walsh and the Barnstormers, then the Eagles with Joe Walsh, followed by Ted "Motor City Madman" at Sedalia, MO in July 1975. I was leaning on the stage apron, so that's as close as you can get to front row seats. An incredible experience. Felt a little like Joe Walsh does most days at the time, I suppose. Either way, I wouldn't trade that night for an evening with Katherine Heigl.....well, maybe.....

coneyro said...

Three days of completion. A record.

The hockey theme was a gimme for me. Growing up in NY, I went to many Rangers games at MSG.

Speaking of TV. Better than average amount of quality offerings this season. I enjoy the new shows Quantico, Blind Spot, and Heroes Reborn, among others. The Blacklist is back...yeah! Dr Who rules! Too many shows, not enough time. I admit it, I love TV. (I have a large recording capacity DVR, so it's not a big deal).

Yankees are kaput. My husband is po'd. They aren't the same A+ team I remember. Hope the Mets pick up the slack. You can take me out of NY, but you can't take the NY out of me. Big Apple forever!. If it wasn't for the cold, I never would have moved down south.

Hope everyone's week is going well so far. Good evening.

Bill G. said...

Coneyro, Barbara is po'd too. It would be cheerier around here if the Yankees were still alive.

The Dodgers haven't been on TV all year until now. I hope they can last for a while in the playoffs but I'm skeptical.

Spitz, "Ghoti." That's a good one!

AnonT, heh heh...

Jayce said...

Had a fun time working 3 puzzles today. Tom and C.C., you guys are sneaky-clever! George stumped me at 60A. Spitzboov, I get a cheroot.

Chickie said...

Hello Everyone,
I forgot the Norah/Ravi connection, so I started with Camping Out instead of Roughing It. That changed quickly. Other than that this was a fast easy puzzle for me. I have done all the puzzles this week without any lookups. I feel like a real solver today.

Dudley, I'm envious. Have a wonder cruise.

I've watched just enough Hockey on TV to know the terms that were used today. Not being a real dyed in the wool sport's fan, I was surprised I got through today's puzzle without too much trouble.

Have a great evening, everyone.

TTP said...

Oh the numbers. Stats are being thrown around left and right. Cole 8 out of 9 against the CUBS. Arrieta only allowing 1 run against the BUCS an his .075 ERA since...

Chairman Moe, me too. Pirates fan through and through. I still hear "The Gunner" Bob Prince calling the games. Should be a great game. This should be like Harvey Haddix versus Lew Burdette, with fewer hits !

Yea, Scobee. Good crossword puzzle name. Good Jacksonville Jaguar kicker. Not so for the Steelers. In Fantasy Football, I let go of Chiefs kicker Carlos Santos a week and a half ago, and picked up Scobee. Santos ended up geting 25 points last week, and we know how Scobee failed. I dropped him from my FF and picked up Robbie Gould.

Here's a number you may not have heard. Game time tonight is 7:08 PM. In military time, that is 19:08. 1908 is the last time the CUBS won the World Series.

Is this the year for the CUBS ?


billocohoes said...

@Husker Gary

"My Cousin Vinnie", during which I realized I was old because I knew why the DA's trick question was bogus.

Irish Miss said...

Tin and Coneyro -Agreed that Public Morals gets better each week and is an accurate representation of that era and locale.

Re new shows, I'm still on the fence with Quantico and Code Black. Still enjoying The Good Wife, Madame Secretary, Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, Chicago PD and Chicago Fire, and Scorpion.

Big Easy said...

Limitless- I have no idea about the show but just got the new issue of Forbes, and their 400 have absolutely 'limitless' amounts of money. A billion dollars doesn't even make the list.

C.C. & D-O- did the WSJ puzzle. Nice but I didn't get the ARE and DEP connection. ABIGATO and FLUER DE SEL were unknowns. Fluer de lis (lys) wouldn't work.

Argyle said...

Avg Joe said...Katherine Heigl..."always considered her entirely lickable."

Typo or not?

Avg Joe said...

Not.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say.

Bill G. said...

Q: Before doors were invented, how did people go outside?

Anonymous T said...

Bill G - A. They just pee'd inside?

Argyle - Sorry for the deleted post earlier (and thanks for cleaning up the mess around here). I saw my typo (read) and then saw the humour and decided WTH, try for going to 11.

Ave Joe - That was NaCl-ty... :-)

Did someone mention tormorrow is a C.C. or was I still high? If the former, I can't wait; If the latter, well, I'll solve a Thurs in my next dream.

Cheers, -T