First and foremost on this 11th day of the 11th month:
We honor veterans at our corner and all others who have served.
We honor veterans at our corner and all others who have served.
Title: It's a Mad, Mad World
Across theme entries
20. Access to 54-Across : RABBIT HOLE - Alice's port of entry
34. "Mad" social in 54-Across : TEA PARTY - A rather odd conclave
43. 34-Across napper in 54-Across : DORMOUSE - Seen napping between March Hare and Mad Hatter
54. Setting for a novel originally published 11/11/1865 : WONDERLAND - The theme reveal.
Down theme entries
11. Critter who kept disappearing in 54-Across : CHESHIRE CAT - The inscrutable lurker. Couldn't resist the animated gif.
52. Visitor to 54-Across : ALICE - The star of our little adventure. She was named for Alice Liddell, a daughter of Dodgson's friend. She asked him to write down the text of a fanciful tale Charles told her and her sisters on a boat ride. Alice IN Wonderland is visually shown in this 15*16 grid.
Across:
1. Inaugural ball, e.g. : GALA
5. Calcium source : MILK - What??
9. Open, as toothpaste : UNCAP - Or what Hondo's favorite player did while running the bases
14. Very dry : ARID
15. Down to business : AT IT - I tune in the Super Bowl after they're Down to business
16. Former Cleveland oil company acquired by BP : SOHIO - Standard of Ohio
17. San __, Italy : REMO
18. "Of course" : I SEE
19. Match with bishops : CHESS - She's moving her bishop
23. Catalina, e.g. : ISLE - 26 Miles Across The Sea
24. Houston-based scandal subject : ENRON -Ken Lay moved this Omaha-based company's headquarters to Houston when he became CEO after promising he wouldn't. Hmmm...
25. Wood-shaping tools : LATHES - Not used to make these
27. Phone button trio : ABC - Yeah, kids today would know this...
30. Badminton barrier : NET
31. Short-legged dog : CORGI - Elizabeth II has owned more than 30 during her reign
32. Emotionally out of control : CRAZED
37. Spud : TATER - Also what 25 Across can hit
38. Benefit : BOON - In The Jolly Coachman, The Kingston Trio sang of a maid - "She's a BOON to all mankind"
39. Butte relative : MESA
40. Like 2016 : EVEN
41. Antacid choice : TUMS
42. Deteriorate : DECAY
45. Remove pieces from? : DISARM
46. Fencing defense : PARRY - Woman on left PARRYS woman on left and then thrusts for a point
48. Mao __-tung : TSE
49. Shortening brand : CRISCO
51. Divided country : KOREA - Wanna guess which city is Seoul and which is Pyongyang
53. Wild West weapon : COLT - Wyatt Earp's .45-Caliber COLT sold for $225,000 in April, 2014
59. Loafs : IDLES - Have you met my nephew?
61. Some intersections : TEES - Not shirts, construction nuts or golf supports this time
62. Slushy treat : ICEE
63. Approaches : NEARS
64. Bond girl Kurylenko : OLGA - Bond accessories are always a girl and a gun
66. Prickly shrub : GORSE - Not a clue. The R in CATERPILLAR finished it off for me
67. Corset stiffener : STAY - Hattie McDaniel cinching up Vivien Leigh
68. Fish caught in pots : EELS
Down:
1. Teri of "Tootsie" : GARR - A favorite movie of mine. Nominated for ten academy awards
2. Neck of the woods : AREA
3. Common perch : LIMB
4. Acrobat creator : ADOBE
5. Restaurant host : MAITRE D' - Short for Maitre d'hotel - Master of the Hotel
6. Soup server's caution : IT'S HOT
7. Use, as a chaise : LIE ON - You could LAY a sweater ON the chaise
8. "As seen on TV" record co. : K-TEL
9. Pac-12 powerhouse : USC
10. Baseball rarities : NO HIT GAMES - Our baseball aficionados will instantly know who made this great catch to save the most famous NO HIT perfect GAME
12. It may be graded in an auditorium : AISLE - A sloping grade.
13. Plays to the camera : POSES
21. Deep-seated : INNER
22. Online money source : E-LOAN
26. Alsatian dadaist : ARP
27. Took steps : ACTED
28. "Top Chef" network : BRAVO - This BRAVO show is real?
33. Highly respected Buddhists : ZEN MASTERS - Or the NBA's Phil Jackson
35. Romanov royals : TSARS
36. Self-congratulatory cheer : YAY ME
38. Active : BUSY
41. "The Burden of Proof" author : TUROW - Also of ONE L Cwd fame
42. Restaurant visitor : DINER
44. Hobbit enemy : ORC
45. Venture to express : DARE SAY
47. Barrio food store : BODEGA - Bad check displayed in Jerry's BODEGA
49. Keeping in the loop, briefly : CC'ING - Some of what we're doing today
50. Wild West show : RODEO
51. Lowered oneself? : KNELT
55. Plains people : OTOS
56. Overexertion aftermath : ACHE - Hey, check your birth certificate
57. Diamond of music : NEIL - His Sweet Caroline is played before the bottom of the 8th inning at Fenway and is now being used at other athletic venues. "So Good, So Good, So Good!"
58. Man caves, maybe : DENS
60. Nottingham-to-London dir. : SSE - 2 hr. 48 min. by Hwy. M1
Crossword Anthem:
Alice: "This is impossible!"
Mad Hatter: "Only if you believe it is!"
Notes from C.C.:
1) Santa came up with this idea. I went for a fun ride. Pure joy to work with him!
 |
| Scott (Santa) |
2) We'd like to thank Sheila Brown of Lewis Carroll Society and the publisher Macmillian for helping us identify the exact publishing date as Nov 11, 1865.
3) Big Thanks also to Rich for doubting the Wiki date and making sure we have the correct date. Rich also took time and removed the two black squares we had at the corners.
The CHESHIRE CAT patrols round the house,
ReplyDeleteI DARESAY till TEA-time, or somewhere thereabouts.
Then a rug he will LIE ON
And dream he's a lion,
While all curled up with a sleepy DORMOUSE!
There once was a fellow named Charlie,
Told tales convoluted and snarly,
Where cards in their suits
Met CHESS pieces' troops,
And the queens told their kings how to parley!
Carroll's CHESHIRE CAT and Baum's Cowardly Lion
Were close to each other, like sire and scion,
Since the night of the orgy
With a terrified CORGI,
And the catnip-laced MILK they all three got high on!
Morning, all (and a Happy Veterans Day to all who have served)!
ReplyDeleteNormally, I get annoyed by puzzles that have lots of cross reference clues. Not this time, though! As soon as I got the RABBIT in the first theme answer I knew what we were celebrating and the rest of the puzzle was a delight. Only minor hesitation was at the crossing of USC and SOHIO, which I left until the end and then guessed correctly.
As an aside, I recently saw that same picture of North and South Korea, except that it was being used to show the difference between countries "based on atheism" (North Korea) and countries "based on religion" (South Korea). That one got a major face palm from me, but I like this version much better...
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteLike Barry, I got the theme as soon as I saw the RABBIT. Put 'im in his HOLE and inked in WONDERLAND. Thought the oil company was AMOCO, but SOHIO forced its way in. Cute puzzle, and very timely. Thanks Santa and C.C.
Congrats to all veterans (YAY ME!). Free lunch and other bennies today at lotsa places. Not sure how I'd prove veteranship, though.
Husker, I remember that "girl who steals a kiss and stays to steal another." You passed up a bunch of linking opportunities today.
CORGI reminds me of Stella, the cute little corgi who rushes to greet us on our morning walks. She'll follow us for maybe half a block, and then turn tail and head for home.
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Argyle and C.C., for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Husker Gary, for a fine review.
ReplyDeleteThis started out real easy in the NW and I thought it would be more like a Tuesday puzzle. I soon found out it was a little tougher than I expected.
Liked the theme. I picked up on it early, which helped a lot.
Thank goodness for a bunch of perps that helped me get the characters all the way through.
GORSE was unknown. Perps.
CHIN helped me spell NEIL correctly. My brother's name is NEAL, so I never know which way to go.
I even got MAITRE D without thinking too much.
Lots to do today. Heading to San Jose, CA, in the morning. Have to finish raking the leaves. Ran out of bags so I had to quit.
Now that the sun is up I will put my American Flag out for the day.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
This is a great example of why many consider the Los Angeles Times as the source of the best daily crossword in the country.
ReplyDeleteArgyle- So, we finally get to see a photo of you when you were three years old. Nice.
ReplyDeleteLoved the theme! What a delightful romp, with just enough crunch to make it interesting. Thanks, Argyle and C.C. Our old friend IDLES even got a fresh clue.
Happy Veterans Day. Never forget....
ReplyDeleteGood morning all. Thank you Argyle and CC.
A wonderful puzzle. No problems going "down the rabbit hole."
Another FIW. Didn't pluralize OTOE to OTOS, and never looked at the crossing clue.
Golf fans who watch The Open know of gorse. Some have been fortunate, or unfortunate as it may be, to personally experience it.
Liked venture to express for DARESAY.
Here's to the VETS !
Hey D-O, if you still have a copy, your DD214 proves you're a vet. Today, Baltimore County is giving vets a free round of golf at all their courses.
ReplyDeleteNice stuff all contributors. Struggled with DORMOUSE and PARRY. Otherwise an enjoyable romp.
ReplyDelete"7. Use, as a chaise : LIE ON - You could LAY a sweater ON the chaise"
ReplyDeleteI'm a heavy sweater but have never had that opportunity on a chaise.
RAC'em, that's a good idea. But I've moved six times since that DD214 was issued. Don't know how many moves the DD214 made, but it was fewer than six. I suspect it eloped with my Social Security card.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Scott, C.C., and thanks HG. Lots of long, but easy, fills for a weekday puzzle. I had filled RABB by perps in the NW and when I read the clue to 20A I sensed ALICE in WONDERLAND. Although I never read it or saw any movie of it, the characters are well known and the fills were easy. I had a few unknowns-BRAVO, GORSE, OLGA, PARRY- that were filled rapidly by perps. The last fill was TOME, a good X-word word used nowhere else. We used the Yellow Pages as a booster.
ReplyDeleteChairman Mao- I thought they changed his name to ZEDONG. Let TSE stay will T.S. Eliot.
HG- BAN & ARID. The deodorant has two Rs-ARRID.
Abejo- I always have the same problems with NEIL-Neal, O'neal-O'niel, Ryan-Ryun, Brian-Bryan.
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhat a hoot! Great puzzle today from two very knowledgeable people.
No problems with the solve. Ended up at the TOME / BOON cross. Favorite clues were those for TOME and CCING.
23A - Cataslina ISLE. I've regaled you in the past with my circumnavigation of Catalina while on an LST, so will pass today.
-I enjoyed this jaunt through Wonderland. Great Puzzle, CC and Santa. Fine expo, Gary.
ReplyDelete-We encountered GORSE while hiking in Scotland.
-I am quite familiar with TOME in every day speech, as well as in writing.
For example:
"Even so, copies became so rare that the tome, complete with intimate portraits of sovereign and pet, became a much-coveted gift." Time Nov 4, 2015
"The two tomes coming out this week rehash a hodgepodge of older scandals while also offering allegations of mismanagement, excess and resistance to change." Washington Post Nov 3, 2015
"For many years now, bookcases of legal tomes in law offices have been mostly for show." New York Times Oct 28, 2015
Musings
ReplyDelete-Speaking of anniversaries, yesterday was Joann’s birthday and I had a local grocer make this lovely gift for her. It’s strawberries dipped in chocolate with white stripes on a bed of coconut adorned with edible pink paint. I done good!
-That same grocery chain will do this for approximately 80,000 vets today
-DUH! I missed the ALICE IN WONDERLAND in the SE corner. Great!
-Anon, I loved the heavy sweater line and Big Easy, I’ll fess up I did not know the spelling of that deodorant.
-Yeah, Otto, here’s the entire song (2:16) where all can discover the fate of the maid who was a BOON to all mankind in the last line. I demurred adding that lyric in the write-up.
What fun today! Thanks, Argyle, CC and for the expo Gary!
ReplyDeleteOur son is in the AF and is off work today - he and some buddies sound like they
will eat their way through the day as only 20 something young men and women can!
Enjoyable trip down the old Rabbithole. Everything went smoothly today although perps were still needed for GORSE. Great puzzle and write-up from our friends.
ReplyDeleteStill have to do the puzzle on-line because the local paper switched to the NY Times puzzle which is 5 weeks old by the time it hits our paper. (Today's puzzle is from the October 7 NYT.) Originally they switched to the Universal CW which was not very challenging. After a rather large hew and cry from some of the readers they switched to the NYT puzzle, but will not switch back to the LA Times CW. Not a real big deal, but I prefer to try to do the puzzle in the paper with pencil and eraser.
I hope all of the veterans out there have a great day today and maybe a free lunch, dinner or coffee at one of the many places that are honoring your service.
Thanks Argyle and CC for a fun puzzle. I had no idea what was published on Nov. 11, 1865 so I was really happy when ALICE showed up early as the SE corner was the first to fall.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gary for the great write-up and videos. I watched the fencers three times and could still barely see the epees. It's a good thing they have electronic detectors to tell who gets a hit.
I thought I was finished but when I turned on the red letters, I had OTES for OTOS so I missed the O in OLGA. The few I didn't know, mostly how to spell, was from perps. I had heard of GORSE but I didn't know it had prickers. Better warn the Duke of Cambridge! (yesterdays long story to define APLOMB by Anonymous)
16.A It was a very sad day in Ohio when BP took over SOHIO in 1978. All the red white and blue gas stations changed to green for BP. I boycotted for a while then relented because they had the "pay at the pump" option first They also had a cute set of Peter Rabbit mini-books as a promotion about that time. BP_WIKI
BP was begun with the government of Great Britain being majority stock holder in 1908. The book, Churchill's War Lab, said BP was started to guarantee oil for their navy which was converting from coal to oil as its fuel.CHURCHILLS_WAR_LAB
BP wasn't 100% privately owned until 1987. It merged with AMOCCO in 1998, long after the SOHIO takeover.
Salute to all our brave Vets today!
VS
An enjoyable outing today. Didn't know about the date, but the theme became apparent quite quickly. Didn't know of Gorse either, but it perped in and all the others were readily gotten. Thank you Scott, C.C. and Gary.
ReplyDeleteBracing for weather here. No snow expected in E Nebraska, but the W 1/2 is getting some now. We've got 1/8 mile visibility, though. Winter's coming. You can just feel it.
Fun, whimsical puzzle for today! Thanks Argyle & C.C. Great crossing of theme entries, too.
ReplyDeleteHG, great write-up, and thanks to all the Veterans out there!
What a great offering today from our two Corner stars!
ReplyDeleteMy only slip-up was having no clue about the S in SOHO or what powerhouse was needed to complete USC. No sport for me, remember!
Otherwise the theme answers made this a walk in the park.
Thanks to all who have served. Maybe if humanity ever becomes more enlightened, such service will not be needed. But I'm not holding my breath.
I read that the first reading of the first draft of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (sic) was made while punting through Oxford on July 4 of the same year. He could not have predicted the symbolism of 11/11 though.
ReplyDeleteFastest Thursday solve ever, but that was hardly the point. I see we have CHESS in the grid - is that to whet our appetite for the sequel? A pity you could not find a theme word crossing rabbit hole - I am sure you tried very hard.
Since we had Spam the other days, 45A reminds me of the scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail - JUST A FLESHWOUND .
But enough frivolity.
Here's to VETERANS and REMEMBRANCE to all who fought and died for our countries.
ReplyDeleteNot a big fan of Alice & her friends, so this was a bit of a struggle today, but it was fun. In the end, it all worked out. CATERPILLAR was the last theme clue to fall. Kept thinking it was a kitty cat something or other.
Knew PARRY, but not the spelling. Started with Parre (looked more French). BUSY was the savior.
Husker, yes #24 was /is/will always be my favorite. Can remember plays he made over 60 years ago but seldom remember what I ate for supper the previous night. The Jints won on a walk off by Willie my last visit to the Polo Grounds in July, 1957 before they deserted. Googled the games box score and have it book marked. The # 7 you mentioned was a Yankee center fielder for many years. Think his initials were M M, like the candy!
CC, yes a no hitter is rare, but not as rare as a Triple Play or a perfect game.
Thank you to all are veterans.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the bylines, I knew I was in for a treat and was not disappointed. What a clever and fun theme with great cluing and fill. Leave it to CC to sneak in a baseball reference! The It's Hot clue reminded me of a recent lunch with my sister; she ordered a bowl of soup and had to send it back 3 times before it was hot enough.
Congrats and thanks, CC and Santa, for a charming offering, and thanks, Gary, for a terrific write-up; I can't even imagine how much time and effort you out into it, but it is greatly appreciated.
Tin, from yesterday: I was only pulling your leg as I know you have your rules for the use of non-use of that dreaded 3 letter word!
To all who served and continue to serve, our deepest thanks and respect.
Sorry, use or non-use.
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteI just knew I would enjoy today's puzzle when I saw the constructors and I was right! So fun!! I got the theme as soon as I saw TEA PARTY and down the rabbit hole I went. Between Alice, baseball and the giggle I got when I saw C.C.'s signature in the puzzle, I was actually a sad this one was over. Keep up the fantastic work you two. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Thank you also for the great writeup HG :)
Have a wonderful day!
“We're all mad here.”
― Cheshire Cat
tawnya
PS - Has anyone ever figured out the puzzle "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"
Happy Veterans Day! Thanks and best wishes for them and their families.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the puzzle very much! Thanks Argyle and CC (and Rich). I missed the ALICE in WONDERLAND too. Rats! Also, thanks for the excellent writeup Gary. (How am I supposed to know it was you? I can't find any attribution.)
In high school, I learned of Santa Catalina Island from its being 26 Miles Across the Sea. When I moved out here in 1963, it was one of the first places I wanted to visit. It's one of the channel islands and is an interesting but fairly barren place with one very scenic and touristy city (Avalon) and one tiny little town at the isthmus called Two Harbors.
Tawnya, I give up!
Gary, very nice gift. Happy birthday to Joann!
Autocorrect makes me say things I didn't Nintendo.
Enjoyed the puzzle today, and the theme.
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of the Wonderland story, so this was a no-brainer.
A liitle emotional, but a gimme for me on that GORSE entry. My best friend (RIP)... That was his last name. Looked up its meaning years ago.
Today Golden Corral is having a free dinner for vets. Perkins had it at breakfast. My appreciation, to all, of your sacrifices, on behalf of this country. My husband survived Viet Nam.
The GOP debate last night was the best of them so far. The questions were reasonable, and it was quite entertaining and informative. Trump is hysterical.
'Nuf said.....
As soon as I got RABBIT HOLE I went down and got the reveal and was on my way. Still a bit crunchy with some of the initial goofs reported by others (AMOCO before SOHIO,which I'd never heard of, and had to guess the S since I wasn't totally sure about USC) but I got the whole thing in the end. Just loved this theme, C.C. and Argyle. And thanks for posting the photo of Scott--now I finally understand why you're called SANTA!
ReplyDeleteLoved the pics, Husker Gary--especially being reminded of "Tootsie" and "Gone with the Wind."
Have a great day, everybody!
Greetings, friends! And a salute with thanks to our VETERANS past and present!
ReplyDeleteAnd a big thank you to Scott and C.C.! What a nifty puzzle! Last night on the CBS news, Scott Pelley reported on ALICE IN WONDERLAND's anniversary of publication so this was like the icing on the cake.
I zoomed along quite well with problems only in the central north as I've not heard of KTEL but perped it. Also I had UNC. Well, it could have been NOHIO.
All the theme answers were fun and I filled them without much ado even though I've never actually read the book nor seen the entire movie.
When my daughter was an infant we were visiting in a small town and asked for a telephone book to boost her on and they brought one that was more like a pamphlet. I think we then used a pillow and laughed a lot.
TOME is often used in literature.
Thanks again for today's fun and Gary, too.
Have a splendid Veterans Day!
Rarest play in BB is the 6-5-4-3 Triple Play, only one ever recorded - in 1890 - and with the Infield Fly rule now in effect that one wouldn't be possible.
ReplyDelete"Tootsie" is still one of the funniest comedies EVER.
A big salute to all of our Veterans.
I enjoyed this puzzle very much, quite suitable for a Wednesday.
Hello Everyone, First, Owen your verses are quite rare today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteA really fun puzzle with C.C. and Santa at the helm. Thanks to Husker Gary for the splendid write up.
My only real problems came with Ktel and Sohio, not being familiar with either. Perped both. Neal and Neil are always a dilemma until the fill around the name becomes clear.
I used Crisco to make pie crusts for many, many years. Now I just buy ready made crust. I've become very lazy.
Abejo, welcome to our little corner of the West. What will you be doing here in San Jose?
Have a great day, everyone.
Fun puzzle! Like most of you, getting RABBIT started me on my way. I have read Alice in Wonderland, as well as Through the Looking Glass, but I was too young to understand them. I just thought they were weird and incomprehensible. For some reason, though, I immediately took a liking to The Jabberwocky song/poem.
ReplyDeleteI remember GORSE bush from reading about Winnie The Pooh falling into one.
I liked the clue for DISARM. Thank you for not having UNARM. Also liked the clue for AISLE.
Don't understand how Mantle's catching that fly means it was a NO HIT GAME. Someone had to HIT that fly ball for him to catch, no?
Mao Tse Tung's name has been spelled like that for a long time. Pretty much only in China, and among emigrants from that country, is it spelled using the Pinyin system. Several times I have expressed my opinion about that system, so I won't repeat it again.
Best Veterans Day wishes to you all.
Hi gang -
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun romp! Wondered where RABB_____ was going in 20A. SIT ON didn't work.
Forgot about the Dormouse. Always uncertain about the spelling of CATERPILLAR.
NO HITTERS falls a letter short.
Got quite a kick out of CCING, which is always a delightful adventure. Could have been clued as "Collaberating with our fearless leader."
Hitting on the 150th anniversary of the original publication is inspired.
Cool regards!
JzB
The best collaboration yet!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteScott and C.C. thank you
Congratulations on a stellar puzzle. Nice nod in the lower left hand corner.
ReplyDeleteJayce, assuming you don't follow baseball and if that was a real question, here's the answer. A 'hit' involves the player hitting the ball somewhere so that the fielders don't catch it in the air or if hit on the ground, can't throw it to first base before the runner gets there. So when Mickey Mantle caught the hit ball before it hit the ground, it's just a long exciting 'out', not a 'hit.' Also, if a fielder drops a ball he should have caught or makes an 'error' otherwise, the batter may get to first base but it counts as an 'error', not a hit. If no batters reach first base safely (except for errors), it counts as a No Hitter for the pitcher, very rare. A 'perfect' game is even rarer where there are no errors and no walks.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyable TEA PARTY in WONDERLAND today. Thanks Argyle, C.C., and Husker Gary.
ReplyDeleteI had not noticed the constructors but when I got to CCING, I guessed and smiled.
I caught the theme early and it helped but a DNF because of the cross of USC and SOHIO.
Happy to see IDLES not In Idle and DISARM not Unarm.
TUMS can be a calcium source too for those who don't like MILK.
Like Chickie, I only use CRISCO for my pie crusts. I don't make as many pies as I used to when family was home, because DH and I are eating one all week.
Has any one seen the new Bond movie, Spectre? Any reviews?
Canadians celebrate Remembrance Day today (similar to American Veterans Day). Touching ceremonies at 11am across the country.
2015 is also the 100th anniversary of the poem "In Flanders Fields" written by Canadian John McCrae. I'm not sure whether Americans are familiar with it.
InFlandersFields
Chickie: Masonic Meeting at the Four points Silicon in San Jose. Ancient Egyptian Order of Sciots. Will be there Thursday and Friday. Leaving early Saturday to come back to Chicago. I have a meeting that night of the Holy Royal Order Knight Templar Priests.
ReplyDeleteAbejo
Abejo, Enjoy your meeting here in San Jose. I know you will be busy with your activities, but maybe some time when you are here, an extra day to meet you and get to know you in person would be fun.
ReplyDeleteMy father was a 50 year Mason and Past Master 0f his lodge here in San Jose.
Bill G, yes that was a real question. Thank you for your explanation.
ReplyDeleteWell, that didn't go well. I went into our local Target to pick up a prescription and a couple of other small things. I was standing in line at the pharmacy when an official-looking woman came up and told us all to evacuate immediately. I couldn't pay for my prescription or anything. I put down the other small items at the customer service desk on the way out. I saw a couple of police cars out front. Exiting the parking lot proved to be easier than I had anticipated. I have no clue about what caused all of this and didn't see anything online either. Oh well. Screw the errands for today. Nap time instead, bike ride time, lunch time, etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks for "In Flanders Field." I wish there was something as equally moving about WWII. I love movies, music, styles, TV shows, etc. from that era. That's one of the reasons I'm enjoying Foyles War, Home Fires, etc. on PBS.
PS - Has anyone ever figured out the puzzle "Why is a raven like a writing desk?"
ReplyDeleteWell, my understanding has always been that he purposely made up a riddle with no answer, but my favorite proposed answer has always been, "Because Poe wrote on [i.e. atop or about] both."
Barry, love your answer.
ReplyDeleteHusker: Great write-up and very informative links.
ReplyDeleteArgyle & C.C. Thank You for a FUN Wednesday puzzle and a trip through WONDERLAND.
Aaaarg! My internet (Sprint) decided to take the day-off ... stuck using the system at the Rental Office.
But it was a beautiful day, took about a 5 mile walk on the beach.
A Toast-to-ALL, especially the Veterans! at Sunset.
Cheers!
Hi Y'all! BRAVO, C.C. & Scott & Gary! Sort of an "all-in-the family" puzzle as well as a WONDERLAND extravaganza. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt took me longer than it should have to catch on to the puzzle. My focus was distracted when I lost the puzzle three times on the top half. By the third time, I had it memorized (except for SOHIO & USC) and reinstated the the top half and did the bottom in 7:41 minutes by the clock. The computer settled down and it was a fun run. Biggest hangup was forgetting the "I" in MAITRE D three times.
Always something interesting going on at the Corner.
We had to memorize "In Flanders Field" in elementary school.
My great uncle served in and survived WWI. While he was gone both of his children died in the influenza pandemic that occurred then. When he came home, his wife was half insane with grief and fear her husband would also die. She never really
was quite right thereafter although she gave birth to two more sons, raised them to manhood and out-lived them to a ripe old age.
Thank you vets & their families who also serve.
Lucina, thank you. All day long I wondered where I had recently heard about the anniversary.
ReplyDeleteForgot to thank Husker Gary on his review. The reviews by the bloggers make this venue so much more enjoyable. I also enjoy reading the civil comments by all the posters. Always learn something new from the bloggers and the posters.
YR & Lucina- since you find TOME so common, I did a Google News search and found the following mentions in the last two weeks. 'Page 3 of about 7,430,000 results (0.30 seconds)'. Old stuff but not too much usage lately. You might see if referenced in some obscure publication but I have NEVER heard anybody use the term, orally or on paper, whether referencing a 'big book' or the country.
ReplyDeleteSailing Tome Recounts Passion of Yves Carcelle
WWD-Oct 21, 2015
Lots about San Tome & Principe ( a country I am unfamiliar with)
Dior outlines its transformative “look” for photography tome
Luxury Daily-Oct 21, 2015
Kim Kardashian to Put Out a Holiday Edition of Her Selfie Tome
BY MOZE HALPERIN NOVEMBER 10, 2015 10:06 AM
From 'Basic Gays' To 'Jocks': Photographer Hal Fischer Rereleases His '70s Tome Gay Semiotics. by Caleb Pershan
Van Cleef & Arpels examines coded lexicon for latest tome
Luxury Daily-Oct 13, 2015
Very late today, so WEES. (plus)
ReplyDeleteI was a bit disconcerted at first about all the cross references,
but that quickly faded (no pun intended) when cheshire cat appeared...
A little sticky around Gorse, it was a learning moment though...
(The above is tribulus terrestris if you are interested.)
I finished all but the very center because the only antacid I could think of was that
pink stuff, so I handed the puzzle to Daughter#1 thinking she would never get it.
She immediately filled in Tums, then Tome, busy & Turow, & handed it back to me.
(Rats! I should have never handed her the pen...)
HG, why didn't you tell me yesterday it was Joans birthday! I would have (baked) a cake!
(actually, I did bake a cake yesterday, it was Daughter #1s birthday also.)
Oh well, since it is no ones birthday today this link seems appropriate.
Also, I looked up "why is a raven..." & was surprised to find this!
BillG:
ReplyDeleteI love Home Fires! The writing and acting are excellent though the hair styles and clothes make me titter. But I love watching it.
TTP:
You're welcome!
BigEasy:
Though you didn't find a recent use of TOME, I assure I have come across it in my reading. It's not a common occurrence but it is used.
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, CC, Santa and Husker!
Just loved this puzzle. SOHIO was all perps.
Cheers!
Many thanks and blessings to all Veterans...
ReplyDeletethelma :)
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteArgyle & C.C. - Absolutely brilliant puzzle and a joy to solve. The touch of genius w/ ALICE in WONDERLAND xing. I tip my hat. Thank you.
HG - Great write-up. I do have a question about your CHESS pic; how'd black have 4 moves when white is making her 2nd move?
I flew though the north and got to 20a w/ RAB__T__LE and though, "Crud, an x-ref. A book from the 1800's?... a slog is coming." I go back to work on the north and something in the letter pattern said "RABBIT HOLE!" I hit every theme c/a after that (w/ the exception of DOR MOUSE - I forgot about him).
Only other hang ups were spelling TOME TOMb. I suppose you can put a tot on that too :-). And not knowing 47d xing 64a. ABCdefG! Tada (in my head).
Fav - The theme and it's execution.
I think C.C. is being too modest. She's very sweet and doles credit due her. At least that's my interaction when I commissioned a puzzle for MIL a few years ago. Very patient w/ me...
PVX: 6-5-4-3. Yeah makes since as runners hold contact on a fly. Mine was 6-6-6 - yes, I'm evil. :-).
Weirdest NO HIT GAME - 6 pitchers against NY.
So, how about Grace Slick singing about ALICE?
To my fellow Brothers & Sisters in ARMs \ :-)
Cheers, -T
That's supposed to look like a salute.
I thought when I left the farm, I had seen the last of the goatheads. I'd hate to know what I spent trying to spray & eradicate those prickly buggers.
ReplyDeleteCanadian eh......I think most Americans know , and love,... In Flanders Field. Poppy Day is popular here in commeration of Memorial Day in the Spring, . remembering soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. ..."among the crosses row on row". Thanks for reminding me!!
ReplyDeleteOwen, thanks!!
BigEasy:
ReplyDeleteFurther, please keep in mind that both Yellowrocks and I read endlessly. As soon as I finish one book, I have another ready. Many words and phrases that seem exotic, unused or quaint can be found in those tomes.
Big Easy,tome was used by Time magazine, Washington Post and NYT as recently as within the last two weeks. Please reread my 9:50 post. Not obscure or old fashioned by any means.
ReplyDeleteNot being a literate guy, I'll pipe in on TOME anyway...
ReplyDeleten. a. Big, giant heavy f-ing book that your English teacher makes you read.
b. Physics or Calculus book for 101
c. Reference found at the library. See OED.
I've heard it and used it when given something crazy-heavy to read; it must be an A+.
Argyle - Post & say somethin' (and back me up w/r/t C.C.ING this puzzle). She's too modest, eh? Or was creation of this puzzle so long ago you DNF'd your own :-) BTW, Grace Slick was just for you.
For NC (and anyone else who clicks)... The killer white RABBIT, er, bunny at his DEN. Brother Maynard reads from the Book of ARMaments TOME.
Cheers, -T
"Puzzling thoughts":
ReplyDeleteNot sure if anyone will see this given the late hour of my post
As I mentioned a few weeks ago I moved from one side of Florida to the other and this past week is been nothing but a royal pain in the ass
Tonight I had the pure "pleasure" of having to try to activate my Comcast account and get cable TV service; After four hours of frustration and four calls to technical service I finally figured out that I picked up a defective box from the Xfinity store and now find myself having to go back there tomorrow to exchange it. I discovered that I was much better at troubleshooting the problem than any of the four technical service reps I spoke with last night. One of the reps swore up-and-down that I had a bad outlet; The next two were totally clueless; And then it dawned on me: I tried my modem for cable Internet on all of the outlets on which I tried my TV cable box, as the modem was working on another outlet. Sure enough the modem worked on all of the outlets the technicians swore were defective, so I concluded that I had a defective cable box/DVR. So it's off to Comcast again tomorrow in hopes of finding an HD DVR that will actually work on my television set! I'm going to insist that they run diagnostics on the box before I leave the store as I sure don't want to go through that hassle again tomorrow.
Sorry for the long rant. I hope in the next week or two, once we get settled in and I find a local newspaper the carries the LA Times crossword puzzle, that I can again become a more regular contributor. And be a more fun Chairman Moe!!
"windhover left a new comment on ...:
ReplyDeleteDid no one else think the answer to 54 across on Tuesday should have been 'oxymoron' ?"
Sorry, windhover, accidentally deleted by some oxymoron. I thought it was a dupe, which it was but they were on different days.
C. Moe - Those poor Comcast folks don't have a clue and are given a script and you go down the RABBIT HOLE. And, no, "Andrew" is not his name :-). In his country I'm sure outlets don't work depending on time of day. (While in Cairo, power went out @~10a every morning.)
ReplyDeleteJayce implored me weeks ago to cut the cord, but the World Series was only on cable! I'm nearing a scalpel, basic-basic cable, streaming HBO, and getting the rest of TV over the air (DW has not fully taken the bait). Good luck w/ the DVR swap.
Did you at least get to play the pzl today? Argyle & C.C. rock'd it. Cheers, -T
ChairmanMoe:
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to learn of your problems with the DVR and your provider. It's terribly frustrating. Hopefully, it will be resolved.
Thanks Lucina; I'm hoping that, too! At least by troubleshooting it the way I did I won't have to wait one or two weeks to see a technician come out to tell me that my outlets are fine, and I only had a faulty cable box! :~\
Delete-T: Believe it or not I did do the puzzle today; in fact that was the best thing that happened at Comcast as they had copies of the Sun Sentinel in the waiting area and I found a section that had a clean crossword puzzle and lo and behold it was the LA Times version; you're absolutely correct, Santa and CC did a great job!
ReplyDeleteRegarding cable versus other options, the homeowners association where I moved to has a premium level Comcast available within their owners dues, so it doesn't cost me much to add on the cable Internet and the DVR; but even as cheap as it is, I'm having reservations ...
Constructing the puzzle was fun; the hard part was nailing down the publication date.
ReplyDeleteC. Moe - good to read all worked out - at least puzzle wise.
ReplyDeleteArgyle - I'm sure getting the date right was a "big deal" on an homage pzl. You nailed it.
// I'm torn - post this or don't. I feel compelled to just say it. Moderators, feel free to delete me if I'm over the line. I think I've toned it down enough//
I know all at the Corner mean well and there are plenty of fellow vets here...
I just read Dear Abby, earlier I talked to Pop (who heard it from children as he bore the parade flag), and I heard it repeated at the office: "Thank you for your service."
With the SNAFUs at the VA hospitals, underfunding of Vet programs, Vets kick'd out b/f PTSD can be diagnosed, homeless Vets, etc. I just want to scream "Please, don't just thank them!!! Tell your congress-critters to fund the programs that take care of them and bring them back to civilian life after what they did!"
I'm a vet of Desert Storm and never saw combat. I feel guilty just getting my "thanks" every month by not paying PMI (not too guilty, mind you :-)). It's my Brethren (& Sisteren?) who are hurt and need real help after returning.
Case in point - My youngest Bro - 16yrs in. He was in Iraq & Afghanistan 2x. He did things in the heat of the battle (e.g. kill whatever moves) that haunt him. He's still in the Army. But, when he gets out and doesn't have the structure of military life... well, I'm a bit worried for him. Let's really support our Vets. -T