Theme: Magician's Trick - Pulling a coin out of thin air.
1A. Nickel or dime : COIN and 65A. After 1-Across, pregame football ritual, and what's literally found in this puzzle's circles : TOSS
16. "You almost had it" : "CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR"
24. "Mork & Mindy" or "Mike & Molly" : SITUATION COMEDY
42. Event where many dress as Stormtroopers or Klingons : SCI-FI CONVENTION
57. What polar opposites have : NOTHING IN COMMON
Argyle here. The lack of circles shouldn't have barred you from getting this Monday mega-theme filled gem. Four grid spanners! Nice fill. Great way to start the week.
Across:
5. Zenith : ACME
9. Toboggan, e.g. : SLED
13. Fairy tale villain : OGRE and 2D. Look at wolfishly : OGLE. If ogled by an ogre, RUN.
14. Visitor from space : ALIEN
15. Soft drink nut : KOLA
19. 2016 Hall of Fame inductee __ Griffey Jr. : KEN. For those that didn't get enough baseball Sunday.
20. Weighty books : TOMES
21. Curved fastener : U-BOLT
22. Flabbergast : STUN
23. UPC-like product ID : SKU. (stock keeping unit)
32. Beef cut : LOIN
33. Reason for a cold sweat : FEAR
34. GI chow : MRE. (Meal, Ready-to-Eat)
35. Writing fluids : INKS
36. Parking __ : METER
38. Gaucho's weapon : BOLA
.jpg/220px-Bola_(PSF).jpg)
39. Dental suffix with Water : PIK. WATERPIK is a brand of water flosser. I'm not thrilled with PIK clued as a dental suffix.
40. Slim racetrack margin : NOSE. N.Y. Daily News picture of yesterday's Daytona 500 finish.
41. Slightly open : AJAR
47. Question : ASK
48. Grandson of Eve : ENOS
49. Malice : SPITE
52. Sans serif font : ARIAL. not ARIAL
54. Hawaiian tuna : AHI
60. Tiny pasta used in soup : ORZO
61. Washington's __ Sound : PUGET. The near-by San Juan Islands.
62. "Agreed!" : "AMEN!"
63. Smile ear to ear : BEAM
64. Enjoy a novel : READ
Down:
1. Tilt to the side, as one's head : COCK
3. Small laundry room appliance : IRON
4. Nintendo's Super __ : NES. (Nintendo Entertainment System)
5. Homecoming attendees : ALUMNI
6. Refer to in a footnote : CITE
7. Clothing store department : MENS
8. Music producer Brian : ENO
9. Slopes fanatic : SKI BUM
10. Letterhead emblem : LOGO
11. Israeli airline : EL AL
12. Missile in a pub game : DART
14. Regarding : ABOUT
17. Singer James : ETTA. Just a taste; a little sip...of Etta James.
18. "My Fair Lady" director George : CUKOR
22. The "Star Wars" planet Tatooine orbits two of them : SUNS
23. Lasting mark : SCAR
24. Mishaps : SLIPS
25. Greek column style : IONIC
26. Kipling mongoose Rikki-__-Tavi : TIKKI. A short story in The Jungle Book.
27. Many times : OFTEN
28. Bridal bio word : NÉE
29. Texting icon : EMOJI
30. 1964 Tony Randall title role : DR. LAO
31. Thirst (for) : YEARN
36. Lampoon : MOCK
37. Spanish "that" : ESO
38. Array on a dugout rack : BATS
40. Japanese-American : NISEI
43. Get to the bottom of : FATHOM. The meaning "take soundings" is from c.1600; its figurative sense of "get to the bottom of, understand" is 1620s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
44. Marked with streaks, as cheese : VEINED
45. Put into law : ENACT
46. __ contendere: court plea : NOLO. "I do not wish to contend"
49. Stuffed shirt : SNOB
50. Peruse, with "over" : PORE
51. Chichén __: Mayan ruins : ITZA
52. Fever and chills : AGUE
53. Capital of Latvia : RIGA
54. Bullets and such : AMMO
55. Soil-shaping tools : HOEs
56. Wayside lodgings : INNs
58. "Talk of the Nation" airer : NPR. (National Public Radio)
59. Yoga class need : MAT
Argyle
Note from C.C.:
Ray Hedrick (Rainman) and I made today's Wall Street Journal crossword. You can
click here to print out the PDF file. Congratulations on your debut,
Ray. Thanks for the theme, the inspiration and fun.
42 comments:
Morning, all!
No circles, so no clue what was going on with the theme. Didn't need it to blow through this puzzle in near record time. I needed every single perp to get FATHOM from the clue, but everything else pretty much filled itself in with little or no thought required on my part. Even CUKOR was in my wheelhouse today, so that was nice.
Getting the them early really helped. No sweat.
This was a MONDAY!? DNF and FIW for what I did do. CU_OR+S_U was a total natick, and in the SW, POur and BriM instead of PORE and BEAM, crossing semi-unknowns ORZO and ITZA (knew them, but not spell them).
No circles, but I saw from the first two spanners the letters TNOCI and TIONC, so expected a well-shaken TONIC. But the third had ICON and NTION, and the fourth had OThIN and INCO, lacking T or C in each.
I can see the SKU CUKOR crossing being a killer, but over all this was a Monday breeze. PIK is advertised as a stand alone word with water, so I also agree that was a stretch as a suffix.
The prescient by a NOSE after the incredible finish to the Daytona 500 was a wonderful touch. Hello to all SKI BUMs including Marti and a great week to all.
Good morning!
Nice, easy romp for a Monday -- as it should be. I even managed to get the theme, so it must have been super-obvious. Remembered George CUKOR, didn't remember SKU. Is that a real thing? DR LAO? I saw lots of movies in '64, but don't remember that one.
Argyle, are you sure that's a photo of Chichen ITZA? As I remember it, there was a little "house" up on top, and none of that vertical clutter down below. But I've slept since then...
Oh, I see. That's a photo of the Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza -- something else I don't remember. I was thinking of El Castillo, the big pyramid there.
Breezed right through until the SW corner, where I didn't know ORZO or ITZA. In went GRIN for 63a. Really fouled things up for a while. In went ZITI for 60a. Made things worse. Eventually sorted it all out, but made for a longer than usual Monday. CUKOR was all perps. All-in-all, a bit of a struggle for a Minday, but still fun, thanks, Janice. Great write-up, thanks, Argyle.
A Monday breeze until the SW corner which I really screwed up. 63A Brim rather than BEAM; 60A ouzo rather than ORZO, 50D Pour other then PORE &51D itzi instead of ITZA. Felt I had issues, but ran out of time. Too much on today's agenda.
The only other question was the crossing K for 23A &^ 18D. Was it a C or a K? Went with the K.
A Monday FIW....... UGH!
"Puzzling thoughts":
Back for my weekly visit ...
D-Otto: SKU is an acronym for Store Keeping Unit. Bar codes = inventory recorders for stores and retail. I'd send a link if I weren't on my iPhone
I thought this was a marvelous Monday puzzle! Easy but very clever; the "tossed" COIN throughout the four grid-spanners gives evidence that this could not have been the easiest puzzle to construct, especially for a "Monday-level" - the use of the reveal in 1a and 65a was also very skillful.
As Lemonade said, the coincidence of having the phrase "slim racetrack margin" = NOSE, and yesterday's Daytona 500 result is downright eerie
I had several perps help me solve this as I did not know George CUKOR, nor did I recall the movie DR LAO. Liked the connection of all the COINs, and then smack dab in the middle, there was a parking METER in which to insert them! How clever
Finally, Argyle, thanks for using a dog's face in your recap of 1d. I am not a cat lover, although I know that seems to be the pet of choice for the majority of those here at the Corner. I do like dogs, however! Woof!!
Argyle: Good Job on the write-up ... you always do a Good Job,
Janice: Thank you for a FUN Monday puzzle.
The four theme grid spanners were filled-in as fast as I could print.
Only hang-up was SKU crossing CUKOR ... the "K" was a total WAG.
Also had GRIN before ITZA made me change it to BEAM.
Maybe a walk on the beach is in order.
Cheers!
I'm surprised that no one did enjoin;
So tis I who with wit will purLOIN
Owen K's limerick
With this one simple trick:
Put his face on the head of a COIN
Oh, wait a minute ... that IS his avatar!! ;^)
The Con is in town, set your phazers on STUN,
A SCI-FI CONVENTION can be lots of fun!
See an ALIEN? No FEAR!
See an OGRE? Oh, dear!
The costumes are the strangest things under 10 SUNS!
C.C. Thanks for the 'shout out' to Husker Chuck on yesterdays ERGO answer. It really made my day!
VEINED
DEVEIN
ENDIVE
ENVIED
DEVINE
"So, how many words do you have to have for an anagram puzzle?", says Caesar to Crosswordimus Maximus.
"I NEED V"
SKU defined. It's also known as "stock" keeping unit
It's heads!
No, it's tails?
(2 out of 3?)
Easy Monday romp with this one. Very impressive construction with the 4 spanners and the resulting theme-rich fill. Cukor was a complete unknown, but did know SKU, so it was fully perped. As mentioned, Pik was a little off, but again the perps... Only other problem was penciling in Dr Who instead of Lao, but that was easily fixed. Thanks Janice and Argyle.
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Janice Luttrell, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
I fought with Sunday's puzzle for a couple hours yesterday and never finished. Maybe later today.
This puzzle was quite easy, except for DR LAO, CUKOR and ITZA. Perped and wagged my way through.
Liked the four Grid Spanners. Great job!
The COIN TOSS theme reminded me of a recent football game where the coin did not flip over and they had to toss it again.
I own a couple HOES, one in Illinois and one in Pennsylvania. I plan on using both this spring as I plant.
I am now a Crossing Guard in my town. A sub, so they call me when they have an opening. I am out this afternoon for a half hour. At least it is a little warmer.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
Greetings, friends!
WCMS. What Chairman Moe said. This was a marvelous grid and so cleverly constructed. The solve was quick and almost without thinking. SKU is often used at the grocery store and other places to identify a product. If you haven't tried ORZO you've missed a treat. It's quite tasty and a good alternative for rice.
Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review and nice links.
Have a beautiful day, everyone!
Janice, thanks for the Monday Monday puzzle. Argyle, you did a great job with the expo. Again, no circles because I did the puzzle on MENSA, but they weren't really needed to get through the puzzle. I didn't realize what the theme was until after reading the expo.
Only a few hitches today like GRIN vs. BEAM, BOLO vs. BOLA, ESAU vs. ENOS, PIC vs. PIK and COLA vs. KOLA. But as usual perps to the rescue.
I'm not really up on EMOJIs, but there seems to be a lot of references to them on TV these days. The Grandkids are well versed in the Emoji language even though I got lost back in the Emoticon days.
It's time to head to Wegmans for fruit and veggies.
Have a great day everyone.
Quick Monday solve except for the SW where Grin before BEAM, Peer before PORE and Prig before SNOB held me up. Of course, Cruciverb would be down today forcing me to use Mensa with NO circles. Fortunately it did not matter for the solve.
Loved Chairman Moe's observation about the parking METER (Metre in Canada) for the COINS!
I had COLA before KOLA but SKI fixed that (although I started with SKINUT and thought it was cute crossing the soft drink nut) BUMMER!
EMOJI was the Oxford Dictionary word of the year for 2015.
I'm off to the dentist. Hope my WaterPIK has been effective.
COIN at 1 Across and anagrammed in the first circles gave me pause on this fun, challenging for a Monday, puzzle well summed by Argyle!
Musings
-Omaha Lawyer Clete Blakeman was the referee who failed to get the COIN to flip but he did ref Super Bowl 50 two weeks later
-SITUATION COMEDIES can have NOTHING IN COMMON wherein some are witty and smart and others are cheap and low brow. As long as they put butts in the seats…
-I’ve sat in many desks with these for access to INKS but never used them
-A screen door even slightly AJAR here will find us with a kitty outside
-The Puget Sound is one of many landmarks mentioned in this series of books about a Seattle detective
-Non attending ALUMNI, “I hated the place when I was there…”
-Typing footnotes and bibliographies were two reasons I hated research papers
-Glorious musicals like My Fair Lady seem to be of a bygone AGE/ERA. I have OFTEN walked down this street before…
-Hmmm, should I ask how he got that SCAR?
-The crack of wood BATS is more satisfying than the ping of Aluminum ones
My compliments to Moe for the limerick today. Ironically, I came across a photo I liked and changed yesterday (on Facebook & Google) and today here on blogger. But it's only temporary. I'll be back to my familiar coin next week.
There was a young miss who'd TOSS in her sleep
For worry ABOUT how few COINS she could keep.
She would dance in the nude
To barter for food,
Men brought her their [ROOSTERS] to OGLE and peep!
Agree that this was clever. My only trouble was Dr.Lao, which I've never encountered.There was no other possibility though for the space.
Hi Y'all! Monday speed run with a few bumps. Thanks, Janice. Wouldn't have got the theme without Argyle's informative expo. Thanks. No circles.
Hands up for a natick at the "K" in CUKOR/SKU cross. WAGd it right.
Forgot the "n" in ALUMNI and had ALUMus. Us turned red -- in embarrassment no doubt.
Didn't know KEN or DR LAO, but perped okay. Can't imagine Tony Randall as an Asian. Maybe that's why we didn't remember the movie -- nobody went.
Didn't know cheese was ever VEINED. But then we mostly ate Velveta when the kids were small. Now I rarely eat cheese at all except on my monthly pizza.
Gary, J.A. Jance is one of my favorite authors. I have all her books.
A group of neighborhood kids knocked on my door with an offer I couldn't turn down: "We'll pick up the sticks in your yard for 50 cents or $5 or you don't have to pay and we'll do it anyway." With recent high winds, my yard was an obstacle course with downed sticks. I told them I was glad to pay $5. They did a good job. They came back the next day and wanted to rake leaves. Since I didn't have many of those, I declined. The leader of the pack is a girl about 10 or 11 and a good worker. She had the 2 little boys well organized and the three of them filled my trash can. The two littler girls just kind of walked around each wagging one stick to look busy.
Hi All!
Whew. The SW was a slog for me until I emptied my mind (not too hard; it's already 1/2 empty (or 1/2 full if I'm optimistic)) and got rid of the idea of grinning at 63a.
Thanks Janice for a brilliant Monday puzzle that BEAM'd w/ a delightful c/a spanner-theme. I didn't suss the theme 'till the end though - I saw ICON in the circles and was waiting on an EMOJI similar to what CED linked yesterday :-). Doh! COIN TOSS.
Thanks Argyle for the writeup. I loved your choice for MEN'S department in your expo.
WO - Apex b/f ACME. ESPs - CUKOR & DR LAO. I was really stuck on 30d xing 38a as I read the clue as Groucho's weapon - Duck fit the squares but not the perps. Finally, my ABC run got to L and I thought "BOLO's a word..." I re-read the clue and, well, duh.
Fav - who doesn't love Mork & Mindy? (12:23) Didn't I just say last night Williams was from another planet? Here's a thing I hadn't seen but found M&M (cute but don't waste the entire 1:22:24 on it).
CED - Link #1 w/ the coin in the air - LOL & so true 'cuz that's when you knowz what you wantz. Can haz VEINED Cheez-burgerz?
Moe & OKL - fun dueling limericks.
PK - Youngest is the organizer of all the kids in the 'hood for whatever her scheme of the day is. One day she asked for more apples for her 'friends.' Turns out she was selling 'em to joggers on the path for $1/ea!
Speaking of youngest, I'm remote today w/ a sick kid. Then Eldest called re: her stomach. Alas, I FEAR, their Dr. is gonna get my COINs.
Cheers, -T
Anon-T - Hilarious, about the apples. Your youngest is already an enterprising entrepreneur!
Hi Everyone:
Late to the dance due to doctor's appointment, errands, and lunch with Sis. Coincidentally, just as we were paying the bill, another Sis walked in with her husband and a daughter. The restaurant is a family favorite.
Fun, easy Monday offering with a very clever theme. I had some of the same w/o's as other solvers: grin/beam, bolo/bola, and cola/kola. Cukor was known but Itza needed perps. The grid spanners were impressive.
Thanks, Janice, for starting our week off on the right foot and thanks, Argyle, for your humorous and informative summary. Loved the dog photo.
PK, great story about the kids. I wonder how they would have reacted if you said they could pick up the sticks for free. I think that little girl may have a future in PR or marketing!
Have a great day.
Another summation of the difference between cats and dogs; The dog looks at you and it's, "WHAT do you want?" but the cat is, "What do YOU want?"
I was beating myself up because I was missing some clues....I am usually good on Mondays. It is a relief when I come to the blog and see the seasoned bloggers struggled (albeit briefly) with the same ones. CUKOR was a complete mystery, and I gave GRIN a shot as well, til the southwest blew up. Finally it came together.
Argyle
I just got back from going to Honeymoon Island for an enjoyable 2 hours of saying "Hello" to all the creatures on the Dog Beach.
(It is one of only 2 beaches in Pinellas County where dogs are allowed to legally enjoy the beach).
Gotta tell'ya ... they do enjoy the beach ... romping in the sand and taking a swim ... even at this time of the year, when the water temp is around 60 degrees.
It feels refreshing as I walk the waters edge ... but I'm not going in until it get back up to at least 75 degrees. lol
If cats went to THAT beach ... they would probably just take a nap.
Cheers!
PS ... oh yeah, I'm now (probably) sunburned ...
Good stick story.
Tin: Dogs aren't allowed on the beach around here either. My daughter and grandson took their newish dog a ways south to a beach set aside where dogs are allowed. The video looks as if their rescue Lab mix thought he had died and gone to heaven.
Growing up back east, I remember the beach and the warmer water in the late summer. The Pacific here is never warm. It get warmer in the summer but it's always colder than I remember the Atlantic as a kid.
Gary, I completely agree about the satisfying sound of a wood bat compared to the clank of aluminum.
The WS Journal puzzle fun, easy & tasty too!
Don't get me started with that cat/dog business...
That'd be a lot of wet dogs to smell all the way home in the van! Sure looked fun though. Must have pitched the cat out a ways to get it to swim.
AnonT: Hope your girls get well soon and you don't catch it from them.
PK,
I bet they used a Cat-a-pult
C.C. & Rainman:
Your puzzle was quite fun and fruity! Thank you, C.C., for the link.
Ooooh! You guys are busting my chops!
This is Didga,
the cat from the beach.
She was adopted by ananimal trainer at 13 weeks old.
There is an entire video about how she took naturally to the water, and skateboarding!
Watch the sidelinks before you toss any cats!
:(
Oh crap!
I told you not to get me started!
Now I will be watching cat videos all night!
(It will serve you right if I link them all...)
Glad you liked it, Lucina.
Mary K. - I'm always STUN'd at what I don't 'get' that is a 'known' c/a by seemingly everyone else. I'm just INK'n what I can and tryin' to catch a METER (METRE, eh?, C.Eh!) of a theme having fun with words & trivia.
I figure, as long as you had a bit of fun while your mind went a bit left at Albuquerque, it's all good. [Bugs get his maps from ACME].
PK - I fell asleep at 4 and woke at 7:30 in chills. Little imps got me sick. I'm heavy dosing on C and Gatorade now.
CED - Trained cats? I think you found the one guy in the world w/ more time on his hands than you :-)
Cheers, -T
And while we are on Looney Tunes' ACME goods, our favorite ALIEN and Duck Dodgers. C, -T
AnonT, I liked your disintegrating pistol!
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON
I like it! It's my motto for the rest of today at least...
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