Theme: Somebody - Reveal word combined with theme word.
20. "Fine, don't listen to me" : "SUIT YOURSELF". Bodysuit. Google LINK (Gentlemen, please wait until you have read the blog before following that link.)
27. Lobster-steak combo : SURF AND TURF. Bodysurf. CLIP(1:52)
43. Two-rope jumping : DOUBLE DUTCH. Body Double. An actor substituted for a lead performer, especially in distance shots or nude scenes not involving the face.
52. Nonverbal communication ... and what the starts of 20-, 27- and 43-Across can be : BODY LANGUAGE
Argyle here. Janice with a Tuesday treasure.
Across:
1. Gearshift letters : PRNDL. Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low.
6. Where a baby develops : WOMB
10. Largemouth fish : BASS
14. Pianist Chick with 22 Grammys : COREA. Jazz.
15. Sheltered, at sea : ALEE
16. Johnson of "Laugh-In" : ARTE. I loved his dirty old man. (CLIP)(0:50)
17. Banjo sound : TWANG
18. Org. with many long missions : NASA. (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
19. Whopper maker? : LIAR
23. Old TV-top receiver : ANTENNA
26. Calms : EASES
31. Prefix with -logue : IDEO
32. "Airplane!" actor Robert : HAYS. So many clips; you choose.
33. "We don't know yet," in a TV schedule : TBA. (To Be Announced)
36. Corner-to-corner line: Abbr. : DIAGonal
37. Accustom (to) : INURE
39. Timely blessing : BOON
40. Some MIT grads : EEs. (electrical engineer)
41. Tabloid twosome : ITEM
42. Lull in a cradle : ROCK
47. Texas landmark : ALAMO
51. Two-man Army helicopters : APACHES. That's a lot of fire power!
56. Spirited horse : ARAB
57. Like some dorms : CO-ED
58. PlugIns Scented Oil maker : GLADE
62. Multigenerational tale : SAGA
63. Sharpen : HONE
64. Haunted, say : EERIE
65. Marked, as a ballot : EXed
66. Squeezed (out) : EKE'D
67. Ward off : REPEL
Down:
1. Tipper's 15: Abbr. : PCT. (percent) Pretty low these days.
2. Use oars : ROW
3. Org. promoting hunter safety : NRA. (National Rifle Association of America)
4. Navigational hazard : DENSE FOG
5. Southern California's __ Beach : LAGUNA
6. Classified listing : WANT AD
7. Skin care brand with an Active Botanicals line : OLAY
8. Middle: Pref. : MESO
9. Sweetheart : BEAU
10. Lightweight wood : BALSA
11. Ram in the sky : ARIES. (March - April)
12. Like bread made into stuffing, perhaps : STALE
13. Feudal servants : SERFS
21. What a keeper may keep : INN
22. Two-legged zebras? : REFs. (referees)
23. Remark to the audience : ASIDE
24. Film with nakedness : NUDIE and little else.
25. Financial dept. : TREASury
28. Green digit? : THUMB
29. Onetime Egypt-Syria fed. : UAR. (United Arab Republic, 1958 - 1961)
30. Sandwich bread : RYE
33. Place for a crown or cap : TOOTH
34. Lawn bowling game : BOCCE. Basic Rules
35. Pharaohs' crosses : ANKHs
37. Norah Jones' "What Am __ You?" : I TO
38. Modern, in Munich : NEU
39. "Enter the Dragon" martial artist : BRUCE LEE
41. Hollywood favorite : IDOL
44. Praised : LAUDED
45. Waste watchers: Abbr. : EPA. (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
46. Cloak's partner : DAGGER
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47. Put down : ABASE
48. Seuss' environmental advocate : LORAX
49. Words of wisdom : ADAGE
50. "Oops, sorry" : "MY BAD"
53. Yearn (for) : ACHE
54. Corner for breakfast : NOOK
55. Trait carrier : GENE
59. Dadaist Jean : ARP
60. Yahtzee cube : DIE
61. Slender fish : EEL
Argyle
38 comments:
I guessed today's theme would be on the up and up: SUIT UP, SURF's UP, DOUBLE UP. Nope.
Limericks often start "There once was a person from place", so thought I'd turn that around for the first one today.
There once was a U.A.R. to an ARAB,
The land of the sacred ANKH and scarab.
Where there's little mystery
To ancient history,
Things now as then are just as drab.
We talk of a composer's BODY of work,
The BODY in the study, stabbed with a dirk.
In the shower, soggy,
Our hair has BODY.
What someBODY told anyBODY that makes everyBODY smirk!
They spoke of the gardener's potent green THUMB,
He talked with the trees (though the fruit was dumb).
He whispered to the flowers,
Sang to veggies for hours,
And for succulent cactus he played a drum!
{C, C, B}
Hello Puzzlers -
Smooth sailing today. Early on, when Surf and Serf were both in, I wondered whether that was part of a theme. We've had PRNDL before, and I seem to recall learning that automakers use " Prindle" as slang for the gearshift or some part thereof.
Morning, Argyle, I agree - it would not do to have an Apache mad at you!
I always fumble a bit in spelling ANKH. For some reason, I think there's an X in it.
Morning, all!
I get to sleep in a bit this week, which is always nice. Definitely a Tuesday solve for me, with just the right amount of crunch. Had to work the brain cells a bit to come up with stuff like NEU and MESO, and I tried INURE before ENURE, but that was about it. Oh, I wasn't really thinking too hard about the theme, so I initially tried SIGN LANGUAGE instead of BODY LANGUAGE. The perps weren't very happy with me, so that didn't last very long.
Good Morning, Argyle and friends. Fun Tuesday puzzle. I got the Body Language quickly, but SUIT YOURSELF was the last theme fill to fall.
My favorite clue of the puzzle was Place for a Crown or Cap = TOOTH.
QOD: My favorite books are a constantly changing list, but one favorite has remained constant: the dictionary. It is the word I want to use spelled “practice” or “practice”? The dictionary also slows down my writing because it is such interesting reading that I am distracted. ~ Beverly Cleary (b. Apr. 12, 1916)
Good morning!
Brain atrophy gave me PRAND at 1a. Perps to the rescue. My keeper was keeping a BEE. That didn't last long, either. Otherwise, this was a nice Tuesday romp.
Argyle, guess I'm not a gentleman. I went there first.
Home stretch -- final three tax sessions this week...
Morning,
Got thru it, but not as easily as some of you. NW corner was the bear. Wasn't sure about LAGUNA and I've never heard of the Piano chick referenced. The crossing A was wagged. PCT took awhile appear. For 20A I began with doIT until SUIT forced its way in.
Fav was two legged zebras/REFS. Back in the day when I coached youth basketball, the refs were paid, so I figured their questionable calls could be challenged. Always led the league in Technical Fouls.
For 9D started with Dear before BEAU became apparent.
Hectic day, so adios until tomorrow...........Lord willing
Gotta like a puzzle with a NUDIE in it ...
Hungry Mother, I always need ESP to spell ANKHs correctly.
I see "Puzzle Prohibition" has taken over the grid.
Oh well ... Cheers!
Thanks for the lovely Tuesday puzzle Janice, and write up with terrific links, Argyle. I was able to fix any errors with perps. I knew but didn’t recall the spelling for COREA and ANKH.
Ravi Shankar had a Google last week and I learned that Nora Jones is his daughter with concert producer Sue Jones. Born Getali Norah Jones Shankar, she legally changed it with both parents permission when she was 16.
NORAH_JONES
And of course, the Superbowl Ad with a 4-legged zebra ref:
ZEBRA_AD
Happy Tuesday to all,
VS
Oops. Geetali Norah Jones Shankar. MY BAD.
VS
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Janice Luttrell, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle,for a fine review.
My second blog in 9 hours. Yawn. I got up too early.
COREA was unknown. Perps.
Just had SURF AND TURF 9 days ago. I ate the TURF and took home the SURF to my wife. I am not a lobsterite.
I have been to the LAGUNA BEACH area when I worked in California. I pretty much caught all the towns outside of LA. GTE supplied the phone service to those back then.
Just finished "The Nightingale" last night. Great book. Pretty tragic. Nice ending, however.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
Very satisfying solve today. I got the theme clues early, which helped a lot. Everything else 'clicked' from there.
Really enjoyed the clue "Place for a Crown or Cap", TOOTH. Very clever.
I believe this is the fastest I've filled in an LA Times crossword. Around 15 mins, plenty of time to leave a comment before getting to work.
Good Morning:
A nice, smooth Tuesday offering that more or less filled itself in. Wasn't sure where the theme was going, but the reveal solved that mystery. Nice CSO to Misty (and Dusty! 🐶) at Laguna Beach.
Thanks, Janice and Argyle, for an entertaining start to an otherwise gloomy, April day.
Have a great day.
Musings
-A BODY DOUBLE for Lindsey Lohan as a child who was 7 years older
-Yes, my wife’s twin sister was her WOMB MATE
-The ALEE part of the course yesterday felt good in all the wind
-After long missions, NASA astronauts can have balance, muscle and heart issues initially on Earth
-A former lobbyist said, “Every president has not only LIED but needs to LIE to be effective”. Agree?
-This digital ANTENNA looks nothing like rabbit ears
-A local restaurant advertises Carp and Steak as SURF AND TURF. Really?
-New CO-ED facility sign
-Restaurants now calculate various tipping %’s for you on the bill
-On our Pacific Coast tour, we were told that was the Marine Layer not DENSE FOG
-Aren’t WANT ADS going the way of the buggy whip?
-NUDIE – Speaking of a BODY DOUBLE…
-Me too, Otto!
Perfect level for a Tuesday. I managed to fill w/o a single cheat!! (O.K., have to fess up: that is unusual for me!) Anyway, just crunchy enough for a Tuesday, so really enjoyed it, thanx Janice!! And terrific write-up, thanx Argyle!!
Great Tuesday puzzle with just a bit of crunch. Thanks Janice and Argyle.
I didn't get the theme until the very end.
Hand up for Sign before BODY, Do it before SUIT, Dear before BEAU and Enure before INURE (wrong way around, Barry?). Started to fill in Uterus for 6A but it wouldn't fit. Didn't know COREA - all perps.
Nice misdirection from head to mouth with CROWN. Smiled at clue for REFS.
Did anyone watch American IDOL? Hard choice at the end.
I'm waiting for some warmer weather to put my green THUMB to work.
Have a great day.
Husker Gary,
I had a "Leaf" Antenna about 4 years ago and it worked swell for a month then burned out or something. They sent me a replacement and it did the same thing!! I am not sure if it is the product or if my electrical line had surges or something.
Now I am back with a Radio Shack Rabbit Ears and Circle with some small amplification that has to be set up just right for some channels. It also loses signal when cars pass my house. Anyone know why this would happen?
VS
Good morning all, and thank you Janice and Argyle.
Fun and easy early week puzzle that I started solving on the DIAG from the SW to the NE. Then the opposing corners, and then... Yep OMK, I very seldom start puzzles in the NW corner.
Queen and Jefferson Airplane both scored hits with songs entitled "Somebody to Love." Freddie Mercury is pleadingly looking for some (one, thing) to love, while Grace Slick is exhorting that "you" better find true/real love.
Hahtoolah, I had never heard of Beverly Cleary, but we share the same sentiment about the dictionary. It was a favorite read. Just open to a random page and explore.
London's driving lesson
It's hard for me to read WOMB and not hear Elmer Fudd.
Argyle, that APACHE is one impressive gunship.
When I was in, the Huey Cobra AH-1 was the preeminent attack gunship. Not much wider than a man. One forward and one aft seat position. Like the Apache, the AH-1s were sole purpose.
On the other hand, the ubiquitous UH-1 served various roles as troop transport, medical evacuation, or gunship, depending on how it was equipped.
The UH-1 gunship that can be seen in so many films of the era, such as Apocalypse Now is also known as a Cobra. We had both AH-1 and UH-1 Cobras, fitted with TOW missiles and 30 cal guns. We also had Kiowas and Chinooks.
Some of the early M.A.S.H. episodes have depictions of Hueys but they weren't in service yet during the Korean war.
VS, marginal signal strength. Take a look at Antennas and Digital Television
Lovely, clever puzzle today. Thanks. Janice. Just right for a rainy Tuesday. Thanks for the guided tour, Argyle.
One question: for "spirited horse" I thought of ARABian. Is ARAB an abbreviation ? I don't know much about horses!
The verses made me smile. Owen. Loved them!
Good morning all
Our paper no longer prints the puzzle maker which infuriates me.
Thought this was perfect for a Tuesday. My problem area was Hays/ inure /neu . All other areas peeped easily. It didn't help that I put in Turf before surf. Still have trouble reading longer answers vertically...like treas.
Thanks for the write up, Argyle and for Norah.
Oh, BODYLANGUAGE not SIGNLANGUAGE! Other than that, I sailed through Janice's impressive puzzle. Well, not exactly, DEAR preceded BEAU and ENG before EES. Didn't know Robert HAYS but perps did. And I recall DOUBLEDUTCH from my long ago youth.
Chick COREA is often featured on the classical music station, KBACH, so he's familiar to me.
Thank you, Janice and Argyle. Today got off to a flying start, thanks to you both.
Have a terrific Tuesday, everyone!
Owen, I liked your clever poem today.
Hi Y'all! Lost the puzzle three times trying to solve and didn't even look for a theme. Shows how stubborn I am. Thanks for the puzzle and the expo.
Couldn't remember P or L on the gearshift. Took awhile to remember "P for Park" and had to red-letter "L". Duh! Never heard of COREA. Tipper's 15, I was thinking Tipper Gore. Duh!
BRUCE LEE came from bottom up. Couldn't get BOON/ROCK/TOOTH. Finally filled. It was a three Do-DUH-day.
My step-niece will be buried this afternoon. I can't go to the funeral. She had a stiff neck and went to the doctor. MRI showed a bulging disc. They didn't notice she also had meningitis until she died. Very sad. She was only 55, a talented professional violinist & teacher with two grown children.
TTP: you may not know the name Beverly Cleary, who turns 100 today, but I bet you read her stories when you where in grade school. She wrote books about Henry Higgins and Ramoma the Pest. They are fun stories.
PK: I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you.
BALSA could have been a great fill in the blank word for
"Great__ Fire", Jerry Lee Lewis hit song.
Hahtoolah- You might be surprised at how many theme ideas are created accidentally when a constructor looks up a word in the dictionary and that same page has a another word that catches their eye and a light bulb comes on. In fact, constructors quite often thumb through a dictionary just looking for possibilities. It's a great source for themes.
I loved this Tuesday puzzle, and had a great time filling it although had trouble in the top NW corner because I didn't know the pianist "Chick". So I left that for last. Imagine how silly I felt when the last word I filled in was LAGUNA! I live in LAGUNA BEACH for heaven's sake and should have gotten that first. But when I first saw the clue I kept wanting PISMO beach or some other beach and then just forgot about it until the end. Well, except for that bit of embarrassment, it was a great puzzle--so many thanks, Janice and Argyle.
PK so sorry about your loss.
And Irish Miss, many thanks for the shout out to me and sweet Dusty.
Have a great Tuesday, everybody!
Farewell to the 15% tip.
I understand why wait staffs deserve more in these days of growing wage gaps between top and bottom earners. But I rather suspect our nation's poor math skills as being to blame. It was easy enough to calculate 10%, and at 20% we only need to double that.
My wife led me to a Red Robin recently for lunch. Their latest convenience is a machine on each table that allows you to swipe your own card. It then calculates your bill and proposes a 20% tip at a certain amount. The beauty of it is that you can slide a little dial up or down to change the tip figure 1% at a time.
I know we're getting less and less opportunity for human contact these days, but I really don't mind being able to eat and run without waiting, sometimes for-seemingly-ever!, for the waiter to come and go through a three-to-five step bill-paying ritual.
PK:
I am so very sorry for your loss. It's especially sad when one is so young.
"...for the waiter to come and go..."
Sadly, those comings and goings allowed opportunity for credit card fraud, which is among the reasons that the new (to US --Europe and Canada have had them for a while) cards use a chip and secure transactions. No one complains about reduced opportunities for fraud.
Jerome: LOL!!!
Many a tragedy to a song has been sire,
"Edmond Fitzgerald" and others as dire.
A forest in flame
Must take the blame
For Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great BALSA Fire"
Four hunters were seated at the bar in a tavern. At the table next to them sat a young girl.
The first man said, "I think it's W-O-O-M-B." The second replied, "No, it must be W-O-O-O-M-B-H." The third said, "You both have it wrong -- it's W-O-O-M." The fourth stated, "No, it has to be W-O-O-M-M-B-B."
At this, the young lady could stand it no longer. She got up, walked over to the farmers and said, "Look, you hayseeds, it's W-O-M-B. That's it, that's all there is to it." The men sat stunned.
Eventually, one of the big game hunters broke the silence by saying, "Well, I don't know. A slip of a girl like you, I don't see how you could know. I'll bet you've never even heard an elephant fart!"
APACHE.
Hi All!
Thanks for the fun Tuesday offering Janice. Smooth w/o a WO.
Thanks Argyle for the writeup - I enjoyed the music and the Spy v. Spy REF.
Hand-up: 14a was ESP.
I liked TOOTH c/a and BRUCE LEE ROCKin' the puzzle but
Fav: I will play BOCCE for BASS (ale). I have a shirt from Milo's on The Hill with a graphic of a little unemployed-looking Italian holding a sign "Will play Bocce for Beer."
Re: ANKH - I always want a c instead of K. I don't know Y.
PK - so sorry to hear of your niece. Even sadder that you can't attend.
OKL - loved the verse and the W-O-O-M-B joke.
My Gearshifts goes 1-3-5 across the top and 2-4--R on the bottom. Sometimes I forget I'm driving DW's PRNDL-car and try to clutch. Did that once coming down the exit ramp, I hit the brakes and DW hit the dash.
Perhaps it's just me, but BODY LANGUAGE over CO-ED both EXED NOOK and GENE; I mean NUDIE film ASIDE :-)
Cheers, -T
Our microwave crapped out last Friday. I went online and found a suitable match for a replacement. Target, of all places, had the best selection oddly enough. So, with expedited shipping, it arrived on our porch this afternoon. I'm embarrassed how much I missed not having one. I'm guessing I use it most for reheating leftovers. Anyway, we're back in business now.
Early in my driving career I used to have trouble switching between a gear shift and PRNDL. No more. The transition is easy peasy lemon squeezy. I did have difficulty the first time I rented both a car and a motorbike in Great Britain. And then a little difficulty again when we returned home and I had to think about which lane to turn into.
-T @ 7:56
My gearshift has R-1-3-5 on top of 2-4-6. Been driving a manual gearbox car since 2008 after 34 years of driving a PRNDL (or some form thereof). I learned on a stick (3 on the tree w OD) and enjoy it all over again some 47 yrs later, despite all the stop and go traffic
Hahtoolah,
I had to look it up, but Henry Higgins is from My Fair Lady: Henry Huggins is the Beverly Cleary character.
Owen, concerning the APACHE photo:
When they say the speed limit is enforced they mean it!
VS
Hahtoolah,
I couldn't specifically recall. I read the Wiki on Beverly Cleary this morning. The Henry Huggins series would have been out, but the Ramona series would have come later.
PK, so sorry for your loss.
I think I'll do Tuesdays more just for the blog. My uncle was desperately I'll in Ireland and when we were notified my sister, a nurse, diagnosed Guillaume Buret(sic) and saved him.
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