Theme: TNT - Three word phrases with initial initials of T A T
20. Painful reality that one doesn't want to face: THE AWFUL TRUTH
28. Close enough to share intimate secrets: THICK AS THIEVES
47. Features of many mountain roads: TWISTS AND TURNS
57. 1984 #1 hit for Cyndi Lauper: TIME AFTER TIME
71. Body art, briefly ... and, initially, a hint to this puzzle's four longest answers: TAT
Argyle here but it should have been Steve! Sports and airports and FOOD! Oh My! Some of the clueing is Thursday level, too.
Across:
1. Scale readings: Abbr.: WTs. And sure, I wanted LBs first.
4. Pau or Marc of the NBA: GASOL crossing 4D. London airport: GATWICK
My personal Natick: The Gasol brothers are professional basketball players from Spain. Gatwick is UK's 2nd-largest airport but I only knew of Heathrow.
9. Roofing material: PITCH
14. Snicker syllable: HEH
15. Essential acid, familiarly: AMINO
16. Online cash-back deal: E-BATE
17. WSW's opposite: ENE
18. Giveaway bags: TOTEs
19. Lone Star State: TEXAS
23. Bite-sized fish dish: SUSHI with 21D. 23-Across tuna: AHI
24. Bond creator Fleming: IAN
25. "I thought so!": "A-HA!"
33. Didn't toss out: KEPT
34. Vigilant: ALERT
35. 2015 award for Steph Curry: ESPY. He is another pro basketball player.
39. Have a craving (for): YEARN
42. Crucifix letters: INRI. “Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm” (Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews)
43. Skin irritations: SORES
45. Slips that promise payment: IOUs. (I Owe You)
53. Walk-__: small roles: ONs
54. British ref. work: OED. (Oxford English Dictionary)
55. March b-ball tourneys, casually: NCAAs. (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
62. Nest sound: CHIRP
64. Start to type?: PROTO. (prototype)
65. Chaney of horror films: LON
66. Tapered boat: CANOE
67. Five minutes past a quarter of: TEN TO. A bit convoluted clue.
68. "Patience __ virtue": IS A
69. Use up money: SPEND
70. Cook, as mussels: STEAM
Down:
1. Stimulates, as an appetite: WHETS
2. Basic training command: "TEN-HUT!". Stand at attention.
3. "Good grief!": "SHEESH!"
5. "I __ the opinion ... ": AM OF
6. In __: unmoved: SITU
7. New law student: ONE L
8. Went berserk: LOST IT
9. Porky Pig's girlfriend: PETUNIA
10. "Yeah, right!": "I BET!"
11. Financial shelter: TAX HAVEN
12. Windy City "L" operator: Abbr.: CTA. (Chicago Transit Authority)
13. Stag party attendees: HEs
22. Cheering word: RAH
26. Münster mister: HERR
27. Italian wine region: ASTI
29. __ lime pie: KEY
30. Big primate: APE
31. Laundry day target: STAIN
32. Quarterback Manning: ELI
35. This, in Spain: ESTO
36. Scattered, as seed: SOWN
37. Uncorrupted: PRISTINE
38. "Of course!": "YES"
40. Angler's pole: ROD
41. Cashew or almond: NUT
44. Trod heavily: STOMPED
46. Solarium: SUNROOM
48. Set eyes on: SEE
49. Responds well to change: ADAPTS
50. Sales slip: Abbr.: RCT. (receipt)
51. Stick the landing, say: NAIL IT
52. Stuffed Indian pastry: SAMOSA
56. Parisian political body: SENAT
58. Get the creases out of: IRON
59. Stew (over): FRET
60. "When you hear the __, please leave your message": TONE
61. Jazzy James: ETTA
62. Emails a dupe to: CCs
63. WWII General __ Arnold: HAP
 |
| His Story |
Argyle
Morning, all!
ReplyDeleteTheme was fine for a Monday and I got through it quickly enough, but I really wasn't crazy about seeing stuff like AMOF and HES and RCT in the grid. I knew GASOL and GATWICK and HAP, but was surprised to see them in a Monday puzzle. So, not a bad puzzle, but probably could have been better with a little more work.
{B+, B, C+, B, C+.}
ReplyDeleteA school of fish, out by Fiji,
Has as a mascot a costumed AHI.
The pep squad's cheer
Is most sincere,
"Go fish, go fish, RAH RAH SUSHI!"
ELI KEPT a pair of cats,
He had named them This And That!
Both black as PITCH,
Now which was which?
This is this! And that is That!
A bright mandala for which to YEARN
Is painted with sand in tiny berms.
The colored grains fuse
Into curlicues,
Carefully poured, the TWIST-SAND TURNS!
Parsley is SOWN right down the line,
Sage to shade will most incline.
Rosemary rows
Are apropos,
And a furrow may sprout THYME AFTER THYME!
Brace yourself for THE AWFUL TRUTH --
Many are ruthless, but few are ruth!
But one believes
In THICK AS THIEVES --
They're all too thick to fool a sleuth!
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteOverslept and late to the party...well, sort of. Some of that Louisiana rain finally moved our way on Saturday and put an end to my STEAMed MUScleS. We'd had just sweltered through five 100° days, so it was a welcome relief. Nice puzzle, MM and ACM. Even had a shoutout with TEXAS for Anon-T, TxMiss and me, among others.
35d clue was printed as "This, in pain" -- ESTO did not immediately leap to mind. Nor did anything else.
"Unmoved" made me think it was emotional not situational. D'oh!
I remember one business trip that on the way out required ground transport from Heathrow to Gatwick, and on the way home ground transport from JFK to LaGuardia. Plus, in Houston I'd departed from Hobby, but landed at IAH. Had to take ground transport back to Hobby to pick up my car. Frustrating trip. My boss was "unmoved."
DO if only you had connected through O'Hare changing Midway in Chicago you would have had the perfect trip.
ReplyDeleteOddly SORES was my slowest fill as I was thinking rashes and other things that would not fit.
To me, NAILED IT is a CSO to C.C.
I would not have remembered HAP it it was filled when I got there.
Happy birthday to all today's Leo's and have a great work week for those still at it.
Had MEN for HES and stupidly misspelled SUSHI as SUCHI for some reason. Also forgot it is WHETS not WETS. These three "dopinesses" slowed me down a bit but eventually got 'er done. I thought this was more a Tuesday or maybe even Wednesday than a Monday, but maybe it's just that I haven't had my coffee yet. Overall, good CW, thanx, Mark and Andrea! And great write-up, thanx, Argyle! Owen: C-, C+, B-, B, C+.
ReplyDeleteNot very Mondayish, as Argyle said. I missed the G, never having heard of GATWICK or GASOL. An ABC run didn't help. GASOL sounds like fuel. No other hangups or complaints. The theme was evident after the first two long answers.
ReplyDeleteNice picture from SPAIN, Argyle. D/O, my paper had the S in SPAIN. Misprints do make puzzles more difficult.
Alan is back in bed today.
Time to buy the groceries and then off to the gym. Between vacations and Alan's problems disrupting the routine, I am wasting so much of my gym membership.
Good Morning, Argyle and friends. Fun theme and fairly easy puzzle.
ReplyDeleteNot familiar with the GASOL brothers, but the perps helped me out there. I have flown into both GATWICK and Heathrow, but the latter didn't fit into the spaces provided.
We love AHI SUSHI.
I tried a Kayak before the CANOE.
I generally say Ten Of instead of TEN TO. Men before HES. Didn't much care for the HES.
ONE L appeared recently. As did a variation of FRET. Yesterday, maybe?
Backwater flooding is obscuring major roads, so don't know when I might get back to my house. Hopefully it will still be standing and be relatively dry.
QOD: I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. ~ Julia Child (Aug. 15, 1912 ~ Aug. 13, 2004)
Thumper and I will sit this one out! Is it really just Monday?
ReplyDeleteOwen and Argyle, thanks for rescuing a drab day.
Argyle: Nice write-up ... needed ESP to get GASOL.
ReplyDeleteAlso had 'beep' before TONE ... "When you hear the beep, please leave your message" ...
So that area was kinda messy.
Probably the slowest Monday Solve ever.
Cheers!
GASOL is the major industry in Houston.
ReplyDeleteYou know the way somebody will say "Marco" and another will reply "Polo?" Everytime I see INRI I feel the urge to reply "iggins."
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteNo real stumbling blocks that perps couldn't overcome. Didn't know Gasol but Gatwick took care of that in short order. The theme was evident early on which is typical for a Monday. Nice CSO to our resident Texans.
Thanks, Andrea and Mark, for starting the week off so nicely and thanks, Argyle, for being such a good guide.
Hatoolah, I hope you get to go home soon and find it the way you left it. Best wishes to all of our LA friends.
YR, sorry to hear of Alan's ongoing health issues; hope he bounces back soon.
DO, if getting up at 6:54 CDT is "getting up late", I am Rip Van Winkle! 😉
Today is supposed to be a nice day, high 80's and sunny but the next few days are going to be the 3 H's and t-storms. This has been quite the roller-coaster summer, weather-wise.
Have a great day.
Thanks, Argyle, for the nice write-up of this "not-so-Monday" puzzle. Sorry about that Natick at GATWICK/GASOL and the other "meh" entries that were unfortunately necessitated by the gnarly 14-14-13-13 theme (but that's our problem, not yours). It was a real pleasure working with "Ms. Monday" Andrea Carla Michaels on this one (36 NY Times Mondays and counting). It was also fun to devise a 3-word initials theme (uncommon in daily-size puzzles), especially with the middle "A" being all different words.
ReplyDeleteMusings
ReplyDelete-The theme appeared early with Mark and Andrea’s lovely tag team effort and I agree, Argyle, there was some uptown cluing. As Mark noted it was necessitated by the long Monday theme fills.
-Bond movies based on IAN’s actual works say in the credits “James Bond 007 in Ian Fleming’s [title]”. Those that aren’t read “Ian Fleming’s James Bond in [title]”. Similar for Erle’s Perry Mason episodes.
-He is famous for WALK ONS/Cameos
-The odds of picking the winners of all 63 games in the NCAA’s March Madness are 1 in 128,000,000,000.
-Patience is one virtue I have in short supply
-Ed Norton often said of Ralph Kramden, “SHEESH, what a grouch!”
-Steph Curry is a real gentleman but he LOST IT (:26) when he fouled out and threw his mouthpiece (5 seconds in). He did apologize, however, to the guy he hit.
-This report emanates from my SUNROOM
-NFL pre-season games WHET my appetite for the real games but I can’t watch much of them
ASTI again today but INRI saved me from committing yesterday's error. Thank you, Mark and Andrea Carla, this was fresh and fun.
ReplyDeleteLuckily I know GATWICK or GASOL would not have appeared and even after filling it, I was unsure of its validity. And with the many sports clues in the puzzle I'm surprised PITCH was clued as roofing material.
Shout out to C.C. at 62D.
Thank you, Argyle, for settling my doubts and guiding us through another Monday.
Have a splendid day, everyone!
Hi Y'all! This was tough, I also thought, but enjoyed it, Mark & Andrea. Thanks, Argyle.
ReplyDeleteGASOL was a gimmee for this NBA fan. Pau GASOL looks like one of my brothers, so especially liked watching him as an LA Laker with Kobe Bryant. Last year he played as a Chicago Bull.
HERm before HERR. I was thinking of Herman Munster of TV fame, rather than the geographic Munster. LOL!
Had an email from my BFF today. Her granddaughter in Louisiana was evacuated from a flooding area. The poor pregnant girl is due to give birth at the end of this month and also has a 5 yr. old son they carried out. Her husband tried to get back in to see if their house was under water but wasn't allowed in. Fortunately, she is able to stay with her mother on higher ground. BFF said the hospital where she planned to give birth is under water now.
Good morning all,
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a tad difficult for a Monday until I got into it. Bad start putting lbs and not knowing Gasol. Was able to fill in the theme answers easily which gave me a boost. I still do not have a memory for abbreviations which stumps me with simple answers, like NCAAS and oed.
We are sushi lovers,and always enjoy the ahi poke while in Kauai.
Beautiful photo of Spain, Argyle. My favorite place was Montserrat where every view looks like a postcard.
I miss Cindi Lauper's music and her crazy style!
Have a great week...school starts here this week. In Kauai they started on August 1.
We've given it some time, so I think it's fair to weigh in the Times's own web site's changes to the crossword new format. Any time a web site changes it's fair to ask users to distinguish between what's unfamiliar and what has changed for the worse. But the designer needs to consider if the unfamiliar is also discoverable. On pretty much all accounts, I have to say that the new experience is worse. Mr Norris are you listening? The most notable annoyances are that with skip filled cells turned on you can't tab to a completed answer (in order to correct it). Even with skip filled cells on you cannot advance from the last cell to an earlier empty cell just by entering the last cell's value. To restate the second point, suppose you have completed crosses to fill in the first, second, and fourth letters of a five-letter down answer and you're on the fifth letter with the selection pointing down. If you enter the fifth letter, the selection stays on the fifth (and final) cell rather than moving to the third letter. And while the multiple value entry is useful on Sudoku and Ken-Ken, I don't really see the value here.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mark and Andrea for an enjoyable Monday.... a little crunch, but easily done.
ReplyDeleteNice write-up, as always, Argyle. Thank you for continuing to put in pics of places!
Thanks Mark & Andrea
ReplyDeleteOutstanding but still Monday-level puzzle. Lots of splendid fill - PRISTINE, STOMPED, SAMOSA.
• GATWICK was no NATICK for me – in fact, well inside by BAILIWICK, being born on the other side of the pond.
What the 'ICK, 'INRI (as D-O might say)??!!
GASOL on the other hand....
• We've had "HES", "ONEL", "TEN-HUT", "HEH", etc., - in recent memory, so they were acceptable.
I was amused by EBATE and SENAT - very convenient when thy grid runneth over.
• My only Question Marks came with:
– TWISTS AND TURNS. I thought this phrase was exclusively on non-literal roads and paths.. ROADS have TURNS and might be TWISTY, but LIFE, for example, has TWISTS AND TURNS.
– And why was AMINO clued as "familiarly"? The building blocks of proteins are called AMINO ACIDS. Period.
You can just blame Rich for those last 2.
JD, did I miss something? What brought on that Cyndi Lauper comment? She released a country album this May -- here's a sample.
ReplyDeleteI found this a little crunchy for Monday and DNF because of TENHUT. Oh well, it was fun. Thanks Mark and Andrea, and Argyle. Thanks Mark for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteI had a sea of white at the top starting with the ACROSS clues. Perps for RCP, GASOL, ESTO. SHEESH, what a workout.
I had Hah before HEH, and started to fill in Heathrow but it was too long. I have flown into both Heathrow and GATWICK (took British Rail up to London). Security is very tight at Heathrow with only one hand luggage allowed so I had to cram my purse into my carry-on.
NAIL IT reminded me of the Olympic gymnasts with their dismounts.
ONEL again today (and Law in clue also so that must be permissible?)
We finally had some rain but it is still humid. Could be an interesting week with weather.
Hello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteWhat Lucina said. Needed Gatwick to get to Gasol, and pitch seems an unlikely roof material. Otherwise smooth sailing. Nice to see the mix of "and" and "after" in the theme phrases.
Northwest Runner 11:09 - I'll have to try the new games interface. I use a third party app every day on an iPad, and it works smoothly. The Times versions, by comparison, have been poor. I gather the one you just posted about was launched within the last month, yes? If so, that will be the third LAT-hosted interface since I started doing puzzles online.
Sheesh & Good Grief! I couldn't get started today with the top of the puzzle!
ReplyDeleteWhen I got to 20a, "painful reality that one doesn't want to face,"
I thought, "how am I going to fit can't finish a Monday puzzle! in thirteen letters?"
Luckily, I managed to suss out the bottom half,
with a hiccup at 49d responds well to change=adjusts.
I inked it in thinking, wow! They got a "J" in the puzzle!
Maybe it's going to be a pangram!
(but I adapted...)
Thank you Mark & Carla for a fun Monday workout that
that needed a thinking cap to finish!
Re: Yest.
I also had a nit with roll on the runway = taxi.
But, while technically incorrect, it is possible
to taxi on runway.
& vice versa. (but still incorrect...)
Ever taxi in an airport, & look out the window,
ReplyDelete& wonder how the heck the pilots know what all these weird
signs mean? [C23] etc...
I tried to Google them years ago, but could not find anything.
If this peaks your curiosity too, here is
Airport signage explained. (8:49)
A PITCH for using coal tar pitch in roofing.
ReplyDeleteFlood waters here in Eunice La. have receded but heading south. Abbeville La. still has all the water because of the Vermilion river not flowing out due to south winds from the gulf and high tides.
ReplyDeleteNorth West Runner your friend must be in Denhem Springs area. They are still under water.
Hahtoolah hope your house is high and dry. I didn't know the N.O. area had flooded.
Wow when I started the puzzle I thought it was a wed. puzzle that got mixed up in the shuffle !!!
Poo Yieeee from Cajun Country ~!~!
I liked the theme and some of the longer entries, but did not like what I felt was an excessive number of 3-letter entries. I agree with Nice Cuppa that the AMINO in the amino acid clue is not "familiarly." My Natick was also the G crossing GATWICK and GASOL, the latter of which I agree sounds like some kind of fuel. I also agree with Northwest Runner about the clumsiness of the new interface on the LA Times games Daily Crossword page. Very difficult to correct mistakes. Makes me want to go back to the Arcadium format. So, apart from that, Jayce, how did you like the puzzle? The things I liked outnumber the things I didn't.
ReplyDeleteWish there was more I, or anybody, can do about the terrible flooding in Louisiana, than transmit positive thoughts, but positive thoughts you have!
Best wishes to the rest of you all, too.
"Puzzling Thoughts":
ReplyDeleteWEES, this was not a "Monday-esque" puzzle, yet it solved without any hiccups or look-ups. My putting SLATE before PITCH sort of smudged the NE corner, but aside from that, my ink-filled sheet was PRISTINE!
When I lived in a Chicago suburb, my ex wife and I were dubbed, "HERR and Frau" by a neighbor friend. He focused on my German heritage, but he was always one to come up with a nickname for everybody. The HERR and Frau stuck with us beyond that neighborhood, but is obviously "nicht mehr in Gebrauch" as we have been apart for several years . . .
Lots of great clues, and an equally cool theme. Of course it made me think about one of my all-time favorite limericks:
There was once a young girl who begat,
Three male babies named Nat, Pat and TAT.
It was fun in the breeding;
But was hell in the feeding,
When she found there was no ___ for TAT.
On a "current events" note, I've been enjoying the Olympics a lot more than I thought I would, despite not being a big Bob Costas fan. Overall, the events shown on the "mother channel" - NBC - have been quite entertaining, even though I sometimes knew who had won, ahead of time. I've been watching: Swimming, Diving, Track, Gymnastics, and my personal favorite, Women's Beach Volleyball. I even watched most of the final round of Olympics Golf (on The Golf Channel) yesterday, which of course was shown "live". Nice comeback by Matt Kuchar for the Bronze Medal, but if those of us golf fans can glean anything from these games, it bodes well for the Euro's again this fall in the Ryder Cup. Lots of top performances by the European Nation players at the Olympics - many of whom will be Ryder Cup picks. The women's golf at the Olympics will start this Thursday, and if I were a betting man, I'd choose Lydia Ko and any two random women from S Korea to wear the gold, silver and bronze. Not sure who is going to represent the US . . .
China is to Diving as the US is to Swimming
If Michael Phelps were his own country, he would place 3rd - behind the US and Australia - for most Gold Medals won in Swimming for as far back as medals were awarded.
A relief to see that many others thought this was a Monday toughie. Can't remember when I last goofed on a Monday puzzle, but I didn't know GATWICK, unfortunately, though I did google it before coming to the blog. But I thought the theme was a lot of fun, so thanks, Mark and Andrea, and thanks for stopping by, Mark. And thanks to you too, Argyle.
ReplyDeleteOwen, I liked your limericks this morning.
PK, your mention of HERR Herman Munster made me laugh out loud.
My heart goes out to all the people having to cope with such terrible flooding. Hope their homes survive, and that all will turn out okay.
Have a good week, everybody!
"PT2":
ReplyDeleteDittos to what EES about thoughts and prayers to those in LA who've been affected by the recent rains and flooding.
Jayce @ 1:21 (and others who've mentioned it), Pau GASOL is a fairly well-known NBA player (from Spain) who's been with the Memphis Grizzlies, LA Lakers, Chicago Bulls and now, the San Antonio Spurs. He's been in the league for about 15 years and actually won the "Rookie of the Year" award in 2001-2002 season with Memphis. He was also the third pick chosen in the first round of the NBA Draft. At 7'0" he is pretty formidable around the rim, but has some range with his shot, too, which makes him difficult to defend. His "problem" with recognition has always been that he was never the "marquis" player on his team. Here is a link to GASOL, courtesy of Wikipedia
Hi All:
ReplyDeleteWEES - a bit crunchy for a Monday (esp. W/ 35d reading "pain" like D-O mentioned (thought it was just wrinkle in my paper)). Thanks Mark & Andrea. Thanks Argyle for 'splain' "Spain" not pain!
WOs: HEe b/f HEH, mTA b/f CTA, ADjusts (hi CED!) b/f running out of squares @49d
ESPs: GASOL - I was looking for a team nickname; ESTO 'cuz of the misprinted clue.
Can anyone explain why I thought chATWICK @4d. Seems it's a word I've seen but I can't find what it means (outside of a furniture co - which is definitely not in my wheelhouse). I landed on G in the mental ABC-run and NAIL'd IT; though, I'm still confused.
Cute - AHI xing SUSHI.
Fav: I'll go w/ 56d - First, it ticked me that I read the clue as partisan, B) that I still got it right (even thought I really wanted to add the 'E'), and 3) - A KEY Corner no-no... Politics! Politics! Politics!. (Don't FRET; it's just Mel Brooks)
To our LA Cornerites - I just heard there's no route to/from BR / NOLA. This is bad. Let's hope FEMA has up'd their game since Katrina. Like Jayce said - positive thoughts.
{B+, B+, B-,A, B+}
DO - You live 2x the distance from HOU as IAH and that's after a 14+ hour flight! I BET I'd have LOST IT. Lem - the CHI connection would be Insult to Injury...
PK - Hand up for thinking Herman too - LOL.
Cheers, -T
My thoughts are with all the Louisiana residents and their friends and families. How devastating! Cornerites, please keep us updated. We are pulling for you.
ReplyDeleteI think the more formal name is "AMINO acid," and informally or familiarly it is called just "AMINO". I doubt a serious science lecturer would say just AMINO.
Many hiking articles describe TWIST AND TURNS. "In this article, we use the words "twists" and "turns" to describe gentle curves or bends in the trail, not full-fledged changes in direction such as switchbacks." There are many other examples. Alas my hiking days are done, but I can still drive. (Cross your fingers.) I also use the phrases "twists and turns" and "twisty-turny" to describe the country roads we traveled near Worlds End, PA and will travel in WV.
Eli's Cats was my fave today, Owen.
This is the first Olympics I couldn't get into, except for Michael Phelps, who was masterful. What a way to go out on top! I am dismayed how inadequate the arrangements in Brazil seem to be. In choosing a city, consideration should be given to which city is up to the task.
In past Olympics I have been turned off by totally partial judges. And then there was the big scandal this year. The innocence and the amateur aspect is lost.
Hated today. Thought it was thursday. Probly worst MONDAY puzzle ever.
ReplyDeleteAlso ten hut is a false. Been in the army 22 yrs. If you said ten hut troops will look as if you had ten heads and superiors would reprimand you especialy in Basic Training. Proper command is still "Attention."
DeleteA bit tough to get it rolling after the first gimmes. No real problems, though. It's just that I'm noticing how much chewier Monday pzls have become in recent weeks.
ReplyDeleteI still open the Monday paper thinking it's going to be a breeze, and then when it isn't, or maybe is a breeze but one that's heading in the wrong direction, I have to give it more respect than in the olden (Golden) days (of yore).
OwenKL - Thanks for some pleasant rhymes and rhythms today! Loved the Go-fish cheer...
Husker Gary,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding us of "SHEESH, whatta Grouch!" Art Carney & Jackie Gleason made a great comic duo. They were tops, but then the whole "Honeymooners" cast was brilliant. Black and white and blurry, but we didn't need any higher res. Ah, such innocence...
@Desper otto, I was not aware of her new album; I was just reminiscing about her 80's music. Thanks for bringing me up to speed.
ReplyDeleteD-O - Who wudda thought 30 yrs ago? Cyndi Lauper - country?! Thanks for the link; I enjoyed listening to Misty Blue and another one. Not bad (well, for country, that is).
ReplyDeleteAnon T, there is so much flooding in Baton Rouge I don't think you can get from there to Anywhere. The governor just warned that the worst is not over because of all the water that has built up. And the ground is so saturated the water has no where to go. Most ...but not all .... of the rivers are beginning to recede so that should help. And the rain has stopped in some places.
ReplyDeleteJust a freak storm...but those count!
Hahtoolah, keep us posted.
SwampCat - S***, and we thought the Tax Day flood in HOU was bad - ours was peanuts in comparison.
ReplyDeleteTX Ms & DO - I wasn't a big fan of Cyndi (music was catchy and you could dance to it Dick, but I give it a 68) 'cuz I YEARN for a little heavy in my music. This interview (1hr) on OTM changed my mind.. She got a +2 in my book; I made my girls watch it just for the girl-power overTONE..
DO - I forgot to mentioned - I found your 'INRI 'Iggins LOL! I don't think I'll second guess myself on that clue again :-)
MIL just txt'd - "Thought I was gonna feel smart [...] Did it but SHEESH!"
Cheers, -T
OL' Man- Crossword editors always have a need for Monday puzzles. Not many constructors want to make them, or know how to make them. For this reason it could be that Rich has to run a Tuesday or even a Wednesday type puzzle in place of a Monday.
ReplyDeleteMonday puzzles are the most simple to solve. Most constructors don't think simple. If you're a chef do you create a fabulous prime rib or a hamburger? However, what is often not realized is a hamburger can be a damn good meal, and people love 'em.
Here's how hard it is to make a Monday puzzle. Every crossword I make is a Monday level attempt, but most fall on a Tuesday. I even had one that ran on a Friday.
A bit of advice to anyone wanting to learn the puzzle biz. Think Monday! Let Monday be your mantra. If you have a talent for it, editors will be knocking at your door.
Greetings to all!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the TAT theme with its four near grid spanners. However it was a DNF for me as I had never heard of GATWICK or GASOL. Sigh....
Thanks for the expo, Argyle. Great photo from Spain.
JD--Our local schools opened to students today. Staff started last week. Apparently this is to better conform to AP testing schedule for high school students. Up until last year, school always reconvened after Labor Day.
Enjoy the day!
Jerome - Re: Monday pzls: Really? As soon as I learn to grid (and I've got a fantastic set of mentors) I'm the perfect idiot [citation needed*] for the Monday-level puzzle gig.
ReplyDeleteI've got another idea bubbling but I can't get another [13] to make the theme PRISTINE.
Taking a TWIST, er, TURN:
I'm surprised no one mentioned SHEESH as yet another blaspheme. The c/a made me think of Tom & Ray (1hr).
TX Ms - Kelly's Heroes isn't as funny as I thought it'd be but it's still a really good movie. I hope to finish the last 1/4 tonight.
Cheers, -T
*HEH? have you not read my posts? This should be self-evident.
Is there not some way to block a psycho monkey's post?
ReplyDeleteAnon T- Yes, really.
ReplyDeleteI know you have wonderful mentors, but I'd be happy to help with that missing 13. More ideas, better results... maybe. I believe C.C. has my email address.
I'm not anonymous. This is Jerome. The two posts above are mine and I have no idea why my name isn't being shown.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, first a gnat and now a psycho monkey. Jerome, please no personal attacks.
ReplyDeleteSo I am watching the Olympics and basketball is being shown and Spain is playing . . . And I hear the name GASOL. . . And I say to myself, " I know that name". LOL
ReplyDeleteJerome....thank you for your integrity! We are all so grateful for you.
ReplyDeleteSpeak for your self.
ReplyDeleteDudley - I posted this on yesterday's, then realized it was 13 hrs after your reply:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reply. I did think of those instances while typing my post, just wasn't sure they should be called taxiing, but guess it doesn't matter. I was definitely thinking of Tenerife while filling in the answer in the puzzle, though.
What happened to the 7 'normally censored' words that were posted a few minutes ago ? Were they also defaming or personally insulting someone on the blog, or in politics ? I just went offline to check on their spellings and now, they've disappeared into cyberspace....
ReplyDeleteArgyle, are you up to your old tricks ?
Meanwhile, cyber monkeys and gnats - could somebody please explain who's is defaming whom ? Curious, supposedly-intelligent, gossipy cruciverbalists want to know ! ( This could get interesting.)
On Amino (which is only an amine radical group - NH2 ) - Amino has never been used as a shortform for an Amino Acid, or for that matter, even all Amino acids. (except in today's crosswords.) I dont care how familiar you act with her.
An Amine (-NH2) with an organic acid (-COOH) is an Amino Acid. Without the acid radical, or any other positive ion radical, its just an amine - never an Amino. Its like saying 'a red headed -'. A red headed what ? boy, girl, man, woman, doll or bird or donkey ? In that sense, it is an adjective. You still need to know what the amino defines, or rather what it is affiliated to. Hint: It need not be an acid at all. I do hope organic chemists and the like dont do crosswords - best left to high school teachers and the like, who remember sports scores and old musicals. Hah !
Anon-T @ 5:54 - Probably have to agree that Kelly's Heroes is not that funny, but I roared at Sutherland's mantra - "no negative waves, man," and that is what I remembered in relation to copacetic. Forgot the plot until I watched your trailer-thanks.
ReplyDeleteGood Tuesday morning, folks. Thank you, Mark and Andrea, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
ReplyDeleteDid this on Tuesday morning. Was too busy yesterday to even look at it.
Zipped through pretty quickly. Theme appeared. Helped with a couple long ones.
Liked TEN TO. Good words and clue.
No idea what SAMOSA is. Perps.
Never heard of an EBATE. New word I guess.
Since I am a day late, I will just bail out now.
See you tomorrow (Wednesday).
Abejo
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