Theme Reveal:
65. Event whose only six U.S. hosts are answers in this puzzle : THE OLYMPICS - Three U.S. host cities for both Summer and Olympic competition. Three are in the horizontal fill, two in the vertical fill and one city with three words is split between two horizontal fills and one vertical fill.
Theme answers with notable events for each (fully realizing your recollections may be very different):
17. California ski resort (1960) : SQUAW VALLEY - Figure skating champion Carol Heiss cashed in her celebrity as quickly as she could
25. Peach State capital (1996) : ATLANTA - Perhaps best remembered for "The Greatest" being revealed as the secret torch lighter
27. With 39-Across and 61-Down, metropolis near the Wasatch Range (2002) : SALT 39. See 27-Across : LAKE 61. See 27-Across : CITY - A tattered flag from the World Trade center bombing which occurred only five months previous was a prominent part of the opening ceremonies.
52. Home of the Blues (1904) : ST LOUIS - The first Olympics in the U.S. was awarded to ST. LOUIS because it was also having a World's Fair and threatened to stage AAU track competition simultaneously if Chicago was selected. Only 12 countries showed up and the U.S. had 523 of the 630 athletes.
11. Home to the NFL's Rams (1932, 1984) : LOS ANGELES - Many consider Babe Didrikson Zaharias to be the finest female athlete of all time and she won 3 gold medals at the '32 olympics. She was limited to 3 events and won or tied for the win in all three but was eliminated from the high jump for "illegal technique" of her head going over first which is widely used today.
The '84 games were boycotted by the U.S.S.R. and 13 other aligned nations. Carl Lewis set the goal of winning the same four gold medals that Jesse Owens had won in front of Hitler in 1936 and did just that.
29. New York resort in the Adirondacks (1932, 1980) : LAKE PLACID - Like Carol Heiss, our crossword friend also cashed in on 1932 figure skating Olympic gold
Here is my most memorable Olympic moment: The U.S. amateurs defeating the highly favored and very experienced Soviet hockey team in the '80 hockey semifinals that led to Al Michaels' famous "Do you believe in miracles?" call. This is my favorite amateur sports memory that didn't involve Huskers!
Despite all the issues I will watch some of the Rio coverage but wouldn't travel down there for anything. Let's see what other events Joel and Andrea have for us:
Across
1. TV workers' union : AFTRA - The Screen Actors' Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists merged in 2012
11. "__ It Go": hit song from "Frozen" : LET - Easier advice to dispense than take
14. Smallish iPods : NANOS
15. Eucalyptus eater : KOALA
16. Daily Defense skin care brand : OXY - Quite an arsenal
19. Weaken : SAP
20. Stellar : ASTRAL
21. Some cameras : SLR'S
22. Master : ACE
23. Sci. subject : ANAT
30. Quick drink : SIP
32. Participate in karaoke : SING - What all these machines need...
33. 60 minuti : ORA - 37. Capital SSE of Firenze : ROMA - "A ROMA ci sono 60 minuti in un'ORA (In Rome, there are 60 minutes in an hour)" 68. Pisa place : ITALY completes the mini-theme trifecta
34. "Really?" : IT IS
36. Jetties : PIERS - Jetties extending out into new Lake Wanahoo behind the dam by Wahoo, NE
41. Actress Sevigny : CHLOE
43. Pebble-in-puddle sound : PLOP
44. Thumbs-up critic : EBERT - Of this movie, he said, "I had a colonoscopy once, and they let me watch it on TV. It was more entertaining than 'The Brown Bunny.'"
46. That seƱorita : ELLA
47. Revealing rock genre : EMO
48. Look closely (over) : PORE
50. Stockholm airline : SAS
51. Exam for many sophs : PSAT
55. Tilt-A-Whirl, e.g. : RIDE - Do the people who set up and maintain these instill confidence in you?
57. Starbucks order : TEA
58. Mil. ranks : SGTS
60. Subsidiary of Fiat : LANCIA - Brigitte Bardot in a LANCIA Flavia. Nice lines!
64. Curved path : ARC
67. Calendar col. : FRI
69. Bloke's buddy : MATEY
70. G-man : FED
71. Synthetic fabric : NYLON
72. "Family Ties" mom : ELYSE
Down
1. Ancient jug handle : ANSA - We had this recently but it didn't stick in my brain box
2. Online help pgs. : FAQS
3. Letter-shaped fastener : T-NUT
4. Obviously enjoy, as a joke : ROAR AT
5. Nile dam : ASWAN
6. Blotter letters : AKA
7. Mars days, in "The Martian" : SOLS - During his SOLS on Mars, Watney grew potatoes using a unique fertilizer
8. __ lily : CALLA
9. "Fore!" et al. : ALERTS
10. Stub with withholding info : PAY SLIP
12. Better than estimated : EXACT
13. Far from laid-back : TYPE-A - One take on this idea
18. Big name in pickles : VLASIC
24. Sunday contribution : TITHE
26. "There's __ in the air" : A NIP
27. Part of a shoe : SOLE
28. Speedy steed : ARAB
31. Medicinal units : PILLS - My double transplant recipient golf partner takes 39 PILLS/day, 14,235/yr
35. __ eclipse : SOLAR
38. Windex target : SPOT
40. Buck chaser? : EROO
42. With little effort : EASILY
45. Rely on : TRUST IN
49. Interstate through Cheyenne : EIGHTY
51. Foreign correspondent? : PEN PAL
52. Employees : STAFF
53. __ Haute : TERRE
54. Rickey Henderson specialty : STEAL
56. Actor Jean-Claude Van __ : DAMME
59. Diva's offering : SOLO
62. Finishes, as cupcakes : ICES
63. "__ sow, so shall ... " : AS YE
66. Former White House adviser Nofziger : LYN - "The executive branch has grown too strong, the judicial branch too arrogant and the legislative branch too stupid."
Now let's race on to see your comments on this fun puzzle and perhaps an Olympic memory as well. Please stay in your own lane!
The Grid
Notes from C.C.:
1) Congratulations on Joel Elkins on his LA Times debut! He also teamed up with dear Andrea Carla Michaels for his NYT debut last month.
2) Happy Birthday to our sweet Melissa B, who's going to become a first-time grandma soon. Her daughter is expecting her first daughter on August 13th.
 |
| Left to Right: Melissa's daughter, Melissa's mom Barbara B, Melissa |
43 comments:
{C+, B, C.}
CHLOE was determined to reach New Age perfection,
Decided to become an ACE at ASTRAL projection!
Her spirit skimmed a wave-top,
Then undersea she went PLOP,
And that's how her soul caught a SOLE without fishin'!
PIERS was a poor SAP who had to be frugal,
Could budget no hookers, but only ogle.
When he got online
He liked it just fine --
It's so much more discreet to ogle on Google!
If your SOLE desire is for extra play,
Count time in SOLS the Martian way!
Each SOLAR rotation
From that far location
Gives 35 additional minutes per day!
Greetings!
Thanks to Andrea and Gary!
Fun theme.
Many things perped: AFTRA, OXY, LANCIA, SOLS, STEAL, LYN.
Spent about 5 hours off and on trying to get blood thinner prescription transferred from Caremark to a CVS store. No luck. If you do not hear from me again, it is because I had a stroke. (CVS stores do not even have the phone number for Caremark.)
Cheers!
PS Have become addicted to Spider Solitaire by Mobility. Dreadful.
Morning, all (and a Very happy Birthday to Melissa B)!
Things went a lot smoother for me today once I finally got the theme. I didn't know the Olympics were ever held at SQUAW VALLEY, but I knew the rest of them, so that really helped.
When did they start letting Sophomores take the PSAT? I thought that used to be only for Juniors?
And could somebody please explain how EXACT means "better than estimated"? I'm sure it's obvious, but I'm just not seeing it.
Barry G.: "I will charge you exactly $100 for the work", vs., "I estimate the cost for the work will be approximately $100".
"Exactly $100" is "better", i.e., more precise, than "approximately $100".
Good morning!
Before I forget, Happy Birthday, MB. Wow, you're gonna become a grandma on the same day as your daughter becomes a mother. What a coincidence!
Got the theme as soon as SQUAW VALLEY showed up. Then thought I'd blown it, when that gave me a VL combo at 18d. Worked out OK, though. Thanks, Joel, ACM and HG, and congrats to Joel on his LAT debut.
There's a small museum for Babe Zaharias Didrikson right on I-10 in Beaumont, Texas -- just a few miles from the Louisiana border. As soon as you cross into Texas there's a sign to let you know that you're a mere 855 miles from El Paso. Nice lake pic, HG. Texas has no natural lakes, but it has a whole slew of dam lakes.
TERRE Haute had a claim to fame as home of the Columbia Record Club -- remember those round black things? Remember those computer-printed "reservation" cards? Forget to return it, and you'd soon receive an album of the month that you almost certainly did NOT want.
Fermat, that sounds like par for the course. Caremark is a subsidiary of CVS. But you knew that.
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Joel Elkins and Andrea Carla Michaels, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Husker Gary, for a fine review.
There were some tough spots in this puzzle. Perped and wagged through them. AFTRA, NANOS, CHLOE, LANCIA, ELYSE, DAMME, ANSA.
Thought the theme was great. Good job putting all those cities in the grid.
Jetties are also a long pile of rocks.
Liked PEN PAL.
My wife and I each got a free Italian Beef sandwich last night from Buona's. When the Cubs score in the 6th inning, and if you have a ticket to the game, and a Buona's coupon, you get a free sandwich within 24 hours of the game. We had all that and got the sandwich. It was delicious. On Army Trail Road in Glendale Heights.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
The US hockey team also won gold at Squaw Valley.
While Didrickson and modern high-jumpers both go over head first, she appears to be face down where the moderns are on their backs (the Fosbury Flop). Her technique was probably too dangerous for landing on a pile of sawdust instead of the air mattresses they use now.
Hi Y'all! Good one, Joel & Andrea! Congrats, Joel! Good one, Gary!
I tried to work this just after midnight and for the first time, just gave up when I had nothing in the top tier. After breakfast an hour ago, I tried again. Got three answers in the top third: ASWAN, LET (a WAG), and ATLANTA. Tried ASCAP in 1A instead of the correct 6A. Tried EFAX before FAQS. Lunar before SOLAR.
Didn't know CHLOE or LANCIA.
After the reveal, I was able to quickly fill in the theme answers. I was thinking the Wasatch Range was further north.
I got to see the Olympic Ice Skaters perform in Kansas City on their way to Salt Lake City. Such a thrilling treat. Tara Lipinsky was one of them. Made watching them medal on TV that much more exciting.
1996 One of my former 4-Hers had just graduated college with a criminal justice degree. She was a 5'1" distance runner red-headed overly serious kid. She went to Atlanta to be part of the security force for the Olympics. Everyone who knew her was shocked because she was so tiny. She got hired full-time after the games were over. Guess she was good. Think she stayed there permanently.
Happy Birthday, melissa b. Congrats on the coming new era in your life, Granny.
The timely theme answers made this puzzle a quick solve. Slick puzzle construction with fitting SALT LAKE CITY into three parts. I had an early stumble when I had APB crossed by PANDA before correcting to AKA and KOALA.
I'm with HG about ANSA - knew we had it recently but the world completely slipped my mind and needed perps to fill in.
@fermatprime - it would probably be easier just to call your doctor's office and have them call in a new script to the CVS - we do that all the time.
Thanks Gary and Joe/Andrea!
I've always thought of jetties as long piles of rocks out into the water; never considered them a pier. In my mind you can tie up your boat to a pier; don't see how you'd tie up your boat to a long pile of rocks. I thought clue was very wrong, until I looked up "jetty" and found it defined as a pier of rocks or pilings. Guess I was wrong, but I will probably continue to think of a jetty as a long pile of rocks. Anyway, got the CW done although my time was way off. In the middle of working the CW remembered that today is garbage pick-up day, and we have a big stinky bag of smoked fish bones in there. In the Fort Lauderdale heat, not a good idea to leave it sit there, so interrupted the CW for a garbage run. Eventually, got 'er done; fine CW, thanx, Joel and Andrea!! Terrific write-up, thanx, HG. Owen, thanx for the limericks; A, C, B+.
"Puzzling Thoughts":
A few write-overs today as I put SAG b4 SAP and DIRT b4 SPOT. And for some stupid reason I added a third LAKE to the answer grid in 61d before realizing I omitted the word CITY. I think the other two lakes intersecting in 29d/39a threw me off ...
A few WAG's and Perp's (ANSA AFTRA CHLOE) helped me finish it correctly. Nice puzzle and write up.
HB to MB and congrats on the upcoming Gramma
I like to think of myself as a TYPE A who secretly wants to live as a TYPE B. But that probably ain't gonna happen
Favorite clue? Perhaps the one for 51d = PEN PAL. I never had a PEN PAL; but to steal a line from Groucho Marx, when I was in college I had a French Minor; but her visa expired and I had to send her home!" š
Owen, oddly I liked your third poem best; probably because it sounded most like a limerick - your second one, with a little editing, could be a winner.
Re: Olympics; I used to really enjoy the games but don't as much now since most of the athletes are professionals. I realize the cost involved to practice and hone your skills is far too expensive for someone other than a paid athlete to manage. I will likely watch some of the events but not many. Memorable Olympics moments include the US beating USSR in LAKE PLACID and of course Muhammad Ali lighting the flame in ATLANTA.
"Puzzling Thoughts 2": my lame attempt at a limerick today based on the puzzle:
Unlike the EIGHTY OLYMPICS in LAKE PLACID,
This year's Brazilian event appears quite horrid.
Seems the whole town of Rio
Is suffering from "B.O."
Olympic historians might call it: SQUAW-lid.
Good morning all. Thank you Joel, Andrea, and Gary. Yes Gary, my desire too. Very topical on a number of fronts. Well said.
Happy Birthday Melissa !
Filled in YMPICS with the perps, sussed and proved THE OLYMPICS, and then EASILY got SQUAW VALLEY as I climbed the ladder from the SE to the NW. Despite getting the theme answers quickly, other areas of the puzzle gave pause.
Didn't know CHLOE. She perped in. Ditto LANCIA. AFTRA too. Had to correct from ELiSE to ELYSE. There's that "sometimes Y' rule we learned in our youth. Ditto LYN.
We have CAnnA Lily blooming in a planter on our front porch. Very pretty plant. Bulbs go in the root cellar over winter.
I was taking business management courses at the University of Houston leading up to the '84 Olympics. Phi Slamma Jama basketball (Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, et al) was the big deal on campus. Carl Lewis, while not just another student athlete, didn't get the same level of acclaim until he won the Olympic Gold Medals. Exciting time for the U of H. This year, expectations are that Houston area resident 4' 8" Simone Biles will win multiple golds in gymnastics.
Woke up this morning to the news that the AP has compiled an all-time Top 100 ranking the best teams in college football for the last 80 seasons. Where Does Your Team Rank ?
I know that Buona Beef location Abejo. And another on North Ave in St Charles. Good stuff. Really good ! Buona !
Happy Birthday Melissa B. ... the "First-Toast" at Sunset is to YOU!
Husker: Outstanding write-up & links. Good Job!
Joel & Andrea: Thank You for a FUN Wednesday puzzle. Nice timely theme.
Needed ESP to get CHLOE, my only unknown.
The only PILLS I "take-daily" are a single Centrum Silver Vitamin.
Cheers!
A neat Wednesday level puzzle from Andrea and Joel. HG did a great write-up also.
No real stumbling blocks today. There were enough hooks to allow the perps to fill in some of the blanks. I was surprised that I remembered AFTRA, ASCAP, and KOALA, so I had a strong top of the puzzle start.
I always thought that a JETTY was a stone structure along the shore or in a river. I didn't realize it can also be considered a pier and made out of wood.
I have no clue to what EMO is, but I've seen it in CWs enough that I try it when there is a clue about music genres. It worked today.
Happy Birthday Melissa.
Enjoy your day.
Good Morning!
Fun Puzzle! Thanks, Joel and Andrea. Timely theme with each entry bringing to mind memorable moments--especially the Hockey gold when the amateurs still played. Ah, I don't share Husker Gary's idealism these days. Sure glad Chicago (and Illinois) did not win the$e Olympic$.
HG, The write-up and links are terrific!!! Thanks to all of you for a fun run this morning.
Have a fine day.
I recently learned that SQUAW was a [seriously] racially offensive term in the U.S., perhaps not comparable with the "N-word", but at least up there with the J-word. If so, one wonders why "the S-word" VALLEY never chose/felt obliged to changed its name.
And C-Moe even making puns on it.... Watch out, matey.
Hello Puzzlers -
Happy Birthday M Bee!
Steady romp through today. I had no idea the US had hosted so many Olympics.
Howdy Husker - I once (about 1986) rented Sun Valley Serenade because I wanted to see how the Glenn Miller music fit in. As I recall, the movie was a yawn, just an excuse for getting Sonja Henie on screen as quickly as possible. The music had only a minor role.
Some bite in today's puzzle. Thanks Joel and Andrea, and Husker Gary.
ANSA and DAMME were unknowns.
My diva could SING the usual ARIA before SOLO.
I think of Starbucks for coffee before TEA.
SQUAW is definitely non-PC in Canada. Many sports team's names have been changed.
Happy BDay MelissaB.
A very happy birthday, Melissa and congratulations on the coming event!!
So far, all puzzles this week have been on the easy side and quick to fill. ANSA is one of those crosswordese that pops up occasionally. Nice job filling all six OLYMPIC venues, JE and ACM!
I have the same thinking as oc4beach on EMO. I liked seeing ROMA and ITALY today. I'm probably the only grandmother who has not seen Frozen so LET was pure guesswork. WEES about LANCIA and CHLOE. And, sigh, I had ASCAM for some unknown reason so FIW! Drat, drat! MAYSLIP? I am doddering.
Thank you, Joel Elkins and Andrea Carla Michaels as well as Gary who adds class to the review.
We have full blown monsoon storms arriving these days and 3, yes 3 inches of rain in one day!
Have a lovely day, everyone!
Good Morning:
This was a nice, timely tribute to the Olympics but, alas, I didn't medal due to the sap/type A crossing. I had sag and the Y eluded me once again. Other than that, the solve was pretty smooth, although my Koala was a Panda first. AFTRA and ASCAP side by side was unusual. I don't remember much about the 1960 games but I do remember Carol Heiss. One of my nieces was at the Miracle hockey game. I'll probably watch some of this year's events but I think the luster and spirit of the whole meaning of the games has been lost over the years due to doping, dishonest judges, and allowing professionals to compete. End of rant.
Thanks, Joel and ACM, for a mid-week meander down Memory Lane and thanks, HG, for showing us all of the important landmarks.
Happy Birthday, Melissa B, and congrats on the upcoming exciting event.
Have a great day.
Happy birthday wishes to you, melissa bee, and good wishes that the new generation arrives as smoothly as possible.
Cool puzzle! Nice job on that theme. I basically had a near Natick at the cross of AF-RA and -NUT. Figured (correctly) that T made more sense than U. Knew CHLOE Sevigny right away. Put in ESTA instead of ELLA at first; PILLS and SOLAR fixed that.
Gary, thank you for being so constant, reliable, interesting, and informative.
Lucina, I hope no idiots get washed away trying to drive through dips in the road during the rains. In Tucson they have signs at the dry washes warning people not to attempt driving through them during the rainy season. Some people do it anyway and sure enough need rescuing.
Fermatprime, I hope you get that CVS issue solved. Please take inanehiker's good advice.
Best wishes to you all.
At first I thought this was going to be all about entertainment artists' unions. 1A and 6A were AFTRA & ASCAP - but we were missing SAG and AEA, and we soon shifted gears to Olympic venues, leaving musicians and broadcasters in the lurch.
Still, this was most satisfying. Like yesterday's pzl from Ms. Varol, this one from Mr. Elkins and Ms. Michaels offers the finer pleasures we cruciverbalists enjoy - with enough challenge to keep us thinking but nothing beyond a good, hearty, natural stretch of our minds. Good job!
DNF, this one kicked my butt.
Natick City...
Unsa crossing aftra???
I looked up ancient jughandle, & was so enlightened at the vagarity
that instead of posting a link, I will let you all look it up yourself so you can be
as %$#@* enlightened as I was...
(with apologies to Thumpers Mom...)
Penpal, (I should have gotten Penpal...)
except after 10,000 Crosswords listing LSAT, I put an "L."
("P" never occurred to me, until typing this, which makes me want to go to the bathroom...)
Penpal, crossing,(whatwasit?) Lancia?
Dang it! I could have got it if it were not for that "P" test...
(Dang it! Now I have to go to the bathroom again...)
46a That senorita= Ella. I perped this but do not understand it.
(Is this where CinderElla comes from?)
Did not realize that Squaw was UnPC,
you should take a hint from the wise old indian
that named his wife "Five Horses."
When asked why he named her this, he replied,
Yeah, Nag, Nag, Nag, Nag, Nag...
America at the Olympics?
Did you know they were thinking of a spectator award this year?
Happy Birthday Melissa!
(I casually brought up Grandchildren to my daughters recently, boy! did I get a cold shoulder!)
Ella is Spanish.
Nice, easy - at least today, for me - Wednesday puzzle.
On the Olympic theme - PBS has a new show "The Nazi Games - Berlin 1936" - in which it is demonstrated that every Olympic Games since has been a copy of what and how Hitler did in 1936. Interesting how no concern was too great to stop it or him. Not a very good legacy to say the least.
Olympics - sport for those who don't really like to watch sports regularly but prefer the spectacle every 4 years.
Thank you Joel and Andrea for a charming and very well constructed puzzle. Simply delightful. Thank you Husker Gary for a wonderful blog and all those gifs and pictures. That adds the icicng on the cake !
Re:Squaw Valley - Squaw is an honorable american, indian loan word, for a woman, or more likely a wife, of many eastern indian tribal ( native american ) languages like the Algonquins and Narrangansetts. It did not originally, connote any pejorative meaning. It was not a word like N----r, which was an english word with a clear cut derogatory use. And, further, despite certain talk show assertions, the word squaw was never used for 'a woman's genetalia'. That has been proved to be conclusively false.
What is however, a fact and history. is how the american indian has been treated over the last several centuries, and that is not going to be compensated for by the banning of certain legitimately borrowed indian words. Hopefully, as the political power of the native americans come unto their own, their words will continue to be used without any derogatory meanings or misunderstandings.
A word in point is Jew and jewess, which certain jewish people have always used to describe themselves. To ascribe those words, today, as antisemitic and /or racist would sound hollow today because the jewish people have achieved a certain status in society today, that the words are as sterile as Irish and catholic.
Finally, some historical places with the word 'squaw' should probably remain as they are, with the legendary connotation that they have asserted to. Not derogatory, but a sense of the indian lore and history that probably preceded the US itself.
Well, I didn't quite make it this morning because I didn't know AFTRA and ANSA, but I got everything else without any trouble. Fun getting all those city names, though I kept wondering at the dates listed for each one. Only when I got the THE OLYMPICS reveal did they make sense. Many thanks for a fun puzzle, Joel and Andrea.
I thought PEN PAL was a cute answer, also--especially since I have two foreign correspondent pan pals, one in England and one in Israel. They got in touch with me about some literary reference or other, and we've been corresponding pretty regularly for a few years since.
Have a wonderful birthday, grandmother Melissa!
Great pics and expo, Husker Gary!
Have a great day, everybody!
Is that a bug in the path?
Ugh. Squash it.
No, I think it is a bug.
Crosseyed Dave:
Ella is the Spanish word for "her", hence "that senorita".
Fun puzzle. I solved the cities first, just for fun. Fairly easy Wednesday.
NW started slow until I could get that W from ASWAN. Then we got back to Wed style Xwding. 1960 Hockey victory was as exciting as 1980. Because Canada only had to supply for six teams(NHL) they were more of a factor than 1980.
Nice effort by the constructors and thanks HG for the commentary.
Owen. Such whacky imagination. Love all of them.
Tin. Why did Tarpon Springs name a baseball field after George Sisler? Did he retire there?
So no mention of next year's total solar eclipse crossing the USA -- the only land that it will touch. August 21, 2017. If you haven't seen one, this is your chance. Make plans to be in the path of totality. All the good seats will soon be gone!
"PT3"
TTP @ 9:27 ---> My school (Pitt) is ranked #23, thank you very much! With new coach Pat Narduzzi I see us getting back to relevancy (Top 25 rankings) again soon
Tinbeni @ 9:32 ---> Dittos to the Centrum Silver MultiVitamin; BTW, are olives or cocktail onions considered pills??!
Nice Cuppa @ 10:30 ---> Seriously? OK, I did a Google check of the word "Squaw" after reading your post. I tend to agree with Ptolemy Monde @ 1:20 in his/her comments about this word.
Chief Entomologist @ 1:49 ---> Hysterical!! Well done pun, sir or madam! I can only guess as to which of our regular posters came up with this, but it made me LOL. Thanks!
And while the following "story" may at first seem a bit PI (politically incorrect) it is meant to be harmless. I hope it brings a smile or chuckle . . .
A young ventriloquist is touring Sweden and, one night, he's doing a show in a small fishing town. With his dummy on his knee, he starts going through his usual dumb blonde jokes.
Suddenly, a blonde woman in the fourth row stands on her chair and starts shouting, "I've heard enough of your stupid blonde jokes. What makes you think you can stereotype Swedish blond women that way? What does the color of a woman's hair have to do with her worth as a human being?
It's men like you who keep women like me from being respected at work and in the community, and from reaching our full potential as people. Its people like you that make others think that all Blondes are dumb! You and your kind continue to perpetuate discrimination against not only blondes, but women in general...pathetically all in the name of humor!"
The embarrassed ventriloquist begins to apologize, and the blonde yells: "You stay out of this! I'm talking to that little B#*&ard on your lap."
Wilbur Charles @ 2:22 ---> Not trying to steal Tinbeni's thunder, but here is a link to an article about the Tarpon Springs Little League Field (Sisler Field) and its former use as the Spring Training home to the St Louis Browns (Sisler's team) in the mid 1920's. I didn't see any other reference to Sisler and Tarpon Springs, e.g., saying that he retired there.
Good one, J.E. and A.C.M.! A bit of crunch, but just right for Wednesday! Thanks for the expo and links, M.B!
The top half filled in quickly, then the bottom ground to a halt. Confidently filled in aria for 59d. Then nothing else fit. Finally backtracked, got a few across answers and corrected that entry. FWH (finished with help).
Fav clue/ans: 26d "There's A NIP in the air". Don't I wish! Continued hot/humid weather. I'm waiting for September.
Happy Birthday, Melissa Bee. Congrats on the soon-to-be- grandchild!
Happy Wednesday!
Pat
Thanks Chairman Moe. That was my guess. Too bad that RR isn't still there, it'd take a lot of pressure off US 19.
Sisler had an eye infection that reduced him to merely very good from immortal.
He also was a very pitcher but like Ruth was to good not to be on the field every day.
Desper-Otto, et al interested parties,
Quick, turn on CBS nightly news. They have a story about NoMoRobo coming up.
TTP,@5:46
Ack! I missed it!
I went to link the internet version,
but curiously enough, my antivirus blocked it!
Hey! Gary, thanks for the wonderful, informative write up!!!!
And thanks for pointing out that it is Joel's LA Times debut (He had his NY Times one last month on a Thursday rebus puzzle Joel dreamed up)
Learned a LOT reading this blog. So pleased!
Want to point out there really should be a third byline.
We originally just had random Olympic cities. (Defined by the roman numerals of which Olympiad)
Rich Norris said he'd run it if we kept it to US Cities only... AND THEN PROCEEDED to lay out the grid!!!!
So Joel and I only had to fill it and clue it, but Rich did the heavy lifting on this one! He's a great editor!!! By all rights, we should split the payment three ways, but as it is, this takes some of the sting of getting less than $50 for co-creating it! ;)
Hi Puzzle PALs!
I had to LET this puzzle show itself to me. It was a perp & WAG fest esp. in the NW. I was surprised to find only a few WOs & every SPOT right. Thanks Joel & ACM - I needed to PORE over it (the conf-call was boring anyway...) but I ACE'd your fun (if not slow in coming) pzl.
Great expo HG. Nothing in Nebraska (MMLXIV maybe?).., but you knew that going in :-)
WOs: comb b/f POur, er, PORE, ASwE b/f AS YE, LeN b/f LYN, Diesel b/f DAMME, and I was going for a lunAR eclipse.
Fav: ITALY! Oh, and c/a 51d.
{C+, B+, A} {B+}
Nice Cuppa - MATEY, I looked up SQUAW to relate to a storm-line to show PC usage. Turns out it's spelt squall. That's a learning moment 40+ years in the making...
TTP - OU is #2; BOOMER! [There were three Techs, but none started w/ LA.]
Oc4 - here's some rock-ish EMO for you: Echo and the Bunnymen (Lips Like Sugar). Most EMO is just too musically depressing to link IMHO.
Anon @2:22. I just PLOP'd the SOLAR eclipse on my calendar. Thanks.
LOL! SOs:
Cheif @1:49
C. Moe @2:37. [I took a left turn thinking all the Swedes were going to turn on him - made the last line even funnier]
You know I gotta 'cuz this puzzle was such a Slow RIDE. (Foghat)
CED brought out the cake - Happy Birthday Melissa B! [And what a fine looking family]
Cheers, -T
CED, here's the short on NoMoRobo that was on CBS Evening News:New technology provides a solution for annoying robocalls. Thank you Desper-Otto for telling us about it a few years ago !
Chairman Moe, as a Buckeye fan, I'm hyped about that AP poll that ranked the best college football teams in the last 80 years, and good to see so many other favorites at or near the top of the list.
Anon - T, I couldn't count the number of times I've driven the Will Rogers turnpike and seen the pickup trucks driving down the interstate with the great big OU flags streaming (at 80 MPH) with pride from the truck bed posts as they headed towards Norman. Truly a sight to be seen on an early Saturday morning !
Abon T: Thanks for the link, but after listening to it, I don't think it's my kinda music. I like Classical, Jazz, Big Band, Oldies(50s through 90s), Country, some Rock and only 2 Rap songs and possibly some others, but EMO just doesn't cut it.
Jayce:
So far some cars have been abandoned in the washes but no people rescued as yet. However, the monsoon isn't over so predictably it will yet happen.
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