Theme: Tickets, Please - A night at the opera.
17A. End that "I face," in Sinatra's "My Way": THE FINAL CURTAIN
30A. It has 32 pieces and a 64-square board: CHESS SET
37AA. Prepare to fly: SPREAD ONE'S WINGS
44A. Vital phase: KEY STAGE
58A. Broadway do-or-die philosophy, and a hint to the ends of 17-, 30-, 37- and 44-Across: THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Argyle here with Lila Cherry, an anagram for "Really Rich", showing us what a Monday should look like. You didn't stop looking for themes after the three spanners, did you? (I'd understand.) Parts of a theater theme is easy enough but Rich did add some nuggets to munch on. (Like 1-Across)
Across:
1. First assassin to attack Caesar: CASCA. The few I knew wouldn't fit.
6. Marvel Comics mutants: X-MEN
10. Folk singer Joan: BAEZ
14. Arctic or Indian: OCEAN
15. Bit of trickery: RUSE
16. In the style of, in ristorantes: ALLA. Penne Alla Vodka With Chicken.
20. Feudal laborer: SERF
21. Popeye's Olive: OYL
22. Given to giving orders: BOSSY
23. Grounded Aussie birds: EMUs. Flightless.
25. Twirl or whirl: SPIN
27. Gentlemen's partners: LADIES
34. Surrounded by: AMONG
35. __ accompli: FAIT. A thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept
36. Often rolled-over investment: IRA. (individual retirement account)
41. Kind: ILK
42. Self-images: EGOs
43. Gold bar: INGOT
47. Decadent, as the snobs in a historic Agnew speech: EFFETE
48. Blessed: HOLY
49. Get-out-of-jail money: BAIL
50. Drinks with floating ice cream: SODAs
53. Windy City summer hrs.: CDT. Central Daylight Time)
54. Jersey or Guernsey: ISLE. Islands in the English Channel.
62. Informal negative: AIN'T
63. "No __!": "Easy!": PROB. (problem)
64. Brief: SHORT
65. Activist Parks: ROSA
66. Words meaning the same thing: Abbr.: SYNs. (synonyms)
67. Furry swimmer: OTTER
Down:
1. Emergency shelter beds: COTS
2. Throb: ACHE
3. Fortuneteller: SEER
4. The jolt in joe?: CAFFEINE. Joe is slang for coffee.
5. "Give me __!": start of a Hoosier cheer: AN INDIANA
6. Diagnostic tests: X-RAYS
7. Ponder (over): MULL
8. Top-left PC key: ESC. (ESCAPE)
9. Modern, in Munich: NEU
10. Twirled sticks: BATONS
11. "That's a shame": "ALAS"
12. Yale alumni: ELIs
13. Madcap: ZANY
18. We, to Henri: NOUS
19. Grand slam homer quartet, briefly: RBIs. (run batted in) 3 runners already on base plus the batter.
24. Prefix with hit or store: MEGA
25. Backs up in fear: SHIES. Often said of a horse.
26. Cats and dogs: PETS
27. Eye surgery acronym: LASIK. (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis)
28. More than enough: AMPLE
29. Foolish, in slang: DORKY
30. Easily tipped boat: CANOE
31. Burn slightly: SINGE
32. Rye grass disease: ERGOT
33. Try, as food: TASTE
35. Swimming in pea soup?: FOGGY
38. Hand out cards: DEAL
39. Coffeehouse connection: WiFi
40. Like airplane services: INFLIGHT
45. California peak: SHASTA
46. British balderdash: TOSH
47. Food, in diner signs: EATS
49. Buffalo Wild Wings nickname based on its initials: B-DUBS. Catch ya'? BWW - Bee Double U Double U. B-Dubs® is sports bar. Web page
50. Marquee name: STAR
51. Cincinnati's state: OHIO
52. Family rooms: DENS
53. "Let's get goin'!": "C'MON!"
55. Chimney sweep's sweepings: SOOT
56. Passed-down knowledge: LORE
57. __'acte: intermission: ENTR
59. Covert or black doings: OPS. (Operations)
60. Droll: WRY
61. Chinese menu general: TSO. Spicy.
Argyle
Argyle
Notes from C.C.:
1) Happy birthday to Dennis, who helped me greatly with this blog the first few years. JimmyB and I talked about the days when you used to post first, Dennis. Hope it's a fantastic day!
2) Best of luck on your first day at the new office, Barry! I hope they'll let you work from home again soon. Our blog is not complete without your daily comments.
1) Happy birthday to Dennis, who helped me greatly with this blog the first few years. JimmyB and I talked about the days when you used to post first, Dennis. Hope it's a fantastic day!
2) Best of luck on your first day at the new office, Barry! I hope they'll let you work from home again soon. Our blog is not complete without your daily comments.
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteGreat fun, Rich and Santa!
Didn't know BDUBS. Otherwise OK!
Have a great day!
Morning, all (and Happy Birthday to our Dear Dennis)!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the kind words. I actually start at the office tomorrow, but I got up early today anyway just as a trial run. Man, that extra half hour of sleep is going to be missed... As I mentioned, I don't plan on disappearing entirely, since I'll still be posting on weekends and hopefully I'll be able to start working from home a few days a week eventually.
Today's puzzle was mostly a typical Monday speed run, except that (like Fermat) I had no idea about BDUBS. Thanks to Argyle for the explanation!
LASER before LASIK, otherwise a smooth solve.
ReplyDeleteThe SET on the STAGE was SET up for act one,
ReplyDeleteThe cast in the WINGS were SET for some fun!
By THE FINAL CURTAIN
One thing was certain:
THE SHOW MUST GO ON doesn't count when houses run!
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteOnce SCANS morphed into XRAYS things went pretty smoothly. "FAIT accompli" is lots harder to say then "Done deal," just ritzier. BDUBS was a mystery; thanx, Argyle. CAFFEINE -- another exception to the I before E rule. Wow, I actually got the theme this morning.
Happy birthday, Dennis, wherever you are.
HBDTY and many more Dennis.
ReplyDeleteGood luck BG I use my phone to post when not able to do otherwise.
The assassination of JULIUS CAESAR is not breakfast material so govern yourself accordingly.
CASCA came from perps and not memory.
I learned DUB from the past president. Interesting look into Rich' s thoughts on a Monday puzzle
Thanks Argyle
LASIX:LASIK. I actually have a BWW box sitting beside my bed due to munching a few of their cheese curds cold in the middle of the night. Looked all over it, didn't help. (BTW, their cheese curds are excellent in the restaurant, but terrible as a cold snack!) Lots of clever clues in this CW, and fun to do, thanx, Lila! Terrific write-up, thanx, Argyle!
ReplyDeleteIt is we who are "swimming in pea soup" when it is FOGGY, and thus we are BEFOGGED, not FOGGY. Or is this a reference to our ideas, or brain or mental state?
ReplyDeleteDENS are more likely "man caves" than "family rooms." Family rms are RECS.
Is there a difference between TOSH and BOSH?
AIN'T: "Informal"? Or ignorant?
Fun puzzle today, but I didn't get the theme until I came here. I always thought that RBI is plural - Runs Batted In - but I guess I'm not yet too old to learn. Didn't know CASCA,NEU, BDUBS, TOSH or NOUS. Had DRY for Droll before WRY.
ReplyDeleteLASIK is for eyes, LASIX is used in humans and controversially in race horses.
With the big debate tonight, how about a Jinx QOD:
"Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river." Nikita Khrushchev, Former Premier of the Soviet Union.
Thanks Argyle for the interesting write-up, and to Rich for rolling up your sleeves and creating this fun romp.
Greetings to all!
ReplyDeleteHBTY Dennis, wherever you are.
Thanks for the expo, Argyle. Cute river otters.
Enjoy the day!
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Dennis. Hope you have a great day.
Barry, good luck with your new work venue and your commute. I may have to find a new acronym for WBS (what Barry said). Many times your take has been in sync with mine. Nice photo.
Knew Lila and thought he made it just a tad crunchy for a Monday. Lots of 'rich' fill like Argyle said. No look-ups or erasures were needed. Needed full perp help with B-DUBS, and still don't fully understand the clue. We have no B-DUBS around here.
Liked the long downs. Nice deflective clue at ILK.
BATONS - Wonder how Baton Rouge (red stick) got its name.
MULL is an ISLE in the Inner Hebrides near Skye. It's in the Council area of Argyll and Bute.
Have a great day.
Hello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this whistle-clean creation from the fictitious Lila. A bit more pepper than the usual Monday glide. B-Dubs is a complete unknown, but with some noodling it was gettable from the clue. Sorta similar to V-Dubs as a pet name for VW's. LASIK was easy, had that done 15 years ago to good effect. Since then I've noticed even medical professionals getting it mixed up with LASIX, the potent diuretic.
Happy Birthday, Dennis, hope you tune in today!
Morning, Barry, here's hoping you manage to post during coffee break - many of us have come to depend on WBS as a bit of Corner shorthand.
Howdy, Argyle, hope you're enjoying the spectacular weather.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENNIS!!! Thinking of the many connections we made back when.. Makes me smile.Hope your day is filled with sunshine and new adventures.
ReplyDeleteNo disappointments with your puzzle, Rich, but I had a few write overs:dingy to dorky and turn to spin.effete and blurbs were perpable. Thanks for the fun.
Barry, I like your attitude;hopefully, you will have a smooth commute tomorrow.
Have a lovely week. So sorry to hear about the GREAT Arnold Palmer.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DENNIS !!!
ReplyDeleteArgyle: Nice write-up. Really Rich; Thanks for a FUN Monday puzzle.
Needed ESP to get B-DUBS and EFFETE, otherwise a speed-run.
Fave was the theme THE FINAL CURTAIN ... "My Way" being my favorite song.
Cheers!
ReplyDeleteA slightly heavy Monday puzzle from Really Rich. And Argyle provided a really good explanation of today's puzzle.
As usual perps were needed to get through the puzzle. Some problem areas were: CASCA, BDUBS, and ERGOT, plus I wanted COWS vs ISLE and BOSH vs TOSH. Even though I remember Agnew's statement, I wasn't sure whether it was spelled EFFEET or EFFETE.
Not a bad run this morning.
Have a nice fall day.
Musings
ReplyDelete-A fun and elegant Monday!
-Hilariouis X-MEN alternative (:21)
-When I started at a new school, a BOSSY colleague and I had to have a showdown
-33 men in the 134 year history Ringling Brothers have announced the enduring words – “LADIES and Gentlemen and Children of All Ages”
-Are people who think we did not go to the Moon and there are no INGOTS of gold in Ft. Knox DOPEY? ☺
-Caesar’s assassination was a FAIT Accompli
-Modern “SEER” Jeane Dixon predicted JFK’s assassination. She also foretold that Russia would be the first country to put men on the Moon and that WWIII would start in 1958. So…
-Dizzy Dean – They X-RAYED my head and found nothing
-A trip to see NEUSCHWANSTIEN (NEW Swanstone Castle) in Bavaria should be on your bucket list
-MEGA stores killed Mom and Pop stores
-My wife SHIES away from spiders and snakes of any size
-Is this really where you go bargain hunting?
-Shut up and DEAL!
-We’re getting a BDUBS here but our previous experience has been bad
-Good luck Barry and Happy Birthday and Semper Fi Dennis!
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteA pleasant start to the last week of September. (Didn't we just celebrate Labor Day?). Cute theme and no hiccups except having never heard of BDUBS, but perps were solid. I always thought effete was synonymous with effeminate; live and learn, eh?
Thanks, Rich, for a Monday meander and thanks, Argyle, for ushering us through the production! 🎭 🎟
Happy Birthday, Dennis, hope it's special. 🎂🎊🎉🎈🎁🍾
Barry, good luck and keep posting as time and circumstances allow.
Have a great day.
Happy birthday, Dennis; wherever you are, I'm sure it's an adventure!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely puzzle from Lila Cherry, aka, Rich Norris. It was a smooth run all the way to EFFETE where I was sure it was NABOBS until the downs set me straight. BDUBS?? Is that really a restaurant and where is it? Thank you for the explanation, Argyle. For me it was all perps.
Thank you, Rich and Argyle! What a sparkly start to this Monday!!
Have a marvelous day, everyone!
No PROB today (well maybe just a little bit of crunch for a Monday. Thanks Rich (AKA Lila) and Argyle.
ReplyDeleteI thought I didn't know BDUBS because it was American but I see that we do have a few in Ontario.
CASCA was all perps.
Smiled at ERGOT crossing INGOT.
We had "My Way" clue for ANKA on the weekend and the free WIFI also.
Have a great day.
HBD Dennis.
I had a few head scratches--guess I wasn't awake yet. Perps eventually corrected things. Liked 51D Cincinnati's state/Ohio. It's been home for 30+ years. Also liked 38D Hand out cards/Deal. DH and I are in a Couples Euchre group that meets once a month. Lots of fun and good food, occasionally one of us will win some money. Depends on whether we are DEALt good cards!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Dennis. Hope it's a great day!
We have Buffalo Wild Wings here but I wasn't familiar with the nickname. Never been to one.
Thanks, Lila Cherry and Argyle for great start to the week!
Pat
I mostly liked this puzzle, but I feel BDUBS and CASCA were more like Wednesday or Thursday difficulty. The clue for FOGGY seemed a tad forced, trying too hard to be cute. I thought drinks with floating ice cream in them were, um, floats; the stuff the ice cream floats in is soda. Yeah I know, there is "ice cream soda." EFFETE is a cool word. ERGOT sounds like the stuff that gives Earl Grey tea its unique flavor; I know I know, it's not, but it's fun to "play" with the sound similarity, sorta like a malapropism.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Dennis. I hope you are doing well.
Best wishes to you all.
Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Lila Cherry, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
ReplyDeleteI actually got CASCA right off the bat without help. However, I did not get the next answer, XMEN, until I had some perps.
CAFFEINE was clever.
Wrote RUNS for 19D, before RBIS became the obvious. Only inkblot today.
Theme was fine. Couple of grid spanners as well.
Have been to Mt SHASTA a few times when I lived in California. Had a food friend that lived in Redding, CA. He now lives near me in Illinois.
Sorry to hear of Arnold Palmer passing away. He was a class act. I remember gassing up his airplane in Erie when I was a teenager. It was an Aero Commander, as I recall. Circa 1963.
I did not get Sunday's done yet, but will try to finish today. It had some tough spots.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
It has been another difficult weekend for those who love sports. The passing of Arnold Palmer, though inevitable, still seems too soon at 87. The loss of Jose Fernandez at 24 was shockingly too soon; he is/was such a vibrant young man. So many thoughts pass through my head as I pray for both families. I did have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Palmer briefly back when I was lucky enough to play in a few Champions tour (then called the Seniors Tour) events here in South Florida. Both men had a zest for life and exuded joy in all they did. As a parent, I know this must be nightmare for Jose's family and I am grateful for every day we have.
ReplyDeleteI thank them both for what they brought to our live and wish them well on their next journey.
Well, I agree with Jayce, that CASCA and BDUBS made this a real Monday toughie. I got CASCA from perps and debated between BDUBS and B CUBS, but the latter sounded more sport-like to me so I went with that one, unfortunately. I'm guessing the Buffalo Wild Wings are a sports team and not a snack? I did think the theme was fun, though, and enjoyed that part of the puzzle. So thanks, Rich and Argyle.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Dennis, and it's great to still see you this morning, Barry G.
Have a great start to the week, everybody!
Sorry, I've been away from the party,
ReplyDeletespent the weekend camping! (Pics on Facebook,if I can figure out how to do it...)
Hmm, I remember Friday's puzzle
(I am glad I do not remember Saturdays'...)
Still working on Sunday's
(Am I putting my (')in the right place?)
Ah! Mondays (no') Easy as Cherry pie!
(Um,Er, except I squeezed both a D & an S in the square perping
BDUBS & CD/ST
WJS!
(What Jayce said@1:05...)
Ice Cream Floats definitely float my boat!
hmm, wait a sec,
Hhey tin!
If we start it with Irish Whiskey
add coffee
then ice cream
(Frangelica optional)
I would make one with you,
& spend the rest of the day arguing over what time of day
would be the best time to to drink "them..."
Sorry (again,)
ReplyDelete(When I am away for a while, I tend to run on trying to catch up...)
Plus, I have to find the perfect cake!
(but I am out of practice.)
Hmm, Lessee,
OMG! For Dennis?, Too Glitzy!
Eew! too syrupy...
Hmm, no...
Somehow, I don't think Dennis is that artistic...
No, somehow it looks like I am giving money for a Birthday, (& I'm broke...)
Ah! Here it is!
You thought you could escape me? You sneaky Devil...
I agree with Jayce. Dunno why exactly but BDUBS and VDUBS (Volkswagen bugs) aren't words that I enjoy saying. They sound like somebody is trying too hard to seem cool.
ReplyDeleteIt is f***ing hot here! It is 101 F with 11 percent humidity. I have never experienced this kind of weather in coastal southern California and I've lived here since 1963. Geez... No bike ride for me today. The plan is to work with grandson Jordan on his math and science after school. My other tutoring got cancelled due to a conflict with an orchestra performance. I'll go get a macchiato over ice since the coffee shop is nicely air conditioned.
I'll think about Arnold Palmer the next time I order one with lunch. He seemed like a cool guy.
101 with 11% - Bill G. you are so spoiled, but the climate is changing so be prepared for colder and hotter. Whatever you do stay away from Phoenix or Orlando in the summer.
ReplyDeleteI think the DUB craze started with George Dubya Bush, or maybe it all started in JAMAICA long ago.
It was a Monday speed even though I didn't know CASCA and had to take a long look at BDUBS. MANGA yesterday; BDUBS today. As if anybody really knows them.
ReplyDeleteNever looked for a theme.
Unclefred- LASIX is a drug
Strange coincidence last night on The Simpsons. Homer is filling up a supersquirter with lemonade and explains to Marge that Lenny is going to have one filled with iced tea. They both are going to spray Carl at the same time. Quote, "We are gonna Arnold Palmer him."
ReplyDeleteArnold Palmer Half & Half
Happy Birthday Dennis. Hope it's downright debaucherous.
ReplyDeleteFun puzzle today with no major hangups. Perps needed in places, but it worked out. BDubs was easy enough to suss, but I've never heard the term. V Dub, absolutely. Curiously, in these parts they call Buffalo Wild Wings "BW 3s". Never have figured out why since there's only 2 Ws by my count.
Bill G, I'd agree with Lemon. 101 w/11% is warm, but entirely tolerable.
Interesting coincidence with the Simpsons Argyle. Fitting though.... Sad to hear of his passing.
Hi all!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rich, for showing what a Monday should look like...off the wall things easily perped in? I liked it anyway! Thanks for the write up - I had no idea what EFFETE would be and was pretty convinced ISLE should be COWS but the clue was OR not AND...
HBD Dennis - you were a regular when I first started reading and were always kind to newbies and lurkers.
Good luck tomorrow, BG - you will be missed!
I did know B-Dubs - but only because the young crew I worked with years ago used to go there after work. It took me a few times of them saying it before I actually understood it. If ever you want to feel really old, listen to the youngest generation talking among themselves. It's like another language.
Sad weekend, indeed. Fernandez was an truly talented pitcher that had overcome so much but kept a giant smile through all of it. He was a pleasure to watch as he could stun even the best hitters with his amazing pitches. His girlfriend is expecting a baby...just heartbreaking.
Vin Scully called his last game at Dodger Stadium yesterday. I think everyone cried. The Dodgers clinched the title but they dragged it out. Charlie Culberson hit a walkoff homerun in the bottom of the 10th to win it. It was his first homerun of the season!
DH and I were talking about Arnold Palmer and what an impact he made on the golfing world. We each watched a lot of golf with our grandfathers and count ourselves among the many that enjoyed golf because of him. We joked how people would order an Arnold Palmer to toast when they really might want a John Daly. Tasteless joke, but great drink :)
Happy Monday!
t.
tawnya,
ReplyDeleteRemember The Who's song My Generation? "...don't try to dig what we all say". Our parents complained about not being able to understand us, too. The good news is that in 20 years their kids will find just as many ways to drive THEIR parents crazy.
Lucina @11:28
ReplyDeleteI thought that 47-a was going to be NABOBS also ... but I had already filled in the down clues before seeing the across clue.
"Nattering NABOBS of negativity ..."
EFFETE seemed more like a Wednesday answer.
Husker Gary, I thought that castle was built by that crazy guy...
ReplyDeletebut I was wrong.
(Wasn't there a castle built by some mad prince or something?)
Also, Jayce @ 1:05, Ergot was a no brainer.
I can never forget reading that they thought the Salem Witch Trials
were caused by hallucinations brought on by Ergot.
but it seems I was wrong about that too...
Abejo, my goodness, you certainly get around.
You must have some interesting stories to tell.
Oh well, the show must go onward...
See the Show(4:45)
ReplyDeleteBill G. wrote:
ReplyDelete"It is f***ing hot here! It is 101 F with 11 percent humidity. I have never experienced this kind of weather in coastal southern California and I've lived here since 1963."
Yes, it gets that way ... how about 98 F on a New Year's Day in Pasadena? OTOH, I remember Ft. Meade, MD, at 95 F and 98% RH in the summer -- ALL summer --, so there IS a reason for being in California!
Liked the puzzle, will like it even better if this gets posted. Been having a Hellacious time lately getting through.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHallelujah