Theme: Field Sobriety Test - "Don't move your head and follow the tip of my pen with just your eyes"
20A. "Bro, I thought you were gonna help": "LEFT ME HANGIN"
49A. Follow the ethical path: DO WHAT'S RIGHT
10D. Moving around: UP AND ABOUT
30D. "You're talking too loud": "TONE IT DOWN"
Argyle here. The theme entries are placed in their appropriate places but still rather bland Tuesday.
Across:
1. Home for Pogo: SWAMP
6. Affirmative answer: YES
9. Silences, as a TV: MUTES
14. Artist's prop: EASEL
15. Pie __ mode: À LA
16. Wagnerian work: OPERA
17. "Farewell, chérie": "ADIEU"
18. CBS forensic drama: CSI. (Crime Scene Investigation)
19. Antianxiety drug: XANAX
23. Many a GI: PVT
24. Jerry Garcia's band, familiarly: THE DEAD
28. Socializing with the queen, maybe: AT TEA
31. Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er __": BOI
32. Bullets and such: AMMO
33. Lots and lots: A GOOD DEAL
35. Accessories for the highchair set: BIBS
36. Decide in advance: PLAN
37. Gonzalez boy in 2000 headlines: ELIAN. Where is he now?
39. Look at lasciviously: OGLE
40. Hourly charge: RATE
41. "I expected as much": "IT FIGURES"
43. "... __ saw Elba": ERE I. “Aibohphobia” : a fear of palindromes.
44. Owns: HAS
45. More like a button?: CUTER. Clue doesn't sit quite right for me. Close enough.
46. Is really boiling: SEETHES
48. Reggae kin: SKA
55. Set to simmer, as a burner: ON LOW. Won't get 46-Across that way.
58. Spanish eye: OJO
59. Sag: DROOP
60. Southern inflection: DRAWL
61. Looking sickly: WAN
62. Novelist Zola: EMILE. The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work. ~ Emile Zola
63. Suddenly occurs to, with "on": DAWNS
64. Computer program suffix: .EXE
65. Went out with: DATED
Down:
1. Close securely: SEAL
2. Stroll in the shallows: WADE
3. "Yeah, sure!": "AS IF!"
4. Track event: MEET
5. Made fluffy, as pillows: PLUMPED
6. Millionaire's boat: YACHT
7. "Frozen" princess: ELSA
8. Minnesota college named for Norway's patron: SAINT OLAF
9. Spunk: MOXIE. The soda came first, before the "spunk" meaning. Moxie History
11. Morning break hour: TEN
12. Historical period: ERA
13. Classic doo-wop horn: SAX. It takes me back to slow dancing in the gymnasium.
21. Slip past: EVADE
22. Phone button letters next to a 4: GHI
25. Political fugitive: ÉMIGRÉ
26. One strolling: AMBLER. Back in the gym.
27. Medicine measures: DOSES
28. Harshly bright: AGLARE
29. Perfectly: TO A TEE
31. Puts the worm on: BAITS
33. __-ski: APRÈS
34. Sewing machine inventor: ELIAS HOWE
38. Shaving mishaps: NICKS
42. Covered, as in a man-to-man defense: GUARDED
44. Axe: HEW
47. Coyote cries: HOWLS
48. Rosetta __: STONE
50. "Stronger than dirt!" cleanser: AJAX
51. "Joy of Cooking" writer Rombauer: IRMA
52. __ alone: have no help: GO IT
53. Putting target: HOLE
54. Adorned with Angel Soft, say: TP'ed. Strewn with toilet paper.
55. Like every other number: ODD
56. Food service trade org.: NRA. (National Restaurant Association)
57. Attorney's field: LAW
Argyle
49 comments:
Today's NYT crossword also by Sam Buchbinder
Greetings!
Great work, Sam and Santa!
Didn't know BOI and this NRA. Pretty easy otherwise.
Have a great day!
{A-, B+, A, Not Over Breakfast.}
The Queen had us over right AT TEA.
She really was gracious as could be!
Then she grew quite frothy
When we asked for coffee --
But the manacles fit TO A TEE!
He got A GOOD DEAL on the trade.
Got a gross of BIBS made of suede.
IT FIGURES, he thought,
That when tied to a tot
They'll keep him from getting mislaid!
A sweet Irish lass who was foxy
Traveled to the past. She had MOXIE!
Played the ponies for wealth,
Then she DATED with herself --
Her PLAN for a time traveling pair o'doxies!
There was an old sailor on a YACHT
Who was expert at tying any knacht!
He had a huge schnoz,
So when he felt ODD,
You could find him with longs ropes of snacht!
Good morning!
No problems this morning. Failed to see the theme, but that's the rule, not the exception. Thanx, Sam.
Argyle, spewed coffee on my screen at "aibohphobia." Funny.
Had a high school classmate who attended SAINT OLAF. He died young at 50. Olaf probably wasn't responsible.
CSI -- The program and all of its spin-offs have been cancelled. Maybe this clue should be, too.
STROLL -- How did those kids in Philly know the steps to that dance the first time Dick Clark played it? America wants to know.
No anxiety solving this puzzle. No DOSES of XANAX required.
I liked the word you coined Argyle. But how do you pronounce it ?
Initially and rashly spelled ELIAN as Elian, and then backspaced it out just as quickly. Decided to let the perps prove the spelling. All perps needed for BOI.
Why were some of those kids sitting in chairs next to the wall ?
Didn't notice the theme. How about front, back, top, bottom ? In, out, over, under ?
SEAT:SEAL; SEATHES:SEETHES; ERMA:IRMA. Other than that, smooth sailing. LEFTMEHANGIN gave me an idea the theme was gonna be about dropping the "G", but I guess not. Fun, if not sparkly, CW, thanx, Sam. Great write-up, thanx, Argyle. Owen your last limerick sounds like me: I'm fighting a bad cold right now, wondering "How much snot can a nose possibly make? This is ridiculous!"
"Aibohphobia" was not my coinage. I don't know where it started or how to pronounce it. Maybe I-bo-fob-e-a?
Good day to all!
Like desper-otto, I missed the theme, but after you pointed it out, Argyle, I thought it was well executed. Thanks for helping me parse the puzzle this morning.
Thought "More like a button" for CUTER was, well, cute. Never heard of MOXIE soda. Interesting history of the product. Thanks for a fun ride today, Sam Buchbinder.
Enjoy the day!
Puts the worm on = BAITS? That one was a s t r e t c h, IMO.
Perfect Tuesday. Easy, but with a bit of crunch. BOI?? Really?? Thanks, Sam. Argyle, I enjoyed the tour.
Owen, I'll never look at a YACHT the same way again! Hehehehee. Thanks!
Argyle: Good Job on the write-up & links.
Fave today, of course, was Ski APRES ... IT FIGURES. LOL
I guess the Anon @*:53 doesn't like to fish. BAITS for that clue was a gimme.
Another fave was CUTER @ 45-a, "More like a button?"
A "Toast-to-ALL" at Sunset.
Cheers!
Hello Puzzlers -
Hand up for overlooking the theme until Argyle pointed the way. Otherwise, breeze easy, with perp help where needed (Boi, I'm looking at you).
Correction from last night: I mis-remembered where I'd learned of the movie "Last Man on the Moon". Turns out it wasn't here at the Corner, but just the same, I recommend it as I high quality documentary with a heart. It centers on the recollections of Gene Cernan, the last one up the ladder of Apollo 17's Lunar Module, thus legitimately the last man on the Moon. The film has a mixture of historical footage and modern CGI or other synthetic rendition, and some of the scenery is fabulous.
Puts the worm on= baits. Very clever, even though the B was my last fill. I chuckled when I got it.
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Sam Buchbinder, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
Got through this easily. Theme was clever, especially the placement of the answers.
ELSA was unknown. Frozen must be one of the millions of movies I have not seen. Perped it.
Not sure what APRES means. Perps.
Never heard of this NRA. I am a life member of the other one.
Read an article about ELIAS HOWE once. From what I remember the key was putting the eye of the needle in the point.
We have not had EMILE Zola for a while. Welcome back.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
Musings
-I thought the G left off HANGING would be the gimmick and not just eliding but it finally DAWNED on me…
-What POGO evokes to me
-Many a commercial has known the wrath of my MUTE button!
-Is there a time element that diffeentiates OGLING and noticing?
-Foodies question - If you aren’t on SIMMER, does this really work? (:16)
-A southern belle we had for a guide in Savannah told us she was born and raised in Iowa when we were alone with her. She showed she could easily slip into and out of her DRAWL
-This incredible magician named his daughter MOXIE
-The poor Little Red Hen had to GO IT alone
-When I went with a group of teachers to fish at Camp Husker on Lac L’Orange in the middle of Saskatchewan, our Cree guides BAITED the hook and took the Northern and Walleye off the hook for us
Good Morning:
Quick easy solve with only Boi as an unknown. I saw the theme but thought there had to be something I was missing. Nope, that was all there was, plain and simple and that's fine for a Tuesday.
Thanks, Sam, and congrats on the "double-header" today and thanks, Argyle, for your gentle and generous guidance. Thanks, also, for the trip down musical Memory Lane. Those dances in the gym were painful, in a way; on one side, there were silly, giggling girls and on the other side, shy, bumbling boys and it took forever for anyone to work up the courage to actually dance together! Ah, youth!
On a different topic, why are buttons cute, anyway and why are clams happy and why are pins neat? And, most quizzically, why is a door nail dead? I'm off to see the Wizard!
Tawnya, please email as I have something I'd like to share with you.
Have a great day.
Straight-forward solve today. Thanks Sam and Argyle. Like others, I did not see the theme either.
Smiled at AT TEA (CSO to Nice Cuppa?) crossing TO A TEE.
I had Leer before OGLE.
AGLARE is another of those meh A words.
Waited for perps to spell ELIAN. Here is an update.
ElianGonzalezNow
Enjoy the day.
It seems a woman from Arizona claims your palindrome, Argyle.
aibohphobia
Function: noun
Definition: (Prounouned AY-boh-foh-bee-uh) fear of palindromes or words that are the same backwards and forwards
Word History: "Aibohp" is "phobia" backwards and I thought it would be funny to have a word that is a palindrome that represents fear of palindromes. Example Sentence: It probably came from lack of words in her life, but Katie has a bad case of aibohphobia.
Submitted by: Natalie from Arizona, USA on 09/20/2007 10:57
Agreed, AIBOHPHOBIA gave biggest smile of the morning. Thanks for sharing that Argyle.
Quite a palindromic morning - XANAX, ALA, OJO, EXE....
and NAILED ELIAN, of course.
As a Brit, equating SPUNK with a 1930's SOFT DRINK was a wry challenge.
Off to TEA (not with the Queen or ELSA) and then TO A TEE (anyone fancy a perfect round of golf today?)
ADIEU
Pleasant theme, if a tad understated. But it worked for me. Didn't know BOI or NRA as clued, and could have sworn it was Tide that was stronger than dirt, but those worked out. Had to change PFC to PVT. Enjoyed the CSO with O-JOe :-) And had no issue with button....cute as a button is common in this area.
ELIAN crossing ELIASHOWE was clever as was more than a button, CUTER. Thank you, Sam Buchbinder. It was a swift sashay though I first had Pogo living in Samoa. That comic was just too long ago to recall the SWAMP.
I knew ADIEU but not BOI and OJO was a cinch. On the Golden Girls, Rose (aka, Betty White) often referenced STOLAF's College.
I like the word MOXIE and really laughed at aibohphoia! Thank you, Argyle; it's good to be back and relish your early week commentary.
This past weekend my family, about 50 members, participated in the Believe Walk in Redlands, CA of which my late niece was a founding member. It started with 1,200 walkers 9 years ago and has steadily grown. They cap it at 10,000 but accept registrations that same day. Luckily it didn't rain Sunday as happened last year when we got completely soaked just as the walk ended. My legs are feeling it today.
It's so good to be back to my regular routine, however; now I have to catch up on the weekend puzzles.
Have an excellent day, everyone! I hope you have all been well.
Good morning all,
Quick solve today...just a few that needed some perps. Avril Lavigne's???? As usual, didn't see the theme. Thanks Argyle, and Sam.
Had to laugh at the expressionless faces on those "strollers"...not much moxie in that ol' dance.
Chuckled @ cuter
I marveled at some of the obscure words today
that Sam found clues for:
Boi
Toatee
(attea had me atsea...)
but, as puzzles go, the was"agooddeal,"
even with the aword "aglare..."
My only disappointment (minor nit) was that it had no "center"...
Irish Miss, you made me look, & now I wish I had not...
Cute as a button origin? (hmm, I have my doubts...)
50d stronger than dirt cleanser,
well, a YouTube lookup confirms Ajax (before my time.)
But I seem to remember (& can anyone confirm)
a detergent that used The Doors song ending in their commercials?
(I don't remember it being Ajax, wasn't it that bald headed genie or something?)
Hi everybody. I try to make only positive comments about the products of the talented constructors and editors but this one left me more underwhelmed than others. I didn't really get the theme, even after Argyle explained it. Predictably, I didn't care for AGLARE. I had ELUDE before EVADE. No idea about BOI. I used to love Pogo though it took a little more effort than most comics. I've always had my doubts about those who think it's innocent fun to TP someone else's property. It takes a lot of work to undo it, especially if rain or lawn sprinklers have turned it all into mush.
I never had MOXIE, the soft drink, until we visited an Internet friend at her house back in Maine. It's very medicinal, more so than Dr. Pepper. Still, we liked almost everything about Maine. I'm sure I would get tired of the snow after a hard winter. Early snows at Cornell were beautiful. However, I got tired of trudging up the big hill to classes through the ice, snow and slush sometime in the spring.
Stronger Than Dirt
Good afternoon everyone.
No problems with the solve. Agree with Argyle's take. In addition to the compound word 'directional' fill, there seemed to be a plethora of smaller phrases scatter-gunned throughout the grid. Maybe the puzzle should be termed a crossphrase vs crossword. Nevertheless I do appreciate the challenge Sam provided for us.
3 Palindromes: XANAX, OJO, ALA not counting the ERE I w/ clue.
Never heard of PLUMPED but that could be due to my limited resumé.
Greetings from beautiful Powhatan Plantation Resort in historic Williamsburg, VA. Speaking of historic, the resort calls its coffee shop "The Historic Grounds". This puzzle was a little underwhelming, but I couldn't create a xword puzzle to save my life, so well done, Mr. Buchbinder. Loved the expo, Argyle.
Just got back from touring Colonial Williamsburg and will be going for a swim later. Jamestown tomorrow if the weather holds. I think we'll skip Yorktown. Some others said that there wasn't too much to see there.
YR, my healing is progressing nicely. Walked all over C.W. unaided with even a cane. albeit with a limp.
Cya!
Fun puzzle. I zoomed through it faster than yesterday's. Chuckled at the button clue and laughed out loud at aibohphobia. As soon as I saw "Sk8ter" in the clue and had gotten BO_ in the grid, I knew BOI for some reason. Owen, I liked the YACHT poem. Nice Cuppa, brilliant! Husker Gary, good question about ogling. Lucina, welcome back; glad you had a good time in Redlands. Bluehen, I'm so glad your new machinery is working out so well.
Best wishes to you all.
Many thanks, Sam. I've had a tough morning--couldn't do the Sudoku or the Kenken--and the guy from Cox cable couldn't or wouldn't help me figure out how to play a DVD on my TV. Felt I could use a XANAX. But the puzzle was smooth and easy, and except for a little hesitation in the upper Northwest, all went well. So, again, many thanks, Sam--and you too, Argyle.
Bluehen, so glad you're making progress.
Have a good day, everybody.
Irish Miss, your questions/observations about clams and door nails makes me wonder why bosoms are always ample. Or perhaps the question is, why does the adjective ample almost always refer to a bosom? And when one fails, it's always miserably.
Lemon and Chairman Moe
I hope you are getting prepared for Matthew.
Jeez, It is a Category 4 beast ... I hope it stays off-shore.
Over here on the West Coast ... I have made my preparations ...
1) Filled the Gas Tank ... check!
2) Bought 1.75 liter bottle of Famous Grouse scotch ... check!
3) Bought 1.75 liter bottle of Appleton Rum ... check!
4) Went to grocery ... got a small bag of fritos and a small 7-UP ... check!
Will fill the bath-tub with water ... in a couple of days ...
Realized that Its 5 O'clock Somewhere ... started to imbibe ... check!
Cheers!
Again I didn't realize there was a theme, but it mattered very little - except that I missed a bit of the pleasure one finds in good order.
Anyone looking forward to the Veep debate tonight? Does it ever make a difference, I wonder? Even when Lloyd Bentsen squashed Danny Quayle, it didn't matter in the vote.
We'll record it, and I'll check back after my wife has gone to bed.
If only the veeps were at the top of the ticket, both normal reasonable men, though with different political views.
Bluehen - Happy to hear of your continued progress.
Tin - I understand all of your preparations except for the Fritos and 7 Up. Why small and not large?
Jayce - I'm not sure why these expressions are so common but at least you can visualize an ample bosom or a miserable failing. So far, I haven't met any happy clams, neat pins, or dead door nails. 🤔
27D Medicine Measure
Irish Miss, good point.
I enjoyed this puzzle; thanks, Sam B. I didn't realize there was a theme so thanks for that and the write-up, Argyle.
Had eRMA/IRMA so I couldn't parse DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
My soup for tonight is currently ON LOW.
Had zANAX/XANAX, MOXIE fixed that one.
I remembered right away the commercial for AJAX and the Door's song ending.
Blue Hen, glad to hear that you're recovering well.
I hope those who are in the path of Matthew stay safe.
Good evening.
Pat
Irish Miss - Isn't the full expression "happy as a clam at high water"? At least that's the way I've always heard it, and it makes more sense. At high water it is under water and well hidden, and at low water it is breaded and served with cocktail sauce.
Anyway, enjoyed today's puzzle after getting home from a camping trip. The motor home is ready should we need to evacuate for the hurricane. Didn't get the theme until I checked here, but it was easy enough without it.
One erasure - I had Shut for SEAL. I too didn't know BOI or ELSA, and only sort of knew SAINT OLAF. I can never remember when Olaf or Olav is called for.
Matthew looks mean and nasty. I hope all in the path are, and remain safe. We've got a nephew in Haiti, so there's significant concern in our house already. At least he's a long way from Port....further north and further inland in Gonaives.
Really liked the post, Manac.
Rough weather moving onto our area too. Hopefully it won't amount to the potential tornados that are in the forecast.
Stay safe everyone!!
Thank you, Jayce! BlueHen, that's wonderful you are doing so well. It has been decades since I visited Williamsburg but I still recall it's uniqueness.
C.C.
I just finished the Saturday puzzle, thank you for that challenge! Most of it flowed fairly smoothly. Only the NE sent me into a roil and only because I didn't know USOS and STAMP was really tricky. Also I misspelled DON SHULLA with a C and couldn't cough out DELANEY. So I Googled it and then finished.
The National Rifle Association is a "food service trade organization"?
"Toilet-papered" is abbreviated TP'D, not TPED.
I was so happy before I heard that song by Avril Lavigne. . . .
Jinx in Norfolk - I'm only familiar with "Happy as a clam" (maybe that's why it makes no sense) but I love your visual of the breading/cocktail sauce destiny! I'm a stone's throw from the Hudson River so I' not exactly in clam country, so to speak.
Stay safe, everyone.
Link TPed
As Argyle said, NRA, National Restaurant Association.
Happy Tuesday!
I did this puzzle in two parts - the first before a long phone call with my BFF and the second was after the most talkative repair guy ever fixed my oven. But it's fixed! Fun puzzle - both halves! And thanks for the write up too! I did not see the theme either...
Um...yes, I knew Avril's BOI. But who cares when THE DEAD is in a puzzle?? Touch of Grey or Scarlet Begonias or Truckin'?
Ahhh, I feel better now!
Batten down the hatches FLA peeps! Hope you all fare well!
From last night - I'm over half way thru nursing school! Will graduate in May with a BS in nursing. Hoping to work in the local ER! I kinda like the craziness...
Happy Tuesday :)
t.
@Irish: I emailed and I eagerly await whatever you are sending! Hoping it's my chance to win millions or invest in some great new scheme ;)
Hi All!
YES, I stumbled all over the place today but came out with only NICKS. Thanks Sam, it was a struggle but fun. Thanks Argyle for confirming my final WAG (xing of 51d and 62a) was indeed an M. Also, I enjoyed the music. I may check out Avril Lavigne - they have a That Dog sound.
WO - ELIot b/f ELIAN - I knew St. OLAF from Prairie Home Companion but not which vowel went where.
EluDE b/f EVADE. Former made me start going down the GI-tract for 23a :-(
Where I shot myself in both the LEFT and RIGHT foot... watEr - ski and keep IT DOWN. Not until TO A TEE DAWN'd on me did have a PLAN to fill the East.
ESPs - BOI, APRES, & WAN(?)
Fav: IT FIGURES, it's THE DEAD UP AND ABOUT New Orleans. Tawnya - you tried to trump but have you seen Truckin' Live? (on weeeed?) :-). //how'd your exam go?
{A, B, A, LOL!}
Jayce - you kinda summed up what I was thinking about everyone as I read. Glad everyone is doing well.
CED - AJAX was a staple in Boy Scout camp to clean the pots after open fires.
Anon@3:16 Hear, Hear.
Listening to the debate now - Taxes = 1 drink, Business Man == 2 drinks, Benghazi == finish beer. I'm now on my second beer...
Oh, hell - Pence just said "there he goes again." Beer me.
All y'all stay safe.
Cheers, -T
Tawnya @ 7:21 - Hope you weren't disappointed. Woof, woof! 🐶
Er, a PLAN to fill the west... Sorry Sir, I Flunked Flank. -T
Best debate ever!
I fell asleep right when it started. I woke up right when it ended. Can't argue with that result.
Time for bed. I'm exhausted.
Enjoyed the blog, the xword, Owen was in top of his game, many excellent posts.
The Stroll morfed into quite a cult dance with the expression of mixed defiance and boredom the key. But I was lost in my baseball, basketball and brain fog.
Speaking of... There was an expression: Swell that 'morfed' into the ubiquitous Wonderful.
Clams with belly are deep-fried in Boston and served with tartare sauce. My gout took care of my fried clam eating.
Since I'm in my usual ether I'll add one more Ferris Fain nugget.
I told the trivia to a group of Phillies fans on the way to Clearwater and my final hint was: Ask someone who knows nothing about baseball. Immediately, one of the gals piped up "Ferris Bueller!".
Followed by "But Ferris Fain played for the As, oops duh"
I guess you had to be there
The GUR
Post a Comment