We have the LAT debut of Mr. Bywaters who just had an initial publication on December 13th in the NYT. 63 theme squares left little room for long fill but METEORITE and IN LINE WITH were nice. The rest of the fill seemed a tad easy for a Friday. Of the five theme fill, we have one EX in the beginning, one at the end and the other three somewhere in between. This is difficult to keep balanced. The rest played out pretty easily with GEHRY being my all perp fill. Test these waters by Bywaters.
17A. Illicit buzzing in the hive? : BEE SEXTING (10). A plain old bee sting gets remodeled with the EX showing up.
24A. Slipshod building addition? : RAGGEDY ANNEX (12). The Raggedy Ann doll is next to get an EX.
40A. Beginning of a very thorough biography? : FETAL EXPOSITION (15). Starting a biography at birth needs an EX added as well.
50A. Aerosol product that will help you fit in in Houston? : SPRAY ON TEXAN (12). Spraying on your tan gives you a Texan when you add the EX.
64A. Too much shooting at the table? : EXCESS POOL (10). We have single word having the EX added at the beginning.
And the reveal:
72A. They sometimes intrude at weddings, and also in this puzzle's theme : EXES.
Across;
1. Clever stroke : COUP. Coup de grâce; coup d’etat...nice French to start the day.
5. Stage genre : DRAMA.
10. Secured, in a way : TIED.
14. Too : ALSO. So easy I hesitated.
15. Actor Firth : COLIN.
16. Initial contribution : ANTE.
19. Surplus : GLUT.
20. Painful spots : SORES.
21. Speak or creak : VERB.
23. Altar promise : I DO.
28. Zodiac animal : RAM.
31. Aran Islands country: Abbr. : IRE.
32. Chopping tool : HOE.
33. Always : EVER.
35. Parker's rank in "McHale's Navy": Abbr. : ENS. This was my introduction to the great Tim Conway. The show was really a step child of the success of Phil Silvers' Sgt. Bilko character. LINK.
37. Pincered insect : EARWIG. This what I think about when I see this WORD.
43. Strands at the lodge, maybe : ICES IN.
44. Six-pack set : ABS.
45. Jazz singer James : ETTA.
46. Nevada was the first st. to allow it : OTB. Off Track Betting.
47. Clickbait site, as of Sep. 2016 : OED. Oxford English Dictionary.
49. Metaphorical hiding place : HAT. Keep it Under your hat. LINK.
56. Athlete lead-in : TRIathlete. 62A. Immune lead-in : AUTO.
57. French honey : AMIE. Girl friend in French.
58. Coffee shop order : MOCHA. Not sure why but I plunked this right in and it stuck.
67. Thought : IDEA.
68. Architect Frank : GEHRY. Frank Gehry is a Canadian-American architect known for postmodern designs, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. ... he was born Frank Owen Goldberg in Toronto, Canada on February 28, 1929 and still lives.Various.
69. One of three in "To be or not to be" : IAMB. Short and long in a metric foot. Poetry 101.
70. Office staple : DESK.
71. Donkeys : ASSES.
Down:
1. Uber competitors : CABS. I think it is the other way around.
2. Margarine : OLEO.
3. Many a typist, nowadays : USER.
4. Fake : POSER.
5. Early 7th-century year : DCX. The random Roman numeral glue.
6. Go bad : ROT.
7. Still in play : ALIVE.
8. Like much ore : MINED.
9. Hot : ANGRY.
10. Identification method : TAG.
11. Conforming to : IN LINE WITH.
12. Chopin work : ETUDE. The entire STORY. One listen....hard not to love Chopin.
13. Rehab process : DETOX.
18. Actor Morales : ESAI. If only he had as many roles as he has had puzzle apearances.
22. Religion founded in Persia : BAHAI. Another answer that went in and stayed. I learned about this from Vic Damone and Diahann Carroll.
25. Gullible : GREEN.
26. Group including some Brat Pack members : GEN-X.
27. Mazatlán-to-Chihuahua dirección : NORTE. Spanish.
28. Monthly pmts. reducer : REFInance.
29. "Voulez-vous coucher __ moi?" : AVEC. I cannot resist LADY MARMALADE.
30. Falling stars that reach the ground : METEORITES.
34. Many a reggae artist : RASTA.
36. Eponymous Belgian town : SPA.
37. English county on the North Sea : ESSEX. In between Kent and Suffolk.
38. Tiny bit : IOTA.
39. Airborne pest : GNAT.
41. OPEC member since 1962 : LIBYA. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference on September 10–14, 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The five Founding Members were later joined by nine other Members: Qatar (1961); Indonesia (1962) – suspended its membership in January 2009, reactivated it in January 2016, but decided to suspend it again in November 2016; Libya (1962); United Arab Emirates (1967); Algeria (1969); Nigeria (1971); Ecuador (1973) – suspended its membership in December 1992, but reactivated it in October 2007; Angola (2007); and Gabon (1975) - terminated its membership in January 1995 but rejoined in July 2016. OPEC had its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in the first five years of its existence. This was moved to Vienna, Austria, on September 1, 1965.
42. High wind? : OBOE. My third word that I just put in.
48. Lake makers, at times : DAMS.
50. Unwavering : STAID. If overdone can make you a ...
51. Goody two shoes : PRUDE.
52. End of a series : OMEGA. Alpha to....
53. Vetoes : NIXES.
54. They may deal with freezes : TECHS.
55. Fabled lost mittens punishment : NO PIE.
BY MOTHER GOOSE
The three little kittens, they lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear,
That we have lost our mittens."
"What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie."
"Meow, meow, meow."
"Then you shall have no pie."
59. Cajole : COAX.
60. Residence : HOME.
61. Priestly garments : ALBS. Once a very common fill and I beleive the only four letter possibility for the plural.
63. Shade provider : OAK. Lots of oaks in Florida.
65. Poetic word of order : ERE.
66. Part of CBS: Abbr. : SYStem.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and I will back next week for my final
2016 write up. Thanks - do you all agree " A little D.A.B. will do you. Lemonade out.
1. Clever stroke : COUP. Coup de grâce; coup d’etat...nice French to start the day.
5. Stage genre : DRAMA.
10. Secured, in a way : TIED.
14. Too : ALSO. So easy I hesitated.
15. Actor Firth : COLIN.
16. Initial contribution : ANTE.
19. Surplus : GLUT.
20. Painful spots : SORES.
21. Speak or creak : VERB.
23. Altar promise : I DO.
28. Zodiac animal : RAM.
31. Aran Islands country: Abbr. : IRE.
32. Chopping tool : HOE.
33. Always : EVER.
35. Parker's rank in "McHale's Navy": Abbr. : ENS. This was my introduction to the great Tim Conway. The show was really a step child of the success of Phil Silvers' Sgt. Bilko character. LINK.
37. Pincered insect : EARWIG. This what I think about when I see this WORD.
43. Strands at the lodge, maybe : ICES IN.
44. Six-pack set : ABS.
45. Jazz singer James : ETTA.
46. Nevada was the first st. to allow it : OTB. Off Track Betting.
47. Clickbait site, as of Sep. 2016 : OED. Oxford English Dictionary.
49. Metaphorical hiding place : HAT. Keep it Under your hat. LINK.
56. Athlete lead-in : TRIathlete. 62A. Immune lead-in : AUTO.
57. French honey : AMIE. Girl friend in French.
58. Coffee shop order : MOCHA. Not sure why but I plunked this right in and it stuck.
67. Thought : IDEA.
68. Architect Frank : GEHRY. Frank Gehry is a Canadian-American architect known for postmodern designs, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. ... he was born Frank Owen Goldberg in Toronto, Canada on February 28, 1929 and still lives.Various.
69. One of three in "To be or not to be" : IAMB. Short and long in a metric foot. Poetry 101.
70. Office staple : DESK.
71. Donkeys : ASSES.
Down:
1. Uber competitors : CABS. I think it is the other way around.
2. Margarine : OLEO.
3. Many a typist, nowadays : USER.
4. Fake : POSER.
5. Early 7th-century year : DCX. The random Roman numeral glue.
6. Go bad : ROT.
7. Still in play : ALIVE.
8. Like much ore : MINED.
9. Hot : ANGRY.
10. Identification method : TAG.
11. Conforming to : IN LINE WITH.
12. Chopin work : ETUDE. The entire STORY. One listen....hard not to love Chopin.
18. Actor Morales : ESAI. If only he had as many roles as he has had puzzle apearances.
22. Religion founded in Persia : BAHAI. Another answer that went in and stayed. I learned about this from Vic Damone and Diahann Carroll.
25. Gullible : GREEN.
26. Group including some Brat Pack members : GEN-X.
27. Mazatlán-to-Chihuahua dirección : NORTE. Spanish.
28. Monthly pmts. reducer : REFInance.
29. "Voulez-vous coucher __ moi?" : AVEC. I cannot resist LADY MARMALADE.
30. Falling stars that reach the ground : METEORITES.
34. Many a reggae artist : RASTA.
36. Eponymous Belgian town : SPA.
37. English county on the North Sea : ESSEX. In between Kent and Suffolk.
39. Airborne pest : GNAT.
41. OPEC member since 1962 : LIBYA. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent, intergovernmental Organization, created at the Baghdad Conference on September 10–14, 1960, by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The five Founding Members were later joined by nine other Members: Qatar (1961); Indonesia (1962) – suspended its membership in January 2009, reactivated it in January 2016, but decided to suspend it again in November 2016; Libya (1962); United Arab Emirates (1967); Algeria (1969); Nigeria (1971); Ecuador (1973) – suspended its membership in December 1992, but reactivated it in October 2007; Angola (2007); and Gabon (1975) - terminated its membership in January 1995 but rejoined in July 2016. OPEC had its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in the first five years of its existence. This was moved to Vienna, Austria, on September 1, 1965.
42. High wind? : OBOE. My third word that I just put in.
48. Lake makers, at times : DAMS.
50. Unwavering : STAID. If overdone can make you a ...
51. Goody two shoes : PRUDE.
52. End of a series : OMEGA. Alpha to....
53. Vetoes : NIXES.
54. They may deal with freezes : TECHS.
55. Fabled lost mittens punishment : NO PIE.
BY MOTHER GOOSE
The three little kittens, they lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear,
That we have lost our mittens."
"What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie."
"Meow, meow, meow."
"Then you shall have no pie."
59. Cajole : COAX.
60. Residence : HOME.
61. Priestly garments : ALBS. Once a very common fill and I beleive the only four letter possibility for the plural.
63. Shade provider : OAK. Lots of oaks in Florida.
65. Poetic word of order : ERE.
66. Part of CBS: Abbr. : SYStem.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and I will back next week for my final
2016 write up. Thanks - do you all agree " A little D.A.B. will do you. Lemonade out.
Note from C.C.:
Happy 72nd Birthday to our dear Misty, who's visiting her Aunt in Austria at this moment. Thanks for the love and warmth you've brought to our little corner, Misty!
FIR! Got the theme early w/RAGGEDY ANNEX, which helped. Some awfully misleading clues, though. Buzzing => SEXTING? Gullible => GREEN?
ReplyDelete{A, B+, B-, C+, X.}
A RASTA looked into BAHA'I
But said, "No mon, thas not I!
Instead of reggae
They sit cross-leggy
And play sitars until they get high!"
A BEE was caught SEXTING a GNAT.
He begged, "Keep it under your HAT!
Her EX is an EARWIG
Collecting loan-roach vig,
And he'd break my six knees with his bat!"
COLIN was as STAID as a PRUDE,
Which some thought EXCESSIVELY rude!
He'd excite people's IRE
With a nose that was higher --
In ANGER, they'd SPRAY ON TEXAS crude!
Humans, the Aliens diligently MINED
The IDEA was for intelligence to find!
Their search was disrupted
When one they'd abducted
Explained anal probes don't reach men's mind!
A mighty loose lady from LIBYA
Took a fall, and injured her tibia.
Said, "Ain't it a sin
To bang up your shin
While getting banged up in your labia?"
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteThanks to David and Lemon!
Cute puzzle, cute theme!
Easily completed. Wow! A Friday?
Didn't know ENS, OED, IAMB and ESSEX right off the bat, but they filled in easily. Spelled GEHRY wrong at first.
Have a great day!
Ran outta time, so a DNF for me today. Once again, gotta take car in for service.
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteThis was slow going until I caught the theme at RAGGEDY ANNEX. Then it all came together in one swell foop. Can never remember if BAHAI is IA or AI. Nice debut, Mr Bywaters.
Lemon, I remember that EARWIG episode very well -- the relief at having survived the unsurvivable, only to learn that it was just the beginning.
Good Morning, Lemonade and friends. As I was doing the puzzle, and before I got to the theme clue, I was thinking, "there are a lot of X's in this puzzle!" Ironically, however, I initially tried AXE instead of HOE for the Chopping Tool.
ReplyDeleteI also tried Latte before MOCHA for the Coffee Shop Order.
OBOE came to me immediately for the High Wind.
I am not keen on random Roman dates.
QOD: If absolute power corrupts absolutely, does absolute powerlessness make you pure? ~ Harry Shearer (b. Dec. 23, 1943)
Got it done. "Meh" on the theme and fill for a Friday.
ReplyDeleteIs David Alfred Bywaters a real name or a pen name?
I found this to be fairly straight forward for a Friday with my only speed bumps being REFI and AVEC (knew the song but didn't really know the word-until now and I see it's a pretty straight forward proposal). And while on that subject I was looking for an abbr. for prostitution instead of Off Track Betting. The METEORITE took care of that area.
ReplyDeleteLemonade, I knew GEHRY but it was way too deep in the gray matter so I had to perp him.
I failed 'Poetry 101" so IAMB was all perps.
ReplyDeleteDang it, another DNF. Although I figured out the X factor, never saw the result by eliminating it in the filled boxes. As an example for 17A I entered BEETEXTING and thought it can't be right. No alternatives [popped into my mind so it survived. For 11D I entered ...LINx instead of LINE. Made me wonder what the heck a hOx is? Otherwise everything else was OK, but I kept thinkng about GEHRY. Never heard of him and he will soon be be gone from my mind.
Probably my last post for a while because of a convoluted upcoming week. I will be happy to see Jan 3rd arrive because our familyXmas get togethers don't end until the 2nd.
Everyone stay safe. There were three fatalities caused by motorists hitting people walking on the road last night I think this brings the total to eleven for the month in Ct. Makes you wonder what the heck is going on out there.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteThis took me longer than it should have to suss the theme, but once I figured out what was going on, the floodgates opened. I, too, had latte/mocha and axe/hoe. In my mind's eye, Gehry is always Gehring, so that held me up. I agree that the cluing was a tad odd, fair but just a little dicey.
Nice work, DAB, and congrats on your double publications and thanks, Lemony, for the detailed discussion.
Have a great day.
Quick, fun Friday solve with only a few unknowns - OTB, GEHRY, IAMB ( poetry has never been my strong suit) and SPA. A good learning moment for me - how did I not know that? :)
ReplyDeleteRAGGEDYANNEX reminded me of the beautiful Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls my late Grandma made for all of her granddaughters/sons. My oldest daughter is the only great grandchild to receive a smaller sized one. Unfortunately, I have no idea where I put them. Perhaps in one of the many boxes in our storage space. Searching for them will be a good project for after the holidays.
Thank you David and Lemonade! Happy Friday to all!
HAPPY FESTIVUS !!! ... for the rest or us ...
ReplyDeleteWith the EXES them, at 32-a, Chopping tool, I put in AXE before HOE appeared.
ALSO needed ESP (Every-Single-Perp) to get GEHRY. Learning moment I will forget by noon.
Last minute shopping ... so I'm off-to-the liquor store.
Gotta stock up on the Christmas Spirits.
Cheers!
Dang,
ReplyDeleteEXES theme ...
Good Morning!
ReplyDeleteThanks, David, for your offering. I thought this one was going to a DNF, until I realized RAGGEDY ANNEX. I noticed the EXes, but I couldn't put it together. I do like COLIN Firth. IMHO, Brits and Aussies are fine actors--well-trained and very capable with dialect. They take so many "American" roles from American "trained celebrities." Consider, for example, how many Brits and Aussies had roles in Twelve Years A Slave.
Lemonade, thanks for the delightful and very informative tour.
Have a fine day. Christmas trees and Candles all at the same time this year. Fun for all.
Hi Gang -
ReplyDeleteNice write up, Lemony.
Even after seeing the reveal, BEE SEXTING and RAGGEDY ANNEX were slow to come together. I had figured X's were in there somewhere. Y'all know I love word play, but some of these are very long stretches, indeed.
METEORITE and INLINE WITH are nice and fresh.
GHERY came completely from perps. The R was my last fill.
Happy Holidays to all. I've put up some vids from our concert Monday if anyone is interested. If not, just ignore. Will be adding more as time allows.
Drummer Boy (Jazzed up instrumental, which makes it just about the only version I can tolerate of this horrible song)
https://youtu.be/wAumCBr0-Qk
Early Autumn (our vocal ensemble nailed this Anita Kerr arrangement of Woody Herman's classic))
https://youtu.be/k_wjO-xdF9M
You Can’t Come To My Party (Original composition and vocal by Tracy Kash, I have a short solo.)
https://youtu.be/DZRC4oqSd1Q
It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas (a la Ellington)
https://youtu.be/B2sR8Q1GTKw
Skating (from the Charlie Brown Christmas Special)
https://youtu.be/gt70JUe-pWs
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (vocal)
https://youtu.be/g3HUHAAkf1M
Cool regards!
JzB
Hand up for latte before MOCHA, but not axe before HOE because I got NORTE right away. Didn't know BAHAI, AVEC or the NO PIE nursery rhyme. The only architect named Frank I know is Lloyd Wright, but the perps took care of the issue. I had to noodle over the OED / clickbait connection before the V8 can smacked my cranium.
ReplyDeleteI was really challenged today, but figuring out the theme allowed me to finish without help or error. Well done and welcome, DAB. And thanks as always for the fine expo, Lemonade.
ReplyDeleteWell, this was a Friday that was solvable. Thanks David and Lemon.
I got the EX insertion when perps helped fill in BEESEXTING and RAGGEDYANNEX. The random last digit of the 7th Century date had to be an I, V, X or L. Once it became apparent that the X was correct the V8 can hit the forehead.
Although it didn't fit, I wanted SNOWSIN before ICESIN, LATTE before MOCHA and CAN before ABS. I don't have 6 pack ABS, I think it's more like a KEG.
Even though poetry was not my bag in school I do remember IAMB from that class, but not much more.
Like Tin I need to go shopping for more Christmas Spirits, but mine will be sacrilegious because ice will be used for my Rusty Nail On The Rocks.
Have a great Christmas or whatever holiday you are celebrating.
oc4beach
ReplyDeleteJust because you will be drinking your Rusty Nail On-The-Rocks ... it will not be sacrilegious.
It will be ... however ... diluted ...
I'm NOT into sharing my 91.1 Proof Cinerator (Cinnamon Whiskey) with water.
Hmmm, the number is 911 ... coincidence???
I think NOT!
Cheers!
Good morning all. Thank you David. Thank you Lemonade.
ReplyDeleteAll my ex's live in Texas, and Texas is the place I'd dearly love to be. Rosanna's down in Texarkana. Eileen's in Abilene. Allison's in Galveston. And Dimple's who now lives in Temple has got the law lookin' for me...
An early Christmas present with this Friday puzzle. Easily bisected from the SE to the NW, except for the ENS IRE GENX GREEN area which held out 'til the end. Finally realized the clue was BRAT PACK and not RAT PACK, then it all made sense.
Got both EXCESS POOL and SPRAY ON TEXAN early. Easy to see that the intruder was the EX. Had a restless night, so had coffee before starting today. Perhaps that helped.
I too had AXE before HOE. The Spanish direction forced AXE out. STOIC ERE STAID. For conforming to, I had the --LINE WITH and thought it was wrong for a sec. Was thinking of ALIGNS WITH.
I recall from earlier posts that Hungry Mother is somewhat of a TRI athlete.
Frank Gehry designed the Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago's Millennium Park.
Mercedes has a "Winter Event"commercial airing on TV. The first notes of the music at the very beginning of the ad kept bringing a song to mind, but I couldn't quite reel it in. Then I got it. Do you hear what I hear ? Any guesses ?
ReplyDeleteHere's the Ex's song I thought of to go with today's theme.
ReplyDeleteHello Puzzlers -
ReplyDeleteThis one went down without much fight, for a Friday. The theme seemed apparent from the first such fill, so that sped along the solving.
My mom and sister-in-law were both piano teachers, mostly at home, so I grew up hearing lots of piano pieces representing all skill levels. We had lots of sheet music and books around; the collections of Chopin études didn't get as much wear and tear, since few students got far enough along the skill continuum to tackle those works. I was a woodwind player, rather than a pianist, but still I tried pecking away at some of the interesting pieces; I was especially attracted to the Bach two-part inventions. They're a little like juggling in that both hands are involved at equal workloads.
Christmas spirit is running slight this year - we didn't bother to put up a tree or decorations, and as usual, I'm dreading the compulsory and hated visit to my wife's family's morning gathering. I have nothing in common with that crowd. Christmas doesn't improve until late afternoon when we get to my sister's warm, happy and welcoming household, which even the LW admits is a more gemütlich setting.
(See what I did there, Spitz? :-) )
Thank you, DAB, for a fun day Friday puzzle! WEES on most of the solve. Realizing that EX was contained in the theme helped immensely especially with BEESEXTING. As OC4Beach pointed out, after DC the only options are I, V, or X and X won.
ReplyDeleteFirst pass gave me COLIN Firth who dazzles me and NORTE but then cells filled quickly except in the center where I had to COAX out GENX and GREEN which was a clever answer for gullible. I, too, thought of Frank Lloyd Wright but that didn't work then OMEGA started me on GEHRY. I believe he also designed the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
AVEC was a pure guess since it's one of the few French words I know.
ICESIN was cruelly misleading but getting LIBYA made it worthwhile.
Lots to do today so I'll bid adios for now.
Thank you, Lemonade; yeoman work as always.
Have a peaceful day, everyone!
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteNot too hard as Lemon said. Got the gimmick with the EX insertion near the end, but that helped parse SPRAY ON TEXAN.
37d - Guessed ESSEX, because it derived from East Saxons, who populated the lower east of England.
OAK - genus Quercus - German Eiche, L. German Eek. Has always denoted strength to me. Heart of Oak is the March of the Royal Navy.
Thanks to David and Lemonade for the fun today. I thought this CW was fairly easy for a Friday but the theme was brilliant. LOL at BEE SEXTING and SPRAY ON TEXAN!
ReplyDeleteI too wanted AXE but already had NORTE, so HOE it was. Posed became POSER and Pro became TRI.
Lots of French today and I wanted the literal honey which is MIEL not AMIE!
I was misdirected by Strands at the lodge thinking of a noun (trying to fit Icicle) but switching to verb solved the problem.
I knew GEHRY. He designed new addition for Art Gallery of Ontario.
AGO
I had to Google to figure out the Clickbait-OED connection. I was thinking Clickbait was a website. Oh, it is a word recognized by OED in Sept/16!
Thanks for the great video links JazzB. These are not restricted for me in Canada.
I will be busy for the next few days. Wishing everyone here a wonderful holiday season, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah!
No Panda in the puzzle today but I can't resist posting this link. Panda at Toronto Zoo video is going viral!
ReplyDeletePandaPlayingWithSnowman
Nice debut and nice write-up, Lemony.
ReplyDeleteI was baffled by the OED/clickbait connection until CanadianEh! pointed it out, so thanks for that. Clever clue.
A couple of pics from Hawaii for those who asked - the flag over the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, lunch at Waikiki and Honolulu from the airplane.
OK fine arts majors, help the engineer out here. I'd say that drama is film genre but not a stage genre. Who's with me?
ReplyDeleteSorry about the deletions, everybody; I was struggling with making a link that displayed the image I wanted. (One of the deletion would've given you a page about subscribing to the LAPhil.
ReplyDeleteI found this puzzle relatively easy for a Friday except for the NW corner. It filled last when I finally dared to put in ALSO for TOO. Got the clever theme fairly quickly and found it helpful.
Loved the Love Actually clip!
Here is an image for the Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry. I’ve been there many times—great acoustics.
ETUDE. Excellent example, Lemon. I agree with your sentiment.
29. "Voulez-vous coucher __ moi?" : AVEC.
The first French phrase we learned, when our cruiser sailed up the St. Lawrence and docked at Québec. Of course, I was too young and shy ever to say it; 51 Down would be shocked to find it in this puzzle. I certainly never expected to.
My favorite answer was SPRAY-ON TEXAN.
Thanks for your excellent commentary and clips, Lemon, and to David for a fun puzzle. And thanks to Tinbeni for filling me in on ESP, and reminding us all that today is FESTIVUS day. Merry/Happy Chrismukkah.
Oops! Misty, if you're tuned in today, HBTY!
ReplyDeleteLemon, loved the Love, Actually clip. That's one of the truly fun moments in that happy film. It's hard to imagine the pressure of making an out-loud proposal of marriage, without knowing for certain the outcome, in a public place, using a language that is not your own!
Dudley - Just caught your apt usage of gemütlich. Gemütlichkeit is a common noun form. Means coziness or ambience. Who knows, it may overtake über in cw's someday.
ReplyDelete@TTP - I think I know what you hear, but now of course I don't know the name of the piece that I think you mean, and you can't Google a hum, now it's going to drive me nuts all day trying to figure out what I think I hear :)
ReplyDeleteAnd it's a little easier to pronounce than Fahrvergnügen.
ReplyDelete:-)
Happy Birthday Misty. I hope you are enjoying your time in Austria.
ReplyDeleteHBD, Misty! How the heck did I miss that the first time around?
ReplyDeleteI join in wishing Misty a very happy birthday and glorious trip
ReplyDeleteMusings
ReplyDelete-I had a wonderful time with David’s puzzle, once the clever gimmick announced itself.
-Starting late due to MIL issues with heavy snow, doctors, insurance forms and cable. Don’t ask!
-M*A*S*H would be listed as a DRAMEDY
-When there is a GLUT of corn (like this year) full elevators store it like this
-An ergonomic DESK with Stand up/Sit down options
-I remember giggling when we sang “where ox and ASS are feeding” as a child this time of year in What Child Is This?
-Coaches always tell FB players to assume any ball on the ground is ALIVE and in play
-In 1918 the German Army put their headquarters in SPA, Belgium near the end of WWI
-I am not much of a PRUDE about anything where no one gets hurt and I don’t have to pay for it
-I wonder if COAX has ever been clued as Is the cable in cable TV
-In what great movie did Jack Lemmon play ENS Pulver?
-Happy Birthday, Misty!
Happy birthday, Misty! I hope you're around the Corner.
ReplyDeleteSpitz@12:33
LOL! I must learn that in case it ever does make it into a CW.
Hi all!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Misty! I hope you read your many good wishes today!
Nice LAT debut David. I had fun with it - once I caught on -- SE fell for me 1st, V8 hit, and I was able to fill in all the squares after that. Theme was a cute way for "add-two" puzzle.
Thanks Lem for the expo. No idea what your EAR WIG link means. When I see EARWIG, I think of the Ceti Alpha V's bug in Wrath of Khan that burrows into your ear... I still get the heebie-jeebies just thinking of that scene.
I never noticed the GLUT of X's 'cuz, until I solved the SE, I only had ESSEX, DETOX, and axe until the "Aha!" moment.
WOs: WEES: axe, latte. ALSO, I ink'd 'icicle' for 43a which I thought a brilliant c/a (until it wasn't - it should be one day...)
ESPs: ESAI, GEHRY
Fav: Misdirection in c/a for OED; I kept thinking "But most web Sites are click-bait!?! And that started way b/f '16!" With only OE in place I finally got it :-)
I also liked the c/a for OMEGA and the SO to the Energy Capital of the World, Houston TEXAS.
{A,A-,B+,B,T}; LOL Crude, black gold, TEXAS tea.
Hahtoolah - I like random Roman numerals especially in a Friday to provide a toe-hold. DC when right in. I had to wait (forever!) for perps to get X or I (L had no chance w/ "early" in the clue).
Thanks for the piX Steve. The flag at Pearl Harbor is evoking and your lunch spot looks Edenly [(TM) :-)].
B/f my little story let me take this chance to wish everyone who's going AWOL this weekend to wish you and yours a very Merry time together no matter what you celebrate...
Tin - Our office Breakfast Club* was canceled 'cuz only 7/20th of us were in today. So, in the spirit of Christmas, I brought Jewish yummies - bagels & lox.
Upon grabbing his grub, one Club'r covered all the bases wishing me Happy [insert every winter holiday] (LOL "Chrismukkah" Dudley). He forgot one...
So, I wished him a Happy Festivus!
From his next-door office, boss-man yell'd "For the restovus!"
Cheers, -T
*That's a reference to the Brat Pack
Gary, that would be Mister Roberts, a great movie. (I almost typed Mr. Rogers!)
ReplyDeleteA very happy birthday wished for you, Misty.
Happy Birthday in Austria Misty!
ReplyDeleteI loved the video from Love, Actually. I've seen it several times and it always leaves me smiling with tears in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteHG - CO-AX is what I inked for clue = 'insulated cable' earlier this week! C, -T
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ReplyDeleteFinally back from shopping. It's a madhouse out there !
Happy Birthday Misty ! Hope you also get to enjoy some authentic Wiener Schnitzel and Sachertorte.
@STEVE, That song that made it to # 1 on both the Billboard Top 100 and Easy Listening charts in 1968. It was then covered by many artists and was probably played countless times as Muzak in offices and elevators. Last hint, it was a Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition... That should make it a bit easier.
I'll give it a bit before revealing. Just in case anyone else wants to listen to the first couple of seconds to that Mercedes commercial and see if they can identify it.
Figured out the theme at RAGGEDYANNEX; well done. Smiled at SPRAYONTEXAN. WEES.
ReplyDeleteI clearly remember that earwig episode with Laurence Harvey. Creeped the heck out of me and I never forgot it. Exceptionally well written and acted.
A classmate of mine in college was a member of, believer in, BAHAI. I learned about it from him.
I notice there is also a Wessex and Sussex in addition to ESSEX. No Norex or Nordex, though.
Very happy birthday wishes to you, Misty, and warm thoughts to you all.
A fine Friday Xwd from Mr. Bywaters!
ReplyDeleteVery tough getting a toe-hold until I stumbled onto the theme. Then this proved to be the type of pzl thst gives way once the theme is grasped.
My favorite, though, has nothing to do with the theme. IAMB (69-A) delighted me as the surprise answer to a tricky clue. I grokked it once I had IA--. It's a gimme for any who've scanned WS's lines, but I guessed few non-poets & non-actors would catch it except through perps.
Happy B'day to Misty!
Thanks for all the generous comments. It's a pleasure to debut in the LA Times.
ReplyDeleteI hasten to point out that the OED clue, justly singled out for praise here, was the editor's, not mine. So was the clue for EXCESSPOOL: mine was "Problem in a billionaire's back yard."
And the puzzle-solving public should also know that it was mercifully spared the clue with which I tried to redeem the puzzle's worst moment, DCX: "Latin name for a jetliner." Get it? DC 10? As if the "DC" meant not "600" but "Douglas Commercial"? And then the X remains 10? As if ancient Romans has their own names for jetliners? Like the Boeing DCCXLVII?? Pretty good, huh??? Well, maybe not.
CC's comment can't be bettered Misty. And HBDy in case you spend next week reading posts.
ReplyDeleteIt's only justice that we swapped Thurs for Fri, difficulty wise. Loved BEESEXTING once I figured it out.
I thought BRATPACK had something to do with Green bay fans with their beer, cheese and BRATS.
OK. I've read everything; expliquez-moi CLICK BAIT???
weeks ago I mentioned that ASSES had gone the way of political correctness doom. Apres Ca, le Deluge.
I knew SEXTING was right up Owen's alley. Loved all the licks and Lemonade s fine write-up
WC
CanadianEh! said at 11:01 AM. Oh, it is a word recognized by OED in Sept/16!
ReplyDeleteOh OK thanks Argyle.
DeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY, Misty!! Enjoy your trip!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISTY! I hope you're having a fabulous trip and a grand time with your aunt. "See" you soon, and I look forward to hearing tales of your overseas Christmas adventure!
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ReplyDeleteOkay, here's the song: This guy's in love with you - Herb Alpert.
David A. B. thank you for stopping by; we love interactive play here. See you next time
ReplyDeleteBon Fete Misty, Encore'
ReplyDeleteI am way late to the party on here...... Hands up for AXE and I did not finish with the red letters off. As Jayce said I too caught the theme at RAGGEDYANNEX.
Anon T.... I also put in COAX the other day for cable. That was the first thing that crossed my mind since I was a radio technician years ago......
Here is a link to another Lady Marmalade..... The sweetheart of Zydeco real Cajun music and I prefer this version over Patti Labelle's... Enjoy ~!~~!
https://youtu.be/LvEObGeU7vI
By the way if I don't post tomorrow I want to wish everyone on here a Joyeux Noel..
Here is one more link that ya'll can enjoy. She is a friend of mine and can sing like all get out ~!~!
https://youtu.be/UqHN0oTvzKw
From Cajun Country Please be safe over the Holiday Season ~!~!
David - Thanks for stopping in and providing "Inside Baseball." The magic of Rich's edit... Hey, the them was cool and well executed; take that to the bank [and was 21a yours too? 'Cuz it was cute].
ReplyDeleteWilbur - CLICKBAIT is/are a headline(s) on websites (see Facebook, Reddit, /., et.al.) that entice you with a sexy headline to get you to click. E.g. "Is your dog a secret Nazi?" Or "Free energy, Just around the corner?" in the effort to feed you more ads. Both of my examples easily fall into Betteridge's Law of Headlines.
TTP - re: shopping madhouse... Please (mostly men) when your significant other sends you to a store w/ a list - map the store First! I was late posting last night because I had to pickup the bird and other merriments from the grocery store. I can't tell you how many deer-in-the-headlights folk were there blocking the aisles and generally getting in the way of my anticipated 22min trip.
Hey, 'Tis the Season... I was nice and directed one to the taco seasoning, another to the baking aisle and, finally, another to the Canned Salmon* :-)
Cheers, -T
*he really was asking for it...
Crud - I just pulled a TinB... David Theme not 'them was cool.' I blame err on the Festivus party our cul-du-sac just had :-)
ReplyDeleteSorry if I am unusually dense, but I don't get the connection between TECHS and freezes?
ReplyDeleteAlso not really getting the IAMB connection. I thought it refers to poetry, but Hamlet is prose.
Agree with AnonymousT that the EARWIG makes me think of the scene in "Wrath of Khan" that I really would prefer not to think about!
Other than those mysteries I enjoyed the puzzle and solved it fairly quickly.
If you ever had a computer freeze up and refuse to do anything then you would get the connection to techs, just not by email.
ReplyDeleteThank you Argyle for the explanation! I thought that might be what it meant, but it is not a term I often use.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean "just not by email"?
You won't be emailing because your computer is frozen.
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