Theme: "Dine Out" - Parse the title as as "D in E out". E is replaced by D in each theme entry. The changes all happen with the last letter of a key word,
23A. Basis for evaluating an archaeology dig? : EARNINGS PER SHARD. Earnings per share.
35A. Warning to Bo Peep that her sheep are really hiding nearby? : HERD'S LOOKING AT YOU, KID. Here's looking at your, kid. But it's grammatically correct to say "Herd are looking at you", right?
58A. "When leaving the beach, hose off your feet before putting on your shoes"? : SAND ADVICE. Sane advice is not a familiar phrase to me.
68A. Must choose among less volatile investment options? : HAVE A BOND TO PICK. Have a bone to pick.
81A. Infant dressed for rain? : BABY BOOTED. I would not know how to clue it. Baby bootee.
100A. Have a good day birding? : FIND FEATHERED FRIENDS. Fine- feathered friends.
119A. Paragraph in a lemon law? : DUD PROCESS CLAUSE. Due process clause.
What a great title!
There
are some stray E's in the theme answers. It's impossible to replace all
of them, given that E is the most frequently used letter in English.
Paul's approach is quite consistent. No first letter or middle letter E to D change.
Across:
1. Get hot online : GO VIRAL. Surprised that Paul crossed it with GOER (1. Attendee).
8. Slithery squeezer : BOA
11. San Francisco/Oakland separator : BAY
14. Signature Southern vegetable : OKRA. Constructors love Vowel??Vowel combo.
18. Treeless tract : OPEN AREA
20. High esteem : RESPECT
22. Motley : PIED. Never used this word other than Pied Piper
25. "Goodness gracious!" : EGAD
26. "Wide Sargasso Sea" author Jean : RHYS. Wiki says "The novel is written as a prequel and response to Charlotte Brontë's noted novel Jane Eyre".
27. Chain founded by Ingvar Kamprad : IKEA
28. 2016 A.L. Manager of the Year Francona, familiarly : TITO. Known for ending Red Sox's 86-year drought. We also have ARM (105. Pitcher's pride).
29. Heartthrob : FLAME
30. Medicare segment : PART A
32. As to : IN RE
34. Called the shots : LED
44. "The Sage of Concord" : EMERSON
45. Romeo or Juliet : TEEN. Thought of ROLE first.
46. South of France : MIDI. Why is South of France called "Le Midi"?
47. Holds firmly : RIVETS
48. Dilates : WIDENS
50. Times for vespers : EVES. I forgot the meaning of "vespers". Could only picture the Bond Girl Vesper.
54. Knock for a loop : STUN. Tiny dupe with 113. Stunned accusation : ET TU
55. Schleps : TOTES
62. Jiffs : SECs
64. Slip cover : DRESS
66. Yorkshire river : OUSE. We also have 126. River to the Fulda : EDER
67. Bygone bird : MOA. Locally known as Mall of America. I went to Zara the second day it opened.
73. Bossy remark? : MOO. Great clue.
76. Wine center NNE of Monaco : ASTI
77. Flaw-spotting aid : LOUPE
78. Canterbury's county : KENT
85. Bas-relief medium : GESSO. Learned from doing crosswords.
87. Dashed : TORE
89. Cavaradossi's "Recondita armonia," for one : ARIA. Of the five words in the clue, I know two.
90. Cooper's creations : STAVES
92. Green need : PUTTER. Golf green.
94. Bring in : REAP
98. Where Java may be found : ASIA
99. Before : EARLIER
106. Meh : DRAB
107. Breaks : RIFTS
108. Nursing a sprain, perhaps : GIMPY. Not a word I use.
110. "Good going!" : NICE
114. Come together : KNIT
118. Fever with chills : AGUE
123. Needle holder : PINE. You wanted ETUI, didn't you?
124. Espionage asset : STEALTH. Great word. Consonant-rich.
125. More frothy : YEASTIER
127. It's used for some trips : LSD
128. WWII venue : ETO (European Theater of Operations)
129. __ step: deceptive hoops tactic : STUTTER. Learning moment for me.
Down:
2. Moonfish : OPAH
3. Darned : VERY
4. Quaint stopovers : INNs
5. Italian counterpart of the BBC : RAI. Stands for Radiotelevisione Italiana. We had this last year.
6. Prince Valiant's son : ARN
7. Shackle : LEG IRON
8. Onetime California oil town : BREA
9. "__ the fields we go" : O'ER
10. Kind of prof. : ASST
11. Marching orders? : BEAT IT. Great fill/clue.
12. Radar or laser : ACRONYM. Did not know laser is an acronym.
13. Accountant's initialism : YTD
14. European automaker that was originally a sewing machine company : OPEL. Interesting trivia.
15. Rwanda's capital : KIGALI. Got via crosses.
16. Didn't just criticize : REAMED
17. Put on : ADDED
19. Invite for : ASK TO
21. Honor society leader? : PHI. Oh, Phi Beta Kappa.
24. Reach a high : PEAK
29. Clan clash : FEUD
30. "Hey ... over here!" : PSST
31. "__ good name is ne'er retriev'd": John Gay : A LOST. Also got via crosses.
33. King of France : ROI
35. "His," to Bierce : HERS. We had this clue a while ago.
36. Gives off : EMITS
37. Variety show : REVUE
38. Soak : DRENCH
39. "Yea, verily" : IT IS SO
40. Outlaw Kelly : NED
41. Thug's thousands : GEES
42. "The King and I" role : ANNA
43. City on the Dnieper : KIEV
48. Winning Super Bowl III coach Ewbank : WEEB. I tried to use him in a puzzle once.
49. Busybodies : SNOOPS
51. Get-up-and-go : VIM
52. "Foucault's Pendulum" author : ECO
53. Yellow __ : SEA. Between
China and South Korea. We call it Huang Hai, literally "Yellow Sea".
Hai = Sea. But in Cantonese, Hai means "Yes", same as Japanese.
56. Start of a tribute : ODE TO
57. Pride and prejudice : TRAITS. Got via crosses.
59. Fools : DUPES
60. Faulkner's "__ Lay Dying" : AS I
61. Card collection : DECK. Not baseball cards.
63. Car from Trollhättan : SAAB
65. NBC show since 1975 : SNL
69. After-dinner drink letters : VSO
70. Literary fold : DOG EAR. So simple in retrospect.
71. Third of seven: Abbr. : TUES
72. "Fine" holder of fish? : KETTLE. Fun clue.
73. Wharton deg. : MBA
74. Crew member : OAR
75. Kimono closer : OBI. Kimono is so pricey. Lots of girls just wear Yukata. It has OBI also.
79. Away from the office : NOT IN
80. In a tough spot : TREED
82. It's a long story : YARN. No SAGA today.
83. South Dakota, to Pierre : ETAT. Good old clue.
84. Pizzazz : DASH
86. Eyeball-bending work : OP ART
88. Drops the ball : ERRS
91. Go (for) : VIE
93. 1999 "A God in Ruins" novelist : URIS. Not familiar with the book.
95. Go around in circles? : EDDY. Another great clue.
96. It's south of Eur. : AFR
97. Small change : PEANUTS
99. Gushes : EFFUSES
100. Standoffish : FRIGID. The "Standoffish" weather here in Minnesota makes me feel tough. Very Fargo-like.
101. Protected, as from prosecution : IMMUNE
102. Put up with : ABIDED. The Hotmail/Outlook rehaul last year is driving me nuts, TTP. They create double space every time I press Enter. Read here. The glitch has been on for over three years, thought I only encountered this since the rehaul. I'm not sure this happens to every user. I did not notice this problem with Argyle's emails. It's also incredibly slow. I've been using Gmail more and more.
103. Art Deco artist : ERTE
104. Scatterbrained : DITSY
105. Slack-jawed : AGAPE
109. House of Lords member : PEER
111. Balancing pro : CPA. Are you a CPA, D-Otto?
112. Agatha contemporary : ERLE
113. Bounce back : ECHO
114. Nicky of "Boston Public" : KATT. Stranger to me.
115. Jour's opposite : NUIT. Day and night.
116. "Got it" : I SEE
117. Amer. Samoa, e.g. : TERR
119. ISP alternative : DSL. No. ISP offers DSL service.
120. Polo Grounds legend : OTT (Mel).
121. Be-bopper : CAT
122. The Tigers of the SEC : LSU
So what keyboard are you using? We're going to buy a new one soon and I'd like to know your suggestion. Thanks.
Happy Birthday to Patti Varol, Rich's assistant and editor for the Crossword Club. Patti taught me by example on how to make clean puzzles. I'm so grateful for her unfailing patience and attention to details.
C.C.
PS: To those who get the wrong grid today, please click here for the correct puzzle. On the top right, you should see Print or Download button. If you still have trouble, please email me crosswordc@gmail.com, I'll email me the grid. (I've removed the puzzle link. Email me if you need the grid.)
Happy Birthday to Patti Varol, Rich's assistant and editor for the Crossword Club. Patti taught me by example on how to make clean puzzles. I'm so grateful for her unfailing patience and attention to details.
C.C.
PS: To those who get the wrong grid today, please click here for the correct puzzle. On the top right, you should see Print or Download button. If you still have trouble, please email me crosswordc@gmail.com, I'll email me the grid. (I've removed the puzzle link. Email me if you need the grid.)
71 comments:
DNF¡ A natick at OPAh + RhYS. First theme I got I thought was based on SOUND advice, then SAGE advice, which obfuscated the gimmick for a bit.
{A-, A, A-, A, B.}
They went to HER movie she wanted to SEE,
A RIVETING YARN, or so read the marquee!
About a lodgepole PINE
And a taboo timberline --
The acting was wooden, but it was filmed in TREE-D !
Said the BOA to the MOA (this was many years ago)
"Your FEATHERS look quite nice, as I'm sure you know!
My scales aren't as gaudy."
Said the MOA, "Oh, my lawdy!
My FRIEND, a FEATHERED BOA would surely make a show!"
A pasta pie baker from ASTI
Declared OKRA on pizza was nasty!
But a YEASTIER dough
Creates, IT IS SO,
A pie with flavor, EGADS, really ghastly!
Godiva, whose couture was skimpy
Went a-riding on a horse that was GIMPY.
She met an old FLAME
Who said, "You look lame,"
But wouldn't say which looked so wimpy!
A golfer, determined to not be outdone
In STEALTH, he doctored golf-balls to STUN.
He filled some with butter
For use with his PUTTER,
But for driving, prepared an oleo in one!
Good morning! (Brrrrrr and double-Brrrrrr)
I do not care for this FRIGID weather. Phil (the philodendron) has slumped even lower, if that's possible. If he's not terminal, it's still going to be a long recovery. We should be coming out of the deep-freeze later today....I hope.
Got the theme, but was underwhelmed with some of the theme answers. (I'm lookin' at you, SAND ADVICE and BABY BOOTED.) C.C., I've never heard "sane advice," either. Nice CSO to Madame Defarge with KNIT.
OPAH came floating up from somewhere in the depths. It's also what I used to say when Dad would answer the Maitre d', "Reservation? Do I look like an Indian?" My nephew has been heard to answer, "Yes, I do, but I've decided to eat here anyway."
No, C.C., I'm not a CPA. I'm not even an A, though DW often uses an a-word when describing me. She also thinks I oughta be "certified."
Greetings and a blizzard-ful of sunshine envy from the snowbound East. Thanks for the review, C.C., and thanks as always for the poem, Owen - it's become one of my favorite things about having a grid accepted by the LAT. HERD'S LOOKING AT YOU, KID was my seed entry for this theme, clued as "What the billy goat warned his naughty child about group disapproval?" DINEOUT was originally a revealer in the SE, paired with a seven letter themer at 1A, but Rich felt solvers would enjoy sussing it out as the title.
Hello Puzzlers -
Once I sussed the the gimmick, I caught on to the cleverness of the title. You have to admire that!
Morning, C.C., hand up for wanting Etui where Pine is. I also threw in Ebro for the river, but it dried up right away. As to your question about "the herd is/are looking at you, kid" : if I understand it correctly, that's a matter of collective noun usage. American grammar diverges from British grammar at that point. We tend to make collective nouns singular, so "the herd is looking..." works here.
I think I have commented in a prior year that I prefer the American style, but it's difficult to say why, exactly. My sense is that it feels easier not to have to remember which nouns get the special British treatment. I hope others will chime in (Steve, are you tuned in today?). I bet Yellowrocks has reflected on this detail of grammar.
OK. Fine for you on-line folks but we SoCal users who use the real paper got the wrong grid.
Filled this in without the long themers for quite a while. The penny dropped with SAND ADVICE. Then it was easier except for the NW. VERY and RHYS were difficult. But finally, "It's so DARNED (very) cold today," iced it.
The HERD ARE is not good American English. Herd is a collective noun as Dudley said and takes the singular. HERD'S means herd is.
Clue for BABY BOOTEE: infant footwear.
When my older son as a toddler was recovering from a broken leg, the grocer called him, "Hey, GIMPY!"
KIMONO are more formal than YUKATA. This article http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-yukata-and-kimono/
is helpful, but I disagree that YUKATA is mostly worn by women. Most men and women wear them at a ryokan (traditional inn) and after bathing in an onsen (hot spring). However mostly just women wear them at other times in the summer.
After bathing in the onsen men and women wear yukata to go shopping in the nearby mall. The men carry their washcloths on their heads. Although we were dressed like everyone else, the young men laughed at us westerners wearing their yukata.
Happy birthday, Patti. Thanks for all your hard work proving us with hours of crossword fun and challenge.
Oops! VAROLly, I say unto you, happy birthday, Patti.
Published grid DOES NOT MATCH THE PUZZLE
what ?!?!?!?! Can't do puzzle without the proper GRID
Look forward to Sunday puzzle all week. Wrong grid (really,)
My grid is wrong - sounds like others are too. But some grids are correct - what's up with that???
Good Morning:
This was a challenging Sunday offering but I did finish w/o help. Hand up for etui/pine, emu/moa, oh my/egad, and Oder/Ader. I also thought that Sand Advice was from Sound Advice and this threw me off as to the theme. Needed CC's expo to understand the parsing of the Title.
Thanks, Paul, for the mental workout and thanks, CC, for the enlightening summary.
Happy Birthday, Patti, hope it's a fun-filled day! 🎂🎁🍾🎉🍷
DO and Anonymous T: I'm happy to report that there were no missteps or trips to the ER last night. It was a great party with lots of good food and camaraderie amongst the 38 attendees! (One of my great-nieces had flown out of the Ft. Launderdale airport at 9:45 Friday morning. Scary to realize how vulnerable we all are.)
Have a great day.
Unknown, Tom Brotherton, Anon and Susan: There are several on-line sites where you can find the LAT puzzle. You can print it out and work it on paper if you don't like solving on-line.
Susan, the puzzle is syndicated nation-wide in many newspapers. Sounds like at least one of 'em (in SoCal) goofed and printed the wrong grid. It happens.
Strange Times puzzle! Very wrong grid!
Wrong grid. What is going on
How about reprinting a puzzle that is correct
Musings
-The title, the gimmick, the fill and C.C.’s write-up? Aces!
-We FIND our FEATHERED FRIENDS eating us out of house and sunflower chips
-Those VIRAL videos can beat the networks to the punch these days
-A great B-SIDE to The Honey Wind Blows (2:30) about that BAY
-Elvis sang “Marie’s the name of his latest FLAME”
-OPAH, LOUPE, GESSO, MOA are among words I learned in cwds
-This odd looking PUTTER may be my next purchase
-Our winter presents many DRAB tableaus (how ‘bout that word?)
-Walter Brennan and Dennis Weaver played GIMPY 60’s TV characters
-Prince Valiant’s lovely art used to grace our Sunday Funnies
-Cool Hand Luke earned LEG IRONS after his escape
-The first LASER Stimulated a ruby to EMIT Light Radiation and Amplified it between two mirrors
-I’m AGAPE if you knew KILGALI from memory
-OJ’s good name is irretrievable
-Col. Custer was DASHING and arrogant as well
-ERLE Stanley Gardner – 1889 – 1970. Agatha Christie 1890 – 1976
-Happy birthday to Patti.
-Zaneeta Shin’s take on EGAD was Ye Gods in what musical?
Wrong Grid! What happened?
Good morning all!
I had the right grid in my paper but a lot of wrong answers 😉 Too many to even list. I believe I may have caught DH's cold. Didn't sleep well and my brain just isn't working right today.
However this was a great title and theme, so thanks to Paul and thank you CC for your expo!
CC- you asked about keyboard advice: we have a Logitech for our PC. It's not wireless; the best part is that it's back lit which makes working in low light a breeze! I don't use it often as I'm usually working with my laptop or iPad but DH loves it. I purchased it on Amazon about a year ago ( don't remember the exact model but can find out if you're interested)
That's all I have for today. Off to make some homemade vegetable beef soup and try to fight off this cold or whatever it is that's gotten me feeling yucky.
Have a great day everyone
🐇
Don't know, Husker, but that young lady should watch her phraseology.
I had one bad cell. I carefully marked places to return to after crosses were filled in, but I didn't mark that one and so neglected it. "When will they (I) ever learn," from Where Have All the Flowers Gone. With the perp that cell would have been easy.
In my last post it should have read PROVIDING us with hours of fun, not PROVING.
Oh- Happy Birthday, Patti! Hope you have a wonderful day 😀🎂🎈🎉
First Sunday paper in ten months (I'm a snowbird in SoCal Jan&Feb)and its impossible to complete!
Happy Birthday to Patti, and good day to all!
What a great title for the puzzle today. I found it slow going, but eventually doable. HERD'S LOOKING AT YOU KID was my favorite theme answer, with EARNINGS PER SHARD a close second. Thanks for today's fine puzzle, Paul. Nice of you to stop by. And thank you,C.C., for being our tour guide today.
Yes, the LA Times here in SoCal printed the wrong grid. However, as desper-otto pointed out, it's easy to find the correct grid on-line by googling "LA Times crossword".
Enjoy the day!
We're chilled in Florida, too, but I'm not complaining; it's a lot worse in other parts of the country.
I erred with Baby Booter instead of Booted. I was thinking of Boomer, but realize now that it didn't fit Paul's pattern.
Nice to hear from Paul C. Thanks for a challenging puzzle. Southwest and Northeast corners were last to fall.
Thanks too to C.C. for your informative write-up.
'Dine Out"- I just realized ' D in, e Out" was Dine Out, but the theme was obvious after I filled HERDS LOOKING AT YOU KID. The NW was the last to fall wit RAI being a total unknown and the old X-word standbys, ARN & OPAH, finally popping into my head. And I had no idea why 'Darned'=VERY but let it stand. Then my V8 moment came. My only write overs were SAGA to YARN, CPA to YTD, and AOL to DSL (palindrome of LSD). But I finally blew it this morning because I filled DOPES for DUPES, didn't double-check( no RED letters in the newspaper), and didn't know OUSE anyway. DNF.
No criticizing Mr. Coulter but I thought there were too many abbreviations- LSD, DSL, YTD, CPA, VSO, AFR, TERR, MBA, RAI, LSU, GEES. I had the normal amount of unknowns filled by perps, RHYS, TITO, RAI, EMERSON, KATT.
Keyboard- wireless Logitech keyboard & mouse conbination K350.
Today's Sunday print edition seems to have the wrong grid! I spent a bit of time trying to figure out if it was an especially clever and tricky puzzle as we sometimes encounter, but I didn't see anything but chaos with this. So much for Sunday's ritual (though my wife is happy for a Sunday without my "obsession." LOL
Picked up the paper this morning and was at once puzzled. The grid does not match the clues. Printing/editing error?
Husker 10:56 - Why, The Music Man, of course!
The LA Times printed the wrong grid.
Where can we print the correct grid? Or alternatively, print a set of clues that matches the grid you delivered? Frustrating....
Frustrating with the LA Times grid. How does that happen?
However I went on-line and printed it out the correct one. Yea!
"'Infant dressed for rain? : BABY BOOTED.' I would not know how to clue it."
Clue it: "Description of infant dressed for rain who, along with its parents, gets tossed out of Denny's on a Sunday morning because the infant's incessant wailing wouldn't allow me to eat my breakfast in peace?"
No?
Oh well ...
For correct grid for 01/08/17 crossword for So Cal readers, go here:
https://www.pressreader.com/search?query=dine%20out%20crossword&languages=en&hideSimilar=0
!@#$%^&*()!@#$%$%^%^!!@#$^*((*&Y^
Enough said ! I may finally after 33 years cancel my subscription
Thanks, Paul, for a fine puzzle this Sunday. Laughed a many of the theme entries.
Thanks, C.C., for the tour and informative comments. We also use a Logitech wireless solar keyboard. Love it, and haven't had it go out in almost 3+ years.
Stay warm, all! Hopefully it will be in the 60's tomorrow!
Well, my LA Times grid was messed up too, so I was relieved to hear I might be able to find the puzzle online and print it. Found the puzzle on a site with the correct grid, but when I printed it it came out as just a big black square with nothing, and with no clues. What to do now?
P.S. I tried the link Anonymous gave us, but Yahoo came on and said it couldn't find the site.
Misty,
Who's the constructor of the puzzle in your paper today?
Such a bummer. Wrong grid was printed in my paper, and I only just finally FOUND the crossword - I've been looking every Sunday since they moved it (HID IT) in the comics! Guess I have to wait till next Sunday.
To those who get the wrong grid, can you tell me the constructor and the puzzle title in your paper today?
Dine Out
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
By Paul Coulter
Crazy, January 1st grid, plus Christmas "last week solution". Someone asleep at the wheel
!
C.C., It's the correct clues, but incorrect grid.
Misty-Have you tried the Mensa site? That's where I was able to get the puzzle today, however I just did it on-line.
Thanks, Sally, can you email me crosswordc@gmail.com, I'll send you a PDF file of the correct grid.
Thanks for the comment. Thought I was going crazy for a moment that the clues didn't fit the grid. Need to let LAT know about this snafu.
I went to "LA Times- Crosswords, after the AD, the crossword comes up, you can print but you have to click 'with entries'. It worked for me. Goodluck.
MJ,
Thanks for letting me know.
Can you click here for the correct puzzle grid?
Well, I guess getting the wrong grid is a sure sign that I need to put Christmas away.
C.C.--Yes, that works.
To those who get the wrong grid today, please see my 1:00pm link. On the top right, you should see Print or Download button. If you still have trouble, please email me crosswordc@gmail.com, I'll email me the grid.
if I only get the Grid on my smartphone, I can't print it and working anyway.
This is more than disappointing! My Sunday leisure fix is messed up!
I'm Sorry that some folks had a wrong grid. I'm taking a day off. I struggled with the NE but finally let OKRA and PIED(Pi-Ed) stand and changed ADORN to ADDED.
But. I let OOSE stand. As YR says, I should have marked it; I certainly knew the river OUSE. I was a river cognoscenti in my 'UTE
Did you know who Leo THE LIP Durocher was talking about when he said "Nice guys finish last."?*
We still get Prince Valiant in our TBTimes. They wrapped up a year long Prester John adventure today. Love PV. And, btw, the KATT I'm familiar with is Bucky.
Paul C. Thanks. And thanks for dropping in and dropping your original and hilarious clue.
Owen. I saw those grades and doubted. My bad. Exceptional work. Ingenious.
WC
* Mel OTT
FYI: Today's LA Times, flagship for the syndicated puzzle in some 200 newspapers, printed the correct title, constructor, and clues, but paired them with the grid for the Jan.1, 2017 puzzle. Did any other papers have this egregious error? The several online sites all seem to have the correct grid.
FWIW, I'd enjoy an error like this! It would give me a chance to pull out the graph paper and work it as a diagramless puzzle! Any other diagramless aficionados out there?
Whoo, tough puzzle, but satisfying. Took a while to figure out the gimmick because of SAND ADVICE, which, like a couple of you, I thought was a transform of SOUND ADVICE. Also, I kept wanting to spell BOOTEE as BOOTIE, so that entry didn't work for me either. I have no idea how MIDI can be clued as "South of France." Makes no sense. Oh, how 'bout them 4-letter European rivers? I do very much like the clues for KETTLE, BEAT IT, and MOO.
For some reason I managed to dredge up RAI. It used to broadcast a show called Commissario (Inspector) Montalbano, and some other Italian mysteries (with subtitles) that LW and I enjoyed. Unfortunately the station that used to carry it stopped carrying it.
The keyboard I currently use has the Dell name on it; it came with my Dell computer. I have had good experiences with Logictech products in the past. (The fact I personally knew Pierluigi Zappacosta, a co-founder of Logitech, has nothing to do with my endorsement of their products.)
Happy birthday, Patti, and best wishes to you all.
"Puzzling Thoughts":
Enjoying watching my Steelers vs Dol-fins; too much of the three B's (Ben, Bell and Brown). Was working on the puzzle in between commercials. Got most of it correct but had a few ERRS. Enjoyed the theme but I didn't interpret it as D in E out until reading CC's recap
Owen was on fire today; hope this one will induce a smile or grin:
When new gem rater joined jeweler's group,
His boss couldn't help wanting to SNOOP.
And you know it's because
He, too likes finding flaws;
Just be sure to keep him in the LOUPE.
Loved the theme, especially "Herd's looking at you, kid"!
Funny - I printed the correct grid early this morning (7:30 EST) from the LAT web site as usual with no problem. I also called it up on a different PC for the reveal at about 3:00 with no problem. Maybe a different server for us in the frozen East?
I really liked this puzzle for a Sunday. Thanks, Paul for a "just right" level of difficulty for my skill level, and for dropping in on our merry band. At first I thought I didn't stand a chance, but I put it down a couple of times while I shoveled the walk and ventured out for lunch, and then wrapped it up. I did look up Nicky KATT - never saw any of his shows.
Hand up for ETUI, and plenty of other erasures. Had role instead of TEEN for Romeo & Juliet. Had Avon instead of OUSE (actually had OoSE for my only bad cell). So-so gave way to DRAB, CPA to YTD, truely [sic] to IT IS SO, pennies to PEANUTS and AOL to DSL.
Still don't understand how "his, to Bierce" is HERS. Is it possessive form of herr? Total perps inclued MIDI, RAI and NUIT.
I thought PIED meant blotchy or spotted, and thought motley meant shabby or scruffy - but learned. For some reason I thought of John MacDonald and Travis Mcgee for Wide Sargasso Sea. Maybe a chapter in one of his books?
Thanks CC for another sterling expo and for mitigating the SNAFU with the grid. We didn't get the paper today - Norfolk shuts down for 6" of snow - but I always print it out from the LAT site anyway for better paper quality.
We are supposed to get above freezing around 11:00 Tuesday morning - it has been a LOOONG cold snap for this neck of the woods. I hope the roads are good enough to leave for Florida on Wednesday.
Absolutely HATED this grid. By the time I found it on my new computer I was already angry that I couldn't solve it as I usually do on Sunday: relaxed in my recliner with my mug of coffee in front of the burning hearth. Then, looking at the clock, I saw I needed to hurry, so I couldn't spend quality time deciphering the abstruse set of clues. Quit trying after 45 minutes. Bad way to start my day. But I put the newspaper to good use restarting my fire.
Jinx--I'm not sure, but I suspect it's from a quote from Ambrose Bierce.
Ambrose Bierce wrote a tongue in cheek dictionary in installments. Some examples are:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/865289-the-cynic-s-word-book
"His, pronoun,( meaning) hers."
It seems to be a knock on a wife who thinks everything that is his is hers. I know some people who think what's yours is ours and what's mine is mine.
Jinx--It is from Ambrose Bierce, from "The Devil's Dictionary " (1911):
"Hers, pron. His"
C.C. you were indeed our fearless leader this morning! Thank you so much for getting a workable puzzle to those of us with a messed up grid. We are so lucky to have you to help us at times of crisis like this.
I did my best to solve the puzzle, but didn't get very far--only parts of the Northwest three quarters of the way down--and a few other dots here and there on the other sides. But I was just so happy to have the puzzle and the answers that by then it didn't matter very much.
One nice thing about this crisis was to see names on the blog that don't usually pop up on a daily basis. So hello everybody--hope to hear from you all again on a better day!
Not the same when crossword is not newsprint...we deserve a makegood...2 next Sunday
I lived in Concord in the 80s. I was in the front yard and a car drove by and asked
"Where's the EMERSON house?". I said
"Sorry, I'm new here, I don't know the neighbours"
WC
Film Mum
You can print the blank puzzle from the Mensa site for pen and paper solving, almost like newsprint.
Hmmm ... a side thought: we have ETUI, ETTU, ..., shouldn't the next form be ETUIMUS?
Perhaps the Latin verb for "Houston, we have GRID lock"?
First, my sympathies to those whose paper printed the wrong puzzle. It's happened here in AZ at least twice and it's horribly frustrating. The good thing is, that the puzzle is available to print from many sites, especially the Mensa, as has been mentioned.
Today was a long and busy day. We had a birthday party for a family member at the clubhouse so I didn't have too much time to work on the puzzle. Since I couldn't find a toehold at the top, I slithered down and managed to float up in good time. The them came alive pretty quickly and except for a few spots it wasn't much of a struggle. By the time I reached the top, however, exhaustion won the day and I just couldn't manage it. That has become a big problem lately (tiredness).
Thank you, Paul for this gem and for stopping by to comment. And many thanks, C.C., for your insightful analysis.
Patti, I hope you had a wonderful birthday!
And I hope all of you enjoyed your Sunday, even the ones cheated out of a puzzle.
My Sunday paper was delivered absent the Crossword puzzle - my main reason for subscribing. I made a special trip to the store to get a complete paper, only to discover the grid is completely screwed up! Can you please print the correct one???
I do this puzzle every week, usually with no problems. I can solve the NYT Sunday puzzle too, usually in reasonable time.
This one was the worst slog I've ever had. Even after googling a dozen different clues I couldn't finish.
Frustrating. Hated it.
If they haven't already, I think the Times should apologize to those who use the paper version of the puzzle for the screwup on last Sunday's grid--especially a apology to Paul Coulter who must have spent a ton of time creating it but was denied the satisfaction of knowing that there were thousands of us out there trying to solve it.
Next time, I will compare paper vs online versions first.
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