Theme: "SC-ads" - The letters "SC" are added to a plural noun and clued punningly.
17A. What rattlers that never bask in the sun may get? : PALE SCALES. Pale Ales. Plenty of rattlesnakes around the hiking trails in the Hollywood Hills; you need to be careful.
27A. Strikebreakers at a brewery? : SIX-PACK SCABS. Six-pack abs. Try as I did, I never got a six-pack. Something about my body type, according to one trainer.
45A. What berets cover? : FRENCH SCALPS. French Alps. Cute clue. There are alpine regions in France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany. I never skied in Germany, but I have skied the other four countries, quite often two on the same day.
60A. Angry looks in the hayloft? : BARN SCOWLS. Barn Owls. I heard an owl close to my home a couple of days ago. Never heard one in LA before.
Nice theme from Jerome; very consistent in adding the letters to the start of the second word of the original noun. The resulting entry and the clues are fun. A good, solid feel to the rest of the fill too. Let's see what jumps out:
Across:
1. Hindu noble : RAJA. RANI for his wife.
5. Like pastrami : CURED. Food! Lovely stuff. I've got the process nailed now. It only takes 18 days to make it.
10. Rum cake : BABA. Two Thursdays in a row for this dessert.
14. "O no! it is an __-fixed mark ... ": Shak. : EVER. The second quatrain of sonnet 116 where the Bard describes what "love" is:
15. "SNL" alum Cheri : OTERI
16. Restaurant in the same corporate group as Applebee's : IHOP
19. Pool element : GENE. Nice clue.
20. Vegetable __ : OIL. I use coconut oil for general cooking, canola oil for making mayonnaise, olive oil for tomato-based pasta sauces.
21. Sore : ACHY
22. Oaf : LUMMOX. Lovely word, You can completely visualize a person who is a lummox.
24. Careless : SLOPPY
26. "This __ test" : IS A
34. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" creator : DAVID. Crosses for me. Larry David. Talented chap, he was the co-creator of "Seinfeld".
37. Different : OTHER
38. By way of : VIA
39. Controversial sightings : UFOS
40. Demonstrators, often : ANTIS
41. Grammy category : FOLK. Had the "K" and jumped the gun with ROCK. Didn't take long to correct it though. Bruce Springsteen won Best Contemporary Folk Album in 2010 for "The Ghost of Tom Joad" - not the first name that springs to mind in the "Folk" genre.
42. Budgetary waste : FAT
43. Allen who managed the Beatles and Stones : KLEIN. A controversial figure because of sometimes shady business practices. Here's Mick & Co being ultra-cool in 1968.
44. Farmyard noises : OINKS
48. Wee battery : AAA
49. Odorless gas : ETHANE. Certainly looks odorless at first glance, this hydrocarbon.
53. Declare : AFFIRM
56. Comic actor Jacques : TATI. His film "Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot", released in 1953, is still pretty hilarious today.
58. Words in praiseful titles : TO A Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" for example.
59. Track component : RAIL
63. Military wind : FIFE. And Drums.
64. African herbivore : RHINO
65. Lot : FATE
66. Lost traction : SLID
67. Quaker in the forest : ASPEN
68. Adele's brother : FRED. The Astaires, not the singer. At least I don't think she's got a brother named Fred.
Down:
1. They get carried away : REPOS
2. Be of use to : AVAIL
3. Pudding snack cup maker : JELLO
4. It may come after you : ARE. I am, you are, he is.
5. Bone below the sacrum : COCCYX. Love this word.
6. State on the Colorado Plateau : UTAH
7. Fall back (on) : RELY
8. Before, in verse : 'ERE
9. Doesn't care for : DISLIKES
10. Lunch order with "special sauce" : BIG MAC. Just lunch? You couldn't get a burger for breakfast at McDonald's because the grills were at a lower temperature to cook the McMuffins. However, when the kitchen changed over from breakfast to lunch at 10:30, you could order a secret menu item - the "Mc10:35" which is a combination Egg McMuffin and McDouble burger. (N.B. Just because you could order it doesn't mean that you should).
11. "May I speak?" : AHEM
12. Pro __ : BONO. I'm pro Bono - I'm a big U2 fan. I just got tickets for the Joshua Tree Tour concert at the Rose Bowl in May.
13. High point : APEX
18. Flavorful : SAPID. Great word. Latin sapidus, tasty.
23. Cold War letters : U.S.S.R.
25. Trident-shaped letters : PSIS. These guys - one uppercase, one lowercase: Ψψ
28. Johnnycakes : PONES. Learning moment for me - I'd never heard of either. A corn pone is a Johnnycake - who knew?
29. Top story : ATTIC. This always takes me a couple of beats to see because in England the building level is a "storey", with an "e".
30. Fine __ : CHINA
31. Lady's company? : AVON. Ding Dong! Avon Calling! Do they sell cosmetics door-to-door any more?
32. Take to the cleaners : BILK
33. Fifth Avenue store : SAKS
34. Keister : DUFF
35. Miles off : AFAR
36. Suffrage, with "the" : VOTE
40. Moorish palace of southern Spain : ALHAMBRA. Beautiful building and gardens in Grenada.
41. Sneakily seek, with "for" : FISH
43. Dodge Aries, e.g. : K-CAR. This seems to be cropping up a lot recently. We had it last Thursday too.
44. Eye-related : OPTIC
46. Aced : NAILED. Crossword solver's triumph. Nailed it!
47. Shows one's feelings : LETS ON
50. Battling : AT WAR
51. "48 HRS." co-star : NOLTE. Nick.
52. Moved carefully : EASED
53. Stray sounds? : ARFS. Sounds from the dog pound.
54. Epic __ : FAIL. Popular Internet meme. No marks for grammar, though,
55. Name for a poodle : FIFI.
56. Vacation plan : TRIP. Because "itinerary" doesn't fit.
57. Diarist Frank : ANNE
61. "I get it" sounds : AHS
62. Not quite right : OFF. Much less serious than an epic fail.
I think that just about wraps it up. Here's the grid!
Steve
Note from C.C.:
Dudley went to Wellesley, MA for business yesterday. He said "Next door is none other than Natick, so along the way, I paused for a tourist photo".
So next time you're stumped by a tough crossing, think of Dudley!
17A. What rattlers that never bask in the sun may get? : PALE SCALES. Pale Ales. Plenty of rattlesnakes around the hiking trails in the Hollywood Hills; you need to be careful.
27A. Strikebreakers at a brewery? : SIX-PACK SCABS. Six-pack abs. Try as I did, I never got a six-pack. Something about my body type, according to one trainer.
45A. What berets cover? : FRENCH SCALPS. French Alps. Cute clue. There are alpine regions in France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany. I never skied in Germany, but I have skied the other four countries, quite often two on the same day.
 |
| 'Allo 'allo |
60A. Angry looks in the hayloft? : BARN SCOWLS. Barn Owls. I heard an owl close to my home a couple of days ago. Never heard one in LA before.
Nice theme from Jerome; very consistent in adding the letters to the start of the second word of the original noun. The resulting entry and the clues are fun. A good, solid feel to the rest of the fill too. Let's see what jumps out:
Across:
1. Hindu noble : RAJA. RANI for his wife.
5. Like pastrami : CURED. Food! Lovely stuff. I've got the process nailed now. It only takes 18 days to make it.
10. Rum cake : BABA. Two Thursdays in a row for this dessert.
14. "O no! it is an __-fixed mark ... ": Shak. : EVER. The second quatrain of sonnet 116 where the Bard describes what "love" is:
O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
15. "SNL" alum Cheri : OTERI
16. Restaurant in the same corporate group as Applebee's : IHOP
19. Pool element : GENE. Nice clue.
20. Vegetable __ : OIL. I use coconut oil for general cooking, canola oil for making mayonnaise, olive oil for tomato-based pasta sauces.
21. Sore : ACHY
22. Oaf : LUMMOX. Lovely word, You can completely visualize a person who is a lummox.
24. Careless : SLOPPY
26. "This __ test" : IS A
34. "Curb Your Enthusiasm" creator : DAVID. Crosses for me. Larry David. Talented chap, he was the co-creator of "Seinfeld".
37. Different : OTHER
38. By way of : VIA
39. Controversial sightings : UFOS
40. Demonstrators, often : ANTIS
41. Grammy category : FOLK. Had the "K" and jumped the gun with ROCK. Didn't take long to correct it though. Bruce Springsteen won Best Contemporary Folk Album in 2010 for "The Ghost of Tom Joad" - not the first name that springs to mind in the "Folk" genre.
42. Budgetary waste : FAT
43. Allen who managed the Beatles and Stones : KLEIN. A controversial figure because of sometimes shady business practices. Here's Mick & Co being ultra-cool in 1968.
44. Farmyard noises : OINKS
48. Wee battery : AAA
49. Odorless gas : ETHANE. Certainly looks odorless at first glance, this hydrocarbon.
53. Declare : AFFIRM
56. Comic actor Jacques : TATI. His film "Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot", released in 1953, is still pretty hilarious today.
58. Words in praiseful titles : TO A Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" for example.
My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
59. Track component : RAIL
63. Military wind : FIFE. And Drums.
64. African herbivore : RHINO
65. Lot : FATE
66. Lost traction : SLID
67. Quaker in the forest : ASPEN
68. Adele's brother : FRED. The Astaires, not the singer. At least I don't think she's got a brother named Fred.
Down:
1. They get carried away : REPOS
2. Be of use to : AVAIL
3. Pudding snack cup maker : JELLO
4. It may come after you : ARE. I am, you are, he is.
5. Bone below the sacrum : COCCYX. Love this word.
6. State on the Colorado Plateau : UTAH
7. Fall back (on) : RELY
8. Before, in verse : 'ERE
9. Doesn't care for : DISLIKES
10. Lunch order with "special sauce" : BIG MAC. Just lunch? You couldn't get a burger for breakfast at McDonald's because the grills were at a lower temperature to cook the McMuffins. However, when the kitchen changed over from breakfast to lunch at 10:30, you could order a secret menu item - the "Mc10:35" which is a combination Egg McMuffin and McDouble burger. (N.B. Just because you could order it doesn't mean that you should).
11. "May I speak?" : AHEM
12. Pro __ : BONO. I'm pro Bono - I'm a big U2 fan. I just got tickets for the Joshua Tree Tour concert at the Rose Bowl in May.
13. High point : APEX
18. Flavorful : SAPID. Great word. Latin sapidus, tasty.
23. Cold War letters : U.S.S.R.
25. Trident-shaped letters : PSIS. These guys - one uppercase, one lowercase: Ψψ
28. Johnnycakes : PONES. Learning moment for me - I'd never heard of either. A corn pone is a Johnnycake - who knew?
29. Top story : ATTIC. This always takes me a couple of beats to see because in England the building level is a "storey", with an "e".
30. Fine __ : CHINA
31. Lady's company? : AVON. Ding Dong! Avon Calling! Do they sell cosmetics door-to-door any more?
32. Take to the cleaners : BILK
33. Fifth Avenue store : SAKS
34. Keister : DUFF
35. Miles off : AFAR
36. Suffrage, with "the" : VOTE
40. Moorish palace of southern Spain : ALHAMBRA. Beautiful building and gardens in Grenada.
41. Sneakily seek, with "for" : FISH
43. Dodge Aries, e.g. : K-CAR. This seems to be cropping up a lot recently. We had it last Thursday too.
44. Eye-related : OPTIC
46. Aced : NAILED. Crossword solver's triumph. Nailed it!
47. Shows one's feelings : LETS ON
50. Battling : AT WAR
51. "48 HRS." co-star : NOLTE. Nick.
52. Moved carefully : EASED
53. Stray sounds? : ARFS. Sounds from the dog pound.
54. Epic __ : FAIL. Popular Internet meme. No marks for grammar, though,
55. Name for a poodle : FIFI.
56. Vacation plan : TRIP. Because "itinerary" doesn't fit.
57. Diarist Frank : ANNE
61. "I get it" sounds : AHS
62. Not quite right : OFF. Much less serious than an epic fail.
I think that just about wraps it up. Here's the grid!
Steve
Note from C.C.:
Dudley went to Wellesley, MA for business yesterday. He said "Next door is none other than Natick, so along the way, I paused for a tourist photo".
So next time you're stumped by a tough crossing, think of Dudley!
54 comments:
{B-, B, B+, C+.}
There once was a fellow named FRED
Who took it into his head
That the E.T.s in U.F.O.s
Were all fruity color JELL-Os,
On a TRIP to pick up milk and bread!
There was a turbidly-thinking LUMMOX, (thick)
Who wandered into an I.HOP. (sic)
He ordered a stack
Of blueberry BIG MACS --
They threw him out on his COCCYX!
DAVID had a stressful job, towing back a REPO.
He worried until he had EASED it in the depot.
But the worst he had to do
Was from a FAILED petting zoo,
Where he was tasked to repossess a reluctant two-ton RHINO!
Use FINE CHINA every day, you will be pragmatic.
It's better that than tucked away with stuff in the ATTIC!
If it breaks, we'll shed a tear
For an object we held dear
Because it did AVAIL us, which is a better tactic!
Greetings!
Thanks, Jerome and Steve!
Always love your puzzles, Jerome!
Got the theme right away. Cool.
I made videos at the Alhambra dealing with symmetry groups of patterns. It is a fascinating place. (This was before my body went haywire.)
No rain today! Whoopee!
Have a great day!
Whew! Nice Thursday puzzle. I got lazy at the end when I changed rump to DUFF and didn't change sCAILED to NAILED for my only bad cell. I remember Johnny Carson breaking his COCCYX, providing him with a ton of material for tailbone jokes at a time when the NBC censors were very strict. I erased lane for RAIL for "track component". I did, however, know PONE for Johnnycake. I think we've had that one before.
I heard some wag say that Larry DAVID does a better Bernie Sanders than does Bernie Sanders. ("I only own one pair of undahwhear"). I agree. I was surprised when "name for a poodle" was FIFI, not Kerry.
I always enjoy learning about corporate ownership, and didn't know the Applebees / IHOP connection.
Erased bOoK (ebook) for FOLK. I have never seen a Grammy award program. Also new were Allen KLEIN, Jacques TATI and SAPID.
Thanks to Jerome and Steve for a fine morning exercise.
Good morning!
Nice one, Jerome! Cute theme -- I can say that because, for once, I actually got it. Figured the word that can follow "You" would be ALL, so Shakey's would be an EVIL-fixed mark. D'oh! PALE SCALES straightened things out. Hand up for ROCK before FOLK, Steve. Jinx, I also thought of Larry David's "Bern Your Enthusiasm." He was hilarious in those SNL sketches.
Steve, it must be great to be Sixpack-proof. I think mine started out as a 12-pack. You like COCCYX? Another great word is SYZYGY.
Busy day...gotta run. Marching, tax meeting and quarterly dental appt.
Waht a fun combination; Jerome and his perfect punishing wit and Steve to fill in any blanks. The theme was really well done and some pof the clues were really great. It may come after you : ARE and Quaker in the forest : ASPEN jump to mind.
Also, a timely reference to the Big mac and the special sauce which today was released fpr sale in a limited edition bottle.
Still struggling to deal with back and pain.
Thanks JG and Steve.
Very enjoyable. It took me until the third theme answer to suss the gimmick, but it helped find the fourth one in the middle. PONES and ATTIC took a while, but they make good sense.
The AVON lady used to leave a catalog and order forms in our break room at school. I haven't noticed any door to door Avon ladies in years. You?
CSO to my DAVID who came home yesterday. He is doing fine, but he is still weak and tired, so will not work from home until next week.
TATI was all perps. Epic FAIL was my first thought. FIFI seems to be the quintessential poodle name.
Off to a day of running errands. I might be home for an hour or so at noon.
Long solve, even with a couple cheats. Didn't know SAPID meant "flavorful". In fact, I thought it meant without flavor. Hmm. Took a while for TASTY:SAPID. Slowed me down a lot there.Didnt know TATI. I DID manage to get the theme (hurray!) which usually evades me. Fun, if challenging, CW, thanx, JG! Nice write-up, thanx, Steve. Owen, C+.
Unike Steve, I had a nattick at PONE/KCAR. I couldn't remember what letter went with the car and didn't know KLEIN any better than the johnnycakes. Also can never remember how to spell SAKS, having never been anywhere near one.
My DH and I met in Granada, and he being from here, it's why I'm here now. However, not at the Alhambra, but at the train station buying tickets to leave. It was definitely meant to be, since it was only after three days of failing to hitch a ride, that he'd given up and chosen the day I was leaving to catch a train instead. Definitely a case of 65A.
Happy Australia Day to anyone who cares!
Hello Puzzlers -
Smooth sailing, except for the crossing of Sapid and David, both unknowns. Coccyx was familiar from science class, but I don't recal D Otto's Syzygy. It reminds me of a local family who donated some pretty farmland and a barn for conservation, the Szcypta family.
Morning, Steve, I don't think a Mc10:35 is for me.
Sorry for the poor quality of the Natick photo, I was in a bit of a rush and not quite warm enough (January in Massachusetts usually requires a coat). The signpost was really chilly. In the background is a busy commuter railroad, part of the famous "T" system serving Boston.
Good day to all!
Well executed theme today. Favorite was FRENCH SCALPS. Jacques TATI, Larry DAVID, and Allen KLEIN were 100% perpped. Thanks for today's entertainment, Jerome, and thanks for being our faithful Thursday tour guide, Steve.
Enjoy the day!
Good morning everyone.
Cool theme. Got it all without searches, but had acme before APEX and tush before DUFF. Odorless gas could have been almost anything, but I thought I'd try a -thane. Methane didn't fit but ETHANE did. Ethane is a regular visitor to puzzles. Though not slang, I liked the inclusion of words like BILK and FISH.
More F's than usual.
Good Morning:
This was a real workout for me, mostly because of my own errors which went undetected far longer than necessary. I had Phis instead of Psis and an E in Sapid which gave me Hex instead of Six. I had the Pack but, due to a typo had USRR, giving me Hexpackr. Oh vey! It took awhile for me to suss the theme, but when I finally did, everything fill into place and I got the tada. Took way longer than usual, but it was worth the struggle.
Nicely done, Jerome, and thanks, Steve, for the fun tour.
RIP, Mary Tyler Moore. You were in a class by yourself.
Hope Ferm and Lemon feel better soon.
YR, good news about David; I'm sure he is delighted to be out of the hospital and back home.
Have a great day.
Fell, not fill. 🙄
Good morning all!
I loved the clever theme which I figured out with FRENCHSCALPS (cute!) Thanks to Jerome for a good, crunchy workout and to Steve for your (as always) entertaining and informative expo. Especially liked the "Mc10:35" - who knew?! I would have to pass on that, though :)
I got hung up with FOLK. Tried Rock, then Funk but BILK and AVON sorted that out. YR- I haven't seen an Avon catalog in about two years. There used to be a lady in my neighborhood that would drop them in the mailbox from time to time.
ATTIC also threw me off. I was overthinking the clue - thought it had to do with a headline for a newspaper. Doh!
Perps were EVER (tried Even), IHOP, KLEIN, TATI, FRED, FIFE, and ALHAMBRA. kazie- love your story of FATE :)
There is a Great Horned OWL I hear in the woods behind our house. Its "hoo hoo hoo" call is both beautiful and eerie.
Dear Daughter #1 used to be a competitive gymnast and had an impressive set of SIXPACK ABS by the age of 10. She "retired " at 14- the 25 plus hours a week in the gym, not to mention travel for meets became too much. It is a very intense sport, mentally as much as physically. Kudos to the ones that make it to the Olympics!
CC and Dudley- loved the delightful reference with the Natick picture!
Lemonade- aww, you are in my thoughts with your back. My latest series of epidural injections are wearing off and I'm finding it hard to get dressed each morning. What a frustrating and (at times) all consuming pain in the COCCYX it can be. Best wishes for some relief for you!
Hope everyone has a great day :)
🐇
Good morning all. Thanks Jerome. Thanks Steve. Nice pic Dudley !
Saw the SC add early, and it helped in the solve.
Had SAPOR first. Changed it to SAPIS when I realized SIX PACK. Should have read the crossing clue a little closer. Then would have gotten DAVID rather than DAVIS.
No tada today.
Hi gang -
JEROME!!! - Always great to see you, amigo. Love the theme.
But disappointed by the absence of anagrams - oh, well - can't have everything.
I will AFFIRM that this is a fine puzzle, with no DISLIKES.
At first I thought it was going to be a rhyming theme, so that set me back. Also, despite visiting the chiropractor this morning, I messed up my COCXYC, and that did not help. PHIS for PSIS was just piling on.
Somehow got it all straightened out, though.
Not a Larry DAVID fan, and KLEIN was a complete unknown.
ALHAMBRA reminded me of this classic for an instrument that completely defeated me.
Cool regards
JzB
Who remembers pre-Avon cosmetics by Coty? The old tv ad featured a person opening the door only to see the top of a large hat. Then the solicitor raises her head to say, "Hello, I'm your Coty girl." This one goes way back, maybe the 50's.
Musings
-A worthy and fun challenge today from our own oracle of northern California Jerome - nicely vetted by Steve.
-After a lousy week, I hope I am now CURED of a nasty cold
-John Daley, the SLOPPY LUMMOX of the fairways
-FAT in a government budget that BILKS taxpayers? Say it ain’t so!
-HORSES and trains can both be on the RAIL
-Native Nebraskans FRED Astaire and Nick NOLTE crossed in the SE
-Playground chant: I know YOU are, but what am I?
-Hilarious Kiester commercial! (:16)
-YouTube videos of skateboard FAILS usually show males landing on a certain sensitive area
-Would anyone name a poodle Shep or Rover?
-Nice snap, Dudley!
Nice, informative write-up Steve.
Thank You for a FUN Thursday puzzle Jerome.
Also, Thank You for the NATICK photo Dudley.
This was a "total-perp-fest" ... actually the themes were fairly easy to get ...
it was the "total unknowns" ... I'm looking at ya KLEIN & TATI ... that took a while to appear.
Getting ready for the Gasparilla Pirate invasion this Saturday ...
They invade every year ... and Tampa always falls ... LOL
Cheers!
I inked up the SW with FILM and FIDO. The latter being the answer to what trivia question?
Fortunately, Larry DAVID was known from Seinfeld credits. Apparently, George was patterned after LD. Who was that actor, again? Wise choice.
I knew there had to be a theme but didn't suss it until after finishing.
More later on hidden sports references
Chuckle,
WC
Good Morning,
On the way to pick up kids from a half day of school. Mom and Dad teach in another district--another schedule.
Finally found the theme at FRENCH SCALPS, and then breezed to the finish line. Favorites: ATTIC as top story Liked LUMMOX--haven't thought about that word for a bit. SAPID is new to me--always fun to learn something.
Thanks, Jerome, and, of course, Steve for the fine tour. Way too much insider information about McDonald's. Tee Hee.
Dudley: Whenever there is knit-picking (sic) going on here, I always think of Natick, MA.
Feel better Lemony and Fermatprime.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. I have now officially (my last died the day after her 69th) outlived all my grandparents; I'm pretty glad to be around to enjoy my life.
Even if you can't find that solar orb where you are, have a sunny day.
Very enjoyable puzzle and reveal today. Thank you both, Jerome and Steve, our California connection. While it certainly wasn't a speed run, I did finish much earlier than most Thursdays. I guess most curmudgeons think alike. Only completely unknowns were "sapid" (as opposed to vapid?), "Klein" and the Shakespeare quote. Remembered TATI once the A and I were in place. He has been in crosswords before.
Well done, Owen. No grades from me. I'll be darned if I will critique my bettors.
Why should I sweat, strain and sacrifice to obtain six-pack abs when I already have pony keg abs?
Cya!
"Puzzling thoughts":
Unlike OTHERs, I found this puzzle to be more difficult than expected- I ended up googling ALHAMBRA & REPOS to help me get a foothold in the respective areas. I still finished wrong by putting TOS in stead of TO A at 58a. But it was a great theme and even better recap - all 4 spanners were cleverly clued
Write overs included: DROPPY before SLOPPY; TASTY / SAPID; WISH before FISH; REAR before DUFF; SKID before SLID - my paper grid looks like a Rorschach test
No limerick/pun with words from today, but I participated in a limerick "thread" yesterday started by a fellow named Kirk who, like I and also Owen, are "members" of a limerick and haiku blog. As mentioned, first limerick was from Kirk, second from Gary, and third from yours truly - I hope our teachers and math aficionados will be amused
At the party, a humorous bloke
Saw me shiver and suddenly spoke:
"It is ninety degrees
In the corner, so please
Go sit there." It was not acute joke.
================
For the sake of a joke, poor excuse,
Although it failed, you, to amuse
Your nose out of joint
You still got his point
This bloke was just being obtuse
================
So this bloke, try as hard as he might,
Worked his "angle" the entire night.
How could he be obtuse
When his hypotenuse
Always makes him appear to be right?
================
Wlibur - Jason Alexander played George
This IS A test. Not an EPIC FAIL but a Thursday workout. Nothing OFF here. Thanks Jerome and Steve.
Thanks also to OwenKL and Chairman Moe for your contributions today.
After starting with PALES at the wrong end of 17A and seeing COWS in the hayloft 60A, I eventually got the theme and straightened things out.
Rani before RAJA, Davey before DAVID, Tangy before SAPID. AHS or Ohs?
Unknowns were TATI, ALHAMBRA and NELLO.
I filled in KCARS automatically.
53A Declare was not the usual Avow or Aver (too short) but AFFIRM.
I wanted IRS for 4D "it may come after you" and thought that was better than ARE. I smiled at the GENE pool clue.
Like Spitzboov, I noted the numerous Fs (sometimes doubled).
No e in story for this Canadian, Steve.
Happy Australia Day kazie and thanks for the story of FATE.
Thanks for the Natick photo Dudley.
Get well soon to YR's David, Lemon,Fermatprime and any others who are under the weather.
Well the theme was obvious after filling SIX-PACK SCABS and that made the rest of the puzzle easier but I blew it because FOLK would not appear in my head. I wanted ROCK or WORD and knew 41D had to be WISH---and I was wrong. BICK or BIRK just couldn't be right and I couldn't think of BILK. Uncle. You know how it goes; you 'know' it but just couldn't 'think' of it. DNF. I had a little trouble in the ALPS as I had got off my BUTT and wrote DUFF.
A few unknowns were Larry DAVID, Allen KLEIN, and Jacques TATI- I have never heard of them and neither had MJ. I knew COCCYX but not how it was spelled. I liked the 'pool element' clue.
UTAH-duh- how many four-letter states are close to Colorado?
BIG MAC- I had a bite of one, ONCE. I don't know what is in their 'special sauce' but I didn't like it (or mayo or ketchup either)
Aced-NAILED- look at those 'old' tennis players in the finals of the Australian Open- Venus (36), Serena (35), Federer (35) and if Nadal (30) beats the young Russian Dimitrov that will truly demoralize some of the players 10-15 years younger.
Steve, don't worry about a six-pack. I'll give you one of mine and I'll still have at least six left.
Nice job, Jerome! And Steve, too, but no Macs of any kind for me.
ALHAMBRA filled first in my grid as that was a memorable TRIP for me. Our guide was a local professor and he not only had a lovely basso voice but knew historic details which enhanced the tour. And what a great memory for you, Kazie!
I enjoyed all the theme fill with their hidden messages, thank you, Jerome. Very entertaining.
Larry DAVID's name appears in so many TV shows it's almost a household name, however Allen KLEIN is not and I thought it was ECAR, so DNF for me. Drat!
And now I understand why Applebee's and IHOP are often located close to each other.
Dudley:
That's a good picture though I did wonder why you weren't wearing a jacket.
Have an excellent day, everyone! Sunny but cold here.
Speaking of SAPID, on the way home this forenoon I was passing the Thai restaurant and decided to give pad thai another chance. On your advice I asked about spiciness. I ordered a 2 out of 5 level. It was very delicious, quite sapid. I believe I would like a 3 even better, but not likely a 4 or a 5. Thanks for encouraging me to try again. PS, on the other hand, I didn't care for the seasoning in the lemon grass chicken soup.
Lemon and Bunny M, I hope your back is less painful soon. Would exercise or therapy help? There is a machine at our Y that stretches my back and has eliminated my sciatic pain most of the time.
Chairman Mao, fun poems.
Madame D. as a teacher I always wondered why the school district couldn't give us a perk that would cost them $0. A common county calendar of days off would be such an appreciated boon to us parents. Also, some of the parents of students in different schools had to deal with kids on different schedules.
I loved Mary Tyler Moore. I liked her comedic style in The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show and I loved her dancing. Her dramatic role in Ordinary People was a tour de force. I applaud her early feminism. Thank goodness for reruns. She will be sorely missed.
Lucina - on a long road trip, I prefer to take off my jacket for better driving comfort. Yesterday was nice by our standards - low 40's - so, for a short outside excursion I saw fit to leave the thing off. Soon after the photo I zipped back to the car and resumed the voyage, with the heater on.
:-)
Nice theme, which helped a lot in getting the solve today.
FWIW, for those curious, here's from Wikipedia:
Australia Day is the official National Day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip. In present-day Australia, celebrations reflect the diverse society and landscape of the nation, and are marked by community and family events, reflections on Australian history, official community awards, and citizenship ceremonies welcoming new members of the Australian community.
YR @ 12:03 ---> I hope that was a typo when you referred to me as "Chairman Mao"! I hope this was just spellchecker's way of correcting you . . . ;^) Glad that you enjoyed them.
And in keeping with what I hope was an innocent error, here is a humorous faux pas made by our 40th President, when he (on 8/17/82) introduces the Liberian Head of State as "Chairman Moe"!
This one beat me up,& took my lunch money.
Worthy of a Friday entry.
Not sure where I gave up, but I circled
two items for Blog lookup:
42a budgetary waste = fat?
4d after you is are???
Honorary mention: 1d they get carried away = repos (ouch!)
20a vegetable blank? (I totally blanked on this one...)
Allen Klein's Wiki added some interesting backstory to the Beatles.
HG, your hilarious kiester link reminded me of this little ditty...
Johnny cakes learning moment: Coffee?
I tried to find the 1950's Coty ad with the hat, without success,
what was infuriating was having to watch an ad, to watch an ad on YouTube...
(but there were diversions, #2 has a great parting line!)
& finally,
Steve, 49a, wait, you can tell by the molecular diagram
that this molecule is odorless?
If this is possible, you must enlighten me!
Hmm, what do rattlers and beer bring to mind? Always wear eye protection when sunbathing...
I think I found an alternative to exercising.
Yes, it is Chicago, but I bet it was French...
The cure for barn scowls? Go to the Spa...
Hi all!!
Quick break between classes but had to say great job, Jerome!! I was thinking of you the other day and realized we hadn't seen you in a bit. Happy to see you back, even if there aren't any anagrams :)
Thank you Steve for the lovely write up, too!
Happy Thursday!
t.
A fun puzzle with a fun theme. I liked it. Clever to change words like OWL to SCOWL and ALPS to SCALPS. I like that kind of wordplay. I didn't know Allen KLEIN and had never seen the word SAPID. I will probably forget the former and remember the latter. Steve, thank you for an entertaining and informative writeup.
Lucina, we picked up a small wedge of Cotswold Double Gloucester with chopped onions and chives from Trader Joe's and had a "pub snack" of the cheese melted on crusty bread, with a nice dark ale. I gotta tell ya, we thought that cheese is pretty good! At $10.00 per pound (we bought only about 1/5 of a pound, about $2.00) we feel the price is reasonable. Not to tell you what to do, but I will take the liberty of suggesting you rethink trying it.
We watched Theresa May address members of Congress today, and like what she had to say. She's very impressive.
Best wishes to you all.
A solid Xwd from Mr. Gunderson.
The theme came clear early on and helped me to complete several - with some nice chuckles along the way.
Jayce,
your post on Cotswold Double Gloucester with chopped onions and chives from Trader Joe's
was intriguing, I must visit my local Traders Joe's and sample this delicacy.
In the meantime, I did some research.
Did you know you can make it at home? (24:09) (yeah, I know, even I didn't have enough time to watch this whole thing...)
But more importantly: What can you do with this cheese?
Someone [*wink*] wrote "No grades from me. I'll be darned if I will critique my bettors." It gave me a mental image:
Bhen was a bookie, you wouldn't find better!
When it came to the floozies, Bhen was a bedder!
But when the mob boss
Had him bump a guy off --
And the body inter
Where road-layers were --
He just couldn't do it -- he wouldn't grade a bettor!
OKL. LOL Thanks for the jollies.
Fairly easy Thursday puzzle. Still, have no idea what Epic "fail" means. Never heard of Jacques "Tati" Good new is that Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is returning.
Celebrating and welcoming a "diverse society" how refreshing!
Lots of interesting clues and answers in this Thursday exercise. Theme was well done, I thought.
Found this puzzle enjoyable and not too hard. I did, however, have to tussle over the clue Lady's Company. After it filled itself, I finally got it. AVON, the company for ladies? Hmm. Also, I do not see BILK that often. "Take to the cleaners" made me stop and ponder.
Yes, Curb Your Enthusiasm. Did not know it was returning but am very happy to hear it.
Did the puzzle this morning and got the whole thing! Yay--many thanks, Jerome. Knew most of the names for a change, including TATI an Larry DAVID and OTERI. I knew the theme had to do with the SC in each answer, but didn't actually "get" it until Steve's expo. C.C., I loved seeing Dudley's NATICK pic.
Taught my Senior Center class on T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" this afternoon. Had a lovely group of about 14 people some of whom had taken my classes previously. But in spite of my best efforts, some were not crazy about the poem, finding it disjointed and hard to understand. Modern lit is not always the easiest subject to teach, or to tackle, for that matter. Hope they'll like Gertrude Stein's "The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas" a little better next month.
NBA er after three straight games. _____
50s NBA ers like George Mikan. Big ______
Robinson late of the Spurs. _____
Chuck of the 30s Phillies. _____
____ Biletnikov
See. Jerome could have ruined Thursday.
Ans: 21a, 22a, 34a,43a,68a. And..
Too many turnovers: _____ play
24a
Like many of those 50s NBA LUMMOXES John Daly is quite graceful. Speaking of.
Anybody see the figure skating commercial with the "graceful" Sumo wrestler? The frown on oksana baiul's face is priceless
Ps. FIdo was honest Abe's dog
WC
Ps. Of the three I like C-Moe's. Honestly
Owen. Thx for that extra lick.
Hi All!
Thanks Jerome; I looked at the by-line and took a deep breath. I wish I could say I NAILED it... Alas, I left ODD in for 62 and, sure why not Adele & DRED? Bzzt. Fun theme tho.
Thanks Steve for the AHS and chuckles. That 10:35Mac looks like it would cure one from a long night of party'n.' :-)
WOs: Hand-up tAsty b/f Larry (almost ink'd that!) DAVID fixed it; SkID b/f SLID. "And w/ you" b/f ARE. However, the error resulted in 'coLd SCALES.' I thought "what a lame entry Jerome..." until I AVAIL'd myself to fix the corner.
Cheat: COCCYX is new to me.
ESPs: TATI; alHAMBRA (AL was a WAG on my part).
Fav: c/a for GENE pool. The word Keister was fun too...
{C+,A,B,B+} {Har, Har; cute}
Thanks for the tourist pic Dudley! I think I'll spell Natick w/o a second N next time :-)
CED - you outdid yourself (and I too stop'd the PONE video at about 1:20)
Today, as part of my Cyber-Awareness campaign, I tested a new "Phish" to trick the users and, if they give up their password, send them to further training. However, I need a name. The from line reads:
From: Mike.Keister
Cheers, -T
(with apologies to Click & Clack)
WC @ 7:35
First, thanks - I enjoy doing the "licks" - actually, I do them for my Mom (who is 88 yrs young), and share them (and others I find) most every day. She's been a widow now for 13+ years, and my Dad used to do them, too. It brings a smile - or groan - to her, which is more than I could ever hope for.
Second, I like your clues. I will play along!
NBA er after three straight games. ACHY
50s NBA ers like George Mikan. Big MAC
Robinson late of the Spurs. DAVID (THE ADMIRAL)
Chuck of the 30s Phillies. KLEIN
____ Biletnikov ???? However, if you spell it Biletnikoff then the answer is FRED
See. Jerome could have ruined Thursday.
Ans: 21a, 22a, 34a,43a,68a. And..
Too many turnovers: SLOPPY play
24a
As an aside, I can't help but think of thiswhen I see your name! No offense meant; I was a big fan of the show as a kid . . . ;^)
Jinx - Larry doing Bernie (SNL 10m). Cheers, -T
I used to get that all the time. Btw. The 50s NBA forwards and centers were often Big LUMMOXes. Not necessarily Mikan.
Btw. I was working on a 'lick from yesterday's fodder:
R2 and JAR JAR needed a referee
MEATBALL sub or pastrami
Said Yoda: "I'm actually a fan
Of cuisine Italian
ie. IN THE MIDDLE, MEET ME
I think I hear Owen groaning
WC in the gloaming
WC - Not just OKL ;-)
Rainman & Ray o' Sun - good to see you!
I didn't chime in re: MTM. I just read all about her in the paper. DW & I, early in our marriage / college days, watched all the DVD Shows ["Oh, Rooob!"] on Nick @ Nite and I grew up with her on TMTM Show. I learned that MTM productions was behind WKRP too! RIP MTM.
I'm going to defend my "and" as a You follower with Alien Shore [Rush]. Look how many times And follows You!
I may be absent for a few days... Eldest has vocal tryouts in Norman, OK on Sat so we fly tomorrow. BOOMER!
Cheers, -T
*Groan*
Said the MEATBALL to the Prego JAR, "Here's a riddle
What can you do when the noodles are too little?"
"The sauce," said the JAR,
"Can stretch only so far,
For the rest, it would have to have MEAT IN THE MIDDLE!"
Jayce:
Thank you for that suggestion. I shall try it.
Got the theme and FIR. Loved "Pool element" for GENE.
But I am not sure if we are missing some deeper meaning of the theme? I get that SC was added to the start of the second word of the theme answers. But why SC? What am I missing?
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