Theme: "French Connection" - Two words of the same meanings & same letter count are placed side by side. The first one is of French origin.
22A. Outcome : DENOUEMENT. Notice all the French-rooted words are English words. J'AI FAIM & I'M HUNGRY won't work. Wrong letter count also.
24A. Outcome : RESOLUTION
38A. "Win some, lose some" : C'EST LA VIE
41A. "Win some, lose some" : THAT'S LIFE. Same clues too of course.
65A. Bare : AU NATUREL
68A. Bare : BUCK-NAKED
91A. "Confidentially ... " : ENTRE NOUS. Also the title of this popular book. The author is actually an American.
94A. "Confidentially ... " : BETWEEN US
110A. Fine dining aficionados : BON VIVANTS
113A. Fine dining aficionados : EPICUREANS. Our Steve is one. Does the new consulting gig mean you've left Oracle?
All the French words are placed in front. Very consistent.
The separate 10 theme entries work like grid-spanners, in a way. I don't believe Paul put those black square stair steps in the middle on purpose. Just the result of grid design restrictions.
Across:
1. Starbucks serving : LATTE. Not MOCHA.
6. Pound foot? : IAMB. Ezra Pound.
10. Busy co. on Mother's Day : FTD. Our flea markets here officially kick off on Mother's Day. Some open today. Yay!
13. Put forward : POSED
18. Get too close to : CROWD
19. Françoise's friend : AMIE. 98. Coup target : ETAT. Stray French.
20. __ moment : AHA. Not IN A.
21. Capricious : FICKLE
22A. Outcome : DENOUEMENT. Notice all the French-rooted words are English words. J'AI FAIM & I'M HUNGRY won't work. Wrong letter count also.
24A. Outcome : RESOLUTION
38A. "Win some, lose some" : C'EST LA VIE
41A. "Win some, lose some" : THAT'S LIFE. Same clues too of course.
65A. Bare : AU NATUREL
68A. Bare : BUCK-NAKED
91A. "Confidentially ... " : ENTRE NOUS. Also the title of this popular book. The author is actually an American.
110A. Fine dining aficionados : BON VIVANTS
113A. Fine dining aficionados : EPICUREANS. Our Steve is one. Does the new consulting gig mean you've left Oracle?
All the French words are placed in front. Very consistent.
The separate 10 theme entries work like grid-spanners, in a way. I don't believe Paul put those black square stair steps in the middle on purpose. Just the result of grid design restrictions.
Across:
1. Starbucks serving : LATTE. Not MOCHA.
6. Pound foot? : IAMB. Ezra Pound.
10. Busy co. on Mother's Day : FTD. Our flea markets here officially kick off on Mother's Day. Some open today. Yay!
13. Put forward : POSED
18. Get too close to : CROWD
19. Françoise's friend : AMIE. 98. Coup target : ETAT. Stray French.
20. __ moment : AHA. Not IN A.
21. Capricious : FICKLE
26. It's a long story : SAGA
27. Advanced legal deg. : LLM. Master of Laws. Not LLD today. Also 44. Legal agreement : LEASE
28. Souvenirs with three holes in them : TEES. I was picturing a bowling ball. Pricey souvenir.
30. Is down with : HAS
31. Dr.'s order : MRI. Not EEG/MED
32. Keisters : CABOOSES
35. 640 acres: Abbr. : SQ MI. Drew a blank.
37. Hosea contemporary : AMOS. Biblical prophets. Also 52. Mount delivery : SERMON
45. Countryman of Gary Player : ERNIE ELS. George (Big Easy on our blog) has met Ernie Els a few times. Different format at Zurich Classic this year.
47. Training group : CADRE
50. One may be named for a president : ERA
51. Spread out : SPLAY
53. Onward in time : FORTH. Not AHEAD.
56. Often elided pronoun : YOU ALL
58. Grandpa Walton portrayer : GEER (Will). Used him in my own grid once.
60. Like Perot in the 1992 pres. election : IND (Independent)
61. The '70s, in a Tom Wolfe essay : ME DECADE
64. __ club : GLEE. Not GOLF.
70. Put __ appearance : IN AN. I had ON AN.
71. Org. with lanes : PBA. Lisa, one of Boomer's bowling friends, had two perfect games in a row in February. Their Monday league has many top bowlers.
72. Elegantly, to Vivaldi : GRAZIOSO. New word to me. Sounds thankful.
74. Offense : SIN
75. Bell curve figure : MEAN. Got via crosses.
76. Like a quarter's edge : REEDED. Not a word I use.
77. Coagulates : CLOTS
81. Rifled : LOOTED
83. In the cards : FATED
84. Routine first baseman? : WHO. Who's on First?
85. Go after : ENSUE. TTP is chasing morels these days. Do you eat them fresh or do you dry them?
86. Mushers' transports : DOG SLEDS
89. "I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie" author : EBERT
96. Gospel singer Winans : CECE. Same pronunciation as my name, right?
99. The 3rd Avenue line was the last of them to operate in Manhattan : EL TRAINS. Drew a blank.
101. Beatle bride : ONO
102. Actress Garner, familiarly : JEN. Wish they were still together.
105. Singer DiFranco : ANI
106. Sorts : ILKS
116. Senescence : OLD AGE. Senescence sounds old.
117. Even so : YET
118. Take-out order? : DELE. Gimme for regulars.
119. Snowy __ : EGRET
120. Holds up : LASTS
121. News letters : UPI
122. Cheek : SASS
123. Chinese toys, for short : PEKES. Toy dogs.
Down:
1. Some SLR displays : LCDs
2. Side squared, for a square : AREA
3. Chinese secret society : TONG. A bit obscure.
4. Feature of many Broadway musicals : TWO ACTS
5. Email ending : EDU
6. 1975 Jackson 5 hit : I AM LOVE. The answer filled in itself.
7. Autobiographical subtitle : A MEMOIR
8. Time div. : MIN
9. Actress Davis : BETTE
10. Make out : FARE
11. Site of Mount Olympus : THESSALY. Somewhere here.
12. "__ Kapital" : DAS
13. Name of 12 popes : PIUS
14. Fall mo. : OCT
15. Whole alternative, in Nottingham : SKIMMED MILK. Skimmed makes better sense.
16. Ecuadoran province once famous for its gold : EL ORO
17. Patron saint of France : DENIS. Sometimes it's DENYS.
21. Swing wildly : FLAIL
23. Island near Corsica : ELBA. BunnyM is going to her little island in the Mexican Caribbean next week. They go there every year to celebrate their wedding anniversary, I think.
25. Resistance units : OHMs
29. Co-star of Bea, Betty and Rue : ESTELLE. "The Golden Girls"
33. Amber __ : ALE
34. Erotic : SENSUAL
36. Parts of gals. : QTs
37. A long way off : AFAR
38. Pitch indicator : CLEF. Musical pitch!
39. Architect Saarinen : EERO
40. Coal-rich German region : SAAR
42. Get better : HEAL. Positive thoughts to our Lemonade and a few others. Hope all's good, Spitzboov!
43. Champagne bucket, e.g. : ICER
46. Apple variety : iPAD
48. Actress Blakley : RONEE. Forgot. We had her a while ago.
52. Watch word? : SEIKO. Tricky clue. Plus, so many five-letter watch brands.
54. Fed after tax evaders : T-MAN
55. Worked (up) : HET
56. __ Buena, town that became San Francisco : YERBA
57. Continental divide? : OCEAN. Great clue.
58. Surgical dressing : GAUZE
59. Castilian hero : EL CID
62. Had : DUPED
64. Canterbury pen : GAOL. Jail.
65. Bridal path : AISLE. Side by side with 66. Wedding : UNION
67. They go by in a flash : NANOSECONDS. Another great clue/fill combo.
68. Banker's bane : BAD DEBT
69. Pres. advisory team : NSC
72. Prepares : GETS SET
73. It holds the line : REEL
75. Face : MEET
76. Popular pasta topping : RAGU. Staple in our household.
78. Actor Wilson : OWEN
79. By way of, briefly : THRU
80. Tipplers : SOTS
82. Air : TUNE
83. One may echo in an alley : FOOTSTEP. The image reminds me of the frequent plot device in Chinese movies about 1940's.
86. Chain letters? : DNA. Fun clue also.
87. Obstructs the progress of : DERAILS
88. Batting positions : STANCES
89. Poetic dusk : E'EN. Evening.
90. Surround : BESIEGE
92. Superman player : REEVE
93. It towers over Taormina : ETNA. Not familial with Taormina. I do know 104. Italian wine center : ASTI
95. 2012 Nintendo debut : WII U
96. Early computer language : COBOL
97. __ Gay: WWII bomber : ENOLA
100. West Yorkshire city : LEEDS
102. Sprightly dances : JIGS
107. Frolic : LARK
108. Cap site : KNEE. Kneecap.
109. Retired fliers : SSTs
111. Winery sight : VAT
112. Manhattan sch. : NYU
114. Patch grower : PEA. No peas in our small garden. I do love sugar peas.
43 comments:
Hi Y'all! Great puzzle, Paul! Great expo, C.C! Yes, Cece Winans is pronounced the same as your name. Knew of her.
I couldn't remember how to spell C'EST for a minute, but had LA VIE. I got the theme on this which helped on the "bare" and "dining" clues. On the other two, I didn't know either the French or English words so perped & red-lettered. Got AMIE & ETAT okay.
640 acres = SQ MI was a gimmee in a farmer's vernacular.
FORT_ stumped me. H? Oh.
Quarter's edges are REEDED? Live & learn.
Senescence = OLD AGE was a learning moment. Must have the same base as senile which will keep me from remembering that.
To anon of yesterday who is struggling with crosswords: CWs have their own vocabulary to which a new constructor has to become accustomed. Takes awhile. The clues are so often "cute" or "puns" and tricky so you have to get accustomed to thinking on more than one meaning level. Once you get into the swing of it, it is rewarding. Don't expect to get everything. I always work online with red-letters and treat the puzzle as a piece of research rather than a school test that I'm expected to know. I have trouble with East Coast constructors because I'm mid-continent, but do better all the time. Keeps the SENESCENCE at bay. Good luck!
Greetings!
Thanks to Paul and C. C.!
Loved the theme! Went pretty fast after the first pair.
Scratched head at REEDED.
Otherwise OK.
Have a great day!
FIRbTD! First run I had too many blanks, so put it down, and came back later most of it fell in place. Had ICEd > ICER as the only correction needed after the no-ta-da told me I still had an error.
So many w/os, like BUttNAKED > BUCK and others. Took me a while to realize the souvenirs were TEE-shirts!, not golf tees or something. 3 holes? Couldn't think of anything except bowling balls! And even then, shouldn't it be 4 holes?
Not to build a reputation for a tongue that's loose,
But just BETWEEN US, my friend, ENTRE NOUS,
Boss says his wife is EPICUREAN
Her zippers surely are endure-ian,
She GETS SET to eat with shovels, from the size of her CABOOSE!
[I know the S is silent in French. This is a pretentious Americanization!]
Thanks, C.C., you're right, the stairway happened on its own. Not optimal for grid flow, of course, but I couldn't make it work out better. Owen, once again, I got a real belly laugh from your ditty. The title is Rich's - which I like a lot better than my working title of French Twist. I wanted to get in the theme's central idea of Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose/The more things change, the more they stay the same, but I couldn't quite get it to fit on one line. All kidding aside, I did try to use only common phrases that had crossed over into English, so that solvers wouldn't need to know French to finish this. Maybe I'll do a Spanish version next - any suggestions for well known phrases, guys?
Good morning!
Thanks, C.C., and thanks Paul for dropping by. Wanted REAR ENDS for "Keisters" until CABOOSES squashed that. I liked the way the EL TRAINS were crossed by DERAILS. I agree with OwenKL that TEES have four holes, not three. I've never heard anybody say YOU ALL; it's always Y'ALL in the south, and up north it's YOU GUYS or YOUSE GUYS.
C.C., I got TONG immediately, maybe from all those James Clavell novels. I like my morel mushrooms beer-battered and deep-fried. Mmmmmm, getting hungry just thinking about 'em. I envy you, TTP. They're fun to hunt, but even more fun to eat.
Good morning all. Thank you Paul and thank you CC.
I picked up the Sunday edition of the paper yesterday morning and did the puzzle yesterday afternoon. PVX ought to love this one.
Got the first complete pair at EPICUREANS and BON VIVANTS, even though I had the english part of the rest of them filled in by then.
Biggest trouble area was GRAZIOSO, GAUZE, GEER, ALI and and SEIKO because I hastily penned in ICEd. Couldn't quite bring GEER to the forefront. NSC evaded me and I had GAEL. Also had MEDOCADE and YORBA. Oh well. I had fun.
I too though the clue for OCEAN was great (after I got it). COBOL ? That should be fresh in a few minds around here.
Morel hunting is going fine CC. I don't clean and freeze them like a friend of mine does. But then again, I don't hunt them for six to eight hours a day either. He drives all over creation to hunt them. I just pick what I can find in an hour or two in my favorite woods not far from the house. I usually clean and and eat them when I get home. I rinse them clean and blot them dry with paper towels, and then saute them in butter. I bought a rib eye as a side dish to them for tonight's dinner.
Never found them wild in my time in Texas D-O, and I'm sure you are recalling them from your time in Wisconsin. But in case you are interested, there was a place near downtown called Paris Gourmet that was a supplier of goods to area French restaurants. Not sure if they are still there, but they sold dried morels by the pound. They tasted just fine when resaturated.
Gotta run. See all y'all later n'at !
Je ne parle pas francais ( one year of HS French) but the theme answers were easy fills. Where I blew it was on the WAG of YORBA Buena instead of YERBA Buena and HOT for HET, thinking that MoDoCADE (I see TTP had MEDOCADE & YORBA) was some French expression I'd never seen before.
I think every decade is the ME DECADE and it's getting worse. Just observe the people that are hooked of Facebook and are constantly posting about themselves.
I was confused in the NE when I filled POSIT for 'Put forward' but the Spanish and French 'IL ORO' & 'TENIS' just didn't look right. Going to past tense for 'put' changed those to EL ORO & POSED. LLM- a new one; LLD wouldn't work and J.D. wasn't enough letters. REEDED, RONEE, CECE, I AM LOVE- unknowns filled by perps. 'Senescence' is a new one. I'm just glad 'OLD AGE' wasn't the clue for SENSESCENCE to be the answer.
OWEN- I also filled BUTT NAKED before the perps took card or it.
And C.C., while speaking about The Big Easy ( not Ernie or me), this town is full of pseudo- EPICUREANS & BON VIVANTS. Way too many overpriced restaurants.
I loved the theme, which I soon sussed. The puzzle went exceptionally fast for a Sunday, too good to last. Then I came to a screeching halt in the apple variety section. I am buying apples for a pie and so apple did not compute. I knew Tom Wolfe's essay was all about ME, the ME generation, the ME age, but didn't think of decade. I knew lanes were about bowling but didn't get the P in PGA. So three red letters, the two D's in ME DECADE and the P in PBA. The easy IPAD fill would have made it all okay. Even an mental ABC run didn't help.C'est la vie.
It is interesting where we choose to drop the D. We say SKIM milk instead of SKIMMED milk. We say say ICE CREAM and ICE WATER, but for a long time insisted on ICED TEA. Now ICED TEA is still the most used, but ICE TEA is becoming common. The British say SKIMMED milk, but call MASHED POTATOES, MASH. Speaking of ICED, does Tinbeni ice his champange?
Good Morning:
I actually smiled when I caught on to the theme. Tres bien, Monsieur Paul. My only serious hang up was being convinced that Ridged was correct until perps forced the change to Reeded, which still has me flummoxed. Other than that, I loved the theme, the fill, and the clever cluing.
Thank you, Paul, for a truly enjoyable solve and for dropping by and thanks, CC, for being our lovely hostess with the mostest!
PK, seems you're still quite the night owl. (I hope you have at least gotten to the grocery store by now!)
Anonymous T, FLN, just loved the two doggie poems, especially the very last line in the second one. Thanks for posting that clip.
Have a great day.
IMO, sometimes the Bell Curve does not apply, like when you teach a class of equally gifted, highly motivated over-achievers. Our school board wanted to grade teachers on a bell curve. If they have hired that many below average teachers, they should be ashamed. They did boast they had an exceptional staff. Illogical. They under paid us in comparison to similar nearby districts, so we joked that our motto should be, "The best for less."
In college we had a prof who gave very difficult tests. One time I studied very hard and had the highest percentage grade ever in that class, but I received a C. Some of the students had gotten hold of the test in advance and passed it around. They aced it and greatly skewed the Bell Curve.
Musings
-Big deal – French words. Wait a minute, they’re familiar words followed by their English equivalent! Tres bien!
-POSIT/POSED, FACILE/FICKLE and PAUL/PIUS slowed NE progress
-Oops, I didn’t untangle FORGE/FORTH – TMAN/GMAN, MADECADE/MEDECADE
-What will be… Que Sera Sera has too many letters and is Spanish
-640 Acres = a SQ MI or a SECT. – familiar around here
-Monty Python POSED the idea that the CROWD was so big for the Sermon on the MOUNT that those AFAR heard “Blessed are the cheesemakers”
-Lots of positive and negative opinions on this presidential ERA
-The bell curve is left-skewed in schools today
-Chef Eddie Huang was upset how his MEMOIR was whitewashed for TV
-Grandson will go to Pope Pius X H.S. in Lincoln, NE next year
-Advice to angry cwd solvers is in the punchline for, “Doctor, doctor it hurts when I do this…”
-Can anyone else imagine Splynter’s attitude would be about this puzzle?
Hello Puzzlers -
Technical DNF today due to a few small blunders, but no matter. The puzzle itself was superbly executed, IMHO.
Morning C.C., good to see your style today!
Terrific puzzle and write-up. Paul and C.C. "French Twist" is also a good title. Won't do for your Spanish puzzle, though.
Along with TTP and Big Easy I had "modocade." I also had a problem with the second i in "wii u" crossing "Ani" Embarrassing.
"Puzzling Thoughts":
Loved today's puzzle and recap! Great theme, very consistent, and all phrases that are commonly known. Tres bon!
I had several write overs and a couple cheats but hey, that's a Sunday puzzle for you!
On a personal note, thanks for the kind words, thoughts, prayers etc for our family with the passing of my uncle. I will be off the grid the week after next as I help my aunt and cousins and attend a memorial service
Today's puzzle allowed me to create a WC/Owen as well as a Moe-Ku:
At the stag party he showed off his Id
When he approached the cute doe, asked, "Hey kid,
Are you one of those gals
Who goes AU NATUREL?"
"'Cause if so, I like being BUCK NAKED!"
Popeye the poet
Likes rhymes. 'Cause he always says,
"IAMB what IAMB!"
What happened to Lucinda? I miss her.
I still take the printed edition of the LA Times. Today there was no crossword. In its place in the comic section was children's activities. Anyone know if it is hidden somewhere else. I guess its time to drop a 35 year habit.
Hello everyone.
Thanks for the good wishes, C.C.
Good puzzle with the usual fodder. I love peas, too.
OCEAN - clue/fill quality is in the eyes of the beholder, I guess. Africa, Europe, Asia, are not separated from each other by OCEANS. Neither are N and S America. Australia is separated from Asia by a bunch of islands and Seas. Antarctica is separated from S. America by the Drake Passage. For a clue: like "It tells time", the answer could be 'broken watch' because it would be right twice each day.
I was wondering where Lucina is, too. I thought she wrote something a while back about visiting friends or family.
Good day to YOU ALL!
Thoroughly enjoyed today's "French Connection" puzzle. Favorite clue/answer was "Routine first baseman?" for WHO. POSit before POSED made the far NE the last to fall. Thank you, C.C., for guiding us along today.
Enjoy the day!
Clever puzzle, Paul, and thanks for stopping by. And always helpful commentary, C.C.--many thanks. I have a busy morning and busy day so only got about 2/3 of the puzzle before I had to start cheating--partly because there were quite a number of unknowns for me. But I loved the theme when I finally got it, even with my poor French. So, a fun puzzle morning after all.
Chuck, so sorry to hear about your LA Times problem. I get the LA Times too, and the puzzle was right there on the back of the comic page, like always, with Fox Trot on the back. Hope you were able to get it on line.
Have a great Sunday, everybody!
Chuck Lindgren--We also receive the LA times newspaper in print on Sunday. Our edition has the crossword in the comics section today on page H3. There are no children's activities. Maybe your edition moved it back to the Arts section. Hope you find it.
Chuck, TBTimes stuck the XW in the editorial section awhile back.
Yes, I immediately thought of Splynter seeing all that Fwanche. Chuckle.
Despite that I didn't see AU NATUREL for awhile. Then it was time for Golden corral and Betsy gave me GAUZE. However, here's where I have a nit:
Watch word? SEIKO. I had SEEKS.
Then again I had MID DECADE.
Some days we're just stupid, right YR? Or is it indeed, senescence. That's the reason I don't like to "cheat". Because ofthe reveal and V8 can whack that ENSUES.
C-Moe, PwD**; Owen: B+. I might have something coming later.
WC
Somehow I got a mix of OC register and LA times today in the inserts. GRRR !
Hand up for POSIT first. And speaking of YORBA, wasn't he some Greek guy? (No, your socks aren't slipping--I was pulling your leg...)
This took me a bit longer than usual; I started in the NW and flew through it but then the EL TRAIN went off the tracks and there went my fly-through. Fun puzzle.
WC, speak for yourself, my friend. I call my lapses, "senior moments." ��
I loved the OCEAN clue. The Atlantic separates North America from Europe and the Pacific separates North American from Asia. Oceans separate some of the continents,just not all of them. It is best not to over-think the clues.
This puzzle shows, yet again, how much the English language borrows from other languages.This borrowing greatly enriches and expands our ability to express ourselves. Have you ever noticed that a dual language dictionary, English and French, English and German, for example, have much larger English sections, than the sections for the other language.
Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Paul Coulter, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, C.C., for a fine review.
Thanks for stopping by, Paul Coulter. Great puzzle.
Started on this before church and finished after church. Went fairly easily. Helped after I sussed the theme.
I had CON VIVANTS, and then COBOL gave me BON VIVANTS.
Learned a new word today SENESCENCE.
Had GRAZIOSO spelled with a C until GAUZE fixed that.
Never knew of the origin of San Francisco. Interesting. YERBA BUENA.
Have to run. See you tomorrow.
Abejo ( )
Greetings Puzzlers!
The puzzle today was definitely a challenge - French is not my strong suit - but I was able to work my way thru eventually. Thank you, Paul, for the many learning moments. I look forward to a Spanish version, it would take some thinking but you can do it. Thank you CC for the reveal as well.
It's been many years since I watched Who's on First. I first heard it on the radio! There was an AM channel that played old radio shows and my grandparents would listen to it. The Mystery Hour stuff was riveting!
DH gets many recipe ideas from Epicurious. He never follows any one recipe but rather combines multiple to make his own wondrous creation. I have no cooking talents beyond Ramen Noodles or eggs (scrambled with cheese or over easy - those are your options).
I had trouble parsing ME DECADE because my brain kept seeing MEDICADE.
Off to work in the yard and enjoy our sunshine! It's a little strange having free time after spending the last 2.5 years studying. But I have officially turned in my last assignment and met with my professor for the final time - all that is left is graduation this Friday. Hard to believe! Thanks to all of you for the support over the years. This page has often been the only distraction I would allow myself and I'm glad you all are still here <3
Happy Sunday,
t.
C'est un bon dimanche quand je finis . . . Thanks for the fun, Paul and C.C. (CECE), and for dropping in, Paul.
This puzzle had a few inkblots and required several Google helps. I did seem to be misdirected quite often as well.
My "Pound foot?" was Jamb because I was thinking about squishing my foot in a door. The resulting Jackson 5 Hit of JamLOVE was lost on me. (Maybe they liked PB&J!)
"Mount delivery" had me thinking of the Pony Express and with my incorrect 48D of Renee instead of RONEE, I was trying to fit postmen or something similar instead of SERMON.
Then my take-out order was from the Deli, until I edited! to DELE.
I had Ruhr before SAAR, and Icey before ICED, and was trying to fit Ridged in for REEDED (apparently it is a term used for the grooved edge of some coins and was done originally to prevent people from clipping off the valuable metal). Now you have me inspecting my TOONIE which is semi-REEDED. This requires more investigation!
I asked DH about the 640 acres and he told me that it was a SQ MI or Sect(ion) in Saskatchewan. I waited for perps to decide.
COBOL was easy after the computer discussion of AnonT and others recently. (Thanks for the poetry link last night AnonT. I enjoyed it.) C Moe, I enjoyed your lines today also.
I didn't understand 84A "routine first baseman?=WHO" even with C.C.'s "Who's on First". But when I Google, a USA Today CW clue of "Comedy routine first baseman?" comes up, also a Wikipedia article about a famous Abbott and Costello routine called "Who's on First", and then I found the YouTube video. It's hilarious. Am I the only one who didn't know this one?? (plus I prefer the "Comedy" clue).
Who'sOnFirst
Have a great day.
LOL, tawnya, I should have refreshed and read your info about Abbott and Costello. Glad to see you back with us and to see that you are "all finished but the celebrating"!
Dudley said it best: "The puzzle itself was superbly executed." Putting in LLD instead of LLM messed me up in that area for a long time. GRAZIOSO seems to mean more like "gracefully" than "elegantly," but I understood the clue. Maybe it was not allowed to use "graceful" in the clue.
Been doing very little typing lately, hence my very brief posts. An attack of gout has rendered my right hand completely useless for the past two weeks and it is just now beginning to recover. I had no idea how helpless being one-handed would make me and how many simple things would be almost or completely impossible to do. I am extremely grateful to my dear wife for being such a terrific helper, as I have told her many times.
Best wishes to you all.
Sunday Lurk say...
Perfect Puzzle for today.... Vive la France! - The givers and keepers of Democracy!
Let's hope Macron's win stops the global-wave of populism before Germany's vote - remember the last time Germany went for a populace candidate? ;-)
Paul C.- you asked re: Spanish Phrases? Si. <-link
Que sera sera
Aficionado
Desperado
Mañana
I can't think of any full phrases save the 1st (and HG @9:58 reminded me of it).
I too miss Lucina. And I have a selfish reason for her return... I bought a(n?) herb I thought was cilantro but it is culantro [dyslexia!]; if anyone would know what to do with it, Lucina or Steve would. [It smells like a lemony-cilantro and it's leaves are very pokie].
IM & C, Eh! - glad you enjoyed. If I'd been introduced to poets like Collins in HS I would have had an interest. Instead, I turned to Rock-n-Roll for my prose: Entre Nous. [BunnyM knew RUSH was coming w/ that c/a :-) Link w/ lyrics for OKL]
And C, Eh! - Com'on, if I know Red Green you should know Abbot & Costello. Yes, Who's on 1st is a classic that is part of what little culture America has :-). What's really funny, it came to pass!
{LOL!} {cute, moan :-)}
ChuckL - I hope you find your printed puzzle. The Houston Chron runs last week NYT and, with prep-for-the-week, I don't have time to go print it and then play - I got laundry done, built a roast, readied Monday's steak, built a PASTA SALAD [Monday c/a!], made hummus, and still have to get cukes from the garden for tonights salad. Sunday's are too busy for a 25x25 - so I just lurk [and aggravate :-)].
Congrats Tawnya! We've been pulling for you and knew you would do it. Enjoy the sun, girl, you deserve it!
Cheers, -T
A three hour slog for me, but it all fell in place sans "het" which I've never heard of. Clever theme, though I always have trouble with French spelling. Interesting: the way foreign phrases creep into our language, especially from the Romance Languages. They seem so commonplace that one hardly notices them as "foreign". Guess that all languages are flexible and adaptable.
I'd feel for you, Jayce, if my hand could feel. LOL. Must be horrible and frustrating to have a painful non-functioning hand. What can you do for it? My herniated cervical disc often makes my left hand very clumsy and tingling,but it is not totally useless and is not painful. Actually, I often imagine what it must be like to have your problem. Emotionally, I do FEEL for you. I hope you recover soon. Lucky you with a wonderful wife.
Home at last! Home sweet home! Thank you Hot Tamale, Spitz and AnonT for asking about me. For two weeks I was helping a friend who had a double hip replacement so did a lot of cooking and grocery shopping in beautiful, cool, picturesque Carmel, Ca. It's good to be home but I loved it there.
And apparently senescence has overcome me as it took way too long to finish this delightful puzzle. And thank you, Paul Coulter for your comments. Solving was entertaining but GRAZIOSO, REEDED, ME DECADE and a few others just wouldn't emerge or perhaps I never knew some of them. Finally I had to go for Google help to finish and you all know how I hate that.
Tawnya, congratulations on your great accomplishments and good luck in the future.
Jayce, I'm so sorry you are experiencing gout! Is that a consequence of diabetes? What a painful fate.
Anyone else, if I missed your milestones or ills, I hope you triumphed over all. It's great to be back.
I hope your Sunday has been wonderful.
Tawnya ~ Congratulations! All that hard work paid off.
Jayce ~ I hope you get some relief and start feeling better soon.
Lucina ~ Welcome home; you were missed by all!
HG ~ Your punchline about the "Doctor, when I do this it hurts...." reminded me of an elderly aunt's experience with a doctor who was sorely lacking a soothing bedside manner. While he was examining her ailing husband, she said, "Doctor, I don't like the way he looks," to which the doctor replied sharply, "Well, then, don't look at him!" (This happened many, many years ago.)
Can a two-word phrase be a pronoun (56A)? Unless "y'all" is the pronoun - but then "y'all" is _always_, not often, elided?
Doesn't "sate" mean fill _to_ full, not _past_ full (103A)?
That said, my DNF is due to my inability to spell "besiege" properly. I did wonder about "elks" for 106A but "I before e except after c or when sounding like 'ee'" so I stuck with it. :-(
Tanya, congratulations. Bon chance avec la nouvelle vie.
YR. STUPID is used differently in Boston. It was my father's favorite word and I've often referred to my good friend Mr Stupidity.
For awhile, I had TINEN for CONtinenTAL divide. I guess Paul isn't one of those guys.
WC
Jayce: glad you are recovering from gout. I never heard of it in a hand. Had a dear friend who had it in one leg/foot. Hope your recovery is total and fast. Cherish that lovely helper.
Lucina, welcome home. I remembered you saying you were leaving so didn't ask.
Yay, Tawnya, Bravo clap clap clap clap!
IM: Yep, I got to the grocery store this morning. I'd been out of milk and bread for a week. Using my last roll of T-paper so had to make the trip. Was feeling pretty good at 6 a.m. today so was at the store by 6:30 without makeup, thinking I wouldn't see anyone I knew. Ran into my dear son-in-law first thing on his way to work at the hospital. That's a good time to shop. I ran thru there with no interference from other cart traffic. Came home and carried it in. Was in bed asleep by 9 a.m. and slept until 6 p.m. I hate this being up all night business. My family is meeting in a couple weeks for a brunch for my graduating granddaughter. I've got to get on a daylight schedule before that or go as a zombie.
Welcome back, Lucina.
Also good to hear from Bobbi again.
Jayce, hope your hand improves soon.
AnonT, I do know Red Green (in fact my nephew went to school with his son) and I am familiar with Abbott and Costello, but did not remember that particular routine. Canadians had Wayne and Shuster who were hilarious also. So much current comedy is just crude IMO!
Jayce, good luck with your hand woes. I'm hoping for immediately long-term improvement.
Lucina, it's nice to hear from you again.
Congratulations Tawnya!!
I went to get a macchiato this afternoon. My car was parked right outside. Just before I went to leave, the rain started coming down in buckets. I had remembered to bring an umbrella just in case but I had left in the car. Both of the young people working there volunteered to get my umbrella. Talk about good service. Geez...
Sunday Lurk adds...
Good to have you home Lucina!
C, Eh! Re-read what I typed... I know you'd know Red Green; I meant- if I know your funny peeps, you'd know ours... Anyway, 'twas a joke that fell flat re: Abbaaaat! & Castello; maybe I shoulda spent another ':-)' emoji :-).
But! Now my culture is more complete... I Googled Wayne & Shuster -even the intro is funny (and apropos!). I will control myself and not stay up all night learnin'
I agree that a lot of today's comedy can turn one (including me) off due to unnecessary vulgarities. When done right, with a comedic point/punctuation, I don't mind one of the seven-dirty-words [Google Carlin :-)], but when it's gratuitous [see: Eddie Murphy's early work], I can leave it.
Play tomorrow. Cheers, -T
Thank you for the welcome thoughts, my friends! I missed you all and missed puzzling but there was no time for it. I hope to catch up on all your situations in due time.
Jayce, that sounds so painful. Is there any way to alleviate gout? Like others I had heard of it only affecting the legs and feet.
Didn't get to this yesterday, but enjoyed it today, although I had a lot of writeovers.
Another case where I loved the theme, but some of the fill, not so much.
Can someone please explain this explanation:
"Notice all the French-rooted words are English words." I don't get what this means?
Never heard of BUCK NAKED. Only BUTT NAKED. But that was not a problem.
But ICED/GEED seemed OK. Never heard of GEER, so GEED seemed just as good.
Hand up for GAEL.
Never heard of LARK used that way. Anyone else?
Never heard of JEN Garner, WII U, SAAR, CECE, PBA, DENIS, EL ORO. At least EL ORO could be figured out.
If you go to San Francisco from Oakland over the Bay Bridge you pass over Yerba Buena Island. That is one remaining bit of the original name.
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