google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday, January 15, 2018 ~ John Lampkin

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Jan 15, 2018

Monday, January 15, 2018 ~ John Lampkin

Theme: Quick, the epinephrine - There's a swarm of B's.

16. NAACP co-founder: W. E. B. DUBOIS. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois

22. Pioneer suffragist on some dollar coins: SUSAN B. ANTHONY. Susan Brownell Anthony

36. "Stuart Little" author: E. B. WHITE. Elwyn Brooks White

49. "The Greatest Show on Earth" producer/director: CECIL B. DEMILLE. Cecil Blount DeMille

59. Apiculturist ... and, playfully, what 16-, 22-, 36- or 49-Across is: BEEKEEPER

Argyle here. Full disclosure on names today.

Note from John: My oldest daughter recently became a beekeeper, so what else could a proud papa do? This puzzle is for her, along with a pic of one of her busy bees.


Across:

1. Ear part: LOBE

5. Hamper load: WASH

9. Blow in a dojo: CHOP. Dōjō means "place of the way", and is used to name a hall for learning martial arts.

13. Former Twitter CEO Williams: EVAN. Evan Clark Williams

14. Actress Sommer of "A Shot in the Dark": ELKE. née Elke Baronesse von Schletz

15. Pickle juice: BRINE

18. One who lassoes dogies, say: ROPER. A stray or motherless calf is known as a dogie.

19. Martini order: DRY

20. Sgt. or cpl.: NCO

21. Military zone division: SECTOR

26. Hindu community: ASHRAM

28. Open the faucets onstage, so to speak: EMOTE

29. "Who's Afraid of Virginia __?": WOOLF

30. Rocky peak: TOR

31. Celebratory cry two days after hump day: TGIF

35. Cry at the World Cup: OLE

40. Prefix with cycle: UNI

41. Red ink: LOSS

43. Singer Peggy or comic-book writer Stan: LEE. Norma Deloris Engstrom or Stanley Martin Lieber

44. Winner's gesture: V SIGN

46. Warrior on the court, for short: NBAer. Golden State Warriors

48. Given temporarily: LOANED

53. Bolts and ties the knot?: ELOPES

54. Ltr. holder: ENV.

55. Cleo's killer: ASP

58. Talks like Daffy: LISPS

62. __ Park, Colorado: ESTES


63. Ultimatum close: ELSE

64. Marathon segment: MILE

65. Top of the line: BEST

66. Bound with rope: TIED

67. "This could get __": UGLY

Down:

1. Bawdy: LEWD

2. (See other side): (OVER)

3. Bootees: BABY SHOES

4. Close or complete: END

5. Selfie video device: WEBCAM

6. Crazy as __: A LOON

7. Enjoy the slopes: SKI

8. Guys: HEs

9. Make bootees, perhaps: CROCHET

10. Aware of: HIP TO

11. Situation before a two-run homer: ONE ON

12. Actor Luke or Matthew: PERRY. Coy Luther Perry or Matthew Langford Perry

15. Quarterback Favre: BRETT. Brett Lorenzo Favre

17. Hazardous: UNSAFE

21. Bull's sound: SNORT. Yes, it's hazardous and UNSAFE when you hear a bull snort.

23. Clickable address: URL

24. Start of a party invitation phrase: BE THERE

25. Mine, to Marcel: A MOI

26. GI gone missing: AWOL

27. Piano recital piece, e.g.: SOLO

32. Recipe tester, facetiously: GUINEA PIG

33. "Picnic" playwright: INGE. William Motter Inge

34. Discovery: FIND

37. Says too much: BLABS

38. Lawn intruder: WEED

39. Develop slowly: EVOLVE

42. Bit, as of news: SNIPPET

45. Cantina condiment: SAL. Salt

47. "God __ America": BLESS

48. Like chain rings: LINKED

49. Hollywood VIP: CELEB

50. Beethoven dedicatee: ELISE Bagatelle in A minor (Für Elise)



51. Expenses: COSTS

52. 1980s attorney general Edwin: MEESE. Edwin Meese III

56. Wall Street bear's suggestion: SELL

57. Mice, to owls: PREY

59. One placed in Vegas: BET

60. Yale alum: ELI

61. Grounded Aussie bird: EMU

Argyle



Note from C.C.:

Belated Happy Birthday to dear JD. Hope you had a wonderful celebration yesterday with the grandkids, JD!

JD & Bob

71 comments:

  1. The center of yesterday's grid had RBH -- Rutherford B. Hayes. A coincidence? I think not! Rich is playing with a meta-theme!

    In a science humor group on Facebook, a challenge was issued for a pun on "equilateral."

    Our positions LIKEN to a shape, mathematical.
    My team doesn't think it will matter at all!
    The football deflated,
    So we compensated,
    An EMU provided the egg-we-lateral!

    {A.}

    ReplyDelete
  2. Greetings!

    Thanks to John and Santa!

    Cool puzzle. Nice to get the theme!

    Didn't know EVAN, otherwise easy.

    Hope to see you all tomorrow!

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  3. This seemed a little on the crunchy side for a Monday.

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  4. Hi Y'all! Bless John for bestowing on us the BEST Monday puzzle we'll have all week. BET his BEEKEEPER daughter is proud, too.

    Like how WEBCAM crosses WEB DuBOIS.

    Gimmee: my daughter and her husband go to ESTES PARK every fall about the time the elk and other critters move down from high summer pastures for the winter in Rocky Mountain National Park. They have more great animal pictures.

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  5. Thanks John and Argyle. Not too difficult for a Monday . Some unknowns took a while to fill. Caught the theme at E. B. White. Did not know Demille or Meese so the last fill was the intersecting M . Mcd's coffee still warm , so not to bad a solve time . Warmer temps comming . I love summer!!

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  6. John: I grew up in a rural community literally flowing with milk and honey. Lots of dairy, cheese and beekeepers. Growing up I envied some kids who got to skip school in the spring to make the yearly trip to Georgia or Alabama to purchase Queen bees and starter hives. As ateenager worked both for dairy farmers and bee keepers for extra cash. Didn't mind so much getting stung but hated the swelling, especially if the sting was in the face,

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  7. I liked the puzzle, but liked Santa's"real" names expo even better. Thanks to both John and Argyle. So Argyle, how did Favre come to be pronounced "Farve"?

    So if I mug for the WEBCAM at Hog's Breath Saloon in Key West it is really a selfie? Could be - I have not kept up with technolingo. I relearned ELISE again today. Probably will have to relearn it next time too.

    Erased BETwEen for BE THERE and aNGE for INGE.

    Nice to finally FIR after a bad stretch of having a bad cell or two.

    CC, I hope you get better soon. I also hope everyone does OK during this next cold snap.

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  8. Thank you, Argyle. You always seem to BE THERE for all of us and especially for C.C. We all need someone as a back-up man in our lives. Keep up the good work, friend.

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  9. Good morning!

    Nice romp this morning. Can't believe anybody knew CEO Williams first name, but the perps solved that one. I never saw the clue. John got his animals into this time: WOOLF, GUINEA PIG, a herd of MEESE, and a HIPTO [Snort!]. Thanx, John and Argyle.

    It must have been a gambling party: BET HERE!

    CSO to Madame Defarge with CROCHET.

    Why to we always put the B in SUSAN B ANTHONY? Did she assassinate somebody?

    "This could get UGLY." Sounds like a description of today's weather forecast. I hope to finish my extra M-o-W route before it gets here.

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  10. LOAN is a noun, not a verb. Therefore there is no such word as LOANED. What the clue calls for is LENT, but that's too short (and screws the perps).

    AWOL is an adjectival acronym; therefore the clue should be "Like a missing GI."

    Why not also 46A for 59A?

    How FAVRE came to be pronounced FARVE is that it rhymes with LE HAVRE (in American English).

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  11. Nice puzzle to start a week. I've been solving the puzzle before bed each night.
    I used a little perp help to fill in words. Reading across and down at the same time, eliminates mistakes.

    No new snow today,

    Montana

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  12. Actually, loaned is a word. This was a pretty good Monday puzzle....had to think a little!

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  13. Great fun to start the week with JL and Argyle presenting a wonderful full disclosure write-up. John, in a time of decreasing bee populations, it is encouraging there are those like your daughter who will be there to help preserve these vital beings.

    EVAN was all 4 perps, the rest was fun. I especially enjoyed seeing STAN LEE so soon after his 95th birthday. His vision from 70 years ago created a universe that is currently a major part of the entertainment industry. Plus it is fun to look for his cameo in all the projects.

    C.C., I hope you are better. Thanks, John and Scott.

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  14. Anon 8:02 - wth?



    Definition of “loan” - English Dictionary
    English
    American
    Business
    “loan” in American English
    See all translations
    loan
    noun [ C/U ] US ​ /loʊn/

    an act of lending something, esp. a sum of money that that has to be paid back with interest (= an additional amount of money that is a percentage of the amount borrowed), or an amount of money that has been lent:

    [ U ] Thanks for the loan of your bike.
    [ C ] My brother repaid his student loan within five years.
    The painting is on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (= has been lent to it, esp. for more than a short period of time).

    loan
    verb [ T ] US ​ /loʊn/

    to lend something, esp. money:

    Can you loan me $10 until payday?

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  15. Easy Monday. Couldn’t remember Meese but it got cross filled. Didn’t know DuBois but it filled in the same way.

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  16. Good Morning:

    This was a stroll in the park with one or two bumps that needed perps. I filled in W.E.B. Dubois right away and thought we were going to have a MLK theme. I thought of P. T. Barnum before Cecil B. DeMille; I guess I had my greatest shows mixed up. Anyway, it was an easy, enjoyable start to the week.

    Thanks, John, for a fun romp and thanks, Argyle, for the commentary, especially the roll call of middle names. Mine is Anne, BTW.

    Sunny but very cold.

    Have a great day.

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  17. Good morning everyone.

    Hope C.C. is starting to feel better.

    Delighted to see a Lampkin puzzle today. The BEE theme is not surprising given his background. Couldn't seem to spell LEWD this morning. Guess I need to be exposed to more LEWDness. Good to see our friend TOR after a hiatus. NBAER passes muster but is kinda weak IMHO. No searches needed.
    SECTOR - Re: MASH episode with Gen. Iron Guts Kelly. After the general dies in Margaret's tent, his aide, Col. Wortman looks for a more "meaningful" way to report his death. He wants to take the body to a SECTOR where there is fighting and the general "can die - - a full-scale, blazing, all-out, glorious, star-spangled-bannered death". (Season 3, Episode 52 orig. air date 10/1/74)

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  18. Good Morning!

    Great fun, as usual John. Thank you. I found the pattern at SUSAN. I love E.B. WHITE. I read Charlotte's Web aloud to my kids even though two out of the three were already readers. They still remember that experience. I also have great affection for his and Strunk's Elements of Style. Congrats on your B-Keeper in the family!

    Thanks for the another fine tour, Argyle. Indeed, for always helping out in a pinch also.

    Madame does not CROCHET unless I must as part of knitting. Although, I always have a hook nearby to pick up dropped stitches. It's January--I've hunkered down to knit a pair of colorful socks and watch reruns of Downton Abbey.

    MOI? Madame T. Defarge: c'est vrai! T for Therese--check it out in TOTC. . . .

    Have a cozy day everyone. It's a Winter Wonderland here. Just enough snow for effect!

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  19. Musings
    -Charming on every level! BET_E_ _ turned out not to be BETWEEN on the invite
    -I usually had 100 kids in central Florida on MLK day that celebrates one of my heroes. 2˚F here makes that seem very attractive
    -The BRINE Omaha uses on its streets now covers my car after yesterday
    -More M*A*S*H The DRYEST of all martinis (:55)
    -We bought a piece of the then recently fallen wall at Checkpoint Charlie between the former East and West Berlin SECTORS. Hey it was concrete and had some paint on it.
    -My grandson had a true “John Denver” epiphany in ESTES Park
    -(See other side)
    -Using a WEBCAM to talk to and see my granddaughter in France still amazes me
    -Roger Ebert on the movie - “It's hard to believe that “Picnic” was considered hot stuff in 1955. Clunky and awkward, with inane dialogue, it's a movie to show how attitudes have changed.”
    -Are the BEARS selling in the present bull market?
    -Placing that Vegas BET can be confusing

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    Replies
    1. Dry Martini joke:
      Guy askes bartender "do you know how to make a really dry Martini? Bartender senses the guy is hard to please and asks him to tell him. Guy says "pour the gin into the glass and then wisper vermouth across the top of the glass. Bartender complies and gives the guy his Martini. Guy tastes the drink and says to the bartender "loud mouth"

      Delete
  20. BEE-utiful puzzle today from JL. And a wonderful story of a new BEEKEEPER to go with it.

    No unknowns. I even dug up ASHRAM from some depth of memory. Thanks, John.

    Argyle, I can't imagine how you do all you do! I needed your guidance to understand the theme. Thanks.

    C.C. I hope you are feeling better.

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  21. Thank you, John Lampkin, for this honey of a puzzle! And congratulations to your daughter on becoming a BEEKEEPER, vital for our food chain and survival.

    Easy and fun as most JL puzzles are. I knew the first three themers, W.E.B, Susan B and E.B White but thought P.T. Barnum before CECIL B DEMILLE. It's hard to believe someone hasn't heard of him and his EPIC films.

    ASHRAM, we meet again.

    Thank you, Argyle, for your encyclopedic expose of all those names. I'll write them in my CW dictionary for future use.

    C.C., I hope you will soon be better!

    Have a bright and beautiful day, everyone!

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  22. Lucina, I had i-B--M and came up with CECIL B. DeMILLE, so he is not forgotten after all. His epics were about the only movies our mother would drive to the next town to let us see.

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  23. Just a little crunch today. Thanks for the fun John and Argyle (thanks for the Fur Elise music).
    The NE corner was the last to fall. I did not know PERRY; HIP TO and BRINE took a while to appear.

    Like PK, I noted the cross of WEBCAM and WEB DUBOIS.
    I also noted the clecho of 3D Bootees and 9D Make Bootees. I did think of Madame D with crochet but I was correct in remembering that her forte is knitting!
    I had a Tricycle before a UNIcycle.
    ELKE has been popular here lately.
    Hand up for thinking of Barnum and Bailey before DeMille.

    I too was looking for a MLK theme for our American Cornerites.
    Enjoy the day.

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  24. W.E.B. DUBOIS, a civil rights activist, and Susan B. Anthony, a women's rights activist, led me to believe we might see MLK, too, but then I realized all the middle initials were B's.
    Spitz I saw that MASH episode. Very funny. Gary, thanks for the dry martini clip. LOL. We watch a MASH rerun almost every day.
    Gary, I loved your (over) example.
    Montana, glad you chimed in today. Miss you.
    I agree with Lemonade that LOAN is a verb as well as a noun. The Grammarist says:
    "Traditionally, loan is a noun and lend is a verb. While a minority of writers still observe this distinction, loan is now well established as a verb and probably isn’t going to go away."
    AWOL is an adjective, adverb and noun. Dictionary.com says:
    "AWOL:
    1. adjective, adverb
    away from military duties without permission, but without the intention of deserting.
    2. noun
    a soldier or other military person who is absent from duty without leave."
    Most of us Cornerites LIU before making such definitive statements.

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  25. Whew! Huge relief! I got the whole thing without cheating but had a little crisis in the northwest corner because I've never heard of DOJO and this somehow blocked me from thinking of the others for a while. I also kept thinking that one KNITS bootees, but when I finally got CROCHET (duh, I did lots of crocheting when I was young) everything began to fall into place.

    Yay! Many thanks, John, and for checking in with your sweet BEE story to explain the theme. Argyle, what fun to get all those middle names. I had to think for a second what mine is, since I never use it: Christa (common Austrian name). Anyway, a delightful way to start a Monday morning, and I'd like to think the gentle Martin Luther King, Jr. is smiling at us.

    Oas, enjoyed your beekeeping memory.

    Spitzboov, great reminder of a great MASH episode.

    Have a great week, everybody!

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  26. Greetings!

    Smooth sailing today. EVAN Williams was unknown, but easily perped, and the BABY at 3D wore SockS before SHOES. Thanks for a fun Monday puzzle, John. How cool that your daughter has taken up beekeeping. And thanks for the expo, Argyle, and for providing all the full proper names.

    C.C.--I hope you are feeling better soon. Take care.

    Enjoy the day!

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  27. Good Morning, Argyle and friends. As previously noted by others, today being MLK Day and seeing W.E.B. DuBOIS, made me think we were on a civil rights theme. Then I began getting the other theme answers and realized we were keeping the Bees. I did, however, initially think of PT Barnam before CECIL B. DeMILLE. Especially after having recently seen The Greatest Showman.

    Apropos of today's theme is this recent article in Altas Obscure about Bees in the Arctic.

    I wanted the Red Ink to be Debt before the LOSS.

    I, too, thought that Booties were Knot, before CROCHET.

    I had BE _ HERE, so tried to parse the invite as BET HERE. Didn't really make sense, but it fit correctly.

    My favorite clue and answer was Bolts and Ties the Knot = ELOPES.

    QOD: Unreasonable haste is the direct road to error. ~ Molière (né Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, Jan. 15, 1622 ~ Feb. 17, 1673)

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  28. Misty, IM, CanadianEh! -- the giveaway was "producer/director" in the clue. I remember Cornel Wilde in The Greatest Show On Earth. I always called him Kernel Willdie.

    DOJO -- Is that a reference to my morning coffee?

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  29. Hi everybody. Happy MLK day.

    I too thought this was more challenging than usual for a Monday. It was fun and I enjoyed it. Thanks John. Also, thanks Argyle for all that you do.

    I try to use loan as a noun and lend as a verb though I know that rule isn't followed consistently these days. There is a lending company out here called "Loan Me." It rattles my brain. I turn off the radio when its ads come on.

    I was brought up with "Elements of Style" by Strunk and White in freshman English at Cornell. I came to love it.

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  30. Fun puzzle, but I had a little trouble in the Mid-East.
    Considering myself a "Nacho Man," I could not believe I
    could not figure out a 3 letter Cantina Condiment.
    (& I only was missing the "S")
    Shouldn't (on a Monday) there have been some indication the answer was in Spanish?
    And isn't Cantina an English word?

    Anyway, V Sign was an appropriate V-8 to the head!

    Trivia you did not ask for...

    Thanks John Lampkin! "You are the..."

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  31. Nice write-up Argyle.

    John: Thank you for a FUN Monday puzzle. I enjoyed the BEE KEEPER theme.

    No booze, so "NO Faves: today ... though GUINEA PIG was close!

    Cheers!

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  32. Second thru Fourth Grade, DuBois was my school before returning to the Nuns @St. Joe's.

    Thanks JL for a fun puzzle dedicated to Apiculturists and sharing the back-story. My Mom has 8+ hives in Nokomis, IL and the honey is the best I've ever had. Make sure your daughter shares! ['tis best w/ sliver of butter on white toast, just sayin'].

    Thanks Argyle for the expo - Fur ELISE was a nice listen after the fill fell.

    WOs: Spitz - I too need more lued->leud->LEWD in my life too :-). TaR->TeR->TOR. Wolfe->WOOLF.
    ESP: EVAN, INGE, SAL [salsa was right out]
    Fav: Red SECTOR A [RUSH]. The M.A.S.H. Quotes/scene made it even better - thanks HG & Spitz!

    {B+}

    IM, C,Eh!, et.al. I too was headed for an MLK theme @16a but B.DEMILLE (from where I dredged that up, I donno) didn't seem to fit... 59a made me BEElieve I was wrong.

    BEe THERE or BEE Square!

    Cheers, -T

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  33. @ Tinbeni: Re:"No booze, so "NO Faves: today ..."
    Cheers from Kentucky.

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  34. I enjoyed this puzzle very much. Imaginative theme, and nice to know what engendered it.
    I'll add my thanks to Argyle for his dedication and hard work.
    Sometimes I wonder why people pronounce their names the way they do. "Farve" is a good example. And why is Weinstein "Wine steen" while Dianne Feinstein is "Fine stine"? Etc.
    I think Bill G and I think alike on many things. I also try to use loan as a noun and lend as a verb though I know that rule isn't followed consistently these days. I also try to correctly use lie and lay and their past tenses. My daughter-in-law, who is a professional, published writer, shocked me when I saw "He never lain a hand on her" and "They found him laying at her side" right there is black and white in a published work of hers. I also like Bill's taste in sandwiches, though I'd choose a cappuccino over a machiato.
    Anonymous-T, thank you for your feedback on the HP Touchpoint matter last night.
    Best wishes to you all.

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  35. xtulmkr @1:51

    Well I am a Scotch and Jamaican RUM drinker ...
    OK, since I live in Tarpon Springs, Florida ...OUZO also ...

    So EVAN Williams Bourbon is an unknown ... a learning moment I will forget by Sunset. LOL

    But my "First Toast Tonight" is to YOU since you pointed that out!

    Cheers!

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  36. Just keeping my place as to how far I read the Blog....

    Hey John!

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  37. Jayce, I am pretty good with lie/lay in their present tenses but I become insecure with their past tenses.

    So which sandwiches do you especially like? You are obvious a man of good taste since you wrote "I think Bill G and I think alike on many things." In celebration, I think I'll order a cappuccino today.

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  38. FYI....

    Today's (1/15/18) NY Times crossword puzzle was constructed by Irish Miss and CC.

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  39. Back after going to lunch with three of my siblings, nephew and his girlfriend. I love all those people and we have such fun together!

    PK:
    I guess we have to be of a certain age, as the saying goes, to recall CECIL B DEMILLE. I'm glad you remembered him.

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  40. TA Bleeping DA but to me Very crunchy for a Monday. I'll admit that my 5th grade spelling ability got me off to a bad start with "lude" for 1d but I fixed that on my second pass. But thirteen proper nouns two spanning the grid. Everyone should know Susan B, but Cecil B is a real old timer. Never use "sal" so I didn't think of it as a condiment. Anyway perhaps my own biases (spelled guinea wrong too, made this more difficult than it should have been. Yesterday's grid took longer but I never doubted my TADA but today I did.
    Story of the day. 1960 February...5th grade spelling Bee...well over 100 entrants. down to two. the word for Chuck..."SEEK"...I confidently spelled...seAK...BEEP and I'm out. To this day I maintain there is no logical difference. I went out the next year on Bait...why not BATE? Good for me to realize I was inclined to the quantitative for my career.

    On another subject, congratulations on your daughter's choice of careers. I have had an ongoing argument with friends and family that within a generation or two there will be NO middle class jobs other than SEMT and that other than Sales the rest of the jobs will me minimum wage service jobs that are just aren't worth automating for a generation or two. Can anyone actually make a decent living keeping bees ? Of course I would contend its really an "S" job unless someone was trained from childhood would require at least a BS.

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  41. Hi guys,

    I thought my flu was gone last week. Then I had another low blood pressure dive. Then I developed a high fever.

    Feeling much better now. The blood pressure read is again 94/65 this morning. Low for many of you, but perfectly normal for me.

    Boomer's flu is also almost gone. So all's good here.

    Thanks for being my family during this difficult time.

    Thank you, Santa!


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  42. Also, yesterday was JD's birthday. Belated Happy Birthday, JD!

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  43. Welcome back, C.C.! We're so glad you're feeling better again, and give Boomer our best wishes too!

    Have a wonderful birthday, JD!

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  44. Happy birthday JD!

    Agnew and CC, I'm about halfway through your NYT puzzle. Another good one!

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  45. Happy birthday, JD. Glad you are stabilizing, C.C.

    Bill G, hard to pick a favorite, but I like a hot pastrami sandwich and a well-made Reuben. Actually,now that I think about it, one of my favorites is a good ole grilled cheese sandwich the way my wife makes them, sometimes with ham or sliced turkey breast in it, and sometimes with different cheeses such as Asiago or Cotswold added in. I hope you enjoy that cappuccino.

    On the good news medical front, the Jayce extended family is overjoyed to learn that our son's wife's father has responded extremely well to aggressive treatment of his (formerly) aggressive esophagus cancer. Not 100% sure yet, but he may even be totally cancer free. More tests to come. And he is feeling so much better, and can talk and eat again,

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  46. Thanks Argyle for the spot-on write up and for running the pic. And thank you all for the kind words. Beekeeping is just a new serious hobby for my daughter. With all the issues facing honeybees these days it's a challenge.
    Glad you're back in the saddle, C.C. and congrats on your co-bill in the NYT!

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  47. HBD JD!

    And ... Ta- DA!
    Mr. Lampkin's contribution gave us a mirror diagonal - which made today's challenge pour moi tougher than it would normally have been. I confined myself initially to filling just the middle letters of the forward slash, and these words were much tougher in isolation.
    In fact I had to abandon the pure quest. The NE sector only yielded its fruit when I came at it through perps begun on the opposite side. An embarrassment to be sure - for a Monday pzl. I thought (wrongly!) "Dojo" might be used in the sense of Yurt or Ashram, and that slowed me up. It looks like Misty had a similar problem with the "Dojo" clue (although calling it the NW side).

    All in all, a pleasant pzl, a "swarm of Bs" as Argyle points out, certainly worthy of a high "B" grade. Most of us knew all the "B" folk referenced; I was only unaware of N BAER.
    My compliments, Argyle, on your chosen illustration of ELISE; very tasteful, indeed! Nice to see our good friend "Beethoven" again among the clues. I am beginning to feel a warm connection to Herr Ludwig, like Alex does in A Clockwork Orange, so fond of "dear old Luddy Van...."

    Madam Secretary Redux -
    Last night I thought of those who were complaining here a while back about political preaching in Madam Secretary. What did they think of the latest episode showing the president going off his rocker and planning to shoot down Russian satellites?
    Spoiler Alert: When the fictionalized cabinet convened to invoke the 25th Amendment I wondered if our current RL president was watching. He's a TV addict by report, so the show's writers must have had him in the back of their minds - at least! - as they played out the arguments for and against removing a sitting president.
    The ending was a little too predictable and convenient for my taste, but the issues raised were certainly worthy of our attention.

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  48. JD:
    Belated birthday greetings! I'm sure your family made it fabulous.

    C.C.:
    Welcome back to a healthy state! Glad you are feeling better and I hope Boomer soon will be as well.

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  49. Thanks to Madame Defarge for reminding us of the more academic side to E.B. White's output. Elements of Style is a veritable bible for clear and elegant writing (as well as for correcting student papers!).

    It's often fun to learn middle names. Therese is a favorite of mine, Madame, although none in my family sports it. I like Christa too, Misty; it's not that common over here.
    My middle name is Franklin, same as my Dad. I didn't know until recently that we were so named after the Battle of Franklin (Tenn.), where my great-great grand uncle fell - sadly, for the wrong side.
    (We had several who fought on either team, both as enlistees and officers.)

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  50. Belated Happy Birthday JD!

    CC, I was looking for a cake for you,
    but then remembered the feed a cold/starve a fever quote.
    So rather than cake, just keep active...

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  51. I was named for both my grandmothers, Lucina, maternal, Aurora, paternal and being Hispanic, Nicolasa for my namesake, St. Nicholas, Dec. 6.

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  52. Thanks for stopping by, CC. We all were concerned about you. One illness at a time is bad enough.

    Hand up I found this a bit crunchy for Monday. But I enjoyed the challenge and the theme.

    Für ELISE is one of my favorite pieces to play on the flute. It is quite a sad story. Beethoven was considered too "low class" for women to go out with him.

    Here I visited these GUINEA PIGS in their own beautiful house in a village in Peru.

    Do people know why they are given these luxury accommodations?

    Yesterday I showed my training as a SEWER for our Solstice Festival. Here I was on my UNI-Cycle in Solstice as a sea horse.

    Huge thanks to my artist friend Mary Price for the creative costume and UNI-Cycle modifications!

    Unknowns: Either PERRY, INGE, EVAN, TOR. All solved with fair perps.

    Thanks, Argyle. And thanks John Lampkin for the story behind the BEE KEEPER.

    BillG: Thanks for the further explanation about the drone. I think the expensive ones do make it easier and I would love to try that!

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  53. Did anyone already note the theme's CSO to our own dear Melissa?

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  54. Picard,
    That's a sweet photo of the Peruvian GUINEA PIGS. They deserve to enjoy however long they may stay alive. They're a yummy snack item for discerning diners.
    I noticed a few habitats for them in local pubs/tabernas near Machu Picchu. They're just like the lobster tanks in our stateside restaurants, where you can pick your own plump favorite before your meal.

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  55. Ol' Man Keith: Yes, you understand the plans for the Peruvian GUINEA PIGS exactly! The lobster tank is a good analogy. But a bit more artistic and comfortable.

    These were being saved for Christmas dinner if I understood correctly.

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  56. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) FYI

    Bagatelle for fortepiano in A minor "Für Elise" [For Elise] WoO 57

    Poco moto (means "little motion") It's not known exactly what Beetoven meant by this. It might mean it cannot be overly dramatised, drawn out. It must be light, free, but have some drive.

    The expression fortepiano is a sudden dynamic change used in a musical score to designate a section of music in which the music should be played loudly (forte), then immediately softly (piano).

    Performed by Melvyn Tan on a fortepiano, an early piano and is Italian for "loud-soft". The modern piano, "pianoforte", is "soft-loud".

    *Though scholars don't know for sure who "Elise" was, it is more than likely that this piece was actually dedicated to Therese Malfatti (niece of Beethoven's physician, Dr. Johann Malfatti) to whom, it seems, the composer proposed marriage. The "Elise" may be an incorrect transcription of the title by the discoverer Ludwig Nohl. The autographed manuscript has been lost and the piece itself was not published until 1865.

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  57. I did it. Crunchy. Nothing wrong with that, just unexpected.

    I'm sick as a dog too. Nevertheless I did work anyway. I will belay the details. Orifices (or is it Orifi?) comes to mind.

    Everything said applied to me.

    Owen, were you able to lay a BET down on that (no)contest.

    Ok, re Steelers: I know what "sheesh" means now. Wow, Pats are favored by 10?


    I'm going to try to sleep this latest flu away.

    WC (Charles of course)

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  58. Argyle, thank you so much for that info about Beethoven and Fur Elise.

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  59. C.C., so sorry that you and Boomer have been ill, but glad you both are recovering. I have become a "wash-my-hands" addict when leaving my grandsons' classes. Since I've retired I'm not sure how great my immunity is any more.
    Thank you, Bill, Misty, Jayce, C.E.Dave, and Lucina for the b'day greetings. Had a wonderful evening with the family; my girls are fabulous chefs. It was great as I usually do the Sunday dinner for the family.

    Didn't we just have a conversation about Fluff? Truman came home from science camp on Friday asking his mom for a fluffernutter sandwich. We all laughed about it because he would not have tried it if we had presented it to him. KIDS!

    Loved today's crossword. Since my sister was an actress and my cousin was an actor, Cecil B. was right in my vocabulary. Unfortunately, the older I get their names don't jump right out.

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  60. Jayce @ 1558 - Re: Your son's father-ij-law being treated aggressively. Can you tell me any thing more about the modality of treatment? Our young neighbor is also suffering from esophageal cancer and his outlook doesn't look good.

    JD - Happy Birthday. Hope your day was special.

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  61. "Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up" Clip(:35)

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  62. C.C. God speed to you and Boomer... 'Tis a nasty bug.

    But, the Nurse Practitioner (and Pop) said my lethargy may not be flu related but from my BP meds that lowers potassium(?). Anyone heard of this with Valsartan? I've had little gumption in the last two weeks (when I started the meds I also got the flu) and DW says my skin is purpley.

    Bill G - I never get lay/lie/lain right. Put it down or go take a load off. :-)

    Spitz - I found the Vice episode I saw on HBO about targeting specific cancers. [a bit over produced, but interesting what the Mayo & M.D. Anderson in Houston do. They seem to be on the forefront of the research]. Maybe this will be of use to your neighbor.

    Happy belated Birthday JD. I hope it was all that and a bag of chips.

    OK, gross re: GUINEA PIGS... I'm not a fan of lobster either (crawfish is good tho).

    Argyle - and now I know why I know Cecile & Nora [Carol B. EMOTin' :-)].

    I'm going back to listen to Fur ELISE again. Y'all have a good eve.

    Cheers, -T

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  63. Um. I should have warned; the Vice video is graphic. -T

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  64. AnonT- valsartan can INCREASE potassium levels. Patients who start BP Meds often report tiredness, lethargy. Having the flu might compound that effect. Is your BP being monitored? You might want to get a potassium level also. Purpley skin can go with breathing, circulation issues and may need to be checked out also. (Can't diagnose over the Internet and besides I'm retired)
    Hope you (and all the other sick ones out there) feel better soon.

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  65. I'm so late that I hadn't planned to comment 'cause all of the good words were already taken, but

    AnonT 931P
    asked me a question. I am also on Valsartan, and use "Potassium CL TB 10MEQ CR WM A2" to replace potassium lost. This is an Rx. I used to use 2 per day. Now I also use Lasix for fluid removal so I use 4 K+s per day. K+ = potassium.

    Caution: Too much K+ can cause a heart attack.

    Thanks to John for the fun FIR CW that took only 23 min. Thanks A+ for a BEEutiful review. Here is a Cute Bumble Bee. Yes it is the target in a urinal which gives a whole new meaning to "Apis."

    C.C. and Boomer, Remember to pound your chest, and bounce.

    Dave Almost 2 late

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  66. Thanks for all the nice comments, Ol'Man Keith.

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  67. AnonT 931P

    When CanadienEh!'s answer was different from mine, it was "Google time."

    Did you just start Valsartan which is the generic for Diovan? This can give flu like symptoms?

    Does the label include "HCTZ?" This is hydrochlorothiazide. This can give cold like symptoms. It is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.

    Metabolic for HCTZ:
    Frequency not reported: Electrolyte imbalance, hyperglycemia, glycosuria, hyperuricemia, mild hypokalemia (decrease of 0.5 mEq/L) occurs in up to 50% of patients (and may predispose patients to cardiac arrhythmias), metabolic alkalosis, hyponatremia, hypomagnesemia, hypercalcemia, hyperglycemia, elevated serum uric acid levels, glucose intolerance and a potentially deleterious effect on the lipid profile (i.e., increased serum cholesterol

    Note: hypokalemia means low potassium.

    Dave 2

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  68. That may be the longest post I have seen from our friend Argyle. Nbd. Js.

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