google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday, February 12, 2018 ~ Jerry Edelstein

Gary's Blog Map

Feb 12, 2018

Monday, February 12, 2018 ~ Jerry Edelstein

Theme: An Honest Puzzle Would I lie to you?

16. Trifling matters: PENNY ANTE STUFF. Penny ante is the smallest ante in poker; Lincoln Penny.

27. Focal point in a theater: CENTER STAGE. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a 16.3-acre complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood in New York City.

34. John Paul Jones was a commander in it: CONTINENTAL NAVY. Lincoln Continental: luxury car from Ford.

42. May observance for those who died in military service: MEMORIAL DAY. Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

54. Statesman born 2/12/1809 whose surname can precede the starts of four long puzzle answers: ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Argyle here. Happy Birthday, Abe. I'm sure we can come up with a cake for you.

Across:

1. Send (to), as an inferior place: RELEGATE

9. Partner of Paul and Mary: PETER. Peter, Paul, and Mary.

14. Trite: OVER-USED

15. WWII bomber __ Gay: ENOLA. This answer isn't trite but is over-used.

18. Iroquois enemies: ERIEs

19. Editor's "never mind": STET

20. IRS form IDs: SSNs. (Social Security number)

21. One out on the lake, e.g.: BOATER


24. Cookie holder: JAR


29. That girl: SHE

32. 18-wheeler: SEMI

33. Tablet with Mini and Pro versions: iPAD

39. Chevy subcompact: AVEO

40. Rowlands of "The Notebook": GENA. "The Notebook" is a 2004 film based on the 1996 novel by Nicholas Sparks. Interesting concept.


41. Originally named: NÉE

46. Two-__ tissue: PLY

47. Troubled state: UNREST

48. Has a midnight snack, say: EATS


52. __ upon a time ...: ONCE

53. Kate's TV sidekick: ALLIE

59. Señor's squiggle: TILDE

60. Schemed: CONNIVED

61. Bottomless chasm: ABYSS

62. Ones storming the castle, say: INVADERS. Hagar the Horrible's forte.

Down:

1. Lassos: ROPES

2. Activist Medgar: EVERS. Civil rights activist assassinated in 1963.

3. Russian Revolution leader: LENIN. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known by the alias Lenin as we learned recently.

4. Diving seabirds: ERNEs

5. Fellows: GUYS

6. Busy __ bee: AS A

7. Bill with Hamilton on it: TEN

8. NYC summer hrs.: EDT. (Eastern Daylight-savings Time)

9. Be a nuisance to: PESTER

10. Goes in: ENTERS

11. Promote big-time: TOUT

12. North Pole worker: ELF

13. U.K. flying squad: RAF. (Royal Air Force)

17. East, to 48-Down: ESTE. 48-Down. Legendary Spanish hero: EL CID

21. "__ there, done that": BEEN

22. "I've got this round": "ON ME"

23. Prickling with excitement: ATINGLE

24. Tokyo's country: JAPAN

25. Tequila source: AGAVE

26. Color again, as hair: REDYE

27. TV forensic series: CSI. (Crime Scene Investigation)

28. __ Pan Alley: TIN. The collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters.

29. Rascal: SCAMP

30. Ramshackle home: HOVEL

31. Hostile force: ENEMY

35. In addition: TOO

36. Kennedy and Koppel: TEDs

37. Gray's subj.: ANAT. (anatomy)

38. Dismiss from work temporarily, with "off": LAY

43. Put spots in magazines: RUN ADS

44. Foot's 12: INCHES

45. Side squared, for a square: AREA

49. "__ like ours / Could never die ... ": Beatles: A LOVE


For educational purposes only. Do not use commercial.

50. Flooring specialist: TILER

51. Mails: SENDS

52. Paris airport: ORLY

53. Kendrick of "Twilight": ANNA. No idea about her or "Twilight".


54. One step __ time: AT A

55. Baby's spilled food protector: BIB

56. 1101, to Romans: MCI

57. Chaney of horror: LON

58. Bill for mdse.: INV. (invoice)


Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear LaLaLinda, who used to post regularly on our blog. Health issues have prevented her from engaging with our little Corner community actively, but she still solves puzzles daily and reads our blog.

62 comments:

  1. Greetings!

    Thanks to Jerry and Santa!

    Nice, easy puzzle with obvious theme!

    Did not know AVEO or ANNA, but they fell easily!

    Happy Birthday to you, La La Linda!

    Hope to see you all tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good Morning Corner Writers,

    Thank you Mr. Jerry Edelstein for this Easy Peasy Monday CW that I FIR in 16:53.

    Thank you Argyle for your excellent explicit review, and HBD Abe.

    I'm behind on my CWs. Just worked Fri. 2-9 and read copious comments.

    On to 2-10.

    Dave

    ReplyDelete
  3. Let us all honor ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
    The man in charge when our country was sinkin'!
    The nation's UNREST
    Put him to the test --
    He stared down the rebels without EVER blinkin'!

    The way to do things is ONE STEP AT A TIME.
    One can't think straight with an OVERUSED mind!
    Though your priority
    Is to be BUSY AS A BEE,
    Don't RELEGATE planning to be left behind!

    A fishing BOATER should look to the ERNE.
    They'll grab up a fish and hold it firm!
    The best bait, it's reported,
    Is from Paris imported,
    Flown by air, because the ORLY bird gets the worm!

    {B, B-, A-.}

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sorry, should have written LaLaLinda sans spaces!

    Just worked Saturday's puzzle! Love it when I can do this with no cheats! Thanks Michael and Gary. (I worked Sunday's when I was exhausted and it didn't come out so well.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. FIR, but had to erase hype for TOUT and INtrDERS for INVADERS (I'd like to buy a vowel, Pat).

    Didn't know EVERS or ANNA (Kendrick). I always confuse Kate and ALLIE with Cagney and Lacey, but given one I can get the sidekick.

    Thanks for the nice Monday puzzle, Jerry. And thanks to Santa for 'splainin' it so well.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks Jerry and Argyle . Quick with onlya few hesitations . McD's coffee stil hot . Solve time similar to Dave's . Weatherman has promised melting temps in a day or two. I hope he's not just teasing this bi-polar over ancious summer lover.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Quick and easy. Didn't notice the theme until the reveal at the bottom. Liked the longer answers. Nice tribute puzzle in my opinion.

    What else could work with Lincoln? Log, Nebraska, Navigator, Lawyer.

    ReplyDelete
  8. MONDAY, MONDAY. Thank you, Argyle, thank you, Jerry.

    HBD LaLaLinda and we wish you better health for the upcoming year.

    Not the easiest Monday, but I was happy to see a tribute puzzle Lincoln and the theme was well done. HBDTY Abe.

    I loved Argyle's pic for - One out on the lake, e.g.: BOATER as the man in the boat is wearing a boater!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Btw Owen I really enjoyed your poetry this morning.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Pet peeve happening here at McD's . A couple of booths down someone carrying on a loud business phone conversation oblivious to the facts that , he's sharing to much information besides being annoying . I've had employees for many yrs , this one wouldn't make the grade with me.

    ReplyDelete
  11. "Puzzling Thoughts":

    HBTY LaLaLinda!

    SO to our Tampa Bay AREA "lush",TIN (28d). You crossed CENTER STAGE today. Drinks are ON ME!

    Do others agree that "BEEN there, done that" is an OVERUSED phrase?

    Not that I keep time with my solves, but today's was under 10 minutes; one write-over, as I had TIN in 24a before perping JAPAN - which made JAR the clear choice.

    Speaking of JAR (an answer, too, from Sunday's puzzle, which spawned a lot of "favorite peanut spread responses), my Moe-ku about this is:

    Urinating man
    Backed into innocent girl;
    The pee nut butt her

    From today's AND yesterday's:

    Queer man placed an ad
    In Pelican State paper:
    Signed, E. NOLA Gay.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yes, easy peasy, 1-2-3 solve. ANNA Kendrick was new to me. Lemonade, you beat me to it. I was going to point out the boater wearing a boater.
    Alan is a big TV oldies fan. He watches Kate and Allie whenever it is on.
    Thanks for Monday, Monday, Lemonade.
    I am a long time fan of Peter, Paul and Mary. Their music is still available on discs.
    BTW, from Saturday night, am I the only Johnny Matthis fan here?
    Happy birthday, LaLaLinda. I often think of you.
    My younger sister is an Abraham Lincoln and Civil War buff.
    OKL, your #1 is #1.
    Thanks, Jerry and Argyle.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Entertaining Lincoln's birthday puzzle. The NW slowed me down a bit, but perps to the rescue. My office will be busy this morning as we are one of the few states that still observes Lincoln's bday and Washington's bday separately (and Truman's bday too!) instead of the Federal observance of putting them together. So state workers will be in today so they don't have to take off work for an appointment!

    I'm a big fan of Anna Kendrick's from the Pitch Perfect movies and "Up in the Air" with George Clooney. Here's a fun video of her: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmSbXsFE3l8

    Happy birthday LaLaLinda and Abe!
    Thanks Argyle and Jerry!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Good Morning,

    Thanks, Jerry, for a fine start to the week. On my first pass I was daunted by the long fill until I found ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Easy peasy after that--even though I read Statesman as salesman until 1809 corrected me. Speaking of ABE, I thought the trouble state was Illinois before unrest. Not enough letters.

    Thanks, Argyle, for taking us through.

    OKL: thanks again for the poems. I love them but don't always comment. They are an essential part of my day.

    OAS: I'm with you. In recent weeks I have overheard two important private conversations in a Panera because the parties were so loud. The first regarding a divorce settlement, and the second between a woman and her financial planner. I know so many people work remotely and independently these days, but good grief, one can rent office space for an hour or reserve a small conference room at the public library. And why so loud??? Very unprofessional! It made both the attorney and the financial planner seem very incompetent to me. I wanted to say (but didn't, of course) "If you had a better attorney, maybe you'd get a better settlement." and "Thanks for explaining the new tax laws to me, and now I understand why you bought the property in Del Ray Beach." Or at least. "May I have your card? I want to remind myself never to call you." Instead, Madame Defarge simply knit this information into her register and shared eye-rolling with her knitting pal!

    Ah, a foot of snow on the ground, but the sun is as bright as can be in the blue sky. A sunny day is all I ever need.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Good morning everyone.

    Happy Birthday to LL Linda. Hope your day is special.

    I was all adither with ATINGLE but not so much aflutter. Great SO's to our #16.
    Mostly easy; no searches were needed. Those darn ERIES hassled the Iroquois. Guess the Neuter Nation which dwelt on both sides of the Niagara couldn't keep them apart.
    LENIN was NÉ Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov.

    ReplyDelete
  16. You are each spared my Blow by Blow review of the puzzle, and comments. I do wish to acknowledge the picture of sweet Zoe, the avatar of Jinx in Norfolk. It is so similar to the sweet butterfly, the avatar of Yellowrocks that I have to read to tell each of you apart.

    YR 758a, I have yet to read comments from Sat., but you wrote "am I the only Johnny Matthis fan here?" You are not alone. I too fan myself with Johnny. What a beautiful smooth voice.

    I could write much more, but have other activities calling "David!" I have to answer that "siren" call. Please help me Tin to neatly stay off the rocks.

    Dave

    ReplyDelete
  17. Count me in as another Johnny Mathis fan.
    NY Times solvers will find a familiar clue as they work through both puzzles today, but I won't say where.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Good Morning:

    What a nice way to start the week: an easy, breezy solve and a tribute puzzle to one of our great presidents. I was unaware of the theme until the reveal, so was pleasantly surprised. I know Anna Kendrick but had no idea she was in the "Twilight" series; vampires are not my cup of tea. She is also in a current commercial but I have no idea what she's selling as I tune them out automatically. The only commercials that I watch and enjoy are the Subaru ads with the dogs. The ones I would love to see disappear are Progressive's Flo, Spectrum's zombies, and Mike the pillow man! Some of Geico's are pretty annoying, too.

    Thanks, Jerry, for a fun Monday and thanks, Argyle, for the grand tour.

    The Westminster Kennel competition starts tonight at 8:00 pm on FS1. May the best doggie win! 🐩

    Happy Birthday, Linda, hope your day is special! 🎂🎉🎁🎈🍾

    YR, add me to the Johhny Mathis fan club. I was also a big fan of Andy Wiliams. My favorite, though, was John Gary, but he never gained the acclaim of a lot of his peers. He had a three octave range voice.

    I saw some spectacular skating last night, especially the 15 year old Russian girl. She'll be hard to beat for the women's gold medal. I also enjoyed the Canadian woman who skated so beautifully to "Rhapsody in Blue." (Bill G, aren't you the one who loves that piece?) for the most part, I've been disappointed in the skaters' music choices but, I suppose, that's a generational issue. My all-time favorite skater is still Peggy Fleming.

    Nice job today, Owen.

    Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have a friend who attended the Westminster Dog Show agility trials on Saturday. I would have loved to have seen them. I find them even more interesting than the final judging on parade. IM, I thought of you while my friend was talking about it.
    I also like to watch sheep herding trials.

    When someone important calls me in a public place, I say wait a moment while I step outside. This is not ideal either, with the wind and the cold and the heavy traffic noise. Often I have to take the call because it involves an important issue with someone I have been playing phone tag with for days. It still is better than revealing private info in public. When the caller is in a public place, the lack of privacy truly is unprofessional.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Good morning all,
    La La Linda, hope you have a very special day. Happy birthday!
    Very quick enjoyable puzzle this morning. Nice tribute.
    Thanks for the heads up on the dog show, Irish Miss. I am always amazed at the never ending breeds . I agree, those Subaru ads are amusing, even with the sound off.
    Anna Kendrick is very versatile in her roles. I think she will be around for a long time.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi everybody. Thanks Jerry and Argyle. That was a very enjoyable Monday puzzle honoring one of our greatest presidents. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington has always been a favorite.

    Happy birthday LaLaLinda! Best wishes for better health.

    I am familiar with Anna Kendrick from late night TV talk shows. She has a big smile and a pleasant personality.

    Yes, I'm a Johnny Mathis fan but Barbara is an even bigger one.

    I too find loud cell phone conversations annoying. I think it's because the sound quality is generally lower than with a land line. People think if they talk louder they will be understood better.

    Irish Miss, no I wasn't the one who was a big fan of "Rhapsody in Blue." (Great clarinet opening.) I certainly admire both Gershwins though.

    Yes, the generational gap in popular music choices is disappointing. At the coffee shop that I frequent, the background music piped in over Spotify is dreadful IMO. The baristas like me and are willing to switch to an 'Oldies' station, sometimes without being asked. Yesterday, three of the first four songs were by Chuck Berry.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Some crunch for a Monday. Thanks for the fun Jerry and Argyle.

    I was working on my IPAD today.
    The NW was the last to fall as I couldn't remember EVERS, and moved from Demote (too short) to Relocate (not inferior) to RELEGATE. I waited for ERIES to fill (toyed with Crees, d'uh).
    I thought of the expression "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" before PENNY ANTE STUFF.

    Follow-up FLN: now I must add the Presidents' birthdays to my memory list . . . and which dollar bill or coin they appear on (I entered ONE before TEN but LINCOLN penny I knew). SSNs again (but I know them by now). And of course, my focal point was Centre STAGE. LOL!

    Like Jinx, I wanted Intruders before INVADERS.
    I had _ _ATER for 21A and was groaning that I had to fill in AWATER. I heaved a sigh of relief with BOATER.
    CONNIVE and ATINGLE are top-grade for a Monday.

    Yes IM, Gabrielle Daleman skated beautifully to Rhapsody in Blue. Her score clinched the Team Figure Skating Gold Medal for Canada even before Scott & Tessa got on the ice. (Zagitova and Nagasu were wonderful also)

    Happy Birthday to LaLaLinda.
    Happy Lincoln's Birthday to our American Cornerites.
    Great work today OwenKL. Thanks for the smiles.
    We have sun on the snow today like Madame D.
    Enjoy the day.

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a delightful way to celebrate the birthday of ABRAHAM LINCOLN!

    Here are some of my photos at the LINCOLN MEMORIAL.

    A historian friend pointed out to me that the inscription above LINCOLN notes that he "Saved the Union". It does not make note of his work to end the practice of owning human beings as slaves.

    How appropriate that MEDGAR EVERS is celebrated in this same puzzle. He gave his life working to overcome that legacy of slavery in the Civil Rights Movement. Although he was murdered in 1963, he was big in the news in 1994 when his murderer was finally brought to justice.

    PETER, PAUL and MARY came to our small city to perform one of their last performances together. A beautiful event.

    A few unknowns: GENA, ANNA, ATINGLE (new word for me)

    ReplyDelete
  24. "Peter, Paul, and Mary" was a clue in the Times Union's other crossword this morning; the answer was SAINTS. Which brought to mind PPM's one time irreverent intro:
    "I'm Peter and I'm no saint." "I'm Paul and I'm no saint." "I'm Mary and I'm no virgin."

    ReplyDelete
  25. Great puzzle to start the week--many thanks, Jerry. Nice to have old favorites conjured up, like PETER,Paul, and Mary, and the Beatles, and Kate and ALLIE. Lots of other variety throughout the puzzle, and of course, a neat theme--happy birthday, President LINCOLN. Neat pictures and write-up, Argyle, many thanks.

    Happy birthday, LaLaLinda, have a wonderful day and please check in with us if you feel well enough.

    Really enjoyed your poems this morning, Owen.

    Have a great day, everybody. I survived my Thai dinner and am hoping for a calm week.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Musings
    -I’m always a little uneasy when I see there is only one way out of a corner but it’s Monday so…
    -A unique tribute to LINCOLN across the street from Ford’s Theater
    -Penny slots still get lots of play in casinos around here
    -TRITE = OVER-USE of “awesome”
    -Soon to be $10 bill?
    -BOATER - A BOATER (also straw boater, basher, skimmer, cady, katie, canotier, somer, sennit hat, or in Japan, can-can hat). I see some late week clues in there.
    -Used by cheap schools
    -Lindberg landed at Le Bourget because ORLY had not opened yet
    -My new hearing aids make me privy to conversations I wish I hadn’t
    -Johnny Mathis music dredges up MANY pleasant memories, including fogged over windshields!
    -HBD, LaLa!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Here's a PETER, Paul & Mary link. You can choose your favourite.
    TheBestOfPeter,|PaulAndMary

    FLN, WC, I groaned at your Waiting for Godot comment. I was just too tired to post again.

    Next comments may be political. Do not read on if you are thin-skinned. This Canadian will apologize ahead of time. LOL!

    FLN, AnonT, Wikipedia has good info re Canadian Senate & Senators.
    SenateOfCanada

    Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. There has been talk of Senate Reform for years or even of abolishing it but there is some merit, I think, in a chamber of "sober second thought".

    From north of the border, it seems that Americans are constantly moving from one election to another. We hear about Primaries for a couple of years before the presidential election, and then the prep for the election of Senators begins.
    IMHCO (that stands for "in my humble Canadian opinion") it seems that there is more time spent on politics than governing.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Good morning, folks. Thank you, Jerry Edelstein, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.

    Happy Birthday, LaLa Linda, and many more. Miss you.

    Started the puzzle at 8D and worked backwards. That paid off.

    While bouncing around I caught Abraham Lincoln at 54A. Great to honor him with a puzzle today. For a little trivia, my father's first name was Lincoln and his Birthday was yesterday. That was interesting for us a kids growing up.

    Theme answers were good and all tied to Lincoln, one way or another.

    Nothing I really needed perps for. That is a first.

    See you tomorrow.

    Abejo

    ( )

    ReplyDelete
  29. Fun puzzle; smooth sailing. Just completed Thursday through Sunday. Lots of challenges and a great workout. Very enjoyable.

    Cheers,

    Mark

    ReplyDelete
  30. Happy Monday, everybody!

    Ta- DA!
    A nice, tidy week-starting pzl today, with an appropriate theme. It reminds me how sorry I am that Lincoln's b'day got swallowed up in the joint "celebration" to come on Presidents' Day. I have noticed that people sometimes refer to PD as Washington's Birthday, probably because he came first in birth order historically.
    Nobody calls it after Mr. Lincoln.
    As for a "celebration," it pretty much comes down to the various sales and the colorful ads paid for by the sales' hosts.
    Brrr. Anybody up for a parade?

    Irish Miss, thanks for the reminder of the Westminster competition tonight. It will have hard competition indeed with the winter Olympics. We will definitely record the show, as my three little furry guys love to watch it. (I think two of them harbor secret ambitions, hoping that one day ....)

    ____________
    Diagonal Report: Mr. Edelstein favors us today with a pair of sub-diagonals, NW to SE. No hidden message.

    ReplyDelete
  31. As I was wrong about Bill G being the "Rhapsody in Blue" fan, I hope the true devotee will chime in and solve the mystery. It was someone who mentioned it in relation to the United Airlines commercial.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I think I am turning Fickle in my old age...

    I settled down and started today's puzzle, and was
    enormously pleased at 9a partner of Paul and Mary=Peter.
    Thinking, thank goodness for Mondays easy puzzles.

    2 seconds later, I don't know why,
    but 15a's WWII bomber _____ Gay really pissed me off...

    In the end, DNF on a Monday! (Oh, the shame....)

    While I fixed Terns to Ernes at 4d, I never heard of Evers,
    and 5d fellows = Lads, and I had no reason to change it...
    (guys never even came to mind...)


    Plus it never occurred to me that 16a was three words when all the other
    theme answers were two.
    P-NNDANTE,STUFF
    (hmm, I should have known something down was amiss...)

    My favorite Lincoln quote has to be:

    "If I am two faced, would I be wearing this one?"

    I tried to find a cake that said LaLaLinda on it,
    but for some reason I got stuck on this one.

    Happy Birthday LaLaLinda

    Abe, no cake for you!
    (I don't do cakes for dead people!)

    Oh, wait a sec! Yes I do!

    (See what I mean,,, Fickle!...)

    ReplyDelete
  33. A nice easy Monday puzzle, nicely put together.

    I’m all ATINGLE with anticipation for tonight’s UCONN-LOUISVILLE Women’s BB game on ESPN2 @7.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Well-built puzzle today; a pleasure to work on. Hardest area was the NW corner (yeah, only one small doorway in and out!) because I didn't know Medgar EVERS, put in TERNS instead of ERNES, hesitated at ROPES, thinking "Nah, that can't be it," and incorrectly guessing BUDS, BOYS, BROS, and PALS. My foot has 5 bullet holes in it this morning.

    I liked Johnny Mathis, too. Also Andy Williams and Dean Martin.

    Here is what I think is one of the best performances of
    Rhapsody in Blue I have ever heard. You can clearly see how complex the piano part is. Extremely well done. I hope you like it.

    Happy birthday, LaLaLinda, and good wishes to you all.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Spitzboov@8:20am - Thanks for the learning moment re "Those darn ERIES hassled the Iroquois. Guess the Neuter Nation which dwelt on both sides of the Niagara couldn't keep them apart."
    I thought you might be spoofing your gender-neutral neighbours to the north, or that Neuter was a victim of autocorrect. LOL. So I LIU and got a history lesson, right in my own neighbourhood.
    NeutralNation

    Thanks Jayce for the Rhapsody in Blue link. Wonderful. Watch her hands!

    ReplyDelete
  36. IM, I think I was the one who brought up the United Airlines Rhapsody In Blue commercial. It's a great piece of music, though I don't consider myself to be a great Gershwin fan. I do enjoy Willie Nelson's Summertime, a Gershwin tribute album. YMMV.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Canadian Eh!

    You used Neutral and your link supports that. We seem to use Neuter a lot; I first learned about it in my working days by reading government reports involving water resource projects in which the early history of the project lands are depicted almost in a "boiler plate" template. Here is a more gory link to the Neuter Nation history by a Niagara Falls Reporter writer: CONSUMED BY WAR THEY TRIED TO AVOID, NEUTER NATION FELL VICTIM TO SENECAS

    ReplyDelete
  38. Can I be the only one who saw 23d as "AT IN - LE" at first? Then trying to cross 40a with the unknown "- ENA"?

    Then it resolved, finally, but I'm with whoever wants to ban any answer that starts with an "A", since they are so "AWRY" and "ANANSWERABLE".

    ReplyDelete
  39. It is always nice to start the week with a CSO to me at 28-d, TIN.

    Jerry: Thank you for a timely ABRAHAM LINCOLN theme today.

    Argyle: I enjoyed your write-up!

    Cheers to ALL when I "Toast the Sunset."

    ReplyDelete
  40. Jace:

    Thanks for the Rhapsody in Blue link. I agree.

    Cheers,

    Mark

    ReplyDelete
  41. Who are your "three little furry guys," Ol'Man Keith?

    ReplyDelete
  42. Michael, I love A words. They leave me atingle. Please do not ban them. They are colorful.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I'm a big Gershwin fan.
    Irish Miss, I didn't see the skater who used Gershwin for her routine. Sorry to have missed her. I do enjoy the variety of music chosen by the skaters. For some skaters it is clear that the music is tied closely to their movements, while others seem oblivious to it. Just like skaters who have technical proficiency but don't know how to inhabit their moves.
    Like actors who know the lines but don't understand the script.

    When one of my favorite pieces is played I resent the commentators interrupting it with their too often banal observations.

    What I really don't like is to see fine pieces of music co-opted by corporate ad departments for their TV commercials. By running them over and over they can dominate the associations we make when we hear the music again - which of course is why they do it.
    But Rhapsody in Blue is such an original composition it almost makes me love United Airlines.

    Jayce! Yes! That performance is fantastic! Thanks for the link. (What is it with these Russian women?! - incredible, whether skaters or pianists!)

    Unfortunately, I can never listen to Gershwin without an admixture of sorrow - along with whatever other emotions the music conjures. We lost him at such a young age.
    His was the quintessential American voice right at the time when our nation was finding its fearless, joyful mongrel heart.
    Nobody else made such sense of jazz and classical traditions - along with klezmer and street improv and high romantic themes. You can't help crying while different parts of your body sway, tap, or throb along.
    What we missed were his mature years, when most composers deliver their ultimate gifts.
    We'll just never know...

    ReplyDelete
  44. This was a nice, easy start to the week. Thank you, Jerry E. I enjoyed to write-up and links, Argyle. Thank you. I even got the theme today!

    My only error was EVanS/EVERS. Perps to the rescue.

    I went to school in the LINCOLN School District. Our nickname was the Railsplitters.

    Happy Birthday, LaLaLinda! I hope it's a great day!

    Here's to a wonderful week!

    ReplyDelete
  45. DO ~ Thanks for identifying yourself; sorry I "misremembered!" I like Gershwin's music a lot, and particularly enjoy a CD I have of Kiri Te Kanawa singing all Gershwin songs. As OMK said, we lost him way too early.

    Jayce, thanks for the RIB link; I enjoyed listening to the entire performance.

    RIP Vic Damone, another voice from the past.

    OMK, if you have On Demand, you can get that performance by Gabrielle (?) the Canadian skater I mentioned.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Hello Puzzlers -

    A bit late to the party, but not too late to chime in about Gershwin. I’m a big fan of the compositions of his that I know, but I’d guess I’ve only heard about half of his work. His output for Broadway is huge by itself. Porgy and Bess is my favorite there. Top honors would have to go to Rhapsody in Blue, unsurprisingly. I’d love to have been there for the Carnegie Hall premiere - I hear the crowd loved it!

    I’ll go back for Jayce’s link next.

    Tricky puzzle by Monday standards. I couldn’t work out the NW corner until getting the gimmick. After that, no problem. Thanks for ‘splaining, Argyle!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Misty,
    The three superior beings we tend to are
    one female,
    Maggie, shortened from Magnificat, our one purebred, an off-white Golden,

    and two smaller guys,
    Nacho, a Chihuahua/Jack Russell mutt from the OC pound, and
    Louie, our rescue Yorkie.

    The boys are each around 8 1/2 years old, and Maggie is 7 1/2. Nacho is a sly little charmer, always angling to get ahead in life. As he ages, though, he seems to need more and more reassurance that he belongs. He is the most animated of the three by day. He likes to be wrapped in a blanket at night, and we cater to his wish.
    Louie had a rough early two years of life - found wandering in the woods on a rainy night. He has a damaged, crooked left ear. When we got him from his rescue people, he was afraid of me - and of all males. Happily, he took to my wife, and he has been a little sweetie, aiming to please as much as he can, squiggling on his rug for approval and often grooming his brother and sister.
    Over the years, he has worked hard to trust me, pushing himself & gradually coming around. Last year he let me pick him up,
    and this year he nestled beside me on the sofa.
    Last week he came and sat right on my lap.
    Man, that felt good.

    As for Maggie, she isn't as bright as our previous Golden. She mainly cadges treats & sleeps. But she is beautiful, a lovely, well proportioned beast.
    We call her (Forgive me!) our "Dumb Blond."

    ReplyDelete
  48. Nat Geo Wild (DirecTV 283) is carrying breed judging from Westminster. They did the breeds from 4 groups today with the rest coming tomorrow. Starts at 1:00 pm EST. I watched breeds of the hound group closely, the others not so closely. I loved the salukis, borzois, Irish Wolfhounds and (of course) the greyhounds!

    ReplyDelete
  49. OMK- thank you for the story of your furbabies. I can relate to your experience with Louie.In April, 2016, the shelter took in 2 dogs who had been found under someone's front porch and caught with a catch pole. They were feral. Rugby socialized quite well and went into a foster home in September, adopted in January. Rufus is going much slower. I've spent time with him 4 times a week since he came in. I can leash him, touch him all over but he doesn't like to be too close. This past Saturday, he was lying beside me and fell asleep with his head on my leg and my arm on his back! One day I hope he'll get on my lap.

    Jayce, thank you for the Rhapsody In Blue link. Excellent!

    ReplyDelete
  50. Hi All and Happy Birthday LaLaLinda! We miss you.

    Thanks Jerry for a wonderful tribute-puzzle to #16 and a CSO to my hometown, SPI - The Land of Lincoln. I grew up 3 blocks from Lincoln Park which is right across from
    Oak Ridge Cemetery where Lincoln was buried in two separate tombs. The cemetery is just over the fence from Pop's backyard; he and Tinker (Choc. Lab) go for walks there daily.

    Thanks Argyle for the expo and Beatles selection. LOVE'd it.

    WOs: RUNS AD @1st
    ESPs: None really but there were c/a's I didn't notice before Argyle's expo; GENA should be.
    Fav: Other than Lincoln, I'll go w/ ATINGLE. Fun word.
    Other Sparkle in Jerry's offering: CONNIVED, RELEGATE.

    WEES about the NW needed extra-perpage. Pat, I was having the same issues w/2d &18a; I almost stopped at N but went on to R b/f the V8 hit.

    {A,B-,A+} {chuckle, Brilliant! [I caught your 'nice' for my F-- :-)]}

    A CSO Toast to TIN!
    Thanks for the link C, Eh! I'll read that after I finish my presentation due tomorrow.

    @11:26 - ha!

    OMK - I agree on commercialization of music. I can't think of Copland's Hoedown [3m; there's a 24m side-link for me - YMMV] without thinking "Beef, It's what's for dinner." They RaN those ADS incessantly.

    Cheers, -T

    ReplyDelete
  51. Mark S ~ Why is your avatar picture so tiny?

    ReplyDelete
  52. As I watch the dog show...

    - I understand there are dog people, cat people and horse people. Any others?
    - I am absolutely, 100 percent a dog person but I am not anti-cat or anti-horse.
    - Watching these beautiful creatures parading across my screen, I feel a deep down love for these animals. In my genes. Man's best friend.
    - Ironic that my "last channel" button on my remote is getting a work out flipping back and forth from New York and PyeongChang as I've read some disheartening stories re dogs in South Korea.
    - Horse meat is consumed, as is apparently dog meat. I guess cat is consumed in China and other Asian countries. Is this a product of deprivation or preference.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Thanks for the many good wishes ~ they are very much appreciated. Loved the cake, CED ~ just a few more cats than I have. =^..^=

    This Corner has a wonderful group of people. I hope to chime in again one of these days!

    ReplyDelete
  54. - I mean, I know poor. Our country knows hunger. As AnonT and others talked about the other day about unmentioned meat in poor cajun cookin', there is similar occurrences up here in Appalachia. Possum, coon, squirrel and others, but no one would ever think of adding canine.

    ReplyDelete
  55. @8:16 - I think it's a matter of cultural norms. My friends from India would shake their head that we prefer cow; vegan friends - if I had any :-) - would think it's all wrong. But to your question, I have no idea if dog, cat, or horse is yummy; I'd have a mental block if I knew what it was.

    LaLa! So good to see you! I hope you had a great birthday. -T

    ReplyDelete
  56. Talk about"To tired to post" . I liked M&Papa's. Apparently, John Lennon did too

    Rhapsody was played a lot in our living room .If my brother liked it I listened .music to me is like math to some people. Not to speak of art .

    The xword started slow like Monda of late then I just flew through.

    ReplyDelete
  57. What a wonderful pet family you have, Ol'Man Keith. I loved hearing about them, and hope they continue to be so happy and healthy, thanks to you and your wife!

    I have only my black dachshund Dusty, since his sister Misty was taken out by a coyote two and a half years ago. He is very needy, can't be left alone for more than 15-20 minutes before he starts crying, and so needs dog-sitters any time I need to leave the house. But he's in great shape for 14 1/2 years, still racing up and down the hall 20 times, 3 times a day, for little tiny kibbles, and with good vision and hearing. So I feel very lucky.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Pat,
    How delightful that Rufus is able to nap on you now! I know how pleasing that must be to you, and it's heartening to know it means contentment for him as well.

    Thank you for your work for Animal Welfare.

    ReplyDelete
  59. It's 11:36 EST and I doubt anyone will read this until tomorrow morning but, and that is a giant but!, I cannot help expressing my giddy delight in my beloved Bichon winning best in the non-sporting group at Westminster! I am so excited that I doubt I'll even be able to sleep! As Misty would say, Woo Hoo!

    ReplyDelete
  60. Mark - before I saw your right-sized Avatar, I was gonna say you don't fix but "spay" a bich'upon adoption :-) //ducks

    Can I get a groan WC? :-)

    Cheers, -T

    ReplyDelete

For custom-made birthday, anniversary or special occasion puzzles from C.C., please email crosswordc@gmail.com

Her book "Sip & Solve Easy Mini Crosswords" is available on Amazon.

Please click on Comments Section Abbrs for some blog-specific terms.

Please limit your posts to 5 per day and cap each post length at about 20 lines in Preview mode.

No politics, no religion and no personal attacks.