google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday March 26, 2018 Paul Coulter

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Mar 26, 2018

Monday March 26, 2018 Paul Coulter

Theme: LA LA LAND (40. 2016 Gosling/Stone film ... and, as shown by circles, what each of four answers is) - Each theme entry is a place with *LA* and *LA* in it.

 17A. Narrow land formation along the Bering Sea : ALASKA PENINSULA

 33A. Upstate New York Winter Olympics village : LAKE PLLACID

 42A. Washington city with a repetitive name : WALLA WALLA

 58A. Scottish archipelago : SHETLAND ISLANDS
 
Boomer here.

Hi everyone.  Wishing you all a glorious Monday!  I used to hate Mondays but then I retired.  Now I bowl three of seven games on Mondays and in the fall I coach high school bowling so Mondays come and go quickly.  I join all of you in wishing Argyle a speedy recovery, but in the meantime, you are stuck with me.

Today's puzzle was a bit of a challenge and I had trouble with some of the clues.  Plus, I never could get used to calling Los Angeles "LA LA Land". 

 Across:    

1. Norway's capital : OSLO

5. Central Florida city : OCALA - Spring training land.  Major League baseball starts next week!

10. Distillery containers : VATS

14. Procrastinator's promise : SOON - "I'll get around to it" had too many letters

15. Something in the air : VAPOR - Some smokers are trying e-cigs.  I am not sure if they help cut down on tobacco, but they are banned in most places where you are not allowed to smoke.

16. Building beam : I-BAR

20. Price hike: Abbr. : INCR. Not too happy with abbreviations in puzzles.

21. Bard's "before" : ERE

22. Billionaire Bill : GATES - Yup the president and CEO of Micro something.  I think I have heard of him.

23. Puts on the line : RISKS

25. Marshy area : BOG -  This answer makes me remember Wade Boggs first a Red Sox, then a Yankee.

26. Most despicable : BASEST

29. "Citizen Kane" sled : ROSEBUD - I am not a "Citizen Kane" groupie, but I am looking forward to see if the rose bush in our garden survived the winter.

36. Acapulco article : UNA

37. O. Henry specialty : IRONY - I thought O'Henry was a candy bar

38. It was thrown into the harbor in a 1773 "party" : TEA  - I was not there, but it was a legitimate protest.  I object that the renegades chose to disguise themselves as native Americans.

39. Ingenious : SLICK

41. __ long way: help considerably : GO A

44. Intertwined : ENLACED

47. Not as cold, as weather : MILDER - We in the North are looking forward to milder weather.  It's getting there, but we have not seen 50 yet.

48. Hi-tech worker : BOT - A Robot is a machine in a factory.  I thought a BOT was an internet thing that steals your preferences so it will know how you vote.  I must watch too much CNN.

49. Hindu deity : SHIVA

51. "Nonsense!" : PSHAW - My 4th grade teacher had a blast teaching this word for our spelling test.

54. Spy org. called "The Company" : CIA - "The CIA's subversive, and so's the FCC.  There's no one left but thee and we, and we're not sure of thee."  Have fun and name that tune.

55. Hamburg's river : ELBE - Did not know that one.  Remember I said I only visited Hardheim/Wertheim

62. Hot under the collar : SORE

63. Ball girl : BELLE

64. Bothers no end : NAGS

65. Like golf balls at the start of a hole, usually : TEED - Then I get "TEED" off when I hit it into the lake.

66. Nuclear trial : A TEST

67. Weight loss plan : DIET - Many people try the "Seafood Diet" - See Food, Eat it.

Down:

1. Mama bear, in Mexico : OSA

2. Songs sung alone : SOLI. - Plural of solo. Fooled me.

3. Student aid : LOAN - It's really too bad that young people have to borrow money to get an education.

4. In the movies : ON SCREEN

5. Egg cells : OVA

6. "RUR" playwright : CAPEK


7. Copycats : APERS

8. Word with wolf or Ranger : LONE - Clayton Moore once visited a bowling center in St. Paul.  I don't think Jay Silverheels was with him though.

9. Shapiro of NPR : ARI - Also a news guy on MSNBC

10. Countenance : VISAGE

11. Adjoin : ABUT - Add a "T" to the clue and the answer and you will have a busy bar stool.

12. "A __ of Two Cities" : TALE - "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times".  Here we are 150 years later and "after changes upon changes, things are more or less the same." Name that tune.

13. Mmes., in Madrid : SRAS

18. __ Kreme: doughnut brand : KRISPY - They mad a grand entrances in Minnesota, had cars lined up dozens deep at the drive thru, but I think they left Minnesota and took the doughnuts with them.

19. Private nonprofits: Abbr. : NGOS. Non-Governmental Organizations.

24. Mo. town : STL - Motown is Detroit.  Cardinal town is STL where Ozzie and Stan the Man played.

25. Physique, informally : BOD

26. "Mudbound" actress Mary J. __ : BLIGE


27. Composer Copland : AARON - I don't know composers, but I do know who hit 755 home runs in his career.

28. Norwegian toast : SKOAL - I have seen it spelled this way, however when you salute the Minnesota Vikings it's "SKOL".

29. Mideast money : RIAL

30. Erect a house : BUILD - This is an interesting word, because when you finish building, you have a building.

31. Parent's brother : UNCLE - Holler "Uncle" - "I Ain't down" -I'm gonna learn to read and write, I'm gonna see what there is to see, and if the house is red and there's a big brass bed ......"  Name that tune.

32. Senegal's capital : DAKAR

34. Barely more than not at all : A TAD

35. Animation frame : CEL - Some of these by famous cartoonists and animated movie makers are now valuable collector's items.  I only like baseball cards.

39. Turn like a chair : SWIVEL

42. Dripping __: soaked : WET

43. Parisian pal : AMI

45. Died down : ABATED

46. Monastic hood : COWL

49. Move furtively : SIDLE

50. Waves for, as a taxi : HAILS - Sometimes rain turns to ice and you wish a taxi would get you outta here.

51. Hissed "Hey!" : PSST - I am waiting to see a four letter word with three vowels, but this isn't it.

52. Loafer or moc : SHOE - And neither are the next four

53. "Take this" : HERE

54. Tech news site : CNET

56. __ B'rith : BNAI

57. Barely beat : EDGE

59. Attorneys' org. : ABA

60. Filming site : SET - 6-11 games of tennis

61. Retired flier, briefly : SST - Super Sonic Transport.  No sure why it quit flying.  I think people liked to get to Europe in 2-3 hours,  But I know it was pretty pricey.

Boomer

Note from C.C.:

I finally talked to Argyle for a few minutes yesterday. I was happy that recognized my voice. No details on how long he'll stay in the hospital and when/where he'll be headed for rehab. He has no internet access at the moment. Hopefully soon he'll be back on line solving and reading our comments. 

 

65 comments:

  1. Greetings!

    Thanks to Paul and Boomer!

    No problems with this one.

    Worked eight puzzles yesterday. Among them were our Friday and Saturday offerings. No cheats on any of them!

    Spitz: hope Betsy is doing fine!

    Hope to see you all tomorrow!

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  2. Hi Y'all! Thank you, Boomer, for stepping in. I always enjoy your humor. Thank you, Paul.

    No circles, but for once I figured out the theme despite the fact I couldn't recognize the movie from the cluing. ESP

    More unknowns today for me than are usual on a Monday: CAPEK, DAKAR, ELBE, CNET. Don't know why I didn't know them.

    SWIVEL, not "lathed" Well, legs of a chair are turned on a lathe.

    My niece lives in OCALA so it's the first Florida city I try when it is five letters. Never heard of the place before she moved there.

    I'm familiar with the See Food DIET. I just don't go to the grocery store hungry anymore so I won't buy all the yummies. I had a stomach ache for a week and ate Jalapeno peppers Saturday, thinking I would probably writhe in the night. Instead my stomach settled down. I think the peppers must cauterize something or kill bacteria. Lucina, is there any folklore to support this theory among the pepper-eating traditionalists?

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  3. C.C., I'm glad you got to talk to Scott. I bet it made you both feel better. Glad he's doing well enough that they let him have the phone turned on.

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  4. Good Monday, Youse whose Corner it is,

    Thank you Mr. Paul Coulter for this Easy Peasy work of art. ¡Young Man Keith will enjoy the diagonal cross with a second mirror, Woohoo!

    Thank you Boomer for pitch hitting (MLB) for A+. I didn't guess any of the three tunes.

    14A - Procrastinator's promise : SOON - I had planned to start a procrastinator's club, but I never got around to it.

    Spitzboov FLN at 7:14 AM

    Wrote "BH's hip replacement operation went well, on Friday morning." WC calls her Betsy. Sounds like she is right on track for recovery as long as she follows the big three: no internal hip rotation, no hip flexion >90°, and not crossing the center line of the body with her foot. She does not want to pop her new hip out of its joint.

    Wilbur Charles FLN at 9:37 PM

    Wrote "mine has a torn Rotator cuff .She's looking at stem cell. Any comments?"

    Please allow me. I'm working with an Osteopath who injected my knees, and shoulders with Hyaluronic acid which acts as a cushion in these compromised joints. I will call him today to set up my next round. After 6 months, I can tell it is time. He would provide Stem Cell injections if I had $5,000 for the first knee, with the discounted rate of $3,000 for knee #2. Naturally this is not covered by insurance.

    To think that Stem cells could correct your DW's torn Rotator cuff is too great a stretch. She will need surgery to reconnect the torn muscle. She may benefit from a total shoulder replacement. Stem cell injections are intended to stimulate the joint to produce cartilage.

    Ðave

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  5. Good morning!

    Had the circles and even remembered to look at 'em. Interesting that all four theme answers are geographic. I was SNEAKin' before I SIDLEd. Nice to see PSST crossing PSHAW. Thanx, Paul.

    Boomer, I enjoyed your tour. In answer to your questions, "We're not sure what he did, but he's our hero just the same. Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest. Lie-la-lie...."

    AARON Copland may not be as familiar as Bach or Beethoven, but I'll bet you'll recognize this piece of music: Fanfare For The Common Man

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  6. Sometimes Monday puzzles are too easy.

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  7. Boomer, are you sure the theme is not MOONLIGHT ? Just checking...

    It is good to hear Argyle has made some progress and to see the Corner support him. Spitz, please keep us posted on the post-surgery as well.

    Boomer, you have me on your second set of song lyrics, but the first does seem an appropriate ANTHEM now. I do not mind abbreviations, but INCR is hardly an everyday usage.

    Paul's puzzle was fun, thank you.

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  8. Thanks Paul and Boomer for an enjoyabe exercise.

    CC thnks for the update on Argyle. Happy to hear he’s making progress.

    Hesitated in the puzzles midwest when IRONY seemed to be the only fit for O. Henry. Also unkown NGOS filled by the crosses. Otherwise fairly smooth with a little help from the theme.
    Spring has sprung , creeks are rising snow disappearing :-))

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  9. Okay, Hope you all had fun guessing. The first lyric is from "The John Birch Society" performed mostly by the Chad Mitchell Trio in their early years. I say mostly because I used to karaoke it once in awhile if I had enough to dring. Secondly could be very tough because it is only from an added verse to "The Boxer" performed by Simon and Garfunkel in the Concert at Central Park, circa 1981. "Now the years are passing by me they are rockin' evenly, I am older than I once was, but younger than I'll be that's not unusual, No it isn't strange, After changes upon changes, things are more or less the same." The third line is from "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" written by Meredith Wilson, and performed by Debbie Reynolds in the movie.

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  10. Hi Gang. Just back from ACPT. For those who weren't there, I'd like to mention that C. C. constructed an outstanding puzzle #2 titled "Close Call." It involved synonyms for disaster broken by a block between the ends and beginnings of Across entries, with the revealer CRISISAVERTED. Which makes sense because there were things like MAFIA.SCOREPOINTS, so a potential FIASCO was broken up. Everyone I talked with enjoyed it thoroughly. As for today's puzzle, not much to say, except I had LAKELADOGA originally, until Rich pointed out it wasn't an example of LALA LAND, more like, LALA WATER. Then he came up with LAKEPLACID, which is a well known town because of the Winter Olympics held there, in addition to being a body of water.

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  11. Creative puzzle - the LALA fill ins, after the first two, made it a quick solve even with a little more crunch than Monday usually has.

    Thanks Boomer for the write-up - and now "The Boxer" is officially my earworm for the day. Simon & Garfunkel was the first LP that I went out and bought for myself....
    And thanks Paul for the puzzle and for stopping by.

    Continue to pray for Argyle/Scott- continue to send him encouragement and hope the staff and friends/family there are rooting him on with the hard work that lies ahead!

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  12. Fun puzzle, Paul. I liked the Boomer humor. The theme in the circles was easy to spot. When the Friday, Saturday, Sunday puzzles flummox some solvers, we need to give them something they can enjoy on Monday and Tuesaday. Something for everyone.
    There was a time when some of our square dancers said, "I won't come if some of the numbers are difficult." Others said, "I won't come if the numbers are too simple." We tried a mix of difficult and easy and got the same complaints. What is a leader to do? Gradually we built built up a sense of family, an espirt de corps. We have something for everyone and are tolerant of others needs. We are a very happy group now.
    I am glad to hear that Betty is doing well and that Scott at coming along. I wish you courage for the long road ahead, Scott. We are pulling for you.I hope you can join us online soon. How is Jack, Agnes?
    WC, My ortho doc tries conservative treatment first. I had a full rotator cuff tear and a partial one in the same shoulder. I overcame it with PT and soon had full function. Later I had a biceps tear with a "popeye" in that shoulder and more PT. My arms were never really strong, but I am back to my own normal function. Square dancing uses that shoulder a lot. From time to time I overdo it and have some pain for a few weeks, but then I am okay again. I hope your wife has as good an outcome.

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  13. You’ll also recognize Copland’s “Hoe-Down” from his ballet “Rodeo”, it was the music in ads for “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ajQYANLiug&sns=em

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  14. Good Morning.

    Thanks, Paul. for a pretty breezy start to the week. My faves today: AARON Copeland because I like his work so much. And of course, TALE of Two Cities!

    Thanks, Boomer, for covering with wit and aplomb.

    Glad to hear Argyle is improving!

    Everyone, be well. Enjoy a sunny day--even if it is cloudy and raining outside.

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  15. LALALAND

    http://crosswordfiend.com/2017/09/10/monday-september-11-2017/#ny

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  16. Good morning everyone.

    Fermat and others; thanks for asking and your support. BH is coming along day by day. She will have to manage significant pain for the next 10 days because of the ANTECEDENT bone conditions. She is exercising the leg as directed.

    D4 @ 0435 - She moves the leg as directed by her doctor.

    Easy puzzle today. SO to our SOCALers with all the LA LA stuff. :-). Some intersting LA fill, though.
    DAKAR - sits astride the air routes from Europe to Brazil. Last chance to refuel before crossing the pond.
    SHETLANDS - From the Viking sailing directions on reaching Greenland: "From Hernam [present-day Hennø near Bergen] in Norway, head due west towards Hvarf in Greenland, and you will have sailed north of Hjaltland [the Shetland Islands}, so that you just glimpse it in clear weather, but south of the Faroe Islands, so that the sea [the horizon] is right in between the distant mountains, and thus also south of Iceland.”
    In other words: they sailed from Hennø in Norway, heading due west towards Greenland, between Shetland and the Faroes and south of Iceland.

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  17. Musings
    -LA LA LAND was so ballyhooed I had to see it! Meh…
    -Seeing pix of my childhood toys make me so nostalgic
    -The English teacher across the hall from me is having her kids read this O’Henry classic
    -This haunting AARON Copland piece is one of my wife’s favorites
    -It’s great to sub on a dripping wet day like today
    -Omaha got the best game of the weekend where Kansas EDGED Duke in a thrilling game
    -Time to start talking about Roman History

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  18. Alas Mondays are still rough for our pal Boomer. I think you have your Aris mixed up. Shapiro:NPR;Melber:MSNBC. I think the NYT puzzle had Melber in there somewhere last week. And as CC will no doubt remind, MLB baseball actually starts this week. Back in the day, school started after Labor Day, and baseball started after April Fools Day, but with all the extra days added both have to start earlier now.

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  19. Nice start to the week...............now just hoping the rest of the week can be for all to finish................not just the MENSA club boys!

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  20. Good Morning:

    I sailed through this with nary a hiccup but no Tada! Couldn't believe I had a Monday FIW but I did, thanks to Uno instead of Una. Had I checked the Downs, I think Dokor would have stood out like a sore thumb. Anyway, I enjoyed the puzzle and the theme. I've not seen the movie and I'm really not that interested in it, so probably won't see it. I do enjoy Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, though.

    Thanks, Paul, for a pleasant start to the week and for dropping by and thanks, Boomer, for pinch hitting for Argyle. Your humor is infectious.

    YR, thanks for asking about Jack. He is still in the hospital as he is not totally over the pneumonia. He is definitely a lot better but just not quite where the doctors want him to be. I hope he is discharged soon because he's starting to get antsy, understandably so, after over two weeks of confinement.

    I woke up this morning with a painful eye so immediately called and got an appointment with my ophthalmologist. I have a chalazion (sp?) which is similar to a stye but is an inflammation rather than infection. Treatment is hot compresses for 5 minutes, 3 times a day, for ten days. There is swelling and low-level pain but at least it's nothing serious.

    CC, thanks for keeping us posted on Argyle. I hope he's soon able to at least read the blog and see how much he is thought of and missed.

    Spitz, best wishes to Betty.

    I'm not a basketball fan but as a niece is a Loyola-Illinois graduate, I'll be rooting for them. I did watch the OT of Duke vs Kansas which was pretty exciting.

    Have a great day.

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  21. For 49D, 'move furtively,' I had SKULK instead of SIDLE at first. I like both of those words a lot.

    I've never heard anybody in southern California call the Los Angeles area LA LA LAND. Being a big fan of Emma Stone, I liked the movie a little bit better than Gary.

    I'm not one for prayers much these days but I sure have good wishes for Argyle.

    I'm wishing happy thoughts for everybody else too.

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  22. IM, among my other eye problems over the years, I have suffered numerous chalazia. While they are not inherently dangerous, as stated in this ARTICLE they can become hard and scratch the cornea. That can lead to all sorts of long term problems. I am very paranoid about people protecting their corneas, and remind you all not not rub your eyes.

    Did anyone notice that in the version of JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY which I linked earlier, the lead singer for the Chad Mitchell Trio who replaced Chad Mitchell, was John Denver.

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  23. Argyle, keep on keepin' on, man!

    Ta- DA! - a happy start to the week from Mr. Coulter, with a strong assist from Boomer!

    I bet I'm the only one in this Corner who has actually seen a staging of Karl CAPEK'sR.U.R., a touching tale of how advanced robots become more human than their makers.
    Anybody else?
    I think it is the most popular play title in cruciverbal land, but not for reasons of content or style.

    ____________
    Diagonal Report: Four diagonals today. One mainliner (NW to SE) and three on the mirror side (NE to SW).

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  24. Lemonade, that was John Denver before he became John Denver. When Chad Mitchell left the group, John stepped in, and they started billing themselves as the Chad-less "Mitchell Trio." I had a chance to interview them in '65 after the release of their LP That's The Way It's Gonna Be. Then John Denver went and got himself famous, and the group disbanded.

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  25. Delightful Monday puzzle with a cheerful theme--thanks so much, Paul, and thanks for checking in with us. I got the LA LAs right away and am so glad I have circles. And placing them in geographical clues was brilliant, I thought. But my favorite item was ROSEBUD, of course--brought back such a sweet memory of the movie. Boomer, your write-ups have become a regular treat--even when I didn't get any of your musicals.

    Irish Miss, I hope your eye heals well and quickly. I'll have you in my thoughts.

    And C.C., thanks for the hopeful update on Argyle.

    Have a great week, everybody!

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  26. Thank you, Paul Coulter, for the puzzle and for stopping at the Corner.

    WEES. I found no problems and even got OCALA since it's one of the few Florida cities we see in CWs. VISAGE is a great word in a Monday puzzle. I believe it's used in Ozymandias. "near them a shattered VISAGE lies."

    I enjoyed the theme though like Bill, I've never heard anyone call Los Angeles LALALAND. In my head I say it is Spanish, lohs anjeles.

    SHIVA, DOKAR and CAPEK might have caused problems for some solvers. For me, it was SOLI where, of course, I had SOLO and never bothered to look at ONCR. Drat!

    C.C., thank you for the report on Argyle. I hope he received my card and it's good to know he is recovering well. Also I'm glad to hear Sptiz's wife is on the mend as well as IM's nephew, Jack.

    Yesterday was a full day with my niece's party, many friends and relatives here but I did most of the puzzle. I'll finish it sometime today. I'll be preparing for company who will arrive next week.

    Boomer, thank you so much. You are a hoot!

    Have a beautiful day, everyone!

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  27. PK—when I had non-stop morning sickness with my pregnancy many years ago, pickled jalapeño slices were the only thing that stopped the nausea!

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  28. PK:
    Yes, there is much folklore concerning the healing benefits of chiles. My mother was a firm believer and ate them every day if possible. She was exceedingly healthy. Now, science supports the theory and capsaicin (the main ingredient) is even produced in palatable form.

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  29. Lemonade714 at 6:55 AM

    Wrote "INCR is hardly an everyday usage." - It is an acceptable abbr. for the word increase, and provided the necessary "R" in KRISPY. Kreme that is. You wouldn't want that word to go to waist would you. On February 24, 2015, Krispy Kreme opened its 1,000th shop in Kansas City, Kansas. It is the Krème De La Krème of those Torus shaped pastries, and has excellent coffee to go with heaven.

    Thanks Paul C at 7:50 AM for your input about the CW. Keep em coming. I'm glad you like our C.C..

    inanehiker at 8:05 AM

    Thank you. Somehow your "earworm for the day" cleared mine. I have had a complicated song stuck where my brain used to be, for days, and now I can't even remember what it was. Thanks again.

    Yellowrocks at 8:09 AM

    ¿Are you Do-si-doing where the basement flooded, or Allemande Lefting elsewhere?

    "Your HTML cannot be accepted: Tag is not closed: B" Oh boy a scavenger hunt for the missing link. I eventually found it.

    Ðave

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  30. Well, this was a walk in the park, even for a Monday.

    Here my deal with these types of puzzles...as soon as you figure out the gimmick, you go ahead and fil the other circles with “LA”s.....no thinking or solving required.

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  31. Thank you Paul for a great Monday puzzle and Boomer for the explanation.

    I always learn so much on this blog.
    Boomer, if you are looking for 4 letter words with 3 vowels the states of IOWA and OHIO are such words.

    I read RUR in high school but pronounced the last name with a hard K sound for the C in CAPEK. I had a neighbor who corrected me, pronouncing it like "tch".

    We are up to 48 F in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Hoping for 50 soon.

    Live Well, Heal and Prosper,
    VS

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  32. Why are "copycats" and "mimics" always APERS in crossword puzzles and not just APES?

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  33. Maybe the link to the how to make a link could be added right above the Comment box. I always have to search for it. And if I copy the template from an MS Word document, something doesn't work. I think it is the quotes.

    How to Create a Link at Comments Section
    Mar 10, 2009
    raw html of help page:
    http://crosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-make-link-at-comments-section.html
    Made into a link:
    How to add a link

    VS

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  34. Nice easy Monday stroll today. Yep, sure enough, once I figured out the gimmick I pre-entered LA into each pair of circles. Some clues/answers I didn't even see until reading your humor-filled write-up, Boomer. Thank you for filling in.

    Agree with many comments re LALA LAND, namely (1) it's not a movie LW or I have any interest in seeing, and (2) nobody I know has ever called Los Angeles Lala Land.

    Best wishes to you all.

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  35. Thanks Boomer for stepping in...such a treat. Abbreviations in puzzles bug me too. I had no trouble today until I ended up with one hole: cnet/CIA.
    C.C., thanks for the update on Argyle.Hopefully he realizes that we are all thinking about him.

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  36. D-O was he using John Denver as his stage name when you interviewed them?

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  37. Dave 2, you wrote: "It is an acceptable abbr. for the word increase, and provided the necessary "R" in KRISPY. Kreme that is..." Acceptable by whom? Type INCR. into google and see what comes up. I really enjoy Paul and his puzzles and I understand the need for glue to finish an otherwise well crafted puzzle, but that does not mean I have to like the individual clue/fill.

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  38. Lemonade714, hear hear! Thank you for once again pointing out that disliking a puzzle entry is not the same as claiming it is incorrect or illegitimate.

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  39. Anonymous at 10:17 AM

    I'm sure you will be pleased to know that I am not one of those "MENSA club boys!" I am, however, able to complete CWs even if I have to BAV or two. I'm happy with my CW solving style, and derive much pleasure from it.

    Irish Miss at 10:35 AM

    Wrote "...he's starting to get antsy..." They need to DC him soon before he takes a turn for the nurse.

    I have a small skin tag on each eyelid. I will probably leave them as is.

    Lemonade714 at 11:11 AM
    Thanks for giving me a second chance to notice the ANTHEM. I was so busy with sugar plums and the Krème De La Krème that I did not see the link. I studied the picture, and could not recognize John Denver. They poked fun at everyone including mommy. Somehow that sounds so much like our current late night talk show monologues.
    Remember: "No politics, no religion and no personal attacks."
    Ðave

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  40. Lemonade, yes he was billing himself as John Denver in '65. I believe it was his first professional gig. He was the only member of the trio who could play a musical instrument.

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  41. I agree with Jayce as usual. I dislike INCR, ELHI, APER and other 'words' of their ilk. But if a constructor and/or Rich, our editor, have to use one of them to make an otherwise enjoyable puzzle come together, I can still enjoy the result while grumbling about the word. I feel so fortunate that we have a continuing supply of great puzzles with clever themes.

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  42. Jayce,
    I don't mean to burst your bubble, but when I was growing up in San Francisco, we used to refer to LA as LALA LAND, along with other less attractive monikers.
    I suppose we were influenced by stories grownups told us, combining "Lotus land" themes with tales of how SoCal steals our water.

    L.A. just seemed a place where people lived a soft life leaching from others. Before I moved down here I was half convinced the sun baked the brains of Southern Californians.

    But that was then. After living here for half my life I believe I am changing my mind.

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  43. Chad Mitchell Trio - The John Birch Society Lyrics

    Oh we're meeting at the courthouse at eight o'clock tonight
    You just come in the door and take the first turn to the right
    Be careful when you get there, we'd hate to be bereft
    But we're taking down the names of everybody turning left

    Oh we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
    Here to save our country from a communistic plot
    Join the John Birch Society, help us fill the ranks
    To get this movement started, we need lots of tools and cranks

    Now there's no one that we're certain the Kremlin doesn't touch
    We think that Westbrook Pegler doth protest a bit too much
    We only hail the hero from whom we got our name
    We're not sure what he did, but he's our hero all the same

    Oh we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
    Socialism is the ism dismalist of all
    Join the John Birch Society, there's so much to do
    Have you heard they're serving vodka at the W.C.T.U.

    Well you've heard about the agents that we've already named
    Well M.C.A. has agents that are flatly unashamed
    We're after Rosie Clooney, we've gotten Pinky Lee
    And the day we get Red Skelton won't that be a victory

    Oh we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
    Norman Vincent Peale may think he's kidding us along
    But the John Birch Society knows he spilled the beans
    He keeps on preaching brotherhood, but we know what he means

    We'll teach you how to spot 'em in the cities or the sticks
    For even Jasper Junction is just full of Bolsheviks
    The CIA's subversive and so's the FCC
    There's no one left but thee and we, and we're not sure of thee

    Oh we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
    Here to save our country from a Communistic plot
    Join the John Birch Society, holding off the Reds
    We'll use our hands and hearts, and if we must, we'll use our heads




    [Background]
    O beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain



    [Spoken]
    Do you want Justice Warren to be your Commissar?
    Do you want Mrs. Khrushchev in there with the DAR?
    You cannot trust your neighbors, or even next-of-kin

    If mommy is a Commie then you gotta turn her in



    Oh we're the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
    Fighting for the right to fight the right fight for the right
    Join the John Birch Society, as we're marching on
    We'll all be glad to see you when we're meeting in the John
    In the John, in the John Birch Society

    ReplyDelete
  44. The expression, La La Land, has been around for several decades. Naturally Californians, and more especially those from Los Angeles, do not like it, because it is a knock against them. La La Land makes fun of the supposed eccentricities of those "crazy Californians," and some of the outre ideas, movements and philosophies that began in Los Angeles and/or California. (sic) Except for being revived by the movie of that name, La La Land is not used nearly as much as it used to be.
    D4, thanks for asking. The flood in the church basement was only a few inches deep, but all the nursery school belongings had to be moved to the upstairs hall that we usually use so they could dry off and be cleaned and so that the rug could be cleaned and dried. Games, toys, papers and books and the lower shelves had to be replaced. The nursery school and our dances were closed for two weeks. Tonight is our second week back. It could have been worse. We didn't need to find another venue.

    Agnes, sorry to hear of your eye problem. I hope it resolves quickly.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Thanks, Lucina and Anon @11:56. My kids thought I was nuts when I said chili soup settled my stomach more than chicken soup.

    D4: have you noticed the sentence under "Leave your comment" just above "No Politics, no religion, and no personal attacks"? I'm guilty too, but...

    ReplyDelete
  46. Ol' Man Keith, thanks for your comment about Lala land.

    Bill G, I agree with you, too. As I often start my posts, "I enjoyed the puzzle today." I usually enjoy them and since having tried my hand at constructing I definitely appreciate the constructors. Having a crossword puzzle to solve every day and having this blog to come to afterward are pleasures I would not want to do without.

    ReplyDelete
  47. FIR on our final travel day. Erased warmer for MILDER and ELBa for EBLE. Nice to be back in Norfolk, but high temps in the 40s makes me think I came back about 6 weeks too early.

    I get a mini-CSO when OCALA is fill, since I spend two months there every year. Beautiful town; a lot like Lexington, Kentucky with a huge thoroughbred horse industry and rolling hills. No major university and no "just wait 'til next year" men's basketball team.

    Thanks Boomer and Paul for a great start to the work week. (My apologies to my fellow retirees for using the "w" word.)

    ReplyDelete
  48. VirginiaSycamore at 12:58 PM

    Hidden in your post is the answer to my riddle so you don't get to play.

    ¿What's round on the ends and high in the middle?
    Tell me if you know.
    ¿Isn't it a cute little riddle?
    Round on the ends and high in the middle,
    It's _______.

    PK at 3:35 PM

    OOPS, I misread your concern. I thought that you thought I was bringing politics to the Corner, when your point, upon second read, addressed my Blog Filibuster of 46 lines. I leave my errant reply below.

    You and I are on the same page. See the last line of my post at 306 PM. I had never heard the ANTHEM, and was so struck by the message that I wanted to include the lyrics. I'll crawl back under my PC rock now.

    ¿Say, could your Avatar stand for Politically Korrect?

    To those upon who's toes I stood today, thank you. I reached the HUNNY pot, and have my Pooh Bear paw in it.

    Today's paraprosdokian: Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, you will be a mile away and he won’t have any shoes.

    And the answer to the riddle is: O HI O

    Ðave

    ReplyDelete
  49. D4: My kids would tell you I am the most un-politically correct person they know.

    ReplyDelete
  50. By the way, is the John Birch Society still in existence?

    ReplyDelete
  51. I have already exceeded the line limit today. I might as well exceed the posting limit with this 6th post.
    There has been an interest today in a certain musical group so I bring to you, directly from 1987 Reprise The Chad Mitchell Trio with John Denver.

    Ðave

    ReplyDelete
  52. Hi All!

    Thanks Paul for the puzzle. Unlike others, I had troubles in the West. BLIDGE next to AARON next to SKOAL was un-knownish and lacking Perps for vilest(?)@26a and EN?A?ED, I couldn't commit to anything in ink. I finally recalled AARON and was able to perp it out. [I had a mental block; Stewart Copeland (drummer for The Police) kept jumping to mind.]

    Boomer! Humor! [a take on OU's call]. Thanks Boomer for the expo; you answered your music quiz before I could take a stab!?! Doesn't matter though, I was 0-fer.

    WOs: I had OSAkA b/f the LONE Ranger road in and ScotLAND b/f perps fixed.
    ESPs & copious WAGS: ELBE/BANI; BLIGE
    Fav: Seeing RUR's SAPEK and BOT in the same grid.
    Bill GATES xing NGOs was cute too.

    Not being particularly haute - I first learned of AARON's 'Fanfare' from Emerson, Lake, & Palmer. Ditto: Rodeo from "Beef; It's what's for dinner."

    {}

    IM - Never heard of Chalazion(sp?) but that's apparently what I have too. I just thought it was a recurring stye 'cuz I like to sleep face-down (w/ my face smashed into the pillow).

    D4 - Right! Xwords are fun. We're not at the ACPT so we play against ourselves; like golf [I will brag about a good hole but the rest are gentlemen's 8 :-)]

    And you can have a fun overall puzzle with a clunker or two; i.e. Glue. Right Jayce, Lem, et.al.? INCR qualifies. ON CR (c. When you Ret. [return - think typewriter]) would be just as bad, BUT, it'd fix SOLI :-)

    D-O: That's so cool you got to interview Chadless Trio. DJing must have been all that and a bag o' chips. [I'm now picturing you as Dr. Johnny Fever :-)]

    OMK - LOL 1/2-baked LA LA LANDers. Just note, flyover-country calls all of CA 'The Land of Nuts & Fruits' :-)

    Lucina - you said palatable? What's not palatable about jalapeños? ;-)

    Anon @10:17a - Re: MENSA club boys - I wouldn't join a group that would have me as a member [Marx].

    Cheers, -T

    ReplyDelete
  53. Yes, PK
    sad to say,
    there still is a John Birch Society.

    I thought they had faded from the scene. We used to think their base was in a highly conservative area - like Orange County.
    But now that I live in that same Orange County I find no trace of them. Turns out, while the County has veered several degrees to the left, the JBS still exists. You can check out their Home Page...

    ReplyDelete
  54. Keith: I haven't heard anything about JBS since I lived in Massachusetts in 1961. A Harvard guy we knew belonged.

    Yay, Kansas University Jayhawks won and advance to final four basketball tournament. Boo hoo, I slept through the entire game which I hear was exciting. Didn't help that it was an afternoon game and I thought it would be played in the evening. Rock Chalk!

    ReplyDelete
  55. PK I, too, am glad the Jayhawks won. I graduated from KU in 1970. I never went to a basketball game, though, nor a football game. Too busy with theatre, then sleeping late. I lived right by the football field, across from the Rock Chalk Cafe (owner Virgil) and would get miffed when we got a touchdown and they set off the cannon! Boy, has Lawrence changed!

    Becky

    ReplyDelete
  56. Stuck at first thinking ALEUTIAN ISLANDS. Learning moment about ALASKA PENINSULA. Once I got that, the theme was clear. And a fairly quick, smooth ride!

    LA LA LAND is just about two hours down the freeway. But we end up getting to SF Land more often, even though it is at least six hours away.

    Still no way to share my LA LA LAND photos or any others of mine. But...

    Does anyone remember this Peanuts cartoon from 1973 where Lucy ruins the movie for Linus by telling him ROSEBUD was the sled?

    CanadianEh, Spitzboov, AnonT, Wilbur Charles: Thanks for the suggestions and or support regarding Yahoo shutting down my web site without cause.

    None of those phone numbers proved to work. Now that Yahoo has been sold I probably would need to start tracking down people at the new parent company.

    More time on the phone today trying to deal with that. I talked to the lawyer in San Francisco who had sued Yahoo before. She said my case looks stronger than the previous one. She will know in a few days if her firm wants to proceed. But that won't get me back on line. Those cases take months or more. It would just be a way to make them pay for the harm they caused. And I would get a few thousand dollars for my trouble.

    I have been shopping for a new host, but it is hard to get any of them to commit that they won't do the same thing.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Becky, my brother got his under grad & microbiology PhD at KU and is a professor there. He started as a freshman in 1972, so you were out before he came in. Lawrence has had an amazing housing boom and sprawled out unbelievably. Bro put his house on the market a couple years ago and it sold within a few days. Daughter got a masters at KU. Nieces husband played basketball there --very noticeable white kid -- before 2005. So we're interested in KU as well as invested.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Becky, how did an Ar-kansas girl end up at U. Kansas?

    ReplyDelete
  59. I'm assuming you guys heard of the oldie about the group advocating for the preservation of wooden toilet seats. They are the Birch John Society.

    I'll go now...

    ReplyDelete
  60. BillG - Groan (giggle, giggle, giggle) -T

    ReplyDelete
  61. Picard - Verizon bought Yahoo. They should be easy to get ahold of.

    ReplyDelete
  62. AnonT:
    Yes, I can see that you might think I inferred jalapenos are not palatable but nothing could be farther from that meaning. What I tried to say, though inelegantly, was that capsaicin is now in a form available to be taken as medicine.

    BillG:
    Loved it! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  63. Lucina - I knew what you meant. I was making a ([an] apparently very little) joke... yeah, they have capsaicin now for people who can't take the heat. [See: Eldest. She thought I only got hot-banana peppers for the garden]

    Spitz said "[Verizon] should be easy to get ahold of."... Now, that's funny!
    //Good luck Picard - I miss the pix

    Cheers, -T

    ReplyDelete
  64. APER CONSTRUCTOR

    COPIED LALA LAND

    FROM NEW YORK TIMES erik agard

    ReplyDelete

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

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