Let's call the theme Mutts and Moggies
17. Welcome wind on a hot day: MILD BREEZE.
42. "Best thing since" invention metaphor: SLICED BREAD.
36. Successful cryptographer: CODE BREAKER.
The reveal:
62. Pet without papers ... or what is literally found in the circled letters: MIXED BREED.
Across:
1. Not at all good: EVIL. Bad to the bone.
5. Piece-of-cake shape: WEDGE. I wanted slice. Both wedge and slice are also golf terms. If you routinely slice your wedge, it's time to see your local PGA teaching professional. He or she may correct your grip and swing plane. That should get you back on track, easy as 1-2-3, piece-of-cake.
10. Tick off: MIFF. Peeve.
14. Use a surgical beam: LASE.
15. Toward the back: AREAR. Aftward on a ship.
16. "What I Am" singer Brickell: EDIE. Trivia fact: Married to Paul Simon.
19. First-rate: A-ONE. Alternatively written as A1. We see that as the Audi model or the Kraft Steak Sauce and many Other Uses.
Driving fast on the A1. There's also the A1 autobahn in Germany. This driver makes the 90 minute drive from Bremen to Hamburg in 42 minutes. He's driving a BMW 730d, and after the first 11 minutes or so, he pushes it up to and sustains almost 250 klicks per hour. That's over 150 MPH ! Watch starting at 11:10 after he gets out of the speed-limit zone. If you really want to see the scenery fly by, change the video playback options to run at 2X speed.
20. Grab greedily: SNATCH.
21. Brought back to mind: RECALLED.
23. Migratory flying formations: VEEs.
25. Dance move: STEP.
26. Carrots' partners: PEAS. Some things just go together. Bacon and eggs. Hugs and kisses. Tea and biscuits. Love and marriage. Spaghetti and meatballs. The moon and the stars. Turkey and dressing. Fred and Ginger. Peanut butter and jelly. Wine and cheese. Burger and fries. Rodgers and Hammerstein. Your turn.
29. Dangerous tide: RIP.
31. Airing in the wee hours: ON LATE. Like that pillow guy.
35. Dr.'s orders: Rxs. Prescriptions.
38. Diner: EATER.
40. Cup handle: EAR.
41. Not reactive, as gases: INERT.
45. Untruth: LIE.
46. Walked with purpose: STRODE.
47. Typical John Grisham subject: LAW.
48. Back talk: SASS.
49. Nervous twitches: TICS.
51. Retail center: MART.
53. Cigarette stimulant: NICOTINE.
57. Staggered: REELED.
61. Neutral shade: ECRU.
64. Drop of sorrow: TEAR.
65. Oscar-winning "Skyfall" singer: ADELE.
66. Family babysitter: NANA.
67. Attaches a patch, say: SEWS.
68. Massenet opera about a Spanish legend: LE CID. Opera lovers like Hahtoolah probably nailed this.
In the early 1600s, French playwright Pierre Corneille wrote the play Le Cid based on the legend of Spanish medieval hero El Cid. The play was wildly popular, but Corneille took a lot of flak and created quite the stir because he initially wrote the play as both a tragedy and a comedy. That was a big no-no at the time, at least as far as the French cultural authorities were concerned.
In the late 1800s, French composer Jules Massenet turned the play into an opera: Massenet's Le Cid - Synopsis. Here's audio of Enrico Caruso singing the aria "O souverain, o juge, o père" from Massenet's Le Cid.
Good thing the perps gave me LE, because I would have had EL.
Down:
1. O'Neill's "Desire Under the __": ELMS.
2. Fruitless: VAIN.
3. Cuba, por ejemplo: ISLA. Spanish in the clue, Spanish in the answer. Or, if you so prefer, the same in Portuguese.
4. Some HD sets: LED TVs.
5. Medal recipient: WAR HERO.
6. Poetic preposition before "now" or "long": ERE.
7. Animal on XING signs: DEER.
8. Long looks: GAZES.
9. __ set: building toy: ERECTOR. Inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 1988. Salem, Oregon born inventor, athlete, magician, toy-maker and businessman Alfred Carlton Gilbert is best known as the inventor of the Erector Set. He also invented the pole vault box. As an athlete, he set a world record for consecutive chin ups, and then set a world record in pole vault in 1906 while a student at Yale. He then won a Gold Medal in pole vault at the 1908 Olympics. He was dubbed by the press as "The Man Who Saved Christmas" after arguing successfully against a ban on toy production in 1918 during World War I. Source: Wikipedia and acgilbert.org.
10. College student's dining choice: MEAL PLAN. How Not to Blow Your College Meal Plan
11. Singing competition that returned in 2018, familiarly: IDOL. American Idol.
12. "Okay by me": FINE. I can usually gauge the mood of my wife based on tone.
13. Nourish: FEED.
18. Letters in old dates: BCE. Wikipedia: "...Before the Common or Current Era (BCE)... In the later 20th century, the use of CE and BCE was popularized in academic and scientific publications, and more generally by authors and publishers wishing to emphasize secularism or sensitivity to non-Christians, by not explicitly referencing Jesus as "Christ" and Dominus ("Lord") through use of the abbreviation "AD"..."
22. Virgil epic: AENEID. Oh man. Not my cuppa. Here goes: Epic poem of myth and legend written by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. Lots of supernatural meddling and involvement. The hero is Aeneas. Leads other Trojans as they sail to Italy, escaping Troy after the Greeks attacked. Spartans and Trojans didn't get along at the time. Perils along the way. They make it. Build a city that generations later becomes Rome. Wins battles. Gets hindered and helped by the gods at many turns. Sounds like George Lucas and Star Wars to me, but I've never seen that movie either. How did I do Misty ? I'll take the D+ and move on.
24. Flip of a 45 record: SIDE B.
26. Defensive basketball tactic: PRESS. Short for pressure. The team without the ball (the defense) tries to pressure the offense into making a mistake and causing the offense to lose possession of the ball. The change of (ball) possession is known as a turnover, and is the primary goal of the press.
27. Praise highly: EXALT.
28. Up and about: ASTIR.
30. Oyster jewel: PEARL.
32. Cub Scout leader: AKELA. The leader and guide for Cub Scouts on the advancement trail. Borrowed from Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book as a symbol of wisdom, authority and leadership. scouting.org, cubscouts.org, wikipedia.
33. Hatcher and Garr: TERIs.
36. College transcript unit: CREDIT.
37. Silvery freshwater fish: BREAM.
39. Nature excursions: ECOTOURS. Ecological tourism.
43. Dot between dollars and cents: DECIMAL.
44. Given, as a medal: AWARDED.
48. Rudder locales: STERNS. Aft-most. Spitzboov would know all these terms, and more !
50. Snarky: SNIDE.
52. Yank's war foe: REB. Yankees and Rebels in the U.S. Civil War. Generally, northerners and southerners. How much southern blood does your speech show ? Take this test.
53. Earns after taxes: NETS.
54. Slushy drink brand: ICEE. Apu sells a similar product called Squishee at Kwik-E-Mart.
55. Avian crop: CRAW. Merriam-Webster definitions:
56. Boardroom VIP: EXEC.
58. Security breach: LEAK.
59. Counting rhyme word: EENY.
60. June 6, 1944: D-DAY.
63. Collegian who roots for the Bulldogs: ELI.
A Yale University student is often called an Eli or a Yalie. The athletic teams of Yale are the Bulldogs.
Handsome Dan is the name of the actual bulldog that serves as the mascot.
Iteration Number 18 is now serving.
Good boy.
Here's the grid:
See all y'all later n'at !
29. Dangerous tide: RIP.
31. Airing in the wee hours: ON LATE. Like that pillow guy.
35. Dr.'s orders: Rxs. Prescriptions.
38. Diner: EATER.
40. Cup handle: EAR.
41. Not reactive, as gases: INERT.
45. Untruth: LIE.
46. Walked with purpose: STRODE.
47. Typical John Grisham subject: LAW.
48. Back talk: SASS.
49. Nervous twitches: TICS.
51. Retail center: MART.
53. Cigarette stimulant: NICOTINE.
57. Staggered: REELED.
61. Neutral shade: ECRU.
64. Drop of sorrow: TEAR.
65. Oscar-winning "Skyfall" singer: ADELE.
66. Family babysitter: NANA.
67. Attaches a patch, say: SEWS.
68. Massenet opera about a Spanish legend: LE CID. Opera lovers like Hahtoolah probably nailed this.
In the early 1600s, French playwright Pierre Corneille wrote the play Le Cid based on the legend of Spanish medieval hero El Cid. The play was wildly popular, but Corneille took a lot of flak and created quite the stir because he initially wrote the play as both a tragedy and a comedy. That was a big no-no at the time, at least as far as the French cultural authorities were concerned.
In the late 1800s, French composer Jules Massenet turned the play into an opera: Massenet's Le Cid - Synopsis. Here's audio of Enrico Caruso singing the aria "O souverain, o juge, o père" from Massenet's Le Cid.
Good thing the perps gave me LE, because I would have had EL.
69. Absolut rival: SKYY. Vodka brands. Tinbeni gets options !
Down:
1. O'Neill's "Desire Under the __": ELMS.
2. Fruitless: VAIN.
3. Cuba, por ejemplo: ISLA. Spanish in the clue, Spanish in the answer. Or, if you so prefer, the same in Portuguese.
4. Some HD sets: LED TVs.
5. Medal recipient: WAR HERO.
6. Poetic preposition before "now" or "long": ERE.
7. Animal on XING signs: DEER.
8. Long looks: GAZES.
9. __ set: building toy: ERECTOR. Inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 1988. Salem, Oregon born inventor, athlete, magician, toy-maker and businessman Alfred Carlton Gilbert is best known as the inventor of the Erector Set. He also invented the pole vault box. As an athlete, he set a world record for consecutive chin ups, and then set a world record in pole vault in 1906 while a student at Yale. He then won a Gold Medal in pole vault at the 1908 Olympics. He was dubbed by the press as "The Man Who Saved Christmas" after arguing successfully against a ban on toy production in 1918 during World War I. Source: Wikipedia and acgilbert.org.
10. College student's dining choice: MEAL PLAN. How Not to Blow Your College Meal Plan
11. Singing competition that returned in 2018, familiarly: IDOL. American Idol.
12. "Okay by me": FINE. I can usually gauge the mood of my wife based on tone.
13. Nourish: FEED.
18. Letters in old dates: BCE. Wikipedia: "...Before the Common or Current Era (BCE)... In the later 20th century, the use of CE and BCE was popularized in academic and scientific publications, and more generally by authors and publishers wishing to emphasize secularism or sensitivity to non-Christians, by not explicitly referencing Jesus as "Christ" and Dominus ("Lord") through use of the abbreviation "AD"..."
22. Virgil epic: AENEID. Oh man. Not my cuppa. Here goes: Epic poem of myth and legend written by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. Lots of supernatural meddling and involvement. The hero is Aeneas. Leads other Trojans as they sail to Italy, escaping Troy after the Greeks attacked. Spartans and Trojans didn't get along at the time. Perils along the way. They make it. Build a city that generations later becomes Rome. Wins battles. Gets hindered and helped by the gods at many turns. Sounds like George Lucas and Star Wars to me, but I've never seen that movie either. How did I do Misty ? I'll take the D+ and move on.
24. Flip of a 45 record: SIDE B.
26. Defensive basketball tactic: PRESS. Short for pressure. The team without the ball (the defense) tries to pressure the offense into making a mistake and causing the offense to lose possession of the ball. The change of (ball) possession is known as a turnover, and is the primary goal of the press.
27. Praise highly: EXALT.
28. Up and about: ASTIR.
30. Oyster jewel: PEARL.
32. Cub Scout leader: AKELA. The leader and guide for Cub Scouts on the advancement trail. Borrowed from Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book as a symbol of wisdom, authority and leadership. scouting.org, cubscouts.org, wikipedia.
33. Hatcher and Garr: TERIs.
34. Some Deco prints: ERTEs. Russian-born Romain de Tirtoff was known by the pseudonym "Erté", from the French pronunciation of his initials.
36. College transcript unit: CREDIT.
37. Silvery freshwater fish: BREAM.
39. Nature excursions: ECOTOURS. Ecological tourism.
43. Dot between dollars and cents: DECIMAL.
44. Given, as a medal: AWARDED.
48. Rudder locales: STERNS. Aft-most. Spitzboov would know all these terms, and more !
50. Snarky: SNIDE.
52. Yank's war foe: REB. Yankees and Rebels in the U.S. Civil War. Generally, northerners and southerners. How much southern blood does your speech show ? Take this test.
53. Earns after taxes: NETS.
54. Slushy drink brand: ICEE. Apu sells a similar product called Squishee at Kwik-E-Mart.
55. Avian crop: CRAW. Merriam-Webster definitions:
- Avian: of, relating to, or derived from birds
- Crop: a pouched enlargement of the esophagus of many birds that serves as a receptacle for food and for its preliminary maceration; also : an enlargement of the digestive tract of another animal (such as an insect)
- Craw: The crop of a bird or insect.
56. Boardroom VIP: EXEC.
58. Security breach: LEAK.
59. Counting rhyme word: EENY.
60. June 6, 1944: D-DAY.
63. Collegian who roots for the Bulldogs: ELI.A Yale University student is often called an Eli or a Yalie. The athletic teams of Yale are the Bulldogs.
Handsome Dan is the name of the actual bulldog that serves as the mascot.
Iteration Number 18 is now serving.
Good boy.
Here's the grid:
See all y'all later n'at !
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteThanks to Roland and TTP!
No problems here.
My keyboard crapped out. I ended up buying a new MacBook Pro. It has bugs!
I owe a bunch in taxes due to large capital gains. That gain was subsequently lost!
I just worked Monday's offering. Now to Sunday!
Hope to see you all tomorrow!
A MILD BREEZE RECALLED the day
ReplyDeleteMy own true love did sail away.
On the STERN, she stood AREAR,
In her GAZE I saw a TEAR.
I almost stopped my Farmville play!
Before SLICED BREAD, bakers were lazy.
They'd loaf all day, drove their wives crazy!
An EATER of breads
Would RIP them to shreds.
And toasters had slots that were wavy!
An IDOL is FINE if it's just for show.
If it is EVIL, then force it to go!
If it's only INERT
You can just FEED it dirt,
But a MEAL PLAN of virgins is a big no-no!
{B+, C+, B+.}
I usually struggle with circled clues but I saw the breed at 17A and the rest was easy.
ReplyDeleteDNF REMINDED instead of RECALLED did me in this morning.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise a fairly quick fill.
Another pleasant spring morning , will be putting in the garden in a few weeks . We just ran out of last years onions , so looking forward to making garden.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteReally thought MCM would be the letters in old dates; it was used throughout the 1900s. Bzzzt! Also wanted EXTOL before EXALT elbowed in. Otherwise this was a smooth romp. Thanx, Roland. TTP, you outdid yourself this morning. Well done.
In my ute I had a Gilbert Chemistry Set -- same guy who invented the Erector Set, I believe.
Apparently 40 years in Texas has only started to rub off on me. I scored "38% Dixie. You are definitely a Yankee." Guilty.
FIR, but erased "lee" for REB because MAll gave way to MART. I was hacked before I was LEAKed, mainly because I drank SKOL before SKYY. I'll bet I'm not the only one who had el CID before LE CID.
ReplyDeleteZoe gets peas and carrots in her food, as well as brown rice and yogurt. NO, SHE IS NOT SPOILED! At least not much. At least not too much. TTP, the inevitable paring that comes to my mind is death and taxes.
Today's puzzle brought back to mind Takata air bags.
A "press" happens between the offense's base (end) line and the midcourt line. Normally it is applied after a made basket. The offense has ten seconds to get the ball to the midcourt line, and a good press makes that hard to do. Teams that are known to be great pressing teams (UVA, WVU) usually don't do well AGAINST the press.
The NCAA teems with teams named Bulldogs. Maybe the most successful are from UGA. "Uga" is also the name of their mascot animal; they are now on UGA X. Lots of Wildcats, Tigers and many other critters, but as far as I know the only Mighty Anteaters are from UC Irvine.
PEARL could also have been clued as Janis Joplin's finest album.
Can someone explain how EENY is a counting rhyme word? I always knew it as a selection rhyme.
Thanks to Roland for today's Best of Breed puzzle. and thanks to TTP for another fine job.
A basketball PRESS is a tactic where the defense applies full court pressure versus the offense, rather than only playing defense for half the court. The defense tries to either steal the ball from the offense or prevents the offense from crossing half court before ten seconds elapses from the inbound pass.
ReplyDeleteThe theme for this was quite obvious from the start, a Tuesday wedge of cake/piece of cake. TTP great explanations. Equal time for cat lovers, although I never heard of Moggies. Thanks for the Caruso link.
ReplyDeleteJinx, we called it a a counting out rhyme. Wikipedia: "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe"—which can be spelled a number of ways—is a children's counting rhyme, used to select a person in games such as tag." When I was a kid instead of "catch a tiger by the toe," some kids used a racial slur, "catch a n----- by the toe." But even then, some of us realized this was wrong.
Yes, in a certain tone, FINE! means not at all fine.
The only Massenet opera I know is Manon. I have heard of El Cid, but not Le Cid.
Our trip to Costa Rica was a wonderful eco tour.
DO, I don't trust that dialect quiz. I scored 45% Southern. No way, Jose.
Our square dancing class has learned the steps (kinda, not an apt class). We had a lovely candlelight graduation ceremony for them last night.
Good Morning.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Roland. I enjoyed this WEDGE today. Not exactly a piece of cake, but very close.
Thanks, TTP. Great expo!
Off and running--well, not exactly running. Just busy today.
Have a sunny one.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteWith the circled letters in Mild Breeze, the mixed breed theme/reveal was a gimme. Stil, I enjoyed the solve and had only one w/o, Mall/Mart. I stumbled over the spelling of Aeneid but finally got it right. No peas and carrots in this house; I don't like carrots at all and would only eat peas as a last resort.
Thanks, Roland, for a Tuesday treat and thanks, TTP, for an outstanding expo. Loved the picture of the Bulldog! (I'm still waiting for a Bichon link from our resident RAF ace but I guess he's too busy pursuing the enemy. 😈 )
I'm off to a doctor's appointment. Just a regular checkup, so I hope the BP and other vitals are what they should be.
Hey, Argyle, here's lookin' at you, kid!
YR, I hope Alan is feeling better.
FLN, Misty, that was a lovely and wise to Bobbie. I hope she sees the wisdom in your words.
Have to run. Have a great day.
Haste makes waste! Should read "that was lovely and wise advice to Bobbie". Sorry.
ReplyDeleteI seem to have romped through this one with perps filling in things I didn't even see. Thanks, Roland. I never heard of EAR for cup handle, but the crosses said that was right. Favorite was "drop of sorrow" for TEAR.
ReplyDeleteGreat write up, TTP. Lots to learn.
Argyle, hurry back!
Musings
ReplyDelete-Even the gimmick was easy to see after one long entry
-The CODE BREAKER I sent for in my yute.
-TTP, your Autobahn video was amazing. Why did he keep getting back in the slow lane?
-I can obsess over something until I can finally RECALL it
-ON LATE – How do you stay up until 11 pm for the news?
-Many a Mike Tyson opponent REELED in short order
-“You’re so VAIN, You probably think this song is about you”
-OK, fine! Name that character!
-Coaches who are still PRESSING when 30 points ahead should be fired
-Why our annoying grackles need a CRAW
-A LEAK on this device can MIFF my wife
-AnonymousPVX told me he spent over 50 years in CT and now has been in S.C. for 5. I wonder how he scored as a REB
-If you want to be included on this map please contact me at gschlapfer@gmail.com
Addendum
ReplyDelete-Here’s a lovely note I just received from someone I will put on the map
I'm Bobren from Oakdale Ct. I follow your blog weekly and consider it the best source for LATimes puzzle solutions. it is nice to see that others struggle with clues that sometimes befuddle me. I've been following this site since Jan 2018. Sometimes I even get a complete solve with no lookups or other help. I still don't understand some of the acronyms (FIR?, FLN? Is LIU looked it up?). Is there a place on the site that they are listed and explained? Our local paper Hartford Courant) only gives the puzzle title or theme on Sundays; it's a guess the rest of the week!
Thanks for a great resource and interesting information about the clues and answers.
-BTW, here is the list of abbreviations used here. They can be found in the right hand column on the main page of this blog
-It’s so great to hear from our many lurkers!
Hi Y'all, No circles but I got the MIXED BREED theme anyway. Woohoo! Roland. Woohoo also to TTP for a very informative & clever expo.
ReplyDeleteON LATE: speaking of the pillow guy. Have you priced those things? I'd bought a cheaper pillow a year ago and couldn't use it because it gave me a stiff neck. Broke down and bought the advertised & hyped pillow. Voila, no more morning stiff neck or slight head ache. Main complaint: I dreamed about the pillow guy all night. I'm not kidding. But he was gone the second night.
College MEAL PLAN: Granddaughter is a vegetarian who eats dairy & eggs. I wondered how she would do at college. Last I heard she didn't think she was getting enough protein and had organized a little group of like-minded girls to go talk to the cafeteria chef. If she couldn't get some tofu, she might have to eat fish. I can't believe she's related to me.
AENEID: Talk about your vowel-rich words. I had a doozy of a time trying to spell it. Finally let perps do it.
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteTTP: You hold sway over that intro pretty well. Lots of good poop there; saving frequent runs to the Wiki.
East solve; ended up going clock-wise. No searches or wite-out were needed. Surprised to see just BREED mixed around; wondered if we were going to see anagrams of breeds or 'mixes' of specific breeds. Ie; "refines hotlines" is an anagram of Holstein-Friesen" - and they're grid spanners. But I digress. It was still a fun solve.
LE CID - Wanted El Cid, too, but perps were firm. To the French, though, it would be 'Le Cid'.
STERN - Nice sketch, TTP. Pls note the Loo facilities would be located at the Head, and not on the Poop deck. Poop comes from the French word for STERN, la poupe.
"Puzzling Thoughts":
ReplyDeleteA few WO's: SLICE>WEDGE; SURE>FINE; COOL>MILD BREEZE. I saw the "MIXED BREED" after filling MILD BREEZE and SLICED BREAD. Cute theme; excellent recap, TTP. I took the test and am about 40%Pennsylvania and 60% Southern. Go figure. I like crawfish on my hoagies!
39d started out as a different ECO venture, until NICOTINE corrected me, mid solve. But my error did spawn this cute Moe-ku:
The botanist who
Toured the Amazon's having
A big ECO TRIP.
TTP, I thought you tackled the AENEID quite successfully. Made more sense than the longer version and was much more fun!
ReplyDeleteFun puzzle and an entertaining write-up. I found the ship illustration very interesting. Can anyone explain the origination of "Poop Deck"? I hope it's not what it sounds like.
ReplyDeleteThank you Spitzboov. I guess we were writing at the same time.
ReplyDeleteOn Roland's wavelength right from the starting pistol to the finish. Only unknowns were BREAM and LECID, but the perps were solid. Like D-Otto above, also wanted EXtol before EXALT, but perps to the rescue again.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Roland, for the fun, and to TTP for a very thorough exposé.
Still beyond miserable weather-wise here, but I managed to make my dentist appointment this morning. Gee, cold rain, high winds, and a dental appointment to boot -- shaping up to be a great day!
A great day to the Cornerites....
Quick solve today which is great because I have a busy day. Thanks for the fun, Roland and TTP. I got the Tada so quickly that I forgot to go back and find the MIXED BREEDs.
ReplyDeleteI'll take a CSO at 35A. D4 will understand.
AKELA was totally unknown to me even after it filled in with perps.
I'm with YR and Spitzboov about LE CID vs. El CID.
I must run. Read you all later hopefully.
Enjoy the day. Still cold and snowy here.
YR, I think you are right and Wiki and Roland are not. It is a counting-out game, not a counting game. As Jimmy Buffet wrote about the right word at the right time, "...that's the difference between lightning and a harmless lightning bug".
ReplyDeleteGood Tax Day morning. The MIXED BREED was an easy spot in the MILD BREEZE, with the circled letters giving it away. Only had to change EL CID to LE CID, my opera knowledge is zero.
ReplyDelete63D- Bulldogs? Georgia, LA Tech, USL ( now ULL) were the bulldogs before they changed to the Ragin' Cajuns. I'm sure there are others but ELI is a good crossword filler.
Watched some of the BMW's drive. That highway was practically empty.
Took the test for REB and the results were: "89% Dixie. Do you still use Confederate money?" SwampCAT- take the test.
Nice write-up TTP.
ReplyDeleteRoland: Thank you for a FUN Tuesday puzzle. I liked the MIXED BREED theme.
Fave today, of course, was 69-a, Absolut rival, SKYY.
If you are a "booze answer" you are always a FAVE.
Needed ESP (Every-Single-Perp) to get AENEID ... and ERTES was a "learning" moment. Always a plus!
Cheers!
Thanks Roland and TTP. No circles on Mensa but I sussed out the theme without them.
ReplyDeleteI like peas just fine. Raw carrots are OK. I don't know why they are ever mixed. Otherwise, I like greens (especially beet tops). Also Lima beans, corn, green beans...
I got 63 percent Dixie, well under the Mason-Dixon line. Sounds about right to me. I was expecting a mixed result having grown up in northern Virginia, attended college in upstate New York and then moved to California.
I've never seen a complete opera but I do enjoy some of the arias. My father introduced me to the 'sextet from Lucia.' He had a pretty good collection of classical music on old 78s.
TTP
ReplyDeleteI took the "Southern Test" at 52-d.
Scored 37% Southern ... It said: "You are definitely a Yankee" ...
Hmmm, And I have lived in the Tampa Bay Area for only 65+ years.
The only time I ever lived "Up North" was when I spent 2 years, 3 months and 22 days in Zagreb, Croatia.
I guess the test figured out I was a NY Yankee fan ... somehow ... LOL
The test said I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy?
ReplyDeletePeas and Carrots?
This breed is called an Aussiepom.
(Mini Australian Shepherd + Pomeranian)
Ha! I laugh at your 'tax day'! Mine were finished months ago. Well, weeks ago anyway. OK, days ago. All right, already! Hours ago. Happy now?
ReplyDeleteThis was not as much of a speed run as it should have been; Cruciverb is off today too, and I don’t like the way the puzzle is done on the LA Times' site. Oh, well. Got'er done in about 12 minutes.
I noticed the mixed BREED in the circles right away, and then found that the long phrases containing the circles jumped out at me and I didn’t need the help.
Welcome to the blog, bobren! Come back often.
Thanks, TTP, for the nicely done exposition this morning. I particularly liked the illustration of the ship with all the nautical terms given.
Hand up for wanting el CID before LE CID. Also EXTOL before EXALT.
Both Gilbert's chemistry and Erector sets were part of my growing up.
Most people probably wouldn’t think of folks in west central IL as having southern accents; I surely never thought so. But moving about 175 miles northeast for my first job out of college, I found that apparently I did have one. To me the main difference was the speed at which everyone talked. I frequently had to ask students to repeat themselves, telling them "I know you’re done talking, but I wasn’t done listening yet." Been here for 50 years now, and I still think people up here are fast talkers. :P
At least it finally isn’t raining today. Have a great day, all!
Fun puzzle, Roland, but I goofed where I least expected. I of course wanted to put in VEES for the migratory bird formation, but I was so sure it was BCC that I ended up with ACES (don't know HD sets, obviously). Aaaarrgghh. I had also never heard of AKELA and wondered if that could possibly be right, and I was sure SKYY had to be wrong, but those turned out to be all right. The BREED circles were fun and the reveal was a sure thing as a result. And I too wondered about LE CID, but am glad it turned out okay. So, many thanks, again, Roland, for a fun Tuesday puzzle.
ReplyDeleteWonderful write-up this morning, TTP--I really enjoyed it. And I agree with Swamp Cat, your AENEID description was first rate.
Fermatprime, hope your new computer works perfectly soon.
Thanks for the Anteater shout-out to UC Irvine, Jinx. I seem to remember the school deliberately wanted to avoid having one of those mighty mascots and chose the anteater as a fun joke.
Many thanks for the kind words, Irish Miss. Bobbie, we would love to interact with you on the blog every day. Hope you join us more often.
Have a great day, everybody.
ReplyDeleteI used the Mensa Site, so, as usual no circles, and I didn't go to the LA Times site to get them because the puzzle was mostly done by the time I got to the 62 across clue that mentioned the circles.
I liked Roland's puzzle and thoroughly enjoyed TTP's tour through the grid with the engaging commentary, links and videos along the way.
I had a few hitches along the way, but they were not puzzle killers. SLICE vs WEDGE, COOLBREEZE vs MILDBREEZE, and MALL vs MART. A few blanks were ultimately filled in by perps and included EDIE, BREAM and ERTES. I had the same problem a few had with ELCID vs LECID.
Altogether not a bad trip and I didn't have to look anything up or use Red Letters.
That Autobahn video was wild. Could you imagine what would happen if the car came up on the animal in the 7 down clue. At the 25:46 mark on the video the driver has a close call with a Porsche.
HG @ 9:12 am: I think the character from the WKRP sitcom was called Herb Tarlick or something like that.
Have a great day everyone.
TTP, great job as usual. In homage to OMK I did the solve diagonally (double) . I don't like overcooked PEAS as in soup or the sourhern abomination called Chinese fried rice. However, Betsy's peach tree is about to ripen. I'll send some upon request.
ReplyDeleteSo now I know "poop" and "Head" . Marines adopt the Navy lingo. I guessed Racine but I should have known Corneille* ..
Ferma-T, let us know how you fared on Sunday. Btw... Gore Vidal had a lot of of insight into the REB state of mind, circa 1863 . Not to speak of Abe's .
Xword went pretty quick except for the mess I made when I quickly inked TROUT.
WC
PS. I thought the vodka was SKOL?
PPS. Since I scored as a Bostonian, how about"Bird and McHale"
* From my HS French IV Class
I found reruns of WKRP on an obscure cable channel. It's just as good the second time around. It puts most modern sitcoms to shame. The ensemble and the writing are top notch. Yep, that's Herb Tarlek. I fell in love with Bailey Quarters.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Roland Huget, for this quick and easy grid! Since I usually take my time, drink coffee, talk on the phone, etc., my time on a puzzle is meaningless. But today I finished in 10 minutes non-stop! That's wild.
ReplyDeleteBurke and Hare were notorious British grave robbers and since my traveling companion at the time was Ms. Burke, our guides called us that though we were Burke and Dale.
Nice theme which I actually got but then with circles and the reveal it was obvious. The clue for TEAR was my favorite.
I learned AKELA a few years ago from a puzzle and then saw the movie, Akeelah and the Bee, which etched it into memory and though the spelling differs, it refers to the same AKELA as a leader.
I'll take the CSO at NANA.
PEAS and carrots are one of my favorite vegetables! I serve them often either together or separately.
Now I'll go back and take that test, see how I do.
Hi, Argyle!
Thank you, TTP; excellent expo!
Have a beautiful day, everyone!
My score is 45% Dixie! Barely in Yankeedom. Some of those terms, I believe, are universal or could be acquired through reading and travel. I'll have to send it to my sister in Charlotte. She has lived there 40 years so she should be fluent in Dixie speak.
ReplyDeleteWell this one went quickly with zero issues. Some days you’re just clued in.....groan, sorry.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading others' comments about Southern or Yankee, the one thing that I don't think I rarely ever hear anybody from the South say is YOU ALL. It's either You'll ( pronounced YAWL) or YOU. You ALL, nope.
ReplyDeleteTinbini- Tampa for over 65 years. Very few people who live in FL are actually from FL. The panhandle maybe but not the peninsula. Years ago my boss's dad (from NYC) who lived in Palm Beach ( he was 'poor') told me that there were so many tax-evaded $100 bills in SE Florida that he thought the land would start sinking.
But after a late start this am reading my WSJ, on page A13, there is a puzzle by our fearless leader, Chairlady Burnikel. What's the point of my noting that? WHAT'S THE POINT is the puzzle's title.
On other tests my pronunciation scores solidly in the main counties of NJ, no where near Dixie. From this and hearing your reports, I doubt this test.
ReplyDeleteNorthern Boy said, "Still beyond miserable weather-wise here, but I managed to make my dentist appointment this morning. Gee, cold rain, high winds, and a dental appointment to boot -- shaping up to be a great day!" I sympathize. It is cold here and windy, with a few scattered snow flakes. We had our cold pelting rain yesterday. Some parts of NJ got the expected total amount of rainfall for all of April in just a few hours. I am off to the dentist shortly for my quarterly torture session.
IM, I hope you get good results from your check up.
I am one of the few people I know who likes cooked carrots better than raw ones.
I liked this puzzle, but one thing about it jumped out at me: a lot of plurals, some of which seem forced to me. To wit: VEES, RXS, TICS, LEDTVS, GAZES, TERIS, ERTES, ECOTOURS, and STERNS. Add to that some verbs ending in S (SEWS, NETS) and the words SASS and PRESS and that's a lot of S's! Still a fun puzzle anyway.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that LASE is a back-construction from LASER, which is an acronym of "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation" and apparently has morphed into a noun meaning something like "the thing that lases." Eenteresting.
Although I have lived most of my life north of the Mason-Dixon line (having spent a short time in Texas during my military service), I scored "41% Dixie. Barely in Yankeedom" on the test. As Yellowrocks said, "No way, Jose." Interesting thing, though: during a recent telephone call with an old school chum who still lives in the Philadelphia area, I couldn't help but notice his distinctive Philly accent, and wondered to myself, "Holy cow, did I used to talk like that?" I probably did.
Best wishes to you all.
Saw scrambled BREED right away in 17A before I even figured out it was MILD BREEZE and not COLD BREEZE. Wrote down MIXED BREED and it took awhile for me to find the reveal! Fun puzzle!
ReplyDeleteHand up I did get stuck with EL CID. Learning moment about LE CID. Learning moment about EDIE who I never heard of being married to Paul Simon. Thanks, TTP! BREAM totally unknown. Only know AKELA from these puzzles.
I totally had a crush on TERI GARR as a child when I saw her in this Star Trek episode.
She came across as sweet and ditzy, but also quite smart.
I took the quiz. I mostly grew up in Maryland, right on the border of North and South. It said "36% Dixie. You are definitely a Yankee." But most of my answers seemed to show as generic rather than regional.
From yesterday:
Misty: Nice to have you as a neighbor, too! Santa Barbara is usually considered neither Northern California nor Southern California. We are the "Central Coast".
By the way, we drove out to Figueroa Mountain over the weekend to see the wildflowers.
ReplyDeleteNot the best year for wildflowers, but here is my article with a bunch of photos!
Apparently Univ of Cal likes less than usual names. Not only the UC Irvine Anteaters, but also the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs. You can’t make this stuff up.
ReplyDeletePicard,
ReplyDeleteThe wildflowers would not load for me...
Also,
I totally had a crush on Gary 7's cat when I saw her in this Star Trek episode...
Yay, I've been successfully detaxified.
ReplyDeleteJinx@10:02 -- Jimmy stole that lightning bug/lightning thing from Mark Twain.
I may be AWOL tomorrow. EGD scheduled at 6:30 AM in the Houston Medical Center. Fun times!
D-O Thanks for the JB info. I'll bet Mr. Clemens is among his favorites. Good luck with the EGD. I don't think I could stomach it.
ReplyDeleteScottsdale Community College mascot is the Artichokes. It makes me want to choke, actually.
ReplyDeleteWithout delving into politics I would like to ask the Californians here what you think about the current effort to split your state in three? Just an opinion, do debate.
I just returned from a follow-up appointment to check my blood pressure which has been quite high but not as high as my monitor showed. It turns out the monitor is defective so I'm off to buy another one.
The test says I'm only 34% Southern ... can't figure out why even that much, unless being from SOUTHERN California counts?
ReplyDeleteLucina, most people I know aren't interested in tri- (or, bi-) secting California. This idea comes from people who are tired of feeling overwhelmed by the huge mass of people in L.A./Orange County/San Diego, but how would bifurcation help life in Weed or Yreka or Crescent City?
In today's liner notes, discussing 18d, TTP quoted Wiki, as follows: " In the later 20th century, the use of CE and BCE was popularized in academic and scientific publications, and more generally by authors and publishers wishing to emphasize secularism or sensitivity to non-Christians, by not explicitly referencing Jesus as "Christ" and Dominus ("Lord") through use of the abbreviation "AD"...""
ReplyDeleteI understand the motive, but fail to see how insensitivity to Christians is any improvement. If people are 'sensitive' to Islam, Baha'ism, whateverism, the 'fad-of-the month', how does this improve our conversation if to favor one, hurts another?
Oh my! I did the Dixie test and YR. big E and others, I agree it is strange. Yes, it said I’m 60 percent dixie. But as I have lived all my life in N’Awlins except for 4 years of college in NORTH Carolina , I doubt my credentials as a yankee would be accepted. Silly test!
ReplyDeleteHusker Gary, I seem to recall that the Polizei could cite you for driving in the left lane of the Autobahn when you weren't in the act of passing a vehicle in the right lane. That may not be correct; I could find no reference to it today. It may have been an unwritten rule I was taught in the required defensive driving course.
ReplyDeleteMost drivers treat the left lane on the Autobahn for passing only. There's always somebody faster, and they will flash their lights until you get back in the right lane. I definitely remember that. No passing on the right is allowed. Here's an article about driving on the Autobahn.
At the risk of repeating myself, I got my international driving license while stationed there, and bought a '70 Pontiac LeMans. I was driving back from a long weekend in Interlaken. I was on a long, long straightaway, with no traffic to be seen, so I gunned it and was probably doing about 120 mph. I was passed by a Lamborghini, and then another one a few seconds later, like I was going 20. They were out of sight just as quickly as they appeared. Scary fast !
Northern Boy, I just got back from the dentist. Thought I was going to be done for awhile. Nope. Another appointment in two weeks.
Those word-usage-to-region tests probably aren't as reliable as they once were. We're becoming a homogenized country. Some words and expressions would still denote a given region. e.g. mudbugs along the Gulf Coast, maybe jaggers and yinzers in western PA...
Roy, from yesterday about 46A. Brit. pilots' squad: RAF. I didn't think about it until I read your comment. Perhaps the clue should have used the word squadron rather than squad. But even then, the clue still seems a bit awkward. I also wondered about
the placement of the apostrophe.
In risk of encroaching upon religion, Michael, how does BCE/CE "favor one and hurt another?" The delineations are non-political and non-religious. To my way of thinking nobody's favored and nobody's hurt.
ReplyDeleteTTP, I also believe we are becoming homogeneous in our language. Many of my answers in the test rated a “used universally”.
ReplyDeleteThe Need for Speed!
ReplyDeleteThat Bremen to Hamburg drive on the A1 Autobahn is hypnotic! Thanks for posting it, TTP, but when I found myself signing on for the return trip, from Hamburg back to Bremen, I knew I had to quit it!
(Must've been frustrating for the driver to get stuck behind a truck when he hit that long tunnel on approaching Hamburg. And no passing lane-- Aargh!)
Ta- DA! A neat pzl with an easy-peasy theme from Mr. Huget!
There were many reasons for Pierre Corneille to be denounced by Richelieu and the Académie for LE CID, not the least of which is that one character, Don Gomès, strikes another, Don Diègue, in full view of the audience! This was a real no-no in neoclassic French drama.
It was a cardinal rule that no violence was to be depicted. (Imagine that rule in force today; what would become of our action and horror movies?)
Neat diagram, TTP, of a first class sailing ship! Back when ships were truly sailing ships the shipbuilders would do everything to capture the winds, hence the many masts. The smart ones also did everything they could to diminish those parts of the ship body that got in the way of their control of the wind.
This was one of many reasons the English defeated the Spanish Armada.
Spanish galleons generally had high poop decks in order (it is said) to accommodate large quarters for captains and traveling dignitaries. The English had lower poops because they didn't go in for all that personal luxury. Unfortunately for the Spanish, those high poops served as additional sails, wooden sails they couldn't control, giving constant interference whenever they needed to tack their sails swiftly. The smaller, faster English vessels could easily outmaneuver them.
I took another look at that test after all your comments. I would give the test maker a D. There is no way to indicate that none of the answers apply or to choose several of the answers, which I wanted to do. The feedback leaves out whole areas of the country. We have had similar tests here which many of us have found more reasonable.
ReplyDeleteTTP, my dental visit had the same result as yours. I need to return for root planning. Much $$$ and pain to come. Good luck to you.
Lucina I am glad your BP is not as dire as you thought, but I hope you soon get it down somewhat. I had a wrist BP machine which was totally bogus. I returned it.
IM, I hope your had good results today.
DO, There are ways that doctors can make this procedure less gagging. Wish you the best.
With Alan we are always working at balancing the bad with the good in medications. The optimal line keeps shifting. I think we had it just right one month ago and then cut down a little too much.
Have a pleasant evening.
Michael@4:26
ReplyDeleteThank you for your opinion. I have yet to ask my relatives who live in San Bernardino County and my friends who live in Marin County. I'm just curious about their opinions.
I was late signing on today, so my Thanks go to Wilbur Charles for doing today's Diagonal Report.
ReplyDeleteThis will just confirm there are indeed two diagonals, the main line, and the mirror.
And no hidden messages.
AKELA was familiar to me from my days as a Boy Scout Den Chief to my little brother's Cub Scout Den. (Our mom was Den Mother.)
ReplyDeleteWe used to end all our meetings with a chant,
"A-KEE-LA!
We will do our BEST!
Best, best, best, best..."
I always seem to notice I'm solving diagonally about halfway down. Then I noticed the "mirror" and tried marching NE .
ReplyDeleteI have picked up "y'all" from my Florida sojourn. However, in the shuttle some passengers picked up on the Boston accent in one sentence .But when the Patriot bomber was being chased I was surprised by the accent of the newscasters .
Owen, I liked your l'icks . And likewise C-Moe. I'll have to try my hand some day.
WC
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteWEES - easy-BREEZy Tuesday puzzle with a few late-week words. ESPs: AKELA, AENEID(?!?), and BREAM. Thanks TTP for your through expo of those!
Thanks Roland for the blended-BREEDs. Fav: SEWS under TEAR.
WOs: coLD BREEZE, MAll ->MART, elCID, and I misread 5d as Medical recipient 3x and kept trying to put in WARd??? or some such...
{B+, B, A} {cute}
OMK - Since I've been following your Quest for the Holy Diagonal, I've noticed most diagonals are vowel-y... I'm not sure a 15 letter word would be possible unless the GRID was built around it. Today's hidden message is REENY, which means nothing to y'all, but is my aunt's [ant] nick-name.
PK - LOL TV-pillow's side effects. I assume if it lasts more than one night, call your doctor. :-)
NorthernBoy describes a "great day" (as quoted by YR) and then curses us with it? :-)
Oc4 - as Bill G said, that's Herb. "Okey, FINE" was his catch-phrase when shot down by Jennifer or, well basically anytime his ideas were shot down. If you don't find re-runs on your LED TV, you can order season 1 from Amazon Prime for $10 like I did. [Bill G's right - (mostly)timeless and funny!]
Jinx - good one re: Death and Taxes. WikWak @3:53p my account emailed me that a) my cash-savings is 1/2 gone and b) my e-filing was complete. Nothing like the last minute, eh? //oh, Steak and Potatoes
BigE - I assume you did yesterday's WSJ with the Taxing theme.
The quiz said I was 70% red-neck. I changed Coke to Pop and was only 60%.
Lucina - The only reason I can think of carving up CA is the same as carving up TX; every state gets 2 Senators. This dilutes the Constituent to Senator ratio. I.e - four states combined (WY, AL, ND, SD) have the roughly the same number of people as LA or Houston but they get 8 Senators combined. Not saying do it; just giving a rational that makes most sense.
Cheers, -T
Er, thanks TTP for your thorough expo... -T
ReplyDeletePicard, I'll have to remember the term "Central Coast"--makes perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteHaving just driven back from Florida, my biggest gripe (other than road construction) was "If you're not passing anybody, get out of the passing lane." I was surprised recently to find out it's not a traffic rule, but many roads do have signs for "Slower traffic keep right" and "Keep right except to pass." Traffic would flow smoother if more people followed it.
ReplyDeleteCame out 33% Southern. While in FL I was wondering if "insurance" pronounced IN-shrence compared to my in-SURE-ance is Southern and/or other region.
Read once that Amsterdam NY, where I grew up, is the dividing line between cot/caught. Didn't say which direction. Much like Canastota further west is the soda/pop line.
Had some of the AENEID in class once. Aeneas also dallied with and abandoned Dido, Queen of Carthage, before he went on to beget Rome's ancestors. Her curses were blamed for the Punic Wars.
The University at Albany athletes are the only Great Danes in the NCAA Division I.
Ah, but Anon T, that was the reason for the senate’s creation The Big states can’t override the less populous states. Each state is equal. The population equation is addressed in the House. Brilliant compromise but as with all compromises someone is unhappy
ReplyDeleteA woman is sitting by herself at her husband's funeral. A man leans over and asks, "Do you mind if I say a word?"
ReplyDelete"No, go right ahead," she replies.
The man clears his throat and says, "Plethora."
"Thanks," the woman says. "That mean a lot."
With people with different accents moving from place to place and with us watching movies and TV featuring different cultures and languages, no wonder our personal experience and language gets hybridized. No one lives in true isolation anymore.
ReplyDeleteOnce several years ago I got stuck behind a lot of traffic in a construction zone. When we finally got back onto the open 4-lane highway, there were a lot of trucks in front of me. I pulled into the left lane and started passing them. Then I looked in my rear-view mirror and had an ambulance with flashing lights right on my tail. The vehicles in the right lane were still so bunched up there was no place to pull into the right lane so the ambulance could pass me. I sped up and was going over 100 miles an hour with those flashing lights right with me. We went for miles until I got where I could pull over. The ambulance went on around and the 'co-pilot' saluted me in thanks. I was so shaken, I had to stop at the next town for the night.
Bill: good one!
Well, I know it's late for you all (yall?) but isn't 7 yet here. I didn't like the adoption of "common era", but I never really liked "before Christ" or anno Domini" either; however I have no idea what would be a good substitute for naming dates in ancient history. In archeology, anthropology, paleontology I like a simple "ago" - makes sense, is easily understood and doesn't require all the mental arithmetic.
ReplyDeleteI really wanted a cool breeze on that hot summer day. Never thought of slice as a shape. I loved my erector set -my favorite thing to do as a kid. Miff wouldn't come, and I have no idea where I got Edie Brickell - never listen to pop music, but the name just came to me. As for Le Cid, I may have already had decimal (42d) in place, but knew Massenet was French, so le made sense.
Scored 52% southern, though as many have said, most answers were "used nationwide" or some such. I grew up in Maryland (Hi, Picard) in the DC suburbs, 3 yrs in Mich. for grad school, then lived in Tucson for 37 yrs before moving to Hawaii 5 yrs ago. Don't think I have any kind of accent (though I was born in SC, only lived there my 1st 6 mos).
I enjoy the puzzles, the write-ups and all of your comments daily, just rarely post because of the time. Cheerio, chaps.
Mike S - post and play. Many of us read FLN if they're not still up [like me].
ReplyDeleteSwamp - I know why; it's just that's the rational for breaking up CA or smashing the 4 states into one. I'm against both because I'm partial to a nice-round 50 Stars on the Flag.
PK - The fastest I've driven was 125mph. DW kept going into false labor and I'd have to get her to the hospital ASAP so they could inject whatever and stop Youngest from arriving too soon. Those who know Houston -- I was on 288 N (just outside the Belt to the MedCenter) in a Honda Odyssey. Good thing it was 10:30 at night with light traffic. :-)
Cheers, -T
D-O @ 5:13--
ReplyDelete"In risk of encroaching upon religion, Michael, how does BCE/CE "favor one and hurt another?" The delineations are non-political and non-religious. To my way of thinking nobody's favored and nobody's hurt."
It isn't encroachment, nor is it religion, IMHO, it's dishonesty. If someone asks, "What is BCE [or CE]?" the answer is, "[Before] the Common Era." The next question becomes, "Oh, and what is the 'Common Era'? When did it start?" And it turns out to be -- Yes! You guessed it! -- the birth of Christ (even if Dionysius Exiguus got the math wrong).
The BCE/.CE usage just papers over the problem by moving the issue back one step from visibility ... but without fixing it ... if it needs fixing.
Calendars are a special interest of mine. It's surprising how many different ones are still in use. Personally, I think the Ethiopian one would be the best if combined with the Holocene starting year, and the first month moved to January 1 of the Julian calendar.
ReplyDeleteBill G:
ReplyDeleteLOL! That is a good one.
I just lost a long baseball peroration.
ReplyDeleteBlogger needs to take the spaces under "Publish" and insert them under the Reply box . If one inadvertently touches just below the line the comments are lost.
And I echo Lucina. Good one BillG .
WC
Ok. To make a long story short .Don't hire ex-pitchers as color men .