Title: Anagrams bug me!
So John Lampkin, my favorite entomologist, what do you think? Hope to see you soon. We have what I believe is the second LAT for Winston Emmons who debuted on Agnes' birthday last month. We have a very consistent insect anagram theme, with what was for me, an unnecessary and weak reveal. This was an odd solve for me, as it is part of an ongoing déjà vu. I feel like I wrote this blog before. Oh well, as is the recent trend, a Friday without any long words other than the themers with SOMEDAY, TAVERNA, CONSISTS, and PACIFIER as the added features. There is a lot of humor in the theme phrases and impressive skill in picking the ones that work that are both real anagrams and insects.
So here we go...
20A. Competition among insects?: GAME OF HORNETS (13). Game of THRONES.
29A. Rule by generations of insects?: GNAT DYNASTY (11). TANG Dynasty.
47A. Tiny but impressive insect?: HECK OF A MITE (11). Heck of a TIME.
57A. Deceptiveness of insects?: FLEAS PRETENSE (13). FALSE Pretense.
57A. Deceptiveness of insects?: FLEAS PRETENSE (13). FALSE Pretense.
And the little reveal,
56D. Ones that have infested four puzzle answers: PESTS.
1. Actress Gilbert of "The Big Bang Theory": SARA. More famous from Roseanne, where she first worked with Johnny Galecki. They DATED?
5. "Lucky Jim" author: AMIS. The first novel of KINGSLEY.
9. "Be silent," in scores: TACET. Musical scores (as a direction) indicating that a voice or instrument is silent.
14. Stagecraft aid: PROP. Clecho- 65A. Stagecraft arrangements: SETS.
15. Email category: SENT.
16. House: ABODE.
17. App opener: ICON. Click on the icon.
18. Director Preminger: OTTO. This Austrian born DIRECTOR and actor was a major influence on Hollywood and film noir. He was a big deal when I was young.
19. 66-Across, e.g.: VENUE.
23. 2000 NBA MVP: O'NEAL. If you did not know or have forgotten, look at the statistics for SHAQ in the 2000 playoffs. He is one of the GOAT in basketball. Kobe was averaging 15 points a game.
24. Part of ENT: EAR. Nose and Throat are the rest.
25. Cartesian conclusion: I AM. Cogito ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. This is Dualism, as explained by Rene Descartes.
28. Pit stuff: TAR. Brea.
34. City north of Memphis: CAIRO. Memphis, city, and capital of ancient Egypt and an important center during much of Egyptian history. Memphis is located south of the Nile River delta, on the west bank of the river, and about 15 miles (24 km) south of modern Cairo
36. Brand once pitched by Garfield, oddly: ALPO. It was for their CAT FOOD so it was not so odd.
39. Fabric-dyeing technique: BATIK. Batik is a "resist" process for making designs on fabric. The artist uses wax to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth, leaving "blank" areas in the dyed fabric. The process, wax resist then dye, can be repeated over and over to create complex multicolored designs. A complicated tie-dye. Various.
42. "¿Cómo __?": ESTA. Hi Lucy, hope you feel all better.
43. Macy's competitor: SEARS. Really?
45. Minneapolis suburb: EDINA. When I started reading this blog, this was common fill. In fact, it appears in a PUZZLE from just over 10 years ago. As you can see the comments and the cast have changed. I think it was how I learned C.C. lived in Minnesota.
50. One on first?: WHO. The complete routine.
53. "__ tu": Verdi aria: ERI. Sung by a 27-year-old. LINK.
54. Fairy queen of folklore: MAB. You may need to READ this article.
55. Bee-related: APIAN.
62. Gathered intelligence: SPIED.
64. Israeli carrier: EL AL.
66. Barclays Center, for one: ARENA. Clecho 2- 67A. Barclays Center team: NETS.Basketball in Brooklyn.
68. Cherry or pear: TREE.
69. Inclined to ramble: WORDY. Oops, was this here to shut me up? Just don't...
70. Stun, in a way: TASE. me, bro!
71. In __: aligned: SYNC.
Down:
1. Peg in a cask: SPIGOT. My ex-wife hated her name being shortened to Peg.
2. One of two tarot card groups: ARCANA. I am not up on Tarot, having learned fortune telling from my French grandmother using a regular deck of cards.
3. Small-space renter: ROOMER. I was thinking of storage units.
4. Sleep disorder: APNEA.
5. Starting: AS OF. May 25, 2018.
6. "Breaking Bad" contraband: METH.
7. Enthusiastic about: IN TO.
8. Saved: STORED.
9. Greek restaurant: TAVERNA. Greek: ταβέρνα is a small Greek restaurant, similar to a tavern, that serves Greek cuisine. Who does not love tzatziki: yogurt with cucumber and garlic purée, used as a dip?
10. Help badly?: ABET. I think we have seen this before, but it is still cute misdirection.
11. Is made up: CONSISTS. Not fabricated, but fabricated. Needed an"of."
1. to make by art or skill and labor; construct:
2. to make by assembling parts or sections.
3. to devise or invent (a legend, lie, etc.).
4. to fake; forge (a document, signature, etc.).
12. Vanderbilt domain: EDU. The domain for Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.
13. Where many a drive begins: TEE. Some golf for HG and others.
21. Memorable first name in Olympic gymnastics: OLGA. Ms. Korbut.
22. Vote against: NAY.
26. Arguing: AT IT.
27. Mimic on a perch: MYNA.
30. Pen part: NIB.
31. Coach Parseghian: ARA. He won NCAA football titles with Notre Dame; how long will puzzle solvers remember this man? Lou Holtz is already fading.
32. Tribal symbol: TOTEM.
33. Whaling, say: ASEA.
34. Ireland's largest county: CORK. Didn't we have this recently? See déjà vu.
36. Tennis legend: ASHE. Arthur appears often on Friday.
37. Lascivious look: LEER. In this modern environment, not a good idea.
38. Binky: PACIFIER. My youngest used to keep one in his mouth and one in each hand.
40. Uganda's Amin: IDI. The last King of Scotland is back.
41. Modeling enthusiast's purchase: KIT. A CSO to past participants?
44. Eventually: SOMEDAY.
46. Picked-up: NEAT.
48. Runway safety org.: FAA. Federal Aviation Administration.
49. Away: ABSENT.
50. Vintage locale: WINERY. Cute clue, not an old location.
51. Hurry: HASTEN. Hasten Jason...
52. "Hold on": ONE SEC. This is one of those phrases which should be banned, it is never just one second.
58. Advance: LEND. Dad, can I get an advance on my allowance?
59. Court bargaining chip: PLEA. I guess the prosecutor uses the offer of a plea as a bargaining chip.
60. "Darn!": RATS.
61. Otherwise: ELSE.
62. Adage: SAW. Most often seen as "old saw."
63. Ace: PRO.
An interesting trek with lots of proper names and some intriguing Friday cluing. I think we will be seeing more of Winston who has been published in the CHE and WSJ. I also can "see' comments from WE. Thank you, and thank all who read the Corner. Lemonade out.
Poets of the corner, I ask you to put on your Rap tolerating pants, and review the lyrics to "Savior" with Iggy Azalea and Quatro. I'm interested in your opinions. - LINK -
ReplyDeleteÐave
Tough, but FIRight. So many words under 3 letters: AS OF IN TO AT IT I AM! I guess they go with a theme of small creatures.
ReplyDeleteA tiny fly went for a beer
Of his wife he had a fear.
Made a PLEA
"Please cover me!"
Wife was told, "He's GNAT here!"
The Argonauts from ancient Greece
Sailed for treasure away ASEA.
Statuettes precious
Of gold bugs their fetish,
With Jason they sought the golden FLEAS!
The trap the cops had TACET SET
For prostitutes who pimps ABET
Caught several whores
While at their "chores" --
The code name of the sting was "HOR-NET"
The suitor was in dire plight.
His lover thought his money slight.
His honeyed words
She hardly heard.
Would power impress? He hoped might MITE!
{B+, A-, B, B-.}
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteGot the theme at GNAT DYNASTY, but it didn't really help further down. Only needed Wite-Out for SUM/I AM. CSO's galore: ESTA (Lucina), EDINA (C.C.), APNEA TEE (twofer for Husker), OTTO (moi). Thanx to Winston and Lemonade.
SARA: Had to look her up to figure out what she had to do with TBBT -- Oh, Leslie Winkle! Didn't know that she and Melissa were sisters, though Melissa was adopted.
SEARS: The shopping center in Humble ("Umble" not "Humble", Pat Sajak!) is anchored by Macy's at one end and Sears at the other. Both likely to be abandoned in the near future.
ONE SEC: Spent a good amount of time this week looking for new auto and homeowner insurance. One agent promised, "just five minutes..." Longest five minutes of my life!
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteGot the bugs alright; just didn't think about anagrams. Got most of it without help. But crapped out in the NW. Had race instead of GAME. So I flubbed SPIGOT and ROOMER. Also had ash for pit stuff. Sigh. But I did get most of Winston's devious cluing so I should be happy.
CAIRO - Didn't think of Egypt. CAIRO, IL is close to north of Memphis, TN, and the perps were friendly.
Michael - FLN. Thanks for your reply.
DNF. The whole east coast consisted of a pristine, white-sand beach. Worse, Lemonade's explanations brought a torrent of V8 cans. But you don't have to go to Egypt to find CAIRO north of Memphis. Storied CAIRO, IL is closer and they speak English (sort of).
ReplyDeleteI wanted bung or CORK instead of SPIGOT. "Small-space renter" made me think of cartoonist Gahan Wilson. I wonder if he ever drew an Ugly ROOMER?
Thanks for the toughie, Winston. Very Friday. And thanks to Lemonade for another fine tour.
"Who's on First?" is the greatest routine in comedy history, but I prefer the version in the 1942 movie "The Naughty Nineties." They varied the shortstop's name from "Idontcare" "Idontgiveadarn" and "Idontgiveadamn" depending on the audience. Wiki speculates the unnamed rightfielder's name is "Nobody" but I think it could be "Where"
ReplyDeleteD4E4H
ReplyDeleteSounds like something John Hinckley Jr. would write to Jodie Foster.
Don
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteThe constructor's name was vaguely familiar because, as Lemony pointed out, this is his second appearance. The theme was quite evident early on which made the solve pretty easy. Is it just me or have we had a run of easier than normal difficulty offerings lately, particularly on Thursday and Friday? My only w/o was In a sec/One sec. I also misread Runway Safe org. as Runaway, so FAA took longer that it should have. It also took awhile for me to remember Sara Gilbert's character in TBBT. DO listed all the CSO's. We have a Cairo, NY but it's pronounced Kay-ro. DO, we also have a mall anchored by Macy's on one end and Sears on the other. I would never put the two stores in the same category, though.
Thanks, Winston, for a clever theme and enjoyable solve and thanks, Lemony, for the grand tour.
Any fans here of the TV show "Code Black"? I've been a big fan from day one but just learned that it's not being renewed for next season. It's a shame as it had a strong ensemble cast starring Marcia Gay Harden and Rob Lowe and realistic medical challenges, IMO. It continues to perplex me why so many good shows fail and so many mediocre (IMO) shows survive. Demographics, I guess. And I sure don't fit into the advertisers coveted 19-54 age group!
Have a great day.
Hi Y'all! Fine puzzle, Winston. Keep 'em coming.
ReplyDeleteFine expo, Lemonade. Got a chuckle because "anagrams bug me" too and this one certainly did. I got the theme with GAME OF HORNETS after everything was filled. Never did figure out the FLEAS were FALSE tho. Nearest I came on that one was Please Repent(s). Thanks, Lemony.
I didn't find this as easy as IM. In my first passes through, I had nothing in the upper tier except APNEA & OLGA (sounds like a comedy team). I was doing both acrosses & downs and got no perps. Waah! Moved down and was in luck to start filling downs right away with NIB, ARA, TOTEM but didn't know ASTIN. However, my brain clicked on and I filled the bottom then went back and faltered my way across the top.
Didn't watch basketball in 2000 so O'NEAL wasn't a gimmee until I had EAL and Big Shaq grinned at me.
FAA is a CSO to my USAF(ret.) pilot son who now works for FAA doing airport safety evaluations.
My babies would not take PACIFIERS. Older son pacified himself with his thumb.
Cairo, IL is north of MEMPHIS, TN;which is how I got that clue..
ReplyDeletePK, my older boy refused pacifiers and never sucked on his thumb. Part of the fun of babies is watching how different they are.
ReplyDeleteMy New England/Florida left me without knowledge of the CAIRO (K-ro?) IL MEMPHIS, TN direction but I guessed it would be different than the one in Africa. That way it would be a Friday gotcha. Oh well.
Musings
ReplyDelete-What fun! CELLAR/WINERY, IN A SEC/ONE SEC, A ROW/SYNC briefly bedeviled the SE corner
-The Gentrys fade to TACET @1:22 of this wonderful “gotta move your feet” song
-On the night of November 22, 1963 my brother played the dead body in the window seat on the SET of Arsenic and Old Lace. The show did go on
-The role for which I most remember OTTO
-The actual device prescribed by ENT I now wear for APNEA. A real blessing!
-One site say, “It’s Care O, Ill I NOYE not Kie RO, ill I NOISE”
-I never say “Como esta” to the Hispanics I encounter. I find it condescending so I simply say, “Hi”, “Hello”, “Good Morning” and they respond with what I say a big smile
-Honeyland Apiaries employs two people in a small town 10 miles from me
-There was a water SPIGOT 20’ from our 1960’s FB practice field but we were never allowed a drink, even in 100˚F heat
-“Rooms to let, 50¢”
-We were mesmerized by this Vanderbilt domain in Asheville, N.C.
-Sears and Macy similar? How ‘bout Victoria’s Secret and Ace Hardware?
I would be interested in hearing from the constructor as to if he intended CAIRO to be the Illinois- Tennessee or the Egyptian answer. No matter, they both fit. The city in Illinois is pronounced Care-o.
ReplyDeleteLemony, I agree it is fascinating how different my four babies cast in the same mold were and still are. Wouldn't believe they were even related. Then I see the next generation who are even more diverse in personalities. Some of the distant cousins are more alike in our family than the siblings and first cousins. Always interesting.
ReplyDeleteNice little 'bug nest' that I noticed after the 'orange drink of the astronauts'-TANG. Does anybody ever buy that these days? It didn't take any other STEPS (PESTS?) to figure it out.
ReplyDeleteI had some trouble out of the gate at 1A, having never watched the TBBT or been to a fortune teller, so the cross of SARA and ARCANA was a guess for the A. TAVERNA and ASTIN were other unknowns. The Commodore was at SEA before his internet domain-EDU- made its way onto the grid, after thinking of ARENA, which showed up at another place-66A, and then filling VENUE.
SHAQ- my daughter was in two 'basket weaving' classes with him at LSU. Greatest shot blocker I ever watched.
CAIRO, -WEES
Yay! I got this Winston Emmons Friday puzzle without a single cheat! Woohoo! Not that it was that easy, and I too started out getting mainly the middle and east, with the west staying blank for quite a while. But the insects came early--HORNETS and GNAT and MITE--so that gave me the theme early on. After that it was lots of fun, and once I got the GAME in front of the HORNETS and the FLEAS down below, everything else filled in. But like PK, I didn't interpret the FLEAS as FALSE until the blog. Also had a little worry whether EDINA was right (never heard of it) but NEAT made sense, so that solved that too. Many thanks, Winston, for giving me a good end of the week. And Lemonade, your write-ups are always a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day, everybody!
I double checked to see whether this was a John Lampkin creation. FIR. I wonder why I found this puzzle crunchy. After coming up with some of the answers, I had plenty of V-8 can moments. "I shoulda known that right off." Only SARA and METH were new to me. A perp or two eventually brought up the rest. I realized that the theme contained more than the pests, but I didn't think of anagrams. Cute. Lemonade, always a pleasure to read your Friday blogs.
ReplyDeleteSUM before I AM.
I, too, thought of CAIRO, IL (pronounced like Karo syrup) and Memphis, TN.
My kids didn't use pacifiers at all.
3D TEE, where many a drive begins and 50D WINERY, vintage locale were my favorites.
Thanks for your concern about my BIL, WC, Swamp Cat, Lucina, IM, Canadian Eh, Misty and Dave. I waited to get more news before I thanked you. Lynn has end stage lung disease. He is too fragile for an operation. When he is strong enough to walk to the bathroom and back, he will come home from the hospital with a pump to keep his lung inflated and will need 24-7 care. My very energetic sister is an outdoors woman, a hiker and a biker. She helps at the food pantry and works out at the gym. I hope she can find a way to share the care and have some kind of life for herself.
This made me feel itchy what with HORNETS, GNATS, MITEs and FLEAS hopping all over the grid! It was a rough start for me and like others the top stayed mostly white so I slid downward and filled that area with only a few knowns: MAB, EL AL, ALPO, and SEARS. Nor would I put Macy's in the same category but at two malls I have visited lately, both are doing well. Mobs of people are shopping.
ReplyDeleteOne in particular, Fashion Square here in Scottsdale, draws shoppers from Mexico as well as locals. Good eateries are found there as well which adds to the attractiveness. On the north and south sides of it are million dollar condos so money is no object for the residents.
The top filled much more slowly (hi, D-OTTO) but eventually I got it all except for TACET! Drat! I had TACiT and knew IDU was wrong.
Thank you, Lemonade. I like your scholarly expos and always learn from you.
Today is the first day I actually feel like doing some activity; I went into a funk both for missing my trip and my appearance. Fortunately time heals all wounds. I hope you are all doing well.
Have a delightful day, everyone!
. Misty, congrats, I found this one crunchy. FLN OMK thanks to you and NPR I'm going to read Philip Roth (rip). Specifically, " The Plot Against America"
ReplyDeleteIt seems timely.
IM, 19-54? How bout 9-19 as the audience. NPR had a segment about a company that provides audience sampling and feedback for movies and pilots. They then rewrite accordingly. Ugh.
I was never a Kobe fan. Too focused on his own stats. I admire LeBron who gets everyone involved but tomorrow night I'll hate him.
I had SUM < I AM. I did get the HORNETS-THRONES ANAGRAM but not FLEAS-FALSE. I don't think, ergo I'm stupid.
Btw, Misty etal. Did you do the Jumble? What was the answer if you can put it here. I got the four anagrams
and - - -. - - - - - - ING. But not the last word of the footsore royals.
D-O, you forgot the CSO to Tin*
Odie eats ALPO not Garfield
Owen, I'm just giving you straight W's and an L for lemonade.
WC
* NEAT The way he likes his scotch
YR:
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear about your BIL! That is so sad. Prayers for him, your SIS and all the family.
Lucina, glad you're doing better. Aloe vera taken as capsules has helped my hands(athritus). The pills are just handier but I have to get them from Amazon
ReplyDeleteWC
The latest is that they will keep Lynn in the hospital for a while hoping that scar tissue will form and help attach the lung to the chest wall. Thanks for your prayers, Lucina.
ReplyDeleteSome nasty clueing today....I messed up,just like Lucina....I didn’t realize 12D Domain meant the URL ending EDU.
ReplyDeleteFLN....I thought it was “Get off my Lawn”.
YR, I'll say a prayer for Lynn .
ReplyDeleteSince I'm here.. I'm noticing lately a reverse correlation between my solving ability vs my thinking ability .
WC
Last post I promise
ReplyDeleteAlso re. The inability to embed a link when using preview...
Try hitting the EDIT button prior to hitting Publish.
I haven't been"linking" because I post via Android. But since the nefarious Profile button was killing me I took Picard's advice and compose in text and then paste to the blog.
So look for a Wilbur link soon.
WC
WC @ 12:42 - "Fit for Aching" - fit for a king.
ReplyDeleteLight Dawn's on Marble head
DeleteWC
I liked the bugs anagrams very much. I never would have thought of HORNETS and THRONES because I am terrible at anagrams, but once I saw it (along with GAME OF, without which I would not have figured it out) I cottoned onto it immediately. Took me a lot longer to reshuffle FLEAS into FALSE. Good stuff! I agree the reveal was weak and unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteLemonade, thanks for your edifying write-up. Of course I thought of you when I filled HASTEN, as you yourself did.
Good wishes to you all.
The jumble today SPOILER ALERT is a homophone of "a king", as sung by Miley Cyrus.
ReplyDeleteNone of you noticed the hints to PEANUT that D4 gave the other day?
Fun puzzle today. FIR in normal Friday time (~12 min). Saw the theme about halfway through but didn’t catch the anagrams until I was already done and looking the completed thing over before submitting.
ReplyDeleteLemonade, you asked in your write up at 9D, "Who does not love tzatziki: yogurt with cucumber and garlic purée, used as a dip?" In answer I reply, "I does not!" Can’t abide garlic, and I know what yogurt is, and that’s all it takes for me. Sorry… ;—)
Back in the day I had a summer job that had me working in Cairo IL for a month one week.
Loved GNAT DYNASTY; any word beginning with GN is all right in my book.
It’s summer here in northern IL. 84 and sunny, and supposed to be flirting with the 90s tomorrow.
Have a great day, all—and a nice holiday weekend, too!
Owen, although I'm lousy at anagrams I did cotton to Hari Selden = N. Ratchilde(Rothschild) and "S"tevenson Intrepid*=Strider(LOtR)
ReplyDeleteAnd no one commented on that either
WC
* About the founding of OSS and the rescue of Neils Bohr eg Frodo(Underhill)
Ok no more posts, I promise
Although I'd love to know what the post removed by blog administration had to say 😎
Delete
ReplyDeleteIt was a definite Friday level puzzle from Winston. I know some of the bloggers didn't have a hard time with it, but it took me a while to slog through the grid. Lemon's tour was very interesting.
Only looked up two spellings today, TACET and BATIK. Other than that a slow and steady rain of V8 cans and perps filled in the puzzle today. Like others, I sort of got the theme, but didn't get all of the anagrams until I read Lemon's explanation, even though I did fill them in based on the clues.
We'll see what tomorrow brings in the way of difficulty.
Today is National Wine Day. I wonder if Tin likes wine? It is definitely a "neat" drink. I do have a friend will only drink her wine on ice. Everyone should celebrate with a glass or twelve.
Anon-T FLN: Most water heater warranties are around 6 years although some light duty ones only have a 3 year warranty and some high end ones are 10 years. The local water and heat cycles are the primary determinants for how long a Domestic Hot Water (DHW) heater will last. In this area we have very hard water which is a real killer even though I have a water softener. Here is an article on the case for stainless steel heaters. Naturally when something fails it will always be at the worst possible time.
Michael FLN: Yeap, big business doesn't want to give anyone a break.
Jinx FLN: That's like putting toast in the toaster. Even so, it's still a Hot Water Heater to me.
I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend and CanadianEh had a good Victoria Day this week.
WikWak, I spent a month in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico one week. I wonder if that was the same week... I don't remember all that much about it, afraid to drink the water, I started with beer at breakfast. Wasn't bad.
ReplyDeleteTa- DA!
ReplyDeleteMr. Emmons has given us an easy Friday pzl. Well, "easy" being a relative term, I suppose I should add that I count as easy any Friday pzl I can do w/o cheats.
My favorite of all WE's curious clues was 50A, "One on first?" I couldn't get this little 3-letter fill until locking in the middle "H." Then of course I had my PDM!
It had to be WHO, of the classic routine, "Who's on First?"
In my acting classes, whenever we explored comedy, I would assign this text to students who had trouble catching onto comic timing. I swear that anyone who lacks rhythm, or is too cerebral, or unable to play interactively, once they learn to connect with "Who's on First" their troubles will be over.
The piece is tough - demanding, grueling - to memorize and play with a straight face, but patience, time, and will power will see you through*. And you'll come out the other side a serious comic actor!
~ OMK
* Much like the 4-Ps of Xwd solving.
____________
Diagonal Report: Just one diagonal today. There may be a hidden message in the anagram, but I can't see it.
Anybody else? The letters are: SPOELNRTDTAEEEC
Considering that,after the first-pass, I thought I was going to have to toss-the-towel, two bad squares ain't bad... FIW.
ReplyDeleteHi All!
Winston, I am impressed. Thrones and False anagramming to insects, who'da thunk it? Nice job.
Thanks Lem for the expo. I still don't get NEAT as picked-up though (Misty, you 'get it' - do tell)
First themer I got, FLEAS PRETENSE, gave up the gimmick but it still took a while to get HECK OF A MITE because I had PAsIFIER for quite a spell. Same issue with GAME OF -- SPIkiT(?) was in the way. I finally had to ask the Google how to spell SPIkiT - the machine wasn't kind in it's "Don't you really mean..." response. I think HAL was laughing at me.
CAIRO Egypt for me. First, we've had that before and, second, I've been there.
Bad squares: ARi and ASTIc(?); MYcA looked right.
WOs: started HuSTle but the Bees fixed me.
ESPs & WAGs: suffice to say, "galore;" probably a quarter of the grid. E.g. @18a, --TO, I WAG'd OTTO and METH became apparent (never saw Break Bad, just heard of it)
Fav: 50a just 'cuz I can post this again.
{B, A, A+(LOL), B}
YR - Sorry to hear about your sister's situation. If she's anything like you (for Alan), BIL will have good care.
IM - Do you have Netflix or Hulu? They've been picking up shows with marginal (to networks) fan-bases that are canceled to get new subscribers; maybe Code Black will be next.
HG - I've been to Asheville too and Vanderbilt is amazing. I was IN TO the early use of electricity and poking around in the kitchen. For your link, I'll return the favor with King of the Road. (Rooms to let...)
PK - re: babies and generations... Yes and no. My girls are different as night and day, youngest looks just like Pop's Aunt Jess, Eldest looks like DW, one's gay, etc. Here's the kicker - my Bro's Girls are mirror reflections of mine personality wise, one's gay, and his Youngest also looks like Aunt Jess. The only difference - 3 year age gap between mine & his (respectively too!)
Cheers, -T
Wilbur Charles,
ReplyDeleteHere's wishing you happy reading as you embark on your first of Mr. Roth's tomes. I just started back into American Pastoral myself and am looking forward to re-living some of the wryest moments of my reading life. I count him a master of serving up sadness with a smile. He understood the so-called "human comedy."
Misty, glad to see you mastered Mr. Emmons' Friday thrown gauntlet! Does this mean we're in for it tomorrow?
I've given up making predictions.
Let come what comes!
~ OMK
Thanks, Wilbur and Ol'Man Keith. Tomorrow's bound to be a bear, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteJumble spoiler alert:
Wilbur, I couldn't get the bottom Jumble reveal this morning, even though I thought I had all the word answers: CARGO, FRESH, CATNIP and INFAMY. If anybody got it, I'd love to know that royal shoe explanation.
OMK - OK, I'm in. I just ordered Trilogy . I don't normally read fiction so... The reviews compared it to Ellison's Invisible Man (I read as a HS Frosh) so it must be good.
ReplyDeleteBTW, more Roth on Fresh Air
Cheers, -T
WEES ... some people must stay up real late at night ... HORNETS as an anagram for THRONES? Hoo'd'a thunk?
ReplyDeleteSpitzboov from 7:58: what got me going noticing metric nomenclature, was somebody decades ago who created the unit of "milligilhoolies". I don't remember what it was for, but the current 'zepto' and 'zetta' prefixes are equally obscure.
Misty,
ReplyDeleteFit for aching
Sandy
Wilber Charles:
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that aloe vera is available in pill form. It is such a salutary substance. Someone I once knew would blend it and make a juice to drink every day for her various health problems. I've always only used it for superficial scratches but it is definitely helping my current problem.
The post removed was someone trying to advertise their services. If you want to run an ad here you need to communicate with C.C. and pay the freight.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I loved sitting with my parents every Sunday as they did the NYT, as well the other Sunday puzzles including the Puns and Anagrams featured as part of the VARIETY puzzles which run in the Sunday magazine section. This lead to my mother and I doing the London Times cryptics which the NEW YORK magazine ran for a while. LINK. Nice memories
Was a toughie today. Finished most of it, except ran out of patience with some of the NW corner, so not a total finish...😡
ReplyDeleteIn picked-up we see a hyphen, suggesting an adjective. "Alan, I see your room's picked-up with no clothing or debris on the floor. Good job!"
ReplyDeleteBTW, today I picked up (no hyphen) Alan early from work. He slept all afternoon and now seems worse. He only had a few bites of supper. Whatever it is will run its mysterious course and we will never know what it was. It happens a lot. As an inveterate "fixer," having no answer or solution bugs the heck out of me.
Has anyone been totally housebound caring for a long term illness in a relative? What do you suggest for relief? As a compulsive "fixer," I made a few suggestions to my sister. I've been around the block many times. We are hoping Lynn can become able to stay alone for a few hours at a time, but it doesn't look likely. I believe this couple has the most loving marriage of all of us sibs.
Lemon, the London Times Cryptics are out of my league. Good for you.
Got the theme fairly quickly. TANG DYNASTY unknown, but could figure that out. But the NW seemed to have me headed for a DNF. A PEG might plug a SPIGOT. Did anyone else find this a clever but incorrect clue?
ReplyDeleteBut the theme helped me there. I struggled to work anagrams on HORNETS. I had SHORTEN. Then the light went on and I got GAME OF THRONES. Never seen it, but it is common here. That let me WAG SPIGOT, SARA and ARCANA. FIR!
I did guess TAR because I have been to the La Brea TAR PITS quite a few times. (The name is unnecessarily redundant!). Have photos there but would have to dig for them.
Have BATIK photos in Indonesia. And TOTEM photos in British Columbia and Alaska. Would have to dig for those, too. Will do so if there is interest.
Thanks to AnonT asking very nicely yesterday, here are more of my KORea photos.
Thank you, AnonT! I appreciate the interest and I appreciate that you asked nicely!
Wilbur Charles: Glad that copy and paste for posting is keeping you sane!
Before we go
ReplyDeleteHAPPY MEMORIAL DAY
Misty,
ReplyDeleteI was going to feed you the final Jumble answer, but I see TX Miss & Anonymous beat me to it.
I have to credit you with turning me onto the Jumble. I now do it occasionally. Today's royal shoe pain really got me asking,
Is there no bottom to the depths of punning they will plumb?
The rule must be when they put a word in quotes they're ashamed of it.
~ OMK
OMK, I actually searched "Hotel New Hampshire" but it was Cheever. I started"Portnoy" as well. But "America" sounds like my cuppa.
ReplyDeleteLemony, I thought perhaps it was an out of control troll. When I was car shopping, blogger started advertising cars. Specifically for WC, of course. My son explained how the robots work. (speaking of Asimov)
Fit for a king (aching). Very clever. Btw, I did a Monday Sudoku. Now to try a Tuesday. In my 'ute(early 60s) I could do the late week ones.
WC
Ok . Someone linked The Gentries earlier and I stumbled on this version of an oldie .And, now to try a link. This may not be blue. If not please advise (D4-Dave?) How to Go blue .
ReplyDeleteButtercup Wisconsin style
Btw, Dave re. The "lyrics" . I guess you have to be there and have sharp wars. My nephew raps btw .
WC
I don't dare preview
Thank you, Ol'Man Keith. I can't find TX Miss post, but Sandy, (Anonymous), many thanks for the answer to the Jumble. You too TX Miss. I would never have figured this one out--but how clever!
ReplyDeleteYR, I have no advice or solace for you. I do understand what you are dealing with.... in a way. My husband was two years dying of lung cancer. We were at home or in the hospital all the time, together.
ReplyDeleteI don’t remember having breaks. I kept a journal and retreated into from time to time. But physically I was always on alert.
For me, it was a state of mind. This is where I am right now. Perhaps it was easier for me because we both knew he was dying.
There was an end eventually. That sounds gruesome now, but it was our reality then.
My prayers are with all of you as you work your own way through this crisis.
I realize that in my preparations for writing up this puzzle, I have neglected to give a very heartfelt shout out to dear Argyle and all of those who come to the Corner who have served their country.
ReplyDeleteI added to the blog.
TACiT>TACET.
ReplyDeleteGot the theme, but didn't see the anagrams.
Couldn't think of the adjective derived from apis; perps finally gave me APIAN.
Americans have lots of unusual pronunciations of foreign names: KAYro, BRRlin, VYE-enna (Ohio). I'm sure you have plenty of others.
La-fay-ette in Alabama; La-fa-yette in Lou-see-anna.
ReplyDeleteI found a LIST OF NAMES ; but wait, there are MORE AND MORE.
YR - is there any way Sis can get home-care for BIL on a part-time basis so she can get a break?
ReplyDeletePicard - Wow! Thanks for KOR photos.
Lem - Your lists didn't include, as D-O said: "Humble ("Umble" not "Humble", Pat Sajak!)"
Here's fun for anyone thinking of visiting Houston: Street Names. I know TxMs will enjoy :-)
-T
Speaking of Houston, the street in NYC is House-t'n.
ReplyDeleteVery late to the bug fest. Thanks for the fun, Winston and Lemonade.
ReplyDeleteI got the theme early but still had some ink lots.
Then I arrived here and discovered I FIW with TACIT and IDU. (Hello Lucina).
This Canadian spells PRETENSE with a C (pretence) which slowed the fill of HASTEN.
Hand up for A Row before SYNC.
We had Cairo - Memphis clue and discussion last year (May 11/17) and the clue was exactly the same. Mark McLean, the constructor of that CW, said
" I was thinking Africa when I wrote the clues, and mine was "Largest African city". I'll give credit to Rich for the confusing "City north of Memphis", and perhaps he was thinking Illinois since Memphis, Egypt isn't around anymore. But then CAIRO, Illinois is actually NNE of Memphis, now isn't it?" So I am betting that the clue this time was Rich's again.
AnonT will be happy to know that I got the WHO on first and remembered the Abbott and Costello discussion that we had with a previous CW.
OMK, you will have us all reading Philip Roth.
OwenKL- FLN - riding is a term for electoral districts in Canada. Ridings are only used for elections and are not the same as our counties or anything else. They are reviewed every 10 years after a census and boundaries are reset or new Ridings created to try to have similar population sizes in every riding. This is not always possible in sparsely populated areas like the north.
Yes oc4beach- I had a great Victoria Day last Monday. Thanks.
Beautiful warm weather here for a few days and lasting into the weekend we hope.
Misty, re the Jumble.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Owen and the ACHING feet. He pointed it out about the same time as Tx Ms.
So add him to your thank you list . And tomorrow I predict I'll quit the Saturday stumper and occupy my brain with the Jumble*. However, I can't touch a Sudoku. Monday or Tuesday maybe .
WC
.* Per your advice
More Jumble thanks to Wilbur, Owen, and TXMs, and Ol'Man Keith, and Sandy. Huge help today.
ReplyDeleteYellowrocks @ 5:05--"Has anyone been totally housebound caring for a long term illness in a relative? What do you suggest for relief?"
ReplyDeleteYes, 'been there, done that, got the gray hairs.' First, make sure you move around (my house is split-level, two-story, so just up and down stairs was always available) and exercise, even if it's just stretching. Second, find someone to cover for you -- even if only occasionally -- so that you can get out, go to eat something besides your own cooking, go shopping or walk the mall. Third, check with your local hospice for sources of support: you aren't the only one in this situation, and hospice isn't just for the end stages. Fourth, "God made wine to gladden the heart of man" (Ps. 104:15), and on rare occasions, a glass of red wine was the blessed antidote for all the stress. (I'm not pushing 'religion' here; it is just a good and pithy way to say something important.)
Roy @ 9:43: "Americans have lots of unusual pronunciations of foreign names: KAYro, BRRlin, VYE-enna (Ohio). I'm sure you have plenty of others"
ReplyDeleteIt's even worse than that, because within America there are huge differences. When we lived in New York, there is a small town called 'Mahopac.' Being a Californian, I pronounced it 'Ma-HO-pac' ... only to be corrected to 'MAY-o-pac'! And my favorite California village, 'Carmel' is pronounced 'Car-MEL' here, but 'CAR-m'l' in New York. And the different names for fizzy sugar drinks!
Lima, Peru. Lima, Ohio, but pronounced Lyma.
ReplyDeleteMonday is Memorial Day, in memorium those whose lives were taken in service, NOT ALL who served.
I (and all the others who made it out alive) will take the salute on Veterans' Day, thank you.
Crunchy! Moving slowly but steadily I filled all but the SW corner. MINIMA, ISLAY, MEALY and HEYA were sticking points. I looked up the Inner Hebrides. ISLAY gave me the rest. Nice puzzle. Fine expo, Gary.
ReplyDeleteI wagged LEN from the L, thinking WISEMSAN could be Jewish and LEN seemed most likely.
Swamp Cat, Michael and Anon T. thanks for caring. I will pass your thoughts on to Lois. I did suggest that she could get a sitter for a few hours of relief a couple times a week.
In case you don't check back here, enjoy your weekend.