google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Sun, Jul 22, 2018 Roger & Kathy Wienberg

Gary's Blog Map

Jul 22, 2018

Sun, Jul 22, 2018 Roger & Kathy Wienberg

Theme: "Antics" - ANT is added to each theme entry.

23A. Polite but unyielding statement?: MADAM, I'M ADAMANT. Madam I'm Adam.
  
33A. Caulking crew?: SEALANT TEAM. SEAL team.

37A. Building where things are taken back?: RECANT CENTER. Rec center.

52A. Sign on an available boutique?: SHOP VACANT. Shop-Vac.

67A. Serf surrounded by whales?: PEASANT IN A POD. Peas in a pod.

87A. Fort Bragg lodger?: BASE TENANT. Base ten.
  
99A. Director Oliver to the rescue?: GALLANT STONE. Gallstone. The only one-word base phrase.

101A. Never-used part of the house?: DORMANT ROOM. Dorm room.

118A. Godzilla and friends solemnly recite?: MONSTERS INCANT. Monsters, Inc.

Lovely grid from Roger & Kathy Wienberg. Judging by the byline order, you can see Roger came up with the theme idea (constructor who dreams up the theme often enjoys the first byline). Then they brainstormed together for the theme entries. Then they shared the filling and cluing responsibilities.
 
I think they're the only husband and wife constructor teams for our LA Times Daily Crosswords. Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon write a puzzle for the Boston Globe every two weeks.

Total 9 theme answers and 104 theme squares in a 140-word grid. And the fill is so clean. Amazing.

Across:

1. Crunch beneficiaries: ABS.

4. Agnus __: DEI. "Lamb of God".

7. Rustic dwelling: A-FRAME.

13. Using a passport, say: ABROAD.

19. Newman song that mentions Santa Ana winds: I LOVE LA. Heard often at Dodger Stadium.

21. Decisive point: CLIMAX.

22. Persuasive sort: COAXER.

25. Stimulate: EXCITE.

26. Petroleum source: SHALE.

27. Legendary rock guitarist: BECK. Jeff Beck.


28. 2018 Pyeongchang org.: IOC.

30. Author Ferber: EDNA.

31. Bolt of lightning?: USAIN. Great clue. Usain Bolt.


42. Within reach: NEAR.

43. How some dares are made: ON A BET.

44. Major arteries: AORTAS.

46. Impressive groupings: ARRAYS.

49. Seed cover: ARIL. Pomegranate seeds are called arils.


50. Flier's choice: AISLE.

55. Braun competitor: NORELCO. Philips.


57. Director DuVernay: AVA.

59. Comply: OBEY.

60. Joint for jumping: KNEE.

61. __-Cat: SNO.

62. "Yikes!": OH NO.

64. Empathetic comment: I CARE.

66. More than wondered: ASKED. Picard asked about "Moo shu pork" and "Moo shi pork" differences last time. See here. Personally I've only seen "Moo shu".

71. Leaves painfully: JILTS.

75. Wonder's "My Cherie __": AMOUR.

76. __ game: HOME. So glad you settled nicely in your new home, Dave!

77. Chemicals giant: DOW.

80. Colorful fish: OPAH.

81. Levee: DIKE.

83. Org. that often strikes: PBA. PBA50 is the highlight of Boomer's summer.

85. Holiday candle holder: MENORAH.

90. Crèche figure: ANGEL.

92. Swelter: BAKE.

93. Bit of information: DETAIL.

94. Avis rival: DOLLAR. Bad experience with them two years ago. We like Payless.

96. Former Disney CEO: EISNER (Michael).

98. One of a cube's 12: EDGE.

106. It's stunning: TASER.

107. Denny's competitor: IHOP. Fooled me with their name change gimmick.

108. "__ who?": SEZ.

109. Bowls over: AWES.

111. Capital of France: EUROS. Not PARIS.

115. Recovered from a knockout: CAME TO.

122. Did away with: ERASED.

123. Taft-Hartley Act subject: UNIONS.

124. Prurient material: EROTICA. Also 126. One who's really hot: SEXPOT.

125. Dinged: DENTED.

127. Inexperienced: RAW.

128. Iditarod segment: LEG.

Down:

1. Zeroes in: AIMS.

2. Uninspired: BLAH.

3. Common mixer: SODA. Pop in our house. And only Pepsi.

4. Land adjoining a manor house: DEMESNE. This is a new word to me.

5. Wearer of a "Y" sweatshirt: ELI.

6. Like most sonnets: IAMBIC.

7. "High Voltage" band: AC/DC.

8. Criticism: FLAK. Love Steve's Thursday disclaimer. 

9. Canyon part: RIM.

10. Doc bloc: AMA.

11. Wrestle suffix: MANIA. Never watched WrestleMania or any wrestling event.


12. Laud: EXTOL.

13. Untouched serve: ACE.

14. A penalty may be served in one: BOX. Hockey.

15. Triple Crown venues: RACETRACKS.

16. Rust, for example: OXIDE.

17. Insurance giant: AETNA.

18. Fantasy: DREAM.

20. Highly prized: VALUABLE. A mint condition 1952 Mantle card was sold for $2.88 million in April. Boomer sold his (also mint condition) for $200 in the 1980s.

24. Defender of Troy: AENEAS.

29. Cocktail hour nibble: CANAPE. I can link taro cakes every week. Taros look ugly, but so tasty.


32. Embassy employee: ATTACHE.

33. Arrange dinnerware on: SET. Oh, Boomer had a full set of 1952 Topps cards. RUE.

34. Time spans: ERAS.

35. Brazen: NERVY.

36. Fictional Civil War novel setting: TARA.

37. Colorful horses: ROANS.

38. Ill-fated Houston company: ENRON. Bankrupted Gary's uncle.

39. Capital on the Nile: CAIRO.

40. Mardi Gras acronym: NOLA.

41. Two-time British Open champ: TREVINO. Lee Trevino, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player are regular guests at the 3M Championship. 3M must pay a ton to get them.



45. Fleeced: SHORN.

47. Civil War soldier: YANK.

48. Dagger of yore: SNEE.

51. New Rochelle campus: IONA.

53. Caribbean sorcery: OBEAH. Wiki says it's "a system of spiritual and healing practices developed among enslaved West Africans in the West Indies..."


54. Fictional newsman Baxter: TED.

56. Cuts short: LOPS.

58. Cause trouble: ACT UP.

63. Japanese seaport: OSAKA. Here is how it's written in Japanese. Three characters. The first character means "Big", the second means "Slope or Hillside", the last one "City".


65. Shot that misses everything: AIR BALL.

66. Gulf between Yemen and Somalia: ADEN.

68. Tweak, perhaps: AMEND.

69. Apple or pear: POME.

70. Dishes from a "station": OMELETS.

71. Assignment: JOB.

72. Tech debut of 2010: IPAD. Agnes uses her iPad for everything. No external keyboard either.

73. Operate using a beam: LASE.

74. Shakespeare play featuring Ariel: THE TEMPEST. Great fill.

77. Clog clearer: DRANO.

78. Like some buckets: OAKEN.

79. "__ Everybody Knows Your Name": "Cheers" theme song: WHERE.

81. Stoop: DEIGN.

82. Bays, e.g.: INLETS.

84. Compulsively neat, say: ANAL. I think this is the first time this word appears in LAT. Rich did not allow ANAL in the past.

86. Hamper: OBSTRUCT.

88. Cry with a flourish: TA DA. As I mentioned last Monday, I finally decided to just make two holes to remove the stains permanently. Weird spots, but better than yellow stains.


89. Neighbor of Ghana: TOGO.

91. Kitchen gadget: GRATER. Oh, does anyone other than Steve own a Microplane? I don't use zest, but this will make mincing ginger easier.



95. Fast flight: LAM.

97. Understanding words: I SEE NOW.

100. Egypt's second president: NASSER.

101. Cut into cubes: DICED.

102. Chicago hub: O'HARE.

103. Type of numeral: ROMAN. Followed by104. Victim of Romulus: REMUS.

105. Atmospheric layer: OZONE.

109. 5 for B or 6 for C: AT NO. Atomic Number.

110. Jerry in the NBA logo: WEST.


112. Complain: RAIL.

113. Previously: ONCE. TTP mentioned a neat shortcut for searching any stuff in our blog. For example, if you want to know UKASE and its comments on our blog, just type in this in your Google search bar:  site:crosswordcorner.blogspot.com ukase

114. Unaccompanied: STAG.

116. Kickoff aid: TEE.

117. Abnormal: ODD.

119. Squelch: NIX.

120. Sponge (up): SOP.

121. Novelist Levin: IRA.



Maripro and some of you still have Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis as editors in your Sunday paper. I'll just copy and paste Rich's reply I put on the blog in 2010:

"Joyce was LA Times puzzle editor long before I arrived. I began working with her 10 years ago, at which time we shared editing responsibilities. She's now retired, though we do talk regularly about the puzzles. I do all the editing, and she's among the professionals who check my work. Her name remains on the byline in recognition of her years of service to the LAT Crossword."

C.C.

45 comments:

  1. Greetings!

    Thanks to Roger, Kathy and C.C.!

    Nice puzzle! FIR.

    A few hang-ups were perped out: BECK, IOC, AMOUR, PBA, DEMESNE (new word for me, too) and TOGO.

    NYT puzzle easy today!

    Also worked Sat. LAT puzzle w/o error! (Took a while, though!)

    Beddy bye time!

    Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I loved this one! Saw the ANT pretty quickly and that helped a bunch. How they find just the right words is beyond me. Favorites: SEALANTTEM and PEASANTIN A POD. Not too fond of COAXER, but I bet if I were to try writing one of these I would have several like this. I found the NW the most difficult and the SE the easiest (except for 109 down, as noted below). Thanks, Roger & Kathy, for an excellent Sunday treat. And thanks as always, C.C., for guiding me through it. I had a lot of trouble with a 4-letter answer to "5 for B or 6 for C" and even when the perps filled in ATNO for me i still didn’t get it. It took coming here and seeing your explanation before it finally clicked.

    Think it’s about bedtime (for me if not for Bonzo) so I will toddle off now. Have a great day all—once it gets started. Myself, I plan on being up by the crack of noon.

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  3. Good morning Cornerwriters.

    Thank you Mr. Roger & Ms. Kathy Wienberg for this challenging Sunday CWP. I used the antics to my advantage adding ANT in early and often. I FIR.

    Thanks C.C. for your excellent review. Thanks for the CSO at 76A. Our latest fun is a water main break that happened yesterday morning. I have a styrofoam cooler from which I just emptied the last icy water. We had only water with supper, no coffee or iced tea, and have been provided bottled water in our rooms. The system should return to normal today.
    - - There are people who are unhappy to be here, but not me. I am happy in my home for the rest of my life.

    Ðave

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  4. Good morning!

    Guess who read the title? Guess who actually got the theme? Yup. I liked this one and got through it in about 18 minutes. No fast, not slow, just steady. Don't know where it came from, but I immediately inked in DEMESNE, but it looked so weird that I immediately Wite-Outed...er Wited-Out...er made it go away. Thanx, Roger, Kathy and C.C.

    PBA: CSO to Boomer.

    ARIL: Used to appear often in CWs, not so much lately.

    GALLSTONE: Not for me. That problematic organ was yanked years ago.

    IPAD: I'm out of the tablet business after #2 died a couple of weeks ago. I'll make do with my desktop and "emergency" laptop. I fire up the laptop once a month to download updates to keep it current.

    POD: We finally got the whale POD we were looking for the other day. Gotta admit "Look at those GAMS!" sounds better than "Look at those PODS!"

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  5. Good morning. Thank you Roger and Kathy, and thank you C.C.

    After Friday's whale grouping, did anyone want PEASANT IN A GAM ?

    One who's really hot ? With -E-POT in place, it had to be TEAPOT, right ? Have to thank the perps for the correction.

    Demense was new to me as well. Kept checking the perps and finally let it be.

    We have a Microplane. I've never used it. Our's is a Cook's Club brand, so I guess it's not really a Microplane.

    C.C., perfect picture choice for Jerry West, given the clue.

    You can use sitesearch for any site and use the normal operators refine your search Here's one reason to use operators:
    site:crosswordcorner.blogspot.com act up - 8680 hits - both words occur
    site:crosswordcorner.blogspot.com "act up" - 91 hits - exact match occurs

    WikWak, you are indeed a night owl.

    When we met for lunch, I thought I heard him say along the lines of "... bed around 3 or 4 in the morning." I asked, "You get up that early too ?", and he said, "No, that's when I go to bed !"

    Off to the races. Enjoy the day !

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fun and clever puzzle, Roger and Kathy. Many thanks for getting the week off to a great start.
    C.C., I learn so much from you! This week it was finding out that the constructor who thinks up the theme gets first billing. And thank you for answering my question about Joyce Nichols Lewis. Kudos to Rich for appreciating and recognizing her contributions.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good Morning:

    It was nice to see a Sunday offering from Kathy and Rodger, all the more space to showcase their talents. And did they ever do just that with this clever and delightful theme. I caught on after entering Base Tenant and Dormant Room and, as TTP just said, it was off to the races. Speaking of races, this puzzle could have a sub-theme of The Wide World of Sports, to wit:

    Race Tracks/Rail/Odd(s)/Roans/On a bet
    Trevino/Tee
    Air ball/Rim/West/Center/Aims
    Angel/Base/Home/Ace/Yank/Ted
    Eli/Knee
    Added bonuses: PBA (Hi, Boomer), Usain, IOC, Mania, Box, Set

    Granted, they're not all clued as sports but I had fun searching them out and I wouldn't be surprised if I missed some others.

    The only true unknown was Demense and my only two w/os were iPod/iPad and Berm/Dike. I like seeing Tada and Tara, Knee and Snee, and Obey and Obeah. I remembered Obeah from a recent NYT puzzle.

    Thanks, Kathy and Roger, for a truly enjoyable Sunday solve and thanks, CC, for the summary and professional outlook you bring to these expos. I think your "holey" solution may start a new trend; your pants look chic!

    Dave, I admire your positivity. Lemons into lemonade, so to speak! 🤗 (Hi, Lemony!)

    WikWak, I thought I was a night owl but you're night-ier (or owl-ier) than I!

    Today is the 80th birthday party for my brother, Bill. He's 80, his wife is 75, and they've been married 45 years which, as the invitation read, adds up to 200 years of memories. (One of those memories involves me and a meat grinder, as you've heard many times.)

    Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Musings
    -LASER – Light Amplification by STIMULATED Emission of Radiation
    -A wonderful lesson in humility and ARRAYMENT
    -I’ve never gotten a sniff of an AISLE seat near the front of the plane
    -Colleagues that JILTED their wives have really disappointed me
    -Husker HOME games generate millions in revenue for Lincoln. The stadium becomes the third largest “city” in the state
    -We have “BAKED” very few days this summer
    -Avis, DOLLAR, et al are feeling the sting of UBER along with cabs
    -Many left our teacher UNIONs when we were forced to join all three - local, state and national and couldn’t just support our local
    -Seven-Up vendors roam “dry” stadiums yelling “Mix”
    -If I walked out on this canyon RIM my bride would be nowhere near me
    -Post ENRON, my Uncle was a lost soul
    -AT NO made this science teacher ding his forehead! Doh!
    -Dave, congrats on whipping up some fine lemonade when life seemed to deliver lemons!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful way to start a Sunday! Thanks, Roger and Kathy. My favorites were Bolt of lightning for USAIN, and Joint for jumping for KNEE. I didn't remember OBEAH and wanted voodoo, but it wouldn't fit.

    I wondered how ANAL made the cut and thought it must be wrong. Interesting with EROTICA and SEXPOT.

    I have a microplane and it is great for ginger and lemon zest.

    Learning moment was DEMENSE. I wonder if I'll remember it!

    Thanks, C.C., for walking us through.

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  10. HG @ 10:30 ~ There is not enough money in the world that would tempt me out onto that platform. I have the chills just looking at the picture.

    Off to get ready for the party.

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  11. IM, I agree with you on the picture! Just looking at it was enough.

    Have fun at the party! ����

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  12. Hi Y'all! Very interesting and complicated puzzle from the Weinbergs. Thanks. Thanks for a great expo, C.C.

    I read the ANTics title before starting but really didn't catch on to the ANT gimmick until my first theme fill of SEALANT TEAM. That was helpful to the others, but it was "Let me see, where'd they put that this time?" I was just not quite on the Weinbergs' wave-length for this puzzle so it became a slog before I got done. Worth doing though. I found out I knew a lot of words I thought I didn't at first.

    Got all the top line the first pass through for once. I don't think of AFRAME as rustic, but I guess the setting is sometimes. They were pretty "chic" when they were most popular.

    Knew DEMESNE from novels, but had to have a few perps to come up with it from DE_ES__. Estate would have been my first thought if I hadn't had a "D" starter. OBEAH was also from reading novels. Voodoo didn't fit.

    Hand up for gone GALL bladder with STONEs and good riddance.

    D4: what a blessing that you are settled and happy with your new home. Your posts seem calmer.

    IM & Joan: I'm with you on that canyon RIM atrocity as something to be avoided. Standing on the rock RIM at dawn was a soul soaring experience for me. That man-made thing is a DREAM creation that got "carried away" and isn't as beautiful. I'm sure if I got out to the arc of that, it would fall into the canyon.

    My brother & his wife and daughter were in Branson when the Duck sank. When I saw that on TV, I immediately called SIL's cell phone and was so relieved to hear her voice. She said I wasn't the first person to call. They don't do Ducks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hulk Hogan has been forgiven for Gawker remarks and is in WWE good graces again. Re. WrestleMania

    Oops I was thinking of this GAME
    ONEAH/POME got me. Ouch. FIW

    Thx to Weinbergs and CC especially for Atomic No

    WC

    ReplyDelete
  14. Delightful Sunday puzzle, Roger and Kathy, many thanks. I got a large chunk of this one before I started cheating, and might have gotten more, but the day is getting on and I have things to do (still cleaning the garage, etc.). Loved seeing Shakespeare's "The Tempest," and lots of sweet items, like I LOVE LA, and My Cherie AMOUR, and that ANGEL in the creche. But I wasn't prepared for SEXPOT, EROTICA, and ANAL--shocked me a little to see them in a Sunday puzzle, but hey, we're all grown-ups, aren't we.

    Anyway, lots of fun. ARILS were new to me--thank you for the picture, C.C. And am still puzzled by what sort of "station" produces OMELETS. Always enjoy your comments, C.C., and thanks for the puzzle construction explanations.

    Hope your brother has a wonderful birthday, Irish Miss.

    And how great that you like your new home, Dave--makes us happy!

    Have a great Sunday, everybody.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Have seen DEMESNE occasionally, always guessed from usage that it was a frenchified respelling of domain, to which it's apparently related.

    Now the all-Tiger all-the-time coverage can ease off until the next major. Maybe they can talk about some of the younger golfers now.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hello everyone.

    Not so hard today. Liked the theme. Great clue but which gave me pause was for AT NO. Only a few elements have single letter symbols.
    Two peas in a pod means "two things that are alike". I was wondering how that concept is expressed in other languages. In French they say "……comme deux gouttes d'eau" - like two drops of water. I grew up with my Dad's expression in L. German "……wie twee Peer Köteln" - like two horse turds. Being on a farm which had 2 draught horses it didn't seem particularly coarse. (I always have this image of horses pulling the Queen's carriage, followed by her escort doing a two-step; trying to protect their boots.)

    I did the WSJ weekend puzzle earlier, last night and this morning. It had a theme where 'ER' is added to the end of a phrase as in 'night cap' - "night caper'.

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  17. "Madam, I'm adamant!"
    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Ant."

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  18. Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Roger and Kathy Wienberg, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, C.C., for a fine review.

    This was one excellent puzzle. The theme was tremendous! Cannot imagine how they put all that together.

    Once I had the theme, the puzzle became a lot easier. Relied on it all the way to the end.

    Lots of easy answers, but lots of tough ones, as well.

    Sounds like most of us learned a new word today, DEMESNE. I looked it up after I was finished and it is legit.

    Did not connect USAIN with the runner. Got it with perps.

    OBEAH was unknown, as well. Not sure if I will remember all of these. Time will tell.

    DRANO is the last thing I will ever use in a drain.

    See you all tomorrow. Giving blood in the morning. Might do the puzzle while there.

    Abejo

    ( )

    ReplyDelete
  19. Fouls:
    Unused part of the house = DORMANT ROOM (no such term)
    One of a cube's 12 = EDGE (try SIDE)
    Director Oliver to the rescue = GALLANT STONE (horse shit, or try GALANT)
    Organizaton that often strikes = PBA (try "often doesn't")

    OnE lame puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sunday Lurk say...

    PK - you said it. D4 is comfortable in his new blog home too; he's got the blog's tone down pretty well now. D4, I'm very happy that you're happy with both your on and off-line homes. Oh, and thanks for the earworm [Name Game].

    C.C. - put two holes in the right leg, just under the knee, and it will look like you paid big $$ for those pants. :-)

    ENRON [long story; scroll to === if you don't care] - back in '00 or '01, I was asked to look into their broad-band trading and how we can use "the dark fibre" they were marketing. To some of my MIS / MBA colleagues, this was beautiful idea - just spot trade bandwidth like reservations on a gas pipe-line. Um, that's not how the protocols work...

    I was asked to look into it anyway. I called them [Enron] (they were in Allan 4, I was in Allan 1) and asked to walk over and visit their trading floor. I got "No," makeup acronyms, and QOS (Quality of Service) promises that were silly on their face (to a tech); smoke-and-mirrors if you will. The funniest thing was they said they only had one major piece of fiber they "owned."
    I reported back to those wanting to buy-in that "Enron's not really ready for our use-case." I tried to convince my buddy to get out of his stock-position - NOW [this was before they crashed]. Not only did my buddy hold, he was still buying into ENRON on the way down; his last buy was @$0.11!
    HG - I know how your uncle felt 'cuz I watched it and later worked with many folks who were @Enron - they were coerced into putting their retirement in E's stock.

    ===
    Misty - Many hotels have an OMELET station at the end of the breakfast buffet. I hate buffets as a general rule. However, the exception that proves the rule is Court of the Two Sisters in NOLA. Anyone finding yourself in the Quarter - put this joint on your list of hangover cures. [they have a pretty good Bloody Mary too!]

    Jayce - There is a Mr. ANT -- ADAM ANT [Goodie Two Shoes, 3:21]

    Cheers, -T

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous-T, heh heh, yes, I know there is.

    ReplyDelete
  22. What kind of a sad life must be lived by a person who contributes to a CW blog as an ANON (3:15) with a list of FOULS (Nits)? Dormant room makes sense as a pun on Dorm room and Edge is perfectly correct though Side isn't. A cube has six faces, 12 edges and eight vertices. I was going to offer my assistance with math tutoring but Mr. Anon seems to think he already knows everything.

    This reminds me of Euler's Formula for solids.

    Faces plus Vertices minus Edges = 2. So for a cube, 6 + 8 - 12 = 2.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Super Sunday. Thanks for the fun, Roger and Kathy, and C.C.
    I got the ANT theme which hastened the solve. I wanted Recall Centre but of course that did not fit the theme. (Some constructor could use it in an ALL themed CW.)

    DEMESNE was a learning moment for me also.

    Anon@3:15 - sorry you did not enjoy this puzzle. Perhaps if you reread C.C.'s discussion, you would see that none of the theme answers are commonly used expressions until you remove the ANT. But they do answer the clue, and the clue has a ? to show that it has a little trick to it. Yes, I have never heard of a DORMANT ROOM but I have heard of (and lived in) a DORM ROOM.

    I saw CLIMAX, COAXER, EXCITE inthe NE and thought that Lois would have had fun with that. Then I saw ANAL, SEXPOT and EROTICA and really wondered what Rich had been thinking! LOL.

    Back later if I have time.

    Enjoy the evening.

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  24. Bill G, I see that you were posting re Anon as I was writing.
    Of course, this Canadian said Sorry. LOL.

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  25. Nits are nertz, and the couple is the WIENBERGS not the WEINBERGS. They create some very fun puzzles but are protective of their name.

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  26. Good Afternoon, C.C. and friends. I recognized by the title that we would be seeing ANTS. Anonymous T, you beat me to the ADAM ANT.

    I was almost reluctant to find a POD of Whales today, after just learning of all the things a group of whales can be called!

    My favorite clue was a Bolt of Lightening = USAIN. Wrote that in without a second thought.

    I also really liked It's Stunning = TASER.

    When I got to the Clog Cleaner, though, I confidently wrote in Snake before DRĀNO became clear.

    I also wanted Code for "5 for B, 6 for C" The Perps gave me the ATomic No.

    QOD: You should never wear a baseball cap when working in close quarters in the attic: You never see the beam above you! ~ Alex Trebek (b. July 22, 1940)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Lemonade: Apologies to the Wienbergs for screwing up their name. Are they ANAL about it? I promise if they ever make a puzzle that I find fun, I'll spell it right. Spellcheck doesn't like WIE so I changed it. Now I find it doesn't like WEI either.

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  28. Late to the game after leading a challenging Sierra Club hike on a rather hot day. But it was a wonderful group and we had a good time climbing on the rocks of our Playground in the mountains!

    CC: First, thank you for the Mu Shi/Mu Shu explanation. Interesting they come from very different roots. When I was a child my father used to talk of Mu Shi. Over the years it seems the US menus shifted from Mu Shi to Mu Shu. And thanks for the detailed writeup! The OBEAH icons are rather creepy! Interesting about the holey fashion. Not sure it is holey enough to be fashionable.

    I kept looking for a reveal and totally forgot to look at the them title! When I figured it out at MONSTERS INCANT, I remembered to look at the title and I was happy! Still, I found a lot to struggle with. Hand up for all those unknowns. Is BECK really legendary? I just listened to a few of his most popular music videos and I don't recognize anything. Seems pretty standard pop. Some of the videos are creative, though.

    Hand up amused that the more familiar POD was back in place of GAM! Did anyone else try TIDBIT before DETAIL?

    Here we were recently at the Grand Canyon West RIM Sky Walk.

    Here are more photos at the Grand Canyon West RIM.

    Not as popular as the South RIM, but good to see something new!

    Yesterday I showed the civilized transport on SEPTA to Philadelphia from the airport

    Once again here is the civilized way to get to OHARE from downtown Chicago.

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  29. Thank you for explaining, Anon T. I haven't had a breakfast buffet in a hotel in decades, so I was a little rusty on that omelet station.

    ReplyDelete
  30. From yesterday:
    Yellowrocks: Glad you enjoyed the Philadelphia bar sign! Here is the text for anyone who missed it:

    Alcohol may be man's worst enemy
    But the Bible says "Love your enemy"

    AnonT: Thank you for looking at my photos of the Japanese Garden we discovered in Los Angeles. Yes, I have also been to the San Francisco one quite a few times. I actually liked this one better. It was quite a bit larger and also less expensive! It was such a surprise to find this in a boring part of the city near Canoga Park, Calabasas and Van Nuys.

    Here again are my photos at the Japanese Garden in LA.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Picard - There's Beck ['90s] and then there's Jeff Beck ['70s]. The Google may have given you the wrong one. -T

    ReplyDelete
  32. From August 11, 2017

    RAW said...
    Kathy and I hope you enjoy this puzzle and the gimmick.
    It was very difficult getting everything symmetrical.
    Special thanks to Rich for publishing this on a special
    day (Happy Anniversary, dear).
    As Irish Miss posted in June, "the couple that puzzles
    together, nuzzles together".
    Lemonade - loved your in-depth review and could you fix
    the spelling of our last name?
    Roger

    August 11, 2017 at 8:24 AM

    ReplyDelete
  33. I worked this puzzle throughout the day before and after a trip to MacDonald's, another trip to my grandson's tennis tournament, a two-hour nap, and then the completion. The ANT was obvious. The NW took the most energy (for me and WikWak) to complete. I sliced and DICED it until it worked. DEMENSE-apparently a new word for me and just about everybody else commenting. All perps. AC/DC, ANAL, DIKE, CLIMAX, SEXPOT? Do I see an EROTICA theme? STAG? Not so erotic, unless ou are fooling around.= and only if you are male. Do I LOVE LA? Now way. All I remember is the gray skies that limited vision to about 6 blocks.

    My only other unknown was AVA DuVernay. Only change was INCITE to EXCITE. Wanted SOLE & SOLO before STAG.

    Anybody, other than me, ever have the Jeff BECK album-BECKOLA with ROD STEWART doing the singing. It contains two Elvis songs- 'Jailhouse Rock' and 'All Shook Up' and about five other unforgettable songs. 'All Shook Up' sounds nothing like Elvis's version.

    TADA-C.C., with about 50 more holes you might just be 'fashion conscious' (ha ha). I love the idiots with the 45" waist lines and a butt the size of Dallas who wear torn jeans and think they make them look desirable. Barf, barf. You definitely don't fall into that category.
    OBEAH because VOODOO takes six letters.

    ENRON and ELON MUSK- both total frauds. Without government subsidies, Tesla would have gone bankrupt years ago.

    Duck Boats should not be allowed. I remember the people drowning in Hot Springs, Arkansas a few years back.

    AnonT- I've only lived in NOLA 46 years but have never been to the Court of Two Sister. Rarely go to the Quarter.

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  34. I haven't edited my hike photos from today yet. But here is a short video of two brave young women on my hike who leaped where I did not dare to go!

    AnonT: Thanks very much for the BECK clarification! I never heard of Jeff BECK. Only heard of the 90s guy. Wow. I can now see why the 70s BECK is LEGENDARY.

    Big Easy: Generally I agree about whether I LOVE LA. I don't like the whole car culture. Talk about a subsidized world.

    A trillion dollars a year or so in subsidies for private motor vehicle use in the US.

    Without that trillion dollar a year subsidy our transportation system would be very different.

    But check out my photos of The Japanese Garden. There are some amazingly beautiful islands in LA. And if I ever get tired of reality, LA can be a fun escape!

    I am curious why Bourbon Street/French Quarter in NOLA is avoided by the locals? What is the area enjoyed by the locals?

    I have lived in quite a few tourist cities and I usually find myself enjoying many of the same areas the tourists enjoy. But I am always open to learn what I am missing.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Picard. Please, please, please, stop with your political undertones.

    I stopped reading the comments for awhile after you started posting here since I get aggravated with your opinions. And I know I should know better than to stop to read your posts. But the curiosity got me today and I knew I was already a grumpy cat. But your link forced a download onto my device and may have infected it with its left leaning bs.

    I'll be the 1st to admit I get worked up too easily but C.C. has rules for a reason. And you have continually ignored them and never once have offered up a sincere apology.

    I'd love to point out why your opinion is flawed but I know you will never be swayed nor will I. So please be civilized and stop your soapboxing while I go back to only reading the write ups for the foreseeable future.

    What a poor way to end my Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I usually don't dignify Anonymous attacks, but this one at 8:21PM was a bit scary.

    Talk of "infected" on a web site implies some kind of malware. I do not appreciate being accused of linking to malware as that has a chilling effect on people who may be interested in my links. I would never, ever link to anything that could "infect" anyone's computer.

    As for "political" posts I was responding to a very specific comment by Big Easy about subsidies. I have no problem with his comments. I was just trying to offer some further information on his point that may be of interest to some readers. No offense nor rules transgression was intended.

    I hope I do not have to respond to another Anonymous attack like this. We are all here to learn from each other.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I remember enjoying the beautiful Japanese Tea Garden, in Portland OR I believe.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Thank you to each person who wished me well today. I am blessed to be here.

    Picard at 5:33 PM
    - - The sign at Guano Point says that the cable was damaged by an Air Force jet's tail. Did the jet crash?

    Anonymous T at 5:46 PM
    - - Oh, that Jeff Beck. I can not recall ever hearing him before today, but I stayed past your link for at least 3 other amazing guitar videos. Wow!

    Ðave

    ReplyDelete
  39. First, that was an exciting British Open* even though my main guy, Justin Spieth, faded. Putting and thinking problems.

    Picard, perhaps a spoiler eg. "This may be political to some" on your link. However, there are scads of commentary in here which can be interpreted as political.

    I remember when I was new, I tried to explain"Begging the Question" but the example I used had the name Obama.*

    And if I have your attention, don't forget the Ted Williams PBS documentary Monday night(9.00). Just to sample the other (sporting) world( it should transcend Sports). Btw, I'm very biased

    WC

    PS. If you like delightful poetry, catch Owen's work on Jumble

    * Wow, that was long ago, he was still prez

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. *I still call it "British". It's formally"The Open"

      WC

      Delete
  40. Picard - You're in luck. Our friend from college is visiting (with her daughter) this weekend - she's a native of NOLA; I'll ask her where the non-Quarter spots are (I know Tulane is beautiful and you gotta ride the street car up St. Charles to see how the other 1/2 lives).

    BigE - what do you recommend next time in in the Big Easy?

    I'm a little taken aback so many didn't know Jeff BECK. As BigE said (no I don't have that album but I will!), he played with Rod Stewart aplenty.
    However, it should be no affront on anyone for not knowing that -- I really dig music and read all the fan-zines as a teen. Beck and Randy Rhoades (who fronted for Ozzy) were the "Guitar Gods" back in the day. Of course, I always though RUSH's Alex Lifeson was (is) #1. :-)

    Cheers, -T

    ReplyDelete
  41. WC said, "*I still call it "British". It's formally"The Open"" Matched by its antithetical tourney, The Closed.

    M. Picard -- one reference in your subsidy post claims that "... in California... the increase in traffic density from a typical additional driver increases total state wide insurance costs of other drivers by $1,725–$3,239 per year... over $220billion per year nationally."

    These figures are just moonbeams, typical of the abuse of statistics so prevalent today. How can ONE additional driver equate to some additional amount? A $1725 rise -- even if were true and provable -- equals $0.00008265 for 20 million drives, beyond a mere pittance. And the $3239 is only $0.00016195.

    ReplyDelete
  42. I've never heard of anyone making a dare on a bet. What would be the point? "I bet you won't dare me to ...." Ridiculous.

    ReplyDelete

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