I am back and so is Jeffrey. Our other resident cruciverbalist, JW, joins PC this week in giving us another UP-DOWN puzzle. This one is the reverse - the theme is an added AM (morning) to the beginning (the "top") of four phrases two of which are grid-spanners, as is the reveal TOP OF THE MORNING. Showing off his mad gridding skills, he wraps the theme in double stacks of 7 and triple stacks of six in the middle. Despite 69 spaces of theme, he includes such sparkly fill as BARCODE. BLOOPER, CURATOR, DEAFENS, DO A DEAL, EDAMAME, EURASIA, PINENUT, STAMENS, and UNIFIER. Much to say, so away we go.
3D. Chronicles of Sodom and Gomorrah?: AMORAL HISTORIES (15). While the Torah is an early written history, it likely is based on Oral histories handed down.
4D. Group of stealthy attackers?: AMBUSH LEAGUE (12). This is fun; bush league comes from a baseball term.
7D. Act like a court jester?: AMUSE AS DIRECTED (15). My favorite repurposing.
Across:7D. Act like a court jester?: AMUSE AS DIRECTED (15). My favorite repurposing.
23D. Flashy jewelry for a stroll in the park?: AMBLING BLING (12). A bit of a stretch but maybe I just do not like the term bling.
And the reveal:
And the reveal:
11D. Supposedly Irish greeting ... or a hint to four long answers: TOP OF THE MORNING (15).
Probably top o' the mornin'.
1. Org. monitoring wetlands: EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. No politics.
4. Reachable: AT HAND. This was NEARBY until it wasn't.
10. Wall support: STUD. Stud is an ancient word related to similar words in Old English, Old Norse, Middle High German, and Old Teutonic generally meaning prop or support. In case you wondered.
14. Like the dawn's early light: DIM. No Star-spangled banner here.
15. "Old MacDonald" sound: MOO MOO. ... a moo moo there.
16. One might be commanding: TONE. Also not my first thought.
17. Year, in Seville: AÑO. Just straight Spanish, though the newspaper did not give you the hint.
18. Caviar fish: BELUGA. Beluga caviar is caviar consisting of the roe (or eggs) of the beluga sturgeon Huso huso. Not related to Beluga whales- they are being trained by the Russian MILITARY.
19. Capital of Samoa: APIA. With all the nice vowels I am surprised we do not see this more.
20. Debussy's "La __": MER. The Sea in French.
21. Purposes: USES.
22. July 4th or December 25th, for many: DAY OFF. Some misdirection and holiday did not fit.
24. With 64-Across, "Henry and June" author: ANAIS. We get her full name in parts. 64A. See 24-Across: NIN.
26. Request at the bar, with "up": SET EM. A partial, I think.
28. Old-style "Tsk!": FIE. Fee fie fo fum?
29. Gardener's supply: MULCH. You really do not need mulch, but it is pretty and all.
30. Many a southwestern Asian: ARAB. Many forget that Arabs, Indians, and others are Asian. They all have booths at the annual Asian Festival in Fruit and Spice Park in Miami (the Redlands). You missed this year but there is still an Orchid Show and Fruit Festival coming up.
31. The "1" in 15, really: TEN. Base ten math.
32. Lucy's TV pal: ETHEL. Ethel Mertz is not related to yesterday's Zach Ertz.
33. Move using eBay: SELL.
34. Shop sign nos.: HRS.
35. Cause to boil: IRE. Not a favorite word, po'd appealed to me more.
36. '60s campus org.: SDS. My old friend is back to vote with your feet.
37. Chem. class suffix: IDE. This is a bit of classic fill.
39. Small shot: BBS. Almost funny. So big shot could be a cannonball? Damn, I just wasted a great new potential clue/fill. Or even a clecho - Big shots:CANNONBALLS the Not big shots: BBS.
41. When "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" is spoken in "Macbeth": ACT I. JW gets his obligatory Friday Will Shakespeare into this week early.
43. Identifies: NAMES. J'accuse!
46. PC key: ALT.
47. __ gum: thickening agent: GUAR. More than that it may be GOOD for you.
48. Tile space-filler: GROUT. Not to be confused with GROOT.
49. Friend of Tigger: ROO. The joey of Kanga.
50. More than asks: URGES.
53. Pupil covering: CORNEA. I wonder if this is a tortured CSO to me since I have had so many Cornea operations? Nah.
55. "Sweet!": COOL.
57. "Platoon" setting, briefly: NAM. Viet-
58. Ronny Howard role: OPIE.
59. Teahouse mat: TATAMI. A tatami (畳) is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made using rice straw to form the core, the cores of contemporary tatami are sometimes composed of compressed wood chip boards or polystyrene foam. wiki
61. British suffix: ISE. Instead of IZE.
62. Divided trio?: DEES. There are three "D"s in that word.
63. Type of band: ONE MAN. Is this one word or two? What do you think?
65. Once, quaintly: ERST. Also, not related to Zach, at least not for a while.
66. Equestrian's forte: RIDING.
67. Empty talk: GAS. Stop gassing me was once popular.
Down:
1. Sushi bar side dish: EDAMAME. This is just a fancy name for boiled green soybeans.
2. Pesto morsel: PINE NUT. So much to know about this little GUY.
5. Ring holders: TOES. No, thank you.
6. Tiger's targets: HOLES. Woods, not cat variety.
8. Seasonal quaff: NOG.
9. Negotiate successfully: DO A DEAL. No politics.
10. Obedience school word: STAY.
12. One promoting togetherness: UNIFIER. Is that like a reveal?
13. Overwhelms with sound: DEAFENS.
25. Writer of sweet words?: ICER. Oooo, many hate the idea of calling one who decorates a cake an icer. Where is Tinbeni? Perhaps back on vacation at Hedonism, or off to Eastern Europe again now that it is warming up there.
27. Chic modifier: TRÈS. More accents.
36. Buck: STAG.
38. Take the risk: DARE.
39. Checkout facilitator: BARCODE.
40. Outtake, often: BLOOPER. 50 all-time FAVORITES.
42. Museum manager: CURATOR. Why since he doesn't cure anything? In Ancient Rome, curatores were senior civil servants in charge of various departments of public works, overseeing the Empire's aqueducts, bathhouses, and sewers. By the end of the 20th century, 'curator' came to describe a broad category of exhibition makers such as those who run museums.
44. It borders four oceans: EURASIA. This is the combined landmass of the continents of Europe and Asia - a portmanteau. It also is home to 71% of the world's population.
45. Pollen producers: STAMENS. Stamens are the units of androecium which are the male reproductive whorl of the flower.
51. "Ditto!": SO AM I.
54. Aerie, for one: NEST.
56. Arabian Sea nation: OMAN. One of the Oceans above.
60. Darth, when he was young: ANI. Anikan Skywalker sends off until next week.
What more fun can you ask on a Friday morning in spring? Well, ok a lot more but not in solving a very entertaining return from JW and his Boswell. Be well all. Lemonade out.
Note from C.C.:
Happy 75th birthday to Dave (D4E4H), who went through quite a
few health issues last year, but he remained optimistic and cheerful
through the whole deal. Did Lynn bake you another special cake pie, Dave?
In cooking, it's GUAR GUM that holds things together.
ReplyDeleteIn masonry, it's GROUT that protects from the weather.
But head to the zoo,
Or the dairy, MOO MOO,
And to keep things in one piece, nothing's like leather!
A contact lens is RIDING on the eye.
Covering the CORNEA, it shouldn't get dry.
It helps one to notice
How sloppy a note is
That lists which groceries you are to buy!
SET 'EM UP on the BAR before me!
I need to be drunk for my next duty.
I spilled a whole bunch
Of a load of ripe MULCH.
I must dig out my boss, covered down to his knee!
{A-, B+, B-.}
TOP OF THE MORNING to everybody. I had filled the NW and had AMORAL ( nice cross with ANAIS NIN) but I caught the UNIFIER, AM, at BLING BLING. . Hardest fill was 'Tiger's targets'; kept thinking about the wrong tiger. After DEES was filled by perps I realized why it was a 'divided trio'.
ReplyDeleteANAIS & ACT-I were perps.
I understand why these types of puzzles are made but personally, I think using the same addition to the theme fills makes the puzzles too easy.
FIR in 59:10 min. Last square: 55 A "O" at 51 D
ReplyDeleteGreat Friday morning fellow Cruciverbalists!
Thank you C.C. for my birthday wish. Lynn will come to lunch today with her husband Curtis, a mutual friend Linda, and a beautiful Pie Cake.
It starts out as a Pecan Pie with Pecan halves carefully positioned so the outside is up, the point is to the center, and they are arranged evenly around the surface.
Items which make the pie special are honey, Toll House chocolates, and a Graham Cracker crust. As it bakes, the crust migrates into the filling, making a cake.
This pie is similar to a Derby Pie, but Oh So Much Better!
Thank you for posting my favorite picture with Romeo.
Thank you Jeffrey Wechsler for this pleasant CW.
Thank you Lemonade for your excellent review.
Ðave
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteChanged my "Commanding" LEAD to a TONE, and then left off the F in TOP O THE...and then reached for the Wite-Out. I thought Sodom and Gomorrah were IMMORAL rather than AMORAL. GUAR gum is commonly used in the manufacture of ice cream. Didn't we just see both ANAIS and NIN in a puzzle just the other day? Kwinky-dink. I usually like JW's puzzles, and this one was no exception. Now I'm off to check out L714's collection of BLOOPERs.
Happy birthday, D4!
Finished in under 14 minutes, which has to be a PR for a Wechsler Friday.
ReplyDeleteHad to erase my commanding lead too, and thought "tall" should replace "long" in the unifer/11D. I didn't know tatami, and I was thankful we just had Anais Nin.
Another vertical theme puzzle! Hooray! This was a fun, smooth grid for me with lots of great entries! Just slightly unhappy with all of the abbreviation/suffix 3 letter cd answers. In a 15x15, I can tolerate 2 or three max.
ReplyDeleteLoved the themers! No clunkers IMO and all phrases solidly in the language. This one was a pleasure to solve. Thank you Jeffrey!
Steve Out
ReplyDeleteGood morning. Thank you JW and thank you L714.
Happy Birthday D4 !
Pretty fast for a Friday, with just a couple of typeovers. Got TOP OF THE MORNING as soon as I read it. Same with DAY OFF for some reason. It was my first thought with that clue.
I had the AM in AMORAL HISTORIES, and then saw it again AMBLING BLING, so AM went in on AMBUSH LEAGUE and AMUSED AS DIRECTED.
Had to change to SET'EM up from order. Did not have lead and never thought of it, although it might have been my first thought if not for the fill that precluded it. I alreay had the S from STUD and the Y from DAY OFF, so STAY was clear, and TO led to TONE.
Lemonade, MULCH keeps the moisture in the ground, thwarts weed growth, and amends the soil by adding nutrients and organic matter as it breaks down.
Like D-O, I passed over the BLOOPER clips. Time to go watch it.
Great fun puzzle.
ReplyDeleteTOP OF THE MORNING came first then AMBLING BLING.
Thought I had caught the theme with AM and the next word repeating .
Slowed me down when it would’t work for the rest of the long fills.
TATAMI was new as was ANI
SDS was also new to me so I didn’t get the USEASDIRECTED part of the long fill.
As they say, almost counts only in horseshoes but I fell quite accomplished with this almost FIR.
Happy birthday Dave as you enter the fourth quarter. Wishing you health and happiness.
Cheers
Hi Y'all! TOP OF THE MORNING puzzler Jeffrey lived up to expectations. Enjoyed this, Thanks! Also thanks, Lemonade, glad to see your expo again.
ReplyDeleteI got the A.M. on familiar phrases theme. Mostly let perps fill in all those long downs until enough of them revealed the theme phrases. Such fun.
However, I didn't get off to a good start. The NW corner was last to fill. EPA/EDAMAME were the last to fill. Soybeans are raised on my farms, but EDAMAME just will not stick in my mind. We didn't eat soybeans, it was a cash crop. Tried cooking them a few times but nobody wanted them again. As for the monitoring of wetlands, EPA didn't come to mind. We have very few in our state and they are overseen by a more local org., I think.
Also in that stumper of a NW corner: No idea there were PINE NUTS in pesto. "DeBussy's "La MER" was unknown. On the first pass thru I got ANO, MULCH, & ETHEL. AMORAL HISTORIES was very good but didn't get the AMORAL until last. ANAIS had to wait until 64A NIN perped in -- clear down at the very bottom. I hate those widely separated go-together clues.
The rest of the puzzle moved along rather nicely.
DNK: GUAR today. Duh! We've had that but the "gum" somehow didn't clue me on that.
Happy Birthday, D4, hope your upcoming year is totally healthy. Wish we could all gather round and help you eat your PIE CAKE!
Hello. New to crossword so doing it in newspaper and was wondering if the theme is told beforehand when done on computer? I have to look up theme before I begin because paper does not say what it is.
ReplyDeletePutting on flashy jewelry a/k/a BLING BLING sounds more likely to be for AMBLING in the "hood" with your homies, dude. (keep your switchblade handy.) Never saw much BLING strolling around in the park where some mugger might jump you.
ReplyDeleteSusan, only Sunday puzzles have a title which hints at the theme. Our daily bloggers make up titles for the Mon-thru-Fri puzzles. Discovering the theme is part of the puzzle. Often there's a "reveal" answer (hopefully near the bottom) which helps solvers find the theme. In the LAT, Saturday puzzles are always themeless.
ReplyDeleteThe advantage (or disadvantage) of solving on computer is the assistance the computer can provide. It can turn incorrect letters red, and it can display individual letters or words when you're stuck. I personally prefer solving on paper, but to each his/her own. There is no right or wrong way to solve.
Hi Susan, and welcome !
ReplyDeleteThere is no puzzle title for the Monday to Saturday puzzles. The titles you see here are created by the puzzle blogger that reviews and writes up the puzzle. Sunday puzzles do have a title that should be shown near the top of the grid.
Themes are another story. Saturday puzzles are themeless. The theme for the Sunday puzzle is often hinted at by the puzzle title. Mondays to Fridays almost always have a theme. On early week puzzles, the theme is usually given away in the reveal or unifier clue, and is relatively easy to parse. Later in the week, the theme is harder to parse.
Not revealing the theme adds to the fun and satisfaction as you get to solve a puzzle within the puzzle.
ReplyDeleteSolving on the computer only assists the solvers if they play in "Regular" mode. in regular mode, incorrect letters are struck though or change colors when entered.
In "Master" mode, incorrect letters are not revealed.
Either paper or computer, or regular or master mode (when solving online) are personal preferences.
I don't get any newspapers, and I solve too many puzzles to print them all out. Plus, I often struggle to read my own printing, so it's computer for me.
This was faster for me than yesterday's puzzle. I caught on to the the AM quickly. Nice puzzle, Jeffrey. Fine blog, Lemonade.
ReplyDeletePK, edamame are immature, green soybeans cooked in their pods. Very nutritious. Often people pop open a one end of the pod and squirt the beans into their mouths. Edamame are often served at sushi restaurants. Boiled mature beans? Yucky.
Some sushi restaurants have a tatami room where diners sit on the floor on mats and eat from a low table. I used to enjoy that when my bone were more flexible. There is also a sushi bar where can watch your sushi being formed. We usually sit in a booth.
TTP, you beat me on the uses of mulch.
Bling and bling bling are common terms in the NY/NJ metro area. Suburbanites are just as likely to use the term as gangs are. Is the use of bling common elsewhere?
Today with the ability to replay whatever a politician formerly said, some are tempted to imply, "I didn't really say everything I said."
The founding fathers were no angels either.
The good old days
Dave 4, a very happy birthday to you. I hope it is a year of increasing good health.
Owen I like your first verse the best.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteA JW puzzle + a Lemony review = Fantastic Friday! I stumbled into the reveal earlier than I would have liked, so that made the theme quite apparent as I had already filled in AMoral Histories. Not to worry as I still enjoyed the challenge and the famous JW wordplay. I had Lead before Tone, also, and I almost filled in Hobo before Trés (Chic) but I saw that it wouldn't work. There were no real unknowns, so the solve was smooth and enjoyable. My favorite C/A was Divided trio=Dees. Anais Nin is appearing often these days. Noticed the Roo and Moo Moo duo and the Ide, Ire, Ise Trio.
Thanks, Jeffrey W, for bringing some sunshine into another rainy, dreary May morning and thanks, Lemony, for the very extensive and enlightening expo. I particularly enjoyed the videos of Yogi Berra (one of a kind) and the Ron Howard interview. The link on Pine Nuts was also very interesting and explains why they are so expensive. My sister uses them in several Lebanese dishes and she calls then Pignolis.
Happy Birthday, Dave, may it be a joyous and special day. 🎂🎉🎁🎈🍾
FLN
YR, I agree that once Alan gets settled in and develops a routine, the phone calls will taper off. BTW, your delicious scallop dinner reminded me of my husband as Coquille St. Jacque was a favorite of his.
Have a great day.
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteSusan; welcome aboard.
I prefer newspaper solving; pen and ink which is easier to read compared to pencil and invokes a level of discipline. (Also allows me to write notes about the solve for possible posting).
Another fine offering by Jeff. Saw the AM Schtick early and incorporated it into sussing the long downs. Some great catchy phrasings. French helped me get TRES chic. Much sparkly fill as Lemonade said.
I'd call it an easy Friday level. No searches were needed.
EDAMAME - We had some last night. BH added it to her baby kale salad.
Former President
ReplyDeleteQuit his new baseball venture.
Press called it, BUSH LEAGUE
Musings
ReplyDelete-Another lovely Jeffrey construction!
-This STUD is not in an ear or a pasture or a football huddle
-The school where I sub has had many DAYS OFF due to water (snow and flooding)
-SET ‘EM UP – What I said after my hole-in-one
-Fred and ETHEL raised a lot of IRE between themselves
-A huge equestrian event near me
-Congressional “hearings” are usually a lot of GAS with no one’s mind being changed
-I was one under yesterday after 5 HOLES and then I started thinking about how well I was doing and I wound up four over
-When subbing in a DEAFENING gym class, I hit hit mute on my Bluetooth hearing aids. I can still detect “bad” noise
-Summer jobs for kids around here involve pulling the STAMENS (tassels) out of certain corn plants
-EDAMAME I’ve been served have way too much Sodium ChlorIDE on them
-HBD, Dave!
YR, I am not sure if your link to the true history of our founding fathers amounts to politics or just history, but I found the article well-written and interesting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the beluga fish/whale explanation. I was resisting beluga initially because I only knew the whale kind.
ReplyDeleteDoes 35 across bother anyone? Shouldn't it be 'irk', a verb? Other than that, the puzzle was very enjoyable.
Lemonade, I won't vouch for all the assertions in the article, but I have read much research that mines a similar vein. I do believe there was a great deal of scurrilous slander in their campaigns and many other machinations and lies performed. I was surprised, when I first saw this, but I have seen more and more of this come to light in recent years.
ReplyDeleteslander and scandal
The edamme I have eaten in Japanese restaurants, fortunately, is not overly salted.
I am still wondering whether any of you find bling to be "in the language" of everyday folks where you live.
"Dress up a casual ensemble for an end of year shindig with these Seattle-designed dangles that add just the right amount of bling." Seattle Times Dec 27, 2018
Hola!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Dave4! I hope you enjoy good health throughout the year.
Thank you, Jeffrey Wechsler and Lemonade for a fabulous Friday!
On the whole this seemed easier than usual for a JW with just a little head scratching in the center. The downward strands filled easily with AMBLINGBLING being my favorite. I love BLING! Many of my clothes and shoes are adorned with BLING.
GUAR gum is a valuable commodity and is grown in either Chad or Nigeria. Protecting the GUAR orchards is a precarious occupation as various groups vie for control of them according to what I've read.
Since ANAIS NIN is such a CWD staple I immediately wrote both in place.
I really liked the clue for DEES.
The nuns who taught at my college were from a French order so it was common to hear "TRES bien" or see it written on an assignment.
Is everyone enthralled with the continued success of James H on Jeopardy!? I wonder how long he can keep going.
Have a tranquil day, everyone!
Good morning, folks. Thank you, Jeffrey Wechsler, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Lemonade, for a fine review.
ReplyDeleteNo school today, so no crossing guarding. I slept in a little.
Happy Birthday, Dave. And many more.
Tried Cruciverb, as i do every day, and it was on today. Amazing.
Took about an hour and a half to do the puzzle. Not bad for me. Really liked it.
The long downs were mind boggling for a while. First to get was AMBLINGBLING. Then TOP OF THE MORNING. Did not see the theme yet, but was looking for it. AMUSE AS DIRECTED gave it to me.
ANAIS, MULCH, and ETHEL helped me in the NW corner. With a couple perps, it all worked.
STAMENS and EURASIA were easy, so the SE corner fell.
TATAMI was unknown, but ONE MAN and RIDING helped down South.
Anyhow, fun puzzle.
Not raining today, I might get to work outside a bit. I have plenty to do. Last time I worked outside, I picked up poison ivy. It is just now clearing up.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
I love Jeffrey Wechsler puzzles, but a Friday is bound to be bit tough. But I actually got the whole east side up and down and then had a bit of trouble. But still lots of fun clues and some favorite folks showing up. Always like seeing ANAIS NIN in a puzzle, and loved the Yogi BERRA clue. And, given how little I know about sports, I surprised myself by immediately thinking of TIGER Woods for Tiger's targets; well, he's been in the news for years now and especially lately when he won again. Had a big problem at first by putting EIEIOO for the Old Mac Donald sound, rather than MOOMOO. After that I also got BELUGA--yay! Many thanks for a fun puzzle, Jeffrey, and thank you, Lemonade, for your helpful commentary.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Corner, Susan.
Liked your second poem, Owen.
Happy Birthday, Dave, and enjoy your wonderful pie!
Have a good weekend coming up, everybody.
An interesting fact about 42A. Museum manager: CURATOR, is Jeffrey's background as the Former Senior Curator, Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
ReplyDeleteJeffrey Wechsler was Senior Curator at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, serving at that institution from 1977 until his retirement in 2012. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts from Brooklyn College, he received an M.A. in Art History from Rutgers University in 1975. Specializing in lesser-known aspects of twentieth-century American art, he has organized many exhibitions of American art, including Surrealism and American Art, 1931-1947 (1977), Realism and Realities: The Other Side of American Painting, 1940-1960 (1982), Abstract Expressionism: Other Dimensions (1989), Asian Traditions / Modern Expressions: Asian
American Artists and Abstraction, 1945-1970 (1997), and Transcultural New Jersey: Crosscurrents in the Mainstream (2004).
I am certain that the clue-Museum Manager does not please him, as there is so much more to being a curator. Perhaps I can find one of his essays on art online.
Anyway, I thought you would enjoy the self-referential fill that JW snuck in today.
Alice, welcome, but Merriam-Webster, for example, has ire -transitive verb. It is a verb and not even a variant.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Dave....keep them coming.
Welcome Susan.
BLING....not to be that guy, but one must keep up with the language.... it may have been a “hood” word at first but it is now mainstream. Stay current or get old.
This Friday JW masterpiece was tough but fair.
The inevitable Markovers...ONHAND/ATHAND, POET/ICER (not even close there, should have waited).
Have a great day, see you tomorrow.
Happy Birthday Dave. The pie/cake sounds yummy, enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Susan. I am sure you will enjoy our little corner of the world. I learn something new everyday from this group of caring, friendly, intelligent, cruciverbalists.
Happy 75th, Young Man Dave - D4E4H!
ReplyDeleteThat Pie Cake looks to be delicious! Thanks for the (partial) recipe.
Ta ~DA!
We have some very nasty mis-directs today from Mr. Wechsler, but happily a pzl that is eminently do-able.
We did not see the title, "AM I too early," in the LA Times, so it was all the more challenging for the SoCal contingent.
No politics, but hands up everyone who filled TRUMP before BERRA. C'mon, now, you know you thought it!
I had to think twice about the "Museum manager" clue. When I was head of a division of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, we had several expert curators, but they answered to their division heads, who answered to the overall museum director--the true "manager"--who, of course, answered in turn to the trustees. A major museum boasts quite a hierarchy, but "manager" is not a typical rank or title.
~ OMK
____________
DR: A single mirror diagonal today.
I believe the anagram stands for the tax one was required to submit before being certified as a "court jester," or in modern times, to be permitted to act inanely. I refer, of course, to one's "clown license," the fee charged in advance or docked from one's first weekly salary, known as one's...
"DEMENTED PAY"!
Yay! FIR!
ReplyDelete!st Jeffrey Wechsler success!
Happy Birthday Dave!
I picked the cake for its Logo...
Awesome one man band link! Plus, where the heck does this guy live? What a view!
Also, it gives me a chance to plug my fav one man band...
How to Top Off The Morning...
JW is by far and away the most consistent constructor I come across and I do five or six puzzles day (LAT, USAT, Universal, WSJ, New Yorker, Newsday). This was a steady march to the finish...just about what I expect for a Friday. Nice job! ⭐️
ReplyDeleteFabulous Friday. Thanks for the fun, Jeffrey and Lemonade.
ReplyDeleteThis CW took a while to finish but it is Friday. I got the theme answer first and knew that I was looking for mornings at the top. Then I got AMBLING BLING; like Oas, I thought there would be a repeat word. Yes, YR, I hear BLING in Canada!
NW corner and that centre themer were the last to fall. I was taking "court" literally in the clue "act like a court jester" and I wanted AMUSE A Sovereign (there is an ACT V in Macbeth!); getting that idea out of my head and parsing AS DIRECTED correctly held me up.
Like Misty, I started with EIEIO?
Lightbulb moments with the trio of DEES in Divided, and BARCODE (I was thinking of the helpers at the Self-serve checkouts).
Funny that I use Ize and not the British ISE, but still insist on other British spellings like -tre and -our.
Yes, Alice, I wanted Irk before IRE too (but IRE can be a verb).
Welcome Susan.
Happy Birthday, Dave. That Pie sounds delicious.
Wishing you all a great day.
CED- I can always count on you to come up with an awesome link and your "one-man band" is very striking.
ReplyDeleteCEDave ~
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! - your one-man band.
But I count 1 man in 7 avatars, and 8 instruments.
Nice to see the Irish Harp or (as my old grandma would have called it) the Welsh Harp.
I guess it is properly the Celtic Harp?
~ OMK
Hello everybody. Once I got the AM schtick (hi there, Spitzboov) it made things easier. Before starting to solve, just looking at the grid pattern, I thought "Holy Mackeral there sure are a lot of 3-letter entries." Nothing made my nose wrinkle, though. Nice job, JW.
ReplyDeleteguitar 1
ReplyDeleteguitar 2 1:20
thing in his hand that he shakes 3 1:27
bass 4 1:48
two sticks he hits together 5 1:59
harp 6 2:03
cymbals 7 2:19
piano 8 2:29
triangle 9 3:32
Pedal Tambourine 10 3:40
I don't know music and I have no sound at work but I can count
OMK (& Lemon)
ReplyDeleteI bought myself an electronic Looper so I could play with myself,
(no jokes pls...)
and one of the 1st songs I learned how to play was Hang by Matchbox 20.
I had a dismal time trying to learn how to get the timing right
on this (cheap) Looper without using a Metronome. & finally figured out
how to erase follow up tracks without losing the main track.
Part of the learning process was countless YouTube videos,
and then I came across the above one man band,
and was dumbstruck by how he could co ordinate the video and sound.
I did some research, and found out it took him 5 months to make this video!
(I wish I had that kind of patience!)
Yes, I questioned the 10 instrument count as well.
But I believe the following is correct:
1) Guitar
2) 2nd guitar
3) Maracas (that Gourd thing he is shaking...)
4) 2 sticks (for the clicking sound)
5) Bass
6) Harp
7) Cymbals (mini)
8) Organ
9) Tamborine
&10) that dang stupid triangle he is holding under the Cymbals...
(different sound - different instrument!)
I really enjoyed todays pizzle. I new i would like it when i saw the author. Good job. Fun it was too.
ReplyDeleteOops puzzle!
DeleteAfter researching GUAR gum I learned that its primary source is India and Pakistan; less is grown in Africa but it is problematic because of the many conflicts there. It's a cash crop for whoever controls it.
ReplyDeleteHi All!
ReplyDeleteWhoot! I solved a Friday JeffWex w/o lookups, etc. Thanks Jeff for the perfect puzzle for a Friday AM.
The Eastern-board seemed to fill itself and I got the UNIFIER [I don't think I had any perps yet - Hi TTP!] before any of the themers. AM-BUSH LEAGUE was the first themer and the game was afoot. Knowing the theme helped me fill some blocks I didn't know. //BigE - one man's easy is another man's doable :-)
Welcome back to the Friday helm Lem. Great expo with more links than I can click in one sitting :-)
PK - I had the same issues as you in the NW corner. I did know EPA and E[d|t]AMAM[e|i] and PINE NUTS (I make my own pesto from basil in the garden*) but didn't know the acrosses. For the AM gimmick and with HISTORY in place, I had to think hard - aha! ORAL. NW done :-)
Alice - same hang-up on BELUGA but I couldn't cram Sturgeon in 6 squares. Perps won out.
WOs: Around b/f AT HAND, Iran b/f OMAN
ESPs: TATAMI, APAI, FIE (didn't notice until expo), MER, DEES (thanks for 'splainin' Lem)
Fav: AMUSED AS DIRECTED really tickled me. Yes, I know it's a themer but...
OK, Fav non-themer: Yogi BERRA - good Italian boy, him. //Lem, from the clip - he talks like my Gramps did.
{A+, B+, B}
Nice Haiku Harry. BTW, H. W. loved baseball (you'd see him and Barbara behind home-plate at Astros games) and W. had an ownership interest in the Texas Rangers.
LOL on the DR OMK. There's another, fancier word, for CURATOR that I wanted but couldn't think of. It actually is closer to one who shows you around the exhibits. Anyone?
Happy Birthday D4! Save a slice of that Pie-Cake for your friends at The Corner...
Welcome Susan! I hope CED, Jinx, and I don't run you off :-)
I too like pen & paper; so much so that if I don't get a paper, I will print it out from Mensa's site.
TTP, YR - as long as you don't you "bad" MULCH. Much of the mulch (esp sold in the South at BigBox-store) is wood chips and bad.
*PK - Following-up on Pesto. A couple of years ago Pop was visiting and I built some pesto. He'd NEVER had it!?! He's 1/2 Italian and I know Gramps had basil in the garden. Anyway, about a month later we were talking and he said he made some for his DW - they eat it all the time now. LOL on BLINGin' in the 'hood. //YR - not in my language unless it's hip-hop speak.
Time for me to rAMBLE On.
Cheers, -T
Happy Birthday to D4E4H. Hope you are having a great day.
ReplyDeleteAnon T @ 4:27 - Were you thinking of Docent for the person who shows people around the museum?
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday D4! Hope you're having a splendid day!
Java Mama - YES! Docent(s) [we need 7 squares :-)]. Thank you; now I can rest easy.
ReplyDeleteCheers, -T
Java Mama, I just came in from the yard (birdbath is level again !) and was getting caught up on the comments. I'll take Tour Guides for $1000. The answer is, "What is docent ?"
ReplyDeleteDash T, we used to have a Campbell's mushroom farm a few miles from here. Besides being able to buy button mushrooms on the cheap, they also sold their spent growing medium every other year or so. Tons and tons of the stuff. Would have filled a few large river barges, but for the local gardeners and landscapers that snapped it up. So sad when they closed up shop and moved elsewhere. It was one of those "inside deals" that you had to know about.
Missed the buzzer by that much.
ReplyDeleteTTP - Missed it by that MULCH :-)
ReplyDeleteThat mushroom mulch didn't miss though... I use shredded leaves and worm droppings. Gotta find me a Campbell's plant - I think they're still HQ'd in TX.
Off to watch Youngest dance for the year-end thing. I hope it's short.
Cheers, -T
Greetings!
ReplyDeleteThanks to JW and Lemonade!
Disagree about the mulch! Ever grow veggies?
Spend a lot of time with health issues. Need a break.
Happy birthday to Dave!
I can't say the theme made it easier, I only grok'ed it after I FIR
ReplyDeleteI was thinking MALAGA but needed the G to makeNOG work. Getting TOP.. early helped
I'm surprised she regulars found this relatively easy. Not me. I looked up and groaned when I saw it was JeffWesch
Hbd D4-Dave, you're definitely back to your old self. There's a big Equestrian thangy going on (London?) and Betsy's been watching that.
WC
All curators would likely be insulted to be thought of as a DOCENT who is a person who acts as a guide, typically on a voluntary basis, in a museum, art gallery, or zoo.
ReplyDeleteI am tired, I just took a few seconds to wonder what kind of mushroom was known as a Campbell's mushroom. Those soup cans hurt.
I think some of "youse guys" missed my point on BLING. What normal people do you know who put on flashy jewelry to walk around in a park, either city, state, or national? More likely wear a T-shirt & jeans and a Fitbit. I do know what BLING is and I also am old, but I watch TV.
ReplyDeleteFermatprime: glad to see your post. I've been concerned about you. Thinking a hug for you.
Great to hear from you Fermat! We were starting to get a bit worried here at The Corner.
ReplyDeleteLem - I meant no disrespect. I heard DOCENT on a Rick Steves travel program a week or two ago and I was trying to remember it when the Museum clue came up. I didn't know there was a Museum hierarchy -- so it's a peon position; a McJob if you will :-)
Cheers, -T
Docent is not even a McJob; it's usually voluntary though some museums hire docents. One of our book club members is a docent at the Frank Lloyd Wright museum. Some museums have programs whereby the docents visit classrooms to explain great art works. I recall that in Denver but never pursued it in the Phoenix area.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget that it was one o' them German Idealists who thought of this:
ReplyDeleteDas Bling an Sich,
which comes from a Middle Gothic verb, Blingen, meaning 'to overwhelm with gaudiness', as in--
Ich blinge
Du blingst
u.s.w.
Lucina - I was crackin' a joke with the McJob; we had it last week in a puzzle.
ReplyDeleteThere's been a few docents [now I'm really going to remember the word!] at MFAH and one geologist/archaeologist (who's studied the Le Brea Brea pits) at the Sam Noble Museum in Norman, OK who gave me & the Girls a personal & very informational tour - that elderly lady was a hoot [dinosaur sex anyone?]
Nite, -T