google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Friday, August 16, 2019 Bruce Haight

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Aug 16, 2019

Friday, August 16, 2019 Bruce Haight

Workwear

17. Railway inspector's attire?: TRACK SHOES

22. Blackjack dealer's attire?: DECK PANTS.  

33. Corporate director's attire?: BOARD SHORTS.

49. Toothpaste maker's attire?: TUBE SOCKS.

57. Roadside mechanic's attire?: FLARE JEANS.

Bruce suggests seemingly appropriate pieces of attire for various occupations.   Funny.   I got them all easily enough, but I don't know what deck pants are, and never heard the term before.  Regardless, solving the puzzle was good Friday fun, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. 

Across:

1. Congress, with "the": HILL.  Because of Capitol Hill of course.   Like saying the Oval Office or the White House when figuratively referring to the executive office / presidency.

5. Bashes: GALAS.  The fun kind of bashes, rather than verbal or physical attacks.

10. Whistle blower: COP.  Not ref(eree).

13. Burden: ONUS.  

14. It often follows an overture: OPERA.   For example, the overture from the Barber of Seville.


15. "That's not good": OH NO.  If you concatenate those two little words you get OHNO,  the last name of Winter Olympics great Apolo.   He was good !

16. Help during spelling: WAND.    Saurcerus.  Soarcirrus.  Sorersirus.   Sorceress.

19. 60 minuti: ORA.   Minuti definitely sounded Italian.   Rossini would have got that ORA quicker than I did.   Maybe not though, because he was too busy writing operas to do crossword puzzles.   I read he was prolific.

20. Oodles: A TON.

21. San Jose skaters: SHARKS.   My nephew is a huge fan.   Huge I tell you.   He gets season tickets and walks to the SAP Center for games.   He took us to a nearby restaurant that had great steaks and ribs.   For you locals, I think it was Henry's World Famous Hi-Life.

25. With 18-Down, '30s-'40s band leader: ARTIE, and 18. See 25-Across: SHAW.    ARTIE SHAW.


26. Israeli military hero: DAYAN.  Moshe.

27. Writer born Herbert George: HG WELLS.   Did not know his first and middle names, but had H-W--L- at the time, and the answer popped out.    HG is a seen here at the Crossword Corner as an abbreviation of Husker Gary, our Saturday sherpa.

29. Floor support?: YEA.

31. Leader who was painted by Warhol: MAO.
"In this example from his Mao series, Warhol melded his signature style with the scale of totalitarian propaganda to address the cult of personality surrounding the Chinese ruler Mao Zedong (1893–1976). Nearly fifteen feet tall, this towering work mimics the representations of the political figure that were ubiquitously displayed throughout China. Warhol’s looming portrait impresses us with the duality of its realistic qualities and its plastic artificiality."   Mao - The Art Institute of Chicago

32. Canon model: EOS.
You would probably have to be a serious shutterbug or a professional to shell out the dinero to purchase one of these jewels.  For instance, the EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera (body only) would set you back ~ $2800.  Add a lens such as the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM for ~ $2100,  a memory card ~ $65, and a few other accessories, and you've spent some serious coin.   

37. Disneyland's Main Street, __: USA.  I've never been to Disneyland, but I've been to Disneyworld a couple of times.  Disneyworld also has a Main Street, USA.

39. Lead-in to X, Y or Z: GENList Of Generations    Millenials seem to be the subject of so much flak.  It seems to me that members of every generation bash subsequent generations, as their generation was bashed by those prior.  "What's the matter with kids these days ?!?"    

40. West Bank gp.: PLO.

41. Word with jam or joint: SESSION.  Or when plural, with Jeff.

44. Wipe off: ERASE.

48. Equalizes: EVENS.

53. Crude, as humor: RIBALD.

55. Deduce, with "out": SUSS.   A skill used by solvers. 

56. Sea-__: TAC.   I believe that if Sea-Tac is hyphenated, it is a reference to the airport, which has been around since the 1940s.    If it is not hyphenated, it is a reference to the city, which has only been around since 1990. 

59. Don Corleone: VITO.

60. W competitor: ELLE.   Did not know of W magazine.

61. Gloss over: ELIDE.
  1.  transitive verb
    If you elide something, especially a distinction, you leave it out or ignore it.
    [formal]
  2.  transitive verb
    In linguistics, if you elide a word, you do not pronounce or write it fully.
    [technical]
    COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
62. Finished: OVER.

63. You might be shocked to meet one: EEL.   Never had eel.   C.C. taught me last Sunday that it must be cooked and never eaten raw as the blood is highly toxic.   I don't think I was the only one.  Hi Lucina !

64. Things to avoid: DON'TS.

65. __ Point: WEST.

Down:

1. "Strange ... ": HOW ODD.

2. Measured two-dimensionally: IN AREA.

3. Madness: LUNACY.

4. Trip provider: LSD
And there ain't no road just like it
Anywhere I found
Running south on Lake Shore Drive heading into town
Just slippin' on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound



I know, but I like the song...

5. Must, informally: GOTTA.  On another day or in other parts of the country, hafta or havta. 

6. It has strings attached: APRON.

7. Relied (on) for support, to a Brit: LEANT.   Someone should create a puzzle with these American English and British English variants, a la "Relieved wheat ?" with Spelled Spelt as the answer.  Or not.

8. Basketball's three-point line, for one: ARC.

9. Nordstrom competitor: SAKS.    Had a card for shopping at Saks in the Galleria Houston.   Bought a few suits and ties there.  Have never been in a Nordstrom.

10. Laughs gleefully: CHORTLES.  A word that seems to be gaining in popularity.

11. About 2.2 lbs.: ONE KILO.

12. Do demons' work: POSSESS

15. Midwestern hub: O'HARE.   The primary hub for United Airlines, and the third largest hub for American Airlines. 

20. Sleep disorder: APNEA.

23. Floor: KAYO.  Knock Out to K.O. to kayo.  That's my guess.

24. Bygone Mideast sovereign: SHAH.

28. Sticky stuff: GOOP.

30. Ship that survived the Clashing Rocks: ARGO. From the 1963 Movie.  Hey !   There's Jason ! CSO !    And Triton to save the Argo.

According to someone named Datsmaharse who posted at Funtrivia.com:

The original Argonautica passage by Apollonius Rhodius:
"Then a vaulted billow rushed upon them, and the ship like
a cylinder ran on the furious wave plunging through the hollow sea. And the eddying current held her between the clashing rocks; and on each side they shook and thundered; and the ship's timbers were held fast.
Then Athena with her left hand thrust back one mighty rock and with her right pushed the ship through"

31. AOL rival: MSN.   Two of the web's oldest content providers with AOL in 1989 and MSN in 1995.  CompuServe and Prodigy were a couple of others.

33. Game involved in several Costner films: BASEBALL.   Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, For Love of the Game.

34. Bad impression: DENT.   Chicago Bear HOF'er Richard Dent made a great impression in that magical 1985 season and in Super Bowl XX.   Longtime Bears fan Madame Defarge had season tickets for years and years.  Through thick and thin.  No fair weather fan, she.


35. Like four midyear months: R LESS.   You are supposed to do something with oysters in these months.  Or maybe not do something.   Anyway, May, June, July and August.

36. Snapper rival: TORO.   Lawn products companies named after animals.   No thanks.  I'll stick to my Deere and Scag which were named after people.  OK,  people are animals too.  

37. Access charge: USER FEE

38. Figaro's hometown: SEVILLE.  Wow !   Small world.  We were just discussing Rossini's "Il barbiere di Siviglia"  above at Overture / Opera.

42. Capture: SNARE.

43. Man, for one: ISLE.

45. Like some volcanoes and military personnel: ACTIVE.

46. Hockey gear: SKATES.

47. Go along with: ESCORT.

50. Bolt with great speed: USAIN.  He's fast at ~ 28 mph.

51. __ cake: BUNDT.  DW used to make the best rum cakes. 

52. Word containing three of itself: ESSES

54. Worked a party, briefly: DJ'ed.   Disc Jockeyed.   Part of desper-otto's past.  At a radio station.  Maybe spun a platter at a party or two...  Who knows ?  Maybe he'll tell us. 

58. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO.   Electric Light Orchestra.   Here's a version of the song from the soundtrack of the movie:


I wonder if desper-otto ever DJ'ed any ELO...

59. Promise: VOW.





42 comments:

  1. FIRight, but had to tear out the entire NE corner first: RAT > COP, OH NO > OH NO, ONE > EOS, A NEWTON > ONE KILO, TORTURE > POSSESS, OMAHA > O'HARE. H.G.WELLS any scifi fan like me would know, but HG_A_OR? So WELLS and SuitS (> SHOES) were my fresh seed when I took everything out. They gave me ARTIE SHAW, and I built from there. One last cell needed to be filled after that: KAY ( < stun) + YEA ( < nEt).

    FLN -- I wonder how many cumulative hours I wasted of people's time with my Classics Illustrated link?

    The Sultan of Swat and ARTIE SHAW
    Waved their WANDS, here's what they saw:
    The baton D.J.ED a ball,
    The bat hit a BASEBALL,
    And in Iran they were met by the SHAH!

    {A.}

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  2. FIR in a whopping 84:48 or backwards 84:48 min. Whew!

    TGIF Cornerites.

    Thank you Bruce Haight for this impossible Friday CW.

    Thank you TTP for your excellent review.

    Thank you OwenKL for feeling well enough to create such amazing poems as today's WANDSerful one.

    Ðave

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  3. Hi Y'all! Thanks, Bruce & TTP for my morning entertainment.

    I'll have you know I never CHORTLEd in my life. I tried CHuckLES which is what I prefer to do.

    First trip thru the puzzle left much white at the top half. Filled the bottom with difficulty and worked back up. Had a lot of red-letter runs because I was just not on Bruce's wave-length.

    Hafta B4 GOTTA, suitPANTS B4 DECK, Omaha B4 O'HARE.

    Hand up: didn't know W magazine, never ate EEL & never will (shocking but true).

    Struggled with BUNDT cake. Forgot there was a "D" in there. Haven't made one in years. All the rage years ago.

    Big storms all around us last night. We were in a dry pocket where it only sprinkled. Scary constant thunder & lightning at one point with a little wind. Tornados south & west of here. Anxious to hear if my son had damage. Looked on TV like it was headed right for their place. Not a very restful night.

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  4. Tom, I am sure you would look great decked out in DECK PANTS.They're crafted in a classic flat-front style that hits the midpoint between casual and polished. Or os they advertise.

    Now that is a CSO! Woke me up! Seeing the SAN JOSE SHARKS reminded me of our own, departed, Eddy B.

    Bruce is one of our consistent Friday fun makers. Thank you, Bruce and Tom.

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  5. Good Morning, TTP and friends. Interesting and challenging Friday puzzle.

    I thought that W referred to the hotel chain, so initially tried Omni until I realized we were looking at the magazine.

    Fun to see HILL and YEA in the puzzle. I thought Floor might also be a related clue, but instead was KAYO. Not even remotely having a clue as to what that word is.

    My favorite clue was Bad Impression = DENT.

    Interesting to have the San Jose Skaters as a clue then SKATES and an answer to the Hockey Gear.

    FNL: Lucina. I highly recommend Educated. Tara Westover has a way with word and her writing is fabulous. Her family lived off the grid and so was isolated and basically self-taught. It is amazing that anyone could have survived her family. She entered the classroom for the first time when she entered college. I didn't think I would be interested in this book, but is was on the list for 2 of my book groups. I began as a reluctant reader, but was quickly converted.

    QOD: Mockery is often the result of a poverty of wit. ~ Jean de la Bruyère (Aug. 16, 1645 ~ May 11, 1696), French philosopher and writer

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  6. Good morning!

    Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain. It's been really dry around here, but we got a nice thundershower between 5 and 6 this morning. Haven't been out to the rain gauge, but I'd guess an inch, at least.

    HOW ODD! 1d was my final fill. Was looking for a word (or words) to follow "Strange.." I got the theme with TRACK SHOES, but it didn't really help much. Wasn't familiar with DECK PANTS or BOARD SHORTS. Guess I've led a sheltered life. That whistle-blower morphed from RAT to REF to COP, and that camera from SLR to EOS -- my only Wite-Out moments. I wasn't on Bruce's wavelength, but I got 'er done, so life is good. Thanx for the tour, TTP.

    RIBALD: "I've never quibbled if it was RIBALD." -- Tom Lehrer

    SHAW: He was quite the marryin' dude. Eight times, among them Lana Turner and Ava Gardner. Along the way he dated Judy Garland and reportedly had an affair with Lena Horne.

    Yes, TTP, I DJ'd a number of station-sponsored teen events in Madison back in the mid '60s. By the early '70s I'd migrated to country music stations, so the "sock hop" days were over. Near the end of the '70s it finally dawned on me that radio people put in long hours for little pay, and don't get holidays or weekends. I changed my career path.

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  7. NW corner flummoxed me. Still don't her wand?

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  8. BobB, "spelling" -- casting a spell.

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  9. Gotta love a Friday puzzle that even Jinx can FIR. Erased rat for COP, gore for ELLE and nonos for DON'TS.

    Like Hahtoolah I liked HILL and YEA, plus joint SESSION. But my favorite was "help during spelling." Heavens know I need some, but then I was surprised by WAND.

    Thanks to Bruce and TTP for the fun.

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  10. 47D has it backward. It's the ESCORT'S consort who goes along.

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  11. Good morning .
    Thanks to Bruce for difficult but doable Friday crunch.
    FIR in 40 min . Without helps but didn’t know VITO was Don Corleone.
    Thanks TTP for the review and Owen for the poems.
    Cheers

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  12. This Friday went like a Thursday (finished in under 12 minutes). Does that mean I get an extra day to the weekend?

    Skaters and skates in the same puzzle seemed to violate one of those unwritten/unofficial rules of crosswords.

    I have never liked "kayo" for "KO." Should we accept Teekayo for TKO, "technically" speaking? See also, artoo for R2.

    Have a great weekend.

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  13. This is one of my favorite puzzles, so much fun, Bruce. I started with RLESS, a gimme. Mental Floss says,"The idea of not eating oysters during months without an 'R' comes from the fact that the summer months are the prime breeding time for "red tides," or large blooms of algae.. . . That said, commercially harvested seafood—which makes up a majority of the seafood sold in restaurants and supermarkets—is strictly regulated by U.S. law, which ensures it is safe to consume."
    I filled the lower half of this very quickly, on a diagonal from the NE corner to the SW corner. I soon found TUBE SOCKS and the gimmick. I loved it. The other half took just a little longer, but was not that difficult, just right.
    BUNDT cakes were very popular in the 60's when I was new bride and we did a lot of entertaining.
    I have heard of deck pants. LIU with the same result as Lemonade. Looking it up, i saw the word PANT used for PANTS. PANT appears in clothing store signs and ads, too. It grates on my ear, but I see I am an old fogey in this. PANT used to be used only as a adjective, pant leg. The dictionary says it is an alternate form of pants. I won't use it, but I accept it. Many things that used to grate on my ear, no longer do.
    The nit about KAYO is like my nit about PANT. It is acceptable, especially in casual writing. Language is not logical. Teekayo has not caught on the way kayo has.
    I have seen the term board shorts used over and over this summer, especially in novels. LIU I see they are used for water sports, but in the novels they were used for all types of summer activities.
    TTP great review.

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  14. Good morning everyone.

    Many hints contained more arcane aspects of their intended fill. To be expected on a Friday. To wit: cluing for WAND, LEANT, ARGO, EOS, USAIN. I DNK DECK PANTS, either, but perps pointed that way. Had 'a lot' before ATON. Had to take a ten-minute break to 'recharge' but then got it all w/o aid.
    Moshe DAYAN - I believe his specialty was as a tank commander. One-eyed. he was easy to spot in any photo. A media darling, he was given much credit as a tactician in the 6-day war as I recall.
    EEL - The American EEL favored on our palates is not 'electric' to my knowledge. It is the only catadromous fish in North America. They are born in the ocean, mature in inland waters and return to the ocean to spawn. The opposite of anadromous, which describes the migration of salmon.
    WEST Point - A local organist subbed in our bridge group the other night and offered that the world's 3rd largest organ is hosted at the USMA. I LIU'd and Wiki says theirs is the largest all-pipe organ in a religious structure (their Cadet Chapel) in the world. (Organs are ranked in different ways so YMMV.)

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  15. Musings
    -What a treat! Clues with multiple meanings found me choosing wrong first (Like D-O’s)
    -Some of “these kids today” are as bad as those that graduated with me :-)
    -The three-point line has put centers on the endangered list and diminished the game for me
    -My CPAP has diminished my APNEA events from 33/hr to 5/hr (cinque all'ORA)
    -I doubt that the SHAH knew any SHAW music
    -Flying into OHARE always leads me on a quest for this eponymous Chicago treat
    -Amazing lyrics - Through many dangers, toils and SNARES, We have already come
    -ACTIVE volcanoes? Be careful buying land on the big island of HAWAII
    -It’s usually ELO but here are some other 3-letter puzzle bands
    -QOD corollary – Name-calling is the last refuge of a weak argument
    -Nice job, TTP!

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  16. Good morning, everyone! Had a lot of fun with this satisfyingly chewy puzzle from Bruce. Just right for a Friday. Thanks for the entertaining and informative expo, TTP. D-Otto, I didn’t know about Artie Shaw’s complicated love life.

    Hand up for entering RAT before COP. Loved the clever cluing for WAND, and got a chuckle out of CHORTLE. Caught on to the clever theme early on. I’m more used to the term FLARED JEANS than FLARE JEANS, but no quibble since FLARE fit the clue. I usually associate BOARD SHORTS with skateboarding. Thought I was off track when I had __ __ __ DT at 51D, but then BUNDT filled in nicely.

    I’m off to one of my last couple physical therapy sessions following hip replacement last month. Feeling great and really glad to be able to drive again.

    Sending healing thoughts to Irish Miss, Owen and others who are ailing.

    Have a wonderful day!

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  17. Good morning.

    In case you weren't aware, C.C. has a puzzle, "High and Inside" over at puzzles.usatoday.com.

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  18. Thanks TTP!
    I sort of thought this would be a Wednesday or Thursday puzzle, but Rich toughened up a bunch of my clues and it feels Friday-difficult to me now.

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  19. That was my comment - Bruce Haight

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  20. Good Morning.

    Late today. Lots of phone calls. Today is our anniversary and a half century at that! Tempus fugit just does not say enough!

    Thanks, Bruce, for the challenge and the visit. I walked around the grid for a bit searching for the low hanging fruit when suddenly I found TRACK SHOES. I then moved up to speed and knocked out the theme answers. I was pretty happy with that.

    TTP: Nicely done. I loved the LSD link. There IS nothing better than hearing that on the radio whilst running south on Lake Lake Shore Drive. It's my chosen route downtown for even if the traffic is heavy, the stalled view is always superb.

    Have a sunny day, although a little rain may be nice.

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  21. So who blocked Bruce from posting under his own name? JK. Thank you for stopping by BH. I really enjoyed the puzzle and loved Tom's comment especially never having associated Lake Shore Drive with LSD until now.

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  22. Madame Defarge, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to you and your hubby !

    Bruce, yes, thanks for stopping by. BTW, sometimes logging out of Blogger and back in will fix the problem of your name showing as Unknown. I also read that anyone that previously had a Google+ (Google Plus - a discontinued product) account needs to edit their Blogger profile to get rid of that problem.

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  23. Wow, this Friday puzzle was a crunch-fest. At least for me.

    Starting in the NW produced lots of white space. Went to the south to work back up, still had to deal with the NW last.

    “How odd” then to have one

    Markover....DONE/OVER. Or a do-over, haha.

    See you Saturday.

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  24. TTP, I got the clothing types I'd never heard of DECK PANTS or BOARD SHORTS. But the was easy for a Friday with ORA as the only unknown solved by perps. 1A & 1D were my last fills. I had ILL & _O_ODD. I figured the 'spelling' was related to magic and for some reason Capitol HILL wouldn't come around until the end.

    The Gen---XYZ gave me a little trouble. To me, people that age are just kids. TTYL

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  25. Hi Gang -

    KAYO - YEA did me in.

    Other than that, it was pretty tough. Never heard of BOARD SHORTS.

    But, anyway there is this.

    Cheers!
    JzB

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  26. Hi All!

    Thanks Bruce for the fun Friday puzzle and stopping in at The Corner. Fun theme, though I'm curious, did you try to get a shirt in there before doubling up on PANTS/JEANS? I'm sure PK would approve the modesty :-) //just picking on you PK - did I make you CHORLE or Chuckle (again).

    Wonderful post-game write-up TTP. I was thinking Friday LEM expo until "... but I don't know what deck pants are..." --- then I knew you were at bat. //very funny at your SEVILLE comment!

    WOs: SHAw of IRAN until SHAW of ARTIE show'd. There's also something under the G in GALA but I don't know what I was thinking.
    ESPs: ELLE (I was headed for GORE too Jinx); DAYAN, VITO
    Perpetual Disappointment - "Xanadu" was only three cells and, ergo, not RUSH
    Fav: CHORTLE - It's another fun word like ELIDE.

    {A+}

    Nice to see you again at The Corner Java Mama.

    Spitz - thanks for that snippet on DAYAN, perhaps I will remember him in the future.

    Happy Anniversary MdF!

    Growing up in down-state IL, I'd hear the song Lake Shore Drive on KSHE-95 out of St. Louis. I loved that song when I was 12 and I still love it today. Here's an cartoon version with all the highlights of the Windy City illustrated.

    Bro just came in from Denver [he's the Bro that was in Naperville, IL until moving WEST last year] so...

    -T Out! Cheers.

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  27. An excellent Friday pzl, tough but doable. A happy Ta ~DA!
    Thanks for this, Mr. Haight!

    I wonder why ARTIE SHAW popped into the ol' Walnut even before I had a single perp to guide me. Hmmm...

    I am reminded by the List of Generations that I am of the so-called "Silent Generation." I didn't know I am also one of the "Lucky Few." I wonder how many compatriots are in this Corner--and how many here are "Baby Boomers."

    No sign yet from Irish Miss? I hope she's doing well.
    ~ OMK
    ____________
    DR:
    One diagonal on the mirror side.
    Its anagram is distinctly non-humorous. It refers to an auction of land grants from a sovereign ruler, an...
    "APENAGES SALE."

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  28. Madame Defarge, forgot to congratulate you on your 50th. A guy down the street told me about his 25th. Said he came home from work to find his wife at the door with a drink in her hand wearing just a negligee. She said to him "welcome home, big boy. Tie me up and you can do anything you want." He retrieved a few neckties, secured her to their four-poster, then went out for a round of golf.

    -T, I have spent a lot of time in Naperville. Great training center run by Bellcore. I was usually the only non-Baby Bell employee there. Spent too much time and money at Juke Box Saturday Night.

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  29. I liked this puzzle A TON. Good words, such as CHORTLE and RIBALD. Excellent clues, such as those for ACTIVE, WAND, HG WELLS, EEL, DENT, ESSES, and LSD. Good stuff all around.

    POSSESS, ONE KILO, LSD?

    I also was not familiar with DECK PANTS and BOARD SHORTS. Most of the socks I wear are TUBE SOCKS.

    I have a cousin named Kent Otho; we all have called him KAYO since he was a little kid.

    Happy anniversary, Madame D, and congratulations.

    Good wishes to you all.

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  30. Happy Anniversary, Madame Defarge! May you have many more happy years.

    Tony: just for you, I tried a CHORTLE. Not quite getting it yet. I'll practice & decide whether it's worth compromising my chuckle prowess.

    I've heard of BOARD SHORTS. I always thought they were worn by surfers. DECK PANTS, maybe Dockers for the boat or grilling on the back DECK.

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  31. Mike Sherline said:
    Owen - you wonder, I answer. Having read the book not long ago, I scanned Moby Dick, then read Typee, Macbeth, and what appeared to be very old or extensively simplified biographies of Melville and Marie Curie. So I'd guess the answer is around 3-4 hours. Lucky i'm retired and recovering from a rather long hospitalization and am not expected to do much of anything.

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  32. PK- trouble with BUNDT. So did the lady in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" who asked "What's a bundt?"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqbo2612lww

    Yellowrocks- Mental Floss might have it wrong. The oysterless months without Rs had more to do with the time before there was any refrigeration or ice on the oyster boats. Could not keep them cool enough to be disease free from pathogens. Oysters are safe to eat year round unless the water is contaminated by human waste and other pollutants. Many oyster beds in S. Louisiana get closed by the state health dept. due to all the junk that comes down the Mississippi.

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  33. My wife and I disagree over the sound of CHORTLES.
    She says my vocal attempt is just plain old "Ho-ho-ing." My answer is that Santa CHORTLES all the time.
    She looked it up and said it has to be a "muffled" sort of a chuckle. I hold that there is a natural muffling of the pure rising sound within the cave-like hollow of the fat man's mouth and a screening of the emerging vocalization as it passes through his mustache and flapping beard. (I have my own beard & have been mistaken for Jolly Old St Nick in my day--like Jean Hersholt's Grandfather in Heidi.)
    I demonstrated again and what might have been a blare w/o the muffling merges as a warmer CHORTLE, much like Old Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol.
    She listened patiently.
    She still says I am wrong.
    ~ OMK

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  34. In today's morbid news...

    On this date in:

    1920: Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians is struck in the head by a pitch thrown by Carl Mays of the New York Yankees. (Chapman died the following morning.)

    1948: Baseball legend Babe Ruth dies in New York at age 53.

    1977: Elvis Presley dies at his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tenn., at age 42.

    1987: Some 156 people are killed when Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes while trying to take off from Detroit; the sole survivor is 4-year-old Cecelia Cichan.

    2003: Idi Amin, the former dictator of Uganda, dies in Saudi Arabia at 80.

    2018: Aretha Franklin, the undisputed “Queen of Soul,” dies of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76.

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  35. Add Peter Fonda to that list

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  36. ULEE is dead ? RIP Peter Fonda.

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  37. Hola!

    I almost missed the party! My daughter, SIL and I went to visit my granddaughter and month old baby. They live way, way out from here, in Queen Creek, if anyone is familiar with it. It's just over an hour's drive!

    Thank you, Bruce Haight! I liked this puzzle and found all the clothes hanging around though it took me a while to lock into it.

    I, too, love the word CHORTLE and enjoyed recalling ARTIE SHAW. Big bands: those were the days.

    Congratulations on your anniversary, Mmm. Defarge and Hahtoolah, thank you for the book review!

    Now it's time to start dinner so until later.

    I hope you all enjoyed your day!

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  38. Alas, I just can't CHORTLE. My mouth comes open and out comes a chuckle. If one hasn't the talent for it, one best forget it.

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  39. On Aug. 3rd, I stated on the blog that I had chortled over some comment that PK had made. Whether it was "muffled" or not is unrecorded. My memory is that I chortled correctly within normally accepted guidelines. There were no other witnesses.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Good evening, folks. Thank you, Bruce Haight, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, TTP, for a fine review.

    Worked this tonight while watching the Cubs/Pirates game. Cubs lost 3/2 in the 9th Inning. Unbelievable. The Cubs pitcher walked in the tying run. Oh well.

    Puzzle was great. Nice theme. Got it.

    Happy 50th Madame DeFarge, and many more!

    A few tough ones but I worked through them. Now I will try the Saturday puzzle if cruciverb plays ball. See you tomorrow.

    Abejo

    ( )

    ReplyDelete
  41. Forgot to wish Mme. DeFarge a Happy 50th Anniversary. Hope you've had a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Mme. DeFarge, all the best from another long termer.

    ReplyDelete

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