Theme: Goodbye Hello Goodbye - Help! I'm stuck in here! As the reveal explains:
58A. It comes full circle as you work your way through 20-, 36-, 43- and 58-Across: REVOLVING DOOR
20A. Cookie with a whimsical name: SNICKERDOODLE. I've never had one. I resolve to try one, I'll report back. I had an Orange Julius for the first time last week and thoroughly enjoyed it, I need to start visiting the oddly delicious menu items more often. Popeye's just launched a chicken sandwich that made the culture section of the UK newspaper I read online. Truly these are great times.
Read about it here
36A. The grapevine: WORD OF MOUTH. The Grapevine is the climb out of LA on I-5 to San Francisco or Fresno. Closed in winter sometimes, we do get snow down here, contrary to popular opinion. You can still surf though!
43A. Custom: MADE TO ORDER. French fashion introduced "Prêt-à-Porter", literally "Ready to Wear" as a reaction against bespoke, expensive tailoring. A genius sandwich chain which launched in England called their stores "Prêt-à-Manger" - "Ready to Eat". Branches have arrived in New York, I'm waiting for them to make the 3,000 mile trip across the country when they open one in LA. I'll be first in line.
Nice job by Mr. Sessa - notice how the "DOOR" revolves a letter-shift at a time through RDOO, ORDO, OORD to end at DOOR. First class construction. Note the 10- and 9- letter entries in the fill too, Ed is a craftsman, without doubt. Let's see what else jumps out:
Across:
1. Respond to "Let's give it up for ... ": CLAP
5. Moves like Tinker Bell: FLITS
10. "... thou damned whale!" speaker: AHAB. Of "Moby Dick" fame, or infamy, depending on your viewpoint.
14. Gad about: ROVE
15. Like some whiskey barrels: OAKEN. Irish whiskey is my favorite, curiously most Irish whiskey (note the "e") is aged in ex-Bourbon oak barrels from the US.
16. Lawless character: XENA. Nice clue. New Zealander Lucy Lawless portrayed the title character in "Xena: Warrior Princess".
17. Turkmenistan neighbor: IRAN. IRA_ and wait for the cross.
18. Huge herbivore: RHINOCEROS. Isn't it interesting all the big African animals - the rhinos, the hippos, the elephants are all herbivores?
22. Biden's 2008 debate opponent: PALIN. In UK politics, in 1978 one debatee described being attacked by the other as "like being savaged by a dead sheep". I'll leave it at that.
23. "Fresh Air" airer: NPR
24. Although: YET
27. Led Zeppelin's "Whole __ Love": LOTTA
31. Critical layer: OZONE
33. Torch-wielding group in "Frankenstein": MOB. Pitchforks too, if it's a proper mob. You can't storm a castle without a good turnout of pitchforks.
39. From the beginning: ANEW
41. LED component: DIODE. Light-Emitting Diode. I have a few of them lighting the interiors some of the buildings on my model railway.
42. Brute: OGRE
46. "__ Como Va": Santana hit: OYE. Carlos Santana had some genius moments of collaboration - here's Rob Thomas, lead singer of Matchbox Twenty with Santana, the hit that that pretty much took over the radio in 1999/2000
47. Penny pincher: MISER
48. Composition: ESSAY
50. Dalí contemporary: ARP. Jean on a French day, Hans on a German day.
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51. Summer in la ville: ÉTÉ
54. One to the manor born: NOBLE
63. It's stressful to live in it: CRISIS MODE. Stressful? That's an understatement.
65. Counterclockwise arrow function: UNDO
66. Countless years: EONS
67. Monastery wear: COWLS
68. Monopoly card: DEED. The most expensive property on the UK version is "Mayfair", which actually is isn't a street in London, it's a ritzy district off Park Lane, the second-most expensive property.
69. Name on a box of bricks: LEGO
70. Useful thing: ASSET
71. Gaelic language: ERSE
Down:
1. Like pretzel rods: CRISP
2. Doone of Exmoor: LORNA. Set in the fictional Doone Valley in the west of England
3. Be of service to: AVAIL
4. Eyeliner applicator: PENCIL
5. Driver's warning: FORE! Golf. A word often employed by yours truly.
6. "The Wizard of Oz" actor: LAHR
7. "Just messin' around": I KID!
8. Mortise insert: TENON. One of these!
9. Nose (around): SNOOP
10. Salchow kin: AXEL. Ice skating jumps.
11. "Take it": HERE YOU GO!
12. Smart game-show vowel purchase for "D _ _ M AND GL _ _ M": AN "O"
13. English lit degrees: BA'S. Two graduates of English Lit would be Bachelors of Art, but the two degrees are BA's. English is a peculiar language.
19. Data disk: CD-ROM
21. Recognize: KNOW
25. Sweepstakes submission: ENTRY
26. Titter: TEHEE. This is one of those words that crossword constructors can spell a number of different ways to suit their needs.
28. Stir: TO-DO
29. The Chipmunks, e.g.: TRIO. "The Chipmunks", pronounced "Annoying as hell".
30. Go gaga over: ADORE
32. Herpetologist's employer: ZOO. A specialist in reptiles and amphibians. From the Greek "herpeton" - "creeping animal".
33. Famiglia nickname: MAMMA
34. Being broadcast: ON AIR
35. Support for a king?: BEDSPRING. One word or two? The interwebs are divided.
37. Chances: ODDS
38. Tuition add-ons: FEES
40. Rather small: WEE
44. Fountain near the Spanish Steps: TREVI. The Rome police have introduced fines for tourists sitting on the Spanish Steps. It seems a little harsh. The fines are not "Trevi-al" either - around $280.
45. Chimed: RANG
49. Slangy greeting: YO! DUDE!
52. Puccini opera: TOSCA
53. "__ World": "Sesame Street" segment: ELMO'S
55. Dumb move: BONER
56. High-yield deposits: LODES
57. Wear away: ERODE
59. Petro-Canada competitor: ESSO
60. Swearing in a monastery?: VOWS. Those cowl-clad denizens of 67A. Nice clue.
61. Not working: IDLE
62. House in a bush: NEST
63. Bit of animation: CEL
64. Anonym in a landmark case: ROE vs. Wade.
I think that about does it for me. Just time to add the grid and I'm outta here!
Steve
58A. It comes full circle as you work your way through 20-, 36-, 43- and 58-Across: REVOLVING DOOR
20A. Cookie with a whimsical name: SNICKERDOODLE. I've never had one. I resolve to try one, I'll report back. I had an Orange Julius for the first time last week and thoroughly enjoyed it, I need to start visiting the oddly delicious menu items more often. Popeye's just launched a chicken sandwich that made the culture section of the UK newspaper I read online. Truly these are great times.
Read about it here
36A. The grapevine: WORD OF MOUTH. The Grapevine is the climb out of LA on I-5 to San Francisco or Fresno. Closed in winter sometimes, we do get snow down here, contrary to popular opinion. You can still surf though!
43A. Custom: MADE TO ORDER. French fashion introduced "Prêt-à-Porter", literally "Ready to Wear" as a reaction against bespoke, expensive tailoring. A genius sandwich chain which launched in England called their stores "Prêt-à-Manger" - "Ready to Eat". Branches have arrived in New York, I'm waiting for them to make the 3,000 mile trip across the country when they open one in LA. I'll be first in line.
Nice job by Mr. Sessa - notice how the "DOOR" revolves a letter-shift at a time through RDOO, ORDO, OORD to end at DOOR. First class construction. Note the 10- and 9- letter entries in the fill too, Ed is a craftsman, without doubt. Let's see what else jumps out:
Across:
1. Respond to "Let's give it up for ... ": CLAP
5. Moves like Tinker Bell: FLITS
10. "... thou damned whale!" speaker: AHAB. Of "Moby Dick" fame, or infamy, depending on your viewpoint.
14. Gad about: ROVE
15. Like some whiskey barrels: OAKEN. Irish whiskey is my favorite, curiously most Irish whiskey (note the "e") is aged in ex-Bourbon oak barrels from the US.
16. Lawless character: XENA. Nice clue. New Zealander Lucy Lawless portrayed the title character in "Xena: Warrior Princess".
17. Turkmenistan neighbor: IRAN. IRA_ and wait for the cross.
18. Huge herbivore: RHINOCEROS. Isn't it interesting all the big African animals - the rhinos, the hippos, the elephants are all herbivores?
22. Biden's 2008 debate opponent: PALIN. In UK politics, in 1978 one debatee described being attacked by the other as "like being savaged by a dead sheep". I'll leave it at that.
23. "Fresh Air" airer: NPR
24. Although: YET
27. Led Zeppelin's "Whole __ Love": LOTTA
31. Critical layer: OZONE
33. Torch-wielding group in "Frankenstein": MOB. Pitchforks too, if it's a proper mob. You can't storm a castle without a good turnout of pitchforks.
39. From the beginning: ANEW
41. LED component: DIODE. Light-Emitting Diode. I have a few of them lighting the interiors some of the buildings on my model railway.
42. Brute: OGRE
46. "__ Como Va": Santana hit: OYE. Carlos Santana had some genius moments of collaboration - here's Rob Thomas, lead singer of Matchbox Twenty with Santana, the hit that that pretty much took over the radio in 1999/2000
47. Penny pincher: MISER
48. Composition: ESSAY
50. Dalí contemporary: ARP. Jean on a French day, Hans on a German day.
"Déméter"
51. Summer in la ville: ÉTÉ
54. One to the manor born: NOBLE
63. It's stressful to live in it: CRISIS MODE. Stressful? That's an understatement.
65. Counterclockwise arrow function: UNDO
66. Countless years: EONS
67. Monastery wear: COWLS
68. Monopoly card: DEED. The most expensive property on the UK version is "Mayfair", which actually is isn't a street in London, it's a ritzy district off Park Lane, the second-most expensive property.
69. Name on a box of bricks: LEGO
70. Useful thing: ASSET
71. Gaelic language: ERSE
Down:
1. Like pretzel rods: CRISP
2. Doone of Exmoor: LORNA. Set in the fictional Doone Valley in the west of England
3. Be of service to: AVAIL
4. Eyeliner applicator: PENCIL
5. Driver's warning: FORE! Golf. A word often employed by yours truly.
6. "The Wizard of Oz" actor: LAHR
7. "Just messin' around": I KID!
8. Mortise insert: TENON. One of these!
9. Nose (around): SNOOP
10. Salchow kin: AXEL. Ice skating jumps.
11. "Take it": HERE YOU GO!
12. Smart game-show vowel purchase for "D _ _ M AND GL _ _ M": AN "O"
13. English lit degrees: BA'S. Two graduates of English Lit would be Bachelors of Art, but the two degrees are BA's. English is a peculiar language.
19. Data disk: CD-ROM
21. Recognize: KNOW
25. Sweepstakes submission: ENTRY
26. Titter: TEHEE. This is one of those words that crossword constructors can spell a number of different ways to suit their needs.
28. Stir: TO-DO
29. The Chipmunks, e.g.: TRIO. "The Chipmunks", pronounced "Annoying as hell".
30. Go gaga over: ADORE
32. Herpetologist's employer: ZOO. A specialist in reptiles and amphibians. From the Greek "herpeton" - "creeping animal".
33. Famiglia nickname: MAMMA
34. Being broadcast: ON AIR
35. Support for a king?: BEDSPRING. One word or two? The interwebs are divided.
37. Chances: ODDS
38. Tuition add-ons: FEES
40. Rather small: WEE
44. Fountain near the Spanish Steps: TREVI. The Rome police have introduced fines for tourists sitting on the Spanish Steps. It seems a little harsh. The fines are not "Trevi-al" either - around $280.
45. Chimed: RANG
49. Slangy greeting: YO! DUDE!
52. Puccini opera: TOSCA
53. "__ World": "Sesame Street" segment: ELMO'S
55. Dumb move: BONER
56. High-yield deposits: LODES
57. Wear away: ERODE
59. Petro-Canada competitor: ESSO
60. Swearing in a monastery?: VOWS. Those cowl-clad denizens of 67A. Nice clue.
61. Not working: IDLE
62. House in a bush: NEST
63. Bit of animation: CEL
64. Anonym in a landmark case: ROE vs. Wade.
I think that about does it for me. Just time to add the grid and I'm outta here!
Steve
FIR in 34:36 min.
ReplyDeleteThriving Thursday Thuse Guys!
Thank you Ed Sessa for this crunchy Thursday CW.
Thank you Steve for your excellent review.
18 A -- Huge herbivore: RHINOCEROS etc: Africa is pictured as arid. How do these big African animals find enough herbs to survive?
46 A-- "moments of collaboration -here's Rob Thomas"
Please compare my post to yours. My "here's" is easier to see because it is bold.
Note to all who post links, please make them BOLD. That makes them SO much easier to find. Thanks to each of you.
Ðave
Steve,
ReplyDeleteI forgot to thank you for finding the video of "Smooth." I just watched it for the second time.
WOW !
Ðave
Would a RHINOCEROS like a SNICKERDOODLE?
ReplyDeleteWould EXMOOR be the same without LORNA Doone-al?
Well, I don't know,
But HERE YOU GO,
You can find out from Mister Google!
The White House has a REVOLVING DOOR
It didn't used to have one before.
In CRISIS MODE,
Like a diode,
Exit in disgrace is the employment code.
{C+, X.}
ReplyDeleteWell that was interesting. I thought the theme had something to do with ODOR since it was scrambled in each of those answers. Then I got to the reveal. You had me fooled, Ed. D'OH !
Steve, I read an article that suggested Popeyes' intentionally ran out of the chicken sandwiches as a marketing ploy to get media attention. I obviously don't know if that's true or not, but the first comment in your link reminded me of when KFC ran out of chicken somewhere. Somewhere in Europe as I recall.
Thumbs up for Orange Julius. You can make one with your blender. Search for the copycat recipes.
Points off for not linking Whole Lotta Love, but a thousand million bonus points for linking Smooth. Carlos Santana's guitar work has always struck a chord with me.
No more LA Times puzzle at the Mensa site. I guess they didn't want to pay the Tribune Content Agency any longer, and they were going to have to deal with the demise of Adobe Flash at some point. Now the Mensa site brings up the daily Universal puzzle, as someone posted yesterday. I already do the Universal daily puzzle at the Merriam-Webster site. It has the added bonus of Word of the Day and the various word quizzes.
So that means (for me) doing the LA Times at the Washington Post. As I posted in a a response to Yellowrocks a couple of weeks ago, I much prefer the interface over the LA Times website and the Chicago Tribune website. Here's the URL to copy and bookmark if you are an online solver:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/crossword-puzzles/daily/
I think Jayce then mentioned that he tried the WaPo site after that and also prefers it over the LA Times website. Give it a try if you previously solved on Mensa.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteYippee! No Wite-Out required. But d-o failed to read the reveal clue, yet again, and missed the theme until Steve 'splained it. Some old dogs never learn. Took me some time to notice the double-dashes in the 12d clue. Was it DOM and GLOM or DUM and GLUM? D'oh! Nicely done, Ed and Steve (loved your Chipmunks comment).
DIODE: I've replaced almost all our lightbulbs with LEDs. Still to be replaced are the decorative bulbs in the ceiling fan in the family room and the clear bulbs in the bathroom. Still haven't found LEDs that'll pass the DW test for those locations.
LORNA: Went to school (K-thru-12) with a LORNA. Rumor has it she's now mayor of a city up there.
BEDSPRING: Do folks still buy mattress and box spring sets? You only ever hear about the mattress. And what good is the box spring supposed to provide, other than height?
We just upended our "box" springs to find it is just a box. No springs of any sort. As you say, it is just a spacer.
DeleteI enjoy the help and banter on this site.
New to xwords (1 year) and having fun.
Robert
A rare no-unknown puzzle today. I'm glad that I bought Santana's Abraxas album many years ago, which had 'OYE como va' as one of the songs. That would have been an unknown. Didn't have to UNDO any fills. I looked for the unifier but missed the REVOLVING DOOR.
ReplyDelete63A-CRISIS MODE- never read the clue; filled by perps
BA's- just like AG's (Attorneys General instead of Attorney Generals)
FIR, but my Chipmunks were a toon before they were a TRIO. HEY ALVIN! I also EWAGged AXEL x XENA.
ReplyDeleteDO, modern "box springs" are almost always just a riser with no springs. The Original Mattress Factory (OMF) still uses springs. The mattress in my coach sits on a slab of plywood and is just as comfortable as the OMF bed / box springs we use at home.
To me Snickerdoodles are just OK, but I ADORE Lorna Doone cookies. Trying to stay away - I've lost 25 lbs since May and want to lose another 35.
I would have loved to have seen Biden debate crossword staple Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.
Grapevine is also a fun city near DFW. Lots of good restaurants, an active sailing lake and a great municipal golf course. But no one ever wrote a song about it, unlike the Grapevine Hill in California.
CD ROM is as quaint as yesterday's mix tape. Maybe we should call them "ye olde CD ROM".
When I was a technician I had a friend who learned his electronics in the military. He went to a school where some rube pronounced "diode" as DOH-dee, much to the mirth of the instructor and fellow students. He and I got into the habit of pronouncing it that way, and we got a lot of funny looks from other techs in the crew.
Thanks for another fun puzzle, Ed. My favorite was "driver's warning" for FORE. I tried to shoehorn in "beep" or "honk" but was deterred before lead hit paper. And thanks to Steve for the fun tour. Cookies are food too!
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteDr. Ed's puzzles are always fun to solve and this was no exception. While solving, I noticed the abundance of Os and Rs in the theme answers, but I didn't stop to really focus on the groupings, ergo, the reveal was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. There was some clever, misdirection with the clues and pretty straightforward fill. Noticed the Undo and To Do pair. No unknowns and no w/os, so I would rate this as an easy Thursday. What exactly is a Snickerdoodle, anyway?
Thanks, Dr. Ed, for an enjoyable solve and thanks, Steve, for the lively and cheery summary. You were in fine fettle this morning.
Has anyone heard from Ferm? It's been quite a while since she has posted.
Have a great day.
Re: Popeye's Chicken Sammich
ReplyDeleteWithout going into who this guy is or how popular he is on college campuses these days, I feel like this review is honest and I agree whole heartily with its outcome.
The Pepsi Challenge of chicken sammies
***be forewarned*** This guy is unfiltered and will use colorful language occasionally. Not bad or hurtful but he speaks the way most of my younger frat brothers speak.
If your interested in more videos like this check out his pizza reviews. Has hundreds of them mostly in NYC. But he reviews pizza across the country as he travels to sporting events.
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteWoohoo. Easy solve today with no errors, no searches and no erasures. NONONO. Theme was cool enough, and as Steve said.
AXEL was a gimme since BH used to be into skating and I would hear about Salchow a lot. I believe both Axel and Salchow are named after their "inventors".
SNICKER DOODLE was a gimme, too; BH would bake them from time to time.
OAKEN - When I was in the Navy a shipmate introduced me to Old Bushmills which I liked a lot at the time. In recent years, Maker's Mark bourbon has been my relaxation; mainly in the winter time. Since I mix it with ginger ale, I don't have it often because the sugar content of the mix interferes with my diet goals. (Sic transit gloria.)
Have a great day.
Easy for a Thursday. I needed the reveal to go back through the revolving door of the theme.
ReplyDeleteI used to bake snickerdoodles, soft, chewy, buttery cookies coated in cinnamon and sugar. My family loved them. I tried store-bought snickerdoodles only one time. They were a disappointment.
Box springs don't wear out, but it is almost impossible to buy a mattress without a box spring.
If you like the Orange Julius you will love liquid OJ blended with orange sherbet.
The white rhino lives in savannas, which have water holes, mud wallows, shade trees, and the grasses they graze on. Africa has a great diversity of habitats, grasslands, woodlands and forests, waterways,desert. etc.
Terrific Thursday. Thanks for the fun, Ed and Steve.
ReplyDeleteYO DUDES.
I FIRed in good time and found those REVOLVING DOORs. Clever! And the progression as pointed out by Steve.
(Actually, now I see that I FIWed by choosing an A for my gameshow vowel instead of AN O ( and didn't notice the misspelled RHINO.)
I smiled when ETE appeared just east of 51D bedSPRING. Other seasons were missing though.
Another CSO today with ESSO, but a new clue!
Thanks for explaining how lawless applies specifically to XENA..
How many of you ran through Lord, Earl, Baron before NOBLE filled the spot?
We saw many grapevines on our way to Niagara- on- the Lake the other day to see Cyrano de Bergerac at the Shaw. (Very enjoyable play. Looks like a vintage year for wines if the next few weeks remain sunny.
I won't touch PALIN after my BONER with Obama yesterday. Not a "Whole LOTTA Love" for politics on the blog. This Canadian forgets the intensity of the American landscape as opposed to ours.
Wishing you all a great day.
Thanks for the posts about where to puzzle post-Mensa.
ReplyDeleteFinished in just under 9 minutes.
My vote (do I have a vote?) is to keep links in the blue, rather than bold.
Anon, I don't think that ordinary, unwashed posters can use blue tags, just the first-page swell bloggers. At least I couldn't get my links blue.
ReplyDeleteC-Eh, omitting the other seasons was Ed's downFALL.
Getting ready for the storm ...
ReplyDeleteAlready got:
1) Gas
2) Cash
3) Scotch
4) Rum
5) Beer
6) Meals you can eat without cooking (Yes, I have a manual can opener)
7) Snacks (Enough for the whole month of September)
8) One small "7-UP"
Now I just have to wait, probably until Tuesday ... for Dorian to get here.
Cheers!
Hi Y'all! I ADORE the theme, Ed, which I managed to get with the reveal. Great expo, Steve, thanks.
ReplyDeleteMan, I absolutely hate when websites update. I feel like I've been caught in a REVOLVING DOOR and cast out on the street on me bum! First Ancestry, then my email site, now Mensa. Don't s'pose it was because I kept griping that they didn't have circles. Oh well, probably not smart enough to belong on the Mensa site. I ended up on the Chicago Trib site which doesn't like me either because I don't immediately subscribe. Thanks to whoever mentioned the other sites. I'll play the field a bit.
Tried FLIeS before FLITS, ROam before ROVE.
DNK: Lawless played XENA. Lot of criminals playing characters. Don't know most of them.
Looking at all those big herbivores, doesn't it seem like a waste of time to eat lots of salad?
Tinbeni: good luck with Dorian. Glad to know you are adequately provisioned. Is that 7up so you'll have something to brush your teeth with?
CanadianEh: Hope you saw my post yesterday. I liked "Becoming" and admire Michelle Obama.
Musings
ReplyDelete-I saw DOOR but couldn’t come up with the fun participle of which Dr. Sessa AVAILED himself
-My lovely bride “overcooks” one batch of her great SNICKERDOODLES for extra crispy me
-John Oliver’s hilarious twenty-minute discourse on the wack-a-doodle (not SNICKERDOODLE) president of Turkmenistan
-Today’s puzzle cured me of the idea that RHINOCEROS has the letter “U” in it
-David Seville (who created the TRIO of Chipmunks) sought out a Witch Doctor “cuz you’ve keeping love from me just like you were a MISER”
-MIL’s escalating problems have put us into CRISIS MODE. Today we visit an assisted living facility
-Smart vowel purchase was a fabulous clue
ReplyDeleteFirst off, and from yesterday, thanks to all who shut down the tasteless political commentary from the usual suspect who just won’t obey the very simple rules here. But who can blame him when it goes on and on with no penalty? I think that says more about the poster and their views than anything they actually say. Funny how rules are for “everybody else”. No respect shown to this blog and fellow bloggers.
This Thursday puzzle was the usual Sessa treat.
No markovers today.
Tinbeni....no gas grill?
Canadian Eh....not all of us, just the ones who think their opinions override all rules of conduct.
Trying to buy “just” a mattress? Tell them it’s for a platform bed, you will then have zero difficulty.
See you tomorrow.
Well, I did it again. I wrote my post early this morning while getting ready to come to work and apparently never finished. Ah well, I guess I will have to recreate my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteDr.Ed and Steve always put on a good show on our Thursday episode here at the corner. Not too hard but fun stuff to unpack. Like tinman, we are supposed to be getting Dorian here Monday or so. Rather mean to have a storm on a day off. The only other Dorian I have heard of was The PICTURE OFDORIAN GRAY. It was a bold novel by OSCAR WILDE that still has some relevance 99 years after its publication.
When Oo heard of the possible hurricane she was excited because she thought it was about the frit DURIAN.
Thank you all and be careful
Hola!
ReplyDeleteNice one, Ed Sessa! Thank you.
I didn't even finish my coffee before finishing the puzzle, it was that fast.
Because I solve across/down I don't experience too many write overs. However, HABIT did have to be changed to COWLS and I liked that VOWS crossed it.
SNICKERDOODLES are so good and buttery. You really should try them, Steve. They are not hard to make.
I, too, learned that RHINOCEROS does not have "U" in it. That was another w/o. AN O was cleverly clued but could also have been Spanish for year.
I'll take a CSO at PENCIL which isn't just for eyebrows but for solving puzzles, too.
Without delving into politics I will say that I also admire Michelle Obama and read recently that her book signings are so well attended they have to be held in arenas and auditoriums. In fact, someone suggested that if she ran for president she would win in a landslide. I believe it!
Thank you, Steve, for your sparkling expo.
Have a beautiful day, everyone! I'll leave later today.
Floridians, please stay safe!
ReplyDeleteHere is another Michelle O. admirer.
ReplyDeleteThanks to TTP for posting the link to the Washington Post. I had no idea where to start to find the LAT. Easy fun puzzle today.
ReplyDeleteFast and fun puzzle today. Lots of new words. Have we had RHINOCEROS before. Hand up for struggling with the spelling, but perps saved me.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t want TRIO for those annoying chipmunks, but there are three of them so I guess that makes them a TRIO.
I love Led Zep so that was a gimme. I like SNICKERDOODLES but not overmuch.
Thanks for walking us through, Steve.
Owen, naughty naughty! TEHEE!
I have been interested in the BEDSPRING discussion. The “bed” on our boat was plywood with a thin pad on top. Best I’ve ever had!
A slow start today, as I couldn't suss the basics in the NW corner. SO I went elsewhere and worked my way back.
ReplyDeleteERSE, TOSCA & LORNA were my entry points, after which things fell into place. Ta ~ DA!
Got the theme along the way. Mildly clever, but see the DR below*.
Lucina ~
I gather there is a serious movement afoot to draft Michelle Obama to run for president--on the theory that she is the only one absolutely sure to beat you-know-who.
That may be true, but she has no interest at all in running. She certainly can't be blamed.
~ OMK
____________
*DR: One diagonal today, NW to SE.
Mr. Sessa has given us one more DOOR, neatly tucked into the anagram of his single diagonal.
It is a bright, shining entry, a bedazzling portal, a truly...
"CANDESCENT DOOR"!
I had problems with the NE because I don't know Wheel of Fortune lingo that well. Plus, I overlooked or misread that they were looking for the speaker, AHAB. I had forgotten Salchow the skating move.
ReplyDeleteAs I solved I kept telling self "What'd you expect for a Friday xword?!"
I hope Owen,IM, mil's and YR (oh, and Picard too) are recovering from various setbacks.
WC
But I grok'ed XENA the warrior.
W.C. ~
ReplyDeleteI reckon you have since discovered it was a Thursday Xword? Yes?
Your pal,
~ OMK
OMK, Brilliant diagonal using DOOR. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWC, I am fine, thanks for thinking of me. I danced for an hour and a half twice this week, not every set, but enough to be happy.
ReplyDeleteI will take David's advice and accept all the silly tests for Alan. I will keep my fire dry for going after unnecessary treatments.
OMK, yes after coming to the Corner.
ReplyDeleteYR, wow, up and fencing. Bravo. I think I noticed Picard up and about too. Facebook but I'm not sure how recent. I go to FB about once a week.
WC
.
I liked this puzzle. Ed Sessa is definitely a master craftsman. Favorite clues are "Lawless character", "Driver's warning", "Support for a king", and "Swearing in a monastery".
ReplyDeleteMy wife FLITS while shopping. I just find a place to sit down and wait until she's done.
I actually kinda liked Sarah PALIN's speeches during the 2008 campaign. They were funny.
I vote with Anonymous @ 9:32 AM.
Jinx in Norfolk, congratulations on losing the weight.
Be well.
I do not like or admire Michelle Obama. Many of her remarks have really angered me.
ReplyDeleteIf this is too political, then all the laudatory remarks are too.
Kerrys_in_Carefree_AZ
Dear Anonymous @ 4:46 ~
ReplyDeleteIt is only now that I see that favoring Mrs. Obama may be read as "political." You are right, of course. But I was not playing party politics when I posted my note. I was just thinking of her (as I'm pretty sure my colleagues were) as a fundamentally decent person--and how nice it would be to see our country led with intelligence, compassion, and dignity.
I suppose that would become political if I were to add the words, "for a change."
~ OMK
The la times on line had a different puzzle, From Universal.
ReplyDeleteEasy Thursday... fun puzzle. Had to change "roam" to "rove" and "habit" to "cowl" so someone extra ink spilled
ReplyDeleteTREVI fountain constructed at the meeting of three streets "tre vie" hence the name.
Loved Lorna Doones as a snack with milk.
Kerrys in AZ. I respect and welcome your civil opinion, even though I do not agree. Some posters get nasty. I am glad you do not.My mom used to tell us that we can disagree without being disagreeable (nasty).
ReplyDeleteOMK, I was with you until the word "led". I hope we never select a leader who admits they were never proud of the country until their spouse was nominated for president. For me, that disqualifies the person, whether it be Michelle or any other man or woman in any party, or even an independent aspirant.
ReplyDeleteWhy do we say we are against politics but keep on posting political stuff?? Anon @ 4:46 and OMK, I agree enough with the comments! Enough!!
ReplyDeleteYR, your friend and mine, Mr Google-correct had you fencing. Perhaps with that xword staple, the EPEE.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of...
I've found myself sashaying to the various music I encounter. I'm trying to desist.
WC
Well, I've had an internet nightmare these last two days, and it's not over. Cox had an internet outage in our neighborhood yesterday morning, and so no internet. It was supposed to come back on again at 5:30 in the afternoon, but mine never did. After calling Cox four times, I finally got them to agree to send a technician to my house, although he wasn't scheduled until 3-5 this afternoon. Our meeting was a mess, and although I now have my computer working again, it's in another room set up in a different way, and I have no idea if it will work again after I turn it off.
ReplyDeleteA pity, because I got the puzzle perfectly this morning, an Ed Sessa puzzle, yet, and I looked up not one word. And I also got the Sudoku, Kenken and Jumble perfectly. A great morning, puzzle-wise, and a nightmare, internet wise. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, it's because the computer crisis continues, although I hope my wonderful university tech supporter will be able to help me.
But I wish you all a good Friday tomorrow and hope I can check in with you again at some point.
Hang in there, Misty. Wireless 5G technology is being rolled out now. When it becomes available you will have a far superior internet option. I hope they don't price it sky-high, but even if they do it should be a better source if all you need is email, facebook, surfing and the like. Unlikely that it will be affordable to watch netflix or other hours-long video.
ReplyDeleteOh, but don't be fooled by AT&T's "5G Evolution", which is just rebranded 4G service.
I had problems with TRIO for the chipmunks. I thought there were at least half a dozen of them chattering away.
ReplyDeleteLovely surprise for me today. My BFF came to my house unexpectedly with one of her friends from where she now lives in another part of the state. We hadn't got together face-to-face for 9 years although we message or talk on the phone at least weekly. This is a gal with whom I can share a lot of laughter & did. Best medicine in the world for what ails us both.
PK, sorry to hear of your internet troubles. I am crossing my fingers. I am glad your BFF showed up to brighten your day.
ReplyDeleteWC, I suspected that fencing was due to autocorrect. It sure comes up with inane doozies sometimes. Then I thought maybe I was fencing with Alan's staff about medical tests.
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteCLAP, CLAP, CLAP... Dr. Ed comes through again with another well-crafted puzzle and Steve delivers a fine review [the Pitchfork comment is hilarious]
WO: RaVE b/f ROVE.
ESPs: TREVI, spelling the CEROS part of RHINO
Fav: the clue for XENA is inspired brilliance
No one else wanted YO! YO! YO! [sup?]
Also, why would "AN O" be a "smart" purchase. Just solve it already, no?
{B, A}
Excellent DR OMK.
Tin - sounds like you're ready for a CAT 5.
C, Eh! It seems like once we in America could talk about something tangential to politics and not have deeply reflexive reactions [on either side].
Jinx - I'm going to have to look for the LORNA cookies; I'll find your lost 25lbs for you :-)
Cheers, -T
All in favor of sending "AutoCorrect" to visit our dear Dr. Guillotin for a craniotomy, say 'Aye!'
ReplyDeleteSometimes, our electronic toys offer us regress, rather than progress.
Finally time to watch _all_ the videos posted today...
ReplyDeleteBig Cat - Yeah, Chick-Fil-A has it's Hobby Lobby thing going on but, you can't argue w/ their Chicken. I'm partial to the nuggets and morning biscuits [just not on Sunday].
HG - I saw that John Oliver bit when it was ON AIR (er, premium cable). Amazing the talent that came out of Jon's Daily Show.
Cheers, -T
Well, it's Friday morning, Aug. 30, but no Crossword blog this morning? Don't understand why? Did it have to do with my outage over the last two days?
ReplyDelete