Theme: "It's a Plus" - Six Greek
letters (ETA, CHI, PHI, TAU, PSI & RHO) form six plus signs
(crosses) in this puzzle. - I'll just list the long theme entries as
they all span across various words. But as you can see from the Answer
Grid, more theme entries are involved. This grid is very demanding.
22A. Wall Street threat: HOSTILE TAKEOVER.
47A. "Way to go!": HIP HIP HOORAY.
86A. Puts an early stop to: NIPS IN THE BUD.
115A. Buttery Boston bread: PARKER HOUSE ROLL.
14D. Preemptive action, proverbially: A STITCH IN TIME.
53D. Popular charity event: SILENT AUCTION.
Reveal:
65. With 67-Across, what appears in each set of circles: GREEK.
67. See 65-Across: CROSS.
Such
a creative theme. As I said earlier, this grid is very challenging to
fill due to the three Across & three Down theme material. Pam have
little maneuver room.
Across:
1. Roadie's burden: AMP.
4. It isn't meant to be taken seriously: FARCE.
9. Fateful day for Caesar: IDES.
13. Control: TAME.
17. Like Richard of Almanack fame: POOR.
19. Schools of thought: IDEOLOGIES. 26. Amber and silver: ALERTS. Both parts of the ETA crossing.
21. "Carmen on Ice" Emmy sharer Brian: ORSER.
24. With 98-Down, Broadway's first Evita: PATTI. 98. See 24-Across: LUPONE.
25. Sharply focused: INTENT.
27. Emmy winner for 1997's "George Wallace": SINISE. Unaware of the film. He'll always be Lieutenant Dan to me.
28. Brutus' 551: DLI.
29. What gym members try to get in: SHAPE.
31. Medical screening tool: TB TEST.
33. Occupy, as a bar: SIT AT.
35. Overseas seas: MERS.
37. Source of sticker shock?: THORN. Stick-er.
39. Some window units: ACS. And 73. Freeze over: ICE UP.
41. Sandal feature: T STRAP. A few other letter openers: 45. Program blocker: V CHIP. 50. Rock memoir: I TINA. 108. F equivalent: E SHARP.
43. Google __: CHROME.
51. "Oh, and another thing," on a ltr.: PPS.
54. Market section: DAIRY.
55. Idaho exports: RUSSETS. Boomer makes terrific potato salad. The key is the Spin Blend, which is only available at Walmart in our area.
57. Its "C" once stood for "cash": NCR.
58. Crop up: ARISE.
60. Match play?: ARSON. Nice clue.
62. Spoke from memory: RECITED.
64. Corn Belt sight: SILO.
70. Spanish painter who influenced Pollock: MIRO.
71. Ballet need: TOE SHOE.
75. Red Sea nation: YEMEN.
76. South end?: ERN. Southern.
77. Dangerfield's "There goes the neighborhood," e.g.: EPITAPH.
80. Refuse: SAY NO.
83. RNs' workplaces: ERS.
84. Soda purchase: LITER.
89. Rusty with a bat: STAUB. Wiki says "He was the only major league player to have 500 hits with four different team."
90. Retro photos: SEPIAS.
91. Mercedes subcompact: A CLASS.
94. "No prob": YUP.
95. Word in a White House title: FIRST. Oh, OK. First Lady.
96. Leatherwork tools: AWLS.
99. Exams for future 88-Downs: LSATS. And 88. See 99-Across: DAS.
101. Winter driving aids: CHAINS. Followed by 103. They're driven: AUTOS.
105. Collar wearer, often: PET.
106. Celebrate an anniversary, say: EAT OUT. Boomer and I will be celebrating our 20-year anniversary next May.
112. Take-home: NET PAY.
114. Drum major's move: TWIRL.
118. Sci-fi figure: DROID.
119. "Agnes Grey" novelist: ANNE BRONTE. Involved in the RHO crossing.
120. Galleria filler: ARTE.
121. Match: SYNC.
122. De-grayed?: DYED. I like this clue also.
123. Hard rain?: SLEET.
124. Astonished cries: OHS.
Down:
1. Ladybug snacks: APHIDS.
2. Like a romantic evening: MOONLIT.
Last Thursday was the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. People all ate
mooncakes. Chinese myth says that there's lady lives in the moon. Her
picture is often on the mooncake tin, which often contains four
mooncakes.
3. Sticky-edged squares: POST-ITS.
4. Gunk and grime: FILTH.
5. Gator follower?: ADE.Gatorade.
6. Wrap again, as an ankle: RE-TAPE.
7. Fossil fuel freighter: COALER.
8. Paul's "The Prize" co-star: ELKE. Sommer.
9. "__ that": "On me": I GOT.
10. League parts: Abbr.: DIVS.
11. Shoe box spec: EEE.
12. Armenia, once: Abbr.: SSR.
13. Do, as business: TRANSACT.
15. Team with a skyline in its logo: METS.
16. Buffalo's county: ERIE.
18. GPS suggestion: RTE.
20. Anthem contraction: OER.
21. TV kid in Miss Crump's class: OPIE.
23. Good way to take things: IN STRIDE.
27. RR map dot: STN.
30. Theater opening?: AMPHI. Amphitheater. Hahtoolah is in Sicily right now. She just sent me this Greek theater pic. Hello, ODEON!
31. Maier with a swimwear label: TOMAS. No idea. Wiki says that "From 2001 to 2018, he served as Creative Director at Italian luxury lifestyle brand Bottega Veneta".
32. Maker of CarbSmart ice cream bars: BREYERS.
34. Part of NCAA: Abbr.: ATH. And 36. Part of the NCAA: Abbr.: SCH.
37. Whip: TROUNCE.
38. __ d'oeuvres: HORS.
40. More genuine: SINCERER.
42. Org. for shrinks: APA.
44. Prefix with scope: HORO.
45. Tom Cullen's title on "Downton Abbey": Abbr.: VISC. OK, Viscount.
46. Excuses: PARDONS.
48. Wrath, in a hymn: IRAE.
49. Ceremonial pile: PYRE.
51. Muted colors: PASTELS.
52. Job that takes precedence: PRIORITY.
56. Parisian possessive: TES. Your.
59. "Mamma Mia!" song: SOS. Here
is the song most Chinese are familiar with. I was unaware that it was a
copy of their "Gimme Gimme Gimme" until a few months ago. That singer
was so popular when I was young.
61. Decides not to go: SKIPS IT.
63. "__ Mine": George Harrison book: I ME.
65. Red letters?: GOP. We're a solid blue state.
66. Checks: REINS IN.
68. Sign of neglect: RUST.
69. Deep-water beauty: OPAH.
72. Kitchen additive: HERB.
74. Novelty "pet": CHIA.
75. "Just wait ... ": YOU'LL SEE. Great fill.
78. Levels: TIERS.
79. iPhone downloads: APPS.
81. Bakers get a rise out of it: YEAST.
82. "Manifest" airer: NBC.
85. Over the moon: EUPHORIC.
87. CIA relative: NSA.
92. Largest city on the island of Hokkaido: SAPPORO. Known for their ramen.
93. Cat burglar's asset: STEALTH.
95. Tailor's concern: FIT.
97. Pop artist from Pittsburgh: WARHOL.
100. Individual manners: STYLES.
102. "__ Lang Syne": AULD.
104. When it all started: ONSET.
106. LAX postings: ETDS. 109. LAX posting: SKED. Schedule. Also 111. LAX postings: ARRS.
107. Off the mark: AWRY.
108. Shore bird: ERNE.
110. Right-to-left lang.: HEB. Hebrew. Traditional Chinese is read from right to left also.
113. __-la-la: TRA.
115. Increase fraudulently: PAD.
116. "__ luck?": ANY.
117. Sporty ride, for short: UTE.
Here are a few more pictures from Hahtoolah. The place is Taormina, Sicily. What's that tree behind her? I see some fruit.
C.C.
28 comments:
Good morning Cornerites.
Thank you Pam Amick Klawitter for this challenging Sunday CW.
Thank you C.C. for your excellent review. Thank you for the PICS of Hahtoolah's vacation.
Ðave
Good morning!
Well, put me down for two in a row. DNFs that is. My railroad stop was a STA, and I refused to give it up. TOMAS, TEMAS, TAMAS, TIMAS, could'a been any one of 'em. In the end I couldn't figure out TH_RA for sticker shock. Bzzzzzt! My face is so red...more so than usual. Had the circles and saw all of the GREEK CROSSes. I'm impressed with the construction, and depressed at my performance. Maybe it's a full moon thing. Thanx, Pam and C.C.
I slogged through this, but not a good puzzle in my opinion. Blah theme, too many three letter answers, gimmicky use of two NCAA and three LAX clues. Was glad to finish it and now get on with my day.
My friends and I were on a kick for awhile of saying "Nip it in the bud, Andy!" We finally moved on to other quotes but this puzzle brought back some fun memories.
But they are just boys Barney
When Rusty STAUB played in Montreal, they called him Le Grande Orange (basically Big Red, like Rusty for his hair. Canadian Eh! can correct my French)
Always thought a coal-carrying ship was a collier, but OK
Couldn't get "ath" out of NCAA, and never looked at my toolbar to remind myself of CHROME
Hola!
Whew! Unlike d-otto, I'm EUPHORIC that I finished this puzzle with only that one sore spot, THORN/TOMAS. TOMAS was surely the most obscure clue of many contained in this grid!
Actually, the entire southERN area filled without any problems. It was the corn belt that took the longest time. Once I changed 23d, INATRADE to INSTRIDE it opened the floodgates.
I liked the clueS for ARSON, DYED and SLEET but I agree that the plethora of three letter clues and especially abbreviations detracted from the brilliant GREEK CROSSES.
Thank you for the challenge, Pam A. K. and thank you, C.C. Do you feel better and are you recovered from last week's illness?
Have a grand day, everyone!
Nice pictures of Susan and her trip, thank you.
An interesting visual puzzle and an obviously challenging grid for one of our Sunday specialists.
With all the Teachers out there, why is it SINCERER and not more sincere?
Rusty Staub was a very underrated ballplayer who made his first mark playing for the MONTREAL EXPOS where he learned French and became LE GRANDE ORANGE.
Did not recall the name of the actor who played Lady Mary's suitor VISCOUNT ANTHONY GILLINGHAM. He was the one that she bedded before accepting his proposal and found him unsatisfying. Very practical.
I also did not know TOMAS as clued and enjoyed the sticker shock clue.
Happy new week all.
SEPIAS reminds me to advise you all of "must see tv". Tonight on PBS will be Ken Burns documentary that I have been looking forward to ever since I heard he was making it. "Country Music" has been getting rave reviews and is sure to please this music fan.
Next best documentary other than his Baseball one
FIR, but erased potatos for RUSSETS, GREEK vowel for GREEK CROSS, aBC for NBC, ETaS for ETDS, and I watched my drum major's strut change to a TWIRL. My sister was a majorette (pre-woke times) and used to TWIRL fire-tipped batons.
CSO to a lot of us at SouthERN. CSO to Irish Miss at Agnes Grey. No comment on "de-gray".
Gator follower? Wildcats, at least yesterday. FL beat KY 28-21. Just wait 'til basketball season. (The "weak" SEC still holds half of the top 10 ranking spots.)
For "fossil fuel freighter" I wanted "anathema" but it wouldn't fit. Big business here, with the largest destination being India. Coal rail car arrive here from the mountains and are turned upside down to dump the coal. From there it is loaded on the waiting COALERs.
Thanks to Pam for this Sunday challenge. Good perps helped with the many unknown names so not a single WAG. And thanks to CC as always. Nice review.
It's a POOR FARCE indeed
If no one tries to intercede.
The whole of the plan
Is make fun of The Man,
To anger him is to succeed!
Do you ever get your diary
Mixed up with a rural DAIRY?
It's easy to do,
One only goes moo,
And the other is mooving commentary
{A-, B.}
Oh, and another thing - Dosn't using "rusty" in a clue and RUST in the fill violate some arcane rule d'crossword?
Musings
-My one bad cell wins the prize for idiocy – THE RN was my source for sticker shock! DOH!
-I too immediately connected OPIE and NIP IT IN THE BUD
-DAIRY is always in the back of the store so you have to walk back there to get items with expirations dates
-Sixth grade at our school required learning states and capitals (48 of them) and RECITING The Gettysburg Address from memory
-I never learned how to spell EPITAPH (not EPITATH) until I did cwds
-This option to replace CHAINS tore up streets
-The radio broadcast of Husker games is not in SYNC with TV, the radio is at least 10 seconds ahead
-FB players are sometimes RETAPED right over their shoes
-When former governor Dave Heineman concedes a putt to me, I say, “I got a PARDON from the governor”
-Nice pix, Susan!
Well, Sundays are always toughies for me, but I was happy to get off to a good start with AMP and IDES and PPS and PASTELS a little further down, and MIRO and ANNE, although the BRONTE took a bit to remember. I thought some of the long fills were pretty impressive, like A STITCH IN TIME and SILENT AUCTION. So, many thanks, Pam, for a tough but interesting and fun Sunday puzzle. C.C., so good to see you posting--hope you're feeling better. Congratulations on your and Boomer's 20th Anniversary coming up. I still love the pictures of my 20th with Rowland. Have a lovely celebration. And it looks as though Susan is having a great vacation.
Have a great day, everybody!
FLN: - T, I am so old that I remember:
The only earth satellite was the moon
Gas was $0.18 per gallon
Cigs were $0.18 per pack
Seat belts were a rarely purchased option in cars
Ditto power windows
The radio couldn't be heard for the first minute or so while the filaments heated up
My phone number was 268, but people more often just asked the "number please" operator for "Jinx residence"
Being inspired by JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you" speech
Being let down by LBJ's "Great Society" speech
Watching Friday night boxing on NBC
Going to a neighbor's to watch Bonanza on color TV
Taking a 3-hour train excursion to see the Reds play in Crosley Field
Riding in a steam locomotive on our short line RR.
The standard work week was M-F, 1/2 day on Saturday
It was illegal for stores to open on Sundays, except for drug stores
Minimum wage was $1.00 per hour
I was skinny and had a full head of hair
Sunday Lurk Say...
Thanks for posting Hahtoolah's snaps C.C.! Hahtoolah - you going to be in Italy much longer? DW & I will be in Rome on 26th [I'm so excited!]
{A, A+}
HG: LOL THE RN after yesterday's IV. A Sticker indeed.
Oh, and Astros' games have a 5-10 second delta Radio/TV. I used to piss-off everyone 'cuz I'd listen while they watched - it was my lack of poker-face that spoiled the pitch.
Jinx - I was tongue-in-cheek when I asked 'cuz, well,... Rocky came out in '78. I was 8yro. I figured you were a year or two older than I, but no one quits smoking in their 20s. #Immortal
But, you said 40 years ago.... Don't take this the wrong way [please] but your above references put you in Pop's age-bracket. I say 'don't take it wrong' 'cuz Pop is still a 25yro in his head and we are good friends [and both of us are nearer to 80 than 25 //that's a Bill G. Math problem :-)]
Cheers, -T
*correction - 74 is more correct for stated problem. Rounding errors :-)
When I saw Pam is the constructor I expected to like this puzzle, and I did like it. Some terrific fill, such as A STITCH IN TIME and SILENT AUCTION. I thought the clues for POOR, SHAPE, THORN, ARSON, and DYED, among others. I was so sure that Idaho exported POTATOS that I was significantly stalled until HORS, which I knew was right, convinced me that I had the wrong answer. The perps were not friendly in helping me finally figure out RUSSETS.
Hi Y'all! Struggled thru this masterpiece of Pam's. Brilliant construction, but a CROSS to bear.
Such a verbal journey, C.C., in the almost 20 years you've been married to Boomer & becoming a queen of crosswords. Glad you immigrated before the current regime.
I, too, was shocked to find that sticker clue wanted a THORNy answer.
I hopped around like a flea on the page of this puzzle, but finally got the bottom done and looking back up wondered why the top seemed so hard. Had filled it enough that the half-filled areas went in quickly.
Had to get my Kindle and look up ANNE BRONTE's book. Never heard of it. By the way, Kindle offers it at no charge since it was prepared for the public by volunteers. Free didn't even tempt me.
Hahtoolah & C.C.: Thank you for sharing the trip to Italy. Must be the IN place to go this year. My son went and now two blog friends go/going... Have a good time, Tony & DW! (A smoke-free life is a valuable gift to give yourself & your loved ones.)
Super Sunday. Thanks for the fun, Pam and C.C.
I found the Greek Crosses and since I was working on Across LITE(no R), I had Red Letters (no GOP for this Canadian!), which were needed a few times. (Yes d'otto, one time was changing STA to STN.) VChip and VISC was almost a Natick until I did a long alphabet run and the light dawned at V. I moved from Les to Mes to TES for that Parisian possessive.
I knew that Potatoes (apparently that is the correct plural and I am not just "Canadianizing" it!) would not fit, but RUSSETS were slow to appear.
I guess if an Oil freighter is an OILER, a fossil fuel freighter can be a COALER (nose wrinkle). Yes, Lemonade, SINCERER wrinkles my nose a little too, although it may be a legitimate word.
Are those ballet TOE SHOES not called POINTE shoes? (another nose wrinkle)
Thanks C.C. for confirming that there is a Chinese language that is read from right to left. I was thinking about Han (but that is a dynasty and not a language). (Actually I just LIUed and info appears about Han language -Northern Athabaskan and ancient Korean.)
Arabic is written/read right to left also.
billocohoes and Lemonade: I had trouble remembering STAUB. I think Wilbur C was asking me about him a while ago and I had to LIU. I remember the Jays better than the Expos.
I was going to Whip cream; being misdirected made TROUNCE slow to appear. I don't think that I should do that to my cream LOL.
Great photos, Hahtoolah. Enjoy your trip.
Wishing all of you a great day.
Pam Amick Klawitter creates it and C.C. ‘splains it. Can’t get better than this!
FIR in 33 minutes, about average for me.
Random thoughts:
-Lemonade, this teacher hated SINCERER. More sincere is much more better. ;P
-billocohoes, you’re correct; “collier” IS a term for a coal miner or ship.
-Favorite clue/answer: sticker shock = THORN.
-OwenKL, when I was a little WikWak, maybe 6 or 7 years old, I read Little Lulu comic books (among others). There was always a section called “Lulu’s Diary.” I wondered for a long time what any of the stuff there had to do with a dairy.
-Hand up for thinking of Barney Fife when I saw NIP IT IN THE BUD. Nip it, nip it, nip it!
-HG, I remember those studded tires. If I recall correctly, Illinois outlawed them after a few years.
-Happy anniversary to C.C. and Boomer!
Supper time... have a nice evening everyone.
AnonT, here's a guess at your math problem above. Fifty five?
Here's one for you.
From yesterday, I've never been a fan of Dilbert. Uninteresting artwork and sarcasm masquerading as insight and humor. On the other hand, take Calvin and Hobbes... That comic strip still brings a lot of enjoyment to Jordan and me when we read it together.
Calvin: I'm thinking of a number between one and eight billion. Try to guess it?
Hobbes: Eleven?
Calvin: Nope. Guess again.
Hobbes: Six billion and four?
Calvin: Nope. Guess again.
(Hobbes leaves in a huff.)
Calvin: What's the matter? Don't you like games?
Fun day! I got most of it which is a win for me on Sunday. Thanks Pam and C.C..
C Eh, I agree with your nose wrinkles. SINCERER is definitely wrong but the others are too!
Owen A+, A+ !
Bill G, I like Dilbert for just what it is. I worked for an engineering firm once and the engineers love Dilbert because it made fun of the boss. My pleasure was enhanced by our boss loving it too.... not getting the point that HE was the butt of all the jokes.
But my favorite is Calvin and Hobbes!!!
-T.....
Officials do it again!!! I’m not into conspiracy theories but what is going on??!!! Did you see Cam Jordan scoop up that fumble and run ... what? ... 87 yds for a td?? It was perfectly clear on my small TV!!! How on earth could the official not see what I saw!!!??? So... another “apology “. Yeah. Rite.
Okay. I’ll go back under my rock!
Apparently sincerer is best for formal settings, but more sincere is more commonly used.
Sincerer?
Scroll down to the Sounds Weird Rule and the Look It Up Rule.
Monday's (9/16/19) edition of the Wall Street Journal features a crossword puzzle (Back to Work) constructed by C.C. Burnikel.
<a href="https://blogs.wsj.com/puzzle/>C.C.'s Puzzle</a>
C.C.'s Puzzle
Good Monday morning, folks. Thank you, Pam Amick Klawitter, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, C.C., for a fine review.
Did this one yesterday in the car while traveling back from Pennsylvania. It took me a while. Lots of tough ones.
Caught the theme easily. Greek Cross. Clever.
I had INTERACT for 12D. That messed up that corner for a while. The only thing I really knew in that corner was ERIE. Anyhow, finally figured out TRANSACT.
Liked Rodney Dangerfield EPITAPH, There Goes the Neighborhood. Classic Dangerfield.
While in Johnsonburg, I met a former astronaut, Bob Cenker. It was fun talking with him. He was on one of the shuttles back in the mid 1980's.
I am going to run. See you on Tuesday.
Abejo
( )
After spending nearly 23 hours over two days (every bit of my free time) and using over twenty reference books, I finally tossed this tribulation into the trash. Too many references to "pop" culture, tv,slang,... in other words anything but English language contexts. I hit the theme (Greek letters) in the first hour but the rest of the fill, to me, was trashy, cutesy tripe.
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