google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday December 23, 2019 Robert E. Lee Morris

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Dec 23, 2019

Monday December 23, 2019 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: Whistle-blowers.

17A. Whistle-blower in the street: TRAFFIC COP.

53A. Whistle-blower on the court: NBA REFEREE.

11D. Whistle-blower during phys ed: GYM TEACHER.

28D. Whistle-blower at obedience school: DOG TRAINER.

Boomer here. 

Hello everyone. I am looking forward to the big game tonight in the NFL. Packers vs. Vikings - SKOL. Back in the 1960s, (Yes I am that old) the Packers came to town and stayed at a hotel in Hopkins, MN. As it happens, I am from Hopkins and I delivered pizzas for a restaurant there. The Packers would order 2 or 3 large pizzas delivered to the party room where about 30 Packers were having a good time. Paul Hornung, who turns 84 today, always paid and a $10.00 tip was not out of the question - probably the largest tip I received in my four year career.  I never witnessed Bart Starr or Vince Lombardi however, I guess they preferred to stay sober for tomorrow.s game. Later in life, as part of my district responsibility, I visited the Graybar branch in Green Bay. The bay is an extension of Lake Michigan and guess what ??  It is NOT green.  Go Vikings! 

Happy Birthday, Paul Hornung!

Across:

1. Burning: AFIRE.

6. Do some angling: FISH.  A favorite pastime in Minnesota.  C.C. and I used to try our luck at a nice lake in Annandale, MN.  Not so much anymore.  C.C. is too busy and I hate cleaning the catch.


10. __ Benedict: brunch choice: EGGS.

14. Like some clock numerals: ROMAN.  Clue number XIV across.

15. Dealer's request to a poker player: ANTE.  You cannot win if you don't get in.

16. Harp constellation: LYRA.

19. In the thick of: AMID.

20. Rainbow site: SKY.  I will be looking for a sleigh with 8 tiny reindeer, and a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

21. Indian or Arctic: OCEAN.

22. Blackjack player's request to a dealer: HIT ME.  In Las Vegas, you just brush your cards on the table or maybe signal by bouncing your finger off the felt.

23. The "P" in POTUS: Abbr.: PRES.

24. "8 Mile" rapper: EMINEM.  Makes up a name that sounds like candy.  Boo hiss.

26. Kidnap: ABDUCT.

29. Beltway region, briefly: DC AREA.  Okay but there are many, many cities that have a "beltway".

30. Hooch: BOOZE.  I gave all of mine away last year.  It does not go well with my pills.  But go ahead and make your Christmas merry!

31. Frontier explorer Daniel: BOONE.  My sister and I used to like Pat Boone back in the late fifties.  Now he sells walk-in bathtubs on TV.


32. Network with an eye logo: CBS.  I have a bone to pick with CBS. Last Sunday they showed hours of commercials, and once in a while they would interrupt the commercials for a few minutes of a Viking's football game.

35. Therefore: ERGO.

36. Singer Simon once married to James Taylor: CARLY.

37. Visit the mall, say: SHOP. The season is almost over.  C.C. and I could not believe the skill needed to find a parking spot, and the long, long lines at the checkout registers.


38. Vietnam holiday: TET.  Not my favorite.  Once upon a time in 1968 the Government called me in January to neutralize TET.

39. Three-dimensional: SOLID.

40. Good, in Guadalajara: BUENO.

41. Fights off: REPELS.

43. Boo from the stands: JEER AT.  You won't hear that at U.S. Bank Stadium tonight, but you might hear "SKOL".

44. Rio Grande city: LAREDO.  I am terrible at U.S. Geography.  Maybe Desper-Otto can help with this.

45. Dryer fuzz: LINT.  This really builds up in the screen that every dryer has. We used to play with it like a blanket only smaller.

46. Strange: WEIRD.  Al Yankovic.  Not sure why he chose that adjective.


47. Treasure stash: TROVE.

49. Mischief-maker: IMP.  IMPossible

52. Sicilian volcano: ETNA.  My sister has been to Italy, not me.  But I have heard that ETNA is a volcano that erupts frequently.  Don't build a house by it.

55. "Yes!" in church: AMEN.  In my church I believe AMEN means "So be it".  I think it is Latin.

56. RC Cola alternative: COKE.  I drink Diet Pepsi but in my younger days sometimes we would drink Coke.  Never Never Royal Crown.

57. "Not possible": I CAN'T.

58. Social oddball: NERD.  Learned about them in "Animal House" Movie.

59. Plow-pulling team: OXEN.  OXEN is one of the few plural words that do not end in "S".

60. Chef's hat: TOQUE.

Down:

1. Martial __: ARTS.  Linkletter and Garfunkel.

2. Tined utensil: FORK. Favorite for eating peas. They just won't stay on a knife.

3. "Possibly":  I MAY.  "Captain MAY I?  Yes you may"

4. Brit. pilots' squad: RAF. Royal Air Force.

5. Make sure people obey, as laws: ENFORCE.

6. Turns toward: FACES.

7. Ancient Peruvian: INCA.  "Inca Dinca Do".  Jimmy Durante.

8. Totally, as sober: STONE-COLD.  Steve Austin of the WWE


9. Cool, like a cat: HEP.  "For a long time now I've been aware, that I'm so Hep the rest of the world is square,"  (Chad Mitchell and friends.)

10. Julia's "Seinfeld" role: ELAINE.  I watch the Seinfeld reruns frequently.  I like Elaine, but I cannot stand George or Kramer.

12. Fairy tale brother: GRIMM.

13. Marquis de __: SADE.

18. "Law & Order: SVU" actor: ICE T.  Don't forget Mariska Hargitay. She is Jayne Mansfield's daughter, but I suppose you knew that.


22. Add to the staff: HIRE.

23. "The Godfather" novelist Mario: PUZO.

25. Multitudes of: MANY.  "How MANY roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man."  Minnesota's own Robert Zimmerman, You may know him better as Bob Dylan.

26. Help in a heist: ABET.  Something you place at the Kentucky Derby.

27. Yawn inducer: BORE.  Sorry if you nodded off.  I am doing the best I can.

29. Actress Day: DORIS.  Born Doris Kappelhoff.  No wonder she changed it to DAY.


31. Polling place receptacle: BALLOT BOX.  We are sneaking up on 2020.  Funny I never see a ballot box any more.  We make our selections on a huge sheet of paper, then one of the volunteer judges slides it into a big computer and the vote is counted.  (I hope).

33. __ fide: BONA.

34. Dalmatian mark: SPOT.  There were 101 dalmatians in a movie I once saw and none of them were named "SPOT"

36. Like dorms for men and women: COED.  Years ago, my High School was all males.  Now it is COED.

37. Sheep fat: SUET.  Remember we used to hang it on Christmas tree branches to give the tree shape.

39. Zoomed: SPED.

40. Be of help to: BENEFIT.  SO many commercials this time of year asking for money.  I'll support the Salvation Army bell ringers, but I wonder how much of a potential donation from some of these non profits go for advertising and administration. I have heard that DAV wounded warriors is suspect.

42. Quick trip to the market, say: ERRAND.  We have gas stations with convenience stores attached called "Kwik Trip".  I guess fourth grade spelling was a problem.

43. Nonsense: JIVE.

44. "I'll do it": LET ME.  "Open the door and LET ME in. Not by the hair of my Chinny chin chin".

45. Actress Sophia: LOREN.  Alive and well and living in Italy.  She was 13 years old when I was born.  That makes her a senior senior citizen.

46. Gradually withdraw: WEAN.

48. Garden tool: RAKE.  I think there might be some leaves left on our yard, but we do not rake snow.

49. Baghdad's country: IRAQ.

50. Diner handout: MENU.  Some of the Diners in St, Paul are adding about 3% to the menu price for employee health insurance.  They are in trouble now.  I think it would be easier just to raise the prices 3% .

51. Basketball Hall of Famer "Pistol __" Maravich: PETE.  A shooting guard with a clever nickname.  Sadly left us at age 40 of congestive heart failure.



53. Sgt., e.g.: NCO.  Do NOT call him "Sir", he works for a living.

54. Green prefix: ECO.

Enjoy the hectic today and tomorrow and have a happy and solemn Christmas.  "All is calm, All is Bright.

Boomer 

Note from C.C.:
Happy 75th birthday to dear Misty, who's always so caring and kind towards all regulars. Here is a picture of Misty and her husband Rowland celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary in 2009.


45 comments:

OwenKL said...

Carly Simon
Doris Day
I'll bet RELM tried to shoehorn Andy Griffith, Roger Whittaker, and the seven dwarfs into this puzzle.

How to WHISTLE I don't know.
When I've tried, it's been no-show.
I purse my lips
As if to kiss
But then, to blow, I blow!

As I walked out in the streets of LAREDO
A young TRAFFIC COP I happened to see.
"Your job I think you are doing muy BUENO !"
A jaywalking citation he still handed to me!

{A-, A-.}

PK said...

Hi Y'all! Thanks, for an early morning fun challenge, R.E.L.M. Thanks, Boomer, for making my morning bright.

For once, I knew all the proper names. How did that happen?

I got the theme okay and liked it. My biggest problem was thinking BALLOT BOX & STONE COLD were part of the theme and wondering what whistle blowing had to do with them.

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, Boomer and friends. This was the easiest puzzle in memory. There were so many clues in today's puzzle that I never saw until I read Boomer's commentary. They had already been filled in by the perps! Clever puzzle that is also a Pangram.

My only slight mis-step was to mis-read the Diner Handout as the Diner HANGOUT.

Nice to see Pistol Pete in the puzzle. The LSU Basketball arena is named in his honor.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Misty.

QOD: Sometimes you can do all the right things and not succeed. And that’s a hard lesson of reality. ~ Donna Tart (b. Dec. 23, 1963), American novelist

Lemonade714 said...

Very Happy Birthday and health, peace, and joy for the year ahead.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

FIR, but had to correct EMeNEM. That's what happens when two bad spellars collide.

Back from Christmas celebration in the DC AREA with relatives.

When I was a kid, Cincinnati didn't have stop lights downtown, but instead TRAFFIC COPs ran the show. And they WERE showmen, with very stylized gestures that left no doubt what drivers were supposed to do.

As Boomer said, blackjack is a mostly nonverbal game. If you tell the dealer "HIT ME", you will still have to use a hand motion because the "eye in the sky" doesn't catch audio.

CARLY Simon's story is interesting. She was born rich, but driven to sing. But she suffered from stage fright even after she became famous. She appeared braless on the cover of her No Secrets album, making my hormone-poisoned brain totally forget my Farrah Fawcett poster.

HBDTY, dear Misty. What a nice picture of you and your beloved Rowland.

Thanks for the nice, easy Monday puzzle, RELM. I needed that after being out of the loop for a couple of days. And thanks to Boomer for another punny funny Monday. But if you haven't ever had an RC Cola, you probably haven't ever had a Moon Pie. If that's true, maybe the Kentucky Derby isn't for you.

billocohoes said...

Hanukkah greetings for those who celebrate it, and Happy Festivus got the rest of us.

Pangram today?

Jerry said...

I once dated a girl who used a FORK to eat her peas ONE at a time!

I thought this was very strange. What's even more, I witnessed her eating corn niblets also but when doing so, she used her FORK to scoop them. WEIRD, huh?

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

It's a wonderful day throughout the RELM. No Wite-Out, no errors. Zip, zip, done, as fast as I could write. I enjoyed your witticisms, Boomer (I grew up not far from Green Bay. Theirs were our "local" TV stations).

EGGS: I make eggs Benedict often. So often, that I need to purchase a new egg poacher. I let the current ten-year-old one run out of water, and now the pan bottom is cupped.

SHOP: Can't remember the last time I visited a mall, only the occasional big box store. I'm currently on sabbatical -- between Thanksgiving and the New Year I only visit stores that sell beer.

SUET: We would hang it from the trees outside in winter for the birds.

BENEFIT: Before I'll donate, I check out the organization at Charity Navigator. My favorite charity is the Cure Alzheimer's Fund. The Board of Directors covers all operating costs so that all donations go entirely to research.

Happy Birthday, Misty. I enjoy your daily observations.

TTP said...

Good morning. I liked the theme. And the puzzle. And the review.

Happy Birthday, Misty !

Boomer, drive over to I-35 and go south on it. Stay on it until you can't go any farther on it. You will be in Laredo.

D-O, drive over to 59, and go south on it. Stay on it until you can't go any farther on it. You will be in Laredo.


C.C. has a puzzle, "usa network" over at USA Today.

Lucina said...

Hola!

Happy birthday, Misty! I know today is your Christmas party (coincidence?) but maybe you will have time to stop at the Corner.

Thank you to RELM for a really nice and easy outing today. Muy BUENO! There is nothing to JEER AT. I liked all the whistle blowers.

SKY followed by OCEAN was appropriate and yesterday hooch was the fill, today it's the clue. I also have to limit my BOOZE intake.

I have seen SUET for birds in the pet food aisle.

To WEAN our daughter from her bottle, my late DH took her to the trash bin and had her throw in the bottle. She was about two years old.

The Mall closest to me is one of the busiest at all times but especially now; I would not dream of going to SHOP this week.

Happy Hanukkah to our friends who observe it!

Have a calm and hopefully serene day, everyone!

desper-otto said...

TTP, it's not "nearby" for either of us -- 349 miles for me, 1380 for Boomer (1418 if he stays on I-35). Never been there. But I have heard this song.

inanehiker said...

Fun and fast Monday - after the first theme answer I thought it might be a CC tribute puzzle with TRAFFIC COP - but no...

Happy birthday Misty!
Thanks to Boomer (I'll be rooting for the Packers though tonight, after ~10 years of living in WI) and to RELM!

Last day of work this week- 1 kid already in, 2 today, 2 tomorrow - it will be a busy houseful!

Lucina said...

Boomer, thank you for your witty observations! I can't be drinking coffee when I read your comments!

Wilbur Charles said...

I haven't gotten to Monday. Here's my take FLN
This is my fav DOLPH
No team tested the 1957-69 Celtic dynasty more than his Nationals

Not to speak of Lincoln's eponymous pooch FIDO

"Captain" OBVIOUS was the name of a Birnholz Post xw a few weeks back. I'm only familiar with the oft banned "Mr".

Alan A Dale is patterned after
Blondel

Enjoyed the Sunday xw Peter. But I didn't get to it until an hour ago

WC


PS. I FIW on InDB)MAnET

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-The start of a favorite piece of prose for me - Go placidly AMID the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence…
-Russ GRIMM played football in the D.C. AREA for an offensive line called “The Hogs”
-Yesterday - 50. Bootlegger's haul: HOOCH.
-Pat BOONE covered Little Richard and Fats Domino songs in the 50’s
-We’ve always marked paper BALLOTS and now they are making a comeback in some areas to defeat electronic chicanery
-Happy Birthday, Misty!

Spitzboov said...

Good morning everyone.

With the Z, Q, X and J, I thought it might be a pangram. Thanks Hahtoolah for confirming.
Easy today; even had actresses I knew. Wondered what a JEE RAT was and then the the light went on with JEER AT. Otherwise, no problems with the solve; FIR.
Our destroyer served EGGS Benedict regularly.

Thanks, Boomer for your always fine intro.

TTP said...


D-O, I listened to Marty Robbins sing it then came back here to see and listen to your link of the Smothers Brothers light-hearted version.

I've been to Laredo and across the border to Nuevo Laredo at least three times that I remember. One time in the 60's, dad drove across in the big van. Mom and dad, and sister and BIL bought large hand carved dome top trunks, and other pieces.

Last time we went - this had to be 15 to 20 years ago, it was just me, my dad and my wife driving down from central Texas. DW bought bottles of pure vanilla for baking and for gifts.

Madame Defarge said...

Good Morning.

This was fun. AND Madame even found the theme--a real feat! Thanks RELM for some fine Monday morning fun. It also took me a bit to parse JEERAT! Lots of JEERing at last night's Bears' game. Ah, the misery is almost over.

Thanks, Boomer, another witty discussion. I do like your observations!

Happy Birthday, Misty! Thanks for your many contributions here.

TTP, thanks for the heads up for C.C. puzzle at USA Today.

Have a fine day everyone. Happy Hanukkah!

Hooray, the Solstice has arrived. I will bask in the two extra minutes of sunshine today. ;-)

Abejo said...

Good morning, folks. Thank you, Robert E Lee Morris, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Boomer, for a fine review.

Misty: HBD and many more.

Zipped through this easily. I think my only unknown was TOQUE. After I got it I remembered it. I even own one.

Whistle blower theme was fine. Easy answers.

I love Eggs Benedict.

Have to run. Catching a train for a meeting shortly.

See you tomorrow.

Abejo

( )

Hungry Mother said...

Very fast, no hangups. Thanks for the info on Olivia on SVU, which my wife and I are bingeing. I remember the tragic death of her mother. All I know I learned from crosswords and their blogs.

Lucina said...

Gary, I love that piece, too, and have a copy hanging in my bathroom where I can read it and ponder on it during quiet times.

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

What a delightful way to start the week. The theme was simple and clever at the same time and oh how timely, especially with the DC Area entry! Like Hatoolah, I missed seeing many of the down answers because I just kept filling in the acrosses lickety split. (Now there's a weird expression!) Weird in the puzzle started out as Eerie, but that was my only w/o. As always, Imp, to me, conjures images of CED and Jinx. The Ice T ~ Eminem duo and Fish abutting Eggs struck my fancy. Yesterday's Hooch became today's Booze. (Hi, Tin!) DO, you can make Eggs Benedict for me anytime!

Many thanks, Robert, for a enjoyable solve and thanks, Boomer, for another Monday meander down Memory Lane. How you remember all those song lyrics and other musings is beyond me!

Happy Birthday to dear Misty! I'm sure you'll get extra snuggles from Dusty on your special day! 🎂🎁🎉🎈🍾

Happy Hanukkah to Lemony and Hatoolah.

HG, that's one of my favorites, also. Years ago, I had a framed copy of it on the wall behind my work desk.

So far, the reviews of the movie, "Cats", have been scathingly negative. My favorite is: "Cats" is the worst thing to happen to cats since dogs."

Have a great day.

Alice said...

Happy birthday, misty. That's a very nice photo too!

Easy, fun puzzle. Now, I still haven't finished Christmas shopping and must get started.

Tinbeni said...

FESTIVUS ... for the "Rest-of-Us" ...

Fave today, of course, was 30-A, BOOZE !!!

Boomer: Wonderful write-up. Go Vikings!

Cheers!

CanadianEh! said...

Marvelous Monday. Thanks for the fun, Robert & Boomer.
This was a little crunchier than the usual Monday for me (unlike others), but I FIRed and found all the whistle-blowers. And I saw the pangram too.

I started out by wanting Ablaze but it wouldn't fit; ah AFIRE.
I smiled at ENFORCE crossing TRAFFIC COP.
Ditto for STONE COLD sober. (We have some here with important anniversary dates about this.)
I also noted LET ME and HIT ME.
Is "Thus" wanted for 35A "Therefore" or the more formal "ERGO"? The latter.

37A SHOP and 42D ERRAND are apropos today. But I fear that it will not be a "quick trip".
Husker G - your AMID quote is a good one for today. (Lucina, in your bathroom?? LOL!)

We have had the TOQUE discussion before. Today's clue is not my first Canadian thought.

I thought of Lard before SUET, but lard is from pigs not sheep. Suet can be from beef or mutton source (around the kidney area), but for my British grandmother's plum pudding recipe, beef suet (grated) is used. Suet has a higher melting point than other fats
and gives a lighter, spongy texture. (Maple Leaf used to make small bags of frozen grated beef suet, but the past two years I have had to rely on my butcher to supply. I inherited the bowls, steamer, recipe and the job of making the pudding. Tradition!)

Happy Birthday Misty!
Good day to you all. Happy Hanukkah and Happy Festivus to their celebrants.

Yellowrocks said...

Easy puzzle for a very busy day. Much was filled in by perps before reading the clue.
Happy birthday, sweet Misty.I know your party will be a success with such a delightful hostess. Have a wonderful day.
Sorry about your house problems, Lucy. Having that kind of trouble so close to Christmas makes it doubly hard. I am glad things are getting resolved.
Boomer, that reminds me. My day used to say, "I eat my peas with honey. I've done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, but they sure stay on the knife."
Not so placid a busy day. Alan forget several important things to bring while spending a week here. We arranged to go back to his residence for them very early this morning.(45 minutes each way plus time doing business.) Late last night we had trouble with the CPAP machine so we brought it along without telling the staff. Alan has had it for only two days and the staff there now had not been the ones to use it with him so far. That means another two hour trip this afternoon when someone can help us. Busy baking and wrapping.

Misty said...

My goodness, C.C.--you remembered my birthday! I was so surprised and excited to see the picture you posted of my sweet Rowland and me--what a lovely gift! And thank you, everybody for your incredibly kind wishes, you've all just made my day!

I worked hard and am totally prepared for my Christmas (no, not birthday party, and I hope no one mentions it). I wanted to have it yesterday, Sunday, but Rowland's helper Clauder had to work yesterday and so I had to have it today. But I had enough time to log on to the blog this morning, and I'm so glad I did. Thank you again, everybody. And you too, Robert E., for a delightful Monday puzzle.

Spitzboov said...

Forgot to mention:

Happy Birthday, Misty. Hope you have a great, special day.

………………………………………………………………………………………………



How the Little Angel on the Top of the Christmas Tree Came to Be!

One particular Christmas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule. Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her Mom was coming to visit; this stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out at heaven knows where. More stress.

Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys. So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of coffee and a shot of whiskey. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hid the liquor and there was nothing to drink.

In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the coffeepot and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw it was made of. Just then the doorbell rang and Santa cussed on his way to the door. He opened the door and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said, very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas Santa. Isn't it just a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Isn't it just a lovely tree? Where would you like me to stick it?

Thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the tree.

Author Unknown

Anonymous T said...

Hi All!

Thanks RELM for the breezy Monday (pangram) puzzle. Boomer, your expo didn't BORE.

OXEN is one of the few plural words that do not end in "S"
English is WEIRD -- there are many plurals that don't end with 's': odd-balls* (mice), self-plurals (rice, moose, Jedi, fish), -us enders (cacti, maji, ), -x enders (oxen, BOXen(? :-))), -on enders (criteria) etc. This site shows 11 rules before giving up [and never gets to friends of OXEN].

WO: IffY b/f I MAY
ESPs: N/A
Fav: WEIRD and NERD in the same corner.
Boomer - WEIRD Al is actually quite talented.

{B+, A}

Happy Birthday Misty! I'm so glad you're part of The Corner.

I start my chili with beef SUET and season that.

Happy Hanukkah!

Cheers, -T
*I say odd-balls because you just have to know them(? what kind of "rule" is that?).
Mice is funny to me b/c the plural has only 2/5ths of the original letters of the singular (mice/mouse- only the M&E are the same) and, worse, there are fewer letters for more mouses!

Jayce said...

I enjoyed zipping through this puzzle and reading all the comments.

Happy birthday, Misty, and best wishes to you all during this especially festive time of year.

PK said...

Happy Birthday, dear Misty!

PK said...

Gary, love that quote. I "remember what peace there may be in silence" and use my TV remote mute button often.

Bill G said...

That was a very enjoyable Monday puzzle. Thanks.

Happy Birthday Misty. I always enjoy hearing from you.

I think my father used to put out suet for the birds in the winter. Does that make any sense or am I misremembering?

Jinx, speaking of "hormone-poisoned brains," I was a BIG fan of Sophia Loren.

CrossEyedDave said...

Happy Birthday Misty!

And, todays 2 for 1 special! Obligatory Butterflies!

Not to keen on all this modern whistleblowing...

Makes me want to go back and watch an old Black & White movie somehow...

Ol' Man Keith said...

Boomer, I enjoyed reading of your pizza service for the Packers. My sympathies tend toward the Vikings, too.
The outcome of tonight's game might have made a difference here in SoCAL--if the Rams had not lost on Saturday. As it is, I am just as happy that they lost to my hometown team, the 49ers.
I'm happy to join you in that shout-out: Go Vikings!
But for me the BIG game comes next Sunday night, when the '9ers meet the SeaSquawks once again on the latter's home soil. It is high time we rubbed their noses in it.

Easiest Monday Xword we've seen in a while. Ta ~ (bleepin') DA!
~ OMK
____________
DR:
A 3-way on the opp. side.
The central diagonal anagram honors the fancy-dressed spouse of my plain chest-of-drawers...
"MRS. ARMOIRE"!

Wilbur Charles said...

Typically, to send a message to the HOI*polloi , Pete "Grandstand" Rozelle suspended
Hornung and Karras for 1963.

Boomer, here's the trick: tape the game, don't answer phone or doorbell, no cell or internet, wait c45 minutes; begin playing and ff thru commercials. My old service allowed 30 seconds on a single button push. Now I'm streaming and can't ff or tape. Aaarrgggh!!! The cutie pie who only says "Why?!!!!!!" Aaarrgggh!aaaarrrggghhh!!!!!!

Gumperson's Law #19: If there's 1000 cars in the lot, when you get to yours the people in the car next to you will show up at the same time!!!

AMEN probably is derived from the Egyptian God Amen-Ra.

Oops, I got my Mideast Capitols mixed up for an FIW. Careless mistake for two in a row.
I see Ms DAY passed last May. She passed on Mrs Robinson role. That would've been a challenge.

Happy birthday to Misty, I'm two months older.
As one can see I'm a fan of Boomer write-ups

WC

* Also a recent clue/answer

Ol' Man Keith said...

WC ~
You're not the first to propose that the Herbew word "Amen" may derive from the Egyptian "Amen-Ra" or from the other Egyptian word "Amun." But most scholars think that link to be spurious.
~ OMK

Ol' Man Keith said...

My birthday special for...
MISTY!
(Click, and then click again.)
Happy Birthday!
OMK

Yuman said...

Happy birthday Misty. Anonymous, thanks for the spelling review. The older I get the worse my spelling gets, spellcheck has become my new
BFF. Here in the sunniest city in the US, we are going to have a week of cool, cloudy, rainy weather. A nice change for us “Desert Rats” but feel sorry for all the folks that paid big bucks at the resorts to enjoy the sun and warmth of the desert.

Ray - O - Sunshine said...

Long day at work. Last few gifts wrapped and extra leaves lugged up from the cellar to adequately expand the dining room table for Christmas Eve and Day.

Finally folded the paper, found a pen and started on one of the easiest Monday puzzles, finished in a few minutes with no errors.

Two Italian volcanoes: Etna and Sofia..

Always thought Amon Ra was an Egyptian Deli sandwich.

Whistle blower in a high chair: Lifeguard

Wilbur Charles said...

OMK, I was applying the principle of OCCAM's* razor. eg The simplest explanation is most likely correct. Plus, we really KNOW very little.

The libraries were systematically burned, information was transcribed by monks. It could easily be a universal practice that simply transfered to early christanity.

As with so much it's origins were forgotten

WC
* I know I saw Occam recently but exactly which xword???

TTP said...



Wilbur, hi, it was in Peter Koetters' "At The Helm" crossword yesterday.

103D: Logical "razor" creator: OCCAM.

Lucina said...

I have a Dictionary of Word Origins by John Ayto and though I don't know how definitive his conclusions are this is the entry for AMEN:

Amen was originally a Hebrew noun, amen, 'truth' (based on the verb aman 'strengthen, confirm'), which was used adverbially as an expression of confirmation or agreement. Biblical texts translated from Hebrew simply took it over unaltered (the Greek Septuagint, for example) and although at first Old English versions of the gospels substituted an indigenous term, 'truly', by the 11th century AMEN had entered English, too.

I had never heard of the Amen-Ra connection.

Misty said...

Wow! Old Man Keith! Beatles and Freddie Mercury (?) wishing me a happy birthday! I don't think it gets any cooler than this! Thank you so much!

Anonymous T said...

Lucina - this is a bit tangential to AMEN == Truth.
Playing D&D w/ 'the kids' [read: Eldest's friends], I kept hearing "That Tracks." I finally figured out 'that tracks' meant "that makes sense; 'tis true." AMEN
#LanguageIsFun

I'll be waiting for 'that tracks' to show up one day in a puzzle.

Cheers, -T