google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Tuesday December 24, 2019 Mark McClain

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Dec 24, 2019

Tuesday December 24, 2019 Mark McClain

You Can Bank On It.  The word Bank can follow the first word of each theme answer to give us a new concept.

17-Across. *   Nutrition guide: FOOD PYRAMID.  A Food Bank is generally a non-profit, charitable organization that distributes food to those in need.



24-Across. *  Comprehensive personal philosophy: WORLD VIEW.  The World Bank is an international financial institution whose mission is to end extreme poverty and to promote prosperity in a shared way.


34-Across. *   Horse breeder's concern: BLOOD LINE.  The first Blood Bank in the United States was established in 1936.

46-Across. *   Figuratively, whence some unexpected ideas: LEFT FIELD.  The Left Bank,  or La Rive Gauche, is a district of Paris.


And the unifier:
53-Across. 9:00 AM weekday event, typically ... and what the first word in the answers to starred clues can be: BANK OPENING.



Across:
1. Drains of energy: SAPS.

5. Pay with a credit card: CHARGE.

11. FDR's successor: HST.  Harry S Truman (May 8, 1884 ~ Dec. 26, 1972) became 33rd President of the United States following the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Jan. 30, 1882 ~ Apr. 12, 1945).

14. Gillette razor: ATRA.


15. Alabama's cross-state rival: AUBURN.  On November 30, 2019, the Alabama Crimson Tide played against the Auburn Tigers in football.  Auburn beat Alabama with a final score of 48 to 45.

16. Par-three eagle: ACE.  The obligatory golfing clue and answer.

19. Big coffee holder: URN.


20. Battery terminals: ANODES.  The Anode is the negative electrode of the battery.


21. Chant for Real Madrid: ¡OLÉ!  ¡OLÉ!   Today's Spanish lesson.

23. Send (to) for treatment: REFER.

27. Disney CEO Robert: IGER.  Roger Allen Iger (b. Feb. 10, 1951) was the President of ABC Television before moving over to Disney.

Mr. Iger is on the left.

28. Cross-shaped Greek letters: TAUs.  I liked how this crossed with 28-Down: New Mexico art colony: TAOS.  The two words differ by only 1 letter.  But that one letter makes a world of difference!
Taus

Taos

29. Yardstick unit: INCH.  // And 44-Across: Yardstick units: FEET.


30. Grass farm roll: SOD.


31. Truth: FACT.

32. Small boat: DINGHY.  The word Dinghy comes from the Bengali word ḍiṅgi.  It seems to be a generic word that can describe a plethora of small boats.  I'll leave it to our resident seafarer, Spitzboov, provide us with his expertise on all things related to ships and boats.

36. Covent Garden productions: OPERAs.  The Royal Opera House in London is sometimes referred to as Covent Garden, although  Covent Garden  is so much more.


39. Driver's one-eighties: UIEs.
40. Gave birth to: HAD.

43. CBS legal drama "The Good __": WIFE.  I never watched this show, which ran for 7 seasons, from 2009 until 2016.


45. Novelist Caleb: CARR.  Caleb Carr (b. Aug. 2, 1955) appears with some frequency in the crossword puzzles.  He is best known for his novel The Alienist, which I read about 20 years ago.  It was a fascinating book and I really liked the author's style of writing.


49. Mint family herb: THYME.



50. Corkscrew pasta: ROTINI.


51. Rose impressively: SOARED.


52. Big name in ATMs: NCR.  The company formerly known as National Cash Register Company is known for producing Automatic Teller Machines.

56. To this moment: YET.

57. Lacking nothing: ENTIRE.

58. Falco of "Nurse Jackie": EDIE.  Edie Falco (née Edith Falco; b. July 5, 1963) also played Carmela Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos.  I never watched Nurse Jackie, but did watch The Sopranos.

59. Insured investments: Abbr.: CDs.  As in Certificates of Deposit.

60. Ready for more action: RESTED.

61. Run the show: LEAD.

Down:
1. African adventures: SAFARIs.


2. In a single try: AT ONE GO.  Not a phrase I would be apt to use.

3. Checked for errors: PROOFED.

4. More glum: SADDER.


5. Little isles: CAYS.

The Tobago Cays

6. "Ben-__": Heston epic: HUR.  The movie Ben-Hur was based on the novel of the same name by Lew Wallace (Apr. 10, 1827- Feb. 15, 1905).   The story line follows the life of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince who was enslaved by the Romans at the beginning of the first century.  He later became a charioteer and converted to Christianity.

7. Org. with many judges: ABA.  As in the American Bar Association.

8. Grapevine fodder: RUMORS.  I initially tried Gossip, which fit into the spaces provided.

9. Barbecue: GRILL.


10. Came to a close: ENDED.

11. Semi activity: HAULING.


12. With 36-Down, nocturnal bird with a shrill cry: SCREECH.  //  And 36-Down: See 12-Down: OWL.



13. Down-for-the-count count: TEN.

18. Part of mph: PER.  As in Miles Per Hour.

22. Like ewe, but not me: OVINE.  Cute clue.



24. City between Austin and Dallas: WACO.  There's lots to do in Waco.  Did you know the city was the home of Dr. Pepper?


25. Best in an épée match: OUT DUEL.  //  And 44-Down. Deceptive fencing moves: FEINTS.



26. Tot's query: WHY?

31. Home of the SEC's Gators: FLA.  The University of Florida's mascot are the Gators.


32. Nutrition regimen: DIET.

33. Officeholders: INs.  Because Elected doesn't fit.

34. One of hockey's Hulls: BRETT.  The only hockey Hull I am familiar with is Bobby Hull (né Robert Marvin Hull; b. Jan. 3, 1939).  Apparently, he is the father of Brett Hull (né Brett Andrew Hull; b. Aug. 9, 1964).  Brett played professional hockey for several teams, including the Calgary Flames and the Detroit Red Wings.



35. Stretched the truth: LIED.

37. Poked a hole in: PIERCED.

See 26-Down.

38. Concerted tries: EFFORTS.

40. Fall outing in a wagon: HAYRIDE.  Are you familiar with the Louisiana Hayride?

41. Country south of Georgia: ARMENIA.  The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian is a fascinating historical novel about Armenia in 1915.



42. Made deeper, as a shipping lane: DREDGED.  Here are some Dredging Projects in Louisiana.



45. Coco of fashion: CHANEL.  Coco Chanel (née Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel; Aug. 19, 1883 ~ Jan. 10, 1971) makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.


47. __ optic cable: FIBER.



48. Completely absurd: INANE.

49. Low digit: TOE.  Funny!  Nice misdirection, but I wasn't fooled this time.



51. Went quickly: SPED.

52. Home of MoMA: NYC.  The Museum of Modern Art is located in New York City.


54. Hobbyist's buy: KIT.

55. Smelter input: ORE.  Smelting is the process of applying intense heat to ore for extracting the base metal.


Here's the Grid:


I wish all who celebrate a very Merry Christmas!





QOD:  If you want to be happy for life, love what you do.  ~  Mary Higgins Clark (née Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins; b. Dec. 24, 1927), American author

50 comments:

OwenKL said...

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Provide us tastes and smells sublime!
For folk-song-ish reasons
They are the four seasons,
With solstice as Scarborough Fair time!

I write my poems AT ONE GO
PROOF reading them would only slow
The creative drive
By which they arrive --
(By special delivery from WACO!)

A brainy girl from ARMENIA
Filled crevices in her crania
With trivial FACTS,
Oft inexact,
And puns and other such INANIA!

{B, B, B+.}

Lemonade714 said...

Owen, you are grading yourself too harshly this morning. All three are very entertaining.

Before D-O says it - you can always bank on Mark McClain to provide a fun puzzle with some challenge.

I knew a girl named Armenia once upon a time. Lots of SEC with my CSO -GATORS and the AUBURN and ALABAMA connection. ROTINI also makes a quick reappearance.

I hope you have your shopping done, but it is all right if your present get here late. Thank you, Mark and Susan.

Mark McClain said...

Sorry to disappoint any of you who were hoping for a Christmas themed puzzle on Christmas eve! Maybe tomorrow? But, if you can't wait, grab your mobile device and click on the Daily POP Crosswords app! Don't have it? It's free from the usual sources depending on your device. The series is managed, curated, and edited by the illustrious Patti Varol (of LA Times assistant editorship fame), and it offers a new pop culture themed puzzle every day. See my Facebook page for more details!

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

Dang. Lemonade was too quick. Only needed Wite-Out to change TWO (D'oh!) to ONE to ACE. Thanx, Mark and Hahtoolah (Loved your caption for Iger. Reminds me of the old joke: Grandpa's down at the pig pen. You can tell him from the hogs, 'cause he's got his hat on.)

FOOD BANK: I always send a December check to our county food bank.

WACO/DINGHY: Dw isn't a WACO, but if she had a boat, it'd be a DINGHY.

ATRA: Razor blades have gotten s-o-o-o-o expensive. That 30-pack would set you back more than $60. Personally, I prefer Sensor to Atra.

THYME: If you've got the money, Honey...

HAYRIDE: I went on a few back in my ute. You?

Oas said...

Merry Christmas to all.
Breezed through this one to FIR after changing Keys to CAYS and One to ACE.
Cheers

Montana said...

Quickly solved the puzzle, but couldn’t get the theme. Had to come here to find it. Thanks for the informative writup.
My son is a board member of the Food Bsnk of the Rockies. My little community makes Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to donate. We are thinking of adding them to Easter next year.

Enjoy the next few days, everyone,
Montana

Jinx in Norfolk said...

FIR, but erased feigns for FEINTS.

Most cards from American Express are CHARGE cards, not credit cards. You have to pay them off every month. When I was a kid, Mom had several CHARGE cards from big stores in Cincinnati. We would drive there for our back-to-school shopping every fall, and maybe take in a Reds game at Crosley Field.

DINGHYs are small, but aren't necessarily inexpensive. Olympic-class ones like the 49er can cost over $100,000 after adding all the go-fast goodies and sails.

I used to live a half block from the Thoroughbred Record, which had many articles about BLOODLINES of race horses. A pal had a degree in animal husbandry and did BLOODLINE research for the publication.

Hampton Roads Harbor is being dredged to 55 feet to accommodate the newest ultra-large container ships.

Had to force myself to not fill in FIBre, Eh!

I liked having RUMORS, FACT and LIED in this puzzle. RUMOR had it that Uncle Miltie had a foot on each side and at least a foot in between.

Thanks for the fun puzzle, Mark. And thanks to Hahtoolah for the fun tour, although I was surprised to see the naughty pictures of the trucks. I wonder if they'll have some little Priuses (Priusi?) in nine months?

Big Easy said...

BANKS should be low on ca$h today. Little kids like presents that parents CHARGE using cards but teenagers prefer the green stuff and that's what they get. I refuse to get a gift card for anything. Stores love them because they aren't always used, sometimes they are lost, and it's a free loan for them.

I did this puzzle AT ONE GO in a few minutes, with Caleb CARR & BRETT unknowns solved by perps. IMHO "IN" one go sounds better.

D-Otto-FOOD BANK- after the hurricane that hit Houston a couple of years ago we sent to Sam's Wholesale and bought about $400 of food, paper goods, & diapers. Took it to the 2nd Harvest BANK. They thanks us but said they really prefer cash donations so that they could make the decision as to what was needed. I couldn't believe what I heard.

Thanks for stopping by Mark and the offer but I'm not a Xword junkie. The only puzzles I do are the Wed-Sun LA Times ones in the newspaper and the WSJ Saturday. Pen & ink only.

Montana said...

I downloaded the app Mark suggested.
Fun holiday puzzle today.

Montana

Angel Fire said...

The picture in write up that is posted to represent the artist community of TAOS is actually a picture of an area north of TAOS known as Taos Pueblo. It is a community with a rich history of indigenous people that is recognized as the oldest continously inhabited community in North America.

TAOS as clued by the puzzle is city inhabited by mostly white hippies who like to grow chiles and partake in the sacrificial herb.

Anonymous said...

Nice puzzle today. I dislike Uies (and it's alternative spellings) and don't consider Carr to be a frequent clue/answer. I finished in under 6 minutes, which leaves me more time to procrastinate my holiday wrapping.

Lucina said...

Hola!

Thank you, Mark McClain and Hahtoolah!

The theme was easy to see once I finished the puzzle.

Today my screen saver was a white OWL but not a SCREECH OWL. Microsoft provides the screen shots every day.

EDIE Falco is a frequent puzzle fill but I don't recall seeing Caleb CARR at all. BRETT and CARR emerged from perps.

Coco CHANEL is another frequent puzzle visitor as is TAOS. I have been to TAOS and did not see the village shown in the photo. The main street is a series of artists' shops and restaurants.

Yesterday my garbage disposal started leaking so I'm off to Lowe's to buy a new one. I wonder what else can happen this week?

Have a terrific Christmas Eve, everyone!

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

My kind of puzzle: No clue to the theme until the Aha reveal. The only unknown was Brett and the only w/os were One/Ace and Two/Toe. I liked the duos of Inch ~ Feet and Feints ~ Out Duel. Caleb Carr's, "The Alienist", became a TV movie which was well done, but embellished with characters and sub-plots beyond the novel's scope. I never saw "The Sopranos" but I saw the entire series of "Nurse Jackie" on Netflix; Edie Falco was superb as the tortured, drug addicted nurse.

Thanks, Mark, for a Tuesday treat and for dropping by and thanks, Hatoolah, for the informative commentary and the eye-popping number of pictures and links. Now I know what Mr. Iger looks like! 🙊

Have a great day.

Hungry Mother said...

Nice and easy. Loved “The Good Wife” and love “The Good Work”, a lawyer show with a sub-theme of a windmill expert.

CanadianEh! said...

Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Mark (thanks for dropping by) and Hahtoolah.
Yes, I was looking for a Christmas Eve theme, but this CW filled quickly and I saw the BANK theme. (Theme continued with CHARGE, NCR and CDS)
But almost a Natick in the SW corner because CDS as clued is not a Canadian term, and MoMa took a moment for this Canadian to remember. Glad I did not remain out in LEFT FIELD.

I have told you here before about my wonderful SAFARI experience.
Hand up for Feigns before FEINTS.
In Canada, HST stands for Harmonized Sales Tax (combined federal and provincial tax on goods & services) which is currently 13% in Ontario.
I did not remember CARR but perps filled it in. But this Canadian hockey fan knew BRETT.
HAD seems like an anticlimactic word to use to describe giving birth!

I LOLed at Jinx wanting to enter Fibre. I entered FIBER (with a sigh), but missed the plural at first and entered RUMOUR. Oh the joys of Canadian/British spelling.

Wishing all my Corner friends best wishes of the Season.

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-A _ _ _ _ I A gave me ALBANIA and ALGERIA first. Yeah, I'm embarrassed!
-Two friends now grow SOD instead of corn and are doing very well
-Where my DW’s twin works
-RESTED – Some NBA teams sit their stars during the season so they are ready for the playoffs. Too bad if you paid big money to see a star player
-PROOFING – I greatly admire teachers who not only read drivel but also do this
-Raise your hand if you know what Chip and Joanna Gaines do in WACO, Texas
-My brother and I put together many Revell Car KITS and hardly ever sniffed the glue :-)
-Off to the BANK to get $100 bills. Grandkids will have to use a GPS device from my physics lab to find them outside in the neighborhood.

Abejo said...

Good morning, folks. Thank you, Mark McClain, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Hahtoolah, for a fine review.

Got through the puzzle easily. Theme appeared. Worked for me.

I watched that AUBURN ALABAMA game. It was pretty good.

HST was easy. Of course the S stands for nothing. Harry had no middle name so he plugged in the S so he would blend in. Oh, so I heard.

I can't wait to be able to donate blood again. I am on a two year hold due to my surgery and cancer this past summer.

Anyhow, have to run. I still have shopping to do. Off to Woodfield Mall. Learned that the FIELD in Woodfield was for Marshall Field who helped finance the Mall. Bit of trivia.

Playing in our church band tonight at 10:30. Then home to bed.

See you tomorrow.

Abejo

( )

Anonymous said...

Good puzzle and write up, thanks. Didn't need to see that pierced face, though.

Madame Defarge said...

Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. . . .

Good Morning.

Quite a fine puzzle, Mark, but I subbed my TOE in the southeast and couldn't get off numerical digits. The theme came to me just as I finished. Thank you.

Hatoolah, thank you for another detailed tour around the grid. I appreciate the time you put into our pleasure.

Abejo: To further your shopping pleasure, Arthur Wood of Sears is the other major investor in Woodfield Mall. Sears and Fields were the two original anchor stores. The mall was not quite as mammoth as it is today.

It was quite a blanket of fog this morning. My first thought was "Then one foggy Christmas Eve. . . ."

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all, and to all a good night.

jfromvt said...

I’m with Anonymous, the pierced face turned my stomach!

A typical Tuesday, I thought ATONEGO and UIES were a stretch, but needed to fill the puzzle I guess. I was fooled for a bit by TOE, had ONE first and I knew that was wrong.

Merry Christmas!

Spitzboov said...

Good morning everyone.

Nice intro, Hahtoolah. Lots of interesting stuff.

Anon -T - FLN "That tracks" I've heard sporadically over the years; perhaps in a narrower sense that today's youngsters. Seems as if it's almost a 'filler' word like "like".

Did today's solve without mishap. FIR. No searches were needed. We've had NCR before. Nice theme; 4 different kinds of banks.
LEFT BANK - By convention when facing downstream. Sanitary engineers would reverse that by facing upstream. We would kid them about it by observing that they had to see what was 'coming' at them.
DREDGE - Many harbors and pier sides are being dredged deeper to accommodate larger vessels. Dredging rivers is necessary, too. Because it alters the bathymetry and hence, the hydraulic profile, compensating works such as jetties must also be considered, to preserve riparians' interests.
DINGHY - Typically a small boat carried on or towed behind a larger boat as a tender or a lifeboat. Our ship carried 2 motor whaleboats, one of which would be used as the Captain's Gig as needed. Used as a liberty boat if we were anchored out or for personnel transfers at sea if highline or helo was not feasible.

Lemonade714 said...

For me, the picture of Katy Perry's diamond-encrusted mouth was more disturbing than pierce-face.

The other Georgia is always hard for the geographically challenged Norte Americanos, HG, so I assume you were not alone.

Mark, as usual, thank you for stopping by.

desper-otto said...

That was Katy Perry? I thought that was "Jaws" from the James Bond movies.

Hungry Mother said...

Sorry, “Good Fight.”

Anonymous T said...

Rumour has it, Mark was looking for the plural and not C, Eh!'s spelling...
//Jinx / C, Eh! - I left the last two blocks blank waiting on RE | ER to perp for FIBRE. I swear I see one spelling as oft as the other.

Hi All!

A couple of missteps today but got'er done. Thanks Mark for a puzzle we could bank for the FIR. [I knew I'd be late for that pun]
Also, thanks for stopping by. I may try the POP puzzles but, unless I'm traveling, I limit myself to one puzzle a day.

Except for the GRILL & PIERCED pics (eww) wonderful expo Hahtoolah. I really enjoyed the Louisiana HAYRIDE link.

WOs: Rumour, Two b/f TOE, NEC b/f NCR, WHo b/f WHY
ESPs: CARR, BRETT
FAV: I really liked the TAUs / TAOS crossing

{A, B, B+}

They're looking to deepen (and widen) the Houston Ship CHANnEL again.

HG - DW spends >20min per paper when grading. It's all electronic now so there's no longer student red-ink embarrassment when they get their papers back :-)
Oh, I forgot the fun you have getting the kids to work for their presents! A Geo-hunt sounds like fun!

Back to work...

Cheers, -T

Misty said...

Delightful Tuesday puzzle, thanks, Mark, and thanks for stopping by. And Susan, your pictures are always amazing. I too loved the way the reveal at the bottom suddenly made sense of all the starred word beginnings. Irish Miss, I too liked EDIE Falco in "Nurse Jackie." Never heard of a SCREECH OWL, but another neat puzzle item. So lots of fun, many thanks again, Mark.

Only nine people turned up for my Christmas party last evening, probably due to the rare rain, but my guests actually liked the smaller grouping and still did a good job digging into the food. So it all made for a joyful birthday and holiday celebration for me.

Have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season, everyone.

Lucina said...

Many years ago when the Rawhide restaurant and entertainment area was located in Scottsdale they offered HAYRIDEs and we loved to go. The children were all small and had a great time.

On seeing Georgia of course I thought of the state then noticed what COUNTRY is south of it. I guessed ARMENIA which was right.

My new garbage disposal is in place thanks to the kindness of a friend. That was a true Christmas gift as the sink will be in high demand today.

Jayce said...

I liked this well-constructed puzzle. I usually like Mark McClain's work.

Owen, I also very much enjoyed your verses today.

I remember a TV commercial in which Tim Conway pronounced the breakfast cereal as "fruit 'n' feebray." He was an exceptionally funny guy.

Good wishes to you all.

Jayce said...

Lucina, that good friend sure installed your new disposal really fast!

PK said...

Happy Holidays, Corner friends!

Great fun challenging puzzle, Mark! Great interesting commentary, Susan!

IGER slowed me down because I can never remember the "G" tucked in there. Tried six other letters. Duh!

Hayrides were an annual enjoyable event in my teen years. The one planned by a parent when I was a 4-H leader caused severe anxiety because of the number of littler lively kids. Despite my worst fears, no one fell under the hayrack or was run over by the tractor. However, no one wanted to do it the next year. Too much thrashing about in the dark & cold at the weenie roast site.

Gary, hope none of the neighbors or their dogs see you hiding cash and "find" it before your kids.

Misty, glad your party was fun even if it was more "intimate" than expected.

Pierced face: surely most of those tacks are glue-ons. You'd have to screw anything else into the bone of the forehead. Too gruesome!

PK said...

I've also been to TAOS and thought the artwork seen everywhere was very enjoyable but too expensive to buy.

Wilbur Charles said...


26. Tot's query: WHY? c my rant about that advert FLN

All three Hulls played on a line in the WHA c 1972

The "Good Wife" reminded me of Raj with his telescope not "peeping" but watching.

WC


Lucina said...

Jayce;
The installer is my friend Mark's son. Mark had called him to replace a sink faucet since he is on vacation and while there, he asked him to install my disposal. I needed that kind of serendipity!

CrossEyedDave said...

You know, there is something funny about Banks...

(Just bookmarking my place...)

OwenKL said...

Angel Fire -- At last, someone else from New Mexico! After so many years here, I was beginning to think I was the only one in the state who ever worked crosswords! I hope we see you more often! And love your comments on Taos. I spent some time there, and agree fully!

Anon@8:24 -- Agree on UIES and CARR. Propitious Procrastination Eve!

IM -- The Alienist IIRC was a TV series, not a movie. I watch the first episode, was sickened by the graphic horror, and avoided it thereafter.

Speaking of graphic horror, I'll agree on the pierced faces. Does not pass the breakfast test. I almost walked out of a restaurant once when our waiter had some face piercings.

DREDGE was one of the words in one of the Sunday Jumbles, and THYME was in there today.

Wilbur Charles said...

I meant to add that as I recall, the Truman's, mere et pere had two potential relatives for whom baby Harry could use as his middle name-both beginning with S. So, to avoid rancor, they just named him Harry S Truman.
And.. Speaking of rancor, current POTUS hasn't seen anything like what "Give 'em Hell, Harry" got and gave.

Lew Wallace was the governor of Arizona in his spare time. He might have been asked to mediate things in Tombstone with those fractious EARP*s and Clantons

The ABA had some great bballers including the"Doctor". But I better LIU on that one. Yep. "Erving helped legitimize the American Basketball Association (ABA)[1] and was the best-known player in that league when it merged into the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the 1975–76 season.(wiki)"

Re. Happy for Life ..
this advice goes both ways

WC


Wilbur Charles said...

* EARP is in caps per the Wilbur 14 day rule. Then again that covers a lot

Ol' Man Keith said...

Well, the Packers made it. Sorry for the Vikings!
At least I have the satisfaction of knowing my 'Niners whupped 'em--whupped 'em good.

Merry Christmas everybody! I doubt I'll be around tomorrow, so I wish you all the joy of the day!
~ OMK
____________
DR:
One solid diagonal NW to SE.
It offers a couple of anagrams. Take your pick of either a reference to those poor souls dependent on heroin,...
"TAR ADDICTS"!
- or -
a poor rodent driven mad by too many lab mazes, an...
"IDIOTIC RAT"!

CrossEyedDave said...

Daughters#1,2,&3 tonite...

(I hope this works...)

Anonymous T said...

CED - It does not work for the general audience. -T

Ray - O - Sunshine said...

Easier puzzle than yesterday. All hits, no errors. Finished ATONEGO. (sounds like a Caribbean Island.)

As a nod to antisexism Ben-HUR will now be known as Ben-THEM.

Kinda think a LIE is more than stretching the truth. Doesnt even rate as the neologism, an "alternative fact"

Florida is south of Georgia and the CAYS (Keys) even further south.

Why stop at just two OLÉS? I like that oil: Olay Olay Olay

Last night the wife and I thought we heard SCREECH OWLS in the woods behind the house...but no...just the neighbors arguing.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight.

Misty said...

Thank you, PK.

Irish Miss said...

Owen @ 5:01 ~ Your memory is correct, it was a multi-episode series, not a movie. Thanks for the correction.

OwenKL said...

CED's photo is visible only to Facebook friends of Dave Gordon. (no need to repost anything, CED, just change that FB post from friends to public. I'm sure one of your lovely daughters can show you how!)

CrossEyedDave said...

Thanks Owen, but it's on DW's Facebook,
So Daughter #3 copied it to my YouTube Channel
so you could all enjoy...

Merry Christmas!

From left to right,
Daughters #1, #2 & #3
12/24/19

D4E4H said...

Carol and I FIR in 24:36 min.

Good evening Cornerites.

Thank you Mark McClain for your enjoyable Tuesday CW.

Thank you Hahtoolah for your excellent review.  You have outdone yourself today.

Ðave 

D4E4H said...

The Randy Report:

Hi.  I'm Randolph the Redneck Reindeer, Rudolph's cousin. I want to set the record straight.  Olive, the other reindeer, did laugh, and call Rudolph names, but "Then one foggy Christmas eve Santa came to say...." is not at all how Rudolph nosed out the competition.  Also, the night was not full of amphibians.  That would be a "Froggy night."

Here is what really happened.  The whole family has the gift.  We were invited to compete for brightest nose on the Polar Non-reality show Arctic Idle.  Santa and two of his lead elves were the judges, and I swear they were high on candy cocanes.

My mother and Rudolph's mother are sisters.  They sang a doet that was wonderful.  When they put their heads together you had better have on your Reinbans to protect your eyes.  From the starting 12 participants, deer were eliminated  till only 3 remained, Rudolph, my brother John, and me.  I took it in stride when Rudolph won, but John was so envious that he added an "E" to the end of his surname to differentiate him from "You know who."  He is still in John Deere Green!

And another thing, did you know that the eight reindeer that pull Santa's sleigh are female.  Forget their stage names.  They are really Beatrice, Paula, Monica, Susan, Charlotte, Anne, Althea, and Betty.

Please laugh wholeheartedly often.  Santa registers this on his hohometer.  Each chuckle is a vote to keep Rudolph and his coworkers pulling for Santa who is under pressure to replace them with jet engines.  There is even a proposal to scrap the Santa delivery system completely, and use Amazon, and Fed Ex.  Remember: A snicker in time saves nine, and a chortle a day keeps Fed Ex away.

SINcerely,

Randy

Lucina said...

CEDave:
Your daughter's song is beautiful! They have lovely voices. Thank you for sharing.

PK said...

CEDave: Enjoyed your lovely daughters' performance. Is that you playing the piano? If so, good job! Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous T said...

OMK - Considering the opioid crisis, I'll stick with the IDIOTIC RAT.

Lucina - great news about the garbage disposal. And, by my count, your run of luck just hit three; you're done :-)

CED - When Eldest sings that song she sounds most like your D#1. Thanks for sharing!

Jayce - I found the Fruit & Fibre commercial. Funny.

Almost forgot re: HAY RIDES. The guy (one of our fireman) down the block fills a long trailer with hay and drives through the neighborhood. Anyone can jump on/off at anytime. A fun way to see the lights in the adjoining enclaves. He does this a few times a week from 1 Dec until Christmas. Sometimes, folks along the route will have warm cider for the riders.

Of course, if you want a real Hay Ride, there's Cowboy Christmas is down the road apace [<6mi] at George Ranch.

Cheers, -T