Theme: Peanuts and Crackerjack - it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the old ballgame!
17A. *Mechanical plaything: WIND-UP TOY. I remember the disappointment as a kid when you overwound the toy and it never worked properly afterwards.
25A. *Dark as can be: PITCH-BLACK. Something along these lines. It's funny, if you Google "pitch-black" you'll find a few of these pictures:
35A. *Duke led one: SWING BAND. Duke Ellington. I was led astray by the school in North Carolina with my thinking at first, then I saw the connection. Let's Take the "A" Train
52A. *Nursery rhyme arachnophobe: MISS MUFFET. She was fond of cottage cheese, evidently, but not such a big fan of the spiders.
61A. Ump's call, often based on a sequence found in the answers to starred clues: STRIKE ONE!
Fun theme from Jeffrey today. The stats put this puzzle firmly in the "Monday" category, but the cluing is tricky in some places hence the Thursday time-slot. Let's take a quick tour.
Across:
1. Puts at ease: CALMS
6. Pinot alternative: CAB. Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon are perhaps the best known, but there are quite a few other pinots and cabs.
9. Something about a painting?: FRAME
14. Ryan of "Paper Moon": O'NEAL
15. Brouhaha: ADO
16. Paint choice: LATEX
19. __-garde: AVANT
20. Ambulance gp.: EMS. Emergency Medical Services.
21. Quick inhalation: GASP
22. Horseshoe-shaped letter: OMEGA
23. Pennant __: RACE. Quite a lot of baseball references today. C.C. will be happy.
28. Patronizes, in a way: STAYS AT
30. "Insecure" actress/writer Issa __: RAE. Thank you, crosses.
31. Enero, por ejemplo: MES
32. Foil alternative: EPÉE. The first of three answers with "É" today.
33. Rock's __ Supply: AIR. They still tour (at least when touring is something you can do). Here's their best-known hit.
34. Campus suffix: EDU
40. Keeps in the email loop: CC'S
43. Comprehend: SEE
44. Litter's littlest: RUNT
47. Chef's dish words: À LA
48. Med. country: ISR.
49. Web page banners: HEADERS
55. Barter: SWAP
56. Cause friction: CHAFE
57. Be up against: ABUT
59. Diner slice: PIE
60. Scoville unit food: CHILI. I've been on the hunt recently for dried smoked ghost peppers, I finally found them on Amazon. A ghost pepper clocks in at over a million Scoville heat units. A jalapeño is around 4,000. I like spicy food!
63. Muscle beach bro: HE-MAN
64. Bedazzle: AWE
65. When left turns are rarely allowed: ON RED. A guy ran a red light last Friday and totalled Jill's car. She wasn't badly hurt, thank God, "just" a couple of broken ribs, bruising, burns from the airbags and shock. The car came off badly, but thank heavens for German engineering.
66. Off-mic comment: ASIDE
67. Furry foot: PAW
68. Fills up: SATES
Down:
1. Hides in fear: COWERS
2. Do some work at Pixar: ANIMATE
3. Protective camera piece: LENS CAP
4. Sore: MAD
5. Whack over the wall: SLUG. More baseball. Jeffrey must be a fan.
6. Keep a Persian company, perhaps: CAT-SIT
7. Take in, as a Persian: ADOPT. I laugh when I hear people say that they "rescued" a cat or a dog. I tell them they just got a free pet from the shelter.
8. Huck Finn, for one: BOY
9. Served blazing: FLAMBÉ
10. "Bolero" composer: RAVEL
11. In the ballpark?: AT A GAME. It really is baseball season today. It must be something to do with the fact that there's no sports going on at the moment.
12. Intimidated: MENACED
13. Interoffice no.: EXT.
18. Bear whose bed was too hard: PAPA
22. Maureen of "Rio Grande": O'HARA
24. Focuses on, as the catcher for signals: EYES
26. Bed with sliding sides: CRIB
27. Sunflower St. school: K.S.U. Kansas State U, home of the Wildcats.
29. Patch, perhaps: SEW
33. Ticket price determinant, at times: AGE
36. A single Time?: ISSUE
37. Soft ball: NERF
38. New Deal agcy.: N.R.A. National Recovery Administration. I had to look that up, I'm not sure I knew what it stood for.
39. Outfit: DUDS
40. Engine part: CAM
41. Trite expressions: CLICHÉS
42. Bento box selection: SASHIMI. Food!
45. Jazz festival site: NEWPORT. Where Bob Dylan went electric and caused all kinds of wailing and teeth-gnashing among the folk-nerds.
46. One learning the ropes: TRAINEE
48. "Nothing's wrong": I'M FINE
49. Bar mitzvah language: HEBREW
50. Notions case: ETUI. Thank you, Crosswords Past.
51. Races round the bases: SPEEDS. Play ball! Again!
53. Caesar __: SALAD. Food! Caesar Cardini is credited with inventing this dish in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico. If you make it at home, don't use those store-bought croutons, make your own. Tear the bread from a french loaf or similar into chunks, give them a light coating of olive oil and maybe some garlic powder and roast them in the oven.
54. Mufti's proclamation: FATWA
58. 17 of Laila Ali's wins, for short: TKO'S. I love Laila Ali. She's a great cook too, she won celebrity "Chopped" and she's back on the show again right now. 24 fights, 24 wins, 21 by TKO's or knockouts. She doesn't look any the worse for wear either!
60. "__-ching!": CHA
61. Weaken: SAP
62. "Bambi" doe: ENA
And I think that about wraps it up for me today. Keep well!
Steve
17A. *Mechanical plaything: WIND-UP TOY. I remember the disappointment as a kid when you overwound the toy and it never worked properly afterwards.
25A. *Dark as can be: PITCH-BLACK. Something along these lines. It's funny, if you Google "pitch-black" you'll find a few of these pictures:
35A. *Duke led one: SWING BAND. Duke Ellington. I was led astray by the school in North Carolina with my thinking at first, then I saw the connection. Let's Take the "A" Train
52A. *Nursery rhyme arachnophobe: MISS MUFFET. She was fond of cottage cheese, evidently, but not such a big fan of the spiders.
61A. Ump's call, often based on a sequence found in the answers to starred clues: STRIKE ONE!
Fun theme from Jeffrey today. The stats put this puzzle firmly in the "Monday" category, but the cluing is tricky in some places hence the Thursday time-slot. Let's take a quick tour.
Across:
1. Puts at ease: CALMS
6. Pinot alternative: CAB. Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon are perhaps the best known, but there are quite a few other pinots and cabs.
9. Something about a painting?: FRAME
14. Ryan of "Paper Moon": O'NEAL
15. Brouhaha: ADO
16. Paint choice: LATEX
19. __-garde: AVANT
20. Ambulance gp.: EMS. Emergency Medical Services.
21. Quick inhalation: GASP
22. Horseshoe-shaped letter: OMEGA
23. Pennant __: RACE. Quite a lot of baseball references today. C.C. will be happy.
28. Patronizes, in a way: STAYS AT
30. "Insecure" actress/writer Issa __: RAE. Thank you, crosses.
31. Enero, por ejemplo: MES
32. Foil alternative: EPÉE. The first of three answers with "É" today.
33. Rock's __ Supply: AIR. They still tour (at least when touring is something you can do). Here's their best-known hit.
34. Campus suffix: EDU
40. Keeps in the email loop: CC'S
43. Comprehend: SEE
44. Litter's littlest: RUNT
47. Chef's dish words: À LA
48. Med. country: ISR.
49. Web page banners: HEADERS
55. Barter: SWAP
56. Cause friction: CHAFE
57. Be up against: ABUT
59. Diner slice: PIE
60. Scoville unit food: CHILI. I've been on the hunt recently for dried smoked ghost peppers, I finally found them on Amazon. A ghost pepper clocks in at over a million Scoville heat units. A jalapeño is around 4,000. I like spicy food!
63. Muscle beach bro: HE-MAN
64. Bedazzle: AWE
65. When left turns are rarely allowed: ON RED. A guy ran a red light last Friday and totalled Jill's car. She wasn't badly hurt, thank God, "just" a couple of broken ribs, bruising, burns from the airbags and shock. The car came off badly, but thank heavens for German engineering.
66. Off-mic comment: ASIDE
67. Furry foot: PAW
68. Fills up: SATES
Down:
1. Hides in fear: COWERS
2. Do some work at Pixar: ANIMATE
3. Protective camera piece: LENS CAP
4. Sore: MAD
5. Whack over the wall: SLUG. More baseball. Jeffrey must be a fan.
6. Keep a Persian company, perhaps: CAT-SIT
7. Take in, as a Persian: ADOPT. I laugh when I hear people say that they "rescued" a cat or a dog. I tell them they just got a free pet from the shelter.
8. Huck Finn, for one: BOY
9. Served blazing: FLAMBÉ
10. "Bolero" composer: RAVEL
11. In the ballpark?: AT A GAME. It really is baseball season today. It must be something to do with the fact that there's no sports going on at the moment.
12. Intimidated: MENACED
13. Interoffice no.: EXT.
18. Bear whose bed was too hard: PAPA
22. Maureen of "Rio Grande": O'HARA
24. Focuses on, as the catcher for signals: EYES
26. Bed with sliding sides: CRIB
27. Sunflower St. school: K.S.U. Kansas State U, home of the Wildcats.
29. Patch, perhaps: SEW
33. Ticket price determinant, at times: AGE
36. A single Time?: ISSUE
37. Soft ball: NERF
38. New Deal agcy.: N.R.A. National Recovery Administration. I had to look that up, I'm not sure I knew what it stood for.
39. Outfit: DUDS
40. Engine part: CAM
41. Trite expressions: CLICHÉS
42. Bento box selection: SASHIMI. Food!
45. Jazz festival site: NEWPORT. Where Bob Dylan went electric and caused all kinds of wailing and teeth-gnashing among the folk-nerds.
46. One learning the ropes: TRAINEE
48. "Nothing's wrong": I'M FINE
49. Bar mitzvah language: HEBREW
50. Notions case: ETUI. Thank you, Crosswords Past.
51. Races round the bases: SPEEDS. Play ball! Again!
53. Caesar __: SALAD. Food! Caesar Cardini is credited with inventing this dish in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico. If you make it at home, don't use those store-bought croutons, make your own. Tear the bread from a french loaf or similar into chunks, give them a light coating of olive oil and maybe some garlic powder and roast them in the oven.
54. Mufti's proclamation: FATWA
58. 17 of Laila Ali's wins, for short: TKO'S. I love Laila Ali. She's a great cook too, she won celebrity "Chopped" and she's back on the show again right now. 24 fights, 24 wins, 21 by TKO's or knockouts. She doesn't look any the worse for wear either!
60. "__-ching!": CHA
61. Weaken: SAP
62. "Bambi" doe: ENA
And I think that about wraps it up for me today. Keep well!
Steve
67 comments:
See the pitcher WIND UP with the ball,
The PITCH is thrown, it doesn't crawl.
A mighty SWING by the batter
Is a MISS so doesn't matter,
And the ump's "STRIKE ONE" is the call!
A favored gift for nerdy BOY
Is a fancy WIND-UP TOY.
With his tool kit
He will nuke it
Since disassembling is his joy!
{B+, A-.}
A very easy Thursday.
Good morning!
Very clever of JW. I didn't get the theme until the reveal (which I actually read). Didn't realize that a pennant RACE was about baseball; thought it was just a "capture the flag" thing. Noticed the SO to C.C. at 40a. Looked long and hard at DUDS -- are we talking about clothing? Thanx for the tour, Steve. (No ghost peppers for d-o, even a habanero [400,000-450,000] is way to hot IMO.)
PITCH BLACK: Steve's illustration looks like a photo of a Rothko painting.
HEBREW: DW's niece is a pediatrician in Dresden. She married an Israeli, so son, Noam, is being brought up speaking German, Hebrew, and English.
FATWA: Is there a thin variety? Or maybe a FATWTF?
I would guess that this really fun puzzle was scheduled today because March 26, 2020, was the date when Major League Baseball was scheduled to begin. I really loved the skill in having the theme fill progress the way it did. The other baseball references, the Persian cat clecho, and the CSO to CC all show off JW's skill and sense of humor.
Be careful and be safe.
Fun baseball theme, which I love. Hopefully they will be playing sometime this year, but we’ll see.
I enjoy Jeffrey’s puzzles; this was one of his easier ones I thought. More of a Tuesday difficulty.
Good Morning, Steve and friends. This puzzle made me miss the days when I lived walking distance to Fenway Park.
Lots of fun gems in today's puzzle.
The Jazz Festival not New Orleans (not enought letters), but in Newport, Rhode Island. The one in New Orleans has been postponed. It was scheduled for April 23 to May 3, 2020. Perhaps by August, when the one in Rhode Island is scheduled, things will be back in swing again.
My favorite clues were: Something about a painting = FRAME, and
Foil Alternative = ÉPÉE. That was a nice fresh clue for an old crossword staple.
I smiled at the two Persian cat clues and answers. A beautiful and friendly tiger (not Persian) cat has decided to ADOPT us. It appeared a couple months ago and just hangs out in the yard. It is on my deck early in the morning, and late at night. Now it sits with me when I read out in my back yard. It wears a collar, but no ID tag, so it belongs to someone, but no one in my neighborhood claims it.
QOD: When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~ Viktor Frankl (né Viktor Emil Frankl; Mar. 26, 1905 ~ Sept. 2, 1997), Austrian neurologist
Took only 7:04, which must be a record for me for a Mr. Wechsler Thursday puzzle.
What jfromvt said. Great fun. FIR, but erased get for SEE and ana for ENA.
My mom and two older sisters were Chi OMEGAs, and their sorority songs still ring in my head. They all end with "X and a horseshoe, CHI-O" sung to the tune of "shave and a haircut".
Hand up for thinking of Coach K's cagers for Duke.
Don't most states allow left-turn-on-red onto one way streets running from the stoppee's right to left? If not I've risked a lot of tickets.
Newport also used to be the America's Cup home. The longest winning streak in sports history was ended when Australia defeated Dennis Conner's rag-baggers.
When your wife says "nothing's wrong", SOMETHING'S WRONG!!!
First trip to the Norfolk grocery store this year. Senior hours from 6AM to 7AM. Still almost no meat or rice. Lots of old farts wearing masks, stocking up on TP and paper towels. Plenty of lettuce, and picked up a beautiful head of romaine. Caesar SALADs in our future!
Thanks to JefWech for the terrific puzzle, and to Steve for the fun review.
FLN: Lucina, a school chum's mom was named Faith and her aunt was named Hope. She only had the one aunt, but I think we can guess what an additional one would have been named.
A fun puzzle that made me nostalgic for MLB's Opening Day whenever that may be postponed to!
It always overlapped NCAA basketball's March Madness but all's quiet right now.
My eyes weren't fully awake so I thought "Mufti" was "Mutti" so originally looking for something a German mother would proclaim - D'oh!
Heading to the office - which will likely be quiet as many are cancelling their regularly scheduled appts to avoid risk of exposure!
Thanks Steve and JW!
Hope Jill feels better soon!
Good morning everyone.
Nicely themed puzzle from Jeff to mark the start of the planned baseball season. Always an interesting set of clues. Small muck-up in the E central; I had Kan before KSU but EDU beckoned strongly. I think we've had MES before. Some fresh fill with ANIMATE and COWERS.
PITCH BLACK - aka "Darker than the inside of a cow."
Steve - Wishing Jill a SPEEDy recovery and an agreeable new car hunt.
No striking out here. I broke out in a home run trot , circling the bases on this well-clued Thursday puzzle.
Steve, your PITCH BLACK image convinced me it was time to clean the screen on the computer.
Another five or six hours of yard work yesterday, edging and weeding some of the gardens. No sure if I'll be planting annuals anytime soon, but the perennials are starting to emerge. Rains this afternoon, tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday, so I'll be heading out soon.
One of my favorite ever albums was “Ellington at Newport.” Easy puzzle today, only write-overs were TOY for TOp and MUFFET for MUFFaT. Enjoyed the short outing.
Good Morning:
Aha, a ray of sunshine in these dark and worrisome days! Just seeing JW's name brought a smile and a sense of calmness. I caught the direction of the theme after filling in Windup and Pitch, but the reveal was a pleasant surprise. I agree with jfromvt and others about the easiness of the puzzle, but in no way did that detract from the satisfying and enjoyable solve. CSO to our academics at EDU and to our dear CC, no carbon copy, she! Like Hatoolah, my favorite C/A was Something about a painting=Frame.
Thanks, Jeffrey W, for a Thursday treat in these trying times and thanks, Steve, for the fun tour. I hope your friend, Jill, has a speedy recovery. As far as peppers go, my speed is nice, sweet red bell peppers!
I cancelled two of the three doctor's appointments but was urged very strongly to keep the one with the cornea specialist. On my last visit, there was still some inflammation in the cornea from the shingles, so the doctor advised me to resume the steroid drops and return in 3 weeks for a checkup. These drops can affect the pressure in your eye and should be monitored, ergo, the importance of getting checked. The receptionist informed me of their extensive efforts to minimize contact or exposure to others. I hope this is my last visit as I've seen him 4 times, plus 3 previous visits to my ophthalmologist. Shingles ain't fun!
Kazie, it was so good to hear from you, don't be a stranger.
Stay safe, please.
Monday easy, very quick. Interesting and fun, but not at all crunchy. I like to see calms crossing cowers. When someone cowers he needs someone who calms.
I also liked a single TIME=issue.
Nice blog Steve. I am listening to the Duke as I type. Thanks. I wish Jill quick healing. Broken ribs are painful.
OKL, your windup toy verse reminded me of my brother who liked to take everything apart. He became very handy. BTW, I thought your Louisa May Alcott verse yesterday was great.
I like hot food, but ghost peppers would be too much for me. Jalapeno is about my comfort level.
IM, its good you went to the eye doctor. I hope the inflammation clears up soon.
This shelter at home feels like hiding out in a fortress with enemy surrounding you outside. But I feel lucky to have a home and enough good food. Even though my retirement account is going south, I am lucky to have savings.
Prayer for a Pandemic
May we who are merely inconvenienced
remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors
remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home
remember those who must choose between
preserving their health or paying the rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children
when their schools close,
remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips
remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money
in the tumult of the economic market
remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country,
let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically
wrap our arms around each other,
let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace
of God to our neighbors.
Amen.
YR: AMEN, sister!
Was barrelling through today's challenge at full steam but FIW...wouldn't let go of "get" in the bulls eye center... "agt" worked and I foolishly hoped "Igsue" might be a typical CW nonsense word. I was such a SLUG! ...SAP even!
And got the theme too for once.
ETUI is back, a word only found in CW..."Nurse if you stick me one more time my arm will look like an ETUI!!"
Ostensible historic origins of nursery rhymes fascinate me whether true or not. Mary Queen of Scotts may be our Miss Muffet frightened by the spider John Knox.
Also Mary was quite contrary (challenging QEI) She allegedly liked seafood (cockle shells), jewelry (silver bells) surrounded by ladies in waiting ( pretty maids).
Favorite is the Black Sheep with "three bags full" ..One for my master (the landowner), one for the Dame (the Virgin Mary ergo the church) and one for the little boy who lives down the lane (the tax collector)
With the current health problems. "Ring Around the Rosy" with supposed plague implications especially apt.
"The Rifleman" s son called him.......PAW.
What Dennis did to Mr. Wilson last Sunday......MENACED
She made Earl Grey but what did _____? .....HEBREW.
Liked the FRAME clue. (Hahtoolah)
Now wearing face shields over our masks. Taking up to 8 days to get patient's COVID test results. With no cases yet this is causing major disruptions. Tested patients have to be treated as positive till proven otherwise.
Irish M...you owe me royalties for using my trade mark moniker..lol. BTE you're wise to keep on top of the shingles eye issue.
meant BTW (by the way)
Musings
- Seasonal, fun and nostalgic
-RAE on Thursday? Norma, you’re on the bench. Issa, come up and take a swing.
-My lovely bride always feels for the RUNT of the litter
-If I ate that ghost pepper, the EMS would soon be at my door
-I’m glad Jill is okay. I never enter an intersection without looking anymore
-Does your part of the country now have blinking yellow left turn lights?
-Granddaughter just got her own cat so we’ll have to find a new CAT SITTER for our Siamese
-Scroll down to see PAPA Bear getting ready to testify
-Me – Cli SHAY and Steve – CLEE shay?
-In 2001, Egypt's Grand Mufti issued a FATWA stating that the show من سيربح المليون؟ ("Man sa yarbah al malyoon?" – literally "Who will Win the Million?"), modelled on the British show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, was un-Islamic.
Addendum:
And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped—
“That ain’t my style,” said Casey. “STRIKE ONE, the umpire said.
-Disney’s 1946 hilarious take on this poem with Jerry Colonna
Terrific Thursday. Thanks for the fun, Jeffrey and Steve (glad that Jill is OK).
Thanks Hahtoolah for QOD, and YR for the Prayer. And Ray-o for always bringing us a smile.
This CW filled in steadily. Loved the baseball theme (thanks Lemonade for pointing out the appropriateness for this date).
Two inkblots: Cog before CAM, and STRIKE out before ONE.
My Spanish was lacking MES but perps filled it.
We had the other ONEAL today. Last week, I wanted CHAFE for Abrade.
I noted ISR. and HEBREW, and CALMS crossing COWERS (hello YR).
Wishing you all a CALM safe day.
YR, I don't see the eye doctor until next Friday. The other appointments that I cancelled were next week, as well. Maybe there will be better news by then. Your poem is quite meaningful and moving, than you.
Ray @ 9:28 ~ The check is in the mail! 🤑
Thank you. Sorry.
ON RED - New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law, Section 1160, Article 28 states: "You can make a left turn at a steady red light when you turn from a one-way road into another one-way road after you come to a full stop and yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic and pedestrians."
We have at least one such site in Utica.
Here's a little story composed using the multitude of words in this CW appropriate to the current world situation.
While the world COWERS and is MENACED, and everything seems PITCH BLACK; we struggle to SEE a light at the end of the tunnel. Scary times, especially for those of a certain AGE! The HEADERS only seem to increase our ISSUES and SAP our hope rather than ANIMATE us.
As everyone STAYS AT home, we CHAFE at being confined and start to unRAVEL. But we reFRAME our priorities, put ASIDE our old schedules and ADOPT new ones (and maybe even pull out the old ETUI and SEW). We SWAP face-to-face conversations (no time for CLICHES) and hugs for virtual ones, and try not to ABUT anyone. Music, humour, fresh AIR, meditation et al. CALMS us.
EMS and other medical personnel run short of masks and gloves (LATEX or non) but they continue to Step up to the Plate to STRIKE against Covid-19. We are in AWE and GASP at their bravery. This is no ADO; we are ON RED Alert in the RACE to Flatten the Curve. We hope every citizen SPEEDS to do their part.
But we are still IN THE GAME and can say I'M FINE!
NJ law prohibits all left turns on red and allows right on red unless there is a sign prohibiting it.
Left on red laws in other states
Canadian Eh! great story. Very apt.
Jeffrey - Damn, damn good puzzle. Thanks!
Jerome
YR, I thought all lefts in NJ had been changed to "jughandles". (I do know that in NJ "coffee with cream and sugar" is called "regular coffee". Around here, "regular coffee" means it ain't decaf. Found out the hard way.)
As a breast cancer survivor DW gets mammograms every six months. Her next one is next week and is on schedule, but her appointment with her surgeon to review the results has been delayed a couple of months. I assume they'll let us know if the radiologist sees anything concerning.
HG - Hope I'm never on trial in Tampa. They are teaching future jurors that conviction just requires a majority.
Ray'O - you are just too funny. I don't thank you enough for the daily grins.
Woohoo! Woohoo! A terrific Jeffrey Wechsler puzzle--Thursdays don't get any better than this! Thank you so much for this treat, Jeffrey! It was a delight to work my way through this almost perfectly, with just a few letters off in the mid-east. And I got the theme even though I'm generally lousy at baseball--but what fun to see WIND and PITCH and SWING filling in place like that. And then the extra treats of the kind shout-outs, to us teachers with EDU and to our dear C.C.! Thank you again, Jeff.
Steve, what a sad experience for Jill. Hope her broken ribs and other injuries heal quickly and that she'll get good care at this difficult time.
So sorry to hear of your ongoing shingles problem, Irish Miss. Glad you're able to get some medical help, and take good care of yourself.
Thank you for your delightful poems, Owen. And what a lovely prayer, Yellowrocks--thank you for that too. The talent on this blog is simply amazing--and heart-warming.
Have a good day, everybody, and stay encouraged and brave.
Good afternoon, everyone! It’s a real treat to see a Jeff Wex creation, and Steve’s expo is the icing on the cake. Like others, I felt this was about Tuesday-level difficult, but the clever cluing and baseball theme made for an entertaining solve. Here in Reds country, Opening Day is something of an unofficial holiday, complete with the much-loved Findlay Market Parade to kick off the season. We’ll just have to wait til next year.
Yellow Rocks, thanks so much for the lovely prayer to help us keep things in perspective.
Aside from changing STopS AT to STAYS AT for 28A, no real snags today. I enjoyed the kitty references at CAT SIT and ADOPT. Missing my furry friends at the animal shelter where I volunteer, but some of the staff have been sending pics and videos via Facebook, so hooray for social media! Favorite clue/answer was “A single Time?” = ISSUE.
Steve, I hope Jill has a quick recovery.
Take care, all!
I wish I could get a free pet,
Here are my local adoption fees:
Adoption Fees
Dogs: $325
Puppies: $425
Cats: $150
Kittens: $200
Birds and small furry animals: Adoption fee varies by species
& then there is shots, vet bills, food, (litter, for cats. Leashes/long walks for dogs)
No, adoption is. Not "free."
(You could pick up a stray,
But in my town there is a $500 per day fine for enticing it...)
Irish Miss, question?
Did you you ever get the shingles vaccine?
(& my apologies if I forgot past conversations on this subject.)
HG, Thanks for the Disney video (8 min)
it deserves a sequel...(7:42)
Ack!
I forgot about Goldilocks!
HG,
1) she was a minor, would have got off with a reprimand...
2) bears have no rights in our society...
and then there was strike two...
Gary, yes in Virginia and Florida the "permissive green" (round green, as compared to green arrow) are being changed to yellow flashing arrows. I assume they have statistical evidence that it makes intersections safer.
What drives me crazy is the handicap ramps at the intersections. I was proud of Norfolk when they installed them just about everywhere someone would like to go. Then a couple of years later, they jack hammered out all of them and replaced them with new ones with orange pimples. Last year they jack hammered all of those away and replaced them with very little difference. I'm all for wheelchair mobility and admire the spirit of the numerous folks who venture out on their chairs, and I'm also for learning lessons from actual users. But can't we use those lessons for new construction without ripping out all the existing ramps? The city workers told me that the new federal standards come with new federal money, so they don't mind the change.
Loved this puzzle. Great baseball theme. Lots of other clever clues. Fairly easy for a Thursday. Keep up the good work.
Java Mama, Reds fans usually have to wait until August before declaring "we’ll just have to wait til next year". (I learned a lot about baseball from listening to Joe Nuxhall and Marty Brennaman over the years. Sat outside in our car listening to night games on WLW.)
Owen, I do appreciate your CC poetry as well as Jumble poems. Just hardly ever post here.
Misty, I think of edu as a cso to univ students too, as well as faculty.
Hola!
Hip! Hip! Hooray! Jeff Wex is back! We haven't seen one of his puzzles in a long while and though it was fairly easy, it was clever as has been noted.
I thoroughly enjoyed the clues for FRAME and ISSUE as well as the references to CATS with PAW in the mix. Then there's RUNT. Not that I'm a CAT lover, just a lover of puns.
Being reminded of RAVEL is another treat; I love his music.
And a trip down memory lane is always welcome as with the lovely and talented Maureen O'HARA.
Of course, CHILI (chile is my preferred spelling), is something I love and though I like it hot, I don't like being overpowered by it. Kudos to you, Steve, for liking it that hot.
I noted the CSO to C.C.
MES and EDU are right up my alley so that was nice.
CRIB is what my great-grandson will be needing very soon. He is growing like the proverbial weed.
A young friend called me this morning sounding quite pessimistic about current events and I reminded him that Americans have always been creative about overcoming adversity including during WWII planting Victory Gardens in their backyards. This interested him so he will look into it.
YR:
Thank you for that beautiful prayer!
Ray:
Thank you for keeping us amused.
Steve:
Thank you and I also hope that Jill will soon be healed and feeling better.
Chin up, everyone! We shall overcome!
Great Jeffrey W. puzzle today. Steve, as usual, did a great job in touring the grid for us.
I liked the theme and I actually got it today. Perps filled in a number of words where I didn't even have to read the clue.
CED @12:03: Busch is offering free beer for 3 months for anyone adopting or fostering a dog.
Still going a little stir crazy. I think I need a dog to take for a walk.
Be Safe everyone.
Oc4beach!
That is the best news I have heard in a long time!
(Although I don't see how a 3 months supply comes out to 2 beers a day...)
I would not be one to look at a free beer teat in the nipple...
(Hmm, what if I have to take a leak while walking the dog?)
I can't believe That I solve a Wechsler Thursday puzzle in less than 10 minutes. Zero unknowns. I never noticed the theme as MISS MUFFET and STRIKE ONE were filled by perps and I never looked at the clues. I never heard of "Insecure" but Issa RAE has been in prior puzzles.
DUKE Ellington- was jazz. Benny Goodman's music was swing.
FRAME- great clue.
Hahtoolah- There is very little jazz at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. All the headliners are rock bands. The Stones were opening last year before Mick Jagger had his heart operation.
@Everyone - thanks for the good wishes for Jill. The bummer is the car was 20 years old but only had just over 100,000 miles on it so was going to be good for another 20 years.Of course the insurance payout is going to be nowhere near what it's going to cost to replace it.
@lemonade - thanks, Opening Day explains it! I was puzzled.
CED @ 12:03 ~ No, I haven't had a shingles shot but probably will get one in the near future.
YR, of course I meant prayer, not poem. Sometimes I wonder where my mind has wandered off to. 🤭
Steve, my car is 19 years old and has 26,000+ miles.
IM, you beat me. My car is 16 years old and has about 49,000 miles.
Another JW beauty for Thursday.
Write-overs....SLAM/SLUG.
STEVE, not looking to argue, but that seems a remarkably out of touch comment about the “free” pet vs a “rescue”.
Perhaps you’re not aware, but tens of thousands of animals at shelters are killed (ie, “disposed of”) all the time. If you are facing death and someone pulls you out of the situation, you are indeed rescued. Even without knowing this, I question your intent. Rain on parades much?
HAHTOOLAH...that may be an abandoned cat. Consider feeding it. It’s a tough life outside.
See you tomorrow. Stay safe everyone.
AnonPVX: we have been feeding the cat. It is super friendly and “helps” me garden and sits with me in the backyard. Since it has come around, however, it has worn 2 different collars, albeit without name tags.
As the "ultimate flattery" to Java Mama, I imitate and paraphrase her: It’s a real treat to see a Jeff Wex creation, and Steve’s expo is the toothpaste on the cupcake.
Hand up for liking "Something about a painting" = FRAME.
Desper-otto, would a thin FATWA be a THINWA? OR a LEANWA? It reminds of "QingWa" which is Chinese for "frog."
Hearty wishes for Jill's recovery and a pox on the person who ran that red light.
Wechsler is often demanding, but this one was sheer fun.
Instead of the opening of the baseball season, we get a tribute pzl. Well-timed!
Thank you for your prayer, Yellowrocks. It is very thoughtful. Words of wisdom in a sad time.
May I also suggest that when we must go out for grocery runs, those of us who have no symptoms should behave as if we do? Some who are carriers do not know they are endangering others. It is wise to wear masks and avoid physical contact with others and with common surfaces. Carry tissue to handle door knobs, elevator buttons, etc.
Good luck & good health to all!
~ OMK
___________
DR: A 3-way on the far side. But not much to work with anagram-wise.
Here’s one, from the main diagonal:
When a ship is over-laden with heavy cargo to the point that it loses structural integrity and droops in the mid-ship area, it is said to…
“SAG ABEAM”!
I can't believe that I solved a Jeff W. puzzle with only about 6 look-ups! Thank you, sir, for the enjoyable exercise. Thank you, Steve, for the fun write-up.
I made the same mistakes others made: afirE/FLAMBE, gEt/SEE, SLam/SLUG. The rest came fairly easily.
We are staying home except for needed excursions. I was rear-ended last week and had to take the vehicle to the collision shop yesterday for an estimate. Lucky me, I had no physical effects from the hit. 10 years old with 112,000+ miles, it as been a good ride. Today I went grocery shopping. We're good for several days now.
Java Mama, what shelter do you go to? I go to League for Animal Welfare in Batavia where I spend time with dogs. We're closed so I at least get to walk my dog.
Steve, best wishes for a fast recovery for Jill.
I hope everyone remains healthy and this virus misses all of us.
Pat, what a coincidence! I recently began volunteering with the cats at the League for Animal Welfare in Batavia. It’s an outstanding facility – both of our cats are alumni of the League. Maybe we’ll bump in to each other once the volunteers are allowed to return.
OMK - The ship doesn't have to be overloaded to experience SAGGING. Large storm wave crests may support the bow and stern causing the SAG, but ships are designed to 'take' it. If amidships is 'saddled' over the crest it is called hogging. Our DD experienced this numerous times during N. Atlantic storms. Hogging causes interesting vibrations when the spinning propellers come free of the water.
OMK, what does your primary care doc think about the mask? Some TV docs say that it is more dangerous for asymptomatic non-professionals to wear masks than not to wear them. Something about them not being in the habit of handling them correctly. The masks collect viruses and other bad stuff on the outside of the mask. The wearer touches the filter part when removing, then not being used to wearing one, rubs their nose, eyes or both. Maybe if you put on a fresh pair of gloves before removing the mask, then discard the gloves and mask before doing anything else with your hands it would be safer. Don't know if our Cornerite docs can opine. Might be construed as medical advice. In any case, be careful. We need you here.
(Of course, anyone with symptoms should at least wear a mask if they must go out, even to a testing station.)
Hi Y'all! Jeffrey hit this one out of the ball park. What fun! Got the theme after the first two.
Steve, great expo! From the looks of that car, Jill is very lucky not to be in worse shape.
When people started talking about their rescue pets, I thought they meant the animals were trained to find lost or injured people. Duh! I don't like the term. Almost all our pets on the farm were rescued from bad situations -- never went to a shelter.
KSU: one grandson and a nephew were freshmen there until spring break, after which they were closed. Both are now hopefully taking advantage of the online learning available. Don't know what they'll do about final exams. Parents are trying to get reimbursed for unused room and board costs.
YR: Amen!
CanadianEh! Bravo!
Non-political complaint about the president's last two press conferences: Jeopardy was pre-empted. Unforgivable!
Even though I am not a fan of spectator sports, I enjoyed the WIND UP, PITCH, SWING, MISS to STRIKE ONE theme. Well done! OHARA/RAE a Natick crossing for me, but WAG correctly to FIR.
Learning moment that the NEWPORT Jazz Festival is in Rhode Island. I am familiar with NEWPORT Beach, CA and mistakenly thought it was there. I did attend the New Orleans Jazz Festival long ago.
Here are my photos of more than one HE MAN at MUSCLE BEACH.
Just one part of the Venice Beach Freak Show. I have lots more photos of that.
Right now I am trying to decide if I should donate blood next week. They seem to be getting plenty of other donors. If I donate then, it may cause my surgery to be delayed even further if they try to work me in.
Meanwhile, my niece is finishing up medical school in New York City in the middle of the worst of it. She emailed me today with the expected news that her graduation has been cancelled. She is saying the same as everyone else in the know: Stay home and stay safe.
From Yesterday:
AnonT glad you enjoyed the COUNT BASIE scene from Blazing Saddles. Just one minute long and just one of many brilliant scenes in the greatest film of all time.
Jinx, NJ does have a lot of cloverleafs, but usually only on major highways and thoroughfares. The majority of intersections, such as in neighborhoods, towns, the countryside and in cities after you exit the highway, are just simple intersections. I do not find the cloverleafs troublesome. More troublesome is the interweaving traffic on major highways when entering traffic comes in off ramps just as the highway driver is attempting to weave past it preparing to exit a few yards later.
Alan keeps asking me whether I have decided that he can come home this weekend. The answer is still no. Easter weekend will be difficult for all of us. Alan will not be with me, nor my sister who always comes for holidays. Also, David's family and I will not get together. I have not been bothered that much by having to stay home. I am reading, reading, reading. But Easter will be a real deprivation.
Jinx...From the WHO webpage:
"If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.
Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly."
There's a video that explains that last part.
IMO: Handwashing and social distancing the most important.
Thank you for checking in Kazie. Be safe.
Steve, the Jill car pic was disturbing. Broken ribs are not a joke. Sending you a healing prayer.
We have Countywide stay home order
Be safe, and be careful
Thanks, Spitzboov, for the correction and technical information. I was winging it, as you could guess, simply to "justify" a weird anagram. Your advisory sets us all straight.
Jinx ~ There has been conflicting advice about face masks.
Our family had some leftover masks from a previous illness, so we are not hoarding them from health care workers.
For those w/o masks, I would advise making their own. As for the wisdom of wearing them when you are asymptomatic, some medical professionals point out that many folk who are free of the signs of the virus may well be carriers, capable of infecting others.
If you do wear a mask, do it responsibly. Wear it tightly to the face. Cloth masks can be boiled and sterilized between uses. Do not wear it casually from one busy locale to another but replace it or sterilize it between visits.
Along with other advantages, wearing a mask will instantly remind others to keep social distance. You can't see a mask on another person w/o being alert to our current plague.
~ OMK
I know it's late in the day for this, but I hope you all will look in on the Jumble Hints blog today, especially SwampCat.
Jeffrey, me dahlin! I needed you today. Been in isolation for a week and going crazy! I even finished this gem . Loved FRAME, keeping a Persia’s company. Single Time. No, of course I didn’t notice the Upper CaseTime! You manage to glean HUMOR from the simplest clues!
Jeffrey you give us so much to smile at. And we all need to smile. You saved me from depression today! And I thank you...and bless you!!
Hahtoolah, loved your usual pleasant tour. Hope you are staying safe. They say we are a epicenter of this virus. And you were much more diplomatic about Jazz Fest than I would have been!!
Owen, I’ve said how much I appreciate all you do for all of us.
I feel a need to comment on Mighty Casey.. sad....
FLN Lucina - sorry I missed looking back until tonight. I posted there.
Hi All!
A Thursday Jeff Wex that filled easily? We are in unusual times...
Thanks JW for the nod to Opening Day - lots of fun in the grid. Thank you Steve for the expo. What are you using to grade puzzle difficulty / the 'stats'? More importantly, good wishes to Jill - you take good care of her now, hear?
Hand-up thinking Blue Devils at Duke.
WO: N/A [It was a JW, I was being extra careful]
ESPs: RAVEL, RAE | OHARA, ENA
Fav: Add me to the list. FRAME was a stumper until it wasn't; I even have LOL in the margin.
{A, B+}
Walked a ways for that DR :-)
YR - Amen.
Impressive C, Eh!
Hahtoolah - put a note on the collar and see if someone responds. It'll be like tossing a message in a bottle out to sea [not doing anything anyway, right? :-)]
Cheers, -T
Yellowrocks:
What is the source of the prayer; or is it your own?
I would really like to reuse it.
Roy, my sister sent it to me. It was originally posted by Akron Mennonite Church 717-859-1488 1311 Diamond St., Akron, PA 17501. I was so moved by it I have forwarded it to many of my contacts. For 50 years my watchword has been, "I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."
Good evening, folks. Thank you, Jeffrey Wechsler, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Steve, for a fine review.
Yellowrocks: I liked your prayer.
Puzzle was easier thank most Wechslers. I really Liked it. The theme was outstanding. Great job!
PITCH BLACK gave me KSU. I thought the sunflower state was further north.
No idea what SASHIMI is. Perps helped.
I knew MISS MUFFET. I amazed myself.
I did Wednesday's puzzle first today. Let me go and report on that.
Tomorrow I am meeting with a doctor on FaceTime. He is not seeing patients directly.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
I just saw an email from IM asking me to link this uplifting segment from the Sunday Morning show. Sorry I'm just getting to my personal email.
Cheers, -T
NL had most of the pennant races from 46-66. '51 most notably. But 1967 had four AL teams in it up to the last weekend. Redsox prevailed, sorry Boomer.
After my son was t-boned I waited 3 "gumpersons" before proceeding on RL. Sure enough, on three a dump trick came barelling through. It wouldn't have helped Phil, his yahoo flew through five seconds after the light turned.
I don't know what happened to tbtimes delivery so I'm solving online. I'm still a TRAINEE so I was missing the F in FATWA/MUFFET and had to search.
Jinx, that was the old days when there was regular, black and Sanka. I'm a decaf guy but I watch them pour (c my post on 'the dreaded drive-thru decaf that wasn't)
Re. Gold E. Can't anyone take a joke. I read some comments from the link.. Aaarrgggh!!!!
Ok, y'all found JW easy today. I forgot to look back at the theme.
"The Outlook wasn't brilliant in China last Jan
A deadly virus had broken out in the city of Wuhan…"
I solved online about noon, began the blog and between trips and loss of juice I'm finally posting, minutes under midnight, EDT
WC
Steve, an I to assume that the other driver had no insurance . Or is this a "No-Fault" situation?
Thanks , IM ad Anon T What a sweet story.
Post a Comment