Theme O no! Are we missing an "O"? Yes, we are.
17A. Run-of-the-mill deity?: COMMON GOD. Common good. The Roman and Greek gods were pretty common, one for every day, event and situation.
23A. Officer who helps keep public statues clean?: PIGEON COP. Pigeon coop. The pigeon cops might be busier with paint than poop right now.
35A. Junior faculty member?: CHILD PROF. Childproof. Dougie Howser, MD?
50A. One who campaigns on traffic congestion issues?: BUMPER POL. Bumper pool. I'd never heard of this game, but when I looked it up reminded me of "bar billiards" - almost every public bar in an English pub had a bar billiards table and a dartboard. There were local leagues in both darts and bar billiards to drum up business on slower midweek evenings.
58A. Mechanical bull rider?: COWBOY BOT. Cowboy boot. I like the clue - my first leaning was towards the rider of a mechanical bull, rather than the rider being mechanical. I liked the uncertainty. Oh, and if you're ever tempted to ride a mechanical bull, don't.
Thank you, Roland. Let's see what we can find in the fill:
Across:
1. Mexican bar tender: PESO.
5. Final notice?: OBIT.
9. Queen Amidala's home planet: NABOO. I just don't do well with science fiction characters - I recently watched all three Star Wars movies which featured the good queen Padmé, and I have no recollection of her last name nor her planet.
14. Petri dish gelatin: AGAR.
15. Small parasite: MITE.
16. Enmity: ODIUM.
19. Many converted apartments: LOFTS.
20. Muse of comedy: THALIA. I had to guess at the "H" as I'd never heard of the crossing SAM HILL and I don't have all my muses down pat. "H" seemed to make the most sense though so I avoided the dreaded Natick.
21. Billionaire financier George: SOROS.
22. Tedious routine: GRIND.
27. Feel poorly: AIL.
28. Sprain application: ICE PACK. I hate it when I have to ice a sprain or a swelling, to me it''s more uncomfortable than the injury itself.
30. Taking after: ALA.
31. 1984 mermaid romcom: SPLASH.
33. Reggie Jackson's alma mater, briefly: A.S.U. Arizona State.I very much like Reggie, he was a class act when he played and remains so as a broadcaster. I was surprised by ASU though - I just assumed he went to one of the "powerhouse" schools - Duke, UNC, UCLA or one of the many others. I think I respect him more now I know he didn't.
34. Auto pioneer: OLDS.
38. Tummy trouble: ACHE.
41. Gear with a bill: CAP.
42. Got around: EVADED.
46. Head of Britain?: LOO. Restrooms. I hate to spoil the fun with this one, but the maritime "head" is called - wait for it - a "head" in Britain too.
47. Cohort: COMRADE.
49. Santana's "__ Como Va": OYE. Can't not link this one here !
52. Party hearty: REVEL.
54. Sussex set: TELLY. In the UK, the TV is also called a "telly" (hence "Teletubbies".) Sussex is a county south of London. There's some bloke who recently moved to Montecito just up the street from me who claims to be the Duke of Sussex. I think we've had the discussion recently that there's an Sussex, a Wessex, an Essex and a Middlesex. But no Norsex. Northhampton is in Northhamptonshire, but Southampton is in Hampshire, and there's no such place as Southamptonshire. The county of Devon is called Devon, but the clotted cream is "Devonshire cream". The pasties from Cornwall, right next door, are called Cornish Pasties, not Cornwallshire Pasties. Worcestershire sauce comes from Worcestershire, but is pronounced Wuster, the same as Worcester, the county town. No wonder the tourists get confused. I could go on, but I think the room has gone quiet so I'd better go before I'm gonged off.
55. Fraternal meeting places: LODGES.
57. Hearing-related: AURAL.
61. "24K Magic" singer Mars: BRUNO. Darn, I used my musical link on Carlos.
62. Double Delight cookie: OREO. Please can we not have an OREO fill for - let's say - 40 days - let's give up OREO for Crossword Lent. There may be a few others to go in the "can't use" bag too.
63. Peel: PARE.
64. Small change: CENTS.
65. Coiffure site: TETE.
66. Genealogy chart: TREE.
Down:
1. Lobbying gp.: PAC. I sprung for PTA first which made me smile when I saw the error of my ways.
2. Voyage taken alone?: EGO TRIP.
3. Quaint euphemism for "hell": SAM HILL. A learning moment for me. I've never heard the expression but I can quite easily hear an old-timer exclaiming - "Gosh darn it, what the Sam Hill is that?"
4. "The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom" author: ORMAN.
5. Luxury hotel chain: OMNI.
6. Galoot: BIG APE.
7. Olympic skater Midori: ITO.
8. British poet Hughes who was married to Sylvia Plath: TED. Ted was an "earthy" poet, and when he was appointed Poet Laureate, there were some wags who parodied his style for occasions such as the Queen's Birthday. This is the inimitable Peter Cook (last four verses only for brevity):
9. Like some basketball passes: NO-LOOK. Reggie was a master at the no-look pass.
10. Festoon: ADORN.
11. Two-part lens: BIFOCAL. I have progressives - they took a little time to get used to (falling down stairs was always on the cards) but I eventually got used to them and now wouldn't be without them.
12. Peddled faster than: OUT-SOLD.
13. Meditation sounds: OMS.
18. Somewhat passé: OLD-ISH.
21. Tied down: SECURED.
22. Beetle juice?: GAS.
24. High-end tablet: IPAD PRO. I didn't know there was a "Pro" version? I guess now I do.
25. [She actually said that?!]: GASP!
26. Faux __: PAS.
29. Coffee-flavoring root: CHICORY. I first had chicory-flavored coffee in France many years ago. I thought all fresh-ground espresso tasted like that. You know "muscle-memory" when you can repeat a movement over and over? I have "taste-memory" with chicory and coffee, it instantly takes me back to the first time I tasted it.
32. Top player: ACE.
34. Birds-feather connection: OF A.
36. Tanning device: LAMP.
37. Engage in to excess: OVERDO.
38. Priestly garb: ALB.
39. Fashionista's field: COUTURE.
40. It may be inside the park: HOME RUN. Isn't it "inside-the-park"? I can't edit the clues, but I think hyphens are involved.
43. Chocolate-coated ice cream treat: DOVE BAR.
44. Urban renewal target: EYESORE.
45. Part of a PC reboot sequence: DEL. CTRL-ALT-DEL. Sadly, very common and well-known. I don't think I've rebooted my Chromebook for two years.
47. Cumbersome instruments: CELLOS. Yeah, they're big buggers. I wouldn't like to be standing at the side of the road in the rain trying to hail a cab with a cello.
48. Utterly wrong: ALL WET.
51. Undercover agent: PLANT.
53. "Death on the Nile" setting: EGYPT.
56. Easy-to-carry instrument: OBOE. Now here's your ideal cab-hailing instrument. You could also play a happy ditty on the way home.
57. "The Good Doctor" network: ABC. Great series from the South Korean original based on a "Dougie Howser" character who is autistic. First season - impressive. Subsequent seasons - terrible. TV execs: know when to stop. Really.
58. Camp bed: COT.
59. Resource in The Settlers of Catan board game: ORE. Never heard of the game, but O** was a gimme.
60. Spot to drive from: TEE. Fore!
And, without futher repetition, hesitation or deviation, here's the grid!
Steve
17A. Run-of-the-mill deity?: COMMON GOD. Common good. The Roman and Greek gods were pretty common, one for every day, event and situation.
23A. Officer who helps keep public statues clean?: PIGEON COP. Pigeon coop. The pigeon cops might be busier with paint than poop right now.
35A. Junior faculty member?: CHILD PROF. Childproof. Dougie Howser, MD?
50A. One who campaigns on traffic congestion issues?: BUMPER POL. Bumper pool. I'd never heard of this game, but when I looked it up reminded me of "bar billiards" - almost every public bar in an English pub had a bar billiards table and a dartboard. There were local leagues in both darts and bar billiards to drum up business on slower midweek evenings.
58A. Mechanical bull rider?: COWBOY BOT. Cowboy boot. I like the clue - my first leaning was towards the rider of a mechanical bull, rather than the rider being mechanical. I liked the uncertainty. Oh, and if you're ever tempted to ride a mechanical bull, don't.
Thank you, Roland. Let's see what we can find in the fill:
Across:
1. Mexican bar tender: PESO.
5. Final notice?: OBIT.
9. Queen Amidala's home planet: NABOO. I just don't do well with science fiction characters - I recently watched all three Star Wars movies which featured the good queen Padmé, and I have no recollection of her last name nor her planet.
14. Petri dish gelatin: AGAR.
15. Small parasite: MITE.
16. Enmity: ODIUM.
19. Many converted apartments: LOFTS.
20. Muse of comedy: THALIA. I had to guess at the "H" as I'd never heard of the crossing SAM HILL and I don't have all my muses down pat. "H" seemed to make the most sense though so I avoided the dreaded Natick.
21. Billionaire financier George: SOROS.
22. Tedious routine: GRIND.
27. Feel poorly: AIL.
28. Sprain application: ICE PACK. I hate it when I have to ice a sprain or a swelling, to me it''s more uncomfortable than the injury itself.
30. Taking after: ALA.
31. 1984 mermaid romcom: SPLASH.
33. Reggie Jackson's alma mater, briefly: A.S.U. Arizona State.
34. Auto pioneer: OLDS.
38. Tummy trouble: ACHE.
41. Gear with a bill: CAP.
42. Got around: EVADED.
46. Head of Britain?: LOO. Restrooms. I hate to spoil the fun with this one, but the maritime "head" is called - wait for it - a "head" in Britain too.
47. Cohort: COMRADE.
49. Santana's "__ Como Va": OYE. Can't not link this one here !
52. Party hearty: REVEL.
54. Sussex set: TELLY. In the UK, the TV is also called a "telly" (hence "Teletubbies".) Sussex is a county south of London. There's some bloke who recently moved to Montecito just up the street from me who claims to be the Duke of Sussex. I think we've had the discussion recently that there's an Sussex, a Wessex, an Essex and a Middlesex. But no Norsex. Northhampton is in Northhamptonshire, but Southampton is in Hampshire, and there's no such place as Southamptonshire. The county of Devon is called Devon, but the clotted cream is "Devonshire cream". The pasties from Cornwall, right next door, are called Cornish Pasties, not Cornwallshire Pasties. Worcestershire sauce comes from Worcestershire, but is pronounced Wuster, the same as Worcester, the county town. No wonder the tourists get confused. I could go on, but I think the room has gone quiet so I'd better go before I'm gonged off.
55. Fraternal meeting places: LODGES.
57. Hearing-related: AURAL.
61. "24K Magic" singer Mars: BRUNO. Darn, I used my musical link on Carlos.
62. Double Delight cookie: OREO. Please can we not have an OREO fill for - let's say - 40 days - let's give up OREO for Crossword Lent. There may be a few others to go in the "can't use" bag too.
63. Peel: PARE.
64. Small change: CENTS.
65. Coiffure site: TETE.
66. Genealogy chart: TREE.
Down:
1. Lobbying gp.: PAC. I sprung for PTA first which made me smile when I saw the error of my ways.
2. Voyage taken alone?: EGO TRIP.
3. Quaint euphemism for "hell": SAM HILL. A learning moment for me. I've never heard the expression but I can quite easily hear an old-timer exclaiming - "Gosh darn it, what the Sam Hill is that?"
4. "The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom" author: ORMAN.
5. Luxury hotel chain: OMNI.
6. Galoot: BIG APE.
7. Olympic skater Midori: ITO.
8. British poet Hughes who was married to Sylvia Plath: TED. Ted was an "earthy" poet, and when he was appointed Poet Laureate, there were some wags who parodied his style for occasions such as the Queen's Birthday. This is the inimitable Peter Cook (last four verses only for brevity):
Old Stoatie falls in.
Rotting stoat
Body carcass
Gleaming fish nibbled
Carrion of death
Sodden fur bulging
Eyes
Old Stoatie's
Rather had it.
Happy Birthday
Your Majesty
10. Festoon: ADORN.
11. Two-part lens: BIFOCAL. I have progressives - they took a little time to get used to (falling down stairs was always on the cards) but I eventually got used to them and now wouldn't be without them.
12. Peddled faster than: OUT-SOLD.
13. Meditation sounds: OMS.
18. Somewhat passé: OLD-ISH.
21. Tied down: SECURED.
22. Beetle juice?: GAS.
24. High-end tablet: IPAD PRO. I didn't know there was a "Pro" version? I guess now I do.
25. [She actually said that?!]: GASP!
26. Faux __: PAS.
29. Coffee-flavoring root: CHICORY. I first had chicory-flavored coffee in France many years ago. I thought all fresh-ground espresso tasted like that. You know "muscle-memory" when you can repeat a movement over and over? I have "taste-memory" with chicory and coffee, it instantly takes me back to the first time I tasted it.
32. Top player: ACE.
34. Birds-feather connection: OF A.
36. Tanning device: LAMP.
37. Engage in to excess: OVERDO.
38. Priestly garb: ALB.
39. Fashionista's field: COUTURE.
40. It may be inside the park: HOME RUN. Isn't it "inside-the-park"? I can't edit the clues, but I think hyphens are involved.
43. Chocolate-coated ice cream treat: DOVE BAR.
44. Urban renewal target: EYESORE.
45. Part of a PC reboot sequence: DEL. CTRL-ALT-DEL. Sadly, very common and well-known. I don't think I've rebooted my Chromebook for two years.
47. Cumbersome instruments: CELLOS. Yeah, they're big buggers. I wouldn't like to be standing at the side of the road in the rain trying to hail a cab with a cello.
48. Utterly wrong: ALL WET.
51. Undercover agent: PLANT.
53. "Death on the Nile" setting: EGYPT.
56. Easy-to-carry instrument: OBOE. Now here's your ideal cab-hailing instrument. You could also play a happy ditty on the way home.
57. "The Good Doctor" network: ABC. Great series from the South Korean original based on a "Dougie Howser" character who is autistic. First season - impressive. Subsequent seasons - terrible. TV execs: know when to stop. Really.
58. Camp bed: COT.
59. Resource in The Settlers of Catan board game: ORE. Never heard of the game, but O** was a gimme.
60. Spot to drive from: TEE. Fore!
And, without futher repetition, hesitation or deviation, here's the grid!
Steve
54 comments:
I read "The Good Doctor network" and processed Good Wife. CBS went in, but AURAL and CENTS fixed that.
Steve, I had never heard of basketball player Reggie Jackson, so I wondered about your comments referencing basketball powerhouse schools and NO LOOK passes. Sure enough, he plays for the Los Angeles Clippers.
In this case though, the Reggie Jackson clued in the puzzle would be the MLB Hall of Fame baseball player.
I don't recall my father ever swearing. I do recall him saying SAM HILL every once in a while.
A fine puzzle that took almost 30 minutes to solve. And then the congrats screen didn't appear. Took about 10 more minutes to see that I had uMS ibstead of OMS. D'OH !
Thanks, Roland. Thanks, Steve.
One misstep, 9A. Had to change Nabou to Naboo. Nabou is a sci-fi novel about a journey to center of the earth.
Musings
-Early tee time!
-Puns and misdirection aplenty, what a hoot!
-Mexican bar tender is exhibit A for misdirection. Gear with a bill is Exhibit B, etc.
-“Where in the SAM HILL did I put my [insert item]?
-Reggie Jackson – Mr. October for his W.S. heroics. A-Rod – Mr. April for W.S. failures
-Do you know or can you guess the name of their LODGE?
-Oh, peddler not pedaler. Beetle is a car
-Plant – Be careful what you say, where you say it and to whom you say it
Good morning!
Yay. D-o got the theme and finished in good time. Had to make an alpha-run to get the E in DEL for my final fill. Can't remember the last time I had to reboot my Dell all-in-one. Sports fan that I am, I was amazed that I was correct thinking Reggie Jackson was a baseball player. Thanx for the confirmation, TTP. Interesting puzzle, Roland. Enjoyed the tour of the shires, Steve.
COWBOY BOT: The mechanical bull was one of the "attractions" at Gilley's in Pasadena (Texas, not California) back in the Urban Cowboy days. When my sister came to visit in '79, that was the one must-see on her Houston list.
Almost an entire puzzle as a CSO to me dear wife Oo. Steve, like TTP, I am a little confused by your REGGIE comments. The baseball HOF career of MR OCTOBER who attended ASU and is now a broadcaster is the 33A reference. To basketball and a great NO LOOK PASS from this current Boston College graduate who plays for the Clippers in LA, where Steve lives.
I did know anything about TED HUGHES but it was not a roadblock.
Steve, I always enjoy your write-ups especially your taste in photos. I don't think I have seen a better picture of NATALIE PORTMAN . Thank you Roland for the puzzle and inspiring Steve.
I’m writing this on a IPADPRO, but I did the puzzle successfully with pen and ink. I liked the theme and was aided by it.
Some very clever clueing in this one. But SAMHILL/THALIA crossing did me in, plus NABOO and ODIUM.
I see a few others have already commented on the apparent Reggie Jackson mis-identification.
What a fun puzzle, Roland! I was zipping along happily, catching the theme immediately with COMMON GOD, perps pointing out a couple of wrong first thoughts here and there. Also PESO and CAP were cleverly clued, slowing me down just a bit. I was beginning to feel smug when I rushed to read Steve's amusing review and "what in the SAM HILL?" I had forgotten to notice I left one blank square at the top! So DNF today. But maybe tomorrow....
Good Thursday to you all. Be well!
I couldn't come up with NABOO either. I saw that movie(#4 in the saga). I liked the kid who played Ani-the only one who actually acted.
Then I inked wrath/ODIUM for a messy NE. I get a sports questions and needed perps to get NOLOOK(More sports Saturday) And…
I had COttIN GOD. I don't know if I FIR until I check the tablet.
THALIA, a CSO to OMK like Erato to Owen. The minute I got to M I remembered (What in)SAM HILL.
Duh, Susan ORMAN. Now it clicks.
Duh, Steve it appears that you think Reggie Jackson was a basketball player?? I see that was noted. Hard to follow my alma mater in basketball in Florida unless they play FSU. I was a big fan in 70-90. Thx for link , Lemony.
Aaarrggghhh!!! Gear with a bill is not CAm? MRO for iPad sounded weird but CAP for "gear". What have the millennials done now?
Is ABC still in the League? Famous Bill Terry quote about Leo Durocher's Dodgers. Came back to haunt him.
WC
Good morning everyone.
Had to take 3 red letters, but did get all the theme schtick and theme fill so I'm a happy camper. Also needed help with THALIA. Thought OLDISH was gluey.
SAM HILL - Heard it a lot in my youth; as in "What the SAM HILL?" (What the hell?)
PIGEON COP - - When we saw Nelson's Column at Trafalgar Square in 1965, the poor guy was completely covered with a patina of PIGEON Poo.
OBOE - - A fife or piccolo would have been easier to carry.
TELLY - Television was a 'new' word in the late 1940's. The pronunciation to a German ear sounded just like 'Teller wischen' or "plate wiping" to which my Mom would point out numerous times.
I enjoyed this puzzle, thanks for the construct, Roland, and the write-up, Steve.
I had to move on without completing COMMON GOD but I sussed the theme with PIGEON COP.
The toughest point for me was to get pedaled out of my head and read the clue "peddled".
Santana is one of my favorite groups of the 60s. I loved "Oye Como Va", being in Puerto Rico at the time, the Latin beat was enchanting. Did you know that "Black Magic Woman" on the same album was actually first done by Fleetwood Mac? It was written and played by the guitar phenom and recently deceased Peter Green.
Looking forward to the Friday puzzle - always bright points of my day.
Good Morning:
I saw the theme after filling in Common God followed by Pigeon Cop. Knowing this helped with the solve but there were numerous tricky and misleading clues so it was not a walk in the park solve. I needed perps for Naboo, Oye, and ASU. There were a few fun duos with Ace and Ice, Cot and Bot, Oboe and Cello, and Olds and Oldish. I also chuckled at Loo over Bum(per). As happens fairly often, the O ending words struck my fancy: Peso, Naboo, Loo, Bruno, Oreo, Ego, Ito, Pro, and Do.
Thanks, Roland, for a fun challenge and thanks, Steve, for the entertaining expo, especially the British geography lesson!
FLN
Abejo, I hope your pain and discomfort in eating is short lived. It was good to hear from you. Keep keeping!
Jayce, another hand up for loving the convenience of a DVR. I use it often as many of my favorite shows overlap or are on at inconvenient times. Mine is part of my cable package from Spectrum. It’ll be interesting to see what the Fall TV season will offer due to the constraints of the lockdown.
Have a great day.
I loved the answer SAM HILL and heard that when I was younger long ago: "What the Sam Hill" - So I looked it up...apparently he was a surveyor in the Mid-West in the 1800s who swore so much his name became associated with cursing.
More oldies along those lines: Dadgummit, Tarnation, Son of a Gun.
Got this fun Missing O theme early and it helped with the solve. Yes, plenty of amusing misdirection.
Ms ORMAN lost my trust at the time of the stock market bubble around 2000. She said to put everything in the stock market and don't worry about it. Then, when the bubble burst, she panicked and said to get out. Worst financial advice ever when it really mattered.
My good friend and teacher Dr Spencer Sherman offers these free MEDITATION SOUNDS to guide you to a higher plane.
Or at least to deeper relaxation. He is a professor of psychology at Santa Barbara City College and he also has a clinical practice.
From Yesterday:
Regarding the DVR discussion, I cannot imagine ever watching live TV. My mentor and employer gave me a BETA VCR in 1984 when our first company was sold and from that moment on I delighted in watching TV without commercials.
When the TV world went digital I went to Best Buy and asked the young salesman what he had to replace a VCR. "A lot of OLD PEOPLE ask me about that." He said there is nothing like that. But I found that there was a device made by Philips that did exactly what I wanted. It would record to a hard drive, but also allowed saving recordings to DVD.
Except you could not buy one. The TV industry threatened them with lawsuits. I called Philips and talked to the engineer who helped design it. He told me to go to EBay and snatch one up before they disappear. I did so and I cannot imagine watching TV without one. No monthly fees.
It also allows watching programs at 1.4x speed which I always do. Time is too precious to waste.
I'm not quite fully awake yet. Either that or I'm just too addle-brained to see the theme til coming here. Kinda hard to miss. Anyhoo, it was a FIR with sussed needed for Naboo, Thalia, oye and chicory. Can't wait for Friday. It's only a day away. Perhaps I'll be awake by then.
Fun puzzle and as always, a great write-up by Steve.
This was a speed run pretty much for me except I had coops before lofts. That was quickly fixed. Ore was all perps.
Nice day in Chicago. Stay safe and well everyone!
JB2
From Yesterday:
Wilbur Charles, Leo III, Lucina, PK, AnonT, CrossEyed Dave thank you for the very kind words about my CRATERS OF THE MOON photos in IDAHO. Thank you for the cool moon photos, CrossEyed Dave.
Wilbur Charles the CRATERS were created by volcanic activity.
SwampCat thank you for sharing my enthusiasm for George TAKEI. He is very much still alive and well and has a hilarious Facebook page.
Once again, here is an article I wrote on TAKEI's memorable talk here in Santa Barbara in 2017, including a link to my photos.
Finally From Yesterday:
CrossEyed Dave thank you again for asking about SHELL FISH and Christians. I stand by my original claim: Jesus called on his followers to obey the Bible. Meaning the Jewish Bible. Including all the stuff that seems arbitrary. Like not wearing clothes of mixed fibers. Or eating SHELL FISH.
I love the explanation by Malodorous Manatee and seconded by SwampCat Because WE SAY SO. But in my view, we are all free to choose based on what we think really matters in life.
A fun puzzle with lots of clever clues. Mexican bar tender , Beetle juice, Peddled faster all excellent. But I thought I was headed for a DNF The middle confounded me. Did not want to write in CHILDPROF and COMMONGOD seemed almost oxymoronish. (I had started to write in kitchen god but too many letters.) Then the synapses fired and I i saw the double O theme and everything fell into place. Tanning booth? ..too long...bed? too short. Ah LAMP...just right.
Almost,.... but ended up FIW: crossed ORMoN with THoLIA. (and had just used Thalia and Zelda in a pun with Dobie Gillis just a few days ago). Always wait for perps with Ford/OLDS. (It's almost always OLDS). Held off on EGYPT, seemed too obvious. Every morning I start my day by firing up two. computers with ctl-alt-DEL and it took perps to fill in! geesh!.
Not so obvious ...
You're short. Yeah _____ high to a grasshopper....OMNI
Without malt, hops, and water you can _____ beer... BRUNO
Controlled from inside the house ....HOMERUN.
Stye....EYESORE
_____ Adam and they both got tossed out of Paradise.....EVADED.
Have nice day...hang in there Abejo
A good Thursday puzzle from Roland. I enjoyed it and even got the theme early on, so it helped with the rest of the puzzle. Steve, as usual, provided an admirable tour through the grid.
Also, as usual, perps figured prominently in the solution of today's puzzle. They were needed for CO-OPS before LOFTS, RIND before PARE, FORD before OLDS (it's always OLDS so why did I put in FORD), IPAD MAX before IPAD PRO (I should have known because DW has one while I have an IPAD MINI) and LICE before MITE. I needed help for DOVE BAR because ESKIMO PIE was too long.
I also wanted COMPOUND lens before BIFOCAL appeared. I still wear old fashioned Executive Bifocals where the whole bottom half of the lens is for reading. Every Astronaut who needed to wear glasses that I knew of wore them because they didn't have to move their heads to read the instruments. They could just move their eyes. With progressive lenses you have to move your head to read from side to side.
Steve: I liked your dissertation on English place names. There are many places in the United States with English place names. In particular there are counties and towns named SUSSEX in Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. However there appears to be more places named Middlesex than Sussex.
Another beautiful day in the neighborhood with a high of 83° predicted. However we could use some rain.
I hope everyone has a great day and please wear your masks.
A very enteratining puzzle and write-up. Thanks to both Roland and Steve.
I have some serious business to attend to now. The pastrami, after tebn days of brining and three days for the rub to penetrate, is now to be smoked. No, not that way. Three or four hours at 225 F until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 F. Apple / Maple pellets.
One quick puzzle-related question: In today's CW, shouldn't Queen Amidala's Home Planet have been NABO ?
Picard, are you espousing moral relativism?
F YESTERDAY..Christians eating seafood
When St Paul arrived in Italy and had a sample of Italian food.....
In his Letter to the Romans he says: "Shrimp scampi?, linguini in clam sauce? fried calamari? "Yum" (and guys you can keep your foreskin)
Somehow, given the running dialog that started yesterday (if not millennia ago) and continues today, the just seems appropriate:
Mel Brooks - The Commandments
Hola!
Thank you, Roland and Steve! I got a real chuckle from this theme, especially CHILDPROF/PROOF. I also liked the clue for PESO. LOO was also cleverly clued.
I'll take a CSO at my alma mater, ASU.
NABOO is unfamiliar to me but my granddaughter knows so, of course, I asked her. She also spelled it so I would have no errors.
For many years I wore BIFOCAL glasses but after a lasix procedure I need glasses only for reading.
My brother's MIL died a few days ago but her OBIT still has not been published.
Have a wondrous day, everyone!
Steve,
ASU was a baseball powerhouse when Reggie went there. And after. The long time coach, Bobby Winkles was a master at
producing winning teams
I very much liked this puzzle and had a good time solving it. For some reason I saw through the misdirection at 1a and put in PESO right away. That set the tone and things were off and running. Very satisfying.
And Steve, I very much enjoyed your write-up, too, as I usually do. Thank you for devoting your time to do it.
From last night, Vidwan, thank you ever so much for your excellent comments.
Good wishes to you all. Please continue to stay a goodly distance away from unmasked persons.
BIFOCALS: I've worn bifocals for almost 35 years. About 20 years ago I was conned into trying a pair of "progressive" lenses. I hated 'em. Fortunately for me, they were sold with a guarantee that if I couldn't adjust to them, they'd provide a pair of conventional bifocal lenses. After a week I took them up on that guarantee, and I've worn regular "lined" bifocals ever since. Now if I could just find a fix for that dead section of my right eye...
HG, They were Raccoons (of all things...)
Linkster,
You have blown my mind...
(& sent me down the rabbithole...)
Re: todays puzzle,
missing "O" does not relate well on Google for silly links,
so I am responding in my own inimitable style...
Re: Yesterday,
I admit (or admitted) that I did not see the theme "self" in the puzzle.
However, upon rereading the posts, it seems I may have monopolized
the conversation somewhat. Maybe the Bible was right?!
& if so, I must apologize,
for being Shellfish...
Addendum:
What the Sam Hill is wrong with just saying HE double hockey sticks!!
WEES!! What else could I possibly add after Moses?
Thanks, Roland, for all the cleverness, and Steve for walking us through, especially through England!
Picard, thanks for the Takei Facebook page. I hadnt heard anything about him lately.
Fabulous Friday. Thanks for the fun, Roland and Steve.
I finished and got the missing O theme, but arrived here to discover that I FIWed. This Canadian is not familiar with DOVE BARs and I had A instead of O (Dave crossing Aye!) OYE!
I had BIG Oaf before APE.
Major inkblots until I remembered SOROS.
I smiled at the clues for CELLOS and OBOE. A friend had a son in the symphony and when he travelled with his very valuable Cello, he bought a separate airline ticket so it would have a seat.
I had enough perps to get the network today - ABC. THALIA and NABOO were all perps too.
I have a new iPad Mini 5th generation, not a PRO.
OVERDO crossing REVEL brought a smile, as did the clue for EGO TRIP.
LODGES reminded me of Red Green and his Possum Lodge. I think some of you are familiar with his old show.
PossumLodgeOath
I noted the French COUTURE and Coiffure=TETE.
Yes Steve, I thought of Meghan and Harry for that Sussex set.
Wishing you all a great day.
Hi Y'all! Fun challenge, Roland! I got the "Lose an O" theme early.
Steve, great expo! You're living near Harry & Meghan & Archie? O gee! are you tripping over paparazzi yet? I liked the guided tour thru the English countryside. I've been reading the Brother Cadfael series recently, so it was timely. However, I was appalled at the Queen's poem or maybe didn't understand the humor. Old Stoat, indeed!
As for the puzzle, the NE corner was a bugger & last to fill. DNK: NABOO, ODIUM, SOROS & OUTSOLD (peddled was not bikes). NO LOOK pass was familiar but didn't come to mind. Wow, look at all the "O's" in there. That's where the lost ones went.
I knew NBAer Reggie Jackson played for the Clippers, so Steve's info didn't bother me. I watched the Clippers play the other night but don't remember if Jackson was playing. However, when I read that clue, I thought baseball.
You know you are OLDISH & from a small town when your hobby is reading OBITs. At least one relative or old friend has died per week this year except for two weeks. Two this week already.
DNK: Thalia. Who can keep all those Greek & Roman GODs straight. Thank GOD, the Jews finally narrowed it down to one.
Dad used to say, "What in the SAM HILL were you doing?" Me: stammer, stammer!
I wear triFOCALS. Need new ones. When I'm tired I sorta see double.
@Everyone who pointed out the mis-identification of Reggie Jackson. The blog has been edited to reflect my total ignorance on the subject, so that when future civilizations read this blog while researching the fascination of crosswords, I won't have my name posthumously associated with total factual failure.
On the Ted Hughes/Poet Laureate subject, Hughes wrote some very "earthy" poetry - look up "Crow's First Lesson" and you'll see what I mean. The Poet Laureate was, and is, an honorary appointment and the laureate would typically write a poem to celebrate various royal occasions. Peter Cook was parodying Hughes' style and imagining that he was requested to write a poem to wish the Queen a happy birthday.
Hey Steve, I learned that there was another Reggie Jackson !
At least they were in different sports and eras.
On May 11, 1999, the NY Mets played the Colorado Rockies. The starting pitcher for the Mets was Bobby Jones. The starting pitcher for the Rockies was Bobby Jones. The winning pitcher was Bobby Jones (Rockies). The losing pitcher was Bobby Jones (Mets).
Good Afternoon, All. At first scan, I didn't think I had a chance on today's offering. Thanks Roland for the challenge and thanks Steve for the 'splainin'. I didn't get the theme until all the fill was in and then the "oh, now I get it" moment. A missing O. My downfall today was forgetting to go back to the or_, t_te crossing. I knew coiffure had to do with head or hair, whatever but S of Catan game was a complete blank. oro/tote looked ok to me. FIW. I considered e for ore/tete but chose wrong. Hope all had a great day.
Hi All!
Thanks Roland for a really fun puzzle. Lots of misdirection to keep one's TETE noodling.
Had troubles in the north so worked south-up. Getting COWBOY BOT & CHILD PROF unlocked the theme and the rest of the themers went in post-haste providing valuable perpage.
Too bad about NABOO's double-O.
Excellent Expo Steve - enjoyed the trip through the shires and all... Thanks for Santana. I looked up 24K Magic - um, no. Too much autotune. [how it works-ISH]
WOs: why do I always try to stick a "D" in pigeon? OpIUM b/f it was, with a D, ADORN'd
ESPs: TED, ODIUM, ASU, COUTURE
Fav: SAM HILL. It actually was a ESP too but I chuckled good when I finally parsed it.
//Bob Lee - some Authentic Frontier Gibberish :-)
Sparkle: EGO TRIP, EYE SORE, CHICORY (love the coffee in NOLA!), OVER DO, ALL WET. And WEES said re: fun c/as
LOFT? - Y'all saw my Monitors last week; I just added a new electronics workbench. Transformation from kids' playroom to daddy's is near complete.
Lem - OMG! Basketball Reggie looked like he was going in for a layup but NO LOOK alley-oop'd it mid-stride. Wow!
CED - you beat me to the Fleetwood Mac link. I too am gob-smacked by this new information.
And, dagnabit - C, Eh! beat me to the Possum Lodge link I had tee'd-up for HG. Love Red Green, C, Eh!
Picard - Ha! I watch many webinars | online training stuff at 1.5x. So many uMS & pauses; let's speed this up, man! :-)
MManatee - where do you get Zig-Zags big enough to smoke a pastrami? :-)
//History of the World Part I was the first R movie my little brother & I snuck into. Do I link Roman Red or rehydrated-diet-restricted Jews in Space [ace ace ace]?
Back to work. Play later(?)
Cheers, -T
Steve, quite the imagery in that poem. I hope that I soon can get some of it out of my head...or not.
Puzzling thoughts:
Late to the party again ... sometimes I feel like it’s Groundhog Day - over, and over, and over ...
Let’s see: today I had IDO/ITO (I didn’t recall Midori and OJ Simpson’s judge being related) ...
Plenty of perps to help solve some unknowns: TED/NABOO. I “got” the theme from solving bottom to top, right to left. Sometimes for me, flipping things around helps when the entries aren’t clicking ...
Overall, a pretty decent theme/puzzle; Steve gave a great recap, as usual, despite the Reggie Jackson faux PAS
The clue for 1 across made me think of the joke where the terMITE enters a saloon and asks: “is the bar tender here?”
Moe ku whilst we’re waiting for OKL to return...and TTP, or any other moderator, the names used below are strictly coincidental, and mostly fictitious ...
Don and Vladimir
Became computer pen pals.
Are they dot.COM RADES?
Anon T, thanks for the sorta CSO at CHICORY. It was first used in southern Louisiana to adulterate coffee which was more expensive. But these cooyuns down here liked it better and it has become a staple.
Go figure.
Swamp - I was going to pipe in for our foodie Steve which is best but, not being from NOLA and drinking it daily, I can't really recommend Cafe du Monde v. French Market v. Community v. Union. //I liked 'em all!
What say you, Big E, Hahtoolah, BooLa, et.al?
Cheers, -T
Neat, funny pzl from Mr. Huget!
Nice to see a different sort of clue for an old friend, the OBOE.
This is the kind of cluing that makes no sense UNTIL you suss the answer.
I didn't get the theme until filling 35A, "Junior faculty member."
My first reaction was "You're kidding! Do you really understand professorial ranks?!"
But that's when I grokked the gimmick.
Doh!
~ OMK
____________
DR: A 3-way on the far side.
The central diagonal offers an off-putting anagram:
At Halloween, when the kids in the ‘hood set off stink bombs, their standings were a “ranking” indeed.
They had no need to write it down, but they all knew and respected their…
“ODORFUL SCORE”!
Moe ku @ 1639 - Seems like a couple less coincidental names could have been chosen; something more than mostly fictitious.
Anon-T
Your Roman Red had me LMAO,
(I must watch that whole movie...)
But I must say (side stepping Jews in Space...)
that authentic frontier gibberish reminded me a lot of
The Gilmore Girls Town Meeting.
(Hmm, I wonder if that was their Muse...)
Anon-T:
FLN:
I have now read more than I ever knew about the Angel Uriel! And I found no connection whatsoever with Aziraphale. End of story. For me.
YR:
I see that there is a church dedicated to St. Uriel in New Jersey. Do yo know of it? I shall have to go back and find the city. Episcopalian, I believe.
Appreciated the Red Green references.
Anonymous-T, either Roman Red or Jews In Space will work. Speaking of which, Mel owes me royalties from "Space Balls"
I tried to find some Big Bambu papers to fit but was not successful so I went with this:
After Rub
After Smoking
May The Schwartz Be With You !
Good evening, folks. Thank you, Roland Huget, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Steve, for a fine review.
HG, Raccoons.
Liked the puzzle. Caught the theme easily. Good one.
Have heard Sam Hill all my life.
Liked PIGEON COP.
I also had BIG OAF. Fixed that to BIG APE.
Cruciverb worked for three days in a row. Wow! See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
Bobby Jones played for the Philadelphia 76ers and of course Bobby Jones was the immortal golfer.
Picard, I think His words were "Not one jot or tittle (shall be removed from the law). King James translation. Then again other quotations imply , to paraphrase, "Don't get bogged down on the J's and T's".
One exegesical book broke off into a discussion of a baseball game played in 1967. I liked that book.*
WC
* The Birth of Christianity by John Dominick Crossan. In an effort to provide context he refers to a NY times article about the beaning of Tony Conigliaro and the veracity of the pitcher Jack Hamilton. What Crossan etal did not know that the beaning was the culmination of a beanball war between the teams that had been going on for years. Ironically after researching I casually mention my case and my friend says "I was selling popcorn in RF that day and Tony hit his head going after a ball". So... As the owl said to the antelope: "Who Gnu"
That Crossan book is good reading.
Anon T, in Re coffee: I like ‘em all!
Ray-O-Sunshine: After filling in THALIA, I immediately thought of Dobie Gillis and THALIA Menninger.
>>Roy
Owen: Come out, come out wherever you are. We call thee forth, oh great Word Wizard!
PK@12:27 —> I’m trying my best!
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