Title: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE.
Today's trek will require you to jog your memories to recall various "nouns of multitude" for animal groups. If that term is not a familiar one then you might want to follow this LINK and listen and learn. This is a play on word puzzle with five theme fill. Kevin has been entertaining us for more than 10 years with the late dear Santa blogging his first here in April 2010. Remarkably, I do not believe I have ever written up one of his efforts -until now. This theme is a bit subtle, taking an animal group pairing that with a word that gives a different meaning to the now paired word. As with most featured Fridays, this has much to like in the fill...ARE WE OK, HASSLES, HOTDOGS, HYDRANT, RISOTTO THE BOMB, PANCETTA and USA TODAY, I highlight the new fill by using red.
For a theme, we have...
17A. Lions in the city?: CIVIC PRIDE (10). Civic being the city part...
25A. Fish with experience?: OLD SCHOOL (9). We reverse the clue, not the fill.
36A. Bees behind bars?: PENAL COLONY (11). This was hard because we think of bees in a hive. My thought was "where do chlamydia live?" I'll see if Tom censors me.47A. Whales on the run?: ESCAPE POD (9). By now you should know this one. Whales can be very tight when they group, swimming in close proximity to each other on occasion. To the first ceteologists, they resembled seeds in a pod-like that of a legume.
58A. Wolves with a clean lair?: VACUUM PACK (10). Picturing a bunch of surly wolves vacuuming makes this a big stretch.
Across:
63. Zen riddle: KOAN. A characteristic example of the style is the well-known koan “When both hands have clapped a sound is produced; listen to the sound of one hand clapping.”
64. "Building a Mystery" singer McLachlan: SARAH.
65. Cook of comedy: DANE. Rather a passe star I think, but I never enjoyed his comedy.
Down:
1. If: IN CASE. In Alabama, they say, for case.
2. Scold harshly: RAIL AT.
3. Wile E. Coyote weapons: ANVILS. He is back again!
4. White __: NOISE. We use a fan.
5. Bo's'n boss: CAPN. Match the abbreviations.
6. Loan fig.: APR. Annual Percentage Rate.
7. Put on ice: CHILL.
8. Helped through a tough time, with "over": TIDED. Stimulus anyone?
9. Brainstorming session output: IDEAS.
10. Director Reiner: ROB. He also is back after his recent appearance as the director of When Harry Met Sally.
11. Paper with Money and Life sections: USA TODAY. Where you get lots of C.C. puzzles these days.
12. Awesome, slangily: THE BOMB.
13. Bothers: HASSLES.
18. Public town park: COMMON.
22. Narc's find: PCP.
25. "Funny thing is ... ": ODDLY.
26. "I __ thought of that": HADN'T.
29. Home to the Ogden Raptors of MiLB: UTAH. Minor League Baseball.
31. Hägar the Horrible's wife: HELGA.
32. Med. condition with repetitive behavior: OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
33. Hurt in a ring: GORED. A bunch of bull.
34. Take out, as a vampire: SLAY. Hey Peg, how are you?
36. Italian bacon: PANCETTA. Maybe with some 39D. Dish with arborio rice: RISOTTO.
37. Like difficult push-ups: ONE ARM. Who can forget?
38. "Do you and I need to clear the air?": ARE WE OK.
42. Withdraw, with "out": OPT.
44. __ party: PAJAMA.
45. Aleve rival: ANACIN.
46. Really get to: RANKLE.
48. Wasp nest sites: EAVES.
49. Red-carpet brand: PRADA.
50. NBA great Robertson nicknamed "The Big O": OSCAR.
52. Minibike kin: MOPED. We had one while we were kids.
55. Derriere: TUSH. I do appreciate a well-formed one.
57. Long time to wait, facetiously: EON.
59. Thurman in films: UMA. We finish with the now ubiquitous Uma.
1. Persepolis ruins locale: IRAN. In the old Persia, where so much HISTORY lies.
5. Prickly plants: CACTI. Much better than prickly pants.
10. Former Supreme Court first name: RUTH. Ms. Bader Ginsberg, a remarkable woman.
14. iPod model: NANO.
15. Garden nuisance: APHID. But needed by Peonies, remember?
16. Protection org. since 1970: OSHA. Occupational Safety Health Administration.
19. Slangy sweeties: BAES. I.m already bored with this word.
20. Pulitzer-winning author Lurie: ALISON. I cannot read the way I used to, but I would have missed her anyway. LINK.
21. Spring: LEAP. Forward.
23. Conan's network: TBS. One of Ted Turner's baes.
24. Willamette River capital: SALEM. The OREGON one.
27. UFO fliers, presumably: ETS. Meh.
28. __ bath: MUD. People actually pay for these. Or...
30. Luke and Leia's mother: PADME. I just had the yummy Natalie Portman.
31. Show-offs: HOTDOGS. None more so than JOEY.
35. Pats gently: DABS. A little one will do you.
38. Inland Asian sea: ARAL. Having a COMEBACK?
40. Fixture in some no-parking zones: HYDRANT. Very random.
41. Starr man: RINGO. A gimme from the spelling.
43. One kept on a child at the pool: EYE.
44. Hole goal: PAR.
51. GE rival: AMANA. Appliance makers.
53. "Alas!" prompter: WOE. Alack,
54. Seafarers: TARS.
55. USC athlete: TROJAN.
56. Novel ending?: ETTE.
60. Miranda __ of "Homeland": OTTO. Miranda Otto is an Australian actress who portrayed Allison Carr on Homeland. She is best known for playing Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
61. Dutch cheeses: EDAMS.
62. Czech track legend Zátopek: EMIL.
5. Prickly plants: CACTI. Much better than prickly pants.
10. Former Supreme Court first name: RUTH. Ms. Bader Ginsberg, a remarkable woman.
14. iPod model: NANO.
15. Garden nuisance: APHID. But needed by Peonies, remember?
16. Protection org. since 1970: OSHA. Occupational Safety Health Administration.
19. Slangy sweeties: BAES. I.m already bored with this word.
20. Pulitzer-winning author Lurie: ALISON. I cannot read the way I used to, but I would have missed her anyway. LINK.
21. Spring: LEAP. Forward.
23. Conan's network: TBS. One of Ted Turner's baes.
24. Willamette River capital: SALEM. The OREGON one.
27. UFO fliers, presumably: ETS. Meh.
28. __ bath: MUD. People actually pay for these. Or...
30. Luke and Leia's mother: PADME. I just had the yummy Natalie Portman.
31. Show-offs: HOTDOGS. None more so than JOEY.
35. Pats gently: DABS. A little one will do you.
38. Inland Asian sea: ARAL. Having a COMEBACK?
40. Fixture in some no-parking zones: HYDRANT. Very random.
41. Starr man: RINGO. A gimme from the spelling.
43. One kept on a child at the pool: EYE.
44. Hole goal: PAR.
51. GE rival: AMANA. Appliance makers.
53. "Alas!" prompter: WOE. Alack,
54. Seafarers: TARS.
55. USC athlete: TROJAN.
56. Novel ending?: ETTE.
60. Miranda __ of "Homeland": OTTO. Miranda Otto is an Australian actress who portrayed Allison Carr on Homeland. She is best known for playing Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
61. Dutch cheeses: EDAMS.
62. Czech track legend Zátopek: EMIL.
64. "Building a Mystery" singer McLachlan: SARAH.
65. Cook of comedy: DANE. Rather a passe star I think, but I never enjoyed his comedy.
1. If: IN CASE. In Alabama, they say, for case.
2. Scold harshly: RAIL AT.
3. Wile E. Coyote weapons: ANVILS. He is back again!
4. White __: NOISE. We use a fan.
5. Bo's'n boss: CAPN. Match the abbreviations.
6. Loan fig.: APR. Annual Percentage Rate.
7. Put on ice: CHILL.
8. Helped through a tough time, with "over": TIDED. Stimulus anyone?
9. Brainstorming session output: IDEAS.
10. Director Reiner: ROB. He also is back after his recent appearance as the director of When Harry Met Sally.
11. Paper with Money and Life sections: USA TODAY. Where you get lots of C.C. puzzles these days.
12. Awesome, slangily: THE BOMB.
13. Bothers: HASSLES.
18. Public town park: COMMON.
22. Narc's find: PCP.
25. "Funny thing is ... ": ODDLY.
26. "I __ thought of that": HADN'T.
29. Home to the Ogden Raptors of MiLB: UTAH. Minor League Baseball.
31. Hägar the Horrible's wife: HELGA.
32. Med. condition with repetitive behavior: OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
33. Hurt in a ring: GORED. A bunch of bull.
34. Take out, as a vampire: SLAY. Hey Peg, how are you?
36. Italian bacon: PANCETTA. Maybe with some 39D. Dish with arborio rice: RISOTTO.
37. Like difficult push-ups: ONE ARM. Who can forget?
42. Withdraw, with "out": OPT.
44. __ party: PAJAMA.
45. Aleve rival: ANACIN.
46. Really get to: RANKLE.
48. Wasp nest sites: EAVES.
49. Red-carpet brand: PRADA.
50. NBA great Robertson nicknamed "The Big O": OSCAR.
52. Minibike kin: MOPED. We had one while we were kids.
55. Derriere: TUSH. I do appreciate a well-formed one.
57. Long time to wait, facetiously: EON.
59. Thurman in films: UMA. We finish with the now ubiquitous Uma.
What a week, so far. I had a good time with Kevin's puzzle even though I did not get a chance to go through Kansas City this year. Thank you all. Lemonade out.
Did you like the music?
49 comments:
Good Morning:
As I type this, there are no comments, but I’m sure there will be by the time I actually post. Anyway, I loved the theme and saw it very early on. I tried Gams on the Lam first, but, of course, Pods was the correct answer, not Gams. My only nit would be that it was not of a Friday difficult level, but the enjoyment of the solve outweighs that by far. I needed perps for Padme, Otto, Emil, and Koan and I stumbled over Pot/PCP and Boss/Bomb. I liked the duos of Risotto and Pancetta and Dogs and Hydrant. CSO to DO (Otto) and Moi (Trojan).
Thanks, Kevin, for a whale (gams or pods) of a good time and thanks, Lemony, for your witty and wise review.
FLN
CED, I rarely make tuna fish salad but when I do, it’s just tuna, mayo, and diced onion. Boring, but what I’m used to.
OMK, it was easy enough to pick off the goat cheese from the pizza, as it really didn’t melt, but I was annoyed because when I ordered it, I specifically stated No goat cheese and no Arugula. The pizza itself wasn’t to my liking but those Bloody Marys hit the spot!
WC, Feta and Goat Cheese are not the same, as far as I know.
Have a great day.
Good morning!
Late to the party, because my Internet service has been blotchy this morning -- too spotty to run speedtest. Can't even keep my NPR stream running. Grrrr.
Got the theme, and enjoyed the puzzle. Thanx, Kevin and Lemonade. (What music?)
Entertaining theme answers which I agree IM, made it a faster solve. Creative clue for keeping an eye on kids in the pool!
I've got a busy morning - but may have to change gears and drive to KC. My mom has had COVID for 2 weeks and was getting better slowly but seemed to be getting worse yesterday (fortunately has stayed out of the hospital so far- but will see)
Thanks Lemonade and Kevin!
This seemed too easy for a Friday, but nothing wrong with the puzzle itself. Took me 9:44.
Thanks, Kevin, for a clever puzzle which I FIR. The theme helped after I saw what was happening by the second: OLD SCHOOL. As IM and inane hiker have mentioned, there were fun entries and perps to help unknowns. I slowed down at PANCETTA, wondering if prosciutto was the answer at first. I agree with DO, what music? Did I miss something, Lemony? Thanks, for reviewing the puzzle today. Good job!
Keeping calm, carrying on, and looking forward to the weekend!
Good morning everyone.
No PADME for me today, but I got everything else. Liked the theme; very clever.
Inane - Sorry to hear about your Mom's difficulties. I hope she improves quickly.
Good Morning.
Busy week for me so this was a nice break to take time to do this puzzle. I thought a Friday would be a killer for me, but I remained patient and took my time. Thanks, Kevin. I did find the theme when I made a second pass and already had the pride part of CIVIC PRIDE. I laughed at ANVILS. Just the goofy visual I guess.
Lemonade, thanks for another fine explication. Well done. As usual.
Have a sunny day everyone. I hope this fall is beautiful for you.
In dim light I missed the i in MiLB. But I knew Ogden from my Game of the States 'ute. Talk about sounds we like.
My FIW comes from my recalling koin* vs KOAN. Both middle letters were pure WAGs . OBW** strikes again. I'm interested to see how others rated this for difficulty.
RUTH seemed obvious but I thought it was Hal Reiner. OCD reminds of Adrian Monk
Is OSCAR the GOAT
Hmm. Some say < Friday difficulty. But comments are slow coming in which often means "difficult".
WC
*Koin is a skyscraper in Portland.
** One Box Wilbur.
Hola!
I agree! Easy for a Friday but enhanced with Lemonade's outstanding review.
Does anyone really take ANACIN anymore? I haven't even seen it on the store shelves.
CSO to d-OTTO.
In years past my sisters and I would go to the MUD baths. It's cleansing and soothing.
More later. I am sleepy and must return to bed.
Enjoy your day!
I really liked the theme and got the back half of all the long answers right away. The left side of the puzzle took longer.
I wasn't sure if the iPod as a MINI or a NANO so that slowed me down.
Also at first I thought the italian bacon was PROSCIUTTO (I spelled it without the S to fit) as I've never heard of PANCETTA.
And I thought HAND instead of KOAN at first (yes--that 1 hand clapping).
Great clue ansers: MUD bath, GORED, EYE, HYDRANT, THE BOMB.
Musings
-I won the Natick vowel battle at KO_N/PANCETT_, so I got ’er done!
-ALISON, SARAH, OTTO and PADME Naticks worked themselves out. However OSCAR was a gimme
-Soyuz capsules are the closest things the International Space Station has for ESCAPE PODS
-Joann informed me last night that this blooming beauty next to my solving station, uh recliner, is a Thanksgiving Cactus not a Christmas Cactus
-Grandson just got an acceptance letter from OREGON University. He’s waiting to hear from Pepperdine.
-AMANA appliances are now made by Whirlpool. Are brand names even relevant anymore?
-WHITE NOISE – We dig out our box fans when our daughters stay with us
-OCD – I try my best to not move on in a puzzle until every cell if filled down to the same line.
-PA_AMA Party. Who ever heard of a PANAMA Party? Never mind.
FIR......Persepolis is probably Greek for Persian city. IRAN is more or less old Persia.....Really don't like BAE as cheap filler. Never hear the term used anyhere but as CW fill COMMON used as a central village green is plural: the commons
HASSLES trying not to mispell it as hassels. , right? ESCAPEPOD a riff on escapade?... otherwise clumsy puns, the first part of each pun has nothing to do with the clue. CIVICPRIDE: how about Lions' group with a sense of community? VACUUMPACK... Wild canine cleaning service? (BTW: wolves live in dens not lairs)..What does PENAL have to do with bees..etc
learned about KOAN. Every body knows all the famous Czech athletes,right? Never saw "Homeland" so OTTO, perpwalked, I will forget by Saturday. Why limit a clue to only those who watch a certain series? You can still make a clue interesting and a challenge and open it up to everyone without lets say opprobrium
The rant ends...the nonsense begins:
What cleaned the laundry so well?......TIDED
The ex VP means well but I got ____ to death...GORED.
After his Minibike was stolen he just _____ MOPED.
"I'm too skinny to play Santa, ______ " PADME.
Cursing is a transgression _____ ANACIN.
70s today....After killer frost and snow last week Native American Summer arrives in Central NY.
Inanehiker....Speedy recovery to your Mom.
Corners, then the center
Hi, all. Catching up on yesterday's follow-up comments (and, with this post I'll leave the topic alone... for a while)!
First, thanks to Shankers, Ray-O-Sunshine, Lemonade (and, by proxy, C.C.!), CanadianEh, WendyBird, and Anonymous T for your welcome and friendly feedback.
For Wilbur Charles: Correct, I didn't mention "queer". It actually didn't occur to me in this context because, being of the "older generation", yes, "queer" has always been a prejorative in my mind vs. the more recent usage (largely by younger folks) as a term of regained power and forthright activism. Similar to the "N" word (although it irks me that I would be likely taken to task if I chose to spell out the "N" word, but not if I choose to spell out the "Q" word): I am doubtful that many (any?) Black folks of our generation feel comfortable using or even hearing the "N" word even when used by Black youth, given their experiences with that word. That is the same for older gay men like me: Was bullied and taunted in my youth with cries of "Queer!" (among many others... Nancy? Faggot? etc., and many otherss not fit to write here given their sexual references...), so the "Q" word always makes me flinch (and look around to see who's likely to want to beat me up). Younger gay folks (of both sexes and all genders) have "taken back" the word to redirect its power and to describe a level of queer-rights political activism. It hurts me to hear it, but good for them.
For Anonymous @ 11:19am yesteday: You're welcome! I enjoyed your follow-on treatise! But, no, a Trans-gendered Heterosexual is NOT also equivalent to a Cis-gendered Homosexual... Transgendered Heterosexual = Born (anatomically) male, female by affinity, attracted to males; or, opposite side of the coin, born female, male by affinity, attracted to females. A Cisgendered Homosexual is born male, male by affinity, attracted to males, or born female, female by affinity, attracted to females. Perhaps it would help to note that hetero/homo-sexuality can be defined as gender affinity vs. attraction (rather than sex [anatomy] vs. attraction. I do, though, wish the math equations worked.. things would be easier? But, "fluidity" can confound math?
Signing off now... but, again, thanks to all for your welcoming comments!
Have a wonderful Friday and weekend!
Barry T.
I found the theme answers apt. Of course they were whimsical, which is their charm. Fun puzzle, Kevin. Great blog, Lemonade. I found the clues helpful for the first part as well as the second which was an animal group. The whole answer had to be in the language and not about animals. City suggested CIVIC, experience suggested OLD, behind bars suggested PENAL, on the run suggested ESCAPE, vacuum suggested CLEAN. ESCAPE POD is a real thing. "An escape pod, escape capsule, life capsule, lifepod or Cosmopod, is a capsule or craft used to escape from a vessel in an emergency, usually only big enough for one person"
With my scattered brain these days I eked out the first half slowly. Then I became excited at the possibility of FIR and my brain woke up. After that it was quick progress.
My fellow tourists took mud baths in the Dead Sea. I wanted to float in the sea, but I didn't want anything to do with the mud, so I just observed.
My Thanksgiving cactus has buds which should open just before Thanksgiving. It is the only plant I am taking to my new home.
To my chagrin I forget where Persepolis is and needed ESP (every single perp).
I never had a pajama party, but I did invite my friends to sleep over, one or two at a time.
Barry T. very interesting posts. Welcome.
Inanehiker, I wish a speedy recovery for your mom.
My nephew just had brain surgery and suffered from a stroke. We are not sure which came first, the stroke or the head injury. In the hospital he developed pneumonia. He is minimally responsive and doesn't move or speak. Probably we will never know what happened.
Summer weather today. Crazy!
YR..Sorry about your nephew. Cerebral bleed requiring surgery that caused a stroke?...hope for the best outcome.
I started off in the middle with this puzzle, getting CACTI and APHID on top, and EDAMS and UMA on the bottom. The rest filled in slowly, but a delightful Friday puzzle all around--many thanks, Kevin. And always enjoy your commentary, Lemonade.
Nice to get both dear RUTH and RINGO this morning, but never heard of Miranda OTTO.
Also nice to get food items like RISOTTO and those EDAM cheeses.
Hope your mother will be okay, Inanehiker. And also hope your nephew recovers, Yellowrocks.
Have a good weekend coming up, everybody.
YR, so sorry about your nephew. What's his name(first), we'll pray for him.
I was not allowed to swear as a youth. I substituted QUEER for expletive of choice
So as a Babe Ruth League paragon of baseball virtue, I was called out at second and the words "You stupid queer" blurted out of my mouth.
I was summarily ejected by the Ump and my manager went out to ask why. Oh the look on his face.
I would have been better off with profanity.
WC
YR, sorry also, to learn of your nephew. Sending good thoughts to you both.
Lemony and Keven, thanks for the fun. I cannot remember a day with both Emil Zatopek and Jack Palance references. For some reason, I also got a smile out of OLD SCHOOL. I'd say that I am wondering why that is so but that would be a lie.
Thanks for your prayers for my nephew, Tim, and his family. His mom, my sister, Doris, is naturally very concerned. She has driven the 5+ hour trip to see him and stayed a few days. She is going back again soon.
Nice Friday grid, no issues.
SASSES...like what was posted, you had the alignment and it stopped pulling, mostly. Now it does so, but occasionally?
I would check my tire pressures first, just to make sure they are correct and even, side to side. Then I would check the disc brake caliper, it may be hanging up or not retracting.
Best to bring it back and have them check it thoroughly. I would also ask they take the car out with you in it so as to demonstrate. Cars should stop in a nearly straight line no matter the type of stop, gentle or emergency.
This seemed more like a Tuesday with a big exception that being in the NW. Inexplicably I thought of Italy when I saw the -polis ending and immediately entered Rome. Doh! Then it took a while to make necessary changes to get incase, noise and common for 1, 4 and 18D. I still don't get penal colony. Just a bit dense I guess.
Read about penal colonies. Penal colony
Penal meaning - relating to, used for, or prescribing the punishment of offenders under the legal system.
The clue was the bees are behind bars i.e. in prison. A group of bees is a colony. "Honey bees are social insects that live in colonies" their social order. Similar to a community for humans. HIVE can be the nesting place for the bees or the colony itself.
I am still having trouble parsing bees as a penal colony.
Perhaps we could rephrase the clue around
this image...
Perhaps the clue could have been piano infestation?
(I told you I have trouble parsing...)
Which brings to mind,
What do you call a group of pianists?
well, it could happen...
(Image from the Guinness book of World Records)
The music was the bluelink to ANIMAL COLLECTIVE.
Healing prayers for all
Hi All!
Thanks Kevin for the puzzle - I was mostly on your wavelength which made everything but the NW fall fairly quickly. Cute theme too.
Thanks for the expo Lem. Loved the ONE ARM demo :-)
//music?
WOs: OPEC (oh, not Production org) -> OSHA, miNi->NANO, rear->TUSH
ESPs: pretty much all the NW & SW. Talk about lucky WAGs
Fav: Blog-Safest DANE Cook I could find.
BarryT - thanks for enlightening (most) us and I'm glad you feel welcome.
Now about your grid? How go'd it?
inanehiker - If you're going to care for her in her home get one of these Oximeters. I got one for DW when we finally figured out she had C19. //I had it first but thought I was just depressed from the same-ol' work-from-home routine... no gumption, me.
God Speed to your Mom.
YR - God Speed to your nephew too.
HG - I was about to correct your Soyuz capsule remark, but you're right. The CRV I saw being built at JSC has never been put into service. Huh. (maybe that was just a mock-up?)
IM - Can of tuna, three dollops of mayo, a squirt of mustard, tsp sweet-relish, & a diced apple. (DW's family is the one who came up with the apple - it provides a nice crunch; onion may do the same.) Spread the spread on the bread, lettuce, tomato, crack of pepper... I'm hungry :-)
Anyone else nervous as a cat on a patio full of rocking chairs while waiting for the final returns? Oy!
Cheers, -T
Very late getting to it today, but a very nice offering with a fun theme. FIR, with proper names mainly helped by perps. If you have to have them, that’s how to do it. I had to exchange SLAY 4 StAb.
Got 'em all. Needed just a few adjustments.
An enjoyable pzl from Mr. Christian. Nice response from Lemonade.
I didn't know PANCETTA or Miranda OTTO, but perps saved the day. I had URBAN PRIDE before CIVIC PRIDE, so that slowed me down in the NW corner. Down in the SE, the double UU gave me pause--until I could complete the fill with VACUUM PACK.
The only KOAN I recall (probably that anyone recalls) is "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
When I first heard this as a kid, I immediately clapped just my right hand. Nice & loud. When you're young and limber you can do it, just by snapping your four fingers back against the heel of your palm.
Easily done.
It's no trick.
I just wondered why this should be such a mystery...
Irish M ~ I understand; it is always galling when the kitchen--or the waiter--fails to get a specific request right.
I am glad for your sake that the BMs were satisfactory.
~ OMK
____________
DR:. Just one diagonal, on the near end.
Its anagram is an apt label for the speech of the villain who yells, "I'll surrender if you throw your weapons down first!"
--or of the Lothario who exclaims, "Who you gonna believe, me or your lyin' eyes?!"
The technical description of such a speech is a...
"DEVIOUS [out] CRY"!
Yellowrocks, thank you so much for the lucid explanation of penal colony!
Fun DR OMK!
I just looked at my notes and -- how'd I forget TUSH? [ZZTop]
Beard's Top 40 Ranch is about 20 minutes away. When I need to relieve a bit a stress I drive out there. One day I'm going to get a picture of me, my '86 Alfa, and Beard's ZZTop front gate. My sibs would get a kick out of that.
Cheers, -T
I had a little nit with all the names. Maybe that’s just me.
Thankyou, Kevin, I thought the theme answers were clever.
MalMan, I chuckled at “What’s a cubit”.
Bees that are behind bars (in prison) would be a penal colony. A colony of bees being punished. Tongue in cheek, not literal. All the answers are supposed to be silly, not literal or serious. That is the best I can do. Enough already.
Isn't tush what all the tight jeans pictures here are all about?
Fun theme. Loved the clue for EYE (is it Kevin's or Rich's?) Names names names, 12 of 'em. Some ya know, some ya don't. Sometimes ya feel like a nut, sometimes ya don't.
So far no answer to the question I and others posed yesterday, namely: How the heck is the word OPPROBRIUM, a wonderful crossword word, too political?
Husker Gary, good to hear your grandson is accepted by the University of OREGON. I went there for 4 years and can attest it is an excellent school. The quality of education I got there far surpasses any I got anywhere else, except maybe Villanova.
Good wishes to you all.
Anonymous-T
Yeah, I know how you feel...
inanehiker - this just for you; everyone else skip...
When coming out of C19 both DW & I experienced the same symptoms that can really take someone down.
Everything started as "I'm sleepy, I'm going back to bed." That lasted for a week or so.
Then, I'd lose my breath walking the stairs to my computers. Then, I'd just be sitting there - looking at my computers & trying to focus - and my heart rate would jump to >104bpm.
DW's heart-rate hit while reclined in bed -- 140bpm for >10m. //that's when her Dr. said to go get an MRI to look for clots in lungs.
If your Mom's fairly healthy (I'm not - #smoker), she'll be OK.
Your Mom may be going through the last symptom throes but you making sure O2 levels are right (>97% - Ray-O: correct me) is imperative.
Monitor her heart & O2 and have your cellphone at the ready.
I am not a Dr so take all that with grains of salt.
God Speed. -T
Jayce, I agree that OPPROBRIUM is a great word. Vilification, abuse, vituperation. It is an equal opportunity word. Many in both parties find the other side scandalous and heap opprobrium upon them, so much so that this can split up friendships, families and marriages. Mom counseled us to "agree to disagree". "You think this, I think the opposite, but we can still get along and like each other." My son is an ardent defender of his political views which are the polar opposite of mine. We agree to disagree, but in this case that means, "Don't go there." If I dare to go there he dishes out the opprobrium. I like politely airing both sides of an issue without rancor, nearly impossible in today's climate. I think we can learn from each other. But my son and I get along great and lovingly because we do not discuss issues.
Thank you for letting me know, Wendybird. Even with this very bright,eclectic and playful group of people it's difficult to know what may, or may not resonate. If some obscure reference brings a smile to even one or two people a check gets placed in the plus column.
Thanks again for your help. My car is in the shop now and service mgr is trying to say it is the automatic lane changer (not!). More later....
You have grasped the essence of this blog MalMan
That is why you have moved up the ranks do quickly
This is a great audience
Ranks? This blog has ranks?
Still waiting for the answer as to why APPROBIUM is politics.
Malodorous = Rank ?
In the current political climate the name calling has overtaken any sense of direction for the nation from either side. When social reform I equated to communism and gun possession and supporting police are the harbingers of fascism it becomes just divisive name calling OPPROBRIUM is the word
IMO
Late to the party again! Not only did I have to work today, I didn’t get started on the puzzle until noonish, and I kept getting interrupted. The NERVE! I finally finished it, though.
As others have said, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as had been advertised earlier in the week. I was able to get the theme answers fairly quickly, and I knew many of the names. Those I didn’t know I got with either perps or wags. There were many corrections along the way (NEVER before HADN’T and ACE before PAR. When I got finished, I actually thought I had an FIR, but ALAS, some dummy had RONGO instead of RINGO. First of all, I was trying to fit in BART STARR, but there were too many spaces. I was having trouble with RISOTTO and PANCETTA too.
Neither of those two excuses washes, though. It was a Freudian slip! I’m the only guy in the world who was never head over heels enamored with The Beatles and the rest of the British invasion. Yeah, some of the stuff was good, but Bob Seger said it all….
Old Time Rock and Roll
(Of course, the fact that the girl I was dating at the time fell head over heels for The Beatles didn’t help any.)
I cannot for the life of me understand why today’s utes (OK, I WON’T call them IDIOTS!) use a stupid word like BAE, when we’ve had a perfectly good word (BABE) since before I was born. Can you imagine Sonny and Cher singing, “I’ve Got You, BAE”?
I’ve Got You Babe
Enough nits for one night.
FLN, -T: Yes, Houston to El Paso can be the longest drive in the world. When my sister lived in Vegas, I used to drive out there every two or three years. Sometimes, I’d make it a two-day drive (Houston to El Paso to Vegas); sometimes I’d make it a three day drive, and stop in Fort Stockton and either Phoenix or Tucson. It depended on what I felt like doing (meaning where along the way I wanted to stop and commit photography). Conversely, my trips to Cocoa Beach to see my brother (and now my sister) are always two-day trips. Eastbound, I stop in Pensacola; westbound, it’s Mobile. It’s STILL a long drive!
This is a final 'over and out' message for Barry T.
If he is still reading.
I'm the Anon at 1119 or some such time from yesterday.
You did a lot of yeoman service, by explaining the terms. I did learn something. I must apologize in case anybody felt that I was a little flippant, especially about the complex algebra convention, and the fluidity time axis. I have had a career involving math, and science, and I thought equations might simplify my line of thinking.
I have had friends who were gay, at sometime in their lives, and that was a long time ago, and their fluidity has changed as they grew older and had families.
My over riding philosophy is Live and Let Live.
To Each their Own.
I have never felt neither fear nor hatred nor abhorrence towards people with different genders or sexual attitudes from my own. Some of the most brilliant people on this earth have been gay and similarly disposed, not only Alan Turing, and Oscar Wilde, but even an MIT female astrophysicist whom I had the great honor of meeting, last year. Even one of our US Supreme Court Justices might be similarly oriented. Who knows, and who cares.
So, Barry T, God bless you, Go in Peace.
Frantic Friday. Thanks for the fun, Kevin and Lemonade.
Unlike most of you, I had difficulty with this CW. I ran out of time this morning and put it aside; returned this evening but no improvement. Perhaps just not my day. I did get the themers (after changing Urban PRIDE to CIVIC-hello OMK).
With P&P and several Google look-ups, I finally finished (yes NW was last to fall), but no great sense of satisfaction today for me.
This Canadian will claim some disadvantage. I don’t know all your American networks or teams (TBS, TROJAN). SALEM and UTAH were unknown as clued (what there are Raptors playing basketball outside of Toronto!) (yes I did see the i WC). But I did get RUTH, after noting that Elena would not fit and was not “former”.
I have a big inkblots at my almost Natick cross of BAES and THE BOMB. OK, perhaps I am OLD SCHOOL. Did anyone else try to fit Totes Adorbs into 12D?
EMIL, OTTO, KOAN, ALISON, OSCAR were unknown, but I did know Canadian SARAH.
And I count four fill-in-the-blanks! Those all require perps and guesses, not knowledge IMHO.
My wasps were in holes before Eaves; perhaps they should join the PENAL COLONY.
I tried to fit HOT shots before DOGS. (They could join the wolf PACK).
I just noted iPod NANO and ESCAPE POD.😮
Lucinda- not much ANACIN usage here any more since aspirin has been replaced by acetaminophen or NSAIDS like Aleve, except for specific conditions (usually cardiac).
HG, AnonT - great CACTI photos.
Thoughts and prayers for YR’s nephew Tim, and inanehiker’s Mom.
Good evening to you all.
All is good! You as well, Mr. T!
Hi, this is Kevin, thank you everyone for solving and commenting on my puzzle today.
Normally I log on and comment on the day it's published, but this week I was distracted by work and the election so I forgot until today, two days late.
I don't have anything too earth-shattering to shed on this theme. There are lots of interesting words for groups of animals so it seemed like a good crossword puzzle theme idea.
There are many more terms for groups of animals, so it probably would have been possible to make a Sunday size puzzle with this theme.
See ya. - KevinC
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