Theme: Phrases with numbers at the start are literally itemized.
17. Big burger chain, literally?: GUY GUY GUY GUY GUY. Five Guys.
27. "I Can't Help Myself" R&B group, literally?: TOP TOP TOP TOP. Four Tops.
44. Many a sports car, literally?: SEATER SEATER. Two-seaters
58. Exec's dressy suit, literally?: PIECE PIECE PIECE. Three-piece.
Boomer here. "Eight Days a Week" - The Beatles - Day Day Day Oh never mind. I only do the blog comments on one or two days. Hope your Thanksgiving went well.
Across:
6. Haunted house sound: MOAN. I am old. Does not MOANing aches and pains count?
10. Stick a fork in: STAB. Between the "R" Tab and the "T" Tab.
14. Standing at attention, say: ERECT. Or build a metal Ferris Wheel with your set. I could never do it.
15. Oscar winner Paquin: ANNA. Won Oscar at 11 for "The Piano".
16. Soft drink nut: KOLA. Odd looking and terribly expensive. I get cashews at Fleet Farm.
20. Yale student: ELI.
21. Homes for bears: DENS. I was a young Cub Scout back when IKE was President. We had meetings in the den of the pack leader's home.
22. Con jobs: SCAMS.
23. __ strength: ability to withstand stretching: TENSILE.
25. On the briny: ASEA. "We sail the ocean blue, in our saucy ships of beauty." Gilbert and Sullivan.
32. Honors with a fancy party: FETES.
35. "Wild Blue Yonder" mil. group: USAF. I was in the Army. I suppose I would have to serve more than two years in the Air Force to get a jet.
36. __ de Janeiro: RIO. Home of the 2016 Olympics.
37. Dutch cheese: EDAM. On the river between the "D Dam" and the "F DAM".
38. Worker in a shaft: MINER.
40. Curve in a road: BEND.
41. Round Table title: SIR. "How do you thank someone, who has taken you from crayons to perfume?" - Lulu.
42. Locker room powder: TALC. This is the stuff that Johnson and Johnson is getting sued about. Maybe they can make it up by selling vaccine.
43. Walrus features: TUSKS. "I am the egg man, they are the egg
men, I am the Walrus goo goo g'joob." The Beatles. I had to Google the
last three words. I thought it was "coo, coo, kachoo."
48. Floor space calculation: AREA. Length times width.
49. Sticks around: LINGERS.
53. Big rigs: SEMIS.
56. Bowling targets: PINS. And on LANES not ALLEYS.
57. Animal doc: VET.
62. One of 12 in a foot: INCH.
63. Farm size unit: ACRE.
64. Confess: OWN UP. I confess - I forgot what a bowling target
was. The only time I have picked up a ball since last March was to get
at my golf clubs. Where is that vaccine everyone is talking about?
65. Classic grape soda: NEHI. I believe RADAR on M*A*S*H drank it.
66. Hair colorings: DYES.
67. Handy carryalls: TOTES.
Down:
2. "Go, me!": I RULE.
3. Enter, as data: KEY IN. We used to call it typing.
4. Cardio readout: ECG. AKA EKG.
5. Small apartments: STUDIOS. Sleep in the living room - between the TV and the computer.
6. Wall calendar : nail :: shopping list : __: MAGNET.
7. Burden: ONUS. Some times a puzzle becomes a burden ON US.
8. "__ further discussion?": ANY. Yeah, we have more clues to kick around.
9. Old horse: NAG.
10. Airport porter: SKYCAP. They were busy last weekend, even though governors asked people not to go.
11. Forum wear: TOGA. Did someone say "Animal House"?
12. High school reunion attendee, briefly: ALUM. Skipped my 55th. It was cancelled due to virus.
13. Howls at the moon: BAYS. I used to love fishing in these parts of our 10,000 lakes. Water was calm and fish were always biting.
18. Puppy's cry: YELP. Also a company in San Francisco that spies on businesses.
19. Make __: employ: USE OF.
24. Flower holder: STEM. Or VASE.
25. Semicircular cathedral area: APSE. I often wonder why
Catholic Churches have really high ceilings. This is Minnesota. The
buildings are impressive but heat in winter and AC in summer are not
cheap.
26. Lead actor or actress: STAR.
28. Postal scale unit: OUNCE.
29. "__ bien!": TRES. "Je ne sais pas".
30. Sty cry: OINK. That's the way we spell it, not the way pigs yell it.
31. Snow pea holders: PODS.
32. Come clean, with "up": FESS. "Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier." FESS Parker.
33. Falco of "The Sopranos": EDIE.
34. Butler's quarters?: TARA. Rhett Butler. "Gone With the Wind".
38. Female horse: MARE. The old gray one "Ain't what she used to be".
39. "Casablanca" heroine: ILSA.
40. Town: BURG.
42. Wasting few words: TERSE.
43. Sawbuck: TEN SPOT. "Sawbuck" is a bit of an insult to
Alexander Hamilton. We call a $100 a Benjamin, we call a $20 a Jackson,
and we call a $50 bad luck in Las Vegas.
45. Meditative martial art: TAI CHI.
46. Restaurant in an Arlo Guthrie hit: ALICE'S. "You can get anything you want" there. And you can get a year older if you can recite the entire ditty.
47. Fork prong: TINE.
50. Discus or pole vault: EVENT.
51. Prompt, as a forgetful actor: RECUE.
52. Staircase divisions: STEPS. Down is no problem but I have to take my time going up.
53. "Wheel of Fortune" choice: SPIN.
54. German article: EINE. Rhymes with WINE. Only 50 cents a bottle over there in 1969.
55. Kind of drawing: Abbr.: MECH. Mechanical.
56. Dijon dad: PERE.
59. Note-taking aid: PAD. I don't think anyone uses them any more. Just record the note on a phone.
60. Aloof: ICY. Anyone who think ICY is aloof, never landed on their butt taking the garbage can out to the street in the winter.
61. __ Jima: IWO.
I didn't know I have friend with friends in high places.
 |
| Janet Yellen with Graybar CEO Kathy Mazzarella. Kathy with Boomer |
Boomer
59 comments:
Good morning Cornerites.
Thank you Kurt Krauss for your enjoyable Monday CW. The repetitive letters helped my fill. I got the theme with PIECEPIECEPIECE
I FIR in 21:53 min.
Thank you Boomer for your excellent review. Nice PIC.
Ðave
Boomer, I am impressed.
BTW, who's Janet, and why is she yell.. ? ;-)
Seriously, aren't you glad you took that course in macroeconomics in college.? ;-)
She's good for atleast 3 credit card references, and two bank loans.
Seriously, I am impressed with a company that has a female CEO and cares enough about its retirees. I wish I could give them some business.
I hope your day turns out as well as your wonderful blog.
Good morning!
The repetitive theme made this a very quick solve. Only needed my Wite-Out to change TEST to STAB. Well done, Kurt and Boomer. (I liked your S-TAB and E-DAM.)
ALUM: I went to my 15th, but none since. They stopped sending me invites about 20 years ago.
BIKES: We have a pair of geezer bikes (single speed, fat tires, coaster brake), and we pedal 'em around the 'hood every weekend, weather permitting (ie: Temp is above 40 and it isn't raining.)
STUDIO: I never lived in one, but if I did, I'd want one of these movable walls that I saw on Ask This Old House.
EDIE: Her latest "gig" is as a lesbian L.A. police commissioner.
Easy and fun romp today. I’ve taken to riding my BIKE in the dark of early morning, as I did today, to avoid the crowds of people without masks. I wear a mask on my BIKE every time I ride, although our FL Gov might declare it illegal (I hope I’m kidding). I volunteered, so I served three years in the Army instead of the two served by draftees. My only write-overs were STAB 4 test and LINGERS 4 hanGsin.
Kurt's last name is Krause. The name Klaus rhymes with it. So why do we say Santa Claus (claws)?
Amusing theme which made the solve even faster than the usual Monday!
I like 5 Guys - but In N Out is probably my favorite for burgers - neither have one close to where I live. The best burger in town is probably at the Ecco Lounge - but that is a local pub not a chain.
Thanks Boomer and Kurt!
Headed back to work after being off a week - not looking forward to it - but it will be fine once I'm there....
Good morning everyone.
Well, got this one in SHAKES SHAKES SHAKES of a lamb's tail. Interesting theme concept. No problems with the solve. FIR.
BEND - - Yogi said: when you get to the fork in the road, take it.
OUNCE - Probably a tough one for our Canadian solvers.
INCH - Another unfair entry, eh?
EINE - The root word is EIN. The 'E' is added for inflection, say, to modify a feminine gender noun. When added, it is pronounced as a schwa, making it a 2 syllable word.
An eeny meeny choosing ditty I learned as a kid went:
"Eene meene mu
Wer is Fritz s'n Fru
Dat bin ik ni
Dat bist du."
(Translate: Eeny meeny moe; who is Fritz' wife? It is not me; it is you!)
This took about 4:30, but I managed to finish the NYT one in the Seattle Times (that I think is 4 weeks behind "actual time") in under 4:00 (3:49 to be precise).
The only times/places I've heard of Graybar are Mondays here.
Clever theme and good execution.
Hola!
What an unusual theme that propelled me to finish quickly. I got it, too. Thank you, Kurt Krauss and Boomer. It took longer to read the review than to solve the puzzle.
ANNA Paquin has certainly grown into a beautiful woman. And I am glad to finally see a picture of EDIE Falco who is so often in puzzles.
OINK/TUSKS crossing each other amused me.
I love any reference to Casa Blanca so seeing ILSA is a treat!
It's usually Arlo we see instead of ALICE.
Wishing everyone a lovely day today!
Thank you, Kurt Krauss, and thank you, Boomer.
What a way to start the week. Another typo. This time I had TAtA instead of TARA.
Fun puzzle, and easy to solve with the repetition, but I still enjoyed it. Didn't see a number of the clues until reading the write up.
BURG - Today's trivia... Pennsylvania doesn't have a municipal level known as a town. PA has townships, boroughs and cities. Officially there is only one "town" in PA even though some boroughs have the word in their name. That town is Bloomsburg, and it is administered as if it were a borough. A variant of the word borough is Bourgh, meaning a fortified town, and burgh is a Scottish variant of the same.
In 1890, the United States Board of Geographic Names, which was created to bring consistency to the spellings of locations throughout the country, deemed that all cities ending in ‘burgh’ must drop the ‘h’ in the spirit of uniformity. Controversy ensued in Pittsburgh, with the majority of the population wanting to keep the H. In 1911, twenty-one years after the naming convention, the Board acquiesced, and Pittsburgh (with a H) became the official name of the city. So now you know why you come across so many towns in the US (and boroughs in PA) ending in burg, while Pittsburgh pretty much stands alone with the added H.
FLN, Lemonade, I had a Kevin Salat puzzle at Universal, not a C.C. I couldn't load the USA Today puzzle. I didn't see your note until the early morning. I fell asleep before kickoff of the Bears Packers game.
Irish Miss - Our favorite pizza place is really really good. How good are they ? Good enough that all they do is pizza. Well, they do offer three different salads and a few homemade desserts when they make them. You can also buy soda pop by the can, six pack, or liter, Or pick up a frozen pizza. That's about it. They don't do sandwiches. They don't Italian dinners. They don't do pastas. They don't do appetizers. Just pizza.
They are only open 5 days a week, Wed to Sun. They don't open until 4:30 and they close at 9. Except on Sundays, when they close at 8. So only open 21.5 hours per week. No indoor dining. No delivery. Carryout only, and they don't work with food delivery services. Cash or checks only. They don't do coupons. None of that is due to the pandemic. It's always been that way.
How can they succeed like that ? Simply by having great pizza. They make their dough fresh everyday the same for their perfect pizza sauce. Only fresh ingredients and real cheese, and they don't skimp. Plus, they are always really nice people. 30 years and counting.
The NW started so slowly that I looked to see the constructor (KK). Perhaps (Quaintly) procreate would have yielded BEGET sans perps.
Then I thought all the G-Gs would somehow yield Burger King. Then the 4 TOPs gave me the V8. Fast solve, nevertheless with a sparkling Boomer write-up.
Let's compromise. If I bowl Ten Pin (Big balls we used to call it) I do it at LANES. If I stick to Candlepins I'll go to my dingy ALLEY. Ten Pin lanes were virtually emporiums in comparison.
I have to go slow on newspaper because making out the numbers without a special light and 3+ reading glasses is difficult. Plus I invariably write over the numbers when I fill and have to backtrack to one I can read (or count down from the clue).
Two wos: CAb/P;PEpE/PERE(I thought Dijon was Spanish.
WC
FLN. I think my YEA interpretation is better though it may not have been what CC had in mind for passing (away). I get it though: After the vote they say "The YEAS have it".
Musings
-Our constructor Brian Paquin told us he is a distant cousin to ANNA
-It’s probably a crossword sin to have never eaten any EDAM cheese although I’ve had many OREOS
-One ACRE lakeside lots around here are selling for at least six figures
-I RULE – My thoughts when I finish a NY Times or LA Times Saturday puzzle
-We have made USE OF leftovers for four days now and only have dressing left
-Did anyone else see “Flower holder” and think of river banks?
-EDIE’s character chose to ignore her husband’s unsavory vocation
-Hurdles and pole vaulting are EVENTS for athletes who must have no fear
-“Prompt, as a forgetful actor” could have been clued more TERSELY as “Prompt again”
-Wow, Boomer, a hug and a free turkey!
FIR, so a good start to the week! The theme was a big help when I saw the repetition. It was a new twist to me. Has anyone else seen this before? Had a few WOs where perps straightened out my original (wrong) thought: redCAP/SKYCAP, Pen/PAD, and input/KEY IN. But lots of fun, thanks Kurt. Boomer, thanks for your entertaining review. Stay off those ICY spots this winter!
My bike is a hybrid with gears that manage Atlanta's hills fine. Looking forward to riding it again on nearby paths. Happy Monday to all!
I did the puzzle in under ten minutes. Then I did it again after knowing all of the entries. I read each clue and then typed the answer. It took me 3 minutes 53 seconds just to type it in. No real thinking involved.
ATL Granny, my bicycle is in the basement with a flat tire. I'd like to ride, but it inflames my sciatic nerve.
Husker, seeing “Flower holder” and first thinking of river banks might be a sign that you've been doing a few too many crossword puzzles :>)
When I finished the sentence earlier with, "... while Pittsburgh pretty much stands alone with the added H", I knew that there was at least one other place that I've been to that had the added H. Just couldn't think of it then. Just popped into my head. Newburgh, N.Y. Flew in and out of there during my working career. How soon we forget.
Musings 2
-I just finished the NYT puzzle at the Seattle Times site (https://www.seattletimes.com/games-nytimes-crossword/) and enjoyed a 6 minute romp. I might have gone faster but I didn’t speed up until I saw the fill come so quickly. The puzzle was labelled NY Times, Mon, Nov 30, 2020 by Eric Bornstein/Will Shortz. Is someone saying that is not today’s NYT puzzle?
Musings 3
-TTP, you may be absolutely correct! A very smart person I know once told me this ADAGE/AXIOM/SAW/BON MOT/MAXIM (more cwd stuff): If you hear hoofbeats, think horses not zebras!
When I penned "dingy" alley I wondered about the spelling and then the spelling of the boat. And I found this entertaining explanation, re. Dingy, dinghy and dingy.
The following story uses all three words correctly:
Captain Dan was frantic. “Where’s the dinghy? Someone stole the dinghy, Dennis!”
“I lent the dinghy to some kids that wanted to go for a ride. We have a boat, it was a spare.” Dennis hadn’t had much boating experience, and thought it was a nice gesture. They said they would give it back, but he hadn’t seen them for hours now.
Captain Dan was enraged. “Are you kidding me? This boat is a dingy mess. We need supplies. How are we supposed to get ashore now?”
“It’s okay. I have Life Saver candies,” said Dennis, beaming with pride.
“That’s just a shape of the candy, it doesn’t actually rescue anything!” Captain Dan barked.
“Oh….well, that’s deceptive,” replied Dennis, realizing they were screwed and it might be his fault.
“I’ve never been boating with someone as dingy as you, Dennis.”
“Why, thank you, Captain Dan.”
“That wasn’t a compliment. I’ll be in my quarters using the radio to get help. ARGH!”
WC
……BURGH - - The N part of Troy, NY is known as Lansingburgh.
Other BURGH towns and cities in NY include Fallsburgh, Forestburgh, Hardenburgh, Hamptonburgh, Greenburgh, Petersburgh, Newburgh, Plattsburgh, and Middleburgh.
Nice Job once again Boomer. Wilbur: Thank you for that contribution, I enjoyed it so much. On we go into December everyone! Chins up! Shoulders back! Guts in (as best we can)! Let's stare that balance of 2020 right in the eyes! (The Whoo)
Hmm,
I had Burb b/4 Burg.
Must be one of the consequences of living in New Jersey...
Hmm,
I wonder if I can get DW interested
in Xwords, and word usage...
Hmm,
I wonder if the puzzle theme could have been echo?
(though, honestly, I have never seen this puzzle concept before...)
Which brings me to,
Ah, Ilsa, Ilsa, Ilsa...
Cheers, Cheers, Cheers! Kurt
Clever and delightful Monday puzzle, Kurt--many thanks. I just couldn't believe when all those GUYS started filling in that whole third row, but it prepared me for the TOPS and the SEATER and the PIECES. And Boomer, your write-ups are always fun, thanks for that too.
EDIE and ILSA turn up pretty often these days. So does IWO Jima. Nice to see KOLA and NEHI--NEHI always makes me think of Radar O'Reilly on MASH.
Have a great week coming up, everybody.
Good Morning:
I liked the theme which made for a quick and enjoyable solve. As usual, for a Monday, no unknowns and no w/os. Nice CSO to Jayce (USAF) and Boomer (Pins). My animal-loving self appreciated the mini theme of Vet, Yelp, Bays, Mare, Nag, Oink, Tusks, Dens, Pods, and Pad.
Thanks, Kurt, an A-one start to the week and end of the month and thanks, Boomer, for the A-one commentary. I continue to be impressed by your knowledge, let alone recall, of musical lyrics. I never saw The Sopranos but I loved Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie and, as DO mentioned, she is in the new series, Tommy, which hasn’t begun the Fall season yet, like other shows delayed by the Pandemic. Nice photos, BTW.
DO @ 6:45 ~ I enjoyed your Robotic wall link; human ingenuity is astounding. I would never want to live in such confined quarters, though.
TTP @ 9:07 ~ You have no idea how jealous I am of your access to great pizza! 😢
ATLGranny @ 10:03 ~ I have a vague recollection of seeing this type of theme before, but vague is the operative word! 🙃
FLN
Lucina, I understand why you need a ticket for Mass. I was just expressing my disbelief that we would ever be under any circumstances that would require such unthinkable measures. 😇
Anon T, first and foremost on my good pizza list is a thin, crispy crust, followed by top quality sauce and cheese. My favorite toppings are mushrooms and sausage. Many years ago, there were a few pizzerias that served excellent pies but I attribute today’s decline mostly to inferior (cheap) ingredients and lack of old school pizza makers who took pride in their product.
Anonymous, you’re right, but I think Albany has more and better options than Troy.
CED, putting Feta cheese on 🍕would be like putting Catsup on 🦞, IMVVHO!
Last by not least, Congratulations to CC for yesterday’s Threepeat puzzles publication.
Have a great day.
Posting the following for Irish Miss:
FOR LOUISE PENNY’S FANS
I didn’t understand Tara as an answer until I read the blog! Been a while since seeing GWTW!
Sorry that TTP’s link is restricted but if any of LP’s fans would like to read the cute article, email me and I’ll forward it.
Thanks, TTP.
Nice puzzle but as soon as you figured out the gimmick the rest of the entry was a gimme for all four.
TTP, maybe all you need - besides a tube - is a better seat. Many available now, they usually feature a deep valley for pressure relief.
Also, TOMMY won’t be returning as it was canceled.
Cheer Cheer Cheer! for Mr. Krauss!
OIC - Unknown beat me to that, But this was worth cheering for, a dee-lightful idea for a pzl.
I getgetgetget when we last had such a repetitive theme. It certainly made it easier to solve, easier than usual--even on an easy day.
I always enjoy watching Ingrid Bergman as ILSA in Casablanca, although I would be hard pressed to say what she does that warrants her being described as a "heroine."
I mean what does she actually Do?! She struggles between her love for Bogie and her admiration for Paul. But her contribution to the war effort?
Hmmm. I guess she has inspirational value.
~ OMK
____________
DR:. A 3-way on the far side.
Today’s anagram (of the central diagonal) celebrates the happy meeting of two expressive friends, one Irish and one Welsh, delighted to see one another after months apart.
They cannot help themselves, for they are…
“CELT GRINNERS”!
In re. "Inspirational value" in my posting above (@2:34):
"FOR THIS we Fight!"
~ OMK
Unless you're into IT infrastructure, where Graybar is a big player, you're not likely to have heard of them. My son's company has been a business partner for over 40 years.
Burg is also one of the German words for castle or fortress, as in Luther's hymn "Eine Feste Burg".
Puzzling thoughts:
My CENTS CENTS ...
Cute puzzle and recap; had one little misteak at the border between MN and Winnipeg, but other than that, all clean.
Got the theme after the second TOP and second GUY emerged; LOL @ Spitz’ SHAKES SHAKES SHAKES ...
Pretty quiet here; keeping my fingers crossed that the COVID spikes don’t increase too much in the next 10 days, as I am finally hoping to meet my 6 month old grandson ... requires us to take a 3-1/2 hr nonstop flight ... getting COVID-checked on Saturday to be clear for takeoff
Just found out that my Medicare Advantage Plan provides me a $300/year OTC “allowance”. Since it doesn’t roll over to 2021, we had to “spend it” before year end. While their “prices” are higher than what I’d pay in a store, it was kinda fun to fill up the medicine cabinet, along with getting a few other higher ticket items, including a “talking ear and forehead thermometer”. Better than a “talking rectal thermometer” I reckon! 🤡
TTP —> I always thought that PittsBURGH PA spelled it that way to differentiate it from Pittsburg, KS. Oh, and which pizza chain are you referring to? I’m curious 🤨
That's because Edie and Ilsa are so gluey!
Hi All!
@11:55 said it best, 'Cheers! Cheers! Cheers!' for Kurt. Fun puzzle; thanks.
Great Expo Boomer. Heard this morning that Yellen is going to be Treasury Secretary.
I thought it was 'coo, coo, kachoo' too.
WO: Breed b/f BEGET
ESP: PERE
Fav: ALICE'S Restaurant Massacree - listen to it every Thanksgiving
//this article says Arlo is retiring this year.
Liked the DR, OMK.
Thanks for the cool Ask This Old House video D-O. They never said what it cost but I guess that doesn't matter if you can afford an apartment in the city
CED - LOL Sarcasm comic
My BIKE is a Specialized. My brother gave it to me after he upgraded; I'd never spend $8,000+ on a bike.
FLN - IM, sounds like we're both crust snobs :-)
//BTW - second emoji didn't show; what don't you want catsup on?
TTP - Dylan's pizza serves like you described... If you want to sit down and eat, go to the bar next door. So many did that they cut a hole in the wall to pass your order through (ha! It's even says that on their website!)
Toppings - Sausage (Italian), green-pepper, & onion.
Cheers, -T
Thank you Kurt and thanks for all the groaners Boomer.
Got the theme on the first themer, which made the rest of the puzzle pretty easy, with lots of clever fill nevertheless.
Boomer: in 3D there is a significant difference between TYPING and KEYing IN. The former leaves a permanent record on paper, whereas the latter goes into CYBERSPACE, and not infrequently is NEVER SEEN AGAIN.
Bill
C-Moe, reminds me of the drunken sailor who was sheet,sheet,sheet to the wind
Husker Gary @10:47. That’s the syndicated puzzle. Today’s puzzle was done by Emma Craver-Matthews.
Anon-T,
$8,000 for a bicycle you gotta peddle?
While I am all for bikes, & exercise,
I am also cheap. So, if I was going to spend 8 grand...
(which reminds me, can you spare a little gas money?)
TTP, I had to backtrack & Ctrl F to find out why you need a V cut seat.
But, I have had Sciatica, & it is no fun (at all).
I have been Sciatica free for more than 6 years now
(& it is like a miracle!)
I found a Doctor that in two operations
can desensitize the back nerves that cause this.
(they knock you out, it requires a surgical hospital)
& while this "Doctor" was under my insurance,
the hospital where he works was not...
I got an unexpected bill for $20,000?!?!?!
(Don't sign anything!)
but I am sciatica free ( on one side)
the other side is totally numb from an earlier
herniated disc incident.
(remember Festus, from Gunsmoke? that's how I walk around...)
(hmm, can't find a clip of him limping around.)
(but his storytellin' does remind me of me...)
Oh, I almost forgot!
Anytime I can blow Anonymous T's mind
I gotta post. found this on the WayBack Machine...
I love love loved this puzzle. But I must admit that I scratched my head for a long time at GUYGUYGUYGUYGUY. I wondered what TOPTOPTOPTOP had to do with ZZ Top. Then, seeing SEA I filled SEASEASEASEA and thought, wrongly of course, it had something to do with four seas. After I realized the sports car was not a repeat of 3-letter words the light bulb finally illuminated. Loud laughter ensued. SEATERSEATER made me think of the Little Caesar's Pizza commercial character intoning "Pizza pizza." I'm easily amused.
And sure enough, today we have a discussion of pizza.
Anyway, "Stick a fork in" was not POKE and "Flower holder" was not VASE. I liked seeing the word TENSILE in the puzzle; no relation to TENSPOT.
Our son gives absolutely no credence to YELP reviews. Having once been a small business proprietor he says he has first-hand experience.
Good wishes to you all.
Anonymous @ 2:05 ~ I’m sorry to hear that about Tommy as I liked the show, mostly because of Edie Falco’s presence.
Waseely @ 3:12 ~ Having worked for an electronics distributor, I’ve been aware of Graybar since 1960. Their outlet in Albany has been there for many years. However, I had no knowledge of their IT presence.
Anon T @ 3:43 ~ That’s odd as it shows clearly on my screen. It’s one of my favorite foods, a Lobster! Here it is again, 🦞 if this works! (Your comment gave me a chuckle as I often refer to myself as a Pizza Snob.)
Well, I am not moving tomorrow. The buyers, who are very well qualified, dotted every I and crossed every T in plenty of time, but we heard at 4:30 PM that there was a glitch in the paperwork for their mortgage so we can't close until 12/3. Get a mover with two days notice? HA HA. It seems that the problem is almost always the bank.
So all clothing, bedding, lamps, food, kitchen appliances, etc are boxed up in anticipation of moving in the morning. Also I ditched partial containers of very edible foods. David was helping me and set aside tomorrow. The remainder of the week he has commitments.
Didn't the bank know earlier in the day?
Has anyone been able to find the Universal by C.C. that Lemonade referenced yesterday ? A link would be appreciated.
Also, for that link that I created for Irish Miss, "For Louise Penny Fans", has anyone that is not an NYT subscriber been able to read it without getting blocked by the paywall ?
Thanks PVX and CED. Not sure how much more bicycling I'll be doing, and I'm sure not getting any more surgeries on my discs or nerves until it becomes a matter of last resort. Been there, done that.
Moe, no pizza chain. A family owned business. I saw later that I left that family owned and operated part out when I described that they are always so nice. A place called Gianarios (NOT to be confused with Giardanos) in Winfield.
Dash T - Here's one that's similar to what you described at Dillons Pizza. A door between the two businesses though. I've been to this place a few times and it's really good to (but not as good as Gianarios), but you (before the pandemic) had to get there early on Friday nights because both the Towne Tap and Al's Pizza would fill up. Al's Pizza and Towne Tap Moe, this one is in Warrenville.
Yellowrocks, that is such terrible news for you and so very inconsiderate of those in the know.
Marvellous Monday. Thanks for the fun, Kurt and Boomer.
I FIRed and saw the number theme early.
Was anyone else disappointed that it went FIVE, FOUR, TWO, THREE and not in perfectly descending order. Okay, it is only Monday😊
We did have Easter Eggs with TEN at TEN SPOT and TENSILE.
We also had seaTERSEater crossing TERSE.
I liked the clue for MAGNET.
Yes, Spitzboov, I noted the non-metric OUNCE and INCH.
OMK, would an actor who needed to be RECUEd be Rehired?😁
Wishing you al a good evening.
I had no trouble seeing the lemon curd cookie recipe. Sounds delish.
Late to the dance today. I found the puzzle to be enjoyable and a quick solve, as others have said, after the repetitive nature of the theme was identified. I did not know Five GUYS and, because that was the first of the theme answers (top to bottom), it took just a bit longer (until I reached the Motown line) to crack the code. After solving, I did a web search for the burger chain and it turns out that they have operations in the L.A. area. I might stop in for a sandwich sometime.
TTP- I could not get past the NYT firewall but Google gave me Louise Penny’s Facebook post with a link to the article. It worked for me. Worth a try if you have Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/louisepennyauthor/posts/4580897221981221
YR- how awful about your move being delayed😮
YR, I am so sorry to hear of your unfortunate predicament, but not the least bit surprised. I doubt that there is a person on this blog who hasn’t been a victim of the indifference, negligence, unreliability, and shoddy workmanship that seems to permeate today’s society. Of course, this isn’t true of everyone but, for the most part, gone are the days when Customer Service meant something. I hope things work out without any further setbacks.
Until I became a responsible adult, my mother’s mantra in response to my trying to cut corners or to escape a chore was:
Be it great or be it small,
Do it well or not at all.
I guess she drilled it into my head because I’ve tried to follow its dictates my entire life, and I suspect everyone on this blog shares this same ethic.
Since our esteemed Blog Meister, Boomer, has been mentioning his old company, GraybaR, as a service to him, I did some Wikinvestigating of the company.
Boomer's GraybaR ( their logo has a capital R ..) is a Fortune 500 co., and is entirely employee owned ( presumably pre-ESOP ) and is not only still in business, it is doing very well, thank you.
It was started after the civil war, (or so) by Elisha Gray and a fella named Barton, hence Graybar.
Gray was a prolific inventor, of the likes of Thomas Edison, and he got gipper, gipper, GIPPED out of his telephone patent by, who else, but Alexander Graham Bell !!!
See Wikipedia - Telephone controversy with Bell vis a vis Gray
Read the story yourselves.
Gray went on to cofound Western electric and Graybar.( among other things.)
Thank you Boomer, for the education.
Thank you, Yellowrocks and Canadian Eh.
YR - does this affect your ability to get your new place? I thought I recall 12/1 was a hard-date. Regardless, this sucks; sorry.
IM - I'm on a Windows machine; that emoji is probably not on it. I agree w/ Mother's mantra.
Jayce - If I look at Yelp, I look for the 3 star reviews; more honest than the 1 and 5 star ones. Of course, we already have the list of places we like so...
TTP - Thanks for correcting my Dillon's; Al's looks like a hoot!
C, Eh! Thanks for the link to the cookies; I hit the paywall too.
CED - *Mind Blown*
Re: BIKE:
a) It's not really mine Brother shipped it to me and said, "You can use it but I sent it so I can ride when I'm there." //Usually, he does 30--50 mile rides
b) I don't think he really spent that much. When he lived in Springfield, the riding bug bit him. After about a year or so, he got the opportunity to invested into an established local bike-shop (great way to afford your hobby!) and worked there most every Sunday. I suspect when the new model came in, he got a good deal on it -- even though, >$1,000 would be too rich for me :-)
And, for everyone who cycles: "My drinking team has a cycling problem " :-)
//And, because I smoked at ride-breaks, my brother got me a poster Tour de France pic
Cheers, -T
Loved the puzzle! And the write up! Thanks Kurt and Boomer! Cute theme.
I think the original lyrics to the ASEA notation are “we sail the ocean blue AND our saucy ships a beauty.” It’s been done so many times in amateur productions.... and misheard so many times.... I’m not sure the original lyrics matter any more. My high school has done G &S every year since I was in school. A few years ago now!
YR, prayers and good thoughts from here. How awful!
IM, thanks for the Louise Penny article. I’m a big fan!
Thank you Swamp Cat, Anonymous T, Canadian Eh, TTP, and I'M, for your kind words. I believe The Oaks will let me in because I have cooperated well, did my best, and showed very good faith. David cannot help me until next Monday, Dec 7. He was all set for tomorrow. I am crossing my fingers The Oaks will wait that long. I need him to move the TV's. The Oaks may not wait. Tomorrow I have to get an acceptable moving date, and call for my cable and electric service to continue. I will need to shop for food. I was able to unearth one pot and one frying pan, towel, pillow, blanket, and some clothes.
IM, we had that mantra, too.
Irish Miss, I have that on the authority of my son who says that they have greatly expanded their offerings over the years. I'm not a business man, but I understand that this is something you have do to stay competitive.
TTP @ 5:22 wrote:
"Has anyone been able to find the Universal by C.C. that Lemonade referenced yesterday ? A link would be appreciated."
No luck on that USA puzzle, but the goniffs on the paper have gone advertising crazy -- there is now a vertical ad space on the left of the page, which pushes the puzzle to the right ... and into an unsolvable oblivion.
IM: "... gone are the days when Customer Service meant something."
Alas, too true, but I exercise my "right of revenge" by never doing business with such firms, just as I mostly won't buy anything shown in the endless e-ads and pop-ups on-line. For most items there are numerous alternative stores.
YR, are you kidding me? Somebody in that bank could have changed his tee time and worked hard on your behalf and kept you informed before you were fully committed. Good luck my friend!
What a FUN puzzle --- once I figured out the gimmick. Mr. Wite-Out and I spent a long time at the top wondering why obvious answers for the clues weren’t fitting together with each other. Finally, the lightbulb flickered, and it took me less than five minutes to finish the rest of the puzzle. Duh!
Other than the four theme answers, my favorite was Butler’s quarters.
-T --- FLN (One of these days I’ll get on the same day as everyone else), No flippancy noted. Yes, I’ve done Star Pizza also. Many years ago, a bunch of real photographers and I (the unreal photographer) would do a photo safari through Glenwood Cemetery (on Washington Street, near downtown). Among the famous peeps buried there are Gene Tierney and Howard Hughes. Star pizza was always a part of the tour. Spanky’s Pizza (South Loop and Telephone Road --- north of Hobby Airport) is pretty good too.
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