Election Day! If you haven't already, today is the final day to cast your SECRET BALLOT!
I did the early voting thing. Although the line looked long, it only took me 25 minutes from the time I got into the line and when I completed casting my vote.
Remember: No Politics, but do go follow the instruction in circles and VOTE.
16-Across. Roughly: GIVE OR TAKE. VOTE.
21-Across. Like medicine not requiring a prescription: OVER THE COUNTER. VOTE
48-Across. Debater for the opposition, at times: DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. VOTE.
54-Across. Place sheltered from reality: IVORY TOWER. VOTE.
And the Unifiers:
35-Across. With 37-Across, Election Day practice ... and a hint to this puzzle's theme: SECRET. // 37-Across. See 35-Across: BALLOT. Together this gives us the SECRET BALLOT.
Across:
1. Pacific island host of two "Survivor" seasons: PALAU. Palau is actually an archipelago of over 200 islands in Mocronesia and is offically known as the Republic of Palau. Only 8 of the islands, however, are permanently inhabited.
6. Caustic solution: LYE.
9. Indeed.com listings: JOBS.
13. Maker of Glide floss: ORAL-B.
14. Blacken a bit: SEAR.
15. Luminous glow: AURA.
18. Military group: UNIT.
19. SoCal cop squad: LAPD. As in the Los Angeles Police Department.
20. Machu Picchu builders: INCAS. We went to Machu Picchu 6 years ago. It was truly spectacular.
27. Truth alternative, in a game: DARE.
28. Like rice and potatoes: STARCHY.
29. Homeric epic: ILIAD. You can find out more about the Iliad.
31. Wipe the slate clean: ERASE.
32. Stat for Clayton Kershaw: ERA. Clayton Kershaw is a professional baseball pitcher, hence, he has statistics for his Earned Run Average. In 2014, he was the National League's MVP.
Clayton Edward Kershaw (b. Mar. 18, 1988)
39. Screeners at ORD: TSA. ORD is the airport code for the O'Hare International Airport where the Transport Security Administration Agents screen potential passengers. I haven't been on a plane since before the pandemic.
40. Like nostalgic art forms: RETRO.
44. Fitness system incorporating martial arts: TAE BO. You can practice in your own home!
45. Mozart rival: SALIERI. Antonio Salieri (Aug. 18, 1750 ~ May 7, 1825) was probably not the rival history has made him out to be.
47. Part of, as a plot: IN ON.
51. Smear with ink?: LIBEL. Cute clue.
52. "__ the Parents": 2000 film: MEET.
53. Revered pop star, say: IDOL.
60. Chunky Monkey buy: PINT. Chunky Monkey is one of Ben and Jerry's creation. It is banana ice cream with fudge and walnuts.
61. Name of 12 popes: PIUS. The first Pius was an early Pope who served from approximately 140 to 155 CE. The most recent Pope with that name was Pope from 1939 unti 1958.
62. Conjure up: EVOKE. Word of the week.
63. Eyelid ailment: STYE.
64. Fitting: APT.
65. __ over the coals: RAKED. I had to wait for the perps for the final letter, since this phrase can be used in both present and past tense.
Down:
1. Faddish '90s disc: POG. I guess I missed this fad.
2. "All Things Considered" host Shapiro: ARI. Ari Michael Shapiro (b. Sept. 30, 1978) is a radio journalist on NPR.
3. Loo: LAV.
4. Pub drink: ALE.
5. A bike lock may be shaped like one: U-BOLT. Not to be confused with Usain Bolt (b. Aug. 21, 1986).
6. Indy pacesetter: LEAD CAR.
1967 Ford Mustang Indy Pacesetter
7. Tibetan beast: YAK.
8. Middle of the "Able-Elba" palindrome: ERE. The quote "Able was I ere I saw Elba" is attributed to Napoleon, but did he really say it?
9. Lively: JAUNTY.
10. Part of a pound: OUNCE. Time to do your math homework.
11. Prickly shrub: BRIAR.
12. Coll. entrance exams: SATs. Formerly known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, know simply the SAT.
14. Fla. coastal city: ST. PETE. Hi, Tin!
17. Cheers at a bowl: RAHs!
20. Ready to mate: IN HEAT.
21. Writer of poetic praise: ODIST. John Keats (Oct. 31, 1795 ~ Feb. 23, 1821) is probably one of the most famous Odists.
22. Lowlands: VALES. What is the difference between Vale and Dale?
23. CNN journalist Hill: ERICA. Erica Ruth Hill (b. Aug. 3, 1976).
24. Backside: REAR.
25. 60 minuti: ORA. Today's Italian lesson. There are 60 minutes in an hour.
26. State school near L.A.: UCSB. As in the University of California, Santa Barbara.
30. Get off the track: DERAIL.
32. Justice Kagan: ELENA. Elena Kagan (b. Apr. 28, 1960) has become a crossword staple.
33. R2-D2, for one: ROBOT. One of the Robots from Star Wars.
34. Make up (for): ATONE.
36. Poker player's giveaway: TELL.
38. Of the flock: LAIC. Religious reference.
41. Apt "it's" anagram: TIS.
42. Read the riot act: REAM OUT.
43. Cooks fill them: ORDERS.
45. Gracefully slender: SVELTE.
46. Tony winner Judith: IVEY. Judith Lee Ivey (b. Sept. 4, 1951) is primarily a stage actress, but she has appeared in a number of films and TV shows, too.
48. Finished the work: DID IT.
49. Magazine that has had Lena Horne and Michelle Obama on its cover: EBONY.
50. River mammal: OTTER. Otters are such cute little critters.
51. Kissers: LIPS.
54. Pub drink, briefly: IPA. As in India Pale Ale.
55. Skybox guest: VIP. As in a Very Important Person.
56. Eggs in a lab: OVA.
57. Stir-fry pan: WOK.
58. Squeeze (out): EKE.
59. Like Rupert Grint's hair: RED. We couldn't have a crossword puzzle with out a reference to Harry Potter. Rupert Alexander Lloyd Grint (b. Aug. 24, 1988) is best known for playing Ron Weasley in the film series.
Here's the Grid:
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteToday it was "Apt" to appear both in a clue and as an answer. The rules, they be a-changin'. Missed the "PACEsetter," and inked in paceCAR. Wite-Out, please. Otherwise Debbie provide a nice downhill ORALB Glide. Enjoyed your expo, Hahtoolah.
We voted a couple of weeks ago. Today it's off to buy a new kitchen faucet. The old one (not that old -- about 7 years) is leaking internally. Grrrr. Planned obsolescence?
Have a great day, y'all.
Took 5:40. Salieri/Ivey was unknown. Didn't know the Rupert fellow. Didn't care for jaunty/starchy, which seemed, well, crunchy. I did like the message/reminder.
ReplyDeletePlease be an informed voter.
Even easier than yesterday, especially with the circles. They really were not needed. The reveal at 35A would have sufficed.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many floss brands. I chose ORAL B, because it appears here so often.
Didn't Pope Pius XII have a TV show in the 50's?
I knew Salieri right away, but had to wait for the spelling.
Only ERICA, UCSB and IVEY were new to me, easily perpable.
We have run into a snag with our buyer. It seems home sales never go smoothly. I am 85%-90% packed up. If this fails it will be bad.
Always enjoyable blogging, Susan.
Good Morning, Crossword Friends.
ReplyDeleteQOD: Voting is an expression of our commitment to ourselves, one another, this country and this world. ~ Sharon Salzburg (b. Aug. 5, 1952), American author
YR, sorry to hear about the home sale travails. Hope it works out. The only '50s Catholic TV show I remember was Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.
ReplyDeleteDO, yes it was Bishop Sheen. Imagine having so few channels that we kids even watched sermons.
ReplyDeleteEasy theme for the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
ReplyDeleteKnew Salieri because F Murry Abraham didn't fit.
So happy it's election day, now the robocalls and texts might finally end.
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteRepetitive fill in circles that stressed the theme message made an already easy solve easier. Nice selection of phrases, though. Couple unknowns like RED, and IVEY were readily perped. Nice to see SVELTE again. FIR.
LAV - Head wouldn't fit; leaving LAV.
FIR, yesterday. Does that count as "Early Voting"?
ReplyDeleteNames eluded me as usual. Some were solved by crosses but if the names crossed each other.....
ReplyDeleteHola!
ReplyDeleteI suppose it is unnecessary to say this was an APT puzzle for today. Like Mark I, too, am looking forward to an end of robocalls and especially all political TV ads. My mute button was in constant use.
This was a satisfying puzzle with words like JAUNTY and SVELTE and a reminder of the many popes named PIUS. Pius XII was pope during my childhood and adolescence. It seemed like he would live forever. La Popesa is an interesting and revealing book about his secretary.
The dearth of names was refreshing, only ELENA, ERICA, SALIERI and the aforementioned PIUS. I have no idea who Rupert Grint is so I appreciate the information.
I believe VALES and dales are the same. ORAL-B floss is what I use after having tried many others.
Thank you so much, Hahtoolah, for the lively commentary and graphics. I flew to San Francisco in September and felt very safe.
It's not too late to VOTE but I suspect everyone here already has done so.
I hope you all have a good day today!
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteWhat a timely theme and important message. I voted absentee a good month ago. While this was an easy, straightforward solve, I really liked the strong, in the language themers. I tripped over Ira/Ari, which I always do, and Pilau/Palau. UCSB and Erica needed perps. I liked the duos of Ale/IPA, Ivey/Ivory, Rear/Sear, and the sing-songy Ere, Era, Erase, Erica, and Elena. CSO to Tin and Wilbur at St. Pete.
Thanks, Debbie, for a fun Tuesday and thanks, Hatoolah, for the usual eye-popping visuals and informative review.
I well remember Bishop Sheen as we had to listen to his radio program every Sunday to prepare for Monday’s quiz on the content by Sister (I forget her name but remember her face). I saw Bishop Sheen many, many years ago in the lobby of a Boca Raton hotel.
Have a great day.
I was raised a Methodist and we used to watch Bishop Fulton Sheen. He had a great sense of humor. One of my favorite quotes is
Delete"Hearing nuns' confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn."
Good Morning.
ReplyDeleteWe voted last week "by mail" at a Cook Country drop box. Last year my grandson's birthday card went from here to California before it arrived late in Dallas. I didn't want that to happen this time. At first I thought we had a Chicago theme. Vote Early and Often. ;-)
Thanks, Debbie, for some Election Day fun. I thought I was on a roll with OVER THE COUNTER, but I slowed up in the last third. I just hung on and finished with no errors. Slow and steady won the race. Pius was easy. I said to myself, "Pope blank the 12th," and there it was Pius XII is the first pope I remember.
Hahtoolah: Wow, thanks again for a fine tour with wonderful additions. Always fun and informative.
D-O: I began my faucet search yesterday. I'm only looking at Moen--and not the plastic ones at Home Depot. Has to be all brass fittings. Costs more but. . . .
YR: that's the new norm for home sales. I'll bet you'll be out ASAP. With the last home we sold, before the new normal, there was a storm the night before closing and the buyer said he wanted the roof inspected for damage to the slate tiles. My hub said NO, the deal's off. The buyer said oh, okay then, we're good. Whew!! DH was always a good poker player.
Martin Estevez took the name Sheen from the TV bishop and became Martin Sheen.
Have a sunny day. That will be easy here in Chicagoland. The sunrise this morning was magnificent as it tinted the whole world to match the golden trees. Sigh. So much beauty!
Musings
ReplyDelete-A timely and fun puzzle from one of our puzzling sisters of Sheryl Bartol and Debbie Ellerin!
-Casting an SECRET or Australian Ballot can be very different than having to “stand up and be counted”
-Our voting today will involve a lovely five minute walk to and from and 5 minutes in the booth
-I get my grill VERY hot to first SEAR our steaks for a few minutes and then turn it down
-In a BBC Poirot episode, Dumb Witness, the victim glowed when she died because she had been poisoned with phosphorous
-Yup, having “permanent” markers in the same tray as the “dry ERASE” ones can be a problem
-My lovely wife cannot lie and could never be “IN ON” a joke as she would be giggling all the time
-My grandkids go to Lincoln Pius X high school where their volleyball team is one of three Nebraska high schools who are ranked in the top 25 nationally. Omaha Skutt Catholic is number one. We play serious VB out here on the prairie.
-Some of my isolation outfits have approached JAUNTY
-MATH – I can’t remember the last time I did paper and pencil math. “Siri….”
-Lovely write-up, Susan!
Has anyone else noticed that the same clues/answers seem to show up in both the LAT and NYT puzzles some weeks?
ReplyDeleteDear Madame D. Nice to have you back on the blog. Thanks for the support. My buyer originally wanted to close the day after Christmas. My realtor and I said closing had to be by Dec. 1. because my apartment won't wait for me. She said okay, so David and I are packing like mad. I need nearly all the money from this house to move in to the CCRC. The buyer is finding all nit picky faults which I deny, but this process wastes a lot of time. I think it is the buyer's way of closing in late Dec., after all. My realtor will tell her to get it together very soon or the deal is off. I hope that works. Although there are other eager buyers, selling to them would begin the process all over and take a lot of time.
ReplyDeleteAlmost everything I own is already packed.
Hahtoolah: Wonderful, informative write-up. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThough I currently live in Tarpon Springs ... I spent the first 50+ years growing up in St. Pete. Nice CSO.
Thought today's VOTE theme was perfect.
A "Toast-to-ALL" ... and to the Election being over at Sunset.
Cheers!
I did some work in St Pete for a while and recommend the city to anyone visiting Florida. The Dali Museum there, which I've been to twice, has the world's largest collection of his works. I'm convinced that he was the greatest painter of the 20th Century. Most people think of him solely as a surrealist, but he painted in many styles and was a master of every one.
DeleteSmooth FIR today with a couple of WOs where my fast pen got ahead of me, but perps said look again. Enjoyed the timely theme and thought the circles were helpful for a Tuesday puzzle. Thanks Debbie, and thanks too for your educational as well as amusing review, Hahtoolah. As a fan of oatmeal breakfasts, I loved the oatmeal raisin' cookies cartoon. Now that I have also had two cups of coffee, I am feeling JAUNTY. Off to accomplish something before lunch.
ReplyDeleteHope things are resolved soon for you, YR. And DARE I say it, hope the day goes smoothly for everyone....
Hahtoolah- way to go for putting George Rodridgue's BLUE DOG for the 'I voted' symbol. I have eaten at the Blue Dog restaurant in Lafayette, LA many times in the past.
ReplyDeleteAn easy Tuesday that I FIW. Judith IVEY was an unknown and for some reason I sloppily filled SALIERO instead OF SALIERI. Ditto for Rupert Grint's RED hair or ERICA Hill.
POG- I missed that fad also; never heard of it.
Maybe Rich will get RAKED over the coals by the suits for the IN HEAT fill.
PINT was filled by perps. Ben & Jerry's is just an overpriced ice cream. Better brands can be had for half the price.
OUNCE- I would be half of high school seniors couldn't tell you how many ounces in a pound, inches in a yard, fluid ounces in a PINT, Quart, or gallon, feet in a mile.
Easy enough for a Tuseday. Didn't know pog and Salieri, but sussed both easily for another fairly quick FIR. I'm with Lucina regarding use of the t.v. mute button for all political ads. However, the mute button still gets a workout for the seemingly non-stop lawyer commercials. Barf city.
ReplyDeleteFIR, with 2 write-overs: ARI 4 iRa, STARCHY 4 STAples. The circles helped a bit, but the proper nouns were way too abundant again. I’ve never constructed a crossword grid and I guess it’s impossible to avoid proper names, but I think I’m going to try. I’m pretty good with trivia, but that’s not why I show up.
ReplyDeleteKenoRunner, I have noticed, and wondered about, the same thing. It seems to go beyond the LAT and NYT and can include the Universal, USA Today and Newsday puzzles. A certain word that we have not seen for a long time will appear in multiple puzzles on the same (or next) day. Perhaps, some of the published constructors who hang out here can (and might be willing to) shed some light on the subject.
ReplyDeleteOn a completely different topic - as always, Hahtoolah, a great, and inspiring, use of images in the write-up.
ESP?
DeleteVOTING - We just voted at 1030. 2 minutes in and out, no waiting. Since the venue was in an Antiochian Orthodox Church meeting room, we bought some baklava at their bake sale on the way out. Al-in-all, a delightful experience.
ReplyDeleteFIR after guessing Ivey. No circles ergo no theme to catch. Voted absentee 3 weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteD Otto: If you were the original purchaser, most faucet manufacturers warranty their products for life.
Thanks to Debbie and Hatoolah
What does FIR MEAN?
ReplyDeletePopped in today to learn about the Able-Elba palindrome, and sayed a bit longer to enjoy all of Hahtoolah's cartoons! D-O, we put expensive faucets at every sink when we refurbished the house 15 years ago, and are replacing them all now due to leaking. My brother, who is handy, used hose bibs for his faucets and they worked just fine!
ReplyDeleteFIW...PALAIBOLT....darn! Just one letter did me in.
ReplyDeletePart of a pound: hound? Forgot first CW comandment. Thou shalt not include the clue in the answer sooooo...L A school can't be UCLA!! (***trips trying to kick himself***). ODIST, new term..I guess better than odor.
POG came out of no where. Answers you have no idea that you knew. Human memory is a fascinating thing and doing crosswords beings out the compeling nature of it. (What did I just have for breakfast?)
A lot of familiar 3-letter reliables: ERA, ERE, SAT, IPA, EKE OVA, VIP
The theme or circles..Yep I got it...VOTE 4 times.. (that's still illegal) once is enuff...."Che ORA é?" (Keh orah eh) What time is it?
It's time for...
Truck that hauls soap...IVORYTOWER
All the flock was baptized in a nearby ____ LAIC
What Curly and Larry claimed Moe did with a cream filled baked good......PIUS
Brew for bucks....DERAIL
Scarlet's ad searching for Mr. Butler: "____" ...SECRET
"How's Mom?".."She ____ better"...SVELTE
Anon @ 10:46. FIR..finished it right...completed the puzzle correctly.
Hose bibs aren't very decorative. Might be practical, but DW would never go for it.
ReplyDeleteI like the image of Pope Pius XII on TV. I did write a poem to my mother whose name was Irene-
ReplyDeleteShe's my mother, our dear Irene
She does our wash in a Speed Queen
While she watches Bishop Sheen
Hey, I was 6.
Vote early, vote often
My goodness, what an absolutely perfect puzzle for an election day. Once I got the first and second VOTE I knew what we were in for, and that helped greatly with solving the rest. So, many thanks for that gift, Debbie. And, Susan, your pictures are always a delight.
ReplyDeleteI got everything except PALAU--a little frustrating not to get the first puzzle word and have that be the only problem. Didn't know POG or ARI, but at least got LAV and ALE. But the rest all fell into place with little problem. And it was nice to see SALIERI and PIUS and ODIST and ELENA and ILIAD and more neat answers throughout.
Have a great day, everybody.
ReplyDeleteNo issues at all with today’s grid.
Voted weeks ago, got text and email for every step.
Today, I get my age 65+ flu shot. This year its a quadrivalent shot, just like the regular ones, just with more juice, either by amount or with an adjuvant. Either way, no flu for me, I had it once, “thought I was gonna die”.
Anon above. FIR means Finished It Right.
ReplyDeleteI liked this puzzle and very much appreciate its construction. I also liked Hahtoolah's illustrated commentary.
ReplyDeleteWe voted about 3 weeks ago; dropped our ballots off in a nearby drop box. Got notified that they were received and will be counted.
We replaced our kitchen faucet 4 years ago. The Moen one was leaking like crazy. We had already replaced the cartridge in it a half dozen times. The current faucet is by Kohler and is still as good as new (knock on wood.)
We need to replace our stove/range. Only 3 of the 4 "burners" works. For some reason LW has been reticent to do it; she claims that 3 working burners is enough.
Good wishes to you all.
I usually don't look for themes, but I did notice a pattern today in the circled letters in the early long answers and they helped with the answers to the later long clues. Is there some special reason why this particular puzzle was run today? JUST KIDDING, I don't live in a cave!
ReplyDeleteActually we voted with mail-in ballots hand delivered to a drop-box in front of the polling center, the first day of Early Voting in Maryland. The whole experience was pretty painless, except that Teri received her ballot two weeks after I did. Maybe they were mailed out in reverse alphabetical order by first name?
Anyway I like the no rush luxury of completing the ballot in my home. Of course I already knew who I was voting for for Pres and VP ((shift to Dana Carvey voice) "but I'm not gonna' tell ya, not gonna' tell ya"), but I like having the time to carefully consider all the state and county amendments and questions. I usually vote 'meh' or 'whatever'. And I took the easy way out on 'Sitting Judges'. As there were only two candidates and I could vote for a max of two, I made the extra effort to check both boxes. Apparently there no candidates running for 'Standing Judges' this election. Ah, Democracy - love it or lose it!
Bill
Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Debbie & Hahtoolah (loved your QOD).
ReplyDeleteI smiled when I saw the first VOTE (and filled in all the other circles); even this Canadian knows that this election day is Huge. We are "affected by every twitch and grunt" (as you have heard me quote Trudeau Sr. before). But on to the CW.
I FIRed with just a little crunch and one inkblot. Hand up for Rice and Potatoes being Staples; I held on to it for too long but IN eEAT finally led me to STARCHY.
I always wait for perps to decide between Char and SEAR.
Thanks Hahtoolah for explaining UC Santa Barbara to this Canadian. (LAPD I know)
d'otto- I missed the APT NoNo today. A change of clue could have easily created a clecho.
RED, SALIERI, ARI required perps. We have had POG here previously. There is a binder full of POGS in their pages in my son's old room.
I smiled at ALE and IPA, and REAM OUT and RAKED over the coals.
Ray'o- I LOLed at your contributions today; it took me a minute to parse DERAIL!
That chart for 10D is why we have metric - just move the decimal point.
Favourite clue today was "Smear with ink?=LIBEL".
Favourite word was SVELTE (word origin from French Svelte and Italian Svelto).
CSO to our ODISTs, and St PETE gang. I'll take one with 21A.
YR-in Ontario, "In most cases, if a Buyer does not close on a firm sale (in other words, all conditions have been met), the Buyer forfeits the deposit and may be sued for additional damages". Only if there was a home inspection condition, or damage due to flood, etc. after the offer was accepted would any change be allowed. Sorry that you are having these issues with your buyer. Moving is nerve-wracking enough . . .
FLN, Jayce- yes, I have gotten into the habit of opening with a standard phrase using an alliterative word with the day, and a thank you to the constructor and blogger. I like to have a positive start, and have Marvelous, Terrific, Fabulous, Super, Stupendous, in my list. Only occasionally do I have to use a negative word like Workout, Terrible, Stumper; if you see them, then you know that it really was a Thumper of a CW for me. LOL.
Wishing you all a good day.
Voted weeks ago, and got official word that my ballot was counted!
ReplyDeleteWithin a day of voting I got my senior citizen flu shot plus my 1st (of 2) Shingles shots.
I never worried about shingles, but TV ads have raised my consciousness. Apparently everybody who has had chicken pox (which includes moi) is at risk for shingles.
Misty ~ I missed PALAU too. I kinda knew the name of the island but couldn't commit because I never, ever heard of a POG. And I was certainly around in the '90s.
Why put a Natick like that in the first grid position?
Otherwise, it was a fine pzl for Election Day. Thank you, Ms. Ellerin!
But how curious of us to insist (a) we must vote, and yet (b) steer clear of politics--when one side does NOT want all our votes to be counted.
(No names, no politics.)
The current record-setting turnout is an affirmation of one of our most sacred democratic institutions. Yet one team has been consistently destabilizing those same institutions.
Let us hope irony does not prevail.
Sorry, but there is a lot of anxiety loose today.
If we are lucky, the majority can finish sunny-side up.
Bless us ALL as concerned citizens!
~ OMK
Jayce, we also have a 3-working, 4-burner cooktop. I had one burner replaced several years ago. Supplied the repair company with the part number, but they insisted on coming to the house (and charging me for a service call) to verify the part number. When the part came in, the guy came back and installed it, breaking the glass smooth-top in the process. He ordered a replacement "under warranty"(?), then made a third trip to install that. The whole process took three weeks. At least I didn't have to pay for the glass top. Then a different burner went out about a year ago. We never use all four burners, so we haven't bothered to get it fixed. I'd like to switch the cooktop out for an induction unit, but can't find one with a downdraft exhaust fan.
ReplyDeleteApparently the voting today is breaking all kinds of records for turnout! I am so proud of all of us! For the past several decades turnout has been 50% or less (according to the networks) but today is projected to be 80%!
ReplyDeleteHi All!
ReplyDeleteHahtoolah - I loved the Blue Dog sticker!
//We always peep the gallery when we visit The Quarter -- can't afford the art though :-)
Thanks Debbie for the timely (for Americans) puzzle. I VOTE'd Friday w/ Eldest.*
WOs: UCSc, IRA->ARI (Hi IM!)
FIW: SALIERa | aVEY** (Hi BigE!)
ESPs: PALAU and [see FIW]
Fav: I liked LIBEL's clue. //Hi C, Eh!
MdF - I know my beer better than my Popes so I knew Leo couldn't be right. :-)
LOL - IVORY TOWER Ray-O.
waseeley - I had run in the house to tell the Nun joke to DW. LOL.
//ESP - Every Single Perp(endicular)
Spitz - baklava after voting? Lucky.
OMK (et.al) Shingles shot - when do you need to get it? Like 50yro?, 60yro?, or just 'cuz your mom took you to a ChickenPox Party to get you infected and over-with when school was out (worst summer ever)?
D-O: we had a 30" GE island electric cooktop with a down-draft that lost two of four burners. Good luck with parts. Anyway, we finally replaced it with this KitchenAid. It ain't cheap but it fit.
I'm not looking at the news until 10p tonight. And then maybe again Friday :-)
Cheers, -T
*Guy at check-in desk announced "First Time VOTER" and everyone stopped voting & clapped for her.
**was in the car w/ Eldest & DW on the way to the garden store complaining about ONE! square. DW said, "I think it's IVEY." I was gonna go w/ 'A' so... DNF
Imagine an election year
ReplyDeletewhere the law required
truth in advertising...
FIW. In fact, I really made a mess of this one. Started off wrong with LANAI, instead of PALAU. I never watch “Survivor” or any other shows of that genre. I don’t mean to offend anyone, but I think they are all contrived and stupid. Of course, I feel that everything on network television is pretty pathetic.
ReplyDeleteNot only did I start off wrong, there was stuff farther down the grid that I didn’t know either, and the perps didn’t bail me out this time. I did get all of the theme answers and the unifier, though. Also, I didn’t proofread again, which might have cleaned up most of the mess.
Voted early back in October. Took a little longer than usual, due to the social distancing protocol. Here in my part of Texas (can’t guarantee it for all of the state), there is always a precinct-specific sample ballot online, so I always print one out and figure out beforehand which money grubbing ballot issues I’ll be voting against. It’s usually ALL of them. We are even allowed to take them into the voting booth!
I also want to call all of these phone numbers that are in cellphone over and over again, but since all of them are probably robophones anyway, they'll all be shut down. There's gotta be SOMETHING I can do!
Riddle me this, Batman: Why cannot my email address and phone number be removed from the applicable places, so that once my precinct registers my having voted, I don't get any more of that crap. Oh! I know! They still want my money. Guess what! They ain't getting it!
Shots, shots, shots:
ReplyDeleteI had my pneumonia shot and my first shingles shot in September. I’m scheduled for my flu shot and my second shingles shot this month.
Yes, “THEY” are hyping the shingles shot for us older critters, BUT many years ago when I was still a working stiff, one of our 30-something year old female sales reps got shingles and was off work for a long time. To say that she was miserable is an understatement. (I mentioned age and gender for information purposes only.) For some reason, prior to her getting it, I just thought shingles was one of those diseases that we just used to hear about in school, like scurvy, and that it was pretty much a thing of the past. Wrong again!
Puzzling thoughts:
ReplyDeleteAlmost didn’t show up today; but I did do the puzzle, much earlier, and FIR. A few WAGS here and there, but no errors that I recall. Thanks Debbie and Susan for the great puzzle and excellent write up.
It’s now 4:45 pm local (MST) time. I’m about to shut off the TV. I’ll have a few drinks; light dinner; smoke a cigar; do computer games; but will not look at social media or any TV news station until mid to late morning. I doubt we’ll know definitively who won, but even if we do, I’d rather not go through the whole projection process.
Oh, on a personal note, a week from today (11/10) my first ever published crossword puzzle will appear! Universal (Boston Globe, Phila Enquirer, Seattle Times, to name a few) is who’s the publisher. Collaboration with C.C.
CMoe:
ReplyDeleteWhen it's available maybe you could link it case we don't have access to it.
Jayce and Anon-T: Before we bought our house, it had belonged to a well-know chef who had upgraded the kitchen and used top-of-line appliances. It was designed so that the range was in the island so both husband and wife could test recipies at the same time. There are two burners on one side of the island and 4 on the other. Unfortunately, 2 of the gas burners on the 4-side (the side that is easiest to use) no longer works and the parts are no longer available.
ReplyDeleteLucina @ 6:06 ---> will do!
ReplyDeleteDamned cool, Ch. Moe! I get the Universal puzzles via the Shortyz app so I should have access to it.
ReplyDeleteI See They're going to operate the Tampa-ST PETE ferry again this winter. Permanent funding is undecided. A no-brainer IMHO
ReplyDeleteD-O, bravo. Let us know how your DIY goes. Come to Florida and put one in for me in my old MH in Dunellon
I noticed the dual APT too. De Rigueur for the new xwording?
Agree. How to spell SALIERI (took perps)
Not to speak of Father Manton who said the rosary on the radio every afternoon in Boston. There's a FB group and I asked about Fr M and there's been 50 replies.
I'll see your baklava and raise two books I borrowed from the place my wife voted at. A sports book and "The Fan Club" by Irving Wallace*
-T, instead of FIW just share credit with DW. Like when Phil supplies gaming or Japanese (but he didn't know NOH.
BTW, Folks may find tomorrow difficult. Esp(ecially) for a Wednesday
C-Moe, I have a Boston globe subscription so I'll be sure to look for that Moe-xword. Cigar???? No pipe?
Well here it is 10 pm EST and VOTE is up in the air. I'm about to fade. Had my two hours trip N to Dunellon with voting( Betsy has updated her address so she had to vote here). Do I've been commenting in Docs and finally can post.
Thx Hahtoolah. And Debbie.
WC
*I loved his "People's Almanac"(1975)
I thought this flying ace shot down the red Baron or at least came close
ReplyDeleteCanada Eh ....LIU. We are both technically wrong. Not only is gravy a condiment but I regret to tell you (of all cornerites) that MAPLE syrup Is considered a condiment too. (Does that include sprinkles on ice cream?..hmmm)