google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Sunday, November 29, 2020 C.C. Burnikel

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Nov 29, 2020

Sunday, November 29, 2020 C.C. Burnikel

 Theme:  "History Lesson" - The last word of each theme entry can follow "Social".

 22A. *Cuddly toy: STUFFED ANIMAL. Social animal.

 37A *Layered lunch: TURKEY CLUB. Social club.

 60A. *Braves outfielder who was the 1990 N.L. Rookie of the Year: DAVID JUSTICE. Social justice.

 83A. *Webmaster's concern: DATA SECURITY. Social security.

 106A. *Cuts a school period: SKIPS CLASS. Social class.

 15D. *Jackson or Lincoln: STATE CAPITAL. Social capital.

 63D. *"We'll need a better solution": THAT WON'T WORK. Social work.

 Reveal:

125. Field including history, and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues: SOCIAL STUDIES.

I originally had GO THE DISTANCE as one of the theme entries and "Social Studies" as the puzzle title. Rich said "SOCIAL DISTANCE, as it turns out, has another meaning, a very different one from SOCIAL DISTANCING. I'm not sure how familiar that meaning is ..." 

He proposed that I use SOCIAL STUDIES as a reveal and suggested "History Lesson" as a title. As always, lots of clues are Rich's. So in awe of his YEAS (86. Passing words?)

Grid-wise, I was excited to make the four theme entries intersect. I always try, but often I can't make it happen.

Across:

1. Readily available: ON TAP.

6. Arabian Peninsula natives: OMANIS. They use RIAL.

12. Declines: SAYS NO.

18. __ apart: WORLDS.

20. 1998 Winter Games city: NAGANO. Tara Lipinski won her Olympics gold medal there at age 15, youngest in figure skating history.


21. Place for retiring?: PIT STOP.

24. Was behind: RAN LATE.

25. April 4, in 2021: EASTER.

26. "99 Luftballons" singer whose name is an anagram of two of Henry VIII's wives: NENA. Rich added the anagram part. Not a common name, hence Rich's helpful hint, I think.

27. Texter's "If you ask me": IMO.

28. Q's value in Scrabble: TEN.

29. "Solve for x" subj.: ALG.

31. Harbor bobber: BUOY.

33. Feudal workers: SERFS.

35. Pieces with views: OP-EDS.

41. Popular fact source: ALMANAC.

43. Hunter seen at night: ORION.

44. Rami's role on "Mr. Robot": ELLIOT. Elliot Alderson. Malek also played Freddie Mercury.


47. Sch. with a Lima campus: OSU.

48. Swingers' tools: BATS.

51. Attend to a boxer, maybe: PET SIT. 57. Litter box emanations: ODORS. And 92. Where kitties get pampered: CAT SPA.

53. Ill will: ENMITY.

55. Irrefutable truth: GOSPEL.

62. "Ex on the Beach" channel: MTV.

64. Actress Hatcher: TERI.

66. Half a film genre portmanteau: ROM. Com.

67. Workplaces for RNs: ORS. We had 9,040 new cases yesterday. Quite scary. Wear better masks, guys. The cloth masks do not offer enough protection.

68. Tiny bit: TAD.

69. Cheery greeting: HI HO.

70. __-free: cleaning cloth term: LINT.

72. Market: SELL.

74. Bowlers, e.g.: HATS.

75. Menu preposition: A LA. I've been enjoying Kenchin soup lately. Warm and comforting.


76. Palais pal: AMI.

78. Aides for profs: TAS.

80. Check, with "in": REIN.

82. __ Miss: OLE.

87. Financial liabilities: DEBTS.

89. Ailing: UNWELL.

90. Performed a concerto's cadenza: SOLOED. Rich's clue.

96. Substandard: POOR.

97. __ de parfum: EAU.

99. Beaux of old: SWAINS.

102. Civil rights icon John: LEWIS. I did not realize his achievements until he passed away. What a great guy!

103. "Close, but no cigar": NICE TRY.

108. Prefix with league: INTER.

110. Some video files: MPEGS.

113. Israeli statesman Abba: EBAN.

114. Washington MLBer: NAT.

115. "Right this instant!": NOW.

116. Global fiscal org.: IMF. International Monetary Fund.

118. Piece of cake: SNAP. We have a tiny slice of pumpkin pie left. Still plenty of turkey though. Have you tried turkey with wasabi & soy sauce? Delicious!

120. Paid off: BRIBED.

123. Sweetums: POOPSIE.

129. Poland neighbor: UKRAINE.

130. Entering words: I'M HERE. Rich's clue.

131. Thin piece: SLIVER.

132. "Shame on you!": TSK TSK.

133. Raised: REARED.

134. Topples (over): KEELS.

Down:

1. Cries of pain: OWS.

2. "Just kidding!": NOT.

3. 2010 Coen brothers remake: TRUE GRIT. One the first entries I put into the grid earlier on.

4. __ Romeo: ALFA. Hi Tony!

5. Some downloaded docs: PDFS.

6. Hot: ON A ROLL.

7. Superhero suffix: MAN.

8. Opposin': AGIN.

9. Identifies: NAMES.

10. Cockamamie: INANE.

11. Discontinued Camry model: SOLARA.

12. "The King and I" kingdom: SIAM. The King and Oo.


13. When two hands come together?: AT NOON.

14. Luxury bag monogram: YSL. No idea why women all love bags.

16. Prominent: NOTED.

17. Warms up the crowd: OPENS.

19. Hold in reserve: SET BY.

21. Beam benders: PRISMS.

23. Court tie: DEUCE.

29. Straddling: ATOP.

30. Tempt: LURE.

32. Festive time: YULE.

34. Name on the 1979 album "The Wall": FLOYD. Rich's clue.


36. MillerCoors rival: PABST.

38. Part of the former Yugoslavia: KOSOVO.

39. City west of Tulsa: ENID.

40. Tough situation: BIND. And 104. Tense situation: CRISIS.

42. Portend: AUGUR.

45. "The Wire" antihero __ Little: OMAR. Unfamiliar to me. Rich's clue.

46. Saves for later viewing: TIVOS.

49. Mexican town known for its beer, which is now a Heineken brand: TECATE. Also Rich's clue. I did not know the beer was named after a town.

50. Winter hillside sights: SLEDS.

52. Kid: TOT.

54. Track official: TIMER.

56. Spy org. created by FDR: OSS. Office of Strategic Services.

58. Dig find: RELIC.

59. Asian honorific: SRI.

61. ''Maleficent'' actress: JOLIE.

62. City west of Venezia: MILANO. And  94. Birthplace of Galileo: PISA. My favorite Pisa guy.

65. Opening remarks: INTRO.

69. Invited to the skybox: HAD UP.

71. Flip sides?: TAILS.

73. Was in charge of: LED.

74. Low-cost stopover: HOSTEL.

76. __ interpreter: press conference figure: ASL.

77. Fighting word from the French for "mixture": MELEE. Also Rich's clue.

79. Store: STOW.

81. "The Good Place" network: NBC.

84. EagleCam spot: AERIE.

85. Seize illegally: USURP.

86. Passing words?: YEAS. So original. So Rich. He's a true wordsmith.

88. Poolroom powder: TALC.

91. What Brinker's boy plugged with a finger: DIKE. Hans Brinker. Read the story here.

93. Graceful vertical entrance: SWAN DIVE.

95. Mgr.'s helper: ASST.

98. Cost of withdrawal: ATM FEE.

100. Ate in small bits: NIBBLED.

101. Exchanges verbal jabs: SPARS.

105. Private agreement?: YES SIR.

107. Agitated states: SNITS.

108. Two cents: INPUT.

109. Partners of crannies: NOOKS.

111. Grimm creature: GNOME.

112. Actor __ Baron Cohen: SACHA.

117. Stole stuff: MINK.

119. Docking place: PIER.

121. Cheapest way to buy, with "in": BULK.

122. "Nurse Jackie" star Falco: EDIE.

124. Gentle touch: PAT. Do any of you have this type of shiatsu shoulder massager? Does it really work?



126. Exist: ARE.

127. Fish in unadon: EEL. I have not had uadon for ages. Grilled eels over steamed rice.



128. Yearbook gp.: SRS.

C.C.



52 comments:

  1. There is no more fun way to do a Sunday puzzle and then read it dissected by its creator. As with all of C.C.'s puzzles, this is a marvelous example of putting together an attractive and challenging grid. Sundays are mostly about stamina and paying attention, because like the OCTOPUS I can get bored. It is lovely how she weaves the 441 boxes into such an interesting ride.

    Add to that the personal touch including the picture of Oo and me and our own tower in Pisa. Thank you.

    Enjoy the rest of November because December is nigh upon us

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good morning!

    Managed to solve and not get the theme in near record time this morning. I noticed the CSO to Anon-T and the SO to Lemonade and Oo. Just what is "social capital?" Thanx for pulling double-duty this morning, C.C. (Had to look twice to realize those were eels and not sweet corn.)

    USURP: I make our orange cat, Hootie, wait outside while I serve breakfast to the others. He can vacuum up four bowls of food, barely taking a breath. Nobody else has a chance.

    ODORS: Thanx for the reminder, C.C. DW gets home Tuesday night, and I've got chores to complete before then.

    TECATE: I was dispatched to Coatzacoalcos for two weeks in the '70s to "babysit" a huge new model crane working on the docks. I'd been warned not to drink the water, and that the bottled water in the hotel wasn't really bottled. Seemed a perfect excuse to have beer for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    ReplyDelete
  3. CC, thank you for the excellent Sunday exercise. It is always a pleasure to work your puzzles and get another glimpse as to how your mind works. This was a real treat.

    I had to chuckle at the juxtaposition of FLOYD and PRISM.

    CAT SPA was an inspired entry bringing to mind Cats Paw.

    I have often wondered if a constructor goes through a day taking note of potential puzzling clues and logging them for future use.

    Thank you for the fun puzzle and the revealing treatise.

    ReplyDelete
  4. FIR, no problems except, capital is money, and states have capitols. The misspeling slowed me down a bit.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I really enjoy every CC puzzle. Challenging but doable. Only an hour and a half today!

    A little embarrassed that PABST took me so long. I live in Milwaukee.

    I've always spelled state capitals with an a not o. The capital of Wisconsin? W!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Musings
    -I just couldn’t tie the words to the gimmick until the end but had fun in the process
    -IMO – Too many people use FaceBook for posting OP-ED’S instead of SOCIAL info
    -69. Kermit’s salutation – HI HO
    -Orville and Wilbur had to decide who first SOLOED
    -“Close but no cigar” – Iowa decided a House Representative race by 6 votes
    -A colleague asked me for a favor and I said, “What’s the magic word?” She said, “NOW!” :-)
    -BRIBED – The International Olympic Committee had a pretty good side hustle
    -Two hands come together – When Will Kane had to face Frank Miller
    -An Omaha man founded a bakery in 1923 and called it OMAR Bread for this verse from OMAR Khayyam: “A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread—and Thou Beside me”
    -Track TIMERS learn to start their stopwatch when they SEE smoke from the gun
    -Nothing says tourist in PISA like a fanny pack! Thanks C.C., you’re my favorite Guangzhou gal!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good morning:

    I was a short ways into the puzzle before I saw CC’s byline but never noticed the title., which is unusual for me. However, I doubt that the title would have alerted me to the well-hidden theme. Usually, Sunday puzzles give away the theme early on because of the title and theme entries, but not today, at least not for me. I was totally at sea until I entered Social Studies and sighed Aha! A few unknown proper names, but nowhere near as many as some Sundays: Nena, Elliot, Omar, and Tecate. My Rom was a Com and my Solara was a Sonata. I’m not quite sure about Poopsie, but I’ll take CC and Rich’s word for it. Who can fill in Alfa and not think of Tony?

    Thank’s, CC, for a tricky offering which was a pleasant and satisfying solve, enhanced by your insider dissection of the construction process and Rich’s cluing chops.

    Is anyone watching the Netflix series, Virgin River? I meant to research where it was filmed because the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. I’ll check with Mr. G later.

    We finally have some strong sunshine after several days of rainy, gloomy, depressing weather.

    KS @ @ 8:06 ~ Capital is the city, Capitol is the legislative building.

    Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Not quite a speed run, but not slog either. Everything was going swimmingly until I entered Davie Justice which produced Floye at 34D. Changed Davie, which I could swear was his name, to David. Only other slow spot was entering tootsie at 129A which gave me intut for 108D. A quick correction to poopsie made for a satisfying Sunday FIR in normal time. Stay safe, healthy and blessed all you dear Cornerites. December is upon us and a slew of 70°s ahead here in the Valley of the Sun. Eat your hearts out.

    ReplyDelete
  9. CC, especially interesting puzzle today, theme, clues and grid.
    I love grilled eel sushi.
    AUGUR can refer to good or bad future events. PORTEND almost always refers to bad events.
    Bulk is usually the cheapest way to buy IF you can use the product up. COSCO often has large sizes that take up lots of room and never get finished by a person living alone. Even in the super market it is wise to check. Sometimes two 12 oz. cans cost less than a 24 oz. size.
    Graceful vertical entrance was tricky. My favorite clue.
    SOCIAL CAPITAL: Google says, "Societal level examples of social capital include when someone opens a door for someone, returns a lost item to a stranger, gives someone directions, loans something without a contract, and any other beneficial interaction between people, even if they don't know each other."
    Our very well educated lector today kept reading iniquity as inequity. "Iniquity and inequity are both etymologically related to the Latin word for "equal" but entered English through different means. Iniquity is the older word usually referring to injustice, wickedness, or sin. Inequity refers to a lack of equality or fairness, and is often used in social and economic contexts." Is the word iniquity that obscure? I have heard it in Bible readings all my life.
    Please don't call me POOPSIE, disgusting! I have heard of it before.
    HG, a fanny pack may be unfashionable, but they sure were practical. Now sometimes I form the waistband into a loop and wear it on my shoulder.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good morning Cornerites.

    Carol has now been in the hosp. 1 week, and must go to Rehab to gain the strength needed to return here.

    Please pray that she can be sent to one that does not give her COVID-19.

    BTW they finally found an inflammation of the intestines that they are treating with antibiotics.

    Ðave   

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hola!

    Very nice and somewhat challenging puzzle, C.C. Great job!

    Not much time to comment as I managed to get a ticket for church and now have to get ready. I enjoyed the solve though it was a bit of a slog as Sunday puzzles usually are because of their length.

    I'll read and comment more later.

    Ta! Ta!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Good morning everyone.

    What a tour de force! Very impressive offering today. So many well-crafted clues. A pleasure to solve. BZ
    FIR
    I had 'san' before SRI. Had fun tinkering with the NENA fill, thinking of the anagram (Anne).
    ATM FEE - I've never paid an ATM FEE, although one bank is in San Antonio, TX, and the other in Merrifield, VA. We have ATM locations here in network, and my grocer allows ample add-ons to the debit card.
    POOPSIE - Think its use can be touchy. I'm thinking it came from the German 'Puppe' for 'doll'.

    Don't know why the capital confusion. IM explained the proper usage.

    ReplyDelete

  13. Very fun and quick puzzle. As with yesterday, I finished in just over 30 minutes as the answers flowed. Must be because I had a great night's sleep for a change. Thank you, C.C. !


    I too did not get an idea of where the theme answers were going until the reveal. I filled in the reveal by looking at the few empty squares that were left, and then misread the reveal clue.


    Irish Miss, I forgot to mention that I finally made that Chicken Marsala. Thanksgiving Day. It was absolutely excellent. Glad I made a lot. Will be finishing it off today. I will say that if I make it again that I will be doing the skillet frying out in the driveway on my three legged camping burner. The range hood exhaust fan could not keep up.


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  14. TTP, my recipe for chicken marsala suggests frying in half butter and half olive oil on medium heat. I don't get smoke. This is making my mouth water. Much of my kitchen has been packed up for weeks and today there is almost nothing in it. After Tuesday, breakfast and dinner will be made for me, and during the quarantine period I will get free lunch. I hear the food is delicious there.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Another gem from C.C. today. SOCIAL STUDIES- I completed my required four courses in college. The two Psych courses were the biggest waste of time I was forced to endure but were easy A's.

    Social CAPITAL is an unfamiliar term. Ditto for CAT SPA. Social DISTANCE or DISTANCING? I don't know the difference- maybe it's a '10ft pole'. Yellowrocks- Nobody appreciates anything that you do for them these days. You loan something to somebody and they KEEP it until you ask for it back. As for POOPSIE, that's what DW calls flatulence.

    I had to write over a few places before I FIR. Changed BOSNIA to KOSOVO, SAW UP to HAD UP, SHOP to STOW for 'store', and SASHA to SACHA plus AHI to EEL to complete SOCIAL STUDIES. The usual number of unknowns were perped today, mostly A&E- NENA, Rami-Mr. Robot-ELLIOT, MTV, The Wire & OMAR Little, JOLIE, MELEE, The Good Place & NBC, and EEL in unadon.

    SWAN DIVE- I've never seen a swan dive into the water but the pelicans go into the water like a vertical arrow.

    PABST is not a rival to MillerCoors. MillerCoors is a marketing company in the US onlyy. MOLSON-COORS owns Coors. Miller Brewing was owned by Phillip-Morris, then SABMiller (South African Brewing), which was bought by ANHEUSER-BUSCH InBev. So the owner or Budweiser also owns Miller (not Coors) but another company sells it in the USA. Go figure that one out.

    YSL-'women love bags?' DW bought two (not YSL)yesterday.

    D-O, TECATE for breakfast. The water is safe to drink after a shot of Whiskey is dropped in it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lucina @ 10:35 ~ I never thought I’d see the day when a ticket was needed to attend Mass. I guess it’s no more surreal than seeing everyone in a mask. My sister and her family had to sign up to attend Christmas Eve Mass. She goes to daily Mass and feels comfortable because the safety precautions are very stringently enforced, plus there are very few in attendance.

    TTP @ 10:49 ~ Glad to hear your Chicken Marsala turned out so tasty. I enjoyed my Veal Marsala, but I prefer the Veal Mustarde from the same restaurant. It’s veal scallopine in a three-mustard cream sauce with mushrooms and comes with either a side of pasta or, my choice, roasted potatoes and haricot vert. Yummy.

    My research shows that Netflix’s Virgin River series is set in Northern California but is filmed in British Columbia Vancouver and surrounding areas. Absolutely gorgeous country.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Good Sunday morning. I always enjoy the eclectic-ness of C.C.'s puzzles. Valerie and I FIR by starting in the NW and following where the filled-in-squares led us. Today that was clockwise except that POOPSIE / CRISIS in the SW had to be set aside for just a few minutes and were the final answers to be completed.

    Of note was Lemonade's Octopus reference in today's first comment. A few weeks ago, on NETFLIX, Valerie and I watched "My Octopus Teacher" and this certainly opened our eyes about all things octopus-related. Recommended. Here is a link to a review on the NewScientist website:

    My Octopus Teacher Review

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  18. Interesting review, MM. It mentions that a) an octopus carries the major part of it's brain in it's arms and b) an octopus can regrow a limb ripped off by a shark. Makes you wonder what part of its brain was lost, and is it be regrown along with the limb? Inquiring minds want to know.

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  19. "is it be regrown..." You know what I meant.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I enjoyed the puzzle, even with the unknown Braves outfielder, and FIR although I failed to connect SOCIAL to the ends of answers to starred clues. Thanks for the double treat of the puzzle and the blog, C.C.! CAPITAL!

    ReplyDelete
  21. The only thing more delightful than a terrific C.C. puzzle, is one that comes with a C.C. commentary. You are simply amazing, C.C. and thank you for giving us a thrilling morning.

    There were so many interesting items and clues here today. I got ALFA right away and a minute or two later I got EASTER without having to look it up on the calendar. Nice to get Abba EBAN and TERI Hatcher and SASHA Baron Cohen and John LEWIS, among others. But I would never have gotten POOPSIE for SWEETUMS without help--not in my endearment category. Anyway, lots of fun, and many thanks again, C.C.

    Have a great Sunday, everybody!

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  22. While it is not a complete answer to your question, D.O., this link is a step in that direction:

    Alien Life Might "Think" More Like An Octopus Than A Human

    ReplyDelete
  23. Super Sunday. Thanks for the fun C.C. and for doing double duty.
    I required P&P and red letters for the final push with a Natick at the cross of JUSTICE (our Blue Jays are AL) and several Downs. I had ERS instead of ORS (which held up JOLIE), guessed at OSS, did not know TECATE (Canadian disadvantage for both -but I knew PABST!).

    My piece of cake changed from Easy to Slab and back to the first meaning with SNAP.
    MINK filled in with perps and I scratched my head wondering what that word had to do with stealing. Aha moment ensued😀
    AERIE reminded me of Spitzboov’s wonderful eagle FLN, and of course I saw the ALFA for AnonT.
    We had YULE and EASTER. (I merrily entered _ _ _ DAY and waited for Mon Fri or Sun to appear. LOLed when EASTER filled in). NICE TRY.
    AUGUR and BUOY took several tries to get the U’s in the right spots. (But sadly, ODORS was missing its U😁)

    Wishing you all a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Yellowrocks, I think you meant iniquity, not inequity.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Canadian Eh, my Natick, too. The other parts went rather well. OR or ER? An ABC run for both would have given me Jolie and Justice.
    Do you say boy or boo-ee for buoy? I use two syllables.
    At Zoom church today most of those present did not mix households for Thanksgiving. We did not mix either. That was not too bad for me. Christmas will be harder. There is hope that late spring will be closer to normal if people cooperate.
    I am watching a show about being kind to those with whom we disagree. I am appalled with "I hope you die. May your children get cancer. I hope that your dog gets run over and that your house burns down." My mom taught us that we can disagree without being disagreeable. I find it almost impossible to have an intelligent conversation that explores all sides of an issue without rancor.
    Shankers please reread my post. The lector should have said iniquity instead of inequity .

    ReplyDelete
  26. Subject: COFFEED -19 cups

    You are about to enter the Pee-light Zone. You should void to avoid a splash as you laugh.

    I use multiple urinals which are always full. fuller, and fullest. Once "est" they must be poured into the commode. I stage them on my walker which has places where they can hang. It sits just inside the bathroom door.

    When Carol went Hospitalizing a boot was placed on her doorknob so I am dining al-frisky by myself, in my room. She stores cups of coffee in her kitchen to heat when the big kitchen is closed. This morning I had a cup that was in my way so I transferred the black contents to a urinal.

    Hailey is in college to become an RN. She almost had a heart attack when she saw the colour of the contents of the urinal. I said that I needed to drink more water before coffee-fessing.

    I'll throw myself out.

    Ðave

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  27. Aargh! I avoided one trap just to fall into another. FIW today. Was about to leave ATeFEE, but did an alphabet run and saw it was ATMFEE. Confidently read C.C.'s informative review of her fun puzzle, confirming I had understood the theme today, but didn't notice I had SAsHA until reading Big Easy's comment. So FIW due to a failure to proofread (FTP). Well, tomorrow is another day....

    Another cooking lesson for DH today: helping to bake granola from a recipe I have used for more than 40 years. Big success. Hope you all are having a good weekend!

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  28. CC:

    Re: Shiatsu Shoulder Massager,
    Daughter #3 has one for her back,
    I have tried it, & it is wonderful...

    Re; Social Studies,
    not one of my favorite subjects...

    ReplyDelete
  29. I echo Misty's first two sentences. Such a pleasant time spent this fine Sunday.

    I noticed "Passing words", "Entering words", and "Opening remarks." I'm easily amused.

    Totally love the clues for PIT STOP, YES SIR, and MINK.

    It was OMANIS, not SAUDIS. It was EASTER, not ---DAY. It was ORS, not ERS. It was SNAP, not EASY. It was IM HERE, not IM HOME. It was GNOME, not GIANT.

    Hand up for thinking of Tony at ALFA.

    Good wishes to you all.

    ReplyDelete
  30. C.C.:
    Re; massager update

    I just mentioned to my daughter that I posted about it,
    And she said she thinks it contributed to the pain she is now
    Having in her shoulder....

    So now I do not know what to think...

    (It felt good to me, but I only used it for a few minutes....)

    ReplyDelete


  31. Yellowrocks, thanks. I made a note on my printout of this recipe:

    https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/the-best-chicken-marsala-7195830

    I was surprised it was all olive oil and medium high heat. Howvere, I may need a better range hood exhaust fan.

    Irish Miss, I wish there was a local Italian place I could order from. There are plenty in Chicago, but no really good ones that are local. Great local pizza places, yes, but not restaurants.

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  32. FIR in quite a nice workout today. ALG was the subject that turned me on to mathematics, leading to my Ph.D. and subsequent professorship. I always told my calculus students that the best prerequisite for calculus is ALG, not pre-calc.

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  33. YR- so it wasn’t entirely Canadian disadvantage LOL.
    I say BUOY with one syllable, sounds just like Boy. Perhaps that is why I always want to spell it Bouy.

    Dave4- almost TMI , but I have enough medical background to sympathize with Hailey.
    Hope Carol’s rehab will go well and be safe, so she can return soon and keep you in line😁

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  34. I loved seeing CC's byline at breakfast this am, right after solving the six J's. CC="Pleasantly doable". PPs all perpable.

    Stole stuff got a chuckle. Did in time I ate breakfast plus second coffee if you're timing. After ALFA another Tony CSO was DATA SECURITY.

    AHA. That's Re-tiring for PITSTOP. Another good one.

    Rich should have dropped the S on Flip side(s) for TAILS. It improves the clue, too

    "Passing words?: YEAS."?? * Expliquez?
    And who can think of "Bowler" and not think of Boomer

    Although a baseball fan my recall has slipped a bit over the years. Then I got JUSTICE and still needed the D(avid). My old boss was a Braves fan from Boston days and got all excited in '92 culminating in that last play. The Sid Bream slide

    ALGebra was a pleasant surprise in 9th grade.8th grade math was so much work and ALG was a snap. CALC not - I wimped my way to Economics.

    WC

    *I think I got it: Psalms 23:4

    “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

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  35. Re. OSS. The key guy was Stevenson(William) who's code name was Intrepid. As I noted before: S + Intrepid => Strider of LOTR fame. WS aided Donovan in getting the spy service established*.

    WC

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  36. Then the CIA was born, regretfully. Oops, is that politics?

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  37. Happy Sunday, everyone!

    Thanks for the wonderful puzzle and write up, C.C and C.C. I FIR in what was probably record time for me for a Sunday puzzle.

    Since I always scan each puzzle first and highlight the theme and reveal clues and squares, and since I was a history major, my first fill was SOCIALSTUDIES. As usual, I forgot to go back and work through the theme matches.

    I only needed a few perps: NAGANO (I’d forgotten the city), and for a couple of the people. DAVIDJUSTICE was very well known, but I had to wait for a few perps to ID exactly which player was being clued.

    “Hi-Ho, Steverino,” was Louis Nye’s catchphrase greeting to Steve Allen back in the day.

    Loved Teri Hatcher in “Lois and Clark,” but I never watched “Desperate Housewives.” She was also in Pierce Brosnan’s second James Bond movie, “Tomorrow Never Dies.”

    WC --- YEAS are passing votes, as opposed to NAYS.

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  38. Late fill on the crossword today since we were getting back on track after a busy weekend!
    Creative puzzle - but needed the reveal to figure out the common connection on the ends of the others.
    HAving the D---D at the beginning, I knew it was a player named DAVID and pulled JUSTICE out of the brain recesses. I knew he was a baseball player but I never could have told you what team(s) he played for.

    Two of my kids have the massagers and like them. I've only tried them at their place and it seemed nice.

    Thanks CC for the puzzle and the blog!

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  39. TTP @ 3:38 ~ Maybe we should trade places; we have several very good Italian restaurants but they are too upscale to offer pizza and the area’s pizza parlors leave much to be desired. It’s unthinkable to me that with the large Italian presence in Troy that you can’t get a good pizza. There is one place that is a step above the others, but they don’t deliver and with the Pandemic’s restrictions, they no longer serve lunch. I will admit, however, I’m pretty fussy about pizza, whereas one of my friends would eat the pizza box if it had sauce and cheese on it and be happy. 🍕

    Has anyone seen the new release on Netflix of Hillbilly Elegy? It’s not easy to watch but Glenn Close’s powerful performance made it bearable. Amy Adams’ portrayal of an out of control drug addict is just as memorable.

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  40. Sunday Lurk Say...

    Hi All! - Neat-O puzzle and great inside baseball, C.C.

    If C.C. includes Alfa Romeo, is it a Coincidental Shout Out? :-)
    //Thanks WC for the second at Data Security!

    D4 - Carol is in our thoughts; so are you. Funny coffee story.

    Linkster - Love the Floyd / Prism connection. DSM is a great album!

    HungryMother - my first Calc professor (and her husband who also taught at LA Tech) came out of "The Rocket Racket" after WWII. First after-class mtg, she told me not to worry about Calc -- I had a very strong ALG back-ground and was going to do fine. I didn't struggle until Calc4; fortunately, in EE classes, we were allowed to use the CRC. :-)

    YR - Sounds like a great place! And lunch too :-)

    IM - I'm a picky pizza eater too. What, to you, defines a good pie?
    Outside of Boston, NYC, and SFO, (and Duh, Italy) I've not found a good Italian restaurant. We had one in Sugar Land (the guy actually grew-up in Boston's North End) but when he opened a second in Katy, it went down-hill. Now the local one is closed.

    TTP - I'm a little embarrassed to admit but,... I just made my first gravy from scratch. Bacon fat, flour, cream, and cracked-pepper. Put a bit of it over pork-chops & whipped potatoes; snap-peas on the side. Delicious but kinda heavy -- I need a nap now :-)

    Cheers, -T

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  41. @Irish Miss. I agree with you about the pizza situation in the Troy/Albany area. The only place I seem to get good pizza is in NYC.
    As far as the puzzle went there were too many names which led to too many Naticks for me to enjoy this. Otherwise not bad.

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  42. CanadianEh! at 4:14 PM wrote - "almost TMI ". I agree, but how was I to paint the scene that Hailey saw without it?

    Thank you for your well wishes for Carol.

    Thanks Anonymous T at 6:35 PM for caring and enjoying.

    Ðave

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  43. FWIW, Easter for Eastern Orthodox is May 2, 2021, so April 4th is correct only for the Gregorian calendar.

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  44. LEO3 - Grimaldi's in Sugar Land. Perfectly burnt bubbled crust and fresh toppings.

    Cheers, -T

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  45. IM:
    The reason we need a ticket to attend Mass is to limit the number of attendees. It's capped at 150 so I register as early in the week as possible to ensure myself a place.

    Today I spent the entire afternoon trying to open and operate my new I-phone. I'm ready to toss it into the swimming pool! I can't understand why it's so complicated. Two people tried to help me and no one succeeded. Tomorrow I'll go to the apple store.

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  46. -T --- Oh, OK. There was one over at the Grand Parkway and Mason Road that had my absolute favorite pizza ever. Unfortunately, it too is now closed (a real success story that had an unfortunate ending, and COVID finally killed it), as is Barry's Pizza on Richmond. There might be a few of the ones I used to visit still open, but the shutdown has been a death knell for so many.... It's a real shame.

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  47. Well now that you all are in bed or rooting for a Packers' routing of the Bears; not only did C.C. do double duty here, but she had the extremely rare tripleheader- the LAT, the Universal, and the USA Today puzzle published 11-29-2020. Wow!

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  48. LEO3 - I was too flippant - you're right, Berry's is good as is Star Pizza deep inside the loop (we have our Defcon Houston meetings there :-)).

    Hope they're faring well.

    Cheers, -T

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  49. Sigh,

    Pizza, again...

    (you guys are killing me...)

    ***MAKE IT YOURSELF!***

    I have been making my own pizza's ever since I started
    camping, with a Chef Boy-R-Dee all the pizza ingredients in a box
    and a boy scout Mess Kit over a campfire.

    Then when I discovered Alton Browns Good Eats,
    I started experimenting with all his good ideas on the subject.
    (note: abbreviated for a rant free* post-check him out yourself)

    If you have an Oven, or any type of BBQ, you can make pizza.
    (campfire pizza is best in a cast iron dutch oven.)
    (but i have seen it made in a pot sideways with a shelf...)

    Tips & tricks:
    Get a pizza stone
    (no stone? use old spare tiles)
    Get a peel, or some flat thingie to move your uncooked dough.
    Dough from scratch? use malt barley syrup instead of sugar.
    Totally lazy? buy pizza dough from the store.
    (note: most pizza doughs in supermarkets come out a little tough)
    (instead of the refrigerated dough you find near the cheese,)
    (look for Papa Sal's frozen dough near the deli for $1.50-)
    (best damn dough for anything Italian. from garlic knots to calzones!)

    Now you can mold/toss/throw the thing any which way you want,
    (i used to defrost mine over an inverted bowl on a can of tomatoes)
    to get that rim around the crust - not necessary...)
    But now i just defrost it, and use a rolling pin.
    (Papa Sals edges puff up nicely if not covered in sauce)
    (or you could roll edges over some mozzarella for a cheese filled crust!)

    Too lazy to make sauce?
    Slice tomatoes, put on brushed olive oil dough,
    add salt/pepper/basil/oregano,
    top with whatever cheese (no Feta for Irish Miss)'
    & sprinkle with parmesan...

    Big Tip!
    Roll the dough on a square of parchment paper!
    cut the tips of the paper to make it round before the oven,
    check after 10 minutes at 450 degrees
    (you may want to poke bubbles with a knife at 5 minutes)

    Biggest tip!
    Let it cool a bit before you burn the roof of your mouth...

    Sauces are a separate rant...

    (*rant content might vary based on reader interest...)

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  50. CED:

    When I have time... Yes, I make my own sauce & dough. I have two pizza stones & two peels.
    The pizza dough is always the thinnest I can roll out (toss in the air for effect?!), topped with "What do you want?" to whomever's standing around (I always pre-brown burger, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon and pre-sauté onions & bell peppers -- all in separate pans)

    When the pie comes out of the oven, they're delivered to the cutting board (a marble slab that came with the counters), square-cut w/ my roller, and devoured within minutes while the next pizza bakes. I usually make 6 or 7 and there's still no leftovers for breakfast :-(

    My Fav: Brush dough w/ olive oil; crack dried basil, oregano, & pepper; fresh Roma, mozzarella (and I mean fresh mozzarella!), & basil, to top.
    Little Italian flag right there, Man.

    If you're interested, I'll transcribe my recipes for dough & sauce and add it to The Corner's Olio. //I've read yours & tried it once - perty dern good too mate!

    Cheers, -T

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  51. Someday, you must try,
    roll the dough extremely thin,
    toss it on the BBQ screaming hot,
    add to the side tomato slices
    brush the dough with olive oil and flip,
    brush the other side with olive oil
    & top with the BBQ'd tomato,
    add whatever you want,

    No pizza stone, no peel,
    just fireplace gloves, & you have Neapolitan
    that you might eat gloves and all...

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