google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Tuesday, November 17, 2020 Craig Stowe

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Nov 17, 2020

Tuesday, November 17, 2020 Craig Stowe

Winter's Coming!




The circles spell out words that remind us that Winter is just around the corner.  Technically, the words Ice, Sleet, Hoar and Rime are terms-of-art that have slightly different meanings, but you get the (snow) drift.

17-Across. Words from a vacillator: I CAN'T DECIDE.  Ice.

25-Across. Bedtime wish: SLEEP TIGHT.  Sleet.

39-Across. Crusade: HOLY WAR.  Hoar.

51-Across. Fastest-ever performance, as in a race: RECORD TIME.  Rime.

And the Unifier:

63-Across. Spiky, bleached hairstyle ... or what the puzzle circles represent: FROSTED TIPS.



Across:
1. Deputized Western group: POSSE.  The word Posse comes from the Latin phrase posse comitatus, which means the "force or power of the country".


6. African capital near ancient Carthage: TUNIS.  When my sister was in the Peace Corps, she was sent to Tunis.


11. __-pitch: SLO.

14. Milo of "Romeo and Juliet" (1968): O'SHEA.  Milo O'Shea (June 2, 1926 ~ Apr. 2, 2013) portrayed Friar Laurence in this movie.


15. Ten sawbucks: C-NOTE.  Technically a C-Note is a 100 dollar bill.  Webster's offers a possible explanation of the origin of how the Sawbuck came to mean a $10 bill.




16. Bench press target: PEC.  //  And 56-Across. Workout count: REPS.

19. Snitch: RAT.


20. Golf bunker contents: SAND.  //  And 22-Across. Golfer's goof: SLICE.

21. "__ fair in love ... ": ALL'S.  The phrase "All's fair in love and war" is attributed to the 16th Century English poet, John Lyly (1550s ~ Nov. 1606), who wrote “The rules of fair play do not apply in love and war.” 

24. Cogito __ sum: ERGO.  More of today's Latin lesson.  Technically there should be a comma between the first and second word of this phrase.  Translated into English, this phrase means: I think, therefore I am.

27. Hurry: RUSH.  //  And 18-Down. Sprint: DASH.

29. Detroit NFLer: LION.



30. Religion: FAITH.

32. Swing and Disco: ERAs.


34. Casino gratuity: TOKE.  In this context, Toke is short for Token of Appreciation.

38. Feel out of sorts: AIL.

42. Neither's partner: NOR.  Although the United States Postal Service has no official motto, the words "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" are found on the 8th Avenue Post Office in New York City.


43. Marvel superhero: X-MAN.  There are several X-Men, so you can take your pick.


45. Peace signs: VEEs.


46. Up and at 'em: ASTIR.

48. __ fail: unexpected disaster: EPIC.  Apparently in Spain, anyone can be an art restorer.

The Before and After the EPIC fail.

50. Pandora's box, e.g.: MYTH.  Apparently, some one opened Pandora's Box this year.

59. __ acid: AMINO.

60. Part of RBG or LBJ: Abbr.: INIT.  Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Mar. 14, 1933 ~ Sept. 18, 2020) and Lyndon Baines Johnson (Aug. 27, 1908 ~ Jan. 22, 1973), the 26th President of the United States.  I always though LBJ was so old, and yet he was only 64 when he died.

61. Inter __: among others: ALIA.  More of today's Latin lesson.  This phrase had become a crossword staple.

62. Doze (off): NOD.


66. Colorado tribe: UTE.

67. Word with peace or turmoil: INNER.  As in Inner Peace and Inner Turmoil.  Complete opposites.

68. Ancient letters: RUNES.


69. __ capita: PER.

70. Individual preference: TASTE.

71. Salon board abrasive: EMERY.


Down:
1. Self-assurance: POISE.




2. Subject of a seasonal buzz or nod: OSCAR.  The official name of the of the Oscar is the Academy Award of Merit.  Legend has it that it was called Oscar because the Academy librarian thought the statuette looked like her Uncle Oscar.  The statuette is 13 1/2 inches tall and weighs 8.5 pounds.


3. Utopia in "Lost Horizon": SHANGRI-LA.  I read Lost Horizon by James Hilton (Sept. 9, 1900 ~ Dec. 20, 1954) when I was in high school.  I remember I really liked the novel.


4. Emit: SEND OUT.

5. Dog-dog connection?: EAT.  It's a Dog Eat Dog world.


6. Immune system agent: T-CELL.  Everything you wanted to know about T-Cells but were afraid to ask.



7. "I give up!": UNCLE.  This has become a crossword staple.

8. Regulations affecting loud parties: NOISE LAWS.



9. "__ be an honor!": IT'D.

10. Deals with: SEES TO.

11. Hint of mint: SPRIG.



12. Extract, as lye from ashes: LEACH.

13. The planets, since Pluto's demotion: OCTET.  I was very reluctant to remove Eight.

Before Pluto's demotion.

23. Dryer trap fuzz: LINT.

26. Leaning Tower city: PISA.

28. Exam proctor's reminder: SHH!


30. Copier function: FAX.  Does anyone still use a fax?


31. Intention: AIM.


32. Primaries, say: ELECTIONs.  Thank goodness the elections are over.

33. Manhattan liquor: RYE.  How to make a Manhattan.


35. At risk: ON THE LINE.


36. Pond carp: KOI.

37. Slip up: ERR.  To ERR is human ...

40. "Metamorphoses" poet: OVID.

41. Bit of sunshine: RAY.  A CSO to our own Ray-o-Sunshine.


44. Gas in signs: NEON.


47. Layer: STRATUM.

49. Monetary gain: PROFIT.

50. Parcel (out): METE.

51. Accumulated, as debts: RAN UP.


52. Act with great passion: EMOTE.

53. Fall beverage: CIDER.


54. Map within a map: INSET.

55. British bishop's headdress: MITRE.  The word, whether spelled the British way or the American way, comes from a Greek word meaning Headband or Turban.  Justin Welby (b. Jan. 6, 1956) is the current Archbishop of Canterbury.



57. "Pied" folklore guy: PIPER.  The Pied Piper was supposedly hired to rid the German town of Hamelin of its rats.  Unfortunately, the towns people failed to pay him, so he took revenge by took the away, never to be seen again.



58. Given to insolence: SASSY.  If I sassed back to my grandmother, she would wash my mouth out with soap.  It happened to me more than once.  I must have liked the taste of the soap.

64. "Messenger" letters: RNA



65. Beats by __: audio equipment brand: DRE.  I was not familiar with this company.  Apparently, it was founded by the rapper Dr. Dre (né Andre Romelle Young; b. Feb. 18, 1965), who makes occasional appearances in the crossword puzzles.  Since 2014, it has been a subsidiary of Apple.





Here's the Grid:






55 comments:

  1. Good morning!

    Guess who forgot to look at the circles? Yup. Inking ABS instead of PEC made a mess of New England. Wite-Out, please. Otherwise, this was a smooth solve without further catastrophe. Thanx, Craig and Hahtoolah.

    TOKE: So that's what you think it means, Hahtoolah.

    NOISE LAWS: Our little city recently enacted a noise ordinance. I'm not aware that it's ever been enforced, though.

    RYE: Craig must not be from Wisconsin, or he'd know that a Manhattan is made with brandy, not RYE.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Took me longer than a usual Tuesday at 6:29.
    Don't like the copier clue for fax, although I understand how some multi-use machines allow both. Some real estate title companies still insist on faxes.

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  3. Filled in 57 down as "Peter" for "Pied folklore guy". That gave a whole different reveal for 63 across! LOL!

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  4. Good Morning, Crossword friends.

    D-O: That is one interpretation!

    QOD: Life’s journey ~ it unfolds for you as you are ready for it. ~ RuPaul (né RuPaul Andre Charles; b. Nov. 17, 1960), American drag queen and television personality

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  5. ANON @ 6:53 made me chuckle. Actually, if not for the hairstyle part of 63A clue, 57D as Peter could lead to a fair representation of the circled answers...

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  6. When I was a high school soph, my English teacher gave us a test to gauge our vocabulary. I was shocked to find that I was in the low end of the class. I asked my teacher what I could do. She suggested that I read more books of substance and look up any word that I didn’t know. I started with “Lost Horizon” and never looked back. Nice puzzle today. I saw the theme right away, but it didn’t help too much in the solve. I first heard of TCELLs when my grandson came down with diabetes.

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  7. Hola!

    Thank you, Susan. Your illustrations and commentary are always such fun.

    This was really fast though of course EIGHT appeared then disappeared to be replaced by OCTET.

    Then I surprised myself by knowing SLICE with only the S in place.

    The circles were not necessarily helpful but did aid in identifying the theme words.

    I read SHANGRILA many, many, many years ago.

    DASH/RUSH crossing each other was nice as well as METE/MITRE next to each other.

    ELECTIONS are not quite over; some run-offs are required in Georgia and certification hasn't occurred yet. After the Electoral College meets it will be finally over.

    Have a splendid Tuesday, everyone!

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  8. A fun Tuesday puzzle by Craig with a timely theme (frosty-looking grass this morning here). Thanks. And thanks to Hahtoolah for your excellent review I FIR with only a few detours from the first thought that came into my mind: SPear/SPRIG and TaKE/TOKE. FAITH corrected my spelling of SHANGRI-LA.The SPRIG of mint reference is appropriate for me as mint (spearmint? peppermint?) has been a staple used daily, freshly picked from our kitchen garden, on fruit and yogurt desserts.

    Enjoy your day, and stay busy and well.

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  9. Good Morning:

    I thought this had a bit of crunch for a Tuesday, but finished in normal time. The circles gave the theme away, but the reveal was a surprise. I had Tops before Tips but that was soon corrected. I guess Guy Fieri’s “spikey “do” fits this description. CSO to our resident Ray of Sunshine. 🌝

    Thanks, Craig, for a Tuesday treat and thanks, Hahtoolah, for a fun and cheerful expo. Loved all the visuals.

    My wellness checkup appointment is this afternoon. I hope I don’t stumble drawing a clock reading 11:50, or some such time that makes you second guess yourself. Seems like HG mentioned this unsettling experience not too long ago.

    Have a great day.

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  10. Hahtoolah, wonderful, as always. I look forward to your style. 1-2-3 easy. The pencil hardly ever stopped.
    Sussed the theme right away, all different forms of ICE, but the reveal was a surprise.
    As they say, the elections are "all over but the shouting."
    NJ Department of Developmental Disabilities, doctor's offices and some delis still use FAXes. The owner of the local deli faxes DDD docs for for me in a pinch.
    I served drinks in Atlantic City during one college summer break. When someone asked for a Manhattan it always was made with rye and sweet vermouth. Some people specified a bourbon Manhattan. I never was asked for a brandy Manhattan. If Scotch was wanted, the drink was called a Rob Roy. I was a young, naive country girl. I asked the bartender for a Manhattan and said he should make sure it was very good. He laughed at me and asked if the order was a perfect Manhattan. A perfect Manhattan has both sweet and dry vermouth.
    We have had very little frost so far. One morning I had a thin layer of ice on my windshield and on another morning, a little thicker one. It all melted by 9:30. My mums died a few days ago. They usually die before Halloween.

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  11. Hahtoolah: Outstanding write-up & links.

    Hmmm ... when I think of winter coming to Tarpon Springs< Florida ...
    I think of:
    (1) Sunny Skies
    (2) 60 degree weather
    (3) Perfect days to be outside.

    Today's theme answers never come to mind.
    Oh well ...

    A "Toast-to-ALL" at Sunset ... it is gonna be a beauty.

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Made a side trip there years ago on business in Tampa. They have an active community of sponge divers and wholesale prices on natural sponges. Their superior absorbency makes them ideal for use in ceramics studios.

      Delete
  12. FIR but writing in ssh instead of SHH kept me from the FAITH for awhile. The only lonely inkover.

    Thought MITRE mite be spelled the same way on both sides of the pond. Guess the same mite hold true for Miter/re box. (Canada Eh jump in anytime)

    The theme letters were circled so even I sussed ot out..LIU: The main difference between rime and hoarfrost is that rime is the result of freezing fog, Hoarfrost forms in the absence of fog

    As a kid I looked forward to The Pied Piper of Hamelin 1950s TV performance . He (Van Johnson) would appear on the clock tower. I remember the poor boy on crutches who couldn't get into the playland before the rock entrance closed. But a happy ending.

    Just how does SLEEPing TIGHT prevent bed bugs from biting? HOLYWAR is an oxymoron.

    Thought the C in CNOTE came from Latin centum for 100. NOTE from banknote. POSSE comitatus, didn't realize cowboys were that well versed in Latin as well. (Always figured it was a Spanish term like many other cowboy expressions)

    Emerald City vehicle....OSCAR
    Stop.....SEESTO
    "It's OK, think nothing" ____ OVID
    Incapacitated by police......TASTE
    "Which machine is not working?" "Just the ____ Ma'am"..FAX

    Perfect picture of a dog eating (a) dog but tricky Dickie was waving a Victory sign not a peace sign. Plus that solar powered x-ray a little too strong for our imaging department.

    On to... Odin...Wodin....Wōdnesdæg....Wednesday

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  13. Musings
    -FRontier outpOST would have given a grid-spanning entry and the current Husker FB coach
    -America’s entry into the WWII ETO started in Africa where they stopped Rommel in Tunisia and then moved on to Italy
    -The Browns and the LIONS are the two oldest NFL franchises who have never even been to a Super Bowl
    -Making a V sign with my palm towards me feels different that when my palm faces outward. You?
    -Reluctanly yelling UNCLE on the playground was what you did when you knew you were beaten
    -ON THE LINE is a verboten practice in our development
    -The Archbishop wore his MITRE into church Sunday. Yup, he was looking for money.

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  14. Tinbeni ...took a trip to Tarpon Springs when I was doing a week locum tenens at Dunedin hospital. Sponged up a lot of sun and great food but It was all Greek to me 🇬🇷🏺

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  15. The bank appraiser is taking my mom's 90 year old china closet. DIL's wealthy Japanese friend is taking mom's 100 piece antique dish set and shipping it to Japan. I am giving my buyer the rattan atrium furniture, the patio furniture and grill; and a large mirror. I would hate to see these things in the dump.
    We, too, cannot dry our wash on the line.
    "The V-sign when made the other way (palm facing in) is equivalent in Britain to the “one-finger salute” in America. I am told it had its origins at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, when the French promised to cut off the index and middle finger of the English archers. They lost, and the English flashed their intact middle fingers at the vanquished French as a gesture of disdain. It has been so in England ever since.
    I don’t think Churchill was conscious of the insulting meaning of the palm-in V-sign, when on occasion he used it instead of the palm-out."

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  16. Hahtoolah, lucky you didn't go blind from soap poisoning (A Christmas Story should be coming up soon).

    With the "S" I tried Shank first, sometimes a SLICE is not a mistake, but then you'd call it a fade.

    Hollywood added the happy ending to the Pied Piper. That was also Claude Rains' part as the mayor was his only singing and dancing role in his long career

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    Replies
    1. My Engish Mother used that therapy on me - once! She's still with us at 95. Still sharp as a tack.

      Delete
  17. FLN, re Marsala. For a minute I confused it with Chicken Marengo which Napoleon's chef conjured up after the battle with whatever was available. And... C-Moe, if you're cooking brats I'd grab a genesee n/a which was $7.99 for a 12 pack at Winn Dixie. Rule on n/a: cheaper is better. LIU I did see some interesting zero alcohol beers.

    Speedy Tuesday. Re. LBJ's early demise: Guilt*?

    "Thank goodness the ELECTIONS are over.". My morning chuckle**. But I do enjoy the Tuesday write-up by Hahtoolah.

    Oops, there it is. One-box Wilbur strikes again. I had TOpE/pOI. IM, I know how you feel. FIW aaarrrggghhh!!!
    The "Children's Crusade" is the best explanation (re Pied PIPER)

    RYE whiskey was always de Rigueur for Manhattans. I think the other is Brandy Manhattan.

    Re. 11:50. My stumble was WORLD backwards. Try it

    WC

    *For his role in assassination of JFK?
    ** Can't go there. A political hotbed if ever there was one

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In Maryland we prefer them with rye, especially Pikeville Rye, first distilled in the next hamlet over from my neighborhood.

      Delete
  18. Never heard of TOKE as a gambler's gratuity before, but I've never hung out at the gambling tables, either. An acquaintance once pressed a chip -- worth $20, I think -- into my hand and insisted I place it on the roulette table. After a few spins of the wheel, I had $100. My benefactor refused to receive it, so I went to the outlet mall and bought an entire outfit, including shoes. End of my gambling history.

    Good puzzle, Craig! FIR in spite of the few unknowns. Thanks for the tour, Hahtoolah!

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    Replies
    1. I once won 5 dollars worth of nickels playing nickel slots in Vegas. Left it the maid. And that was the end of my gambling history.

      Delete
  19. Thank you Hahtoolah for a fun filled glowing review, for a relatively easy puzzle.
    Your cartoons and other links were a pure delight.
    Thank you Craig Stowe for a very nice and charming puzzle.

    Re; Pied Piper - Olden fairy tales were often adultish, and had sad endings, and were sadistic and grisly. The concept of a comforting and joyous Children's litreature did not exist, and did not really appear until well into the 19th century.
    Humanity has actually taken a long time to evolve. Darwin's theories on our descent from the primates, is very true in more ways than one. Some of our inhumanities rear themselves, in incidents, even today. ( unfortunately ).

    Anonymous at 6:53, your comment on Peter instead of Piper and the consequent misinterpretation was very funny, for me.
    While it appears quite raunchy, it is a perfebtly valid comment, and I'm glad it was allowed and not censored out. After all, we are supposed to be Word Smiths and Word Lovers, and some of the most popular Limericks have raunchy or double entendre meanings, and its good to have a chuckle once in a while.
    This is a public forum, but we are also perfectly free to gloss over or ignore, posts that might or seem to offend our personal feelings.

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    Replies
    1. What's to ignore? They're calling for frosted tits in trees throughout Maryland tonight.

      Delete
  20. Woohoo! I had to work a bit on this fun Tuesday puzzle, but I got it all in the end. Woohoo! Many thanks, Craig. And, Susan, I loved your DOG EAT DOG picture, and also appreciated your explanation of OSCAR--news to me.

    I loved Milo O'SHEA playing Leopold Bloom in the Joseph Strick film of James Joyce's "Ulysses." He didn't EMOTE the part, thank goodness. Your FROSTED TIPS picture was funny too, Susan.

    Have a great day, everybody.

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  21. On Tokes, I have never quite understood the Principle of Tipping the Dealers.

    They are supposed to do their job, be fair and rigidly, uncompromisingly, upright, and never, never, Never favor either the House --- or the Gambler, horrors ! (!)

    How is tipping them supposed to make them do their job Better ???
    How do you 'appreciate' them doing their job, when they do what they are supposed to do ?
    Are you doing something to suborn the Dealers, to favor you in some way ??

    Are you supposed to Tip them even if you lost your shirt ??

    Btw, the articles on the Casinos always, always show a person winning Big, and everybody's smiling and having a good time ,,, even the Dealer !?!

    I have been to Las Vegas, four times, over the last 20 years, and my experience has been anything but, while watching other people playing the tables.

    ( I also never gambled, but attended some shows, and drove to the Canyons, and the icy mountain chartered bus trips, and my expenses were reimbursed or subsidized by a quirk in the US Tax laws relating to some form of Educational Seminars etc.,..)
    I guess I would feel like a d----- fool gambling when I know the odds are solidly set in stone, against me.

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  22. From yesterday...

    There was a discussion of adding wine/alcohol to food and that the alcohol burns off.

    This is not true. Alcohol bonds with water well. When cooking, only the alcohol that has not bonded with water/liquid will burn off, the rest stays. This is why Friends of Bill W do not cook with alcohol. This is also why people add “dry gas” (alcohol) to their automobile gas tanks to absorb the water that may appear. There was a test done, only about 10% of the alcohol burned off the food it was cooked with.

    Today’s puzzle...

    This is not the “TOKE” I grew up with, haha. Otherwise no issues.

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  23. Meh. Kind of a ho hum puzzle. But seriously, does anyone pay any attention to the circles? We should take a poll on that. Sometimes it's clever, sometimes not. Either way I would not miss them one iota.

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  24. Got ‘er done, but far more time than usual for a Tuesday due to the huge number of write-overs: ICANTRECALL:ICANTDECIDE; RACE:DASH; EIGHT:OCTET; RUM:RYE. Oy!! Anyway, I did enjoy the CW, thanx, Craig, and the as usual outstanding write-up, thanx, Hahtoolah!

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  25. So was Boston on a run at the craps table when they wrote "we're cookin' tonight, just keep on tokin'?" :)

    Have a great day y'all

    Bob

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  26. Good Afternoon.

    Thanks, Craig, for a terrific Tuesday. The theme was perfect, even though I do admit I didn't get it until I read Hahtoolah's explication.

    Hahatoolah, You outdid yourself today. Great choices to go along with your insight. Your tours are a welcome relief from Covic, Covid, Covid. Merci beaucoup!

    Have a sunny day everyone.

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  27. Irish Miss, I forgot to wish you a good wellness check-up this afternoon.
    Let us know how it went.

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  28. Puzzling thoughts:

    First off, thanks Susan for the pictures and comics and links today. Learned a lot! As others have commented, not the best puzzle I’ve solved but it was OK and met Tuesday level standards

    I was geographically challenged by 6-across; had CAIRO/TUNIS. And echoing billocohoes I thought either SHANK/SLICE or perhaps, even BOGEY, as I agree that a SLICE is not always a mistake. Tiger Woods hits them frequently when the shot calls for one. A better clue might’ve been: Average golfer’s tendency

    Before reading the clue for 63-across I “assumed” it would be FROSTY something and pencilled in the Y, before I saw METE

    WC —> never considered using a N/A beer to steam brats or kielbasa. Makes sense, but I do keep a six pack of Miller Lite on hand for my SO who doesn’t care for IPA’s, but occasionally wants a beer to drink

    I’ve gotten pretty fitshaced on Manhattans ... I keep a bottle of Bulleit Rye on hand just in case. Might need to pick up some sweet vermouth and cherries though as I am plum out

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  29. "I asked the bartender for a Manhattan and said he should make sure it was very good". That's a good story, YR. "Mom" could've used that one.

    Re. TOKE/Tips. Those that can afford to tip done and vv. Generally non W2 workers behave "independently". There's a gray area. Of course in the world of gambling luck(see the "ladder" etc discussion FLN*) is in the minds of the gambler. That was James Bond's theory.

    WC

    *Was it Sunday?

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  30. Who knew...
    ...You LEACHed lye outta ashes?
    (I was terrible in HS Chemistry!)
    ...a golfer's screwup is a SLICE?
    (No anchovies on that, please!)
    ...or remembered that TIGHT was a decent way to SLEEP?
    (Especially w/o alcoholic enhancement?!)

    That was a nasty corner. I got 'em all in the end, but the NE sector made me think longer than I wanted to.

    Thanks (and Boo!) to Ray - O - Sunshine for pre-empting my intended Sgt. Friday quotation: "Just the FAX, ma'am."
    I didn't think anyone else was old and decrepit enough to remember that deadpan line.
    ~ OMK
    ____________
    DR:
    . Just one diagonal, on the side of the loyal opposition.
    Its anagram seems to recall all that cinematic nonsense about "Snakes on a Plane"--y'know, all that...
    "REPTILIAN ROT"!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Did the editor switch the Monday and Tuesday puzzles? Today seemed easier than yesterday. Still a fun puzzle made more fun by Hahtoolah's stimulating commentary.

    63A There were frost warnings forecast for Maryland tonight, so I picked the last of the green tomatoes yesterday. They are not as robust as tits (which I believe Winter over in Maryland). We'll bake green tomatoes "parmesan" with them (with provolone, mozzarella, and marinara sauce), plus can some tomato relish with what's left.

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  32. Sleep tight. I learned this when visiting old historic houses: "In the 1800s and early 1900s, mattresses were held on bed frames using a woven rope design. These ropes needed frequent tightening to ensure a taut, firm mattress for a good night's sleep. Hence, the phrase “sleep tight” was born. The mattresses were often stuffed using straw, shredded corn husks, or down feathers." We said don't let the skeeters bite. Bed bugs? Horrors! Not in our house.

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  33. This is Tuesday right?

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  34. My annual physical check was yesterday and yes, I erred on the 10:50 clock. My mind just would not produce it. Otherwise my general health is quite good. IF only my mind matched my body in wellness. I've also gained about six pounds but luckily my jeans were a bit loose. Now they are snug.

    Today I decided to venture out and do some shopping. One of my granddaughters had an item from Walgreen's on her list and it must be popular because they were sold out at three stores I visited. The are called SQUISHIMALS. I'll have to try on line. When I came home I had to change into shorts because it is unseasonably warm today.

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  35. YR, that sounds a lot like the "bunks" on our aircraft carrier. They were made of an angle-iron frame with wires stretched across, guaranteed to sag in the middle, topped with a 2-inch mattress. These bunks were stacked three high with a 2-foot aisle between. There were about 70 guys in our berthing compartment. Cozy.

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  36. Lucina...like the idea you gave me to buy oversized jeans and eat my way into them.

    Squishimals can be found along the shoulders of many highways.

    Glad to hear your check-up went OK

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  37. Hello everyone.

    Puzzle was easy. Didn't pay attention to the circles.
    Had 'eight' before OCTET. A bit fast out of the chute; should have paid more attn. to SLO before proceeding.
    Bit of sunshine: - wanted Ray O Sunshine, but had to settle for RAY.
    Tunis - About 130 miles east of Hippo where St. Augustine lived.

    Have a great rest of the day.

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  38. I enjoyed solving this puzzle. Thank you, Craig Stowe. I also enjoyed your review, Hahtoolah, and laughed out loud at the dog eating the dog. Thank you.

    Hand up for trying to hang onto EIGHT for too long.

    For some reason the crossing of POSSE and POISE caught my attention.

    LEACH made me think of Cary Grant, born Archibald Leach.

    We're getting our first rain of the rainy season today. It's chilly and gloomy outside; a good day to stay inside.

    Good wishes to you all.

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  39. FIR, but in half again as much time as a Tuesday usually takes me. The theme was recognized but it provided only a little help with correctly filling in the squares. I thought that NOISE LAWS was a bit awkward. I very briefly tried to do something with BEDBUGS (lack thereof) at 25 across. Thanks for the great write-up and graphics, Hahtoolah. TFTGWAGH should be added to the Corner lexicon.

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  40. Frosted tips?

    Well, for a puzzle theme, it worked out quite well...

    However, for silly links, I can't find anything funny
    about having your tips frosted...
    So, meanwhile, in Utah...

    Toke, as a gratuity, has possibilities...
    now that they legalized (you know what) in New jersey,
    I can't wait to offer one back to my dealer...

    "In Atlantic City dang it!"
    (I can't afford to give them cash...)

    My, how times have changed since Lawrence Welk
    called it A modern Spiritual...

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  41. Hey, Ray-O you made my day. After coming home following a horrible day at the bridge table, I laughed out loud at your hilarious observation about squishimals. Too funny!!

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  42. Should be Shankers above, not Unknown. This has happened before.

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  43. Not a lot of time for all the balls & strikes right now.

    Thanks Craig & Hahtoolah! Fun puzzle & fantastic expo.

    Enjoyed reading everyone! //Peter - funny!

    @11:44a - You tip a good dealer - they are your entertainment for the night. Many tech conferences are in Vegas and I've been many times.
    a) You gamble and drinks are free (as opposed to $10 at the bar).
    b) A good dealer will "help" you with the rules (when to split, etc) and instigate banter at the table. I know all the odds, etc, but "play dumb" and the dealer will "hint."
    Furthermore, a good dealer is like a bartender - they can read people and will call in looker-bys (that look like they'd be a fun fit for the table) over for a hand.

    I look at playing Black Jack like this - I'm going to spend money on beer anyway, might as well have fun playing a game with a new "friends." That's worth a TOKE or two.

    Analogy #2 - If the person cutting my hair at [insert national chain] and they have interesting chit-chat, they get a better tip. Someone yakin' with their co-workers the whole time, not so much.

    Cheers, -T

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  44. Oh, Fav: You guessed it... RUSH [12:41*] //is SHANGRI-LA like Xanadu?

    R.I.P. Neil Peart.

    C, -T
    *Bet WC can make it at least to 3:10 :-)

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  45. Pretty easy puzzle for me today.

    HOLYWAR and RECORDTIME were my first fills --- in record time!

    I had to wait for the perps, before entering TUNIS. For all my history and map reading, I really could not have told you exactly where Carthage is/was. As previously noted, I managed to skate through high school and college doing a minimal amount of actual reading. I’m paying for it in the crossword puzzle world now.

    Chairman Moe: Fitshaced! Perfect word! “Of all the gin joints…,” I’ve never heard that one before now! It is now etched in my lexicon!

    As was alluded above, the elections are not quite over yet. The two Senate runoff races in Georgia on January 5 will determine the agenda of the country for the next two years. Before the November elections, the Republicans had a 53 – 47 edge. Post-election, the count is now, 50 – 48 Republican. If the Democrats win both runoffs, there will be a 50-50 split, which will mean Vice President – Elect Kamala Harris will cast any tie-breaking votes. (The reason that both of Georgia’s Senate seats are on the ballot this year is because last year, one of the Senators resigned due to Parkinson’s. That seat will also be on the ballot in 2022.)

    -T is absolutely correct about tipping in Vegas. My sister’s roommate (who was a dealer) mentioned that a famous Chicago White Sox player was notorious for not tipping his dealers. While I cannot afford to be a “BIG” tipper, I always make sure my wait staff (and bartenders, back in the day) and other applicable persons get a decent tip. They are not working for the so-called “minimum wage.” (I don’t know the scale for the dealers in Vegas).

    CED: Thanks for the modern spiritual. That’s the first thing that came to my mind too. Notice her “green” tongue? Clorets?

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  46. Shankers, agreed, Squishimals was one of RayO's best. But "It's OK, think nothing" ____ OVID" I didn't get until I just copied it. I had the long O.

    -T, just for you I listened to THE WHOLE THING. Coleridge wrote that high on opium. My dope is Real coffee with French vanilla added. Except I've completely lost my sweet tooth.

    Btw, for those who've had it too easy this week, tomorrow toughens up. I believe the NW was blank until I found some perps.

    PVX, any way besides drinking boiled down alcohol to know if alcohol had been eliminated! Betsy, wants to boil down Manishevitz elderberry wine for this FoBW. I demurred*

    I once sliced a ball so far and wide that the ball almost ended up traveling in the opposite direction. Two fairways over. Tiger did in fact hit a controlled slice on one hole.

    WC
    * Now there's an xword, eh Rich?

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  47. Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Craig and Hahtoolah.
    This CW filled in good time and I saw the winter weather before I got to the reveal. We had FROSTED TIPS here today. BRR.
    But I arrived here to discover that I FIWed. I had Poi instead of KOI (LOL, Hawaiian food instead of fish!) and In THE LINE (thinking of line of fire) instead of ON THE LINE. That gave me Tipe which I questioned.? I’m not a casino visitor obviously.

    I smiled at POSSE crossing POISE, and the CSO to RAY’o. (Hand up for SSH before SHH. MITRE it is on this side of the border as well as this side of the pond - for both the hat and the box.)
    Yes, AnonT, I knew you would link a RUSH song.

    It is a sad sign of the times that I thought of COVID LAWS before NOISE LAWS affecting those loud parties!

    I have been reading up on the first two promising Covid-19 vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna). Both are RNA vaccines (a new process). TCELLS (as well as antibodies which are produced by B Cells) are also important in the discussion of immunity and how long it may persist.

    Wishing you all a good evening..


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  48. WC - Actually...
    HS -- In my ('86-ish) Sophomore year, the English teacher (who must have come with the furniture at the 60+ year old school) assigned us to finish Coldridge's poem that she explained was interrupted by a knock on the door during his opium trip.

    Easy A?

    Then she said, "And a student I had in the '70s had me listen to this." She put the cassette in the little boom-box.

    I almost lost it! RUSH!

    But the jig was up, I couldn't plagiarize :-)
    //Listen to the end - they finished the poem by bemoaning a man made mad because he was living forever only with his thoughts.

    Cheers, -T

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