google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday March 8, 2021 Martha Kimes

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Mar 8, 2021

Monday March 8, 2021 Martha Kimes

Theme: OBEDIENCE SCHOOL (62. Where a puppy may learn the starts of 17-, 29- and 46-Across)

17. "Make yourself comfortable": SIT BACK AND RELAX.

29. "Don't be a stranger!": STAY IN TOUCH.

46. Regardless of how things go: COME WHAT MAY.

Boomer here.  Another debut. Congrats, Martha Kimes!

When I was young, many, many years ago, we had three dogs in succession, Corky, Bruno, and Napoleon.  We never could teach them any tricks but they all liked to jump on me when I was delivering food.

Well, I received my second shot of the Pfizer last Wednesday,  I asked the nurse to use the same hole as the first so it would not hurt.  No one laughs at my raw sense of humor anymore.  Anyway, fortunately, I did not have any side effects except I went to bed pretty early on Thursday and slept about a half overtime on Friday morning.

                                   VA Oncology has started St Patrick's Day celebration.

Good news from Minnesota.  We will be hitting highs of 60 degrees plus this week, and my bowling team added me back to the roster so today I am off to the bowling CENTER. 

 Across:

1. Pours to the brim: FILLS.  In my Mom's day, that is what Strikes and Spares were called.

6. Fit together: MESH.  Be careful or it might turn to MUSH.

10. __-à-porter: ready-to-wear: PRET.

14. Cellphone bill statistic: USAGE.  I do not waste USAGE.  We also have a land line.

15. Baseball's Moises: ALOU.  Felipe's son.  Felipe, Matty, and Jesus made history when all three brothers started in the outfield for a game in the outfield of the San Francisco Giants.


16. Resign, in chess: LOSE.  I lost many games in Bowling, Golf, and Chess, but I never Resigned.

20. Editor's "Don't change that": STET.

21. Lubricate: OIL.  I have just passed 1000 miles in the Santa Fe.  The dealership keeps bugging me to come in for maintenance.  I guess they are not aware that many people don't drive much during the pandemic.  I will probably add more miles to the Odometer now that I am bowling all over town, and golf season is near.  Did I mention that Minnesota is in the 60s this week? 

22. Start a journey: SET OUT.  I'll have to SET OUT to the bowling CENTER this week.  It's amazing that I have to visit Google to help remember where I am going.  My league is a traveling league so I go to 8 different places in 8 weeks.

23. Sine __ non: essential: QUA.

25. Quick bite: NOSH.

26. Personal connections: INS.

35. Maple tree fluid: SAP.  Just another reminder of Argyle's Maple Syrup.

36. Backless sofa: DIVAN.

37. "Cheers" actress Perlman: RHEA. Was married to Danny DeVito.


38. Olympics venue: ARENA.  Plus a track, plus a 26 mile Marathon run plus a swimming pool, plus I wonder if they are continuing golf.

40. It tops a king: ACE.  and ACE Rothstein in "Casino" (Robert De Niro.)


41. Riyadh resident: SAUDI.

42. Pooh's Hundred __ Wood: ACRE.  I have a Hundred Yard wood called a Driver.  I am not sure what Bryson calls his.

43. Show gratitude to: THANK.  I want to THANK all of you who are reading this far.

45. Squealer: RAT.  "You Dirty RAT"  James Cagney said he never said it.  I am not old enough to remember.

49. Phoenix MLB team, on scoreboards: ARI.  The D'Backs were added to the National League in 1998.

50. New Look designer: DIOR.

51. U.S. Presidents, so far: MEN.  We shall see what Ms. Harris' future holds. 

53. Deprived (of): BEREFT.  "The John Birch Society"  "Be careful when you get there, we hate to be BEREFT.  But we're taking down the names of everybody turning left.  Chad Mitchell Trio.

56. Broke bread: ATE.  Usually I eat without breaking anything.

58. Machu Picchu builder: INCA.  INKA Dinka Do.  Jimmy Durante.

65. Stretched tight: TAUT.

66. Capital of Peru: LIMA.  They could not name it the capital city of Ohio.  The name did not start with a "C".

67. 2000s "American Idol" judge Abdul: PAULA.  PAULA (Jill Jackson) never married Paul (Ray Hildebrand) and they both lived happily ever after. 



68. Syringe, briefly: HYPO.  The VA tossed my vaccine HYPO away.  No souvenirs allowed I guess. 

69. Throwaway part of a cherry: STEM.

70. Annual Tournament of __ Parade: ROSES.  It's been awhile since our Gophers have been in that parade.

Down:

1. Commotion: FUSS.

2. "__ any wonder?": IS IT.  IS IT any wonder that I've made it this far ?

3. Out past curfew: LATE.  We used to have a curfew in the suburb where I grew up.  I seems no one ever followed it, but it gave the city fun to blow the siren I guess.

4. Pride parade letters: LGBTQ.

5. Caribbean, e.g.: SEA.  "He joined the Navy, to see the world, but what did he see, he saw the SEA."

6. Sushi roll type: MAKI.



7. Airline to Tel Aviv: EL AL.

8. Luke, to Darth: SON.

9. Big Apple river: HUDSON.  I know the "Big Apple" refers to New York, but I don't know why.  I guess it's center field at the Mets ballpark.

10. Large amount: PLETHORA.  Hoping for a PLETHORA of Pins today.

11. Chocolate-caramel candy brand: ROLO.

12. Jacob's twin: ESAU.  Crosswords seem to visit the B.C. era quite a bit.

13. Modern message: TEXT.  Now we get to the era of cellphones.

18. Raccoon relative: COATI.  Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton were Members of the Raccoons.



19. Sabbath activity: REST.

24. Meat safety agcy.: USDA.

25. Hr. when many workdays begin: NINE AM.  Bowling starts at 10:00 AM.

26. Writer Asimov: ISAAC.

27. DEA agent: NARCO.

28. Type of whale: SPERM.  This is one BIG FISH.  Their heads are larger that their tails.



30. Picture next to a username: AVATAR.

31. Luxury vessel: YACHT.  Never been on a YACHT.  We've been on a 14 foot aluminum fishing boat,

32. "Star Trek" lieutenant: UHURA.

33. Fragrant wood: CEDAR.

34. One side of Hispaniola: HAITI.


39. Had no choice: NEEDED TO.  We NEEDED TO pay income taxes. We had no choice.

41. Breed of terrier: SKYE.

44. Monikers: NAMES.

47. Coffeehouse amenity: WIFI.  I make my coffee at home.  Can you believe how much Starbucks charges?

48. Tripadvisor listings: HOTELS.

52. Mandarin greeting: NI HAO.


53. "Ice cream or cake?" response, perhaps: BOTH.

54. Online auction venue: EBAY. I used to use this a lot. I got burned a couple of times so then C.C. and I started to go to flea markets.  Now it's too much work for my health but we may have a garage sale.  You should see my basement and garage.

55. Enlist again: RE-UP.  They asked me but I said no thank you.

56. Highest point: ACME.  Or some neat stuff owned by Wile. E. Coyote used to try to foil the Road Runner.  Meep Meep.

57. "There's no 'I' in __": TEAM.



59. Entre __: between us: NOUS.

60. Either of two "Unforgettable" singers: COLE.  Nat King and Natalie.

61. Wistful word: ALAS.  "ALAS, I left a split!"  I don't really say this but I cannot print what I really say.

63. Tiny complaint: NIT.

64. Bit of EMT expertise: CPR.  I have never needed this, thank you.

Boomer

 

61 comments:

OwenKL said...

The puzzle was easy enough, but the gimmick caught me. I was expecting something like comforting phrases, and was brought to heel instead!

There was a girl NAMED RHEA, like the bird.
The other kids teased her, her name was just absurd.
So she studied up on rheas,
Whose feet have fighting claws,
Then beat up all the other kids, kickboxing the whole herd!

Before you go, SIT BACK, RELAX,
Then STAY IN TOUCH till you come back.
COME WHAT MAY,
We're friends to stay --
Until the next election's track!

{B, B-.}

Boomer said...

Good Morning All, The New York Times Crossword appears in the Minneapolis StarTrib several weeks after it is published. Today I was working that puzzle and got to 21 down. The clue was "Incorrect" five letters - I filled in "Wrong" and it was right.

Hungry Mother said...

FIR with a WTF at the Mandarin greeting. It does remind me of the pandemic and I have also had my second shot of Moderna. I had unusual fatigue the day after. I hesitated at HUDSON even through I’ve kayaked around Manhattan twice, once with a marathon swimmer. For a kayaker, it’s the East River that gets one’s attention. I’ve also kayaked past Ambrose Light and under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, which I ran over during the NYC Marathon in 2017. I’m not a dog guy, but I noted the theme as I cruised by.

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

Nice to see you in such a good mood, Boomer. (I can relate to your 1,000 miles. Got my car 19 months ago, and it just crossed 5,000 miles.) Zipped right through this puz, and didn't notice the theme until the reveal. Nice debut, Martha. Enjoyed your expo, Boomer. (Good luck at the lanes this morning.)

NÍ HĂO: I did not know that, no how.

USAGE: My data plan got upgraded (read that "became pricier") due to excessive usage during the great freeze when our internet and phone were both out.

REUP: My mandatory "shipover" lecture consisted of, "You don't wanna RE-UP, do ya?" I think the Navy heaved a sigh of relief when I left.

BEREFT: "I'm bereaved on account of I'm bereft." I think that's a line from Gee, Officer Krupke in West Side Story, but I can't locate the reference. Maybe I'm mistaking it for "Hey, I'm depraved on account I'm deprived."

Lizza said...

Hello, I think I’d be considered a lurker. Not a bad thing, I just enjoy doing the puzzle and reading the blog. Just don’t have the time to participate every day. Feel I have a connection to CC and Boomer as I have a son who lives in their neck of the woods. He’s an Army veteran, grad of West Point, who now has a civilian job in Arden Hills. His wife too. Have been to MN pre Covid. Just recently went there in January for granddaughter’s baptism in Ham Lake. Just booked a flight to. MSP from LGA to visit my MN family! Will cross the Hudson to get to LGA. Great day everyone! You really seem like a great group of people.

Anonymous said...

Took me 4:30 to finish. Unknowns were "maki," "pret," "nous," and the spelling of "ni-hao."

Yellowrocks said...

After two very hard weekend puzzles, this one was a welcome breeze. Paul seemed to say yesterday that calling the weekend puzzles difficult was just a matter of personal wheelhouses. I don't think so. The Cornerites with many varied life experiences and many good puzzle solving skills found them hard, especially Saturday's, which I gave up on.
I have had my car 5 months and have just 2000 miles on it. The dealer keeps sending me service notices, too. Pre-Covid I drove about 1500 miles each month.
If you do not care for sushi with raw fish, here is a MAKI roll for you. California rolls have avocado, cucumber and cooked crab (real or imitation). Alan and I love them. I like MAKI with raw fish too.
I gave up my landline when I moved and have unlimited cell service. My android does so much more than phone. When was was gadding about driving all those miles it was the only way to stay in touch. I found phone tag maddening.
I am waiting for the Geek Squad to be open. On my new computer I am having trouble with the connectivity of my USB storage Epson drive.

Anonymous said...

REST is hardly an activity.

desper-otto said...

YR, try plugging the drive into a different USB port. If found that it makes a difference with my wireless keyboard/mouse.

desper-otto said...

Not "If", "I've"

ATLGranny said...

At last! A Monday puzzle that I FIR following days of embarrassment. Thanks, Martha, for an interesting puzzle with some stop-and-think areas. Nice debut! The theme was easily found with the reveal and hit home since our kids got puppies during COVID. We get progress reports on how well they obey the commands SIT, STAY and COME. Learning not to jump up on people seems to take more time.... Good job, Boomer, on the review today. Hope you have fun bowling this morning and enjoy the warmer weather.

Welcome to Lizza. Looking forward to more posts from you when you have time. And, as usual, looking forward to later comments from the community as the day goes by. Have a nice Monday, everyone.

Wilbur Charles said...

I remember the Saturday Bowling show which featured Don Carter. And FILL.

Much like his Father* who couldn't hit a one iron, Jesus has trouble with the curve

I fell into the MAhI trick for Sushi type
Perhaps NY had to respond to "The Hub" 212** miles east

But I did FIR after the disaster Saturday and the despicable PROEM hier.

The entire SE perped including NIHAO
What's goodbye in mandarin? Au revoir in French

WC

*Old Golf joke with Arnold Palmer who could hit the one-iron
** A sign in rte 9 in Brookline. NY 212 miles.


Oh yeah, I'm reading a Cooperstown review and one of the articles was about Women's baseball in the late 19th century. A fabled Vasser-ite threw a ball 200 feet. Softball hadn't (fortunately) hadn't been invented. After Suffrage they ordered women back to the kitchen

Malodorous Manatee said...

A very nice start to the "work" week. Thank you, Martha. Nice debut with two fifteen letter theme answers that were fitting difficulty for a Monday. Brava! I smiled at the dog command theme. I did not know MAKI but it perped easily enough.

Thanks, Boomer, for the amusing and informative recap.

Welcome, Lizza. As a relative newcomer myself, I agree with your assessment of the locals.

Spitzboov said...

你好 everyone.

Easy enough although we did have BEREFT, QUA, and PRET. Perps were helpful and FIR. No wite-out NEEDED either. Dog SCHOOL was an OK theme. Liked the FILLS accompanying it.
HUDSON - Our farm abutted the Hudson. Still have memories of Diesel tugs' engine throbbings vibrating the windows in our home. Fuel barges were heavily laden northbound, but usuaIly returned in ballast.
I'm guessing IM can see the Hudson from where she lives.
NOSH - German naschen (have a nibble or to eat sweet things.)

Boomer. Congrats on the 2nd shot and returning to bowling. Good luck.

TTP said...



Nice debut, Martha. Don't be a stranger.

Hi Boomer. I hope you knock down a PLETHORA of 10-pins on your first ball today.

waseeley said...

Lizza @7:15AM. Welcome to the Corner Lizza. It' a wild and crazy crowd. Please visit often and have a safe trip to MinnesOta. Sounds like you've got to navigate a lot of TLAs to get there.

Cheers,
Bill

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-Our kitty was next to me while I solved and I thought how these commands would be wasted on her
-Fit together – Mate, Melt, Meld, MESH
-Our car has a warning light for an OIL change every 3,000 miles but the dealer puts in 5,000 mile synthetic OIL
-Do you associate DIVANS with Cleopatra too?
-The ARI team plays in a stadium with a grass field, a/c (It’s ARI!!) and a retractable roof
-Nebraska’s six state basketball championship games start at NINE AM and finish around 11:00 PM
-I mistakenly say “His pan OHL ya” instead of “His pan YO la”
-“There’s no I in TEAM”. Kobe Bryant: “There’s an M and an E in TEAM.” Michael Jordan: “There’s an I in WIN.”
-Fun review, Boomer. I hope you have a no-tap day and all fills.

waseeley said...

Ni Hao Cornerites and TGIM!

Congrats to Martha on a delightful debut, which I obediently FIR for a change. And special thanks to our Korner KEGLER Boomer, who as always knocked 'em all down.

FAV clue: 19D The perfect oxymoron, and in other words "Don't just do something, sit there!" Something I've been doing more of lately.

66A PESOs didn't perp, so I had to make do with LIMA.

37A Technically RHEA and DANNY are still married.

57A Well there really is an "I" in tEam - EGO is Latin for it.

Couldn't resist adding another clue from DOS: "Length of a foot": HEEL to toe.

Cheers,
Bill

Shankers said...

Welcome to the blog Lizza! Easy enough for a Monday after three consecutive days of slogfests. Nihao was unknown but easily gotten as was the other unknown pret. Go get 'em on the lanes Boomer. How long has it been since your last 300? I haven't even rolled one in my dreams.

Yellowrocks said...

DO, last week an Epson update we were trying to install on my old printer stalled and disabled the printer. The update continued to try to run whenever the new computer was started, slowing it down. Today the Geek Squad uninstalled many old Epson updates imported from my old CPU. They cleaned up much junk and unnecessary items, a good tune up. They disabled the hibernate mode at my request. Hibernate made the computer very hard to start. I mostly use the laptop plugged in. When I use it on battery power I will shut it down when I am done or plug it in. Tomorrow we will install a new printer.
The Geek Squad has been a good investment and it provides Webroot protection.
Thanks for your concern.

Vidwan827 said...

Thank you Martha, for your Monday-easy puzzle, which I finished in ( my personal -) record time. I didn't know I could work that fast .... now, I'm really dsappointed, I feel I didn't get my money's worth on the puzzle .... suddenly, its all done, and the fun is over .... whaaa

Thank you Boomer, for a wonderful, humorous blog, glad you're doing OK, and in the midst of things ... the portrait under the St.Pats clover, in the lobby, looks like you !!
Unless, its the current president of the US...

Welcome, new blogger, Lizza, you'll find its easy to post ... just click on 'Publish' ...

I love dogs, but never had any, and its too late now, in old age, to take care of these rambunctous animals. All of my neighbors have dogs, and I know each one by name and breed. In fact, thats frequently how I remember and recognize who their owner is ....

Nice to know the mandarin form of Hello, ... Ni Hao. One of my neighbors is chinese, so I can practice this on them. The american indians had a shorter form ... if the old westerns are to be believed, the Red Indians use to say 'How' or sometimes 'How, How' .... and they never waited for any detailed explanations, because the Paleface was always talking with a forked tongue ...
The Cleveland Browns ( Not the Cleveland Indians - ) fan club, the Cleveland Dawgs, when in their Dawg Pound, go 'How, How, How ' when the team gets the ball. But the team, merrily manages to lose the game anyway...

Having said enough non-PC things, I better quit. Have a nice day all.

oc4beach said...


Monday easiness. Welcome to the LA Times, Martha and welcome to the blog Lizza.

The only reason I knew NI HAO was because of a Chinese restaurant here by that name. They went out of business during the pandemic primarily because they were a buffet style restaurant. The ones that had a lot of take-out business before the pandemic have survived. The buffets have not.

8:00 AM was the usual start time at most of the jobs I've had, but NINE AM was the only time that fit in the spaces allotted for it. Ten AM was the usual opening time for many of the retail stores in town and at the mall. Banks opened at 8:30 AM and closed by 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM except on Wednesdays, when they closed at Noon. I think that was so the bankers could play golf. If you want to take advantage of the Seniors Only Shopping time at the local supermarkets, you have to be there by 6:00 AM. I'm too old to get up early if I don't have to.

I still don't recall using ALAS in real life.

Got my second Moderna shot last Friday. I had some nausea and felt a little tired and sore the next day. I also came down with a Migraine, but I'm feeling better today.

I have a friend who had the opportunity to get the J & J shot last week, but he turned it down because he heard it wasn't as good as the others. The next day his doctor called him and offered the opportunity to get the Pfizer shot the next day, but he turned it down because it would have postponed his going out for dinner by a half hour and he didn't want to be inconvenienced. ARRRRGH!

Be safe and please wear your masks.

CanadianEh! said...

Marvelous Monday. Thanks for the fun, Martha (congrats on your debut) and Boomer (good luck with your bowling).
Just a little crunch for a Monday, but nothing that perps could not solve (here's looking at you NIHAO!). But technically a FIW because I forgot to review and left QUO crossing COOTIE (ew!). And to think that we have had Sine QUA non as a clue several times in the last week. Duh!

I smiled when the squealer turned out to be a RAT and not a Pig.
I noted NOSH and ATE, SAUDI and OIL, STEM before ROSES, ACE, ACRE and ACME.

REST crossing SIT BACK AND RELAX was appropriate.
Anon@7:51 - the idea of "Sabbath REST" does not mean "no activity" but a REST from normal work and schedule, and a day for worship, preaching, sacraments, prayer, offerings, and fellowship. The amount of activity has often been legalized by different religious groups over the years. Further discussion might contravene the blog No Religion rule.

I love the sound of PLETHORA (and have used it here in the past); BEREFT brings another smile - we don't hear that word often.
LOL! My coffeehouse was serving Wine before perps corrected it to WIFI. Wishful thinking perhaps.
SAP is running here, but it is just a little too cool for good quantities. We should be warmer later in the week.

Who else waited for perps to decide between ACME and Apex?
My cherry had a throwaway seed (pit) before STEM.
We had MEN (and SPERM) but it's International Women's Day! ALAS, just a tiny NIT.

Welcome Lizza. Chime in here when you can.
waseeley - love your Heel addition.
Wishing you all a great day.

Anonymous T said...

Do you know what a PLETHORA is?.

//had to beat CED to the punch :-)
Play later, -T

Lucina said...

Hola! Or should I say NI HAO?

What a nice start to Monday with Boomer's witty Blog and a debut from Martha Kimes! Congratulations on your debut, Martha! I hope we see more of your puzzles. I thought this might be a pangram but it's short a J and Z.

I had NEST before MESH and that was my only wite-out. We haven't seen the ALOU family for a while and all of them are pictured for our perusal.

I am learning that SIT BACK AND RELAX is what I do more and more these days.

A friend has been talking to me about going to LIMA, Peri and to visit Machu Pichu but I don't know if I can walk that much anymore.

Never did I start work at NINE A.M. It was usually 7:30 A.M. to 4:30 or 5 P.M. Yes, SCHOOL started at 8:15 until 3:30 but preparations took much longer before and after.

Lizza, welcome! Make yourself at home.

Have a sensational day, everyone!

Misty said...

Delightful Monday puzzle, Martha--welcome to our blog, and thank you for a fun experience. Always enjoy your commentaries, Boomer.

Especially appreciated the picture of RHEA and DANNY. Looked up their marriage, and it sounds as though it was a bit complex. Made me sad to be reminded that all the U.S. Presidents are MEN. Hillary Clinton should have been the one back then. PLETHORA is a word I don't think I've ever seen in a puzzle. MAKI and NI HAO are both unfamiliar to me.

Hi, Lizza, thanks for checking in.

Have a great week coming up, everybody.

unclefred said...

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Martha for this wonderful, witty, and above all SOLVABLE CW. After getting my chops busted Friday and Saturday with two long struggling DNFs in a row, what a refreshing joy your CW is. FIR in 11, slightly less than my usual 12 or 13 for a Monday. I even got the reveal!! Golly gee!! Very nice write-up, too, Boomer. It’s good to see, too, that one by one us old farts are getting our jabs. As for your 6:20 comment, it is incorrect to say wrong is right!!

Anonymous T said...

Quick work break...

NI HAO ma is how I learned it from Mr.(Lao) Dai (sp?) who worked in the chemistry lab with me when I was in college. But she says it's not real life. Huh.?...

oh, pcap finally downloaded. Back at it.

Play later, -T

desper-otto said...

Lucina, I'd be more worried about the altitude than the walking distance. Machu Picchu is at about 8,000 ft, but you have to reach it via Cusco (11,150 ft). I'd probably need an oxygen mask.

CrossEyedDave said...

Anonymous-T?

You know I don't post before lunch
(Eastern standard time)
so as not to offend the breakfast crowd...

I did however (had no choice/needed) look for a topper to your plethora link,
but it came back to bite me in the A**

No, there is no plethora of funnier plethora links out there,
but here is an honourable mention...

Irish Miss said...

Hi Everyone:

As others have mentioned, this puzzle was like a breath of fresh air after a couple of recent toughies, and the cute canine theme was the frosting on the cake! Plus, there was a nice Easter Egg with the Skye Terrier! I needed perps for Maki and Ni Hao and I needed the reveal to see the theme. (My observational skills were never that great, but COVID restrictions have diminished them even more.) I can’t see the Hudson, Spitz, but I could walk to it if I wanted to.

Thanks, Martha, for a most enjoyable start to the week and congrats on your LA Times debut and thanks, Boomer, for the humor and wit that we need and appreciate so much. Good luck on the lanes. Good news on your second shot!

Welcome, Lizza, glad you decided to join us and hope you’ll chime in often.

I forgot to mention that my insurance provider recently sent two “care” packages; one contained a pair of non-skid socks and a nightlight, and the other contained a mask, a mini-package of tissues, and a bottle of hand sanitizer. I thought this was a very nice gesture. The mask is Kelly green, just in time for St. Paddy’s Day! ☘️

Have a great day.

CrossEyedDave said...

Also,

Similar tool marks found on megalithic stonework around the
World, make the claim that The Inca "made" Machu Picchu
Open for debate.

the argument is "highly compelling."

Anonymous T said...

Bound to overpost say...

IM - what about the RAT Terrier nearby? Cute pups.

The other side of the NI HAO ma debate.

Boomer - get C.C. to chime in. Jayce, IIRC, you know the language too.

I only learned 3 phrases from Mr. Dai (sp?) - the second was "hot bubbles" 'cuz Billy who worked at the lab with us wanted to know how to say 'hot-tub' and then pointed at the hydrofluoric acid to make his point. Lua Paw(???) is what I recall.

CED #3 is a great consolation prize :-)

Well, these packets aren't going to decode themselves... Back at it.

Cheers, -T

waseeley said...

CED @11:54AM ROTFL. You really need a disclaimer on this stuff. Something like "For immature audiences only."

Ray - O - Sunshine said...

In Florida for the week 11 degrees 🥶 when we left Utica...Just completed the puzzle on my cell phones tanding in line at Universal Studios in Orlando . The new Harry Potter ride. Lines are long due to social distancing. I am impressed with how cooperative visitors are. No one not wearing a mask or with nose uncovered (which gets on my last nerve). Welcome Martha with your daybyou puzzle and thanks Boomer.

Typical breezy Monday ...Divan: Wiki.."sofa without a back or arms" (Isn't that a cot?) Ital: divano = sofa, couch. AVATAR/picture: a Cornerite give-away like NIT. Mandarin greeting: "care for an 🍊? "Alternate clue for 62a, "Husband training academy". ("yes dear, I'll stop SITting and COME immediately, STAY right there")

No I in TEAM but there is ME.

Unfortunately the 100 ACRE wood was bulldozed for "Pooh Estates Condos , coming soon!"

Guess it had to be MAKI not MAHI to work with the long clue answer. NARCO? not the usual narc, next time knarque .

Equine 4pm beverage....HAITI
Newman's cowboy kid...HUDSON
Dorothy rolls eyes at what ____ ROSES.
Nice Wildebeest ....NOUS


A bit cool today 72, but great for a theme park visit. Tomorrow 78 puzzle by the pool 🏊‍♂️

waseeley said...

CED @12:17PM That was something we really NEEDED to know. And it aSTONED for all the earlier stuff! :-)

waseeley said...

-T @12:20PM Sound's like you're a WILL SHORTZ of TCP/IP - an ENIGMATOLOGIST!

AnonymousPVX said...


Echoing others, nice to have a “solvable” grid, even if it is a Monday.

HUSKER GARY....not trying to tell you what to do, but those oil change intervals are from years ago. “5,000 mile” synthetic oil should be good for 10,000 miles or a year. Not sure what kind of high performance machine you are driving, but my 2016 BMW 340 only requires one change per 10k miles or a year....and that’s the German car that also requires a brake flush every two years (just had both done). I haven’t reached the mileage requirement yet, but I do it on the yearly warning from the car’s computer. And I’m a nut when it comes to oil changes...the one thing that makes the motor last. Just ask my kids...

Funny, I also get the NYT 2 weeks late as well. That was solvable as well, unlike the previous week. Just like here!

Vaccines...funny how people who had no idea how to spell Epidemiologist a year ago are now competent to assess risk and efficacy between the different vaccines...as if.

The deal is, these vaccines, all three, have been proven to keep you (1) from dying and (2) from serious disease requiring hospitalization. ALL THREE OF THEM.

If you can get a shot, get a shot...the guy who is picking and choosing...I have to say, whatever happens I really don’t have much sympathy for those just asking for it.

Stay safe.


Kelly Clark said...

Congratulations, Martha, knock 'em down, Boomer, and welcome Lizza! I'm pretty much a lurker here, too, but you're right: this is an amazing group of caring, fun people.

Anonymous T said...

Hi All!

The FILLS were fun today. Thank you (and congrats on your LAT debut!) Martha.

Boomer - LOL your self-depreciating humor (put the shot in the same pokie-spot... priceless)

WO: COATe
ESP: PRET
Fav: Entre NOUS [RUSH 5:34]

Runner-up: SIT BACK AND RELAX [0:25 - Offspring. This bit opens their CD nice and easy before blowing your ears off (not included)]

{B-, B+}

C, Eh! - Some Starbucks tried adding WIne to their menu... :-)

Welcome Lizza - I lurked for 2 years b/f piping in. Stay and play.

I knew but had no idea how to spell (or pictograph) NI HAO but perps to the rescue.

WC - LOL but God hit a 1 Iron once [Caddyshack]

CED - sometimes life just tee's 'em up... :-)

Waseeley - if (uncanceled) Dr. Seuss did technical writing [cmu.edu]

Oc4 - DW got her 1st Pfizer this morning. She's in Group 1B-subsection-7 (or something like that) 'cuz she's an educator in TX.
I was listening to an NPR program the other day and they said that in some countries the vaccine you get is a status symbol. Pfizer is #1 and, oh, I'm sorry, you got the Sputnik one...
Donno if it's true, just what I heard.

Only person I've heard of that started work at NINE AM was Dolly Parton.
//I had to login at 7:25 this morning to deal w/ an issue in the UK (and I was online at 10p last night for a nasty phisherman).

Cheers, -T

unclefred said...

BTW, last week I commented that I covered my GF's new outside fridge in Contact paper to keep it from rusting. If anyone wants to see a few pictures of how it's done/turns out email me at fredmitchel@gmail.com and I'll send a few pictures. It really does work, and only takes two or three hours to do correctly.

Ol' Man Keith said...

Neat PZL from Ms. Kimes, including pleasant reminders of our visit to Peru. No photos to Peruse, but still...
We were privileged to witness a wonderful combination of the old and the new. On our first visit to Machu Picchu, a mother Llama gave birth in the central grassy area. To a sweet little cria, all white.

Surprised to see NI HAO in a Monday PZL. It happens to be the only Chinese I remember. Many decades ago I almost traveled to China and tried to familiarize myself with a few phrases that might come in handy. The trip never happened, and most of the Mandarin has vanished from my memory.

Misty ~ I quite agree with you regarding HRC. I feel a blend of shame and embarrassment when I think of how ungratefully we treated such a dedicated & truly hardworking public servant.
~ OMK
____________
DR:
Two diagonals, one per side.
On the near end we have an anagram (12 of 15 letters) designating the highest pitched male (neutered?) singing role in a familiar feline musical show.
Yes, I refer to a...
"CATS FALSETTO"!

Picard said...

My pets are treefrogs. No OBEDIENCE SCHOOL for them.

Does anyone else remember "Friendly Neighborhood NARCO Agent" from the Dr Demento Show?

From Yesterday:
Wilbur Charles Thank you for looking at my SLO photos and picking me out in my colorful outfit on the unicycle! It was hand made by my artist friend Ann Chevrefils who is also one of the most creative Solstice artists ever. She created the entire SLO Mardi Gras ensemble for us.

I have other SLO photos as well. SLO is basically Santa Barbara without the beaches.

Chairman Moe said...

Puzzling thoughts:

WEES; great debut by Martha Kimes

Best liked word: PLETHORA, though there were lots to choose from ...

Gonna work on some crossword puzzles of my own this week ...

Husker Gary said...

PVX
Thanks for the note. I just turned 3,000 miles on this oil in my 2015 Cadillac (best car I ever owned) but I have 14 months on this change too. So I'd better do something.

waseeley said...

-T @2:30PM LOL T. Just what you need when your down in the dumps, and I've been in a few/

Jayce said...

I liked this puzzle. I add my welcoming greeting to Lizza and congratulations to Martha Kimes. And thanks to Boomer.

It's when you LOSE the chess match that you resign.

I liked the clues for OIL and MEN. I, too, smiled when the squealer turned out to be a RAT, not a pig. Also wanted SEED (the 4-letter PIT) rather than STEM.

As for NI HAO, I had to wait for ROSES (not RUSES) to see whether it might be spelled NI HAO or NI HAU. There are so many ways to spell Chinese using the Roman alphabet. Also many ways to say "Hello," as there are in many languages. Tony, you are not wrong in saying "Ni hao ma?" although the "ma" at the end is often omitted. It's sort of like in French where "Comment ça va?" (How's it going?) is shortened to just "ça va?" Like "Sup?" in English.

When I see/hear a group of people all saying "Hao" "Hao" "Hao" to one another I am reminded of that Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd movie Spies Like Us where they say "Doctor" "Doctor" "Doctor" to each other when being introduced.

I'm sorry the injection nurse didn't appreciate your "same hole" joke, Boomer. Some of us liked it anyway.

To mangle Yogi Berra, "If you are offered a vaccine, take it!"

Good wishes to you all.

Lucina said...

d-o:
One of my sisters (we are all travelers) went to Peru and, of course, Machu Pichu and claims to have had no problems with the altitude. I'll have to ask another sister who also went. She and her then boyfriend hitchhiked from California south all the way to Chile. She made some lifelong friends along the way and often hosts them at her home.

I also had to get used to not checking the oil frequently. My car informs me when it needs oil and it's very infrequent.

Anonymous T said...

Jayce - Thank you for the language lesson. I nearly flunk'd out of Spanish so...
//you want me to talk in C, FORTRAN, PL/I, Perl, Python, Bynar? [0:57] I'm your guy :-)

Here's the Spies Like us Scene.
If I'm not mistaken, the Zurich Relief Fund Dr. Imhaus is Python's Terry Gilliam.
//just Google'd it - it is!

WC - #NerdHumor!

Sure to overpost, -T

oc4beach said...


PVX & -T: I agree that all the vaccines work, that's why I get PO'ed with my friend's attitude. He wants a single dose, but did't take it when it was offered because he wants nothing but the best (his words). Then, since he turned down the Pfizer shot because it was a little inconvenient they told him they wouldn't be able to give him the Moderna shot at least until April. As I said AAAARGH!

Here in Pennsylvania, the governor wants to bypass all the guidelines and dedicate the J&J vaccine to give all schoolteachers the shot who haven't been vaccinated so he can get the schools back open. Many teachers are not happy with his approach.

I hope the latter isn't considered political. If it is please erase it.

Malodorous Manatee said...

Lucina, IIRC there is at least one hotel in Cuzco that has hyperbaric rooms to help with altitude acclimatization. I think that it is a converted monastery or something along those lines.

Picard, at 15:14, you have to ask?

oc4beach, I was going to crack wise about Darwin Award winners but COVID is too serious for that. Still...

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed this puzzle! Thank you, Martha K! I liked the easy beginning to the week. Thanks for your humorous recap, Boomer!

Loved the theme. I learned early on in my volunteering that I love working with shy/timid/undersocialized dogs. Gaining their trust, giving them opportunities to learn skills and become individuals does my heart good. I call them my "project dogs".

DH an I got our second Moderna shots last week! Yeah! Are we getting closer to the light at the end of the tunnel?

Have a great week!

Spitzboov said...

Pat - Any aftereffects from the 2nd shot?


Welcome aboard to Lizza!

Jayce said...

Okay, Tony, talk to me in C. Now there's a language that flat out makes no sense to me.

Anonymous said...

Spitzboov @ 7:01 DH had some pain for a few hours the next day at the injection site. I had some swelling but no pain for 2 days. Small price to pay for protection from this virus.

Spitzboov said...

Pat - Thanks. We're getting our 2nd Moderna shot on Wednesday.

Malodorous Manatee said...

I had my second Moderna shot on 19 Feb. My arm was sore at the injection site for a couple of days and I got very tired the evening of the next day. That may have been due to a very poor night's sleep the prior night. I could not turn over to my left due to my sore arm and I could not turn to my right due to the two cats who had decided to park themselves between me and the edge of the bed. All in all, I have no complaints about the experience. As Pat said, a very small price to pay.

Anonymous T said...

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("Jayce is Groovy");
return 0;
}

Misty said...

Hi, Irish Miss--glad to see you checked in. And so glad to hear about those neat care packages you got!

Wilbur Charles said...

Oc4beach, no I wouldn't consider yours political. Unlike an earlier post or two.

WC

Anonymous T said...

Bad Cornerite overposter post say...

Jayce - You resign in chess when you can see that, 3 moves out, you're F'd.

Here - Let this guy bore you to death :-)

Today was so fun to play! Thanks everyone; I had a gas.

Cheers, -T