google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Sunday, April 11, 2021 Paul Coulter

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Apr 11, 2021

Sunday, April 11, 2021 Paul Coulter

Theme: "Four of a Kind" - The first and last four letters of each theme entries are anagrams of each other.

23. Law firm standout: LEGAL EAGLE.

25. Stay afloat, in a way: TREAD WATER.

42. Near-perfect bridge feat: SMALL SLAM.

46. South American shocker: ELECTRIC EEL.

68. Future educator's goal: TEACHING CERTIFICATE.

90. Vietnam War defoliant: AGENT ORANGE.

113. Did a flower garden task: DEAD-HEADED.

Reveal:

116. Tennis umpire's order after odd-numbered games ... and a hint to the two sets of circled letters in each of eight answers: CHANGE ENDS.

This themes looks simple, but it's not. Try it yourself. Let's see how many entries you can come up with.

Did you write an app for this, Paul? How did you manage to settle down on these seven entries? What were the others you discarded?

Across:

1. Light songs: LILTS.

6. "East of Eden" director Kazan: ELIA. Ages ago I piked up this book at the flea market for a dime. Elia Kazan was good friends with Hepburn.

10. Commercials: ADS.

13. Surrounded by: AMIDST.

19. Ancient Greek theater: ODEON. We also have 72. Ancient colonnade: STOA.


20. Like marathons: LONG.

21. Japanese drama: NOH. All performers are men, I think.

22. It's against the motion: NO-VOTE.

27. "Dream on!": AS IF.

28. Rabbit predators: STOATS.

30. Clerical vestments: ALBS. Boomer is now back to the church.

31. Warm, in a game: NEAR.

32. Acts disrespectfully toward: SASSES.

34. Obtain by trickery: WANGLE.

36. Like Joel Goodson's business, in a 1983 film: RISKY. The film is "Risky Business".


37. Respectful greeting: SALUTE.

39. Egg cells: OVA.

40. Fits to __: A TEE.

52. Affect: GET TO.

53. Live for evil, say?: ANAGRAM. Live & evil are anagrams.

55. Back: ENDORSE.

56. Half a fly: TSE.

57. Daisylike bloom: ASTER. Also 89. Flower named for its color and shape: BLUEBELL.

58. __ school: MED.

60. Dialogue-stopping button?: MUTE.

61. "All That Jazz" director: FOSSE (Bob)

63. Fire remnant: EMBER.

66. Piano's soft pedal, for one: DAMPER.

72. Wrap in a bandage: SWATHE.

73. Tennis star Osaka: NAOMI. She was born in Osaka, Japan.

74. Brings (out): TROTS.

75. Bakery buy: TART.

76. Hang (around), as with a friend: PAL.

77. City on the Po: TURIN.

79. Likely: APT.

82. Out with permission, maybe: ON LEAVE.

85. Put on a jury: EMPANEL. As Lizza mentioned, our local TV stations have been covering the George Floyd trial non-stop. Boomer was looking forward to Aaron Rodgers' turn at "Jeopardy!"

88. Actress Cornish of "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri": ABBIE.

92. Bonneville racing venue: SALT FLATS. See more here. Bonneville Salt Flats. Utah.


94. Einstein's "m": MASS.

95. B&O and Reading: RRS.

97. Places to hang: HAUNTS.

98. Office alerts: MEMOS.

102. Beginning: OUTSET.

104. Got the point?: SCORED. Great clue.

106. "Your turn": OVER.

107. Part of A.D.: ANNO.

108. Liquid transfer device: SIPHON.

110. More than simmer: BOIL.

118. Ingratiate: ENDEAR.

119. Holiday that marks the end of Ramadan: EID. May 13 this year. I saw medjool dates.



120. Highland wear: KILT.

121. Cold shower?: SLEET. Another great clue.

122. Catering supply: STERNO.

123. Some "ER" roles: RNS.

124. Toy with runners: SLED.

125. Father-and-son actors: ALDAS.

Down:

1. "Copacabana" showgirl: LOLA. Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl.

2. Bad day for Caesar: IDES.

3. Lay down the law: LEGISLATE.

4. Excessively: TO A FAULT.

5. NBC weekend fixture, briefly: SNL. I like Collin Jost.

6. Carry away: ELATE.

7. Corporate symbols: LOGOS.

8. Attending USC, e.g.: IN LA.

9. Terrible time?: AGE TWO.

10. Probably not a good sign at a picnic: ANT.

11. Tight headgear: DORAG. Or durag.

12. Trounce: SHELLAC.

13. Words in some pop group names: ANDS. And 48. Symbols in some pop group names: COMMAS.

14. Do a yard job: MOW.

15. 14th-century Russian ruler: IVAN I. Google says he was known as "The Moneybag"

16. Heaps affection (on): DOTES.

17. Swordfish __: STEAK. I remember Aldi used to sell swordfish.

18. Absorbent fabric: TERRY.

24. Word containing three of itself: ESSES.

26. Helped plan a job, maybe: ABETTED.

29. Penny attachment: SAVER.

33. D-Day French city: ST LO.

35. "The Lion King" lion: NALA.

36. "Criminal Minds" agent played by Matthew Gray Gubler: REID. Spencer Reid.

37. Marines NCO: SSGT.

38. Double agent Aldrich: AMES.

41. Coastal flier: ERN.

43. Delhi dairy drink: LASSI. Yogurt drink.


 44. Feeler: ANTENNA.

45. Author Rita __ Brown: MAE.

47. Irish nationalist Robert: EMMET. Unfamiliar to me.

49. Blow: ERUPT.

50. Perfume name: ESTEE.

51. Bad look: LEER.

54. Artist El __: GRECO.

57. "A Hard Road to Glory" author: ASHE.

59. Asmara is its capital: ERITREA.

61. Make stout: FATTEN.

62. Perth protest: OCH. I only know Perth Australasia. Here it refers to a city in Scotland.

64. Dues payer: Abbr.: MEM.

65. Big name in water filters: BRITA. Do you all use water filters?

66. "My Heart Will Go On" singer: DION.

67. Appear: ACT.

68. Country music sound: TWANG. And  69. Country rocker Steve: EARLE.

70. Ancient Greek medical researcher: GALEN. Also unknown to me.



71. Luxury: FRILL.

76. Author's assumed character: PERSONA.

78. Young __: UNS.

79. Left, as a sinking ship: ABANDONED.

80. Big East team: PITT.

81. Nickname for Esther: TESS.

83. 24-hr. conveniences: ATMS.

84. U.S. govt. broadcaster: VOA. You can hear Voice of America in China. In Chinese.

86. Ballpark figs.: MGRS.

87. 1994 Peace co-Nobelist: PERES. Shimon Peres. Co-Nobelist with Rabin and Arafat.

88. Way off: AFAR.

91. In pieces: ASUNDER.

93. Flip-flop: THONG.

96. Proverbial bone breakers: STICKS.

98. Manners: MODES.

99. Olympics segment: EVENT.

100. Maryland's Fort __: MEADE.

101. Court command: ORDER.

103. Wheel alignment: TOE IN.

104. __ oil: SHALE.

105. Page-bottom abbr.: CONT'D.

107. Sleek, for short: AERO. Aerodynamic.

109. PGA rival of Tiger: PHIL. They're good friends now.


111. Brainstorm: IDEA.

112. D-Day craft: LSTS.

114. Chewie's pal: HAN.

115. Drill wielder: Abbr.: DDS.

117. Spanish "that": ESA.

C.C.



 

54 comments:

Paul Coulter said...

Thanks, C.C. No, I didn't write an app to find these. I wouldn't know how, if my life depended on it. I noticed LEGALEAGLE in something I was reading, then I tried to find more like it. It was just the product of a lot of grunt work. Some others that missed the cut were:

AMERICANDREAM - US social ideal

SYSTEMSANALYSTS - Corporate procedures experts

SERIALSTORIES - Works of fiction in installments

NOTICEOFINTENTION - Legal document from a debtor

I hope everyone had a nice Easter weekend. I imagine most of us are vaccinated now and able to see family? My grandkids both had their b'days in the last month, so it's been really great to get together. Mine is coming up in a few weeks, then my daughter's, then my son's. We're all spring babies in my family.

OwenKL said...

FIWrong. I had wHALE oil, and didn't notice that left the perpendicular gibberish.
Had KIFER for a long time, but never heard of LASSI. Is it made from pureed cauliflower?

Let us mourn for Lord Humphrey Lorde,
A knight who lived by the lance and sword!
He fell TO A FAULT
At a tourney joust,
When he GOT THE POINT, and his opponent SCORED!

A wise physician was GALEN
Whose practice preceded the R.N.
With plague he was intimate,
Earned his medical CERTIFICATE,
But as a D.D.S., never had a consultation!

{A, B-.}

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

It was a tense moment resulting in GOT TO and AMOS. Bzzzzzt. Thanks for playing. Yesterday it was LASSIE, today LASSI. EID was totally outside my sandbox. Got OCH, but didn't understand it until C.C. 'splained. BLUEBELL was a gimme -- I think it's the official ice cream of Texas. Thanx for the outing, Prolific Paul, and for the expo, C.C. (We have a filter for the ice/water in the fridge, but not on any faucet.)

"Aaron Rodgers" -- He's been doing a good job on Jeopardy!. I'm impressed. If things go true to form, this'll be his final week.

PHIL and Tiger -- Now they can get together to commiserate on their ailments. Tiger can bemoan his leg inuries and Phil can complain about his "sorry-attic" arthritis.

I'm going to blame this morning's DNF on last night's smoke alarm fiasco. I changed the batteries on Daylight Savings Day, but last night we were treated to multiple long blasts at 9:30, 10:15, 11:10 coming from the front of the house. Wasn't certain which one was the culprit; there are three within 8 feet in bedrooms and the hallway between them. D-o got out the ladder, ripped 'em off the ceiling, and pulled out the batteries. Ahh, peace and quiet. I'll look at 'em today.

Lemonade714 said...

Always fun to solve a Sunday PC funday, and the circles made thins too easy. I enjoyed some of the ones you left off the final version more than 46. South American shocker: ELECTRIC EEL which overlaps, and wondered about 92. Bonneville racing venue: SALT FLATS which also fits the theme pattern. I did enjoy you including ANAGRAM as fill and the CSO to our own NAOMIZ .
I know you like 121. Cold shower?: SLEET I think this makes the use of the clue/fill in all the major venues. I am also very excited for you to be able to spend time with your family, especially the grands. Enjoy and thank you; C.C> you make it look easy.

billocohoes said...

Hardest part was working around the section that I started with the obvious (?) oxeye for 57A instead of ASTER

jfromvt said...

Made my way through it, but was overwhelmed with all the circles. Got the theme early, and thought it was an easy Sunday solve. A few too many crosswordy words IMO. And one last nit - Pitt is now in the ACC, not the Big East.

Memforest said...

Struggled through it and didn't really enjoy much. There were a few clever clues (ESSES, ANAGRAM) and the theme helped a lot in the solve. I can tolerate unknowns "cuz I learn stuff" (EMMET, STOA, VOA, GALEN, and didn't know Alan Alda's father was an actor). Some clues just left me shaking my head though. Young'uns involves an apostrophe that's far from obvious. Half a fly? Tight headgear? WANGLE and SHELLAC are terms that haven't been in use since 1974. And it only just dawned on me that a dues payer is a MEMber. I like a good challenge, but this one just felt like some undue handicapping.

Good luck with the alarms D-O; mine do the same. I think it's because they're old - - apparently they're only built to last 10 years, and mine are 17. Chirp, Chirp!

Spitzboov said...

Good morning everyone.

Well, I had 3 ltrs wrong; Basie instead of FOSSE, so bzzzzt. But got everything else and got to enjoy Paul's wonderful puzzle. BZ on a fine compilation. Ends changing was kind of clever. Knowing what was in circles on one end helped drastically narrow choices on other end. Overall, a relatively easy puzzle.
70d GALEN. Knew he was an ancient Dr. guy. Prince Valiant and Aleta named their youngest son GALEN. He went on to become the brains in the family and would show up in story segments where medical/forensic input was needed.
28a - STOATS - - How many rabbit holes would a STOAT have to go down to successfully prey on a rabbit?
14d to MOW - - Akin to German mähen, L. German meihen, and Dutch maaien. My Dad always referred to the hay mower as the meih-maschien.
37a - SALUTE - Right next to SSGT.
Upon boarding a Navy vessel in port, one first SALUTES the flag and then SALUTES the Officer of the Deck on the quarterdeck. On departing, the same is done in reverse order.

desper-otto said...

Memforest, I replaced all the smoke alarms about two years ago. What we heard last night wasn't a "chirp" -- it was a short, but full-throated blast, but from a single alarm, not the normal five-alarm "chorus." Couldn't figure out exactly which one was the culprit. I'm hoping it's just the result of a weak 9-volt battery. I plan to put fresh ones in the three suspects, even though they got new batteries just a couple of weeks ago.

Spitz, I'd totally forgotten about the saluting protocol. Amazing what one can forget in a short fifty years. As I recall, we could depart/return in civvies at North Island, so there probably was no saluting involved. Don't remember what we did in overseas ports.

Goose said...

Need to point out that Pitt left the Big East and joined the ACC back in 2011. (80 down)

Unknown said...

Didn’t enjoy this one much. Easily got the reveal before the themes and it was just not satisfying when themes were determined. Too much esoteric PPP. Some clues were just annoying rather than clever. COMMA in pop group names, young ‘ UNS. As mentioned, PITT is the ACC and NALA is a lioness and not the major lion in The Lion King. Easy but annoying.

JJM said...

Lots of circles in this puzzle! Got the theme early on so they didn't present too much of a problem. Not a big fan of Elia Kazan.
Going to do my ride now so that I can get home and watch what should be an exciting Masters finish! Enjoy your Sunday.

Hungry Mother said...

FIR in my normal Sunday slog. The theme helped me make it through unscathed. The usual amount of unknown and unwonted names.

Bob Lee said...

A difficult but fair puzzle, so I enjoyed it. The bottom left was the last to fall until I figured out DEADHEADED after making a lucky guess on Ft. MEADE.

My favorite clues were Live/Evil-> ANAGRAM, and Word with 3 of itself-> ESSES. Tricky!

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-I wonder if seeing one of the fills or seeing CHANGE ENDS inspired Paul on this oh so clever puzzle
-The English also add the second syllable and say ADVERT
-ODEON – I always think of Teresa Brewer singing “Put another nickel in, In the NickelODEON”
-Grandson wanted to be IN LA to go to USC but $80,000/yr is steep. His parents have a very nice income but…
-This is the third appearance recently of a word I’ve never used: SWATHE
-I didn’t have a shroud of evidence that the Po city was TURIN
-The HAUNTS of my misspent youth are now all gone
-This fine movie presents the story of whether Mary Suratt ABETTED Lincoln’s assassination
-Anyone remember the movie where Oda MAE Brown was a character?
-Tom Branson was a Irish Nationalist on Downtown Abbey
-My country music uncles would not recognize today’s non-TWANG versions
-PHIL was an invented Tiger rival. He was never really on Tiger’s level

Lucina said...

Hola!

Gary: the movie is Ghost. One of my favorites of which I have many!

C.C., thank you for illuminating some of the obscure fill which for me is always about sports.

Sunday is always a slow slog but steady solving gets the job done. Of course my favorite fill is TEACHING CERTIFICATE. CSO to all teachers here! I have two, one for elementary and high school and one for community college. Both were hard earned.

I did know that both Alan ALDA and his father were actors.

I had to chuckle at THONG because not all are flip-flops.

TESS surprised me; I did not know it is a nickname for Esther.

Time to go!

Have a special Sunday, everyone!

NaomiZ said...

I enjoyed Paul's puzzle: it gave me a workout but I was able to FIR. Thanks to Lemonade for the CSO at 73 Across!

"Live for evil" was a very funny misdirection; so was "got the point." "Proverbial bone breakers" turned out to be STICKS, not stones. There were a few unknowns -- I saw "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," but didn't know ABBIE -- but perps were fair.

Thank you, Paul, Rich, and C.C.!

TokenCreek said...

About an hour slog. Could NOHt parse DORAG so I had wranKle. FIW because of that. Rest of the puzzle went well, tho. Another dank, dreary day here in Token Creek.

TTP said...


Nice puzzle, Paul. I enjoyed it. Thank you, C.C. I laughed at "Her name was LOLA. She was a showgirl."

Ft MEADE is the home of the agency with the three letter acronym we often have as an answer: NSA.

Memforest, I agree about WANGLE. Haven't see or heard anyone use it in years. But SHELLAC is well known to woodworkers. It's a woodworker's sealer or finish, made from the shell of the lac bug. :>) Actually it's made from the secretion of the lac bug.

C.C. has a puzzle, "See Things" over at USA Today.

Big Easy said...

Good morning. After LEGAL EAGLE and TREAD WATER were in place the circled letters gave away the SWITCH ENDS theme that I had to alter to CHANGE ENDS to FIR.

I was unfamiliar with the movies and TV show and waited for perps for RISKY, ABBIE, and REID. LASSI & EMMET were unheard of unknowns. NALA was perps.

OCH- I knew of both Perths but had no idea what och was supposed to mean.
I knew about GALEN because I used to deal with a small drug company named after him-GALEN Pharmaceuticals.

Lucina- when I was a kid we called them THONG sandals. The 'dental floss' thong bikini definition came later.

PHIL & Tiger- the news media tries to make it a rivalry but in reality every other golfer on the Pro tour is a rival. Different one every week on Sunday. And today is the last round of the overhyped, self-titled Masters. It's a great tournament but face it; it's on the same course every year and the rough is groomed (I've been there). The Tournament Players Championship is also played on the same course but it's harder to win. The Masters has Amateurs, College players, winners of minor foreign tours, and former winners- half the field has zero chance of winning. The US Open is the toughest to win.

Malodorous Manatee said...

Thanks, CC and Paul, for the recap and the puzzle. We grasped the very clever theme pretty quickly. The fill was generally good and the few clunkers were happily perp'd and chalked up as a small price to pay, IMHO, for pulling off the theme. I do hope to clear my head of the Barry Manilow reference...and the sooner the better. I have never been able to reconcile Clive Davis signing Barry and Janis. Live at Winterland Barry Manilow? Evil.

Emile O'Touri said...

FIR A bit of a slog for me because of some obscure proper names and oh-too-cute cluing. Not impressed by the theme that required no puzzle solving skill whatsoever.Just kind of “meh” over all.

Anonymous said...

Pitt (80 Down) used to be in the Big East. That is no longer the case. They are now in the ACC.

Yellowrocks said...

Yesterday I was on the constructor's wave length and FIR in faster than usual Saturday time. This morning FIR, although I could not get my brain in gear. It took much thought, several rest periods and many perps to recall things I already knew. I did get VOA, STOA and GALEN quickly. I am interested in ancient medicine.
REID, LAASSI, EMMET, EARLE and HAN were unknowns gotten by perps and wags. That seemed fair. I didn't know Tess was short for Esther. We had several Esthers in or family, My grandmother went by Hettie, diminutive for Esther.
This puzzle actually was not harder than yesterday's, but it all depends on your frame of mind. I missed the theme.
WANGLE is still up to date. I hear people wangling days off, raises, etc.
"Cheapskate husbands wangle ways to avoid spending money on their wives." Seattle Times Feb 15, 2017
"A story by one Chicago Tribune reporter who wangled his way to Nagasaki wasn’t just
censored but destroyed." Seattle Times Aug 5, 2020
There is no question shellac is well known these days as a finish or sealer. The question is whether it is still used to mean beat soundly or trounce. Sports lovers, do you still hear it used like that? I remember it, but do not know how long ago that was.
Fun puzzle, Paul. Fun writeup, CC.

waseeley said...

Thank you Paul for a pleasant Sunday morning puzzle and thank you C.C. for an excellent review, especially your explanation of the theme. Except for some slight crunchiness in the SE (due to not knowing Ms Cornish's FN or that Alan Alda's father was also an actor) I had a smooth ride to an FIR.

I was a bit confused about the theme, as the circled ends contained the same letters, but didn't seem to be anagrams. I consider an ANAGRAM to be the rearrangement in the letters to form a new one, i.e. both words should have meaning. However, as C.C. pointed out, just coming up with 7 pairs of words with matching ends was quite a feet. To insist that all 14 words have four letter strings spelling actual words would be a bit over the top.

Lot's of good cluing and fill (too much to really do it justice):

I thought 53A (which I eventually got through perps) was a bit "scary" at first (wouldn't want to meet someone who did) turned out to be very clever and representing a "true" ANAGRAM.

As I'm not a follower of tennis, I did learn something from the reveal at 116A.

28A STOATS is becoming a crossword staple, but a beautiful animal just the same.

55 ENDORSE for "Backs".

8D ELATE for "Carry Away".

I was glad to hear that Boomer is attending 94A again. DW and I went to the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen this morning. It's a BIG SPACE which we like, as we've not yet been fully vaccinated. Going for our 2nd jabs this Thursday and are expecting a little viral crunchiness.

Cheers,
Bill

waseeley said...

Bob Lee @11:07 AM Whatever anyone tells you about Ft. Meade, there is No Such Agency there.

inanehiker said...

I was impressed by the theme - but once I caught on it actually made the theme answers quicker to solve if I had gotten the front or back half of the answer! I enjoyed Paul's input - I don't know how you would even go about finding those theme answers.

Sporcle has a crossword as a quiz usually only on Sundays. Today's had a very unique theme- I'm sure one of the traditional crossword sites have had a similar theme but I thought it would also be hard to construct:
https://www.sporcle.com/games/AuroraIllumina/diagonals-make-everything-difficult

Thanks CC and Paul!

ATLGranny said...

In spite of proofreading today, one square slipped by me resulting in a FIW. NoLA/OVo. (grumble, grumble) But I still enjoyed the puzzle and got the theme before the reveal. Had some WOs where I tried several possibilities: sMoke/EMBER, funnel/SIPHON, and Are/ACT. Thanks, Paul, for Sunday entertainment and thanks, C.C. for explaining OCH, for example plus many others. Favorite clue was "Live for evil." Also learned TESS is a nickname for both Esther and Theresa.

Beautiful day here. Hope you all are doing well.

sasses said...

Enjoyed the sasses moment!

desper-otto said...

I had an aunt Esther, known as Ottie. Her husband, Bill, was Spitz. No idea why.

Token Creek, are you from Cheeseland?

Spitzboov said...

ATLG - Except for the last 'a', Esther and Theresa are anagrams.

…………………………………………………………

A former Indian colleague (he went back to a teaching career at Bangalore (Univ?)) always used to say that he tried to learn 5 new things every day. Today I learnt how to apply the military discount (10%) to a Lowes on-line purchase while ordering replacement filters for our whole house A/C. (Only available on-line.)

staili said...

Great puzzle, Paul! I definitely used the extra hint that the duplication in the circles gave us.

inanehiker, thanks for the link to the Sporcle puzzle- quite a construction feat!

Anonymous T said...

Sunday Lurk Say...

FLN - TxMS: ZZ Top made me think the Chicken Ranch was in La Grange.
//The Top 40 Ranch (Frank Beard's (the one, ironically, w/o a beard | drummer) home) is ~20min away. I like to drive out there on quite afternoons just for giggles.

MManatee - My favorite 'Barry Manilow' quote [0:29].

Spitz - Lowes also has special Veteran's parking spots. I've not used them 'cuz I think someone would take one look at me and think, "that lanky long-hair'd hippy didn't serve."
And then I'd have to kill them. :-)

Waseleey - No Such Agency is so secret they use a brown "historical-site marker" / signs to show the exits.
Years ago I was working in DC and we rode by the sign on the way to USDA's HQ - I laughed my butt off when I saw it.

Second vax (Moderna) this Wednesday!

Cheers, -T

desper-otto said...

D'oh! Solved the puzzle Inanehiker linked, but couldn't get the theme. Went back to look at it again. Oh, there are colored squares. Didn't even notice 'em the first time through. I'm color-blind. That's my excuse, and I'm stickin' to it.

waseeley said...

Dash T @ 2:34 PM Sorry -T, but I have no idea what you're talking about.

Misty said...

Neat Sunday puzzle, many thanks, Paul. And your commentaries are always a big help and a real pleasure, C.C. --many thanks for that too.

I got off to a good start at the top, but things began to get tougher and tougher as I worked my down through the middle to the bottom. Always love getting "half a fly." The first time I saw that clue, I was totally puzzled--what, half a trip on a plane? half a hurry of some kind? surely not half an insect? Then I got TSE TSE, and since then I always laugh when I see that clue.

Lucina, TEACHING CERTIFICATE made me happy too, although I wonder if I ever got an actual document. My first teaching job was a year of teaching a huge class of 5th graders in a Catholic school in Bethesda, Maryland when I was 18 years old. I had just finished my Freshman year of college at Seton HIll in Pennsylvania, and was able to pay for my tuition by teaching school for a year. Have to say, I loved it and found it a delight, and ended up teaching college for decades after getting my Ph.D. But that first year was a real treat.

Have a great Sunday, everybody.

TTP said...



D-O, your aunt was Esther and you called her Ottie ?

My grandmother was Esther, but I called her... wait for it...

:>)

Malodorous Manatee said...

Don't mess with the bull!

waseeley said...

D-O @2:12 PM and TTP @ 3:01 PM

There is a pretty famous Australian actress who goes by "Essie" Davis. Don't know what it's short for. She plays Phryne Fisher in the Miss Fisher Mystery series.

TTP Can't hold my breath much longer!

Anonymous T said...

Waseeley - Exhale... TTP called her Grandma* :-)
I love Miss Fisher Mysteries; such fun.

Cheers, -T
*or MeMa/Nana/Nona -- depends on heritage.

Anonymous T said...

Misty:

I know what you mean by the Joy of Teaching. Not only do you really dig into the material for a class (and really learn it!), you get to impart knowledge.
In the '90s I taught night classes on computer programming at OKCCC 'cuz I was bored after my day at Tinker AFB.

DW is PhD English and still holds one class / semester [she's in administration now but still wants to teach - she's also in charge of Honors College and International Student Studies]. She loves teaching in the Community College arena and giving traditionally disadvantaged kids a leg-up. DW's school (under her tutelage / programs) have gotten the second most Jack Kent Cooke scholarships in the US.

I love hearing about your online classes you still hold (even if I know little about Joyce).

I'm sure OMK feels/felt the same way re: teaching; and I know BillG & HG do too.

-T

Spitzboov said...

Anon -T - - Both Lowes and Home Depot have a couple Veteran's parking spots. (Most such slots are for handicapped.) I have a Veteran's Lic. plate (tag) so, i use the slots if convenient.

Jayce said...

I enjoyed this puzzle and felt appreciation for the theme once I figured it out.

These is also a Fort Meade in South Dakota, just outside Sturgis. It used to be a VA hospital; I don't know if it still is or not.

We used to have a neighbor who called herself Essie (nickname for Esther). She was lovely woman, she was, and oh so very Irish, dearie pie. Her husband was Costa Boris, President Hoover's personal valet.

It took me several days to warm up to him, but I think Aaron Rodgers has been doing an admirable job guest-hosting "Jeopardy!" I finally figured out why he said "Go Bears" a number of times.

We use a Brita water filter pitcher.

Half a fly? Wanted TORSO or THORAX, or even HEAD, but they wouldn't fit. I guess CHOO would be half a train? BORA half an island? I think we've had MAHI clued as half a fish, and CHA clued as half a dance even though CHA would actually be 1/3 of a dance.

Here's wishing you all a good day.

TTP said...



Bill, what Dash T said, "Grandma"

My sister-in-law's mother was always addressed as Grossmutter, but one nephew always pronounced it as Grossmudder. He addressed his own grandmother as "Oma" and grandfather as "Opa"

TxMs, I smiled reading your description of Marvin Zindler in your post last night. He was must-see TV for his restaurant reviews, loudly proclaiming, "Cockroaches everywhere ! Marvin Zindler, Eyewitness News !" "Temp a tour" Too funny.

I watched that clip and wondered if the place I used to frequent was the "Bake a Tater", but that was in the Heights (I think), and the place I went to was closer to Rice University. I think it was called "Spud" something or another. Maybe "The Spud You Like." Good to see Dave Ward again.



Lucina said...

It warmed my heart yesterday evening to join my family for dinner at a restaurant! We enjoyed the meal, talked and laughed! It's so good to be normal again. The entire place was full of similar friends and families having a good time.

I hope you all have a similar experience very soon.

Bill G said...

Hi everybody,

Thanks Paul and CC. I enjoyed the challenge.

AnonT,

Right you are. I graduated from Cornell with an Electrical Engineering degree but after five years, I went back to school to get a teaching credential. Teaching suited me much better than engineering.

I got a Masters in EE from USC. Luckily Hughes Aircraft Company paid for all of it.

I like Aaron Rogers too.

Two Moderna arm-sticks for me as of a few weeks back. No side effects except that I started to feel a bit more secure.

OK, OK, I'll admit it. I find thong bikinis sexy. Of course, part of the appeal depends on who is doing the wearing...

CrossEyedDave said...

On April 7th @ 3:32am
Anonymous-T posted about a BBC show his daughters had found
And included the trailer clip, which is a bit incomprehensible without further
Knowledge of how brilliant this show is.

The play that goes wrong, Peter Pan.

Now, my daughter #1 two days prior sent me a clip she found hysterical
To my phone, which I never use because, well, just because.
And it was the same show! (I found out later)

I was watching the clips again today with daughter#1 when we accidentally
Found (in lower quality) the entire Peter Pan play.
It has only 500 views because the title has been made obscure to
Fool the YouTube censors.

I heartily beg you to watch this side splitting hour and 3 m8nutes
Before they remove it fr9m public view..

it is a "crescendo" of mistakes that only gets better and better

Actually, I enjoyed it so much, I think I will watch it again...

Lemonade714 said...

I think the actress from the Phryne Fisher Mysterie ESSIE DAVIS is not a nickname. When I had my bout with debilitating back and related body failures in 2017 I began reading a veariety of mysteries by Australian authors. The first was by KERRY GREENWOOD who wrote some mysteries about a character who was a baker who solved mysteries named CORINNE CHAPMAN which piqued my curiosity as the name is one I am often called. I enjoyed the books and learned she had another series abour PHRYNE [rhymes with briny] FISHER . They were very different and included lots of assignations.

Imagine my surprise when PBS began broadcating those stories. There is a new series about Phryne's niece Peregrine MODERN MYSTERIES which I have not seen.

From two nights ago and today, -T, you commented on being frustrated after watching a 2 hour mystery movie only to learn there was the need to watch more. Oo and I watched new 10 hour mini-series highly touted on NETFLIX called WHO KILLED SARA ? At the end of the final episode we did not know who killed Sara but learned they were planning a season 2...arggh

Wilbur Charles said...

olD school didn't cut it. MED is the way.
There's my FIW(a). The three pronged Natick at FOSSE, OCH and LASSI. And to think my WAG of D on EID SCORED. Except, recheck says I went EIn. Completely botched it. I had mores/MODES. I should have grok'ed DDS.

Einstein's m: Great clue. But I have a nit on CC's "great" for SCORED. No need for ? IMHO.

"She would merengue and do the cha-cha"

I can't watch SNL. Hatchet job on Liz Taylor never forgiven.

Swordfish fresh out of the sea, grilled on BBQ, BOOLA.

EMMET (and FOSSE) both vaguely familiar. I didn't recheck that Natick, my bad.

I had stones/STICKS(Hi NAOMI) which made PHIL a tough fit. He and Tiger can share a wink at special treatment from authority. Tiger driving; PHIL, SEC.

The "Conspiracy" is obvious from the stifling of the purported "conspirators". Today, the ultimate conspiracy is "reality" whatever that is.
And…Yes, there was Tiger, there was Phil and the rest. Without Tiger, Phil would've been Tiger.

SHELLAC as in the Redsox were shellacked by the Yankees the first week of September, 1978

A mixture of Wed easy and obscure PPP. ie Wilbur missed what the rest got. Is EID common knowledge?

There was an Indians catcher named Ray FOSSE. He got bulldozed by Pete Rose in an all-star game and was never the same.

WC

Unknown said...

Could anyone explain why negative evaluations of puzzles are never posted? I posted my negative review twice and it never was posted!

Anonymous T said...

CED - That you found Peter Pan Goes Wrong w/ David Suchet (best Poirot ever) AND enjoyed it pleases me [yes, I just watched the whole thing again!].
Since you liked that, find The Goes Wrong Show next.

Cheers, -T

TXMs said...

TTP @4:36p - May I gently correct - it was "Marvin Zindler, EYE(!!!)...Witness News!!" His reports always cracked me up - he was one of a kind. Don't know of those places you mentioned in the Heights or Rice areas, but I did meet friends occasionally at Kay's Lounge on Bissonnet - Dave Ward's hangout after his newscast and saw him a coupla times.

Anon-T @2:34p - You are correct– the Chicken Ranch was in LaGrange. At the time, I’d been following Marvin’s zealous reports with a smile and then his report that a visit became part of freshman initiation at Texas A&M, an hour’s drive away. Mea culpa! I love ZZ Top, and I've only been to two concerts in my life, one of which was ZZ. I, too, thought it funny that Frank Beard is the only one sans.

Michael said...

Dear CED:

What a welcome riot that was! For sure, you get an A++ this week!

Memforest said...

Karma? ;-)