Title: Jeffrey, you light up our lives.
Not Debby Boone!
In deference to Boomer, I just got a TURKEY . We have not talked about this that I remember, but since we have many newbies did you know in bowling a BOOMER is a big hooking ball; or a person that throws a big hooking ball? Now you do.
Welcome back to the J and J Friday funnies, Jeffrey created this puzzle and I will try and electrify you with my wit and wisdom. There are power outages, so be prepared. This effort begins with a Fridayish grid with 72 words and all the long fill in the theme making it easy to spot what he had in mind. He folds in a fair amount of 7 letter fill, such as FROLICS, IN TOTAL, LEARNED, MAN-O-WAR, MONTANA, SCREAMS, SHALL WE, SIMILES, SPEEDER, and SPIN-OFF.
The themers:
16A. Tight deadlines may make an electrician's job __: GO DOWN TO THE WIRE (15). THE WIRE was a hugely popular TV show.
24A. An electrician who is testing results may become a __: SWITCH HITTER (12). A switch hitter in baseball can bat both right-handed and left handed. In life it is a bit of a PERJORATIVE.
42A. An electrician resolves legal matters at __: CIRCUIT COURT (12). In many jurisdictions (not NYS) the basic trial court for litigated matters. FLORIDA.
56A. A stressed electrician may need an __: EMOTIONAL OUTLET (15). One final plug for all the great skilled workers of America who did not need college to succeed, one of my nephews -Jonathan - is a master electrician.
Two grid spanners and no need for a reveal. On to the rest.
1. "Fear the Walking Dead," e.g.: SPIN-OFF. Most agree that the first TV spin-off was 77 Sunset Strip (1958–1964) which begot Bourbon Street Beat (1959–1960). I was really into the original, not its progeny.
8. Fixed up: REDONE.
14. Legendary name in racing: MAN O' WAR. This legendary thoroughbred is an all time great LEARN MORE. Seabiscuit was a descendant.
15. Keeps away from: EVADES. Avoid, evades...
18. Reversal: UTURN. Now used beyond driving.
19. Picked up: LEARNED. I picked up some Spanish living is South Florida.
20. Leaves for a drink: TEA. To be witty with simplicity, nice!
21. How it looks, with "the": OPTICS. A 21st century word,
30. Schooner pole: MAST. Sail information for you all on SALE.
33. Where FDR was once governor: NYS. New York State. Following Teddy.
34. Face with courage: BRAVE. Syntax had me fooled for a bit.
35. Counting everything: IN TOTAL. I tried to make this one hard.
37. Poetic devices: SIMILES. I will leave you all up to your OWN, but I learned one called a Calligram - a poem in which the calligraphy, the formation of the letters or the font selected, represents an aspect of the poem’s subject.
39. Link to another story?: STAIR. Again, so sweetly misleading the reader. JW's?
8. Fixed up: REDONE.
14. Legendary name in racing: MAN O' WAR. This legendary thoroughbred is an all time great LEARN MORE. Seabiscuit was a descendant.
15. Keeps away from: EVADES. Avoid, evades...
18. Reversal: UTURN. Now used beyond driving.
19. Picked up: LEARNED. I picked up some Spanish living is South Florida.
20. Leaves for a drink: TEA. To be witty with simplicity, nice!
21. How it looks, with "the": OPTICS. A 21st century word,
30. Schooner pole: MAST. Sail information for you all on SALE.
33. Where FDR was once governor: NYS. New York State. Following Teddy.
34. Face with courage: BRAVE. Syntax had me fooled for a bit.
35. Counting everything: IN TOTAL. I tried to make this one hard.
37. Poetic devices: SIMILES. I will leave you all up to your OWN, but I learned one called a Calligram - a poem in which the calligraphy, the formation of the letters or the font selected, represents an aspect of the poem’s subject.
39. Link to another story?: STAIR. Again, so sweetly misleading the reader. JW's?
40. "Shameless" network, briefly: SHO. Showtime has aired this irreverent soft-core show with a wonderful cast featuring WILLIAM H. MACY and the yummy EMMY ROSSUM just ending after an 11 year run.
41. It may be raised at an outdoor wedding: TENT. Such fun cluing! You cannot possibly be...
46. Glum: MOROSE.
47. Old AT&T rival: MCI. When they broke up Ma Bell (speaking of spin-offs) much of the credit went to MCI which had been born as Microwave Communications, Inc. The history of the 8 baby bells and where they are all now is fascinating, and MCI which became part of the WorldComm scandal is now part of VERIZON.
50. "Let's begin, okay?": SHALL WE. Pray?
54. Doesn't hack it: FAILS.
59. They may be going around: RUMORS.
60. Saskatchewan neighbor: MONTANA. Our dear friend who many of us have had the pleasure of meeting in person as she travels to visit her farflung children; we met in Denver.
61. Patronize, as a motel: STOP AT.
62. Person well over 70, probably?: SPEEDER. Yay me! But where am I speeding to?
Down:
61. Patronize, as a motel: STOP AT.
62. Person well over 70, probably?: SPEEDER. Yay me! But where am I speeding to?
Down:
1. Executed, in Exodus: SMOTE.
2. City near Venice: PADUA. They say it is a GREAT DAY TRIP.
3. "Are you __ out?": IN OR. So many contexts come to mind...
4. "Don't take it so hard": NOW NOW. It is flexible; 1-used to tell someone not to be worried or unhappy: Now, now, don't cry. Everything will be all right. You'll see!
2 - used in speech to express criticism or disapproval in a gentle way
Now, now. There's no need to use that kind of language.
5. Take responsibility for: OWN. This is very 21st century speak
6. Butter component: FAT.
7. Kicks up one's heels: FROLICS. Middle Dutch vrolyc "happy," a compound of vro- "merry, glad" + lyc "like" (see like (adj.)). ... 1)), giving the whole an etymological sense akin to "jumping for joy." Similar formation in German fröhlich "happy."
8. Discuss ad nauseam: REHASH.
9. At any time: EVER. If ever you need me...I'll be there.
10. Vampire's curfew: DAWN. Old fashioned original vampires...
11. Comics dog that sounds like two letters: ODIE.
12. Bookish sort: NERD. I disagree- bookish synonyms: studious, scholarly, academic, literary, intellectual, highbrow or erudite. nerd synonyms: bore, dweeb, geek, anorak, spod or Poindexter.
13. Wichita-to-Memphis dir.: ESE.
16. __ feeling: GUT. Intuition.
17. Big field in Silicon Valley: TECH. Not a place to land an airplane
22. Cocktail word with a tilde: PIÑA . More music...
23. Texter's "Chat soon": TTYL. Talk to you later.
24. Dispassionate type: STOIC.
25. UPC bar code developer: IBM. I believe this is a half-truth/ HISTORY.
26. Travis of country music: TRITT. Sorry, I used up my country music link.
27. Account: TALE. That's may story and I am sticking to it.
28. Square: EVEN. We are all square, I paid you back. See 38D.
29. Sit a spell: REST.
30. Catchall abbr.: MISC.
31. Contradictory prefix: ANTI.
32. Marquee figure: STAR.
36. Capote nickname: TRU. Rhymes with...
37. "Leave me alone!": SHOO. Onomotopoeia.
38. Chits: IOUS. Onomotopoeia.
40. Roller coaster sounds: SCREAMS. Only from the wimps. I just sob quietly.
43. "Wait, what?": I'M LOST. Expliquez, s'il vous plait.
44. Dot on a map: TOWN.
45. Disprove: REFUTE.
47. Creator of an iconic bear: MILNE. Do not pooh pooh the importance of his creation.
48. Understood: CLEAR. Got it!
49. Musician's suffix: IST. Trombonist.
50. X-rated stuff: SMUT. Now come some questionable fill...
51. __ sapiens: HOMO. As a speices we are so humble..,
52. Surmounting: ATOP. This sounds obscene to me
53. Pre-euro currency: LIRA.
55. Slightly: A TAD. A tad to the left
56. Critical-care ctrs.: ERS. Emergency Rooms
57. Chop (off): LOP.lop "to cut off," originally of branches of a tree, mid-15c. (implied in lopped; place name Loppedthorn is attested from 1287), a verb from Middle English loppe (n.) "small branches and twigs trimmed from trees" (early 15c.), which, along with Medieval Latin loppa, is of unknown origin.
58. Number of World Series wins for the Astros: ONE. What a fun way to clue this word, a CSO to our Houstonians and all of our baseball fans.
Another JW in the record books, more emotional roller coaster for me as well as my vision problems are not abating, it is the 2nd anniversary of the death of my first wife, my granddaughters call to chat with me on their own and the weather here is awesome. Life- live it. Lemonade out.
FIRight easily. This felt like a Monday or Tuesday. Was it really that easy, or am I just getting better? Nah.
ReplyDeleteLet's see what l'icks I can get out of this current puzzle. (Wasn't that pun revolting?)
A BRAVE cowboy from MONTANA
Went south, to fight Santa Anna,
So that Texas could be
A Land of the Free!
(Free of power regulations!) Hosanna!
A MOROSE NERD from PADUA
Became obsessed with Dracula.
He'd stay up till DAWN,
Fake fangs he put on,
But all he ever could suck was arugula!
{B, B+.}
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteNothing like insomnia at 4:00 am, but there it is. Anyway, a JW Friday offering offsets the sleepless in Troy blues. The theme itself was obvious from the get-go, but the solve, IMO, wasn’t a walk in the park. The cluing was typical Jeffrey; devious and misleading, but fair. I went astray at Pat/Fat and Stop/Shoo (Stop appeared later) and was looking for a person’s name before Man o War whinnied his way in. I liked Ever/Even, Now next to Own, the phrases Now, Now and I’m Lost and the fun word, Frolics.my favorite themer was Switch Hitter. CSOs to Montana, all New Yorkers, and the Texas contingent.
Thank you, Jeffrey W, for a robust romp and thanks, Lemony, for an extra special review, filled with facts and fun. I’m sorry to hear of your ongoing vision problems.
Have a great day.
Well, what do you know, I really liked this JW CW! As IM @4:36 said, the theme became obvious early. I was surprised at how fast I whizzed through most of the grid....then spent 15 minutes on the bottom 4 rows. Overall a FIR in 28, and will wonders never cease, possibly for the first time EVER (for me) no W/Os!! Thanx, JW for this difficult but fun CW!! Very nice!! And thanx, Lemonade for your as usual terrific write-up! TGIF. Enjoy your weekends everyone!
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteHooray -- a Wite-Out-free Friday. No problem getting the theme, and finished in better-than-average Friday time. Yay. Looking over the grid, I did wonder at RED ONE. Reminded me of an incident of my ute when company came for dinner. My sister passed a plate containing two kinds of radishes, "Would you care for a reddish or a white one?" Thanx for the outing JW and Lemonade.
NERD: Synonyms are anorak and spod? Really?
77 Sunset Strip: That show gave rise to this immortal hit.
Today may herald the return of the Internet chez d-o. Fingers crossed.
Great write-up, Lemonade, and great puzzle, Jeffrey Wechsler! I liked that there were a large number of longer words, not much crosswordese and not too many names. The puzzle seemed like a nice change of pace from the usual.
ReplyDeleteLike many of you I found this Monday/Tuesday easy. I liked the clever puns and misdirections.
ReplyDeleteYesterday I found a lot to like in the puzzle until I ended up in the NW which turned me off for the same reasons listed by many. I had many listed many positive observations as I went along, but was so turned off I didn't post.
Recently the term NERD is no longer always pejorative. Vocabulary.com lists this positive meaning, as well. "an intelligent but single-minded expert in a particular technical field or profession." Not just bookish, but bookish in a single minded field.
WAIT, WHAT? I don't get it. I'm lost.
Thanks, Jeff and Lemonade.
D-O, your link to the Edd Byrnes song from 77 SUNSET STRIP inspires me to add this CLASSIC TV LINK . Notice ADAM WEST and his wife and then wait for the credits...
ReplyDeleteVery easy today. Sitting outside, watching a turtle, looking for a little gator, cruising through my two puzzles after doing SB. Life is Good.
ReplyDeleteIt must be an unusually easy JW Friday puzzle for me to finish it in 7:08.
ReplyDeleteDespite the electrical theme, I didn't run into much resistance....
Thank you, Jeffrey, for a FIR today! It was not without WOs (avoids before EVADES and tried to fit in under THE WIRE before I saw the light!) but it was a joy to fill. Thank you too, Lemonade, for your frisky review. You do very well in spite of your vision problems.
ReplyDeleteThe theme gradually became CLEAR with CIRCUIT COURT cinching it. And the clues were appropriately Friday devious at times. All in all an enjoyable puzzle.
OwenKL, liked your Current crop of poems. Keep it up. And echoing Irish Miss from yesterday, where is Tinman? Hope everyone is looking forward to the approach of the weekend. See you all tomorrow.
Easy puzzle for a Wechsler Friday but what does over 70 (like me) have to do with being a speeder?
ReplyDeleteI've been in the hospital for 8 days with a ruptured appendix and somehow developed aFIB as a result. What I would really like to know is how I gained 40 pounds in the hospital through 4 IV bags continually hooked up to me. I ate very little.
Check in later.
Anon 7:42AM, now I will give you this ELECTRIC ANTHEM shocking, I know
ReplyDeleteGeorge, a ruptured appendix is very toxic and I send you prayers for recovery. You ask " what does over 70 (like me) have to do with being a speeder?" Nothing, it was pure whim
ReplyDeleteHungry Mother @ 7:38 AM I'm wondering about the SB that you often do. A newspaper? Exercise?
ReplyDeleteAnd Big Easy @ 8:04 AM Sorry to hear of your hospital stay. It sounds like you have not lost your sense of humor. Obviously although you are over 70 (old like me), you haven't been breaking the speed limit lately, driving over 70 mph. Get well soon!
W/O's: BRAVE/BRAce,SCREAM/Shriek and I thought the singer was Travis Tripp. I hastily inked HBO/ SHO.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I just realized this was a jeffwesch. I usually spot his distinctive style
So, lemony, were you a Kookie Byrnes fan?
I'm as far as 1896 and TR isn't Governor yet. He was defeated by the machine in his run for Mayor of NYC. Great Bio by Edmond Morris
If you had $50,000 in ATT at the breakup you'd be a millionaire today
The SPEEDER clue fooled me. Except today it's >80
As teens we had a game where we followed up statements with He/She said *
ODIE was a big get. I needed peeps bad in NE
Gotta post. Thanks for a superlative write-up lemonade
WC
*Re. 3D
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteAs per D-O, I, too, finished it without white-out. I don't keep track of time; my brain works better when not under an arbitrary constraint. Did not find it as easy as YR, but, once into it, and seeing the electric theme segments, it moved along. Had to get my first real footing in the South, and then bubbled toward the top. After seeing '……w i r e', I pre-filled GO DOWN TO THE WIRE, and all the perps came out of the woodwork. Thought of our MONTANA at 60a. FIR.
Boomer refers to a crew-member of a ballistic missile-carrying submarine.
Always a joy to solve a Wechsler puzzle.
Lemon, sorry to hear of your continuing vision problems. I wish you all the best.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jeffrey, and thank you, Jason.
Fast Friday finish, but fun. I would have liked a puzzle with more "resistance" on a Friday, but the "potential" to complete this "circuit" in record time was lost in the southeast corner. Still faster than yesterday.
Misremembered lyrics, Lemonade ? If that was your intent. Rather than if "ever you need me", it is "whenever you need me", I'll Be There. Either way, it made me think of that great breakup love song. One of the guys across the hall in the barracks played The Spinners so frequently that many are firmly etched in my mind. Great song, followed by "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" Grew to appreciate their Philly soul sound more than their Motown years. The Rubberband Man was another favorite.
Still trying to get that Pina Colada song out of my head. Here's a couple from Travis TRITT: A traditional country breakup song: Here's A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares) and a country boogie woogie version of the song: T-R-O-U-B-L-E that was previously recorded by Elvis.
Big Easy, best wishes. Wondered where you've been. Hope you have a speedy recovery. When I was about 14, my brother took me to our family doctor two times a few weeks apart. She was a country doctor. A very direct woman with a sense of humor. The first time, she told my brother to take me home and give me an enema because I was full of sh**. The second time she told him to take me straight to the hospital and don't stop anywhere on the way. She took out my appendix the next morning. She told my mother we got very lucky. She said something to the effect of, "It was right there where I cut"
Owen, I got a "charge" out of your intro.
Big Easy @ 8:04 ~ What a scary experience! I hope you’re on the mend and feeling much better.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteFast forward to 3:58Boomer Sooner
ReplyDeleteVery enjoyable puzzle, Mr. JW, and a delightful review Lemonade.
Always a pleasure to read your blog, and very inspiring, although I'm not familiar with all the 50's and 60's golden oldies and TV shows, since I was not in this country and never had a TV until 1973.
With similar optic problems, I look forward to achievements in small steps, ... I hope I can pass my vision test, and retain my driving license, this year.
34. Across. .... Face with courage - BRAVE. I'm still trying to figure this one out...
My stockbroker once described MCI as Money Coming In .... but I hesitated and never bought into the company.
For 62 Axross, A person well over 70. probably ? .... my first thought was RMD - Required Minimum Distribution ( From IRAs and certain pension plans.)
Have a nice day, all.
I didn't think it was that easy, but then everything clicked.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite clue/answer was someone well over 70-> SPEEDER. LOL!
With the pandemic stopping most new TV series, I ended up watching all sorts of sports, and for a while I watched bowling which I hadn't watched in a long time. All the pros had big hooks and I never once heard the term BOOMER. However, I DID see some bowlers who bowled 2-handed which REALLY hooked the ball! One could even hook it in both directions! When did that become a thing?!
I guess it was inevitable as folks learning a sport as a kid and using two hands, like when people started using 2 hands in tennis.
FIR with a bit of a struggle having filled in REBUTT prior to REFUTE. Hey, it worked...for a while. Lemonade, I also wish you the best. Thanks for the recap. I learned about Boomer.
ReplyDeleteGuess I'm the only poster that can't brag that it was easy. No shame.
ReplyDeleteMusings
ReplyDelete-A wonderful puzzle from Jeffrey now and golf later. Life is good for this person “well over 70”!
-Man o’ War was upset in only one of his twenty one races by a horse named, uh, Upset
-HGTV’s has many variations of houses being REDONE. This is our favorite
-I confidently put in SIENA instead of PADUA. I wasn’t even, uh, close.
-As I’ve mentioned before, one principal always wanted to REHASH gum chewing issues ad nauseum
-UPC codes have greatly reduced errors from this old method
-I saw Edward Burns billed as Kookie in the video but in cwds we often see his professional name EDD Burns. Both 77 SS references were great!
-Best wishes for improving health to Big Easy and Lemon
Wonderfully refreshing puzzle for all reasons mentioned above.
ReplyDeleteRe that one Astros win, many fans feel it should be vacated - knowing which pitch is coming is too huge an advantage. Every Astro when asked if they cheated answered with an attorney provided "all I know is the MLB found no evidence of cheating". Pleeeze. Dodgers are rightfully po'd.
Rightfully so.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeffrey for a *crossword* puzzle. After yesterday this was a breeze.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteBob Lee, Australian Jason Belmonte was one of the very first to use the two handed approach on the PBA Tour when he joined in 2009. He's won 25 Tour titles , including 13 majors. His success has led some other professionals to adopt the approach, and many of the younger generation are using it now.
Also see, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowling_form</a> "Two Handed Approach"
I'm a stroker, down and in, a la Earl Anthony. Hook in to the pocket at the finish. No big bender for me. Too many washouts. I think Boomer would call himself a stroker as well.
Bad syntax in my link. Should have been:
ReplyDeleteAlso see, Two Handed Approach
ReplyDeleteA hard and then ultimately easier puzzle from Jeffrey. The page was mostly blank until I got a toe-hold with some of the down clues. Once the theme became evident everything fell into place.
Lemon's tour was well done.
Like MalMan I had REBUTT before REFUTE which slowed me down for a bit. I also had ALBERTA before MONTANA.
Big Easy: I hope you are feeling better. When I was a Frosh in college I ended up in the school's infirmary with an inflamed appendix. Since it was an Infirmary, they didn't do surgery. They loaded me up with antibiotics which ultimately took care of the problem. They did, however, recommend that the next time that it happened, that I should immediately go to a hospital and have it removed. I still have it.
Have a great day everyone.
Hola!
ReplyDeleteShockingly, I finished a Jeff Wex in good time though I don't time myself. This one grew from the bottom upwards.
CSO to MONTANA.
STAIR was my favorite fill/ clue.
One white-out where ISLE preceded TOWN which MOROSE cancelled.
This was great fun. thank you, Jeffrey Wechsler!
The funniest NERDs I know are my daughter and her husband. They are both highly intellectual and humorous in some quirky ways.
I liked seeing IBM and MCI as well as TECH today. Yesterday it was techy.
Thank you, Jason, for a wonderful review and I am sorry to hear of your continued eye problems.
Have a fabulous Friday, everyone!
oc4beach, when I was young I was taken to the hospital three times with severe pain and high white blood count. My uncle was head of the hospital and I still have my appendix in my 73rd year. The problem is for people like Big Easy who has the appendix RUPTURE which is very serious.
ReplyDeleteHi All!
ReplyDeleteMonday / Tuesday easy you say? Well, that explains why I nailed a Friday JW :-)
//that's twice in a row I've gotten ONE!
Thanks JW for the puzzle. I found the east-coast difficult (names) until I got NCR out of my head and went for IBM.
Thanks for the expo (and AC/DC!) Lem.
WOs: TTfn, Forgot my I in CIRCUiT and ended up w/ city b/f TOWN @44d. //congrats on no WOs unclefred.
ESP: TRITT (that's not to say perps weren't required for 90% of the c/as)
Fav: SHALL WE play a game? [War Games clip]
Honerable c/a mentions: STAIR, SPEEDER, MAN O' WAR (not Andretti which was my 1st thought)
{A+ (puns), F- (#TooooSooooon re:TX power outage/BigFreeze), B+}
BigE - I was thinking last night, "Did BigE say he was going on vacation? Haven't seen him in a while." So sorry to hear that it was NOT a vacation for you. Get well.
TTP - Re: SOONERs. Kinda funny there's still an OU TX rivalry when 1/2 those kids are from Texas. BOOMER!
Re: 'Stros. Yes, we are all disappointed at the * next to their ONE big one - especially after being swept by the Chi Sox in '05 . WC claims they all did it (electronic stealing) but HOU just got caught... like the periodic table hanging on the wall during a chemistry test, he says. :-)
Ohm, I don't have any electricity puns off the top of my head but I enjoy'd y'all's - both positive and negative.
Back at it. Play later. Cheers, -T
I was patting myself on the back again today -- look how quickly I filled in this tough puzzle! -- and came here to find out that it was easy. Oh, well! I liked it. I looked at all the Acrosses up to 20 (Leaves for a drink) before getting my first fill of TEA.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jeffrey, for the fun, and Lemonade, for the cheerful exposition. Wishing better days ahead to you and Big Easy.
Many thanks for a delightful Friday puzzle, Jeffrey--not totally easy for me but with lots of fun items. And very helpful commentary, Lemonade--thanks for that, and for letting Jeffrey know that he lights up our life.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite clue was "Link to another story"-- answer STAIR cracked me up. Okay, you do need tea leaves to make tea, I guess--but you don't see them floating around in your cup. It's true, being over 70 doesn't make me a SPEEDER, and I'm thankful for that. And always fun to see TRU Capote turn up in puzzles.
Always enjoy your poems, Owen.
Take care of yourself, Big Easy.
And have a good day, everybody.
Lemonade, sorry to hear about your vision problems. I thought my recent vision problems were from all the excessive reading, and use of iPad during the pandemic, but learned I have a macular hole. Waiting to see retinologist to discuss treatment.
ReplyDeleteMy 2 down was “Parma” not Padua, fun Friday puzzle.
Fun JW puzzle and wonderful write up from Lemony as usual.
ReplyDeleteI did a day trip from Venice to Padua and also to Verona. The train is fast and inexpensive. Was able to catch Nabucco at the Verona amphitheater which dates to the first century.
Get well soon to Lemony and Big Easy.
Be safe and well everyone.
JB2
Big Easy, sorry to hear you have been in the hospital so long. I wish you a speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteYuman and Jason, sorry to hear of your continuing eye problems.
He BRAVED (faced with courage) the high flood waters to rescue the trapped child. Here brave is a verb.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI got a real charge out of this JW high voltage grid.
Write-over….STAYAT/STOPAT.
I would argue that you patronize a motel by staying there, not just stopping there.
Stay safe.
Thank you Jeffrey for an FIR Friday that was A TAD easier than yesterday's thirsty Thursday. And thanks to you Lemony for some great musical numbers and lots of good info. And thanks for the aside on BOOMER. The etymology of his name was fascinating and is certainly apropros for everyone's favorite puzzle critic.
ReplyDelete16A As a Baltimoron I have a different take on the WIRE (FULL DISCLOSURE I've never seen it). The show has iconified Baltimore as THE center of crime in the US. Not everyone here was happy about that, because there is lot that is good about this town. Legend has it that some years back a city councilwoman proposed an ad campaign to offset all that bad RAP with some PR about the good (e.g. Johns Hopkins, Peabody, Harbor Place, the churches, the hospitals, the diverse neighborhoods, etc, etc). David Simon, fearing the impact of the OPTICS on his cash flow threatened to pull the PLUG on the WIRE if the campaign went through. The city council, fearing a loss of jobs and the revenue coming into the city from the show, tripped the CIRCUIT BREAKER and the plan was dropped. It certainly has left a bad taste in my mouth.
40A Not ashamed to say I've never seen "Shameless", but after a bit of research I'm with you Lemony on MS ROSSUM.
56A I echo Jason that skilled crafts people are an asset to our country. My father was a master carpenter and my mother was a seamstress who apprenticed in England from age 14, and they managed to raise 4 fine daughters and a slightly misfit son (well you can't win 'em all).
My niece next store who is an RN came home one day and announced that she was dating a plumber's apprentice she met in church. My B.I.L. was thrilled to hear this, as his big old house has a lot of cranky old pipes. We're all praying for an engagement soon.
62A Clever clue. Hands up for all those who filled RETIRED first.
Liked STAR (32D) crossing STAIR (39A). Clever clue that last.
Liked SHOO (37D) crossing SHO (40A).
Cheers,
Bill
OWENKL, {A+,A+!}
ReplyDeleteAn electrifying fairly easy Friday puzzle.
ReplyDeleteIt HAS to be MANITOB..but wait it's too long, I ran out of blank squares (go South of the Border) but I did like the over 70 clue ...eventually FIR.
Great write up Lemonade... what you said about your nephew the master electrician not requiring a college degree is true. I have a nephew who specialized in angling (fishing) who took special courses on correctly attaching lures to a fish hook. He passed all the tests and is now a..... Master Baiter 🤭🤭😏
"Shameless" one of my favorites..miss the Gallagher clan already. it's on Netflix now. Is it fair that you patronize a motel but don't want the motel to patronize you.
Figured TRITT would be Randy Travis but he wouldn't perpwalk..If they called author Capote, TRU for Truman why not SHOO for composer Schumann?
Nice colors but needs____ MOROSE
Forget the rose color use the dark ______ REDONE.
TV kid that sounds like 2 letters...OPIE
Waiting on the weekend..
D-O @6:50AM "anorak" as slang for "nerd" was a learning moment for me. One of my favorite British mystery shows was the regrettably short series "GIL MAYO". The "techie" on the team was a geek named "Anorak" and I never quite knew why she was named that. She was an expert in all things tech, with a wry sense of humor that she cracked often on the team's Welsh malapropic dufus. Great series. I'd strongly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteHi Y'all! This was a fun puzzle which sparked gratitude for Jeffrey Wex's wit and construction. Lemonade added to the FROLIC.
ReplyDeleteNo it wasn't easy for me. Some of the clues did not immediately conjure up the correct answer. However, I could perp and WAG all the way, chuckling non-STOP. So much more satisfying and LIGHT-hearted than yesterday.
Big Easy, how scary! Praying for your full recovery. My doctor/surgeon took out my appendix when he did my hysterectomy. I was so grateful and realized what a truly caring doctor I had. He could have left it and possibly charged me for two surgeries if he was in it just for the money.
Lemonade, sorry for your "down" times. You are so BRAVE to keep going like you do.
Stop can mean to drop in. It also can mean to break one's journey. My in-laws stopped at our home for a couple of days on the way back from their vacation.
ReplyDeleteRETIRED as fill never occurred to me. I happily retired at 62. So many of my acquaintances became incurably ill or even passed on soon after they retired. I was young enough to enjoy life, including loving tutoring for years. I could have had higher pension and Social Security checks if I had waited, but money isn't everything. I was thrifty, but not penny pinching, and was conscientious about saving, so my life style has not diminished. The bonus was that I was able to spend three days a week with my precious grandson for most of his toddler years.
I liked this puzzle. As an electrical engineer I liked the theme.
ReplyDeleteSo, the legendary name in racing wasn't AL UNSER, "keeps way from" wasn't AVOIDS, the Saskatchewan neighbor wasn't ALBERTA, and to patronize a motel wasn't quite STAY AT.
But I wasn't fooled by TEA, TENT, or EVEN.
Especially liked the clues for STAIR, RUMORS, DAWN, and SPEEDER.
Big Easy. Missed you and glad you're back on your feet.
ReplyDelete-T, I started rifle range week never having shot a rifle. Part of the problem was I left my eye glasses on the train*. Thanks to a Friday special tutoring I arrived at the 500 yard last target with a chance for expert. Problem: My target was 19 and I had to aim for 17 and count down two. Still okay. Meanwhile another Louie was having problems a few targets over.
So I decided to snap in again and squeezed off a perfect shot. Nothing. I noticed a flap regarding that other Louie. Finally a bullseye flag went up on 17 simultaneous to Maggie's drawers on 19.
Yes, when I snapped in I forgot to move over two. To say no one was happy is an understatement. The denouement?
When we wore the Class A uniform a week later there was said Louie with Marksman, same as me. He'd taken my bull while Maggie doomed me.
-T, I know you like my stories
*Rough Saturday night in DC
FLN Canadian Eh,
ReplyDeleteCotopaxi is also a tiny little town in Colorado. When you go to Salida from Westcliffe (my cabin is ten miles outside of Westcliffe) we take the Cotopaxi Cut Off. It used to be dirt but now it's paved.
Becky
I thought that Cotopaxi sounded familiar! I used to drive several times per year between Gunnison and Colorado Springs.
ReplyDeleteGood evening everyone! Thanks for the Friday fun, Jeff, and thanks to Lemony for a tuneful and enlightening review. Sorry to hear about your ongoing vision issues; hope you are able to find some relief. Also, get well soon Big Easy; that’s a long time to be laid up.
ReplyDeleteJeff Wex puzzles are always a treat, and this one had plenty of his signature clever misdirection. I was motoring along at a nice clip (but not over 70!), enjoying the light-hearted theme along the way, until I hit the brakes in the SE corner. The trouble began with filling in GTE at 47A, which lead to TACIT at 48D, and it just got murkier and murkier until I cleared the whole section and started over. Hand up for wanting Manitoba before MONTANA proved a better fit at 60A. I usually don’t find NOW NOW a very comforting expression, and I really find it irritating as a “gentle” admonition – maybe OK for a child, but patronizing when said to an adult IMHO.
DH and I had a delightful trip to Iowa last weekend for our granddaughter’s First Communion. Her brothers (5 and 2) both have birthdays this week, so there was much celebrating. The boys received an assemble-it-yourself outdoor playset, which only took five adults two days to put together ��
Have a great weekend all!
Becky, MManatee - I asked C, Eh! nicely but... y'all knock it off!
ReplyDeleteIf a constructor puts Cotopaxi in a puzzle, all those vowels will explode this dyslexic's brain. :-)
Vision - #sigh, I can see fine across the room but I have to hold my iPhone at a stretch to read the dang screen. Ophthalmologist only suggested 1.25x lenses for reading. Sorry Lem & Yuman's that yours is getting worse.
JavaMama - Nice to see you back. Sounds like a happy-fun trip.
WC - You know I do.
Ray-O: I didn't see that coming...
You know, for years I'd practice an extra turkey b/f Thanksgiving. That way, by the big day, I'm a master-baster.
//there's no GROUNDs for that scatological joke :-)
Cheers, -T
Becky & MalMan, I lived in Gunnison, CO three summers back 60 yrs ago. Don't think I ever heard of Cotopaxi. Swam in the hot springs at Salida a time or two.
ReplyDeleteBecky, MalMan and PK -- I spent several summers camped near Howard, CO, or at Hayden Creek. Salida was our supply source. My dad was a UCLA paleontologist, excavating fossils in the area. I am stunned that we have the Cotopaxi area in common!
ReplyDeleteanorak (plural anoraks)
ReplyDelete1. A heavy weatherproof jacket with an attached hood; a parka or windcheater.
example: 1980, Bill Oddie, Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book, page 61:
Don't ever use the hood on your anorak; and, if you do, for heaven's sake don't pull the string tight so that you peep out like a little baby in a siren suit.
2. (Britain, slang) A geek or nerd, possibly originally either a train spotter or a fan of off-shore pirate radio.
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spod (plural spods)
1. (Internet) One who uses talkers, an early form of chat room.
2. (colloquial) One who studies excessively and is disliked by fellow students because of it; a swot.
3. (colloquial) One who wastes time on nonproductive activities online.
4. (fishing) A container used to distribute a large amount of bait in a single cast.