google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Friday, April 29, 2022, Ryan Hecht and Doug Peterson

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Apr 29, 2022

Friday, April 29, 2022, Ryan Hecht and Doug Peterson

Theme: Get the lead out

Puzzling thoughts: Today's puzzle has a quartet of entries with no reveal. Each of the entries has a "B" (or "B's") in a place where a "P" would make a more plausible phrase. Here they are:

20-across. Group of apartments made of gingerbread?: EDIBLE COMPLEX. The more recognized phrase that is mimicked is: OEDIPAL COMPLEX. According to Brittanica dot com: "Oedipus (Oedipal) complex, in psychoanalytic theory, is a desire for sexual involvement with the parent of the opposite sex and a concomitant sense of rivalry with the parent of the same sex; a crucial stage in the normal developmental process. Sigmund Freud introduced the concept in his Interpretation of Dreams (1899). Well, isn't THIS the start to some "blue" blogging, Moe?? Would you just shake your head if I posted this song?

The punned version that Ryan and Doug chose as a clue implies this "EDIBLE"; albeit in the form of a group of these as in a condominium COMPLEX

35-across. Gang made up of very light eaters?: NIBBLE RING. In the punned version, the word "RING" can indicate a "gang". But in the non-punned sound-alike ... well, I guess you'll just have to imagine what THAT image would look like

The REASON you WON'T find an image for the NIPPLE RING is because (36-down. Two-piece piece: BIKINI TOP), covered it!

Moving right along ...

43-across. Logo designer's day-to-day existence?: SYMBOL LIFE. Unlike the other entries, this one did not feature a sound-alike that used "BLE". Instead, it used "BOL". Not sure why the editor would deviate, but that's why they're paid to edit, and I am NOT paid to blog. Designer's "SYMBOLS" are their iconic images that enhance the brand. I doubt any of them lead a "SIMPLE LIFE", though

And last, but not least, is: 53-across. Cute, furry problem for Captain Kirk?: TRIBBLE THREAT. Ahh yes, a Star Trek reference, although I wonder if our resident Trekkie, Picard is a fan of this episode from the "original series". But before I link a YouTube video, the un-punned phrase "TRIPLE THREAT" can mean several things:

a) perhaps an actor who can sing, dance, and act

(b) perhaps a running back in football who can run (duh!), block, and catch passes

(c) perhaps a basketball player who can pass, shoot, and rebound effectively ...

This is all I could find about the co-collaborator, Ryan Hecht. Doug Peterson is a 15+ year veteran cruciverbalist who's had at least 50 puzzles published in the NY Times, and who created the first puzzle edited by Patti Varol on April 18th of this year in the LA Times. Good job, gentlemen, though many of the clues were obscure to me - guess that is part of why this was a Friday selection. Here is the grid:

Let's see how the rest of the grid filled in ...

Across:
1. Swedish pop group with the 2021 album "Voyage": ABBA.

5. Gels: SETS.

9. Manhattan Project project, briefly: A-BOMB.

14. Moved smoothly: SLID.

15. Country that outlawed alcohol in 1979: IRAN. Learning moment for me. According to Amnesty dot org: "What happens if you drink alcohol in Iran?" Under Iran's Islamic Penal Code, consumption of alcoholic beverages is punishable by 80 lashes, and if an individual is convicted and sentenced three times, the punishment on the fourth occasion is death. And neither can tourists drink alcohol whilst visiting. Guess Moe can take that place off of his "bucket list" of places to visit ...

16. Home of the world's tallest building: DUBAI. A picture is worth a thousand words

17. Throw hard: HURL. The word "HURL" has another meaning; perhaps if Ryan and Doug added the word "up" in the clue, between the words "throw" and "hard"

18. Disney title character from Hawaii: LILO. Did you know her last name is Pelekai?

19. Like cellared wine: AGING. I guess this could be a CSO to yours truly. No "cellar" here in Arizona, but I do have a small (48 bottle) wine fridge that maintains a perfect temperature and humidity (55 degrees/70%) for AGING wine. I haven't added too many bottles to it that require much AGING, as my advancing years are limiting me to purchasing wine that can be drank now. It's also why I rarely buy green bananas ...

23. Fall for: BUY. See the last sentence in my previous comment. I am not "falling for" (BUYING) Bordeaux futures, e.g., as I'm not sure my palate would discern the enhanced quality of a wine I shouldn't drink for another 20+ years

24. Convention giveaway: TOTE. I put "SWAG" into this at first, which slowed me down considerably

25. Card game with a Pixar version: UNO. Another example of something to add to your minutiae list

28. Worship leader: IMAM. I'm pretty sure that none of these who reside in Iran imbibe

31. Trio for Bergman and Streep: OSCARS. Excellent clue

38. Keep hidden, perhaps: ABET. OK, is this ABET or A BET? Could it be both? I suppose when someone ABETs a criminal they would like to keep this fact "hidden". Likewise, if someone places A BET on some random sporting event, they may also want to keep that "hidden" from their partner, e.g. How did YOU interpret this?? Please place in the comment section, below

39. Skirt: AVOID. I would NEVER SKIRT my duties as a blogger ... OK, maybe this summer, when I'm on holidays

40. Letter from ancient Troy: TAU. The clue is "all Greek" to me

41. "Three Tall Women" playwright: ALBEE. A snippet from Wikipedia dot com: "Edward Franklin Albee III (/ˈɔːlbiː/ AWL-bee; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as The Zoo Story (1958), The Sandbox (1959), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962), A Delicate Balance (1966), and Three Tall Women (1994). Some critics have argued that some of his work constitutes an American variant of what Martin Esslin identified and named the Theater of the Absurd. Three of his plays won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and two of his other works won the Tony Award for Best Play

42. __ chic: GEEK. And why did I think this was TRES, instead?

45. Like some jokes: INSIDE. I tried fitting "DAD" something into this, but failed

47. "__ it obvious?": ISN'T. Well, this clue and entry were

48. Hard-to-prove skill: ESP. Here at the Crossword Corner, the term "ESP" means "EVERY SINGLE PERP"; which is also a hard-to-prove skill

49. Soft ball: NERF. Note the clue: had it been "Softball" (one word), the entry would've been different

51. Toon spinner: TAZ. Fitting that this entry falls "down under" the "equator" of the grid. Looney Tunes

59. Roadster since 1989: MIATA. From MAZDA

60. Part of a plot: ACRE. I was initially thinking that "plot" meant a part of a novel/book/movie. You?

61. Tarot's swords, e.g.: SUIT. This was a late fill. I read my daily Horoscope but have never had a session with Tarot cards. But it makes sense to me now

63. Heavy metal bar: INGOT. What would you think an INGOT of gold at Fort Knox is worth? Answer below

64. Crypto.com Arena statue honoree, familiarly: SHAQ. This one took ESP to solve, as I was unaware of the venue called: "Crypto.com Arena". And I consider myself a sports fan. Here's a photo; the Arena is the former "STAPLES CENTER" in Los Angeles. The name changed on December 25, 2021. And of course the honoree is SHAQuille O'Neal, a former basketball icon with the Lakers

65. Corner: TREE. EDGE and TRAP also fit; both were put into the puzzle grid by yours truly before the crossing words corrected me

66. Brownish gray: TAUPE.

67. Folk singer Axton: HOYT. HOYT Wayne Axton was a country folk singer, actor, and songwriter. So many songs to choose from, but this is one most all of you will know. Enjoy!

68. Simple cat toy: YARN. I am leaving this one for our resident feline friend Cross-Eyed Dave

Answer to 63-Across: How much is a standard gold INGOT worth? A typical 400 oz gold bar is quite large, weighing in at whopping 27.4 pounds, with a single bar valued at roughly $750,000 U.S. These gold bars are held and traded internationally by central banks and bullion dealers, and are not typically sold to the general public. So now you know

Down:
1. 2022 Australian Open winner Barty, familiarly: ASH. Per [Wikipedia]: "Ashleigh Barty is a former Australian professional tennis player and cricketer. She was the second Australian tennis player to be ranked No. 1 in the world in singles by the Women's Tennis Association after fellow Indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley, holding the ranking for 121 weeks overall"

2. Bummed out: BLUE. So I chose a different meaning of the word "BLUE" as I described a few of the entries to this puzzle. BLUE: "[adjective] informal; (of a movie, joke, or story) with sexual or pornographic content"

3. Jay or oriole: BIRD. Had the "oriole" been capitalized, the clue might have a baseball reference

4. Surprise the director, maybe: ADLIB. Since there is "no script" when we blog, most all of what I type is ADLIBbed

5. "Wow, I am dumb!": SILLY ME. "Wow, do I revel in jocularity!" SILLY ME

6. Empire State county: ERIE. I lived in ERIE county New York (Grand Island) for a brief period of time back in 1975. Close to Buffalo

7. Puff stuff: TALC. As in TALCum powder; applied with a "puff" (cotton) ball, perhaps

8. Elitist: SNOOT. SNOB didn't have enough letters

9. Rolls with the punches: ADAPTS. I have been ADAPTing to the new editor here at the LA Times Crossword, as her clue usage is different than that of Rich

10. Taps, say: BUGLE CALL. Good fill; not often used in xword puzzles

11. Tony's cousin: OBIE. EGOT is short for: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Awards for TV, Music, Screenplay, and Broadway theater. So what's an OBIE? As the Tony Awards cover Broadway productions, the OBIE Awards cover off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions. So now you know

12. Tailless pet: MANX. As in a tailless cat

13. Not insignificant: BIG. Or, the name of one of Tom Hanks early movies, which also proved to be "not insignificant"; for him, anyway

21. Complete a LEGO set: BUILD. A Patti clue??

22. Synthesizer pioneer: MOOG. MOOG is again finding its way back into crossword puzzles

25. Kabayaki fish: UNAGI. Japanese for "freshwater eel"

26. Bond player in the original "Casino Royale": NIVEN. My last blog had a clue for the word "BOND" that referenced David NIVEN indirectly - he was one of seven actors to play the role

27. Yamaha products: OBOES. Yamaha may be known to some as a producer of motorcycles, but they are also well-known for their musical instruments, including OBOES and bassoons and pianos

29. Pretentious: ARTY.

30. Heat setting?: MIAMI. As in the MIAMI Heat NBA Basketball team

32. "Three Billboards ... " actress Cornish: ABBIE. [Wikipedia]: "ABBIE Cornish (born 7 August 1982) is an Australian actress. Cornish is best known for her film roles as Heidi in Somersault (2004), Fanny Brawne in Bright Star (2009), Sweet Pea in Sucker Punch (2011), Lindy in Limitless (2011), as Sarah in Geostorm (2017) and for her work with writer/director Martin McDonagh in Seven Psychopaths (2012) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017). For the latter, Cornish won her first Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the cast. In 2018, she portrayed Cathy Mueller in the first season of Amazon Video series Jack Ryan opposite John Krasinski. She also played Dixy in the film The Virtuoso (film) (2021) aside Anthony Hopkins

33. Sailing hazards: REEFS. BERGS also fits

34. Quite expensive: STEEP. PRICY also fits

37. Remnants in a crayon box: NUBS. Since my crayon box only came with 8 colors, they quickly became NUBS

41. Sacred stand: ALTAR.

43. Tesla, e.g.: SERB. As in Nikola Tesla, a SERBian-American inventor,

44. Hush-hush: ON THE Q.T.. "in a secret or quiet way All the arrangements were made on the q.t. This information is private, so keep it on the q.t. Q.T. is an abbreviation for "quiet"

46. Pre-election event: DEBATE. the word "PRIMARY" wouldn't fit

50. Superhero who taps into the Speed Force: FLASH. This dude

52. Hot: ZESTY. "SPICY" was my first choice here

53. Mother of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles: TINA. Her biography

54. Trattoria sauce: RAGU. RAGU is also a "brand name" for a spaghetti sauce, but it generally means: "(RAGU) a sauce that has more meat and minced elements, specifically minced carrot, celery and pancetta … also known as soffritto, and is made with wine, beef broth, and usually a little bit of heavy cream or milk poured in it to lighten the color and enrich the flavor". A "trattoria": the name comes from the French word “traiteur” which derives from “traiter” and respectively mean “host/caterer” and “to treat”. A trattoria is not a generic restaurant though: it always serves or is supposed to serve, traditional local food

55. Unoriginal reply: ECHO. Maybe the reply is "unoriginal", but the clue certainly IS original

56. DVD holder: TRAY. Most new PC's don't have one of these built in

57. Special glow: AURA. Fun fact I found: "How do you take a picture of your AURA?" First, you place your palms on a pair of metal plates, which are connected to a camera. When the photographer hits the shutter button, the plates send information about your energy to the camera. Colors corresponding to that energy then appear around your figure in a printed Polaroid photo. Sounds kinda special to me

58. Management level: TIER.

59. I.M. Pei's alma mater: MIT. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I.M. Pei (Ieoh Ming Pei) received his Bachelor's degree in Architecture here

62. Score half: TEN. As in "Four score and seven years ago ..." The word "score" refers to the number "twenty", of which half of that is TEN

And that's a wrap! Hope you enjoyed doing this puzzle. If you'd like to try your skill at solving another, here is a link to a puzzle that Chris Gross (aka, Chairman Moe) has running today at Newsday, entitled "Parking Spaces". Please give it a stab! Thanks in advance

49 comments:

Subgenius said...

I didn't remember that David Niven played Bond at first, but he eventually came to mind. And I'm a bit of a Trekkie myself, but of course nowhere near the level of my good friend Picard. Anyway, FIR, so I'm happy.

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

Nice collaboration, guys. Really liked that there was no reveal to miss. Caught onto the "sounds like" theme early on, and that helped with the solve. Fell into the TRÈS/GEEK trap. That was my sole Wite-Out moment. Thanx, Ryan, Doug, and C-Moe.

AGING: CSO to most everybody who hangs out here.

HOYT Axton: Perhaps best known for "Work your fingers to the bone. Whaddya get? Bony fingers."

OBOES: Had a Yamaha motorcycle when I was on Guam. Yamaha also makes electronic equipment; my AV Receiver is a Yamaha.

KS said...

FIR despite lots of unknowns, and a few WAG's thrown in.

Wilbur Charles said...

Lemony(oops I see we have C-Moe today)*, I confess I looked up TRIPLE THREAT. The 3rd skill was kicking. Prime example:"Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Paul Hornung. Hornung set a record of 176 points in 1960 by scoring fifteen touchdowns, kicking forty-one extra points, and also kicking fifteen field goals."

My "trouble" was with (spelling) TRIBBLE - I had one B. This left Texas a complete inky mess. So, I broke my rule and LIU'ed the hero:FLASH. Mr S then reminded me that I'd posted this TBBT Link recently. I still had to go online, enter BLE, go back to my original SHAQ,ACRE combo and ECHO and TRAY fell into my lap. No FIR though

I had noticed the BLE/P substitution. I could have just waited for the online or perhaps invest in erasable pen or wite-out

Actually, in these Arab countries "dry goods**) suffice for the effects of alcohol

C-Moe, I have ABET as in a crime. Though gamblers may want to keep their picks "hidden" to keep the odds down the plethora of Sports gambling sites has made spousal secrecy obsolete

Oops, that's GEEK CHIC not mEEK* and I see its UNAGI

Prior to ASH and Evonne(and WTA) there was Margaret Court Smith, an Aussie legend

Yes, I recall your seven Bonds and NIVEN on the list. It was not a Broccoli production, a satire in fact

WC

* The wine ref. gave it away. Btw, in FLA you can buy bananas green. They ripen away from store AC very(too) quickly
** AAer jargon for marijuana. For those arrivals from rehab a "Drug" would be heroin or crack

Anonymous said...

Took 17:33 - probably a third of that time was spent in the lower/central area. Had "On the DL" instead of "On the QT", and "Flame" before "Flash." Both mistakes took a long time to find/fix.

Never heard of Niven, Beyonce's mother, Hoyt Axton, nor "tribble."
Was tribble from one episode, or was it a recurring thing?

OwenKL said...

DNF. Poor for an ordinary Friday.
The whole SE corner was white or red when I gave up.

There was an IMAM in IRAN
Who abstained from using the can.
Said, "I know that I'll burst,
But that's far from the worst
That can happen on the streets of Iran!

A Freudian was scared as all heck,
Of a skyscraper's pain in his neck.
He said, 'I looked up
To my mother so much,
That I now have an Oedipus COMPLEX!"

{B, C.}

CartBoy said...

Super easy for a Friday.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

FIW x 4. Proudly erased tres, but replaced it with mEEK. I keep things on the dl, not the QT.

And I'm beginning to think I may have a speling problem, because my color was ToUPE. But I spelt "slate" rite, before I erased it.

I guessed that tarot's swords were an omen, but I guess all the cards are an omen of some sort.

We were kidding around about the inane sports venue names only yesterday. Crypto.com is a new one to me.

My boat hit rocks before REEFS.

My score half was nil, as was my awareness that the clue referred to a 20-year time span.
In my teens I learned that MOOG wasn't pronounced like the sound a cow makes.

Like D-O, I also use a Yamaha AV receiver. Sounds great and is reliable.

I must confess that I didn't care for this one, and not just because it was difficult for me. It was just a lot of stuff that I don't know and don't care about. Can ignorance and apathy be a character trait? But the tour by C-Moe was outstanding.

MitziMouse said...

Thank you very much, Chairman Moe, for explaining today's theme. Without you I could not get the theme. Among four long crosses, the first one "Edible"->"Oedipal" was most difficult. I knew Oedipus Complex but did not know that it could be "Oedipal" too.
I didn't know "Tribble" either.
Today's gimme is "Kabayaki fish"="Unagi." Saltwater fish is Anago by the way. Less rich than unagi.
I know Yamaha makes pianos, electric organs, etc., but oboes are not so familiar to me.
Trivia maybe. Hamamatsu, a coastal city in Japan, is famous for both Yamaha Instrument and Unagi production!!

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

This type of theme is not my cup of tea but it was an easy enough solve for a Friday. I think my only unknowns were Tina, Hoyt, and Tribbles but no w/os. Lot of double letters today: Reefs/Steep/Tree/Geek/Albee and Tribbles/Nibble/Abbie/ABBA. I only spotted a few duos, Abbie/ABBA, Iran/Dubai, Obie/Oscars, and Blue/Bird. CSOs to Picard (Tribbles and MIT), Lucina (Uno), IT Gang (Geeks), Florida Folks (Miami), and Keith (Ad Lib).

Thanks, Ryan and Doug, and thanks, Moe, for lots of fun and facts in your review. Some links didn’t materialize, so a return trip is in order as well as solving your puzzle.

FLN

Anon T, learning moment was that Terry Gross is a female. Also, an Elf is a person, albeit a fictional one, ergo, not one of my non-person creatures. 🙊

Vidwan and Michael, sorry to hear of your medical struggles.

Have a great day.

CrossEyedDave said...

how'd I do on this puzzle?

But it has sent me in a path to find out more today about:

That piano solo at the end of the Big movie is Awesome!
(It's going to take a while to track it down again. Variations of ,,, what was it called again?)

A must see, Star Trek deep space nine episode where they go back in time and revisit Kirk and the tribbles.
Best part is when Worf explains why 1960's Klingons look so cheap.
(Gotta track that down too, but linking all the lead up scenes explaining it to a non-Trekkie is really going to create a big ball of yarn...)

CrossEyedDave said...

OK,
It was called Heart and Soul,
a simple piano piece that every beginner learns.
But the variations this guy did with it blows me away every time I hear it...

CrossEyedDave said...

OK, OK,

I gotta post it!

Worf (sort of) explains why Kirks Klingons look human...

Actually,
If I remember correctly,

Later ST series (Enterprise) explain the eugenics wars, where humans created superhumans (see space seed ) and the Kilingons wanting to be stronger stole the DNA enhancing technology.
Not only did it make them look more human, it introduced a human virus into the Klingons that was killing them.
Here, Dr. flox finds a way to save the Klingons from there mistake, and also explains how the Klingons got their forehead ridges back...

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-A nice puzzle with plenty of ZESTY Friday content
-The A-BOMB construction was supposed to be ON THE Q.T. but it had its share of spies
-No one drinks alcohol in IRAN and I’d like to show you some oceanfront property here in Nebraska
-How ‘bout dat, a playwright starting with an A and ending in EE and is not AGEE
-A basketball in SHAQ’S hands. Wow!
-Our feeders get plenty of jays but not any orioles
-Revile would seem to better cluing for BUGLE CALL
-STEEP – Some meat departments need to have loan officers attached
-Our governor’s race features a lot of mud-slinging but only two of the three will DEBATE
-Nicely done, Chairman!

billocohoes said...

I would think that if you keep a criminal or evidence hidden, you ABET the crime

CrossEyedDave said...

Okaaaay,,,,

(If you won't say it, I will.)

Yes, the story of how they explained cheap 1960's Klingon costumes is "quite a yarn!"

(But just a small plaything for Cross Eyed Dave...)

:)

CanadianEh! said...

Fearsome Friday. Thanks for the fun, Ryan and Doug, and CMoe.
I found this CW to be a tough slog (unlike Cart Boy and Irish Miss). Officially a FIW, but I did get the B to P theme.
I was thinking of Tesla electric vehicles and thought the SER_ was initials. I entered an A to make Tribal THREAT, not remembering the TRIBBLEs..

Plenty of unknown names today, but most of them perped eventually.
I did not know the new name for the Staples Centre, and Googled just that part. The Great One would not fit. SHAQ did.
Hand up for Tres before GEEK.
I entered BLUE for the Jay (but didn’t think there were blue orioles). Ok I need to move it left for “bummed out”.

Re ABET: I thought of hiding the criminal (or covering for him with an alibi), versus the usual driving the getaway car.

I thought of Testy (irate) for 52D “hot”. TAZ gave me ZESTY.
I raised my eyebrows at NIBBLE RING. Patti must have a different threshold for things to AVOID.
But we do have new clues for ERIE and OBOES.
And I loved the clue for ECHO.

We had BUGLE (CALL) and OBOES (piano wouldn’t fit). Plus OSCARS and OBIE.

FLN- sorry to hear of your medical issues, Vidwan and Michael.
Wishing you all a great day.

Picard said...

Thank you all for the shouts out for me and MIT and TRIBBLES. The TRIBBLES episode is the favorite of every Star Trek fan.

Never heard of ON THE QT and it was a total WAG for me. Are others familiar with this?

Loved having TESLA be a SERB. The man, not the car. My research work on an obscure invention of TESLA in high school is what got me admitted to MIT. He is one of my heroes and it was a gimme for me that he was a SERB.

I have photos of NIPPLE RINGS at various unusual events I attend. But we are rushing to meet friends for a hike.

So I will just share my freshman year photo of the Green Building at MIT which is one of four designed by IM PEI.

From Yesterday:
Yellowrocks Thank you for emailing me about your pelvic fracture. The very same bone. One more thing we have in common. It will indeed be a slow and painful recovery and I do wish you the best.

Vidwan I am very sorry that you cannot climb STEEP slopes now. Thank you for the kind words of enjoying my STEEP adventures vicariously. I do hope you can regain your strength through modern medicine.

TTP said...




Fun puzzle. Thanks all !

Moe, go ahead and buy green bananas.
ABET - One word. The criminal aiding context.
IRAN - How do you say beer in Persian (Farsi) ?
I had a Yamaha 400 CC in Ohio and rode a Yamaha 750 CC in Houston. Knew they also made audiophile equipment, pianos and their electronic keyboards, but not that they made woodwinds.
Hand up for Tres chic.
ZESTY - the winning word in Wordle yesterday. I tried testy before zesty.
A Bond reference to NIVEN and then INGOT. Auric, Oddjob and the attempt to rob Ft Knox in "Dr No". Niven's Bond was one of two Bond movies not made in the Albert R Broccoli empire.
D-O, I didn't know that bony fingers song was Hoyt Axton, but I knew that song.
Also didn't know he wrote "Joy To The World"
Oh, how do you say beer in farsi ? Abejo. Our Abejo must have been there before they changed the law.

ATLGranny said...

This puzzle was daunting but eventually I started getting the final section, the NW. I hadn't trusted my first ideas enough, ABBA and BIRD and BUILDing on them was slow. Then it filled. The theme trick was clear when I got SYMBOL LIFE. The earlier themers weren't complete enough yet to help. Thanks, Ryan and Doug, for the successful Friday challenge. FIR Friday! Yay!

Hand up for TRap/TREE and not thinking of a plot of land instead of a story plot. Perps to the rescue. I had to do an alphabet run in my head to get the Y in BUY. Oh, sure. Of course! Thanks, C Moe, for a fantastic Friday review.

AGING? Who isn't AGING? Sometimes it isn't easy. Sorry to hear of your problems, Vidwan (FLN). Hope you start improving soon. Good advice, Michael.

Late post due to interruptions today, but still celebrating my FIR. Have a fine Friday!

OwenKL said...

Just rereading, and see I made a HUGE mistake in my second l'ick this morning! I was retelling an old joke in poetic form, and the punchline is supposed to be an EDIFICE COMPLEX, making a pun of Oedipus.

Anonymous T said...

Hi All!

FIW - 14a I ink'd gLID (past tense of glide?) and I 'fixed' tres chic to hrek-chic and didn't look back. And, Jinx, I too have ToUPE #untie!

Oh well, it was a fun puzzle Ryan & Doug. Thanks.

C.Moe - I loved your musical selections today. Oh, and the expo was fun too.

WOs: [see FIW], ON THE dl [down-low], 65a's Corner was 'area'
ESPs: ABBIE | ALBEE among others
Fav: MIATA - always makes me think of Click & Clack [they had a running-gag about Ray's]

@6:52 - IIRC, The Trouble with the TRIBBLEs was just one episode and we never saw them again until reboots (and,... CED confirms (and now I have more links to watch ;-)))

{B+, C+ /A- revised :-)}

Cyrpto.com stadium rename cracks me up (I remember their Super Bowl ads (I think?)). Let's just say the beginning of the end Enron was putting it's name on a sports venue. #Ponzi

C, Eh! LOL Patti's AVOIDance threshold.

ATLGranny - Mitch Hedberg on AGING:
My friend showed me a photo and said "this is me when I was younger."
Every picture of you is from when you were younger
"Here's a picture of me when I'm older."
Holy shit, lemme see that cam-er-a.

Cheers, -T

desper-otto said...

Yes, Husker, in addition to being known for his three education degrees, Shaq at one time in the far distant past played basketball.

Misty said...

Tough but fun Friday puzzle, many thanks, Ryan and Doug. And thanks for the helpful commentary, Chairman Moe.

Had a great start with ABBA and BIRD, which got me the northwest corner. Then things got tougher.

"Silly me" made me laugh, and helped me get IMAM.

Ah, nice to be reminded of the OSCARS for Bergman and Streep.

I don't really know cars, but I somehow got MIATA this morning.

Owen, I loved your second verse, especially because of the OEDIPUS.

Have a great weekend coming up, everybody.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

TTP - Auric, Oddjob and the attempt to rob Ft Knox were in Goldfinger, starring Sean Connery. Also featuring M, Q, Miss Moneypenny, and let's not forget Pussy Galore and her flying circus.

waseeley said...

Thank you Ryan and Doug for a FIRaBLE Friday challenge, which required a bit of FUTZING to finish. And thank you Moe for explaining the theme, about which I was absolutely clueless.

Some favs:

17A HURL. MOE, your alternate interpretation for this might get you 80 lashes in IRAN.

19A AGING. We brought a bottle of Appellation Chateau Beychevelle back from Bordeaux and aged it for 10 years in a cool cellar. When we finally opened it, I would rate it as "drinkable". IMHO whether aging a vintage is worth the wait is probably known only to the vintners, who keep many barrels of each vintage and sample them each year. If they taste better on successive years they keep aging, but if they start to go South they probably dump the stuff as fast as they can.

28A IMAM. If an IMAM imbibes he probably do it on THE QT. OTOH, although Cannabis is illegal in IRAN, the laws are generally not enforced, except for the possession of large quantities of hashish, which is punishable by death.

38A A BET. Hand up.

42A GEEK. Tried BOHO first, despite GEEK being a CSO to me.

61A ACRE. The A perped and the clue didn't call for a plural, so ACTS wouldn't fit and so ACRE it was.

Cheers,
Bill

Jinx in Norfolk said...

And don't forget the Aston Martin with its revolving license plate, smoke screen spewer, razor knock-offs, and machine guns. I'm surprised that -T hasn't replicated it using one of his Fiats.

Chairman Moe said...

TTP - I just saw your post from last night. Yes, I am extremely happy the Steelers chose Pickett. It may not have been the best first pick, but it won't hurt them. I think Trubisky was an insurance signing in case Kenny wasn't around at pick #20

unclefred said...

Sorry to disagree w/ Picard, but as a Star Trek fan I found "The Trouble With Tribbles" to be the WORST episode of any iteration of Star Trek, memorable ONLY for its inanity. "Ship in a Bottle", which was actually two shows years apart, was the most imaginative. Anyway, the CW: FIR but no idea of the time it took. Insane number of interruptions made timing impossible. I did not get the theme until Moe 'splained it. Also did not know how TEN was half of a score until Moe. TEN was PERPs. DNK ASH, UNAGI. No W/Os. Air show here in FLL this weekend, and I have house guests for a few days, as I await getting the giant hole in my ceiling fixed where a roofer fell through.

Lucina said...

Hola!

So late today but I had a lovely conversation with my daughter. Totally worth it!

Thanks to Ryan and Doug for a slog but doable puzzle. Somehow I got bogged down in the center since I cannot remember UNAGI and I forgot that David NIVEN also played Bond. UNO helped recall that.

TRIBBLE was my last fill since I am not a fan and did not have a clue about that episode.

I know ABBA but for some unknown reason had AMMA (old age perhaps?). Finally came to my senses and corrected it. BLUE/BIRD helped.

My late brother-in-law loved his MIATA.

Fresh, new clue for ALTAR as well as for ERIE.

Sigh. My granddaughter, of course, knew Beyonce's mother's name, TINA. I would have known Ms. Turner.

Also, I've heard of HOYT Axton but had HOLT until TRAY emerged. Not a fan of country music.

Nice clue for ECHO, too.

This was a good Friday challenge! Thank you, CMoe, for leading the way through it!

Have a terrific Friday, everyone! Picard, I always enjoy any photos you post.







Lucina said...

CMOE: Is there something I need to do to get the puzzle to print? It comes out blank from my printer. Thank you.

Ol' Man Keith said...

Tough PZL from Mssrs. Hecht & Peterson. I needed three cheats to finish it.
Well deciphered by Chairman Moe. (We were on the same page: I too thought SWAG before TOTE.)

I agree with billocohoes and CanadianEh!: I assumed ABET referred to hiding the evidence of a crime.
This was tricky though, and it was crossed with a Natick perp in Cornish ABBIE. I enjoyed Three Billoards... but can't recall her or her role in it.
(And here I am, a full quarter Cornish myself...)

Am I a SNOOT because my first response to NIBBLE RING was to think it was a spoof of Wagner's RING of the NIBELUNGEN?!
~ OMK
____________
DR:
Four diagonals, three on the near side.
The near-center diagonal gives us an anagram (13 of 15 letters) that designates a person
(1) with a standard IQ of approximately 90, or
(2) to a member of the opposite political persuasion.
Yes, of course, you know I mean a...

"NEAR LAMEBRAIN"!

Jinx in Norfolk said...

C-Moe, I was able to print out the puzzle. I FIRed, and liked it a lot better than the one you blogged. Tough, but the unknowns were perp-able and most were worth learning. DNK that KOFI had a middle name. Found all the Cars (glad you could Shake It Up today).

Irish Miss said...

Moe, I just solved your puzzle and liked it a lot. Cluing was clever, theme was well hidden, and the difficulty level was just right and, most importantly, there were no pesky circles to lessen the challenge and solving satisfaction. Well done, Sir!

Jayce said...

I didn't understand the sound change gimmick; thanks for explaining it, Chairman Moe.

Lemonade714 said...

Alcohol is prohibited by all iterations of Islam, though very often ignored. Many South Florida Liquor Stores/Hemp smoke shops are owned by Muslims. Such is humanity.

I found the sound-alike puns not very well done and the three from ble and one off of bol seems inelegant.

I guess there is no reason to avoid spoiler alerts for Chris' puzzle today. I had read an article somewhere with the theme was discussed which distracted me. The use of Kofi Annan's middle name was nice. I looked throughout the internet for anyone blogging the Newman puzzles but found nothing.

A new blog from a Cornerite?

Be well all and more healing prayers for Boomer.

Lemonade714 said...

BTW, Ryan Hecht is a crossword podcaster at the self deprecating name "Fill Me In: Ryan Hecht is a disappointing experience." Fill me in is a nice title for a crossword podcast.

waseeley said...

OMK 2:34 PM Not snooty at all re Das Ring der Niebelungen. At least MOE could have supplied a picture for that. 3/4's Cornish? I think I may have the other quarter, at least according to my genealogist sister.

Chairman Moe said...

Lucina - I believe that my puzzle has a "print" button. Margaret was able to print a couple of copies that I am sending to my Mom and daughter. Dunno what happened on your end. Send me an email - it's in my "blue" Chairman Moe - and I'll try to send you a different link

To IM, Jinx, Lemon, et al, who tried my puzzle; a big THANKS! Glad you found it both enjoyable and challenging. Stan Newman has been extremely gracious with assisting me as I have gone into solo puzzles. I have about 5 or 6 more in the queue which will publish later this spring/summer. Some others are "Friday's", and I think more of my clues will stand

Anon T - if you didn't try it, there's a CSO to you in one of the entries . . .

PK said...

Hi Y'all! Groan! Got the theme, but much of the fill was unknown. Thanks anyway, Ryan & Doug. Thanks, CMoe.

Plot wasn't a grave site but an ACRE.

Knew HOYT. Didn't know they changed Staples Center. No wonder I couldn't figure out what they were talking about at some games.

Didn't know Yamaha made instruments. Tried "bikes" & "piano".

Never ever watched Star Trek. Don't plan to. Didn't, therefore, know TRIBBLE altho the transition from "nipple" sort of shocked me too, CanadianEh!

Wilbur Charles said...

FwiW, did anybody try Kobe for the statue? I noticed in back of SHAQ was the old Staples sign. Was , perhaps, Kobe still alive when the SHAQ Statue was planned?

As you plod through Saturday's xword remember there's hope: Wilbur solved it

WC

Vidwan827 said...


Thank you Ryan Hect abd Doug Peterson, for a very challenging puzzle. I completed it with some lookups, but did not enjoy it .... and after Ch. Moe's explanatory blog, I still have my doubts. I am not a trekkie, but I have watched the The Trouble with Tribbles .... in multiple reruns.,,, But the main theme escaped me.

Thank you Ch Moe, for your blog, which was very interesting. I plan to do your puzzle, this weekend.

Thank you all for your empathy and sympathies, in my trials and tribulations in life. I am soo grateful and lucky to have a DW, of 46 years, whose been taking excellent care of me, who is knowledgable, qualified and persistent, to a fault.

****************************
As for countries, who ban drinking alchohol .... other than the muslim majority countries, India also had several 'dry laws' , all of which were collossal political, economic, sociological and ethical failures.

In fact, I had my first drink of Scotch, at age 21, when my first cousin got promoted, by strict merit (!), to Asst. Director of the Prohibhition Dept of the local state govt ......

In India, this alc-ban, is a 'state' subject, and the local feni ( county likker, from either coconut tree sap, or juice ..... or fermented cashew apples ...) is generally freely available or the actual imbibers are never prosecuted or punished. Now, most likker is made in huge factories, out of the left over tar like molasses from the by products of white sugar production. In Goa, a former portugese enclave, there are no restrictions, whatsoever.

In Pakistan, despite the plethora of laws, there is liqr available through lower level diplomats etc., and the biggest consumers are the rich, the politicians and the entire Pak army officer's corps.

In Iran, traditionally the fact that they were Sufis, gave them an sorta exemption from the strict rules of the Holy Quran. Rumi, one of the country's most famous poets, and also Omar Khayyam, were both imbibed in drink, ... sometimes to excess, and wrote numerous odes and other laudatory poems in praise of the consumption of alchohol.

In fact, I will repeat a link of am indian lady singing a poem in the desperate love and the utter addiction to alcoholic drink.

The original poem was written by the IRANIAN poet, Rumi, in the 14th century .... and the language is in Urdu, one of the national languages of Pakistan.

The lady's singing is very very good, and her diction and voice control is fabulous.... and she is very famous in her own right. For the record, she is an indian by citizenship, and not a muslim.

She is a PhD in Indian Music, and she has won numerous awards, and her singing would qualify her as one of the foremost exponents of north indian, ghazal, and especially Qawwalli music ... irrespective of the subect, she is singing about...


the first lines of the song go as:::

This is a gentle, gentle intoxication,
that I blame, strictly, on my vision of you ...
and how you taught me to become an (incorrigible - ) drunkard ....


have a good weekend, all.

Mister Canoehead said...

I solved the puzzle "in black" (on the web without error check mode) .. but I was confounded as to why TREE was an answer for CORNER. After searching on the web for a while, I guess CORNER has a particular meaning in the trade of surveying, and surveyors often use a TREE as a CORNER.

LEO III said...

FIW, but not where I thought I might be wrong. I had KIBBLERING/UKAGI. My last wrestling match was finally giving in to GEEK, which was a complete WAG. I knew HOYT, but I had fill in the rest of that ‘hood to be sure that brain cell was still functional.

I came within one square of a Friday FIR, so I’m not completely disappointed.

I DO want to stay at the BURJ. Doubt that I’ll ever have the chance.

I enjoyed the puzzle! Thanks, Ryan and Doug and Moe!

Chairman Moe said...

Mister Canoehead - to TREE (corner) as a verb: "in a difficult situation without escape; cornered"

I've heard it referred to with animals - making the animal have to climb the TREE, e.g., as it is "cornered"

Welcome to Friday clueing!!

Anonymous T said...

Canoehead - C.Moe needed to add a visual ;-)

FFW to 4:57 and you can see TAZ has Bugs TREE'd, er, Cornered.

Cheers, -T

Chairman Moe said...

Well-played, Tony!!

Lucina said...

i forgot to mention that one of my sisters and a friend visited Dubai and had drink at the bar of the Burj for a mere $300 each.

Anonymous T said...

Unclefred - every one else has gone to bed so we can talk Trek...

Best episode ever is "The Inner Light" from TNG. I remember watching it with friends in college and almost crying as I lived the life Picard lived from the dead planet.
Patrick Stewart nailed it on a human level. The ending. #Spoiler don't click if you've never seen.

Lucina - $300/drink? Nutz.

Cheers, -T
//The episode synopsis from a loud guy.