google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Tuesday, May 31, 2022 Ed Beckert

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May 31, 2022

Tuesday, May 31, 2022 Ed Beckert

A Rose By Another Name.  Well, it might not smell so sweet, so let me be a bit more diplomatic.

16-Across.  *   Shabby and dated: RETRO CHIC.  Would you rather be told you look Shabby and Dated, or Retro Chic?

23-Across.  *   Tunes for fogies: CLASSIC ROCK.  Would you rather be told you are an old fogy because of the music you listen to, or be told you are into Classic Rock?


56-Across. *   Blubber: LOVE HANDLES.  Would you rather be told you have a lot of Blubber, or that you have adorable Love Handles?


64-Across. *   Hopelessly out of touch: OLD SCHOOL.  Would you rather be told you are Hopelessly Out of Touch, or that you are Old School?

And the unifier:

37-Across. Make sweeter, in the way the theme answers do to their starred clues?: SUGAR COAT.


What else do we have that is sweet this week?

Across:
1. Antlered deer: STAG.


5. Take in the sights: TOUR.  I will be doing some touring over the next month.

9. Transfer to a new city, informally: RELO.


13. Run out of steam: TIRE.

14. "__ Wolf and Cub": manga series: LONE.  I am not familiar with this series.


15. Wi-Fi device: MODEM.

18. Winery process that takes years: AGING.  Aren't we all?

19. French farewell: ADIEU.  Obviously, this is today's French lesson.

20. Matching cups, saucers, etc.: TEA SETS.


22. The Big Apple, for short: NYC.  Why New York City is called The Big Apple.

27. Toothpaste option: GEL.


28. Possesses: HAS.

29. Spanish Mrs.: SRA.  Obviously, today's Spanish lesson.  Hi, Lucina!

30. Issa of "Insecure": RAE.  Issa Rae (née Jo-Issa Rae Diop;b. Jan. 12, 1985) has become a frequent guest in our puzzles.


31. Genesis garden: EDEN.


33. Word between surnames: NÉE.  More of today's French lesson.  Née is the female past participle of the French word naître, which means "to be born."

35. Rough-sounding: RASPY.

41. Wristwatch part: STRAP.

44. Actor Lowe: ROB.  In the 1980s, Rob Lowe (né Robert Helper Lowe; b. Mar. 17, 1964) was a member of the Brat Pack.  He has also appeared in a number of television shows, including West Wing, which is now almost 20 years in the past.


45. MLB team in the ESPN documentary "Once Upon a Time in Queens": METS.


49. Bowl over: AWE.

50. Opposite of NNW: SSE.



53. Note from one who's shy?: IOU.  Cute clue and answer.

55. Museum collection: ART.  I will be visiting this art collection in just a few weeks.

59. Sturgeon product: ROE.  Yummers!



60. Hot, dust-laden Saharan wind: SIROCCO.  Everything you wanted to know about Sirocco, but didn't know to ask.

61. Island south of Sicily: MALTA.


63. Want very much: COVET.  The Wicked Bible of 1631 seemingly permitted such activities.

67. Apple desktops: iMACS.  We have a Mac Mini.
68. Honest-to-goodness: REAL.

69. Border on: ABUT.

70. Gael, for one: CELT.



71. Whirlpool: EDDY.

72. "This Is Us" role for Susan Kelechi Watson: BETH.  This Is Us was a television drama that just ended its run.  I never watched the show, but it got rave reviews.  Apparently Susan Kelechi Watson (b. Nov. 11, 1981) was one of the main characters.


Down:
1. Odd: STRANGE.

2. Like many hand-colored T-shirts: TIE-DYED.


3. Magazine story: ARTICLE.

4. "Sommersby" actor Richard: GERE.  Sommersby was a 1993 film that starred Richard Gere and Jody Foster.

Richard Tiffany Gere (b. Aug. 31, 1949)

5. Pampering, for short: TLC.  As in Tender Loving Care.

6. "Look, fireworks!": OOH!


7. Condo divisions: UNITS.

8. Classroom break: RECESS.


9. Tennis great Federer: ROGER.  Roger Federer (b. Aug. 8, 1981) was ranked Number 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals for 310 weeks.


10. Cosmopolitan group?: EDITORS.


11. Camera accessory: LENS CAP.



12. Short "Good grief!": OMG.

15. Eyelash application: MASCARA.



17. "That hurts!": OUCH.

21. "Bel-__": 2022 drama series based on a 1990s sitcom: AIR.

24. "Auld __ Syne": LANG.

25. Sailing: ASEA.  A crossword staple.


26. Lock opener: KEY.

32. Govt. intel group: NSA.  As in the National Security Agency.  I can neither confirm nor deny that I work for this agency.




34. Play a proper noun in Scrabble, say: ERR.

36. Drive-thru device: ATM.  As in an Automatic Teller Machine.




38. Ultimate results: UP-SHOTS.

39. Spiral: COIL.

40. Clarinet kin: OBOE.

41. 1950s actor Mineo or 1950s pitcher Maglie: SAL.

Sal Mineo (né Salvatore Mineo, Jr.; Jan. 10, 1939 ~ Feb. 12, 1976)

Sal Maglie (né Salvatore Anthony Maglie; Apr. 26, 1917 ~ Dec. 28, 1992)


42. Pair: TWOSOME.

43. Second or third staging on Broadway, say: REVIVAL.

46. Oft-pierced body part: EAR LOBE.


47. Present proudly: TROT OUT.

48. Furtiveness: STEALTH.

51. Cul-de-__: SAC.  More of today's French lesson.  It literally means "bottom of a sack."

52. Concertgoer's "More!": ENCORE.


54. "Semper Fi" military org.: USMC.  As in the United States Marine Corps.  Several of our regulars are were in the Marines.

57. Raise: ERECT.


58. Meted (out): DOLED.

62. "Moby-Dick" captain: AHAB.


63. POTUS, militarily speaking: CIC.  As in the Commander-In-Chief.

65. Pop: DAD.

66. Underhanded: SLY.

Here's the Grid:





חתולה

I won't Sugar Coat this.  This will be my last commentary for a while.  Hubby and I are taking a month-long trip to Europe.  I know you will be in good hands while I am gone.


Notes from C.C.:

1) Have a wonderful trip, Hahtoolah, we look forward to your return!

2) Our Thursday sherpas MM & Bill have agreed to cover for Hahtoolah in June. Thank you so much, guys!


45 comments:

Subgenius said...

I don't have to much to say about this puzzle. I found the theme enjoyable and the puzzle not too difficult. FIR, so I'm happy.
FLN: Misty, thanks for your sweet comment. I try to always " be happy." It seems a worthwhile goal in this crazy world.

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

Love me a Tuesday themeless. D'oh. This one came together faster than yesterday's and no Wite-Out was applied. Yay. Really enjoyed it, Ed. Have a great trip, Hahtoolah. (I was amused that "Cartoon stock" was written across the stock in that cartoon for "Old School." D-o is easily amused.)

Jinx in Norfolk said...

FIR with no erasure. "WiFi device" for MODEM gave me pause since it isn't. Routers usually have built-in WiFi, and there are some all-in-one units, but they are not universal. My way-too-big-now 108 year old house has a router/mesh network WiFi, connected to the internet via ethernet through a cable MODEM.

I always think of Rob Lowe as being Robert McCallister, who had the screeching warmies for Ally McBeal, er, Kitty Walker, in crossword favorite OJAI.

Thanks to Ed for the fun, very easy Monday exercise. My favorite was "note from one who's shy". And thanks to Ha2la for the pictorial review. All cute. Bon Voyage!

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, Crossword friends. We are looking forward to our trip, but first have to pass the dreaded Covid test. Fingers crossed!


QOD: A conference is a gathering of important people who singly can do nothing but together can decide that nothing can be done. ~ Fred Allen (né John Florence Sullivan; May 31, 1894 ~ Mar. 17, 1956), American comedian and radio personality

Anonymous said...

Took me 5:02 to get to the candy store today.

Sirocco was brand new to me, and seems like a Tuesday outlier, but otherwise a solid Tuesday puzzle and review.

KS said...

FIR. Sirocco stalled me a bit till I finally gave up on crave which I had instead of covet. Nice Tuesday puzzle, very enjoyably.

ATLGranny said...

Smooth and easy today but not boringly easy. FIR with no WOs for a change! I don't need to spin this or SUGARCOAT it: the puzzle was a joy to do on a terrific Tuesday. Thanks, Ed. For a change, I had no questions about fill at the end and the theme was understandable and helpful.

Hahtoolah, thanks for your quite capable and entertaining review today. I hope you have a pleasant trip, returning rested and full of stories to tell us.

FLN, thanks for posting the wedding pictures, CED. Such a special event for you all!
AnonT, you have a good reason to be proud of both your daughter and wife (who was connected to four out of 25 participants)!

And with that I bid you all ADIEU. Have a great day!

desper-otto said...

Anon and KS, Volkswagen had an on-again, off-again Scirocco model beginning in 1974 and finally ending in 2017. I remember the adds referring to the "hot African wind." Spelling is different from the puzzle, though.

Anonymous said...

Rain

Ray - O - Sunshine said...

Would I rather be called a dummy or not SUGAR COAT IT and admit I didnt get the theme..tried everything..anagrams, leaving out letters, looking backwards in a mirror. 😃

...Inkover: bel ami/BELAIR. Obscure Manga series clue on a Tuesday? Sheesh 🙄.. If the LENSCAP is doing its job the camera isn't. 📷. OLD SCHOOL: part of a group planning our 55 HS reunion for this fall. All we Old Fogeys talk about are our aches and pains.

"Thou shalt not COVET thy neighbor's goods" unless he has a garage sale..😀

"Oft-pierced body part"..ask Queen Victoria's hubby Prince Albert... 🤭🤫

SIROCCO...
"The Syracuse Ornamental Company, known as Syroco, was an American manufacturing company based in Syracuse, New York. They were best known for their molded wood-pulp products that resembled hand-carving"....Bro and I had a Syroco crucifix above our bed

ENCORE is French but the French (and Italians too) shout "Bis"! (twice) if they want an encore. (It: "Grandmother", Nonna, "Greatgrandmother", Bisnonna)

Saw go with.. ASEA
Yea go with...NÉE
Quite dastardly....RELO

H2LH have a great touring time, will miss your hilarious toons.

Best of luck to Boomer today.

Madame Defarge said...

Good Morning.

A welcome puzzle with great success after suffering insomnia for no know reason.

Thanks, Ed, for that! It was really enjoyable.

Buon viaggio, Hahtoolah! Safe travels! We'll miss you.

Only the best. C.C. and Boomer!!

Have a sunny day, everyone.

CrossEyedDave said...

Not quite sugarcoated...

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

It took me a few minutes to figure out the theme but I finally saw the light. I don’t remember a theme like this and found it quite clever. In this case, the early reveal placement did not give away the theme for which I was grateful. No w/os and no unknowns. Some cute pairings include Rae/Née, Air/Err, Ear/Gere, iMacs/Modem, Sly/Stealth/NSA, and TLC/NYC/CIC. CSOs to Lucina (Sra), DO and Jinx (Asea), All Teachers (Recess), Ray O (Rae, phonetically), and Picard (Lens Cap).

Thanks, Ed, for a fresh challenge and thanks, Hahtoolah, for a fun and fact-filled review. Fav toon was the Bow Tie-Died! Have a wonderful trip abroad and hurry back.

Subgenius @ 5:04 ~ A worthy goal, indeed. 🤗

DO @ 5:44 ~ IM is easily amused, too. 😝

FLN

Anon T, congratulations to your daughter on her Johns Hopkins gig. I’m sure you and DW are very proud of her.

CED, thanks for sharing the lovely photos of the wedding. The bride and groom make a handsome, happy couple. May they live happily ever after.

Did anyone watch the CNN special, Julia, last night? I really enjoyed learning so much more about her as a person, beyond her success and fame as a chef. I have her famous book “Mastering The Art of French Cooking” on my bookshelf but, so far, I have only read through it with awe and admiration.

Have a great day.

Yellowrocks said...

H2LH, you are going out with a bang up job on illustrations and cartoons. Enjoy your trip.
Easy, but interesting puzzle. The reveal was a surprise. Monday's puzzle was easy, but interesting, too.
I enjoyed outdoor recess, but hated indoor recess duty. Indoors there was a large number of bored kids with very loud voices crammed together in a gym.

waseeley said...

Thank you Ed for a fun puzzle with a clever theme, which this fogie I didn't really suss. However, as there was no place to fill it in, I guess I FIRed.

And thank you Hahtoolah for treating us to your usual hilarity before departing these shores for some well-desered R&R. I can't speak for MalMan, but I'm not even going to try to keep the Corner ROTFL. Oh and send us some post-cards!

A few favs:

It was the themer clue/fills that were my favs. I can spot a euphemism a mile away, but when they're up close and personal I tend to be a bit myopic. Hilarious stuff actually.

And some more:

5A TOUR. I hope you thoroughly enjoy yours Susan.

20A TEA SETS. I've never made a complete tea set, but have made quite a few teapots. They are one of the hardest things to pot and put together. I've never pulled handles for them, but cheat with pre-made cane handles, which qualifies them as "multi-media" I guess.

30A RAE. I recall blogging about the lovely ISSA a while back, around the time that she married a very lucky man.

37A SUGAR COAT. I like mine on peanuts.

44A ROB. I recall seeing him in the 1986 ROMCOM "About Last Night" which did quite well at the box office, and more recently in a Brit mystery series called "Wild Bill", which didn't do quite so well.

63A SIROCCO. I recall there was Saharan equivalent to the SANTA ANA winds in the States, but it took perps to get the first 3 letters.

2D TIE-DYED. Teri and I tie-dyed a few TEES in the "Classic Rock" era so I guess we qualify as fogies.

32D NSA. There is NO SUCH AGENCY, and it's just down I95 from where we live, or I so I've been told.

Cheers,
Bill

waseeley said...

CED @9:04 AM have you tried calling that number. We're looking for a good mechanic.

FLN. -T what's Youngest studying at Hopkins? I used to work there (twice). Two of my B.I.L.'s work there. I think everyone in Maryland has worked there at one time or another. BTW, Oldest still owes me the playlist from her recital.

CanadianEh! said...

Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Ed and Hahtoolah (have a wonderful trip!). (I loved the MRI cartoon!]
I FIRed and saw the theme, but it took some work.
I had Roil instead of COIL, and entered SUGAR ROAD which made no sense. ATM corrected the D to T and the light dawned.

Is Patti poking fun at us old fogies with this SUGAR COATed theme? We have been giving her a hard time about the new clues.
LOL, we even have AGING, TEASETS and TIEDYE as Easter Eggs.

Perps corrected my spelling of SIROCCO.
Favourite clue was for IOU.

Good to see you here today, MadameD.
AnonT- thanks for your kind words on my ERR FLN. Congrats to your DW on the success of her Honors (sic) program.

Wishing you all a great day.

desper-otto said...

Did anyone else misread CanadianEh!'s ERR FLN as Errol Flynn? Ain't cataracts grand?

Lucina said...

Hola!

Nice puzzle from Ed Beckert. I started it very early this morning because I had to take my granddaughter to work as well as drop off her son at my daughter's home. Lots of driving! I did not realize she drove so much every day. No wonder gas is used up. I need the car this morning for my volunteer gig at church.

I'll take a CSO at SRA. Yes, I am one. Also OLD SCHOOL. Every day I realize how much.

My EARS were pierced at age 13 by a neighbor and I'm surprised the holes did not close during all those years when I did not wear earrings. Now, nuns can wear them if they wish.

SIROCCO waited for all eight perps because I wasn't sure of the spelling.

Safe travels, Susan!

Have a beautiful last day of May, everyone!



Anonymous said...

Does it ever impress you that you’re the only one who posts the time it takes you to finish a puzzle, except sweet, humble Uncle Fred who pokes fun at how long it takes him.

Monkey said...

Nice puzzle today. I got the theme right away since I started with it and it popped up in no time.
If you’ve ever spent time in Southern Europe then you know about sirocco winds. I like the custom of naming winds. The famous Mistral is a cold north wind that blows in Southern France, and of course there are the Santa Ana winds in California.

Bon voyage Hahtoolah. Maybe you’ll encounter a Siroccco wind.

desper-otto said...

Aced it!

Misty said...

Delightful Tuesday puzzle, many thanks, Ed. And we'll miss your always helpful commentary, Hahtoolah, thanks for that too.

The cartoon for TIE-DYED cracked me up.

Also the note from one who's shy: IOU.

Still don't understand how BLUBBER are LOVE HANDLES?

Have Boomer and C.C. in my heart today, and hope all goes well with the medical visit.

Have a great day, everybody.

PK said...

Hi Y'all! Really fine puzzle, Ed. Wasn't sure I understood the theme but according to Hahtoolah's fine expo, I guess I got it.

Best wishes for a great trip for you, Hahtoolah! Wish we could all go with you. You will be missed, but glad the guys will fill in.

The picture of the Boston Celtics was appropriate since they won the NBA Eastern Conference Championship this week. (Don't think they speak Gael tho.) Wild rough physical game series won over the Miami Heat. Seemed like those big bodies were always down on the floor. Think they'll hurt a lot when they get old?

Hope Boomer is out of surgery & recovering nicely.

unclefred said...

Wowie, Zowie, old unclefred raced through this one to FIR in 13! I really enjoyed this CW, not just because I managed to zip through it (in unclefred time units, kinda like dog years) but because it was cleverly clued. I did not see the theme until Hahtoolah patiently 'splained it. Thanx EB for this gem. No W/Os! Hahtoolah, you outdid yourself with the cartoons today. All good, but I truly LOVED the one about piercings! THAT is hilarious! Enjoy your month in Europe. I find getting a Eurail pass to be well worth the money, if you are free-wheeling your way through Europe rather than on an organized tour. I hope you get to Barcelona to admire the work of Antoni Gaudi, although many of the sites have now been commercialized to death, with the need to buy tickets well in advance. Anyway, enjoy your trip. Back to the CW, I am always amazed at how fast some people are able to FIR. I recall once having a completed CW and printing out a blank, putting them side by side and just copying the answers, and discovering that in typical unclefred time it took a bit over four minutes just to copy the answers! So anyone who can do a croosword in five minutes or so I truly admire their ability.

CC, please keep us posted on Boomers progress, we are all rooting for his full recovery.

Vidwan82777 said...


Thank you Ed Beckert for a nice and easy puzzle - which I (naturally - ) enjoyed, very much.

Thank you Hatoolah for your cheerful and hilarity filled review...
You could consider changing your avatar or alias to CARTOONAH ...
And the subjects are so appropriate...
you must have been a comedian in your 'previous, other' life.

As for Europe ... Have a Safe and Enjoyable trip ..

Carry Travellers' checks in Euros, inform your credit card issuer that you will be travelling abroad - credit cards often give you the best foreign exchange rates at the equiv. $100,000 levels ... Get a EuroPass, if not driving. Book hotels in advance.

Be careful of rapacious taxi drivers in certain cities ... and of Gypsies, ( or look alikes - ) of all kinds ... there are many, many money scammers out there ...!!

Remember, the tickets to most museums are heavily biased and discriminatory - Europeans pay the least or nothing, and Americans pay the biggest and highest ticket prices.

It helps to know at least one euro language, to get around - the French hate people who speak the English exclusively ... even a working knowledge of German or Spanish would help...
Develop a thick skin, people can be very unnecessarily rude.
Sorry, to be political, but this was my experience in 2014.

Hope you have taken all your COVID shots and double boosters. Carry all your meds in your carry ons. Best of Luck.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

OK, I've got a question about Ha2La's most-commented cartoon. To recap, the patient is in the MRI, and ear and nipple jewelry are slammed to the wall of the machine. Having never had either body part pierced, what do they make the jewelry from? Gold, silver and most stainless steel aren't attracted by magnetism. Chrome-plated pig iron?

Vidwan82777 said...


Best wishes and prayers for a successful operation for Boomer, and hope it is a big respite from other trials and tribulations. The surgeon should have been well rested from the long weekend.

Back to the Cross Word puzzle.

I got the theme when I got the final long answer.
I was familiar with Sirocco, because of the VW model, ( I looked it up when I heard it - ). The indian - hindi equivalent is Aan-dhi which comes from aan-dha meaning 'blind', or what happens in a dust storm.
There is also the monsoon(s) in India ... but those are heavy rains, which are very much welcomed.

Finally, the Old School teachers and their punishments ...
Last Year, I went to the schools where my grandkids go to learn, ... and was duly shocked at the easy going, low discipline, that was enforced. My, my, my, things have certainly changed since I went to a public boarding school. And the kids' hairstyles are atrocious.

Have a good shortened week, you all.



Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 11:07 a.m.: No, it's never impressed me that dear Uncle Fred and I are the only ones who regularly post our times. I am impressed by his humor and humility though.

At least one other person used to post his time here, and occasionally some do (d-o, I believe).

As I've said before, I really have no point of reference for the time it takes to finish a puzzle (other than U. Fred, several comments from Ms. Irish Miss, and a few others, including Subgenius). I know there's some folks who finish them in about 1/2 what it takes me, so my intention isn't to brag if takes you longer than it takes me; if it takes you less time, congratulations, I guess. There's a timer that automatically starts on-line when I start and automatically stops when I finish, so I post that time. I'm aware many choose to ignore that, and I respect their decision. Please feel free to ignore my posts if they bother you.

Anonymous at 7:06 a.m.

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-A mediocre morning of golf where I had the best shot I’ve hit in months on the last hole. Hope springs eternal.
-A fun concept
-A ROKU issue was solved last week by rebooting my MODEM. I don’t know why it worked.
-Our Jeffrey Wechsler is an ART curator
-Two familiar SALS
-I wonder how many Rodgers and Hammerstein REVIVALS have there been
-CIC could have been 199

Anonymous T said...

Hi All!

Cute theme, Ed. Thanks for SUGAR COATing my AGING #ClassicRock #OldSchool
//I can't be RETRO CHIC 'cuz I was never "with" the fashion :-)

As always, an AWE inspiring comic-laden expo. Thanks Hahtoolah (LOL QOD!) and enjoy your trip (pics!). OOH, I especially enjoyed piercings in the MRI tube.
MManatee & Waseeley - y'all better start looking for comics now ;-)

WO: N/A
ESP: SIROCCO
Nit: clue for MODEM - what Jinx said.
Fav: REVIVAL xing COVET tickled me

LOVE HANDLE is a cartoon band from Phineas & Ferb.
LOVE HANDLES is a real band in California(?) that I found it while looking for the former's link.

Misty - see the cartoon Hahtoolah posted. That 'muffin-top' is blubber, fat, love-flaps.

@11:07a - to each their own. Folks in the past would post their times as a way to help them track it. SS has fun with it, unclefred has fun with it, I have fun with it...
//I can't post my times 'cuz I have no clue - I work the puzzle when I have a few cycles in between other tasks.

Waseeley - re: Youngest - see FLN @12:38a. I thought I gave you a link to Eldest's recital but I'll follow-up with her today.

C.C. - Please provide us with a Boomer update. We're all thinking about yous.

Cheers, -T

Vidwan827777 said...


Anonymous, as above, I know my CW solving times, but choose to ignore it, because it appears to be irrelevant to my solving experience. I realize some people are very fast solvers, but I enjoy the puzzles, like a choice delectable favorite dish - to be chewed slowly and savored to the utmost.

I am aware that some people have incredible memories, or enormous dendrites, that they can remember anything ... especially at the ACPT etc., but I have no desire to be in that league - just like I have no desire to be a chess genius, or a genius of any kind.
As you say, to each their own.


Jinx, the problem with MRIs is that all metals have atoms which may be excited by the super-strong (magnetic ) fields, not merely iron or paramagnetic elements.

There are 7 different types of magnetism - ferromagnetism, ferri-, antiferro-, para- and dia- magnetism ...
Soo, it is better, or required by Law, that no metallic parts of ANY kind be on the person's body, during the procedure ...

Why take a risk, and invite a disaster, and a scandal and a lawsuit and possible firing ?!??

Ol' Man Keith said...

A fine Tuesday PZL from Mr. Beckert. Marvelously explicated by Hahtoolah.

STAG? Some female deer grow antlers. Caribou (reindeer) females always grow them.
Deer clues can easily serve to misdirect, as most deer answers are exactly four letters: BUCK, STAG, DOES, and of course the word DEER itself.

I got a special kick outta the cartoon chosen for ASEA.
It's actually brilliant, and I wonder why no one seems to have thought of it before.
~ OMK
____________
DR:
Just one diagonal, on the closer side.
Hmmm.
Not sure what to make of this anagram (13 of 15 letters).
'Tis a curious combination of words. But I shall try.
I believe this is what you get when Apple, or some other tech giant, decides to attach speaker buds to your morning robe.
These would be your...

"HOUSECOAT EARS," n'est-ce pas?

Monkey said...

I couldn’t time my solving duration because like Anonymous T I work the puzzle in between various tasks, and like Vidwan827777, I like to savor those moments without an eye on the clock.

I have several nice watches, but once I retired 12 years ago i quit wearing one. Most of the time I don’t want to know what time it is. Sometimes that produces nasty surprises however. 🤓

Jinx in Norfolk said...

Vid, I DNK about the various types of magnetism. So I could understand if the lobes and nips were smoking, but would the jewelry really smack up against the inside of the instrument?

Ray - O - Sunshine said...

Any one who has has an MRI knows the drill about metal in or on the body. Everything from a brain aneurysm clip to some eye makeup products. Some forms of metal can move, heat up, or render the images unreadable. Although there are "MRI safe" metals (non ferrous like titanium and others) most patients are not aware of what type of metal they are carrying or wearing

So Jinx..if you need an MRI make sure you remove all your earrings, tongue and nipple rings, and especially your Prince Albert. And no eye makeup 😄

Lucina said...

Ray-O
I wondered why all jewelry and make-up had to be removed. I've had an MRI only once.

Sad news today. My last uncle, dad's brother, has died at age 94. He was living with one of his sons in Sacramento and will be cremated then taken to our home town, Concho where other family members are buried. WE will likely have a caravan going from here.

TTP said...


D-O, Aced what ?

Unclefred, and Unknown Author at 7:06 AM and 2:39 PM, a few of the very many truly fast solvers post their times at Dan Feyer's Not a Crossword Blog (Post Your Solving Times!) link. Very, very humbling. But then again, they are world class solvers. David, Glen, Joon post. Stella, Howard, Dan and Tyler don't post their times. All are perennial top 10 finishers at the ACPT.

I won't be traveling to Stamford anytime soon.

Ray-O, I had some time today and was able to recreate how you managed to make all subsequent comments, excepting for those reading on smartphones, like ATLGranny, italicized.

Not your issue, and nothing you can do to solve it, except for making sure that you close your tags. Also, don't expect that you are ever going to get your Preview button back while you are using your smartphone.

Jayce said...

Sheesh, I got so distracted that I forgot to comment here. I liked this puzzle, everything about it. I loved your write-up, Hahtoolah, and I enjoyed reading all of your comments, folks. Here's wishing you all a good last day in May.

Wilbur Charles said...


Publish didn't work on my previous post. Boring stuff about my CELTS and Sal "The Barber" Maglie

Bon voyage hahtoolah, maloman and waseeley have a tough act to follow.

I've been remiss in not congratulating Anon-T on both the move and the success of her daughter and LW.

Misty, hahtoolah explained BLUBBER in her write-up.

Re. COVET/ cover. In the USMC that which is on the head is a "Cover". And, they are doffed indoors thus no saluting indoors.

WC


Ray - O - Sunshine said...

TTP

Do you know why the preview button suddenly disappeared and comment format changed? I have always used my (android) phone to comment since I never know where or when I'll have a break at work.

Is it a android versus I phone issue?

Vidwan827 said...


Ray-O-Sunshine, .... In the last of my earlier posts, I wanted to add to my comment on the .... 'what to wear during an MRI procedure' .... that We should probably await for an 'expert' comment from you, .... a real, honest to goodness, radiologist.

However I was at a 'public' computer, and was trying to get some urgent other work done, so it kinda sorta slipped my mind.

Thank you for your comment, especially about the make up .... the only makeup I wear is to color my hair, black - hopefully the dyes have no arsenic sulfides, lead acetates or bismuth sulfates in the dye, ... and the ammonia does not react to the MRI .... ;-o)

BTW, as an aside, I just had a furious dinner discussion with my wife, the ped anesth, and she said, she did not have to remove her pure gold earrings in the MRI room ....?? !

On further questioning, I found out she has never had an MRI as a patient, (!)

... but for really sick kids, on ventilation, she is reqd to stay in the MRI room, while the procedure is going on ... unlike the radiology techs, .... and all stethoscopes are verboten, cuz they could get sucked inside the MRI ( her words -)... but she was not reqd to take off her gold earrings or her 'marriage' necklace.... which is neither here nor there...

We wish, pray and Hope .... that Boomer's surgery is over, and he is recovering in the ICU room with CC's and the nurses TLc ....

TTP said...



Ray-O, it appears you have the new commenting interface that Blogger is rolling out to mobile (smartphone) users. They just change stuff. It's what they do. Then we have to figure out what they've done and how to adapt. When I pull up the blog on my smartphone, I have the same as you do.

If you find it too burdensome, you might try scrolling all the way down below the comments line, and selecting the "Web Version" button. That should give you the comments box and the Preview button like you had in the past.

Anonymous said...

Hello, this is Jayce. Testing testing. I am posting this on my iPhone and I can’t do so with my Google account as Jayce. It is forcing me to post as anonymous.

Ray - O - Sunshine said...

Vid Wan

When our group started doing MRI back in 1989 the magnets were not as well shielded as they are now. I remember when I injected a patient standing next to the magnet bore the metal clip on my suspenders (I wore sometimes) would pull the suspenders themselves off my chest and toward the magnet. Now it's less of a problem. If a family member or physician is in the room gold or silver jewelry is OK but your wife's credit card could be erased. BUT WOULD THAT BE A BAD THING.😁