Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here. Today's puzzle comes to us from constructor, Baylee Devereaux. This is her second LA Times publication. I will quote Ol'Man Keith on Baylee's LA Times debut, "Some seriously clever long fills in this Devereaux opus, alternating with commonplace XWD fills, all marshaled for us by JZB."
As for today's puzzle, Baylee had something different in mind. I am calling it
Top Hand
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| Tad Lucas was known as "Rodeo's First Lady". |
Baylee placed her themers vertically in the grid because she wants us to pay special attention to the top (UPPER) part of each of the four themed answers:
3 Down. *Performer's pseudonym: STAGE NAME. a name assumed for professional purposes by an actor or other performer.
8 Down. *Flippable timekeeper: HOURGLASS. Does your brain go here, too?
13 Down. *Creamy dip for vegetables: RANCH DRESSING.
30 Down. *Dog in a Disney tear-jerker: OLD YELLER. TBH, I cannot go there without crying so please, if you have questions, look this one up yourself.
Then the reveal:
32 Down. Advantageous position, and what each answer to a starred clue literally has: UPPER HAND. the position of having power or being in control in a particular situation.
Joining the UPPER parts with HAND, we get:
STAGE HAND a person who moves scenery or props before or during the performance of a play. HOUR HAND This one is a bit of an outlier because it is a clock part, not a person.
RANCH HAND a manual laborer on a ranch.
OLD HAND a person with a lot of experience in something.
Across:
1. Amble along: MOSEY.
12. Wonderland cake invitation that Alice accepted: EAT ME. Two years ago I reread Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There after listening to a podcast that talked about the themes and poems from an adult perspective. If you want to reread them, too, see if your library has a copy with John Tenniel's illustrations. They are wonderful!
13. Nevada gambling town near Carson City: RENO.
15. Emmy category: DRAMA. The 2022 Emmy for Best Drama went to Succession.
16. Merry-go-rounds: CAROUSELS. Let's see what Mary Poppins is up to.
18. Floral wreath: GARLAND.
20. Washer cycle: RINSE.
21. "Fee, __, foe, fum": FIE. from Jack to King Lear
23. DEA agent: NARC. "Drug Enforcement Administration" is abbreviated, so is "NARCotics".
24. Feels the same: AGREES.
25. "Ella Enchanted" star Hathaway: ANNE.
27. Car or truck: VEHICLE.
29. South American grasslands: LLANOS. Pronounced 'ya-nohs' (Spanish for "plains"), they are wide grasslands stretching across western Venezuela and northeastern Colombia.
31. Facts and figures: DATA. Also, a Star Trek character portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He is a synthetic life form with artificial intelligence.
32. Thumb drive port: USB.
2nd try: obviously incorrect.
35. Humped beast: CAMEL.
36. Buffet table coffee server: URN.
37. Overly sentimental: SAPPY. Hand up for liking the SAPPY Hallmark Christmas movies.
39. Be in debt: OWE. We can OWE money but we can also OWE a debt of gratitude.
40. Prom partner: DATE. The Charleston dance scene in It's a Wonderful Life (1947) was filmed at Beverly Hills High School's Swim-Gym, built in 1939 as a federal public works project.
42. Fireplace receptacle: ASH PIT. Hand up for changing PoT to PIT.
43. Enters using a keyboard: TYPES IN.
45. In this location: HERE.
46. Girl who lost her sheep: BO PEEP.
49. Shoveler's target: SNOW.
51. Hi-__ monitor: RES. "High" is shortened, so is "RESolution".
52. Hearing-related: AURAL.
53. Language of Helsinki: FINNISH.
55. Some horses on a stud farm: STALLIONS. and 17 Down. Thoroughbred's father: SIRE.
60. One of 88 on a piano: KEY. I like this clue! BTW, 32 are black & 56 are white.
61. Vaping pen, informally: E-CIG.
62. Orange Muppet in a striped shirt: ERNIE.
63. Fourth-yr. students: SRS. "YeaR" is abbreviated, so is "SenioRS".
64. Part of the fam: REL. "Family" is shortened, so is "RELative". Were you expecting "sis" or "bro"?
65. Move like a crab: SIDLE.
Down:
1. Pre-__: college track for a future doctor: MED.
2. White-water rafting need: OAR.
4. Corrin who plays Diana in "The Crown": EMMA. They appear in Season 4. (I only saw Season 1.)
5. Pine (for): YEARN.
6. Bunch of buffalo: HERD.
7. __, dos, tres: UNO. counting in Spanish
9. Public tantrum: SCENE.
11. Acceptances: YESES. plural of 'YES'
16. __ package: CARE. a parcel of food, money or luxury items sent to a loved one who is away.
34. Memory units: BYTES.
36. SLC athlete: UTE. someone on a team representing the Univ. of Utah, located in Salt Lake City, UT.
38. Contented sigh: AHH. Sometimes it's "aah" and sometimes it's "AHH". A good perp will give you the "aha" moment.
41. Google Play download: APP. Google Play is the android equivalent of The App Store for iPhones. It cannot be clued as "The App Store download" because "app" cannot be in the clue and in the answer.
42. Unknown author, for short: ANON. CSO to a few Cornerites!
43. Bluish green: TEAL. The Allure & Power of the Color Teal
44. Cozy stopovers: INNS.
46. Savors the sun: BASKS. This word always makes me think of lizards BASKing in the sun.
47. On the periphery: OUTER.
48. Seeks divine guidance: PRAYS.
50. Some ring bearers: WIVES. Perhaps this is meant to be a misdirection to make one think of a wedding ceremony. Here it refers to already married people wearing rings.
53. Wrap for leftovers: FOIL.
54. Apple's digital assistant: SIRI.
56. Apply a bag of peas to, maybe: ICE.
I just noticed that we have a lot of cowboys & horses today.
Here's a fun-loving video clip with RANCH HANDS, OLD HANDS, and (unseen) STAGE HANDS.
I'm an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande)
written by Johnny Mercer for the movie Rhythm on the Range (1936)
starring Bing Crosby and Louis Prima on the trumpet
JazzBumpa, can you tell us about that other horn @ 1:40 ?
1. Amble along: MOSEY.
6. "I don't get it": HUH.
9. Secret agent: SPY.
Johnny Rivers Secret Agent Man (1966)
12. Wonderland cake invitation that Alice accepted: EAT ME. Two years ago I reread Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There after listening to a podcast that talked about the themes and poems from an adult perspective. If you want to reread them, too, see if your library has a copy with John Tenniel's illustrations. They are wonderful!
13. Nevada gambling town near Carson City: RENO.
 |
The Truckee River flows from Lake Tahoe to Donner Lake (made famous by the Donner Party), into Nevada, through RENO, and onward. |
14. Pool stick: CUE.
15. Emmy category: DRAMA. The 2022 Emmy for Best Drama went to Succession.
16. Merry-go-rounds: CAROUSELS. Let's see what Mary Poppins is up to.
Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins (1964) (2:05 min.)
18. Floral wreath: GARLAND.
20. Washer cycle: RINSE.
21. "Fee, __, foe, fum": FIE. from Jack to King Lear
23. DEA agent: NARC. "Drug Enforcement Administration" is abbreviated, so is "NARCotics".
24. Feels the same: AGREES.
25. "Ella Enchanted" star Hathaway: ANNE.
 |
| (2004) ~ 3 stars on IMDb |
27. Car or truck: VEHICLE.
29. South American grasslands: LLANOS. Pronounced 'ya-nohs' (Spanish for "plains"), they are wide grasslands stretching across western Venezuela and northeastern Colombia.
 |
| Lt Commander DATA with his cat Spot |
32. Thumb drive port: USB.
How many tries it take to plug in a USB drive? 3
1st try: correct but you're not sure and are afraid to force it.2nd try: obviously incorrect.
3rd try: same as 1st try but with confidence.
35. Humped beast: CAMEL.
GEICO 'Hump Day' commercial. Never gets old! (30 sec.)
36. Buffet table coffee server: URN.
 |
| 21st Century URNs ??? |
37. Overly sentimental: SAPPY. Hand up for liking the SAPPY Hallmark Christmas movies.
39. Be in debt: OWE. We can OWE money but we can also OWE a debt of gratitude.
40. Prom partner: DATE. The Charleston dance scene in It's a Wonderful Life (1947) was filmed at Beverly Hills High School's Swim-Gym, built in 1939 as a federal public works project.
Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed (1:10 min.)
42. Fireplace receptacle: ASH PIT. Hand up for changing PoT to PIT.
43. Enters using a keyboard: TYPES IN.
45. In this location: HERE.
46. Girl who lost her sheep: BO PEEP.
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| Woody was sweet on BO PEEP in the Toy Story movies. |
49. Shoveler's target: SNOW.
51. Hi-__ monitor: RES. "High" is shortened, so is "RESolution".
52. Hearing-related: AURAL.
53. Language of Helsinki: FINNISH.
55. Some horses on a stud farm: STALLIONS. and 17 Down. Thoroughbred's father: SIRE.
Here is some information about famous horses from the Smithsonian Institution.
57. Lab containers: VIALS.
57. Lab containers: VIALS.
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| This one is a bit meta. |
60. One of 88 on a piano: KEY. I like this clue! BTW, 32 are black & 56 are white.
61. Vaping pen, informally: E-CIG.
62. Orange Muppet in a striped shirt: ERNIE.
63. Fourth-yr. students: SRS. "YeaR" is abbreviated, so is "SenioRS".
64. Part of the fam: REL. "Family" is shortened, so is "RELative". Were you expecting "sis" or "bro"?
65. Move like a crab: SIDLE.
Seinfeld: The Sidler (54 sec.)
Down:
1. Pre-__: college track for a future doctor: MED.
2. White-water rafting need: OAR.
4. Corrin who plays Diana in "The Crown": EMMA. They appear in Season 4. (I only saw Season 1.)
5. Pine (for): YEARN.
6. Bunch of buffalo: HERD.
7. __, dos, tres: UNO. counting in Spanish
9. Public tantrum: SCENE.
 |
| Oh, my! |
10. Heart rate: PULSE.
16. __ package: CARE. a parcel of food, money or luxury items sent to a loved one who is away.
I regularly sent DH these during his (too many) military deployments.
19. Loos: LAVS. Since "LAVS" is shortened, I reasoned that "Loos" must also be shortened but I had to do a little research :
19. Loos: LAVS. Since "LAVS" is shortened, I reasoned that "Loos" must also be shortened but I had to do a little research :
Despite its British popularity for a slightly less crude way to call the toilet, the word “loo” is actually derived from the French phrase 'guardez l'eau', meaning 'watch out for the water”. (plumbworld.co.uk)
21. Edie of "The Sopranos": FALCO. Edie is a frequent guest to XWD grids. We are usually asked Ms. FALCO's vowel-full first name. Just a heads up, she played General Ardmore in the movie Avatar 2 (released 12/16/22). We might start seeing her clued in this new way.
22. Kin by marriage: IN-LAW. It's all RELative.
24. Play a role: ACT.
26. WSW opposite: ENE. Even though they often stumped me, I sort of miss the clues that gave us two cities and asked the direction in relationship to each other. Just writing the opposite of WSW is too much of a gimme. I know...be careful of what you ask for....
28. "Atonement" novelist McEwan: IAN. Goodreads link
33. Steeple topper: SPIRE.
21. Edie of "The Sopranos": FALCO. Edie is a frequent guest to XWD grids. We are usually asked Ms. FALCO's vowel-full first name. Just a heads up, she played General Ardmore in the movie Avatar 2 (released 12/16/22). We might start seeing her clued in this new way.
22. Kin by marriage: IN-LAW. It's all RELative.
24. Play a role: ACT.
26. WSW opposite: ENE. Even though they often stumped me, I sort of miss the clues that gave us two cities and asked the direction in relationship to each other. Just writing the opposite of WSW is too much of a gimme. I know...be careful of what you ask for....
28. "Atonement" novelist McEwan: IAN. Goodreads link
33. Steeple topper: SPIRE.
34. Memory units: BYTES.
 |
Why 8 ? |
36. SLC athlete: UTE. someone on a team representing the Univ. of Utah, located in Salt Lake City, UT.
38. Contented sigh: AHH. Sometimes it's "aah" and sometimes it's "AHH". A good perp will give you the "aha" moment.
41. Google Play download: APP. Google Play is the android equivalent of The App Store for iPhones. It cannot be clued as "The App Store download" because "app" cannot be in the clue and in the answer.
43. Bluish green: TEAL. The Allure & Power of the Color Teal
44. Cozy stopovers: INNS.
46. Savors the sun: BASKS. This word always makes me think of lizards BASKing in the sun.
 |
| Bearded Dragon lizard |
47. On the periphery: OUTER.
48. Seeks divine guidance: PRAYS.
50. Some ring bearers: WIVES. Perhaps this is meant to be a misdirection to make one think of a wedding ceremony. Here it refers to already married people wearing rings.
53. Wrap for leftovers: FOIL.
Mythbusters Episode 96: Adam and Jamie build a balloon out of lead FOIL.
Will it "go down like a lead balloon"? (4:48 min.)
56. Apply a bag of peas to, maybe: ICE.
Have you ever noticed in movies, they always have a handy bag of frozen peas in the freezer for a black eye even if there is nothing else in the refrigerator? Why hasn't anyone eaten the peas???
58. "Eternal Atake" rapper __ Uzi Vert: LIL. Top 10 LIL rappers (Spoiler alert: Mr. Vert is #15.)
59. "O say can you __ ... ": SEE. ♪♪♪
58. "Eternal Atake" rapper __ Uzi Vert: LIL. Top 10 LIL rappers (Spoiler alert: Mr. Vert is #15.)
59. "O say can you __ ... ": SEE. ♪♪♪
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| The Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695) in Baltimore (Hi Waseeley!) It crosses the Patapsco River where FSK was inspired to write the words to the Star Spangled Banner. |
It is now time to HAND you the grid:
I just noticed that we have a lot of cowboys & horses today.
Happy trails to you!
52 comments:
Good morning!
Why don't I remember that scene from It's A Wonderful Life? I've got the DVD. Maybe I should re-watch it. And guess who thought Johnny Rivers was singing about the Secret Asian Man? Guess who thought those horse farm residents were YEARLINGS? While we're at it, guess who looked at GARLAND, VEHICLE, TYPES IN, and FINNISH, wondering what theme tied them together, because he failed to read the full reveal clue? Guilty, on all counts. Thanx for the outing, Baylee, and for the grid tour, sumdaze.
FIR. Easy Monday puzzle, no problems, good theme.
Doing the puzzle on cell phone waiting for DW to complete her echocardiogram. It's on the grounds of Rochester General Hospital where I did residency 1978-80 which is now 5 times the size with massive new medical and surgical buildings, got totally lost trying to find the right building and correct office. First time been back, really makes feel ancient. 😲
A typical breezy Monday, no inkovers with a fun theme, like to see vertical clue answers
An OAR is attached/fixed to the craft and is rowed in reverse to go forward like Crew. That would never work with white water rafting requiring a free standing paddle for rapid manipulation.
DO...I remember the swimming pool episode in "It's a Wonderful Life" I was amazed that not only did a HS have a pool in the 1940s but it had a mechanical retractical solid cover! 😲. (Our HS was also a federal works project built in 1935).
In grade school some of the teachers called the boys and girls room the LAVatory. We thought they were saying "laboratory". AHH is a contented sound, aah uttered with a to gue depressor in place.
Public DRAMA leads to a SCENE, that little boy deserves an Oscar....FINNISH In FINNISH: "Suomalainen"
ASHbin was wrong but a bin is a "receptacle" not a PIT. "Shovelers target": SNOW (don't remind me...🙄). Who says REL?
Loud elder...OLD YELLER
Stetson hat, chaps and cowboy boots...RANCH DRESSING
People between Spain and France...BASKS
Have a nice week all. 😊
FIR, but erased anna for ANNE and llanas for LLANOS. What can I say - I can be gender-confused, except I'm not confused about ANNE's gender.
I know EAT ME as clued, but I really remember the cake term from the float at the end of Animal House.
Tommy Kirk (the boy in OLD YELLER) spoke at a banquet I attended for high school thespians in Eastern Kentucky. Afterwards there was a Q&A, and someone asked him which of his movies he was most proud of. He replied OLD YELLER and went on to explain why, but I don't remember the details. It's been a while.
A few years ago the hardware weenies FINALLY got smart and developed USB Type C that can be plugged in either way. Apple made a couple of similar designs, but they are going C as well. I wonder if they will follow the software geeks and add C+ and C++ extensions.
Thanks to Baylee for the fun Monday romp. And thanks to Sum for the entertaining review.
AHH, Monday, my favorite CW day. Not too many names today, either. A clever and fun start to the week, thanx, BD. I did manage to FIR, which helps in the enjoyment sphere. Alway have to wait for perps to see if it’s gonna be DEF or RES. I did get the theme but only after filling the reveal and examining the CW. Well done, BD. Also a very enjoyable write-up, thanx, Sumdaze.
Finnish-ed this one in 3:57 today.
Look, Ma, no hands! I didn't see the theme while solving.
I didn't know one of today's actresses (Emma), but I knew another (Anne). I've never heard of today's rapper.
It was interesting to see "Edie" and answer "Falco" instead of the usual way.
This was one of the easiest Monday puzzles I remember. For the most part my first thought was the correct one to write in. Thanks, Baylee, for my FIR puzzle. After the weekend struggles, it was fun.
I did need the reveal and a few minutes to get the theme. Thanks, sumdaze, for dazzling us with your informative review, with yet another hint about yourself included.
A few WOs were needed as I progressed: I thought of "pampas" first and wrote in the P before looking at the perp which wasn't going to work with P. Also put Film/FOIL and started putting H in USB's spot. I have no idea why. Another senior moment or brain blip, I guess.
I don't expect many complaints about this puzzle. Hope you all enjoy it and the rest of your day!
I agree with others about how easy this puzzle was. In fact, it was one of the easiest puzzles it’s been my pleasure to solve in quite some time. FIR, so I’m happy.
Musings
-A chipped tooth will make me MOSEY up to my dentist today for a 9:30 appt.
-Don’t play anybody in the pool hall who walked in with his CUE in a custom case
-A Monday level ANNE!
-While watching the FB games yesterday (Yay, Chiefs!), I was inundated with DATA
-SNOW – My golf partner gives me updates about weather from his winter place on the Rio Grande
-SIDLE was a great word on Seinfeld, but the episode on Geroge’s HAND
fits this theme, uh, like a glove
-Off to Dr. Gufford!
Good Morning:
This practically filled itself in. In fact, I never saw many of the Down words until reading the blog because of the straightforward Across entries. Yet, as easy-peasy as it was, the theme was well-hidden until the reveal, which is always a plus in my book. I think down themers lend a certain edge to obscuring a theme, but maybe that’s just my non-existent powers of observation. My initial reaction was what a perfect puzzle to introduce a newbie to the joys of filling in a grid and then tying the reveal to the themers which, in this case, would be easy enough to do. No w/os but two unknowns with Emma and that particular Lil rapper.
Thanks, Baylee, for a nice start to the week and thanks, Sumdaze, for the delightful commentary and striking visuals.
Have a great day.
WES, easy, pleasant Monday CW. Clever theme and few proper names.
Sumdaze, thanks for the link to Secret Agent Man ( not Asian, 😜). I used to watch that TV show and I still hear that song in my head. Oh, no another ear worm for the day.
Good Morning.
Now that's more like it. Fridays and Saturdays have been killing me lately. Thanks, Baylee, for some much needed fun today.
I had some false starts that we're easily fixed by the crosses. Pampas for LLANOS, inputs for TYPES IN. UNO saved CAROUSELS. For some unclear reason I always start that carr... Oops.
Many SRS are probably waiting for their YESES right now. Nice that more college admissions are rolling these days.
Thank you Sumdaze for the great additions to your explications. I loved the Doctor. My husband I laughed out loud. We had such similar experiences with the Hospitalists concerning his mom. They can't talk without their i-Pads.
Have a sunny day even if you have to make your own sunshine.
Hola!
An easy Monday puzzle is exaclty what I need since I have to leave to volunteer at Church in just a few minutes.
Thank you, Bayleee and sumdaze.
No time to MOSEY or be SAPPY. It was a quick romp.
Have a wonderful day, everyone! Later.
Good Morning! What a nice Monday puzzle with a clever arrangement of the themers to give it a change from the usual. Thanks, Baylee.
DNK the rapper, but LIL is frequently seen in their names. Perps filled in any ifs, such as AHH vs aah. Tx Ray-O for your take in it. The visual is good to know, but constructors sometimes play loose with the diff.
I had to ponder what ice had to do with peas, then saw that it was a verb, not a noun. Clever.
Loved all the photos, links & toons. Thanks, sumdaze, for your entertaining reveal & review.
I went to a Johnny Rivers concert and was amazed and entertained from start to finish. What a talented creative person with a long list of favorite tunes.
Hump Day is my favorite commercial of all time.... Well, maybe tied with the Clydesdales!!!
But I have to say, I may be one of a few who doesn't like It's a Wonderful Life. Thought it was a totally depressing story, and yes, (spoiler alert!) I did get the whole point and conclusion, but the "happy ending" didn't make it all better for me.
Anyway, the week is off to a good start.
A fun puzzle to ease into the week. Enjoyed the DATE link to “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I graduated from Steinmetz High School in Chicago, Illinois. It was built in 1934 and had an indoor swimming pool on the second floor that was over the cafeteria. It is currently a college prep school.
Marvellous Monday. Thanks for the fun, Baylee and sumdaze.
I got the UPPER HAND today, and it didn’t take long to FINNISH correctly.
Any CW that begins with MOSEY and ends with SIDLE is a winner IMO.
One inkblot to change Llanas to LLANOS (hi Jinx).
I noted IN-LAW and REL, SIRE and SIRI (plus the already mentioned SIRE and STALLION).
So far, our Canadian winter here has not had too much SNOW and ICE. (Maybe later this week!). But our SAPPY Maple syrup weather will be HERE before we know it.
FLN- I was lurking. AnonT- Canadian income tax submissions for 2022 tax year are technically due April 30 2023, but we get an extra day (to May 1) because it is a Sunday.
Wishing you all a great day.
RosE @ 10:27??? It was there, and now it's gone. What do I need to know?
upper hand?
Desperate-Otto,
You don't remember the swimming pool scene in Its a Wonderful Life?
(Forgive me, I get excited when I remember anything...:)
You must remember the kid that Donna Reed rejected for George at the Dance! He was given the key that opens the floor to the pool...
This kid is none other than the grown up Alfalfa, from The Little Rascals!
You can watch (sort of) the whole movie for free on YouTube, but it's a bit echo-ey, and sounds much better if you go to settings and play it at 75% speed.
Before I go,
a little wisdom to give you the upper hand...
Rose? Your 10:27 comments are still visible to me. Can you no longer see them for some reason?
Subgenius, They're back!! Really, truly, I wasn't imagining it!
Thanks for responding.
One of my quickest Monday solves, hands down. Virtually no slowdowns.
We had GARLAND instead of LEI and FALCO instead of EDIE. How the turns have tabled.
It sounds like we agree that Baylee deserves a HAND (CUE applause) for giving us a puzzle that was on the easy side but still an enjoyable solve.
C-Eh! @ 11:06. LOL that your brain goes to maple syrup when you see the word SAPPY.
Yuman @ 10:44. A 2nd floor HS pool in 1934 sounds impressive! We're not talking about a little one-lap pool. It must have been big enough for competitions and maybe even deep enough for diving.
DO @ 5:38. I bet when Misty posts she can tie together all those words for you.
= )
Puzzling thoughts:
FIR with minimal effort, although I didn't get the theme until after reading sumdaze's amazing review - thanks to her and Baylee for the Monday morning enjoyment
Hope y'all have a great week ...
I would grade this puzzle as an “E” for easy for the LAT, always nice to start the week with a fairly quick solve which today took me 7:17. Lots of oft repeated crosswordese with standard clueing. This grid reminds me of the style of the late Gail Grabowski who was an expert at early week puzzles. What Irish Miss said, good puzzle for a novice, which may bring more solvers into the fold. Thank you Baylee for easing us into the week with this one!
Sumdaze ~ you are doing a terrific job on your weekly assignment, very much appreciate your efforts 😊
Fun, easy Monday puzzle, many thanks for this treat, Baylee. And thanks for letting us hear all sorts of tunes and conversations on your blog this morning, Sumdaze--a lot of fun.
Nice to see ANNE Hathaway's name on the grid, who has certainly performed in a lot of DRAMA. Is that her real name or her STAGE NAME? Neither is GARLAND--which turns out not to refer to Judy GARLAND but to something she might wear around her neck. We're definitely in the entertainment business here, with CAROUSELS and other VEHICLES going round and round, though also nice to see those STALLIONS and that CAMEL in the HERD, although they weren't carrying anyone around. Enough for now, goodbye ERNIE--have a nice day.
Have a great week coming up, everybody.
Edward in Los Angeles:”:
I tried to type in ashbin, but it was wrong
Rose, I bet you managed to view the website as it was BEFORE you posted. I see your comment @10:27. Just reload the blog and I bet your comment will magically reappear.
Ray-O you mentioned paddles as being used for whitewater rafting. They are preferred, but sometimes oars are used instead. Google "whitewater rafting images" and you will see about 95% of the images with paddles, and maybe 5% with oars.
Musings 2
-Dentist had good news and bad news.
-Good News: The broken tooth was an old crown that split and there was no charge to replace
-Bad News: Removing the crown revealed a rearmost tooth that had a hard to see cavity and that had to be dealt with and required another crown.
-Good news 2 – His state-of-the-art equipment had the two teeth manufactured in the office and installed in less than an hour.
-Good News 3 – I texted them at 9pm on last night (Sunday) during the Chiefs game and was in the chair at 9:30 am this morning. He runs a great practice!
Hi All!
Wow sumdaze - quite the write-up! Excellent expo; Seinfeld is always fun, DATA & Spot were a nice touch, and I LOL'd at "you are here" image (Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the galaxy lies a small yellow sun. Orbiting this, at roughly 97 million mile, is an utter insignificant TEAL [sic] planet).
What branch does/did your SO serve? And did you send cheesy-poofs? //That all (Army) Bro ever wanted - oh, and Kraft Mac-n-Cheese //he was is some desolate places
Thank you Baylee for the Monday puzzle one could just MOSEY on through. When I saw the long downs, I knew the gimmick but didn't spot the theme 'til the reveal. Well done.
WOs: N/A
ESPs: EMMA, LIL as clued
Fav: CAMEL it's a mammal [TMBG - ff to 1:30]
D-O & TanteNique: about 10 years ago, DW confessed to me that she, too, thought it was Secret Asian Man.
Just "trippin'" on by on LSD, eh, CED? :-)
//Don't be ashamed: I still have to reference the lyric-sheet for Manfred Mann's rendition of The Boss's Blinded By The Light [The Vacant Lot redux]
C.E. Byrd (Shreveport, LA) had a pool in the basement. It was cemented in years before I attended 'cuz someone died - at least that's what I was told.
HG - Great service. My (CEO) Bro runs 100s of dental practices around the country under one umbrella. Your experience is a note to #corp to pay attention to patent needs. If you're cool with it, I'm going to fwd your comment to him.
RosE - after my vasectomy, a bag of PEAS was my best friend. TMI?
//I also milk'd the hell out of it and got to lay on the couch, drink beer, & watch TV all day. I highly recommend the stay-cation (but you only get one go at it :-))
C, Eh! - nice catch on the start/finish [MOSEY/SIDLE] of the grid. That's extra-cute Baylee.
CED - inre: last link:
Longhorn said to a Sooner, "You don't wash your hands after you pee?"
Sooner said, "I know enough not to piss on my hands."
And, with that, that's enough from me.
Cheers, -T
-T, my first boss at GTE got two vasectomies. Much to his chagrin, his follow-up exam showed swimmers. We nicknamed him "Duke" because he walked like John Wayne. And don't tell me you had trouble with "deuce" in Blinded.
My HS didn't have its own pool, but we were located on a college campus and got to swim in their pool in the summer. College kids and faculty used the pool at the same time. Imagine the imagination of a teenage Jinx in a pool with a bunch of bathing-suit clad college coeds. Or maybe you shouldn't imagine it.
Jinx:
No 'swimmers' so I'm stuck working my butt off w/o worries until I retire.
//Pop is having trouble with his retirement - doesn't know what to do after walking Tinker and building breakfast so just naps (sounds like fun!)
I delivered papers to the pre-MED nurse's dorms. They were so doting on 12yro me with tea & hot coco & not realizing I was there when they came out of the shower to the kitchen. A mind imagines :-)
C, -T
A fine Monday Devereaux opener--on her 2nd appearance here--today ushered by sumdaze.
(Many thanks, sd, for the citation; it is much appreciated! Yes, I remember Ms. Devereaux. Good to see her again!)
I'm enjoying the recent references to "Alice" of Lewis Carroll fame.
I had the privilege many (many, many) years ago of touring the state of Virginia with a one-man show--as the Rev. Mr. Dodgson.
I have a hard time keeping Alexa and SIRI apart. Also, when I am in one room, I seem to be overheard a lot in other rooms by the "other" assistant!
How can I keep these Bots in their own part(s) of the house?! Aargh.
~ OMK
____________
DR: Three diagonals, far side.
The central diag's anagram (13 of 15) tells of a wondrous event, apparently a combo sci-fi/folklore happening, when a popular Indonesian food dish (skewered meat with peanut sauce) gets slowly out of control.
Yes, my friends, you are wirnessing...
"SATAY CREEPAGE"!
-T @ 1:44. DH is a retired Marine, now teaching space & satellite stuff. Never had a request for Cheesy Puffs. LOL. I mostly tried to send him things that would make him laugh when he opened the box. Not a lot of laughing going on in the desert.
-T @ 2:55. I recently heard a good podcast on the 4 stages of retirement. Might help your Pop. Search for Tedx Dr Riley Moynes.
H-Gary @ 1:38. I wish I had your dentist! That in-house crown repair is enviable. I have a check-up appt tomorrow. Fingers crossed!! I moved a lot over the years and that meant lots of new dentists, some better than others. Some take the wait-until-it-hurts approach (I never tell.) and some are, let's say, proactive. Current dentist is proactive. Always finds something to fix. The good thing is, he is good at fixing things.
I liked this puzzle and sumdaze's write-up.
Thanks, unclefred. I think you solved the mystery!
Anon-T: Creative solution! :>)
I agree dwith IM about easy = autofills- I lots of clues I never saw plus perfect intro although lots of fill is familiar to the old hands. Now Sunday…
Lots of hilaritity and other interesting stuff in comments. Also, CC is a great talent spotter. Speaking of lol…
Cheek Fln late Anon-T comment re. IDK
WC
Each one of us has within
An imp who meticulously TYPES IN
Each uncouth thought
That we have wrought
And classifies the TYPE SIN.
If the DATA agrees, that's fine.
But often it doesn't align.
An error may
In an outlier lay,
In an erroneous sign or sine.
Owen!
It's good to see you back and in fine poetic form!
Gary:
Good to hear that your visit to the dentist was successful and pain-free.
sumdaze
Good luck at the dentist tomorrow.
Muisngs 3
-Sumdaze, first I really liked your write-up! Second, I am sitting here writing to your with two new crowns less than 24 hours after I texted the office. Ya gotta love small town (pop. 30,000) living.
-Forward away, Tony! Dr. Gufford has a wonderful practice and is very attentive to clients. He was even great to my then 98-yr-old MIL. The biggest issue I have is not being able to talk to him as much as I would like with fingers and equipment in my mouth. Any chance on getting that paper route again? :-)
Hi Y'all! Fast & fun puzzle. Yay, Baylee, thank you, thank you! Come again soon. Yay, Sumdaze, you do a great expo!
1a, I entered SIDEL, but the perps weren't friendly to it. Surprised it wasn't used later as a cluecho.
I think that the second stand-up singer at 0:31 in the "Old Cowhand" is Roy Rogers.
FLN: The answer for 5D is "Ace," as a response to the clue of what is the "A" of "LGBTQIA+"?
Wiki says, "LGBTQIA+ is an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more."
So "Ace" as an answer is just another of the increasingly sloppy plays with words we are finding as answers.
Michael, no.
I think it is simply a younger generation's term for asexual.
Same 2nd floor indoor pool at Senn High School in Chicago. Swimming midday followed by wet chlorinated hair for the rest of the day.
Thanks, Baylee for a very fine Monday puzzle. I also like the theme answers running vertically. It provides a nice change of pace.
Excellent review, sumdaze!
I filled in UPPERHAND about halfway through the puzzle, but then I forgot to go back and figure out the theme. Duh!
Sumdaze - My brothers & I were Army, Pop Air Force, and both Gramps Army in WWII -- we have nothing but respect for Marines - they are bad-ass. //Imagine scrawny 17yro me dating DW - her dad was a Marine!
HG - message sent.
Good ones, OKL.
I stumbled on this today... If you like the humor of Red Green but wish it was a bit drier: How to Talk Minnesotan [30min]
Cheers, -T
Anon-T, I just happened to be relating an OCS story when I noticed my guy hazing up. I then said "By "normal" standards Marines are "crazy ".
The Germans in WWI didn't want to mess with them and worked out the alliance with Japan to let them fight them. Btw, Bluto was right: It was the Germans that bombed Pearl Harbor they just subcontracted it out to the Japanese. The trade was the Germans invading Russia to get that monkey off Japan's back.
But I notice that when I tell a Corps story people fade on me
WC
Forget it, he's rolling :-)
WC - my Spidey sense said you'd come out if I posted re: Marines. Semper Fi!
-T
TTP @ 7:54. I knew that "ace" had to be as you said, but the assumption is that everyone knows what 'asexual' means -- or that it exists as a condition -- and that it would pop into anyone's mind upon seeing "LGBTQIA+" ...? Kind of broad for a Monday puzzle. IMHO, YMMV, etc.
Michael,
ACE appeared as answer in the Sunday puzzle, not the Monday puzzle.
Who, other than you, said there is an assumption "everyone knows?" Why would there have to be that assumption ? It is a crossword puzzle, so there should always be clues that are challenging. Otherwise, what's the point of solving ?
The clue gives the context of LGBTQIA+. Not sure what you mean by "exists as a condition."
I would tend to believe there are many "anyones" who would know of ACE in that context. I did not, but it was easy to work out, and I don't agree that it's a "sloppy play."
Would it be more accurate to say that you found the clue / answer not congruent with your personal beliefs ?
BTW, it is not Wiki. There are tens of, if not hundreds of thousands of Wikis. You are referencing Wikipedia, the online collaborative encyclopedia. Often abbreviated to Wikip, but calling it Wiki as many people do, is akin to quoting a source as "newspaper", when you are in fact citing or referring to a specific newspaper, such as the LA Times or the Washington Post.
I know that's an argument that I am losing over time.
Here's an example of a wiki I found that you may want to explore. It help you further understand about ACES - people that identify on the Asexual Spectrum. I found it eye opening, and mind broadening.
I think we will continue to see new terms enter the public discourse as a result of younger generations seemingly having a more inclusive and open acceptance of others.
Michael-
Like TTP said a) that was Sunday's pzl b) that was my writeup.
I was going to comment on 'ace' but I left it alone 'cuz my quip could have been taken as insensitive and my family probably wouldn't let me live it down.
TTP - Just like Frisbee is the dominate flying disk, Kleenex the tissue and Google the search engine, Wiki is taking over as Wikipedia is the biggest Wiki.
Cheers, -T
Dash T, you aren't wrong. Print it out and scotch tape it to the wall.
"BTW, can you send your intern down to the Ricoh machine and have him xerox fifty copies of this presentation for today's department meeting ? Also, ask him to stop by the supply room on the way back and have him pick up four dozen of those kleenex that come in the personal size packages. Have him get the Scotts brand. They'll hold up better."
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