Theme: Spilled Milk. Let's see how it works. Different types of "milks" are spelled out in a diagonal array of letters, slanting down from left to right. They are RICE, from the R of 1A, OAT from the O of 9A, ALMOND, from the A at the 24A-25D cross, COCONUT from the C of 27A, and SOY from the S of 55A. Hope I didn't miss any. If you didn't have the circles in your grid, this theme would be impossibly opaque - or, at least, turbid. I can't imagine how Beth and Will put this together.
Hi, Gang. JzB here to be milkman for the day. Given the unusual nature of the theme, I posted the graphic here instead of at the bottom of the post.
I intend to MILK this puzzle for all it's worth. Grab your buckets and let's see what we can squeeze out.
1. Roughly: OR SO. An approximation, not a coarse surface or action.
5. Skin blemish: WART. A small, usually painless growth on the skin. Most of the time, they are harmless. They are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus
9. Poetic contraction: O'ER. Over.
12. Inheritance recipients: HEIRS. Person legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death.
14. Slurpee-like drinks: ICEES. A frozen carbonated beverage available in fruit and soda flavors.
16. Astronaut Jemison: MAE. Mae Carol Jemison (born October 17, 1956) is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. She became the first black woman to travel into space when she served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992. Jemison joined NASA's astronaut corps in 1987 and was selected to serve for the STS-47 mission, during which the Endeavour orbited the Earth for nearly eight days on September 12–20, 1992.
17. Parade with strict precision: MARCH IN STEP. Left-right-left, etc.
19. Body shop fig.: EST. Estimate of expected cost for the repair.
20. __ Lanka: SRI. Formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian peninsula by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait. Sri Lanka shares a maritime border with the Maldives in the south-west and India in the north-west.
21. Conclusion: END. Termination.
22. One providing misguided support: ENABLER. A person who encourages or enables negative or self-destructive behavior in another.
24. Milan opera house: LA SCALA. Abbreviation in Italian of the official name Teatro alla Scala is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the Nuovo Regio Ducale Teatro alla Scala (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performance was Antonio Salieri's Europa riconosciuta.
26. Pull up stakes for one's co.: RE-LO. Move to another city. Relocate.
27. Hint: CLUE. Crosswords are full of them.
30. Starbucks size: TALL. The 4 are Short, TALL, grande and venti.
31. Gains a lap: SITS. You lose it when you stand up;
32. "Stay right there!": DON'T MOVE.
34. Fuel economy meas.: MPG. Miles per gallon.
35. Tropical storm: CYCLONE. A rapid rotating storm originating over tropical oceans from where it draws the energy to develop. It has a low pressure centre and clouds spiraling towards the eyewall surrounding the "eye", the central part of the system where the weather is normally calm and free of clouds.
36. More inclusive: BROADER.
40. See red?: OWE. To be in debt. A bit of a stretch, but OK.
41. Sorting factor in some directories: LAST NAME. Family name, then given name.
42. Blessing: BOON. A favor.
44. British noble: EARL. A British nobleman ranking above a viscount and below a marquess. Know your place.
45. "Saving Private Ryan" event: D-DAY. On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy, France. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called the operation a crusade in which, “we will accept nothing less than full victory.” More than 5,000 Ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day invasion, and by day’s end, the Allies gained a foot-hold in Continental Europe. The cost in lives on D-Day was high. More than 9,000 Allied Soldiers were killed or wounded, but their sacrifice allowed more than 100,000 Soldiers to begin the slow, hard slog across Europe, to defeat Adolf Hitler’s crack troops.
46. Medical pros: DOCS. Doctors, Physicians.
47. Opens, as a gift: UNWRAPS. Tears off the paper.
49. Sound bite, e.g.: EXCERPT. A short extract from a film, broadcast, or piece of music or writing.
51. Sked info: ETA. A schedule might include an Estimated Time of Arrival.
52. April 15 payment: TAX. A compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers' income and business profits,
55. Original Beatle Sutcliffe: STU. Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe (23 June 1940 – 10 April 1962) was a Scottish painter and musician best known as the original bass guitarist of the English rock band the Beatles. Sutcliffe left the band to pursue his career as a painter, having previously attended the Liverpool College of Art. Sutcliffe and John Lennon are credited with inventing the name "Beatles"
56. Metaphor for something that can't be changed, and what's found five times in this puzzle?: SPILLED MILK. Don't cry over it.
59. Keystone figure: KOP. Fictional, humorously incompetent policemen featured in silent film slapstick comedies produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone Film Company between 1912 and 1917.
60. Lofty nest: AERIE. A large nest of a bird of prey, especially an eagle, typically built high in a tree or on a cliff.
61. Shrub that may be toxic: SUMAC. A shrub or small tree of the cashew family, with compound leaves, fruits in conical clusters, and bright autumn colors.
62. Informer, maybe: SPY. A person who secretly collects and reports information on the activities, movements, and plans of an enemy or competitor.
63. Saxophone insert: REED. A thin piece of flat material that is held to the instrument's mouthpiece by a ligature. The reed vibrates when a musician blows air between it and the mouthpiece, producing a certain tone.
64. Repair: MEND. Fix
Down:
1. Electrical units: OHMS. The SI unit of electrical resistance, expressing the resistance in a circuit transmitting a current of one ampere when subjected to a potential difference of one volt.
2. Caboose: REAR. A railroad car with accommodations for the train crew, typically attached to the end of the train. By analogy, a person's back side.
3. Virtual assistant on Apple devices: SIRI. Apple's virtual assistant for iOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS devices that uses voice recognition and is powered by artificial intelligence
4. Goblinlike fantasy creature: ORC. (In fantasy literature and games) a member of an imaginary race of humanlike creatures, characterized as ugly, warlike, and malevolent. The concert originated by J.R.R.Tolkein in his Lord of the Rings novels.
5. South Dakota national park known for its air currents: WIND CAVE. Wind Cave National Park is an American national park located 10 miles (16 km) north of the town of Hot Springs in western South Dakota. Established on January 3, 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, it was the sixth national park in the U.S. and the first cave to be designated a national park anywhere in the world. The cave is notable for its calcite formations known as box work, as well as its frostwork.
6. Rm. coolers: ACS. Air Conditioners.
7. Share again, as a joke: RETELL.
8. "Ooo La La La" singer __ Marie: TEENA. Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the stage name Teena Marie and later acquired the nickname Lady T, given to her by her collaborator and friend, Rick James.
9. Brunch dish: OMELET. A dish of beaten eggs cooked in a frying pan until firm, often with a filling added while cooking, and usually served folded over.
10. Stands in a studio: EASELS. A self-supporting wooden frame for holding an artist's work while it is being painted or drawn.
11. Nostalgia-inducing: RETRO. Imitative of a style, fashion, or design from the recent past.
13. "__ Butter Baby": Ari Lennox/J. Cole song: SHEA.
15. Hydrotherapy spot: SPA. A mineral spring considered to have health-giving properties.
18. Not negotiable: IN STONE. Used to emphasize that something is fixed and unchangeable.
23. Bandits: BRIGANDS. A gang that ambushes and robs people in forests and mountains.
24. Live it up: LET LOOSE. Spend one's time in an extremely enjoyable way, typically by spending a great deal of money or engaging in an exciting social life.
25. Pub choice: ALE. A type of beer with a bitter flavor and higher alcoholic content.
27. Public health agcy.: CDC. Center for Disease Control. A U.S. federal government agency whose mission is to protect public health by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability.
28. Poet Mina or actress Myrna: LOY. Mina Loy [1882-1966] poet and painter, was a charter member of the generation that—beginning in 1912 with the founding of Poetry magazine—launched the modernist revolution in poetry in the United States. Loy was too radical for Poetry's editor Harriet Monroe, who published her poetry only in a review article, but the generation's more innovative members admired her defiant honesty of subject and applauded the new directions she advanced for poetry.
Myrna Loy (born Myrna Adele Williams; 1905 – 1993) was an American film, television and stage actress. As a performer, she was known for her ability to adapt to her screen partner's acting style.
29. Chapel Hill sch.: UNC. University of North Carolina.
29. Chapel Hill sch.: UNC. University of North Carolina.
31. Ad: SPOT. The 30-, 40- or 60-second ads that appear in a television or radio commercial schedule,
33. Like freshly cut lawns: MOWN.
34. Fred Flintstone's boss: MR. SLATE. Fred's boss at the Bedrock Quarrel and Gravel Company (later known as Slate Rock and Gravel Company) and a fictional character of the original series, The Flintstones and the rest of the franchise,
36. Raced (along): BARRELED. Moved very quickly, perhaps in a turbulent or uncontrolled manner.
37. Family man: DAD. A father.
38. Horvath of "The Rings of Power": EMA. Ema Horvath (b.1994) is an American actress. She has appeared in the films Like.Share.Follow. (2017), The Gallows Act II and The Mortuary Collection (both 2019), and What Lies Below (2020). Since 2022, she has played Eärien, the sister of Isildur, in the Amazon Prime fantasy television series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
39. Marina del __, California: REY. (Spanish for "Marina of the King") is an unincorporated seaside community in Los Angeles County, California, with an eponymous harbor that is a major boating and water recreation destination of the greater Los Angeles area. The port is North America's largest man-made small-craft harbor and is home to approximately 5,000 boats.
41. Bar code?: LAW. Clever clue. The bar is the legal profession as an institution. The term is a metonym for the line (or "bar") that separates the parts of a courtroom reserved for spectators and those reserved for participants in a trial such as lawyers. Code is a body of law.
42. Cereal eater's proof of purchase: BOX TOP. A boxtop, in the context of being a proof of purchase, is understood to be the upper portion of a product box, detached, and mailed as part of a claim for a radio premium or other advertising offer. During the 1930s through 1960s, cereal boxtops were usually the most common proofs of purchase used to claim such premiums.
43. Keep busy: OCCUPY. Fill one's time, hopefully with something useful.
44. Unabridged: ENTIRE. Not cut or shortened.
46. Secretaries, e.g.: DESKS. A writing desk with a top section for books
47. __ Peninsula: Michigan home of Yoopers: UPPER. AKA, the U.P. - hence the phonetic designation Yoopers. Those of us who live in the L.P. - below the Macinac [pronounced Mackinaw - don't ask me why] Bridge are known as trolls.
48. Cushions: PADS. A pillow or similar item stuffed with a mass of soft material, used as a comfortable support for sitting or leaning on.
50. Pretoria's land: Abbr.: RSA. Republic of South Africa. Read abut it here.
52. Umpire's cry: TIME. Indicating a time out - a halt in the play. This allows the coaches of either team to communicate with the team, e.g., to determine strategy or inspire morale, as well as to stop the game clock.
53. Mathematician Turing: ALAN. Alan Mathison Turing OBE FRS (1912 – 1954) was an English mathematician, computer scientist, logician, cryptanalyst, philosopher, and theoretical biologist. Turing was highly influential in the development of theoretical computer science, providing a formalisation of the concepts of algorithm and computation with the Turing machine, which can be considered a model of a general-purpose computer. He is widely considered to be the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.
54. Randall Munroe's webcomic of "romance, sarcasm, math, and language": XKCD. Well - this is an unlikely letter grouping to appear in anX-word, so kudos for making it work. Munroe states on the comic's website that the name of the comic is not an initialism but "just a word with no phonetic pronunciation".The subject matter of the comic varies from statements on life and love to mathematical, programming, and scientific in-jokes. Some strips feature simple humor or pop-culture references. It has a cast of stick figures, and the comic occasionally features landscapes, graphs, charts, and intricate mathematical patterns such as fractals. You can read it here.
57. Two truths and a __: icebreaker game: LIE. To play, everyone sits or stands in a circle. One by one, each person in the circle says three statements about him/herself. Two of these statements must be facts, or "truths," and one must be a lie. The other members then try to guess which statement is the lie.
58. Autumn flower, for short: MUM. Chrysanthemums. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center of diversity is in China. Countless horticultural varieties and cultivars exist.
58. Autumn flower, for short: MUM. Chrysanthemums. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center of diversity is in China. Countless horticultural varieties and cultivars exist.
A picture I took in October, 2014
That's all we have. Hope you found this puzzle to be tasty and nutritious, regardless of your lactose tolerance.
Cool regards!
JzB
48 comments:
Well, I must admit I didn’t get the significance of the circles until after the reveal. And isn’t the expression “spilt milk” rather than “spilled milk”? In any case, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
XKCD? Really? Got 'er done in good time, and even found the milks in the circles. Yay for d-o. Couldn't miss the SO to Yooper Phil. Nicely done, Beth, Will, and JzB.
TAX -- Not doing taxes this year (except for one widow lady from the neighborhood). Overpaid on purpose in order to purchase some I-Bonds. Overpaid for that, as well, and the overflow hit my checking account this morning.
BOXTOP -- I remember submitting my boxtop for a certificate awarding me one square inch of Alaska real estate. I was crushed when dad refused to fund a trip to survey my realm.
CABOOSE -- They had 'em in my ute, but trains don't have 'em any longer. (The crew is probably afraid of derailment and refuses to ride in 'em.)
I found this CW to be udderly enjoying, cool theme which I never would have found without the circles (sorry SS). Thank you Beth and Will for your fine creation, and especially for the CSO to us Yoopers, don’t think I’ve ever seen it referenced in a puzzle before. (And thanks d-o for noticing). XKCD was all perps, and probably unlikely to see again, but I managed a FIR in a little over 12 minutes, so like SubG, I’m happy!
JzB ~ great thorough write-up today! Didn’t know you were a Troll 👊🏼 (Not to nit pick but you left out the “k” in your first spelling of Mackinac, probably a typo as I know you know how it’s spelled).
FIR, but SE gave me fits. XKCD is a total unknown to me. It made me second guess that whole section until I simply accepted it as an answer.
Usually I don't pay attention to circles on the grid but they were obvious today. After RICE, OAT, and ALMOND I was thinking "FLOUR" instead of SPILLED MILK. I FIR but definitely rechecked my crosses in the SE with XKCD- never heard of Munroe or the term "webcomic"- I read the funnies in the newspaper. I see the cancel culture crowd went after Scot Addams.
TALL- how about a 'cup of overpriced coffee'. I don't drink the stuff but make a pot every a.m. for DW. Costs about $12.00/month, not $8.00/day = tip. The only Starbucks near me is nextdoor to McDonald's which sells LARGE cups of coffee for $1.59.
SHEA Butter Baby- unknown and only know of ARI Lennox from these puzzles.
Anybody my age has heard of Myrna LOY but Mina was unknown.
EMA Horvath? perps for her.
CSO today for Yooper from the UPPER Peninsula.
Trolls are lurking under bridges and in comment sections of anything you read on the internet. Many are BOTS.
Took 5:11 today to clean up the spill.
YooperPhil was indeed well-represented.
XKCD?
I didn't know either Loy.
Oh joy, circles.
I enjoyed visiting Wind Cave National Park several years ago. Great area. Not far from several interesting "spots": Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, Jewell Cave, Devil's Tower.
Got ‘er done in good time today for a FIR. Having grown up in Wisconsin, I must point out the outrageous deficiency in this CW: the lack of COWS milk being included. It is the ONLY “milk” there is. Almonds, coconuts or any of the rest do NOT have mammary glands and cannot make milk! (Grrrr!! and Harumph!!) Anyway, in spite of its deficiency, this was a fun CW, so thanx BR&WN. JzB, what a thorough review of many topics in your write-up today. I cannot imagine the time and effort you musta put into it. Please know all your time and effort is appreciated. Thanx!
Trolls stir up controversy
Good Morning:
It took the reveal to understand the connection between the circled letters and that was truly an Aha moment. I’ve never heard of Rice milk and I’ve never tried any of the others, either. My only w/o was Eer/Oer, but there were several unknowns: Shea, as clued, Wind Cave, Mr. Slate, Ema, and XKCD, but perps were fair so no complaints. My only nit is the large number (26) of three letter words, but the overall construction, theme, cluing and fill fair outweigh that complaint. I also accept the circles as being necessary for highlighting the theme answers.
Thanks, Beth and Will, for your well-crafted and enjoyable challenge and thanks, JazzB for the facts and fun in your commentary and, most of all, for your droll and tongue-in-cheek humor.
SG @ 5:22 ~ Spilt Milk may be the original phrase, but I always say Spilled Milk.
DO @ 5:31 ~ I burst out laughing at your comment about your “square inch of Alaska real estate” but even funnier was your reaction to your father’s refusal to make the trip to survey your one inch “realm”. Too funny. 🤣
YooperPhil @ 6:30 ~ Thought of you immediately at the personal CSO!
FLN
RosE and CanadianEh, I’m sorry for your loss of good friends. Unfortunately, the older we get, the more people we lose, both family and friends.
I received an email yesterday from Verizon stating that my automatic payment was denied by Visa, so I called Chase and was told that no payment request had been received from Verizon since February. I then called Verizon and after several minutes on hold, being tortured by loud, non-music music, I was told that everyone who had a payment due that day received the same notice. Apparently, their computers went off the rails, but the glitch would be unglitched in a day or so. 🙄
Have a great day.
I liked the theme and the diagonal circles spilling downward. After getting RICE and
ALM--- I guessed we were looking for milk. The reveal explained the position of the circles.
Another definition of milk is "any of several nutritive milklike liquids" vocabulary.com These plant based milks are correctly called milk these days.
Yesterday we had an interesting lecture about women in space, including Mae Jemison;
The sumac we see along roadsides with the fluffy upright red conical clusters of berries is not toxic.
"Poison sumac has clusters of white or light-green berries that sag downward on its branches, while the red berries of harmless sumac sit upright." Google
Poison sumac grows only in damp, swampy areas.
Spilled and spilt are both correct. I used spilled.
Be in the red.
Red ink is a metaphor for financial debt. In financial reports deficits are often written in red. If you owe money you are in the red.
I found the circles to be fun.
EMA and XKCD were new to me, all perps.
BTW, even when I was a kid we called the sap of the milkweed milk.
FIR, in a fast time for a Wednesday, and a lot of the cluing seemed Monday-level to me. I did know XKCD, but that's MEAN to include. Feels like a way to just shove a random X into the grid.
This puzzle was fun and JazzB's review added to the fun. Thanks. FIR.
It must have been difficult to set up this puzzle with the many circled themers. As often is the case, I needed the reveal to see the connection. I also appreciated the helpful perps where I had unknowns. Well done, Beth and Will!
JazzB, you have the ability to lead us through the puzzle adding to our understanding of it and amusing us at the same time. I enjoy your days.
Enjoy your Wednesday, everyone!
Yellowrocks, in my ute we learned to recognize the milkweed plant as a source of durable leaves, suitable as emergency toilet paper -- much better for that purpose than poison ivy.
Musings
-No COW?
-Soldiers are sometimes told to not MARCH IN STEP over a bridge because being in step could set up a rhythmic vibration that could destroy the bridge
-My parents did not ENABLE my brother’s destructive habits, they just ignored them
-Our daughters want us to RELO to Lincoln but we have lived here for nearly 60 years
-The first minute is a brilliant take on coffee sizes
-This AERIE is part of the KSC Tour
-I don’t know any phone numbers. I just say, “Hey SIRI, call [insert name]”
-I found out that my mom is claustrophobic at the bottom of Wind Cave and had to get her out of there
-Name that state: “That new-MOWN hay sends all its fragrance, From the fields I used to roam”
-My new neighbor is from the Upper Peninsula and was shocked when I called her a Yooper (like our Phil)
This was just a delight, Beth and Will! OAT and COCONUT pointed to MILK. My daughter was raised on cows milk but always bring SOY milk when she visits. Children have their own ideas.
55a - Syd or STU, couldn’t remember. 34d - MRS LATE? Thank you JazzB for MR SLATE, of course! So obvious. A lot of interesting info in you write-up. Kudos!
Myrna LOY was my favorite actress. Well, one of them. We used to wear MUM’s to football games. I don’t know why. XKCD was fine because it filled in easily.
Years ago, a terrible encounter with SUMAC is too gruesome to explain. It infected so many people that it made the newspapers.
Have a good day everyone!
Myrna LOY, as Nora Charles in the "Thin Man" films, was mistress of crossword's favorite dog Asta.
Most ALE is no stronger than typical lagers; only when brewed stronger with extra hops added to make an IPA (India Pale Ale) is it noticeably more bitter.
Wonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Beth and Will, and JazzB.
No SPILLED MILK here today (this Canadian is used to the British “Spilt” version).(Hi Subgenius)
I saw the circles and said “oh joy”, thinking of our Anon SS. But they were necessary to see the kinds of MILK. I will stick to cows’ milk thank you. (Hello unclefred)
YR- thanks for pointing out that the MILK was SPILLED in those circles. I missed that clever extra.
I FIRed in good time with two inkblots.
DESKS reminded me that it was KOP not Cop.
My umpire was crying Safe before perps required TIME (and Out wouldn’t fit).
It took a moment to parse LA SCALA, which I was having trouble remembering.
XKCD was gluey fill (necessary for the solve but obscure).
Other unknowns perped. I knew Myrna LOY, but not Mina.
We Canadians have until May 1 this year to pay our TAX.
BOON is an old-fashioned word.
Our EST came from the body shop today, not the baseball diamond.
Nice CSO to Yooper Phil. I had not heard that word until he introduced himself here.
Wishing you all a great day.
Happy HOLI.
Happy International Women’s Day. (Yeah MAE)
Hola!
Thank you, Beth, Will and JazzBumpa! This was fun and using the circles to find the MILK was helpful. Impossible otherwise.
Regretfully we were not allowed to enter LA SCALA for some reason or other when I was in Italy. However, the area was crawling with Gypsies whose children were trained to scam tourists. By that time in my travels I was on to them.
My TAX refunds were posted yesterday, both the state and federal. I'll save them for a future trip.
This was about as clean a puzzle as it can get with no gobbledygook. Of course, I don't know XKCD but it has been well explained.
The only CAVE I have visited is Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and it is definitely AWE inspiring.
I remember Myrna LOY. She was beautiful and a good actress. The movie, Cheaper by the Dozen comes to mind.
Later today I'm expecting a cleaning service and I'm really excited about it. I haven't been able to properly clean house in a long time and it needs a deep cleaning. I hope my granddaughter will learn a few things from them.
The EARL of Grantham from Downton Abbey comes to mind.
Again, thank you, JazzB. I really enjoy you thorough explanations.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
I solved from bottom up, so quickly got the theme. FIR. As I finished I remarked to myself that there were so few proper names, but in retrospect I notice quite a few, but somehow that was not an impediment to my enjoyment. I knew some, guessed others, so very smooth solve.
JZB always has lots of good info for us to delved into. As I look at the bio dates for some of the famous people I’m struck by the gap in life spans. Some die early, others have nice long lives.
I get the Dr Goodword newsletter every morning and KEYSTONE was the word for today.
Fast FIR today. So fast, I forgot to look for the theme. Had Duke before Earl, XKCS was ESP, and Iiked having both MINA and MYRNA. (Knew MYRNA, but not MINA). Unclefred, I agree on the milk issue. Tried goat milk once, but I'll stick with the cow! DO- I too had a deed for a square inch of Yukon Territory thanks to Sgt. Preston of the RCMP and Yukon King.
I was a little disappointed starting out on this puzzle, thinking it was way to easy to be a Wednesday. (I.E. 21. Conclusion: END.) but was pleasantly surprised when some sussing opportunities developed. The theme turned out clever, and "cute."
if it had been beer, I would have brought a straw...
HG, thanks for "splainin" Star Bucks "Vente." (Without you, I could have been that guy...)
XKCD appeared a couple of weeks ago, when Anon-T used it to "splain" html links using right mouse clicks. Which led me down the rabbithole, as my iPad does not have a mouse, and I kept hold clicking on the title "XKCD" expecting it to do something, when Anon-T was referring to basically everyth8ng else on the website. One unexpected benefit turned out that I accidentally found out that holding your finger on the ipad (or phone) item in question will not only open a sub menu. I somehow managed to open a preview window that will now show you the website before you even click on it. Very handy if you don't really want to go there...
Now my question is, since they did not, (could not, as it has multi size daily panels.) replace Dilbert with it, how can I remember to get my daily dose of witticisms from this (new to me) site?
Jzb, your description of 61. Shrub that may be toxic: SUMAC sounds more like the Staghorn Sumac, which is very beneficial. You can make lemonade from the conical fruits, and a tobacco substitute from the leaves. (Best picked in fall as the colors change for best flavor.) you will find these next to highways, which is a shame, as they absorb a lot of pollution from passing cars. (Hmm, maybe they are toxic?) For a lengthy description of Poison Sumac, see here. it likes to grow in wet areas...
FYI, Wind Cave National Park has 120 miles of explored caves. a beautiful area...
Greetings! Came together slowly but smoothly today. Thanks Beth & Will.
One WO because I didn't check the perps: rat -> SPY in the SW. DNK XKCD or EMA, and, like Parsan, the unknown MRS. LATE. Reveal set me straight with MR. SLATE because, after all, we are talking about the Flintstones....
Thanks, JazzB, for your fun & very informative recap. Lots of new and interesting info - Wind Cave and the origin of Yooper, just to mention a few.
Unclefred, my first thought upon reading the binder, SPILLED MILK, was where's the Cow! But I see you were 1st to notice!! LOL.
Irish Miss, thanks for your kind words. So comforting to be able to share life's hills & valleys.
Fun Wednesday puzzle, many thanks, Beth and Will. And I always enjoy your commentaries, Jazzb, thanks for this one too.
Well, it was hard not to think of breakfast as soon as you saw OMELET. But you might first want to open that BOX TOP and have some cereal with some non-SPILLED MILK. That way you can save your ICEES for lunch. Then, if this were a weekend, you could spend the rest of the day just relaxing and having fun, playing games like CLUE on your DESK, or painting on your EASEL, or play a REED instrument, unless you have enough cash to go to LA SCALA and listen to an opera. In any case, have a great day.
Have a good day, everybody.
CED, my thought exactly on sumac. Poison sumac is much rarer in these parts than nontoxic staghorn sumac which is extremely common.
People often say their rash is from poison sumac when they were no where near a swampy area, a common error. The day school operator at our church insisted her charges got poison sumac in our churchyard. We had no sumac nearby, neither poison now staghorn. She said she could tell by the blisters. Not!
Thank you for the SO’s d-o, Big Easy, Anon SS, Irish Miss ☘️, HG and CanadianEh! Although not the most flattering sounding term, Yooper has been around since about 1975, but only fairly recently officially recognized as word by Merriam-Webster. Then there is the Yooper dialect which is not unlike a stereotypical Canadian dialect, which a lot of people pronounce the “th” sound like a “d”, and finish a sentence with “eh”. Some years back the promo tag line for the state was “Say YES to Michigan!”, so the promo for the UP became “Say yah to da UP, eh”.
Relatively fast FIR today - like almost everyone else. Thanks Beth and Will for a Crossword Puzzle as opposed to a Trivia Contest. I know it’s almost too easy for you veterans, but this low intermediate enjoyed it tremendously.
Jazzb - As a native of the L.P. (Ann Arbor) I never knew I was a “troll” - hmmph!!
Hi, Gang -
Thanks for all the kind words. They enhance an already good day.
I'm sure the Yoopers call us trolls with love in their hearts.
XKCD is interesting, often funny, and frequently thought provoking. I recommend it.
Spilled is OK, but I prefer the way spilt is spelt.
If you're F-Bomb tolerant, check out Lewis Blacks milk comments on Youtube.
Cheers!
JzB
I have certainly learned something new today since I live far away from Michigan and am ignorant of any references to the upper peninsula. Thak you for all that education!
JzB shepherds a Rubin/Nediger PZL through the Corner today.
DNF because of that damnable title at 54D.
That screwed up 64A for yrs trly, because I too quickly filled MENU. That was unthinking, entirely my fault. But it was ENABLEd by 64D.
~ OMK
_____________
DR: None.
Several “MILKy” inside diagonals, but another 8x8 blacked-out square precludes any true grid-spanning diags.
I meant “ENABLEd by 54D.”
Sorry.
Doesn't 12A use the answer in the clue?
Northwest Runner@3:30
Physically/factually, I would have to say No...
But if I were to question, I would have chosen 14. Slurpee-like drinks: ICEES
Hello, Cornerites! It's a beautiful spring day here for a change. Thanks to Beth and Will for the puzzle and to JzB for the great expo!
I did this online so I don't remember my errors but thought the puzzle was easy and enjoyable.
The spelling of Mackinac is the original French (Frawnch, per Splynter) and the AC is pronounced AWE. I'm a native of the LP and never knew that we are trolls! Live and learn.
I've never toured a cave but DH, daughter and I have toured a couple non-productive copper mines in Copper Harbor, MI
Unfortunately, my body has recently decided not to digest lactose so I appreciate the milk substitutes.
I hope everyone is having a good week. Enjoy the rest of your day!
I don't drink MILK, but I was in awe of this creative and skillful construction.
I very much enjoy touring CAVEs, including the WIND CAVE National Park. It is not as spectacular as some caves. No big stalactites or even big chambers. But it is notable how the WIND blows for vast distances. And it reverses direction.
In my left photo you can see how it was inside one WIND CAVE chamber and on the right you can see the fine crystals.
And in this photo you can see a bison munching by the WIND CAVE sign.
Hand up SAFE before TIME. Was not aware that TIME was a thing in baseball. Very pleased to see ALAN TURING. A true hero and creative genius, not just another passing pop figure.
It would seem Scott Adams (the correct spelling) committed an unforced error, violated his employment agreement and was fired. Hardly the “woke” crowd, whatever that means. But, really, who cares? I sure don’t, and I was a fan of the strip.
Otherwise, a nicely put together grid.
AnonymousPVX @4:39 you shouldn't pay attention to that guy's post. Most others ignore his "woke crowd" and other ignorant statements.
Finally got around to a FIR. The mechanic came for my house (on wheels) at 0700, so we drove to Crystal River (of manatee fame), then south to Tampa for lunch. Got back about 2:00, just in time to set everything back up for living. We'll spend two more nights next to The Villages (Brownwood), fuel up (maybe 75 gallons of diesel,) then drive to Savannah for a couple of nights. Not many MPGs for this thirsty land yacht.
Trainmen called the caboose their "crummy." Seems that railroad executives didn't mind spending money on the revenue-producing rail cars, but were loath to spend on that trailing necessity. They ended up with the cheapest everything - suspension, "facilities", heat, etc.
I read that many county commissioners opposed the development of Marina del Rey, on the basis that it was using taxpayer funds to subsidize rich people's hobbies. Fortunately they were defeated, and the result was a revenue stream that dwarfed the expenditures, and continues to be a windfall to this day. (I once had a slip in front of Windjammers' yacht Club in that fine marina.) Locally-based Catalina Yachts used to have a policy of offering below-market slip rent to sailors who purchased a new boat from them. The county threw a fit (since they got a percentage of slip rent), and set minimum rent for the entire marina. IIRC, Catalina gave up their marina as a result.
I remember saving up cereal box tops to send in for long-forgotten crap.
I think Charlie Echo and I were on the same wavelength - duke or EARL? Why not both?
I get my daily dose of Dilbert at Dilbert.com. Wouldn't miss it. BTW - to all the haters, did you actually see the strip, or just read commentary on it?
Thanks to Beth, Will and JzB for the fun.
I mostly liked this puzzle. I liked Jazzbumpa's exposition more.
Thanks, Beth & Will. I saw the theme early and that helped with the SW.
FAVs: Gains a lap and Bar code?
I also liked seeing the CSO to our YooperPhil!
BRIGANDS did not look right but I know about XKCD from when Grammar Girl interviewed RM last Oct. I have been checking to see if one of those cartoons will be a good fit for my blog. I'll keep looking.
I make sesame seed "milk" about once a week.
Welcome, Northwest Runner @ 3:30!
Nice pics, Picard!
Thanks, JzB for your write-up. I like your style!
Hey wow, I didn't know there was a Dilbert.com site. Thanks for that, Jinx.
Thank you, Beth Rubin and Will Nediger, anf thank you JazzBumpa
That was fun. Didn't notice the circles until I was almost done. Two of 'em weren't filled at that point. The N and D of ALMOND. Of those five "MILKS", I've only tasted the ones that are from drupes. None of the five appeal to me.
Sorting factor in some directories ? ALPHABET fit but was wrong.
I stripped a beautiful secretary. Oak. My mother and father refinished it. My sister still has it, fifty-some years later.
We enjoyed our getaway to the left side of the UPPER peninsula, spending most of our time on the Keeweenaw Peninsula. Stayed in cabins at the WPA-era built mountain lodge. Short drives to beautiful views of Lake Superior, Eagle Harbor, Isle Royale and Copper Harbor. Drove the curving road up to Brockway Mountain, and also went to Bete Grise and Mount Bohemia. First time I ever saw yurts in person. They're used as lodging for the skiers. Visited the George Gipp museum. It was fun exploring the entire area of the peninsula. Enjoyed the drive back home too, going out of way to see Marquette, and the University of Northern Michigan where my neighbor's daugher went to school, and then down to Peshtigo. We also spent time there to visit and read about the great fire. Everywhere we went in Yoopeland, the people were friendly, and we loved the pasties!
It was just within the last couple of weeks that I asked Dash T, "What was the name of that online comic strip that always had the easter egg messages ? Was it xyz or something ?"
TTP: Did you get a chance to visit the museum in Peshtigo? Very moving story of the great fire. It didn't get much publicity because it happened on the same day as another fire......Chicago, but the loss of life was many times greater.
Hi All:
Thank yous Beth and Will for a neat-o puzzle. I like the concept and it's well executed (except for COW as noted - did you try to change LAW and nothing would work? Just curious.)
Fun expo, JzB. One can tell you put a bucket o' time into it.
WOs: N/A
ESPs: TEENA, LOY, RAY, BRIGANDS
Fav: XKCD - I've been a fan of Monroe's comics since 2007 (or '08?) and have all of his books.
Thank you YooperPhil - if not for your moniker and later explanation, I would have stumbled @47d forever.
Billocohoes - thanks for telling my why I should know Myrna LOY. DW & I loved Thin Man films and watch 'em all (?) in college.
Northwest Runner - instead of InHERItance, one of the constructors could get their name in the clue: "Will's recipients" :-)
Lucina - LOL your Grand learning from the pros.
Pat - your link is 404 :-(
Thanks for the pix Picard. Ump calls TIME when the batter asks. New rules may have changed that. I've not had TIME to watch Spring Training games.
TTP - I don't know if you meant to phrase it that way but my ears perked at "I stripped a beautiful secretary." :-)
Cheers, -T
FIW. Another one square error, which I should have known. My last fill was the A in SHEA/LASCALA, but some dummy ignored the fact that he had entered GETLOOSE earlier, instead of LETLOOSE, and paid NO attention to the error! Quoting Red Forman again….
I got to the UP exactly once. Ex-wife’s family used to go to Grand Marais in her ute, and we all piled into one car one summer. I loved it! Made a day trip to Mackinac Island and had a cold one at the Grand Hotel (“Somewhere in Time” --- the movie is incorrect, because one cannot drive on the island.) Didn’t make it to Sault Ste. Marie, though.
Oh, and on the way back to Joliet, I made huge points with my father-in- law. He was a lifelong Chicago Bears fan and season ticket holder (back when one could afford season tickets). When I pulled off the highway in Green Bay, everyone in the back seat of the car had a conniption fit: “Where are you going??? Where are you going, Dummy???” Bill, riding shotgun, just sat there with a big grin on his face, because he knew exactly where we were going. He had never been to a Bears/Packers game at Lambeau Field (and he never DID get to one there), but he was tickled that he was at least able to go sit in the parking lot of his most hated team’s stadium for a few minutes.
Nice photos, Picard!
CED - you don't get a daily of xkcd because Randall only does a few a week. But if you forget for a week (or are just too busy), you can always hit the '< Prev' button.
Did you ever figure out how to see the roll-overs for the extra (or as TTP calls them Easter Egg) joke?
Cheers, -T
IM @ 7:56. In addition to the corporate billing glitch, there needs to be Aggravation Compensation, not only for the sub-Musak holding 'music,' but also for time lost waiting for a response. Let's open the bid at $20 a minute....
Charlie Echo, we did stop at the museum in Peshtigo. I think I drive her nuts because time permitting, I have a tendency to stop at at places to and from destinations. "Oh look, there's a scenic overlook coming up. Let's see the views." On the way back from somewhere, she just wants to get home. And invariably after a trip I hear, "It's good to be home."
Leo, one Memorial Day weekend, we drove up with another couple and took the ferry to Mackinac Island. The first thing all four of us did was buy sweatshirts. Then fudge. Then found our bed and breakfast place. The Grand is beautiful, but was a little too formal for us. We played The Jewel when it was a 9 hole course, and then the next day played another 9 hole course that later became the back 9 to The Jewel. We got to that one by horse and buggy, golf clubs in tow...
Dash T :>). I think I have a pic of that secretary. I'll look. Antique furniture isn't for everyone, but there something about the craftsmanship and durability of well-crafted real-wood antique furniture that appeals to me. I need to ask my sister if she intends to pass it on to her daughter or granddaughter. If not, I want it. It has to be about 130 years old.
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