23-Across. * Kits that include pots for melting cheese or
chocolate: FONDUE SETS. DUES. Fondue Sets were common wedding gifts in the '70s, or so I'm told.
38-Across. * 1933 comedy starring Marie Dressler and John
Barrymore: DINNER AT EIGHT.
RATE. This movie came out a little before my time. Although I had
heard of John Barrymore (né John Sidney Blyth; Feb. 1882 ~ May 29, 1942), who
was the grandfather of actress Drew Barrymore (née Drew Blythe Barrymore; b.
Feb. 22, 1975), but Marie Dressler (née Leslie Marie Koerber; b. Nov. 9,1868 ~
July 28 1965) is a new name for me. The movie is a comedic drama about
an ambitious New York socialite and her husband. She planned an
extravagant dinner party while her husband was having financial issues.
As in any marriage, this caused a lot of tension between the couple.
50-Across. * Ingredient amount in a recipe for paella or
risotto: ONE CUP RICE. PRICE.
And the unifier:
57-Across. Unexpected charges, and a feature of the answers to the starred
clues: HIDDEN FEES.
This is our second week in a row to have Susan Gelfand prepare our Tuesday
puzzle. What else did she hide from us?
Across:
1. Skyline obscurer: SMOG.
Can you name this city?
5. Slight fabrications: FIBS.
9. Lengthy exam answer: ESSAY.
14. Afghanistan's __ Bora region: TORA. Tora Bora is a cave complex in eastern Afghanistan near the border of Pakistan.
15. Wrinkle remover: IRON.
16. Teatime treat: SCONE. Yummers!
17. Condo division: UNIT.
20. Liberated: FREED.
22. Meaner than mean: CRUEL.
Cruella De Ville
26. Verdi opera about an African princess: AIDA.
Aida is a popular tragic opera by Giuseppe Verdi (né Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi; Oct. 9, 1813
~ Jan. 27, 1901) that is set on the old Kingdom of Egypt. It premiered
in Cairo in December 1871. The 1998 musical Aida by
Elton John (né Reginald Kenneth Dwight; b. Mar. 25, 1947) and Tim Rice (né
Timothy Miles Bindon Rice; b. Nov. 10, 1944) is based on Verdi's opera.
30. As of now: YET.
31. Rodent that followed the Pied Piper: RAT.
32. Finalized, as a deal: SEWN UP.
34. Relishes: SAVORS.
37. Indiana NBA player: PACER. Why the name Pacer, you ask.
41. Treasury secretary Yellen: JANET. Janet Louise Yellen
(b. Aug. 13, 1946) is the 78th United States Secretary of the Treasury.
She has held that Office since January 26, 2021. Prior to that she
was the Chair of the Federal Reserve.
42. __ Berry Farm: Southern California amusement park: KNOTTS.
43. High regard: ESTEEM.
45. "Let's call __ day": IT A.
46. Heat in the microwave: ZAP.
49. Norse god of thunder: THOR. Everything you ever wanted
to know about this Norse god but didn't know to ask.
54. Barnett of CBS News: ERROL. Errol Barnett (b. Apr. 3, 1983), is a British-born news anchor and correspondent for
CBS News.
56. Therefore: HENCE.
62. Over again: ANEW. A crossword staple.
63. Relating to birds: AVIAN.
64. Rights org. since 1920: ACLU. As in the American Civil Liberties Union. The organization was founded to protect the constitutional rights of
Americans. One of its earliest cases was the so-called Monkey Trial, which challenged Tennessee's law banning the teaching of evolution.
2. "Some Like It Hot" star Marilyn: MONROE. Marilyn Monroe
(née Norma Jean Mortenson; June 1, 1926 ~ Aug. 4, 1962) portrayed Sugar
Kowalczyk, a singer, who befriended Tony Curtis (né Bernard Schwartz; June 3,
1925 ~ Sept. 29, 2010) and Jack Lemmon (né John Uhler Lemmon, III; Feb. 8,
1925 ~ June 27, 2001), who were disguised as women to escape from mafia
gangsters.
3. Get situated: ORIENT.
4. Like some private communities: GATED.
5. In shape: FIT.
6. Nest egg letters: IRA. As in Individual Retirement Account.
7. Italian bowling game: BOCCE.
8. Pig sound: SNORT.
9. East, in Spanish: ESTE. Today's Spanish lesson.
10. Rascals: SCALAWAGS. Fun word. After the Civil War, however, the word became pejorative term for a
white Southerner who supported the federal plan of Reconstruction or who
joined with black freedmen and the so-called carpetbaggers in support of
Republican Party policies.
11. Prodigal __: SON. A Biblical reference.
12. "Wait, there's more": AND.
13. "You bet!": YES.
19. Figure (out): SUSS.
21. Vaudeville legend Jimmy: DURANTE. Jimmy Durante (né
James Francis Durante; Feb. 10, 1893 ~ Jan. 29, 1980) was known for his
gravelly voice and his big nose, which he lovingly referred to as
his Schnozzola.
24. Roof edge: EAVE.
25. Bird on birth announcements: STORK.
27. Snowfall accumulation unit: INCH.
28. Song for two: DUET.
29. Tax-paying mo.: APR.
33. Words set in stone?: EPITAPH.
34. Looked down on: SNEERED AT.
35. Competed in a sprint, say: RAN. // Ane 38-Down:
Sprinter's race: DASH.
36. Unflappable: STOIC.
39. Enamored of: INTO.
40. Caesar's rebuke: ET TU. Today's Latin lesson. A
phrase that literally means "and you". Most famously seen as "Et tu,
Brute?" supposedly the last words of Julius Caesar after he had been stabbed
by his friend Brutus.
41. Airport arrival: JET.
44. Eve's opposite: MORN. Nice misdirection. Eve isn't
a person, but the evening.
46. Colorful annual: ZINNIA. Beautiful and colorful flowers.
47. Regional manner of speech: ACCENT. Here's the Downeast
Accent.
48. Baseball Hall of Famer Reese: PEE WEE. Pee Wee Reese (né
Harold Peter Henry; July 23, 1918 ~ Aug. 14, 1999) played shortstop for the
Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers. He is also known for befriending and
supporting his teammate, Jackie Robinson (né Jack Roosevelt Robinson; Jan. 31,
1919 ~ Oct. 24, 1972) when Robinson broke the color barrier into baseball's
major leagues. He got his nickname from playing in marble competitions as a child. A Pee-Wee is a
small marble. Not to be confused with Pee Wee Herman the alter ego of
Paul Reubens (Aug. 28, 1952 ~ July 30, 2023), who recently died of cancer.
51. Like some lean dairy products: NO-FAT.
52. Put into office: ELECT.
53. Domain: REALM.
55. Landlord's income: RENT.
57. "A likely story!": HAH!
58. Climbing vine: IVY.
59. Day in Durango: DIA. Today's Spanish lesson.
60. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO. The band's full name
is Electric Light Orchestra.
61. "How's it goin'?": 'SUP.
Here's the Grid:
חתולה
Notes from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to Steve, who guided us faithfully for many years on
Thursdays and pinched in a few times the past few months. Hope it's special there in L.A.
I’ll admit it, I didn’t get the gimmick even after I had solved the themed entries. The reveal “revealed” it to me, however. Other than that, it was a pretty typical Tuesday puzzle. FIR, so I’m happy.
Caught the theme after accidentally reading the full reveal clue. Assumed PACERS were named after the Indy pace cars. That's what assume'll getcha. Finished this one in six minutes, which is just about as fast as d-o can write. Thanx, Susans. (Enjoyed the Downeast accent. I worked for several years with a Mainer. He assured me they are not called Mainiacs.)
EPITAPH: Dorothy Parker -- "Pardon my dust." Mel Blanc -- "That's All Folks"
Happy birthday, Steve. I believe the last time we saw that photo she was described as your friend.
Wow, Hahtoolah! 41 images, 6 videos, and 10 links! A tour de force. Thank you.
The puzzle was a breeze. DINNER AT EIGHT was the only unknown, and the only type over was SEWN UP replacing signed, for "Finalized, as a deal" The theme answers were leading me to a food related reveal, but no dice. Thank you, Susan Gelfand.
On Saturday morning I called to order breakfast. The young lady sounded very much like Drew Barrymore, with the happy melodic voice. I did a double take when I got there. She was Drew Barrymore's doppelganger. In related news, I just read a headline that Drew is bringing back her talk show, and that is angering the striking writers.
Welcome back, inanehiker. I want to thank you again for the Zanfel recommendation. I needed it again. This time it was from Sunday afternoon's cutting of the poison oak in the honeysuckle row. I prepped, wearing a long sleeved shirt and rubber gloves. I still managed to unknowingly brush the vine against bare skin just above the cuff of the glove. One two inch welt developed yesterday, despite immediately washing my gloves and clippers and then my hands and arms in soapy water within 10 minutes of cutting the vine. The root end of the vine is going to get a spot treatment of Roundup this afternoon. I don't want the little ones next door getting into that poison oak when they are playing.
Easy-peasy-breezy fun Tuesday-coulda-been-Monday CW. Very enjoyable, thanx SG, even though I didn’t get the theme until the reveal. I wanted to write ERIN at 54A, thinking of Erin Burnett of CNN instead of Errol Barnett of CBS. I wanted SCOUNDRELS at 10D but it didn’t fit, and it took a while and several perps for SCALAWAG to appear. Only W/O was FONDUEPOTS:FONDUESETS. In spite of these problems I still managed to FIR in better than typical Tuesday time. Hahtoolah you really outdid yourself today. Your write-ups are always fun, informative and entertaining, but today was excellent, thanx for the time and effort you put into it. HBD Steve!
FIR, but erased dio for DIA, and zennia for ZINNIA (UNTIE in two languages!)
Today is: National Day of Encouragement (I was encouraged to learn that these things aren’t just crossword constructs) NATIONAL ANTS ON A LOG DAY (and can be washed down with my favorite…) NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE DAY (especially with double malt) NATIONAL REPORT MEDICARE FRAUD DAY (I watch our EOBs carefully, but haven’t seen any…yet) NATIONAL JUST ONE HUMAN FAMILY DAY (but get your own danged health care plan – you ain’t even family) NATIONAL VIDEO GAMES DAY (from your perpetual N00B)
Before I was born, my parents and sisters drove from Eastern Kentucky to KNOTTS Berry Farm. They ate in the park's restaurant, and my mother got a piece of strawberry rhubarb pie. She liked it so much that she started baking it for a dessert in our restaurant. A really exotic dessert for the travelers and locals that made up our customer base.
In Hamlet, the Bard wrote "I must be cruel only to be kind." But Nick Lowe said it better with his one hit Cruel to be Kind.
FLN - Vid, we hillbillys used to math-joke that everyone knows that pi*r^2 ain't right. Pie are round; cornbread are square.
HBDTY Steve.
Thanks to Susan for the fun Tuesday romp. And thanks to Ha2la for the visual grins.
ps. The New York Jets set a record for the most expensive plays in NFL history. Assuming that at his age he won't be coming back from his achilles tear, he'll be paid $75,000,000 for four plays, or $18,750,000 per snap taken.
Good Morning, Crossword friends. I thought it was interesting that a puzzle this early in the week did not have circles, due to the "hidden" fee-related words.
Uncleared:: I, too, thought of Erin instead of ERROL. The first 2 letters worked, but some blank spaces at the end!
D-O: I included a link which explained the origin of Pacers.
Happy Birthday, Steve! Wishing you a happy and special day.
QOD: If you take risks and face your fate with dignity, there is nothing you can do that makes you small; if you don’t take risks, there is nothing you can do that makes you grand, nothing. ~ Nassim Nicholas Taleb (b. Sept. 12, 1960), Lebanese-American essayist
This was a lovely Tuesday solve with nostalgia galore: Marilyn Monroe, Pee Wee Reese, Jimmy Durante, and Dinner At Eight, not to mention the silly, whimsical Mairzy Doats. Oh, and some Scalawags, to boot! No unknowns, no w/os, no nits and, miracle of miracles, no circles! (SS must be dancing in the street!) 🤣 I, too, thought that Taco, Fondue, Dinner, and Rice were leading up to a food-related theme, so the clever reveal was a surprise, as was the well-hidden (no pun intended) theme.
Thanks, Susan, for a very enjoyable offering and thanks, Hahtoolah, for the excellent review and the many striking and relative visuals. Favorites, as usual, were animal-centric, i.e., the kitties on the throne and the closing “hipster”. Checkout “Les” was cute, too, as was Bert and I.
Happy Birthday, Steve, hope you can celebrate in style. 🎂🎊🎁🎉🎈
FLN
Lucina, I sent you an email earlier with some Netflix recommendations. 😉
FIR. Whipped through this puzzle with ease, and then sat looking at the finished grid trying to figure out the theme. I stared at the starred answers for some time and finally gave up. Thank heavens for this blog, because were it not for that, and getting the connection, I would have spent the whole day scratching my head .
Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Susan and Hahtoolah. I FIRed in good time and then had to go back to find the HIDDEN FEES (no circles today, which will make someone happy).
I had to use perps to spell SCALAWAGS (I wanted two Ls). EPITAPH was the last to fill, as I had Sown Up instead of SEWN (I was in the garden instead of at the sewing machine). Lo FAT got even leaner with NO FAT. SUSS and S’UP for the slang meh today.
I have two rows of ZINNAs in my vegetable garden. From just two packages of seeds, I get a bountiful crop of blooms in a variety of colours. I cut some for bouquets.
This Canadian has learned ACLU, JANET, INCH instead of centimetre, no U in SAVOR, IRA not RRSP,, but ERROL required perps.
I thought of WC and his Boston ACCENT. I’m told that Canadians have an accent. Really?
Easy Tuesday but didn’t quite get the theme at first. There are HIDDEN FEES in FONDUESETS. Oh wait, HAH, it’s COST, DUES, RATE, and PRICE
Pigs “oink”. They only SNORT when something strikes then as humerous . Doesn’t take much, (just one letter) to go from FIT to fat.
The Parable about the “prodigal” SON is an intriguing favorite. Did the older brother ever end up joining the celebration ? Why was Dad so stingy with his older son? What will happen when the old man dies and everything is inherited by the resentful older son who is none too happy with his dissolute younger sib (who will have to depend on his good will?) 😳
The MONROE doctrine: “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world” 👡👡… almost put BORA for BORA “Bora” but thatsa CW tabu/taboo. “JANET stop “yellin’” we heard you : interests rates are going ⬇️⬆️➡️”
Wonder what knottsberries taste like🫢😯?
Popular TV series (of discovery) with Mandy Moore, “ This is ___ “….. SUSS. Day between Woden’s Day and Freya’s Day, ____ Day …..THOR’s Serum in your arm….IVY What you do at DINNER AT EIGHT….SUP (that’s too late for me, I get too hungry ….does that make me a tramp or just a starving hobo?😁
Happy birthday Steve (excuse my ignorance but which one of us is Steve?)
No SNEERing at this nifty puzzle. I too at first thought there would be a food theme, and then I got to the reveal and I detected the HIDDEN FEES.
Hahtoolah regaled us with so many fun videos and images, as well as bio info. Yes, that “hipster” cat at the end is hilarious. But thank you Anonymous @8:04 for identifying Eric Idle under that “no idle” sign.
desperate-otto@ 8:32. I agrée, ten items or fewer.
My spellcheck likes to insert ACCENTs here and there. I indulge it.
Good Morning! What a delightful puzzle today – thanks, Susan!
I confess to 1 ½ blips I -> E for BOCCE (no WO-an easy fix.) And lo FAT -> NO FAT.
Alas, my ZINNIAs are fading, but they have been beautiful all summer in a pot on my deck. I take photos of my pots when at their peak so a) I can look back and enjoy them again in the cold winter months and b) I can plan my plantings for the coming season.
I remember seeing Jimmy DURANTE on television and at the end of his routine, the stage would go black with a series of spotlights he would walk back into, and at one he would stop, turn, tip his hat and say, “Good Night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.” Fun memory.
Thanks, Hah2lah, for another stellar recap. You brighten the Tuesday experience.
Thank you Susan and Susan for respectively a pecuniary puzzle and the usual punnarious hilarity.
A few favs:
14A TORA. The perpetrator of the travesty we remembered yesterday was thought to have hidden in the caves of TORA BORA, but was ultimately tracked down and dispatched ten years later in Abbottabad, Pakistan by United States Navy SEALs.
4D GATED. Also the name of an Internet routing protocol. -T can explain it in detail when he shows up.
10D SCALAWAGS. Distant relatives of Maryland's SNALLYGASTERS, that I used to take delight in describing to my granddaughters. That's when they learned not to take me seriously.
25D STORK. My DIL has been visited by them 7 times, and by my son and me when we delivered their 8th child from China.
Oh and Susan G forgot to add a TIP, as all of the HIDDEN FEES were enclosed in SAVORY food items + TEA and SCONES. My Mom would have loved this puzzle.
A Susan and Susan Tuesday. The HIDDEN FEES were not noticeable and I had a couple of unknowns filled by perps. ERROL and DINNER AT EIGHT (before my time).
BOCCE sometimes spelled BOCCI. In NOLA it's BOCCE at our Senior Games. A family's Prodigal SON usually turns out to be a bum. Known quite a few of them in my lifetime.
Tax-paying mo: It's not just APRil. we pay taxes every day. Sales, property, and I pay income tax quarterly. If you still work you pay taxes every time a paycheck is cut.
PEE WEE Rese- a mediocre player in the HOF because he played for the Yankees. But I remember him and Dizzy Dean and the Falstaff Game of The Week.
Canadian Eh- you must be young because every Canadian, Brit, and Aussie my age still calls it inches, miles, pounds, and gallons when I talk to them. I know the metric make more sense but old habits are hard to break. Do Canadian foods list the Calories or Joules?
Got to the FIR lickety-split today. Fun puzzle, but the theme V-8 can didn't strike until Ha2la 'splained it. Liked the names, for a change. I guess you could call 'em "geezer friendly"!
Big easy….Just for the record, Peewee Reese played his entire career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Don’t think he did Sat. Games with Dizzy either. Sorry not trying to show you up, but saw my first game 73 years ago and saw Peewee with some regularity when he came into Wrigley Field. Good little bal player but probably not HOF quality. You’re right about that. Many NY sports writers voting for their favs.
I'm not so sure I agree that the metric systems makes sense. It is based on the number of fingers that humans were designed to have. From shortly after we became Homo Sapiens, people have used their digits to do simple arithmetic. Few grown-ups still do that. Since we rely on computers for nearly everything, a better numbering system would be base 16.
My favorite EPITAPH is that of Lester Moore at the Tombstone (AZ) Graveyard: Here lies Lester Moore Four slugs from a .44 No Les No more
Only problem is that Wikipedia says that no one named Lester Moore was killed in Arizona Territory. (Why let facts get in the way of a great tale?)
The last time i bought a car (10 years ago) I used Costco's buying service. I got a CRV with 0.9% APR financing for slightly less than the sticker price, even after the $650 "doc fee" that was printed on the contract and said to be mandatory. That wouldn't be a good deal for Detroit iron, but pretty good for a Honda in those days (I think.) If I ever buy another new car, I'll probably take a preprinted offer form with me stating my offered amount, with fill-in-the-blanks for the VIN of the car I'm interested in and the price I'm offering, stating that the offer is inclusive of all equipment and non-governmental fees. Most dealers would probably prefer that I buy elsewhere.
There is another level of hidden taxes that is much harder to detect. One example is the hidden library tax that is in all cell phone bills. Can't see it, can't do anything about it, which makes it rife for looting by our congress and civil serpents.
Delightful Tuesday puzzle, many thanks, Susan. And I always enjoy your commentary, Hahtoolah, thanks for that too.
Happy birthday, Steve--have a wonderful day!
Well, there was no way of missing all that food in this puzzle, starting with a SCONE for breakfast (hey, morning is a tea-time for many). But then we got a TACO, and some delicious FONDUE for DINNER. Not sure this is a NO FAT diet, but it still looks pretty slim. Hope our evening servings came with ONE CUP of wine (or more), and maybe another one at bedtime, to help us get to sleep. Yep, there's a lot to SAVOR on this day.
Thanks to SG for her fun puzzle. I learned that SCALAWAGS is not spelled SCALyWAGS. A pirate's ACCENT is likely influencing my spelling. FAVs: Eve's opposite and Words set in stone?
Thanks to Hahtoolah for another fun write-up. So many smiles today: Extra rice panda, or LESS, pets on the king's throne, ...
Happy b-day to Steve!
FLN. Vidwan827@11:39. I like how you extended the equation for the area of an ellipse to the more familiar pi*r*r. Or, as Jinx already said, "Pies are square"
Big Easy- no I am not that young, and I don’t always use the metric. I swing back and forth - sort of like being ambidextrous. I think our labelling still uses calories, although Health Canada charts seem to use calories and joules.
This was before I was born. My father was working on his PhD at UCLA to become a research biologist. I never visited California until I was an adult. Sometime we should visit KNOTT'S BERRY FARM, but I am guessing it involves lots of long lines.
From Yesterday: Jinx Thank you for validating my view of the "freestyle" or "crawl" swimming stroke that CC was doing.
I highly recommend the side stroke. It keeps your face out of the water so you don't have to coordinate your breathing with your swimming.
But my favorite way to swim is by snorkeling. You can just breathe normally while keeping your head in the water. You get a great view and you can totally relax.
I visited Knotts Berry Farm on a family vacation in the mid '60s, and enjoyed it more than Disneyland. Don't get me wrong, Disney was fun, but KBF seemed to be more real to a kid who was fascinated by everything "Old West".
Jinx @ 12:50 --> Margaret and I visited Tombstone earlier this year and saw the "Lester Moore" headstone - the Boothill Cemetery is a must-see when visiting there, as well as the other kitschy attractions ... I bought me a few souvenirs whilst there
Susan's squared, once again ... Gelfand and Hahtoolah ... well done, ladies
FIR in near-record time. I had TACO TRUCKS before TACO STANDS ... it's Tuesday, so having a TACO in the puzzle is appropriate
Nice to get a link to Sonny & Cher's DUET, "I Got You, Babe!" (Only not for long...)
Why did I know JANET Yellin's given name? I don't know such things. Really don't. ~ OMK ____________ DR: Three diagonals, near side. The central diag provides an anagram (12 of 15) of a curious designation assigned to a foolish, idealistic member of a mob, one who is under the delusion that a fast & deadly "solution" to dealing with a human impediment to a perfect society will actually work. Naturally, I refer to a...
HBD Steve! I love your across the pond take on a grid.
I missed the theme 'cuz I filled so fast (not D-O or SSolver fast but quick but...). I liked the puzzle and the words were fun. Thanks again, Susan, for Tuesday entertainment.
And Hahtoolah - how much fun are your expos? Always jolly. Eric under the Do Not Idle sign is priceless.
WO: I put a Y in SCALLyWAGS (Hi Sumdaze!) ESPs: I don't see any(?!) Fav: JANET probably doesn't want to be known for this [SNL].
Jinx - I'm not the only one on the planet that loves malted milk?!? Base 16 makes sense until you run out of fingers. Base 32 is how I like to count (but I don't have enough toes to keep it going).
C, Eh! Oooah, no ways yous got an ACCENT, eh? //metric comes naturally as a) I was kid of the '70's b) it was all we used in EE. (Can someone explain a BTU w/o using a formula?)
Ray-O: I don’t know why I know "Good night Mrs Calabash" but it's probably the same reason I know "say goodnight" from Bedtime for Bonzo(?)
RoseE - share your ZINNIA photos!
I was puny today (DW returned my sick from two weeks ago) but I just tested covid neg! #whoot
Tante Nique, thanks for noticing my recent absence. I'm bipolar (i. e. i like both penguins and polar bears), and being in a long-term care facility for the past year, possibly for the rest of my life, has me facing down the Black Dog of depression recently. I've been getting a few poems out for the JumbleHints blog , but with 4 l'icks and a sonnet every day, i just haven't been keeping up. I'll try to move CC a little bit higher on my priorities list.
Dash T, I'm not Rose, but I should have done what she did. That is, take pics of my ZINNIAs when they were in their full glory.
I took pics of mine after reading Rose's 10:09 comment. Should have taken them a couple of weeks ago.
The colors have faded, but you'll get the idea. The lamp post in the corner garden is about 9 feet tall so that should give you an idea of the height of those. I think we planted three different varieties. The ones around the mailbox are definitely a different variety.
The hummingbirds, butterflies and bees have had a feeding frenzy in the gardens all season. They're still very active gathering nectar, and there are still plenty of buds that haven't popped yet.
So here are the pics. Not Picard quality pics. You'll see part of my finger covering a bit of the lens in a couple of them. :>)
I am waay too late - but ... better late than never... Thank you Susan Gelfand, for a nice and easy puzzle ... I never bothered about the hidden words, clues or FEES.
Thank you Hah2lah , you take a lot of trouble in your blog, ... your cartoons are lovely ... and soo appropriate !! Thank you for the humor and thought provoking ideas ....
I just realized I was paying 34% fees on TV ... I don't even watch TV ... but that is life. Also I was paying for 3 computers- protection plan ... on computers I had disposed off three years ago ... and this one from OfficeMax, a reputed company. THere was no bill, it was a smalll online note, and direct charge to my credit card ... so it snuck in, every year, below my radar.
I have to mention that Janet Yellen becoming US Treas Secy is less noteworthy, or less important than .... her becoming Chairman ( -person) of the Federal Reserve Banks ...-
The first is a political position, with lot of leeway .... afterall, Mr. Mnuchin, a Hollywood financier, was US Secy of the Treas., under President Trump ...
... but her second ( but earlier -) job is one of merit and honor !!
Becoming the first chairman of the Fed is MUCH more significant than becoming the first female Assoc Supreme Court Justice, of the U S Supreme Court .... It is like being elected, nominated and honored by your peers, for one thing.
I also came to know of Tora BOra, when ObL was supposed to or reputed to be hiding there and was, later, supposed to be bombed out of existence. But, who gnu, he was under some sort of protection hiding behind a military academy in Abbotabad...
Interesting, that of the 15 animals/birds that mate for life ... doesnt include Man/Woman ... HOmo Sapiens. Naw, we're too smart for that ... some people think that the divorce rate has something to do with female liberation / freedom and economic independence ... but female animals have always been independent ... so fidelity has be something far more important ... and unexplainable....
Happy Birthday, Steve, ... I remember your lovely blogs from long ago. Hope you are in good health and spirits, and happy.
36 comments:
I’ll admit it, I didn’t get the gimmick even after I had solved the themed entries. The reveal “revealed” it to me, however. Other than that, it was a pretty typical Tuesday puzzle. FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Caught the theme after accidentally reading the full reveal clue. Assumed PACERS were named after the Indy pace cars. That's what assume'll getcha. Finished this one in six minutes, which is just about as fast as d-o can write. Thanx, Susans. (Enjoyed the Downeast accent. I worked for several years with a Mainer. He assured me they are not called Mainiacs.)
EPITAPH: Dorothy Parker -- "Pardon my dust." Mel Blanc -- "That's All Folks"
Happy birthday, Steve. I believe the last time we saw that photo she was described as your friend.
Happy Birthday, Steve!
Wow, Hahtoolah! 41 images, 6 videos, and 10 links! A tour de force. Thank you.
The puzzle was a breeze. DINNER AT EIGHT was the only unknown, and the only type over was SEWN UP replacing signed, for "Finalized, as a deal" The theme answers were leading me to a food related reveal, but no dice. Thank you, Susan Gelfand.
On Saturday morning I called to order breakfast. The young lady sounded very much like Drew Barrymore, with the happy melodic voice. I did a double take when I got there. She was Drew Barrymore's doppelganger. In related news, I just read a headline that Drew is bringing back her talk show, and that is angering the striking writers.
Welcome back, inanehiker. I want to thank you again for the Zanfel recommendation. I needed it again. This time it was from Sunday afternoon's cutting of the poison oak in the honeysuckle row. I prepped, wearing a long sleeved shirt and rubber gloves. I still managed to unknowingly brush the vine against bare skin just above the cuff of the glove. One two inch welt developed yesterday, despite immediately washing my gloves and clippers and then my hands and arms in soapy water within 10 minutes of cutting the vine. The root end of the vine is going to get a spot treatment of Roundup this afternoon. I don't want the little ones next door getting into that poison oak when they are playing.
Thanks Susan for a Tuesday treat. A fun run and no white-out needed…. kkFlorida
Easy-peasy-breezy fun Tuesday-coulda-been-Monday CW. Very enjoyable, thanx SG, even though I didn’t get the theme until the reveal. I wanted to write ERIN at 54A, thinking of Erin Burnett of CNN instead of Errol Barnett of CBS. I wanted SCOUNDRELS at 10D but it didn’t fit, and it took a while and several perps for SCALAWAG to appear. Only W/O was FONDUEPOTS:FONDUESETS. In spite of these problems I still managed to FIR in better than typical Tuesday time. Hahtoolah you really outdid yourself today. Your write-ups are always fun, informative and entertaining, but today was excellent, thanx for the time and effort you put into it. HBD Steve!
FIR, but erased dio for DIA, and zennia for ZINNIA (UNTIE in two languages!)
Today is:
National Day of Encouragement (I was encouraged to learn that these things aren’t just crossword constructs)
NATIONAL ANTS ON A LOG DAY (and can be washed down with my favorite…)
NATIONAL CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE DAY (especially with double malt)
NATIONAL REPORT MEDICARE FRAUD DAY (I watch our EOBs carefully, but haven’t seen any…yet)
NATIONAL JUST ONE HUMAN FAMILY DAY (but get your own danged health care plan – you ain’t even family)
NATIONAL VIDEO GAMES DAY (from your perpetual N00B)
Before I was born, my parents and sisters drove from Eastern Kentucky to KNOTTS Berry Farm. They ate in the park's restaurant, and my mother got a piece of strawberry rhubarb pie. She liked it so much that she started baking it for a dessert in our restaurant. A really exotic dessert for the travelers and locals that made up our customer base.
In Hamlet, the Bard wrote "I must be cruel only to be kind." But Nick Lowe said it better with his one hit Cruel to be Kind.
FLN - Vid, we hillbillys used to math-joke that everyone knows that pi*r^2 ain't right. Pie are round; cornbread are square.
HBDTY Steve.
Thanks to Susan for the fun Tuesday romp. And thanks to Ha2la for the visual grins.
ps. The New York Jets set a record for the most expensive plays in NFL history. Assuming that at his age he won't be coming back from his achilles tear, he'll be paid $75,000,000 for four plays, or $18,750,000 per snap taken.
Good Morning, Crossword friends. I thought it was interesting that a puzzle this early in the week did not have circles, due to the "hidden" fee-related words.
Uncleared:: I, too, thought of Erin instead of ERROL. The first 2 letters worked, but some blank spaces at the end!
D-O: I included a link which explained the origin of Pacers.
Happy Birthday, Steve! Wishing you a happy and special day.
QOD: If you take risks and face your fate with dignity, there is nothing you can do that makes you small; if you don’t take risks, there is nothing you can do that makes you grand, nothing. ~ Nassim Nicholas Taleb (b. Sept. 12, 1960), Lebanese-American essayist
Today, I charged through this one in 3:55.
Zinnia and Errol were unknown, and I was unsure of the spelling of scalawags.
D-O with a speed run today too. Nice work!
Good Morning:
This was a lovely Tuesday solve with nostalgia galore: Marilyn Monroe, Pee Wee Reese, Jimmy Durante, and Dinner At Eight, not to mention the silly, whimsical Mairzy Doats. Oh, and some Scalawags, to boot! No unknowns, no w/os, no nits and, miracle of miracles, no circles! (SS must be dancing in the street!) 🤣 I, too, thought that Taco, Fondue, Dinner, and Rice were leading up to a food-related theme, so the clever reveal was a surprise, as was the well-hidden (no pun intended) theme.
Thanks, Susan, for a very enjoyable offering and thanks, Hahtoolah, for the excellent review and the many striking and relative visuals. Favorites, as usual, were animal-centric, i.e., the kitties on the throne and the closing “hipster”. Checkout “Les” was cute, too, as was Bert and I.
Happy Birthday, Steve, hope you can celebrate in style. 🎂🎊🎁🎉🎈
FLN
Lucina, I sent you an email earlier with some Netflix recommendations. 😉
Have a great day.
FIR. Whipped through this puzzle with ease, and then sat looking at the finished grid trying to figure out the theme. I stared at the starred answers for some time and finally gave up. Thank heavens for this blog, because were it not for that, and getting the connection, I would have spent the whole day scratching my head .
Ms. Irish Miss, no dancing, but like SubG finishing a puzzle, I am happy when there aren't those dreaded circles.
Also, I believe the "hipster" is Eric Idle (under the "Do Not Idle" sign) of Monty Python (and crossword) fame.
SS @ 8:04 ~ The “hipster” I was referring to was the “Hip” ‘SUP kitty. 😉
Hahtoolah, I did follow your link. That's how I learned my assumption was wrong.
IM, and that's why the sign at check-out should read "10 items or fewer."
I refuse to buy anything unless the seller is honest...
PSA: Consumer reports how to protect yourself.
If I remember correctly, Steve was always on a plane going somewhere...
Ergo: todays cake...
Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Susan and Hahtoolah.
I FIRed in good time and then had to go back to find the HIDDEN FEES (no circles today, which will make someone happy).
I had to use perps to spell SCALAWAGS (I wanted two Ls). EPITAPH was the last to fill, as I had Sown Up instead of SEWN (I was in the garden instead of at the sewing machine).
Lo FAT got even leaner with NO FAT.
SUSS and S’UP for the slang meh today.
I have two rows of ZINNAs in my vegetable garden. From just two packages of seeds, I get a bountiful crop of blooms in a variety of colours. I cut some for bouquets.
This Canadian has learned ACLU, JANET, INCH instead of centimetre, no U in SAVOR, IRA not RRSP,, but ERROL required perps.
I thought of WC and his Boston ACCENT. I’m told that Canadians have an accent. Really?
Happy Birthday Steve.
Wishing you all a great day.
Easy Tuesday but didn’t quite get the theme at first. There are HIDDEN FEES in FONDUESETS. Oh wait, HAH, it’s COST, DUES, RATE, and PRICE
Pigs “oink”. They only SNORT when something strikes then as humerous . Doesn’t take much, (just one letter) to go from FIT to fat.
The Parable about the “prodigal” SON is an intriguing favorite. Did the older brother ever end up joining the celebration ? Why was Dad so stingy with his older son? What will happen when the old man dies and everything is inherited by the resentful older son who is none too happy with his dissolute younger sib (who will have to depend on his good will?) 😳
The MONROE doctrine: “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world” 👡👡… almost put BORA for BORA “Bora” but thatsa CW tabu/taboo. “JANET stop “yellin’” we heard you : interests rates are going ⬇️⬆️➡️”
Wonder what knottsberries taste like🫢😯?
Popular TV series (of discovery) with Mandy Moore, “ This is ___ “….. SUSS.
Day between Woden’s Day and Freya’s Day, ____ Day …..THOR’s
Serum in your arm….IVY
What you do at DINNER AT EIGHT….SUP (that’s too late for me, I get too hungry ….does that make me a tramp or just a starving hobo?😁
Happy birthday Steve (excuse my ignorance but which one of us is Steve?)
And “Goodnight Mrs Calabash….Wherever You Are”
No SNEERing at this nifty puzzle. I too at first thought there would be a food theme, and then I got to the reveal and I detected the HIDDEN FEES.
Hahtoolah regaled us with so many fun videos and images, as well as bio info. Yes, that “hipster” cat at the end is hilarious. But thank you Anonymous @8:04 for identifying Eric Idle under that “no idle” sign.
desperate-otto@ 8:32. I agrée, ten items or fewer.
My spellcheck likes to insert ACCENTs here and there. I indulge it.
I miss OwenK’s little poems.
Good Morning! What a delightful puzzle today – thanks, Susan!
I confess to 1 ½ blips I -> E for BOCCE (no WO-an easy fix.) And lo FAT -> NO FAT.
Alas, my ZINNIAs are fading, but they have been beautiful all summer in a pot on my deck. I take photos of my pots when at their peak so a) I can look back and enjoy them again in the cold winter months and b) I can plan my plantings for the coming season.
I remember seeing Jimmy DURANTE on television and at the end of his routine, the stage would go black with a series of spotlights he would walk back into, and at one he would stop, turn, tip his hat and say, “Good Night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.” Fun memory.
Thanks, Hah2lah, for another stellar recap. You brighten the Tuesday experience.
Hola!
I have to make this quick because my gr-grandson is nipping at my keyboard.
Thank you to both Susans for today's fun.
Have a lovely day, everyone!
Happy birthday, Steve!
Thank you Susan and Susan for respectively a pecuniary puzzle and the usual punnarious hilarity.
A few favs:
14A TORA. The perpetrator of the travesty we remembered yesterday was thought to have hidden in the caves of TORA BORA, but was ultimately tracked down and dispatched ten years later in Abbottabad, Pakistan by United States Navy SEALs.
26A AIDA. Here's the Triumphal March from Verdi's opera.
4D GATED. Also the name of an Internet routing protocol. -T can explain it in detail when he shows up.
10D SCALAWAGS. Distant relatives of Maryland's SNALLYGASTERS, that I used to take delight in describing to my granddaughters. That's when they learned not to take me seriously.
25D STORK. My DIL has been visited by them 7 times, and by my son and me when we delivered their 8th child from China.
33D EPITAPH. Incredible story Susan! I found the rest of it on the Wiki.
Oh and Susan G forgot to add a TIP, as all of the HIDDEN FEES were enclosed in SAVORY food items + TEA and SCONES. My Mom would have loved this puzzle.
Cheers,
Bill
HBD Steve!
A Susan and Susan Tuesday. The HIDDEN FEES were not noticeable and I had a couple of unknowns filled by perps. ERROL and DINNER AT EIGHT (before my time).
BOCCE sometimes spelled BOCCI. In NOLA it's BOCCE at our Senior Games.
A family's Prodigal SON usually turns out to be a bum. Known quite a few of them in my lifetime.
Tax-paying mo: It's not just APRil. we pay taxes every day. Sales, property, and I pay income tax quarterly. If you still work you pay taxes every time a paycheck is cut.
PEE WEE Rese- a mediocre player in the HOF because he played for the Yankees. But I remember him and Dizzy Dean and the Falstaff Game of The Week.
Canadian Eh- you must be young because every Canadian, Brit, and Aussie my age still calls it inches, miles, pounds, and gallons when I talk to them. I know the metric make more sense but old habits are hard to break. Do Canadian foods list the Calories or Joules?
Got to the FIR lickety-split today. Fun puzzle, but the theme V-8 can didn't strike until Ha2la 'splained it. Liked the names, for a change. I guess you could call 'em "geezer friendly"!
Big easy….Just for the record, Peewee Reese played his entire career with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Don’t think he did Sat. Games with Dizzy either. Sorry not trying to show you up, but saw my first game 73 years ago and saw Peewee with some regularity when he came into Wrigley Field. Good little bal player but probably not HOF quality. You’re right about that. Many NY sports writers voting for their favs.
I'm not so sure I agree that the metric systems makes sense. It is based on the number of fingers that humans were designed to have. From shortly after we became Homo Sapiens, people have used their digits to do simple arithmetic. Few grown-ups still do that. Since we rely on computers for nearly everything, a better numbering system would be base 16.
My favorite EPITAPH is that of Lester Moore at the Tombstone (AZ) Graveyard:
Here lies Lester Moore
Four slugs from a .44
No Les
No more
Only problem is that Wikipedia says that no one named Lester Moore was killed in Arizona Territory. (Why let facts get in the way of a great tale?)
The last time i bought a car (10 years ago) I used Costco's buying service. I got a CRV with 0.9% APR financing for slightly less than the sticker price, even after the $650 "doc fee" that was printed on the contract and said to be mandatory. That wouldn't be a good deal for Detroit iron, but pretty good for a Honda in those days (I think.) If I ever buy another new car, I'll probably take a preprinted offer form with me stating my offered amount, with fill-in-the-blanks for the VIN of the car I'm interested in and the price I'm offering, stating that the offer is inclusive of all equipment and non-governmental fees. Most dealers would probably prefer that I buy elsewhere.
There is another level of hidden taxes that is much harder to detect. One example is the hidden library tax that is in all cell phone bills. Can't see it, can't do anything about it, which makes it rife for looting by our congress and civil serpents.
Delightful Tuesday puzzle, many thanks, Susan. And I always enjoy your commentary, Hahtoolah, thanks for that too.
Happy birthday, Steve--have a wonderful day!
Well, there was no way of missing all that food in this puzzle, starting with a SCONE for breakfast (hey, morning is a tea-time for many). But then we got a TACO, and some delicious FONDUE for DINNER. Not sure this is a NO FAT diet, but it still looks pretty slim. Hope our evening servings came with ONE CUP of wine (or more), and maybe another one at bedtime, to help us get to sleep. Yep, there's a lot to SAVOR on this day.
Have a lovely day, everyone.
Thanks to SG for her fun puzzle. I learned that SCALAWAGS is not spelled SCALyWAGS. A pirate's ACCENT is likely influencing my spelling.
FAVs: Eve's opposite and Words set in stone?
Thanks to Hahtoolah for another fun write-up. So many smiles today: Extra rice panda, or LESS, pets on the king's throne, ...
Happy b-day to Steve!
FLN. Vidwan827@11:39. I like how you extended the equation for the area of an ellipse to the more familiar pi*r*r. Or, as Jinx already said, "Pies are square"
Big Easy- no I am not that young, and I don’t always use the metric. I swing back and forth - sort of like being ambidextrous. I think our labelling still uses calories, although Health Canada charts seem to use calories and joules.
Happy to find all the HIDDEN FEES.
Here is a family photo of my grandfather at KNOTT'S BERRY FARM in the 1950s.
This was before I was born. My father was working on his PhD at UCLA to become a research biologist. I never visited California until I was an adult. Sometime we should visit KNOTT'S BERRY FARM, but I am guessing it involves lots of long lines.
From Yesterday:
Jinx Thank you for validating my view of the "freestyle" or "crawl" swimming stroke that CC was doing.
I highly recommend the side stroke. It keeps your face out of the water so you don't have to coordinate your breathing with your swimming.
But my favorite way to swim is by snorkeling. You can just breathe normally while keeping your head in the water. You get a great view and you can totally relax.
I visited Knotts Berry Farm on a family vacation in the mid '60s, and enjoyed it more than Disneyland. Don't get me wrong, Disney was fun, but KBF seemed to be more real to a kid who was fascinated by everything "Old West".
Puzzling thoughts:
Jinx @ 12:50 --> Margaret and I visited Tombstone earlier this year and saw the "Lester Moore" headstone - the Boothill Cemetery is a must-see when visiting there, as well as the other kitschy attractions ... I bought me a few souvenirs whilst there
Susan's squared, once again ... Gelfand and Hahtoolah ... well done, ladies
FIR in near-record time. I had TACO TRUCKS before TACO STANDS ... it's Tuesday, so having a TACO in the puzzle is appropriate
Hahtoolah presents a Gelfand XWD. Thanks to both!
Nice to get a link to Sonny & Cher's DUET, "I Got You, Babe!" (Only not for long...)
Why did I know JANET Yellin's given name?
I don't know such things.
Really don't.
~ OMK
____________
DR: Three diagonals, near side.
The central diag provides an anagram (12 of 15) of a curious designation assigned to a foolish, idealistic member of a mob, one who is under the delusion that a fast & deadly "solution" to dealing with a human impediment to a perfect society will actually work.
Naturally, I refer to a...
"NOOSE UTOPIAN"!
I liked this puzzle and all your comments.
SUP y'all?
HBD Steve! I love your across the pond take on a grid.
I missed the theme 'cuz I filled so fast (not D-O or SSolver fast but quick but...). I liked the puzzle and the words were fun. Thanks again, Susan, for Tuesday entertainment.
And Hahtoolah - how much fun are your expos? Always jolly. Eric under the Do Not Idle sign is priceless.
WO: I put a Y in SCALLyWAGS (Hi Sumdaze!)
ESPs: I don't see any(?!)
Fav: JANET probably doesn't want to be known for this [SNL].
Jinx - I'm not the only one on the planet that loves malted milk?!?
Base 16 makes sense until you run out of fingers. Base 32 is how I like to count (but I don't have enough toes to keep it going).
C, Eh! Oooah, no ways yous got an ACCENT, eh?
//metric comes naturally as a) I was kid of the '70's b) it was all we used in EE. (Can someone explain a BTU w/o using a formula?)
Ray-O: I don’t know why I know "Good night Mrs Calabash" but it's probably the same reason I know "say goodnight" from Bedtime for Bonzo(?)
RoseE - share your ZINNIA photos!
I was puny today (DW returned my sick from two weeks ago) but I just tested covid neg! #whoot
Cheers, -T
Tante Nique, thanks for noticing my recent absence. I'm bipolar (i. e. i like both penguins and polar bears), and being in a long-term care facility for the past year, possibly for the rest of my life, has me facing down the Black Dog of depression recently. I've been getting a few poems out for the JumbleHints blog , but with 4 l'icks and a sonnet every day, i just haven't been keeping up. I'll try to move CC a little bit higher on my priorities list.
Dash T, I'm not Rose, but I should have done what she did. That is, take pics of my ZINNIAs when they were in their full glory.
I took pics of mine after reading Rose's 10:09 comment. Should have taken them a couple of weeks ago.
The colors have faded, but you'll get the idea. The lamp post in the corner garden is about 9 feet tall so that should give you an idea of the height of those. I think we planted three different varieties. The ones around the mailbox are definitely a different variety.
The hummingbirds, butterflies and bees have had a feeding frenzy in the gardens all season. They're still very active gathering nectar, and there are still plenty of buds that haven't popped yet.
So here are the pics. Not Picard quality pics. You'll see part of my finger covering a bit of the lens in a couple of them. :>)
Zinnia Pics
I am waay too late - but ... better late than never...
Thank you Susan Gelfand, for a nice and easy puzzle ... I never bothered about the hidden words, clues or FEES.
Thank you Hah2lah , you take a lot of trouble in your blog, ... your cartoons are lovely ... and soo appropriate !! Thank you for the humor and thought provoking ideas ....
I just realized I was paying 34% fees on TV ... I don't even watch TV ... but that is life. Also I was paying for 3 computers- protection plan ... on computers I had disposed off three years ago ... and this one from OfficeMax, a reputed company. THere was no bill, it was a smalll online note, and direct charge to my credit card ... so it snuck in, every year, below my radar.
I have to mention that Janet Yellen becoming US Treas Secy is less noteworthy, or less important than .... her becoming Chairman ( -person) of the Federal Reserve Banks ...-
The first is a political position, with lot of leeway .... afterall, Mr. Mnuchin, a Hollywood financier, was US Secy of the Treas., under President Trump ...
... but her second ( but earlier -) job is one of merit and honor !!
Becoming the first chairman of the Fed is MUCH more significant than becoming the first female Assoc Supreme Court Justice, of the U S Supreme Court ....
It is like being elected, nominated and honored by your peers, for one thing.
I also came to know of Tora BOra, when ObL was supposed to or reputed to be hiding there and was, later, supposed to be bombed out of existence. But, who gnu, he was under some sort of protection hiding behind a military academy in Abbotabad...
Interesting, that of the 15 animals/birds that mate for life ... doesnt include Man/Woman ... HOmo Sapiens. Naw, we're too smart for that ... some people think that the divorce rate has something to do with female liberation / freedom and economic independence ... but female animals have always been independent ... so fidelity has be something far more important ... and unexplainable....
Happy Birthday, Steve, ... I remember your lovely blogs from long ago.
Hope you are in good health and spirits, and happy.
Over and out.
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