Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here. Today's puzzle is an LA Times debut for constructor Glenn Cook. The inspiration for this grid is SAMIN NOSRAT's 2017 book, SALT FAT ACID HEAT: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking.
Consequently, our theme is: Cook's Cook Book
Lest you cry foul for never having heard of this book, I am here to tell you that I read it this past February (all 480 pages) but still could not remember the author's name, the third element, nor the order of the elements. (Oof!) My "advantage" is debatable. Nevertheless, the Monday-level perps got me to a FIR.
I do remember that I very much enjoyed the book -- especially the parts where Samin talks about growing up in America as an Iranian immigrant. I also learned some cooking tips, e.g., I should warm up my pan before adding the olive oil. In short, I recommend the book. goodreads link
We have seen this author & book clued three times in LA Times puzzles over the last year and a half: May 26, 2022, September 18, 2022, and June 28, 2023. SALT FAT ACID HEAT is also a series on Netflix. I remember inanehiker saying she liked the series. I really should commit this one to memory for next time. (Yes, it is reasonable to expect there will be a "next time".)
Here are the four themers and the reveal:
16 Across. "Push It" hip-hop trio: SALT-N-PEPA. (Not a duo?)
23 Across. Mardi Gras: FAT TUESDAY.
48 Across. Inclination to use biting sarcasm: ACID TONGUE.
56 Across. "Feels like" figure that combines temperature and humidity: HEAT INDEX.
33 Across. Chef and cookbook writer whose four elements of cooking are the first words of the answers to 16-, 23-, 48-, and 56-Across: SAMIN NOSRAT.
Let's see what other goodies we can cook up:
1. Fancy alternative to a classic necktie: ASCOT. Every ASCOT is a cravat, but not every cravat is an ASCOT.
6. Time sheet abbr.: HRS. HouRS
9. Meat salad from Laos: LARB. It seems there is no recipe for LARB in SALT FAT ACID HEAT. Here's a recipe that has five stars on the internet.
13. Shop: STORE. "Shop" and "STORE" are both nouns here.
14. Informal assent: YEP. more than our usual, "nod"
15. Third-longest African river: NIGER. The Nile, Africa's longest river, is also the longest river on the planet.
List of 10 Longest Rivers in Africa
18. Verdi work: OPERA. Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901) was the central figure in Italian OPERA for much of the nineteenth century. He wrote 28 operas!
18. Verdi work: OPERA. Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901) was the central figure in Italian OPERA for much of the nineteenth century. He wrote 28 operas!
This is Verdi's Otello Act II finale, performed at the Royal Opera House, U.K. (2:27 min.)
We might be able to persuade waseeley to give us more background.
19. "Am __ picky?": I TOO. If you are asking, you probably already know.
20. Mattel game based on Crazy Eights: UNO. I used to play Crazy Eights when I was a kid. Now that I think about it, it is just like UNO. We used a regular deck of cards. Each player starts with 8 cards. You can either match the suit of the last discard or play a card with the same value. The 8s were wild and could change the suit. I cannot remember if we used the joker for something special. I also do not remember if we had to announce a last card.
21. Spoke monotonously: DRONED. Can you think of a classic movie example? Anyone? Anyone?
Ben Stein played a Science Teacher in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). (1:15 min.)
22. Omen: SIGN.
25. Traveler's stopover: INN.
26. Hypotheticals: IFS. "If IFS and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a very merry Christmas." (Don Meredith, QB for the Cowboys)
27. Crumb-carrying critter: ANT. They can carry 10 -50 times their body weight.
29. Microbe: GERM. Def.: a microorganism, especially one which causes disease.
31. Freeze over: ICE UP. This made me think of the Ice Age movies and that silly saber-toothed squirrel, Scrat.
Ice Age: Continental Drift (a.k.a. the 4th one) (2012) (2:40 min.)
37. Extinct birds: DODOS.
38. Russian denial: NYET. We do not see "Russian acceptance" because "da" (ะดะฐ) is only two letters.
40. Foldable bed: COT.
43. 2016 Summer Olympics city: RIO. and 26 Down. Mount Olympus dwellers, e.g.: IMMORTALS.
44. Meditation sounds: OMS.
46. Period of history: ERA.
51. Quick cut: SNIP.
52. Say again: REPEAT. a.k.a. Peter Jr.
53. GPS suggestion: RTE. "Global Positioning System" is abbreviated, so is "RouTE".
NASA website's GPS page
54. Support staff member: AIDE. An AIDE provides aid to the head honcho.
55. Artist's stand: EASEL.
58. Foul moods: SNITS. The following is an excerpt from I'm in a Rotten Mood! by Jack Prelutsky:
54. Support staff member: AIDE. An AIDE provides aid to the head honcho.
55. Artist's stand: EASEL.
58. Foul moods: SNITS. The following is an excerpt from I'm in a Rotten Mood! by Jack Prelutsky:
I'm in a rotten mood today,
a really rotten mood today,
I'm in a SNIT,
I'm in a stew,
there's nothing that I care to do
but sit all by myself and brood --
I'M IN A ROTTEN MOOD!
59. "I __ your pardon?": BEG. I never promised you a rose garden. ๐ ๐ ๐
Lynn Anderson (1947-2015) won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female
in 1971 for her version of Rose Garden.
60. "Basic Instinct" actress Sharon: STONE. Also, a solid, non-metallic mineral matter. Difference Between a Rock and a Stone
61. IRS IDs: SSNS. Social Security NumberS were first used by the IRS for tax reporting purposes in 1962. Banks began requiring them in 1970. They were required by financial institutions for all interest-bearing accounts in 1983.
62. Poem of praise: ODE.
63. Puts a stop to: HALTS. This puts a HALT to our across clues.
Down:
1. Birthplace of St. Francis: ASSISI. He is the patron saint of animals, peace, and Italy. His feast day is October 4th.
 |
| St. Francis of Assisi Holding a Bird (artist unknown) Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery |
2. Announcing: STATING.
3. Choices at perfume counters: COLOGNES. Thirteen, fourteen, nineteen, forty-one, forty-two, forty-six, fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-six, sixty-one, sixty-two, and sixty-six also fit. Weirdly, eight does not fit.
4. WWE champion Randy who had a long rivalry with John Cena: ORTON. ESP
 |
| Randy & John Randy is the one with the tats (I think). |
6. African scavengers whose cries sound like laughter: HYENAS. I learned here that they are primarily hunters, not scavengers. I did not know that. You can watch them on the Milwaukee County Zoo's HYENA cam.
7. Transplant in the greenhouse: REPOT. Def.: to put (a plant) in another pot, especially a bigger one.
It was not immediately obvious to me that "transplant" is a verb here! Tricky!
8. Relaxation station: SPA.
9. Slimming surgeries, informally: LIPOS. LIPOSuctionS.
10. Meeting outline: AGENDA. Flight of the Conchords (HBO 2007-2009) was known for its Band Meetings.
11. Go over again, as a contract: REREAD.
12. Blended sitcom family of classic TV: BRADYS.
15. "All sales are final": NO RETURNS. I first had NO REfUndS.
8. Relaxation station: SPA.
9. Slimming surgeries, informally: LIPOS. LIPOSuctionS.
10. Meeting outline: AGENDA. Flight of the Conchords (HBO 2007-2009) was known for its Band Meetings.
Rhys Darby, Bret McKenzie, and Jermaine Clement (1:19 min.)
11. Go over again, as a contract: REREAD.
12. Blended sitcom family of classic TV: BRADYS.
The opening theme song to The Brady Bunch explained how they became a blended family.
I always liked the way they looked around at each other.
15. "All sales are final": NO RETURNS. I first had NO REfUndS.
The National Retail Federation reports that for every $1 billion in sales, retailers incur $165 million in merchandise returns. Plus, for every $100 in returned merchandise accepted, they lose $10.40 to return fraud.
17. Bit of smoke: PUFF. This song always makes me cry a little bit.
21. Sand formations: DUNES. The tallest DUNES in North America are in Colorado!
17. Bit of smoke: PUFF. This song always makes me cry a little bit.
Puff, The Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul and Mary was released in January 1963.
21. Sand formations: DUNES. The tallest DUNES in North America are in Colorado!
This is a link to a 1:30 min. orientation video from the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.
24. Snack in a shell: TACO. "Escargot" did not fit.
30. "Awesome!": RAD.
31. Allstate's industry: Abbr.: INS. Allstate is an American INSurance company headquartered in Glenview, IL.
32. Foot the bill: PAY.
34. "American __": rock musical based on a Green Day album: IDIOT. This website has all the details -- plus the red tabs on the left have videos and songs.
35. Twelve sharp: NOON.
36. Many a Disney Channel star: TEEN IDOL.
39. Poseidon's staff: TRIDENT.
40. Gentle touch: CARESS.
41. Quite a lot: OCEANS. Def.: (noun) any great expanse or quantity.
42. Deflects through a basketball rim: TIPS IN. This is when an offensive player taps the ball into the hoop following a missed shot.
24. Snack in a shell: TACO. "Escargot" did not fit.
31. Allstate's industry: Abbr.: INS. Allstate is an American INSurance company headquartered in Glenview, IL.
34. "American __": rock musical based on a Green Day album: IDIOT. This website has all the details -- plus the red tabs on the left have videos and songs.
35. Twelve sharp: NOON.
High Noon original trailer (1952)
starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly
36. Many a Disney Channel star: TEEN IDOL.
39. Poseidon's staff: TRIDENT.
40. Gentle touch: CARESS.
41. Quite a lot: OCEANS. Def.: (noun) any great expanse or quantity.
42. Deflects through a basketball rim: TIPS IN. This is when an offensive player taps the ball into the hoop following a missed shot.
44. Electrical interruption: OUTAGE.
45. Run into: MEET.
 |
| Poor Wile E.! |
47. Pinnacles: APEXES.
49. Info, slangily: DEETS. details
50. Avarice: GREED.
51. Father Christmas: SANTA.
56. "Barry" cable network: HBO. I saw Season 1 and I hope to get around to watching the other seasons. Henry Winkler is brilliant as Gene Cousineau the acting coach. I cannot tell if he is a smooth hustler or if he believes his own schtick.
57. "Or so" suffix: -ISH. It seems we have made it to the finISH line!
49. Info, slangily: DEETS. details
50. Avarice: GREED.
51. Father Christmas: SANTA.
 |
| Click to enlarge. |
Time to serve up the grid:
I will be traveling so I am submitting this blog a few days early. If it turns out that there is a glaring omission, now you know why. (For example, I am wondering if Patti might 'remind' us of Samin's book in another puzzle between now and Monday.)
Our ever-vigilant admin, C.C. and TTP, can correct any errors you might find. Chat with you next month!
36 comments:
The only thing that made this puzzle at all difficult was the name of the cookbook author, which I was only able to get by ESP. Other than that, it was the usual Monday “walk in the park.” FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Strolled through this one, oblivious to the theme. Wondered if I was the 3rd or 4th letter of ASSISI. Otherwise, no drama, no Wite-Out. Nice debut, Glenn. (Did you come up with that chef theme because you're a Cook?) Enjoyed your expo, sumdaze. Enjoy your trip. (Relax, no errors spotted.)
TACO: Did you hear about the woman who ate 48 oysters on the half-shell. Her date said, "Hey we were just supposed to meet for drinks!" as he walked out on the woman...and the tab.
Rock/Stone: Some of the best rock was written by stoned musicians.
FIR, but had to change HiENAS to HYENAS with a pencil stroke. I count that as an erasure, even though no letter was rubbed out. Forgot to look for the theme.
Today is:
National Publicist Day (yesterday we had COMM in this context)
WORLD AUDIO DRAMA DAY (seems weird, but families used to gather round and watch the radio)
SPEAK UP FOR SERVICE DAY (serves as a reminder to tell others about the contributions of young people to their communities)
NATIONAL CANDY CORN DAY (This.Is.Just.Wrong.)
The elderly English teacher in my (crossword-favorite) ELHI used to refer to his students as "leather-tongued heathens."
I wish my RV GPS would show rest areas on the map, with distance to the next one. I make a list before starting the trip. #OLDMANBLADDER
I'll bet the most searched outtake from Basic Instinct is Sharon Stone's famous leg crossing scene. She was said to be furious when she saw herself on the final cut, but I have my doubts.
Why do crosswords refer to TACOs as snacks? Aren't they intended to be meals? Kinda like sliders, ya gotta eat more than one, but they aren't snacks IMHO. OREOs, now them's a snack.
Absolutely the best highlight of yesterday's NFL games was the post-game music at Mile High. Travis Kelce's Ch(i)efs had just lost to the Broncos, with Kelce's girlfriend Taylor Swift in attendance. So for the recessional, whoever controls the music in Mile High boomed out Swift's Shake It Off.
Thanks to Glenn for the fun Monday romp, and to sumdaze for another enjoyable tour.
FIR. I found this to be a little crunchy for a Monday puzzle. For example, larb I don't find to be a Monday word.
And the cookbook author is definitely more for Friday or Saturday fare.
Thank heavens for perps which saved the day.
This was a super fast solve for me - because Renee remembered correctly - I really enjoyed the Netflix series which is as much a travel documentary as a cooking show, and two of my kids have Samin's cookbook on their shelves that I use when I am visiting.
Another day that is today is National "Wicked" the musical Day - it opened 20 years ago and is the 3rd or 4th?longest running musical on Broadway. I love it and have seen it both on Broadway and when it was touring.
I can't hear the song "For Good" without tearing up every time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ0pXUb5jVU
Thanks SD for the fun blog and Glenn for the puzzle!
Took 3:47 today for me to heat things up.
I had no idea of today's author, nor that there's a thing in the world called "larb." As KS said, those didn't seem like Monday clues/answers.
But hey, I knew today's actress (Stone).
Like nearly everyone else, I had absolutely no idea on LARB and SAMMINNOSRAT. In fact as I was approaching the end I double checked the perps because I figured LARB must be LAMB, and no way I had the cookbook author right. Other than those I found this one very easy, even for a Monday.
Whiner, I thought Sam's last name was Innosrat.
Good Morning:
This type of theme is certainly Monday friendly, but the author's name is challenging, to say the least. I am familiar with the book, but not with Samin Nosrat, in fact I needed the expo to parse it correctly. Larb and Orton are not Monday entries, either, but I think Patti's reasoning on any questionable difficult levels is based on the fairness of Perps. I went astray at Wisp/Puff, Idiom/Idiot, and Ice In/Ice Up. I enjoyed the solve but I'm always deflated by this grid-design because of the reveal's placement, signaling the theme way too early in the solve. Also, Idiot and Stone didn't need a proper name clue.
Thanks, Glenn, and congrats on your LA Times debut and thanks, sumdaze, for another fun and fact-filled review. Favorite cartoon was Snoopy's "In" joke. Learning moment was that Don Meredith popularized the "If ifs and buts were . . ." idiom. I first heard it on TBBT when Sheldon was chastising Neil Degrasse Tyson for his role in demoting poor Pluto to non-planet status. Also loved the photo of Escargot, which I love. In my coffee drinking days, my favorite mug had a cute escargot pictured with the following verse:
Slow and steady our love does grow,
I sure do love you,
My Escargot.
Like Anon T, I am easily amused! Safe and happy travels! ๐
FLN
CC, congrats on your very impressive swimming advancements.
Have a great day.
FOUR unknowns today-LARB, ORTON, SAMIN NOSRAT, & IDIOT. And speaking of a "Chef and cookbook writer" that I know and have met, EMERIL, I won't be going to his first restaurant any more. He remodeled it and there are a grand total of twelve tables. Prices? $179 & $199. Quite a bit more than I paid back in 1993 or 94. BAM.
Some people like to criticize the constructors with their ACID TONGUE. I don't complain about them, just some of their clues and fills.
A bit outrรฉ for a Mondรฉ: “Cena rival”ORTON?, Laotian “meat salad” LARB? I suspect that was a Google/Siri/Alexa response to an otherwise nonsense word that needed a clue. Easier than reworking the NE corner. Theme: Saw part of that cooking show but couldn’t remembered the chef’s name without perps. …call me an “American IDIOT” cuz I never heard of that “rock musical”…..Based on the wording of the clue should itbe ACIDTONGUED
Inkover: TEENager/IDOL
SANTA and the British Father Christmas not originally the same personality. The former deriving from the generous St Nicholas while the latter a drunken holiday Celtic merry maker.
Held off on Congo river for perps
Upper part of both lungs are referred to separately as the lung apex and together as lung apices “AE’-pษh-sees”. I dictate this term multiple times everyday. APEXES is the less scientific version I pre-zoom.
When I whine about a CW after all the work the constructor puts in I ask myself “Am ITOO picky?”๐ค (Like a guitar player who doesn’t like to strum ? ๐คฃ)
Rejected donkey suitor lament: “What has that _____ that I don’t“ ….. ASCOT
Scrutiny in a perfumery: _____ oscopy….COLOGNE
Extant dummies…… DODOS
Not-leaving-the-waiter-much transgression… TIPSIN
Numbered heist films…..
Starting our first day in the new offices. First things first… where are the closest restrooms ๐ณ
Numbered heist films…… OCEANS
As indicated, the perps were kind, filling in the chef's name and the Laotian salad. FIR today with that little boost. The rest of the bones had little meat left on them.
When life gives you lemons, be thankful they aren't onions.
Charge!!!
WES about the unknowns. Perps took care of them. So FIR.
I enjoyed Sumdaze’s recap, happy trails to you, and I appreciate the always clever and sometimes ACID TONGUES of the cornerites.
Stopped in on a Monday just to see what the heck "larb" was. That and the cookbook author were by me but the perps were easy. Thanks Sumdaze. GC
A Monday fun ๐♀️ run with a few speed bumps. Seeing as how many cornerites have used the SaltFatAcidHeat cook book I am motivated to borrow it from our local library.
Congrats on your debut Gary. Thanks sumdaze for a fun and informative recap. Safe travels….. kkFlorida
Marvellous Monday. Thanks for the fun Glenn (congrats on your debut) and sumdaze (enjoy your trip).
I had no idea how to parse the name of that chef and cookbook writer. But I did see all the four elements
I FIRed in good time with just a couple of inkblots.
TEENager changed to TEEN IDOL.
Taps IN changed to TIPS IN.
Perps were required for the unknown LARB, ORTON, IDIOT. (Hand up with the rest of the Corner.)
We call the “feels like” figure the Humidex here.
We heard (and saw their eyes that glow in the dark) hyenas on a night safari in Kenya. They hunt in packs, and call back and forth to each other. Scary creatures (not laughable IMO).
CSO to Argyle (RIP) with SANTA.
Wishing you all a great day.
WEES. Some very un-Monday fill, but easy perps. Could not parse the chef last name until Sumdaze 'splained it for me. INNOSRAT? NOSRAT? OSRAT? RAT? Pick 'em !
WEES. Some very un-Monday fill, but easy perps. Could not parse the chef last name until Sumdaze 'splained it for me. INNOSRAT? NOSRAT? OSRAT? RAT? Pick 'em !
Thank you Glenn for the thematic recipe, but unfortunately I made a slight error in two steps and it flopped. Nonetheless I liked the puzzle despite my FIW.
Thanks sumdaze for your illuminating review and showing me where I went wrong. I had TAPS IN for 42D and couldn't make any sense out of ACAD TONGUE. A Freudian slip no doubt, as occasionally I am prone to this fault.
Some favs (you asked for the first!):
18A OPERA. Except for his Requiem, Verdi had stopped all composing after his opera AIDA in 1871. But 16 years later his love of Shakespeare led him to compose his penultimate opera OTELLO, which many consider his masterpiece. FALSTAFF, his last opera, was the only comedy that he wrote, and my personal favorite.
OTELLO is the story of a famous sea captain done wrong. He first falls under the spell of a beautiful and innocent woman (Desdemona) and then the lies of his lieutenant (IAGO), an incarnation of pure evil.
In the scene sumdaze has included, Iago fans the flames of the Otello's jealousy by inventing a story of how another lieutenant Cassio had spoken of Desdemona in his sleep, and how he later saw her handkerchief in Cassio’s hand. Seething with anger, Otello is now convinced that his wife is unfaithful. The two men join in an oath to punish Cassio and Desdemona, ultimately leading to her murder and Otello's suicide.
60A STONE. My "basic instinct" (and a lifelong interest in geology) told me that there was something wrong with the explanation of the differences between ROCKS and STONES. I read several alternate explanations and finally settled on this one as the most accurate.
Cheers,
Bill
Musings
-Renee’s spot-on review includes the info that this name easily fell out but so did a, “Huh?”.
-DRONING is the curse of people who can’t read the room
-Meteorological OMENS appear in the west sky here
-Internet ADS are not only annoying; they are scary because promote items you have searched for elsewhere
-We are past the point where the HEAT INDEX is higher than the temp.
WWE, Hip Hop, Larb ? Goodnight Gracie
Hand up those crossed proper names SAMIN NOSRAT, IDIOT, ORTON, SALTNPEPA were a challenge. I actually saw SALTNPEPA perform as a warmup for Paul McCartney at the Hollywood Bowl 30 years ago. In those days of expensive film it seems I didn't take a photo of SALTNPEPA. LARB I know from Thai cuisine. Learning moment it is actually from LAOS. FIR.
Here are a few photos of us hiking in the PINNACLES National Park in different seasons.
Back before it was a National Park there were times when I literally was the only person hiking. Now it can get quite crowded. Has anyone else hiked there?
Hola!
WEES. You all have explained this puzzle perfectly. Thank you. I finished it with some questions about LARB and SAMINNOSRAT, of which I've not heard. ORTON is also an unknown to me.
Thankfully I know St. Francis of ASSISI and have, in fact, visited it when I was in Italy.
I believe it was either on 60 Minutes or on Sunday Morning that they showed the RETURNS place in Alabama. There were dozens and dozens of tables with merchandise. None of it was actually returned for resale.
I love CARESS soap.
Is the theme from High NOON one of the best ever written? IMO, yes! And I only recently found out that the singer is John Ritter's father.
It seems too early to think about SANTA and yet the hype has already started.
I object to calling a TACO a snack. When I make them it is for dinner with at least three apiece and a side of beans or rice.
Thankfully the HEAT INDEX here has lessened significantly.
If you have been to COLOGNE, Germany, you know it's almost impossible to photograph the cathedral because of all the buildings around it. I got some with a partial view but finally just bought postcards. Now I wonder what will happen to all those albums after I'm gone?
Safe travels, sumdaze. Thank you for your time and effort here.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Missed one ...
4D ORTON. ORTON "cones" are the industry standard for measuring "work heat", the combined effects of temperature and time in a kiln. They are a much more accurate way to fire kilns than just the temperature as measured by a pyrometer.
Picard
Thank you for your photos. That looks like a great hiking area. No, I have not been there but I have hiked in many other places from which I have good memories now that my hiking days are past. At 85 my legs refuse to go much farther than the mailbox.
DNK: ORTON, LARB, SAMINNOSRAT. Fortunately, perps were perfect for me. I am so pleased to FIR in 10 minutes flat, which I haven't done...even on a Monday...in many years. AND I managed to FIR the Saturday CW in 28!! I wish that meant I was getting smarter, but suspect it was just two easier-than-normal CWs. Did not have time for the Sunday CW. Big surprise (NOT) that I once again forgot to look for the theme. I actually completed the CW at about 5:30am, but finally now have time to post a comment. I am always stunned by SS's solve times, posting a solve time at 7:56am today of 3:47minutes. I remember once setting a COMPLETED CW next to an EMPTY one, same CW, just to see how fast I could copy from the filled to the empty. It took me about 5 minutes just to copy it! Anon @ 7:56: WOW!! You must write with both hands!! Thanx for the fun almost Monday level CW today, GC, ya made me feel good with my fast (for me) fill time. And dopey, at the same time, for not seeing the theme. Thanx too to Sumdaze, for the, as always, fun and informative write-up.
LARB, indeed. Geez, it's Monday!!
I feel good that I solved this puzzle without having to look anything up.
Picard, many years ago, when my wife and I were able to, we hiked Pinnacles. I think we entered the park from the east side. I recall crawling through a short "cave" to get to the destination. Sure as heck can't do that any more. I remember we both rather liked the town of Hollister.
Good reading you all.
Greetings! Whew! Another busy day. Worked the puzzle this a.m. as I usually do, but then had to race off to do errands & later create a promised form.
Nice puzzle today – zipped through most of it. Thanks & welcome, Glenn.
One WO: TEENager -> IDOL
Perps were hard at work for the unknown: LARB, SAMIN NOSRAT (???) and HBO as clued (Barry???)
Plus, I never saw the clues for OCEANS or DEETS – all perps.
Thanks, sumdaze, for your always fun recap. Enjoy your travels.
My dear unclefred, I am glad you're finding amusement in my times. I know some posters don't like me sharing the times. I work the crossword puzzles online, so in a way, I am "writing" (a.k.a. typing) with both hands.
Picard, I have been to Pinnacles National Park. Like Jayce, I too remember hiking/crawling/scrambling through a small cave. It was about 10 years ago, when my kids were younger (huh, I guess we all were...), so we did not do any strenuous hikes. The spires were beautiful, and I enjoyed watching some adventurous rock climbers.
-Anonymous @7:56
Sumdaze escorts us through a Cook PZL...
No, I hadn't heard of this chef/writer either. Perps gave me the name, and, Yes, I thought "he" was SAM INNOSRAT. Unless you knew ahead of time, there was no suggestion of SAMIN as a given name.
I wonder what people in countries that refer to the ol' guy as Father Christmas or Pere Noel think when they hear a song like "Santa Baby"...?
~ OMK
___________
DR: Just one diagonal, on the far side.
Its anagram (14 of 15!) reminds me of when I was a kid and I used to wear my sneakers nearly round the clock. This was when we lived by the Bay and I would go wading in those same shoes and let them dry on my feet.
It wasn't long before they might be referred to (quite legitimately) as...
"OBSCENE TENNIES"!
Anonymous @3:50 PM I for one don't mind you posting your times. Each of us is really competing with ourselves. I'm just thankful when I finish the darn things! And I always find your tie-ins with the themes amusing. And when circles are included in the puzzle I always challenge myself to think whether I could have solved it without them. Anywho, lately I haven't seen too many on Thursdays,
Cheers,
Bill
Thank you, Bill/waseeley. I agree, the only one I'm competing against is myself.
And, of course, I'm pitted in a war against those dreaded circles.
I appreciate you (& Teri) for the Thursday reviews, and all the other reviewers too.
Spinderella makes Salt n Pepa a trio. ๐
Thank You Glenn Cook, for a easier puzzle, appropriate for a Monday. I worked my way rather effortlessly, and had a very pleasant time doing it. Like many others, as above, I had some trouble with a few words, unfamiliar, like LARB, ORTON, DEETS, IDIOT ( as clued ) etc., but the perps were very friendly and I had no real hiccups... Thank You.!
Thank You Sumdaze ... your blog was wonderful and with many side tracks and thoughtful ideas ... I went off on a tangent following your links, so many times that it took me more than an hour, to finish the entire blog . Now, thats a compliment !!!@!@
Have a safe trip, a pleasant journey, and may you achieve whatever you set out to do !!!@!!!
I was not familiar with the Cook Book or the name of the cook ... but I took the names as a good way to cook. I used cook a lot and often, for a period of over 35 years ... I used to do over 90 percent of the serious cooking in my house, ... but having had some enervating health problems, and a tremendous loss of weight and stamina, I have only started cooking after a period of 14 months. But, of course, I cook very little western food, so I am not familiar with american cooking... anyway.
In SALT/ FAT/ ACID/HEAT/ .... I think MOUTH FEEL aI nd FLAVOR seem to be missing. JUst my two bits worth.
Like Lucina said, a TACO is hardly a snack... it is almost a meal. In fact, with my reduced weight and appetite, a TACO is exactly one complete meal for me ... unfortunately, that is a fact of life that I have come to accept.
I used to know a Simin, like a Samin, a lady originally from Iran, who used to be one of our neighbors ... She too, and her family, were Bahai'is , a relatively modern sect of religion, which orignated in Iran, and is heavily persecuted in that country. I ronically, their world headquarters for the Bahai'is ... is in Haifa, Israel ....
... and I wish I could link the magnificient palace that their temple looks like ...
( We visited Israel, about 5 years ago ...)
I have two more pages of information that I wanted to discuss, however, I have run out of space ... ( sigh .)
Have a good week ahead, all you folks...
Why do some solvers dislike circles so much? I find them interesting and at times they make the puzzle more challenging. They are a nice change from the usual grid.
The LB (lightning bug) is at his father's home all week and therefore his mother is also gone so I have had a lovely, quiet time and shall for the rest of the week.
October is one of our loveliest times here with a steady temperature in the high to mid 80s.
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