Theme - The opposite of hanging by a thread. To explain, let's start with the unifier.
10 D. Remain uncertain until the very end, and what the answers to the starred clues do?: GO DOWN TO THE WIRE. As explained by the clue, there's some question how things may turn out. This term comes from horseracing, where it was long the practice to stretch a wire across and above the track at the finish line. It was extended to figurative use about 1900. A wire is a flexible strand of metal. Let's see how that is relevant to the other clues. The theme entries are all vertical, so the use of "DOWN" in the unifier clue is key.
3 D. *"You should be ashamed!": THATS DESPICABLE. Said to someone who did something beyond the pale. Real life incidents of this sort are plentiful. There are different types of CABLES, but some types are wires used as electrical or communications connections. So we can see that the vertical fill does, indeed, go down to the WIRE. Pretty clever, eh!
5 D. *Ability to show restraint: SELF DISCIPLINE. This is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. As an executive function, it is a cognitive process that is necessary for regulating one's behavior in order to achieve specific goals. A LINE is a length of cord, rope, wire, or other material serving a particular purpose.
15 D. *Recent entry in Guinness, say: NEW WORLD RECORD. This is the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. A CORD is a thin, flexible string or rope made from several twisted strands.
Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here to unravel the skein. Each theme fill ends in a synonym or near synonym for a WIRE. This is an extremely clever hidden word them, and a nut I had to get some help to crack. So thanks to my fellow blogger for the assistance.
Let's get down to it and see what other paths we will be led down.
1. Address letters: HTTP. Hyper Text Transfer Protocol - The beginning of an Internet web address.
5. Skyrocket: SOAR. Here, "skyrocket" is a verb meaning to fly high.
9. Old-timey "OMG!": EGAD. This is a softened oath, dating from the late 1600's, probably derived from "Oh, GOD!"
13. "Fancy seeing you here!": OH - HI. One of my long ago work colleagues told the story of his brother who was walking through a shopping mall holding hands with his girl friend, when his wife came walking in the other direction. This is what he said.
14. Disgraced energy firm: ENRON. The corporation, founded in 1985, engaged in massive fraud, and got away with it for years. This house of cards came tumbling down from 2000 to 2001. You can read all about it here.
16. Zigzagged: WOVE. Moved in a side to side forward motion.
17. Ring loudly: PEAL. As a bell.
18. Do not disturb: LET BE. Leave it alone.
19. Barbara who played a TV genie: EDEN. Barbara Eden (born Barbara Jean Morehead; August 23, 1931) is an American actress best known for her starring role as Jeannie in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie (1965–1970). IIRC, Jeannie's belly button was always covered.
20. Trip, as an alarm: SET OFF. Actuate.
22. Cry of pain: YOWL. Owie!
24. Goblin kin: ORC. Tolkien monters. Here is more info, if you're that kind of nerd. [Full disclosure - I am.]
25. Simple earrings: STUDS. A stud earring features a gemstone or other ornament mounted on a narrow post that passes through a piercing in the ear or earlobe, and is held in place by a fixture on the other side.
27. Number of players in a chess game: TWO.
28. Cry from a crib: WAH. Baby's complaint.
Alternatively
29. Say further: ADD. Tell us more.
31. Problems picky people pick: NITS. Little issues of little import.
33. Outstanding: OWING. As an unpaid debt.
35. Word after film and before cut: CREW. A film CREW is a group of people working off camera to make a motion picture, such as the producer, camera operators, stage managers, etc. A CREW cut is a type of haircut in which the upright hair on the top of the head is cut relatively short, graduated in length from the longest hair that forms a short pomp (pompadour) at the front hairline to the shortest at the back of the crown so that in side profile the outline of the top hair approaches the horizontal.
37. Energy option involving roof panels: SOLAR. Solar power works by converting energy from the sun into power. There are two forms of energy generated from the sun for our use – electricity and heat. Both are generated through the use of solar panels, which range in size from residential rooftops to 'solar farms' stretching over acres of rural land.
39. Branch out (from): STEM. To derive from some origin.
41. Steep-walled formation: MESA. Also known and table land. Mesa is the Spanish word for table.
42. Move at a snail's pace: CRAWL. Literally, move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground. Figuratively, move forward or make progress very slowly.
43. Personal charisma: MOJO. Literally, a magic charm, talisman, or spell. Figuratively, a powerful personality.
44. "College GameDay" network: ESPN. Originally, in 1979, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, shortened to ESPN in 1985.
Alternatively
45. "That makes my blood boil!": I'M MAD. Expression of anger.
46. Word to opt out of a text subscription: STOP. Unless it's ignored.
47. Ab-crunching exercise: SIT UP. The last time this came up in a puzzle I blogged, I pointed out that it is a worthless, and potentially harmful exercise. I got some push back. I guess anything can be a controversy. Anyway, here it is again.
49. Many a retired racehorse: SIRE. Used to produce the next generation of horses from a valuable blood line.
51. Snicker syllable: HEE. Along with TEE. Comic book laughter.
52. PC panic key: ESC. On computer keyboards, the Esc key (named Escape key in the international standard series ISO/IEC 9995) is a key used to generate the escape character (which can be represented as ASCII code 27 in decimal, Unicode U+001B, or Ctrl+[). The escape character, when sent from the keyboard to a computer, often is interpreted by software as "stop"
53. Org. for Twins: MLB. The Minnesota Twins team of Major League Baseball.
55. Poke fun at: TEASE. Have fun at someone's expense. Often not nice.
57. "I knew it!": AHA. Syllable of recognition or enlightenment.
58. Spot to fish from: PIER. A platform supported on pillars or girders leading out from the shore into a body of water, used as a landing stage for boats.
60. Stands too close to: CROWDS. Violates one's personal space.
63. Cries noisily: SOBS. Nobody looks good doing it.
51. Snicker syllable: HEE. Along with TEE. Comic book laughter.
52. PC panic key: ESC. On computer keyboards, the Esc key (named Escape key in the international standard series ISO/IEC 9995) is a key used to generate the escape character (which can be represented as ASCII code 27 in decimal, Unicode U+001B, or Ctrl+[). The escape character, when sent from the keyboard to a computer, often is interpreted by software as "stop"
53. Org. for Twins: MLB. The Minnesota Twins team of Major League Baseball.
55. Poke fun at: TEASE. Have fun at someone's expense. Often not nice.
57. "I knew it!": AHA. Syllable of recognition or enlightenment.
58. Spot to fish from: PIER. A platform supported on pillars or girders leading out from the shore into a body of water, used as a landing stage for boats.
60. Stands too close to: CROWDS. Violates one's personal space.
63. Cries noisily: SOBS. Nobody looks good doing it.
65. "Super cool!": NEATO. That's rad, man!
67. Quite urgent: DIRE. Extremely serious or urgent, possibly dangerous.
68. App with crowdsourced reviews: YELP. Yelp Inc. is an American company that develops the Yelp.com website and the Yelp mobile app, which publishes crowd-sourced reviews about businesses. It also operates Yelp Guest Manager, a table reservation service. It is headquartered in San Francisco,
69. Diamond flaw?: ERROR. Not a mar in a gemstone, but a misplay on a baseball field - usually misplaying a batted or thrown ball or throwing inaccurately.
70. Neck of the woods: AREA. Nearby region.
71. Cruising, say: ASEA. On a ship. Our oldest granddaughter is wrapping up her third gig entertaining on a Disney Cruise Ship. This time she got to dance on the main stage.
72. __ money: startup funds: SEED. Money allocated to initiate a project.
73. Stitched together: SEWN. Attached by using thread and needle.
Down:
1. Short flights: HOPS. Boing!
2. "Beautiful Mistakes" rapper Megan __ Stallion: THEE. Megan Jovon Ruth Pete [b. 1995] known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her freestyling became popular on social media platforms such as Instagram.
4. Flight school graduate: PILOT. One in control of an aircraft.
6. Undivided: ONE. Unified.
7. Pseudo-sophisticated: ARTY. Making a strong, affected, or pretentious display of being artistic or interested in the arts.
8. High-tech worker: ROBOT. A machine that does a job formerly done by a person.
9. Farm female: EWE. Lady sheep.
11. Everyman: AVERAGE JOE. Typical guy, man on the street.
12. Judi who plays Queen Victoria in "Mrs Brown" and "Victoria & Abdul": DENCH. Dame Judith Olivia Dench [b. 1934] is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage. Inexplicably, she also wound up in this thing.
21. Amusing: FUN. Providing mirth and/or enjoyment.
23. Blue: LOW. Sad. possibly prone to sobbing.
26. Seattle's WNBA team: STORM. The Seattle Storm is an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The Storm competes in the Women's National Basketball Association as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded by Ginger Ackerley and her husband Barry ahead of the 2000 season.
29. Highest point: ACME. Apex.
30. Formal footwear: DRESS SHOES.
32. Shuts with a bang: SLAMS. A forceful exit, perhaps.
34. Philosophies, informally: ISMS. Belief systems.
36. Have a yen for: WANT. Desire something. Alternatively - I thought about going to Japan, but didn't have the yen to travel.
38. Look for: AWAIT. Anticipate.
40. Have the blues: MOPE. Be blue or low.
48. Ballpark figure?: UMP. Not a statistic. Short for umpire - a person with no clear idea of where the strike zone is located.
50. Musician's gift: EAR. Melodic ability.
52. GPA booster: EASY A. A class that is not challenging.
54. Stout and porter: BEERS. Beer varieties.
56. Cola and ginger ale: SODAS. Carbonated soft drinks.
59. Red in the center: RARE. As cooked beef.
61. Did some doodling: DREW. Made random sketches.
62. Actor Gunn who plays Kraglin in the MCU: SEAN. Sean Gunn [b. 1974] is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Kirk Gleason on The WB series Gilmore Girls, and Kraglin Obfonteri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
64. Hot tub: SPA. A large tub filled with hot aerated water used for recreation or physical therapy.
66. Stubbing victim: TOE. Any of the five digits at the end of the human foot. They exist to locate furniture in dark rooms.
A lot of puzzles have their ups and downs. This one was mostly down - in a good way. It didn't let us down, and I'm down with that.
Cool Regards!
JzB
46 comments:
This puzzle would have been considerably tougher if I hadn’t known of Barbara Eden and Judi Dench, but, fortunately, I knew both of them. And, after I solved the reveal, I went back to the starred clues and saw the “wires.” A worthy entry for a Wednesday, IMHO, both “fun” and “amusing.” Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
This puzzle had its NITS, but d-o didn't have any. Failed to notice the stars...or the theme. [Surprise, surprise.] Still, no stumbles along the way. When STUDS showed up, I questioned how that could mean "Simple earnings." D'oh. Thanx for the exercise, Joseph. Thorough expo, as usual, JzB.
MESA: Brother and niece used to live there. Nearby we have a development called Tavola, which we're told means "table" in Italian.
Dress Shoes: I've got a pair in my closet. Dust-covered, after years of just sitting there. Otherwise, they're in perfect shape. I just don't have the heart to throw 'em away.
Wow, right on my wavelength, I zipped through this CW to FIR in my usual Monday time! Each of the theme fills just seemed obvious to me, although 3D could have been THATSDISGUSTING. But I had already sussed the theme, and the alternative DESPICABLE fulfilled the theme need with CABLE. I loved absolutely everything about this CW, especially the low number of names: 7!! And I knew 6 of them; did not know STORM. The CW even gave me a SOLAR CSO. Thanx so very much to JAG for the terrific CW, and to JzB, who never fails to deliver an informative and entertaining write-up. Thanx for all the time and effort, JzB!
FIR, but I erased stud for SIRE when STUDS were required in the ears.
Today is:
NATIONAL BRING YOUR TEDDY BEAR TO WORK/SCHOOL DAY (doooon’t do it)
NATIONAL STOP BULLYING DAY (unless someone brings a teddy bear to work)
NATIONAL FOSSIL DAY (you may celebrate by…)
NATIONAL TAKE YOUR PARENTS TO LUNCH DAY (and maybe order a…)
NATIONAL SAUSAGE PIZZA DAY (too many will make you celebrate…)
NATIONAL CURVES DAY (I was gonna link the Beatles I want you / She’s So Heavy, but I didn’t want to bully)
GENERAL PULASKI MEMORIAL DAY (Polish hero of the American Revolution)
NATIONAL EMERGENCY NURSE'S DAY (multicultural heroes of the American citizenry)
I didn't grasp the theme until JzB 'splained it, and even then I thought "CORD?" Oh yeah, like an extension CORD.
Casual baseball fans probably don't know that if a hitter's bat hits the catcher's mitt during a swing, the catcher is charged with an ERROR and the hitter is awarded first base. This just happened in a Phillies / Braves playoff game. (Like in football, this penalty can be declined if the hitter manages to put the ball in play and the outcome is better than an awarded base.)
Thanks to Joseph for the fun, easy-for-Wednesday puzzle, and to JzB for the stellar review.
FIR. I had no trouble with this Wednesday endeavor. Luckily for me two of the proper names, Eden and Dench, were familiar to me. Otherwise the NE would have been a problem.
I never got the theme connection until I got here. And then the proverbial brow slap happened. Doh!
T ook 4:38 today.
H ard for me to remember any of these WNBA references.
R eally seemed like a Monday-level puzzle to me.
E njoyable to have long down answers for a change.
A mazingly, I knew both of today's actresses.
D idn't know today's actor (Sean).
FIR. Like A@7:57 above I enjoyed the theme answers being vertical for a change.
Like unclefred@5:56, I considered disgusting instead of DESPICABLE, but perps said NO. Tried Yelp before YOWL. Considered Stud before SIRE, but realized that 25A precluded that. The rest of the puzzle just fell into place.
Some may recall. That I mentioned that I was reading a book called Ilium which was set in the era of the Trojan War. This volume and a second book called Olympos have turned into a rip-roaring scifi epic using the characters of the Iliad and Odyssey and set in the far future where some surviving humans have evolved into God's and recreated the war for their amusement. What an imagination Dan Simmons, the author, has. Recommended if you are a scifi fan.
Blessings on Joseph for his superb expertise in puzzle making and Jazzbumpa for a swell review.
Amen to that!
Good Morning:
This was a breeze after yesterday's exercise, and a fun one at that. I share SS's lack of knowledge of Sean and the Storm and I, too, like a down-theme grid. The only actor named Gunn whom I'm familiar with is Anna from Breaking Bad, but there is only one Barbara Eden and most definitely only one Judy Dench. I also know Megan Thee Stallion but for the longest time I saw her name as Three, not Thee. The themers were strong and consistent with the key words not being a stand alone words, and the reveal was spot on. The grid was clean and the 16 three letter word count is very acceptable. The Beers/Sodas and Yowl/Yelp duos were fun.
Thanks, Joseph, for a Wednesday treat and thanks, JazzB, for your usual detailed, interesting, and informative review. Your subtle, droll humor does not go unnoticed.
Just as a side note, SS @ 7:57 ~ Many years ago, my sister was trying, unsuccessfully, to convince me to leave the Florida warmth and fly to the frigid North for Christmas. Her winning gambit was telling me that Coco, their beloved aging and ill poodle, was hanging by a thread. We were on a plane soon thereafter.
Have a great day.
Musings
-A clever gimmick where only the reveal ended in an actual, stand-alone mode
-Barbara EDEN and Annette Funicello never exposed their navels
-ADD earworm: Tell me more, tell me more
-I’M MAD – Missing a putt that is just barely outside “gimme” range
-MLB fans remember Billy Buckner’s ERROR in Game Six of the 1986 World Series
-MLB fans remember UMP Jim Joyce made an ERROR on a call that cost a pitcher a perfect game in pre-appeal days of 2010
-Today I play golf for the third consecutive day which is my weekly max to be in accord with Joann.
Good Morning! Great puzzle today – slow going, but thoughtful. Thanks, Joseph. I liked the change of direction of the themers, but still missed what it was all about. That’s OK, JazzB did a fine job explaining it.
One WO – I got my PEALs mixed up.
Only name I DNK was SEAN, but it was easily perped.
Judi DENCH is one of my favorite actresses. I’ve seen As Time Goes By many times over.
OWING was my last fill. I kept wanting the clue to be related to extraordinary.
UMP: I noted your little snark, JB 😄. Thanks for today’s loaded with info recap.
WEES, great and FUN puzzle. Cool review from JB.
At first I had hoops instead of STUDS. Yes, I encountered a few unknowns like THEE, SEAN, but I too knew EDEN and DENCH.
I’M MAD at the DESPICABLE events we’re witnessing in the Mid East.
Wonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Joseph and JazzB.
I FIRed in good time and saw the DOWN TO THE WIRE theme. True to the theme, I was “uncertain until the very end”. Bravo to the constructor.
No inkblots today, as I waited for perps to confirm my firsts thoughts for WOVE and CRAWL.
I thought of RSVP for 1A, then postal code in Canadian address, but waited for HTTP to appear. AHA.
CREW ensured that DESPICABLE (smile for the film) had an E and not an I in the first syllable.
Possibly unknown names perped - THEE, SEAN (I knew EDEN and DENCH).
We could ADD ONE and ONE to get TWO.
I noted SIRE and STUDS.
YOWL, YELP, SOBS, WAH sound like someone is LOW.
We need an update on the SOLAR panels, unclefred. CSO today.
Speaking of NEW WORLD RECORD and GO DOWN TO THE WIRE, did you hear the report of the 104-year-old lady who made a skydive on Oct 3? She died peacefully in her sleep a week later.
SkyDiver
Wishing you all a great day.
Lee@8:43. I tried ILIUM on your recommendation and read quite a bit of it, but not being a sci-if fan, I gave it up half-way, but I agree it’s an astounding example of talent and imagination. I’m glad I read what I did.
I solved the puzzle perfectly as usual, but I could not even read the clues in just 4 minutes as Anonymous did. And I'm sure I would NOT have been able to get the theme if I had a week. Maybe I'm not too bright, but four minutes! That's how long it took me to find a pencil.
Puzzling thoughts:
After Jazz Bumpa provided each of the bloggers (via email) the three entries and the themer (when he asked for our assistance in finding the connection) this puzzle solved itself in near reCORD time
As a side note, today is my mom's 56th celebration of her 39th birthday ... mom used to love to solve the LA Times puzzles but sadly her memory and motor skills (she ALWAYS solved with a pencil and paper; never on-line) have made that activity too difficult. We had a great talk on the phone this morning, and she looked quite happy ... Happy Birthday, mom 💘
So far a week of similar moderately difficult puzzles. (Or is it “similarly moderate or similarly moderately” 🤔). Although the CABLE, LINE, and CORD were much more obvious at the end of the WIRE shouldn’t the reveal clue have been the “end of the LINE” since those words were positioned at the end of each LINE
( huh? What did he just say? 😳)
kool CREW kuts from the 50’s
I needed SELF DISCIPLINE to keep from trying SELF control first. plateau wouldn’t fit, hadda be MESA. The old hen/cow/sow/EWE conundrum, EGAD solved that!
”You should be ashamed!”
Started the trip….SETOFF
Who should make Opie’s lunch? ….LETBE
Eliminated oarers, ____ cut….Crew
YOWLing…..OWING
Oliver Twist requesting another espresso: “Sir may I have ____ ?”…. MOJO.
A cloudy cold humpday WAH 😩
When I cut/pasted my wordy blurb only part printed and since my new IPhone I don’t have a delete button on the blog web version so trying again
So far a week of similar moderately difficult puzzles. (Or is it “similarly moderate or similarly moderately” 🙄). Although the CABLE, LINE, and CORD were much more obvious at the end of the WIRE shouldn’t the reveal clue have been the “end of the LINE” since those words were positioned at the end of each LINE
( huh? What did he just say? 😳)
kool CREW kuts from the 50’s
I needed SELF DISCIPLINE to keep from trying SELF control first. plateau wouldn’t fit, hadda be MESA. The old hen/cow/sow/EWE conundrum, EGAD solved that!
”You should be ashamed!”
Started the trip….SETOFF
Who should make Opie’s lunch? ….LETBE
Eliminated oarers, ____ cut….Crew
YOWLing…..OWING
Oliver Twist requesting another espresso: “Sir may I have ____ ?”…. MOJO.
A cloudy cold humpday WAH 😩
🫤
For 7 Down and 22 Across I put ARTH and HOWL. The Urban Dictionary defines "arth".
The video of the "I Dream of Genie" intro: isn't that a navel I see at 15 seconds into the clip?
And why does the trombone player say he's only playing three notes, then plays...and names...four notes?
Good catches, unclefred. I, too, see that navel. And that trombone player miscounted.
Ms. Irish Miss: I am happy to share my lack of knowledge with anyone. And, no matter how much I share, I never seem to run low.
I hope you enjoyed your time with Coco, and in the North - a perfect place to spend Christmas.
Anthony Gael Moral: I appreciate that you shaved 38 seconds off of my time today. Also, I've found your "mistake" - you're looking for, and using, a pencil! By typing online, I am able to be, um, "speedier" than writing with a pen/pencil.
Hola!
What a NEATO puzzle! Thank you, Joseph and thank you, JazzBumpa! Your analysis as always is filled with good information.
It's FUN to solve downward for a change and I finished without an ERROR.
Driving just a short distance I can see a MESA or two and just to the east is the city of MESA.
In the convent I learned SELF-DISCIPLINE but most of that has gone away except for a few habits that linger such as not procrastinating which is my natural inclination.
One of my nieces is married to a PILOT and their son is also one. Her husband is now retired and teaches PILOTs, on the ground, of course.
More and more SOLAR panels are now appearing on nearby roofs.
EAR could have been clued as related to STUDs or vice versa.
DENCH crossing EDEN is a perfect fill. They are both consummate actors.
Have a beautiful day, everyone!
Monday finally arrived! A neat puzzle, but I never saw the wires until JzB hooked them up for me. An enjoyable outing.
Thank you, Tante Nique. It is an amazing display of imagination and knowledge of the Greek stories. I am about halfway through the second volume and still enthralled by the story.
Don't know if you would be interested in fantasy either?
Many happy returns to your mom on her 90th birthday, Moe.
Lee@12:25 I’ve not said my last word on Ilium, I’ve been tempted to resume it.
CEh! @10:03 AM Sadly that WORLD RECORD breaker didn't get her last wish, which was to fly in a. balloon 🎈!
Ray-O, the reveal went DOWN to the WIRE.
IM - I just happened on this great quote this morning:
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."
― Roger Caras (May 24, 1928 – February 18, 2001)
Haven't we seen EDEN two days in a row? When we drove through Eden, NC Friday, I wondered whether they sell apples there. Not Apples, apples. As in "forbidden fruit."
Super puzzle, terrific review, and a Happy, Happy Birthday to the Chairman's Mom!
A rapid-fire fill today that never had this AVERAGE JOE GO DOWN TO THE WIRE with a WAG or perp to FIR. I use SELF DISCIPLINE and never use any reference when trying to solve puzzles. I just have a DNF or a FIW but check the Corner afterwards.
Goblin kin ORC-no idea but perps worked. Ditto for SEAN Gunn, Kraglin or MCU.
EASY A- it shouldn't count for college credit and it certainly shouldn't cost thousands for the privilege of taking one just to boost one's GPA.
54&56D- BEERS & SODAS- two consecutive fills but not on the grid
DRESS SHOES- I bought a pair--------------fifteen years ago. Weddings and funerals only.
No WAH-WAH or SOB today.
Methinks NEATO is joining Rita ORA, ORR, OTT, ASEA and a few others in crossword popularity.
Lee @ 12:28 ---> Mom is 95 today ... she always joked that she would never celebrate a birthday after she turned 39. And as I always joke, each year marks another time she "turned" 39. 2023 is the 56th time she celebrated her 39th birthday! 56+39=95
Thanks for the kind wishes ... mom doesn't know how to get on the internet so I will be sharing with her (tomorrow) all of the virtual greetings!
Thank you Joseph for your fun puzzle! You are clearly not an AVERAGE JOE!
(Hah! I cannot believe no one beat me to that one!)
I also noted STUDS & SIRE, CanadianEh!. There was also UMP X MLB.
SEAN Gunn's brother, James, directed that movie from the clip. I bet they have fun working together!
Thanks to JzB for his excellent write-up! FAVs were the trombone (WAH, WAH, WAH, WAAAAAAAH) and the Pretenders.
JzB leads us through this Gangi PZL...
I see I didn't trim close enough when trying to decode today's theme endings. I ended up with ABLE, PLINE, and RECORD. Which made no sense at all...
I really like a clue like 66D.
I fell for the trap at 48D & had to write over EST with UMP.
~ OMK
____________
DR: Three diagonals, near side.
The center line has too few consonants. Turning to the bottom diagonal, we find an anagram (13 of 14) that denotes the peak of an old fashioned political speech,
a real...
"TOR STEMWINDER"!
As a career electronic engineer I enjoyed the WIRE theme. Helped a bit with the solve.
Learning moment that a woman calls herself a STALLION.
Happy to see my newspaper MOJO (MOntecito JOurnal)! Here are my recent MOJO articles, if anyone is interested.
From Yesterday:
AnonT, Vidwan Thanks for the PRIME observations and questions.
Euclid proved there is an infinite number of PRIMEs in one of the most beautiful proofs I have ever seen. He did it by "reductio ad absurdum". Meaning, he assumed the opposite and saw that it led to an absurdity. Here is the idea:
Imagine there is some greatest PRIME. Multiply all the PRIMEs below that together. Now add one. That new number has a most interesting property. Either:
1) It is PRIME, meaning that your assumption was wrong. There was another bigger PRIME.
OR
2) It is not PRIME. OK. But it has to be a product of at least one PRIME that is not in your supposed list of all PRIMEs. Why? Because if you divide your new number by any existing known PRIME, there is a remainder of 1!
How cool is that proof? Credit Euclid!
SS @ 11:19 ~ Yes, I did enjoy that Christmas, not only with Coco and my sister's family, but with a couple we were very close friends with and who were invited by my sister, unbeknownst to me. They drove from Connecticut to Troy and visited with us for a couple of days. If medals were awarded for orchestrating surprises, my sister would win the gold. BTW, Coco was around for several more months!
Jinx @ 1:08 ~ My kitchen wall calendar features a different Bichon for each month and a dog themed quote on the bottom of each page. Yours is on the August page and October's is "If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers.
Speaking of quotes, I saw this cute one on a site for cocktail napkins:
The Four Stages of Life
1. You believe in Santa Claus
2. You don't believe in Santa Claus
3. You are Santa Claus
4. You look like Santa Claus
ChairmanMoe @ 2:48 ~ Please wish your Mom a very Happy Birthday! 95 is quite a milestone, no matter how one gets there! 🎂🎀🎉🎁🎊🎈
IM - Thanks for all that!
I liked this neato puzzle and Jazzb’s excellent write-up. I see Lucina beat me in describing this puzzle as NEATO. Hand up for changing STUD to SIRE because of that simple earring.
Picard, ! ... your presentation of the above proof was brilliant. I did not know 'reductio ad absurdum' could be used as a proof in a mathematical sense. But, even I (!) could understand that reasoning... Thank You.!!!
BTW, I don't think Rama----- said that there was a finite end number to/of the last Prime. His theory merely alludes that there is some sort of boundary because the numbers become so scarce... ( I'm not trying to argue with a Physics grad from MIT ...)
Thank You Joseph Gangi for one of the easiest puzzles I've seen in a long time. Most of the names were also familiar to me.... which was fantastic and serendipitous.
Thank YOu JazzBumpa for your laconic, part cynical commentary ... trust me, we do notice your iconic style...
Thank You Irish Miss for alerting me to this fact !!
Diversity in opinion makes the world go round ...
Finally, in re ... exposing belly buttons and navels ... as alluded to by JazzB and HuskerG... I guess not exposing that part is considered to be somewhat modest... in a woman. But, as 'Familiarity is the source of contempt' ... in India, where the common female garment is a Sari, the female midriff and oftentimes the belly button is oft open to exposure, and it is not considered Unduly sexy or provocative ... merely a part of the dress. Whereas, in parts of the Middle East, even showing a hint of an ankle could be considered provocative and scandalous. To each their own.
Have a nice week, you all.
Hi All!
A bit late today. I finished Joseph's puzzle 3rd thing this morning but BEE-busy all day.
Thanks Joeseph for the grid and Thank You! JzB for the extensive / learning expo. Lots of goodies in there (and, as IM intonated, great wry humoUr).
WO: Stud -> SIRE
ESPs: THEE and SEAN.
Fav: JzB's joke re: yen for it.
Cute DR, OMK.
Ray-O beat me to Daffy Duck at 3d.
AGM @10:17 - with dyslexia, it takes me forever to "really" read the clues much less find the right vowels in the perps.
Picard - I still love XFiles-level conspiracies (listen every night on AM Radio). Did you know Hitler's brain is living in a jar! [cite: Weird Al [Midnight Star 3:30]]. Nice Article, bud.
IM - Funny your napkin (don't tell me you didn't buy 'em); OK, I've played Santa but I still have my suave Italian dark-hair. If I go like Pop, my hair will be blinding-white within 12 days of hitting 56.
C, Moe! OMG. HBD to your Mom! //no one in my family as lived past 79yrs...
Vidwan - my buddy took me to a restaurant in Cairo before I flew back to Houston. I had to (much in vein) explain to DW that it was ART and not provocative (I even saw the dancer later at the bar talking to her mom about the performance). Me thinks DW's still suspicious.
CED (and comics fans) - I heard Stephan Pastis on the radio this am. He'll be in H-Town on 23OCT. Should I tell him that I stole Guard Duck for my hacker avatar?
That's it from me -- gotta get ready for meeting at 07:30, HouSecCon at 9(ish), (aka HOUSE.CCON [lol my buddy that made those stickers!]), and then multiple happy-hours before the Defcon meet-up. It will be fun :-)
Cheers, -T
-T @ 8:37. Thanks for the SP interview link. I read his strip daily and have seen the recent ones where he is "checking in" with his characters while on his book tour. Love, love, love his self-deprecating humor!
IrishMiss et al:
Let me share with you something I learned when shortly after my DW's death I was at a very low ebb emotionally. One of my good friends took me to a psychic she knew and held in high esteem for her abilities. The psychic was, of course, a complete stranger to me and vice versa.
After meditating for a few minutes and asking me my birthdate she told me that I had recently lost someone very dear to me and that he sent greetings to me. She saw him playing with a small white dog. We had owned and loved, a small papillon and she had died a few years prior to my husband.
That encounter brought me great peace of mind and I was able to process my DH's death in tranquility.
Oops. I meant to say my DH's death NOT DW!
Lucina , et.al.
Further to what dear Lucina wrote, I have to comment that I also have consulted a sort-of psychic/ medium/ fortune teller. And despite my initial suspicious and cynical attitude I have found him very helpful for my future -in- life predictions.
I don’t think that he has any expertise in reading or preparing horoscopes or reading palmistry or communicating with spirits but he has been very helpful in a gentle manner …. In solving your physical social and mental problems …..
He is a combination of a psychologist a psychiatrist s hypnotist and a therapist … all without the requisite degrees ….
But whereas no one profession can actually solve your worldly troubles snd travails, he can help you conceptualize ways and methods and attitudes to cope with your immediate and long term problems….. and do it in such a way that you will take action in y to hat direction and search out optimal and efficient solutions. An ideal medicine man elixir.
Unfortunately he is old snd has permanently quit this vocation. But there must be others like him in this world.
Apologies, I read 56 as 50 (eyes getting bad) so my arithmetic is flawed. Happy 95th.
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