Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here. Since we are now only one week away from Christmas, today's title is a no-brainer:
Gingerbread House
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| Note the WINDOW, DOOR, and ROOF. Let's see how constructor Jay Silverman builds them into his three themers: |
17 Across. Online customer service component: CHAT WINDOW.
It's on-line shopping season. If you have questions on a purchase, you might reach out via LiveChat:
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| Warning: the Enter key acts like a Send key. If you press Enter and expect to go to another line, it will instead send your incomplete message. No worries though, just continue typing. It will be OK. I mess this up all the time and it still works out. |
30 Across. Metaphorical feature of a poorly run company, perhaps: REVOLVING DOOR. If you say that a situation is a REVOLVING DOOR, you mean that people (employees) or things are continuously coming and going -- usually not a good thing for a business.
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| Will Ferrell in Elf (2003) More holiday cheer! |
46 Across. Does a celebratory dance by pushing up one's palms: RAISES THE ROOF.
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| Michael & Dwight (Steve Carell & Rainn Wilson) in The Office They are basically miming pushing the roof upwards. Warning: This gesture is considered dated. |
And the reveal:
61 Across. Welcome words from a bartender, and where to find the ends of 17-, 30-, and 46-Across?: ON THE HOUSE.
The "ends of 17-, 30-, and 46-Across" are WINDOW, DOOR, and ROOF. All can be found on a house.
"Welcome words", in this case, does not equate to "greetings". Instead, "welcome" means "good news to the listener." If a bartender says, "It's ON THE HOUSE," the listener is happy to hear that the drinks/snacks are free. Woohoo!!
Let's check out the rest of the neighborhood:
1. Curl up with a good book: READ. Great start! This is one of my favorite things to do. I wonder if we have more book readers or tablet readers on The Corner.
5. Objects of worship: IDOLS.
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| FYI: Patty Berg |
10. Furry "Return of the Jedi" creature: EWOK.
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| These little guys live on the planet Endor. (See 12-D on 12/4/23.) |
14. Off-roaders, for short: ATVS. An all-terrain vehicle is a motorized off-highway vehicle.
15. "The Jungle Book" bear: BALOO.
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| I always mix this one up with Sally's nickname for Linus. (Wrong holiday but you get the idea.) |
16. Abundant (with): RIFE.
19. Not 100% solid: IFFY. IF I were to guess, I would triple all of the numbers on this ice thickness recommendations chart from The Old Farmer's Almanac. Eight inches seems very IFFY to me.
20. Have lunch: EAT.
21. Thor's father: ODIN.
22. White Monopoly bills: ONES.
23. [Don't touch my bone!]: SNARL. and 18 Down. Wild canines: WOLVES.
19. Not 100% solid: IFFY. IF I were to guess, I would triple all of the numbers on this ice thickness recommendations chart from The Old Farmer's Almanac. Eight inches seems very IFFY to me.
21. Thor's father: ODIN.
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| Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Anthony Hopkins as ODIN in Thor: Ragnarock (2017) It is just a coincidence that I have pics of Chris Hemsworth two weeks in a row...really! |
22. White Monopoly bills: ONES.
23. [Don't touch my bone!]: SNARL. and 18 Down. Wild canines: WOLVES.
25. Raring to go: EAGER. From Grammarist, "This idiom originated in the early 19th century as a term meaning to be at the ready or impatient to be off. Rare is likely a variant of the word rear, meaning to rise up or stand on one's hind legs. The word is used to describe a horse rising up in impatience or anxiety before plunging forward."
Similarly, champing at the bit means one is ready but must wait, as a horse for its rider.
28. Nevertheless, briefly: THO. "Briefly" here means a shorter version of though.
33. One __ customer: PER.
34. Since Jan. 1: YTD. Year To Date. Accountants use this acronym a lot.
35. Woodwind instrument: OBOE.
28. Nevertheless, briefly: THO. "Briefly" here means a shorter version of though.
33. One __ customer: PER.
34. Since Jan. 1: YTD. Year To Date. Accountants use this acronym a lot.
35. Woodwind instrument: OBOE.
'Tis the season for Silver Bells -- a violin and OBOE duet
36. Books for those feeling lost?: ATLASES. I like the misdirection that one might find these books in the self-help section.
40. Stanzas of six lines: SESTETS. My last fix was to change SExTETS and xMOOCH to SESTETS and SMOOCH. In my defense, an XO can mean "kiss & hug".
42. Unravel at the edge: FRAY.
43. Illuminated: LIT.
45. "The Walking Dead" network: AMC.
50. Like a famous Broadway couple: ODD. Neil Simon's comedy, The Odd Couple, opened March 10, 1965 at the Plymouth Theater in NYC, starring Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison and Art Carney as Felix Unger.
43. Illuminated: LIT.
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| Clark Griswold's house was LIT! National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) |
45. "The Walking Dead" network: AMC.
50. Like a famous Broadway couple: ODD. Neil Simon's comedy, The Odd Couple, opened March 10, 1965 at the Plymouth Theater in NYC, starring Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison and Art Carney as Felix Unger.
51. Button on a game console: RESET. and 4 Down. Mar.-to-Nov. hrs.: DST.
Most of us RESET our clocks in March for Daylight Savings Time.
52. Leaves out: OMITS.
55. Goes out, as the tide: EBBS. The tides with the biggest difference between high and low water are called springs and those with the smallest are called neaps. Spring tides happen just after every full and new moon, when the sun, moon, and earth are in line. Read more here.
57. Electrical adapter letters: AC/DC. Here's a 2:45 min YouTube explanation:
59. Goopy hair stuff: GEL.
60. Italian farewell: CIAO.
64. Early Peruvian: INCA.
65. "Doctor Who" actress Gillan: KAREN. I know this Scottish actress from Doctor Who, Jumanji, and Guardians of the Galaxy but I thought Gillan was her first name so I was trying to think of a last name. I felt pretty silly when perps gave me KAREN.
66. Commedia dell'__: ARTE. Britannica article
67. Inquires: ASKS. From Dictionary.com: While inquire means "to seek information in a formal way," enquire means "to ask in a general way." They can be used interchangeably. Also, they both originate from the same Latin word, meaning "to seek".
68. Backyard storage sites: SHEDS. My dog SHEDS in the backyard...and the front yard...and in the house...and in the car....
69. Take a breather: REST.
Down:
1. Track events: RACES. There is a possibility of misdirection if you thought "track" was being used as a verb. Instead, it is short for Track & Field.
2. "Training Day" actor Hawke: ETHAN. I think he also hawks furniture with his brother, Allen. (ba-dum-tsh)
3. James Cameron franchise featuring the Na'vi: AVATAR. This clue references the 2009 and 2022 films.
52. Leaves out: OMITS.
55. Goes out, as the tide: EBBS. The tides with the biggest difference between high and low water are called springs and those with the smallest are called neaps. Spring tides happen just after every full and new moon, when the sun, moon, and earth are in line. Read more here.
57. Electrical adapter letters: AC/DC. Here's a 2:45 min YouTube explanation:
In case you were wondering, some Christmas lights use AC and some use DC.
59. Goopy hair stuff: GEL.
60. Italian farewell: CIAO.
64. Early Peruvian: INCA.
65. "Doctor Who" actress Gillan: KAREN. I know this Scottish actress from Doctor Who, Jumanji, and Guardians of the Galaxy but I thought Gillan was her first name so I was trying to think of a last name. I felt pretty silly when perps gave me KAREN.
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| Karen Gillan as Amy Pond in Doctor Who -- not to be confused with Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully in The X-Files |
66. Commedia dell'__: ARTE. Britannica article
67. Inquires: ASKS. From Dictionary.com: While inquire means "to seek information in a formal way," enquire means "to ask in a general way." They can be used interchangeably. Also, they both originate from the same Latin word, meaning "to seek".
68. Backyard storage sites: SHEDS. My dog SHEDS in the backyard...and the front yard...and in the house...and in the car....
69. Take a breather: REST.
1. Track events: RACES. There is a possibility of misdirection if you thought "track" was being used as a verb. Instead, it is short for Track & Field.
Michael Johnson's running posture inspires me!
He was a world record holder in 2 events and a 4-time Olympic gold medalist.
2. "Training Day" actor Hawke: ETHAN. I think he also hawks furniture with his brother, Allen. (ba-dum-tsh)
3. James Cameron franchise featuring the Na'vi: AVATAR. This clue references the 2009 and 2022 films.
Last week Vidwan reminded us that AVATAR is borrowed from Sanskrit. Here are 17 more words that come from Sanskrit.
5. "How much am __?": auctioneer's question: I BID. This one did not feel right but it turns out that it is an expression used by an auctioneer when starting a bidding process for an object to be sold. It is more hoity-toity than this 1956 song by Leroy Van Dyke:
5. "How much am __?": auctioneer's question: I BID. This one did not feel right but it turns out that it is an expression used by an auctioneer when starting a bidding process for an object to be sold. It is more hoity-toity than this 1956 song by Leroy Van Dyke:
My Great-uncle A.V. was a livestock auctioneer. I used to love watching him work!
6. "Get Out" actor Kaluuya: DANIEL. his IMDb page
7. Discount clothing chain owned by Gap: OLD NAVY.
8. Brit's washroom: LOO. The LOO in the British OLD NAVY is called the head because it was at the front of the ship, which is the last place the wind hit. That way the odor did not carry across the ship.
9. Piglet's mother: SOW. Hand up for seeing the capital "P" and thinking of Winnie-the-Pooh's friends. Bzzt. This one is just a random baby pig's mother.
10. "__ Brockovich": ERIN. Julia Roberts won the Best Actress Oscar for her work in this 2000 thriller/documentary.
11. Bride: WIFE TO BE. Fun fill!
12. Outgrowth: OFFSHOOT. Def: anything conceived of as springing or proceeding from a main stock.
13. Lock opener: KEY.
22. Assn.: ORG. Association and ORGanization
24. Settles a debt: REPAYS. Think of "REPAY a favor" as opposed to paying money owed the first time.
26. Skedaddles: GITS. Both are slang for getting the heck out of there.
Git Along Little Dogies starring Gene Autry, The Singing Cowboy (1937)
I like how his horse, Champion, made it into the page 1 credits (@ 1 min.).
27. Make cherished: ENDEAR.
29. Loads from a lode: ORES.
and
31. Ultimatum words: OR ELSE.
32. Google or Yahoo: DOT-COM. a company that relies largely or exclusively on internet commerce
36. Curly hairstyle: AFRO.
37. Used vehicles, sometimes: TRADE-INS. used articles accepted by the retailer as payment for another item
38. Giving chill vibes: LAID BACK.
39. Doesn't play, say: SITS.
41. Kiss: SMOOCH. See 40-Across.
44. London's Old Vic, for one: THEATRE. British locale = British spelling
47. Hosp. areas: ERS. Emergency Rooms in hospitals
48. Made a long-lasting impression?: ETCHED.
31. Ultimatum words: OR ELSE.
32. Google or Yahoo: DOT-COM. a company that relies largely or exclusively on internet commerce
36. Curly hairstyle: AFRO.
37. Used vehicles, sometimes: TRADE-INS. used articles accepted by the retailer as payment for another item
38. Giving chill vibes: LAID BACK.
39. Doesn't play, say: SITS.
44. London's Old Vic, for one: THEATRE. British locale = British spelling
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| This 1,000-seat THEATRE's history goes back to 1818. A Christmas Carol is playing there now through January 6. |
47. Hosp. areas: ERS. Emergency Rooms in hospitals
48. Made a long-lasting impression?: ETCHED.
and
49. Shape: FIGURE. The sport of FIGURE skating got its name because skaters tried to ETCH perfect shapes (e.g., circles) in the ice. Compulsory figures used to account for 60% of a skater's score in competitions. The last Olympics to include compulsory figures in scoring was in 1988 (Calgary). Read all about the origins and evolution of figure skating here.
54. Wintry mix: SLEET.
56. Constricting snakes: BOAS. Who would prevail between a BOA constrictor and a giant ice spider?
58. Man caves, e.g.: DENS.
60. Chef-training sch. based in N.Y.: CIA. The Culinary Institute of America's primary campus is in Hyde Park, New York.
61. Approves: OKS.
62. Slangy "Pass": NAH. No, thank you.
63. Rower's blade: OAR.
Today's puzzle had an extra bite to it but I'd say Jay hit a home run with this one. What do you think?
49. Shape: FIGURE. The sport of FIGURE skating got its name because skaters tried to ETCH perfect shapes (e.g., circles) in the ice. Compulsory figures used to account for 60% of a skater's score in competitions. The last Olympics to include compulsory figures in scoring was in 1988 (Calgary). Read all about the origins and evolution of figure skating here.
Skating by Vince Guaraldi
53. Exams: TESTS.54. Wintry mix: SLEET.
56. Constricting snakes: BOAS. Who would prevail between a BOA constrictor and a giant ice spider?
58. Man caves, e.g.: DENS.
60. Chef-training sch. based in N.Y.: CIA. The Culinary Institute of America's primary campus is in Hyde Park, New York.
61. Approves: OKS.
62. Slangy "Pass": NAH. No, thank you.
63. Rower's blade: OAR.
The grid is in the basement:
Today's puzzle had an extra bite to it but I'd say Jay hit a home run with this one. What do you think?
36 comments:
A couple of obscure names gave this puzzle a little “crunch” but, on the whole, it was another Monday “walk in the park.” FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Needed my trusty Wite-Out to change MEETS to RACES (check the perps, d-o!), but otherwise this was an easy romp. D-o even got the theme. Thanx, Jay and sumdaze. (Sheds was cute, Hawks, not so much. After "killing" four Kindles, d-o now does his reading on his phone.)
CHAT WINDOW: D-o's most common entry is "summon real person."
IFFY: In my ute, we had to spud a chunk of ice out of the mill pond to prove to dad that it was 4" thick, and safe to skate on.
GITS: Also from my ute, I always thought Roy Rogers was the most famous cowboy, ever. Didn't realize that Gene Autry was a much bigger star, and that Rogers (Leonard Slye) got his start as a singer in Autry's "Sons of the Pioneers."
FIR without erasure, getting my mild Natick DANIEL x BALOO.
Today is:
NATIONAL ROAST SUCKLING PIG DAY (I abstain from this and from veal as well)
NATIONAL TWIN DAY (dated an identical twin for a short while. I’ve got a couple of great stories, but not for this forum)
INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAY (I support expanded legal immigration here)
WORLD ARABIC LANGUAGE DAY (I’m more impressed with the Arab creation of a numbering system that includes a meaningful zero.)
In my vocabulary, "unravel" goes in the stack with "unthaw" and "inflamable."
I feel for all the women named KAREN. Whatever caused the name to mean a spoiled and privledged WASP woman?
I too thought of Anderson for Gillian. Both Gillians are redheads? Be still my heart!
Although the clue and answer are technically correct, if you introduce your lawfully wedded spouse as your "WIFE TO BE" you will probably be sleeping in K9 quarters. (After 32 years of marriage, I still refer to my DW as "my bride.")
Thanks to Jay for the fun Monday romp. Just what I needed after the embarrassing trouncing of my Cowboys yesterday. And thanks for the clever tour through the grid, sumdaze.
Hi Y'all! Thanks for a fun & fast puzzle, Jay! And thanks for a fun expo, Sumdaze.
I spend a lot of time with my Kindle. Less pain in my hands than when I read books and I can make the type large enough to compensate for failing eyesight.
FIR. I didn't have much trouble with this puzzle, but of course it is Monday.
The theme was fun and helped with the solve. This was a pleasant start to the week.
Good Morning:
This is a perfect puzzle for a newbie, with its basic, yet fun, theme and reveal. I didn't know Daniel and Karen, as clued, but the perps were fair throughout the entire grid, as they should be on a Monday. Oks next to Nah is cute.
Thanks, Jay, for a fast and smooth solve and thanks, sumdaze, for enlightening us and for the humorous comics, especially No Rest For The Wicked, Skating Snoopy, and the Man Cave. I'm from the old school of preferring handheld books vs ereaders. I also prefer a hard cover vs a paperback. I also prefer using my landline phone vs my cell phone. 🤣
It's a dark and stormy morning here (😉) gloomy as all get out!
Have a great day.
Not just Track and Field; horses, cars and dogs also have RACES on a track.
This was a faster than usual puzzle for me such that I found out most of the down answers here because they filled in totally by perps!
I've got to start work so not a lot of comments - but I like to read with a book in my hand - except I read with a Kindle when I travel by air with limited space to pack. I spend so much time on a computer all day for work I don't want to be on a screen to read for leisure.
Thanks SD for the entertaining blog and to Jay for the puzzle!
Took 3:54 today for me to get my mind out of the gutter.
Seemed like a fine themeless puzzle to me.
I am familiar with today's actress (Karen), but not from Dr. Who (does there seem to be a disproportionate number of Dr. Who clues?).
Marvellous Monday. Thanks for the fun, Jay and sumdaze (great work).
I FIRed in good time with several inkblots (quickly corrected), and saw the HOUSE theme.
Hand up for Sextet (plus I moved to Septet) before SESTET.
Perps changed To A to PER, and Ripe to RIFE.
I waited to decide where we were in the hospital - ERS not ors.
Perps were fair for unknowns like DANIEL, KAREN, CIA, AMC.
Of course, this Canadian loved the British-spelled THEATRE.
James Cameron is Canadian, from Niagara Falls. He previewed AVATAR, The Way of Water, over the Falls in 2022.
Avatar
Wishing you all a great day.
Smooth puzzle this morning. Liked books for those feeling lost? I didn’t know DANIEL or KAREN, but perps to the rescue.
Sumdaze’s recap was fun and informative. I always like some Peanuts funnies.
Sunny and cool this morning, time to get going.
I read on my iPad mini using my Libby, library app. Almost like holding a book, reading size can be adjusted, and best of all, no need to fill my shelves with a multitude of books (and it’s free on my library card). I get newly released books fairly quickly if I put them on Hold when I see their publication announced. I’m currently reading The Defector, by our Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield. I usually have no problem getting a book read in 14 days (due date).
Hi All!
Thanks, Jay, for a nice crunchy Monday grid. Theme was easy to spot and helpful for me getting "CHAT bot" out of my brain.
Sumdaze - You kept bouncing between Christmas and Valentine's Day(?) with great comics! I always love & appreciate your expos.
BTW, I almost had Babboo too! And yes, I first thought of X-Files at 65a.
WOs: N/A
ESPs: IBID as clued (I'd have gone with bibliography abbr.), DANIEL as clued (Get Out was a great flick!)
Fav: AC/DC [Two Cellos - Thunderstruck].
Ok, call me a Luddite, but I prefer dead-tree hardcover books (Whoot! IM is with me!). The pages feel right and my comprehension is more focused. And, you always know where you are reading / how much is left in a chapter, can mark notes in the margin, and give it a good thump when it's complete. Plus, it looks better on a shelf afterwards.
Too Inanehiker's point - I too am on a screen 15+ hours a day; a non-illuminated page is calming.
@7:58 (SpeedySolver, I assume) - Dr. Who is one of the (The?) longest running programmes on TV and every Dr. & assistant ENDEARs 'em selves.
Jinx - Our last neighbor was a Karen (no, really, that was her name) and on the HOA. Oy!
CIAO!, -T
//refreshed b/f Posting (once in a row) say - thanks for the Chris Hadfield recommendation! I just added a Hardcover copy to my Amazon cart.
That's the great thing about crosswords,
Mondays are the opposite of real life...
would you out this on your house?
oops...
I can't imagine Art Carney as Felix Unger. So I went looking on YouTube, but unfortunately there is no video history of him in the play. I did find this though...
Hola!
WEES. Agreed that this was a fast Monday fill with just a bit of crunch How ironic to start with READ as I suspect most puzzlers are avid readers.
I had two write-overs, GOES before GITS and SEXTETS then SESTETS. I'm also out of wite-out so my grid is messy, which I hate. Now that my company is gone, I can go do some errands.
Ironically, we had two weddings on successive Saturdays and an unexpected funeral in between. My beloved niece was buried, that is, her ashes were buried on Thursday and people were here from several states. Not all were staying with me, though.
Yesterday my sister, who lives here, and I went to a 25th anniversary founding of a monastery in the far, far west side. Needless to say, I was exhausted and went to bed early last night.
Thank you, Jay Silverman and sumdaze.
Have a beautiful day, everyone!
I solved the Sunday puzzle last night, too late to post. Usually I am busy on a Sunday with church, having Alan here and ferrying him back home. I got the interesting theme sayings quickly which provided perps for some of the crunchy fill.
Today's puzzle was a walk in the park. Only Karen and Daniel needed a few perps and wags. Jinx, I feel sorry for Karens, too.
I love to curl up with a book or tablet. A tablet is not so heavy for reading in bed. It is lighted. The print can be enlarged. It is immediately refillable. But I read print books, too, mostly from the library. I swipe to try to turn pages on print books and try to grab the edge of the page to turn it on ebooks. LOL
I buy things on Amazon for Alan and he repays me. (pays back)
My write over was goes to gets to gits.
Bride can be used three ways. A woman about to be married. A woman just married. One's female beloved or wife, no matter how long the relationship.
I agree with A-t about reading real books made of paper, but I also understand CanadianEh! I too read books with my Libby app, not only are there more choices, especially for older books, and when the author brings up a character whose name I don’t remember I tap on it and I’m directed to all the previous passages where he’s mentioned. The same for a word I don’t know, I tap on it and I get definitions.
Good Morning! A little bit of a challenge for me in the South, but it all came together. Thanks, Jay.
WO: not up on my poetry structure so…. Sonnets -> SESTETS.
ESP: DANIEL, KAREN, ARTE.
Thanks, sumdaze for a fun review. As to READ: I have discovered the joy of E-books ever since my first Kindle (I’m on #4 now 🙂) for several reasons. I love the dictionary, search and bookmark features with just the tap of my finger. And the Libby app gives me access to the library, so no cost. I am in the process of donating/selling hardback and paperback books I read once, enjoyed and will never read again. Any book I choose to buy will be an E-book with some exceptions (of course). One comes to mind, The Boy, The Fox, the Mole and the Horse. A keeper and one I have re-read several times.
WOLVES crossing SNARL: I’ve seen pictures on FB and am amazed at how large they are. According to the internet, WOLVES are about double the size of aa German shepherd!!
Musings
-Obscure cluing for common names seems to now be de rigueur here, even on Monday
-In some CHAT WINDOWS the other person can see and take control of my computer after getting permission.
-Oops, a SONNET (S _ _ _ E T) appears to have 14 lines. A minor course correction needed.
-Current slang for LIT
-I fully support my granddaughter’s keeping her maiden name after becoming a BRIDE
-Some star players choose to SIT rather than play in meaningless bowl games
-Being a phlebotomist in Lincoln’s ER’S has exposed my grandson to a whole different group of people
-The Friends clip was a hoot Dave. Let’s do Hawaii 5-0?, Ba da da bum bum BAH bum…
-Lovely as always, Renee.
Like Sumdaze, "My last fix was to change SExTETS and xMOOCH to SESTETS and SMOOCH." I see from the comments above that others had the same issue, which is great, because I thought I might have misheard the word all my life. Must be a legitimate variation. I'll look it up. Meanwhile, a nice start to Monday. Thanks!
A nice way to start the week. Fun puzzle today, only WiteOut needed was GET to GIT, and the X in SESTET. Liked the "rest! area", Sumdaze! I prefer a good hardcover book, but also have a tablet, which is handy at times. I had an elderly great Aunt who used to chide my father for allowing me to read "trashy comic books". My Dads reply was "I don't care what he reads, as long as he reads!". My folks were both avid readers, and our house was filled with books. (Kinda wish I had hung onto some of them. Spiderman #1? $$$$)
NaomiZ - I oft send a SMOOCH emoji to DW just to let her know I'm thinking about her.
Jinx - You know what will get anything within arm's-reach thrown at you?
Call your dear* bride a Beautiful Animal [Cracker post Death Cab for Cutie]. //I thought it was a complement, she didn't :-)
Cheers, -T
*this dyslexic sent her a letter from Basic: "Deer <firstname>,".
She sent back, "Wrong dear, or do you just fawn over me?"
A perfect Monday puzzle.
A little crunch but fair clues and perps.
And a fun theme.
Thanks Jay.
Thank you sumdaze for such a brilliant recap.
I think “snoopy skates” should observe proper posture from Michael Johnson.
…. kkFlorida
So far we have 4 who use both a device and a book, 4 for device, and 3 for books (including me). Reading the "why" one is preferred over the other was the most interesting part.
RosE @10:20. I so love "The Boy, The fox, The Mole and the Horse". I received a copy as a gift this past summer and have since bought 2 copies to share with others. So heartwarming!
C-Echo @ 11:14. Your dad was ahead of his time. Today's literacy experts would agree with him.
Forgot to weigh in on ebook/book question. I bought my first Kindle this year, mainly to get some project management books that would take a while to receive in hardcopy format. Some drawings and charts didn't work properly, I think because it wanted me to be enrolled in the class the textbooks were intended for. I also got The 36 Hour Day, a fantastic book about understanding and caretaking a loved one with dementia. I really like using Kindle for that.
I have two major sources for physical books. There is a used bookseller at the Marion County (FL) flea market who sells paperbacks fr $2 and hard covers for $3, with a little discount for buying more than 5 (I think) at a time. My other is a used book & media seller in Norfolk. They sell books for 1/2 the retail price, and give store credit for them (depending on marketability and inventory) for 1/4 retail price. The ones they don't want to sell are donated to charity via sales they have a few times a year. By combining them (acquiring them in FL and trading them in in Norfolk,) physical books are very affordable.
CED - Oh yeah, I would definitely put that Santa on my roof.
Bayou Tony - I love your DW's wit.
CED, there was quite the controversy in our little town a few years back when one resident wrote "BEER ME" across his roof in Christmas lights. No, it wasn't my house. Why would you think that?
'm not sure if I responded to the reading query. I love books as most do here and have tried the Barnes and Noble NOOk, but missed turning the pages so, yes, I have accumulated dozens of books over the years. But I love the ambience and smell of books. My daughter tells me this home will be a museum after I'm gone.
I just went to my late niece's home to take a money gift someone sent, and it is like a tomb there. It's so sad. I keep asking God to help me understand why this happened and the answer seems to be that I have unfinished work to do so, you all, I guess I'll be here a while longer.
Lucina - you're a light that keeps on glowing. We all feel for you and send Love your way.
Jinx - Yes, DW's got things up her sleave / in the back pocket that will stun (and make you think of books you read in HS). She's wicked-brilliant & cute (can I say Se-x-x-xy? [TMBG]) as heck. [don't know why she chose me - way above my paygrade.]
But, marry a future English Prof and that's what one gets.
//PO'd my Grands when she walked in from the kitchen and nailed WoF w/ only 3 letters on the board.
D-O: I want to see your roof top :-)
Cheers, -T
Nice quick Monday but as I finished was handed a “honey-dew list” ( I’m on vacay and ergo a “gopher”). Later had lunch with some former colleagues so just got to the comments. Like Inanehiker I spend all day in front of screens when not doing procedures and prefer hardbound books from the library.
Inkovers: to a/PER,
sonnets,✋sextets/SESTETS
My cousin received 5 Emmy nominations for visual effects for various seasons of “The Walking Dead”
THEAT(be careful it’s a Brit clue)RE . Then there’s Lav or LOO, only the perps can tell you where to “go” ��
ETHAN Hawke’s/Julia Roberts’ current film “Leave the World Behind” on Netflix has a mysterious storyline and open ended conclusion I guess everyone can interpret on their own. “AVATAR” 1 & 2 the only movies I have watched with 3 D glasses since I was 11 (“The Mask” 1961)
A CHATWINDOW is often helpful; better than waiting for Email responses or forever on the phone. “Wild canine”: saw what I thought was an unleashed light colored young German Shepherd in the backyard near the woods last month. It was a coyote.
Best known Commedia dell’Arte figures outside of Italy are probably Harlequin (from Bergamo)and his love interest Columbine (Tuscany)
<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Americans”/>We have one of the largest KAREN populations (immigrants from Myanmar(Burma) in upstate NY.</a>. Friendly industrious folks.
Lotsa hard rain last night, the streams around town are raging and muddy. Some flooding along one of the creeks through our
village.
Yikes
As I continue as always to use my I phone not only do I have to click on
“web version” to comment (with no preview option). Now I have to sign on to “blogger” each time
Plus no pre publishing warning that a link has been set up wrong.
�� no emojis
Yep, I'd say Jay hit a home run with this one.
Just binge watched The Queens Gambit on Netflix.
Surprisingly suspenseful for a predictable theme, and an enjoyable way to spend a rainy day.
It even made me look up not only what the queens gambit is, I also looked up the Sicilian Defense.
Ray-O, here is your Karen link.
I think it was the erroneous / between the " and the > that caused the problem.
Hey thanks
At first, I thought we had a constructor Jay Silverman, who was the real name of Tonto - The
(real ???) ... Lone Ranger's assistant ...
My bad, his name was Jay Silverheels, and he would have been too old to survive til now ....
I finished the CW early in the wee hours of this morning, but it was too early to post, since the blogger post had not been uploaded yet.
Thank You Jay S. for a nice, easy and relatively fast solving Monday puzzle. Really enjoyed it.
Than You Renee' Sumdaze for a charming and informative and interesting review, which I read through copiously throughout today.,, between some work. Lots of points for introspection and rumination .... I love your cartoons and other links ... You resemble Hahtoolah in a lot of ways .... all good ones ..!!
Use of Sanskrit words...
Thank you for the 17 words from Sanskrit ... actually it should be more like 1700 +? .... entire languages, like Thai, Cambodian, Indonesian etc., are based on Sanskrit ... therefore a language like Thai, becomes more understandable to a person who has a good appreciation of Sanskrit. Even Indonesians, who are by and large muslims, have sanskrit last names which can be interpreted ...
Even the word Buddha ( from Buddhi- the brain - ) as One who has reached an enlightenment of the brain ...
and Vidwan ( ~~ one who is knowledgable , but I got this avatar, from a fellow classmate, in a totally unrelated matter ...)
It is not unusual that Sanskrit should have so much spread ... it is after all, over 6500 years old, and is a precursor of many other languages on the subcontinent and in SE Asia.
Obviously I take no personal credit for it, and further, in the interests of fairness, I have to admit that I know only 5% of/ about the language itself ... though I studied it for five years !!!
Thus, I am, that is, hardly a knowledgable source !
The Pew Reports say that only 0.000,000,2 % of Indians know enough about Sanskrit, to be able to converse in it.... That is, 2 out of each, ten million ...
Unlike, say Hebrew, an ancient language, which is a very much a working language in Israel ...
Foe JInx in Norfolk, ... I have no problem with World Arabic Day ... however, you might want to know that
a) the so-called Arabic numbering system, actually came out of India ... and passed through Arabia, on its way to the West. This point is fairly well settled.
Also the invention of the number Zero, and its positional denomination, was from India, as well. Both the National Geographic and The British Museum have done original research on this subject ... but I can't locate a refrence...
Have a great rest of the week, all you folks.
I forgot to offer my sympathies / and empathy to dear Lucina, who has been struggling with the loss of a dear close loved one in during these holidays.... I too, have suffered a loss, many many, years ago, and it is always very painful and heart rending ... and I would like to offer you my virtual care and understanding.
Only Time, ... and a deep diversion can make you temporarily forget about that deep lacuna in your heart ... and that, and faith in God ... which I know, you have deep awareness of.
On the matter of hard copy books Vs. electronic Kindles etc.,
I have always liked books in preference to the electronic devices, though the latter are very useful for
1) Increasing the size of the Fonts, for us senior citizens, and eye- impaired ...
2) Also useful in reading in the dark, without waking up your sleeping partner, in the bed ...
I used to 'work' as an unpaid library aide/ bookselling aide at the magnificent library system in Cuyahoga County, ( Cleveland )... and I often had the first dibs on many, many great books, ... at a literally throwaway prices ... I also was on the subscribers list of Barnes and Noble, and Half Price Books...
Now, older ( and wiser ?) and weaker in body and eyesight, I don't think I wil be able to finish the 5000+ copis of books that I have. But, I am still resistant to using my Kindle for casual reading. Maybe, I will change over these holidays .... maybe, even audio books ...( Horrors !!)
Vidwan827
Many years ago, when I was commuting to work for my ESL class at night, I listened to audiobooks and enjoyed them during the commute. It's the only experience I have with them and was pleased that our library has a good supply of them.
Thank you all for your continued condolences. My heart is aching for my beloved niece. She had a heart of gold and great sensitivity that I will miss so much. If you pray, please pray for her family. They are most in need of prayer.
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