PUNNY MONEY
Today's puzzle is very similar to the one I guest blogged last Tuesday - the first word of the theme answers 'rephrased' as a noun and not an adjective, creating a punny money theme. Two 15-letter spanners and three more themers, generating a fair number of three-letter words as a consequence. A good challenge for a Tuesday, a few unknown proper names, and I did have to cheat to figure out why I did not get my "ta-DA~!"; see below. The theme answers;
16. The landscaping startup was financed via ...: HEDGE FUND - maybe money does grow on trees
21. The extreme tourism startup was financed via ...: VENTURE CAPITAL
31. The shrink-ray startup was financed via ...: MICROLOANS - according the spell-check, this is not a two-word phrase, making it the outlier in the group
41. The religious iconography startup was financed via ...: ANGEL INVESTORS
49. The agriculture startup was financed via ...: SEED MONEY
And Away We Go~!
1. Like a final exam in a language class, typically: ORAL
5. Religious offshoot: SECT
9. Nile reptile: ASP - No more Indiana Jones clip; every time I guest-blog....so I PASS on the "ASP"
12. Michael who plays Allan in "Barbie": CERA - filled via perps
13. Physics and chemistry Nobelist Marie: CURIE - and - 19A. Gas observed by 13-Across: RADON
14. __ date: deadline: DUE
15. Direct-hire alternative: TEMP
18. Boxer Muhammad: ALI
20. "Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself" memoirist Alan: ALDA - educated WAG
24. "You're important to me": "I CARE"
25. Conditional programming word: ELSE
26. Gillette brand: ATRA
34. Wasn't straight: LEANED - Here's the architectural countermeasures taken to save the most famous "LEAN"
35. Desert in northern China: GOBI
38. Social satirist Mort: SAHL - DAH! I typed SAUL; if you look at my grid image, this is the one "cell" I had wrong
40. "The West Wing" creator Sorkin: AARON - Ooops, not AlleN
46. "Buona __": Italian "Good evening": SERA
47. West Yorkshire home of Kirkstall Abbey: LEEDS - I thought maybe this was a fictional reference, such as one from a popular TV series....but it's a spectacular set of ruins
48. On Soc. Sec., perhaps: RETired
51. __ one's time: wait: BIDE
52. Exist: ARE
53. __ guide: USERS
54. Perched upon: ATOP
55. Ed.'s stack: MSs - manuscripts
56. Disorganized state: MESS
57. Workout spots: GYMS
DOWN:
1. "Parable of the Talents" author Butler: OCTAVIA - another WAG
2. Word on an incumbent's campaign poster: RE-ELECT
4. Spot for a needy pet: LAP
5. Soft glove material: SUEDE
6. Hosp. trauma pro: ER DOC
7. Health insurance giant: CIGNA
8. Football kicker's aid: TEE
10. Dessert with toppings: SUNDAE
11. Graduate from a balance bike: PEDAL - Never heard of a balance bike; in my day, you fell off, got hurt, and got back on again....
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/parents-best-balance-bikes-tout-863ef8d5e9de4466b178747021eda00a.jpg)
17. Unable to be successful with: FAILING AT
19. Bemoan: RUE - Bzzzt~! I had CRY to start
22. Spot to begin a hike: TRAILHEAD - I knew it was trail something
23. Org. with a white rabbit in its logo: PETA
28. Dearie: HON
29. La Liga chant: OLÉ
30. Word after hot or lightning: ROD - my CT home has several lightning rods - the LI house, not a one
33. Part of campus Greek life: SORORITY
36. Nothing-to-do feeling: BOREDOM - Thought I had mono....
38. Sinister smiles: SNEERS
39. Gives a thumbs up: AGREES
40. Burro: ASS - followed by....
41. Breakfast tea variety: ASSAM - so the next answer should be ASS AM / FM ~?
42. "Guess you beat me": I LOSE - Nope. I guess I lose....
43. Babies, in Spanish: NENES - I thought it was a Hawaiian bird....
44. Makes a sudden change in direction: VEERS
45. Freezer aisle brand: EDY'S
50. Not saying anything: MUM
51. Carry-on: BAG
27 comments:
This puzzle started off with some difficulty, crossing “Octavia” with “Cera.” And I dislike clues that lead to such answers as “short i’s.” Other than that, I don’t have too many complaints about this puzzle. FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
My Wite-Out did not sit idle this morning. SEED MONEY required fixing; HEDGE FUND was supposed to go there. Further down it LEEDS fixed the second letter in NENES, and my INSOLES should'a been INSTEPS. All fixed, all good. Noticed the CERA/SERA pairing. Joe is a pro, and this grid showed it. Thanx for TEMPing again, Splynter.
FIR, but erased eggo for EDYS.
Today is:
NATIONAL HARD CANDY DAY (sponsored by the American Dental Association)
NATIONAL OATMEAL MUFFIN DAY (daily intake can be a regular(ity) habit)
I thought a "balance bike" must be what cyclists train on so they don't have to put a foot down at a stop light (when the traffic is just too heavy to run it.) Just keep your hands off my car, Lycra boy.
I've also never heard of a shrink-ray, but judging from some jeans I've seen ladies wear, I suspect it must be a fashion accessory. (The old joke goes "A guy at a singles bar tries to start up a conversation with a lovely lass. He says 'my those pants look tight. How does one get into them?' She answers 'well, you can start by buying me a drink.'")
I actually like the trick clues like "SHORT I," "silent u," "soft c," etc. See, I'm not a complete curmudgeon.
This constructor is not your average Joe. Thanks for the fun run this morning. And thanks to Splynter for the coverage of the grid. Except that you are off your rocker about the favorite elected city figure. Everybody knows the best fictional mayor is McCheese, who heads up the lovely Irish town of McDonaldland. (Hope I don't get kilt for this opinion.)
FIR. Fairly straightforward Tuesday fare
Clever theme but for microloans. I'm still not sure I get it from the clue. Fortunately it wasn't needed to finish.
Also, must we cross proper names? Cera and Octavia? Not a biggie, but poor form nonetheless.
Took 5:14 for me to get it wrong, or fund the wrong account....
I originally had "ninos" for the Spanish, not knowing the West Yorkshire home of anything. So, I had Lieds. Oh well, I've never been a fan of a crossword "foreign cross" such as this.
Clever theme.
Mort(age) Sahl?
Good Morning:
This had some crunch but fair perps prevailed. First thought at 16A Landscape Startup was Seed Money (Hi, DO) but perps said no. Lo and behold, what should appear at 49A! This coincidental occurrence is known as a Malapop at that other paper's blog, a term coined by Andrea Carla Michaels. I needed those helpful perps for Octavia, Assam, and Short I. I stumbled over Michael Cera because I can't keep him and John Cena straight, except I entered Sena! Also had to correct Ninos to Nenes. Shrink Ray was a total unknown, too, and Insteps threw me as a shoe part, as I've only heard that term as a foot part.
Thanks, Joe, for a fun solve and thanks, Splynter, for the expert guidance.
FLN
CED, hope you're feeling better. I, too, enjoyed The Queen's Gambit. Whoever thought a movie centered around chess could be so entertaining?
Have a great day.
Creative theme - Like D-O I put SEED MONEY where HEDGE FUND was to go, but it was all ready for the fill later.
I liked Michael CERA in the movie "Juno"
KS- A Shrink Ray is a machine in science fiction that you blast at an object or animate thing to make it much smaller. Thus MICRO for something getting smaller.
Thanks Splynter for the blog and Joe for the puzzle!
I too, had a serious problem with the proper names ... and the "Short i" - which is funny and legit, but still seems unfair. No matter, its one more piece of arsenal in the constructor's handgun ... Actually, I got it all thru perps, amd wondered why it was so... Thank you for the explanation...
Thank YOu Joe Deeney for a nice and challenging puzzle, and thank you Splynter for pinch hitting and providing the review, and the entertainment.
The financial investment terms were quite understandable,, except that Microloans do not involve investors .... but people trying to keep afloat, and hopefully come ahead in their race for life. MOhammed Yunus,a BanglaDeshi who won the Nobel Peace prize in 2006, together with his bank (!) , the Grameen bank ... won beause of the influenze of microloans. Some of the loans, were so small, in the $2 to $5 category, that ... Most of us would spend more than that driving to the bank to remit the principal money ....
Since then, he has been politically prosecuted again and again, because the prize made him too famous for his own country ....
Have a nice day, all you folks, and the snow is finally here, so drive carefully.
Hola!
Even though this puzzle had a financial theme, I finished it in good time and with only two write-overs. CENA changed to CERA and INSOLES to INSTEPS. Interesting to then have SERA in Buona SERA.
Thank you, Joe Deeney and Splynter.
ADULTS is a verb! Who coined that?
NENES must be used in Spain and perhaps some other Spanish speaking countries; I've never heard it here.
Except for shopping I have done nothing to prepare for Christmas! Therefore, today will be very busy for me. I still have such a hollow feeling since Regina's death.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Good Morning! I about threw up my hands in surrender when I first got into this puzzle, but I kept plugging along. Does that make me a Plugger? (One of my favorite comic strips.) Time and again it has proven I might be….🤣🤣🤣.
Anyway, thanks, Joe, for the challenge. The first themer I got was in the SW, SEED MONEY, and then it was smooth sailing from there with a lot of perp help and WAGs along the way and no WOs today! Yea!
I read the Alan Alda book, and he is as good a writer as he is an actor.
I had an aunt-in-law named OCTAVIA, but she went by her middle name.
Fav clue/fill: Joined at the elbow: ARM IN ARM. Sweet memories.
Thanks, Splynter, for your recap. Loved your “money tree”! And Merry Christmas to you!! It was nice to see you back on the Corner.
I managed to lose my post. GRR.
Anyway I agree with IM☘️’s comments and others’.
Thank you Splynter for the recap. I too am used to NENE being clued as Hawaiian geese.
Lucina, indeed Christmas makes the loss of a loved one even more cruel and painful.
Hi All!
Thanks Joe for the grid. Loved the "Punny Money" theme. I was going to complain about names crossing at 1d & 12a but, 12a we had recently & 1d should have been a no-brainer.
Any expo with a reference to Back to the Future is an A+ in my book, Splynter.
Eldest calls me complaining about having to "ADULT." Two more years and she'll have to get her own health insurance too ;-)
//maybe I'll also kick her off my car insurance & cell phone plan just to let her know what Adulting is really like. (no, I'm not a monster!)
WOs: FAILs -> FAILING, INSoles -> INSTEPS (Hi D-O!)
ESPs: sure felt like it but with enough perps....
Fav: Marie CURIE - shame we didn't always recognize female brilliance.
KS - A shrink-ray makes things smaller, hence "MICRO."
//oops - inanehiker beat be to it - but no link! ��
Vidwan - investors do pool their monies into microloans [see: NerdWallet for the best bets. If you get interest, it's an investment.
Y'all have a great day!
Cheers, -T
Musings
-Me too: HEDGE FUND not SEED MONEY in first themer but the latter appeared, uh, later
-The well-known actress OCTAVIA Spencer (The Help and Hidden Figures) seems better for a Tuesday puzzle but this woman and CERA took care of themselves with crosses
-I enjoyed this biopic about Marie CURIE
-Meta clues like SHORT I are always fun. All right, mostly fun! :-)
-When our Lily demands a LAP, she is never denied
-Granddaughter eschewed SORORITY life that her mother and aunt chose
-A banker friend would give me a $20,000 MICROLOAN every spring for my summer business on basically a handshake. He retired, the bank was bought out and that all went away. Many more hoops appeared.
I thought I had a very good post yesterday. When I tried to publish it I hit a button that deleted it. Drat.
I enjoyed the themes yesterday and today. After sussing the idea today, the rest were easy and provided perps.
It was a walk in the park today despite Cera and Octavia. Patience provided perps leading to wags.
SHORT I was my last fill. Not fond of this type of clue.
Lucina, this must be a very difficult Christmas for you. You are in my thoughts.
I have heard of adulting as a verb. Mostly it seems to be delayed adulting these days.
Sorry, my deleted post yesterday was much better than this.
Yikes only Tuesday and I DNF cuz I stuck with NIÑOS for Sp. babies and couldn’t parse “West Yorkshire” or “guide”. Too bad cuz I really enjoyed the theme and the long clue/answers
Author “Butler”? Memoirist “Alan”? I think only those of us of a certain age would remember Mort SAHL though he visits the puzzle occasionally. Saw “Barbie” know actor Michael CERA but didn’t put ‘em together.
A CURIE is a measure of radioactivity, imagine if Marie had kept her maiden name! “Skłodowska” (skwa-DOV-skah)
Anyhoo
Have had arial fibrillation for about 30 years (lately quite trendy) which has self improved. But then developed a pesky symptomatic malignant arryrhmia about 5 years ago. Sneaks up on me about once a day now.
So
Having a cardiac ablation tomorrow. Some of you either have had this or know about it. Under general anesthesia they shove catheters up yer groin and tickle the inside of yer ticker till they find the focus responsible for the arrhythmias then Bzzzt !!! they zap the spots (and hope they don’t go all the way through 😉). Wish me luck
Snared the FIR, but it took some effort. ADULT as a verb was new to me, and SHORTI was all perps. I didn't grok it 'till Splynter enlightened me. I agree with Vidwan on "fairness". Wanted PLAYBOY for 23 across but couldn't squeeze it in. All in all, an enjoyable outing this morning.
Ray O @ 10:51 ~ Best wishes for a successful, uneventful procedure tomorrow. 🙏
Ray-O, my thoughts are with you for a safe journey through your procedure. Please check back in when you can to let us know. 🙏
Ray o.You make your upcoming procedure sound harrowing but best wishes for a quick recovery and good outcome. Isn’t marvelous that such intervention are available to us today? The marvels of modern medicine.
Thanks to Joe for his grid and to Splynter for the Tuesday tour! Great title, Splynter!
I noticed this was a 14x15...interesting.
FAVs: HEDGE FUND and TRAIL HEAD.
I read OCTAVIA Butler's book, "Kindred" about time travel and slavery. Someone chose it for the book club I used to be in. Not my usual genre but a good read. She is an excellent writer and has won both a Nebula and a Hugo award. All that is to say, you might want to give her a try.
Needed Splynter to see the SHORT I. I'm in the yes-to-those-clues camp.
NENES as clued is new to me. I also confuse actors CEnA and CERA. The M in box 55 was my WAG today.
Best wishes to Ray-O! It's good that they can fix your issue in a relatively non-invasive way.
Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Joe and Splynter.
I FIRed in good time and smiled at all the Punny Money.
Perps were fair for unknown names like CERA, AARON,, OCTAVIA. I knew ALDA, SAHL, and CURIE.
I LOST changed to LOSE. We also had I CARE (neither with a SHORT I - meh!).
My shoes had Insoles before INSTEPS.
Hand up for Ninos before NENES perped.
We needed Spanish and Italian today.
Wishing you all a great day.
I rather liked this puzzle.
Jayce - always terse. But I like it.
Ray-O: I don't know why sumdaze said non-intrusive. Poke me in the groin and I'm out for a week. Happy Trails, mate.
In case y'all missed it, windhover replied to our "peanut gallery" comments from 7DEC on 9DEC. He's alive & well on the farm.
Lucina - you're always in our thoughts.
Cheers, -T
Ray-O - will be praying for a smooth ablation procedure tomorrow and they can find the focus of the arrhythmias - generally a pretty successful procedure. My friend was so happy to get off of blood thinners when it worked for her!
I got a chuckle out of your description - I hope you aren't the doctor explaining to patients the radiological procedures they are having - they would run for the hills :)
Ray-o - hoping that your procedure tomorrow goes well.
Lucina- thoughts and prayers for you and Regina’s family as you face Christmas at this time of grief.
Ray-O, best wishes for a successful ablation tomorrow. Hope it makes your holidays merrier.
CanadaianEh!
Thank you. I haven't and don't intend to decorate but I just finished addressing the Christmas cards. They will go out tomorrow. And tomorrow I shall wrap gifts. Normally all this would have been finished at least two weeks ago but fate intervened. It all feels hollow right now.
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