Unpuzzle?
Today's constructor, veteran Jesse Goldberg invites us solvers to "unpuzzle" four themers each consisting of pairs of inflectional morphemes, the first word of each pair being prefixed by "Un" ...
17A. Unprincipled principles: DOUBLE STANDARDS. Compartmentalization is something which most of us do to one degree or another.
27A. Unforced force: VOLUNTEER ARMY. Some thoughts on the evolution of an all volunteer army, circa 2006.
44A. Unfinished finish: CLIFF HANGER. A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending
is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a
precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation
at the end of an episode. One of the earliest films to use this device
was the 1914 silent melodrama The Perils of Pauline,
about an ambitious young heiress with an independent nature and a
desire for adventure. Here's episode 6 where her nemeses, who are
trying to get her inheritance, conspire to set Pauline aloft in a
balloon, but she manages to rescue herself by ...
59A. Unnamed name: JOHN DOE. John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used in the United States and the United Kingdom when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law enforcement in the United States, such names are often used to refer to a corpse whose identity is unknown or cannot be confirmed.
Here's the grid ...
Here's the rest ...
Across:
1. Report card period: TERM.
5. Minor celebs: D LIST.
10. Boundary building of some quads: DORM.
14. __-Z: classic Camaro: IROC. IROC stands for International Race of Champions. This 1986 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z with only 28,338 miles sold for $27,000 on December 2nd of this year. Sounds like a steal ...
16. Flatpack furniture seller: IKEA.
17. [Theme clue]
20. Cosmetician Lauder: ESTEE.
21. Only Canadian NBA city, for short: TOR. A CSO to CanadianEh!
22. Illinois toll-paying convenience: I PASS. A service of the Illinois Tollway. Adjacent states often have cooperative agreements that recognize each other's automated toll payment systems. Maryland uses the EZPass system. We make yearly trips through Pennsylvania to Ohio, and thus far I've not succeeded in getting PA to bill our EZPass account for using their rather long turnpike.
23. Planet's turning point: AXIS. The Earth's AXIS tilts about 23.5 degrees from the plane of the ecliptic. Due to this axial tilt, the sun shines on different latitudes at different angles throughout the year. This causes the seasons.
27. [Theme clue]
32. Supporter: FAN. I'm a big FAN of WBJC-FM, our local radio station.
33. Blake who was a longtime coach on "The Voice": SHELTON. Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music singer and television personality. Here's Austin, his first big hit. It's not about the city, but about a love he thought he'd lost ...
34. Long reference work, for short: OED. Oxford English Dictionary. New words are added to it quarterly. Here's and index to the many words added over the last year.
36. Savanna predator: LION. Today's Swahili lesson: LION = anapumuamoto: "He who breathes fire". According to the Kratt Brothers they're predators, but they're also prideful members of families ...
39. Court postponement: STAY.
40. Out of fashion: UNCOOL. Would UNCOOL cool be IN fashion?
42. Counter: OPPOSE.
.
44. [Theme clue].
48. Easily broken: FRAIL.
50. Youngest woman to serve in the U.S. Congress, familiarly: AOC. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of the Democratic Party.
 |
| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez |
54. "You snooze, you __": LOSE.
55. Like one of the houses destroyed by the Big Bad Wolf: STRAW.
57. "Ordinary Grace" novelist William __ Krueger: KENT. William Kent Krueger (born November 16, 1950) is an American novelist and crime writer, best known for his series of novels featuring Cork O'Connor, which are set mainly in Minnesota. In 2005 and 2006, he won back-to-back Anthony Awards for best novel. In 2014, his stand-alone book Ordinary Grace won the Edgar Award for Best Novel of 2013. In 2019, This Tender Land was on the New York Times bestseller list for nearly six months.
59. [Theme clue]
61. Sharp __ tack: AS A.
62. Binding words: I DO.
63. Shoreline changer: EROSION.
64. Used an excavator: DUG.
65. Cheadle of the "Avengers" films: DON.
66. 50-Across, for one: Abbr.: DEM. Democrat. REP didn't perp.
67. Solve a KenKen puzzle, say: ADD. KenKen and KenDoku are trademarked names for a style of arithmetic and logic puzzle invented in 2004 by Japanese math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto, who intended the puzzles to be an instruction-free method of training the brain. The name derives from the Japanese word for cleverness (è³¢, ken, kashiko). Here are the rules.
68. Go out with: SEE.
Down:
1. Shoreline changer: TIDE.
2. God of love: EROS.
3. Drubbing: ROUT.
4. Ally in a courtroom: MCBEAL. Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy drama television series, originally aired on Fox from September 8, 1997, to May 20, 2002.The series stars Calista Flockhart in the title role as a lawyer working in the Boston law firm Cage and Fish, with other lawyers whose lives and loves are eccentric, humorous, and dramatic. Although ostensibly a legal drama, the main focus of the series was the romantic and personal lives of the main characters, often using legal proceedings as plot devices to contrast or reinforce a character's drama. The show also used vivid, dramatic fantasy sequences for Ally's and other characters' wishful thinking.
 |
| Calista Flockhart |
 |
| Dwight David Eisenhower |
7. Not against: INTO.
8. Hester Prynne's mark: SCARLET A. The Scarlet Letter: A Romance is a work of historical fiction by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850. Set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of Hester Prynne. She conceives a daughter with a man to whom she is not married, refuses to identify him, and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. As punishment, she must always wear a scarlet letter 'A' (for "adultery"). At the end of the novel the father silently and publicly reveals his identity.
9. Face value?: TEN. On a scale of 1 to 10, a TEN would be a very beautiful face.
10. Huggies product: DIAPER.
11. Vegetable pod also called lady's fingers: OKRA.
12. Malbecs, e.g.: REDS. Malbec is the most important red grape variety of Argentina, but it also produces excellent wine in many other countries around the world.
 |
| Malbec grapes |
18. Infiniti rival: LEXUS. LEXUS is the luxury vehicle division of the Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. The Lexus brand is marketed in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide and is Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. It has ranked among the 10 largest Japanese global brands in market value. Lexus is headquartered in Nagoya, Japan.
19. Backless sofa: DIVAN.
26. Decal type: IRON ON.
27. Self-centered: VAIN.
28. From time to time: ON OCCASION.
29. Younger "ManningCast" host: ELI. Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, colloquially known as the Manningcast, is an American alternate live television broadcast of Monday Night Football hosted by brothers Peyton and Eli Manning, both former quarterbacks from the National Football League.
30. Car enthusiasts, slangily: MOTOR HEADS. Hang on to your hat...
31. Some congressional votes: YEAS.
32. Seasonal bug: FLU.
35. Get the gray out, say: DYE.
37. "Honest to God!": NO LIE.
39. Smidgen: SPECK.
41. Lubricate: OIL.
43. Jordan Spieth's org.: PGA. Jordan Alexander Spieth (born July 27, 1993) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and former world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking. He is a three-time major winner and the 2015 FedEx Cup champion.
 |
| Jordan Spieth |
46. Traffic cacophony: HORNS. Like the sound track to Gershwin's American In Paris ...
47. Only national park in New England: ACADIA.
48. In flux: FLUID.
49. Repetitive musical movement: RONDO. A RONDO is a musical form that contains a principal theme (sometimes called the "refrain") which alternates with one or more contrasting themes, generally called "episodes", but also occasionally referred to as "digressions" or "couplets". Here's the Rondeau (French spelling) from Henry Purcell's Abdelazer Suite.
52. Come after: ENSUE.
53. Frightful site?: STAGE. For those who suffer from STAGE Fright. 😬
55. Bent out of shape: SORE.
56. Material for old golf clubs and tennis rackets: WOOD. Before Titanium was discovered? 😀
59. "The West Wing" prez: JED. The West Wing is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series has been ranked among the best television shows of all time in publications such as Time, TV Guide, Rolling Stone, and the New York Daily News. The Writers Guild of America ranked it no. 10 in its "101 Best-Written TV Series" list.
The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where the Oval Office and offices of presidential senior personnel are located, during the fictitious Democratic administration of President Josiah ("Jed") Bartlet. Here Senator Arnold (Alan Alda) and Jed (Martin Sheen) chat about politics and religion over ice cream ...
60. Wind up or wind down: END. A review meta clue?
Cheers,
Bill
And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.
waseeley
I didn’t have too much trouble with this puzzle.
ReplyDeleteThree out of four of the themed answers were well-known in-the-language phrases, the fourth was a well-known name. So I don’t have too much to say about it, except FIR, so I’m happy.
Hi there~!
ReplyDeleteSplynter here, to thank you all for the comments yesterday - I was sick, and did not get out of bed, even for work. To answer some questions FLN:
Irish Miss, the Tappan Zee is gone; it's replacement, built a short distance to the north, is now the "Mario Cuomo" bridge, but we still call it by the old name - I like it better anyway~!
Waseeley- I don't know about Tin pest regarding pipes; I'll have to ask our voicer - I do know it caused a lot of grief in the electronics industry.
Monkey - my ex-wife was terrified if she was not the driver going over a bridge, and it started to get annoying, like when she would put her feet on my dashboard; as if that would help....
Pat - I did not know how close to "Hell" we were - too funny~!
sumdaze- if those pipes sag far enough, they close off the pipe entirely, and make no sound at all - and then we get the call to find out why :7))
If I missed anyone, I'll run with Jinx and blame the decaf - even tho I don't drink it~!
Splynter
FIR, but erased for for FAN, scarlett for SCARLET A (UNTIE!) and cach (UNTIE!) on for FATHOM.
ReplyDeleteToday is:
NATIONAL SPAGHETTI DAY (guess I just changed what I’m cooking for dinner today)
NATIONAL TRIVIA DAY (crossword puzzle editor’s tribute day)
I knew IROC and what it stood for, but I always considered myself to be a "gearhead" instead of a "MOTORHEAD." PotAto, potAHto.
Actually, MOTORHEAD was a rock band who recorded a live album in TOR. Now THERE'S some fodder for a Saturday crossword.
I mistakenly pronounced both Ts in TORonto until I became an NHL fan and learned better. CSO to Mz Eh!
I thought the judge ordered the release of the real names of the JOHN DOEs on the pedophile island list. Haven't seen them yet, just some rumors.
Binding words for the tie that binds.
I can't remember where I stole one of my favorite phrases: "that's the most unheard of thing I ever heard of." I'm guessing it's from cartoons, or something uttered by Major Frank Burns, the famous M*A*S*H surgeon.
Thanks to Jesse for the clever Thursday challenge, and to Bill 'n' Teri for the entertaining tour.
FLN - Bayou Tony, I KNEW someone would re-raise with Croce, but figured it would be B.E. Very interesting info on The Trident. If I ever go to SF again, I must go there. Dual interest - SFYC and Janis Joplin, who was once a telephone operator for GTE. (Interesting that so many health food fanatics back in the day would lace their bodies with drugs of unknown origin.)
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteI always wondered what IROC stood for; thanx, waseeley. This one was an easy romp, and the unknown names (I'm lookin' at you KENT.) were well-perped. Jesse used left/right symmetry, so all of the themers were centered in the row. Thanx, Jesse, waseeley, and Teri.
IPASS: I recently picked up an EZPASS for my Monday M-o-W route. Tolls cost $2.10, but knock six miles and several minutes off the route.
WOOD: Titanium is also my metal of choice for eyeglass frames.
END: Waseeley's comment reminds me of something no-contraction Teal'c said in SG-1. "Things are not going to calm down, things will calm up."
I like puzzles with few proper names.
ReplyDeleteHola!
ReplyDeleteEasy puzzle for a Thursday. However, I messed up SCARLETA as I had VOLUNTARY ARMY. SCARLETA is unknown to me. SCARLET LETTER, yes.
I also had JEB not JED so no DEM there. It's too early! I should still be in bed.
My sisters and I visited ACADIA National Park on our trip to New England. What was more intriguing on that trip were the capitols; we were fascinated by the arrangements of the furniture and the "colonial" look. For us westerners, it was a novelty.
I don't watch "The Voice" so did not know the correct spelling of SHELTON. I had Sheldon.
Have a beautiful day, everyone! Back to bed for me.
FIR. Not much difficulty for a Thursday puzzle and also a vertical puzzle. I prefer diagonal grids myself. My only nit was stage for a frightful site. I had to come here to "fathom" it.
ReplyDeleteOther than that this was a fair crossword. Not fun, but fair.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteLucina, whatever are you doing up so early????
This was a fresh theme which I enjoyed solving. No w/os and only Kent was unknown, so the solve was fast and smooth.
Thanks, Jesse, and thanks, Bill, for the usual fun tidbits and interesting facts. Good luck with your cataract surgery. Thanks to Teri, for her faithful assistance.
Splynter @ 4:08 ~ Yes, I knew the old Tappan Zee bridge had been replaced but I still can't remember anything about it that would have caused me anxiety. Chalk it up to my youth and my as yet undeveloped fear of bridges and tunnels and heights! I also know it's the Mario Cuomo bridge, but in name only! It'll always be the Tappan Zee to everyone except Andrew!
FLN
Pat, so nice to hear from you. Hope all is well with you and the furry friends you care for so generously.
Anon T, glad to hear your trip was so enjoyable.
Have a great day.
Jinx, in my mind I hear "that's the most unheard of thing I ever heard of" uttered by Groucho Marx.
ReplyDeleteEasy for a Thursday. Clever theme, easy to suss. The names were "perpable." Interesting write-up, Bill and Teri.
ReplyDeleteI like the sponge cakes called lady fingers. I use them only for trifle. Okra lady fingers? Not a fan.
The scarlet letter was a scarlet A. Scarlet's lover was finally punished by his own guilty conscience.
One of my square dancing friends of almost 40 years died last week of metastasizing pancreatic cancer. She was so lively and fun loving, even in her 80's. She will be missed.
Another of my square dancing friends is in the hospital with congestive heart failure. He was in the hospital just a few weeks ago. He refused to follow up with rehab and monitoring. A huge mistake.
Life here is busy and fun with many activities and friends. I still am very active in my church and in square dancing. I prefer to wear out, rather than rust out.
"Inflectional morphemes"- two UN-known new words for me. But the puzzle was easy to FIR.
ReplyDeleteI-PASS, could be what you say when playing poker and don't want to bet.
KENT- yeah, I knew that...not.
DON Cheadle- ditto
KenKen & ADD-ditto
JED-ditto. Never watched the show
D-LIST- Patti has a habit of listing those people as clues for the puzzles
TEN & 'Face value'- had no idea what the clue or fill was. Perps.
And, if I may add to what Ms. Yellowrocks said, the “A” of the “Scarlet A” was for “adultery” or “adulteress.” Those Puritans didn’t play around!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know who Hester Pynne was so I wasted time trying to figure out where that person might have a SCAR.
ReplyDeleteEven though I watch football (NFL, not so much) I didn't know what "ManningCast" was until I read Bill's explanation. I tried watching that once and didn't care for it.
Had a few other brain lapses that I can't blame on the clues.
FIR Liked the theme. Also interesting is the fact that the grid is not vertically symmetrical.
ReplyDeleteA couple of missteps along the way: tried HOnkS instead of HORNS and started 27A as ValUe, but perps made me come around. Nice secondary definition use for FATHOM as comprehend.
It depends in whether you are into engines or transmissions as to whether you are a motorhead or a gearhead (tongue in cheek).
APIAN, I thought that was a street in old Rome?? Nice seacoast tie-in since the tide is what causes the erosion. Enough!
Think of snow as your winter exercise program.
Bwana
Jesse and Bill with Teri superbly executed their duties today.
DeleteWEES. Nice puzzle with perpable names. I’m intrigued by the novelist Krueger. Thank you Waseely, I’ll add his name to my list of future reads.
ReplyDeleteThe theme puzzled me at first, I imagined oxymorons until I got to CLIFF HANGER. I liked the originality of it.
I’ve never heard OKRA being described as lady’s fingers, but I can see why. I too entered rep before DEM. Otherwise all COOL.
But it is a little too cool outside for my taste.
Musings
ReplyDelete-I was surprised to see no symmetric grid spanner in the lower portion of this fun puzzle
-I was UNsuccessful in finding another layer for the gimmick
-Jesse/Patti waited until the end for obscure KENT. Clark’s last name was left out.
-DOUBLE STANDARD: Maybe the prison warden can explain why others are walking free for doing worse than what you did.
-The north part of earth’s AXIS had maximum tilt away from the Sun 15 days ago
-AOC loves the camera and UNpopular opinions
-Sharp AS A tack: My friend Pam would be my first choice as a trivia contest partner
-Nerdy me loved to bisect angles with a compass and ruler in geometry
-Wally and The Beaver always talked of being SORE at Eddie Haskell
-The only feature of the new iPhone seems to be that it is made of titanium. I don’t think it ever was made of wood. :-)
-Lady fingers? Okra by any other name is still okra.
-Thanks Bill and Teri!
Addendum
ReplyDelete-Jesse Goldberg is a software engineer in San Francisco. Jesse loves word puzzles. His daily routine includes solving Wordle (followed by checking WordleBot to see how he did), Spelling Bee and then the Times crossword, in that order.
Addendum 2
ReplyDeleteI mentioned to Joann that today is National Spaghetti Day and she said, “Fine, when are you going to start cooking?” That took a nasty turn!
Here's Change-Holders, the bi-weekly DAB puzzle. And here's what David has to say about it ...
ReplyDeleteI had this great idea for a puzzle called “Change Holders,” featuring celebrity names with words like “cent” and “dime” and “nickel” and “quarter” hidden in the middle. So I found Dominick Elwes, the English portrait painter who eloped with an heiress in 1957, and Jacen Tan, the Singaporean film director, and Cristoforo di Messisbugo, the chef to the dukes of Ferrara, but then I began to have some doubts as to whether these particular celebrities, though household names in my household, were known to the hip young demographic I’m going for. Also “quarter” had me stymied. But I didn’t want to abandon the title, having gone to all the trouble of thinking it up, so I made this puzzle instead.
It's also worth visiting David's site just to see the beautiful painting by James Collinson called The Empty Purse.
BE @9:03 AM "Face value?": TEN was the last to fall for me. Just try to think of "Bo Derek's" Face value.
Subgenius @9:11 AM Well at least the Puritans Hester and Arthur played around. 😀
HG @10:03 AM The accusation of a DOUBLE STANDARD just brought down an Ivy League president.
Bill O - Sounds like a Groucho quip to me too. Could be - we got You Bet Your Life on the tube when I was growing up. NBC Channel 3 from Huntington, WV was the only channel we received. Since the TV was in our restaurant, it was on from about 7 AM to midnight most every day.
ReplyDeleteBig Easy - Around these parts we say "I PASS" when playing bridge, and "I check" when playing poker.
Sub said "Those Puritans didn’t play around!" Well, at least two did!
The string of 2024 easy & quick FIRs continues! Onward to Friday!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteInkovers: round/RONDO,
“Used an excalibur?” What? I Read it wrong sorry
Letter A for Hester didn’t fit. Then tried to force the word scandal into the squares.
The only 4 letter crossword “furniture seller” I know is our old friend IKEA (is their slogan “I like IKEa” ?)
Forgot “Malbecs” from previous CWs so still needed perps. “Savanna(h) predator” Hard-hearted Hannah? Not a specific Aussie institution, just any UNI
Heard an interview by an American actress years ago asking the staff at her London hotel for DIAPERs for her baby. They call them “nappies” and she knew they were pretending they didn’t know what she was talking about. “Find me some diapers or I’ll use all your white fancy fluffy hotel towels” They soon delivered them to her room.😀
Guess I’ve been to the “only national park in New England” before heading from Maine to Nova Scotia. Speaking of travel, still tryna figure out howda use my NYS EZ-pass with when renting a car in Florida. Many toll roads there no longer have cash booths
The number of COVID cases in the hospital has skyrocketed. Today masks are once again mandatory for all staff. So the anti-vaxer, anti-mask nonsense will unfortunately be reignited. (If I sound muffled you know why😷)
We are a trauma center, ER patients with FLU-like symptoms etc. are triaged as less acute and unfortunately subjected to long wait times.
An inauspicious start of the New Year
What in the wide, wide of sports is a-goin' on around here? Did no one else learn to add small numbers by playing blackjack for matchsticks with their mother? Face cards count 10!
ReplyDeleteRay-o, no worries. EZPass New York (and 15 other states) is now accepted on all toll roads in Florida. I turned in my SunPass last year.
ReplyDeleteTerrific Thursday. Thanks for the fun, Jesse, and waseeley and Teri.
ReplyDeleteI FIRed in good time with two inkblots, and saw the UN theme.
Pines changed to ACHES.
My “seasonal bug” was a Fly before FLU.
This Canadian had no idea about AOC, but I’ll take my CSO with TOR for those Raptors. (Yes, locals pronounce it Torono)
Unknown-to- me names perped, as they should.
I thought of Flimsy before FRAIL.
Why does APIAN make me think of monkeys? LOL.
I don’t quite get “ Face value?=TEN). A beautiful face is a Ten; but I think Bo Derek’s Ten was more for her body! Oh, I see Jinx @11:20 has another explanation.
Wishing you all a great day.
Greetings! This was one of those puzzles that was much easier in hindsight than when I was in the midst of it. Thanks, Jesse, for the challenge and Bill & Teri for summing it up.
ReplyDeleteACADIA Nat’l Park was one of the stops on a lovely cruise from Baltimore to Nova Scotia.
Perps for Malbecs REDS – new to me.
My mother had a set of wood shaft golf clubs (from the 1920s or 30s?) I recently released from captivity in the basement during my ongoing downsizing project. (Will it ever end….?)
ReplyDeleteJinx in Norfolk @ 11:26 AM
Thanks
My CC got hacked over the holiday and when I submitted the new card info to EZPass I read the car rental info.
This Thursday puzzle started out a little tough for me, until I saw HULA or HORA and put in DANCE. That got me off to a better start followed by getting ESTEE Lauder and then things got a bit UNCOOL for me.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom was a bit FRAIL and sad with ACHES and feeling SORE, but, hey, that's how crossword puzzles work ON OCCASION. And, all things considered this was actually a fun Thursday puzzle.
Thanks, Jesse, and you too, Bill and Teri. Have a good weekend coming up.
I am impressed that others got the theme. I don't consider the puzzle solved until I get the theme. I just gave up on that, but I did FIR otherwise. Apparently, the theme was all about the clues, not the answers.
ReplyDeleteHere I was at an AUSSIE COLLEGE for my work.
UNIversity of Queensland in Brisbane.
From Yesterday:
Lucina I would be up for traveling to a destination wedding, too. I just don't know anyone with the resources to create one! I have attended two lavish weddings in my life. One Persian and one Indian. Both marriages ended soon after the wedding.
AnonT When I was a teen I also could not afford to buy records. My big birthday gift was a Montgomery Ward TAPE recorder/radio combination. I also recorded all my music off the radio. I still have that recorder and TAPEs. Memorex was the one brand that didn't work at all for me. Yes, TDK was cheaper and better.
I liked this puzzle. Mr. Eisenhower ("iron cutter") determined whether it was B, C, or D LIST.
ReplyDeleteI would not call an AXIS a point.
I loved the clue for MC BEAL.
JOHN DOE are the first 7 letters of my name.
Is ASA Hutchinson as sharp AS A tack?
A neighbor of ours once was the proud owner of an IROC-Z. He loved that car.
One of my nephews is named KENT Otho. Everybody just calls him Kayo.
I like OKRA in gumbo.
Good wishes to you all.
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteFun UN-puzzle - thanks, Jesee!
Nice expo, waseeley! Thanks for spelling out IROC for us.
WOs: N/A
ESPs: SHELTON, KENT, JED, DON, ACADIA
Fav: MC BEAL's clue was tricky-fun.
Face value - I was thinking cards / blackjack; face cards' value is 10. //I see Jinx agrees
OED's clue feels like a themer - "LONG [..], for SHORT".
No Spaghetti dinner for me. It's youngest's last dinner in the US (she studies in Madrid next semester) and she wants sushi.
Enjoyed reading y'all.
Cheers, -T
Puzzling thoughts:
ReplyDeleteFIR - 4 for 4 in the New Year, so far ... surprisingly, tomorrow may break my streak
Thanks to Jesse, Bill and Teri
Appreciate the link to DAB's puzzle, Bill
See everyone manana
IrishMiss
ReplyDeleteSometimes I just awaken early and can't sleep so I get up and do the puzzle then return to bed. Luckily I usually go back to sleep. No coffee yet.
I awaken about two or three hours later. It's the mystery of old age.
It's normally so quiet here but today the landscapers are mowing the lawn so there is a steady humming from the lawn mower. Alos I expected my house cleaners here today but I guess I have the days confused and they will be here next Thursday.
Picard, you do get around!
This one went down in record time — ripped through it almost as fast as I could read the clues! What great fun (once in a while, it’s nice to not be frustrated).
ReplyDeleteBeing a MOTORHEAD, the LEXUS was a slam-dunk; while being pretty reliable rides, they’re essentially a dressed-up Camry. My racing mentor (a Brit) calls the brand Nose Motors (look at the badge next time you see one 😆). Now every time we pass a Lexus, even my wife laughs — “Look — Nose Motors!”
One of my college pals taught me to play Brubeck’s “Blue RONDO a la Turk” on the piano; it has the weirdest time signature, 9/8ths — but, since I can’t read a stitch of music notation, it didn’t bother me at all. It’s a “feel it” bit of music…
A bit of pedantic trivia: I was told by an IKEA rep that everyone in the U.S. pronounces the store’s name incorrectly! It’s not “aye-Kay-ya”, but rather “Eee-kay-ya”. I’ve always felt that one should honor the origin of names; that’s why I always called my cameras “NEE-kon”s, not “NIGH-con”s…(okay, okay, I’ll admit it: I’m weird).
I think Groucho’s patent phrase (besides “Say the magic woid, win fifty dollahs”) was “That’s the most riDICulous thing I’ve EVah hoid!”. Funny guy
As for that KenKen puzzle deal…I’ve always hated math puzzles. Tried Sudoku a couple of times; not my cuppa. I’ll stick to these here puzzles, and Wordle 😎.
====> Darren / L.A.
Lowell, MA has a National Park. It is staffed by Rangers. It is an indoor park dedicated to the original mill system in the 1800s
ReplyDeleteQuoting Picard@2:26. "Apparently, the theme was all about the clues, not the answers." I'm UNdecided on how I feel about that.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Jesse and waseeley and Terri! Best wishes to you (waseeley) on your upcoming eye surgery!