17 A. Part of a cross-examination: POINTED QUESTION. A pointed question goes to the heart of the matter, and is usually direct, only requiring a simple answer. Ironically, it could be part of a blunt conversation.
29 A. High school honor that may come with a tiara: PROM QUEEN. A girl who is chosen to have a special title and position at a formal party held for older high school students at the end of the school year.
46 A. Highlighted excerpt in an article: PULL QUOTE. A key phrase, quotation, or excerpt that has been pulled from an article and used as a page layout graphic element, serving to entice readers into the article or to highlight a key topic.
58 A. "Behave!," and an apt title for this puzzle: MIND YOUR PS AND QS. Mind your Ps and Qs is an English language expression meaning "mind your manners", "mind your language", "be on your best behavior", or "watch what you're doing". Despite the similarity in appearance of lower case p and q, the origin of phrase is unrelated to that fact, and remains unknown. It looks like the sense of this theme comes from the P and Q as initial letters of each 2-word theme entry. Seems a bit thin for a theme, but overall, this is good puzzle. It's well constructed, and I like the grid spanners.
Hi gang, JazzBumpa here to cautiously lead the way through today's offering. Let's proceed, but watch your steps.
Across:
1. Mazda two-seater: MIATA. Cute car since 1989.
6. Nerve centers: HUBS. The effective center of an activity or network.
10. A bit open: AJAR. Slightly agape. When is a door not a door?
14. "What a bummer!": AW MAN. Expression of sadness, disappointment or dismay.
15. Soon, quaintly: ANON. From Old English on ān ‘into one’, on āne ‘in one’. The original sense was ‘in or into one state, course, etc.’, which developed into the temporal sense ‘at once’.
16. Small bay: COVE.
20. French 10: DIX. Pronounced "deece," because - French
21. Salt Lake City college athletes: UTES. Named for an indigenous people originally ranging through Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico
22. Female sheep: EWE. Lamb's mom.
23. Mint family herb: SAGE. Salvia officinalis, the common sage or sage, is a perennial, evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae and native to the Mediterranean region, though it has been naturalized in many places throughout the world.
26. Earlier than: PRIOR TO. One thing leads to another.
31. Pa. neighbor: W. VA. Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
34. Having five sharps, on a score: IN B. B Major that is. Also could be G# minor. It's all relative.
35. One of a kind: UNIT. Only maybe. It's an individual thing or person regarded as single and complete but which can also form an individual component of a larger or more complex whole.
36. Nobleman's address: MI LORD. Common folk speech from medieval times. This usage vs MY LORD was a minor plot point in a Game of Thrones episode.
39. Adjust, as wheels: REALIGN. Change or restore to a different or former position or state - in this case, the correct position..
41. __ non grata: PERSONA. An unacceptable or unwelcome person.
42. Flee: ESCAPE. Run away from a person, place or situation.
A flea and a fly in a flue
Were imprisoned, so what could they do?
Said the fly, "let us flee!"
"Let us fly!" said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
-- Ogden Nash
43. Verdi opera set in Egypt: AIDA. A tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt. The Egyptians have captured and enslaved Aida, an Ethiopian princess. An Egyptian military commander, Radamès, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the King of Egypt. To complicate the story further, the King's daughter Amneris is in love with Radamès, although he does not return her feelings.
44. Hibernation spot: DEN. For bears.
45. Tackle the slopes: SKI. Slide down a snow covered hill on a couple of slats.
48. WNBA official: REFEREE. A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection.
51. Spoils: ROTS. Deteriorates over time.
52. Place for the Torah: ARK. The Ark of the Covenant is said to be the container used to carry the Ten Commandments brought down from Mount Sinai by Moses. Covenant refers to the agreement made between the Israelites—another name for the early Jewish people—and God.
55. Stella __ cookies: D'ORO. Stella D'oro is an American brand of cookies and breadsticks owned by Snyder's-Lance. Stella D'oro means "star of gold" in Italian, and the cookies are inspired by Italian baking. Its products include breadsticks, Swiss Fudge and other cookies, biscotti, and their S-shaped breakfast treats.
56. Pro vote: YEA. All in favor say it.
64. "Got it": I SEE. Expression of understanding or agreement.
65. Future atty.'s exam: LSAT. The Law School Admission Test is a standardized test administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates. It is designed to assess reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning.
66. Give a quick review: SUM UP. Give a brief summary of something.
67. Moist: DEWY. Slightly wet; damp or humid.
68. "Sisters" Emmy winner Ward: SELA. Sela Ann Ward (born July 11, 1956) is an American actress. Her breakthrough TV role was as Teddy Reed in the NBC drama series Sisters (1991–1996), for which she received her first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994. She received her second Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for the leading role of Lily Manning in the ABC drama series Once and Again (1999–2002).
69. Writing class writing assignment: ESSAY. A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
Down:
44. Hibernation spot: DEN. For bears.
45. Tackle the slopes: SKI. Slide down a snow covered hill on a couple of slats.
48. WNBA official: REFEREE. A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection.
51. Spoils: ROTS. Deteriorates over time.
52. Place for the Torah: ARK. The Ark of the Covenant is said to be the container used to carry the Ten Commandments brought down from Mount Sinai by Moses. Covenant refers to the agreement made between the Israelites—another name for the early Jewish people—and God.
55. Stella __ cookies: D'ORO. Stella D'oro is an American brand of cookies and breadsticks owned by Snyder's-Lance. Stella D'oro means "star of gold" in Italian, and the cookies are inspired by Italian baking. Its products include breadsticks, Swiss Fudge and other cookies, biscotti, and their S-shaped breakfast treats.
56. Pro vote: YEA. All in favor say it.
64. "Got it": I SEE. Expression of understanding or agreement.
65. Future atty.'s exam: LSAT. The Law School Admission Test is a standardized test administered by the Law School Admission Council for prospective law school candidates. It is designed to assess reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning.
66. Give a quick review: SUM UP. Give a brief summary of something.
67. Moist: DEWY. Slightly wet; damp or humid.
68. "Sisters" Emmy winner Ward: SELA. Sela Ann Ward (born July 11, 1956) is an American actress. Her breakthrough TV role was as Teddy Reed in the NBC drama series Sisters (1991–1996), for which she received her first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994. She received her second Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for the leading role of Lily Manning in the ABC drama series Once and Again (1999–2002).
69. Writing class writing assignment: ESSAY. A short piece of writing on a particular subject.
Down:
1. Waze display: MAP. Waze Mobile Ltd, doing business as Waze, formerly FreeMap Israel, is a subsidiary company of Google that provides satellite navigation software on smartphones and other computers that support the Global Positioning System.
2. __ Jima: IWO. The Battle of Iwo Jima (19 February – 26 March 1945) was a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and United States Navy (USN) landed on and eventually captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during World War II. The American invasion, designated Operation Detachment, had the purpose of capturing the island with its two airfields: South Field and Central Field.
3. French buddy: AMI. Friend.
4. Cannondale two-seater: TANDEM. A bicycle built for 2 that is no longer being built.
5. Not voting 56-Across: ANTI. Voting against a proposition.
6. Owned: HAD. Possessed in the past.
7. Mentally restless: UNQUIET. Uneasy, anxious, restless.
8. Pitcher Jim who wrote the 1970 memoir "Ball Four": BOUTON. James Alan Bouton (1939 – 2019) was an American professional baseball player. Bouton played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a pitcher for the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Houston Astros, and Atlanta Braves between 1962 and 1978. He was also a best-selling author, actor, activist, sportscaster and one of the creators of Big League Chew - a brand of bubble gum made to resemble chewing tobacco.
9. Show scorn: SNEER. A facial expression showing scorn or contempt.
10. Put on a show: ACT. Behave in a particular way.
11. __ de vivre: JOIE. A French phrase often used in English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life, an exultation of spirit, and general happiness.
12. Affirm: AVOW. Assert or confess openly, aver.
13. Painter Magritte: RENE. René François Ghislain Magritte [1898- 1967] was a Belgian surrealist artist known for his depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, which often provoked questions about the nature and boundaries of reality and representation. His imagery has influenced pop art, minimalist art, and conceptual art.
18. Strike, as from a formal record: EXPUNGE. Erase or remove completely something unwanted or unpleasant.
19. Retired fast jet, briefly: SST. A supersonic transport (SST) or a supersonic airliner is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. To date, the only SSTs to see regular service have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 and it was last flown in 1999 by NASA. Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003, with a November 26, 2003 ferry flight being its last airborne operation. Following the permanent cessation of flying by Concorde, there are no remaining SSTs in commercial service.
23. Steeple topper: SPIRE. A tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, typically a church tower.
24. James of "Gunsmoke": ARNESS. James Arness [1923 - 2011] was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the series Gunsmoke
25. Turn around: GO BACK. Return to something, retrace one's steps.
27. Bridle strap: REIN. A strap fastened to a bit by which a rider or driver controls an animal.
28. Hooting birds: OWLS. Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight.
19. Retired fast jet, briefly: SST. A supersonic transport (SST) or a supersonic airliner is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. To date, the only SSTs to see regular service have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 and it was last flown in 1999 by NASA. Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003, with a November 26, 2003 ferry flight being its last airborne operation. Following the permanent cessation of flying by Concorde, there are no remaining SSTs in commercial service.
23. Steeple topper: SPIRE. A tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, typically a church tower.
24. James of "Gunsmoke": ARNESS. James Arness [1923 - 2011] was an American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the series Gunsmoke
25. Turn around: GO BACK. Return to something, retrace one's steps.
27. Bridle strap: REIN. A strap fastened to a bit by which a rider or driver controls an animal.
28. Hooting birds: OWLS. Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight.
30. Witty remark: QUIP. A witty or funny observation or response usually made on the spur of the moment
32. Louisiana religion with African roots: VOODOO. A religion practiced in parts of the Caribbean (especially Haiti) and the southern US, combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit possession.
33. Will who voices Lego Batman: ARNETT. William Emerson Arnett [b. 1970] is a Canadian and American actor and comedian. In television, Arnett played Gob Bluth in the Fox/Netflix series Arrested Development and the titular character in the Netflix series BoJack Horseman.
36. Musical mixtures: MEDLEYS. In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumentals.
37. Basra's country: IRAQ. Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia and in the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. With a population of over 46 million, it is the 33rd-most populous country. It is a federal parliamentary republic that consists of 18 governorates. Basra is a city in southern Iraq. It is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the third largest city in Iraq overall, behind only Baghdad and Mosul.
38. "Fleishman Is in Trouble" actress Claire: DANES. Claire Catherine Danes [b. 1979] is an American actress. Prolific in film and television since her teens, she is the recipient of three Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2012, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
40. Hibernation spot: LAIR. Look - a clecko! A place where a wild animal, especially a fierce or dangerous one, lives.
41. Heap: PILE. A disorganized stack of things.
43. Like the northern lights: AURORAL. Pertaining to the northern or southern lights.
46. Read carefully: PERUSE. Or alternatively, to look over or through in a casual or cursory manner. This word is a contranym, i.e. its own antonym.
47. Seventh planet from the sun: URANUS. Uranus is one of two ice giants in the outer solar system (the other is Neptune). Most (80% or more) of the planet's mass is made up of a hot dense fluid of "icy" materials – water, methane, and ammonia – above a small rocky core. Near the core, it heats up to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit (4,982 degrees Celsius). It is also the butt of some astronomical jokes.
49. Big name in ice cream: EDY. Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, Inc. ("Dreyer's"), is an American ice cream company, founded in 1928 in Oakland, California. The company's two signature brands, Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream and Edy's Grand Ice Cream, are named after its founders, William Dreyer and Joseph Edy. The Dreyer's brand is sold in the Western United States and Texas, while the Edy's brand is sold in the Eastern and Midwestern United States.
50. April __ Day: FOOL'S. April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is an annual custom on 1 April consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting "April Fools!" at the recipient. Mass media can be involved with these pranks, which may be revealed as such the following day. The custom of setting aside a day for playing harmless pranks upon one's neighbor has been relatively common in the world historically.
52. Surrounded by: AMID. In the middle of, among.
53. Set's opposite: RISE. Referring to the extremes of the sun's apparent motion across the sky from horizon to horizon as the earth rotates on its axis.
54. Was aware of: KNEW. As defined
57. Loosen (up): EASE. Reduce the seriousness, severity or intensity of something.
59. Susan of "L.A. Law": DEY. Susan Hallock Dey [b 1952] is a retired American actress, known for her television roles as Laurie Partridge on the sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and as Grace Van Owen on the drama series L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992.
32. Louisiana religion with African roots: VOODOO. A religion practiced in parts of the Caribbean (especially Haiti) and the southern US, combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit possession.
33. Will who voices Lego Batman: ARNETT. William Emerson Arnett [b. 1970] is a Canadian and American actor and comedian. In television, Arnett played Gob Bluth in the Fox/Netflix series Arrested Development and the titular character in the Netflix series BoJack Horseman.
36. Musical mixtures: MEDLEYS. In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumentals.
37. Basra's country: IRAQ. Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia and in the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. With a population of over 46 million, it is the 33rd-most populous country. It is a federal parliamentary republic that consists of 18 governorates. Basra is a city in southern Iraq. It is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the third largest city in Iraq overall, behind only Baghdad and Mosul.
38. "Fleishman Is in Trouble" actress Claire: DANES. Claire Catherine Danes [b. 1979] is an American actress. Prolific in film and television since her teens, she is the recipient of three Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2012, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
40. Hibernation spot: LAIR. Look - a clecko! A place where a wild animal, especially a fierce or dangerous one, lives.
41. Heap: PILE. A disorganized stack of things.
43. Like the northern lights: AURORAL. Pertaining to the northern or southern lights.
46. Read carefully: PERUSE. Or alternatively, to look over or through in a casual or cursory manner. This word is a contranym, i.e. its own antonym.
47. Seventh planet from the sun: URANUS. Uranus is one of two ice giants in the outer solar system (the other is Neptune). Most (80% or more) of the planet's mass is made up of a hot dense fluid of "icy" materials – water, methane, and ammonia – above a small rocky core. Near the core, it heats up to 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit (4,982 degrees Celsius). It is also the butt of some astronomical jokes.
49. Big name in ice cream: EDY. Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, Inc. ("Dreyer's"), is an American ice cream company, founded in 1928 in Oakland, California. The company's two signature brands, Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream and Edy's Grand Ice Cream, are named after its founders, William Dreyer and Joseph Edy. The Dreyer's brand is sold in the Western United States and Texas, while the Edy's brand is sold in the Eastern and Midwestern United States.
50. April __ Day: FOOL'S. April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is an annual custom on 1 April consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting "April Fools!" at the recipient. Mass media can be involved with these pranks, which may be revealed as such the following day. The custom of setting aside a day for playing harmless pranks upon one's neighbor has been relatively common in the world historically.
52. Surrounded by: AMID. In the middle of, among.
53. Set's opposite: RISE. Referring to the extremes of the sun's apparent motion across the sky from horizon to horizon as the earth rotates on its axis.
54. Was aware of: KNEW. As defined
57. Loosen (up): EASE. Reduce the seriousness, severity or intensity of something.
59. Susan of "L.A. Law": DEY. Susan Hallock Dey [b 1952] is a retired American actress, known for her television roles as Laurie Partridge on the sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and as Grace Van Owen on the drama series L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992.
60. School support org.: PTA. Parent Teacher Association, a school-based organization with a mission to make the school a better place for children to learn. Parents of students work together with teachers to volunteer in classes, raise money for school supplies, and generally support the school's efforts.
61. Private chats on soc. media: DMs. “Direct Message.” A DM is a private mode of communication between social media users. When you send a direct message, only you and the recipient can see the content.
62. Sine __ non: QUA. Sine qua non can be translated literally as "Without which, not." Though this may sound like gibberish, it means more or less "Without (something), (something else) won't be possible." Sine qua non sounds slightly literary, and it shouldn't be used just anywhere.
63. Asset in a covert op: SPY. A person who secretly collects and reports information on the activities, movements, and plans of an enemy or competitor.
And so, we carefully reach the end of another Wednesday's probably quite nice adventure. Hope you didn't stumble. Extra credit for anyone who recognized Herwig's "Watch Your Steps" as a contrafact of Coltrane's "Giant Steps."
Cool regards!
JzB
48 comments:
Once I got it through my head that “q” was going to be a part of every themed answer, the puzzle became easier to solve. But I didn’t realize that “p” was integral to them as well, at least not until I got to the reveal. Anyway, eventually it all made perfect sense. FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Getting used to this "hotspot" routine; it'll probably be at least another week before the regular ISP is back in service. Sussed the theme at PROM QUEEN. Thought "Set's opposite" contained a typo and should've been "Sit's." D'oh. Jerry is an old pro at cw construction, and today's was well-made. Thanx for 'splainin' it all, JzB. ("...butt of astronomical jokes" -- I see what you did there.)
SELA -- You'd think at some point she would've played a barmaid; her name spelled backwards is "Draw Ales."
FIW, mispeling AURaRAL and not having any idea about the cookie. In sailing circles, "gimme a Stella" means "pass up a beer, beer wench." (Also see "beer me.") Erased damp for DEWY and ims for DMS.
CSO to moi @ PERSONA non grata.
Love Claire DANES, but never heard of that role. Favorite was Homeland.
Thanks to Jerry for the fun workout, and to JzB for another informative tour.
Took 5:44 today for me to take the Pop Quiz.
I didn't know today's actress (Dey), knew a small part of today's French lesson (ami, but not joie and not dix), and was unsure of the spelling of today's Latin lesson (qua or que, ah, it's qua).
I initially went with "Full quote," before "peruse" changed my mind for me. I haven't heard of a "pull quote" before.
FIR. I got the idea early and was able to throw down the reveal rather quickly. Not familiar with pull quote, but by that time the p and q gimmick helped solve it.
Did anyone else note the clever position of Arness and Arnett in the puzzle? Similar names at exactly opposite sides and one square in. This very much seems to ve by design.
This was a relatively easy puzzle for a Wednesday. No problems and very enjoyable.
Good Morning! The theme flowed smoothly together. Lot’s of PS AND QS today! New to me was PULL QUOTE, but some fills I just go with if the perps are good, then come to the Corner to get the skinny.
Perps for DIX, IN B, BOUTON. I fell into the My vs. MI LORD trap. Da.. -going for damp when KNEW disabused me of that track and revealed DEWY.
Thanks, JazzB. Kudos for a fine and fun review. I loved the Ogden Nash verse. What a marvelous wit and charm he had.
Oh, and of course, thanks to Jerry for starting the day with SAGE advice! I do, and I will!!😄
I enjoyed this puzzle. There were some names I didn't know but filled easily. All in all a pleasant Wed.
Good Morning:
I think I've seen a Ps and Qs theme before, but these themers seem fresh, particularly Pull Quote, which is new to me. Non-trivial learning moments are always appreciated. Not being familiar with Cannondale, Tandem needed perps but, other than that, no unknowns and no w/os. I liked the duos of Arness/Arnett, Lair/Den, and Anti/Yea. Overall, a pleasant and trouble-free Wednesday solve, if a tad on the easy side.
Thanks, Jerry, and thanks, JazzB, as always for the detailed and interesting review and commentary. Welcome back. That red Miata immediately brought to mind Archie McNally, author Lawrence Sander's bon vivant PI who tooled around Palm Beach in one just like it. I think Lemonade was as much of a fan of that series as I was.
FLN
Lucina, that was good news about those evil scammers being thwarted. I don't answer any phone calls if I don't recognize the number and I promptly delete any email that prompts even the tiniest trace of suspicion.
Have a great day.
Forgot to mention how much I enjoyed the Nash poem.
DO and MalMan ~ If I was writing a critique of today's Connections' groupings, I'd say one was too cute by half! I find no consistency in the difficulty level from day to day and some of the "connections" are bizarre, IMO. End of rant. 😉
In looking for a silly theme link, the first thing up from google made reference to this sayings origins, of which, some of you may be vaguely aware...
But actually, I was looking for something a little more useful in a current context...
Another coinkiedink: Today's Penny Press / Dell xword has "adjusts to make straight" for REALIGNs."
(I also learned from them that "wedge" is short for "sandwich." Hope that one never gets into the LAT.)
It takes a unique mind to make an observation like that, DO. Interestingly, her name has always intrigued me. Maybe that is why.
Musings
-The PROM QUEEN at my school is a lovely girl who lives on a dairy farm with 600 cows and is a rodeo barrel racer
-Some previous PULL QUOTES are coming back to haunt various candidates
-Do you use your ring finger or pinky to type a “p” or “q”?
-WNBA REFEREES have taken a lot of flak on how they do or do not protect Caitlan Clark
-ESSAYs are easy to assign and a bear to grade
-BOUTON was PERSONA NON GRATA to a lot of his colleagues after publishing his book
-Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip, defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a SNEER curled Casey's lip
-I had to take a horrible 8-hr class to EXPUNGE a speeding violation from my record
-These SPIRES in Colon, Germany are about all that survived WWII bombing.
-My golf partner always refers to his sand wedge and his sandwich
It was IMS until it wasn't. PSAN"D"QS took care of that.
It was a a pangram until it wasn't. No "Z".
Clever little puzzle by Jerry today. Grats to JzB for the analysis.
For those of you who enjoy Mr Nash, I leave you with this:
The Duck
Behold the duck!
It does not cluck. It quacks.
It is especially fond of a puddle or a pond.
And when he dines or sups,
It bottom ups.
Ogden Nash
Believe.
This was a perfect Wednesday level. I enjoyed filling it, although there were several that needed perps. Of the 16 names I knew 11, but not 68A, 8D, 13D, 33D, or 38D. Also DNK JOIE or DIX. But fortunately perps rescued me for a FIR. The "Mind your "P's and "Q"s comes from the days when type was set by hand for printing newspapers. It had to be set upside-down and backwards, making it easy to mistake a "p" for a "q". It has since come to mean, "Be careful", and by extension, "Be nice". Anyway, thanx JE for another of your thoroughly enjoyable CWs. And thanx too to JzB for the as always wonderful write-up.
DNK BOUTON or DEY (I am pretty consistent about my blind spots) but FIR and enjoyed it. Cars are another area of disinterest for me, but my lovely younger sister, of blessed memory, liked to grab attention in her Mazda MIATA, so I knew that one.
Most synagogues keep their Torah scrolls in an ARK. The Torah, of course, is the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. The Torah scroll is a handwritten copy on parchment.
JzB notes that all in favor say YEA. I thought they said "aye," but now I see it's just an anagram.
Thanks, Jerry, for a clever puzzle that was fun to solve, and thanks JzB, for explaining it all. A good day to all Cornerites!
IM - I thought the Connections prefix grouping was cute, but not too cute. This group was what remained after correctly finding the other three. I had to expose the results to figure out what those last items had in common.
Wonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Jerry and JazzB
I finished in good time but erred in entering DORa instead of O. (Hi Jinx)I should have recognized Aurora borealis. D’uh!
But I did see the PS AND QS theme early in the game, which helped the solve.
We were a Z short of a pangram. (Hi Lee)
Aver changed to AVOW with that EWE, and IM changed to DM (more private) (hi again Jinx and Lee)
RTE changed to MAP with perps (no abbreviation in clue should have steered me away from Rte).
I noted ARNESS and ARNETT (hi KS).
Anon@7:18- yes, my high school Latin and French classes were very useful today.
Favourite words today were EXPUNGE and PERUSE.
We also had an anagram of today’s Wordle (if you remove the UN).
Wishing you all a great day.
This felt like a Monday CW to me. I enjoyed it very much.
Granted I had some unknowns like DMS, PULL QUOTE, (interesting) ARNETT, Stella DORO, and BOUTON, but strategically placed perps were of help.
With all those Qs, I knew IRAQ would have to make an appearance. Unusual to have the whole word REFEREE.
I have not seen the movie DANES starred in, but I read the book. Meh!
JzB. Thanks for the great review. I too loved the Nash poem. I believe he’s the one who wrote the shortest poem whose title is FLEAS. Adam had’em.
I started doing Connections recently. I’m going right now to do today’s. IM☘️ You’ve piqued my interest.
Thanks unclefred for the background on Ps AND Qs.
HG- I would type both with my pinky on my PC keyboard.
Welcome back d’o and AnonT. Glad the area is recovering.
Toronto was hit by huge rain storms yesterday with subsequent flooding and power outages. We avoided the worst of it thankfully.
Even Drake’s mansion was flooded.
TorontoFlooding
Woo Hoo. I just got a perfect score on Connections.
Please forgive my exuberant bragging.
An enjoyable FIR for a Monday. Oh, wait...Wednesday? How time flies! Nice to see Boutan today. Ball Four is one of the best (and funniest!) baseball books ever written.
Monkey @ 10:45 ~ I got a perfect score also but the fourth grouping was strictly the leftovers, which meant nothing to me until I checked the solution. That was the grouping that I thought too cute by half, although my esteemed colleague, DO, disagrees! This happens frequently and I find it frustrating. Maybe the oppressive heat and humidity is making me grumpy. Then again, maybe I'm just grumpy by nature!🤣
IM☘️@ 11:04. I’m with d-o on that one. Yes, it was too cute but fair.
I’ve never thought of you as a grumpy person. But, I agree some days can be annoying. 😎
I’m so smart 😌 . When I noticed all the words with Q’s as I descended down the puzzle I said to myself “Myself, I’ll betcha the theme is P’s and Q’s” But as for other letters never heard of DMS
“SLC college athletes”: mormons was waaay too long. Crossing it with the “baseball memoir” was a Natick pour moi but I see I lucked out. I could have aspired to fill “Steeple topper” with a lower case “t” or a weather vane but nope. I didn’t “read carefully” and couldn’t figure fERUSE crossed with fULLQUOTE so I hadda mind my P.
Bridle strap: isn’t that what holds up her wedding gown?
The word UNQUIET makes me UNQUIET….and … eating SAGE doesn’t seem to improve intelligence 😉
Not a shy pussy cat but a ____ …REALIGN
Exposed arms and legs to the sun….. TANDEM
“Hamlet” a play about a ____ melancholy ….DANES
No longer usuable dish washing aid….EXPUNGE
I’ve always claimed one of the perks of living in Central NY was no natural disasters. Yesterday a tornado barreled through downtown Rome NY a city 20 miles away in our Oneida county. Lots of destruction. No one injured. We just caught the tail end of the storm. Probabaly part of a series that went through Canada Eh’s Toronto
The letter Q seems to be about the rarest letter to be found in a CW, quite often the only letter preventing a pangram and today we have four. Impressive construction Jerry! Not a real difficult grid as I FIR in 10:57. I knew ARNESS but not ARNETT and wasn’t familiar with PULL QUOTE or DIX but they perped. As Jayce sometimes says “I liked this puzzle”.
Today is designated “World Emoji Day” (along with “National Hot Dog Day” and “National Lottery Day”.) If you look at your calendar page emoji on your device it is most likely today’s date 📅 (possibly not Microsoft though). When I first saw the emoji bank years ago I thought my devices were personalized since today is my b/day, but later learned July 17 is the default calendar page emoji. So here’s to the day! 🥳😊🤪🙋♂️😘👊🏼👍🏼🙈🙉🙊🌞💫💦🍆🍻🎸❤️🔥🇺🇸🇨🇦
Well, now I’ve gotta prepare for my township’s Planning Commission meeting tonight, of which I am the chair. Two public hearings tonight regarding ordinances and zoning issues. May get a little contentious, but it’ll be more interesting than the usual hour long bore. 🤣
Hola!
MIATA reminds me of my late B-I-L who HAD one and loved driving it. A clever teacher can ask a POINTED QUESTION to elicit answers from reluctant students.
I've never heard of STELLA DORO cookies. Must be regional. I recall buying "Ball Four" as a gift for a friend. Was it that long ago?
Thank you, unclefred, for the explanation of PSANDQS. I had not heard that.
I have to agree about assigning ESSAYs. They are a fine assessment of the student's knowledge and thought process but challenging to read and grade.
Have a great day, everyone!
Thank you, JazzB, for another fine analysis.
Hi All:
This was a tough Wednesday with all the names, but I FIR so, to quote SubG, I'm happy.
Thanks Jerry for the puzzle. Thank you JazzB for the learning expo.
WO: cave -> LAIR
ESPs: JOIE, QUA, started redact b/f I noticed too many squares, and anyone else notice all the names?
Fav: URANUS. Anyone else still pronounce it like a 12 yro? :-)
1a made me think of Tom & Ray Magliozzi.
I kept reading "region" instead of religion - VOODOO took a while to form.
//The Voodoo houses in NOLA are fun to visit but I don't purchase anything; don't want me none of that juju.
PERUSE gave me pause... I don't think of that as a "Careful reading." More of a skim to me.
HG - Pinky fingers for both P&Q #MavisBeaconTyping
//I tried to take typing in HS (Girls!) but was moved into advanced maths. In hindsight, I should have gone to the mat on that AP-test :-)
Oy! Connections - I missed my first guess (but I got Wordle in 3 :-))
Seth Meyers had a take on NYT's games.
//I have 2 days Wordle in 3, 3 days in a row on perfect Strands, still pondering Connections, and two Queen Bees! I's on fire! :-)
Cheers, -T
Fun Wednesday puzzle, many thanks, Jerry. And thanks, too, for your always helpful commentary, JazzB.
Well, I thought the combination of PROM QUEEN and MI LORD was going to give us upper class or royalty as a theme. But that was quickly countered by that PERSONA non grata and by those April FOOLS. So I guess we should just MIND our PS AND QS. I also don't know if I'll ever be able to tell ARNESS and ARNETT apart. But, hey, that's what makes puzzles like this so clever.
Well, I wish everybody a JOIE DE VIVRE.
Happy Birthday, Yooper Phil! 🎂🎊🎈🎉Hope you enjoy your special day. 😉
BTW, I mentioned Phrazele before. It's Wordle on steroids as it consists of multiple words (phrases) vs just one. It's challenging and, at times, frustrating, especial when you're faced with particularly long words, as it's hard to even come up with a guess word. For example, yesterday's looked like this: (- - - - - - -) (- - -) (- - - - - - - - - - - -) Three word phrase. The answer was Trials and Tribulations which I think I got on the third try. Then, sometime, there are only two short words. All answers are familiar, in the language phrases, which sometimes helps with the solve when you have only a few letters filled in. Unlike Wordle, there are two games a day, one before noon and one after. Give it a try.
Lucina @ 12:05
Have had Stella D’Oro products around all my life My favorite are the anise sponge biscotti. Couldn’t find specific stores in AZ . Stella D’Oro also the name of a bright yellow daylilly now blooming all over our garden. My brother and I always order a “Stella” (Artois) when our families are out to dinner. Mom’s name was Stella
Oh yeah I meant to mention that I thought it was Santería that mixed African Caribbean origin religion with Roman Catholicism not Voodoo which is more totally afro centered. But the LA/NOLA folks would know better than I
You can tell I’m on vacation a bit bored with too many comments. 😎
Happy Birthday, YooperPhil!
Puzzling thoughts:
FIR with a write/over MY LORD/ MI LORD
Like IM said, it seems that a P/Q puzzle has been done before. If not, kudos to Jerry for being the first
Good thing that I am one of the last to post today as I have a bit of a sophomoric haiku to add to the mix:
Proper protocol
At ballpark restrooms, is to
Mind your pee, and queue
Thanks Jerry and Ron
(Father & son TANDEM post)
We agree with most that this was an easy and fun Wednesday. It was unique to see all those Q's (and refreshing for me to not see letters spelled out in CWs for once).
Some random observations:
- We found the word UNQUIET disquieting.
- So rare to see REFEREE spelled out in its entirety, and so ironic that the clue contained an abbreviation (WNBA).
- It's misleading for us out here in the West to have Edy's clued as a "Big name" when the only time we see it is in a CW. We never see it in a grocery store.
Overall a nice job, Jerry for a very pleasant Wednesday-appropriate puzzle and thanks JzB for the thorough review.
Happy B-day Yooper--and boy, if ordinances and zoning issues constitute an "interesting" meeting, I'd hate to think what a boring one is like.
-Ken and Jim
I will SUM UP it PRETTY QUICK. I'm not familiar with PULL QUOTE, Stella DODO or ARNETT but the rest was easy.
I've never seen a Cannondale TANDEM.
That's PDQ.
What does one call Lance Armstrong when he joins John Kruk, Bruce Lee and Arnold Schwarzenegger for dinner?
Ball Four.
I liked this puzzle.
Ray-O
I just looked up STELLA D'ORO cookies and they are available at Fry's Food Stores (where I shop) on aisle 15. Maybe I'll buy some the next time I go there. My grandchildren might like them, too.
YooperPhil
Happy birthday!
MIATA - Anonymous PVX's leisure ride.
Jim BOUTON - Ball Four. Read it when it came out. Eye opening.
Just a bit over a week ago, ComEd (Chicago) sent 220 to Houston to help get power restored after Beryl.
After 10 confirmed tornadoes, Chicago is today getting help to restore power from 300 linemen from Canada.
Friends help friends.
I have never heard of Colon, Germany. Husker Gary, there is no such place.
I have been to Cologne, Germany (Köln in German) and have stood in awe of the church and spires. It is magnificent.
Perhaps Colon is the way it is spelled in Nebraska or at Nebraska University.
Happy Birthday Yooper!
Glad you joined us at The Corner!
Cheers, -T
Thanks to Jerry for today's puzzle. With Q's in the themer, I thought we were leading up to a pangram. I had a one-box FIW for guessing wrong at DORa X AURaRAL (Hi Jinx!)
FAV: TANDEM. I think I included a pic of my old Cannondale TANDEM is one of my write-ups. My friends called it the Winnebago. Good times.
This is true: PRIOR TO solving today's puzzle, I sent my best SNEER at a driver for stopping in the middle of a crosswalk and blocking the intersection just so he could cut off another car wanting to turn to the right. I was running in the crosswalk and listening to Will ARNETT's podcast, "Smartless".
Yes, KS, I liked the ARNESS & ARNETT combo, too.
Happy birthday to YooperPhil!! I hope I am not too late today and that you will see this later. You always have something kind to say when I blog. It means a lot to me! A little appreciation goes a long way when one volunteers. I wish you lived across the street!
Thanks and welcome back to JzB!! I hit play on the Conrad Herwig tune and enjoyed it while I read through your explanations. (Alas, I did not earn the E.C. points.) Terrific SUM UP!!
Happy birthday Yooper Phil🎉🎊🎁
The count is now 16 confirmed tornadoes in Chicago. They are hoping to reopen interstate I-55 this (Thursday) morning. It has been closed since Monday night.
Happy Birthday, Yooper Phil. I did not see a notice from C.C. in yesterday's blog. I later saw your comments.
If C.C. knows your age, she will announce it to the world on your birthday. Except for the ladies. Then she just wishes Happy Birthday. I have always thought that was odd behavior.
Anyway, send her an email if you want your age announced next year on your birthday.
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