Happy Monday, everyone! My calendar shows holidays in the U.S. and in Canada. Cheers!
Theme: Viva Las Vegas!
Elvis Presley & Ann Margret ~ Viva Las Vegas ~ 1964
Today's puzzle comes to us from Ethan McNamara and David Karp. The convention is that the first name listed is the person who came up with the theme idea. We can congratulate Ethan both on his fun theme and on his LA Times debut! David has five previous LA Times puzzles to his credit, including three Saturday puzzles. (I am not surprised by that last part!)
Let's check in with today's themers:
16 Across. Legendary sword of King Arthur: EXCALIBUR.
If you like the TV show The Librarians (2014-2018), you will enjoy this clip of Noah Wyle and "Cal". (Season 1, Episode 1 ~ 1:23 min.)
22 Across. Stevenson novel with buccaneers and buried gold: TREASURE ISLAND.
This novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson ("RSL" to cruciverbalists) was published in 1883.
43 Across. The city so nice they named it twice: NEW YORK, NEW YORK.
This is obviously a reference to the city sharing its name with its State, but who said it first? I had to do deep research (I opened 10 tabs.😰) on this one. Ultimately, I am going with a Wiki quote: "The City So Nice They Named It Twice" is a reverence to "New York, New York" as both the city and state, spoken by Jon Hendricks in 1959 on a jazz cover of Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers' song Manhattan on George Russell's album New York, N.Y. and popularized by New York-based late night talk show host David Letterman.
I did find the lyrics to Manhattan and can confirm that this line is not in the song. It was an improvisation. I wonder, though, did Hendricks hear it from somewhere else?
I also found that Gerard Kenny had a similar lyric in his 1979 song New York, New York.
51 Across. U-shaped object pitched at a stake: HORSESHOE. 
Then the reveal:
33 Across. Second half of a famous tourism slogan, and what 16-, 22-, 43-, and 51-Across literally are: STAYS IN VEGAS.
The first half of the famous tourism slogan is "What happens in Vegas...." The word
STAYS is being reinterpreted as slang for "places to STAY". It comes form the phrase "hotel STAY".
EXCALIBUR (opened 1990), TREASURE ISLAND (opened 1993), NEW YORK-NEW YORK (opened 1997), and HORSESHOE Las Vegas (opened 1973 / rebranded in 2022 as a salute to an older Horseshoe) are all hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. I like it! Very clever!
One more note: Today's grid is a 14X15 so as to accommodate the two, 14-letter grid-spanners. Here is another 14X15 Monday puzzle from David Karp published this past February.
I bet we will find more interesting things in the remaining clues....
1. Hefeweizen, for one: ALE.
9. Chocolate morsel: CHIP. A personal hero to many cookie lovers, Ruth Wakefield invented the Toll House chocolate CHIP cookie over 90 years ago. history
13. Bubblicious product: GUM. Bubblicious was launched in 1977 in response to the success of Bubble Yum, the first soft bubble gum. (Bubble Yum was introduced by Life Savers in 1975.)
Trivia: In 2013 former New England Patriots 59-Across Aaron Hernandez was linked to a murder due to his purchase of Blue Cotton Candy Bubblicious.
15. Ump's place: HOME. HOME plate
18. The whole kit and caboodle: A TO Z. Caboodle is a noun that means "all the things in a group".
19. Nine, in Spanish: NUEVE.
20. Some fiddle songs: REELS. The "R" was my last box to fill.
1. Some airport helpers: AGENTS. Some airline employees working at the airport are called "ticketing AGENTS".
2. Sumptuous comfort: LUXURY. The Luxor is another casino hotel on the Vegas Strip.
3. Hosts an award show: EMCEES.
4. Areas between hills: VALES. I had dALES before VALES so I wondered, "What's the difference?" Turns out the answer is "not much".
5. D'backs, in box scores: ARI. "Diamondbacks" is shortened, so is "ARIzona".
6. Beirut's country: Abbr.: LEB. Beirut is the capital of Lebanon.
7. Accustomed (to): INURED. I am not accustomed to using this word. That and my poor spelling skills made the U in LUXURY a CHALLENGing crossing for me.
44. Physical therapy, informally: REHAB.
45. Small songbirds: WRENS. We have a mini avian theme with BIRD, ORIOLE, and WRENS.
46. Exclamation of success: YES.
49. Flow out, as the tide: EBB.
50. By way of, in itineraries: VIA.
52. Genetic messenger molecule: RNA. Last week the winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine were announced. It went to two scientists for discovering microRNA. Read more here.
53. Parked oneself: SAT.
14. Taylor Swift concert venue: ARENA. It's another connection to 59-Across!
15. Ump's place: HOME. HOME plate
18. The whole kit and caboodle: A TO Z. Caboodle is a noun that means "all the things in a group".
Example sentence from M-W dictionary: Most pension checks go out monthly. However, some plans let you receive the entire caboodle in a single lump for reinvestment elsewhere.
19. Nine, in Spanish: NUEVE.
20. Some fiddle songs: REELS. The "R" was my last box to fill.
A Virginia REEL is an American dance in which two lines of couples face each other and all couples in turn dance in a series of figures.
The notes on this video say, "The Virginia REEL was the most popular dance amongst the Mormon pioneers who came across the plains to Utah."
27. Method: Abbr.: SYS. SYStem
28. Up in arms: MAD.
29. AT&T, for one: TELCO. TELecommunications COmpany
30. Girder: BEAM.
32. Small, cutesily: EENSIE. Cutesily was added to the clue to account for the unconventional spelling of an informal word (eensy).
36. "9-1-1: Lone Star" actress Gina: TORRES. I know Gina from Firefly and Suits.
27. Method: Abbr.: SYS. SYStem
28. Up in arms: MAD.
29. AT&T, for one: TELCO. TELecommunications COmpany
30. Girder: BEAM.
32. Small, cutesily: EENSIE. Cutesily was added to the clue to account for the unconventional spelling of an informal word (eensy).
36. "9-1-1: Lone Star" actress Gina: TORRES. I know Gina from Firefly and Suits.
9-1-1: Lone Star with Rob Lowe is her current gig. Gina's IMDb page
37. Je t'__: French words of endearment: AIME.
38. African antelope: ELAND.
39. Steel-cut grain: OAT. 
40. Scouring pad brand: S.O.S.
47. Like some shoes: LACED. I liked how this answer was alongside 48-Across RETIE in the grid.
48. Adjust, as an apron: RETIE.
49. "Will they __ learn?": EVER.
54. Feathered friend: BIRD. BIRDS of a feather flock together.
55. Former U.N. head Kofi: ANNAN. Kofi Atta Annan (1938-2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.
56. Key sometimes used with Ctrl: ALT.
57. Hunting/fishing retailer __ Pro Shops: BASS. Have you noticed that people whom you would not think of as anglers are wearing BASS Pro Shop Hats? This article lists six reason these hats are so very popular lately.
58. Triumphs over: BEATS.
59. The NFL's Travis Kelce and others, for short: TES. They are Tight Ends in the National Football League. BTW, in case you have been under a rock for the past year, Travis Kelce is dating the mega-star in 14-Across.
Down:
 |
| Sidenote: Barbicore is a fashion trend that embraces colors like hot pink. As you probably guessed, this followed the movie Barbie (2023). |
37. Je t'__: French words of endearment: AIME.
38. African antelope: ELAND.
 |
| Both males and females have twisted horns. |
40. Scouring pad brand: S.O.S.
 |
| How do I clean stubborn spots off floors? Certainly not in that outfit. |
47. Like some shoes: LACED. I liked how this answer was alongside 48-Across RETIE in the grid.
48. Adjust, as an apron: RETIE.
49. "Will they __ learn?": EVER.
 |
| It's that time of year! |
54. Feathered friend: BIRD. BIRDS of a feather flock together.
55. Former U.N. head Kofi: ANNAN. Kofi Atta Annan (1938-2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.
56. Key sometimes used with Ctrl: ALT.
57. Hunting/fishing retailer __ Pro Shops: BASS. Have you noticed that people whom you would not think of as anglers are wearing BASS Pro Shop Hats? This article lists six reason these hats are so very popular lately.
58. Triumphs over: BEATS.
59. The NFL's Travis Kelce and others, for short: TES. They are Tight Ends in the National Football League. BTW, in case you have been under a rock for the past year, Travis Kelce is dating the mega-star in 14-Across.
Down:
1. Some airport helpers: AGENTS. Some airline employees working at the airport are called "ticketing AGENTS".
2. Sumptuous comfort: LUXURY. The Luxor is another casino hotel on the Vegas Strip.
4. Areas between hills: VALES. I had dALES before VALES so I wondered, "What's the difference?" Turns out the answer is "not much".
5. D'backs, in box scores: ARI. "Diamondbacks" is shortened, so is "ARIzona".
6. Beirut's country: Abbr.: LEB. Beirut is the capital of Lebanon.
7. Accustomed (to): INURED. I am not accustomed to using this word. That and my poor spelling skills made the U in LUXURY a CHALLENGing crossing for me.
Def: (verb) to accustom to accept something undesirable.
Example sentence from M-W dictionary: Does violence on television INURE children to violence in real life?
8. "Would this be too risky for me?": DARE I?.
9. Confront boldly: CHALLENGE.
10. Taco eater's topping choice: HOT SALSA. Perps pooh-poohed HOT SAuce.
11. "If u ask me ... ": IMO. The "u" in the clue lets us know this will be a texting abbreviation.
12. Brick-shaped candy in a dispenser: PEZ.
8. "Would this be too risky for me?": DARE I?.
9. Confront boldly: CHALLENGE.
10. Taco eater's topping choice: HOT SALSA. Perps pooh-poohed HOT SAuce.
11. "If u ask me ... ": IMO. The "u" in the clue lets us know this will be a texting abbreviation.
12. Brick-shaped candy in a dispenser: PEZ.
The History of PEZ (3 min.)
17. Director DuVernay: AVA. Ava's IMDb page
21. Idolize: ESTEEM.
23. New England sch.: UMASS.
24. Malek of "Bohemian Rhapsody": RAMI. Rami is becoming a crossword regular.
25. CBS franchise with the 2024 prequel series "Origins": NCIS. I have not seen either of those TV shows but NCIS is a good place to start when you see "CBS franchise".
26. Mama deer: DOE.
30. Livestock locales: BARNYARDS.
31. Ophthalmologist, casually: EYE DOC.
21. Idolize: ESTEEM.
23. New England sch.: UMASS.
24. Malek of "Bohemian Rhapsody": RAMI. Rami is becoming a crossword regular.
 |
| Rami played nuclear physicist David L. Hill in Oppenheimer (2023). |
25. CBS franchise with the 2024 prequel series "Origins": NCIS. I have not seen either of those TV shows but NCIS is a good place to start when you see "CBS franchise".
26. Mama deer: DOE.
30. Livestock locales: BARNYARDS.
31. Ophthalmologist, casually: EYE DOC.
Doctor My Eyes ~ Jackson Browne ~ 1972
32. Paperless party announcement: E-VITE.
33. Fish that may be served amandine: SOLE.
34. Fishing boats: TRAWLERS. We have a mini fish them with BASS, SOLE, and TRAWLERS.
35. Tandoori-baked flatbread: NAAN.
36. Sundial X: TEN. Roman numeral
39. "There, finished": OK, DONE.
40. "Yeah, since you brought it up ... ": SO THAT....
41. Baltimore ballplayer: ORIOLE.
42. Rockabilly legend McDonald: SKEETS. Enos William McDonald AKA Skeets was an American country and rockabilly musician popular during the 1950s and 1960s.
33. Fish that may be served amandine: SOLE.
34. Fishing boats: TRAWLERS. We have a mini fish them with BASS, SOLE, and TRAWLERS.
35. Tandoori-baked flatbread: NAAN.
36. Sundial X: TEN. Roman numeral
39. "There, finished": OK, DONE.
40. "Yeah, since you brought it up ... ": SO THAT....
42. Rockabilly legend McDonald: SKEETS. Enos William McDonald AKA Skeets was an American country and rockabilly musician popular during the 1950s and 1960s.
44. Physical therapy, informally: REHAB.
45. Small songbirds: WRENS. We have a mini avian theme with BIRD, ORIOLE, and WRENS.
46. Exclamation of success: YES.
49. Flow out, as the tide: EBB.
50. By way of, in itineraries: VIA.
52. Genetic messenger molecule: RNA. Last week the winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine were announced. It went to two scientists for discovering microRNA. Read more here.
53. Parked oneself: SAT.
 |
| This ... not that. |
The grid:
 |
| That's all from me. What did you think? |
50 comments:
Good Morning:
I’m off to the hospital for a 7:30 procedure to have my gallbladder removed. Wish me luck, folks! ☘️ 😉
I think I’m going to
stop referring to Monday puzzles as a “walk in the park.” This one definitely had some “crunch” to it. For example, for me it took an alphabet run to get “so that” and “tes.” Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
(And many prayers for your good health, and a speedy recovery, I.M.)
IM ☘️ ~ thinking of you this morning, wishing you a successful surgery and quick recovery! ❤️
Good morning!
With a German-sounding word at 1a, and with AL_ in place, d-o boldly went with ALP. (Have I ever mentioned....?) Bzzzzzzt. Hand up for HOT SAuce, too. Even at my advanced age I'm barely old enough to remember SKEETS McDonald. His big hit was Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes back in '52. Needed all the perps for SO THAT -- still don't get it. Thanx, sumdaze, for 'splainin' TES -- which end is tight? Ethan and David really gave us something to chew on this morning.
ELAND: In my ute this little town was the end of the C&NW Railroad passenger line.
TORRES: My memory matches sumdaze -- Firefly and Suits (which I'm watching now and then on NetFlix).
Good luck with the outpatient surgery, IM. I had that procedure about 15 years ago. Made walking a bit tender for about a week, but otherwise no major problems. Guess I still owe that doctor a follow-up visit...
FIR, but erased dells for dales, then dales for VALES. Also suede->LACED and im done->OK DONE.
I really wanted the nice city to be Walla^2. I've heard New York called a lot of things, but I've never heard it called nice.
I remember the macabre joke that emerged after Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered. The wagsters said that PEZ was introducing a Nicole Simpson model. (Remember that poor Nicole's head was nearly severed.)
I didn't know that there was a Horseshoe hotel on the strip. I used to play blackjack at Binion's Horseshoe downtown. They had a display of $1,000,000 in cash in the middle of the gaming floor. Good restaurant, too. I also used to like staying at Circus Circus (the casino so nice they named it twice?) Late night they offered single deck, $2 minimum blackjack. I also enjoyed the arcade games offered on the second level, and won a few oversized stuffed animals there.
Thanks to Ethan and David for the fun start to the week, and to sumdaze for the sterling review. Prayers and best wishes to IM for the surgery.
Not a hard puzzle at all. I did however, even with the Vegas clue, have no clue what made all of the long ones related to each other. Alas, I have never been to Las Vegas.
Took 4:22 today for me to sing the Aria today.
I didn't know today's actress (Torres), and I failed today's foreign language lesson (aime). Skeets was totally unknown and "so that" seems clunky.
Good luck to Ms. Irish Miss. Quite the unconventional weight loss plan..., but I hope it goes well. Best wishes for a smooth procedure and a speedy recovery.
Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hefeweizen Incorporated!" Or something like that.
Thought I was headed for a DNR. HOT SAuce was giving me TEUCO. huh? Finally filled HOT SALSA which at first glance seems redundant but assume there are non-HOT SALSAs
Inkovers: dales/VALES, UConn/UMASS
At my age comfort and convenience trump style. Simple slip-on un-LACED footwear that I don’t have to RETIE do the trick.
Bob Dylan: How many deaths will it take 'til he knows that too many people have died? “When will they EVER learn?” (Lately? Probably never)
Large size….. EXCALABUR
Paperless property…..ELAND
Some anal retentive NFLers….TES
Like a novel movement in the arts….NEUVE
Irish ☘️ Best wishes for a quick recovery, one less gallbladder in the world.
FIR. This definitely had some crunch to it. Even with the explanation, it took a bit to get the theme. I'm not a gambler, and know nothing about Las Vegas.
The proper names really added to the crunchiness. And I threw down hot sauce before hot salsa, which slowed me down a lot.
Overall, not an enjoyable puzzle.
REELS???
This one felt a little forced. Not a fan.
Musings
-What happens at The Crossword Corner…
-If you want to leave Vegas with a small fortune, show up with a large one. That includes anyone who have a “SYS” to beat blackjack.
-Last week the Tropicana joined the list of old Vegas hotels that have been demolished
-These “Step Ins” are my favorite shoes! They look like they are tie shoes but they aren’t!
-A friend of mine lives out in the country and started feeding a FAWN. Guess who’s now at his doorstep every morning.
-I hope all goes well for you today, Irish!
Odds are I’ll succeed with a FIR on a Monday and it took me 10:40 to break the bank on this one. DNK TORRES or that OATS could be steel cut, and I must have been “under a rock” cuz I never heard of the “legend” SKEETS. Last week we had EENY, today EENSIE, constructor’s license at its best. Sussed the theme after the 4 long answers, although I’m not really familiar with those resorts. Spent some time in Vegas when I was working across the border in California, walked the entire strip, but I much preferred the old town Vegas where the above mentioned Binion’s is. (Jinx, I have a photo of me standing next to that million $’s)
sumdaze ~ always enjoy your informative, picturesque write-ups! Loved that S.O.S. ad straight outta the early 50’s, and your comment “certainly not in that outfit” 🤣.
Just a little crunchy for a Monday. It was not an "as fast I can write" outing.
I finally guessed the theme after I had finished. I'm not a fan of Vegas and its glitz or gambling, but I have heard of all the hotels. We ended a tour of most the the western national parks with an afternoon and night in Vegas before flying home from Phoenix. What a come-down after experiencing all that natural beauty!
Two ESP fills (every single perp) RAMI and SKEETS.I remember Perry Como singing "Don't let the stars get in your eyes." I never heard Skeets' twangy country version.
SO THAT seems clunky and was my least favorite. I know there is a position called TE in football. So I got both.
Why do some people love NY, NY? It's a truly international city with infinite food, culture and entertainment options. It has some of the most beautiful (and some of the ugliest examples of urban reality.) It's probably more diverse than most other places on earth. I find it great for an occasional one day visit, restaurants, theater, sight seeing, etc. but I would not like to live or work there.
I took it for granted that everyone has heard of the Virginia reel. I have danced it since grade school. It is an easy dance to pick up and steps are usually prompted by a caller. When we have open to the community dances, no experience needed, we sometimes dance a reel.
IM, I wish you a successful surgery and a speedy recovery
"Found as 'eensy-weensy' in the children's rhyme 'Eensy-weensy Spider', but also used on its own, e.g. 'an eensy bit' ." Predates its use in crosswords. Not made up by the constructor.
I admit that things that are uncommon to me are common to others and are not made up by the constructor. We all have different experiences. I find this a fascinating learning opportunity.
I, too noticed that all the TV ads in the 50's featured housewives doing housework in heels, pearls and lovely dresses. And the men sat down to dinner at home in suit jackets. Look at June Cleaver in Leave it to Beaver.
I'm with YR - generally smooth solve with a little crunch. Fun theme - Some of these hotels were featured in "Miss Congeniality 2" which had it's climatic moment on the pirate ship at TREASURE ISLAND
Quite a dramatic moment when the Tropicana was demolished last week to make way for the new baseball field for the Oakland As move to Las Vegas. Ironically and sadly the Tropicana Field for the Tampa Rays had it's roof blown off with Hurrican Milton the next week.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tropicana-implosion-las-vegas/
Virginia REELS are fun and if you line up near the end - you can figure out the steps by the time you are the lead couple!
Being originally from KC and a football fan, the Travis Kelce position was a gimme with tight end abbreviated to TEs , and BASS Pro Shops headquarters are down in Springfield, MO just a couple of hours from me.
Thanks SD for the review and Ethan & David for the puzzle
Wishing IM a speedy recovery as her surgery should be over by now!
I saw this Sporcle Quiz this morning and that of Husker Gary
https://www.sporcle.com/games/JackDots/missing-word-nebraska-az
last line should be "thought of"
Not too difficult. Although I didn’t know the long answers were hotels in Vegas, I guessed that had to be it.
I didn’t know TORRES, SKEETS, nor TES, but perps came to the rescue.
I like my OATS rolled not steel cut. SOLE and BASS in the SW. Sumdaze that picture of the SOLE is an abomination IMHO. SOLE is such a delicate fish, lightly sautéed in butter is all it takes, not battered and fried.
But sumdaze I loved Snoopy writing his magnum opus Beagle Island. Thank you for all the good info.
IM☘️ best wishes for a successful surgery and rapid recovery.
Good Morning! I thought it was more a later in the week puzzle. I was unfamiliar with some of the clues, but the perps helped me to the finish line.
The theme was irrelevant to me. I’ve been once, not my thing.
WOs – a couple of vowels and hand up to comments 7D & 10D.
My memories of living in NYC many years ago, paired with today’s news, I wouldn’t think of it as “nice.”
Thanks, sumdaze. You always add a bright spot to Monday mornings! I loved the turtle at bat and the text language class! So true!!
Irish Miss, wishing you a successful surgery and speedy recovery.
Holy gallstones, Irish Miss! Adieu to that blasted gallbladder, and I hope the procedure today has been uneventful. Like everyone else, I'm rooting for your non-traumatic and speedy recovery, especially one that will allow for continuing visits to this blog with your lucid and compelling contributions!
Oh, the puzzle. I kind of liked it. Ethan and David came up with a straightforward and challenging exercise featuring an odd 14 by 15 grid. We weren't entirely beset by names, and they were scattered about, surrounded by friendly perps. The only exception for me was the Natick in the east, involving NCIS and TELCO. Sorting that out slowed me down a bit.
So thanks, Ethan and David, for providing us with a challenging but satisfying and rewarding Monday exercise.
IM, we are all thinking of you.
Of course I had to go to Wikipedia to learn the history of the S.O.S pads (I’m a fan of useless trivia 😂). Invented by a guy who sold pots and pans, translated to “Save Our Saucepans”. Intentionally there is no period after the second S due to S.O.S. being an international distress call, it couldn’t be trademarked.
Prayers and best wishes to IM for a successful procedure and speedy recovery!
Meh. Enjoyed the recap by sumdaze, though. Good job! (As usual!) Good luck, Irish! I got rid of mine over 40 years ago, and I understand the procedure is much simpler now.
Hola!
No time to read you all. Later. I barely finished the solve. Thank you, Ethan and David. Enjoy your holiday, everyone!
Best wishes for IM.
Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian friends.🇨🇦
A clever puzzle. It took me a minute for the theme to make sense.
24A… I think its RLS not RSL
Luck be with ye! DW had this done approx 15 years ago, and we were in and out in a single morning, before lunch. She has never had a single problem since, and has no problem eating fatty foods (within reason).
Just a small nit, not about the puzzle, but the new format YouTube links. It seems this is one of the "every other day" days where I click the link and it wants me to sign in to prove I'm not a bot. I spent the time to try and act7ally view the Ann Margret/Elvis link, and after a lot of tapping in different places, it took me to my already signed in YouTube. But the video it showed me does not appear to be either of the two recommendations below the sign in, nor was it the original intended video link. Methinks blog YouTube links are every other day just plain broken, and/or take too much time to make it worth pursuing... if I knew who and where to complain to, I would not bother you folks here....
Vegas souvenir T-shirt
runner up.
Men used to wear ties when flying commercial, when going to the office, and when gambling at a casino. As the old Cole Porter song says, "but now, God knows, anything goes."
You can sometimes get an advantage over the house in blackjack when you are counting cards, but the problem is that if you increase your bet when that happens you will be banned from the casino. You must increase your stake when the deck is (slightly) favorable to the players if you are to overcome the house advantage. If you place the same bet every time, the house will have the long-term advantage, even if you change the way you play based on the condition of the deck. Simple counting is not much harder than keeping track of trumps in games like bridge, rook and spades. In fact, just keeping track of 5s and aces can eat into the house advantage, which is easy when playing a single-deck game. But it's work! That's why I'd rather play craps these days. Easy peasy - just play the pass line and take maximum odds, and if you get bored play the come line with maximum odds as a kicker, especially if the casino will let you declare "odds working" for come bets on comeout rolls. The house has less than a 3% mathematical advantage, and you can't misplay due to a brain fart (unlike blackjack.) The craps dealers will watch out for you.
I assume the runner-up is a maternity shirt. The best I've seen was on Avalon, Catalina Island. It declared "I got pregnant at Fred and Sally's Market, because I didn't know there was a Safeway."
Best of luck, Irish Miss! I wish you a speedy recovery. I've been at the hospital since 5:30 AM, accompanying my daughter, who undergoing a procedure. I can appreciate your concerns!
Timely answer (or promo?) on 25D - NCIS:Origins- which is a prequel- premieres tonight!
Prayers for you, I.M.!
To quote the great Husker Gary, "If you want to leave Vegas with a small fortune, show up with a large one." I used to work with a woman who loved to spread out a wad of bills after every trip to Vegas and say, "Look how much I won!" She never said how much she spent at the tables to win it.
I enjoyed working the puzzle in the visitors waiting room of the surgical center, feeling nervous for my lovely daughter. Hope she and Irish Miss emerge in good shape today.
Thanks to our constructors and to sumdaze!
A bit more difficult than the average Monday, but I FIR anyway, in a bit more time than a usual Monday. By my count 11 names; I DNK 5, needed perps. The theme fills came easily enough, but they were no help to sussing the theme, which to I'm sure no one's surprise I never got until Sumdaze 'splained it, because like Anon @6:58, I've never been to Vegas. A fun CW anyway, thanx EMcM&DK. As always, a great write-up, Sumdaze, thanx. Best wishes to IM for her surgery. I hope we hear from her tomorrow with a recap. Well, my Packers looked really good yesterday, but they live in a tough neighborhood, so the Cardinals are not a good indication of how they will do in their division. Next Sunday when the Texans blow into Green Bay, with a 5-1 record, it's gonna be more of a challenge.
Fun Monday puzzle, many thanks for the treat, Ethan and David. And many thanks to you too, Sumdaze, for your helpful commentary.
Well, there was a lot of travel in this puzzle, with trips to NEW YORK, LAS VEGAS, and TREASURE ISLAND, and probably others. It would be quite a CHALLENGE to plan to go there, and I'm not sure I could find tickets that were VALID that I could afford. I might have to gamble with some CHIPS, especially if I wanted to stay in a LUXURY hotel. I've gotten one E-VITE, but that was in a place with rooms in a BARN YARD, and I wouldn't want to end up in REHAB and needing an AGENT to help me get out. Nope, I'm not going to do any of this, and instead just enjoy a snack with some HOT SALSA.
OK--DONE, and I wish everybody a good day.
Irish Miss, you will be in my prayers for a good recovery today, and we'll look forward to how things are going. Take good care of yourself.
Thoughts and prayers for speedy recovery!
Thoughts and prayers for your daughter and you, NaomiZ, as you wait
Marvellous Monday. Thanks for the fun, Ethan and David, and sumdaze.
I agree that this CW was a little crunchier than the usual Monday, but I FIRed with two inkblots. I got the theme and assumed all the themers were Vegas hotels. (I have never been to Vegas and it is not on my bucket list.)
Hand up for Dales before VALES. But I did get HOT SALSA on first guess.
My chocolate morsel was a Drop before a CHIP.
Several unknown names perped.
EENSIE was a meh!
Thanks Anon@11:41 for the Thanksgiving greetings. We had family and turkey yesterday, and I am recovering today. Leftovers tonight!
I LIUed and see that you Americans have a federal (on some states) holiday - Columbus Day or more recently Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We just had our National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept 30.
Wishing you all a great day.
Best wishes that all goes well.
Praying for you, Agnes
I mostly liked this puzzle. Specifically, what I liked include:
The theme
Steel-cut grain: OAT
The words INURED, CHALLENGE, BARNYARDS, and TRAWLERS.
What I specifically disliked include:
Bubblicious product: GUM
Small, cutesily: EENSIE
The NFL's Travis Kelce and others, for short: TES
and the paraphrasing.
A big nit for me:
An abbreviation used in texting being clued with a phrase. For example "If u ask me ... ": IMO. IMO specifically means "In My Opinion." IMO does not mean "If u ask me ... ". The latter phrase may be a paraphrase of the former phrase, but IMO does not mean, nor is it intended to mean, "If u ask me ... ". Just as LOL does not mean "Chuckle." Etc.
In my opinion, such cluing ruins what otherwise could be, and often are, well-clued puzzles.
Thanks for your write-up, sumdaze.
(Since I can't preview this posting, I won't know for sure that I didn't screw up one or more of the bolded and italicized text.)
Good reading you all.
Thank you, Ethan and David, and thank you, sumdaze.
Best wishes, Irish Miss. And you too, NaomiZ.
I didn't know SKEETZ but it easily perped in.
The first time, I misread the clue for EENSIE as "Smile, cutesily" Oh it was small.
I didn't see the SO THAT clue, nor the answer I read the review.
ALE for Hefeweizen and Gina TORRES were gimmes.
I didn't find any real difficulty, and easily solved it in under 10 minutes while holding a sandwich in my left hand. With my typing skills, that means I was using a thumb and two fingers. I didn't have any typos today, so maybe I should solve future puzzles with my left hand tied behind my back!
I'm not a gambler. I've played poker maybe 10 times in my life.
I don't play the lottery or buy scratch off cards.
I've been on a river boat casino once, and that was for a friend's 21st birthday party party for his son.
I've been to Las Vegas once, and that was because I had to go to keep peace in the family.
We stayed at the EXCALIBUR, and it was in it's second or third year, so around 92 or 93. I hated the constant sounds but especially the ding ding ding sounds everywhere you went, as well as the assault on my eyes from all of the flashing lights. It was a sensory overload for me. Not my cuppa.
Learning moment as i did not know any of the casino names, but as an afterthought, oatmeal for breakfast...
Steel cut always taste like eating small rocks to me, probably because I don't cook it long enough. Rolled or instant is just plain mush... I have however found a keeper in "old fashioned," which seems to be the Goldilocks version for me. Just 3 minutes in the microwave, and it comes out just the right consistency.
Of course, being fussy me, a 1/2 cup of oatmeal + a 1/2 cup of water is too boring. So I add a splash of milk, a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning,
(DW found a shop right version that also had jalapeño, yum!) a banana + blueberries, (or strawberry's or raspberries if cheaper) and a cup of extra strong coffee..
Hmm,
Can't wait for breakfast....
IrishMiss: sending comforting thoughts your way and praying for a good recovery. My dear friend, Joy, had emergency surgery to remove her gall bladder over the weekend.
I've been to Las Vegas twice, once with my work mates and another for my nephew's wedding. It would not be a trip of choice for me.
I'm almost packed and am expecting my friend from California tomorrow. We shall go together to Charlotte on Wednesday.
Since today is a federal holiday there is no mail delivery and most schools are on their fall break all week.
Back to packing.
NaomiZ, best wishes for your daughter. Hope all goes well.
Good luck! You won't miss your gall bladder. Haven't had mine for 40 years!
Nice explanation!
Yellowrocks, what you said about NYC is akin to the way I feel about Chicago and its neighborhoods, and even many of the closer-in suburbs.
Prayers and good thoughts for you, Agnes. I hope all goes well.
Hi All!
As one who goes to Vegas every year for Hacker Summer Camp, this was an easy theme to suss. I've put a few bucks down at all save Treasure Island. Thanks Ethan & David.
Wonderful write-up, as usual, sumdaze. I enjoyed the comics.
WOs: VALEy [sic] -> VALES, HOT Sauce
ESPs: REELS*, SKEETS
*I thought of YR as soon as I got the AHA!
I assume you're back at home starting the healing process, IM. God Speed.
TTP - it usually takes a few days for the ringing to leave my ears after Blackhat|Defcon.
Enjoyed reading y'all!
Cheers, -T
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