SQUA-RE RE-PAIR
gERry WildenbERg - doubled ER ER
This is Gerry Wildenberg's debut for the LA Times - he has two other crosswords published in the NYT going back 10 & 11 years ago - and I checked again, just to be sure, because I was friends with a Geri, who was Geraldine; Gerry's a dude - a cool-looking older guy, and from his picture, I am guessing an outdoorsman, a hiker, a camper....Anyway, today's construction has "R-E" doubled in the theme answers, with the center being a grid-spanner, and no stray RE's anywhere else. More 4LW than 3LW, but I felt, even with some being easy, there were again too many names ( a dozen by my count ) for my solving experience. The theme answers, all unique, and the reveal;
18. *Bills wide receiver who played in four consecutive Super Bowls: ANDRE REED - name #1
24. *Wildlife sanctuary: NATURE RESERVE - the first part was blank, but I did fill in "PREserve", which was close - can anyone offer a solution to the pesky gnats that hover around one's eyes & ears~? I walk every other day, and they are so aggravating, I end up cutting the hike short - I practically bathe in Off! with DEET, but that's of no use - and I am going to try Picaridin as well - I do not want to wear a net....
36. *Meh evaluations: MEDIOCRE REVIEWS - I've had my share in my time blogging
49. *Like material that slows flames: FIRE RETARDANT
57. Made twice as great, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues: "RE, DOUBLED"
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Clown's prop, maybe: STILT - yeah, but how about a drywall mudder~?
6. Criminally assist: ABET
10. Breakfast spot: NOOK
14. "Golly!": "OH GEE~!"
15. Angelic adornment: HALO
16. Prefix meaning "all": OMNI
17. Oscars host O'Brien: CONAN - name #2, but I know him
20. Paraguayan pals: AMIGOS
22. Airport pickup info: ETA
23. Acid initials: LSD - the "dropped" acid
28. Cry of insight: "I SEE~!" - I used Ghostbusters, now here's Die Hard . . . .
ya~! I SEE him~! @ 0:20
29. Fit, as matryoshka dolls: NEST
Irish Miss, I am still on the lookout for my four-legged friend; last week on my walk, a guy in my neighborhood came out with HIS Schnauzer, but he did not have much to tell me about where to get one :7(
30. Volcano near Catania: ETNA - four-letter volcano~?
33. Whiskey flavor: PEAT - Sunday fill, too - this week, I am trying "Ryze", the mushroom coffee that supposedly helps burn fat - I will let you know. It has a distinct 'earthy', almost broth-like flavor, and I like it - I am down to 27lbs since May 1st
34. Chewy mints: MENTOS
41. Only national park in New England: ACADIA - in Maine; knew this from solving crosswords, like this past Sunday
42. One of 14 in a sonnet: LINE
43. "u crack me up": ROFL - Rolling On Floor Laughing - textspeak
44. Part of a Rorschach test: BLOT
45. Operatic solo: ARIA
53. Artist Yoko: ONO - name #3, crossword staple, like Sunday - JEEZ
55. Boxing family name: ALI - name #4, crossword staple
56. Shelter with a sloping roof: LEAN TO
61. Urged (on): EGGED - 11D. is "egged", too
62. Cheese with an edible rind: BRIE
63. Gymnast Korbut: OLGA - name #5, crossword staple
64. Wicked one: FIEND - In honor of Black Sabbath's "Back to the Beginning" final show with Ozzy Osbourne last Saturday in their home town of Birmingham, UK, here's one from their debut album
Wicked World
65. Convinced: SOLD
66. Golf club choice: WOOD
67. Varieties: SORTS
1. Confident retort to a boast: SO CAN I~!
2. Inventor Edison: THOMAS - name #6, but not too obscure
3. Set off, as fireworks: IGNITE - thankfully, the folks of my neighborhood set off only a handful of medium-sized noise-makers about 9pm on July Fourth, and then it tapered off within the hour - another reason I am glad to be in CT. Down on the Island~? It's about who can waste the most money for a smoky backyard
4. Maritime measure: LEAGUE - Dah~! Not FATHOM
5. Voice above baritone: TENOR - aaaand Sunday, too - wow.
6. Cry of insight: A - HA~!
7. Abolish: BAN
8. Like Cain, of Adam's sons: ELDEST
9. Dense cake: TORTE
10. Neither's partner: NOR
11. Brunch option: OMELETTE - Ah. The "extended" version of omelet, just like on Sunday
12. Change for a five: ONES
13. "The Secret Life of Bees" novelist Sue Monk __: KIDD - filled via perps; I suppose 'Captain' was not Wednesday worthy - name #7
19. Linguist's asset: EAR - TONGUE did not fit - and EAR makes me think of muscians
21. __ Falls: women's suffrage convention site: SENECA - upstate NY, filled via perps, name #8
25. Tail end: REAR
26. Getty of "The Golden Girls": ESTELLE - second time this week the show was in a clue, still, name #9
27. Caesar's "I came": VENI - Julius Caesar boast, veni vidi, vici - I came, I saw, I conquered
31. "__ we're talking!": "NOW~!"
Naomi, these legs are "for the birds" ( BTW, how big IS this Splynter file ~? )
32. Pack animal: ASS - What'd you call me~? A pack animal~?
33. Taro-based staple: POI
34. __ block: MENTAL - Ah. I could not make WRITERS or LEGO fit
35. Night for last-minute wrapping: EVE - could'be been a name . . .
36. Stain or tear: MAR
37. Italian scholar Umberto: ECO - obscure, for a 3LW that could be a "not" name, #10 - the editor~?
38. National flower of Wales: DAFFODIL - I did not know this
39. South Asian rice cake: IDLI - filled via perps - more here - name(ish)
40. Hilarious comedian: RIOT
44. S.O.S competitor: BRILLO - I have caught two field mice in glue traps over the last month - I though this was a "winter" problem; now I am thinking about investing in an ultrasonic repellant, but I really have to go around and seal up the places where the little buggers are getting in; it was suggested to stuff steel wool, or better, soap-infused steel wool pads in thr holes around the pipes of my baseboard heaters.
45. "Slowly," on sheet music: ADAGIO - oops, I thought it was LEGATO - but that's tied notes
46. Madison Square Garden hockey player: RANGER - I knew this because I am a long-suffering NY Rangers fan; they never seem to have the tenacity, the drive, the desire to fight for the toughest trophy in sports - they're more like "eh, whatever", and that's very frustrating for fans
Igor Shesterkin is the exception
47. Purpose: INTENT - thie intent of playing an NHL season is to get to the Stanley Cup playoffs ...
48. In conflict: AT ODDS - but this seems to be AT ODDS with the NY Rangers
50. Novelist Santha Rama __: RAU - name #11 - more here
51. Jab with one's arm: ELBOW
52. Coral colonies: REEFS
53. Snow globes, e.g.: ORBS - good WAG on my part
54. Wolfe of detective fiction: NERO - I've read the whole series from Rex Stout, and the follow-up novels from author Robert Goldsborough - name #12
58. Uni reference: OED - we had this on Monday
59. Feeling of self-worth: EGO - semi Meh. Is it a "feeling~?"
60. June honoree: DAD
Splynter
Notes from C.C.:
Happy 55th birthday to Anon-T, who's always there when I need a pinch-hitter.
Tony At Wit's End near Carmel on Father's Day 2017
The number of
ReplyDeleteanswers that were based on foreign languages (including “textspeak”) kept this puzzle challenging, and nowhere near as easy as the last two days (“idli,” anyone?). Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteD-o managed to suss all those names with perp assistance. Finished in about 8 minutes, which is par for a mid-weeker. In my ute I thought LEAGUE (20,000 Leagues Under The Sea) was a measure of depth, not distance traveled. Thanx, Gerry and Splynter. (Methinks a visit to your local area animal shelter is in order. It'd be a shame to buy a puppy when there are so many adoptable pets in cages waiting for a forever home.)
And a Happy Birthday to fellow Texan Dash-T.
Oh yeah, I was going to suggest looking for a local schnauzer club or rescue organization. They exist for most AKC breeds.
DeleteFIR without erasure. Seemed tougher than that, but I guess that was the friendly perp influence.
ReplyDeleteGolf announcers drive me crazy (ok, that's a putt, not a drive) when they insist on calling them "fairway metals" instead of fairway WOODs. They still call the shorter clubs "irons," even though they have been made of steel since long before the first metal WOODs were introduced.
I've linked Jimmy Buffett's MENTAL Floss several times, so I'll spare everyone today. Might just be the thing for MENTAL block, though.
I learned about Caesar's boast as a teenager because I smoked Marlboros, and the pack was emblazoned with his words. I actually asked our cute little Latin teacher what it meant.
Thanks to Gerry for the fun Wednesday workout. Like Splynter, I once knew a Geri, short for Garnetta. We had a brief LTR (living together relationship) in my early 20s. I didn't catch "Splynter files," but I do consider myself a Splynterphile.
Forgot to wish Bayou Tony a happy double-nickel.
ReplyDeleteHad to look up the L in idli…😞
ReplyDeleteOoh - crossing propers. Yuck. Sometimes you can get away with it if it’s ruled a misdemeanor offense. No such luck today - definitely a felony offense to cross ACADIA with both SENECA and ECO Umberto - Yuck, Yuck ! Add IDLI and POI to the mix and you have taken a potentially grade-A grid and made its ceiling MEDIOCRE, quality-wise. I definitely disagree with the editor’s decision to let that one slide today.
ReplyDeleteFIR. There were way too many proper names for my liking. Even two of them crossing, Kidd and Reed, a significant no-no. That made today's puzzle more challenging than it should have been for a Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteI had to get to the reveal to see the theme, which was not obvious to me as I trudged along. But it was quite clever.
However, overall this was not that an enjoyable puzzle.
Thank you, Gerry. Congrats on your debut at the LAT. Thank you, Splynter.
ReplyDeleteFilled it in easily enough, but as I progressed I couldn't sense anything in common among the theme answers until the reveal.
The puzzle had a bit of an international feel.
Splynter, I swear, and I am not kidding you about this because I saw it on a program and it wasn't in jest. They were serious as all get out. It's worth a shot. Look for a dragonfly hat clip. Dragonflies are natural predators of gnats and other insects. Let us know how it works out for you. You might try a little vinegar on the brim of your hat. That's also supposed to work.
"3. Set off, as fireworks: IGNITE - thankfully, the folks of my neighborhood set off only a handful..." Fireworks are illegal in Illinois, but that didn't stop the revelers last Friday night: Time-lapse video captures fireworks across Chicago skyline.
Happy Birthday, Dash T. 55 seems like a milepost. I hope you are able to carve out some time for something special today.
Splynter, during lunch I found them. The originals and ones I saw on TV are called Dragonfly Wingman. A guy in Canada developed and patented them:
Deletehttps://www.getyourbug.com/our-story
There are TikTok and YouTube testimonials about them.
I found the originals on Amazon for $23.99 for 2 of them, and some really inexpensive knockoffs for less.
Even if they don't work, they would be conversation starters.
This the composer speaking. No evaluative comments from me, of course. But I do want to correct one bit of misinformation. Far from my LAT debut, I have previously published fourteen puzzles in the LAT.
ReplyDeleteMy bad - I use a crossword reference site - where I got your picture - and they mentioned just the two from the NYT; I once again, must apologize to a constructor - it's becoming a habit, lately - another "mediocre review"
Delete- Splynter
Took 6:05 today for me to get moRE REasonable.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know today's authors (Rau or Kidd), the Italian scholar (Eco, although I knew the Italian volcano), or that "idli" is a thing.
I am familiar with Acadia National Park, having spent a lovely week there about 7-8 years ago. The Bumblebee Hike is fairly intense in parts (iron handles on the mountain side), but the delicious popovers at Jordan Pond make it all worthwhile.
Congratulations, Gerry W. on your 15th puzzle in the LAT, and Happy 55th Birthday to Anon-Tony!
First time I've seen ''adagio'' as a solution in a CW. I love Barber's Adagio for Strings. The theme was very clever. Thanks Gerry and Patti.
ReplyDeleteRE RE, not to be confused with RiRI, the nickname for the singer. I knew 9/12 of those names, with KIDD, RAU, and SENECA coming from perps.
ReplyDeleteAND-RERE-ED, make that four consecutive LOSING Super Bowls. But at least they got there.
ACADIA- N.E.'s Congressmen need to designate some patch of woods as a National Park. There's a swampy patch of woods about 5 miles from my house named Jean Lafitte National Park. Jean Lafitte was a pirate that Andrew Jackson used in the Battle of New Orleans.
ADAGIO- Presto, Allegro, Andante, Adagio, Larghetto, and Largo- fast to slow on my metronome.
Had they had ANDy REiD as the head honcho, they would probably have won at least two of those Super Bowls. I like and admire him a lot, now that he is no longer affiliated with the despised Eagles.
DeleteWonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Gerry (and for dropping by to clarify your afoRE REpeats) and Splynter.
ReplyDeleteI FIRed in very good time and saw the RE DOUBLED. There was a stray RE, right in the centRE of the CW (REAR). Not quite an Easter Egg for our OMELETTE however.
We had music today with TENOR, ARIA, ADAGIO, EAR.
DAFFODIL reminded me of the Wordsworth poem (not a SONNET), I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud.
MEDIOCRE is an interesting word, “from Latin mediocris "of middling height or state, moderate, ordinary, inferior, - “ literally "halfway up a mountain".
Not reaching the summit (or not winning the Stanley Cup) evokes the idea of a failed mission.
I won’t discuss our Toronto Maple Leafs failure to win the Stanley Cup since 1967, but how about our Toronto Blue Jays, who stand at the top of the AL East, with 10 consecutive wins going into the All-Star break.
This Canadian smiled broadly at ELBOW(s up!)
Happy 55th birthday, AnonT. You are still a youngster!
Wishing you all a great day.
I found this CW rather easy. Although I usually dislike many names in á puzzle, I barely noticed this morning’s, probably because they were all familiar to me except REED and. KIDD, but á lucky WAG took care of that.
ReplyDeleteThe one other difficulty was IDLI but ROFL solved the problem.
Many years ago I attended á lecture by the Italian scholar Umberto ECO in Austin.
I didn’t notice the theme until the reveal after which I re-read the long answers and said I SEE.
Thank you Splynter for the nice recap. Schnauzers are wonderful dogs, but they have to be groomed regularly. I agree that an animal shelter or á rescue organization is the way to go.
Happy birthday Á -T. 🎂🎁🎉🎊
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteI noticed the abundance of REs but not their proximity to each other, therefore, the reveal was quite a surprise. The solve was easy, smooth, and w/o free, with Andre Reed being the only unknown. Oops, forgot about Idli, but that was filled in by surrounding knowns. I thought the themers were very strong, but I was expecting more than a one word reveal.
Thanks, Gerry, your name was familiar to me, so welcome back and thanks, Splynter, for the detailed and fair review. As DO and Jinx mentioned, shelter and rescue dogs are just waiting for a forever home. Good luck in your search.
Very Happy Birthday wishes to our dear Tony! May your day be as special as you are. 🎂🎁🎈🎊🎉
Have a great day.
Like Monkey, I took a WAG at the crossing of REED and KIDD. Otherwise, this puzzle was pretty smooth sailing for me. Even IDLI was familiar from previous LAT crossword puzzles.
ReplyDeleteSplynter, you made me laugh. So you *did* see my caption on the ostrich photo on July 3rd! I have a deep collection of personal photo files, but no Splynter files! Somehow that photo reminded me of you.
Congratulations to Gerry for his 15th puzzle in the LAT -- a very good one -- and to Anon-T, who appears to be hale, hearty, and handsome at 55. Keep it up, both of you!
ReplyDeleteEasy puzzle and theme but REREED (replace a worn out oboe reed?) Take the R from RE and give it to a FIEND and he becomes your “fRiend!”
I worked at Seneca Falls Hospital in Seneca Falls NY, one of our two satellite rural facilities. Both closed down. (Used to pass by the “Women’s National Hall of Fame “each trip but never time to check it out.) These smaller hospitals could stabilize acutely ill rural (read poor) patients so they could survive long enough to reach higher level of care hospitals. They are rapidly disappearing along with our health care for the poor.
OMELETTE spelt en français so probably costs more than an OMELET. MENTOS (menta Latin/Italian for “mint”)
IDLI? Think that’s where Umberto Eco a professore at my “Uni” is from
Frequent nemesis of the CW worker: MENTAL “block” (probably the derivation of “Blockhead”)
Speaking of NATURE pRESERVES I just saw the latest Jurassic Park movie. “Jurassic World, Rebirth”. Always try to guess who will be the first to get eaten. Why are the most vicious dinosaurs so lumbering and slow going after the good guys who get to escape but so quick and efficient catching and gobbling up the bad guys. 🦖 ?
Happy B day ANTNEE, you young whipper snapper! 🎂
Musings
ReplyDelete-Just back from two hours in the dentist’s chair
-The “RE” gimmick was fun
-My friend has no irons in his golf bag. He only uses WOODS up to a 15 wood.
-Firework IGNITION was way down this year in the hood. We and Lily liked that.
-The phonetician/linguist Henry Higgins says in the play's first act, "You can spot an Irishman or a Yorkshireman by his brogue. I can place any man within six miles. I can place him within two miles in London.
-HBD, Tony!
-Thanks Splynter!
Not an awful outing, but the plethora of names, text-speak, and IGLI sucked some of the enjoyment out for me. MARITIME measure? "Half a league, half a league, half a league onward, all in the valley of death rode the six hundred". Hadn't realized that the Light Brigade charged through a lake! Thanks for the nice recap, Splynter! The RE-RE went over my head this morning. Probably should have had that third cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteWell, while I'm at the library, I'll wish you a Happy Birthday, Anon-T! (and because I'm at the library instead of on my phone, I'm "anonymous." This is Subgenius, Anon-T.)
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, wouldn't it be nice to get a HALO for solving this delightful Wednesday offering. Many thanks, Gerry, for your 15th puzzle this morning. And your commentaries and pictures are always a pleasure, thanks for those too, Splynter.
ReplyDeleteWell, my spirits were IGNITED by being able to start with that delicious OMELETTE and a lovely TORTE along with some BRIE for breakfast. Wish I could have shared this nice meal with DAD or with some AMIGOS. But instead I just had to settle down and listen to some beautiful music, starting with the sound of that ADAGIO followed immediately by an ARIA. What a great way to start a morning. Now it's time to go out to the garden and water those DAFFODILS.
Have a lovely day, everyone.
Despite the 16 names (groan) including 6 DNKs, I was VERY surprised to FIR in 8, WAY better than my usual Wednesday time. OMELETTE is a word I can never seem to remember how to spell. One M or two? E between the M and L or no? One L or two? One T or two. Geez. Needed perps as reminders. Seems there is more than one way to spell it. Never heard of PEAT as a whiskey flavor, but then again, I don't drink whiskey. Once again, forgot to look for the theme (groan) but think I'd found it had I looked. Thanx GW for the fun. Too many names, though, and some crossing names. Tsk, Tsk. Thanx for the terrific write-up, Splynter, and for brightening my day with the nice legs. HBD Anon-T.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the word IDLI on menus but never was entirely sure what it meant.
ReplyDeleteWicked WITCH had to be abandoned in favor of FIEND.
I flipped a coin as to whether to enter EDAM or BRIE.
POI made NEAT become PEAT.
DAFFYD is a common name in Wales. I wonder if it has the same etymology as DAFFODIL.
RAO became RAU.
Happy birthday, Anonymous-T!
If you double something it's twice as great. If you redouble it then it's four times as great.
ReplyDeleteHi All!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gerry for the nice theme - getting 3 RE-RE doesn't seem easy. Thanks for popping in - feel free to regale us w/ some inside-baseball.
Another metal expo, Splynter. And that Rorschach butterfly toon was LOL.
WOs: AlEGRO
ESPs: ANDRE REED | KIDD, RAU, SENECA, ESTELLE, ECO, IDLI
Fav: LEAGUE - there was a book, What the Witch Left, where the kids find Seven League Boots - each step was 7 leagues. That's how I knew it was a distance, D-O.
Unclefred - Scotch (whiskey) can get very peaty depending on where in Scotland it's from.
Thanks for all the Birthday wishes!
Cheers, -T