Good Morning, Cruciverbalists. Malodorous Manatee here (from Crested Butte, Colorado this fine fall day) with the recap of a puzzle by Lee Taylor.
Today, Lee does not give us a reveal / unifier. Instead he offers us clues in which portions of the answers are hidden in plain sight. Those clues provide us with the letters comprising both beginning and the end of the sought-after answer. In the clues, those pieces are combined into a single word. In the answers, those pieces are split apart and each part is a portion of one of the two words that form the answer. One way to approach answering the clues is to ignore the second part of each clue. Another approach is to use the second part of each clue as a source of the beginning and end of each answer. It's simpler than I have made it sound. Take a look at the four themers to see:
18 Across: Slasher flick actress on a split screen?: SCREAM QUEEN. SCREEN has been split.
25 Across: Merchant Ivory works featuring split peas?: PERIOD DRAMAS. Merchant Ivory is a film production company. PEAS has been split.
44 Across: Auras around people with split ends?: ENERGY FIELDS. ENDS has been split.
59 Across: Lack of recognition for working a split shift?: SHORT SHRIFT. SHIFT has been split.
This is how everything appears in the grid:
Other than the themed responses above, here are the clues and answers:
Across:
1. Place to retire: BED. Retire as in go to sleep not as in to stop working.
4. Let gravity do most of the work, perhaps: COAST. Sled prices are too damn high but you can find a good deal if you're willing toboggan.
9. Estrangements: RIFTS.
14. "Rules __ rules": ARE. The motto of my gym's Silver Sneakers instructors.
15. Infuriate: ANGER. ANGER as a verb.
16. Salon abrasive: EMERY.
17. Word often said while holding a treat: SIT.
20. Summer quaff: ICED TEA.
22. Links: COUPLES. Not links as in golf course. And not couples as in groups of two people. Used as a verb. To link, or COUPLE, things together. Think, for example, railroad cars.
23. Emmy and Grammy winner Burnett: CAROL. See also 65 Across.
24. Sandwich shop: DELI. I went to a deli and said, "I'd like to buy a bagel with cream cheese." The kid behind the counter replied, "Sorry we only take cash or credit cards."
32. Protective cover: TARP. A group of bedazzled TARPs and a bunch of poles walk into a restaurant and order some stakes....Things became pretty tents.
35. W.H. Auden's "__ to the Medieval Poets": ODE. Someone wrote a poem about the sounds made by dogs. It can only be read if you scan it first. It's a bark ODE.
36. Slowly wear down: ERODE. Slowly deconstruct.
37. Develops over time: EVOLVES. Slowly create. Nice juxtaposition.
39. Dish garnished with peanuts and lime: PAD THAI.
41. Marisa with a cameo in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day": TOMEI. Perhaps best known for her work in the movie "My Cousin Vinny".
42. Have a cold, say: AIL.
43. Schools of thought: ISMS. The suffix (pluralized).
48. Close by: NEAR. "Work until" wouldn't fit the allotted space.
65. Oscar and Grammy winner Burnett: T BONE. T BONE Burnett is a legendary music producer and musician. See also 23 Across. Nice touch. Among many other works, T BONE produced the sound track for the film "O Brother Where Art Thou".
66. Tabloid TV host Povich: MAURY.
67. Squalid space: STY.
Down:
1. No-frills: BASIC.
2. "I Luh God" singer Campbell: ERICA. New to this solver. Thanks, perps.
3. Prevent: DETER.
4. Neuschwanstein __: CASTLE. The model for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty's Castle.
5. As soon as: ONCE.
6. City in India's Golden Triangle: AGRA. Often visited in our puzzles and often clued with reference to the Taj Mahal.
7. "What'd I tell you?": SEE. Get it?
8. Copied, in a way: TRACED. Copied exactly. Handy for forgery.
9. Not elective: REQUIRED. Ah, college days !
10. "My turn!": I'M UP.
11. Have a hunch: FEEL.
12. Sequoia, e.g.: TREE. Also the name of a Toyota SUV.
26. School of tomorrow?: ROE. As in a school of fish - with ROE being fish eggs.
27. Puts a name to: IDS. IDentifieS
28. Skilled performer: ARTISTE. An "Artist" creates art, encompassing painters, sculptors, and more. An "ARTISTE" typically refers to a skilled performer, like a singer or dancer.
29. Mineralogist with a hardness scale: MOHS. Not to be confused with Moe's Hardness Scale.
30. Scott of "Severance": ADAM. ADAM also played Ben Wyatt in "Parks and Recreation".
31. Cuatro y dos: SEIS. Lección de español y matemáticas de hoy.
32. Spot for un chapeau: TETE. Leçon de français du jour.
33. Mary Kay rival: AVON.
34. City on the Tiber: ROME.
38. Brief scene: VIGNETTE.
39. Dessert for Little Jack Horner: PIE.
40. ATV component: ALL. Not a component of an actual All Terrain Vehicle. A component of the name ALL Terrain Vehicle.
42. Atmosphere: AIR.
45. Hankerings: YENS. URGES was too long.
46. Fully grasp: FATHOM. FATHOM has several meanings. In this case, to understand.
47. In a senseless way: DAFTLY. Not to be confused with DEFTLY.
50. Memorial bios: OBITS. OBITUARIES
51. Warrant: MERIT. Not a search or arrest warrant. Earned.
52. London of "What Not To Wear": STACY. NIMW. Thanks, perps.
53. Discreet summons: PSST. A sound often heard in our puzzles.
54. Ishmael's captain: AHAB. A monomaniacal sea captain who often visits our puzzles.
55. Brouhaha: TO DO.
56. Setting of the graphic novel "Persepolis": IRAN.
57. In __: as found: SITU. In situ is a Latin phrase meaning 'in the place' or 'on site'. The term refers to studying or working with something in its natural or original location rather than moving it elsewhere.
58. Over yonder: AFAR. Not in the Dickensian sense.
60. Color TV pioneer: RCA.
Well, I guess that it is time to split. Have a great Wednesday.
FIR, but thar->AFAR. Why was the hillbilly certain that the Three Wise Men smelled like smoke? Because they came from AFAR. (I know it's not as good as a MalMan pun, but it's awfully early.).
My favorite TOMEI movie is Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Favorite line: "Can I help you to seconds, or do you really have to get back to work now?"
MAURY's greatest achievement is to somehow convince Connie Chung to marry him. I first saw the charismatic Connie when she was a local news anchor on KNXT-TV in Los Angeles.
We are in the middle of the annual BRA-HA-HA. Entrants are invited to decorate a bra, and afterward the bras are auctioned off. The substantial proceeds are used to pay for mammograms for people who can't otherwise afford them. BRAHAHA.org.
Thanks to Lee foe the humpday workout. Lots of names, but easy perps. And thanks to our MalMan. You have outdone yourself today.
Methinks there was no reveal today, because the theme is impossible to explain. Guess who never got it until Mal-Man elucidated me. Interesting, but not particularly cute. Thanx, Lee and Mal-Man. (You appear to be drawing quite the attention in Crested Butte.)
FIR. Ivhad a little trouble with the bottom of the puzzle. I couldn't suss out shrift. When deftly showed up I got the win. I completely missed the theme. I had to come here to have it explained. Overall a so-so puzzle.
Well, I missed the theme also. Thank goodness for MM, Otherwise pretty easy puzzle in spite of the few unknown names like ERICA, STACY, ADAM, T BONE.
Many years ago when I visited Neuschwanstein CASTLE, it had snowed heavily the night before. That made for a very memorable, but cold, visit. I used to love Merchant Ivory movies.
Thank you MM for a fine review. Cute little dog. I was in Crested Butte many years ago. Fond memories. But I never saw a manatee there.
I saw the clever theme with the first themer which helped with the rest of the solve. I don’t remember an exact replica of this type of theme but I found it to be a fun and fresh approach. Erica was the only unknown and Sure Bet/Safe Bet was the only w/o. I loved the Burnett clecho clues and the Roe/Doe proximity. Overall, a pleasant and enjoyable Wednesday challenge.
Thanks, Lee, and thanks, MalMan, for a write up that was just as enjoyable as the puzzle. Your humor was in overdrive this morning which brought several laugh out loud moments. The Carol Burnett and Marisa Tomei scenes never get old!
FIW, the south got me with 5 errors. Never had a chance on the theme, and thought there were too many names, even though I guessed right on all of them.
Wonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Lee and MalMan (thanks for the groaners and that classic CAROL skit).
I FIRed in good time and saw the SPLIT theme with the ENDS in the third themer. That gave me the Split SH IFT for the fourth themer.
One inkblot to change Wrap to TARP. I had to add the D to ICE TEA to make it fit the spot. I had to wait for enough perps to fill to get the CA of that CASTLE. Unknown names perped fairly. TBONE had already filled - or I would have been scratching my head.
LIKE IM, I noted DOE and ROE. I smiled at the CSO to CMoe with that MOHS scale.
As usual, I solved as a themeless, and after reading the recap am glad that I did. I understand and accept the reality that themes are a modern-day crossword staple, but I prefer to just grind away at the clues and solve without distraction.
17 names, DNK 4, but still managed to FIR in 15. Never got the theme, needed MalMan to educate me.
I DNK Merchant Ivory was a movie company, so that clue was a real head scratcher. Filled via perps. The theme clues were a stretch. I taught chemistry many years ago, and what I recall is models for molecules, not atoms.
Thanx anyway, LT, an entertaining CW that made me think, which is why I do CWs, so there's that.
MalMan you were really on your game today, I loved your many witty comments, like for "tarp" and "ode". Excellent! And thanks for cluing me in on the theme, which zoomed far over my head.
I'm glad I didn't review this one as the theme was hard to suss out. Part of it was that the actual word that was split was in the clue, and that seemed wrong somehow. Anyway, thanks to MM for making sense of it all.
And thanks for the dad jokes! "I'd like to buy a bagel with cream cheese." LOL
Tooling along full speed but came to a screeching halt in the SE mostly cuz I had ARTISTs and thought the clue was “chem lab model”. Finally corrected. I would have never FATHOMed the split part of the theme answers though quite clever.
An easy humpday sometimes bodes a tough Thursday.
Malman has your Butt Crested in Colorado?, (oh sorry read that wrong😄). Loved the puns! You MERIT kudos
Current injuries are the result of my Rav 4 Toyota SUV getting T-BONEd at 40mph. Should be getting first skin graft next week. Ouch
The DOPPLER effect in ultrasound is what creates color ciné views of blood moving through vessels. Like when we examine carotid arteries for stenosis.
Two Burnetts, one unk. The “drapes as a dress” send up of GWTW was one of the funniest skits I can remember.
Pestered Dad to get a color TV. First excuse was they weren’t perfected yet (true, you could make people look orange. Best excuse was “the color hurts my eyes”
Rail all you want about this one, but it took 6:49 today, and I'm still on the fence. [Split rail fence.] [Is this thing on?]
I knew the Actress of the Day (Tomei; Jinx, my favorite movie of hers is "The Wrestler"). I didn't know "Neuschwanstein," "Tbone," "Erica," or what the heck all the split stuff was.
Although I don't necessarily understand the reasoning, Disney (and many of its avid fans) refers to the castles without possessives. So, the castle in Disneyland is "Sleeping Beauty Castle" and the castle in Disney World is "Cinderella Castle."
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I didn’t understand how
ReplyDeletethe theme clues related to their answers until I came on this site. But I solved them, anyway.
FIR, so I’m happy.
FIR, but thar->AFAR. Why was the hillbilly certain that the Three Wise Men smelled like smoke? Because they came from AFAR. (I know it's not as good as a MalMan pun, but it's awfully early.).
ReplyDeleteMy favorite TOMEI movie is Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Favorite line: "Can I help you to seconds, or do you really have to get back to work now?"
MAURY's greatest achievement is to somehow convince Connie Chung to marry him. I first saw the charismatic Connie when she was a local news anchor on KNXT-TV in Los Angeles.
We are in the middle of the annual BRA-HA-HA. Entrants are invited to decorate a bra, and afterward the bras are auctioned off. The substantial proceeds are used to pay for mammograms for people who can't otherwise afford them. BRAHAHA.org.
Thanks to Lee foe the humpday workout. Lots of names, but easy perps. And thanks to our MalMan. You have outdone yourself today.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteMethinks there was no reveal today, because the theme is impossible to explain. Guess who never got it until Mal-Man elucidated me. Interesting, but not particularly cute. Thanx, Lee and Mal-Man. (You appear to be drawing quite the attention in Crested Butte.)
The puzzle was easy. The theme was not.
ReplyDeleteFIR. Ivhad a little trouble with the bottom of the puzzle. I couldn't suss out shrift. When deftly showed up I got the win.
ReplyDeleteI completely missed the theme. I had to come here to have it explained.
Overall a so-so puzzle.
Well, I missed the theme also. Thank goodness for MM, Otherwise pretty easy puzzle in spite of the few unknown names like ERICA, STACY, ADAM, T BONE.
ReplyDeleteMany years ago when I visited Neuschwanstein CASTLE, it had snowed heavily the night before. That made for a very memorable, but cold, visit. I used to love Merchant Ivory movies.
Thank you MM for a fine review. Cute little dog. I was in Crested Butte many years ago. Fond memories. But I never saw a manatee there.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteI saw the clever theme with the first themer which helped with the rest of the solve. I don’t remember an exact replica of this type of theme but I found it to be a fun and fresh approach. Erica was the only unknown and Sure Bet/Safe Bet was the only w/o. I loved the Burnett clecho clues and the Roe/Doe proximity. Overall, a pleasant and enjoyable Wednesday challenge.
Thanks, Lee, and thanks, MalMan, for a write up that was just as enjoyable as the puzzle. Your humor was in overdrive this morning which brought several laugh out loud moments. The Carol Burnett and Marisa Tomei scenes never get old!
Have a great day.
FIW, the south got me with 5 errors. Never had a chance on the theme, and thought there were too many names, even though I guessed right on all of them.
ReplyDeleteFIR but had to come here to understand "roe" "t-bone" and the theme. Also had "courses" before perps pushed me to "couples". Overall a fun one though.
ReplyDeleteWonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Lee and MalMan (thanks for the groaners and that classic CAROL skit).
ReplyDeleteI FIRed in good time and saw the SPLIT theme with the ENDS in the third themer. That gave me the Split SH IFT for the fourth themer.
One inkblot to change Wrap to TARP.
I had to add the D to ICE TEA to make it fit the spot.
I had to wait for enough perps to fill to get the CA of that CASTLE.
Unknown names perped fairly. TBONE had already filled - or I would have been scratching my head.
LIKE IM, I noted DOE and ROE.
I smiled at the CSO to CMoe with that MOHS scale.
Wishing you all a great day.
As usual, I solved as a themeless, and after reading the recap am glad that I did. I understand and accept the reality that themes are a modern-day crossword staple, but I prefer to just grind away at the clues and solve without distraction.
ReplyDelete17 names, DNK 4, but still managed to FIR in 15. Never got the theme, needed MalMan to educate me.
ReplyDeleteI DNK Merchant Ivory was a movie company, so that clue was a real head scratcher. Filled via perps. The theme clues were a stretch. I taught chemistry many years ago, and what I recall is models for molecules, not atoms.
Thanx anyway, LT, an entertaining CW that made me think, which is why I do CWs, so there's that.
MalMan you were really on your game today, I loved your many witty comments, like for "tarp" and "ode". Excellent! And thanks for cluing me in on the theme, which zoomed far over my head.
I'm glad I didn't review this one as the theme was hard to suss out. Part of it was that the actual word that was split was in the clue, and that seemed wrong somehow. Anyway, thanks to MM for making sense of it all.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for the dad jokes! "I'd like to buy a bagel with cream cheese." LOL
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTooling along full speed but came to a screeching halt in the SE mostly cuz I had ARTISTs and thought the clue was “chem lab model”. Finally corrected. I would have never FATHOMed
ReplyDeletethe split part of the theme answers though quite clever.
An easy humpday sometimes bodes a tough Thursday.
Malman has your Butt Crested in Colorado?, (oh sorry read that wrong😄). Loved the puns! You MERIT kudos
Current injuries are the result of my Rav 4 Toyota SUV getting T-BONEd at 40mph. Should be getting first skin graft next week. Ouch
The DOPPLER effect in ultrasound is what creates color ciné views of blood moving through vessels. Like when we examine carotid arteries for stenosis.
Two Burnetts, one unk. The “drapes as a dress” send up of GWTW was one of the funniest skits I can remember.
Pestered Dad to get a color TV. First excuse was they weren’t perfected yet (true, you could make people look orange. Best excuse was “the color hurts my eyes”
Have a great day
Rail all you want about this one, but it took 6:49 today, and I'm still on the fence.
ReplyDelete[Split rail fence.]
[Is this thing on?]
I knew the Actress of the Day (Tomei; Jinx, my favorite movie of hers is "The Wrestler").
I didn't know "Neuschwanstein," "Tbone," "Erica," or what the heck all the split stuff was.
Although I don't necessarily understand the reasoning, Disney (and many of its avid fans) refers to the castles without possessives. So, the castle in Disneyland is "Sleeping Beauty Castle" and the castle in Disney World is "Cinderella Castle."