Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center - their labyrinth website page
Author Norman M. Aaronson had an LA Times crossword back in July on a Wednesday here. Today he returns with a puzzle that was, for me, not a very challenging Friday foray, despite a dozen names and a Natick. Four themers with 'a twist' in the clue, and nothing obscure in the answers; I don't know how this one got published so late in the week; perhaps the oversized 15x16 grid~? Not likely - or maybe I was on his wavelength, and most of the fill was in my wheelhouse; YMMV. ALOT of Twurds & names, not so many 3LWs, no circles, no outliers. Four themers, none spanning, no reveal;
18. Story told with a twist: MYSTERY NOVEL - I am currently reading the "Exoskeleton" series from Shane Stadler, an odd horror/sci-fi/existential series, but I am sticking with it
29. Party gift created with a twist: BALLOON ANIMAL
Bah-dum-tiss
50. Cocktail served with a twist: VESPER MARTINI - Ha~! I wondered if this was the James Bond drink, ordered in the 2006 Daniel Craig 007 movie Casino Royale - and a gratuitous scene for our C.C.
My friend, bring me one as well, keep the fruit . . ." - Felix Leiter
66. Feat performed with a twist: PLATFORM DIVE - but can you do the Triple Lindy~?
ACROSS:
1. Big horn: TUBA - "it's not a TUBA~!"
AAAAhnaaald~!
5. "Scoot!": AMSCRAY - Pig Latin for Scram - the 'language' formation "rules"
12. Winery tub: VAT
15. Human rights lawyer Clooney: AMAL - I know who she is, could not recall the spelling, went with AMAN - Bzzzzt~! - name #1
Hey, I think I know that guy with her . . .
16. Bacon strips: RASHERS
17. Kerfuffle: ADO
20. Replayed tennis serve: LET
21. Gnats, termites, and the like: PESTS
22. River deposit: SILT
23. Timothée Chalamet trilogy set on a desert planet: DUNE - Tried reading this Frank Herbert novel back in middle school, but I just couldn't get into it, and I'm a Sci-Fi guy; I did watch some of the "new" series featuring this actor - and I like the dragonfly things . . . name(ish)
23. Believer in a noninterfering god: DEIST - I believe in "The Force" - I was on a 12-step spritual retreat this past weekend, and I walked the labyrinth pictured at the top on the grounds Sunday morning - now I want to make one in my back yard~!
25. Woes: ILLS
26. Thunder sound: CLAP - what's the sound of ONE thunder bolt clapping~? 🙄
One week to "Cooper"town, Irish Miss~!
28. Wild beast also called a wildebeest: GNU
30. Largest city in the Cornhusker State: OMAHA - Geo name #9, and a Saturday sherpa shout-out
31. Sesame Street's resident Grouch: OSCAR - name #10
32. Fit: ABLE
33. Country singer Lovett: LYLE - name #11, knew it
34. Patron saint of Norway: OLAV - name #12, knew it two ( too )
35. Uncommon: RARE
36. Pool equipment: CUESTICKS - Ah, that kind of pool . . . not the Monday one
40. Railroad station: DEPOT
42. This, in Spanish: ESTO - Español #2
43. Mix: STIR
46. "Blue Bloods" actor Cariou: LEN - I remember he played a role on Law & Order, still, name #13
48. Early afternoon hr.: ONEPM - this, or TWO
51. Rummages (through): RIFLES
52. Big grinders: MOLARS - dental, not deli . . .
53. Sealed the victory: ICEDIT - Two words #4
56. Japanese dog breed: AKITA - name(ish)
57. Mars exploration vehicle: ROVER - could be your Akita dog's name, too . . . 😁
Um, no. D-o went with Uh, YES. Hey, that lady lawyer could'a been named AHAL. That was the beginning and ending of the mystery on this one. But that was enough. Bzzzzzzt. Thanx, Norman and Splynter.
FIW. I was so focused on VESPER MARTINI, TONIO and LEN that I forgot to revisit mALL x DEISm. I erased several entries trying to cram in an african elephant. ALT TAB disabused me of that notion. Also use me->USE BY (I really wanted eat me,) and esta->ESTO,
Never heard of a VESPER MARTINI, but I do remember VESPER Lynd from Casino Royale.
Luckiest man alive: LYLE. (He bagged Julia Roberts.) Luckiest woman alive: AMIL. (She bagged George Clooney.)
Thanks to Norman for the Friday special, and to Splynter for the fun review.
If there was a 'twist' in this puzzle I never noticed it. I had to take a long look at the VESPER MARTINI after OLAV (or OLAF-wasn't sure) finished it. The rest of the puzzle was a Monday level one, with only CHOI and TONIO as unknowns.
AH YES-okay. That's what people say. UM YES- I would say UM NO.
AMAL- I wish the media would quit touting people as activists, influencers, rising stars, podcasters, protestors, human rights this or that and just report the news. With that thought, I'll AMSCRAY.
You nailed your summary, Splynter, this was the easiest Friday in memory. I just had a different Natick at LEN crossing TONIO, but I guess N was the only real choice. And thanks for the balloon animal toon!
I spent a little time at the end trying to discover the theme until I realized it was outside the grid and in the clues.
The puzzle itself was fine but was by no means a Friday theme or challenge. Choi and Vesper Martini were the only unknowns but easily sussed. Omaha is becoming a fairly regular entry. Does anyone know why bacon portions are referred to as rashers? Overall, an easy solve but a disappointing Friday offering.
Thanks, Norman, and thanks, Splynter, for the detailed review and commentary, especially the breakdown of the various pluses and minuses of the cluing and fill. Enjoy your Cooper-sitting duties.
I didn't know the Actors of the Day (Choi & Len) and I struggled with the foreign language lessons (estas, esto, & etre). "Rashers" was also a learning moment.
I agree, pretty easy for a Friday. The theme was evident at MYSTERY NOVEL. The V of unknown VESPER was the last cell to fill. It sounded better than fESPER. One other unknown CHOI.
I don’t guess people use pig Latin today. TERRACE SEEMS odd for a bbq locale.
Thank you Splynter for a fun and informative review.
FIR. For a Friday I found this to be fairly easy. For the most part the cluing was quite fair. I got the theme early on and that helped a lot. I'd never heard of a vesper martini, but since I don't drink it's not surprising. I'm lost when it comes to mixed drinks. Overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Last week I did really bad from Wednesday on, so I was happy to finish today's, even though I FIW. Always like it when I read comments here, that mirror my own. Crossing an unknown clown, with an unknown actor was my downfall. I guessed Lou because for me, there was no way to even come close.
Fastest Friday I can remember. More early-in-the-weekish easy clues/theme.
The OLA F/V debacle but only VESPER made sense. (So a MARTINI shot back after evening prayers?) ASIATIC 🐘 Not Asian? who GNU?
If ESTO is “this” in español is ESTAS “those”, feminine case? “ÊTRE ou ne pas ÊTRE” says Hamlet touring France. Are Spanish and French CWs challenged with English clues and answers?
“AMSCRAY”: How ‘bout a CW with a Pig Latin theme! C’mon somebody.
…LAUD Mancave : ADEN Academy award for grouchiest actor: OSCAR
Ack! Whoa, whoa, back up the boat! What's goin' on here? I seem to remember writing about I PAGLIACCI, and it wasn't Tonio, it was Canio! Who's messin' with the letters here...
Just a non-update, I sent an email to the school website, to ask them to forward our existence to our new constructor, and have him read our Blog if he wants feedback. I have'nt heard (bupkiss?). Possibly because they thought I was Spam... (they might not be wrong...)
Hmm, after a deeper dive (re reading wiki) there was more than one clown in that Opera? (Is this Where "send in the clowns" comes from?) Sheesh! Some day I am going to have to get past that one aria...
Re: Dune Don't get me wrong, I love SciFy! But I never really got into Dune... It could be that I made a mistake, and read book two first, the. Book one, then book three, and never noticed the mistake until years later....
I agree with the "Easy for a Friday" comments. FIR in 17. 18 names, DNK 6. As others, "V" was the last cell to fill. Never heard of a "vesper martini".
Tolkien monster: ENT/ORT/ORC/ Oy.
Thanx for the fun CW, NMA. Best clue: Big grinders.
Thanx too to Splynter for the terrific write-up. Whenever I see pictures of women wearing those ridiculous high-heel shoes, I always think, "They are ruining their feet!"
I struggling through my third day with a miserable cold. Going back to bed now, hope to get some sleep, which has been scant the last three nights.
Be careful, Unc — I just had the same thing…and it morphed into pneumonia. Put me in hospital overnight. If you get worse, don’t mess with it — go directly to the ER.
Hola! Easy Friday puzzle. I'm surprised because I expect more challenge on a Friday. I've never heard of a VESPER MARTINI though I'm very familiar with VESPERS as an evening prayer. Does anyone remember the Christmas movie, AMAL and the Night Visitors? That's what I always think of when I see AMAL. Kenneth CHOI was the only unknown for me and I always wait to see if it's OLAF or OLAV. ADEN has seen a lot of action lately. CSO to Gary at OMAHA. Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Musings -OLA(F OR V) and a drink I have never heard of was my last stop. LEN and TONIO made the section even more challenging but it all worked itself out. -OMAHA has been a frequent destination for Patti and the constructors recently. That city is still drying out after horrible flooding on Wednesday. -A hilarious AMAL Clooney introduction -Cell phones rob you of the satisfaction of SLAMMING down the receiver. -My DW does not differentiate between USE BY and BEST WHEN USED BY dates -Milk and bananas take care of themselves when you know how long they are usable. -The Mars ROVER Opportunity was designed for a 90-Day mission. It lasted for nearly 15 years.
Fabulous Friday. Thanks for the fun, Norman and Splynter. I FIRed in very good time, but was looking for more of a “twist” theme in the themers.
Several inkblots. ASIoTIC made no sense for an elephant, but forced me to the plural BASSI not BASSo. I filled in DEISm without reading the clue fully. (Hi Jinx)That gave me “mALE” models until LYLE showed me the error of my ways. DEIST is the believer. Hand up for hesitating between OLAf and OLAV. Although I am not familiar with a VESPER MARTINI , it sounded better than a fESTER one.(hi Monkey)
I noted AREEL and AFAR. We had Spanish ESTAS, ESTONIAN and the French ETRE. Plus the Spanish HASTO - whoops, it would be HASTa. LOL
OMAHA has been a popular city in CWs this week. PEKOE tea is Red Rose for this Canadian. Wishing you all a great day.
AAARGH…14+ proper names (depending on how y’count ‘em) with a couple of crossings; words in 3 foreign languages (plus pig Latin?) and stuff like AREEL (a-really?!?). If this hadn’t been inordinately easy for a Friday, I’d have been even more peeved. Starting with the wrong kind of “Big horn” didn't help (tusk>TUBA) as didn’t tout>LAUD. Being a Mac guy, I had no clue (pun intended) about ALT-TAB; luckily, once I got my horns tuned, between perps and WAGs (would those be “pergs”?) things worked out and I got the ol’ FIR.
Most of my entertainment came from your review, Splynter. The Triple Lindy! Inflation! 007’s new martini! Fun stuff, thanks dude! That all eased the pain 🤣
The crossing of “Len”
ReplyDeleteand “Tonio” wasn’t really fair, in my opinion. And I have other little nits like that.
Nevertheless, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteUm, no. D-o went with Uh, YES. Hey, that lady lawyer could'a been named AHAL. That was the beginning and ending of the mystery on this one. But that was enough. Bzzzzzzt. Thanx, Norman and Splynter.
FIW. I was so focused on VESPER MARTINI, TONIO and LEN that I forgot to revisit mALL x DEISm. I erased several entries trying to cram in an african elephant. ALT TAB disabused me of that notion. Also use me->USE BY (I really wanted eat me,) and esta->ESTO,
ReplyDeleteNever heard of a VESPER MARTINI, but I do remember VESPER Lynd from Casino Royale.
Luckiest man alive: LYLE. (He bagged Julia Roberts.) Luckiest woman alive: AMIL. (She bagged George Clooney.)
Thanks to Norman for the Friday special, and to Splynter for the fun review.
ReplyDeleteIf there was a 'twist' in this puzzle I never noticed it. I had to take a long look at the VESPER MARTINI after OLAV (or OLAF-wasn't sure) finished it. The rest of the puzzle was a Monday level one, with only CHOI and TONIO as unknowns.
AH YES-okay. That's what people say. UM YES- I would say UM NO.
AMAL- I wish the media would quit touting people as activists, influencers, rising stars, podcasters, protestors, human rights this or that and just report the news. With that thought, I'll AMSCRAY.
You nailed your summary, Splynter, this was the easiest Friday in memory. I just had a different Natick at LEN crossing TONIO, but I guess N was the only real choice. And thanks for the balloon animal toon!
ReplyDeleteI spent a little time at the end trying to discover the theme until I realized it was outside the grid and in the clues.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteThe puzzle itself was fine but was by no means a Friday theme or challenge. Choi and Vesper Martini were the only unknowns but easily sussed. Omaha is becoming a fairly regular entry. Does anyone know why bacon portions are referred to as rashers? Overall, an easy solve but a disappointing Friday offering.
Thanks, Norman, and thanks, Splynter, for the detailed review and commentary, especially the breakdown of the various pluses and minuses of the cluing and fill. Enjoy your Cooper-sitting duties.
Have a great day.
Took 6:09 today to finish with Chubby Checker.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the Actors of the Day (Choi & Len) and I struggled with the foreign language lessons (estas, esto, & etre). "Rashers" was also a learning moment.
I miss the old Friday-level crossword puzzles.
I agree, pretty easy for a Friday. The theme was evident at MYSTERY NOVEL. The V of unknown VESPER was the last cell to fill. It sounded better than fESPER. One other unknown CHOI.
ReplyDeleteI don’t guess people use pig Latin today. TERRACE SEEMS odd for a bbq locale.
Thank you Splynter for a fun and informative review.
The V was also my last fill. I can never remember if it's OLAF or OLAV.
DeleteBig Easy
FIR. For a Friday I found this to be fairly easy. For the most part the cluing was quite fair.
ReplyDeleteI got the theme early on and that helped a lot. I'd never heard of a vesper martini, but since I don't drink it's not surprising. I'm lost when it comes to mixed drinks.
Overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Last week I did really bad from Wednesday on, so I was happy to finish today's, even though I FIW. Always like it when I read comments here, that mirror my own. Crossing an unknown clown, with an unknown actor was my downfall. I guessed Lou because for me, there was no way to even come close.
ReplyDeleteFailed at Len-Tonio natick. And Pagliacci was the one opera my opera-loving dad got my to watch all the way through. I'm so ashamed.
ReplyDeleteProbably cuz it’s a short opera limited to just two acts.
DeleteOften performed with another short opera “Cavelleria Rusticana” (Rustic Chivalry)
The aria always makes me cry.
DeleteWhat's the name?
DeleteVesti la giubba
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFastest Friday I can remember. More early-in-the-weekish easy clues/theme.
ReplyDeleteThe OLA F/V debacle but only VESPER made sense. (So a MARTINI shot back after evening prayers?) ASIATIC 🐘 Not Asian? who GNU?
If ESTO is “this” in español is ESTAS “those”, feminine case? “ÊTRE ou ne pas ÊTRE” says Hamlet touring France. Are Spanish and French CWs challenged with English clues and answers?
“AMSCRAY”: How ‘bout a CW with a Pig Latin theme! C’mon somebody.
…LAUD
Mancave : ADEN
Academy award for grouchiest actor: OSCAR
Gloomy rainy Friday 😟
(Second time what is printed cut off what I cut and pasted. A MYSTERY!) 🤔
DeleteHand up LEN/TONIO unfair and unnecessary. Even Google has no idea about this TONIO.
ReplyDeleteNot fond of this kind of theme. It does not help at all with the solve. Managed to FIR.
My Natick was RASHERS & CHOI
ReplyDeleteRashers must be a geographic thing
cause I never heard of it, and I'm from Natick,MA
Ribmeat
DeleteAck! Whoa, whoa, back up the boat! What's goin' on here?
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember writing about I PAGLIACCI, and it wasn't Tonio, it was Canio! Who's messin' with the letters here...
Just a non-update, I sent an email to the school website, to ask them to forward our existence to our new constructor, and have him read our Blog if he wants feedback. I have'nt heard (bupkiss?). Possibly because they thought I was Spam... (they might not be wrong...)
Hmm, after a deeper dive (re reading wiki) there was more than one clown in that Opera?
(Is this Where "send in the clowns" comes from?)
Sheesh! Some day I am going to have to get past that one aria...
Re: Dune
Don't get me wrong, I love SciFy! But I never really got into Dune...
It could be that I made a mistake, and read book two first, the. Book one, then book three, and never noticed the mistake until years later....
Oh, almost forgot...
I wouldn't be CE:D if I didn't post something silly...
I GNU it! 🤙🏽😎
DeleteI agree with the "Easy for a Friday" comments. FIR in 17. 18 names, DNK 6. As others, "V" was the last cell to fill. Never heard of a "vesper martini".
ReplyDeleteTolkien monster: ENT/ORT/ORC/ Oy.
Thanx for the fun CW, NMA. Best clue: Big grinders.
Thanx too to Splynter for the terrific write-up. Whenever I see pictures of women wearing those ridiculous high-heel shoes, I always think, "They are ruining their feet!"
I struggling through my third day with a miserable cold. Going back to bed now, hope to get some sleep, which has been scant the last three nights.
I find sleep is one of the best remedies for colds.
DeleteBe careful, Unc — I just had the same thing…and it morphed into pneumonia. Put me in hospital overnight. If you get worse, don’t mess with it — go directly to the ER.
Delete====> Darren / L.A.
Hola! Easy Friday puzzle. I'm surprised because I expect more challenge on a Friday. I've never heard of a VESPER MARTINI though I'm very familiar with VESPERS as an evening prayer. Does anyone remember the Christmas movie, AMAL and the Night Visitors? That's what I always think of when I see AMAL.
ReplyDeleteKenneth CHOI was the only unknown for me and I always wait to see if it's OLAF or OLAV.
ADEN has seen a lot of action lately.
CSO to Gary at OMAHA.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Musings
ReplyDelete-OLA(F OR V) and a drink I have never heard of was my last stop. LEN and TONIO made the section even more challenging but it all worked itself out.
-OMAHA has been a frequent destination for Patti and the constructors recently. That city is still drying out after horrible flooding on Wednesday.
-A hilarious AMAL Clooney introduction
-Cell phones rob you of the satisfaction of SLAMMING down the receiver.
-My DW does not differentiate between USE BY and BEST WHEN USED BY dates
-Milk and bananas take care of themselves when you know how long they are usable.
-The Mars ROVER Opportunity was designed for a 90-Day mission. It lasted for nearly 15 years.
Len/Tonio, Tonio made the most sense for an Italian name. Otherwise I had no idea. Vesper sounded better to me than Fesper. Way easy for a Friday.
ReplyDeleteFabulous Friday. Thanks for the fun, Norman and Splynter.
ReplyDeleteI FIRed in very good time, but was looking for more of a “twist” theme in the themers.
Several inkblots.
ASIoTIC made no sense for an elephant, but forced me to the plural BASSI not BASSo.
I filled in DEISm without reading the clue fully. (Hi Jinx)That gave me “mALE” models until LYLE showed me the error of my ways. DEIST is the believer.
Hand up for hesitating between OLAf and OLAV. Although I am not familiar with a VESPER MARTINI , it sounded better than a fESTER one.(hi Monkey)
I noted AREEL and AFAR.
We had Spanish ESTAS, ESTONIAN and the French ETRE. Plus the Spanish HASTO - whoops, it would be HASTa. LOL
OMAHA has been a popular city in CWs this week.
PEKOE tea is Red Rose for this Canadian.
Wishing you all a great day.
AAARGH…14+ proper names (depending on how y’count ‘em) with a couple of crossings; words in 3 foreign languages (plus pig Latin?) and stuff like AREEL (a-really?!?). If this hadn’t been inordinately easy for a Friday, I’d have been even more peeved. Starting with the wrong kind of “Big horn” didn't help (tusk>TUBA) as didn’t tout>LAUD. Being a Mac guy, I had no clue (pun intended) about ALT-TAB; luckily, once I got my horns tuned, between perps and WAGs (would those be “pergs”?) things worked out and I got the ol’ FIR.
ReplyDeleteMost of my entertainment came from your review, Splynter. The Triple Lindy! Inflation! 007’s new martini! Fun stuff, thanks dude! That all eased the pain 🤣
====> Darren / L.A.