tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post4273251778890631237..comments2024-03-19T04:11:58.045-05:00Comments on L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Saturday, Dec 24th, 2016, Matt SkoczenZhouqin (C.C.) Burnikelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750267554729853785noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-75942324484209215242016-12-31T13:11:23.656-06:002016-12-31T13:11:23.656-06:00Amazed I completed it correctly with just WAGS and...Amazed I completed it correctly with just WAGS and no cheating. I feel like Irish Miss. I just keep working at it stubbornly which may also mean foolishly.<br /><br />Thanks Splynter for the explanations. I totally could not figure out ELENA and could also only think of popes. And I play the flute and had no idea about the glasses reference. So CLINKED went in with no understanding. Thanks, Splynter, for that explanation, too!<br /><br />No one else got stuck thinking "Enterprise enterprise" had to do with Star Trek? I also was sure that a MAGAZINE is read by waiters, but it just would not fit. I suspected these two not fittings involved some devious puzzle scheme.<br /><br />No idea about many of the names like DEMI and no idea about the LIAM NEESON role. Just know him from Schindler's List. No idea about FLOP from poker. Don't know Renee Fleming.<br /><br />I also was stuck on Ben and Jerry ice cream. But I did eventually figure out they meant Stiller.<br /><br />Not sure why IRELAND is a Cork holder. I understand that Cork is a County in Ireland. But I don't think of that as a "holder".<br /><br />I thought Moviefone was something from the 1930s so I resisted AOL as owning it.Picardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17401317669146538447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-57231943412977305632016-12-25T03:08:13.565-06:002016-12-25T03:08:13.565-06:00This puzzle was more than "a-Paul-ing." ...This puzzle was more than "a-Paul-ing." 22A was one of the few clues I was able to decipher, but only after I realized I couldn't fit seven gables into 4 spaces!Nilesgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-14871858438228943432016-12-25T03:07:53.776-06:002016-12-25T03:07:53.776-06:00Okay, RetFizz, here's Año vs Ano.Okay, RetFizz, here's <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/one-spanish-letter-changes-these-words_us_560466ece4b00310edfab1bb" rel="nofollow">Año vs Ano</a>.OwenKLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16709695380239557575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-25894487222942376392016-12-25T01:53:10.938-06:002016-12-25T01:53:10.938-06:00But no-one has checked out my remark about Año vs ...But no-one has checked out my remark about Año vs Ano.RetFizzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06808090259947239260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-42950657779493580502016-12-24T22:50:09.808-06:002016-12-24T22:50:09.808-06:00Ret Fizz, now I see. I followed your lead and read...Ret Fizz, now I see. I followed your lead and read about Toreador having been invented for its syllables. Who knew!Dudleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07587399549104728305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-40034491206290941772016-12-24T22:04:08.595-06:002016-12-24T22:04:08.595-06:00Now that's an office party !Now that's an office party !Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09472446316589207365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-83567712241752433362016-12-24T21:53:25.748-06:002016-12-24T21:53:25.748-06:00Hi again~!
Thanks for the comments, and to Anon-T...Hi again~!<br /><br />Thanks for the comments, and to Anon-T for the "joyous filled squares" delivered - I'm finished with UPS for two whole days~!!! Next week is almost the same, but then it's a ghost town after that.<br /><br />NW Runner, yes, the music clue was vague, but considering it's Saturday, I would not expect them to be direct - and yes, A major is the first key with G sharp.<br /><br />I first heard Victor Borge on the PBS channel - when they were pledging.<br /><br />Jinx, I have posted revealing pics before, and gotten into trouble, so I have to find something a little more tame - but I can <a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/22/3c/3f/223c3f4fcc45b8fe253c66d085e4effa.jpg" rel="nofollow">link</a> something here....and in festive color, too~!<br /><br />Happy Holidays,<br /><br />Splynter<br />Splynterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04857732691220377494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-34589375394934051532016-12-24T21:38:36.535-06:002016-12-24T21:38:36.535-06:00Tough puzzle. I had mostly white space after the f...Tough puzzle. I had mostly white space after the first pass, getting only LA TRAVIATA, SHARP, ILES, PAC-man, TORERO, ARIAL, MAGREE (sic), AÑO (<b>very different</b> meaning without the tilde!!), YDS, ONE I, ENT, SASSED, EDINA, and RRS. Also filled in the final Ss when plurals were called for. MAGREE didn't look right, so the cheating began. I looked up Uncle Tom's Cabin to get the right spelling, LEGREE. I knew that five squares weren't enough to fill in John Paul II, so when I started getting some Es from perps, I figured it was the Supreme Court and filled in ELENA. We’d seen the Mamet play, and I remembered that it sounded something like oleander, so I filled in OLE and looked it up. Then Liam Neeson. DMC after RUN. I got FLOP from googling the rules of Texas Hold'em, needing something that ended in P. When I got _ON, it looked liked it could be only Son. Then I remembered the Stillers. Finished it off with WAGS and perps. I agree with Splynter that the Cork clue should’ve had a question mark.<br /><br />Dudley, our Spanish tour guide told us that Torero was the common word for bullfighter; he thought Toreador, as in Carmen, was an invention of the librettists.<br /><br />Northwest Runner, I agree about A major, but the puzzler needed a G.<br /><br />Anonymous T, the holiday to insert is Chrismukkah.<br /><br />Thanks, Splynter, for your excellent image-laden writeup, and Matt for a very challenging puzzle, with some very clever clues.RetFizzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06808090259947239260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-15326546566879068442016-12-24T20:55:35.503-06:002016-12-24T20:55:35.503-06:00No worries, IM. We all knew you meant having them ...No worries, IM. We all knew you meant having them over. But crossword clues often require an alternate reading.Anon11:34noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-44216301020444393652016-12-24T19:21:44.472-06:002016-12-24T19:21:44.472-06:00Northwest Runner @ 11:03:
You're right about ...Northwest Runner @ 11:03: <br />You're right about the sharps. Clue for G# should have been Note in A Maj. scale. Answer for E Maj. should be D#.<br /><br />But it's a crossword, and misdirection is a good thing.Mike Sherlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420362294423320273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-86237843979375364472016-12-24T16:44:16.397-06:002016-12-24T16:44:16.397-06:00Anon @ 11:34 - LOL, too! Correction: She is prepa...Anon @ 11:34 - LOL, too! Correction: She is preparing dinner for 32 people, all of whom will probably be ravenous! 🙃<br /><br />Madame Defarge @ 2:02 - I doubt that my sister will ever "see the light" as she has been preparing holiday dinners for 62 years. Enjoy your evening and your Christmas 🎄 Day turkey! 🦃Irish Misshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12527047622731333304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-11351729980959799882016-12-24T15:52:01.173-06:002016-12-24T15:52:01.173-06:00Admittedly this was a difficult puzzle, but I'...Admittedly this was a difficult puzzle, but I'm surprised at how many of you were defeated by it! Yes, it took me a lot of passes, but there are often Fri & Sat puzzles I don't get near finished on!<br /><br />Now, I'm not an expert by any means, and in any contest I'd probably win a booby prize for slowest completion, but I may have one tip that might help a few of you: Guess. This is only for those of you who work online. If you use archaic dead tree stuff, it's probably bad advice. But online, if you have even a suspicion of an answer and one or two perps, it's good to type it in. Even if it's wrong, it may tip you off to some crossing word by having an occasional letter correct far more often than 1/26th of the time. The pattern of vowels and consonants alone will see to that! And online, it's sooo easy to just delete or type over a -- I was going to say <i>poor </i> guess, but just because it's wrong doesn't mean a guess is poor -- guess needing modification!<br /><br />Anon@11:34 -- LOL!!<br /><br />BTW, I feel the same about Xmas/New Years as I do about birthdays, so pleasant Bah Humbug to you.OwenKLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16709695380239557575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-86334038385752178022016-12-24T14:47:31.427-06:002016-12-24T14:47:31.427-06:00Thanks, Everyone, as always, for the comments! I&#...Thanks, Everyone, as always, for the comments! I'm happy to help make your holiday weekend a fun one!<br /><br />Whatever you may (or may not) celebrate this season, have a MERRY EVERYTHING. Or, in my Polish tradition, "Wesolych Swiat!"<br /><br />Matt Skoczennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-47252946786353552742016-12-24T14:28:46.530-06:002016-12-24T14:28:46.530-06:00Merry Christmas Eve!
Dropping in to wish you all ...Merry Christmas Eve!<br /><br />Dropping in to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! <br /><br />This is my most favorite Christmas song - <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfq007_springsteen-santa-claus-is-coming-to-town-live_music" rel="nofollow">The Boss!</a> Hope you enjoy it!<br /><br />I'm off to clean and make sugar cookies. Family comes tomorrow so DH is busy prepping for the Beef Wellington dinner. Should be delicious! <br /><br />Merry Christmas to you all! <br /><br />t.tawnyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07466346747643525821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-34284061810937687402016-12-24T14:02:43.641-06:002016-12-24T14:02:43.641-06:00Irish Miss @ 10:14
Thanks. I am feeling really g...Irish Miss @ 10:14<br /><br />Thanks. I am feeling really good about it. Hub is watching the Bears game (JEESH!) and said this feels a little different. I asked if he was disappointed, and he said absolutely not. I just made cranberries to bring tomorrow. Yum! We're having a little something Italian tonight, and turkey tomorrow. I am looking forward to both meals.<br /><br />Your sister will "see the light" when she is ready. :)<br /><br />Merry Christmas!Madame Defargehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02003303114163633197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-4692146050268590032016-12-24T13:22:57.004-06:002016-12-24T13:22:57.004-06:00Tough puzzle, to be expected on a Saturday. I had ...Tough puzzle, to be expected on a Saturday. I had to use red letters and several alphabet runs to solve this sucker. At least I knew LA TRAVIATA, OLEANNA (interesting play), and RED A to get started with. Nice job, Matt, and thanks for your terrific writeup, Splynter.<br /><br />Happy Christmas to you all!Jaycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15906163232315177399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-74902791863869553182016-12-24T12:34:03.423-06:002016-12-24T12:34:03.423-06:00Hi All!
I've been (mostly) good this year... ...Hi All!<br /><br />I've been (mostly) good this year... Why the coal in my puzzle?<br /><br />Let's see... INN, AMA, AM RADIO, RUN DMC, SELFIE STICK, OLIVE TREE was about all I inked (right). 8a = mall lot, 19a = Hamil [sic] (Dorothy, 1 ea), and 41a = hee-[man] were bzztt. MUNI??ciple Bonds were right out.<br /><br />Not 'Special' @1a?!? - Frogs and double-Frogs!<br /><br />I feel your pains unclefred, Bunny M, Hondo... <br /><br />Thanks for the learning day Matt. I'd say it was fun but I'm totally deflated that others "got" the whole thing while I was more clueless than a CarTalk caller.<br /><br />Meanwhile, at an undescript UPS shipping Mecca, our Hero, Splynter, comes to the rescue with joyous filled squares.<br /><br />Thanks Splynter for the expo & tunes in <i>my</i> stocking; I love Zep and enjoy Plant's solo stuff too. <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aFw_KO7sNXw" rel="nofollow">Tall Cool One </a> was my woo'n song that (likely didn't) land DW. :-)<br /><br />HG - Your candid, er, HIDDEN, camera link goes to 404...<br />{A++,A,A+,B,A}<br /><br />Off to prep'n feasts; Steve do you brine your bird <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KKr1rByVVCI" rel="nofollow">Alton Brown does</a>too? I do.<br /><br />Happy/Merry [insert Holiday here]! Cheers, -T<br />Anonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-15959137373826324972016-12-24T11:41:09.168-06:002016-12-24T11:41:09.168-06:00Thanks, Matt, for a toughie..... Wagged the final ...Thanks, Matt, for a toughie..... Wagged the final L in OLEANNA, and finished, but not a TADA....<br /><br />Thanks, Splynter, loved the clip of Victor Borgia....where do you find these things?<br /><br />Merry Christmas to all!C6D6 Pegnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-39913927667295988822016-12-24T11:40:29.777-06:002016-12-24T11:40:29.777-06:00This was ghastly.
Without Splynter's write-up...This was ghastly.<br /><br />Without Splynter's write-up, I still would be lost at "John Paul" and "clinked". Puzzlers usually speak of misdirection, but this was more like uncluching a gyroscope and winding up in Patagonia.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13270740184766230842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-70595490329196775282016-12-24T11:34:58.757-06:002016-12-24T11:34:58.757-06:00Re: she's having 32 people for dinner
She mus...Re: <i>she's having 32 people for dinner</i><br /><br />She must be ravenous!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-28546827902691111212016-12-24T11:03:33.135-06:002016-12-24T11:03:33.135-06:00An appeal to the musicians in the audience. Isn...An appeal to the musicians in the audience. Isn't A Major the scale with the fewest sharps containing a G#? Certainly E Major (like B Major) contains a G#, but a clue asking for a sharp from a particular scale should, I think, refer to the sharp that the scale adds.Northwest Runnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16393323369312291931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-26547948229158622952016-12-24T10:50:21.000-06:002016-12-24T10:50:21.000-06:00Nice write-up, Splynter.
Natick'd at BADGE/DE...Nice write-up, Splynter.<br /><br />Natick'd at BADGE/DEMI - I went with BARGE and REMI. It seemed fair - you can barge your way in, and Remi looked reasonable. Oh well.<br /><br />Not a fan of SALAD OIL; I call it a stretch. Olive oil, salad dressing. <br /><br />Off to the kitchen to start some prep for tomorrow!Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00485564817818402947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-81714375859837802752016-12-24T10:19:55.272-06:002016-12-24T10:19:55.272-06:00Good Morning:
Well, this was quite a workout but ...Good Morning:<br /><br />Well, this was quite a workout but I managed to finish w/o help only because I am too stubborn to throw in the towel. (Stubbornness and foolishness may be synonymous, in this case.). Nevertheless, it took way longer than an average Saturday, mostly because of some devious cluing and answers. I held onto DDT too long before PCB fell into place. I'm a little red-faced that Ireland didn't pop right in and also because I didn't get the Ben/Jerry connection until the expo. Liked the crossing of LaTraviata (a favorite) and Divas. And I, too, was thinking Popes instead of Justices at John Paul.<br /><br />Thanks, Matt, for a very challenging Saturday stumper and thanks, Splynter, for the tour.<br /><br />Madame Defarge @ 9:32 - Good for you! Enjoy your well-deserved "retirement!" (I wish my sister would follow your example; she's having 32 people for dinner.)<br /><br />Have a wonderful Christmas Eve, everyone!<br /><br />Irish Misshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12527047622731333304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-54266634382478521972016-12-24T10:18:35.148-06:002016-12-24T10:18:35.148-06:00Came no where CLOSE to finishing on the 2 hour dri...Came no where CLOSE to finishing on the 2 hour drive from Utica to Rochester on the NYS thruway to spend Christmas with the fam.Ray - O - Sunshinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04864005198472595370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-78973183926219459782016-12-24T09:56:46.913-06:002016-12-24T09:56:46.913-06:00What a slog for a Christmas Eve. I HAD A FIT finis...What a slog for a Christmas Eve. I HAD A FIT finishing it. Very few gimmes- SELFIE STICK, BENEDICT _ _ _, _SHARP, ENT, and PCB were about the only ones for me. I figured 19A would be either EVERT or Nancy LOPEZ but the rest had my brain doing gymnastics. So many unknowns. A-LEVEL, DAGGER, LIAM NEESON, Violetta and LA TRAVIATA, OLEANNA, DEMI, STEELE, Execrate, Movietone (AOL), FLOP. LARGENESS doesn't even sound correct but it is.<br /><br />In the SW I filled ON AUDIO before AM RADIO replaced it. The flute I was thinking of had keys and fingerholes. Was thinking of a pope before the Supreme Court took over.<br /><br />Feliz NavidadJust a Gigolo ( Big Easy)noreply@blogger.com