tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post5952282336489226817..comments2024-03-28T16:36:41.438-05:00Comments on L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Sunday September 6, 2009 Pancho HarrisonZhouqin (C.C.) Burnikelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750267554729853785noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-48276296263170885692009-09-06T23:00:52.851-05:002009-09-06T23:00:52.851-05:00Good evening! Anyone with a yard or a deck is thro...Good evening! Anyone with a yard or a deck is throwing barbeques today. I was lucky to be invited to a few and twice got hit up to do a "little comedy." On the one hand, I really don't like to be caught off guard, and find it's incredibly awkward to have to figure out where and when to do it, because people may not want their conversations interrupted. Outdoors isn't a great place to be heard. Hard to know this about me but I don't love to be the center of attention. On the other mano, I have the material and it's nice to be asked. Working without a set time limit is fun--Three minutes, or seven if it goes well. So, I demurely agree about 75% of the time, and the host(s) get to do the intro, which means I'm not the only one squirming! (even if i help write it: "P__wants to tell a quick story....) <br />Almost always goes fine. Sometimes it leads to actual paid work when a fellow guest needs a speaker or help with a speech at work...tonight was no exception. Good food, too.<br />I wonder if Jerome gets cornered to build a puzzle at parties or if people greet WM at the door of potlucks with some watercolors and ask her to paint something "quick" between the dessert and the cheese course!? Or "ClearAyes, lovely to see you. Could you recite a few sonnets during after-dinner drinks on the veranda?" Or, "Elissa, how about a little Supreme Court gossip after the Chicken Dance?"<br />Sigh, I'll stop now.....<br /><br />What, <i>no</i> group comments on 25A's perfect DF set up line of "Go after ...Puppy-style"? Wow! :-) <br /><br />Enjoy your Monday!PJB-Chicagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18442942109541224252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-76935955479424871392009-09-06T21:30:04.326-05:002009-09-06T21:30:04.326-05:00Good evening all,
Nice puzzle Fred - a lot of fun...Good evening all,<br /><br />Nice puzzle Fred - a lot of fun.<br />My only mistake was wanting to start Xena with a Z. It was quickly corrected. I down loaded from the SF Chronicle. Then noticed that the Pittburgh paper also carried it.<br /><br />I'm still working on Merl's.<br /><br />eddyB.eddyBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00905272532346939000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-27777198404952456282009-09-06T21:08:17.059-05:002009-09-06T21:08:17.059-05:00Interesting: Barry G. mentions "doubt you...Interesting: Barry G. mentions "doubt you'd ever see TETS or SRIS out in the wild anywhere". However, 2 different puzzles today had TET (or TETS) in it. What a coincidence for such a rarely seen word. The other was in our hardcopy newspaper. It had 39A clued as "Asian occasion". It was the Washington Post Magazine by Merle Reagle. <br /><br />This reminds me of the trend mentioned a few times recently, where topics discussed here happen to appear in the next day's puzzle. This has happened to me at work a few times lately too.Annettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02347232302896024104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-17967821786197394692009-09-06T20:13:53.054-05:002009-09-06T20:13:53.054-05:00Fred, I enjoyed your puzzle. How many have you don...Fred, I enjoyed your puzzle. How many have you done for Universal? Is Timothy easy to work with?<br /><br />I was curious about 19 A. The clue was periods. The answer was era. Is it OK that one was plural and the other singular? I'm trying to figure out this stuff.Bill G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04142837879175561312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-41061685967830798652009-09-06T19:17:44.822-05:002009-09-06T19:17:44.822-05:00@Argyle
You are right, the editor did very little ...@Argyle<br />You are right, the editor did very little tinkering with my clues in my Universal puzzle. <br />I'm glad everyone thought it was a fun puzzle because that was my goal. It's the type of puzzle I like to solve as a solver.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14376277682993763836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-47882957376374959172009-09-06T18:52:05.355-05:002009-09-06T18:52:05.355-05:00OK. A Frenchman walks into a bar with a penguin o...OK. A Frenchman walks into a bar with a penguin on his shoulder. The penguin is wearing a black bow tie and a top hat. The bartender says, "Wow - I've never seen anything like that. Where did you get him?"<br /><br />The penguin answers, "In France. There's millions of them over there."<br /><br />Speaking of wine - or, rather, speaking and whining - whenever a nice Chianti is mentioned, I get a craving for fava beans.<br /><br />Did this puzzle today, and the Boston Globe entry in the Freep. All puzzled out after that. So, I'm missing the other ones that were recommended.<br /><br />Looking forward to our fantasy football draft tomorrow.<br /><br />Cheers to all, and especially embien!<br /><br />JzB the never-silent trombonistJazzbumpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07337490817307473659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-59788255492475916312009-09-06T18:51:30.275-05:002009-09-06T18:51:30.275-05:00Lemonade, LOL, but you must be hoping that our res...Lemonade, LOL, but you must be hoping that our resident blondes are busy elsewhere this weekend.<br /><br />Kelev, I'm sure you have the thanks of blondes everywhere. :o)Clear Ayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14463641770718104835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-86015359159250844362009-09-06T18:01:32.803-05:002009-09-06T18:01:32.803-05:00I admitted to being in a crabby mood from the puzz...I admitted to being in a crabby mood from the puzzle. My crab louis for breakfast didn't improve things, as it happens. The restaurant had kept the lettuce at least one day too long and there was a screaming infant in the next booth over (one of my pet peeves--I know it's not always possible to keep the little ones subdued, but why subject other diners to their cacophony?).<br /><br />I did enjoy Fred's puzzle, and Matt Gaffney's (still puzzled over the meta in that one), and Doug Peterson's (memo to <i>Jazzbumpa</i>, you may not like the last one as there is a certain word you don't like in it at 51A). Still working on the syndicated NY Times, as wife has commandeered the newspaper for the time being.<br /><br />Maybe my mood will improve as wife and I are going to dinner and I'll be having <i>steak au poivre</i> and a nice bottle of <a href="http://www.bonterra.com/" rel="nofollow">Bonterra</a> Merlot. I'm feeling better just thinking about it.embienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01991001167394653649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-51705132467387044312009-09-06T18:00:19.209-05:002009-09-06T18:00:19.209-05:00LAST FRIDAY MY NAME WAS PAT.
I'VE CHANGED IT T...LAST FRIDAY MY NAME WAS PAT.<br />I'VE CHANGED IT TO PATDAN...<br />A WOMAN'S PRIVILEGE!!!<br />THXPatDanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00721878233695061669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-83146258847601879132009-09-06T15:48:13.830-05:002009-09-06T15:48:13.830-05:00Well, I'm not a blonde, but not all are willin...Well, I'm not a blonde, but not all are willing to try their luck with a crocodile:<br /><br />A lawyer boarded an airplane in New Orleans with a box of frozen crabs and asked a blonde stewardess to take care of them for him. She took the box and promised to put it in the crew's refrigerator.<br /><br />He advised her that he was holding her personally responsible for them staying frozen, mentioning in a very haughty manner that he was a lawyer, and proceeded to rant at her about what would happen if she let them thaw out.<br /><br />Needless to say, she was annoyed by his behavior.<br />Shortly before landing in New York, she used the intercom to announce to the entire cabin, "Would the gentleman who gave me the crabs in New Orleans, please raise your hand?"<br /><br />Not one hand went up ... so she took them home and ate them.<br /><br />Two lessons here:<br /><br />1. Lawyers aren't as smart as they think they are.<br />2. Blondes aren't as dumb as most folks think .Kelevnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-28597174685046783852009-09-06T15:31:27.890-05:002009-09-06T15:31:27.890-05:00If you are easily offended, or do not think my wor...If you are easily offended, or do not think my words are appropriate for the blog, do not read! Or, so be it; I apologize in advance, but all the Izod talk reminded me of my favorite crocodile joke. <br /><br />An homage...<br /><br />A man walks into a bar with a pet crocodile by his side.<br /><br />He puts the crocodile up on the bar, then turns to the astonished patrons.<br />'I'll make you a deal. I'll open this crocodile's mouth and place my manhood inside. Then the croc will close his mouth for one minute. Then he'll open his mouth and I'll remove my unit unscathed. In return for witnessing this spectacle, each of you will buy me a drink.'<br /><br />The crowd murmured their approval.<br /><br />The man stood up on the bar, dropped his trousers, and placed his member and related parts in the crocodile's open mouth.<br /><br />The croc closed his mouth as the crowd gasped.<br /><br />After a minute, the man grabbed a beer bottle and smacked the crocodile hard on the top of its head. The croc opened his mouth and the man removed his genitals unscathed as promised.<br /><br />The crowd cheered, and the first of his free drinks was delivered.<br /><br />The man stood up again and made another offer. 'I'll pay anyone $100 who's willing to give it a try.'<br /><br />A hush fell over the crowd. After a while, a hand went up in the back of the bar. A blonde woman timidly spoke up..........'I'll try it - just don't hit me so hard with the beer bottle!'Lemonade714https://www.blogger.com/profile/13642909374639570868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-2042207259904750002009-09-06T15:31:12.797-05:002009-09-06T15:31:12.797-05:00Hey Gang -
This time the puzzle got me.
Woohoo! ...Hey Gang -<br /><br />This time the puzzle got me.<br /><br />Woohoo! Inge just hit a grand slam. Tigers up 5-3 on Tampa. Polanco followed up with a triple. Only one out in the 9th! ChiSox are down 3-0 to Boston.<br /><br />OK, back to the puzzle. Not a huge loss, but, like the Mud Hens, I fell behing, and couldn't pull it out in the end. Do like the theme. Wanted the author of Pinocchio (Carlo Collodi, come to find out) not the gentle old wood carver.<br /><br />I also misread Gage as Cage - even after C.C. mentioned it. I can be stubborn that way.<br /><br />OMIGOSH?!? It's only spelt that way in Mickey Mouse comic books. A cheat IMHO.<br /><br />While I'm crabbing (bear with me, sore back today) ODIC is a miserable excuse for a word. Sure it's legit, in the sense that you can find it in a dictionary somewhere, and you could contrive a sentence around it, if you were so inclined. But why would you ever need or want to? And do you suppose that anyone ever has. Is there anything one would ever compare to an ODE? <br /><br />An ODIST, OTOH, is somebody who actually writes one. Not me, though. I'm insufficiently ODISTIC.<br /><br />There. I feel better now.<br /><br />Mor real time reporting. Tigers just won. SWEPT the Rays. Wow. AMOI team done good! BoSox CLING to a 3-0 lead in the 7th.<br /><br />Cheers!<br /><br />JzB the crabby basball reporting trombonist.Jazzbumpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07337490817307473659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-51464990825135413292009-09-06T15:02:23.127-05:002009-09-06T15:02:23.127-05:00Bill G and Argyle,
Thanks for the explanations and...Bill G and Argyle,<br />Thanks for the explanations and link. I know of Lacoste, of course, but didn't ever see the Izod thing with it. It may have come up here before too, but my memory ain't what it used to be!<br /><br />c.c., Right after my last post, I realized that "unes" is sometimes used together with "quelques"--quelques-un(e)s means some when you are singling out a few of a particular item. But never alone to mean "some".<br /><br />I just did Fred's puzzle in 16 minutes, only using red letters twice, and found it thoroughly enjoyable. I didn't fully groc the theme as soon as I should have--missing the fact that the beginning and end made the full name each time. I think it was the third one before I saw that. Maybe trying to hurry too much. But it made up for the other one today!<br /><br />Andrea,<br />Dot emailed me, and left you a message at the Brasserie website. Let us hear if you can swing another time after September 15th.kaziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761801803016465459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-23401178789637479922009-09-06T14:17:05.591-05:002009-09-06T14:17:05.591-05:00They don't use the little guy anymore, but may...They don't use the little guy anymore, but maybe this <a href="http://www.vintagefashionguild.org/labels/images/izod_tag9.jpg" rel="nofollow">label</a> will jog some memories.Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09472446316589207365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-18323103100631571992009-09-06T14:00:29.534-05:002009-09-06T14:00:29.534-05:00Kazie said: I've never heard of IZOD, OCCAM, G...Kazie said: I've never heard of IZOD, OCCAM, GEPPETTO, BIL KEANE, NOB for head, TRENT Reznor, REO, UTEP, ANKHS, TEA LEONI, NEALE, TEK or ELENI. Didn't understand OWNERS as a sports side. Should be easy to see why it was no fun.<br /><br />Like you, I didn't enjoy this puzzle as much as some others did. I never got into a rhythm. OCCAM's Razor says that the simplest explanation is best. GEPPETTO was the woodcarver who created Pinocchio. In a professional sports dispute, there's the OWNERS side and the players side.Bill G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04142837879175561312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-4902231724105999772009-09-06T13:41:41.155-05:002009-09-06T13:41:41.155-05:00Good morning CC and all,
CC, you are amazing! I r...Good morning CC and all,<br /><br />CC, you are amazing! I really struggled with this one, but almost completed it.I couldn't fill reos, eleni, sense, saw in or paean (had psalm), so that little area was up to you :) and, omigosh, you did it!I had strudels spelled strusels, so blase was a weird answer.Nog sounds better than nob and I'm sure Niobe would not mind the name change.<br /><br />Had to think awhile why maverick was clued as a loner.<br /> <br />(2008)Sat. Night Live<br />Sarah Palin: Ya know, John McCain and I, we're a couple of mavericks, and gosh darn it, we're gonna take that maverick energy right to Washington and we're gonna use it to fix this financial crisis and everything else that's plaguin' this great country of ours. <br />Gwen Ifill: [pause] How will you solve the financial crisis being a maverick? <br />Sarah Palin: Ya know, we're gonna take every aspect of the crisis and look at it, and then we're gonna ask ourselves, "what would a maverick do in this situation?" And then, ya know, we'll do that. <br /><br />CA, I agree with you about that being a scary time, a time of mystery, suspicion and secrecy.As a kid I never really understood it, but along with the "under the desk" drills, I knew it wasn't good.Elia Kazan's movies were among my favorite, probably because of the actors. I can still picture Natalie Wood reading that poem; at that moment I fell in love with poetry.JDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04789723171543457661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-18636791966234574812009-09-06T13:40:00.361-05:002009-09-06T13:40:00.361-05:00Argyle, you're right, Fred's was a lot of ...Argyle, you're right, Fred's was a lot of fun. Particularly liked 'Pay to hold hands' and 'Beetle juice'. With Doug's, I thought 'Pool items' and 'Citizen in a company' were both great. I found all five most enjoyable, but I'm probably just dumb enough to be easily pleased.Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05476669744435495547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-44907579216028346212009-09-06T13:37:46.719-05:002009-09-06T13:37:46.719-05:00Embien,
I empathize with you. I also hated all th...Embien,<br />I empathize with you. I also hated all the names today. Got them all eventually via guesses, perps and red letters, but it definitely wasn't fun.<br /><br />c.c.,<br />"some" in French is not unes--that doesn't exist. It's "des", or "quelques".<br /><br />I've never heard of IZOD, OCCAM, GEPPETTO, BIL KEANE, NOB for head, TRENT Reznor, REO, UTEP, ANKHS, TEA LEONI, NEALE, TEK or ELENI. Didn't understand OWNERS as a sports side. Should be easy to see why it was no fun. When you don't understand the clue or the answer, there's no satisfaction in chasing the red letters till one shows up black, and since it took 40 minutes anyway, there certainly wasn't time to g'spot the ones that could have been found that way. When one is disinterested or has no opportunity to see plays, sports and other "trivia" items, there is no motivation to treat it as a learning experience.kaziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06761801803016465459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-3395026068739224572009-09-06T13:34:56.515-05:002009-09-06T13:34:56.515-05:00Hi C.C. & gang, an enjoyable puzzle today, we ...Hi C.C. & gang, an enjoyable puzzle today, we only cheated a little. Ruth knew almost all of the famous book names turned into plays,<br /><br />Here's more information on a <a href="http://www.hal.state.mi.us/mhc/autoshow/vehicles/reo1936.html" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">1936 REO Flying Cloud</a><br><br /><br />I originally thought that that might have been a reference to a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud since I didn't know any REO model names.Warrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05071851300251199505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-47968339458965972962009-09-06T13:21:12.729-05:002009-09-06T13:21:12.729-05:00embien, you should do Fred's puzzle, it will g...embien, you should do Fred's puzzle, it will get you feeling better.<br /><br />Fred, loved the puzzle. From the tone of the cluing, am I right in thinking that you didn't have much editor tinkering with the clues.<br /><br />Fun and easy; they don't always go together.Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09472446316589207365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-76333856555941957482009-09-06T12:53:47.750-05:002009-09-06T12:53:47.750-05:00Quick comment, back later to talk shop...
Embien;...Quick comment, back later to talk shop...<br /><br />Embien; Remember being told as a kid <i> "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"?</i> My reaction then was to think "What? So I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut for the rest of my life?" lol<br /><br />I liked the puzzle because I am a movie buff, but if the theme had been opera or baseball stadiums I would have been kicking up a storm! <br /><br />Barely related: Asked a couple really smart neuroscience people why/how walking away from a puzzle and coming back seems to help, but they really don't know......darn.PJB-Chicagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18442942109541224252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-66261116358769940642009-09-06T12:40:20.030-05:002009-09-06T12:40:20.030-05:00Well, while I was recovering on the dock, I manage...Well, while I was recovering on the dock, I managed to knock out a Merle, a DougP, a Fred and an Ashish, for a total of <i>five</i> today! Maybe there's something to those "Captain" commercials after all...<br /><br />embien, sounds like the crab breakfast is appropriate, huh?Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05476669744435495547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-18100026934128661782009-09-06T12:22:26.125-05:002009-09-06T12:22:26.125-05:00Good afternoon everyone.
This one was fun, but I h...Good afternoon everyone.<br />This one was fun, but I had to come here for quite a few. I just do what I can, go back and check, and then come here. <br />I didn't get or like "saw in". It seems a strange way of expressing the clue.<br />When I visited a family in Cairo, they were Copt. And the lady of the house took us to the Coptic church, cemetery, and museum. It was fascinating. <br /><br />Martin, it was great to see you and Imelda. <br /><br />Cheers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-46678536798005239472009-09-06T12:18:14.298-05:002009-09-06T12:18:14.298-05:00Arrrgh! I can't even get the wine right. It wa...Arrrgh! I can't even get the wine right. It wasn't a CHIANTI, it was a <i>Barbera d'Alba</i> (Ruvei 2006). A pretty nice wine and a spectacular price.<br /><br />Back to my snit now. Maybe I'll be in a better mood after my crab and shrimp louis salad I'll be having for breakfast in an hour or so.embienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01991001167394653649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-43234595539582255632009-09-06T12:13:24.578-05:002009-09-06T12:13:24.578-05:0019:33 today. I suppose about average for a Sunday ...<b>19:33 today.</b> I suppose about average for a Sunday puzzle for me (maybe a bit fast).<br /><br />I'm glad so many of you enjoyed this puzzle, because I <i>hated, hated, hated</i> it. I know nothing about Broadway plays, haven't seen any of those movies, and have barely heard of ELIA KAZAN. The latter was made even worse for me because I persist in thinking the Shatner movie is spelled TE<b>C</b> War. I get it wrong each and every time. Every time. <br /><br />So there I am, staring at a filled-in grid, one full of names, and not getting the "ta-da" so I know something is wrong. But what? I know it has to be in one of the names, but... Finally I see the offending ELIA <b>C</b>AZAN and my feeble brain senses something amiss there. When I correct the C to a K I get the "ta-da" and simultaneously (barely) recognize the name KAZAN and remember that once again I've got the Shatner movie name embedded incorrectly in my synapses. Woe is me. I'm gonna go off in a corner and pull a NIOBE (weeping).<br /><br />And, oh yeah, I didn't much care for this puzzle. It brought a clumsy conclusion to what had been a solid week of glorious puzzles. I'm happy for those of you who enjoyed it, but I'm not in that camp. I did have a nice CHIANTI at dinner last night, so there's something.embienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01991001167394653649noreply@blogger.com