tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post8239622369303328810..comments2024-03-28T06:58:56.261-05:00Comments on L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Friday, March 25, 2016, Warren Stabler Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12750267554729853785noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-63846333541612996892016-03-28T15:10:14.063-05:002016-03-28T15:10:14.063-05:00I almost gave up on the NE because I ASSininely ha...I almost gave up on the NE because I ASSininely had OAF not APE. I finally settled on REX and got EXTENDERS etc. Never got the PR is M, never get those clues. A really difficult puzzle. I'm lost in the Sunday Xword now. Wilbur Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08905123297841127198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-75273940801294658452016-03-25T23:23:29.547-05:002016-03-25T23:23:29.547-05:00Jayce: Yes, my Grands were cool. They passed in ...Jayce: Yes, my Grands were cool. They passed in my early 20's and I'm so enriched for having the chance to really known them.<br /><br />Crispy816 - You <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dwn2ftCHENI" rel="nofollow">brought this on yourself</a>.... (Wait for it, at ~0:2:00 of 0:2:13).<br /><br />Cheers, -TAnonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-4041889468769350662016-03-25T22:52:53.117-05:002016-03-25T22:52:53.117-05:00The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) clearly does...The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) clearly does not lead to SYS but what I can say. It fit with perps and people make mistakes, or type carelessly without thinking.<br />Hence the SPICE/HERB kerfuffle.<br /><br />The difference between a spice and an herb is where they are obtained from a plant. Herbs come from the leafy and green part of the plant. Spices are parts of the plant other than the leafy bit such as the root, stem, bulb, bark or seeds. Examples of herbs include basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley and mint. Or so I am told.<br /><br />Thanks allLemonade714https://www.blogger.com/profile/13642909374639570868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-17384691380768320952016-03-25T20:21:00.220-05:002016-03-25T20:21:00.220-05:00AnonT:
"More righter. . . "? tee hee hee...AnonT:<br />"More righter. . . "? tee hee hee<br /><br />Jerome:<br />Great story!Lucinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16278649651081244724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-46547508493593266542016-03-25T19:29:09.356-05:002016-03-25T19:29:09.356-05:00Just had to un-lurk for a minute to say every time...Just had to un-lurk for a minute to say every time I see the word BASIL, I hear it in my head as being spoken by Sybil Fawlty. Cracks me up.<br /><br />Had fun with this one, though it provided me with several head-scratching moments until the penny dropped. And I even got the theme fairly early - it was all the other fill that was conspiring to do me in.<br /><br />Off to do the prep on major quantities of deviled eggs for Sunday's festivities. <br /><br />CrispyCrispy816https://www.blogger.com/profile/04923898015826389568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-53923090188575434562016-03-25T19:17:08.480-05:002016-03-25T19:17:08.480-05:00Owen, I must say your verses this week have been e...Owen, I must say your verses this week have been exceptional. The puzzles, on the other hand...well, I was defeated by most of them and had nothing to say!<br /><br />Lemon, thanks for trying today. I enjoyed your links, but still don't really "get". the theme! Yes, I understand what he was trying to do, but I really don't "get" it". Sorry<br /><br />Irish miss, I should have joined you and Thumper!!SwampCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06893584705424353444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-70874467651352292562016-03-25T18:21:20.127-05:002016-03-25T18:21:20.127-05:00Now that I've had a few hours to breathe, afte...Now that I've had a few hours to breathe, after accepting my ignoble defeat by Mr. Stabler's pzl, I can reflect on today's consolations. We have a beautiful warm spring day here in SoCal, and I took much pleasure going shopping at the Irvine Spectrum with my wife--followed by heating and devouring a lovely chunk of a sourdough baguette with salami for lunch and then blowing bubbles for my oh-so-appreciative crazy retriever, Maggie! <br />And I am very much enjoying getting about on my new lightweight scooter, rather than my old multi-part "Jazzy" 6-wheel monster chair or my solid & heavy 4-wheel tiller scooter. Who was it who thought disabled citizens wanted huge and heavy power scooters? I love getting on and off and zipping around on my 40-lb trike! It is faster and far less cumbersome than my older chairs. I can glide through the aisles of boutiques and tiny shops. Let's hear it for suppleness and portability! Ol' Man Keith https://www.blogger.com/profile/02073553138045178596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-5204751117309697572016-03-25T18:20:38.080-05:002016-03-25T18:20:38.080-05:00I spent a few years in Phoenix working with my old...I spent a few years in Phoenix working with my older brothers as a carpenter. I became friends with a guy who owned a bar called "Nice and Nasty's". I ended up working there Friday and Saturday nights as a bouncer. Didn't need the money (still had my day job), but I thought it was fun. Besides that, I was young, unmarried and a lot of gals, for some reason I've never figured out, really like bouncers. So, my friend, the owner, wants to enter me in a bouncers contest in L.A. He'd pay all the expenses, and if I won we'd split the ten grand prize money. I told him to forget it. Without a doubt some very, very bad dude would clean my clock at some point.<br /><br />The unknown Mr. T was the winner that year. Jeromehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06174332800591939009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-82862001518435499042016-03-25T17:41:16.915-05:002016-03-25T17:41:16.915-05:00Anonymous T, your gram sounds very cool. Anonymous T, your gram sounds very cool. Jaycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15906163232315177399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-46438572983935999012016-03-25T17:35:02.188-05:002016-03-25T17:35:02.188-05:00Anon@4:34 - good point. I got SYS. However, you&...Anon@4:34 - good point. I got SYS. However, you're more righter ;-)<br /><br />My Gram's story... (I know you didn't ask, yet)<br /><br />Uncle Sam (yes, that's his name; my Great-Uncle), upon visiting my Grands' house, noticed a hard-plastic tube in the bathroom near the bathtub.<br /><br />Grandpa -T had razored two notches in the tube to create a semi-hard brace between the faucet and the drain-plug toggle to keep the broken toggle pushed down to keep the drain open after a bath. Hey, it worked.<br /><br />Uncle Sam asked, "What the Hell is that tube in the bathroom for?"<br /><br />Grandma, without missing a beat, dead-panned, pointed at Grandpa and said...<br /><br />"Oh, that's the EXTENDER he uses in the bedroom..."<br /><br />Now you know why I'm warp'd.<br />Cheers, -TAnonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-42394808685274976462016-03-25T17:04:55.857-05:002016-03-25T17:04:55.857-05:00Anonymous @ 4:34PM, it looks AS IF you're righ...Anonymous @ 4:34PM, it looks AS IF you're right. PBS stands for Public Broadcasting Service.Jaycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15906163232315177399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-71554310802245217512016-03-25T16:56:52.001-05:002016-03-25T16:56:52.001-05:00This puzzle beat me. Yup, I did blithely enter POR...This puzzle beat me. Yup, I did blithely enter PORNO for Hustler's genre, which I imagine Warren and Rich intended. It was a cleverly laid trap and I fell into it. I also entered ROBIN, which was no doubt also an intended trap. Other parts of the puzzle I felt AS Ol' Man Keith and Bill G did: "so convoluted rather than clever" and "more arbitrary than clever."<br /><br />I agree BASIL is an herb. Things like cinnamon and pepper are spices. I also agree that it is the SSA that provides the SSI.<br /><br />I remember the DEC printers. If I recall correctly they were impressively fast.<br /><br />Best wishes to you all.Jaycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15906163232315177399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-83156023266897465852016-03-25T16:34:40.866-05:002016-03-25T16:34:40.866-05:00It may be a minor nit but surely for 10D the "...It may be a minor nit but surely for 10D the "S" in "PBS" stands for "Service" not "System"? <br /><br />Certainly the copyright notice at the bottom of http://pbs.org pages uses "Service"...<br /><br />"Copyright © 2016 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), All rights reserved"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-8146622238997961752016-03-25T16:01:53.558-05:002016-03-25T16:01:53.558-05:00Trying to be puzzle relevant: IIRC - PIANO was an...Trying to be puzzle relevant: IIRC - PIANO was an answer this week...<br /><br />Did y'all hear that Joel's <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gxEPV4kolz0" rel="nofollow">Piano Man </a> is now part of the Library of Congress' collection? I love this song. Dirty Nelly's, a pub on San Antonio's River Walk, has a piano-man who'll play it about every two hours... Fun times. Cheers, -TAnonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-26488413703913418572016-03-25T15:34:58.058-05:002016-03-25T15:34:58.058-05:00Friday frequently has a letter substitution puzzle...Friday frequently has a letter substitution puzzle. I was hung up on the meaning of PRISM. Then I divided it as pr i sm. I am chagrined not to have seen it as PR is M, so simple. It would have made all the difference. I was bested fair and square. Great puzzle.<br />My son and DIL are bringing the wine on Easter. But I bought sherry for the trifle with home made custard sauce, fresh berries, real whipped cream, a big hit. I also am making homemade cheese fondue with expensive imported cheeses and Reisling. A Tinman menu.<br />Happy holiday for all who celebrate. I look forward to a lovely time with THE FAM.Yellowrockshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09590216912123103432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-38705658041086655672016-03-25T15:30:42.537-05:002016-03-25T15:30:42.537-05:00Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Warren Stabler,...Good afternoon, folks. Thank you, Warren Stabler, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Lemonade, for a fine review.<br /><br />Bounced around and got a few words. Finally got a foothold in the Southeast. Spread upward and to the West.<br /><br />Never did get the theme until coming here. Then it was simple, Duh.<br /><br />Tried BUS before VAN became obvious for 5D.<br /><br />Tried PAWED before CANID appeared for 38A. UNIVAC fixed that for me. I knew ISAAC was correct, so I had the CA. The rest were with perps. CANID is not a word I have ever used.<br /><br />AEDES was partially on the tip of my tongue. I just could not put it all together. Finally NINER fixed that.<br /><br />ARIES was my last entry. Done.<br /><br />See you tomorrow, maybe. Depends on how much time I have.<br /><br />Abejo<br /><br />( )<br />Abejohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10318111258011554517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-2420252738746400562016-03-25T15:21:36.984-05:002016-03-25T15:21:36.984-05:00Hello Puzzle Pals!
I tried to sneak a peek at Lem...Hello Puzzle Pals!<br /><br />I tried to sneak a peek at Lem's puzzle to crib 2d (I was in up a creek Europe somewhere) and realized I got so much wrong that I didn't stand a chance. 1a - USA-TV; 3d: 'as i go'... Punt.<br /><br />Thanks Warren. I like the concept PR IS M, but it was above my pay-grade - Friday clueing didn't help. I can claim a a center win and I'm am glad I didn't have to go to the ATM for CINIMA date-night (I got's enough coIn (also wrong for Dollar Alt. @59a) on hand). Thanks Lem for stopping the brain-cramps and your fun write-up.<br /><br />Other major errors - Audis @ 41a crashed into the SW. <br />HeMi @6d took the ATMOsphere out of that balloon. <br />Ticker @9d was right-out (Stock Ticker, no one else?)<br /><br />Finally, Hustler's not a pornO rag.<br /><br />Hey - I nailed 18d UNIVAC and that's my <b>fav!</b> (it was also my 1st ans). Anyone else think of Asimov's MultiVAC there? [My 1st program was on St. of IL's IBM - I was 10-ish and got my computing Merit Badge - that' would have been '79-'81 (ish)]<br /><br />Lem - BASIL is a herb (I can just hear Steve pronouncing it in his head :-)), not a spice in my book. My Basil & Parsley are voluntary this year.<br /><br />HG - You Geo-loc'd me correctly. What I find interesting about the map is the clusters where the LAT is distributed and where it's barren. Thanks for keeping it current. <br /><br />OKL - Anon -T say "Love Avatar #2" :-)<br /><br />AveJoe - "Here be Dragons" on a globe comment was LOL... I'm still laughing as I type.<br /><br />Time for Friday's nap. I'll play later (ask me about Gram's (part of THE FAM)) EXTENDER story.<br /><br />Cheers, -TAnonymous Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00459563526290288425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-29732891114999640872016-03-25T15:00:56.374-05:002016-03-25T15:00:56.374-05:00[Sigh...] Way beyond my grade today. Haven't ...[<i>Sigh...</i>] Way beyond my grade today. Haven't felt so defeated in a long time. <br /><br />Until I started cheating I only managed to fill a bit of the middle right (lower NE) and somehow (WAG?) cracked 68A for PRISM. <br />I am usually okay when a pzl calls for a couple of multi-word answers, but this really takes the prize for double word fills, both in the main theme and throughout the grid. Challenging, yes, but with little satisfaction--at least for <i>moi</i>. Some, like ABUT ON, seemed more arbitrary than clever.<br /><br />Ah, well... it's all part of the cruciverbal metaphor of life, Gogo.<br />Ol' Man Keith https://www.blogger.com/profile/02073553138045178596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-70938903196542081002016-03-25T14:05:13.515-05:002016-03-25T14:05:13.515-05:00Good afternoon everyone.
Finally saw the theme as...Good afternoon everyone.<br /><br />Finally saw the theme as HG and Bill G did. But it was clever nonetheless Fav. theme fill was MIME NUMBERS. Was reluctant to enter MOV…… because the other theme fills started with MI. Only white-out was I had bunco before DISCO.<br />Favorite fill was re-entry need - STUB.<br />Great job, Warren - - Thank you.Spitzboovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04448007368332133086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-27971561377342086392016-03-25T13:40:30.131-05:002016-03-25T13:40:30.131-05:00Gosh, I wish yesterday's great puzzle had been...Gosh, I wish yesterday's great puzzle had been today's Friday one. This one was just a killer and although I got a chunk of it, it took lots of cheating to finish. Lots of unknowns, but at least I watch "Dancing with the Stars" on ABC, and I knew Lynda Bird married a ROBB. Would never have figured out how the theme worked without Lemonade's help. Wonder if I'll even get off the ground tomorrow. Will have to ramp up my courage.<br /><br />Great map by the way, many thanks, Husker Gary.<br /><br />Have a great weekend coming up, everybody!Mistyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17570695193695039956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-20031369797188715802016-03-25T12:59:52.441-05:002016-03-25T12:59:52.441-05:00Wow!Tough puzzle!
I got the theme, but most of th...Wow!Tough puzzle!<br /><br />I got the theme, but most of this puzzle was solved by Crossword Nexus one word at a time.<br /> (& alas not me...)<br /><br /><a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/fb/44/91/fb44917d2f8bb40d28addbf6d48449ee.jpg" rel="nofollow">Bad joke of the day...</a><br /><br />Hmm, <a href="https://beckandcallpublicrelations.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/perceptions.jpg" rel="nofollow">What do you think I do?</a><br /><br />Hmm, Hmm, wait a sec, don't answer that question!<br />(Ignorance is bliss...)CrossEyedDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09745913007262424048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-10442958448976611242016-03-25T12:49:53.444-05:002016-03-25T12:49:53.444-05:00Lucy:
I know SRA is Senora, but I foolishly types ...Lucy:<br />I know SRA is Senora, but I foolishly types Senorita a few weeks ago.<br /><br />I started writing DO loops in Fortran 4 in college.<br /><br />I miss living up north a few weeks every year and when the bloom of spring is in force is among them.<br />Lemonade714https://www.blogger.com/profile/13642909374639570868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-31356485492701695762016-03-25T12:32:05.792-05:002016-03-25T12:32:05.792-05:00Completed correctly, but didn't get the theme ...Completed correctly, but didn't get the theme until looking closely.... PR IS M, ha, ha!<br />Thanks, Warren, for a nice puzzle and challenge this Friday.<br /><br />Nice write-up, Lemonade. <br /><br />Happy Easter to all!C6D6 Pegnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-11487547489975882032016-03-25T11:58:13.408-05:002016-03-25T11:58:13.408-05:00Hi everybody. I finished this with great difficult...Hi everybody. I finished this with great difficulty and needing some red-letter help. I would say it's been the most difficult puzzle for me so far this year. I didn't understand the theme even after completing everything. I think knowing the definition of the solid known as a prism interfered with my figuring out the PR IS M switcheroo. Things seem so convoluted rather than clever. As is often the case, I agree with Irish Miss. So I wasn't a big fan. <br /><br />Lemon mentioned Reagan consulted astrologers. I knew Nancy did and her husband depended on her for advice. I can't imagine decisions a president has to make about important issues being influenced by the input of astrologers. Geez...Bill G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04142837879175561312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5995532066584316410.post-70699209006799313542016-03-25T11:54:42.275-05:002016-03-25T11:54:42.275-05:00Hola y Buenos dias!
Wow! This was muy dificil. I ...Hola y Buenos dias!<br /><br />Wow! This was muy dificil. I felt proud to know some of the fill, AHMAD, DENALI, VAN, ABCTV, ROBB and a few others but had to work hard with perps for the rest especially the long themes. <br /><br />ARIL held me up because I stubbornly clung to it so finally looked up stock tracking device and got EARTAG which corrected that area to ARIES but then I didn't know Jane BYRNE so that was another look up. From there the rest emerged. The center gave me fits since sports facts don't come easily to me. It's a wonder BASE filled quickly.<br /><br />Lemonade, why do you think SRA isn't the abbrev. for senora? It is.<br /><br />Thank you, Warren Stabler for the mental workout and Lemonade for always providing information to chew on and learn from.<br /><br />Have a restful Good Friday, everyone!Lucinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16278649651081244724noreply@blogger.com