Thursday, February 17, 2022, Bruce Venzke

 

 

hyPe with a Capital "P"  

Believe it or not today's constructor Bruce Venzke got his start writing crossword puzzles in the pool halls of Wisconsin.  It's a very interesting story, but I'd better let him tell it, as related in this interview with C.C. back in February of 2011.  His connections with the Corner run deep.

He joins us today to talk about marketing strategies,  ways to PUSH products and services to customers.  The first word in each of Bruce's themers, as well as the reveal, begins with a capital P.

20A. Excel on the mound: PITCH A NO HITTER. A no-hitter is a rare accomplishment for a pitcher or pitching staff—only 314 have been thrown in MLB history since 1876, an average of about two per year.  Three stand outs in this achievement are Nolan Ryan whose 7 no-hitters are the standing world record;  Don Larsen, who pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series; and Roy Halladay, who pitched a no-hitter for the Phillies in Game 1 of the 2010 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.

25A. Increase the mobility of, as a checker: PROMOTE TO KING.  A game we used to play a lot when we were children, but it seems to have dropped from popularity in recent years.  When a checker reaches the eighth row it is PROMOTED or KINGED, after which it gains super powers!  Here's how to play.

44A. Do a plumbing job: PLUG UP THE LEAK.  First a CSO to all the handy men (and any women) who do their own plumbing.  I've done my share of it, but sometimes it pays to hire an expert. Here's a Wiki article on the work of a plumber (check out "Other uses" for recent history for people who plug leaks).  If you're looking for well-paid, steady work.here are typical licensing requirements. It's not a job you can just walk into.

49A. Recommend, with "for," and a hint to the start of 20-, 25- and 44-Across: PUT IN A GOOD WORD.  I think we should put in a good word for Bruce for a fun puzzle.

Here's the Grid:

Now let's PUSH on to the rest of the PUZZLE ...

Across:

1. Oktoberfest toast: PROST.  A shortened form of PROSIT.  The former is preferred in Germany.

6. "Atlas Shrugged" hero John: GALT.  Ayn Rand's Übermensch.
 

10. Split: PART.

14. Object: DEMUR.  Demur? Demure?  What's the difference?

15. Store with Småland play areas: IKEA.  The word Småland, Swedish for "Small Lands", is actually a pun on the region that IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad was born in.  This company really knows how to PITCH furniture to parents of small children.   A CSO to SwenglishMom.  Stop by and say hi!

16. Wind in the reeds: OBOE.  It's back!  Here's the OBOE solo from Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake:

17. Patty Hearst alias: TANIA.  The Nom de Guerre for heiress Patricia Hearst, who was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974, succumbed to the Stockholm Syndrome (a medical condition apparently), robbed a bank and was later captured, tried for robbery, convicted, and sentenced to 35 years in prison.  Her sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter, and she was later pardoned by President Bill Clinton.  I don't think the SLA ring leader, Donald DeFreeze, would have seen eye-to-eye with John Galt.

18. Whammy: JINX.  A CSO to our man in Norfolk!

19. Self-named 2000s sitcom set in Texas: REBA. Like Cher, Adele, and Madonna, when someone mentions REBA you know who they're talking about.  Reba Nell McEntire, (born March 28, 1955) is an American country music singer, actress and businesswoman. She is often referred to as "the Queen of Country" (Dolly fans might dispute that), having sold more than 75 million records worldwide.  Here's her You Lift Me Up to Heaven (lyrics):

23. Blow away: STUN. An alternative to the more frequently used verb AWE.

24. Steam: IRE.

31. Reclusive sort: LONER.

32. Pin expert?: WRESTLER.  Hands up if you thought this was a BOWLER?

35. Cheerio morsel: OAT.  The preferred food for the horses in OATERS.

36. Court responses: PLEAS. A polite term for "Innocent, Guilty, or maybe Non Compos Mentis, your Honor".   A CSO to Susan and Jason.  See also 12D ROBE.

38. "Bravo!": OLE.

39. Not as well insulated: DRAFTIER.

42. Weasel cousin: SABLE.  This link has NOT been approved by P.E.T.A.

Sable

47. Boxer's remark?: ARF. 

48. Dull-sounding beast: BOAR.  A homophone to the noun BOOR:  "a peasant or uncultured person; one who lacks in education, knowledge, refinement and social graces".  Also to verb BORE, and related nouns and several similar sounding words as well.  See also 36D.

56. Malevolent: EVIL.  Yes Virginia, it does exist.

57. Equine control: REIN.  A homophone for REIGN and RAIN.

58. "The Grapes of Wrath" migrants: OKIES.  The Grapes of Wrath is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962.

60. Fool on the ice: DEKE.  There was a recent attempt to fool us on the ice at the Winter Olympics, but it wasn't a DEKE:

61. Canasta play: MELD.  Hand up from any Canasta players?  Here are the rules for all the rest of us.

62. Surge protector?: LEVEE.  From the Online Dictionary of Etymology ...

63. Verb in much written dialogue: SAID.  "He SAID", She SAID".
 
64. "The __ the limit": SKY'S. 

65. Bowling unit: FRAME.  One of my granddaughters likes to bowl and we often take her bowling on her day out.  Nowadays most bowling establishments have an interactive computer screen at each lane to help you keep score.  But if you ever go to an old fashioned establishment and have forgotten how to score, you can access this wikiHow through your cell phone.

Down:

1. L.A. is on it in summer: PDT.  Pacific Daylight Time.  Programming applications sensitive to TIME ZONES in multi-state networks can be tricky.  We used to just call a library routine that had all the rules built-in.

2. Do a farm job: REAP.

3. High-end hotel chain: OMNI.

4. "I'm okay with it": SUITS ME.

5. Caterpillar, say: TRACTOR.  If you're in the market for one, they've got 'em.

6. Demi Moore military movie: GI JANE.  G.I. Jane is a 1997 American war drama film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Demi Moore, Viggo Mortensen, and Anne Bancroft. The film tells the fictional story of the first woman to undergo special operations training similar to the U.S. Navy SEALs.  The film did not do well.

7. Related: AKIN.

8. TV host with more than 300 vehicles: LENO.  Jay's vehicles include about 150 cars, most of the rest being motorcycles.  Here are some of his most interesting rides.

9. Unpopular raises: TAX HIKES.

10. Sign: PORTENT.  Dark clouds often portend stormy weather. "Information on past performance, where given, is not necessarily a guide to future performance".

11. What an accessory may do: ABET.

12. Judicial garb: ROBE.  There are apparently lots of variations of "judicial garb" around the globe, with most taking their cues from the British tradition.

13. Go like the dickens: TEAR.

21. Castaway's shelter: HUT

22. Eye part: IRIS.  And a song by the Goo Goo Dolls (lyrics).  See 50D for more.

25. Walk tediously: PLOD.

26. Sign of crowd approval: ROAR.  Or the sound of a crowd: AROAR.

27. Ready to draw: ON TAP.  My DIL's brother made a small fortune designing and installing TAP systems for bars.  This is one of his competitors.

28. Nobody: TWERP.

29. __ pro nobis: ORA.  Latin for "Pray for Us".  The congregation's response in litanies of intercessory prayers.

30. Golden __: GLOBE.  The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the 105 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television.

Golden Globe Award

 
33. "Boo'd Up" Grammy winner __ Mai: ELLA.    A bit of bio about Ella Mai and here's her Grammy winner (lyrics):

34. Strongly suggest, with "of": REEK.  See next clue.

36. Animal husbandry facilities: PIG FARMS.  You are likely to find lots of 48As there.

37. Moldova currency: LEU.  The Romanian leu is the currency of Romania. It is subdivided into 100 bani, singular: ban, a word that means "money" in Romanian.  These 20 lei coins are likely to be worth much more than their nominal value:

20 lei gold coin from 1870
(21mm diameter, 6.43g weight)

40. Thrashed (about): FLAILED.

41. __ loose: free: TURN.

42. Navy nuclear sub class: SEAWOLF.  The Seawolf class is a category of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the United States Navy.

Seawolf Class Submarine

43. "Today" weatherman: AL ROKER.  Albert Lincoln Roker Jr. (born August 20, 1954) is an American weather presenter, journalist, television personality, actor, author, and producer. He is the current weather anchor on NBC's Today.

45. Some gov't issues: T BONDS.  Treasury bonds (T-bonds) are government debt securities issued by the U.S. Federal government that have maturities greater than 20 years. T-bonds earn periodic interest until maturity, at which point the owner is also paid a par amount equal to the principal.

46. Mason's carrier: HOD.  The art of bricklaying can be found in every city across America. From homes to large buildings, bricklayers have made a difference to almost every skyline. The key to building such art is the teamwork that comes from the Bricklayers and their Hod Carriers

49. Crosswalk users, briefly: PEDS.

50. Iris layer: UVEA.  The uvea (Lat. uva, "grape"), is the pigmented middle of the three concentric layers (Choroid, Ciliary Body, and Iris) that make up an eye.  I find the structure of the eye and its integration with the visual cortex via the brain of the optic nerve to be nothing short of miraculous:

51. __ bar: Polynesian-themed spot: TIKI.

52. Many a techie: GEEK. A CSO to all the present and former GEEKS on the Corner.

53. Like many a mechanic's rag: OILY.

54. 1972 Derby winner __ Ridge: RIVA.   Not only did he win the 1972 Derby, but owner Penny Chenery credits him with saving Meadow Stables and paving the way for Secretariat to win the 1973 Triple Crown:

Riva Ridge
1972 Kentucky Derby

55. Think: DEEM.

59. Call in poker: SEE.  I SEE that we've come to the end of this review.

waseeley

Thanks as always to Teri for proofreading and constructive suggestions.

Cheers,
Bill

Notes from C.C.:

1) Happy 56th anniversary to our incomparable Husker Gary and his wife Joann. Here's a picture of them with their grandson Hawkin two years ago.

 

2) Happy birthday to Chairman Moe (Chris), our fun and witty Friday guide! So lucky that I asked you to blog, Chris!

Chris and his love Margaret

Thursday, January 27, 2022, Bruce Venzke

A word ladder puzzle starts with a word at the bottom of the ladder and ends with a word at the top.  Or, in this case, vice versa.  You must form a sequence of words (a word ladder).  On every rung of the ladder you must place a new word that only differs from the previous word by a single letter. 

Good Morning, Cruciverbalists.  Malodorous Manatee here with today's puzzle by Bruce Venzke.  The Xwordinfo site lists nineteen puzzles attributed to him and he had an LAT puzzle reviewed here on January 3rd of this recently-commenced year.  Boomer refers to him as "the legend" and today's word ladder construction does not diminish his reputation in any manner.

A couple of preliminary thoughts:  GOAT is old-time slang for the person who messes up and thereby costs the team a win.  These days, though, it also has another, almost opposite meaning as the acronym for Greatest Of All Time.  Of course it can also mean, well, a goat.  This might have been a bit confusing theme-wise if, as I did, you solved 17 Across first among the #'ed clues having, at that point, no idea of where this was all headed.  Also confusing is the fact that, other than that they are all "marked" with the # sign (suggesting that they are related to each other in some way) there are no clues for the answers on the eight rungs of the ladder.   We are forced to "perp" one or more of those answers and then we must also recognize what it going on - i.e. that we are in the midst of solving a Word Ladder Puzzle.  Those unfamiliar with this type of construction may have felt like our friends above . . . or below.  Here are the steps on the ladder:

17 Across:  #1: GOAT  Commence at rung #1

20 Across:  #2: GOAD  Change the T to a D

26 Across:  #3: LOAD  Change the G to an L

30 Across:  #4: LORD  Change the A to an R

44 Across:  #5: LARD  Change the O to an A

51 Across:  #6: HARD  Change the L to an H

55 Across:  #7: HERD  Change the A to an E

58 Across:  #8: HERO  Change the D to an O, et voila! You've gone from being a GOAT to being a HERO in eight easy steps

The "reveal" comes at 36 Across:  What takes place in eight puzzle answers when read in sequence: CHANGE OF FORTUNE.

Here is how it appears in the grid:

The placement of the eight "rungs" within two sets of successive rows, both spanning the width of the puzzle, is quite impressive.

. . . and now for the rest of the story:

Across:

1. "The Divine Comedy," e.g.: EPIC.  In the traditional sense.

5. Bubbly brand: ASTI.   Franciacorta  è superiore.  How does a manatee know this, I hear you ask?  Our resident sommelier.

9. They're not gentlemen: CADS.  The etymology of CADS is a bit complicated.

13. Robusto! sauce maker: RAGU.

14. Letter on a dreidel: SHIN.  There are four letters on a dreidel.  Nun, Gimel, Hey and SHIN.  They are the first letters of  the Hebrew words Ness Gadol Hayah Sham which translates as A Great Miracle Happened There.

15. Archaeological site: RUINS.

Agrigento, Sicily Photo by MM

18. Continues despite hardship: SOLDIERS ON.  Idiomatic.

22. Common lot size: ONE ACRE. 1/640 of a square mile.

23. Go up: ASCEND.

27. __ & Perrins: Worcestershire sauce brand: LEA.

28. Terse memo from the boss: SEE ME.  We have seen this one before.

29. What Phobos orbits: MARS.  Our name for the the larger, and innermost, of the two natural satellites of MARS although the locals likely have a different name for it.

31. UFO passengers: ETS.  Unidentified Flying Objects are supposedly occupied by Extra TerrestrialS.  Perhaps they come from MARS.

32. Billiards backspin: DRAW.  Jargon.

34. School auxiliaries, for short: PTAS.  "For short" suggests abbrv.

41. Some reddish deer: ROES.  Roe, a deer, a reddish deer.

42. Like granola bars: OATY.  Not ricey or wheaty.

43. Hot __: ROD.

Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen - 1974

46. What many leaves do in autumn: TURN.  This muddled marine mammal first tried to make things work with FALL (which seemed like a nice bit of word play when paired with Autumn).

48. Part of la famille: FRERE.  Today's French lesson.  Brother.

50. Bonding and binding words: I DO.  For those into bondage, I suppose.

52. Wears out: DOES IN.  If a female deer strays is that a DOE SIN?

53. Ones who belong: MEMBERS.

56. Spies: OPERATIVES.

62. Barbershop accessory: STROP.

The Barber on the Left Is Stropping a Straight Razor

63. Final critical moment: NICK.  In the NICK of time.  From the Latin nictare.  To wink.

64. Jump that's often a triple: AXEL.  Not to be confused with AXLE.

Midori Ito - 1992

65. Farm females: SOWS.  Often, EWES.  Sometimes HENS.

66. Comic book shrieks: EEKS.  Not to be confused with EKES.

67. Take care of: TEND.

Down:

1. Bit of work: ERG.  Equal to the work done by a force of one dyne acting through a distance of one centimetre.  Got it?

2. Kung __ chicken: PAO.

3. Market chain with a red oval logo: IGA.

4. Jewelry piece that's been cleaved or shaped: CUT GEM.  A bit of a punt.

5. Long-time Syrian president: ASSAD.  First Hafez al-Asaad and then Bashar al-Assad.  Like father like son.

6. Wearing wingtips, say: SHOD.  Not a bird reference.

7. Up to, in ads: TIL.  UnTIL

8. Like some pools: INDOOR.  This could have several answers.  Thanks, perps.

9. Belief: CREED.

10. Subtle glow: AURA.

11. Real estate transaction requirements: DISCLOSURES.

12. One might keep you up: SNORER.   A snoring person might keep you awake.

16. Golf's Slammin' Sammy: SNEAD.  Decades ago someone came up with the idea to resolve all of the strife in the Middle East by holding a winner-take-all golf tournament.  One of the countries decided to cheat and imported Slammin' Sammy to play for them under the alias of Sheikh SNEAD.  Afterwards, when asked to explain his disappointing second place finish, Sheikh Snead replied "I just could not beat Rabbi Palmer."

19. Behind the eight ball: IN A SPOT.  Idiomatic.

21. Tense: ON EDGE.  Idiomatic.

23. "Wait __!": A SEC.  Wait!  Wait!  Don't tell Me!

24. Green of Austin Powers films: SETH.  #1 of four proper nouns in a row (the first three are actors).

25. He was The Joker on TV's "Batman": CESAR ROMERO.  #2

26. London-born Rat Packer: LAWFORD.  #3

29. Chinese chairman: MAO.  #4  Not to be confused with our own Chairman Moe.

30. Map line: Abbr.: LAT.  LATitude

33. Remedy for a freeze: RESTART.  A computer reference.  The technique would not be applicable here:

Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, Colorado

35. Attempt to get: TRY FOR.

37. Doze: NOD.  This mindless marine mammal first tried to make NAP work.

38. Devotee: FAN.

39. Negative words of agreement?: NOR I.  What to reply when asked if  you, also, do not want some dried edible seaweed.

40. Biblical plot: EDEN.  Ah, a parcel of land rather than a conspiracy.

44. Long rides?: LIMOS.  Nice word play.

45. Masters: ADEPTS.  Noun or verb?  Noun.

47. Bearish: URSINE.  Tautological.

49. Cardinal's headgear: RED HAT.  Not a reference to the College of Cardinals.  Or, perhaps, it is.

St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Cap

51. A lot more than a little: HEAPS.  Slang.

52. Classroom furniture: DESKS.

54. Sweat spot: BROW.   "By the sweat of your brow you will produce food to eat . . ."  Genesis 3:19  

55. "Dang!": HECK.  DRAT  DARN  RATS  DAMN (or a couple of omissions)

57. Compete: VIE.  Solver:  "What's a three-letter word for compete?"  Dracula:  "VIE"  Solver:  "It's for a crossword."

59. Application file suffix: EXE.  Another computer reference.

60. Cartoon canine: REN.

61. Overdone: OLD.  Used too often.  Like OREO?

__________________________________________

Monday January 3 2022 Bruce Venzke

Theme: SPLIT THE ATOM (51. Nuclear fission phrase, and a hint to each set of circles) - ATOM is split up in each theme entry.

20. Addictive: HABIT-FORMING.

28. Arguing with a cat, say: BIG WASTE OF TIME.

43. Lists of principles for political groups: PARTY PLATFORMS.

Boomer here, blogging another solo from the legend Bruce.

Bruce Venzke

I noticed that a lot of L.A. Times themes have this type of split gimmick, but I only know a 7-10 or 4-6 or a big 4. 

I'm still in the hospital and I prepared this blog with major help from C.C.. I hope to be back in the flowing Monday.

 
Across:

1. Negative attention from the press, briefly: BAD PR.

6. Protrudes: JUTS.

10. Police dept. alerts: APBS. All-Points Bulletins.

14. Pear variety: ANJOU.

15. "I'll take care of that, boss": ON IT.

16. Loughlin of "Full House": LORI. Was in trouble a few years ago.

17. Boxer "Iron Mike": TYSON. No relation to the chicken.

18. Inventory methodology acronym: LIFO. Last In, First Out.

19. Thick Japanese noodle: UDON.

23. Altar promise: I DO.

26. U.S. Election Day: Abbr.: TUE. Coming up again in November.

27. Dunkable treats: DONUTS.

32. Intermittent pork offer from Mickey D's: MCRIB.

33. Soothing cream additive: ALOE.

34. Treated, as a patient: SEEN. I'm treated at the VA Medical Center. I've been seen by many doctors.

35. Cop show shocker: TASER. Kimberly Potter got in trouble for using her gun instead of a taser.

37. Wolfgang Puck, e.g.: CHEF.

41. Bottom of a loafer: SOLE. I'm not the only one.

42. Chicago hub: O'HARE. ORD is its code.

48. Gets money for chips after the game, with "in": CASHES. If you're lucky.

49. Hamburger holder: BUN.

50. How poker players may stand: PAT. If his hand is good enough.

55. Rounded hammer part: PEEN. Ball peen hammer.

56. Horse's morsels: OATS. And 54. "A horse is a horse" horse: MR ED. Of course, of course!

57. Encourages: URGES. I've been trying to convince the doctors to get me out.

61. Two-toned cookie: OREO.

62. Solemn ceremony: RITE. I've skipped Catholic mass for a couple of weeks.

63. Fancy watch brand: SEIKO. When I retied, Graybar gifted me a Bulova watch.

64. Recipe amts.: TSPS.

65. Distinctive periods: ERAS. I'll never forget the ERA I'm in right now.

66. Narrowly defeated: EDGED. Lose by a nose.

Down:

1. Lumber, in baseball: BAT. Louisville Slugger is the best.

 

2. "__ port in a storm": ANY.

3. Wedding reception VIPs: DJS.

4. Christopher Robin's friend: POOH. Winnie.

5. Drink now, pay later: RUN A TAB. Most bars are not long allowing this.

6. Prison city near Chicago: JOLIET. Joliet Prison.

7. Part of CPU: UNIT.

8. Brief quarrel: TIFF.

9. Represented: STOOD FOR.

10. Grads: ALUMNI.

11. Speaker's place: PODIUM. Nancy Pelosi's place.

12. Eyre's creator: BRONTE. Charlotte.

13. Tells the cops everything: SINGS.

21. Commuter's ride: BUS. Or subway.

 22. By __: from memory: ROTE.

23. Pioneering PCs: IBMS.

24. Vegas cubes: DICE. My favorite craps tool.

25. Shrek, for one: OGRE.

29. Take the title: WIN. A lot of bowl game titles are decided on New Year's Day.

30. Art studio stand: EASEL.

31. Grand __ Opry: OLE. Nashville, Tennessee. I never visited it.

35. Kid's favorite shopping site: TOY STORE. I bet they were busy 10 days ago.

36. Matterhorn, e.g.: ALP.

37. Comic Margaret: CHO.

38. Heavenly strings: HARP. I left my HARP in San Fink's Disco.

39. Bombeck of humor: ERMA.

40. Word with gab or Oktober: FEST.

41. Cancel, as an edit: STET.

42. Pointless: OF NO USE.

43. Border guard's demand: PAPERS.

44. Out for the night: ASLEEP. Tough to do in a hospital.

45. Safari herbivores: RHINOS. There's a decent bowler on the PBA Tour called Rhino Page.

 

46. Humiliates: ABASES.

47. Legendary boy king: TUT.

48. 100 smackers: C SPOT. A Benjamin.

52. Hippie musical: HAIR.

53. "At Last" singer James: ETTA.

58. Musician's booking: GIG.

59. __ out: just manage: EKE.

60. Grass in a roll: SOD.

Boomer