Monday September 17, 2018 Craig Stowe

Theme: EMMY (72. TV award, and a homophonic hint to the four longest puzzle answers) - Each theme entry is in the pattern of M* E*:

 17. Large-scale departure: MASS EXODUS.

26. Cost of a car, in most family budgets: MAJOR EXPENSE.

49. Edmund Hillary's conquest: MOUNT EVEREST.

64. Region including Egypt, Israel, etc.: MIDDLE EAST.

Boomer here.  

I realize that the LA Times puzzle is more dominant in Western USA, however my sympathy goes to those on the East coast of the Carolinas and Virginia in the aftermath of hurricane/tropical storm Florence. C.C. and I took a vacation to Myrtle Beach about 15 years ago. We had a great time playing some golf and eating in buffets where they had shrimp piled two feet high.

Across:

1. Potato chips source: SPUD. Not Spuds, which is a Budweiser spokesman.

5. __ bean: LIMA. Sufferin' Succotash

9. Rick's "Casablanca" love: ILSA.

13. "Aww!": CUTE.

14. Spring bloom: IRIS.

15. Les __-Unis: ETATS. Interesting that the French spell "State" backwards

16. Neighbor of Yemen: OMAN.

19. Island setting for Melville's "Omoo": TAHITI. I think this is some kind of mecca in the middle of the Pacific.

21. Court order to testify: SUBPOENA. Robert Mueller's tool.

22. Mindless memorization: ROTE.  In grade school we learned songs by note or rote.

24. Farm sound: MOO.  I think this was a sorority in "Animal House".

25. Blue expanse, on a clear day: SKY.

31. 1860s White House nickname: ABE. Classic president. Got his face on a mountain in South Dakota, and his picture on a five dollar bill !

32. Thought: IDEA.

33. Traffic light color: YELLOW.  Are left turns allowed on yellow arrow where you live?

37. Gardener's bane: WEED.  We have a nice crop in our gardens this year.  I didn't plant any, must have been bad dirt.

39. Quick taste: SIP.

41. Produced: MADE.

42. American flag feature: STRIPE.  Add an "S" and you have the movie that made Bill Murray famous.

45. At hand: NEAR.

48. Buddhist school: ZEN.

52. Fermented quaff: ALE.  Not sure what the difference is between beer and ale.  I don't like the taste of either.

55. Slugger's stat: RBI.

56. Get up: RISE.

57. Removing from the text: DELETING.

60. 1971 New York prison riot site: ATTICA. I was not there but I remember it well. Lock criminals up and they tend to get ornery.

66. "__ be fine": "No prob": IT'LL.

67. Sad verse: ELEGY.

68. Spell-checker discovery: TYPO.  This is an odd word for a spell check.  However it's also an odd designation for my Type O blood type.

69. Not virtual: REAL.  This word reminds me of real estate.  Is there such a thing as "Fake Estate"?

70. __ a one: NARY.

71. The "Y" in "YTD": YEAR.  Sometimes Monday clues are pretty easy.

Down:

                                                                                                                                                                                 

1. Loch Ness local: SCOT.

2. Adidas rival: PUMA.  Not Nike.  It drew a critique for their new commercial, but they claim sales went skyward.

3. Home of the NBA's Jazz: UTAH. Home of the Great Salt Lake

4. Robert of "Dirty Grandpa": DE NIRO.  Really liked him in "Casino".

5. Restricted in number, as an edition: LIMITED. Or a designation for a train.

6. Nest egg acronym: IRA.  Individual retirement account. "Don't leave work without it."

7. Hit's opposite: MISS.  East of LA - West of ALA.

8. Take for granted: ASSUME. As Felix Unger once said "If you Assume, you make an Ass of U and Me." Emmy Winning "Odd Couple".

9. "Was __ hard on you?": I TOO.

10. Stows cargo: LADES.

11. Caused some nose-pinching: STUNK. You may have entered "Skunk" on the grid.  I don't blame you.

12. Evaluate, as metal: ASSAY.

15. Bring to light: EXPOSE.

18. Traditional black piano key wood: EBONY.  I don't own any, but I have heard ebony wood does not float.

20. Singer Amos: TORI.  Mr. Torii Hunter was a center fielder for the Twins for a number of years.  Famous for bringing back a Barry Bonds potential home run in the 2002 All Star Game.

23. Old flames: EXES.

26. Big mouths: MAWS. Could be the casts mothers on "Hee Haw".

27. Help rob the bank: ABET. Or you may place one in Las Vegas.

28. Taunt from the bleachers: JEER.  Interesting that this word rhymes with cheer.

29. Emulate Degas: PAINT.

30. "Slippery" tree: ELM. Used by spitball pitchers before my time.  (Unless Gaylord Perry??  Nah.)

34. Do nothing: LAZE.

35. Wordsworth works: ODES.  I liked the "Ode to Billy Joe" (Bobbi Gentry)

36. Attended, with "to": WENT.

38. Reduce in brightness: DIM.

40. __ pressure: PEER.  Sometimes we see GYNT clued as "Peer ___".  I think the guy's name is Edvard.

43. Rotund: PORTLY.  Usually they get to play catcher, or Offensive Tackle.

44. Jazzman Blake: EUBIE.

46. Pilot: AVIATOR.  Most famous, Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

47. Take ten: REST.

50. Distance between bases, in feet: NINETY.  MLB only. Distance in softball is 60 feet.  Distance between Fort Campbell and Fort Polk, about 800 miles.

51. Go to bed: RETIRE.  Or leave your career, or buy a new set of Bridgestones.

52. Commercial writers: AD MEN. They must be very busy. It seems I get to watch about 20 minutes worth, every hour.  (Whoever writes the GEICO commercials belongs in rehab.)

53. Bizet opera priestess: LEILA. Leila is a smart girl.

54. Tribal leader: ELDER.

58. Avant-garde: EDGY.

59. Motown's Marvin: GAYE.  Tragic story.  He was shot to death by his father!! Marvin Gaye is now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

61. Receipt detail: ITEM.  Also a story in the Tabloids.

62. Linguine seafood sauce morsel: CLAM.  They call the soup "chowder"

63. One on your side: ALLY.

65. Daycation destination: SPA.

Boomer

Wednesday, August 29, 2018 Craig Stowe

Theme: SHORT CUTS.  The word SHORT is cut up and shuffled into the theme answers. They locations of these letters are - or should be - indicated with circles.

17. Follow-up vaccination: BOOSTER SHOT.  Re-exposure to an immunizing antigen to increase or restore immunity.  I thought it was a snort of alcohol for a devotee of college athletics.

26. Bit of equine trickery: GIFT HORSE.  Unhappy memory for Trojans, but, somehow otherwise, not to be looked in the mouth.

36. Tall tale: FISH STORY.  An improbable, boastful tail.

52. Part of Ursa Minor: NORTH STAR.  Polaris, a trinary star system with a yellow super-giant and two small companions.

61. Cheat at checkout ... and a hint to the circled letters: SHORT CHANGE.  Literally, not give back sufficient CHANGE for a large bill.  Figuratively, to treat unfairly by withholding something of value.  In the theme fill, the word SHORT is CHANGED by re-ordering its letters.  This would be tough to spot if you didn't get the circles

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here to check out this puzzle and see to it we don't get cheated out of anything. Let's start at aisle 1.

Across:

1. Script deviations: AD LIBS. Spontaneous, not formally prepared speech.

7. Shallot, e.g.: BULB.  A type of onion, with a milder flavor.

11. "Wicked!": RAD.  Slang words for "good."

14. Knitted shoe: BOOTEE.  Infant's foor wear.

15. "The African Queen" screenwriter James: AGEE.

16. Bird on Australian coins: EMU.  A large flightless bird that is one of the cultural icons of Australia.  Here it is on a postage stamp.  Inexplicably, this is not the mascot of Eastern Michigan University.

Issued in 1942

19. Cul-de-__: SAC. Literally, the bottom of a sack, but generally used to indicate a dead-end street.

20. Birth announcement abbr.: OZS.  Along with Lbs.

21. MontrÈal mates: AMIS.  French speaking friends from our neighbor to the north..

22. Defeat soundly: CRUSH.  Stomp, bash, trounce.

24. Clip-on accessories, perhaps: TIES.

29. Fax forerunners: TELEXES.  Per Wikipedia, they comprised a public switched network of teleprinters similar to a telephone network, for the purposes of sending text-based messages.

32. Florida produce: ORANGES.  Citrus fruit.

33. Turkey neighbor: SYRIA.  South of Turkey, north-west of Iraq.

34. "__ news?": ANY.  Update, anyone?

35. Supreme leader?: ESS.  First letter of the word.  The type of self-referential clue that diminishes the quality of a puzzle.

40. Airline to Oslo: SAS.  Scandinavian Airlines.

43. Shoot the breeze: YAK.  Chew the fat.

44. Watts of "Twin Peaks" (2017): NAOMI.

Janey-E Jones

47. Kind of illusion: OPTICAL.  See some here.

50. Drive back, as attackers: FEND OFF.  Repel hostile adversaries.

54. Mine, in MontrÈal: AMOI.

via GIPHY

55. Justice Samuel: ALITO.  Appointed by George W. Bush and on the bench since January, 2006.

56. Organic fuel: PEAT.  Boggy ground consisting of partly decomposed vegetable matter.  Not the only organic fuel.

59. Directional suffix: -ERN.   All's quiet on the -ERN front.

60. Tank or tee: TOP.  Article of informal clothing worn on the torso.

65. Birthday card number: AGE.  These numbers keep increasing.

66. Currency for 19 countries: EURO.  It was introduced on January 1, 1999.

67. Apartment dweller, typically: RENTER.

68. Barrett of Pink Floyd: SYD.

69. Gas in a sign: NEON.  A noble gas [chemically inert] with atomic number 10 and atomic weight of 20.1797, having a density about .9 * that of air.

70. Like the smell of a brewery: YEASTY.  Brewers' yeast transforms carbohydrates to alcohol under low oxygen conditions.

Down:

1. Costello's cohort: ABBOTT.  Comedy partners

2. Humdingers: DOOZIES.  Things that are remarkable or outstanding.  "Humdinger" is a word of uncertain origin that arose in the U. S. in the late 19th century.  It might simply be a mash-up of hummer and dinger, older words of similar meaning.  DOOZIE is of unknown origin.  It is definitely not derived from the name of the Duesenberg motor car, as is sometimes suggested.  The use of the word predates the 1920 introduction of the automobile by more than 20 years.

3. How some scripts are adapted from novels: LOOSELY.  ASoIaF mavens take note.

4. "__ go time!": IT'S.  A challenge to fight some one; or a realization that the moment for decisive action has arrived.  Also, this year's advertising slogan for the Detroit Visitor's Bureau.

5. Software prototype: BETA. A test version of the package, prior to its commercial release.

6. Appear to be: SEEM. Give the impression or sensation of having a particualar quality.

7. Operatic voices: BASSI.  Italian plural of BASSO.

8. "Gross!": UGH.  Eeew!

9. Zodiac sign: LEO.  July 23 to August 22.  We are now in Virgo.

10. "You __!": "Bingo!": BETCHA.  Of course.

11. Make a comeback: RESURGE.  To regain popularity or strength after a decline.

12. Stockpiles: AMASSES.  Accumulates.

13. New title for Meghan Markle: DUCHESS. Of Sussex, having married Prince Harry on May 19th of this year.

18. Semis: RIGS.  North American term for large trucks.  More generally, a RIG is an apparatus or device designed for a specific purpose.

23. "This Is Us" Emmy nominee __ Cephas Jones: RON.  No idea.

25. Feudal laborer: SERF.  Laborers who were bound to a particular piece of property.

27. Word processing choice: FONT.  Letter character style.

28. "Have a sample": TRY ONE.  A tiny morsel.

30. A dozen ova?: XII.  OK.  Ova is latin for eggs; eggs are generally sold by the dozen; and XII is the Roman numeral for 12.  Still  .  .  .

31. Helpful courses for underachievers: EASY As.  A class where a high grade can be achieved with minimal effort.

34. Inquire: ASK.

37. "Don't move!": HALT.  Stay put.

38. Campaigned: RAN.  As for public office.

39. Diminutive Jedi master: YODA.

40. Mozart works: SONATAS.  Musical selections for solo instruments.  Here is a well known example.

41. Expression of regret: APOLOGY.  I'm sorry!

42. Like Ronald McDonald's sleeves: STRIPED.  Advertising mascot in a clown outfit.

45. They may be precious: MOMENTS.  Sweet memories, or overly cutsie ceramic miniatures, if you're in to that sort of kitsch..

46. "My memory fails me": I FORGET.  What was i saying  .  .  .  ?

48. Cousin of Gomez Addams: ITT.  From the Addams Family TV show.

49. Selected: CHOSEN.

50. Lose sleep (over): FRET.  Worry.

51. Sunday best: FINERY.  One's best clothing.

53. It may say "World's Okayest Cook": APRON.  A protective and/or decorative garment worn over the front of one's clothing, and tied in the back.

57. __ for help: A CRY.  S.O.S. perhaps.

58. Quaker pronoun: THEE.  Obsolete singular objective case version of "you."  A relic of the English language's Germanic roots.

62. Shade: HUE.  An attribute of color determined by its wavelength distribution, independent of brightness or intensity,

63. Conquistador's treasure: ORO.  Spanish gold.

64. Actress Ortiz of "Ugly Betty": ANA.

Betty's more fashionable sister

Well, that wraps up another Wednesday. Make sure you have all your nickels and dimes - and marbles, too, just to be on the safe side.
Cool regards!
JzB

Monday August 13, 2018 Craig Stowe

Theme: POSTCARD (59. Vacation memento ... or where you might find the ends of the answers to starred clues?) - Card can follow the last word of each theme entry.

 17. *NYSE nickname, with "The": BIG BOARD. Cardboard.

 24. *"I Want You to Want Me" band: CHEAP TRICK. Card trick.

 35. *Stingray predator named for a tool: HAMMERHEAD SHARK. Card shark.

51. *Clairvoyant: MIND READER. Card reader.

Boomer here.  Greetings and a warm Monday to you all. I mentioned last week that I had entered another Pro Am bowling event, this time with the Women pros. Results were not good. I was not able to hit my average in any of the three games, even though 9 pins on the first ball counted as a strike!  I watched the finals on TV Saturday and noticed that even the professionals had a difficult time keeping the ball right of the head pin.  The pattern was short oil, 37 feet, and many of my friends with higher averages struggled like I did. I had the right ball, a Roto Grip Dare Devil Trick. Tournament winner, Rocio Restrepo was using the same model.

So, today we have CARDS. Ace Hardware, Roger Miller's "King of the Road", Las Vegas Hotel the Four Queens, and new Hall of Fame pitcher Jack Morris. The rest is my golf scorecard - All the other numbers might be on it (except two and three.) 

Across:

1. Capital in Canada and Colombia?: CEE. Rocio Restrepo is from Columbia, South America.

4. Struggle with "s" sounds: LISP.

8. Puts on, as a show: STAGES. As Miss Kitty once said to Chester, "You should be on a stage. The next one out of town".

14. Suffix with form: ULA.  I don't like half a word. Might this be an acronym for the University of Louisiana?

15. "Otello" solo: ARIA. Also a luxury hotel/casino in Las Vegas. They give great acclaim to Chinese New Year. We were there.

C.C., Aria, Feb 9, 2014

16. Red, white and blue: COLORS.

19. Reversed, as a deed: UNDONE.  I like untied, like a shoe lace.

20. British __: ISLES.  We have a Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis, but it's just a big lake,  C.C. and I have walked around it a few times. I've yet to see an Isle.

Lake of the Isles

21. Depended (on): RELIED.  Can you think of anyone who lied once and then lied again?

23. __ butter: cosmetic moisturizer: SHEA. Also the old Mets Ballpark.

28. Walter of "The Odd Couple" (1968): MATTHAU.  Jack Klugman was a pretty good slob too.

30. Versatile vehicle, for short: UTE.  I thought UTE was a Native American, but I suppose it can also be an SUV.

31. MADD concern: DUI.  The stories that appear in the paper about repeat offenders really drives me up a wall.  Not that even one offense is tolerable.

32. Sudden power increase: SURGE.

34. Clairvoyant: SEER.

41. Pilate's "Behold!": ECCE.  Latin is a dead language, as dead as dead can be. First it killed the Romans, and now it's killing me.

42. Tea biscuit: SCONE.

43. China's Chou En-__: LAI. Sometimes spelled Zhou Enlai.  Ask C.C. if you don't believe me.

44. "It's cold in here!": BRR.  In Minnesota, we never say BRR.  We just swear.

47. First Hudson River automobile tunnel: HOLLAND.

54. "In __ of gifts ... ": LIEU.

55. Rug on one's pate: TOUPEE.  Reminds me of George Can't Stanzya on Seinfeld.

56. It's a wrap: SARAN.  Does anybody like this stuff.  I cannot get a piece to use without having it stick to itself in 12 different places.

57. "Now!" in Westerns: PRONTO.  State Fairs are everywhere with Pronto Pups to die for.  (Corn Dogs).

62. __-Price: toy company: FISHER.  Also a sunflower seed packager. I used to eat them by the hundreds when I had real teeth.

63. Small jazz combo: TRIO.  Not sure about Jazz.  I enjoyed Chad, Mike, and Joe aka the Chad Mitchell Trio.  "Hang on the Bell, Nellie, Hang on the bell …."

64. Cavs, on scoreboards: CLE.  What will life be without LeBron.

65. Talk show partner: CO-HOST.  Always liked Ed McMahon.

66. Rope material: HEMP.

67. Reading organ: EYE.

Down:

1. Picasso's movement: CUBISM.

2. Otis of elevators: ELISHA.  Kind of an up and down business.

3. Aerie youngster: EAGLET.

4. Vietnam neighbor: LAOS.  We don't hear much about Laos; Northwest of Thailand.  Thailand has some great female golfers and stupid soccer coaches.

5. Nest egg initials: IRA.  Individual Retirement Account.  Don't leave home without it.

6. Knight's title: SIR.  The Queen has anointed a few pro golfers.

7. Felipe's father: PADRE. A San Diego Baseball player.

8. Work on a statue: SCULPT.  I have never seen it in person, but I admire the Statue of Liberty.

9. This evening, in ads: TONITE.  "Today, the minutes seem like hours, the hours go so slowly, and still the sky is bright."

10. Guitar-making hardwood: ALDER.  Rumor has it, it is the best wood for guitars.  I wonder why they don't use it for baseball bats.

11. "Nice thinking!": GOOD IDEA.

12. Coastal bird: ERN.

13. Opposite of NNW: SSE.  These are the clues I always fill in first.

18. "I dunno": BEATS ME. What happens when you have 18 and the dealer has an Ace and a King?

22. Agua, across the Pyrenees: EAU.  A city in Wisconsin EAU CLAIRE.  I have a cousin there, nice bowling city.

24. "The Alienist" novelist Caleb: CARR.

25. Jackman of "X-Men": HUGH.  How about "Wyatt Earp"  Mr O'Brian.  We lost him only a couple of years ago.

26. One prompting: CUER.

27. Enterprise captain: KIRK. Then there is actor Mr. Douglas who appeared in many films before my time. My gosh! He will turn 102 in December.

29. Tint: HUE.

33. Wide shoe sizes: EES.  Nope - E is wide, EE is Extra wide, EEE is a small boat.

34. Brush-on wood finish: SHELLAC.  Also, what other major league teams are doing to the Twins this year.

35. Big wheel at sea: HELM.

36. Healthful berry: ACAI.

37. Canada's national apple: MCINTOSH. Named after John McIntosh of Ontario.

38. Throbbing pain: ACHE.  You name it, I've got it.

39. Knocker's place: DOOR.

40. "Weekend Update" show, in tweets: SNL.I don't watch it anymore.  I used to love it when the lady did Sara Palin acts.

44. Ogres: BRUTES.  I wonder why the NFL never adopted this name.  Maybe Washington should change ??

45. School assignment: REPORT.

46. Actress Charlotte: RAE. Or Martha.

48. Acclaimed war pilot: AIR ACE.  The Red Baron.

49. Almost: NEARLY.

50. Scottish port: DUNDEE.  Angus, MacFergus, McTavish Dundee.  Burl Ives.

52. "Tiny Bubbles" singer: DON HO.

53. Ocean measure: DEPTH.

56. Four-way __: certain intersection: STOP.  Some drivers don't think they have to stop.

57. Rank below cpl.: PFC.  It used to be a single stripe but then it was changed to a stripe with a rocker.  Not too many corporals.  My promotion was to Specialist 4.  They never told me what my specialty was.

58. 2016 Olympics city: RIO.  A lot of strange things went on down there.

60. Mined metal: ORE. Also St. south of Washington.

61. __ City: computer game: SIM.

Monday August 6, 2018 Craig Stowe

Theme: LIFE PARTNER (57. Significant other, often, and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues) - Life can precede the last word of each theme answer.

 

17A. *Program for an idle monitor: SCREEN SAVER. Life saver.

22A. *Rustic: COUNTRY STYLE. Life style.

37A. *Distinctive Jay Leno facial feature: JAW LINE. Lifeline.

47A. *Squeaky-clean: SPICK AND SPAN. Life span.

Boomer here.

C.C. and I arrived early at the 3M Championship Golf Tournament. We received our bag of goodies compliments of the 3M Company. Not quite as loaded as previous years but it is very commendable that 3M gives free products to nearly everyone in attendance. In addition, on Saturday they assemble a dozen "Greats of Golf" including Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam, Nancy Lopez and more, who play a scramble round following the regular entrants.

Congratulations to Kenny Perry, who joined Hale Irwin as the only two three time winners of the 3M Championship. But who has time for golf??  The PWBA (Women's Professional Bowling Assn.) is making a tour stop this week in Eagan, Minnesota (A southern suburb of Minneapolis) and I will be there for the Pro-Am.  (I am still an AM).

Boomer, Arnie's Army Entrance, 2018

Across:

1. Awesome, in show biz: BOFFO.  Sounds like an enforcer for the mob.

6. Dorian Gray creator Oscar: WILDE.

11. Splash gently, as waves: LAP.  Something your Mom had that you sat on.

14. Toothbrush brand: ORAL-B. I have heard of this, but I am a Fixodent man.

15. Upscale Honda: ACURA.

16. "__ been thinking": I'VE.  Reuben Reuben would have no problem with this clue.

19. Unfavorable critique: PAN.

20. Chad neighbor: CAMEROON.  Africa has sooo many countries, I can't keep track.

21. Clarifying words: AS IN.

26. Female foxes: VIXENS.

29. Like wine casks: OAKEN. Or an old bucket

30. Rowing needs: OARS.  I pulled many of these as a young kid.  We could not afford an outboard motor.

31. Buffalo NHLer: SABRE.  Buffalo also has an NFL team.  Nothing for major league baseball or hoops that I know.

33. Michael of "SNL": CHE. Co-host of "Weekend Update". 

Colin Jost ad Micha Che

36. Supermarket initials: IGA. A huge grocery store conglomerate, but nothing here in Minnesota.

39. "2001" computer: HAL. Fictional

40. Playpen item: TOY.

41. Olympian Bolt: USAIN.  I remember Usain Bolt, both for his interesting first name, and his speedy record under 10 seconds in the 100 meter dash.

42. Quarters for lions: DENS. Don't forget where the Cub Scouts meet.

43. Large, at Starbucks: VENTI. I am constantly amazed at the lineup of cars at the Starbucks drive thru window.  I have never tried their coffee. I am afraid I would like it and I don't want to spend four bucks a day on morning Java.

45. Tiny bit: SMIDGE.

51. In addition: ALSO.

52. Act out, as a Civil War battle: RECREATE.

56. Mai __: TAI.  You can make these at home, or drop into a bar in Hawaii if you don't have the ingredients.

60. Game with Skip cards: UNO.  I am sure everyone had the UNO game as a kid.  But it was not too challenging and ended up on the shelf next to Old Maid. 

61. Eisenhower opponent Stevenson: ADLAI. Adlai was in the first presidential election that I remember. What I did not understand was after he lost in 1952, why was he nominated again in 1956?  

62. Playful swimming mammal: OTTER.  I think he was in "Animal House". 

63. Bic, for one: PEN. Attica for another.

64. Mild Dutch cheese: GOUDA.  I have never tried it. The name does not sound tasty. 

65. Gardener's concerns: WEEDS.  We have a large crop in our garden this year.  Not sure why.

Down:

1. Pear from France: BOSC.

2. Killer whale: ORCA.

3. Word before hand or land: FARM.  I can assure that it is also a word after "state". 

4. Pulls a scam on: FLEECES.  White as snow, ask Mary.

5. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" king: OBERON. Shakespeare is almost as well known as LeBron.

6. Aired, as a TV program: WAS ON. The 3M Championship WAS ON the Golf Channel Saturday.  They showed Kenny Perry bringing the TPC Blaine to its knees, but mostly just showed the Legends.

7. "__ help it": I CAN'T.

8. Candy heart verb: LUV.  Could be a "Luxury Utility Vehicle"?

9. Dr. of rap: DRE.

10. Has an __ to the ground: EAR.

11. Mouthed the words: LIP-SYNCHED.  Interesting - I think this used to occur frequently on variety shows, however now it's mostly police officers putting on a fundraiser and having fun doing it.

12. Benefit: AVAIL.

13. Pasta in vodka sauce: PENNE.  I have heard of penne pasta, and I have heard of vodka.  I did not know they go together.

18. Entre __: between us: NOUS.  Looks like French, but it could be Latin.  I don't nous.

21. Snacked: ATE.

23. Bird associated with spring: ROBIN.  Mr. Williams was one of my Favorites.  Nanoo Nanoo.

24. Knitter's ball: YARN.  Or a place where knitters go to dance.

25. __-Ball: arcade game: SKEE. One of my favorite arcade games. Used to be nine balls for a dime.  Now it's a lot more, but the prizes are not so good.  Targets used to be 10 - 50. Now some go up to 5000!

26. Sports ball brand: VOIT.

27. "Othello" villain: IAGO. Shakespeare again?

28. Superman super power: X-RAY VISION. Not sure if you need X-Ray vision to change in a phone booth.  (Years from now, young people won't even know who Superman was, OR what was a phone booth.)

31. Suitor: SWAIN.

32. __ Baba: ALI.  Sort of makes me think of the NFL. 40 players getting paid millions of dollars to play a game, and I watch every Sunday and have to listen to all those ads.

34. Dangle: HANG.  Dang me, Dang me.....

35. "Anything __?": "Is there more?": ELSE. Yes, there are 16 more clues.

37. Trash: JUNK.  A button for a lot of emails in my mail box.

38. "The Thin Man" dog: ASTA. I am not old enough for William Powell and Myrna Loy, but I seem to remember a TV series with Peter Lawford and the stupid annoying dog "ASTA".

42. Breakfast nook, e.g.: DINETTE.

44. Prefix with friendly: ECO.

45. Humane org.: SPCA.

46. Bone tissue: MARROW. Not to be confused with newsman Edward R. Murrow.

47. Suddenly took notice: SAT UP.

48. Vehicle that taxis: PLANE.

49. Not look forward to at all: DREAD.

50. Photo finish: SEPIA. When I see photo finish I think of a horse race. Since there are no horses named Sepia, I think of a color.  However I am sure that some of you have a sepia colored photo of your great great grandfather. 

53. Pay to play: ANTE.  Jacks or better, trips to win.

54. Miffed, with "off": TEED.  No, I am a golfer and get teed off eighteen times a game. If I am "Miffed" I get ticked off.

55. Drops the ball: ERRS.  I say errors

57. Fall behind: LAG.

58. Wedding vow words: I DO.  I wonder if anyone ever said "I Don't"

59. Illness with its own season: FLU.

Boomer

Saturday, July 28, 2018, Craig Stowe

Themeless Saturday Puzzle By Craig Stowe

What can be more American than celebrating National Day Of The Cowboy? Cowboys drove many herds up to the U.P. railhead at Ogallala, Nebraska from where they were shipped back east. Ogallala has maintained that identity even today as it claims to be the Cowboy Capital of Nebraska although the nickname of their hight school teams are the Ogallala Indians.

While the eastern part of my state became engaged in commerce and farming, the Cowboy Life has persisted out west  but some modern vehicles have replaced some of the horses although it is said some herding can only be done by men and women on horseback.

I have searched in vain for info on today's constructor but he seems to be holed up in some box canyon somewhere perhaps looking for some little dogies.. 😙

Now let's see what cluing and fill Craig has rounded up for us in what appears to be his 20th LA Times puzzle.  This one took quite a bit of time for me and it seemed like the puzzle pattern offered very few ways in or out in places

Across:

1. Torn: IN A DILEMMA - Unlike his predecessors, U.S. Grant was less torn about sacrificing men to win a battle

11. __ drop: MIC - What you do after you've said it all →

14. Shakes on it: MAKES A DEAL - Judge Judy usually requires a lot more proof than that

15. Andean cash crop: COCA - COCA is not the problem, it's the demand in the U.S. for the cocaine it produces

16. Parents often limit it: SCREEN TIME - SCREEN TIME is great for substitute teachers 

17. GPS displays: AVES - AVES, STS and RTES

18. Worn: ERODED.

19. Dog in the Reagan White House: REX - A Cavalier King Spaniel

20. Try: TEST - Testing the waters

21. __ strength: TENSILE - The resistance to being pulled or stretched in Mega Pascals

23. Northern cruise destination: ALASKA and 47. Coastal feature: INLET - Do cruise ships sail into the Cook INLET to get to Anchorage?

25. Yeshiva reference: TORAH  - A Yeshiva is an Orthodox Jewish School

28. Works like Beethoven's "Ah! perfido": ARIAS - "Ah! Deceiver!" Sure, I knew that...



29. Lean, to sailors: LIST - The Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia is shown LISTING 80 degrees in 2012. 32 were killed and the captain and his girlfriend definitely did not go down with his ship. He received a 16 year jail sentence for manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship 

34. "Wanna bet?": CANT I  - "Captain, you can't sail that close to the island of Giglio!" Oh, CAN'T I?"

35. "My mistake": I STAND CORRECTED  - "Oops, you're right. I CAN'T'"

39. Cheek, in slang: TUDE  - This captain had a real (atti)TUDE!



33. 1988 self-titled album: REBA - REBA McIntire attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University and got a degree in elementary education to teach

38. Mark: GRADE - How many papers have I marked/GRADED in 42 years in the classroom?

40. Zipped (through): TORE  - Danny Thomas gets fined when he TORE through Mayberry, N.C. and ran a stop sign. This was also a pilot for Andy Griffin's new TV show.

41. Comedic honker: HARPO  - Here he is with his all his brothers before their only televised appearance in 1957

HARPO, Zeppo, Chico, Groucho and Gummo

42. Jam: STUFF - Even at 5' 7" tall, Spud Webb could Jam/dunk/STUFF a basketball (SPUD was also in Thursday's puzzle)

44. Western range: TETONS - We have previously discussed the 45. Off-color: SALTY origin of this range's name  

46. Uncompromising types: PURISTS - Baseball PURISTS hate the designated hitter and wild card games

51. Mideast carrier: EL AL - Israeli airline

52. Took in: ATE.

55. Written creation of Michelangelo: SONNET - A genius in many mediums!

56. __ lives: NINE - Our kitty has used up a few

57. Unlikely to inherit the crown soon: LAST IN LINE - That appears to be Prince George here at the bottom of the purple line on the left-hand side of the diagram

59. 1860s-'70s Black Hawk War combatants: UTES - A prolonged war in Utah, not to be confused with the Black Hawk War of 1832 in Illinois in which Abe Lincoln served 

60. Station: TRAIN DEPOT

61. Basilica bench: PEW - The ones in the basilica have the same name as the ones in the chapel

62. Some squirts: YOUNGSTERS  - "You young squirts stay off my lawn!." 😡


Down:

1. "Ready?" response: I'M SET - When my lovely bride responds like this, it will still be 5 minutes before we are out the door

2. Mother-of-pearl: NACRE  - Instead of being used in jewelry, here is a dragon carved in mollusk NACRE

3. Ohio university: AKRON - The AKRON Zips start their FB season this year in Lincoln. They will get a big loss and a big check

4. Exploits: DEEDS.

5. "Over there!": I SEE IT.

6. Super superior: LANDLORD - The building's Superintendent works for the LANDLORD

7. WV summer hours: EDT - Daylight savings is a waste of time and money

8. '70s Mideast prime minister: MEIR - In a Seinfeld discussion of homliest world leader, Elaine opined, "Golda MEIR would make 'em all run up a tree!"

9. Jerry Herman musical: MAME - Not my cup of musical tea

10. Amazon assistant: ALEXA - Very cool and/or very creepy

11. Makes one's residence: MOVES INTO - Several college grads have MOVED back INTO mom and dad's house around here because their lousy degrees or lack of ambition made them 27. Strapped: HARD UP for cash

12. Rockefeller Center holiday visitor: ICE SKATER - Once she gets up, ya gotta admire how she keeps from falling again before she reaches the rail.

15. Large falls: CATARACT - Cataract Waterfalls occur when large amounts of fast moving water fall over a cliff as seen here at the Iguazo Cataract Falls  on the border of Brazil and Argentina. The list of waterfall types.

22. Raises: ERECTS.

24. Spike: LACE  - Frankenstien spiking/lacing the Halloween punch (some of you know why I did not include the spiking scene from Hollywood Knights) and 26. Roughly: ABOUT  - ABOUT one bottle seemed to be enough for Frank 

29. "Chill out!": LIGHTEN UP - Sgt. Hulka delivers this advice at the end of this hilarious scene

30. Ancient Semitic language speaker: ISRAELITE - Semitic language distribution in late antiquity 

31. Begin again: START ANEW.

32. Polliwogs: TADPOLES.

36. Vegas' __ Museum: NEON - Where old Vegas signs go to retire. Recognize any of the old standards that have been 13. Discard: CAST ASIDE?

37. Declining: REFUSING - Our Visa Card was declined in D.C. when they thought 10 Uber trips 1,500 miles from home was suspect. A very nice young man fixed us up in 2 minutes 

43. Palm parts: FRONDS.

48. Wading bird: SNIPE - The SNIPE is an actual bird but bamboozling people into "hunting SNIPE" with silly instructions and equipment like this has become a camp staple

49. Purport: TENOR - I leave it as an exercise to the class to find TENOR among these synonyms and related words

50. Marks in margins: STETS - Ah, change it back to "Fourscore and Seven" instead of 87

53. Leaf used in the dish laulau: TARO - C'mon, with laulau, what else could it have been?

54. Genesis character: ESAU

58. Begin to type?: TIN - A TINTYPE is very early photograph where the image is formed on a thin tin plate. However its common use has become part of a phrase for "never" as shown in this dialogue from my favorite musical The Music Man (obviously community theater here).

Charlie Cowell: I gotta leave a message about that fellow Hill

Marian the Librarian: Leave word with me!

Charlie Cowell: Not on your TINTYPE! How'd I'd even know you'd deliver these letters?

Marian the Librarian: Try me!

I gotta leave word about that fellow Hill!
Leave word with me.
Not on your tintype.
How do I know you'd even deliver these letters?
Try me.

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=the-music-manI gotta leave word about that fellow Hill!

Leave word with me.
Not on your tintype.
How do I know you'd even deliver these letters?
Try me.

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=the-music-man

I gotta leave word about that fellow Hill!
Leave word with me.
Not on your tintype.
How do I know you'd even deliver these letters?
Try me.

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=the-music-manI gotta leave word about that fellow Hill!

Leave word with me.
Not on your tintype.
How do I know you'd even deliver these letters?
Try me.

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=the-m

Well, I gotta check on my cayuse out in the corral and then be moseyin' back to the bunk house. Feel free to comment in the meantime, Pard! (Did I just type Pard?)

DA GRID: