Friday, November 30, 2018, Dan Margolis

Title: Cue Q.  LINK.

I blogged Dan's debut here back 5 + years ago, click if you want to REMEMBER. I do not believe James Bond was the inspiration, but perhaps we can induce Dan to stop by and let us know. In the interim, the theme is straightforward, though a bit varied. There are 5 themers and a reveal. The first two have CU replaced, the third has one of its two CUs replaced. Next has CUE, and the last CCU. It is consistent because in each and every case it is the sound kju that is replaced. he does provide a reveal if you hadn't gotten the hint, though it too could be confusing. 56 theme spaces do not leave much room for outside sparkle but did leave room for lots of linguistics. We see many languages featured in this grid and I have highlighted some that I saw but maybe not all, or even correctly. The time change adjustment makes this blog harder than doing it in Thailand. See for yourself...

10A. Like many Miamians: QBAN (4). My son is married to a young lady of CUBAN descent.

17A. Not to be tolerated: INEXQSABLE (10). If I had used all the bad puns that came to mind with this theme, you likely would have found it INEXCUSABLE.

26A. Unruffled: COOL AS A QCUMBER (14). While scientifically correct - cucumbers internal temperature will be 11 to 20 degrees cooler and its surroundings, the phrase was first recorded in a poem by the British poet John Gay 'New Song on New Similies' in 1732: "Cool as a cucumber could see the rest of womankind". This is challenging because of the double "CU" but the second is not pronounced with the long U.

43A. Potentially lifesaving efforts: RESQ OPERATIONS (14). RESCUE operations are organized procedures to bring people or a person out of danger, attack, harm, etc. Collins dictionary. Here the Q replaces CUE. 

62A. Charge: AQSE (4). I ACCUSE (J'ACCUSE in the original) was made famous from a letter written by Emile Zola defending Alfred DREYFUS.
The reveal:

56A. Words before entering ... and a hint to five puzzle answers: THAT'S MY CUE (10).

and that is mine to get on with reviewing and discussing...

Across:

1. Accommodate: ADAPT.

6. "Who, me?": NOT I. Very formal.

14. Craft pointed in two directions?: CANOE. We begin our world of words with a word that came to us from mid 16th century: from Spanish canoa, from Arawak, from Carib canaoua .

15. __à-brac: BRIC. French.

16. Bear overhead: URSA. The famous Major and Minor
constellations. Latin for bear.

19. Farm feed: OATS.

20. Pasture moisture: DEW. Not the same as Mountain Dew.

21. One of the two most recent Pac-12 members: UTES.
The STORY.

22. Xerxes' empire: PERSIA. This guy...

24. Krombacher output: BIER. This German BREWER makes beer which is bier in German (CSO to my son's current career in craft beer distribution).

25. In __: undisturbed: SITU. Latin, meaning “in position. We hear it in archaeology (CSO to my son's graduate school time).

32. Native American shelter: WIGWAM. This is from Algonquian language.

33. Polynesian carving: TIKI. This from the Maori language. In Māori mythology, Tiki is the first man created by either Tūmatauenga or Tāne. He found the first woman, Marikoriko, in a pond; she seduced him and he became the father of Hine-kau-ataata.

34. Waze suggestion: Abbr.: RTE. I never heard of this app (WAZE) until this year and now I have seen it often including in last Saturday's Puzzle Society by Chris King.

35. Flubs: ERRS.

36. Dominate: OWN. Tom Brady owned Peyton Manning.

37. "La Vie en Rose" singer: PIAF. The troubled but talented French singer

38. Duffer's dream: ACE. A golfer who is not very good who wishes for a hole in one.

39. Final notes: CODA. From Italian, the concluding passage of a piece or movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure

41. Gym wear: SWEATS.

46. One often paying a fee: USER.

47. Seagoing shortening: BOSN. Boatswain.

48. Stay put: REMAIN.

51. Stare slack-jawed: GAPE. Better than agape.

52. Sleeve: ARM.

55. Like __ of sunshine: A RAY. A golden ray?

59. Beatles song that begins, "Is there anybody going to listen to my story": GIRL.

                                                                       LYRICS.

60. Exude: OOZE.

61. Like some kitchens: EAT IN. These are usually the most popular room in the house.

63. Old-style "Wow!": EGAD.

64. Exceedingly: NO END. Did I mention we are going to see the King and I tonight

Down:

1. Stinging: ACID.

2. Many a "Hamlet" character: DANE.  Friday Will S; cool. Well, he was Prince of Denmark...

3. Freshly: ANEW.

4. Curse: POX. A Shakespearian word.

5. Drink with blanco and plata varieties: TEQUILA. This is a Mexican liquor made from an agave. Interestingly to me, the two types mentioned really are the same though there are other KINDS.

6. Grizzlies, e.g., for short: NBAERS. Odd mascot.

7. "Nor to their idle __ doth sight appear": Milton: ORBS. A line by John Milton, the blind poet, in a sonnet to CYRIAK SKINNER.

8. Up to, in ads: TIL.

9. Chip maker: ICEPICK. A very difficult clue to parse, luckily the perps were there. Keebler fit.




10. Number needed for official business: QUORUM. Tricky since the answer is not a number, these meetings are often mind-numbing.

11. Support group?: BRAS. Hard to think of bras as a group; they never had a hit album.

12. Italian wine region: ASTI.

13. Rocket launcher: NASA.

18. Anger: STEAM.

23. Holder of needles: ETUI. Not Eric but ➡
French.

24. Bends over forward: BOWS. Alfonse? Gaston?

25. Newspaper ad meas.: SQIN. This is used as an acronym for SQare INch.

26. "Odyssey" sorceress: CIRCE. Inspired so many imitations including GOT's Cersei

27. Cruel sorts: OGRES.

28. Fighting big-time: AT WAR.

29. Beach Boy Wilson: BRIAN.

30. States overseas: ÉTATS. French and related languages.

31. Whistle blowers: REFS. Nice misdirection; not whistleblowers.

32. Sport: WEAR. My grandmother even in senility always commented when my mother was sporting a new outfit.

36. Frankfurt's river: ODER.

37. McJob holder: PEON.

39. Mozart's "__ fan tutte": COSI. Italian, they all do it.

40. Like pedi-showing shoes: OPEN TOE. Not open tutte.

41. Bus route components: STOPS. Such a fancy word for a bus stop.

42. Stable visitors: WISEMEN. Not one who has it together but who went to a specific stable.

44. Veep before Gore: QUAYLE.

45. Let up: ABATED.

48. Sitar music: RAGA. I do not think I knew this. The word is from Sanskrit.

49. Actor La Salle: ERIQ. I wish I could think of the actor who first came to mind with a toothpick in his mouth, but this is ERIQ.

50. Blemishes: MARS.

51. Controversial Mideast strip: GAZA. Hard to discuss as a non-political issue but here is some HISTORY.

52. Partie d'une comédie: ACTE. French.

53. Destruction: RUIN. A  "u" sound but not kju.

54. Use thread on threads, say: MEND. I like this clue/fill a lot.

57. Monopolize: HOG.

58. Former hoopster __ Ming: YAO. A mini CSO to my sweet Thongyao. In Chinese Yáo, literally means ‘precious jade.' Or maybe not- Jayce? Barry G.?

I made it to the end, in a sort of zen/zombie state and I hope made some sense here and there. Thank you, Dan and all who read and write. Lemonade out.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Dan Margolis

Theme: A Capital Idea

Dan has some gazetteer fun with us as he takes world capital city names and, using their pronunciation or a reasonable facsimile thereof, creates a fun gimmick. Each city is paired with another word to make an "in the language" phrase or "close enough" sound-a-like. Some theme answers are just one word and some are two. 

C.C. saw Dan and Me and decided to PARIS UP. :-) 

17. Irish city in a recession? : DUBLIN DOWN/DOUBLING DOWN  - Ireland's capital or Blackjack's elided strategy of doubling your bet after seeing first two cards (esp. with a 10 or 11)

27. Result of a Czech checkup? : PRAGUENOSIS/PROGNOSIS - Capital of the Czech Republic or a doctor's educated guess. Seven miles south of here, they pronounce it PRAYG, Nebraska

47. North African dieter's light fare? : TUNIS SALADS/TUNA SALADS - Capital of Tunisia and also a favorite of ours and our kitty Lily (sans celery).

63. South Korean sailors? : SEOUL MATES/SOUL MATES - Capital of the Korea that doesn't have a maniac running it and me with my SOUL MATE in Venice (Gondolier is reaching for his cell phone)

Across:

1. Volkswagen Type 1, familiarly : BUG - Designed for Hitler by Ferdinand Porsche (far left)

4. Yemeni neighbor : OMANI

9. Old-timey oath : EGAD

13. 1956 Gregory Peck role : AHAB - Many (including me) thought he was really miscast

15. Add a lane to, say : WIDEN

16. University of New Mexico athlete : LOBO

19. Watched warily : EYED

20. One with a stable job? : GROOM - The GROOM for Triple Crown Winner American Pharoah was Eduardo Luna

21. Like dotted musical notes : STACCATO - Abrupt, disconnected sounds when above or below the note (Think Buddy Holly's Peggy Sue). After a note, a dot means 1/2 more of a beat.

23. Cellphone accessories : EARBUDS

26. Body work, briefly : TAT - Tattoo shorthand

33. Catches some rays : SUNS - C'mon, you put TANS first too didn't cha?

37. Home ec alternative : SHOP - Industrial Tech today

38. Louisville's KFC Yum! Center, e.g. : ARENA - Home of the Cardinal basketball teams

39. Dessert pancake : CREPE - Pierre says Krep, Pete says Krape

41. Part of USDA: Abbr. : AGR - United States Department of AGRiculture

42. Spirited diversions : LARKS

43. Febreze targets : ODORS

44. It's on the house : ROOF - MIL needs a new one but hail avoids her!

46. Not as pricey : LESS

50. Originally called : NEE - Hillary (née  Rodham) Clinton

51. Jackhammer sound : RAT-A-TAT - Sometimes called the jackhammer of the forest

56. Malady : SICKNESS

61. Thrill to pieces : ELATE - I've used ELATED and ELATION but not the verb

62. Bibliog. catchall : ET AL - ...and some other guys

66. Cartoon maker of explosive tennis balls : ACME - I think Wiley Coyote had an ACME charge card

67. Pile up : AMASS

68. Jib or mizzen : SAIL - The site says this has a JIB, JIB topsail, Foresail, Mainsail, MIZZEN Mast and MIZZEN Topsail. I live 1,500 miles from an ocean but I think the Jib SAIL in the bow and the Mizzen SAIL is astern. Spitz?

69. Where to store hoes and hoses : SHED

70. Tense with excitement : WIRED  - Or on 65 Down

71. Genetic material : RNA
 
Down:

1. Western movie star? : BADGE - Gregory Peck looks better with this "Western movie star" than with a harpoon

2. Crewmate of Chekov and Sulu : UHURA - The Enterprise's communication officer is sending Spock a message

3. Eva or Zsa Zsa : GABOR - The Kardashian's of their day

4. Part of BYOB : OWN

5. Prefix with day or night : MID

6. Fusses : ADOS

7. Small salamander : NEWT

8. Present from birth : INNATE

9. Like a political "college" : ELECTORAL - By winning this vote but not the popular vote, we got Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison and George W. Bush

10. Fiesta Baked Beans maker : GOYA - I didn't know beans about this company but it is the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the U.S.

11. Collude with : ABET

12. Extinct bird : DODO - Alas, we lost our own DODO in April

14. Gooey clump : BLOB - Your movie career has to start somewhere

18. "It's not too late to call" : I'M UP - Joann's twin is up past midnight every night

22. Waterway with locks : CANAL

24. JAMA subscribers : DRS - Journal of the American Medical Association 

25. Much of Libya : SAHARA - Earth's largest "hot" desert 

28. "Diary of a Madman" author : GOGOL - I didn't know beans about this Russian either

29. Hubbub : UPROAR

30. Bone-dry : SERE - 25 Down and this...

31. 26-Across materials : INKS

32. Fresh talk : SASS

33. Craig Ferguson, by birth : SCOT - Former Late Late Show host on CBS

34. Pakistani language : URDU 

35. Eye-catching sign : NEON

36. Rained gently : SPRINKLED

40. City on the Ruhr : ESSEN - 90% of the town center was destroyed during WWII as the Krupp munition plant was a big target

45. Cosmetics-testing org. : FDA

48. Playground piece : SEESAW 

49. Originate (from) : STEM

52. Wistful word : ALAS

53. Golden Horde member : TATAR - A TATAR horseman

54. Ordered pizza, perhaps : ATE IN

55. Car named for a physicist : TESLA - Every physics teacher has used a TESLA coil

56. Wet septet : SEAS - Do you remember the song where wonderful Annie Lennox sang, "I travel the world and the SEVEN SEAS"? 

57. Scratching target : ITCH 

58. Attended the party : CAME - I hope they  RSVP'ed

59. Big Mack : SEMI - Mack The Transporter

60. Fly like an eagle : SOAR - Steve Miller band tune

64. "It's no __!" : USE

65. "Dropped" '60s drug : LSD - Ex combo rat friend of mine was no stranger to this stuff

I CANBERRA DNF sometimes but not on this one! 3...2...1...Comment...

Friday, March 1, 2013, Dan Margolis

THEME: Feeling Antsy?

Well at least these ants did not spoil any picnics. Each of the four theme answers take in the language two word phrases, with the second word ending ANCE, and replaces that ending with ANTS, creating a homonym and a very different and visually creative new phrase. I do not recall any prior puzzles by Mr. Margolis, nor did I see him in the NY Times database, so if this is his maiden effort, congratulations; starting on Friday is a challenge. We have a few California references so perhaps he is a rare west coast constructor. Overall, a conventional grid layout and an entertaining exercise.

20A. Valets who get no tips? : POOR ATTENDANTS (13) Perhaps if they came to work more often and did not have poor attendance, they would get more money. Of course Bates would never take a tip anyway.

25A. "Block that kick!" and "Dee-fense!"? : SPORTING CHANTS. (14) If you filled this in, you had a sporting chance to suss the theme.

43A. Masked marathon runners? : SECRET ENTRANTS. (14) Why marathon, for the alliteration? We made a secret panel in our bedroom by taking apart the tongue and groove knotty pine, and then putting it back very carefully, but not skillfully. Well we were three boys and we needed Splynter there to help but it was too many years before he was born.

48A. Temporarily contribute helpers? : LEND ASSISTANTS.(13). The most similar phrase, as the basic meaning is the same.

And now the rest.

Across:

1. Powerful swimmer : MAKO. Wow, another tough start thrown in the Shark Tank.

5. Pipe part : STEM. Who knew there were so many PARTS. Bowl also fits.

9. Distinguished : GREAT. The whole top row is a Friday.

14. "Not a chance!" : AS IF. As if I would get discouraged.

15. Trusted underling : AIDE. Why trusted?

16. Variety : REVUE.

17. Soft mineral : TALC. The softest.

18. Dart : FLIT.

19. Modify : AMEND. We file lots of amended pleadings.

.23. Alliance led by Nasser: Abbr. : UAR. A confusing and short lived alliance. LINK.

24. Overseas assent : OUI. You say non, non but your lips say oui, oui.

33. It may be perfect : TENSE. Or even pluperfect!

34. Pursue : TRAIL. Johnny always trailed behind his big brother.

35. MapQuest request: Abbr. : RTE. Route.

37. City near Presque Isle State Park : ERIE. Here is a YELP.

38. Performed a jeté : LEAPT. A homemade HOW TO (1:54). Have you all seen the poor child who burned her hair with the curling iron?

39. Kind of a drag? : MAIN. Sound familiar?

40. Delt neighbor : PECtoral. The muscle abbreviation.(Deltoid).

41. Hershey's competitor : BOSCO. Chocolate syrup for your milk, very big when I was young.

42. Creature : BEING.

46. Loser to DDE : AES. Adlai E. Stevenson, the divorced egghead of my youth.

47. Poetic period : E'EN. Evening.

56. Sensory stimuli : ODORS. If they are good they are fragrant, if they are not it is my children.

57. "...a Loaf of Bread..." poet : OMAR. Khayyiam. We miss you CA!

"A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness--
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!"

58. Got a load of : EYED. Well, it is okay, because if someone says get a load of the bazonkers on that young lady, the person will have eyed, so...

60. Principle : TENET.

61. ___ Valley: Reagan Library site : SIMI. Als the home of his remains.

62. Fix, in a way : SPAY. Talk about your oxymorons, yes we fixed our dog so he can no longer reproduce. Aren't you glad dogs cannot return the favor?

63. Head lock : TRESS. By making it two words, we have the punny clue.

64. Wallet fillers : ONES. I wish you all Benjamins not Georges.

65. Like some losers : SORE. Not me, I am carrying on to the second half.

Down:

1. Welcoming sight? : MAT. Cute visual.

2. "Stat!" cousin : ASAP. As soon as possible.

3. Bust unit : KILO. Not Dennis' kind, but drug busts.

4. "Naturally" : OF COURSE.

5. The Beach Boys' "Surfin' ___" : SAFARI. They are still out there putting on SHOWS.(2:09).

6. Be a little cockeyed, maybe : TILT.

7. Computer menu option : EDIT.

8. Dole : METE.

9. Bit-by-bit : GRADUAL. You might say STEP BY STEP (7:06)

10. Tarry : REMAIN. Really stay longer than you planned.

11. Knotted up, sportswise : EVEN. Tied also fits, and did not help overcome a slow start up top.

12. Em, for one : AUNT. Really tricky for anyone who has solved puzzled for 50 years plus as EMS and ENS, the measures, were big crossword fodder.

13. Kennedy et al. : TEDS. Meh, there are so many Kennedys, and there are so many sheds.

21. Charge with a time component : RATE. I charge $0.00 per for my work here.

22. Like seven Ryan games : NO HIT. Nolan Ryan,  baseball trivia, about the most prolific pitcher to hold the opposition without any hits in a game.

25. Increase, with "up" : STEP. In Probate, if you inherit something of value, you get the stepped up basis, which helps if you ever sell.

26. Netanyahu's predecessor : PERES;  now Israel's PRESIDENT.

27. Cold and ready : ON ICE. Keep the champagne....even Tinman would agree to that ice?

28. Explosive trial : N-TEST. Not the Scopes trial but Nuclear Test.

29. Supper preceder : GRACE. All you wanted to know, and more. LINK.

30. Chef's fowl : CAPON. I put this in without hesitation, but I am still not sure why. We also have, 41D. Fowl options : BREASTS.

31. Commuting option : TRAIN. When I was a kid, it was great thrill to take the train into NYC with all the commuters.

32. Hitch : STINT.

36. Some Caltech grads: Abbr. : ENGS. Engineers like Wolowitz.

38. Fertile soil : LOESS. We have not seen this fill since 2008, LINK.

39. Parsimony : MEANNESS.

42. Spanish tar : BREA. As in the famous ones, La Brea, our third California clue.

44. Inner circles : CADRES.

45. Game designed by Alexey Pajitnov : TETRIS. I bet Sheldon knows this, I did not and will not keep it in my mind.

48. Senate Republican leader before Frist : LOTT. You all remember TRENT.

49. River to the Fulda : EDER. For KAZIE, SB, miss m and all the others.... VERBINDUNG.

50. Inventory extreme : NONE. Yes having none is certainly one end of the inventory spectrum.

51. "Meh" : SO SO. This is too easy...this clue was...oh never mind..

52. "Let's do it" : I'M IN.

53. Word heard before and after old : SAME.

54. Proof goof : TYPO. We love whimsical rhyming clues for easy fill.

55. Scorch : SEAR. Do shop at Scorches?

59. Salon job : DYE. She does color to die for!

Another Month is here, 2 gone already for 2013 and a new constructor to join all of the new people commenting here. Like the daffodils, a sure sign of spring even if we are going to suffer through our wintry 48 degree night this week end. Keep up the good work Dan and newbies and I will be back next week, GWATCDR.

Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

 

ACPT (American Crossword Puzzle Tournament) will be held in NY next weekend. Rich Norris will be there, so will our Marti and John Lampkin. For those who attend, I hope you won't miss the Cru Dinner organized by Mike Alpern. The dinner officially kicks off the tournament and is a great opportunity to meet with constructors (esp our Marti!) and fellow solvers.

Rich, Mike & Kim, 2008 ACPT