Saturday, June 16, 2018, Neville Fogarty & Andy Kravis

Themeless Saturday Puzzle by Neville Fogarty and Andy Kravis

Today celebrates National Ladies Day At Baseball Games. In 1883 the St. Louis Browns (who later became the Baltimore Orioles) decided to try to attract more fans to their baseball games and so on June 16 of that year they decided to let women in free IF they were accompanied by man and it was a huge success. This picture of much later vintage shows a large female crowd who managed to get in by themselves. Yes, C.C., there was a time when women couldn't go to ball games alone!

I first thought this day might be a celebration of women playing baseball themselves as shown in the movie A League Of Their Own. However that was not the case. This day was for attracting ladies to the park not to, EGADS, play! That would be as unthinkable as letting them vote in 1883! 😮

     Neville Fogarty                Andy Kravis

On this All-American Day, we have a Neville Fogarty and Andy Kravis puzzle that I managed to knock out in 22 minutes while having a good time. Talk about being on sympathetic wavelengths.

The section in yellow fell as fast as I could write as the fills going down were right up my alley, er, grid. The two long down fills at 11 and 12 took some time for this non drinker who really should have known the Doris Day song subtitled What Will Be Will Be (a good attitude on the golf course). 

The other two long fills were very gettable as well. ECHO CHAMBER reflects my general disdain for public figures who only talk in environs where there beliefs are echoed back to them with very little disagreement.

The rest was a nice breezy Saturday stroll with foreign words and geometry thrown in for a little spice 

Now for the rest of the puzzle - PLAY BALL! Ladies welcome, escorted or otherwise!






Across:

1. Weight-training equipment: SQUAT RACKS - Here a young lady has taken a reasonable amount of weight off the RACK behind her and is doing SQUATS with the barbell

11. Cotton cleaner: Q-TIP - My ENT says "Keep these out of your ears!"

15. Traditional November race: TURKEY TROT - That's the spirit! 

16. Social containers: URNS - Does that URN contain coffee or grandma?

17. Something a customer is happy to send back: REBATE FORM - A very common document in our house

18. One in Berlin: EINS - In Germany, Lawrence Welk would go, "Und eine Eins, und eine Zwei, und eine Drei..." (or something like that)

19. G8 member: USA - Much in the news last week concerning letting Russia back in to go from G7 back to G8

20. What an enemy exploits: WEAK SPOT - The worst pass defender on a football team is going to be busy all day 

22. Needle holder: TONE ARM - Ah the "high fidelity" instrument of  of my yute with TONE ARM poised to play more Four Seasons and Roy Orbison




27. Sharon of Israel: ARIEL.

28. Rewards for a big promotion?: CLIOS - A CLIO Award for this hilarious promotion of milk

30. Laker teammate of Magic: KAREEM - His "Sky Hook" has been called absolutely unblockable 

33. "Aha!": SO THAT'S IT - Says Brad Loahus above,"You can't block it!"

37. Flip: SASSY - History's most famous "flip" comment - Qu’ils mangent de la brioche

35. Interpret: TRANSLATE - How I got the translation for 37 Across above

38. Zaragoza's river: EBRO - Earlier in the week the clue might have been, "38. Large Spanish river"

39. Fabulous fellow?: AESOP - Earlier in the week the clue might have been "39. Man of many fables"

41. Map's blue areas: SEAS - 2/3 of the Earth's surface

42. Motel arrival?: ROACH  - At the Black Flag Roach Motel™, roaches check in but they never check out

44. Like some diamonds: SQUARE CUT - V-shaped prongs are recommended to protect the sharp corners of the stone

46. Role for Heston or Huston: BEN HUR - I saw the incredible Charlton Heston version when I was 13 as my friend's religious mother thought he and I could stand the realism

48. Weasel relative: OTTER - _ T _ _ _ was not a STOAT. All three are in the family Mustelidae 

49. "Fuller House" actor: SAGET.

51. Chords are part of them: SECANTS - A circular path with a CHORD shortcut that becomes a SECANT when extended both ways beyond the circumference of the circle (almost a straight line)

55. Cannes Film Festival award: PALME D'OR - Very little was expected of this wonderful movie until it won some PALME D'OR honors and then it made good money and got 6 Oscar nominations

58. Leave slack-jawed: AWE.

59. Many a Syrian: ARAB.

60. Booted, in old football: DROP KICKED - Drew Brees executing one in an All Star Game. He simply dropped the ball on its point and then kicked it through the uprights for 3 points

65. Give credit to: CITE - I could have CITED Bobby Bare above for singing, Drop Kick Me Jesus Through The Goal Posts Of Life

66. "Count me in!": I AM SO THERE.

67. Visionary: SEER.

68. 1999 Pacino/Crowe film about a whistleblower: THE INSIDER - ok


Down:

1. Runway gait: STRUT - Not a great gait here

2. Nacho cheese: QUESO.

3. Name of eight popes: URBAN - URBAN II called for the 1st Crusade against the Muslims

4. Handle letters: AKA.

5. Vietnamese holiday: TET - America's pyrrhic victory in this huge battle cost a great deal in men and materiel, fueled the anti-war movement in the USA and helped LBJ decide to not run for reelection three months later in March of '68

6. Deli selection: RYE.

7. DOJ division: ATF - It started in 1886 in the Treasury Dept. to collect income taxes and since then has become an agency for Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

8. Bird that's hard to eat?: CROW - The Chicago Daily Tribune had a generous helping of CROW in 1948

9. Peninsula partly defined by the Yalu River: KOREA which is where 21. Souls, e.g.: KIAS  are manufactured

10. Gospel writer: ST MARK - The debate goes on as to whether ST MARK's or Alexander The Great's remains are buried under the altar at ST MARK's Basilica in Venice

11. Subtitle of #48 in AFI's "100 Years...100 Songs": QUE SERA SERA - The neighborhood:

12. Cosmopolitan essential: TRIPLE SEC - Meaning "Triple Distilled", it is a strong , sweet and colorless orange flavored liqueur

13. __ way, shape or form: IN NO.

14. Covert call: PSST - This is cat speak for, "PSST, get up and feed me!" I get it at 4:30 am everyday 

23. Place where it all comes back to you?: ECHO CHAMBER - Where politicians like to give speeches

24. __ king: ALA - I complained about Chicken ALA King in high school like everyone else but secretly loved it

25. British vocalist __ Ora: RITA, 29. "Thong Song" singer: SISQO and 56. Grammy winner India.__: ARIE. Google them if they interest you

26. Law recipient: MOSES - Take two tablets and call me in the morning

31. Genesis brother: ESAU which I'm sure can be found in the 50. Jewish authority: TORAH.

32. Classic PC adventure game: MYST.

33. President Aleksandar Vucic, for one: SERB - The president of Serbia for a year now

34. It has a brief solo in the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth: OBOE - A lovely contrast to the stirring theme 

36. Talks up: TOUTS - Fugue For Tinhorns - best song by/about TOUTS

40. Crown: PATE - aka Head 43. Very significant: HUGE - Human Growth Hormone made Barry Bonds' PATE get HUGE

45. Remote button: REC  - I can't seem to find that button on this remote

47. Social news website: REDDIT - not a consumer

52. Blunt, as truth: NAKED.

53. Quaint contraction: TWERE - My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose - And fare thee weel, my only love? And fare thee well awhile, And will come again, my dear, Tho' 'TWERE ten thousand mile 

54. Jewish meal: SEDER.

55. Campaign donation orgs.: PACS - Super PACS are the mother's milk of political contributions 

57. "Quo Vadis" setting: ROME - The church below, just outside of ROME, was built on the site where the story goes that Peter encountered a visage of Christ and asked him, "Quo Vadis, Domine?" meaning Where are you going Lord?

The Domine QUO VADIS church on the Apian Way

61. Letter with a silent letter: PSI.

62. "__-Tiki": KON. - This was a raft built in 1947 by Thor Hyerdall to cross the Pacific Ocean using only materials available to Pre-Columbian natives of South America to show they could have settled the Polynesian Islands. The KON -Tiki took 101 days to make the crossing.

The Kon Tiki in the Norwegian Maritime Museum
in our favorite crossword city of Oslo

63. Cousin of hers: ITS 

64. City with two MLB teams: CHI - NYC could have worked despite the fact that the Yankees play in the Bronx and the Mets play in Queens.

So get out of the dugout and celebrate this day by posting some pithy comments:

Saturday, June 9, 2018, Greg Johnson

Themeless Saturday Puzzle by Greg Johnson

Today is National Donald Duck Day. Walt Disney was looking for a friend for Mickey and one with some negative characteristics to contrast with his famous rodent's more pleasant demeanor. It was then that short-tempered Donald was created in 1934 and he has appeared in more Disney movies than any other character and more comic books except for super heroes.

His defining feature of course was his distinctive speech that is very difficult to imitate. One of my grade school classmates could do it perfectly and we who couldn't were in awe of him when he said something in that hilarious voice. Can you do it? Go ahead, give it a shot!


I had a Greg Johnson puzzle the day before Mother's Day this year but this one today fell much faster although my first real toehold was in the SE corner which filled in a hurry with ADESTE, NO DEAR, PYRE, ERODE and MEAT. Sigh, any port in a storm.

Then like the Phoenix I rose and finished with SCARES, META, etc. The entire experience was very satisfying. 

Now eschewing Donald's "fowl" attitude, let's see what else Greg has for us:

Across:

1. Exercise activity: SWIM - If sinking counts as exercise, count me in

5. Foolish: DIPPY - In describing Major Burns' time in command, Hawkeye offers three adjectives and then Radar adds a fourth as an aside

10. Dance term literally meaning "thrown": JETE and a prime display of 16. Stylish energy: ELAN.

14. Officer's verb: CITE - I have been CITED for speeding three times by three different officer's

15. "That's so sweet!": OH YOU.

17. Exec's hire, perhaps: ASST - An advert by the British Lancashire County Council was looking for a "temporary part-time libraries North-West inter-library loan business unit administration ASSistanT."

18. Unlikely to become a decorator: COLOR BLIND - A test for red/green color blindness. And the number is...

20. ESPN.com post: RECAP.

22. Theoretical parallel world access: PORTAL - Mom is trying stop Carolyn from being drawn into a PORTAL in Poltergeist 

23. Trip approx.: ETA - Are we there yet?

24. Debt securities: LIENS.

26. Source of ancient wisdom: TORAH.

30. In order to: SO THAT.

32. Muffin topper: PAT

34. Full-body animal costume: APE.

35. Part of a gift that needs to be returned: CASSEROLE DISH - One way to remind people of the origin of a casserole

39. "I figured as much": WHAT A SURPRISE - Gee, Gary has a kitty picture below in his write-up! Sarcasm par excellence.

40. Skeptical words: THIS I GOTTA SEE.

41. It may look like a great deal: CON - You can't CON this kitty

42. It folds for easy storage: COT.

43. Textron Aviation brand: CESSNA = Kansas farm boy Clyde CESSNA started his company to build this cantilevered winged aircraft in 1927 that "could carry a half-ton load at 100 mph on a 110 hp engine"

46. __ touch: MAGIC - Any day is improved with the Platters

48. Bacon output: ESSAY - Aroma didn't cut it

51. User-created video game alteration: MOD - A mod (short for "modification") is an alteration that changes some aspects or one aspect of a video game, such as how it looks or behaves. Mods may range from small changes and tweaks to complete overhauls, and can extend the replay value and interest of the game. You're Welcome.

52. River rat: NUTRIA - A poor man's ermine

54. Take the edge off?: ERODE - Niagara has been ERODING this area for a long time

56. Kids may use them to make turkeys: HAND PRINTS.

60. Wad embellishers: ONES - The "Wad" inside could well be only ONES

61. Skin-healing aid: ALOE.

62. Get 'em all right: ACE IT - Some Nebraska honor students with the Governor 

63. Good source of protein: MEAT.

64. It followed a postwar boom: GEN-X 

65. Noticeably bored: YAWNY - I see lots of "teachers" in front of children that elicit this "gluey" response 

66. Ceremonial pile: PYRE - "And our love become a fun'ral PYRE, C'mon baby light my fire"


Down:

1. Halloween inevitabilities: SCARES - Noun not verb. why do we seek these out?

2. Not tricked by: WISE TO.

3. Comment about contagion: IT'S CATCHING - My siblings and I went through the mumps and measles as a unit!

4. Like a movie about filmmakers making a movie: META - Okay

5. Animated miner: DOC - Which shirt would best represent you?

6. Longing words: I HOPE.

7. Aviation guide: PYLON -  Racing markers or a structural component. The second PYLON might be 36. Things few understand: ESOTERICA. 

8. One unlikely to shake hands: POOR SPORT - This losing MLS soccer coach was upset about the other team's play and refused to shake hands

9. Nomadic shelter: YURT - Here are some YURTS in Ulan Bato

10. Kraft Foods trademark: JELLO.

11. Fan of the Bulldogs: ELI.

12. Summer vacation "souvenir": TAN

13. Extreme: END.

19. Dark background that makes a pitched baseball easier to see: BATTER'S EYE - This one in Wrigley field is made up of juniper bushes

21. Party holder: PLASTIC CUP - I once needed some ping pong balls for my physics lab and was so surprised to be told they were over by the PLASTIC CUPS!

25. "We've got clearance": IT'S A GO - Var. - After the meteorologists gave him clearance on June 5, 1944 by saying the weather had broken, Ike said "OK,, Let's Go" for June 6

27. Holds a benefit, say: RAISES MONEY - On GoFundMe.com you can request money for your cause. I wonder how many thought this was a worthy cause.

28. Basilica recess: APSE.

29. Chuckle bit: HEH - HEH, HEH, HEH!

31. PGA Tour Champions golfer Jay: HAAS.

33. Wool source: ALPACA - Let's leave a little for cuteness. p.s. I thought ALPACA had two "C's"

37. Evidence of frequent travel: RUT.

38. Injection molding inventory: DIES - Can you even imagine how many DIES LEGO uses?

39. Stop on the trail: WHOA.

40. "Silent Sunday Nights" network: TCM - The director could shout at them all he wanted during shooting 

44. Affectionate turndown: NO DEAR.

45. Holiday hymn opener: ADESTE - ADESTE, fideles, Laeti triumphantes, Venite, venite in Bethlehem!

47. Organize, in a way: INDEX - Rapid "unindexing" and any librarian's nightmare

49. Strength: SINEW.

50. Prom gown material: SATIN - Some today are using much less material than they used to!

53. Lunch __: TRAY -  An alternate use

55. Easy win: ROMP.

56. Witch: HAG.

57. Maugham's "Cakes and __": ALE - Same book with two different publishers who had two different ideas about how to sell it. Title comes from a Shakespeare line in Twelfth Night.

58. Exclusion prefix: NON.

59. Place for a mud bath: STY.