google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Jerry Edelstein

Advertisements

Showing posts with label Jerry Edelstein. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jerry Edelstein. Show all posts

Sep 21, 2018

Friday, September 21, 2018, Jerry Edelstein

Title: There are no bubbles in my champagne- we need some CO too!

We meet today to discuss our 20th puzzle from Mr. Edelstein published in the LAT. I blogged his second one back in 2015. We need to locate the five fill phrases where the letters CO are removed leaving a new phrase clued appropriately. This is an interesting puzzle with some new fill in addition to the theme fill. It also features 8 so called "cheater squares" to create a symmetrical puzzle. I have included the grid here to show both the original fill in red and the cheater squares marked with a + sign. He even manages a new three letter fill as well lots of longer fill like ADDRESS, CLEAVES, DISSENT, ELUDING, MASCARA, ROMANIA, ONE BELOW and SEQUENCE.


So let us see the theme:

16A. Result of too many people fishing?: COPIER JAM (7). Pier Jam sounds like THIS to me.

24. Religious music?: COPIOUS NOTES (10). I like this clue/fill combo. 

32A. Well-versed about sailing ships?: COUPON CLIPPERS (12). The fill is actually UP ON, menaing knowing about. 

40A. Dispute between polite fellows?: COGENT ARGUMENT (12). This was the biggest stretch IMO. Gent argument just clangs in my ears.

49A. Problems with cellphone signals?: COPING ISSUES (10). I guess we all know pinging as a word now.

62A. "Above my pay grade" ... and, read in four parts, a hint to 16-, 24-, 32-, 40- and 49-Across: NO CAN DO. In three parts rather than the three logical ones. NO C AND O (7). I do love a logical and complete reveal. On to the fill. 

Across:

1. Harmonious groups: CHOIRS. Do you all watch America's Got Talent?

7. Maybelline product: MASCARA. A cosmetic for coloring eyelashes, 1883, mascaro (modern form from 1922), from Spanish mascara "a stain, a mask," from same source as Italian maschera "mask" (see mask (v.)). Like the raccoon's mask. Cleopatra used kohl.

14. Role for Miley: HANNAH. Ms. Montana has changed.

15. Sticks: CLEAVES. Not the noun, but the verb. Very tricky.

18. Customer file prompt: ADDRESS. The clue confuses me, the fill became easy.

19. Lincoln and Grant had them in common: BEARDS. Not my first thought either.

21. Meet halfway: AGREE.

22. Show of support: AYE. And, 67A. No: DISSENT.

27. Buoyant wood: BALSA. Ochroma is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae, containing the sole species Ochroma pyramidale, commonly known as the balsa tree. It is a large, fast-growing tree that can grow up to 30 m tall. Balsa wood is a very lightweight material with many uses. I did not know there was a Mallo(w) family other than this one.

30. On point: APT.

31. '60s protest gp.: SDSStudents for a Democratic Society. Very big when I was at UConn.

37. Exhilarated shout: WAHOO. Especially when catch ONE.

38. Fencing gear: EPEES.

44. Term.: STA. I actually do not know, but the perps are strong.

47. Practical joke: GAG.

48. Stimulate: PIQUE. Curiosity.

54. __ corda: played using the piano's soft pedal: UNA. The soft pedal is one of the standard pedals on a piano, generally placed leftmost among the pedals. On a grand piano this pedal shifts the whole action slightly to the right. wiki.

55. Orly arrival: AVION. Airplane en Francaise.

56. Like little-known facts: ARCANE. "In his dissent, John Roberts, the chief justice, noted the country had over 10,000 tax localities, many of which have their own arcane laws on how different products should be taxed." The Economist, July, 2018.

59. Hungary neighbor: ROMANIA. Hungary in yellow.

65. Dodging: ELUDING.

66. Pushes back, say: RE-ACTS.



68. Antarctic explorer Shackleton: ERNEST. Sir  Ernest Henry Shackleton was an Irish-born British explorer who was a principal figure of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.






Down:

1. Golden State traffic org.: CHPCalifornia Highway Patrol.

2. "Bali __": HAI. The name refers to a mystical island, visible on the horizon but not reachable, and was originally inspired by the sight of Ambae island from neighboring Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu, where author James Michener was stationed in World War II. wiki.

3. Nearly zero: ONE BELOW. Inferrable new fill, but puzzle critics call this a "GREEN PAINT" fill. But would you have known THIS?

4. About: IN RE.

5. Indian noble: RAJA.

6. Cutting: SHARP. Like wit from our other bloggers.

7. George Strait label: MCA.  Music Corporation of America is now defunct, but it was their controlling company that I dealt with back in my music days, most people did not know that MCA owned the Universal Studios.

8. Munic. official: ALDerman.

9. Family ride: SEDAN.

10. Shipped stuff: CARGO.

11. Dodges: AVERTS.

12. Fix some bare spots, say: RE-SEED.

13. Take stock of: ASSESS.

17. Sixteenth-century year: MDI. 1501.

20. Ivory, for one: SOAP. Not from Elephants, thank you.

22. __ Dhabi: ABU.

23. Jabber: YAP.

25. Cut or crust opener: UPPER. Boxing or elitism.

26. Seventh in an instructional 39-Down, perhaps: STEP G. Literal, original and...

28. Obstacle: SNAG.

29. Back to back?: ACHE. Again, my brain must be fading cause this is all perps.

33. Pines: LONGS.

34. Very small amounts: IOTAS.

35. Volunteer for another tour: RE-UP.

36. Final Four game: SEMI.

39. Order: SEQUENCE.

41. Eau in Ecuador: AGUA. I wonder why Ecuador? Anyway, my one year old grandson asks for AGUA when he is thirsty.

42. Sister: NUN. That is how many sisters I have.

43. It may be iced: TEA. Not ice.

44. Showed leniency toward: SPARED. Spare the rod...

45. Villa d'Este city: TIVOLI. The MUSEUM.

46. Hostility: ANIMUS.

50. Cattle drivers: GOADS. I did not know this was a spiked stick used for driving cattle.
synonyms:prod, spike, staff, crook, rod.

51. Navel configuration: INNIE. If you said a 'navel' orange, give yourself a gold star (or a navel orange, if you're feeling peckish). Navel refers to the spot in the middle of your belly where the umbilical cord was once attached. Naval on the other hand, pertains to a navy, that branch of the military that operates at sea. Vocabulary.com.

52. Shore bird: ERN.

53. Goal or basket: SCORE.

57. Lenovo competitor: ACER. Lenovo Group Ltd. or Lenovo PC International, often shortened to Lenovo, is a Chinese multinational technology company with headquarters in Beijing, China and Morrisville, North Carolina, United States. Acer Inc. is a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics corporation, specializing in advanced electronics technology, headquartered in Xizhi, New Taipei City, Taiwan

58. Bangalore bread: NAAN.

60. Lodging spot: INN.

61. Sports rep.: AGT. Agent.

63. Sot's affliction: DTSDelerium Tremens.

64. East, in Essen: OST. We have had this German word before.

Well that was a workout even after getting the theme. I look forward to all of your comments; thank you Jerry and all of you who read and a special thanks to those who comment. Lemonade out.




Feb 12, 2018

Monday, February 12, 2018 ~ Jerry Edelstein

Theme: An Honest Puzzle Would I lie to you?

16. Trifling matters: PENNY ANTE STUFF. Penny ante is the smallest ante in poker; Lincoln Penny.

27. Focal point in a theater: CENTER STAGE. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a 16.3-acre complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood in New York City.

34. John Paul Jones was a commander in it: CONTINENTAL NAVY. Lincoln Continental: luxury car from Ford.

42. May observance for those who died in military service: MEMORIAL DAY. Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

54. Statesman born 2/12/1809 whose surname can precede the starts of four long puzzle answers: ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Argyle here. Happy Birthday, Abe. I'm sure we can come up with a cake for you.

Across:

1. Send (to), as an inferior place: RELEGATE

9. Partner of Paul and Mary: PETER. Peter, Paul, and Mary.

14. Trite: OVER-USED

15. WWII bomber __ Gay: ENOLA. This answer isn't trite but is over-used.

18. Iroquois enemies: ERIEs

19. Editor's "never mind": STET

20. IRS form IDs: SSNs. (Social Security number)

21. One out on the lake, e.g.: BOATER


24. Cookie holder: JAR


29. That girl: SHE

32. 18-wheeler: SEMI

33. Tablet with Mini and Pro versions: iPAD

39. Chevy subcompact: AVEO

40. Rowlands of "The Notebook": GENA. "The Notebook" is a 2004 film based on the 1996 novel by Nicholas Sparks. Interesting concept.


41. Originally named: NÉE

46. Two-__ tissue: PLY

47. Troubled state: UNREST

48. Has a midnight snack, say: EATS


52. __ upon a time ...: ONCE

53. Kate's TV sidekick: ALLIE

59. Señor's squiggle: TILDE

60. Schemed: CONNIVED

61. Bottomless chasm: ABYSS

62. Ones storming the castle, say: INVADERS. Hagar the Horrible's forte.

Down:

1. Lassos: ROPES

2. Activist Medgar: EVERS. Civil rights activist assassinated in 1963.

3. Russian Revolution leader: LENIN. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known by the alias Lenin as we learned recently.

4. Diving seabirds: ERNEs

5. Fellows: GUYS

6. Busy __ bee: AS A

7. Bill with Hamilton on it: TEN

8. NYC summer hrs.: EDT. (Eastern Daylight-savings Time)

9. Be a nuisance to: PESTER

10. Goes in: ENTERS

11. Promote big-time: TOUT

12. North Pole worker: ELF

13. U.K. flying squad: RAF. (Royal Air Force)

17. East, to 48-Down: ESTE. 48-Down. Legendary Spanish hero: EL CID

21. "__ there, done that": BEEN

22. "I've got this round": "ON ME"

23. Prickling with excitement: ATINGLE

24. Tokyo's country: JAPAN

25. Tequila source: AGAVE

26. Color again, as hair: REDYE

27. TV forensic series: CSI. (Crime Scene Investigation)

28. __ Pan Alley: TIN. The collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters.

29. Rascal: SCAMP

30. Ramshackle home: HOVEL

31. Hostile force: ENEMY

35. In addition: TOO

36. Kennedy and Koppel: TEDs

37. Gray's subj.: ANAT. (anatomy)

38. Dismiss from work temporarily, with "off": LAY

43. Put spots in magazines: RUN ADS

44. Foot's 12: INCHES

45. Side squared, for a square: AREA

49. "__ like ours / Could never die ... ": Beatles: A LOVE


For educational purposes only. Do not use commercial.

50. Flooring specialist: TILER

51. Mails: SENDS

52. Paris airport: ORLY

53. Kendrick of "Twilight": ANNA. No idea about her or "Twilight".


54. One step __ time: AT A

55. Baby's spilled food protector: BIB

56. 1101, to Romans: MCI

57. Chaney of horror: LON

58. Bill for mdse.: INV. (invoice)


Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear LaLaLinda, who used to post regularly on our blog. Health issues have prevented her from engaging with our little Corner community actively, but she still solves puzzles daily and reads our blog.

Nov 15, 2017

Wednesday November 15, 2017 Jerry Edelstein

Theme: SHUFFLES AND CUTS THE DECK- Three different anagrams of DECK span across each theme answer.
 
18A With 57-Across, what a 37-Across does; also, as the circles show, what each answer containing them does : SHUFFLES AND

24A. Item that isn't on its regular hook : MISPLACED KEY

37A. Casino employee : BLACKJACK DEALER

48A. Prepared goodies for the fundraiser : BAKED COOKIES

57A. See 18-Across: CUTS THE DECK

Boomer here.

Good morning or evening as the case may be.  Remember, it's always morning somewhere.  The puzzle was a bit difficult with some stretches to get something to fit.  However, since I have never constructed a puzzle, I can only imagine how difficult it can be.  "DECK" letters are integrated in several answers, and he got "BLACKJACK DEALER" to accomplish that. Quite a found.

I believe most casinos now refer to that game as "21".  Here's hoping all have a safe and pleasant Thanksgiving holiday and an eventful "Black Friday !!"
 
Across:
        
1. "Rhoda" production co. : MTM - Initials of Mary Tyler Moore.  She turned the world on with her smile, and Mary's statue is proudly displayed on the Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis.


4. It may follow cries of "Bravo!" : ENCORE - I don't know about this.  Bravo is usually after curtain calls at a play.  Encore is "sing another song".

10. Brink : EDGE - Gillette shaving gel too.

14. Longtime coach Parseghian of Notre Dame : ARA - Extremely famous.  Notre Dame has more followers than Minnesota has snow.

15. Chestnut horse : SORREL

16. Witnessed : SEEN

17. B.A. or B.S. : DEG - This is one of those needed fillers that is not a word but a made up abbreviation.

20. Alamo competitor : AVIS - I first thought of Davy Crockett.  I only rent a car once a year and I don't use the expensive brands (or cars).

22. DDE's overseas command : ETO - European Theatre of Operations.

23. Racers in some Wii games : KARTS - I do not have a Wii, but I have ridden go karts.  The best ones are at Wisconsin Dells.

28. Gear components : TEETH - You said a mouthful.

29. Assist : AID

30. Peace, to Pedro : PAZ - I think most of you know how I feel about foreign words in crosswords.

33. Say yes : AGREE

35. Journalist Curry : ANN

36. Warsaw native : POLE - I get it but I think "Minnesota fishing stick" might be a better clue for me.


41. The two : BOTH

42. Tolkien forest shepherd : ENT -  ??? Never heard of the Tolkien Forest but I once worked at an ear nose and throat clinic.

43. In __: unborn : UTERO - I don't think I have ever heard or seen this word.  But I am only 70, there's still time.

44. Stun : AWE - Aw shucks

45. "The A-Team" actor : MR T - I know crosswords like a lot of four letter words with three vowels, but they also like three letters with no vowels from the A-Team.

46. The "A" in James A. Garfield : ABRAM - I never knew this, however Garfield was president before I was born.  I think we started paying attention to presidential middle names after Harry Truman did not have one, so he put an "S" between Harry and Truman.

52. Blotch : SMEAR

55. Former transp. regulator : ICC - Another three letter acronym for something.  You know what I say - "LBJ took the IRT across the USA, what did he see? The youth of America on LSD."

56. Confident words : I CAN

61. Keogh plan rel. : IRA - This is a great service to everyone.  But remember to take some and spend it when you are 70 1/2, or pay a penalty.  (Good luck trying to find out how much you need to withdraw!)

62. Many : A LOT

63. Paradise : UTOPIA - This is a book by Sir Thomas More about a fictional island in the sun.  I of course disagree, because there are no bowling centers or golf courses on this island.

64. Third-qtr. ender : SEP - or this could be a contribution to your IRA.

65. Actress Russo : RENE - One of my favorites from "Tin Cup"

66. Fireplace shelf : MANTEL - I wonder if this is where Mickey displays his MVP trophies

67. Goal line crossings: Abbr. : TDS - Ok - I have said enough
  
Down:

1. Start of a famous palindrome : MADAM - This word in itself is a palindrome,  I think it refers to "Madam I'm Adam"

2. Eternal City fountain : TREVI

3. Legal administrator : MAGISTRATE - "ALL RISE"  Rookie of the year


4. Difficult curve : ESS - Wonderful Lombard Street - San Francisco, California, USA.

5. Tenant's winter complaint : NO HEAT - Or The heat in Miami - "No LeBron".

6. Source of support : CRUTCH

7. "Friend __?": sentry's query : OR FOE

8. Slo-mo reviewer : REF - Or in hockey - the guy with the red stripe on his black and white shirt.

9. Pipe shape : ELL - Nope - the pipe is straight, the ell is a pipe fitting.

10. Composed piece : ESSAY

11. Expensive : DEAR - I may have clued " ___ Abby" and those of us over 40 would have gotten it right away.  Did you know --?  Abby Van Buren whose real name was Pauline Philips has a grandson, Dean Phillips who is running for third district congressman in Minnesota.


12. Bloke : GENT

13. Fades to black : ENDS

19. __ out a win : EKED - A good verb for the Vikings in the nation's capital last Sunday.

21. The State of the Union, for one : SPEECH

25. Onionlike veggie : LEEK - I have never had one.  How do they taste?

26. Moist and chilly : DANK - This is one of those crossword words.  Does anyone ever say "dank".  "Do you want to go for a walk ?" "No, it's too dank".  "What's the weather forecast?"  "Cloudy and dank."

27. Nice : KIND

30. One drawn to controversy : POLEMICIST - I thought this was a guy that did the vault in the Olympics.

31. Oriole or Jay : ALER - Sorry, never heard of this.

32. MapMyWalk starting point : ZERO - Beetle Bailey's Pal

33. "Waterloo" band : ABBA

34. Healthy look : GLOW

35. Pretend : ACT

36. Former New York governor George : PATAKI - Anyone who watches "Law & Order" reruns will have no problem with this one.


38. Weightlifting move : JERK - Yes it is.

39. Start a pot : ANTE - I wonder how many times this word has appeared in crosswords. (And it doesn't even have three vowels.)

40. German capital : EURO - I guess capital is money, but why be so tricky?

45. Retail outlet : MART

46. Say yes : ACCEPT

47. Italian lawn bowling : BOCCIE - I played Boccie ball as a kid, but I did not know how to spell it.  Now I do.

48. Keep moist, in a way : BASTE - Thanksgiving Day is coming.  Keep that baster handy. 

49. "What I __ My Summer Vacation": school essay : DID ON

50. Like some seals : EARED -  I Like some Mousketeer hats better

51. Spells, as of cold weather : SNAPS - How about some warm Ginger cookies



52. Emotional mark : SCAR

53. Beast of burden : MULE - 20 of them are on a team of Borax.

54. Thames academy : ETON

58. Run smoothly : HUM

59. LAX announcement : ETA

60. __ Kan pet food : KAL

Boomer


Dec 8, 2016

Thursday, December 8th 2016 Jerry Edelstein

Theme: Waxing and Waning - as the reveal neatly explains.

18A. "Next subject" : MOVING ON

22A. Historic Potomac estate : MOUNT VERNON. The cupola is to help ventilate the attic, apparently.


38A. With 40-Across, NPR broadcast since 1979 : MORNING

40A. See 38-Across : EDITION. Clever way to span the grid without having 15 letters to do it with. Will irritate cross-reference dislikers, but I thought it was neat.

49A. "Life of Brian" comedy group : MONTY PYTHON. Quite a few Brit references in the puzzle today. Before satellite TV was common, Michael Palin paid to install a dish at the local pub here in Studio City so he could watch the English soccer over a beer or two. Nice chap.

and the reveal:


61A. First or last quarter ... and, literally, what can be found on either end of 18-, 22-, 38-/40- and 49-Across : HALF MOON . Here's the lovely Half Moon Bay near San Francisco: It waxes and wanes with the tides.



Nice theme from Jerry and a good-looking grid with some solid blocks in the NW and SE. Let's see what else we've got:

Across:

1. Throws the first pitch : STARTS

7. Find fault : CARP

11. Bygone Ford : LTD

14. They may be hard : CIDERS. The first alcohol we started drinking as teens. The sweet varieties would give you a headache. The dry ones were better. They both got you looking sideways.

15. Tavern : ALEHOUSE

17. Hunt's TV co-star : REISER. Helen and Paul in "Mad About You". Funny show.

19. Made dinner at home : ATE IN. Something I'm quite partial to. I love spending a couple of hours in the kitchen.

20. "Sold!" : DEAL!

21. CIA predecessor : OSS. Office of *ahem* Strategic Services.

25. Son-gun connection : OF A

26. __ land: disputed territory : NO MAN'S

31. Rueful word : ALAS

35. Quick snack : NOSH.

37. Simple home : TEPEE

42. Word with box or light : IDIOT. I had an idiot light in my old Jaguar to alert me to the fact that the gas tank was close to empty. It didn't mean a great deal as the gauge didn't work at all, so the light was always on. I used to fill the tank when the trip-meter ticked over the 200 mile mark. I averaged around 8MPG. That's one big carbon hoof-print.

43. Levelheaded : SANE

45. Timer drizzler : SAND

46. Mussel habitat : SEABED. We used to pull them off the pier supports when I was a kid. No sand.

48. Uno plus due : TRE

56. Plant studied by Mendel : PEA.

59. With 41-Down, tries for a long pass, in football lingo : GOES

60. Odor : AROMA. Morning coffee! Yay! My morning soundtrack is the coffee grinder setting me up for the day. Peet's Coffee, Major Dickerson's Roast. Whole Bean.

63. Action scenes : CHASES

64. Get-out-of-jail card? : BAIL BOND. I'd love to claim that I've never needed one of these. Youthful indiscretions, and all that.

65. Museum guide : DOCENT

66. 32-Down contents : ORE

67. Fruity coolers : ADES

68. "Nothing to it!" : SO EASY!

Down:

1. Make a run for it : SCRAM!

2. Connect with : TIE TO

3. Parting mot : ADIEU. En Paris.

4. Lacquer ingredient : RESIN

5. Former Senator Lott : TRENT

6. Lat. or Lith., once : S.S.R. Latvia and Lithuania were Soviet Socialist Republics. Seems a long time ago now.

7. Traffic enforcement devices : CAMERAS. I got nailed for a "California Roll" leaving Malibu Canyon State Park and not coming to a complete halt at the stop sign. I paid for an hour or three of the cost of keeping the park open, which was ironic as I wasn't actually allowed to stay there - the place had been booked out by a movie shoot. I wish they'd posted that at the entrance where I put my $5 in the honesty box before being asked to leave.

8. Take out __ : A LOAN

9. Love Is On makeup maker : REVLON. Thank you, crosses.

10. Upsilon follower : PHI

11. Hauls : LUGS

12. Menu possessive linked to the Qing dynasty : TSO'S. The General's famous chicken.

13. Place in the woods : DEN

16. Tokyo-born artist : ONO

20. Gets the mist off : DE-FOGS

23. World Cup skiing champ Lindsey : VONN. I'd have liked to show a shot of her skiing, but after scrolling down about 300 pictures of her in a swimsuit, I gave up. Great (skiing) talent.

24. "Moi?!" : NOT I!

27. Citi Field squad : METS

28. Polynesian capital : APIA. Nailed it!

29. Bright sign : NEON

30. Text command : SEND

31. "Time's Arrow" author : AMIS. English novelist Martin. The story runs backwards in time - it seems common now, but was very unusual when I first read the book.

32. 66-Across source : LODE. The discovery of the Comstock Lode in Nevada in 1858 precipitated large-scale silver mining across the US. I read once that the miners were looking for salt, but found something a little more shiny.

33. Covent Garden solo : ARIA. London's opera house. I used to drive a truck part-time to pick up produce from the old fruit and vegetable market right across the street. The market buildings are still there, but the stores are all craft and trinket shops now.



34. Pretentious sort : SNOB

36. Eight British kings : HENRYS. "I'm 'enery the eighf I am, 'enery the eighf I am I am, I got married to the widder next door ....."

39. Agenda listing : ITEM

41. See 59-Across : DEEP

44. Shows up : ATTENDS

47. Give to charity, say : DO GOOD

50. Peter of Herman's Hermits : NOONE. Another Brit. He clapped a lot. Coincidentally, Herman's Hermits recorded the "I'm Henry" ditty above.

51. Webmail option : YAHOO

52. Copy exactly : TRACE

53. Old Testament prophet : HOSEA

54. Future foretellers : OMENS

55. Really bad : NASTY

56. Carson forerunner : PAAR. Jack before Johnny on "The Tonight Show".

57. Nobelist Wiesel : ELIE

58. Duck mascot company, on the NYSE : AFL

61. Starz rival : HBO

62. Kellogg School deg. : M.B.A. At Northwestern U.

63. Some retirement acct. holdings : CDS. Certificates of Deposit. I always thought these kinds of abbreviations should be rendered as "CsD" for example, but no-one agrees with me.

Just time to tack on the grid and that should do it for me today.

Steve


Note from C.C.:

Happy birthday to our cool Jazzbumpa (Ron), who's taking December off from blogging to focus on his rehearsals and other activities. Hope you don't mind, Ron, I snipped this picture from your Facebook. It's taken by one of his friends. Ron often posts sweet pictures about his family on Facebook, so does our Steve. Wish you could see his Mexico beach & swim-up bar pictures.


Aug 29, 2016

Monday, August 29, 2016 Jerry Edelstein

Theme: Monday? - A single word can be added to the front of five other non-related words.

63A. United stand ... and what the first part of the answers to starred clues literally can have: COMMON FRONT

17A. *Cost of shares on the exchange: MARKET PRICE. Common Market.

41A. *U.S./USSR conflict: COLD WAR. Common Cold.

11D. *Element in an executive compensation package: STOCK OPTION. Common Stock.

25D. *Drive to do the responsible thing: SENSE OF DUTY. Common Sense.

27D. *"So long": "GOOD DAY". Common Good.

Argyle here. It may just be me but I felt this was meant to be later in the week.

Across:

1. Illusions in a stage act, collectively: MAGIC

6. Muslim leaders: IMAMs

11. Place for a massage: SPA

14. Twist: GNARL


15. French Revolution radical: MARAT. Jean-Paul Marat.

16. Put a strain on: TAX

19. Tip jar denomination: ONE

20. Miffed: SORE

21. Gizmos: DEVICES

23. __ buco: veal dish: OSSO

26. Director Lee: ANG

28. Student's workplace: DESK

29. Guttural "Psst!": "AHEM!"

30. Wedding vows: I DO's

32. Condemn: DOOM

34. Most rational: SANEST

36. Nobel Peace Prize city: OSLO


38. Jack-in-the-box sound: [POP!]

40. Drips in the ICU: IVS. (Intravenous)

43. Give it a go: TRY

44. Witness: SEE

45. Yankee slugger, to fans: A-ROD

46. Area of expertise: MÉTIER. French

48. Sound from Leo: ROAR

50. Twist, as water-damaged floorboards: WARP

52. Sharpen: HONE

53. World Cup soccer org.: FIFA. (Fédération Internationale de Football Association)

55. "__-hoo!": YOO

56. 1946 N.L. RBI leader Slaughter: ENOS

57. Part of a chess match when most of the pieces are off the board: END GAME

60. "__ the mornin'!": TOP O'

62. Sch. run by Mormons: BYU. (Brigham Young University)

68. Track transaction: BET

69. Wabbit-hunting Fudd: ELMER



70. Fragrant wood: CEDAR

71. Pig's home: STY

72. Officials who have their faculties: DEANs. Cute.

73. Hit hard, biblically: SMOTE

Down:

1. Leo is its logo: MGM



2. California's Santa __ River: ANA

3. Long-jawed fish: GAR


4. Annoying: IRKSOME

5. Egyptian queen, familiarly: CLEO. (Cleopatra VII Philopator)

6. Loom on the horizon: IMPEND

7. St. Patrick's mo.: MARch

8. Very dry: ARID

9. Sprayed in defense: MACED

10. Longshoreman: STEVEDORE

12. Window glass: PANE

13. Lumberjacks' tools: AXES

18. Double agent: TRAITOR

22. Prefix with metric and bar: ISO

23. Desert retreat: OASIS

24. Norelco product: SHAVER

31. U-turn from NNE: SSW

33. Rita with an Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy: MORENO. West Side Story's  Anita.

35. Like Al Capone: SCARFACED

37. Ridicule satirically: LAMPOON

39. Combustible funeral piles: PYREs

42. Under a quarter-tank, say: LOW

47. Geometry proposition: THEOREM

49. Bailed-out insurance co.: AIG. (American International Group, Inc)

51. Copter blades: ROTORS

54. Whac-__: arcade game: A-MOLE

57. Diminishes: EBBS

58. Russian denial: "NYET!"

59. Actress Stone of "Birdman": EMMA

61. Low-ranking GIs: PFCs. (Private first class)

64. Guys: MEN

65. Prefix with meter: ODO

66. __ King Cole: NAT



67. Italian three: TRE


Argyle


Note from C.C.:

I hope you can click here and sign the petition calling for price reduction for EpiPens, which have surged to $600/pack without any justification. The CEO's salary rose over 600% since 2007, when Mylan bought EpiPen.


May 18, 2016

Wednesday, May 18, 2016 Jerry Eldstein

Title: NOR ANY DROP TO DRINK

Husker Gary on board, blogging Jerry's wonderful Wednesday-level puzzle that combines a famous line from Coleridge's poem of the ill-fated, albatross-slaying sailor and eight, count 'em, eight phrases that can be formed when WATER precedes both words of two word theme fills. WATER, WATER everywhere indeed! Very impressive to this land lubber!




THEME FILL (where I freely admit there are alternate interpretations):


26. Oil conduit : PIPELINE - One of which, runs from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez in Alaska or


WATER PIPE - A conveyance for a buzz




or


WATER LINE  - What has been receding behind Lake Mead during the SW drought



31. Electricity source : POWER PLANT - What is inside Hoover Dam that uses the waters of Lake Mead or


WATER POWER - a rough idea of what happens inside Hoover Dam




or WATER PLANT - A facility that makes your water potable



42. Reaganomics term : SUPPLY SIDE - Economic system where government gets less money and private enterprise gets to keep more or


WATER SUPPLY - What can be threatened when these run too much in dry years




or WATER SIDE - A great San Antonio location



47. Primary entrance : MAIN GATE - A Disney Park front door or

WATER MAIN - They can be spectacular when they break





or WATERGATE - Enough said!



The fabulous THEME REVEAL:


17. With 59-Across, words from a fictional mariner ... and a hint to both parts of 26-, 31-, 42- and 47-Across : WATER WATER and 59. See 17-Across : EVERYWHERE. 




Now let's sail on to see what else Jerry has cast upon our crossword waters:


Across


1. Pricey : STEEP - Who ever thought water would cost more per gallon than gas?

6. Place for a chicken : COOP


10. Herring prized for its roe : SHAD


14. Use a lectern : ORATE - You'd better have a sandwich, el presidente is gonna be a while!




15. A fan of : INTO


16. Tortilla snack : TACO


19. Any minute now, to a bard : ANON


20. Tampa-to-Jacksonville dir. : NNE - It's 198.4 miles


21. Frosty coat : HOAR - A HOARY engraving from our poem du jour of the crew and that bird




22. Fern-to-be : SPORE


23. Criticize sneakily : SNIPE - Here it is usually to criticize as an ANON


28. Chef's tool : SPATULA


30. Fire, or fire-fighting tool : AXE - Or Gene Simmons' bass




34. Astronaut Grissom : GUS - He almost drowned on the second Mercury mission


37. Incriminate with false evidence : FRAME - Did OJ ever find the real killer?


38. __-Locka, Florida : OPA - Originally Opa-tisha-wocka-locka


39. Emaciated : GAUNT


41. Messy spot : STY


44. __ Kan: Alpo rival : KAL


46. Fit as a fiddle and tough as nails : SIMILES - The one about me ends ...as a rock


52. Exams for would-be attys. : LSATS


53. Shore eagles : ERNES - Our old cwd friend and a surprise prey




54. Object of worship : IDOL


56. Dick's wife, twice : LIZ - Liz Taylor was Mrs. Richard Burton twice


58. __-Seltzer : ALKA


62. Safe document : DEED


63. Left : GONE


64. Conundrum : POSER 


65. They may be split or tight : ENDS - Pretty easy to discern




66. __ buco: veal dish : OSSO


67. Make a mess of : MISDO - Okay



Down


1. Seeded : SOWN - Some consider the SOWER atop Nebraska's capital buliding to be, uh, controversial when its image is transferred to our sesquicentennial license plate




2. Convey : TRANSPORT


3. Completely eroded : EATEN AWAY 


4. Nice season? : ETE - Je n'étais pas dupe! (I was not fooled!)


5. Part of 60-Down : PER - My sister typed over 100 words PER minute 50 yrs ago. I once got half that.




6. "Ta-ta" : CIAO


7. Coming up next : ON TAP


8. Ferrell's "SNL" cheerleading partner : O'TERI


9. __ favor: Pedro's "please" : POR


10. Paper clip alternative : STAPLE 


11. Onetime capital of French Indochina : HANOI


12. Oak nut : ACORN - "Gee! Ahma tree!", exclaimed the mathmatically mature ACORN.


13. Charity, say : DONEE - I would think the DONEE receives the charity


18. Puppy : WHELP - Dura-WHELP makes a box for them




22. Masters and Johnson subject : SEX - Their research revealed sexual intimacy could last well beyond 70. Could, mind you!


24. Agenda line : ITEM


25. Partner of simple : PURE - 70-year-old Dolly has launched her 2016, 60-city PURE And SIMPLE Tour 




27. First lady after Lady Bird : PAT


28. Suntan lotion numbers, briefly : SPFS


29. Baseball's Matty or Felipe : ALOU


32. Droid download : APP


33. Snoozes : NAPS


34. Free from blame : GUILTLESS from  35. Not wanted : UNDESIRED calories?




36. Fr. holy women : STES


39. Places with rings and horses : GYMS - In Lego Land




40. Massive land mass : ASIA


42. Gp. that kidnapped Patty Hearst : SLA


43. Big name in pharmaceuticals : LILLY - And for our kitty (one L please)



44. Works on, as dough : KNEADS

45. Top prosecutors: Abbr. : AGS - Attorneys General


47. Maryland's Fort __ : MEADE - Named for the the Union Commander at Gettysburg


48. "Over the Rainbow" composer Harold : ARLEN - Some MGM execs wanted it cut from the movie because they thought it slowed down the pace


49. Signed in pen : INKED


50. DVR devices : TIVOS


51. Blissful places : EDENS


55. Treat often split : OREO - Found nestled among these most common cwd answers




57. Nothing : ZERO


59. __ trip : EGO


60. Typing meas. : WPM


61. __ polloi : HOI - Ah, ya gotta love the classics!




Wisdom, wisdom everywhere and plenty for us to read. Let those unfiltered comments rip!


The Grid