"Let's Play Cards"
17. Tool for cutting stone and concrete: DIAMOND SAW. ♦
25. Garden digging, e.g.: SPADEWORK. ♠
35. Richly upholstered seat: CLUB CHAIR. ♣
48. Prilosec target: HEARTBURN. ♥
Given the pattern of the theme answers, the reveal would be an open form compound word, and it was:
56. Carry on the same way ... and what the ends of 17-, 25-, 35- and 48-Across do: FOLLOW SUIT.
I just happened to notice that each of the theme answers were compound words, and that they alternated from open form to closed form. Nice to see that the reveal followed suit.
Spitzboov, our resident bridge player, probably plays with a four color deck. I learned these decks are are called "no-revoke" decks, and are given different colors to make the suits more distinct from each other.
Across:
1. Gulf States prince: EMIR. For instance, Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
5. Macy's competitor: KOHL'S.
10. Eucharist celebration: MASS.
14. See 62-Across: TIME, 50D. See 62-Across: UPON A, and 62. With 50-Down and 14-Across, fairy tale opening: ONCE. ONCE UPON A TIME. If still active on the blog, Barry G would have commented about this threesome. He doesn't care for clues that make you have to read another clue.
15. Boise's state: IDAHO. "The City of Boise operates the largest direct-use geothermal system in the entire country." - livboise.org. "Idaho is called the "Gem State" because nearly every known type of gemstone has been found in the state of Idaho. More than 72 different precious and semi-precious gemstones are mined from Idaho" - ikeydata.com
16. Israeli airline: EL AL.
19. River of Cairo: NILE.
20. Playing surface surrounded by boards: RINK. Sports lingo - Ice Hockey Dasher Boards
21. Access charge: USER'S FEE.
23. Chinese menu promise: NO MSG. Monosodium glutamate
26. Abandoned building, say: EYESORE.
28. Jules who created the Nautilus: VERNE. Little-Known Facts About Jules Verne
29. Form a union: WED. Betroth.
30. Passé reception aid: AERIAL.
34. Love personified: AMOR.
37. Nobel Peace Prize city: OSLO. The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine and Literature are awarded in Stockholm.
40. Toxic substance: POISON.
41. Snapshot, briefly: PIC.
44. "SNL" alum Cheri: OTERI.
46. Dancer Duncan: ISADORA. Didn't know of her. Needed the I to complete the puzzle.
52. Caught with a lasso: ROPED.
53. Old-fashioned printing machine: LINOTYPE.
54. Champagne brand: MOET.
55. Got on in years: AGED.
60. __ majesty: high treason: LESE.
61. Diarist Nin: ANAIS. "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
63. Newspaper section with many reviews: ARTS.
64. Horizontal graph lines: X-AXES.
65. Enthusiastic: KEEN.
Down:
1. Takeoff approx.: ETD.
2. 1002, to Caesar: MII.
3. Gun carrier's warning: I'M ARMED.
4. Careless: REMISS.
5. Garden hose obstruction: KINK.
6. Unmatched: ODD.
7. Welcomes to the treehouse: HAS UP.
8. __ apso: little dog: LHASA. Video courtesy of Animal Planet
9. Scattered, as seed: SOWED.
10. Department store section: MENSWEAR.
11. Wing-shaped: ALIFORM.
12. Port near Naples: SALERNO.
13. More streamlined: SLEEKER.
18. Like an accurate soccer shot: ON GOAL.
22. Gun, as an engine: REV.
23. Just out: NEW.
24. Santana's "__ Como Va": OYE. Hey, how is it going ?
25. __-Croatian: Slavic language: SERBO.
27. Do another stint: RE-UP. Reenlist.
31. Here, in Haiti: ICI.
32. Twain/Harte play: AH SIN. Totally unknown to me. The perps were solid, but still wasn't certain how to parse it. Took a couple of Google searches to find a reference, and learned along the way that Twain Harte is a census designated place in California. Anyway, read Bret Harte, Mark Twain, Pioneer Fiction, and a Play Gone Wrong
33. Vientiane's country: LAOS. The economic center and capital of Laos.
35. Becomes rusted: CORRODES.
36. Lined up: IN A ROW.
37. "C'est magnifique!": OOH LA LA.
38. "The Pawnbroker" actor Rod: STEIGER.
39. Least fatty, as corned beef: LEANEST.
41. Many a Top 40 song: POP TUNE.
42. Cork's country: Abbr.: IRE.
43. Heel: CAD.
45. Hairy Addams cousin: ITT.
47. Is moderately successful: DOES OK.
49. How some documents are sent: BY FAX.
51. Kick back: RELAX.
54. Forest floor plant: MOSS.
57. Golf ball position: LIE.
58. Cocktail cooler: ICE.
59. Down-for-the-count count: TEN.
Advertisements
Showing posts with label Roland Huget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roland Huget. Show all posts
Oct 2, 2018
Sep 18, 2018
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 Roland Huget
"Mirror Ends"
20. Horse sense: STREET SMARTS.
28. Main attraction: DRAWING CARD.
36. Test proctor's reminder: TIME LIMIT.
49. Hard-boiled genre: NOIR FICTION.
56. Its measurements include liters and grams: METRIC SYSTEM.
Across:
1. Publisher Alfred: KNOPF. The person and the company.
6. Spur to action: PROD.
10. Mus. key with three sharps: AMAJ. A major.
14. Lost cause: GONER.
15. Overconfident racer of fable: HARE.
16. Hawaiian island: OAHU.
17. Hawaii or Alaska: STATE.
18. Oil gp. that includes 57-Down: OPEC. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
19. Take a load off: REST.
23. Pool tool: CUE.
24. Try to win: WOO.
25. Colonel Sanders facial feature: GOATEE.
32. Lab maze navigator: RAT.
33. Letter flourish: SERIF.
34. "... good witch, __ bad witch?": OR A.
35. Angry or achy: SORE.
40. Soap units: BARS.
43. Gold in Granada: ORO.
44. Semiaquatic salamanders: NEWTS.
48. The "A" in "IPA": ALE.
52. Like Easter eggs before the hunt: HIDDEN.
54. Duct opening?: OVI. "In vertebrates, other than mammals, the passageway from the ovaries to the outside of the body is known as the oviduct. In female mammals this passageway is known as the uterine tube or Fallopian tube." Wikipedia.
55. Debate side: PRO. The affirmative side. An argument in favor of a course of action.
60. Squared up: EVEN.
62. Tax-sheltered plans: Abbr.: IRAs. Individual Retirement Accounts
63. More than suggest: ORDER. Last Tuesday's crossword by Bruce Haight and his daughter Natalie Murphy had many punny "Orders."
65. Partial view?: BIAS. As in partiality. Favoritism.
66. Scandinavian language: SAMI. "...the language has given way to the various official national languages."
67. Circular: ROUND.
68. Decrease: BATE.
69. Organic compound: ENOL. Remember the clue. Almost always, the crossword answer is enol.
70. Sch. district VIPs: SUPTS. Superintendents. The CEO of a school district.
Down:
1. 56-Across wts.: KGS. Kilograms in the metric system. About 2.2 pounds in the avoirdupois weight system.
2. On the fence: NOT SURE.
3. Winning like crazy: ON A TEAR. Like the Boston Red Sox this year. They have a shot at the all time record for wins in a season. Having already clinched a playoff spot, the Red Sox have a 27 % chance to win the World Series. The Houston Astros follow next at 24 %. Then the Dodgers, the Cubs, and the Indians.
4. Korda of '80s-'90s tennis: PETR. His two daughters are golfers competing on the LPGA tour, and his son is the third-ranked junior tennis player in the world.
5. Library amenity: FREE WIFI.
6. Camera buff, for short: PHOTOG. Like this guy and gal getting ready for pictures of the eclipse.
7. Shoots the breeze: RAPS.
8. Utah city near Provo: OREM.
9. 10-point star polygon: DECAGRAM.
"In geometry, a decagram is a 10-point star polygon. There is one regular decagram, containing the vertices of a regular decagon, but connected by every third point. Its Schläfli symbol is {10/3}. The name decagram combine a numeral prefix, deca-, with the Greek suffix -gram." Wikipedia
10. Main blood vessel: AORTA.
11. Orchestra leader: MAESTRO. A Top Twenty List
12. Contented sighs: AHS.
13. Stick (out): JUT.
21. Years and years: EON.
22. Word after fuel or fly: ROD. One may be used for fission; the other may be used for fishin'.
23. LP successors: CDs.
26. Cup handle: EAR.
27. Season after printemps: ETE. Printemps - Première saison de l'année. Saison située entre l'hiver et l'été, caractérisée par des jours plus longs, une température plus douce, une végétation renaissante. Ete - Saison de l'année commençant au solstice de juin pour finir à l'équinoxe de septembre. Gén., la période chaude au milieu de l'année. Give Google Translate a try.
29. Erma Bombeck's "At __ End": WIT'S. “Childhood is a time for pretending and trying on maturity to see if it fits or hangs baggy, tastes good or bitter, smells nice or fills your lungs with smoke that makes you cough. It's sharing licks on the same sucker with your best friend before you discover germs. It's not knowing how much a house cost, and caring less. It's going to bed in the summer with dirty feet on clean sheets. It's thinking anyone over fifteen is 'ancient'. It's absorbing ideas, knowledge, and people like a giant sponge. Childhood is where 'competition' is a baseball game and 'responsibility' is a paper route.” - Erma Bombeck
30. Décor choice: COLOR.
31. MLB's D-backs: ARI. Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamonbacks. As of this writing, owners of an 8% chance to make the playoffs.
35. Editorial "let it stand": STET.
37. Event often visible in the evening sky: MOONRISE.
38. "__ tu": Verdi aria: ERI.
39. Cutting teeth: INCISORS.
40. Derisive interjection: BAH. Humbug ! Ebenezer Scrooge.
41. "Rope-a-dope" boxer: ALI. Muhammad Ali created and used this strategy to defeat the heavily favored George Foreman in the world championship bout known as The Rumble in the Jungle.
42. Paleo diet protein source: RED MEAT.
45. Took care of, as a spill: WIPED UP.
46. Annoy persistently: TORMENT.
47. __-cone: summer treat: SNO.
49. Safety feature at a trapeze school: NET. Learning to Fall
50. La Brea discovery: FOSSIL.
51. Wall-climbing plant: IVY.
53. Slow on the uptake: DENSE.
57. Pakistan neighbor: IRAN.
58. "Duck Dynasty" attire, for short: CAMO. Camouflage. Duck Dynasty is a reality television program on A&E.
59. Pants, briefly: TROU. Trousers
60. Flow back, as a tide: EBB.
61. By way of: VIA.
64. Ave. and st.: RDS. Roads
Jul 2, 2018
Monday July 2, 2018 Roland Huget
Theme: PRICE BREAKS (60. Good retail deals ... and what the three other longest answers literally exhibit). PRICE bookends each theme entry.
17A. Public relations arm: PRESS OFFICE.
11D. Steamed breakfast cereal: PUFFED RICE.
28D. Nectar that's high in fiber: PRUNE JUICE.
Boomer here.
You
caught me last week. I suggested that a gallon of gasoline in
Minnesota was $1.75. Of course my fat fingers hit the one instead of
the two and it should have been $2.75. However we do have a HyVee
grocery in our area and they offer discounts on gas if you buy certain
promotional items or spend a lot of money on food. A few weeks ago I
bought gas there for $1.56 per gallon. They also have a friendly
convenience store near the gas pumps where you can buy snacks and
lottery tickets. AND if you want, they have the New York Times for sale
for about the same price as a gallon of gas, in case you need to see
the latest offering by Mr. Shortz.
Across:
1. Ancient Mexican: AZTEC. Caused me to remember the Pontiac SUV. A bit big and ugly but I liked its look.
6. Spirited horses: ARABS.
11. __-per-view: PAY.
14. Ballerina Shearer: MOIRA.
15. '80s-'90s TV legal drama: LA LAW. I preferred NY "Law & Order".
16. Mod or nod suffix: ULE.
19. Hector, to Achilles: FOE. I believe Hector kicked Achilles in his heel in the Trojan war and Achilles walked with a limp from then on.
20. First lady before Abigail: MARTHA. Washington.
21. Send-ups: TAKEOFFS. I expect in the movie "Airplane" Captain Over (Peter Graves) may have left in a "sendoff".
23. Grandmaster's game: CHESS. A legendary game that requires great skill that I do not have.
25. Pearly whites: TEETH. My teeth are like stars, they come out at night. Years ago, I used to think Fixodent was an auto body repair shop.
26. Abundant: COPIOUS.
30. Booby or loon: BIRD. "Ahwella everybody's heard, about the bird." The Minneapolis Trashmen gave us the "Surfin' Bird."
31. One-way marker: ARROW.
32. Smooth transition in conversation: SEGUE. I always thought this was spelled Segway.
35. Video replay user: REF. Just a way to allow more commercials in basketball games on TV.
38. Acht und eins: NEUN. I spent time in Germany in the Army. I could count to ten but never knew how to spell it.
39. Bricklayer: MASON. Lawyer, Perry.
40. The Emerald Isle: EIRE. So many ways to spell Ireland.
41. L-o-o-n-g time: EON. How long a ref takes looking at a replay.
42. Authority: SAY SO.
43. Foil giant: ALCOA. I don't see this name on foil, but over the years, sold tons of Alcoa Aluminum cable.
44. Building additions: ELLS.
46. Least becoming: UGLIEST.
48. Common movie theater name meaning "jewel": BIJOU. There's a name out of the past. Not too many Bijou theatres any more. Most are now Multiplex. So what is a "plex" anyhow?
50. Test versions: BETAS.
52. Home for pet fish: AQUARIUM.
54. Arrive in a car: ROLL UP. "Roll up for the mystery tour. The Magical mystery tour is waiting to take you away."
59. Him, in Le Havre: LUI.
62. [not my mistake]: SIC.
63. Conger catcher: EELER. Odd word. Reminded me of Gopher/Vikings Hall of Fame "Purple People Eater" Defensive end Carl Eller.
64. Venezuela-to-Chile range: ANDES.
65. Tucked away: ATE. I never heard any one say they tucked away a pizza. Nor did I heard them say they tucked away some cash and then ate it.
66. Skin care name: ESTEE. Ms. three E's appears in quite a number of puzzles.
67. Explosive tryout, briefly: NTEST. A Minneapolis Company. I think they deal with fiber cables.
Down:
1. Alarm clock toggle: AM PM. And it plays "I got you Babe" repeatedly.
2. Author __ Neale Hurston: ZORA.
3. Wedding cake section: TIER. I found it hard to believe that the Supreme Court was called to settle a Wedding cake dispute.
4. Once, quaintly: ERST.
5. Good moneymaker: CASH COW. I have a cousin-in-law who is a dairy farmer. I believe he may have a few of these cows.
6. Furry sitcom ET: ALF. I wonder if Spanky ever called his friend by this nickname.
7. River transports: RAFTS.
8. Nom de plume: ALIAS. "Smith and Jones". Sort of a sitcom western that lasted about 2 years on TV.
9. Give support to: BACK.
10. Honeybunch: SWEETIE.
12. Up in the air: ALOFT. Result of a "Sendup".
13. "What a pain!": YEESH. I wish crossword puzzles would display real words.
18. Honolulu's island: OAHU.
22. Anthem contraction: OER. the land of the free and the home of the brave.
24. Long exam answer: ESSAY.
26. Sugar crop: CANE. Ain't no more cane on the Brazos my boy, they all ground it all in molasses, Oh, Oh, OH.
27. Sandwich cookie: OREO. A most famous crossword cookie. You seldom see Hydrox or Dagwood's daughter in the squares now.
29. Charged particle: ION.
30. Hot dog holder: BUN. Remember a fifties" hairdo ?
33. Slalom shape: ESS. Also the direction some of my putts go.
34. Do dinner and a movie, say: GO OUT.
36. Cupid counterpart: EROS.
37. Notable achievement: FEAT.
39. Pas' partners: MAS.
40. New Haven Ivy Leaguer: ELI.
I thought this might be Eli Manning but he played college ball in
Mississippi, and now with the Giants. Nowhere near New Haven.
42. 7-Eleven frozen treat: SLURPEE.
Southland pulled out of Minnesota years ago, but I never enjoyed a
Slurpee while they were here. Ice slush gave me a headache.
43. Loser: ALSO-RAN.
45. Mauna __: LOA.
47. Apparel: GARB.
48. Modeling wood: BALSA. We used to fly airplanes made of balsa wood.
49. Terse resignation: I QUIT. No! Not yet! your almost done.
50. Put together from the ground up: BUILT.
51. Roast host: EMCEE. Loved the Dean Martin Roasts! (Except Don Rickles),
53. Riles up: IRES. Sometimes a crossword clue ires you.
55. Pre-Easter fast: LENT. Forty days and forty nights. Not so much fasting anymore.
56. Put in a hold: LADE.
57. Luau strings: UKES. Tiptoe through the tulips with Tiny Tim.
58. Library attention-getter: PSST.
61. Now or long lead-in: ERE.
Boomer
Note from C.C.:
Click here for a few pretty flower pictures from TTP's garden. His beautiful wife Katie is an avid gardener.
Jun 4, 2018
Monday Jun 4, 2018 Roland Huget
Theme: MIXMASTER (60. Sunbeam brand ... and a literal hint to the circled letters:) - MASTER is anagrammed in each theme answer.
17A. Wind current that affects weather patterns: JET STREAM.
27A. Pet rodent's exercise gadget: HAMSTER WHEEL.
45A. Good survival skills: STREET SMARTS.
Boomer here.
Yes
the Mixmaster from Sunbeam! And we had a beaming sun here in Minnesota
this week. I will never be able to understand how the mercury can hit
triple digits a mere 6 weeks after we shoveled 18 inches of the white
stuff out of our way.
Across:
1. __-as-you-are party: COME.
5. Wedge or pump: SHOE. Wedge, pump or golf. I'll be wearing mine tomorrow and possibly using a wedge.
9. Apple's Touch and Nano: IPODS.
14. Help with a robbery, say: ABET. Or -- visit a track and place a bet on Justify.
15. Phone in a purse: CELL.
16. "I kid you not": NO LIE.
19. Barton of the Red Cross: CLARA. There is a name from the past. A nurse in our Civil War, Ms. Barton not only was of the Red Cross, She created it.
20. Purpose: USE.
21. First rainbow color: RED. Mr. Skelton. aka Clem Kadiddlehopper
22. First Peace Corps director Sargent __: SHRIVER. Now
we are in my era. Mr. Shriver was not a Sergeant, his middle name was
Sargent. He was President Kennedy's brother-in-law, and I believe the
President gave him the job of overseeing the newly created Peace Corps.
24. Lipton rival: NESTEA. N-E-S-T-L-E-S - Nestles makes the very best ... Chocolate.
26. Apple mobile platform: IOS. I know it doesn't matter in a crossword, but Apple displays this as iOS. I think it stands for i Overcharge Society.
34. Concerning: ABOUT. Fight between Muhammad Ali and George Frazier.
37. Held the deed to: OWNED.
38. Mai __: cocktail: TAI. Pronounced My Tie and used to Tie one on.
39. Guns, as an engine: REVS. In my neighborhood this is done in a 30 year old Chevy with little or no muffler.
40. Nest of chicks: BROOD.
41. Turkey meat preference: DARK.
42. Top worn with jeans: TEE. C'mon. Everyone knows this is a piece of wood to hold a golf ball before Dustin Johnson whacks it 320 yards.
43. Birth-related: NATAL.
If you natal day happens to be February 29, how old are you. Gilbert
and Sullivan claimed that if you were born 20 years ago you would be "A
little boy of five" and that was a paradox.
44. Numbered supermarket section: AISLE.
48. Brit's bathroom: LOO. I wonder if the composer of "Skip to My Loo" had to go ?
49. Filmdom awards: OSCARS.
I know this stands for the Academy Awards but the name actually came
from some lady at the Academy who thought the statue looked like her
Uncle Oscar. It reminds me of half of the "Odd Couple" Oscar Madison
played by Jack Klugman. I think Walter Matthau played Oscar in the
movie, Neil Simon was nominated for the Oscar for writing the "Odd
Couple" but he did not win.
53. Longtime TV fitness guru Jack: LALANNE.
What a guy, lived to a ripe old age of 96. Famous for the Power
Juicer. You could toss a handful of carrots into the thing and drink
them in 2 minutes.
57. Job ad letters: EOE.
58. "The Matrix" hero: NEO.
59. Sumatran ape: ORANG.
63. Miata automaker: MAZDA. The fancy sports car has sneaked its way into the $25K range.
64. Jai __: ALAI. a fancy game like playing tennis against a wall.
65. Latin being: ESSE.
66. Sanctify: BLESS.
67. Clue or Risk: GAME. I think it was done by Cosmo Kramer and Neumann in Seinfeld's living room.
68. Peepers: EYES. Jeepers Creepers, where'd you get that clue?
Down:
1. Bayou cuisine: CAJUN.
2. More than plump: OBESE.
- I was watching Lance Lynn pitch for the Twins on Saturday. If He and
Miguel Sano are first in line at the aftergame buffet, I wonder if
anyone else gets to eat.
3. Doles (out): METES.
4. UFO pilots, presumably: ETS.
5. Riot, in the funny way: SCREAM. Wasn't this a movie back in the 90s ?
6. Take to heart: HEED.
7. Rio greeting: OLA. I have a friend from Chile, and when he emails me its Hola. Can Brazilians not pronounce "H"s. ?
8. Shade trees: ELMS.
9. Narrow, exclusive group: IN CROWD. Not too exclusive. I believe there are 400 million Americans who think they are in it.
10. Refined manner: POLISH. or buff your golf shoes.
11. Norwegian royal name: OLAV. Ya Sure.
12. Desperate, as straits: DIRE.
13. Char on a grill: SEAR. Add an S and you have a retail chain that's losing money.
18. Halloween trick alternative: TREAT.
23. Put on the payroll: HIRED. Drank a root beer.
25. In this way: THUS.
28. Alphabetizes, say: SORTS.
29. Time for semiannual clock changes: Abbr.: TWO AM. Our computer and clock radio does it by itself. We don't get up at 2 am to finish the job. Next morning works.
30. __ Gay: WWII bomber: ENOLA.
A B-29 named after the pilot's mom. I was born after WWII. However my
parents and history teachers taught me enough. I cannot applaud what our
government ordered on that day in 1945.
31. Vowels after zetas: ETAS.
32. British nobleman: EARL. Duke outranks Earl.
33. Facebook thumbs-up: LIKE.
34. Part of MFA: ARTS.
35. Borscht basic: BEET. I like beets, but they can add to your blood sugar.
36. Partner of "done with": OVER. Reminds me of Peter Graves in "Airplane". The opening scene was filmed at MSP Airport.
40. Relay stick: BATON. Olympics are two short years away!
41. Brake rotor: DISC.
43. Nightlife sign's light source: NEON GAS.
44. On the briny: ATSEA.
46. African antelopes: ELANDS.
47. Dorm pal: ROOMIE.
50. Unable to sit still: ANTSY. Named after the New York Football team the GI ANTS.
51. Baseball Hall of Famer Pee Wee: REESE.
And a great broadcaster "Holy Cow"! Who said this first? Pee Wee or
Harry with the glasses. We had a Halsey here that copied them.
52. Tender spots: SORES.
53. Bausch's partner: LOMB.
54. Asia's vastly diminished __ Sea: ARAL. The Aral Sea is not really a sea but more like a lake. In fact our own Lake Superior is larger than lake Aral.
55. Lie idly (around): LAZE.
56. Periodical with a URL: E-MAG. I never saw an E-MAG and I never hope to read one. But I can tell you anyhow, I'd rather see than be one.
57. Reason to study: EXAM.
61. Dockworkers' org.: ILA.
62. Match, as a bet: SEE. That would be in poker, instead of a raise.
Boomer
Apr 17, 2018
Tuesday April 17, 2018, Roland Huget
Americans love pets. They bring us joy and make us laugh with their silly behaviors and antics. Today Roland brings us the mixed breed. They were pretty easy to spot.
Let's call the theme Mutts and Moggies
17. Welcome wind on a hot day: MILD BREEZE.
42. "Best thing since" invention metaphor: SLICED BREAD.
36. Successful cryptographer: CODE BREAKER.
The reveal:
62. Pet without papers ... or what is literally found in the circled letters: MIXED BREED.
Across:
1. Not at all good: EVIL. Bad to the bone.
5. Piece-of-cake shape: WEDGE. I wanted slice. Both wedge and slice are also golf terms. If you routinely slice your wedge, it's time to see your local PGA teaching professional. He or she may correct your grip and swing plane. That should get you back on track, easy as 1-2-3, piece-of-cake.
10. Tick off: MIFF. Peeve.
14. Use a surgical beam: LASE.
15. Toward the back: AREAR. Aftward on a ship.
16. "What I Am" singer Brickell: EDIE. Trivia fact: Married to Paul Simon.
19. First-rate: A-ONE. Alternatively written as A1. We see that as the Audi model or the Kraft Steak Sauce and many Other Uses.
Driving fast on the A1. There's also the A1 autobahn in Germany. This driver makes the 90 minute drive from Bremen to Hamburg in 42 minutes. He's driving a BMW 730d, and after the first 11 minutes or so, he pushes it up to and sustains almost 250 klicks per hour. That's over 150 MPH ! Watch starting at 11:10 after he gets out of the speed-limit zone. If you really want to see the scenery fly by, change the video playback options to run at 2X speed.
20. Grab greedily: SNATCH.
21. Brought back to mind: RECALLED.
23. Migratory flying formations: VEEs.
25. Dance move: STEP.
Let's call the theme Mutts and Moggies
17. Welcome wind on a hot day: MILD BREEZE.
42. "Best thing since" invention metaphor: SLICED BREAD.
36. Successful cryptographer: CODE BREAKER.
The reveal:
62. Pet without papers ... or what is literally found in the circled letters: MIXED BREED.
Across:
1. Not at all good: EVIL. Bad to the bone.
5. Piece-of-cake shape: WEDGE. I wanted slice. Both wedge and slice are also golf terms. If you routinely slice your wedge, it's time to see your local PGA teaching professional. He or she may correct your grip and swing plane. That should get you back on track, easy as 1-2-3, piece-of-cake.
10. Tick off: MIFF. Peeve.
14. Use a surgical beam: LASE.
15. Toward the back: AREAR. Aftward on a ship.
16. "What I Am" singer Brickell: EDIE. Trivia fact: Married to Paul Simon.
19. First-rate: A-ONE. Alternatively written as A1. We see that as the Audi model or the Kraft Steak Sauce and many Other Uses.
Driving fast on the A1. There's also the A1 autobahn in Germany. This driver makes the 90 minute drive from Bremen to Hamburg in 42 minutes. He's driving a BMW 730d, and after the first 11 minutes or so, he pushes it up to and sustains almost 250 klicks per hour. That's over 150 MPH ! Watch starting at 11:10 after he gets out of the speed-limit zone. If you really want to see the scenery fly by, change the video playback options to run at 2X speed.
20. Grab greedily: SNATCH.
21. Brought back to mind: RECALLED.
23. Migratory flying formations: VEEs.
25. Dance move: STEP.
26. Carrots' partners: PEAS. Some things just go together. Bacon and eggs. Hugs and kisses. Tea and biscuits. Love and marriage. Spaghetti and meatballs. The moon and the stars. Turkey and dressing. Fred and Ginger. Peanut butter and jelly. Wine and cheese. Burger and fries. Rodgers and Hammerstein. Your turn.
29. Dangerous tide: RIP.
31. Airing in the wee hours: ON LATE. Like that pillow guy.
35. Dr.'s orders: Rxs. Prescriptions.
38. Diner: EATER.
40. Cup handle: EAR.
41. Not reactive, as gases: INERT.
45. Untruth: LIE.
46. Walked with purpose: STRODE.
47. Typical John Grisham subject: LAW.
48. Back talk: SASS.
49. Nervous twitches: TICS.
51. Retail center: MART.
53. Cigarette stimulant: NICOTINE.
57. Staggered: REELED.
61. Neutral shade: ECRU.
64. Drop of sorrow: TEAR.
65. Oscar-winning "Skyfall" singer: ADELE.
66. Family babysitter: NANA.
67. Attaches a patch, say: SEWS.
68. Massenet opera about a Spanish legend: LE CID. Opera lovers like Hahtoolah probably nailed this.
In the early 1600s, French playwright Pierre Corneille wrote the play Le Cid based on the legend of Spanish medieval hero El Cid. The play was wildly popular, but Corneille took a lot of flak and created quite the stir because he initially wrote the play as both a tragedy and a comedy. That was a big no-no at the time, at least as far as the French cultural authorities were concerned.
In the late 1800s, French composer Jules Massenet turned the play into an opera: Massenet's Le Cid - Synopsis. Here's audio of Enrico Caruso singing the aria "O souverain, o juge, o père" from Massenet's Le Cid.
Good thing the perps gave me LE, because I would have had EL.
Down:
1. O'Neill's "Desire Under the __": ELMS.
2. Fruitless: VAIN.
3. Cuba, por ejemplo: ISLA. Spanish in the clue, Spanish in the answer. Or, if you so prefer, the same in Portuguese.
4. Some HD sets: LED TVs.
5. Medal recipient: WAR HERO.
6. Poetic preposition before "now" or "long": ERE.
7. Animal on XING signs: DEER.
8. Long looks: GAZES.
9. __ set: building toy: ERECTOR. Inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 1988. Salem, Oregon born inventor, athlete, magician, toy-maker and businessman Alfred Carlton Gilbert is best known as the inventor of the Erector Set. He also invented the pole vault box. As an athlete, he set a world record for consecutive chin ups, and then set a world record in pole vault in 1906 while a student at Yale. He then won a Gold Medal in pole vault at the 1908 Olympics. He was dubbed by the press as "The Man Who Saved Christmas" after arguing successfully against a ban on toy production in 1918 during World War I. Source: Wikipedia and acgilbert.org.
10. College student's dining choice: MEAL PLAN. How Not to Blow Your College Meal Plan
11. Singing competition that returned in 2018, familiarly: IDOL. American Idol.
12. "Okay by me": FINE. I can usually gauge the mood of my wife based on tone.
13. Nourish: FEED.
18. Letters in old dates: BCE. Wikipedia: "...Before the Common or Current Era (BCE)... In the later 20th century, the use of CE and BCE was popularized in academic and scientific publications, and more generally by authors and publishers wishing to emphasize secularism or sensitivity to non-Christians, by not explicitly referencing Jesus as "Christ" and Dominus ("Lord") through use of the abbreviation "AD"..."
22. Virgil epic: AENEID. Oh man. Not my cuppa. Here goes: Epic poem of myth and legend written by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. Lots of supernatural meddling and involvement. The hero is Aeneas. Leads other Trojans as they sail to Italy, escaping Troy after the Greeks attacked. Spartans and Trojans didn't get along at the time. Perils along the way. They make it. Build a city that generations later becomes Rome. Wins battles. Gets hindered and helped by the gods at many turns. Sounds like George Lucas and Star Wars to me, but I've never seen that movie either. How did I do Misty ? I'll take the D+ and move on.
24. Flip of a 45 record: SIDE B.
26. Defensive basketball tactic: PRESS. Short for pressure. The team without the ball (the defense) tries to pressure the offense into making a mistake and causing the offense to lose possession of the ball. The change of (ball) possession is known as a turnover, and is the primary goal of the press.
27. Praise highly: EXALT.
28. Up and about: ASTIR.
30. Oyster jewel: PEARL.
32. Cub Scout leader: AKELA. The leader and guide for Cub Scouts on the advancement trail. Borrowed from Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book as a symbol of wisdom, authority and leadership. scouting.org, cubscouts.org, wikipedia.
33. Hatcher and Garr: TERIs.
36. College transcript unit: CREDIT.
37. Silvery freshwater fish: BREAM.
39. Nature excursions: ECOTOURS. Ecological tourism.
43. Dot between dollars and cents: DECIMAL.
44. Given, as a medal: AWARDED.
48. Rudder locales: STERNS. Aft-most. Spitzboov would know all these terms, and more !
50. Snarky: SNIDE.
52. Yank's war foe: REB. Yankees and Rebels in the U.S. Civil War. Generally, northerners and southerners. How much southern blood does your speech show ? Take this test.
53. Earns after taxes: NETS.
54. Slushy drink brand: ICEE. Apu sells a similar product called Squishee at Kwik-E-Mart.
55. Avian crop: CRAW. Merriam-Webster definitions:
56. Boardroom VIP: EXEC.
58. Security breach: LEAK.
59. Counting rhyme word: EENY.
60. June 6, 1944: D-DAY.
63. Collegian who roots for the Bulldogs: ELI.
A Yale University student is often called an Eli or a Yalie. The athletic teams of Yale are the Bulldogs.
Handsome Dan is the name of the actual bulldog that serves as the mascot.
Iteration Number 18 is now serving.
Good boy.
Here's the grid:
See all y'all later n'at !
29. Dangerous tide: RIP.
31. Airing in the wee hours: ON LATE. Like that pillow guy.
35. Dr.'s orders: Rxs. Prescriptions.
38. Diner: EATER.
40. Cup handle: EAR.
41. Not reactive, as gases: INERT.
45. Untruth: LIE.
46. Walked with purpose: STRODE.
47. Typical John Grisham subject: LAW.
48. Back talk: SASS.
49. Nervous twitches: TICS.
51. Retail center: MART.
53. Cigarette stimulant: NICOTINE.
57. Staggered: REELED.
61. Neutral shade: ECRU.
64. Drop of sorrow: TEAR.
65. Oscar-winning "Skyfall" singer: ADELE.
66. Family babysitter: NANA.
67. Attaches a patch, say: SEWS.
68. Massenet opera about a Spanish legend: LE CID. Opera lovers like Hahtoolah probably nailed this.
In the early 1600s, French playwright Pierre Corneille wrote the play Le Cid based on the legend of Spanish medieval hero El Cid. The play was wildly popular, but Corneille took a lot of flak and created quite the stir because he initially wrote the play as both a tragedy and a comedy. That was a big no-no at the time, at least as far as the French cultural authorities were concerned.
In the late 1800s, French composer Jules Massenet turned the play into an opera: Massenet's Le Cid - Synopsis. Here's audio of Enrico Caruso singing the aria "O souverain, o juge, o père" from Massenet's Le Cid.
Good thing the perps gave me LE, because I would have had EL.
69. Absolut rival: SKYY. Vodka brands. Tinbeni gets options !
Down:
1. O'Neill's "Desire Under the __": ELMS.
2. Fruitless: VAIN.
3. Cuba, por ejemplo: ISLA. Spanish in the clue, Spanish in the answer. Or, if you so prefer, the same in Portuguese.
4. Some HD sets: LED TVs.
5. Medal recipient: WAR HERO.
6. Poetic preposition before "now" or "long": ERE.
7. Animal on XING signs: DEER.
8. Long looks: GAZES.
9. __ set: building toy: ERECTOR. Inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 1988. Salem, Oregon born inventor, athlete, magician, toy-maker and businessman Alfred Carlton Gilbert is best known as the inventor of the Erector Set. He also invented the pole vault box. As an athlete, he set a world record for consecutive chin ups, and then set a world record in pole vault in 1906 while a student at Yale. He then won a Gold Medal in pole vault at the 1908 Olympics. He was dubbed by the press as "The Man Who Saved Christmas" after arguing successfully against a ban on toy production in 1918 during World War I. Source: Wikipedia and acgilbert.org.
10. College student's dining choice: MEAL PLAN. How Not to Blow Your College Meal Plan
11. Singing competition that returned in 2018, familiarly: IDOL. American Idol.
12. "Okay by me": FINE. I can usually gauge the mood of my wife based on tone.
13. Nourish: FEED.
18. Letters in old dates: BCE. Wikipedia: "...Before the Common or Current Era (BCE)... In the later 20th century, the use of CE and BCE was popularized in academic and scientific publications, and more generally by authors and publishers wishing to emphasize secularism or sensitivity to non-Christians, by not explicitly referencing Jesus as "Christ" and Dominus ("Lord") through use of the abbreviation "AD"..."
22. Virgil epic: AENEID. Oh man. Not my cuppa. Here goes: Epic poem of myth and legend written by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. Lots of supernatural meddling and involvement. The hero is Aeneas. Leads other Trojans as they sail to Italy, escaping Troy after the Greeks attacked. Spartans and Trojans didn't get along at the time. Perils along the way. They make it. Build a city that generations later becomes Rome. Wins battles. Gets hindered and helped by the gods at many turns. Sounds like George Lucas and Star Wars to me, but I've never seen that movie either. How did I do Misty ? I'll take the D+ and move on.
24. Flip of a 45 record: SIDE B.
26. Defensive basketball tactic: PRESS. Short for pressure. The team without the ball (the defense) tries to pressure the offense into making a mistake and causing the offense to lose possession of the ball. The change of (ball) possession is known as a turnover, and is the primary goal of the press.
27. Praise highly: EXALT.
28. Up and about: ASTIR.
30. Oyster jewel: PEARL.
32. Cub Scout leader: AKELA. The leader and guide for Cub Scouts on the advancement trail. Borrowed from Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book as a symbol of wisdom, authority and leadership. scouting.org, cubscouts.org, wikipedia.
33. Hatcher and Garr: TERIs.
34. Some Deco prints: ERTEs. Russian-born Romain de Tirtoff was known by the pseudonym "Erté", from the French pronunciation of his initials.
36. College transcript unit: CREDIT.
37. Silvery freshwater fish: BREAM.
39. Nature excursions: ECOTOURS. Ecological tourism.
43. Dot between dollars and cents: DECIMAL.
44. Given, as a medal: AWARDED.
48. Rudder locales: STERNS. Aft-most. Spitzboov would know all these terms, and more !
50. Snarky: SNIDE.
52. Yank's war foe: REB. Yankees and Rebels in the U.S. Civil War. Generally, northerners and southerners. How much southern blood does your speech show ? Take this test.
53. Earns after taxes: NETS.
54. Slushy drink brand: ICEE. Apu sells a similar product called Squishee at Kwik-E-Mart.
55. Avian crop: CRAW. Merriam-Webster definitions:
- Avian: of, relating to, or derived from birds
- Crop: a pouched enlargement of the esophagus of many birds that serves as a receptacle for food and for its preliminary maceration; also : an enlargement of the digestive tract of another animal (such as an insect)
- Craw: The crop of a bird or insect.
56. Boardroom VIP: EXEC.
58. Security breach: LEAK.
59. Counting rhyme word: EENY.
60. June 6, 1944: D-DAY.
63. Collegian who roots for the Bulldogs: ELI.
A Yale University student is often called an Eli or a Yalie. The athletic teams of Yale are the Bulldogs.
Handsome Dan is the name of the actual bulldog that serves as the mascot.
Iteration Number 18 is now serving.
Good boy.
Here's the grid:
See all y'all later n'at !
Mar 16, 2018
Friday, March 16, 2018, Roland Huget
Title: Bassackwards.
Roland presents a challenging workout, with a classic theme that I have seen in a few Sunday puzzles, where you generally have a title rather than a reveal. A quick look at the record books shows this PUZZLE from the pre-Will Shortz NY Times. That cluing was much easier. The most impressive thing about this version is that Roland took two single words- SHORTSTOP + OVERHEADS and made them two-word themers and took 2 two word phrases and made them a single word. Then we have the rest of the puzzle. Triple stacks of 7 letter down fill with many of the words very sparkly such as ALANINE, ENTOMBS, HABITAT, JOCKEYS, MORTARS, NAIROBI, ONE COAT, SCABBED, SHYSTER, USER FEE, WALKURE as well as E-TICKETS and ICE SKATE. This took me longer than most Fridays. YMMV.
17A. *Prepares to pass the football: BACKDROPS (9). A quarterback DROPS BACK to pass. LINK.
21A. *Baseball position: STOP SHORT (9). A SHORTSTOP is placed between 2nd and third base. LINK.
38A. *Strokes in tennis: HEADS OVER (9). OVERHEADS are the smash of tennis. LINK.
59A. *Basketball strategy: BREAKFAST (9). The FAST BREAK is where a team gets a rebound and attempts to make it downcourt before the other team can get back to play defense. LINK.
65A. Fair play? ... or the key to understanding the answers to starred clues: TURNABOUT (9). It can be one or two words. The phrase has been in existence since at least 1755.
Okay now on to some very Friday clues/fill.
Across:
1. Fifth pillar of Islam: HAJJ. If you want more information READ.
5. Puts on a patch, say: SEWS. Does anyone patch clothes anymore?
9. Intestinal tract division: ILEUM. This is the third portion of the small intestine, between the jejunum and the cecum.
14. Moises of the 2002-'04 Cubs: ALOU. He was the outfielder in the famous Bartmann Cubs loss to the Marlins and he was a very good PLAYER as well as being related to the Alou brothers- dad Felipe, uncle Matty and uncle Jesus.
15. Card in a baby straight: TREY. Baby straight: ace, deuce, trey, four and five.
16. Playground retort: CAN SO. Cannot.
19. Butyl acetate, e.g.: ESTER. I will let our scientist handle this one. Chemistry.
20. Graphic novel artist: INKER. The page is drawn in pencil, then the lines inked, colored and the talk bubbles lettered. 4 people plus the author and editor.
23. Is connected: TIES IN.
25. Water__: dental brand: PIK.
26. Curator's deg. : MFA. Masters of Fine Arts.
27. Word with idea or luck: ANY. Random.
28. Gaucho's weapon: BOLA. We get this about once a year.
31. Schmoozing sort: GABBER.
33. Hardy heroine: TESS. d'Urbervilles.
35. Sweeping: VAST.
37. Shocks, in a way: TASES.
41. Uppity sort: SNOOT. So - informal: a person who shows contempt for those considered to be of a lower social class.
44. Hospital fluids: SERA.
45. Hair adornments: BOWS.
49. Aerobic regime, familiarly : CARDIO.
51. Many a Black Friday worker: TEMP.
53. Casual negative: NAH.
54. First _ _: AID.
55. Two-timer: CAD.
57. 100 percent: PURELY. Not 99 and 44/100 percent?
63. Big haulers: MACKS. The trucks. For SALE in Miami.
64. Comedic pianist Victor: BORGE. So entertaining.
67. "Sneak Previews" co-host: EBERT. It started more than 40 years ago. LINK.
68. Niagara Falls source: ERIE. A CSO to Abejo and others.
69. Empty: BARE. This came to mind.
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone;
But when she came there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.
70. Pranks: DIDOS. 1. a mischievous or capricious act: prank, antic —often used in the phrase cut didoes. Not a word I remember.
71. It may be payable monthly: DEBT.
72. Bodily passage: ITER. Anatomy. 1. a canal or passage.
Down:
1. Natural environment: HABITAT. Also the chosen name for Habitat for Humanity.
2. Amino acid used in protein biosynthesis: ALANINE. More CHEMISTRY that I have forgotten or never knew.
3. Derby VIPs: JOCKEYS. Both in Kentucky and the ORIGINAL race.
4. Diner devices, familiarly: JUKES. Jukeboxes. Did you know restaurants are supposed to pay mechanical rights to the publishers? The LAW.
5. Orch. section: STRing.
6. Piccadilly Circus statue: EROS.
7. Turned on the waterworks: WEPT.
8. Network admin: SYSOP. While it was an abbreviation, it may no longer be one - LINK.
9. One of many seen at the NCAA's Frozen Four: ICESKATE. The hockey version.
10. Mascara target: LASH.
11. Puts to rest: ENTOMBS.
12. Cover charge relative: USER FEE.
13. Pestle partners: MORTARS.
18. Smidgen: DRIB. Dribs and drabs.
22. Barnyard rooter: PIG.
24. Stellar phenomenon: NOVA.
29. Fellows: LADS.
30. Corporate machinery, e.g.: ASSET.
32. Caustic remark: BARB.
34. Like racehorses: SHOD. Clecho with...
36. Went like racehorses: TORE.
39. Modern concert conveniences: E-TICKETS.
40. Mae West persona: VAMP.
41. Crossed a picket line: SCABBED. I do not like this as verb.
42. Capital east of Lake Victoria: NAIROBI. You might want to go, use this TRAVEL GUIDE.
43. Requested at a drive-thru: ORDERED.
46. Primer application: ONE COAT. Not necessarily. READ.
47. Wagner's "Die __": WALKURE. It is pronounced like Valkurey (Valkyrie) a gimme for our German speakers.
48. Lawyer to avoid: SHYSTER. More German: mid 19th century: origin uncertain; perhaps related to German Scheisser ‘worthless person.'
50. Clumsy one: OAF.
52. Big cat: PUMA. We have them in Florida. They are endangered, they arecommonly known as the cougar, mountain lion, puma, panther, native to the Americas.
56. Old hat: DATED.
58. Religious leader: RABBI.
60. Prefix with industry: AGRO.
61. Unwavering: SURE.
62. Salt Lake daily, familiarly: TRIB. The daily TRIBUNE.
66. Realize: NET. How much profit did you realize?
Well, I profited from another entertaining Friday presentation from Roland and have enjoyed unraveling the theme - easy; the fill - not so much. Hope you all enjoyed and thanks for stopping by. Lemonade out.
Notes from C.C.:
I was not able to talk to Argyle yesterday. He is still out of it due to pain meds, but he's stable.
Several have asked me about where to send the get-well cards to Argyle, here is his home address.
Argyle will be in the hospital for a few days, so Agnes (best wishes to your brother Jack!) helped me get the hospital address:
D. Scott Nichols
Saratoga Hospital
Roland presents a challenging workout, with a classic theme that I have seen in a few Sunday puzzles, where you generally have a title rather than a reveal. A quick look at the record books shows this PUZZLE from the pre-Will Shortz NY Times. That cluing was much easier. The most impressive thing about this version is that Roland took two single words- SHORTSTOP + OVERHEADS and made them two-word themers and took 2 two word phrases and made them a single word. Then we have the rest of the puzzle. Triple stacks of 7 letter down fill with many of the words very sparkly such as ALANINE, ENTOMBS, HABITAT, JOCKEYS, MORTARS, NAIROBI, ONE COAT, SCABBED, SHYSTER, USER FEE, WALKURE as well as E-TICKETS and ICE SKATE. This took me longer than most Fridays. YMMV.
17A. *Prepares to pass the football: BACKDROPS (9). A quarterback DROPS BACK to pass. LINK.
21A. *Baseball position: STOP SHORT (9). A SHORTSTOP is placed between 2nd and third base. LINK.
38A. *Strokes in tennis: HEADS OVER (9). OVERHEADS are the smash of tennis. LINK.
59A. *Basketball strategy: BREAKFAST (9). The FAST BREAK is where a team gets a rebound and attempts to make it downcourt before the other team can get back to play defense. LINK.
65A. Fair play? ... or the key to understanding the answers to starred clues: TURNABOUT (9). It can be one or two words. The phrase has been in existence since at least 1755.
Okay now on to some very Friday clues/fill.
Across:
1. Fifth pillar of Islam: HAJJ. If you want more information READ.
5. Puts on a patch, say: SEWS. Does anyone patch clothes anymore?
9. Intestinal tract division: ILEUM. This is the third portion of the small intestine, between the jejunum and the cecum.
14. Moises of the 2002-'04 Cubs: ALOU. He was the outfielder in the famous Bartmann Cubs loss to the Marlins and he was a very good PLAYER as well as being related to the Alou brothers- dad Felipe, uncle Matty and uncle Jesus.
15. Card in a baby straight: TREY. Baby straight: ace, deuce, trey, four and five.
16. Playground retort: CAN SO. Cannot.
19. Butyl acetate, e.g.: ESTER. I will let our scientist handle this one. Chemistry.
20. Graphic novel artist: INKER. The page is drawn in pencil, then the lines inked, colored and the talk bubbles lettered. 4 people plus the author and editor.
23. Is connected: TIES IN.
25. Water__: dental brand: PIK.
26. Curator's deg. : MFA. Masters of Fine Arts.
27. Word with idea or luck: ANY. Random.
28. Gaucho's weapon: BOLA. We get this about once a year.
31. Schmoozing sort: GABBER.
33. Hardy heroine: TESS. d'Urbervilles.
35. Sweeping: VAST.
37. Shocks, in a way: TASES.
41. Uppity sort: SNOOT. So - informal: a person who shows contempt for those considered to be of a lower social class.
44. Hospital fluids: SERA.
45. Hair adornments: BOWS.
49. Aerobic regime, familiarly : CARDIO.
51. Many a Black Friday worker: TEMP.
53. Casual negative: NAH.
54. First _ _: AID.
55. Two-timer: CAD.
57. 100 percent: PURELY. Not 99 and 44/100 percent?
63. Big haulers: MACKS. The trucks. For SALE in Miami.
64. Comedic pianist Victor: BORGE. So entertaining.
67. "Sneak Previews" co-host: EBERT. It started more than 40 years ago. LINK.
68. Niagara Falls source: ERIE. A CSO to Abejo and others.
69. Empty: BARE. This came to mind.
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone;
But when she came there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.
70. Pranks: DIDOS. 1. a mischievous or capricious act: prank, antic —often used in the phrase cut didoes. Not a word I remember.
71. It may be payable monthly: DEBT.
72. Bodily passage: ITER. Anatomy. 1. a canal or passage.
Down:
1. Natural environment: HABITAT. Also the chosen name for Habitat for Humanity.
2. Amino acid used in protein biosynthesis: ALANINE. More CHEMISTRY that I have forgotten or never knew.
3. Derby VIPs: JOCKEYS. Both in Kentucky and the ORIGINAL race.
4. Diner devices, familiarly: JUKES. Jukeboxes. Did you know restaurants are supposed to pay mechanical rights to the publishers? The LAW.
5. Orch. section: STRing.
6. Piccadilly Circus statue: EROS.
7. Turned on the waterworks: WEPT.
8. Network admin: SYSOP. While it was an abbreviation, it may no longer be one - LINK.
9. One of many seen at the NCAA's Frozen Four: ICESKATE. The hockey version.
10. Mascara target: LASH.
11. Puts to rest: ENTOMBS.
12. Cover charge relative: USER FEE.
13. Pestle partners: MORTARS.
18. Smidgen: DRIB. Dribs and drabs.
22. Barnyard rooter: PIG.
24. Stellar phenomenon: NOVA.
29. Fellows: LADS.
30. Corporate machinery, e.g.: ASSET.
32. Caustic remark: BARB.
34. Like racehorses: SHOD. Clecho with...
36. Went like racehorses: TORE.
39. Modern concert conveniences: E-TICKETS.
40. Mae West persona: VAMP.
41. Crossed a picket line: SCABBED. I do not like this as verb.
42. Capital east of Lake Victoria: NAIROBI. You might want to go, use this TRAVEL GUIDE.
43. Requested at a drive-thru: ORDERED.
46. Primer application: ONE COAT. Not necessarily. READ.
47. Wagner's "Die __": WALKURE. It is pronounced like Valkurey (Valkyrie) a gimme for our German speakers.
48. Lawyer to avoid: SHYSTER. More German: mid 19th century: origin uncertain; perhaps related to German Scheisser ‘worthless person.'
50. Clumsy one: OAF.
52. Big cat: PUMA. We have them in Florida. They are endangered, they arecommonly known as the cougar, mountain lion, puma, panther, native to the Americas.
56. Old hat: DATED.
58. Religious leader: RABBI.
60. Prefix with industry: AGRO.
61. Unwavering: SURE.
62. Salt Lake daily, familiarly: TRIB. The daily TRIBUNE.
66. Realize: NET. How much profit did you realize?
Well, I profited from another entertaining Friday presentation from Roland and have enjoyed unraveling the theme - easy; the fill - not so much. Hope you all enjoyed and thanks for stopping by. Lemonade out.
Notes from C.C.:
I was not able to talk to Argyle yesterday. He is still out of it due to pain meds, but he's stable.
Several have asked me about where to send the get-well cards to Argyle, here is his home address.
Argyle will be in the hospital for a few days, so Agnes (best wishes to your brother Jack!) helped me get the hospital address:
D. Scott Nichols
Saratoga Hospital
211 Church St.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Thank you for your kindness, prayers and thoughts. I just cannot stop sobbing after learning his surgery.
Thank you for your kindness, prayers and thoughts. I just cannot stop sobbing after learning his surgery.
Feb 7, 2018
Wednesday, February 7 2018, Roland Huget
Theme: BUY A VOWEL
17. Super-fun experience : BANGUP TIME
24. Certain baby tiger : BENGAL CUB
35. Cramming three seasons into a weekend, say : BINGE WATCHING
48. Salsa percussion instrument : BONGO DRUM
57. Securing strap : BUNGEE CORD
Melissa here. Vowel progression theme, with a few unknowns (for me).
Across:
1. Curve on a slalom, e.g. : ESS
4. Frugal folks : SAVERS. Anyone remember Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet? He always said that frugal did not necessarily mean "cheap," but that you use everything and are careful with your time as well as with your food products. I miss the early cooking shows without all the absurd game-show antics.
10. Sea devastated by irrigation projects : ARAL
14. "Something tells __ should've stayed in bed" : ME I
15. Brunch staple : OMELET
16. Walk worriedly : PACE
19. Tolkien beasts : ORCS
20. Concrete strengtheners : REBARS
21. German auto pioneer : DAIMLER. Unknown for me. Wikipedia.
23. Junior or senior : YEAR
26. Grandmotherly type : OLD DEAR. As a grandmother, I don't love this clue ;).
29. Sarge's superior : LOOIE. Did not know this spelling.
30. Stand behind : ENDORSE
34. Rural stopover : INN
39. A pop : PER
40. Contemptuous one : SNEERER
41. Wolf pack member : U-BOAT
44. Natural night lights : AURORAS
52. Crowe's "A Beautiful Mind" role : NASH. Based on the book by the same name. Died in 2015.
53. Remove field heat from before storage, as crops : PRECOOL. Okay.
54. Japanese faith : SHINTO
56. Like cotton candy : SPUN
59. Owned : HELD
60. Horseshoes score : LEANER
61. Short-lived obsession : FAD
62. Neighborhood : AREA
63. Make certain : ENSURE
64. Trout lure : FLY
Down:
1. Developmental stage : EMBRYO
2. Sargasso wriggler : SEA EEL
3. Nautical stage name of comedian David Adkins : SINBAD
4. Lemony cocktail : SOUR
5. Rock concert gear : AMPS
6. Zoo staffer : VET
7. Slur over : ELIDE
8. Hire a new crew for : REMAN
9. "Shrek!" author William : STEIG
10. Historic Harlem theater : APOLLO. Has anyone else rubbed the wood?
11. Treasury collectible : RARE COIN
12. Accumulating, as interest : ACCRUING
13. "__ Miz" : LES
18. Source of tomatoes for homemade sauce : GARDEN
22. Bad beginning? : MAL
24. "Iron Chef Showdown" host Alton : BROWN
25. "Big" London attraction : BEN
27. ESL part: Abbr. : ENG
28. Citrus drinks : ADES
31. "Is This Love" singer Corinne Bailey __ : RAE
32. Power source : STEAM
33. Sandy-colored : ECRU
35. 1940s jazzman : BEBOPPER. Sneaky clue.
36. Totalitarian control : IRON RULE
37. Naval pronoun : HER
38. Having a twist : IRONIC
39. Happy hour site : PUB
42. It may form the outline for a meeting's minutes : AGENDA
43. Front-of-bk. list : TOC
45. Skedaddled : RAN OFF
46. Celestial : ASTRAL
47. Substandard : SHODDY
49. Paso __: two-step dance : DOBLE.
50. City where Joan of Arc died : ROUEN
51. Arm bones : ULNAS
54. Crystal ball reader : SEER
55. Where you are, on a mall map : HERE
56. __ Na Na : SHA
58. Bearded grazer : GNU
Note from C.C.:
Here is a wonderful article about the cause our dear Melissa has been working on tirelessly the past few years. Talk about personal sacrifice. She's just amazing!
17. Super-fun experience : BANGUP TIME
24. Certain baby tiger : BENGAL CUB
35. Cramming three seasons into a weekend, say : BINGE WATCHING
48. Salsa percussion instrument : BONGO DRUM
57. Securing strap : BUNGEE CORD
Melissa here. Vowel progression theme, with a few unknowns (for me).
Across:
1. Curve on a slalom, e.g. : ESS
4. Frugal folks : SAVERS. Anyone remember Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet? He always said that frugal did not necessarily mean "cheap," but that you use everything and are careful with your time as well as with your food products. I miss the early cooking shows without all the absurd game-show antics.
10. Sea devastated by irrigation projects : ARAL
14. "Something tells __ should've stayed in bed" : ME I
15. Brunch staple : OMELET
16. Walk worriedly : PACE
19. Tolkien beasts : ORCS
20. Concrete strengtheners : REBARS
21. German auto pioneer : DAIMLER. Unknown for me. Wikipedia.
23. Junior or senior : YEAR
26. Grandmotherly type : OLD DEAR. As a grandmother, I don't love this clue ;).
29. Sarge's superior : LOOIE. Did not know this spelling.
30. Stand behind : ENDORSE
34. Rural stopover : INN
39. A pop : PER
40. Contemptuous one : SNEERER
41. Wolf pack member : U-BOAT
44. Natural night lights : AURORAS
52. Crowe's "A Beautiful Mind" role : NASH. Based on the book by the same name. Died in 2015.
53. Remove field heat from before storage, as crops : PRECOOL. Okay.
54. Japanese faith : SHINTO
56. Like cotton candy : SPUN
59. Owned : HELD
60. Horseshoes score : LEANER
61. Short-lived obsession : FAD
62. Neighborhood : AREA
63. Make certain : ENSURE
64. Trout lure : FLY
Down:
1. Developmental stage : EMBRYO
2. Sargasso wriggler : SEA EEL
3. Nautical stage name of comedian David Adkins : SINBAD
4. Lemony cocktail : SOUR
5. Rock concert gear : AMPS
6. Zoo staffer : VET
7. Slur over : ELIDE
8. Hire a new crew for : REMAN
9. "Shrek!" author William : STEIG
10. Historic Harlem theater : APOLLO. Has anyone else rubbed the wood?
11. Treasury collectible : RARE COIN
12. Accumulating, as interest : ACCRUING
13. "__ Miz" : LES
18. Source of tomatoes for homemade sauce : GARDEN
22. Bad beginning? : MAL
24. "Iron Chef Showdown" host Alton : BROWN
25. "Big" London attraction : BEN
27. ESL part: Abbr. : ENG
28. Citrus drinks : ADES
31. "Is This Love" singer Corinne Bailey __ : RAE
32. Power source : STEAM
33. Sandy-colored : ECRU
35. 1940s jazzman : BEBOPPER. Sneaky clue.
36. Totalitarian control : IRON RULE
37. Naval pronoun : HER
38. Having a twist : IRONIC
39. Happy hour site : PUB
42. It may form the outline for a meeting's minutes : AGENDA
43. Front-of-bk. list : TOC
45. Skedaddled : RAN OFF
46. Celestial : ASTRAL
47. Substandard : SHODDY
49. Paso __: two-step dance : DOBLE.
50. City where Joan of Arc died : ROUEN
51. Arm bones : ULNAS
54. Crystal ball reader : SEER
55. Where you are, on a mall map : HERE
56. __ Na Na : SHA
58. Bearded grazer : GNU
Note from C.C.:
Here is a wonderful article about the cause our dear Melissa has been working on tirelessly the past few years. Talk about personal sacrifice. She's just amazing!
Jan 24, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 Roland Huget
Theme: A GOOD CLIP. Indicating a non-specific, but rapid rate of motion.
40 A. Fast clip from the pitcher's mound : DIZZYING VELOCITY. A 100+ mph fast ball
60 A. Fast clip down the slopes : BREAKNECK SPEED. Downhill ski race.
Consider this -
Or this -
On the other hand . . .
Here we get the theme continuity from the clues rather than the fill. Not a common approach, but you'll see it once in a while. Long theme fill, with a grid spanner in the middle. Not a lot else to say. Each two-word entry indicates extremely fast motion in a sports context.
Hi gang, JzB here. Never known for my speed. This time I swear to give you today's puzzle, the whole of today's puzzle, and nothing but today's puzzle - or help me, 'cuz I'll need it. Let's proceed at whatever pace you find comfortable, and see what else we can catch up with.
Across
Down
1. Greek letter whose lowercase indicates wavelength : LAMBDA. Uppercase Λ, lowercase λ.
Mandatory nerd joke: Q: What's 𝛎? A: C/ λ, same as always.
[Translated: Q: What's new (nu, frequency)? A: The speed of light / the wave length.]
2. Developer's unit : ONE LOT. A plot in a plat.
3. Early enough : IN TIME. Or ON TIME.
4. Bahamian capital : NASSAU. Or a town on Long Island.
5. Pale as a ghost : ASHEN. Wan.
6. __-Pei: wrinkly dog : SHAR.
7. Fuzzy fruit : KIWI.
8. "Ghostbusters" director Reitman : IVAN.
9. Secretariat utterance? : NEIGH. Secretariat was an American thoroughbred race horse that in 1983 became the first triple crown winner in 25 years.
10. Complaint : GRIPE. Grouse.
11. Anjou kin : BOSC. A pair of pears.
12. Intelligentsia : LITERATI. Specifically those with an interest in literature.
13. English cathedral town : ELY. This town is about 80 miles north of London. The church community dates back to the 7th century, with the present building dating from the 11th century.
14. Easter egg dip : DYE. To color the shells.
22. A bit buzzed : TIPSY. From imbibing alcohol.
23. Aardvark snack : ANT. Or termite.
27. Bouncy gait : TROT. A horse's or person's rapid stride. Less than a CLIP, though, I'm guessing.
28. Best Game or Best Play : ESPY. Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award, granted by ABC Sports, and previously by ESPN, to recognize outstanding individual and team achievements.
30. Christmas candle scent : PINE.
31. Fit to be tied : ANGRY. Feeling choler.
32. Super stars? : NOVAE. A super NOVA is a transient astronomic event in the last stages of a star's evolution that involves catastrophic destruction via a huge explosion. NOVAE is the plural. Clever clue.
34. Plant pouch : SAC. Animals have them, too.
36. Put out of sight : HID.
37. "I'm game" : LET'S do it.
38. Newcastle Brown brew : ALE. A decent brown ale produced by Heineken.
40. Wolfgang Puck creation : DISH. As in entree, not a piece of porcelain dinner ware.
41. New Rochelle college : IONA. Affiliated with the Congregation of Christian Brothers, locared 20 miles north of Manhattan in Westchester County.
42. Twice-baked bread : ZWIEBACK. Here in MI, it's Trenary Toast, from the U. P.
43. Hit with a laser : ZAP. or warm in a microwave oven.
44. "Awake and Sing!" playwright : ODETS.
48. Farm mom : EWE.
51. "Slumdog Millionaire" money : RUPEES. Indian currency.
52. Brief summary : APERCU. It should make an illuminating of amusing point. From the French verb meaning "to percieve."
53. Line dance step : TOE TAP.
54. Military instructions : ORDERS.
57. Bridge seats : EASTS. Bridge table locations are indicated North, South, EAST and West. In a tournament, there are several tables. The N-S pair stays put, while the E-W pair travel in one direction and the pre--dealt cards travel the other way.
58. Scandinavian toast : SKOAL. Traces back to an Old Norse word meaning "bowl." Possibly filled with brown ale.
59. Surfboard stabilizers : SKEGS. A SKEG is a fin underneath the rear of the board.
61. Got up : ROSE.
62. "Just do it" brand : NIKE. Athletic shoes.
63. Niagara Falls source : ERIE. Ohio's great lake.
64. Penny : CENT. One hundredth of a dollar.
65. Ballplayer's hat : CAP.
66. Choler : IRE. Ill humor.
This was not a speed run for me. How about you?
In 1927, when Yankee great George Herman [Babe] Ruth hit a record-setting 60 ARCS into the outfield seats, Charles Dillon [Casey] Stengel was in my home town managing the Toledo Mud Hens. Stengel went on to manage the Yankees from 1949 to 1960. The following year, when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, the Yankees manager way Ralph Houk. Stengel managed the Mets from 1962 to 1965.
In those days I was a Yankee fan. Forgive me, I was young and didn't know any better.
Cool regards!
JzB
21 A. Fast clip around the racetrack : BLISTERING PACE. A very fast horse.
40 A. Fast clip from the pitcher's mound : DIZZYING VELOCITY. A 100+ mph fast ball
60 A. Fast clip down the slopes : BREAKNECK SPEED. Downhill ski race.
Consider this -
Or this -
On the other hand . . .
Here we get the theme continuity from the clues rather than the fill. Not a common approach, but you'll see it once in a while. Long theme fill, with a grid spanner in the middle. Not a lot else to say. Each two-word entry indicates extremely fast motion in a sports context.
Hi gang, JzB here. Never known for my speed. This time I swear to give you today's puzzle, the whole of today's puzzle, and nothing but today's puzzle - or help me, 'cuz I'll need it. Let's proceed at whatever pace you find comfortable, and see what else we can catch up with.
Across
1. Filet mignon source : LOIN. A superior cut of beef.
5. __ price : ASKING. What the seller desires.
11. Ran together : BLED. As of patterns on a dyed cloth.
15. Actress Paquin of Netflix's "Alias Grace" : ANNA.
15. Actress Paquin of Netflix's "Alias Grace" : ANNA.
16. Tremble : SHIVER. Quake.
17. Slick : OILY. Slippery or lubed, literally or figuratively.
18. Team first managed by Casey Stengel : METS. Casey had previously managed the Yankees for many years. My favorite baseball trivia question: What was Casey Stengel doing in 1927 when Babe Ruth of the Yankees hit 60 home runs? [Answer at the bottom.]
19. Volcanic archipelago state : HAWAII. Everybody knows this - right?
20. Eyelid bump : STYE. A painful bacterial infection of an oil gland in the eyelid.
24. Internet subdivision : DOMAIN. An identifying web address.
25. Feathered layer : HEN. Of eggs.
26. USPS assignment : RTE. Route.
29. Eagerly took in : ATE UP. Literally or figuratively
30. Flutist of Greek myth : PAN. Half man, half goat, Pan is the god of the wild, fields, fertility and Spring, and companion of the nymphs. Apollo made better music on his lyre - and that's the truth!
33. Romanov rulers : TSARS. Russian royalty.
35. Classic shoe polish brand : SHINOLA. You know from SHINOLA - right? What you might not know it that the brand name now belongs to a Detroit company that makes high-end watches, bicycles, jewelry, leather goods and accessories.
39. Surmounting : ATOP. Straddling, perhaps.
45. "Field of Dreams" setting : IOWA. Regarding a baseball field in a corn field.
46. Lowered the grade of : DERATED. As in creditworthiness.
47. Take potshots : SNIPE. With a gun or one's tongue
49. Simple survey answer : YES.
50. Poetry Muse : ERATO. Her name comes from the same root as erotic, and indicates beauty and desirability.
55. Own, to Burns : HAE. I guess this means "have" in highland dialect.
56. Craven of horror : WES. The director who brought us Freddie Krueger of Elm Street fame, The Hills Have Eyes, etc.
59. Mental haze : STUPOR. Confusion.
65. "Toodles!" : CIAO. Greeting or parting word from an old Italian root meaning "I am your slave."
67. Evening get-together : SOIREE. From SOIR, the French word for evening.
68. One-named Deco artist : ERTE. Romain de Tiroff. ERTE is the French pronunciation of his initials - and mine.
69. Curved paths : ARCS. Observable with baseballs, footballs, basketballs, tennis balls, and golf balls.
70. There for the __: easy to get : TAKING. Come and get it.
71. Plug-in vehicle, briefly : E-CAR. Electric powered conveyance.
72. Chinese toy : PEKE. Small dog variety, not a child's plaything. Take your pick.
73. Comes down hard? : SLEETS. Frozen rain does this. Clever clue and an unpleasantly chilly experience.
74. Dines : SUPS. Eats supper. Or dinner. You decide.
73. Comes down hard? : SLEETS. Frozen rain does this. Clever clue and an unpleasantly chilly experience.
74. Dines : SUPS. Eats supper. Or dinner. You decide.
Down
1. Greek letter whose lowercase indicates wavelength : LAMBDA. Uppercase Λ, lowercase λ.
Mandatory nerd joke: Q: What's 𝛎? A: C/ λ, same as always.
[Translated: Q: What's new (nu, frequency)? A: The speed of light / the wave length.]
2. Developer's unit : ONE LOT. A plot in a plat.
3. Early enough : IN TIME. Or ON TIME.
4. Bahamian capital : NASSAU. Or a town on Long Island.
5. Pale as a ghost : ASHEN. Wan.
6. __-Pei: wrinkly dog : SHAR.
7. Fuzzy fruit : KIWI.
8. "Ghostbusters" director Reitman : IVAN.
9. Secretariat utterance? : NEIGH. Secretariat was an American thoroughbred race horse that in 1983 became the first triple crown winner in 25 years.
10. Complaint : GRIPE. Grouse.
11. Anjou kin : BOSC. A pair of pears.
12. Intelligentsia : LITERATI. Specifically those with an interest in literature.
13. English cathedral town : ELY. This town is about 80 miles north of London. The church community dates back to the 7th century, with the present building dating from the 11th century.
14. Easter egg dip : DYE. To color the shells.
22. A bit buzzed : TIPSY. From imbibing alcohol.
23. Aardvark snack : ANT. Or termite.
27. Bouncy gait : TROT. A horse's or person's rapid stride. Less than a CLIP, though, I'm guessing.
28. Best Game or Best Play : ESPY. Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award, granted by ABC Sports, and previously by ESPN, to recognize outstanding individual and team achievements.
30. Christmas candle scent : PINE.
31. Fit to be tied : ANGRY. Feeling choler.
32. Super stars? : NOVAE. A super NOVA is a transient astronomic event in the last stages of a star's evolution that involves catastrophic destruction via a huge explosion. NOVAE is the plural. Clever clue.
34. Plant pouch : SAC. Animals have them, too.
36. Put out of sight : HID.
37. "I'm game" : LET'S do it.
38. Newcastle Brown brew : ALE. A decent brown ale produced by Heineken.
40. Wolfgang Puck creation : DISH. As in entree, not a piece of porcelain dinner ware.
41. New Rochelle college : IONA. Affiliated with the Congregation of Christian Brothers, locared 20 miles north of Manhattan in Westchester County.
42. Twice-baked bread : ZWIEBACK. Here in MI, it's Trenary Toast, from the U. P.
43. Hit with a laser : ZAP. or warm in a microwave oven.
44. "Awake and Sing!" playwright : ODETS.
48. Farm mom : EWE.
51. "Slumdog Millionaire" money : RUPEES. Indian currency.
52. Brief summary : APERCU. It should make an illuminating of amusing point. From the French verb meaning "to percieve."
53. Line dance step : TOE TAP.
54. Military instructions : ORDERS.
57. Bridge seats : EASTS. Bridge table locations are indicated North, South, EAST and West. In a tournament, there are several tables. The N-S pair stays put, while the E-W pair travel in one direction and the pre--dealt cards travel the other way.
58. Scandinavian toast : SKOAL. Traces back to an Old Norse word meaning "bowl." Possibly filled with brown ale.
59. Surfboard stabilizers : SKEGS. A SKEG is a fin underneath the rear of the board.
61. Got up : ROSE.
62. "Just do it" brand : NIKE. Athletic shoes.
63. Niagara Falls source : ERIE. Ohio's great lake.
64. Penny : CENT. One hundredth of a dollar.
65. Ballplayer's hat : CAP.
66. Choler : IRE. Ill humor.
This was not a speed run for me. How about you?
In 1927, when Yankee great George Herman [Babe] Ruth hit a record-setting 60 ARCS into the outfield seats, Charles Dillon [Casey] Stengel was in my home town managing the Toledo Mud Hens. Stengel went on to manage the Yankees from 1949 to 1960. The following year, when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs, the Yankees manager way Ralph Houk. Stengel managed the Mets from 1962 to 1965.
In those days I was a Yankee fan. Forgive me, I was young and didn't know any better.
Cool regards!
JzB
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)