Pun times in the LA Times.
This is our 29th from Mr. Peluso since conversion, and my first since December 23, 2011. Mike is a retired teacher/principal who gave us some insight in this INTERVIEW in 2009. Please take note in the comments section, where C.C. responds to Linda's suggestion about C.C. constructing puzzles. Anyway, back to today, we have 4 theme answer where common phrases are replaced by sound-alike ones using automobile brand names, clued by model names for each car company. I bet Barry G. and Dennis found this one easy. It took me a bit to suss out some of the theme answers, but they helped make the solve go well. The rest is standard Friday with some obscure and difficult patches and some fun word combinations. I like the overall cluing very much. let's see what you all think.
20A. Facilities on a 911? : PORSCHE POTTY. (13). (Porta potty). First you need to know the 911 and not be distracted by 9/11. Then you need to pronounce the car name Porsha (listen LINK) (0:03).
36A. Oater pal in an A3? : AUDI PARDNER. (11). (Howdy pardner). Again, the sound OWDI not AWWDI, makes this extra hard.
43A. Tales of a 9-3? : SAAB STORIES. (11). (Sob stories). I guess most know how to pronounce Saab, but the 9-3 may be quite unknown.
57A. Relative in a 370Z? : NISSAN NEPHEW. (13). (Niece and Nephew). This was the odd one out for me and the hardest to understand; I knew Nissan, having had a 260Z for years, but it took perps to see where this was going, especially having to break it into two words.
Across:
1. 1967 White House groom : ROBB. CHUCK who married Lynda Bird Johnson and became a governor and Senator.
5. "Erin go __" : BRAGH. Loosely, Ireland forever.
10. Swedish singer Jenny : LIND. I learned of the Swedish Nightingale from watching the old Maverick tv series.
14. Thus : ERGO.
15. Former Dodger first baseman James : LONEY. Not a star, really pretty obscure, except perhaps for Tin, as Loney has resurfaced in a Tampa Bay Ray uniform.
16. Sharp : ACID. All perps, I guess like acid tongued.
17. Windows alternative : UNIX. An operating system.
18. Microwave brand : AMANA. Followed immediately with...
19. Microwave : NUKE.
23. Florida University named for a pope : ST. LEO. I imagine this was another gimme for Tin, as it is up the road near Tampa. For this rest you probably need to READ the history.
24. Eroded : ATE AWAY.
28. Follow : TRAIL. Another tricky clue, following behind...
32. Place to play : ARENA.
33. 13-Down predecessor : HST. Harry S. Truman; the S does not stand for anything.
39. Other, overseas : OTRA. Spanish 1.
41. Boston drummer Jeff et al. : NEALS. I guess on Friday you do not need a second one, like Patricia, but not many would know this drummer. I loved Boston but never heard his name.
42. Peruse : SCAN.
46. Pay stub abbr. : HRS. How many hours was that?
47. Für whom Beethoven wrote a bagatelle : ELISE. Always worth a LISTEN. (2:58). Also, 49D. Beethoven's Opus 20, for one : SEPTET. MORE.
48. Marks of approval : SEALS. Started with 'stars' until I saw 52D.
50. Corolla competitors : ALTIMAS. Foreshadowing the final theme fill.
53. Mexicali-to-Tijuana dirección : OESTE.
61. Electric weather phenomenon : BOLT. The answer came to me like bolt from the blue (still marveling at C.C.'s clue/fill yesterday).
64. Cornered : AT BAY. Eh, I see this as the opposite of each other.
65. Roll on a tarmac : TAXI. I know airports have taxiways and runways, but I do not know where the term comes from? Corner?
66. Hives, e.g. : RASH.
67. Spiked cakes : BABAS. My friend Ruth used to make the best Rum Cake; I could not resist this LINK. Mari?
68. Verve : ELAN.
69. Velázquez offerings : ARTE. More Spanish and I guess trickier than Laugh-in Johnson.
70. Whooping __ : CRANE. Cough also fit.
71. Heist haul, to a hood : TENG. I spent way too much time looking this up and never found it but the perps were sound. We usually have reference to Mao. (From C.C.: Parse it as TEN G, 10 Grand)(From L: duh!, silly me).
Down:
Speaking of down, DOWNTON ABBEY is back January 5. If you have already watched season 4 during its run in England, I hope you liked it.
1. Opts for another hitch : RE-UPS.
2. "... however, I may be all wet" : OR NOT. "I am absolutely certain you said that dear, or not."
3. Speakeasy socializer : B-GIRL. I guess the B is for bar, as they were the girls trying to get you to buy them fake drinks to add to the profits, while you got drunk.
4. "Complete series" DVD purchase, say : BOX SET.
5. Flat : BLAH.
6. 1960 Olympics city : ROME. The first one I remember, with Wilma Rudolph and Cassius Clay.
7. Take __: drop off : A NAP.
8. Italian seaport : GENOA. I cannot think of a salami pun, help?
9. Hilton rival : HYATT.
10. ID holders : LANYARDS. A pretty one from CHINA.
11. Hosp. area : ICU. Intensive Care Unit. 2 years + since my 9 day visit.
12. Peace ender? : NIK. Peacenik. popular in the anti-war years.
13. 33-Across successor : DDE. I had Jenny, so this was easy.
21. ESPN baseball analyst Alex : CORA. Another very obscure baseball reference to an ex-Dodger (Bill G., you also getting these?) who I only know because he went to the U.
22. Shed thing : TEAR. It took me a while to abandon pictures of a small building.
25. Shakespearean servant : WENCH. A lovely word.
26. "Dark-brow'd sophist, come not __": Tennyson : ANEAR. Drat, even successful poets use A words. I never like Alfred's work, Owen?
27. They may be spun : YARNS. Tales, though my son did buy his new gf some yarn as she loves to knit. Mixes well with 31D. Taletellers : LIARS.
29. Reunion attendee : AUNT. Somehow she is always the one to be there.
30. Logical beginning? : IDEOlogical.
33. Book after Daniel : HOSEA.
34. One way to buy time : STALL. I wonder who gets paid when you 'buy' time?
35. Character piece? : TRAIT.
37. Jeté relative : PLIE. Ballet moves.
38. Cruising : ASEA. See: an A word.
40. Potent licorice-flavored liqueur : ABSINTHE. Now legal once again. Promise Me.
44. Rig : SEMI.
45. Gin flavoring : SLOE.
51. Easy __ : AS ABC.
52. Red giant : S-STAR. Please re-explain all the star categories.
54. Oil source : SHALE. Which probably can be found in Texas.
55. Odessa native : TEXAN. On the way to El Paso. They love rock and roll.
56. Any of several fictional multimillionaires : EWING. Speaking of oil and Texas, J.R. and family. I really like how Mike uses the related but un-referenced clues.
58. "The Winner Takes It All" quartet : ABBA. I also enjoyed this letter combination next to
59. Mumbai bread : NAAN. A poetic couplet to me.
60. NASDAQ competitor : NYSE.
61. Source of support : BRA. Like the double letters above, the DOUBLE D Challenge (4:18), Dennis?
62. Lock insert : OAR. or Key?
63. D-Day lander : LST. Landing ship tanks.
Wow, another year done for me here. Thanks all. I hope your holidays and new year are great. Mr. P. thanks for the workout. As for the puzzle title...
When I got a new job that required me and my co-workers who rode to work together take US 1 under the New River, I found I was developing an odd pain in my elbow by the time we reached the office. I finally went to the doctor and he told me I had...*
CAR POOL TUNNEL SYNDROME.
Ouch and a Happy New Year to all.
Lemonade
Lemonade
Note from C.C.
Happy Birthday to dear Dudley, our handsome pilot.
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| Left to Right: Marti, Dudley, Hondo & Montana |
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| Dudley and his wife at their Block Island wedding in 2008 |
Dudley, tell us what's the most exotic place you've flew to.
