Title: AYE YI EYE!
Bruce does a quick turnaround from last week's joint effort with Kevin Christian and delivers a 'sounds like' pun puzzle. The key to a successful pun puzzle is the wit involved and if any make you smile or laugh when you suss what they are parallelling. I have no intention of influencing your opinions, as I perceive my role to be that of guide, but I look forward to your feedback. Well I may suggest my favorite...I also have my nits, will they appear? Not if I use my nit medecine.
We can also find a variety of non-proper noun words sprinkled in like HOLY SEE, IN A SNAP, LUCIDLY, LOCKSTEP and SODA LIME which an interesting chemical combination and the brand name SKI-DOOS. So we start with the theme:
17A. Assorted caustic solutions?: PACK OF LYES (10). Pack of Lies. Of course we all know lye is a caustic, as are many of your criticisms.
23A. Receiving annoying questions?: GETTING WHYS (11). Wise. With so many teachers in the audience, did you get 'annoying questions'? If so what took the cake? And why is it cake?
34A. Agreements just between us?: PRIVATE AYES (11). Eyes.
This cute fill, sadly reminds me and perhaps most of the longtime posters of a dear friend who died who signed on as Clear Ayes.
48A. Quick and unexpected exits?: IMPULSE BYES (11). Buys. I really enjoyed this pairing and confess that while I was always able to resist infomercials, now Amazon gets more of my money that it should.
57A. Pretense of being a brute?: TOUGH GUISE (10). Guys are supposed to be tough, or so we were taught. The ETYMOLOGY reveals that this word is related to the root word for WISE. Many times you can just research too much.
Across:
1. Bill collectors?: TILLS. I was not fooled by the clue, but it did take the "T" in 1 down for for this to fill. I wonder if younger people know that the noun till means the same as "cash register?"
6. "Get back to us" letters: RSVP. We get some French, but I doubt you need to know répondez s'il vous plaît to understand the letters.
10. Not much: A TAD. One on Lincoln's chilcren?
14. Elitist: SNOOT. This person who shows contempt for those considered to be of a lower social class, "looks down his nose at...
15. Resort WNW of Breckenridge: VAIL. There are many fine ski resorts in Colorado, with Vail and Aspen likely the most famous.
16. '80s-'90s group, informally: GEN-Y. I started trying to think of a musical group. Now we call them MILLENIALS.
19. Very bright: NEON. During the 70s these colors became "dayglo."
20. Some snowmobiles: SKI-DOOS. Back in Colorado for a ride through the snow, the number one maker of snowmobiles was created in Canada (Eh!) back in the 50s. The story goes that the printer screwed up the promotional brochures which were supposed to say SKI-DOG, after the Dogs which pulled the sleds. He did not have the money for a reprint.
6. "Get back to us" letters: RSVP. We get some French, but I doubt you need to know répondez s'il vous plaît to understand the letters.
10. Not much: A TAD. One on Lincoln's chilcren?
14. Elitist: SNOOT. This person who shows contempt for those considered to be of a lower social class, "looks down his nose at...
15. Resort WNW of Breckenridge: VAIL. There are many fine ski resorts in Colorado, with Vail and Aspen likely the most famous.
16. '80s-'90s group, informally: GEN-Y. I started trying to think of a musical group. Now we call them MILLENIALS.
19. Very bright: NEON. During the 70s these colors became "dayglo."
20. Some snowmobiles: SKI-DOOS. Back in Colorado for a ride through the snow, the number one maker of snowmobiles was created in Canada (Eh!) back in the 50s. The story goes that the printer screwed up the promotional brochures which were supposed to say SKI-DOG, after the Dogs which pulled the sleds. He did not have the money for a reprint.
21. 2018 CVS Health acquisition: AETNA. CVS is a Rhode Island based company, Woonsocket, RI to be precise; and AETNA was about 70 miles west if you take Connecticut route 44 through my home town of Putnam. One of my uncles and many cousins live(d) in Woonsocket. Anyway, the PRESS RELEASE about the purchase explains it.
22. Type units: ENS. But not EMS
26. Buccaneer's buds: MATEYS. I do not see Tom Brady calling his Tampa Bay teammates mateys.
28. Mil. category: NCO. Non-commisioned officer. This terminology always seemed oxymoronic to me, but I never was permitted to serve.
28. Mil. category: NCO. Non-commisioned officer. This terminology always seemed oxymoronic to me, but I never was permitted to serve.
29. Vitals checker, briefly: EMT. Emergency Medical Technicians.
30. Letters seen between * and #: OPER. Only if you have a landline.
31. Prized smokes: CUBANS. You need to know the real deal.
38. Got on the board: SCORED. Tom Brady or Tom Cruise?
39. Mineral hardness scale: MOHS. Friedrich Mohs, a German mineralogist, developed the scale in 1812. He selected ten minerals of distinctly different hardness that ranged from a very soft mineral (talc) to a very hard mineral (diamond).
42. Singer/songwriter __ Mia: PIA. I never had heard of Pia Mia Perez who was born September 19, 1996 in Guam, which is a territory of the United States. She is of Chamorro, Italian, Dutch, and Hungarian descent. Watch the
VIDEO and you decide.
45. Jungfrau, e.g.: ALP. Literally "young maiden" perhaps if marti were still here she could tell us if this deserves its place as one of the best places in the Swiss mountains.
39. Mineral hardness scale: MOHS. Friedrich Mohs, a German mineralogist, developed the scale in 1812. He selected ten minerals of distinctly different hardness that ranged from a very soft mineral (talc) to a very hard mineral (diamond).
42. Singer/songwriter __ Mia: PIA. I never had heard of Pia Mia Perez who was born September 19, 1996 in Guam, which is a territory of the United States. She is of Chamorro, Italian, Dutch, and Hungarian descent. Watch the
VIDEO and you decide.
45. Jungfrau, e.g.: ALP. Literally "young maiden" perhaps if marti were still here she could tell us if this deserves its place as one of the best places in the Swiss mountains.
46. Soap dish?: TV IDOL. A fun clue/fill combo.
52. Sisters pop duo __ & AJ: ALY. More young woman music which I would never have known in a million years but I recently binge watch a 2001-2004 Simon Baker series called The GUARDIAN. To make a short story long it is about a young lawyer who gets in trouble with the law and because his father is a very successful Pittsburg attorney, he does not go to jail but has to do community service at a free clinic that helps abandoned or troubled children. (hi Moe). The father, played by the awesome Dabney Coleman gets 'involved' with a troubled woman (Farrah Fawcett in one of her final roles) who has a young daughter who is left alone when her mother dies. Whew. The daughter was played by AJ Michala, who with her older sister Aly make up the pop duo.
53. Con artist's aide: SHILL. This is "one who acts as a decoy for a gambler, auctioneer, etc.," 1916, probably originally circus or carnival argot, probably a shortened form of shillaber. Which brings us back to Simon Baker, whose character in THE MENTALIST grew up in a carnival.
54. With a sound mind: LUCIDLY. Basically this means clear headed with its origins from the Latin for "shine." A CSO to Lucina.
56. Romeo or Juliet: TEEN. Another fun red herring.
60. Doomed boat in "Jaws": ORCA. I did not recall this but it was easily inferable.
61. Longtime syrup brand: KARO. I think it has been more popular in the south and west.
62. Celebs: NAMES. Friday difficult.
63. Look the wrong way?: LEER. Rather a wrong look.
64. Space balls?: ORBS. Love the movie.
65. Power-saving mode: SLEEP. For both computers and humans.
Down:
1. Five-mL medicine dose: TSP. A Conversion LINK.
2. Just like that: IN A SNAP. in a trice, in a twinkling, in two shakes of a lamb's tail, twinkling etc.
4. Trickster in "American Gods": LOKI. I know Loki from THOR and mythology, but I have not sampled this show. I may now.
5. Stick-in-the-mud: STODGY. Not LOKI.
6. Motorhome stopover, for short: RV LOT. But maybe a visitor to an RV Lot.
7. Speak, as thou might: SAYST. Biblical, which was full of...
8. Battle: VIE. This word.
9. Polite texting letters: PLS.
10. "Nattering nabobs of negativism" speaker: AGNEW. Our dishonest but educated vice-president under Mr. Nixon; I think from Maryland.
11. Raise canines?: TEETHE. Funny.
12. Assumed moniker: ANONYM. Without the ITY it is the "AN" prefix like from ANODE, so it means 'not the name'. Six years of Latin helps .
13. Hereditary ruler: DYNAST. Without the Y, it is the person.
18. Nemeses: FOES.
21. Intense suffering: AGONY. Ah, but wait for the ecstasy, but not MMDA.
22. Kind of rock: EMO.
24. Retired, maybe: IN BED. Not yet.
25. Sports scholarship org.: NCAA.
27. Isn't right: ERRS.
31. Seize like Caesar: CARPE. DIEM bro'
32. Pac-12 athlete: UTE. Utah athletes. CSO to Becky now?
33. Prefix with arid or dry: SEMI. Random.
27. Isn't right: ERRS.
31. Seize like Caesar: CARPE. DIEM bro'
32. Pac-12 athlete: UTE. Utah athletes. CSO to Becky now?
33. Prefix with arid or dry: SEMI. Random.
35. Words that might expose a bluff: I CALL. Very fun.
36. Lady __: Tenn. college team: VOLS. Volunteers,
37. Gas-absorbing mixture: SODA LIME. Soda lime absorbs carbon dioxide which is invaluable in rebreathing machines like spacecrafts.
40. Vatican jurisdiction: HOLY SEE. The Holy See (Latin: Sancta Sedes), also called the See of Rome, is the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, known as the Pope, which includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome with universal ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the worldwide Catholic Church, as well as a sovereign entity of international law, governing the Vatican City.
41. Like some winks: SLY. Mine are always friendly...
42. One traditionally drawn at dawn: PISTOL. Love this wit.
43. Incoming words: I'M HERE. But we are nearing the finish line.
44. Distribution word: APIECE. Two words or one?
46. Stock sector: TECH.
47. Churchillian gestures: V-SIGNS.
49. Type of nerve or artery: ULNAR. Also random
50. Jacket material?: BLURB.On a book.
51. Short-lived '80s-'90s cars that sounded like they should always work: YUGOS. You go Hugo.
55. Twin: DUAL. Not duel.
57. Fight decision: TKO. Technical Knock Out.
58. Blade in the water: OAR.
59. Medium strength?: ESP. And the final witicism, what a medium must have.
55. Twin: DUAL. Not duel.
57. Fight decision: TKO. Technical Knock Out.
58. Blade in the water: OAR.
59. Medium strength?: ESP. And the final witicism, what a medium must have.
Well I barely made the finish line, but here we are. I turn the reins over to Moe for next week and see if he can whip you all into shape. Thank you from Bruce to Zendaya. Lemonade out.
