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

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Aug 22, 2012

Wednesday, August 22, 2012 C. C. Burnikel

Theme: 13,203.58 down 68.06 (0.51%) This is the level of the DOW Jones 30 Industrial Average stock index, commonly referred to simply as the DOW, as of Tuesday's close. Each of five theme entries contains the name of one of the component corporations, split across two words of the answer.

16A. Certain music teacher : VOCAL COACH. This music teacher has a heart of Aluminum, indicated by the firm formerly known as the Aluminum Company Of America. [8.82 up 0.02 (0.23%)]

21A. Outmoded street fixture : COIN TELEPHONE. Back in the day, this chip maker's products were not at the heart of pay-per-use telecommunications devices. Now, its hardware and software are in computers, disk players, mobile phones, and possibly in places where you would least expect them. Now you know INTEL. [26.11 down 0.12 (0.46%)]

36A. Succulent part of a rack : RIB MEAT. Hmmmm. The closer to the bone, the sweeter is the meat. In this RIB cage we find not a heart, but the International Business Machine Corporation. [198.65 down 1.85 (0.92%)]

48A. International Tennis Hall of Famer who won consecutive US Opens in 1997 and 1998 : PATRICK RAFTER. News to me, since I don't follow tennis. Did you know that Oreo cookies and Oscar Mayer meats are brands owned by KRAFT Foods? [41.11up 0.34 (0.83%)]

59A. Louisiana nickname : THE BIG EASY. Is N'walins the heart of LA? Maybe Hatoolah can fill us in. This is the nickname of that famous city. Hidden deep in the 9th ward we find the initials of the General Electric Company. [20.85 down 0.08 (0.38%)]

And the unifier: 67 A. With “the,” much watched index, a different component of which is hidden in 16-, 21-, 36-, 48- and 59-Across : DOW. The DJIA is one of many indexes presented by DOW Jones and Company.

Hi, gang! Company man JazzBumpa here. Are you ready to take stock of this puzzle? It's a product of our fearless leader. Let's get down to business.

Across:

1. Run headlong into : RAM. Also a male sheep or goat, and trademark of the Chrysler Corporation.

4. Leave in stitches : SLAY. In a purely comedic sense.

8. Soupçon : DAB. A little DAB will do ya, it's said. But Google translate renders "soupçon" as "suspicion." I'm confused. Kazie?

11. Ostrich cousins : EMUS. So far as I know, this large, flightless bird has nothing to do with Eastern Michigan University, alma mater to many in my clan, whose mascot is, inexplicably, the eagle.

13. Henchmen : THUGS. A thug is a cruel or vicious criminal. A henchman is a gang member or gangster's underling. Not a perfect correspondence.

14. Printing measure : PICA. A type face size used on some versions of an obsolete device known as the typewriter. Remember them? They were never favored by the elite.

15. Speech therapist’s concern : LISP. I think I underthtand.

18. Keen on: INTO. The THUG was crazy about the house he broke INTO. I'm INTO silly word play.

19. Je ne ____ quoi : SAIS. I do not know what this means.

20. Freebies near the register : MINTS. The items of coinage are made at the MINT.

24. Play a good joke on : GET. Did I GET you with 19A?

25. Moose feature : ANTLER. What's the best part of this rack?

28. Word with tie or cord : POWER. POWER tie. POWER cord.

31. It may be bleeped out : OATH.

34. Write to a disk : SAVE.

35. News initials : UPI. United Press International

39. Mario Brothers letters : NES. Nintendo Entertainment System. It's all a game.

40. "The Mod Squad" role : LINC. This requires a Linc link.

42. "Way to go!" : NICE. Good job!

43. Insurance worker : AGENT.

45. Study intently : PEER AT.

47. “The Simpsons” shopkeeper : APU. I'm not a Simpsons watcher. Leaned about this guy from X-words. Anyone for some tandoori jerky?

55. __-load: prep for a marathon : CARBO. Loading up on high carbohydrate, low glycemic index foods as an energy storage strategy the day before an endurance contest, such as a triathlon or marathon.

57. Liposuction target : FLAB. No images, please.

58. Overdue book penalty : FINE. They get their book back, my purse is lightened sans liposuction, all is FINE.

61. "Absolutely!" : AMEN. It's FINE with me.

62. Upbeat : ROSY. Optimists see the word through upbeat glasses.

63. Farm girls? : MARES. Horse ladies. Along with does, they eat oats.

64. Telegram : WIRE. Back in the day, you could send a kiss by wire. These days, sexting is more direct.

65. Fleur-de-___ : LYS. A French flowery symbol.

66. Cabled carrier? : TRAM. AKA a cable car.

Down:

1. Museum piece : RELIC.

2. Acid type : AMINO.

3. “__ paint you a picture?” : MUST I? You must, you must.

4. Sand bar : SHOAL. Don't run aground.

5. Desi’s daughter : LUCIE. Lucie Désirée Arnaz is now 61.

6. Shocked : AGASP. I am AGASP, AGASP to find . . .

7. Maker of Opium, initially : YSL. A lady's fragrance by Yves Saint Laurent.

8. ""Unfaithful" Oscar nominee : DIANE LANE. I didn't know there was an Oscar nomination involved.

9. Money in the bank: Abbr. : ACCT. Account.

10. Curmudgeonly cries : BAHS. Humbug!

12. Cleaning aid : SPONGE.

13. Best Buy buy : TV SET. That's where I got mine. Costco had it cheaper, I later found out.

14. Shows the way : POINTS. But nobody pointed me there

17. "Hurry up!" : C'MON. I would have gone.

22. Okla., before 11/16/1907 : TERR. Territory. Per Wikipedia, "territories of the United States are one of the four types of political division of the United States, overseen directly by the federal government of the United States and not any part of a U.S. state." As Okla. shows us, territories can become states. Kukla never made it.

23. "Good one" : HA-HA. Unlike that Kukla bomb.

26. Square, moneywise : EVEN. Check your ACCT.

27. Sit for a spell : REST. Conjures on image of rocking chairs on a wrap-around porch.

28. Juicer refuse : PULP. See 30D.

29. Mayberry boy : OPIE. Ron Howard, the early years.

30. Napa equipment : WINE PRESS. The pulp is called "must."

31. Back-tied sash : OBI. I read this as "black-tied" which caused no end of confusion. Anyway, there are other options.

32. "Breaking Bad" cable channel : AMC. Yet another show I've never seen.

33. Place to start a hole : TEE. Golf.

37. Kind of verb: Abbr : INTR. Intransitive. This is a verb that does not take a direct object or complement. Frex: "The lion sleeps tonight."

38. Bite with un aperitivo : TAPA. A drink and appetizer served before a meal.

41. Cantankerous : CRABBY. Not like any of us at the corner.

44. Belly laugh : GUFFAW.

46. Yours, to Yves : A TOI.

47. Chain with Market Fresh sandwiches : ARBY'S.

49. Lead in to bad news : I FEAR . . .

50. Silicon Valley’s Santa ____ : CLARA. City and county of the same name. Do you know the way to San Jose?

51. Deejay Casey : KASEM. For four amazing decades.

52. Like a wallflower : TIMID. Such was I in my unspent yout'.

53. Madrid month : ENERO. January in Spanish. Not thrilled with this clue. Last I looked, there were doce meses.

54. Ask for more Money? : RENEW. Not sure I grok. If you RENEW a subscription, frex, you have to pay more. Is this it? (From C.C.: Money refers to the magazine here.)

55. PC key : CTRL. Control.

56. Shout between ships : AHOY.

60. London hrs. : GMT. Greenwich Mean Time.

Answer grid.

Don't mean to be mean, but my time is up. Not a great day for the Dow, but - despite my nits - this was a fun puzzle. Hope the time you invested paid some pleasurable dividends.

Jazzbumpa

Notes from C.C.:

1) A big "Thank you" to Barry G & Splynter for test-solving this puzzle and giving me valuable feedback.

2) Here are few lovely photos of Husker Gary's grandkids "in the Fontanelle Forest in Bellevue, NE just south of Omaha last week. These same woods hosted Lewis and Clark for a few days over 200 years ago."

Aug 21, 2012

Tuesday, August 21, 2012 David W. Cromer

Theme: location, location, location - The unifier can be located behind the last word in the three theme entries.

17A. Former kids' show title character named for the large pockets in his coat : CAPTAIN KANGAROO. Kangaroo Court, a court that jumps to a foregone conclusion on an invalid basis.

27A. Fuse blower : SHORT CIRCUIT. Circuit Court, where a traveling judge would preside over over various locations at set intervals. If you were locked up, you had to wait for the judge to come to town.

44A. Apollo Theater tryout for nonpros : AMATEUR NIGHT. Night Court, convenes at night for the quick disposition of charges and the granting of bail. And an excuse for this clip: Necco Wafers(3:30)

58A. Judge's demand, and a hint to this puzzle's theme words, which end 17-, 27- and 44-Across : ORDER IN THE COURT. And a little more from Night Court.(0:41)

Argyle here; I have to tear myself away from those clips and write this post. A crossword regular, Mel Tormé, was often on the show.

A little more standard puzzle today. Two impressive grid spanners, a nice mix of other length entries and no cheater squares. Throw in a clecho and no Naticks that I noticed and we're good to go.

Across:

1. Like a visit from Benedict XVI : PAPAL

6. Ginormous : VAST

10. Currier's partner : IVES. "The Fair Ground"


14. Sans chaperon : ALONE. (sans = without)

15. Mystery writer __ Stanley Gardner : ERLE. Perry Mason creator.

16. Maryland athlete, briefly : TERP. The Maryland Terrapins.

20. U.K. record label : EMI

21. Egg container : NEST

22. Popular name for a tree-lined rd. : ELM ST. In the day.

23. Any of the "Be My Baby" singers : RONETTE. No lip-sync Clip.(2:46)

26. Scott of "Happy Days" : BAIO. Chachi Arcola.

32. Like the first stage of a car wash : SOAPY

35. Really riles : IRES

36. TV Guide's "We don't know yet" : TBA. (To Be Announced)

37. Pseudo-sophisticated : ARTY

38. Chopper blade : ROTOR. (helicopter)

40. "__ Harry Met Sally..." : WHEN

41. Understand : GET

42. Mrs. Dithers of "Blondie" : CORA



43. Nuisances : PESTS

48. Morse creation : CODE

49. Yellow-disked flowers : DAISIES

53. Puppet pal of Fran and Ollie : KUKLA



55. Pants part : SEAT. Hand up for SEAM.

57. Teachers' lobbying org. : NEA. (National Education Association). The other NEA.

62. Hymn starter : "O, GOD ..."

63. Brussels-based defense gp. : NATO

64. Where eagles dwell : AERIE

65. Toy with theme parks : LEGO

66. No.-crunching pros : CPA's. (Certified Public Accountant)

67. Kennel club classification : BREED

Down:

1. Harness race horse : PACER. And trotters.

2. Texas mission : ALAMO

3. Show up unannounced : POP IN

4. Tiny soldier : ANT

5. Where the herd grazes : LEA

6. Plywood layer : VENEER

7. Boats like Noah's : ARKS

8. Blind component : SLAT

9. Perfect score : TEN. If you're into quantification.

10. Slanty, typewise : ITALIC

11. Martini ingredients : VERMOUTHS. The Perfect Martini: gin, dry vermouth and sweet vermouth.

12. Love personified : EROS

13. Notice : SPOT And 24D. Notice : ESPY

18. Division word : INTO

19. Shifted car parts : GEARS. If you have a standard transmission.

25. Biblical possessive : THY

26. Oktoberfest draft : BIER. Beer in German.

28. One of a powerful race of gods : TITAN. The elder gods, ruled the earth before the Olympians overthrew them.

29. __-Magnon : CRO. The first early modern humans.

30. "As if!" : "I BET!"

31. Beachgoers' hues : TANS

32. Epic story : SAGA

33. Utah city : OREM



34. Junkyard guard : ATTACK DOG

38. Casanova : ROUE

39. Bruins Hall of Famer Bobby : ORR

40. Makes moist : WETS

42. Fragrant wood : CEDAR

43. __ Beta Kappa : PHI

45. City west of Cleveland : TOLEDO. T-town.

46. Gem State potatoes : IDAHOs

47. Scandal suffix : GATE. As in Watergate or Nannygate.

50. Accustom (to) : INURE

51. Paranormal, say : EERIE

52. Filled completely : SATED

53. __ & the Gang: "Celebration" group : KOOL. Clip.(2:20)

54. Yen : URGE

55. Go past one's breaking point : SNAP

56. Jazzy James : ETTA

59. Ltd. counterpart, in the States : INC.

60. Airport queue vehicle : CAB

61. Above, in verse : O'ER


Argyle