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

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Jan 2, 2013

Wednesday, Jan 2 2013, Robert Cirillo


theme: don't be koi

18A. Shortest way to get there : DIRECT ROUTE



in the name of love she came
this foolish winsome girl
she was all decked out like a rainbow trout
swimming upstream in the world

she said, please, please i've lost my way
the current is too strong
and she gave one flip of her rainbow tip of her tail
and she swam back down

24A. Good Samaritan parable source : GOSPEL OF LUKEgrowing up a PK (preacher's kid), i was taught that luke was "the beloved physician", and a close friend of paul. i still find bible history fascinating. wikipedia says flounder is also known as fluke. 



46. Hot-rodder's add-on : SUPER CHARGER. i know nothing about hot rods and superchargers, but perch is a colorful, freshwater fish.


57. Annual Mexican celebration : CINCO DE MAYO. celebration on the 5th of may to commemorate the victory of the mexican militia over the french army in 1862 - and a good excuse to eat tacos and drink cerveza. and who knew there was a whole book about cod?



37. "That's weird!" (or a comment about what's hidden in 18-, 24-, 46- and 57-Across) : SOMETHING'S FISHY

melissa here. quick solve today, but needed the unifier clue to see the theme. 

you don't have to be a brain sturgeon to come up with a fish pun, so i won't carp on it. but what's all this i've been herring about reinventing the whale? i'm floundering. if you can think of more, just let minnow. 

i apologize. cod that was bad. eely bad. now i'm getting a haddock. 

really, really sorry. it wasn't on porpoise.

ok i'm done.

across

1. Bear's place : DEN

4. Mil. awards : DSC'S. distinguished service crosses.



8. Long-eared pooch : BEAGLE. barry manilow had a beagle named bagel. don't ask me why i know that.

14. Stat for Clayton Kershaw : ERA. earned run average - kershaw finished with a  2.53. please don't ask me what that means.

15. "Nope" : UH-UH

16. Rustler, e.g. : OUTLAW

17. Emeril interjection : BAM. emeril lagasse - oh yeah babe.

20. Uintah and Ouray Reservation residents : UTES. reservation in northeast utah.

22. Disney's "__ & Stitch" : LILO. gimme, even though i've never seen it.

23. Key in : ENTER

27. Quash : NIX. kabosh.

28. Sheep's hangout : LEA

29. They could happen : IFS. ands and buts, too.

32. Early gaming name : ATARI

34. Judge's reprieve : STAY. like a stay of execution.

36. Go __ great length : ON AT

40. Tinged : HUED

41. Start the pot : ANTE. is it 4:20 already?

42. Dodge : ELUDE

43. 1776 and 2001, e.g.: Abbr. : YRS

44. Forward pass path : ARC

45. Cousteau's workplace : MER. french for sea.

52. American competitor, as it was once known : US AIR

55. Chewy candy brand : ROLO

56. Memorable golfing Spaniard, familiarly : SEVE. ballesteros.

60. Trivial picking point : NIT. but nobody here.

61. Not exactly social butterflies : LONERS

62. "I don't give __!" : A RAP. not sure i've heard that expression before - it's usually something about a rat.

63. NFL snapper : CTR. center.

64. Jaguar or impala : ANIMAL

65. Tweed's caricaturist : NAST. here.

66. "Hurrah!" : YAY

down

1. Fix, as a computer program : DEBUG

2. Muse with a lyre : ERATO

3. Sings, so to speak : NAMES NAMES. some great movies/documentaries about the hollywood red scare: the front, hollywood on trial, guilty by suspicion, and citizen cohn.

4. Cracker that doesn't crack : DUD. boo.

5. Carnival setup man : SHILL. stooge, plant.

6. Museum piece : CURIO

7. Place for a 6-Down : SHELF

8. Plant sci. : BOT. botany.

9. "I have it!" : EUREKA

10. More than apologize : ATONE

11. Market surplus : GLUT. funny word.

12. After curfew : LATE

13. Decorative water holder : EWER

19. Artistic potpourri : COLLAGE

21. Like many churches : SPIRED


25. Egress : EXIT

26. One-eighties : UEYS. u-turns.

29. Revolt : INSURGENCY

30. Saudi king, 1982-2005 : FAHD. died at 84 in 2005.

31. Eyelid trouble : STYE

32. Like a used fireplace : ASHY

33. Sequence of gigs : TOUR

34. Heartfelt : SINCERE

35. Volatile initials : TNT. trinitrotoluene, used in explosives.

36. Crude tankers : OILERS

38. Instrument that often sits on the floor while played : HARP

39. Tornado response gp. : FEMA. federal emergency management agency. been busy lately.

44. Natural light show : AURORA



46. Order to a boxer : SIC 'EM

47. Like some numerals and noses : ROMAN. 

48. The "It Girl" Bow : CLARA



49. Georgetown hoopsters : HOYAS. college.

50. Musical set in Buenos Aires : EVITA

51. Have another go at : RETRY

52. Kareem's alma mater : UCLA

53. Priory of __: "The Da Vinci Code" secret society : SION. i'm probably one of the only people who have not read this book (or seen the movie). needed perps.

54. Caesarean cal. periods : ANNI. year in latin.

58. www connection option : DSL. wish i had that option.

59. Go (for) : OPT

melissa

Jan 1, 2013

Tuesday, January 1, 2013 Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

Rabbit,    Rabbit,    Rabbit
Theme: Happy New Year - The when, where, and how of the December 31 celebration.

17A. When to don a 40-Down or prepare to throw 11-Down : NEW YEAR'S EVE

62A. Ball-dropping site, or what this puzzle's circled letters form? : TIMES SQUARE

11D. See 17-Across : CONFETTI

40D. See 17-Across : PARTY HAT

Then the visual parts (all the words can precede TIME, and they form a square in the middle):

30A. Extra : SPARE. Spare time.

45A. In the area : LOCAL. Local time.

30D. Tee size : SMALL. Small time.

31D. No better, no worse : EQUAL. Equal time.

Argyle here today. How ya' feeling? I hope you are well enough to appreciate this gem. That visual in the middle is what got this published; took it from OK to GREAT. Maybe it should have been on Monday, the actual New Year's Eve and Monday's "Oh Oh" would have been right for Tuesday.

Across:

1. Telescope parts : LENSES

7. On hiatus : IDLE

11. Metered vehicle : CAB

14. Develop gradually : EVOLVE

15. Landing place : QUAY. For boats or Capt. "Sully" Sullenberger.

16. __ Miss : OLE. (University of Mississippi)

19. Lakers' org. : NBA. (National Basketball Association)

20. Former "Grand Ole Opry Live" network : TNN. (The Nashville Network)

21. GPS suggestion : RTE.

22. Phrase on a diet food label : LESS FAT

24. Has the mike : IS ON

26. Big galoot : APE

28. Confident crossword solver's choice : PEN

29. "Parks and Recreation" actor Rob : LOWE

32. Bluesman Redding : OTIS

34. Pinnacles : ACMEs

36. Airline with a kangaroo on its logo : QANTAS


38. Interpret without hearing : LIP-READ

41. Thai or Chinese, e.g. : CUISINE

42. Dental layer : ENAMEL

43. Memorable Texas mission : ALAMO. "Remember the Alamo!"

44. Longfellow's bell town : ATRI. A copy of the poem. Link.

47. Auditioner's goal : ROLE

51. Sci-fi film extras : ET's

52. __ Moines : DES. Iowa.

53. Close with a bang : SLAM

54. Met secretly : TRYSTED

57. Entertainer Zadora : PIA. What ever happened to Pia Zadora? Ask the flying monkey. Strange web site.

60. Add to the soundtrack : DUB

61. Sigh of pleasure : [AAH!]

65. Victrola corp. : RCA

66. Port east of Tangier : ORAN. Map.

67. Thrust forward, as with a sword : LUNGED

68. Baseball great Mel : OTT

69. Hang in the balance : PEND

70. Stands in studios : EASELS

Down:

1. Legume used in the Indian dish dal : LENTIL


2. Despite all that : EVEN SO

3. "Take it easy!" : "NOW, NOW!"

4. Shrewd : SLY

5. At any time : EVER

6. Ticket specification : SEAT

7. Mensa figs. : IQ's

8. One settling a score, in olden days : DUELER

9. Bathe : LAVE

10. Watches suspiciously : EYES

12. Greek's neighbor : ALBANIAN

13. Wiped out : BEAT

18. Cut with a scythe : REAPED

23. Program interrupters : SPONSORS

25. Close call : NEAR MISS

27. Faux __: blunder : PAS

33. Opposite of NNW : SSE

35. Average average : CEE

37. Prepare to shoot : AIM

38. Country expanse : LEA

39. Work together : INTERACT

41. Purse fasteners : CLASPS

43. Hotshot : ACE

46. Extra one who's "out" : ODD MAN. The square peg in with all the round ones.

48. Golden years : OLD AGE

49. Leafy crown material : LAUREL


50. Sets securely (in) : EMBEDS

54. Polynesian tuber : TARO. Related to oca. Interesting site about root vegetables.

55. Sporty sunroof : T-TOP

56. The Auld Sod : EIRE

58. King Kong's home, e.g. : ISLE. (Skull Island)

59. Turquoise hue : AQUA

63. Close : END

64. Young __: tots, in dialect : 'UNS

Argyle

Notes from C.C.:

1) Don came up with this wonderful theme. Isn't he a genius? The grid went through a few revisions. Below is my favorite skeletal grid. Rich thought it's a bit complex for an early week puzzle, esp the leap from the isolated X to "Times sign" to Times Square.


2) Thanks for the support in 2012. I wish a happy and healthy 2013 to all of you!