Friday, July 3, 2015, Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: Take ST and then by magic you have

SC

Well I am back, two weeks have passed and Jeffrey Wechsler is back as well. This is a traditional letter substitution puzzle where the letter "T" following an "S" is removed from a common phrase and replaced with a "C" to create an amusing image, clued with humor. The first three have the change in the first word, the last two the last word. I love much of the fill, with only 69 words and an average length in excess of 5 letters, this is more of challenge. He puts many letters into the theme, also 69 (hmmm) which gives the puzzle an interesting look leaving little room for long down answers. He does have some so so fill but there are ALBINO,  DOES SO,  LOUVER,  MOLSON,  MOSEYS,  OPEN BY,  SPEARS,  TRYSTS,  TUGS AT,  WOOLLY,  ANTLERS,  DESIGNS, DRUM SOLO,  MRS. SMITH,  NOBLESSE, TRAINEES all worth the effort to uncover.  The theme generated some chuckles for me, you?

16A. Imperfect produce? : SCUFFED CABBAGE (14). Stuffed cabbage was a regular meal growing up, and the image of a damaged head of cabbage is cute.

23A. Nocturnal picket-line crosser? : SCAB IN THE DARK (13). Stab in the dark sounds ominous. For me this was the most tortured themer, but it works.

34A. Reconnaissance team? : SCOUTHEARTED MEN (15). Stouthearted men for some reason makes me think of Mel Brooks' Men in Tights.

48A. Result of a London tea cart mishap? : ROLLING SCONES (13). The picture of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards etc. watching their scones roll away is precious.

57A. Feature of a taped hardcore punk performance? : VIDEO SCREAMING (14). Video streaming is hot, but I think of other bands as the screamers.

Okay let's unwrap this baby:

Across:

1. 17th-century privateer : KIDD. All you wanted to know about WILLIAM who is not to be confused with the 15th Century pirate William Kyd.

5. Rock worth unearthing : ORE.

8. Military groups : UNITS. This took longer than it should.

13. About : IN RE. A gimme for those who studied Latin or the law.

14. Downtime for Mars? : PAX. Latin for peace, certainly a rest time for a war god.

15. Absorb : SOP UP. What the bread is for at the end of a really good meal.

19. Rob's "West Wing" role : SAM. Sam SEABORN. (2:24).

20. Domestic tearjerker : ONION. Tricky, but just cut them under water and you can stem the tears.

21. "__ Wedding": "The Simpsons" episode involving a fortune-teller : LISA'S. Easy to guess but the clue was not helpful.

26. Wild partner : WOOLLY. According to phrase finder. "This expression is of American origin and came into being to describe the 'wild' west of the country sometime after the Californian Gold Rush era of the 1850s."

28. __ Alamos : LOS. We had this test site recently.

29. Screening gp. : TSA. Transportation Security Administration.

30. Woodstock performer before Joan : ARLO. he was booed off the stage for refusing to sing Alice's Restaurant,  Ms. Baez was wonderful, and then the rains came.

31. Kid's comeback : DOES SO. Does not!!!

40. Romance novel features : TRYSTS. A lovely old fashioned word that makes cheating sound okay.

41. 1963 role for Shirley : IRMA. La DOUCE (2:15).

42. In the same way as : A LA. Some French for Splynter.

45. Defensive question : AM I? Your ami?

46. It merged with Coors in 2005 : MOLSON. They are all in trouble in the wake of the craft beer revolution.

52. __ Blades, Latin jazz star : RUBEN. No idea; what do you think?

53. Oater omen : NOOSE. Hang 'em High.

54. Uma's "Pulp Fiction" role : MIA. This movie always generates lots of differing opinions, I hated it, then I loved it.

60. Stage direction : ENTER.

61. Vital : KEY.

62. Relative of -ule : ETTE. french diminutive suffixes; tough clue, reversed I would not have gotten it.

63. Ruled quarters? : ROOST.

64. '60s campus org. : SDS. Students for a Democratic Society.

65. Their Christmas feast included roast beast : WHOS. Jeffrey must love this family, as I had Cindy Lou Who two weeks ago.

Down:

1. Petruchio's request of Kate : KISS.

2. Empire whose last stronghold was conquered in 1572 : INCA. I missed the anniversary.

3. Ginger Baker specialty : DRUM SOLO. For Bruce, the late Teddy Mueller and all the others who have provided a beat to my life. WATCH (3:38)and listen.

4. Dict. entry : DEFinition. I slipped up on this for a while.

5. Ready for business no later than : OPEN BY.

6. Pizza cuts, essentially : RADII. Literally.

7. Halfway house resident : EX-CON.

8. Flash drive letters : USB. Universal Serial Bus.

9. Roi et reine, par exemple : NOBLESSE oblige. The Nobility.

10. "The drinks were on me" : I PAID. Not I-Pad.

11. Affects, as one's heartstrings : TUGS AT. Perry Como?

12. Divers' weapons : SPEARS.

17. Future yearling : FOAL. Newborn horsey.

18. Hunting lodge decoration : ANTLERS. From a dead deer.

22. Jamaican genre : SKA. Music.

24. Influence : CLOUT.

25. One taking coats, perhaps : HOST. So easy, in retrospect.

26. Used to be : WAS.

27. Tolkien terror : ORC.

31. Chanel creations : DESIGNS. From a time when hot Coco meant something.

32. Grain generally pluralized : OAT. Nobody can eat just one?

33. Ballet's Black Swan : ODILE.

35. Green workers : TRAINEES. Oh, than meaning of GREEN.

36. "Amazing Grace," e.g. : HYMN. We had a memorial service at my reunion with ended with this old stand-by.

37. Big name in pies : MRS. SMITH. What is your favorite?

38. Comic Philips : EMO.

39. Indian flatbread : NAN. 1 A or 2?

42. LAX stat : ARRival.

43. Adjustable door feature : LOUVER. We have lots of these and windows in SoFla.

44. Spooner of Spoonerism fame, for one : ALBINO. I did not know this, I went to school with two albinos, one in grammar school and one in college.

46. Walks unhurriedly : MOSEYS. Exactly my pace for solving puzzles.

47. Most fit to serve : ONE-A. The opposite of 4-F.

49. Engendered : LED TO.

50. Subjects of washday mysteries : SOCKS. What dryers live on.

51. Hollowed out : CORED.

55. Delighted by : IN TO. I am really in to JW's puzzles, I wonder if he will be back in two weeks again?

56. Quite a long time : AGES.

58. Scrap : ORT. A single oat? Not to be confused with Orc.

59. Copy cats : MEW. This is all CED needs for an hour's worth of cute kittens; enjoy all;  have great holiday, be careful with  the fireworks and remember to honor those who both made us free and keep us free.

It was great to be gone, see old friends and relatives, show my wife my childhood home, meet marti in person etc. but it is good to be back. Lemonade out.

Thursday, July 2, 2015 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme: Word Scramble

I probably would have eventually figured out the theme without the reveal, but it was a clever addition:
61-Across. Cocktail garnish, and a hint to letters hidden in the answers to starred clues : LEMON TWIST.

17-Across. *Serious swearing : SOLEMN OATH.

24-Across. *Hunt's rival : DEL MONTE.

37-Across. *Brunch choice : WESTERN OMELET.

51-Across. *Camera attachment : ZOOM LENS.

Bottom's up!

Across

1. "Elementary" network : CBS.

4. Eponymous obstetrician Fernand : LAMAZE. I needed the "Z" before this name popped into my head. His "natural" childbirth method was very popular in the '70s, but I think it has gone out of favor now.

10. "Oh, go on!" : PISH.

14. __ provençale : À LA. Prepared in the style of Provence - usually with olive oil and garlic.

15. Part of the plot : IN ON IT.

16. Gardening tool : RAKE.

19. Banded gemstone : ONYX.

20. Dorm room item : TWIN BED.

21. Really trouble, with "at" : EAT.

23. Help on the way up : RUNG.

29. 31-Down, for one : OPERA. And 31-Down. "Habanera" singer : CARMEN.

31. Former Honda model : CRX. Immediately followed by 32-Across. Honda division : ACURA.

33. Perform for : PLAY TO.

36. Target of some sprays : ODOR.

41. Ref. book : DICT.ionary.

42. Come to light : EMERGE.

43. Not from a bottle : ON TAP.

45. Expected amt. of repairs : EST.imate.

46. It may be blessed : EVENT.

53. Hip bones : ILIA.

54. Modern detective fiction pioneer : POE.

55. Captain's heading : DUE EAST.

58. Shade similar to bright turquoise : AQUA.

64. Managing ed.'s concern : CIRC.

65. List closing : ET ALIA.

66. Burns negative : NAE. Robert Burns.

67. Adjust for space, say : EDIT.

68. Webster's shelfmate : ROGET'S.

69. Come to a conclusion : END.


Down

1. Longtime maker of convertibles : CASTRO. Couches and ottomans provide extra sleeping room for the in-laws. And they are usually uncomfortable enough, so that they don't visit too long.

2. Have a tantrum : BLOW UP. See 48-Down.

3. Solution for contacts : SALINE.

4. Trunk projection : LIMB. Oh my. My first thought was bathing trunks...

5. Actress Heche : ANNE. Probably more noted for her relation with Ellen DeGeneres than any of her supposed acting skills.

6. Attitude : MOOD.

7. Santa __ : ANA.

8. Proactiv target : ZIT.

9. Great-aunt of Drew : ETHEL. The famous Barrymore family.

10. Diplomatic code : PROTOCOL.

11. John, in Scotland : IAN.

12. __ blue : SKY.

13. Bewitch : HEX.

18. MIT grad, often : ENGR.aver?

22. Doctor's org. : AMA. American Medical Association.

24. Sarcastic quality : DRYNESS.

25. Use a threat to get : EXTORT.

26. Like Botticelli's Venus : NUDE. I have seen it at the Uffizi in Florence. Breathtaking.

27. Easy pace : TROT.

28. Place for a plug : EAR.

30. Rental ad abbr. : APT. "Apt to rent"

34. Jeans giant : LEE.

35. "Wow!" in texts : OMG. "Oh My Gosh!"

37. Skid row regular : WINO.

38. Plasm lead-in : ECTO.-plasm.

39. Statute opposed by the Sons of Liberty : STAMP ACT.

40. Wide size : EEE.

41. Dairy dept. quantity : DOZ.en

44. Mideast initials : PLO. Palestine Liberation Organization.

47. Mountaintop allure : VIEW.

48. "Airplane!" heroine : ELAINE. Funny movie.

49. Xterra maker : NISSAN.

50. Covered in ink, with "up" : TATTED.

52. Conger catcher : EELER.

55. Former North Carolina senator Elizabeth : DOLE.

56. Cohesive group : UNIT.

57. Cockpit announcements, briefly : ETAs.

58. Solitaire base card : ACE.

59. Four times a day, in an Rx : QID. Quater In Die.

60. Ocean State sch. : URI. University of Rhode Island.

62. WWII arena : ETO. European Theater of Operations.  I just finished reading the 2015 Pulitzer Prize winner "All the Light We Cannot See," by Anthony Doerr.  I highly recommend it!!

63. GQ, e.g., briefly : MAG.azine. I remember when MAGs referred to these.

Time for LEMONade!
Marti

Speaking of which, Lemonade714 stopped in to visit me last week while he was here for his reunion. Here's a pic of us relaxing on the deck.

Wednesday, July 1, 2017 Frank Virzi

Theme: Baseball - the last word is a type of pitch.

 

17A. *Place-setting piece : SALAD FORK. Forkball.

27A. *Inviolable, as rules : HARD AND FAST. Fastball.

42A. *Rough-and-tumble : BARE KNUCKLE. Knuckleball.

57A. *Statistical graph image : BELL CURVE. Curveball.

Reveal entry (symmetrically placed):

12D. When combined with 50-Down, this puzzle's game : BASE

50D. See 12-Down ... and a word that can follow the ends of the answers to starred clues : BALL

Bonus fill:

20A. Fenway Park and Wrigley Field : STADIUMS

6D. 10-time Gold Glove winner Roberto : ALOMAR The only Hall of Famer known to have spit at an umpire.

 

33D. Diamond smack : LINE DRIVE

40D. Hall of Famer Slaughter : ENOS - Once scored from first on a single.

Good morning all.  Boomer here - Happy July Fool's day.  Start dating your checks 2015 1/2. Great to see a baseball puzzle.  Made me hungry for a hot dog.  Fastball, Curve, Knuckleball made famous by Hoyt Wilhelm, the Niekro brothers, Wilbur Wood and now R.A. Dickey.  It seems the forkball is now called a split finger and notably absent is the Spitball from early baseball years.  How about the Vaseline ball from Gaylord Perry, and the beanball from the Barber, Sal Maglie, as well as Don Drysdale and many others.  Warn both benches and then start tossing people.  Here we go...

Across:       

1. Waterlogged lowlands : FENS - I have no idea what this is

5. Iditarod, e.g. : RACE - Mora Minnesota has a similar race each year.

9. Talmudic scholar : RABBI - Also in jokes with a priest and a minister

14. Bountiful place? : UTAH

15. Tel Aviv airline : EL AL

16. Wee hr. : ONE AM - I get it but I'm not sure I like it.  I will be one AM at the PBA50 Pro Am Bowling event at Treasure Island in Welch, MN this month.

19. Stunned : AGASP - the result of a bean ball?

21. Sweet liqueurs : CREMES What would a Brandy Alexander be without these.

22. She, in San Remo : ESSA - I am not good at foreign words.

23. "Uptown Girl" songwriter : JOEL - Yup, Billy, I like "The Longest Time" better.

24. "Cats" monogram : TSE (T.S. Eliot)

 

32. Early Talmudic scholar : HILLEL  - Not in Priest and Minister jokes.

34. Need to pay : OWE

35. Back in the day : ONCE

36. Morning TV host replaced by Michael : REGIS - I never knew how Philbin got so much air time speaking through his nose.

37. Apr. addressee : IRS - Ever notice when you combine THE and IRS you get "THEIRS"

38. Roper's target : DOGIE

39. __ upswing : ON AN

40. London's Virgin __ Records : EMI

41. Raises an auction paddle for : BIDS ON - I see it in sitcoms, but I never used one on eBay.

45. Heavy wts. : TNS - I understand tons, but how is TNS an abbreviation for tons?

46. God of Spain : DIOS

47. Lamb or Bacon, e.g.: Abbr. : AUTH. Charles Lamb (ELIA) and Francis Bacon.

49. Sporty Fords : T-BIRDS - The 1957 model was always my favorite.

52. Marriott rival : SHERATON

56. Speedy : RAPID - Bob Feller's fastball earned him the nickname "Rapid Robert"

58. Start of a valentine message : I LOVE - OR Bobby Valentine had a different message for umpires.

59. S.A. country on the Pacific : ECUA - Really?  Is this a postal abbreviation?

60. Mezzanine, e.g. : TIER

61. Like Venus, to Serena : OLDER

62. "__ Mommy kissing ... " : I SAW - Santa Claus. Jimmy Boyd sang the nasal version.  I think it was redone by Wayne Newton - also nasal.

63. River of Spain : EBRO

Down:

1. Hubbub : FUSS

2. Californie, par exemple : ETAT - Boo! foreign words.

3. "The Lion King" lion : NALA

4. Protect from light : SHADE

5. Firm no : REFUSAL

 

7. National rentals : CARS - Ever notice how your legs don't fit in economy, compact, and mid size?

8. Deer family member : ELK - Not the Brewer's Rob Deer family.

9. Laughed heartily : ROARED

10. Type of cake made with egg whites : ANGEL FOOD - Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.

11. Roof support : BEAM - 

 

13. Babysitters' challenges : IMPS - Not nice to call other people's children IMPS.  Isn't there some game that has International Match Points?  Bridge or Chess?

18. Sink clutter : DISHES - DirecTV catchers, when it's not raining.

21. Ice cream parlor order : CONE

23. Shark flick : JAWS - I cannot remember how many times I've seen this.  "I think we'll need a bigger boat!"

24. Beat : THROB

25. Tuscan city : SIENA - I had one of these in a Crayola box once.

26. "Pomp and Circumstance" composer : ELGAR (Edward)

28. Greek column style : DORIC

29. Existential woe : ANGST - How I feel about abbreviations in crossword puzzles.

30. Offspring : SCION

31. Babysitters, often : TEENS

37. Controversial radio host : IMUS - Don -- King of radio jerks!

38. Coke Zero rival : DIET RC - Diet Rite Cola was the pioneer of sugar free pop back in the fifties.  It did not taste very good but it preceded Tab which wasn't too good either.

41. Sunday shopping restriction : BLUE LAW - never heard of this.

43. One pulling your leg : KIDDER

44. Liqueur in a B-52 cocktail : KAHLUA- What would a Black Russian be without this.  Do not sub Creme de Cacao.  I can tell the difference.

48. __ cuisine : HAUTE - Rather see Terre_____, IN

49. The Andrews Sisters, e.g. : TRIO- I prefer Kingston____ or Chad Mitchell____.  The Andrew sisters were a trio but never referred to by that name.

51. Apple MP3 player : IPOD

52. Jiffies : SECS - abbreviation not shown in the clue.

53. Windy City paper : TRIB - abbreviation not shown in the clue.

54. Partner of out : OVER - Pilot in "Airplane"

55. Homebound sleuth Wolfe : NERO

57. "__ Mir Bist Du Schoen": Andrews Sisters hit : BEI - Foreign again.

The fat guy is me with my qualifying medals, getting ready to participate in the bowling event at the National Senior Games coming to Minnesota next week. Word is that there will be 9995 participants in about 17 different events.  Ages span from 50 to 102 and participants are showing up from all 50 states.  Should be a boom for the hotel trade.  If you are in the Twin Cities, I will be at Southtown Lanes in Bloomington on July 10 (singles) and July 12 (doubles).

Boomer

Tuesday, June 30, 2015 C.C. Burnikel

Theme: Po' Boys - Answers with the word HERO sandwiched within them.

20A. Coastal storm concern : BEACH EROSION

34A. Follow local conventions, metaphorically : DO AS THE ROMANS DO. (when in Rome)

41A. Get rich illicitly : FEATHER ONE'S NEST

55A. Deli lunch ... or, based on a word hidden in 20-, 34- and 41-Across, what each of those answers is? : HERO SANDWICH

Argyle and C.C., our hero. Two spanners today and two different religious climbers. Unique. Progressive split of  HERO.

Across:

1. Cereal aisle regular __ Crunch : CAP'N

5. Classic Christmas stocking punishment : COAL

9. IRS submission method : E-FILE

14. "So sad!" : "ALAS!" and "Alack!" plus, 54D. Self-pitying lament : "WHY ME!"

15. Dance performed in grass skirts : HULA

16. Lag behind : TRAIL

17. Ready for harvesting : RIPE

18. Website for handmade goods : ETSY.com

19. Rooftop spinners : VANEs. Weather vane on Gary's house.

23. NBC skit show, familiarly : SNL

24. Enjoyed a meal : ATE

25. Checklist marks : TICKS

28. Prefix with sail : PARA

30. German automaker : OPEL

32. "Look at that!" : "OOH!". Got your "oohs and aahs" all set for the Fourth?

38. Web links, briefly : URLs

39. "__ out!": ump's call : YER

40. "Now I get it!" cries : "A-HA!"s

46. Org. policing Internet neutrality : FCC. (Federal Communications Commission)

47. Has yet to settle : OWEs

48. Play the lead : STAR

49. "The Family Circus" cartoonist Bil : KEANE

51. Cartoon shopkeeper : APU

52. Dawn moisture : DEW

59. Boxcars, in craps : SIXes. Presumed to resemble a pair of boxcars on a freight train.

62. Lay off : FIRE

63. Join forces (with) : ALLY

64. Halloween reward : TREAT

65. Steady stream : FLOW

66. Rock music style of the New York Dolls : GLAM. Hit the mute button and just watch them.

67. Rice field : PADDY

68. Julian and Sean, to John Lennon : SONS

69. Italy's Villa d'__ : ESTE. The Villa d'Este is a villa in Tivoli, near Rome, but there is a second one, in Cernobbio on the shores of Lake Como.

Down:

1. Dieter's count : CARBS. (carbohydrates)

2. Spock's father, but not his mother : ALIEN. Sarek is a Vulcan astrophysicist.

3. Castel Gandolfo holy retreat : PAPAL PALACE

4. Tiny amt. of time : NSEC. (nanosecond)

5. Speedy feline : CHEETAH. No, not that fast, not measured in nsecs.

6. Freakish : OUTRÉ

7. "Besides that ... " : "ALSO ... "

8. Air Pops chips maker : LAYS

9. Pierre's "And there you have it!" : "ET VOILÀ!". "Tada!"

10. Mali currency : FRANC. Mali still has a relationship with France, its former colonial ruler. Hence the use of the franc.

11. "Dr. No" novelist Fleming : IAN

12. Fib : LIE

13. Above-the-street trains : ELs. (elevated)

21. Lyricist with Rodgers : HART. They worked on 28 stage musicals and more than 500 songs. Another lyricist: 60D. Gershwin brother : IRA

22. Checklist component : ITEM

26. Vlasic varieties : KOSHER DILLS

27. Fizzy drinks : SODAs

29. Mgr.'s aide : ASST.

30. Twistable cookies : OREOS

31. Often blocked online lewdness : PORN

33. Run the party : HOST

34. Fanny : DUFF

35. Hoover rival : ORECK. (vacuums)

36. "Reader, I married him" governess : EYRE. Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre

37. Granny : NANA

42. Forthrightness : HONESTY

43. Pitcher in many still-life paintings : EWER

44. Cable station for game highlights : ESPNews

45. Small earring : STUD

50. Leading : AHEAD

51. Hank of Cooperstown : AARON. (baseball)

53. Flashy display : ECLAT

56. Does in, mob-style : OFFS

57. Farmland skyline highlight : SILO

58. Minimum __ : WAGE

59. Gas treatment letters : STP

61. Crossed (out) : Xed

 

Argyle

Note: Today is C.C.'s birthday. How cool is that, to be published on your birthday?