Saturday, May 12, 2018, Greg Johnson

THEMELESS SATUDAY PUZZLE BY GREG JOHNSON ON NATIONAL DOG MOM'S DAY

Greg Johnson has a very nice puzzle for us on this holiday that is celebrated on the day before, well, you know...

The NW corner was a bugger and while all the down fills were tough and looked solid, LIFO mocked me and I just had to go with it. Consequently, I now know 14. Inventory evaluation acronym: LIFO  which means Last In First Out shown here with its opposite

Hoping that you remembered to get a card (or at least a treat) for your four-footed mom in the house, let's see what Greg has given us on this "anything but a dog" exercise.

Across:

1. Bubbly stuff: FOAM - SOAP and WINE - not so much!

5. Skiing venue: LAKE - A Husker Gary blog without a kitty? Never happenin'!

15. Very top: APEX - Also can mean high

16. Babysitter, maybe: NIECE 

17. Mtn. stats: ALTS - HGTS and ELEV were candidates

18. Superstitious warning: DON'T JINX IT 9. "Got it, man!": I'M HIP

20. Quick: SPEEDY - A 1951 character produced by the Wade Ad Agency in 1951

22. Word in Montana's motto: ORO - ORO y Plata (Gold and Silver)

23. Pre-Columbian stoneworker: INCA

24. Apollo's place: HARLEM - This NASA guy wanted Apollo on the Moon but of course Greg was referencing this HARLEM institution 

25. Word with window or rum: BAY - This BAY Rum is clearly labeled "For External Use Only" but during prohibition, its 58% grain alcohol content made this Rexall product popular for other reasons

26. Beach bird: GULL - At the beach you might see a GULL on a buoy 

27. One with secrets to tell: SPY - A Mad Magazine staple for years. Each seems to have a secret

28. Some judicial officials: MAGISTRATES - In Mayberry, Andy Taylor performed this function under the title of Justice Of The Peace 

31. Want-ad letters: EEO - As opposed to this Want-Ad

32. Get one's signals crossed, say: ERR - Last week I found out what happens when you ERR and forget to put a cup under the spout 

33. Creative writing assignment: POEM - Our resident laureate Owen regales us most every day

34. Assurance of honesty: TRUST ME and 50. Sneak: WEASEL.

36. "That's a little better": IT HELPS.

40. Forced-air system output: HEAT - Did your schoolroom from ages past have radiators instead forced-air? I can still smell the drying mittens

41. Phi-psi link: CHI - Phi precedes these last three letters of the Greek alphabet

42. Astounded reaction: OOH.

43. Workplace dispute negotiator: LABOR LAWYER - During my teaching career, our LABOR LAWYERS negotiated with the school board's LABOR LAWYERS

47. When repeated, a football chant: OLE.

48. Cry of dismay: ALAS - The correct quote is "ALAS, poor Yorick! I knew him, well Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest..." and 29. Mata Hari portrayer: GRETA GARBO 

49. What candles may represent: AGE- My youngest granddaughter Elise has just joined the ranks of teenagers  last week (our daughter is on the left) and 54. Most unusual: ODDEST - Granddaughter requested a llama cake

52. Phnom __: PENH.

53. Single dose?: DAT - I want DAT one and some of DOSE too

55. Bush 43, for one: EX-GOVERNOR - Guess where four of seven EX-GOVERNORS of Illinois wound up

58. Kitchen addition?: ETTE - This is all ya need!

59. Spaghetti Western director Sergio: LEONE - These were a star vehicle for Clint Eastwood after Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson turned down the role 

60. Cry out loud: BAWL.

61. An earring may be shaped like one: PEAR

62. Vicks brand: SINEX

63. Page with views: OPED - Newspaper page OPposite the EDitorial page

64. Sailing group: TARS.


Down:

1. Undesirably rapid hardening of concrete: FLASH SET - Sulphates  are added to cement to prevent  this phenomenon. See last ingredient for cement below. New to me after eight summers puddling concrete

2. Specialized painting surface: OIL PAPER - "It features a powerful, efficient oil barrier that absorbs water, solvents and binders evenly while allowing the paint and pigment to remain on the surface"

3. Words spoken with a gentle hand gesture: AFTER YOU - Are women offended by this offer by a man these days?

4. German wine valley: MOSEL - It would appear you'd have to be a mountain goat to harvest these grapes in the beautiful MOSEL Valley

5. Billboard #1 song in 1975 and 2001: LADY MARMALADE - I missed it both times. Correction, I didn't hear it either time

6. Mil. address: APO - Army Post Office

7. Vader enemy: KENOBI - Here is Darth Vader squaring off with Obi-Wan KENOBI 

8. Loaded with heat: EXTRA SPICY - No thanks!

9. Pasta ending: INI

10. Lesser component of "The Legend of Zelda," say: MINI GAME - Inside the larger Zelda game, their are various smaller MINI GAMES one can/must play while on a quest, I read. I'm not likely to push that button.

11. Six-sided fastener: HEX NUT.

12. Winter hangover?: ICICLE.

13. Flower girl's tossings: PETALS - Or not...

19. "Let every heart prepare him room" song: JOY TO THE WORLD - Greg could have gone for "Jeremiah was a bull frog..."

21. Greek goddess of the harvest: DEMETER - For some reason I knew this

30. Brought back to work: REHIRED - George Steinbrenner famously fired and REHIRED Billy Martin many times

35. Tribe that sold horses to Lewis and Clark: SHOSHONE - The SHOSHONE had the horses that the expedition needed to get over the mountains and as luck would have it, Sacajawea was the long, lost sister of chief Cameahwait (He who never walks)

37. Leaves in a chest: LOOSE TEA.

38. Nocturnal travel guide: POLE STAR - It is the one point in the northern sky that never moves 

39. Stray protection: SHELTERS - This is where we got our kitty

43. Places for pins: LAPELS.

44. Former Soviet premier Kosygin: ALEXEI - A familiar apparatchik name to this child of the 60's

45. Hit hard: BANG ON.


46. Hand-wiping item: WETNAP.

51. Well-rehearsed: ADEPT.

56. Bug: VEX.

57. Be behind: OWE.





Just so you know, Joann is getting a lovely card from her third daughter tomorrow!

Comment at will:


DA GRID:

Friday, May 11, 2018, C.C. Burnikel

Title: A tall order from C.C.

Not a tall, but A↠ TO↠ LL. Well, we continue adjusting, and I am comforted by the task of unraveling one of our dear leader's creations. I do not get to blog C.C. often, but this puzzle is a perfect example of why C.C. has become an Icon of modern crossword construction. While seeing the great reveal, ATOLL being reparsed as A TO LL was impressive; finding four meaningful phrases that would make sense when the ending "A" in the first word of the phrase was replaced with "LL" was awesome.  The rest of the fill was chock full of sparkle - ARSENAL EDAMAME,  SALT COD,  SPUMONI,  TROTSKY,  VERTIGO, DESOLATE,  GET ANTSY, IDRIS ELBA, and LET ME KNOW. And the cultural references for a non-US born person highlights how much C.C. has incorporated into her mental database. "Nuff said, enjoy.

18A. Spread served in concave pasta?: SHELL BUTTER (11). SHEA Butter has nothing to do with the Mets old ballpark.

32A. Laid-back cats and dogs?: CHILL PETS (9). CHIA pets are hanging in as an absurd gift.

44A. Revealing sweat remover at the poker table?: TELL TOWEL (9). TEA Towel may not be a phrase to which you are familiar; mine are all linen.

59A. What Royal Caribbean reps do?: SELL CRUISES (11). SEA cruises can be distinguished from river cruises.
And the reveal:

53D. Island ring ... or, in three parts, a hint to 18-, 32-, 44- and 59-Across: ATOLL.(5).

Across:

1. Cow, for one: SHE. The old simple misdirection. DUH!

4. Cancel, in a way: ABORT. The space race gave this old word new meaning.

9. Food fight noise: SPLAT.

14. "U R 2 funny!": LOL. Textspeak Laugh Out Loud (or Lagh ot lod?).

15. "On the Media" medium: RADIO. A podcast from our friends at NPR.

16. Michelangelo carved it from a single slab of marble: PIETA.  I did not know this fact. I am in...

17. Circus reaction: AWE.

20. Statuette site: NICHE.

22. Sushi bar appetizer: EDAMAME.

23. Start to pace, say: GET ANTSY. This word has followed me recently.

26. Stood: ROSE.

27. Polite address: MA'AM.

28. "We'll Meet Again" host Curry: ANN.

29. Documentarian Burns: KEN. A very prolific and important documentary filmmaker. His body of WORK.

36. Ancient Aegean region: IONIA. You should brush up on this HISTORY.

38. Teased: RODE.

39. Word of welcome: ALOHA. Where did all of our Hawaiian cornerites go?

41. 1993 Literature Nobelist Morrison: TONI.

42. Law school subject: TORTS. One of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries was solved when Wolfe asked a suspect who was talking about his experience in law school if he had learned drafting torts.

46. Sliding runner: SKI.

47. Sounds of contentment: AHS.

49. Name associated with the Gateway Arch: EERO.  We see this DESIGNER often thanks to the three vowels.

50. Only: SOLE. I think these two words may have a common bond.

52. Like ghost towns: DESOLATE.

56. Hitchcock classic set in San Francisco: VERTIGO. The inspiration for Mel Brooks' High Anxiety.

58. Colorful tank addition: TETRA. Sometimes called neon this is  a small tropical freshwater fish that is typically brightly colored. Native to Africa and America, many tetras are popular in aquariums.

62. Move on a lake: OAR. ?

63. Forbidden: TABOO.

64. For fun, with "on": A LARK. Or an old cigarette brand.

65. "Hamilton" creator __-Manuel Miranda: LIN. He is very busy these days.

66. Spiral-horned creature: ELAND.

67. Sinatra standard: MY WAY. This VERSION.

68. Sgt.'s superiors: LTS.

Down:

1. Urban Dictionary focus: SLANG.

2. Mandel of "Deal or No Deal": HOWIE. A bald germaphobe comedian who has made his mark in reality TV, with this show that once had princess to BE as a suitcase girl. (damn, i really need some new eyes!) 

3. Give a seat to: ELECT.

4. Premier League powerhouse: ARSENAL. the FOOTBALL CLUB.

5. "Humph!": BAH.

6. Celebratory work: ODE.

7. One with an easy life: RILEY. A memory from my early years, this SITCOM was Mr. Bendix' starring role.

8. Spilled the beans: TOLD.

9. Layered ice cream: SPUMONI.

10. Deli pockets: PITAS.

11. "I'll be waiting to hear from you": LET ME KNOW. LMK, a favorite phrase.

12. Suit to __: A TEE.

13. Street cover: TAR.

19. Raised building?: BARN. A New England TRADITION.

21. Play with a ghost: HAMLET. Ah, play WITH, not play with.

24. Taberna tidbit: TAPA. Simple Spanish.

25. Refines, as ore: SMELTS.

28. "Pieces of Me" singer Simpson: ASHLEE. Jessica's sister.

30. Bonn article: EINE.

31. Polish target: NAIL.

32. Older PC screens: CRTS. Cathode Ray Tubes.

33. Errant golf shot, usually: HOOK.

34. "Luther" star: IDRIS ELBA.  I know the actor, but not the SERIES.

35. Golf club part: TOE.

37. "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" (1969) star: O'TOOLE. Peter.

40. Taproom array: ALES.

43. Dried fish used in brandade: SALT COD. Not familiar with this DISH or Portuguese cooking in general.

45. October Revolution leader: TROTSKY. Do you know this HISTORY?

48. Next in line: HEIR.

51. Wrinkle-resistant fabric: ORLON.

52. Lacy table mat: DOILY. Hmm, a small ornamental mat made of lace or paper with a lace pattern, typically placed on a plate under a cake or other sweet foods.

54. Black hair, e.g.: TRAIT.

55. Deserves: EARNS.

56. Saltimbocca meat: VEAL. This is Italian for jumps in the mouth, and you can make it at HOME.



57. Largest of the Mariana Islands: GUAM.

59. Sault __ Marie: STE.

60. Tool with teeth: SAW.

61. Cy Young Award stat: ERA. The award for best major league pitcher.




Wow, that was fun. I am  bit worn out from all the links I followed, inspired by this puzzle. Thank you Zhouqin and all of you who read, write and make the Corner strong with words and love. Lemonade out.

Thursday, May 10th 2018 Jeff Stillman

Theme: Career Path. Navigating the shark-infested corporate world.

17A Start of a business journey: ENTRY-LEVEL

24A. Way to get from 17- to 39-Across: CORPORATE LADDER. Here's a different take - fortunately I don't think I was in that word:

39A. Pinnacle of the journey: EXECUTIVE OFFICE. I wanted "CORNER OFFICE", except that corner was three letters too short. That was a clue.

52A. Way to get from 39- to 63-Across: GOLDEN PARACHUTE

63A. End of the journey: RETIREMENT

I enjoyed this theme from Jeff. The trick with these types of puzzle is to get enough crosses that one of the entries becomes apparent - in my case I got RETIREMENT when about six crosses were completed. From there it was a question of working backwards to guess at or solve the rest.

I like how the three "stages" were linked by two "how to get there" entries. Very elegant.

Across:

1. Bookie's concern: ODDS

5. Wedge-shaped bones: SACRA. Took me ages to tumble to this one.

10. Elite Eight org.: N.C.A.A. From the March Madness college basketball tourney organized by the N.C.A.A.

14. Bygone depilatory brand: NEET

15. Cantilevered window: ORIEL. I didn't know these were cantilevered. I do now.

16. Panhandler's income: ALMS. I see alms as more given to a charity, rather than an individual. I guess it's fine.

19. Watery defense, perhaps: MOAT

20. Hustle: HIE

21. First name in bike stunts: EVEL. Knievel.

23. Phased-out Secret Service weapon: UZI. I never knew the Secret Service used these. Wasn't there an acceptable US-made alternative?

29. Doce meses: ANO. Twelve months, one year. Spanish lesson for the day.

30. Roll of bills: WAD

31. Woolly mammal: EWE

32. Seasonal song ender: SYNE. I tried "TREE" as in the Partridge in a Pear one at first. I was wrong.

34. Proceed tediously: PLOD

37. Like pals who go way back: OLD

44. Three Gorges project: DAM. A big-assed dam spanning the Yangtze in China.

45. Wail: BAWL

46. Former autocrat: TSAR. __AR and wait for a cross to decide between TS and CZ

47. Stat for Miguel Cabrera: R.B.I. Runs Batted In. Baseball, natch.

59. Site with digging: RUIN

60. Witty remark: MOT. Doesn't it have to be a "bon mot"? I'm not convinced by "mot" flying solo here.

61. Word with work or play: BOOK. Workbook, playbook.

68. Field of work: LINE

69. Food poisoning cause: E. COLI. Nasty.

70. Times past: ERAS

71. Place of bliss: EDEN

72. Summer Triangle star: DENEB. Thank you crosses, completely unknown to me. Per Wikipedia:

"Deneb, also designated α Cygni, is the brightest star in the constellation of Cygnus. It is one of the vertices of the asterism known as the Summer Triangle and forms the 'head' of the neck-less Northern Cross."

73. WWI battle river: YSER

Down:

1. Top 40 title for Metallica or U2: ONE. Here's the U2 version.

2. Resting place: DEN

3. Overthrew: DETHRONED

4. Las Vegas feature: STRIP. Las Vegas Boulevard, officially. I'll be back in Vegas for another conference in a couple of weeks.

5. Peruvian currency: SOL. I swear I'll never remember this. I always rely on crosses.

6. Occur: ARE

7. Catlike carnivore: CIVET. I can never see "catlike" without "With catlike tread ... " from the Pirates of Penzance playing in my head.

8. "Deathtrap" actor: REEVE. Christopher Reeve in the 1972 movie adaptation of Ira Levin's stage play.

9. Gene variant: ALLELE. Thank you, crosses.

10. '60s hot spot: 'NAM

11. Data storage medium: CLOUD. Nice! With the C in place I was sorely tempted by CD-ROM but curbed my enthusiam.

12. Render speechless: AMAZE

13. On the move: ASTIR

18. Cry of pain: YEOW! That's my toe! A rather fun trait of the English is their tendency to apologize when some steps on their toe.

22. __ gravity: LAW OF

24. Wholesale quantity: CASE

25. Figurine material: ONYX

26. Mesmerized: RAPT

27. Wing it: AD LIB

28. Dutch earthenware city: DELFT. Why did I think it was DELPH? It's not, obviously.

33. High-tech greeting: E-CARD

35. Fertility clinic specimens: OVA

36. Big name in whisky: DEWAR. They make Teacher's. I mean Bell's. I mean Dewar's.

38. Naysayers: DISPUTERS

40. Darker-than-ocher pigment: UMBER. My watercolor paints sets as a kid always had "burnt umber".

41. Cantina cooker: OLLA. Big clay pot.

42. Threw: CAST

43. Pelee Island's lake: ERIE. Yay! Nailed it!

48. Toughened: INURED

50. Top of the heap: ACME

52. Triangular part of a house: GABLE. There's a mountain in the Lake District in England called Great Gable - you can see the triangular resemblance. I hiked up it a few times back in my youth.

53. Roundish: OVOID

54. Sierra __: LEONE. I stuck on MADRE and couldn't let it go for a while.

55. Pizza slice, say: PIECE. Also gable-shaped, if you think about it.

56. Playwright Chekhov: ANTON

57. Comfortably familiar: HOMEY. I'm more familiar with the British English variant "HOMELY".

62. Understanding: KEN

64. Seine site: ILE. The natural islands île Saint-Louis and île de la Cité and the man-made one île aux Cygnes

65. Corduroy feature: RIB

66. "Dream on, laddie": NAE

67. Original Dungeons & Dragons co.: T.S.R. Thanks, crosses. We've seen this before but it doesn't want to stick in my mind.

Here's the grind - I mean grid! (I'm on the daily grind). EWR to LAX later today. Home for the weekend!

Steve

Wednesday, May 9, 2018 Mark McClain

Theme: I'M OUTA HERE! The first word of two-word entries is a synonym for some kind of void.

17. Horror film setting: VACANT HOUSE.  I'm not a maven of this genre, but it seems like an appropriately scary choice.

24. Rural "Out of the office" sign: GONE FISHING.  Alternatively, in slang, oblivious or unconcerned about the realities of daily life.  Also, this:

37. Ammo for a starter pistol: BLANK CARTRIDGES.  Contains gunpowder, but no bullet or shot.  When fired, the blank makes a flash and an explosive sound (report), the wadding is propelled from the barrel of the gun, and the firearm's action cycles. [Wikipedia]

48. One whose "chicks" have flown?: EMPTY NESTER.  Parents in the house, after the children are grown and gone.  Tough transition for many.  Our kids are approaching that point in life.

59. Explanation for an evolutionary transition: MISSING LINK. Presumed gap in the evolutionary fossil record.  Most scientists find the term to be cringe-worthy.

Hi gang, JzB NOT absent today, and here to lead the way through - well - nothing, really.  The irony is that, with 5 entries, a theme built around absence is so full of thematic richness.  Let's see if we can poke holes in the rest of the puzzle.

Across:

1. Bullpen hero: CLOSER.  The pitcher who is usually brought in for the 9th inning of a game when his team has a small lead he is supposed to protect.

7. Technical opening?: PYRO.  PYRO-technical refers to fireworks displays or a brilliant performance of some specific skill.  Fireworks and affix clues generally leave me cold.

11. Juan or Jose lead-in: SAN.  City names.  SAN Jose is the capital of Costa Rica.   SAN Juan is a town in Trinidad and Tobago, located in the San Juan-Laventille Region in Saint George County.

14. Mom's sis: AUNTIE.  My Mom's twin sis is still alive and will be 97 in a few days.

15. Semi warning: HORN.  Beep-beep.

16. Asian menu general: TSO.

19. Physicist with a law: OHM.  His law states that the current through a conductor is equal to the voltage divided by the resistance: I = V/R.  R is a constant property of the conducting item, and the current flow depends on the applied voltage.

20. Bird feeder cake: SUET.  White animal fat.  The fat is white.  The color of the animal doesn't matter.

21. Common math base: TEN.  The base is the number of symbols [numerals or letters] that a counting system uses to represent numbers.  In base TEN, these symbols are the digits 0 through 9.

22. Ocean dots: ISLES.  Dots represent small islands on maps.

27. Acting twins Mary-Kate and Ashley: OLSENS.  Former child actresses, born in 1986, they shared the roll of Michelle Tanner on the TV series FULL HOUSE.  They have had several other acting projects, and are now fabulously wealthy fashion designers.

30. Feel some pain: ACHE.  Day-after-yard-work syndrome.

31. Send forth: ISSUE.  Emit.

32. Hotshot: ACE.  High-level performer.   What you want your CLOSER to be.

33. Easy gait: LOPE.  A long, bounding stride.

41. Zingers: MOTS.  Short for Bon MOT, which is French for "good word," said of a witticism or biting retort.

42. Vote, say: OPT.  Make a choice from among a range of options.  Also from French, and ultimately Latin optare, choose or wish.

43. Title Kazakh in a 2006 spoof: BORAT.  More low humor.

44. Big heads?: EGOS.  In psychoanalysis, the part of the mind that mediates between the conscious and the unconscious and is responsible for reality testing and a sense of personal identity.  More loosely, a person's sense of self esteem and importance.  In context, an overweening self-importance.

46. Revolver?: PLANET.  Each PLANET in the solar system rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun.

52. Color separator: PRISM.  This video, just under 6 minutes, gets pretty deep into the weeds.  I suspect Gary, at least, will like it.

53. __ Gang: OUR.   Kids comedy team from back in the day.  There are lots of long vids on YouTube, if you want to go down that rabbit hole.  Here's a short excerpt.  Evidently the piano was over-dubbed later, so this 7-yr-old did a really good job of staying in tune on this great old song.

54. Minimally: A BIT. Not too much off the top.  It's thin there.

58. Many times, in poems: OFT.  Because "frequently" is hard to work into the metric scheme.

63. Pointillism unit: DOT.  A neo-impressionist painting technique that uses tiny dots of pure color that become blended in the viewer's eye.  Interesting counter-point [so to speak] to the prism we encountered not so very long ago.

Georges Seurat - A Sunday on La Grande Jatte -- 1884

64. Stirring solo: ARIA.   An operatic song, not mixing alone in the kitchen.

65. Rio Grande city: EL PASO.  In far west Texas, across from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

66. George Strait's "All My __ Live in Texas": EXS.  As long as we're in Texas, why not.   George Strait is one of the few country singers I can tolerate for more than about 12 seconds.  Here's a link.

67. Watch over: TEND.

68. Bird hangouts: ROOSTS.  Birds' resting spots.  They usually sit upright on roosts.  Bats, however, will hang.  Just sayin'  .  .  .

Down:

1. LeBron et al., briefly: CAVS.  LeBron James and his team mates on the Cleveland Cavaliers professional basketball team.

2. Waikiki party: LUAU.  A traditional Hawaiian party or feast that is usually accompanied by entertainment. It may feature food such as poi, Kalua pig, poke, lomi salmon, opihi, haupia and beer, and entertainment such as traditional Hawaiian music and hula. [Wikkipedia]

3. Back in the day: ONCE. Frex, when the OUR GANG kids were kids.

4. Saves, for a 1-Across: STAT.  If the lead is 3 runs or fewer in the expected final inning of a baseball game when the CLOSER enters, it's a save situation.  If he then shuts down the inning without the opposing team either tying or going ahead, his team wins, and the save is recorded.  Otherwise, there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

5. Strauss' "__ Heldenleben": EIN.  "A Hero's Life," an 1898 tone poem by Richard Strauss.  In it's entirety, it lasts ca. 50 minutes.  Here is a short low brass excerpt - and, oh, boy, are these guys good!

6. 1984 Olympics gymnastics standout: RETTON.  Mary Lou [b 1968] won a gold medal, along with 2 silver and 2 bronze, back in the day.

7. LG product: PHONE.  LG Electronics Inc. is a South Korean multinational electronics company headquartered in Yeouido-dong, Seoul, South Korea, and is part of the LG Group, employing 82,000 people working in 119 local subsidiaries worldwide. [Wikipedia]

8. "That's so __!": YOU.  Said of clothing or a situation that seems to suit a person perfectly.

9. $200 Monopoly props.: RRS.  The Rail Road properties.

10. Vague lunch date time: ONE-ISH.  Approximately 1:00 pm.  Hold a spot for me.

11. Skyy alternative, familiarly: STOLI.  Vodkas. Skyy, now available in at least 17 flavors, is owned by the Campari Group of italy.   Stolichnaya [for long] comes from the former Soviet Union.  Ownership is disputed between a Russian state owned company and a private company owned by a Russian billionaire.

Now vodka is fine in its place;
in martinis, though, never a trace!
It’s swilled on the docks,
Can be used to clean clocks,
The gearwork, the hands and the face.

12. Looking drained: ASHEN.  Pale from shock, fear or illness.

13. Chinese menu promise: NO MSG.  MonoSodium Glutmate, a flavor enhancer.

18. Coop residents: HENS.  Not sure if they are allowed to occupy the ROOSTS.

23. Jim's role on "The Big Bang Theory": SHELDON.

24. Best Buy "Squad" member: GEEK.  Computer experts.

25. It's true: FACT.  Something that is indisputably correct - though you can always find somebody who will dispute it.  Cf, Flat Earth Society.

26. One piping frosting: ICER.   Cake decorator.

27. Kon-Tiki Museum city: OSLO.  The museum presents a broad selection of Thor Heyerdahl's life work.

28. Hurdle for atty. wannabes: LSAT. Law School Admission Test.

29. Stereotypical Western-ending backdrops: SUNSETS.

31. Watson's company: IBM.  Watson is a computer designed to answer questions asked in natural language.

32. National Gallery attraction: ART.  The Gallery is an ART museum located on the National Mall in Washington D. C.

34. Meanie: OGRE.  A mythical man-eating giant, or, figuratively a mean-spirited boss, or bully.

35. Fuel used in some whisky production: PEAT.  An earthy material made of partly decomposed vegetation.  It's used in Scotland for whisky production.  Anywhere else?

36. Md. winter hours: EST.  Eastern Standard Time.

38. Masked critter: COON.  The raccoon is the largest animal of the procyonid family,

North American Mammal

39. Holy recess: APSE.  Usually the semi-circular or polygonal shaped end of a church, where the altar is located.

40. Building girder: I-BAR.  A metal structural beam shaped like the letter I.  this shape maximizes stability in all dimensions.

45. Floor exercise surface: GYM MAT.

46. Spitting sound: PTUI.  Erm  .  .  .

47. "My Fair Lady" lyricist: LERNER.    Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe also collaborated on Camelot, Brigadoon and Paint Your Wagon.

48. Lyric poem: EPODE.  A form written in couplets, with alternating long and short lines.  Another meaning is the third and final part of an ode, following the strophe and the antistrophe  Last time out, I had EPOS, and didn't know that, either.

49. "Fantastic" Dahl character: MR. FOX.    Eponym for the 1970 novel, and then 2009 movie.  A rare story, in which a predator is the hero, and the farmers and their live stock are the enemy.

50. Pulitzer-winning columnist Leonard: PITTS.  His home paper is the Miami Herald.  He won his Pulitzer in 2004.

51. "Alas!": SO SAD.  [sigh]

54. Lunch for Spot, maybe: ALPO.  A dog, and his dinner.

55. Fairness obstacle: BIAS.  A skewed point of view that enables interpreting new information as confirmation of existing beliefs, even when it isn't.

56. Brookings, e.g.: Abbr.: INSTitution, a century-old American research group on Think Tank Row in Washington, D.C. It conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and global economy and development. [Wikipedia] 

57. Boxing stats: TKO's.  Technical Knock Out.  A decision by the referee or ring physician that the boxing match cannot safely continue.

60. Fury: IRE.  Anger.

61. Ignore a Commandment: SIN.  A transgression of divine law.

62. Day-__: GLO.  An American paint and pigment company, and it's registered trademark for luminescent decorative products.

That wraps up another Wednesday, in a bright and colorful manner.  Here's the filled-in grid, then I really am outa-here.

Cool regards!

JzB

Note from C.C.:

Happy 55th birthday to Yellowrocks' son Alan! Have a wonderful day shopping and visiting places you love. You have the best mom!

Kathy and her son Alan, Costa Ric, 2009

Tuesday, May 8, 2018 Bruce Venzke & Gail Grabowski

"Strong Persuasion"

17. "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" singer: BARBARA MANDRELL.



25. David Bowie genre: GLAM ROCK.


32. Bourbon-making process: SOUR MASH.    TinBeni's favorite answer today.

42. Electromagnetic radiation unit: GAMMA RAY.

49. Cost per night, in hotels: ROOM RATE. Got a great room rate and free upgrade at the Hampton Inn in Pauls Valley, OK on our drive down to Texas.   Thirteen hours drive from Chicago.    Enough for one day.

And the reveal:
58. Using coercion, as shown in this puzzle's circles: TWISTING ONE'S ARM.   Arm was "twisted" in each of the five theme answers.


Across:

1. Swampy spots: BOGS.   Fens.

5. Hopeless case: GONER.

10. Zoo structure: CAGE. 

14. Pinza of "South Pacific":  EZIO.

15. Verdi aria translating to "It was you": ERI TU.

16. Gem from Australia: OPAL.

20. Flying nocturnal predator: OWL.   DW was driving and I was reading clues.  She guessed bat. 

21. Good, in Grenoble: BON.

22. "Makes sense to me": I SEE.

23. Decide not to use: PASS ON.

29. Israeli port: HAIFA.  The other three major seaports are Ashdod, Elat, and Hadera.

31. Sneezer's need: TISSUE.

35. Charlemagne's realm: Abbr.: HRE.  Holy Roman Emperor, 800-814

36. Pampered: DOTED ON.

37. Part of EDT: EASTERN Daylight Time.

41. Juillet's season: ETE.   French for summer or summertime.

44. Online financial site: E-TRADE.

48. Cuba __: rum drink: LIBRE.    TinBeni's favorite clue today. 

51. "The party's been canceled": IT'S OFF.

55. Cocktail party spread: PATE.  pâ·té

56. Seagoing pronoun: HER.

57. Extinct emu-like bird: MOA.

Flightless Birds at Lostzoo.com

63. Northern neighbor of Chile: PERU.

64. "This I Promise You" band: NSYNC.
NSYNC received its name after Justin Timberlake's mother commented on how "in sync" the group's singing voices were. The group's name is also a play on the last letter of each of the initial members' names: JustiN, ChriS, JoeY, JasoN, and JC. (Wikipedia)



65. First chip in: ANTE.

66. Escalator part: STEP.

67. Storied granter of wishes: GENIE.

68. Neither winning nor losing: TIED.

Down:

1. Charlie Parker jazz genre: BEBOP.

2. Longtime Boston Symphony conductor: OZAWA.  Seiji

3. Brownies, e.g.: GIRLS.

4. Weep loudly: SOB.

5. Apache chief: GERONIMO.

6. Algerian port: ORAN.  One of nine major seaports in Algeria, but the one we see most often in crossword puzzles.

7. Matchstick-removing game: NIM.   I'd never heard of this game, except for in crosswords.

8. Internet sales, collectively: E-TAIL.

9. Rushes toward: RUNS AT.

10. Apple pie-making gadgets: CORERS.

11. Wild way to go: APE.

12. Four qts.: GAL. Four quarts make a gallon.   Four fifths make 80 %.

13. Building add-on: ELL.

18. On the ferry: ABOARD.

19. Moore of "Ghost": DEMI.

24. Actress Elisabeth: SHUE.

25. Grill fuel: GAS.

26. Irish actor Milo: O'SHEA.

27. Spicy Indian dish: CURRY.

28. Excited about, with "on": KEEN.  Fervent. 

30. Vampire tooth: FANG.

32. __ voce: softly: SOTTO.

33. Southern New Mexico county: OTERO.

34. Prefix with sphere: HEMI. 

36. Woodland grazer: DEER.

38. Atmosphere, as of a restaurant: AMBIENCE.   Had the best Chicken Genovaise I've ever had at DiBZ in Temple, Texas on Friday evening.  My sister finds the best restaurants.  She says, "I can't cook."   I think she confuses don't and can't. 

39. French existential dramatist: SARTRE.

40. "__ chic!": TRES.

43. Many a micro brew: ALE.

45. Excites: AMPS UP.

46. "Doggone it!": DRAT.

47. Enjoying the bistro, say: EATING.

50. Needing a chill pill: TENSE.

52. Muscat native: OMANI.  Muscat is the capital city of Oman. 

Oman is about the size of Kansas.
"The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered from Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, the nascent sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, although the Sultanate never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al-Said overthrew his father, and has since ruled as sultan, but he has not designated a successor. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world, while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK and US. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with its neighbors and to avoid external entanglements."  Source: CIA World Factbook

53. Strong point: FORTE.  Lake Charles born, Slidell, LA. raised Matt Forte played played running back for the Tulane Green Wave before having a highly productive career in the NFL with the Chicago Bears.   He retired this year.   JJM's daughter studies at Tulane.

54. Widely known: FAMED.

56. Hägar's daughter: HONI.

58. Adorns with Angel Soft, briefly: TPs. Adorns with toilet paper ?  Made me smile.  Fun clue.  Anonymous T, did you get your TPS Report submitted on time ?... with the right cover letter ?

59. Freshly painted: WET.

60. Hothead's emotion: IRE. 

61. MD for women: GYN.

62. Took it easy: SAT.

Vising in Texas.  That's all from me.  See all y'all later n'at !

Here's the grid:

Monday May 7, 2018 Lila Cherry

Theme: BAR MENU (63. List including nachos, sliders, wings, etc. ... and what the starts of the answers to starred clues comprise?)

17A. *Official emergency status: CODE RED. Bar code.

20A. *Angler's skill: FLY CASTING. Barfly.

33A. *#1 hit: CHART TOPPER. Bar chart.

42A. *One who rats to the cops: STOOL PIGEON. Bar stool.

54A. *Floater in a luxurious bath: SOAP BUBBLE. Bar soap.

Boomer here.  

Hello everyone. I know it has been a long week, but I did read most of the comments on Tuesday and I have to say how impressed I was on the messages of grief and condolence for the loss of our friend.

A bit about myself.  My dear mother did the daily crossword in the Minneapolis paper, and had a Dell paperback to help with the clues. Of course, this was back in the day when a computer was something created by IBM and took up 120 cubic feet in an office building. My older sister, Barbara solves two crossword puzzles daily, but of course she graduated with a magna cum laude degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota.  I, on the other hand, took four years of Latin in high school, so I can spell "magna cum laude" and translate it into English.  I have to admit, I do not have the smarts or expertise that most of you have to solve these puzzles, but I don't mind, because I know I can beat most of you in bowling.

However, I can only say how thoroughly impressed I am with the close-knit family that visit this blog daily, and shared their thoughts of the memory of wonderful Argyle. I share your dismay, and of course the terrible loss felt by C.C. and many of all of you. And if any of you stopped in the bar to drown your sorrow, I hope you enjoyed this puzzle.  

Across:

1. "I'm all __ it": "Yes": FOR.

4. Pennies: Abbr.: CTS.

7. "Later, dude": BYE.

10. Mil. strongholds: FTS.

13. Long Island university: ADELPHI. Impressive University.  I wonder if they teach Latin.

15. Demonic laugh: MWAHAHA. I never have heard of this so I Googled it.  Surprise, it's out there.

18. Month that once was eighth: OCTOBER.  Let's see, Decem is 10, Nova is 9, Octo is 8, Septem is 7, so August must be 6?  Or Caesar might have had something to do with month naming.

19. Walked (on): TROD.

22. One getting private lessons: TUTEE. Or a blow on a flute.

24. Go down to defeat: LOSE.

25. __ Martin: Bond's car: ASTON. I think these run into six figures.

28. Garlicky sauce: AIOLI. - WOW, a FIVE letter word with FOUR vowels. Has to be a constructors dream.

32. Frozen over: ICY. No problem spelling this in Minnesota.

39. Venue for exercise swimming: LAP POOL.

41. Old golf club named for its copper alloy-plated face: BRASSIE. This used to be a nickname for a two wood.  I don't think anyone carries a two wood anymore.

44. Spanish Mrs.: SRA.

45. Selassie worshiper: RASTA.

46. Type in: ENTER. Right above shift on most keyboards.

48. Arduous journey: TREK.

51. In style again: RETRO.

58. "__ end up": THIS. I write this on my cereal box so I don't spill in the AM

62. Existing independent of experience, in logic: A PRIORI. Did we have this last week with an abbrev. of a thirty day month??

65. Another year of Time, say: RENEWAL. Favorite slogan of Andersen Windows.

66. "Canyon With Crows" artist Georgia: O'KEEFFE.

67. '60s radical gp.: SDS. Students for a Democratic Society.

68. Antlered beast: ELK. We have lots of deer in Minnesota, but the Elks are all in the bar at the lodge.

69. Opposite of ENE: WSW. White Sidewalls group similar to Sha Na Na

70. Birthday gift for a tot: TOY. "It went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped and whirrrrr when it stood still.  I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will...."

Down:

1. Almanac item: FACT.

2. Smell often funky: ODOR. Had this word a few weeks ago. Reminds me of Texas Ranger Rougned

3. Decorate anew: REDO.

4. Basic technique in EMT training: CPR.  I think CPR is cardio pulmonary resuscitation, however when I see EMT I still think of thinwall conduit.

5. Stealing: THEFT.

6. Move laterally: SIDLE.

7. Coll. hotshot: BMOC. Bring My Own Cola ??

8. Female leadership org.: YWCA.

9. Grub: EATS. Law and Order - Emil Skoda (J.K. Simmons on the Farmers Insurance commercials) calls food "Grub" 

10. One-named Milanese model: FABIO.

11. If-__: conditional statements: THENS.

12. NCO nickname: SARGE. Many enlisted men had other nicknames for their sergeants.

14. Resulted in: LED TO.

16. "MASH" nickname: HOT LIPS. Great movie, Great TV show, Margaret Houlihan

21. Wine label number: YEAR.

23. 7-Up nickname: UNCOLA.

25. Afflicts: AILS.

26. Ella's style: SCAT.

27. Wrong-key error: TYPO. This was a problem for my big fingers on the old Smith Corona.  No big deal any more with a "delete" key.

29. Beatles' "Let __": IT BE. "When I find myself in times of trouble..."

30. Other, in Oaxaca: OTRO.

31. Car borrowed from a dealer: LOANER. They used to loan them to you, now I think they rent them to you.

34. One-footed jumps: HOPS. Beer ingredient

35. Landed: ALIT.

36. Whispered "Hey!": PSST.

37. The Auld Sod: EIRE. I have not heard of Auld Sod, but I think this is Ireland.

38. Stern area: REAR.

40. Trademark Buster Keaton hat with a culinary name: PORK PIE.  Buster was before my time, sorry

43. Clothing: GARB.

47. "I didn't do it": NOT ME. Wouldn't it be Not I?

48. Nicholas II was the last of them in Russia: TSARS.

49. Caught, as dogies: ROPED.

50. Gets by working: EARNS.

52. "Funny bone" spot: ELBOW. When it gets whacked, it's not too funny

53. Hardwood trees: TEAKS.

55. Boxer Riddick: BOWE.

56. It borders Siberia in the game of Risk: URAL. Reminds me of a Seinfeld where Kramer is playing Risk with Newman.

57. Defraud: BILK.

59. Strain to lift: HEFT.

60. Recon collection: INFO.

61. Chop __: SUEY. C.C. insists that most American so called "Chinese food" has never been served in China.

64. Remote button with left-pointing arrows: Abbr.: REW.

Boomer

Sunday May 6, 2018 Pam Amick Klawitter

Theme: "Where Have You Gone?" - U is removed from each theme entry.

27A. Soil expert's observations?: CLOD FORMATIONS. Cloud formation.

44A. Contest where anglers compete while jogging on the shore?: TROT FISHING. Trout fishing.

 

68A. Where all the Aberdeen lads get together?: BOY SCOT JAMBOREE. Boy scout jamboree.

93A. Knee-socks, essentially: HALFWAY HOSE. Halfway house.

113A. Adventurous Centennial State motto?: BOLDER COLORADO. Boulder, Colorado.

14D. Like the studio forced to quit making 007 movies?: OUT OF BONDS. Out of bounds.

73D. How some insects get their news?: WORD OF MOTH. Word of mouth.

We have 7 themers today, totally 85 theme squares. Relatively light. Rich's minim requirement is 84 squares.

Classical pinwheel design. Two themers in the Down slots. Would be wonderful if there were no straying U's in the grid. But sometimes grid does not allow it. The fill is so clean.

In case you missed last time, read this article about Pam.

Across:

1. Hogwarts' Mrs. Norris is one: CAT. Here she is.

The Real Mrs. and Mr. Norris

4. Long-dist. threat: ICBM. InterContinental Ballistic Missile.

8. Night vision?: DREAM. Sweet clue.

13. Bed covering: SOIL. Nice too.

17. Wearer of hot pants?: LIAR.

19. Milhous : Nixon :: __ : Garfield: ABRAM.

21. Goosebump-inducing: EERIE.

22. Big wind: TUBA. Also 60. Penetrating wind: OBOE. Wind instrument.

23. One of the British?: ISLE. British Isles.

24. Progressive rival: GEICO. We're using Progressive.

25. Common sights on Roman roads: FIATS. Hilly Rome. 

26. Louisiane, par exemple: ETAT.

30. Fully enjoys: SAVORS. Picard, egg rolls (spring rolls) are popular in Guangzhou, but not in other parts of China.

32. Alaska's __ Peninsula: KENAI.

33. Kid's backyard apparatus: SWING SET. There's an Amish carpenter in our flea market. He makes rustic swing sets.

35. "What's the __?": DIF.

36. Pixar clownfish: NEMO. Ellen voiced Dory, that's all I recall.

39. Grafton's "__ for Outlaw": O IS.

40. Tiny shape-shifters: AMOEBAS. Not E-ending.

49. Musical array: TONES.

51. Tokyo sash: OBI. Theses are called Yukata. Casual Kimonos.

52. Debtor's list: IOUS.

53. Highlands group: CLAN.

54. Sumatran swingers: ORANGS. I use the full name Orangutans.

56. It might be square: KNOT.

57. Sudoku box fillers: Abbr.: NOS.

58. Tennis garb: SKORTS. Followed by 61. Steffi's tennis-playing spouse: ANDRE. Also 55. Aviator __ Garros, French Open stadium namesake: ROLAND

62. In the know: ASTUTE.

64. Show eager anticipation: DROOL.

66. In vogue, with "the": LATEST.

72. Logo on many sneakers: SWOOSH. This pair looks nice.

74. __ roll: HONOR.

75. Prepare to ride, in a way: SADDLE.

79. Coral Sea sight: ATOLL.

80. She plays Hermione in "Harry Potter" films: EMMA. Watson.

83. Big-headed club: DRIVER.

85. Rocket end?: EER. Rocketeer. Similar clues in 47. Basic finish?: HARD C. The last letter in Basic. 56. Knock follower?: KNEED. Knock-kneed. Also 82. Start to print?: MIS.

86. Spanish muralist: SERT. Jose Maria Sert.

87. Vegas table postings: LIMITS.

89. It feels like forever: AEON.

90. IRS enforcers: T MEN.

91. "Mansplain" was added to it in Jan. 2018: OED. Here is Wiki's explanation of Mansplaining (a blend of the word man and the informal form splaining of the verb explaining) means "(of a man) to comment on or explain something to a woman in a condescending, overconfident, and often inaccurate or oversimplified manner".

92. Reward units: MILES.

96. Jupiter's locale: FLORIDA. Not the planet.

98. Bad in Barcelona: MAL. I thought it's only French for "bad".

99. Boring: SLOW.

100. Wide companion: FAR. Far and wide.

101. Cafés and such: EATERIES.

106. K, to Kay: KARAT. Kay Jewelers.

110. Tried to sink, maybe: RAMMED.

116. Greek love god: EROS. AMOR in Latin.

117. All together: AS ONE.

119. "That's really spiffy!": NEATO.

120. Long journey: TREK.

121. __ noire: BETE.

122. Barbie's original bestie: MIDGE.

123. Rx: SCRIP.

124. Ward of "Sisters": SELA.

125. Spa sounds: AAHS.

126. __ corps: PRESS.

127. Detective Dick's love: TESS.

128. King of Spain: REY. The REY and his wife.

Down:

1. Select from a menu, with "on": CLICK.

2. Divider of rows: AISLE.

3. Prey grabber: TALON. Also 78. Seaside glider: ERNE. Spitzboov once linked a fantastic video.

4. Scheming Shakespearean soldier: IAGO.

5. Trucker, often: CBER.

6. Overflows (with): BRIMS.

7. Rain forest parrot: MACAW.

8. Clears of condensation: DEFOGS.

9. Bit attachments: REINS.

10. Clean the slate: ERASE.

11. Island in the stream: AIT. Sometimes it's CAY.

12. Barracks break: MESS.

13. Paul's "Ebony and Ivory" partner: STEVIE. Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

15. Strong support: I BAR.

16. Bodybuilder's pride: LATS.

18. Tiny stingers: RED ANTS.

20. Formal proposal: MOTION.

28. Feudal land: FIEF.

29. Architect Jones: INIGO.  No idea. I do know the "The Princess Bride" INIGO though.

31. Bothersome goings-on: ADOS.

34. Ugli, for one: TANGELO. Oo seems to be fond of tangelos.

37. Doctored drinks: MICKEYS.

38. Nobel Institute city: OSLO. What a mess.

41. TV Drs. Isles and Quincy: MES. Medical Examiners. Did not know former. Dr. Maura Isles of Rizzoli & Isles.

42. Pull the plug: ABORT.

43. Web destination: SITE.

44. Barrett of S Club 7: TINA. Unfamiliar with  S Club 7 or the singer.

45. Outback bounders: ROOS.

46. Force out of office: OUST.

48. Singer's cue: INTRO.

49. You might pick one up in a bar: TAB.

50. See 95-Down: ONO. 95. With 50-Down, "Double Fantasy" artist: YOKO.

58. Diner perch: STOOL.

59. To make sure: SO THAT.

61. Shed __: A TEAR.

63. Pipe fastener: U BOLT.

65. Eduardo's eye: OJO.

67. Storehouse: ARSENAL.

69. Percussionist who worked with Prince: SHEILA E. Her surname is Escovedo.

70. Fable lesson: MORAL.

71. Terse: BRIEF. Like Santa's emails.

72. "__ Magnolias": 1989 film: STEEL.

76. Floor model: DEMO.

77. Popular jeans: LEES. I like Kohl's Mudd.

79. Beginning: AS OF.

81. Fr. title: MME.

84. Altar exchange: VOWS.

87. Top at Starbucks: LID.

88. Glass fragment: SHARD.

90. Stymies: THWARTS. Consonants-rich.

92. Muck partner: MIRE. Muck and mire is a new expression to me.

94. "War of the Worlds" invaders: ALIENS.

97. Big name in pharaohs: RAMSES.

98. Wild fights: MELEES. Been a long winter, but nice and quiet in our neighborhood. I dread the noisy summer MELEES, esp when gun is involved.

102. Residence: ABODE.

103. Ice bucket accessory: TONGS.

104. Walking tall: ERECT.

105. __ tactic: SCARE.

107. More valuable, in some cases: RARER.

108. One-named singer: ADELE.

109. Wine from Hungary: TOKAY.

110. Portrayer of the first female Colonel Sanders, familiarly: REBA.

111. Geometry figure: AREA.

112. Needing a little more drying time: DAMP.

114. Publisher Chandler: OTIS.

115. Prunes: LOPS.

118. Title for Elton: SIR.

Here is a picture of Dave2 holding a special birthday cake pie baked by his friend and caretaker Lynn. He said "Start with a pecan pie made with honey. Add chocolate bits, and place ingredients in a graham cracker crust. While baking the crust migrates into the liquid, et voila, a delicious cake pie."

Thanks again for your kind words and sweet memories of Santa. They're comforting and heart-warming to Jennifer, Klista, all Santa's close friends and his family. It's great seeing our old regulars back. The power of Santa!

From now on, Boomer and TTP will blog our Monday and Tuesday puzzles, as they did the past two months. Like Argyle, both of them served in the military. Both love golf, bowling and other sports. Both have been quietly helping me for a long time.

C.C.