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

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Jul 9, 2018

Monday July 9, 2018 Gail Grabowski & Bruce Venzke

Theme: FROM TIME TO TIME (48. On occasion ... and how 20-, 25- and 43-Across go?) - Both words can follow "Time".

20A. Self-inking device for check endorsements: SIGNATURE STAMP. Time signature. Time stamp.

25A. Coins-for-bills device: CHANGE MACHINE. Time change. Time machine.

43A. Interval before late fees apply: PAYMENT PERIOD. Time payment. Time period.

Boomer here. 

I hope you all took the time to celebrate Independence Day.  There were a few people in our neighborhood with illegal noisy fireworks keeping us awake, and scaring animals and babies. We displayed our flag from Spitzboov for the morning, but had to pull it in when a big storm hit. Happy 242nd birthday USA.

C.C. August 16, 2010
Across:

1. Driver with a meter: CABBY.  Most are great people, but once in a while you may get a crabby cabby.

6. Ships, to captains: SHES.

10. Fraternal letters seen under antlers: BPOE.  Elks Lodge members. Great for cheap cocktails and pull tabs.  (Always for charities).

14. City near Orlando: OCALA.

15. Mani mate: PEDI. For those who need a cure for something.

16. Classify in order of importance: RANK. Many ranks in the military, but sometimes rank can mean a bitter taste or smell.

17. Former TWA rival: PAN AM.  This is an amazing story.  Pan American Airlines began in 1927.  I am not sure if there were even airports then.  But they ceased operations in 1991.  That was a tough era for airlines and many 747s hit the used plane lots.

18. Hulk's emotion: RAGE.

19. Sommer of Hollywood: ELKE.  Elke called Zsa Zsa a fat butt, so Zsz Zsa called Elke a broke has been.  Where was the World Wrestling Entertainment Vince McMahon for this feud?

23. Stubble spot: CHIN.  Open the door and let me in, Not by the hair of my Chinny Chin Chin.  Then I'll huff and I'll puff and blow your house in.

24. Ankle pic: TAT.  I see these on ankles, arms and other body parts.  Okay for some, not for me.

31. Most loyal: TRUEST.

33. Poet Ogden: NASH. Who can forget American motors Nash Rambler?  My folks had one in the fifties.  I had a Rambler's offspring, an AMC Pacer in the seventies.

34. Put coins in, as a parking meter: FED.  Neat word "Put".  Can be past, present or future tense.

35. Goes public with: AIRS.  CNN and MSNBC do this.  Others just Tweet.

36. Say further: ADD.

37. Not timid: BOLD.

38. "Are You the One?" network: MTV.  I have about 120 channels (or more).  Never need to watch MTV.  I am too old.

39. In __: as originally placed: SITU.  I was not familiar with this word.  I always just used "Where it's at".

41. Entirely: WHOLLY.

46. Western treaty gp.: OAS.

47. What some eyeglasses lack: RIMS.  Okay, I have heard the term, but I object.  Even the lenses have rims.

55. Airline known for tight security: EL AL.  I have not seen an EL AL plane at MSP.  I suppose if you need to travel to Tel Aviv you need to change planes in New York.

56. Saint Laurent of fashion: YVES.

57. Kidney-related: RENAL.

58. Sonic Dash game publisher: SEGA.  I may have been addicted to Nintendo in the late eighties and early nineties, however I never got into Sega.

59. "__ we forget": LEST.

60. Ernie Banks' nickname: MR CUB.  Number 14 - played shortstop for many years then they moved him to first base when older. Even though the Cubs were losers most years, they had a great tradition.  A ballpark with no lighted field, Wrigley gum available at the concession stand and also already been chewed gum available under most of the ballpark seats.

1955 Topps Doubleheader

61. Tens and twenties: CASH.  Ones, Fives, Fifties and Hundreds are also cash.  My clue would have been "A Boy Named Sue" singer.

62. Biblical twin: ESAU.

63. Etsy transaction, e.g.: E-SALE.  I have never heard of Etsy.  Maybe Ebay would be too easy of a clue, but what the heck, it is Monday.

Down:

1. Body cam-wearing law enforcers: COPS.

2. Berry promoted as a superfood: ACAI. Some kind of berry from a palm tree. Sounds like something I cannot afford and would not like anyway. This is why we have a forum - anyone who has eaten Acai, let's hear about it !

3. Explosion sound: BANG.  Heard quite a bit too many last Wednesday.

4. Scalds briefly in water, as tomatoes: BLANCHES.  Wow, I have never blanched tomatoes, maybe potatoes though.

5. Steinway competitors: YAMAHAS.  I always equate Steinway with expensive pianos, and Yamaha with keyboard organs.  However I think they are more well known for Motorcycles and ATV's.

6. Got out of jail: SPRUNG.  Spring has sprung, the grass has riz' -- etc.

7. Catch wind of: HEAR.

8. Slight advantage: EDGE. A Ford SUV that most can afford.

9. Midday snoozes: SIESTAS. I think this is a Spanish word that every person in the world adopted when they needed a nap.

10. A mint may freshen it: BREATH. Kind of a Tic Tac clue.

11. Front of the hand: PALM.  Also a tree with ACAI berries.

12. Like a GI doing dishes: ON KP.  Been there, done that.

13. Barely manage, with "out": EKE.

21. Sunroof coloring: TINT.  Automakers think of everything.  I have never had a vehicle with a sun roof.

22. Dash gauge: TACH.

25. Like winding roads: CURVY.  Also like Elke Sommer.

26. Turn out to be: END UP.

27. Steamed up: MAD.  Reminds me of a goofy magazine in the 60s. Alfred E. Neuman was featured in every issue.  I just remember a parody of Richard Nixon sung to the tune of "Tit Willow" regarding the TV debates of 1960.

"In a house by the Ocean Dick Nixon rang out, singing TV, damn TV, damn TV.
And I said to him Dickie boy, why do you shout, singing TV, damn TV, damn TV.
Is it westerns you hate so immensely I cried, Do those private eye shows hurt you deep down inside?
None of those it's those lousy debates he replied, TV, damn TV, damn TV.

 https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/xxx-d01-mad-alfred-18.jpg


28. "Too rich for my blood": I FOLD. When you have a full house or better,  don't go crazy.  Keep the bets within reason until the end and keep more players (and their money) in the game.

29. "Little" Dickens girl: NELL. Hang on the bell Nellie. Hang on the bell.  Your poor Daddy's locked in a cold prison cell.  (Chad Mitchell Trio)

30. Drain phenomenon: EDDY.

31. Pipe tobacco packer: TAMP.  I smoked a pipe for a short time about 20 years ago.  If you stuffed the tobacco too tightly, it did not burn right.

32. Grammy winner Coolidge: RITA.


36. Public defender, for one: Abbr.: ATT.  Probably the largest communications company in the world.

37. Ardent fans: BOOSTERS. Rah, Rah, Rah for Sky U Mah.

39. Line on Levi's: SEAM.

40. Fashionable: IN STYLE.  "In Style" is a magazine full of beauty tips.  You can find it in many waiting rooms and salons.  You do not need to subscribe if you are already beautiful.

41. Habeas corpus, e.g.: WRIT.

42. Boyfriend's ultimatum: HIM OR ME. - Sounds like a social problem.

44. Dough in a wallet: MOOLAH. Ones, fives, tens, twenties, fifties. Hundreds if you're Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, or an NBA player.

45. 1974 hit with a Spanish title meaning "You are": ERES TU.

48. Cause of a dog's excessive scratching: FLEA. We used to do flea markets, but fleas were not sold there.

49. Tattered cloths: RAGS.  You may have gone from rags to riches, if you are Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, or an NBA player

50. Currier's colleague: IVES.  Just hear those sleigh bells ring a ling,,,

51. Walled land formation: MESA.

52. Machu Picchu dweller: INCA. Jimmie Durante - Inca Dinka Doo.

53. Treat roughly: MAUL.

54. Hamburg's river: ELBE.  My post was in Hardheim, Germany.  Not very close to Hamburg and the Elbe River.

55. PC "Oops!" key: ESC.

Boomer

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Anon-T (Tony), who labored many hours to write a program for our blogging team. We're so grateful, Tony (and TTP)! Thanks for being so caring and kind to everyone on our blog.


 
At Wit's End near Carmel on Father's Day 2017

Jul 8, 2018

Sunday July 8th, 2018 Victor Barocas

Theme: "Straight A's" - What AAA is, to each of the four cross-referenced entries.
 
23A. One who has blown a gasket, perhaps: STRANDED MOTORIST.

39A. AAA, to a 23-Across: EMERGENCY SERVICE.

56A. Old recording accessory: VCR REMOTE.

58A. AAA, to a 56-Across, usually: BATTERY SIZE. Nice that the first two sets of theme entries are placed consecutively.

77A. North Carolina baseball team: DURHAM BULLS.

93A. AAA, for the 77-Across: MINOR LEAGUE LEVEL.

79A. Office builder?: MICROSOFT.

113A. AAA, for 79-Across: BOND CREDIT RATING.

We've seen many Definition type puzzles. None with this cross-referencing twist. Neat twist. 

Total 104 theme squares. Rich's minimum is 84. So, quite a lot to deal with. 

Most of you know Victor Barocas from our Minnesota Crossword Tournament, which was canceled this year. 
C.C., Tom Pepper, George Barany, Victor Barocas, Michael David & David Liben-Nowell



Across:

1. Derby town: EPSOM.

6. One of 256 in a gal.: TBSP.

10. Davis of "Dr. Dolittle": OSSIE. Ruby Dee's husband.

15. Pale tone: ECRU.

19. Bread in a Hillel sandwich: MATZO. Never had it.


20. Learn: HEAR.

21. __ William Scott of "American Pie" films: SEANN. Unfamiliar to me. Wiki says he was born in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.



22. Second person in Paris?: VOUS. Cute clue.
26. Top-notch: A-ONE.

27. Livestock identifier: EAR TAG.

28. Greek vowel: ETA.

29. Jay or A: ALER. American Leaguer. Gluey. Oh, but TTP, I was so impressed that you remember my old avatar. It's not Joe Mauer though. It's Justin Morneau. They were the hugely poplular M & M Boys when I started this blog.

30. Dr.'s hours, e.g.: SKED.

31. Soviet Union : Salyut :: USA : __: SKYLAB. I only know Mir.

33. Inventor Whitney: ELI.

35. Classic fruity drinks: NEHIS.

37. Living area in "The Martian," with "the": HAB. No idea, but happy for the new clue.

45. Chilly: ALOOF.

48. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.

49. One-time Jets home: SHEA.

50. Indiana Jones' real first name: HENRY. Learning moment.

51. "House" star Hugh: LAURIE. He also wrote this book. Great reviews on Amazon.


53. Friend to Tarzan: APE.

54. "Three and out" football play: PUNT.

55. Shell propeller: OAR.

62. Pre-op test: EKG.

63. Wrath: IRE.

64. Friend of Che: FIDEL.

65. Brontë sister: EMILY.

66. "The cookies are done!" sound: DING. Anyone tried these Danish cookies?


68. Religious acts: RITES.

69. Like some ukes: OVAL.

70. Baggy: LOOSE. I need to tell you about this crazy trend: upside down jeans. Look at the price tag.



72. First name in sci-fi: JULES.

73. School opening?: PRE. Preschool.

74. Faux __: PAS.

82. Convoy member: RIG.

83. Pop singer Brickell: EDIE.

84. Debtor's letters: IOU.

85. Adverb in the "Star Trek" intro: BOLDLY. "... to boldly go where no one has gone before..."


86. Rock with bands: AGATE. Drew a blank.


89. Put on a mission: SEND.

90. Wanton want: LUST

92. Like the center of attention: FOCAL.

97. Frehley of Kiss: ACE.


98. Dismal, poetically: DREAR.

99. Sgt.'s underling: PVT.

100. Stills, say: IMAGES.

103. Transit map dot: STOP.

105. 1003, to Tiberius: MIII.

108. Verdi's "__ tu": ERI. Meaning "It was you".

110. Copy illegally: PIRATE.

112. "Daily Planet" byline name: LANE.

117. MLBer with 696 home runs: A-ROD.

118. Fist fight fists: DUKES.

119. Soothing agent: ALOE. My aloe developed root rot problem. This plant is surprisingly fragile.

120. Prisoner's place, in an 1894 adventure novel: ZENDA.  "The Prisoner of Zenda"


121. Snowblower brand: TORO. Based here in MN.

122. Thus far: AS YET.

123. Are inclined: TEND.

124. Rye blight: ERGOT.

Down:

1. Common core?: EMS. Just the letters in Common.

2. Liver spread: PATE.

3. European Parliament meeting city: STRASBOURG. Madame Tussaud was born here. Wiki further states that "Strasbourg is one of the de facto capitals of the European Union (alongside Brussels and Luxembourg), as it is the seat of several European institutions, such as the Council of Europe".

4. Missouri's __ Mountains: OZARK.

5. "Spamalot" name: MONTY.

6. What's "afoot," to Holmes: THE GAME.

7. Home for a tulip: BED.

8. Likewise, with "the": SAME.

9. Doolittle, to Higgins: PROTEGEE.

10. Bear, in Barcelona: OSO.

11. Blood fluids: SERA.

12. Move easily: SAIL.

13. Lacking feeling: INSENSATE. Not a word I use.

14. Major course: ENTREE. Look at this dish Carmen emailed me.




15. Like many a politician's answers: EVASIVE.

16. Deep-fries: COOKS IN OIL. I mostly stir-fry.

17. Mystical character: RUNE.

18. Like many eBay products: USED.

24. Glen relative: DALE.

25. Cooper work: TALE. Does the clue refer to this Cooper?

32. Read the riot act to: BERATE.

34. Big-time: IN SPADES.

36. Title for Kate Middleton, briefly: HRH. Meghan Markle too.

37. Split in two: HALVE.

38. Shakespearean cry of woe: ALACK. Also 47. Shakespearean cry of disgust: FIE.

40. Ready to pick: RIPE.

41. Inclined channels: CHUTES.

42. Streisand title role: YENTL.


43. Nonsensical: CRAZY.

44. Charlotte's Jane: EYRE.

46. Bobby enshrined in a Toronto hall: ORR. Hockey Hall of Fame.

52. "The Monster" rapper: EMINEM.

57. Website suffix: ORG.

58. Small servings: BITES.

59. Surf music feature: REVERB.

60. Sumac of Peru: YMA.

61. RSVP part: SIL.

64. Topped off: FILLED UP.

66. Cry from Homer: D'OH.

67. "Love __ Battlefield": Pat Benatar hit: IS A.

68. Court decision: RULING.

69. Member of Sauron's army, in Tolkien: ORC.

70. Video game brother: LUIGI. Mario's brother.

71. Certain transplant need: ORGAN DONOR.

72. Where Herod reigned: JUDEA.

73. Pope during the French Revolution: PIUS VI. All crossing.

74. Offering downloadable content: PODCASTING. My iPoad went through 3 factory resets in the past few months.

75. Company with a duck in its logo: AFLAC.

76. Flair: STYLE.

77. Nip at a bar: DRAM.

78. "Stop fooling around!": BE SERIOUS. Nice fill.

79. Pouty face: MOUE.

80. Wind-knocked-out sound: OOF.

81. Cal Poly campus site, initially: SLO. OK, San Luis Obispo.

84. Behave cruelly towards: ILL- TREAT.

87. Sea battle weapon: TORPEDO.

88. "I kissed thee __ I killed thee": "Othello": ERE.

91. Trying to resist the rich dessert, say: TEMPTED.

94. Wavelength symbol: LAMBDA. See this explanation. That amplitude is half of what I thought it is. What then do you call the value between the very high to the very low?


95. Even once: EVER.

96. Retreat: LAIR.

101. Barely hit: GRAZE.

102. Food processor?: EATER. Not my BELLY.

103. Venetian blind part: SLAT.

104. Root for a luau: TARO. I made these iconic Singapore Yam Cake last week. I don't know why they call it Yam Cake:

1) It's made of taro root. Not yam.

2) It's steamed. Not baked

3) It's savory. Not sweet.

106. Black: INKY.

107. Output from Rodin's thinker?: IDEE. Just French for "idea".

109. Not in operation: IDLE.

111. Prefix with skeleton: ENDO.

114. Minn. winter hours: CST. Local shout-out.

115. Bromide particle: ION.

116. Gangster's piece: GAT.

C.C.

Jul 7, 2018

Saturday, July 7, 2018, Kyle Dolan

Themeless Saturday by Kyle Dolan

Today celebrates a dessert favorite of my wife of 51 years - The Strawberry Sundae. I think my lovely bride should buy stock in The Driscoll Strawberry Company of Watsonville, California as their products are in our fridge in perpetuity. 

The worst job I ever had in my misspent youth was one my dad got for me without asking - picking strawberries in the hot sun for a dime a pint.

I last had one of Dr. Dolan's themeless wonders in May and this one was just as challenging and fun as that one. Doing puzzles on the computer early in order to get a blog ready lends itself to small errors and I had to correct a cell that would have been okay if I had been using paper and pencil. 



Now let's see what innovative fill Kyle has for us that reflects his job description above.

Across:

1. Shiloh's parents, familiarly: BRANGELINA - Shiloh Pitt-Jolie is the eldest biological child of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie whose portmanteau is BRANGELINA; which ranks right up there with ELHI for me



11. With 15-Across, kind of vehicle: OFF and 15. See 11-Across: ROAD - Hmmm, there's a reason to stay ON ROAD!



14. Regional charm: LOCAL COLOR - We attended a wedding in a vineyard near Venice, Italy where we got a lot of LOCAL COLOR and plenty of a clear liquor that resembled ouzo. 

17. 2005 Cusack/Thornton thriller/comedy, with "The": ICE HARVEST - Rotten Tomatoes says, "Meh"



18. Caramel-filled candy: ROLO

19. Puckish group?: Abbr.: NHL - A wonderful puckish story



20. The Righteous Brothers' "Ebb Tide" wasn't one: DUET - Bobby Hatfield blew the doors off that song alone! It's worth a YouTube visit and so is 34. "Smooth Operator" singer: SADE - Sha DAY and so is 8. Ellington's "__ Song Go Out of My Heart": I LET A.

23. Demise: DEATH - The actual quote and 21. "Really?": IS IT SO? Uh, no, IT was not SO.



25. English house symbolized by a red rose: LANCASTER and 50. Any of the 25-Across kings: HENRY - they ruled for 60 years with Henry IV, V and VI


27. Julia of film: RAUL - RAUL is his first name. He took a turn as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family movie

29. The Jungfrau, e.g.: ALP.

30. Cocktail salt site: RIM - Hey a soldier can just make so many sacrifices 



31. Not abundant: SCANT - Civility in today's political discourse on both sides

33. Put away: ATE - If you ATE one of these 28" pepperoni pizzas in less than an hour, you won $100 and a $100 gift certificate to LW Pizza in Long Beach, CA. Oh yeah, the big pizza would also be free.


35. Great reception: STANDING OVATION 

38. Besmirches: TARS 

39. Asian language: LAO ສະ​ບາຍ​ດີ​, ເຈົ້າ​ສະ​ບາຍ​ດີ​ບໍ່​ sa bai di chao sa bai di bo (Hello, how are you?)

40. As a whole: IN ALL.

41. Type of port: USB - Reading left to right on my MacBook Pro you have a charging port, two thunderbolt ports, a USB port and a port for headphones



42. Thrust producer: FIN - Here's a good caudal fin



43. Some code taps: DITS - Go to this Morse Code Translator site, type in your name in the input section, hit the play button to the right of the Translate box. You'll get visual and audio version of your name in DITS and DOTS!

44. Shell-shaped dessert brand: CHOCO TACO and 48. Ice cream alternative, familiarly: FROYO both look good this time of year



47. A bit less than a quart: FIFTH 

51. Stoolie: CANARY - Not all of them are feathered but can still "sing like a CANARY"



52. Ancient Cuzco resident: INCA.

54. Sushi topper: ROE.

55. Shel Silverstein poem "Hug __": O'WAR - A lovely sentiment 
56. Ball attire: DINNER GOWN.

59. Bob Dylan's musical tribute to his wife: SARA - Okay

60. Company with Wienermobiles: OSCAR MAYER 

62. Chilling account: GHOST STORY- The prefect atmosphere 




Down:

1. Obligatory poker bet: BLIND  - In "flop style" poker, the obligatory BLINDS move around the table with The Button from hand to hand



2. Tamiflu manufacturer: ROCHE.



3. Boston-D.C. service: ACELA  - High speed rail

4. "Sorry": NAH - Sorry is in quotes indicating sarcasm 

5. Feigned enthusiastic greeting: GLAD HAND  - Also called "pressing the flesh" or "working the rope line"



6. Brown family shade: ECRU.

7. Apollo 13 astronaut: LOVELL - In the final scene of the movie Apollo 13, Tom Hanks plays Jim LOVELL and Jim LOVELL as seen here is playing the part of an admiral welcoming the astronauts aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima


Jim Lovell and Tom Hanks in Apollo XIII
9. Crossword clue features: Abbr.: NOS - This one is NO. 9 Down

10. Constitution's ratification section: ARTICLE VII.



11. Root in perfumery: ORRIS  - Into each puzzle, a little learning must fall. This root is used in some perfumes, incense and gin



12. Track through the woods: FOOT TRAIL - This FOOT TRAIL in Yosemite includes this bridge over Kings River

13. Its worship is often forbidden: FALSE IDOL - A FALSE IDOL is in the zealotry of the worshipper

16. Uniformed greeters: DOORMEN - I don't know if you should be proud or ashamed that you remember the TV series that featured Carlton the DOORMAN

22. Easy mark: SAP.

24. Prefix with gender: TRANS.

26. 29-member org.: NATO.

28. Dalmatian, say, to a Brit: UTILITY DOG - Here is a Dalmatian serving a UTILITARIAN role in a famous venue



31. Store safely: STASH AWAY  - I did STASH AWAY my 1950's baseball cards but when mom and dad moved... 

32. Rich pasta dish: CARBONARA - How 'bout some shrimp CARBONARA? 61. "Woo-hoo!": YAY.



33. Long __: AGO.

34. GDR spy group: STASI - The former headquarters of this brutal and repressive organization is now a museum in Berlin



35. Applies plaster to: STUCCOS.

36. Darling pooch: NANA - A picture of NANA the dog with the Darling children in an illustration by an unknown artist for Scottish author J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan



37. Formicaria: ANT FARMS  - ...and the learning just keeps on happening



42. Supporting: FOR.

43. Prima __: DONNAS - (Prima Doggies)



45. Longtime name in baseball broadcasting: CARAY  - A truly iconic, if not always accurate (or some say sober), broadcaster who was famous for this musical interlude



46. Half of diez: CINCO - La mitad de las diez es CINCO (1/2 of ten is five)

49. Lookout position: TOWER - Testing what can be seen from the guard towers



53. Dead __: very likely thing, to a Brit: CERT - Couldn't find it in here:



57. Sorta relative: ISH.

58. Noir weapon: GAT - Pistol also Rod, Roscoe or Heater

Make a  comment and then get out the ice cream, strawberries, whipped cream (Cool Whip at our house) and a cherry 


DA GRID: