Saturday, August 11, 2018, Samuel A. Donaldson

Themeless Saturday Puzzle by Samuel A. Donaldson

This second Saturday in August gives me a chance for a nice homage to a wonderful bowler and blogger, Doug "Boomer" Burnikel. We have all enjoyed his tales from the alleys along with his witty and wise blog commentary.  

My engagement in this sport stems from my family's participation starting with my dad's bowling upstairs in alleys that still had pin boys to mom and dad bowling in a mixed league with Joann and me. Our girls played a lot of Pacman, etc. while we carved out very mediocre scores on the lanes. Unfortunately this was during the time smoking was still allowed and clothes had to be hung outside to get rid of the odor.

Today's constructor is Samuel A. Donaldson, a lawyer in Atlanta GA. Here is Samuel in a 2009 interview with C.C. 

Across:

1. Lower one's credit rating?: LOSE FACE - I struggled with this a bit and finally surmised this is the credit at issue.

9. Complain. All. The. Time.: YAMMER  - Loud and sustained repetitive noise that can people to 14. Feel offended by: RESENTment

15. Accessory seen in a loge: OPERA HAT - I know the one on the left is correct but doncha just love the one on the right made from paper plates?

16. Scour, say: ABRADE - Has made some recent visits here

17. Soft drinks with lime juice: VIRGIN DAIQUIRIS - A lovely looking refreshment sans rum (correction)

19. Cash bar?: INGOT - Here we see some in Fort Knox

20. Investment option: PUT - This is all you're getting from me 22. "Likewise no": NEITHER DO I - My answer if you say , "I don't understand puts and calls"

21. Short way?: RTE.

26. "The Da Vinci Code" priory: SION - A secret society formed in 1099 whose members included Da Vinci, Victor Hugo, Botticelli and Newton

27. Miracle-__: GRO - The "secret sauce" for my master gardener wife's lovely yard and garden

28. Feel pity: BLEED  - I would change pity to allegiance for this billboard in Lincoln

29. Water conduit: SPOUT and 30. Water holders: PAILS - All right, who filled my PAIL with water from the SPOUT?

31. Great guy?: SCOTT.

32. "I'll have the last laugh!": JUST YOU WAIT - Liza sings of her impending revenge on Professor 'enry 'iggins

34. Prairie home: TEPEE.

35. Internet annoyance: TROLL in a medium full of 2. Contributor of two cents: OPINERS, there are going to be some online just YAMMERING about one thing or another 

36. Just passed: GOT A D 

37. Longest river in France: LOIRE - From the French Alps to the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean)

38. What's worn when you're out?: PJ'S - Optional

41. One often thrown from a horse: ROPE - Seems cruel to me. BTW, I'm probably the only one who put DUDE first. 

42. Exorcist's concern: POSSESSION - You can google the bedroom scene from The Exorcist is you like. Yikes!

44. "WWE Raw" airer: USA - I am not a fan of these quasi athletic soap operas on steroids but am fine with people who are

45. __ Four: FAB - Yes,when I was 18,  I was one of the millions who tuned into The Ed Sullivan Show on this February, 1964 night to watch them. The sight and sound of the boys AND the audience are incredible.

46. Solemn song: DIRGE  

47. Many UFO videos: DOCTORED FOOTAGE - This CGI generated fakery from Mexico is called Objeto Volador No Identificado

52. Small racer: GO KART.

53. What "instant" may mean: ADD WATER 

54. Happens next: ENSUES  - Lucy and Ethel get a job and hilarity ENSUES in this famous scene

55. Cocky walks, maybe: SAUNTERS - Mick Jagger 


Down:

1. Member of TLC: LOVING - My first instinct was TENDER or LOVING but thought that was too easy for Saturday and so I tried to recall the names of the female singing group and all I could think of was "Left-Eye"

3. Artist Aragonés of Mad: SERGIO  - Famous for his wordless cartoons, he has been in over 450 Mad Magazine editions

4. Grain bane: ERGOT - esoteric agricultural term

5. Like some private school curricula: FAITH-BASED - My youngest daughter is employed in just such an institution 

6. Philip __, first Asian-American film actor with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star: AHN - An American-born actor of Korean parents, he has a very long list of roles including Mr. Kim the tailor in M*A*S*H

7. Two-timer: CAD.

8. American posting, for short: ETA - American Airlines Estimated Time of Arrival

9. Arizona people: YAQUI - Unknown to me

10. Touch: ABUT - An unfortunate juxtaposition of words today?

11. ER test: MRI - Upside? Accurate diagnoses. Downside? Big time claustrophobia. 

12. Omni alternative: MARRIOTT.

13. Bleep: EDIT OUT - Encourages lip reading when someone 31. Cursed: SWORE on TV

18. Player for a 39-Down: IPOD worn by a 39. One on the run: JOGGER.

23. Type type: ELITE - Pica and ELITE were our only two choices in my ute

24. Fall back (on): RELY.

25. FireDome and Fireflite: DESOTOS  - My small hometown was 98% Ford or GM cars with the occasional Plymouth. Nary a DESOTO

26. Give away, in a way: SPOIL - What, Bob Newhart wakes up back in Chicago and the New Hampshire Inn was just a dream? Way to SPOIL it!

29. Pares proportionately: SCALES DOWN - If 10% of the workers go, so does 10% of management. Right? 

30. Cocoon occupants: PUPAE.


32. Astronaut transports: JETPACKS - Bruce McCandless becomes the first NASA astronaut to fly untethered from his space craft in 1983 (1:08)

33. Leon on many spines: URIS - One of our fav authors with lovely letters

34. "Am I early?": TOO SOON.

36. Unhealthy thing to hold: GRUDGE.

37. Stud site: LOBE  - Ear

38. PNC Park player: PIRATE.

40. Scornful looks: SNEERS.

42. Dealer's supply: PARTS - My _ A R _ S dealer had CARDS at first 

43. Occupy, as a bar: SIT AT  - A posture my dad perfected 

45. "Look out!": FORE - Tiger may not have yelled FORE on this errant shot which hit this man two weeks ago but the guy did get an autographed glove (:14)

48. Fraternity character: TAU.

49. Courtroom VIPs: DA'S - Your fav?

50. OTC drug overseer: FDA.

51. Norfolk sch.: ODU - In Virginia

Hopefully your experience on today's puzzle was a nice as this shot on National Bowling Day

DA GRID:

Friday, August 10, 2018, Chuck Deodene

Title: G where is my twin?

Chuck Deodene is back after another absence, bringing my third Friday opportunity to blog his work. Chuck was first published in the NYT back in 1994, and we saw him initially in 2009. This time he takes two-word phrases with the first word ending with  "G" and the second word beginning with a "G." He then excises the G from the second word and clues the result with amusing consequences. The phrases have nothing in common either before or after the removal of the letter.  The tricky part is noticing that there is a "G" missing. Our brains like FILLING IN THE BLANKS. With 5 themers, 55 squares of theme it is impressive to see added fill CHANGEUP, DEVALUED, EMOTICON, RADIO SET, SHINBONE, and TAG ALONG. Off to see the wizard,,,

18A. Passion for quilt filling?: BATTING GLOVE (11). My grandmother and one of my first cousins quilted. I do not know much about it. LINK. I was a pitcher and did not use a batting glove.

24A. Contest among bank customers?: SAVING GRACE (10). In the US, we are not very good at saving money WORLD MAP but we are not the worst. A saving grace is a good quality or feature in a person or thing that prevents them from being completely bad or worthless. Ageing's one saving grace is you worry less about what people think about you.

38A. Segment of a clogging contest?: STOMPING GROUND (13). I have not been to a competition but have seen a performance each year at the TASTE OF TAMARAC and do not know how many rounds in the CONTEST. Do you have a place where you regularly spend time; a favorite haunt?

51A. Airline passenger's arrival malady?: LANDING GEAR (10). There is a real malady known as AIRPLANE EAR, which is not related to the landing gear.

59A. Female observer?: LOOKING GLASS (11).  Interestingly, a looking glass is a mirror which is often the best friend (worst enemy) of a lass. 

Across:

1. Staples buys: PCS.  We begin with Personal Computers.

4. Pooh-pooh, with "at": SCOFF. This may derive from an Icelandic word skaup. "The superstition of science scoffs at the superstition of faith." Short Studies on Great Subjects by James Anthony Froude.

9. Author Stieg Larsson, for one: SWEDE. He died before his famous trilogy became movies LINK.

14. Deduction cry: AHA. The V-8 moment.

15. "While I've got your attention ... ": OH SAY can you see?

16. Big name in seating: EAMES. This COUPLE designed the eponymous lounge chair.

17. Zip on a field: NIL. A very common score in international football mtches.

20. Fall cause: TRIP.

22. Not heard before: NEW. A new clue for old fill.



23. 1945 summit site: YALTA. So much controversy and so much fallout from this CONFERENCE. 33A. "The buck stops here" president: TRUMAN. He took over for the POTSDAM Conference.

27. __ Road Ensemble, group initiated by Yo-Yo Ma: SILK. Yo-Yo Ma conceived Silkroad in 1998 as a reminder that even as rapid globalization resulted in division, it brought extraordinary possibilities for working together. Seeking to understand this dynamic, he began to learn about the historical Silk Road, recognizing in it a model for productive cultural collaboration, for the exchange of ideas and tradition alongside commerce and innovation. A truly global effort. various.

29. Portaged craft: CANOE. Portage or portaging is the practice of carrying watercraft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a portage. wiki.

30. Needing no Rx: OTC. Over The Counter.

32. Stick in a hall: CUE. Pool hall.

36. Baloney: HOOEY.

41. Jokhang Temple city: LHASA. The Jokhang, also known as the Qoikang Monastery, Jokang, Jokhang Temple, Jokhang Monastery and Zuglagkang, is a Buddhist temple in Barkhor Square in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet.

42. Words spoken with one's hand raised: A TOAST. L'chaim.

43. Corp. bailed out in 2008: AIG. American International Group.

44. Auction set: LOT. Moment of LEARNING.

46. Made hands of: DEALT. Card playing.

49. Swatting target: GNAT.

55. Grass unit: BLADE.

57. Yield from una mina: ORO. A Spanish Gold Mine.

58. Laser-cut, perhaps: ETCH. There is so much I do not KNOW.

62. __ jump: SKI.

63. Unexpressed: INNER. Remember Bradshaw and his inner child?

64. Pulitzer poet Conrad __: AIKEN. Conrad Potter Aiken was born in Savannah, Georgia, on August 5, 1889. When he was a small boy, his father killed his mother and committed suicide himself, a tragedy that had a profound impact on Aiken’s development. He was raised by a great-great-aunt in Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard in 1912, the same period as T. S. Eliot and E. E. Cummings. He won his Pulitzer Prize in 1930, for his Selected Poems.

65. Work hard (for): GUN.

66. Aboveboard: LEGIT.

67. Handle: SEE TO.

68. Ajar, in verse: OPE. I 'ope this does not catch on, even though I like to keep my mind ope'.


Down:

1. Suit part: PANTS.

2. Former French president: CHIRAC. This MAN.

3. DNA sample source: SALIVA. I did the ancestry spit on a stick; results were too vague.

4. Sound with tears: SOB.

5. Pitcher's surprise: CHANGEUP. The changeup is the staple off-speed pitch, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed coupled with its deceptive delivery is meant to confuse the batter's timing. When I was in high school I was a pitcher, and after my best game - a one-hit shutout - the opposing players came up to me to congratulate me on my amazing changeup. I threw all fastballs, just not as fast as they expected.

6. Kitchen brand: OSTER.

7. Mufti issuance: FATWA. Fatwa, in Islam, is a formal ruling or interpretation on a point of Islamic law given by a qualified legal scholar (known as a mufti). wiki. Rabbis do the same thing in Judaism.

8. "Here's the scoop" letters: FYI. For Your Information.

9. Tokyo-based game company: SEGA.

10. They're thin at budget motels: WALLS.

11. Email adornment: EMOTICON. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ﾉ ಠ_ಠ ¯\(°_o)/¯ ( ﾟдﾟ)

12. Weakened, as currency: DEVALUED.

13. Legal add-on: ESE.

19. Siberian freeze-out?: NYET.

21. Mottled equines: PINTOS. PINTO the HORSE.

25. Routine: NORMAL.

26. Crichton novel set in Africa: CONGO.

28. Longboat in Florida, e.g.: KEY. Such beautiful beaches in this AREA.

31. Singled out: CHOSEN.

34. Mazda two-seater: MIATA. A red one sits in the condo parking lot.

35. Hexapod worker: ANT. Six legs.

37. Cause of a blinking "12:00": OUTAGE. A power outage that is.

38. Tibia: SHINBONE. Best I can do.

39. Emulate a little brother, maybe: TAG ALONG.

40. Ham's creation: RADIO SET. Ham radio is back so soon.

41. Tarry: LAG.

45. Author Robert __ Butler: OLEN. “I'll never stop believing it: Robert Olen Butler is the best living American writer, period.” — Jeff Guinn,  LINK. So many books I have never read..

47. Unhands: LET'S GO.

48. Affix to a corkboard: TACK-UP.

50. Castmate of Doohan and Nimoy: TAKEI.

52. "Cross my heart!": NO LIE.

53. Male on a pond: DRAKE. DUCK!

54. View from Schönburg Castle: RHINE. A really cool PLACE.

56. Gossip: DIRT.

59. Diminutive, diminutively: LIL. Abner?

60. Main delivery: GAS. Directly from the gas main.

61. Cold-sounding product prefix: SNO. Cone?

Well, that was a blast. Sometimes simple is good, and and I enjoyed the solve. August is sliding by and I will see you next Friday if the CDR. Lemonade out.

Thursday, August 9th 2018 Jeffrey Wechsler

Theme: ISLE BE BACK - The Terminator's description of today's theme:

16A. Lombardy skiing destination: THE ITALIAN ALPS. Lanai. Lombardy has all sorts going for it, Milan, great food & wine, Lake Como, skiing. No wonder it's beyond my retirement budget. I blame George Clooney for jacking up the prices.

22B. One of many standing in a Mexican bar: TEQUILA BOTTLE. Bali. The tequila would work well in my 48A restaurant "CANTINA BURRATA" below.

36A. Gene Autry Easter song critter: PETER COTTONTAIL. Crete. Unknown critter for me. Another letter-by-letter fill.

48A. Carl Orff opus: CARMINA BURANA. Aruba. Completely unknown to me. I had ***INA BUR*NA at one point, and decided it had to be a restaurant called CANTINA BUR*** and then BURRATA didn't fit. I didn't know the work, but I certainly know "O Fortuna" from the opus. Here's conductor Simon Rattle giving the Berlin Philharmonic the full eyebrow treatment.

Then the reveal:

58A. Vacation spots found in each set of puzzle circles: ISLAND RETREATS. 

Lawks-a-mercy, this was a toughie! I did a speed warm-up with the monthly puzzle in the United Airlines in-flight magazine (a pre-Shortz NYT reprint) and then cracked my knuckles for a quick JW Thursday jaunt. 70 minutes later, I'm still not done. That ALBI/CARMINA/ACS/LAVISH/BRUSHY perfect storm almost did for me. Finally, FINALLY teased it out. That "Congratulations" Mr. Pencil box was never so welcome. Cracking stuff.

Let's see what else gave me wounds to lick this week:

Across:

1. Kvetch's phrase: OY GEVALT! What? Right off the bat. I should have seen the omen for bad things to come.

9. Obstruct: DAM UP. JAM UP? No.

14. Military award phrase: FOR VALOR. This is the Medal of Honor awarded to Sgt. John Randolph "J.R." McKinney. I never knew him nor met him, but his memorial page came up when I was searching for a suitable image to post. He was also awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman's Badge (the, "See, I Been there") during the Pacific campaign in WWII. He passed away aged 76 in 1997. Thank you for your service.

15. Cut out for marriage?: ELOPE

18. Feed bit: OAT

19. "Can I get a word in here?": AHEM?

20. Addams cousin: ITT

27. Merged comm. giant: G.T.E.

29. Large garden ornament: URN

30. Viewed warily: EYED

31. Looks down on: DISDAINS. This caused me a huge problem. I know "DISTAINS" and so "TEN**" was just not revealing a fabric. I stared down that section for a loooooong time. Finally, I thought that maybe it might be a "D". I looked up DISTAIN after I was done, and apparently it's archaic. That ages me quite precisely, I guess.

34. Gas __: TAX

41. Extreme degree: NTH

42. Moot point: NON-ISSUE

43. Toulouse-Lautrec's birthplace: ALBI. Pretty place. This is the Pont Vieux ("Old Bridge"). I like the French literalism. Which begs the question, why isn't he called "Albi-Lautrec"? Toulouse is a good 74Kms away. We should be told.

46. Like -trix, at times: Abbr.: FEM.

47. Brief "I think": IMO

54. "Law & Order: __": SVU. Special Victims Unit, apparently.

55. Boy of la casa: NIÑO

56. Farmers' business: Abbr.: INS. I like the commercials, the always jaunty "We are Farmers, bam-de-bam, bom, bam-bam-bam". The spokesperson in the commercials, actor J.K. Simmons is a regular patron of my local Italian restaurant. It's tough not to sing the hook line when he walks in.

64. Stand out: SHINE

65. Behind closed doors: IN SECRET

66. Publicizes showily: HYPES

67. Car named for a small warship: CORVETTE

Down:

1. Many times o'er: OFT

2. Pirate song snippet: YO, HO! 

Fifteen men on the Dead Man's Chest — 

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! 

Drink and the devil had done for the rest — 

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! 

Robert Louis Stevenson

3. Classic circus adjective: GREATEST

4. Site with clickable RSVPs: EVITE

5. Industrial-sized tank: VAT

6. Helen Keller is on its st. quarter: ALA.

7. Brief chuckle: LOL. Brief, as in abbreviated. Nice clue. First instincts here are HAH! or HAW!

8. Dry run: TRIAL

9. Cygnus' brightest star: DENEB

10. Budget rival: ALAMO

11. Gretchen of "Manchester by the Sea": MOL. I think I saw the movie, but either I gave up on it halfway through, fell asleep or it just didn't register.

12. Presumptuous: UPPITY

13. Mortar's partner: PESTLE. Seems obvious when you fill it in, but my first thought was "BRICKS", closely followed by military ballistics. Considering I used my pestle and mortar more often than bricklaying or aerial bombardment, I wondered why I struggled.

17. Revelation reaction: AHA!

21. "Chopped" host Allen: TED. Gimme. One of my favorite shows, and favorite hosts. He's so classy. Never a bad word to say about anyone.

23. Ice cream buy: QUART

24. "Spenser: For Hire" actor: URICH. I tried URIAH first. Yep, that worked just great.

25. __ particular order: IN NO

26. Student's backpack burden: TEXTS. TESTS/TEXTS. I was wrong at first.

27. Econ. indicator: G.D.P.

28. Exec's accessory: TIE

32. Sturdy fabric: DENIM. I spent about 40 minutes on these nine or ten squares. Paid off in the end, although I'm sure the guy next to me on the plane was wondering if I was trying to solve by sheer stare-down tenacity.

33. RR stop: STN. 

34. Copier need: TONER

35. Jungian archetype: ANIMA

37. Stir-fry staple: TOFU. I use the extra-silky type in pad thai noodles. Tip - pour boiling water over it to drive out the moisture before you fry it. Counter-intuitive I know.

38. Buddha statues, Japanese silk prints, etc.: ASIAN ART

39. Periodic table suffix: -IUM

40. Celestial feline: LEO

43. Carrier products, briefly: ACS. Aircraft from a carrier? AC voltage carried by your power utility company? Appellation d'origine contrôlée wines imported by Robert Carrier? Questions, questions.

44. Profuse: LAVISH

45. Like some hillsides: BRUSHY. Not GRASSY, then. Darn.

49. Ludicrous: INANE

50. Array just before an odometer reaches 100,000: NINES

51. "So?": AND

52. __ acid: BORIC

53. Family member: NIECE

57. Dele canceler: STET

59. Cup rim: LIP

60. Eclectic musician Brian: ENO. Elevators, Roxy Music and U2. Versatile guy, and very useful in crosswords.

61. Original D & D company: TSR. One day, one day I'll remember this.

62. Prepare to drag: REV. As in your engine, before your drag race. Here's the famous start to the race in Grease, filmed here in LA on the not-exactly-bucolic river bed under the 6th Street Bridge.

63. Sault __ Marie: STE.

The seatbelt sign has been on for most of the ride across the country today. I call it "trampolining" when you're bouncing up and down. Amazing the internet cable doesn't get disconnected, eh?

And it's Sierra Tango Echo Victor Echo signing off from 37,000 feet, or 11,280 meters, give or take, in Euro-money.

Here's the grid:

Wednesday, August 8 2018, Bruce Venzke & Gail Grabowski

Theme: GAG ORDER. Ipecac, anyone?

19. Kontinental Hockey League trophy named for an astronaut: GAGARIN CUP. The KHL was created to further the development of hockey throughout Russia and other nations across Europe and Asia. Gagarin Cup.

26. Airport area with carousels: BAGGAGE CLAIM.

38. Planning to wed: ENGAGED. This GAG is perfectly centered in the grid.

46. One arranging gigs: BOOKING AGENT.

54. Joke used repeatedly ... and aptly found in 19-, 26-, 38-, 46- and 54-Across: RUNNING GAG. Running gags in Seinfeld.

Great progressive, or "running" placement of this clever GAG, see?

Across:

1. Game fish: BASS. First thought of the card game, Go Fish.

5. Body wrap spot: SPA. First thought was an injury. Nope.

8. Clams up, with "down": PIPES.

13. Jaunty tune: LILT. Merriam Webster defines it exactly so: "a spirited and usually cheerful song or tune," but I usually think of google dictionary's definition "a characteristic rising and falling of the voice when speaking."

14. Like a dotted note, in mus.: STAC. “Staccato” is an Italian word that means “sharply detached or separated from the other notes.” The symbol to indicate that a note or chord is to be played with a staccato articulation is a dot above or below the note (or chord).

15. Overflowing (with): AWASH.

16. Sign of spoilage: ODOR.

17. Ending with Wal: MART.

18. High-calorie cake: TORTE. Not SHORT. Could be almost anything - not many low-calorie cakes, are there?

22. Wrangler maker: JEEP.

23. Homer's neighbor: NED. The Simpson's - Ned Flanders.

24. Have grand plans: ASPIRE.

31. Pulitzer-winning author James: AGEE. For A Death in the Family. “God doesn't believe in the easy way.”

32. One of a clashing pair, perhaps: EGO. Cute.

33. Gobbled up: EATEN.

37. Moral misstep: SIN.

41. Glorifying homage: ODE.

42. Do a bakery job: KNEAD.

44. Part of pewter: TIN. Pewter contained lead as a hardener until it became widely known that lead can be toxic. It is now typically made of tin, copper, antimony, and bismuth.

45. Olympian warmonger: ARES.

50. 1965 Yardbirds hit: I'M A MAN. Not to be confused with Chicago's tune with the same name.

52. Corrosive substance: LYE.

53. Fruity beverages: ADES.

60. "The Kiss" sculptor: RODIN.

62. Old Royale 8's: REOS.

63. Jessica of "Dark Angel": ALBA.

64. "Ready Player One" novelist Ernest: CLINE.

65. Eye protector: LASH.

66. Clout: PULL.

67. Missouri River tributary: OSAGE.

68. Seeker of intel: SPY.

69. Eye woe: STYE.

Down:

1. Paperless journal: BLOG.

2. "Radames' Letter" musical: AIDA.

3. Trudge (through): SLOG.

4. Off-the-wall: STRANGE.

5. Getz of jazz: STAN. One of the greatest saxophonists of all time. Soul Eyes.

6. Pique-nique place: PARC. Not sure why google translate didn't translate parc to park on the English side.

7. Bona fide: ACTUAL. Latin = in good faith.

8. One way to stand: PAT. Interesting.

9. WWII flag-raising island: IWO JIMA.

10. Peeling gadget: PARER.

11. Big name in makeup: ESTEE.

12. Smith of Fox News: SHEP.

14. Wee bit: SMIDGEN.

20. Stephen of "Counterpart": REA. Spy thriller, on Starz.

21. "Don't text and drive" ad, e.g.: PSA. Public Service Announcement.

25. Mottled: PIED. In the case of the Pied Piper, he wore multi-colored clothing.

26. Enjoy the sun: BASK.

27. Feudin' with: AGIN. Hillbilly glossary.

28. Heredity unit: GENE.

29. Albumen container: EGG.

30. Tropical raccoon relative: COATI.

34. Zoomed: TORE.

35. Garden in a Sistine Chapel mural: EDEN.

36. Source of some tweets: NEST.

38. Genesis kingdom: EDOM.

39. Gimlet liquor: GIN. Gin, lime, and soda.

40. World's third-most spoken language: ENGLISH.

43. Belittling: ABASING.

45. Inevitable generational differences: AGE GAPS.

47. Dinghy implement: OAR.

48. Small knobs: KNURLS.

49. "We the Living" writer Rand: AYN.

50. Megastars: IDOLS.

51. __ blitz: MEDIA.

53. West Coast gas brand: ARCO.

55. Twice-monthly tide: NEAP.

56. Prone to prying: NOSY.

57. Market surplus: GLUT.

58. With skill: ABLY.

59. Powerful wind: GALE.

61. Name change indicator: NEE.

Tuesday, August 7, 2018 Jake Halperin

"Break a Leg"

17. Rare baseball event: TRIPLE PLAY.

24. Antiterrorism legislation of 2001: PATRIOT ACT.

37. Nightlife sphere of activity: CLUB SCENE.

53. Race terminus: FINISH LINE.

62. Theater direction ... and a hint to 17-, 24-, 37- and 53-Across: STAGE RIGHT.

Hmm...

What about.... 65. Actor's part: ROLE ?    Shouldn't this have been part of the theme, and included in 62A ?   Or perhaps edited out ?

I don't know.  I only have a "bit part" to play in this production.  Let's "chew the scenery" while you think about it.

Across:

1. Knock for a loop: AMAZE.

6. "The jig __!": IS UP.

10. Wing measurement: SPAN.

14. The "N" of USNA: NAVAL.   Unites States Naval Academy.   Brief History

15. Beer-brewing mixture: MASH.

16. Taper off: WANE.

19. 28-Across (ONE), in German: EINS. In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus: Eins, zwei, g'suffa!


20. Troubling Nixon records: TAPES.

21. Supermarket walkways: AISLES.

23. Falafel bread: PITA.

28. Single: ONE.

29. Double-helix molecule: DNA.

30. Slake, as thirst: QUENCH.

31. Hardly current: PASSE.  Slake seems hardly current.

33. Bridges of Netflix's "Bloodline": BEAU.

36. Snob's "in the air" body part: NOSE.

40. "That sounds painful": OUCH.  Clecho at 40D.   Thought I broke bones when my footing gave way last Thursday.  Managed to land prone, but my legs didn't clear the scalloped concrete landscape edging.  Large bone contusions on my left femur (golf ball sized) and right tibia (half of a tennis ball) kept me off my legs until Saturday. 

43. Brussels-based defense gp.: NATO.

44. Clear data from: ERASE.

48. Like a damaged atmospheric layer: OZONIC.

50. Letter after pi: RHO.

52. World Series org.: MLB. Major League Baseball.

Full 2018 MLB Predictions at FiveThirtyEight.com

56. Smear, as paint: DAUB.

57. Narrow waterway: STRAIT.

58. Coins of 59-Down: RIALS.

60. All-encompassing: A TO Z.

66. Narrate: TELL.

67. Celebrated chef Ducasse: ALAIN.  I had to read the Wikipedia article on him. That should help the next time his name appears in a puzzle.

68. Intuit: FEEL.

69. Canadian gas brand: ESSO.

70. Big Apple 52-Acr. player: NY MET.

Down:

1. Colony insect: ANT.

2. Tennis great Navratilova: MARTINA.

3. Takes to the skies: AVIATES.  Dudley does this !

4. Frank of avant-garde rock: ZAPPA.

5. Magazine with the column "Ask E. Jean": ELLE.

6. Little devil: IMP.

7. Dinner course, to Heinrich: SALAT.  Recipes for Authentic German Salads

8. TWA rival: US AIR.

9. Body structure: PHYSIQUE.

10. Equal or Splenda: SWEETENER.

11. Italian pal: PAISANO.

12. "Bel Canto" novelist Patchett: ANN.  I had to read the Wikipedia article on her. And the one about the book.  That should help the next time her name appears in a puzzle.

13. Video game letters: NES.  Nintendo Entertainment System

18. Little League broadcaster: ESPN.  One of many amateur and professional sports programs broadcast by the "Worldwide leader in Sports."   ESPN.com is their online portal.

Wilbur Charles, to atone for my July 24th embedding the video of Aaron Boone of the Yankees hitting the dramatic 2003 Game 7 ALCS walk-off home run that eliminated the Boston Red Sox, I offer the following ESPN.com article link:  This just might be the best Red Sox team ... ever 

22. Singer Rawls: LOU.

23. Jack-in-the-box sound: POP !  goes the weasel.

25. Limerick's rhyme scheme: AABBA.

26. Emails a dupe to: CCs. The electronic carbon copy.  And a CSO to our Blog Leader !

27. First word of numerous Grisham titles: THE.   I'd say so.   The list:

1. 1991 - "The Firm"
2. 1992 - "The Pelican Brief"
3. 1993 - "The Client"
4. 1994 - "The Chamber"
5. 1995 - "The Rainmaker"
6. 1996 - "The Runaway Jury"
7. 1997 - "The Partner"
8. 1998 - "The Street Lawyer"
9. 1999 - "The Testament"
10. 2000 - "The Brethren"
11. 2002 - "The Summons"
12. 2003 - "The King of Torts"
13. 2004 - "The Last Juror"
14. 2005 - "The Broker"
15. 2006 - "The Innocent Man"
16. 2008 - "The Appeal"
17. 2009 - "The Associate"
18. 2010 - "The Confession"
19. 2011 - "The Litigators"
20. 2012 - "The Racketeer"
21. 2016 - "The Whistler"

Miller, Erin Collazo. "The Complete John Grisham Book List." ThoughtCo, Jun. 27, 2018, thoughtco.com/john-grisham-book-list-362085.

29. Md. neighbor: DEL.  Regular reader Bluehen hails from the state with the fastest Internet speeds in the country,  no sales taxes, and according to Kiplinger ratings,  the top state for retirees in terms of economy, crime, demographics, and overall tax rates.

The Delaware River and the Delaware Bay both predate the name of the state. In 1610, English naval officer Samuel Argall named the bodies of water after the governor of Virginia, Thomas West, the 12th Baron De La Warr.

25 Delightful Facts About Delaware 

Use the + - buttons to zoom in and out.  


32. German veal dish: SCHNITZEL.  Wiener Schnitzel,  Kartoffelsalat und Bier !

34. Approximate fig.: EST.

35. Oak-to-be: ACORN.

38. Not pure: UNCHASTE.

39. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.

40. "That sounds painful": OOF.  The sound of the air expelled from my lungs when I fell.  The good news is that the house is almost done.   A couple of small sections of wall and the trim paint on the windows remain.

41. Action film weapon: UZI.

42. Bring comfort to: CONSOLE.

45. Composite dental filling material: AMALGAM.  There are safer choices.

46. Flavored icy drink: SLUSHIE.

47. Recede, as a tide: EBB.

49. Syr. neighbor: ISR.

51. Often hyperlinked word: HERE.

54. Low-cal beers: LITES.

55. Tilted type: Abbr.: ITALS.

56. Newspaper frequency: DAILY.

59. Tehran's land: IRAN.

61. Clog front: TOE.  The shoe, not an obstruction.

63. Mop & __: cleaning brand: GLO.

64. Blasting letters: TNT.

Time to Exit...Stage Left


Here's the grid:

Monday August 6, 2018 Craig Stowe

Theme: LIFE PARTNER (57. Significant other, often, and a hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues) - Life can precede the last word of each theme answer.

 

17A. *Program for an idle monitor: SCREEN SAVER. Life saver.

22A. *Rustic: COUNTRY STYLE. Life style.

37A. *Distinctive Jay Leno facial feature: JAW LINE. Lifeline.

47A. *Squeaky-clean: SPICK AND SPAN. Life span.

Boomer here.

C.C. and I arrived early at the 3M Championship Golf Tournament. We received our bag of goodies compliments of the 3M Company. Not quite as loaded as previous years but it is very commendable that 3M gives free products to nearly everyone in attendance. In addition, on Saturday they assemble a dozen "Greats of Golf" including Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Annika Sorenstam, Nancy Lopez and more, who play a scramble round following the regular entrants.

Congratulations to Kenny Perry, who joined Hale Irwin as the only two three time winners of the 3M Championship. But who has time for golf??  The PWBA (Women's Professional Bowling Assn.) is making a tour stop this week in Eagan, Minnesota (A southern suburb of Minneapolis) and I will be there for the Pro-Am.  (I am still an AM).

Boomer, Arnie's Army Entrance, 2018

Across:

1. Awesome, in show biz: BOFFO.  Sounds like an enforcer for the mob.

6. Dorian Gray creator Oscar: WILDE.

11. Splash gently, as waves: LAP.  Something your Mom had that you sat on.

14. Toothbrush brand: ORAL-B. I have heard of this, but I am a Fixodent man.

15. Upscale Honda: ACURA.

16. "__ been thinking": I'VE.  Reuben Reuben would have no problem with this clue.

19. Unfavorable critique: PAN.

20. Chad neighbor: CAMEROON.  Africa has sooo many countries, I can't keep track.

21. Clarifying words: AS IN.

26. Female foxes: VIXENS.

29. Like wine casks: OAKEN. Or an old bucket

30. Rowing needs: OARS.  I pulled many of these as a young kid.  We could not afford an outboard motor.

31. Buffalo NHLer: SABRE.  Buffalo also has an NFL team.  Nothing for major league baseball or hoops that I know.

33. Michael of "SNL": CHE. Co-host of "Weekend Update". 

Colin Jost ad Micha Che

36. Supermarket initials: IGA. A huge grocery store conglomerate, but nothing here in Minnesota.

39. "2001" computer: HAL. Fictional

40. Playpen item: TOY.

41. Olympian Bolt: USAIN.  I remember Usain Bolt, both for his interesting first name, and his speedy record under 10 seconds in the 100 meter dash.

42. Quarters for lions: DENS. Don't forget where the Cub Scouts meet.

43. Large, at Starbucks: VENTI. I am constantly amazed at the lineup of cars at the Starbucks drive thru window.  I have never tried their coffee. I am afraid I would like it and I don't want to spend four bucks a day on morning Java.

45. Tiny bit: SMIDGE.

51. In addition: ALSO.

52. Act out, as a Civil War battle: RECREATE.

56. Mai __: TAI.  You can make these at home, or drop into a bar in Hawaii if you don't have the ingredients.

60. Game with Skip cards: UNO.  I am sure everyone had the UNO game as a kid.  But it was not too challenging and ended up on the shelf next to Old Maid. 

61. Eisenhower opponent Stevenson: ADLAI. Adlai was in the first presidential election that I remember. What I did not understand was after he lost in 1952, why was he nominated again in 1956?  

62. Playful swimming mammal: OTTER.  I think he was in "Animal House". 

63. Bic, for one: PEN. Attica for another.

64. Mild Dutch cheese: GOUDA.  I have never tried it. The name does not sound tasty. 

65. Gardener's concerns: WEEDS.  We have a large crop in our garden this year.  Not sure why.

Down:

1. Pear from France: BOSC.

2. Killer whale: ORCA.

3. Word before hand or land: FARM.  I can assure that it is also a word after "state". 

4. Pulls a scam on: FLEECES.  White as snow, ask Mary.

5. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" king: OBERON. Shakespeare is almost as well known as LeBron.

6. Aired, as a TV program: WAS ON. The 3M Championship WAS ON the Golf Channel Saturday.  They showed Kenny Perry bringing the TPC Blaine to its knees, but mostly just showed the Legends.

7. "__ help it": I CAN'T.

8. Candy heart verb: LUV.  Could be a "Luxury Utility Vehicle"?

9. Dr. of rap: DRE.

10. Has an __ to the ground: EAR.

11. Mouthed the words: LIP-SYNCHED.  Interesting - I think this used to occur frequently on variety shows, however now it's mostly police officers putting on a fundraiser and having fun doing it.

12. Benefit: AVAIL.

13. Pasta in vodka sauce: PENNE.  I have heard of penne pasta, and I have heard of vodka.  I did not know they go together.

18. Entre __: between us: NOUS.  Looks like French, but it could be Latin.  I don't nous.

21. Snacked: ATE.

23. Bird associated with spring: ROBIN.  Mr. Williams was one of my Favorites.  Nanoo Nanoo.

24. Knitter's ball: YARN.  Or a place where knitters go to dance.

25. __-Ball: arcade game: SKEE. One of my favorite arcade games. Used to be nine balls for a dime.  Now it's a lot more, but the prizes are not so good.  Targets used to be 10 - 50. Now some go up to 5000!

26. Sports ball brand: VOIT.

27. "Othello" villain: IAGO. Shakespeare again?

28. Superman super power: X-RAY VISION. Not sure if you need X-Ray vision to change in a phone booth.  (Years from now, young people won't even know who Superman was, OR what was a phone booth.)

31. Suitor: SWAIN.

32. __ Baba: ALI.  Sort of makes me think of the NFL. 40 players getting paid millions of dollars to play a game, and I watch every Sunday and have to listen to all those ads.

34. Dangle: HANG.  Dang me, Dang me.....

35. "Anything __?": "Is there more?": ELSE. Yes, there are 16 more clues.

37. Trash: JUNK.  A button for a lot of emails in my mail box.

38. "The Thin Man" dog: ASTA. I am not old enough for William Powell and Myrna Loy, but I seem to remember a TV series with Peter Lawford and the stupid annoying dog "ASTA".

42. Breakfast nook, e.g.: DINETTE.

44. Prefix with friendly: ECO.

45. Humane org.: SPCA.

46. Bone tissue: MARROW. Not to be confused with newsman Edward R. Murrow.

47. Suddenly took notice: SAT UP.

48. Vehicle that taxis: PLANE.

49. Not look forward to at all: DREAD.

50. Photo finish: SEPIA. When I see photo finish I think of a horse race. Since there are no horses named Sepia, I think of a color.  However I am sure that some of you have a sepia colored photo of your great great grandfather. 

53. Pay to play: ANTE.  Jacks or better, trips to win.

54. Miffed, with "off": TEED.  No, I am a golfer and get teed off eighteen times a game. If I am "Miffed" I get ticked off.

55. Drops the ball: ERRS.  I say errors

57. Fall behind: LAG.

58. Wedding vow words: I DO.  I wonder if anyone ever said "I Don't"

59. Illness with its own season: FLU.

Boomer

Sunday August 5, 2018 Bruce Haight

Theme:"Anabrands"- The brand name is anagrammed in each theme entry.

24A. Company covering the ninth of Salinger's "Nine Stories"?: LAST TALE INSURANCE. Allstate Insurance.

32A. Company providing stimulation before a round?: GOLFER'S COFFEE. Folgers Coffee.

51A. Company for ones who love taking sides?: I ADORE POTATOES. Idaho Potatoes. Surprised to see BOISE IDAHO (74D. Capital south of a panhandle) in the same grid. (Correction: Ore-Ida Potatoes, Thanks, everyone!)

66A. Company that bugs people?: NOSY ELECTRONICS. Sony Electronics

82A. Company that moves a lot of cash?: LARGE FLOWS BANK. Wells Fargo bank. In big trouble.

101A. Company named for its product container?: IN A CARTON MILK. Carnation Milk.

110A. Company dealing "frankly" with campaign issues?: MAYOR'S RACE WIENERS. Oscar Mayer Wieners.

Veteran solvers know that Bruce loves anagram gimmick. Today's puzzle is a great example of his style, sense of humor and high standard in fill.

The puzzle only has 140 words and 66 black squares, but the fill is so sparkly and clean.

No cheater!! 

Across:

1. Muppet chimp __ Minella: SAL.

4. "Patience you must have" speaker: YODA.

8. Text for a promo: AD COPY.

14. Unit of weight: CARAT.

19. Biblical priest: ELI.

20. Steady: EVEN.

21. First name in the 2016 campaign: BERNIE. Feel the Bern!

22. Informed: AWARE.

23. Track circuit: LAP.

27. Spur on: IMPEL.

29. White wine apéritif: KIR.  Flavored with cassis.

30. TRS-80s, e.g.: PCS.

31. __ of interest: PERSON.

36. Belief system: CREDO.

37. Robot arms don't have them: ULNAE. New clue angle.

38. Camera lens feature: IRIS.

39. Like a D, gradewise: POOR.

40. Subway posting: MAP.

43. Madame Bovary: EMMA. Read it at college. Touched me deeply.

45. Bankrolled: STAKED.

47. Acronymic distress about being excluded from the fun: FOMO. Fear of Missing Out.

48. Leery of: ONTO.

49. Opening feature: POP TOP.

54. "__ got it!": I'VE.

55. Fax button: SEND.

57. Toss in: ADD.

58. Look down on, figuratively: SPIT AT.

59. Brain areas: CEREBRA. Plural of cerebrum.

61. Green, in a way: ENVIOUS.

65. Rilke works: POEMS.

69. "Real Time" host: MAHER (Bill). Way too left-leaning.

72. Canadian site of the 1988 Winter Olympics: ALBERTA. Where were you in 1988?

73. Tiny and shapeless: AMOEBIC.

77. Timeless, in verse: ETERNE.

79. '60s chic: MOD.

80. __ page: OPED.

81. Acapulco gold: ORO.

87. Like some surveys: AERIAL.

89. Card sounding like a platter: TREY.

90. Christmas lot selection: FIRS.

91. "Little House" family name: OLESON. Unknown to me.

93. Spent: USED.

94. Shirley MacLaine, to Warren Beatty: SIS.

95. Ump's cry: SAFE.

96. Big heap: SLEW.

97. Cartoon genre: ANIME.

99. Trace of color: TINCT. Odd, spell check does not like this word.

105. Old marketplaces: AGORAE.

107. United: ONE.

108. Moll's limb: GAM.

109. Grammy winner Gorme: EYDIE.

115. Even a little: ANY.

116. Overhead concern?: OZONE. Nice clue.

117. Emotionally out of control: CRAZED. Reminds me of a favorite movie test D-Otto sent me.

118. Runs on: GABS.

119. Laugh starter: HEE.

120. Author Theodor __ Geisel: SEUSS.

121. Helpful holdings: ASSETS.

122. Nobelist Wiesel: ELIE.

123. Not even: ODD. 

Down:

1. Former MLB exec Bud: SELIG. Not liked here. He tried to contract Twins long ago.

2. Dollar rival: ALAMO.

3. Beauty product for kissers: LIP PLUMPER. Kylie Jenner has built an empire over lip-plumping products.

4. First female Fed head Janet: YELLEN.

5. Eggs in a lab: OVA.

6. An in-box might be part of one: DESK SET.

7. Shenanigan: ANTIC.

8. Legal gp.: ABA.

9. Penn. neighbor: DEL.

10. Brunch fare: CREPES. These are Chinese crepes. They're called Jian Bing.

11. In the cooler: ON ICE.

12. Money-dispensing needs: PINS.

13. "Suh-weet!": YES. Here is my Husker T-shirt.

14. More than a job: CAREER.

15. Tony, for one: AWARD. We have an AWARD on our blog!

16. Pasted message, stereotypically: RANSOM NOTE. Great fill.

17. Oil acronym: ARCO.

18. Many a gamer: TEEN.

25. Three-horse carriage: TROIKA.

26. Dislodges: UPROOTS.

28. Key of Beethoven's "Eroica": E FLAT.

33. Silky-voiced crooners they are not: RASPERS.

34. One of the Weasley twins: FRED. Santa would have nailed it.

 

35. Dog tag?: FIDO. Cute.

36. Italy's Lake __: COMO.

39. Wham! or Roxette: POP DUO.

41. Elite crew: A TEAM.

42. Blog series: POSTS. Like our daily blog write-up.

43. Awesome: EPIC.

44. Formally propose: MOVE.

46. Support: AID.

47. Film noir hat: FEDORA.

48. Serving no purpose: OTIOSE. Not a word I use.

50. "Look Back in Anger" playwright John: OSBORNE. New to me also.

52. "Nick of Time" singer: RAITT.

53. Software details: APP CODE. Not a familiar term to me.

56. "Glee" actress Rivera: NAYA.

60. Get-up-and-go: ENERGY.

61. They're rubbed when mingling: ELBOWS. Great clue.

62. Calls for: NEEDS.

63. DVD forerunner: VCR.

64. Piece of cake: SNAP.

67. "Get Shorty" novelist __ Leonard: ELMORE. Not sure why " ___ " is used in the clue. He's quite famous.

68. Unequivocal refusal: I MEAN NO.

69. Softens: MELTS.

70. '70s breakout gaming company: ATARI.

71. Toast for Mrs. Robinson: HERE'S TO YOU.

75. "Dies __": IRAE.

76. How vichyssoise is usually served: COLD. Yellowrocks' specialty.

78. Wipes out: EFFACES.

80. Stamps of approval: OKS.

83. Pilfer: LIFT.

84. Whirled weapon: BOLA.

85. First portrayer of Obi-Wan: ALEC. Guinness.

86. Meditative genre: NEW AGE.

88. Gin __: RUMMY.

92. Kind of cookie: OATMEAL.

95. Catches: SNARES.

96. Cold outburst: SNEEZE.

98. Actually existing: IN ESSE.

100. Most clubs in a pro's bag: IRONS. You can carry 14 clubs in your bag. I only used a 7 iron and a putter in my first few rounds of golf.

101. Andean people: INCAS.

102. Scope: RANGE.

103. Like much loose-leaf paper: LINED.

104. Focused (on): KEYED.

105. Cookie monster?: AMOS. I get the direction, but not sure "monster" is apt.

106. Look steadily: GAZE.

107. Tools in locks: OARS.

111. Early TV maker: RCA.

112. Caught in the rain without an umbrella, say: WET. It rained a lot yesterday at 3M Championship.

113. Bouncer's requests: IDS.

114. Ballpark fig.: RBI.

JD is enjoying her annual family vacation in Kauai. Here are two sweet pictures of her grandsons.