Tuesday, October 2, 2018 Roland Huget

"Let's Play Cards"

 17. Tool for cutting stone and concrete: DIAMOND SAW.   ♦

25. Garden digging, e.g.: SPADEWORK.  ♠

35. Richly upholstered seat: CLUB CHAIR.   ♣

48. Prilosec target: HEARTBURN.  ♥

Given the pattern of the theme answers, the reveal would be an open form compound word, and it was:

56. Carry on the same way ... and what the ends of 17-, 25-, 35- and 48-Across do: FOLLOW SUIT.

I just happened to notice that each of the theme answers were compound words, and that they alternated from open form to closed form.   Nice to see that the reveal followed suit.

Spitzboov, our resident bridge player, probably plays with a four color deck.   I learned these decks are are called "no-revoke" decks, and are given different colors to make the suits more distinct from each other.

 Across:

1. Gulf States prince: EMIR.  For instance, Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

5. Macy's competitor: KOHL'S.

10. Eucharist celebration: MASS.

14. See 62-Across: TIME,  50D. See 62-Across: UPON A, and 62. With 50-Down and 14-Across, fairy tale opening: ONCE.  ONCE UPON A TIME.  If still active on the blog, Barry G would have commented about this threesome.  He doesn't care for clues that make you have to read another clue. 

15. Boise's state: IDAHO.  "The City of Boise operates the largest direct-use geothermal system in the entire country."  - livboise.org.   "Idaho is called the "Gem State" because nearly every known type of gemstone has been found in the state of Idaho.  More than 72 different precious and semi-precious gemstones are mined from Idaho" - ikeydata.com

16. Israeli airline: EL AL.

19. River of Cairo: NILE.

20. Playing surface surrounded by boards: RINK.  Sports lingo - Ice Hockey Dasher Boards

21. Access charge: USER'S FEE.

23. Chinese menu promise: NO MSG.  Monosodium glutamate

26. Abandoned building, say: EYESORE.

28. Jules who created the Nautilus: VERNE.  Little-Known Facts About Jules Verne

29. Form a union: WED.  Betroth.

30. Passé reception aid: AERIAL.

34. Love personified: AMOR.

37. Nobel Peace Prize city: OSLO.   The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine and Literature are awarded in Stockholm.

40. Toxic substance: POISON.

41. Snapshot, briefly: PIC.

44. "SNL" alum Cheri: OTERI.

46. Dancer Duncan: ISADORA.    Didn't know of her.     Needed the I to complete the puzzle.

52. Caught with a lasso: ROPED.

53. Old-fashioned printing machine: LINOTYPE.


54. Champagne brand: MOET.

55. Got on in years: AGED.

60. __ majesty: high treason: LESE.

61. Diarist Nin: ANAIS.  "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."

63. Newspaper section with many reviews: ARTS.

64. Horizontal graph lines: X-AXES.

65. Enthusiastic: KEEN.

Down:

1. Takeoff approx.: ETD.

2. 1002, to Caesar: MII.

3. Gun carrier's warning: I'M ARMED.

4. Careless: REMISS.

5. Garden hose obstruction: KINK.

6. Unmatched: ODD.

7. Welcomes to the treehouse: HAS UP.

8. __ apso: little dog: LHASA.  Video courtesy of Animal Planet


9. Scattered, as seed: SOWED.

10. Department store section: MENSWEAR.

11. Wing-shaped: ALIFORM.

12. Port near Naples: SALERNO.

13. More streamlined: SLEEKER.

18. Like an accurate soccer shot: ON GOAL.

22. Gun, as an engine: REV.

23. Just out: NEW.

24. Santana's "__ Como Va": OYE.     Hey, how is it going ?



25. __-Croatian: Slavic language: SERBO.

27. Do another stint: RE-UP.   Reenlist. 

31. Here, in Haiti: ICI.

32. Twain/Harte play: AH SIN.   Totally unknown to me.   The perps were solid, but still wasn't certain how to parse it.   Took a couple of Google searches to find a reference, and learned along the way that Twain Harte is a census designated place in California.   Anyway,  read Bret Harte, Mark Twain, Pioneer Fiction, and a Play Gone Wrong

33. Vientiane's country: LAOS.  The economic center and capital of Laos.


35. Becomes rusted: CORRODES.

36. Lined up: IN A ROW.

37. "C'est magnifique!": OOH LA LA.

38. "The Pawnbroker" actor Rod: STEIGER.

39. Least fatty, as corned beef: LEANEST.

41. Many a Top 40 song: POP TUNE.

42. Cork's country: Abbr.: IRE.

43. Heel: CAD.

45. Hairy Addams cousin: ITT.

47. Is moderately successful: DOES OK.

49. How some documents are sent: BY FAX.

51. Kick back: RELAX.

54. Forest floor plant: MOSS.

57. Golf ball position: LIE.

58. Cocktail cooler: ICE.

59. Down-for-the-count count: TEN.

Monday October 1, 2018 C.C. Burnikel,

Theme:  ZITI (64. Tubular pasta ... and a phonetic hint to 17-, 23-, 51- and 60-Across) - Each theme entry is in the pattern of Z* T*.

17. Complete quickly, as a test: ZIP THROUGH.

23. Predecessor to Millard Fillmore: ZACHARY TAYLOR.

51. Strict rule-enforcement policy: ZERO TOLERANCE.

60. Buddhist meditation sites: ZEN TEMPLES.

Boomer here.  

Well, normally I try to think of something clever to relate however this past week has been extremely forgettable.  I know C.C. has been relaying some of my aches and pains and I have been treating arthritis without good results. Finally on Tuesday I developed a severe pain in my shoulder and I said enough is enough. On Wednesday, C.C. and I went to the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis and after several hours of tests, we were told that bone cancer has invaded my body.  We are determined to follow all doctors' instructions and fight this thing like crazy.  Thank you for caring.  

 

Across: 

1. Crispy fried chicken part: SKIN. Washington NFL Team ??

5. Foolish sort: TWIT.  Not me, but millions of folks go on Twitter to Tweet.  Are they Twits?

9. Neeson of "Silence": LIAM.

13. Cancún currency: PESO.  The peso has lost a bit of ground to the dollar.  I think a peso is worth about a nickel

14. Nonspeaking street performer: MIME.  Do mimes always paint their faces white?

15. Cellist Casals: PABLO.

16. "__ it first!": I SAW.

19. Spring melts: THAWS.  The favorite part of a Minnesota spring.  Trust me, I know.

21. Lake crossed traveling from Ohio to Ontario: ERIE.  I think this great lake supplies most of the snow for the spring thaw in Buffalo NY.

22. Golf course standard: PAR.  Did you have a look at the Ryder Cup course?  Making pars was a challenge on some of those holes.

27. "Later, Jacques": ADIEU.  "I'll hang my harp on the weeping willow tree, and may the world go well with thee."

28. Northern sky sight: AURORA.

31. Mixed-breed barker: MUTT.  Mindful of the "Mutt and Jeff" comics of long ago.

34. Isl. of Australia: TASM. Tasmania. Home of the Tasmanian devil which looks like a little bear.  But there was also a Tasmanian comic devil who looked like he could have a role in "Star Wars"

36. Remove mist from, as a windshield: DEFOG.  I wonder if there was a lot of these clever accessories in the early days of automobiles or if you needed a rag on your front seat.

37. Sushi tuna: AHI.

38. Grabbed a chair: SAT.

39. Praiseful poem: ODE. "It was the third of June, the day Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge."

41. Angsty music genre: EMO.

42. Lovestruck teen from Verona: ROMEO. Wherefore art thou? Or is this the first name of a car named Alfa?

44. Houston MLBer: STRO.  If this slang is OK, then the Minnesota team would be nicknamed "Wins".  I doubt it.

46. Unexpected problem: SNAG.  Anyone ever fix stockings with clear nail polish?

47. Angelic figure: CHERUB.

49. Transplant to a new container: RE-POT.

56. Margaret of stand-up: CHO.

58. Chilly: COOL.  This is the favorite word of the entire "Pawn Stars" cast.

59. Get the better of: ONE UP. Was a typical Ryder Cup score, before it got worse.

65. Geometry calculations: AREAS.

66. Brazilian soccer legend: PELE.  Everyone has heard of this Soccer star, but I have never attended a soccer match.  I am still a little ticked off when they tore down a bowling center in St. Paul to build a soccer stadium.

67. Actor Baldwin: ALEC. I enjoy his parody of President Trump on SNL.  I don't think the Prez likes it much, though.

68. Sore throat sign: RASP.

69. Part of GPS: Abbr.: SYST.

70. Some cameras, for short: SLRS. Single lens.

Down:

1. Dog group that includes the Akita: SPITZ.  Mark was an Olympic swimmer, and has a nice gold medal collection.

2. "Tik Tok" singer: KESHA.

3. Author Asimov: ISAAC.  His trivia quizzes appear in our paper daily.  I just do Sudoku.

4. "Yet another problem?": NOW WHAT.  One of my dear mother's exclamations.

5. Tabloid TV debut of 2007: TMZ.

6. Xbox 360 competitor: WII.  I never owned one of these, but I heard they had a fun bowling game.

7. Driving force: IMPETUS.

8. Colorful aquarium fish: TETRA.

9. Poet __-tzu: LAO.

10. Active ingredient in Advil: IBUPROFEN. I have a full pharmacy on my dresser.  Got to read every label to see what fights with what.

11. Pond growth: ALGA.  This is a singular form of algae.  I don't think you will ever see any alga alone on a pond.

12. Jay of "Last Comic Standing": MOHR.

15. Musical intro: PRELUDE.  Most famous was Lawrence Welk popping his cheek with a finger.  I think you need to be my age to remember.

18. "Howdy there!": HI YA.

20. Pathetic: SAD.

24. Beatles' meter maid: RITA. May I inquire discreetly? When are you free to take some tea with me?

25. First Irish Literature Nobelist: YEATS. 1923.

26. Miner's strike: ORE. St. So. of Wash.

29. Egg-shaped tomato: ROMA

30. Spellbound: AGOG.

31. Artist Chagall: MARC.

32. "Looks like trouble!": UH OH.

33. Mountain and Pacific, e.g.: TIME ZONES.  So if you leave the East Coast at noon and fly to Las Vegas, do you have to eat lunch again?

35. Gourmet mushroom: MOREL.

38. Reporter's contacts: SOURCES.  Mostly anonymous, but everyone always wants to know.

40. Info: DOPE.  Also slang for one who has no info.

43. Before, poetically: ERE.

45. Streetcar: TROLLEY. Generally gets power from an overhead source. Not like the SF cable cars.

46. Sonnet sections: STANZAS.

48. Market upswing: BOOM.  My nickname is Boomer, sometimes my friends will shorten it.

50. Gold, to José: ORO.  We used to use this as an acronym for "Our Records Only".

52. Big name in trading cards: TOPPS.  I have a long history with Topps.  I love their "Heritage Chrome" and my 1955 Topps Doubleheader set.

53. Sam of "Jurassic Park": NEILL.

54. More adorable: CUTER.

55. Heroic sagas: EPICS.

56. Industry mogul: CZAR.

57. Zeus' jealous wife: HERA.

61. Touch lightly: TAP.  Bowl and leave a ten pin on a pocket hit.

62. Lolling trio?: ELS.  Golfer Ernie.  Not invited to the Ryder Cup because he is from South Africa.

63. Erector __: SET.  Of course I had one as a kid.

Boomer

Sunday September 30, 2018 Peter Koetters

Theme:  "Power Play"- The first word in each theme entry is a type of penalty in hockey.

23A. *Electric vehicle need: CHARGING STATION.

39A. *Having a blowout sale: SLASHING PRICES.

59A. *Fish story theme: HOOKING THE BIG ONE.

81A. *Like a man resisting the urge to argue: HOLDING HIS TONGUE.

96A. *"Dead Poets Society" setting: BOARDING SCHOOL.

 

16D. *Pressurized undersea compartment: DIVING BELL.

74D. *Camping out, say: ROUGHING IT.

Reveal:

117. Temporarily disqualified due to an infraction that begins any of seven answers to starred clues: IN THE PENALTY BOX.

   

Bonus fill:

118. Apt sports org. for this puzzle: NHL.

Sorry, Peter and all readers, no write-up today. If you have any question regarding the theme or certain entry, please click on Comments at the end of this write-up. Your questions will be answered by our capable regulars.

  

After a scary visit to the ER last Wednesday, Boomer was diagnosed with bone cancer. We had a biopsy last Thursday and more tests and visits to the VA clinic and hospital ahead. Boomer is a tough guy with high pain threshold. But with even Oxycodone, he's still in pain. If anyone has experiences or advice handling bone cancer or the side effects of those drugs, please share on the blog or email me crosswordc@gmail.com.

I'll be back next Sunday. Thank you!

Across:

 1. Kick off the flight: BUMP.

5. "Nixon in China" composer John: ADAMS.

10. Underground invader: WEED.

14. Fragrant wood: CEDAR.

19. Goatee-stroking words: I SEE.

20. Bank built for a rainy day: LEVEE.

21. Pal of Grover: ELMO.

22. It's pressed for oil: OLIVE.

26. Stirred: MOVED.

27. Puppet extension?: EER.

28. Suffix with gymnast: ICS.

29. Leveling wedge: SHIM.

30. Hot belt, with "the": TROPICS.

32. "God Bless America" landscape word: PRAIRIES.

35. Punishment with a grounding: NO TV.

38. Many a Snapchat user: TEEN.

43. Long-nosed fish: GAR.

46. 1977 medical thriller: COMA.

49. From head __: TO TOE.

50. More than cool: ICY.

51. A deal may be made under it, with "the": TABLE.

53. Military order: AT EASE.

56. Neatnik's possible condition, briefly: OCD.

57. Crunched figures: DATA.

58. Minute critter: AMEBA.

63. Blackmailed: BLED.

64. Green: NEW.

65. Herd voices: MOOS.

66. Road crew worker: PAVER.

67. Became clear: JELLED.

69. Border: ABUT.

70. Source of a Pasadena parade aroma: ROSES.

71. "Little Beau __": 1952 toon about a skunk: PEPE.

72. Auto safety device: AIR BAG.

75. Asgard group: AESIR.

76. Some lighters: BICS.

77. Canceled, as an event: OFF.

80. Mess maker: SLOB.

85. "Taxi" dispatcher: LOUIE.

87. ATM feature: SLOT.

88. Apple platform: IOS.

89. Fireside treats: SMORES.

90. Christmas tree topper: ANGEL.

91. Fifth-century nomad: HUN.

92. Log: ENTER.

94. Waist container?: BELT.

95. Casual "Pass": NAH.

101. Target of adoration: IDOL.

103. Ages and ages: EONS.

104. Aroused: TURNED ON.

108. Powerful: SINEWED.

111. Swear: CUSS.

114. Arthur of "The Golden Girls": BEA.

115. Israeli heat?: UZI.

116. Get decked out: TOG UP.

122. Rival of ancient Carthage: UTICA.

123. Pump, e.g.: SHOE.

124. Culture dish media: AGARS.

125. Compos mentis: SANE.

126. Passé: DATED.

127. Piece of dirt: CLOD.

128. "I'll think about it": MAYBE.

129. Wasn't straight: LIED.

Down:

1. __ curls: BICEP.

2. Arena worker: USHER.

3. Stiller's partner: MEARA.

4. Pricing word: PER.

5. "Tomb Raider" star Vikander: ALICIA.

6. Most populous: DENSEST.

7. DJIA part: Abbr.: AVG.

8. __ hall: MESS.

9. Third face of Eve?: SETH.

10. Tool needing wringing: WET MOP.

11. Bulldogs fan: ELI.

12. Rock subculture: EMO.

13. Stern warning: DON'T.

14. "How goes it, José?": COMO ESTA.

15. Split to be tied?: ELOPE.

17. Nice with?: AVEC.

18. Cherry and crimson: REDS.

24. Birth announcement word: GIRL.

25. NBA exec Danny: AINGE.

31. Bus path: Abbr.: RTE.

33. "Wicked Game" singer Chris: ISAAK.

34. Tries to score: SHOOTS.

36. Disaster site procedures: TRIAGES.

37. Spoils recipient: VICTOR.

40. Craving: ITCH.

41. Unreturnable, as a bottle: NO DEPOSIT.

42. Blue hue: CYAN.

44. "Tiny Alice" dramatist: ALBEE.

45. Check, in a way: RE-ADD.

46. "High Hopes" lyricist: CAHN.

47. Plains native: OTOE.

48. Persian call: MEOW.

52. Mosey: AMBLE.

54. Lion king: SIMBA.

55. Once, sometimes: ENOUGH.

57. Going every which way: DIVERGING.

60. Came down with: GOT.

61. Sink: BASIN.

62. Throws out: EJECTS.

68. __ salts: EPSOM.

69. Counterculture icon Hoffman: ABBIE.

70. __ Beach: L.A. suburb: REDONDO.

71. Gumshoes, for short: PIS.

72. Lion king: ASLAN.

73. Actress Massey: ILONA.

75. Enticement: ALLURE.

76. Halve: BISECT.

77. Fiendish sort: OGRE.

78. Tank filler: FUEL.

79. Ending for gab or talk: FEST.

82. Fed. workplace watchdog: OSHA.

83. Red __: spicy candies: HOTS.

84. Like neon: NOBLE.

86. Bit of roller derby protection: ELBOW PAD.

92. Come after: ENSUE.

93. Stalks in a pie: RHUBARB.

97. Corrida cry: OLE.

98. Slowly crept: INCHED.

99. Promise of dire consequences: OR ELSE.

100. Go __ great length: ON AT.

102. Ad preceder?: DEUCE.

105. Burj Khalifa's city: DUBAI.

106. Endangered layer: OZONE.

107. Put the kibosh on: NIXED.

108. Ear decoration: STUD.

109. Scintilla: IOTA.

110. Slipped __: DISC.

112. Cybernuisance: SPAM.

113. Genesis creator: SEGA.

119. In addition: TOO.

120. House of Commons vote: NAY.

121. Designer monogram: YSL.

Happy Birthday to our dog lover Pat and her husband, who were born in the same day and same year. Pat was a few hours older than her husband. Have a wonderful day, Pat!

Saturday, September 29, 2018, Gail Grabowski

Saturday Themeless Puzzle by Gail Grabowski

Today is a big holiday for us addicts, uh, aficionados of a certain brew. My daughter has had a heart issue and so is restricted to de-caf and I have cut my consumption to one and only one cup per day, but boy do I enjoy it while savoring my LA Times puzzle!

Kids where I sub come in with cups of "coffee" from some frou-frou emporiums that are so loaded with milk, sugar and various other ingredients that I just think, "What's the point?" However they all think of themselves as hard core consumers of the beverage.

Me? I'll take mine straight up and if there is a "too strong" variety, I have yet to encounter it!

I blogged Gail's last Saturday puzzle on March 3. I thought her grid today was very striking in appearance and added to the dance.

Now let's see what our prodigious constructor has for us today:

Across:

1. Garden lure: SPIDER WEB  - Eh, never mind, we'll trick or treat down the street. 

10. Prefix meaning "coil": SPIRO - I'll bet even SPIRO Agnew had a SPIROGRAPH

15. It straddles the border of two western states: LAKE TAHOE  - The site of Fredo's last fishing expedition in The Godfather 

16. Brass, for one: ALLOY  - The €1 coin has an outer ring of the alloy nickel brass - 75% Copper, 20% Zinc and 5% Nickel

17. Closing question: ARE WE DONE? - Sometimes an ill-advised question to your spouse during a disagreement 

18. Subjects for reviewers: FILMS  - Rotten Tomatoes is a pretty good site for a compilation of reviewers

19. Kind of gravel: PEA - Used a lot at our house where flora is not desired

20. What some glasses lack: RIMS.



21. Observed visiting: SEEN AT - When I was growing up, teachers  and coaches knew they were not to be SEEN AT local bars

22. Break off loudly: SNAP - Good celery test

23. Write the wrong number on, perhaps: MISDATE - "What? I put September 31 on that check?"

24. Legal option: APPEAL - If you've got enough money... 

27. Warning after using an iron: FORE - A funky clue that is yelled even by Tiger

28. A.L. East squad: TOR - TORonto Blue Jays

29. __ space: CRAWL - Not for people with claustrophobia

30. Glove material: LATEX - Not welcome in some places

31. Speech interruptions: UMS - Um, I, um, don't know, um, what to, um, say about, um this

32. Work to get: EARN.

33. Support on the way up: PITON - a carbiner with a rope will soon be attached to the PITON he is pounding into the cliff crack 

34. Cookout choice: BRATwurst

35. Modicum: BIT - Liza's Doolittle's dad sang "with a little BIT of luck" someone else will do the blinkin' work

36. One of a nursery rhyme trio: BAKER - Rub-a-dub-dub, I'll bet you know the other two passengers in the tub

37. Most successful African-American PGA golfer before Woods: PEETE - Lee Elder leapt to my mind

38. Custom finish?: ARY - What's reasonable and CUSTOMARY in Nebraska may not be so in your neck of the woods

39. Made it up: LIED - Oh yeah, elections are coming up...

40. Follow: SHADOW  - An alternate meaning to a film noir activity

41. Armadas on the road: NISSANS - That's three Saturdays in a row (and ISUZU on Thursday) where the constructor has used car names for misleading cluing. I reluctantly had to give up on CONVOYS

43. Turnovers, e.g.: STAT - Here's a turnover caused by good linebacker play

44. Take out: DELETE.

45. Shot in the dark: STAB.

46. Clicking sound?: AHA - When  a clue clicks with me, I might utter an AHA

49. "Battlestar Galactica" commander: ADAMA  - William ADAMA is played by Edward James Olmos in the show 

50. One who's no fun to play with: POOR LOSER - Here's two minutes worth of one of the worst who was/is also 12. Sulky: ILL-NATURED

52. Showed up: GOT IN - My daughters GOT IN before midnight at our house even while they were in college or... 

53. Bicycle tire feature: VALVE STEM -  This biker carries a pressurized air tank to service the VALVE STEM you see in the back ground 

54. Discharge: EGEST - A polite word for a necessary/disgusting body function 

55. Tiny arboreal amphibians: TREE TOADS.

Down:

1. Indication of an offense: SLAP.

2. Take a little off: PARE.

3. Many of its products are named for Scandinavian places: IKEA - You mean like the Dagstorp couch?

4. Mountain __: DEW - I prefer my caffeine delivered without sugar or fizz

5. Hardly transitory: ETERNAL.

6. Like much flower symmetry: RADIAL.

7. Defeat decisively: WHOMP - I suppose 

8. Quite a stretch: EONS.

9. One who does a waggle dance: BEE - I learned in an ethology class that the waggling BEE is telling the distance, direction and quality of available food

10. Sensitive health class subject: SAFE SEX  

11. Practiced diligently: PLIED - I have PLIED my trade for 50 years

13. It's often used to make paste: ROMA TOMATO 

14. Traditional Christmas Eve dish for some: OYSTER STEW - That and potato soup were staples of our Christmas Eve

21. Traffic stopper, at times: SIREN - Not always 

22. Tailored: SEWN.

23. Power source: MOTOR - Football players that play with a lot of energy are said to have a great MOTOR

24. Elastic wrap brand: ACE BANDAGE - This self-adhereing version is easier to use than the version having to use metal clips

25. Herbivore named for its habitat: PRAIRIE DOG

26. List on a ticket: PARTY SLATE - This facilitates things on this Michigan ballot

27. In the cards: FATED.

30. Takes an interest in: LIKES - Facebook admiration 

33. Revolutionary pamphleteer: PAINE - "These are the times that try men's souls"

34. Top: BEAT - As of this afternoon, the Huskers have failed to top/BEAT any team

36. Far from subtle: BLATANT.

37. High-tech communications portmanteau: PHABLET.

40. Feel a strong need (for): STARVE.

42. Rest area array: SEMIS - The yellow tubes connected to the window openings of these SEMIS provide heat/ac/wifi/TV, etc

43. Made off with: STOLE.

45. Use an updraft, say: SOAR.

46. Old movie dog: ASTA - Nick and Nora's pooch

47. Be mindful of: HEED - Or not...

48. Administrative branches: ARMS.

50. Low mil. rank: PVT.

51. Granada bear: OSO - La cama del OSO papá era demasiado dura (The papa bear's bed was too hard)

DA GRID: