Monday December 3, 2018 Kurt Krauss

Theme: Vowel Movement - A, E, I, O, U between B and GG.

17. Passenger train's suitcase carrier: BAGGAGE CAR.

 

25. Turned down an invitation: BEGGED OFF.

36. Guy acting more maturely: BIGGER MAN.

50. Cross between a Boston terrier or boxer and a beagle: BOGGLE DOG.

60. Carriage outings: BUGGY RIDES.

Boomer here.  

A sad weekend as we say goodbye to our 41st president George H.W. Bush. Although my politics has been directed by John Kennedy and later by Hubert Humphrey, I can honestly say I respected President Bush. At a young age he entered military service and flew 58 combat missions in WWII.  I respected and approved of Operation Desert Storm and I felt the U.S. used the right amount of military muscle to eliminate the aggression caused by the invasion of Kuwait. Thank you for your service, Mr. Bush, and may you rest in peace with your wife, Barbara.

Across:

1. "Agreed!": DEAL. Or No Deal, What happened to Howie Mandel's hair ?

5. Rose from a chair: STOOD.

10. Free ticket: PASS.

14. Sicilian resort city: ENNA.

15. Houston baseballer: ASTRO.  If a Houston trade is made, does the player become an Astro Not.

16. Salon coloring: TINT. Whatever happened to tinted windows on air conditioned cars?

19. "Otello" solo: ARIA.  Of Course! A four letter word with three vowels

20. Single-celled creature: AMOEBA.

21. "Platoon" setting, briefly: NAM.  I was not called to serve there. A nasty war! My VA oncologist asked if I served there. Luckily I was in Germany. I am told that Agent Orange can affect cancer drugs.

23. Texter's soul mate: BFF. Best Friend Forever.

24. Former Yankee manager Joe: TORRE.  Great story!  He managed the Yankees for Mr. (You're Fired) Steinbrenner for 12 years!! In  his major league career as a catcher and infielder he produced over 2300 hits, and is now in Cooperstown.  Gives me hope for Joe Mauer.

28. Victorian, for one: ERA.

29. Puerto Rico, to the U.S.: TERR.  Still suffering from Hurricane Maria.  My former employer, Graybar Electric, has advanced efforts to the recovery there.

31. Harlem Renaissance author Zora __ Hurston: NEALE.

32. Hissing sound: SSS.

33. Jets or Sharks, in "West Side Story": GANG.  Tonight, Tonight, Won't be just any night ...

35. Filled completely: SATED.

39. Some corporate jets: LEARS.

42. Japan is in it: ASIA.

43. Actress Ryan: MEG. Or one of the Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.  What was her last name?

46. Prenatal test, for short: AMNIO.

47. U. of Maryland athlete: TERP.  This is short for Terrapin now in the Big Ten Conference, (Also known as the Bigger 14 by me).  Actually a terrapin is a turtle, an odd nickname for a ferocious team.  Sort of fits in with Gophers, Badgers, and Cornhuskers.

49. Affirmative vote: AYE.  Double that if you're on a ship !

53. In one's stomach: EATEN.

55. French summer: ETE.

56. Pub pint filler: ALE.  Is this just a funny name for beer?

57. America's has 100 seats: SENATE.  53-45-2  Let's hope they can get together on some of the midterm election promises.

58. Euros replaced them in Italy: LIRE.  I once bought a bunch of Euros on eBay.  Not sure why though.

63. Tied, as a game: EVEN.

64. Continental divide?: OCEAN.  I suppose it divides continents, but I always thought a continental divide was like a mountain range that split livable areas.

65. Jazzman Allison: MOSE.

66. Cincinnati team: REDS. Originally named the Redlegs, but they shortened to Reds when they had a Rose.

67. Golfer's "pitching" iron: WEDGE.  I never can get mine to work like those guys on TV.

68. Art Deco icon: ERTE.

Down:

1. Arguments with teams: DEBATES.  In high school and colleges.  But over the previous midterms they were one on one.

2. Captivates: ENAMORS.

3. Some woolen sweaters: ANGORAS.  Not to be confused with Agnes Moorehead who played Endora on "Bewitched",

4. Bar beer: LAGER.  I thought it was Ale .

5. Story spanning generations: SAGA.

6. Mao __-tung: TSE.  That's from the 60s.  I am sure C.C. will tell you that Chairman Mao is known as  Mao Zedong in China.

7. Like stocks not sold on an exch.: OTC.  Over the counter.  Like drugs you don't need to "Ask your doctor if XXXX is right for you."

8. Sumatran ape: ORANG.  This could be short for an Orangutan. It made me think of Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver) on Dobie Gillis when he would say "You Rang".

9. Hip-hop headgear: DORAG.

10. "Everychild.onevoice" org.: PTA.  The Harper Valley PTA met one afternoon, and Mrs. Johnson wore a mini skirt and spilled the beans and socked to the sneaky members.

11. Everglades transport: AIRBOAT.

12. Nasal cold symptom: SNIFFLE.  Now that the temp in Minnesota is reaching the 20s, we are hearing a lot of sniffles here.

13. Supplied with personnel: STAFFED.

18. Assist with a heist: ABET.  We are heading to Las Vegas for the Graybar reunion soon.  When I place a bet, I am assisting the Orleans with a heist most of the time.

22. Brainy bunch: MENSA.  I would think people should be smart enough NOT to brag about their IQ.

25. Sonia of "Moon Over Parador": BRAGA.

26. Che Guevara's first name: ERNESTO.

27. Campus bigwig: DEAN.  Mindful of Dean Wormer in "Animal House"

30. It's often broken at breakfast: EGG.  "Which came first, The chicken or the egg?"

34. "Peer Gynt Suite" composer: GRIEG.

36. Naval hoosegow: BRIG.  Do not pass GO, Do not collect $200.

37. Sicily, to Sicilians: ISOLA.

38. Scratch or dent: MAR.

39. Shipping department gizmo: LABELER.  I think normally the Labeler is a person, not a Gizmo.

40. Like tearjerkers: EMOTIVE.

41. Made irate: ANGERED.  If you tried "BUGGED" and it Angered you, too bad.

43. Fighter with a cape: MATADOR.  Superman too long, Batman too short.

44. Exam that involves reading letters: EYE TEST.  I remove my glasses and cannot read the fourth line from the top.  The eye doctor says I need glasses, but I already have them.

45. Rochester brewery or its river: GENESEE.

48. Jury member: PEER.  How did they ever find a peer for Paul Manafort ??

51. Curved macaroni shape: ELBOW.  I prefer Rotini.

52. A trey beats it: DEUCE.  Unless it's wild.

54. Cartoon genre: ANIME.

57. "Auld Lang __": SYNE.  Don't forget your old acquaintances.

59. "Star Trek" rank: Abbr.: ENS.  Remember Tin Conway (Ensign Parker) in McHale's Navy?  Kind of destroyed opinions of the rank.

61. H.S. equivalency exam: GED.

62. Prank: GAG.

Boomer

Sunday December 2, 2018 Mark McClain & George Telfer

Theme: "Hangers-On" - ERS is added to each theme entry.

23A. What the acrobatic landlady liked to do?: JUMP OVER BOARDERS. Jump over board.

32A. TruTV show for board game enthusiasts?: REALITY CHECKERS. Reality check.

52A. When a pro might practice at Augusta National?: BEFORE THE MASTERS. Before the mast.

69A. Gym employees for those getting in shape fast?: EXPRESS TRAINERS. Express train.

90A. Gold medal winners at the Renaissance fair?: TRIUMPHAL ARCHERS. Triumphal arch.

104A. Wedding chapel's main form of advertising?: HITCHING POSTERS. Hitching post.

120A. Where bills should be put after an audit?: BACK IN THE FOLDERS. Back in the fold.

Heavy theme with long theme entries. Total 109 theme squares. Lots to deal with.

I think this is George Telfer's debut. Congratulations, George! Mark McClain is a veteran and has been our regular LAT constructor for a few years.

Across:

1. Avian mimic: MYNA.

5. Selling point?: STORE. Great clue.

10. Weasel cousin: STOAT. Not SABLE.

15. Passed quickly, as time: FLEW.

19. Pigeon calls: COOS.

20. Kind of column: IONIC. Appears in our grid more often than DORIC.

21. Stands at lectures: PODIA.

22. Lead in a movie, say: ROLE.

26. Wile E. Coyote supplier: ACME.

27. Run-of-the-mill: ORDINARY.

28. Former LeBron team, on sports tickers: MIA. Miami Heat. 39. Former LeBron team, on sport tickers: CLE.

29. Lost on purpose: TANKED. Often a clue for DIETED.

31. Buds, possibly: BEERS.

37. Sorority letter: ETA.

40. Takes a breather: RESTS.

41. "The Simpsons" retailer: APU.

44. "Chain of Fools" name: ARETHA.

47. Out in the yacht: ASEA.

49. Bite playfully: NIP.

56. Departed: GONE.

57. "Once __ a time ... ": UPON.

58. Yon yacht: SHE.

59. Name in a Tolstoy title: ANNA. Anna Karenina. Russian novels are always so complicated. Same with classic Chinese novels.

60. Formal split: DIVORCE.

62. Electric wheels: TESLA.

64. Second-tallest living bird: EMU. What's the tallest?

66. Inform: TELL.

68. Skin-related: DERMAL. 88. Often painful crack: CHAP. Try Aquaphor.

73. Don't hold your breath: EXHALE.

76. Antelope playmates: DEER.

77. Musical muscle car: GTO.

78. Agave plant: YUCCA.

82. "The wisdom of many and the wit of one": Russell: PROVERB.

84. Dread: FEAR.

86. Bigelow product: TEA. They have jasmine tea. We also have 107. 86-Across variety: PEKOE.

89. Cut with a small knife: PARE.

94. Thesaurus wd.: SYN. Synonym.

95. Doing nothing: IDLE.

96. Cabinet department: ENERGY.

97. Minute: WEE.

98. China's Zhou __: ENLAI. Here he is with his wife Deng Yingchao. They did not have children. Both well-loved in China.

101. QB's stat: ATT.

102. Shocked text letters: OMG.

111. Vacation destination: BEACH. Last time I was at a beach.

Boomer & C.C., Myrtle Beach, May 2002

115. Caroline Islands components: ATOLLS.

116. Rescue squad initials: EMS.

117. Rant: HARANGUE. Sparkly fill.

119. Fictional plantation: TARA.

125. "Slippery" trees: ELMS.

126. "... but I could be wrong": OR NOT.

127. Celestial ovine: ARIES.

128. Shuts down: ENDS.

129. Colorist's supply: DYES.

130. Price enders, often: NINES. Oh, like $9.99.

131. Category: GENRE.

132. Obliterate, in Oxford: RASE.

Down:

1. Menial work: MCJOB.

2. "__ it!": YOU'RE.

3. __ plume: NOM DE. And 6. Start of an adage about humanity: TO ERR. Partials.

4. Have high hopes: ASPIRE.

5. Hindu "Destroyer": SIVA.

7. Sandwich shop order: ON RYE.

8. Often tickled bone?: RIB.

9. "Foucault's Pendulum" author: ECO.

10. Diagonal sail extender: SPRIT. See this.

11. Now: TODAY.

12. Pindar piece: ODE.

13. Make widely known: AIR.

14. Samples: TASTES.

15. Stadium staples: FRANKS.

16. Eastwood's "Bronco Billy" co-star Sondra: LOCKE. So pretty!

17. Fictional hunter in a floppy hat: ELMER.

18. Signs of garden neglect: WEEDS.

24. GM subsidiary: ONSTAR.

25. Guy's girlfriend: AMIE. French "gee".

30. Comedy __: ACT.

33. One may be dull: ACHE.

34. Trek pack animal: LLAMA.

35. Algonquian language: CREE.

36. Picked up: HEARD.

38. Trojan War god: ARES.

41. Touch: ABUT.

42. Nickname for José: PEPE. I did not know. The two sound so different.

43. Eerie fliers: UFOS.

45. Old anesthetic: ETHER.

46. Like many crosswords: THEMED. Our LAT Saturday grids are themeless.

47. "Up" star: ASNER (Ed)

48. WWII prison camp: STALAG.

49. Standard: NORM.

50. Subject of Huáscar: INCA. Read here. Never heard of the guy.

51. Orange discard: PEEL. Chinese desserts often feature dried tangerine peels.

53. Legally off base: ON LEAVE.

54. Baited insect collector: ANT TRAP.

55. Beans or greens: SIDE.

56. Scalia's successor: GORSUCH (Neil). Fresh fill.

61. Enhancing word: VERY. So very touched reading Jerome's post. He went through what I'm going through now.

63. Shaft between wheels: AXLE.

65. Handy: USEFUL.

67. Trivial: LITTLE.

70. Vivacious: PERT.

71. Words near an "F," maybe: SEE ME.

72. Musical handicap: NO EAR.

73. Omar of "In Too Deep": EPPS.

74. Doctor's order: X-RAY. Piece of cake. The MRI was tough for Boomer last time. He did not use the toilet before the procedure, thinking it would be over in a few minutes. It took almost an hour.

75. French __: HORN.

79. Consider carefully, with "over": CHEW.

80. Attention: CARE.

81. Basilica recess: APSE.

83. Astros catcher McCann: BRIAN. Ex-Astro. Back with the Atlanta Braves. 

85. Bonnie Blue's dad: RHETT.

87. 2012 Ben Affleck film: ARGO.

91. "Gotcha!": I DIG.

92. Casino game requirement, often: ANTE.

93. Symphonic disc: CYMBAL.

98. Mercedes line: E-CLASS. No idea. Not into cars.

99. Kings' org.: NHL. LA Kings.

100. City from which Vasco da Gama sailed: LISBON.

101. NBA part: ASSN.

103. Driver's license info: GENDER.

104. Hardly favored: HATED.

105. Volta's birthplace: ITALY.

106. Musical Mel: TORME.  "The Velvet Fog".

108. Drops: OMITS.

109. German river, to locals: RHEIN. And 114. German state: HESSE.

110. Less risky: SAFER.

112. Gemini docking target: AGENA. What does this word mean? 

113. Lumps for Miss Muffet: CURDS.

118. Climbed: ROSE.

121. "Exodus" protagonist: ARI.

122. "The Situation Room" airer: CNN.

123. It's game: TAG.

124. Longtime Eur. realm: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

Boomer Updates:

Boomer completed his radiation last Wednesday. He still has problem swallowing food and continues to feel run-down, but Dr. Esther told us that these side effects will be gone in one to two weeks. 

Boomer also started the chemo drug Abiraterone (Zytiga) last Thursday. He's been a good and cheerful patient. The staff at the radiation oncology all liked him.

Boomer, Nov 28, 2018

Saturday, December 1, 2018, Frederick J. Healy

Themeless Saturday by Frederick J. Healy


Today on this first day of December, we celebrate National Christmas Lights Day. Depending on your taste, this house is either a wonderful, festive expression of holiday spirit or a prime example of going overboard worthy of Clark Griswold from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

At our little outpost here on the Great Plains, outside lights are illuminated on the day after Thanksgiving although some of our neighbors have had their lights on for two weeks which does not seem right to my lovely bride.

Some households wait until the first Sunday of advent to put up lights and take them down after epiphany. Your preference?

Soon after inventing the incandescent bulb, Edison's good friend and partner Edward Johnson strung 80 miniature bulbs together and hung them around the lab at Menlo Park.
President Grover Cleveland had strings of  these light installed on the White House Christmas Tree in 1895.

This  ad below shows how the Edison Decorative and Miniature Lamp Department sold their electric product as a safer alternative to using candles on Christmas trees.

Today's constructor is Fredrick J. Healy and I have found out that he has had several themeless Saturday puzzles published here in the past few years. 

Across:

1. Early Greek lyric poet: SAPPHO - SAPPHO of Lesbos was a poet of antiquity whose work is mostly lost. In some circles she has become a symbol of modern feminism 

7. Roll by: ELAPSE - Somehow, 50 years have ELAPSED since I started teaching

13. Strong desire: CRAVING.

15. Respectful bow: SALAAM - Cultural coin-flip? 

16. Friendly greeting: HEY THERE - A wonderful song from The Pajama Game sung by George Clooney's Aunt Rosemary 

18. Eastern religion: SHINTO - The state religion of Japan until 1945

19. Novak Djokovic's org.: ATP - Association of Tennis Professionals

20. Place to gas up for free?: OPEN BAR  that may be accompanied by a 22. Beer __: NUT  or two or fifty or... 

23. Memorable Gregory Peck role: AHAB - As I recently blogged, Peck said at one time he was embarrassed by his portrayal  

25. How work may be done near a deadline: MADLY - I waited until Dec. 23 to bury $100 (in baggies) in Jello for the kids Christmas presents and had to work MADLY to get done. It was great fun to see them eat their way to cash.

26. Drain: TIRE - Didn't you TIRE of the political nonsense in the ads last month? Talk about your obloquy! 

27. California's __ Verdes Peninsula: PALOS  - Some modest housing on the peninsula 

29. '70s radical gp.: SLA - The Symbionese Liberation Army famously kidnapped Patty Hearst where she may or may not have developed Stockholm Syndrome

30. Singer Stefani et al.: GWENS- The first name of the rookie teacher who ran in  to tell me to  turn on my TV on 9/11/01 during class

31. Reception for champions: THREE CHEERS - Hip, hip... 3X

34. Scrooge types: CHEAP SKATES - In the late 18th century a "skate" in America was a name for mean person. Cheap was later added to compound the felony

35. Fruity treat: BANANA SPLIT - To be eaten, not worn!

36. Jazz guitarist Herb: ELLIS - Remember Jeffrey Wechsler's recent TRELLIS ISLAND 

37. Terre dans la mer: ILE - Literally "earth in the sea" (Island)

38. Wetland birds: TERNS.

42. Caffeine-rich seed: KOLA - No Pepsi after noon for me

43. 1960 Random House acquisition: KNOPF 


45. Wild way to run: RIOT - A headline about an embarrassing Australian loss to Scotland in Rugby

46. Web crawler, e.g.: BOT - A internet application that can perform repetitive tasks quickly for good or ill. Okay...

47. Hit the skids: GO TO POT - "The idea here is of chopping ingredients up into small pieces before putting them in the pot for cooking and from this comes the sense 'be ruined or destroyed'" You're welcome!

49. Pressure meas.: PSI 

50. Designer Pucci: EMILIO - Haute couture is not my cup 'o tea.

52. Traditional Dixie dessert: PECAN PIE - Please keep the pronunciation 54. Comment: REMARKs civil!

55. Reptile named for the warning sound it makes: RATTLER 

56. Stars: GREATS - Norma Desmond, "The Stars are ageless, aren't they?"

57. Death Star "super" weapons: LASERS - What else on Christmas Lights Day?

Down:

1. Award-winning ESPN writer/reporter Jeremy: SCHAAP - I much preferred his sports writer dad Dick Schaap

2. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's first female inductee: ARETHA - Powerful and soulful!

3. Check alternative: PAYPAL.

4. Many a GI: PVT.

5. Old Ritz rival: HI HO - Pitched by an Old TV Character

6. Afternoon hr.: ONE PM - One day at this time of day as I faced three more classes, I finally decided retirement was a great option after literally answering the bell for 42 years

7. Lamb product: ESSAY - Charles Lamb wrote the ESSAYS but he used the pseudonym of Elia which was the last name of a fellow worker at South Sea House in London

8. Memorable lion suit wearer: LAHR - The lovable Cowardly Lion from Oz

9. 2001 biopic: ALI - Will Smith as The Greatest

10. Burro's baskets: PANNIERS - The Burros laden with PANNIERS from The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre

11. Former GM cars: SATURNS - More GM cars will become "former" next year as GM retools for the future 

12. Doesn't act well: EMOTES - There's nothing worse than a ham EMOTING in a turkey

14. Stage makeup staple: GREASE PAINT - This gave us the haunting Who Can I Turn To?

17. Programmer's problem: ENDLESS LOOP - Sometimes you  just have to shut the machine off and start over

21. McCormick offering: BLACK PEPPER - A staple in our cupboard for decades

24. Gulf of __: Baltic Sea arm: BOTHNIA - I knew this about as well as I did Gabon last Saturday 😏

26. Modern poster: TWEETER.

28. Trees whose fruit yields a moisturizing butter: SHEAS - More Africa geography: Here a woman is processing SHEA Tree nuts in Burkina Faso 

30. Catch on: GET IT

32. Bolted: RAN.

33. Bryan's "Malcolm in the Middle" role: HAL - That's Bryan Cranston as Hal on the left and as Walter White in Breaking Bad seven years later

34. Use a certain two-handed signal: CALL TIME - Making the T with your two hands will indicate a TIME OUT

35. 19th-century women's rights advocate Amelia: BLOOMER- Amelia did not invent BLOOMERS but she wore them and advocated their use in her newspaper so women could dress in less restrictive clothing. Therefore, her name became associated with them.

36. "La Dolce Vita" actress: EKBERG - Ms. EKBERG eschewed Ms. BLOOMER'S apparel in this Trevi Fountain scene from La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life)

39. Flow in small waves: RIPPLE - Seen above

40. More inclined to pry: NOSIER.

41. "M*A*S*H" actor David Ogden __: STIERS - Major Charles Emerson Winchester

43. Screwballs: KOOKS.

44. Kind of point: FOCAL - Did Archimedes really start Roman ships on fire with polished shields reflecting sunlight to a FOCAL point in 212 B.C.?

47. Prepared (oneself) for action: GIRT  - I have GIRDED my loins but never did I GIRT them as far as I know 😊

48. "Catch ya later": TATA.

51. A.L. West team, in crawl lines: LAA - The Los Angeles Angels have been referred to as HALOS in these puzzles 

53. Some Windows systems: NTS (New Technology) - Sheldon on operating systems

Comment at will: