Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011 Barry Silk
Saturday Silkie
Theme: None
Words: 72
Blocks: 28
Well, now, what a stark change from last week's offering - IMHO. I seemed to sail through this one, with a LOT of WAGs, and just a few gaffes. Yet another Barry Silk Saturday - I think he might have more than any other constructor. Triple stacks in a pinwheel fashion again, with a grouping of unique answers in the NE corner -
5. They're waved : MAGIC WANDS - I am in no hurry to see the final installment of Harry Potter, despite having read all the books, and being a huge fan
16. Much of it is shipped via the Strait of Hormuz : IRANIAN OIL - map, here - top right
18. Critical period : CRUNCH TIME - the Eleventh hour, the Two-minute warning, etc.; for me, Crunch Time is 9am, trying to get 30+ trucks rolling for "timely" parcel delivery
ACROSS:
1. __ Cup: Canadian football trophy : GREY - I prefer the Stanley Cup
15. Sound detected with a stethoscope : RALE - BEAT, no, RASP, no....
17. What injured parties may try to get : EVEN
19. Gumshoe : TEC - DeTECtive
20. Walked : TROD
21. "It will be fair weather: for the sky __": Matthew : IS RED
22. Gallery event : ART SHOW - nailed it
24. Like some candle scents : PINY - looks funny, to me
26. Bach, e.g. : GERMAN
27. Reasonable : SANE - I had FINE first, as in "Gimme $10 for it? - that's FINE"
28. Dave Matthews Band label : RCA
31. Lander at Orly : AVION - French for aeroplane, found this in my search
32. Library supporter? : BOOKSHELF - nailed it, great clue/ans
34. "Little Caesar" gangster : RICO - been in a few puzzles recently, right?
35. They extract oxygen from water : GILLS
36. With 40-Across, nocturnal noisemaker : HOOT ; 40. See 36-Across : OWL - can't help it - I'll take #3, keep the beer....
37. "Help!" predecessor : BEATLES VI - Contained "Eight Days a Week", the only song I recognize
39. Viking language : NORSE
41. Fleshy-leaved plant : ALOE - WAG, but a four-letter plant in a CW?
42. Blackmailer : GOUGER
43. Part of NBA: Abbr. : ASSN - had NAT'L to start
44. Bridge units : TETRADS - group of four, not necessarily in bridge
45. Unalaska denizen : ALEUT - WAG - map - bottom left
48. See : DATE
49. Govt.'s Laboratory of Hygiene, now : NIH - National Institute of Health - also been popular lately
50. Ancient rock engraving : PETROGLYPH - nailed it, but I am a big fan of "Ancient Aliens" on the History Channel, and they talk about these all the time
53. Gershon of film : GINA - this fine lady
54. City near Randolph Air Force Base : SAN ANTONIO, Texas
55. Sea of __, shallowest in the world : AZOV - still, at 46ft, it's pretty deep - map
56. Colorful : OPALESCENT
57. Pool member : GENE
DOWN:
1. "Ninotchka" star : GRETA GARBO - All "guy" links today, so I will add some balance
2. Pan's opposite : RAVE REVIEW - how does my hunk pic do?
3. Outlet type : ELECTRICAL
4. Itch : YEN
5. .000001 meters : MICRON
6. Mall map symbol : ARROW - as in "You Are Here"
7. Showy trinket : GAUD - and hence, "GAUDy"
8. Place to retire : INN
9. Title spelled out in Art. 2 of the U.S. Constitution : C.I.C. - Commander In Chief, the POTUS - President of the United States
10. Surfer girls : WAHINES - pronounced "wah-hee-nee", it's a Hawaiian boy or girl; slang it's a surfer girl - I would guess the equivalent of a "Tom Boy"
11. Restless : ANTSY
12. Film __ : NOIR
13. Olive branch site : DIME - Drinks are $1.10 in the vending machines as UPS, so I bring a pocketful of dimes with me to work
14. Winter scene staple : SLED
20. Comparison word : THAN
23. 1930 tariff act co-sponsor : SMOOT - and some interesting history here
24. Philadelphia suburb : PAOLI - Pennsylvania - map
25. Pens' contents : INKS - had the K from "Bookshelf", so it wasn't "PIGS"
27. Unravel : SOLVE - the 'good' kind of unravel - this puzzle, not your sweater
28. Overhaul : REORGANIZE
29. Got ready to trap : CLOSED IN ON
30. Occasional stinger : AFTERSHAVE - not gonna link it....
32. Nomadic grazers : BISON
33. Time to attack : H-HOUR - like D-Day
35. Stylist's stock : GELS
38. Warning to an overindulgent bar customer : LAST ONE - or it can lead to drunken bar brawls
39. Bank robber's aid : NOTE - a .45 comes in handy, too
42. Break 90, say : GET HOT - despite hitting 100� here yesterday, I was thinking about a low golf score, aided by 44D
43. Acoustic : AURAL - I have an article that describes Blue �yster Cult as "Aural Liquid Plumbr"
44. Green stroke : TAP-IN - Putting green
45. Lhasa __ : APSO - cute
46. Spring : LEAP
47. 1928 destroyer of the village of Mascali : ETNA - WAG
48. Physics unit : DYNE
51. Sporty cars : GTs
52. __ cit. : LOC - Legal term; I defer to the Legal Firm of "Dewey, Cheatem & Howe"
53. __ order : GAG - more legalese
Answer grid.
Splynter
Note from C.C.:
Here is another mysterious "Hard to Believe" picture from a blog regular. One hint: Egypt 1993.
Theme: None
Words: 72
Blocks: 28
Well, now, what a stark change from last week's offering - IMHO. I seemed to sail through this one, with a LOT of WAGs, and just a few gaffes. Yet another Barry Silk Saturday - I think he might have more than any other constructor. Triple stacks in a pinwheel fashion again, with a grouping of unique answers in the NE corner -
5. They're waved : MAGIC WANDS - I am in no hurry to see the final installment of Harry Potter, despite having read all the books, and being a huge fan
16. Much of it is shipped via the Strait of Hormuz : IRANIAN OIL - map, here - top right
18. Critical period : CRUNCH TIME - the Eleventh hour, the Two-minute warning, etc.; for me, Crunch Time is 9am, trying to get 30+ trucks rolling for "timely" parcel delivery
ACROSS:
1. __ Cup: Canadian football trophy : GREY - I prefer the Stanley Cup
15. Sound detected with a stethoscope : RALE - BEAT, no, RASP, no....
17. What injured parties may try to get : EVEN
19. Gumshoe : TEC - DeTECtive
20. Walked : TROD
21. "It will be fair weather: for the sky __": Matthew : IS RED
22. Gallery event : ART SHOW - nailed it
24. Like some candle scents : PINY - looks funny, to me
26. Bach, e.g. : GERMAN
27. Reasonable : SANE - I had FINE first, as in "Gimme $10 for it? - that's FINE"
28. Dave Matthews Band label : RCA
31. Lander at Orly : AVION - French for aeroplane, found this in my search
32. Library supporter? : BOOKSHELF - nailed it, great clue/ans
34. "Little Caesar" gangster : RICO - been in a few puzzles recently, right?
35. They extract oxygen from water : GILLS
36. With 40-Across, nocturnal noisemaker : HOOT ; 40. See 36-Across : OWL - can't help it - I'll take #3, keep the beer....
37. "Help!" predecessor : BEATLES VI - Contained "Eight Days a Week", the only song I recognize
39. Viking language : NORSE
41. Fleshy-leaved plant : ALOE - WAG, but a four-letter plant in a CW?
42. Blackmailer : GOUGER
43. Part of NBA: Abbr. : ASSN - had NAT'L to start
44. Bridge units : TETRADS - group of four, not necessarily in bridge
45. Unalaska denizen : ALEUT - WAG - map - bottom left
48. See : DATE
49. Govt.'s Laboratory of Hygiene, now : NIH - National Institute of Health - also been popular lately
50. Ancient rock engraving : PETROGLYPH - nailed it, but I am a big fan of "Ancient Aliens" on the History Channel, and they talk about these all the time
53. Gershon of film : GINA - this fine lady
54. City near Randolph Air Force Base : SAN ANTONIO, Texas
55. Sea of __, shallowest in the world : AZOV - still, at 46ft, it's pretty deep - map
56. Colorful : OPALESCENT
57. Pool member : GENE
DOWN:
1. "Ninotchka" star : GRETA GARBO - All "guy" links today, so I will add some balance
2. Pan's opposite : RAVE REVIEW - how does my hunk pic do?
3. Outlet type : ELECTRICAL
4. Itch : YEN
5. .000001 meters : MICRON
6. Mall map symbol : ARROW - as in "You Are Here"
7. Showy trinket : GAUD - and hence, "GAUDy"
8. Place to retire : INN
9. Title spelled out in Art. 2 of the U.S. Constitution : C.I.C. - Commander In Chief, the POTUS - President of the United States
10. Surfer girls : WAHINES - pronounced "wah-hee-nee", it's a Hawaiian boy or girl; slang it's a surfer girl - I would guess the equivalent of a "Tom Boy"
11. Restless : ANTSY
12. Film __ : NOIR
13. Olive branch site : DIME - Drinks are $1.10 in the vending machines as UPS, so I bring a pocketful of dimes with me to work
14. Winter scene staple : SLED
20. Comparison word : THAN
23. 1930 tariff act co-sponsor : SMOOT - and some interesting history here
24. Philadelphia suburb : PAOLI - Pennsylvania - map
25. Pens' contents : INKS - had the K from "Bookshelf", so it wasn't "PIGS"
27. Unravel : SOLVE - the 'good' kind of unravel - this puzzle, not your sweater
28. Overhaul : REORGANIZE
29. Got ready to trap : CLOSED IN ON
30. Occasional stinger : AFTERSHAVE - not gonna link it....
32. Nomadic grazers : BISON
33. Time to attack : H-HOUR - like D-Day
35. Stylist's stock : GELS
38. Warning to an overindulgent bar customer : LAST ONE - or it can lead to drunken bar brawls
39. Bank robber's aid : NOTE - a .45 comes in handy, too
42. Break 90, say : GET HOT - despite hitting 100� here yesterday, I was thinking about a low golf score, aided by 44D
43. Acoustic : AURAL - I have an article that describes Blue �yster Cult as "Aural Liquid Plumbr"
44. Green stroke : TAP-IN - Putting green
45. Lhasa __ : APSO - cute
46. Spring : LEAP
47. 1928 destroyer of the village of Mascali : ETNA - WAG
48. Physics unit : DYNE
51. Sporty cars : GTs
52. __ cit. : LOC - Legal term; I defer to the Legal Firm of "Dewey, Cheatem & Howe"
53. __ order : GAG - more legalese
Answer grid.
Splynter
Note from C.C.:
Here is another mysterious "Hard to Believe" picture from a blog regular. One hint: Egypt 1993.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday July 22, 2011 David Poole
Theme: "Oh, S**T !" The S and T in common phrases are swapped, to make whacky phrases with funny new meanings.
18A. Scene in "The Hustler"? : FATS BREAKS. I wonder if this was the seed entry, as the movie is about "FaST Eddie" wanting to beat Minnesota "FaTS". The "break" is the first shot at the rack of balls in billiards. A "fast break" is an offensive strategy in basketball, where the offensive team rushes up the court, leaving the defense no time to arrange their positions.
23A. Adam's apples? : EATS OF EDEN. Ok, this one made me chuckle, too. I hope Adam knew what he was getting into! The movie "East of Eden", starring James Dean, was one of his most brilliant performances, IMO.
38A. Tubby tabbies? : BROAD CATS. And LOL at this one, as my two tubby tabbies are sitting at my feet. Of course, many of us listen to a daily "broadcast" of news, weather, etc. This entry was my one "meh", as "broadcast" is one word, while the theme entry breaks it into two. (O.K. Lemonade, I KNOW I am nit-picking, but that's what a critic does...)
52A. Visitors to the Winter Palace? : TSAR GAZERS. The first paparazzi? "Star gazers" would be our own Spitzboov and Bill G., if I am not mistaken?
58A. Tusk warmers? : IVORY COATS. So, why would an elephant in Africa need a coat? With the temps in the 90s and above, I would think they'd need air conditioning! (Like most of us, this week.) The "Ivory Coast"(or, C�te d'Ivoire, for all you Francophiles) is our one geography lesson for today...
Marti here, with a really fun Friday puzzle, with some great stuff. So, let's get to it!
Across:
1. Penicillin source : MOLD. Eeewww...Alexander Fleming, get that old bread out to the trash, this instant!
5. Wee bit : ATOM
9. "The Maltese Falcon" actress : ASTOR. Mary Astor was Humphrey Bogart's femme fatale in the 1941 version. But does anyone remember the 1931 version with Bebe Daniels in that role? (Didn't think so...)
14. Say it's so : AVER. Does anyone else pause and think "Is it aver...or avow?"
15. 1970 N.L. batting champ Carty : RICO. O.K., C.C., take it awaaaay...
16. Gather : GLEAN. I gather you all got this one, right?
17. Debussy's dream : REVE. Wonderful clue, as Debussy was French, and "Reve" (which means "dream", in French) was one of his important piano solo compositions. Beautiful, but I prefer La Mer...(and, since I am blogging, that is what you are going to get!)
20. Not wilted : CRISP. My gardens are not looking very "crisp" right now, with all the heat. (Then again, neither am I...)
22. In the future : AHEAD
26. Duchamp genre : DADA. OK, if Marcel Duchamp can take a urinal and make it into art, then LA DA DA for him!!
30. Orlon, for one : ACRYLIC. "Orlon, rayon, nylon...wait for the perps..." Ooops! this one clues the synthetic polymer fiber! Why didn't he just go with "Fake nails"???
31. Hot and humid : TROPIC. So, do they need COATS there?
33. "A Challenge for the Actor" author Hagen : UTA. Does anyone remember her role in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf"?
34. Grover's veep : ADLAI. Stevenson.
37. Correspond : AGREE.
43. Blemish : TAINT. ("T'aint necessarily so...")
44. Off-rd. transport : ATV. All Terrain Vehicle.
47. "The Tempest" king : ALONSO. Shakespeare 101...
49. Canal problem : EARACHE. Ear canal, not the Suez...
51. Even : TIED
55. Gives off : EMITS
57. Provide with lodging : PUT UP. (Or shut up!)
63. Sommelier's selection : ROS� . I was the sommeliere at a local restaurant for years, and never once suggested a rose!
64. Plum tomatoes : ROMAS. Yummm...
65. Lima's home : OHIO.
66. Start of an intermission? : ENTR' acte. French for "between the acts".
67. Apprehension : ANGST. I have a lot of angst when I blog...something about that debacle when the site went down as I was doing my first blog...
68. Mr. Potato Head piece : LIPS. Oh yeeessss!!! I've waited to use this video...
69. Mtg. : SESS. (Session)
DOWN:
1. His clown alter ego was Bip : MARCEAU. Marcel, the great mime.
2. Be heavy-handed, in a way : OVERACT. Hmmm, heavy handed?
3. Viagra competitor : LEVITRA. OK, I know nothing about these two pharmaceuticals. Anyone have experience? Anyone?...
4. Stylish : DRESSY.
5. Response from 24-Down : ARF. Or 38A, "Meow!!"
6. Familia member : TIA. Italian. "Aunt" (as in, "Tia Maria")
7. The planets, e.g. : OCTAD. OK, we have had "Holst" with his "septad" movement suite, and the old "nonad", (which included Pluto)...so now we are at octad???
8. Arens of Israel : MOSHE
9. Pearl Mosque setting : AGRA. a.k.a the "Taj Mahal"
10. Northerners with a lot of pull? : SLED DOGS. Fun clue. But, the problem with riding in the sled, is that you always have the same view...
11. Mad Hatter's offering : TEA
12. Iowa's state tree : OAK. Duh, three letters - oak, or elm??
13. Hosp. workers : RNS.
19. Proclivity : BENT. Is this common? "I have a bent for sarcasm..."
21. Part of the Little Dipper's handle : POLARIS. Spitzboov, Bill G. ? Help me out here?
24. Rover's pal : FIDO.
25. Fanfare : �CLAT.
27. Abbr. in car ads : APR. Annual Percentage Rate.
28. Gaming cube : DIE. Singular of "dice".
29. Roy Halladay or the Red Baron : ACE. Roy Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history. The Red Baron was a different, "flying" ace.
32. Fleabag : RAT TRAP. Ever stay at a rat-trap hotel?
35. Nabokov novel : ADA
36. More unfriendly : ICIER. I could do with someone icier tonight - IT's HOT!!!
38. Voice of Puss in Boots in "Shrek" sequels : BANDERAS. Antonio.
39. Cheaters, to teachers: Abbr. : ANAG. "Cheaters" is an anagram of "Teachers".
40. It may be held by one on deck : BAT
41. Thrilla in Manila winner : ALI. Muhammed Ali...who could forget that fight with Joe Frazier?
42. Gardening aid : HOE
44. Nail polish remover ingredient : ACETONE. For those fake acrylic nails...
45. Fencing moves : THRUSTS. Ooooh, I could get DF with this one...
46. Evening service : VESPERS. ...but this one brought me back to my Catholic upbringing.
48. Suffix with psych : OTIC. Narc-, acid-, er-....
50. Common blues : AZURES
53. Bar goer's option : STOOL. I don't even want to mention what I thought when I filled this in...
54. Popular Japanese beer : ASAHI
56. Games magazine's 1994 Game of the Year : MYST. I spent many hours with that game. Anyone else?
58. Author Levin : IRA
59. Word in many German names : VON
60. Online "Yikes!" : OMG. Has anyone seen the billboard with the cracked glass and blood stains, with the title "OMG - Get the message. Texting while driving is a deadly distraction"?
61. Thing that comes to those who wait : TIP. I really chuckled at this one - waiters and waitresses just WAIT for those tips!
62. "Mamma Mia!" song : SOS. Sorry, I have to leave you with Abba singing this one...
Hugs to all from Marti!
Note from C.C.:
1) Yesterday's mystery boy is Bill G. Email me crosswordc@gmail.com if you have any "Hard to Believe" pictures to share.
2) Lemonade will be back blogging next Friday.
Note from C.C.:
1) Yesterday's mystery boy is Bill G. Email me crosswordc@gmail.com if you have any "Hard to Believe" pictures to share.
2) Lemonade will be back blogging next Friday.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Thursday July 21, 2011 Claiborne Thompson
Theme: Smell the Cork - A wine quip puzzle.
17A. Start of a quip : I LIKE TO COOK
25A. Quip, part 2 : WITH WINE,
32A. Quip, part 3 : SOMETIMES
46A. Quip, part 4 : I EVEN PUT
52A. End of quip : IT IN THE FOOD
Hello Everyone. Boomer here, sitting in for Al, who is taking the next few months off due to extra workload.
I understand the quip, my sisters live in the wine country of Northern California. I stayed in the Scandinavian heartland, and no matter how much wine you put on the lutefisk, or drink with the eelpout, you will never improve the taste.
Across:
1. Grafton's "A" : ALIBI - "A" Is for Alibi.
6. Mill fill : GRIST - You can use the grist with Coors Light to make batter for that lutefisk.
11. Witchy woman : HAG - "I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!"
14. Aristotle forte : LOGIC
15. Major outlet : AORTA - I think more of an artery. An outlet is a store that sells last year's stuff for half price, or the thing on the kitchen wall into which you plug your toaster.
16. Chemical ending : IDE - Aristotle says this clue is logical
19. Lot : TON -
20. First name in hair products : VIDAL - I first thought of ESTEE. Pass the White Out.
21. Spanish possessive : NUESTRO Never cared much for foreign words in puzzles
23. Like the 4-Down in a 1960 chart-topper : TEENIE - This took a while to get. "One, Two, Three, Four, tell the people what she wore."
26. Bear : BRUIN - Chicago NFLers may not compare to Boston's hockey team.
27. Champagne designation : SEC - Champagne is home to the Fighting Illini. They're in the Big Ten, not the SEC.
28. "them" author : OATES. Joyce Carol Oates.
29. Payoff : SOP - Sorry, I don't get this on at all.
30. Acquire : GET
31. Word in a current account? : AMPERE - Now we're talking electricity, just don't plug it in to your AORTA.
35. Take willingly : ACCEPT
38. Dreyer's partner in ice cream : EDY - They don't make sugar free.
39. River wriggler : EEL - Don't cook them in wine, it won't help
42. Don't just want : CRAVE
43. Top-secret org. : NSA
44. PETCO Park player : PADRE Who was Jack Murphy and what happened to him?
48. Hawks' homes : AERIES - I thought only eagles built aeries. The Hawks home is Atlanta.
49. Outclassed by a large margin, as competitors : DWARFED - "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to work we go"
50. You are, in Yucat�n : ESTAS - Another foreign word - Yuc
51. Mid-seventh-century date : DCL - Anyone this old would not be much of a date.
56. Deborah's "The King and I" costar : YUL - Shaved his head before Michael Jordan made it stylish.
57. Thumbs-up person, perhaps : RATER - Or maybe sizes ripe olives.
58. "Amazing" magician : RANDI - Again I'm lost. David Copperfield nor Criss Angel would fit.
59. Ike's WWII domain : ETO
60. Alex's mom on "Family Ties" : ELYSE - I remember her in "Bridgette Loves Bernie"
61. Words of reassurance : IT'S OK - Thank you
Down:
1. Poetic pugilist : ALI - "The Greatest" self acclaimed
2. Online chuckle : LOL
3. "Tell me already" : I GIVE UP - or "Holler Uncle!!"
4. See 23-Across : BIKINI - I know it was a yellow polka dot one, but I never knew if the polka dots were yellow, or if it was yellow with a different color dots.
5. Stranded in winter, perhaps : ICED-IN - Oh Oh, you may have to get a filet of lutefisk out of the freezer.
6. Reading pen? : GAOL. Reading Gaol, prison in England.
7. Fabled flier : ROC
8. Like many "Twilight Zone" episodes : IRONIC - I thought it might be SciFis.
9. Pub choice : STOUT - Also a college in Menomonie WI.
10. Pay after taxes : TAKE HOME - It keeps getting smaller, and hopefully you still have a home.
11. Member of an ancient Asia Minor empire : HITTITE - I have heard of them, but whenever I see the word in print, I always think of a pitch, High and Tight.
12. Beautifier : ADORNER
13. Columbus, by birth : GENOESE
18. __ Bo : TAE - Could have asked for the initials of the guy who invented uses for 31 Across
22. Exchanges : SWAPS - Also a Kentucky Derby Winner in 1955 under Willie Shoemaker. Held off favorite Nashua at Churchill Downs.
23. "Conan" channel : TBS _ The commercials tell you - "TBS - very funny". Sorry that's an oxymoron. If Conan was funny, he's still be on NBC.
24. Handel cantata "__ e Leandro" : ERO
25. Least arid : WETTEST
27. Go out with : SEE - And have fun, as long as your date isn't 650 years old.
30. It's eight hours later than PST : GMT - Greenwich Mean Time. I always thought mean time was when your alarm clock goes off.
31. Singer Grant : AMY - I first thought of Gogi and her one hit "The Wayward Wind".
32. Cut : SEVER
33. Forest safety concern : OPEN FIRE - Smokey the Bear (or Bruin) is on the lookout. There's a wonderful statue in International Falls, MN.
34. Actress Lupino : IDA - Famous in crosswords as well as movies and TV roles. I remember her mostly with her then husband Howard Duff in a TV show, Mr. Adams and Eve.
35. Wool-coloring agent : ACID DYE Not familiar with this, sounds dangerous. I think I'll keep my sweaters the color that they came in.
36. Close-cropped hair style : CREW CUT - Military hairstyles are making a comeback.
37. Italian horse : CAVALLO - Another one of those foreign words.
39. Inventing family : EDISONS - And here's another tie in to the outlet and ampere.
40. Prior to : ERE
41. French article : LES
43. Feature of one who is barely sleeping? : NUDITY - What can I say, clever clue, got me.
44. "Great" czar : PETER I
45. Former PLO leader : ARAFAT
47. Corolla part : PETAL - If this a Toyota Corolla, then the answer would be PEDAL.
48. Pompeii burier : ASH - This clue threw me. Ash is a common word, I could think of a more common clue. Oh well.
50. French 101 verb : ETRE
53. Nintendo's Super __ : NES - Mario did not fit. NES is an acronym for something
54. Meter lead-in : ODO
55. H�gar creator Browne : DIK - Unusual spelling makes him a favorite of crosswords. He also teamed with Mort Walker on Beetle Bailey - one of my favorites.
Answer grid.
Boomer
Note from C.C.:
Here are two more wonderful "Hard to Believe" photos from another blog regular. Both taken by his father. And the boy is ??? (Answer: Bill G.)
17A. Start of a quip : I LIKE TO COOK
25A. Quip, part 2 : WITH WINE,
32A. Quip, part 3 : SOMETIMES
46A. Quip, part 4 : I EVEN PUT
52A. End of quip : IT IN THE FOOD
Hello Everyone. Boomer here, sitting in for Al, who is taking the next few months off due to extra workload.
I understand the quip, my sisters live in the wine country of Northern California. I stayed in the Scandinavian heartland, and no matter how much wine you put on the lutefisk, or drink with the eelpout, you will never improve the taste.
Across:
1. Grafton's "A" : ALIBI - "A" Is for Alibi.
6. Mill fill : GRIST - You can use the grist with Coors Light to make batter for that lutefisk.
11. Witchy woman : HAG - "I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!"
14. Aristotle forte : LOGIC
15. Major outlet : AORTA - I think more of an artery. An outlet is a store that sells last year's stuff for half price, or the thing on the kitchen wall into which you plug your toaster.
16. Chemical ending : IDE - Aristotle says this clue is logical
19. Lot : TON -
20. First name in hair products : VIDAL - I first thought of ESTEE. Pass the White Out.
21. Spanish possessive : NUESTRO Never cared much for foreign words in puzzles
23. Like the 4-Down in a 1960 chart-topper : TEENIE - This took a while to get. "One, Two, Three, Four, tell the people what she wore."
26. Bear : BRUIN - Chicago NFLers may not compare to Boston's hockey team.
27. Champagne designation : SEC - Champagne is home to the Fighting Illini. They're in the Big Ten, not the SEC.
28. "them" author : OATES. Joyce Carol Oates.
29. Payoff : SOP - Sorry, I don't get this on at all.
30. Acquire : GET
31. Word in a current account? : AMPERE - Now we're talking electricity, just don't plug it in to your AORTA.
35. Take willingly : ACCEPT
38. Dreyer's partner in ice cream : EDY - They don't make sugar free.
39. River wriggler : EEL - Don't cook them in wine, it won't help
42. Don't just want : CRAVE
43. Top-secret org. : NSA
44. PETCO Park player : PADRE Who was Jack Murphy and what happened to him?
48. Hawks' homes : AERIES - I thought only eagles built aeries. The Hawks home is Atlanta.
49. Outclassed by a large margin, as competitors : DWARFED - "Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to work we go"
50. You are, in Yucat�n : ESTAS - Another foreign word - Yuc
51. Mid-seventh-century date : DCL - Anyone this old would not be much of a date.
56. Deborah's "The King and I" costar : YUL - Shaved his head before Michael Jordan made it stylish.
57. Thumbs-up person, perhaps : RATER - Or maybe sizes ripe olives.
58. "Amazing" magician : RANDI - Again I'm lost. David Copperfield nor Criss Angel would fit.
59. Ike's WWII domain : ETO
60. Alex's mom on "Family Ties" : ELYSE - I remember her in "Bridgette Loves Bernie"
61. Words of reassurance : IT'S OK - Thank you
Down:
1. Poetic pugilist : ALI - "The Greatest" self acclaimed
2. Online chuckle : LOL
3. "Tell me already" : I GIVE UP - or "Holler Uncle!!"
4. See 23-Across : BIKINI - I know it was a yellow polka dot one, but I never knew if the polka dots were yellow, or if it was yellow with a different color dots.
5. Stranded in winter, perhaps : ICED-IN - Oh Oh, you may have to get a filet of lutefisk out of the freezer.
6. Reading pen? : GAOL. Reading Gaol, prison in England.
7. Fabled flier : ROC
8. Like many "Twilight Zone" episodes : IRONIC - I thought it might be SciFis.
9. Pub choice : STOUT - Also a college in Menomonie WI.
10. Pay after taxes : TAKE HOME - It keeps getting smaller, and hopefully you still have a home.
11. Member of an ancient Asia Minor empire : HITTITE - I have heard of them, but whenever I see the word in print, I always think of a pitch, High and Tight.
12. Beautifier : ADORNER
13. Columbus, by birth : GENOESE
18. __ Bo : TAE - Could have asked for the initials of the guy who invented uses for 31 Across
22. Exchanges : SWAPS - Also a Kentucky Derby Winner in 1955 under Willie Shoemaker. Held off favorite Nashua at Churchill Downs.
23. "Conan" channel : TBS _ The commercials tell you - "TBS - very funny". Sorry that's an oxymoron. If Conan was funny, he's still be on NBC.
24. Handel cantata "__ e Leandro" : ERO
25. Least arid : WETTEST
27. Go out with : SEE - And have fun, as long as your date isn't 650 years old.
30. It's eight hours later than PST : GMT - Greenwich Mean Time. I always thought mean time was when your alarm clock goes off.
31. Singer Grant : AMY - I first thought of Gogi and her one hit "The Wayward Wind".
32. Cut : SEVER
33. Forest safety concern : OPEN FIRE - Smokey the Bear (or Bruin) is on the lookout. There's a wonderful statue in International Falls, MN.
34. Actress Lupino : IDA - Famous in crosswords as well as movies and TV roles. I remember her mostly with her then husband Howard Duff in a TV show, Mr. Adams and Eve.
35. Wool-coloring agent : ACID DYE Not familiar with this, sounds dangerous. I think I'll keep my sweaters the color that they came in.
36. Close-cropped hair style : CREW CUT - Military hairstyles are making a comeback.
37. Italian horse : CAVALLO - Another one of those foreign words.
39. Inventing family : EDISONS - And here's another tie in to the outlet and ampere.
40. Prior to : ERE
41. French article : LES
43. Feature of one who is barely sleeping? : NUDITY - What can I say, clever clue, got me.
44. "Great" czar : PETER I
45. Former PLO leader : ARAFAT
47. Corolla part : PETAL - If this a Toyota Corolla, then the answer would be PEDAL.
48. Pompeii burier : ASH - This clue threw me. Ash is a common word, I could think of a more common clue. Oh well.
50. French 101 verb : ETRE
53. Nintendo's Super __ : NES - Mario did not fit. NES is an acronym for something
54. Meter lead-in : ODO
55. H�gar creator Browne : DIK - Unusual spelling makes him a favorite of crosswords. He also teamed with Mort Walker on Beetle Bailey - one of my favorites.
Answer grid.
Boomer
Note from C.C.:
Here are two more wonderful "Hard to Believe" photos from another blog regular. Both taken by his father. And the boy is ??? (Answer: Bill G.)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Scott Atkinson
Theme: DUCK-LING fling. Five common English words that can serve double duty as either nouns or verbs are adorned with a diminutive LING suffix, yielding another common English language noun, now in an off-beat, humorous diminutive form. Some of them are still verbs, as well.
17A. Very narrow fissure? : CRACKLING. N: 1) As per the clue, 2) A bit of fried pork or goose fat; V: producing a series of snapping noises.
26A. Landfill in a toy city? : DUMPLING. N: 1) As per the clue, 2) A lump of dough cooked in liquid.
38. Minuscule tattoo? : INKLING. N: 1) As per the clue, 2) A hint, 3) A vague notion, 4) (plural) An Oxford University literary discussion group whose members included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien; V: Communicating in an undertone or whisper (obsolete.)
40A. Dollhouse dress adornment? : BOWLING. N: 1) Tiny BOW, as per the clue, 2) A game in which one knocks down wooden objects with a rolled ball. V: Playing that game.
49A. Where to wear a training bra? : BUSTLING. N: Per the clue, A, AA, or AAA miniscule bosom. (Dare I?) V: Moving energetically.
62A. Very young hobo? : TRAMPLING. N: Son of ON THE ROAD, perhaps. V: Treading in a heavy-footed, damaging manner
And the unifier, 67A. Waterfowl whose young inspired this puzzle's theme : DUCKS. Baby DUCKS are DUCKLINGS.
Wow! Six theme entries, plus a unifier, and very complex wordplay, with layered double, and sometimes triple meanings, a rich musical sub-theme, and a bit of DF. I am AGAPE, but will not DUCK out on you. Lets DUCK INTO the puzzle and see what we can find.
Across:
1. Birthday secret : WISH. We make our wishes known. Otherwise, you get what you get.
5. "Back in Black" band : ACDC. Of all the bands that (tried to ) sound like Led Zeppelin, I preferred Led Zeppelin.
9. Visibly amazed : AGAPE. Jaw-droppingly so.
14. __ Domini : ANNO. Latin: In the year of Our Lord.
15. Bodybuilder's supplement : WHEY. Dairy-based protein source.
16. Hand-dyeing craft : BATIK.
19. Vintage violin : AMATI
20. Michael Moore health-care film : SICKO. Unavoidably political, ergo: no comment.
21. Melody : TUNE. We opened the Jazz Fest with this TUNE. Hardest Big Band Chart I've ever played. I have a video posted on Facebook. If you're on and interested, send me an email, and I'll send you a link.
23. Rock 'n' roll middle name : ARON. Alvis ARON Presley
24. Didn't sell : KEPT.
28. CIA part: Abbr. : AGCY. Central intelligence AGENCY.
30. Arthur Fiedler et al. : MAESTRI. Pl. of MEASTRO - orchestra conductors.
32. Hamm of soccer : MIA. From the U.S Gold Cup Championship Team of a few years back.
33. Ryder rentals : VANS. TRUCKS doesn't fit.
34. Where eaglets hatch : AERIE. Alternate spellings of this word always leave me feeling eerily up in the air.
42. Opposite of perfect pitch : NO EAR. OK. But TIN EAR is more idiomatic.
43. Composer __ Carlo Menotti : GIAN. 20th Century Italian-American composer.
44. Transp. group in the Loop : CTA. CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY
45. Pago Pago people : SAMOANS
48. Did a farrier's job : SHOD. Installed horseshoes. A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves. Now you know.
52. Lacking spice : TAME
54. Chain selling stacks : IHOP. International House of Pancakes
55. Clue in a case : LEAD
57. Dip for a chip : SALSA
60. Mila of "Black Swan" : KUNIS
64. "Fear of Flying" author Jong : ERICA
65. Sneaky trick : WILE. In theory, perhaps.
66. Luke's sci-fi sister : LEIA
68. Black stone : ONYX
69. Enjoys a smorgasbord : SUPS
Down:
1. WWII auxiliaries : WACS. Pl of WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS.
2. Calvary inscription : INRI. L. abbrv. "Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews." Calvary was the site of the crucifixion.
3. Twinkie or Ding Dong : SNACK CAKE. Empty calories.
4. Game with sticks : HOCKEY.
5. Pointy tool : AWL
6. Slip in a pot : CHIT. Slang for an IOU
7. Strips of leaves : DENUDES. Remember Agent Orange?
8. Swan constellation : CYGNUS. Use your imagination.
9. The N.Y. Nets were its last champion : ABA. American Basketball Association
10. Warren Harding's middle name : GAMALIEL. You all knew that - right?
11. Asteroids maker : ATARI. Ditto.
12. Spike for a mountaineer : PITON. Drive it into a CRACKLING.
13. Squeezing (out) : EKING
18. Keystone character : KOP. BUSTLING Bumbling gendarmes from the silent movie days.
22. Ambulance VIP : EMT. EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN. Note abbrv in cl & ans.
25. Bur. of Prohibition employee : T-MAN. Treasury Department officers out to collect alcohol taxes.
27. Shrimp relative : PRAWN. What's the difference?
28. Key with no sharps or flats: Abbr. : A MIN. Now this is tricky. A MIN is the relative minor of C MAJ - both with four letters, but no sharps or flats.
29. NFL Hall of Famer Marchetti : GINO. Old time Baltimore Colt.
31. Zambia neighbor: Abbr. : ANG. ANGOLA - also a city in Indiana.
33. Like megapopular web videos : VIRAL. Slang term, meaning passed from person to person, like a virus
35. Cardinal who was a foe of the Musketeers : RICHELIEU
36. Wild about : INTO. How long has it been since anyone asked you: "Are you INTO C B?"
37. "Zounds!" : EGAD. Slang from across the pond.
39. Unwanted playground game teammate : LAST PICK. Yes. That would be me.
40. Recycling vessel : BIN
41. Brewer's kiln : OAST. Crossword stalwart.
43. Yuri who was the first to orbit Earth : GAGARIN. Russian Cosmonaut.
46. Wire measure : MIL. Thousandth of an inch.
47. Punch sequence : ONE-TWO. Take that, and that . . .
48. Some tees : SMALLS. T-Shirt sizes.
49. Pedaled : BIKED. This guy gave his girlfriend a bicycle. Then she peddled it all over town.
50. Freedom, in Swahili : UHURU. Didn't we just see her last week?
51. Part of SST : SONIC. Super SONIC Transport
53. "Antony and Cleopatra" killer : ASP. Slithery crossword stalwart.
56. Tyne with a Tony and Emmys : DALY. The name is familiar, but not the face.
58. Salon sound : SNIP. Cutting hair
59. "What __!": "How fun!" : A GAS. Groovy slang, man. Far out!
61. Palindromic airline : SAS. Scandinavian Airlines System International, if you have an INKLING to travel.
63. Tex-__ cuisine : MEX. Burritos, fajitas, chile con carne, etc. OK. Now I'm hungry.
Fine, intricate puzzle. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I.
Cheers!
JzB
Note from C.C.:
Here are a few more "Hard to Believe" pictures from another blog regular. I'm afraid her captions will give her name away easily. I just adore the third picture. She looks gorgeous!
Note from C.C.:
Here are a few more "Hard to Believe" pictures from another blog regular. I'm afraid her captions will give her name away easily. I just adore the third picture. She looks gorgeous!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Curious Conundrums
I'm pleased to introduce a new feature of this blog: Curious Conundrums (to keep with the CC theme).
There is a need for a puzzle outlet that cannot be found in the usual channels of publication. Many constructors, both novice and well-established, have wonderful ideas for puzzles that do not have a market niche. If you'd like to share and get opinions of your puzzles (either new or rejections) and would like to hear feedback on your theme and/or fill and/or clues from our Corner readers, please email me (crosswordc@gmail.com) your puzzle in Crossword Compiler I'll publish a specific post for the puzzle and start a comment thread.
There is a need for a puzzle outlet that cannot be found in the usual channels of publication. Many constructors, both novice and well-established, have wonderful ideas for puzzles that do not have a market niche. If you'd like to share and get opinions of your puzzles (either new or rejections) and would like to hear feedback on your theme and/or fill and/or clues from our Corner readers, please email me (crosswordc@gmail.com) your puzzle in Crossword Compiler I'll publish a specific post for the puzzle and start a comment thread.
Today I'd like to share a "Carpe Diem" puzzle Don G. and I made. We thought it's perfect for this hot summer's day. It's Don's original idea, and I brought it to life for his birthday. The theme for this puzzle was rejected on a technicality of geographical consistency, but still has a consistent thematic element that is not seen very often. A special "Thank you" to Marti and Barry G for the early grid review, test solving & valuable suggestions.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 Don Gagliardo
Theme: Windmills(2:18) - As the unifier states, there is a synonym for CIRCLE hidden within the themes. If your puzzle has the circles(and they're in the right spots, see here), it makes it a little easier.
17A. St. Patrick's day shout : "ERIN GO BRAGH!"
32A. Business that serves smokers : TOBACCO INDUSTRY
39A. With "leave," settle for the existing situation : WELL ENOUGH ALONE
60A. Privileged group, and an aptly highlighted feature of 17-, 32- and 39-Across : INNER CIRCLE
Argyle here. I'm tempted to comment on the wording of 32-Across but I'll take the advice of 39-Across. Hard G has given us an ambitious Tuesday. There are two spanners and the theme makes a nice diagonal stripe down the face of the grid.
Across:
1. "I'm clueless!" : "GOT ME!". A bad situation for a constructor.
6. Half of Ethiopia's capital : ABABA. Addis Ababa Image.
11. Finger-to-lips syllable : "SHH!"
14. 1994 peace prize sharer Yitzhak : RABIN. Actually, there were three: Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, and Yitzhak Rabin.
15. C.S. who created Narnia : LEWIS and 52D. Narnia lion : ASLAN. From the fantasy novel, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".
16. Chinese word of enlightenment : TAO
19. IV administrators : RNs. But don't call them bag ladies!
20. 0, in Spain : CERO. Spanish for "Zero".
21. Linus awaits the Great Pumpkin in one : PATCH
22. Singer's aid : MIKE. We see MIC quite often these days.
23. Unconventional merchandise quantity : ODD LOT
25. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" singer Neil : SEDAKA. Skip the clip(2:14) if you want, I'll understand.
27. Lewinsky confidante Linda : TRIPP. No image available.
30. Delinquency word more commonly heard in the plural : ARREAR
36. Fifth in NYC, e.g. : AVE.
37. Contraire � la __: illegal, in Lyons : LOI. French
38. Finished first : WON
46. "M*A*S*H" system : TRIAGE. The process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition.
47. Drum major's cap : SHAKO. Take one home today.
48. Heat rub product : BENGAY
50. Oysters-on-the-half-shell seller : RAW BAR
54. Menlo Park middle name : ALVA. TAE - Thomas Alva Edison. Haven't heard from Nikola Tesla lately.
55. Somewhat warm : TEPID
58. Wave radio maker : BOSE
59. Work the soil : HOE
62. Bachelor in personals, briefly : SWM. Single white male.
63. Short explosive? : NITRO
64. It's not an express : LOCAL
65. Half and half : ONE. It adds up.
66. Yarn unit : SKEIN. How many yards of yarn? "a hank of yarn," from O.Fr.
67. Buck of country music : OWENS. Skip the clip(2:16) if you want, I'll understand.
Down:
1. Artist El __ : GRECO. He was a painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El Greco" (The Greek) was a nickname, a reference to his Greek origin, and the artist normally signed his paintings with his full birth name in Greek letters.
2. Rowed : OARED. Or sculled.
3. Classic Ford : T-BIRD
4. Company that merged with Konica : MINOLTA. Not just cameras anymore.
5. Stonehenge loc. : ENGland
6. Actress Jessica : ALBA. Nice hair.
7. Lion player Lahr : BERT. Nice hair.
8. Sky surveillance acronym : AWACS. Airborne Warning and Control System
9. Swollen ego : BIG HEAD
10. Smudge on Santa? : ASH
11. Ump's call : "STRIKE TWO!"
12. "Hammerin'" baseballer : HANK AARON. Two baseball clues.
13. Watering aid : HOSE
18. Fiber-__ : OPTIC
22. Fourth planet : MARS. Um-m-m. We've had a Fifth Avenue and now a Mars Bar.
24. Dungeons & Dragons monster : ORC
26. R&B's __ Hill : DRU. All four original members of were natives of Baltimore, Maryland. Formation.
28. Casual shirt : POLO
29. Reverent : PIOUS
31. Sandberg with nine Gold Gloves : RYNE. More baseball.
32. "I __ I taw a puddy ..." : TAWT
33. Excessive : OVERBLOWN
34. "This is no lie" : "BELIEVE ME"
35. Expected soon : NIGH
40. Turner on screen : LANA. She was a Sweater Girl.
41. Poached fare : EGG
42. Slob's opposite : NEATNIK
43. Either of the first two consonants in "coccyx" : HARD C. Don's signature clue/answer.
44. Wanted poster abbr. : AKA. Also Known As.
45. Unintellectual : LOWBROW
49. Broadway matchmaker : YENTE
51. Italian ball game : BOCCE
53. Fishing gear : REELS
54. Facetious "I see" : "AH SO"
56. Prefix with scope : PERI
57. Crease remover : IRON
60. Access points : INS. So egress points are 'outs', right?
61. UN workers' gp. : ILO. International Labour Organization.
Argyle
Constructor note:
The phrase �inner circle� was the inspiration for this puzzle. I just had one of those moments where I saw the phrase, and naturally thought that it could be the subject of a puzzle. I knew that I wanted a hidden word to reflect a circle. I decided to go with four-letter words, for some reason. My search yielded three candidates. It was not as easy as I thought to find words that can mean circle that are four letters long. But it did give me a break. I am always trying to make puzzles with five or six theme answers.
Constructor note:
The phrase �inner circle� was the inspiration for this puzzle. I just had one of those moments where I saw the phrase, and naturally thought that it could be the subject of a puzzle. I knew that I wanted a hidden word to reflect a circle. I decided to go with four-letter words, for some reason. My search yielded three candidates. It was not as easy as I thought to find words that can mean circle that are four letters long. But it did give me a break. I am always trying to make puzzles with five or six theme answers.
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