Saturday, April 21, 2007

For April -- National Poetry Month

Today's major madness. The damn spacing on this blog isn't cooperating again. That's probably not an issue for some people, but I'm a perfectionist, and it really ticks me off. It looks fine on my screen, but it messes up for the preview--and for the publishing. That said, here it is. (Ha! Figured it out and fixed it!)
Victor Fleming has outdone himself with the Sunday puzzle. "Poetry is" -- according to several poets. Theme answers are:

25A/36A: Like fish if its/fresh its good (Osbert Sitwell)
59A: Truth in its Sunday clothes (Joseph Roux)
81A/89A: An echo asking a/shadow to dance (Carl Sandburg)
111A: The deification of reality (Edith Sitwell)
128A: An act of peace (Pablo Neruda)
148A: Being not doing (e.e. cummings)

In addition to theme answers interwoven throughout, there's some fun fill.

64A: Where Springsteen was born, in song (the USA)

1A: Student's declaration (major).

29A: Feature of the villain in "The Fugitive" (onearm)

3D: It may start with someone entering a bar (joke). Clever cluing, and probably a gimme for most.

27A: Orange/yellow blooms (marigold). A friend (on his third marriage) once said that his wife was more like a marigold than a rose. Roses were beautiful, he said, but they had thorns. Marigolds, on the other hand, weren't as flashy but they were nice--and very reliable. I think about that every year when they pop up around the yard, even though I haven't planted marigold seeds for years. They've been married for 25 years now -- twelve times longer than he was married to either of the roses.

119A: Title character in a "Sgt. Pepper" song (Mr Kite). If you've read my profile or this blog, you know that I'm a Beatles fan. I had to go through the whole CD in my head to remember who was in it.

Also liked:

23A: Love letters (SWAK). 'Cause a lick won't stick.

54A: One way to be paid (in cash) -- my favorite way

92D: Hundred Acre Wood donkey (Eeyore)

51D: Tapas bar offering (chorizo) -- a Scrabbly word

85A: Flat (horizontal) -- another Z-word

11D: __this world (not of). Had out of at first. I'll bet I wasn't alone.

145A: Elderly (on in years). Feeling there today.

Lots of others, but it's late.

I devoted way too much time to puzzles this weekend. I had so much to do in the house and in the yard. Maybe Sunday afternoon...


Linda G

16 comments:

DONALD said...

Your blog is so puzzler-solver friendly and always a delight to read -- have a beautiful Sunday, I hear we're scheduled for Spring weather!

That spacing thing gave me trouble for the first month, figured it out and now it's o.k. -- it's sometimes tedious to control, but it can be mastered.

Loved the Marigolds!

Anonymous said...

Hello, Linda G,

First things first, I love your blog. You were terrific as a guest blogger on the King's blog.

I am one of those "lurkers!" (most of the time) who seem to annoy you and Donald. I would love to comment frequently but I do not have a fast connection. I simply cannot comment easily or speedily. It is very slow just to access and read the several crossword blogs that I visit. Donald's site is particularly hard to read and comment on, although I managed to do so once or twice.

Well, enough about me. Here's to more of Linda G.

Jo

DONALD said...

Jo

Just happened to notice your comment -- I know DSL is an added expense, but in the time it saves and the speed of access it enables one to enjoy, it is worth every penny. I suppose my blog is slow to download because I overload it with illustrations, but that's what I do -- I recall being driven mad without the DSL trying to access anything on the web -- it's like cable and satellite, they've got us, we have to pay to be like everyone else! I hope the "lurker" remark (as it was mine)is not taken as a negative one, as I lurk without compunction on everything! It is part of the electronic world!

And yes, Linda is the best!

Linda G said...

Thank you, Donald and Jo. You have no idea how much your comments mean to me this morning. I was going to post a CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE sign on my blog last night due to a very stressful family issue. But Donald had posted a link sending readers to me today, so I had to do something. Thank you, Donald. It was probably the best thing that could have happened.

Jo, please come back as often as you can. We just got DSL in our area about six months ago, and it has been a wonderful timesaver. Now, though, I complain when it takes a full second for something to download ; )

And I don't mind lurkers at all. I visit at least six different sites every day, and I don't comment all the time. Sometimes I just read (and enjoy tremendously) what others have written. When I find a laugh-out-loud comment, it makes my day.

Donald, did you love the picture of the marigolds or the story about roses vs. marigolds?

Anonymous said...

Linda, this too shall pass ... if it feeds you, keep it going! We're kind of like a virtual family, are we not?

Linda G said...

Wendy,

Virtual family says it all. Thanks for the support, blog and otherwise : )

DONALD said...

Linda

I posted a note for you on my blog, will delete it after you have read it -- let me know.

Thanks.

Anonymous said...

We don't have DSL in this rural area. Since your area just received it, Linda G, you can appreciate my situation I think.

Your blog is fairly easy to comment on, from today's experience. I'll be back if feasible.

I can imagine and do appreciate the time and effort that you and the other crossword bloggers put into creating these works of art.

I first found Rex's blog while searching for an answer. But now I go there and to the other crossword sites not for answers (I am not solving much these days) but for the bloggers' discussions and the virtual family get-together.

I really like Donald's blog and wouldn't have him change it just for me. The pictures are great as are his discussions. But . . . the text is difficult to see against the dark background and for some reason the comments area doesn't much like me. I can't help but wonder if other lurkers who would like to comment but don't encounter similar problems.

Best regards to all the V-family. I'll be in touch.

Jo

Anonymous said...

Ohhh, shoot!
A comma should go between "don't" and "encounter" for clarity.

Jo, again

Anonymous said...

Fun blog, Linda (my first visit, thanks to a link from Orange), especially the butt shot and the marigold story. They happen to be one of my favorite flowers -- I always mass them around my tomatoes to keep pests away. It's so true, part of what hooked me on King Rex's blog was the feeling of Virtual Family (we are ElectroniKin of sorts.... bad pun, sorry.... Reminds me, I liked the word KITH today.

Linda G said...

Welcome, rock rabbit. So nice to see you!

I forgot to mention KITH -- a great word, as was your ElectroniKin. Yes, we are, and I'm glad for that.

Anonymous said...

Having worked on crosswords now for only a few weeks, I have to ask: why is TRE the answer to 58a Amount past due?

Linda G said...

Scriberpat,

This is one of those maddening foreign words clue. Tre (three) is the number (or amount) past due (two).

Hang in there. You'll never forget it a second time ; )

Anonymous said...

I had written the question about TRE here at this blog and in one other place -- the blog of Orange. I was pleased to see an answer in both places after coming back from washing the dishes and doing some laundry.

I read the Orange one first and it was from someone telling me enough so that I got that the number three in another language(TRE)is an amount that can be considered past due. But I am not quick enough or sharp enough to have grokked that DUE in that other language is two, even though that other explanation told me TRE is after DUE. DUH. I know, I know "No wonder she's never done the crosswords before."

So if I may be candid, your explanation was the lightbulb. Thank you.

Linda G said...

It's sometimes difficult for me to explain in a way that someone outside of my head could understand. I'm glad I could be part of your lightbulb moment : )

Anonymous said...

*lurks quietly, trips over thin air, falls with a loud THUD*

:)