The long ride home from Denver must have taken a toll on me. I struggled through Barry Silk's Tuesday puzzle, although I did manage to finish.
The theme was revealed at 38A: 1964 #1 hit by the Shangri-Las...or this puzzle's theme (Leader of the Pack). I sang along with it, but it was never a favorite of mine. The theme answers, all clued as "38-Across, in a sense," are:
18A: Ace of Spades.
28A: Alpha Male. My personal favorite. We have two male dogs. When they get territorial, we remind them that Don is the alpha male, not either of them.
45A: Den Mother.
59A: Marlboro Man. My least favorite...my mother and too many friends died as a result of smoking. I remember the Marlboro ads well--they were intended to make filtered cigarettes seem less feminine. Apparently nothing said MAN like a cowboy. Two of the men who depicted him died of lung cancer. You can read more about it here. Of special interest...The Marlboro Man was listed on USA Today's list of Imaginary Luminaries: the 101 most influential people who never lived.
Leader of the Pack and Marlboro Man weren't the only answers from the sixties. Others were:
14A: Actor Gulager (Clu). I had a major crush on him. I think he played on The Virginian.
57A: "Uncle" of old TV (Miltie). That's Milton Berle, for those who don't know him.
5D: One-named singer for the 1960s Velvet Underground (Nico). Did not know this, but got it from the crosses.
10D: "Little" '60s singer (Eva).
55D: Guthrie who sang about Alice (Arlo).
58D: "Mockingbird" singer Foxx, 1963 (Inez).
I guess I could also include 2D: Friend since high school, say (old pal), since that was also in the sixties.
That's quite a blast from the past.
I'm finally wise to the time clues--they used to throw me, but not any more. 9A: Morning hour (ten am).
If 24A: Secular (laic) isn't in the Pantheon, it should be. It's been in several puzzles in the last couple of months. Other words making a reappearance include:
35A: Verdi aria (Eri tu)
52A: Five-star (A-one)
65A: Being of service (utile)
69A: Tibetan beast (yak)
29D: War god on Olympus (Ares)
37D: Prefix with space (aero)
There were probably an equal number of words that I don't recall ever having seen in a puzzle.
16A: Throat dangler (uvula). That has to be one of the funniest looking words.
42A: Excite (arouse). This is when I realized how tired I was. I had everything except the O and couldn't see the word. It didn't help that I completely spaced on 40D: Gmail alternative (AOL).
43A: Italian flowers (fiori). Conversely, it looks and sounds beautiful.
Was happy to see 11D: Hosiery shade (nude), only because that clue is typically used for ecru. I have never even seen ecru hose and would never wear them, although I would never wear nude hose either. Gimme a little color.
The English-major-shoulda-been in me liked seeing 36D: Often-misused pronoun (whom). I also liked 54D: Categorical imperative philosopher (Kant). I remember very little from Philosophy, which I foolishly took as an honors class, but I remember Kant. I hope you're reading this, Dr. Matchett.
The cortisone shot is beginning to do its magic. I have more movement in my left arm than I've had in six months. I'll start physical therapy next Monday. I hope that one shot will do it and that I can avoid surgery, but only time will tell.
It's time to think about getting ready for bed. Tomorrow...
Linda G
Monday, June 4, 2007
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Monday, June 4 - Steve Kahn
It was so nice spending the weekend with my family. My sister and brothers live about four hours from me, and I just don't get to see them often enough. Someone's work schedule often gets in the way...but this weekend we were all together. And we had a wonderful time. Most of their children and grandchildren were there, so we had quite a gathering.
And I printed out the puzzle at my sister's, and I have the laptop. All's right with the world.
Including Steve Kahn's Monday puzzle, full of R and R (37A: Break, briefly...or a hint to this puzzle's theme).
The theme answers are:
17A: Company that clears clogged drains (Roto Rooter)
58A: Friendly tournament format (Round Robin)
11D: Silver Cloud of autodom (Rolls Royce)
27D: Classic kids' show (Romper Room)
I was excited by the clue for 1A: "Madness" month (March). Nice to see the blog name in the puzzle!
Some entertaining, cleverly-clued fill:
20A: "Faster!" (step on it). "Red means stop, green means go, yellow means go like hell." Who can name the movie and the actor who said it?
33A: Adjective follower (noun).
50A: The Godfather's voice, e.g. (rasp). The Godfather was another movie we watched in World's Greatest Films. I never intentionally watch violent movies...I had to close my eyes a few times.
6D: One who knows "the way" (Taoist). Without asking for directions.
7D: Unlikely dog for a canine registry (mutt). As far as I'm concerned, they're the best kind. And one of the best cartoon mutts makes an appearance at 26D: "Garfield" canine (Odie).
12D: Bea Arthur sitcom (Maude). I loved that show. The sarcasm, the wit. She was my kind of woman.
31D: Exhortation at a pub (bottom's up). Love it, although I don't think I've ever said it.
37D: "Lovely __, meter maid" (Beatles lyric) (Rita). Definitely a Monday clue. Any other day it wouldn't have been so detailed. One of my favorite sing-along songs on the treadmill.
45D: Like pumpkins and traffic cones (orange). Does this remind you of anyone we know?
And I printed out the puzzle at my sister's, and I have the laptop. All's right with the world.
Including Steve Kahn's Monday puzzle, full of R and R (37A: Break, briefly...or a hint to this puzzle's theme).
The theme answers are:
17A: Company that clears clogged drains (Roto Rooter)
58A: Friendly tournament format (Round Robin)
11D: Silver Cloud of autodom (Rolls Royce)
27D: Classic kids' show (Romper Room)
I was excited by the clue for 1A: "Madness" month (March). Nice to see the blog name in the puzzle!
Some entertaining, cleverly-clued fill:
20A: "Faster!" (step on it). "Red means stop, green means go, yellow means go like hell." Who can name the movie and the actor who said it?
33A: Adjective follower (noun).
50A: The Godfather's voice, e.g. (rasp). The Godfather was another movie we watched in World's Greatest Films. I never intentionally watch violent movies...I had to close my eyes a few times.
6D: One who knows "the way" (Taoist). Without asking for directions.
7D: Unlikely dog for a canine registry (mutt). As far as I'm concerned, they're the best kind. And one of the best cartoon mutts makes an appearance at 26D: "Garfield" canine (Odie).
12D: Bea Arthur sitcom (Maude). I loved that show. The sarcasm, the wit. She was my kind of woman.
31D: Exhortation at a pub (bottom's up). Love it, although I don't think I've ever said it.
37D: "Lovely __, meter maid" (Beatles lyric) (Rita). Definitely a Monday clue. Any other day it wouldn't have been so detailed. One of my favorite sing-along songs on the treadmill.
45D: Like pumpkins and traffic cones (orange). Does this remind you of anyone we know?
Several words that show up from time to time. It's good to remember them.
6A: Crime-fighter Eliot Ness, notably (Tman)
42A: Fancy tie (ascot)
43A: French political divisions (etats)
Okay, so I didn't do so well not blogging. When you're addicted, you're addicted. What can I say?
See you tomorrow night.
Linda G
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Sunday, June 3 - Kelsey Blakley
My sweet husband brought the laptop, and the hotel has complimentary Internet service. That's the good news. The bad news is I left the completed puzzle in the car, so there's not much I can say about it...
except that I thought it was great fun!
Theme answers were ordinary expressions, clued as the occupation of the person clued. (Remember, I'm pulling this off the top of my head). After I got the first theme answer, the rest seemed to fall into place. Let's see how many I can remember.
Leonardo daVinci? (Master of Arts)
Annie Oakley? (shooting star)
Tiger Woods? (ace of clubs)
Sigmund Freud? (wizard of id)
Okay, so four is all I can remember. I know I have the puzzle constructor's first name correct, but I'm not sure about the last. If this is a test of my memory, I think I get a D.
Some engaging fill as well, but I'll have to leave that to the other bloggers. See the links in the sidebar.
Just couldn't stay away from this place...
Linda G
except that I thought it was great fun!
Theme answers were ordinary expressions, clued as the occupation of the person clued. (Remember, I'm pulling this off the top of my head). After I got the first theme answer, the rest seemed to fall into place. Let's see how many I can remember.
Leonardo daVinci? (Master of Arts)
Annie Oakley? (shooting star)
Tiger Woods? (ace of clubs)
Sigmund Freud? (wizard of id)
Okay, so four is all I can remember. I know I have the puzzle constructor's first name correct, but I'm not sure about the last. If this is a test of my memory, I think I get a D.
Some engaging fill as well, but I'll have to leave that to the other bloggers. See the links in the sidebar.
Just couldn't stay away from this place...
Linda G
Friday, June 1, 2007
Saturday, June 2 - Byron Walden
I Googled a-plenty with this one, and it still took me way too long. We're heading out of town for the weekend, and I really should have been getting my things together.
That's got to be one of the nicest things about having older kids--not that they're coming along this trip. I remember having to pack everything for the two of them, including a box of puzzles, games and goodies to keep them occupied in the car (or on the plane, or on the train). Whew! Don't miss that.
And as long as I'm digressing, a quick shoulder update. The good news--surgery isn't needed at this time. The bad news--I had to get a cortisone shot. That is, it was bad at the time, but now I feel soooooooo much better. Must remember not to overdo it, though.
One more quick digression, then on to the puzzle. Since this blog is relatively new, I didn't think guest bloggers were needed for a weekend absence. By now you know that you can visit the links at the right. Rex will have a solution and lengthy (no matter what he says) commentary on the New York Times, Orange (who has no life outside of the crossworld) does multiple puzzles, and Donald's NYT is always chock-full of artsy photographs. Green Genius does the Sun, which only runs Monday through Friday, but he generally posts something fun (non-puzzle-related) on the weekends.
I've already printed out the NYT Sunday puzzle, which I'll do on the way to Denver (no need to panic--Don's driving), and I'll try to sneak away from my family to read all the blogs for Sunday and Monday. Don likely won't be willing to bring his laptop...I think he's on to my addiction.
Okay, the Saturday puzzle...
I can't lie (54A: Intro to an unvarnished opinion), Byron Walden kicked my butt with this puzzle. The good news was that I was able to get a couple of the long entries, which helped open things up:
7D: Groundwork? (planting the seed). I had planting for a long time, then finally had an aha moment with 40 and 41A: Go out nicely (end/on a high note). Then I knew we were talking about planting the something, and seed fell into place.
2D: Coupling device? (civil union). Great clue and concept. My friend Leigh and her partner had their ceremony in England a year ago.
30D: Candlenut and buckeye (state trees). Most everyone knows that buckeye is the state tree of Ohio. Candlenut is the state tree of Hawaii. I have a beautiful lei made out of candlenut seeds that was given to me at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel.
29D: Sizable, as a hamburger patty (eight ounce). Gag! That's half a pound! Had ounce and E, guessed the rest.
45A: Western__ (omelet). We call them Denver omelets out here.
26A: "Hänsel und Gretel" composer (Humperdinck). Although I didn't know that, once I had a few letters in place, it was pretty easy to guess the rest. No one else has a name like that.
Prior to doing puzzles, I knew absolutely nothing about sports. Now I'm getting good at guessing. 11D: Super Bowl XLI winners (Colts), 14D: Georgia Tech football coaching great Bobby (Dodd), and 21D: Many an 11-Down fan (Indianan).
Nice to see fellow puzzler/guest blogger/constructor evad in the puzzle, if only as part of an answer. 17A: Got around (evaded).
I hesitate to point out 50A: Sour orange, in French cuisine (bigarade). I want to go on record as saying I don't think there's anything sour about her, but I want to acknowledge Her Orangeness.
:D in an e-mail (grin) appears at 33D. A very clever clue. Nice cross with 33A: Nerve (grit), as in the movie, True Grit. Holy cow! Was that really in 1969? Seems like just yesterday.
I hope reader/commenter Ultra Vi was able to get 42D: Scoring leaders? (G clefs). Would be a shame if she missed it ; )
Two more disgusting answers. 49A: 52-Across, for example (fur); 52A: White 49-Across (ermine). They are the sweetest-looking little guys. I'm appalled that they're killed for their fur.
Stepping off my soapbox now...
There were a lot of words I was completely unfamiliar with. Some I guessed easily, some I struggled with forever.
1D: Marked difference (step change). What am I missing?
41D: Gag rule, of a sort (omerta). Never heard of it.
There are probably several more, but it's late and I'm tired.
Have a restful weekend. I'll see you Monday night--same place, same time.
Linda G
That's got to be one of the nicest things about having older kids--not that they're coming along this trip. I remember having to pack everything for the two of them, including a box of puzzles, games and goodies to keep them occupied in the car (or on the plane, or on the train). Whew! Don't miss that.
And as long as I'm digressing, a quick shoulder update. The good news--surgery isn't needed at this time. The bad news--I had to get a cortisone shot. That is, it was bad at the time, but now I feel soooooooo much better. Must remember not to overdo it, though.
One more quick digression, then on to the puzzle. Since this blog is relatively new, I didn't think guest bloggers were needed for a weekend absence. By now you know that you can visit the links at the right. Rex will have a solution and lengthy (no matter what he says) commentary on the New York Times, Orange (who has no life outside of the crossworld) does multiple puzzles, and Donald's NYT is always chock-full of artsy photographs. Green Genius does the Sun, which only runs Monday through Friday, but he generally posts something fun (non-puzzle-related) on the weekends.
I've already printed out the NYT Sunday puzzle, which I'll do on the way to Denver (no need to panic--Don's driving), and I'll try to sneak away from my family to read all the blogs for Sunday and Monday. Don likely won't be willing to bring his laptop...I think he's on to my addiction.
Okay, the Saturday puzzle...
I can't lie (54A: Intro to an unvarnished opinion), Byron Walden kicked my butt with this puzzle. The good news was that I was able to get a couple of the long entries, which helped open things up:
7D: Groundwork? (planting the seed). I had planting for a long time, then finally had an aha moment with 40 and 41A: Go out nicely (end/on a high note). Then I knew we were talking about planting the something, and seed fell into place.
2D: Coupling device? (civil union). Great clue and concept. My friend Leigh and her partner had their ceremony in England a year ago.
30D: Candlenut and buckeye (state trees). Most everyone knows that buckeye is the state tree of Ohio. Candlenut is the state tree of Hawaii. I have a beautiful lei made out of candlenut seeds that was given to me at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel.
29D: Sizable, as a hamburger patty (eight ounce). Gag! That's half a pound! Had ounce and E, guessed the rest.
45A: Western__ (omelet). We call them Denver omelets out here.
26A: "Hänsel und Gretel" composer (Humperdinck). Although I didn't know that, once I had a few letters in place, it was pretty easy to guess the rest. No one else has a name like that.
Prior to doing puzzles, I knew absolutely nothing about sports. Now I'm getting good at guessing. 11D: Super Bowl XLI winners (Colts), 14D: Georgia Tech football coaching great Bobby (Dodd), and 21D: Many an 11-Down fan (Indianan).
Nice to see fellow puzzler/guest blogger/constructor evad in the puzzle, if only as part of an answer. 17A: Got around (evaded).
I hesitate to point out 50A: Sour orange, in French cuisine (bigarade). I want to go on record as saying I don't think there's anything sour about her, but I want to acknowledge Her Orangeness.
:D in an e-mail (grin) appears at 33D. A very clever clue. Nice cross with 33A: Nerve (grit), as in the movie, True Grit. Holy cow! Was that really in 1969? Seems like just yesterday.
I hope reader/commenter Ultra Vi was able to get 42D: Scoring leaders? (G clefs). Would be a shame if she missed it ; )
Two more disgusting answers. 49A: 52-Across, for example (fur); 52A: White 49-Across (ermine). They are the sweetest-looking little guys. I'm appalled that they're killed for their fur.
Stepping off my soapbox now...
There were a lot of words I was completely unfamiliar with. Some I guessed easily, some I struggled with forever.
1D: Marked difference (step change). What am I missing?
41D: Gag rule, of a sort (omerta). Never heard of it.
There are probably several more, but it's late and I'm tired.
Have a restful weekend. I'll see you Monday night--same place, same time.
Linda G
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Friday, June 1 - David Quarfoot and Katy Swalwell
If you're a regular reader, you know that I've been unable to finish the last two David Quarfoot puzzles. But here it is, a Friday puzzle, and I finished it.
It must have something to do with Katy Swalwell.
Stacks of nine-letter entries, some eight-letter stacks, and a couple of twelve-letter entries. I'm not calling this an easy puzzle, but none of the fill was extremely difficult. That said, several of the clues needed to be revisited more than a couple of times.
The twelve-letter entries:
6D: The Elite Eight are associated with it (March Madness)
21D: Subject of some sightings (Elvis Presley). Not to be confused with 10D: Subject of some sightings (UFO).
My favorite nines:
1A: White-bearded, red-capped patriarch (Papa Smurf). Raise your hand if you were thinking St. Nicholas.
57A: Wally Schirra commanded it in 1968 (Apollo VII). I had just gotten my driver's license and was trying to command a 1965 Mustang.
62A: Plain (easy to see). Once I got past the ordinary mindset, it was easy to see where they were going with this one.
And the eights:
34D: Environmental awareness topic (acid rain). Makes me think of a Kelly Clarkson lyric. It's the lies that drop like acid rain.
12D: About three grains (one carat). I initially thought they were referring to bread. If they're talking gems, I've only heard of points for measuring less than a carat.
Other favorites:
33A: Symbol of contrasting principles (yin yang)
41A: Slip acknowledgement (I goofed). Priceless...although the word looks funny sitting there.
59A: All-natural abode (igloo).
26D: A little after, timewise (ten past). They continue to come up with different ways to clue telling time.
32D: Good sign? (halo). Not omen.
44D: Words on a heart (be mine). Not timely, but sweet.
I need to keep this one short. I have an early morning appointment with the orthopedic surgeon to see the MRI results and determine where we'll go with my shoulder. I take some small amount of comfort in the fact that the injury isn't age-related. For some reason, it's more acceptable/tolerable to have a sports-related injury. I'm a sick human being.
Linda G
It must have something to do with Katy Swalwell.
Stacks of nine-letter entries, some eight-letter stacks, and a couple of twelve-letter entries. I'm not calling this an easy puzzle, but none of the fill was extremely difficult. That said, several of the clues needed to be revisited more than a couple of times.
The twelve-letter entries:
6D: The Elite Eight are associated with it (March Madness)
21D: Subject of some sightings (Elvis Presley). Not to be confused with 10D: Subject of some sightings (UFO).
My favorite nines:
1A: White-bearded, red-capped patriarch (Papa Smurf). Raise your hand if you were thinking St. Nicholas.
57A: Wally Schirra commanded it in 1968 (Apollo VII). I had just gotten my driver's license and was trying to command a 1965 Mustang.
62A: Plain (easy to see). Once I got past the ordinary mindset, it was easy to see where they were going with this one.
And the eights:
34D: Environmental awareness topic (acid rain). Makes me think of a Kelly Clarkson lyric. It's the lies that drop like acid rain.
12D: About three grains (one carat). I initially thought they were referring to bread. If they're talking gems, I've only heard of points for measuring less than a carat.
Other favorites:
33A: Symbol of contrasting principles (yin yang)
41A: Slip acknowledgement (I goofed). Priceless...although the word looks funny sitting there.
59A: All-natural abode (igloo).
26D: A little after, timewise (ten past). They continue to come up with different ways to clue telling time.
32D: Good sign? (halo). Not omen.
44D: Words on a heart (be mine). Not timely, but sweet.
I need to keep this one short. I have an early morning appointment with the orthopedic surgeon to see the MRI results and determine where we'll go with my shoulder. I take some small amount of comfort in the fact that the injury isn't age-related. For some reason, it's more acceptable/tolerable to have a sports-related injury. I'm a sick human being.
Linda G
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Thursday, May 31 - William F. Stephens
Sometimes it pays to be a random thinker. This was one of those times.
I knew something was up when I saw the clue for 40A: 1985 Michael J. Fox film. I knew it was Back to the Future. Since it wouldn't fit, I thought perhaps we'd been dealt a rebus.
The southeast corner fell pretty quickly for me. Once I had 55D: Missing word in 21-, 31-, 40- and 50-Across, applied literally (back), I returned to 40A. How would I apply the word back literally? I was fairly certain that 30D: Blocks in a healthful diet? was tofu (great clue, by the way), so that got me thinking. And then it hit me. The theme entries weren't just missing a word...they were written backwards!
21A: From the beginning again (enoerauqsot) -- back to square one
31A: Revived (daedehtmorf) -- back from the dead
40A: 1985 Michael J. Fox film (erutufehtot) -- Back to the Future
50A: Controlling things once more (elddasehtni) -- back in the saddle
A clever theme, and beautifully executed. The judges give it a 9.5!
Always love the appearance of X -- at 15A: Neuron part (axon) and 7D: Part of a gyroscope (axle). And again at 43D: Atone (expiate) and 45A: Truths (axioms).
Fun clues and answers include:
14A: A-one (primo). We see a-one as an answer from time to time. It was nice to see it as a clue...make the old brain drag that information to the forefront.
25A: 1960s greeting (V signs). I was thinking along the lines of Peace, Love, Happiness, but I got it without too much difficulty. Partly because of the G that resulted from:
11D: Chinese menu notation (no MSG). We've had that before, and I'm always pleased when I remember things for a future puzzle.
36A: Low joint (dive). Ooh...good one.
The very best name in Olympics was also cleverly clued. 46A: Street in the Winter Olympics (Picabo).
I'm not a whiz at geography, but it was pretty easy to guess that I-90 runs through Ohio (54D) and that it runs along Lake Erie (51D).
It really helped to nail 58A: Greeting that may precede "Pehea 'oe?" (aloha). Some time before our Hawaii trip, I'll do a post on the meaning of aloha.
On that note, I'll say Auf Wiedersehen (37A), and I'll see you tomorrow.
Linda G
I knew something was up when I saw the clue for 40A: 1985 Michael J. Fox film. I knew it was Back to the Future. Since it wouldn't fit, I thought perhaps we'd been dealt a rebus.
The southeast corner fell pretty quickly for me. Once I had 55D: Missing word in 21-, 31-, 40- and 50-Across, applied literally (back), I returned to 40A. How would I apply the word back literally? I was fairly certain that 30D: Blocks in a healthful diet? was tofu (great clue, by the way), so that got me thinking. And then it hit me. The theme entries weren't just missing a word...they were written backwards!
21A: From the beginning again (enoerauqsot) -- back to square one
31A: Revived (daedehtmorf) -- back from the dead
40A: 1985 Michael J. Fox film (erutufehtot) -- Back to the Future
50A: Controlling things once more (elddasehtni) -- back in the saddle
A clever theme, and beautifully executed. The judges give it a 9.5!
Always love the appearance of X -- at 15A: Neuron part (axon) and 7D: Part of a gyroscope (axle). And again at 43D: Atone (expiate) and 45A: Truths (axioms).
Fun clues and answers include:
14A: A-one (primo). We see a-one as an answer from time to time. It was nice to see it as a clue...make the old brain drag that information to the forefront.
25A: 1960s greeting (V signs). I was thinking along the lines of Peace, Love, Happiness, but I got it without too much difficulty. Partly because of the G that resulted from:
11D: Chinese menu notation (no MSG). We've had that before, and I'm always pleased when I remember things for a future puzzle.
36A: Low joint (dive). Ooh...good one.
The very best name in Olympics was also cleverly clued. 46A: Street in the Winter Olympics (Picabo).
I'm not a whiz at geography, but it was pretty easy to guess that I-90 runs through Ohio (54D) and that it runs along Lake Erie (51D).
It really helped to nail 58A: Greeting that may precede "Pehea 'oe?" (aloha). Some time before our Hawaii trip, I'll do a post on the meaning of aloha.
On that note, I'll say Auf Wiedersehen (37A), and I'll see you tomorrow.
Linda G
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Wednesday, May 30 - Mike Nothnagel
I don't know if Mike Nothnagel reads this blog...but this is absolutely his best puzzle ever.
And if you didn't read yesterday's blog, you oughta do that before you go on! If you did, you probably had an easier time with this puzzle.
The clue at 53A (Speaker of the catchphrase that starts 20-, 27- and 47-Across) reveals the theme. The answer is Timothy Leary, the LSD advocate of the 60s, who coined the phrase contained in the first words of the three theme answers:
20A: Revolve (TURN ON an axis)
27A: "Don't miss the next episode..." (TUNE IN tomorrow)
47A: Become a recluse, perhaps (DROP OUT of sight)
Earlier this evening, Janie posted a comment on Rex Parker's blog indicating something very special about the Wednesday puzzle. I just assumed she was referring to an Ava clue that I'd like. Not so.
A nice tie-in is 28D: Go around and around (orbit), since Mr. Leary's ashes did that very thing. Well, he's had more than his share of press at this blog, so I guess I'll move on to the rest of the puzzle.
This didn't seem very Wednesday-ish, but maybe that's because I caught the theme early on. I breezed through it while watching Elton John's 60th birthday celebration at Madison Square Gardens. I'm a fairly good multitasker, but I don't normally attempt the puzzle while I'm doing anything else...except maybe breathing.
9A: Schindler of "Schindler's List" (Oskar) threw me the last time I saw it. I'm happy to say that it was a gimme today. The other one I remembered from past puzzles was 49D: Verdi opera featuring "Ave Maria" (Otello).
15A: Writer Ephron (Nora). If you haven't read her newest book, "I Feel Bad About My Neck," you should. You don't have to be sixty, or even female, to find plenty of humor in it. It's true! (23A: Honest!) I read parts aloud to my husband and 17-year-old, and we were all in stitches. I recommend it as a gift to anyone over 50.
37A: Start of many a pickup line (hey baby). This never worked with me. I'd like to know if anyone in the world ever fell for it. I don't want to know if any of the men out there ever used it.
1A: "I'm glad that's over!" (whew). I like that it begins and ends with W. The second crosses with 4D: On paper (written).
We have two types of humor in this one. 1D: Like some humor (wry), and 16A: Like some Groucho Marx humor (punny).
Two answers I especially like. 43D: Light muffin (popover) and 46D: Frog's perch (lily pad). You could put them together to create a better pick-up line, such as, "Why don't you pop over to my pad, Lily?"
Stumbled momentarily on 50D: Gave birth in a stable (foaled). I thought it might be referring to Jesus, but Timothy Leary saved the day...sort of.
32A: "Bye Bye Bye" boy band (N Sync) reminded me of a professor whose roll sheet always asked a question. Once it was "best boy band?" -- anyone who answered N Sync or Backstreet Boys was doomed for the rest of the semester. Since he was around my age, I knew I'd score points with Beatles.
I almost missed 57D: Big prowler (lion). Surely fellow blogger Donald will be happy to see that.
This is my Jubilee blog...yep, it's been 50 days. While there aren't many comments, the number of readers varies from 140 to 200 a day, some from as far away as Pakistan, Beirut and Switzerland. I enjoy doing this, but I'd like it to be fun for you. Madness...Crossword and Otherwise is still evolving, and I'd welcome comments about the direction you'd like to see it take.
Tomorrow...
Linda G
And if you didn't read yesterday's blog, you oughta do that before you go on! If you did, you probably had an easier time with this puzzle.
The clue at 53A (Speaker of the catchphrase that starts 20-, 27- and 47-Across) reveals the theme. The answer is Timothy Leary, the LSD advocate of the 60s, who coined the phrase contained in the first words of the three theme answers:
20A: Revolve (TURN ON an axis)
27A: "Don't miss the next episode..." (TUNE IN tomorrow)
47A: Become a recluse, perhaps (DROP OUT of sight)
Earlier this evening, Janie posted a comment on Rex Parker's blog indicating something very special about the Wednesday puzzle. I just assumed she was referring to an Ava clue that I'd like. Not so.
A nice tie-in is 28D: Go around and around (orbit), since Mr. Leary's ashes did that very thing. Well, he's had more than his share of press at this blog, so I guess I'll move on to the rest of the puzzle.
This didn't seem very Wednesday-ish, but maybe that's because I caught the theme early on. I breezed through it while watching Elton John's 60th birthday celebration at Madison Square Gardens. I'm a fairly good multitasker, but I don't normally attempt the puzzle while I'm doing anything else...except maybe breathing.
9A: Schindler of "Schindler's List" (Oskar) threw me the last time I saw it. I'm happy to say that it was a gimme today. The other one I remembered from past puzzles was 49D: Verdi opera featuring "Ave Maria" (Otello).
15A: Writer Ephron (Nora). If you haven't read her newest book, "I Feel Bad About My Neck," you should. You don't have to be sixty, or even female, to find plenty of humor in it. It's true! (23A: Honest!) I read parts aloud to my husband and 17-year-old, and we were all in stitches. I recommend it as a gift to anyone over 50.
37A: Start of many a pickup line (hey baby). This never worked with me. I'd like to know if anyone in the world ever fell for it. I don't want to know if any of the men out there ever used it.
1A: "I'm glad that's over!" (whew). I like that it begins and ends with W. The second crosses with 4D: On paper (written).
We have two types of humor in this one. 1D: Like some humor (wry), and 16A: Like some Groucho Marx humor (punny).
Two answers I especially like. 43D: Light muffin (popover) and 46D: Frog's perch (lily pad). You could put them together to create a better pick-up line, such as, "Why don't you pop over to my pad, Lily?"
Stumbled momentarily on 50D: Gave birth in a stable (foaled). I thought it might be referring to Jesus, but Timothy Leary saved the day...sort of.
32A: "Bye Bye Bye" boy band (N Sync) reminded me of a professor whose roll sheet always asked a question. Once it was "best boy band?" -- anyone who answered N Sync or Backstreet Boys was doomed for the rest of the semester. Since he was around my age, I knew I'd score points with Beatles.
I almost missed 57D: Big prowler (lion). Surely fellow blogger Donald will be happy to see that.
This is my Jubilee blog...yep, it's been 50 days. While there aren't many comments, the number of readers varies from 140 to 200 a day, some from as far away as Pakistan, Beirut and Switzerland. I enjoy doing this, but I'd like it to be fun for you. Madness...Crossword and Otherwise is still evolving, and I'd welcome comments about the direction you'd like to see it take.
Tomorrow...
Linda G
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