Gift Returns
by Natalia Shore
edited by Mike Shenk
December 25, 2009 (or so)
Full answers available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Leisure Weekend or Lifestyle Arts pages.
Those more knowledgeable than I inform us that this week's constructor is the editor under the anagram of Another Alias. Or for me, yet more proof that I have no business playing Scrabble. I couldn't anagram my way out of a baper pag, no matter how much I enjoyed Stephan Fatsis' Word Freak (Houghton Mifflin 2001, Penguin 2002) or the documentary Word Wars. (On a completely off topic aside, Word Freak lives on my desk. Specifically, under my printer's paper tray, so when the Blog Supervisor sleeps on the printer, she doesn't break off the tray.)
Theme: Two-word nouns with the first word amusingly reversed.
FLOG CLUBS {23A “I'm returning these woods – I beat myself up every time I use them”} - A coincidence I'm sure, but ya gotta wonder.
NIT SOLDIERS {25A “I'm returning these toy fighters – they're really lousy”} - Bugs do not pass my breakfast test.
MINED JEANS {39A “I'm returning these pants – I don't dig them like I used to”}
EVIL RECORDING {48A “I'm returning this concert CD – it's profoundly bad”}
SAG HEATER {63A “I'm returning this room warmer – it makes my floor bend downward”}
DEB LINENS {69A “I'm returning these sheets – I tuck them in, but they're always coming out”}
MOOR FRESHENER {78A “I'm returning this scented spray – it smells like a bog”}
GOD COLLARS {86A “I'm returning these pet accessories – they're quite holey”}
TOPS REMOVER {106A “I'm returning this laundry product – it only works on blouses”} - Throughout her life, my grandmother feared for my wardrobe. Whenever I visited, she wanted to buy me tops. Not shirts, not blouses, but tops. Memory can attack from the weirdest angle.
RAW BONNET {110A “I'm returning this feathered headdress – it's just not refined”}
Some weeks, the theme answers need crosses to get got. This week's were detailed enough that they could be determined on their own & then used to help with the downs.
Cool Crossings:
It cannot be an accident that BOA {111D Fluffy wrap} crossed feathers with WAR BONNET.
Or that
RNS {108D ER personnel} were around the corner from the ICU {100A Hosp. section}.
Or that
DIRTY {117A On the take} was in the laundry aisle near TOPS REMOVER.
Repeats of the week: ENYA {118A Irish New Age star}
NYT Friday [12/25/09] {16D “And Winter Came ...” artist} Co*mm*en*ta*ry.
&
LA Times Thursday [12/31/09] {52D One-named New Age singer}. Commen*tary.
also
INCA {19A People who honored the creator Viracocha}
appeared as INCANS in NYT Thursday [12/31/09] {70A Pachacuti's people}. Co*mm*en*ta*ry.
I confess to being new enough to regular puzzling that crosswordese & crosswordese people still constitute happy gimmes.
Puzzle on the web: HIS NIBS
{43D Mock title for a pompous boss} or a source for fountain pens.
Fusspot Peeve of the Week:
J DATE{40D Online singles service available in English, French and Hebrew} – What, no Oxford comma?!? Compulsive menu proofreaders will enjoy Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris (Farrar 2000). I have only read a review of The Lexicographer's Dilemma: The Evolution of "Proper" English from Shakespeare to "South Park" by Jack Lynch (Walker 2009) but it is now firmly on my wish list. I too “get afflicted with that crankiness when a TV anchor describes a Chihuahua rescued from drowning as 'very unique' or...” Of course, the must-read for grammar geeks remains Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss (Gotham 2006 pb). Even if she is soft on the Oxford comma [p85].
News To Me [I got 'em but I didn't get 'em]: 0
Opportunities To Learn New Things: 0
Admissions of Defeat: 2
TEED {74A Prepared for a drive}/ORMOND {50D Julia of “Legends of the Fall”}
Drive = golf is almost what the Englishman calls crossword Pavlovian. Witness the LA Times Wednesday [12/30/09] {32A Driver's aid} TEE. Commen*tary. However, one still needs to read the clues. PrepareD past tense, not prepareS -> TEEs.
RAITT {55A “Something to Talk About” singer}/MINT {39D Source of change}
Knew of Bonnie, couldn't spell her. MINe {Source of change} as in silver mine, kinda, sorta, please?
STTA was also the title of a movie in which a gentleman of my acquaintance was the stunt rider for Robert Duval.
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Stocking Stuffing
by Dan Fisher
edited by Mike Shenk
December 18, 2009
Full answers available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Leisure Weekend or Lifestyle Arts pages.
Theme: People, things, and words with a TOY surprise inside. Two spliced, one Japanese, one French, one American, and two Russian. Harks back to the international origins for KI-D in Elizabeth C. Gorski's November 13 puzzle.
BLUEPOINT OYSTERS {23A They were originally harvested off Long Island} – Kurlansky's book on the subject is embedded in my To Read pile. He is also working on New York on the Halfshell, “A fully illustrated version of the Big Oyster with its unusual history, recipes, science and humor for 7 to ten year olds. The history of New York City told through its famous oyster beds and how they were destroyed.”
TOYOTA PRIUS {34A Popular hybrid}
CHATOYANCY {47A Iridescent quality of some gems} – The nonjewelery world knows this as cat's eye: “The term "chatoyancy" comes from the French "chat", which means cat and "oeil", which means eye. So, the term "chatoyancy" literally translates as "the eye of a cat". For this reason, this phenomenon is also known as cat's eye effect."
LA TOYA JACKSON {67A “Just Wanna Dance” singer}
LEO TOLSTOY {83A Count Vronsky's creator}
DOSTOYEVSKY {94A “Notes from the Underground” author} – An attempt at the definitive fan page has Dostoevsky. Wiki has the TOY spelling as main with 6 other varietiations.
GOOD TIDINGS TO YOU {109A Carol wish}
TOY {108D Stocking stuffer found in seven of this puzzle's longest answers}
News To Me [I got 'em but I didn't get 'em]:
TRON {74A Light cycle rider of film} - The film, the game.
KPMG {29D One of accounting's Big Four} - A Texas A&M professor supplies everything you'd want to know, including accounting humor.
It's a Small World After All: 2
Dual appearances by this week's puzzle personalities:
MEADE {42A Victor at Gettysburg} also appearing in the NYT Sunday [12/20/09] as {117A Army of the Potomac commander during the Civil War}. Having lived in Pennsylvania & in Dixie, I must say I do not get the continued fascination with this divisive & bloody era.
U THANT {71D Kurt Waldheim's predecessor} was also in the LA Times Tuesday [12/22/09] as {54A '60s United Nations secretary general}. I really should know this, from crossword puzzles if not from an awareness of the outside world.
Admissions of Defeat: 2
ITTY {58A Microscopic}/CANTAB {44D Darwin College student} – I was so sure of ITsY that I figured CANsAB was an Aussie reference that went past me. I will put questionable answers in light pencil, but once a letter is written in, I have trouble reevaluating, even in the presence of impenetrable crossings. The Googleverse supports cantab as an abbreviation for Cantabrigian, i.e. www.cantab.org.
VIDA {16A Life, in Lima}/DON BUDGE {18D First player to win tennis's Grand Slam} - MEADE got me BUDGE but I missed DON. vON BUDGE could have been a last name for all I know about tennis. VIvA, VIDA, whatever. OTOH, if ITsY/ITTY had been the the only thing between me & a win, I would have been apoploptic.
Commentary: Wishing you & yours a happy Feast of St. Stephens here and in ENGLAND {119A Where Boxing Day is celebrated}.
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
by Dan Fisher
edited by Mike Shenk
December 18, 2009
Full answers available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Leisure Weekend or Lifestyle Arts pages.
Theme: People, things, and words with a TOY surprise inside. Two spliced, one Japanese, one French, one American, and two Russian. Harks back to the international origins for KI-D in Elizabeth C. Gorski's November 13 puzzle.
BLUEPOINT OYSTERS {23A They were originally harvested off Long Island} – Kurlansky's book on the subject is embedded in my To Read pile. He is also working on New York on the Halfshell, “A fully illustrated version of the Big Oyster with its unusual history, recipes, science and humor for 7 to ten year olds. The history of New York City told through its famous oyster beds and how they were destroyed.”
TOYOTA PRIUS {34A Popular hybrid}
CHATOYANCY {47A Iridescent quality of some gems} – The nonjewelery world knows this as cat's eye: “The term "chatoyancy" comes from the French "chat", which means cat and "oeil", which means eye. So, the term "chatoyancy" literally translates as "the eye of a cat". For this reason, this phenomenon is also known as cat's eye effect."
LA TOYA JACKSON {67A “Just Wanna Dance” singer}
LEO TOLSTOY {83A Count Vronsky's creator}
DOSTOYEVSKY {94A “Notes from the Underground” author} – An attempt at the definitive fan page has Dostoevsky. Wiki has the TOY spelling as main with 6 other varietiations.
GOOD TIDINGS TO YOU {109A Carol wish}
TOY {108D Stocking stuffer found in seven of this puzzle's longest answers}
News To Me [I got 'em but I didn't get 'em]:
TRON {74A Light cycle rider of film} - The film, the game.
KPMG {29D One of accounting's Big Four} - A Texas A&M professor supplies everything you'd want to know, including accounting humor.
It's a Small World After All: 2
Dual appearances by this week's puzzle personalities:
MEADE {42A Victor at Gettysburg} also appearing in the NYT Sunday [12/20/09] as {117A Army of the Potomac commander during the Civil War}. Having lived in Pennsylvania & in Dixie, I must say I do not get the continued fascination with this divisive & bloody era.
U THANT {71D Kurt Waldheim's predecessor} was also in the LA Times Tuesday [12/22/09] as {54A '60s United Nations secretary general}. I really should know this, from crossword puzzles if not from an awareness of the outside world.
Admissions of Defeat: 2
ITTY {58A Microscopic}/CANTAB {44D Darwin College student} – I was so sure of ITsY that I figured CANsAB was an Aussie reference that went past me. I will put questionable answers in light pencil, but once a letter is written in, I have trouble reevaluating, even in the presence of impenetrable crossings. The Googleverse supports cantab as an abbreviation for Cantabrigian, i.e. www.cantab.org.
VIDA {16A Life, in Lima}/DON BUDGE {18D First player to win tennis's Grand Slam} - MEADE got me BUDGE but I missed DON. vON BUDGE could have been a last name for all I know about tennis. VIvA, VIDA, whatever. OTOH, if ITsY/ITTY had been the the only thing between me & a win, I would have been apoploptic.
Commentary: Wishing you & yours a happy Feast of St. Stephens here and in ENGLAND {119A Where Boxing Day is celebrated}.
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Your Mileage May Vary
by Myles Callum
edited by Mike Shenk
December 11, 2009
I assume most readers also do the NYT's puzzles, yes? In case you missed it, the WSJ's editor switched seats as constructor for the Sunday 12/13/09 puzzle. Com*men*tar*y.
Full answers for this week's puzzle available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Lifestyle page.
Theme: Phrases in which M, P, & G occur in order
MULTIPLY BY EIGHT {23A *How to get 24 from 3}
COME UP AGAINST {41A *Confront}
CAMPFIRE GIRLS {64A *Their motto is “Give Service”}
BUNGEE JUMPING {83A *It involves a leap of faith}
QUIT COMPLAINING {107A *“Whine, whine, whine!”}
HUMPHREY BOGART {16D *Actor who was once a chess hustler}
CAMPAIGN BUTTON {49D *Pol's promo}
MPG {108D What “varies” in position in the answers to the seven starred clues}
Word of the Week: MOUES {75D Annoyed expressions}
Try to say moue without making one.
Brainworm: GATO
{72A Cat, in Castile} Gotten easily from a Dr. Seuss childhood. Alright everyone sing, “Cat, hat. In French chat chapeau. In Spanish, el gato in a sombrero...” Wiki has the end entirely in Spanish, "Cat. Hat./In French, chat chapeau./In Spanish, el gato en un sombrero." When you sing it, both work.
News To Me: 3+
OLLAS {20A Spicy Stews} – We recently bought a pressure cooker, also know as an olla express. Big in Europe but not so much in the US. Our extravagance with energy amazes me.
PARLOUS {61A Fraught with danger} – Not to be confused with garrulous, which is only fraught with boredom.
ARP {63A Colleague of Grunwald and Ernst} – Jean, Alfred, & Max, all Dadas.
Mystery Cross:
SNEE {112A Ko-Ko's dagger} – Not only from the Mikado but apparently Gilbert's inspiration for it.
crossing
ANSA {105D Archaeological handle} – Ansa can also refer to “either of the ends of Saturn's rings which appear to project out from either side of the planet.”
Puzzle Patterns:
The puzzle resounds with visual and content echoes. {85D Echo:IMITATE} One is sloppy; half a dozen is a design choice. The duplication is clearly intentional in the repeat clue for EON & AGES{37A &116A Long time}. In addition, DIAL & RING {74A & 78A Call on the phone} not only repeat the clue but are stacked. The former brings to mind the Benoit College Mindset List. Read it & don't feel old – I dare you. My Mindset moment came in the early 90s when I was working in a college textbook store. One semester *Das Kapital* was required reading for government courses. Next term, it was on the history lists.
I gather it is verboten for a word to appear twice crossword? Mr. Callum had to be tweaking that rule with SALIS {97A Cum grano ____ (with a grain of 29-Down)} & SALT {29D See 97-Across}. Later: this rule was happily whacked upside the head on Thursday's NYT puzzle [12/17/09]. Awesome.
Since I wanted to USE part of one [USE UP {43D Exhaust}] to answer the other [EMPLOYS {17D Puts to work}], I'm calling it an echo.
J.R. saunters in twice with reference to his mother [ELLIE {6D With 25-Down, J.R.'s mother} EWING {25D See 6-Down}] and to the man who portrayed him [LARRYS {87D Holmes and Hagman}]. There is also a letter echo in the EWING/EWELL {28A Tom of “The Seven Year Itch”} cross.
Finally, there is a grand letter cross in the upper left corner.
LAMP {26A Reading aids}
SAMPLE {29A Use bits of one recording in another}
CAMPHOR {34A Moth repellant}
plus FLUME {22A Logging Channel} on top & GALE {39A Big blow} on bottom makes a diagonal string of four As, four Ms, & three Ps. Has anyone ever done a puzzle with the same letter along the diagonal?
Dunno that all these echoes change the solving but they sure make the pondering more fun, hence the extended blog this week.
Opportunities To Learn New Things & Admissions of Defeat: 4 problem spots. (sounds better than a word count.)
Had to look up the name stack of NEUMAN {93A “The Fly” director Kurt}/ETTORE {101A Car designer Bugatti}
Completely missed on the TEENA {5A “Lovergirl” singer __ Marie}/ELLIE cross area.
The QUI {107D On the __ vive} could have gone either way (e or i) and didn't.
When SNEE refused to come together, ANSA was no help.
I try to console myself that two weeks ago I was happy that my mind was working at all.
Taking Issue: ROAN
{19A Reddish-brown} Nope. *Horsewords: The Equine Dictionary* (Trafalgar 1997) defines roan as “a specific color pattern consisting of a uniform mixture of colored and white body hairs.” The colored hairs do not have to be brown ones. The American Roan Horse Association recognizes “blue roan, red roan and bay roan body color.”
As for other uses, Your Dictionary has, “said chiefly of horses.” So we can go with the equine usage.
Nota bene: ROAN was used correctly on Friday, September 11, 2009 {58A Chestnut with white mixed in, e.g.}
Commentary: Is it Product Placement if I don't get anything out of it? As I'm still huddled in the vestiges of the 20th century, I don't have the phone power to evaluate Crosswords for iPhone. I pass this along for people who might be more plugged in. I could see myself doing a crossword on a handheld before reading on one. I've got too much invested in the codex to change now. I did try an iPhone once, which tempted me to get one without a calling plan for the BubbleWrap App. Apparently it has a timer. I was popping too fast to notice.
Later: Ryan, of Ryan and Brian Do Crosswords, comments on iPhone crosswords, Thur 12-17-9. [re all the Laters - see what bonuses I get for procrastinating?]
I would be happy to Place other crossword Products - until such time as I start to I feel used.
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
by Myles Callum
edited by Mike Shenk
December 11, 2009
I assume most readers also do the NYT's puzzles, yes? In case you missed it, the WSJ's editor switched seats as constructor for the Sunday 12/13/09 puzzle. Com*men*tar*y.
Full answers for this week's puzzle available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Lifestyle page.
Theme: Phrases in which M, P, & G occur in order
MULTIPLY BY EIGHT {23A *How to get 24 from 3}
COME UP AGAINST {41A *Confront}
CAMPFIRE GIRLS {64A *Their motto is “Give Service”}
BUNGEE JUMPING {83A *It involves a leap of faith}
QUIT COMPLAINING {107A *“Whine, whine, whine!”}
HUMPHREY BOGART {16D *Actor who was once a chess hustler}
CAMPAIGN BUTTON {49D *Pol's promo}
MPG {108D What “varies” in position in the answers to the seven starred clues}
Word of the Week: MOUES {75D Annoyed expressions}
Try to say moue without making one.
Brainworm: GATO
{72A Cat, in Castile} Gotten easily from a Dr. Seuss childhood. Alright everyone sing, “Cat, hat. In French chat chapeau. In Spanish, el gato in a sombrero...” Wiki has the end entirely in Spanish, "Cat. Hat./In French, chat chapeau./In Spanish, el gato en un sombrero." When you sing it, both work.
News To Me: 3+
OLLAS {20A Spicy Stews} – We recently bought a pressure cooker, also know as an olla express. Big in Europe but not so much in the US. Our extravagance with energy amazes me.
PARLOUS {61A Fraught with danger} – Not to be confused with garrulous, which is only fraught with boredom.
ARP {63A Colleague of Grunwald and Ernst} – Jean, Alfred, & Max, all Dadas.
Mystery Cross:
SNEE {112A Ko-Ko's dagger} – Not only from the Mikado but apparently Gilbert's inspiration for it.
crossing
ANSA {105D Archaeological handle} – Ansa can also refer to “either of the ends of Saturn's rings which appear to project out from either side of the planet.”
Puzzle Patterns:
The puzzle resounds with visual and content echoes. {85D Echo:IMITATE} One is sloppy; half a dozen is a design choice. The duplication is clearly intentional in the repeat clue for EON & AGES{37A &116A Long time}. In addition, DIAL & RING {74A & 78A Call on the phone} not only repeat the clue but are stacked. The former brings to mind the Benoit College Mindset List. Read it & don't feel old – I dare you. My Mindset moment came in the early 90s when I was working in a college textbook store. One semester *Das Kapital* was required reading for government courses. Next term, it was on the history lists.
I gather it is verboten for a word to appear twice crossword? Mr. Callum had to be tweaking that rule with SALIS {97A Cum grano ____ (with a grain of 29-Down)} & SALT {29D See 97-Across}. Later: this rule was happily whacked upside the head on Thursday's NYT puzzle [12/17/09]. Awesome.
Since I wanted to USE part of one [USE UP {43D Exhaust}] to answer the other [EMPLOYS {17D Puts to work}], I'm calling it an echo.
J.R. saunters in twice with reference to his mother [ELLIE {6D With 25-Down, J.R.'s mother} EWING {25D See 6-Down}] and to the man who portrayed him [LARRYS {87D Holmes and Hagman}]. There is also a letter echo in the EWING/EWELL {28A Tom of “The Seven Year Itch”} cross.
Finally, there is a grand letter cross in the upper left corner.
LAMP {26A Reading aids}
SAMPLE {29A Use bits of one recording in another}
CAMPHOR {34A Moth repellant}
plus FLUME {22A Logging Channel} on top & GALE {39A Big blow} on bottom makes a diagonal string of four As, four Ms, & three Ps. Has anyone ever done a puzzle with the same letter along the diagonal?
Dunno that all these echoes change the solving but they sure make the pondering more fun, hence the extended blog this week.
Opportunities To Learn New Things & Admissions of Defeat: 4 problem spots. (sounds better than a word count.)
Had to look up the name stack of NEUMAN {93A “The Fly” director Kurt}/ETTORE {101A Car designer Bugatti}
Completely missed on the TEENA {5A “Lovergirl” singer __ Marie}/ELLIE cross area.
The QUI {107D On the __ vive} could have gone either way (e or i) and didn't.
When SNEE refused to come together, ANSA was no help.
I try to console myself that two weeks ago I was happy that my mind was working at all.
Taking Issue: ROAN
{19A Reddish-brown} Nope. *Horsewords: The Equine Dictionary* (Trafalgar 1997) defines roan as “a specific color pattern consisting of a uniform mixture of colored and white body hairs.” The colored hairs do not have to be brown ones. The American Roan Horse Association recognizes “blue roan, red roan and bay roan body color.”
As for other uses, Your Dictionary has, “said chiefly of horses.” So we can go with the equine usage.
Nota bene: ROAN was used correctly on Friday, September 11, 2009 {58A Chestnut with white mixed in, e.g.}
Commentary: Is it Product Placement if I don't get anything out of it? As I'm still huddled in the vestiges of the 20th century, I don't have the phone power to evaluate Crosswords for iPhone. I pass this along for people who might be more plugged in. I could see myself doing a crossword on a handheld before reading on one. I've got too much invested in the codex to change now. I did try an iPhone once, which tempted me to get one without a calling plan for the BubbleWrap App. Apparently it has a timer. I was popping too fast to notice.
Later: Ryan, of Ryan and Brian Do Crosswords, comments on iPhone crosswords, Thur 12-17-9. [re all the Laters - see what bonuses I get for procrastinating?]
I would be happy to Place other crossword Products - until such time as I start to I feel used.
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Scrambled TV Signals
by Patrick Blindauer
edited by Mike Shenk
December 4, 2009
Full answers available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Lifestyle page.
Theme: TV show titles twisted into off-beat but real alternatives. Old feed examiners don't retire, they just go to seed.
SESAME TESTER {22A TV show about someone who examines seeds?} Sesame Street
WHEEL OF TEN FOUR {31A TV show about some CB users?} Wheel of Fortune
THE SADDAM FAMILY {47A TV show set in a bunker?} The Addams Family
SERRATED DEVELOPMENT {64A TV show about a breakthrough in knife research?} Arrested Development
THE PRICE IS GIRTH {84A TV show about junk food repercussions?} The Price is Right
THE DOWNER YEARS {100A TV show about a period of depression?} The Wonder Years
LEAD OR NO LEAD {113A TV show about a filling station choice?} Deal or No Deal. Also on the right side of the puzzle was the gas-themed FUEL OIL {33D Heating need} crossing OUT OF GAS {56A Exhausted}.
Fortunately for the anagram-deficient, only one word of each title was scrambled. Plus an easy reversal in the last.
Other Crosses: 2
The aquatic SEA HAG/AVAST, {43A Foe of Popeye} crossing {45D Salt's “Halt!”}
OTOH, I could have lived without the abbreviated TEL/STDS, {41A Rolodex abbr.} crossing {37D EPA output: Abbr.}, or EMS/TMS, {55A Ambulance letters} crossing {42D Corp. identifiers}. Abbr are bad enough when taken alone. First you have to dredge up the word. Then you have to figure out which letters to toss back. Crossing them squares the pain.
Nomination for Word of the Week: current
OCEAN {39A Site of current events} was a fine mislead as I tried to figure out which CNN subject was most current. Unfortunately it mitigated the equally clever AMMETER {50D Current gadget} as I was primed to look for alternate meanings of current.
The SEALS {77D Ball-bearing creatures}/TEE {42A Ball-bearing item} are a similar mutually defining pair. Or they should be. I had worked up a correct but wonked approach that had SEALS dually defined as creature and as mechanical item containing ball-bearings. No - seals, ball, circus. Duh. After corkscrewing my mind to this extent, it took forever to look straight on and see the golfball resting on the TEE.
News To Me [I got 'em but I didn't get 'em]:
ESP {63A Ability tested with Zener cards, for short} Gotten on a long shot from the scene in Ghostbusters. Make your own.
EEE {73A Possible reading of a Brannock device} Trivia jackpot. Totally new information for a common item. We've all seen them, now we know their name. This is the sort of fix information junkies live for. I won't spoil it, ya gotta look.
DAME EDNA {5D Barry Humphries comic character} Comic not comics.
DDE {61D 34th C. in C.} Nevermind, light dawns. Hint, we are now on our 44th.
ERA OF {65D ___Good Feelings} A specific period during the presidency of James Monroe.
Opportunities To Learn New Things: O
Flying without hitting the Google-net this week.
Admissions of Defeat: 6
Less of a disaster than the amount might suggest, since five errors centered on my inability to spell AMMETER. l still think the clue is clever, even if I couldn't spell the answer. The other was an input error with ARTLOVERS {80D They often end up in a museum}. Sometimes if the across word has provided a letter, I'll skip over the line but not the letter, writing it in the line below instead. ARTLOVEeS was just plain sloppy.
Commentary: Last summer, I heard Leonard Nimoy at Dragon*Con. Once I stopped geeking out and saw Mr. Nimoy instead of Mr. Spock, I came to the conclusion that Mr. N. an extremely artistic and extremely odd person. I would love to be at his table during a dinner party. Extend that dinner invite to this week's puzzle constructor, Mr. Blindauer. Anyone who can pun this outrageously would definitely be able to sing for his supper. Of course, I have no idea how much sociability or charm Mr. Blindauer displays in 3-D. It may be that he's so much cooler online. I know I am.
Space forced me to move the constructor links down from the top. PB is scattered all over the web: Wordplay interview, Cru bio, acting profile, and cast pic.
I first made Mr. Blindauer's ecquaintance at his Kickstarter project. Welcome to a whole new world. The question remains to be see, is it Brave or not? The range of Kickstarter means that people with niche passions can join the other hundred people in the country with whom they Reach. So, are we shaking off our geographically-centered viewpoints and building non-traditional communities that will create foundations for a new form of society? Or are we dissipating our energies in ever more attractive, ever more expanding ways while the same old Powers That Be ferret out and rule over our every thought and action? The Internet: grassroots consensus or new opiate of the masses?
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
by Patrick Blindauer
edited by Mike Shenk
December 4, 2009
Full answers available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Lifestyle page.
Theme: TV show titles twisted into off-beat but real alternatives. Old feed examiners don't retire, they just go to seed.
SESAME TESTER {22A TV show about someone who examines seeds?} Sesame Street
WHEEL OF TEN FOUR {31A TV show about some CB users?} Wheel of Fortune
THE SADDAM FAMILY {47A TV show set in a bunker?} The Addams Family
SERRATED DEVELOPMENT {64A TV show about a breakthrough in knife research?} Arrested Development
THE PRICE IS GIRTH {84A TV show about junk food repercussions?} The Price is Right
THE DOWNER YEARS {100A TV show about a period of depression?} The Wonder Years
LEAD OR NO LEAD {113A TV show about a filling station choice?} Deal or No Deal. Also on the right side of the puzzle was the gas-themed FUEL OIL {33D Heating need} crossing OUT OF GAS {56A Exhausted}.
Fortunately for the anagram-deficient, only one word of each title was scrambled. Plus an easy reversal in the last.
Other Crosses: 2
The aquatic SEA HAG/AVAST, {43A Foe of Popeye} crossing {45D Salt's “Halt!”}
OTOH, I could have lived without the abbreviated TEL/STDS, {41A Rolodex abbr.} crossing {37D EPA output: Abbr.}, or EMS/TMS, {55A Ambulance letters} crossing {42D Corp. identifiers}. Abbr are bad enough when taken alone. First you have to dredge up the word. Then you have to figure out which letters to toss back. Crossing them squares the pain.
Nomination for Word of the Week: current
OCEAN {39A Site of current events} was a fine mislead as I tried to figure out which CNN subject was most current. Unfortunately it mitigated the equally clever AMMETER {50D Current gadget} as I was primed to look for alternate meanings of current.
The SEALS {77D Ball-bearing creatures}/TEE {42A Ball-bearing item} are a similar mutually defining pair. Or they should be. I had worked up a correct but wonked approach that had SEALS dually defined as creature and as mechanical item containing ball-bearings. No - seals, ball, circus. Duh. After corkscrewing my mind to this extent, it took forever to look straight on and see the golfball resting on the TEE.
News To Me [I got 'em but I didn't get 'em]:
ESP {63A Ability tested with Zener cards, for short} Gotten on a long shot from the scene in Ghostbusters. Make your own.
EEE {73A Possible reading of a Brannock device} Trivia jackpot. Totally new information for a common item. We've all seen them, now we know their name. This is the sort of fix information junkies live for. I won't spoil it, ya gotta look.
DAME EDNA {5D Barry Humphries comic character} Comic not comics.
DDE {61D 34th C. in C.} Nevermind, light dawns. Hint, we are now on our 44th.
ERA OF {65D ___Good Feelings} A specific period during the presidency of James Monroe.
Opportunities To Learn New Things: O
Flying without hitting the Google-net this week.
Admissions of Defeat: 6
Less of a disaster than the amount might suggest, since five errors centered on my inability to spell AMMETER. l still think the clue is clever, even if I couldn't spell the answer. The other was an input error with ARTLOVERS {80D They often end up in a museum}. Sometimes if the across word has provided a letter, I'll skip over the line but not the letter, writing it in the line below instead. ARTLOVEeS was just plain sloppy.
Commentary: Last summer, I heard Leonard Nimoy at Dragon*Con. Once I stopped geeking out and saw Mr. Nimoy instead of Mr. Spock, I came to the conclusion that Mr. N. an extremely artistic and extremely odd person. I would love to be at his table during a dinner party. Extend that dinner invite to this week's puzzle constructor, Mr. Blindauer. Anyone who can pun this outrageously would definitely be able to sing for his supper. Of course, I have no idea how much sociability or charm Mr. Blindauer displays in 3-D. It may be that he's so much cooler online. I know I am.
Space forced me to move the constructor links down from the top. PB is scattered all over the web: Wordplay interview, Cru bio, acting profile, and cast pic.
I first made Mr. Blindauer's ecquaintance at his Kickstarter project. Welcome to a whole new world. The question remains to be see, is it Brave or not? The range of Kickstarter means that people with niche passions can join the other hundred people in the country with whom they Reach. So, are we shaking off our geographically-centered viewpoints and building non-traditional communities that will create foundations for a new form of society? Or are we dissipating our energies in ever more attractive, ever more expanding ways while the same old Powers That Be ferret out and rule over our every thought and action? The Internet: grassroots consensus or new opiate of the masses?
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Unreal Estate
by Todd McClary
edited by Mike Shenk
November 27, 2009
Full answers available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Lifestyle page.
Theme: Real estate terms applied to well-known landmarks.
BRIDGE LOAN {25A The crooked realty agent tried to sell some sucker the Golden Gate by offering a ...}
CAPITAL PROPERTY {27A He tried to sell the National Mall, describing it as ...}
LIQUID ASSESTS {53A He tried to sell the Great Lakes, claiming they were ...}
LOCK IN CLAUSE {70A He tried to sell Alcatraz, even drafting a contract with a ...}
BALLOON PAYMENTS {98A He tried to sell the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade route, even arranging for ...}
CLEAR TITLE {101A He tried to sell the Crystal Cathedral, fabricating a ...}
CLOSING COSTS {16D He tried to sell Brandenburg Gate, offering to take care of ...}
LISTING AGENT {60D He tried to sell the Tower of Pisa, passing himself off as a ...}
(Is well-known redundant for landmark? If it isn't WK, would it qualify as a LM?)
News To Me [I got 'em but I didn't get 'em]: 3, at least
DOS {38A Good behavior} As in dos & don'ts, I assume?
T[-]MAC{108A Yao Ming teammate, to fans} Tracy McGrady on the Houston Rockets.
STARR {80D Best replacement} It's a Beatles thing. I did try to parse this as people rather than description but all I could conjure was Brenda Starr from the comics and Olympic rider Greg Best. Once I had the outstanding Gem Twist cantering around in my head, no mere drummer was going to oust him.
Progress Report: 3 Opportunities To Learn New Things & 1 Admission of Defeat
This one went down with something resembling style & grace except for the nest of proper nouns in the top middle. I had to make the digital acquaintance of EAGAN {21A Boston-based columnist Margery}, AMELIA {33A 2009 Hilary Swank biopic}, ALBANO {5D Pro wrestling's Captain Lou}, before I could coble together AZERA {8D Hyundai sedan}, STROM {9D Senator succeeded by Lindsey}, and HARRIS {11D Br'er Fox's creator}. Identifying this crowd was not helped by my inability to confidently corral the consonants in LISZT {20A “Les Preludes” composer} nor to shift from sanitarium & to baseball for {7D Bats} -> IS UP.
So the majority of my brain has rebooted save for this patch of Google green and a error-red spot where I took an erroneous flyer on ACCRA {90D Gold Coast port}.
Commentary: What do you mean it's Thursday again?! Where are my weeks going? The plan is to solve the puzzle on Friday, take a break for weekend warrior activities, and post on Monday. The reality is – not that. Invariably, I'm still finishing on Monday, Tuesday goes up in smoke, I surf and draft on Wednesday, and then post just in time to start all over again on Friday. The problem about being good with deadlines is being no good without one.
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
by Todd McClary
edited by Mike Shenk
November 27, 2009
Full answers available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page or with the following week's puzzle on WSJ's online Lifestyle page.
Theme: Real estate terms applied to well-known landmarks.
BRIDGE LOAN {25A The crooked realty agent tried to sell some sucker the Golden Gate by offering a ...}
CAPITAL PROPERTY {27A He tried to sell the National Mall, describing it as ...}
LIQUID ASSESTS {53A He tried to sell the Great Lakes, claiming they were ...}
LOCK IN CLAUSE {70A He tried to sell Alcatraz, even drafting a contract with a ...}
BALLOON PAYMENTS {98A He tried to sell the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade route, even arranging for ...}
CLEAR TITLE {101A He tried to sell the Crystal Cathedral, fabricating a ...}
CLOSING COSTS {16D He tried to sell Brandenburg Gate, offering to take care of ...}
LISTING AGENT {60D He tried to sell the Tower of Pisa, passing himself off as a ...}
(Is well-known redundant for landmark? If it isn't WK, would it qualify as a LM?)
News To Me [I got 'em but I didn't get 'em]: 3, at least
DOS {38A Good behavior} As in dos & don'ts, I assume?
T[-]MAC{108A Yao Ming teammate, to fans} Tracy McGrady on the Houston Rockets.
STARR {80D Best replacement} It's a Beatles thing. I did try to parse this as people rather than description but all I could conjure was Brenda Starr from the comics and Olympic rider Greg Best. Once I had the outstanding Gem Twist cantering around in my head, no mere drummer was going to oust him.
Progress Report: 3 Opportunities To Learn New Things & 1 Admission of Defeat
This one went down with something resembling style & grace except for the nest of proper nouns in the top middle. I had to make the digital acquaintance of EAGAN {21A Boston-based columnist Margery}, AMELIA {33A 2009 Hilary Swank biopic}, ALBANO {5D Pro wrestling's Captain Lou}, before I could coble together AZERA {8D Hyundai sedan}, STROM {9D Senator succeeded by Lindsey}, and HARRIS {11D Br'er Fox's creator}. Identifying this crowd was not helped by my inability to confidently corral the consonants in LISZT {20A “Les Preludes” composer} nor to shift from sanitarium & to baseball for {7D Bats} -> IS UP.
So the majority of my brain has rebooted save for this patch of Google green and a error-red spot where I took an erroneous flyer on ACCRA {90D Gold Coast port}.
Commentary: What do you mean it's Thursday again?! Where are my weeks going? The plan is to solve the puzzle on Friday, take a break for weekend warrior activities, and post on Monday. The reality is – not that. Invariably, I'm still finishing on Monday, Tuesday goes up in smoke, I surf and draft on Wednesday, and then post just in time to start all over again on Friday. The problem about being good with deadlines is being no good without one.
Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan
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