I was just getting over a display of disgusting greeting cards at our local CVS, when I ran into "BITEME" in this puzzle. Please, NYT and Will, save us from sliding into the mainstream mud.
1
It all comes down to wheelhouses sometimes, right? Answers that went in automatically for me included RICKSPRINGFIELD, ENOS, EDIEFALCO, ROXANNE, URICH, SAYER, and that MOVIE @19A. So it seemed like I was halfway done before I blinked. Very quick finish after all that, with the NE putting up just a little resistance until SINO and AXILLA came to mind.
The Hollies 1968 single "Jennifer ECCLES" barely made the US Top 40, but was a bigger hit in the UK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0tEaqL6Aek
The Hollies 1968 single "Jennifer ECCLES" barely made the US Top 40, but was a bigger hit in the UK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0tEaqL6Aek
1
Better late than never, I hope. (Watching some throwaway movie on the LMN network last night, I didn't get to sleep until about 4 a.m., and so …)
Very tough challenge today, with a quick start in the upper left — clearly revealing the pangrammatic intentions of the constructor — followed by slow progress. Finally inched my way to the upper right, and still no Z. Where could it be? Aha — large-scale topiary is _not_ MEGA-BONSAIS as I had hoped. It is MAZES. Finished at last. (ZANILY?)
Very tough challenge today, with a quick start in the upper left — clearly revealing the pangrammatic intentions of the constructor — followed by slow progress. Finally inched my way to the upper right, and still no Z. Where could it be? Aha — large-scale topiary is _not_ MEGA-BONSAIS as I had hoped. It is MAZES. Finished at last. (ZANILY?)
1
This one was a quick solve, especially for a Saturday. It helped a lot that I was able to guess all of the lengthy clues almost immediately. The clues were fun. I thought of HAJJI as soon as I saw the I at the end, and that is a spelling I've seen before.
1
I'm glad the constructor was happy with BITEME, but I still think that's a bit over the line for the NYT. Never saw HAJJI spelled that way. Otherwise, an enjoyable puzzle.
3
Back in 1983, the Yale Repertory Theater, (Lloyd Richards, Artistic Director) did a 25th Anniversary revival of "Raisin in the Sun" that was absolutely unforgettable.
The portrayal of Lena Younger by Beah Richards was like nothing I had ever seen on stage. She had understudied for Ruby Dee in the role of Ruth Younger in the original production of the play twenty-five years earlier. She was never called to take the stage in that production. She told me backstage in 1983 how important it was to her to do the show at last.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJnpWUgOLHk
The portrayal of Lena Younger by Beah Richards was like nothing I had ever seen on stage. She had understudied for Ruby Dee in the role of Ruth Younger in the original production of the play twenty-five years earlier. She was never called to take the stage in that production. She told me backstage in 1983 how important it was to her to do the show at last.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJnpWUgOLHk
5
Thanks for that David.
"RAISIN" was I think the second Broadway play I ever saw. It was when I first came to NY (a brief visit at Xmas 1959, before moving here permanently in February 1960). Sidney Poitier had already left the cast, and Ossie Davis had moved into the Walter Lee role. Claudia McNeil was still playing his mother, magnificently. (I sympathize with Beah Richards, and am glad that she finally got a chance to play Lena. I'm sure we was equally wonderful.)
Worth noting also is that the Broadway production had a hard time getting there, what with the message and the all-but-one black cast. Also, it marked the first Broadway play to have a black director, the incomparable Lloyd Richards.
"RAISIN" was I think the second Broadway play I ever saw. It was when I first came to NY (a brief visit at Xmas 1959, before moving here permanently in February 1960). Sidney Poitier had already left the cast, and Ossie Davis had moved into the Walter Lee role. Claudia McNeil was still playing his mother, magnificently. (I sympathize with Beah Richards, and am glad that she finally got a chance to play Lena. I'm sure we was equally wonderful.)
Worth noting also is that the Broadway production had a hard time getting there, what with the message and the all-but-one black cast. Also, it marked the first Broadway play to have a black director, the incomparable Lloyd Richards.
1
Wow, DL, that was a good way for you to be introduced to Broadway plays. I was a season subscriber during Lloyd Richards' Yale Rep years and cherish the memory of the premieres of several offerings by August WIlson and Athol Fugard, and the very rich interplay between student stars and real world stars on stage and behind the scenes.
That must have been wondereful, David.
Lloyd was the resident director at a stock company where I worked in 1958, until he left to start working on "RAISIN."
Lloyd was the resident director at a stock company where I worked in 1958, until he left to start working on "RAISIN."
Personally, I love the multi-generational clues. Keeps me on my toes, taking me back and forward. Great Saturday puzzle. More please.
3
Is an ascot really PREPPY? Is a slow sort really a POKE? I couldn't make the connection in either case.
Two minor nits in a very entertaining Saturday puzzle.
Two minor nits in a very entertaining Saturday puzzle.
1
For me, this puzzle was a symbol of a wasted life; there were so many performers that I had never heard of. By dint of assiduous Googling, however, I was all set for a Gold star but failed because I refused to believe that an ascot was PREPPY. So I had SEX TALE instead of SEX TAPE for the down cross and assumed that PREPLY meant pre-folded.
Would someone kindly give me a reference to a source that says an ascot is preppy attire? White bucks,chinos with a back strap, and three button jackets from "J Squeeze" all qualify, in my book, but ascots seem unlikely.
Would someone kindly give me a reference to a source that says an ascot is preppy attire? White bucks,chinos with a back strap, and three button jackets from "J Squeeze" all qualify, in my book, but ascots seem unlikely.
No one else had SHIVERING before SLIVERING? My dictionnary has the former as "break into splinters or fragments." As in "Shiver me timbers!" Slivering is a new one for me.
2
Me too. I was very proud of myself and then not so much.
Finished with an error because I guessed ATALANIA, resulting in YURIS (was I thinking of a space capsule? actually no, and I am familiar with YURTS, though not personally). I could have caught this but need to proceed with SPRING cleaning! Which is being delayed by my continuing addiction to on line jigsaw puzzles, and the person that put that link up is on my RAT list.
2
ANNAS was my first fill, followed by a too-confident RAISINSINTHESUN. I should have listened to EDIEFALCO's objection, because it was several minutes before I singularized my way to an easier solve. I am grateful for my persistence, and even more grateful for Mr. Fromm's.
I was ready to take umbrage that "the" was not capitalised before "Police", until a further review revealed that it is not proper English to capitalise "the" before a band name in the middle of a sentence. So, well done.
Aujord d'hui, le mot juste est "olio."
1
Aujord'hui. Alors.
Enough with the pop culture trivia! I have no idea who Rick Springfield is, and I'm sure I don't want to know. Using proper names for a 15-letter fill really ruins the puzzle for me.
Dag nabbit! (?)
Just lucky that I remembered browsing the Inner vs Outer HEBRIDES not that long ago (wonderful photos!), and that I could figure out why I was getting a DUICE_BOX.
The Xs helped me out today with AXILLA and MAXIM; I doubt I could have named a song by Police if asked, but definitely know *ROX*(falsetto)ANNE -- at least that beginning. Similarly, I know ATALANTA as a runner rather than a sailor, but the shoe fit, so ...
In agreement that SLIVOVITZ would've been more fun than SLIVERING (which didn't leave me quite SLaVERING) but I, LEA P. Finger, am happy to MAKe DO. It was only minimally painful to lose the SINORUSSIAN WARS and LILIESOFTHE FIELoops.
I make this a way cool Saturday solve, and I'm glad to now know Adam Fromm Adam. Let's not wait another seven years, OK?
"Devil with a Blue DRESS, Blue DRESS on,
Devil with a Blue DRESS on"
(ahem)
The Xs helped me out today with AXILLA and MAXIM; I doubt I could have named a song by Police if asked, but definitely know *ROX*(falsetto)ANNE -- at least that beginning. Similarly, I know ATALANTA as a runner rather than a sailor, but the shoe fit, so ...
In agreement that SLIVOVITZ would've been more fun than SLIVERING (which didn't leave me quite SLaVERING) but I, LEA P. Finger, am happy to MAKe DO. It was only minimally painful to lose the SINORUSSIAN WARS and LILIESOFTHE FIELoops.
I make this a way cool Saturday solve, and I'm glad to now know Adam Fromm Adam. Let's not wait another seven years, OK?
"Devil with a Blue DRESS, Blue DRESS on,
Devil with a Blue DRESS on"
(ahem)
6
I also thought of Bar NONE, but not before the brain jumped to Bar Kochba.
@polymath, I left you a late response about yesterday's Geranium OIL, with an interesting connection. (At the Newest end, for ease of retrieval)
@polymath, I left you a late response about yesterday's Geranium OIL, with an interesting connection. (At the Newest end, for ease of retrieval)
Good golly, Miss Leapy!
(molybdenum)
(molybdenum)
4
I've been thinking all this time that it's LEA P.F. INGER. Thank you for setting me straight.
1
Holy cow. The northern half of this puzzle is one for the ages. The scrabble value of those words is about a zillion. Excellent fill.
2
The "Any I" clue would be especially mysterious for Californians. When referencing numbered roads they say "the", not "I", as in "There was a 27 hour backup on the 5 last night." Anyone calling that HWY, excuse me...FWY, I-5 would be instantly pegged as an invader from the East.
In these times of gender fluidity and marriage equality, could HEBRIDES be clued with something pithier? After all, no man is an island.
In these times of gender fluidity and marriage equality, could HEBRIDES be clued with something pithier? After all, no man is an island.
2
'Pegged', eh?
Metoo about HE_BRIDES.
Metoo about HE_BRIDES.
2
Every time I hear the word "aquiline" I am immediately reminded of Sam the Eagle! Thanks for a great Saturday.
https://muppetmindset.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/705f0-sameagle.jpg
https://muppetmindset.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/705f0-sameagle.jpg
1
The solve coaxed out many bits of info stored in my brain's recesses but not jogged in a while. Truly many:
HEBRIDES
AXILLA
ROXANNE
A RAISIN IN THE SUN
ATALANTA
Robert URICH
JACKAS$ THE MOVIE
RICK SPRINGFIELD
NATE The Great
SINO-JAPANESE WAR
LEO SAYER
ANNA PAVLOVA
When these things get pulled out, especially so many, it's like a shot of adrenaline. Thanks for this, Adam!
HEBRIDES
AXILLA
ROXANNE
A RAISIN IN THE SUN
ATALANTA
Robert URICH
JACKAS$ THE MOVIE
RICK SPRINGFIELD
NATE The Great
SINO-JAPANESE WAR
LEO SAYER
ANNA PAVLOVA
When these things get pulled out, especially so many, it's like a shot of adrenaline. Thanks for this, Adam!
1
A pretty easy solve for Saturday, I thought, but, as others have pointed out about similar puzzles, this one amounted to a trivia contest. Not my cup of tea.
2
It's very unusual for me to only have three write-overs in a Saturday puzzle: TenSe before TIPSY, MINIvAn before MINICAR and anon before TRAD. So, yes, this was easy but oh so enjoyable.
Thank you, Adam Fromm, for your stick-to-itiveness which resulted in such a smooth solve I didn't even notice this was a pangram until well after I was done. There is nothing forced here. I thought it was funny that SHODDY is one of your entries because this puzzle is anything but!
Thank you, Adam Fromm, for your stick-to-itiveness which resulted in such a smooth solve I didn't even notice this was a pangram until well after I was done. There is nothing forced here. I thought it was funny that SHODDY is one of your entries because this puzzle is anything but!
1
I had to work at this one, and for that I am grateful. For the most part, it was the kind of puzzle that I hesitantly insert an answer that I am not sure of only to have it be right and an entry into a section of the grid. Basically, the bottom filled in first, then the NW and finally the NE where I had the most trouble. Even though I took the Bar EXAM, I wanted Bar 'none'. Trickiest clue was Any I. It was worth the wait. Most satisfying to complete.
The NYT persists in using a font that makes it difficult to know if one is reading certain letters/combinations correctly; this time the capital I had me mystified until the final entry, when I corrected AHS to AWS. Whew. I would have hated to have had a second Saturday Fail in a row, especially after yesterday's flaming GASCAN.
Of course the Police hit and the singer were both unknowns, but knowing Sidney Poitier's Broadway hit was a big help, as was the WAR and the Sopranos role.
On to the Stumper!
Of course the Police hit and the singer were both unknowns, but knowing Sidney Poitier's Broadway hit was a big help, as was the WAR and the Sopranos role.
On to the Stumper!
SLIVERING: A house at Hogwarts perhaps. Only gripe in a puzzle that SHINED.
Solved this from the middle out with the NW as my last stop. Had Teri for ENOS and tried to fit Dusty in before recalling RICK. JUICEBOX saved the day.
Happy Pencil showed up when I corrected the spelling of 56A/51D.
Hey Adam: BITEME :)
Solved this from the middle out with the NW as my last stop. Had Teri for ENOS and tried to fit Dusty in before recalling RICK. JUICEBOX saved the day.
Happy Pencil showed up when I corrected the spelling of 56A/51D.
Hey Adam: BITEME :)
1
I found this a smooth solve, with good clues and a minimum of glue (I'll take TAN/BAN over AWS/HWY). Brief stops at 23A (wrong fan; saved by the Japanese) and 3D (thought of beach; different ILKs). Otherwise, proper nouns I didn't know from the clues (4D. 13D. 42D) came from the crosses. I find 48A somewhat more meaningful than 19A. If you don't agree. 40A.
1
I put ILKS into the margin at first because I was resistant to that particular plural. Who says that? Nobody. Ever.
2
I held off on ILKS because I so wanted BEACH at 3D.
I held off on BEACH because I so wanted ILKS at 21A.
I held off on BEACH because I so wanted ILKS at 21A.
1
Nice puzzle with a lot of lively entries.
I had a couple things filled in up top early on but other than SAYER they were kind of iffy. Like Liz I waffled between HAJJI and HADJI (and wasn't sure that either was correct). So I started at the bottom where ARAISININTHESUN and ECCLES were enough to get me going and then just chipped my way north from there. Lots of nice moments as something dawned on me with a couple of crosses - URICH, REDDRESS and ATALANTA for example. Certainly didn't know 4d as clued but it finally dawned on me with enough crosses. 19a was (very) vaguely familiar after the fact but that was almost all from the crosses. Needed MAXIM before ROXANNE finally dawned on me (I think I've made every effort to block that song from memory).
And I ended up with one revealed square. I had tried AHS at 22a but never thought of the AW version and I just never caught on to the clue for 20d. Just couldn't make any sense of that crossing and gave up.
A couple of minor nits: That's not what patootie means in my experience and it seems like a bizarre choice for that simple answer. And a 'slo-poke' might be a 'slow sort' but I am unfamiliar with the universe in which POKE has that meaning all by itself.
Would love to see more from Adam - hopefully in this decade.
I had a couple things filled in up top early on but other than SAYER they were kind of iffy. Like Liz I waffled between HAJJI and HADJI (and wasn't sure that either was correct). So I started at the bottom where ARAISININTHESUN and ECCLES were enough to get me going and then just chipped my way north from there. Lots of nice moments as something dawned on me with a couple of crosses - URICH, REDDRESS and ATALANTA for example. Certainly didn't know 4d as clued but it finally dawned on me with enough crosses. 19a was (very) vaguely familiar after the fact but that was almost all from the crosses. Needed MAXIM before ROXANNE finally dawned on me (I think I've made every effort to block that song from memory).
And I ended up with one revealed square. I had tried AHS at 22a but never thought of the AW version and I just never caught on to the clue for 20d. Just couldn't make any sense of that crossing and gave up.
A couple of minor nits: That's not what patootie means in my experience and it seems like a bizarre choice for that simple answer. And a 'slo-poke' might be a 'slow sort' but I am unfamiliar with the universe in which POKE has that meaning all by itself.
Would love to see more from Adam - hopefully in this decade.
3
Oh, and can anybody make out the words on that album in the box in the blog photo? - Or just recognize it for that matter.
It looks very familiar but I just can't figure out what it is.
It looks very familiar but I just can't figure out what it is.
Rich.
Here's your album:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drums_of_Passion_(album)
(shared credit with my wife's younger eyes)
Here's your album:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drums_of_Passion_(album)
(shared credit with my wife's younger eyes)
2
Olatunji - Drums of Passion
1
This was a smooth, fast solve. I pulled AXILLA from some place other than my armpit.
10
Me too, Paul.
It was my first entry, and I couldn't imagine how I remembered it. I did, however, see why it made sense, in the "branch" sense.
It was my first entry, and I couldn't imagine how I remembered it. I did, however, see why it made sense, in the "branch" sense.
1
The shared U in PILEUP and SUED evaded me until the last, but provided me with a nice aha! moment when I finally got it. Stuck with SPED to begin with. Pleasant way to spend part of a sleepless night.
Two of the long answers were completely unknown to me, 4D & 19A. I was further hampered by something I sometimes do, and that is reject an answer I think of as too long and not actually counting the letters. Today that was HEBRIDES.
PAPIER and BAD IDEA were my first entries (but I had to look up CBS) Discovering Pennsylvania Dutch signs was fun.
I did better in the South, the highlight being getting RAISIN IN THE SUN with only a few letters.
I'll join the others in welcoming Adam back, and thanks for all the effort.
PAPIER and BAD IDEA were my first entries (but I had to look up CBS) Discovering Pennsylvania Dutch signs was fun.
I did better in the South, the highlight being getting RAISIN IN THE SUN with only a few letters.
I'll join the others in welcoming Adam back, and thanks for all the effort.
1
P.S. I'm off to London soon to meet my son. We'll be doing some sightseeing for the next couple of weeks, but we'll be here a lot as well, so I'll be able to keep up probably .
3
Does one still go "up" to London from any direction (including when going south), or has that gone the way of TOT UP?
1
One does!
1
I loved this one. That has much to do with its being my fastest Saturday solve ever without any help, but it also is a beautifully constructed grid. Thanks much for the perseverance in its creation!
1
If you know your Trivia, this one was pretty easy for a Saturday. Without that somewhat arcane knowledge I can see it being quite a slog.
1
I call the little bit of wood that gets embedded in my finger a "splinter." Elaine calls it a "sliver." Is this one of those regional differences, or just Elaine?
I'd say it's a regional difference, but even if it is not, it would be just "you", not Elaine.
1
A splinter is a sliver of wood, but a splinter of metal would only be a sliver, to my mind. Or is that mincing words?
In my experience a sliver is what some ladies ask for when offered a piece of chocolate cake. I eventually figured out that they really want a regular slice, but the pro forma austerity gives them deniability.
Hkwever, given our new sensitivity to Yes Means Yes in weightier human affairs, I'm going to start taking cake orders only in angular degrees and radians.
PS: Sliver was, I believe, also the name of the thinner of the Lone Ranger's two horses.
Hkwever, given our new sensitivity to Yes Means Yes in weightier human affairs, I'm going to start taking cake orders only in angular degrees and radians.
PS: Sliver was, I believe, also the name of the thinner of the Lone Ranger's two horses.
12
Was a little bit surprised at how easily most of it came together for me - Rick Springfield on GH I knew, and it just built from there. Had HADJI before HAJJI, but Riviera and ENOS were gimmes, so the NW corner filled in quickly. The medical clues were no problem (RN here), and neither was the other car clue. I like the Police, so that one was quick, and Jezebel fit right after that. "Any I" was a bit of a puzzle and almost the last thing I filled in.
1
Pleasing, Lovely puzzle, got it all but "Any 1" = Hwy? Please explain. Thanks for so much for your dedication.
I perceived that clue as Any "I" -- where I is for Interstate (eg, I-29, I-680).
4
I could be wrong, but I read the clue as "Any I", as in I for interstate. (I played it on the app, though, so I can't be 100% sure.)
3
Number one? Lower case letter "ell?" Upper case letter "eye?" Another case of misdirection by sans serif font.
4
Is it just me? I give up: what is trad?
Traditional. Folk songs tend to be trad. or anon.
1
Any relation between the red dress and Roxanne; as in "you don't have to put on the ... "?
4
There is a maker of quilting thimbles/expert quilter (now deceased) named ROXANNE. Some years back I ordered a Roxanne thimble--and it really is a great tool; I went online and typed in 'Roxanne,' and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a floozie in a RED DRESS.... I was so flummoxed and appalled that all I could think to do was turn off the computer!
I imagine this was not your association for the two, however.
I imagine this was not your association for the two, however.
"ROXANNE, you don't have to put on the RED light/you don't have to wear that DRESS tonight..."
3
A fine puzzle that felt right all the way through. I appreciate the thorough job, but don't make us wait another seven years for the next one.
Thanks.
Thanks.
6
I really enjoyed it, so thank you for persevering.
2
I enjoyed this one. One quibble: Isn't SHINED only used for the transitive verb--e.g., "I shined the shoes"--not for the intransitive sense? Wouldn't "performed beautifully" be SHONE?
4
Shined/Shone -- a second opinion:
https://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/wc/is-shined-or-shone-the-past-tense-...
https://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/wc/is-shined-or-shone-the-past-tense-...
2
Jason carries off Medea on the Argo from Colchis, so it appears there were at least two women aboard.
1
Lots of different sources for the myth. Most have Medea joining after the Golden Fleece is recovered. Atalanta, on the other hand, was one of the 50 Argonauts on the mission before then, according to the sources that have her on the Argo. So she was the only woman during the exciting phase.
Most versions, by the way, have Jason refusing to let her sail on the Argo.
Most versions, by the way, have Jason refusing to let her sail on the Argo.
1
Thanks, Martin.
I had never heard the one about ATALANTA being on the Argo, and now I know why.
I had never heard the one about ATALANTA being on the Argo, and now I know why.
An odd solve for me--it was going very very slowly, individual letters coming with painful effort. Then I decided to go for HADJI/HAJJI at 1D--I had been hesitating about what kind of pilgrim this might be--and that broke it all open and the rest of the puzzle solved very quickly. Odd things I knew, like ENOS, AXILLA, RED DRESS, ECCLES (Yum, I'd like a good Eccles cake!). Things I guessed--ROXANNE, MESSES. Things I got once I had a few letters--HEBRIDES, 4D, 48A, 19A (although that was one I was blanking out on to start with).
Welcome back to puzzling, Mr Fromm!
Welcome back to puzzling, Mr Fromm!
3
Didn't get very far at first, except for AXILLA and some maybes that I held in my brain. A RAISIN IN THE SUN was my first true gimme, YURT my second, RED DRESS my third. So I solved from the bottom up.
There were some people that I knew, could even put the face to, but whose names I couldn't remember: RICK SPRINGFIELD, EDIE FALCO. Other heard-ofs I couldn't place were JACK@SS THE MOVIE, CHEROKEE, and SINO-JAPANESE WAR.
I surprised myself by know Robert URICH right away, but no surprise that I didn't know or even belatedly recognize ELLIE Kemper, Leo SAYER, ENOS Slaughter, or ROXANNE.
So my mix of known knowns, unknown knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns was pretty evenly spread across the grid. Made for a marvelous solve.
This is what a Saturday should be. Thanks to all concerned.
And welcome home, Adam. Don't be such a stranger, eh!