Ooooh, how I wish DENTAL INSURANCE was something that was reasonably available, perhaps as an option in Medicare supplemental policies. (My dentist wants to do some laser-based thing with bones and gums that would last forever but cost over $4K. As in off the wall.)
Very satisfying puzzle. I love these big, wide-open, lots-of-white diagrams. It gave me a workout, and I finally finished feeling insecure. I was right. I had two errors. Both were because I had BAD ACTOR instead of HAM ACTOR. It took me a few minutes of post-real-solve thought to figure out the problem. I've certainly never heard of HALAS, and MACROS as clued was new.
Didn't know Dr. MARCUS Brody because I've never seen "Raiders of the Lost Ark." As for LORENA, I agree with Deb that Bobbitt as a clue would have unpleasant associations, but the clue that we got had no associations.
Very satisfying puzzle. I love these big, wide-open, lots-of-white diagrams. It gave me a workout, and I finally finished feeling insecure. I was right. I had two errors. Both were because I had BAD ACTOR instead of HAM ACTOR. It took me a few minutes of post-real-solve thought to figure out the problem. I've certainly never heard of HALAS, and MACROS as clued was new.
Didn't know Dr. MARCUS Brody because I've never seen "Raiders of the Lost Ark." As for LORENA, I agree with Deb that Bobbitt as a clue would have unpleasant associations, but the clue that we got had no associations.
2
I got very badly hung up on 8-Down—I stubbornly thought the last part of the answer had to be SURFACE, and although I had never heard of DENTALIN (neither had the world, I was to discover) I assumed it was some sort of new material for dental bridgework. So this meant the SE was impenetrable until APERATIF dawned on me, then slowly I saw...DENTAL INSURANCE.
I wonder—the term “love” in tennis. Does it perhaps derive from “l’oeuf”, which is egg in French? We use the term “goose egg” for zero, so perhaps this is possible.
I wonder—the term “love” in tennis. Does it perhaps derive from “l’oeuf”, which is egg in French? We use the term “goose egg” for zero, so perhaps this is possible.
1
Games and sets start, of course, with love.
“Love being the term for zero is one of the most celebrated puzzles in tennis,” said Ossian Shine, author of “The Language of Tennis.”
Shine pointed to the modern game’s roots in a game called “real tennis” in France that goes back to the 12th century. The server would reportedly shout “tenez” — take heed, like “fore” in golf — which ultimately led to the sport’s name.
L’oeuf means egg in French, and because an egg looks like a zero, some historians believe English mispronunciations corrupted the word.
Another theory posits that players competing for the “love” of the game had “nothing” to lose, though Shine and Bud Collins in his book “History of Tennis” noted that this English notion may have roots on the Continent too. Heiner Gillmeister, a professor of linguistics at Bonn University in Germany, traced the word to a Dutch or Flemish word, “lof,” meaning honor. Gillmeister, Shine explained, found a 16th-century political song describing a battle between Antwerp and the French in terms of a tennis match, which differentiates those who wager and those who play for “lof,” or honor.
Oddly enough, the French, though known for romance, do not use “love” at all. They use zero.
“The French use the word zero because they are eminently more sensible than the English,” said Shine, who is English.
https://straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/quirks-of-the-game-how...
“Love being the term for zero is one of the most celebrated puzzles in tennis,” said Ossian Shine, author of “The Language of Tennis.”
Shine pointed to the modern game’s roots in a game called “real tennis” in France that goes back to the 12th century. The server would reportedly shout “tenez” — take heed, like “fore” in golf — which ultimately led to the sport’s name.
L’oeuf means egg in French, and because an egg looks like a zero, some historians believe English mispronunciations corrupted the word.
Another theory posits that players competing for the “love” of the game had “nothing” to lose, though Shine and Bud Collins in his book “History of Tennis” noted that this English notion may have roots on the Continent too. Heiner Gillmeister, a professor of linguistics at Bonn University in Germany, traced the word to a Dutch or Flemish word, “lof,” meaning honor. Gillmeister, Shine explained, found a 16th-century political song describing a battle between Antwerp and the French in terms of a tennis match, which differentiates those who wager and those who play for “lof,” or honor.
Oddly enough, the French, though known for romance, do not use “love” at all. They use zero.
“The French use the word zero because they are eminently more sensible than the English,” said Shine, who is English.
https://straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/24/quirks-of-the-game-how...
4
A very fine Saturday puzzle, all things considered. As a retired corporate attorney, I had a minor quibble with the cluing of 42D. To me, MESNE is a fairly obscure feudal property law term. (I am often flummoxed by legal terminology used in crossword puzzles, perhaps because many were prepared by non-lawyers.) And, like another solver, I don't get 15A. Shouldn't it be FIFTEENLOVE?
2
"Shouldn't it be FIFTEENLOVE?"
Not too many years ago, but rarely now, the first point in tennis was scored with _either_ five _or_ fifteen — depending only on local convention; they mean exactly the same thing.
Not too many years ago, but rarely now, the first point in tennis was scored with _either_ five _or_ fifteen — depending only on local convention; they mean exactly the same thing.
1
Can someone explain 15A? The first score by the server in a tennis game would be 15-love. I see "informally," but I've never noticed fifteen being referred to as five.
1
Tennis players do in fact shorten "15" to "5".
2
Not something I approve of, but I know they do it.
1
Thank you all. I was wondering about that. Never heard the term.
1
Had to take a break and come back to complete the NW. Loved all the misdirection. Especially liked how DENTAL INSURANCE bridges the two hemispheres. I don't know what this means about my subconscious, but I see a number of hIDden "id"s -- VALID ID, IDEAL MAN, GRID IRONS, SIDE ORDER, ARIDNESS, RESIDING.
1
Maybe that's IDiosyncratic, for this constructor.
2
Too tough for me! I did well with the NW, center, and SE, and the rest was a mess. I should have gotten at least a few more. I assumed I would have no idea on the opera clue because I was thinking of a singer, but I would have know the character ISOLDE if I had thought about it that way. I put “bad actor” instead of HAM ACTOR. I should have gotten MACRO. (I have a macro lens!) I had “arid land” instead of ARIDNESS. Absolutely no idea on the two sports ones. I never heard of MESNE and misspelled WILEE.
3
Rocket J. Squirrel, aka Rocky, was my initial thought. No Bullwinkle.
3
Dr. Diehl always slips some DENTAL implants into his puzzles, so 'bridges' didn't fool for so much as a second. I'm grateful to ORRIS root in the NW, to the DHubby for Coach HALAS in the SW, and to Sandra Day O'CONNER and WILE E Coyote for the NE.
And then there was the murderous SE and that evil little center with an old NJ governor and some character from a 1983-4 movie. Does Dr. D have LATENt psychopathic tendencies? (He seems to like superlatives, too, what with all of the occasions for --IEST .)
I tried UBER and LYFT for 36A (bzzzt!) and then IMITATION for 28D (bzzzzzt!!) and took out POOR at 45D (BZZZT!!!)
No one could be more surprised that I by the successful completion of this puzzle.
And then there was the murderous SE and that evil little center with an old NJ governor and some character from a 1983-4 movie. Does Dr. D have LATENt psychopathic tendencies? (He seems to like superlatives, too, what with all of the occasions for --IEST .)
I tried UBER and LYFT for 36A (bzzzt!) and then IMITATION for 28D (bzzzzzt!!) and took out POOR at 45D (BZZZT!!!)
No one could be more surprised that I by the successful completion of this puzzle.
3
OVERWROTE only once today: ARIDzone/ARIDNESS.
On Saturday I expect the puzzle to be difficult, but not necessarily charming.
On Saturday I expect the puzzle to be difficult, but not necessarily charming.
"Not necessarily charming" OK, but need it be like pulling teeth?
(Rinse, please)
(Rinse, please)
1
You weren't charmed by the IDEALMAN?
1
I expected IDEALMAN to be challenged by feminists. On a related (or unrelated) note, while CLAM has been slang for vulva (and female) since long before our grandparents were born, I've never heard it or seen it used -- by itself -- regarding sexual orientation.
2
Started with SOLITARY at 1A. Lasted till EVAS. Considered D as possible for the end of the hermit adjective.
Stared suspiciously at 8D clue for some time, thinking of building materials or a government agency; switched gears and thought DENTAL INSURANCE! Got enough crosses to leave it in place.
Clever clue for 25D as San Franciscans famously dislike hearing the city called FRISCO.
At first glance: Joint flare-up = bar fight? Nope.
I must have spent as much time on getting 1 & 2 Down as the rest of the puzzle. I was dubious about A REAL MAN – really? – but that “of a sort” in the clue seemed to acknowledge it was a little lame and everything else fit, so I stuck with it to the nearly bitter end.
I knew 15A couldn’t be LOVE LOVE but I was so sure of OVERWROTE I kept at it. At one point 1&2D had me so stumped I was thinking IF AND WHEN at 1D and CEREAL EAR at 2D.
Then there's the part down in the lower left where I had BAD ACTOR because, while I would have sworn it was spelled Bear Bryant, I am not a football fan and was trying to fit it in as Bryan.
I must say I find it very unfair that there are two “Bears” in football.
So, quite a workout, and quite worth sticking with it till I made the right connections. Next time I see your name, Mark Diehl, I shall be wary...but in a good way!
Stared suspiciously at 8D clue for some time, thinking of building materials or a government agency; switched gears and thought DENTAL INSURANCE! Got enough crosses to leave it in place.
Clever clue for 25D as San Franciscans famously dislike hearing the city called FRISCO.
At first glance: Joint flare-up = bar fight? Nope.
I must have spent as much time on getting 1 & 2 Down as the rest of the puzzle. I was dubious about A REAL MAN – really? – but that “of a sort” in the clue seemed to acknowledge it was a little lame and everything else fit, so I stuck with it to the nearly bitter end.
I knew 15A couldn’t be LOVE LOVE but I was so sure of OVERWROTE I kept at it. At one point 1&2D had me so stumped I was thinking IF AND WHEN at 1D and CEREAL EAR at 2D.
Then there's the part down in the lower left where I had BAD ACTOR because, while I would have sworn it was spelled Bear Bryant, I am not a football fan and was trying to fit it in as Bryan.
I must say I find it very unfair that there are two “Bears” in football.
So, quite a workout, and quite worth sticking with it till I made the right connections. Next time I see your name, Mark Diehl, I shall be wary...but in a good way!
2
"Clever clue for 25D as San Franciscans famously dislike hearing the city called FRISCO."
I agree on the dislike, spenyc, but the "locale" in the song is a "waterway," not the city ("Left my home in Georgia, headed for the Frisco Bay").
I agree on the dislike, spenyc, but the "locale" in the song is a "waterway," not the city ("Left my home in Georgia, headed for the Frisco Bay").
1
I lived in SF for almost 20 years. No one says Frisco there. Ever. But the song's words are those of a despondent yet hopeful out-of-towner. A tourist. So locals just nod their heads knowingly at that lyric. And it's Otis Redding ferchissake, so it's all good. Great song.
4
Congratulations to Dr. Diehl for a grid with fewer than 10% black squares! 22 is good but I think I remember as few as 19 some years ago. Does anyone know the record in a NYT puzzle? What date would that have been?
17 blocks
Friday, July 27, 2012
Puzzle by Joe Krozel, the envelope-pusher
[courtesy of xwordinfo]
Friday, July 27, 2012
Puzzle by Joe Krozel, the envelope-pusher
[courtesy of xwordinfo]
1
17 blocks
Friday, July 27, 2012
Puzzle by Joe Krozel, the envelope-pusher
[Courtesy of xwordinfo]
Friday, July 27, 2012
Puzzle by Joe Krozel, the envelope-pusher
[Courtesy of xwordinfo]
1
[oops]
Kind of interesting: Krozel constructed 80% of the puzzles with the fewest blocks, and also the one with the most (56). It was a standard 15 x 15, and I'm having a hard time imagining...
Kind of interesting: Krozel constructed 80% of the puzzles with the fewest blocks, and also the one with the most (56). It was a standard 15 x 15, and I'm having a hard time imagining...
Yes it was a challenging Saturday, but oh so satisfying to finish. I did step away to read the Saturday funnies and have a second cup of coffee before being able to finish in the Northwest. Had secluded before ISOLATED for the longest time. Did get DENTALINSURANCE fairly quickly and liked the DOWSWER clue. Anyway a nice Saturday that I was able to finish starting from the bottom and working my way around the grid'
1
For me, this puzzle was like Chicken Cordon Bleu prepared with Velveeta and Spam. The puzzle, as a whole, was clever and quite a feat to accomplish. And some of the clues were deliciously satisfying: 27A seemed like a laugh-RIOT to me.
On the other hand, some of the answers just seemed kluged: HAM ACTOR, for example. Once you say HAM in this sense, ACTOR is just superfluous, like saying flounder fish. And, while I'm on a roll -- with the ham and all -- WILE E. without Coyote just doesn't work outside the contrivance of this grid because the middle initial doesn't resonate without the last name, so that felt like a cheap trick. Not a hard clue, but, like HAM ACTOR, a substitution of Velveeta for a fine Swiss.
I like a good hard clue -- SEINING is new for me and DOWSE was very rewarding once I got it. And, for me, it wasn't the bridge clue that I loved most, though it was clever. I really liked that joint flare up.
On the other hand, some of the answers just seemed kluged: HAM ACTOR, for example. Once you say HAM in this sense, ACTOR is just superfluous, like saying flounder fish. And, while I'm on a roll -- with the ham and all -- WILE E. without Coyote just doesn't work outside the contrivance of this grid because the middle initial doesn't resonate without the last name, so that felt like a cheap trick. Not a hard clue, but, like HAM ACTOR, a substitution of Velveeta for a fine Swiss.
I like a good hard clue -- SEINING is new for me and DOWSE was very rewarding once I got it. And, for me, it wasn't the bridge clue that I loved most, though it was clever. I really liked that joint flare up.
6
Agree on the fill WILEE.
More early gimmes than usual on a Saturday - MIR, EVAS, ROSIES, HALAS, LORENA - and a couple of other that came fairly easily. But from there this was a still a tough workout for me. Several failed checks, but at least I didn't have to reveal or look up anything. Lately it seems like Fridays and Saturdays are getting tougher, or maybe my skills are declining. It mostly seems centered on my inability to get the drift of some clues.
Only real nit with this one was for 21a. A spring, by definition, produces surface water. You don't DOWSE for surface water; you can see it.
In my hometown there was a constantly flowing fresh-water spring next to a lake just outside the city limits. At some point the residents had placed a concrete pedestal around the mouth of the spring with the result being a sort of drinking fountain which was always on. We called it 'old faceful.'
Only real nit with this one was for 21a. A spring, by definition, produces surface water. You don't DOWSE for surface water; you can see it.
In my hometown there was a constantly flowing fresh-water spring next to a lake just outside the city limits. At some point the residents had placed a concrete pedestal around the mouth of the spring with the result being a sort of drinking fountain which was always on. We called it 'old faceful.'
8
Can't spring a bad clue on you, can they, Rich? Good catch. If there is any response, I'd expect the old "clue, not definition" line.
33 an issue of water from the earth, taking the form, on the surface, of a small stream or standing as a pool or small lake.
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/spring
33 an issue of water from the earth, taking the form, on the surface, of a small stream or standing as a pool or small lake.
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/spring
1
My first thoughts were of the spring that sprung from an old sofa.
Love your "Old Faceful".
Love your "Old Faceful".
3
Ah yes. But there is that scene in the wonderful film Manon of the Springs when the evil neighbors cover up the spring on her father's property and later pretend to dowse for it.
1
Lewis now please find the source of "86" as in toss out of a bar or restaurant.
For some reason I feel a need to floss. I survived all the misdirection only to stumble on VISA. As dear pater often intoned: "It is the short ones that kill you."
Today is the annual adult soap box derby here in Western WI preceded by a class in cider making. The fun never stops here in The Shire.
Thank you Mark
For some reason I feel a need to floss. I survived all the misdirection only to stumble on VISA. As dear pater often intoned: "It is the short ones that kill you."
Today is the annual adult soap box derby here in Western WI preceded by a class in cider making. The fun never stops here in The Shire.
Thank you Mark
3
The puzzle got me to wondering about the origin of the term HAM, referring to actors. The best I found was this, from Bill Bryson:
"Ham actor, first recorded in 1875, alludes to the practice of lesser performers having to use ham fat rather than cold cream to remove their make-up. Soon a second-rate actor was known as a hamfatter; by 1902 he was just a ham."
"Ham actor, first recorded in 1875, alludes to the practice of lesser performers having to use ham fat rather than cold cream to remove their make-up. Soon a second-rate actor was known as a hamfatter; by 1902 he was just a ham."
7
Wouldn't it be great if that was a rumor spread by the cold cream industry?
5
Thank you, Lewis, for the historical note, and for indirectly supporting my objection last night that HAM in current use (i.e., the last hundred years) need not be and is not followed by ACTOR.
3
Thanks for this bit of information. I'm glad you took the time to research this. I would not have--my motto is not: IFINDOUBT, IFINDOUT.
4
This puzzle had a lot of good attributes and a certain amount of charm.
Portions of the editing however were simply horrific. MESNE is not a common legal term; rather, it's an ancient obscurity that seems to have been picked by computer. FLORIO - a governor of New Jersey from more twenty years ago? Again, obviously a computer-generated term. ORRIS - a word only a Schortzian could love.
It would be pleasant to see compilers take a break from their computers and the internet and simply create puzzles using their wits and the OED. These computerized hybrids are the intellectual equivalents of GMOs. They provide the compilers with a false sense of accomplishment and the solvers a brittle form of enjoyment that bears no comparison with, e.g., a Patrick Berry puzzle.
Portions of the editing however were simply horrific. MESNE is not a common legal term; rather, it's an ancient obscurity that seems to have been picked by computer. FLORIO - a governor of New Jersey from more twenty years ago? Again, obviously a computer-generated term. ORRIS - a word only a Schortzian could love.
It would be pleasant to see compilers take a break from their computers and the internet and simply create puzzles using their wits and the OED. These computerized hybrids are the intellectual equivalents of GMOs. They provide the compilers with a false sense of accomplishment and the solvers a brittle form of enjoyment that bears no comparison with, e.g., a Patrick Berry puzzle.
11
As it happens, ORRIS root was my first entry, and it came immediately to my mind as one of the odd bits of things used in making perfumes, and I know that quite apart from anything Schortzian (or Shortzian). For all I know, it might have come from reading lists of ingredients.
I'll also admit I'd no idea until a minute ago that ORRIS is a variety of iRIS that has a fragrant rootstock,, and thought that the many images of iRIS that popped up flagged a massive and widespread error.
I'll also admit I'd no idea until a minute ago that ORRIS is a variety of iRIS that has a fragrant rootstock,, and thought that the many images of iRIS that popped up flagged a massive and widespread error.
I can't comment on the first two fills, but for me ORRIS was a gimme! It's not at all obscure.
No problem with MESNE nor ORRIS. Looking back, this is at least the 7th time I've encountered MESNE and the 8th for ORRIS.
1
I had ISOLATED right off the bat, and it was pretty smooth sailing. It took me a while to see E-READER and not EREADER. Deb, that E-READER may contain some pretty salacious material.
1
I was halfway there on the tricky clues tat Deb mentioned. Thought DENTAL, but not INSURANCE. For the spring I was thinking parched person in a desert. For the joint flare up, perhaps barroom brawl.
Starting with FIVE LOVE, and WHEN IN DOUBT, I managed the NW corner quite quickly, the fasted of any Saturday I'm sure. The rest took a lot longer, and required some research, but very enjoyable.
People who dislike a plethora of 3 letter words should be pleased with this puzzle. As Deb noted, what a lot of white squares. Well done Mark.
Starting with FIVE LOVE, and WHEN IN DOUBT, I managed the NW corner quite quickly, the fasted of any Saturday I'm sure. The rest took a lot longer, and required some research, but very enjoyable.
People who dislike a plethora of 3 letter words should be pleased with this puzzle. As Deb noted, what a lot of white squares. Well done Mark.
3
NOSEDIVE! Clue 41A is a bit too appropriate today. Sigh.
This was tough. I'm started off on the wrong foot, filling in SOLITUDE for 1A. After I fixed that, I was able to fill the NW corner easily, but I struggled on the rest. (For some reason I knew what giraffes like to eat. Why?) Some of the fills don't click for me, I'm afraid. I would never say GROWUP in response to a "sophomoric comment" and IMITATIVE is an odd choice to describe store brands. Duplicative, maybe? Goes over the line" is a bit loose for TRESPASSES. On the other hand, I thought the "bridge" clue was cute for DENTALINSURANCE, as was the clue For PRISONRIOT. It was a good challenge, for sure.
I'm confused by the caption for today's photo. Are those Arabs on the horses, or are the horses Arabians (often called Arabs)? Am I allowed to type those words in this political climate? I think I was censored yesterday, for reasons that are a mystery to me.
There was a comment posted yesterday about this group acting as a collective copy editor for Worldplay. In that capacity, I would like to take a red pencil to the use of "hopefully" in today's piece. Said with love.
This was tough. I'm started off on the wrong foot, filling in SOLITUDE for 1A. After I fixed that, I was able to fill the NW corner easily, but I struggled on the rest. (For some reason I knew what giraffes like to eat. Why?) Some of the fills don't click for me, I'm afraid. I would never say GROWUP in response to a "sophomoric comment" and IMITATIVE is an odd choice to describe store brands. Duplicative, maybe? Goes over the line" is a bit loose for TRESPASSES. On the other hand, I thought the "bridge" clue was cute for DENTALINSURANCE, as was the clue For PRISONRIOT. It was a good challenge, for sure.
I'm confused by the caption for today's photo. Are those Arabs on the horses, or are the horses Arabians (often called Arabs)? Am I allowed to type those words in this political climate? I think I was censored yesterday, for reasons that are a mystery to me.
There was a comment posted yesterday about this group acting as a collective copy editor for Worldplay. In that capacity, I would like to take a red pencil to the use of "hopefully" in today's piece. Said with love.
1
I meant SOLITARY, not SOLITUDE.
Goes over the (property) line would be a textbook definition for trespasses. The question mark seemed unneeded to me.
3
"Duplicative" doesn't fit, "imitative" does and it's not obvious; probably why the constructor chose it.
2
Classic Saturday puzzle, well done. Three puzzles, really, barely connected, and each with good stuff. Had to outlast a bad guess right at the get-go:"secluded" was not secluded enough. And again at LATEN for drawing into dark -- went with "lower," like what the clouds used to do o'er our house.
1
Years ago I would have given up on a puzzle like this after 20 minutes with little or no progress. Now I can finish the thing in 15. As I explained to friends of the non-crossword persuasion, I've learned to "channel" my fellow Indiana University alumnus Will Shortz. What devious trick would Will be pulling? What tertiary meaning of the word would he have in mind? On Friday and Saturday I don't even bother to think about the obvious answer. Trouble is the obvious answer IS the right one.
Thanks for the daily fun!
Thanks for the daily fun!
6
Oops... Dropped a word... The obvious answer is SOMETIMES the right answer
1
Oh my, Dr Diehl and Mr Shortz, you made me blush. I googled the 35D clue and my answer (which turned out to be correct) because I was bit unsure and boy did I learn something new. I like doing the crossword to broaden my knowledge, but I could have done without that.
1
Zon, here in America SMACKER and clam are slang words for a dollar. Your search brought you to some naughty meaning, and that certainly could not have been what our constructor intended. Could it?
6
Funny, Zon! Have you been consulting the urban dictionary? I took both the clue and fill meaning to be slang for money. I thought the answer was simoleon at first (another slang money word).
2
I can see why that might have embarrassed you, Zon. But as Wags and PfP have pointed out, the clue is based on American slang for money.
1
A fare and fowl Saturday puzzle to DINE ON. I was amused to see DOWSES next to ARIDNESS; good luck with that to those RESIDING there. I found two of the longer entries forced: OISE avec RIVER and a HAM is a BAD ACTOR. Learned Dr. Brody from the crosses; I did know a Dr. Welby.
N.B. Not all PEENS are ball PEENS.
(SNORTS, grinds MOLARS)
N.B. Not all PEENS are ball PEENS.
(SNORTS, grinds MOLARS)
2
Well, if you want to get into the fine details, PEENS are not "banging their heads against things". They are banging their faces. A hammer head has two faces, the peen being one of them.
2
What kind of nails to carpenters hate to hit? FIngernails.
The flat faces of hammers just want to beat up Brad, Penny and that crowd. PEENS are more concerned with making a good impression.
The flat faces of hammers just want to beat up Brad, Penny and that crowd. PEENS are more concerned with making a good impression.
1
"Spit take"? Dentists? I see what you did there!
9
I liked it. I'm a big Wagner fan and so enjoyed seeing Isolde of Tristan and Isolde in the puzzle. Went to Berlin in April for Wagner's Ring cycle. Now listening to the Vienna Philharmonic on PBS with Renee Fleming!
1
Happy to see that the column is up when I finished the puzzle! It was slow the past couple of days.
I thought I wasn't going to be able to finish this one tonight, but then suddenly it was done. I filled in the SW corner pretty quickly--HAM ACTOR was a great intro for the puzzle--but had to hack and claw my way through the rest of it. I did luck into DENTAL INSURANCE when I only had a couple of letters--I love those inspired guesses that work out! So that gave me something to build off of. Other words that seemed like reasonable guesses (ISOLDE, APERITIF) helped me fill in quadrants. And WILE E Coyote was the only toon I could think of who uses a middle initial, so I'm glad he turned out to be right!
What I learned: MESNE. Will I remember it? Probably not.
I thought I wasn't going to be able to finish this one tonight, but then suddenly it was done. I filled in the SW corner pretty quickly--HAM ACTOR was a great intro for the puzzle--but had to hack and claw my way through the rest of it. I did luck into DENTAL INSURANCE when I only had a couple of letters--I love those inspired guesses that work out! So that gave me something to build off of. Other words that seemed like reasonable guesses (ISOLDE, APERITIF) helped me fill in quadrants. And WILE E Coyote was the only toon I could think of who uses a middle initial, so I'm glad he turned out to be right!
What I learned: MESNE. Will I remember it? Probably not.
2
There is another rarely seen Warner Bros./Looney Tunes toon who has a middle initial, and that is Michigan J Frog.
2
Rocket J. Squirrel, Bullwinkle J. Moose and Elmer J. Fudd.
3
My first thought was Elmer J Fudd but couldn't make it fit into the boxes.
1
"RIOT in Cell Block #9" was a #1 R&B hit for the Robins in 1954, and has been covered by many acts since. My favorite version is by albino blues-rock guitarist Johnny Winter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXsIA_AucgU