Just a quick note to say that I set a personal best for a Friday's puzzle in spite of the fact that I have never before encountered ABNOGATE, NEDFLANDERS, SPRIT, REPRO (as clued), OXLIP, SOCIALIQ, and PARADIST. Thanks to the crosses and no Naticks!
Enough of OWIE!
3
@Ron
How did you set a personal best with ABNOGATE and PARADIST?
1
Wen,
I'd guess Ron did not proofread his quick note (but did enter the fill correctly). There is no "happy music" to confirm that comments have been entered correctly.
4
@Barry Ancona
Oh yeah, we established further down in my thread that I don't proofread my own writing either. People who live in grass huts should not stow thrones.
1
Twice now in the past week I have solved Friday puzzles while flying between South Australia and Queensland with no wifi available on board (looking at you Jetstar). That has forced me to solve without google or Wordplay’s helpful hints and I’ve done it! It has taken me longer, but oh how satisfying. No emus in either puzzle either.
6
@Zon Yay, you! Keep up the great solving!
2
It took me forever. The middle was easy, SE and NW were a little tricky, and SE was deadly difficult, for me. I liked it!
But, I still don't know why REPRO is dupe, and would appreciate it if someone would explain. Please and thank you!
@Mary
REPRO in this case is probably short for REPROduction, i.e. a copy, or a dupe. Or you could take it as the verb form. i.e. REPROduce, to copy or to dupe (informal version of duplicate).
2
Mary,
A reproduction is a duplicate.
2
@Wen and @Barry Ancona
That is so nice of you! Thank you very much.
"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows.
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull’d in these flowers with dances and delight."
8
I didn't get much (except the short-lived ECRU) in NW, so pretty much started in NE and went clockwise. This meant I was trying to remember some 1992 movie that ended in "works" or "words" or "worry."
Didn't see the flick, and don't watch SNL, but I thought I'd actually seen a few minutes of a "WAYNE'S WORLD" segment once and found it intolerable. Only post-solve did I realize I had it confused with "Beavis & Butthead." Oh, well.
Made a mental note to do a post-solve Google on NED FLANDERS, but went to xwordinfo first, and Jeff explained that he is a Simpsons character. I should have known. Practically everything is some sort of Simpsons reference.
Did no one else have TULIP before OXLIP? Or FELON before EX-CON?
For once I'll agree on the use of "classic" in reference to a TV show. (I disliked "I Love Lucy," but my father controlled the TV.)
Since Falcons and Hawks were both initial-capped, I figured the reference was to sports fans and not bird-lovers. Not where though.
I'd heard of actors climbing the proscenium, but I'd never seen it actually done until Jim Dale did it in "BARNUM."
Very nice, satisfying Friday offering. Thanks Andrew, Will, et al.
2
Yes, both felon & tulip!
@Deadline Was a bit, ah, hung up over halfway house. I was thinking the kind of place where, say, a recovering alcoholic/substance abuser or, perhaps, a patient transitioning from, say, an in-patient psychiatric ward back to, hmm, the out-patient world, if you will. EXCON got filled in when it was clear that it was erstwhile prisoners of which one spoke.
I've also been known to sail here, there and beyond, but have to admit that SPRIT only came to mind when four of the five letters came into view.
SASE was a good one - I had been thinking Ed's convenience - education, perhaps, or something to do with a convenience story or something silly like that.
SASE: In retrospect, however, perfect...
ETAS was in there, rattlin' aroun'. I figured maybe a railroad station - perhaps, something to do with a timetable, or something.
ETA was used in another of the December puzzles, I think, as well.
NASALSTRIPS: I kept wanting it to be NASALsprays or something similar. I kept trying to think if here was some obscure word for those two little nose pieces that hold up one's spectacles above one's nose.
LEA, eh?! Time to tuck that one in the ol' memory banks...
Nicely done, this puzzle, however.
Brilliant!
FWIW:
An SASE is an envelope on which you have stuck a stamp and written your own name and address. You send it to a person or organization so that they can reply to you in it. SASE is an abbreviation for 'self-addressed stamped envelope.'
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/sase
1
Important uses for SASEs are when requesting information about products or services, or when sending manuscripts to literary agents.
SASEs are used when communicating with companies, charities or celebrities (for fan post), in cases where each recipient can afford the cost of a single stamp and envelope, but it would be a burden on the organization to pay for the postage on all the letters it sends out.
One of the most common uses is when companies are legally required to send something upon request, such as a "winners list" at the end of a sweepstakes; the company will require a SASE to be included with the request to avoid paying postage.
SASEs are also vital in the hobbies of autograph collecting and amateur radio. An enthusiast will send an autograph request to a celebrity or athlete through the mail and include a SASE, which the celebrity or athlete will use to return the autographed item. In the case of amateur radio, operators will send a SASE when requesting another station's QSL card.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-addressed_stamped_envelope
1
SASE is a horrible clue and a horrible answer. I've been doing the crossword for a few years now and that's really the worst one I've come across. Boo.
Thomas,
I'm going out on a limb here to suggest you've never sent or received anything with an SASE (or known anyone who did, or ever seen one in a movie, or read about one in a book, or...).
2
@Thomas
What about SASE and its clue is it that you find so objectionable?
Dear Thomas,
Harsh words for a basic, lowly part of life for decades in my younger years!
I guess technology (and the ease of email) is moving one more tiny but steady aspect of life into the remote unknown.
A.
1
I solved today’s puzzle but my mobile app is not allowing me to register a victory. It keeps saying that I have a square a miss and I don’t. I checked an answer key in desperation and it was perfect.
As anyone else experienced an issue with today’s puzzle the one for the 14th??
@Ian
Make sure that you did not accidentally enter a 0 instead of an O. That is sometimes to blame.
2
@Andrew As Barry said: 0 nO
I did attend a TUPPERWAREPARTY once back in NYC given by a really chic, incredibly talented copywriter. I had no idea what to expect but it turned out to be a hilarious burp fest with a bunch of us "sophisticated ladies" enthusiastically grabbing up our containers.
I loved Andrew's puzzle today, probably even more because of that silly party that I hadn't thought about in years.
That's what I love about crosswords. You just never know what memories will be stirred when.
12
Relatively quick and easy for me. The crosses gave me TUP and I was off to the TUPPERWAREPARTY, although I have no idea why burping is involved. I'll read the comments and find out.
@Dag Ryen You "burp" the tupperware by lifting one corner of the lid and squeezing the container to get out the excess air.
And to all those who think the parties are extinct, I actually went to (my first) one last year. Bought a couple of things (that don't get burped, as it turns out). But I live out in the relative sticks of northern Illinois, so trends take a little longer go come and go out here.
1
@ Deb
Thanks for reminding us to go to XWordInfo; I've been short of time lately and haven't indulged....Say, Andrew Ries is pretty easy on the eyes, yes? And people say that Crosswords are not a spectator sport!
2
@Wen and Johanna
I did the Carne Asada recipe with chicken thighs (pulled the skin off prior to marinating and rendered the 'schmaltz' for other uses) and after the overnight marinating, put it in the oven. Wow, I know I shouldn't be my own best fan, but YUM.
Worth all the work!
2
@Mean Old Lady
I'm a big fan of my own cooking too. :)
4
@Mean Old Lady
Can't wait to try your recipe! Right now I'm cooking up a storm for our big Christmas dinner tomorrow.
Where's this recipe? Inquiring minds want to know!
1
Today's excuse: the DHubby slept in, so I did not want to disturb his rest by running the printer until finally at 8 I decided my need for coffee and breakfast was more important than peace and quiet!
I got started with the TUPPERWARE PARTY (it used to be the only way you could get plastic containers) and BAM, never came to a STOP. OXEYE before the -LIP, and I will have to look up NED FLANDERS as I have no clue there.
I always look forward to seeing how I stacked up on the Variety Puzzles from the previous week. The Big Bee did not include NINON, POTTO, or LOLLOP....and somehow I never think of LOLLIPOP, though I did try POPUP. I guess it's hypenated?
The *new* Big Bee has Genius set at 19--but I'm already at 21 even without the pangram, which may elude me. I kept waiting for The Leap, but it hasn't happened.
3
@Mean Old Lady You will chuckle when you figure it out. It will remind you of something recent . . .
@Mean Old Lady
I struggled with the pangram for a while too. Then one of the arrangements of letters clicked and I saw the "green" light.
@Mean Old Lady Chances are, you use this word every day.
TIL OXLIP, SYNOD and that RICE is a verb. Great puzzle. Worthy Friday effort.
3
@Jason
You should also know that RICIN is not a slangy gerund for aforementioned verb.
3
:-)
Smooth construction.
Struggled with the lower left, because JFK left me thinking there was some shortening of the answer and had 'AIRPORT TERM' for quite awhile.
The clue to 54D SASE was ill-fitting and obscure. It is for all addressees’ convenience.
If you have ever submitted a manuscript, you would have a different take on this; no SASE, no returned MS. Nowadays e-submissions may have made this more obscure, but it's not by any means obsolete...
3
KC,
As MOL notes, an SASE was *mandatory* for the submitter who wished return of a ms (and, correctly clued, a *convenience* for the editor to effect the return).
If by "obscure" you mean dated, clues need not be in past tense.
If "ill-fitting" is "inapt," I respectfully disagree; if it means something else, please advise.
3
Reading the blog, I see now that you burp the TUPPERWARE and not yourself. Whew! What a relief! Although if I'd known that, my first comment wouldn't have been nearly as much fun to write.
2
This one one of the best puzzles I've come across in awhile; challenging and creative. Nice job.
5
You could have knocked me over with a TUPPERWARE dish when I saw the answer to 37A. I was looking for some kind of NEONATAL WING or CHILDCARE CENTER. I've never been to a TUPPERWARE PARTY and, believe me, it's going to stay that way.
Do people who go to TUPPERWARE PARTIES have a SOCIAL IQ? Or are they all CLOWNS?
The clue for CLOWNS (55A) is great, by the way. And I love the answer SO FAR SO GOOD.
Re 24D: Can you be defined as a mere AIRPORT CODE when you're actually an AIRPORT?
I enjoyed this puzzle. The fill was lively, and there were almost no proper names at all.
2
JFK is indeed the three-letter code for the airport, not its full name.
2
@Morgan --
If I asked one of my NYC friends where their flight leaves from, half would say "Kennedy" and half would say "JFK". None would say "John F. Kennedy."
Contrast that with the other NY airport. 100% of the people would say "LaGuardia" and none would say "LGA".
And Newark is Newark. I don't even know what the code is. Most people wouldn't, unless they fly out of there often or else work in the airline industry.
Other than LAX and JFK I can't think of an airport generally referred to by its code. I'm sure if there are others I'll be informed of such here.
Nice workout and some good, lively entries. I didn't know a few of the factual answers from the clues, but recognized them with some crosses. Ended on a notable dim-witted moment, staring at the crossing of OXLIP and EXCON. Nothing was dawning on me and I finally ran the alphabet. Nice combination of an 'aha' and 'doh' moment when I finally got there.
Judy Collins again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGUlG1fTi0E
Don't bother, they're here.
6
Mr. Reis, you succeeded in creating a nice, smooth solve. Favorite clues today, the answers to which caused me to laugh:
37A Gathering where burping is encouraged
46A Bar fixture
1
I Really enjoyed this puzzle, there were many clever and humorous clues and answers, made me smile instead of grimace when I figured out the trickier ones. Thank You!
5
Labored over this one, eking out the fill bit by bit. 37a kept me going, looking for a preteen male belching party of some kind. When I finally grasped the TUPPERWARE PARTY answer, my tendency to gripe at the puzzle turned to delight. Loved SO FAR SO GOOD and the link to the little girl talking with 911 was much appreciated.
Nice looking grid - even if it cost me three seconds to look! I found it an easy, breezy fast go anyway, five minutes below my Friday average.
ATLANTAN was a gimme. Kudos to Mr. Ries for using the Hawks and Falcons as examples, but not the Braves who moved outside the city where there is no decent public transit, thus disenfranchising many fans. Some of us now slyly refer to as them as the Cobb (County) Crackers. SOFARSOGOOD was also a pretty easy gimme to open up the grid downward.
Only clues which required double checking for me were RICES, which after the D(ices) made no sense post G was the only sensible response, and SOCIAL IQ which I first had a SOCIAL LIP. It could be a thing, couldn't it?
Loved TUPPERWAREPARTY even if I haven't heard of an actual one in over twenty-five years and NASALSTRIPS, which keep me from nudging snoring husband through the night, so much gratitude to that invention.
3
@Liane Cobb county. It's the Braves new world.
Rich (not quite) in Atlanta.
@Rich in Atlanta
I'm technically in Tucker now after years inside the Perimeter, not too far from you at all (I love Refuge coffee) -- but at least Dekalb County is part of Atlanta.
Our county/city overlap is mystifying to those from outside of Georgia. We have 159 counties, second to Texas (but we are 1/10th the size of Texas). Atlanta lies within Fulton and Dekalb counties, but both counties extend beyond the city.
Why so many? To assure rural control of the Legislature is the theory. Some of these counties are under 2,000 folks.
4
@Liane We're actually just inside the perimeter (I can see 285 from my back porch); Clarkston mailing address but not in the city limits. Are you in Hank Johnson's district? Not sure why the Republicans even bother putting up a candidate (and they didn't, at least once). I think the extensive gerrymandering crosses county lines. They just try to lump as many Democrats into one district as they can.
I think most of Dekalb county is 'Atlanta' for all practical purposes - certainly more than say Cobb or Gwinnett. I worked in Tucker (close to downtown) for almost 30 years.
Haven't been to Refuge Coffee in a while. I've been avoiding going through downtown Clarkston for the most part with the unpredictable road work on E. Ponce. Love it that they leave the 'Road Work Ahead' signs up all the time.
Dortmund, a son of Derby & Preakness winner Big Brown, lived up to his sire’s handle. He paid his bills during a truncated racing career, earning darned near 2 million. He stood taller than the monstrous Secretariat. Regretably his massive frame was injury prone. Winning only twice after we see him winning (thanks Ed. staff) the Santa ANITA Derby, he was promoted to the breeding shed this year. He stands in MD for a $7,500 retainer...Oh yeah, about the puzzle; as expected it was a regular Friday brain fry/bender. The word that killed was ABNEGATE. Two dizzying, dazzling misdirections were the clues for DESSERT and those adhesive strips that claim to aid in respiration while combating snoring...Anyone else consider hi-heels before BOWing to Minnie’s headpiece? Never a dedicated follower of fashion, I reckon shoes fall under the category of accessories YES? YES?...Here’s a CANNED Heat/Chipmunk duet just in time for (actually ca 50 years ago) Christmas.
https://youtu.be/EtZxZpV8aWE
Keepin’ It REAL,
Bru
6
Best Friday time today. Thoroughly enjoyable puzzle.
Such a lovely collection of associations in this puzzle. OXLIPS never fails to bring to mind this passage from A Midsummer Night's Dream --
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.
And SO FAR SO GOOD always reminds me of this little girl's 911 call. Seems ages ago that it went viral (everything turns out fine)--
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q5W8TR7GVg
And as for GONDOLAs, I'm with Deb. I'll take the kind in Venice, thank you very much!
4
@Bess
I would hate to be so bold as to question old Will's English usage, however shouldn't "oxlips and the nodding violet" grow rather than grows. I am sure that he must be right, but grammarians, feel free to comment.
(All I can think of is that maybe oxlips grow and the nodding violet grows, but it still sounds wrong to my ears.)
@Andrew
Hard to fault Will's grammar as the given clue for OXLIP didn't refer to the Shakespearean phrase, but was "wildflower of the Primose family".
I confess I had to go back and look because I got the word through crosses and letter recogniti
This may explain why I often miss the subtleties of the puzzles . . . .
@Andrew I have always wondered that. It's my uninformed guess that, in his day, the verb was meant to agree with the last subject ("nodding violet") rather than the compound subject ("oxlips and the nodding violet").
Or maybe he needed the rhyme and didn't give a darn* about rules.
*Amended to get through the emus.
Hello All,
Responding to a few earlier posts:
Maybe there's something in the water in Durham?
[Raised hand]. I'm under 50 (for another 44 days) and I quickly got Tupperware party, and I understood the "burping" reference. But maybe it's because I'm from the South?
I had one foolish scar today: For 25A I had ??NDO?A, my eyes saw PANDORA, and I was ready to write it in even before I read the clue. Brain glazing over (?) I thought "network=internet=streaming=PANDORA" and wrote it in, with immediate regrets. The next instant I thought "What?" GONDOLA didn't come until late. And so a scar was born.
At first I thought I'd created a massive scar at 13A because I was so confident in HAIRBOW that I inked it in with no crossings at all. (Usually this generates puzzle scars.) When I couldn't think of anything for 1D, 2D or 3D and 4D looked like it might be ECRU (thanks for it not being ECRU, Mr Ries), I gave up on HAIRBOW and moved on to the NE corner. (Does Minnie even have hair?)
Smileys at 25A, 37A, and (for lots of us, I think) 10D.
Now I need to go and get married! Happy weekend, everyone!
:-c)€
11
@Floyd
Being from the South, and saying that you *need* to go and get married, I am not sure if I have the whole story, but Congratulations! (I guess).
4
@Floyd
P.S. Must have been one heck of a Tupperware party! ;-)
3
@Floyd
P.S. Must have been one helluva Tupperware party! ;-)
1
Now you've got me wondering whether the huddled MASSES just need NASALSTRIPS, yearning to breathe free.
21
@Phil P
I see a new social policy on the horizon. :)
1
RICES? What?
"Rice" is what what does to food with a ricer?
1
@Rayboston
What would you call it then? A dicer dices. A blender blends. A knife cuts...wait...a cutter cuts. A masher mashes. If you're using a ricer, wouldn't you be ricing?
Just because we know rice much better as a noun doesn't mean it can't be a verb, right?
3
I'd guess Rayboston is unfamiliar with the kitchen contraption known as a ricer and a straight-up answer is in order. A ricer smushes food, often potatoes or cauliflower, through a sieve to give it a "riced" texture. Verb: to rice.
8
Richly enjoyable puzzle, consistently interesting, with misdirections and surprises all over. Never heard of OXLIP before: oxeye, yes, but not OXLIP. Sounds kinda nasty.
2
Fun Friday puzzle! Loved the long down stacks, and the center entry was hilarious! There were some really great clues today as well. My favorites were "Part of a cable network?", the TUPPERWAREPARTY clue of course, "Bar Fixture" (did you start with tap at first)?, "Ones with big shoes to fill", and perhaps the best HA! moment, "Things used on bridges to ease congestion". Not too easy, but not impossibly hard. Perfect!! Kudos, Mr. Ries and Mr. Shortz!
4
After breaking my personal Thursday record, I appreciate the mental workout that today demanded. Only one of two true no knows, but a lot of dusting off the cobwebs in the corner of my mind. Being a Brit under 30, I love these puzzling types rather than general knowledge. However, my first fill was WAYNES WORLD on pure instinct.
2
Hi Deb,
Two miles from the Times building is a GONDOLA people ride in both directions (and I've never seen skiers).
https://rioc.ny.gov/302/Tram
4
@Barry Ancona
Another cable provider, the SFMTA has their adorable bell ringers. The system was in service for more than a century when the R.I.T., a most wonderful little ride, opened in 1976. Planning on a bucket sortie? I’d check with your weather app. Unlimited visibility is a must.
1
Not the first but definitely the last cable provider of that type, Bru, but I've never heard any car there called a GONDOLA. Get a grip, man.
My apologies: it was the first.
Much to like in the cluing (NASAL STRIPS, CLOWNS, TUPPERWARE PARTY, GONDOLA) and answers (SOCIAL IQ, ABNEGATE, SO FAR SO GOOD), and this offering put up enough fight to make it satisfying. My AMA, for the org. with many operations, stayed in for quite a while.
But may I insert a wow here. Look at this creation. First Andrew J. had to design a grid in which each corner was well connected with the rest of the puzzle. Then he filled it cleanly, and with big blobs of letters as this offering has, that involved trial trial trial and error. Polishing a puzzle is a beast of burden. Finally, he had to cleverly clue the puzzle, taking time and care with every answer, every single answer, making each one Friday difficult, and employing nifty wordplay when possible.
To successfully pull this off requires great skill and persistence, and Andrew, IMO you beautifully came through on this one, making an entertaining beauty, and I salute you for it!
19
Okay. Raise your hand if you’re under fifty and had a clue about burping and a Tupperware party
3
@Amy The Roommate got it in one and she's, like, 35.
She's also Southern, so that may make a difference.
2
QB
The beekeeper, it seems, has been buzzily listening!
21/102
1 pangram and alas no bingo.
A - 1x5
B - 1x5
E - 2 - 1x4, 1x7
G - 3 - 1x4, 1x5, 1x6
L - 6 - 2x4, 3x5, 1x6
T - 0
V - 8 - 2x4, 2x5, 1x6, 1x7, 1x8, 1x9
I don't think any additional clues will be required for this one. Stay healthy and eat well!
11
Thanks BarbJ, fellow early bird (or night owl?)! 13 words to genius this morning; me likey. Happy Friday all!
1
@BarbJ. Agreed! Great Friday Bee.
My only great disappointment was the omission of BLAVE as in the verb TO BLAVE, to cheat at cards. Inconceivable! ; )
12
Great size for a weekday and welcome after yesterday’s ego crusher
4
Wen, thanks for your technical guidance yesterday. I copied it and will have my computer guru (aka son-in-law) take a go at it.
Deb, thanks for The New Colossus, a poem that can still bring tears to my eyes. It should be required reading at the White House.
The exact expansion of SASE is Stamped And Self-addressed Envelope.
The clue for NASAL STRIPS was the best misdirection in a long time. Loved it.
I had Fraternity PARTY before TUPPERWARE. Do they still have those? I still have a couple of my acquisitions from 60 years ago.
A superb themeless, Mr. Ries, just what a Friday should be.
5
SASE = Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope, in my book.
8
It should be required reading at the White House.
Viv,
For whom? The principal occupant doesn't read.
3
@Viv
I also am glad that Deb included the entire text of "The New Colossus."
For the past couple of years, I have been trying to encourage people to read the whole poem, not just remember the part that is on the statue. The relevance to the current time is even more striking.
and Elke
Worked my way SPRITely through the top. Did spend time looking for a 'wall' to deal with MASSES...Thought that 10D- 'bridge congestion easers', i.e. NASAL STRIPS , also referred to that.
Had to undo 'ecru' for GReY, then GRAY led to YES YES.
Liked seeing TIPPI and one of its P gave me TUPPER WARE PARTY. Nice how the 2 P's meet there.
Ah, memories. Fifty years ago ,the wife of a colleague was earning some extra cash (residents were woefully underpaid, no news that) and she held these burping parties. Still have one bowl, and yes I can make it 'pop' still.
Wanted OXeye before OXLIP, which TIDIED up that corner. So wish I had a Napoleon for DESSERT.
HAIRBOW and OWIE lead me to observe that moms will 'paste' a bow on bald babes to indicate that their sprite is a girl.
SO FAR SO GOOD .This was fun. Nicely clued. Not MESSY at all.
This is my INPUT tonight.
Deb- thank you for reminding us of Lazarus's poem.
8
Started off fairly well with HAIRBOW and ATLANTAN, which changed TRA to SHA and led to filling the NW except for ABNEGATES, which was new for me. Had YES SIR before YES YES.
Youngest daughter worked on a HS production of BARNUM, and chopper was going to either be a bike or a copter, and with BAM, AViATE was the choice, and the rest of the NE got done. TUPPERWARE PARTY was another quick fill.
The rest of the puzzle filled in fairly quickly, though there were some small snags here and there, which were eventually fixed.
Ended up in about ¾ my Friday average, which surprised me a little.
In defense of the meanings of words and putting in my two cents, I must point out that satire and parody are not the same. Thanks for listening.
4
@Spanker
Not an exact synonym, but isn't parody usually satirical in nature?
1
Steve,
(As you probably know), parody (i.e., spoof, take-off) is a form of satire but not all satire is parody, so Spanker is correct saying they are not the same and the puzzle is correct using them as clue and entry.
2
I've read that belching after a meal is considered to be a polite expression of appreciation in India and some other eastern countries. But when did it become good form at a Tupperware party?
You are supposed to press down on the center of the lid before sealing it, to get some of the extra air out of the container. This is officially known as burping it. (So glad I grew up in the 1970s and have this vital knowledge from my childhood.)
22
@Backup
Burping, not belching! Burping a Tupperware container means to lift the corner of the lid and let the excess air out. This allows the food to keep for longer.
Call me skeptical, but the difference in the amount of air pre/post burp seems inconsequential to me. The air-tightness seems important though.
2
The clue for CLOWNS was worth the price of admission.
7
That was a pretty fantastic puzzle. Lots of interesting entries.
The only gimmes I had at the first pass were MASSES, SLAB, EONS, EX-CON, BAM, AVATAR, UTERO, TIPPI, OWIE. REAL. After that, some persistent pushes fill out the grid gradually.
IN the end I finished 4 minutes slower than my best.
ATLANTAN - where's @Liane!?
Minnie has the HAIRBOW but...she really doesn't have hair...
Liked seeing TIPPI Hedren - her role in The Birds was memorable. Only last year I found out she was mother to Melanie Griffith and grandmother to Dakota Johnson.
NASAL STRIPS - I thought of Breathe Right - probably the best known brand and had to slowly think of what the generic term was. The long triple stack in the middle crossing 37 across were good. Very pop-culture though.
Had TRA before SHA, ECRU before GRAY, CANCEL before CANNED (yeah, what was I thinking?), thought tyrant and despot before putting down EMPEROR and then correcting to DESSERT. Nice to see PARODIST, SYNOD and SOCIAL IQ. I had LAT for GPS figures the other day. Good to see it finally show up.
Liked the clues for CASTS, INPUT, AIRPORT CODE, LOBE, CLOWNS.
3
@Wen What you said! Very satisfying and solveable via the crosses for the few I didn't know (ie NED FLANDERS). Also CLEAVER before RICARDO and GEORGIAN before ATLANTAN in addition to TRA before SHA and ECRU before GRAY. Which made me think happily of my much-missed grandmother who always said, with the exact same Vreelandesque intonation: You should wear more gray; gray is stunning.
1
"Only last year I found out she was mother to Melanie Griffith and grandmother to Dakota Johnson."
Wen,
Maybe it's just me, but I found the sentence awkward; I think it was presentation order. To me, "mother to Melanie Griffith" sounds like a title; "Melanie Griffith was her daughter" suggests a more active role.
1
Thanks, Barry. I agree it's awkward. But it's informal and I don't often read what I wrote before submitting because it is informal. Sometimes, though, there are cases where as I write, I think, gee that sounds really terrible and may correct it before submitting. But more often than not, it's just what came out, warts and all.
6
Tippi Hedren visited a Vietnamese refugee camp in California, and the women were fascinated by her polished fingernails. She was moved to send her manicurist to the camp, and taught the women how to do nails. Forty years after the fall of Saigon, 51% of nail technicians in the United States - and approximately 80% in California - are of Vietnamese descent. And many are direct descendants of that first class of women inspired by the nails of a Hitchcock blonde.
36
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled MASSES yearning to breathe free... and I will teach them to paint their fingernails."
Sorry... I just couldn't resist.
7
@B.D. Interesting story. There are five Vietnamese families on my street. The patriarchs are all siblings or cousins and they all came to the U.S. in 1975 (not surprisingly).
I can't help but wonder if any of them might have been in that camp at that time.
1
@Andrew
What a way to cross-reference two clues!
2
"Gondola" inspires me to share this little celebration of West Virginia pride - the Personal Rapid Transit System in Morgantown WV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaSaWfw07Sw
And then there's dear old 17D, Ned Flanders. I knew and worked with a certain gentleman for several years before he confessed that he was the model for Ned Flanders. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it already, since the resemblance was hilariously spot on. He had been the headmaster of Matt Groening's (the creator of The Simpsons) sister's school. Okey-diddley-okeley!
7
I complete most of my crosswords on the PRT each day!
@Malayna - Interesting! I'm wondering how many regular users of the PRT are aware of the information in that little video? Is it celebrated by the users or just accepted as "how to get from A to B"?
This was a smooth, almost EFFORTless solve. Candidly, the puzzle felt more like a Wednesday edition.
I didn't find any of the stacks particularly challenging; clearly the best--and most fun--one was 10D - NASAL STRIPS. For a moment I was looking for maybe a lane that reverses direction during rush hour or a cashless toll lane, but the crosses including BARNUM kept telling me no.
Like Deb, I'm not a skier and didn't grok the clue for GONDOLA but it had to be the answer given the crosses. Nice to see SOCIAL IQ in the SE replacing NERD CRED from yesterday's puzzle.
I close with two questions: When will ATARI cease to be the game company of choice for crosswords? And who prefers OXEYES over OXLIPS?
Thanks for the puzzle, Mr. Ries.
2
@caitlin (as well) It is not only on ski-slopes that you find cable ways with their gondolas. Try Cape Town, Barcelona and Rio
1
@Patrick Jordan
New York City, even.
https://rioc.ny.gov/302/Tram
1
Steve,
Ironically, people who read the comments from newest to oldest will see my somewhat earlier post of that link first.
Super fast but super fun! Loved the clue for NASAL STRIPS. In other news, remember the fabulous beasts from Sunday's puzzle? Well, some of my friends made the NYT today, and they all hate the idea of Seattle's NHL team being named THE KRAKEN. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/sports/seattle-hockey-nhl.html?rref=collection/sectioncollection/sports&action=click&contentCollection=sports®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront That's my Mighty Ducks sweater in the picture at the bottom.
1
@Morgan. Very cool for your jersey. I skimmed the article this morning and just re-read and took a second look at the photos until I found your jersey. I can understand the sentiment about “the Kraken,” but it would be the coolest team name in professional sports.
1
Not in Durham but my daughter is a junior at Chapel Hill, so close enough? Loved this puzzle so much. Wayne’s World, what a hoot. Bohemian Rhapsody (the song) got a reboot from that movie, thanks to Mssrs. Carver and Myers (who had a bit part in the recent biopic with the same name) but I’m sure everyone know that! Seven degrees of separation, eh?
1
Nasal Strips? Really? I thought it was "L" Strips created by NASA and used to control traffic somehow. Since I am a male, this would be a perfect example of mis-ter-direction cluing.
Oy vey!
4
@HALinNY, vey is dir! You're conflating with the occasion when the Russian space station tried to repair an acutely torn anterior collateral ligament in one of their astropersons' knees.
*That* was a MIR ACL Experiment.
11
@Leapfinger .... Oh! It is so nice to hear from you. I'm so excited I cannot think of anything clever to write now.
3
@HALinNY, it's equally nice and exciting to hear back from you.
What really amazes me is that nobody has jumped in to correct my knee ligament injury. You don't need 'collateral' when you're really thinking of the anterior *cruciate*, which is (think about it) particularly appropriate for a CROSSword column.
meaty puzzle but pretty much in my wheelhouse. liked seeing TIPPI Hedren! Still shudder at all those birds flapping away!
1
Fun and quick. Must comment so that, for a moment at least, most of the commenters on this thread are from Durham. (Bull city represent.)
3
I tell myself that I don’t do these for speed but I was elated when I finished this one without any glitches and was informed that i did so 4 minutes faster than my fastest clocked Friday time. So, I guess part of me does these for speed. I love OXLIP. My favorite answer of the week.
7
Mostly a smooth solve . . . but . . . I tried ATLANTAN at 16A and then couldn't make it work with anything. Changed it to GEORGIAN because I could cross it with RTE and ECRU (and WAYNE and NED) but then ran into a brick wall. Went and did the rest of the puzzle and came back to that corner, changed it back to ATLANTAN, and voila! success! Coming up with HAIRBOW helped tremendously.
Realizing that there could be QuarTs in a peck also helped tremendously!
Durham-area Wordplayers are getting together on Wednesday Dec. 26 at 10:30 at Elmo's Diner on 9th Street in Durham for brunch. Anyone in the area who's interested is invited! Say something here to let us know you're interested. They don't take reservations, but if we have a large enough group--8 or more--we need to let them know how many to expect. This information will be repeated closer to that date.
8
@Liz B
I started with in the same manner--ATLANTAN, then Georgian with RTE and ECRU. I had to leave the NW where SE geography was causing issues, and then it was a pretty smooth solve.
1
Dagnabbit.
Maybe I was merely dying to let my roots show, but I had just enough Downs crossing to have me think it would be AlberTAN. Not that I don't know that would need to be the Oilers and that WAYNESWORLD is still supposed to be Gretzky. OTOH, maybe it's that HS teacher who was there on my first climb: seems a little less Antoniuk can still conjure up a little more Edmonton.
2
@Leapfinger
I started with ALBERTAN, too, as well as TRA instead of SHA. Took some juggling.
Deb asks:
Why, for example, has it been almost 50 years since a popular phrase like SO FAR SO GOOD has appeared in the puzzle?
I ask:
Why has OWIE appeared five times this year, including as recently as Wednesday? The same day as ENRY also appeared. So when is OWIE going to be clued as "TV personality Mandel, to Eliza Doolittle"?
12
@Steve L
Following up on your idea, since Eliza Doolittle and Prof. Higgins are a logical pairing for the ENRY clue, I would propose this one for OWIE:
Brand name for Mandel.
1
(...with a question mark)
1
@Andrew
As my post garnered no reaction, and as I considered it rather a clever clue, I will therefore ornament it with the fact that Russell Brand is a Cockney-accented celebrity in much the same field as Mandel, (whom he might address as 'OWIE). But of course you already knew that...
1