The Lighter Side of JzB

Here you will find photos, poetry, and possibly some light-hearted foolishness. For the Heavier Side
of JzB see my other blog, Retirement Blues. (There be dragons!)

I claim copyright and reserve all rights for my original material of every type and genre.


Every day visits*
From Moose, Goose, and Orb Weaver
All seized by Haiku

"Why moose and goose?" you may ask. Back on 2/04/13 Pirate wrote a haiku with an elk in it, and I responded with
one with a moose and then included him every day. A few days later in comments Mystic asked "Where's the goose?"
So I started including her with this post on 2/07. A week later on the 14th, Mark Readfern
asked for and received a spider. The rest is history.

*Well, most days, anyway. Grant me a bit of poetic license.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

L.A. Times Crossword Puzzle Blogging - Al Hollmer and C. C. Burnikel

Theme: ON THE BEACH.  The first word of common two-word phrases is, as we shall see, also the name of a specific U. S. BEACH.


Today's Theme Song

17 A. Dodge Chargers, e.g. : MUSCLE CARS.  These are American made high-powered two door vehicles that not only look the part, but perform it as well. 

Quickest and fastest

MUSCLE BEACH, located at the south side of Santa Monica Pier, is known for its gymnastics and physical fitness activities.

Get fit or go home

25 A. Hyundai's home : SOUTH KOREA.  The country of origin for this vehicle.  At this point you might think we had an auto-related theme, but it was not to be.  

Yes, I like red cars

SOUTH BEACH is a major entertainment destination, high rent district and jet set playground on Florida's Atlantic coast near Miami.

Top tourist attraction

35 A. Warm underwear : LONG JOHNS.  Full body underclothing.

LONG BEACH Is a city in Los Angeles County, CA.  Can anyone figure out why it is so named?

49 A. Easter season feast : PALM SUNDAY.   This is a moveable feast falling the Sunday before Easter and marking the beginning of Holy Week.  It celebrates the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem on a donkey, symbolizing peace.

PALM BEACH is the easternmost town in FLA, located on a 16 mile long barrier island.  

And the unifier -- 60 A. Shindig by the shore, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 35- and 49-Across : BEACH PARTY.


Hi gang, Jazzbumpa here, playing life guard today.  Happy to have the unifier, since I was asea without it.  Interesting entry by our fearless leader, along with long-time Corner regular and nautical expert, Al, aka Spitzboov.  Congrats on your first puzzle, Al!  Now, let's all have a stroll along the BEACH, get some sand between our toes, and see if we can avoid getting it in other places.



Across

1. Political statistician Silver : NATE.  He almost always gets it right.

5. Sell for : COST.  What does it COST to buy?

9. Learn : HEAR.  I've HEARD of this.

13. Lacking company : ALONE.  All by myself.

15. "__ way!" : ATTA.  Usually boy or girl.  Here, it's gender neutral.

16. Indian mausoleum city : AGRA.  Home of the structure that I thought was called the Tajma Hall when I was a kid.

19. Doesn't keep : ROTS.  Decays due to the action of bacteria and fungi.

20. Rescue squad pro : EMT.  Emergency Medical Technician.

21. Gerald of Tara : O'HARA.  Lord of the manor, and father of Scarlett and her sisters.

22. Vision-related : OPTIC.  I see.

23. Take __ the waist : IN AT.  Alter an article of apparel for a better fit.  Sadly, I'd be giving the opposite instruction.

27. House of Henry VIII : TUDOR.  British royalty.

29. Camera named for a Greek goddess : EOS.  Cannon product, and the Goddess of dawn.

30. One of the Canaries: Abbr. : ISLand.

31. Cyber Monday events : SALES. But at what COST?

33. Previously : AGO. Once upon a time

34. Backs (out) : OPTS.  Makes a choice from a range of possibilities.

38. Edges : RIMS.  Of craters or drinking vessels.

41. Notre Dame's Parseghian : ARA.  Under his guidance, they won national football championships in 1966 and 1973.

42. Had a bug : AILED.  

45. Dashboard Confessional rock genre : EMO.   As in EMOtional.

46. Painter's deg. : MFA.  Master of Fine Arts.

47. Root beer brand : HIRES.  Once a triumph of marketing, it is now unavailable in Canada and has limited availability in the U. S., since its current owner, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, also owns A&W.

54. 1492 caravel : NINA.   One of Christopher Columbus's ships.

55. "Peace out, Pablo!" : ADIOS.  B-Bye, guy.

56. Like ham in some omelets : DICED.  Cut into little cubes.

58. Little one : TOT.   Small child.

59. Future flower : SEED.   If plants had TOTs  .  .  .

62. Run out of steam : TIRE.   Get worn out.

63. Smallest of the litter : RUNT.  

64. Derisive look : SNEER.

65. Rose support : STEM.  Thorny appendage.

66. Rich rocks : ORES.

67. Root beer brand : DAD'S.   Not to be confused with this:

Down
1. "Whatever you want" : NAME IT.    We aim to please

2. Fund-raising target : ALUMNUS.   One who graduated from a school.

3. Food truck order : TOSTADA.  Food item based on a fried or toasted flat or bowl shaped tortilla.

4. Wedding RSVP card, e.g. : ENClosure.

5. Chocoholic's favorite tree? : CACAO.   Source of cocoa beans.

6. Hokkaido seaport : OTARU.  On the west coast of Japan's northernmost island.

7. Battlefield board game : STRATEGO.

The object of the game is to win

8. Prof's aides : TAS.  Teaching Assistants

9. Marx playing with strings : HARPO.   You weren't think of Karl, were you?


Not put off by the SNEER
10. Narcissistic indulgence : EGO TRIP.   I like me.  Who do you like?

11. Most pretentious : ARTIEST.   Not necessarily the craftiest.

12. Imps : RASCALS.  Trouble makers.

14. Gp. with the album "Secret Messages" : ELO.  Electric Light Orchestra.

18. Uncertain responses : EHS.  Hmmmm  .  .  .

22. Signs off on : OKS.  

24. Trucker's expense : TOLLS.   The PA Turnpike is very expensive.

26. To-do : HOOHA.  This word has other meanings.

28. Stutz contemporary : REO.   Harry C. Stutz and Ransom E. Olds, makers of classic cars.

32. Huge mess : SNAFU.  Situation Normal - All Fouled Up.

33. 1977 Steely Dan album : AJA.  Pronounced Ayzha.   [8 min. title track]


34. Country singer K.T. : OSLIN.   No idea.

36. Awesome quality, as of mountains : GRANDEUR.   Purple mountains majesty.

37. Bethesda-based medical research org. : NIH.   National Institutes of Health.

38. Lunches and brunches : REPASTS.  Meals.  This is a word with Latin roots whose use has been in decline for 200 years.

39. Cry of success : I MADE IT.

40. "Tartuffe" playwright : MOLIERE.  I know him from The Bourgeois Gentleman.

43. Horn of Africa nation : ERITREA.   The horn is a projection along the east coast.  ERITREA is on the northern edge, between Sudan and Ethiopia.

44. Signified : DENOTED.

46. Submissions to eds. : MSS.  Manuscripts.

48. Nymph chasers : SATYRS.

Caught


50. Data transmitter : MODEM.   Modulator-demodulator.

51. "Cheers" waitress : DIANE.

Played by the cute but rather annoying Shelly Long

52. Savings and checking: Abbr. : ACCTS.  Accounts.

53. Slangy affirmative : YEH.   Yep, Uh-huh.

57. Around-the-horn MLB plays : DPS.  Double Plays.  Baseball, of course.  The World Series is now under way.  This is the first time that neither qualifying team was in existence in 1903, the year of the first World Series.

60. Good bud : BRO.

61. "Wait, there's more" : AND.  But, there isn't any more.  We've run out of beach.

OK, kids - time to shake the sand out of our shoes and call it a day. Hope nothing here was out of your depth.  I'm a little disappointed we didn't have jellyfish nor sharks, but I won't carp about it. And with that, I'll wave good-bye.

 Cool regards!
JzB

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2 comments:

This is a fun blog. Light-hearted banter is welcome. Snark is not. If you want to fight, find my other blog.

Play nice, and we'll all have fun.

I like to return visit, when I can - but I need to find you. If you have multiple blogs, please leave a direct link to the appropriate post.

Cheers!
JzB

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