L.A. Times Crossword Puzzle Blogging

 Wednesday, May 23, 2012  Jack McInturff

Theme:  "Where pride goeth."   The first word of each theme answer can precede the word "FALL" to yield a good, in-the-language phrase. 

17. *It's lower during dry seasons : WATER TABLE.  This is the level below which the ground is completely saturated.  Of course, in dry weather it will be lower, and you'll have to dig a deeper well. WATER FALL:  the world's highest is Venezuela's Angel Falls, AKA "Kerepakupai Vená."

23. *Index that measures skin sensation : WIND CHILL FACTOR.  Not sure what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't this.  Very apt description, though.  It's a measure of how cold windy air feels on the skin, as compared to a colder temperature in still air.  WINDFALL: an unexpected, unearned, or surprising gain or advantage.  This expression dates back to the bad old days when all land was owned by the nobility (a title category granted with no sense of irony) and the picking of fruit or felling of trees was forbidden.  But anything blown down by the wind was fair game.

36. *Road trip respite : PIT STOP.   From the world of racing, where pits stops are for refueling and tire changes done in less than a minute, to the vernacular.  When traveling the LW and I strategize according to the distance between highway plazas:  36 miles - I think we're OK; 62 miles - nope, we're stopping here.  PIT FALL: a trap placed or dug into the ground that captures whatever wanders into it.  In the vernacular, any hidden hazard.

 38. *Winter storm respite for some : SNOW DAY.  School is closed on account of snowy weather.  When a SNOW DAY is expected, some of the grandchildren have a ritual of placing white crayons on the window sills and wearing their pajamas backwards.  It doesn't always work.  SNOW FALL: just exactly what you think it is.

 47. *Knocked loopy : DOWN FOR THE COUNT.  Not like this.   Totally without hope, like a boxer knocked down for the referee's count of 10.  DOWNFALL:  A sudden loss of wealth, status, or reputation from a previously exalted position.  

And the unifier;  58. Lag, and a hint to what the starts of the answers to starred clues have in common : FALL BEHIND.  The expression should be self explanatory.  And, literally, the word FALL can go behind the first word each of five(!) theme answers - two of them grid spanning.  Good, solid tight theme.  Pretty impressive - no?

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here.  Let's see if we can get through this thematically rich puzzle without FALLING BEHIND.

Six Word Saturday

It was a day of dance! 

Granddaughter Amanda got a platinum rating on each of her solos in competition today.  It was a great day for her, and her entire studio.  (Only 4 platinums were awarded all day, and she took 2 of them!)

Then, she had her school dance performance this evening (she goes to a high school that offers a performing arts focus) and appeared in several numbers there, in groups with from three to a whole bunch of dancers.

Awesome performances all around.

Mom

My mom turned 91 today (5/16.)

Is she beautiful, or what!

Flowers courtesy of my sister's kids.

Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Fire

FIRE

Build small fire, sit close;

Or build big bonfire, and keep

Warm hauling much wood.

(Derived from a Native American saying.)

Six Word Saturday

Seeing granddaughter Amanda in Seussical tonight.

*

Sixth birthday party for Em today.

L.A. Times Crossword Puzzle Blogging

Theme: RHYME TIME IS NO CRIME - IT'S SUBLIME.  Unless I'm missing something else, the longest across and down answers are all two or more words, and they all rhyme.  But wait - there's more!  Each rhyming finale is spelt differently.  Oh, the vagaries of the English language! 

17 A. "Doesn't bother me!" : SEE IF I CARE.  Contempt or sarcasm.  Do I care which?  Does it matter?

35 A. After "on," relying mostly on hope in desperate circumstances : A WING AND A PRAYER.  This invites an obvious hockey reference, but it's too sad to explore in more depth.  I'll just say A PRAYER is all the WINGS have at this point.  (sigh!)

 57 A. "Shake!" : PUT IT THERE.  An invitation to the hand shake.

 10 D. Chick flick subject : LOVE AFFAIR.  This is said to be what makes the world go 'round.  Or maybe it's just angular momentum.

 25 D. Schoolyard handshake : PINKY SWEAR.  More than just PUT IT THERE; the PINKY SWEAR is a solemn promise "that cannot be broken or counteracted by the crossing of fingers or other such trickery."  So there!  (from Wikipedia.)

 Hi, gang, it's JazzBumpa.  I SWEAR, the view from my chair is of five fresh theme answers, four of them at ten letters, and one of them grid spanning, all in perfect symmetry.  Very impressive use of language and geometry.  Let's check out the rest of the grid.

Across

1. As yet : TO NOW.  Shouldn't this include, "with up?"
 

6. "Atlas Shrugged" writer Ayn : RAND.  Terrible writer and sociopath, but who am I to judge?
 

10. WWII carriers : LST'S.  Landing Ship Tanks. These vessels were involved in U.S. military operations in France and the Mediterranean region in WW II.
 

15. Sautéing acronym, à la Rachael Ray : EVOO.  Somebody is going to have to help me with this one.  Rachel is cute, fer sure, but I have no clue.

 

16. Ear-related : OTIC.  Is this an OTIC worm?

19. "__ Zapata!": Brando film : VIVA.  Here is Marlon with Jean Peters in the 1952 Elia Kazan production.

 

20. Harbinger of lower temperatures : COLD FRONT.  Today was about 15 degrees colder than yesterday, despite all the bright sunshine
 

21. Man on a misión : SENOR.  OK - SENOR (with a tilde) is "Mr." in Spanish, but why is he on a misión?  Lucina?
 

22. Biblical mount : ASS.  Did you want Sinai, Horeb, or Ararat?  Sorry, they don't fit.  And this is a mount that you ride.
 

23. More than hesitant : LOATH.  Reluctant; disinclined; averse.
 

24. Sign of puppy love? : WAG.  A bit misleading, and very cutsey.  Who knew it could be competative?

25. Ben & Jerry's purchase : PINT.  I wanted CONE.  Either way - YUM!  Pick your favorite flavor.
 

26. Spice gathered by hand from crocus flowers : SAFFRON.  I did not know that.
 

30. Leave no escape route for : HEM IN.  That about sews it up.
 

33. Aquamarine, e.g. : GEM.  I wanted a color
 

34. Carol syllables : FA LA.  FA LA or LA LA, needed perp help.  No room for a TRA.
 

39. Stinky : RANK.  Which RANK smells the worst: Sergeant, Captain, Private?
 

40. Floor cleaner : MOP.  Swab the deck.
 

41. __ fit: tantrum : HISSY.  The urban Dictioanry says this was originally from the American South, evidently derived from hysterical.   Hey - I'm just the messenger.  Don't throw one at me.
 

42. "500" race-sanctioning group : INDY CAR.  I had no idea that was the official name.
 

44. Boxer Max : BAER.  I always thought he played the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk, but it was his brother Buddy.  Another childhood memory smashed.
 

46. Fed. property agency : G. S. A.  The General Services Administration handles all kinds of properties, not just real estate.
 

47. Prefix suggesting savings : ECONO-  ECONO-Whatever, cheap and worth every penny.
 

49. Sox, on scoreboards : CHI.  Lucky guess. Could have been BOS.  Either way it's baseball! Tiger's won again tonight.
 

52. Creep : CRAWL.  A verb, not a noun
 

54. Deli sandwich : TUNA SALAD.  I'll have a pastrami on rye.
 

56. Brit of Fox News : HUME.  
 

58. Most draftable : ONE-A.  Most eligible for the long-defunct military draft.
 

59. Fortitude : GRIT.
 

60. Cardiologist's concern : AORTA.  The main supply-line from the heart.  In an adult, it's about the size of your thumb.  In a new-born, it's about the size of a pencil lead.
 

61. Cold War initials : USSR.  IIRC they were the bad guys.
 

62. Year, on monuments : ANNO.  That was the year that was.

63. Small fry : TYKES.  Little kiddies, riders of trikes.

Down

1. Puccini opera : TOSCA.  The big OTIC event in an opera is an aria - a crossword evergreen.  Here is one from TOSCA.
 

2. Butterlike products : OLEOS.   Ersatz?
 

3. Bohr of the Manhattan Project : NIELS.  Also a Nobel Prize winner, and father of a Nobel Prize winnerl.  That's some family tree!
 

4. Ancient Roman poet : OVID  Chick flick appropriate quotes (from brainyquote.com): "Ah me! love can not be cured by herbs."  But -- "All love is vanquished by a succeeding love."

5. Hemming and hawing : WAFFLING.  The condition of being torn between two loves, maybe.  Let's ask OVID.
 

6. Apply more varnish to : RECOAT.  Straight forward.
 

7. __-garde : AVANT.  Literally, advance guard; refers to experimantal or innovative ideas in art, culture and politics.
 

8. Waters between Great Britain and Europe : NORTH SEA.  English Channel wouldn't fit
 

9. Fawn's mom : DOE.   A deer, a female deer. (I hate that song.)
 

11. Dangerous bottom feeders : STING RAYS.  Bottom feeders.  Not bottom feeders.
 

12. DVR pioneer : TIVO.
 

13. Battle reminder : SCAR.  You win some, you lose some.
 

18. Wrinkle remover : IRON.  Not recommended for facial wrinkles.
 

21. Personal ad abbr. : SWF.  Single White Female.  Also, a scary movie.
 

27. Sound system part : AMP.
 

28. Cheers for a torero : OLES.   Looks odd in the plural.
 

29. Not a one : NARY.  Countrified slang.
 

30. Mata __ : HARI.  Margaretha Geertruida "Margreet" Zelle (7 August 1876 - 15 October 1917) was a Dutch woman who became a mail-order bride, circus performer, exotic dancer and courtesan, who was accused of spying for the Germans in WW I, and executed by firing squad in France. (more Wikipedia)
 

31. Obi-Wan portrayer : EWAN.   Could have been ALEC.
 

32. Psychological tricks : MIND GAMES.  As in SWF, the movie.
 

33. Econ. yardstick : GDP.  Gross Domestic Product.  Something I think about a lot.  Really.
 

36. Org. with a much-quoted journal : A. M. A. American Medical Association.  Is there a doctor in the house?
 

37. Like beer cans before recycling : NO RETURN.  Remember disposables? My lovely wife dislikes dealing with returnables, but I don't mind.
 

38. Dimming gadget : RHEOSTAT.  A variable resister that can raise or lower the amount of current flowint to a device, such as a lamp.
 

43. Lo-__: lite : CAL.  The ECONO- of the culinary world.
 

44. Mackerel-like fish : BONITO.  The Spanish word for "pretty."  Eye of the beholder, I guess.
 

45. Pre-med subj. : ANAT.  Astronomy is the study of heavenly bodies.  ANATomy is the study of earthly bodies.
 

48. Replace a dancer, perhaps : CUT IN.  This one had me stumped for a while.   Anyway, it doesn't always work.
 

49. Paper-pusher : CLERK
 

50. Gold rush storyteller Bret : HARTE
 

51. "Don't get any __" : IDEAS.  Did your parents even give you this warning?
 

52. Dynasty during Confucius' time : CHOU.  I believe it's pronounced "Joe."
 

53. Legs it : RUNS.  As to first base.
 

55. Hail in a harbor : AHOY.  Aquatic "yoohoo," not frozen rain.
 

57. Sports tour organizer, for short : PGA.  Profesional Golf Association.

Even with 13 3-letter entries, this puzzle has an above average word length for a Wednesday, thanks to 15 entries with 7 or more letters. Lots of freshness in the fill, too.  Overall, an enjoyable outing.  Hope you liked it as much as I did.

Cheers!

JzB

Six Word Saturday

House full of grandchildren this weekend.

Pictures to follow - sooner or later.

Shadow Shot Sunday / Mellow Yellow Monday

Lawnicure

I cut my grass today (Sunday.)  I don't believe I have ever cut the grass in March, until now.  And seldom has my lawn ever been in such dire need of cutting.

In case the little knob on my mower is insufficient yellow, here are our daffodils.

Early Spring brings warmth

And yard chores ahead of time

In brilliant sunlight

Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Battle

BATTLE

Giving away clothes
That don't fit. I'm fighting the
Battle of the Bulge.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Mellow Yellow Monday

The same clump of yellow crocuses (croci?) as last week, now with their purple companion.  I took this shot on Wednesday.  Now, they are all wilting.  The purple bud is done, but another came up to replace it.

No extra charge for the little honey bee in their midst.

Such ephemeral blooms

Who shine in their brief beauty:

 A lesson in life.