tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post3616300130472509503..comments2024-01-25T10:14:06.567-08:00Comments on L.A. Crossword Confidential: THURSDAY, August 13, 2009 — Don GagliardoOrangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-73749250912933340592009-08-14T15:38:24.269-07:002009-08-14T15:38:24.269-07:00This was a fun puzzle for me. As soon as I got Re...This was a fun puzzle for me. As soon as I got Rebecca, I got Hitchcock and that got my motor running. I thought that the "Chico" clue was "garage" but I became suspicious of how easy that was so I held back. Good thing I did.<br /><br />@pg: "The Birds" also scared the you-know-what out of me as a teen so I skipped "Psycho". BTW, I've been to that town in N. California where they filmed The Birds & I got an eerie feeling from just being there. Also, I love Rachel Maddow! <br /><br />I was pleasantly surprised to see "fraught" in the puzzle. Love that word. As for Swedish words and other languages in puzzles, I think the constructors go with languages that are taught in high school.Waynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16165259499917393643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-8763047041181190462009-08-14T09:09:57.254-07:002009-08-14T09:09:57.254-07:00What a fitting way to celebrate Hitchcok's bir...What a fitting way to celebrate Hitchcok's birthday (August 13, 1899, by the way, was Friday the 13th!). "North by Northwest" was Hitchcock at his best. Watch the opening credits of this film. The vertical and horizontal lines, which eventually become the United Nations building, resembles a crossword grid, don't you think?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-31930614855142183572009-08-14T09:08:51.039-07:002009-08-14T09:08:51.039-07:00@ddbmc
Oh I forgot about Marlena Dietrich.
Madelei...@ddbmc<br />Oh I forgot about Marlena Dietrich.<br />Madeleine Carroll was an early Hitchcockian blonde in the 'The Thirty-Nine Steps', made in 1939.<br />Barbara Leigh-Hunt was in 'Frenzy', but I'm not sure if she was also a blonde.<br />OMG, and how could we forget Vera Miles in Psycho?JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-75964831491177407562009-08-14T00:56:31.957-07:002009-08-14T00:56:31.957-07:00@JOHNSNEVERHOME, I'll take a Norman Bates stab...@JOHNSNEVERHOME, I'll take a Norman Bates stab here and say: Carol Lombard-Mr. and Mrs. Smith; Doris Day-The Man Who Knew Too Much; and Marlena Dietrich-Stage Fright. Also, Dany Robin- Topaz. Hitch cast the marvelous Maureen O'Hara in Jamaica Inn and I'm guessing swore off redheads after directing her, as she was very smart and undoubtably gave him a run for his money!<br />@Sfingi-thanks for the spell check on Ikea....ddbmcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-59480536651098403532009-08-13T22:02:36.715-07:002009-08-13T22:02:36.715-07:00Besides the cameo thing, maybe all you Hitch fans ...Besides the cameo thing, maybe all you Hitch fans have noticed what other thing makes his movies so unique... all lighting is done at a low level causing long eerie shadows. I can spot a Hitchcock movie immediately just from this characteristic alone.<br />Another thing you'll notice: Hitchcock had a penchant for icy cold blondes as the lead actresses, e.g. Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Kim Novak, Eva Marie Saint, Janet Leigh, and Tippi Hedron. Can you name 3 more?JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-56309075365320109222009-08-13T20:15:17.146-07:002009-08-13T20:15:17.146-07:00@sfingi: my sources say no ... ask again later.@sfingi: my sources say no ... ask again later.GLowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-18565818140090885732009-08-13T18:56:52.001-07:002009-08-13T18:56:52.001-07:00Saw stars, not circles.
How about 50D "ooh&q...Saw stars, not circles.<br /><br />How about 50D "ooh" with 68A "oops"<br />with 40D "oof"<br />60A "Mimi" with "arfarf" Mini-themes<br /> <br />"Ill-bred" is old school - my G'ma's time.<br /><br />@Parsan - funny!<br />@Johnsneverhome yeah - how about some German and Italian. How about IKEA. <br /><br />North by Northwest was my favorite.<br />Why not NxNW?<br /><br />It was an excellent puzzle.<br />One Q: Shouldn't ESP have an indication that it is an abbrev.?Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-321892340961587632009-08-13T17:51:54.742-07:002009-08-13T17:51:54.742-07:00Nice! ... active buttons, nothing greyed, no proce...Nice! ... active buttons, nothing greyed, no process indicator, 30-second wait, yet: the response is processed twice. <br /><br />This newfangled interweb is clearly beyond me, after 25 years in IT ....GLowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-63784615114339077152009-08-13T17:44:55.729-07:002009-08-13T17:44:55.729-07:00You mean like SAAB, yesterday?You mean like SAAB, yesterday?GLowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-76968727284955787952009-08-13T17:44:31.843-07:002009-08-13T17:44:31.843-07:00You mean like SAAB, yesterday?You mean like SAAB, yesterday?GLowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-48711589467164763252009-08-13T17:15:34.250-07:002009-08-13T17:15:34.250-07:00I really loved this puzzle, but then I'm sure ...I really loved this puzzle, but then I'm sure my pro-Hitchcock bias kicked in. Still think "North By Northwest" was a masterpiece. And then for acting, "Notorious", with Ingrid Bergman (the all time best actress) and Cary Grant (a terrific actor with charisma).<br /><br />Thought TOT for "Chocolate lover" and IDS for "Fingers" was a bit weak, but considering that few abbreviations and nutsy crosses were used in a puzzle like this, it wasn't bad. Actually, for Gagliardo to work in 8 Hitchcock clues, this was an A++ puzzle.<br /><br />Ok, how many of you tried to fit in ETUI instead of FIRS (10a) for "needle bearers"?<br /><br />Will we ever see a puzzle that does not at least one French word in it? What's with the French and Spanish bias in crossword puzzles? Why not a Swedish word?JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-89389482834127431602009-08-13T16:01:58.724-07:002009-08-13T16:01:58.724-07:00Took me a while to get going but once I got old Al...Took me a while to get going but once I got old Alfred I just zoomed through the rest. <br />I've seen most of his movies and to be quite honest, they scare the liver out of me. A lot of time looking at the screen through splayed fingers.<br /><br />I LOVE MY RAV 4!chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-78934905604115025592009-08-13T14:54:03.212-07:002009-08-13T14:54:03.212-07:00Finally a puzzle I enjoyed! My paper had starred ...Finally a puzzle I enjoyed! My paper had starred clues, no circles for me either. Enjoyed the blog and posts. FYI, fax and taxes held me up today.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-78207057100658756922009-08-13T12:29:14.608-07:002009-08-13T12:29:14.608-07:00@choirwriter: the Hitchcock puzzle was done today ...@choirwriter: the Hitchcock puzzle was done today because it is his birthday (see 7 Down.)<br /><br />@guy who knows his fictional dogs: I'm still laughing hours later at your "name."shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-80138096565222129442009-08-13T12:02:20.511-07:002009-08-13T12:02:20.511-07:00I liked Toto's Two (ARFARF) for some reason. A...I liked Toto's Two (ARFARF) for some reason. And FEE for the clue ATM ___ seemed lame. Too many other better possible FEE clues, I think.<br /><br />And call me nuts, but I wasn't that affected by Psycho. Liked Rear Window, though.jazzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02967093995893913338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-80202771365372895572009-08-13T11:46:05.504-07:002009-08-13T11:46:05.504-07:00I loved this puzzle. Wonderful tribute to one of ...I loved this puzzle. Wonderful tribute to one of the great directors. I recently caught <i>The 39 Steps</i> during a Hitch festival on TCM and remember thinking it was a bit "over the top" and maudlin for a Hitchcock film. Quite unexpectedly, I caught the same title, shamelessly lampooned, on Broadway by a cast of 4 actors playing about 40 different parts and cramming in as many Hitch references as possible. It was just about the funniest thing I've seen in years and it made me think how ripe that old film was for spoof.<br /><br />@Rex: I agree with you 100% about the greatness of <i>Psycho</i>, a film that is vastly underrated, but is a masterpiece in style and suspense. The score by Bernard Hermann is equally magnificent and extremely evocative. The overture always gives me chills.Greenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10412634072650228847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-6628705142427779442009-08-13T11:24:24.931-07:002009-08-13T11:24:24.931-07:00PS - I thought today's puzzle was MUCH easier ...PS - I thought today's puzzle was MUCH easier than yesterday's -- They must have put them in the wrong order. :)choirwriternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-18075012801284726432009-08-13T11:22:37.576-07:002009-08-13T11:22:37.576-07:00@soozy: My local paper carries the LAT puzzle, and...@soozy: My local paper carries the LAT puzzle, and we didn't get circles either, just stars, which was fine with me.<br /><br />Before I got the theme, I filled in "influence", as in "under the influence", for 38A ("You may be picked up if you're under it" - like a DUI, get it?). Then I realized that Hitchcock never directed a film titled "Influence", so I had to start over. Doh.<br /><br />@pg: I sure do look forward to your commentaries - they make solving the puzzle even more fun, because I like to predict what you will have to say about various clues/answers. Thanks for your dedication!choirwriternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-22921240350655696042009-08-13T10:08:48.263-07:002009-08-13T10:08:48.263-07:00For all you mentioning the circles (or lack of cir...For all you mentioning the circles (or lack of circles, as the case may be), that's because on the LAT website we got starred clues instead. I've noticed on prior occasions that the circles present in the print version don't show up on the compy, but often they're not clued any different way to give us a hint. Can't wait to be back in LA to fill out my dailies with a pencil and have my circles back!Soozyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16638960133727409982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-61653017051059822442009-08-13T10:02:01.885-07:002009-08-13T10:02:01.885-07:00Nice theme today. No circles on my grid either. I ...Nice theme today. No circles on my grid either. I guessed ALFREDHITCHCOCK right away off the A in ALT -- always nice to go border to border early.<br /><br />I was hoping to see Notorious included, though -- it's an all-timer. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman are two of the best ever.KJGoosternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-15173395119441306052009-08-13T09:35:35.246-07:002009-08-13T09:35:35.246-07:00Rex,
Hitchcock had cameos in both of those films....Rex,<br /><br />Hitchcock had cameos in both of those films.<br /><br />No circles on my grid which is why I wish constructors wouldn't waste their time using them. What's the point if a bunch of solvers don't even know they were supposed to be part of the puzzle.Puzzlernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-11937905577039250512009-08-13T09:18:31.130-07:002009-08-13T09:18:31.130-07:00I assumed the circled letters were an acronym for ...I assumed the circled letters were an acronym for Rapid Descent Into Chilling Cinema.KarmaSartrenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-60832823536779042842009-08-13T09:08:39.424-07:002009-08-13T09:08:39.424-07:00As a Hitchcock fan it would be hard not to like th...As a Hitchcock fan it would be hard not to like this puzzle. A fun puzzle even for non-Alfred fans. Two really well constructed LAT puzzles in a row. As PG mentioned, Sleety was ugly, but I had no problem with the rest of the fill.<br /><br />As for cameos, Hitchcock's appearance in Lifeboat was ingenious. I won't spoil it here for those who have never seen the film.Puzzlernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-82712211445053595422009-08-13T09:06:21.064-07:002009-08-13T09:06:21.064-07:00@REX - If you liked FAX MURDER you would probably ...@REX - If you liked FAX MURDER you would probably like the touching IVAN VI MURDER because, in fact, he was "done in" by orders of Catherine II. Russian history is FRAUGHT with SUSPICION by many an ILLBRED PSYCHO who REVERTS to MURDER.PARSANnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-65001071437316462912009-08-13T08:55:06.490-07:002009-08-13T08:55:06.490-07:00Kudos to Don Gagliardo for a wonderful tribute puz...Kudos to Don Gagliardo for a wonderful tribute puzzle. The clues/answers were fresh and original (@PG, I liked FRAUGHT, too!) surrounding a large amount of theme material.<br /><br />We watched the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" TV show in the late '50's-'60's. I remember him starting each show with "Good eeeevvvening" in that characteristic droll voice of his. <br /><br />I knew the answer MIMI from "Rent" rather than "La Bohème." ☺<br /><br />Note: The version of this puzzle that I printed from the LAT website does not have any circles nor does clue 51D mention any. (??)shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.com