tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post135720123716868622..comments2024-01-25T10:14:06.567-08:00Comments on L.A. Crossword Confidential: FRIDAY, Feb. 5, 2010 — Gary CeeOrangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-8853651772372595552010-02-05T19:55:14.252-08:002010-02-05T19:55:14.252-08:00@Sfingi
If you, or any of the other Usual Suspects...@Sfingi<br />If you, or any of the other Usual Suspects, want to get on my case about my obsession with my beloved Scotch, please go right ahead.<br />I'm immune (or slightly buzzed).<br /><br />@gespenth<br />You are probably right on both the 'n' & 'Brit' things.<br />On the other hand if the clue WAS the answer I would probably have a write-over or two.<br /><br />@Parsan<br />Thanks for the tip, it is probably the only ELMORE Leonard I haven't read (yet).<br />Whenever I find a new author, I then have this habit of reading every book they ever wrote. <br /><br />Finally, "Do I dare EAT A peach?" had a different meaning when I was in my 20's ... a zillion years ago.<br /><br />Oh, It's SCOTCH time !!!Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-8589617100513349822010-02-05T16:37:23.615-08:002010-02-05T16:37:23.615-08:00@sfingi ... since you got (very politely) flamed -...@sfingi ... since you got (very politely) flamed -- singed, perhaps? -- for something else I want you to know that your story about the roommate with the Opel and the Mario Andretti award greatly brightened my afternoon. <br /><br />oh yeah, the puzzle. I liked it, tho I didn't pause to take in the whole theme (just got the balls, and no I won't take that any further) ... took me about 8 minutes, which seems to put me at the fast end of slow or the glacial tip of moderate or something. but particularly liked adit because, like Rex, I was reminded of the Maleska era, when I did about 2 puzzles a year 'cause they felt so ... musty .... Seeing that word reminded me how much better they've gotten.da kutchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13202150264948924739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-26831687630080407312010-02-05T16:04:48.367-08:002010-02-05T16:04:48.367-08:00Looks like Gary Cee fooled a lot of us using good ...Looks like Gary Cee fooled a lot of us using good 'ol Ruby, I also had to change my O to an E in AMEBA. Those were my only two write overs.<br /><br />Loved the BALLERINA clip Rex, thank you.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-22861232845031667502010-02-05T14:00:42.416-08:002010-02-05T14:00:42.416-08:00@Sfingi - [how to say. how to say politely. Oh who...@Sfingi - [how to say. how to say politely. Oh who cares?] Please keep your mental health diagnoses to yourself in the future - at least as they relate to me. <br /><br />There's a difference between responding to great poetry and being depressed, a condition I'm truly thankful that I don't suffer from - as I've seen what it does to people. If I had actually been depressed, though, I think I might find your comment, let's see, really inappropriate.<br /><br />On the bright side, I'm going to see George Jones tonight!hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04627015904603641109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-76159356417829528592010-02-05T13:55:19.547-08:002010-02-05T13:55:19.547-08:00@Rex
When you teach King Lear, do you include the ...@Rex<br />When you teach King Lear, do you include the Nahum TATE happy ending for laughs?<br /><br />My head is spinning from the stuff I learned at google about this guy and your revelation.<br /><br />Its like the Reader's Digest condensed books.<br />My favorite is the Four Commandments.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-2342955275796124132010-02-05T13:45:05.242-08:002010-02-05T13:45:05.242-08:00I confess to DEES as well.
rpI confess to DEES as well.<br /><br />rpRex Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-49568181592129187682010-02-05T13:29:41.180-08:002010-02-05T13:29:41.180-08:00@Parson - Crossword coal mines have ADITs. Or is i...@Parson - Crossword coal mines have ADITs. Or is it coal minds? and in those mines/minds are OREs and GEMs and ORO. <br /><br />@Mac - if you know too much about PACS, you'll be as depressed as @Hazel. And the Supreme Court has just given them more power. Suddenly the First Amendment isn't just about porno. Maybe corporations will have to hire the old porno lawyers to handle their cases until in-counsel learns how.<br /><br />Swiss names. Well, Finster means window, and the double aa usually is a clue for Dutch. But that "horn" had to be it. I suspect names ending in "li," or names half German and half Italian.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-12369250138076308162010-02-05T13:08:05.103-08:002010-02-05T13:08:05.103-08:00hand up for DEES before REDS. and hand up for know...hand up for DEES before REDS. and hand up for knowing about tate's bowdlerized (really, should be tatized) shakespeare. i took marge garber's class as an undergrad lo these many years ago. <i>king lear</i> is really good. the shakespeare version, i mean. haven't read the other one, but it wouldn't occur to me to rewrite it except perhaps in the pierre menard sense.<br /><br />i enjoy themes like this one and i thought it was deftly executed. there's some old-skool krosswordese, yes, but it's in the service of a fine idea.Joonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07825085755390339668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-23443013370072856662010-02-05T12:20:03.126-08:002010-02-05T12:20:03.126-08:00@shrub5 - when I see "do I dare to eat a peac...@shrub5 - when I see "do I dare to eat a peach?" I think of bone-crushing despair - of lives measured out with coffee spoons, butt-ends of days, lonely men in shirt-sleeves leaning out of windows, an Eternal footman snickering, a life paralyzed by indecision. <br /><br />If I thought it would do any good, I would try to reprogram to @crazycat's AB association (awesome awesome album), but Prufrock won't let me. He has power than he knows! <br /><br />Nice puzzle. Got the ball pretty quick, but took a bit longer to get the be. Sort of ironic.hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04627015904603641109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-72364312467396537222010-02-05T12:04:27.387-08:002010-02-05T12:04:27.387-08:00@mac: PACS = political action committees. They rai...@mac: PACS = political action committees. They raise money privately and employ lobbyists to influence legislation, especially at the federal level.shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-25711385907560039002010-02-05T12:02:40.342-08:002010-02-05T12:02:40.342-08:00@Mac--Political Action Committees@Mac--Political Action CommitteesParsannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-74862523248108158932010-02-05T11:52:32.192-08:002010-02-05T11:52:32.192-08:00Good puzzle, and I'm even more impressed since...Good puzzle, and I'm even more impressed since Rex disclosed the Be on top of the ball theme. <br /><br />Had no idea that the Tate had expanded in Cornwall. What is PACS? Got it through crosses but am drawing a blank. I also had gem, of course, before red.<br /><br />Hope the coming snowstorm isn't going to get the Westport tournament cancelled.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-3890183751202443012010-02-05T11:02:31.514-08:002010-02-05T11:02:31.514-08:00A tad challenging for me today, but I chipped away...A tad challenging for me today, but I chipped away at it. Got the BALL theme, but not the BEs until I came to the blog. That really made it fun. There is another BE in OBESE at 70a which was not a starred clue. Count me in for having GEMS first and then DEES at 5d. Loved both the clue and answer for PICABO. I also liked BALLERINA and the Lionel Ritchie clip. My daughter took ballet classes from age 4 to 15 when she had a growth spurt and grew to almost 6' tall. At that point she switched to jazz and lyrical. She now lives in San Luis OBISPO. IMO there is nothing sweeter than little girls in ballet recitals. Now if I could only remember that darn ADIT.<br />@Shrub5 Eat a Peach reminds me of the Allman Brothers. I too go into rants about mushy, mealy peaches. <br />@JNH - interesting, funny Elmo article. <br />Thanks RP for another fine write up.CrazyCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00245025301434920905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-67655058850665010072010-02-05T10:53:12.098-08:002010-02-05T10:53:12.098-08:00@Parsan
I used "fifteen minutes of fame"...@Parsan<br /><br />I used "fifteen minutes of fame" as a figure of speech and not to dis Ms. Street in the slightest. She was a great skier. I had forgotten that she participated in two of the Olympic Games. As I recall here skiing career was ended by a serious injury.Van55https://www.blogger.com/profile/15904942044695917615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-35132677947720745422010-02-05T10:30:08.201-08:002010-02-05T10:30:08.201-08:00I never noticed the BE on top of the BALL words so...I never noticed the BE on top of the BALL words so was underwhelmed by the puzzle theme, especially for a Friday. Glad to come here and have Rex clue me in to the rest of the story.<br /><br />Count me as another for the Ruby DEES to REDS write-over.<br /><br />"Do I dare to EAT A peach?" always reminds me of the produce man on one of our local TV 'news at noon' shows who was on a rant about mealy, tasteless peaches and used this quote.shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-23844094163241057962010-02-05T10:01:32.641-08:002010-02-05T10:01:32.641-08:00Good Friday puzzle. Liked the theme especially aft...Good Friday puzzle. Liked the theme especially after @Rex explained it!<br /><br />Wasn't sure with the NE corner if I would manage to finish it, but loved the use of PICABO which helped. She was quite the Olympic skier with a fun-loving bubbly personality. (I just can't imagine having to go through life with that name!)<br /><br />@JNH - I've fixed many a Swedish pancake with lingonberries, but never with meatballs for breakfast! Were they Swedish meatballs?Carolnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-16866573157080799182010-02-05T09:38:51.193-08:002010-02-05T09:38:51.193-08:00Good puzzle, lower left hand corner was slow for m...Good puzzle, lower left hand corner was slow for me but it was conquered. The Dude abides.<br /><br />@Rex, I also improved my crossword skills with Mr. Maleska's edited puzzles when I first started crossword puzzles. I still work one or two a week whenever I think I am getting good at crossword puzzles to keep me humble ;^) ADIT is a gimme in puzzles. Words for needle cases, harem rooms, Swiss Cantons and variable spellings for Turkish officials are taking up valuable real estate in my limited mental capacity due to Mr. Maleska.Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14900988170432327664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-70963033419857227722010-02-05T09:00:41.575-08:002010-02-05T09:00:41.575-08:00Not an easy puzzle for me, but a good Friday level...Not an easy puzzle for me, but a good Friday level of difficulty for the LAT, compared to some months back, and good practice. The theme was clever, but not useful (to me) for solving as I had all of the starred answers except A__L before I saw what it was.<br /><br />PICAWHO?! No smooth skiing in the NE. Also tripped myself up by slamming in 36A HRS, based on the crossing R, and not questioning it soon enough. And my Breakfast Test Failure Award for the day goes to “Drink from a bag” / TEA” for evoking “teabagging”. Ugh.<br /><br />@Rex, me too in spades re those Opel models.lit.dochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06729199575329286046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-36825817246395547762010-02-05T08:28:18.679-08:002010-02-05T08:28:18.679-08:00An easy but interesting puzzle. @imsdave--initial...An easy but interesting puzzle. @imsdave--initially had Dees for REDS (fun misdirect) and @JNH (did you get the photos I e-mailed you?) also wanted amoeba for AMEBA. I guess if you did not know IRMA, ELINOR, ELMORE, PICABO, TATE,or TABITHA this might be a hard puzzle.<br /><br />I grew up where there were many coal mines and I never heard anyone use the word ADIT. <br /><br />@Van55--With all due respect, PICABO had more than a 15-minutes-of-fame career. She won medals at the '94 and '98 Olympics and at World's in '93 and two in '96. She is in the Nat. Ski Hall of Fame. Her feats are widely admired by skiers who would love to have had such a career. While most medalists are often unknown to the general public, she was a star in her time, not only known for her wins and unusual name, but also because of her sunny disposition. <br /><br />Does anyone else own ELMORE Leonards "10 Rules of Writing" (originally a NYT article) with illustrations by Joe Ciardiello? A funny book with serious advice and pertinent examples.<br /><br />Thanks Rex!Parsannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-70055788112665453992010-02-05T08:27:17.665-08:002010-02-05T08:27:17.665-08:00My first car was an OPEL Rekord, so that was almos...My first car was an OPEL Rekord, so that was almost a gimme for me.Crockett1947https://www.blogger.com/profile/06404431645533093707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-3786408132353299612010-02-05T08:13:04.801-08:002010-02-05T08:13:04.801-08:00Question: is it kosher to have "Three-part n...Question: is it kosher to have "Three-part nos." where nos=numbers, then have the answer be SSNS, where N=number??<br /><br />Similarly, "Brit. award" Brit=British and OBE where B=British??<br /><br />The top of my grid was pretty sketchy till I put it away for a bit (to head to work) but then able to chip away at it. Turning point was getting the BALL part of the theme, which gave me BALLADEER and it fell into place from there.<br /><br />I also like having an 'o' in my am(o)eba, but I'm used to an o-less ameba from puzzles.<br /><br />Easier for me than yesterday's, that's for sure, but still tough enough to be a challenge for a Friday. I got through w/o googling, which I enjoy :)gespensthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17345498521904521489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-32226478057668338362010-02-05T08:01:28.795-08:002010-02-05T08:01:28.795-08:00@imsdave
Fell into that exact same write-over, dee...@imsdave<br />Fell into that exact same write-over, dees/gems/REDS!<br /><br />'Ball honoree' BELLES could have been "Southern____" and this clever theme would have BEen perfect.<br /><br />First off, it had my Scotch BAR TAB. THANK god I have an ORE Card.<br /><br />Then I got the ALP because, this is probably going sound crazy, it looked swiss.<br /><br />61a ENE (which I got from the crosses) was clued '63a hdg' STORM (heading?). How is this answer devined correctly? Not all storms move in that direction.<br /><br />Learning moment ATKA & PATEN.<br /><br />Clever clue award to PICABO & SSNS (Van55, I agree it is trite but the clue was original).<br /><br />ADIT (like etui, eddy & yegg) was a crosswordese learned so long ago it is always a gimmie.<br /><br />Fun Friday.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-23130617819445740752010-02-05T07:44:11.547-08:002010-02-05T07:44:11.547-08:00Fairly easy. Theme was good
I had a senior moment ...Fairly easy. Theme was good<br />I had a senior moment on ELINOR and the last letter of NANU. Didn't know PICABO (sports), but seemed familiar - pronounced peek-a-boo, or something. So the NE corner was hairy. <br />Had "Ruby DEES" for REDS at first, and GEM for ORE. ATKA is new for me, I think.<br /><br />But then, the dreaded SSNS.<br />Pretty words - BALLADEER, CABALLERO, BALLERINA. <br /><br />The OPEL Cadet was around in the late '60s. My husband had a roommate in law school (a physics major) who owned one. He said, "It's nice to have one mechanic who knows your car." One time we were in his OPEL when he drove into that gas station (mechanics ran gas stations, then) and heard the mechanic say, "That a-h-e again?" Then, same roommate was in a road rally and won The Mario Andretti Poor Sportsman Prize.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-25916052497017764912010-02-05T07:29:27.153-08:002010-02-05T07:29:27.153-08:00This puzzle was a bit slow for me, 10-15 minute ra...This puzzle was a bit slow for me, 10-15 minute range. It seemed like I couldn't complete an entire section of the puzzle at one time. I kept on hopping around. I also filled in DEES for the RUBY clue. My other error was INLET for ISLET otherwise no mistakes, just a slower then usual pace.*David*noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-31058480563380688172010-02-05T07:29:10.473-08:002010-02-05T07:29:10.473-08:00Interesting article in the Joel Stein (LA Times) c...Interesting article in the Joel Stein (LA Times) column regarding ELMO (and other Muppets).<br /><a href="http://www.latimes.com/la-oe-stein15aug15,0,3754590.column" rel="nofollow">ELMO IS AN EVILDOER</a><br />Anyone are to rebut this?JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.com