tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post3165039140778931884..comments2024-01-25T10:14:06.567-08:00Comments on L.A. Crossword Confidential: MONDAY, Dec. 14, 2009 — Samantha WineOrangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-20445807972277452712009-12-15T10:22:22.891-08:002009-12-15T10:22:22.891-08:00Sine qua non is medical.
basically THE most ident...Sine qua non is medical.<br /><br />basically THE most identifiable finding associated with a disease processxyzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08287781952915413013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-43612261405074707742009-12-14T20:06:46.936-08:002009-12-14T20:06:46.936-08:00@Sfingi
Our squirrels don't spend much time hi...@Sfingi<br />Our squirrels don't spend much time hiding acorns down here. Hell the coldest it ever gets is around 40 degrees in February for about an hour or so.<br />I like to throw them peanuts when I'm outside doing a puzzle, having a coffee or a Scotch.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-4534899206453794902009-12-14T18:14:17.855-08:002009-12-14T18:14:17.855-08:00@JNH - Squirrel Nut Conkers' season when they ...@JNH - Squirrel Nut Conkers' season when they drop the acorns and rush down to hide them is over around these parts. Hiding undercover seems to be in. They only come out in a thaw. Of course I left them lots of stuff in begging season that they SEEK now.<br />They have cute busy FOREPAWS.Sfinginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-58216187452357281332009-12-14T17:53:13.292-08:002009-12-14T17:53:13.292-08:00Since @JNH changed his Avatar ... I decided to add...Since @JNH changed his Avatar ... I decided to add one.<br /><br />Couldn't find a "Don't Drink and Drive" avatar, so I settled for one that I rarely ever do ... I mean the running part.<br /><br />After all they (whoever "THEY" are) always say:<br />"Don't Drink & Drive !"<br />"Don't Drink AND Drive !!"<br />"DON'T DRINK & DRIVE !!!"<br /><br />How the hell am I ever going to get somewhere ????<br /><br />Aaaahh ... it is Scotch time.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-23964925885916596942009-12-14T16:53:59.538-08:002009-12-14T16:53:59.538-08:00Personally I thought this puzzle was an UPTICK fro...Personally I thought this puzzle was an UPTICK from the usual LAT Monday puzzles. Hand up for OF OZ and UPTICK for UPSIDE. I vote for a BONK on the noggin. CONK is when someone goes to sleep or passes out as in "He's CONKED out. Or "He CONKED off." <br />@CharlesBogle - Thanks for the compliment, but I don't think I'll be constructing crossword puzzles any time soon. My spouse, however might find the name Samantha Wine amusing since I do like my Sauv Blanc. Not quite a LUSH. Did think FOREPAW was kind of cute as long as the little forepaw doesn't have it's claws out. @JNH liked your mink vs bunny story :>)CrazyCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00245025301434920905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-34182231328272056282009-12-14T15:56:19.062-08:002009-12-14T15:56:19.062-08:00@John: No, the dictionary won't help you with ...@John: No, the dictionary won't help you with "___ pro nobis," but Google sure will.Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-66476265303472169602009-12-14T15:11:10.688-08:002009-12-14T15:11:10.688-08:00@Charles Bogle
Samantha Wine is a pseudonym for Ri...@Charles Bogle<br />Samantha Wine is a pseudonym for Rich Norris, an anagram of "What's in a Name?"<br />As to the cheap, hackneyed fill. I learned (or is that finally just accepted) that sometimes the constructors have to use them.<br />Rex coined a phrase OOXTEPLERNON a while back when those four three letter answers were in a row of an Oct.NYT puzzle. He called it "the God of short bad fill" or there abouts. It is why I almost have stopped bitching about these things, at least they weren't eel, era,eon,eee, etc.<br /><br />@JNH<br />A second vote for your new GREAT avatar.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-42006821384757448992009-12-14T14:28:35.559-08:002009-12-14T14:28:35.559-08:00And, is "Samantha Wine" a pseudonym for ...And, is "Samantha Wine" a pseudonym for crazycatlady? (FOREPAW a clue?)Charles Boglenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-51506999818383883802009-12-14T14:26:53.213-08:002009-12-14T14:26:53.213-08:00Ditto what some have said re Lee J. Cobb. Salesme...Ditto what some have said re Lee J. Cobb. Salesmen, Waterfront and Last Angry Men are on dvd and Cobb ensures they stand the test of time<br /><br />Liked the theme; uncertain about POTBOILER because I didn't think it's necessarily associated w a "hack" writer. Eg, isn't Maltese Falcon a potboiler? Chandler, Hammett etc--no hacks they<br /><br />Although I give this two thumbs up, I do have a bone to pick re some of the hackneyed (or just plain it's so simple-why-am-I-doing-this) fill. E.g.,BABE Ruth, Peek-ABOO, TSK, UGH et al; otherwise would be a keeperCharles Boglenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-31668188527684533252009-12-14T13:49:29.461-08:002009-12-14T13:49:29.461-08:00@JIMMIE
Well I work at the Morton Arboretum and I ...@JIMMIE<br />Well I work at the Morton Arboretum and I get pummeled by acorns all the time. The sound when they hit my head is always a loud hollow CONK sound. So there!JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-70167752089970490752009-12-14T13:44:15.524-08:002009-12-14T13:44:15.524-08:00The comic strip "Mutts," surely a nation...The comic strip "Mutts," surely a national reliable authority, consistently, as late as yesterday's LAT Sunday comics, uses BONK as the sound that results when the squirrel's acorn hits Mutts on the head. So there!JIMMIEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-46103626236245630482009-12-14T13:22:12.302-08:002009-12-14T13:22:12.302-08:00Never heard of Jar Jar Binks
Don't understand...Never heard of Jar Jar Binks<br /><br />Don't understand novel by a hack??? Taxi driver???<br /><br />And is it ok to have 2 outs...Shoot out and Out rank??<br /><br />Didn't get my NYT puzzle today<br /><br />@JNH love your new avatar. You ought to have it put on a t-shirt!!!chefbeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15195945085405126511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-90454675072768781072009-12-14T13:19:48.571-08:002009-12-14T13:19:48.571-08:00@Tinbeni - must be regional. I think of conk as th...@Tinbeni - must be regional. I think of conk as the terrible process involving lye, that Blacks used to go through to straighten hair and which appears to be coming back. Chris Rock has been suggesting people accept their own natural look. I mostly agree, though some noses...<br /><br />MINX - from Minsk? I guess it's just from Germanic languages, say the dictionaries.Sfinginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-84723846033543573982009-12-14T11:29:06.584-08:002009-12-14T11:29:06.584-08:00A little nostalgia here---
WHISKY A GO-GOA little nostalgia here---<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn_6AzUJup8" rel="nofollow">WHISKY A GO-GO</a>JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-40781916959587808132009-12-14T11:16:04.031-08:002009-12-14T11:16:04.031-08:00@JNH
I grew up here in Florida and before I even r...@JNH<br />I grew up here in Florida and before I even realized it I just wrote in BONK (due to the B in COBB). <br />Until your comment, I never even thought of CONK which sounds correct too.<br />So maybe it is a regional thing.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-31711737509864800702009-12-14T11:09:04.464-08:002009-12-14T11:09:04.464-08:00@bluebell - I concur, of oz looked too obvious so ...@bluebell - I concur, of oz looked too obvious so I waited for the crosses to deliver the OF ID.<br /><br />@GLowe - You are sooo correct. A stock or the market are generally reported as: "GE is on an UPTICK" or "the market today was on an UPSWING" ... occasionally I do hear UPSIDE, though its use is much rarer on CNBC, and a rising market trend IS a positive attribite.<br /><br />FAV - reference to the Whiskey-A-GO-GO & LUSH (me and my Scotch at times. Hey, its the Holidays!)<br /><br />ONCLE - french uncle twice within a week = lame. Did anyone NOT get it this time?<br /><br />Rex - A big WHOOP for the Hugh Laurie Clip!!!Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-60497436336220574612009-12-14T11:08:49.446-08:002009-12-14T11:08:49.446-08:00Another etymological conundrum---
MINX
The word MI...Another etymological conundrum---<br />MINX<br />The word MINX was used by us guys in the 50's to describe any girl who "put out". I never really understood why they were called minks until I visited a relative who operated a mink ranch. Rabbits would be embarrassed to watch minks.JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-39254097120321690762009-12-14T10:59:06.745-08:002009-12-14T10:59:06.745-08:00A very nice puzzle, but I don't think I've...A very nice puzzle, but I don't think I've ever sailed through one as fast as this one before... well maybe the ones in Highlights Magazine for Children (Puzzlemania). Not often that I get a puzzle done before I get my first cup of coffee served.<br /><br />I guess I'm not the only one who right away wrote Wizard OF OZ.<br /><br />Haven't seen MINX used for a while. Hussy has an interesting etymology... here's what the AHD says: <br /> hus·sy<br />1. A woman considered brazen or immoral.<br />2. A saucy or impudent girl.<br />[Alteration of Middle English houswif, housewife; see housewife.]<br />I find it interesting that the usage of the word "hussy" has evolved from "housewife" to "MINX".<br /><br />The other word that's fascinating is BONK. The usual regional word for being hit on the head is CONK.<br /><br />Now I'm wondering just why a hack novel is called a POT BOILER... anyone, anyone?<br /><br />When I saw FOREPAW come up, I said "hey, that's for yesterday's puzzle!"<br /><br />Yves Saint Lauret is a good crosswordese item, but usually I see YVES instead of YSL.<br /><br />In the later Star Wars movie we get an out-of-place character called JAR JAR BINKS. Who else found him annoying and totally out of context?<br /><br />Thanks @parsan for the mush info.<br />I've been finding that if you fry even the blandest stuff in butter it tastes pretty darn good.<br /><br />@Rex, Orange, or PG<br />Here's a gnawing CW problem for me, so I'll ask for help from any of the CW experts:<br />Often we get a Latin phrase that I'm totally unfamiliar with (perhaps it's a legal term), like today's "Sine QUA non" (50a), and I'm forced to use a dictionary. Well today it was no problem because I could lookup "Sine" and get the answer. But here's the rub: When we have something like yesterday's puzzle "___ pro nobis" (ORA), you can't look it up in the dictionary because you need ORA, which is exactly the word you're stumped on. Is there a way to find Latin phrases without knowing the first word? This problem occurs over and over and it's frustrating. Another one was "____fixe" (IDEE), which I already knew from, I think CW101, but what if you needed to look it up... same problem!JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-27386398285510851972009-12-14T10:29:03.254-08:002009-12-14T10:29:03.254-08:00Thank you for the excerpt, Rex!
BTW, the show is A...Thank you for the excerpt, Rex!<br />BTW, the show is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bit_of_Fry_and_Laurie" rel="nofollow">A Bit of Fry and Laurie</a> which is a hilarious skit show, BTWGareth Bainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17770425154034935768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-51372369137287243702009-12-14T10:26:37.682-08:002009-12-14T10:26:37.682-08:00Hand up for OZ too.
Also had Uptick for UPSIDE, ...Hand up for OZ too. <br /><br />Also had Uptick for UPSIDE, just felt better.Bohicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16338679493627934067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-4677748835280768582009-12-14T10:21:38.777-08:002009-12-14T10:21:38.777-08:00For once I thought before writing: have been caug...For once I thought before writing: have been caught on the Oz/Id thing sometime recently, so I waited for crosses this time.<br /><br />The clue trumpet mufflers amused me no end. I am picturing long woolen plaid scarves tied in bows around a row of trumpets. <br /><br />I anglicized en garde to on guard, and had to back track when equip came into sight.bluebellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07112978237190389791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-65042147759999153892009-12-14T10:12:01.089-08:002009-12-14T10:12:01.089-08:00Nice Monday puzzle. I'm raising my hand for Wi...Nice Monday puzzle. I'm raising my hand for Wizard of Oz, but squared that away pretty quickly.<br /><br />Enjoyed the video clip - thanks, Rex.<br /><br />After puzzles yesterday & today, am once again looking forward to Tuesday's offering. Puzzles just seem to be getting better.Carolnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-51756714545231748432009-12-14T10:08:02.471-08:002009-12-14T10:08:02.471-08:00UPTICK or UPSWING for market talk, UPSIDE is a pre...UPTICK or UPSWING for market talk, UPSIDE is a prediction, or good news, or silver lining. <br /><br />"The upside is he won't live long enough to get out of prison."<br /><br />"... a strong upswing in techs brought brief uptick to the NAS..."<br /><br />Or so I think.GLowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-88726387606369429272009-12-14T09:59:27.824-08:002009-12-14T09:59:27.824-08:00Pretty satisfying cw. Never heard of Jarjarbinks, ...Pretty satisfying cw. Never heard of Jarjarbinks, so I read up. I would have been kicked out of Gungan City for being clumsy, too. He created a debate as to whether Lucas should throw a bone to children by including JJB in Star Wars. So Star Wars is an adult movie?!<br /><br />Had "Of Oz" before OFID.<br /><br />You like forepaw because it's so cute.<br /><br />We all love OSSIE, but his name never fails to put the word "ossified" in my mind.<br /><br />Poor Sabu died young. He was one of the first "exotic" actors, and got the Distinguished Flying Cross in WWII.<br /><br />@ImsDave - thanx for including that. The original 12 Angry Men is a wonderful B&W that I always showed my class. Great study in eye-witness ID and prejudice. Turns out Cobb's prejudice is based on his feelings about his own son. The remade movie's not bad, either. Glad you reminded me since I want to buy the CD.Sfinginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-23683110167297491632009-12-14T09:53:02.996-08:002009-12-14T09:53:02.996-08:00Loved "Wizard of Id" as a kid. But,I too...Loved "Wizard of Id" as a kid. But,I too, went for the easy fill, "Oz." Wanted "wawas" (probably appropriately spelled as "wahwahs") for trumpet muffler, but then got 'Utah" and redirected myself. 66 A, Excited Cry-had "wahoo" at first, but "sty food" cleared that up. 19 A __Bartlett, had "Jeb" making 13D "mobil" which was all kinds of wrong!<br /><br />The "Jar Jar Binks" character was absolutely sub par for George Lucas. What kind of Kool Aid was he drinking when he wrote that character? Very cringe worthy-in the vein of Stepin Fetchit's role in old movies-whose real name was Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry. He was the first black actor to become a millionaire and receive a film credit. He was highly literate and had a concurrent career writing for the Chicago Defender," according to Wiki. <br /><br />Fakir was new for me. Apparently, there are some fakers who pass themselves off as fakirs. Tsk!<br /><br />I enjoys me a good Hugh Laurie-Stephen Fry skit. Big fan of "House." <br />Fun puzzle and write up.ddbmcnoreply@blogger.com