tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post5754405503485912553..comments2024-01-25T10:14:06.567-08:00Comments on L.A. Crossword Confidential: T H U R S D A Y September 16, 2010 David J. KhanOrangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-56784722890330114202010-09-17T12:55:48.398-07:002010-09-17T12:55:48.398-07:00The once-you've-seen-one-still-life-you've...The once-you've-seen-one-still-life-you've seen-'em-all syndrome.<br /><br />1. Shoe or fish? Who cares!<br />2. 20th century or 18th century? Who cares?<br />3. French or Spanish? Who cares?<br />4. The need to have all 4 linked pix be fish-related, or the need to show the actual artwork named in the bulleted clue/answer to which it is juxtaposed? Who cares?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-84036735544858612242010-09-17T11:31:10.696-07:002010-09-17T11:31:10.696-07:00My first thought was vincent van GOGH for the &quo...My first thought was vincent van GOGH for the "Still Life With Old Shoes". Here is what the actual Miro painting looks like. http://twitpic.com/2pc4ojUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13867949592385728150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-25052246076225715232010-09-16T20:04:34.853-07:002010-09-16T20:04:34.853-07:00@PG - loved the fish theme in your write-up!! Can...@PG - loved the fish theme in your write-up!! Can't imagine having the patience to carve out those little fish from carrots.<br /><br />Not knowing what a Buck's Fizz iz, I initially put in MOJITOS from the M, before MIMOSAS. Hand raised for spelling CARET wrong (CARaT) so I had ADUa for together, in music, which was just fine with me.<br /><br />Well, I totally dug this puzzle. I purposely do not follow football as I do not need another pastime that involves sitting on my *$$. Basketball is it for me....well, sometimes golf and tennis. Nevertheless, most of the sports answers emerged without too much difficulty.<br /><br />Captcha: arcles -- little arcs.shrub5https://www.blogger.com/profile/09466867716773759568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-64351065004863477592010-09-16T18:24:45.128-07:002010-09-16T18:24:45.128-07:00@C - thanks for response. I wasn't thinking of...@C - thanks for response. I wasn't thinking of the backfield at all. (Thanks also for the Falcons empathy - fortunately I was on the road and missed the game.....) But, I will be in the stands on Sunday hoping for better luck.hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04627015904603641109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-80342200514764249162010-09-16T17:48:23.887-07:002010-09-16T17:48:23.887-07:00aaargh, formatting did not come out. Imagine the ...aaargh, formatting did not come out. Imagine the FB, WR and SE are all to the right of center and the QB isn't taking the snap from the T and the HB is right behind the QB. Other than that, perfect ;^)Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14900988170432327664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-25437194568007219012010-09-16T17:46:10.112-07:002010-09-16T17:46:10.112-07:00@Hazel
Yes, the strong side of the formation is w...@Hazel<br /><br />Yes, the strong side of the formation is where you have the most players to one side of the center or another, it is not the side of the formation where the TE is located, necessarily.<br /><br /> TE T G C G T SE<br /> Q WR<br /> FB<br /> HB<br /><br />Example of where the TE is on the weak side of the formation.<br /><br /><br />All I was saying is that the strong side of an offensive formation is not decided by where the TE is located.<br /><br />Tough loss for your Falcons last week.<br /><br />@Anonymous<br /><br />Lighten up, Francis. Defense will read the TE but also judge where the passing and rushing strength of the offensive formation lies and adjust accordingly. The defense will not go strong to the TE side if more players are on the opposite side of of the center from the TE. Clue reads as an absolute, it is not an absolute. My rant was tongue in cheek and not serious.Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14900988170432327664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-76378754659597306972010-09-16T17:39:38.216-07:002010-09-16T17:39:38.216-07:00@Tinbeni - thanks for trying.
The ASSENTTO clue r...@Tinbeni - thanks for trying.<br /><br />The ASSENTTO clue reminds me of something my grandmother used to say:<br />"A man convinced against his will<br />Is of the same opinion still."<br /><br />PErhaps the clue should have been Become convince about. Maybe.<br /><br />By the way - Minitheme - SORE, IRATE, LIVID<br /><br />@Ali - you don't have to be good at CWs, even sports CWs. Those who can, do stuff. Those who can't do crosswords about stuff.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-36692541733859676692010-09-16T15:37:38.109-07:002010-09-16T15:37:38.109-07:00Fairly challenging puzzle and I wrote Desi right i...Fairly challenging puzzle and I wrote Desi right in especially since Barney had too many letters!! Liked all the sports references also. PG does a refreshing presentation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-67860055043667503462010-09-16T12:57:52.816-07:002010-09-16T12:57:52.816-07:00oh man, i am so hopeless at crosswords, i only got...oh man, i am so hopeless at crosswords, i only got about 2 of those ones. It seems so obvious when you have go the answers!alihttp://www.sony.co.uk/hub/bravia-lcd-televisionsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-45102806701460354162010-09-16T11:32:28.264-07:002010-09-16T11:32:28.264-07:00Nice puzzle, I thought.
@Tinbeni - I never knew...Nice puzzle, I thought. <br /><br />@Tinbeni - I never knew the origin of the tight end/split end terminology. So, thanks for that diagram because now it makes sense. <br /><br />@C - That clue didn't seem so bad to me? Isn't the "strong side" just the side w/ more players? and the tight end IS the extra player, assuming an otherwise standard wideout distribution. Maybe there is no longer a "standard" setup, and I just haven't noticed? Either way, now I'm going to pay more attention to how the Falcons set up on offense this season! Go Falcons!! <br /><br />Can't believe I'd never heard of FINGERROLL, though that's a pretty cool word.hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04627015904603641109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-32258373645165985432010-09-16T11:28:02.514-07:002010-09-16T11:28:02.514-07:00In football, from the offense's perspective, t...In football, from the offense's perspective, the tight end side is always the strong side of the formation. This is usually the case from the defense's perspective, too; however some defenses consider the "wide" side of the field the "strong" side, depending on where the ball is placed on or between the hash marks.<br /><br />While there is slight room for interpretation here, the clue is generally correct. Anybody who knows about football (and certainly one who considers football his "religion") should know this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-69716926785364384642010-09-16T10:58:43.042-07:002010-09-16T10:58:43.042-07:00@sfingi
In football, there is usually a "tigh...@sfingi<br />In football, there is usually a "tight end" (TE) lined up mext to the tackle(t), guard(g), center(c) and a "split end" (SE) lined up away from the tackle on the other side of the line.<br /><br />Like so:<br />(SE)......(t)(g)(c)(g)(t)(TE)<br /><br />As to the ASSENT TO -v- Convinced about, I think it is a matter of semantics.<br />Example A:<br />If (at first) you are Convinced about something ... then you (secondly) Assent to it.<br /><br />but ...<br /><br />Example B:<br />Just because you (at first) Assent to something ... that doesn't necessarily mean you are (secondly) Convinced about it.<br /><br />In this case the clue came before the answer. Example ATinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-37544716558381061452010-09-16T10:53:45.416-07:002010-09-16T10:53:45.416-07:00Good, challenging puzzle. The FRED/DESI thing thr...Good, challenging puzzle. The <b>FRED/DESI</b> thing threw me off for a while, too. I thought of other sitcom "Freds" (Flintstone, Sanford, etc.), but they didn't work. "William" (Frawley) would have matched <b>DESI</b>, but would have been too obscure as a clue.wilschnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-26228663406368687022010-09-16T10:37:49.392-07:002010-09-16T10:37:49.392-07:00Tricky puzzle for me today. The sports theme and ...Tricky puzzle for me today. The sports theme and clues put me in a bit of a SNIT. Never heard of STRONGSIDE or FINGERROLL so I had to get them completely through the crosses. BRITISH OPEN and MENS SINGLES were easy enough to get though. I wasn't fond of all the cross referenced clues either. That said, the puzzle totally redeemed itself by including MIMOSAS, my favorite Sunday morning indulgence. <br /><br />I agree about the DESI clue. I put DESI down and thought this can't be, but it worked. I knew LIMN from long ago American art history classes. Limners were untrained artists during the colonial period. Much of their work could be considered early American folk art.<br /><br />Oh and I liked the clue for 32A VANES.<br />@Tuttle - I didn't like Hoo Hah for FUSS either. Would rather have seen Brouhaha.CrazyCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00245025301434920905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-54533691260955908592010-09-16T10:36:46.793-07:002010-09-16T10:36:46.793-07:00@Tinbeni - as much as I like you, this was not onl...@Tinbeni - as much as I like you, this was not only a non-sportsner's nightmare, but a Juvenile-Guy puzzle (Batman, Kerouac and UZI included). <br /><br />Having said that, I am the Juvenile Girl who collects girlie toys because I didn't get enough as a child. I confess I check out Etsy, Cute Overload, and Paris Parfait all the time. <br /><br />It took me approaching forever. I do my Googled answers in a different color. 10 today, and in blue, so the CW had a veined look. I have a pained look. To me, a SPORTSBAR is the opposite of paradise. <br /><br />Had <br /><br />@John - When I saw the picture of the Blackberry Lilly, I knew it was an Iris. Oh, you can't LIMN the lily!<br /><br />Had cadETS before FLEETS, sOdA before COLA, mIMe for LIMN, dES before LES. <br />Wanted Danny for Dinny's rider - from an old kid's book (interpret either way) but it didn't fit. Wanted Lamont (Fred Sanford's son) or Barney Rubble for DESI, also didn't fit. Wanted Van Gogh for MIRO, and no fit. <br /><br />After I Googled the clues, I decided that Barry Bonds is a dreadful person; I still can't figure out what the FINGERROLL is; and why someone is called a tight end (unless...no). <br /><br />I don't think ASSENT TO means the same as "be convinced about." Much weaker. <br /><br />David Kahn - you stay on your side of town, and I'll stay on mine!<br /><br />I took a peak at the NYT and it said it was easy. Maybe I'll buy one.Sfingihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06903616949048940858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-19880334213755129702010-09-16T10:31:10.847-07:002010-09-16T10:31:10.847-07:00Yesterday's puzzle took me ten minutes, no loo...Yesterday's puzzle took me ten minutes, no lookups, and one wrong letter. Today went past thirty minutes, three lookups and several mistakes and head-scratchers left. Isn't this a huge difficulty leap from Wednesday to Thursday?Larry Snoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-36423531916853857802010-09-16T10:07:20.941-07:002010-09-16T10:07:20.941-07:00I caught the Ricki/DESI issue but that took a back...I caught the Ricki/DESI issue but that took a back seat to the clue for STRONGSIDE. You can play loose with cross word conventions but don't start making light of religious matters such as football. The strong side is NOT defined by where the tight end lines up. In fact, the tight end can line up on the weak side and quite often does. The clue really has nothing to do with the answer.<br /><br />This clue is an affront to my religion and I am calling for a great blitz (my religion's equivalent of a jihad) on the constructor, Mr. David J. Khan. Khaaaaaaaaan!<br /><br />full disclaimer: this post is not serious and I enjoyed the puzzle even though the STRONGSIDE clue is wrong. I used the clue to work in my favorite Star Trek II reference. Mr. Khan should not worry about random football jerseyed individuals tackling him out of the blue ... or should he?Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14900988170432327664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-80915879956329735062010-09-16T09:46:00.796-07:002010-09-16T09:46:00.796-07:00Am I the only one who finds "hoo-ha" to ...Am I the only one who finds "hoo-ha" to be a weak clue? I see it is defined as a FUSS or uproar in dictionaries, but where I come from (and in the Urban Dictionary) it generally refers to a certain part of the female anatomy whose common four-letter synonyms are utterly unacceptable in any sort of decent company.Tuttlenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-4341368438240011902010-09-16T09:14:43.785-07:002010-09-16T09:14:43.785-07:00Had two writeovers, ICEflo/ICECAP and STARTup/STAR...Had two writeovers, ICEflo/ICECAP and STARTup/STARTIN. The latter was easily fixed, the former caused me grief in the NW. I know limnology, vaguely remember the word LIMN, and think I've had this issue in the not too distant past. Yes, the NYT had LIMN last December with the definition "describe". Associating LIMN with limnology, (the study of fresh water lakes), is a stretch, but possible.<br /><br />Got USTINOV from the U. That's what us oldies do. However, had to run the alphabet to get the F in FINGERROLL. There's bviously a hole in my sports education here. Seems that Sal Paradise has been in xwords a lot recently.<br /><br />Found this a very enjoyable xword and a little more of a challenge than today's NYT.Rubehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04773241241484881566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-9529936110828066652010-09-16T09:04:45.826-07:002010-09-16T09:04:45.826-07:00PuzzleGirl, wonderful write-up.
I LOVE puzzles wi...PuzzleGirl, wonderful write-up.<br /><br />I LOVE puzzles with a lot of sports clues.<br /><br />Caught on to the five different SPORTS theme early and I really do like BARS ...<br /><br />BTW, the real name for that 2010 golf event at St. Andrew's is "THE OPEN." <br />NOPE, they don't add the BRITISH to its name over there. <br /><br />Have no idea what is in a Buck Fizz. Surprise, surprise, I am very familiar with MIMOSAS. <br /><br />Yup, a "drinkin' man's" puzzle.<br />The perfect fix for a NY Yankee's fan.<br />Damn, my local Ray's are in First. Next week they play 4 games at the Stadium. Should be a great series.<br /><br />Never thought that something that made me LIVID would help me out. But that Oregon area was not coming together for the longest time.<br />Hand up for not liking the DESI answer for the "Sitcom pal of Fred" clue. The answer being his real name, the clue, the character's name. (Like @PG said: "And Ricky wouldn't fit").<br /><br />Fave was IRS for "It prints many scheds." <br />Many, many, many Forms, too.Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-49968425440954566632010-09-16T08:40:05.712-07:002010-09-16T08:40:05.712-07:00I went through the Ricky/DESI thing too...shoud ha...I went through the Ricky/DESI thing too...shoud have clued it with William, Vivian or Lucy. Or maybe "Cuban leader of a band" or something.<br /><br />Liked the theme. Clever theme clue (once you figure it out!)jazzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02967093995893913338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-31625137143801066172010-09-16T08:34:58.971-07:002010-09-16T08:34:58.971-07:00I made one mistake putting SODA in instead of COLA...I made one mistake putting SODA in instead of COLA the DES worked for me but the SARET didn't so I looked it up and realized, no such word, oh well. Otherwise could've been a stronger finish but I did move at a steady pace with the NW causing me the most trouble. I kept on wanting to put in RIGHT HOOKS but knew the plural was wrong.<br /><br />Overall a solid puzzle with an interesting theme.*David*noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-79779836341260616482010-09-16T08:05:27.223-07:002010-09-16T08:05:27.223-07:00I struggled a bit with this one. I know Mimosas, ...I struggled a bit with this one. I know Mimosas, but never heard of Buck's Fizzes.<br /><br />EMOTER for "ham" is unpleasant, somehow. ULTRAS for "extremists," the same. ESS at the bottom left is lazy. <br /><br />All in all, it fell FLAT for me.Van55https://www.blogger.com/profile/15904942044695917615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-38526475473104097662010-09-16T07:54:48.102-07:002010-09-16T07:54:48.102-07:00For all of us lowbrows who don't know the lati...For all of us lowbrows who don't know the latin names of flora and fauna the sports clues were welcome and, at least in my case, made for an enjoyable time solving the puzzle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-20618933403366969892010-09-16T07:10:28.947-07:002010-09-16T07:10:28.947-07:00The world wonders if PG intentionally switched the...The world wonders if PG intentionally switched the usages of karat and carat just so she could add the final sentence to that line of commentary. Funny!<br /><br />I too dislike I CARE in CWs, but it's great in movie dialogue, e.g., when Jenny sorta stresses "care" in <i>Love Story</i>, but the Alien stresses "I" in the closing scene of <i>Starman</i>.<br /><br />For a moment I thought we might have BRITISH OPEN twice, but 2 "open bars" just wouldn't compute.<br /><br />How nice to see something other than "flag" horticulturally matched with IRIS.<br /><br />And that "blackberry lily", along with "Buck's fizz" were new to me. Wonderful clues!<br /><br />And Google later told me that A DUE usually implies "as a unison duet" as opposed to "divisi" when the 2 parts are not unison.<br /><br />On the other hand, FINGER ROLL and LORNE challenged the memory.badrognoreply@blogger.com