11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Ovid's book of love poetry / MON 7-2-12 / 1970s TV's Ramsey / Actor John of Sands of Iwo Jima / Small lab container
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Hi Rex Parker fans...we are Rex's BFF's (Liz and Jenny), and we will be blogging to you for the next 4 Mondays, because, let's face it, Monday is all we can manage without Rex's help. Rex is flying to New Zealand as we speak. He won't even see this blog, because he left on Sunday, arrives on Tuesday, and flies right through Monday, July 2. So let's get started. Disclaimer: we have never blogged before and are amateur solvers, so please go easy on us with your comments.
Constructor: Bernice Gordon (she's 98 years old!!)
Relative difficulty: Easy Peasy
THEME: ANAGRAMS — Anagrams...at least we think that's what they're called. It's the kind of puzzle where the letters of one word of are rearranged to spell a different word.
Word of the Day: DERECHO —
This word appears nowhere in the puzzle. And as far as Rex knows, has never appeared in a puzzle ever. But get this, WE TAUGHT THIS WORD TO REX PARKER!!! THE 31ST GREATEST CROSSWORD PUZZLE SOLVER IN THE UNIVERSE!!! You may be wondering why we taught him this word??? Well, we experienced a DERECHO in the mid-Atlantic region on Friday evening. One of us (Jenny, not Liz), is still without power as a result of the DERECHO, as are hundreds of thousand of hot and sweaty and miserable people throughout the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan area.
If you don't have power, we highly suggest margarita popsicles. They're cool, refreshing, and if you eat enough, you'll forget how miserable you are!!
• • •
Theme answers:
Bullets:
Signed, Liz and Jenny, Rex Parker's BFF's
Hi Rex Parker fans...we are Rex's BFF's (Liz and Jenny), and we will be blogging to you for the next 4 Mondays, because, let's face it, Monday is all we can manage without Rex's help. Rex is flying to New Zealand as we speak. He won't even see this blog, because he left on Sunday, arrives on Tuesday, and flies right through Monday, July 2. So let's get started. Disclaimer: we have never blogged before and are amateur solvers, so please go easy on us with your comments.
Constructor: Bernice Gordon (she's 98 years old!!)
Relative difficulty: Easy Peasy
THEME: ANAGRAMS — Anagrams...at least we think that's what they're called. It's the kind of puzzle where the letters of one word of are rearranged to spell a different word.
Word of the Day: DERECHO —
derecho (Spanish: derecho "straight", pronounced [de̞ˈɾe̞tʃo̞][1]), is a widespread and long-lived, violent convectively induced straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms in the form of a squall lineusually taking the form of a bow echo. Derechos blow in the direction of movement of their associated storms, similar to a gust front, except that the wind is sustained and generally increases in strength behind the "gust" front. A warm weather phenomenon, derechos occur mostly in summer, especially June and July in the Northern Hemisphere. They can occur at any time of the year and occur as frequently at night as in the daylight hours.
This word appears nowhere in the puzzle. And as far as Rex knows, has never appeared in a puzzle ever. But get this, WE TAUGHT THIS WORD TO REX PARKER!!! THE 31ST GREATEST CROSSWORD PUZZLE SOLVER IN THE UNIVERSE!!! You may be wondering why we taught him this word??? Well, we experienced a DERECHO in the mid-Atlantic region on Friday evening. One of us (Jenny, not Liz), is still without power as a result of the DERECHO, as are hundreds of thousand of hot and sweaty and miserable people throughout the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan area.
If you don't have power, we highly suggest margarita popsicles. They're cool, refreshing, and if you eat enough, you'll forget how miserable you are!!
• • •
Theme answers:
- 20A. [French writer's apprehension by the police?] - Sartre's Arrest
- 26A. [French writer's state of drunkenness?] - Proust's Stupor
- 43A. [French writer's two-under-par holes?] - Lesage's Eagles
- 49A. [French writer's boardwalk booth operator?] - Racine's Carnies
Bullets:
- 60A. EARL [___ of Sandwich?] - (our 1st grade librarian Mrs. Rowles read us a book about the Earl of Sandwich, and we've never forgotten it)
- 58A. ANTI [Prefix with disestablishmentarianism?] - (a vocabulary word in Mrs. Fogg's 4th grade)
- 41D. [What WAS I thinking?!?] - This about sums up how we were feeling when it was time to write the blog.
Signed, Liz and Jenny, Rex Parker's BFF's
Elemento número 79 / THU 7-5-12 / 1985 N.L. M.V.P. Willie / Like some observant Brooklynites / Poet Teasdale / Toyota model beginning in 1984 / Red Roof Inn competitor / Asian nurse / Hide's partner
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Constructor: Ian Livengood
Relative difficulty: DEAL WITH IT [edit: or Medium-Challenging if you're anon]
THEME: SHIFT KEY (68A: Something that's pressed, which helps explain this puzzle's theme) — The Down answers include the numerals 2 through 6, and the respective Across answers use the symbols that you get when you hold down the SHIFT KEY while typing the numbers on a keyboard
Word of the Day: OSSObuco (31D: ___ buco) —
Marvin here, filling in for Rex while he's on the other side of the world, in New Zealand. (Isn't that where they filmed that movie with ENTS?)
I know Thursday is when the dirty tricks come out, but today's puzzle felt more like a barrel of Thursday jungle juice, with numerals, symbols, squares that read differently Across and Down, and a slew of tricky tricky clues everywhere else.
Though it was quickly apparent some kind of rebus was involved, the dual nature of the squares kept me from figuring out the theme's schtick until I'd gotten around half of the grid filled. (In particular, the E section got me barking up the wrong tree, thinking 5 AGES had something to do with the classical Ages of Man.)
Theme answers:
After a slog through the non-theme answers, the puzzle suddenly broke open once I figured out the theme, and since the theme answers take up so much of the puzzle, that gave me enough momentum to finish. I came close to a DNF a few times along the way, but came away satisfied; since nearly all the payoff was in the theme answers, your experience will probably hinge on whether you cracked the theme before giving up (hence the difficulty rating).
ELIAS / AMAH in the SE was the weakest cross I encountered; I wasn't familiar with either one.
A bit eerie that today's theme came after the keyboard-themed ESC in yesterday's SW corner.
All ten(!) theme answers make sense with little to no stretching, there's symmetry with the numbers on top in the northern half and numbers on the bottom in the southern half, and as with this Tuesday's puzzle, the final theme answer is a bit of a sucker punch (in a good way). Fun solve, and the theme is executed well enough to forgive a few cracked-out moments in the fill (esp. in the SE).
Random: HASIDIC crossed with RAP MUSIC in the W/NW reminded me of Matisyahu, though he's actually reggae and not rap.
Bullets:
Signed, Marvin, CARESSER of CrossWorld
(don't TASE me BRO)
Relative difficulty: DEAL WITH IT [edit: or Medium-Challenging if you're anon]
THEME: SHIFT KEY (68A: Something that's pressed, which helps explain this puzzle's theme) — The Down answers include the numerals 2 through 6, and the respective Across answers use the symbols that you get when you hold down the SHIFT KEY while typing the numbers on a keyboard
Word of the Day: OSSObuco (31D: ___ buco) —
Ossobuco (pronounced [ˌɔsːoˈbuːko]) is a Milanese specialty of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth. It is often garnished with gremolata and traditionally served with risotto alla milanese.• • •Hello again! =0There are two types of ossobuco: a modern version that has tomatoes and the original version which does not. The older version, ossobuco in bianco, is flavored with cinnamon, bay leaf and gremolata. The modern and more popular recipe includes tomatoes, carrots, celery and onions. Gremolata is optional. (wikipedia)
Marvin here, filling in for Rex while he's on the other side of the world, in New Zealand. (Isn't that where they filmed that movie with ENTS?)
I know Thursday is when the dirty tricks come out, but today's puzzle felt more like a barrel of Thursday jungle juice, with numerals, symbols, squares that read differently Across and Down, and a slew of tricky tricky clues everywhere else.Though it was quickly apparent some kind of rebus was involved, the dual nature of the squares kept me from figuring out the theme's schtick until I'd gotten around half of the grid filled. (In particular, the E section got me barking up the wrong tree, thinking 5 AGES had something to do with the classical Ages of Man.)
Theme answers:
- 2PAC (6D: Big name in 35-Across [RAP MUSIC])
- 3DTV (11D: Reason to wear glasses at home?)
- 4RUNNER (26D: Toyota model beginning in 1984)
- MAROON 5 (28D: Band with the 2004 hit "She Will Be Loved")
- MOTEL 6 (44D: Red Roof Inn competitor)
- SASQU@CH / SASQU[AT]CH (1A: Mysterious figure)
- EX#ING / EX[POUND]ING (9A: Stating in detail, with "on")
- SAND$ / SAND [DOLLAR] (22A: Potential beach find)
- %AGES / [PERCENT]AGES (51A: Portions)
- ^AKERS / [CARET]AKERS (67A: Nurses, e.g.)
After a slog through the non-theme answers, the puzzle suddenly broke open once I figured out the theme, and since the theme answers take up so much of the puzzle, that gave me enough momentum to finish. I came close to a DNF a few times along the way, but came away satisfied; since nearly all the payoff was in the theme answers, your experience will probably hinge on whether you cracked the theme before giving up (hence the difficulty rating).ELIAS / AMAH in the SE was the weakest cross I encountered; I wasn't familiar with either one.
A bit eerie that today's theme came after the keyboard-themed ESC in yesterday's SW corner.
All ten(!) theme answers make sense with little to no stretching, there's symmetry with the numbers on top in the northern half and numbers on the bottom in the southern half, and as with this Tuesday's puzzle, the final theme answer is a bit of a sucker punch (in a good way). Fun solve, and the theme is executed well enough to forgive a few cracked-out moments in the fill (esp. in the SE).
Random: HASIDIC crossed with RAP MUSIC in the W/NW reminded me of Matisyahu, though he's actually reggae and not rap.
Bullets:
- 17A: Do-overs at a card table (NEW DEALS) — First thought MULLIGANS (too long). I guess it sort of makes sense, but it also feels like a joke missing part of the punchline. Maybe it could have been Roosevelt's card table.
- 18A: Maestro Toscanini (ARTURO) — Crossword fans probably only know his first name because his full name happens to be 15 letters.
- 48A: Elemento número 79 (ORO) — Not sure if anyone's ever done chemistry and Spanish in one clue before. If it weren't ORO I suspect we'd be seeing chairs through windows at breakfast.
- 65A: Neighbors, in a way (LIES ON) — ...Maybe? This was one of the shakier clues/answers today.
- 66A: One with a lap cat, maybe (CARESSER) — Legitimate, but a grand misdirection; I was thinking of types of VILLAINS or Ernst Stavro Blofeld until I had enough crosses.
- 3D: Put in stitches (SEW) — Thought CUT at first (as in "I'll cut you"), but later realized the pun was on "Put in" and not on "stitches".
- 7D: Cooler part (CELL) — Turns out 'cooler' is a slang term for prison, though it could also refer to the closed-cell foam in a styrofoam cooler (but I'm pretty sure that wasn't intentional).
- 14D: Hulled grain (GROATS) — Surprised to learn this was a word. (Before I got the theme I was suspecting [QUAKE]R OATS.) It sounds more like something out of Jabberwocky.
- 43D: Sign holders (ZODIACS) — Got ZODIAC_ early on; suspected the final square was a rebus and only got the S from SHIFT KEY. The clue seemed obtuse enough that it probably should have had a question mark.
- 45D: Head cases? (CRANIA) — Had CRANIi at first. I felt like Tony Guida up against Rex on the CBS Evening News; "my Latin... my Latin."
Signed, Marvin, CARESSER of CrossWorld
(don't TASE me BRO)
Agave fiber / SAT 7-7-12 / 1982 Donald Fagen hit subtitled "What a Beautiful World" / insect pupa sold as turtle food
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Constructor: Tim Croce
Relative difficulty: Definitely Saturdayish for me but that young punk Caleb Madison slayed it so maybe Fridayish for others, but I could totally see it flirting with impossibility for others. IN SUM, medium-challenging.
THEME: None
Word of the Day: WUSHU (Chinese martial arts, collectively) —
Hello! It is I, Amy Reynaldo, formerly known as Orange, longtime crossword blogger. Rex and I used to talk about writing each other's posts and mimicking one another's style, but it just seemed too much like we would be savagely parodying each other rather than demonstrating our mastery of writing in another's voice. (Wait. Is there a difference?) Anyway, I have taken Jeffrey's instructions to heart. I was going to refuse to use the word "wacky" but did you see what happened? Croce done gone and put it in his puzzle! [Like the Three Stooges], they're WACKY all right, but I bet a lot of pencil-and-paper solvers will declare them WACKO today.
Two consecutive Saturday NYTs by the same constructor is a little weird to see, right? I really did not find the wavelength in this puzzle. All sorts of things just looking foreign to me. Like 23d, [1982 Donald Fagen hit subtitled "What a Beautiful World"]. I.G.Y.?? What the...? I was a big consumer of pop and rock in 1982 and this thing, I've never heard of it. Ever. Just sort of an alienating experience. We've been talking a lot the last few days at Diary of a Crossword Fiend about (pop) culture and individual wheelhouses, and this puzzle mostly eluded me.
Mind you, there was a gimme that let me break into the grid. That was 16a: [Title bandit in a Verdi work], ERNANI. And I know this exclusively from crosswords, so it's less fun to fill it in. There may be those among you who think it is fun to have squares you can fill in right away because you've done so damn many crosswords already but that's just sick. And not the sort of "sick" the kids talk about these days, meaning "totally, like, rad and phat." I mean the sick sick.
Before I go all ranty, let me outline what I liked just fine in the Bullets:
There were, alas, more entries in the debit column.
I've never said "IT'S A NO-GO" (17a). STERE (41a) and TESLAS (43d) deliver one more Unit I've Never Used in Real Life than I like to see in a single puzzle (or maybe two more). ISTLE (2d: [Agave fiber]) is hardcore crosswordese. Burn that stuff in your ingle, yo. (Ingle is an archaic word meaning "fireplace." No habla ingles.) ISTLE makes APSES (49d) look fresh as a daisy. KNOWS ONE'S ONIONS (8d) is one of those phrases I've never heard anyone say and never read in a book. ENA (13a: [Disney doe]), meh. I wish S.DAK. (26d) would go away; we all just use "S.D." or "SD," let's be real. This LENS HOOD (37d: [Preventer of photographic glare])? Never heard of this thing and I can't say it sounds particularly exciting. Who is this Len fellow, anyway? He looks like a dork.
Signed, Amy Reynaldo, All-Powerful Creator and Goddess of CrossWorld
Relative difficulty: Definitely Saturdayish for me but that young punk Caleb Madison slayed it so maybe Fridayish for others, but I could totally see it flirting with impossibility for others. IN SUM, medium-challenging.
THEME: None
Word of the Day: WUSHU (Chinese martial arts, collectively) —
Per Wikipedia, but not the entry on wushu, "Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu or gung fu, are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China." Remember, karate and judo are Japanese, not Chinese, and they're the ones with senseis and dojos. Kung fu gives you Keith Carradine, implausibly.
Hello! It is I, Amy Reynaldo, formerly known as Orange, longtime crossword blogger. Rex and I used to talk about writing each other's posts and mimicking one another's style, but it just seemed too much like we would be savagely parodying each other rather than demonstrating our mastery of writing in another's voice. (Wait. Is there a difference?) Anyway, I have taken Jeffrey's instructions to heart. I was going to refuse to use the word "wacky" but did you see what happened? Croce done gone and put it in his puzzle! [Like the Three Stooges], they're WACKY all right, but I bet a lot of pencil-and-paper solvers will declare them WACKO today.
Two consecutive Saturday NYTs by the same constructor is a little weird to see, right? I really did not find the wavelength in this puzzle. All sorts of things just looking foreign to me. Like 23d, [1982 Donald Fagen hit subtitled "What a Beautiful World"]. I.G.Y.?? What the...? I was a big consumer of pop and rock in 1982 and this thing, I've never heard of it. Ever. Just sort of an alienating experience. We've been talking a lot the last few days at Diary of a Crossword Fiend about (pop) culture and individual wheelhouses, and this puzzle mostly eluded me.
Mind you, there was a gimme that let me break into the grid. That was 16a: [Title bandit in a Verdi work], ERNANI. And I know this exclusively from crosswords, so it's less fun to fill it in. There may be those among you who think it is fun to have squares you can fill in right away because you've done so damn many crosswords already but that's just sick. And not the sort of "sick" the kids talk about these days, meaning "totally, like, rad and phat." I mean the sick sick.
Before I go all ranty, let me outline what I liked just fine in the Bullets:
- 1a. [If ya get what I mean...], WINK, WINK, nudge, nudge. Didn't quite read the clue and had trouble finding the answer, but when the crossings put it together for me, I liked seeing it.
- 27a. AS GOOD AS GOLD ... but not as good as platinum.
- 42a. [1980s gangster sobriquet], THE TEFLON DON. Not, as it appears in the grid, The Tef London. Love the word "sobriquet." As in "Kingsford is a charcoal sobriquet."
- 56a. OLD NORSE! I'm fond of English words with Old Norse roots. Here's a list of them. The sleuth went berserk and ransacked his client's house. Awkward!
- 61a. Cute clue. [Complement from the chef?] is a SIDE DISH. Whereas a compliment from the chef is "Hey, baby, you're looking fi-i-ine tonight."
- 30d. WUSHU! [Chinese martial arts, collectively] is what that means. Good, because I've been wondering every time I drive past that Chicago Wushu joint. See? Crosswords really are educational. Don't call them up and ask if they can deliver the wushu pork.
- 57d. DUD is [One not going out with a bang?], as in a firecracker that refuses to blow up. Really, isn't that a gift? Those yahoos in San Diego who ruined the fireworks show this week by igniting three barges' worth of pyrotechnics in a matter of seconds could have used a few DUDs to interrupt their big "oops."
There were, alas, more entries in the debit column.I've never said "IT'S A NO-GO" (17a). STERE (41a) and TESLAS (43d) deliver one more Unit I've Never Used in Real Life than I like to see in a single puzzle (or maybe two more). ISTLE (2d: [Agave fiber]) is hardcore crosswordese. Burn that stuff in your ingle, yo. (Ingle is an archaic word meaning "fireplace." No habla ingles.) ISTLE makes APSES (49d) look fresh as a daisy. KNOWS ONE'S ONIONS (8d) is one of those phrases I've never heard anyone say and never read in a book. ENA (13a: [Disney doe]), meh. I wish S.DAK. (26d) would go away; we all just use "S.D." or "SD," let's be real. This LENS HOOD (37d: [Preventer of photographic glare])? Never heard of this thing and I can't say it sounds particularly exciting. Who is this Len fellow, anyway? He looks like a dork.
Signed, Amy Reynaldo, All-Powerful Creator and Goddess of CrossWorld
Jump accompanier? / SUN 7-8-12 / Actor Alain / Where "it's fun to stay" in a 1978 hit / Words heard at a birthday party
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Constructor: Joel Fagliano
Relative difficulty: Easy (= I didn't need to cheat)
THEME: "Make the Change" — Theme answers are homophones of common phrases in which the prefix "de" substitutes for "the," making you sound like a Damon Runyon character when you say them aloud. Fun! (I don't get the title, though; someone please explain it in the comments.)
Word of the Day: TIRANE (18A: Capital city formerly behind the Iron Curtain)
Although it was easyish, I slogged through this puzzle. For every gimme like AL QAEDA (95D: War on terror target) there was a stumper (at least to my sun-addled brain) like TSARS (86D: Old Russian line), which I wanted to be transportation-related. I don't blame Fagliano - the clues and fill were (mostly) fair - I just couldn't get on his wavelength. I enjoyed the theme answers, though, some of which made me LOL.
Theme answers:
Pam de Puzzler
Relative difficulty: Easy (= I didn't need to cheat)
THEME: "Make the Change" — Theme answers are homophones of common phrases in which the prefix "de" substitutes for "the," making you sound like a Damon Runyon character when you say them aloud. Fun! (I don't get the title, though; someone please explain it in the comments.)
Word of the Day: TIRANE (18A: Capital city formerly behind the Iron Curtain)
Tirana (indefinite form in Albanian: Tiranë; in the regional sub-dialect of Gheg Albanian: Tirona) is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania’s capital city in 1920 and has a population of 400,000, with metro area population of 763,634. The city is host to public institutions and private universities, and is the center of the political, economical, and cultural life of the country. (Wikipedia)• • •Hello Puzzle People! I am PAM (11A: "The Office" woman), subbing for Rex, who is in New Zealand. I am in Seattle, where it is not currently raining. You should visit. We have a new Ferris wheel, plus King Tut, and even a YMCA (26A: Where it's fun to stay, in a 1978 hit).
Although it was easyish, I slogged through this puzzle. For every gimme like AL QAEDA (95D: War on terror target) there was a stumper (at least to my sun-addled brain) like TSARS (86D: Old Russian line), which I wanted to be transportation-related. I don't blame Fagliano - the clues and fill were (mostly) fair - I just couldn't get on his wavelength. I enjoyed the theme answers, though, some of which made me LOL.
Theme answers:
- 22A: So happy you can't see straight? (BLINDED BY DELIGHT)
- 34A: Argument about a fork-tailed bird? (SWALLOW DEBATE)
- 50A: Circle above the airport? (PUT OFF DESCENT) - I prefer DESCENT OF A WOMAN, which would be fun to clue. (Hey lady, go write your own crossword! OK OK.)
- 70A: Making one's way down the corporate ladder? (GOING THROUGH DEMOTIONS)
- 88A: Breed hatred in? (TEACH TO DETEST) - My favorite; I am picturing Harry the Horse in a roundtable discussion on education reform.
- 110A: Woman who's the very best at saying no? (QUEEN OF DENIAL)
- 122A: Really enjoy giving specifics? (LIVE TO TELL DETAIL)
- 49A: Bear's cry (SELL) — Got stuck here, as I thought this was going to be a sports thing ...
- 129A: Get ready for a bomb, say (GO DEEP) — ... but this was the sports thing. All I could think of was "duck and cover."
- 77A and 67A: "That's not true!" (YOU LIE) — These two-part answers annoy me, especially when they're in the wrong order. There oughta be a law. YUP.
- 101A: Canterbury can (LOO) — Cute. I was thinking Middle English/Chaucer.
- 13D: Hair line? (MOHAWK) — I suppose. SNORT.
- 16D: Some are mean (STREETS) and 90D: Words heard at a birthday party (OPEN IT) — Couldn't get either of these but loved 'em once I did.
- 93D: Jump accompanier? (GERONIMO) — Fresh and funny.
- 103D: Combines (POOLS) — One of my many erasures. I had "pairs."
- 104D: One of the five Olympic rings (AFRICA) — I am mortified to admit I have no idea what the rings symbolize. I am guessing they are continents?
- 113D: Traffic Crossing ___ Bridge (Pioneering 1888 film footage) (LEEDS) — Yes, it's on YouTube!
Pam de Puzzler
Arabian Nights bird / MON 7-9-12 / Birthstone name of a Hitchcock film / Chris who won six U.S. Opens / Hits in dodgem cars
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Hello again from Rex Parker's BFFs Jenny and Liz! Rex is still enjoying his vacation in New Zealand, which from his pictures and descriptions, sounds amazing. For example, did you know that they have Starbucks in New Zealand? Rex has visited more than one! He is also enjoying working on a jigsaw puzzle because who wouldn't want to sit on a plane for what, 24 hours, and then sit down to do a jigsaw puzzle?!
Okay, on to the puzzle:
Constructor: C.W. Stewart (who we hear is "super cool," just like we are now that the power has been restored after last week's derecho (that we talked about last time), left many of us without power for up to 8 days, in 100+ degree temperatures. But we digress...)
Relative difficulty: Easy as pie, as in "Pie in July," one of our favorite things about this month (along with guest blogging for our bestie) when our favorite food store features reduced prices on pie for the whole month (we don't want to throw in any free plugs here, so let's just say that the pies at this store are usually so expensive it can feel like you're spending your "Whole Paycheck")
Anyway, on to the puzzle:
THEME: "intermission" — all of the theme answers contain words that can be preceded by the word "break". (As in what happened to the utility lines after the derecho hit... sorry it was quite traumatic)
Word of the Day: Schmo -
schmo, shmo [ʃməʊ]
n pl schmoes, shmoes
US slang a dull, stupid, or boring person
Once again, we've chosen a word that appears nowhere in the puzzle. But, since Rex referred to us as schmoes in one of his comments on last week's blog (where he described that he first met us "back when I accepted any old schmo as my FB friend"), we deduced that despite the definition above, in New Zealand-ese schmo obviously means BFF. Thanks Rex, we <3 you too!
Theme answers:
Bullets:
Signed, Jenny and Liz, Rex Parker's schmoes, er BFFs
Hello again from Rex Parker's BFFs Jenny and Liz! Rex is still enjoying his vacation in New Zealand, which from his pictures and descriptions, sounds amazing. For example, did you know that they have Starbucks in New Zealand? Rex has visited more than one! He is also enjoying working on a jigsaw puzzle because who wouldn't want to sit on a plane for what, 24 hours, and then sit down to do a jigsaw puzzle?! Okay, on to the puzzle:
Constructor: C.W. Stewart (who we hear is "super cool," just like we are now that the power has been restored after last week's derecho (that we talked about last time), left many of us without power for up to 8 days, in 100+ degree temperatures. But we digress...)
Relative difficulty: Easy as pie, as in "Pie in July," one of our favorite things about this month (along with guest blogging for our bestie) when our favorite food store features reduced prices on pie for the whole month (we don't want to throw in any free plugs here, so let's just say that the pies at this store are usually so expensive it can feel like you're spending your "Whole Paycheck")
Anyway, on to the puzzle:THEME: "intermission" — all of the theme answers contain words that can be preceded by the word "break". (As in what happened to the utility lines after the derecho hit... sorry it was quite traumatic)
Word of the Day: Schmo -
schmo, shmo [ʃməʊ]
n pl schmoes, shmoes
US slang a dull, stupid, or boring person
Once again, we've chosen a word that appears nowhere in the puzzle. But, since Rex referred to us as schmoes in one of his comments on last week's blog (where he described that he first met us "back when I accepted any old schmo as my FB friend"), we deduced that despite the definition above, in New Zealand-ese schmo obviously means BFF. Thanks Rex, we <3 you too!
Theme answers:
- 17A. [Attorney-to-be] - Law Student
- 24A. [Transaction at Chase or Wells Fargo] - Bank Deposit
- 38A. [Rachel Maddow or Rush Limbaugh] - News Commentator
- 46A. [Def Jam or EMI] - Record Label
- 59A. [You might carry a bucket to one at a hotel] - Ice Machine
Bullets:
- 32A. SAME [Identical] — yes, we are, and yes sometimes we know what the other one is thinking but no, if you hit one of us the other one can't feel it
- 46D. RAVES [All-night party] — of note only because this was an answer in last week's puzzle too. Neither of us have ever attended one, but perhaps something in the universe is suggesting that we do...?
- 54D. CHAR [Blacken on the grill] — it was so freaking hot here all last week that you didn't need a grill to blacken your steak, the sidewalk would have easily done it. In fact, it was so hot that the chickens that live in Liz's backyard were laying hard-boiled eggs! (ba dum dum)
Signed, Jenny and Liz, Rex Parker's schmoes, er BFFs
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Great Price Hipstreet IPOD3KIT for $3.40
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 26, 2012 18:12:41
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- Car Charger,
- Cable
USB Travel Kit with Car Charger, Travel Adapter & Cable for Apple iPod Overview
3 IN 1 iPOD iPHONE CHARGER KIT
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 26, 2012 18:12:41
Check Out Apple iPod classic 80 GB Silver (6th Generation) OLD MODEL
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Music
Use the Click Wheel to adjust volume, navigate songs, browse in Cover Flow, or explore the Music menu by playlist, artist, album, song, genre, composer, and more. Want to mix things up? Click Shuffle Songs. iPod classic makes your music look as good as it sounds, thanks to its big, bright, color display.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 29, 2012 00:36:40
Apple iPod classic 80 GB Silver (6th Generation) OLD MODEL Best
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Apple iPod classic 80 GB Silver (6th Generation) OLD MODEL Feature
- iPod classic puts your entire music and video collection in your pocket with 80 GB of storage
- An enhanced interface offers a whole new way to browse and view your music and video
- Cover Flow technology lets you use the patented Click Wheel to flip through your music by album cover
- Beautifully designed, iPod classic features a sleek, all-metal enclosure
- 2.5-inch display; measures 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.41 inches (H x W x D), weighs 4.9 ounces
Apple iPod classic 80 GB Silver (6th Generation) OLD MODEL Overview
With 80 GB of storage, iPod classic gives your music and video room to move. It also has plenty of energy (up to 40 hours of audio playback), good looks (a sleek, all-metal design), and a great personality (a brand-new interface with Cover Flow). In other words, iPod classic makes an ideal companion.Cover Flow
If a picture says a thousand words, think of what all the album art in your collection might say. With Cover Flow on iPod classic, you can flip through your music to find the album you want to hear. Use the Click Wheel to browse music by album cover, then select an album to flip it over and see the track list.
 With 80GB or 160GB of storage, iPod classic gives your music and video room to move. View iPod classic dimensions. |
 Up to 40 hours of audio playback in the palm of your hand. View larger. |
 Thinner and more compact than ever. |
Use the Click Wheel to adjust volume, navigate songs, browse in Cover Flow, or explore the Music menu by playlist, artist, album, song, genre, composer, and more. Want to mix things up? Click Shuffle Songs. iPod classic makes your music look as good as it sounds, thanks to its big, bright, color display.
Movies
Buy movies from the iTunes Store and you can sync them to your iPod classic to watch anywhere, anytime. The gorgeous 2.5-inch display makes your movies pop. And iPod classic keeps you entertained for up to 7 hours. Long flight or darkened room? Adjust the brightness for even more video playback time.
TV Shows
There's always something good on iPod classic. Browse thousands of episodes of your favorite TV shows on the iTunes Store, buy them for just .99 each, then sync them to iPod classic. Watch last night's episodes this morning, or buy a whole TV series and play a pocket-size marathon.
Podcasts
The iTunes Store features thousands of free video and audio podcasts, including indie favorites and offerings from such big names as ABC News, Comedy Central, ESPN, PBS, NPR, and many more. Browse and subscribe to podcasts, then sync them to your iPod classic. You can even play video podcasts on TV using an optional Apple component or composite AV cable.
Audiobooks
The digital shelves of the iTunes Store are stocked with thousands of audiobooks--including exclusives like the entire Harry Potter series--so you can catch up on your reading wherever iPod classic takes you. iPod classic recognizes where you left off and bookmarks your place. You can even adjust the reading speed to suit you.
Games
Put hours of fun at your fingertips. iPod classic comes with three games--Vortex, iQuiz, and Klondike--and you can download more from the iTunes Store for .99 each. All iPod games are designed specifically for the iPod interface. And all of them look great on the 2.5-inch color display.
Photos
iPod classic holds up to 25,000 photos you can sync from your Mac or PC via iTunes. Use the Click Wheel to scroll through photo thumbnails the same way you scroll through song titles. To see a photo full screen, click the center button. You can even view photo slideshows--complete with music and transitions--on iPod classic or on a TV using an optional Apple component or composite AV cable.
Search
With up to 40,000 songs on your iPod classic, you need an easy way to search your collection. A built-in search function lets you use the Click Wheel to type out the name of the song, artist, album, audiobook, or podcast you're looking for. iPod classic returns results instantly as you select letters.
Extras
Calendars, contacts, and a clock appear in the Extras menu, along with a few more handy items. Take the screen lock, for example. Spin the Click Wheel to choose a four-digit combination and protect your iPod classic from prying eyes. If you forget your combination, just reset when you sync. Or use the built-in stopwatch to log your best times.
Customer Reviews
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 29, 2012 00:36:40
Great Price Apple MA146LL/A for
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 02, 2012 11:16:54
Apple 30 GB iPod with Video Playback Black (5th Generation) Best
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Apple 30 GB iPod with Video Playback Black (5th Generation) Feature
- Stores up to 7,500 songs, 20,000 photos, or 75 hours of video playback
- 2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight
- Up to 14 hours of music playback , up to 3 hours of slideshows with music , up to 2 hours of video playback.
- Comes with earbud headphones and USB cable
- Compatible with Mac OS X v10.3.9 or later, Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later, or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later
Apple 30 GB iPod with Video Playback Black (5th Generation) Overview
Witness the evolution of the revolution. First it played songs. Then photos. Then podcasts. Now iPod plays video, changing the way you experience your music and more. Again.The Apple Click Wheel gives you access to your entire music, photo and video library from one thumb. Control volume and browse using the touch-sensitive surface. Play. Pause. Rewind and fast-forward. Rate your favorites. Create playlists on the go. Launch photo slideshows. The Click Wheel puts everything at your fingertips, so you can keep your eyes and ears on the music.Customer Reviews
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 02, 2012 11:16:54
How to get your Ipod into diskmode and stay in diskmode. New technique!
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How to get your Ipod into diskmode and stay in diskmode. New technique! Video Clips. Duration : 6.17 Mins.
fixyouripod.weebly.com In my other video i show you a technique on how to get your ipod into disk mode and stay in diskmode. However for some this hasn't worked depending on the situation of your ipod. This is a new technique on how to get and stay in diskmode so you can restore your ipod to factory settings and get it working again. Was this video helpful? have any other Ipod issues that need a quick fix? Check out my other Ipod fix videos at http
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fixyouripod.weebly.com In my other video i show you a technique on how to get your ipod into disk mode and stay in diskmode. However for some this hasn't worked depending on the situation of your ipod. This is a new technique on how to get and stay in diskmode so you can restore your ipod to factory settings and get it working again. Was this video helpful? have any other Ipod issues that need a quick fix? Check out my other Ipod fix videos at http
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Great Price Apple MC297LL/A for $229.00
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 08, 2012 16:29:25
Apple iPod classic 160 GB Black (7th Generation) NEWEST MODEL Best
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Apple iPod classic 160 GB Black (7th Generation) NEWEST MODEL Feature
- 160 GB capacity for 40,000 songs, 25,000 photos, or 200 hours of video
- Up to 36 hours of music playback or 6 hours of video playback when fully charged
- 2.5-inch color LCD with LED backlight and 320 x 240 pixel resolution
- Supports AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV audio formats
- Highly recyclable aluminum and stainless steel enclosure
Apple iPod classic 160 GB Black (7th Generation) NEWEST MODEL Overview
The new iPod classic comes with 160GB of storage in the same compact size, making it the take-everything-everywhere iPod. It's available in quintessential silver or striking black. iPod classic also has plenty of battery life (up to 36 hours of audio playback or 6 hours of video playback), good looks (a sleek, anodized aluminum design), and other great features (Cover Flow and Genius playlists for creating perfect playlists). You can even rent a movie from iTunes and watch it on the go.
 iPod classic is the take-everything-everywhere iPod. Click to enlarge. |
Your Top 40,000
Meet a Musical Genius
Say you're listening to a song you really like and want to hear other tracks that go great with it. With a few clicks, the Genius feature finds the songs in your library that go great together and makes a Genius playlist for you. You can listen to the playlist right away, save it for later, or even refresh it and give it another go. Count on Genius to create a mix you wouldn't have thought of yourself.
Hold Everything
iPod classic gives you 160GB of storage capacity, good for up to 40,000 songs, 200 hours of video, 25,000 photos, or any combination. And you get up to 36 hours of battery life, so you can keep on rocking for a long, long time.
With 160GB of space, iPod classic means you can always have your entire music and movie library with you. Carry it from the living room to a party in the backyard. Or take it on a cross-country road trip and never listen to the same song twice.
Click to Enjoy
Finding exactly what you want to watch or listen to is easy. Use the Click Wheel to browse by album art with Cover Flow or navigate your songs and videos by playlist, artist, album, genre, and more. You can also search for specific titles and artists. Want to mix things up? Click Shuffle Songs for a different experience every time.
Watch Movies and TV Shows
The vivid 2.5-inch display makes video come alive. Purchase or rent movies, buy TV shows, and download video podcasts from the iTunes Store, then sync them to your iPod classic to watch anywhere, anytime.
 Available in quintessential silver or striking black. Click to enlarge. |
Play iPod Games
Put hours of fun at your fingertips. iPod classic comes with three games--Vortex, iQuiz, and Klondike--and you can purchase games such as Cake Mania from the iTunes Store. All iPod games are designed specifically for the iPod interface.
Share Your Photos
iPod classic uses iTunes to sync the photos you have in iPhoto on a Mac. You can view photo slideshows complete with music and transitions on iPod classic, or play them on a TV using an optional Apple component or composite AV cable.
Reduced Environmental Impact
iPod classic embodies Apple's continuing environmental progress. It is designed with the following features to reduce environmental impact:
- Arsenic-free display glass
- BFR-free
- Mercury-free LED-backlit display
- PVC-free
- Highly recyclable aluminum and stainless steel enclosure
What's in the Box
Apple iPod classic 160 GB Black (7th Generation), Earphones, USB 2.0 cable, Dock adapter, Quick Start guide
Customer Reviews
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 08, 2012 16:29:25
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Tureen accessories / TUE 7-3-12 / Jewel box contents / Darling of baseball / Italian fashion house / Figure in a Rimsky-Korsakov opera / Hockey player Bobby / Princeton Review coursework
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Constructor: Robyn Weintraub
Relative difficulty: NOT BAD
THEME: INSTERTION — that is, creating a new phrase by adding [STER] to the middle or end of a well-known phrase or name
Word of the Day: THANE (50D: Macbeth's title) —
Hello there! =0
Marvin here, filling in for Rex while he's on the other side of the world, in New Zealand.
This puzzle didn't strike me as particularly hard for a Tuesday; I cruised right through without any stumpers or overwrites, and the most likely words to cause a logjam (i.e. the three-letter sports names ORR and RON) were adequately crossed.
Gimmes were legion, from ARLO (16A: Singer Guthrie) all the way down to DORA (55D: Animated "Explorer").
Theme answers:
There isn't a whole lot of consistency in how the theme is applied (add letters in the middle? at the end? phrases into phrases? names into phrases? names into phrases with names?), and I suspect if Rex were here, he'd come out with guns blazing, but the answers themselves aren't bad and I find it hard to hate when the pun-tacular YO-YO MA[STER] is the final pun-chline.
That said, today did feel a little flat with the cluing, with so many words clued in an 'obvious' way (cf. DOG (1D: Toto, for one), CART (41D: Golfer's vehicle)) that felt like missed opportunities, even by Monday standards. I had visions of Siem REAP (not far from LAOS) and Fort TRYON Park dancing in my dreams soon after finishing.
On a better note, the fill was surprisingly straightforward, with only ATRA (20A: Razor brand) and AFIRE (35D: Burning) meriting a raised eyebrow.
Bullets:
And there you have it! Mooching off Rex's fame for a day is a dream come true (see right). The parade of magical mystery bloggers continues tomorrow.
See you soon, hopefully!
Signed, Marvin, THANE of CrossWorld
(because Governor General was taken)
Relative difficulty: NOT BAD
THEME: INSTERTION — that is, creating a new phrase by adding [STER] to the middle or end of a well-known phrase or name
Word of the Day: THANE (50D: Macbeth's title) —
• • •The term thegn (or thane or thayn in Shakespearean English), from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves. It is also the term for an early medieval Scandinavian class of retainers. (wikipedia)
Hello there! =0
Marvin here, filling in for Rex while he's on the other side of the world, in New Zealand.
This puzzle didn't strike me as particularly hard for a Tuesday; I cruised right through without any stumpers or overwrites, and the most likely words to cause a logjam (i.e. the three-letter sports names ORR and RON) were adequately crossed.
Gimmes were legion, from ARLO (16A: Singer Guthrie) all the way down to DORA (55D: Animated "Explorer").
Theme answers:
- GO TEAM[STER] (17A: Cheer to an interstate trucker?)
- WEB[STER] BROWSER (28A: One who peruses the dictionary?)
- MINI[STER] COOPER (45A: Newsman Anderson with a theology degree?)
- YO-YO MA[STER] (59A: One who's very good at rocking the cradle?)
There isn't a whole lot of consistency in how the theme is applied (add letters in the middle? at the end? phrases into phrases? names into phrases? names into phrases with names?), and I suspect if Rex were here, he'd come out with guns blazing, but the answers themselves aren't bad and I find it hard to hate when the pun-tacular YO-YO MA[STER] is the final pun-chline.That said, today did feel a little flat with the cluing, with so many words clued in an 'obvious' way (cf. DOG (1D: Toto, for one), CART (41D: Golfer's vehicle)) that felt like missed opportunities, even by Monday standards. I had visions of Siem REAP (not far from LAOS) and Fort TRYON Park dancing in my dreams soon after finishing.
On a better note, the fill was surprisingly straightforward, with only ATRA (20A: Razor brand) and AFIRE (35D: Burning) meriting a raised eyebrow.
Bullets:
- 25A: "Sometimes you feel like ___" (A NUT) — "...sometimes you don't." From the Almond Joy/Mounds ads. A gimme if you remember the commercials, a possible head-scratcher if you don't.
- 27A: Word repeated in both James Bond and Justin Bieber film titles (NEVER) — My first thought was BABY but that didn't line up with Bond or the five-letter blank.
- 58A: Commotions (ADOS) — This, crossed with the Macbeth-clued THANE, lent a decidedly Shakespearean flavor to the SW corner.
- 6D: Jewel box contents (CDS) — Initially thought GEM, but I didn't trust it and the clue suggested a plural. Had to get it on crosses; I usually think of the CD holders as 'jewel cases', not boxes.
- 10D: Tureen accessories (LADLES) — Notable mainly for the five-dollar word in the clue; I only learned it a couple months ago from reading The Hunger Games, which, oddly enough, has a disturbing fascination with tureens.
- 29D: U-turn from NNE (SSW) — A departure from the usual geographical compass clues, but as noted above, one requiring much less brain power than usual.
- 36D: In medias ___ (RES) — One of those where you either know it or you don't (or you know enough Latin to BS your way through). I mostly remember it from Alan W. Pollack's musicological analysis of the Beatles' "Girl".
And there you have it! Mooching off Rex's fame for a day is a dream come true (see right). The parade of magical mystery bloggers continues tomorrow.See you soon, hopefully!
Signed, Marvin, THANE of CrossWorld
(because Governor General was taken)
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