google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday, May 9, 2011 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

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May 9, 2011

Monday, May 9, 2011 Marti DuGuay-Carpenter

Theme: Starting Anew - The beginning of the first three long theme answers are synonyms of "New". 

20A. Good reason to reopen a closed case : FRESH EVIDENCE

25A. Broad genre that began in Van Gogh's time : MODERN ART

49A. Original thought : NOVEL IDEA

54A. Title of Obama's 2009 Cairo speech, and what 20-, 25- and 49-Across have in common: : A NEW BEGINNING

Argyle here. Despite the theme title, I didn't find this to be FRESH, MODERN, NOVEL OR A NEW BEGINNING but it is a Monday after all.

Across:

1. Edible bow ties : PASTA

6. Largemouth fish : BASS and 16A. Shimmery sushi fish : OPAH

10. Places : PUTS

14. Twitter message : TWEET

15. Provoke : RILE

17. God of Islam : ALLAH

18. "Happy Gilmore" actor Sandler : ADAM

19. Song sung alone : SOLO

23. Intent : AIM

24. Former franc fraction : SOU. Alliteration in the clue.

31. Important purchase for a bride : DRESS

35. "__ Fideles": Christmas carol : ADESTE

36. Miami University state : OHIO

38. "Figured it out!" : "A-HA!"

39. Emeralds and diamonds : GEMS

40. Enlarge, as a road : WIDEN

42. Elvis __ Presley : ARON

43. "Who am __ judge?" : I TO. Unless your first name is Lance.

44. Unit of force : DYNE and 53A. Joule fraction : ERG. DYNE is defined as "the force required to accelerate a mass of one gram at a rate of one centimetre per second squared". A joule is equal to the energy expended in applying a force of one newton through a distance of one metre, or in passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second. An ERG is the amount of work done by a force of one dyne exerted for a distance of one centimeter.(And I'm as confused as ever.)

45. Natural ability : TALENT

47. __ Rica : COSTA. Central America.

51. LAX or JFK, for American Airlines : HUB

61. Festive party : GALA

62. Tree house? : NEST

63. Spine-chilling : EERIE

66. Like Homer's "Iliad" : EPIC

67. Hudson Bay native : CREE

68. Furnish with more weapons : REARM

69. Eraser crumb site : DESK

70. Pay attention to : HEED

71. Eyelid woes : STYES

Down:

1. "Harper Valley __" : PTA. A country song written by Tom T. Hall and was a major hit single for country singer Jeannie C. Riley in 1968, and crossed over to the pop charts.

2. Hole-making tool : AWL

3. Ego : SELF

4. Rip : TEAR

5. Deep down inside : AT HEART

6. Rodeo bull : BRAHMA. Image. I don't think most bucking Brahmas are purebred but mixed parentage.

7. White House staffer : AIDE

8. Pole or Czech : SLAV

9. Big rigs : SEMIS

10. One who puts on airs : POSEUR. The French spelling gives POSER a more fraudulent touch.

11. Atop : UPON

12. Soft rock : TALC

13. Horse's footwear : SHOE

21. Muscular : SINEWY

22. Birdbrain, or extinct bird : DODO. Talk about a strange bird.

25. Hocus-pocus : MAGIC

26. Words that start many Keats titles : ODE TO

27. Band samples : DEMOS

28. Twisty road curve : ESS

29. Beverly Hills's __ Drive : RODEO

30. Alexander-Great link : THE

32. Like some seals : EARED

33. Glistened : SHONE

34. Rudolph's boss : SANTA. Ho-ho-ho! Rudolph has to be reminded who's boss sometimes, the poseur.

37. Apprentice : INTERN

41. B&B : INN. Bed and Breakfast

42. Baba who tangled with thieves : ALI. Yes he tangled with forty thieves but he wasn't one of them.

44. Slap on, as paint : DAUB. Not comfortable with this one. DAUB would indicate a small amount as opposed to "slap on" meaning an abundance of paint.

46. Casbah city : ALGIERS. Algeria's capital. Map.

48. Hitting sound : THWACK

50. Blew off steam : VENTED

52. Where second stringers sit : BENCH. First stringers are in the game.

54. Like fine wine : AGED

55. Scruff : NAPE

56. Yale alumni : ELIs

57. Richard of "Chicago" : GERE

58. Words of understanding : I SEE

59. Hair removal brand : NEET

60. Cloudy : GRAY

64. Anger : IRE

65. Letters after els : EMS


Argyle

66 comments:

Dennis said...

Good morning, Argyle, C.C. and gang - what a nice surprise, getting another of Marti's puzzles. Although this was a real Monday speed run, I got a smile out of several of the clues. I agree with Argyle, there wasn't a lot 'fresh' or 'new' about the puzzle, but as he also pointed out, it is a Monday, and the puzzle's probably been dumbed down quite a bit to fit that difficulty (or lack of it) level.

Right off the bat, I liked 'edible bow ties'/'pasta'. And did anyone else notice the answer to 43A, 'Who am ___judge?' -- 'I to' -- is also Ito, as in Judge Ito. The one answer that gave me pause was the same one Argyle didn't care for, and it appears we're both wrong. I too thought 'daub' implied a small amount, but the definition is 'to cover or coat'; no mention of quantity. And I've always had a problem with 'sinewy', even though I know it can mean muscular, but to me, it's always meant something stringy or tough.

Marti, got more in the pipeline?

Today is Lost Sock Memorial Day, and National Train Day.

Did You Know?:

- Cochineal and carminic acid, popular colorants used to impart a deep red shade to fruit juices, gelatins, ice creams and candies, are made from ground beetles. Try to get that out of your head.

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, Argyle, HeartRX and Friends. I found this to be a fun Monday puzzle. Not a speed-run for me, but a good Monday puzzle nonetheless. As an attorney, I appreciated the FRESH EVIDENCE.

I also liked the shout-outs to DODO, who is neither extinct nor a birdbrain, and the Shout-out to our Constructor = AT HEART.

My favorite clue was Eraser Crumb Site = DESK. (My Lap, which is were the crumbs seem to ultimately end up, was too many letters!)

Hope all along the Mississippi are safe from flooding. The spillways in Louisiana will be opened this week to divert some of the waters.

QOD: Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong. ~ Winston Churchill

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Typical Monday speed run for me as well. I lost a little traction in the SE where I initially put ALGERIA instead of ALGIERS, but that didn't slow me down for very long.

I don't know if I knew that Miami University was in OHIO (got it easily via the perps), but hopefully I'll remember it for next time.

Anonymous said...

I'm not comfortable with the clue "God of Islam". It implies that it is a different god. Allah is simply the way to say "god" in Arabic

Mainiac said...

Morning Argyle, CC and All,

A Monday speed run for me as well. I spelled sinewy wrong (with a u, duh) which was my only erasing. Well done Marti!

Hope everyone had a good Mother's Day! My wife worked my butt off.

Have a good one.

Spitzboov said...

Good morning Argyle and all.

I agree with Argyle about the puzzle. POSEUR was a new word for me but I would be putting on airs if I used it. The rest was quite routine with hardly a pause on the way through. No strikethroughs or look-ups.

Enjoy the day.

windhover said...

Congratulations again, Marti. I predict that, as with C.C., after a few more puzzles it will no longer be fresh (as in surprising and new) to see one of our own published. It will still be fun, though.

Argyle:
That would be Tom T. Hall of Olive Hill, Kentucky, who has written a lot of great country songs. Most of them, like Harper Valley, would be classified as folk songs if that were a marketable genre.

Lemonade714 said...

Hey Marti, Argyle and gang:

And way we go, with our home grown creative force. Thanks, for the fun Monday, and for all those of you who wonder about different eye things (a present obsession of mine) here is a primer in the STYE and CHALAZION . Have a great week

Dick said...

Good morning Argyle and all, like the others today was the Monday speed run, However, I did pause in the west center when I kept reading band as bank and could not figure what bank samples would be. Oh well, maybe someday I will learn to read.

Not much else to comment on so I will get outside and enjoy the warm sun shiny day.

Have a great day everyone.

kazie said...

For me a veritable speed run, but don't ask how fast--breakfast always puts at least some brakes/breaks on my speed.

DAUB didn't worry me at all. It's not the same as DAB--think of the way Van Gogh had daubs of think texture in his work as opposed to the normal smooth surface of other artists. Think of a house painter that slaps it on rather than taking care not to drip or splash.

Marti/HeartRx,
Congratulations on another fine puzzle. Just right for a Monday!

Abejo said...

Good Morning, folks. Thanks, Marti, for a good start to the week. Thanks, Argyle, for the write-up and comments.

Zipped through this quickly on the bus. Had to borrow a pen because I forgot mine.

Got SOU and POSEUR wrong. Had an "E" instead of the "U." Two french words crossing each other. Not my cup of tea. Of course, I did not know the 10D word was french. Oh well.

I think we had the NEET word a week or so ago. Is that the one that is out of business? Don't use the stuff. My hair fell out naturally.

EARED Seals? Is that an animal? Or a mechanical device?

We had AWL over the weekend, I think yesterday.

We had CASBAH a couple weeks ago, only that was the answer, not the clue.

Seen you tomorrow.

Abejo

kazie said...

Van Gogh's thick--not think texture! Why don't I see things like that before I post?

Husker Gary said...

A year ago we were preparing to go to Memphis and Nashville and my heart breaks to see what is happening there now!

Musings
-No POSEUR our Marti! Lovely job!
-Everyday seems to bring a story of somebody who thinks their every thought needs to be TWEETed to a breathless world! As the old saying goes, “It is better to remain silent and have people think you a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt!”
-I don’t think bin Laden is who ALLAH had in mind!
-Lance ITO was one of the main supporting players in an American tragedy
-Ergs and Dynes and Joules, oh my!
-I loved the Harper Valley PTA song. Garrison Keillor has made a living poking fun at such small town hypocrisy.
-Is Ode ON or TO the Grecian Urn?
-Hal DAUB was a very active Omaha mayor who was instrumental in revitalizing The Omaha Riverfront!
-Which was worst? Brando in Guys and Dolls or Gere in Chicago?
-Off we go to see Pella, Iowa’s tulips!

creature said...

Good Morning C.C., Argyle and all,

Argyle- clever write-up-thanks; Rudolph, a POSEUR,Ha Ha.

Yes it is a Monday puzzle- fast, but fun. Like Barry, my first thought was Algeria. Keep it up, Marti.

Had a super Mother's Day with daughters and granddaughters for manicures and pedicures and a 'chick'flick. S-I-L had dinner ready and wine chilled, when we returned. Sons,away, called. Lots to be thankful for.

Have a nice day everyone.

mtnest995 said...

Great job, Marti and Argyle. A virtual speed run for me. Favorite clue was tree house? - nest! My only problem was my pen which is low on ink and it made it difficult to read my own writing when I checked the perps.

Nice to see one of the regulars constructing another fun puzzle. I have such brilliant friends here!

Have a great Monday, everyone.

Hahtoolah said...

Argyle: how could I have forgotten that Martin also gave you a Shout-Out in this puzzle, too. SANTA!

One with a bit Ego might be a Poseur.

My engagement ring had emeralds and diamonds. It was a family heirloom. Unfortunately, it was stolen when my house was broken into several years ago.

Tinbeni said...

Fun Monday speed run.

Fave part was the "shout-out" to Argyle ... SANTA.

Dennis, I-TO noticed that Judge-Ito thingy.

Hahtoolah said...

Sorry, Marti. Spell checker changed your name and gender.

Jim in Norfolk said...

Even I was able to sail through today's offering, except that I had to get the u in sou from my wife.

Tom T. Hall was known as Pee Wee Hall when he was starting out. He played occasionally at our drive-in theater during intermission, using an old flat-bed truck for a stage. He also worked as a radio announcer at our local radio station, WMOR.

He was an awful announcer, and I was stunned when I heard him do the Chevy truck ads. What a big, beautiful voice he developed!

Locals always thought that Harper Valley was really Pleasant Valley, a small community near Olive Hill.

I used to take the train to see my cousin who lived near there, and the conductors all called it "Oliver's Knob".

Splynter said...

Hi There~!

Good to see HeartRX on the title line again, and this one was good for a Monday, as I went through quickly, and hardly noticed the theme connection.

I am in the "meh" group on DAUB, too, and Argyle, you had me laughing with Rudolph, that "POSEUR".

Splynter

HeartRx said...

Good Morning Argyle, C.C. et al.

Would you believe, I did not realize this was my own puzzle today, and started solving it? I really should glance at the constructor's name before I start!

Dennis, yes - I had two more accepted by Rich. No idea when they will be published, but they won't be a Mon or Tues level.

I’m glad everyone picked up on the “shout-outs”. But I hope Dodo doesn’t take offense at the clue, as she is certainly neither a bird-brain nor extinct…

Vidwan827 said...

Great job, Marti - another beauty that I really enjoyed. A wonderful Monday. Loved it !.

Gentle note to Argyle - I respect you greatly, but jeez, could you be a little kinder to one of our own.

The puzzle was fun - I love Mondays, and tho' I dont watch Prez. Obama or his speeches, the theme was fairly self-evident. I also, finally found out what 'Poseur' actually means.

I realize that most of the contributors here are giants in their own right - I am humbled - must be more careful with my own posts - the person following me, may be the original cruciverbalist.

And a shout out to our 'Dodo' - one of my personal favorite contributors, who seems to feel neglected, for some reason. Keep that chin up, you are a Very Important Person !

I liked how 'Brahma' almost crossed 'Allah'... more on that later.

HeartRx said...

Part II:

The only clue I was really disappointed to see changed was 65A EMS. I had clued it as “Mamma Mia” quartet? But that’s too tricky for a Monday, I guess. BTW, I had “Zebu bull” for BRAHMA, not “Rodeo bull”. I think that was a mistake to change it, because the answer to 29D was RODEO.

I have a new-found respect for constructors who create Monday puzzles. You are very limited in the vocabulary you can use on these. Every word has to be “vanilla”, so half of the constructors’ choices are thrown out the window, and it’s a real challenge to get clean fill.

But I hope you all enjoy it!

carol said...

Hi all -

Perfect Monday puzzle Marti/HeartRx :)
I really enjoyed it.

Loved 1A...edible bow ties/pasta. I should fix those, I usually just opt for penne or wide noodles when not using traditional spaghetti. Gotta love pasta!

I've always thought the pronouncing of 29D RODEO (RO DAY O) as opposed to (RO DEE O)as pretentious.

Vidwan827 said...

Brahmas and Rodeos - (all from Wiki, unless I just made it up ....)

Brahmas are a brand of Zebu cattle (Bos Primigenius indicus) - originally from India. Curiously, the name itself was created by the Secy, of the American Brahma Breeders Assn (!). Ironically, they are best known for their gentle (!), docile and intelligent (??) nature - per Wiki - they are also capable of withstanding heat, more than their European counterparts, because of their surfeit of sweat glands. Well. how did they become so aggressive ? - for that, you may want to read up on steroids....

Brahma ( or Brahman )- the original name - is the Hindu god of Creation - a sort of 'super' God or a 'proto' God - on par with Allah or Yahweh ( spell ?).... who is generally NOT worshiped, in his own right. Why not ? - well, lets say, Hinduism is a conundrum of logic. For those really, really interested - read it from the Wiki.

Have a nice day, and a great week, you all.

Argyle said...

No disingenuous poseur am I.

Argyle said...

Lessening of criticism lessons any praise.

Grumpy 1 said...

Good morning, Argyle, C.C. and Corner Campers all. Congratulations, Marti, for a fun start to the week. Even for a Monday, I was momentarily misled a couple of times. 'Edible bowties' hmmm, not Penne, what other PASTA only has five letters? DOH! I just answered my own question. 'Shimmery fish'... I know fish can be plural, so eels might work. Better check the downs, though. Other than those, it was a very smooth trip through the grid from top to bottom.

Dudley said...

Hello Puzzlers - Hat off to you, Marti! A nice smooth Monday project.

Today's learning moment has to do with Slavs. A quick look at Wiki has shown me that Slavic people occupy way more real estate than I ever suspected!

Cheers.

Clear Ayes said...

Good Morning All, Yay for Marti. The puzzle may not have been Friday tough, but even Monday construction is way beyond my skills. I am in awe of AWL whose brains are wired to do this.

I loved it when I got an AHA moment with I TO / Judge ITO.

Marti got me on DAUB too. I had it confused with dab. The wattle and daub wall sure looks like it is being covered completely.

Nice blogging, Argyle.

New tires this morning. Got to get going.

HeartRx said...

Argyle @9:44, well said! I really appreciate your honesty, and it would be unfair to expect anything less. Thanks!

Bill G. said...

A fun puzzle and writeup. Thanks.

Yesterday there was some discussion of the "I'm a little teapot" song. This is the version I enjoyed in college.

I would start with both arms on my hips. I would start singing, "I'm a little teapot, short and stout." Then I would look to the left singing, "Here is my handle." Then I would look to the right while singing, "Here is my ...?"

Then I would exclaim, "Oh hell... I'm a sugarbowl!"

Well, it seemed funny at the time.

So what's the problem with FireFox 4.0?

Anonymous said...

Good morning everyone.

Great to find that our own HeartRx/Marti constructed this fine puzzle. It was easy enough for me to appreciate Mondays. Thank you.

Argyle, great write up. Thank you, too.

Cheers

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

Marti,
The fact that so many had a speed run proved that you did a brilliant job finding the right Monday fill. Very clean grid. Great I TO clue. I liked the unifier too.

Bill G,
My old Firefox allows me to have a uniform font size in all the websites I view or use. Not the new one.

Anonymous said...

Alternate QOD: This time of the year makes me blue. Ten years ago, I lost my wife. I'll never forget that poker game. - Henny Youngman

Chickie said...

Hola Everyone, A speed run for me today, as well. I did enjoy filling in our Dodo's name. But as Hatool so aptly put it, She is no birdbrain nor extinct! For sure!

Congratulations Marti, on another published puzzle. The Corner is becoming a veritable talent pool of constructors! Well done.

I, too, thought Eraser crumb site was clever. Also, Poseur was a fun change from Poser which we see fairly often.

Eerie gave me Neet not Nair. Needed to see that E to continue.

I hope all the mothers here had a lovely Mother's Day.

Dennis said...

I hope all the mothers here had a lovely Mother's Day.

Thanks, Chickie -- yes I did.

Lucina said...

Good day, SANTA, C.C. and all.

Congratulations, Marti on another puzzle! Great job! As C.C. said, if it's a speed run for us, it's a winner for you. Smart to fit your name in there, too, A HEART.

I enjoyed the cluing, quick, but fun. Ditto on I TO, the judge, and SOU crossing POSEUR. Tree house, NEST was my fav, too.

Carol:
RODEO is an actual Spanish word and RO DAY O is the Spanish pronunciation. RO DI O is the English adaptation.

I hope your Monday is wonderful!

Jeannie said...

Nice job Marti! I was wondering when we were due for one of your puzzles. It must be just as hard to make a Monday level puzzle as it is to make a Friday level puzzle. The one crossing I had trouble with was Sou and Poseur. That French gets me all the time. Other than that, there were a couple I probably wouldn’t have gotten like brahma and Dyne but were all obtainable by the perps. This was a nice way to spend my lunch hour. Thanks!

Dennis, I’ll never eat any red jello ever again!!

Mainiac said...

Dennis, Someone actually calls you Mom??

From the Mainiac believe it or not...
One of the local lobstermen is nicknamed Mother, and its used so often I forget his real name.

Anonymous said...

Its Aaron not Aron for 42 across. That threw me off. Get it right next time. Other than that. Awesome.

HeartRx said...

Anon @ 12:55, interesting that you bring that up. My DH was born in Tennessee, but he grew up in Tupelo, MS (Elvis’s birthplace). The King’s birth certificate lists his name as Elvis ARON Presley. It was only later on that he decided to change it to Aaron. You can read the full story here. But thanks for keeping us all on our toes!

Anonymous said...

Aron or Aaron is acceptable for Elvis. check Google. it's an interesting story.

LaLaLinda said...

Hi All ~~

Congrats HeartRx/Marti on a fun puzzle to start the week! Although it was easy I did slow down a bit in the NE corner when I read 'places' as noun instead of a verb. I fixed that and it all came together. Awaiting your next one!

Enjoy the day ~~

windhover said...

Maniac,
I think in Dennis' usage @ 12:15, mother is only half a word, and not capitalized.
Dennis?

Bill G. said...

Interesting article on Elvis Aron/Aaron Presley. Thanks.

If you, your kids and grandkids enjoyed the Mr. books, you might enjoy the Google doodle today in honor of the birthday of Roger Hargreaves. It changes to a different Mr. character every time you refresh the page.

Dennis said...

Windhover, you are correct sir, but I think Mainiac was just playing with us.

Re Elvis, my father left me a number of early Elvis artifacts including several official documents that Colonel Parker gave him, and all have 'Aron', not 'Aaron'.

carol said...

Lucina: thanks for the Spanish lesson...I didn't know it was a Spanish word, I just thought it was a snooty way of saying Ro-dee-o. :)

Jeannie: re Jello, LOL - I'm glad I cannot stand the stuff, but I'll bet I've eaten a lot of other things colored by 'the beetles'.

On a much sadder note, my friend lost her battle with cancer this morning. It had only been 11 weeks since she found out she was sick. Malignant melanoma is a cruel, deadly cancer...and rarely does anyone survive it. She was only 50, a great friend and will be missed by so many.

mtnest995 said...

Carol, my heart goes out to you, yours and your friend's family. It's always tough to lose a friend, but when it's someone so young who loses the battle so quickly it's doubly so. We've got to find better treatment and a cure for this deadly killer.

Just a suggestion to anyone who has been touched by cancer - surely we all know someone who has - participate in your local Relay for Life, or at least help support those who do.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Dennis said...

Carol, when something like this happens to a member or a friend of our 'family', we all hurt. My deepest sympathy to you and to her family.

creature said...

Carol,

Just to put my name in... I'm so sorry. That's how old my oldest daughter will be on June 1. Such a brutal disease.

Love to you and all that loved her.

Unknown said...

I too was puzzzled about daub. Of course, growing up in the deep south, we always used dab; meaning a small amount of something. A little dab of this or that, for instance.
I agree on the Aron and I actually met EP once.
Great job, Marti! I also enjoyed the write-up, Mr. A!

My wonderful hometown, Memphis, is under siege by the mightiest river in the world, the Mississippi. My family is on higher ground, so hopefully they will be dry and fine. Those whose homes and businesses are close to the river and it's tributaries are not so dry now. Floodgates were opened today near NOLA, so that a flood greater than Katrina could be avoided. Pray (or remember) for all those affected by this flood.

Hahtoolah said...

Carol: I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. I lost a close friend to cancer 2 years ago. I still think of things that I "must" remember to tell her. I know how difficult this must be for you.

Annette said...

Carol, I'm sorry to hear about your friend. She was so lucky to have had you in her corner when she needed you most.

Clear Ayes said...

Hello All, we picked up our new tires this morning. We're heading to Southern CA this Friday for four days, so it will be a relief to have new tires on the Insight hybrid. They should boost the mileage a little too. Gas costs haven't started to drop yet, so every mile is a good one.

Carol, you know I'm thinking of Barb and sending good vibes out to you and her family.

Don G. said...

Marti,

Congrats on a great Monday puzzle! No speed run for me, although I take time to read every clue and enjoy them as much as possible. I really liked the way the NW corner started, with the tricky PASTA clue. Of course, a solid theme is important, and it is refreshing to see such an exquisite unifier to explain the first words of the three long phrases. Great clues for a Monday, also. I wonder how many solvers saw the ITO as it related to judge ITO. Keep up the good work! We want more.

Bill G. said...

Carol, best wishes and good thoughts to you and your friend's family. That's really sad.

Also, good wishes to those threatened by the mighty Mississippi. If it's not tornadoes or hurricanes, it's flooding.

CA, to where in S. Calif. are you headed?

HeartRx said...

OK Don G., I will burn my last post of this day to thank you for stopping by. It's worth it!

It’s no secret that you are one of my favorite constructors, and I absolutely loved the ones that you and C.C. collaborated on (...she said, ending with a preposition).

Jeannie said...

Carol, this is why I love you. You can laugh one minute about my jello joke and lay a bomb shell down about losing your friend. I for one know you helped get her to those treatments and did everything you could for her. You were/are a good friend. I can only hope she went peacefully. My thoughts are with you tonight my friend. Funny how you never meet the person in person, well not yet for me, but in essense we are a family of sorts. For any of you anons that wonder why we talk about things other than the puddle, this just isn't a crossword blog...

Carol, consider this a big HUG from many miles away in MN. Tears too....

kazie said...

Carol,
I just stopped in at the end of the evening and saw your sad news. Please add my condolences to all the others. I know what it's like to lose a good friend, and cancer just never plays fair. I know she was fortunate to have you as her friend and comforter.

Lucina said...

Carol:
You are welcome. And I'm so sorry to hear your sad news. I feel sure you were a comfort to her and you shall feel the loss for a long, long time. Here's a long distance hug for you and prayers as well.

david said...

Very nice puzzle. 2 questions, however.

Is TALC an acronym for "easy listening" pop music?

And the last one is a puzzling to me "the letters after els." (65 d)

Could someone be kind enough to explain that one, please? Its probably really obvious.

Thanks,

dp

david said...

Watching those Memphis Grizzlies going at it vs OKC in triple overtime!!!

david said...

Gang:

Ignore my query re "letters after els." I had an Oprah aha moment. OKA duh!

But I still need help on TALC.

thx,

dp

Argyle said...

David, I had to go back and look at the clue to understand your question. (12. Soft rock : TALC)

Talc is where talcum powder comes from. But I like your take on 'soft rock'.

david said...

Argyle:

Thank you. I got taken in by the "music" head fake and didn't get off of it. In other words, I over thought it. Which I am apt to do.

Thank you,

dave

p.s. hope you folks in Memphis are going to be ok.