Theme: 4 of 12 - Like the start of summer, the CRAB can be the start of our theme answers.
17A. Rural political bloc : GRASS ROOTS. Crabgrass, a summer foe.
25A. Crate-moving equipment : FORK LIFT. Crab fork. For those hard to reach morsels. CSO to Sally.
39A. Bone-breaking combo, in a playground rhyme : STICKS AND STONES. may break my bones but these are delish. Crab sticks.
51A. Slow-cooked entrée : POT ROAST. Crab pot, similar to a lobster pot.
64A. Retail outlet with a tech support area called the "Genius Bar" : APPLE STORE. Crabapple.
68A. Nebula named for a crustacean, which can precede the starts of 17-, 25-, 39-, 51- and 64-Across : CRAB
Argyle here. The timely placement of today's puzzle adds a dash of panache to Roger's second Monday with us. A grid spanner, five theme entries and a reveal; very good.
Across:
1. Limerick, e.g. : POEM. OwenKL might grace us with one this morning.
5. Underground molten rock : MAGMA
10. "Get lost!" : "SCAT!" and throw in 57A. "Get lost!" : "SHOO!"
14. Far from fair : UGLY
15. Double-reed woodwinds : OBOEs
16. Global extremity : POLE. North and South.
19. Shortly, to Shakespeare : ANON
20. Submitted : SENT IN
21. Opponents : FOEs or perhaps, 36A. Other side, in war : ENEMY
23. Mate for a stag : DOE
24. Amin of Uganda : IDI
27. Mountain climber's return trip : DESCENT
31. Rain really hard : TEEM. Are we OK with this now?
32. The Trojans of the NCAA : USC. (University of Southern California)
33. Silly error : GOOF
43. Martial arts-based workout : TAE BO
44. "Stop stalling!" : "DO IT!". Start those workouts.
45. Three, in Napoli : TRE
46. Circus safety gear : NETS
48. Double-__: traitor : CROSSER
55. Really annoy : IRK
56. "The Greatest" in the ring : ALI
58. Farther below sea level : DEEPER
62. CBS legal drama "The Good __" : WIFE
66. Bad to the bone : EVIL
67. River in Düsseldorf, in Düsseldorf : RHEIN. in German.
69. Pack of cards : DECK
70. Desirable trait : ASSET
71. Citgo rival : HESS
Down:
1. Wrinkly-faced dogs : PUGS
2. Storybook baddie : OGRE
3. Splashy style : ELAN
4. Connecticut home of a 19-acre maritime museum : MYSTIC. Good pizza, too.
5. Breakfast times : MORNINGS
6. Blood classification letters : A-B-O
7. __ on a tangent : GO OFF
8. "Likewise" : "ME TOO"
9. Stand up for (oneself) : ASSERT
10. Health resort : SPA
11. Burger bar array : CONDIMENTS. First of the two neat long down entries.
12. Emotionally distant : ALOOF
13. Religious belief : TENET
18. One of a triangle trio : SIDE. Or Tom Dooley?
22. Sport with clay targets : SKEET
26. Carson's successor : LENO. (The Tonight Show)
27. Clean with a rag : DUST
28. Juanita's "this" : ESTA
29. Word before method or notation : SCIENTIFIC. Number two.
30. Pond hopper : TOAD
34. Singer Yoko : ONO
35. Govt. banking protector : FDIC. (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation)
37. Inconsequential : MERE
38. River of Flanders : YSER
40. Trucker on a radio : CBer
41. Zither-like Japanese instruments : KOTOs
42. Shrill : STRIDENT
47. World's largest desert : SAHARA
49. Mine extracts : OREs
50. Undetailed drawing : SKETCH
51. Toyed with, cat-style : PAWED
52. Martini garnish : OLIVE
53. Last year's frosh : SOPHs
54. Drinks excessively : TOPEs
59. Skin opening : PORE
60. Important chapters in history : ERAs
61. Civil War fighters : REBs
63. Bugling beast : ELK
65. Stretch the truth : LIE
Argyle
Argyle
Note from C.C.:
Jazzbumpa's mom passed away on Saturday afternoon. Ron said "It was peaceful. She wasn't in any pain or distress. She received excellent care in the hospital and in hospice. We were blessed to have her with us for so long. Visitation is tomorrow, funeral on Tuesday."
Our condolences to Ron and his family. His mom was a brave fighter.
Ron, his sister Pat and their Mom
May 16, 2015
48 comments:
Are you sure this is a Monday puzzle? I did it, but needed too many perps and WAGs for this early in the week, including the theme. New words to me were CRABFORK, CRABSTICKS, CRABPOT, TOPES, & KOTOS! I eschew eating bugs (shrimp, crabs, lobster) and slugs (clams, oysters, calamari), so don't have the vocab for them. (I do make exception for crab salad and crabcakes, where the meat has been "sanitized" so that it doesn't look like the animals any more.) The clues for TOAD, LIE, and PAWED were close enough to guess, but I'd quibble about their accuracy.
There once was a crabber who crabbed in MYSTIC
She crabbed about everything, that IRKsome critic!
At life's pricks she kicked,
At MERE nits she picked
Till she choked on a CRABsleg, and became a statistic!
I wonder if people who buy phones by Apple
Would want to do what my new app'll.
It'll lessen frustration,
Auto-sending complaints in
About auto-correct. My app's named CRABAPPLE!
Morning, all (and my heartfelt condolences to Ron)!
Mostly a smooth Monday solve for me. KOTOS was the only real outlier and it was a complete unknown. The theme wasn't part of my solving experience, so it didn't matter whether the theme phrases were familiar to me or not.
Good Morning, Argyle and friends. Interesting Monday puzzle. Of the five CRABby theme answers, three were actually related eating CRABS and might be found at the CRAB Shack.
I initially tried SHOO instead of SCAT for the first Get Lost! clue. The perps set me straight.
I really didn't want to let go of Wipe for Clean with a Rag. Eventually I came to realize we were looking for DUST.
Yoko ONO currently has a special exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. We visited the museum recently, but were underwhelmed by her exhibit. The rest of the museum, however, was fabulous.
KOTO is definitely not a Monday word or concept.
So sorry to hear of your mother's passing, Jazzbumpa. She was very much a part of this crossword blog family. Thoughts and prayers go out to your family.
QOD: You know, I do speak the Queen’s English. It’s just the wrong Queens, that’s all. It’s over the 59th Street Bridge; it’s not over the Atlantic Ocean. ~ Cyndi Lauper (b. June. 22, 1953)
Good morning!
Not having lived in a crabbing area, I was unfamiliar with the FORK, STICKS or POT. GRASS and APPLES, yes. Fortunately, the theme wasn't needed (or noticed) for the solve. KOTOS was also unfamiliar, but the perps were solid.
When I was a kid that song was referred to as Three Slugs in the Cesspool.
Do truckers still use CB's? I never see them on display or advertised. Of course, I don't frequent truck stops.
Condolences, JzB.
Super fast today. even for a Monday. No unknowns. Many crosses were filled in before I even got to the clue.
Owen, the way you feel about seafood, I feel about The Simpsons and The Hobbit, etc. and a very few types of food, but I have learned many words for things I don't care for. (In addition to x#*# LOL) BTW, I find all types of seafood to be yummy.
I can eat crab sticks, actually pulverized fish processed to look like crab, but I prefer real crab.
In Japan we were treated to KOTO and SHAMISEN performances. The shamisen has 3 strings and is plucked by one plectrum. The koto has 7-13 strings and is plucked by 3 plectra worn on the fingers. I have seen both of them played solely by women.
Does this bother any of you? Last year's frosh with no S. Answer: SOPHS.
I am concerned that Gary has been in the hospital 5 nights.
JzB, my condolences on the passing of your mom. I am glad she passed on peacefully, but it is always hard to lose your mom.
Good Morning.
Nice Monday run. Thanks, Roger. My favorite: RHEIN. Thought the clue was a typo at first.I found the reveal first so that helped with the rest of the corners. Couldn't quite commit to ESTA because I thought the deadly looking exercise program was called teebo.
On "frosh:" since freshmen is plural, I presume frosh is also. My students used to add an S to freshmen. Talk about my pet peeve!! Some adults even said, "freshmens." I was never fond of using "frosh." Thanks for the expo, Argyle.
JzB: You and your family were blessed with your mother's long life. You have lots of stories to tell and experiences to share. Her legacy will live through you. A blessing!
Enjoy the day everyone.
"Puzzling Thoughts":
First off, condolences to Ron (JzB) and his family at the loss of their mother; prayers
Second, a belated Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad's here at the Corner; I was able to "connect" with my two yesterday, and raised a toast to my dad who left the mortal world almost 12 yrs ago
As for the puzzle,I wonder of our resident aserbic poster "Lime Rickey" got a kick out of 1 across today, seeing as how he/she absolutely loves it when Owen or I offer up a five line POEM in anapest verse ... !
Pretty straightforward puzzle today as I was able to solve going top to bottom and left to right with no hiccups or corrections. I did not "get" the theme until the reveal but it all fit just fine. I grew up close to the Chesapeake Bay, so CRABS (Maryland Blue Hardshells) were a staple. CRAB GRASS was pretty common, too, as were CRAB APPLE trees. CRAB STICKS are not a big favorite of mine as "faux CRAB" is just that: fake! But if you look at using CRAB with the last word in 39a (STONE), it's a big delicacy here in FL. STONE CRAB claws can command a price of well over $20/lb in season. CRAB POTS are all over the Gulf of Mexico from the Thousand Islands to Marco and Naples, so boaters have to be cautious not to get the lines from them caught up in their prop's
My second point should've read: "I was able to connect with my two KIDS yesterday!" Oops
Double ought six? grassrOOts, gOOff, metOO, alOOf, gOOf and shOO.
My sincere condolence to Ron, aka Jazz, on the loss of his Mother.
Moe: I think about my Father and Mother everyday ... and toast them every night.
As I was solving the rain was TEEMing, cooling off everything nicely.
(Hey! It's The Tampa Bay Area ... rain chance is at least 30% everyday until Labor Day).
Hand Up for needing ESP to get KOTOS.
Cheers!
Much sympathy to Ron and his family. It is a blessing that her passing was peaceful; we all take that path eventually and the best that one can do is to ease the way when it becomes inevitable. Take some comfort from all the good memories.
Not much to say about today's puzzle. ME TOO to Barry G.'s comments.
Jazzb, so sorry to hear of your mom's passing. I'm sure you have many fond memories to share with your family and friends.
HG, sorry to hear about your setback - hope you bounce back real soon.
The puzzle was real Monday-friendly, but all this talk of crabs makes me hungry. We get fresh lump CRABmeat from our friend down in Nola. CRABcakes are my specialty! Hmmm...I'll have to put in a call - 4th of July is coming up!
Very nice, smooth run today. Loved the theme entries and reveal. Thanks, Roger.
Nice write-up, Argyle. Thank-you.
Condolences to JzB.
I have been unable to access the puzzle all week. I can only get a list of easy puzzles. The rest of you are still getting the daily crossword. Any suggestions on how I can get back into the game? Enjoy this blog although I never post.
Anon @10:16 Where have you been getting the puzzles from? If it's the .puz files from Cruciverb.com, SFAIK there's nowhere else to get those. But you can work them in your browser in either the Arcadium or UClick formats at several locations.
Good morning everyone.
No CRABBIN' 'bout today's puzzle. Pretty much a speed run. Unifier coughed up the theme near the end but perps were generous. Othersise, WEES.
Deepest Sympathy to JazzB on the loss of your Mom.
This was a quick and easy start to the week! Thanks, Roger Wienberg. Great write-up, Argyle!
No nits today.
My sympathy to you and your family, JzB. It's never easy to lose a loved one.
H-G, I hope you recover quickly.
Happy Monday!
Pat
Not exactly a speed run, but still a very fun puzzle--many thanks, Roger. And you too, Argyle, for your expo. Glad I got the theme early, even though I'm not sure I've heard of CRAB FORK or CRAB POT. No matter. However all those words along with POT ROAST made me hungry, and it's only 9:30 in the morning!
Yellowrocks, I had the same little nit about SOPHS.
Owen, has anyone ever written a limerick about limericks?
JazzB, condolences for the loss of your sweet mother. Her photo is simply lovely!
Have a great start to your week, everybody!
Argyle, thanks for the kind write-up and for noticing the long downs.
Big shout-out to Rich (and Patti) for liking the originality of CRAB in this
very common type of theme. They allowed me to resubmit, otherwise I'd still be
trying to get a solo effort published. The original submission had the themers
WISECRACK & MEATWAGON, both getting cut during revisions. Rich's suggestions
were very much appreciated.
Hoping your solving experience was a CAKEWALK (Crab Cake & Crab Walk)
Roger
All done...no muss, no fuss.
JazzB..With heartfelt sympathy on your loss.
Hope everyone had a memorable Father's Day.
I read that the idiot who killed those worshippers attempted to shoot himself, but there were no bullets left in the chamber. Too bad, he should have begun with himself. What a waste.
Nothing else worth mentioning. Y'all have a good day.
JzB/Ron - I'm very sorry for your mom's passing though it sounds as if it went as peacefully as could be hoped for. My condolences. Bonnie found several old videos and photos of my parents maybe close to 30 years ago. I still miss them.
Anon (10:16), I get my LAT puzzles in my favorite online format without ads at:
http://www.us.mensa.org/AML/?LinkServID=9C6D60CE-E081-4C23-C43F546F9F20DE10
I like seafood and fish of all kinds. Barbara likes seafood but not fish (except for fish and chips). Crab claw meat is especially good though I've never heard the term crab sticks.
Hello, friends!
Jazz, I'm so sorry about your Mother but good to know that she went peacefully.
Roger W., thank you for visiting us. I enjoyed this puzzle and sailed through it as fast as I could write with only a pause at KOTOS but the perps took care of it.
Like Buck@ 8:16 I, too, thought OO would be part of the theme.
In case anyone is interested in more puzzles, I found a book entitled Sunday Stroll, filled with Sunday style puzzles by such familiar constructors as Pancho Harrison, Gail Gabrowski, Ed Piscop, Don G and many others. It's fun stuff!
Have a great Monday, everyone!
Misty @ 11:29
Here are a few limericks about limericks:
A tree surgeon, whose first name is Jim,
Has been known to write rhymes, as he trims;
He'll use anapest verse
When he wants to be terse;
Nothing like going out on a lim(b)
The limerick’s an art form complex
Whose contents run chiefly to sex;
It’s famous for virgins
And masculine urgin’s
And vulgar erotic effects.
The limerick packs laughs anatomical
Into space that is quite economical.
But the good ones I've seen
So seldom are clean
And the clean ones so seldom are comical
Misty @ 11:29
One more:
Some drinks you sip salt from the rim or lick
And Richard for short can be Rich or Dick
I know it sounds sick
But rhyming’s the trick
In order to write up a limerick
Good afternoon, everyone.
I do love Mondays because I can do them. Only missed the O for K_TOS and TAEB-.
So sorry for your loss, Jazz. Glad it was a peaceful passing.
Cheers
Owen and Moe, your self-referential limericks about limericks are totally hilarious and just cracked me up. Thank you for making my day!
Two more meta-limericks:
There once was a man from Peru,
Whose limericks stopped at line two.
There once was a man from the Sun...
"So, Boomer, what do you of SCIENTIFIC as a fill entry?"
"IT IS FINE, C.C."
"What was Nash's priest?"
"ONEL, LENO! Jeez, Jay, you're so backward!"
Condolences to Ron on the passing of his Mom. And I am keeping Gary in my prayers.
Is blogspot having issues? I had trouble opening the site late Saturday and on Sunday. And about 1/2 hour ago, when I previewed this comment, I got an error message and it was lost.
Hello Everyone, A fairly quick run today. However, The crossing of Tae Bo and Kotos was a bit iffy. I guessed at the O in Bo and was correct. Topes was another unknown. I know I've heard it before and we've had it in our CW's, but it wasn't lodged in my brain where I could resurrect it.
Jazz B. My condolences on your Mother's passing. Fond memories will be those that come to mind when you think about her. I'm glad that she went peacefully and had good care until the end.
Have a great day, everyone.
Good Morning:
Late to the dance due to appointments and a late lunch with my sister, Eileen. Ron, my deepest sympathy on the loss of your Mom. Cherish the memories.
A bit of a bite for a Monday but still a breezy solve. Cute theme answers. Liked the ogre/ugly cross.
Thanks, Roger, for getting the week off to a good start and for dropping by, and thanks, Argyle, for the usual spot-on expo.
Went to my sister Peggy's for a Father's Day celebration. As her husband is first generation Lebanese-America, the menu was all his favorite dishes: Chicken/Rice, Kibbeh (baked and raw), Stuffed Grape Leaves, meat pies, spinach pies, tabouli, marinated, broiled chicken wings, Syrian bread and strawberry shortcake for dessert. My favorite is the raw Kibbeh. (Also love Steak Tartare!)
Have a great day.
Good Monday puzzle. Thanks Roger & Argyle.
Is there a connection to the horoscope sign, Cancer the crab, being June 21 to July 22?
Not as familiar with HESS (was looking for ESSO!). TAEBO crossing ESTA and KOTOS gave problems.
Sympathy to JazzB.
Anon at 10:16 - I had trouble getting Cruciverb link for LA Times on my IPad this morning but it cleared up later.
Forgive the Good Morning - Just a creature of habit!
My sincere condolences to JazzB and his family for his recent demise. May god give you courage and hope to bear the loss.
I hope and pray that HGary recovers from his ailment.
The puzzle was easy and very enjoyable. Argyle you were magnificent, as usual.
The limericks are always a delight. Thank you.
The limerick always sets the mood,
of obscene, boorish and crude,
and unless I'm mistaken,
or apt to be fakin,
You'll expect this last line to be lewd.
Hahtoolah, your QOD was fantastic.!! I never realised that singers had such a smart wit and such bonmots. That was a QOD worth remembering and writing in my diary. My NYC friends will get such a kick out of it. Thank you.
Since limericks seem de rigeur today, I thought I'd look at an old collection of 100 that I wrote years ago. I found 10 of them were about limericks! Here are a couple of the best.
This poem is self-referential.
That means it's quite existential.
If these words were not here
It'd make no sense, I fear,
So writing it down was essential.
My friend, writing Limericks in verse,
Is frequently more like a curse.
My mind keeps on reeling,
It's numb, there's no feeling!
And the punchlines, they keep getting worse!
Very good, OwenKL!!!!!
Greetings!
Thanks, Roger and Santa!
A few unknowns were perped (HESS, KOTOS, MYSTIC).
Ron: deepest sympathy.
Gary: Get better!
Owen: You outdid yourself!
Cheers!
Loved this speed run today! Argyle, you did yeoman's service explaining it.
Owen, your best ever. Crabapple was wonderful. Then the punchlines bit was even better!
JazzB. My condolences and prayers for healing.
HG. Just get well and come back! We miss you!
JazzB.... my deepest sympathy to you and yours... I will keep you all in my prayers...
Husker G... my prayers are with you...
thelma
JazzB, sorry to hear about your mother.
Montana
Sorry to hear about your mother Ron. Logging in late to some surgery on my neck today. The puzzle filled very quickly, but I have never heard of a KOTO. Strictly perps.
I never got the theme until the reveal. I have heard the term Crab POTS, but down in LA they call them crab 'traps'. The is also a chain of restaurant called 'The Crab Trap' in Florida. As far as eating crabs, I love to eat crab meat, especially soft-shelled crabs, but picking crab meat is something I don't do. Too much work for too little gain. I let my wife and friends pick crabs while I drink beer and eat the shrimp.
HESS is not a familiar oil company for many people and neither is CITGO. I only know HESS because they had a production facility about 4 miles from my house and 65 years ago, my dad had a Cities Service ( which change the name to CITGO) gas station for a few years.
Make that 'Due' to some surgery on my neck today.
Hi all!
JzB - I'm saddened to hear about your mother. My sympathies.
I lurked yesterday and seeing it was a C.C. I knew there was a Sunday Sub. I though the tone was HG's. I was happy to see his by-line until C.C. told us it was drafted earlier. Stay strong HG.
I liked Roger's puzzle (thanks for the inside-baseball RAW) - Is there something about an UGLY OGRE EVIL FOE of an ex-WIFE you're trying to tell us? :-) Corner POETs there's your SKETCH...
Thanks to OKL, MOE, et.al. for today's efforts and the smiles.
Thanks for the write-up Argyle. Always a swell job.
I didn't catch the theme at 68a, but no need.
WAGs: 24a xing 4d (E or I) and 67a xing 54d (E or O - I know RHINE - I was there; I guess I didn't read the sign closely :-)). Batted 1.000 on WAGs and avoided the UGLY Monday DNF.
W/o - edgE b/f SIDE @18d. WEES w/ great downs at 11d & 29d.
My fav CBERs from my ute.
Fav - I LIFT my FORK for the symmetric POT ROAST.
A really IRKed CRAB is CROSSER?
Cheers, -T
Good evening, folks. Thank you, Roger Wienberg, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Argyle, for a fine review.
Well, I finished the Sunday puzzle tonight and reported in, and then just finished the Monday puzzle. Here I am again.
Puzzle was fine. Got through it easily with a few perps to help.
Theme was good, clever, as they all are. I enjoy them all.
TAEBO was not totally know to me. Neither was MYSTIC.
Tried WIPE before DUST.
As I said earlier on my first post, my deepest sympathies to Jazzbumpa on the loss of your mother. May God be with you and your family.
Husker Gary, hope you are feeling better.
See you tomorrow from Louisville, CO. Travelled through the Quad Cities, Des Moines, Omaha, Lincoln, to get here. We made it in 13 hours driving time. 1,000 miles.
See you tomorrow.
Abejo
( )
Oh, Anon@10:16 - Bill G is right re: Mensa's site iff (if and only if) you are on a device that can run Java (read: not an iThing). I like the Mensa site when I'm away from my newspaper because I can print it and puzzle w/ pen & paper (which I like, 'cuz my GOOFs are all there).
Let the on-line v. paper flame-war TEEM - STICKS AND STONES and all that... :-)
And hey, ANON (@10:16), pipe-in and play. All the cool-kids come to the after party for DEEPER understanding and ASSERT their opines. Just DO IT.
The Police - Tea in the SAHARA for your listening pleasure.
Cheers, -T
AnonT, I'm sure you are right about some i thingies. However, my iMac works great with the Mensa site.
Bill G. You're correct - I was able to get Java on my Pop's LapMac, so it's just the iPads / iPhones that I can't get it to work with. Maybe there's an app for that...
C,Eh! - I didn't fully appreciate your 6/21 cusp comment until I looked at my horoscope (no, I don't believe 'em - they are in the entertainment section after all) and realized I'm the CRAB! :-)
Cheers, -T
Oh heck, I pullled a CED and got side-tracked by side-links. Google/YouTube done knows me all too wells... Justin Willson on Oysters & CRABs.
Cheers, -T
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