QOD

This blog purely for my own amusement. I like to start the day with a quote, be it amusing, inspiration, or simply something that caught my fancy.

On occasion, I might also include some commentary on the day's crossword puzzle that is published in the Los Angeles Times.

Friday 1 October 2010

Friday, October 1, 2010

QOD: Life is like a sewer ... what you get out of it depends on what you put into it. ~ Tom Lehrer (né Thomas Andrew Lehrer; b. Apr. 9, 1928), American musician, satirist and mathematician

Thursday 30 September 2010

Thursday, September 30, 2010

QOD: Youth is easily deceived because it is quick to hope. ~ Aristotle, Greek philosopher

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

QOD: When you sling mud, you loose ground. ~ Adlai E. Stephenson, II (né Adlai Ewing Stephenson, II; Feb. 5, 1900 ~ July 14, 1965), American politician

Today's Theme: Stock Split. This was a tricky theme today. The of the theme clues was a common phrase that began with a portion of the word “stock” and ended with the remaining portion of that word. I didn’t cotton on to the theme until after I had completed the entire puzzle and went back to review all the theme clues.

18. Hurricane Zone = Storm Track. Ironically, this has been a very active hurricane season. Tropical Storm Number 16 was brewing in the Caribbean as I was working on this puzzle.

20. Unflappable = STEADY AS A ROCK.

33. “Time Out!” = STOP THE CLOCK.

42, Dismay at the Dealer = STICKER SHOCK.

56. Sprinter’d Device = STARTING BLOCK.

60. Sign of Corporate Success, and a Literal Hint to the Puzzle’s Theme found in 18-, 20, 33-, 42-, and 56-Across = STOCK SPLIT.

Across:
1. Hitchcock’s Wife and Collaborator = ALMA.

5. Floater with a Ladder = RAFT.

9. Garnish on a Toothpick = OLIVE.

14. Radio Tuner = DIAL. Except the radio in my car uses buttons.

15. Peace Prize City = OSLO.

16. Kind of Spray = NASAL. Helps me when I have a cold.

17. Ringing Sound = DONG.

22. Playful Swimmer = OTTER. Years ago, the YMCA had a jingle that went something like: “If you like the water, Then you really Otter, Learn how to swim at the YMCA.”

23. Craft = SHIP. I was thinking more along the arts and craft theme.

24. ___ in November = N AS. As in the phrase: “N” as in November. Tricky.

25. Bodybuilder’s Pride = ABS.

28. Alternatively = IF NOT.

37. TV Ad-Skipping Aid = TIVO. One company that allows one to record TV programs is known as TiVo, Inc.

40. “M*A*S*H” Role = RADAR. His was the first name to pop into my head.

41. Palo ____, Calif. = ALTO. As in Palo Alto.

45. 1970 World’s Fair Site = OSAKA. In Japan.

46. Hearth Burn Consequence = ASH. I misread the clue as “Heart Burn Consequence.”

47. Jacuzzi, e.g. = SPA.

50. Polite Oater Response = YES’M.

54. Destroyer Destroyer = U-BOAT. Reminded me of the movie “DAS BOOT”, which was a wonderful movie about the German navy in WWII.

62. Con = ANTI. As in against, not as a criminal.

63. Supple = LITHE.

64. Cornerstone Word = ANNO.

65. Spotted = SEEN.

66. Prayer Beginning = O LORD.

67. Ball Holders = TEES. As in the game of golf.

68. Coastal Raptors = ERNS.

Down:
1. Appends – ADDS ON.

2. Ray of “GoodFellas” = LIOTTA. LINK

3. Some Musée d’Orsay Works = MANETS. Could just as easily have been works by Monet.

4. Pool Problem = AGLAE.

5. Optimistic = ROSY

6. “The Thin Man” Pooch = ASTA. I learned this through doing crossword puzzles.

7. Dentist’s Suggestion = FLOSS.

8. Holy Scroll = TORAH.

9. Not Digressing = ON TOPIC. I initially tried On Point. Same number of letters.

10. Prix de ____ de Triomphe: Annual Horse Race = L’ARC. As in Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

11. Writer Dinesen = ISAK. Her birth name was Karen Blixen. She wrote Out of Africa. LINK

12. Shop Cleaner, Briefly = VAC. Short for Vacuum.

13. Caribou Kin = ELK.

19. Diagnostic Proc. = MRI. Stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

21. “Shoot!” = DRAT.

26. Drag = BORE.

27. Joust Verbally = SPAR.

29. Strong Criticism = FLAK.

30. Mardi Gras City’s Amtrack Code = NOL. New Orleans is the Mardi Gras city, although it has a lot of other nicknames as well.

31. Trick-or-Treat Mo. = OCT. Stands for October, which begins in 2 days.

32. Bout Stopper, for Short = TKO. Stands for Technical Knock Out.

33. Wallop = SOCK. This fill almost fits into our STOCK theme.

34. NFL Scores = TDS. Stands for Touch Downs.

35. “That’s a Riot – Not” = HA-HA. We used to say: That’s so funny I forgot to laugh, so I guess I’ll laugh now.”

36. Cupid, to the Greeks = EROS.

37. General Associated with Chicken = TSO. General Tso’s Chicken is a crossword staple.

38. “___ a Date!” = IT’S. As in It’s a Date!

39. By Way Of = VIA.

43. Negotiated White Water, Perhaps = KAYAKED.

44. Thick-Bodied Fish = CHUB. LINK

47. One Vis-à-Vis Two = Sooner. I guess we’re referring to time here.

48. Oregon State’s Conf. = PAC TEN

49. Diet Doctor = ATKINS.

51. Med. Drama Setting = ERS. Stands for Emergency Rooms.

52. He Rid Ire. of Snakes, as the Legend Goes = ST. PAT. As in St. Patrick.

53. Pooh’s Creator = MILNE. A.A. Milne created the Winnie the Pooh stories.

55. Unimpressed = BLASÉ.

56. ____ Speak = SO TO.

57. Freq. Test Giver = TCHR. I suppose this is some sort of abbreviation for Teacher.

58. Prime-Time Time = NINE. As in 9 o’clock, but if you live in Central time, 8:00 p.m., is prime time.

59. Pontiac Muscle Cars = GTOS. This is a crossword staple, but I can never remember it.

60. Road Warning = SLO. Short for Slow.

61. Up To, in Ads = TIL. Short for Until.

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

QOD: The ego is not master in its own house. ~ Sigmund Freud (May 6, 1859 ~ Sept. 23, 1939), Austrian-born psychoanalysis 

Monday 27 September 2010

Monday, September 27, 2010

QOD: A little learning is a dangerous thing. ~ Alexander Pope (May 21, 1688 ~ May 30, 1744), English poet