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 17 September 2021

Friday, September 17, 2021

QOD:  In Hollywood, marriage is a success if it outlasts milk.  ~  Rita Rudner (b. Sept. 17, 1953), American comedian

Thursday 16 September 2021

Thursday, September 16, 2021

QOD:  When our children love what we love, it is a blessing, but O, when they hate what we hate!  ~  Elizabeth McCracken (b. Sept. 16, 1966), American author

Wednesday 15 September 2021

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

QOD:  To safeguard one’s health at the cost of too strict a diet is a tiresome illness indeed.  ~  François de La Rochefoucauld (Sept. 15, 1613 ~ Mar. 17, 1680), French author

Tuesday 14 September 2021

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

QOD:  A loser says that’s the way it’s always been done.  A winner says there ought to be a better way.  ~  Sydney J. Harris (né Sydney Justin Harris; Sept. 14, 1917 ~ Dec. 7, 1986), American journalist

Bourgeois Bohemians.  The circles provide the links to the two BOs found in each theme answer.

20-Across. 2002 Hugh Grant film based on a Nick Hornby novel: ABOUT A BOY.

30-Across. Gobbledygook: MUMBO JUMBO.

41-Across. Three-time All-Star outfielder whose son was a seven-time N.L. MVP: BOBBY BONDS.

And the Unifier:

55-Across. Birds with short finch-like bills ... or, what the sets of circled letters literally are?: BOBOLINKS.  Everything you ever wanted to know about these small songbirds.


I am placing the Grid here today, so you can easily see the "links" to the BOs.  The letters in the circles are just nonsense.



Across:
1. Sarah __, first woman governor of Alaska: PALIN.  Sarah Palin (b. Feb. 11, 1964) was the 9th Governor of Alaska.  She served as Governor from 2006 until she resigned 3 years later.  She looks alot like actress Tina Fey.


6. Academic acronym: STEM.  Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.





10. Chem class rooms: LABS.  Chemistry is one of the S's in STEM classes.

14. Therapy prefix: AROMA.  Aromatherapy is a pseudoscience, so probably doesn't qualify for STEM.

15. Cardamom-infused tea: CHAI.  Here is one recipe for making your own Chai Tea.

16. Tierra en el mar: ISLA.  Today's Spanish lesson.  Land in the sea is an Island.  Hi, Lucina!

17. Blue Ribbon beer: PABST.  The history of the name of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.

18. Heavenly bear: URSA.  Ursa Major is also known as the Big Dipper.


19. Small bottle: VIAL.


22. Ogre, for one: BEAST.  //  And 52-Across. Shrek's love: FIONA.


23. Post-injury regimen: REHAB.

24. Delicate: DAINTY.  In cleaning out my parents' house, I came across a delicate lace dress that belonged to my grandmother.  It is over 100 years old.  The dress looked a lot like the one pictured below.


25. Strong, as a storm: SEVERE.  Like Hurricane Ida.

28. Reunion attendee: AUNT.

29. Signal from the wings: CUE.  Think of an actor on stage who needs help with his lines.

36. Symbol on several PC keys: ARROW.


39. Long-handled tool: HOE.
40. Puccini specialty: OPERA.  Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858 ~ Nov. 29, 1824) wrote numerous operas.  He is probably best known for La Bohème and Madama Butterfly.

44. Title for Richard Starkey: SIR.  That's Sir Ringo to you.


45. RPM indicator: TACH.

46. Drum kit cymbals: HI HATS.

49. Put under: SEDATE.

54. Blond hair, e.g.: TRAIT.

59. Come by honestly: EARN.

60. First name in desserts: SARA.  



61. Bull-riding venue: ARENA.  A dangerous sport.


62. "__ sow ... ": AS YE.  A Biblical phrase:  As ye sow, so shall ye reap ...

63. A bit open: AJAR.  When is a door not a door ...

64. Wastes time: IDLES.

65. Canasta combination: MELD.  Rules of Canasta.

66. Foots the bill: PAYS.

67. Parcels (out): DOLES.

Down:
1. Fairy tale bear: PAPA.

2. Part of UAE: ARAB.  As in the United Arab Emirates.



3. ESPN basketball analyst Rebecca: LOBO.  A lone BO.

4. "There's no doubt!": I'M SURE.

5. Talk aimlessly: NATTER.  Nattering nabobs of negativism.

6. Diving acronym: SCUBA.  Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

7. Pulsate: THROB.

8. "Settle down!": EASY.

9. Soccer great Hamm: MIA.  Mia Hamm (née Mariel Margaret Hamm; b. Mar. 17, 1972) has now retired from playing soccer.

10. Have a ball: LIVE IT UP.

11. Lao or Thai: ASIAN.

12. __ from the past: nostalgic event: BLAST.


13. Like pretzels: SALTY.


21. "May I speak?": AHEM.

22. Bluegrass band staple: BANJO.


24. Hall & Oates, e.g.: DUO.

25. Nature's bandage: SCAB.  Yuck!

26. Costa del Sol coin: EURO.  Costa del Sol is in Spain, hence, the most common Euro you will find there will be one featuring Spanish designs.  Each Euro has a National side, which features pictures of its country.  Rather like the State Quarters that were minted in the United States.




27. Trick or treat: VERB.

28. Under the covers: ABED.

31. "This isn't good": UH, OH!

32. Part of "MNF," an in-season wkly. sports broadcast: MON.  As in Monday Night Football.

33. Spanish for "table": MESA.  Also the name of a town in Arizona and a CSO to our Arizona contingent.


34. One with a tyre in his boot, perhaps: BRIT.


35. Scull crew: OARS.


37. Managed to get: OBTAINED.

38. Tombstone first name: WYATT.


42. Letters in early dates: BCE.  Before the Common Era.

43. Chase away: SHOO.

47. Like mosaic tiles: INLAID.  We saw some of the most amazine mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily.


48. Salon creation: HAIR DO.


49. Teakettle output: STEAM.  Remove the A and you have STEM.

50. Backspace over: ERASE.

51. Hannah of "Splash": DARYL.  We never saw much more of Daryl Hannah (née Daryl Christine Hanna; b. Dec. 3, 1960) after this 1984 movie came out.


52. New venture: FORAY.

53. Structural beams: I-BARS.

55. Gulf of California peninsula: BAJA.


56. 1994 Jodie Foster title role: NELL.


57. "Trick" joint: KNEE.

58. Disrespectful talk: SASS.  This is becoming a crossword staple.

60. Botanical fluid: SAP.  This makes me think of the maple trees in Vermont.




That's all for today folks!  See you next week.

חתולה






Monday 13 September 2021

Monday, September 13, 2021

QOD:  Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.  ~  Roald Dahl (Sept. 13, 1916 ~ Nov. 25, 1990), British novelist

Sunday 12 September 2021

Sunday, September 12, 2021

QOD:  An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it is also more nourishing.  ~  H.L. Mencken (né Henry Louis Mencken Sept. 12, 1880 ~ Jan. 29, 1956), American journalist