Friday, January 28, 2022

QOD:  Look for a long time at what pleases you, and longer still at what pains you.  ~  Colette (née Sidonie Gabrielle Colette, Jan. 28, 1873 ~ Aug. 3, 1954), French author

Thursday, January 27, 2022

QOD:  Everything’s got a moral, if only you can find it.  ~  Lewis Carroll (né Charles Lutwidge Dodgson; Jan. 27, 1832 ~ Jan. 14, 1898), British author

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

QOD:  Find out who you are and be that person.  ~  Ellen DeGeneres (née Ellen Lee DeGeneres; b. Jan. 26, 1958), American comedian and talk-show host

Tuesday, January 25, 2022 David Poole

QOD:  Excess on occasion is exhilarating.  It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit.  ~  W. Somerset Maugham (né William Somerset Maughan; Jan. 25, 1874 ~ Dec. 16, 1965), British author

All Aboard!

37-Across. Freight train components ... or a hint to each group of circled letters: BOX CARS.

Note that the circles are arranged to make a "box".  Rearrange the letters in the circles and you get a type of car.  Altogether, we get six different cars.  Top row, left to right, we get an Audi, an Opel, and a Jeep.  Bottom row, right to left, we get a Mini, an Alda, and a Ford.

Across:
1. Uber alternatives: CABS.  Not wines, this time.

5. Thyroid, e.g.: GLAND.

10. Managed music for a wedding reception, briefly: DJ'ED.

14. Sword handle: HILT.  //  And 16-Across. Olympic sport with two accents: ÉPÉE.

15. Lasso wielder: ROPER.

17. Biblical birthright seller: ESAU.  The story of Jacob and Esau can be found in Genesis 25:19-34.

18. Tylenol competitor: ALEVE.  Both are pain relievers.  The active ingredient in Tylenol is Acetaminophen; in Aleve, it's Naproxen.

19. Warning from a reckless driver?: FORE.  A golfing reference.

20. Lost traction: SLID.

21. Runs out of steam: TIRES.

22. MP3 player: iPOD.  Sadly, Apple no longer makes iPods.  

23. "__ now!": "Seinfeld" mantra spoken by Frank Costanza: SERENITY.  Episode 159, Season 9.  It was first aired on October 9, 1997.

25. Many an IRS worker: CPA.  A shout out to the Certified Public Accounts who read C.C.'s blog.

27. Artemis program org.: NASA.  A program of the future.

28. Storm warning: THUNDER.

32. Medicare section for ambulance services: PART-B.  There are 4 parts to Medicare.

35. Rossini's "William Tell" has a famous one: OVERTURE.  Sometime mistaken for the theme song to the Lone Ranger.

36. Tavern tipple: ALE.

40. 911 responder, briefly: EMS.  Emergency Medical Services.  There are many types of EMS's.

41. Its trill begins "Rhapsody in Blue": CLARINET.  A musical composition by George Gershwin.

43. D sharp equivalent: E-FLAT.

45. Singing, dancing and acting: TALENTS.  We found some hidden talents last Tuesday.

46. Draped dress: SARI.  Everything you wanted to know about the sari, but didn't know to ask.

48. "Yuck!": UGH.  Nothing Ugh about this puzzle.

49. Really botched: MESSED UP.

53. Sous-chef's job: PREP.  A sous-chef is to the chef as the vice president is to the president.

56. Decree: EDICT.

58. __ song: cheaply: FOR A.

59. Wild West Wyatt: EARP.  Best known for being involved in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

60. Back biter?: MOLAR.  Cute clue.  I just had to have a filling replace in one of my molars.

61. Far from flashy: DRAB.  Hand up if you tried Dull before Drab.

62. Gallic gal pal: AMIE.  Today's French lesson

63. Carne __: taco filling: ASADA.  Today's Spanish lesson.  Hi, Lucina!

64. Manet medium: OILS.  Not to be confused with Monet, who also painted in oils.

65. Ilk: KIND.

66. Designed to punish: PENAL.  Franz Kafka wrote a short story about a penal colony.  It was quite gruesome.

67. Pole on the Bounty: MAST.

Down:

1. "The Queen's Gambit" game: CHESS.  The Queen's Gambit is a 1983 novel by Walter Tevis.  It was later made into a Netflix miniseries.

2. Flier's seat option: AISLE.  I prefer an aisle seat when I fly.

3. Major's successor: BLAIR.  Tricky clue for those of us on this side of the pond.  Tony Blair succeeded John Major as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

4. Nero, to Seneca: STUDENT.  Seneca was an ancient Roman philosopher.  I wonder if he taught Nero to play the violin.

5. On the house: GRATIS.  Today's Latin lesson.

6. Nabokov title girl: LOLITA.  A book that has been banned in many countries.

7. Mimic's forte: APERY.

8. Actress Campbell: NEVE.  She is often seen in horror films.

9. Fran of "The Nanny": DRESCHER.  She has a very nasal and annoying voice.

10. Insubordinate: DEFIANT.

11. Genre for some Tokyo-based bands: J-POP.

12. Designer Saarinen: EERO.  He used to make frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

13. Monopoly card: DEED.

24. Apprehending: NABBING.

26. Maritime money handlers: PURSERS.

28. FDR power project: TVA.  The Tennessee Valley Authority was created as a part of Franklin D. Roosevelt programs during the Great Depression.

29. "Hamilton" climax: DUEL.  He wasn't using an épée.

30. Funny Bombeck: ERMA.  She wrote a syndicated column that appeared in many American newspapers.

31. Remainder: REST.

32. Treaty: PACT.

33. Penne __ vodka: ALLA.  Today's Italian lesson.  Can you guess what it is made of?

34. Actual: REAL.

35. Canadian Thanksgiving mo.: OCT.  Hi, CanadianEh!

38. In a position of fame: ON THE MAP.

39. Ballot marks: X'ES.

42. Signed on for another tour: RE-UPPED.

44. Feudal lord's domain: FIEFDOM.

46. Cuban-born Grammy winner Jon: SECADA.  I'm not familiar with this musician.

47. Starlike: ASTRAL.

49. Italian fashion center: MILAN.  How Milan became the Fashion Capital.

50. Ill-fated ship Andrea __: DORIA.  The SS Andrea Doria, which sank off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts in 1956, was named after the Genoese admiral Andrea Doria.

51. Eurasian range: URALS.

52. Blue Ribbon brewer: PABST.  Everything you wanted to know about Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, but didn't know to ask.

53. Pinnacle: PEAK.

54. Malek of "Mr. Robot": RAMI.  He also portrayed Freddie Mercury in the 2018 film,  Bohemian Rhapsody.

55. St. Patrick's home: ERIN.  Also known as Ireland.

57. Medicine amount: DOSE.  A spoonful of sugar will help the medicine go down ...

Tell me what you learned.

חתולה

Monday, January 24, 2022

QOD:  If you make up your mind not to be happy, there is no reason you shouldn’t have a fairly good time.  ~  Edith Wharton (née Edith Newbold Jones; Jan. 24, 1862 ~ Aug. 11, 1937), American novelist

Sunday, January 23, 2022

QOD:  A couple that golfs together stays together.  Where else can I walk six miles and talk to my husband for four hours without distraction?  ~  Norah O’Donnell (née Norah Morahan O’Donnell; b. Jan. 23, 1974), American journalist and news anchor