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.

Tuesday, 20 August 2024

Tuesday, August 20, 2024

QOD:  Never say “no” to pie.  I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like pie.  If somebody doesn’t like pie, I don’t trust them.  ~  Al Roker (né Albert Lincoln Roker, Jr.; b. Aug. 20, 1954), American journalist and television personality

Rope Bridges:  The Cambridge Dictionary defines a Rope Bridge as: a bridge made of long pieces of rope tied together with knots, and wooden boards for people to walk on".  In today's puzzle, the Rope spans and connects each two-word phrase.

Me crossing a Rope Bridge in the Peruvian Amazon.

17-Across. Garage button: DOOR OPENER.


25-Across. Jewelry that hangs just below a lobe: DROP EARRING.


37-Across. Coriander-based sauce: CILANTRO PESTO.  I make Basil Pesto.


49-Across. Promotional interest rate, perhaps: ZERO PERCENT.




And the unifier:
59-Across. Rudimentary span suspended over a river, or a span found in 17-, 25-, 37-, and 49-Across: ROPE BRIDGE.

While the video below is not a rope bridge, the bamboo bridge of Kampong Cham in Cambodia spans the Mekong River from the mainland to Koh Pen, an island in the river.  We walked across it a couple of years ago.  It is probably the most dangerous bridge I have ever crossed.  Hubby fell while trying to speed walk and still has the scars on his leg from being cut on the bamboo.



Across:
1. Postinjury support: CRUTCH.


7. Do one's darned best?: SEW.  Cute clue.

10. Puts together: ADDS.


14. Like a yes-no question: BINARY.  More than you would ever want to know about Binary Responses.

15. "But you can call me ... " letters: AKA.  Also Known As.

16. Take in, as crops: REAP.


19. Sandwich spread: MAYO.

20. Jacket wool: TWEED.  Everything you wanted to know about Tweed but didn't know to ask.


21. Emoticon eyes, often: COLON.
:-)

22. Ryder Cup org.: PGA.  As in the Professional Golfers' Association.  Everything you wanted to know about the Ryder Cup but didn't know to ask.


28. Cot settings: BUNKS.


30. Food label letters: RDA.  As in the Recommended Daily Allowances.

31. Born: NÉE.  Today's French lesson.  This word has become a crossword staple.

32. Leave gratified: SATE.

33. Brings down: SADDENS.

41. Take care of: PROTECT.


The tiny words at the bottom of the door read: "To Punish and Enslave"

42. Nothing, in Spanish: NADA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

44. Gallery piece: ART.



47. Slice of history: ERA.

48. Tie sometimes worn with an open collar: ASCOT.


54. Find to be mined: ORE.

55. "__ means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten": "Lilo & Stitch": OHANA.  Today's Hawaiian language lesson.

56. Like a cheering crowd: AROAR.  The dreaded A word.

58. Predetermines the outcome: RIGS.

64. Lake that feeds the Niagara River: ERIE.  This reminds me of our old friend Abejo.  [Name Adjacent.]



65. Actor's prompt: CUE.


66. Soccer star Messi: LIONEL.  Can you believe we made it all the way to clue 66 before encountering a name!  Lionel Andrés Messi (b. June 24, 1987) is an Argentine professional soccer player, or as they say in countries outside of the United States, a professional football player.   [Name # 1.]


67. Religious offshoot: SECT.  Last week the Quakers formed the SECT.  (See 64-Across from last week's puzzle.)

68. Broadcast: AIR.

69. State, in Mexico: ESTADO.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

Down:
1. Ingredient in some oils, briefly: CBD.  As in Cannabidiol, which is the chemical found in marijuana.  CBD is legal in many states, including Louisiana.

2. __ Grande: RIO.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

3. Mattel card game: UNO.





4. Tangy: TART.

5. Packs together: CROWDS.


6. Link prefix: HYPER.

7. Wall St. "500" index: S AND P.  Standard and Poor is more commonly denoted as S&P.  The S&P 500 is a stock market index tracking the stock performance of 500 of the largest companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.  I hope you didn't try to parse this as SAND P.

8. Barely make (out): EKE.

9. Tug-of-__: WAR.




10. Knight's outer layer: ARMOR.


11. Give a hand?: DEAL IN.


12. Start of a new routine: DAY ONE.  School has already started here so many kids have already had their Day One of the new school year.


13. Light cake type: SPONGE.  A brief history of the Sponge Cake.

18. Fair-hiring initials: EEO.  As in Equal Employment Opportunity.

21. Leggy wader: CRANE.  What's the difference between a crane and an egret?




22. "Cosmos" network: PBS.  As in Public Broadcasting Service.  Cosmos was a television series that aired in 1980-1981 that covered many scientific subjects on the origin of life and our place in the universe.  It was written and narrated by Carl Sagan (Nov. 9, 1934 ~ 1996).

23. Nacho dip, briefly: GUAC.  As in Guacamole.  Yummers!

24. Not supporting: ANTI.

26. One performing CPR, perhaps: ER DOC.  As in Emergency Room Doctor.

27. Highly skilled (at): ADEPT.

29. Seaweed superfood: KELP.


33. Saw logs: SNORE.


34. Oil used in some perfume: ATTAR.  This makes occasional appearances in the crossword puzzles.  Everything you wanted to know about Attar but didn't know to ask.

35. Beats by __: headphones brand: DRE.  The Dre in Beats by Dre refers to music producer Dr. Dre (né Andre Romell Young; b. Feb. 18, 1965), who founded the company, Beats Electronics, in 2006.  [Name # 2.]

36. IDs on 1040 forms: SSNs.  As in Social Security Numbers.

38. Stuffed cornmeal snack: AREPA.  I have probably eaten Arepa, but didn't know that was what they were called.


39. Stuffed tortilla snack: TACO.  Yummers!  More food.


40. Olfactory stimulus: ODOR.


43. Feasted: ATE.

44. Island chain northwest of Morocco: AZORES.  I will be traveling to the Azores with my sister next spring.  The Azores are a chain of 9.


45. Sign on again: RE-HIRE.

46. Very unfortunate: TRAGIC.

48. Early video game consoles: ATARIS.  [Name adjacent.]


50. Commencement: ONSET.

51. Prank: CAPER.

52. Before, poetically: ERE.

53. Having a dignified air: NOBLE.




57. Good-for-a-laugh type: RIOT.

59. Sony Music subsidiary: RCA.


60. French affirmative: OUI.  Today's French lesson.

61. Genetic code carrier: DNA.

62. HS diploma alternative: GED.  As in General Education Development or General Education Diploma.

63. "Mr. Blue Sky" gp.: ELO.  As in the Electric Light Orchestra.  [Name adjacent]


Here's the grid:

Did you notice how few names were in today's puzzle!

חתולה





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