Thursday, September 14, 2023

QOD:  One has to have experience of really believing before one can have the thrill of liberation.  ~  Allan Bloom (né Allan David Bloom; . Sept. 14, 1930 ~ Oct. 7, 1992), American philosopher

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

QOD:  Ours is the age of substitutes: Instead of language we have jargon; instead of principles, slogans; and instead of genuine ideas, bright suggestions.  ~  Eric Bentley (né Eric Russell Bentley; Sept. 14, 1916 ~ Aug. 5, 2020), American theater critic

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, September 14, 2020

QOD:  History repeats itself, but in such cunning disguise that we never detect the resemblance until the damage is done.  ~  Sydney J. Harris (né Sydney Justin Harris; Sept. 14, 1917 ~ Dec. 7, 1986), American journalist

Friday, September 14, 2018

QOD:  There are always a few who stand up in times of communal madness and have the courage to say that what unites us is greater than what divides us.  ~ Geraldine Brooks (b. Sept. 14, 1955)

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

QOD:  Anything that’s for free, people will take.  They don’t discriminate.  ~  Larry David (né Lawrence Gene David; b. July 2, 1947)

Monday, September 14, 2015

QOD:  Moral certainty can deafen people to any truth other than their own.  ~  Geraldine Brooks (b. Sept. 14, 1955)

Sunday, September 14, 2014

QOD:  We are not the only animal that mourns; apes do, and elephants, and dogs.  Yet we are the only one that tortures.  ~  Geraldine Brooks (b. Sept. 14, 1955)

Friday, September 14, 2012

QOD:  You will always find those who think they know better what is your duty better then you know it.  ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 ~ Apr. 27, 1882)

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

QOD: A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.  ~  Mark Twain (né Samuel Langhorne Clemens; Nov. 30, 1835 ~ Apr. 21, 1910)

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Today’s Theme: Did You Take Your Medicine Today? The PHARMACISTS dispense the medicines today. Three of the theme clues are forms of medicine delivery methods, united by the professionals who prepare the medicines.

18. Historic Cache for Future Millennia = TIME CAPSULE.

25. Investing Largely in Money Markets, Say = STAYING LIQUID.

42. Item for Doodling or Note-Taking = WRITING TABLET.

55. Dispensers of the Ends of 18-, 25-, and 42-Across = PHARMACISTS.

Across:

1. Hydroelectric Project = DAM.

5. Makes Improvements To = EMENDS. I learned a new word today. I first tried “Amends” but that didn’t work for 5-Down. Emends pertains to the written word, so is a cross between Edits and Amends.

10. California Wine Valley = NAPA. I love visiting California’s wine country.

14. Ipanema’s City = RIO. As in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. I learned that Ipanema is a neighborhood of Rio from a recent article in the Smithsonian magazine.

15. “Anything You Want” = “NAME IT.”

16. Petri Dish Gel = AGAR.

17. Geological Span = EON. // And 24-Across: Geological Span = ERA.

20. Take Turns = ALTERNATES.

22. Name of Two Presidents = ADAMS. Bet you were looking for a first name! Both John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams, were early U.S. Presidents.

23. Fuel for Big Rigs = DIESEL.

32. Money Market Fund, e.g. = ASSET.

34. Follows a Recipe = COOKS. What I failed to do yesterday when making a cake. The result was a disaster!

35. ___ Championship: August Golf Tournament = PGA. No idea. I don’t follow golf.

36. Jordanian Queen Dowager = NOOR. She is the widow of King Hussein. She was an American, born Lisa Najeeb Halaby, and converted to Islam when she married King Hussein.

37. Negative Quality = MINUS.

38. Beginning On = AS OF. Hmm…

39. Canal Site = EAR. Loved this clue.

40. Ate Sumptuously = DINED.

41. Heads-Up = ALERT.

45. “Mighty” Tree = OAK.

46. Power Failure = OUTAGE.

49. Really Bad = AWFUL. I was thinking that bad meant “evil.”

52. “No Way, José” = “NOT ON A BET!” I was expecting a phrase in Spanish.

57. Lennon’s Widow = ONO.

58. Emerald Isle = EIRE. For some reason, this crossword staple never sticks in my brain. I always have to wait for the perps to get the spelling of this word.

59. Supplanter of the Silent Movie = TALKIE. The first feature talking movie was the Jazz Singer, which was released in 1927.

60. Coffee Holder = URN.

61. Attracted a Trooper, Maybe = SPED. The troopers seem to be especially on alert for speeders in the rural parishes.

62. Mary Hartman Portrayer Louise = LASSER.

63. Your, in Tours = TES. French.

Down:

1. Live in Fear Of = DREAD.

2. Garlicky Sauce = AIOLI. Aioli is a French sauce made of lemon, eggs, garlic and olive oil.

3. Education Pioneer Maria = MONTESSORI.

4. Ask on Bended Knee = ENTREAT. I tried really hard to fit in “Marry Me.”

5. For the Most Part = MAINLY.

6. John’s Partner in “The Avengers” = EMMA. Once again this is a piece of trivia I learned from doing crosswords.

7. Nair Competitor = NEET.

8. Cubes that are Rolled = DICE.

9. Where Many Commuters Wait: Abbr. = STA. Stands for Station.

10. Tech-Heavy Stock Exchange = NASDAQ. Stands for National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System.

11. Contents of Un Lago = AGUA. Lago is Spanish for Lake, hence is filled with Agua, which is Spanish for Water.

12. Arboreal Miami Sight = PALM.

13.Greek God of War = ARES.

19. Louvre Location = PARIS.

21. Fragrant Compound = ESTER.

24. BPO ___ = ELKS. Apparently, this stands for Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

26. Cupcake Topper = ICING.

27. Nine-Piece Combo = NONET.

28. Mild Dutch Cheese = GOUDA.

29. Distraught Over = UPSET ABOUT.

30. Composer Stravinsky = IGOR.

31. Off One’s Rocker = DAFT.

32. All Over Again = ANEW.

33. Attract Upward-Looking Onlookers = SOAR.

37. Stole Fur = MINK.

38. Prince Valiant’s Wife = ALETA. Not familiar with this comic character or his family.

40. Hitchcock’s “_____” For Murder” = DIAL “M.”

41. Oldest Driver to Win the Indy 500 = AL UNSER.

43. Went on the Road = TOURED. I wonder if you Toured in Tours?

44. Baby’s Footwear = BOOTIE.

47. Country or Folk = GENRE. I initially thought of Music.

48. Preppy Collars = ETONS.

49. Mimics = APES.

50. Lion Tamer’s Handful = WHIP.

51. Taxi Rider or Payment = FARE.

52. March Madness Org. = NCAA. Stands for National Collegiate Athletic Association. The college baseball tournament takes place in March.

53. Sounds of Disapproval – TSKS.

56. Part of NATO: Abbr. = ATL. Stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization.