google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner

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Jul 27, 2012

Friday, July 27, 2012, Bruce C. Grieg

Theme: Movies "R" Us.

Each of the five theme answers takes a movie title and adds an "R" to the first word to create a whole new title and mental image. This appears to be another debut puzzle, for our third Bruce and our second who sports a middle initial. (Where are you Bruce S.?) Really filled with movie references, cross references hidden references, but overall the easiest puzzle of the week for me. Like a nice romantic comedy, the puzzle was breezy and fun. Let's get some popcorn, Junior Mints and go to the movies.

17A. The "Iliad" film version for kids? : TROY STORY (9). The movie TOY STORY (3:00) was not about Helen of Troy, not the Trojan War. hard to believe this was 17 years ago.

24A. Coming -of-age film about DNA? : STRAND BY ME.(10). The movie STAND BY ME (2:16) was not about DNA strands. All kinds of stars in this film adaptation of a Steven King story, including Sheldon's pal Wil Wheaton.

36A. Bob Marley prison film? : DREAD MAN WALKING. (15) The MOVIE (2:29) about a death row prisoner that also won awards, which was full of DREAD.

53A. Epic poet-left-behind film? : HOMER ALONE. (10) The Caulkin, Pesci MOVIE (2:11) which left many laughing, but not about the Iliad (see above) or the Odyssey, or even a Simpson.

62A. Shakespearean holiday film? : BARD SANTA.(9). Billy Bob Thornton's Christmas MOVIE (2:59). I do love Will Shakespeare, the Bard. And you sort of unifier...

45D. Like the five films in this puzzle's theme? : R RATED. More like R infused, but let's see what else we have.

Across:

1. Anthony's talk radio partner : OPIE. One of the many shock jocks who followed the lead of Howard Stern, even taking his CBS radio time slot when David Lee Roth failed to replace Howard. I have never listened to THEM.

5. Kindergarten lessons : ABCS. Since today's puzzle is entertainment related how about: "Like taking candy from a baby? "

9. Some carpets : SHAGS. Imagine one word which is a rug, a hairstyle and having sex all in four letters. Shout out to....?

14. Struggle at the finish : FADE. Yes, as often happens to my horse at the 16th pole. Side mini-theme, also a hair style.

15. Combustible material : COAL. A truly dirty four letter word.

16. Put off : TABLE. Used in board meeting, committee meetings, sorry Fred we are going to table your idea.

19. Burgundy capital : DIJON. Wine and mustard, what more do you want from the French? Croissants? Chocolate?

20. Great Society agcy. : OEO. Office of Economic Opportunity administered the government's War on Poverty. Sadly Poverty won.

21. Rio greeting : OLA. Our Hispanic Hello, hey Chickie, Lucina and others. No H suggests the Portuguese version.

23. One of the Spice Girls : GERI. the REUNION (0:29). They also made a movie.

28. Gp. in a '50s labor merger : CIO. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations merged when I was a kid when labor was king.

29. Anticipate : FORESEE.

30. Online self-image : AVATAR. Another hidden movie reference.

32. Calendar abbr. : TUEsday.

33. Superhuman : BIONIC. Were you a fan of Man or Woman? TV movies?

43. Best Actress winner for "The Queen" : MIRREN. Helen, an another award winning Actress.

44. Sushi topping : ROE. Row, row row your boat and get me some fish eggs.

45. Theme of Grisham's "A Time to Kill" : RACISM. Another book and MOVIE.

48. Arise : EMANATE.

52. First Amendment subj. : RELigion.

56. Composer Khachaturian : ARAM. My learning moment, I knew the last name but not the first. His MUSIC is much used in movies.

58. Pin cushion? : MAT. Wrestling, not stick you in the arm kind.

59. Miami's Marino : DAN. Number 13, a wonderful player and a very philanthropic member of our community.

60. References, often : TOMES.

67. Modern read : EBOOK. Love my Kindle.

68. Blunted blade : EPEE. Fencing sword.

69. Flirt : MINX. Anyone ever read a Phriney (pronounced Frinee) Fisher mystery novel?

70. Town near Bangor, in many King works : DERRY. Another cross referential clue to the earlier King movie SBM.

71. Tend : LEAN. Many of you lean to the left, and many to the right, I have my chair set just in the middle.

72. Kitchen addition? : ETTE. Kitchenette, from the French for little. Dennis if you are ever in Ft. Lauderdale, Kitchenetta (the Italian version) is a fun restaurant on Federal Highway.

Wow, must speed up.

Down:

1. Frequently, to Frost : OFTen.

2. It's something to shoot for : PAR. On the golf course at least.

3. Life-changing promise : I DO. I did, I don't anymore.

4. Fictional donkey : EEYORE. Winnie the Pooh.

5. Broadway opening? : ACT ONE. Not a movie reference but it could have been.

6. Rude welcome at the park : BOO. Like when Pujols goes back to play in St. Louis, not one but a chorus.

7. Chocolate substitute : CAROB. This comes from the seed pod of a tree in the (forgive the expression) pea family.

8. In a feline way : SLYLY. Okay cat lovers, are you going to let him say that about your babies?

9. Not irr. : STD, Standard, no sexually transmitted diseases here; not to be confused with 29D. Org. providing arrangements : FTD.

10. Reagan Cabinet member : HAIG. He thought he was President when Ronnie got shot. Alexander the GREAT syndrome?

11. Utterly hopeless : ABJECT. Yes, his dream to be president was.

12. Reverent hymn : GLORIA. This song? LINK.(2:39) Nah, but it was reverent.

13. Higher in rank : SENIOR.

18. Neptune's realm : SEAS. The Roman Poseidon.

22. 2006 Whirlpool acquisition : AMANA.

24. Whiskey order : SOUR. Been there, and a lady friend did her SoCo sours. Yuck.

25. Diagram with relatives : TREE. Joyce Kilmer anyone?

26. Exclude : DEBAR. Really, what is wrong with BAR?

27. Mean business : EVIL. Anyone call for a DOCTOR? (1:58)

31. Cry of disgust : ACK. Made famous by CATHY.

34. Elephant tail? : INE. Elephantine.

35. Seller, presumably : OWNER. You hope, that is why you hire an attorney and get title insurance.

37. Nice friend : AMI. Ah, the French clue of the day, with the trick that does not trick.

38. Entrée : DISH. main course.

39. 1983 Keaton film : MR MOM. It has our friend TERI GARR.(1:21).

40. Turkey is always next to it : IRAN. Unless it is in the oven, three strikes in a row, or a bad movie.

41. Do, for example : NOTE. Musical note here: Do, Re, Mi, Fa...)

42. "Wow" : GEE.

46. Oxygen-consuming organism : AEROBE. Not a microbe.

47. Hue and cry : CLAMOR. Yes too often, pretty girls become clamor girls.

49. Memorable telestrator user in NFL broadcasts : MADDEN. John, who invented the Turducken, just for the legs. I am so old I remember when he played.

50. Sighed word : ALAS. Alack.

51. Generic : NO NAME. Like the Miami Dolphins defense of the early 70's.

54. Normand of the silents : MABEL. Crossword regular, but a star in the MOVIES.(6:28) She was a little minx.

55. Military camp : ETAPE. This is not an online adhesive.

57. "Is it just ___..." : ME OR is it getting warm in here?

61. Shade of blue : SKY. My favorite is sky blue pink at sunset.

63. Mens ___: criminal intent : REA. As they say "actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea." The act does not make you guilty if the mind is not, See Wiki, black's law dictionary or any other source for more detail.

64. Bit of carping : NIT. For you dear Marti.

65. Big Bang cause : TNT. Not the Big Bang, nor even the Big Bang Theory just Trinitrotoluene, or a TV network which shows movies but not Sheldon.

66. Dump : AXE. A perfect exit line with a song from my favorite almost successful band LINK. Hope you enjoyed the show. Bruce C.G. (hmm is he real or a computer graphic?) welcome, stop by and say hello, we had a lot of fun.

Answer grid.

Thanks all.

Lemonade squeezed all I could, so time to go.

Jul 26, 2012

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Don Gagliardo and C.C. Burnikel

Theme: CLIO Awards. 2012 Golden Award winner is Fedex. Wow! I get to blog another one from our Dynamic Duo. Each of the theme entries begins with a word that is a symbol for the iconic entities that they represent. And to make things even more interesting, they have crossed the theme entries with the companies they represent. See Answer Grid here.

20 Across. *Sounds familiar : RINGS A BELL
Crosses with 2 Down. Volkswagon brand : AUDI. These "rings" are very familiar to drivers in Germany. I tried to follow my German partner who was driving one on the autobahn (I was in a little C-Class Mercedes), and I had the pedal to the floor all the way to his house!



59 Across. *Easy place to go downhill : BUNNY SLOPE.
Crosses with 47 Down. Marylin Monroe was its first cover girl : PLAYBOY


10 Down. *Daydreamer : STAR GAZER
Crosses with 19 Across. Thanksgiving Day Parade sponsor : MACY'S. With the famous "star" logo


34 Down. *Easily : HANDS DOWN
Crosses with 52 Across. Auto insurance giant : ALLSTATE
You're in good "hands"...

And finally, 73 Across. What the start of each starred answer is part of, for a company that intersects that answer : LOGO

Brilliant theme, and cleverly executed from our Dynamic Duo.

It's Thursday (where do the weeks fly??), and Marti here to check out what else our Dynamic Duo has served up for us.

Across:

1. Makes the cut, in a way : SAWS. Boom! Right away, we get a devious clue.

5. Soviet news acronym : TASS. Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union, or, in Russian: "Telegrafnoye Agentstvo Sovetskovo Soyuza"

9. Boating stopover : ISLET

14. Century threshold : TURN...of the century.

15. Like many churches: Abbr. : ORTH...odox.

16. Class : STYLE

17. Impression : IDEA

18. Empty-vehicle weight : TARE

23. What's left : REST

24. Show done at 30 Rock : SNL. Saturday Night Live.

25. Beneficiaries of some drives : PLEDGEES. I got my "free" CD for just a $100 pledge on PBS...

27. You-here connector : ARE

30. Tree in some Constable paintings : ELM. John Constable (British romantic artist), painted the elms surrounding his home. His most famous, perhaps, is this one of "Dedham Vale" (1802).


32. FDR's mother : SARA. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our 32nd president. Why should we know his mother? She was sixth cousin to his father? And why is his name abbr. as a clue for a full-first-name answer?

33. 180-degree lenses : FISHEYES

36. Valentines Day quantities : DOZENS. Yes, I receive dozens of roses on Valentine's Day...(or else!!!)

40. Utah's gemstone : TOPAZ

41. Jar topper : LID

43. 1992 upstart candidate : PEROT

44. Observes Yom Kippur : ATONES. Yom Kippur is the "Day of Atonement", and the holiest day of the year in the Jewish religion.

46. On one's tax return : REPORTED

48. Durante's "that is" : DAT'S

50. Blue___ : certain strike : FLU. A strike staged as a "sick-out" by groups that normally are not allowed to strike, such as police officers. Hence, "Blue", for the color of their uniforms.

51. 2002 British Open champ : ELS. This clue was obviously written before he won the 2012 British Open last weekend. A great champion, and advocate of autism, which has affected his own family. Known as "The Big Easy", there is probably no one on the PGA Tour who doesn't respect and love him.

56. DOJ enforcer : ATF. Department of Justice: Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

58. Favorable : GOOD

64. A noble gas : ARGON

66. Grouse : CRAB. Not me!

67. "I got it!" reactions : AHAS

68. Experiencing reverence : IN AWE

69. First name in fashion : COCO. Do you all have a "little black dress"? (I'm referring to the ladies, Husker Gary!)



70. Country retreats : INNS

71. ___ goat : NANNY

72. One partner? : ONLY. "My One and Only". Have you seen the movie with Renée Zellweger?

Down:

1. Move a bit : STIR

3. Singer of complex songs : WREN. I wish I could sing this well!

4. Impediments : SNAGS

5. "Of course, dude!" : TOTALLY

6. ___ Leagues : ARAB

7. Throat ailment : STREP

8. Natural necklace components : SHELLS

9. Systemic suffix : ISM

11. Baccaluréat awarder : LYCEE. French for secondary education of 15-18 year-olds. We would call it "high school" in the U.S. The accent in baccaluréat indicates the French term.

12. "Family Ties" mom : ELYSE

13. Measures ability in : TESTS

21. Scorn : SNEEZE AT

22. Coveted role : LEAD

26. They don't graduate : DROP OUTS. Surprisingly straightforward clue!

27. Old Spice alternative : AFTA

28. Knee-slapper : RIOT

29. Nickname on the Boston Garden ice : ESPO. Phil Esposito, beloved Boston Bruin. Thanks, C.C. and Don for a home team shout-out!

31. Blanc with voices : MEL. Fun interview including many of our crossword favs with David Letterman. 9:56

35. Isaac Newton, e.g. : SIR

37. One-named Deco artist : ERTE. I definitely associate him with Art Deco.



38. Seasonal song : NOEL

39. Stylebook entries: Abbr. : STDS. Standards

42. HDTV part, briefly : DEF. Hi Def TV.

45. Rough guess : STAB. Like many of my guesses at the entries in this puzzle?

49. Siding plaster : STUCCO

52. "Encore!" : AGAIN. I want an encore from our favorite Dynamic Duo!!

53. Liza's half-sister Luft : LORNA. Liza Minelli, that is.

54. Boston airport : LOGAN. Another Boston shout out!

55. Scandal-plagued energy giant : ENRON. Need I say more?

57. Thrash : FLAIL

60. Salt letters : NACL. NaCl, or Sodium (Na) Chloride (Cl).

61. "Heaven help me!" : OH NO

62. Sudden ache : PANG

63. Canadian gas : ESSO. It's Exxon in the US...

65. Napoleonic marshal : NEY. Dubbed "The Bravest of the Brave" by Napolean, himself.

Answer grid.

And now, I am the tiredest of the tired, so I will bid "adieu" until next Thursday!

Hugs,
Marti

Note from C.C. & Don:

Don came up with this theme while editing a clue I wrote for LOGOs in another puzzle. We wanted the companies to be well-known and the logos iconic. We tried various grids and were quite excited to make one that works.