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Jump to a complete list of today’s clues and answers
CROSSWORD SETTER: Gail Grabowski
THEME: Thin is In … each of today’s themed answers is a common phrase, but with the letter sequence TH dropped:
27A. Bud who’s been fired? CANNED BRO (from “canned broth”)
29A. Search online about auditory issues? GOOGLE “EAR” (from “Google Earth”)
46A. Geico gecko’s financial counterpart? CREDIT CARD EFT (from “credit card theft”)
68A. One fastidious about table manners? EATER CRITIC (from “theater critic”)
90A. Editor’s marks in the margin? LATERAL INKING (from “lateral thinking”)
105A. Displeased reaction to election turnout? VOTING BOO (from “voting booth”)
109A. Streams stocked with elongated fish? GAR BROOKS (from “Garth Brooks”)
39D. Consequence of a heist injury? ROBBING PAIN (from “throbbing pain”)
42D. Part of a project to recycle golf accessories? TEE GRINDING (from “teeth grinding”)
BILL BUTLER’S COMPLETION TIME: 17m 11s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0
Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies
Across
5. Fast-food pork sandwich MCRIB
The McDonald’s McRib sandwich is based on a pork patty. There isn’t any pork rib in the patty though. It is primarily made up of pork shoulder meat reconstituted with tripe, heart and stomach tissue. Enjoy …
10. Oar SCULL
A scull is a boat used for competitive rowing. The main hull of the boat is often referred to as a shell. Crew members who row the boat can be referred to as “oars”.
20. “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,” for one ELEGY
Walt Whitman wrote his famous poem “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” as an elegy following the violent death of President Lincoln.
21. Riveting woman? ROSIE
Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon that represented women working in factories across the country during WWII as part of the war effort. The term “Rosie the Riveter” first appeared as the title of a 1942 song that was a national hit.
23. Twistable snack OREO
There’s an iPhone app featuring the Oreo cookie. It’s a game in which one twists Oreo cookies apart, “licks” the cream from the center and then dunks the remainder of the cookie in a glass of milk.
24. Rock guitarist Eddy DUANE
Duane Eddy is a rock and roll guitarist from Corning, New York.
29. Search online about auditory issues? GOOGLE “EAR” (from “Google Earth”)
Google Earth is a program that maps the Earth by superimposing satellite images and aerial photographs. Google acquired the technology when it purchased Keyhole, Inc in 2004. Keyhole had been partially funded by the CIA.
32. Porch furniture material RATTAN
Rattan is the name of a large number of species of palms, all of which look less like trees and more like vines. The woody stems are used for making cane furniture.
37. Course accomplishment BIRDIE
Apparently the term “birdie” originated in 1899 at the Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield, New Jersey. A golfer hit his second shot on a par four that stopped inches from the cup after hitting a bird in flight. The golfer tapped the ball in for one-under-par, and his golfing buddies labeled the second shot a “bird”. The golfers started to call one-under-par a birdie, and the term spread through the club, and from there around the world …
40. High-altitude home AERIE
An aerie is the nest of an eagle, and is also known as an “eyrie”.
45. 1941 FDR creation USO
The United Service Organization (USO) was founded in 1941 at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt “to handle the on-leave recreation of the men in the armed forces”. A USO tour is undertaken by a troupe of entertainers, many of whom are big-name celebrities. A USO tour usually includes troop locations in combat zones.
46. GEICO gecko’s financial counterpart? CREDIT CARD EFT (from “credit card theft”)
The Gecko is the “spokes-lizard” for GEICO. When the Gecko was introduced in 1999, he was voiced by actor Kelsey Grammer of “Cheers” and “Frasier” fame. Since then, the Gecko has been voiced by British radio presenter Dave Kelly and most recently by actor Jake Wood, who plays Max Branning on the British soap opera “EastEnders”.
GEICO was founded in 1936 with a very specific mission, to provide auto insurance for employees of the federal government and their families, hence the name Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO). GEICO is a private company, despite the word “government” in its name. The founders’ idea was to focus on government employees as they believed such a group represented a lower risk profile than the rest of the population. Nowadays any qualifying person can take out a policy with GEICO.
50. “Bambi” role ENA
Ena is Bambi’s aunt in the 1942 Disney film “Bambi”. The movie is based on the novel “Bambi, A Life in the Woods” written by Austrian author Felix Salten and first published in 1923. There is a documented phenomenon known as the Bambi Effect, whereby people become more interested in animal rights after having watched the scene where Bambi’s mother is shot by hunters.
51. Talmudic scholar RABBI
The Talmud is a collection of writings by thousands of rabbis and is a central text in Rabbinic Judaism, second only to the Torah.
53. Pull-down beneficiaries LATS
The muscles known as the “lats” are the latissimi dorsi, the broadest muscles in the back. “Latissimus” is the Latin for “broadest” and “dorsum” is Latin for “back”.
54. Some tech sch. grads EES
Electrical engineer (EE)
61. Smooth transition SEGUE
A “segue” is a transition from one topic to the next. “Segue” is an Italian word that literally means “now follows”. It was first used in musical scores directing the performer to play into the next movement without a break.
62. “Hedda Gabler” playwright IBSEN
“Hedda Gabler” is a play by the great Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, first published in 1890. Considered one of the greatest theater roles, the title character of Hedda Gabler is sometimes referred to as “the female Hamlet”.
63. Colorado county or its seat PUEBLO
The city of Pueblo, Colorado is located just over 100 miles south of Denver. The city takes its name from a settlement established by fur trappers around 1842 that they called “El Pueblo” or “Fort Pueblo”. The original buildings were adobe structures, hence the “Pueblo” name.
71. Medit. country ISR
Israel (Isr.) is a country with a Mediterranean (Medit.) coast.
72. Bing’s co-star in “The Bells of St. Mary’s” INGRID
“Going My Way” is a 1944 musical film starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald as the incoming and outgoing pastors of a New York City parish. The film was so successful that it spawned a sequel called “The Bells of St. Mary’s” that was released the following year, with Crosby starring opposite Ingrid Bergman.
76. Oscar winner Williams ROBIN
The actor and comedian Robin Williams got his big break playing Mork on the sitcom “Mork & Mindy”. Williams also had lauded performances on the big screen, starring in films such as “Good Morning, Vietnam”, “Dead Poet’s Society”, “Good Will Hunting”, “Hook”, “Mrs. Doubtfire” and my personal favorite “The Birdcage”. The world was shocked to hear that Williams committed suicide in August 2014.
79. March VIP ST PAT
There is a fair amount known about St. Patrick, some of which comes from two letters written in his own hand. St. Patrick lived in the fifth century, but was not born in Ireland. He was first brought to Ireland at about 16 years of age from his native Britain, by Irish raiders who made him a slave for six years. Patrick managed to escape and returned to his homeland where he studied and entered the Church. He went back to Ireland as a bishop and a missionary and there lived out the rest of his life. There seems to be good evidence that he died on March 17th (now celebrated annually as St. Patrick’s Day), although the year is less clear. The stories about shamrock and snakes, I am afraid they are the stuff of legend.
80. “Papa Bear” of football HALAS
The NFL’s George Stanley Halas, Sr. was nicknamed “Papa Bear”. He also earned the well-deserved nickname of “Mr Everything” as he was a player, coach, inventor, jurist, producer, philanthropist, philatelist and NFL owner. He led the Chicago Bears from 1921 to 1967.
81. Chicago’s “in the Park” time SATURDAY
“Saturday in the Park” is a song recorded by Chicago in 1972.
The rock band called Chicago was formed in … Chicago. The band’s biggest hits are “If You Leave Me Now” (1976) and “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” (1982). The band’s lineup has changed a lot over the years. The most tragic reason for a change was in 1978 when Terry Kath, one of the band’s founding members, died from an accidentally self-inflicted gun wound. Kath enjoyed playing with guns and as a joke held a pistol with an empty magazine to his temple and pulled the trigger. A round in the chamber killed him instantly.
84. Mazda sports car MIATA
The Mazda MX-5 is sold as the Miata in North America, and as the Roadster in Japan. I’ve always liked the looks of the Mazda Miata, probably because it reminds me so much of old British sports cars. The Miata is built in Hiroshima, Japan.
86. Primatologist Fossey DIAN
Dian Fossey carried out her famous study of gorilla populations in the mountain forests of Rwanda (NB: it was Jane Goodall that worked with chimpanzees). Sadly, Fossey was found dead in her cabin in Rwanda in 1986, murdered in her bedroom, her skull split open by a machete. The crime was never solved.
89. One-time Capitol Records parent EMI
EMI was a British music company, with the abbreviation originally standing for Electric and Musical Industries.
Capitol Records is a record label that was founded in 1942 by lyricist and songwriter Johnny Mercer.
98. Moto portrayer LORRE
The marvelous actor Peter Lorre was born in what is now modern-day Slovakia. Lorre’s real name was Laszlo Lowenstein. He started acting in Vienna when he was quite young, only 17 years old. When Hitler came to power, the Jewish Lowenstein headed to Paris and then London, eventually ending up in Hollywood. Lorre found himself typecast as the wicked foreigner in American movies, but I think he sneered and snarled his way to the bank.
The mysterious Mr. Moto is a Japanese secret agent who appears in six novels by American author, John P. Marquand. Mr. Moto was famously played by Peter Lorre in a series of eight films released in the 1930s.
102. Willowy SVELTE
“Svelte” comes into English from Latin, via the Italian “svelto” meaning “stretched out”. Something or someone described as svelte would be slender and graceful.
104. Radio-active sort? CBER
A CBer is someone who operates a Citizens’ Band radio. In 1945, the FCC set aside certain radio frequencies for the personal use of citizens. The use of the Citizens’ Band increased throughout the seventies as advances in electronics brought down the size of transceivers and their cost. There aren’t many CB radios sold these days though, as they have largely been replaced by cell phones.
109. Streams stocked with elongated fish? GAR BROOKS (from “Garth Brooks”)
The fish known as a gar is very unusual in that it is often found in very brackish water. What is interesting about gar is that their swim bladders are vascularized so that they can actually function as lungs. Many species of gar can actually be seen coming to the surface and taking a gulp of air. This adaptation makes it possible for them to live in conditions highly unsuitable for other fish that rely on their gills to get oxygen out of the water. Indeed, quite interesting …
Country singer Garth Brooks retired from recording and performing in 2001. He came back out of retirement in 2009, signing a five-year concert deal with the Encore Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.
117. Asian capital HANOI
Hanoi was the capital of North Vietnam, and Saigon the capital of South Vietnam. After the Vietnam War, Hanoi was made capital of the reunified state. Saigon, the larger metropolis, was renamed to Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi is located in the delta of the Red River, and is just over 50 miles from the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea.
118. Technology prefix NANO-
Nanotechnology is the study of the manipulation of matter at the atomic and molecular level. Nanotechnology is essential to the electronic and biomaterials industries.
120. Guadalajara gal pal AMIGA
Guadalajara is a populous city in the Mexican state of Jalisco. The Mexican city is named after the city of the same name in the center of Spain.
121. “What the Butler Saw” playwright ORTON
Joe Orton was an English playwright who was active in the 1960s and who was noted for penning outrageous black comedies. Orton’s career was cut short as he was bludgeoned to death by his lover, when Orton was only 24 years old.
122. Chain with stacks IHOP
The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) was founded back in 1958. IHOP was originally intended to be called IHOE, the International House of Eggs, but that name didn’t do too well in marketing tests …
125. Picking out, as a perp IDING
Perpetrator (perp.)
126. Team that’s played in the same park for 100 years CUBS
The Chicago Cubs is one of only two charter members of the baseball’s National League who are still playing, the other being the Atlanta Braves. The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908, which is a long time ago. In fact, the Cubs have the longest championship drought of any professional sports team in North America.
The famous ballpark that is home to the Chicago Cubs was built in 1914. Back then it was known as Weeghman Park, before becoming Cubs Park in 1920, four years after the Cubs arrived in 1916. It was given the name Wrigley Field in 1926, after the owner William Wrigley, Jr. of chewing gum fame. Wrigley Field is noted as the only professional ballpark that has ivy covering the outfield walls. The ivy is a combination of Boston Ivy and Japanese Bittersweet, both of which can survive the harsh winters in Chicago.
Down
4. Ex-Soviet leader Brezhnev LEONID
Leonid Brezhnev was the Soviet leader from 1964 until his death in 1982. Under Brezhnev, Soviet spending on the military grew to about 12.5% of the nation’s Gross National Product. This level of spending, without effective economic reform, led to the USSR’s “Era of Stagnation” that started in the mid-seventies. His large major political decision was to invade Afghanistan, a move that placed further strain on the fragile Soviet economy.
6. Caddies carry them CLUBS
“Caddie” is a Scottish word, as one might expect given the history of the game of golf. “Caddie” is a local word derived from the French “cadet”, meaning a younger son or brother, and also a student officer in the military.
9. Tournament pass BYE
The word “bye”, as used in sport, originated in cricket. A bye is a run scored due to an error by the wicketkeeper (similar to a catcher in baseball) when he fails to stop a ball bowled by the bowler (like a pitcher in baseball). Later the word “bye” in sport came to mean the position of a player in a tournament who is left without a competitor when the rest have drawn pairs. In these commercial times, those byes tend to be awarded to the best (seeded) players, so that the most popular players always advance past the first round of competition.
10. __ Lanka SRI
The name Sri Lanka translates from Sanskrit into English as “venerable island”. Before 1970, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon, a name given to the country during British rule.
11. Dance in a line CONGA
The conga line is a dance that originated as a Cuban carnival march. It became popular in the US starting in the thirties. The dance is apparently named after the Congo region of Africa, and it was originated by slaves who were brought from there to Cuba.
13. Slimming option, for short LIPO
Liposuction (lipo) dates back to the 1920s when it was developed by a surgeon in France. However, the procedure quickly lost favor when a French model developed gangrene after surgery. As a result it wasn’t until the mid-seventies that modern liposuction took off, after being popularized by two Italian-American surgeons in Rome.
16. Make more potent LACE
To lace a drink, is to spike it, by adding perhaps some alcohol or other strong substance.
17. Org. with an Anti-Retaliation webpage OSHA
Employees who report workplace injuries or safety concerns to OSHA can be referred to as whistleblowers. OSHA can use the law to protect whistleblowers from retaliation by their employers.
18. Red-bearded god THOR
In Norse mythology, Thor was the son of Odin. Thor wielded a mighty hammer and was the god of thunder, lightning and storms. Our contemporary word “Thursday” comes from “Thor’s Day”.
35. Caddy contents, perhaps TEA
A caddy is a container used for tea. “Caddy” comes from the Malay word “kati”, a unit of weight used as a standard by British tea companies in the East Indies.
38. Golfer Aoki ISAO
Isao Aoki is one of Japan’s greatest golfers, now playing on the senior circuit. Aoki’s best finish in a major tournament was runner-up to Jack Nicklaus in the 1980 US Open.
40. Purim month ADAR
Adar is the twelfth month of the Hebrew ecclesiastical calendar. Ada is equivalent to February-March in the Gregorian calendar.
Purim is a festival commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people from a plot to wipe them out by Haman the Agagite, as recorded in the Book of Esther. During the celebration of Purim, the Book of Esther (or Megillah) is read aloud, once in the evening and once the following morning. By the way, Esther is the only book in the Old Testament that doesn’t mention the word “God”.
44. Like “American Sniper” RATED R
Chris Kyle was a Navy SEAL who served four tours in Iraq, and then wrote a 2012 autobiography called “American Sniper”. The book was adapted into an equally successful 2014 movie of the same name. Kyle was murdered in 2013 by a US Marine suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder on a public shooting range.
47. Supreme Court appointee after Sonia ELENA
Elena Kagan was the Solicitor General of the United States who replaced Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court. That made Justice Kagan the first female US Solicitor General and the fourth female US Supreme Court justice. I hear she is a fan of Jane Austen, and used to reread “Pride and Prejudice” once a year. Not a bad thing to do, I’d say …
Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic justice on the US Supreme Court, and the third female justice. Sotomayor was nominated by President Barack Obama to replace the retiring Justice David Souter.
49. Stop on a line DEPOT
Our term “depot”, meaning a station or warehouse, derives from the word “dépôt”, French for “deposit” or “place of deposit”.
52. Tiny Tim’s dad BOB
Bob Cratchit is the underpaid clerk who works for Ebeneezer Scrooge in the Charles Dickens story “A Christmas Carol”.
Tiny Tim is the nickname of Timothy Cratchit, the little disabled boy in the Charles Dickens novella “A Christmas Carol”. “A Christmas Carol” is such a popular book that it has not been out of print since its first publication in December 1843.
60. Iberian river to the Mediterranean EBRO
The Ebro is the longest river in Spain. The river was known by the Romans as the Iber, and it is the “Iber” river that gives the “Iberian” Peninsula its name.
64. __ Minor URSA
Ursa Minor (Latin for “Smaller Bear”) sits right beside the constellation Draco (Latin for “dragon”). Ursa Minor used to be considered the wing of Draco, and so was once called “Dragon’s Wing”.
65. Conan Doyle, by birth SCOT
The Scottish writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is most closely associated with his wonderful character Sherlock Holmes. Doyle also wrote a series of science fiction stories featuring the character Professor Challenger. The first book in which Challenger appears is the famous “The Lost World”, a story about prehistoric creatures that are found living in the modern age on an isolated plateau in South America.
66. Fate KISMET
“Kismet” is a Turkish word, meaning fate or fortune, one’s lot.
70. Tabriz native IRANI
Tabriz is a large city in the very northwest of Iran that once served as the country’s capital.
74. Salad bar choice ITALIAN
Don’t try asking for Italian dressing in Italy, as it’s a North American invention. Italians are fond of dressing their salads with olive oil, vinegar, salt and maybe some black pepper. Try it!
78. Portfolio holding, for short IRA
Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
82. Lady’s company? AVON
In 1886, a young man called David McConnell was selling books door-to-door. To enhance his sales numbers he was giving out free perfume to the ladies of the houses that he visited. Seeing as his perfume was more popular than his books, he founded the California Perfume Company in New York City and started manufacturing and selling across the country. The company name was changed to Avon in 1939, and the famous “Avon Calling” marketing campaign was launched in 1954.
83. Trees used for archery bows YEWS
Yew is the wood of choice for the longbow, a valued weapon in the history of England. The longbow is constructed with a core of yew heartwood (as the heartwood resists compression) that has a sheath of yew sapwood (as the sapwood resists stretching). The yew was in such demand for longbows that for centuries yew trees were in short supply in Britain and the wood had to be imported from all over Europe.
86. Scuttlebutt DIRT
Just as modern day office workers gather around the water cooler to gossip, on board a ship back in the early 1800s the sailors would gather around the water barrel on the deck to shoot the breeze. That water barrel was called a “scuttlebutt”, from “scuttle” (opening in a ship’s deck) and “butt” (barrel). Quite interesting …
92. Part of IPA ALE
India Pale Ale (IPA) is a style of beer that originated in England. The beer was originally intended for transportation from England to India, hence the name.
93. Bit of cybermirth LOL
Laugh out loud (LOL, in text-speak)
103. Europe’s longest river VOLGA
The Volga is the longest river in Europe, and is considered the national river of Russia.
104. Sing like Rudy Vallee CROON
Rudy Vallee was the stage name of Hubert Vallée, a singer and actor from Island Pond, Vermont. Vallee was known for his singing style, and is usually referred to as the first “crooner”. Early in his career he performed without the benefit of microphone technology and had to use a megaphone as he was perhaps the first real “pop star” and played to sell-out audiences.
105. Plastic choice VISA
Did you know that Visa doesn’t issue any credit cards? Visa just sells the electronic systems and infrastructure to banks who then put the Visa logo on their own cards so that both the customer and merchant know to use the VISA system when making a transaction.
108. The Tide BAMA
The athletic teams of the University of Alabama (“Bama”) are nicknamed the Crimson Tide, a reference to the team colors of crimson and white.
111. Island where Bette Midler was born OAHU
One of my favorite singers, and indeed all-round entertainers, is Bette Midler. If you’ve ever seen her live show you’ll know that “camp” is a good word to describe it, as her humor is definitely “out there” and quite bawdy. Early in her career, Midler spent years singing in the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse in New York City. There she became very close friends with her piano accompanist, Barry Manilow. While singing in the bathhouse, Bette only wore a white towel, just like the members of her audience. It was in those days that she created her famous character “the Divine Miss M” and also earned herself the nickname “Bathhouse Betty”.
117. __ polloi HOI
“Hoi polloi” is a Greek term, literally meaning “the majority, the many”. In English, “hoi polloi” has come to mean “the masses” and is often used in a derogatory sense.
For the sake of completion, here is a full listing of all the answers:
Across
1. Let the tears out BAWL
5. Fast-food pork sandwich MCRIB
10. Oar SCULL
15. Datebook opening SLOT
19. Ad, basically LURE
20. “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,” for one ELEGY
21. Riveting woman? ROSIE
22. Break-even transaction WASH
23. Twistable snack OREO
24. Rock guitarist Eddy DUANE
25. Bungling INEPT
26. Off-the-wall answer? ECHO
27. Bud who’s been fired? CANNED BRO (from “canned broth”)
29. Search online about auditory issues? GOOGLE “EAR” (from “Google Earth”)
31. Sources of complaints ILLS
32. Porch furniture material RATTAN
36. Breakfast grain OAT
37. Course accomplishment BIRDIE
40. High-altitude home AERIE
41. Maine course LOBSTER
45. 1941 FDR creation USO
46. GEICO gecko’s financial counterpart? CREDIT CARD EFT (from “credit card theft”)
50. “Bambi” role ENA
51. Talmudic scholar RABBI
53. Pull-down beneficiaries LATS
54. Some tech sch. grads EES
55. Spew out EGEST
57. “Happy to help” NO BOTHER
59. Trickles SEEPS
61. Smooth transition SEGUE
62. “Hedda Gabler” playwright IBSEN
63. Colorado county or its seat PUEBLO
65. Kept for later STORED
66. Reunion attendees KIN
68. One fastidious about table manners? EATER CRITIC (from “theater critic”)
71. Medit. country ISR
72. Bing’s co-star in “The Bells of St. Mary’s” INGRID
75. Use as support REST ON
76. Oscar winner Williams ROBIN
79. March VIP ST PAT
80. “Papa Bear” of football HALAS
81. Chicago’s “in the Park” time SATURDAY
84. Mazda sports car MIATA
85. Rocks in rye ICE
86. Primatologist Fossey DIAN
88. Easily deceived NAIVE
89. One-time Capitol Records parent EMI
90. Editor’s marks in the margin? LATERAL INKING (from “lateral thinking”)
95. “Get it done” NOW
96. Alley game TENPINS
98. Moto portrayer LORRE
99. Evens up ALIGNS
101. High bond rating AAA
102. Willowy SVELTE
104. Radio-active sort? CBER
105. Displeased reaction to election turnout? VOTING BOO (from “voting booth”)
109. Streams stocked with elongated fish? GAR BROOKS (from “Garth Brooks”)
114. Rare cry from the slots I WON!
115. Come from behind RALLY
117. Asian capital HANOI
118. Technology prefix NANO-
119. It may be reserved SEAT
120. Guadalajara gal pal AMIGA
121. “What the Butler Saw” playwright ORTON
122. Chain with stacks IHOP
123. Puts in ADDS
124. Polite title MADAM
125. Picking out, as a perp IDING
126. Team that’s played in the same park for 100 years CUBS
Down
1. Political coalition BLOC
2. Intangible quality AURA
3. Little singer WREN
4. Ex-Soviet leader Brezhnev LEONID
5. One getting too personal MEDDLER
6. Caddies carry them CLUBS
7. Back REAR
8. “That’s not important” IGNORE IT
9. Tournament pass BYE
10. __ Lanka SRI
11. Dance in a line CONGA
12. Apply to USE ON
13. Slimming option, for short LIPO
14. Release LET GO OF
15. Term of affection SWEETS
16. Make more potent LACE
17. Org. with an Anti-Retaliation webpage OSHA
18. Red-bearded god THOR
28. Brings forth ELICITS
30. Blood work, e.g. LAB TEST
33. Cultural pursuits ARTS
34. It may be a sign of stress TIC
35. Caddy contents, perhaps TEA
37. Ruin in the kitchen BURN
38. Golfer Aoki ISAO
39. Consequence of a heist injury? ROBBING PAIN (from “throbbing pain”)
40. Purim month ADAR
41. Lower in price LESS
42. Part of a project to recycle golf accessories? TEE GRINDING (from “teeth grinding”)
43. Comes after ENSUES
44. Like “American Sniper” RATED R
47. Supreme Court appointee after Sonia ELENA
48. Land on the sea? REEL IN
49. Stop on a line DEPOT
52. Tiny Tim’s dad BOB
56. Graphic beginning? GEO-
58. Be mindful of HEED
59. Breakaway factions SECTS
60. Iberian river to the Mediterranean EBRO
63. Kitchen gadget PEELER
64. __ Minor URSA
65. Conan Doyle, by birth SCOT
66. Fate KISMET
67. Eventually IN TIME
69. Barely detectable amount TRACE
70. Tabriz native IRANI
73. State secrets? RAT
74. Salad bar choice ITALIAN
77. Criminal likely to get caught BUNGLER
78. Portfolio holding, for short IRA
80. Stage successes HITS
81. Benefit SAKE
82. Lady’s company? AVON
83. Trees used for archery bows YEWS
86. Scuttlebutt DIRT
87. Concerning, with “to” IN REGARD
91. Parties, to pirates ANAGRAM
92. Part of IPA ALE
93. Bit of cybermirth LOL
94. Picking up NABBING
97. Goes over the wall? PAINTS
100. Having a twist IRONIC
102. Not flimsy SOLID
103. Europe’s longest river VOLGA
104. Sing like Rudy Vallee CROON
105. Plastic choice VISA
106. Had to pay OWED
107. Despicable sort TOAD
108. The Tide BAMA
110. Dead set against ANTI
111. Island where Bette Midler was born OAHU
112. A lock may be in one KNOB
113. Soaks (up) SOPS
116. Holiday veggie YAM
117. __ polloi HOI
5 errors (average effort for me), though pretty fast time for me (under an hour).
Most are minor letter one-offs save EGEST (55A), which is the third-time now I've gotten that word wrong. Maybe I keep wanting to associate it with DIGEST instead of its proper opposite, INGEST, which isn't too hard since all three words relate to the same thing in one way or another. Maybe making a point to write all that out will help me remember it for next time, whenever that happens.
Update on the ACPT–Bill is currently 5th in his solving division, and is 249th in the overall field of almost 600 entrants! YES!
I got the theme but never really was able to let it help me. Tough sledding but my time was about normal so maybe I was particularly engaged with this one.
I love McRibs…heart meat, yoga mat materials and all…
Cubs just might break their 108 year World Series drought this year. Willie – then we can concentrate on St. Louis Blues hockey. Next year will be year 50 without a Stanley Cup. FWIW – Tony Kornheiser of ESPN's PTI show says the "St. Louis Blues" is the best team name in all of sports.
I've been on the Volga river. It looks like a lake near Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) it's so big there. There's an amazing statue of Mother Russia there on Mamayev Hill in Volgograd. It symbolizes a particularly brutal battle in WWII with the Germans there. It's almost eerie how big it is. I was standing right under it as a storm was rolling in. Pretty scary sight actually I'm a little embarrassed to admit. Imagine an enormous statue standing on a tiny thin platform. Well that tiny thin platform is about twice the height of a normal person. That's how big that statue is.
@Carrie
Just go to the ACPT home page, click on the "2016 Tournament Page" link and you'll see the various divisions on the left. You can click on those to see the results. Bill is in the E division
Best –
Final Bill Watch: #254 overall, #4 Div E. Top 44%. If I read this right, he graduates to Division D, minimum, next year (below 65%) if he plays, and very nearly graduated to Division C (below 40%). Assuming I got it right, of course. Great job indeed! The marker board rounds (top 3, A, B & C) started about an hour or so ago, but they haven't posted those yet.
@Glenn
Thanks for all the cheer-leading and score-keeping for my run at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. I had a great time, helped along by a better performance than last year. I learned a lot, and am now hooked. I fully intend to turn up again in 2017. It was great meeting some of the folks who actually read the LAXCrossword.com blog here (and my NYTCrossword.com blog). One big lesson for me this year is that solving with pencil and paper is way slower than solving with a keyboard. I am definitely going to be practicing solving with paper over the coming twelve months, and learning to write clearly and speedily.
I'm now off to Washington, D.C. to meet up with my two brothers who are flying in from Ireland for 9/10 days. Three retired Irishmen descending on the nation's capital … dearie, dearie me …
32:01, no errors. My day began with computer issues, so I'm running late and slow. I didn't understand the theme until I was almost done; the lights came om with GAR BROOKS and helped me see VOTING BOO. A pleasant outing nevertheless …
@Bill Congratulations!!Sounds like you did very well this year. Have fun with your brothers.
Thanks to Glenn, Jeff and Willie for the updates. I tried looking up the results and had a hard time understanding what all the letter categories meant.
My puzzle title was "THIS IS IN" which makes no more sense than THIN IS IN.
Groaned at the 5 long answers I got and quit.
See you all tomorrow!
@Bill, congratulations on a very fine effort ! Bravo ! Ole' !
Now, its slowly seeping into me the profound importance of this tournament. It must be a combination of tornados, tsunamis and cataclysms. I saw the photographs of the gals and guys from the prior year's tournaments, and they all seemed such nice, decent and jovial folks …. but I'm sure they are competitive and dedicated, as well.
I deeply admire your optimistic attitude Bill, and since life is short, make the best of it, and indulge in your passion. ( I hope you took your wife along ). Next year, may be your year. In any case, you will have the time of your life.
Have fun with your brothers, and be sure to keep some of the green beer for the politicians to imbibe …. they'll need it after they return to the roost, from spring break. Have fun, be safe, God Bless.
@Pookie, Vidwan
Many thanks for the kind words 🙂 I had a fun weekend, and am looking forward to a fun reunion with my brothers. I hope I'm not too tempted to go AWOL, and can keep up with my blogging duties …
Yay Bill!
I did not like the theme. Didn't help and I felt like I was lisping!
2 weeks ago I was in an airport line in Vancouver, BC w/ a bunch of StL Blues guys. So pleasant and clean-looking for guys who earn their living beating on people! And young looking, too.
Bella
Thank you Jeff! I found it and not sure why I couldn't before.
Congrats Bill! Great showing!
Completed this puzzle and successfully — or so I thought. Come to Bill's blog and realize I missed on ONE LETTER: I had LITERAL INKING, which gave me INAGRAM instead of ANAGRAM. Just figured it was some word I didn't know, while the theme answer I came up with made total sense. I also had "This is in" as the title of my puzzle, so I blame that. Only one wrong letter, and a key misprint in the title? That means I finished successfully, IMO.
Sweet dreams~~™
One error, SPOT/PACE for SLOT/LACE, but I felt the need to report for I think the 2nd time that there is one other book of the Bible besides Esther that doesn't mention God, that is the Song of Solomon aka Song of Songs.
As far as the St Louis Blues are concerned, when the NHL expanded from 6 to 12 teams they put all 6 expansion teams in one division. The Blues were the Western Conference representative in the Stanley Cup Finals the first 3 years, losing each time to the more established team from the "Original Six". Since then the LA Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars (relocated from Minnesota) have all won. The Oakland/California Seals are no more.
My paper listed the title as “This is in”.