LA Times Crossword Answers 27 Jul 16, Wednesday




LA Times Crossword Solution 27 Jul 16







Constructed by: Jeffrey Wechsler

Edited by: Rich Norris

Quicklink to a complete list of today’s clues and answers

Quicklink to comments

Theme: Oo First

Today’s themed answers start with the letter sequence OO-

  • 17A…Butterfingers’ comment..OOPSY DAISY
  • 23A…Comet-filled region of space..OORT CLOUD
  • 48A…Chinese beverage literally meaning “black dragon”..OOLONG TEA
  • 54A…Plays it like Cary Grant..OOZES CHARM
  • 11D…Wonka worker..OOMPA LOOMPA
  • 23D…Expressions of delight..OOHS AND AAHS

Bill’s time: 6m 13s

Bill’s errors: 0




Today’s Wiki-est, Amazonian Googlies

Across

10…Verne protagonist..FOGG

“Around the World in 80 Days” is just a wonderful adventure story, written by French author Jules Verne and first published in 1873. There have been some great screen adaptations of the story, including the 1956 movie starring David Niven as Phileas Fogg. In almost all adaptations, a balloon is used for part of the journey, perhaps the most memorable means of transportation on Fogg’s trip around the world. However, if you read the book, Fogg never used a balloon at all.

14…”It Happened One Night” director..CAPRA

I can’t tell you how many of Frank Capra’s movies are on my list of all-time favorites. He directed such classics as “It Happened One Night”, “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town”, “Lost Horizon”, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”, “Meet John Doe”, “Arsenic and Old Lace” and the holiday favorite “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Capra was the first person to win three directorial Oscars: for “It Happened One Night”, “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” and “You Can’t Take It With You”. Capra also did his bit during WWII, enlisting just a few days after Pearl Harbor was attacked. Given his great talent, and the fact that he enlisted at the relatively advanced age of 44, the US Army put him to work directing 11 documentary war films in the “Why We Fight” series, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

21…”Win one for the __”: Reagan..GIPPER

George Gipp was Notre Dame’s first All-American football player. Just two weeks after getting the award, Gipp (aka “The Gipper”) developed pneumonia and died. Famously, on his deathbed he told the Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne to “win just one for the Gipper”. Ronald Reagan used the almost identical line a lot in his political campaigns (“win one for the Gipper”), as the actor-turned-politician played the Gipper in the movie “Knute Rockne, All American”.

23…Comet-filled region of space..OORT CLOUD

The Oort Cloud is a hypothetical spherical cloud of comets that lies about a light-year from the sun. It is postulated that periodic comets that enter our solar systems (like Halley’s Comet) originate in this cloud.

28…Circuit components..DIODES

A diode is component in a circuit, the most notable characteristic of which is that it will conduct electric current in only one direction. Some of those vacuum tubes we used to see in old radios and television were diodes, but nowadays almost all diodes are semiconductor devices.

30…”Ah, Wilderness!” playwright..O’NEILL

“Ah, Wilderness!” is a comedy play by Eugene O’Neill that was first stage in 1933, on Broadway. “Ah, Wilderness!” was adapted into the musical film “Summer Holiday” that was released in 1948.

32…Needed Advil, say..ACHED

Advil is Wyeth’s brand of ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug.

34…Little bit..IOTA

Iota is the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet. We use the word “iota” to portray something very small, as iota is the smallest of all Greek letters.

38…Soda purchases..COKES

The first cola drink to become a commercial success was Coca-Cola, soon after it was invented by a druggist in 1886. That original Coca-Cola was flavored mainly with kola nuts and vanilla. The formulation was based on an alcoholic drink called Coca Wine that had been on sale for over twenty years. The original alcoholic version is said to have contained a small concentration of cocaine.

39…1980s surgeon general..KOOP

C. Everett Koop was Surgeon General from 1982-89, appointed by President Reagan. Koop was a somewhat controversial character and one who brought the position of Surgeon General into the spotlight more than was historically the case. Partly this was due to his pro-life position, his anti-tobacco stance and the fact that AIDS became a prominent issue while he was in office.

40…Education orgs…PTAS

Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

42…”Philadelphia” director Jonathan..DEMME

Jonathan Demme is best known for directing “The Silence of the Lambs” for which he won an Oscar. Demme’s next movie was “Philadelphia”, which won an Oscar for the lead actor, Tom Hanks.

45…”Always,” in a military slogan..SEMPER

“Semper Fidelis” (often abbreviated to “semper fi”) is the motto of the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The phrase is Latin and means “Always Faithful”. The US Marine Corps isn’t the only military unit using “Semper Fidelis” as a motto. It’s also used by the Portuguese Marine Corps, the Republic of China Marine Corps and the Swiss Grenadiers.

46…Imogene’s comedy partner..SID

Sid Caesar achieved fame in the fifties on TV’s “Your Show of Shows”. To be honest, I know Sid Caesar mainly from the very entertaining film version of the musical “Grease”, in which he played Coach Calhoun.

Imogene Coca was a comic actress from Philadelphia who is perhaps best-known for her appearances on television starting in the forties. Famously, Coca performed opposite Sid Caesar on NBC’s “Your Show of Shows” in the fifties.

48…Chinese beverage literally meaning “black dragon”..OOLONG TEA

The name for the Chinese tea called “oolong” translates into English as “black dragon”.

50…Saws..ADAGES

A “saw” is an adage, an old saying.

52…Juillet’s season..ETE

One might spend the summer (été) under the sun (le soleil) in France, and “juillet” is French for July (note that the name of months aren’t capitalized in French).

54…Plays it like Cary Grant..OOZES CHARM

The wonderful, wonderful actor Cary Grant was born in Bristol in England, and was given the name Archibald Leach. In the 1949 Howard Hawks film “His Girl Friday”, there’s a line where Grant describes the fate suffered by someone who crossed him. He names that person “Archie Leach”, an ad-lib using his real name.

61…Pearl Harbor site..OAHU

The US Navy’s presence in Pearl Harbor dates back to 1899. The original name for the bay was “Wai Momi”, which translates from Hawaiian as “Waters of Pearl”.

66…The Washington Monument’s 897..STEPS

Completed in 1885, the Washington Monument was the world’s tallest structure, but only for a few years. The Washington Monument lost its “world title” in 1889, on the completion of the Eiffel Tower. It retains the title of world’s tallest stone structure, standing as almost 555 feet in height.

Down

2…Red Guard leader..MAO

Red Guards were young paramilitaries who were mobilized by Chairman Mao during the Cultural Revolution in China in the mid-sixties.

3…Waze or Uber..APP

Waze is a navigation app that is similar to Google Maps and Apple Maps. Waze was developed in Israel, and was acquired by Google in 2013.

Uber is a ridesharing service that was founded in 2009 and is based in San Francisco. The service is somewhat controversial and has been described as an illegal taxicab operation. Central to Uber’s service is the company’s mobile app, which can use the client’s GPS location to help find the nearest available ride. Personally, I love the service, and only have had good experiences …

4…Agcy. with collectors..IRS

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was set up during the Civil War to raise money to cover war expenses. Prior to the introduction of income tax in 1862, the government was funded by levies on trade and property.

5…Like a parfait..LAYERED

A parfait is a frozen dessert made from sugar, syrup, egg and cream. The American version of this popular French dessert is a layered creation, featuring parfait cream, ice cream and flavored gelatins topped with whipped cream and possibly a liqueur. The term “parfait” is French for “perfect”.

7…Tourist gift on 61-Across..LEI
(61A…Pearl Harbor site..OAHU)

“Lei” is the Hawaiian word for “garland, wreath”, although in more general terms a “lei” is any series of objects strung together as an adornment for the body.

8…Stuttgart cubes..EIS

In German, cubes of “eis” (ice) might be found in “ein Mixgetränk” (a mixed drink, cocktail).

Stuttgart is the sixth-largest city in Germany, and is located in southern Germany. The city is sometimes called “the cradle of the automobile” as Karl Benz made his first cars and motorcycles there, as were the first VW Beetle prototypes. Mercedes-Benz and Porsche cars are still manufactured in Stuttgart and the surrounding area.

10…Kerfuffle..FLAP

“Kerfuffle” comes from the Scottish “curfuffle”, with both words meaning “disruption”.

11…Wonka worker..OOMPA LOOMPA

The Oompa-Loompas are characters in the Roald Dahl book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, and indeed in the sequel story “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator”. Willy Wonka came across the Oompa-Loompas on an isolated island in the Atlantic and invited them to work in his factory in order to escape those hunting them on the island. Right before Dahl’s book was first published, he was intending to call the Oompa-Loompas the “Whipple-Scrumpets”.

12…”Peer Gynt Suite” composer..GRIEG

Henrik Ibsen’s play “Peer Gynt” is based on a Scandinavian fairy tale “Per Gynt”. The incidental music to the play, written by Edvard Grieg and referred to as the “Peer Gynt Suite”, is some of the most approachable classical music ever written, at least in my humble opinion …

18…Fiji has three..DOTS

There are three dots in the word “Fiji”, two over the letters I and one over the letter J.

22…With 19-Across, Oscar-winning Forest Whitaker role..IDI
(19…See 22-Down..AMIN)

“The Last King of Scotland” is a 2006 film adaptation of a 1998 novel of the same name by Giles Foden. The story tells of a Scottish doctor (played by James McAvoy) who was employed by Idi Amin (played by Forest Whitaker). The title of the piece comes from the fact that Idi Amin offered his services as King of Scotland, should he ever be needed.

24…Ukrainian port..ODESSA

The city of Odessa (also “Odesa”) in Ukraine was founded relatively recently, in 1794 by Catherine the Great. The city was originally meant to be called Odessos after an ancient Greek city believed to have been located nearby. Catherine liked the way the locals pronounced the name as “Odessa” and so went with the less Greek-sounding name.

29…”O.G. Original Gangster” rapper..ICE-T

Rapper Ice-T must be sick of having his name come up as an answer in crossword puzzles. Maybe he should have stuck to his real name, Tracy Marrow? Then again, maybe not … Ice-T has been interested in acting for decades and made his film debut in the 1984 movie about break-dancing called “Breakin’”. He has also played Detective Fin Tutuola in the TV show “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” since the year 2000.

33…Trompe __..L’OEIL

“Trompe l’oeil” is a technique in art that creates the optical illusion that a drawn object exists in three dimensions. “Trompe-l’oeil” is French for “deceive the eye”.

35…Weighty volume..TOME

“Tome” first came into English from the Latin “tomus” which means “section of a book”. The original usage in English was for a single volume in a multi-volume work. By the late 16th century “tome” had come to mean “a large book”.

38…Chimney cleaner’s target..CREOSOTE

“Creosote” is the name given to chemicals obtained by the distillation of tar. Creosote has two main uses, as an antiseptic and as a wood preservative. The term “creosote” comes from the Greek for “flesh preserver”. There is a material that builds up in chimneys that is also referred to as creosote. This black, oily residue is similar to commercially prepared products, but contains more carbon black.

44…”The Simpsons” beer server..MOE

The regulars on “The Simpsons” hang out at Moe’s Tavern, which is named for and run by Moe Szyslak. The most popular beer at Moe’s is Duff Beer. The name “Duff” is a reference to the real-life Duffy’s Tavern that used to be East 13th Street in Eugene, Oregon. “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening used to frequent Duffy’s regularly, and Moe’s looks very much like Duffy’s in terms of decor and floorplan.

45…PD ranks..SGTS

Sergeant (Sgt.) is a rank in a police department (P.D.)

46…Polynesian nation..SAMOA

The official name for the South Pacific country formerly known as Western Samoa is the Independent State of Samoa. “Samoa” is the western part of the island group, with American Samoa lying to the southeast. The whole group of islands used to be known as Navigators Island, a name given by European explorers in recognition of the seafaring skills of the native Samoans.

56…Zoo opening in London?..ZED

The letter named “zed” has been around since about 1400, and derives from the Greek letter zeta. The spelling and pronunciation of “zee” used in America today first popped up in the 1670s, with “zed” persisting in the British Isles to this day.

The opening letter in the word “zoo” is the letter Z (zee, or “zed” in British English).

57…What a red “H” often indicates..HOT

The faucet delivering hot water is often labeled with a red letter H. The cold water tap might be labeled with a blue letter C.

58…Bunyan tool..AXE

Paul Bunyan is a character of American myth, a skilled lumberjack. Bunyan had a sidekick called Babe the Blue Ox. Both Bunyan and Babe are gigantic in size.

59…__ Van Winkle..RIP

“Rip Van Winkle” is a short story written by Washington Irving. The story was an instant hit, and was adapted for the stage just a few years after its first publication in 1819. Since then “Rip” has featured on the small screen, big screen and even in an operetta.

60…Mic wielders..MCS

The term “emcee” comes from “MC”, an initialism standing for Master or Mistress of Ceremonies.

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Complete List of Clues and Answers

Across

1…Fast-arriving letter..EMAIL

6…Leaping parasite..FLEA

10…Verne protagonist..FOGG

14…”It Happened One Night” director..CAPRA

15…Equestrian strap..REIN

16…Collected knowledge..LORE

17…Butterfingers’ comment..OOPSY DAISY

19…See 22-Down..AMIN

20…Numerous centuries..EON

21…”Win one for the __”: Reagan..GIPPER

23…Comet-filled region of space..OORT CLOUD

27…Have more birthdays..AGE

28…Circuit components..DIODES

30…”Ah, Wilderness!” playwright..O’NEILL

32…Needed Advil, say..ACHED

33…Investor’s concern..LOSS

34…Little bit..IOTA

37…Interfere (with)..MESS

38…Soda purchases..COKES

39…1980s surgeon general..KOOP

40…Education orgs…PTAS

41…Take ten..REST

42…”Philadelphia” director Jonathan..DEMME

43…”Whatever your heart desires!”..NAME IT!

45…”Always,” in a military slogan..SEMPER

46…Imogene’s comedy partner..SID

48…Chinese beverage literally meaning “black dragon”..OOLONG TEA

50…Saws..ADAGES

52…Juillet’s season..ETE

53…Brunch, e.g…MEAL

54…Plays it like Cary Grant..OOZES CHARM

61…Pearl Harbor site..OAHU

62…Headed for overtime..TIED

63…Very dangerous..TOXIC

64…Staff mem…ASST

65…Bit of river turbulence..EDDY

66…The Washington Monument’s 897..STEPS

Down

1…Green start?..ECO-

2…Red Guard leader..MAO

3…Waze or Uber..APP

4…Agcy. with collectors..IRS

5…Like a parfait..LAYERED

6…Old Belgian currency..FRANC

7…Tourist gift on 61-Across..LEI

8…Stuttgart cubes..EIS

9…”Care to take a stab at the answer?”..ANY GUESS?

10…Kerfuffle..FLAP

11…Wonka worker..OOMPA LOOMPA

12…”Peer Gynt Suite” composer..GRIEG

13…Bromance or romcom..GENRE

18…Fiji has three..DOTS

22…With 19-Across, Oscar-winning Forest Whitaker role..IDI

23…Expressions of delight..OOHS AND AAHS

24…Ukrainian port..ODESSA

25…Regards with anticipation..LOOKS TO

26…Starting point..ONSET

28…Soggy..DAMP

29…”O.G. Original Gangster” rapper..ICE-T

31…”… just as I am”..LIKE ME

33…Trompe __..L’OEIL

35…Weighty volume..TOME

36…Mimic..APER

38…Chimney cleaner’s target..CREOSOTE

42…Becomes aware of..DETECTS

44…”The Simpsons” beer server..MOE

45…PD ranks..SGTS

46…Polynesian nation..SAMOA

47…Planning session fodder..IDEAS

49…Hard up..NEEDY

51…Excess..GLUT

55…Suffix with fact..-OID

56…Zoo opening in London?..ZED

57…What a red “H” often indicates..HOT

58…Bunyan tool..AXE

59…__ Van Winkle..RIP

60…Mic wielders..MCS




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27 thoughts on “LA Times Crossword Answers 27 Jul 16, Wednesday”

  1. All the “ooh’s” got to me a little. Pretty easy puzzle except I wanted to put “ooh-lah-lah” (which didn’t fit) for OOHS AND AAHS. That took me a while to fix. Finally remembering MOE allowed me to finish.

    “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” was the first book I ever read aside from the obligatory Dr. Seuss books as a kid. I read it years before the first movie came out. It was a gift from my grandmother who liked to see me read…anything. I still own the now 48 year old copy in original hardback form with original illustrations etc. I’ve seen them sell on ebay for hundreds of dollars. Not a chance. This one is staying with me. For reasons stated above it still might be my favorite book of all time.

    @justjoel
    Finally went to your website. I couldn’t agree more about the food in New Orleans. Any hole in the wall chosen at random will have great food. Also the bit on Japanese coffee intrigues me as I like coffee strong but not iced. I suspect I’d be a fan.

    Best –

  2. @Jeff Thanks for checking out my blog! I love NoLA, it’s all about it the food, and trying to stay sober enough for o enjoy it, lol. Japanese coffee will put hairs on your chest, really. It’s so strong most coffee shops will also offer “amerikan” which is coffee diluted with hot water. Even that’s stronger than what we drink here in the States. Anyway, your support is appreciated. Thanks again!

  3. @Carrie Thanks for the feedback, I just saw it. And if I can cook, anyone can! Well, my mom, G-d rest her soul, couldn’t really cook at all. Her idea of cooking was opening a can of green beans and dumping some “Bob’s Big Boy” rouquefort salad dressing on them so we kids would them! Thanks again!

  4. 10:31, no errors, iPad.

    @Joel … I also just visited your blog. I would not have guessed there was such a thing as Japanese coffee! Sadly, in my dotage, I have had to limit myself to one or two cups of coffee a week; nevertheless, if I am ever in Japan again, I will make it a point to try their coffee. (Also, we are definitely on the same page regarding LGBT issues … )

    1. @Dave Thanks for your support! Did you just visit Japan, or did you live there for any amount of time? What part of Japan? Always interested in things Japanese. I guess one could call me a “Japanophile!”

      1. @Joel … I have “visited” Japan four times, but three of those times were just brief stopovers in airports. In February, 2012, my friend Leon and I spent a half-day in Nagasaki as part of an Asian cruise … And, recently, I digitized a bunch of photos that my oldest brother took when he was stationed at Misawa AFB in northern Honshu in the ’60s, so it almost feel as if I’ve been there, too … I would dearly love to spend a week or two in Japan, but … we’ll see.

  5. Dahl’ s story is amazing; he was a British agent in Washington during WWII, working on getting the US in to help the Brits. He became close to FDR and his family through a story he wrote, and spent a lot of time with them. Very interesting!

  6. Bill:
    Let’s hope you never get hurt during an Uber ride. According to the company’s Terms and Conditions, “You acknowledge and agree that you and Uber are each waiving the right to trial by jury or to participate as a plaintiff or class in any purported class action or representative proceeding.”

    This is the same scam a lot of banks and credit card companies are pulling; as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau puts it, “with this contract gotcha, companies can sidestep the legal system, avoid accountability, and continue to pursue profitable practices that may violate the law and harm countless consumers.”

    Nobody likes lawyers — until you need one. (Nor am I a lawyer with any financial interest in the matter.)

  7. Oort has appeared before, otherwise I would have doubted my answer.
    I have to wait every time to find out if the constructor spells AAHS
    or AHHS.
    At least we didn’t get Mr. Wechsler at the end of the week.

    Note to everyone- ALWAYS lock your car.
    Apparently I forgot to lock mine when I went in to a grocery store yesterday. When I came out there was a 20-something guy sitting on the passenger side. He had taken stuff out of the glove compartment and scattered stuff on the floor from my bag I take to go swimming.
    I called the police. They came quickly and the K-9 unit came also.
    The guy was stoned and he was with his brother and a girl who was “wearing” an Iguana on her neck.
    I’m not making this up. ^0^
    I left as the two men were sitting on the ground being tested for sobriety and the girl was nowhere to be found.
    Pretty shook up yesterday evening, but I’m OK.
    God is protecting me.

    1. @Pookie
      As Woody Allen once said, “Not only is there no God, but try finding a plumber on weekends.”

      Hey, it was the police who showed up — give credit where credit is due.

  8. Maybe some constructor will do an “Ooze and Oz” themed grid one of these days? I can only hope…Not very difficult, but that’s okay. I’m sure Friday and Saturday will make up for any difficulty deficiency from today.

    The WSJ grid was also pretty easy today. So the double header was over in, for me, record time.

    Hope everyone has a most excellent “Hump Day” and I look forward to seeing all your pithy, witty and interesting comments here tomorrow.

  9. It turned out to be an enjoyable grid for me. I looked at the prospect of a “Wechsler Wednesday” with some hesitation. Lots of proper nouns in here today. Wechsler certainly doesn’t construct for millenials. I’m sure ICET is sick of his name in crosswords indeed, since her was in *yesterday*.

  10. @justjoel59- interesting blog! Happy belated birthday for July 19th; so sorry for your personal losses and the aggravation you had regarding your sister. I hope you are doing well now.

    1. @RestMyCase Thanks for your kind wishes and for checking out my blog. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

  11. Hi Everyone: Got to this late today as there was a little cat disaster I had to clean up this morning.

    I loved the theme. “Black dragon” a formidable name for such a mild tea.

    Pookie: I almost always lock my car but one night I came home late burdened with packages and forgot. The next morning I came out to find my car doors open and my glove compartment ransacked. They stole a small ipod. It does give you the most unsettled feeling. I feel for you.

  12. Pookie, I’d be shook up too. I’m glad you’re okay. I once was driving home from work and realized all my car windows were open. I sure hadn’t left them that way. It does shake you up when your space is invaded.
    My brother, who hikes often, leaves his truck unlocked in remote places. He said replacing windows was expensive.

    Cary Grant – they just don’t make them like that anymore. And it wasn’t just that he was handsome and charming. He was a great comic actor. In making The Bishop’s Wife, he was supposed to be the bishop. He talked them into letting him be the angel, and David Niven the uptight bishop. Even after all the times I’ve watched it, I still love it.
    Happy Summer Day, Folks!

  13. Conspiracy theory of the day – DAHL was 1D in NY Times puzzle today and the clue was creator of oompa loompas…

    “Setter” lists 2 names and then the J.A.S.A. crossword class??

    No idea how they coordinated. I guess a memo went out to everyone..

    Best –

    1. JASA has been around for some time. I don’t think they cross over from the NYT pages at all. I do recall seeing that Finn Vigeland is one of the “constructor instructors.” And if I’m not mistaken, Bill Butler came close to her times at the ACPT this year. 😀

  14. Bella– I returned to my car after shopping to find all car windows and sunroof halfway open. Then weeks later the car seem possessed as I saw all the windows lowering and sunroof opening. I had bought the Honda Accord pre-owned so dug out the manual and found that the car remote could do this. I had sometimes clutched all the keys and remote such that this would happen. Glad I did not need an exorcist or mechanic’s trip. I now try to be more careful with the remote. Don’t know if that would explain what happened with you or not. Also, like your hiking brother reasons, my sister leaves her soft sided Jeep Wrangler unlocked thinking it better to let a thief in than replace the canvas/plastic.

    1. My story was from the dinosaur days, when cars had crank windows! But I know what you mean abt the clickers. My husband’s clicker, in his pocket with who knows what, sometimes locks my car when it’s in the garage.

  15. Bella, your husband has ‘people’ in his pocket ? 😉 Just kidding. I always lock my cars, unless theyre locked up in a closed garage. I also never leave any wallet, phone or any valuable in plain sight…. windows are expensive to replace too ….. why tempt a burglar. My friend’s car was broken into at a local state park reservation, when she left her purse on the front passsenger seat – and went for a jog. Always keep your valuables in the trunk or under the seat. Windows are made of tempered glass and cannot be broken with a steel hammer, but can be easily broken with a used ( or new – ) spark plug= through its ‘sparking end’. watch it on youtube.

    The puzzle was callenging but the double oo’s did catch my attention. I am late in posting because I spent a considerable amt of time researching oolong, and then all types of tea etc. etc. Chinese, with its multiple dialects and trouble in transcribing …. the word ‘oo’ could just as well mean a ‘bat’ ( flying kind -) or more often a crow or a raven. Actually oolong could just as well be ‘huh- leung’ and most chinese would say the pinyan characters or logosylables have no direct or equivalent translation suitable for the western mind.

    I remember a word ‘bhut-jolakhia’ which was the Assamese (far eastern india ) language name for the hottest green pepper ever…. 2 million scovill units …. was translated as a ‘ghost pepper’ and gained considerable fame …. until it was noted that ‘bhut’ was not a ghost, but meant that it had been ‘imported’ from nearby Bhutan, and jolakhia meant a ‘handout’ or a ‘gift’.

    Have a nice evening, folks,
    Pookie I’m glad you are allright, material things can always be replaced.

    I am so shocked about the JASA article linked by Dave Kennison… that jewish people older than me can be composing crosswords for the NYT, when I have lost half my mind already, and couldnt do one crossword in the NYT, even for a Monday !! No fair. 😉

  16. Busy day for me and OORTCLOUD was completely new to me. Finished with two errors CagES and LOOgSTO. The rest went quickly and I stared at my errors for awhile but I had to run, so spiked it, plus OORT looked strange.

    I have the same problem with my new car, and despite double checking, I have come back to an unlocked car quite a few times, which is really disconcerting.

    Happy belated birthday JustJoel. Wow another Julyer, and 19th just one day after mine. We’re taking over here. Welcome and nice blog.

  17. Hey folks! Pookie, so glad you’re okay! It’s very upsetting. I actually think having your property invaded is almost worse than having the car stolen outright. I’ve had both happen. Glad they caught the perps — how freaky to see a stranger in your car!!
    I liked this puzzle, and I found the theme to be really helpful.
    Pookie again re AAH/AHH — I had to laugh! I do the same thing: wait for the fill. At least with AEON vs EON, we know which it will be based on number of squares!
    Have a great Thursday, all, and stay cool!
    Sweet dreams~~™✌

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