It was also a beautiful, spring-like day today. All the stores were having 40%-off sales and people in Forest Hills (including myself) were out shopping in full force. Too bad it's not going to last. We're supposed to get another snowstorm on Monday. :-( Hopefully, it will be the final one for the season.
Today was the first Saturday Stumper that I solved in a long time. It was by Frank Longo and it was a tough one! There were some great answers.
Here are some of the longer answers:
1A: "The blood is life" penner (BRAM STOKER). Stoker was, of course, the author of Dracula. The character of Dracula has become a part of popular culture and has appeared in countless books, TV shows, and movies. Bram Stoker (1847-1912) was an assistant to the Henry Irving and manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London. The most definitive movie adaptation is probably the 1931 version, which starred Bela Lugosi. Audiences supposedly fainted in shock at the horror on the screen.15A: Tops (RISES ABOVE).
17A: Part of some vinegar recipes (APPLE CORES). Since I really don't like cookine, I never knew that, but I guess it makes sense when one is making apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is a popular dietary supplement and has also been known to kill lice (although there is no real scientific evidence.
58A: An alien might miss it (HOME PLANET). Case in point--Gazoo from "The Flintstones." He was always looking for a way to go back to his home on Zetox, but he was forced to do good deeds for Fred and Barney (aka "the dumb-dumbs"). His punishment? Creating a "doomsday machine" that would blow up the universe. To me, this is when "The Flintstones" jumped the shark.61A: By hook or by crook (AT ANY PRICE). A similar answer appears in 24A: Without incurring damages? (AT NO COST).
63A: "Rising Star" of NCAA Division I (TEXAS STATE). My DH is attempting to watch college b-ball, but I'm afraid he just fell asleep. The Bobcats aren't exactly "stars" in their division with a record of 8-23 and in 10th place.
There were a few answers that tricked me:
29A: Drop of medicine (TROCHE). I originally filled in "dosage," but "troche" refers to a small tablet or lozenge.
41A: Queen of Comedy (TITANIA). I originally had Tina Fey as the answer.
51A: Fabricated (NOT SO). I would have thought this answer would be "False."
43D: Twist, in the end (ADOPTEE). Of course, we are referring to "Oliver."
Now on to the cryptoquote, which is authored by Joseph Joubert (1754-1824). Joubert was an essayist who was best know for his work called Pensees (Thoughts). He published nothing during his lifetime, but filled several books with his thoughts on many topics. His friend François-René, de Chateaubriand published these essays posthumously. Today's quote reads:
He who has imagination without learning has wings but no feet.
Imagination is a great thing to have (I wish I had more), but without an education, one cannot be groomed for success.
The JUMBLE was also a bit harder today than usual. We have some ladies watching TV, and the caption reads "The documentary about the construction of the Eiffel Tower was _____."
Word list:
NAGIT = GIANT
TOBOH = BOOTH
LABIVE = VIABLE
BUARUN = AUBURN
Scrambled answer: GITVIERN
Answer: RIVETING
I need to catch up on some postcard writing and other chores, so that's all for now. I probably not blog tomorrow's puzzle, so until Monday. . . .
Signing off,
The Puzzlechick
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