A New Beginning

For the third time, I have decided to renew my blog. This time, I have moved it to Blogspot and I have vowed to keep up with it faithfully! There are several excellent blogs about the NYT crossword puzzle so I will not follow suit. Instead, I will be commenting on the Newsday puzzle themes as well as what is happening in my own crazy life. Once I am able to access my Newsday account online, I will be publishing the crossword puzzle grid for that day.

To start off on this dreary Monday, today's cryptoquote is a cheery one by Mae West: "Don't cry for a man who's left you. The next one may fall for your smile." Mae West may have been a brash bombshell, but she was very smart! Breakups are difficult, but there is someone out there for everyone. There are many places to meet someone besides the neighborhood bar and Match.com: church/synagogue, volunteer groups, niche singles groups, etc. Communication is the key to successful relationships, whether it's family, business, or romantic. . . . After a breakup it might be good idea to get some "alone time" and cultivate your own interests.

The x-word puzzle theme was called "Oral Exam" by Gail Grabowski. Overall, a nice and easy Monday puzzle. Here are the main theme answers:

20A: Yak and yak (I know MANY who do that): TALK A BLUE STREAK

40A: Phrase to used to prompt "please": SAY THE MAGIC WORD

51A: "Look who just showed up": SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

Over the weekend, Matthew and I went to a wonderful monologue by Jack Finnegan called "City Love Song." This is his account of a 13-week train trip he took across the United States. More information can be found at his Web site: 

http://www.citylovesong.com/

We can't wait to hear Jack's impressions of 26 cities next year! 

Congratulations to "Boston Rob" Mariano for finally winning "Survivor!" Also, congrats to John Rich and Marlee Matlin (just as I predicted) for making the final two in "Celebrity Apprentice."

'Till tomorrow. . . .

--The Puzzlechick