Last, Lest, List, Lost, Lust

I missed yesterday's post -- I was too busy trying to meet all my deadlines at work before I take off for the Windy City tomorrow. So here is today's puzzle solution grid:

The puzzle, by Bruce Venzke, was called "Rundown." Each clue began with the letter "L" and was followed by the vowels "a," "e," "i," "o," and "u", respectively. It was more complicated than the usual Newsday puzzle. Here are the theme answers:

New York's State Veggie!
It takes it's place alongside
the apple, official fruit of NYS.

17A: Quitting precursor, perhaps: LAST DITCH EFFORT. At this moment, New York is making a last-ditch effort pass the gay marriage bill. The Senate acted quickly in naming sweet corn the official state vegetable, but they seem to be stalling on this important issue, as well as the rent regulations.

23A: Line from Kipling: LEST WE FORGET. This is phrase from the poem "Recessional." This poem was written for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. It warns us against the perils of haughtiness and arrogance and the decline of imperial power. For a complete text of the poem, see http://www.daypoems.net/poems/815.html.

38A: Lean right, at sea: LIST TO STARBOARD. This is also the name of a book by the American author and artist Francis Hopkinson Smith (1838-1914). You can download the complete book at http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23702,

46A: Came unglued: LOST ONE'S HEAD. Something I do often, and it was especially true with all the stress I was under this week. I've always been an emotional eater; whenever I was bored or things went wrong, I would head to the fridge. Now I use exercise to get out my frustrations.

58: Lifelong asset: LUST FOR LEARNING. No explanation necessary.

Today's cryptoquote was a tough one and is by Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910):

"In difficult circumstances always act on first impressions."

Initially, I thought letter "v" in the puzzle would be coded for "e."

Tolstoy is most famous for his very long tome War and Peace and Anna Karenina. To read his works, link to http://tolstoy.classicauthors.net/.

In entertainment news, Peter Falk, aka Columbo, passed away at the age of 83.

I found out something interesting about David Laffer, the psycho pharmacy killer. His father was a science teacher when I was in middle school (called Junior High back then). Mr. Laffer was a bit odd, and I found out he was a card-carrying member of the NRA. He passe away in 1996. The whole thing is very creepy.

I will be taking vacation from the blog for a week. See you in July!

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Platonic Love

Today's crytpoquote is from the philosopher Plato:

"The contemplation of beauty causes the soul to grow wings."

Plato was, of course, the best-known student of Socrates. His work The Republic is probably one of the most important works in Western philosophy. He divided human beings based on their intelligence, strength, and courage. His ideal state was called the aristocracy, meaning ruling by the brightest and the best. Nearly everything he wrote took the form of dialogue, which influenced today's drama.

When we talk about platonic love, we speak of a kind of passion that is non-sexual. According to Plato, a beautiful person inspires the mind and directs one another to spiritual things. 

Plato wrote about platonic solids in which he associated each of the four crucial elements (earth, air, wind and fire) with a regular solid. Here's are some examples of platonic solids:

For a list of Plato's works, click on this link: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/searchresults?q=Plato.

I'll never forget this scene from "Soap" in which Jodie Dallas (Billy Crystal) talks about Plato:

Jodie Dallas: Plato was gay.
Jessica Gatling Tate: Mickey Mouse's dog was gay?
Jodie Dallas: Goofy was his lover. 

The crossword puzzle was called "Golden Trio" (by Fred Piscop). The theme answers are below:

20A: Golden State Park locale: SAN FRANCISCO. A city I have never visited but have always wanted to. There are so many distinct neighborhoods. Union Square is the main shopping and hotel district. Nob Hill (affectionately called "Snob Hill"). and Pacific Heights are where the wealthy live. You have Haight-Ashbury, home to the 60s counter-culture. Then there is the Castro, the center of gay life. Their Chinatown is almost famous as ours here in NYC. The long-running series "Full House" took place there. And of course, you have cable cars and Rice-A-Roni. Rice-A-Roni was actually invented by a family (the DeDomenicos) that consisted of Armenians, Italians, and Canadians. You can read about the history of Rice-A-Roni here: http://www.ricearoni.com/About/Our_Founding_Family/.

Speaking of San Francisco, I just saw the "I Love Lucy" episode where Ricardos get a surprise visit from Mario, a gondolier on their European trip. He was looking for Sam Francesca, but the gang thought he meant San Francisco. Watching Lucy make pizza is a classic scene. Of course, Mario's brother had been ill and was actually visiting Sam Francesca.

Sir Francis Drake

40A: Golden Hind Captain: SIR FRANCIS DRAKE (1545-1596). This English sea captain led the second expedition around the world. He was a notorious pirate and involved in the slave trade. During a slave-trading trip to the West Indies, they were attacked by a fleet of Spanish ships. This lead to a series of battles between England and Spain called the Spanish Armada. In the end, the British soundly defeated the Spanish Armada; Drake was second in command.

60A: Golden Rule starter: DO UNTO OTHERS. Here's everything you wanted to know about the Golden Rule, which is embraced by all religions: http://www.jcu.edu/philosophy/gensler/goldrule.htm. Basically, it means to treat others as you would like to be treated in the same situation.

Surprise, surprise: Sarah ("You betcha") Palin quits her bus tour!

Three more days till our trip to the Windy City. I can't wait to get out of town!

Signing off for today,

The Puzzlechick

Let's Get Cracking!

The theme of today's crossword is "Get Cracking" (Sally R. Stein). Until I can fix the problem with the grid, I'll just go back to the theme answers:

Courtesy of
The Phrase Finder
(www.phrases.org.uk)

20A: Apply oneself on a task: KNUCKLE DOWN. This phrase supposedly came from the game of marbles! In order to hold a marble properly, the player holds the marble in the crooked index finger and flicks it by the thumb.


58A: Good example: CASE IN POINT


11D: Bless: SMILE UPON. Here's a video from Coldplay called "G-d Put a Smile Upon Your Face."

36D: Place of refuge: SAFE HAVEN. On Austin Street, my local shopping strip, we have many buinesses that are declared a safe haven from bullies. The same should be done in cyberspace, with all the bullying that occurs these days. Physical walls cannot block text messages, instant messages, social networks, and e-mail. Parents can eliminate the amount of cyberbullying by limiting their kids' time online and monitoring their activity.

Today's cryptoquote is by Isak Denisen (1885-1962):

"G-d made the world round so we could never see too far down the road."

Courtesy of IMDb

Isak Denisen was the pen name of Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke. She also used the pen names Osceola and Pierre Andréze. Denisen is best known for the book Out of Africa and the story Babette's Feast. Both became Academy Award-winning pictures. Here is the link to her official information site: http://www.karenblixen.com/.

I watched "Kate Plus 8" a little bit last night. Normally, I don't watch the show, but it was fun watching the kids helping out in a soup kitchen. I couldn't help noticing that Cara (one of the older twins) seemed very out of it. She put on weight and didn't look happy. . . . I still can't stand Kate; she exploits the children so she can earn an income. Ever hear of a job??? Also, she is rude to people.

On that note, I will sign off. . . .

Till tomorrow,
The Puzzlechick

Monday Monday

Today's cryptoquote is a Slovenian proverb: "Never whisper to the deaf or wink at the blind."

I don't know much about Slovenia except that it's a former SSR. For more information, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia.

Once again, the Newsday puzzle site continues to act up on me and I can't post the solution grid. :-(

Gail Grabowski is the author of today's puzzle, "Dealer's Choice."

Here are the theme answers:

20A: Having long-running resentment: HOLDING GRUDGES. We've all been hurt by the actions and words of others. You become angry, hurt, and confused. Some people, however, are quicker to forgive than others. Holding grudges will only increase stress and your blood pressure. After all, life is too short.

39A: Mail-order fees: HANDLING CHARGES. When I order something online, I think the shipping fees cost more than the actual product sometimes! Here's the link to an interesting article about excessive shipping and handling charges: http://wlflawyers.com/blog/setting-shipping-and-handling-charges/.

49A: Small Christmas gift: STOCKING STUFFER. I don't celebrate Christmas. However, if I did, here are some things I would want for my stocking: beauty products, funky magnets, a Coach wristlet, some cool desk accessories, pocket puzzle books, and some patterned tights.

I made a Word Search puzzle for Matthew for Father's Day. The theme was "Pinstripe Pride" and it was about his favorite team, the Yankees. He got all the words, but he didn't quite get the secret message. That was my fault . . . I should have told him to go in order with the unused words.

We saw the filmed performance of "Company" yesterday. Neil Patrick Harris, Martha Plimpton, Patti LuPone, Stephen Colbert, Craig Bierko and several other actors performed this classic musical with the Philharmonic. It was truly excellent! Before the movie, we had breakfast at Good Stuff Diner (http://www.goodstuffdiner.com/), a place that I highly recommend. The food is great and they serve you quickly. We also went to Barnes & Noble to buy some DVDs for Alex and puzzle books for me.

I had trouble swiping my MetroCard this morning. I hope it cooperates when it's time to go home.

I'll be back either later or tomorrow with the Sunday puzzle comments. I have quite finished the quote acrostic yet. Till then. . . .

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Monday Monday

Today's cryptoquote is a Slovenian proverb: "Never whisper to the deaf or wink at the blind."

I don't know much about Slovenia except that it's a former SSR. For more information, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia.

Once again, the Newsday puzzle site continues to act up on me and I can't post the solution grid. :-(

Gail Grabowski is the author of today's puzzle, "Dealer's Choice."

Here are the theme answers:

20A: Having long-running resentment: HOLDING GRUDGES. We've all been hurt by the actions and words of others. You become angry, hurt, and confused. Some people, however, are quicker to forgive than others. Holding grudges will only increase stress and your blood pressure. After all, life is too short.

39A: Mail-order fees: HANDLING CHARGES. When I order something online, I think the shipping fees cost more than the actual product sometimes! Here's the link to an interesting article about excessive shipping and handling charges: http://wlflawyers.com/blog/setting-shipping-and-handling-charges/.

49A: Small Christmas gift: STOCKING STUFFER. I don't celebrate Christmas. However, if I did, here are some things I would want for my stocking: beauty products, funky magnets, a Coach wristlet, some cool desk accessories, pocket puzzle books, and some patterned tights.

I made a Word Search puzzle for Matthew for Father's Day. The theme was "Pinstripe Pride" and it was about his favorite team, the Yankees. He got all the words, but he didn't quite get the secret message. That was my fault . . . I should have told him to go in order with the unused words.

We saw the filmed performance of "Company" yesterday. Neil Patrick Harris, Martha Plimpton, Patti LuPone, Stephen Colbert, Craig Bierko and several other actors performed this classic musical with the Philharmonic. It was truly excellent! Before the movie, we had breakfast at Good Stuff Diner (http://www.goodstuffdiner.com/), a place that I highly recommend. The food is great and they serve you quickly. We also went to Barnes & Noble to buy some DVDs for Alex and puzzle books for me.

I had trouble swiping my MetroCard this morning. I hope it cooperates when it's time to go home.

I'll be back either later or tomorrow with the Sunday puzzle comments. I have quite finished the quote acrostic yet. Till then. . . .

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

RIP Clarence Clemons (1942-2011)

I'm going to start tonight's post with sad news in the music world: Clarence Clemons (aka The Big Man) Bruce Springsteen's longtime sax player, passed away tonight at the age of 69. He had had a stroke earlier this week, and I thought he was recovering. I know a very talented violinist who played with him. Her name is Randi Fishenfeld and she sat in front of me in homeroom for six years. Not only did she excel at the violin, but she was an excellent dancer as well. Randi has a band called Blue Fire . . . just listen to the music:

And here's the Big Man in one of his many shining moments with Bruce:

Now on to the puzzles:

Here's today's cryptoquote: "There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots, the other is wings.--Hodding Carter (1907-1972). This is so true!

Hodding Carter was a noted journalist who advocated for civil rights in the Deep South as well as the treatment of the Japanese during World War II. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his editorials on the latter subject. His son, Hodding Carter III, was an aid to former president Jimmy Carter.

The Saturday Stumper (by Brad Wilber) had some great clues and answers:

1A: Chatterbox: MAGPIE. Heckle and Jeckle anyone? I didn't watch this cartoon as much as others. However, I love Heckle's Brooklynese and Jeckle's British accent.

7A: Outdoor charity event: FUN RUN. I've found a list of all the fun runs taking place in New York this year: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/racelocation/1,7912,s6-239-283-284-0-0-0-0-NY,00.html.

30A: Rock nickname with numerous claimants: THE FIFTH BEATLE. Several people apply because of their association with the Fab Four: Stuart Sutcliffe, Pete Best, Brian Epstein, Derek Taylor, Murray the K, George Martin, etc.

35A: Consumer-marketing device: LOYALTY PROGRAM. Many loyalty programs take the form of reward cards. I have several such as Loehmann's, CVS, Panera, Key Food, Borders, New York & Company. The CVS Extra Care Card is the best. We have saved over $400 off the retailer's price.

Today I went to the Lincoln Center crafts fair. This is the granddaddy of all the fairs. I overheard that they judge all potential vendors with just five slides. Basically, I see the same vendors every year. Most of the stuff is unaffordable. . . . It was also very hot since there was no shade!

We're listening to some Bruce music.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and grandfathers!

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Blossoming Expressions

The source of today's cryptoquote is Louise Nevelson (1900-1988): "Most of us have to be transplanted, like a tree, before we blossom." Louise Nevelson was born to a Jewish family in the Ukriane and immigrated to Rockland, Maine at the age of 5.  Nevelson is know for her abstract expressionist sculptures. Here is one of her sculptures. Most her sculptures were wooden and used lots of found objects. I found her work very interesting. 


Stanley Newman, Newsday's own crossword guru, is the author of today's crossword puzzle. I was able to get the answer grid today; please see below:

The theme of today's puzzle is "You're Excused." The theme answers are below:

Muhammed Ali

19A: National Treasury: EXCHEQUER. An exchequer was actually part of the British government until about 1835. They were kind of like our IRS and collected revenues. This term is outdated and colloquial. 


39A: Punching bags, mouthguards, etc.: BOXING EQUIPMENT. I don't know why anyone would want to take up boxing. Don't get me wrong . . . I love kickboxing and using the punching bag at the gym. However, I've seen too many fighters get hurt or brain-damaged in the ring. The saddest case has to be Muhammed Ali (born Cassius Clay). A descendant of pre-Civil War slaves, he was so handsome when he was younger and had such a colorful personality. For four years, he was unable to fight because he joined Islam and opposed the Vietnam War. He was arrested for draft dodging. However, he developed Parkinson's as a result of severe head trauma. Ali remains a beloved figure in American sports. 


59A: NFL Backups: TAXI SQUAD. I hardly know anything about football, so I had to find out what a taxi squad does. Basically, they're benchwarmers and hardly ever get action in a game. The term originated in the 1940s and referred to a Cleveland Browns' list of reserve players who were paid by a taxi company. This was their way of skirting around the 33-person squad limit. A popular misconception was that these reserve players drove taxicabs for a living!


Today I worked from home, had lunch at Panera, took a walk to the mall, bought some sleepwear for our upcoming trip to the Midwest, and ate dinner. A pretty quiet day overall.


It's almost time for the Saturday Stumper! Till tomorrow. . . .


Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Weiner Resigns--News at 11

"Weiner bites it!"
"He knows when he's licked!"
"And he had been on such a roll."

These very funny (but sad) comments came up on my Facebook news feed. After adamantly refusing to resign from Congress, Anthony Weiner finally caved in. He made his speech just a little while ago; I understand it was a media circus with the media heckling him. Mrs. Weiner (Huma Abedin) wasn't even there.

News at Eleven! That is the theme of today's crossword puzzle (by David W. Cromer). Once again, I am having trouble with the Newsday solution grid. . . . The site keeps acting up on me. I guess I'll just have to post the theme answers only:

17A: Dentist's number: LOCAL ANESTHETIC. I love the gas mask at the dentist's office! Combine that with Novocaine and some music and I'm relaxed!

28A: One way to avoid the draft: WEATHER STRIP. Saves on energy and keeps you warm all winter long. Too bad you can't put one in when you rent an apartment.

47A: Blazer: SPORTS JACKET. Sports jackets look great on guys if they're tailored correctly. There's nothing worse than a jacket that doesn't fit properly. And they must be either solid or pinstriped. Those plaid jackets from the 70s were the ugliest!

63A: Longest-running American humor magazine: NATIONAL LAMPOON. The granddaddy of all humor magazines! If it weren't for Lampoon, we wouldn't have Animal House, the Vacation series, Loaded Weapon, or Van Wilder. Animal House is one of the greatest comedy films ever made. I think I've memorized every line of dialogue:

• "7 years of college down the drain!"
•  " . . . when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor!"
• "The took the bar! The whole f----- bar!"
• "Do we mind if we dance wif your dates?"
• "They confiscated everything, even the stuff we didn't steal!"

Today's cryptoquote has an unknown source: "Consistency in regard to opinions is the slow poison of intellectual life."

Duggar grandchild #2 arrived . . . we don't know the name but it will begin with "M." The Duggars are extremely creepy. The kids never seem to fight and always perform their "jurisdictions." The oldest girls, who are in their early 20s, are still living at home. They have to do all the chores while Michelle continues to pop out babies.

Tonight is all-Zumba night at the gym!

Till tomorrow!

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself

I am having trouble with the Newsday answer grid today, so I'm just going to post the theme answers. Today's theme is "Fear Not" (by Norma Steinberg). Here are the theme answers:

20A: Warning with no backing: EMPTY THREAT. I found a cartoon that illustrates a good example of an empty threat.



40A: Comics Moppet: DENNIS THE MENACE. This was never my favorite comic strip. And I hated the '50s TV show. No wonder Jay North turned to drugs. He was wearing those stupid overalls and that cowlick at age 12 and reportedly abused by his handlers and onset people.


55A: Pond on the links: WATER HAZARD. The official definition of a water hazard from the USGA is "any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (whether or not containing water) and anything of a similar nature on the course." Since I'm going cartoon-happy today, I may as well post a comic about a water hazard. BTW, I'm not a big fan of golf either.

It's another cryptoquote about fine arts today:

"My love of fine art increased--the more of it I saw, the more of it I wanted to see."--Paul Getty (1892-1876)

As many of us know, J. Paul Getty was an avid collector of art and antiques. He also was married five times and had a pay phone in his mansion! He put a lock on all his regular telephones so visitors wouldn't use them. The actor Balthazar Getty is of course, his great-grandson.

Check out today's Google doodle! There's a total lunar eclipse in South America today.

Not surprisingly, "Spider-Man" got panned. Most of the critics didn't like the music. I love U2, but when Bono and the Edge crash, they do it spectacularly. Such a shame. I did hear they filmed the new "Spider-Man" film in parts of Queens, including Forest Hills.

Well, I'm working on a major project at work, so I will have to sign off.

Till tomorrow,
The Puzzlechick

I'm Only Human

It's another rainy, cold day in NYC! My boys went to see "Super 8" (the new Steven Spielberg movie) in Lincoln Center; it's a perfect day for it.

David Bowie was so gorgeous
back in the day!

One of my all-time favorite singers, David Bowie (1947- ), is the source for today's cryptoquote:

"I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human. . . ." (the quote ends with "I felt very puny as a human. It thought 'F---- that, I want to be a superhuman.'")

This is a link to an interesting article by Brittany Wollman Love about transhumanism and the quest for immortality: http://www.thedailytransmission.com/2010/04/28/transhumanism-and-the-future-of-the-human-race/

As we all know, superhuman powers make our fictional comic heroes. Here's a link to the ten worst superhuman powers: http://www.thevine.com.au/entertainment/top10/top-ten-shittiest-superhuman-powers20110614.aspx.

Speaking of superhumans, "Spider-Man" finally opens tonight after many delays and injuries. We saw in interview with Bono and The Edge at the 92nd Street Y last night. They gave their perspective on why it took so long for the show to open. For one thing, they said former director Julie Taymor became too close to the production and wouldn't allow any flexibility. BTW, Bono got lots of laughs throughout the evening. Sesame Street has done an excellent spoof of the entire debacle and it will be featured in the 42nd season opener:

Now that you've had a good laugh, here's the solution to today's Newsday puzzle by Billie Truitt, called "Opposites Attract."

These are the theme answers:

17A: Having conflicting emotions: HOT AND COLD. Pictured to the left are some retro faucets. Our house on Long Island came with faulty plumbing. In my parents' bathroom, hot was cold and cold was hot. It was like that for the entire 28 years they lived there!  

Thora Birch, Gaby Hoffman, Ashleigh Aston Moore,
and Christina Ricci in Now and Then (1995)

54A: Once in a while: NOW AND THEN. An excellent 1995 film about the friendship of four girls in Indiana in the early 70s. Thora Birch (the flirt), Gaby Hoffman (the "weird" one, Ashleigh Aston Moore (the naive one), and Christina Ricci (the tomboy) morphed into Melanie Griffith, Demi Moore, Rita Wilson, and Rosie O'Donnell, respectively. Sadly, Ashleigh Aston Moore died in 2007 at the age of 26.

10D: Easily decided as a court case: OPEN AND SHUT

23D: Twists of fortune: UPS AND DOWNS. Does anyone of age remember a mall store called Ups n' Downs? They were popular during the 70s and 80s. Here is their logo

That's all for today. Tonight is R-n-R at home. Gym tomorrow and Thursday.

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick

Let's Get Real!

Today's cryptoquote was a tough one! It's by Gustave Courbet (1819-1877):

"Fine art without knowledge is visible."

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Courbet was a French painter and one of the principle players in the Realist movement. His made bold social commentary in his work and his subjects often included peasants and the working conditions of the poor. Courbet's paintings brought about much criticism and commentary because they sometimes were considered crude and vulgar. Here is a self-portrait of the artist

Also, today is the first day that I'll be posting the Newsday puzzle solution. Today's puzzle is called "Self-Improvement" (by Gail Grabowski):

Doogie Houser has really grown up!

These are the theme answers:

20A: Observance before Easter: GOOD FRIDAY. Of course, this day marks the occasion where Jesus was crucified. It is the most solemn day on the Christian calendar and is a day of fasting.

40A: Inventor's Goal: BETTER MOUSETRAP. This isn't one of my favorite answers, but I guess it fits the grid and the theme.

56A: Autographed photo sentiment: BEST WISHES

We had a wonderful weekend. On Friday afternoon, we saw The Book of Mormon (http://www.bookofmormonbroadway.com/). It was probably one of the best musicals I ever saw and definitely the funniest! Although it is a parody of the Mormon religion, it does have a moral to its story. It deservedly won best musical at last night's Tony Awards. Speaking of the Tonys, I was surprised to hear that Daniel Radcliffe could actually sing! Neil Patrick Harris was superb as host once again! For a complete list of winners, link to http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/index.html

Saturday afternoon, the boys went to see How to Succeed in Business. They don't understand how young Mr. Radcliffe could have been snubbed for a Tony Nomination. Matthew and Alex had a bit of drama of their own following the show. Alex fainted from dehydration and the guards gave him some water. He bounced back immediately and felt much better by Sunday morning. Meanwhile, I was getting frantic because they were meeting me at the Highline Ballroom for "Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin." Finally, Matthew showed up at 6:15 and told me what happened. We enjoyed Brian's set, which included Beach Boys classics and about 14 Gershwin standards. I was sad to see how much he's aged. They had to help him on and off the stage.

Yesterday, we went to the Renegade Craft Fair (http://www.renegadecraft.com) in Greenpoint. There were over 250 vendors! Lots of monster dolls, letterpress cards, and mustaches all over the place! I saw some cool Scrabble-tile pillows, but they were $32 each. I did want some birch-bark jewelry. I may order some online. We then went to the Austin Street Festival of the Arts. There wasn't much art this year but five yoga places and the usual fried food. Blah!

Clarence Clemons (the Big Man) had a stroke and his seriously ill. Prayers for his recovery!

I keep forgetting to post on the weekends, but they are jam-packed. I promise to be better!

Signing off for now,
The Puzzlechick

Initial Impressions

Today's crossword puzzle (by Bruce Venzke) is called "Men of Letters." As with all Friday puzzles, it's a little more challenging than usual. The theme answers were all famous men who used initials as their first names (see yesterday's post regarding my love of monograms).

17A: Peter Pan creator: J(ames) M(atthew) BARRIE (1860-1937). Barrie was reported to be asexual and a pedophile. He was extremely close to his mother, who never got over the trauma of the death of his older brother. His mom found comfort that the deceased would remain a little boy forever and never grow up. Also, Barrie's marriage to Mary Ansell was reportedly never consummated. Barrie's inspiration for Peter Pan came from two orphan boys (George and Jack Llewelyn) whom he would unofficially adopt. Barrie had a long string of successes following Peter Pan and had a wide circle of friends. After his death, Barrie gave the rights of Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Street Hospital. Of course, many stage adaptations and films arose from Barrie's most famous character.

35A: Bright Day author: J(ohn) B(oynton) PRIESTLEY (1894-1984) published 26 novels, his most famous being Bright Day. To order your copy, go to http://www.amazon.com/Bright-Day-Phoenix-fiction-Priestley/dp/0226682110/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307709624&sr=1-1. Priestley was a socialist and was on George Orwell's "blacklist" of people who were affiliated with the Communist Party.

58A: Co-creator of "Lost": J(effrey) J(acob) ABRAMS (1966-  ). "Lost" may have ended last season, but Abrams is responsible for being creator or executive producer for several other TV shows, including "Felicity," "Alias," and "Fringe."

11D: Retail-chain founder: J(ames) C(ash) PENNEY (1875-1971). Penney's (www.jcpenney.com) is the ultimate middle-class store. They went "upscale" in 1999. Personally, I look but I don't buy anything there. Penney founded his first store in 1902. Many Penney's stores were on main streets all over the U.S. By the late 1950s-early 1960s, mall culture evolved, and Penney's became an anchor at many of these shopping centers. J.C. Penney had also owned Eckerd Drugs (now Rite-Aid).

35D: U.S. Steel founder: J(ohn) P(ierpont) MORGAN (1837-1913). J.P. Morgan simply dominated corporate America in his day.  In addition to U.S. Steel, he also was responsible for creating Chase Manhattan Bank. In fact, Chase is now called JPMorgan Chase as a result of the merger of the two companies in 2000.

Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) is responsible for today's cryptoquote:

"Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work."

Flaubert is most famous for his novel Madame Bovary. As a writer, he used a combination of the romantic and realist styles in his works. His writing style was lean and precise and had a large influence on many 20th Century writers.

We're off to see Book of Mormon this afternoon. I can't wait!

More Weiner skits on "Bill Maher tonight. . . .

The heat wave finally broke, so I'm going out to enjoy it!

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Filling a Hole

It's still freakin' hot on the streets of New York City!

Today's crossword puzzle theme is called "The Hole Thing" (by David W. Cromer). The theme answers are below:

17A: Specialty retailers: NICHE MARKETS. I've always loved this term and it's everywhere. This is especially true with media. I've never seen so many publications focusing on smaller niche markets. Also, audiences have more control over what they watch on TV. The result is niches--such as food, DYI, youth, women's issues--that cater to smaller demographics and audiences. The same can be said with the Internet.

The Challenger crew
(courtesy of Wikipedia)

27A: Atlantis or Endeavor: SPACE SHUTTLE. The space shuttle will be retired next month and its parts will be donated to various museums. The program has had much controversy in its 30-year history. . . . I remember the Challenger disaster of January 28,1986 vividly. I was at work that day. Christa McAuliffe was the first member of the Teacher in Space Program; as a result many school children watched it live. The shuttle exploded 73 seconds into flight, as a result of failure in the O-Ring. I was shocked when my co-worker told us.

48A: Gridiron offense's first shot: OPENING DRIVE. I can't stand watching football, so I'm not even going to touch on this one!

64A: Casino Feature: SLOT MACHINE. Now that's more like it! Atlantic city has tons of penny and nickel slot machines, so we stick to those when we go down there. I feel slot machines are purely by luck. You have a better chance of winning at the poker machines if you know how to play.

The cryptoquote of the day is by Jim Rohn (1930-2009) and it's a simple but effective one: "Either you run the day or the day runs you." Rohn was born on a farm in Washington and became rich by selling nutritional supplements with a company called AbundaVita. He started give motivational talks all over the country about his rags-to-riches story. You can buy resources through his Web site: http://www.jimrohn.com/.

The pressure is um, mounting, for Weiner to resign. It's been revealed that his wife is pregnant. Also, another woman came forward, along with more racy photos. . . . Weiner's always had a reputation as a playboy. Why that is, I don't know. He's not all that good-looking, but women are attracted to power.

"South Park" was so sad last night. (Spoiler alert!). I don't know what was sadder, seeing Cartman and Kyle become friends or Stan's parents breaking up. I would say the latter. This definitely looks like a cliffhanger for a possible final season.

More torture at the gym tonight--kickboxing and Zumba. The kickboxing instructor was a former drill sergeant and she incorporates that mentality in her classes. Still, it's fun.

You've Got Mail!

Elwood Edwards

The Newsday Crossword Theme for today is called "You've Got Mail." Elwood Edwards is the voice behind the home page of AOL (see picture on right). Anyway, these are today's theme answers:

17A: Place to jot notes: THREE BY FIVE INDEX CARD. I love index cards, especially for journaling. Cards are available with or without rules and there are many colors besides white. Do you remember the index card catalog, those draws that were once in libraries? Of course, all cataloging is digital now, but there is something about those wooden drawers that I miss!

39A: A, M, or Z: UPPER CASE LETTER. I've started collecting monograms of my initial ("K"). They come in all different shapes and sizes. I have very few pieces at the moment but will buy something when there's a sale. My monogram collection is just one of many that I've started. More on those another day.

62A: Computer store buy: SOFTWARE PACKAGE. No explanation necessary.

Today's cryptoquote is by Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993), the author of The Power of Positive Thinking:

"Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy."--

Here's an excellent link to Peale's bio and bibliography: http://normanvincentpeale.wwwhubs.com/

Sarah Palin does it again! This time it's all about the Jeffersons (and I don't mean Thomas!)

http://www.borowitzreport.com/2011/06/06/palin-we-must-never-forget-the-wisdom-of-jefferson-and-his-wife-weezy/

And finally, more on Mr. Weiner. One typo supposedly has caused this whole scandal:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/07/anthony-weiner-twitter-dm_n_872590.html?icid=maing-grid7|aim|dl1|sec1_lnk3|69043

GOPs are calling for Weiner's resignation. I disagree strongly. I'm sure half of the people in the House of Representatives are either watching or sending porn!

Sorry my post is so short . . . busy day today.

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Morrissey, You Handsome Devil!

Today's cryptoquote is by the one and only Steven Morrissey (1959-  ) (known simply as "Morrissey"):

"You have to, at least from a distance, look as if you now what you're doing, and I can manage that."


For those of you living under a rock, Morrissey is the lead singer of The Smiths, one of the greatest alternative bands of the '80s. The Smiths are one band I never had a chance to see. The subjects of Morrissey's songs aren't exactly uplifting: failed relationships, lonely nightclubs, crappy home life, burdens of the past, etc. I've always loved his voice and he is supposed to be great live. He also was quite the style icon in his day . . . I loved his haircut and clothes. Morrissey is the influence for many of today's Emo bands (e.g., Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, My Chemical Romance).

The crossword theme for today is "First is Last" (Gail Grabowski). Here are the theme answers:

Courtesy of Travel.State.Gov

20A: Central American Nation: COSTA RICA (Spanish for "Rich Coast," Costa Rica is the most eco-friendly country on the planet. The country plans to become a carbon-neutral one by 2021. Adventure tourism is very popular here; many travel companies offer trips that include white-water rafting, bungee jumping, and SCUBA diving.

51A: Brazilian Dance: BOSSA NOVA. The Bossa Nova became popular during the early 1960s. The first, and most famous bossa nova song to achieve popularity was "The Girl from Ipanema." Check out this classic tune:

10D: Female Opera Star: PRIMA DONNA. Originally, the term was used to designate a lead female singer in an opera. Famous Prima Donnae include Maria Callas and Renate Tebaldi. The term also means someone who is demanding, temperamental, and cocky (e.g., JLo).

28D: Pottery Clay: TERRA COTTA

It's National Chocolate Ice Cream Day! The editors at Kitchen Daily (www.kitchendaily.com) did a taste test of 14 different brands of chocolate ice cream. The winner . . . Friendly's Classic Chocolate! The word "Chocolate" is of Spanish origin; supposedly it comes from the Aztecan language Nahuatl. Many modern sources say the word is derived from the term "chicolatl," which means "beaten drink."


Well, Anthony Weiner confessed that he was sending dirty pictures to his followers on Twitter. I hope he isn't forced to resign. He is good for our neighborhood, but he wasn't thinking clearly in this case. There are many Weiner jokes going around on Facebook and Twitter.


On that note, good-bye for now.


Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

It's All Surreal to Me

Happy Monday! Back to blogging after spending the weekend with a painful sore in my mouth. Advil and an ice pack did the trick . . . the swelling is all gone! I do have to get to the dentist one of these days as I am long overdue for a check-up. I stopped going to my childhood dentist because of the distance and expense. I am finally getting some leads on dentists in Manhattan. . . . there is one I think I'm going to try.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The French writer and poet André Breton (1896-1966) is the author of today's cryptoquote: "All my life my heart has yearned for a thing I cannot name." Breton was one of the initiators of Surrealism, a movement in art and literature (begun in the early 1920s) that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind. Surrealism developed out of the Dada movement from World War I, Some of the best-know Surrealist works--including art, drama, music, and film-- are: Salvador Dali's The Persistence of Memory,  Rene Magritte's The Empty Mask, Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera, Man Ray's Return to Reason, and Edward Lear's nonsense verses. Surrealism used many absurdities and non sequiturs and influenced many later artists, writers, musicians, and humorists such as Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Franz Kafka, James Joyce, e.e. cummings, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, and the Monty Python troupe.

Courtesy of Babble.com

Today's crossword was a nice, easy Monday puzzle by Billie Truitt. The theme was "Breakfast Time" and here are the theme answers:

20A: Breakfast Order, Part 1: GRAPEFRUIT JUICE (Note, I prefer orange or tomato!)
36A: Breakfast Order, Part 2: TWO EGGS OVER EASY (Meh, not my favorite style of eggs. I prefer a nice veggie omelet filled with onions, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and mushrooms).
53A: Breakfast Order, Part 3: WHOLE WHEAT TOAST (This is all I eat these days. . . haven't had white bread in ages! A friend sent an alarming report about butter vs. margarine. After consuming margarine all these years, I find out that butter is actually better for you!)

Breakfast literally means "breaking the fast of the night." Nutritionists all agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I agree 100%! If I don't eat breakfast, I have no energy for the rest of the day, especially when I go to work out.

On Saturday, Matthew and I went to Home Depot to purchase some paint supplies. It was a pain in the neck carrying everything until we came across a supermarket. We needed a new shopping cart anyway, and it made the walk home so much easier! I don't always have what is considered "breakfast food." Sometimes I will have a piece of chicken or fish. When it comes to bread, I will eat the light, whole grain breads or English muffins only. And of course, I have a piece of fruit for a healthy, sweet snack. Don't get me started on cheese and yogurt--YUCK!!!

Yesterday I went to the Housing Works' (www.housingworks.org) annual warehouse and book sale. They had books for as little as a penny. However, what piqued most people's interests was the $20 bag. Shoppers purchase a brown shopping bag for $20 and you can stuff it as much as you want. I got lots of goodies: A Kate Spade bag, an Eileen Fisher bag, two pairs of Ann Taylor pants, a pair of Lululemon pants, two blazers, two scarves, and a winter jacket. The jacket is pretty badly stained; I'm going to see if the cleaners will take it out.

We got tickets to "A Conversation with Bono and The Edge," which is at the 92nd Street Y (www.92y.org) next Monday. Tickets went on sale only yesterday and I believe it's almost all sold out! And yes, Spiderman is actually opening next Tuesday after NUMEROUS delays!

That's all for now. . . . till next time!

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Take Me Out to the Ball Game (Not!)

I'm enjoying a beautiful afternoon here in New York City.

Irvin S. Cobb is the author of today's cryptoquote: "As I understand it, sport is hard work for which you do not get paid." By today's standards, I beg to differ. There are so many overrated, overpaid sports people. If they break their finger, they go on the DL for three months! Sports Illustrated just came out with its list of most overrated baseball players, and #1 was Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod himself). He was followed by his teammates Jobo Chamberlain and Derek Jeter.

Kentucky-born Irvin S. Cobb (1876-1944) was an author, humorist, and columnist who spent much of his life in New York. Here is a cartoon portrait of Cobb from the May 1916 issue of The American Magazine. Several of his stories were made into silent films: Peck's Bad Boy (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0012563/), Judge Priest (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025335/), and The Sun Shines Bright (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046384/). He also was an actor and appeared in 10 films.

The crossword theme today is about bowling ("Up Your Alley" by David W. Cromer). Here are the theme answers:

17A: Mood (FRAME OF MIND)
30A: Tactical Team (STRIKE FORCE)
46A: Brief Moment (SPLIT SECOND)
64A: Unneeded coins (SPARE CHANGE)

When I was growing up, Bowling was such an inexpensive pastime. I remember paying just $1 per game and 50 cents for shoes. The average game now is about $11 per person, even more in the so-called "upscale" bowling alleys (e.g., Bowl-Mor).

The "stumper" was 32D: Bow and scrape. The answer was KOWTOW. This is a traditional Chinese act in which a inferior succumbs to his superior by kneeling and knocking his head to the floor.



Tonight is the finals of the National Spelling Bee on ESPN at 8:30. Forest Hills' own Arvind V. Mahankali will represent New York City. Last year, Arvind tied for 9th place and just missed making the finals. He graduates from the Forest Hills Montessori school this year; I wonder where he'll go for middle school.


The food pyramid is no more! The new nutritional guideline is called "MyPlate (www.choosemyplate.gov). The plate is divided into four sections: vegetable, protein, grains, and fruits. There is a cup for dairy.

Panera Bread has opened in my neighborhood. Better coffee than Starbucks (aka "Fourbucks").

Gym tonight . . . work from home tomorrow.

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Rapid Transit

Here is the cryptoquote for today: "A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer."--Novalis

This is so true! A hero could be sitting next to you right now. A hero knows knows never to quit learning, listens to others, and thinks things through before taking action. When times are tough, a hero knows how to pick up the pieces and move on.

Novalis was the pseudonym of Georg Philipp Friedrich Freiherr von Hardenberg (1772-1801), a German author and philosopher. He was born into a wealthy, noble family and was engaged at the tender age of 13! Novalis was devastated by the death of his fiancée, Sohpie van Kluhn, died at the age of 15. Novalis is most famous for his publication Notes for a Romantic Encyclopaedia. He died from tuberculosis at the age of 28. 


Today's puzzle (by Fred Piscop) is called "Rapid Transit." Here are the theme answers:


18A: The press, in Britain: FLEET STREET. During the 1980s, most of the British papers left Fleet Street and moved to either Wapping or Canary Wharf. Today, Fleet Street is known for its courts of law. It is also the setting of some of the most famous works of drama and fiction (e.g., Sweeney Todd, A Tale of Two Cities, The Pickwick Papers).


28A: Not yielding: STANDING FAST


44A: Cornmeal concoction: HASTY PUDDING. I always wondered what hasty pudding looked like. British in origin, it was called Indian Pudding when made during Colonial times. Also, I wonder why it's called "hasty" when it takes two hours to bake! I associate Hasty Pudding with the famous Harvard theatrical troupe (www.hastypudding.org). Jay Leno and Julianne Moore were named Man and Woman of the Year by the truope.


50A: Country-music superstar: TAYLOR SWIFT. No explanation necessary. 


That's all for today. . . . 


Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Good or Bad? You Decide

I am slightly behind with the post from Sunday's Puzzle, but here it goes. . . .

Courtesy of makefive.com

The quote acrostic is from Woody Allen: "As I think about it it seems to me that the world is divided into two types: the good people and the bad people. The good ones sleep better at night while the bad ones enjoy the waking hours much more." (Source: To Be Good or Bad).

I don't need to list his all of Mr. Allen's accomplishments as that would take too much time. You can find them in his official Web site (www.WoodyAllen.com). His reputation was briefly damaged by his affair with Mia Farrow's 22-year-old daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. They eventually got married--he was 56 and she was 22! He also is an accomplished clarinet player and I think he plays in the soundtrack to most of his films.

The crossword (by Bruce Venzke) was called "As Seen in the Kitchen." Here are the theme answers:

23A: Fried-chicken coating: BREAD CRUMBS. Here is the link to an easy, 5-step fried-chicken recipe (with video): http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Fried-Chicken.

Courtesy of tvacres.com

25A: Grilled entrées: LAMB CHOPS: Many people don't like lamb chops, but I love the succulent flavor! The key is to pick the right chops and add the proper flavoring. When I think of Lamb Chops, I also think of Shari Lewis's famous puppet (her daughter Mallory now performs with Lamb Chop)

40A: Sandwich accompaniments: PICKLE SPEARS. There is nothing like dill pickles on a hamburger or a sandwich! Although they are loaded with sodium, they are also just 5 calories apiece. Below is the video to  Vlassic commercial from 1983 (courtesy of You Tube):

Courtesy of chocolate.com

50A: Poached fruit servings: PEAR HALVES. When I think of pear halves, I think of those in the can. Yuck! I'd rather have the real thing. They even have dried pears covered with chocolate!

67A: Sweet-and-sour sauce ingredient: PINEAPPLE CHUNKS. I have to admit that sweet-and-sour sauces are not among my favorites. However, I do love pineapple chunks on their own or in a fruit salad. Nothing beats Dole, of course!

88A: Cocktail garnishes: LIME WEDGES. Aaaah, nothing like a lime wedge and a Corona! This custom supposedly goes back to 1981 and supposedly is used to make the beer look more attractive and enhance its flavor.

Courtesy of cartoonstock.com

956A: Crudités displays: CARROT STICKS. My favorite veggie. No explanation necessary. . . . The psychological idiom of "carrot and stick" refers to a policy of offering rewards and punishment to induce behavior.

116A: Salad toppers: BACON BITS. The thought of artificial, dried bacon sort of makes my stomach queasy. Give me the real stuff any day!

118A: Party snacks: POTATO CHIPS. I am a salty snack aficionado. I am very critical when it comes to potato chips. My favorite flavors are  barbecue and jalapeño. I don't like anything cheesy. My favorite brands are Wise, Lays, and Cape Cod. Of course, they are addicting, so I don't eat them very often. A bag of Lay's Baked Crisps usually satisfies my potato-chip cravings.

I'll be back with today's Newsday puzzle and cryptoquote.

Signing off for now,
The Puzzlechick