On Hurricanes and Retro Things

Good afternoon! I did not have the strength to post anything most of last week. On Tuesday, our peaceful lives were interrupted by an earthquake (on the 5.8 Richter scale) originating from Virginia. Then, we were awaiting the dreaded Hurricane Irene. It was promising to be the worst storm in 50 years. Irene turned out to be more a tropical storm than a hurricane, and yes, some of my friends are still without power. But the media made too much hype out of the whole thing. Nobody knew that Al Qaeda's #2 was killed on Saturday! Both events just made me mentally exhausted.

Matthew's place of business was insistent that he come in last night despite no subway or LIRR. He wound up taking the Q60 bus to work, and it took him two hours to get there. Fortunately, subways were up and running this morning.

Today's Newsday Cryptoquote, authored by that empress of etiquette, Emily Post (1872-1960), contained some good old-fashioned common sense:

"The single essential ingredient of good manners is a sensitive awareness of other people's feelings."

This is also known as emotional intelligence, and is unfortunately, something I see less and less these days. You can find several of these stories on the hilarious site, Etiquette Hell. There is also the matter of cyberbullying. This to me is worse than bullying back in my day. In my generation, at least the kids did it to your face. These days, these kids are cowards and hide behind their computers. I think cyberbullying has resulted in more suicides than the in-your-face kind. Emily Post's legacy still carries on through her great-great grandchildren, Anna Post and Lizzie Post, both authors of books on etiquette.

Gail Grabowski's puzzle, called "TV Prime Time," had some decent theme answers today:


19A: 1970s music recordings (EIGHT TRACK TAPES). Remember those? In the '70s, this was considered the latest in modern technology. The Panasonic recorders were so cool. However, there were several disadvantages to the 8-track tapes, the biggest is that you would have to go through an entire track to get to the song that you wanted to here. CD players made this so much easier!

36A: Social Security ID, for one (NINE-DIGIT NUMBER). There has been a crackdown on the use of SSNs as one's primary identification number, the greatest reason being identity theft. Many schools provide their students with separate ID numbers. Other 9-digit numbers in our lives include telephone numbers and ZIP codes. I don't think the 9-digit ZIP code ever completely caught on.

47A: Two-wheeler with gears (TEN-SPEED BICYCLE). I begged and begged my parents for a Schwinn Varsity 10-speed bike beginning in 8th grade. All the "cool kids" had one. But nooooo, they were two expensive with four mouths to feed! I was stuck with the bike I had had since 6th grade with the banana seat and the "sissy bar." I finally got my wish for my graduation from middle school, but I had to settle for a Ross bike. The store where I bought (Brands Cycle and Fitness in Wantagh) it is still around! Anyway, I rode the bike until I was able to get my license.

I am on a "staycation" this week, and I will be going back to my regular hours at work next week. Tomorrow, the boys and I will probably go to the Highline.

Almost time to make dinner. Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Let Your Hair Down

Today's Cryptoquote is great because it's fashion-related. I love all the fashion-related quotes. This one is by W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965):

Vidal Sassoon

"A good hairdresser can express ever mood and every passion of the human heart." 

How true this is! I enjoy going to my hairdresser. I tell her everything that's going on in my life, and I always feel so much better when I leave. The best hairdressers love to make people feel good and look great. I wish I had been around during the 60s. What I would have given to have my hair cut by Vidal Sassoon, who changed the world of hairstyling forever. My mother-in-law was one of the lucky ones. In March, we had the pleasure of seeing a documentary about his life, from his tumultuous childhood in the East End of London to his stint in the Israeli army to the opening of his first salon. The shops are still around; they're simply just called "Sassoon." He is also an activist and has worked tirelessly to wipe out anti-Semitism.

In contrast to Vidal Sassoon, we have the classless trash of "Jerseylicious." Even though this "reality show" is probably scripted, it's my guilty pleasure. Most of the "employees" don't even work for the Gatsby Salon. On last night's episode, that bee-yotch Tracy was looking for an internship with Vogue. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!! First off, she dropped out of college after six months, and most interns work for college credits. Second, Vogue would NEVER hire trash like her! You either have to be an Ivy League grad or know someone there. Third, if she showed up to work in the clothes she wears, she would be sent home by Anna Wintour herself. So she makes herself an "apprentice" for a local lifestyle magazine. How shocked she is when she finds out she has to style food! She learns a valuable lesson that it's not about the smoky eye or the right handbag!!! 

As for Somerset Maugham, he was a from a wealthy family and studied medicine initially. Real-life experience, such as medical school and his world travels, was the basis for many of his works. Maugham was best know for his novels The Razor's Edge and Of Human Bondage, both which were turned into classic movies. He was bisexual--he married and had a daughter but had a lover named Gerald Haxton. However, he showed disdain for the gay artist. He seemed to live the kind of lifestyle most of us envy--the wealthy man about town and world traveler.

You Say "To-May-To", I Say "To-Mah-To"

Gail Grabowski's puzzle is called "Tomato Cookbook." Here are the theme answers:

20A: Nightspot with Latin music (SALSA CLUB). The most famous salsa club of all was probably the Copacabana. It's still around but doesn't maintain its former glory of the '40s and '50s. The original location at East 60th Street is the club of legend. So many famous musicians have played there: Xavier Cugat, Harry Belafonte, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Marvin Gaye, Celia Cruz, Sam Cooke, etc. 

51A: Skillet relatives (SAUCE PANS). Nothing much to say. I hate cooking

11D: Full range (SOUP TO NUTS). I've always loved this expression. Origin of this phrase came from formal dinners that started with a soup plate and ended with mixed nuts. 

27D: Business-card paperstock (PASTE BOARD). I love collecting business cards.  think it's because I find it fascinating to get so many graphics and text in one small space. In fact, I belong to a group called the International Business Card Collectors. I didn't even know there was such a site until about three years ago. There are over 500 members and we do trades and round robins. 

That's all the puzzle news for today. 

I had a great time at Diane's Mad Hatter party over the weekend. The hats ranged from silly (Diane's jester hat, Adam's "pimp" hat, Vicki's tall hat) to the sublime (the homemade creations by Tara and Debbie.). Diane's husband, Dave has great taste in music and knows how to barbecue those ribs! Because her house was such a schlep, I slept over Saturday night. Diane's house is so whimsical . . . she made great use of small space!

Till tomorrow. . . . 

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick

Clear as a Bell

It's a very rainy Friday night here in Queens. The Mets were playing but I guess that game is over.

Today's crossword is called "Closing Bell." Besides being a show on CNBC, it's a sound that hasn't been in our favor lately. With plunging stocks and the jobless outlook bleak, our economy is going to the dogs. Certain people in the House gave President Obama flack for taking vacation this coming week. Hey, he has a right to take vacation as much as anyone else. I don't think the economy will get any better or worse while he's away. It's not like he's across the country or around the world. If there's a real problem, he can just get on a jet and fly to Washington.

Bernard Madoff

And now for the theme answers:

17A: Financial Crime (MONEY LAUNDERING). Who can forget the most notorious swindler in recent history, Bernie Madoff? In March 2009, he pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies, including securities fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and perjury. He ripped off millions of innocent people as well as several charities. Madoff simply deposited their money in his personal account instead of investing the money for them. He made several false filings with the SEC too. And this all dated back to 1991. Why didn't the SEC notice this and the plunging stock market before? Supposedly, they were busy watching porn instead of working.

25A: Marshall Islands locale (BIKINI ATOLL). Yes, ladies, the swimsuit we so hate men drooling over is named after this island. In 1946, French engineer Louis Réard and fashion designer Jacques Heim introduced the bikini to the world. Réard was a car engineer but by 1946 he was running his mother's lingerie boutique near Les Folies Bergères in Paris. Heim was working on a new kind of beach costume. It comprised two pieces, the bottom large enough to cover its wearer's navel. In May 1946, he advertised it as the world's "smallest bathing suit". Historians assume Reard termed his swimsuit the "bikini" because he believed its revealing style would create reactions among people similar to those created by America’s atomic bomb in Japan just one summer earlier. Bikini Atoll was one of the islands where the atomic bomb was being tested. (Source of text: Wikipedia). 

43A: Singer dubbed "King of Soul" (OTIS REDDING). Good old Otis (1941-1967) . . . so talented but his life ended much to soon as the result of a plane crash. Otis Redding was discovered while he was playing guitar with a local band in Macon, GA. He wrote a lot of his own music, as well as Aretha Franklin's "Respect." Countless artists have covered his most famous number, "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay." Otis would have been 70 this year; he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

55A: Factor in successful commercials (EMOTIONAL APPEAL). I can be a cynical person sometimes. However, any commercial featuring a puppy tugs at my heartstrings. There are so many good commercials (as well as bad) out there, that it was hard to narrow it down to just one. However, I love this classic Coke commercial from that stars Mean Joe Green.

Today's Cryptoquote is by Thomas Fuller (1608-1661), a writer known for his Worthies of England:

"Learn how to refuse favors. This is a great and very useful act."

Fuller was also a preacher and a noted wit, and served briefly as Royal Chaplain. I wonder if any of our modern-day politicians have read this quote.

Sorry to be cutting it short, but I'm getting tired.

Tomorrow night, I'm attending at hat/garden party. This should be interesting.

Singing off,
The Puzzlechick

Wasting Away the Idle Hours

Today's Newsday puzzle, by Clive Probert, has another great theme. This one is called "The Idle Hours." The three clues are the same: "Something to do in idle hours." The answers, please:

17A: SING IN THE SHOWER. I don't think anyone wants to hear me sing in the shower; he/she would need ear plugs. However, they say that singing in the shower is supposed to enrich the sound of your singing voice. Barney Rubble proves this theory in the episode "The Flintstone Canaries."

33A: POP BUBBLE WRAP. All right! Bubble wrap is the stuff that protects valuables in shipping. I love popping it just to annoy people I don't like. But did you know there are 1,001 uses for bubble wrap? BTW, January 31 is Bubble Wrap Day!

55A: STAY IN PJs ALL DAY. I wish I could.

Eric Idle

However, the most famous Idle of all is Eric of Monty Python and Rutles fame. On Python, he often played a character obsessed with speech and language and his sketches dealt with more contemporary issues than the other members of the troupe. He wrote "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" for Life of Brian and also penned the play Spamalot (IMO, one of the funniest Broadway shows of all time). In the Rutles' documentary, All You Need Is Cash, Idle played the Paul McCartney-like character of Dirk McQuickly.

Today's cryptoquote is by John Buchan, and it's a great one.

"The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable , a perpetual series of occasions for hope."

John Buchan

John Buchan (1875-1940), also known as 1st Baron Tweedsmuir, was a prolific writer and politician most famous for his classic novel The Thirty-Nine Steps, which would go on to become a classic Hitchcock film. He also wrote lots of non-fiction on historical subjects. Buchan was Governor-General of Canada and a member of Parliament. 

That's all for today. "Project Runway" episode 4 tonight. Tonight they have to design a dress for Nina Garcia, aka Dragon Lady.

Till tomorrow.

Singing off,

The Puzzlechick

Bellow, Bulow, and Harlow, Oh My!

Welcome to my 60th post! I was too tired to write anything yesterday . . . if I'm going to talk about puzzles, I have to do it daily.

Today's crossword puzzle, by Fred Piscop, is called called "Bass Trio."  The theme answers are famous names and all end in the word "low."

Saul Bellow

17A: Herzog author (SAUL BELLOW). The author, who lived from 1915 to 2005, was Canadian-born and won both the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes. Many of his novels were set in Chicago, where he moved when he was nine. He graduated from Northwestern with a double major of sociology and anthropology. Bellow was married five times and taught at several colleges. For a complete list of his works, see the bibliography.

Sunny von Bulow

36A: Jeremy Irons, in Reversal of Fortune (CLAUS VON BULOW). Most of us know who Claus von Bulow (b. 1926) is, and not under the greatest circumstances. In 1980, he was accused of murder of his wife, Sunny by supposed administering an insulin overdose. She lived in a vegetative state for 28 years until her death in 2008. This trial seemed to go on for ages, and the lawyer Alan Dershowitz represented him. Although he initially was sentenced to 30 years in prison, von Bulow appealed and was found not guilty in the second trial. It was discovered that Sunny died from an overdose of drugs and alcohol. Why, Sunny, why? According to this synopsis of the case, she seemed to have everything.

56A: '30s film superstar (JEAN HARLOW). Before Marilyn and Madonna, there was Jean Harlow. Jean Harlow was considered Hollywood's first blonde bombshell. Born Harlean Carpenter in 1911, she would live only until the age of 26. Her films included Hell's Angels, Dinner at Eight, and Red Dust. Plagued with health problems throughout her life, she died from kidney failure in 1937.

Now for today's cryptoquote:

"Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence."--Thomas Szasz

Thomas Szasz, born in 1920, is a psychologist who is best known for his book The Myth of Mental Illness (1961). He is professor emeritus at the SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse. In this controversial work, he declared that mental illness is not a disease, but rather is created by cultural controls. Just by observing homeless people and criminals, I see what he means.

Well, I'm tired from working out, so it's time to turn in.

Till tomorrow.

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Rain and Male Bonding and Maxims

Rain, rain go away!

In the past two days, we've had 10 inches of rain. Yesterday was one of those days when we just didn't feel like doing anything. I stood outside the gym waiting for Zumba to start and of course, the manager was late. There were all kinds of problems on the subway and on the roads.

Today's crossword puzzle by Gail Grabowski was called "Male Bonding." The theme answers are below:

20A: Candid Critics (DUTCH UNCLES). This is an English term and is used for someone who issues frank, harsh, and severe comments. While Googling this term, I came across a band from Manchester with this name. Here is their debut video called "Face In."

John Adams and some of the Founding Fathers

And now for something completely different. 38A's clue is "Ben Franklin, John Hancock, etc." The answer is FOUNDING FATHERS. These were the men responsible for the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and Constitution in 1787. Hey, we even got a musical out of them called "1776."

52A: Fraternity Mentors (BIG BROTHERS). Read this article on what being a big brother is all about. Notice how hazing is not in the equation. Both my brothers belonged to frats and they both had good experiences with them. There have been quite a few movies about fraternities. Some are hilarious (Animal House) and others end tragically (Fraternity Row). I was unable to find footage from the latter movie. Of course, several TV shows, such as Family Ties and Happy Days had episodes about frats. In the Family Ties episode, the fraternity members use Skippy as "The Big Stooge"; they make him go through all the pledge tasks but blackball him anyway. Of course, who can forget the KEG House from "90210"? Class clown Steve Sanders was a member and always got into lots of trouble.



The cryptoquote for today is by some obscure French writer, François, Duc de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680)

"All our faults are more pardonable than the methods we resort to hide them."

de la Rouchefoucauld was a writer of maxims and morals. His work Maximes contains many proverbs about human nature and interaction. Almost all its writings depicted people as self-centered and vain. Here is a list of his works.

I'm getting sleepy, so it's time to turn in.

Till tomorrow.

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick

Double Quote Day

Today we were treated to two quote puzzles, the usual cryptoquote and the crossword puzzle. The cryptoquote was much easier to solve today. It's by the writer Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902-1991):

"We have to believe in free will. We have no choice."

Singer was known for his short stories, particularly The Family Moskat, Gimpel the Fool, and of course, Yentl the Yeshiva Boy. The latter was made into a movie starring Barbra Streisand. It was also quite controversial because it dealt with transvestism. Here is the divine Miss Streisand singing "Papa Can You Hear Me?"

Most of Singer's stories were in Yiddish and was a regular contributor to The Forward. Gimpel the Fool was his first collection of short stories. I remember reading them during my days at the Workman's Circle school in East Meadow. His most famous novel, Enemies A Love Story (about Holocaust survivors) was also adapted into a popular movie.

Today's crossword puzzle was called "Wait for It" by Stanley Newman. Sections of the quote appear in 20 Across, 34 Across, and 57 Across:

"Most overnight successes took a long time."

The source of the crossword puzzle quote is Steve Jobs (45 Across). You have to be living under a rock not to know who he is. Here is Jobs's original business card from 1979.

I had the original Macintosh SE when I worked at Garland Publishing. Yes, folks, I learned on a Mac. I liked the Mac because you didn't need a degree in engineering to work it. We've come a long way since then. There is the Performa, the original colorful iMac, the Mac Notebook, not to mention all iPod and the iPad! You can view the complete history of Apple.

On a more serious note, thoughts and prayers are for Steve Jobs as he has survived pancreatic cancer and a liver transplant. Every time he takes a medical leave, Apple stocks dip.

I did lots of shopping for my friend Diane's Mad Hatter party next week. I bought a Coach bag at a consignment store for $49. Then I bought some jewelry at Filene's Basement for $20. After dinner, I hiked up to Macy's and bought an open cardigan for $14. I love open cardigans--no worries about gaping buttons!

Good night all . . . till tomorrow. . .

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Risky Business

I such a difficult time solving today's cryptoquote that I had to finish it during my commute. I couldn't even find it online. But here it is:

"Fortune loves to give slippers to those with wooden legs, and gloves to those with no hands."--Théophile Gautier (1811-1872)

Théophile Gautier

Who was Théophile Gautier? He was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, art critic, and literary critic. He was part of "La Bohème", circle of artists and writers who led an unconventional life. Gautier coined the phrase "art for art's sake" as he was the first writer to publish this phrase in 1833.

My favorite Newsday constructor, David W. Cromer, wrote today's puzzle. It's called "Have No Fear." All three theme clues are "Ask riskily":

20A: SKATE ON THIN ICE. This is a favorite phrase that teachers always use on students who are just squeaking by. It was also a short-lived reality show on Australian TV in 2005. In this show, nine celebrities learned to skate and the winner would perform with Disney on Ice.


41A: WORK WITHOUT A NET. As a kid, I remember going to the circus and watching all those performers like the trapeze artists and the tightrope walkers. They always used a net for safety. The same thing applies to business. The self-employed must never take a freelance job without a signed contract. Second, they also need to be covered for health insurance. Third, they should always have back-up space for all their major projects.

60A: WALK A TIGHTROPE. See the cartoon on the right for an explanation.

Sorry to be so short today--I'm just tired and irritable.

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Shoes Never Lie! (with apologies to Mimi Pond)

I love, love, love today's cryptoquote! It's by Norma Jeane Baker, known to all of us as Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962):

"Give the girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world."

I love shopping for shoes. The right shoes can make or break and outfit. With the right shoes, any outfit can look like it stepped out of Vogue. They can also tell a lot about a person. Here is a list of 10 shoes that all women should own.

In 1985, the author Mimi Pond published a book called Shoes Never Lie, which was extremely funny. I know I attended the promotional book party at The Palladium, but I don't remember what shoes I wore (gasp!)

And who can forget Imelda Marcos and her infamous shoe collection? See picture on the right-hand side. She would collect shoes (3,000 pairs!) on her travels while her people from the Philippines were living in extreme poverty. Marcos also had 15 fur coats, 1,000 handbags, and over 500 gowns. There was no way she was going to wear all those shoes!

Then there's 5-year-old Suri Cruise, whose shoe collection is worth about $150,000, but she doesn't have any real friends her age. That's more than my husband and I make combined. I can't imagine those high heels would be good for her feet.

Of course, this post wouldn't be complete without a few words of wisdom from everyone's favorite shoe salesman, Al Bundy:

Wanna check out the world's most expensive shoes?

Finally, you can link to this Web site for all you wanted to know about the divine Miss Monroe.

With all this talk about shoes, I forgot about today's crossword puzzle. This is by Fred Jackson III and is called "The Way It's Done." The theme answers, please:

20A: Hotels, at times (CONVENTION SITES). For a large city like New York, the Javitz Center is such an eyesore. It's also way out of the way (11th Ave. and 34th to 38th Street). There isn't even any parking there; you have to go to one of the nearby overpriced garages. I've been there only once, but I'm sure the food is overpriced too. They're supposed to extend the 7 train to the Javitz Center by December 2013. I'll believe it when I see it.

37A: Personal message on a ring (CUSTOMER ENGRAVING). Things Remembered, a chain store with tacky personalized gifts. I did get two nice boxes when I was on the Parents' Association at P.S. 175, but of the items will collect dust.

52A: Rehearsal (PRACTICE SESSION). During the time when I played three instruments (clarinet, guitar, and piano), I hated rehearsals and practice. It was constant drilling of notes and scales. That's probably why I didn't play as well as I could have. However, I loved play rehearsals at drama club, which were always fun.

Thanks to water on the tracks, the subways were all screwed up and I didn't make it to Zumba class last night. Will attempt to try again tonight.

Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Hawkeye and Housework

Alan Alda, courtesy
of mash.wikia.com

Today's cryptoquote is by the renowned actor Alan Alda (1936- ):

"It's too bad I'm not as wonderful a person as people say I am because the world could use a few people like that."

Born Alphonse Joseph D'Abruzzo in the Bronx, Alan Alda is best-known for his work on the series M*A*S*H. He won 6 Emmys for his role as Hawkeye Pierce and eventually became producer and creative consultant. His father, Robert, was a famous actor too. When Alan was 7, he contracted polio and was treated with hot wool blankets and muscle stretches (yikes!). He graduated from Fordham in 1956 and married his wife, Arlene Weiss, a year later. His list of TV and film credits is too long to mention, so I will just link them here. He also has appeared in many Broadway shows.

Today's puzzle theme (by Billie Truitt) is not one of my favorites. It's called "Three Chores" that I hate doing:

20A: Parent's morning request (MAKE YOUR BED)
39A: Parent's after-supper request (TAKE OUT THE TRASH)
53A: Parent's before-supper request (SET THE TABLE)

To the left are some Stepford children helping Mom with chores. . . . Chores are supposed to help children learn responsibility, blah, blah, blah. There are even chore charts out there so the duties can be divided between the kids. (insert snorting with laughter here). Growing up, the request for chores from my parents usually turned into a screaming match. When I was in high school, I remember having to clean my room for the cleaning lady (Wait! Isn't that supposed to be her job?). I would come home from school and my room stunk from cigarette smoke. . . . I was neater in college because I was living with others in confined quarters. Now I'm so lucky to to be working during the day so I can trick my house husband into doing everything. I came home yesterday and the carpets were all vacuumed and the floors were all clean. Gotta love him!

It's pouring out but that won't stop me from going to Zumba!

Till tomorrow--

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

The Sap Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree!

When I read today's cryptoquote, I thought it was more appropriate for spring.

"I like to think of thoughts as living blossoms borne by the human tree"--James (Jim) Douglas

There are a million men with this name out there, but I found the correct one. This James Douglas is a four-time Vermont governor and is currently the executive in residence at Middlebury College. He was the first governor to meet President Obama, and the initially vetoed the same-sex marriage bill. The House and Senate of Vermont overrode him, and it became a law in 2009.

Today's crossword by Gail Grabowski is called "Watch List." Here are the theme answers:

21A: Romantic songs, informally (SLOW NUMBERS). I find most romantic songs sappy and I simply can't listen to them. When I was in 5th or 6th grade, there was a boy in our class (Joe, where are you?) who would sing along to "My Love" by Paul McCartney. . . .Give me some Barry White any time! His numbers could melt even the iciest person.

48A: Get a new owner (CHANGE HANDS). I can imagine in this economy how many companies have been reorganized.

3D: Formal event music group (DANCE BAND). When my brothers celebrated their bar mitzvahs, dance bands were the big thing. I think they're still popular at weddings, but DJs are in vogue for major celebrations these days. Watching "I Love Lucy" over the weekend brought back the days when dance bands and night clubs were big business. Those were the days when people got dressed up and went out in their finest clothes.

32D: Emotionless look (POKER FACE). I've been waiting for this answer for the longest time! It gives me the excuse to air Cartman's hilarious performance of the Lady Gaga hit:

A good friend of ours finally got a job after being out of work for over three months. He has been in and out of jobs for a long time; I hope this one lasts!

Sorry for another short entry, but it's a busy day at the salt mines. Till tomorrow.

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Thoughts on Lollapuzzoola 4

Sorry I've been away from here for a few days. Things were hectic at work and at home.

Yesterday I competed at Lollapuzzoola 4. This is a smaller version of ACPT and a lot more fun. Brian Cimmet and Ryan Hecht--two very funny guys who used to run a blog called "Ryan and Brian Do Crosswords"--started Lollapuzzolla three summers ago with about 30 people. The tournament initially started in Jackson Heights, at a church where the first Scrabble game was played. Well, the tournament outgrew its space and this year it moved to All Souls Church on Lexington Ave. Over 170 people participated, along with I don't know how many at-home players. Unlike ACPT, there are no money prizes, but the top 10 finishers in each division (Local and Express) get puzzle books, and the top 3 get trophies as well. Patrick Blindauer took over Ryan's spot as co-host this year.

Yesterday's puzzle constructors were Mike Nothnagel, Elizabeth C. Gorski, Andrea Carla Michaels, Tony Orbach, Doug Peterson, and Byron Walden. I will not post any spoilers here because there are people competing at home. All I can say was that puzzle #5 was by far my favorite because I loved the theme and the way it was constructed.

Upon registering, we were handed a card with a person from a famous group or family. I got "Homer", which meant I had to hook up with The Simpsons for a game we played at the end of the day. This game was created by Neville Fogarty.

I sat next to Ellen Ripstein, who won the ACPT in 2001 (I think). She was featured in the movie "Wordplay." I had a very nice conversation with her, and the other people at my table were nice too.

I don't usually check the standings because I know I was near the bottom. Instead, I measured how I did against past performances. I finished 3 out of the 5 puzzles yesterday, and came close to finishing puzzle #2. Puzzle #4 was virtually impossible. I was happy with my performance, but I need to practice with a timer.

Jeffrey Harris was the winner of the Express division. The Express division consists of people who finished in the top 20% in either ACPT or Lollapuzzoola. The Local division winner was Andy Kravis (in his very first tournament!). The Pairs division title went to Amy Goldstein and Evan O'Donnell (who I think is only 13 or 14). Joon Pahk had the dubious distinction of having the worst handwriting (they give out the best handwriting award at ACPT).

We are watching the "I Love Lucy" marathon on the Hallmark Channel in honor of Lucille Ball's 100th birthday. They just showed the very last episode. "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour", her follow-up show done in the late 50s, was nowhere near as funny. You also could see the marital discord between Lucy and Desi. I posted this link on my Facebook page yesterday on why Lucy still keeps us laughing.

We did "old school" music at my Zumba class this morning. Otherwise it was a quiet day, except for the altercation that Matthew had with a cashier at Wendy's. The oven was down and they were unable to grill chicken for his salad. Then they told him that the oven would be fixed and it would take about 5 extra minutes . . . 20 minutes later he was still waiting. The oven was still down . . . no salad. They didn't even offer him anything else. He got his money back, but he was told to stop arguing. This is the second time it's happened with the same cashier. I don't think we'll be going back there for a while.

Back to the Newsday puzzles tomorrow.

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Zola and Hitchcock

Emile Zola (1840-1902) is the author of today's cryptoquote:

"If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you that I came to live out loud."

Émile Zola was a prolific French writer and one of the most important figures in the naturalism literary movement. He was also known for his involvement in the Dreyfus Affair of the late 1890s. This political scandal began when a French agent stole a letter to a German military officer. The commanders of the French army decided that Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish soldier, is a spy within the French top army staff. He is imprisoned and awaits many years for trial. It is discovered that another soldier is actually the spy, but he gets sent to a distant post instead. Dreyfus's wife pleaded with Zola to take up this cause. Zola publishes a letter in a newspaper with the heading J'Accuse (I Accuse). He is brought to trial for libel and is imprisoned for a year. A new army administration finally admits that Dreyfus is innocent, but Zola dies of carbon monoxide poisoning the day before Dreyfus is exonerated. For a complete list of Zola's works, see http://openlibrary.org/authors/OL32772A/%C3%89mile_Zola.


Today's puzzle (by Norma Steinberg) is called "I Got Your Back." The theme answers:

20A: Minimal uncertainty (SHADOW OF A DOUBT). This is also the name of 1943 Hitchcock thriller. In this classic film starring Theresa Wright and Joseph Cotten, a teenager named Charlotte "Charlie" Newton is visited by her favorite uncle. However, "Uncle Charlie" is not the man he appears to be and has some very dark secrets. No spoilers!

40A: Child's Game (FOLLOW THE LEADER). This morning, the "Today" show featured 2,000 Zumba instructors led by their guru, Beto Perez. One of my favorite Zumba songs happens to be "Follow the Leader" by the Soca Boyz. Here are the boys in a live performance:

55A: Be behind, with 30 minutes of football left (TRAIL IN THE HALF). I don't think we will be seeing football for a while. They're on strike. Good riddance!

Jessica Alba appears on the September Lucky. She looks fabulous!

Bought skinny cargo pants from Loehmann's today. Next up, trying to find a hot pink sweater to go with my new black-and-white dress. There's always turquoise.

Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Bevanism, 3-D Viewing, and Joel Grey

Good morning! I was moving really slowly yesterday and I didn't have the energy to post an entry.

The cryptoquote today is by someone I have never heard of, Aneurin Bevan (nicknamed "Nye"). It is very straightforward:

"We know what happens to people who stand in the middle of the road. They get run over."

Aneurin Bevan (1897-1960), son of a coal miner, was a long-time of the leader of the Labour Party and a member of Parliament. He spent most of his political career championing for the rights of the working class. His followers were called Bevanites and were influenced by Marxism but preferred a more democratic socialism. Their main objectives were a (1) a free system of health, welfare, and education; (2) state control of the economy; (3) housing for all; and (4) full employment. For a list of Bevan's contributions, see http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/people/mr-aneurin-bevan.

The crossword theme for today is "3-D Viewing" by Billie Truitt. The theme answers are below:

20A: Nutritional needs diagram (FOOD PYRAMID). The food pyramid was introduced to the United States in 1992 and was divided into sections to show the recommended intake for each food group. It replaced the "Basic Four" food groups that I and a lot of baby boomers were educated on. "My Plate", a much simpler diagram, replaced the Food Pyramid in June 2011. For more information on the new guide, see http://www.choosemyplate.gov/.

41A: World of government (POLITICAL SPHERE). This is one world I do not want to be a part of, lol! After watching John Boehner ("the whiner") and President Obama battling it out over the debt ceiling issue, I am so disgusted! Case closed.

57A: Road repair marker (TRAFFIC CONE). Do you remember the episode of "The Brady Bunch" when Greg and Marcia competed to see who was the better driver? They had to complete an obstacle course without breaking an egg. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the video online for this episode, but it was one of the few funny episodes of the show's last season.

The old biddies of Nassau County voted down the new arena for the Islanders. This probably will mean "Goodbye Islanders, hello low-income housing project." What a shame. Nassau Coliseum is the biggest eyesore in Nassau County. Their acoustics are outdated and the building is just plain ugly. Also, there is no public transportation, which means you have to pay $6 for parking. Had there been a new arena, not only would there have been new jobs, but the businesses around it would have benefited. I feel bad for Charles Wang, who has proposed so many innovative new ideas. The old biddies don't want change; they just don't want to pay any new taxes.

Joel Grey in 1966

Last night, we saw a conversation between Joel Grey and Jon Robin Baitz at the Museum of the City of New York. They're good friends so the banter between them was very amusing. Joel talked about his career both in the theater and as a photographer. He is coming out with his third photography book and is currently starring in Anything Goes. Not bad for a 79-year-old!

This week, I am practicing for Lollapuzzoola 4, which is this Saturday. This year, the tournament moves from Jackson Heights to Manhattan (Whoooo!). This tournament is much more informal than the American Crossword Tournament. And Will Shortz has been making an appearance each year. The organizers give out "Google Tickets" if you need a hint to an answer (theme answers don't count).

That's all for today . . . back tomorrow!

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick