Working Stiffs

After much technical difficulty trying to get the Newsday puzzle this morning, I was finally able to download it on Crossword Social. Today's puzzle is called "Working Foursome" and features some fun characters. The author is Ki Lee (that name is new to me).

17A: Spinach-loving toon (POPEYE THE SAILOR). I have to say that Popeye was never one of my favorite cartoons, although the character has been around over 80 years. Popeye began life as a comic strip character and became the star of a series of animated shorts in the early '30s. The stories were all the same: Popeye is put into a hopeless situation (usually by Brutus), Popeye eats a can of spinach that he carries in his shirt sleeve, and the spinach makes him superhuman. In the end Popeye wins and usually gets the girl (Olive Oyl). Here's a clip from the very first Popeye cartoon:

28A: Kiddie-Show contractor (BOB THE BUILDER). I watched this show with Alex when he was younger. I loved the theme song. Bob is from a family of builders and Wendy is his business partner. Will Bob and Wendy ever get together? The vehicle characters are cute. "Bob the Builder" is originally from the UK, but they use American voices in the US version. For your listening pleasure, the theme song.

Joe the Plumber

44A: Campaign '08 personality (JOE THE PLUMBER). Real name, Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher. This conservative activist and politician enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame in 2008. After receiving then-candidate Barack Obama's answer to his question about the tax policy, he appeared on the road with John McCain and Sarah Palin. McCain brought up "Joe the Plumber" frequently during the presidential debates and speeches when he charged that there would be high taxes under Obama. Joe the Plumber is running for Congress this year. I'm curious to see how that will turn out.

 55A: WWII icon for working women (ROSIE THE RIVETER). During World War II, women took jobs in place of men serving in the military. There was even an all-female baseball league (see A League of Their Own if you're one of the few people in this country who haven't). Anyway, the term "Rosie the Riveter" was first used in a 1942 song by Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb, which portrayed a tireless and dedicated factory worker.

All the day long,
Whether rain or shine,
She's part of the assembly line.
She's making history,
Working for victory,
Rosie the Riveter.

Once the war was over, however, women were expected to return to their jobs as housewives and caretakers for their children. The image of Rosie that comes to mind for me was the one Norman Rockwell painted for the Saturday Evening Post.

I would like to take this time to remember Doug Heller, a puzzle and tech genius who passed away last week from pancreatic cancer. at the age of 57. He was the Webmaster and judge for the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament as well as the U.S. History Web site. I worked with Doug briefly in the late '80s when he came to Official (now Kappa) Publications from Penny Press. He was responsible for typesetting puzzles electronically and in-house (a new phenomenon at the time). I doubt Doug would have remembered me because it was so long ago. My sincere condolences to his family.

Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick

Thick As Thieves

I had a horrible subway ride this evening. First off, someone was struck by an LIRR train. Second, a passenger needed medical assistance in my neighborhood. It took an hour and a half for me to get home. On top of almost 90-degree temperatures, what a way to start the week!

Now that I've finished venting, it's time to discuss the theme answers to today's puzzle—"Thievery" by Billie Truitt.

21A: Skier's purchase (LIFT TICKET). I've been skiing only once in my entire life. It was in New Hampshire with the family. Once was enough. Seeing me on skis is one experience nobody should watch. I was extremely overweight and clumsy at the time. My sister complained because she wanted to hang out with her friends on New Year's Eve. Besides, I've heard about so many injuries and deaths (Sonny Bono, Natasha Richardson, Michael Kennedy, Olympic skier Sarah Burke) that I've decided staying on the ground is best. Also, skiing is a very expensive sport, so if you don't enjoy it, it's not worth it.

39A: Outshine a film's stars (STEAL THE PICTURE). I have an entire laundry list:


Spike Jonze in "Three Kngs"
Eli Wallach in "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly"
Judd Nelson in "The Breakfast Club"
Ice Cube in "Boyz n the Hood"
Tupac Shakur in "Juice"
Emily Blunt in "The Devil Wears Prada"
Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight"
Leonardo DiCaprio in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?"
Val Kilmer in "Tombstone"
Daniel Day-Lewis in "Gangs of New York"
John Goodman in "The Big Lebowski"
Marilyn Monroe in "Niagara"
Mila Kunis in "Black Swan"

The list goes on.

54A: Process a payment, perhaps (SWIPE A CARD). Gone are the days when you had to phone in a credit card number and/or carbons. With just one swipe, you've made your purchase. However, you should watch your purse and pocket at all times. There has been a rash of identity thefts over the last several years. 

I am exhausted so I'm going to relax and watch "What Not to Wear."

Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick

Fasten Your Seatbelts!

Good evening! I hope everyone had a relaxing and peaceful Memorial Day weekend as we remembered our veterans. This is also a sad day for my family since it's my mother-in-law's birthday (RIP). She would have been 77.

Last night, we had the pleasure of seeing Aztec Two-Step perform the Simon & Garfunkel songbook at the City Winery. It was all part of a tribute to the late, great DJ Pete Fornatale. Friends who joined him included Willie Nile, Tom Chapin, David Bustin, and Julie Gold (her claim to fame was writing "From a Distance").

Nail clippers

Now on to today's Newsday puzzle by Gail Grabowski, which is called "Fasten-ating." 

20A: Manicurist's tool (NAIL CLIPPER). The first time I cut my son Alex's nails, I accidentally cut into his skin and he was bleeding. We panicked and called a neighbor who was an EMT. The bleeding stopped eventually, but we were so embarrassed. At 17, he cuts his own nails now (I should hope so, lol).

38A: Electricity in a storm (BOLT OF LIGHTNING). I'll never forget a classic episode of "The Flintstones" called "The Time Machine." At the World's Fair, Fred, Wilma, and the gang travel in time thanks to a professor's time machine. One of the stops was in Philadelphia, where they met the man responsible for discovering electricity, Benjamin Franklin. Go to this link to watch the complete episode: http://www.trilulilu.ro/video-animatie/the-flintstones-5x18-time-machine.

 53A: Vodka and orange juice cocktail (SCREWDRIVER). Aaaaah. This is probably the easiest cocktail to mix, but I've had too many of these in my time. On the other hand, how many of you remember that Tommy Pickles always carried a screwdriver  in his diaper on "The Rugrats?" He used it for many purposes, such as escaping the playpen.

 

But I'm sure most of you spent the weekend with this:

 

On a final note, run, don't walk, to see "Moonrise Kingdom." It is a very poignant and touching love story. The cast includes Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Frances McDermand, Tilda Swindon, Edward Norton, and the funniest scout troop I've ever seen! 

Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick

Gone Fishing?

With the long weekend coming up, I'm sure some of my friends are looking forward to fishing! This theme answers to today's puzzle, "Catch of the Day" (by Fred Piscop) are perfect for the occasion! 

17A: Enviable vantage point (LOFTY PERCH). No explanation necessary.

56A: Underside of some shoes (RUBBER SOLES). Louboutins, anyone? These VERY pricey shoes are famous for their red soles on the bottom. Many, many people have tried to copy Christian Louboutin, but none have succeeded. His NYC store is within walking distance of my office. I won't even attempt to walk in there. However, if you're lucky to own a pair of his shoes, you can replace the red rubber soles.

11D: He reached his peak in 1806 (ZEBULON PIKE). Zebulon Pike (1779-1813) enjoyed a career in the military and eventually was promoted to U.S. army captain. In 1806, Pike organized the first American effort to explore the southern and western territories. He discovered Pikes Peak (originally called El Capitán) in western Colorado. Pike and his troops were captured by the Spanish and taken into Mexico in February 1807. Mexico and Texas provided him with important data about the Spanish military. Pike published an account of the expedition in 1810; it was translated into French, German, and Dutch. In 1813, Zebulon Pike was killed during an attack on the area now known as Tornoto. There are many places and two ships named for the explorer.

24D: Move on a rink (ROLLER SKATE). I loved roller skating as a child! To me, it was much easier than ice skating. I had a pair of metal skates that adjusted with your shoe size (see ad at right from a 1970s British magazine. Then there was the Levittown Roller Rink, one of the many places on Long Island that are gone but not forgotten. This was a place where many kids hung out at night. People met and married there. It was also a site for some major skating tournaments. I remember my elementary school always used to throw parties there. Also, I remember going roller skating in college at a rink in Centereach, but it didn't have the character of Levittown. Sadly, in 1986, the rink was bought by a discount drugstore chain. It's now home to a Staples store. Bor-ing!

I hoped you enjoyed looking at some nostalgia today.

Till tomorrow. . . . 

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick

We Interrupt This Program. . . .

Still adjusting to summer hours. The boys went to see Jack White at Roseland tonight. One of the music critics compared him to Willy Wonka, which I think is a good one. Jack White is an intensely private person and a bit eccentric, but he is a musical G-d! I had the pleasure of seeing The Raconteurs at Voodoo Experience in New Orelans:

Back to today's puzzle, called "This Just In" (by Billie Truitt):  

20A: December 31 (NEW YEAR'S EVE). I think I've mentioned before that this is not my favorite holiday. Lots of hype, people getting drunk, overpriced meals. I will, however, always associate this holiday with Dick Clark. He started "New Year's Rockin' Eve" back in 1972. When we lost Dick Clark earlier this year, we lost a great businessman and entrepreneur. I don't think "Ryan Seacrest's Rockin' New Year's Eve" has the same ring to it. Here is a clip welcoming the 1990s:

39A: Not feeling very creative (FRESH OUT OF IDEAS). Unfortunately, this happens to TV shows that stay on too long. 

56A: Fiction Fan (NOVEL READER). I love reading. Also, I love the smell of the printed page. I don't know whether I will break down and buy a Kindle or a Nook. I can see the advantages of using an e-reader while commuting because it's so lightweight. On the negative side, book publishing isn't what it used to be. This is the print-on-demand era. Books aren't edited as meticulously as they once were. Publishers have laid off entire copy editing departments or they have sent their work overseas. Both produce shoddy products. As a professional copy editor, I feel like my job is on the line each and every day. Fortunately, we have been assigned a new task of proofing marketing materials, which is a lot less complicated than law text.


Watching a bio about Walt Disney, so I will say "good night."


Till tomorrow. . . .


Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Like Water Under the Bridge

Hi! Hope everyone had a nice weekend. The weather was just beautiful here in the city. That all changed to rain today for a gloomy Monday. 

I started my summer schedule so I'm a bit tired tonight, so it's Music Monday.

Today's puzzle by Gail Grabowski is called "Holding Water." The theme answers, please:

20A: New Orleans "blues" thoroughfare (BASIN STREET). The song "Basin Street Blues" is a Dixieland jazz staple. It was first made famous by Louis Armstrong (see video below) in 1929 and recorded by several other artists, including Glenn Miller, Sam Cooke, and Louis Prima. The title refers to Storyville, the notorious red-light district of the early 20th-century French Quarter.

51A: Sports-Car Features (BUCKET SEATS). Last night on "Mad Men," Don Draper and Joan Harris test drove a Jaguar. They looked great inside the car! Don was trying to calm down Joan after she was served divorce papers. Don was also back in full swing as he announced that they would be working 24/7 in order to land the Jaguar account. You remember that they lost a chance at the account because of Pete Campbell's extra-curricular activities with a hooker.

11D: Success-vs.-failure choice (SINK OR SWIM). Here is a song called "Sink or Swim" by the folk-pop artist Tyrone Wells that was first featured on "Gray's Anatomy."

29D: Prohibition-era liquor (BATHTUB GIN). See The Great Gatsby. Also see the video for this jazz-inspired song by the band Phish.

Speaking of music, we have lost many musicians in 2012 at the prime of their lives: Whitney ("Witless") Houston, Adam Yauch (MCA), Robin Gibb, Donna Summer, Davy Jones, Levon Helm, etc. And the year isn't even half over yet. So sad.

Till tomorrow. . . .


Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

In Good Hands

The puzzle for today is called "Show of Hands" and it's by Billie Truitt. I'm in kind of a lazy mood after the gym and it's late, so this will be a post filled with videos.

20A: On hand (AVAILABLE). Here's the video for the song "Available" by Flo Rida. I think it's new.

 

61A: Throw in one's hand (SURRENDER). One of my favorite songs from the '70s is "Surrender" by the band Cheap Trick. For those of you who missed one of the great bands of that decade, here is Cheap Trick performing live. FYI, they also sang the theme for "That 70s Show."

10D: Upper hand (ADVANTAGE). There was a band from Sacramento, CA called The Advantage who did covers of old NES songs. Here is a video of the band performing live with a song called "Mega Man 2."

35D: Try one's Hand (TAKE A SHOT). And finally, here's a song called "Take A Shot" by the band a Finnish band called Lovex. I never heard of them before, but this song isn't bad:

Hope you enjoyed your entertainment for tonight.


Till tomorrow. . . .


Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Shave and a Haircut

Back after a two-week hiatus and feeling much better.

Today's Newsday puzzle by Gail Grabowski is called "Barbershop Quartet", and here are the theme answers.

20A: Head of a political group (PARTY CHAIR). I don't wish to talk about the 2012 Presidential campaign. 

62A: Narrow escape (CLOSE SHAVE). I know that my hubby loves nothing better than a close shave. It's also the name of a popular cartoon by Wallace and Gromit, but I couldn't find the video.

10D: Extremely slim (RAZOR THIN). Something that Betty Draper no longer isn't. On last night's episode of "Mad Men", she's joined Weight Watchers and is trying to be nice to everyone. When she sees Megan put a blouse on over her slim figure, she can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Betty drowns herself in whipped cream and retaliates by telling Sally about the first Mrs. Draper.

36D: Minor Rural Blaze (BRUSH FIRE). With all the global warming, there have been too many of these lately. There was a serious one at Brookhaven Labs a few weeks ago.

I've always loved the sounds and harmonies of the barbershop quartet. There have been many variations on TV. One of the funniest was a very pregnant Lucy, Ricky and the gang singing "Sweet Adeline." They try to keep Lucy from singing by stuffing shaving cream in her mouth:

On an episode of "The Flintstones," Fred, Barney, and their friends want to appear on the "Hum Along with Herman" show. Barney can't sing unless he's in taking a bath or shower:

Wow, I just found some interesting news. There was supposedly claims of an assassination plot hidden in a crossword puzzle from a Venezuelan newspaper. The alleged target was President Hugo Chavez' older brother. Of course, the creator of the crossword puzzle said it was "ridiculous."

Ghostface Killah (from the Wu Tang Clan) was an answer in last Monday's New York Times puzzle. I've noticed that the contributors to the NYT puzzles are getting younger and are supplying hip clues.

Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick

Stay tuned!

I've been on hiatus while trying to figure out what to do with this blog. I will be back soon to talk about my new venture, PuzzleFavors.

Stay tuned!

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick