Don't Carp on Me!

Newsday x-word 5-1-14

Mr. Sun has finally made its appearance after two straight days of rain. For the first time since Monday, I had a chance to walk outside.

Carolyn Stewart's puzzle for today is called "Carping Creatures." The theme answers are all animals that contain synonyms for the word "carp":

26A: Short-legged pet (BASSET HOUND). Aww, I love these dogs and their sad little eyes. The basset hound is the logo for Hush Puppies. Back in the '90s, the suede Hush Puppies were the rage. Even
my son had a pair at age 3. The basset hound is very gentle, outgoing, and makes a wonderful pet for children.

Bucky Badger

39A: Madison athlete (WISCONSIN BADGER). I don't watch many sports, but I do know that the Badgers are a Division I team and one of the most prolific in the NCAA. Wisconsin is named "The Badger State" because the miners who settled there in the 1820s and 1830s "lived like badgers." They used the Wisconsin campus for the movie "Back to School" and it looks gorgeous.

53A: Southeastern pantry pest (PALMETTO BUG). Ugh, an animal that isn't so nice. It's merely a cockroach that emits a very foul odor when frightened. It is also known as the "skunkroach" or "stinkroach."

Alphabet soup:

11A: "Big Bang Theory Network" (CBS)

61A: Former U.S. capital (NYC)

64A: College transcript stat. (GPA)

28D: '84 Olympics boycotter (USSR)

Product placement:

1A: Whirlpool subsidiary (AMANA)

26A: Big name in cosmetics (LAUDER)

44A: Silty triangle (DELTA)

47A: Soft touch (CARESS)

48A: UPS alternative (FED EX)

Richard Curtis

I had a tough time with today's cryptoquote. I was going in a completely different direction until I realized the source of the quote was "Richard." From there, I was able to fill in the letters easily. The quote is by Richard Curtis (b. 1956) and it's another dig at the publishing industry. Ouch!

Most writers can write books faster than publishers can write checks.

Sad, but true. Publishing is not known for its high wages. Richard Curtis is a screenwriter best known for the comedies "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Bridget Jones's Diary," and "Notting Hill." He was educated at Oxford and collaborated frequently with Rowan Atkinson ("Mr. Bean"). Curtis was also a founder of the nonprofits Comic Relief and Make Poverty History. 

Finally, we have the JUMBLE, which shows a couple both snoozing on the couch. Looks like us at home. The caption reads: "The couch turned into a _____.

Word list:

REEDL = ELDER

BSELS = BLESS

LOFTAA = AFLOAT

OUTPOR = UPROOT

Scrambled solution: EEESSFLAPRO

Solution: SLEEPER SOFA (these are soooo uncomfortable for the back)

It will be so nice to go to the gym tonight without dressing in a million layers.

Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick