Eats, Shoots, and Blossoms

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Back to work after a great four-day weekend. You couldn't have asked for better weather. It's hot and humid here in the city today.

Today's Newsday Cryptoquote is by Vivien Leigh (1913-1967): "Dear Lord, I'm so grateful I'm still loved." Although Leigh was English, she won two Academy Awards for playing Southern belles: Scarlett O'Hara (of course!) in Gone With the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in Streetcar Named Desire (1951). She also was known as Mrs. Laurence Olivier from 1940 to 1960. Olivier was hubby #2. I didn't know she suffered from what is now called bipolar disorder, as well as tuberculosis. Leigh was considered one of the most beautiful actresses in her day, and sometimes felt that her beauty hampered her career.

Today's crossword puzzle was called "Growing Concerns" (Billie Truitt). Here are the theme answers:

20A: Flowers on a mah-jongg tile: PLUM BLOSSOMS. Although I have never played the game, mah-jongg was very much a part of my life. My mom and her friends played on Wednesdays, and they were very loud. I would find out all the neighborhood gossip through her games. It also was the only time we were allowed to have candy. . . . we would allowed to take one or two pieces before her friends came. The next day, we were allowed a piece of the Entenmann's coffee ring or chocolate cake.

40A: Small cabbage-like veggies: BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Many people I know don't like these Brussels sprouts. I loved the way my aunt made them every Thanksgiving. She roasted them and added garlic and olive oil. They are also said to high in folic acid, which aids in fertility.

51A: Chinese stir-fry ingredient: BAMBOO SHOOTS. To me, bamboo shoots are mindless filler . They are very bland and they do nothing but take up space. Just give me the protein, rice, and veggies and I'm fine!

Lately, I've been trying my hand at puzzles from constructors' Web sites, mainly Brendan Emmett Quigley's "May I Have a Word With You?" (www.brendanemmettquigley.com) and Trip Payne's "Triple Play Puzzles" (www.tripleplaypuzzles.com) I love BEQ's clues because they are fresh and modern.

On the gossip front:

Snooki was taken into custody again, this time in Italy! She crashed into a cop car. Way to go! (Note: It wasn't a "formal" arrest).

On a sad note, Gary Carter has inoperable Stage 4 brain cancer. One of the all time great players (Expos, Mets), he seemed to be a genuinely nice person.

Almost time to go home. Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick.

In Honor of Our Fallen Heroes

I hope that everyone is having a happy and safe Memorial Day. When I was growing up, I was proud to march in my local parade each year--with the Girl Scouts in the earlier grades and with the band from 5th grade to my senior year of high school. I would like to remind you all that this day means more than a day at the beach or a sale at [insert name of store here]. It's self-explanatory in today's cryptoquote by Congressman Doc Hastings (1941-   ):

"The spirit of this day has not changed. It remains a day to honor those who died defending our freedom and democracy."

FYI, I just read that Hastings was recently hospitalized. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

The theme of today's puzzle is called "Powerless." Doesn't sound too empowering, but these are the theme answers:

20A: Soda-fountain order: ROOT BEER FLOAT. This delicious drink is also known as a black cow or  a brown cow. Here is the link to a root-beer float recipe by the one and only Bobby Flay: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/root-beer-floats-recipe/index.html.

37A: "Understand?": DO YOU GET MY DRIFT?

50A: Eastern seashore: ATLANTIC COAST. I bet many of you are at the beach along the Atlantic Ocean today! Although many of our beaches are beautiful, I've never been much of a beach person. When it's super hot, I feel like I'm in a sweat pit. Then there's the sand that gets all over you. I much prefer a cool afternoon at a museum or a movie.

We had a great time at my friend Debbie's barbecue yesterday. The food and company were great, and we had a lot of laughs as usual. It's funny that I wasn't close to anyone in the group back in the day, but we've all become very close over the last year and a half!

We're chilling out today and trying to stay cool in the 90-degree heat.

I will be back later with the Sunday puzzle solutions (I'm slightly behind).

Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Random Saturday

I took the day off from blogging yesterday, so here is the Newsday cryptoquote for Saturday, 5/28:

"I had to live in the desert before I could understand the full value of grass in a green ditch."--Ella Maillart (1903-1997).

The Swiss journalist Ella Maillart was one of the renowned travelers of the last century. She was also the sole female sailing competitor in the 1924 Olympics. Maillart's travels included Lebanon, Turkey, India, Russia, and Nepal. For more information about her life, consult her official Web site: http://www.ellamaillart.ch/index_en.php.

The Saturday Stumper had some interesting clues and words. For example, I had no idea that the ZAMBONI machine (40-Down) was inducted into the 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame. Do you remember Eddie LeBec, Carla's second husband on "Cheers"? He was working as a skating Pittsburgh Penguin and met his demise with a Zamboni machine!

In 1-Across, the clue was "Heater in the Park." Originally, I thought the answer was GAS GRILL, but it turned out to be FAST BALL.

Courtesy of www.southeastroads.com/Jackson

16-Across: Natchez Trace Parkway Headquarters: TUPELO (as in Mississippi, birth place of Elvis Presley).

8-Down: End of a run: LAST LIP. Initially, I had LAST LEG, so this turned out to be a surprise.


We went out to dinner last night to a restaurant in Island Park called Shogun. This was a typical Hibachi restaurant in which the chefs put on a show. I had Hibachi steak and salmon, which included soup, salad, and a shrimp appetizer. The one drawback is that they get you out early. After dinner, we took a walk along the boardwalk in Long Beach, where it was freezing! We then went to the International Cafe in Rockville Centre for dessert. I had "Double Dough" gelato, which was chocolate ice cream with cookie dough and brownie pieces. Awesome!

Today we are heading out to my friend Debbie's for a barbecue. She hasn't been feeling well so I don't know how she can be up for it.

I'll be back with today's big Newsday Crossword and Quote Acrostic.

Signing off for now,
The Puzzlechick

Being Pedantic

Courtesy of IMDB

Good evening! It's another glorious day here in NYC!


The word of the day is PEDANTIC. Its definition is "Characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal rules." We saw the movie Midnight in Paris, and one of the characters was a know-it-all in all subjects from wine tasting to Monet paintings. The main character, Gil (Owen Wilson) called him a "pedantic." The word appeared in a crossword puzzle only once on October 14, 2001 in The Washington Post. . . . The movie itself was quite charming. I have a new-found respect for Owen Wilson. Rachel McAdams reprises her Mean Girls role as the rich biatch.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Today's cryptoquote is by Princess Anne (formally known as Princess Royal): “Golf seems to be an arduous way to go for a walk. I prefer to take the dogs out.” Anne may not be the most attractive woman, but she is dedicated to charitable works and is a keen equestrian. She is the only British royal to have competed in the Olympics. Anne is also interested in the study of lighthouses. She was almost kidnapped in 1974.

The crossword theme (by Fred Piscop) was "Lead Filled," which I didn't quite get. Here are the theme answers:

16A: Suds element: SOAP BUBBLE

58A: Diva's requirement: TOP BILLING

10D: Dive preceder, perhaps: DEEP BREATH

28D: Fall out of pace: DROP BEHIND

RIP, Jeff Conaway. After being in a coma for two weeks, he was taken off life support today. So sad that such talent was wasted during the last years of Mr. Conaway's life. We remember him with this video from the classic movie Grease.

One of my favorite episodes of "Seinfeld"--with Keith Hernandez--was just on.

I'm giving myself a pedicure right now, so I'm signing off for tonight.

The Puzzlechick

Coming Apart

Today's puzzle theme is called "Coming Apart" (David O. Cromer). This one had some decent theme answers:

19A: Devices for multi-room viewing: CABLE SPLITTERS . . . Remember the episode of "Seinfeld" when Kramer arranges an illegal cable hook-up for Jerry?

36A: Electric safety devices: CIRCUIT BREAKERS. Here's how they work: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/circuit-breaker.htm'

52A: Marx Brothers Film: ANIMAL CRACKERS. I love the Marx Brothers' early films. The musical number "Hooray for Captain Spaulding" is from this classic movie. It was used as the theme song to "You Bet Your Life."

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The quote "One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know." appears in the AFI's top 100 movies quotes at #53.


The cryptoquote is by the painter Edouard Manet (1832-1883): "There are no lines in nature, only areas of color, one against the other." Manet was a pivotal figure of Impressionist movement/ Many of his paintings of cafe scenes, social activities, battles and flowers.   

Happening in the world:

Dominique Strauss-Kahn is under house arrest in a swanky $14-million Tribeca townhouse. Most good citizens like you and I don't live this way. Life isn't fair!

Kim Kartrashian is engaged to Kris Humphries following a 6-month courtship. Whoop-de-doo! Her bling is 20.5 carats and is estimated at $2 million! The engagement will probably last a minute, just like all her others. She and her genius sisters are also writing a novel and we get to name it! The novel is a fictionalized account of their real lives. I hope they hire a good ghostwriter.

I heard that Oprah's finale and "American Idol" were both as exciting as "watching paint dry." I've also heard that Lauren and Scotty are now a couple.

Last night's "South Park" episode was a little more tasteless than usual. Cartman started a league called the Crack Baby Athletic Association. This was a spoof on those sad ASPCA commercials and the NCAA. At the end, the crack babies get their own orphanage, thanks to "Vünter Slauche (aka Slash)".

I am off from work tomorrow and we're going to see Midnight in Paris. Looking forward to seeing the latest by Woody Allen!


Till tomorrow . . . .


Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

Good afternoon! It finally feels like summer here in the Big Apple! It almost makes me want to smile, which is the topic of today's cryptoquote. The source is Mother Teresa (1910-1997): "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." Here is Mother Teresa's official site: http://www.motherteresa.org/

The crossword puzzle theme was "Play Along" by Billie Truitt. Here are the theme answers:

20A: Detective's destination: SCENE OF THE CRIME (This is the Web site to Sofitel, where a maid accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of raping her: http://www.sofitel.com/gb/home/index.shtml. Pretty swanky place).
40A: Kindly gesture: ACT OF FRIENDSHIP
54A: Where a football is snapped: LINE OF SCRIMMAGE


Today is Oprah's final show. Adios and good riddens! I always thought she was a self-absorbed biatch, although she did have some funny moments (e.g., Tom Cruise's couch scene).

Kirstie Alley came in second place on "Dancing With the Stars." She lost 50 lbs. and 38 inches. Plus she's received four movie offers. Way to go!

Tonight is the "Idol" finale. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! I don't get home until 9:30 anyway. I leave work at 5:30 then head to the gym for Zumba and Yogatone.

Back to work. Till tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,
The Puzzlechick

There is No One Alive Who Is Youer Thank You!

Today's Newsday Cryptoquote is by the one and only Dr. Seuss (1904-1991, aka Theodore Seuss Geisel). It reads: “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” This quote teaches us to embrace our uniqueness and to respect the qualities that makes each of us different than others. . . . For most of my childhood and young adult life, I tried so hard to fit in with the "cool" people because they all seemed to live perfect lives. I spent too much time wondering what others thought of me. I actually liked reading and playing word games, but I played it down because it wasn't considered "cool." During my mid- to late 20s, I spent thousands of dollars on designer clothes. I figured if I looked better on the outside, others would accept me more. However, the real reason I shopped was because I was lonely and filling a hole. . . .I am much more comfortable with myself these days. I still like to shop, but I also like doing puzzles, going to cultural events, reading, and traveling. I also like to collect things, especially ephemera and anything "Peanuts."


A friend of mine brought up the point that Dr. Seuss may have been the world's first rapper. I say this is true when I hear the rhyming in his works . . . just add music and voila! Dr. Seuss was also a great philosopher who taught us about empowerment and following your dreams. 

The crossword theme (by Sally R. Stein) is called "Wear Your Food." The theme answers are:


19A: Beef cuts (SKIRT STEAKS). Used for making fajitas and Chinese stir-fry. Sometimes called a Romanian Steak. My FIL (RIP) used to order this from the diner.


56A: Salad-Bar Fare (BOW TIE PASTA) (the correct name is Farfelle, which is derived from the Italian word Farfella (meaning "Butterfly"). I love kasha varnishkes. It's just buckwheat with bow-tie noodles!


10D: Make more pleasant (SUGAR COAT). I found an ad from 1922 that features "sugar-coated" electricity. It's too big to paste here so here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/3jhp3tm


33D: Doughnut-shaped burger topper (ONION RING). I love, love, love onion rings but they are laden with fat! I eat them only when I want to splurge. My favorite is the onion loaf at Dallas BBQ (www.dallasbbq.com). 


Nothing much going on today, so it's good-bye until tomorrow.


Signing off,
The Puzzlechick