Today’s Newsday Saturday Stumper is by the puzzle’s editor, Stan Newman, composing as Lester Ruff (“less rough”). I found it an easier Stumper, with some tough spots, but always with a way to keep going.
Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:
4-D, six letters, “Advisor to Achilles.” Well, yes, if giving advice once is enough to make someone count as an advisor. I think that this characterization better befits Patroclus.
5-D, eleven letters, “Lone Ranger’s grand-nephew.” It’s true. I didn’t read enough comic books.
6-A, four letters, “Nautical prefix.” Remember, it’s a Stumper.
6-D, eight letters, “What forest replanting supports.” Tricky.
23-A, fourteen letters, “Gershwin orchestral sequel.” I like a Gershwin tune. How about you?
30-D, nine letters, “Font of creativity.” Well, it’s not COMICSANS.
45-A, fourteen letters, “Highs and lows.” Nicely opaque.
My favorite clue in this puzzle: 11-D, nine letters, “Take it slow.”
No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.
Saturday, October 1, 2022
Today’s Saturday Stumper
Friday, September 30, 2022
Sue Mingus (1930–2022)
A keeper of a flame. The New York Times has an obituary. Her memoir Tonight at Noon: A Love Story is good reading.
Here is a 1975 recording of the Charles Mingus composition “Sue’s Changes,” with Mingus, bass; Jack Walrath, trumpet; George Adams, tenor; Don Pullen, piano; Dannie Richmond, drums.
Related reading
All OCA Mingus posts (Pinboard)
Of mice and medicine men
[Billboard, November 6, 1948.]
Unretouched, and found while looking for something else. Did a layout person at Billboard have a sense of humor? Was this juxtaposition a matter of chance? Here, drink this tonic and it’ll help you find the answers to all your questions.
“One pair multiplies to about 20,000 in a year”: the stuff dreams are made on. I’m quoting Sam Spade.
Thursday, September 29, 2022
“He could not help observing this”
Aleksey Alexandrovich Karnenin is consulting a lawyer. But there’s always time to notice stationery supplies:
Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, translated by Constance Garnett, revised by Leonard J. Kent and Nina Berberova (New York: Modern Library, 2000).
The Garnett translation (1901) has cross for order. The revised translation explains order in a note: “decoration for service to the State.” Garnett has appurtenances for materials. So yes, stationery supplies, and not, say, the woods of which the tables are made.
Also from this novel
“The turning point of summer” : Theory of dairy farming : Toothache : Anna meta : “Brainless beef!”
HCR’s latest
Heather Cox Richardson’s latest installment of Letters from an American pulls together many kinds of news: about Hurricane Ian, the role of the federal government in responding to disaster, income disparity, culture wars, authoritarianism, the Russian war against Ukraine, Roger Stone’s machinations, the defeated former president’s document cache, and food insecurity and hunger.
Reading HCR is so much better than watching television-news people standing in a hurricane or its aftermath.
[I counted three on NBC Nightly News last night: two reporters in the storm, Lester Holt in its aftermath.)
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Joe Bussard (1936–2022)
Record collector extraordinaire. Here, from Dust-to-Digital, is an appreciation.
*
September 30: The New York Times has an obituary.
A related post
Desperate Man Blues
Over and out
Managing things for my mom, I’ve gotten good at ending telephone calls. How I do it:
“You’ve been really helpful. Thank you. Bye.”Or:
“I really appreciate your help. Thank you. Take care.”And I’m out. Which eliminates something along these lines:
“Thanks for your help.”Those seconds add up. Yes, they do. Goodbye now.
“Is there anything else I can help you with today?”
“No, that’s everything.”
“Thank you for choosing _______, and have a good day.”
“You too. Thank you.”
“Goodbye now.”
“Bye.”
Masonic [need + past participle]
“His hair needed cut”: so says a witness in the Perry Mason episode “The Case of the Wrathful Wraith” (November 7, 1965).
[Need + past participle] is an Illinoism. The witness, Rosemary Welch, was played by Jeanne Bal, a Chicago native. Was [need + past participle] in the script? Did this verb form just slip out?
Paul, have one of your operatives out at the studios look into it.
Related reading
Other needs, other past participles
