An Atlantic crossword clue baffles

In today’s Atlantic mini-crossword, 5-A, three letters, “11-character fig. on a form.” The answer, of course, is SSN. But a Social Security number has nine digits.¹ And why does the clue read characters ? Am I missing something?

*

Elaine, who does not do crosswords, just explained it to me: nine digits and two hyphens: eleven characters. Sneaky, sneaky clue. Good thing I'm married.

            
¹ Nine digits, unless you’re Ralph Kramden, whose number has only seven.

Parataxis (with cats and ducks)

[Drudge Report, September 12, 2024. Click for a larger view.]

I can’t imagine that the placement of the Adderall-psychosis-mania headline is accidental.

[Parataxis : juxtaposition without explicit connection. An organizing principle in modernist literature. There’s nothing certain but death and parataxis.]

Mystery actor

[Click for a larger view.]

Leave your guesses in the comments. I’ll be on and off the computer this morning and will drop a hint when I can if one is needed.

*

A hint, dropped: This actor is best known for a television role, reprised in film, playing a character with no known first name.

*

I think this one is going to remain a mystery. I’ve put the answer in the comments.

More mystery actors (Collect them all)
? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ? : ?

The Last Republican

The story behind The Last Republican, a documentary about Adam Kinzinger: “‘Do you have contempt for my views?’ How a leftwing film-maker and a Republican came together” (The Guardian ).

Irony alert

J.D. Vance:

“We admire Taylor Swift's music, but I don't think most Americans, whether they like her music, are fans of hers or not, are gonna be influenced by a billionaire celebrity who I think is fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans.”

See also a previous J.D. Vance irony alert.

Some field

[Photograph by Elaine Fine.]

Just some field. Whatever you do, do not click for a larger view. Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

About last night

In the lastest installment of Letters from an American, Heather Cox Richardson offers an astute analysis of last night’s debate:

The question for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in tonight’s presidential debate was not how to answer policy questions, but how to counter Trump’s dominance displays while also appealing to the American people.

She and her team figured it out, and today they played the former president brilliantly. He took the bait, and tonight he self-destructed. In a live debate, on national television.

Swift FTW

As just reported on MSNBC: Taylor Swift has endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

Here it is, on Instagram.

Cleanup on aisle 45

Kamala Harris: “What we have done is clean up Donald Trump’s mess.”

*

Donald Trump: “They’re eating the pets.”

*

Kamala Harris: “World leaders are laughing at Donald Trump.”

*

Donald Trump, about offering an alternative to the Affordable Care Act: “I have concepts of a plan.”

The New Grown-Ups: “Cumberland Gap”

Our son Ben Leddy is a member of The New Grown-Ups, who just took first in a new-band showcase at the Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival in Brunswick, Maine. That’s a sample above.

Notice the New Grown-Ups logo, top left. Ben is a clever guy. He’s on mandolin. All said and done.

A related post
The New Grown-Ups at Bandcamp