My five favorite original clues from last week (in order of appearance): 1. Made do? (6) 2. Word before or after head (4) 3. Very short story? (5)(5) 4. Producer of black-and-white footage? (5)(3) 5. It's attached to covers and sheets (5) TOUPEE BUTT CRAWL SPACE PANDA CAM SPINE
Fun facts about me in relation to this puzzle: I have never set foot in an IKEA, I have never eaten a TIDEPOD, and I have never ENACTed a law. I have, however, recently booked a CARIBBEANCRUISE for December! We cannot wait!! It has been far too long since we've been able to get away for a proper vacation! Of somewhat lesser note, I'm also a huge Law and Order fan. Only the original one. I was so happy when they brought it back a couple/few years ago. Hurray for Dick WOLF. Anyhow, I really enjoyed this puzzle. It's true, I haven't heard the phrase TOMDICKAND HARRY for a very long time. Hmm. Still, it came to me quickly. This seems like a really perfect Monday puzzle! Definitely a debut to be proud of! Speaking of, based solely on constructor notes and such, I always love seeing how supportive the constructor community seems to be. It's fun to read about collaborations between experienced constructors and those just starting out. It's really sweet and we can use more of that spirit in the world. Cheers to a new week!
Ok, Sam Corbin, I took the bait and read the wiki on Tom, Dick and Harry, and so I will now bore you all with the details. First, the phrase is an example of a rhetorical device known as a tricolon. Other tricolons are: the good, the bad and the ugly; tall, dark and handsome; hither, thither and yon. You'll notice in most examples that the last of the three things is syllabically the longest. They are called "ascending tricolons" and Tom, Dick and Harry is an example of that. Tricolons of three random names are first noted in Bologna in the middle ages, and the first known use of "Tom, Dick and Harry" is by a theologian named Owen in 1657, although Shakespeare in Henry the 4th Part I has a variation on it: "I am sworn brother to a leash of Drawers, and can call them by their names, as Tom, Dicke, and Francis." Three sea-turtles Darwin brought back on the Beagle from the Galapagos were named Tom, Dick and Harry, until it was discovered Harry was actually Harriet; she lived to 175 years old and died in 2006. Lou Reed's beautiful "Satellite of Love" contains the lyrics: I've been told that you've been bold With Harry, Mark and John Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday through Thursday With Harry, Mark and John.
@john ezra I'd like to add the lyrics from "Kiss Me Kate" by Cole Porter. I'm a maid who would marry And will take with no qualm Any Tom, Dick or Harry, Any Harry, Dick or Tom, and since you mention Shakespeare - this musical is based on "The Taming of the Shrew."
@Min Haha…I tried to add those as well but nothing I’m posting is going through.
@john ezra Back in the day, an expression around our house / neighborhood was "Every Tom, Dick and Harry is named Michael". There were indeed lots of Michaels born in the 1950s
@john ezra Winken, Blinken, and Nod walked into a bar. There they met the engineer, the lawyer, and the rabbi. Me, myself, and I tried to interest everyone in a discussion about tricolons. But half the gang fell asleep and the other half skipped directly to the punch line.
@john ezra There's a restaurant down on the Eastern Shore (MD) called Fin, Fur, and Feather in reference to what's on the menu. I didn't know such arrangements were called tricolons, so thanks for that.
It's plain to see the you're not just any TOM DICK or HARRY, Patrick—a puzzle that's not too easy, not too hard, and fun to work. That's not an easy task. Perfect for a Monday. Thank you!
Great crossword, easily a fun Monday. Amazing grid and nothing bad to say about it. Excellent work!
That was fun! Congrats on your debut Patrick. Glad you met your goal. I hadn’t noticed that the Tom, Dick and Harry reference seems almost non-existent these days until Sam pointed it out. Haven’t heard that saying in years, though it was pretty common back in the dark ages when I grew up. Any Gen Z’s here know the current term used? Asking for the Boomers.
@Valerie Gen Z here, it's used quite commonly by my parents and grandparents, though I would just say rando or something.
I'm not sure what I enjoyed more - this fantastic Monday puzzle or the constructor notes. You can feel the good vibes all through this puzzle!
Oh, terrific idea for a theme! So simple, yet, for me at least, when I uncovered the revealer, I laughed with surprise. That’s one of Crosslandia’s great moments. And what a heartwarming backstory, where Patrick, who had never made a crossword puzzle, decides at the beginning of this year that he is going to get one published in the NYT. He seeks help, and experienced constructor John kindly takes him under his wing, and before the year is out, Patrick’s wish comes through! A real-life happy ending, I love the theme echo in the puzzle. Here, the revealer is three first names, and when you look around the grid, first names pop out – ten of them (ARI, ANN, OPIE, EDGAR, ISAAC, TAI, ABE, ALI, ADA, and KRIS)! Plus, NAME would work as a revealer to this subtheme. I liked seeing EASE crossing EASEL, three answers that sound like letters said together (ARI, OPIE, ANY), and two palindromes whose first and last letters are the same (ADA, TNT). So, lots of feel-good in the box today. Congratulations on your debut, Patrick, and on your first non-Sunday (out of seven NYT puzzles), John, and thank you both for a splendid outing!
Lewis, I guess, unlike me, Edgar, Isaac, and Abel had already seen your post before I entered mine (just above). I actually had no idea so many names were hiding in there - just riffing on the two sets of three :)
In case you didn't see the link I posted in the Sunday Wordplay comments... Time for an on topic and free read from the paper: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/10/opinion/crosswords-comfort-crisis.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Y04.G83b.vFbkd2I-14Jb&smid=url-share" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/10/opinion/crosswords-comfort-crisis.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Y04.G83b.vFbkd2I-14Jb&smid=url-share</a>
@Barry Ancona A really great read. I especially loved the inclusion of the word "salve." A beautiful word. And yes, crosswords are a salve.
@Barry Ancona Thanks for this, Barry. I am astonished to learn that crosswords were once blacked out of newspapers and banned from classrooms. How times change. The crosswords « peculiar quality of straddling frivolity and seriousness » is so well put. As is the gentle reminder that language can often « fail to adequately represent the madness of life. » The quote from C. Thi Nguyen, that games help us « make an alternate self », spoke to me personally. My emu agrees.
4:27 on Monday +1:10:00 on Sunday DNF on Saturday What a difference a day makes! Happy Veterans Day, solvers!
Back on a one day streak. Nice Monday puzzle and a mostly smooth solve. Just got stuck for a bit working out the reveal. Wasn't familiar with Harry Styles and that had me doubting some of my guesses for a bit. No big deal - just made for a nice moment when I finally worked it all out. And of course a puzzle find today. A Sunday from June 16, 2002 by Manny Nosowsky with the title: "Working over C's." A couple of theme clues and answers: "Old tourist slogan for Black Sea resorts? :" BASKINTHEUSSR "Duties for generals? :" BRASSTASKS And some other theme answers: DUSKBILLEDPLATYPUS MUSHTOBEDESIRED FASTSANDFIGURES THEBOTTOMOFTHEDESK Here's the Xword Info link: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=6/16/2002&g=63&d=A" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=6/16/2002&g=63&d=A</a> I'll shut up now. ..
@Rich in Atlanta Oh... and with apologies, one more answer history search, inspired by today's date. This one actually started with a miscount - me thinking that "In Flanders field" is 15 letters (which it is), but forgetting that the actual line is "In Flanders Fields." Anyway, the only reference I found with a variety of searches was a couple of clues for FLANDERS: "Field where poppies grow." "Memorable fields of Belgium." That was it. Take up our quarrel with the foe. ..
First time ever: I filled every one of the acrosses in the first pass! If I hadn't had loot instead of HAUL and key instead of CAY it would have been a perfect finish. As an aside, I've been making my way through the archives by working my birthday puzzles year by year. I completed that round a few days ago. Now I think I'll restart using my wife's birthday. It's fun to observe the evolution of clues and words through the years.
@Bruce I love the archives. It's a real challenge to remember what the answer was "back then"!
@Bruce congrats! I also had LOOT but missed a few other across clues. I've done a family birthday focus before, but now I'm working through the archives by the current month. It was newest to oldest until I noticed that the oldest entires in the archive were November. And alas, I set a wildly fast new Thursday best with the 25 November 1993 puzzle, which makes me suspect that the "gets harder through the week" started later in the Shortz era...
This was a perfectly balanced Monday puzzle for me, unemcumbered and breezy, yet packed with interesting fill and cherry-topped with a fun theme. Bravo to Patrick Gramza and John Kugelman, with special congratulations to Mr. Gramza for a NYT debut achieved in record time. Astonishing and admirable intention + manifestation. ;-) The two of you obviously make a great team, and I look forward to more of your creations! I'd also like to give a shout-out to ALBUM ART, being reminded as I was of "The Album Cover Album", a fabulous art book I used to have, a collection of pictures of album covers that were laid out by their similarities and a joy to sift through. And then there were the albums themselves... coming home with a brand new one, holding its cover like a treasure, and just sitting there, taking in every nuance of it, as the music played... No wonder they've come back in style. Thank you for the puzzle and the nostalgia, gentlemen!
* uneNcumbered. Fat finger. No edit button.
Some movie recommendations for this Veteran’s Day…. The Great Escape, with Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, and many others. Based on a true story (although fictionalized for dramatic effect), it’s the story of Allied POWs intent on escaping a German POW camp. They dig three tunnels which they name….. TOM, DICK and HARRY. Or maybe Born on the Fourth of July, with Tom Cruise. Or Dunkirk with Harry Styles. As for me, I’ll probably watch Saving Private Ryan, one of my favorites. To all the veterans among us, thank you for your service!
@Anita I accidentally entered this comment on Sunday's comment page, which I still had open on my computer. My sincere apologies if I ruined Monday's puzzle for anyone.
@Anita And don't forget Stalag 17*. My dad was a B-17 pilot whose plane was shot down over Germany and he spent almost the last year of the war in Stalag Luft I. And... Stalagseventeen is 15 letters and was an answer in one puzzle. ..
@Rich in Atlanta Stalag 17 is one of my favorites too. William Holden is terrific in it.
@Anita We just watched "Lee" this weekend (released only a few months ago here in the States), and realized our viewing was great timing with Veterans Day. Great acting by Kate Winslet and others, and such an interesting story about the woman credited as the first female war photographer. It does a nice job of putting her controversies in context! <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5112584/?ref_=ext_shr" target="_blank">https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5112584/?ref_=ext_shr</a>
@Anita I read your Sunday comment this morning before I did today's puzzle and didn't make the connection. I just thought you were a big fan. 😉
2 seconds away from a PB. I got most across entries correct the first time through, then only needed a few down entries and a couple corrections. Fun puzzle, a perfect Monday!
Laughed out loud at the revealer!! Super fun
Excellent debut from Patrick Gramza with a fun theme to get us warmed up on a Monday. What a gutsy goal to set -- publishing by year-end. Hope his goals include more puzzles for next year.
Very cute. Neat idea. Great start for Monday!
Whether you’re in a post-election high or funk, or not sure where you are, this puzzle has a presidential sub-theme in an appropriate populist key. In 62A we have Jefferson, Nixon and Truman, as they were known familiarly. Then there’s ABE in 23D and 12D, IKE in 9A, and (O)BAMA in 42A. Finally, the “huffer and puffer” in 25A… oh, never mind!
@Fidelio Unfortunately, the Futurama gag I wanted to post here doesn't seem to be online...
@Fidelio Thanks! Definitely giving this a rewatch tonight.
@Fidelio @Morgan Wick Sigh. This episode is 25 years old, but feels very of the moment. (Does "Poetry...philosophy...hats" count as a tricolon?)
Fun when a breezy Monday seems to offer nothing but a distraction, but then reveals a little joke! Thank you Patrick and John! Now, off to the archives!
Nice swift Monday! Might have been a PB, but for a typo, alas! Note to the Bee: Why is "hardhat" a word, but not "tophat"?
@Amy I don't understand the Bee's word choices either. I've tried many words from biology and medicine that are not weird jargon. They just don't like them.
Got the Tom, Dick, and Harry by thinking of Harry Styles when I solved that clue. Then when I went back to look at the other my brain automatically clicked with Dick Wolf as I watch all the Law and Orders and the FBIs
Ole Miss doesn’t really have a rivalry with Alabama. Mississippi State is a big, big deal for them. Traditional Bama rivals include Tennessee and Auburn. Signed, UA ‘92
@Chet I would yield to you as an alumnus to know who your school's main rivals are, but the bar for crosswords isn't as rigid. If they compete with one another, the crossword considers them rivals. The Tide and the Rebels both play in the SEC and consequently face one another regularly. Plus, their school names both have casual shortenings (BAMA, Ole Miss, rather than Alabama and Mississippi). It's that correspondence between the two casual names in clue and answer that matters more for crossword purposes than how big a rivalry there is between them. Also strictly for crossword purposes, the fact that they play in the same conference makes them "rivals", regardless of the fact that Tennessee and Auburn (neither having shortened forms) are truer rivals IRL. You're right, but the clue is fine.
Chet, Thanks for sharing the facts ... and also for not saying the clue is wrong.
@Chet That clue was a field goal. "Tenn. rival" would be a touchdown.
And LSU, especially after Nick Saban left them to coach Alabama.
Spent a long time trying to figure "DUMBO TWO" into the grid, turns out that wasn't the correct line of thinking
Good puzzle but I have a historical nitpick to correct. 56 across asks for ancient Mexicans, and the clue does not describe the answer. The Aztecs were around between 1300 to the mid 1500s, which is late medieval to renaissance in European measures of time. Ancient history is much older as a category. I think it’s important to accurately situate non-European peoples in the timeline most people will have context for.
@Pete P. More than 500 years ago is ancient to most people. 😄 Trying to think of a better clue... pre-Columbian Mexicans maybe? That one has probably been used a lot.
Pete, You are correctly stating one definition of AZTEC, the puzzle clue is correctly stating another one. Although the term Aztecs is often narrowly restricted to the Mexica of Tenochtitlan, it is also broadly used to refer to Nahua polities or peoples of central Mexico in the prehispanic era, as well as the Spanish colonial era (1521–1821). The definitions of Aztec and Aztecs have long been the topic of scholarly discussion ever since German scientist Alexander von Humboldt established its common usage in the early 19th century. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztecs" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztecs</a>
@Pete P. You just revealed to me why I went with OLMEC instead. Considerably more "ancient" than the AZTEC.
There is a children's book called, "Churchmouse Stories," by Margot Austin. It has a series of stories about three silly kittens named Tom, Dick and Harry. <a href="https://shorturl.at/Kdbo7" target="_blank">https://shorturl.at/Kdbo7</a>
Yes! Not one single reveal and finished, first time ever. I know it's Mondays, but after the weekend I was for giving up. Unknowns were revealed by the crossers, I'm not that clever. I do know Dick Wolf since Law and Order is one of the very few US programmes I watch (we have the BBC ....) but Ole Miss? TAC? I didn't realise there was a theme, again, but could see it was Tom, Dick etc. Maybe it's used more in UK? Busy bee in April - answer didn't help me, but it's there, like tai and mai and gyro. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?
@Jane Wheelaghan A CPA is a Certified Public Accountant and they are busy in April because Federal and State taxes are due April 15 for most people. I've seen some episodes of the UK Law&Order with Jamie Bamber.
@Jane Wheelaghan You may be more familiar with döner kebabs than GYROS, but they are essentially the same item. They generally took the Turkish name in the UK, while they took the Greek name in the US (although technically speaking, the S is not a plural, and the S-less version is a misinterpreted singular version). Both döner and GYROS mean "turn" in their respective languages, which refers to the turning of the meat on a vertical spit.
Wanna know something kinda funny? I'm at work and I start an email to someone and while I didn't say it was nice to e-meet them, I had to send them an address... As I was writing, "Here's her add..." I was so very sorely tempted, as if by unseen forces urging my fingers to do their bidding, to write addy. I've never used addy for address before but this very day, it was all I wanted to do. It took every ounce of what little strength I have left to resist the strange gravitational pull of the keyboard. Alas, I prevailed, but I am no stronger for it. I may have spent just a wee too much time in yesterday's comment section.
@HeathieJ I have a friend who was a techie in the 90s who uses "addy", but I've not heard it elsewhere.
Oh dear, I seem to be the only one who found this a bit difficult for a Monday. I did enjoy it however. Fond memories of the early Ron Howard role, but I’ve forgotten the name of the show. Looking forward to more from Patrick and John.
@suejean Mayberry RFD Starring Andy Griffith
suejean, The show: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053479" target="_blank">https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053479</a>/
Edgar, Isaac, and Abel called to complain about all the proper nouns in this puzzle. Kidding! Easy Monday fun (though I had no clue who Mr. Wolf is).
Got it with the "crosses," because I never heard of Dick Wolf or Harry Styles. Where have I been. Anyway, nice work Patrick Gramza and John Kugelman! emu food more emu food
@Bonnie Since you haven't been around lately, you haven't heard the good news. We don't need to feed the emus anymore.
@Bonnie Dick Wolf was the producer for "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" and perhaps many of the other franchise installments. Not terribly proud that I know that.
Aaaand now I will have the song from ‘Kiss Me, Kate” stuck in my head all day…
Just popping in to say that I completed the October 31, 2013 puzzle this morning and it was an absolute gem. Highly recommend.
@Aaron I didn't go solve that one, but I did go and look it up. That is one truly amazing puzzle. I do a lot of puzzle history searches but don't recall seeing another one like that. And.. the 64 and 65 across answers are just... amazing. Really brought a big smile to my face. That had to be quite a wonderful challenge for solvers to work out. Just great. ..
@Aaron Wowza! I panicked when I didn't hear the music but realized I had a typo. Thanks!
Fast and fun Monday. Thanks to the whole team. 😊👍🏻
I used to be into college football (boo realignment), yet when msst proved to be a bust for 42A I needed to get every last cross to figure out what was meant. Also had loot for 52A and take for 15A. What does it say about me that my thought when reading the clue for 41A wasn't "tic-TAC-toe" or "out of office", but "castle queenside"?
The tech union has dropped the picket line, so I rushed here to enjoy my fastest time ever on this fun, smooth Monday. Hoping for a good contract for the tech workers, and glad to be back :)
The news (from The Times)... <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/business/media/new-york-times-tech-guild-ends-strike.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ZE4.5UTM.GZZ4u7SHZKhk&smid=url-share" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/business/media/new-york-times-tech-guild-ends-strike.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ZE4.5UTM.GZZ4u7SHZKhk&smid=url-share</a>
Ann Miller definitely approves of today's theme! Not to mention her trio (Bob Fosse, Tommy Rall, Bobby Van) and the great Cole Porter, who wrote the music & lyrics. This is from MGM's Kiss Me Kate (1953), and it's always the first thing that springs to my mind when I hear the phrase. <a href="https://youtu.be/TEaZ5xotL_o?si=PIOk_YRpQX4rnqiB" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/TEaZ5xotL_o?si=PIOk_YRpQX4rnqiB</a>
Who cares about BAMA: The Saints won! My father loved Michelob when it was brewed in Germany. When Anheuser Busch (A-B) bought Michelob he got about 10 cases of the German version claiming the A-B ruins beer. He was right. Nice one Patrick and John.
@dk It may have been a different beer, as Michelob has been an AB product since its inception in 1896. Or, it was in 1961, when AB decided to add adjuncts to the brew, rather than keeping it an all-malt beer. Gary Gillman has a pretty interesting 10-part blog series on the history of Michelob - worth a read if you like that kind of stuff. <a href="https://www.beeretseq.com/michelob-over-time-part-i" target="_blank">https://www.beeretseq.com/michelob-over-time-part-i</a>/
In the U.S, we call them I Beams generically or H,W,S Beams specifically depending on the ratio of flange to web. In what country / time period do they call them I bars? Or is this simply a mistake?
BamBam, In Crosslandia, the term i-bar remains in use. <a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/i-bar" target="_blank">https://www.dictionary.com/browse/i-bar</a>
@BamBam - You probably wouldn't care much for last Wednesday's Universal puzzle. <a href="https://herbach.dnsalias.com/uc/uc241106.puz" target="_blank">https://herbach.dnsalias.com/uc/uc241106.puz</a>
Congratulations Patrick and John and @Sam wow good explanation of the rule of three and how it works in this puzzle. I wouldn’t have noticed and not even noticed that I hadn’t even noticed! Wow, Thanks.
SPOILER ALERT: Sorry if this was already mentioned, but Bambi (1941) predated Dumbo (1942) by a year.
Whoops, my mistake, Bambi did follow Dumbo.
Support the un!on Support the str!ke
Peanuts are not nuts, they are legumes
Ofra, Of course, but I've never heard anyone say they had a legume allergy. Have you?
Ofra, 1. Agreed. Botany for the win! (Although even botanists have trouble teasing out the reproductive parts through development, to clearly say in all cases what is a “true” nut. But yes, peanuts clearly ain’t them.) 2. The clue, one could argue, does not actually say a peanut is a nut. It implies someone with a serious nut (and perhaps associated peanut) allergy might opt for sunflower butter rather than peanut butter out of caution. 3. Most obviously - a peanut is a “nut” in the kitchen, and in a sandwich.
@Ofra - Do you know that tomatoes are fruits? Yes, I'm sure you do. So does everyone else here, too! But this is a crossword, not a botany textbook. Words are used in nonscientific ways all the time! It's true!
I strongly disagree with 46 Down, those parks don’t belong to NYU, they belong to the people!! They are not part of the giant corporation that is New York University, which has no campus to speak of, because they prioritize building ugly skyscrapers over green space.
@AG Spot on! I noticed this too, and strongly object to the idea that NYU's campus "includes Washington Square and Union Square." Our public parks are truly ours, not the property of any private corporation.
@AG @RIch Garella That was my reaction, too. Thanks for bringing it up! I feel the clue was very poorly worded (framed) and no amount of attempting to recontextualize it will help. In no way does NYU *include* public parks -- no matter how many of its buildings are on any given perimeter. Like The New School, NYU does not have a delineated campus. And it certainly doesn't have a campus green.