A guard, a barber, a chef, and a miner walk into a puzzle. The barber is thrilled to find the MOHAWKS right away. The chef leaves in a huff because RAMSAY was already sitting there. The guard MAKES PEACE among some tipsy patrons. The miner looks around for the ORE - it’s almost always there - and, not finding it, says “What is this, a joke?” (Hi, Steve L, you read my mind!)
@Cat Lady Margaret My son, a few St. Patrick's Days ago, came up with a twist to that style of joke. It went... "An Irishman walks out of a bar...."
@Cat Lady Margaret I know the punk hairstyle as ‘Mohican’. I wonder why it’s different.
@Cat Lady Margaret Would have been nice to have Seville in the puzzle somewhere, for fans of 49A.
After an exam, students have grade expectations. (And the test is history.)
@Mike They had a dickens of a time. It was a pip. Their fraternity was a bleak house that night.
@Mike As the classic dad joke goes: What's the best thing about Switzerland? Well, the flag is a big plus...
A PLUS WORK on this one, Jesse. And what a fun one this was to reach my four year streak!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ HANNA BARBERA brought back so many memories of my favorite childhood cartoons. DOPAMINE RUSH indeed. PASTA over Gordon RAMSAY made me chuckle. Thank you, Jesse.
@Jacqui J I also love that the theme of this one crossed over to the mini 🤩
@Jacqui J Congrats on an amazing streak!
@Jacqui J You did it! Much congratulations!!
@Jacqui J, Well done! Congratulations on reaching four years! 🎉🍾🎈
Random thoughts: • Two NYT puzzles in a week and a half – Bravo! • My funny solving moment: Entering HEED for [Obedience class command], then picturing someone with a dog, commanding them to “Heed! Heed!” • What a great idea for a theme! Never done before. I imagine Jesse coming across the phrase A-PLUS WORK, and that crossword mind immediately click, click,clicking. • I like how [Blue expanse] could either be SEA or SKY. I wonder how many immediately slapped in SKY as I did. • Erik Agard, whose name sits atop so many quality puzzles, came so close to being embedded in this one at LAGUARDIA. • DOPAMINE RUSH just lights the whole grid up; appropriately crossed by SHEEN. • With a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday, Jesse can become only the second constructor to hit the cycle (a puzzle for every day of the week) in his first seven puzzles. Go for it! Jesse, four puzzles in, IMO, you’ve established that you’re a first-rate constructor, a PLAYA. This was a gem -- thank you !
@Lewis "then picturing someone with a dog, commanding them to “Heed! Heed!” " Easier to picture than with a cat.
@Michael B. Yes! I came on here to say "Any other Kendrick Lamar fans appreciating that the cord tying this puzzle together is A MINER?" Great puzzle!
@Michael B. I on the other hand found myself thinking about Zoolander working in the coal mines of New Jersey.
@Michael B. I’m old. I was thinking of him and his daughter Clementine.
Sorry, but baptisms don’t take place at altars. They’re done in a baptismal font or pool, or in a river, depending on the church involved.
@Bonnie Nestor Came here to say this, too! The clue threw me a bit; weddings don't take place at the altar, either.
@Bonnie Nestor The Baptism scene in the Godfather. Isn't that at an altar?
@Bonnie Nestor Presbyterians get baptized and married at the altar, or the raised, front area of the sanctuary. That’s all I got.
@Bonnie Nestor - in my churches (Moravian and Lutheran (ELCA)) we place a baptismal font at the altar when there is to be a baptism. I would appreciate it if you could please contact the respective synods and instruct them that they are doing it wrong, and let them know the correct way to handle baptisms. I am sure they will appreciate receiving a correction from you.
@Bonnie Nestor Traditionally, baptismal fonts were in the entrance to the church, but not on the altar. The idea was that one had to be baptized before they could “enter” the church. As with most things traditional, many churches have evolved to move the baptismal font to the altar. More picturesque for photos and less walking for the clergy. :-)
This was much more pleasant than yesterday's grid, and I filled it 15% faster. As with most easy puzzles, I ignored the theme during the solve, but I didn't mind it when it emerged at the end - most themes that are not a set of groaners are OK with me. I like it when a puzzle will help me remember something new that I learned from a recent one. Only a few weeks ago I learned coins may be found in American sofas. Perhaps because Polish people usually change from street to home clothes as soon as they come in, coins don't accumulate in our sofas. For decades now I've been finding it very strange how Americans (on tv, anyway) will walk around their homes in street shoes, and even put them up on cushioned furniture... That's one of a Pole's biggest hygienic no-nos - hygiene is among the earliest topics of our education. I realized I didn't know how to spell the animation studio. I started putting in Hannah Barbera... And ran out of room with one letter to go. I waited for crosses to see what was wrong. Oooh, it's HANNA! Like the American climber Ben Hanna rather than Hannah Meul the German climber 🤣 I also wanted RAMSeY rather than RAMSAY, but an alter is not a thing, is it. Interestingly, kapusta (cabbage) is Polish slang for money, too. According to one online theory, it is probably a mistaken loan (of sorts) from German. In German, Kohle (coal) may mean money, which sounds similar to Kohl (cabbage). A mistranslation may have occured on loaning the term.
I've tried to reply about this twice below, but both attempts were unsuccessful Traditional Polish weddings and baptisms take place at the altar 🤷
@Andrzej I'm the same with street to home clothes and shoes. I come home and get comfy. Recently I was watching a show about a family and they all kept their shoes on all day and night... had them on the SOFA and all. I was so grossed out by it, I could barely keep watching. I thought of RAMSeY too at first . Then I came to the ALTAR and all became clear.
@Andrzej Alter is a word, a verb, meaning to change. It is not a noun (ie not a thing)
@Andrzej We Brits (and Americans) also put our suitcases on clean hotel beds. Whenever my non-British wife sees this on TV she freaks out. I long ago learned to change into inside clothes whenever entering the house - I'm sure it makes me go outside less though, what with the faff of getting changed every time. I suspect if left to my own devices I'd revert back to wearing outside clothes inside - not on the bed though. And shoes off for sure. Although, for the record, I do think it's mainly psychological. Most carpets harbour many more bugs than the sole of a shoe ever will*... *no sources cited
@Andrzej. I’ve always thought that cabbage meaning money comes from the idea that cabbage is green and paperlike, as is US currency. PS: I always enjoy your good will and insights. I’m glad you’ve stuck around.
@Andrzej I saw the (controversial) Iranian movie "Seed of the Sacred Fig" recently, and it showed the husband returning home from his government job and taking off his work clothes and putting on his home clothes. It served a symbolic meaning for the film, but I also thought that it seemed like such a civilized thing to do. The same for the custom of taking off your street shoes (and putting on house slippers). I've tried to adopt these practices, but it doesn't come naturally to an American.
@Andrzej et alia/alii Welp...I have never changed clothes after coming home from school, work, or shopping. Waste of time. Onerous task. Requiring more clothing than I had! After heavy work in the garden/orchard or on the tractor, especially on hot days, I did leave my dirty/sweaty yardwork clothes in the mud room, and nowadays I change after walking in the murderous heat/humidity, (because the clothes are wet!) but I am not about to spend my time putting on/taking off clothes otherwise. Sheesh. Andrzej, yes-- Americans are uncouth peasants. Oops!
@Andrzej Yes! It drives me mad to see characters put their shoes on furniture and even (gasp) the bed. Who does that? Surely our American friends don’t actually do this and it’s just lazy scripting in tv/film? You try walking into my home with your dirty outdoor wear, you won’t get far and you won’t be invited back. I’m with the Japanese on this one; outdoor shoes off at the door, indoor shoes on.
If someone who cooks is a cook, then is a dress alterationist AHEM ? And of course a librarian is ASH. Fun puzzle. Not a job to fill.
A guard, a barber, a chef and a miner walk into a bar...
@Steve L, That was my thought exactly! Sounded like the setup to a joke. I’m hoping someone here will come up with one!
The bartender said "We don't serve miners here!" @Steve L
@Steve L And they had some cross words.
With all the talk of solving times I tried my hand at a speed run—but I have to say it left me feeling a bit flat. Reading the column afterwards made me feel that I had missed half the fun. SPAMBOT, ASPERSE, and MOHAWK all filled on crosses, so I never had the DOPAMINE RUSH of feeling those pennies drop. Tomorrow, I’m going back to the leisurely solve over coffee.
I could not parse MACOS as Mac OS for a ridiculously long time. I kept thinking, "They named it after sharks??? How do I not know this? Where have I been?"
Re the XWstats website, which I assume attracts the crossword cognoscenti. What a humbling website 😂. (Can’t decide—does the period go before or after the emoji?) Man, you people are FAST solvers. I complete this puzzle in 7 minutes and think that’s pretty decent. Not a personal record or anything, but zippy. Check XWstats and see the mean solving time is under 6 minutes! So now my new goal is to someday complete a puzzle below the mean time. A guy can dream!
@Aaron Teasdale I would be sad if I finished in less than 6 minutes. I like to savor. I may also pause to pour a glass of wine, rub the dog’s belly, or simply appreciate a bit of clever wordplay— all of which take time, but add to my enjoyment. Fast isn’t everything. Sometimes slow is better.
@Aaron Teasdale I always put it after the period. I'll have to check the emoji style guide to know for sure. When I solve in the evening, I'll be taking sips of usually a martini, but where I am now, it's rum. During the day, it's Diet Coke. Between that, forgetting to turn it off when my husband says something or I get a text, and my fat fingering of my phone keyboard, I really do admire you 6 and 7 minuters, but I doubt I'll be one of you. ☺️
@Aaron Teasdale I am awed by the speed at which some can solve the puzzles. I play for speed only on Monday puzzles, but even when every answer comes to me immediately, I find it physically impossible to key in all the letters (I use the app) in less than double the time some some solvers claim for solving the same puzzle.
@Aaron Teasdale My goal is to stay away from XWstats. Check! Another goal accomplished!
@HeathieJ Stay away from that diet Coke! That stuff'll kill you,....and we need you around here.
Just one of those days where you almost break your streak because your typed ALTER instead of ALTAR.
@Zach I did exactly that, but for a change, found it quickly! I hate looking for these hard to spot mistakes.
@Zach Thank you! Could not figure out what I got wrong.
@Zach - I typed the cross as "sey" instead of "say" so, same diff . . .
@Zach My two mistakes were alter instead of altar and heal instead of heel! Took me a while to figure out, and ended up with slower than my average for a Tuesday, but found the errors.
RANDO is millennial slang’s greatest gift to our language. The word just tickles me pink. I SPED through this as if Jesse Guzman were sitting on my shoulder, whispering the answers before I even had the chance to fully read the clues. (Also, I finally put on my new reading glasses.) Sometimes a puzzle just goes like that and it’s a DOPAMINE RUSH not unlike still running a 7-minute mile for those of us who missed the Millennial bracket cutoff by a couple of years. TRU THIS. (Admitting that with my new glasses on I can now actually *see* the puzzle drains said dopamine faster than a hot tub with a submersible pump.) On that note, my running shoes are calling my name. Have a good one, y’all!
@Sam Lyons I parsed 4D as TRUTH IS, but your way works, too.
@Sam Lyons 😯😯😯 EXCUSE ME, but we Gen X-ers were using that word in the 80s!
Can someone explain CLASH at 28A? I thought colors opposite each other on the color wheel were complimentary?
@Becky The entire clue is weird, not least the phrasing [on opposite ends of the color wheel]. Since when does a wheel -- a circle -- have opposite ends?? I didn't love the answer, but the clue does say [What (they) can do]. And yes, I suppose in a fashion sense, they might clash... 🤷♀️
@Becky This clue really annoyed be because it is unequivocally wrong.
@Becky I thought the same thing! I was perplexed by that clue.
@Becky A better clue would have been "what paisley and plaid do". That was one of my mother's fashion tips.
@Becky You generally wouldn’t wear complementary colors together—blue and orange, yellow and purple, red and green (except for Christmas). As for the comment about “ends”, I suppose strictly speaking it’s the ends of a diameter, but I’m not sure how else you would say it? Sides? But a circle doesn’t have sides? Anyway, I’m a painter and opposite ends sounds pretty clear to me.
@Becky Some people claim that colors on opposite sides of the color wheel, assuming equal intensities, present too much contrast, and therefore "clash." But the whole concept is a matter of taste, and often a matter of the fashions of a given time. Color combinations that were disparaged in 1962, for instance, were everywhere five years later. I saw the clue, spent a fraction of a second thinking that it seemed like a matter of opiniion, and entered the answer.
@Becky As an artist the clue made perfect sense to me.
I’m sorry, but…. Cabbage, bacon, cheddar?????????? These are slang words for money??? Seriously? Is this an American thing? If so, I guess I’ll have to swallow it, as usual, but as a mother tongue English speaking Brit, I am incredulous. What else is “money”? “Hey Mom, I’m going to the store, can I take some sausages out of your purse? I looked in dad’s wallet but he doesn’t have any elephants. He spent all his cucumbers at the mall yesterday “ See how ridiculous this sounds?
@Petrol Bread comes immediately to mind, my little cabbage.
@Petrol, The top wage earner in the house is said to be “bringing home the bacon”.
@Petrol Don't be ridiculous, no one carries elephants in their wallet. We carry eels. Sadly, where I am at the moment in Honduras, they don't accept eels, so we had to exchange all of our eels for walruses. The exchange rate was a bit high, but what are you gonna do!? Cabbage, cabbage, cabbage.... It's a gas! Grab that cabbage with both hands and make a stash!!
@Petrol C'mon, no one carries elephants in their wallet. We carry eels. Sadly, where I am at the moment, they don't accept eels, so we had to exchange all of our eels for walruses. The exchange rate was a bit high, but what are you gonna do!? Cabbage, cabbage, cabbage.... It's a ga$! Grab that cabbage with both hands and make a stash!!
@Petrol. You make a good point, but where there are a multitude of euphemisms, there is probably some embarrassment, as well. Maybe we like to pretend we aren’t all about the do-re-me.
@Petrol A few more English-language slang words for money: screens, screeves, scuds, shadscales (or scales), shan, shekels, shells, shigs, shiners, shot, shin-plasters (or plasters), sinews of war, skin, soap, soft, soft flimsy (base), Spanish, spanks, spankers, spondulicks, spoon, stamps, steven, stevers, stiff, stuff, stumpy, sugar, tin, tea - spoons, tow, wad, wedge, wherewith (or wherewithal), yellowboys, yennoms (back slang), marigold. plum. cow, monkey, century, pony, double-finnup, long-tailed finnup (also of notes of higher values), tenner, Abraham Newland, finnup, fiver, flimsy, lil (or lill), Marshall, , bean (or bien), bleeder, canary, chip, couter (or cooter), dragon, dunop, foont, George (or yellow-George), gingleboy, ghstener, goblin, goldfinch, harlequin, horse-sovereign, illegitimate, Jack, James, Jane, Jemmy-o'-Goblin (rhyming), job (or jobe), meg (cf. mag, £d.), monarch, mousetrap, ned (or neddy), new-hat, nob, old Mr. Gory, ponte, poona, quid, red-'un, remedy, ridge, (or redge), shiner, skin, skiv, stranger, strike, thick-'un (also of 5s.), yellow-boy, yellow-hammer,half-bean, half - couter, half - Jack, half - James, half -Jane, half-ned (or neddy), net-gen, smelt, , spangle. , George , bull (or bull's-eye), caroon, cart-wheel, coach-wheel, case, caser, decus, dollar, hind coach (or cart) wheel, Oxford, thick-'un, tusheroon, wheel, coach-wheel...
@Petrol "Dootarumus" is a great slang term for money, too. You can just say "doot," too, if brevity is more your style. "Rhino" is a good one, too Would you like to talk about cockney rhyming slang?
A summary of my experience today: He STARES at the filled grid, unfamiliar with the TERM TRU THIS and unable to SPELL RAMSAY correctly. He begins to ASPERSE (the constructor, the editorial team, the current generation in general), and then realizes that it's TRUTH IS, and that vows are not exchanged at an ALTER. Solid Tuesday puzzle. Not an enthralling theme, but adequate in quantity and quality. Especially if one knows HANNABARBERA.
Okay, Wordplayers in the Durham (-ish) area are looking forward to lunch on July 15--in Greensboro this year. If you're interested and not already known to the Durham-Wordplay group, send us an email at crosswordgrrl at gmail.com. We're looking forward to an entertaining get-together!
@Liz B ooh! I've sent you an email. I would love to be connected to other local players.
@Liz B Have the rains affected you much? I saw pics of flooding in Chapel Hill. Just curious, I won't be going that way until the week after. It's a day's drive for me to get up there.
I enjoyed solving your puzzle, Jesse. I enjoyed your column and picture choice, Sam. So far, so good.
The clue for 11 down has really altared the course of the comments today. As someone who hasn't gone to church regularly since my parents made me back in 1970 or so, the clue, accurate or not, led me easily to the answer.
I would like to say this was pretty much a Perfect Puzzle for a Tuesday.
@Joe P I have to agree! It was fun, not too easy, nor too hard. Unusual theme, and some fun fill. Happy Tuesday!
Much easier than yesterday. ASPERSE is a new word to me. So new that I was convinced I had a crossing wrong until I got the Gold Star. Also, shout out to 1A on the Mini. That's an all time favorite clue right there
@Steven M. I knew you could cast aspersions, but I had no idea you could simply asperse!
@Steven M. I ASPERSE the real world usage of ASPERSE 🤣 On a more serious note, the word was so alien to me it didn't even register when crosses revealed it. Thank you for your post - if I remember the term, it will be thanks to you 🙂
@Steven M. Hit and run, Asperse and disperse. It's what trolls do.
Ok, starting with a gripe on the over use of sac(s) in crosswords lately. Saw Scooby clue ooo where are you? And immediately went to Hanna Barbera. Love Master Chef and Next Level Chef but wasn’t sure if Ramsay wasn’t Ramsey. Liked the crossing of spambot and sensor. Finally, as an English teacher on summer vacation I cringe at any reference to grades even in themes, but enjoyed learning a different version of aspersion.
Cute theme and an enjoyable Tuesday workout. The only real slow-down was DOPAMINERUSH. That's a completely unfamiliar term for me and had me re-checking the crosses as I filled it in. And... once I worked out the reveal it was a lot of fun to go back and look at the theme answers until it finally dawned on me. A couple of puzzle finds today. I'll put those in replies. ....
@Rich in Atlanta As threatened - first a Sunday puzzle from September 4, 2011 by Dana Delany and Matt Ginsberg with the title: "That's Disgusting!" Don't recall seeing another one like this. Some theme clues and answers: "Prank involving a hammer and nails?" CARPENTERANTIC "Fancy garb for Caesar?" FINETUNIC "Antisthenes, notably?" ORIGINALCYNIC "Vacation spot that's crazily busy?" THEISLEOFMANIC "Superman's attire, e.g.?" CLASSICACTIONSUIT And there were a few more. Here's the Xword Info link: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=9/4/2011&g=98&d=A" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=9/4/2011&g=98&d=A</a> ....
@Rich in Atlanta I think I've read some of that research (as they try to figure out why some people gamble themselves into bankruptcy, etc.)... and I'm not sure there aren't folks out there using the info to their advantage.....
Okay, yesterday I posted a Tommy Boy clip in response to a comment about cow tipping. Today's mention of BEES in the puzzle reminds me that I'm legally bound to post or discuss this clip every time the topic comes up. 😂 <a href="https://youtu.be/TPFlKJp5jXU?si=S3xAsVEMited22UN" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/TPFlKJp5jXU?si=S3xAsVEMited22UN</a> A little trick my dad taught me!
@HeathieJ 😂😂 That’s the funniest thing Ive seen today. (It’s a slow day)
@HeathieJ Holy Schnikes, it worked!
Well, it’s going to be one of those weeks. I struggled a tad yesterday, I struggled again today. Can’t wait for Thursday. To be clear; this is on me, not the puzzle. I think the heat is melting my brain. I’m British. I’m not made for sunshine and blue skies. I did get the theme with GUARD and BARBER snuck in the answers, but slightly fell off the cliff with the rest. Despite using an iPad I couldn’t understand MACOS for ages. *slaps forehead*. Not a fan of the sweary man. He’s an unpleasant chap. Give me Nigella any day. Onwards, hoping my brain reactivates tomorrow.
What a fun puzzle. A bit crunchy -- just right for a Tuesday. The words I didn't know could eventually be filled in by the crosses. Did put in SOFA, then erased it, but it turned out to be right. Yes, a lot of synonyms for money are words for food (yum). But, as well as MOOLAH, there is simoleons, and probably many other non-food words. The theme was clever and delightful. Bravo, Jesse Guzman!
Fantastic puzzle. Crosses helped solve words or clues I didn't know. The "A-HA!" moment when getting the revealer was also great.
Another euphemism for money: kale. Much like cabbage, but less edible!
What a fun Tuesday puzzle, I’m glad your Dad approved it, Jesse.
Sam, that opener was spot-on. Hire purpose… Nailed it. Nice one Jesse. Smooth as silk. Have a delightful Tuesday all.
All of this hoo-ha about baptisms taking place at the altar versus the font or baptistery (a dedicated structure, annexed or adjacent to the main church, and which itself may contain an altar) got me thinking: perhaps there should be a place or structure within a church dedicated to the marriage rite. I propose it be called the "vinctery." A beautiful scene from a beautiful movie: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9cCcGIstCw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9cCcGIstCw</a> Twice my time for a typical Tuesday.
@Bill Thank you for sharing this. One of my favorite scenes from any Coen Brothers’ films.
@Bill Well, dang. No sound when I tried to play it...and I never took Latin (if that would have helped) and I am not "getting it" AND it is driviing me up the wall (worse than usual).... Pls hlp!
@Bill Aww, I forgot how much we enjoyed that movie. We only saw it once but I should probably remedy that. ☺️
Almost as fun as a Thursday! A plus!
Drew a blank on John ROLFE and got my RUSH's mixed up so that bottom section came hard (hint, it's not Smith and not adrenaline). Nice one. Dad has good judgement.
@John Carson ROLFE is the middle name of a good friend of mine (who claims to be a descendant), so this is always a gimme for me. Amusingly, he used to have a dog named Pocahontas.
@John Carson I wanted epinephrine or adrenaline, so you were in good company...right?
Where do baptisms take place? This seems to be a topic of discussion today, with many people assuming that their personal experience can be universalized into a Christian law. Here's what I think: Some cathedrals have buildings dedicated to the practice. The Florence Baptistery is well-known, just next to the city's Duomo, and famed for its bronze doors. Pisa has an even more ornate Baptistery (near its famous "leaning tower" which is the cathedral's campanile or bell-tower). <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Baptistery" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Baptistery</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisa_Baptistery" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisa_Baptistery</a> Other large churches have dedicated baptismal fonts, usually built into a side chapel so as not to interfere with the other church rituals. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptismal_font" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptismal_font</a> Some churches have only a portable baptismal font, which is merely a good-sized basin and a stand. These can be taken out whenever needed and stored away when not in use. These fonts can be placed anywhere in a church, but most commonly they would be used at the ALTAR. <a href="https://inhisname.com/collections/baptismal-fonts?srsltid=AfmBOopG44wRy36W57ZInMcdQlfGhOP1oSH1fMD-GYq653H6FP2SsFaM" target="_blank">https://inhisname.com/collections/baptismal-fonts?srsltid=AfmBOopG44wRy36W57ZInMcdQlfGhOP1oSH1fMD-GYq653H6FP2SsFaM</a> Of course, some Baptists like to perform their baptisms in a nearby river, if one is available. There's a well-known scene in the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" that shows a wonderful example. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC5eSSaVGcE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC5eSSaVGcE</a> Anyone care to add to this essay, or can we put the question to rest?
@The X-Phile I'm always amazed at some people's confidence that the way they know is the only way and if something doesn't agree with their perception, it's wrong. It's sometimes occurs to me that it might be easier for me if I lived that way, but I'd still rather not.
@HeathieJ I just read this online, so it must be true, NO CAP: "By baptism, each of us is called to be a spiritual altar, for we are priestly people offering sacrificial praise and prayer in our hearts." So it could happen literally anywhere.
@The X-Phile The church I used to attend had a tank built in behind the choir stage. It had sliding wooden doors to close it off when it wasn't in use. It was large enough for at least 2 people, the person being baptized and the baptizer. All of my ancestors were Mennonites, and the Mennonite religion does not believe in baptizing babies. They feel that it is important for a person to choose baptism, so most that do are at least teenagers or young adults. They also don't believe that baptism is necessary to get into heaven, it is merely a way to show devotion and obedience to God. Why are we discussing baptism? I'm not sure... 😄
Ok, I just found the comment thread on the "baptism at an altar" controversy. Would the baptism tank being in a raised area behind the choir which is behind the altar count as an altar, technically? I didn't question the clue myself, so I'm confused, lol.
@The X-Phile When we were in Israel in 2020, we stood on the Israeli side of the River Jordan, watching people on the Jordanian side being baptized. Interesting note: the river had actually dried up some time ago, but the Israelis now pipe water into it so that the river, which is so important to Christianity, can still be used for baptism and tourism. Meanwhile, our tour guide told us that almost never rains in that particular spot (and here, she opened her arms wide). Just then, yep, you guessed it! A crack of thunder and a short downpour. God, just showing off?
@The X-Phile. In about 1935 my mom was in the line to be baptized in a river in Michigan. She overheard men who were church elders commenting in a vulgar manner about the teenage girls’ bodies that showed through the thin white baptismal dress, the mandatory costume. She ran home crying and refused to go to that church anymore. Her grandparents were all different Protestant faiths… Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, and Quaker. So her parents switched churches. One branch was from Seneca Falls, and the Declaration of Sentiments was well known to them… and kinda viewed as a good idea, but impractical. Regard toward women, though, varied widely among the old guard Protestant faiths. Probably still does, among those who still attend church. I was the last in my generation to even be baptized, but I’ve never been confirmed. My children haven’t stepped foot in a church… I couldn’t get them interested.
Food related: Cash cow Gravy Train Bread & butter And or for Dutch frisians, to make one’s sandwich — “ goede boterham verdienen.”
@Brad It’s not really a sandwich. A broodje is a sandwich. Boterham is more like a single slice of bread with butter, like in the English expression, “That’s his bread and butter”.
baptisms do not occur at the altar - they are almost always at the front of the church (i.e. opposite the altar) to symbolise the entry of the person (whether infant, child or adult) into the life of the church
@liam They do, for Catholics, apparently.
@liam This discussion reminds me of the beautiful, late-Mediaeval Baptistry in Florence, a separate building for performing the baptismal rites.
Re Tuesday July 8th - Clue for 11 Down - baptisms do NOT happen at this place - they happen at the font, which is traditionally located near the main door of the church. This inaccuracy threw me off for a while! (I realise baptists etc don’t have fonts, but then they don’t have answer to 11 downs either)
@Andrew I have been a churchgoer most of my life and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a baptism at the altar. It’s usually in a font or a horse trough off to the side … or if you’re Greek Orthodox, maybe in a kiddie pool? (According to “My Big Far Greek Wedding.”) 😊 Probably should have stuck with just [Place for wedding vows] on that one.
Quite tough for a Tuesday. Got hung up for so long in the SW I considered looking something up just so I could finish but thought, “Nope. Not on a Tuesday.” Was able to hack my way through, but finished about 40% above my average time, so I’d give myself a C-minus…passing since I finished with no help, but just barely passing.
9 minutes, new PB for a Tuesday. However… wheels don’t have ‘ends’ 😅
It seems the Monday and Tuesday puzzles got switched this week.
Let's hope we don't get another visit from the Late-Blooming Commentator who left the last Comment yesterday.... Congrats to the ever-vigilant Emus....Not. Oh, the puzzle.....is this a list of jobs they threaten you with if you don't go to college? (Not every CHEF is a Gordon RAMSAY or Emeril, plus--just as Bill from Detroit--it's a demanding line of work.) OTTAWA....reminded me of the movie "Canadian Bacon"....I think we need to see that again. Could use a few laughs! (John Candy insisting that Toronto is the capital....) 57A had me stumped...because I needed to clean my glasses, had taken out my first guess at 46A --ADRENrats-- and thought that 4th letter was still an R due to incomplete erasure...so I had MAKES REA-E which had me baffled....What a DOPA! All's well that ends well.
@Mean Old Lady I had to go look at yesterday’s last comment. Sheesh, some people!
@Mean Old Lady I wasn't going to go back until I saw your comment. Ugh! It seemed too on the nose to be real, but these days one never can tell!
@Mean Old Lady If that was the comment about Spanish words being unAmerican, it appears to be gone now. I did flag it last night when I first saw it.
@Mean Old Lady It's astonishing how many people don't realize that there were Spanish settlements in the American southwest before the pilgrims got here. We are taught this kind of east to west development of America, but it's not nearly that simple. I also like to point out that with just a single exception, every state west of the Mississippi is named based on American Indian or Spanish.
My reaction to 45 across was: Yum! That sounds like my kind of pastry.
Hi! Hope everyone had a good July 4th weekend. I was somewhere without the internet until Saturday night(our own fault not just turning the modem off and on:) and we made a few calls to emailers we had to answer but otherwise I didn’t miss it however the Saturday and Sunday puzzles looked tough at first glance I have to say! I enjoyed today’s and got it under 15” except some flyspecking! Thanks to the constructor.
Nice little 46A for a Tuesday. Not my best time, but I am consistently bringing down my average.
A fun and breezy solving experience. Kudos to the constructor.
Shouldn't 14 across solve as "edgy"? Unexpectedly challenging for a Tuesday. Good one.
No, not "edgy." The clue is a noun, the answer must be a noun. <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edge" target="_blank">https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/edge</a>
This was fun, but….. Color wheels (any kind of wheels), don’t have opposite ends. They have opposite sides…
@M G A wheel has sides, now? I think the intent of the clue -- colors opposite each other on the color wheel -- is clear without getting hung up on whether a not a wheel, essentially a circle, has ends or not (which to me, if sides is valid, then so is ends).
@M G not to mention these are called “complementary colors”… so, uh, do they actually CLASH? That depends.
@N Yeah, the clue is wrong. Opposite colors famously go well together. How many movie posters and college colors are orange & blue? Red and green take over an entire month. How about the Lakers colors?