CRUCIVERB.COM

Solving => Today's Puzzles => Topic started by: magus on July 12, 2015, 09:07:53 AM

Title: Sun., 7/12 Levin & Venzke
Post by: magus on July 12, 2015, 09:07:53 AM
THEME:   the sound of a phrase when a -TH ending is added changes the meaning of the original phrase
   
GOOD ONES:     
couldn't find any    but I found 4 Z's
   
BTW:   
The title "Th-, Th-, That's All Folks" suggests the stuttering of Porky Pig, yet the theme answers are simply phrases to which a "TH" is appended meaning that it's the digraph TH which is germain.  Thus, Chairman Mao becomes CHAIRMAN MOUTH, which would have been good if the clue "Unflattering nickname for a boastful corporate bigwig?" were less wordy.  "Loud boss?" would work.   
   
Guffaw   YUK [a "guffaw" is loud; a YUK is often a disparaging term for, or a false, laugh or titter]   
   
More experienced   WISER [would that were so --- wisdom is not reserved for the elderly, so many of whom are unwise]   
   
Ashton's partner   MYLA [I assume these are stars (I know Aston Kutcher), and if they are lovers why do we not call them so: partners sounds like a business arrangement.  Even worse is "sleeping with" as a euphemism for "having sexual relations with" or the Anglo-Saxon term which I much prefer, but which vestiges of our Victorian heritage forbid in "polite" company.]   
   
Spanish "these"   ESTOS [exactly]   
   
RATING:     :'(
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun   
Title: Re: Sun., 7/12 Levin & Venzke
Post by: rbe on July 12, 2015, 01:42:41 PM
MILA and OMIGOSH
Title: Re: Sun., 7/12 Levin & Venzke
Post by: Thomps2525 on July 12, 2015, 01:46:26 PM
Merl Reagle was a birdbrain today.....and I mean that in a nice way. The title of the crossword is "Birds With Friends" and the theme answers are names of famous people. Each person's last name can become a type of bird when one letter is traded for a new letter:

LAURADERN: Tern
RANDYQUAID: Quail
JIMMYFALLON: Falcon
EVAPERON: Heron
EARTHAKITT: Kite
SHELLEYHACK: Hawk
LEONARDMALTIN: Martin
LINDSAYCROUSE: Grouse
LEEELDER: Eider

The new "traded letters" can then be rearranged to spell an alternate title for the puzzle, beginning with the letter F: FLIGHTCREW. The crossword included one 23-letter answer. "Where all of the 'trading' in this puzzle normally occurs?" was THENEWYORKSTORKEXCHANGE.

This is one of Reagle's nest puzzles. Pardon me---did I say "nest"? I meant "best."