48 Across

Trying to solve yesterday's Wall Street Journal crossword, is this clue for 48 Across: Crude oil, informally.  I've known this answer since my age was in single digits, over 40 years.

It involves a man named Jed (a poor mountaineer) who barely kept his family fed. Then one day he was shootin' at some food, when up from the ground comes a bubblin' crude (oil that is, black gold, Texas Tea).

And there it is - TEXAS TEA -the answer.

I am beginning to think crosswords are a form of meditation, unearthing pleasant memories, allowing a few moments of enjoyment, and then on to the next.

Here's my hero Uncle Jed:



 PS  unpleasant memories,  I've tried to quarantine, expurgate, and cement them away. The one of my youngest brother having a small playground slide cutting open his nose when he was 3 or 4 years old almost made its way out over the holidays but I reined it back into its pen.

oh and by the way, I love the TV show the Beverly Hillbillies, absolute gold.

Crossword clues on Jeopardy!

Crossword fun on Jeopardy! Theme composed by Brendan Emmit Quigley. I scored 3 of 5, but missed on Groucho Marx as well. And I hit the pause button to give myself a moment to think - lots more than those folks in the game had. Pretty impressive stuff for sure.

Meant to be

As I learned from this past Sunday's NY Times crossword ...

OBAMA is in

GODBLESSAMERICA

Like it was meant to be.

Crossword constructor starts a blog

Brendan Emmitt Quigley has begun a blog on crossword puzzles and construction of them. His puzzles are usually fun to work on and are full of modern references. Good insights into his process of putting puzzles together. There is a pledge to post at least 3 puzzles a week, and in pdf so as to make them easy to print.

Will Shortz on The Simpsons

Will Shortz and Merl Reagle will be on The Simpsons next week. I haven't been watching the new episodes for a long time but will check this one out. Reagle has constructed Simpson packed puzzles for next Sunday as well.

Crossword Diety Gather

Its no secret we are crossword geeks in my family. Mom and Dad, all my brothers, myself and Sean, my paternal grandparents, all have a thing for crosswords. But as good as we might think we are either individually or collectively, we are still on the human level of solving - or in golf terms we might break 80 every once in a while, otherwise bogey golf.

Our routine here in Austin is pretty simple. I work the Friday Wall Street Journal puzzle, and then the Sunday NY Times, and if I get through those the Sunday LA Times, and maybe a few dailies from the NY Times. Speed is not of the essence. I choose to solve at my own pace. Piecing together themes, wordplay, and puns is its own reward.

The crossword deity are gathering this weekend, Feb 29- March 2, for their annual competition. Its all about speed and accuracy there. Check out the movie "Word Play" for the 2005 competition caught on film. Its time for Al Sanders to break thru and win this thing. He is the Susan Lucci of this event. C'mon Al - Get 'er done.