NYT Spelling Bee

[ab_grp]

Thanks for the hints, Langue_doc! Got a 2fer from them.  The second part of the first clue gave me a mate I needed for my contender, which I think was what you were referring to in the second part of your second clue.  But I chuckled because the answer to the first part of the first clue was that I nearly threw it across the room a few minutes ago (ok I exaggerate a bit) and then heavily did the first part of your second clue.  The freaking restaurant we were trying to order from.  Aargh!!!!

Congrats on your QB, cathwen! One of the words was not my final one but was one that I had to sort of remember was in there.  Not even a common uncommon bee word.  Tough one! I'm glad you were triumphant! And I hope your vaccination goes well tomorrow and that you get to relax and/or celebrate after. 

[Langue_doc]

Good morning all! Hurrah to those of you who are getting/have just got the vaccine--this also applies to hubs.

Just made it to amazing with two pangrams. It's a wordy one today.

My last word yesterday was leafage. Didn't realize that this was a word. I tried leafpeep, but no luck. I remembered the meanings of flagella from my high school science class and pelf as either medieval or biblical. I was surprised that the latter was accepted.

SB: charge/exhalation and rationale/exchange. NY Times has charge/exaltation.

ab_grp, I can visualize your frustration with ordering your dinner. Sometimes it's just a matter of clueless employees.

Happy solving!

[cathwen]

Good morning! 

Pelf, indeed.  I found that by randomly entering letter combinations—I was at the desperation point where I knew I needed two four-letter words, and I had exhausted all the other combinations.  The next-to-last word was gaff, which I hadn't tried because I already had gaffe.  And yes, Langue_doc, what's up with leafage?  I didn't know that was a word, either. 

Like Langue_doc, I got the same answer for LB:  charge-exhalation.  I did not pursue other combinations. 

Today I'm at genius on SB and have a 2-fer for LB. 

Thanks for the good vaccination wishes, Langue_doc! 

[ciao_yall]

Morning! 

SB had "fella" another one of those words I don't think is a word but should try. ETA: And of course, it still won't take "hella." Grr. Those New Yorkers are just jealous of our fabulous California weather.

LB - cringe-exhalation and changer-relaxation. ETA: 2fer already. Now I know what it feels like to be cathwen!

Coffee maker just beeped so will start on today's puzzles.

[ab_grp]

Good morning!

Pelf was a hard one, I thought.  That's the one I vaguely remembered being in there but couldn't remember what it meant.  My last one was flagella.  I think I tried just about every compound word I could think of.  Today I'm almost to genius (163) with two pangrams, but husband will be heading off for his appointment soon, so I'll get back to it later.  Still have a problem with my crossword I need to find. 

Thanks to Langue_doc's superb hints, I got RATIONALE to go with my EXCHANGE.  Lots of solutions again! Hopefully similar luck today.  Congrats on already getting a 2fer, cathwen! Hope your vaccination appointment goes well! As you can probably tell, trying to order a nice, handy meal for this evening did not work out, so we made cheesesteaks and have the leftovers for tonight.  We will try again on ordering the nicer, healthier meal again tomorrow night, hopefully.

Happy Thursday solving! 

[ab_grp]

I managed to get to Alpha (215), still with two pangrams.  But there are enough points left that there could be a third, I guess.

Husband's appointment was extremely efficient despite the number of cars and people that made him less than optimistic at first.  Very strong presence of National Guard, police, fire, ambulance, etc.  Social distancing was enforced and adhered to, and a guy was sanitizing the waiting area chairs as soon as people got up to leave.

[Langue_doc]

I have 210 points and only two pangrams so far. Got a two-fer in LB.

I'm not going to have time or energy for more words as I have a meeting coming up and lots of grading.

Glad to hear that the vaccine appointment was efficient. BTW, when I read about your dinner preparations, I thought you were making cheesecakes and was wondering why you needed to make more than one and why that would be a good substitute for dinner! As someone mentioned about juries, people hear what they want to hear and believe what they want to believe. I guess people also read what they want to read!

[cathwen]

I'm at high Beta (205).  Not sure if I'll get back to the puzzles—I am determined to finish grading the first major assignment today, if it kills me.

Congrats on all the LB 2-fers!  And ciao_yall, the only reasons I usually get LB early is that (1) I am a very early riser because I'm old, and (2) I am in New England, not California, so three hours ahead of you. 

Speaking of old, the vaccine appointment went smoothly today.  I didn't see anyone sanitizing chairs, and that shocked me a little, as the site was the city Health Department!  So far, I have no ill effects, not even a sore arm.  (Yet.)

And ab_grp, your mention of cheesesteaks made me homesick for my hometown (a little south of Philly). 

[ab_grp]

I got one measly four-letter word, so 216 now.  Tough figuring out what's left.

Langue_doc, cheesecakes for dinner would be a little weird, though I have had cheesesteaks for breakfast, so to each one's own.  I guess if you're going to go through the trouble to make one cheesecake, you might as well make several.  Congrats on your 2fer!

Cathwen, I grew up a little NE of Philly, so I am all about cheesesteaks! I'm glad your appointment went well and that you are feeling well, too.  I hope that continues.  Maybe the sanitizers were just a little less obvious than where husband went.  He said when his time was about up for waiting, the guy had sprayer in hand and was eyeing him. 

Good luck with all the grading!

ETA: Just got a 2fer.  I think it was all the cheesesteak talk that put my brain in a happy place.

[Langue_doc]

cathwen and ab_grp, are you familiar with the Pie Lady in the Reading Terminal Market? She was there until around 2000. I've been back a couple of times in the early 00's, but her stall had closed. She had the most delectable pies and cakes.

Congrats on the alphas, betas, and two-fers.

[ab_grp]

Langue_doc, I didn't do much shopping there, but my mother is huge fan and sends me Mueller Chocolate nonpareils from there each Christmas.  I'll have to see what she knows about the Pie Lady and her wares!

I crept up to 222 on the bee, but there are apparently a couple longish words yet to find (or, more likely, not).

[Langue_doc]

Good morning!

Made it to genius, but no pangram yet. Yesterday, I missed luteal and ululate. The program failed to acknowledge fate, late, and heal, all of which I had found and entered early on.

LB: earthlings/silkily; I prefer my pair to that of the NYT.

One of the words in today's crossword is a longish one that was in a recent bee--the one that didn't accept leafpeep.

ab_grp, do let me know if your mother remembers The Pie Lady.

Happy solving, all.

[ciao_yall]

SB - I did manage to get ululate, then tipped into genius and got distracted. Long day of Zoom meetings.

LB - Yesterday - shrinkage-eyelet.

Happy solving everyone!

[ab_grp]

Good morning!

Well I got to within 10 points of the QB yesterday and couldn't figure out the final 10-letter word.  Freaking telehealth, again! I went down the wrong road of trying to get something -athlete, and I think heptathlete was another I had missed in the telehealth puzzle before.  But although I tried tele- stuff, I could not get it, again.  Argh!

Today I'm at 228, so still 12 or so points from Alpha.  Hopefully coffee will kick in.  One pangram so far. 

For LB yesterday, I got GATHERINGS-SLINKILY, so another day of lots of solutions!

Langue_doc, I thought about that crossword answer as well! Will let you know about the Pie Lady.

Wishing you all a happy solving day! It is one of the best days on the calendar, so hopefully lots of solving magic in the air.

[cathwen]

Good afternoon, all! 

Yesterday I got ululate, but missed that!  Doh...  I didn't get beyond 205.

I'm off to a slow start on SB today, but I did get a 2-fer on LB.

Yesterday's LB:  I got retaking-garishly..

I haven't tackled the crossword yet, but will be on the lookout for that longish word in a recent bee.

Langue_doc:  I haven't been shopping in Philly for decades, so I am not familiar with the Pie Lady.  But I think I like her already!