Thanksgiving, C.C. Burnikel

[magus]

THEME:   phrases beginning in C and ending in U
   
GOOD ONES:    
Later, or phonetically {theme}   SEE YOU AROUND   
Beijing trio?   DOTS [over the i's]   
   
BTW:   
OSA, UOMO, and ETRA are not used in English   
   
Apropos of   ASTO [possible, I guess, but they are used quite differently]   
   
   
RATING:   
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun   

[Thomps2525]

Two other words which are not used in English---at least I have never seen them---are DESC ("Offspring: abbr.") and DUCTED ("Like many ventilation systems"). Puzzle creators often wind up with a combination of letters that is not easily changed, so they have to come up with an appropriate clue. I suppose "ducted" can be a legitimate word...but it sounds awkward.

Speaking of words: There are many circulars in today's newspaper. Sears is advertising "doorbusters." Kohl's is advertising "doorbusters." Macy's is advertising "doorbusters." Michaels is advertising "doorbusters." JC Penney is advertising "doorbusters." Kmart is advertising "doorbusters." Target is advertising "doorbusters." Toys Я Us is advertising "doorbusters." Big Lots is advertising "doorbusters."  Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts is advertising "doorbusters." Carter's Babies & Kids is advertising "doorbusters." Warehouse Discount Center is advertising "doorbusters." I don't know which advertiser was the first to call a sale a "doorbuster" but the word doesn't even mean anything...and it especially doesn't mean anything in 2014 when almost every chain store uses it. Every year, Lake Superior State University issues a list of overused words that should be banned. This year's list includes "selfie" and "twerk" and any word ending in "-ageddon" or "-pocalypse." It should have included "doorbuster." Maybe next year.

http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php

[Thomps2525]

The New York Times crossword in today's Daily News is clever...although it would have been more appropriate for New Year's Eve instead of Thanksgiving. "Where the ball drops on New Year's Eve" is depicted in four sections of the puzzle. Each of four single black squares is surrounded by TIME and TIME. "Times Square," get it?

T I M
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M I T