Day 115: Mom Sets the Sunday Crossword

Dialogue

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1. 1
   A

   Xime, suelta tantito el celular. Ya tengo las pistas del crucigrama del domingo y necesito una víctima que no sea tu papá.

   Xime, put your phone down for a sec. I've got the clues for the Sunday crossword and I need a victim who isn't your dad.

   Line 1
2. 2
   B

   Claro, mi papá ya no cuenta: con tantos años de casados, te adivina hasta las pistas que todavía no escribes. A ver, dispara.

   Of course, Dad doesn't count anymore: after so many years of marriage, he guesses even the clues you haven't written yet. Go on, fire away.

   Line 2
3. 3
   A

   Cuatro horizontal, nueve letras: “Sea cual fuere el mes, en Cuernavaca nunca se va”. Y piénsale antes de poner esa cara.

   Four across, nine letters: “Whatever the month may be, in Cuernavaca it never leaves.” And think about it before you make that face.

   Line 3
4. 4
   B

   Primavera. Esa la adivina cualquier chilango atorado en la caseta de Tlalpan, mamá. Y ese “fuere” suena a reglamento de condominio.

   Primavera, spring. Anyone from Mexico City stuck at the Tlalpan toll booth could get that one, Mom. And that “fuere” sounds like condo bylaws.

   Line 4
5. 5
   A

   El “fuere” es elegancia, y mis lectores la agradecen: ninguno baja de los sesenta. Otra, de doble sentido: “Asiento sin respaldo que guarda tus ahorros”, cinco letras.

   The “fuere” is elegance, and my readers appreciate it: not one of them is under sixty. Another one, with a double meaning: “Seat with no back that keeps your savings,” five letters.

   Line 5
6. 6
   B

   Banco. Van dos en diez segundos: a este paso, tus lectores lo terminan antes de la misa de doce.

   Banco, stool and bank. That's two in ten seconds: at this rate, your readers will finish it before twelve o'clock Mass.

   Line 6
7. 7
   A

   Pues saco la artillería pesada. Siete vertical, seis letras: “A donde fueres, haz lo que...”. Y no alegues, que es puro refrán.

   Then I'm bringing out the heavy artillery. Seven down, six letters: “Wherever thou goest, do what thou....” And don't argue, it's just a proverb.

   Line 7
8. 8
   B

   Vieres, y nomás porque la abuela lo decía cada vez que salíamos de viaje. Pero es injusta: nadie menor de sesenta conjuga así.

   Vieres, and only because Grandma used to say it every time we went on a trip. But it's unfair: nobody under sixty conjugates like that.

   Line 8
9. 9
   A

   Para eso tengo lectores sesentones. Te acepto cambios, siempre y cuando no me toques el refrán. ¿Qué propones, criticona?

   That's what I've got readers in their sixties for. I'll accept changes, as long as you don't touch my proverb. What do you suggest, Little Miss Critic?

   Line 9
10. 10
    B

    Quita la del banco, que está regalada, y mete una mía: “Participio de ver con el que los hijos ignoran a su mamá”. Cinco letras.

    Take out the bank one, it's a giveaway, and put in one of mine: “Past participle of ‘see’ that children use to ignore their mom.” Five letters.

    Line 10
11. 11
    A

    ¿Visto? ¡Qué descarada, y qué buena! Entra, a condición de que el “vieres” se quede tal cual.

    Seen? How sassy, and how good! It's in, on condition that the “vieres” stays exactly as it is.

    Line 11
12. 12
    B

    Se queda. Aunque ya sé por qué lo defiendes tanto: es la única que mi papá nunca saca, porque jura que es “haz lo que vieras”.

    It stays. Though I know why you're defending it so hard: it's the only one Dad never gets, because he swears it's “haz lo que vieras.”

    Line 12