Saturday, November 15, 2025, Rebecca Goldstein, Rafael Musa

 Saturday Themeless by Rebecca Goldstein and Rafael Musa

I had a mostly pleasant slog through Rebecca and Rafel's puzzle. The right side went quickly but the rest took some real mental gymnastics. Getting one decent fill in an area seemed to unlock large portions around it. I finished at the middle of the left side where a lot unknowns, ambiguities and oh so clever fills resided. 

Here is lovely interview of Rebecca and Rafael. You can choose as much or as little as you would like of this 37 min video that is full of a lot of great cwd constructing info (skip the chatty 3-minute opening by the interviewer).

Use hot link in the paragraph
above for interview video

Across:

1. Game that involves drawing: LOTTO - I thought of a drawing game like Pictionary or draw poker but no, it is the state-sponsored regressive tax.

6. VGK org.: NHL - It had to be but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Saturday cluing for NHL

9. Network airing 6-Across games: ESPN - We stream YouTube TV and until they and Disney negotiate a settlement we will be without ESPN and ABC which is are Disney properties. 

13. City known as the Rubber Capital of the World: AKRON.

14. Roll-call call: HERE or Yo!

15. Eagle sport: GOLF.

16. Common threads?: GROUP TEXTS - Our family finds these very useful

18. Part of a dark cloud: GNAT.

19. Piece of holiday party attire: SANTA HAT 🎅

20. Check all the boxes, say: OPT IN.

22. Light rain: SPIT - _ _ _ T seemed to call for MIST instead of this unpleasant metaphor

23. Floor beneath the roof: ATTIC 😀

24. Local greens org.: CSA - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Jefferson Davis' 1861 group was not clued here.

27. Environment that reinforces existing biases: ECHO CHAMBER.

A nifty slogan that
did not work in 1964

31. On-site: AT WORK.

33. Near miss: CLOSE ONE.

34. "Veep" actor __ Scott: REID ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Seen below with star Julia Louis-Dreyfus 

35. Sounds of sympathy: AHS - OHS/AHS coin flip

36. Korma side: ROTI - I've never eaten ROTI or naan but they are served frequently in cwds. A korma is a rich, aromatic curry originating from the Mughal empire in Indian and Pakistan, know for it mild creamy, gravy made with your, cream and ground nuts like cashews or almonds. You're welcome.

37. Cake, for one: BAND NAME - I encountered this a few Saturdays where the bands Cream, which I knew, and Cake, which I did not, were featured in a clue for BANDS. So I get two brownie points for remembering the latter one.

40. Dudes whose gender identity aligns with their sex assigned at birth: CIS MEN.

42. It may be full of baloney: SLICED BREAD - I got BREAD quickly and then struggled to make the adjective fit with the other clues in this area. Getting SLICED helped a lot in this part of the puzzle.

44. Commencement attendees, for short: SRS.

45. "Ditto": SO AM I - Having ME TOO first was, uh, not helpful

46. Release: DROP - A famous one

48. Nobel-winning physicist Wolfgang: PAULI - I'd tell you why he got the prize but I don't have a real grasp of it either.

49. Double-breasted outerwear: PEA COATS.

53. Stare, to a Brit: GAWP - GAPE, GAWK and GAWP? The last one sounded the most British.

54. Record holders?: TURNTABLES 😀 - Grampa, what are records and TURNTABLES?

56. Not good at all: EVIL.

57. Goddess depicted with an ankh: ISIS - Two cwd friends

58. Like Mars and Jupiter: ROMAN.

59. "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Leakes: NENE ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

60. Tariff, e.g.: TAX.

61. Fact checks?: EXAMS - Rote learning can serve as fact checks but not necessarily concept checks

Down:

1. Wrinkles in time: LAGS - When I want to listen to the Omaha radio based broadcast of a Husker game on TV, there is always a LAG between that narration and the network video.

2. Bhindi masala pod: OKRA - Okra is technically a seed pod, and in Indian cuisine (where it is called bhindi), the entire pod is the primary ingredient in the popular dish Bhindi Masala. The dish name translates literally to "okra with spices" You're welcome.

3. Beta follower?: TRON - Seriously, you want to know more?

4. Talks up: TOUTS - A fun song from Guys And Dolls about TOUTS. Ya gotta love Stubby Kaye! 

5. Theoretically: ON PAPER - It looked good ON PAPER, but, uh, it didn't quite work out. C'mon, Cracker Barrel 39. "Be honest!": ADMIT IT- It was a big mistake.

 

6. Line line: NEXT 😀

7. Perimenopause Rx, for some: HRT Perimenopause

8. Country surrounded by South Africa: LESOTHO.

9. They may wind up in the kitchen: EGG TIMERS 😀

10. High-speed crashes?: SONIC BOOMS 😀

11. "What's the __?": PLAN.

12. Crypto asset, for short: NFT - Non-fungible token ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

14. Desolate landscape: HEATH.

17. Foggy, in a way: THICK 😀 THICK headed or a THICK fog?

21. Fundraising gps.: PTAS.

23. Tissues commonly examined by MRIs: ACLS - Athletic careers have been slowed or ended by injuries to Anterior Cruciate LigamentS 

24. Energy-providing macros: CARBS.

25. Take second, say: STEAL 😀 - In 2024, Shohei Ohtani became the first MLB player to both hit at least 50 home runs and steal at least 50 bases. When coupled with his outstanding pitching record, some think he may be the best to have ever played the game

26. Victory speech?: A WIN IS A WIN - Usually said when a win is an ugly one

28. Earth tone: OCHER.

These are all variations
of OCHER

29. "Door's open!": ENTER.

30. Metaphor for control: REINS.

32. Strange bedfellows?: ODD COUPLE 😀

35. Both, at first: AMBI.

From Australia

38. YouTube CEO Mohan: NEAL ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

40. Unit equivalent to 200 mg: CARAT - A one carat diamond weighs exactly 200 mg.

41. "Really, this matters to me!": I DO CARE.

43. Utopias: EDENS.

47. Numbered dest.: PO BOX - In my small hometown, our PO BOX number was 24

48. Smooth (over): PAVE.

49. __ fixe: PRIX - The price is fixed

50. Latin for "nourishing": ALMA - ALMA MATER - Nourishing Mother

51. Lorde's second Top 10 hit: TEAM ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

52. U.S. IDs: SSNS.

53. __ X: GEN.

55. Letters on Sha'Carri Richardson's top: USA.

Friday November 14, 2025 Ben Wildman-Tobriner & Stephanie Wildman

MalMan needed one more week off, so the call went out for RustyBrain. The call is similar to the Bat-Signal except it's shaped like a brain, which unfortunately looks like a blob in the sky. Never going to be iconic.

Ben Wildman-Tobriner and his mother Stephanie Wildman aren't as wild as their name implies in this, their LAT debut. In fact, they display their fine upbringing and good manners by doffing their hats when in proper company - which all of us are (except me, of course).

39A. Genteel gesture, or what can be found five times in this puzzle: TIP OF THE HAT. The revealer tells us that each themer is a type of hat that "tips" (is bent at the end and continues downward). Between the beginning of the answer and it's matching unclued down, that's 10 lines - a lot of real estate for a theme. Add in the revealer, and we're up to 11 on a weekday grid. To their credit, Ben and Stephanie did a good job of keeping dreck to a minimum, and even added a GUITAR SOLO! A TIP OF THE HAT to you both and I hope to see more from you. 

1A. Headgear often worn by Kate Middleton: FASCI. Along with 5D. -: INATOR. FASCINATOR. The word FASCINATOR comes from the Latin word "fascinare," meaning to "enchant" or "captivate." It apparently worked like a charm as she snagged a future king!

6A. Headgear worn by Abraham Lincoln: STOV. Along with 9D. -: VEPIPE. STOVEPIPE. In addition to splitting logs, Abe repaired potbelly stove flues. He needed a new hat one day, and the rest is history.

10A. Headgear often worn on Easter: BONN. Along with 13D. -: NET. BONNET. A little bit (or a lot) of springtime in every BONNET. Bees are optional.

48A. Headgear worn at graduation: MORTAR. Along with 49D. -: RBOARD. MORTARBOARD. When an apprentice mason became the first member of his guild to graduate from Oxford in the Middle Ages, the master of his shop took an old MORTARBOARD and created a hat for the occasion. Thus began the longest running tradition in the history of higher education. The second longest? "My dog ate my homework."

63A. Headgear worn by Captain Hook: TRICO. Along with 66. -: ORN. TRICORN. Growing up near Colonial Williamsburg, it was common to see costumed employees in their TRICORNs shopping at the supermarket. They mostly wore plain black hats, not gaudy ones like Captain Hook's.

I didn't know what a FASCINATOR was, so a "FASCI" as some odd headpiece didn't bother me much (I have no fashion sense). But the STOVEPIPE hat was obvious and the scheme was revealed. 

Hold on to your hat! Here we go...

Across:

1. [theme]

6. [theme]

10. [theme] Three themers in a row...that's a hat trick!

14. Investor Carl believed to have inspired the film character Gordon Gekko: ICAHN. Gordon "Money Never Sleeps" Gekko was portrayed by Michael Douglas in Wall Street.

15. Secret system: CODE.

16. "Voyage to India" Grammy winner: ARIE. India ARIE is an American singer/songwriter. She rose to fame after her 2002 debut album, Acoustic Soul, was nominated for seven Grammy awards, winning none. After "the worst snub in Grammy history," she was the most talked-about performer of the night and went on to stardom.

17. Salami type: GENOA.

18. Each: A POP. Just like 24D.

19. Bouncy tune: LILT. 

20. Show signs of life: STIR.

22. Rummage (through): RIFLE.

24. Place for large headlines: PAGE ONE. The largest headline font of the NYT, 96-point, has only been used for five major events in its history: the moon landing, Nixon's resignation, January 1, 2000, September 11th, and Barack Obama's election win. This is the first time, from July 21, 1969:

27. Support pieces: SPLINTS.

30. University extension: EDU. 

31. Underwriter's concern: RISK.

33. SoCal home of Soledad Church: EAST LA. Our Lady of Solitude, or Soledad Church, opened in 1925 in East Los Angeles. It is a cornerstone of the local Mexican/American community, but not particularly famous for a crossword clue. 

34. Sneak attack: RAID. You gotta sneak up on those buggers.

36. Nanny __: GOAT.

38. Fashion icon London: STACY. Even she has an occasional bad hair day...unless this is a new fashion trend. Sometimes it's hard to tell.

39. [theme]

42. Take down a notch: ABASE.

44. Top row center key: F-SIX. The function key F6 on a computer keyboard, but nobody knows what it does.

45. Weary sound: SIGH.

48. [theme]

50. Yard, for one: UNIT. 

52. Underground rock: ORE. The most famous underground rock:

53. Incorporates: ABSORBS.

55. Soft tissue: KLEENEX. Although often used to designate any facial tissue, KLEENEX is a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark. When a brand becomes so widely recognized that its name is used to refer to the entire product category, it risks "genericization" and losing trademark protection. So, corporations must advertise aggressively to continually educate the public, or else lose the name like DuPont did with "cellophane."

57. Acrylic fiber: ORLON. DuPont learned their lesson with ORLON.

58. Phobia: FEAR. 

59. Preservative used for thousands of years: SALT.

61. Opera that premiered in Cairo: AIDA.

63. [theme]

67. Therapeutic plant: ALOE.

68. Nutrition figs.: RDAS. Recommended Dietary Allowances. 

69. Turbine part: ROTOR. Turban part: CLOTH. Some are parted in the middle.

70. Mental health concern at the VA: PTSD. At the Department of Veterans Affairs, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition that develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event.

71. Fender blemish: DENT. Every DENT on a Fender tells a story and adds to it's mojo.

72. Welles who directed a radio adaptation of Wells: ORSON. I heard it went well.

Down:

1. Pear-shaped fruit: FIG. They have a similar appearance. 

2. Top club in Atlantic City?: ACE. *Winner* today's best clue.

3. __ Fernando Valley: SAN.

4. Opted for: CHOSE.

5. [theme]

6. Frightens away: SCARES OFF. I have a way with women...far away!

7. Dreidel, e.g.: TOP.

8. Smells: ODORS. This clue stinks.

9. [theme]

10. Ancient weapons that resemble giant crossbows: BALLISTAS.

11. Stretch for a new college student: ORIENTATION.

12. Love of soccer?: NIL. Love is zero in tennis, but it means nothing in soccer.

13. [theme]

21. Montoya of "The Princess Bride": INIGO. I barely recall the movie, but was surprised that INIGO Montoya was played by Mandy Paninkin. 

23. Instant: FLASH. Who remembers the Kodak Instamatic with its nifty FLASHcube?

24. Each: PER. A recluesive (my term for a clecho) of 18A.

25. Poet Limón: ADA. ADA is the first Latina to be named Poet Laureate of the United States by the Library of Congress.

26. Opportunities for shredders to shine: GUITAR SOLOS. A long-time friend has a music studio in his house, and a group of us meet there regularly for jam sessions. RightBrain calls it my "bowling night." Since we're just playing for our own amusement, GUITAR SOLOS abound. We're legends in our own minds! We have three guitarists but no full-time bassist. In this pic, it was my turn to play bass.

28. 1990s girl group: TLC. Having sold over 60 million records worldwide, TLC is one of the five best-selling American girl groups of all time. Their name is derived from the initials of their nicknames: Tionne"T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Rozonda "Chili" Thomas. 

29. State: SAY.

32. Japanese cutlet: KATSU. 

KATSU

is a Japanese dish of crispy, fried cutlets that are coated with crunchy panko breadcrumbs. It's usually pork, but other meats like chicken are occasionally used.

35. Misrepresented: DISTORTED.

37. "Heads up!": THINK FAST.

40. Bit of wisdom: "A penny saved is a penny earned." At least it used to be.

41. Banish: EXILE.

42. Physicians' org.: AMA. American Medical Association.

43. Short cut: BOB. "How'd you get here so fast?" "I found a BOB."

46. Higher ed hurdle: GRE. Graduate Record Examinations.

47. Curse: HEX. 

49. [theme]

51. Italian opera house: TEATRO. "These are great seats, dear. May I borrow your opera glasses?"

54. Biting: SNIDE.

56. Subject of a pop-up: ERROR.

59. Exhaust: SAP. "We've exhausted our maple syrup and there's no more SAP!" 

60. Elev.: ALT. Elevation: ALTitude. Elevator: ALTernate to stairs.

62. Levy of Homes.com commercials: DAN. DAN starred alongside his real-life dad, Eugene Levi, in Schitt's Creek, a Canadian riches-to-rags comedy that won 111 awards (153 nominations). I liked it, too!

64. Word often edited to add or remove an apostrophe: ITS. ITS spelled wrong.

65. Dove's call: COO.

66. [theme]

All done at the drop of a hat!