google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Jazzbumpa

Advertisements

Showing posts with label Jazzbumpa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jazzbumpa. Show all posts

Mar 27, 2024

Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Matthew Faiella

 Theme:  Unfitness Routine for the LazyThe second word of a two word in-the-language phrase also had a different meaning in a physical activity context.  The result, from a certain oblique perspective, is a humorous wordplay in which the activity is negated

20. Exercise done by making a grilled cheese sandwich?: PANINI PRESS.  A PANINI PRESS applies weight and toasts the top and bottom of the sandwich without cutting, shaping, or forming the sandwich in any way other than to compress it a bit.  A PRESS is a weight lifting exercise in which weights are lifted vertically over the head.

34. Exercise done by lounging on the couch and bingeing a new show?: TV MARATHON.  A TV MARATHON or watchalong, aka binge watching, is an event in which viewers engage many hours' worth of television, in a condensed time period.

44. Exercise done by hitting the snooze button and staying in bed?: SLEEP CYCLE.  When you sleep, you cycle through two phases of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. The cycle starts over every 80 to 100 minutes. Usually there are four to six cycles per night. You may wake up briefly between cycles.  If you're old like I am, "briefly" might not apply.  To CYCLE is to peddle a stationary or movable bicycle

56. Exercise done by lying around doing nothing all day?: DIDDLY SQUAT.  A SQUAT is a strength exercise in which the trainee lowers their hips from a standing position and then stands back up.  DIDDLY SQUAT means little or nothing.  

So what have we accomplished, a little nourishment, a little entertainment, a nap, and nothing more.  Sounds like an ideal day in retirement,

Hi, Gang - JazzBumpa here, hoping to exercise a little brain power and see what else we might accomplish.  Let's get moving!

Across:

1. Sudden impulse: WHIM.  A capricious or eccentric and often sudden idea or turn of the mind :

5. Patatas bravas, croquetas, etc.: TAPAS. In Spanish, small plates of food - snacks.

10. "SOS" quartet: ABBA.  The Swedish singing group.


14. Pre-migraine phenomenon for some: AURA.   A feature of a migraine (= a condition that can cause a type of severe pain in the head)  that involves problems with vision, especially seeing lights that flash or move:

15. Make up (for): ATONE.   Make amends or reparation.

16. Round vegetables: PEAS.  A spherical green seed that is eaten as a vegetable or as a pulse when dried.

17. Smelting waste: SLAG.   Stony waste matter separated from metals during the smelting or refining of ore.

18. Sulks: POUTS.  Is silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of annoyance or disappointment.

19. Quick kiss: PECK.  A quick light kiss, perhaps by reference to the pecking motion of a birds beak.

23. Sea urchin delicacy: ROE.  The fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooked ingredient in many dishes, and as a raw ingredient for delicacies such as caviar.

24. Microsoft's Satya Nadella, e.g.: Abbr.: CEOChief Executive Officer of a corporation.

25. April birthstone: DIAMOND.  Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic.

27. Letters before xis: NUS. In the Greek alphabet.  

30. Royal flush cards: ACES.  A royal flush in a card game consists of the 10.jack, queen, king and ace, all in a single suit. 

33. Intl. oil cartel: OPEC.   Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. 

37. "While we're on the subject ... ": ALSO.  In addition.

40. Pair on a tandem bike: SEATS.   Things made or used for sitting on

41. __ Lingus: AER.   Aer Lingus is the flag carrier of Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of International Airlines Group.

42. How onion rings are fried: IN OIL.  

43. Milhouse's pal: BART.  Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a recurring character in the Fox animated television series The Simpsons voiced by Pamela Hayden and created by Matt Groening. Milhouse is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School.  I assume everyone knows who Bart is.  If not ---


46. Native American tent: TIPI.  A tipi or tepee is a conical lodge tent that is distinguished from other conical tents by the smoke flaps at the top of the structure, and historically made of animal hides or pelts or, in more recent generations, of canvas stretched on a framework of wooden poles.

48. Horseback game: POLO.   Polo is a ball game that is played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports.[9] The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small hard ball through the opposing team's goal. Each team has four mounted riders, and the game usually lasts one to two hours, divided into periods called chukkas or chukkers.

49. Some boxing match finales: KOs.   A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, as well as fighting-based video games. A full knockout is considered any legal strike or combination thereof that renders an opponent unable to continue fighting.

50. Greek currency used in "Percy Jackson" novels: DRACHMA.   The Greek drachma was the currency of Greece before it was replaced by the euro in 2002. It was also the ancient money of the Greek empire and city-states. Drachma note denominations ranged from 10 to 500 over much of its existence, while smaller denominations of 1 and 2 drachmae were issued earlier.

53. Short reply?: ANS.   An abrv. [hence "short" for ANSWER.

55. Unagi, in sushi: EEL.   Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, particularly the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica. Unagi is a common ingredient in Japanese cooking, often as kabayaki. It is not to be confused with saltwater eel, which is known as anago in Japanese. 

62. Emulates: APES.  These words both mean imitate, but "emulate" implies in a inspired way, while "ape" implies in a mocking way.

64. Like early PC graphics: LORES.  I'm completely baffled by this and cannot find anything that explains it.

65. Desire: URGE.  A srtong desire or impulse.

66. Secure skates, say: LACE.   Tighten and then knot the shoe strings.

67. Subside: ABATE.  Reduce in activity, quantity or severity.

68. Bit of inspiration: IDEA.  A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.

69. Lil' one: TYKE.  A small child.

70. Bender of "Futurama," for one: ROBOT.  A machine resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human movements and functions automatically.

71. Nightfall: DUSK.   The state or period of partial darkness between day and night

Down:

1. Winged stinger: WASP.   Any of numerous social or solitary winged hymenopterous insects (especially families Sphecidae and Vespidae) that usually have a slender smooth body with the abdomen attached by a narrow stalk, well-developed wings, biting mouthparts, and in the females and workers an often formidable sting, and that are largely carnivorous and often provision their nests with insects or spiders killed or paralyzed by stinging for their larvae to feed on

2. Dance taught at some Oahu hotels: HULA.   Hula is a Hawaiian dance form expressing chant or song. It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Native Hawaiians who settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form.

3. Country whose emblem resembles a tulip: IRAN.   Iran, also known as Persia and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), is a country located at the crossroads of West, Central and South Asia. It is bordered by Iraq to the west and Turkey to the northwest, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. With almost 90 million people in an area of 1.648 million square kilometres (0.64 million square miles), Iran ranks 17th in the world in both geographic size and population. 

4. Orlando team: MAGIC.  Team in the National Basketball Association.

5. Bubble tea pearls: TAPIOCA.  Tapioca is starch obtained from the root of cassava, a plant that mostly grows underground (like a potato). In many parts of the world, it's a food staple. Cassava is a native vegetable of South America and grows in tropical and subtropical regions.

6. At the peak of: ATOP.  On top of something.

7. Rain heavily: POUR.   Heavy, continuous rainfall; it's a figure of speech that's supposed to remind you of the way water pours out of a large pitcher.

8. Chipped in?: ANTED.   Contributes the money each player puts in the pot before the hand begins in a game of poker.

9. Word with jam or cram: SESSION.  A period of time devoted to a particular activity, such as playing music or intensely studying.

10. Tablet download: APP.   Short for application - a software program that's designed to perform a specific function 

11. Time to grab a brewski: BEER O'CLOCK.  An appropriate time of day to start drinking beer.  This may be open to widely varying interpretation.

12. Club ingredient: BACON.  For a club sandwich - consisting of bread, sliced cooked poultry, fried bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.

13. Sought, as a price: ASKED.  Refers to the lowest price which the seller is willing to accept.

21. Gets closer to: NEARS.  Approaches

22. Tree goo: SAP.   This sticky liquid runs through the tree and down to the branches to help generate energy while new buds are forming during springtime. Due to photosynthesis, sugars are created which are fed back into the tree and acts as food for the tree during its growth period.

26. No-good jerkface: MEANY.  An unfriendly hostile or oppressive person.

27. Fed. crash investigator: NTSB.   National Transportation Safety Board,  an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine accidents, pipeline incidents, bridge failures, and railroad accidents.

28. Eye layer: UVEA.    The middle layer of the eye. It lies beneath the white part of the eye (the sclera). It is made of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. These structures control many eye functions, including adjusting to different levels of light or distances of objects.


29. Know-it-all: SMART ALECK.   A person who is irritating because they behave as if they know everything.

31. Footnote abbr.: ET AL.   Short for the Latin term “et alia,” which means “and others.” It is used in academic citations when referring to a source with multiple authors.

32. Source of wool: SHEEP.   A domesticated ruminant animal with a thick woolly coat and (typically only in the male) curving horns. It is kept in flocks for its wool or meat, and is proverbial for its tendency to follow others in the flock.

35. Room with a slanted ceiling, often: ATTIC.   A space or room just below the roof of a building.

36. Cookie with a Blackpink collaboration: OREO.   Look here if you want to know more.

38. Grain tower: SILO.   A cylindrical tower structure commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black, woodchips, food products and sawdust. 

39. Spanish cheers: OLÉS.  A cry of approval, joy, etc.

42. Tappable images: ICONS.   Pictograms or ideograms displayed on a computer screen in order to help the user navigate a computer system. 

44. Like wining and dining?: SIMILAR.   Resembling without being identical.

45. Backyard swings, slide, and sandbox, e.g.: PLAY SET.   Themed collections of similar toys designed to work together to enact some action or event. 

47. Research grant?: PhD.  A doctoral degree granted to a scholar recognizing her/his research work.

50. Handed out: DEALT.  As cards in a game.

51. Terminate a debt: REPAY.  Pay back (a loan, debt, or sum of money).

52. Mexican marinade made with chili peppers: ADOBO.  The immersion of cooked food in a stock composed variously of paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, peppers and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavor.

54. Calamari: SQUID.  Typically referring to squid dishes.

57. Boring: DRAB.   Lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull.

58. Mother of Artemis: LETO.   In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Leto is a goddess and the mother of Apollo and Artemis. She is the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, and the sister of Asteria.

In the Olympian scheme, the king of gods Zeus is the father of her twins, Apollo and Artemis, whom Leto conceived after her hidden beauty accidentally caught the eye of Zeus. Classical Greek myths record little about Leto other than her pregnancy and search for a place where she could give birth to Apollo and Artemis, since Hera, the wife of Zeus, in her jealousy ordered all lands to shun her and deny her shelter.

59. Pakistani language: URDU.    An Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan, where it is also an official language alongside English.

60. Range listed on video games: AGES.  The time of life at which some particular qualification, power, or capacity arises or rests.  Or, in this case, is age appropriate.

61. Tropical tree: TEAK.   A tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. Tectona grandis has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters (panicles) at the end of the branches.    Teak wood has a leather-like smell when it is freshly milled and is particularly valued for its durability and water resistance. The wood is used for boat building, exterior construction, veneer, furniture, carving, turnings, and various small projects.

63. "Happy now?": SEE.  Told ya so!  Words of admonishment spoken after someone did something that had been warned against.  Fool around and find out.  

Well, we had a little song, a little dance, and some eye-ball anatomy [prior to my upcoming cataract surgeries] and a few snacks.  Hope it wasn't too much of a work out.  Happy and blessed Easter to those who celebrate.  Happy Springtime to all.  See y'all next month.

Could this be Matthew's first appearance in the L.A. Times?  If so, congrats, and keep 'em coming!

Cool regards,
JzB





Feb 28, 2024

Wednesday February 28, 2024. Natalie Murphy

Theme:  If we could turn back time.  The word "DAY is hidden in each theme entry, but spelt backwards.  Not easy to find.  Nota bene: each YAD is split across two words.

21. Beach community in L.A.'s South Bay: PLAYA DEL REY.   A seaside suburb in the Santa Monica Bay and the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California. As of 2018, the community had a population of 16,230 people.

26. Customer who buys a gadget as soon as it's available: EARLY ADOPTER.    an early customer of a given company, product, or technology. The term originates from Everett M. Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations.  They ususally pay the highest price.

43. Guidance at just the right moment: TIMELY ADVICE.   Exactly as defined in the clue.

50. Time to do things out of order, or what appears in 21-, 26-, and 43-Across: BACKWARD DAY.   National Backwards Day, celebrated on January 31st each year, is a whimsical and fun-filled observance that encourages people to do things in reverse or unconventional ways.

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here, thinking about driving a Toyota in reverse.  But let's go at this puzzle in a straightforward way.  

Across:

1. Like purchases made while playing freemium games: IN APP.  With some apps, you can buy additional content or services within the app. We call these "in-app purchases." Here are some examples of in-app purchases: A sword that gives you more power in a game. A key that unlocks more features of an app. Virtual currency that can be used for purchases.

6. Hanging on every word, say: RAPT.  Completely fascinated by what one is seeing or hearing.

10. Golf course transport: CART.   A small motorized vehicle for golfers and their equipment.

14. Storm-tracking device: RADAR.   A system for detecting the presence, direction, distance, and speed of aircraft, ships, and other objects, by sending out pulses of high-frequency electromagnetic waves that are reflected off the object back to the source.  Radar spelt backwards is __________.

15. Cincinnati's state: OHIO.   A state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ohio borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the west, and Michigan to the northwest. Of the 50 U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area. With a population of nearly 11.8 million, Ohio is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated state. Its capital and largest city is Columbus, with other large population centers including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Akron, and Toledo. Ohio is nicknamed the "Buckeye State" after its Ohio buckeye trees, and Ohioans are also known as "Buckeyes".[10] Its flag is the only non-rectangular flag of all U.S. states.  Giraffes are not native to Ohio because buckeyes are poisonous to them.

16. Taiwan-based laptop giant: ACER.   Acer Inc. is a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics corporation specializing in advanced electronics technology, headquartered in Xizhi, New Taipei City.

17. "Skyfall" singer: ADELE.  Adele Laurie Blue Adkins MBE  (born 5 May 1988), known mononymously as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She is known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting. Adele has received numerous accolades including 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards (including three for British Album of the Year), an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

18. __ bene: NOTA.   A Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB or n.b., and first appeared in English writing c. 1711.

19. "Space Jam" bunny voiced by Kath Soucie: LOLA.  Lola Bunny is a Looney Tunes cartoon character portrayed as an anthropomorphic female bunny created by Warner Bros. Pictures. She is generally depicted as Bugs Bunny's girlfriend. She first appeared in the 1996 film Space Jam.

20. Oldest Bobbsey daughter: NAN.  The Bobbsey Twins are the principal characters of what was, for 75 years, the Stratemeyer Syndicate's longest-running series of American children's novels, written under the pseudonym Laura Lee Hope. The first of 72 books was published in 1904, the last in 1979, with a separate series of 30 books published from 1987 through 1992. The books related the adventures of the children of the upper-middle-class Bobbsey family, which included two sets of fraternal twins: Bert and Nan, who were twelve years old, and Flossie and Freddie, who were six.  Does anybody read them any more?   Imagine NAN facing in the other direction.

24. Scottish Highlander: GAEL.  (Especially in historical contexts) a member of the Gaelic-speaking peoples inhabiting Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.

25. Calendar entries: EVENTS.  An occasion planed for a certain lpace and time.

31. Woodshop grippers: VISES.   A mechanical apparatus used to secure an object to allow work to be performed on it. Vises have two parallel jaws, one fixed and the other movable, threaded in and out by a screw and lever. 

32. "Aw, darn!": RATS.   Exclamation of disappointment or dismay.  But it's bright in reverse.

33. Sweet potato: YAM.  Not the same thing.  We've been over this.  Especially in MAY.

36. "__ done the same thing!": I'D'VE.  I would have.

37. "The Cider House Rules" Oscar winner Michael: CAINE.  Sir Michael Caine CBE [b 1933] is an English retired actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over a career spanning eight decades and is considered a British film icon. 

39. Beauty mark: MOLE.    A normal skin growth that develops when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) grow in groups. They appear as small, dark marks, or sometimes flesh-coloured small bumps, on your skin. Moles can appear in a range of different colours, shapes and sizes.

40. Napkin holder: LAP.  The flat area between the waist and knees of a seated person, suitable for placing a napkin or computer.   In retrospect, it could be your friend.

41. Cast a ballot: VOTE.  A formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of action, expressed typically through a ballot or a show of hands or by voice.

42. All fired up: EAGER.   Wanting to do or have something very much.

46. "Ooh, makes sense": AH, I SEE.   Expression of enlightened agreement.

49. __ and ends: ODDS.   Miscellaneous articles or remnants.

53. Enormous: BIG.  Huge

56. Working hard: AT IT.   Or arguing, or something . . .

57. Verbally attacked, with "into": TORE.  A verbal assault.

58. Like some breakfast tea: IRISH.   Irish Breakfast Tea is a type of black tea that has been a beloved beverage in Ireland and around the world for centuries. This tea is known for its robust and bold flavor, as well as its invigorating effects, making it a popular choice for a morning cuppa. Nota bene: Irish Tea is not grown in Ireland.

60. "__ a Lady": Tom Jones classic: SHE'S.  




61. Brunch, e.g.: MEAL.   A meal is an eating occasion that takes place at a certain time and includes consumption of food. The names used for specific meals in English vary, depending on the speaker's culture, the time of day, or the size of the meal.

62. Terse denial: NOT ME.  Properly should be NOT I, but nobody talks like that.

63. Quaint "Listen!": HARK.  Pay attention!

64. Quiche base: EGGS.  Oval or round objects laid by  female birds, reptiles, fish, or invertebrates, usually containin developing embryos. The eggs of birds are enclosed in a chalky shell, while those of reptiles are in a leathery membrane.

65. V-formation flyers: GEESE.  A goose is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera Anser and Branta. Some other birds, mostly related to the shelducks, have "goose" as part of their names.  They also lay eggs,

Down:

1. Persia, today: IRAN.   Iran, also known as Persia and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Iraq to the west and Turkey to the northwest, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. It covers an area of 1.648 million square kilometers (0.64 million square miles), making it the world's 17th-largest country. Iran has around 90 million people, making it the world's 17th most populous country. Its capital and largest city is Tehran with around 16 million people in its metropolitan area.


2. Spanish "nothing": NADA.  Literal

3. Yemen's Gulf of __: ADEN.

4. Buddy: PAL.  Amigo, chum, bestie.   Reversed when you sit down.

5. Takes care of charges in advance: PRE-PAYS.  Pay up front, or earlier,

6. 2018 NL Rookie of the Year Acuña Jr.: RONALD.  Ronald José Acuña Blanco Jr. [1997] is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. After signing with the Braves as an international free agent in 2014, Acuña made his MLB debut in 2018, and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

7. "Howdy, Cap'n!": AHOY.  A shout used, especially by people in boats, to attract attention: Ahoy there! used, especially on a boat, when you see something, usually something that is in the distance: Land ahoy! Ship ahoy!

8. Bread with a pocket: PITA.    A flat rounded slightly leavened bread, originally from the Middle East, with a hollow inside like a pocket, which can be filled with food. 

9. Marioverse racer with pink braids: TOADETTE.   A female Toad who appears as a playable character in various spin-off games throughout the Mario series.


10. Telemarketer: CALLER.    Salespeople who are employed by a company to telephone people in order to persuade them to buy the company's products or services, typically at dinner time. 

11. __ squash: ACORN.  An acorn-shaped dark green winter squash (Cucurbita pepo) with a ridged surface and mildly sweet yellow to orange flesh.



12. Rented again: RELET.  Rent (a property) for a further period or to a new tenant.

13. Cafeteria stack: TRAYS.   Flat, shallow containers with raised rims, typically used for carrying food and drink, or for holding small items.

22. Grassy meadow: LEA.   An open area of grassy or arable land.

23. Nights before: EVES.   The day or period of time immediately before an event or occasion.

24. Delight: GLEE.   Great delight.   Originally, the joy one gets from singing, hence glee clubs as singing ensembles.

26. Wicked: EVIL.  Bad and nasty.  In real time if you turn it around.

27. Verdi opera set in Egypt: AIDA.  A tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt.  The Egyptians have captured and enslaved Aida, an Ethiopian princess. An Egyptian military commander, Radamès, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the King of Egypt. To complicate the story further, the King's daughter Amneris is in love with Radamès, although he does not return her feelings.

28. "Tell me if you're coming" letters: RSVP.   RSVP is an initialism derived from the French phrase Répondez s'il vous plaît, literally meaning "Respond, if it pleases you", or just "Please respond", to require confirmation of an invitation.

29. Protruding window: ORIEL.    A large window built out from a wall and resting on a bracket or a corbel.



30. Skillet: PAN.  A flat-bottomed pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically 20 to 30 cm in diameter with relatively low sides that flare outwards, a long handle, and no lid. 

33. "Pic-a-nic" basket-stealing bear: YOGI.



34. Smart __: wiseacre: ALEC.   A person who is irritating because they behave as if they know everything.  Frex, I know this should be ALECK.

35. Little more than: MERE.   That is solely or no more or better than what is specified.

37. "Bring it on!": COME AT ME.  Used to express confidence in meeting a challenge.

38. Consumed: ATE.   Eat, drink, or ingest food or drink.

39. Dallas NBA team, for short: MAVS.   The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at the American Airlines Center, which it shares with the National Hockey League's Dallas Stars.

41. Perspective: VIEW.   A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

42. Going around in circles?: EDDYING.  As water, air or smoke.

43. "Naughty!": TSK-TSK.   A tongue-clicking sound expressing disapproval or annoyance.

44. Alpine songs: YODELS.  a form of singing which involves repeated and rapid changes of pitch between the low-pitch chest register and the high-pitch head register or falsetto.  This vocal technique is used in many cultures worldwide.

45. Poet laureate Limón: ADA.  Ada Limón [b. 1976] is an American poet. On July 12, 2022, she was named the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States by the Librarian of Congress. This made her the first Latina to be Poet Laureate of the United States.  She's the same, any way you look at her.

46. Embarrass: ABASH.   A feeling of shame or being disconcerted or embarrassed.

47. Branch of yoga: HATHA.   A yoga system of physical exercises and breathing control.

48. Less welcoming: ICIER. More unfriendly or hostile.

51. "Walkabout" director Nicolas: ROEG.  Nicolas Jack Roeg CBE BSC [1928 -2018] was an English film director and cinematographer, best known for directing Performance, Walkabout, Don't Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Bad Timing and The Witches.

52. "RuPaul's __ Race": DRAG.    A reality show in which a group of talented drag queens compete in challenges to impress host RuPaul, the world's most famous drag queen, to win a cash prize along with a crown and the title of America's Next Drag Superstar. 

53. Tasting menu portion: BITE.   A very small portion of food.

54. Schools of belief: -ISMS.  A suffix denoting the act, practice, or process of doing a particular thing in a particular way. 

55. Clarified butter: GHEE.   Ghee is made by melting regular butter. The butter separates into liquid fats and milk solids. Once separated, the milk solids are removed, which means that ghee has less lactose than butter. 

59. Maki sushi topper: ROE.  The fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooked ingredient in many dishes, and as a raw ingredient for delicacies such as caviar.

That's it for today.  Hope it didn't set you back too much,

Cool regards!
JzB







Feb 14, 2024

Wednesday, February 14, 2024 Margi Stevenson and Katie Hale

Theme: Terms of Endearment - Career-specific phrases identifying one's object of affection.  

17. Beekeeper's valentine?: HONEY BUNCH.  A beekeeper is a person who owns and breeds bees, especially for their honey.  Their love is sweet.




25. Juice barista's valentine?: MAIN SQUEEZE.  A juice barista prepares and serves fruit-based beverages, which presumably involves some squeezing.  The main squeeze is someone's preferred girl/boyfriend or lover. No indication is given for the one in second place.  




37. Optometrist's valentine?: GOOD LOOKING.   Optometrists examine, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders that affect your eyes and vision.   A good looking person is one who is physically attractive, either with or without glasses, on either of you.



52. Aesthetician's valentine?: SWEET CHEEKS.  An aesthetician is a person trained to administer facials, advise customers on makeup and the care of skin and hair, etc.  I did not know that. So the reference is to the attractiveness of the beloved's facial shape.  My mind never even considered the callipygian alternative. Nope, not even for a microsecond.



61. Baker's valentine?: STUD MUFFIN.  This is a sexually attractive, usually muscular young man.  Unlike a culinary muffin, which is a small domed cake or quick bread made from batter or dough.



Hi, Gang, and happy Valentine's Ash Wednesday!  JazzBumpa here to share the love.  Margi and Katie have cooked up some tasty treats for us, and a bit of Valentine's eye-candy.  And then comes Lent.  So let's have some fun while we can. 

Across:

1. Plot points?: BEDS.  I guess this refers to garden beds in a plot of land, rather than a moment in a story that affects the character or the direction of the story in some way.   Am I missing anything?

5. Reply-all email storm deterrents: BCCS.  Blind copies, where the list of recipients is not revealed.

9. Horse breed native to the Middle East and North Africa: ARAB.   A breed of horse with historic roots on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest modern breeds.

13. In a frenzy: AMOK.   With uncontrolled and disruptive behavior.

14. Desert succulents: ALOES.   An evergreen perennial, it also originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.

16. Common piercing spot: LOBE.   For ear rings.

19. Chaucer chapter: TALE.  The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's magnum opus. 

20. Up and about: AWAKE.    Out of bed and in motion.

21. Meditation retreat: ASHRAM.   As defined.

23. "Karma is a __ / Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me": Taylor Swift lyric: CAT.  Ode to a contented pet.

28. Almost overflow: BRIM.   Filled to the very edge of a container.

30. Yokohama drama: NOH.   traditional Japanese masked drama with dance and song, evolved from Shinto rites.

31. Consumer advocate Ralph: NADER.   Ralph Nader [b. 1934] is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes, and a perennial presidential candidate.

32. Spanish title: SEÑORA.  A title or form of address used of or to a Spanish-speaking woman, corresponding to Mrs. or madam.

35. Hardware store purchase: TOOL.   A device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.

41. Yemeni port: ADEN.   Aden is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km east of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and north of the Gulf of Aden.

From Google Maps

42. Buys time: STALLS.   Delays an event temporarily so as to have longer to improve one's own position.

45. Packs in, as coffee: TAMPS.   Rams or packs (a substance) down or into something firmly.  I've never tamped coffee.

49. Performer's routine: ACT.   Perform a fictional role in a play, movie, or television production.

51. Nursery rhyme vessel: PAIL.   A usually cylindrical container with a handle.   Don't fall down when carrying one, you could break something.

56. Snoop: SPY.   Investigate or look around furtively in an attempt to find out something, especially information about someone's private affairs.

57. "Never would have thought": THAT SO?  Expression of surprise or disbelief

58. Vegas lights: NEONS.   Fluorescent lamps filled with neon, and inert gas

60. Monopoly payment: RENT.   A fee charged to a player who lands on somebody else's property

66. Midrange voice type: ALTO.   In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by either low women's or high men's voices. It is pitched lower than soprano, and higher than baritone.

67. "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" writer: AESOP.  Aesop [c. 620–564 BCE] was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. 

68. Spicy __ roll: TUNA.   A saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, which averages 2 m and is believed to live up to 50 years.

69. Devious plan: PLOY.   A tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent, or to trick someone to achieve an often concealed objective.

70. Parking lot mishap: DENT.  Making a bad impression.

71. Healthy piece: SLAB.  A large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood.  Though, in this case, it's probably a piece of meat.

Down:
1. "A Christmas Carol" cry: BAH.  Frequent utterance of Ebenezer Scrooge.  His redemption by three spirits has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday in the English-speaking world

2. Intense music genre: EMO.   Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and post-hardcore from the mid–1980s Washington, D.C. hardcore scene.

3. Making a gift of: DONATING.   Giving money or goods for a good cause, for example to a charity.
 
4. Misrepresent, as data: SKEW.   To distort from a true value or symmetrical form

5. Braided bread often filled with chocolate or cinnamon: BABKA.   A sweet braided bread which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. It is popular in Israel and in the Jewish diaspora.

6. Make aware: CLUE IN.  Provide information about a particular item or event.

7. Swindle: CON.  Use deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.

8. "Just wait a __": SEC.  Request for someone to briefly pause an action.

9. Tennis and golf legend Gibson: ALTHEA.   Althea Neale Gibson [1927 - 2003] was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam event.

10. Showed displeasure like a dragon: ROARED.   A roar is a a full, deep, prolonged cry uttered by a lion or other large wild animal.  Why a fictional creature was chosen is a bit of a mystery.

11. Burning: ABLAZE.   On fire.  Keep your distance.  AFLAME has 4 of the same letters.

12. Pricey German wheels, informally: BEEMER.  A BMW automobile, a product of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, commonly abbreviated to BMW, a German multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.  

15. "Inside the NBA" analyst, familiarly: SHAQ.   Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, known commonly as Shaq, is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA.

18. Thanksgiving vegetable: YAM.   Only maybe.  Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same? No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.

22. Naturally bright: SUNLIT.  Like an atrium,  a large open-air or skylight-covered space surrounded by a building.

23. "Survivor" network: CBS.   Columbia Broadcasting System

24. "__ we having fun yet?": ARE.  The second person singular present and first, second, third person plural present of be.   Well - are we?

26. Never ever: NOT ONCE.   Ain't gonna happen.

27. "Get out!": SHOO.  A word said to frighten or drive away a person or animal.   And never, ever come back!

29. Dairy farm sound: MOO.   Bovine utterance.   Not to be confused with an udderance, though moo utterers do have udders. 

33. Events with a lot of insult comedy: ROASTS.   A banquet at which the guest of honor is subjected to good-natured ridicule.

34. Put in: ADD.   To put something with something else to increase the number or amount or to make it more important.  Or, to voice an opinion in an on-going discussion.

36. Allows: OKs.   Grants assent or permission.

38. Two-time Emmy winner Remini: LEAH.   Leah Marie Remini [b. 1970] is an American actress. She starred as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Vanessa Celluci in the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait, both alongside Kevin James. 

39. Snooze: NAP.   A short period of sleep, typically taken during daytime hours as an adjunct to the usual nocturnal sleep period. Naps are most often taken as a response to drowsiness during waking hours.

40. Generous pour: GLASSFUL.   An amount contained by or sufficient to fill a glass or tumbler, possibly to the brim.

43. Gloss target: LIP.   Gloss is a cosmetic used primarily to give lips a glossy luster, and sometimes to add a subtle color. It is distributed as a fluid or a soft solid.   A lip is either of the two fleshy parts which form the upper and lower edges of the opening of the mouth.  Their primary purpose is to make sounds on the trombone.

44. Wily: SLY.   Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.

45. Sandal style: T-STRAP.   Having a single or multiple strap attached to a shoe to hold it on the foot or having a purely ornamental function and passing either above the instep near the arch or around the ankle.

46. "Gosh darn it!": AW HELL.  Slangy expressions of disappointment. 

47. Treating unkindly: MEAN TO.   Purposefully being rude or saying or doing something to hurt someone.

48. Object in a game of fetch: PET TOY.  Toys specifically marketed for dogs to play with come in many varieties, including dog bones, puppy toys, balls, tug toys, training aids, squeaky toys, etc.  As far as I know, attempting to play fetch with cats is doomed to failure.

50. Connective tissue: TENDON.   A flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone.

53. Spanish "thing": COSA.  Literal translation.

54. Well-groomed: KEMPT.    Maintained in a neat and clean condition; well cared for.

55. Trifling sum: SOU.   A former French coin of low value.

59. Crypto artworks, for short: NFTs.  Non-Fungible Tokens -- blockchain-based tokens that each represent a unique asset like a piece of art, digital content, or media. An NFT can be thought of as an irrevocable digital certificate of ownership and authenticity for a given asset, whether digital or physical.

62. Nickname for Edward or Theodore: TED.  It's unclear to me how TED is derived from either of them.  But I knew I guy named Roland who went by Ron.  This whole thing is about as confusing as NFTs

63. Not let go to waste: USE.  Consume or put in to action - not let something sit idle.

64. "Go-To Dinners" cookbook writer Garten: INA.  Ina Rosenberg Garten [b. 1948] is an American television cook and author. She is host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and was a former staff member of the Office of Management and Budget.

65. Capture: NAB.   In this context, apprehend a wrong-doer.

Hope you found something sweet to enjoy in this basket of Valentine treats.  

Cool regards!
JzB

Jan 31, 2024

Wednesday January 31, 2024. Chris Gross

Theme Buried Culinary Treasures.  Common in-the-language phrases contain, that is to say, have room for,  tasty postprandial delights.

20 A. *Bakery employees who offer free samples?: CUPCAKE HOLDERS. The surface meaning is a person holding cupcakes to be distributed.  A CUP HOLDER is a device for holding a plastic cup or other drinking container, as in the console of a motor vehicle, or an item if furniture.  The hidden desert is a CAKE an item of soft, sweet food made from a mixture of flour, shortening, eggs, sugar, and other ingredients, baked and often decorated. And this fill is a CAKE holder in more ways than one. A bit involuted, but tasty.  Do those bakery folks have frosting on their fingers?

33 A. *Mistakes made while preparing a simple breakfast?: POPTART FOULS How wold one foul a Poptart?  By dousing it in pickle juice, perhaps. In baseball, a POP FOUL is a ball hit high in the air for not much distance that lands in foul territory.  Our dessert here is a TART - an open pastry case containing a filling.   Don't mess it up.

43 A. *Comfort food with a high price tag?: POTPIE OF GOLD.   I've heard of gilding the lily. Hmmm. Perhaps made with gold electroplated pastry dough? A POT OF GOLD is a large amount of money, especially one that is unattainable or illusory.  A dessert PIE is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savory ingredients.  As distinguished from a TART, the PIE has a top crust. Probably not made of gold, though

58. Question from a server, or what was needed to create the answer to each starred clue: ROOM FOR DESSERT.   Chris made room in each of these phrases to tuck in a sweet treat.  The server would be asking of you are too full to participate.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here, in the throes of a dramatic glucose spike.  Let's get going and work off some of those carbs.

Across:

1. Tracks: CUTS.  Album tracks.  Wasn't my first thought.

14. "Pronto" letters: ASAPAs Soon As Possible.  Take your time, but hurry.

15. Delight: ELATE. Make very happy.

16. Rachel Maddow's field: NEWS.   Information about current events.  What's happening now.

17. Simon or Garfunkel: NAME.  Ditto Smith and Jones.  Again, not what one would expect from the clue

18. Terra __: COTTA.  A clay-based non-vitreous ceramic, fired at relatively low temperatures.  Earthenware.

19. Small valley: DELL.  Often in a wooded area.

23. Purpose: USE.  The reason for which something exists.

24. Shed: LOSE.  Give off, discharge or expel.  During the hurricane my yard shed its shed.

25. Summer hrs. in Portsmouth: EDT Eastern Daylight Time

26. Some DEA employees: NARCS.  Slang shorthand for narcotics agent, who specializes in laws dealing with illegal drugs.

28. Smallest state in India: GOA.   Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations.

30. Stable staple: OAT.   A nutritious breakfast for both horses and people.

38. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.  Elsa is the Queen of Arendelle in the Disney cartoon feature, Frozen.  I think this clue should point to her sister Anna, since Elsa is the star of the show.

41. Misstep: ERROR.  Faux pas, Fingerfehler.  Oops.

42. Water waster: DRIP.  From a not-properly-shut-off faucet.

46. Back: AGO. In the past.

47. "The A-Team" actor: MR T.   Laurence Tureaud [b. 1952] is an American actor. He is known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team and as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III.

48. Abbr. before a year: ESTAB.  Established - referring to the year something was founded. 

52. Fundraising org.: PTA Parent-Teachers Association, a network of of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools.   

54. Gets faint: DIMS.   Reduces in brightness or image clarity.

57. Laundry brand: ERA.  A P&G product.

62. Soap brand: LAVA.  Lava is a heavy-duty hand cleaner in soap bar form manufactured by the WD-40 Company. Unlike typical soap bars, Lava contains ground pumice, which gave the soap its name. The soap and pumice combination is intended to scour tar, engine grease, paint, dirt, grime, filth, and similar substances from the skin.

63. French 101 infinitive: AVOIR.  Meaning to have.

64. Last remarks?: OBIT.  Not a last utterance, but funereal comments about the recently departed.

65. Improves in a cellar, say: AGES.  As wine or cheese.

66. Barbershop quartet part: TENOR.  Unlike choral harmony in which the parts from top down are soprano, alto, tenor and bass, with the melody usually in the soprano part; in barbershop harmony the tenor sings a harmony part that is consistently above the melody, which is sung by the lead.  Below that are baritone and bass.  So the voices from top down are tenor, lead, baritone and bass.

67. Soap brand: DOVE.  A brand of facial soap made by Unilever that comes in a variety of specialized uses.  Dove chocolate tastes better than any of them.

68. Pigeon fancier on "Sesame Street": BERT.  This was not a great success.




69. Adversary: ENEMY.  One that contends with, opposes, or resists.

70. Took a hatchet to: AXED.  Hewed or chopped.

Down:

1. Tourist destination on the Yucatan: CANCUN.   Cancún, a Mexican city on the Yucatán Peninsula bordering the Caribbean Sea, is known for its beaches, numerous resorts and nightlife. It’s composed of 2 distinct areas: the more traditional downtown area, El Centro, and Zona Hotelera, a long, beachfront strip of high-rise hotels, nightclubs, shops and restaurants. 

2. Chant for the red, white, and blue: USA-USA.  Often heard at the Olympics.

3. Mess (with): TAMPER.  Interfere with something in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations.

4. Job detail, for short: SPEC.  Specification - a detailed description of the design and materials used to make something.

5. Geico icon: GECKO.  I don't know which I hate more - the Geico adds with the gecko or without the gecko.

6. Medicinal plants: ALOES.   Aloe vera is a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.   The leaves of Aloe vera contain significant amounts of the polysaccharide gel acemannan, which can be used for topical purposes. Aloe skin contains aloin which is toxic. Products made from Aloe vera usually only use the gel.

7. Come clean?: BATHE.   Instead of admitting to some wrong-doing, here we make us of, for example, Dove or Lava soap.

8. "A Man Called __":  OTTO.  Tom Hanks film based on a Fredrik Backman novelm, A Man Called Ove.   When a lively young family moves in next door, grumpy widower Otto Anderson meets his match in a quick-witted, pregnant woman named Marisol, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world upside down.


9. Down-to-earth: REAL.   With no illusions or pretensions; practical and realistic.

10. Done: ENDED.  Finished.

11. Excursion where one might see something brewing?: BEER TOUR.   As you visit each brewery, you will learn how they differ from each other, and how their beers make them distinct from the others. You will also get to taste different kinds of beer and know each brewery's bestseller and award-winning beers.

12. Pointed tools: AWLS.    Tools with which holes can be punctured in a variety of materials, or existing holes can be enlarged. They are also used for sewing heavy materials, such as leather or canvas. They have a thin, tapered metal shaft, coming to a sharp point, either straight or slightly bent.

13. Designer monogram: YSL.   The initials of Yves Saint Laurent.  I will wear clothes with his monogram when he wears clothes with the RLT monogram.

21. To boot: ALSO.  The term comes from the Old English to bote, which was once used as part of a legal term in English law, meaning something extra that is added as part of a bargain or compensation.  
You don't hear this expression much here in the States.  But I watch a lot of hockey, and it seems quite common in Canada

22. Like many students at Gallaudet University: DEAF.  Gallaudet University is a private federally chartered university in Washington, D.C., for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing. It was founded in 1864 as a grammar school for both deaf and blind children.

27. Sleep apnea apparatus, initially: CPAP.   CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a machine that uses mild air pressure to keep breathing airways open while you sleep. Your healthcare provider may prescribe CPAP to treat sleep-related breathing disorders including sleep apnea.

28. High seas quaff: GROG.   A strong alcoholic drink, originally rum, mixed with water

29. Other, in Oaxaca: OTRO.   Spanish.

31. Wong of "Birds of Prey": ALI.    Alexandra Dawn Wong [b. 1982] is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. She is best known for her Netflix stand-up specials Baby Cobra, Hard Knock Wife, and Don Wong. She has also starred in the romantic comedy film Always Be My Maybe, on which she also served as a writer and producer.

I think I'll pass

32. Recipe amt.: TSP.  Teaspoon.

34. Equal: PEER.   One that is of equal standing with another 

35. Relaxed pace: TROT.  A pace faster than a walk

36. Dog park sound: ARF.  Barking.

37. Likelihood: ODDS.  Probability that something will happen.

38. BEACH Act org.: EPAEnvironmental Protection Agency

39. Record: LOG.  Enter (an incident or fact) in the log of a ship or aircraft or in another systematic record.

40. Brief visit: STOP OVER.   To stay at a place for a short period of time on the way to somewhere else or before returning home.

44. Islamic leader: IMAM.   Any of various rulers that claim descent from Muhammad and exercise spiritual and temporal leadership over a Muslim region

45. "Not that much": LESS.  Comparatively not as much.

49. Place to drive: TEE BOX.   In golf,  the start of each hole where you take your first swing.

50. Show up: ARRIVE.  Reach a place at the end of a journey or a stage in a journey.

51. Part of RBI: BATTED.  RBIs are Runs batted in: a run that is scored as a result of a specific batter's hit, walk, sacrifice, etc. 

53. Canapé base, maybe: TOAST.  A canapé is a small piece of bread or pastry with a savory topping, often served with drinks at a reception or formal party.

54. Worker with a monotonous routine: DRONE.   a person who is obliged to do menial, routine or boring work 

55. Cold feet or hot seat: IDIOM.   A type of phrase or expression that has a meaning that can't be deciphered by defining the individual words. Appropriately, the word “idiom” is derived from the ancient Greek word “idioma,” which means “peculiar phraseology.”

56. Full of cheer: MERRY.  Cheerful and lively.

58. Breathe fire, say: RAGE.  Be extremely angry and vocal.  Another example of an idiom.

59. Inevitable end: FATE.  The development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.

60. Pizza place: OVEN.  Where it is cooked, not where it is eaten.

61. Bartender's supply: SODA.  Bubbly water.

62. Chocolate __: LAB.  The Hershey product research facility. No, wait -- The Chocolate Lab is a brown colored variety of Labrador Retriever,  a friendly, confident and loving dog with great character and huge appeal as a pet.



And on that friendly note we draw today's treats to a close.  We had some fun snacks and a few opportunities to clean up.  Hope you found it satisfying.

Cool regards!
JzB




Jan 17, 2024

Wednesday, January 17, 2024 Katie Hale

Theme: This is a rank puzzleor  We're in the Army now.



Hidden in the theme fill are the names of military ranks, indicated by the circled letters.  If you didn't have the circles, this would be a tough one to suss.  Let's check it out.

18 A. "I luv u" message holder: CANDY HEART.   These Valentine treats.


A CADET is a young trainee in the military

25 A. Textbook dividers: CHAPTER HEADINGS Printed matter (as the chapter number or title, quotations, illustrations, or decorative letters) preceding the text at the beginning of a chapter.

In most armies and in some air forces, a CAPTAIN is the commander of the largest group of soldiers that an officer can be expected to know personally—a company in the infantry, a battery in the artillery, a flight in the air force.

40 A. Hybrid interactive experience: AUGMENTED REALITY.  A technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view.

GENERAL is the title and rank of a senior army officer, usually one who commands units larger than a regiment or its equivalent or units consisting of more than one arm of the service. Frequently, however, a general is a staff officer who does not command troops but who plans their operations in the field.

53 A. "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" actress: MELISSA JOAN HART.   Melissa Joan Hart [b. 1976] is an American actress, producer, and director. She had starring roles as the title characters in the sitcoms Clarissa Explains It All, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Melissa & Joey. She appeared as Liz in No Good Nick.

Sabrina

A MAJOR serves as the primary staff officer for brigade and task force command regarding personnel, logistical and operational missions.

And the unifier --  63 A. Asserted one's authority, and what can be found in this puzzle's circled letters: PULLED RANK.   To use one's high position in a society, organization, group, etc., to order someone to do something or to get special treatment or privileges.  In puzzle context, I guess this means you have to pull out the circled letters to reveal the target words.

Hi Gang.  JazzBumpa here to lead this drill, and I promise not to pull rank.   I'm not a big fan of circled letter themes.  This one might have had a touch of elegance if the military ranks presented were in rank order, but, alas, 'twas not to be.  As much as I appreciate how difficult it must have been to find fitting theme fill entries, I am not delighted with the result.   But that is mere personal preference.  YMMV.

Let's put on our parching boots then, and see if we can have a successful mission.
 
Across

 1. Snack in a hard or soft shell: TACO.  My first thought was crab. Oh, well. Taco is the Spanish word for sandwich.  Once in Mexico I ordered a jamón con queso taco, not knowing what jamón was.  I was surprised to get a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread.

5. Mega-excited, with "up": TURNT.  It never occurred to me that turned could be spelt this way.  This was a stumbling block for me. 

10. Pattern: MOTIF.  A bit of a stretch, but OK, I guess

15. Big star: IDOL.   A person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.

16. Formal "Same here": AS DO I.  Informally -- "Me too."

17. Initiative: DRIVE.  Urge or force (animals or people) to move in a specified direction.  In this usage, the one being urged is yourself, and the direction is metaphoric for some goal or achievement.

20. "The Lion King" lion: SIMBA.    This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba, the heir of his father, Mufasa.     Images here.

21. Nintendo avatar: MII.  A Mii is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. The name Mii is a portmanteau of "Wii" and "me", referring to them typically being avatars of the players. 

22. Prefix added to some music genres: ALT.   Short for alternative, a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s with the likes of the grunge, shoegaze, and Britpop subgenres in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively. 

24. Kid's elder: GOAT.  Of the species Capra hircus.

30. Snippet: CLIP.  A small piece or brief extract from a video or audio recording.

31. Extreme anger: IRE.  Derived from Latin.

32. __ guard: SHIN.  A shin guard is a thick piece of material that you wear inside your socks to protect the lower part of your leg when you are playing a game such as soccer.

33. Glutton: HOG.  One who wants both his share and yours. 

34. "Ooohhh": AHA.  Expressions of surprise or delight.

36. Equal (with): ON A PAR.  Equivalent to.

45. "The plan's been approved": ITS A GO.   Used to say that things are working correctly or that you have permission to do something 

46. "Who, me?": MOI.  Pretentious French usage.

47. Split __ soup: PEA.  Soup made typically from dried peas, such as the split pea. It is, with variations, a part of the cuisine of many cultures. It is most often greyish-green or yellow in color depending on the regional variety of peas used; all are cultivars of Pisum sativum.

48. Hiker's mix: GORP.   An acronym for "good ol' raisins and peanuts", although the mix may contain M&M's and other nuts.   AKA trail mix.

50. Cooling syst. meas.: BTUBritish Thermal Unit.

52. "__ Green": Kermit's song: BEIN'.


Alternatively --

Urbie was also Green

58. CIO or CTO: EXEC.  Executive - a corporate officer.

59. Good Charlotte genre: EMO.  Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland, formed in 1995, that I never heard of.  EMO is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. 

60. Kitchen cover: LID.  For a pot or pan.

61. __ basin: TIDAL.  The Tidal Basin is a man-made reservoir located between the Potomac River and the Washington Channel in Washington, D.C. It is part of West Potomac Park near the National Mall and is a focal point of the National Cherry Blossom Festival held each spring.  Generically, a basin for boats which is accessible or navigable only at high tide.

69. "__ in Borderland": manga series: ALICE.  a Japanese science fiction thriller drama streaming television series [that I never heard of] based on the manga by Haro Aso. The series was directed by Shinsuke Sato. It stars Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya as allies trapped in an abandoned Tokyo forced to compete in dangerous games, the type and difficulty represented by playing cards, to extend "visas" that, if expired, result in the player's execution by lasers being shot from the sky.

70. Inventor Howe: ELIAS.  Elias Howe Jr. [1819 – 1867] was an American inventor best known for his creation of the modern lockstitch sewing machine.

71. Gel often kept in the fridge: ALOE.  A preparation of leaf pulp from the parenchymal tissue of the plant Aloe vera (Liliaceae). Aloe vera gel contains carbohydrate polymers, such as glucomannans or pectic acid, and various vitamins and essential amino acids, as well as other organic and inorganic compounds.  Not sure why it would need to be refrigerated.

72. Slowly, in music: LENTO.  I was thinking LARGO.  Either is correct.

73. Wetland plants: REEDS.   A woody plant with long, slender leaves. Reeds need a lot of moisture, and they usually grow in or near a marsh. The stalk of a reed plant is also called a reed, and it's from this stiff, wood-like material that reeds for certain musical instruments were first made.

74. Big name in golf equipment: PING.  Ping Inc. designs and manufactures golf equipment. The Company's products include golf clubs, club bags, headwear, gloves, travel gear, and accessories. Ping operates worldwide as a subsidiary of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation.

Down:

1. Twitch: TIC.   A repetitive movement that is difficult, if not impossible to voluntarily control. Tics can affect any group of muscles. The most common are facial tics, such as eye- blinking, nose-twitching, or grimacing.

2. Orthodontist's org.: ADAAmerican Dental Association.   Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, management, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, as well as misaligned bite patterns. 

3. Pro opposite: CON.  In favor of vs. against.

4. Wall hanging showing 48 states, perhaps: OLD MAP.  Makes sense - there have been 50 since 1959.

5. Largest island in French Polynesia: TAHITI.  Tahiti is the largest island in French Polynesia, the South Pacific archipelago. Shaped like a figure-8, it's divided into Tahiti Nui (the larger, western section) and Tahiti Iti (the eastern peninsula). With black-sand beaches, lagoons, waterfalls and 2 extinct volcanoes, it's a popular vacation destination.

6. "__ your words": toddler parent's phrase: USE.  Encouraging a toddler to talk - a decision one may come to regret.

7. Nutritionist's no.: RDA.   Recommended Daily Allowance - the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all (97 to 98 percent) healthy individuals in a group. 

8. "Sunrise" singer Jones: NORAH.   Norah Jones [b. 1979] is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She has won several awards for her music and, as of 2023, had sold more than 50 million records worldwide. Billboard named her the top jazz artist of the 2000s decade.  She is the daughter of musician Ravi Shankar and concert producer Sue Jones.



9. Lord and Lady: TITLES.  A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification.  And, in the plural, the title of this excellent Discworld novel.

10. Physical pros: MDS.  Medical Doctors.  Rather an odd clue.

11. Never seen before: ORIGINAL.  In this usage, something that is the first of its kind.

12. "The Lion King" meerkat: TIMON.  Featured on a non-shareable video.  You can watch it here.

13. Hosp. attachment: IV BAG.   IV bags contain a solution of fluids that is administered directly into the patient's bloodstream through a needle or catheter, with the composition of the IV solution varying based on the type of fluid used and the patient's medical condition.  They attach to the patient, not the building.

14. Great deeds: FEATS.  Achievements that requires great courage, skill, or strength.

19. Puppy plaint: YIP.  Sound made by a small dog.

23. Chevy SUV: TAHOE.  The Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon are part of General Motors' full-size SUV family and are differentiated from the similar Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL primarily by the length of the passenger and cargo area behind the C-pillar. 

25. Influence: CLOUT.  Influence or power, especially in politics or business.

26. __ boson: elementary particle: HIGGS.   An elementary particle in the Standard Model of particle physics produced by the quantum excitation of the Higgs field, one of the fields in particle physics theory.  The Higgs field is a field of energy that is thought to exist in every region of the universe. The field is accompanied by a fundamental particle known as the Higgs boson, which is used by the field to continuously interact with other particles, such as the electron.  Now you know.

27. Q.E.D. center: ERAT.  Q.E.D. is the Latin abbreviation for quod erat demonstrandum: "Which was to be demonstrated." Q.E.D. may appear at the conclusion of a text to signify that the author's overall argument has just been proven.

28. Shorten, as a skirt: RE-HEM.  A hem is the edge of a piece of cloth or clothing that has been turned under and sewn.  To re-hem a garment is to fold over a greater length of cloth, thus shortening the garment.

29. Meyer of "Line of Duty": DINA.  Dina Meyer [b. 1968] is an American actress. She began her career appearing in a recurring role on the Fox teen drama series Beverly Hills, 90210, before landing a leading role opposite Keanu Reeves in the 1995 film Johnny Mnemonic.

30. Fragrant latte: CHAI.  In America, "chai" has become known as a flavor of tea with predominantly cinnamon or cardamom notes. But in India, chai is not a flavor of tea; it is tea—chai literally translates to "tea" in Hindi.  Latte is a coffee drink of Italian origin made with espresso and steamed milk. I don't how to make this fit.

35. Marinade in Spanish cooking: ADOBO.   This is a condiment or cooking sauce with a base containing chillies, particularly Chipotle and Ancho peppers. An Ancho pepper is a Poblano chili that is dried after it turns red. These sauces are used as a marinade and to add a smoky, spicy flavor.

37. Laurie of "Twin Peaks": PIPER.   Piper Laurie [1932-1923] was an American actress. She is known for her roles in the films The Hustler, Carrie, and Children of a Lesser God, and the miniseries The Thorn Birds.

38. Bit the dust: ATE IT.  Died, or less extremely, experience a severe failure.

39. Director Coogler: RYAN.  Ryan Kyle Coogler [b. 1986] is an American filmmaker. He is a recipient of four NAACP Image Awards and four Black Reel Awards, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Grammy Award.

41. Tricks that are also a treat?: MAGIC ACT.  Performances usually compounded of verbal utterance and object manipulation, that constitute “performative” acts by which a property is imperatively transferred to a recipient object or person on an analogical basis.  Happy to clear that up.

42. Self-images: EGOS.  One's self, especially as contrasted with another self or the world.  Similarly, one's sense of self -worth.

43. Like Odin and Thor: NORSE.  Relating to medieval Norway or Scandinavia, or their inhabitants or language.  Odin and Thor are members of the Norse pantheon.

44. Actress Wilson: RITA.  Rita Wilson [b.1957] is an American actress, singer, and producer. Her film appearances include Volunteers, Sleepless in Seattle, Now and Then, That Thing You Do!, Jingle All the Way, The Story of Us, Runaway Bride, It's Complicated, and Larry Crowne, and she appeared in the television series The Good Wife and Girls.

49. Overindulge: PAMPER.  Indulge with every attention, comfort, and kindness; spoil.

51. "Except maybe ... ": UNLESS.  Used to introduce the case in which a statement being made is not true or valid

52. Undeserved notoriety: BAD RAP.  An unfairly bad reputation

53. Key material?: METAL.  Keys are made of metal.  I suppose the intended misdirection indicates a vital material.  I'm unimpressed.

54. Cast out: EXILE.  The state of being barred from one's native country, typically for political or punitive reasons.

55. Escorted: LED IN. Accompanied by someone who assures you arrive safely or with proper respect
and acknowledgment

56. Unit of energy: JOULE.  A unit of work or energy in the International System of Units (SI); it is equal to the work done by a force of one newton acting through one metre. Named in honour of the English physicist James Prescott Joule, it equals 107 ergs, or approximately 0.7377 foot-pounds.

57. Kept out of sight: HID.  Concealed.

62. August baby, maybe: LEO.  The fifth sign of the zodiac. It corresponds to the constellation Leo and comes after Cancer and before Virgo. The traditional Western zodiac associates Leo with the period between about July 23 and August 22, and the sign spans the 120th to 150th degree of celestial longitude.

64. Fib: LIE.  An untruth, spoken with the intent to deceive.

65. Young man: LAD

66. Comedian Wong: ALI.  Alexandra Dawn Wong [b. 1982] is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. She is best known for her Netflix stand-up specials Baby Cobra, Hard Knock Wife, and Don Wong. She has also starred in the romantic comedy film Always Be My Maybe, on which she also served as a writer and producer.

67. Persona __ grata: NON.  A Latin phrase meaning “unwelcome person.” As a legal term, it refers to the practice of a state prohibiting a diplomat from entering the country as a diplomat, or censuring a diplomat already resident in the country for conduct unbecoming of the status of a diplomat.

68. Pub delivery: KEG.  A metal container holding 36 U.S. gallons of beer.

That ending sounds like a visit to the officers club.  I had my nits, but this puzzle was OK, so lets raise a cold one.

While were having a toast, today is our 33rd wedding anniversary.  The best years of my life!




Cheers!
JzB