April
showers bring....hey, wait, we're too early for the flowers~! This is
my second blog of an Emma Oxford puzzle this year ( see 67A.). Four
11-letter and one 13-letter spanners for the theme - scrambled, or
"wild" - flower names. No circles, but "in my opinion" ( see 59D. ) it
might have helped, as the first two themers are two-word scrambles, but
then the second two are just the first four letters. Your Experience
May Be/Might've Been Different - in fact, I'm coining a new term,
"YEMBD" - pronounced "yem-beady". Very few names, plenty of foreign
(read) French words, but a longer than usual solve time for me, as I did
not get the "ta-DA~!" at the end due to my "LIKE to serve" mistake,
which took a while to find.
18. *Be extremely helpful: LIVE TO SERVE - VIOLET- the original Willy Wonka
There's a valid argument for why she should have "won" the Chocolate Factory
29. *Staged a fireworks show: LIT UP THE SKY - TULIP - ah, there's an organ joke in there....
I do not have this record...
36. *Start of an instruction to an automated assistant: SIRI SET A TIMER - IRIS
The 'Monet' version; perhaps you're a Van Gogh type~?
44. *Sensitive area: SORE SUBJECT - ROSE - and the 'start' of the joke ....
Axl "ROSE is"on the piano - and, er, Slash is on piano, too....
58. Colorful elements of a meadow, and what can be found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues?: WILDFLOWERS
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Gasteyer of "Mean Girls": ANA
4. Stand-up individual?: COMIC
9. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner: MEALS
14. Place for a pint: PUB - Bzzzt~! Not BAR - AND - 20A. Some pints: ALES
15. Miso soup mushroom: ENOKI - perps, but then again, a crossword staple lately
16. Data processor's need: INPUT
17. Lenovo products: PCs - Lenovo is a Windows-based computer maker
22. Crying harder: TEARIER - meh.
23. Tempo similar to largo: LENTO
25. Prepares, as a sleeping bag: UNROLLS
33. Part of EVOO: OIL - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
34. Used DoorDash, say: ATE IN - had food delivered, that is; I made my own version of General Tso's chicken the other day~!
35. Auction site: eBAY
41. Very: MOST - as in "she is most attractive"
"Très OUI" - Frawnche #1
42. Rene of "Tin Cup": RUSSO
43. Death on the Nile cause, perhaps: ASP - "Very dangerous...you go first"
50. Frightening vision: DAYMARE - as opposed to NIGHTmare - a new word for me; more here
52. Part of TNT: NITRO - Everything you ever wanted to know about trinitrotoluene
53. Do over and over: ITERATE - so to REiterate is to do over and over AND OVER~?
57. "Begone!": SHOO
62. Convent figure: NUN
63. Adult stage in insects: IMAGO
64. Provide an address: ORATE - ooh, clever misdirection
65. Here, in France: ICI - Frawnche #2
66. Airport structure: TOWER
"We have no tower - just a bridge, Sir"
67. "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" host Aisha: TYLER - strangely, this is the second time with this clue/answer for me in an Emma Oxford puzzle blog
68. "Evita" role: CHE
DOWN:
1. Revolt: APPALL - the "ick" revolt, not the political one
2. Atomic cores: NUCLEI - I read somewhere that our constructor Emma has atomic knowledge
3. Playing hooky, perhaps: ABSENT
4. Cartoon still: CEL
5. "Roger that, boss!": "ON IT~!"
6. Make emotional: MOVE - MOKE seemed like a possibility 😜
7. Maker of Ektorp sofas: IKEA - I have learned to default to "IKEA" when it's an oddly-named furniture clue....
8. Fruit type that tends to be in season in winter: CITRUS - I did not know this; read more here from "The CIA"
9. Kathy Bates film based on a Stephen King novel: MISERY - I am not a fan of this genre
10. Month after diciembre: ENERO - the Spanish spelling of January
11. Mo. after Mar.: APRil - the current "mid-spring" month - I have daffodils in my front yard
It would appear that I need to wash my siding
12. Hon: LUV - Thank God it was not the "other" three-letter cringe word
13. Sault __ Marie: STE - Frawnche #3
19. Sty sound: OINK
21. Queen Anne's house: STUART - I have had this type of misdirection before; not the actual house as in structure/style, but the "political" one - see the Wiki highlighted
36. Slugger Sammy: SOSA - an easy baseball reference, tho I am
not a fan like our blog host C.C. - I did like the link to the two guys
trying to hit 100mph fastballs, Chairman~!
37. Guessing game: I SPY
38. Ger. neighbor: AUStria
39. Nashville sch.: TSU - I WAGed this, figured it was something like "Tennessee State University"
40. ID on a Barnes & Noble buy: ISBN - ID is abbr., so too the International Standard Book Number
41. Outraged: MAD
44. Took, as an exam: SAT FOR
45. Baseball analyst Hershiser: OREL - does this mean he offers "Orel" exams~? ba-dum-tiss
46. Transplant: REROOT - I re-potted my houseplant a month ago,
and it's still in shock; I don't want to lose it, because it was my
mother's plant and I kept it when we sold the LI house after she passed
47. Pertaining to a certain culture: ETHNIC
48. Catcher's stance: CROUCH - ah; much better than "SQUAT", which was my first thought
49. Nickname for the Canadian $2 coin: TOONIE - I filled in LOONEY, as I have seen this before in Crosswords, but obviously had the wrong $ value, and spelling - but 50% correct~!
51. Small fly: MIDGE
54. Out of whack: AWRY
55. Blue-green shade: TEAL
56. Art Deco icon: ERTÉ - I happen to "MOKE" (😁) the Art Deco style - his Wiki
58. Cleverness: WIT
59. Brief "I would say ... ": IMO - In My Opinion
60. Order's partner: LAW - for those who are interested, the LAW & ORDER tab for the TV show theme from Ultimate Guitar; you'll have to create a log-in to see it if you don't already have one
Theme: How does your garden grow? Chaotically, as it turns out. But in an unremarkable way. Can we separate the crops from the weeds? Grab your hoe and lets dig in. Best to start with the unifier, I think.
59 A. Run-of-the-mill, or what can be found in the answers to the starred clues?: GARDEN VARIETY. Ordinary. Not special or unusual. But what is unusual is the use of the word "VARIETY" to indicate a scrambled letter, hidden word theme. Here, the word is GARDEN. Don't feel bad it you found this theme to be opaque. I couldn't suss it, and had to appeal to my fellow corner bloggers for assistance. I'm bad at anagrams, too. I guess my brain doesn't work that way
20 A. *Splashy arrival: GRAND ENTRANCE. To appear in or enter into some place in a very dramatic, ostentatious, or conspicuous manner. But that is not what this is about. I was wondering what a " GRAND GARDEN" might be. Sounds plausible, especially in, frex., an English manor. But, no. That's also not what this is about. Our GARDEN is discontinuous.
37 A. *Like a conversation covering many topics: WIDERANGING. Extending over a large area; extensive or diversified in scope. A wide garden would have expansive with and not much depth. But, instead, the GARDEN is scattered.
44 A. *Friendly signoff: KIND REGARDS. A common sign-off in emails and other forms of correspondence. It's used to wish the recipient well without being overly familiar. By now we should be familiar with the various locations of our GARDEN.
Hi, Gang, JazzBumba here, green thumb at the ready. Let's head out to the GARDEN and see what we can harvest.
Across
1. Bit of quick inspiration?: GASP. An indrawn breath, not a clever thought.
5. Saucy dance?: SALSA. Salsa encompasses a variety of sauces used as condiments for tacos and other Mexican and Mexican-American foods, and as dips for tortilla chips. But that is not what this is about. On the other hand - or perhaps foot - Salsa is a Latin dance, associated with salsa music, which was first popularized in the United States during the 1960s in New York City. Salsa is a mixture of Cuban dances, such as mambo, pachanga, and rumba, as well as American dances such as swing and tap.
10. Personalize a trophy, say: ETCH. Engrave a name or other information.
14. Gone but not forgotten: AWOL. Absent Without Official Leave, for a military location.
15. Far from skilled: INEPT. Incapable.
16. Organ part: PIPE.
17. Webb designer?: NASA. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope designed to conduct infrared astronomy. Its high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments allow it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) led Webb's design and development and partnered with two main agencies: the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). This is not about spiders or computer engineers.
18. Like music with traditional harmony: TONAL. Relating to music written using conventional keys and harmony. Salsa, por ejemplo.
19. Big name in big screens: IMAX. A technique of widescreen cinematography which produces an image approximately ten times larger than that from standard 35 mm film.
23. Meal that features a retelling of the story of Exodus: SEDER. a Jewish ritual service and ceremonial dinner for the first night or first two nights of Passover.
24. ID-issuing org.: SSA. Social Service Administration.
25. Org. that says no to some drugs: FDA. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation.
28. Paint finish: SATIN. Satin is a paint sheen or finish that falls directly in the middle of the range of interior or exterior paint sheens. Satin paint is glossier than eggshell finish paint, but flatter than semi-gloss paint.
32. Lion of Narnia: ASLAN. Aslan is a major character in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia series. Unlike any other character in the Narnian series, Aslan appears in all seven chronicles. Aslan is depicted as a talking lion and is described as the King of Beasts, the son of the Emperor-Over-the-Sea, and the King above all High Kings in Narnia.
34. Synthetic drug similar to psilocybin: LSD. Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD, and known colloquially as acid or lucy, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, visual, and auditory hallucinations.
40. Côte d'Ivoire pal: AMIE. The official language of the republic is French, mes amis, with local indigenous languages also being widely used that include Baoulé, Dioula, Dan, Anyin, and Cebaara Senufo.
42. Triglyceride, for one: LIPID. A lipid is any of a class of organic compounds that are fatty acids or their derivatives and are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. They include many natural oils, waxes, and steroids. A triglyceride is an ester formed from glycerol and three fatty acid groups. Triglycerides are the main constituents of natural fats and oils,
43. Côte d'Ivoire head: TETE. The official language of the republic is French, with local indigenous languages also being widely used that include Baoulé, Dioula, Dan, Anyin, and Cebaara Senufo. Now we're getting a head.
47. "To be," in Spanish: SER. Ser o no ser, esa es la cuestión.
48. Chosen few: ELITE. A select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society. Or so they would have us believe.
49. Naughty and nice: LISTS. Santa's record keeping.
51. One of a D.C. 100: SEN. Senators.
52. Bring out in the open: AIR. Show something publicly.
55. Existential dread: ANGST. A feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity.
64. Social finesse: TACT. A keen sense of what to do or say in order to maintain good relations with others or avoid offense.
66. Message in a drafts folder: E-MAIL.
67. Air Force Two exec: VEEP. Air Force Two is the air traffic control designated call sign held by any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the vice president of the United States, but not the president
68. Hoax: SHAM. Malicious deception.
69. Singer-songwriter Mann: AIMEE. Aimee Elizabeth Mann is an American singer-songwriter. Over the course of four decades, she has released more than a dozen albums as a solo artist and with other musicians. She is noted for her sardonic and literate lyrics about dark subjects. Still - she sounds friendly.
70. Salinger heroine: ESME. From the short story For Esmé With Love And Squalor.
71. Norms on the links: PARS. The expected numbers of strokes to complete golf holes.
72. Ruminates bitterly: STEWS. Thinks hard or worries about something, not necessarily bitterly.
73. End to end?: LESS. I do not understand this at all. Anybody got a clue?
Down:
1. Factions in "West Side Story": GANGS. Sharks and Jets.
2. Already informed: AWARE. Having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.
3. "Such a shame": SO SAD. Alas.
4. Piper Cubs, e.g.: PLANES. American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance.
5. Place to build: SITE. An area of ground on which a town, building, or monument is constructed.
6. In a sec, quaintly: ANON. Soon; shortly.
7. Pre-Easter time: LENT. The solemn Christian religious observance in the liturgical year commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, before beginning his public ministry.
8. Dukes it out in practice: SPARS. Engages in a practice or exhibition bout of boxing
9. Sky supporter of myth: ATLAS. In Greek mythology, the Titan Atlas was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavens on his shoulders, a burden given to him as punishment by Zeus. Father of many stars and a protagonist in one of Hercules' famous labors, Atlas was also known as a wise man and the founder of astronomy.
10. Big picture: EPIC. A movie of large scope, rather than an image of large dimension.
11. "Can't believe it's been that long!": TIME FLIES. When it seems to pass quickly. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
12. Balancing pro: CPA. A Certified Public Accountant balances the financial books.
13. Bad spelling?: HEX. An evil spell, bringing bad luck and trouble. Clever clue, spelt correctly.
21. Tie: DRAW. A game or team event in which the final score is even, so there is no winner or loser.
22. Bread brushed with ghee: NAAN. A round flat leavened bread especially of the Indian subcontinent.
26. Poet who was guided through paradise by Beatrice: DANTE. Dante Alighieri [c. 1265 – September 14, 1321], most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante, was a Florentine poet, writer, and philosopher. The referenced poem is Dante's Divine Comedy.
27. Fury: ANGER. At an extreme degree.
29. Backsplash piece: TILE. A backsplash is, essentially, an extension of your countertop. It can extend as low as a few inches off the wall or as high as the ceiling. The purpose of any kitchen backsplash is preventing water, grease, and other messes from damaging your walls, particularly behind stoves and sinks. Typically, it is made from ceramic tiles.
30. "Got it, daddy-o": I DIG. To like or understand something. It could also mean a combination of the two, as a general verb of approval for something. The term was particularly popular during the 1960s-1970s and is today considered slightly old-fashioned.
31. Nation between China and India: NEPAL. Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to the north, and India to the south, east, and west, while it is narrowly separated from Bangladesh by the Siliguri Corridor, and from Bhutan by the Indian state of Sikkim. Nepal has a diverse geography, including fertile plains, subalpine forested hills, and eight of the world's ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the largest city. Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural state, with Nepali as the official language.
33. Lt.'s underling: SGT. Military ranks Lieutenant and Sergeant.
34. Finger __: LAKES. The Finger Lakes are a group of eleven long, narrow, roughly north–south lakes located directly south of Lake Ontario in an area called the Finger Lakes region in New York, in the United States.
35. Look happy: SMILE. A facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile. Among humans, a smile expresses delight, sociability, happiness, joy, or amusement
36. Place to eat while on the go: DINING CAR. A part of a train in which passengers are served meals
38. "Disturbia" singer, familiarly: RIRI. Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, actress, and songwriter. She is widely regarded as one of the most prominent recording artists of the 21st century. This song has no connection to the movie of the same name.
39. Does some kindergarten math: ADDS. Combines one number with another to get a total. I don't remember doing this in kindergarten. But that was a long time ago. This garten is not connected to the theme.
41. N.H. summer hrs.: EDT. Eastern Daylight Time in New Hampshire.
45. __ admiral: REAR. In the navy, Rear Admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. The term originated in the days of naval sailing squadrons and can trace its origins to the Royal Navy. Each naval squadron was assigned an admiral as its head, who commanded from the centre vessel and directed the squadron's activities. The admiral would in turn be assisted by a vice admiral, who commanded the lead ships that bore the brunt of a battle. In the rear of the squadron, a third admiral commanded the remaining ships and, as this section was considered to be in the least danger, the admiral in command of it was typically the most junior. This has continued into the modern age, with rear admiral the most junior admiralty of many navies. Bo butts about it!
46. Guide for the Magi: STAR. The Gospel of Matthew (2:1–12) speaks of Magi, or wise men, who followed a star from the East to Bethlehem in search of a newborn king. There they found Mary and the baby Jesus and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
50. Whine: SNIVEL. Cry and sniff in a feeble or fretful way.
53. Creative sparks: IDEAS. The other type of inspiration.
54. Pay: REMIT. A transfer of money, typically to pay a fee or defray a debt.
56. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" half-dozen: GEESE. And all of them laying eggs.
57. Watch and wineglass features: STEMS. 1) The thin rod that attaches the crown to the watch's movement; 2) the slender part of a winglass between the base and the bowl.
58. Classifies: TYPES. Determines to which category something belongs.
60. Bread machines?: ATMS. Automatic Teller Machines - dispensers of cash, i.e "bread." Ya dig?
61. Appoint: NAME. Specify an individual to occupy a certain position.
62. Opinion: VIEW. Regard in a particular light or with a particular attitude.
63. Pub orders: ALES. Types of beer with a bitter flavor and higher alcoholic content. Cf 58 D.
64. Seasoning meas.: TSP. A teaspoon, about 2.5 to 7 ml, depending on the spoon.
65. "Now I get it!": AHA. Used to express satisfaction, triumph, or surprise.
Hope you found this puzzle satisfying, and perhaps providing an AHA moment or 2. It's what we try to cultivate here at the corner.
J.S. Bach - "Dorian" Toccata (no Fugue), Opus #538
This
puzzle was "on my wavelength", and it takes us on a musical journey.
Two 15-letter spanners, two 10-letter, and one centered 11-letter theme
answers, each starting with a synonym for "song", and revealed in the,
well, reveal. ALAS, we're missing "ditty" - but that's a 51D.
17. *Rainforest Cafe, for one: THEME RESTAURANT - I did not know about this place; the closest one to me now is in New Jersey - the Wiki; the décor seems too overbearing for dining, IMHO
23. *Depiction of integers at regular intervals: NUMBER LINE
34. *Imperial reign of China ended by Kublai Khan: SONG DYNASTY 44. *Florence Henderson sitcom role: CAROL BRADY - "NOEL" could be a theme answer, too
"The Brady Bunch"
And the reveal
50. Starts looking at things differently, as demonstrated by the first words of the answers to the starred clues?: CHANGES ONES TUNE - and I get the pleasure of looking for "compositions" that match some puzzle answers; I'll try to be diverse.... And Away We Go~! ACROSS:
1. Greenlights: OKs
4. Dish that may or may not contain beans: CHILI - my chili contains red & black beans
9. Time at a job: STINT - I am hoping that my "stint" with the Pipe Organ company is my last career
14. Feline pet: CAT
Meow
15. Brief mission?: RECONnaissance - Frawnche~!
16. Wobbly craft: CANOE
20. Portion out: ALLOT
21. Deciduous tree with oblong leaves: ELM
22. God, to Rastafarians: JAH - the first word of this "ode"
The Outernationalist - Thievery Corporation
Ambient Electronica, my preferred music genre now that I am "older"
27. Guacamole fruit: LIME
28. "__ Te Ching": Laotzu text: TAO
29. Casual contraction: AIN'T - and the first word of this "ballad", too
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
30. Direct elsewhere: REFER
31. Like a zebra: MANED - if you hear the thunder of hoofs....
he's sporting a "Mohawk" mane
33. Big fans: BUFFS
36. "Summer of My German Soldier" novelist Greene: BETTE - needed perps for this author
37. Shrewd: CAGEY - some obscure Blue Öyster Cult for your ears
Cagey Cretins from the Secret Treaties Album
38. Breeze (through): WALTZ - more music, this clue/answer hinting that one "rolled" through ( in 3/4 time~? )
39. Wax counterpart: WANE
There's a Solar Eclipse Monday, 8Apr
40. Grab a chair: SIT
43. The 411: INFO
47. Situation Room gp.: NSC - no clue; I tried NSA first
48. Spicy tuna roll tuna: AHI - becoming a crossword staple
49. Totally buy: EAT UP - I don't eat up sushi
55. Unsettling: EERIE
56. Unexpected ending: TWIST - as found in this "melody"
Hole in the Sky - Black Sabbath
57. Single-stranded genetic molecule: RNA
58. Specs dished in a gossip sesh: DEETS - Text/Gen Z-speak for a 'session' and the 'details'
59. Zipper alternative: SNAPS
60. Noggin: NOB
DOWN:
1. One-eighth of a circle: OCTANT - overthought this; I was trying to come up with a clever pizza slice reference
2. Ingredient in a white or black Russian: KAHLUA - plus vodka, and milk makes it 'white'
3. Sailor's patron: ST. ELMO - there was a "coming-of-age" movie
"St. Elmo's Fire" during my high school years, but I cringe at the "see
24D." of similar films in the decade - I was more "Raiders of the Lost
Ark" & "Ghostbusters" kind of fan
4. "Zorba the Greek" island: CRETE - it's all Greek to me - perps
5. She/__ pronouns: HER
She's A Lady - Tom Jones
6. Curling surface: ICE - I'd like to try this "sport"
7. __ Angeles Sparks: LOS - of the WNBA
8. Aim: INTENT
9. Bathtub buildup: SCUM
10. Roofer's sealant: TAR
11. Right away: IN A JIFFY
12. Total randos: NO-NAMES - heard in this Glam "rocker"
Wild Side, Mötley Crüe - Lyric at 2:36, after the spinning drum cage stunt
13. Tie: TETHER - this looked weird in the 'down'; I had "TET_E" from perps
18. Horde: MOB
19. Bass beer: ALE
24. Gamut: RANGE
25. Served up a whopper: LIED
26. Race-sanctioning body since 1994: INDYCAR - this did not make sense until I cut and pasted the clue into Google, and got the Wiki; I was wondering if it referred to the race car's 'open wheel' body style at first
27. Southpaw: LEFTY
- I am one - we have several at the Pipe Organ company; "Sinister"
types make up about 17% of the population, and let me tell you, it's
really frustrating to see how much of the world "assumes" everyone is
right-handed, e.g. all vending machines, ever
See~? You'll look at them differently from now on....
30. Bit of deception: RUSE
31. Words on a family banner: MOTTO
32. Animated film with talking bugs: ANTZ - I thought "A Bugs Life" was better
33. Bialy kin: BAGEL
34. Practices for personal well-being: SELF-CARE
35. Prefix with tech: NANO
36. Wailing spirit of Irish folklore: BANSHEE - there's Siouxie and the Banshees, and another band called Banshee as well - not a fan of either, TBH
38. Showed vicarious embarrassment, in a way: WINCED
39. Midriffs: WAISTS
40. Body with notable rings: SATURN - oh, right, the, um, planet
A midriff with a ring
41. "Search me": "I DUNNO"
42. Universal blood recipient's designation: TYPE AB
44. Jost's "Weekend Update" co-host: CHE - Saturday Night Live members Colin and Michael
45. Outperforms: BESTS - Not beAts, the first "S" being my last fill
46. Snitch: RAT - we already had an 80's Hair Band, but how can I pass this up~?
Round and Round - Ratt - AND - Milton Berle
48. Long time: AGES
51. Minor quibble: NIT
52. Hold title to: OWN
53. Actress/director Vardalos: NIA - all "Greek" to me here, too; her IMDb
Theme: Unfitness Routine for the Lazy. The 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?: TVMARATHON. 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?: DIDDLYSQUAT. 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.: CEO. Chief 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!
I
had a feeling this was not a "normal" 3- or 4-word 'theme with reveal'
when I scanned the grid before starting and saw two stacks of 8-letter
ACROSS fills ( and after-the-fact, I see Monday's puzzle had double Down 9-lettter fills ), but nothing close to grid spanning; I did not see the
13-letter-long DOWN fill at first. This took me longer than my typical
Wednesday solve time, due to the crummy crossing of a proper name and a
vague abbreviation. SIGH; the struggle continues. I did a search of
the blog, and found a puzzle of Michèle's from Nov 7
last year; thanks to her for today's clever construction. As the clue
for 14A states, the perimeter of the puzzle, in both the across and
down, are words ( highlighted ) that describe sounds - and the "reveal";
14. Audiophile's setup, and an apt description of the perimeter of this puzzle: SURROUND SOUND
YES~!
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Half a sit-up: CRUNCH- I just thought this was a "harder" sit-up; here's a quick reference to what is different
7. Commercial tune: JINGLE- what's your most earworm-worthy ad~?
13. "A Wrinkle in Time" novelist Madeleine: LENGLE - proper name fill #1, and I had no clue; the "G" got me
14. Timekeepers that don't work on a rainy day: SUNDIALS
I think the time is "beer-thirty"
16. How baked potatoes may be cooked: IN FOIL - meh, but it is certainly a way to cook a spud
17. Remove, as a seatbelt: UNFASTEN
18. Gina Boswell of Bath & Body Works, e.g.: Abbr.: CEO - I do the DOWNS first, just needed the "O"
19. Sequel to Puzo's "The Last Don": OMERTA
21. "Mean Girls" writer Fey: TINA - this proper name I did know
22. Underwater plant with gas-filled bladders: KELP
24. Wayward: ERRANT
26. Time out?: NAP
27. Playground retort: DID TOO - not the usual ARE too
29. Quirky habit: TIC
31. Cliche: TRITE
33. French noble: DUC - I haven't had Frawnche in a long time
35. Comprehend: GRASP
39. Eurythmics lead singer Lennox: ANNIE - one of my favoritest songs
Here Comes the Rain Again
40. Go from 4x6 to 8x10, say: Abbr.: ENLarge
41. Totaled: RAN TO
42. Busy restaurant's notification device: PAGER
43. JFK predecessor: DDE - Dwight David Eisenhower - IKE - two days in a row; I would have
liked to have lived during his presidency, even with the threat of the
"reds" and nuclear war. I have "Ike", his biography,
and I do like to read about his role in WWII - and he was the man who
enacted the Interstate System; for an interesting take on the pros and
cons of that massive national project, I would suggest reading "Divided
Highways"
44. Like some purchases: IN APP - and - 62A. Are cast members of: APPEAR IN - sort of palindromic
45. "The __ is calm tonight": "Dover Beach" opening: SEA - with a blank grid, I pondered "AIR", but in retrospect, "Beach" might have been a give-away....
47. Mouths off to: SASSES
49. Amtrak stop: Abbr.: STAtion
52. Silky: SMOOTH
54. Guidelines: Abbr.: STandarDs
57. Ultimate: LAST
59. Creative works: OPUSES
61. Goal: AIM
64. Yukon neighbor: ALASKA - "UCONN" is my neighbor, too~!
Ba - Dum - Tss
66. Prop for a rock singer: MIC STAND - drummers who sing
67. Watering hole in TV's "M*A*S*H": ROSIE'S - ah, yes, now I remember....
68. Unnerve: RATTLE
69. 1984 mermaid movie: SPLASH- Tom Hanks, WAY back in his career
DOWN:
1. Hit it off: CLICK
2. Zellweger of "Judy": RENEE - name #5, but I'm not counting....
3. Developing: UNFOLDING - great clue/answer/fill
4. CARE, e.g.: NGO - I had to look this up after I solved the crossword; DAH~! I tried "NPO", for a Non-Profit Organization; nope - it's a Non-GovernmentalOrganization;
not only that, but I was confusing it with GMO - genetically modified
organism, too - hey, it was early in the morning when I did this....
5. Sister of Erato: CLIO - I can never remember my muses....
6. Knight cap: HELMET - punny; that would be an accurate description of such head wear
7. Ruling faction after a coup: JUNTA - I could only think of CADRE or CABAL
8. Baby: INFANT
9. Contract that may prevent bad PR: NDA - Non Disclosure Agreement
10. Crux: GIST
11. Ancestor of the romance languages: LATIN- four years for me in high school, but it does help solving crosswords~!😜
12. Justice Kagan: ELENA
15. Button alternative: SNAP
20. Ate away: ERODED
23. Feels sorry for: PITIES
25. Fertile Crescent river: TIGRIS
28. Some combines: DEERES - John Deere. I want a tractor like this; I have 1-1/2 acres in CT to mow, the snow, a creek, and a LOT of big rocks
NOT a combine, NOT a John Deere
30. Origami birds: CRANES - SWANS was too short
31. Stout spout: TAP
32. Messenger molecule: RNA
34. Soccer equipment: CLEATS - SHIN PADS didn't fit
36. Youngest daughter of Nicholas II: ANASTASIA - mostly perps
37. Valvoline rival: STP
38. Dad: POP - we're missing "CRACKLE" for a Rice Crispies trifecta
46. Unscrupulous: AMORAL
48. Woolgathers?: SHEARS - the "?" suggested "DREAMS" was not the answer, but 50% correct
49. Poetry event: SLAM
50. Piglike rhino kin: TAPIR
51. Pet re-homing org.: ASPCA
53. Provide a view: OPINE - ah - that kind of view
55. Sea walls: DIKES
56. Huge success: SMASH
58. Assessment that may end with "Pencils down": TEST - dah~! Not EXAM
60. Unappealing food: SLOP
63. NFL passing stat: ATTempts
65. Communication syst. with hand motions: ASL - American Sign Language
A
pretty straight-forward puzzle, although I fumbled in the SW corner
with a "bad name" - at least there were just a few to contend with
today. Lots of clues that were merely clever definitions*, I thought -
YMMV. At first I surmised that the theme may have something to do with
the "I" situated in the
center(ish) of the theme fills - but no, it's three things that can be
found "in the tank" - and I have added a fourth at the end of the theme
answers. I do not have the crossword comparison tools, but I recognize
the constructor from previous grids. The theme answers;
17. Family member with a heat lamp: PET IGUANA
- I had a pet iguana - his name was Zeus, and he did NOT have a tank -
he roamed my apartment freely, but due to some personal changes, he had
to go to a zoo in Texas
The black thingy is his heat lamp
28. Military unit with mechanized forces: ARMORED DIVISION - this doesn't quite jibe for me - I suppose the personnel would be "in the tank"
47. Fuel that typically has an octane of 91 or higher: PREMIUM GASOLINE 63. On a losing streak, or where to find 17-, 28-, and 47-Across: IN THE TANK
Just add soothing music
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Subject with angles and equations: MATH - the only thing I studied in "math" was the teacher....
Van Halen - "Hot For Teacher" - OK, maybe not soothing....
5. Proofreader's catch: TYPO
9. Cork citizens: IRISH - and - 42A. __ Lingus: AER - their local airplane people
14. Juárez water: AGUA
15*. Collect crops: REAP
16. Accordion-heavy genre: POLKA
19. Got the fire going again: RELIT
20. "Indeed": "SURE" - One of Nero Wolfe's frequent comments is "Indeed"
21. "Greetings!": "HELLO~!"
23. Bring into play: USE
24. Beaver's building: DAM
26. Mosque leader: IMAM
36. Small touches: DABS
37. Like most highlighters: NEON
38. PBJ or BLT: SANDO - This must be regional, as no one I know refers to a sandwich as a sando - I have been known to call it a "sa'mich"
39. Double helix molecule: DNA
40. "Show me!": "CAN I SEE~!?"
43*. Milk source: UDDER
45. Like some JFK flights: INTernationaL
46. Classic Pontiacs: GTOs - I was more of a Mercury Cougar fan
They had rotating headlight doors and sequential tail-lights
50*. Inner workings: GUTS
51*. Sense of self: EGO
52. Golfer's goal: PAR
54. Tuesday fare: TACOS - I like tacos any day of the week~!
58. __ and file: RANK - us paycheck-to-paycheck types
61. Public meltdown, maybe: SCENE - as in to "make a ___"
66. Smudge: SMEAR
67. Pajama tops: TEES - that's what I wear
68. Pentathlon blade: EPEE
69. Trying times?: TESTS
70. "SportsCenter" channel: ESPN
71. First light: DAWN
DOWN:
1*. Travel guide: MAP
2. Forever and ever: AGES - EONS, AEON, nope.
3*. Ballet costume: TUTU
4. Side braids or side shaves: HAIRDOs
5. "Ur not wrong": TRU - text-speak
6. "Uh-huh": "YEAH."
7. Cut glass: PANE - an intended glass piece - unintentional, and it's a "shard"
8. Gem with a honey variety: OPAL - my first thought, but I waited for perps
Not so different from Amber
9. "Scout's honor!": "I PROMISE~!"
10. Ikura at the sushi bar: ROE - perps
11. Enlightenment-era secret society: ILLUMINATI - Part of the plot in the movie "Angels & Demons", and the first 10-letter non-theme Down fill
12. Travels cross-country?: SKIS - on my first pass, I missed the "s" at the end of travelS
25. Actress Suvari: MENA -this actress - I had her confused with Mira Sorvino
27. Cute __ button: AS A
28. Make sense: ADD UP - if you saw my math teacher, it would "add up"
29. Short time off?: R AND R - clever; I like this one - Rest &Relaxation
30. C-suite qualifications: MBA DEGREES - the other 10-letter non-theme Down fill
31. Jorts fabric: DENIM - learning moment - I did not 60D what
Jorts are - but in retrospect, it's pretty obvious now - Jean Shorts,
and from what I read, sort of derogatory if men wear them - but on
women, they're "Daisy Dukes"
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