frequent LA Times constructor and Jeopardy Champion Erik Agard who partnered with Wyna Liu, seen here with a good friend.
Online, I discovered - Wyna is a mixed media sculptor and crossword puzzle constructor based in NYC. She received Master from NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program in 2014. Her work combines digital fabrication techniques with fussy hand finishing processes. She is interested in modularity, mechanisms and the lathe. Okay...
Here's a note I got from Wyna: "This was a fun puzzle to work on! Erik and I began building the grid around CRANKYPANTS, HIDEYHOLE, and NAUGHTYLIST. We worked back and forth a number of times but finally had to lose NAUGHTYLIST to keep it clean (who likes seeing REECHO and OTTOII in a puzzle??). This was one of our first collaborations (the first themeless), and was a formative and invaluable learning experience for me."
Let's review Erik and Wyna's collaborative effort:
Across:
1. Drill bit?: MARCH - It was my first thought but tricky NW cluing held back confirmation
6. Sudden blow: GUST.
10. '60s civil rights gp. inspired by student sit-ins: SNCC - Often called "snick"
15. One singing in musical tones?: ALTO - A list of very good ALTOS/ALTI pop singers
16. Ponies run in it: POLO.
17. Written in mystical letters: RUNIC - Crossword learning made this my first confident fill
18. Ghanaian flag feature: STAR - Oh yeah, it's just south of Burkina Faso. BTW, changing one letter of its capital would give us 2. Luxury auto: ACURA.
20. Irritable sort, in slang: CRANKY PANTS - Grumpypants came and went before I landed on this seed entry
23. Even prime: TWO - We math peeps are aware
24. Stadium opening?: YANKEE - New YANKEE Stadium being built adjacent to the historic old YANKEE Stadium in 2008
27. Mickey's "Love Is Strange" singing partner: SYLVIA - Despite the on-screen graphics this live performance is fun to watch
31. Fricative admonishment: SHH - After a "Huh?" for Fricative, the admonishment of SHH came through. Fricative is a consonant sound that is created by constricting the vocal tract, causing friction as the air passes through it.
35. Clog from France: SABOT - Familiar crossword footwear
36. Wasn't true: LIED.
38. Sober: STAID.
40. Gov't agency with a "meatball" logo: NASA - Students of mine have heard this space educator say "NASA meatball" for decades, therefore, I was so pleased to see Erik and Wyna make this reference. I've told Joann I want my ashes in an urn with the NASA Meatball on it!41. Agent concerned with spots: AD REP - Singular clue should have gotten me off AD MEN a lot faster than it did!
43. Alternative to "start at," in pricing: AND UP - "Oh, if you want the 48. Opposite of austere: DELUXE model, that'll be another thousand dollars!"
45. Only article in a U.S. state capital name: DES - It is on and named after the DES Moines River, which likely was adapted from the early French name, Rivière des Moines, meaning "River of the Monks". You're welcome...
46. Key partner: PEELE - PEELE and Key did a lot of collaborative sketches but Keegan-Michael Key's portrayal of a substitute teacher is the hilarious holy grail for those of us who sub!
49. __ analysis: SYSTEMS - I just love this:
55. Rap music article: THA.
56. Do a surveying task: TRIANGULATE - 1946 Triangulation surveying of Palestine
62. Plant name from the Arabic for "red": SUMAC - SUMAC really brighten the fall landscape around here
63. Film bit: CLIP - Actors on talk shows often have CLIPS from their films to show. Sometimes it is the only interesting scene in the movie
64. Las Vegas Aces' org.: WNBA - All pro teams in Vegas
65. Put into action: EXERT.
66. Was true to, as one's word: KEPT - And so he was
67. Elle Woods of "Legally Blonde" got 179 on hers, briefly: LSAT - I wonder what Reese Witherspoon, who portrayed fictional Elle Woods, would have scored.68. Lucy's husband and son: DESIS - Desi Arnaz IV, later known as Desi Arnaz Jr., appeared only once on I Love Lucy - on the final episode, June 24, 1957, along with his sister, Lucie. But he wasn't playing Little Ricky on that finale. Both Desi Jr. and Lucie later starred on their mom's show, Here's Lucy (1968-74), as her kids, Craig and Kim.
Down:
1. Compassion: MERCY.
3. Saoirse __, "Lady Bird" star: RONAN - Nope, it had nothing to do with LBJ's wife
4. Toasting signs: CLINKS - CRUMBS didn't cut it for this fun clue that was heard often 12 days ago5. Make-out spots?: HICKEYS - you might 6. Respond to a shock: GASP - if you google these
7. Beauty store chain: ULTA - Find the nearest one to you
8. Get out of the way: STAND ASIDE.
9. Dessert that just sounds wrong: TORTE
10. Ooh-and-aah site: SPA.
11. Just okay: NOT TOO BAD - AT&T's new ad pitch. Don't open if you've seen this as many times as I have
12. Classic hole-in-one site: CLOWN NOSE - How else are ya gonna put one on?
13. José's greeting: COMO ESTAS - ¿Cómo estás? Adding usted is optional
21. Kennel chorus: YELPS
22. Dips: SAGS.
26. Equine coat color: ROAN.
28. Physical figures: VITAL SIGNS - On a monitor by every hospital bed
31. Some visual humor: SLAP STICK - The Three Stooges leapt to my mind
32. Alternative to a wall safe: HIDEY HOLE - Bank Vault? Buzz, but thanks for playing!
33. Help line: HERE'S A TIP - Maxine uses that line a lot
39. Aid in developing hair waves: DURAG - Its main purpose is to develop or preserve waves after they are in your hair. Worn by many football players under their helmets
42. Alfred of coffee fame: PEET - The intertwined history of Alfred PEET and Starbucks
50. Animated Tootsie Pop eater in ads: MR OWL - 50 yrs ago he posited the question of "How many licks it takes to get to the center or a Tootsie Pop?"
53. Gaming biggie: ATARI.
54. Splinter groups: SECTS - Some SECTS form because of differing views on sex.
58. Off the rocks?: NEAT - I may have to write Tinman to warn him about this picture 😦
60. Flat: Abbr.: APT - Housing is scarce in our growing town, so finding an apt APT. is difficult
"I'll take Comments for $1,000 Alex". "The answer is 'Fun and Stimulating'". "What is Erik's and Wyna's 1.11.20 crossword puzzle?" You have a different answer?
Note to Wyna - Would this cluing have worked? 😏
Second reverberation - REECHO
HRE emperor known as "The Red" - OTTO II
36 comments:
If you like to play miniature golf
Don't let the CLOWN NOSE throw you off!
It's an IOTA of a possible
To hit in his nostril --
As long as your opponent don't cough!
If you dig into a HIDEY-HOLE
And find within a RUNIC scroll,
HERE'S A TIP
A map on it
May lead to treasure -- or a troll!
{A-, B.}
Lots of great wordplay this morning. Loved it.
Good morning!
I really liked this one, but Washington/Oregon almost did me in. AROMA/SCENT (ECOLI) and GRUMPYPANTS (Hi, Husker) hung around much too long. Finally got 'er done, but this game went into overtime. Well done, Erik and Wyna. Excellent tour, Husker.
CLOWN NOSE: I was thinking of miniature golf holes, but those were usually the clown's mouth, not nose.
ULTA: Unfamiliar, but Husker's "finder" site indicates there's one only 7 miles from here, which in this neighborhood means practically nextdoor.
SYLVIA: I'm surprised Erik and Wyna are familiar with this 1956 song. Dick Clark liked to play it on American Bandstand back in the day.
"Maxine": Dw often accidentally ignores me when she's not wearing her "headphones." That's as opposed to ignoring me on purpose when she is wearing them.
PEELE: My brother went to college with a student named Sabe (sah-bay). Every class period the professor would call Mr. Sāb. "Here." He was a quiet student who seldom spoke in class. But one day he had a question.
"Yes, Mr...uh...Mr..."
"Sah-bay"
"Oh yes, Mr. Sāb..."
The kid shook his head and said, "Yeah, I always get it wrong."
I believe 12, Down "Classic Hole-In-One site" with answer "Clown Nose" is referring to the ninth hole of a miniature golf course. If you putt into the Clown Nose you get a free game. And, the ball returns to the club house.
Missed Peele crossing Peet. Did not get Key as a proper name.
Good Morning:
I enjoyed this solve a lot and finished in below average Saturday time. There were a few unknowns: Star, Ulta, Peet, and Mr. Owl. (No room for Mr. Meow!) My w/os were Beloved/Dear one and the two that stymied me for much too long, Jolt/Gust and the downs of Jump/Gasp. I liked the clecho clues for Ogle and Leered and, also, Atom and Iota. Big CSO to our resident hiker, Inane, Neat), and our Saturday Sherpa, HG, the King of NASA! As always, the relative absence of three-letter words added to an enjoyable solve.
Thanks, Erik and Wyna, for a Saturday challenge and thanks, HG, for the splendid summary, and sparkling visuals and links. I wonder how the sub teacher would mangle my name. I think the worst I've heard is Angus.
Have a great day.
I goofed or autocorrect did: CSO to Tin (Neat).
A DNF for me. Usually slog through Saturday, but I need to get on with my day. A challenging puzzle, and I have no problem with it, just not on my wavelength today. I knew the hole-in-one wasn’t golf related, but it never clicked in. NW was a total blank. Also knew the auto was ACURA or LEXUS, but neither triggered getting some of the other answers. Maybe I should have kept trying, but need to grocery shop before this ice storm hits us later today.
Just saw Linkster’s post on CLOWNNOSE....ahhh..makes sense now, so sort of golf related...
Way too many unknowns - PEELE, PEET, my bride gave me ULTA
Only seen an "O" in DURAG, Do-RAG from hairdo
Didn't like "Wasn't true = LIED" - "wasn't truthful" works
Just couldn’t get this one going today. Bummer.
Good morning everyone.
Tough one but I finally got it done with a little help on the west side. Lots of good and varied fill. I usually have trouble getting on Agard's wave length. (Not familiar with Wyna.)
I was reluctant to enter DES because I don't consider it an article per se. It is an elision of 'de les' (of the)which has become a word. If ['included' an article] were in the clue, I would be quiet. I do note that some sources call words like DES and aux a 'partitive article' so in that broader sense, I guess the clue is ok. Enough ruminating.
58º here today. Not a good time to invest in gas futures.
This was a very slow but mostly steady solve - I held myself up because I couldn't remember what "fricative" was and put in TSK instead of SHH. When the SW was going nowhere I knew something had to come out! The SYSTEMS analysis finally made the SLAPSTICK obvious and it finally fell into place.
I didn't know who "Mickey" and SYLVIA were (before my time) but the song was familiar once I listened to HG's link: aha moment - it was in "Dirty Dancing"!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiilV691CzY
Thanks IM for the CSO!
I knew it was going to be a challenge when Erik's name came up - but go 'er done!
Thanks HG for the entertaining blog - the Key & Peele bit "Substitute Teacher" was a good one for you! I always enjoyed their "East/ West Bowl" bits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDp-ABzpRX8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDp-ABzpRX8
FIR but what an inky mess!
What was unusual was that some of the clues should have been obvious. My 8 year old grandson and I play miniature golf often at a "course" where you get a free game if you put the ball in the CLOWNNOSE!!.
ALFRED "FOLGER"...Nope
ALFRED "MAXWELL" Nope
But I buy PEETS keurig pods often.
Stuck with vitalstats even though I check VITALSIGNS every work day.
Duh
"Lock" wouldn't work with "Key" but couldn't remember if PEELE was spelled with an A. (These two entertainers are true geniuses.)
Being stubborn didn't help either. The answer to "film bit" is ALWAYS "Cell" isnt it?...but this is Saturday and the only perp that fit 60d was APT so CLIP is a new alternative at least for me.
Stuck with enact instead of ELECT too long and misspelled SABOT with an A.
For 41a was looking for a stain remover. ADREP a product of the perps alone.
Scratched my head for just a second or two over "Love is Strange," a captivating song that is still cool. Then I remembered that right in the lyrics Mickely asks: "SYLVIA, how do you call your lover boy?"
Was not a fan of Reese Witherspoon (Elle Woods 67a) in the "Legally Blonde" flicks.. she was good in the HBO series "Big Little Lies" but fantastic in the limited series "The Morning Show". Highly recommended
Ray @ 11:00 ~ I was so happy to hear from someone touting The Morning Show. I have the final three episodes to watch and will be chomping at the bit for Season 2. (I surely hope there IS a Season 2!) The acting is superb and whoever did the casting was a genius. I don't think I'll ever see the word Unctuous again without seeing Billy Crudup's character! Aniston and Reece just light up the screen and Steve Carrell is like a train wreck that you can't take your eyes away from, yet can't bear to watch, either.
Well, a Saturday toughie for me, but then they all are. Still, thanks, Erik and Wyna, and I enjoyed reading your comment. I did get the names RONAN and ALBA, which helped a bit, as did DESIS, although I didn't know, or remember, that there were two of them. SAGS helped me get GOONS and SABOT, so that helped keep things NOT TOO BAD. Never heard of CRANKY PANTS, but thought it was funny. And, I loved your picture of the SUMAC, Husker Gary, and your TORTE cartoon.
Have a good weekend, everybody.
Enjoyed your poems, Owen.
Husker: Wonderful write-up and links.
58-d, NEAT ... my favorite answer this year.
Well we are suffering with blue skies and 82 degree weather.
(It is tough living here in Florida).
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Cheers!
Well this Saturday outing was quite the challenge.
One bad cell....had DET for 45A, along with COMOESTAT for 13D. Figured DET for DETroit, which I knew wasn’t right..Lansing being the capitol. Should have spent a few more minutes running the alphabet.
Many markovers today...DRINKS/CLINKS, CRABBYPANTS/CRANKYPANTS, SELENA/SYLVIA, TSK/SHH, SPEWS/SPINS, ADDUP/ANDUP, SNIP/CLIP, ASEA/NEAT.
Still happy to at least finish....this was the type of puzzle that not so long ago I would have given up on.
Enjoy the weekend and the NFL playoffs...my son is a big 9er fan so looking forward to that one, and I am a fan of any team that beats Baltimore - home of the “I got away with murder, now I’m on the ring of honor and on a TV show” dirtbag Ray Lewis. He’s a “reverend” now...in my mind for the church of Satan.
Rant over.
Good morning. The NW was not doable for me (and jfromvt). All I filled was RUNIC & ACURA. RONAN was an unknown and never would have appeared and neither would have YANKEE- lousy clue; it could have been ANY stadium. I incorrectly guessed ORNERY PANTS. I was not thinking of a disease for 'Recall trigger'; DREAM and LEMON wouldn't work. Anybody bought a Lemon vehicle lately. DW has the touch of picking them out- ACURA (1989), Jeep Grand Cherokee (1997) & Murano (2003)- you name it, it broke on those three.
But I was able to TRIANGULATE using perps to get the rest of the puzzle done. I've never heard of CRANKY PANTS, MR.OWL, PEELE & Key, Mickey & SYLVIA or HIDEY HOLE. NASA, SABOT, STAR, SUMAC, LSAT, PEET Coffee, DURAG ( yes billycohoes-only DO-RAG)-Lots of fills completed using perps and WAGS.
Nice puzzle but I would like to throw the pie at you that Trebek wanted to throw.
D-O, I was thinking mini-golf also for CLOWN NOSE; originally had CLOWN HOLE but 'hole was in the clue'- I knew that was wrong.
Welp, I usually can't get on Mr. Agard's wavelength and today is no exception. So many times I thought, as I tried to figure out what the heck he's getting at in a clue, "What the heck does this clue even mean?" Big fat CNF (Could Not Finish). At least I got TWO and SABOT.
This puzzle was probably good but not for me. It was off my wavelength at every turn. A total slog and no joy and a voluntary DNF.
This was a lot like the NYT puzzle today. I thought the cluing was a bit off the mark. Too many cutesy ones.
Started the puzzle about 8 AM. Got stuck, made breakfast.
Cleaned the kitchen, started the dishwasher, worked on the puzzle a bit more until getting stuck again.
Sorted the wash and started a load of laundry. Got stuck again.
Putzed around, watched a little TV and gave it another go.
And so it went. Tough puzzle for me. Got a lot of other things done.
FINALLY finished the puzzle, unaided about 3:30 PM.
Total solve time was 2 hours, 26 minutes, 6 seconds.
Loved the challenge. Didn't give up.
Saturdays here aren't the EASY A we get in other puzzles...
CRAbby PANTS went in early and stayed late as I moved onto other areas.
Mickey ? Mouse, Rooney ? I tried and built around SeLenA for awhile.
Then INANE told me Selena wasn't correct. Also got rid of SkewS for SPINS.
Never heard of Mickey and Sylvia, but like inanehiker, I recalled hearing the song before. Unlike inanehiker, didn't know it was in Dirty Dancing, but maybe that's where I heard it.
With --OWNNOSE in place, I was hoping the clue would be sycophant. Nope.
Oh, and my surveying job was transiting (albeit misspelled) for the longest time before I got enough help from perps to see it was TRIANGULATING.
Why "meatball" logo ?
Anyway, a great Saturday puzzle (they're always great when you can solve them), so thanks, Erik and Wyna. I think solving the USA Today every day has helped me a ton with Erik's usually tough and misleading clues.
Thanks, Husker Gary.
Unfortunately,
SUper hard Saturday puzzles
leave me in a bad mood...
So, today I read the Blog write up,
then did the puzzle.
(I still got stuck...)
On the lighter side,
Irish Miss,
Why there is no room for Mr Meow in Mini Golf...
SNCC could have had any third letter. That stuff happened when I was either in Vietnam, going there or coming home. Heck, I barely knew what was going on with the Redsox.
And BLOWN seemed as good as the eventual CLOWN NOSE. I never got to C alphabet wise
I had ORIENTULATE but knew it had to be wrong. I asked if it was ALBA or ELBA at lunch. "Definitely ELBA". We take solving for granted.
And PEEO just didn't cut it
And the guy chairing the meeting put on a CLOWN NOSE as a gag. They've been giving them away as I recall . So, I got a gift and didn't take it.
I don't know why it took so long to get SYSTEMS Analysis, I only did it for a decade. I had SNAP/CLIP and of course ADMAN>/REP
So, one-box Wilbur coulda been will be bummed until next Saturday.
WC
I admit I needed a little help to reach today's Ta ~ DA! Not like my 49ers, who needed NO help at all to dominate the Vikings!
GO, 'NINERS!
First playoff win in their new stadium.
(Hope this isn't too political.)
~ OMK
The Niners beat the Vikings 27 to 10.
My guys, Jaycee.
Glad I lived long enough to see them back in top form.
Sorry to have stepped on your toes, Keith.
CED @ 5:54 ~ There wasn't room for Mr. Meow where Mr. Owl was. 🦉🐈 I trust you're performing your TLC duties for DW. How is she progressing?
Yikes! Someone please explain: CLOWN NOSE; Off the rocks; who ever used or saw a HIDEY HOLE?; Tootsie Pop owl was a MR.?;how Alfred of coffee is linked to Peet? Who uses Ad Rep in common discourse? Yes, "word play" in puzzles is fun but word ploys are unfair! C'mon LAT editors, do your job.
Bobbi @6:53!
PLEASE! Just go back to the top of this page. Read OwenKL's first verse.
In the second line you can click on the words CLOWN NOSE, and your prayers shall be answered!
~ OMK
Hi All!
Late to The Corner today as I luxuriated in bed listening to the radio / drifting in and out of sleep until 4p. Ah, I needed that.
Erik always bests me so I'm thinking Wyna easy-fied some c/a's for me. Not that I didn't need HG's help to get going in the NE. TWO, ROAN and NASA were alone until the SNCC cheat. Thanks for the puzzle.
Great expo HG. I'm a huge fan of Key & PEELE going back to their partnership on Mad TV.
Fav: SLAP STICK. DW doesn't 'get' The Three Stooges but the Girls & I (and Pop when he's here) will sit & laugh our butts off.
{A, B+}
HIDEY HOLE. Bobbi - I use the phrase all the time.
Enjoyed reading everyone [CED - that cat on the green cracked me up] today.
Cheers, -T
DNF with too many answers of which I've never heard, e.g. the Lady Bird actress crossed by mystic letters;
I had an Acura Integra that was great but far from luxurious;
I like The Morning Show, especially Billy Crudup. I enjoy Reese but not Bradley as a woman's name, but you can't win them all;
Here's another place I need to avoid for football spoilers. There are a million other places I can go if I want to know scores.
I
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