Saturday Themeless by Carly Schuna and Will Nediger
Hi, Gary,
Across:First of all, even though Will generously calls this puzzle a collaboration, it was almost 100% him! I reached out to Will as a very beginning constructor to ask him to test solve a themeless puzzle I had made, and he kindly invited me to make a themeless puzzle with him. I provided the seed entry (INSPECTOR GADGET), and he did the rest, walking me through each step of the process with extreme patience. I then contributed most of the clues, as that was the least I could do after Will made the entire puzzle! That was about a year and a half ago, and since then, I've had about 10 puzzles published or accepted by various outlets, so in case there was ever any doubt, Will is an excellent mentor! Everything you've probably heard about him is true: In addition to being one of the world's best constructors and speed solvers, he is knowledgeable, open-minded, and generous with his time. I truly lucked out on getting him as a mentor.
There are so many entries in this puzzle in Will's signature vice that I love: NEW CAR SMELL, I'LL GET IT, AM I WRONG, YOU DID WHAT, and (my personal favorite) NOPED OUT, which cracks me up every time. These colorful phrase make the puzzle so much more fun and I hope solvers enjoy them!
Will is, of course, a full-time crossword constructor and editor. When I am not making crosswords, I am a circus performer and coach specializing in German wheel (see picture). I also teach static trapeze, flying trapeze, juggling, teeterboard, and more. If anyone is ever near Madison, WI and wants to learn some circus, check out Madison Circus Space, the organization I co-founded where I teach, and we can do some circus together!
Best,
Carly
 |
| Will Nediger |
 |
| Madison Circus Space |
1. Scholarly titles, briefly: DRS.
4. Certain cephalopods: OCTOPI - Cephalo (head) Pods (feet) - Head connected to feet/arms
10. Spaghetti strap top: CAMI.
 |
| CAMISOLE |
14. "Please tell me that didn't happen!": YOU DID WHAT?
16. Rights activist Clooney: AMAL - Amal Clooney (née Alamuddin)
16. Rights activist Clooney: AMAL - Amal Clooney (née Alamuddin)
17. Banishing acts: EXPULSIONS.
18. Choice: WILL - Our favorite scat singer addresses this issue
19. Strategically placed whoopee cushion, say: JAPE - It's in here with some of its related words
22. Canine greeting: WAG.
23. About half the weight of an average car: ONE-TON - My Chevy Colorado weighs about 4,000 lbs or two tons
26. Request for a distraction: COVER ME - "COVER ME, I'm goin' in!"
28. Flower plot: BED.
29. Vulgar: LEWD - Vulgar missed this family portrait. Wednesday's puzzle had some of these.
33. King nicknamed "Longshanks": EDWARD I - He was 6'2" in the year 1300 and is the 19th great-grandfather to QEII
35. Pro fighter: ANTI.
36. Cyborg detective of TV and film: INSPECTOR GADGET - Carly's seed entry
35. Pro fighter: ANTI.
36. Cyborg detective of TV and film: INSPECTOR GADGET - Carly's seed entry
41. Email attention-getters: AT SIGNS - @
42. Shim, for example: SPACER.
42. Shim, for example: SPACER.
44. Slant: SPIN - It's an election year
45. Saw from behind?: WAS - An emordnilap is a word that spells a different word backwards. (Did you notice what emordnilap spelled backwards is?)
48. Most charged: TENSEST people in this atmosphere should 50. "Take a chill pill": EASE UP.
52. Include: ADD.
53. Popular tech service: G-MAIL.
56. Goddess credited in a Milky Way origin account: HERA.
52. Include: ADD.
53. Popular tech service: G-MAIL.
56. Goddess credited in a Milky Way origin account: HERA.
57. Stat in standings: LOSS.
59. Smallest Central American country: EL SALVADOR - #4 EL SALVADOR is 8% smaller than #1 Belize below
62. Job under the hood: LUBE - Modern cars usually do not require this anymore
63. Ones who see what you mean: LIP READERS - Fun clue.
 |
| An attempt to stop this practice |
64. "Come Sail Away" rock band: STYX.
65. Applies, as flattery: LAYS ON.
66. Nanjiani's "The Lovebirds" co-star: RAE - Can you see Issa's name in the graphic? Norma RAE was in the Monday's "D.C." puzzle.
Down:
1. Going platinum, maybe: DYE JOB - No records here, just a salon task
2. "Hunger" memoirist __ Gay: ROXANE.3. Ate dinner: SUPPED.
4. Massage therapist's supply: OIL.
5. Vinyl successors: CDS.
6. Buffoon: TWIT.
7. Cry from one who knows the answer: OH OH and 8. Near-the-deadline response, at times: PANIC and 27. "My heavens!": EGADS. - Emotions for me after ten seconds on Carly's German Wheel
9. "Whatevs": IT'S NO BIGGIE.
10. Farm country avian cry: CAW.
11. "You don't doubt me, do you?": AM I WRONG.
12. Husky cousin: MALAMUTE.
13. Doorbell response: I'LL GET IT.
15. Song one can't perform?: DUET.
21. Dept. in a "Law & Order" spin-off: SVU.
24. Shoppe name word: OLDE.
25. It can be faked with air freshener: NEW CAR SMELL.
30. Power measure: WATT - KiloWATTs produced during a recent 5-day stretch here in our town's solar farm (red line shows wattage for clear blue sky). St. Patrick's Day was very cloudy!
31. Refuse: DROSS - Zinc DROSS left over from galvanizing
33. "Paradise Lost" et al.: EPICS.
34. __ coffee: DRIP.
36. Puts on the hard drive: INSTALLS.
37. Left in disgust or fear, slangily: NOPED OUT.
36. Puts on the hard drive: INSTALLS.
37. Left in disgust or fear, slangily: NOPED OUT.
38. Is ready to act: STANDS BY.
39. Oscar winner Paquin: ANNA - One of Canadian constructors, Brian Paquin, believes Winnipeg-born ANNA is a distant relative
39. Oscar winner Paquin: ANNA - One of Canadian constructors, Brian Paquin, believes Winnipeg-born ANNA is a distant relative
43. Brain scan inits.: EEG.
45. Garden tool: WEEDER.
46. Northern sky sight: AURORA.
47. Minimalist: SPARSE.
49. Shire of "Rocky": TALIA.
49. Shire of "Rocky": TALIA.
51. Herring type: SHAD.
54. Road game: I SPY - with my little eye
55. Metallica drummer Ulrich: LARS - A guy whose name I never knew until I started puzzling
58. Census checkbox: SEX - Can you ask this any more?
60. Cancer follower: LEO - LEO does look somewhat like a lion. I told my kids to lo0k for the big backwards question mark in the spring and summer south sky.
54. Road game: I SPY - with my little eye
55. Metallica drummer Ulrich: LARS - A guy whose name I never knew until I started puzzling
58. Census checkbox: SEX - Can you ask this any more?
60. Cancer follower: LEO - LEO does look somewhat like a lion. I told my kids to lo0k for the big backwards question mark in the spring and summer south sky.
61. Soccer mom's usual ride: VAN - I'm going to venture a guess that Carly's German Wheel ride is far from usual!
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteGot 'er done, but struggled to get there. Didn't understand some c/a's, even after getting them. WAS [Thanx, Gary], WILL, and NOPED OUT, I'm lookin' at you. My dog offered a PAW before a WAG. Still, this one came together faster than yesterday's, and there was no theme for d-o to miss, so life is good. Thanx, Carly, Will, and Husker.
Wow, a circus performer/teacher has joined the constructing world! Welcome Carly. She really has taken advantage of the early mentoring of Will N. As she mentions, she has many publications in the last year many in the Universal crossword.
ReplyDeleteI did not know her favorite NOPED OUT and was initally stymied by wanting two Ns for Roxane Gay, but enjoyed th the puzzle and hary's tour. It is amazing how many new constructors from really diverse backgrounds have emerged.
Thank you Carla and and HG.
FIR, but erased wins for LOSS, csi for SVU, suv for VAN, and set for SEX.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see both of Clooney's spouses (spouci?, spusae?), #1 TALIA and #2 AMAL.
Bruce Springsteen wrote "COVER ME" for Donna Summer, but decided to keep it for "Born in the USA".
When I sailed out of Marina del Rey, all the yacht clubs held their opening day on the third Saturday in March. My club hired a mariachi band, who played and sang "ONE TON Tomato" (parody of Guantanamera) for los gringos locos. I've heard it several times since; always where, as the police reports usually say, "alcohol was involved".
Thanks to Carly and Will for creating a rare Saturday grid that even I could get right. My favorite was "ones who see what you mean" for LIP READERS. And thanks to Gary for another gem.
FIR, despite all the unknowns. Tough puzzle, but perps came to the rescue.
ReplyDeleteFinished it in 9:42. If it weren't for Friday's theme, I'd be convinced they transposed yesterday's with today's puzzle.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know "noped out," Roxane, Edward (the first or any sequels), or Nanjiani or his/her co-star. I foolishly couldn't think of any countries that started with "Elsa" ... duh.
Enjoyable puzzle.
"NOPED OUT" indeed! But I did like "Going Platinum" for DYE JOB.
ReplyDeleteAlso "People who see what you mean" for LIP READERS
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI've done this puzzle before...😲
Expected to open the blog with some explanation how this mistake happened so I can only conclude one of two possibilities
1. While on Captiva Island and in the airport I did a number of crosswords from Magazines and newspapers and it was printed in one of them.
2. Time travel.
😱😨🙀
As almost everyone else has said, I certainly have never heard the expressions "noped out" but that's what the perps indicated. And I remembered Amal Clooney from a cw a few days ago. Other than that, I didn't have too much trouble with the puzzle. As SS alluded to, it seemed fairly easy for a Saturday. FIR, so I'm happy.
ReplyDeleteGoodMorning:
ReplyDeleteI never saw or heard the expression Noped Out and I truly hope I never do again. OTOH, I loved Inspector Gadget and many other fresh and lively entries. I finished in a timely manner but did have a few stumbles: Joke/Jape, Run Out/Bug Out, Gel/Oil, and EPS/CDs. Needed perps for Roxane, Lars, Rae, and the aforementioned NO. Some cute pairings include Drs/EEG, GMail/At Signs, Tensest/Ease Up, Malamute/Wag, and Oil/Lube. CSOs to Leo III (Leo), and Ray O and Inanehiker (EEG and Drs).
Thanks, Carly and Will, for a smooth Saturday solve (Carly, thanks for sharing your interesting background) and thanks, HG, for another blockbuster review and visual display.
FLN
Moe, I hope you arm is feeling more normal today. Do you need antibiotics? Just the thought of something crawling on me while sleeping gives me chills! Feel better! 😉
How about that Cinderella team, St. Peter’s? Interestingly, our local college, Siena, beat them twice this season.
Have a great day.
This was a doable challenge - though I started off slow because I failed to see the ___ on the 2D clue indicating that Gay was the last name instead of the first name - so I confidently put in TALESE instead of ROXANE. It didn't help that I'd never heard of ROXANE Gay.
ReplyDeleteOnce I decided 31D clue refuse had to do with garbage instead of saying no - I went through several iterations e.g. dregs, dribs before landing on DROSS.
I have been to EL SALVADOR several times on medical mission trips, so that opened up the SE to a much quicker solve. Personally, I don't like NEW CAR SMELL so can't wait until it's gone - I would never think of putting it back in with a fragrance!
Thanks HG and Carly/Will
Thanks Carly for stopping by - I used to live in Madison but I don't think the Circus Space was open - I did enjoy taking the kids up to Circus World up in Baraboo, WI
I too loved “lip readers”. How clever. I’ll never remember the difference between a malamute and a husky. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this puzzle very much. After decades of solving Saturday crosswords, I can't recall one with so few proper names. Excellent.
ReplyDeleteWas "signature vice" in Carly's letter a typo or a Saturday-worthy double entendre?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for including the letter and background about the creators!
My favorite clues were "lip readers" and "dye job". Least favorite was "email attention getter, "atsign" What ev. Not far behind was "noped out". Well, I guess I'll "nope out". Overall liked the puzzle, finished way faster than yesterday. Unusual.
ReplyDeleteOCTOPI is not a valid plural of any word. If this is supposed to be the plural of octopus, the correct plural is octopuses. This could have been clued as "Commonly used incorrect plural of certain cephalopods".
ReplyDeleteHola!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fast solve for a Saturday! Thank you, Carly and Gary. Interesting interview with Carly.
AMAL Clooney seems to appear more and more often in crosswords.
NOPEDOUT looks strange and forced to me.
I'll take a CSO at AURORA my middle name and my paternal grandmother's name. My great-grandmother was an avid reader and I recall she had several glass-covered bookshelves filled with her books.
I've needed a LUBE JOB only once when my dashboard messaged me that it was time for it.
Yes, 63A is cleverly clued.
Have a sensational Saturday, everyone!
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon. Thank you Carly, Will and Husker Gary.
Enjoyable solve with fresh clues and answers, and another fine HG review.
Carly, thank you for your comments. Congrats on your first Saturday at the LA Times. I must say though, that the only circus types of things that I've ever done were mostly by accident, and usually involved falling.
It's still not too late to register for The 44th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Even if you aren't planning to attend, you can still play at home, either by mail of online, post tournament. There's links to the previous tournaments with capsule histories. The "Crossword Links" page at that URL has one of the most comprehensive set of links to all things crosswords that I have seen.
For those that want to know the truth about the plurals of octopus:
The Plural of Octopus: Octopi or Octopuses?
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-many-plurals-of-octopus-octopi-octopuses-octopodes
I enjoyed this puzzle!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, being a Saturday I started with the red letters on expecting a real time consuming slog. I was pleasantly surprised to find it difficult, but sussable. My favorite kind of puzzle.
So, I will say I FIR!
(Finished it red)
As opposed to FIB, (finished it black) which is how to best enjoy this puzzle...
I don't think I can claim I finished it right.
Personally, I have never liked "oh, oh," as a knowing the answer response.
I think it is more like, ooh, ooh...
Lube job?
Yes, modern cars still get lube jobs. If it squeaks, it gets lubed. Think door hinges etc...
Puzzling thoughts:
ReplyDeleteFIR with just a couple of w/o's. I thought the character in 36-across was PROFESSOR GADGET. That only slowed me down briefly as the perps necessitated I change it to INSPECTOR
WAGs included JAPE and NOPED OUT. VAN started out being SUV but I quickly put in VAN as I knew EL SALVADOR was the smallest C.A. nation in size - Belize probably has fewer people though
IM: yes, I am feeling better. My finger is still a tiny bit numb but I'm hoping that will soon pass. Doesn't help that that finger has a bit of arthritis as well as being a trigger finger ... did I mention that getting old sucks??
CED: I too thought about Horshack in Welcome Back, Kotter with the 7-down entry
13-down: I'LL GET IT also used to be the comment made when the phone ☎️ rang. And for the most part, our doorbell only rings when UPS or FedEx is delivering a package of wine I've ordered, and requires me to sign, proving I'm of legal drinking age
Congrats Carly on your first Saturday LA Times puzzle. That's next on my bucket list for construction - doing a Saturday "themeless". BTW, there are new parameters for LAT puzzles with the new editors; plus, they kicked up their payment amounts
Enjoy the weekend. I'm gonna continue watching the NCAA basketball games as I have three teams remaining in my Bracket Guess
Thanks for today's XWD!
ReplyDeleteOverall, a cool PZL from the Schuna/Nediger team, with just a few esoteric provincialisms & awkward neologs (NOPED OUT, TENSEST) that just don't feel right.
HuskerG ends the week with a yeoman job!
EDWARD I was my first fill today, the beginner in a long series of British monarchs that devolved six centuries later to the irresponsible 8th of that name.
~ OMK
___________
DR: One diagonal, near side.
Its anagram (13 of 15 letters) is a commentary on the depressive lassitude that can consume a dismal addict, whether habituated to drugs or any regular dependency.
I speak of course of an...
"OORIE DOPEHEAD"!
Noped out was sort of a learning moment.
ReplyDeleteI understand completely coming across an undesirable situation, and just saying "nope," and turning the other way. But I never thought of it in the "after" tense...
Too bad more people don't nope out...
But I guess it depends on the situation.
(Current events for example...)
I liked this puzzle a lot. Several of the clever clues made me smile, including the clues for LIP READER, EXPULSIONS, ONE TON, BED, DUET, and DYE JOB. Those are also terrific fill. I had never heard the expression NOPED OUT, but the perps were solid; I don't know if I will remember it or ever hear it written or spoken.
ReplyDeleteI'm with I.M. on nope-ing out on the future use of NOPED OUT.
ReplyDeleteThe puzzle was both challenging (good) and entertaining (good) but my personal tastes run away from long fill where the clues are in quotation marks and the answers can be anything that anyone might say.
Thanks, Gary, for the introduction to Emordnilap. I had never come across that term despite being a fan of palindromes. Time now, I guess, to go hang a salami.
I would think a "Husky" could be a Siberian or MALAMUTE
ReplyDeleteOops, it wasn't eMAIL and I should have got the G from EE(They all end in G). FIW after all.
I had wiSE UP and Skew/SPIN. As usual it was difficult until it wasn't. Doable because of perps.
Anybody think of me! me!/OH OH. And… I thought of wiG OUT. And, humor ME.
A perfect P&P xword.
WC
I've forced myself to scan Parade Magazine for pop-cul names and ANAL Clooney was there Sunday and after 4 perps I had it.
No Baseball or other sports refs which made some very happy
Oops, AMAL
DeleteWilbur, I love that typo/Spellcheck entry, though I doubt that Ms. Clooney is particularly anal.
ReplyDeleteThanks,Sandy. I had 5 posts to teread plus links that invariably lead me to Cheers 30 second vignettes.
DeleteThe more I read the Corner's reactions to it, the more I believe NOPED OUT is an expression never used by anyone over 45.
ReplyDeleteOr else Carly, Will and their generational cohort are slyly Gaslighting us cruciverbalists of advanced years.
Take your pick,
~ OMK
I managed to FIR in (I think) the same time as yesterday, 40 minutes. I was so proud of myself just COMPLETING a Saturday CW….then came here to read most people found the CW easier than most Saturdays. I guess THAT’S why even I could do it! W/Os TANK:CAMI, OHME:OHOH. DNK JAPE or AMAL. WAGs of NEWCARSMELL and ITSNOBIGGIE were big helps in being able to FIR. Along with Jinx@8 and AGM@8:45 I liked LIPREADERS, and also liked DYEJOB. Not at all keen on NOPEDOUT, never heard of it. Overall a fun Saturday, thanx CS & WN for a Saturday CW that I was actually able to FIR, even though it was my usual snail’s pace. Thanx too to HuskerGary for his outstanding, fun write-up. Can something be “very unique”? I thought “unique” meant one-of-a-kind.
ReplyDeleteI found YOU DID WHAT crossing IT'S NO BIGGIE particularly amusing.
ReplyDeleteThe ex-husband of one of my nieces (whose birthday happens to be today) is from EL SALVADOR. He and his family came to the U.S.A. when the war started there. His parents and I had many conversations during family gatherings since they only spoke Spanish.
An early FIR followed by a busy day brings me here later than usual. I enjoyed the puzzle once it started filling in the NE and I continued clockwise. Serious WOs at NOT I and SPACER, but eventually it all filled and made sense. WEES about favorites. Good job, Carly and Will, with the vocabulary and cluing. And super reviewing today, Husker Gary.
ReplyDeleteSee you all tomorrow!
unclefred ~
ReplyDeleteI share your suspicion of "very unique."
But I believe the majority of English speakers err in the same direction. When pressed, they are apt to say, "Well, I mean that something is more one-of-a-kinder than something else."
A living unicorn may be one-of-a-kind, but a meteorite from a far-off galaxy containing an internal tablet written in Shakespearean English may demand even more of an "Isn't that special?" treatment.
True, they may each be unique, but I would want a helper word to hint at the more marvelous nature of the latter.
~ OMK
Kudos to those who FIR. I got the bottom third, including NOPED OUT; NEVER heard of it. Couldn't get a foothold elsewhere. Too many unknowns-ANNA, ROXANE,JAPE, AMAL, GADGET,but I got INSPECTOR.
ReplyDeleteONE TON car? Maybe a Lotus or Miata.
Have no idea about @AT SIGNS being used as attention getters, only for an email address. News too me.
DRS- if you can't write an Rx or perform surgery don't refer to yourself as "doctor". It's okay at a college for professors but I know many pHDs and pharmacists who would never refer to themselves as Dr. Xxxxx.
BE, wasn't the clue something on the order of "half a car's weight"? 4,000 pounds seems about right.
ReplyDeleteI agree with OMK and all Cornerites that it would be more better if men, women and people would cease and decease saying the utterance "very unique".
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteFinished it mostly right.
BUG OUT and NOPEOUT kinda the same?
Thanks for the puzzle Carly & Will; fun cluing Carley.
Thank you for the post-game, HG. You're still the only reason I attempt Sat grids ;-)
Carly - I love it! I think it's just me & Picard at The Corner who can juggle clubs. He wins 'cuz he can do it on a unicycle.
Anyone a fan of the Foo Fighters? Taylor, their drummer and all around great guy, died Friday. He was only 50.
My favorite Taylor & Dave moment is inducting RUSH into the RRHoF. [Cite TV-MA]
And, this morning, RUSH gave back.
R.I.P. Taylor Hawkins.
-T
ReplyDeleteDash T, yes, I read that news about Taylor Hawkins this morning. Sad for sure, but there are probably just a few of us in this august crowd that would know of him. Thanks for the link to the introduction of Rush into the HOF. Perhaps the greatest intro in to the R&R HOF ever.
Big Easy, look at what I found by Googling:
ReplyDeletedoctor (n.)
c. 1300, doctour, "Church father," from Old French doctour and directly from Medieval Latin doctor "religious teacher, adviser, scholar," in classical Latin "teacher," agent noun from docere "to show, teach, cause to know," originally "make to appear right," causative of decere "be seemly, fitting" (from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept").
And that's just the first paragraph. Interesting, huh?
Jinx @ 8am - Film and TV actress Talia Balsam was married to Clooney from 1989 to 1993, not Talia (nee Coppola) Shire.
ReplyDeleteOl'ManKeith@5:24 If somebody showed up with "a meteorite from a far-off galaxy with an internal tablet of Shakespearean English" I wouldn't think of the word "unique". I would think of the word "fraud". ;-)
ReplyDelete