google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday, July 27, 2022, Peter A. Collins

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Jul 27, 2022

Wednesday, July 27, 2022, Peter A. Collins

Theme: TAKE A TURN

17. *Small Hershey's treats: CHOCOLATE KISSES.

23. *Cabbagelike ornamental plant: WHITE KALE.

38. *Baker's pan: CAKE TIN.

51. *Pedicabs: BIKE TAXIS.

59. Misinterpret, or what is hidden in each of the answers to the starred clues?: TAKE THE WRONG WAY.

TAKE straddles two words, and is scrambled ('the wrong way') four different ways.  

Melissa here. Besides the clever theme, lots of fun stuff today - lets get on with it.

Across:

1. Manicurist's tool: FILE.

5. Windex target: PANE.

9. Blackjack stack: CHIPS.

14. Black Card co.: AMEX. American Express.

15. "Hey, sailor!": AHOY.

16. Largest city on the Red River: HANOI. Capital of Vietnam.

 
20. Some pore minimizers: TONERS. Skin care product applied after cleansing to remove residue, close up pores, and prime the skin for moisturizer.

21. Chowder head?: CLAM. Haha.

22. "Outlander" cable network: STARZ.

28. Sit for a portrait: POSE.

30. More iffy: DODGIER. Funny word.

31. Pool toy: RAFT.

34. Orecchiette shape: EAR. Pasta. Good for trapping thick sauces.

36. Henrik whose last play was "When We Dead Awaken": IBSEN.

37. Tetris shape: ELL. A "falling block puzzle" video game. Ell is one of the block shapes - I bet you didn't know that they have personalities. Play free online.

41. Mormons, initially: LDS. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

42. Prom queen topper: TIARA. Sometimes clued as "crownlet," or small crown.

44. Links standard: PAR. What exactly does it mean?

45. Left on a map: WEST.

46. Reason for a makeup test: ABSENCE.

49. Transmission selection: GEAR.

53. Sacramento team: KINGS.

57. Apropos of: AS TO.

58. Stuff one's face: PIG OUT. I was just in Portland, Oregon, and saw a bbq place by that name.

64. String quartet instrument: VIOLA. String quartet: A chamber music ensemble consisting of first and second violins, viola, and cello. Here's an unconventional one.


65. Get just right: NAIL. I've never seen this show but it looks entertaining.


66. Old Italian bread?: LIRE.

67. Poetry fests: SLAMS.

68. General __ chicken: TSO'S.

69. Pulls the plug on: ENDS. Sometimes you have to know when to call it quits.


Down:

1. Trivia quiz fodder: FACTS.

2. "Can we turn on the ceiling fan?": I'M HOT. That's me, every day.

3. "Glassheart" singer Lewis: LEONA. Title track from her third studio album.

4. Passage quoted in a book review, say: EXCERPT.

5. Buds: PALS.

6. "That's it!": AHA!

7. Top-__: NOTCH.

8. Lens cover: EYELID. Nice.

9. Added one's opinion: CHIMED IN.

10. Experiences: HAS. Verb, not noun.

11. Some connections: INS.

12. Baltimore Ravens mascot named for a writer: POE. Edgar Allen Poe was a resident of Baltimore, Maryland. For us non-sports fans, The Link Between the Baltimore Ravens and Edgar Allan Poe. If you're in town, the Poe House Museum would be a cool way to spend an hour.

13. Mom, to Auntie: SIS.

18. Ricelike pasta: ORZO.

19. Green Hornet sidekick: KATO. This character has appeared with the Green Hornet in radio, film, television, book and comic book versions.
23. Watered-down: WEAK.

24. USSR secret service: KGB.

25. Flight path?: AISLE.

26. City near Manchester: LEEDS.

27. Accounting giant __ & Young: ERNST.

29. __ salt: SEA. For cooks: Three salts you must have and why you should never use kosher salt again.

31. Adjust a paragraph setting: RETAB. Remember these?


32. Defensive line?: ALIBI. I like it.

33. Lab container: FLASK. Wikipedia lists five distinct kinds of lab flasks.

35. Iron-pumping unit: REP.


38. Some Bach creations: CANTATAS. From Italian cantare, “to sing,” originally, a musical composition intended to be sung, as opposed to a sonata, a composition played instrumentally; now, loosely, any work for voices and instruments.

39. Puts a glove on, in a way: TAGS. Baseball. For a legitimate tag, the fielder must have the ball held securely in either the hand or the glove. Nowhere else. With the ball held securely in hand or glove, the fielder can, in a force situation, touch (tag) a base with any portion of his body, including his gloved hand, foot, non-glove hand, and so forth.

40. Wrath: IRE.

43. Food writer Drummond: REE. She lives on a working ranch outside of Pawhuska, Oklahoma with her husband.

45. Squirm: WRIGGLE.

47. "Ring of Fire" singer: CASH. I never knew all this about the song.

48. Scope: EXTENT.

50. Comparable (to): AKIN.

52. Siouan speakers: IOWAS.

54. Lose-lose: NO WIN.
55. Keep safe: GUARD.

56. Ocular woes: STYES.

58. D.C. veterans: POLS. Politicians, I assume.

59. Sets in a bar: TVS.

60. Feel poorly: AIL.

61. RVer's stopover: KOA. Kampgrounds of America. Is membership worth it?

62. Common name for a tree-lined street: ELM.

63. Ipanema's city: RIO.




41 comments:

OwenKL said...

FIRight. no problem. Hit the reveal before I'd solved the theme, but it's part of my usual search M.O., so I'm sure I would have found it. I'll call this one a push.

XCSO for me on LDS. Ex-Mormon who even went to BYU. For one year.

It's said that Reverend Spooner, and Mrs. Malaprop
Got together one day, to go out and shop.
She found a shrub that grew bacon,
He observed a doggier wrear, on the Common.
They took a BIKE TAXI home, but...
~~~the rickshaw TOOK THE WRONG WAY to hop!

[Who doesn't know what to yell to Mrs. M.? If you do know, please don't give it away to the rest of the community.]

Spelling is important, you'll agree.
Even parsing, as the BIKE TAX IS free!
One can TAKE an icinged CAKE,
Or maybe CAKE a movie TAKE,
There was a blind man who used a long WHITE KALE, see?
~~~(He'd bought it sight unseen!)

{B-, C.}

Subgenius said...

I wasn’t familiar with “white kale “ but it perped easily. Also, I had no idea what the reveal was going to be but after solving it, it made sense. Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

Something bit me in the night -- probably a spider. Then I couldn't get rid of the sensation of creepy-crawlies on my skin. Gave up and arose at 3AM. It'll certainly be nap time later today.

Nice puzzle, and even d-o managed to get Peter's TAKE on things. WHITE KALE seemed like a stretch, but the other themers were rock-solid. Thanx, Peter and Melissa Bee.

Wilbur Charles said...

Fln, interesting background on KAMALA. I observed that she was indeed intelligent and I can see the genes.

In addition to what melissa(enjoyed the write-up) pointed out, the AISLE clue dropped a V8

Could 46A have been clued: "Cheers up the heart?"

I was too quick to put this down(FIR btw) without rechecking the theme

WC

Owen don't worry about moi spoiling the beans on poem#1
Expliquez later s'il vous plait

And btw, when I saw R and K I too immediately thought of rickshaw (wouldn't fit)

WC

Jinx in Norfolk said...

DNF, looking up LEONA, which gave me TONERS and STARZ. Erased cello for it's little cousin. Didn't get the theme, but I don't solve the words in the Jumble either, I just try to solve from the cartoon. Other unknowns were WHITE KALE, orecchiette, CAKE TIN, REE, or how an AISLE is a flight path. Surely not stair flight.

I may not have known Glassheart, but I do know Blondie's big hit Heart of Glass.

Mini OJ theme with KATO (Kaelin) and "puts a glove on". Thanks to PAC for the challenge, and to Melissa for explaining it all.

tommyd said...

"Links standard" = PAR

Golf links.

Nuff said.

TTP said...



Typo Wednesday. Good morning. Thank you, Peter, and thank you, Melissa.

My answer to the reveal clue was TAKE THr WRONG WAY.

Other than that minor error, all went well. My "drew a blank" momentary lapse was the name of the Green Hornet's sidekick.

I believe that REE Drummond started with a food and recipe blog way back when. The blog's popularity led to her television programs. So Bluehen, if you are reading, what's stopping you ?

tommyd at 6:17, Melissa knew. Her question was written to pique interest, and the text is a hotlink to a page that covers PAR in depth.

Jinx, think of flying the friendly skies. Um, ok, maybe the not so friendly skies. Anyway, you are on a flight, and the path(way) while on board is the AISLE.

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

I had no idea about the theme until I filled in the clever reveal. SS will be happy for the “absence” of circles, as am I. 🤗 The fill was pretty straightforward, so no stumbles or w/os. I really enjoyed the cluing, especially:

Chowder head?=Clam
Defensive line?=Alibi
Flight Path=Aisle

Thanks, Peter, for a mid-week treat and thanks, Melissa, for the informative review. I guess I have an unsophisticated palate as I use Kosher salt almost exclusively. 🫢

FLN

Inanehiker, have a great vacation!

Speaking of vacations, my niece and her husband enjoyed their stay at Pebble Beach tremendously, however, Dave came down with COVID the day after they arrived home. His symptoms are fairly mild and, so far, Michele, has not been infected.

Have a great day.

Anonymous said...

I took this one in 6:30.
And yes, Ms. Irish Miss, I was glad there was an "absence" of circles today.

I didn't know "Ree" (or any food writers) or "white kale".

Good Wednesday puzzle.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

TTP, thanks for the V8. Doh!

unclefred said...

Too tired for much commentary this morning, so FIR in the booby-prize winning time of 33. Fargo also has a Red River and woulda fit. Thanx PAC for the nice mid-week mental exercise. And thanx MB for your usual terrific write-up.

billocohoes said...

I just use table salt when I use salt at all.

REE Drummond is from Pawhuska OK? That was billed as the home of 1970s pro wrestler "Chief Jay Strongbow" (actually born as Luke Joseph Scarpa of Nutley NJ)

CrossEyedDave said...

Doesn't it just make you want to see what's at the other end?

Subgenius said...

CrosseyedDave- Now that I have a device with YouTube capability, my appreciation for your efforts has gone up considerably. I think you’re a comic genius!

Sherry said...

A few issues with names. Take exception to : puts a glove on - tags. Beyond my wheelhouse.

Monkey said...

Good puzzle with a few unknowns but they filled in nicely anyway. I started with the reveal and thought the theme would include synonyms of steal until I filled in white kale then I followed the right path.

Yes I’m hot and I’m having a special relationship with air conditioning.

Stay cool everyone 😎

Anonymous said...

A clever puzzle and some fun clues. 24D should of been “USSR ex-secret service”as the KGB no longer exists. It is now the FSB.

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-We love watching our birds feed on our suction cup window feeders but they make a mess on the PANE
-Getting that ABSENCE-generated makeup test given is usually more important to the teacher
-In our league, the hole ENDS for a team when the best they can do is one over PAR
-19 years ago, our daughter laughed about our having so many celling fans. Now she’s installing her own
-In a trivia quiz I knew Louboutin for “He’s famous for red-soled shoes” because of a recent puzzle
-Somehow, it has become a habit to say, “Let’s Roll, KATO” when we leave the house
-A great way to avoid the TAG
-I would have clued LEONA as “Heartless hotel owner Helmsley” – “Only little people pay taxes”

Jinx in Norfolk said...

BTW, is KOA membership worth it? For us, definitely. Yes, there are cheaper private campgrounds, but you'll probably get dirt spaces and old facilities. Many were previously KOA affiliates. Yes, state and federal campgrounds are usually cheaper and more forested, but most aren't located near an interstate exit, and trees require me to haul out and set up our tripod to get DirecTV. In addition, most state and national campgrounds don't have sewer connections, so you either haul it away or stop by the dump station when full and/or leaving.

We usually don't stay at KOAs once we reach our destination, but they are great stays while in transit.

sumdaze said...

FIR after finally realizing that "transmission" was not about radio signals. Lots of clever misdirections today. Thanks for the fun, Peter. I am always impressed when a constructor can END with a final word.

Bluehen said...

Delightful puzzle with just enough crunch to be even more entertaining. I agree that some of the c/a were a bit of a stretch, but understandable when perps filled in the answers. Thanks, PAK and thank you mb for an illuminating expo. I'm glad you explained the theme as I hadn't a clue.

TTP, yes, I lurk every day or try to. I still consider myself part of this community even though I haven't CHIMED IN very much recently. I'd answer your question, but I'm not sure whether you are asking why I don't post more often or why I don't have a food blog. As I have said before, I don't post often because typing does not come easily to me, by the time I'm ready to post everything I wanted to say has already been said, leaving me little to post about except what I'm cooking for dinner, and I don't want to be a one-trick pony. I don't have a food blog because I have no desire to, just as I have no desire to cook professionally. I am not that ego driven, the internet hardly needs another food blogger, and I am happiest cooking for family and friends and remaining low key.

That being said, we're having BLTs tonight with potato salad and fresh corn on the cob.

Cya!

Anthony Gael Moral said...

Thanks, TTP. I could not see how AISLE could be a flight path.

Anonymous T said...

Hi All!

Fun puzzle and circles need-not apply. Thanks Peter.

Great expo, mb. Thanks for the post-game FACTS.

WO: LIRa
ESPs: LEONA, REE (I should know her - I have one of her cookbooks)
Fav: AISLE's clue.
Runners-up: 'Chowder head' and ALIBI's [Clapton] are cute too.

Speaking of Chowder [meat] Head, Norman Lear is 100yro today.

Shreveport is largest city on a different Red River.

{B, C+}

FLN - Lucina: we move next Friday. That's the loft at old house. My office in new house is just an upstairs bedroom :-(

WHITE KALE

Jinx - we had the same thought at 3d. Thx for some Blondie.

Nice you CHIMED IN today, Bluehen. Sounds like the perfect light dinner for the dog-days of summer.

Gotta run. Cheers, -T

Irish Miss said...

Bluehen @ 10:59 ~ While I wish you would post more often, I can understand your reasoning for not doing so. However, there is always something to add about the puzzle or your personal solving solving experience, as we each have our own perspectives and opinions. I truly miss hearing about your menus and other culinary tidbits and I’m sure others do as well. I hope you’ll join us more often and tease our tastebuds once again. FWIW, fresh corn and potato salad are on my dinner menu, but the protein is still TBD. BLT’s sound good but I have neither lettuce nor tomatoes. 🙁 Bon Appétit!

Lucina said...

Hola!

Thank you, Peter, for the puzzle and Melissa for the write-up where much was explained.

I can't recall ever eating WHITE KALE but I do know about it. I've seen it along with purple KALE as ornamental planting in gardens and yards. I'm not a big fan of KALE.

Though I've never seen REE Drummond's TV show, I love her bowls and plates of which I have many as well as butter dish and salt and pepper shakers and utensil holders. Most have been gifts at Christmas or my birthday. My friends know what I like.

LEONA Lewis is unknown to me and the N was my last fill. I, too, would have known hotel owner, LEONA.

Welcome back General TSO's chicken! We haven't seen you in a while.

Now I need to go back and check the links. Have a lovely day, everyone!


Vidwan827 said...


Thank You Peter Collins, for a challenging puzzle, that I enjoyed ... I had trouble with the clue for TAG and AISLE ... but now, I understand it. I solved the last theme reveal but, in the absence of circles, I could not parse it ... a TAKE on what ? (Now, I understood... )

Thank You MelisssaBee for your explanatory review ... I live in NE Ohio, and the temps are in the 70's ... like San Frisco weather ... so not too much use of the AC, Thank God ... maybe the huge lake ERIE on our shores has yet to warm up, from last year's winter.**

** A climatologist says that the Great Lakes, already one of the largest fresh water sources in the world, may become the only freshwater source, in the world, in the coming generations, because of the climate changes.

CED, your cartoons are always fantastic !!! Thank you for your diligence !

Anon-T, you certainly have a mega-giga - library of computers !
I am surprised that none of your daughters took after you, or your choice of professions.

I was aware that there were many Red Rivers in the USA and the World, and many Red River Valleys ( where the deer and the antelope play ...***), so HANOI was just a lucky guess.

*** The 'Home on the Range' is the state song .... of the State of Kansas ..!!
Maybe the deer and antylopes eat the corn as well ....

Husker G, Thanks to your kindly intentioned, suction cup bird feeders, your birdees maybe have become .... a Pain on the PANES, eating pain (Fr.) crumbs ...

I have a great admiration of Norman Lear, and did not know he was still alive at 100 ...

Wikipedia. On the subject of various varieties of Salt, both natural and manufactured, .... there is a mostly manufactured variety in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal called Black Salt, or Kala Namak ( which means 'black salt' ...).
Before you rush out to buy it, and it costs much more than table salt, please note ... it contains a large amount of Hydrogen Sulphide, ..... which will exit your system in copious amounts of gas, and flatulence ... however, it is indispensible, in very, very, small quantities, for precisely that reason, ... in certain indian savories, and I happen to have a jar full of it... which I use, about once a year ...


Have a nice day, all.

Anonymous said...

I didn’t understand that either.

unclefred said...

Sherry@9:30, Think of the glove with a baseball in it: the player is tagging the runner.

CanadianEh! said...

Wonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Peter and melissabee.
I thought that I FIRed, but arrived here to discover that I spelled ORZO with a S (this Canadian cannot remember STARZ).
But I did get the KATE theme.

Oh goodness! I just realized that I have a second FIW. I had As IN for 50D instead of AKIN; I did question those Sacramento SINGS (should have asked DH!).

The mid-WEST coast was the last to fall. Beaker wouldn’t fit, but finally FLASK appeared and opened up the rest.I don’t think of a RAFT as a pool toy; it is too big. I groaned at ALIBI =defensive line.

I noted the two pastas (even if I can’t spell them).
We had NAIL and FILE, CASH and AMEX(or LIRE), and CHIPS AHOY cookies?.
The cross of PIGOUT and STY(E)S was interesting.

HANOI is on the Red River!? I was trying to fit Winnipeg into that spot. ( I see unclefred was going for Fargo.)
Favourite was the clue for AISLE.
TAGS took a moment for the AHA.
ENDS location was appropriate. (Hello sumdaze)

Wishing you all a great day. I’M not too HOT here today.

Jayce said...

BIKE TAXIS? Really? Hurts my ears.

I'm with Lucina about KALE.

The article about different kinds of salts was interesting. Thank for linking it, Melissa.

My Blackjack stack changed from CARDS to CHIPS. So we have CHIPS AHOY!

My wife and I always laugh when we hear the word DODGY.

I agree that a RAFT sure seems to be too big to be a pool toy. I guess those inflatable chaise-longue thingies are called rafts, though. At least it wasn't clued as a proper name, i.e. George RAFT. Thanks for that.

Speaking of proper names, a 5-letter last name of somebody named Henrik couldn't be anything other than IBSEN, could it? (Don't answer that.)

Swap two letters in LDS and you have ...

DSL! Hahaha!

Re ABSENCE, there's an old joke that ends "abscess makes the fart go Honda."

When I see the phrase NAILed it, I think of C.C.

When I read about milkweed or Monarch butterflies I think of Misty.

Good wishes to you all.

Lemonade714 said...

Well the posters did it again, saying everything worth saying about the clues and fill. Peter Collins has had more than 200 published puzzles since his debut in 2006.

Speaking of constructors, Taylor Johnson of Taylor Made Crosswords is a Minneapolis-based crossword constructor (C.C. you know him/her?) who also works for a local food co-op. Taylor has published in Universal, Crosswords Club, and Los Angeles Times.

Lemonade Disco is a project Taylor began as a way to offer a platform for aspiring constructors to showcase their talent, voice, and creativity in an inclusive, supportive space. The inspiration for how the project is structured is based on “The Moth”, a nationwide monthly story-telling series, in which storytellers respond to a prompt.

Should I sue?

Lemonade714 said...

No comments for more than 1 hour and then Jayce and I comment at the same moment...anyway, I think of John Lampkin and his beautiful butterfly pics.

Ol' Man Keith said...

Mr. Collins' PZL is well delineated by Melissa bee.

It shows once again that the longest fills are often the easiest--and most useful in helping with perps.
~ OMK
___________
DR:
One diagonal, near side.
It yields an anagram (11 of 15 letters) that reminds us of the terrible cardio test we posted a couple of years ago.
It was truly a...

"FEARSOME EKG"!

Jayce said...

CanadianEh! you beat me to noticing CHIPS AHOY, and I apologize for failing to credit you for saying it first.

Lucina said...

Oops. I just realized I had SINGS instead of Sacramento KINGS. So sloppy. That's what happens when I don't proofread! Also AS IN not AKIN.

CanadianEh! said...

Jayce- no problem! I thought the CHIPS AHOY was funny. Can you imagine a sailor saying that?!

Lucina- I couldn’t blame my As IN on proofreading. I thought it was a reasonable answer to the clue. But you obviously knew the KINGS,

CrossEyedDave said...

Old Man Keith @ 3:24

Aah, to be young again,
When diagonals in crosswords don't remind you of Fearsome EKG's,
But, fearsome Kegs...

and come to think of it, they were only just appetizers...

PK said...

Hi Y'all! Thank you Peter for a fun puzzle. And thanks, Melissa, for all we needed to know.

There was a theme?

Got off to a bad start by putting IM HOT & LEONA in the wrong slots & wondering why they turned red. Knew LEONA Lewis. Left the NW until last then got her right at once. Couldn't think of FILE, AMEX, TONERS or STARZ. Got CHOCOLATE okay tho.

DNK: WHITE KALE, REE.

This took longer than it should have because my computer was jumpy. Would start typing across but the letters were going elsewhere. Hate that.

ATLGranny said...

Another early FIR but even later posting than usual. My schedule is weird , but the puzzle was much fun. Thanks, Peter, for constructing and Melissa B for reviewing.

Many comments by now with my thoughts about the theme and clever clues. I was a little confused about TAG, too. Thanks. Perps on general saved the day and confirmed my not totally understood fill. The sign of good construction. And the many learning moments add to general knowledge for future puzzles. For example, Poe and Ibsen have had frequent appearances lately. Now to get sports references quicker....

See you all tomorrow.

Yellowrocks said...

white kale

White kale and similar plantings are very common here because they survive cold weather.

Lucina said...

Sigh. Right now is not a good time for planting anything. Not for me, anyway. It's waaaaay too hot to be outdoors for even a few minutes. No one has even been to the swimming pool in a few days. I did hang my laundry out and quickly scooted inside afterward, but first watered my faithful ferns. They are surviving and I'm so grateful. Luckily they are somewhat sheltered under the patio cover.

C eh? Yes, I try to become familiar with sports teams only because I know they will eventually appear in a XWD. I hear about them only in the news when they are mentioned.

It's already close to 8:30 PM and still at 91 degrees.