Theme: "It's Working!" - Various job professions are humorously re-interpreted, fitting the position in each clue.
23. Hitching post?: WEDDING OFFICIANT.
33. Fair trade?: CARNIVAL BARKER.
60. Cold calling?: POLAR EXPLORER.
70. Inside job?: INTERIOR DECORATOR.
82. Power station?: PRIME MINISTER.
107. Instrumental role?: CONCERT PIANIST.
121. Scoring position?: BROADWAY COMPOSER.
Across:
5. Practical jokers: WAGS.
9. Ankle-related: TARSAL.
15. Kindergarten recitation: ABCS.
19. McFlurry cookie: OREO.
20. Inside scoop: INFO.
21. "The Heart of the Matter" novelist: GREENE (Graham)
22. "Sounds like a __!": PLAN.
26. Pennant __: RACE.
27. Vision correction tools: LASERS. We also have 62. Ophthalmologist, informally: EYE DOC. Anyone had LASIK on our blog?
28. __ Grande: RIO.
29. Like rainforests: LUSH.
31. Revolutionary Guevara: CHE. He visited China in the 1960s. Here with Chairman Mao and Zhou Enlai.
32. Social group: CLUB.
38. "Pipe down!": SHH.
40. Tiny parasites: LICE.
42. Erin of "Happy Days": MORAN.
43. Wax-wrapped cheese: EDAM.
44. Try to win over: WOO.
45. Freud's "The __ and the Id": EGO.
46. Shoulder muscles, briefly: DELTS.
48. Two-syllable foot: IAMB.
51. Cry to a cap'n: AHOY.
53. Not much at all: A TAD.
57. Snooped (around): NOSED.
59. Hankook product: TIRE. Based in South Korea.
64. Some Himalayan residents: NEPALIS.
66. Beam: RAY.
67. Far from port: ASEA.
68. Pigeon coop: COTE.
69. Inexact fig.: EST.
75. World Series mo.: OCT. Here's Boomer's Eucharistic Minister
Bill and his wife Margaret. I really like them, so kind and sweet. Bill
hopes that I can become a Catholic so they can still see me regularly in
the future.
77. Genesis locale: EDEN.
78. Hardships: ILLS.
79. Agcy. with a taxing job: IRS.
80. Peanut butter Girl Scout cookies: DO-SI-DOS.
88. Notable times: ERAS.
91. Any second now: SOON.
92. Exude, as charm: OOZE.
93. Actress Ward: SELA.
94. __-turvy: TOPSY.
96. "60 Minutes" network: CBS.
99. Ornate flower pot: URN.
100. Lava __: LAMP.
103. Agree to join: OPT IN.
105. Casual conversation: CHAT. I talk with Carmen almost every day. She's going to be a grandma soon.
106. Purr former: CAT.
111. Maui's scenic __ Highway: HANA.
113. WC: LOO.
114. "Falling Skies" actor Wyle: NOAH.
115. "Life Is Good" rapper: NAS.
116. Poet Gorman who read at President Biden's inauguration: AMANDA.
119. Give off: EMIT.
126. Lhasa __: APSO.
127. Many a profile picture: SELFIE.
128. Mystery novelist Paretsky: SARA.
129. One of the Three Bears: MAMA.
130. "Those people?": THEM.
131. Dangerous African fly: TSETSE.
132. Cash drawer slot: ONES.
133. "Sounds good to me!": I'M IN.
Down:
2. Field of expertise: AREA.
3. Inst. that features clinical rotations: MED SCHOOL. Partner with 85. Froot Loops mascot: TOUCAN SAM. Brilliant pairs.
4. Prototype: MODEL.
5. Hits the jackpot: WINS BIG. I put in a $10 bill when we went to Mystic Lake for Boomer's birthday. Almost lost all my money, then I got this.
6. "Life of Pi" director Lee: ANG.
7. Fighter pilot's sensation: G FORCE.
8. "Lost in Translation" director Coppola: SOFIA. Daughter of Francis Ford Coppola.
9. __ Fridays: TGI.
10. Continuing storyline: ARC.
11. Big name in outdoor gear: REI.
12. Putty, caulk, etc.: SEALANTS.
13. Invalidate: ANNUL.
14. Doesn't bother: LETS BE.
15. Bank loan abbr.: APR.
16. Extortionist: BLACKMAILER. Partnered with 70. "They're not saying anything worth listening to": IT'S ALL NOISE. We don't often see pair of 11's as fill.
17. Secret stash: CACHE.
18. Scornful look: SNEER.
24. "Go, me!": I RULE.
25. 79-Across document: FORM.
30. Possessed: HAD.
34. Agreement from a silent partner?: NOD.
35. "Lost in Yonkers" Tony winner Worth: IRENE.
36. Bravery: VALOR.
37. Yogurt-based condiment served with hot curry dishes: RAITA. Cucumbers are cooling. Yin food.
38. Exchange: SWAP.
39. Hostess cream-filled cake: HO HO.
41. Sweet-talk: COAX.
47. Spanish title: SENOR.
49. 3D diagnostic tools, briefly: MRIS. Also 105. Diagnostic tool, briefly: CT SCAN.
50. Second to none: BEST.
52. Story: YARN.
54. Singer featured on Flo Rida's "Low": T PAIN.
55. Additionally: ALSO.
56. Action figure?: DOER.
58. Hold up: DETAIN.
61. Evaluated: RATED.
63. Diameter halves: RADII.
65. __ dish: PETRI.
68. Pink cocktail, familiarly: COSMO.
71. Start anew: RESET.
72. Majestic trees: ELMS.
73. Geppetto's goldfish: CLEO. In "Pinocchio".
74. __ buco: OSSO.
75. "To a ... " poems: ODES.
76. Apple discard: CORE.
81. Sci-fi writer Asimov: ISAAC.
82. Longstocking of kid-lit: PIPPI.
83. Worshipper of Jah: RASTA.
84. Inseam unit: INCH.
86. Political commentator Klein: EZRA. He co-founded Vox.
87. Tenant's expense: RENT.
90. Contract ambiguity that may be exploited: LOOPHOLE.
95. Half a cosmic whole: YIN.
97. Commonwealth off Florida: BAHAMAS.
98. Notary public's device: STAMP.
101. Fellows: MEN.
102. "Survivor" host Jeff: PROBST.
104. "I Put a Spell on You" singer Simone: NINA.
107. Sole mate?: CLEAT. Great clue.
108. Vim and vigor: OOMPH.
109. Shipping weight deductions: TARES.
110. Final word: SAY SO.
112. Two-time Australian Open winner Osaka: NAOMI.
117. __-glace: rich sauce: DEMI.
118. Isles off the Irish coast: ARAN.
120. Hall of Fame pitcher Seaver: TOM.
122. Toward the rudder: AFT.
123. Prefix with content and belief: DIS.
124. Miniature: WEE.
125. Smelter's input: ORE.
 |
A few extra notes:
1)
Happy birthday to Big Easy (George), husband of Louisiana Tennis Hall
of Famer Diane! Guess what, George understands my English.
Big Easy and his wife Diane
2) Boomer has not been feeling great. He sleeps quite a bit and eats little. He also has stomachache whenever he gets up to pee or just moves. He's still adamantly against a hospital bed, so we'll have to continue to struggle with the one set of stairs every day.
We did have some highlights. On Tuesday, the hospice sent Jeffrey to give Boomer a sponge bath in his life chair. Jeffrey spent two years teaching English in Jiangsu, China. He returned to the US after COVID hit. It was fun speaking some basic Chinese with him.
3) My book "Sip & Solve Easy Mini Crosswords" will be
published on May 9, 2023. It's edited by Francis Heaney. The book is now
available for pre-order at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The grids are all 10x10, all themed. I think you'll like it. Very me.
C.C.
37 comments:
Good morning!
Even after reading it as "Commonwealth of Florida," this was a smooth, Wite-Out-free solve. Erin MORAN's story is a sad one. In the end, it all came down to RAI_A, making that Hankook product FIRE, TIRE, or WIRE. WAGged RAITA/TIRE. Yay. Thanx, Drew and C.C.
Good morning. Thank you, Drew, and thank you, C.C.
Happy Birthday, Big Easy.
Drew, congratulations on your debut at the LA Times.
A Sunday typo. Hit a t instead of a y, so my "Ophthalmologist, informally" was an EtE DOC. That also made RAt my answer to "Beam"
When first trying to relate the puzzle title to the theme answers, I noticed the two-word clues for the two-word theme answers. That's also a consistency. I got distracted a bit because it looked liked the first word of the clue and the first word of the theme answers were synonyms. Not quite. Anyway, great explanation of the theme, C.C.
A girlfriend in Houston had a Camaro with Hankook speed / performance tires. It was the first time I'd heard of Hankook. She wore them out pretty quickly , but I guess that's somewhat normal for performance rated tires.
Congrats on your puzzle book, C.C. !
Way too many proper names… should never have been published
FIW, when I opted for OPTed instead of OPT IN. dINA looked fine, but should have caught YeN. Erased lenses for LASERS, mite for LICE, coos COAX, and amt for APR.
I sorta knew that GREENE wrote The Heart of the Matter, but I've only read The End of the Affair (which I loved, in spite of it being required reading in freshman lit.)
A lot of RVers run Hankook tires. Michelin and Goodyear have the OEM market cornered, but they aren't particularly popular as replacements.
Hand up for being one of many Cornerites who have driven the Road to Hana (and having been inside Capri's Blue Grotto.)
During my project management teaching days I learned that the firms doing ship repair would go broke but for LOOPHOLEs. Competition is fierce for drydock and inspection services. They only profit from change orders. For example, the contract might include removing and inspecting shafts and propellers. If anything has to be fixed, it is quoted at additional cost. Things always have to be fixed, but those items vary so widely that they can't be included as part of the bid. As a result, the shipyards do just fine, thank you.
My eyes were "fixed" with radial keratotomy, a blade procedure. I wish I had waited for Lasex, since my left eye is much worse than when they started.
Thanks to Drew for the fun Sunday puzzle. I really liked the theme, but the pop-cult dross dampened the fun level.
Oops. Happy Birthday, B-E.
FIR, despite all the unknowns and proper names. Fortunately the perps helped fill them in.
Good Morning:
I enjoyed this solve very much for several reasons. I thought the theme was very clever and, as CC mentioned, very tight and perfectly executed. Also, for a Sunday grid, the number of pop culture references was on the low side and, for the most part, they were well known names. In my case, I was only unaware of Toucan Sam and T Pain. Another plus, in my book, was the relatively low three letter word count, not any easy feat in a large grid. I don’t believe I had any w/os and the only other unknowns were Raita, which I can never remember, and Tire, as clued.
Thanks, Drew, for an enjoyable solve and congrats on a very fine debut and thanks, CC, for always adding an extra layer to your expo by highlighting the finer points of construction skills and craftsmanship. I’m sorry that Boomer is enduring so much discomfort. The Hospice tribute must have made him happy, as well as the visits with the Eucharistic Minister and friends like Tom Pepper. Sending love and thoughts to you both! Congrats to you on your puzzle book which I look forward to receiving when it’s available.
Happy Birthday, George, hope you celebrate in Bug Easy style! 🎂🎁🎊🎈🎉
FLN
ATLGranny, thank you for those very kind words. I’m not sure skill is my key to solving, but I do know for sure that patience, perseverance and, in my case, plain Irish stubbornness, play a huge part.
Anon T, I get a kick out of your trademark expression of “I built” whenever you’re describing what you made for a meal. You’re the only person I’ve ever heard use that wording. You can build me a meal anytime!
I almost forgot to mention that a quartet of Cornerites received a CSO today: Ray, Nina, and the two Toms. And I really enjoyed seeing Cat and Chat right next to each other. Not only do they rhyme, but Chat is French for Cat. Purrfect!
Have a great day.
Sorry, George, Big Easy style, not Bug. Careless typo!
Took 10:39 today to finish. I needed a "win" after yesterday's beating.
I also played the guessing game at the intersection of Rai_a and _ire.
I love the Road to Hana. One of my favorite hikes is near Hana.
I loved the long theme answers, which helped me a lot when I guessed them.
A bit too many proper names for my liking, but eventually got them all. even NINA cross with NAS.
I guessed KONA as in the Kona Coast at first, but then as more filled in got HANA. It's been 25 years since I vacationed in Hawaii (it's a long way fron NY!)
And like others, I had to totally guess the T in RIATA/TIRE
Anon@6:53
What are you trying to accomplish with your post?
(Unless it was for the irony of not publishing your name...)
Happy birthday Big Easy!
Unfortunately there are no easy cakes,
but this one looks interesting!
CC,
Re: religion
Keep em guessing!
(The lost lamb gets all the attention...)
Hola!
Happy birthday, Big Easy! and happy birthday to my sister, Yolanda.
As usual on Sunday, no time to read your comments until after church.
I liked solving this puzzle because it was so quick. Thank you, Drew Schmenner.
And thank you, C.C for your narration today. I look forward to your book.
Only one name stands out for me, CELIA Cruz. What an incredible performer! I saw her bio on Netflix.
This puzzle contained many negative characters: BLACK MAILER, IT'S LL NOISE, LOOPHOLE. However CT SCAN and MEDSCHOOL are positives.
Graham GREENE is a blast from the past. I read his books in the 70s.
CSO to my beautiful niece, IRENE. She looks like a MODEL.
Time to go. Later.
I hope you're having a BIG day, everyone!
The road to Hana is like skiing in a car!
and the bridges are the moguls...
This puzzle seems ripe for silly links,
anyone out there wanna get married?
Hmm,
Can't post carnival barker...
As the best one involved a politician that can't be named here...
Polar explorer?
I don't know why this reminded me of yesterdays player piano clue...
Hmm,
if I were an interior decorator...
Gotta charge the iPad...
(Cont...)
In spite of some lucky guesses on unknowns (T PAIN) and uncertain fill (RAITA) I slipped up and got a FIW. My error was first entering veted( misspelling vetted) then not paying attention to it later when I entered POLAR, making the correct fill RATED which I understood. It was a "down" rather than across answer and I don't catch problems so well with those, so I left ReTED in place. Sigh....
Thanks for a good debut puzzle for our lazy Sunday fun activity, Drew. The themers was clever and I noticed interesting vocabulary. I look forward to more puzzles from you.
Thanks for the puzzle review and update on Boomer, C.C. I appreciate your sharing how things are going for you both. How exciting about your book!
Happy Birthday, Big Easy. Nice picture. I hope the two of you celebrate and enjoy the day!
Hope everyone has a super Sunday!
Very enjoyable Sunday puzzle. I preordered the mini crossword book CC.
Wishing Boomer some pain free days. GC
Musings
-I saw names fill themselves in. I did look back at the useless clues.
-AMAND_/_RAN were unknown to me but only one letter made any sense
-OCT - The shot heard ‘round the world decided the famous 1951 NL Pennant RACE
-Erin MORAN’S last Days were anything but Happy
-Alexander Graham Bell proposed having AHOY as the greeting when answering the phone
-Kids loved my LAVA lamps and they provided a lot of good science especially about volcanoes
-A 12-yr-old girl I had in class Monday discovered I went to school with her great grandfather so she took a SELFIE of the two of us to send to him.
-General William Tecumseh Sherman declared he “would make Georgia HOWL”. No laughter there.
-I wonder if anyone called Cleopatra CLEO
-A golfing partner was a passenger on the road to Hana because his friend wanted to see where Lindberg was buried. He said it was a horrible road and not worth the trip.
-Jeff PROBST’s somewhat unscripted Survivor premiered over 22 years ago.
-Happy Birthday, George! Was that LSU victory over Bama a good gift for you?
-Sad though it may be, thanks for the Boomer update.
Great, fun theme. I too at first had mite for LICE making COAX slow to come. Irish Miss, good catch with the CHAT and CAT.
Despite the few unknowns like T PAIN and DOSIDOS, I managed to FIR.
G. Greene was a great writer.
Happy birthday Big Easy 🎉🎂
Congratulations CC on your upcoming publication. Sorry about Boomer’s painful days. Best wishes for a better week.
Hi Y'all! Great puzzle, Drew! Great Expo, C.C., congrats on your puzzle book publication. Still praying for you and Boomer.
From yesterday, thank you all for the get well wishes which cheered me up last night. Felt worse Sat. than Fri. Am well enough today, I can sit upright without propping my head in both hands. Hope I can stay awake more than four hours today.
Happy Birthday, Big Easy! I enjoy your posts.
Hmm,
How to post a silly link for prime minister, on a crossword blog, all about words?...
Hmm,
Funny concert pianist,
That would have to be Victor Borge.
Aw, TTP,
Ya gotta let me keep this one, just for the silliness factor...
If not, all I've got for broadway composer is....
Delightful Sunday puzzle, Drew, many thanks and welcome to the Corner. Always love your Sunday commentary, C.C., and give Boomer a hug for me. So sorry he's not feeling great. I went to Amazon as soon as I read your note about your book, and then realized it won't be out till May. Remind us, then, and I'll order it instantly.
That OREO cookie turns up in puzzles just about every day, it seems. No problem for me--haven't eaten one in years but love being reminded about them. Oh, and we got a HOHO cake too. Only hope these sweets don't attract too many TSETSE flies.
Bit of poetry here and there, with those ODES and that IAMB. Always makes me happy.
Have a good Sunday, everybody
One bad cell due to a typo. I said S and typed A. I had many successful wags when crossing unknown names. I still think this crossing is not kosher. TPAIN was all perps. I liked the theme.
DOS-SI-DO is a CSO to me although we square dancers spell it DOS-SA-DO.
"A move in square dancing in which two dancers face each other, then step forward and left until they have right shoulders adjacent, then move to a position where they are back to back, then move to have left shoulders adjacent, then return to facing each other." We don't hook elbows. We call that the chicken wing. It is not one of our calls.
Happy birthday, Big Easy.
English is Difficult. CED, that had me howling with laughter.
Yellowrocks, I thought of you at DO-SI-DO but was in too much of a hurry to finish my post. Do you miss square dancing?
I have had the laser procedure and no longer wear glasses full time, only to read.
When it comes to eating I am a BIG cheater, especially with sweets. I have no self control in spite of being diagnosed with diabetes.
Already Christmas gifts for my family are piling up with more on the way. I have to start shopping early for my large family and yet I haven't heard from my granddaughters about what they want. I know books will be on their lists they just have to send me titles.
Thank you Drew for a leisurely Sunday stroll. It took a few themers to see, but I finally WORKED it out.
And thank you C.C. for the review. Loved the video of Eucharistic Minister Bill. I'm a Eucharistic minister and I really wish I could bring Boomer Communion. Maybe you can work out a deal with Bill - tell him you'll convert to Catholicism, if he converts to Cruciverbalism!
Some favs:
1A PLAN. A favorite saying of an old boss of mine. He was a really DOER and that one liner was used to launch us off on more than one massive projects.
23A WEDDING OFFICIANT. We attended a wedding for my niece yesterday, and the OFFICIANTS were a priest, a deacon, and my Chinese grandson RAY, who was the acolyte. It was held in the beautiful Basilica of the Assumption in downtown Baltimore, America's first Cathedral. It was constructed between 1806 and 1863 to a design the Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the "Father of American Architecture", who also designed the U.S. Capitol.
59A TIRE. We just had 4 brand-new Hancook TIRES put on our 2008 Camry. We're trying to keep it alive as long as possible.
66A RAY. CSOs to our resident punster and to my grandson.
37D RAITA. Lotsa recipes for RAITAS in The Yogi Cookbook.
49D MRIS. I may have to get an MRI or a CAT SCAN for some back problems I've been having. OUCH.
54D TPAIN. Another OUCH. The only fill I felt a little SORE about.
86D EZRA. His OP ED "The Ezra Klein Show" is regularly featured in the NYT. Very insightful.
90D LOOPHOLE. May also be used to "FEATHER ONE's NEST" as we saw yesterday. Another OUCH for me, as I filled "TAKES ADVANTAGE OF"
109D TARES. This suggests a new collective noun: "A SURFEIT of TARES". We seem to be overrun with them all of a sudden.
Cheers,
Bill
And HBD BE! 🎂🎁🎀
Congrats, Drew, on your LA Times debut! Nice puzzle! Unfortunately, I FIW at the SAYnO/nARA crossing. SAY SO and SARA do make a lot more sense!
FAV: AMANDA Gorman. I borrowed her inaugural poem book from the library. It was inspirational.
C.C. I enjoy reading your comments on the puzzles' construction. You and the other Cornerites have helped me to notice more things on the grid. Speaking of learning, Last night I watched "Wordplay" because it was recommended on this blog. I enjoyed every minute! Has anyone here ever participated in the Stamford, CT event?
Happy Birthday, Big Easy!
Happy to hear you're feeling better, PK!
This morning I ran a half-marathon. The weather was perfect. While I cannot say that I RULE, I am happy with my performance. I think I burned enough calories that I can have a piece of the birthday cake CED "built" for Big Easy. My PLAN now is to take a long nap!
Lucina, thanks for thinking of me. Our square dancing club reactivated last spring, dancing twice a month instead of every week. I am still co-president and really enjoy that, as well as dancing. However, when the present leadership retires I fear no one else will step up. We all have been officiating for at least ten years, some of us many more.
Also, I am head angel and class coordinator for our new square dance class which is very small. We meet every week, so I dance a lot. I don't visit other clubs any longer because I gave up driving at night several months ago.
I usually walk 40 to 45 minutes four or five times a week and take the stairs to my second floor apartment instead of using the elevator. Use it or lose it.
Sumdaze, half marathons? Good for you. Way beyond me.
If anyones interested,
(I got curious...)
The M & M inside cake is possible,
here is the recipe.
I thought all the candy would melt into a big mess,
But according to the comments, it turns out as pictured!
CED I’ll have to try that M&M cake one day. Thanks.
YR @ 4:28. I can only hope I am as active as you are when I am an octogenarian!
Hello All,
What a great puzzle today! Pretty simple and straightforward. So many easy 3-letter words. Makes me feel somewhat smart. Thanks to all who contribute, constructors, editor and bloggers.
HB to all who are celebrating, wishing everyone the very best, especially those who aren’t feeling well.
My twins turn 34 this week. 2 aunts and 2 cousins as well, all in one week.
I too am a Eucharist Minister and feel blessed by this beautiful ministry.
Wishing you a very wonderful day.
Sunday Lurk say...
Thanks for the update on Boomer, C.C.. So sorry to read he's in such discomfort & pain. Loving thoughts your way.
Happy Birthday, Big Easy! Doing anything special?
The only Graham Greene I've read is Our Man in Havana. DW was reading it for class and told me about it. Funny.
I love the décor, CED.
HG - Your Erin Moran link gives me a 404 :-(
Y'all have a wonderful Sunday eve.
Cheers, -T
PS my aunts and cousins aren’t turning 34 this week, they just have Bdays this week. 94 93, 65 and 65. Holy cow! Where does the time go?!
-T @6:09 PM. Thanks for the link on "Our Man in Havana". Don't have time to read the book, but the film with Alec Guinness sounds worth looking up.
Started today's challenge in the NW, as I always do. WRONG! This was obviously a "bottoms up" puzzle today! As soon as I got into the "backward flow" of the puzzle, it was a "whizz"! Clever clueing through and through!!
PSA:
Re: m&m cake
Sister in law "splained" it to me
(I dunno, I read the recipe, and the directions, didn't have a clue...)
YA GOTTA BAKE THE CAKE "BEFORE" YOU PUT THE m&m's init ...
( I guess I would have figured it out when the m&m's started floating in the wet cake mix...)
(Or maybe not...)
One advantage of having a .doc for each day I can see the previous week. Having skipped two I see we've had the geese* for 3 weeks
I actually knew Erin MORAN. Post HE's she had it rough
CC, GK Chesterton converted to Catholicism late in life and became devoted. I grew up Catholic, lapsed completely and then joined Betsy in charismatic prayer groups. I asked "Do I have to believe everything?" Priest laughed and said "Just accept(and keep an open mind)"
FIW, one square. I had inked CiLIA and RE?ET flummoxed me. No CBD gummy for a Sunday. Long day.
What was the CAT's name in Pinocchio?
CC is the mini xword book doable for 10-13 yrolds?
"Chat is French for Cat" Nice pickup Jinx
"great grandfather" Gary. Feeling old?
WC
** And guinea hens
Erin Moran "never approached the success of Happy Days and was more often in the news for her numerous personal and financial struggles. Some reports say she was occasionally homeless.". But her death wasn't related to drugs. It was cancer.
WC
Managed to FIR thanks to a WAG for RAITA — had TIRE for the Hankook clue but don’t grok the IAMB for “two-syllable foot”…huh?? 😬 And I’m in the “too many proper names” camp, too! aaargh.
Best wishes to Mr. Boomer 🙏🏼
====> Darren
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