Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here, substitute blogging a second week for our Tuesday star, Hahtoolah.
Today's theme is Some Assembly Required.
Susy Christiansen and Doug Peterson put together today's puzzle. The connection between the 4 themers is difficult to discern until we see the reveal so let's begin there:
66. Across. Essentials, or what the first words of the answers to the starred clues are: NUTS AND BOLTS. the basic, practical details
Basically, the first 2 themers give us types of NUTS and the last 2 give us types of BOLTS.
NUTS ~ HICKORY NUTS and BEER NUTS
BOLTS ~ DEAD BOLTS and THUNDERBOLTS
This might be one of those situations where seeing the completed grid up front is helpful.
18. Across * Gift basket retailer known for cheese and smoked sausage: HICKORY FARMS.
 |
| Hickory Farms |
 |
| Hickory Nuts |
27. Across * Oktoberfest venues: BEER GARDENS. "A beer garden (German: Biergarten) is an outdoor area in which beer and food are served, typically at shared tables shaded by trees. They originated in Bavaria, of which Munich is the capital city, in the 19th century, and remain common in Southern Germany. They are usually attached to a brewery, beer hall, pub, or restaurant" (Wiki)
 |
| Beer Nuts |
(Note #1: I like that the constructors chose to not go with another member of the nut family for the 2nd themer. Beer nuts are actually peanuts that have been boiled in water with sugar then salted. 4.5 star recipe)
42. Across * Robin Williams drama set at a prep school: DEAD POETS SOCIETY.
 |
| dead bolt |
54. Across * Classic Ford model: THUNDERBIRD.
(Note#2: a small NIT here in that Ford spells "Thunderbird" as one word so "thunder" is technically not the first word of the answer to this starred clue.)
I got a bit in the weeds on the difference between a lightning bolt and a thunder bolt.
Let's see if we can assemble the rest of the grid:
Across:1. Oktoberfest mugs: STEINS. used at 27A
7. Possessed: OWNED. not the creepy, demon kind of "possessed"
12. Battleship letters: USS. United States Ship The "Mighty Mo" was the last American battleship ever built.
15. Sit-up kin: CRUNCH. sit-ups vs. crunches
16. Letter-shaped violin opening: F-HOLE. a bit of F-HOLE history
17. "Picked" complaint: NIT. See Note #2 (above)
22. Soccer family rides: SUVS. Sport Utility VehicleS
25. Lyrical: ODIC. I am not loving this one. It gets my Giant Leap Award.
 |
| Giant Leap Award |
 |
| voiced by Mel Blanc -- not 21A Mel Brooks |
33. Unlike Bond's martini: STIRRED.
 |
| This happens to me all the time. |
34. Wunderkind: PHENOM. a person who is outstandingly talented or admired, especially an up-and-comer.
37. Highchair fashion: BIB.
38. Seehorn of "Better Call Saul": RHEA.
 |
| 2 rheas and a Rhea |
46. Actress Hathaway: ANNE. Here is her Oscar-winning performance in Les Miserables (2012).
47. Texter's caveat: IMO. In My Opinion. for days when you are not feeling Humble
48. Edit: REVISE.
49. Xylophone kin: MARIMBA.
53. Went first: LED. as in, "We led the way."
61. Low voice: BASSO.
62. Hammer target: NAIL.
 |
| I wonder if he has any nuts & bolts??? |
64. Campground chain HQ'd in Billings, MT: KOA. founded in 1962; more than 500 locations
65. Natural resource: ORE.
71. Broadcaster with regular pledge drives: NPR.
 |
| Donate and you might get a tote bag! |
72. Deep-seated: INNER.
73. Military gesture: SALUTE.
74. Shaved head?: ESS. as in the letter "S". "Head" can mean "the front of" as in "head of the class". So the "front of" the word "shaved" is the letter "S".
75. Skewered appetizer served with peanut sauce: SATAY.
 |
| Delicious street food in Thailand! |
76. Seismic event: TREMOR. (Hi Jace!)
Down:
1. Hard-to-like person: SCHMO. Our Ch. Moe is very likable!
- a stupid person.
- a hypothetical ordinary man.
- noun: Joe Schmo; plural noun: Joe Schmoes; plural noun: Joe Schmos
2. Did one's best: TRIED. and true
3. Type of geometry: EUCLIDEAN. Hands down, best fill of the day! If you wrote proofs involving lines, angles, triangles, quadrilaterals, etc. in high school, then you did Euclidean Geometry. It is beautiful stuff!
4. Ballpoint pen filler: INK.
5. GIs with chevrons: NCOS. Non-Commissioned OfficerS
6. Landscaping bush: SHRUB.
7. Compensate for: OFFSET. as in "the gains offset the losses"
8. "Huh ... ?": WHAtttt???? My runner-up for the Giant Leap Award (see 25A).
9. Fin. neighbor: NOR. FINland is abbreviated, so is NORway.
10. Stately tree: ELM.
11. Long for: DESIRE.
12. Disentangle: UNTIE. (Hi Jinx!)
13. Warning signal: SIREN. Did you know that before fire trucks had sirens, Dalmatian dogs ran alongside the horses to clear the way so the wagon could get to the fire quickly?
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| Nowadays they mostly just drive the truck. |
14. Plays the lead: STARS.
19. First name in fashion: YVES. Saint Laurent
24. Outmoded data readers on PCs: CD DRIVES.
26. Denounces: CONDEMNS. Haters gonna hate.
28. Corduroy ridges: RIBS.
29. Pinot __: white wine grape: GRIS. aka Pinot Grigio. This wine pairs better with fish than with your Thanksgiving turkey. Serve ice cold.
30. Ann __, Michigan: ARBOR.
32. Arresting figure?: COP. Fun wordplay! You have the right to remain silent....
34. Couple's indiscretion, for short: PDA. Public Display of Affection
35. Female lobster: HEN. some lobster info. I wish I could unread
36. Rippled pattern: MOIRE.
 |
| Kinda groovy! |
39. Judge on "America's Got Talent": HEIDI KLUM. It is interesting that Heidi Klum's symmetrical partner in this grid is EUCLIDIAN.
40. Sci-fi aviators: ETS. ExtraTerrestrialS
41. Nautical "yes": AYE.
44. "Lara Croft: __ Raider": TOMB.
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| It is important to dress appropriately when raiding tombs. |
45. Animation collectible: CEL. "Cel" is short for "celluoid", the transparent sheet on which the characters where once hand-drawn. In 1990, Disney switched to computer animation. prices of desirable cels
50. Aphrodite's love: ADONIS. the god of beauty & attraction
51. Consisting of two parts: BINARY.
54. Steakhouse order: T-BONE.
55. Pluckable instruments: HARPS.
56. Computer operators: USERS.
57. Quaint "performed": DIDST. (archaic) a form of the past tense of "do"
59. State drawing: LOTTO. Haha! I see what they did there. Not an artistic "drawing".
60. __ pointer: LASER.
 |
| Nuts & Bolts not included |
67. Spanish "a": UNA.
68. Blasting material: TNT. TriNitroToluene
69. Aquaman's realm: SEA.
 |
| Jason Momoa in Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom (2023) |
70. Fútbol fan's cry: OLE.
P.S. Just a reminder... here is Hahtoolah’s note from 11/8/22:
If you are reading this on Tuesday, I will likely be on the crossword puzzle's favorite airline heading towards Tel Aviv. Part business, part fun. Unlike the song, however, I do know when I will be back. See you at the end of the month. You will be in capable hands during my absence.
Notes from C.C.:
1) Thanks for subbing for the past two Tuesdays, sumdaze!
2) Hahtoolah is now safely back home. She sent me these two pictures with captions:
Here I am outside the Agam Museum in Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel.
FIR, getting only one of my Tuesday Naticks right. Got ARAN x MARIMBA, missed SoTAY x UNo. Didn't know F-HOLE, but I think I have been called one. Never knew that SCHMO was unlikable, just thought he was just some rando. (Look at ME, using modern slang!)
ReplyDeleteI knew MOIRE from my days as a TV engineer. We had to monitor how clothes looked on-air; narrow stripes would "take off", kind of a visual equivalent of audio feedback squeal. Very distracting. I wonder if the current digital equipment is affected by this PHENOM?
Arrived in Raleigh without incident. Cold last night, but the front is supposed to retreat today.
Thanks to Susy and Doug for the fun, hard-for-Tuesday puzzle. And thanks to Sum for filling in. Nice job!
FIW, not FIR.
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteWow, two themeless puzzles in a row! [Some folks just can't manage to read the full reveal clue.] Was looking for a group of Irish people, not a group of islands. Interesting to see DESIRE and ELM side-by-side. Would've been even better had DESIRE been under the ELM. Noticed the CSO to Jinx at UNTIE. TREMOR was timely; at least the folks in Jakarta would think so. Nicely done, Susy and Doug. Excellent tour, Sumdaze. (Keep 'em comin'.)
F-HOLE: It was only recently that I learned the oar fits into a THOLE, not a T-HOLE.
SATAY: Last Saturday the Texas Bucket List visited an east Texas barbecue joint with a peanut butter and jelly barbecue sandwich. Sounds awful, but the host ate the whole thing.
NPR: We donate, but always forgo the prizes. (Did you know that "forwent" and "forgone" are also valid tenses? D-o didn't.)
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteI liked this puzzle very much (despite the profusion of three letter words). The theme was well hidden and the reveal was a pleasant surprise. Rhea (Seehorn) is becoming as ubiquitous as Erie and Ono. No w/os and no unknowns which is a result of pretty straightforward cluing and fill. More wordplay would be welcome, but I suppose Tuesday level standards limit its usage.
Thanks, Susy and Doug, for a fun, easy solve and thanks, Sumdaze, for an A+ review, sparkling visuals, and interesting links. My favorite was the Dead Poet Society’s trailer which reminded me of the towering talent of Robin Williams. He was an incomparable American treasure, IMO. I also enjoyed seeing Anne Hathaway in such a challenging departure from her normal roles.
FLN
Lucina, you made my day with your stated intentions to write thank you notes to your friends for your birthday celebration. The loss of this once automatic response to a gift or gesture saddens (and dismays) me no end. This has bothered me over the last several years and, based on experience, it almost seems as though it’s perfectly acceptable, almost a rule, that personalized thank you notes are no longer necessary, a verbal one (or none at all) is sufficient. Basic etiquette, it appears, is a rare commodity in today’s world. 😢
Have a great day.
Took 5:28 to put the screws to this one.
ReplyDeleteAran & F-hole were unknown. Gris took awhile to see. I don't care for "wha".
"State drawing" for "lotto" was good.
I also love the movie "Dead Poet's Society."
51D reminded me that there's 10 kinds of people in the world:
Those than understand BINARY code; and,
Those that don't.
FIR, but not a typical Tuesday puzzle, what with F-hole, odic, phenom, and satay. More what I would expect on a Friday.
ReplyDeleteFIW. Was it UNo or UNA. S?TAY could be either. Classic Natick. Isn't UNA the feminine article?
ReplyDeleteAnother one. I inexplicably had CDDRIVEr and never noticed rILL/SILL
I see Michigan barely squeaked by Saturday. Now for OSU
Lot easier than last Tuesday although clueing was fun.
Nice job sumdaze
WC
Easier than the Monday puzzle. Busy, busy today. Hopefully I can comment further after dinner tonight.
ReplyDeleteSumdaze, fun and informative review.
Very nice fun CW, with a good reveal. I had to go back and study how HICKORY, BEER, DEAD and THUNDER were nuts and bolts. Took a bit for the V-8 can to hit. Anyway, thanx SC&DP for this fun 16x15 CW. I enjoyed doing it, and getting a FIR in my usual record smashing 21 minutes. I’ve got bamboo roll-down shades behind my house which overlap slightly producing the moire patterns mentioned. Thanx too to SD for the really great write-up. Poor Wiley.
ReplyDeleteBefore I had the reveal, I had the themers, and was puzzling,
ReplyDeleteHickory beer could be a thing,
But what the heck is dead thunder?
I also looked at the last words, farms and gardens could be something,
but what do you do with a society bird?
With thanksgiving approaching, all I can say is
thank goodness you can finish a crossword puzzle and not have letters left over...
Speaking of nuts and bolts,
I saw a video yesterday that explained how something worked that I have wondered about ever since I was a kid.
Bicycle coaster brakes!
I mean, they drive, coast, and brake, all in one mechanical unit. How do they do that?
If you are curious, this old School Shop Teacher takes one apart and explains this, and many other things in his channel. It is 18 minutes, and if short on patience, jump to 10 minutes for how the axle components work, and jump to 13 minutes for the all important interior shape of the hub.
Thanks, sumdaze, for summing up this puzzle and confirming my FIR. Nice theme, Susy and Doug, which I saw only after the reveal. Some interesting vocabulary used too. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI had two WO areas this Tuesday, due to haste: hmS/USS and tMi/IMO. Should have checked perps before writing. My bad.
I knew SATAY. A benefit of eating at friend's places is being introduced to new dishes. I knew MARIMBA and that fill brought back memories of being in Veracruz a hot summer day and hearing the music played in the shade under the porticos.
I never noticed a couple of entries (GRIS and DIDST) until the review, but generally found the center slow to fill. Little by little....
I am still smiling at sumdaze's cartoons. Hope you all have a happy day today!
Sweet, smooth puzzle. I liked everything about it. The only unknown was F HOLE, but that was offset by OFFSET.
ReplyDeleteI really liked RHEA Seehorn in a difficult role as Saul’s partner in crime.
Irish Miss: I totally agree with you about the lost art(?) of thank you notes. It saddens me. The trend is the same for Christmas cards.
Way back, DH and I had a THUNDERBIRD. Not the resurrected model, but the early one. Loved it.
Fast Tuesday with an obvious theme. Thanks SD for 'splainin' the nuts & bolts of the puzzle. EUCLIDiAN held up PHENOM for too long, but an eventual FIR.
ReplyDeleteGreat cartoons! ...interesting articles but why would a dog (Dalmatian) run towards a fire??
FHOLE in a violin 🎻 hopefully not played by an AHOLE..😆 🤭
"Soccer family rides" more often minivans cuz you can fit more kids into one than most SUVS (We have one of each).
As an actress ANNE "Hathaway" with words. RHEA Seehorn pronounces her name "Ray" as in, I don't know..Rhea-o-sunshine? "Shaved head": ESS totally self-perped. I woulda never figured it out. MOIRÉ I learned and only see in CWs.
... "An anthem to a paternal THUNDERBIRD denial
"Xylophone kin", glad the answer wasn't glockenspiel woulda never spelt it right.(but still: merimba/MARIMBA). Fact: it's called LOTTO cuz you can buy a LOTTO tickets and still never win.
Dyslexic shoe laces of the world, demand your rights, band together, _____ !...UNTIE
She can't hide....ICIER
French overhangs?....YVES
Alcove formed by trees: ANNE ___ ARBOR
Unknight....DESIRE
A balmy 42⁰ ..🌴
Good morning, Sumdaze and friends. Great job, Sumdaze. I think I'm about to lose my job!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have described SCHMO as "hard-to-like" person, but rather as an average Joe who is often the butt of a joke. Also, as a bit of trivia, it is not a Yiddish word, but rather an American invention, per Leo Rosten.
Musings
ReplyDelete-HICKORY NUTS, BEER NUTS, DEAD…, wait a minute, oh it changes to BOLTS. Never mind.
-We chose Harry and David’s for granddaughter’s gift basket at her new D.C. house
-Robin Williams’ work with kids in Dead Poet’s Society and Good Will Hunting spoke to me on many levels
-My former colleague’s ’57 THUNDER BIRD was a money pit but she would never give it up.
-In 1941 the U.S. moored the U.S.S. Arizona and others at Pearl Harbor due to the Japanese threat in the Pacific.
-10 PHENOMS whose injuries greatly shortened their careers
-Patty let a Tuesday-level ANNE be used today
-The head of" the word "shaved" is the letter "S" is sufficient, Sumdaze!
-Non-Euclidean geometry - “What do you mean the shortest distance between two points is NOT a straight line?”
-INK – No pencil in this teacher’s desk today. Writing SCHMO over SCAMP was the only issue
-Our Apple machines are two generations past having built-in CD DRIVES
-Fun write-up, Sumdaze!
H2LH @ 11:12
ReplyDeleteSounds AKIN to the many schl terms
"A Yiddish saying explains that "a schlemiel is somebody who often spills his soup and a schlimazel is the person it lands on". The schlemiel is similar to the schmuck but a schmuck can improve himself while a schlemiel is "irredeemably what they are"
😄
Addendum
ReplyDelete-The Home Ec. Class (Family Consumer Science) is cooking a Thanksgiving feast across the hall today.
-I am teaching 50 feet from where I was sitting when I heard JFK was shot on this date 59 years ago.
Fun Tuesday puzzle--many thanks, Susy and Doug. And thank you, too, Sumdaze, for your delightful commentary, very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteWell, it was hard not to read this puzzle and feel as though you were in a bar, enjoying STEINS of BEER, which don't have to be STIRRED because they're better off ICIER. And you'll enjoy your drinks even more if you get some NUTS to CRUNCH and a neat appetizer like some SATAY. And if you stay there long enough, you're also going to need a bit more food--maybe even some spare RIBS or a T BONE steak.
And how about some music to go along with your early dinner, like a SALUTE from some BASSO singers accompanied by some HARPS and maybe even a MARIMBA? Would be great if they don't get to be too loud and set off the SIRENS and end up with guards coming in with a LASER.
Have a great supper and a great evening, everybody.
Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Suzy and Doug, and sumdaze.
ReplyDeleteI FIRed in good time, and saw the NUTS and BOLTS theme.
One inkblot to change T to LBAR.
(Hand up for ESS filling with perps, and not “getting” it. (Thanks sumdaze)
Yikes, I counted 26 three letter words. IM did not push her valid NIT.
We had leading letters with FHOLE, LBAR, TBONE, CD DRIVES today.
And music- BASSO, HARPS, MARIMBA, violin FHOLE.
Kitchener Ontario has BEER GARDENS and STEINS every year at their popular Oktoberfest.
I knew an American CW would have USS not HMS.
I waited for perps to decide UNo or UNA; same with Fin. Neighbour- NOR, SWE, DEN.??
Wishing you all a great day.
Puzzling thoughts:
ReplyDeleteDid anyone else notice that this is a 16x15 grid?
I FIR with a few corrections; doing the puzzles "on-line" though, I can't recall wear my misteaks whirr
Enjoyed the theme and entries; as HG pointed out, though, DEAD could also precede NUTS
Thanks to the constructors, and also to sumdaze who has taken to the recapping like a duck to water! Thanks I guess, Renee, for the semi-SO with schMO ;^) I do appreciate your calling me a likeable guy
This certainly didn't "feel" like a Tuesday puzzle - seemed to have much harder word entries than you'd normally see in early week grids
On a personal note, just two more dozes of Paxlovid to take (tonight's and tomorrow morning's). I am now starting to feel better (regarding the coughing and runny nose) but am still a bit run down. Margaret told me that the "run down" feeling will linger longer. If you can tolerate it, I highly recommend getting a prescription for Paxlovid as soon as you test positive for COVID. My worst "side-effect" was a slight increase in BP
Thanks for your encouraging words, everyone! I am happy to see Hahtoolah is back safe & sound; and, along with the rest of you, am looking forward to next Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteC-Moe @ 1:30. I missed the 16X15 but unclefred saw it, too.
C-Eh! @ 12:47 and WCharles @ 8:24. Re: 67D. The way I understand it, "uno" is masculine "one" and "un" is masculine "a"; whereas, "una" is both a feminine "one" and also the feminine "a". If I am correct in that thinking, UNA is the only 3-letter "Spanish 'a'". I am not 100% confident in my understanding of this. Perhaps another Cornerite can help?
C-Moe @ 1:30, yes I noticed the grid. See my comment at 8:28.
ReplyDeleteTo all PBS fans:
ReplyDeleteNew season of All Creatures Great and Small and Miss Scarlet and The Duke ~ January 8th
Second season of Annika* ~ TBA
Moe, glad to hear you’re on the mend.
*Jayce, I believe you mentioned that you were enjoying watching this series. I just watched the final episode and while I enjoyed the series overall, I found her asides distracting and, as I mentioned before, I missed much of the dialogue due to the Scottish accents. Anyway, we have a another season to look forward to.
My cleaning lady was here yesterday and put my tree up (i.e, brought it in from the garage and put it on my sofa table, all lit up and adorned) ) and we both finished off the rest of the decorations. I know it’s a little early, but I need her help and she won’t be back for two weeks, so earlier better than later. 🎄
I liked solving this puzzle and reading sumdaze's terrific recap.
ReplyDeleteLate to the party. We took one of our granddaughters out for 18 holes of killer miniature golf (definitely not a kiddie course), but it was still a lot of fun and we celebrated the 19th hole at a local sushi restaurant.
ReplyDeleteFun puzzle Susy and Doug and a cat-worthy revue sumdaze. You and Hahtoolah must shop at the same comics store. Didn't see the connection between the theme, but your explanation hit me like a THUNDER BOLT. Teri often says that I'm on the left side of the reveal conjunction.
I've only got time for two favs (Thursdays seem to be rolling around quickly these days):
51D BINARY. The other common riff is "There are 10 types of people in the world - those who understand BINARY and those who don't". But then by now, 01 -T, 10 Jinx, or 11 TTP have probably already told you this one.
60D LASER. I read an article recently that the principal use for the Internet is the dissemination of cat videos. I trust that none were harmed in the making of that one.
Cheers,
Bill
PT2:
ReplyDeleteOops! Missed unclefred's notice of the wider puzzle ...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Suzy and Doug, and thank you, sumdaze
Fun puzzle to start the day.
I liked the image for the fresh (to me) take on BINARY. It reminds me of that Michael Jackson song.
In fact, I liked the entire light and cheery review. A typical rating scale is decimal 1 to 10, but I I'd rate this review in binary at 1010, octal at 12, and hexadecimal at A.
At 1D, "Hard to like person" I was going to enter TTP but that answer wasn't long enough. Mods try to keep the peace and keep things clean, but there's always going to be those that want to push the limits and those that have their own agendas. I'm looking at you (fill in your name here, if you qualify).
Wilbur Charles, yes, a big B1G game Saturday as the Buckeyes host the Wolverines at the Shoe, 11 AM CST on Saturday, Nov 26th. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, their top two running backs are banged up. The team from Ann ARBOR leads the all-time series record 59-52-6.
Hola!
ReplyDeleteI almost missed this party but it's great fun to read all your comments!
My cousin, Paul, who lives in Wichita is visiting this week so my sister, Marge, and I went to visit him and his wife at his daughter's home way in north Phoenix. It was a great visit with lots of reminiscing.
Once home I quickly finished the puzzle. It seemed just about right for a Tuesday and well-reviewed.
You all have said about all there is to say and I SALUTE you for that. I love being reminded of DEAD POETS SOCIETY and Robin Williams. What a loss to the world when he died! I will not, I believe, ever understand what drove him to suicide but then I don't know enough about deep depression. I just know I miss him.
Yes, UNA is feminine 'a'.
We had a friend who owned a NUTS AND BOLTS wholesale business and for one anniversary he had one of each gold plated for his wife to wear on a chain. It was quite the conversation piece.
Thanks sumdaze and Lucina for updating my Spanish knowledge. I knew the uno and una, masculine and feminine for one, but thought it was the same for a. I will try to remember the masculine un.
ReplyDeleteNice job from sumdaze in the picture-bright style of Hahtoolah, presenting a Christiansen/Peterson PZL...
ReplyDeleteYes, C-Moe, I noticed the asymmetrical grid, as it always rules out any chance at diagonals.
~ OMK
OMK, that's Tom Brady. One rumor is that the BTX implosion factored in to his divorce timing
ReplyDeleteWC
There was a 49er QB named John Brodie whom I referred to earlier