18-Across. * Ocular opening: EYE SOCKET.
23-Across. * Noise blocker: EAR PLUG.
51-Across. * Parachute opener: RIP CORD.
55-Across. * Fall planting in a flower garden: TULIP BULB.
And the unifier:
35-Across. Facetious comment when turning on a device whose components end the answers to the starred clues: LET THERE BE LIGHT.
And a bonus clue/answer:
66-Across. Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi: WATTS. [Name # 1.]
After completing the first two theme answers and seeing EYE and EAR, I thought we might be going for body parts, but we had that theme a week or so ago.
Across:
1. Dangerous African snake: MAMBA. Everything you wanted to know about the Black Mamba.
6. Test score: GRADE.
11. Anti-narcotics org.: DEA. As in the Drug Enforcement Administration. // And 59-Down. 11-Across employee: Abbr.: AGT. As in an Agent.
14. Make furious: ANGER.
15. Churchill Downs events: RACES. Churchill Downs is the home of the Kentucky Derby. It's been in the news a lot this year as numerous horses have been injured or died.
16. PC key near Ctrl: ALT.
17. Japanese noodle dish: RAMEN. We saw the Ramen noodles two weeks ago when it was clued as Instant Noodle Option.
20. Misted (up): FOGGED.
22. Roam around: ROVE.
26. Paths to take: ROUTES.
28. Shoe bottoms: TREADS. Because Soles doesn't have enough letters.
29. "All's __ in love and war": FAIR. Do you known the origin of this phrase?
31. Hill-building insect: ANT. // Add a vowel, and you get 32-Across. Informal contraction: AIN'T.
33. Tablet alternative: GEL CAP.
41. Alpine warbles: YODELS.
42. Taunting syllable that's usually repeated: NYAH. For future reference, you may be interested to known that Nyah is also the name of a town in Victoria, Australia. I can see this being a clue/answer to a Friday level puzzle.
43. Chew the fat: GAB.
46. Perches in churches: PEWS.
47. Illinois county or its seat: PEORIA. But will it play in Peoria?
49. Yearly pro golf event: US OPEN.
52. "No kidding?": IT IS.
53. Like many a coastal drive: SCENIC. I highly recommend the scenic loop in Acadia National Park in Maine.
58. Lunar cycle part: PHASE.
62. Had some grub: ATE.
63. Vowel fivesome: A E I O U. This vowel quartet appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.
64. Four pairs: EIGHT.
65. Rosy: RED.
67. Prominent: NOTED.
Down:
1. St. Patrick's Day mo.: MAR. St. Patrick's Day started out as a religious holiday, but now is known for parades and festivities. I live near the end of my city's St. Patrick's Day parade.
 |
| This is the street the morning after the St. Patrick's Day Parade. |
2. Former "SNL" regular Gasteyer: ANA. Although she has subsequently appeared in several sit-coms, Ana Gasteyer (née Ana Kristina Gasteyer; b. May 4, 1967) is best known for her tenure on Saturday Night Live. She often portrayed Martha Stewart. [Name # 2.]
3. __ Grand: Las Vegas casino: MGM.
4. Hamburger choice: BEEF PATTY.
5. Golfer Palmer: ARNOLD. Arnold Daniel Palmer (Sept. 10, 1929 ~ Sept. 25, 2016) is regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers. He is also known for "inventing" the Arnold Palmer drink, which is half lemonade and half iced tea. [Name # 3.]
6. Actor Clark of Marvel films: GREGG. Although I am not familiar with the Marvel films, I recognized the Clark Gregg (né Robert Clark Gregg, Jr.; b. Apr. 2, 1962) from other shows and movies. [Name # 4.]
7. "I Think About You" country singer Collin: RAYE. I am not up on my country music singers, so am not familiar with Collin Raye (né Floyd Elliot Wray; b. Aug. 22, 1960). He is also known as Bubba Wray. [Name # 5.]
8. Scored against, as on a tennis serve: ACED.
9. __ Moines, Iowa: DES. The history of the city.
10. That, in Spanish: ESO. Today's Spanish lesson.
11. Actress Fanning: DAKOTA. Dakota Fanning (née Hannah Dakota Fanning; b. Feb. 23, 1994) got her start as a child actress. [Name # 6.]
12. Late news hour: ELEVEN. I live in the Central Time Zone, so local news comes on at 10:00 p.m.
13. Swear (to): AT TEST.
19. French wine classification: CRU. Today's French lesson. Everything you wanted to know about Cru but didn't know to ask.
21. Gloomy __: pessimistic one: GUS. [Name adjacent.]
23. "And others" abbr.: ET AL. Today's Latin lesson.
24. Singer India.__: ARIE. India.Aire (née India Arie Simpson; b. Oct. 3, 1975) released her first album, Acoustic Soul in 2001. [Name # 7.]
25. Tenant's monthly payment: RENT.
26. __ and beans: RICE. A Red Beans and Rice is staple in South Louisiana.
27. Face-to-face exam: ORAL.
29. Has a hunch: FEELS.
30. Clerical robes: ALBS. A brief history of the Alb.
33. Got larger: GREW.
34. Geppetto's boy: PINOCCHIO. “Centuries ago there lived… ‘A king!’ my little readers will say immediately. No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood.” The true story of Pinocchio. [Name # 8.]
36. Partner of faith and charity: HOPE. A Biblical reference from the New Testament (1 Corinthians 13). Faith, Hope and Charity is the name of a vineyard in Oregon.
37. Paradise: EDEN. Paradise is not Lost this week.
38. Greek lamb wrap: GYRO. Yummers!
39. Tresses: HAIR. Also the name of a Broadway musical that was later made into a movie.
40. Jazz trumpeter Jones: THAD. Although born in Michigan, Thad Jones (né Thaddeus Joseph Jones; Mar. 28, 1923 ~ Aug. 20, 1986), moved to Copenhagen, Denmark in the late 1970s, where lived the rest of his life. He even has a street named for him in Copenhagen. He is considered one of the best jazz trumpet player of his time. [Name # 9.]
43. Rock instrument: GUITAR.
44. Sharp-witted: ASTUTE.
45. Heated to bubbling: BOILED.
47. Code entered by a debit card user: PIN.
48. Hand-held allergy treatment: EPI-PEN.
50. Tire inflation abbr.: PSI.
51. Puzzle with symbols: REBUS. A is a puzzle device that combines the use of illustrated pictures with individual letters to depict words or phrases. ‡
53. Spades, but not shovels: SUIT.
54. Thicken, as cream: CLOT.
56. Friendly dog's offering: PAW.
57. Actress Arthur: BEA. Although best known as an actress, Bea Arthur (née Bernice Frankel; May 13, 1922 ~ Apr. 25, 2009) joined the Marine Corps just days after that branch of the military began accepting women into their company. [Name # 10.]
60. "Murder, __ Wrote": SHE. Murder, She Wrote was a long-running cozy mystery series about mystery writer and amateur detective, Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury (née Angela Brigid Lansbury; Oct. 16, 1925 ~ Oct. 11, 2022). She lived in the tiny village of Cabot Cove, Maine, which must have been the most dangerous town in the United States because a murder occurred there every week for 12 years.
61. Gate update: Abbr.: ETD. Estimated Time of Departure at the Airport.
Here's the Grid:
§ Two ~ One to screw it in most of the way in and the other to give it a surprise twist at the end.
What is your favorite light bulb joke? Please share.
‡ 51-Down. The answer to the rebus is Up For Grabs.
חתולה
Many thanks to C.C. who stepped in for me last week.
Congratulations to the LSU Tigers who just won the College World Series! Geaux Tigers!
Yesterday, I thought the puzzle was pretty easy, but was contradicted by others who found it more difficult, one going as far as to say it was like “a Friday on a Monday”! I doubt I will be disputed with today when I say THIS puzzle seemed pretty easy. Perhaps the “snake” in the first clue might give some pause (after all, there are probably hundreds of “African snakes!”) but after that I see few problems for my intrepid fellow cruciverbalists. Anyway, FIR , so I’m happy.
ReplyDeleteGREGG ACED the test as a student,
ReplyDeleteWhich ATTESTED to his ASTUTENCE.
He got away
With his GRADE of A
By studying with great prudence!
The brewmaster got him a fright
When his clothing all got to tight!
He was getting obese,
Something had to cease,
So he ordered, "LET THERE BE LITE!"
We start this ditty with a BULB
that hangs from the ceiling above.
The bulb is connected to the SOCKET,
Where it fits like a hand in a pocket.
The socket is connected to the CORD,
Which to the ceiling is anchored.
The cord is connected to the PLUG,
With prongs for the outlet to hug.
When the plug is connected to the wall --
"LET THERE BE LIGHT!" we call!
{B+, B, A-.}
ReplyDeletePatty seems off her feed today. She missed:
Erle Stanley Gardner's pen name A.A. -- FAIR
Advisor to George W. Bush, Carl -- ROVE
Many national surveys are -- PEW'S
Reagan's Secretary of Interior, James -- WATTS
George W. Bush's Secretary of State, Condoleezza -- RICE
"I Dream Of Jeannie," Barbara -- EDEN
"Ocean's -- ELEVEN"
Did i miss any?
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteSlithered right through this one, no Wite-Out required. Had to wait on perps to decide if it'd be PINNOCHIO or PINOCCHIO (d-o has a similar problem with Cinncinati/Cincinnati). Thanx, Ed and Hahtoolah. (Welcome back.)
SUIT: DW claims there's one in the closet, but it hasn't been seen in decades. If I can't wear jeans to an event, I don't attend.
TREADS: About a year ago I purchased new walking shoes, because I'd worn the TREADS off on the old ones. But, I'm still wearing the old ones and saying, "You know, I really should take those new shoes out of the box..."
Guess who screwed up yesterday, pressing the wrong button on the coffeemaker, causing it to brew (loudly) at 3AM today rather than the desired 5AM?
FIR, but it took me a long time to fill PINOCCHIO. No lie! And NYAH was no help at all. Erased muffler for EAR PLUG and octet for EIGHT.
ReplyDeleteHow many does it take to change a light bulb? Just one border collie. And then it'll replace any wiring that's not up to code. Here's some more lovable critters charged with that task.
It is interesting that the US OPEN is one of the few tournaments that amateurs can play in. Or should I say, given the rancor yesterday, ...the few tournaments in which amateurs can play. In any case, it isn't a PGA or a PGA Tour event, even though it is nearly always won by a PGA Tour pro. But it is run by the US Golf Association, an organization made up almost entirely of amateur golfers.
It's so sweet that Ha2la sees St. Patrick's day as something other than an excuse to drink too much. During my imbibing days, that was any day ending in "y."
FLN, Sandyanon - Sounds good to my ear.
Tante - I'd say I can't afford your (Lexi) neighborhood!
Thanks to Ed for the fun Tuesday special, and to Ha2la for another colorful, interesting review. Welcome back!
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteI, too, thought the Eye Socket/Ear Plug answers were leading to a body-theme but Rip Cord negated that notion. I didn’t see the themer connections until I filled in the reveal. Overall, it was an easy solve once perps kicked in on Gregg, Raye, and Thad. I fail to understand the penchant for adding proper name/noun cluing unnecessarily for common words (Mar, She, Race, Watts) when the grid is already overloaded with actual proper names/nouns. I found the Fair Hair duo whimsically evocative.
Thanks, Ed, for a Tuesday treat and thanks, Hahtoolah, for a terrific tour through the puzzle. As always, your facts and fun enlighten and amuse. Winning comics today, for me, are: the dining Anteaters, God separating the lights and darks, and the Teenage Forks. Welcome back!
I’m assuming Ray O is busy munching on Salt Water Taffy in Cape May this week, while enjoying the sun and surf! 🏖️ 🏊♂️
Have a great day.
FIR. Few problems for me. Couldn't remember how to spell Pinocchio and it took me a while to see the light with the theme answer. I kept seeing "let the rebel" as the start and couldn't see beyond that. Finally got my aha moment and all else went smoothly
ReplyDeleteMusings
ReplyDelete-I think I would have gotten the gimmick without the reveal coming so soon
-The number of GRADES I’ve given is well into six figures
-One goal of the US OPEN is to make the course unfriendly to us casual players
-Is GREGG shorthand still used anywhere?
-Omaha was very happy the CWS had the maximum number of games.
-Off to league golf with a 9am tee time
Jinx @ 7:23 ~ You made my day with that hilarious lightbulb link. I especially like the German Shepherd and Shih Tzu’s approach. Knowing Bichon Frisé’s pampered personality, I can almost hear “Je ne parle pas Anglais!” Thanks for the laughs!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning, Crossword friends. I find that the level of difficulty on the puzzle is inconsistent. Sometimes the Monday puzzles are difficult, then I breeze through the Friday puzzle.
ReplyDeleteJinx: By "festivities" I meant just a drunken booze fest. Just look at the picture after the parade. Of course, here in Louisiana, that picture could be after any parade, not just the St. Pat's event.
QOD: Life is a daring adventure or nothing. ~ Helen Keller (née Helen Adams Keller; June 27, 1880 ~ June 1, 1968), American author and political activist
From my daughter's days of ballet classes and singing lessons:
ReplyDeleteHow many divas does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Just one - she holds the bulb and expects the world to revolve around her.
This one was Monday easy. 1-2-3. There were very many gimmes that provided perps for the lesser known names. FIR, though I didn't look for the theme.
ReplyDeleteOKL, Brewmaster poem, A+. It was fun to read aloud, my criterium.
Jinx, LOL light bulb dog jokes. I agree cats have staff.
Grades, CSO to all the teachers and profs on this blog.
Susan, I always love your visuals. The fogged glasses one is so true, my biggest complaint about wearing the masks.
Lately we have had many vocalizations that have been translated into words, always inexact. NYAH, ERM, UM
We enjoyed the scenery in Acadia National Park, and even more the the delicious fresh caught seafood we splurged on.
Many religious holidays, like St. Pat's have been coopted by the masses and have lost their meaning to all but the faithful. Christmas? Patriotic holidays, too, are often celebrated with no thought of their original intent. Labor Day?
Let there be light?
ReplyDeleteIt used to be, a light bulb burnt out, and you threw it away because it was not fixable.
Then came LEDs, and while they (sometimes) lasted longer, due to the extra expense it was a bummer when they prematurely burnt out.
Well, it turns out that extra expense is because you are not buying just one bulb, but almost a dozen! And the circuitry to drive them! So don't throw them out, there are lots of interesting projects you can make with them!
But to start with, if your bulb has burnt out, it is probably just one of a dozen. here's how to fix it!
Yes, easy and fun puzzle today. Hahtoolah as usual informed and entertained. So many cute and apt little jokes.
ReplyDeleteLast night I heard fire crackers going off in the distance and thought people were practicing for the 4th, then this morning I saw the news. It must have been LSU Tigers fans expressing their joy.
Jinx, I loved that link to bulb changing dogs.
Hola!
ReplyDeleteMAMBA reminds me of my gym days when our leader wanted MAMBO but mistakenly said MAMBA instead. Everyone was too polite to correct her.
In the past I would plant 80 TULLIP BULBs and wait for the glorious result in the spring. My knees no longer allow that.
There's a PEORIA, AZ, too.
My sisters and I visited Acadia Park and enjoyed that SCENIC drive.
I believe this is the first time I've ever had to spell PINOCCHIO and I wasn't sure about it until the perps finished it.
The PEWS in our church desperately need new padding on the kneelers.
Welcome back Susan, and thank you for the recap. I had missed your cartoons.
Enjoy your day, everyone!
Good Morning! Thanks, Ed Beckert, for your interesting puzzle.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun journey through today’s Blog. Thanks, Hah2Lah! God sorting the laundry reminded me, have you ever been to a restaurant where the servers uniform is a white shirt with black pants which became a gray shirt with black pants??? LOL! Ya gotta know they throw them into the same load of laundry. 😄
Perps & WAGs for GREGG, RAYE and THAD
WO: AirE - ARIE
Hah2Lah found a song & a town, but to me NYAH is just a convenient filler.
Jinx, loved the link to How Many Dogs……. captured it perfectly!!!
Took 5:13 today for me to see the light.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know Raye, nyah, Thad, or how to spell Pinocchio.
I love Acadia National Park. It's beautiful. And, yes, the seafood is good there. Even McDonalds around there serve lobster rolls.
Funny review.
Thank you Ed for a Tuesday FIR; got the lamp parts; but couldn't make any sense out of LET THE REBEL IGHT? DOH!
ReplyDeleteThanks Hahtoolah for a fun review. I especially liked the SCENIC tour of Acadia National Park. When we visited, the island was FOGGED in, so we got an acoustic-guide, drove around the loop, and IMAGINED how beautiful everything must be! The next day the fog had lifted and we drove up Cadillac Mountain to watch the sunrise, reputed to be the first place in the US where it appears.
A few favs:
46 PEWS. Back in the day, circa the beginning of the CE, diners would recline on couches while eating.
36D HOPE. At beads 2-4 of the Rosary three Hail Marys are said for an increase in FAITH, HOPE, and CHARITY.
96 Light bulb jokes to brighten your day.
Cheers,
Bill
Another easy FIR. WOW! Two in a row! I'll Echo IM on the proper names for common answers infestation. Annoying. HAMBURGER CHOICE: If there's nae BEEF PATTY, there's nae HAMBURGER!
ReplyDeleteAnother easy FIR. WOW! Two in a row! I'll Echo IM on the proper names for common answers infestation. Annoying. HAMBURGER CHOICE: If there's nae BEEF PATTY, there's nae HAMBURGER!
ReplyDeleteAs so many crossword fiends said today, had to wait on perps to spell PINOCCHIO. Also needed perps for CRU (I’m not a whine drinker) but other than that CW went very quickly in spite of the number of names. For once, I knew most of the names. No W/Os. This CW is much easier than yesterdays, thank goodness. So many CW fiends mentioned yesterday being easy I was worried that I was losing my cognition ignition faster than I thought! Anyway, FIR in very good Tuesday time. Thanx, EB. And Hahtoolah, as always a stunning write-up, full of wit and good cartoons. Thanx.
ReplyDeleteFun Tuesday puzzle, many thanks, Ed. And, Hahtoolah, your pictures were just amazing today. I even turned on some of the music here and there--a delight--thank you so much for this treat.
ReplyDeleteWell, I always look for happy themes in puzzles, but seeing ANGER right away FOGGED up our EYE SOCKET and we might have thought we'd need EAR PLUGS if any more ANGER BOILED over. Maybe that's why we were offered some GEL CAPs, in case we needed something to calm things down. FEELS better now.
But, thank goodness, we also had a chance to go to the RACES, and visit the county FAIR, and get a BEEF PATTY and some RICE and RAMEN and a GYRO to eat, and listen to a GUITAR and some YODELS while working on a REBUS. Not a bad way to spend part of the day.
Have a great day, everybody.
ReplyDeleteAfter a few seasons, the Cabot Cove murder central meme made Jessica a world traveler and she solved cases worldwide leaving Cabot Cove safe for residents.
I meant to mention some answers were easy to over-think. I’m looking at you, EIGHT! Not OCTET or OCTAD or ….. And PHASE, not WANES, WAXES, ……
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ed, for your quick & LIGHT puzzle. FAV: "Tablet alternative"
ReplyDeleteNYAH ???
Thanks, Hahtoolah, for your perfect mix of info. & smiles! Today's FAV: Farm to table
A fine PZL from Mr. Beckert brought to us by Hahtoolah...
ReplyDeleteSolved before I saw the theme.
I don't spell NYAH that way. But, to each his own, eh?
~ OMK
____________
DR Two diagonals, one per side.
The near diag is short on vowels. The far one yields a decent anagram (13 of 15 letters, well maybe not quite so "decent") which might serve as a label for Mr. Hardy when he takes a dare,
For this appearance, he is ...
"OLLIE, STREAKER!"
I liked this puzzle. I liked Hahtoolah's write-up even more and read the real story of Pinocchio all the way through. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteJinx, thanks for the link to how dogs approach the task of lightbulb changing.
Owen, thanks for the verses. And yeah, I get what you were saying about Condoleeza RICE, ET AL. Maybe someone can make a puzzle with nothing but names in it. On second thought, ERM, no.
Good wishes to you all.
Hi Y'all! Thanks, Ed, for a fun & fast solve. Theme? There was a theme? Duh! Hahtoolah had to enLIGHTen me on the theme. Thanks, Hahtoolah, and for all the funnies.
ReplyDeleteI may be one of the few who knew Collin Raye. I went to a concert by him in 1997 to celebrate my birthday. Hadn't heard much of him before that, but the concert tour came up locally and my kids took me. Great songs & a good time. Do not remember any of his songs from that night now. Can't remember who was the tall brunette woman who opened for him. Hadn't heard of Collin in many years. Fame is fickle and fleeting.
Fln, TTP, Evan B has a lot of REBI in his xwords
ReplyDeleteThe light bulb never went on as I tried to grok the theme. Too simple
Wyndham Clark just won the US Open in LA
In Boston the official St Pat's holiday is Evacuation Day. A City Holiday
I actually read the original PINOCCHIO in the second grade. Yes, complex but enjoyable. I remember the fox and the cat
My knees can't handle the PEWS. I do the Catholic half-sit
The problem with the GEL CAP is one can't break it in two. I take ½ Tylenol and ½ ?* at night. And chamomile tea.
Hahtoolah at the top of her game as well as Owen
WC
* It'll come to me
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ed for a quick Tuesday outing and didn't even have time to notice the theme before the reveal.
Fun expo, comics and links - thanks Hahtoolah. Had had "GRABS UP" and LOL light-bulb joke.
How many Electrical Engineers does it take to change a light-bulb?*
WOs: N/A
ESPs: GREGG, RAYE, DAKOTA, ARIE (again!), THAD
Fav: GEL CAP gave me a "Hah! HAHA!" moment as I couldn't get off of "iPad, iphone, laptop..." train of thought.
Hand-up letting many perps spell PINOCCHIO.
{A+, B, B}
Funny DR.
Thanks Jinx & Waseeley for the lightbulb jokes.
Cheers, -T
*Only one but s/he has to do it in the frequency domain.
When I give speeches, I start with that joke, point to the ones who laugh out loud, and say "there's my fellow EEs" :-)
Wilbur Charles, funny guy. The plural is rebuses.
ReplyDeleteI do thoroughly enjoy Evan Birnholz's Sunday puzzles. Mainly because of his clean wordplay. But many times I get a bigger kick solving for the hidden messages or metas. I am in awe of the various gimmicks he uses.
On another note, it was very unhealthy* to be outdoors on Tuesday in Chicagoland. The news reported that we had the worst air quality of any major city in the world. I went out for about ten minutes to get the mail and fill the birdbaths. My throat and nasal membranes were burning by the time I got back inside. Supposed to be more of the same again today. I'm skipping golf league and will be wearing an N-95 mask if I have to go outside today. It's that bad.
* I entered my zip at Airnow.gov. We registered at 258 when I checked in the afternoon. Just 42 points short of being in the hazardous range.