Guess Who's Back in Town?
Today's constructor is Brian Callahan, back for his second solo appearance on the Corner, the first blogged by sumdaze on April 24, 2023.
Brian is not a
Grinch,
but he does rather deviously replace the original
eponym
for the following four towns with more recent and famous faux fill. And
just WHO are these displaced persons? --
16A. *Nobel-winning mathematician portrayed in "A Beautiful Mind":
JOHN NASH.
NASHVILLE, Tennessee
was originally named for
Francis Nash (c. 1742 – October 7, 1777), a hero of the Revolutionary War. But Brian has replaced him with the
brilliant mathematician and game theorist
John Forbes Nash, portrayed by Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind ...
We will return to Nashville, Tenn. when we get to clue 24D.
23A. *"Captain America: The First Avenger" star: CHRIS EVANS. EVANSVILLE, Indiana was originally named for General Robert Morgan EVANS (February 17, 1782 – December 14, 1842) a hero of the War of 1812. But Brian has replaced him with Superhero Captain America, played by Chris EVANS ...
37A. *Gospel legend with the hit "Move On Up a Little Higher": MAHALIA JACKSON. Andrew JACKSON, the 7th President of the United States, and the eponym supplanted in this case, has no less four American cities named for him: Jacksonville, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; Jacksonville, Illinois; and Jacksonville, North Carolina, so he is not quite so obscure as the others. Brian has replaced him with Mahalia JACKSON (born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) the American gospel singer, is widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. Here's the clue song (lyrics)...
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993) started to play tennis at age six. He was the first black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team. He would later win three Grand Slam singles titles and was the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. Here is a brief bio-clip about this remarkable athlete ...
Here's the reveal ...
61. Town targeted by the Grinch, and an apt description of the ends of the answers to the starred clues?: WHO-VILLE. Whoville, sometimes written as WHO-VILLE is a fictional town created by author Dr. Seuss. I read Brian's usage of WHO as a pronoun for the eponyms for each of the towns, all ending in VILLE, in the theme clues. YMMV.
Here's the grid ...
1. Have more than a snack: DINE.
5. Fib: LIE.
8. Blind components: SLATS.
13. Four-award acronym: EGOT.
14. Far from ne'er: OFT.
15. Words: TERMS. What this game is all about.
16. [Theme clue]
18. Website bigwig, for short: ADMIN.
19. "Raise your glass!": A TOAST. Here's a toast ("brindiso") to a courtesan in Verdi's opera La Traviata ...
20. __-gritty: NITTY. And here's a toast to a different character ...
23. [Theme clue]
27. Some Pac-12 athletes: UTES.
29. Green prefix: ECO.
30. Green prefix?: NEO. Also a character in the film The Matrix ...
31. Tool with teeth: COMB.
34. Casual eatery: BISTRO.
37. [Theme clue]
41. Sheepish ones?: OVINES. Plural 44As.
42. McFlurry cookie: OREO. Last week we had Blizzards, this week it's McFlurry; on my birthday we had Cookies and Cream, all with this infinitely clueable confection.
43. Fellows: MEN.
44. Sheepish one?: EWE. A singular 41A.
46. Absence: LACK.
50. [Theme clue]
55. Meditative discipline: ZEN. ZEN is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chán School, and later developed into various sub-schools and branches. From China, Chán spread south to Vietnam and became Vietnamese Thiền, northeast to Korea to become Seon Buddhism, and east to Japan, becoming Japanese Zen.
|
|
From a manuscript depicting the bodhisattva Maitreya, an important figure in Mahāyāna |
57. Like bargain-basement items: ON SALE.
59. Handling brilliantly: ACING.
61. [Theme reveal]
63. Kayak kin: CANOE.
64. Arctic diving bird: AUK. Auks are seabirds that look somewhat like penguins, but they can fly. There is an entire taxonomic family that people often refer to as “auks,” the Alcidae family. There are many different birds in the Alcidae family, including puffins, auklets, and murres, but there are only two species of “true” auks.
|
| Auks |
66. Voices against: ANTIS.
67. "Listen!": HEY. "Use your 68As!"
68. Good listeners?: EARS.
Down:
1. "This seems familiar" feeling: DÉJÀ VU. That feeling is described in a 1970 album and song of the same name Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young (lyrics) ...
2. "Let me handle this": I GOT IT.
3. Pessimist's phrase: NO HOPE.
4. Volcano between Messina and Catania: ETNA.
5. Reluctant: LOATH.
6. Conditions: IFS.
7. Sharing a cultural identity: ETHNIC.
8. Condition: STATE.
9. Insignia or LG product, for short: LED TV.
10. Colonial soldiers?: ARMY ANTS.
11. Brief "That's wildly personal": TMI.
12. Personal ID: SSN.
17. Defense advisory gp.: NSC. National Security Council.
21. Meteorologist's pressure line: ISOBAR. How to read a weather chart.
24. McEntire in the Country Music Hall of Fame: REBA.
REBA Nell McEntire
(born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country and gospel music
singer and actress. Dubbed "the Queen of Country" [with Dolly as the
"Empress" of course!], she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Since the
1970s, McEntire has placed over 100 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs
chart, 25 of which reached the number one spot. She is an actress in films
and television. She starred in the television series Reba, which aired
for six seasons. She also owns several businesses, including a clothing
line. Here she is with I'll Fly Away (It wouldn't surprise if she did!) ...
25. Archie's boss, in detective fiction: NERO. NERO Wolfe is a brilliant, obese and eccentric fictional armchair detective created in 1934 by American mystery writer Rex Stout. Here are some reflections on the character and the stories ...
26. In short order: SOON.
28. Digitize, in a way: SCAN.
32. Flamenco shout: OLE.
33. Scrooges: MISERS.
35. Raw-bar need: ICE.
36. "__, Vikings": Minnesota fight song: SKOL. By request from a Vikings fan upstairs ...
37. NYC home of van Gogh's "Starry Night": MOMA. In the Museum of Modern Art, and the inspiration for Don McLean's classic song Vincent ...
39. Comment said with a nudge: HINT HINT. This calls for a little Python ...
40. Trader __: JOES. Trader Joe's is an American chain of grocery stores headquartered in Monrovia, California. It is named after its founder, Joe Coulombe. The company began in 1958 as a Greater Los Angeles area chain known as Pronto Market convenience stores. We shop at our local TJ's at least once a week.
48. Basement: CELLAR. Or a verb meaning "to age a wine".
49. Pays respect, in a way: KNEELS.
51. Capital on the Red River Delta: HANOI. Not this Red River, this Red River ...
 |
| Red River Delta |
53. What absent-minded students play?: HOOKY.
54. Ltr. holder: ENV.
58. __ hustle: SIDE.
59. Obama-era legislation, initially: ACA. Affordable Care Act.
60. Spam container: CAN. Or most of my inbox.
62. Shade: HUE. Or another Vietnamese city, this one on the Perfume River ...
 |
Huế |
Cheers,
Bill
And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.
waseeley
Postscript:
Last Thursday was my 76th birthday and I thank C.C. for leading off a chorus of much appreciated birthday wishes from the Corner!
We
were out of town all last week, one of the main reasons being to spend
my birthday with my son, DIL, and a rare assembly of all eight
grandchildren at Catholic Family Land in Bloomingdale, OH ...
"Prussian officer who taught American Revolutionary War soldiers close bayonet tactics": STEUBEN. Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben is the eponym for the town of STEUBENVILLE, OH, our base of operations for all these adventures. Were it not for the good Baron, America literally might not celebrate the Fourth of July each year:
 |
| Baron von Steuben |
CHRIS, a girl from EVANSVILLE,
ReplyDeleteFell in love with JOHN, from NASHVILLE.
But the affair was sundered
When John blundered,
And was replaced by ARTHUR from ASHEVILLE!
But love came to JOHN, in NASHVILLE,
In the form of MAHALIA, of JACKSONVILLE.
So the two went ahead,
And were duly were wed,
Over the objection of Cruella de Ville!
{C.}
I haven't posted poems for the past couple days because I've been distracted and worried. Yellowrocks told a couple days ago about an acquaintance who'd been scammed, but I'm afraid my story is even more horrendous. Starting late last year my wife began sending money to scammers. She went thru $20,000 of our savings, a $100,000 inheritance from her brother, maxed out our credit cards, stopped paying bills and mortgage in order to send that money to scammers. Her utilities have been cut off, she has to walk 2 miles to and from work every day, and now she wants to sell our condo. What makes this the most maddening is that she KNOWS these are scammers she's sending all this money to! She is mentally unbalanced, probably in dementia, but totally in denial, and there's nothing I've been able to do about it! Her sister and I have begged her for months to see a psychiatrist, but she won't, and there's no way we can force her. I'm bedridden in a nursing facility in Albuquerque, her sister is in Indiana, so neither of us are in Santa Fe. I talked to the realtor today, who tells me her hoarding has made the condo "uninhabitable". I still call her "her" because I'm convinced her transgender change to male about 3 years ago was because it was a fad thing to do. Now I wonder if it may have also been a precursor to this dementia.
I didn’t remember Chris Evans or John Nash until the perps reminded me of them, but I knew the other two, of course. Also, I had no idea what “linked” the four themed answers while I was doing the puzzle, but solving the reveal made the clever theme clear. FIR, so I’m happy.
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteThis one had a few head-scratchers, but no Wite-Out was required. D-o even figured out the theme without the reveal, which he somehow failed to read completely. D'oh. Thanx, Brian and Waseeley. (Thanx for that selection from La Traviata -- it proved that at this advanced age, I still don't care for opera.)
Owen, you should consult an attorney. There must be something that can legally be done to help resolve that situation.
OKL, I am so sorry to read of your problems. Makes what I'm going through seem like a walk in the park. I hope you find a way to help both of you.
ReplyDeleteFIR, but erased sysop for ADMIN, lcdtv for LEDTV, anon for SOON, azelia for AZALEA (UNTIE!) and pea for NEO. I don't get how NEO is a green prefix. NEOgreen? Someone who is a tyro (neocook?) Someone please toss a can of V8 my way!
I was sure that Archie's boss was Prescott McNally, but he didn't fit in.
When I filled EGOT I thought "another OREO," then on down the grid encountered OREO. Small world.
I mentioned it before, but as much as I love NITTY Gritty Dirt Band's music, I must say that they are the most difficult, entitled, elitist people I've ever worked with. Easiest? Emmylou Harris.
Thanks to Bill 'n' Teri for the fun review. I'll Fly Away is one of my favorite tunes, but I've never heard Reba's cover before. It is a Bluegrass mainstay.
Here's the bi-weekly DAB puzzle Haunted by the Past.
ReplyDeleteJinx @6:59 AM As in a NEOPHYTE, a greenhorn.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna try to get out of here early tomorrow, so I'm going to try to delay puzzle work until the afternoon. We'll see - this is my eye opener, since I'm relegated to decaf.
ReplyDeleteIn case I forget, Sunday is National Ice Cream Day. While you still have time, I suggest you shop for Blue Bell Pecan Pralines 'n Cream. You're welcome.
Bill, that would imply that "phyte" is a word, but is it? I also thought of NEOnatal, and I guess that would be a child of extraterrestrials - a green child.
ReplyDeleteJinx @7:18 AM NEOPHYTE
DeleteBill-Thanks for the explanation for the WHO-VILLE because I FIR but had no idea how it related to THE theme fills. Only two unknowns today filled by perps. CHRIS EVANS and SKOL.
ReplyDeleteGotta go.
Took 6:58 today for me to graduate from the school of hard Knox.
ReplyDeleteDidn't see the theme until I finished.
Nice seeing wahwah.
Waseely: Were you near the somewhat recent train derailment site?
OwenKL: you should definitely consult an attorney that practices in probate/guardian matters. It sounds like you need to file an application for a guardianship. A power of attorney won't be enough, because then she still could write checks/give away money and terminate the power of attorney. A guardianship requires someone else to take over her finances, and that person will have to report to the court occasionally.
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles.
FIR. Had NSA before NSC and could not make heads or tails out of the Captain America actor, not being a fan.
ReplyDeleteOnce again a puzzle whose theme is proper names. I am not fond of puzzles that have proper names, and this one is no exception.
But on the plus side, I found this to be the easiest crossword of the week.
Monday came on a Thursday this week! Breezed through this one, to FIR in good Thursday time (for me). DNK = JOHNNASH, CHRISEVANS. W/O = NSA:NSC. I was so pleased to cruise through this CW I didn’t take the time to figure out the theme, so thanx Bill for the enlightenment, as well as the rest of your outstanding write-up. And much thanx too to BC for this delightful CW.
ReplyDeleteThis was a fast and fun puzzle for a Thursday with a creative theme!
ReplyDeleteI have been to EVANSVILLE as they often host the NCAA DII basketball championship and we went to watch friends' son play in it from Chico State.
I am somewhat of a map/atlas nerd - so my interest was piqued with 4 states having the name JACKSONVILLE. It turns out there are 26 states that have cities named JACKSON (one is the capital of Mississippi) including 4 states that have 2 cities/towns in them: North Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, Pennsylvania. So people better have the zip code right if mailing things there. There are also 24 states that have a JACKSON County in them- in Missouri that is the county that Kansas City is in. I wonder if that is because he was president around the time a lot of states became states!
Thanks Bill & Teri for the blog including the music links. CSNY was a college favorite and "Ill fly away" is one of my favorite spirituals! and thanks Brian for an amusing puzzle
Bill, for some reason the V8 can didn't dent my thick skull. I had thought of NEOphyte, but in that usage is NEO a prefix? "Phyte" is a suffix, so can a word be made of a prefix and a suffix? Maybe Yellowrocks can straighten me out - she usually has great explanations.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @7:28 AM GPS shows East Palestine to be about a 1/2 hour north of East Liverpool (Museum of Ceramics town). Had we know this might might have added it to our trip, as we've been following the aftermath of the derailment since the accident. We were initially concerned because one of my granddaughters (the one in the baseball cap in the pic) was attending Franciscan University at the time and we were afraid that there might be some fallout. The other reason is that initially they were planning to send all of the polluted water to Baltimore to have it treated (by rail? DOH!). Cooler heads prevailed and that didn't happen.
ReplyDeleteJinx @8:21 AM I suspect she'll agree with the Oxford Language dictionary, the source of my citation at 7:58 AM.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning:
ReplyDeleteI had no idea how these four people were connected, until filling in the reveal. I liked the fresh theme, made especially tight because of the disparate field of each person. There were some clever clues and entries, such as the clechos for Ovines/Ewe, Eco/Neo, and the echoing Hint Hint and Wah Wah. Was unfamiliar with Skol, as clued and stumbled over NSA/NSC, but the rest was smooth sailing. I’ve heard of Whoville but had no idea what is was or that it was Grinch-related.
Thanks, Brian, for a Thursday treat and thanks, Bill, for another session of fun, facts, and beautiful music. I love La Traviata (DO-🙀) and the heartbreaking, beautifully rendered Vincent. Thanks for sharing the lovely family photos, you and Teri are very blessed. Many thanks to you both for your time and efforts in enhancing and brightening our Thursdays.
Owen, my heart aches for you. I hope you’re able to heed the advice (especially SS’s @ 7:28) to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Good luck.
I bought a new Smart TV yesterday and am looking forward to watching Ted Lasso and The Morning Show, thanks to my free 3 month subscription to Apple TV. I may keep it after the trial period, depending on how many other Apps strike my fancy (and my purse!) as well. Based on Bill W’s comments, I’m anxious to see what Brit Box has to offer.
Have a great day.
Musings
ReplyDelete-I love it when the gimmick makes you slap your head and say, “Duh!”
-We both were amazed at America’s largest home - The Biltmore in Asheville, NC.
-We once heard REBA sing the National Anthem at a Husker/Sooner football game. She did fine and used a lot of extra notes!
-My iPhone is a great, and very convenient, SCANNER!
-CELLARS can double as tornado shelters here on the prairie.
-HOOKY does not seem to be a product of absentmindedness to me.
-I remember Steubenville, Ohio as the home of Dean Martin.
-I really liked the write-up and the pix, Bill!
-Gotta run, I have a 10:48 tee time with grandson in Lincoln!
HG @8:46 AM Yes, there's even a huge mural of Jerry Lewis' straight man on the outside of the local Kroger's. And what a crooner!
DeleteHola!
ReplyDeleteThanks to Brian, Bill and Terri for today's amusement.
Lots of DE JA VU for me in this puzzle. The movie, A Beautiful Mind, portrays the life of JOHN NASH. I highly recommend it.
"The Grinch" which takes place in WHOVILLE has been watched many times by my daughter and granddaughters.
On a trip to eastern Canada we took a boat trip which sailed toward AUK island and almost fainted from the fetid smell.
How I loved listening to MAHALIA JACKSON.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
I believe the clue for HOOKY is a play on words, ABSENT-MINDED as in planning to be absent.
ReplyDeleteI too had to wait for the reveal to understand this theme. Lever and fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks Waseely for the nice links.
OwenK. What a horrible situation you’re in. My heart goes out to you. I always enjoy your clever little poems.
Another hot day today. Well, on to Costco with my niece.
FLN. A-t. Have a nice trip.
ReplyDeleteLucina, you beat me to it with your ABSENT-MINDED comment.
ReplyDeleteGotta agree with Jinx. To me NEO means NEW, not GREEN.
If you’re new on the job site… you’re considered “green”
DeleteAnon-T, WAIT! DONT GO ON VK YET!
ReplyDeleteyour link last night was broken,
And I NEED to know how Heckle and Jeckle got those train tickets!
Re: puzzle?
I dunno who,
But in searching for a silly Whoville link, this picture came up.
(Why does it remind me of Picard?...)
I don't think it is uncommon for "green" used as an adjective to mean new, novice, or inexperienced. The example that jumps to my mind is in a military context--e.g. a green recruit joining a company of seasoned or battle-hardened veterans. So I think the clue-to-answer chain essentially goes "green"="new"; what is a prefix that means "new"; NEO.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning! Wow! what an unexpected Thursday puzzle! FIR – thanks, Brian.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea what connected the themers until I read the recap. Thanks, Bill & Teri. Belated Happy Birthday! Also enjoyed reading about your family get-together and your excursion to the pottery museum.
NE was the last to fill. EVANS was a total WAG but helped me get to the finish line.
ESP: SKOL & WAHWAH.
NERO Wolfe. I’m currently rewatching the Timothy Hutton/Maury Chaykin episodes on YouTube (on the internet, no subscription needed.) Love it!! Classic TV!
I so enjoyed listening to Vincent / Starry Starry Night.
HOOKY – my original comment was that I didn’t seem to fit the clue. Hooky was always well-planned and intentional, but then I read Lucina’s comment – By Jove, I think she’s got it!! Thanks, Lucina.
OwenKL, I am so sorry to read your troubles. How devastating! What a horrible situation. My prayers & sympathy to you.
RosE @10:56 AM Wow, thanx for the Nero tip! Just checked it out on YouTube and we can access it.
DeleteEasy FIR today, despite having too many names. NEO was a stretch for me. Great tunes, WAS! -took me straight down th rabbit hole
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was a pleasant interlude.
Fun Thursday puzzle, many thanks for this delightful, complex work. And Happy belated Birthday, Bill, and thank you, Bill and Teri, for your always delightful commentary.
ReplyDeleteOwen, I was going to try to make some funny comments about this puzzle, but the story about the family crisis you're dealing with is just heartbreaking. I am so sorry to hear that you're having to go through this while you yourself are bedridden and in a nursing home. What a difficult thing to have to deal with at a time when you should be enjoying great family care and devotion. I will certainly keep you in my prayers every day, and just hope that you will get the professional help you need to deal with your situation. Take good careful of yourself, and just know that so many of us, who have been enjoying your lovely verses for years and years, are devoted to you and wish you the best.
Have a good weekend coming up, everybody.
Owen, I can't tell you how sorry I am for everything you're going through. I just prayed for you and look forward to continuing to do so.
ReplyDeleteMisty
ReplyDeleteWell said on your comments to Owen. I agree and add my prayers as well.
I can’t believe I wrote Lever when I meant to write clever to describe OwenK’s delightful poems. I always look forward to them.
ReplyDeleteWhen I filled JOHN NASH and ARTHUR ASHE I thought the theme would be last names ending with the "ash" sound. I am happy to have been wrong about that, as WHOVILLE is so much better.
ReplyDeleteREBA made FILE (and RASP) change to COMB.
I have just had a long, interesting phone conversation with our granddaughter who is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and who is now officially on strike. Fortunately she has a good day job, so she's not suffering financially. She has been marching in the picket line during her own time.
Owen, so sorry this is happening to you. Please take the advice of getting an attorney ASAP.
Good wishes to you all.
I have mixed feelings about today's puzzle. I did not enjoy the proper names but then found the reveal to be clever and fun. Still deciding if the juice was worth the squeeze....
ReplyDeleteFAVs: IFS (as clued), Trader JOE'S (I love their stuff!), and "Absent"-minded. I also noticed WAHWAH & HINTHINT. Thanks, Brian!
18A was a CSO to our venerable TTP!
Annonymous@7:28. "Knox". Good one!
OwenKL @ 3:35. My heart & prayers go out to you. Such a difficult ordeal....
Thanks to our tour guide, waseeley! I enjoyed your family trip pics! The Arthur Ashe video topped my list today.
The best NERO Wolfe was the A&E* Series 2001-003
ReplyDeleteMAHALIA JACKSON provided lots of perps making this easiest solve of the week
WAH WAH (WaWa) is an ubiquitous gas franchise featuring a large takeout menu
With the H I thought it might be Helene Montana
Owen, I remember your "mate" and the scammrr(s). Have you looked into emptying the Baker Act?
I meant to post this morning but got drawn away
WC
* With Timothy Hutton as someone mentioned. I've read most of the books. "Too Many Cooks" was my favorite (not PC by modern taste