(Notes from C.C.: MM is on vacation. Steve will cover for him the next few weeks. Thanks for helping us again, Steve!)
Theme: Dis-located. "DIS" pops up in the middle of a phrase:
17A. Blackmailer's ultimatum?: CASH OR DISCREDIT.
26A. Message such as "Still looking for my golf ball in the tall grass"?: ROUGH DISPATCH.
42A. Pawn shop, essentially?: HOUSE OF DISCARDS.
and the reveal:
53A. Faded away, and what happened in 17-, 26-, and 42-Across?: DISAPPEARED.
I liked the theme and the resulting phrases, although I'd question "Pawn shop", maybe "Junk shop" might be more accurate. That's a minor nit though. The top center section was sitting quite empty when the rest of the puzzle was complete, but I eventually stared it down. Let's see what else we've got to talk about:
1. Quad spot: LEG. Quadriceps.
4. Pollen producers: STAMENS.
11. One turn after another?: ZAG. Nice clue, after a zig you zag.
14. Kaplan of Yo La Tengo: IRA.
15. Was allowed to vote: HAD A SAY.
16. Tuber also called a New Zealand yam: OCA. These tubers, grown as a major crop in the Andes:
20. "Which __ say ... ": IS TO.
21. Pollen collector?: PETAL.
22. Extract: MINE.
23. College Park athlete, for short: TERP.
24. Vote against: NAY.
25. Lobbying orgs.: PACS.
31. Dessert ruined by Little Jack Horner: PIE.
32. Washington state brewski: OLY. Not really. Pabst aquired the brand in 1999 and shut down the Olympia brewery in 2003, but still continued to promote is as being produced in the state from Washington water. They faced a class action lawsuit for false advertising in 2018, and the action failed only because they'd ceased to produce the brand by the time the suit came to federal court in 2022.
33. Racket dampener?: SHH.
36. Garment with adjustable straps: BRA.
38. "La __ en Rose": VIE.
39. Tazo product: TEA.
46. Writer Bombeck: ERMA.
47. Arrange, as a sari: DRAPE.
48. Wilts: SAGS.
49. Genre that uses a caricature style known as chibi: ANIME.
51. Mantra syllables: OMS.
52. Matchstick wood: ASPEN.
56. Massage style: SHIATSU.
58. Puts on the line, maybe: AIRS OUT.
61. "I'm ready to play, coach!": PUT ME IN.
62. Duo: TWOSOME.
63. Tina of "30 Rock": FEY.
64. Defunct D.C. stadium: RFK. I had "VET" at first, for "The Vet", or Veteran's Stadium, completely ignoring the fact that the Vet was in Philadelphia, not D.C.
65. Tree feller: SAW.
66. "Sweet!": RAD.
Down:
1. Not outlawed: LICIT. Couple of missteps here until the crosses corrected me. LEGAL followed by LEGIT (which I didn't like anyway) before finally landing on LICIT.
2. Crossword solver's need, maybe: ERASER. We've all been there!
3. Gourmet's prefix: GASTRO.
4. "Billions" airer, briefly: SHO. Showtime.
5. Large spread: TARP.
6. Summer term?: ADDEND.
7. Curaćao and rum drink: MAI TAI.
8. Takes in the paper?: ESSAYS.
9. Pickling mineral, chemically: NACL.
10. Med. nation: SYR. Quite a few of these. SPA, FRA, MON, SAN, ITA, CRO, SER, GRE ... and I haven''t even got to TUR.
11. Signs from above: ZODIAC.
12. Child's play: A CINCH.
13. Airport array: GATES.
18. Words said while patting a stool, perhaps: HOP UP.
19. Needing filling: EMPTY.
27. Teasing remark: GIBE.
28. Tenor role in "Salome": HEROD.
29. Unflappability: POISE.
30. Guinness of "Lawrence of Arabia": ALEC.
33. __ butter: SHEA.
34. Traffic sound: HORN.
35. Heat index factor: HUMIDITY.
37. Arts festival that calls itself "the other Black experience": AFROPUNK.
38. Prime viewing spots: VIP SEATS.
39. Secret exit, maybe: TRAPDOOR.
40. Periphery: EDGE.
41. Gp.: ASSN.
43. Seuss character: SAM I AM.
44. Almost dry: DAMP.
45. Appraise: ASSESS.
50. Czech Olympian Ledecká who won gold in two winter disciplines: ESTER. She won the gold at the 2018 Olympics in in the Super-G and in Parallel Snowboarding, making her the first person to compete in the Winter Olympics using two different kinds of equipment (skis and snowboard), and, by definition, the first person to win gold medals in those events and at the same Olympic Games.
52. Directional aid: ARROW.
54. "You're kidding, right?": AS IF.
55. Boombox brand: AIWA. I thought these were literally a "blast from the past" but you can still buy them.
56. Initialism for certain applications: SPF. Sunscreen.
57. Saffron or sage: HUE.
59. Actress Thurman: UMA.
60. "Ideas worth spreading" org.: TED.
I think it's just the grid left, and we're done!
Steve
I wouldn’t say this puzzle was easy, but after the first themed fill, the gimmick was obvious, and that helped solve the other themed entries. On the whole, it seemed about right for a Friday puzzle; maybe a little easier than usual, but not by much. Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
ReplyDeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteAck, the dust has been bitten. Unlike Steve, LICIT was my first choice for 1d. But 2d was just unsolvable, probably because of the TOUGH PATCH at 26a. Thought the 3-letter name was likely to be INA, but ENASET made no sense. D'oh. Another fail. Bzzzzt. Theme was cute, and d-o even recognized the reveal, so there's that. Thanx, Lewis and pinch-hitter, Steve.
Boombox -- Methinks the concept is being kept alive by the home-building industry. Seems to be a boombox blaring at every home site.
BTW, d-o uses Wite-Out, so ERASER never occurred.
ReplyDeleteI liked today’s themers! I never use an eraser - I just scratch over … I remember when I graduated to using a pen on the puzzle - back in ‘70s when it was our coffee break group event at the public health lab: I felt so proud! Now I’m doing an early book of Merl Reagle’s Sunday Puzzles - in pencil, on the off chance that somebody else might like a shot after me. I do have one small beef - with many puzzles these days: “bra” is such a common fill now—when are we gonna see “jock strap”!?; I wish it didn’t annoy me, and it does :-\
ReplyDeleteGood Morning:
ReplyDeleteWe’ve seen Lewis’s byline several times and I’ve always enjoyed his offerings, but today’s seemed different in theme and tone and the solve wasn’t quite as smooth or satisfying as past challenges. I filled in the third themer, House of Discards, before getting the first two but that was enough to fill in Disappeared without any other letters, and getting that helped with seeing Discredit and Dispatch. IMO, the only C/A that isn’t forced or clunky is the Pawn Shops/House of Discards. I thought some of the cluing was exaggeratedly oblique but not unfairly so. I was surprised by the numerous multiple-word entries: Had A Say, Is To, Airs Out, Put Me In, Hop Up, A Cinch, Afro Punk, VIP Seats, As If, Trap Door, and Sam I Am. These, along with several perp-dependent entries, i.e., Oca, Oly, Afro Punk, Ester, AIWA, Anime, Zodiac, and Aspen, contributed to a challenging, lengthy solve, albeit a successful one.
Thanks, Lewis, for a Friday stumper and thanks, Steve, for your critique and for filling in again for our roving Friday Sherpa, MalMan. Your keen observations and commentary are always spot on and appreciated.
Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteI had a tough time with the puzzle ....duh .. only to be expected.
As I struggled and solved with red letters, I learnt a lot.
I got up really early, for my normal schedule, and decided to just do the crossword, and I am I did.
Thank you Steve, for a very elucidating commentary.
I slogged and filled in the blanks, one alphabet at a time, .... and I learnt, certain esoteric things, like ..... what it is you do to wear a SARI.
Duh, you Drape it !!
Although I have seen more than my share of saris in my life - my wife has worn some about 25 years ago, ... I have honestly never seen her draping it.
I just thought she stood in the center and spun around ....
Maybe, I'm just an old time prude ...
have a good Friday, all, and a great weekend.
FIR, but like Steve, legal->legit->LICIT. Also applied the ERASER end of my Pentel to axe for SAW, then POISE before reentering it.
ReplyDeleteFor a change, I figured out the theme before I got to the reveal, and it helped solve the reveal.
UofM baseball diamond protector? TERP TARP.
Today is:
National Pinot Noir Day (appetizer)
National Fajita Day (lunch)
National Ice Cream Pie Day (dessert)
National Mail Order Catalog Day (I remember the Monkey Wards and Sears "wish books")
Julia Roberts won a SAG award for Erin Brockovich. It hurts my soul to see "Julia Roberts" and "SAG" in the same sentence.
My massage style is to announce right up front "I'm not a cop."
Could someone please toss me a V8 can so I can understand "summer term?" for ADDEND?
OK. I gotta do it. If I don't, Bayou Tony will. PUT ME IN COACH.
Thanks for the fun challenge, Lewis. And thanks to Steve for another fun review.
Enjoyed the theme and once I figured out the DIS addition it helped the solve move along.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Steve - a thrift store or junk shop would be more for DISCARDS - a pawn shop is for valuable items when you need cash quickly.
Jinx - a person who is adding numbers together could be called a "summer" and the factors he is adding together are ADDENDs...one of those words I think I learned in grade school but never used again!
My son lived near RFK stadium in DC - a cavernous wasteland currently that is a crime scene waiting to happen- hopefully it gets developed into something else soon.
When I was in India after college, one of the families I got to know well made me the blouse and underskirt for a sari for me - the material for the sari is 6 to 9 yards of material (4.5 to 8 meters) It can be draped in several ways - the standard has pleats in front. I thought the Punjabi suit (or shalwar kameez in Pakistan) was much more comfortable to wear https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalwar_kameez
Thanks Steve for subbing again and to Lee for the puzzle!
DNF. The SW did me in. Didn't remember the massage type and Ester and AfroPunk were total unknowns.
ReplyDeleteGot the theme early and had no problem figuring it out.
Typical Friday puzzle with some tricky cluing.
Musings
ReplyDelete-Me too Steve – The top was a bear until I used my 2 down/ERASER on LEGIT, et. al. The big breakthrough for this math teacher was ADDEND for summer.
-DIS APPEAR? Loved the reveal!
-ROUGH DISPATCH for this golfer was a hoot!
-A new, obscure IRA is welcomed into our fold
-My granddaughter’s new job in D.C. is as a data MINER
-Going to work for a Lobby/PAC is the way pols keep the money rolling in in D.C.
-ASPEN matchsticks? Who knew?
-EMPTY: Once again, I will sing the praises of my low fuel indicator light
-How ‘bout these ARROWS?
-Having a fun song by John Fogerty certainly improves my morning, Jinx!
Crunchy CW. At first I thought I would have to TITT, but once I got the reveal and HOUSE OF DISCARDS, i was on my way to a FIR. Lots of WAGS and a few GOOGLE look ups helped.
ReplyDeleteHad a tough time with this very well made puzzle. Clever clueing...
ReplyDeleteThe theme did not help me at all because the reveal was the last thing to "appear."
Lot of learning moments, lot of total unknowns, a few Naticks, kept me busy for quite a while...
What I can say, is that the clues (for me) were very misdirectional, but when finally the answers were revealed, I could only say,
"Well that's obvious, in hindsight...."
In looking for silly theme links, I came across way too many silly things to post. But this one has me wondering if there is some underlying joke that I am missing. can you find any hidden meaning here, or am I overthinking it..
an honorable mention...
another honorable mention...
now, you too can say, I have now...
And with that, I'm outta here...
Tough puzzle for me to get started today in the North with only LEG, TERP, STAMENS, and NACL on the grid. The 'summer' clue had me stumped until it was filled by perps and it wasn't A CINCH (last fill). I kept wanting a real game, not something easy. Let's just say it was a ROUGH PATCH without DIS-patch. OLY was perped and I guess it was short for Olympic or Olympia. HEROD, SHO, and ANIME were just guesses. IRA, AIWA, AFROPUNK, and ESTER were complete unknowns.
ReplyDeleteHAD A SAY- just like many dead people in NOLA where the Registrar of Voters refuses to review and update the voting registry every five years as required by law.
ERASER- not one of my tools; ink pen only for solving puzzles. I had to write over BOX with VIP for the Prime viewing spot.
Jinx- you forgot your math terms that are meaningless if you can 'do the math'. Divisor, quotient, and don't forget ADDEND, minuend, subtrahend, difference,...etc.
Well, I knew that string of easy Monday-like puzzles had to eventually come to an end! Almost TITT, but finally got the FIR after twice walking away. No eraser needed for me! (Um, LARGE helpings of WiteOut, though! REALLY large helpings!) Lots of P&P, WAG after WAG, and Shazam! Great puzzle, with plenty of "aha" and "d'oh!" moments. Enjoyable sense of accomplishment on this one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Inanehiker and Big Easy. After I LIU, I see that neither spellcheck or I remembered "augend" also. But I can do those basic math operations like a whiz. Another worthless art these days, but it's fun to show off. Kinda like being able to count back change correctly.
ReplyDeleteCostco is currently running a special on their monster boombox. Since I don't work construction and don't know how to rollerblade, I think I'll pass.
Hi All!
ReplyDeleteWhat Steve said at 1d.
Thanks Lewis for the puzzle. Theme was easy to suss; the NE corner - not so much.
Thanks for stepping-in, Steve. Nice to read you again.
WOs: 1d x2, misssspelled DISsaPEARED
ESPs: OCA, IRA, VIE, ESTEJ. VIP was slow to parse (lip SEATS?)
Fav: PUT ME IN (Coach) //Jinx beat me to John Fogerty
Nice to see you back at The Corner, Vidwan.
Jinx - one of the two digits being summed are the ADDEND. #FunWithMath
//I see others have posted same - I'm getting beat out left & right...
We could have more math fun with 66a clued as "Pi Deg." or "Deg. alternative"
//1 RADian is π/2 or 57.2958°
AIWA is a "blast" from the past.
Well, I gotta get back to work. Two presentations due next week and I'm to be in Austin most of the weekend. So, um...
Cheers, -T
I’ve had Shiatsu massages before but I prefer a deep tissue massage with hot stones. The heat penetrates right to the sore spot and relieves aches and pains…A Friday worthy puzzle … Thanks for the challenge Lewis… and thanks for the thorough review Steve… kkFlorida
ReplyDeleteDash-T, wouldn't it be 180/π rather than π/2?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Steve, for the thorough review, and it has been fun and elucidating to read the comments about my puzzle. I must say that Patti did an excellent job editing this, directing me to clean up some junky areas that needed it, keeping my favorite clues, and improving my clunky ones. Three theme answers gracing my floor are DISCOCAINE (Actor Michael's BeeGees-loving brother), CUTTHEDISCORD ("Quit arguing!"), and WILLIEDISMAYS (Singer Nelson cuts his hair, to the dismay of his fans).
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lewis, for your puzzle and for posting on The Corner. I had a FIW, hoping flINCH would work at 12D. Your vertically symmetrical grid reminds me of another Dr. Seuss character. It would have been fun it that could have worked for 12D.
ReplyDeleteFAVs: PUT ME IN and Summer term?
Thank you, Steve, for filling in the gaps (both for an absent blogger and for the puzzle answers I did not understand). You helped me see why ZAG was better than ZiG. I loved your theme -- even better than the reveal!
Hand up for Legal > LegIT > LICIT
Did the CW on my PC, instead of ink-on-paper for a change. I hafta take a DNF since I had red letters turned on, AND had to do a couple alphabet runs. When it finally filled, I was able to admire the clever theme. Thanx, LR. Thanx too to Steve for the terrific write-up.
ReplyDeleteFLN
ReplyDeletesumdaze @6:38 PM "Orphaned girls father" -- good catch! Like my old physics teacher used to say -- "I was just making sure you were paying attention". 😀
-----------------
Thanks you Lewis for some Friday crunch, which I FIR with a tad of help from Teri on the spelling of 56A (see below). I was not APPOINTED with the theme as it was very helpful in nailing down some of the final grid.
And thanks Steve for pinch hitting and for your explanation of the finer points.
A few favs:
4A STAMENS over 34A PETALS was a nice touch -- using gravity to make sure the POLLEN ends up where it's supposed to be.
11A ZIG. Last to fall, showing me the SIGNS FROM ABOVE.
16A OCA. We've seen this before, but I had to dredge it all up with perps.
32A OLY. Also perps. Thanks for the etymology Steve.
38A VIE. My favorite French chanson, here sung by Edith Piaf -- lyrics and translation.
56A SHIATSU. Had CHIATSU and couldn't figure out what CPF was, until Teri straightened me out.
Cheers,
Bill
Hi Vidwan827 @ 7:16. It is good to see you posting again. I enjoy reading you.
ReplyDeleteRe: DRAPE and sari ... I have noticed from my own experience and from others' posts that clues about topics in which we have some specialized knowledge can be obstacles when they should be gimmes. When we have advanced knowledge on a topic, we tend to dismiss an obvious answer as not being correct. We think, "Surly it cannot be ____" only to circle back later and find that had to be the answer. Meanwhile, everyone with limited knowledge happily plugs in the letters. Would you agree? Anyone else find this to be true?
Jinx & Tony- if you can do the math you don't need to know the terms for basic math. Sine, and the trig abbr. for the others show up all the time in puzzles. But it will confuse most solvers if antiderivative or arctangent shows up as a crossword fill.
ReplyDeleteMake change? Try paying for something that costs $3.27 by handing the clerk $5.02 and see what you get back in your hand. You get a strange look from most of them.
Husker @9:28 AM Me too on SUMMER. Sorta like "Number: ETHER". Here's the sign on US 70 West a few miles from my house.
ReplyDeleteFun, if a bit challenging Friday puzzle, many thanks, Lewis. And your commentary was helpful and illuminating, thanks for that too, Steve.
ReplyDeleteWell, my goodness, I've written a lot of ESSAYS in my day, and probably had to use an ERASER while composing them, and was happy to DISPATCH them and see them published. I don't remember getting paid for any of them, so they earned me no CASH, but, still, some CREDIT as a good writer. That was a delightful career, and I'm thankful I had it. Now, time to get a cup of TEA.
Have a good weekend coming up, everybody.
@D-O: Yes. 180/π. I was doing other things while I drafted and #Fail
ReplyDelete//My boss marvels at my ability to multi-task but I oft fall flat with 5 simultaneous thing in flight.
Same with juggling - I can do a 4 ball cascade but never got 5 moving nicely. Picard, any tips?
Sumdaze - Oui. Knowing too much about something hinders inking fill "not quite right."
OK, back to my other 3 things (2 are handled (for now)) I'm doing.
Cheers, -T
ibid doing too much at once... I missed Lewis' posting!
ReplyDeleteCUT THE DISCORD could just be logging off social media for a while (I'm on Discord w/ hacker buddies on multiple channels).
Patti did you right buy the other two cutting-room floor fills.
Thanks for swinging by The Corner Lewis. Don't be a stranger.
Cheers, -T
ADDEND?
ReplyDeleteIs this a technical term for the process of addition? -- As is "Dividend" in the process of division?
Well,I see that others (above) are asking the same question. I don't believe I ever encountered the term before.
This was a 50/50 XWD for me. I got half of it on my own.
~ OMK
OMK @2:23 PM One ADDEND + another ADDEND = a SUM. Pretty standard terminology.
ReplyDeleteTough but fair. OCA was new to me. Thought Addend was some sort of obscure academic Latin phrase until I finally caught the pun. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI'd quibble with petal as a pollen collector. Surely the Pistil collects pollen? The petal attracts the pollen carrier.
Hola!
ReplyDeleteSigh. It's been a long day. I was on the phone with a person from the credit union about a problem with my insurance payment. Turns out, it was not a problem at all but it cost me some valuable time. Insurance payments are not something to ignore.
Thank you, Steve; it's so nice and heartwarming to see you at the helm again.
Needless to say the puzzle took much longer that it should have because of telephone call mentioned above.
The theme made me laugh especially HOUSE OF DISCARDS.
CHIBI is completely unknown to me. However, SHIATSU very familiar. I have an electric SHIATSU pad that is very handy especially when my back needs a good vibration. Aaaah.
SUM-MER term also amused me.
One Christmas I received a box full of TAZO TEAS so I knew that term.
Tony, you remind me of why I enjoy retirement so much!
I hope you are all enjoying your Saturday.
Nice puzzle, if I dismay say so.
ReplyDeleteJayce - clever as usual.
ReplyDeleteVidwan @ 7:16 : Perhaps that is the origin of the "whirling dervish"? A wife spinning to drape a sari?
ReplyDeleteI always confuse GIBE and JIBE…but ROUJHDISPATCH just didn’t cut it 😆
ReplyDelete====> Darren / L.A.