Saturday Themeless by Brynn and Mark Diehl
1. Mark with a diamond tip: ETCH.
5. Adrift: AT SEA.
10. Card that's often swiped: VISA 😀
14. Cause a stir: RILE.
15. Complex concerns?: RENTS - 😀 Oh, an apartment complex!
10. Card that's often swiped: VISA 😀
14. Cause a stir: RILE.
15. Complex concerns?: RENTS - 😀 Oh, an apartment complex!
16. "Hamilton" pair: ACTS.
17. Periodic table figure: ATOMIC MASS - Uranium has an atomic number of 92. When its ATOMIC MASS is 238 it is mostly harmless but when it is 235, it can be fuel for an atomic bomb.
19. Mug shot subject: PERP - OJ's mug shot on a, uh, mug
20. Giddily silly: SLAP HAPPY and 49. Madcap: ZANY.
21. Alpes-Maritimes city: NICE - Alpes-Maritimes is a department (called states in USA) in the south of France (extreme SE of continental France on map). It contains the city of NICE which is often used for misdirection in crossword puzzles. It has alps (Alpes) and seaside (Maritimes).
22. Reggae's __-A-Mouse: EEK.
23. Ruckus: ADO.
24. Thus far: TO DATE and 40. Thus far: AS YET.
26. Late night for Old St. Nick: EVE 😀
27. Tennis clinic topic: GRIP.
30. Bounced: GAVE THE HEAVE HO - That's what most people have done to their VCR's
34. Significant stock holders: WAREHOUSE STORES.
35. Acela stops, e.g.: AMTRAK STATIONS.
37. Feint: DEKE.
38. Fashion line: HEM.
39. Take a turn for the worse: SPRAIN 😀
41. USWNT uniform number for Lindsey Horan: TEN.
42. Wanders around the airport?: TSA 😀 This wander is a noun naming someone who uses the wand not a verb describing the actions of someone who roams the airport
45. One thing after another: LIST.
46. Dish often served with applesauce: PORK CHOPS - Remember...
50. Cops who need collars: CANINE UNIT 😀
51. Starting pay?: ANTE.
52. Disney character who may have been named in 1931 for a newly discovered planet: PLUTO - PLUTO is now considered to be a dwarf planet and PLUTO Pup is not making 'toons any more.
53. Zither kin: LYRE.
 |
| LYRE Zither |
54. Soft summons: PSST.
55. "Groundhog Day" segment: RESET - A fun movie with a clever premise that was perfectly cast.
56. Tech hotline caller: USER.
Down:
1. Remove traces of: ERASE.
2. "Star Wars" or "The Starry Night": TITLE - TITLE of a movie and a painting
3. "__ & Dagger": Marvel series: CLOAK.
4. __ seed oil: HEMP.
5. Game piece: ARCADE TOKEN.
6. Something a conductor might pick up: TEMPO 😀
7. Onesie closer: SNAP.
8. Amazon Handmade rival: ETSY.
9. Zedonk parent: ASS.
10. Lacking zip: VAPID.
11. Austria's Eisriesenwelt, for one: ICE CAVERN.
12. Part of a pre-marathon routine: STRETCHES.
13. Nile Valley hazard: ASP.
18. "That was the last straw": I HAVE HAD IT.
21. Problem for those struggling with delayed gratification: NO PATIENCE.
24. Forms a union: TIES THE KNOT 😀
25. Greek equivalent of the Hindu god Kamadeva: EROS - Kamadeva is the Hindu god of erotic love, desire and pleasure.
26. Billie Eilish's "Happier Than __": EVER.
27. Beau of literature: GESTE - Beau (magnanimous) GESTE (gesture). A signed, first edition for $535.81
28. Three-toed bird: RHEA - 36. "Mm-hm": YEP.
30. Strategies: GAME PLANS.
31. Works in a hotel lobby, say: ART PRINTS 😀
32. Ear protection?: HUSK 😀 - Um, what do they call people who remove those HUSKS?
33. Va-va follower: VOOM.
34. Behavior: WAYS.
41. Old hat: TRITE.
42. Stephen Sondheim octet: TONYS.
43. Bryce Canyon formation: SPIRE.
44. Sunflower kin: ASTER - How 'bout dat?
46. Faint: PALE.
47. Burden: ONUS.
48. "Only Murders in the Building" platform: HULU.
49. Cook quickly: ZAP.
50. Hosp. administration: CPR 😀 CPR could very well be adminintered in a hospital no matter who forms the administration of the hospital.
44 comments:
What can I say about this puzzle? It was tough but fair, like a good coach (or, perhaps, a good parent) should be. There was some misdirection but few obscurities, which is why I say it was fair. But it was also tough, with such answers as “art prints.” Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
This was a very do-able (d-o-able?) offering. Wite-Out was only required for LutE/LYRE and tePID/VAPID. Thanx, Brynn and Mark for a nit-free themeless. Husker, thanx for your usual sterling expo. (Noticed that CSO on my way through.)
Wow, I'm actually starting to like Saturdays! Usually a 30-40 slog needing a hint or two. But last week and this week were clean sheets under 20. Clever clues that just clicked. Thanks for the expo, Gary. I love that Peter Brady clip! (Core memory from childhood.) And the Bell Notes vid was interesting -- you can tell Lennon and McCartney must have listened to them quite a bit!
This was a very enjoyable puzzle, though it seemed a bit easy for a Saturday. It’s a rare, extremely rare, Saturday when I FIR in less than 30 minutes without resorting to any outside sources.
Took 10:04 today, good buddies.
I love a review that not only share the time, but leads with it.
Good puzzle, though I'd say a little too easy for a Saturday. I liked the clueing today.
Wow, although it took a long time, I did manage to FIR!! The clues were very cleverly deceptive for a number of entries, and the center of the CW remained a virgin field of snow for quite a while. Too many clever clues to even list. Thanx B&MD for the entertainment. And thanx too for not loading the CW with obscure names. Very nice write-up today, HG, thanx for all the time and effort you put into it for our enjoyment.
Good Morning:
I loved everything about this puzzle, especially the cluing which was clever and misleading, but not too cutesy or overwrought. The fill was lively and evocative with entries of Slap Happy, Gave The Heave Ho, I Have Had It, Tie The Knot, etc. I liked the Thus Far clecho clues and the fun duos of Eve and Ever, Hem and Hemp, and Ass and Asp. The frosting on the cake was a modest 12 three letter words.I needed perps for Ice Cavern and Atomic Mass and I went briefly astray with Duck/Deke and Lute/Lyre. My completion time was 5 minutes longer than HG’s, but still well below a typical Saturday solve time.
Thanks, Brynn and Mark, for a truly enjoyable and fun offering and thanks, HG, for the always nifty review and outstanding visuals and illustrations.
FLN
Safe and happy trails!
Has anyone watched Better Call Saul on Netflix? I’m finally getting around to watching it and while I’ve never watched Breaking Bad, this series (the prequel) is excellent. There are some pretty unsavory characters with very questionable ethics, but the story line and acting, particularly by Bob Odenkirk, offsets the bad behavior. Well, most of it, anyway! 😈
Have a great day.
FIW, not knowing that a zither was a musical instrument. I didn't know what a Leno was, but guessed it was OK. That one mistake gave me TONeS, SPInE, and ASToR, which seemed fine to me. Still, I finished a Saturday semi-posthaste, which is pretty good for my dumb MASS.
Today is:
BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUB DAY FOR KIDS (future CEOs and Supreme Court Justices, we hope)
RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP DAY (I always have a roll of poop bags on me)
NATIONAL WORKING PARENTS DAY (“nonworking parent” is an oxymoron)
NATIONAL CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD DAY (tastes great by itself, but not with…)
NATIONAL GUACAMOLE DAY (Lucina reminds us that the “g” is pronounced kinda like a “w”)
MAYFLOWER DAY (moving vans have come a long way since 1620)
NATIONAL PLAY-DOH DAY (wonder if Play-Re and Play-Mi ever get jealous)
NATIONAL DANCE DAY (what ever happened to dance marathons)
I use my VISA from my favorite WAREHOUSE STORE for almost everything I can. I get a rebate of nearly (and sometimes more than) $1,000 every February for the charges I made in the previous year. I made an Access data base containing all my transactions from 1-1-2015. Comes in handy occasionally, and keeps me familiar with Access.
Thanks to Brynn and Mark for the fun, and to HUSKer Gary for the great review.
My FLN, Safe and happy trails was directed to MalMan, naturally! Sorry!
FIR. I had no problem with this Saturday endeavor. I found it to be easy by comparison to past weeks. Actually threw down some of the long answers without a thought. I was certainly on the constructors' wavelength.
I never comment, but, I'm excited to say that this is only the second Saturday puzzle I have ever solved without errors! I'll be 50 in December and I have been doing crosswords since I was in my teens. Little over 16 minutes for those that are curious.
Fifteen minutes for Gary and 25 for George for FIR. It took a few WAGS for unknown clues.
No need to Give it the old HEAVE HO, which I'd always heard as getting rid of something or someone. 'Bounced' didn't register in my mind for trashing something.
Where are the usual PROPER names? Why they are missing and that made the puzzle GREAT. TONYS doesn't count and PLUTO is a dog. That leaves ASTER, the flower, not the man.
Alpes-...NICE was a nice WAG
-A-Mouse- EEK for every mouse
Amazon Handmade- never heard of it but ETSY is an old standby
Ditto for Kamadeva and EROS
"Happier Than___what else would fit besides EVER
HULU don't stream anything- yet.
USWNT and Lindsey Horan- no idea about either but after NO PATIENCE was filled the N made TEN the only possibility for a three letter number.
'letter number'? how can it be both? Like like being a wave and particle.
Va-Va-VOOM- after the photo what's on your mind? Not breakfast.
GRIP- we called them 'forehand grip' and 'backhand grip' for Eastern and Semi-Western.
YEP and WAYS were my last. I had to change my 'ways' and do an ABC run, YUP (not yet).
Felt more like a Wednesday...
Although I don't know where I learned of Zedonk before...
Va-Va-Blank? Really?
reminds me of the dance scene in The Mask...
Gary, your zither/lyre picture is labeled bassackward.
Interesting puzzle today. FIR. Had to use the shotgun approach to so.ve it though. Wanted getsmarried for 24D but perps didn't allow it.
Quite a few of the clues were very imaginative, i.e. 19A for PERP and 36A for YEP. We always have applesauce with our New Year's Day dinner of pork and sauerkraut. Tried SLAPstick for 20A, but HAPPY won.
Kudos to Mark and Brynn for their fine offering and 4 and one half stars to Gary for his recap. (pic).
'Til next time.
Big Easy said: "'letter number'? how can it be both? Like like being a wave and particle." There you go again, making 'light' of the subject.
I agrée, very doable puzzle, but still some crunch. Lots of clever and fun clues like cops who need collars.
My first fill was PLUTO because my eyes went straight to that long clue. That put me in a good mood and my PATIENCE held throughout.
Good Morning! A fun Saturday challenge. Thanks Brynn & Mark. Lots of misdirection in the clues, but all sussable.
The North filled quite readily until I got to the NE, then it was slow going.
I Had enough -> I HAVE HAD IT.
ICE Castle -> CAVERN
Yes -> YEP (I really dislike spelled sounds in either clue or fill.)
Lute -> LYRE
ZEDONK???? Oh… a portmanteau. Pictures worth a 1,000 words 😄😄
HUSK – good one, Gary! Thanks for your recap. Loved the impatient cow - LOL!
As to all the discussion of timing, for me the joy is in the journey, not the destination. I like to linger over a puzzle as with a cup of coffee so I don’t pay much attention to how long it takes. I guess I’m just not competitive. But thumbs up to those of you who are.
RosE - Thee and me.
Thank you for the Brady Bunch video! It was the first thing I thought of when I got the Pork Chops answer!
Thank you Diehl BROS (or is it father and son?) for a doable Saturday challenge, which unlike Husker took me longer than 15 minutes. I was going like gangbusters until the very end, when I got lost in southern California. I stepped away for an hour or so and when I got back I saw the ART PRINTS in the lobby and the rest fell into place.
Thanks for the recap Gary. Curious about the Diehls I dug this up from Puzzle Nation re the 2021 ACPT: "... there is some serious talent among the constructors — Brooke Husic, Aimee Lucido, Rachel Fabi, Patti Varol, Ryan McCarty, Kevin Der, Peter Wentz, Ricky Cruz, and the duo of Brynn Diehl and Mark Diehl ..."
A few favs:
All the long fill, both up and down.
1A ATOMIC MASS. Usually called ATOMIC WEIGHT, but MASS is probably more correct.
19A PERP. Didn't take any PERPS to get it.
21A NICE. It's NICE to have NICE as fill for a change, rather than Frawnch misdirection.
29A VCR. Clever.
37A DEKE. Didn't fool me.
39A SPRAIN. Cleverest misdirection.
42A TSA. A close second.
33D VOOM. Favorite bling. 😁
Cheers,
Bill
I started like a Monday puzzle but knew that wouldn't last. Still got a good enough start to FIR. Tough but fair puzzle. Well organized and interesting fill. GC
Lee @9:33 AM FWIW, the LYRE vs Zither labels look okay to me.
Jinx, I'll make 'light' of the subject will a Miller LITE while lamenting over Violet being dropped from ROYGBI----V. Violet joins PLUTO in that league- has beens.
Bill, I was curious, so I Googled Brynn. If it's the same person, she's also a champion snowboarder. Since I don't snow ski, I can't hate her for that! (Have snow skiers made peace with snowboarders now?)
(Don't tell me that snow skiing is redundant. To me, "skiing" without a qualifier leaves only one question - inboard or outboard motor.)
Jinx @12:25 PM I guess I was thinkin' BRYNN as in BRYN Terfel, the famous Welsh baritone. 🙄
Thank you Brian and Mark for a fun and doable puzzle. Clever clueing (thanks also to Patti?) of CPR, ART PRINTS, RENTS, TSA, VCR etc. Enjoyed your review HG and liked your pun at HUSKS.
This seemed like two different puzzles as I zipped through the top half and was often AT SEA in the bottom half, but it all finally came together. Pork roast before PORK CHOPS. but that changed with NO PATIENCE (what many parents have after saying, “I HAVE HAD IT”.
Howe Caverns in Schoharie County, NY has a wonderful underground display of stalactites and stalagmites in the ICE CAVERN believed to have been formed several million years ago. Not a place to be if you have claustrophobia!
It appears Mr. Doulas Havens has not AS YET had the second date ETCHed into the headstone, so that makes him 94 years old. Bravo!
Beau GESTE one of my favorite books as a young reader. A real derring-do! DEKE also name for Delta Kappa Epsilon.
Happy week-end, all!
Rose@ 11:30 - Exactly! Just like slowing down when one is reading the last chapters of a very good book.
Delightful Saturday puzzle, many thanks, Brynn and Mark. And always enjoy your helpful commentary, Gary, thanks for that too.
Well, it took a little while to consider whether it was a couple in this puzzle who had a GAME PLAN. They probably started TO DATE quite a while ago, before they decided to TIE THE KNOT. They had to RENT a NICE place to hold the ceremony on a lovely summer EVE. Then they invited a LIST of friends to attend the ceremony, and engage a pastor to perform it while a musician played romantic music on a LYRE. And it was there they agreed to live together happily ever after. Next day they took their VISA and went out AT SEA for a lovely honeymoon.
Have a lovely weekend, everybody.
Puzzling thoughts:
FIR in probably a record time (for Saturday puzzles) for me. I usually struggle with the Saturday themeless puzzles, but today's was far easier than I expected
Nice "mini-SO" to our blogger du jour with HUSK
Hola!
What a treat to have a doable Saturday puzzle! Often I wrack my brain on Saturdays and even linger over it for most of the day. That did not happen today. Thank you, Brynn and Mark!
I was up quite early and started the solve then returned to bed. When I got up the second time my mind was clearer and I finished the puzzle.
The only time I've been on AMTRACK was when returning from Vancouver, Canada to Seattle. It was great fun and we met some friendly people on the way.
Yum. I love PORK CHOPS.
I don't subscribe to HULU but I see their ads quite often.
The only ICE CAVERN I have visited is Carlsbad, N.M. and it is gorgeous!
The word ZANY is fun to say.
ETSY has some interesting items and I've bought a couple.
CSO to TONY(S).
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Groan
Bill, I suspect she pronounces her name like "brieANNE," but who am I to say. Also, don't let me mawr you memory of Bryn.
Husker G is on duty, helping with this double Diehl PZL...
Not too stiff for a Saturday job. Appropriately chewy.
I'm not a great fan of applesauce with my chops. But always with pork sausages!
Yummers!
Misty ~ 45A is a docket. Perhaps your bishop was standing here?
~ OMK
____________
DR: Four diagonals, three in oppo.
The near side diag's anagram (11 of 15) relates to an internet scam based on today's XWD's three-toed avian.
Yes, I'm speaking of a...
"RHEA PHISHER"!
RosE @ 11:30 ~ Speaking only for myself, I am not a speed solver, nor do I care how quickly or slowly I complete a puzzle. I take my time and, as you said, savor the journey. Usually, I only mention my completion time on a Saturday and only for the reason that it’s a gauge of the difficulty level for my solve. My rule of thumb is 30 minutes, an average solve time, less than 30, an easier than average solve and more than 30, a more challenging solve. Actually, if there wasn’t a built-in timer, I wouldn’t know nor care what my solve times are. Like you, I’m not competitive. Well, maybe a little, when it comes to Scrabble or Words With Friends! 🤣
Lucina, I’ve been meaning to tell you that your nickname for your gr-grandson, Lightning Bug, tickles my fancy. My family has a penchant for nicknames and the one that I conjured up for my sister Eileen suits her to a tee, i.e., The Energizer Bunny. She is a bundle of energy and is always on the go!
Today's puzzle was full of fun, clever clues & answers. Many thanks to Brynn & Mark! I did not know GESTE so GRIP was not apparent so I was thinking ToES THE line. Everything came together after I sorted that out.
FAVs: Fashion line (not YSL), Take a turn for the worse, Cops who need collars, and Wanders.
Equally fun write-up, H-Gary! I saw the well-earned CSO at 32D. The Brady Bunch clip was a NICE fit. I like how your HEMline diagram also shows the accompanying shoe fashions.
FLN. Safe Travels to MalMan!
IM @ 7:43. Yes, thumbs up to BCS, featuring the lovely RHEA as Kim. Because I liked BCS so much I tried BB but I could not get into that one -- too many un-redeeming characters but YMMV.
Jinx@12;25. Yes skiing is done on water. I miss those days when every summer weekend we were on the water skiing. Outboard, inboard, no matter.
Short of making a time-breaking error-free solve ... is to compare our times with others. And when everybody else, has had such a great time, and great times, and you had a h--- of a time solving the d--- puzzle, probably its best to crawl back into the hole. But, I'm really glad this puzzle met the expectations of most of our superb solvers, as above, and there were no serious nits, at all.
I had a tough time, and had to look things up, and so on, but the answers, when they appeared often brought a smile to my face, so I should be grateful for this. I especially liked TSA, HEM and VCR.
On the other hand, 1) I still have many, many older tapes, which I loathe to throw away, so I still have my VCR, in the living room, no less, ... in very good condition. ( I still have my record changer, and a couple of excellent cassette recorders/players .... )
So, thank you, Brynn and Mark Diehl, for clever, well executed puzzle, that met the multiple expectations of a blog of afficianados.
Thank you, HUsker Gary for a wonderful and charming commentary on the puzzle. When I saw you had solved it in less than 15 minutes ... I groaned, but Congrats, anyway.!
As for the correlation or correspondence between the economic booms and bursts, and the length
of the skirt hemlines .... I had heard of this theory, long ago.
... and as Milton Friedman ( one great economist, Univ of Chicago, Nobel 1976 ) said, ... Correlation does not imply causality ... BUT, you , as a Math professor, already knew that ...!!
Have a great weekend, you all.
Superb Saturday. Thanks for the fun, Brynn and Mark, and HuskerG.
It took me more than 15 minutes, but I FIRed eventually.
Many misdirections, but it is Saturday.
Baton changed to TEMPO, Spin to GRIP, Roast to CHOPS. Lute to LYRE.
I waited for perps to decide between Two or TEN.
But my central west coast was the last to fall. I’ll blame Canadian disadvantage. I had Acela tucked well back in my brain from previous CWs. TIONS gave me STATIONS, but AMTRAK was slow to come (and I spelled it Amtrak at first). That broke things open for the Tada.
I noted EVE crossing EVER, ETCH and STRETCHES.
VOOM below VAPID was a change of pace (Tempo).
Favourite was the clue for VCR.
Wishing you all a good evening.
FLN- Vidwan- thanks for your comment on the e-coli outbreak in Calgary. Hopefully the long lasting effects will be few.
OMK- LOL re LIST/docket. Only the J blog readers will get it.
Thanks, Diehls, for a tricky but fun puzzle. Thanks, Gary, for another fun expo. I kept trying to find a theme in this to no avail. Glad there wasn't one.
I knew Beau GESTE from a comic book in a set of several made up from famous classic books. My aunt, who rarely sent us gifts, sent us the set when I was in elementary school in the 1950's. I can't remember what the others were, but I was fascinated with Beau GESTE. When I got to high school, I happened onto the big thick book in the library and snatched it up to read. I should re-read it now and see why I was so stuck on it.
Hi All!
Whoot! Took a while but got it done with only one WO (I read 24d's clue and filled in 34d with "weds").
Thanks for the fun puzzle Brynn & Mark. Thanks for the great review HUSKerG.
WO: see above
ESPs: NICE as clued, GESTE,
Fav: VCR's clue.
Jinx - LOL @9:41.
I don't time puzzles because usually I do them during little breaks while waiting on my computer. Click to open an application, 1a gets filled. Work for a bit and then fill another word. If I do a large Splunk query (say firewall logs for the last week), I might get to play for 90 seconds.
Enjoyed reading y'all!
Cheers, -T
I just came home from a very enjoyable evening with my niece and her husband in an area called Gold Canyon. They came to pick me up and then drove me back. Such service! They have lived here four years and it's the first time I have had the chance to visit them. He is a retired pilot and now teaches aviation classes. She is a retired nurse and now teaches nursing classes. Their son is a pilot and works for a private company that transports VIP passengers.
IrishMiss
The Lightning Bug s not here this weekend. It is his weekend with his father. Whew! I can relax!
A pleasant cruise for a Saturday puzzle (not a big Diehl to FIR 😆) with some snazzy under-the-radar clueing — got good grins out of TSA wanders and VCR dinosaur. No perps needed for PERP here, either! The longies were great fun, too; hopefully Mark and Brynn will grace us with another puzzle soon. (We had a pair of radio personalities here in SoCal named Mark and Brian (ZANY guys) and my brain does a double-take when I see the Deihls’ by their first names!)
And wooHOO, no proper names or French words!!! 🙏🏽🙏🏽
====> Darren / L.A.
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