Get Off the Phone! Fun things to do with your phone when you could/should be interacting in person with family and friends.
19-Across. * Shortened version of a book: ABRIDGED TEXT.
39-Across. * Light, friendly punch: LOVE TAP.
13-Down. * Hunter's lure for a game bird: TURKEY CALL.
24-Down. * Narrative art form that's often read right to left: HAND SCROLL.
And the unifier:
57-Across. Mouthed words that can also be said while doing the ends of the answers to the starred clues?: I'M ON THE PHONE.
Across:
1. Mac: BUB. Male nicknames.
4. Borrower's accumulation: DEBT.
8. Spending limit: CAP. See the cartoon above.
11. Like an angle between 90o and 180o: OBTUSE. Today's Math lesson.
14. Laundry pile emanation: ODOR.
15. Like antiques: OLD.
16. Working cat: MOUSER.
17. Removes, as whiteboard marks: WIPES OFF. // And 42-Across. Remove, as whiteboard marks: ERASE.
21. Zen garden tool: RAKE.
22. Nasdaq rival: NYSE. Nasdaq = National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations and NYSE = New York Stock Exchange. Both are is a global electronic marketplace for buying and selling securities.
23. Cries of realization: AHAs!
27. Goofed: ERRED.
30. Malleable: PLIANT.
32. "Gangnam Style" rapper: PSY. Gangnam Style was big when it came out about a decade ago. How Park Jae-Sang (b. Dec. 31, 1977) became Psy. [Name # 1.]
34. Mideast leaders: EMIRs. A crossword staple.
37. Photographer Leibovitz: ANNIE. Annie Leibovitz (née Anna-Lou Leibovitz; b. Oct. 2, 1949) is best known for her iconic portraits of the rich and famous. [Name # 2.]
38. Legendary pro wrestler Flair: RIC. Ric Flair (né Richard Morgan Fliehr; b. Feb. 25, 1949) had a wrestling career for over 50 years! I don't think Annie Leibovitz ever took his portrait. [Name # 3.]
41. Issuer of Real ID cards: DMV. The Department of Motor Vehicles issues Real ID on driver's licenses.
44. Dodge: EVADE.
45. Set eyes on: SEE.
46. Frozen Italian desserts: GELATI. Today's Italian lesson. It's the plural of Gelato. What's the difference between Gelato and Ice Cream?
48. Artifact: RELIC.
50. Part of SRO: ONLY. As in Standing Room Only.
51. Hockey puck, e.g.: DISC. How the Hockey puck got its name.
54. Walked: TROD.
61. Business card info: JOB TITLE.
64. Louise's film partner: THELMA. We saw Thelma and Louise in a recent puzzle. [Names 4 and 5, fictional.]
65. Amazement: AWE.
66. Sudsy bar: SOAP.
67. Cultivated, as soil: TILLED.
68. Teensy: WEE.
69. Some AAA rescues: TOWS.
70. Swiss peak: ALP.
Down:
1. More hectic: BUSIER.
2. Pre-owned: USED.
 |
| Floating chunks of ice in the Iceland's Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon |
4. Wearing frumpy clothes: DOWDY.
5. Prepares for publication: EDITS.
6. Nursery rhyme girl whose sheep go missing: BO PEEP. Did you know that the poem had two verses? [Name # 6, fictional.]
Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep / And can't tell where to find them / Leave them alone and they will come home / Wagging their tails behind them.
Little Bo Peep fell fast asleep / And dreamt she heard them bleating / But when she awoke, she found it a joke / For they were all still fleeting.
7. Fearsome dino: T-REX.
 |
| Not so fearsome now, are you T-Rex? |
8. Dovecote sound: COO.
9. Furry 1980s sitcom star: ALF. The critter on this sit-com was called ALF because it stood for Alien Life Form. [Name # 7, fictional.]
10. Scanner output, often: PDF. As in Portable Document Format.
11. Actor Sharif: OMAR. Omar Sharif (Apr. 10, 1932 ~ July 10, 2015) was an Egyptian actor. His birth name was Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub. He changed his name to Omar Sharif when he began his film career. [Name # 8.]
 |
| Omar Sharif as Doctor Zhivago. |
12. Son of Jango Fett, in "Star Wars": BOBA. I didn't see some of the later Star Wars films, so am not familiar with the Fett Family. [Name # 9, fictional.]
18. Deck application: STAIN. According to this video, staining a deck is a great weekend project.
20. Radicchio relative: ENDIVE.
25. Japanese cartoon genre: ANIME.
26. Carell of "Despicable Me": STEVE. Steve Carell (né Steven John Carell; b. Aug. 16, 1962) was also the boss on the American version of The Office. He was the voice of Gru in the Despicable Me movies. [Name # 10.]
28. Rented anew: RELET.
29. Angsty genre: EMO. A crossword staple.
31. Boutonniere spot: LAPEL.
32. Ragú rival: PREGO. Both are bottled pasta sauces.
33. Fire engine noisemaker: SIREN.
35. Crank (up): REV.
36. Carb in rice and potatoes: STARCH.
40. Fruit drink suffix: -ADE. And a shout out to our very own Lemonade.
43. "__ isn't so!": SAY IT.
47. "Samesies!": I DO, TOO!
49. Computer support, for short: IT HELP. As in Information Technology Technician.
52. Relative by marriage: IN-LAW.
53. Instruction manual units: STEPS.
55. Treater's words: ON ME.
56. Out of battery power: DEAD.
58. Very light rain: MIST.
59. "Stormy Weather" singer James: ETTA. Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan 20, 1912) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles. This was a good clue to follow the light rain. [Name # 11.]
60. "The Amazing Race" host Keoghan: PHIL. Although he is a New Zealander, Phil Keoghan (né Philip John Keoghan; b. May 31, 1967) is best known for hosting the American version of The Amazing Race. [Name # 12.]
61. Moose __, Saskatchewan: JAW. Moose Jaw is the 4th largest city in Saskatchewan. Can you name the top 3 cities in that Province? *
62. Have bills to pay: OWE.
63. Spelling contest: BEE.
Here's the Grid:
* Saskatoon, Regina, and Prince Albert.
חתולה
41 comments:
Well, that wasn’t too hard.
And the reveal was a pleasant surprise. I don’t have too much else to say about this puzzle. FIR, so I’m happy.
FIR without erasure, guessing the mild unknown of ANNIE x HAND SCROLL.
You always want to keep your flip chart markers away from your white board. Don't ask.
I didn't know BOBA, but I do know Baba O'riley.
Thanks to Lisa and Katie for the fun, easy-as-Monday puzzle, and to Ha2la for another interesting review.
Good morning!
Nice, easy lope through the grid this morning. Failed to notice the theme during the solve...and after. Only needed my Wite-Out to correct GELATo to GELATI. Thanx, Lisa, Katy, and Hahtoolah. (I hope Francine's visit is uneventful.)
Good Morning, Crossword Friends.
I'm keeping my eye on the Gulf today as Francine seems to be making a bee line in my direction.
QOD: The more I practice, the luckier I get. ~ Arnold Palmer (né Arnold Daniel Palmer; Sept. 10, 1929 ~ Sept. 25, 2016), American professional golfer
FIR. Nice and easy Tuesday fare. Nothing too difficult that the perps couldn't handle.
The reveal had me going back to each of the starred clues to see the theme. Clever!
Overall, very enjoyable.
Took 5:11 today for me to get the picture.
Boba Fett was one of the most feared bounty hunters in all of the galaxy, and he successfully brought Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt. Too much? Yeah.
I knew Boba, Etta, Phil, but wasn't sure of Annie. I didn't know dowdy.
I enjoy watching The Amazing Race.
1-2-3 done. Some names were not on my radar, but were easily perped: Phil, Steve, Boba, Psy and Ric. I have heard of Annie L.
Hahtoolah, I love your texting cartoons. Sadly what they portray is not a stretch.
I am glad that ADE is finally called a suffix. I never hear ade used alone. "Would you like an ade?" Sheesh.
Gelati and gelato are among the loan words that have become standard English, like many other types of food. In this vey diverse area, we are familiar with many of these words and they appear in menus and cooking recipes.
Good Morning! A little step up from yesterday, but still very enjoyable.
Perps for BOBA, PDF, HAND SCROLL, PHIL
WO: O -> I in GELATI
The reveal nicely tied together the themers. It brings to mind that I love the hand signal of the thumb & pinky up to the ear for “call me”!!
Thanks, Hah2lah! Your recaps are such a fun summation! The pups ready to “delete the cookies” was precious!
LOL at the portrait of the handset with the cord. I remember we were on a party line for the one dial phone in the kitchen & even remember our number starting with 2 alphas! How times have changed!!
Hah2lah, my thoughts are with you and all in the path of the storm for your safety and wellbeing.
Rose, in my ute we were on a 3-party party line -- one for my father's funeral home, a second for my father's furniture store, and a third for our family house: 2441, 2442, and 2443. No alphas.
Big missed opportunity to have HOLD THE PHONE as the revealer. It’s what I put in before re-reading the clue.
If Francine hits in the Lake Charles area they will get the wind but we will get most of the rain.
Smooth CW today. The names I didn’t know like RIC were easily perpped, so no problem.
Cats actually work sometimes, amazing!
Hahtoolah, I loved all the phone jokes today.
DH’s tooth pulling appointment has been moved up to this morning. I’ll be glad to be home before Francine’s deluge begins.
A few unknowns today but it was an easy puzzle. Only had to change GELATOS to GELATI. I didn't understand or have ever heard the term HAND SCROLL until the cartoon. It's something I never do. You don't know what the next item or email will be about.
ANNIE, PSY -learned from crosswords
BOBA, PHIL, STEVE- perps
DOWDY, or dumpy or dodgy- wait for perps
BO PEEP- I'd bet 75% of the children under 12 wouldn't know her or Humpty Dumpty.
Wow, two days in a row of solid, enjoyable, well-constructed puzzles. Good job, Lisa and Katie.
The puzzle seems to be pretty free of controversy, so I'm going to go culinary here, thanks to 20Down. Hahtoolah has provided a beautuful picture of what I call a Belgian endive. It can be eaten raw, like in a salad, which is fine. My recommendation though, if you haven't tried this, is to have it as a side with the main course. I halve or quarter them and saute them in butter and olive oil over medium heat. But don't leave them unattended on the stove. Two or three minutes of sauteeing should be long enough. Nummer nummer!
Sorry for the digression, Lisa and Katie. Your puzzle was a pleasure to do, straightforward, not gimmicky, and generous with nearby perps the few times they were needed, like with BOBA, RIC and PSY.
It all made for an enjoyable Tuesday morning.
Terrific Tuesday. Thanks for the fun, Lisa and Katie, and Hahtoolah.
I FIRed in good time and saw the I’M ON THE PHONE theme (and said AHA at the reveal).
Perps were fair for unknown or forgotten names like RIC, PSY, STEVE, PHIL, BOBA.
This Canadian knew Moose JAW, but although I guessed Saskatoon and Regina, I forgot Prince Albert and was wavering between the smaller Yorkon(#6), Swift Current (#5) and North Battleford (#7).
Ontario driver’s licences have photos and can be used as ID. I am not familiar with Real ID cards!? Are there fake ones LOL!
I did not know that second verse to Little Bo PEEP.
I knew the plural for GELATO and entered the I.
We had a tornado warning yesterday but it was ended in about 15 minutes with none appearing. We did have torrential rain and gravel-sized hail.
Stay safe in the path of Francine. I hope it is not heading our way.
Wishing you all a great day.
Fast, fun, FIR. Loved the 'toons, Ha2la, especially the 'phone ancestor. Still remember our first 'phone number...IDlewild 2, 1203. (back when one had to REMEMBER a number, instead of tapping an icon!)
CanadianEh!, our Dept. of Homeland Security came up with standards to be followed by the DMVs in all states for their driver licenses to be used as federal IDs. States which comply place a gold circle with an inset star near the top R-H corner of the driver license designating it a "Real ID". In 2025 a "Real ID" will be required for U.S. domestic air travel.
I had exactly the same thought about ADE now finally being identified as a suffix. I thought I was the only one who had noticed.
A pretty straightforward puzzle today, no dreck (a word I learned from IM☘️, whom I noticed was absent from yesterday’s corner). Easier than some of the grids Katie has tossed our way lately, which I was able to ring up in a little over 8 minutes. The only names I was unfamiliar with were BOBA and that other PHIL dude. We don’t have a DMV in Michigan, everything vehicle related is handled through the Secretary of State. Years ago I used to carry a slew of telephone #’s in my head, now I know 2, DW’s and mine. Thanks Lisa and Katie for today’s enjoyment!
Hahtoolah ~ your blogs never disappoint, always replete with fitting graphics and cartoons, especially liked the First day of Zen Garden School 😂.
I was puzzled by HAND SCROLL: we read a Torah scroll from right to left, but it has never, ever, been called a hand scroll. Post-solve, I looked it up: "A Chinese hand scroll is 'read' from right to left." Big Easy at 9:42 AM said the cartoon explained it; we must be looking at different cartoons! So I learned something and enjoyed the puzzle, as well as the pleasure of a Tuesday FIR.
Many thanks to Lisa, Katie, and the always awesome Hahtoolah. I'm a big fan of Dan Piraro and loved his Zen Garden School. Also those cookie-deleting IT dogs!
This was a pretty easy, straightforward solve, with only two unknowns, Boba and Phil, and no w/os. The theme was well-hidden, leading to a fun and surprise reveal.
Thanks, Lisa and Katie, and thanks, Hahtoolah, for the fun and facts. Loved the phone with the "tail", the kids playing "phone tag", the smart washing machine, and, Best In Show, the Canine Cookie Deleters!
Have a great day.
Yes, Phil, I was absent yesterday due to many appointments and errands. Nice of you to notice. 😉
Hola!
It was fun to see DEBT followed by CAP. And OLD things can sometimes have an odd ODOR. And lovely to see the handsome face of OMAR Sharif. (I'm a softie for handsome male faces!)
I've never watched "The Amazing Race" but perps led me to PHIL. The same with STEVE Carrel though I've seen him in other things just not the Office.
ETTA is our CW puzzle chanteuse and easily recognizable though my first thought on "Stormy Weather" is Lena Horne.
Please stay safe all you in Francine's way and also those in the path of the California fires. That includes some of my kin who live in Highland.
Enjoy your day, everyone!
Thanks for explaining d’o. I’m thinking that all states should comply, but that would be too Canadian of me LOL,
I don't like PHONEs, but I enjoyed the theme. Needed it to solve cross of TURKEY?ALL and RI?.
Hahtoolah Thank you for the wonderful Get Off the PHONE video, the ZEN GARDEN cartoon and the Einstein JOB TITLE card.
I just read this inspiring story of another physicist refugee from the Nazis in our MIT alumni magazine.
It turns out we have several things in common, including a common friend. He is 100 years old and I was delighted that he replied to my email! He was happy to see my photo of our common friend. It is a long article, but I found it very uplifting.
Tomorrow at 6:45AM Merlie goes in for major surgery. Removal of her remaining upper teeth and the start of implants. She won't be able to eat for six months. A lot of challenges ahead.
Delightful Tuesday puzzle, many thanks Lisa and Katie. And thanks too for your helpful commentary, Hahtoolah.
Well, it looks like their DEBT made the couple RELET their apartment to EVADE any further trouble. But first they had to WIPE everything OFF with SOAP to get rid of all the ODOR. They couldn't have been BUSIER, and when they were done they gave each other a LOVE TAP, and went out to enjoy some GELATI and some lemon ADE, while watching some ANIME on TV.
A pretty good day, wouldn't you say.
I wish you all a good day too, and see you tomorrow.
Two days of puzzles with sensible clues and answers, just right for early in.the week.. This was fun, LS and KH. Hahtoolah, informative and entertaining review, as always.
ANNIE Leibovitz, eminent photographer of the last half of the 20th century and the 21st century..Her photos are like songs that are ear-worms, eye-worms that are photos you’ve seen once but will always remember.
Interesting speculation about the DISC - hockey puck. Fans mourn a great player.
2611-M, 4-party line, called “0” to tell the operator the number and she would call for you. Also, “Information” was answered by a real person. Imagine!
Happy day, all! Parsan
Interesting detail about the 2025 deadline is that the Real ID Act was originally enacted in 2005. I think the original deadline for needing a Real ID for domestic travel was sometime around 2010, but it has been pushed back, a couple years at a time, for the last 15-ish years. The Real ID requirements are pretty extensive, and many states have had to spend a huge amount of money to overhaul their licensing systems to be able to meet the Real ID requirements (which have nothing to do with ensuring that people are capable of operating a motor vehicle). It is undoubtedly convenient to be able to use a driver's license to get through security at airports (and I pay the extra cost to get a Real ID compliant driver's license for exactly that reason). But, realistically, it probably would have been better and cheaper for the U.S. federal government to just declare that a passport or passport card would be necessary to pass through TSA.
Now I'm curious how it is done in Canada. I assume Canada, like many other developed countries around the world, has a much higher percentage of its population that has a passport than the US. But can you use a driver's license for domestic travel within Canada? Or does everyone that wants to fly have to have a passport?
The dates for ETTA James are off. Shouldn't that be 1938-2012?
Best of luck to Merlie tomorrow. I enjoyed reading the article on Dr. Eisinger's amazing life's journey. What a remarkable man he is!
I enjoyed solving this puzzle, reading Hahtoolah's write-up, and reading all your comments.
Picard, thanks for the article about Dr. Eisinger.
I remembered Saskatoon and Regina, but not Prince Albert.
I, too, am not familiar with the Fett Family.
Good reading you all.
Picard at 12:34 PM: Poor Merlie! Wishing you both the best possible outcome.
Irish Miss, NaomiZ Thank you for the good wishes for Merlie.
Irish Miss, Jayce Thank you for taking the time to read the inspiring article of Dr Josef Eisinger. He had many a JOB TITLE beyond Physicist.
Here I was with Walter Kohn, the fellow European refugee of the Nazis. Our mutual friend.
Kohn met up with Eisinger in an internment camp. (Refugees of the Nazis were treated basically as prisoners.) Kohn inspired Eisinger to a career in physics. Kohn also had many a JOB TITLE.
He and I shared concerns about burning fossil fuels and we sometimes sat together on the bus. Kohn went on to win a Nobel Prize (in Chemistry). I was delighted that he recorded a television ad promoting riding the bus and tying it to his Nobel Prize!
Outstanding! Two days in a row of fun, solvable CWs not loaded with obscure names! Thanx LS&KH for this entertaining CW. 9 names, but I knew 4, and the other 5 perped easy enough. Not a lot of witty clues, but that's O.K. Only W/O GELATo/a/I. I didn't know there were "Legendary pro wrestlers". Anyway, a fairly quick FIR, and fun! Thanx too to Hahtoolah for the (as always) fun and informative write-up.
Musings
-I enjoyed my 27 holes more but this was fine.
-Hahtoolah’s cartoons were fun.
Thank you, Lisa and Katie for a fine Tuesday and for introducing me to the word, “dowdy.”
So if a certain classic children’s-TV character ever appeared unkempt, would that be a dowdy Howdy Doody?
If I recall correctly, we used to eat a dessert called Apple Pan Dowdy when I was a kid.
Yes, a valid driver’s licence can be used for domestic travel in Canada. And yes, we do have a high percentage with passports. Wiki reports that 70% of the Canadian population had a passport in 2022.
Picard @12:34. Ooh! Best wishes to Merlie. Her upcoming ordeal makes my DH’s one tooth extraction this afternoon seem like play.
Picard, thanks for that article on Dr. Eisinger. I especially enjoyed the Canadian connection (I’m a U of Toronto grad).
Best wishes for Merlie with that daunting surgery and recovery time, and for you as you support her.
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