Theme: I'm on top of this!
Puzzling thoughts:
What an interesting puzzle. Five 9-letter phrases (four entries and a reveal) and four sets of circles, all containing the letters "n" and "o". After solving the puzzle, each of the five phrases could stand alone: BE THE BALL; RIGHT TIME; WHO'S FIRST; GET WITH IT; and MOVIN ON UP
But the reveal (movin' on up) gives the true meaning for the circled "no": it's not "no", it's "ON". And since the word "ON" is only discerned if you read it going "up", it adds another dimension to these phrases:
17-across. Stay vigilant: BE [ON] THE BALL. The word "on" is moved up (above) the phrase "be the ball" to make it fit the clue ... as opposed to this snippet from the movie "Caddyshack":
21-across. Punctual: RIGHT [ON] TIME. As opposed to the Beach Boys single:
39-across. Comedy routine with peculiar names: WHO'S [ON] FIRST. "Who's first" might be a question asked of a clerk to a group of customers - especially when there is no numbered ticket system in place. But certainly, the only video clip worthy of inserting here is the eponymous comedy routine of Abbott and Costello:
60-across. "Pick up the pace!": GET [ON] WITH IT. Once again, I was able to find a song with the title: "Get With It" (before my time ...)
And of course, the reveal:
66-across. "The Jeffersons" theme song, and an apt title for this puzzle: MOVIN' ON UP.
Today's constructor, Joe Marangell, could be celebrating his debut puzzle; perhaps not just @ the LA Times, but perhaps @ any major publication. If so, congratulations are in order! This one rates a solid, ⭐⭐⭐ + 1/2⭐
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The Grid - note my mistakes |
Here are the rest of the answers:
5. Literary captain who inspired Captain Hook: AHAB.
9. App with pics: INSTA. Short for Instagram
14. Radish, e.g.: ROOT. Here is a fun fact about the radish capital of the world
15. Spa treatment, briefly: PEDI. Did anyone try MANI before pedi? I did
16. Approaches: NEARS.
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| That's about as NEAR as this guy could get!! |
19. "Blonde" writer Joyce Carol __: OATES. The only "Oates" I knew was this half of a famous performing duo
20. Trailing: IN TOW. This one was kind of a drag ...
23. Balanced states: STASES. Plural of stasis
25. Co-star of Betty, Rue, and Estelle: BEA. Bea Arthur of The Golden Girls
26. Spoil: ROT. Go bad
27. Gp.: ORG. Abbr. 3LW
28. Go the wrong way?: SIN. Nice clue; Joe's or Patti's? I would guess Patti
30. Some Summer Olympians: DIVERS. The Chinese divers won all of the gold medals at this year's Paris Olympics
33. Russian refusal: NYET. Moe-ku #1:
Broadway musical
35. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" writer Anita: LOOS. Her biography
38. Uno y uno: DOS. Uno, dos, tres, quattro ...
42. Hyundai rival: KIA. Hyundai vs Kia
43. Rhetorical question from Caesar: ET TU. "Really, Brutus? You, too??"
44. God of love: EROS.
48. Small lifeboat: DINGHY. "Hey Smails! My dinghy is bigger than your whole boat!"
51. "Let me think ... ": HMM. Don't overthink this ...
53. Best of "House of the Dragon": EVE. Ahh ... this is the actor's name, Eve Best - "Game of Thrones"
54. Altar answer: I DO. We just attended a Catholic wedding last week, and the bride and groom responded "I will" when asked the questions by the priest ...
55. Corn unit: EAR. Cob also fit, but I didn't err here
58. Annoy: PESTER. And a related clue/answer: (65-across. Bother continually): EAT AT.
64. Kurosawa who received an Academy Honorary Award in 1990: AKIRA. These proper names are getting more difficult for me ... Japanese filmmaker
68. Vessel opener: STENT. This helps to get the blood flowing
69. Slightly open: AJAR. When is a door not a door? When it is ajar
70. Word with sugar or gold: RUSH. My "sugar rush" is eating an apple fritter
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| Publix Supermarkets (SE US chain) make the best ones, IMO |
71. Stuffed bear: TEDDY. There are other clues/images for this word, but I will refrain from showing an example
72. June honorees: DADS. And IMO, MOMS should be "honored" all the time; not just on the second Sunday in May
73. Casual tops: TEES. "Wooden golf pegs" is not a difficult enough clue for a Friday puzzle
Down:
2. Sign outside a restricted area: NO ENTRY.
3. Vrbo category: COTTAGE. Moe-ku #2:
In the rental world,
4. Shared culture: ETHOS. One of my mistakes ... I tried ETHIC before ethos
5. BOLO kin: APB. All Points Bulletin / Be On The Lookout
6. Listen to: HEAR. I think it's time to hear (Listen to) more music! Enjoy
7. Improv technique: ADLIB. For me, I feel like my recaps are totally adlib ... no script for this blogger!!
8. Complete nonsense: BILGE. The Thesaurussaurus agrees
9. Playing past the fourth qtr., say: IN OT. In "Overtime"
10. "Cool!": NEAT. My first thought when I see the word "neat": (CSO to our dear, departed Tinbeni)
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| My first "toast" of the evening is to you, sir |
11. Some sketches: SATIRES. Too many to choose from, but this might get a grin or two:
12. Vibration: TREMOR. When a tremor was measured at a football game
13. Good qualities: ASSETS. Moe-ku #3:
18. Farm females: EWES. Cows also fit
22. Possessed: HAD. As in, the devil had me??
24. Farm structure: SILO. I kept going round and round with this one ... barn fits, too, ya know
29. Bouquet: NOSE. CSO to yours, truly. The resident Crossword Corner sommelier whose nose knows the difference between a Cab and a Syrah
31. Cards with pics: IDS. My Global Entry card has proven to be well worth the $ I spent when I have to go through security at airports
32. Primary action: VOTE. As a registered "independent", this is one action I cannot take
34. Nest element: TWIG.
36. Frequently found in poems?: OFT. Here is an example:
37. "Star Wars" antagonists: SITH. All of them
40. "Take that!": HAH.
41. Butcher's cut: RUMP. Loin and ribs fit
42. Tangled: KNOTTED. "Tied up", would've been a good clue, too
45. Entourage: RETINUE. Not the most popular word among the major publications
46. Possible reason for a dead phone battery: OVERUSE. Not my first thought, but the perps helped
47. Highest-order angels: SERAPHS. Another error as I spelt it incorrectly (had an "e" where the "a" should've been)
48. Process, in a way: DIGEST. This could apply to both thoughts (brain) and food (stomach)
49. Brainstorm: IDEATE. What happened when Idy consumed a meal?
50. As of now: YET. To date
52. Have in mind: MEAN. Nary a mean thought in this blogger's mind
56. Sportscaster Rashad: AHMAD. I am a sports nut, but I like this Ahmad better:
57. Dry Spanish wine: RIOJA. Well ... technically ... Rioja is a wine region in northern Spain
59. Golf garment: SKORT. A portmanteau of "skirt" and "short". Not to be confused with a "spork" (combination of a spoon and a fork) This:
61. Mascara applicator: WAND. I tried "swab" at first, but that gave me a black eye ... 😉
62. __-bitty: ITTY. It was either itty or itsy
63. Commercial spot: TV AD. So glad that all of the political tv ads are gone
67. Agcy. that investigates tax fraud: IRS.
12 comments:
With the first themed answer I understood the gimmick, and that helped me solve the rest of this (not too challenging) puzzle. FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Tried ON THE BALL at 17a before I sussed the theme. The verticals in the southwest were daunting, but the perps brought it home. Enjoyed your debut, Joe. Let's see more from you. Thanx for leading the band, C-Moe.
ROOT: Mom prepared a radish plate for company, and sister Joan carried it through the room -- "Would you like a reddish or a white one?"
VOTE: Here in bright red Texas the primaries matter more than the general election. Anyone can vote in either party's primary, regardless of affiliation, but one primary only, please.
I got ON with it after changing HEED to HEAR. BE THE BELL didn't make sense and neither did DIGHT. The V8 hit and I noticed the circles. Bam!! RIGHT ON TIME. Easy puzzle for a Friday.
EVE Best- only unknown today
Moe-The only "Oates" I knew was this half of a famous performing duo." Did you ever see the movie 'Stripes' with Warren Oates and Bill Murray. And that's enough BILGE from me today.
Ahmad Rashad aka Bobby Moore
I thought this was an easy but entertaining Friday. I was in college in the the late 60's and JOYCE CAROL OATES was a very popular writer. HYUNDAI bought 50% of KIA and is now the third largest automaker in the world behind only TOYOTA and VOLKSWAGEN. I also do not know EVE BEST . Welcome Joe and thanks Moe.
Anon 6:53, I think it would be Ahmad Rashad f/k/a Bobby Moore.
Good Morning! I enjoyed the theme once I caught on at 9D, then had to return to fix 2D & 17A. After that, smooth sailing.
Perps for ORBISON (as clued) RIOJA, AKIRA (spelling).
I wanted my bouquet to have extra boxes after NOSE to become NOSEGAY..
Thanks, C.Moe for the fun and commentary. Your Moe-kus and the groaner are the best!!
FLN: TTP, I made it through 5 of the 9-minute video…. Just glad I’m not a kid… but thanks for the eye-opener. Still, it did not seem to address the reason for my concern and fortified my reason to steer clear.
P.S. Congratulations to Joe on your debut. Hope to see more of your puzzles on the Corner.
Took 5:50 for me to get on with it.
I didn't care for this puzzle. I'm sure the constructing was tricky, but the juice was not worth the squeeze. Once again, I feel the LA Times has elevated gimmicks over a good solving experience/substance.
I didn't know Akira or either of the "Blonde" writers (Oates and Loos); knew one of today's actresses (Bea, not Best); and, managed to pass the Russian, Latin, and Spanish foreign language lessons (nyet, et tu, & dos).
Oh joy, circles!
And on a Friday!
FIR. Circles, yuk. Compounded with proper names. I was not expecting this puzzle to be so easy given that it's Friday and it had the aforementioned things. But it was almost Tuesday fare. What a surprise!
I was lost in the NW for a little while and decided to check out the reveal. Then the light bulb went on. From there it was clear going.
Despite my initial resistance, I found this to be an enjoyable puzzle.
Big Easy - yes, I saw "Stripes". Was Warren Oates the guy who played the sergeant?
DNF, running out of P&P in the Southeast. C'mon, crossing EVE and AKIRA with RETINUE and SERAPHS? At this point, the Penny/Dell puzzle is a lot more fun.
D-O, Virginia also doesn't ask your party affiliation when you VOTE on the primary, just which ballot you want this time around. The risk is that if one party has a shoo-in candidate at the top of the ticket, voters from that party might vote for the easiest to beat opponent of the other party. Can't say that I've ever seen that actually happen. The only organized effort to do something similar that I recall was when Rush Limbaugh tried to get Republicans to drag out the Democratic nomination by voting for Hilary, thereby delaying (crossword favorite) Obama from wrapping up the primary, keeping the mudslinging going between the two. Don't think that worked out too well.
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