google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday, December 11 2024 Maddy Ziegler

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Dec 11, 2024

Wednesday, December 11 2024 Maddy Ziegler

Theme - We are in our Salad Day. [appropriately, in GREEN]. Lettuce continue down to the theme fill, each one indicated with an "*".

8. *Salute in ancient Rome: HAIL CAESAR.   More or less "Long live the King!" maybe.

14. *Scary Halloween venue: HAUNTED HOUSE.   A house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the property.  Or, as in this case, a more normal structure decorated to simulate one, for scary amusement.

21. *Vacation spot with horses: DUDE RANCH.  A vacation resort offering activities (such as horseback riding) typical of western ranches.  

Anybody remember these guys?

27. *Irish novelist who writes the "Dublin Murder Squad" series: TANA FRENCH.  Somehow, I suspect the French [relating to France or its people or language] is not a common name in Ireland.

And the unifier:  19. Severe scolding, and what the answers to the starred clues literally have?: DRESSING DOWN.  An acute verbal reprimand for some real or imagined wrong-doing.

What each of the indicated two-word answers have in common is that each of the second words indicated a type of salad DRESSINGCAESAR DRESSING is mayonnaise based, with anchovies, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and mustard.  HOUSE DRESSING this time of year could mean Christmas decorations for the home, but, in the kitchen is probably some variation on an oil and vinegar combination.  RANCH DRESSING, when it's not chaps, spurs and a cowboy hat, is a mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, lemon juice and a secret blend of herbs and spices.  FRENCH DRESSING is a mixture of oil, vinegar, tomato puree and other flavorings.

Hi Gang, Jazzbumpa here to get things started.  Note the gimmick in the theme.  The unifier gives the clue that the theme fill will will be oriented in the down direction. With the salad now behind us, let's move on the the main course. 

Across:

1. Gratuity: TIP.   An extra payment made to a wait person or other service provider to supplement their normal wage. 

4. Common London weather: FOG.  A thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth's surface which obscures or restricts visibility (to a greater extent than mist; strictly, reducing visibility to below 1 km).  

7. __ moment: AHA.  The instant one comes to a new revelation.

10. Feathery accessory: BOA.  A long, thin decorative scarf or stole made of feathers or a similar material.

13. Burdened by debt: IN A HOLE.   As defined.

15. Competed in a turkey trot: RAN.  Participated in a walking or running even on Thanksgiving morning.  These are ususally 5 or 10 kilometers.

16. Piercing tool that resembles a screwdriver: AWL.  A small pointed tool used for piercing holes, especially in leather.

17. Musical set at the Kit Kat Klub: CABARET.  Cabaret is an American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Joe Masteroff. It is based on the 1951 play I Am a Camera by John Van Druten, which in turn was based on the 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood.  Also, it is a 1972 American musical period drama film directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse from a screenplay by Jay Presson Allen, based on the stage musical of the same name



18. Way of thinking: MINDSET.  The established set of attitudes held by someone.

20. Spared no expense: SPLURGED.   Spent freely or extravagantly.

22. Border city on the Rio Grande: LAREDO.   A city in the U.S. state of Texas and seat of Webb County, on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Founded in 1755, Laredo grew from a village to the capital of the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande to the largest inland port on the Mexican border. Laredo's economy is primarily based on international trade with Mexico, and as a major hub for three areas of transportation: land, rail, and air cargo.

23. Distinguishing feature of some languages: TONE.   In tonal languages, pitch is a property of words, and the relative pitch is more important than the absolute pitch. For example, in Mandarin, the word "ma" can have four different meanings depending on its pitch.

24. __ shirt: MUSCLE.   A close-fitting, sleeveless or short-sleeved shirt that is designed to accentuate the wearer's physique

26. Skin art, for short: TAT.   Tattoo, for long - a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. 

28. Anti-narcotics org.: DEADrug Enforcement Agency

29. Barter: SWAP.   Trade an item or items for another or others.

33. 2023 Academy Honorary Award recipient Bassett: ANGELA.  Angela Evelyn Bassett [b. 1958] is an American actress. Known for her work in film and television since the 1980s, she has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards.

36. WSW opposite: ENE.  Directional indications, 45 degrees off of the compass's cardinal points

37. Goalie's success: SAVE.   Stopping the launched missile from entering the goal in sports such as soccer and hockey.  

38. British nobleman: LORD.  A title given to a member of the peerage, a social class of nobles that includes dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons

39. Big name in tiny candies: NERDS.    Crunchy, neon-colored American candies that come in a variety of flavors and are known for their moon rock shape

41. Curling __: IRON.  A tool used to change the arrangement of the hair using heat. There are three general kinds: curling irons, used to make the hair curl; straightening irons, commonly called straighteners or flat irons, used to straighten the hair; and crimping irons, used to create crimps of the desired size in the hair.

42. Four Corners state: UTAH.  The Four Corners Monument marks the quadripoint in the Southwestern United States where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. It is the only point in the United States shared by four states, leading to the area being named the Four Corners region

43. "Sex Education" actor Butterfield: ASA.   Asa Bopp Farr Butterfield [b. 1997] is an English actor. Beginning his career as a child actor, Butterfield first achieved recognition as the lead of the historical drama film The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

44. "Advancing the power of facts" journalism website: A P NEWS.  The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news agency that supplies news to newspapers, radio, and television stations. It's known for its fast and reliable reporting, and is considered a trusted source of accurate information.

46. Office 34-Down: MEMO.    A usually brief written message from one person or department in an organization, company, etc., to another

47. Fair-weather __: FAN.    Someone who only actively supports a team or person when they are winning or performing well, losing interest when the team starts to struggle or face setbacks.  In contrast are long suffering fans, like me, whose team [The Lions] has been mired in mediocrity or worse since 1957, now scarcely able to believe what they are seeing.

48. Rule, for short: REG.  Regulation.

49. Lars of Metallica: ULRICH.   Lars Ulrich R [b.1963] is a Danish musician who is the drummer and a founding member of American heavy metal band Metallica. Along with James Hetfield, Ulrich has songwriting credits on almost all of the band's songs, and the two of them are the only remaining original members of the band.

52. Throws in: ADDS.   Speaks up in conversation, or contributes to an activity

55. Kind of paper in a gift bag: TISSUE.  A thin gauzy paper used especially for protecting something (as by covering or wrapping.)

58. Long, relaxing baths: HOT SOAKS.   Self evident.

61. Works a summer office job, perhaps: INTERNS.   Said of a student or trainee who works, sometimes without pay, at a trade or occupation in order to gain work experience.  Granddaughter Samantha has interned at Disney World and two local organizations in northern Michigan.  She recently landed a sales job at the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City.

63. Scout who may sell cookies: BROWNIE.  A member of the junior branch of the Girl Scouts, for girls aged between about 6 and 8.

64. Hotshot: ACE.  One who is highly skilled in a particular endeavor.

65. Green prefix: ECO-.  Not harmful to the environment.

66. ID checker at a nightclub: BOUNCER.   A person employed by a nightclub or similar establishment to prevent troublemakers from entering or to eject them from the premises.

67. Tool with teeth: SAW.   A hand tool for cutting wood or other materials, typically with a long, thin serrated steel blade and operated using a backward and forward movement.

68. Camera __: SHY.   Unwilling to be photographed.

69. Casual affirmative: YUP.  Un-huh.

70. Historic time: ERA.  An important or outstanding period of history.  Or something about Taylor Swift

Down:

1. Nervous twitches: TICS.   An idiosyncratic and often non-voluntary and habitual feature of a person's behavior, or spasmidic muscle contraction.

2. Not fitting: INAPT.  Inappropriate.

3. 2012 World Series MVP Sandoval: PABLO.   Pablo Emilio Sandoval Reyes (b. 1986) is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball third baseman for the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves. Nicknamed "Kung Fu Panda", Sandoval is a two-time All-Star and has won three World Series championships with the Giants. He hit three home runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series, becoming the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, leading to his being named that year's World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP).

4. "You're not making this up?": FOR REAL?.   Expression of surprise and/or disbelief.

5. Designer Cassini: OLEG.   Oleg Cassini [1913 - 2006] was a fashion designer born to an aristocratic Russian family with maternal Italian ancestry. He came to the United States as a young man after starting as a designer in Rome, and quickly got work with Paramount Pictures. Cassini established his reputation by designing for films.

6. "Don't let the thieves escape!": GET 'EM.  Capture those miscreants!

7. Cup holder locale, perhaps: ARM.  As in a piece of furniture.

9. Record of the year?: ANNAL.  Annals are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year.  Or, as indicated here, within a year.

10. Acid counterpart: BASE.  A counterpart is a person or thing holding a position or performing a function that corresponds to that of another person or thing in another place.  However, an acid and a base will neutralize each other.  They are opposites.

11. Carried debt: OWED.   Had a financial obligation to another person or entity.

12. Voice above tenor: ALTO.  From the top down, they are soprano, also, tenor and bass.

25. Button that may submit an online form: SEND.  It's function is transmit a message or document to a recipient.

30. Spy follower?: WARE.   Spyware is software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another's computer activities by transmitting data covertly from their hard drive.  I dislike this kind of self-referential clue.

31. Declare bluntly: AVOW.  Assert or confess openly.

32. Pilot gear?: PENS.  I guess this refers to PENS made by the Japanese company Pilot.

33. Grad: ALUM.  One who graduated from a learning institution.

34. Short message: NOTE.  Or MEMO, maybe?

35. Unit on a kitchen scale: GRAM.  A metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a kilogram.  28.3485 grams equal 1 oz.

40. Actor Morales: ESAI.   Esai Manuel Morales Jr. [b.1962] is an American actor. He has had notable roles in the films Bad Boys with Sean Penn and La Bamba with Lou Diamond Phillips.

45. Thick 4-Across metaphor: PEA SOUP.  Because it is thick and opaque.

50. Tackle box supply: LURES.  Artificial objects used to catch fish by attracting them with the appearance of prey

51. Solving crosswords, for some: HOBBY.  An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.

53. Destination after a promposal: DANCE.  A prom is a formal dance for high school or college students.

54. Slalom competitor: SKIER.   A slalom is a ski race down a winding course marked by flags or poles.

55. Aunts in la familia: TIAS.  En EspaƱol.

56. Peru native: INCA.  The Incas were an advanced civilization that ruled a large empire in the Andes Mountains of South America from approximately 1200 to 1533 AD.

57. Seethe: STEW.  Cooking terms involving boiling or simmering liquids, also used to indicate intense anger.

59. Pants, in slang: TROU.  Short for trousers.

60. Word sung twice after "Que" in a classic song: SERA.  Whatever will be will be.



62. __ sauce: SOY.   A sauce made with fermented soybeans, used in Chinese and Japanese cooking.  I saw a quip recently, saying that it might just be sauce introducing itself in Spanish, since "Soy" in Spanish means "I am."

And so we end on that bit of silliness.   Hope you enjoyed the meal and got through it without choking.  What - no dessert?  You know I would never desert you.

And thanks for all the Birthday wishes on Sunday.  You guys are the best!

Cool regards and Happy Holidays!
JzB



55 comments:

Subgenius said...

The only thing that kept the intersection of “Tana” and “Nerds” from being a Natick was a lucky WAG. Other than that, I didn’t have too much trouble with this puzzle. FiR, so I’m happy.

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

No lucky WAG here -- d-o went with an R. Bzzzzt. Forgot to look for the theme, but all of those dressings are familiar, except CAESAR. Thought that was the whole salad. Thanx for the intro course, Maddy, and for the expert explication, JzB. (Did you mean spasmodic?)

DUDE RANCH: Yup, I remember Spin and Marty -- one of those mini-features of the Mickey Mouse Club. One kid was played by Tim Considine, (also of My Three Sons). Can't recall the other.

HOT SOAKS: In winter (such as it is in SE Texas), I enjoy a HOT SOAK with a good book.

Anonymous said...

Wednesday puzzle….where’s the crotons, JzB?
Greet the day.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

FIW. Paid so much attention to my totally unknown TANA FRENCH x NERDS and ASA that I missed AP NsWS, especially since I remember the TV series SPY WARs. Unfortunately, AP has followed the trend toward opinion and away from objectivity, at least in my analysis. But it could be that our local fish wrapper just selects AP stories for publication that lean left. They have laid off almost all their local reporters, so we are left with AP and New Youk Times drivel.

Those Cornerites who were Car Talk fans will remember their Director of Long-Range Strategic Planning Kay Sera, who was married to Frank Sera, and whose business cards read Kay Sera Sera.

Thanks to Maddy for the fun puzzle, except for that fugly TANA FRENCH x NERDS and ASA. And thanks to JzB for the fun review, except that you need to drag out your navigator's guide. WSW and ENE are 22.5 degrees off a cardinal point. SW and NE are at 45 degrees. (In the old days they used to say "west by southwest" and "east by southeast.")

Anonymous said...

I needed 4:56 today.

T ana who?

A ctress of the day was known (Angela), though I couldn't name anything she's been in.

L oved my time at Four Corners, which we stopped at on the way from Mesa Verde National Park in CO to Petrified Forest National Park in AZ.

I m wishing I picked I shorter type of dressing.

A ctors of today were known (Esai) and unknown (Asa).

N o circles!

TTP said...

Thank you, Maddy Ziegler. Loved the theme and the reveal.

JzB, nice segue from the starter to the entree!

We always request DRESSING "on the side" because even some of the better restaurants are too heavy handed and drown the salad.

I don't like FRENCH dressing. I don't even like it on a Reuben.

No idea on the Irish novelist, but went with N once I realized the crossing clue was Big name in candies, not candles. Speaking of which, gifted new ones are starting to show up all around the house again.

I also had a successful guess with the A. ASA seemed probable.

Splynter and I knew ULRICH.

"You're not making this up?": FOR REAL?. Gen Z response: "No cap."

Fair weather FAN - JzB, as a long suffering Lions fan, have you encountered many Johnny-come-lately "fans" given the turnaround under Dan Campbell? As a Pirates fan, I know what that is all about. And here in Chicago, people that were indifferent about pro BB became instant experts as they jumped on the bandwagon during the Jordan / Pippen years. Tickets to the United Center are much easier to get now as the Bulls wallow in the middle of the pack.

Irish Miss said...

Good Morning:

This was a fun and smooth solve once Asa, Pablo, and Ulrich came to light. Tana French was easy for me as I’ve read many of her novels. Somehow this theme seems familiar, but was enjoyable nonetheless. I love Caesar Salad, but I’ll pass on French dressing. Ranch is fine and House can be a mixed bag. I liked the Fog/Pea Soup clecho. Fog made me think of London Fog raincoats, so popular years ago. Maybe they still are?

Thanks, Maddy, and thanks, JazzB, for the culinary tour and the usual dose of wry humor. The videos of Que Sera, Sera vs Money, Money offer quite a contrast in viewpoints and values.

Have a great day.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

Yeah, I remember when Ted Turner bought the Braves for cheap programming for his fledgling TBS. He told a lot of his high-priced players "we could've finished last without you," which is also the name of a book by Bob Hope (no, not THAT Bob Hope - this one was in charge of chintzy promotions to lure in fans to watch a team with little talent.) The stands were nearly empty for years, until they started winning in the early 90s. By the time I moved to Atlanta in the late 90s, sellouts were common.

KS said...

FIR. Like SubG, I had to take a WAG at Tana French because I'd never heard of her. And crossing with Nerds and Asa was just cruel. But luckily for me my guesser was working.
Except for that one area, this was a very easy puzzle. Got the theme from the reveal which helped me get French and Caesar dressing.
So overall, a fairly enjoyable puzzle.

RosE said...

Good Morning!
Theme – a gentle reminder to get ahead of the curve (pun intended) of all the Christmas goodies and have a salad or two and just a hint of DRESSING.

WOs: another reminder to slow down & check the perps: PedrO (WAG) -> PABLO and El paso -> LAREDO.

Perps for: TANA FRENCH crossing NERDS – unfamiliar with both; Ulrich

Thanks, JazzB, for a wealth of info, and belated Happy Birthday.

RosE said...

French dressing on a Reuben? In these parts it is Thousand Island.

Tehachapi Ken said...

Today's puzzle struck me as by and large enjoyable and well-designed, with the exception of the middle, where there was a significant natick issue. Somehow in the final edit of constructor and editor, several proper names were allowed to remain there without being re-clued. And one of them was a theme answer, TANAFRENCH. She was crossed by both ULRICH and ASA, as well as a candy, NERDS. It would have been simple to re-clue ASA to a more well-known Asa (there are many), or clue it for an answer of "as a." Similarly, it would have been easy to re-clue NERDS.

Except for that middle section, this was a fun solve. The clues were fresh and varied, and I found it refreshing to see all the theme entries go vertical. Of course, DRESSINGDOWN kind of mandated that!

Thanks, Maddy, for providing us with an enjoyable Wednesday-appropriate diversion, and I look forward to a return engagement.

Monkey said...

Cool and smooth CW this morning. Unlike some cornerites, I knew TANA FRENCH since I’ve read almost all her novels.

The NERDS however were total unknowns as candies. I didn’t know ULRICH but easy name to guess.

The theme is quite tasty, though I also dislike FRENCH DRESSING. RANCH is not my taste either since I don’t care for creamy salad DRESSINGS.

I seem to remember Ć” previous CW by MZ that I also liked.

Monkey said...

Thank you JzB for Ć” nice review.

TTP said...

Maybe that's what it is here too.
I don't like either one. Yuck!

TTP said...

That was Saturday, Sep. 21st

Picard said...

Enjoyed the theme and puzzle. Hand up grumbled a bit at cluster of unknown names NERDS-TANA-ASA-ESAI-ULRICH. WAG to FIR.

Anon at 8:16AM Thanks for your hidden ITALIAN DRESSING. That is my go-to DRESSING.

Merlie makes me a delicious salad every evening with Italian DRESSING. Often with vegetables she has grown in pots on our little patio or on our little porch.

My father took this memorable photo of a Native American woman selling her hand crafts at FOUR CORNERS.

Don't miss her bumper sticker on her truck.

From Yesterday:
Lucina Thank you for the kind words about my PIG feast photo and about your experience with a PIG feast in Hawaii. Yes, it was delicious.

inanehiker said...

Fun puzzle - I always like the variety of a down theme
Like TTP - I thought the NERDS clue was tiny candles at first - but I have heard of NERDS - my kids liked them with all their colors and sweetness but moms didn't like them because kids had a hard time transferring from box to hand to mouth so they're were always dropping them. I would shoo them out the door to eat them outside so they could just drop on the ground

I like London FOG drinks which include Earl Grey Tea , frothy hot milk like in a latte and flavoring with vanilla flavoring +/- lavender

Thanks JzB for the interesting blog and belated Happy birthday as I was too swamped on Sunday to post and Maddy for the puzzle

CrossEyedDave said...

Clever theme spoiled by a huge Natick (imho) it is only Wednesday, but would it have killed the editors to clue _ _ _ rule (as a). Yes it's a gimme, but some hump days I need a gimme!

***Cranky old man YouTube imbed report ***
Locked out, opened you tube app as already signed in, still locked out, opened blog in background window, still locked out, closed blog and reopened with YouTube app running, now all videos run fine...

However, I was born the year Spin and Marty aired, and now that I have seen that clip, I must know how the fight turned out! I tried searching YouTube, but all the clips end before the fight ends, and that episode is not available.
Inquiring minds want to know!

Lastly,
As far as finding a silly clip for "dressing down," I found noth8ng worthy. So I thought I would link The Play Goes Wrong Peter Pan scene where they try to fly but the guy wires pull their clothes off, and title it "dressing up?" This clip is not available by itself, but I did find a compilation clip of dress mishaps that includes it, and curiously enough, they repeatedly use the slang "trou!"

I believe it is the only time I have heard this slang...

Lucina said...

Hola!
In the words of poster KS, "luckily my guesser was working." I, too, guessed at ASA, NERDS (clue which I read as candles) and spyWARE but no guessing for me at TIAS, SERA, SOY (meaning 'I am') and ESAI whom we have seen as an established crossword fill.
I did not know of PABLO Sandoval but I'm happy to know he has brought fame and recognition to the family name and not ignominy. That first Sandoval who came with the Spanish soldiers spread his seed far and wide, from South America to Mexico and the U.S. as we are constantly learning.
Thank you, JazzBumpa, for your thorough and enjoyable recap. Have a fabulous day, everyone!

Lucina said...

Even ALTO is a Spanish word that means "high". as in altitude, not on drugs. Sigh, one has to be so careful about definitions these days.

Charlie Echo said...

FIW. Was tripping happily along until I fell into the black hole of Natick in the center, and chose unwisely when I guessed. Ah, well. Yes, I was a big fan of Spin and Marty and the Triple R Ranch. (And especially of Annette, from the neiboring Circle H )

Yellowrocks said...

A little crunchier than a usual Wednesday puzzle for me. Perps and wags worked until I, too, fell through the hole in the middle. I perped FRENCH, but missed the N and A a in TANA, an unusual name. I have heard of NERDS candies, but I was looking for candles.
My favorite salad is home home made Caesar salad with plenty of cheese. I Iike almost every kind of dressing. I love blue cheese with chunks of real cheese. Ranch is also a favorite.
JzB, sorry I missed your birthday. I didn't visit here then. So, happy belated birthday.

Ray - O - Sunshine said...

Salad dressing dripping “down” the front of the puzzle. Easy long clues meant short work for a Wednesday

Inkover: any/AHA, yep/YUP

GETEM (“Siri, Alexa, I need help with a nonsense answer”)

Didn’t know TANA, and “Alas poor ULRICH, I didn’t know him at all” šŸ˜€

“Curling”… ‘my first thought was club, a popular sport locally. Utica Curling Club founded in 1868 largest on the east coast

Have heard of a “fair weather friend but not FAN.

European recipes measure in weight not volume so you would need a “kitchen scale” rather than cups and tsp/tblsps perhaps to the chagrin of your GRAM šŸ‘µ

AHA That IS a photo of “Spin and Marty” … We only had one TV station in those days Channel 13 Utica but my cousins had a fancy antenna that could pull in one of the two Syracuse channels that carried the Mickey Mouse Club, the only time I could watch the show.

PEASOUP made famous by the movie “The Exorcist” šŸ¤® šŸ¤­

NERDS: I too first read the clue as “tiny candles “šŸŽ‚(Inanehiker, Lucina, now I don’t feel so bad šŸ«¤)

Taxi assemblage …. CABARET
What did you do all day sleepy head? …. INAPT
“Casual attire” calls for ______ ….. DRESSING DOWN

Our early rapid extensive accumulation of snow has disappeared with 3 days of on and off rain. To the chagrin of the anxious SKIERS ⛷️

RosE said...

Whatever DRESSING/spread you choose - it's still a great sandwich šŸ˜‹šŸ˜„!

Misty said...

Clever and fun Wednesday puzzle, many thanks, Maddy. And your commentary was a helpful pleasure, thanks for that too, JazzB.

Well, I'd say we started out with a LORD in this puzzle, who probably inherited a lot of wealth which he didn't bother to SAVE but SPLURGED and soon ended up with big debts that he OWED. This made for a big DRESSING DOWN of his life style, and he ended up as an INTERN who eventually got a job as a BOUNCER working on a DUDE RANCH, and living in a HAUNTED HOUSE of sorts. But at least he could take HOT SOAKS in a little pool outside and enjoy snacks of PEA SOUP and BROWNIES and ICE cream. Not a bad life for a LORD who ended up
as a NERD.

Have a good day, everybody.

NaomiZ said...

I enjoyed Maddy's puzzle and FIR with a guess at the crossing of TANA and ASA. Lovely to have JzB waiting upon us to review the Wednesday menu of offerings.

Like Monkey, I avoid creamy dressings, not because they are not delicious, but because they undo all the benefits of eating a salad. A really good vinegar is often enough, but a bit of good olive oil makes it even better.

InaneHiker's Earl Grey tea latte sounds delicious. I make a foamy chai tea latte with oat milk almost every day. That's what makes the nutritional supplements go down, ala Mary Poppins.

Eat well and be well, dear Cornerites!

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-ASA/TANA was my only pause on the way to a "got 'er done"
-I filled in the reveal and went back looking for items of clothing. Doh!
-This delicious DRESSING is made in Duncan, NE, we just say Dorothy when asked what dressing we would like in a restaurant
-My MINDSET is such that Marty Robbins sang the best version of The Streets of LAREDO
-After seeing a mutual friend in a “way too tight” MUSCLE shirt a colleague of mine calmly asked him, “Didn’t they have that in your size?”
-It wasn’t until 1959 that goalies starting wearing masks on a regular basis
-After 40 years of being a preeminent football power the Huskers have crashed. Fair weather FANS left in droves.
-I’d bet that Spin and Marty were fighting over Annette! She was the heart throb of hte 50’s and 60’s.

TTP said...

I choose none. I agree. I like Reuben sandwiches. Just without any salad dressing. The rye, corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut are all I want. I wonder if there is a different name for that sandwich. At the moment, I can't think of a single sandwich that I eat that has salad dressing on it.

TTP said...

I was today years old when I first heard of Spin and Marty. I wasn't born when it aired.

I wonder why it is that CanadianEh! does not have a YouTube app on her iPad and she can watch videos, but you and Monkey seem to need it. Is your iPad an older one?

TTP said...

That's similar to what I asked my neighbor when he came home one day in a used Chevy SUV with one of those intentionally loud exhaust systems. "Do they make that vehicle in a model that has mufflers?"

He bought it to pull his camper, but sold it shortly after their first trip. Replaced it with a newer four door F-250. It is much quieter.

Prof M said...

I used to “homemake” a FRENCH dressing with anchovies that was trĆ©s bien.

CrossEyedDave said...

I think you may have hit the nail in the head, it's an iPad mini 4 running 15.8.3 which it thinks is the latest iOS. I have it set on auto update...

CrossEyedDave said...

Also, I can watch YouTube on safari, I think anyone can, but it is cumbersome without the app...

unclefred said...

12 names, 7 of which I DNK, unlike yesterday's 12 names with only 1 DNK. As others mentioned, I read 39A as "Tiny candles". Not surprising, as I continue to struggle with my eyesight. Yesterday FIR in 11, today FIR in 14. Last area to fill was NE. Clever theme, which I didn't take time to suss before coming here. Thanx to MZ for the fun CW, and thanx to JzB for the great write-up.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

I got ya cabaret right here! (thanks for the idea)

CanadianEh! said...

Great work! I see another DRESSING DOWN (and a CSO to AnonT).

CanadianEh! said...

Mine is an iPad mini Gen 5 running IOS 18.1.1

CanadianEh! said...

Yes, that is a thought provoking photo and bumper sticker. And to think that it was many years ago!

Monkey said...

Mine is an iPad running on iOS 18.1.1.

Monkey said...

CED. You find some of the weirdest videos.

Anonymous said...

What tool did Pablo use to "spread his seed" far and wide. Must have been a large field.

Anonymous T said...

Hi All!

First what I've missed this week: HBD JzB and Hahtoolah. Great solo Puzzle Monday, Renee. Another fun C.C. puzzle Tuesday.

DNF'd Maddy's puzzle. TAN_ FRENCH xing __A xing E_AI wasn't going to get me anywhere. //I really should try to remember ESAI.

At least I know ULRICH (ADD me to your list, TTP :-)).

WO: put TROU in SERA's place
ESPs: [See: DNFs], PABLO, ANGELA
Fav: NERDS' clue

I also liked NOTE xing MEMO and the PEA SOUP FOG cross-reference.

If I use dressing on a lettuce salad (other than CEASAR's), it's only a drizzle of aged balsamic and olive oil. A good Ceasar dressing lets the anchovies come through - I often order extra anchovies on the side in case the dressing is too dull.

IM - I still have a London FOG jacket I purchased in San Francisco. In fact, most of my jackets were purchased in San Fransico b/c I always forget to pack one when visiting in the summer :-)

Thanks for the puzzle, Maddy. Thanks great review, JazzB!

Cheers, -T

CanadianEh! said...

Wonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Maddy and JazzB.
I FIRed in good time and saw found the DOWNward DRESSINGS (after I stopped looking for clothes!).

WEES about the central Natick area. I have heard of NERDS, and somehow ULRICH popped up from my memory bank, but I did not know ASA and the A was a WAG.
It took a moment to get the AHA moment, as I thought of Any, One, In a first.
And then there was the Aver/AVOW dilemma solved by perps as usual.
I wanted Fair weather Friend but FAN fit the space.

Wishing you all a great day.

sumdaze said...

Thanks to Maddy for a fun FIR! FAV was PEA SOUP. I appreciated the straightforward clue for 14D. ESP for 27D. I was expecting "dresses" like A-Line so I didn't see the food dressings until I was finished. If I had cracked the theme earlier, it would have helped with TANA FRENCH. That's on me.

I remembered ASA's name this time. I had Any moment before AHA moment so took a bit to sort out.
ERA crossed SERA in the SE.

Given his girth, PABLO Sandoval could move surprisingly quickly to grab a grounder heading towards 3rd. I always loved those replays.

Anon@4:56. Good one!

H-Gary@12:22. I had never heard of Dorothy's dressing before your post today.

Thanks to JzB for all the info! The background on OLEG was interesting. Also, 70A...LOL!

Lucina said...

Actually I've never heard of NERDS candies, either so it may well have been CANDLES. When I lived and taught in California I was in charge of the ANNALs which had to be submitted once a year. It was a record of significant events that happened during the year and I recall typing furiously to have it ready by year's end.
Our current book club book, ALL THE BROKEN PLACES, is a sequel to "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas". I did not read that book but saw the movie and thought it was one of the saddest movies I've ever seen. It still pains me to think about it.

Big Easy said...

I managed to FIR before I went to the dentist this morning, but TGFP because TANA FRENCH was a complete unknown. Thank you NERDS.

Christmas HOUSE DRESSING- DW does it but I'm the one who hauls the stuff out of the attic.
Years ago I had a London FOG jacket. Is that brand still around?
MUSCLE shirts- down hear, I've heard people call them 'wife beaters' because every time the police drag somebody out of the house and the television crew is filming, that's what they are wearing- a muscle shirt.

AP NEWS- I had to wait for that London FOG, aka PEA SOUP to get the P.
PABLO Escobar, I know; Sandoval no clue on him.
TROU- another word only found in Crossword Land

Jinx in Norfolk said...

I'm gonna catch hell for this, but I can't help thinking it. Unless it is a terrible picture of the woman selling the wares, if this is her weight loss self she could probably have been on a reality TV show. Kinda like Elon Musk putting an "I'm so poor I can't even pay attention" on his Tesla.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

When I lived in LA I went to a lot of Dodger games. The Dodgers organization made a lot of money from tourists going to their first game, not understanding that the way too hot summer weather would quickly turn chilly after the sun went down. Those Dodgers sweatshirts and jackets weren't cheap!

BTW - Mark Twain never said "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."

Husker Gary said...

You can buy Dorothy online from Amazon. I'll stake my, albeit shaky reputation, on it!

xtulmkr said...

Spin instigated this fight by placing a toad in Marty's bed. After the third round, the fight was declared a draw. Annette didn't show up at the Triple R until season 3.

Picard said...

CanadianEh, Jinx Thanks for your comments on the woman at FOUR CORNERS. Yes, being poor is not the best way to lose weight. But I think we all understand her point.

Picard said...

I agree TANA is not that common.

Here are two photos of my Solstice friend TANA.

She likes to bare her belly as at left. At right was her recent birthday party. You can see Merlie near her. I have another good friend whose middle name is TANA.

Jayce said...

I liked this puzzle.

Lucina said...

I, too, had a London FOG coat back in my younger, slimmer days. It had a removable lining and was also a raincoat though that function was not much used.