Theme: "Silent Partners"- A silent letter is added to one word in each common phrase, forming a homophone.
53A. Unmounted jouster?: KNIGHT CRAWLER.
72A. Outdo a rolled entry in a sandwich battle?: BEAT THE WRAP.
88A. Where guys hang out in a big box store?: THE AISLE OF MAN.
121A. Urgent addition to the end of a song?: EMERGENCY CHORD.
15D. Podcast series on how to build a door frame?: JAMB SESSIONS.
65D. Macrame enthusiast's appraisal of a painting class?: I'D RATHER KNOT.
I really love the last entry and its clue.
We've
had B, K & W addition puzzles in the past. I don't recall a puzzle
with a mix of silent letters. Pam is known for her originality and creativity.
 |
| Pam Amick Klawitter |
Across:
1. REM opener: RAPID.
6. Genesis mountain: ARARAT. Where Noah landed his ark.
12. Spanish table wines: RIOJAS.
18. Goldfish or oyster: ANIMAL.
20. "Bubble" drink: BOBA TEA. I love chewing the tapioca balls at the bottom.
22. Gasoline number: OCTANE.
25. Musical-comedy legend Ethel: MERMAN.
26. Give a silent signal: NOD AT.
27. Ryukyu Islands island: OKINAWA. Known for their milk tea. Tapioca pearls at the bottom also.
29. Early education topic: ABCS.
30. Palm berry: ACAI.
33. Ousted Russian ruler: TSAR.
35. Lose energy: TIRE.
36. Nail salon brand: ESSIE.
37. "Rigoletto" setting: MANTUA. City in northern Italy.
42. Suppress: SIT ON.
44. Word with loose or tight: END.
45. Make a choice: OPT.
46. Utter fiasco: SNAFU.
49. Subway Surfers and Candy Crush Saga: APPS.
51. Military drama franchise: NCIS.
56. Comedic tribute: ROAST.
58. Jewish school: YESHIVA. Google shows that yeshiva comes from the Hebrew yesibah meaning "academy".
59. "Unbelievable!": WOW.
61. Idolize: ADMIRE.
63. Flighty notions: WHIMS.
66. Menzel with a "Wicked" cameo: IDINA. Powerful voice.
68. Maker of Giant Rubber Bands and Dehydrated Boulders: ACME.
70. Ref. that added "mic drop" in 2024: OED.
71. Relieves (of): RIDS.
75. Grab hold of: SNAG.
76. Miscalculate: ERR.
77. Like a slasher film: GORY.
78. Building blocks smaller than Lego: ATOMS.
79. Red-blooded: LUSTY. Have any of you seen "Red Sorghum"? Masterpiece by Zhang Yimou, the most famous Chinese director. He grew up in Xi'an also.
80. Set to rights: NEATEN.
82. Guarded ID digits: SSN.
85. Postal creed start: NEITHER.
87. Community values: ETHOS.
93. Dance performed in concentric circles: HORA.
94. Guitarist Guthrie: ARLO.
95. Post-polish luster: SHEEN.
96. Good Grips maker: OXO.
97. Omar Sharif title role: CHE.
99. Greedy demand: GIMME.
101. "The Muppets" eagle: SAM.
103. Like a gymnast: LIMBER.
105. Stable neigh-bor: HORSE. Such a fun clue.
107. "The Mammoth Hunters" novelist: AUEL.
109. Settings symbol: GEAR.
112. Rae of "Insecure": ISSA.
113. Ancient Egyptian cross: ANKH.
114. Faint reminder: VESTIGE.
116. Some hand-me-downs: GENES. I also like this clue.
119. One of TV's "Friends": MONICA.
126. Target for Target: PROFIT.
127. Fill up: SATIATE.
128. Capital markets worker: TRADER.
129. Heated conflicts: SET-TOS.
130. Dads, sometimes: POPPAS.
131. Many prom coifs: UPDOS.
Down:
2. "We're in __-win situation": A NO.
3. Hardest part of a date?: PIT. Sweet clue also.
4. "You can trust me with this!": I'M ON IT.
5. "Love & Mercy" actor Paul: DANO. He played Brian Wilson.
6. Enables a crime: ABETS.
7. Diviner's device: ROD.
8. Take, as a loss: ABSORB.
9. Pool hall staple: RACK.
10. Took a loss: ATE IT.
11. Court figure: TENNIS PRO. Tennis court.
12. Fontana di Trevi locale: ROMA.
13. Hockey surface: ICE.
14. Spanish "others": OTRAS.
16. Pain reliever since 1916: ANACIN.
17. Had a hunch: SENSED.
19. Took charge: LED.
21. Retro gaming consoles: ATARIS.
24. Cluny the Scourge in "Redwall," e.g.: RAT.
28. Drenched: WET.
30. Totally wild: AMOK.
31. Crunch on a cereal box: CAP'N.
32. Dissenter, at first?: ANTI. And
72. Growing art form?: BONSAI. 97. En-titled ones?: CHAMPS. All brilliant clues.
34. Caraway-flavored spirit: AQUAVIT.
36. Make unreadable, in a way: ENCODE.
38. Seats, slangily: USHES.
39. Crumb seekers: ANTS.
41. McCloskey's blueberry picker: SAL. "Blueberries for Sal"
43. Freeway feature: ON RAMP.
47. Feeling more fluish: ACHIER.
48. Starts of some long weekends: FRIDAYS.
50. Hymn singer's seat: PEW.
52. Reba McEntire's "All the Women __": I AM.
54. Spots for sweaters?: GYMS. Sweat-ers.
55. Wish list item: WANT. Andy just visited my 70-year-old aunt
during Chinese New Year. She made him rabbit stew. They also found this
pic of me and my grandma.
 |
| Me and My Grandma |
57. "Trick or __!": TREAT.
60. On the hot side: WARMISH.
62. Pushing boundaries: EDGY.
63. Little brown bird: WREN.
64. New payroll member: HIREE.
67. "I just knew it!": AHA.
69. Sand structure: CASTLE. Always associate this word with Splynter. Sorry about your knees.
73. Volcano near the Ionian Sea: ETNA.
74. Pity party line: WOE IS ME.
75. Half a combo entree: SURF. Surf and turf.
77. "Curious" monkey: GEORGE. Hi there Big Easy!
79. Actress Téa: LEONI.
81. Ne'ertheless: THO.
83. Local guide: STREET MAP.
84. Penguins' org.: NHL. Pittsburgh Penguins.
86. "Stay by me, Fido": HEEL.
89. Early morning goddess: EOS. Greek goddess of dawn.
90. Disorderly hordes: MOBS.
91. Hacking tools: AXES.
92. Romance writer Roberts: NORA.
94. Keeps entertained: AMUSES.
98. Novelist de Balzac: HONORE.
100. Space traveler Jemison: MAE.
102. Sibling difference: AGE GAP.
104. Small slipup: MISHAP.
106. Work period: SHIFT.
108. Intentionally deceive: LIE TO.
110. Edith and Margo's sister in "Despicable Me": AGNES. And our Irish Miss. Will be thinking of you on Tuesday.
111. Button for making a voice note, briefly: REC.
114. Brewery tanks: VATS.
115. Film set assistant: GRIP.
117. WSJ competitor: NYT.
118. Earth tone: ECRU.
120. Part of a big union merger: CIO. AFL-CIO.
122. Fig. texted en route: ETA.
123. Like most prime numbers: ODD.
124. __ Speedwagon: REO.
125. Some ER staff: DRS.
C.C.
24 comments:
Beside not remembering “Aquavit” at first, I didn’t have too much trouble with this puzzle. All the themed answers were slightly “tweaked” in-the-language phrases. FIR, so I’m happy.
More often than not I FIR on Sundays, but not today. Done in by the likes of Menzel, McCloskey’s blueberry picker, and the caraway-flavored spirit. It didn’t help that I had ashier instead of ACHIER. MANTUA and DANO were unknown but perps took care of those. Saw the CSO to IM☘️ with AGNES. I liked the theme, didn’t like that I FIW. Thank you Pam for the puzzle, and C.C. for your write-up.
Good morning!
Slammed down MIC as that button for making a voice recording, and never looked back. As a result, I drew a blank on GE_M (Settings symbol) and _INES (Some hand-me-downs.) Bzzzzzzt. Down to the abasement again. Thanx, Pam and C.C. (Cute photo of you and your grandma. That food is steaming, why aren't you at the table?)
I redact the FIW, it was a DNF by half a dozen blanks, KNIGHTS CRAWLER escaped my hook.
FIR, but otros->OTRAS, spas->GYMS, and yes, mic->REC. I actually erased GEAR when mic appeared, but restored GEAR to its rightful status when GENES became obvious.
I thought the REM opener was going to be a lesser-known band that would lead up to The End of the World As We Know It.
I'm reading a chapter in Mossad about Hasidic Jewish grandparents who kidnap a young lad and hide him out in a network of Orthodox YESHIVAs, because they thought the parents were going to leave Israel for Russia. Haven't finished the chapter, but I suspect the Mossad gets the kid back. So I knew the term, even if I was a little unsure of the speling.
I prefer NORA Roberts' books she writes as J.D. Robb.
In moviedom, a GRIP is largely a gofer.
WSJ and NYT competitors? You sure about that Jethro?
SNAFU in a Sunday paper? Pam! Language!
Thanks to Pam for another fun, easy-ish Sunday workout. And thanks to CC for another solid review. Loved your picture with your grandmother.
Took 16:49 today for me to find the silent partners.
Actually, I didn't realize the full theme until I was finished; I thought it was just a bit of silliness, before appreciating the silent letters theme. Clever.
I didn't care for the crossing of aquavit with Yeshiva, neither of which I really knew. I didn't know the Spanish wines or the writers (Honore & Nora).
I knew today's actresses (Idina, Leoni, Merman, Issa).
I didn't notice the added letter until after finishing and uncovered the "Silent Partners" title. I had some trouble in the NW, not knowing DANO and guessing CAT instead of RAT. The most of the unknowns were guessable after a few perps but not MANTUA and AQUAVIT- 100% perps.
FIR. While I generally enjoyed the clever theme answers, as a whole, I found the puzzle to be overly populated by puny, slangy conversational terms crossing with trivia. Maybe too much of a good thing. I had to do a vowel run at the Natick of AQUAVIT and IDINA and only got the Natick of HONORE and ANKE because not too many other letters made any sense. It didn't help that I had originally misspelled ANiCIN and MERMiN. Oh well, I guess I was guilty as well, since my vowel run on IDINA allowed me to amuse myself with my own mental pun---IDONA know that one.
Good Morning:
I consider Pam the Queen of Sunday puzzles as she is such a whiz at developing creative and fun themes, two features necessary, IMO, to produce an oversized grid that is a challenging, yet enjoyable solve. Today’s offering, as CC pointed out, had lots of sparkling clues and lively fill. I think Pam did a great job cluing the themers to make sense of the word play, especially with 65D, I’d Rather Knot! Mantua needed perps and Ushes brought the usual nose wrinkle but, overall, the grind was clean and dreck-free. The TLW count (32) veered toward overkill, but a certain leeway is allowed in Sunday puzzles.
Thanks, Pam, for another Sunday treat and thanks, CC, for the excellent analysis, especially the commentary on Pam’s talents. Great pictures of you and your grandma. Thanks for the CSO.
Have a great day.
Sorry, but I’m a noob here. What does FIR, FIW, DNF (did not finish?), CSO mean?
Finished it right, finished it wrong, and did not finish.
FIR. I found today's puzzle a little on the crunchy side. And I had to take a WAG at the crossing of Aquavit and Idina, neither of which i knew. And there were a few too many proper names beside Irina.
But the theme was clever and that helped greatly with the solve.
But having said that overall I did not completely enjoy this Sunday puzzle.
And CSO = (Coincident) Shout-Out.
You'll find a glossary at the end of all our comments. Welcome!
Abbreviations here: https://crosswordcorner.blogspot.com/2009/02/comments-section-abbreviations.html
Well, first, today is the day we all are obligated to spell Punxsutawney Phil correctly. And to remember the late Harold Ramis' wonderful film "Groundhog Day," with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.
Pam's puzzle today was fresh and clever, and replete with theme puns. One of my favorite daily comics is Stephan Pastis' "Pearls Before Swine." Pastis often uses puns in his comics, and when he does, invariably he inserts himself in the last frame, where we see his pun-hating cartoon characters beating him up.
I don't get violent over puns, but I can relate to whoever defined puns as the lowest form of humor.
Aside from that, some observations on today's puzzle:
--conversational throat-clearers and verbalisms like "I'm on it" seem out of place in a legitimate crossword;
--ditto for the verb "to ush;"
--it would be easier to count the number of days that ACAI does NOT appear in the LA Times puzzle, than the number of days it does appear. At least today there wasn't the usual armada of other 3- and 4-word staples!
--as I was working on the puzzle, I felt that I was working on a pangram. But now it seems Pam is a Z short of a pangram.
Thanks, C.C., for your able guidance. And thanks, Pam, for providing us with a refreshing and satisfying Sunday challenge.
Musings
-It took some real effort to get some areas resolved but the fill was “gettable” and not two obscure crossing names.
-NOT ONE RED SCENT tickled me.
-No one belted them out like MERMAN!
-QB’s who were on winning Super Bowl teams but far from MVP’s: Trent Dilfer, Jeff Hostetler, Nick Foles, Jim Plunkett, Brad Johnson, etc.
-I’ve recently had a WHIM to get a car I really don’t need but I’m 78 and so…
-NEATEN - While vacuuming yesterday I turned over all the couches. Yikes!
-I’m typing this while I am sitting on a VESTIGE of our human past
-A message ENCODED by an Enigma Machine that Bletchley Park decoded.
-I loved the pix of you and your grandparents, C.C.!
-It will be a WARMISH 58F today and then winter returns tonight
-Steak and shrimp ain’t SURF and TURF. It’s gotta be lobster!
-A very recent TV series’ heroine has a daughter and named her AGNES just like our beloved Irish Miss. The great names cycle back.
Not to derail the discussion, but this reminds me I've been meaning to add "GREEN PAINT" to that page of terms and abbreviations. Along those lines, I thought I remember seeing a word to describe a hopeless pairing of a broad, general clue with an overly specific answer (e.g., "FOOD"/"AVOCADO"). Unlike GREEN PAINT, it can refer to single word answers. I haven't been able to find it though. Anyone know of a word for that?
My otherwise perfect grid was shot down by the cross of MANTUA and USHES. At least you figured it out.
I loved the pics CC. The stew does look good. I never heard of "ushes" just "tushes". The crossing of "aquavit and " and "yeshiva" got me. Other wise I enjoyed this one. Happy Chinese New Year.
Gotta disagree with equating puns with Huns, Attilya that!
I just happened to rewatch “Imitation Game” last night. Benedict was great as Turing I thought.
Managed to stumble my way to an FIR after a few breaks for more coffee! Lots of clever clues, some nice misdirection Ahas! and the seemingly now-obligatory "verbalism" nose-wrinklers. All-in-all, an enjoyable outing.
Delightful Sunday puzzle, Pam--a total treat and pleasure--many thanks. And your commentary is always a treasure, C.C. Loved the picture of those five sweet ladies.
Well, at first this puzzle seemed to me to be dealing with some EMERGENCY issues, given a guy yelling WOE IS ME, maybe after some MISHAP he had doing some chores. When he tried to get a new job he was told I'D RATHER NOT and that he was going to earn NOT ONE RED CENT. This should have left him pretty desperate but he attended a JAMB SESSION and that taught him his ABCS. He took some lessons from a KNIGHT, got a SHIFT at a good job, and now has a chance to hang out with a TENNIS PRO, and go to the GYM, and SURF. And a year later he's been celebrated as a CHAMP. So we're pretty proud of him.
Have a lovely Sunday, everybody.
Scenic Sunday. Thanks for the fun, Pam and C.C. (Great photos).
I work the Sunday CW online, and somehow I managed to erase my work almost at the finish line.
I do know that I had Sam instead of SAL (SAM was elsewhere), and hand up for Ashier. I might have fixed it when reviewing.
Ditto for the GEAR, GENES, AGNES area which I was still working on.
But I did have most of the themers and smiled the most at NOT ONE RED SCENT.
Perps were fair for other unknowns. I hadn’t seen ANKH for a while.
SNAFU seems appropriate right now.
Wishing you all a great day.
Post a Comment