Theme: AIR PRESSURE.
Constructor Matt Revis has whipped up an airy treat which pressures us to think of homonyms for the very stuff we breathe. The theme clues and answers, all Across, are:
15. Time when everyone woke up achy and sore?: ERE MATTRESSES. In days of yore, I went camping with my ex, and we eventually acquired air mattresses. That time when we woke up achy and sore? That was ERE (before) MATTRESSES.
 |
| Not bad, but then DH introduced me to the concept of hotels. Reader, I married him. |
22. "Reader, I married him," "I would always rather be happy than dignified," etc.?: EYRE QUOTES. Jane Eyre is a novel by Charlotte Brontë, published in 1847. The title character tells the story in the first person, and the clue gives us some quotations from the book. If I were to quote Jane Eyre to you in person, I might use air quotes.
 |
| air quotes |
35. Key component of a royal line of succession?: HEIR POWER. Air power usually refers to the use of planes in combat, reconnnaissance, transport, and bombing. But a heriditary monarchy relies on a suitable HEIR to the throne, giving the ruling family some HEIR POWER.
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| The British Crown has plenty of HEIR POWER with these folks waiting in the wings. |
48. Eligible bachelors in Berlin?: HERR SUPPLY. Air supply is air delivered to a space. Our youngest took her first scuba diving lesson recently, and of course had to carry her air supply while underwater. But over in Berlin, there is a supply of men she might marry -- HERR Schmidt, HERR Bauer, HERR Klein, HERR Weber, et al. If only she would stop and come up for HERR.
57. Car wash freebies, or an apt title for this puzzle: AIR FRESHENERS.
 |
| Does your car wash throw in one of these for free? |
Having cleared the ERE / EYRE / HEIR / HERR / AIR, let's review the rest of the puzzle.
Across:
1. Some tech support agents: CHATBOTS. These pop up in a dialog box when you are completely frustrated with a website, and are looking forward to further frustration.
9. Director Peter recognized with an Academy Honorary Award in 2023: WEIR. Peter Weir is a retired Australian film director. You may remember him for films such as Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), Gallipoli (1981), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Witness (1985), Dead Poets Society (1989), Fearless (1993), The Truman Show (1998), Master and Commander (2003), and The Way Back (2010).
13. Professional charge from a 16-Down, perhaps: LEGAL FEE.
14. River through Florence: ARNO. Eldest daughter used to live and work in Florence, so we had a few opportunities to visit and impress the Arno into our memories.
9. Director Peter recognized with an Academy Honorary Award in 2023: WEIR. Peter Weir is a retired Australian film director. You may remember him for films such as Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), Gallipoli (1981), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Witness (1985), Dead Poets Society (1989), Fearless (1993), The Truman Show (1998), Master and Commander (2003), and The Way Back (2010).
13. Professional charge from a 16-Down, perhaps: LEGAL FEE.
14. River through Florence: ARNO. Eldest daughter used to live and work in Florence, so we had a few opportunities to visit and impress the Arno into our memories.
15. [Theme clue]
17. Like venison, compared to beef: GAMIER. Meat of wild animals is said to taste "gamy" or "gamey," which means it has a strong flavor, possibly tainted due to mishandling. "Game animals" or just "game" are wild animals hunted for food or recreation. Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer. It isn't much of a game when one player has a rifle and the other has no hands.
18. "That's sorta right": ISH. -ish is a suffix added to a word to create an adjective: Finnish, boyish, bookish, fortyish. By itself, it is now used to mean "to some extent." "Are you busy?" "ISH."
19. Tear: RIP.
21. "__ go bragh!": ERIN. “Ireland until eternity” or "Ireland forever."
 |
| You may encounter this phrase on Monday. |
22. [Theme clue]
26. Release: LET GO.
28. Western treaty gp.: OAS. Thirty-five sovereign states of the Americas are members of the Organization of American States. Cuba and Nicaragua are the only sovereign states that are not members, but both used to be.
29. Credit card giant: VISA. What's in your wallet?
30. QB stats: TDs. Quarterbacks score touchdowns in football.
31. Deep purple: PLUM.
 |
| Pantone Plum |
33. Picks up the tab: TREATS.
35. [Theme clue]
37. Mediterranean capital: ATHENS.
40. Era: SPAN. An era is a long SPAN of time.
41. Nt. wt. units: LBS. Net weight may be measured in pounds (LBS) or other units.
44. Home of the Mets from 1964 to 2008: SHEA. Shea Stadium in Queens, New York, hosted the New York Mets and New York Jets.
45. Take to court: SUE.
46. Freedom, in Swahili: UHURU. This word inspired the name of Star Trek character Lieutenant Uhura, played by Nichelle Nichols in the original television series.
 |
| Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura |
48. [Theme clue]
52. Deep purple berry: ACAI.
53. Antidiscrimination letters: EEO. Equal Employment Opportunity laws prohibit specific types of job discrimination in certain workplaces.
54. 1950s political moniker: IKE. Dwight D. Eisenhower, also known by his nickname Ike, was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961.
52. Deep purple berry: ACAI.
53. Antidiscrimination letters: EEO. Equal Employment Opportunity laws prohibit specific types of job discrimination in certain workplaces.
54. 1950s political moniker: IKE. Dwight D. Eisenhower, also known by his nickname Ike, was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961.
55. Sheepish reply to "Where's the rest of the pizza?": I ATE IT.
57. [Theme clue]
57. [Theme clue]
61. Crabby mood: SNIT.
62. Cellphone lack: DIAL TONE.
63. Socials with finger sandwiches: TEAS.
64. Playground game similar to hide-and-seek: SARDINES. Sardines is a variation of hide-and-seek where players join the hidden person in the hiding place until they are all packed in tight. News to me!
 |
| playing sardines |
Down:
1. Took home, in a way: CLEARED. One of many meanings of clear as a verb is to gain without deduction, or to "net."
2. Loners: HERMITS.
3. Getting on: AGEING. American and Canadian writers use aging. Ageing is the preferred spelling outside North America.
4. Far from daring: TAME.
5. Strident noise: BLARE.
6. Many times o'er: OFT. An archaic or poetic form of "often." "O'er" (for "over") lets us know that the answer will be archaic or poetic.
7. Lunar festival in Vietnam: TET. Tết is the Vietnamese lunar new year festival, which celebrates the start of spring and the transition from the old year to the new. It's the most important holiday in Vietnamese culture. This year, the national holiday fell on January 31st.
8. Word on some Emmy Awards: SERIES. The 2024 Emmy for outstanding drama series went to Shōgun. It was truly outstanding!
 |
| Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko in Shōgun |
9. St. Louis sch.: WashU. Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri. "At WashU, we’re connecting learners, thinkers, leaders and doers who inspire each other to ask big questions and find real solutions – together. This is what WashU can do."
10. Hosp. areas: ERs. Hospital areas: Emergency Rooms.
11. Resistance to change: INERTIA.
12. Most optimistic: ROSIEST.
16. Atty.'s title: ESQ. Attorney's title: Esquire. In the United States, esquire (often shortened to Esq.) is a title of courtesy, given to a lawyer and commonly appended to his/her surname (e.g. , John Smith, Esq. or John Smith, Esquire) when addressing the lawyer in written form. The title comes from England, where it used to mean someone superior to a gentleman but inferior to a knight.
17. Hanukkah chocolate: GELT. Gelt is Yiddish for money, and German for gold. Money used to be given to children at Hanukkah, but has been replaced in many families by chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. At our house, the dreidel players tend to eat a lot of their winnings before the game ends.
20. Some ads: PSAs. A public service announcement is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media, without charge, to raise public awareness and change behavior.
23. Part of FYI: YOUR. For Your Information.
24. Builds dramatically: RAMPS UP. Increases in amount, intensity, extent: builds. A company ramps up production to meet booming demand.
25. Above: OVER.
27. Willing to talk: OPEN.
32. Fleur-de-__: LIS. The fleur-de-lis is a stylized image of a lily (fleur being French for flower, and lis being French for lily). It has been used to represent France for a thousand years.
23. Part of FYI: YOUR. For Your Information.
24. Builds dramatically: RAMPS UP. Increases in amount, intensity, extent: builds. A company ramps up production to meet booming demand.
25. Above: OVER.
27. Willing to talk: OPEN.
32. Fleur-de-__: LIS. The fleur-de-lis is a stylized image of a lily (fleur being French for flower, and lis being French for lily). It has been used to represent France for a thousand years.
 |
| Fleur-de-lis design on the coat of arms of the French monarchy. |
33. Bygone airline: TWA. Trans World Airlines was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1930 until it was acquired by American Airlines in 2001.
34. Big name in saline: RENU. A cleansing solution for soft contact lenses from Bausch & Lomb.
35. Catch, in a way: HEAR. Did you catch that?
36. Astra and Corsa automaker: OPEL. Opel is a German car manufacturer. Astra and Corsa are model names.
37. Tennis legend Arthur: ASHE.
38. Whence one Wicked Witch: THE EAST. Whence means "from what place or source." Where did one Wicked Witch come from? The East.
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| The Wicked Witch of the East did not get much screen time in The Wizard of Oz. |
39. Wonder Woman, for one: HEROINE.
41. Swiss home of the rock relief known as the Lion Monument: LUCERNE. The Lion Monument in Lucerne, Switzerland, honors the Swiss Guards who were killed during the French Revolution, defending the family of King Louis XVI in Paris.
42. Sears and simmers: BRAISES. To braise is to cook slowly in fat and a small amount of liquid in a closed pot.
43. Diamonds, for one: SUIT. A standard deck of playing cards comprises 13 ranks in each of the four suits: clubs (♣), diamonds (♦), hearts (♥) and spades (♠).
45. Exceeds the limit: SPEEDS.
47. Disparage: HATE ON. "Hate on" is an informal verb phrase that means to criticize or say bad things about someone in a public way. For example, "These kids get hated on for no good reason at all." You can hate someone in private, but once you go public with your antipathy, you're hating on them.
49. Combs (through): SIFTS.
50. Kyiv's country: Abbr.: UKR. Kyiv is the capital of Ukraine -- which we've all come to know through a prolonged tragedy.
 |
| Kyiv, Ukraine |
51. Make way: YIELD.
56. Against: ANTI.
58. Narrow waterway: RIA.
59. "Unstoppable" singer: SIA. "Unstoppable" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, taken from her seventh studio album, This Is Acting (2016). It was released as a single in the U.S. in 2022, reached one billion streams on Spotify in 2023, and was named Most Performed Australian Work Overseas in 2024.
56. Against: ANTI.
58. Narrow waterway: RIA.
59. "Unstoppable" singer: SIA. "Unstoppable" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, taken from her seventh studio album, This Is Acting (2016). It was released as a single in the U.S. in 2022, reached one billion streams on Spotify in 2023, and was named Most Performed Australian Work Overseas in 2024.
60. Laugh syllable: HAR.
Here's the grid:
Did this puzzle have you walking on AIR? Or did you ERR along the way?
NaomiZ
46 comments:
I don’t think this
was the easiest puzzle in the world. There were a couple of possible Naticks, but I got through them. However, with the second themed entry, I understood the gimmick, and that helped me solve what I would certainly consider a challenging puzzle. FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
D-o got stuck in the natick of the NE -- __IR where the first letter could be almost anything, and the second could be an E or an O. Bzzzzzt. That errant E in AGEING wasn't helpful, either. The theme was cute, though not everyone considers all the theme words rhymes. Thanx for the outing, Matt. Excellent, elucidating, and esoteric expo, NaomiZ. (Nope, never ever got a free AIR FRESHENER at the carwash.)
PANTONE PLUM: It's weird. When I first look at the illustration I see purple, but it quickly turns black, matching the background.
TET: There was a loud one in 1968.
ESQ: Our attorney assured me that her JD did not signify "juvenile delinquent."
FIW, missing my WAG @ lOIR x lASHU (the first letter was lower case L.) Peter Bogdanovich wouldn't fit. Erased arne for ARNO, and sloe for ACAI.
My master's Certificate in Project Management is from George Washington University, which isn't in St. Louis. It's not a masters degree, because GTE wouldn't pay for me to repeat core classes that they already paid for when I got my MBA.
Never heard of the game sardines. I wanted "kick the can," but it wouldn't fit.
HATE ON is more newspeak. Here's a distant early warning for more, coming to a crossword near you, from today's Pearls Before Swine.
Thanks to Matt for the Friday challenge. I almost TITT at first, because it seemed beyond my ability, and because I have late Kentucky Wildcats and Washington Capitals games to watch from late last night. And thanks to NaomiZ for another fine fill-in. Your ex-DH just didn't know the proper way to camp. My "tent" has satellite TV, dual heat pumps, separate toilet and shower rooms, a washer - drier, a queen-size bed, a convection / microwave oven, and a 4-door refrigerator with ice maker. The manufacturer's motto is "Roughing it Smoothly."
Hermits today and hermit yesterday. Coincidence? Or does our editor hold puzzles with rarer answers to run close to each other? It was easier for me to get hermits today (I almost didn't put it in because it seemed too easy) because of yesterday's answer. Does this happen at times?
Took 14:26 today for me to avoid erring like a human.
Lots of unknowns, including the Weir, sardines, uhuru (which I thought was unity), and a few others. Shea crossing Ashe was amusing, but also likely a Natick.
The juice wasn't worth the squeeze today.
On the bright side of things, at least there weren't any pesky circles.
"Pearls Before Swine" has become my favorite comic strip, I think.
I wonder if Patti has yet re-clued a constructor's clue to RIZZ. Just a matter of time.
This was so much fun. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a puzzle as much as I enjoyed this one.
Good Morning:
Although some of the cluing for the themers is a bit tortured, the themers themselves represent a fanciful translation from the solid in the language phrases and fit the clever reveal quite well. It’s been a while since we’ve seen this type of theme, so it was a nice change of pace solving experience . There were no real obstacles but I did go astray momentarily at Alarm/Blare.
Thanks, Matt, and thanks, Naomi, for your very concise and spot-on analysis and summary of the grid in general and the theme in particular . I enjoyed all of the photos, especially the timely Erin go Bragh illustration. ☘️
Have a great day.
FIW. The NE did me in. The director was a mystery to me, and the school as well, not to mention 10D could be ER or OR. I took a WAG and was wrong.
The theme on the other hand was fun and I got it early on. This helped a lot with the solve.
So aside from the NE, which I do not feel was fair, I did enjoy this puzzle.
The initial "H" in Herr is vocalized in both German and English. Strictly speaking it doesn't fit the "air" pattern.
Musings
-Today is 3.14 or Pi Day but there is no school and so I will get no pie in a math class!
-This puzzle may make it into my Hall Of Fame for required skill and cleverness! Yeah, what Irish said!
-All the AIR FRESHNER gimmicks made me smile and no, I have never gotten a free one.
-The CHATBOTS I encounter answer questions I did not ask.
-LEGAL FEE – I told my lawyer friend that he would charge me if I asked him what time it is :-)
-I used to TREAT everyone at a restaurant until the family got too big and my kids’ households made way more money than I did
-UHURU/RENU was fun and my final fill
-I didn’t even CLEAR $400/month in my first teaching year
-My confident fill of ALARM at _ L A R _ was an “airor” :-)
-Smokey’s Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires is said to be the first TV PSA
-SIA is the latest addition in our 3-word musical crossword catalog of ONO, ENO, EMO and REO
-Today I learned SARDINES is a game of Seek and Hide
-Now I’m off to find out what the Swiss Guard were doing in Paris in the late 18th century
In the end decided to take a WAG on the cross between the “director” and the “St. Louis sch”. I put M since the school is in Missouri … aaaaand… I was wrong ☹️. Guess I was not alone 😏
Not a fan of clues that end “in a way” but “take home” I liked. Kept me guessing. Liked the fun playful theme. Not answers you could construct by just asking Alexa.
Would wake up “achy and sore” (Air QUOTES ) sleeping on my daughters and SIL’s futon 😖 so DW and I bought them a fold out couch with an inflatable mattress and woke up the first night flat on the hard base. The mattress had a slow leak. 💨
I knew UHURU cuz I remember Lt. UHURA’s name in Star Trek meant “freedom”
OAS, per congress. gov, promotes democracy, rule of law, and human rights so we’ll be out soon 😄
The game SARDINES is new, (like college kids packing a phone booth?)
In the 60’s ___ will admit she went bragh-less…. ERIN
“Jeopardy” or “Wheel of Fortune” : which is ____ ? … GAMIER
“Abel was I ___ I saw Eve” … ERE
Choosing the wrong Mom or Dad … ___ a parent … ERR 😖
Saw the red moon from when I woke up at around 3 AM to watch a few minutes of the lunar eclipse 🌕🌖🌗
It does happen frequently, by design by the editor I believe, usually a not so common word in hopes that we may remember it if it’s still fresh in our minds.
Impressive construction today with all the homonyms of AIR, even though as some have pointed out, maybe not exactly the same pronunciation. FIR in 21:14. Had to change A to U in UHURU for my final fill. Needed perps for WEIR and SARDINES (not an early week clue for sure). Was not familiar with WASH U being in St. Louis, was thinking the state. My mom used “ISH” as a term of disgust or something being distasteful. I took my initial road test for a driver’s license in my sister’s standard transmission OPEL. Thank you Matt for the Friday challenge. NaomiZ ~ very enjoyable expo today, your easy going friendly disposition shines through in your writing. I can relate to your camping experience, a few years ago DW and I attended an event where there were no hotels within a reasonable distance. I had a tent and a friend lent us an air mattress the size of a double bed, used a small compressor to blow it up and turned in for the night. In about a half hour it was fully deflated, the ground hard and rocky, tried to sleep in the vehicle but that was fairly unsuccessful too. There’s something to be said for a hotel bed, and we haven’t camped since.
Jinx ~ isn’t the term for that “glamping”?
I'm shocked - shocked I tell you - that you forgot BTS.
Those Swiss Guards also protect the Pope and the Vatican in the present day.
YP - It certainly fits the concept, but I've only heard of "glamping" associated with semi-permanent camping accommodations like yurts.
And ELO
Musings 2
-Yes, Jinx! Add the new Korean group BTS, BTO (famous for TCB), CCR, REM and ELO to our crossword ensemble. PP&M might also qualify.
Happy Pi Day (3/14)!
Matt delivered an enjoyable challenge to us today. The puzzle was clever and well-designed, and largely free of obscure "celebrities" or overused vowel-rich staples (except for ACAI) that Crossword Compiler spits out.
I had no trouble in the NE because Peter Weir is, I believe, one of our generation's most impressive directors.
I hesitate to nitpick, because I liked this crossword so much, but as a few others have pointed out, the theme played a bit fast and loose with its "homonyms." I agree that the pronunciation of "air" = "Eyre" = "heir." The problem is with "ere" and "herr." "Ere" does not take the long A sound of "air." It is more of a short E sound. And as Nidehululi observed above, the H in "herr" is voiced; I would also note that the R sound is just barely hinted at.
Such nitpicking doesn't affect my opinion of Matt's puzzle one whit. It is a fine Friday-appropriate and fun challenge, and solving it was enjoyable. And thanks, Naomi, for your delightful recap.
I FIR with few roadblocks, although I had to change UHURa to UHURU because I knew SaITS couldn’t be right. So I’ll confess that an alphabet run solved that problem and enabled me to complete the puzzle.
I felt somewhat indifferent to the theme, but I did like HEIR SUPPLY and EYRE QUOTES.
WASH U was a gimme for me. Speaking of Missouri, I haven’t seen anything from Inane Hiker for a while.
Nits: I’ve seen PLUMs in a lot of shades that aren’t even nearly black. Hard to argue with the pantone, though. If venison is GAMIER than beef, does that mean beef is also gamy? I’ve never played SARDINES.
I’ve never played Twister either, but I was surprised only one of three Jeopardy contestants got it right in Thursday’s game.
CE, InaneHiker posted yesterday at 1:31. 😉
This was fun. It took me a minute to get "suit". I was thinking everything but cards. The theme definitely helped the solve. Well done Matt. And as always I enjoyed the recap Naomi.
I am enjoying today's puzzle again through all of your comments! Nice to hear from JudyB at 8:20 AM that she liked the puzzle so much.
Nidehululi at 8:55 AM told us that the H in HERR is vocalized, and I went online to check. He is right! My ignorance of this fact allowed me to enjoy the puzzle fully, but I'm glad to be educated now.
Jinx at 7:24 AM says my ex didn't know the proper way to camp. So true! His younger brother had the sort of camper shell that fits on a pickup truck, with the bed above the truck cab. I thought my sister in law had it made. She was making White Russians in there -- with a blender and ice! With a rig like yours, Jinx, I might have remained married much longer!
Thanks for the fun puzzle, Matt, and interesting blog, Naomi.
I saw the gimmick early on. I say air, heir, ere, and Eyre the same way . I see there are different ways to pronounce ere, but air is one of them. Herr is an outlier because the H is always voiced, but I can overlook that. I believe that many crosswords answers are not exact. For example, most days some of the clues and answers have different nuances and can't always be used interchangeably. It's a game, not a vocabulary test.
I found the NW difficult, but eventually I solved it w/o help.
I failed two personal Natticks, The W in WEIR and WASH U. (I never heard of either one) and the H in HAR and SARDINES. I did guess the A in SIA.
I see there are many Google entries with directions for Sardines, so it's not obscure, but it is not in my wheelhouse. I thought of kick the can, which we preferred to hide and seek. I see there are many versions of the rules for kick the can.
HG, my first teacher's salary before deductions was $4200. But, then, my first house six years later cost just over $17,000.
The VFW sponsored venison dinners when I was young. They knew how to field dress the deer properly and how to cook it. It was delicious. My mom made a great venison stew. These dishes were not gamy tasting.
I knew UHURU from Star Trek.
I am going through a period of inertia. "I love work, I can sit and look at it all day," or just sit and read. I am now a "just in time" person. I wait until I absolutely have to have it ready.
Jinx, camping to me is a tent with air mattresses (Ours were just a tad saggy in the AM), a camp stove to cook on and a community spigot for clean water. The only luxury was a community bathhouse with running hot water, showers and toilets. We erected a screenhouse over the picnic table and spent rainy days there talking and playing cards. I love nature, the fresh air, the bird song, the sighing of the treetops in the breeze, a campfire in the evening. I tent camped until I was 80 and stopped when I could no longer hammer in the tent stakes. No RV for me.
Hola! I solved this AIRY puzzle at about 6 this morning then returned to bed. It was an easy one for a Friday. ARNO reminds me of strolling along its banks many years ago. ATHENS, too, where we spent ten lovely days. And I have memories of sailing on Lake LUCERNE.
No car wash I ever went to gave out AIR FRESENERS but they sold them in various shapes. Luckily SIA perped or I never would have known it.
My last trip on TWA was to Hawaii
Jinx and NaomiZ, me too on camping. No way. That is what hotels are for.
Cloris Leachman in "Young Frankenstein" made certain we knew HERR.
Have a wonderful day, everyone! You all are fun reading!
Neat Friday puzzle, many thanks, Matt. And your commentaries are always helpful and a pleasure, NaomiZ--thanks for those too.
Well this puzzle made me think of a HERMIT who may have won a prize that gave him a chance to LET GO of his debts and his LEGAL FEES, and gave him a much GAMIER and happier life. He now enjoys his PLUM TREATS and his SARDINES (but never ever any HEROINE). And he plans to do some fun traveling to places like ATHENS and LUCERNE. What a wonderful new life!
Have a happy and cheerful day, everyone!
I really enjoyed this puzzle despite its flaws. It was easy for. Friday. I liked the juxtaposition of WICKED WITCH and WONDER WOMAN. My grandchildren look forward to more than chocolate wrapped in foil for Hanukkah.
Learning moment for Naomi, American Football Quarterbacks get credit for touchdowns when they pass the ball to a teammate who scored.
Happy Pi day and Purim. Time to get your green(orange) clothes ready for St. Patrick’s Day
Not near a computer but I amL714
When I was in college wearing ornge clothing on St. Patrick's Day was an insult.
I'll see, and raise with ELP and CSN (before Y.)
I agree. It’s pronounced as “hair.”
Wow, I can barely contain myself: FIR on a Friday in 11 minutes! This has been an exceptional week for me. Dollar-to-a-donut I'm gonna get shut out completely tomorrow to make up for all the good days this week. Anyway, 17 names but only DNK 3, which filled with perps and a guess or two. WeIR coulda been WOIR, (ORS) but WEIR seemed far more likely. LEGALFEE reminds me of many years ago when I owned farmland in ND I got a call from an atty in ND who proceeded to discuss many things about the farmland that I already knew and/or weren't at all relevant. I wondered, "What was THAT all about?" A week later I got a bill for $385 for "Legal Consultation"! Wait! What? YOU called ME, dude! I never paid it, got all kinds of threats, but eventually he gave up. Never heard of a game called "SARDINES". I've always considered air fresheners to be air polluters: I don't wanna inhale whatever chemicals are making that smell. And, no, never got a free one. I've quit going to car washes: #1 my usual, Majestic Car Wash, raised their price to a level I don't wanna pay. #2 the quality ain't what it once was. When I hafta finish cleaning my car when I get home.... #3 that spray wax they put on the car also goes on the windows, leaving "water stains" behind every time it rains. And you need rubbing compound to get it OFF the windows. Smokey Bear is his name, not Smokey the bear. In D.C. with my gf, we went into the National Park Service building, which has a small display area and a park ranger to answer questions. I said to my gf, "Oh, look, there's Smokey the bear", and the park ranger educated me: "His name is Smokey Bear, not Smokey the bear." Well...all-righty then. Anyway, thanx for this amazing CW MR, and thanx too for the terrific write-up, NaomiZ.
Did the park ranger know what brand he smoked? 🚬 ?
Your story reminds me of an old lawyer joke, told to me by a lawyer who sailed with me.
St. Peter: I see you have joined us after a long and successful career.
Late lawyer: What do you mean? I'm only 38 years old!
St. Peter: That's funny - I see here that you billed your clients for 50 years of work.
Oh! I meant to mention: The "Getting on" clue for 3D reminded by of a song by Paul McCartney and Wings, "Wino Junko". The first of the lyrics: "Doctor Tom is getting on, all he does is sign his name. I get things my brain-box sings..." It's on the album, "Wings at the Speed of Sound" which I recently re-discovered. Many great songs on it. I especially like, "The Note You Never Wrote", and "San Ferry Ann". Plus "Wino Junko", "Let 'Em In", and more. Give it a listen. Kind of a forgotten album.
My elder sister has been in so much pain since New Year's she has barely left her apartment. It has taken this long to get surgery which was performed yesterday. The four hour laparoscopic surgery was successful. She says the pain from the surgery is far less than the pain she had before and she is feeling well. I am upset with the long delay with such debilitating pain, but I am relieved she is feeling better. There will be several weeks of rehab.
I’m late commenting. Busy, busy. I did take the time to enjoy this puzzle, HERR pronunciation not withstanding. The NE was the last to fall, but all good. Not many obscure name. We’ve had SIA before. I’ve never heard of SARDINES as á variation of hid-and-seek. I do like to eat them though, fresh or from á can.
I’ve been to Lucerne but never saw the Lion Monument.
Thank you NaomiZ. I always enjoy your reviews.
Yellowrocks, I'll pray that your sister has a successful recovery.
NaomiZ Thank you for including the bright and beautiful HEROINE UHURa.
AGEING is just wrong without a warning that it is a non-US spelling. Grudgingly entered it to FIR.
DW and I were privileged to have this clear view of the lunar eclipse from our front porch in between storms.
RayOSunshine Glad you were able to enjoy the experience as well. Anyone else? Yes, it was late.
From Yesterday:
CanadianEh, Lucina, Darren Thank for the comments on my AFRO. I looked it up. The term refers to tightly curled hair in a rounded shape. I think I checked all the boxes. Yes, very happy to have that RELIC photo that I had never seen before.
A DNF today. I couldn't finish the NW. ERE and CHATBOTS wouldn't enter my brain and I misspelled EYRE as AYRE.
Off to a crummy start, but good ol’ stubbornness prevailed, and I got the Kewpie doll. Amusing theme from HERR Revis, although it’s too bad he could not work in some Pi gags to salute the day 🥧 Good stuff with fair clues (but still made ya work to get things); some of the usual suspects attended — AÇAÍ, TET ERS and TDS, and it’s looking as if HERMIT wants to become one of the regulars; but “Whence One Wicked Witch” gets the prize as today’s snazziest clue! And yes, the curveball with AGEING using the ROW spelling gave me fits… “Nah, can’t be.…but — but…?? Dang.”.
Lots of material in all y’all’s comments today! I vaguely remember playing SARDINES as a kid; things would go well until the girls started joining the hiders crowd, and their giggling always brought the round to a quick finish.
“Shade on my rizz” (love Stephan Pastis, along with Bizzarro!) let’s Just Say No to that, please. Way too affected-sounding.
“WASHU!” “You callin’ me dirty, son??” 😆
Peter Weir, an amazingly talented director; “Dead Poets’ Society”, “Gallipoli”, “The Year of Living Dangerously” — all masterworks.
Husker, you must be going to the wrong car wash joints if you’re not getting a smelly-card from ‘em, lol
Jinx, loved your lawyer joke; I’ve usually heard the best ones from my lawyer friends. And your rig sounds like a rolling mansion!
I followed the eclipse from start to full; got some surprisingly nice photos of it by holding my iPhone up to the i-piece of my old cheapo Sears tube telescope. Always fascinating to see.
SIS = Singapore Intl Airlines, one of the best in the world, I’m told.
Can’t sign off before giving big props to NaomiZ — you’re getting really adept at this review thing! Thanks for your efforts.
====> Darren / L.A.
I agree about Peter Weir.
Fun puzzle with a creative theme - I know WASH U in St Louis not only as a Missouri resident but I am a WASH U Alum of the medical school
In high school I loved playing SARDINES at retreats or camp
TWA's maintenance hub was in KC when I was growing up
Drove into KC today - weirdest weather - 30-50 mph winds and then there were 2 fires that combined with the winds made the air just smell like smoke far away from the fire and a light brown haze in the sky - sort of like a LA haze in the 70's Glad it didn't affect my sister's flight into the airport.
Thanks Naomi and Matt!
And thanks Copy Editor for looking out for me
Thanks to Matt for a fun & challenging puzzle! I did not have as much time to work through it as I would have liked. Please send us another soon so I can have a do-over.
Thanks to NaomiZ for her terrific tour! I thought AGEING looked odd. Thanks for explaining why. I had LUCERNE but your info on the Lion Monument was a welcome learning moment.
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