Theme: "I Have To Ask" - Each common phrase is humorously reinterpreted as a question fitting the corresponding clue.
23. "Is he really the best actor for the role?": CASTING DOUBT
34. "Why is this keyboard key bigger than the others?": SPACE PROBE.
50. "How did the magician do that?": TRICK QUESTION.
68. "Is this actually a vegan burger?": BEYOND SUSPICION. Beyond Burger.
91. "Can you do me a favor?": FRIEND REQUEST.
103. "It's 'abracadabra,' not 'hocus-pocus,' right?": SPELLCHECK.
119. "How many Grammy Awards has Ms. Nicks won?": STEVIE WONDER.
I enjoyed very much this puzzle. Fun theme clues. Perfect title. So many gorgeous Down fill.
Another LAT debut. And a Sunday. I think this is our Ryan. Congrats, Ryan!
Across:
7. Cumin, for one: SPICE. Essential seasoning in Xinjiang lamb kabobs.
12. Sci. class: BIO.
15. Nile cobras: ASPS.
19. "Seinfeld" character: ELAINE. Benes.
20. Church instrument: ORGAN.
21. Estimate qualifier: ISH. 62. Estimate qualifier: OR SO.
25. Opening: GAP.
26. Lawn care brand: TORO. Based here in Minnesota.
27. U-turn from NNW: SSE.
28. Soaps, e.g.: DRAMAS.
29. Close tightly: SEAL.
30. CPR experts: EMTS.
31. Superlative suffix: EST.
33. "College GameDay" airer: ESPN.
36. Dream stage: REM.
38. Jedi played by Daisy Ridley: REY.
40. Long-snouted animals: TAPIRS.
42. Goal: AIM.
43. Makes blank: ERASES.
45. Incision: SLIT.
46. Rating systems: SCALES.
55. Go to a cafe, say: EAT OUT.
56. Caramel candies: ROLOS.
57. Lion voiced by Moira Kelly and Beyoncé: NALA.
58. Superfan: STAN. With a negative connotation.
61. Water line: SHORE.
63. Golden Arches sandwiches: MCRIBS.
65. Own (up): FESS.
67. Cut: MOW.
76. Ivy League school in Connecticut: YALE.
77. Lot attendants: VALETS.
78. Other, in Spanish: OTRO.
82. Not mainstream: NICHE.
84. Very little: A DAB.
87. Apple variety: GALA. Can't wait for the peach and nectarine season. Had enough apples this winter.
88. Work __: ETHIC.
89. Wealthy family on HBO's "The Gilded Age": ASTORS.
94. "Beauty and the Beast" villain: GASTON.
95. Snack introduced in 1912: OREO.
96. "You, Me and __": rom-com starring Owen Wilson: DUPREE.
97. Director Roth: ELI.
98. Gear for benched players: PIANOS. Piano bench.
101. "Houdini" singer Lipa: DUA.
102. Colony worker: ANT.
107. Seized auto: REPO.
109. Sass: LIP.
111. Pic takers: CAMS. Hey, first cache for me.
112. Hawaiian coffee region: KONA.
113. Subway handholds: STRAPS.
115. Connections and Spelling Bee publisher, for short: NYT.
117. Jessica of "Fantastic Four": ALBA.
118. Geologic span: EON.
123. Pi follower: RHO.
124. "Understood": ROGER.
125. Cactus bud: AREOLE. Learned from a previous LAT puzzle.
126. Cry from a bad driver?: FORE. Golfer after a bad tee drive.
127. Adage: SAW.
128. Tablets at some checkout counters: IPADS.
129. Came together: MERGED.
Down:
2. Word of regret: ALAS.
3. Blasted messages: MASS EMAILS. More great fill: 12. Conference with Providence and Villanova: BIG EAST. 14. "You're being ridiculous!": OH PLEASE. 69. Dad joke reaction, perhaps: EYE ROLL. 79. Spot that might make people feel comfortable?: THERAPY DOG. 83. Where people on vacation may store their bread?: HOTEL SAFE. 95. Filter option on some search results: OPEN NOW.
4. Gives more than a licking?: BITES. Fun clue.
5. Singer DiFranco: ANI.
6. Wire: SEND.
7. Crushes, e.g.: SODAS. This Crush.
8. Cue: PROMPT.
9. Tropical lizard: IGUANA.
10. Airport waiters: CABS. Wait-ers.
11. Doc who treats sinusitis: ENT.
13. Physicist Newton: ISAAC.
16. Replay speed: SLO MO.
17. Second installment: PART B.
18. Slangy "Let's say ... ": S'POSE.
24. Earl __ tea: GREY.
29. Netflix series featuring track stars: SPRINT.
32. Long hikes: TREKS.
34. Buildings near barns: SILOS.
35. Fashion designer Paloma: PICASSO. Daughter of Pablo Picasso.
36. Old-school: RETRO.
37. Goof: ERROR.
39. Law firm abbr.: ESQ.
41. Trident-shaped Greek letter: PSI.
44. Nickname used by Shaggy: SCOOB.
47. Weaving device: LOOM.
48. German currency: EURO.
49. Hearty meal: STEW. Chinese stew.
51. 7UP nickname, with "the": UNCOLA.
52. Made: EARNED.
53. Moved smoothly: SLID.
54. Surfer's subwindows: TABS.
59. Off the beaten path: AFIELD.
60. Divine drink of Greek mythology: NECTAR.
63. "Smoove Jones" R&B singer: MYA.
64. Santa Fe, for one: SUV. Our car.
66. Fam member: SIS.
70. Herb in some rituals: SAGE. Smudging.
71. Strategy: PLAN.
72. Still in bed: NOT UP.
73. Hiccup: SNAG.
74. Tuscan tower town: PISA.
75. Takes steps: ACTS.
80. Out of bed: RISEN.
81. A side of pawns, in chess: OCTET.
85. Continent that's home to Victoria Falls: AFRICA.
86. Shatter: BREAK.
88. Peer: EQUAL.
90. Official chocolate bar sponsor of the NFL: SNICKERS.
92. Charged particle: ION.
93. Ending for some college addresses: EDU.
99. "Wednesday" actress Jenna: ORTEGA.
100. Started a tennis rally: SERVED.
101. "Cool!": DOPE.
103. Winter wrap: SCARF.
104. Prefix with -lithic: PALEO.
105. Bonfire remnant: EMBER.
106. Ruckus: HOOHA.
108. Socks, hopefully: PAIRS.
110. Baltimore's __ Harbor: INNER.
113. Halt: STOP.
114. Freestyled, perhaps: SWAM. More into breaststrokes.
Finally off the month-long predisone. Steroid withdrawal symptoms are real.
116. Lead-in to health: TELE.
119. __ Lanka: SRI.
120. Minecraft block: ORE.
121. Checkers side: RED.
C.C.
31 comments:
I had not heard of the “Beyond Burger” but had a “suspicion” that such a thing had to exist for the clue to make sense. Other than that, I didn’t have too much trouble with this puzzle. FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
I liked this one. The themers were cute. Not too many names (though ASTOR atop GASTON was unkind). It turned into a quick solve. Thanx, Ryan and C.C.
FIR without erasure, a first for me on Sunday (I think.)
The award for best clue for trite fill goes to...Snack introduced in 1912 for OREO!
Today's final round of the Player's Championship is being held early today. Although the winds aren't supposed to be as bad as yesterday, there will be enough to evoke a lot of FOREs.
Many hotels have SAFEs in their rooms now. Those are fine for keeping nosy people away, but I wouldn't put anything of real value in there.
We hear lots of SNICKERS every time HOOHA appears in a puzzle.
Speaking of SNICKERS, who can forget their Super Bowl ad starring Betty White and Abe Vigoda?
I can truthfully say I SWAM the 100 meter race back in the day, so I can accurately say I have SWuM in that event.
Thanks to Ryan for the easy-peasy Sunday puzzle. My favorite (in addition to HOOHA and the OREO clue) was "Spot that might make people feel comfortable" for THERAPY DOG. And thanks to CC for another solid review. At least in dogs, doctors step down the dosage of prednisone after the therapeutic treatments. If your human doc didn't, I'd ask him/her about it.
I didn’t recognize the byline so I didn’t know what to expect, but I found the puzzle to be relatively easy as my FIR time was 25:11. Clues were straightforward and the theme was clever. A few unknown names were scattered and easily perped, REY, GASTON, DUPREE, and MYA (don’t recall seeing her before, but probably will again). Had to pause at 1A, is it salsas or SAMBAS, never thought of tangos. HOOHA made another visit, I’m sure Jinx will have a comment. I liked the tie-in with Nicks and STEVIE WONDER. Thanks for the morning fun Ryan, and congrats on the LAT debut, and to C.C. for your recap!
FIR. My only misstep was throwing down melded before merged. But it didn't take long to see the error of my ways.
The theme was clever and fun. There were a minimal amount of proper names, and the clues were more than fair.
Overall a very enjoyable puzzle.
Took 12:02 today to answer the questions.
I thought this was an excellent puzzle.
I even knew most of today's actresses (Ortega, Alba, & Beyonce, but not Moira). Not a fan of fashion designer clues, but we did have this one recently.
Good Morning:
This was a very clever, well-executed, refreshing theme and, therefore, an enjoyable and satisfying Sunday solve. Mya and Ortega were the only unknowns. The cluing and fill were pretty straightforward, with no dreck or obscurities that so often turn a Sunday solve into a slog.
Congrats on an impressive debut, Ryan, and thanks, CC, for highlighting all of the pluses of Ryan’s offering. Your command of the English language, especially idioms and jargon, amazes me.
Have a great day.
Musings
-SPACE STATION not PROBE – We stayed up until 1 am to watch the new ISS crew dock and go aboard
-TRICK QUESTION – Most all 'magic" secrets are now revealed on the web if you must know
-SEAL – I have to be sure all corners of my Tupperware are down securely
-I’m scheduled to see my GI doctor tomorrow in Omaha. Instead of the half-hour drive for a twenty-minute visit with my great doctor, I would have much preferred to have a TELEHEALTH visit with him but that is not what they do.
-40F yesterday, 55F today and 80F tomorrow. Ah, springtime in Nebraska!
Today's theme clues and answers were delightfully clever! I encountered a handful of DNKs, but they did not keep me from FIR. A real treat from Ryan Mathiason! I was especially tickled by BEYOND SUSPICION, since DH and I sometimes eat meat substitutes. (We are fans of Impossible brand products, but stick to whole fruits, vegetables and grains most of the time.)
C.C., are you geocaching now? You are so curious and adventurous. I'm sorry your health journey has been so difficult. Thanks for reviewing today's puzzle.
Congratulations on your first GeoCache!
Now that you know where one is, put something interesting in there and track it to see where in the world it goes! Lotsa fun!
(P.s., avoid dark holes, use a stick...)
Cool=dope? In what universe does cool=dope? Please don't tell me it's some Gen-z slang, if it is, I will take back 10 years of complaining about Frawnch...
Oh, and if you have to ask...
Jinx, please tell me you deleted and reprinted your post!
For many months now, (since the Blog revamp) I have noticed posts that suddenly appear that were not there before I post my own post. I have chalked this up to just me simply losing my mind, but I can tell you for certain that when I first open the blog, your post was only a couple of lines, and after I posted, all of a sudden it expanded and there were links that were not there before.
Quite honestly, this has been bugging me for quite a while but I didn't want to bring it up thinking I would be accused of being looney toons...
(P.s., that was not a question, don't answer it...)
Fun, easy enough CW. I didn’t know most of the names but perps came to the rescue each time.
I enjoyed the theme, however I don’t understand STEVIE WONDER as an answer. Not familiar with DOPE for cool. Otherwise I found lots of clever clues.
For some reason I wasn’t able to finish my comments. I had to resort to publishing another comment. I just wanted to thank CC for the recap.
CED : Replies are posted below the original post. That can result in a late reply appearing higher than an early original post. (This reply will be entered higher than the two Monkey posts of 11:20 and 11:22.)
Thanks to crosswords, I now now more about a certain sandwich cookie than about anything else!
Yeah, but,
There were no replies around jinx 7:28am post, yours is the 1st of the day?.?
This one played more like Checkers than Chess.
Ryan, I can see that you put considerable work into the construction of this crossword, especially in its clever theme.
Unfortunately, I did not find the solving of the puzzle particularly enjoyable, likely through no fault of your own. There appeared to be wholesale re-writing of your clues, and I say this because there was a familiarity to them typical of LAT-edited clues, featuring pop culture, fashion, faux celebrities, and the like.
Morever, there was some inept final editing, so Naticks like ASTORS, GASTON, and ELI sat on top of one another, each with cluing that could have been easily improved. It would have been a service to the solver.
Ryan, thanks for a fun challenge today. You clearly have talent, and I hope to see you here again. And thanks, C.C., for your help and guidance through your recap.
Stevie Nicks was a singer with Fleetwood Mack. She was nominated for 16 Grammys, but only won for the 1978 Album of the Year, Rumours. And Stevie Wonder is the more famous musician, at least as I see it.
Sorry, CED - I can tell a dirty joke, but I can't tell a lie. No previous posting prior to my 7:28.
Thank you, Jinx. Of course I know of S. W., but I couldn’t see the connection to the clue.
Creative theme.
Here our dear friend Pali showed off his unique PAIRS of SOCKS at the SHORE.
Pali famously wears SOCKS that may be in PAIRS, but they never match.
===
Google "Milwaukee mother deported to Laos" if you want one example of why I am not in a very good mood these days.
Nice steady solve with cute themers - congrats Ryan
DOPE became popular meaning cool in the 1980s , in the 60-70s it was slang for marijuana
We're having the same crazy weather as HG- except add in tornados, dust storms and wildfires - but it is starting to calm down
Thanks CC for the blog
Fun Sunday puzzle, many thanks, Ryan. And your commentary is always a great help, C.C.--many thanks for that too.
Well, it seemed this puzzle might be suggesting a party game where everyone was asked a TRICK QUESTION and was asked to supply an answer. This instantly started CASTING DOUBT on everyone's ability and right away EARNED an eye roll all over the group. No one was BEYOND SUSPICION and so this did PROMPT all sorts of possible answers that caused people to ERASE various attempts and in fear of errors and made them SPELL CHECK everything. Soon all this DRAMA left everyone exhausted, and it was time to get some SODA or NECTAR or COLA (but no, absolutely no UN-COLA), and some BITES like OREOS, although they really wished they could EAT OUT. But the afternoon ended with everyone taking a BREAK, while someone was playing the PIANO in response to a FRIEND REQUEST. Not a bad way to end a very busy day.
Have a lovely Sunday, everybody.
If you think Patti lays some eggs, in today's Penny/Dell crossword they have "defile" for DAUB. The cross is "actor Court for BUD."
This one came together nicely. The theme helped the solve. "Melded" went in and came out pretty quickly. No complaints from me, I thought it was well devised. Thanks for the recap CC.
I enjoyed this puzzle.
GASCON had to be changed to GASTON, SALSAS to SAMBAS, and REN to REY.
I mis-parsed THE RAPY DOG.
Yes, a steroid medication has to be slowly reduced, to "wean" you off it, or the AFTERMATH is unpleasant.
Good reading you all.
HOla! This puzzle had some SPICE to it which added to the enjoyment. Music also added to the GALA: PIANO and ORGAN with some SCALES being played. When I visited New Haven, CT, I was surprised to see that YALE U. was built from red brick and unlike other universities, not very many stories high.
I finally SAW a photo of DUA Lipa and noted that she is quite tall.
In Costa Rica IGUANAS sleep atop palm trees and amazingly they don't fall off! Watching "Beauty and the Beast" acquainted me with the character, GASTON. One day, while sipping KONA coffee in Flagstaff we decided to go to Hawaii when we discovered that's where it originated. My late DH was adventurous that way.
I hope you are having a blast on this lovely Sunday.
Jayce, LOL at THE RAPY DOG!
Thanks, Ryan, I liked your puzzle! FAV themers were TRICK QUESTION, BEYOND SUSPICION, and SPELL CHECK. I also liked the PIANOS clue.
20A was a CSO to Splynter.
Thanks to C.C. for her professional take on the puzzle and her personal notes!
It was a FIR in 25 minutes early this am. I had to drive my wife to a pickleball tournament 95 miles away (she won) and just got back in town. I caught the gimmick early on and it made the puzzle easier. I DNK DUPREE, SPRINT, PICASSO, STAN, ORTEGA, NALA, SAGE, or MYA.
The IPADS let me finish ORTEGA, instead of ORTEGO. I know people with both those names
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