Theme: Measure Four Measure. The circled letters in the answers to the starred clues spell various units of measurement. But, as we shall see, there's a bit more to it than that.
17. *Calling the shots: IN CHARGE. This indicates being in control with overall responsibility. An INCH is a unit of linear measure equal to 1/12 foot, or 2.54 cm.
25. *Tear apart: RIP IN TWO. Forcefully break or tear something into two separate pieces. A PINT is a unit of liquid or dry volume equal to half a quart.
49. *In the soup: UP A CREEK. To be in severe difficulty or trouble, especially with no clear means of escape. An ACRE a unit of land area equal to 4,840 square yards, or 1/640 square mile.
61. *Request from a photographer: BIG SMILE. Say "Cheese" or in some other way look happy. A MILE is a unit of distance equal to 1760 yards or 5280 feet.
37. Paltry effort, or a literal description of the answer to each starred clue: HALF MEASURE. An action or policy that is not forceful or decisive enough. Like the Maple Leafs against the Panthers. <sigh>. But how does this relate to the theme fill? I had to stare at if for a while until I realized that each fill is 8 letters, and each unit of measurement is 4. So each MEASURE is HALF of the answer. I'm impressed by the ability to first conceive of this theme, and then find the elements that fit. Very well played!
Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here to give a measured presentation of today's puzzle. Let's dig in.
1. Book after the Gospels: ACTS. Of the Apostles. It is the fifth book of the New Testament; and tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its message to the Roman Empire.5. "__ the season ... ": TIS. It is.
8. Lawyer Clarence who inspired a character in "Inherit the Wind": DARROW. Clarence Seward Darrow [1857 - 1938] was an American lawyer who became famous in the 19th century for high-profile representations of trade union causes, and in the 20th century for several criminal matters, including the Leopold and Loeb murder trial, the Scopes "monkey" trial, and the Ossian Sweet defense. "Inherit the Wind" is a parable that fictionalizes the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial as a means to discuss McCarthyism. Written in response to the chilling effect of the McCarthy era investigations on intellectual discourse, the film is critical of creationism.
14. Consider to be: DEEM. To hold something as an opinion or to regard it as a certain way.
15. "That's awful!": UGH. Expression of disgust.
16. Golden Crinkles maker: ORE-IDA. Ore-Ida is a brand of potato-based frozen foods owned by Kraft Heinz's, H.J. Heinz Company Brands LLC. based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ore-Ida's primary production facility is located in Ontario, Oregon, near the Idaho border where the company was originally founded in 1949.
19. __-than-life: LARGER. Attracting special attention because of unusual and flamboyant appearance or behavior.
20. Start of a kids clothing line name: OSH. OshKosh B'gosh is an American children's apparel company founded in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is a subsidiary of Carter's. OshKosh B'gosh has become best known for its children's clothing, especially bibbed overalls.
21. Actress Taylor-Joy of "The Queen's Gambit": ANYA. Anya-Josephine Marie Taylor-Joy [ b. 1996] is an award-winning actress born in Miami and raised in London and Buenos Aires. After studying ballet and modeling, she left school at 16 to pursue acting. Her breakthrough role came in 2015 as Thomasin in the horror film "The Witch", which earned her an Empire Award and a Saturn Award nomination. She starred in the fictional Netflix miniseries "The Queen's Gambit" as Beth Harmon, an orphaned chess prodigy on her rise to the top of the chess world while struggling with drug and alcohol dependency. The series and her performance received widespread critical acclaim.
22. Atty.'s group: ABA. American Bar Association.
23. Former Seattle team, familiarly: SONICS. The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly shortened to Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Division (1967–1970), and later as a member of the Western Conference's Pacific (1970–2004) and Northwest (2004–2008) divisions. After the 2007–08 season ended, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, where it now plays as the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder are now facing the Timberwolves in the Weseren Conference Final
30. Roping and riding contests: RODEOS. A sport involving a series of riding and roping contests, showcasing the skills of cowboys and cowgirls [cow persons? bovine folk?] It originated from the working practices of cattle herding and evolved into a popular public performance. Rodeos typically feature events like bull riding, bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, and barrel racing.
32. Bag-checking org.: TSA. TSA stands for the Transportation Security Administration, an agency within the United States Department of Homeland Security responsible for securing the nation's transportation systems, particularly airports.
33. Charged atomic particle: ION. Scientific Term: In chemistry, an ion is an atom or molecule that has a net electrical charge due to the loss or gain of electrons.
34. Spritelike: ELFISH. Charmingly mischievous or sprightly; impish. Not sure Tolkien would agree.
36. "Uh, I doubt it": UM - NO. A response indicating hesitation and a refusal or disagreement.
40. Potato spots: EYES. Potato "eyes" are actually small sprouts that develop on potatoes when they are stored for too long. These sprouts are not harmful to eat, but they do contain a higher concentration of a natural toxin called solanine, which can cause digestive issues if eaten in large quantities. If the sprouts are small, they can be removed before cooking, and the potato is still safe to eat. If the sprouting is extensive, it's best to discard the potato.
42. Walking back and forth: PACING. Walking at a steady and consistent speed, especially back and forth and as an expression of one's anxiety or annoyance.
43. Mo. of "Madness": MAR. March Madness is a period during the month of March when the annual NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) basketball tournament takes place.
44. Ga. capital: ATL. Atlanta, the capital of the U.S. state of Georgia. It played an important part in both the Civil War and the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Atlanta History Center chronicles the city's past, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site is dedicated to the African-American leader’s life and times.
46. Shoelace tips: AGLETS. A metal or plastic tube fixed tightly around each end of a shoelace. The hole it passes through is an eyelet. The space between the eyebrows is the glabella; the space between the toes is called the interdigital space. Everything has a name.
52. Umpire's cry: HE'S OUT.
32. Bag-checking org.: TSA. TSA stands for the Transportation Security Administration, an agency within the United States Department of Homeland Security responsible for securing the nation's transportation systems, particularly airports.
33. Charged atomic particle: ION. Scientific Term: In chemistry, an ion is an atom or molecule that has a net electrical charge due to the loss or gain of electrons.
34. Spritelike: ELFISH. Charmingly mischievous or sprightly; impish. Not sure Tolkien would agree.
36. "Uh, I doubt it": UM - NO. A response indicating hesitation and a refusal or disagreement.
40. Potato spots: EYES. Potato "eyes" are actually small sprouts that develop on potatoes when they are stored for too long. These sprouts are not harmful to eat, but they do contain a higher concentration of a natural toxin called solanine, which can cause digestive issues if eaten in large quantities. If the sprouts are small, they can be removed before cooking, and the potato is still safe to eat. If the sprouting is extensive, it's best to discard the potato.
42. Walking back and forth: PACING. Walking at a steady and consistent speed, especially back and forth and as an expression of one's anxiety or annoyance.
43. Mo. of "Madness": MAR. March Madness is a period during the month of March when the annual NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) basketball tournament takes place.
44. Ga. capital: ATL. Atlanta, the capital of the U.S. state of Georgia. It played an important part in both the Civil War and the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Atlanta History Center chronicles the city's past, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site is dedicated to the African-American leader’s life and times.
46. Shoelace tips: AGLETS. A metal or plastic tube fixed tightly around each end of a shoelace. The hole it passes through is an eyelet. The space between the eyebrows is the glabella; the space between the toes is called the interdigital space. Everything has a name.
52. Umpire's cry: HE'S OUT.
54. Reddit tell-all sesh: AMA. Ask Me Anything session.
55. Has: EATS. Frex, for breakfast.
57. SSW's opposite: NNE. North-northeast.
58. Extemporizes: AD LIBS. Speaks without previous preperation.
63. We Are Toonz dance style: NAE NAE. The Nae Nae is a hip-hop dance move that involves placing one arm in the air and swaying from side to side. The Atlanta hip hop group We Are Toonz is credited for inventing the phrase with their hit song "Drop That NaeNae" in 2013.
64. Computing pioneer Lovelace: ADA. Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, [1815 - 1852] also known as Ada Lovelace, was an English mathematician and writer chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. She was the first to recognize that the machine had applications beyond pure calculation.
65. Working hard: AT IT. Deeply involved in something.
66. Oasis site: DESERT. An oasis is a fertile spot in a desert, where water is found. A desert is defined by its aridity: receiving less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation per year. This lack of rainfall, along with high evaporation rates, results in a dry, barren environment with little plant life.
67. Implore: BEG. Ask someone earnestly or desperately to do something.
68. "The Studio" creator/star Rogen: SETH. Seth Aaron Rogen [ b. 1982] is a Canadian actor, comedian, and filmmaker who has received nominations for three Golden Globes and five Primetime Emmys. He's known for his comedic leading roles in films.
Down:
1. "Sayonara!": ADIOS. Farewell.
2. One who refuses to take an oath?: CENSOR. An official who examines material that is about to be released, such as books, movies, news, and art, and suppresses any parts that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security. I guess refusing to take an oath refers to suppressing obscene language, but that's a stretch.
3. Music genre related to trance: TECHNO. A style of fast, heavy electronic dance music, typically with few or no vocals.
4. Texter's "What a mess": SMH. "Shaking My Head," expressing dismay or disapproval. Reaction to the Maple Leafs loss.
5. Alienates: TURNS OFF. Eliminates interest, desire or approval; perhaps eading to a head shake.
6. "The End of an Era" artist Azalea: IGGY. Amethyst Amelia Kelly [b. 1990], known professionally as Iggy Azalea, is an Australian rapper, songwriter, model and businesswoman. Born in Sydney, Australia, Azalea moved to the United States at the age of 16 in order to pursue a career in music
7. Shave wool from, as sheep: SHEAR. Ovine trip to the baa-baa shop.
8. Work out in a pool: DO LAPS. "Laps" refers to one complete trip around a track or course, or from one end of a pool to the other and back again
9. Saudi __: ARABIA. Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about 2,150,000 km2 (830,000 sq mi), making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the largest in the Middle East, and the 12th-largest in the world
10. Played over: RERAN. As, frex. a show or movie on TV.
11. Semi: RIG. A large commercial truck, typically a tractor-trailer combination, used for hauling freight over long distances. The term "semi" comes from the trailer being partially supported by the tractor unit.
12. Many a poem by Shelley: ODE. A lyric poem in the form of an address to a particular subject, often elevated in style or manner and written in varied or irregular meter.
13. Tolstoy's "__ and Peace": WAR. A literary work published in 1867 by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work comprises both a fictional narrative and chapters in which Tolstoy discusses history and philosophy.
18. Small power source: AA CELL. A standard size battery widely used in electronic devices. It measures approximately 51 mm in length and 14 mm in diameter. AA cells come in various chemistries like alkaline, lithium, and rechargeable Ni-MH.
24. Notions: IDEAS. Conceptions of or beliefs about something. Or maybe concepts of plans.
26. Home of Cornell: ITHACA. Cornell University is a private Ivy League land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American academic and philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson White in 1865. Ithaca is a city on Cayuga Lake, in New York’s Finger Lakes region.
27. Person of the Year magazine: TIME. Time is an American news magazine based in New York City. It was published weekly for nearly a century. Starting in March 2020, it transitioned to a biweekly publication. It was first published in New York City on March 3, 1923, and for many years it was run by its influential co-founder, Henry Luce.
28. Came out on top: WON. Was successful or victorious in a contest or conflict. Unlike the Maple Leafs, alas.
29. Artist Yoko: ONO. Yoko Ono is a Japanese artist, musician, filmmaker, and peace activist who has been a prominent figure in the art world for almost 60 years. Born in Tokyo in 1933, Ono was classically trained in voice and piano as a child. She became a pioneer of multimedia art and a key figure in the 1960s New York avant-garde scene.
31. Easy-peasy: SIMPLE. Easily accomplished.
35. __ urchin: SEA. A marine invertebrate belonging to the Echinodermata phylum, characterized by spiny, globular bodies. They are found in various ocean depths and habitats, from intertidal zones to deep seas. Sea urchins are omnivorous, feeding on algae and other marine organisms.
36. Yens: URGES. Desires.
37. Mother of Hephaestus: HERA. Hephaestus, in Greek mythology, was the god of fire, blacksmiths, metalworking, and sculpture. He was also the blacksmith of the gods, crafting their weapons and armor. He was known for his skills and was often depicted as a master craftsman with a lame foot. Hera is a central figure in Greek mythology, revered as the goddess of marriage, family, and childbirth, and the queen of the gods. She is also known as the sister and wife of Zeus, the king of the gods. Hera is often depicted as a powerful and jealous figure, fiercely protective of her position and known for punishing those who wronged her, especially Zeus's lovers and illegitimate children. The Greeks created their gods in man's own image.
38. Common element of vaudeville: SIGHT GAG. Anything which conveys its humor visually, often without words being used at all. The gag may involve a physical impossibility or an unexpected occurrence. The humor is caused by alternative interpretations of the goings-on. Visual gags are used in magic, plays, and acting on television or movies. Types.
39. "Wait, what if ... ": UNLESS. Consider another contingency.
5. Alienates: TURNS OFF. Eliminates interest, desire or approval; perhaps eading to a head shake.
6. "The End of an Era" artist Azalea: IGGY. Amethyst Amelia Kelly [b. 1990], known professionally as Iggy Azalea, is an Australian rapper, songwriter, model and businesswoman. Born in Sydney, Australia, Azalea moved to the United States at the age of 16 in order to pursue a career in music
7. Shave wool from, as sheep: SHEAR. Ovine trip to the baa-baa shop.
8. Work out in a pool: DO LAPS. "Laps" refers to one complete trip around a track or course, or from one end of a pool to the other and back again
9. Saudi __: ARABIA. Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about 2,150,000 km2 (830,000 sq mi), making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the largest in the Middle East, and the 12th-largest in the world
10. Played over: RERAN. As, frex. a show or movie on TV.
11. Semi: RIG. A large commercial truck, typically a tractor-trailer combination, used for hauling freight over long distances. The term "semi" comes from the trailer being partially supported by the tractor unit.
12. Many a poem by Shelley: ODE. A lyric poem in the form of an address to a particular subject, often elevated in style or manner and written in varied or irregular meter.
13. Tolstoy's "__ and Peace": WAR. A literary work published in 1867 by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work comprises both a fictional narrative and chapters in which Tolstoy discusses history and philosophy.
18. Small power source: AA CELL. A standard size battery widely used in electronic devices. It measures approximately 51 mm in length and 14 mm in diameter. AA cells come in various chemistries like alkaline, lithium, and rechargeable Ni-MH.
24. Notions: IDEAS. Conceptions of or beliefs about something. Or maybe concepts of plans.
26. Home of Cornell: ITHACA. Cornell University is a private Ivy League land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American academic and philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson White in 1865. Ithaca is a city on Cayuga Lake, in New York’s Finger Lakes region.
27. Person of the Year magazine: TIME. Time is an American news magazine based in New York City. It was published weekly for nearly a century. Starting in March 2020, it transitioned to a biweekly publication. It was first published in New York City on March 3, 1923, and for many years it was run by its influential co-founder, Henry Luce.
28. Came out on top: WON. Was successful or victorious in a contest or conflict. Unlike the Maple Leafs, alas.
29. Artist Yoko: ONO. Yoko Ono is a Japanese artist, musician, filmmaker, and peace activist who has been a prominent figure in the art world for almost 60 years. Born in Tokyo in 1933, Ono was classically trained in voice and piano as a child. She became a pioneer of multimedia art and a key figure in the 1960s New York avant-garde scene.
31. Easy-peasy: SIMPLE. Easily accomplished.
35. __ urchin: SEA. A marine invertebrate belonging to the Echinodermata phylum, characterized by spiny, globular bodies. They are found in various ocean depths and habitats, from intertidal zones to deep seas. Sea urchins are omnivorous, feeding on algae and other marine organisms.
36. Yens: URGES. Desires.
37. Mother of Hephaestus: HERA. Hephaestus, in Greek mythology, was the god of fire, blacksmiths, metalworking, and sculpture. He was also the blacksmith of the gods, crafting their weapons and armor. He was known for his skills and was often depicted as a master craftsman with a lame foot. Hera is a central figure in Greek mythology, revered as the goddess of marriage, family, and childbirth, and the queen of the gods. She is also known as the sister and wife of Zeus, the king of the gods. Hera is often depicted as a powerful and jealous figure, fiercely protective of her position and known for punishing those who wronged her, especially Zeus's lovers and illegitimate children. The Greeks created their gods in man's own image.
38. Common element of vaudeville: SIGHT GAG. Anything which conveys its humor visually, often without words being used at all. The gag may involve a physical impossibility or an unexpected occurrence. The humor is caused by alternative interpretations of the goings-on. Visual gags are used in magic, plays, and acting on television or movies. Types.
40. Flightless Down Under bird: EMU. The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is a species of flightless bird endemic to Australia and horrible Liberty Mutual ads, where it is the tallest native bird, dwarfing the absurd Aflac duck. It is the only extant member of the genus Dromaius and the third-tallest living bird after its African ratite relatives, the common ostrich and Somali ostrich.
41. Shrill bark: YAP.
44. Cross pin, in martial arts: ARM BAR. An arm bar hold, or arm lock, is a grappling technique where the elbow joint is forced into hyperextension, potentially causing a tap-out or injury. It's commonly used in sports like Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu, mixed martial arts, and wrestling, and can be applied from various positions.
45. Collection that includes cups and saucers: TEA SET. They're fragile. Don't ruin the set.
47. This evening, in adspeak: TONITE. Creative spelling.
48. Bathed in rays: SUNLIT. Not under clouds.
50. "The Cider House Rules" Oscar winner Michael: CAINE. Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English retired actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over a career that spanned eight decades and is considered a British cultural icon. He has received numerous awards including two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. As of 2017, the films in which Caine has appeared have grossed over $7.8 billion worldwide.
51. Shish __: KEBAB. Shish kebab or shish kebap is a popular meal of skewered and grilled cubes of meat. It can be found in Mediterranean cuisine. It is traditionally made of lamb, but there are also versions with various kinds of meat, poultry, or fish.
53. Pearly whites: TEETH. Metaphorically speaking.
56. Staffer: AIDE. Assistant.
58. "Then what?": AND. How does this continue?
59. Daniel __ Kim of "Lost": DAE. Daniel Dae Kim (b. 1968) is an American actor. He is known for his starring roles in a variety of roles in network television and theater. In 2025, Time magazine listed him as one of the world's 100 most influential people.
60. French article: LES. Meaning "the."
62. More, in Spanish: MAS. Literal.
Sorry, no mas! Lo Siento. Así termina otro miércoles. I liked this puzzle. What do you think? Did it measure up?
If anyone is interested, here is a vid of our performance from April 27. I introduce my original song Blues For Nate at 1:17.
Cool regards!
JzB
31 comments:
This puzzle wasn’t terribly difficult.
I grasped “half” of the gimmick from the first themed solve, however I was unaware of the cleverness of the “four” that was half of “eight” until JazzB pointed it out, which I appreciate. Also, I wasn’t familiar with the “martial arts move” but the perps there, and elsewhere, were kind. Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Up early today, after one of our cats decided to pee on dw at 3AM and great was the tumult thereof. Why can't cats just say, "Hey, take me to the vet." D-o was wide awake at that point, so he got dressed to begin the day.
I saw the circles distributed symmetrically and noticed the various units, but not that they comprised exactly half of each theme answer. Nicely done Prasanna. Enjoyed your esoteric expo, JzB. (Nice trombone work.)
AGLETS: In olden times shoe laces were expendable, and were available at the shoe store in various colors and lengths. Today they last the life of the shoe. but are extra-long -- too long, in fact. Does anybody know why things changed?
CORNELL: Evokes memories of a former cornerite -- Bill G., maybe? How are you doing, Bill?
FIR, getting my guess @ IGGY x ANYA. omg->SMH and ticks off->TURNS OFF. I would have known "Pop of pop" for IGGY, at least I think I would have.
ARM BAR is totally different in basketball. An offensive player can use his/her arm within his/her "cylinder" to move a defender out of the way, but if the arm is extended it goes outside of the cylinder and is an "ARM BAR" offensive foul.
From that great golfing documentary Caddyshack, here's that must be the tea.
Phil Collins emphatically says it's speld Tonight, Tonight, Tonight. Who am I to argue?
Thanks to Prasanna for the fun Wednesday exercise, and to JzB for another fine review.
Took 6:31 to get to the top of the CUPola.
Oh joy, circles!
I knew today's actress (Anya) and vaguely remembered Iggy, but found that intersection unpleasant. I didn't know one of today's actors (Dae), but knew the others (Caine & Seth).
Isn't "tonite" a hidden theme answer? TON is also half of Tonite.
You found an Easter egg!
I would've posted earlier, but I got sidetracked enjoying the big band sounds of JzB et al. Lots of great songs, and his was a "snap!" I love listening to jazz, even though it's above my pay grade as a musician (I'm a blues rocker). Surprisingly good sound quality for a live performance.
Meanwhile, back at the puzzle, not much to write home about. I usually take notes while doing them, but this time I got near the end before jotting any thing down - just the unknown dance style NAENAE (JzB enlightened me) and Kabob before KEBAB. Oh, and I had the umpire cry "Yer OUT!"
FIR. Once again I just ignored the
(yuk) circles. They weren't needed to solve this typical Wednesday puzzle. And the theme was also unimportant.
The crossing of two proper names, Iggy and Anya, was definitely a no-no. Add the addition of odd dance moves (naenae?) and this puzzle took its turn in the trash bin of crosswords.
Overall this was not an enjoyable puzzle.
Good Morning:
There were a few unknowns, i.e., Iggy, Nae Nae, Arm Bar, etc., but perps took care of those quickly enough. AA Cell and He’s Out may be technically correct, but neither is common usage, IMO. Does anyone else see a relaxing of the in-the-language “rules”? The theme and fill were fine but, again, 25 TLWs detracted from the overall solving experience.
Thanks, Prasanna, and thanks, JazzB, for the very extensive and informative review. I’m not a jazz fan, but my jazz-enthusiast husband would have really enjoyed your band’s performance.
If anyone is interested in seeing a feel-good, heart-warming movie, don’t miss Nonnas on Netflix.
Have a great day.
DNF, Even with an alphabet run couldn’t tie “Reddit sesh” with “cross pin” so left it “carte blanche”
But which CREEK are you UP?? 🤭 Don’t ask the CENSOR!! Is it also a coincidence that the ⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️ answers are all 4-letter words?). Length, volume, area, and distance. Wasn’t sure how these are each a HALFMEASURE other than the reveal clue shows up “HALF way up the puzzle” until ‘splained by JzB.
Inkovers … GOAT/TIME, kabob/KEBOB
UMNO? Uhm No!! ELFISH or is it elvin? (Pertaining or referring to Elvis?)
Potato EYES
There’s a “trance” music genre?
The CENSOR clue kynda klever.
“It’s Utica, not from ITHACA (or Attica)”
The heartbreak of turkey necks … DOLAPS
If it looks, swims, quacks like a duck and wears a LEI it’s a…. NAENAE
Eye doctor’s practical joke… SIGHTGAG
Happy hump day: one 🐪 or 🐫? 😊
Good morning. I managed to FIR after a guess at the cross of two proper name unknowns- IGGY & ANYA. The circles words were obvious but not the HALF MEASURE connection. I was UP A CREEK on that thought.
CENSOR came from perps and didn't get it until I read JzB's explanation.
ARM BAR- all perps; no idea about that one.
Shish KEBAB, KEBAB, KABAB, -KABOB- you always need perps for that one.
TIME Magazine-anybody on this blog bought one of those in the last 10 years?
The NAE NAE dance is something I have seen but I didn't know its (or the song's) name.
SMH? WTF. I wish they would quit letting those text-speak show up as words. I had no idea and just waited for perps.
Sayonara! Started with the A from ACTS. Could have been ADIEU, ALOHA, or ADIOS. AU REVOIR and ARRIVEDERCI were too long to fit. And with that, I'll say Good Bye.
I think JazzB meant to say his introduction is at ~27:38. Very cool.
UGH. Managed to FIR, but did I ha' any enjoyment, laddie? NAE, NAE. Elfin? O.K. Elvish? Perhaps. ELFISH? UM, NO. The whole thing just left me SMH
FIR in no time at all even though there were quite á few personal unknowns, in fact DARROW, CAINE, and ONO were the only familiar names, but perps rescued me. I really don’t like text speak in á CW.
For AMA the clue should have been Doc’s group to parallel the ABA higher up.
I appreciated the theme and got most of the cleverness of it.
Thank you JzB for á great review.
Thank you, Prasanna. I liked the theme and the execution. Very well done.
And thank you, JazzBumpa. I sensed the HALF MEASURE reveal had a deeper meaning, but it took me forever to notice that each themer was 8 letters long, and each of the measurements were 4 letters long. I was more than a bit groggy early this morning when I solved it, and went back to sleep before getting back to it later.
I think I may have learned the word AGLET playing You Don't Know Jack or playing Trivial Pursuit.
SHEAR - I cracked up at baa-baa shop.
We aren't being bathed under rays in Chicagoland. The much needed rains came yesterday, and the weather system seems to have stalled. It's rainy, cloudy and cold. It's anything but SUNLIT. The weather makes it two reasons I won't be golfing this afternoon.
I watched the video of the Dearborn Big Band in YouTube rather than in the blog, and Blues for Nate started at 30:04. Very good.
I liked the puzzle and especially the theme. I soon saw the themers all contained measuring units. The reveal let me see that the measures were half of the letters used.
A censor refuses to take (accept) an oath (a swear word.) Cool clue.
ARM BAR needed only three perps and a wag. It makes sense.
Finding the spelling of KEBAB was difficult.
AA CELL is in the language and common in certain industries, namely electronics, consumer products and research.
Elfish, after falling in usage is rising again.
The official umpire call is merely, "OUT!" When a manager argues the runner is safe, the umpire might disagree, "He's out." A stretch.
I have seen SMH here, but couldn't remember. Texting is a language, as is slang, new and old, so I accept them in puzzles. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks. It just takes longer to process.
NAENAE crossing DAE was a wild guess. Maybe on a Wednesday, "Scottish double no" might have been better.
BTW, the last time I was very active on the blog, bloggers took to LIU (looking it up) before opining. I loved that.
Thank you for a delightful puzzle this morning, Prasanna. And your commentary is always a pleasure, JazzB, thanks for that too.
Well, this puzzle reminded me of a different one I worked some time ago, that was pretty tough and made me feel a bit like UGH at the beginning. At first I just wanted to RIP it IN TWO, but I wondered if I couldn't accomplish at least a HALF MEASURE. I worried I'd just be UP A CREEK, but I didn't want anyone to CENSOR me, so I just RE-RAN my effort, and it worked! Now I feel as though I WON, and am experiencing a lovely SUNLIT day.
Have a lovely day, everybody.
Hola! Thanks to Presanna Keshava and to Jazzbumpa for the entertainment today which was in no way a HALF MEASURE. I took a chance on ADIOS and it worked. And i like seeing familiar names like DARROW and even ANYA and IGGY which are often mentioned on E.T. On our long trips to and from Charlotte we played AD LIBS.
i can relate to DESERT which now is recognizable only by the dry weather. Almost all the rest is an OASIS of cities large and small.
I, too, wonder about Bill G and hope he is doing well.
Besides ADA Lovelace we sometimes see ADA Limon.
ADIOS for now from a place that is 99% of the time SUNLIT.
YR, in my humble opinion, the common usage is Double A batteries, not AA Cells and Yer Out, not He’s out, the operative word being common, as in familiar, every day and further qualified by IMO, meaning In My Opinion. I stand by my own opinion.
Fairly quick for a Wednesday - if this in fact Wednesday - Just got back from being out of town and a little at sea (in crosswordese) as to what day it is!
I didn't get the theme layer that JzB explained (thank you)- but did figure out that all the units of measure are known for being able to put half in front of them in the language e.g. HALF INCH, HALF PINT, HALF ACRE, HALF MILE
WOW! Phoenix has changed since I lived there. Back then there was at least 9 1/2 hours when it wasn't SUNLIT out of every 24.
Wonderful Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Prasanna and JazzB (thanks for the jazz link and your heartfelt intro re Nate and song’s origin).
I found this CW to be 31D, and I FIRed. It did take several variations of KaBoB to KEBAB spelling to get ADA and EATS.
I got the measures and, like inanehiker, saw that HALF would precede them all. Then I saw JazzB’s “as we shall see” comment, and found the HALF of the themer MEASURE.
I noted DAE crossing NAENAE.
ELFIn elongated to ELFISH.
Yip changed to YAP.
I needed a couple of perps to remembered ANYA, which confirmed IGGY.
CENSORED made no sense (pun intended), but I’ll accept JzB’s explanation.
I learned AGLET in my early CW solving days.
We Maple Leaf fans have transferred our hopes to the Edmonton Oilers. Elbows up, Canada!
Wishing you all a great day.
"Yes, the term "AA cell" is used interchangeably with "AA battery." It's a standard way to refer to this type of battery, which is a common cylindrical battery size. Dictionaries and online resources also recognize "AA cell" as a synonym for "AA battery". Google AI
"Yes, while "Yer out!" (short for "You're out!") is commonly said by umpires in baseball to indicate that a player is out, it's also important to understand the standard call is just "Out!". Yes, I already agreed that "he's out" is not a standard call. I gave a stretched use that might be said in an argument with a manager. Please reread my post. I never said that the umpire calls, "He's out."
Hey JzB, MM here commenting as Anonymous because I am on an "alien" computer. Great job sussing out the theme. I never did come close even with an FIR on the puzzle itself. . . and I learned a few things from your thorough write-up. I'd have listened to your original song but there are no speakers here.
And actually, those 1 1/2 volt household devices are all cells. The formerly widely-used 9 volt devices are batteries, and consist of 6 each 1 1/2 volt cells connected in series. Telco battery plants consist of two sets of 24 (or 26) huge 2 volt cells, all connected in series by external metal straps to create a 48 (nominal) volt battery. Here's a picture of a smallish telco battery. (Due to different chemistry used in construction, those wet cells are 2 volt instead of dry cells' 1 1/2 volts.)
Musings
-It’s been a busy day and I had to have Ron show me the second layer of the gimmick.
-I grew up with very big adult men wearing OSH KOSH work clothes, mostly bib overalls.
-Darrow’s opponent in that famous Inherit The Wind trial was Nebraska’s William Jennings Bryan
-AGLET is a word known mostly to just us cwd solvers
-Hilary was a good sport and did the NAE NAE on the Ellen Show
-ADA’s father was Lord Byron who was never really was part of her life
-Our lumber yards and Wal~Mart did a brisk business in CELLS during our blizzard blackout
-Honest, Mr. CENSOR, Lucy and Ricky sleep in the same be in real life! :-)
-Yes, Irish, today all’s fair in love and language
-Off again!
Thanks to Prasanna for a 'full MEASURE' of fun! I did see the 4 out of 8 letters, thanks to the helpful circles. Kudos also for the CCCCXXXX then XXCCCCXX then XXCCCCXX then XXXXCCCC progression.
FAV: CENSOR clue
Thanks to JzB for all the info. I did not know that I did not know why they are called "semis". Also, wow, what a throw to home, Bo!
I always enjoy your performances. It was a treat to hear your story about Nate and the song he inspired. I am so impressed that you wrote that song! (If anyone is looking for the story, it starts at 27:37.)
C-Eh!@2:33. As I am sure you already know, some 'swear' word have religious beginnings. For example, "Gosh darn it!" is a milder form of "God damn it". The latter would have been considered an oath damning something --quite serious back in the day, a true "curse" word. My interpretation of the clue is that a CENSOR would not allow such a prohibited 'oath'. I saw it as some old time oaths are today's curse words.
I enjoyed this puzzle but I enjoyed Ron's spoken tale of Nate and his song Blues For Nate even more.
Of course I noticed ABA, AMA, and ADA.
YEROUT --> HESOUT. OWNS --> EATS. Perps settled the ADIEU vs ADIOS and KEBAB vs KABOB decisions.
Cornell also made me think of Bill G. and how he used to bicycle to his favorite coffee shop and get his usual macchiato.
Good reading you all.
Liked this puzzle despite the texters abbreviations.
Thanks sumdaze. That’s a possible explanation.
Wow! You saw the progression. Good catch on another element.
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