Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. Today's theme is:
 |
| not that this is a test or anything.... |
20 Across. Place to see some spectacles?: GLASSES CASE. A bit of misdirection is always fun. Perhaps you were thinking of a spectacular display? 
25 Across. "Abbott Elementary" star: QUINTA BRUNSON. Congratulations to you if this one was a gimme. It was ESP for me. I checked our archives. Quinta's full name was a themed answer on 10/22/24; she appeared in a clue on 5/29/25; and she was mentioned in the write-ups on 10/25/23 and 10/29/24. It is time for me to remember her name.
42 Across. Coach at a health club: PERSONAL TRAINER.
 |
| You could say that Mr. Miyagi was a PERSONAL TRAINER for the Karate Kid (1984). |
52 Across. Manager who opens up a shop, or an apt description of 20-, 25-, or 42-Across: KEY HOLDER. I was not familiar with this title. As the clue indicates, it is an employee with added responsibilities, such as arriving early to unlock a business.
Also, the circles spotlight three KEYs of another variety -- computer KEYs. Furthermore, the KEYs are held within the themed answers: ESC, TAB, and ALT. I liked how our puzzle setter placed all the KEYs so that they span the two word answers. I noticed that these three keys are in the top-to-bottom order that matches my keyboard. I wonder if that was intentional.
Next, we will enter the other clues & answers:
Across:
1. Fashion mag known for quizzes: COSMO. Magazine is shortened, so is COSMOpolitan.
6. Dog's foot: PAW.
9. Fan out, as toes: SPLAY. When dogs lay with their legs SPLAYed, it is called splooting.
14. Proprietor: OWNER. OWNERs are usually KEY HOLDERs.
15. Prefix with system: ECO-.
16. Self-assurance: POISE.
17. Media watchdog org. that focuses on queer inclusivity: GLAAD. This organization was founded on November 14, 1985. website
18. Big boat that held animal pairs: ARK.
19. Answers an invite, briefly: RSVPS.
23. Korean car company: KIA.
24. Pizzeria order: PIE. Dean Martin sang about one in 1953.
6. Dog's foot: PAW.
9. Fan out, as toes: SPLAY. When dogs lay with their legs SPLAYed, it is called splooting.
14. Proprietor: OWNER. OWNERs are usually KEY HOLDERs.
15. Prefix with system: ECO-.
16. Self-assurance: POISE.
17. Media watchdog org. that focuses on queer inclusivity: GLAAD. This organization was founded on November 14, 1985. website
18. Big boat that held animal pairs: ARK.
19. Answers an invite, briefly: RSVPS.
23. Korean car company: KIA.
24. Pizzeria order: PIE. Dean Martin sang about one in 1953.
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza PIE, that's amore. ♪♪
32. Mom's sister: AUNT.
33. Neckwear worn by Mickey Mouse at Aulani Resort: LEI. This is a Disney resort on the island of Oahu's leeward side. Their website says aulani means "messenger of a chief".
34. Ladybug feature: SPOT. Cute clue! A ladybug's spots are not random. They serve as a deterrent to predators. more about ladybug's spots
36. Laser tag sound: PEW.
37. Runs at full speed: GALLOPS. It is surprising how smooth it feels on a horse's back at full gallop.
41. "__ bit confused": I'M A.
45. Digital counterpart: ANALOG.
46. Beat in a hot dog contest, e.g.: OUT EAT. This answer has four vowels and two T's.
47. Spots for facials: SPAS.
48. Tax season helper: Abbr.: CPA.
51. "__ la vie!": C'EST. That's life! (French)
55. Opposite of 39-Down: ANTI. and 39 Down. In favor of: PRO.
58. Major fad: MANIA.
 |
| Beetlemania came to mind. |
63. Vanilla __: BEAN. It takes 9 months from pollination to bean; 9 months to cure the bean; and 9 months to enhance the flavor in a humidor.
64. Humidor item: CIGAR. "Vanilla BEAN" did not fit.
65. __ sago: tapioca dessert served hot or cold: TARO. Google says this is a Cantonese dessert.
66. Karaoke selection: SONG. Karaoke translates to "empty orchestra" in Japanese.
67. Came to the surface: AROSE.
68. Dutch semisoft cheese: EDAM. made in the Netherlands
Down:
1. Gear tooth: COG.
2. Hooting bird: OWL. I have always been fond of burrowing OWLs. They are less than 10 in. (25.4 cm.) tall and are active during the day. This video was made by someone with a trail camera. Burrowing Owl Facts
3. Catch (on): SNAG. It took me a bit to catch on that this was like when your sweater catches on a bench splinter.
4. HelloFresh product: MEAL KIT. HelloFresh delivers meal components to your house.
5. Confer holy orders upon: ORDAIN.
6. Samosa vegetables: PEAS. During the fall I stock up on Trader Joe's mini spicy pumpkin samosas; however, those do not have PEAS in them.
2. Hooting bird: OWL. I have always been fond of burrowing OWLs. They are less than 10 in. (25.4 cm.) tall and are active during the day. This video was made by someone with a trail camera. Burrowing Owl Facts
3. Catch (on): SNAG. It took me a bit to catch on that this was like when your sweater catches on a bench splinter.
4. HelloFresh product: MEAL KIT. HelloFresh delivers meal components to your house.
5. Confer holy orders upon: ORDAIN.
6. Samosa vegetables: PEAS. During the fall I stock up on Trader Joe's mini spicy pumpkin samosas; however, those do not have PEAS in them.
7. Land measure: ACRE.
8. Pans that might require special burners: WOKS.
9. Wrist injury: SPRAIN.
10. To have or to hold: POSSESS. I like this allusion to wedding vows.
11. "I will never __ this down!": LIVE.
12. Nile snake: ASP.
13. "I accept!": YES.
21. Stayed put: SAT.
22. Apple core, for short: CPU. This apple is a computer with a Central Processing Unit.
25. Largest borough of New York City: QUEENS. I just needed one perp to guess at this one.
26. Open, as a present: UNWRAP.
27. Penne __ vodka: ALLA.
28. Bike signal: BELL. I have a bell on all of my bikes. I use them to notify other Rec Trail users that I am about to pass but they are usually too busy looking at their phones to hear me.
29. Barrel of laughs: RIOT.
30. Weighs in: OPINES.
31. Vegetarian restriction: NO MEAT.
32. Dad, in Korean: APPA.
35. Like sourballs: TART.
37. Canadian honker: GOOSE. I recently learned about how the Artic Barnacle GOOSE builds its nest on a high cliff then the goslings do a freefall to meet their parents at the bottom. Apparently their bones are soft enough to survive the fall during a 36-72 hour window. This video is bananas!
40. Sriracha, for one: SAUCE.
43. Satisfying, as thirst: SLAKING. Def. (verb) (1.) <archaic> Subside; abate. (2.) crumble.
44. Say over and over: ITERATE. Is "reiterate" redundant?
48. Seat at the table: CHAIR. Literally.
49. Father of many, many puppies in "101 Dalmatians": PONGO. I pulled this one out of the punchbowl!
50. Ms. Marvel, for Kamala Khan: ALIAS.
53. Org. with a pool, often: YMCA.
54. Truth alternative in a party game: DARE.
55. Crunch muscles: ABS.
56. Prefix with classical: NEO-.
57. Beach vacation souvenir: TAN. My old boss used to say that a vacation's good vibes fade at the same rate as the TAN.
60. Steamed: MAD.
61. Notable span: ERA.
62. Snack, cutesily: NOM.
8. Pans that might require special burners: WOKS.
9. Wrist injury: SPRAIN.
10. To have or to hold: POSSESS. I like this allusion to wedding vows.
11. "I will never __ this down!": LIVE.
12. Nile snake: ASP.
13. "I accept!": YES.
21. Stayed put: SAT.
22. Apple core, for short: CPU. This apple is a computer with a Central Processing Unit.
25. Largest borough of New York City: QUEENS. I just needed one perp to guess at this one.
26. Open, as a present: UNWRAP.
27. Penne __ vodka: ALLA.
28. Bike signal: BELL. I have a bell on all of my bikes. I use them to notify other Rec Trail users that I am about to pass but they are usually too busy looking at their phones to hear me.
29. Barrel of laughs: RIOT.
30. Weighs in: OPINES.
31. Vegetarian restriction: NO MEAT.
32. Dad, in Korean: APPA.
37. Canadian honker: GOOSE. I recently learned about how the Artic Barnacle GOOSE builds its nest on a high cliff then the goslings do a freefall to meet their parents at the bottom. Apparently their bones are soft enough to survive the fall during a 36-72 hour window. This video is bananas!
Spoiler alert: the chick survives!
38. "Life of Pi" director Lee: ANG.40. Sriracha, for one: SAUCE.
43. Satisfying, as thirst: SLAKING. Def. (verb) (1.) <archaic> Subside; abate. (2.) crumble.
44. Say over and over: ITERATE. Is "reiterate" redundant?
48. Seat at the table: CHAIR. Literally.
49. Father of many, many puppies in "101 Dalmatians": PONGO. I pulled this one out of the punchbowl!
50. Ms. Marvel, for Kamala Khan: ALIAS.
 |
| Canadian actress Iman Vellani played Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel in the 2022 Disney+ series. |
53. Org. with a pool, often: YMCA.
54. Truth alternative in a party game: DARE.
55. Crunch muscles: ABS.
56. Prefix with classical: NEO-.
57. Beach vacation souvenir: TAN. My old boss used to say that a vacation's good vibes fade at the same rate as the TAN.
60. Steamed: MAD.
62. Snack, cutesily: NOM.
Here's the grid. We do not usually see vertical symmetry on Mondays.
Two notes before I close:
- Thanks to RustyBrain for covering for me last week!
- Please join me in wishing our blogmistress C.C. a very happy birthday! 🎂
46 comments:
Happy birthday C.C. I have been reading since 2008 but this is my first birthday wish! Enjoy
I am new here but where is Subgenius? Doesn’t he/she post first every day? I hope everything is ok.
You guys got ahead of me, but I’m still here. In spite of a couple
of questionable entries (“pew,” anyone?), I’m going to award this puzzle the “coveted” title of “a walk in the park.” I doubt too many of you would disagree with me, but we’ll see. Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
And Happy Birthday, C.C! Your creation here has brought me many moments of happiness and edification! Blessings to you!
FIR without erasure, so I guess it was a walk in the park. Didn't seem like it when I was working on it. DNK GLADD, QUINTABRUNSON, TARO sago, Hello Fresh, APPA, PONGO, and NOM. Only knew PEW from the discussion here the last time I didn't know it.
Didn't know COSMO was considered a fashion mag. I only remember its Agony column, thinking that was the very definition of a women's magazine. No men's mag would ever have such a column. Oh that, and Burt Reynolds displaying his floppy drive in the centerfold.
I remember an episode of M*A*S*H where Radar was attracted to Nurse Simmons, played by Mary Kay Place. Radar read to her from a poetry book by Rupert Brooke, including "They have known shame, who loved unloved. Even then / When two mouths thirsty for each other find slaking." Must have worked. Radar showed up looking much the worse for wear, declaring "I think I've been slaked."
John Sanford invented a detective named Del Capslock, who would have fit in well with today's theme. Capslock is a colleague of Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers.
Happy birthday to our blog mistress. Hope you are feeling better now.
Thanks to Amie and Darby for the fun, and to sumdaze for another fine review. Welcome back to the helm.
Very Happy Birthday wishes to you C.C. Not only did you give us a blog that has survived 17 years as a place where people can come to discuss crossword puzzles, but by taking so many of us by hand and showing is the behind the curtain process of actually creating a puzzle. Being published in a major newspaper was a big thrill, especially hearing from old friends who saw my name there.
I enjoyed this Monday Amie/Darby offering not a single unknown but the fine memories of KIM'S CONVENIENCE from which I learned the Korean word APPA meaning father, and first met SIMU LIU who is from China and has achieved great success as the Asian American superhero in the Marvel Universe.
Thank you, Amie, Darby and Sumdaze and I leave you to celebrate C.C. and to debate if ITERATE and REITERATE are synonymous.
Happy, Happy Birthday, C.C.!
FIR. I'm sorry, but is today Friday? This had quite some bite to it. There were so many areas of difficulty in this puzzle, too many to mention. But a few, like the crossing of nom and taro, seemed a tad unfair. And Glaad? Really?
Also I failed to see the theme from the reveal. Oh I get the keyboard items in the (yuk) circles, but how is that relevant to the long answers? And using a proper name like Quinta Brunson, who I've neverh heard of, in the mix was especially cruel. I expect that later in the week, but not on Monday.
Overall I really disliked this lame excuse for a puzzle.
And Happy Birthday to CC.
Took 5:22 today as I maDE Lemonade out off lemons.
I knew today's actress (Quinta Brunson) but was surprised by all the for foreign language lessons for a Monday (appa, cest, & allo). "Nom" and "pew" weren't pretty.
Is "Canadian" legit? Should it be "Canada"?
Oh joy, circles!
I can typically complete a Monday puzzle in under 10, but today was a little tougher than normal as it took me 14:41 for the FIR. I DNK QUINTA BRUNSON and have no recollection of what sumdaze dug up from the archives, so she was all perps. The P in the PEW/APPA cross and the O in TARO/NOM were WAGs. Most of the rest of the solve was fairly easy. Thanks to Amie and Darby for the morning fun, and to sumdaze for explaining it all!
Happy b/day C.C.! 🎉🥳. Thanks so much for creating this Corner, always a source of enjoyment from the bloggers and commenters.
PS ~ C.C. shares the byline in today’s USA Today.
AN ODE TO C.C.
She crossed an ocean wide and deep,
With hopeful dreams she swore to keep.
With words she wove a cunning maze,
In English craft she did amaze.
New roots she sowed in foreign land,
Crosswords did bloom beneath her hand.
She shapes the clues, the grids align,
A lexicon both wide and fine.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, C.C.!
Like
Nice!
Good morning!
Internet was really squirrely this morning -- 50% of sites were inaccessible, including this one. Fixed now. No problem solving this Monday-easy puzzle. Thanx, Amy, Darby, and sumdaze. (Egrets cartoon was great. Dean Martin reminded me, "When the eel bites your thigh, and you feel you might die, that's a moray.")
Happy birthday, C.C. Hope you're feeling better and are able to celebrate today.
I also loved the Egrets cartoon and enjoy the comments ranging from easy-peasey to Friday hard. Now to USA Today
Canadian
kə-ˈnā-dē-ən
noun
a native or inhabitant of Canada. Wow!
DNF. I one letter from AP_a. Otherwise all good. So, we’ve had references to QUINTA BRUNSON before, and recent,y no less, and I have no memory of it.
Other unknowns PEW PONGO and NOM. The clue for LEI was more complex than it needed to be, but it’s different.
The theme was really neat.
I’ve always disliked eating contests. They’re unseemly.
Thank you sumdaze for that nice review. The goose video gave me GOOSE bumps.
Happy birthday, CC. 🎊🎂🎈🎁 have á wonderful day.
Amie & Darby's unusual symmetry creates a rectangle in the middle that kinda sorta looks like a computer keyboard. All good fun except for the looong name of an actress who was all perps.
"101 Dalmatians" in 1961 was the first movie I remember seeing in a theater.
Great job sumdaze, it was my pleasure filling in. And thanks for "splooting," my new favorite word and something FuzzyBrain does all the time on the cool tile floor.
Hope you have AA happy BB-day C.C.!
Happy Birthday C.C. May you be blessed with Health and Happiness 🎶🎉
👏
I enjoyed Amie and Darby's puzzle and FIR, but DNK the Abbott Elementary star or tapioca dessert. Knowing the Hebrew "abba" helped with Korean APPA.
Sumdaze, I loved the snails 🐌 boarding the ARK, the karaoke 🎤 crocodile, the Arctic Barnacle gosling video, and the discussion of ITERATE vs reiterate. Many thanks!
Well done, Naomi! 😉
Good Morning:
The theme and reveal were fine and Monday appropriate, but Quinta Brunson, Appa, and Pew, as clued, would be challenging to newbies, IMO. Otherwise, the solve was enjoyable and smooth.
Thanks, Amie and Darby, and thanks, sumdaze, for a fun and interesting review. Favorite comics were the singing alligator and the Ark’s pokey snails. The goslings free fall survival was breathtaking. Welcome back.
Happy Birthday, dear C.C., hope it’s as special as you are! 🎂🎁🎈🎊🎉
Have a great day.
Naomi, your sweet ode to C.C. was spot-on. Well done. Happy Birthday, C.C., and I hope you're starting to feel better.
A year or so when I was out of commission health-wise and not able to blog (or function, period), many of you offered kind comments in the blog. And in the mail one day came a card from someone named Zhouquin from Minnesota. Well, of course it turned out to be a humorous get-well card from our own C.C. I still have that card on display, and always will.
Monday is my duplicate-bridge day, and I need to get moving. Briefly, though, Amie and Darby, I enjoyed your puzzle today. A bit edgy in some places, perhaps, but overall, quite entertaining and satisfying.
A couple things:
I'm enjoying rediscovering in the LAT Crossword words that I find lovely but underused. There are two today: SPLAY and SLAKING (the gerund form of SLAKE). Do you remember the scene in "Huckleberry Finn" when Huck disguises himself as a girl? He is with the lady of the house shucking peas or something, and whenever a pea falls or drops, he instinctively puts his knees together--which is what males tend to do in that instance. That instinctive movement gave up Huck's secret, because the lady pointed out that when sitting females drop something, they splay their legs, pulling their dress or skirt taut over their lap.
I noted the skewed--or vertical--symmetry in the construction of Darby and Amie's puzzle. I always enjoy fresh approaches to puzzle construction. And here it meant that their one grid-spanner was off-center. Oh well--no lives lost.
Thanks, sumdaze, for your usual informative and colorful recap.
Bravo!
You are correct. They are Canada Geese, not "Canadian."
But the geese are not "Canadian."
Enjoyed the write-up, sumdaze! The puzzle? Meh. Happy Birthday, CC!
Four seasons of "Abbott Elementary" on ABC have turned Quinta Brunson into a superstar writer, producer, and actor. My only gripes in this puzzle were the aforementioned Canada-not-Canadian geese and the APPA-PEW Natick. It's a Natick because even if you can parrot an onomatopoeia like that, the P-sound is not clear-cut. I got it right, but I wouldn't have bet much on it.
Well done, Naomi!
Sheng Ri Kuai Le, C.C.!
I hope you are able to do whatever makes you happy today.
Thank you, Amie Walker and Darby Ratliff, and thank you, sumdaze.
Buzy morning and still behind schedule. Back later.
NaomiZ, that was so very nice of you!
Delightful Monday puzzle, many thanks, Amie and Darby. And thank you for your always helpful commentary, Sumdaze.
But most of all, Happy Birthday, C.C. What a gift you have been to all of us on this blog from the very beginning. Have a lovely, wonderful day! You deserve every moment of it!
Well, after reading this puzzle, I wondered if the OWNER of the OWL brought him a MEAL KIT that included some PEAS, and then took him to the SPAS and to the YMCA for some exercise. That made the OWL very happy, and in return he flew off and came back with a PIE for the OWNER, who was delighted, and promised that he would now be the OWL's PERSONAL TRAINER from now on.
I'd say that makes the OWNER and the OWL a very happy couple.
Have a lovely week coming up, everybody.
Hola! Happy birthday, C.C.! I hope you celebrate and have fun today.
Today's puzzle felt like Friday and Monday were switched. It wasn't exactly difficult but had a few obscurities that took a while to suss. APPA, C'EST and PEW as clued are some of them. Luckily, we've seen ALLA a few times and though I've never watched the show, QUINTA BRUNSON seemed familiar.
Thank you, Amie and Darby, for a good workout today. Have a great day, everyone!
Happy Birthday, CC!
Only 8 names, but DNK 5, making this more than a Monday, challenge wise. Among the DNKs GLAAD was 100% perps. Am I wrong, or is it sometimes ALA and sometimes ALLA? I did FIR in 14, but this seemed more like a Thursday CW. Funny, how some find a CW easy, others struggle with the same CW. Last cell to fill was the WAG "P" where APPA crossed PEW. A laser tag sound is "PEW"? Hmmm. And Korean crossing it? Geez, I cry No Fair! No surprise that I once again forgot to look for the theme. Thanx AW&DR for the entertainment. Thanx too to Sumdaze for the great write-up. Your video links often lead to other links, and 40 minutes later I remember the CW! I remember that exact M*A*S*H* scene with Radar getting slaked! That was a great show, not just that episode, but the whole series.
I’m sure there are some Canadian Canada geese.
I am more awake now! May I revise the earlier offering, in case C.C. would like to receive something slightly more refined?
AN ODE TO C.C.
She crossed an ocean wide and deep,
Cherishing dreams she swore to keep.
With words she wove a cunning maze,
Mastering every English phrase.
She planted roots in foreign land,
And crosswords bloomed beneath her hand.
She shapes the clues, the grids align,
A lexicon both wide and fine.
Last time and then I really am moving on; The Canada goose (Branta canadensis), sometimes called Canadian goose , is a large species of goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is occasionally found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe. . We have to deal with YEETS . Canadian Goose hardly seems worthy as a cause célèbre
.
Naomi, you are a star in the making
Someone only asked a question about the legitimacy of Canadian v. Canada. I don't there's any real controversy here.
You are right about NaomiZ.
Beautiful! Happy Birthday, C.C.!
Musings
-I have many empty GLASSES CASES as my vision has gotten worse
-Cary Grant making a GALLOPING comment. Name this hilarious 1944 movie.
-C’est la vie. My friend always says, “It is what it is”
-Lovely poem, Naomi!
-生日快乐 to our lovely blogmistress.It has become a big part of my life.
Happy Birthday, C.C.
What a sweet tribute to C.C.!
I believe that would be Arsenic and Old Lace, HG. 😉
I apologize for being a bit late to the (birthday) party. Happy Birthday C.C. !
Post a Comment