Theme: Sonorous cereal.
Today's puzzle appears to be an LA Times debut for both of our constructors. Welcome and congratulations! Betsy Ochester writes books for children, including over 100 published puzzle books. Andrew Gutelle is also a prolific children's author, with puzzle books among his many published titles. They have collaborated on a few of these books. Today, their combined efforts bring us a Thursday-level crossword challenge for adults, based on a children's breakfast cereal.
The big reveal is:
51-Across. Breakfast cereal trio, and what 20-, 31-, and 38-Across are: SNAP CRACKLE POP.
Snap, crackle, and pop are the sounds that Rice Krispies cereal is said to make when milk is added. (They are also the names of the cartoon characters on the box.) In the other theme answers, snap and pop have different meanings. Crackle has the same meaning but in a different context.
20-Across. See 51-Across: SIMPLE FASTENER. This is a SNAP that is not a sound.
31-Across. See 51-Across: FIREPLACE SOUND. This is a CRACKLE that is a sound.
38-Across. See 51-Across: GRAMMY CATEGORY. This is a POP that is not a sound ... or is it? Pop music has a certain sound, but it doesn't go POP!
I like the way the three words in 51-Across provide the clues for the other theme answers.
Let's see what other treats our children's authors have in store for us.
Across:1. Fennellike herb: ANISE. Fennel is a plant with an edible bulb, stalks, and fronds. Anise is a plant of which only the seeds are used. Both have a flavor like black licorice, but anise is stronger.
 |
| fennel and anise |
6. __ Jam Recordings: DEF. Def Jam Recordings is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in New York City and specializes in hip hop, R&B, soul, and POP music.
9. Talent, informally: CHOPS. In jazz, a trumpeter's skill depends largely on his mouth or "chops." The use of the word expanded to mean overall skill in music, and even skill in general.
14. Crow's-feet treatment: BOTOX. Botox can be injected around the outer corners of the eyes to paralyze the muscles that cause wrinkles to form. The results last for three or four months, and treatments are supposed to be repeated for maximum benefit. I am frankly more interested in:
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| These crow's feet require no Botox. |
15. Food label fig.: RDA. Recommended Dietary Allowance. An abbreviation in the clue suggests an abbreviation in the answer.
16. Reduce: LOWER.
17. Fell for completely: ATE UP. As in, they ate up the claims about the benefits of Botox.
18. Investigations: INQUIRIES.
20. [Theme clue]
22. Anniversary pair?: ENS. There are a pair of N's in anniversary.
23. Acai bowl grain: OAT. An acai bowl is meant to be a healthy meal. Obviously, it includes acai berries (often pureed), which are a kind of palm fruit, and it could include anything else, but is likely to have granola (including oats) and nuts along with other fruits.
 |
| Acai bowl |
24. Progressive business: Abbr.: INS. Progressive is an INSurance company.
25. [Shiver]: BRR.
26. "Stop right there!": HALT.
28. Blokes: MEN.
31. [Theme clue]
35. Bear whose porridge was too cold: MAMA.
 |
| An illustration from Goldilocks and the Three Bears |
36. __-blond: ASH. A cool toned blond hair color with hints of gray.
37. Miss Piggy, for one: DIVA. Diva, from the Latin for goddess, was used in the 19th century to describe talented female opera singers revered by the public. Now it often means a high-maintenance woman who acts as if the world revolves around her.
37. Miss Piggy, for one: DIVA. Diva, from the Latin for goddess, was used in the 19th century to describe talented female opera singers revered by the public. Now it often means a high-maintenance woman who acts as if the world revolves around her.
38. [Theme clue]
43. Possible reason for a TV-MA rating: SEX. TV-MA means for Mature Audiences.
44. Remove from power: OUST.
45. Two-person card game: WAR.
46. Agcy. created by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974: NRC. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
47. Sun, in Seville: SOL. Sol is Spanish for sun.
48. Texting letters: SMS. Short Message Service is used to send text messages between mobile devices over cellular networks.
51. [Theme clue]
56. Like unexpectedly lesson-laden moments: TEACHABLE. A teachable moment is an unplanned situation that can be used to impart a lesson.
57. Zinc __: OXIDE. Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound used as an additive in numerous products including cosmetics, food supplements, rubbers, plastics, ceramics, glass, cement, lubricants, paints, sunscreens, ointments, adhesives, sealants, pigments, foods, batteries, ferrites, fire retardants, semi conductors, and first-aid tapes. Although it occurs naturally as the mineral zincite, most zinc oxide is produced synthetically.
58. Get clean: BATHE.
59. Charged particle: ION.
60. Solar energy collector: PANEL.
61. Was a straphanger, say: STOOD. Picture yourself standing on a crowded bus -- hanging onto a strap or similar device placed along the aisle.
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| This guy is a straphanger. |
62. "Called it, didn't I": SEE. SEE? I told you.
63. Aroma: SMELL.
Down:
1. Cut down to size: ABASE.
2. Running an errand, say: NOT IN.
3. List details: ITEMS.
4. Italian wedding __: SOUP. The original name for this southern Italian soup is "minestra maritata" or "married soup" because of the marriage of flavors of meat and greens. It is not a wedding soup! The original is said to be a thick, hearty stew. The American version is a lighter soup with pasta and meatballs.
 |
| American "Italian wedding soup" |
5. Investigate: EXPLORE.
6. "Catch my __?": DRIFT.
7. "Cimarron" novelist Ferber: EDNA. Edna Ferber (1885-1968) was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big (1924), Show Boat (1926; made into the celebrated 1927 musical), Cimarron (1930; adapted into the 1931 film which won the Academy Award for Best Picture), Giant (1952; made into the 1956 film of the same name) and Ice Palace (1958), which also received a film adaptation in 1960.
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| Edna Ferber in 1928 |
8. Helpful pgs.: FAQS. Websites often include Frequently Asked Questions pages.
9. Customers: CLIENTS.
10. Traffic signals?: HORNS. An automobile horn can indeed be a signal used in traffic. Move it, buddy! If your mind wanders while waiting at a red light, someone behind you is sure to remind you. My father, of blessed memory, used to call that an audible traffic signal.
11. Toddler's scrape: OWIE.
12. __ review: PEER.
13. Graduating gp.: SRS. A graduating group is a bunch of seniors.
19. Practical: UTILE. Useful, effective, expedient, helpful, serviceable, utilitarian, etc.
21. O.K. Corral surname: EARP. On October 26, 1881, there was a gunfight near the O.K. corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Three brothers, Virgil, Wyatt, and Morgan Earp, as marshals of the law, were attempting to disarm five outlaws, to enforce an ordinance prohibiting the carrying of weapons in town. Three of the five outlaws died in the shoot out, and the conflict between the Earps and the outlaws continued.
 |
| Wyatt Earp |
25. "The Lair of the White Worm" novelist Stoker: BRAM. Abraham Stoker (1847-1912), better known by his pen name Bram Stoker, was an Irish novelist. Stoker wrote a dozen horror and mystery novels, including The Jewel of Seven Stars, The Lair of the White Worm, and The Mystery of the Sea, but his reputation as one of the greatest writers of horror fiction is based on his novel Dracula.
 |
| Bram Stoker |
26. Lays into: HAS AT.
27. Vier plus vier: ACHT. Vier plus vier ist acht. Four plus four is eight in German.
28. "ABC World News Tonight" anchor David: MUIR. David Muir is an American journalist and anchor for ABC World News Tonight and co-anchor of the ABC News magazine 20/20. He has reported from all over the world, won multiple Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards, and last year won the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. ABC World News Tonight has been the most watched newscast in the United States since 2015.
27. Vier plus vier: ACHT. Vier plus vier ist acht. Four plus four is eight in German.
28. "ABC World News Tonight" anchor David: MUIR. David Muir is an American journalist and anchor for ABC World News Tonight and co-anchor of the ABC News magazine 20/20. He has reported from all over the world, won multiple Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards, and last year won the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. ABC World News Tonight has been the most watched newscast in the United States since 2015.
 |
| David Muir |
29. One of the seven deadly sins: ENVY. According to the Catholic Church, the seven deadly sins are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. We only had room for envy or lust today.
30. Confidentiality doc: NDA. A non-disclosure agreement is a document in which one agrees not to divulge confidential information.
31. Subway fee: FARE.
32. Big name in movies: IMAX. IMAX is a system of cameras, film formats, projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens. Due to the expense of building and maintaining special IMAX theaters, IMAX has been modified to be viewed in existing multiplex theaters.
33. French bodies of water: LACS. Lac is French for lake.
34. Aroma: ODOR.
35. Some British sports cars: MGS. MG Motor is a British automotive brand dating back to the 1920s. Since 2005, it has been owned by first one, and then another, Chinese state-owned manufacturer. Most of the current models look very much like every other brand's SUVs, including electric and hybrid options, but they still make "performance" vehicles:
 |
| MG Cyberster -- an all-electric roadster |
39. Shape-shifted: MORPHED.
40. Flowering desert plant with swordlike leaves: YUCCA.
41. Furry critter who lives on Endor: EWOK. Ewoks were introduced in the 1983 movie Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. They have since starred in two made-for-TV movies, The Ewok Adventure (1984) and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985). Ewoks live on the fictional forest moon of Endor in primitive dwellings, but in spite of their humble circumstances, they deal a decisive blow to the technologically advanced Empire.
40. Flowering desert plant with swordlike leaves: YUCCA.
41. Furry critter who lives on Endor: EWOK. Ewoks were introduced in the 1983 movie Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. They have since starred in two made-for-TV movies, The Ewok Adventure (1984) and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985). Ewoks live on the fictional forest moon of Endor in primitive dwellings, but in spite of their humble circumstances, they deal a decisive blow to the technologically advanced Empire.
 |
| an Ewok |
42. Runs fast: GALLOPS.
46. __ chips: NACHO. Nachos are tortilla chips topped with cheese and salsa. Those flavors have been incorporated into snacks like Doritos Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips.
47. Embarrassing public display: SCENE.
48. Porcupine quill: SPINE. Contrary to popular belief, porcupines cannot shoot or eject their quills at will. Any person or creature full of porcupine quills has foolishly touched a porcupine.
 |
| North American porcupine |
49. Walk the runway: MODEL.
50. Write some letters: SPELL.
51. Stock exchange membership: SEAT.
52. Org. with an alphabet: NATO. We should all memorize this alphabet for clarifying spellings to telephone representatives.
53. Grand slam quartet, briefly: RBIS. In baseball, if the batter hits a home run with the bases loaded, four runs will be scored, and the batter will be credited with a "quartet" of Runs Batted In.
54. Flowering desert plant with fleshy leaves: ALOE.
55. Prep course target: EXAM. A prep course is one that prepares the student for a particular exam.
56. "Dinner and a Movie" airer: TBS. Dinner and a Movie is a cooking show that aired on TBS from 1995 to 2011 and returned in 2024. Each episode includes a movie and the preparation of a dinner to go with its theme.
Here's the grid:
As usual, I have INQUIRIES for our readers.
Did you have the CHOPS to complete today's puzzle?
Or did you call a HALT to the solving at some point?
Don't be shy! Have your say in the comments.
-- NaomiZ
10 comments:
Not the easiest kind of
puzzle, by any stretch. Basically, you need a lot of friendly perps to solve a puzzle like this. But there were enough to make solving possible. (The hardest themer for me to get was “Grammy category.”)
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Had to correct my deEtS to ITEMS and ScEnt to SMELL. Otherwise my grid was clean this morning. Wasn't familiar with a porcupine quill as a SPINE. Impressive debut, Betsy and Andrew. Thanx for 'splainin' it all, NaomiZ.
FIR, surprisingly without erasure.
As "blah, blah, blah cookie" will be Oreo, so will "blah, blah, blah novelist Stoker" be BRAM.
There's a van on our street that has a bumper sticker announcing "HORN broken - watch for finger."
According to the late Jimmy Buffett, the eighth deadly sin is pizza.
IIRC, the first IMAX film was To Fly, commissioned for the opening of the Smithsonian Institution's brand new Air and Space Museum about 50 years ago. I remember they posted a warning that people susceptible to motion sickness may find the movie uncomfortable.
Palmdale, California got its name from the early settlers who thought the native YUCCA trees were palms.
Saying a grand slam produces four RBIS is like saying you're gonna get some money from the ATM machine.
For me, teaching the Project Management Professional EXAM prep class was a balance between "teaching the test" and teaching more advanced project management concepts in general. I wanted my classes to be valuable regardless of whether a student was planning to take the (very difficult) exam or not.
Thanks to Betsy and Andrew for the fun, Thursday-worthy puzzle, and to NaomiZ for another fun tour.
FLN:
C-Eh! of gorse I would come up with that wee comment!
Prof M - I really am ignorant about all things TMC. When I met Nick, he was just on a local radio station, with 5,000 watts in the day and 1,000 watts at night. Not exactly a WLW, WSB or WLS.
FIR. I found this to be relatively easy for a Thursday. The clues were fair and the perps were there when needed.
Being directed to the reveal early on in the clues, I got the theme which became clear with "simple fastener".
Overall a very enjoyable puzzle.
Good Morning:
This was a perfect puzzle, IMO. It had a cute and clever theme, executed to a tee, no dreck, no obscurities, some very nice, fresh fill, to wit, Explore, Clients, Morphed, Gallops, Teachable, Inquiries, etc., and, best of all, no cutesy cluing. I thoroughly enjoyed the solve, which was smooth and quick, but just a tad on the easy side for a Thursday.
Congrats on the debut, Betsy and Andrew, hope we hear from you again soon and thanks, Naomi, for a most informative review. You really do have a knack for explaining things clearly and concisely and you invariably choose the topics that benefit us most to learn about. The Ewok is kind of cute, but that porcupine looks a little nasty! Love the Three Bears and our favorite diva, Miss Peggy!
Have a great day.
Auto-correct strikes again! Miss Piggy, not Peggy!
Cute theme which was pretty easy to figure out if you are a Rice Krispies fan.
Only hold up I had - I thought the long themer for POP was going to be Grampa name but perps headed me back to the GRAMMYs
There seems to be some understandable confusion around TCM, TMC, and--yikes--AMC. A query arose yesterday about whether Nick Clooney replaced Robert Osborne as host of Turner Classic Movies (TCM). No, Clooney was a co-host on AMC.
Today's puzzle was to me enjoyable and clever. And any crossword that headlines one of my favorite cereals, Rice Krispies, is alright in my book.
We could go a whole week without seeing an X in a puzzle. Betsy and Andrew gave us three of them today in one puzzle! Alas, to continue that pangrammatic note, l be darned if I can find a J or Z.
Thanks, Andrew and Betsy for a fun Thursday diversion, and NaomiZ, for your usual helpful and entertaining recap.
Go Blue Jays!
Tok 6:32 today to finish my Rice Krispies.
Overall, I enjoyed the puzzle. However, I did not care for the German math problem (acht) especially being one word away from today's French lesson (lacs). The Spanish lesson (sol) was easier. I debated "coachable" before entering "teachable."
Interesting that following yesterday's herb themed puzzle, 1A was an herb clue/answer.
Jinx, while you're at the ATM Machine, you will need your PIN Number.
Yes, NaomiZ, I had the CHOPS to finish this puzzle. I totally agree with IM☘️, it was a perfect CW. I found the theme delightful and clever.
Thank you NaomiZ for the wedding soup TEACHABLE moment and the rest of your fine review.
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