Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with Michael Hobin's second LAT puzzle. His first one was published on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
Theme: 
Here are today's themed clues and answers:
17 Across. Superhero nemesis, often: EVIL GENIUS.
 |
| I thought of Gru from the Despicable Me movies. He is a supervillain. Is that the same thing? |
38 Across. Place for a "No Trespassing" sign: PRIVATE PROPERTY. 
The reveal:
62 Across. Unexpectedly enlightening, and what can be found at the starts of 17-, 24-, 38-, and 49-Across: EYE-OPENING.
Each of the OPENING (first) words of the themed answers can be placed in front of the word EYE to create an in-the-language phrase. In doing so we now have: EVIL EYE, BLACK EYE, PRIVATE EYE and NAKED EYE. (For the last one, think, "Visible to the NAKED EYE".)
Works for me!
Let's take a look at what else Michael has for us:
35. Egg cells: OVA.
37. "That is perfect!": LOVE IT.
46. Beards similar to Vandykes: GOATEES. Sometimes people confuse a GOATEE with a Vandyke beard. A Vandyke includes a mustache that is not connected to the chin beard. A true GOATEE is just the hair on the chin, with no mustache at all.
53. Number of players in Connect Four: TWO. It is an elaborate tic-tac-toe-ish game.
55. New York canal: ERIE.
56. Virtuous: MORAL.
60. Partake of: HAVE. Think "food".
65. Celebrates birthdays: AGES. and 63-Down. Having celebrated many birthdays: OLD.
67. Dollop: GLOB.
68. Swollen mark: WELT.
69. Swap: TRADE.
70. Email folder: SENT.
Down:
5. Div. for the Phillies: NLE. The Phillies won the National League East division this year.
6. Lithium-__ battery: ION.
7. Pat down at a security checkpoint: FRISK.
8. Verified fact: TRUTH.
9. Binary type of question: YES/NO.
10. Donkey: ASS.
11. One that takes turns making dinner?: ROTISSERIE. This clue had a little misdirection with the meaning of turns.
12. Dressed (in): CLAD.
13. Leaves none for others: HOGS.
18. Fundraising fete: GALA.
22. Sailboat with one mast: SLOOP.
25. "Let's put it to __": "Show of hands": A VOTE. Speaking of 32-Down TITLE, this answer reminds me of Charles Grodin's memoir, It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here. In this case, the "you" is the indefinite article. Oh, well, sometimes that is what it takes to make a grid work.
26. Spelunking site: CAVE.
27. Roof projection: EAVE.
28. __ pants: calf-length garment: CAPRI.
29. Agricultural measures: ACRES.
30. Work of fiction considered for a Hugo or Nebula Award: SCI-FI NOVEL. Stellar fill!
32. Book name: TITLE. 25 Beautiful Unique Book Titles What would you add to this list?
33. Eyelid sores: STYES. Easter Egg Alert!
36. Tending (to): APT.
37. Enter one's user name and password: LOG ON.
39. "La Dolce __": VITA. Translation: The Sweet Life. The quotation marks indicate it is a title. Wiki says it is a 1960 film by Federico Fellini. Here is the trailer. It looks like a wild ride!
40. Similar: ALIKE.
Across:
1. __ rug: small carpet: AREA. Two weeks ago I posted a Dear Modern video about Feng Shui. This time he teaches us about AREA rugs (2:48 min.):
5. "Cool!": NIFTY. Nifty is an informal word that means "very good". Merriam-Webster says it was first used as an adjective in 1865.
10. St. Louis landmark: ARCH.
14. Player's set of cards: HAND. I liked this less-common definition of HAND.
15. Peter of "The Maltese Falcon": LORRE. [1904 - 1964]
16. Spotlight moment in a concert: SOLO.
19. Antlered deer: STAG.
20. Radio, TV, newspapers, etc.: MEDIA.
21. RR stops: STNS. Railroad and Stations
23. Passports, e.g.: IDs.
28. Tapioca source: CASSAVA.
31. Brewery kilns: OASTS. They are buildings used for drying the hops. They have cone-shaped tops.
34. Athletic gp. for the Blue Devils: ACC. Duke University is one of a group of schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
5. "Cool!": NIFTY. Nifty is an informal word that means "very good". Merriam-Webster says it was first used as an adjective in 1865.
14. Player's set of cards: HAND. I liked this less-common definition of HAND.
15. Peter of "The Maltese Falcon": LORRE. [1904 - 1964]
 |
| (l. to r.) Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Mary Astor, and Sydney Greenstreet |
16. Spotlight moment in a concert: SOLO.
19. Antlered deer: STAG.
20. Radio, TV, newspapers, etc.: MEDIA.
21. RR stops: STNS. Railroad and Stations
23. Passports, e.g.: IDs.
28. Tapioca source: CASSAVA.
 |
| Tapioca comes from the roots. |
31. Brewery kilns: OASTS. They are buildings used for drying the hops. They have cone-shaped tops.
35. Egg cells: OVA.
37. "That is perfect!": LOVE IT.
If we change the I to a T, we'd have Lovett, as in Lyle. Here is his 1988 song, Give Back My Heart.
42. Move to a different folder, e.g.: REFILE.
43. Schoolyard game: TAG. I recently learned that "Touch And Go" is a backronym.
44. Suffix with percent: -ILE. Percent and percentile are easily confused. In the example below, Sam's test scores earn him a 70%. Because his scores are better than most of his classmates, he ranks in the 82nd percentile of his class.
42. Move to a different folder, e.g.: REFILE.
43. Schoolyard game: TAG. I recently learned that "Touch And Go" is a backronym.
44. Suffix with percent: -ILE. Percent and percentile are easily confused. In the example below, Sam's test scores earn him a 70%. Because his scores are better than most of his classmates, he ranks in the 82nd percentile of his class.
45. Last Supper question from Judas: IS IT I.
46. Beards similar to Vandykes: GOATEES. Sometimes people confuse a GOATEE with a Vandyke beard. A Vandyke includes a mustache that is not connected to the chin beard. A true GOATEE is just the hair on the chin, with no mustache at all.
 |
| Uncle Sam sported a GOATEE but Dick Van Dyke did not. |
53. Number of players in Connect Four: TWO. It is an elaborate tic-tac-toe-ish game.
56. Virtuous: MORAL.
60. Partake of: HAVE. Think "food".
65. Celebrates birthdays: AGES. and 63-Down. Having celebrated many birthdays: OLD.
 |
| Today is the Marine Corps' 250th birthday. Happy Birthday, Marines! |
66. Large member of the violin family: CELLO. Are you curious what modern day cello music sounds like? This song is off of Clarice Jensen's new album released last month. Clarice also collaborated with Taylor Swift on two of Taylor's albums. her website
Unity ~ Clarice Jensen ~ 2025
68. Swollen mark: WELT.
69. Swap: TRADE.
70. Email folder: SENT.
1. Throat-clearing sound: AHEM. 
2. Glowing review: RAVE.
3. Oklahoma home of Vance Air Force Base: ENID.
2. Glowing review: RAVE.
3. Oklahoma home of Vance Air Force Base: ENID.
4. Goes off script: AD-LIBS.
5. Div. for the Phillies: NLE. The Phillies won the National League East division this year.
6. Lithium-__ battery: ION.
7. Pat down at a security checkpoint: FRISK.
 |
| "down pat" LOVE IT! |
9. Binary type of question: YES/NO.
10. Donkey: ASS.
11. One that takes turns making dinner?: ROTISSERIE. This clue had a little misdirection with the meaning of turns.
13. Leaves none for others: HOGS.
22. Sailboat with one mast: SLOOP.
Sloop John B ~ The Beach Boys ~ 1966
This song was adapted from an old Bahamian folk song.
25. "Let's put it to __": "Show of hands": A VOTE. Speaking of 32-Down TITLE, this answer reminds me of Charles Grodin's memoir, It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here. In this case, the "you" is the indefinite article. Oh, well, sometimes that is what it takes to make a grid work.
26. Spelunking site: CAVE.
27. Roof projection: EAVE.
28. __ pants: calf-length garment: CAPRI.
29. Agricultural measures: ACRES.
30. Work of fiction considered for a Hugo or Nebula Award: SCI-FI NOVEL. Stellar fill!
The Hugo Awards are annual literary awards for the best science fiction or fantasy works of the previous year. They are voted on by fans. The Nebula Awards recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the U.S. They are voted on by writers. The 1965 book Dune is an example of a book that won both awards.
32. Book name: TITLE. 25 Beautiful Unique Book Titles What would you add to this list?
33. Eyelid sores: STYES. Easter Egg Alert!
36. Tending (to): APT.
37. Enter one's user name and password: LOG ON.
39. "La Dolce __": VITA. Translation: The Sweet Life. The quotation marks indicate it is a title. Wiki says it is a 1960 film by Federico Fellini. Here is the trailer. It looks like a wild ride!
40. Similar: ALIKE.
41. Prego competitor: RAGU. Both are spaghetti sauces.
47. Maker of rocket-powered roller skates, in cartoons: ACME.
48. Suits found on many a beach bum?: THONGS.
50. Not hunched over: ERECT.
51. Renovation project enthusiast, casually: DIYer.
52. "Futurama" captain with one eye and purple hair: LEELA. The first L could be troublesome here for solvers unfamiliar with both this character and the W. S. Burroughs book. The show's title tells us to expect nontraditional names so any guess from A to Z is possible for _EELA. Fortunately, the book title narrows it down a bit. The letters B, H, L, and P all had potential for _UNCH.
47. Maker of rocket-powered roller skates, in cartoons: ACME.
48. Suits found on many a beach bum?: THONGS.
51. Renovation project enthusiast, casually: DIYer.
52. "Futurama" captain with one eye and purple hair: LEELA. The first L could be troublesome here for solvers unfamiliar with both this character and the W. S. Burroughs book. The show's title tells us to expect nontraditional names so any guess from A to Z is possible for _EELA. Fortunately, the book title narrows it down a bit. The letters B, H, L, and P all had potential for _UNCH.
 |
| Leela of Futurama |
53. Spring melt: THAW.
54. Salary: WAGE.
57. Agitate: RILE.
58. Short story writer?: ANON. The question mark indicates wordplay. On the surface, it looks like the clue is asking for the author of a short story. However, in this case short refers to a shortened form of the word ANONymous. Fun!
59. Pride parade inits.: LGBT.
61. Ballpark fig.: EST. figure and ESTimate ... not umpire
64. American writer Edgar Allan __: POE.
54. Salary: WAGE.
57. Agitate: RILE.
58. Short story writer?: ANON. The question mark indicates wordplay. On the surface, it looks like the clue is asking for the author of a short story. However, in this case short refers to a shortened form of the word ANONymous. Fun!
59. Pride parade inits.: LGBT.
61. Ballpark fig.: EST. figure and ESTimate ... not umpire
64. American writer Edgar Allan __: POE.
The grid: 
👁 cannot believe we are finished. Looking forward to reading your comments below!
👁 cannot believe we are finished. Looking forward to reading your comments below!
Notes from C.C.:
Happy 79th birthday to Husker Gary's loving wife Joann and her twin sister
Joyce. Here they're with their mom Martha, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 100.
C.C.
I don’t know about
ReplyDeletethe rest of you, but to me this was a classic case of “a walk in the park.” True, if you’re not familiar with the (fairly obscure) novel “Naked Lunch” you might have had a moment’s pause, but on the whole I thought it was smooth sailing, didn’t you?
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
ReplyDelete"Naked Lunch" seemed vaguely familiar, so d-o successfully WAGged the stumbling block. I remember "SLOOP John B." from the Kingston Trio's 1958 debut album. The Weavers recorded it even earlier, but it's the Beach Boys 1966 version that most people recall. This was a smooth Monday offering. Thanx, Michael. And thanx to sumdaze for another sterling review.
The weather prognosticators made dire predictions about this morning. They made it sound like we'd be flirting with freezing temps. Nope, 49° here this morning. What did Shakespeare say? Much ado about nothing.
I call the TV meteorologists "weather guessers."
DeleteThis took me a little longer than a typical Monday to solve, but had no problem until NAKED LUNCH crossed LEELA. That L did me in…FIW by one letter!
ReplyDeleteFIR, but erased stir for RILE, age for ILE, and welp for WELT. I knew that the dinner-turner was going to be ROTISSERIE, but had the good sense to wait for the perps to spel it for me. So I got goin for me. Which is nice.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that a fact is TRUTH. The verification is whether something is, in fact, a fact.
I've always found it interesting that the USMC is OLDer than the USA. Happy birthday to all the jar heads out there. (Attending the USMC graduation ceremony at Parris Island made me swell with PRIDE in our country.)
I've attended a NAKED LUNCH. Etiquette tip: Bring your own towel to sit on. (BTW - THONG wearers are shouting "look at me!" Naturists are not.)
All SLOOPs have a single mast, but not all single-masters are sloops. There are cats and cutters, and probably others that I'm forgetting.
Thanks to Michael for the fun Monday romp. My favorite was ACME. Kinda like the Corner's favorite "ALOE" cartoon, Wyle E. Coyote will never get stale. And thanks to sumdaze for another fun review. You didn't ask, but my favorite EVIL GENIUS is Dr. No.