Saturday Themeless by August Miller
This is my fifth Saturday themeless blog this year for August Miller. He is a former physics Ph.D. candidate turned farmer who lives in Berkshire County, MA.
Here is part of a very nice interview with August: Once upon a time I was going to be a physics PhD. I studied physics in undergrad and tried graduate school (twice), but ultimately that environment just didn’t work for me. And now I come home at night smelling of cows and hay, and it feels so much better.
I was able to make good headway through August's puzzle and enjoyed the trip. Unlike Stella's 12/13/25 puzzle, the long fills were familiar and helpful. My last fill was a stab in the dark at "K" at TAI_A/S_A.
1. Squirrel away: STOW and 1. Squirrel away: STASH - It was fun to have the same clue in the far NW corner.
5. Barely usable pencils: NUBS.
9. "Kapow!": WHAM.
13. Snaps: TAKES A PIC - What we all can do now on a whim. Now when I was a kid...
5. Barely usable pencils: NUBS.
9. "Kapow!": WHAM.
13. Snaps: TAKES A PIC - What we all can do now on a whim. Now when I was a kid...
15. Banchero who was the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year: PAOLO ¯\_(ใ)_/¯ I will have taken more time on this comment than I will watching any NBA games this season.
16. Manipulator of one of the four elements, in a classic animated series: AIR BENDER - This guy is in orange below. ¯\_(ใ)_/¯
17. Natural styles: AFROS.
18. __ punk: "Tragic Kingdom" genre: SKA and 2. Waititi of "Our Flag Means Death": TAIKA - I knew SKA was some form of music that was foreign to me and I took a flyer on a "K" where it crossed equally unknown TAIKA. Tada!
19. "All My Children" actress Kathleen: NOONE - She was there from 1977 - 1989
 |
| To the far left |
21. Must: HAS TO.
23. Like some waiters: EARLY ๐ - You really want an iPhone 16 so bad you're willing to wait in line.
25. Hesitant sounds: ERS.
27. Mikey Day's show, for short: SNL - If you really care, you'll pick him out, if you don't care, just move on. ๐
28. Guests' guesses: ETAS - You can tell peeps when to arrive but...
31. Some boxing losses: SPLIT DECISIONS - Gane won this match because two judges gave him more points and one did not.
35. "And??": CARE TO ELABORATE.
36. "Who Shot Mr. Burns?," for one: TWO PART EPISODE - Remind you of anything? ๐
37. Glom __: ONTO.
38. Some humanities degs.: MAS.
39. Confession confession: SIN.
40. "The best in pests" company: ORKIN.
42. Attracted to more than one gender, informally: MSPEC - Multisexual Spectrum
46. Peak reward: VISTA - The VISTA from the peak of Everest
48. Stay at a 57-Across, perhaps: GLAMP - Today's portmanteau: GLAMcamPing at Indian Lake, NY which is a 57. Sustainable place to unwind: ECO RESORT.
52. "Hadestown" Tony nominee Noblezada: EVA - I'm guessing August has never heard of the Little EVA song Locomotion.
53. Big name in chips: INTEL - Would you like an Apple with your chips?
54. Hot bodies?: LAVA LAKES - This one is near the South Pole
56. Close call: SCARE.
58. Good listeners?: EARS - My 79-yr-old models need electronic assistance
59. __-eyed: DEWY.
60. Code breakers: KEYS.
Down:
3. Mallow family plants with edible seed pods: OKRAS.
 |
| Okra |
5. Tech startup?: NANO.
6. Top knot, e.g.: UPDO.
7. "Trรจs __!": BIEN and a 14. Miss living in Mexico, say: SENORITA could say Muy BIEN.
8. Safari snap: SCREEN CAP - I made a SCREEN CAPture of the image below on my Safari Browser using this key combination
9. Array at a hotel breakfast bar: WAFFLE IRONS ๐
10. Lizard with defensive spines: HORNY TOAD - A variation of the name HORNED TOAD
11. __ gobi: ALOO - ¯\_(ใ)_/¯ - Aloo gobi, literally "potato cauliflower" in Hindi.
12. More than some: MOST.
15. Duo: PAIR.
22. Forms of rapid transit: TELEPORTERS - Hallmark makes an ornament of one used on Star Trek.
24. Crime stories?: ALIBIS.
26. Kylie's daughter: STORMI - An addition to the Kardashian clan
27. Tennis great Monica: SELES.
29. Up the __: ANTE.
30. Compass pt.: SSE.
31. Like cut lumber: SAWN.
32. One just starting to shine: PROTOSTAR.
33. Forced a comb through, say: DETANGLED.
34. "Easy-peasy!": SO SIMPLE.
35. Exec who might oversee R&D: CTO - Chief Technology Officer
41. Superfood whose "special power is tasting bad," per Jim Gaffigan: KALE ๐
43. Tea type: PEKOE.
44. Not just some: EVERY.
45. Gives a role: CASTS - This character from Breakfast At Tiffany's may be the worst CASTING decision in movie history. The Boston Globe called the Mr. Yunioshi "an irascible bucktoothed nerd and an offensive ethnic caricature"
34. "Easy-peasy!": SO SIMPLE.
35. Exec who might oversee R&D: CTO - Chief Technology Officer
41. Superfood whose "special power is tasting bad," per Jim Gaffigan: KALE ๐
43. Tea type: PEKOE.
44. Not just some: EVERY.
45. Gives a role: CASTS - This character from Breakfast At Tiffany's may be the worst CASTING decision in movie history. The Boston Globe called the Mr. Yunioshi "an irascible bucktoothed nerd and an offensive ethnic caricature"
46. Bench clamp: VISE.
47. Worshipper of the goddess Pachamama: INCA ¯\_(ใ)_/¯
49. Peignoir trim: LACE.
50. Declare: AVOW.
51. Writer Shelley: MARY.
50. Declare: AVOW.
51. Writer Shelley: MARY.
55. "Why do you __?": ASK.
28 comments:
I got it! I actually
solved a Saturday puzzle!
Oh, this is truly a “red letter day”
(Without any actual “red letters”)!
FIR, and I’m not just “happy”
I’m ecstatic!
Whoopee!
Congratulations!!
FIR Saturday! Ditto SubG's elation. However, save->STOW, had to->HAS TO, lava lamp->LAVA LAKE, stormy->STORMI, and acai->KALE.
WHAM had a big holiday hit with Last Christmas.
We just had TAIKA as fill. If we get again tomorrow, I still won't know it.
The HORNEY TOAD is a great, fun restaurant in Cave Creek, AZ. Try the Frog Light beer brewed on premises. Unfortunately, it looks like the Satisfied Frog just down the street is now closed. Been to both - too many times to count.
If you are of straight orientation, please don't tell me. I don't give a rat's patooey. If you are ASPEC, please don't tell me. I don't give a rat's patooey. If you are lgbtqbhjasdtyfroijxzkajygqhzdmoisdfv+, please don't tell me. I don't give a rat's patooey.
Thanks to August for the fun, easy-for-a-Saturday puzzle. Favorites were "confession confession" and "peak reward." And thanks to H.Gary for another fun review. Hope you are feeling better today, and will get well soon.
With the many unknowns, AIR BENDER, PAOLO, STORMI, and MSPEC to name a few, I was able to peck away and get the congratulatory message in 17:31. EVA and MARY were perped, Saturday cluing. With the two N’s in place I correctly WAGed NOONE, which solved the verts. I had never heard of TAIKA until a couple days ago in the CW, and I actually remembered today. I’ve noticed this quite often, where what many would call an obscurity will repeat within a few days, I think this is by design by Patti. Noticed TAKES A PIC crossing SCREEN CAP, is that the same as a ‘screen shot’ which is what I’ve always called it? I’ve always said ‘untangled’ and never DETANGLED. Nice offering today August, thank you for that. Thanks also to HG for the recap, as long as I’ve been coming to the Corner I don’t remember you ever taking a Saturday off, and your efforts are much appreciated. Hope you feel better!
This was everything a Saturday crossword puzzle should be. It was challenging, but was doable with really clever cluing. The constructor didn’t feel the need to prove how smart he is (and, yes, he IS smart) by filling the grid with impossible, arcane clues. Yes, I needed help to fill in the last few squares on the grid, but I found it to be extremely satisfying. Great job.
Well said, Yooper Phil.
HGary, you are not only reliable, as YPhil noted, but your recaps can always be counted upon to be entertaining, fresh, and above all, useful.
And hey, I told you your Cornhuskers would make it to a bowl this season!
How is BUGS not the answer to "code breakers"?
Took 10:44 today.
I didn't know the soap opera actress of the day (Noone), but a good puzzle.
Gotta run! Leaving shortly and will be gone for a few days.
In my absence, look out for those pesky circles.
FIR. I don't know about everyone else, but I found this Saturday presentation very easy. In fact when I was done I stared at it and thought I must have missed something.
There were a few unknowns, mostly proper names, but with good perps they were doable.
So overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Good Morning:
Anonymous @ 7:41 must be a mind reader as he/she captured my thoughts perfectly. Despite the several unknowns, i.e., Air Bender, Noone, Two Part Episode, MSPEC, Screen Cap, ProtoStar, etc., the generous and helpful perps, plus a few WAGs led to a satisfying and most enjoyable solve. Finally, a Saturday that tested our knowledge and skills vs our patience and tempers.
Thanks, August, your scent of cows and hay is welcome anytime, and, HG, what would we do without you to explain and illustrate these Saturday challenges? Thanks for your dedication and feel better soon.
Have a great day.
A Christmas present for me today. I finished a Saturday puzzle correctly. If only the others were SO SIMPLE to FIR. And 'so simple' opened up the SE and let me complete the puzzle, changing BI to MS for the new alphabet people moniker-MSPEC.
HORNY TOAD- aka male TCU STEM student. But the constructor lives in MA, not NM or AZ. It's a 'horned' toad.
I filled the bottom half (except MSPEC) easily, only changing UN to DETANGLED. The proper names took perps and guesses (ETAS) to complete.
TAIKA, AIR BENDER, EVA, PAOLO, NOONE, and Kylie and her daughter STORMI. No, I don't care to follow the progeny of O.J.'s lawyer. Famous for being famous.
I figured SCREEN CAP was somehow related to my 'print screen (prtscn)' key on my keyboard. I wanted screen SHOT but it was one letter too long.
Wow. A significant step in the right direction. Still too much reliance on trivia for my taste, which muddies up what had the potential to be a really stellar grid. However, we are talking about an LAT Saturday here, so just the fact that we made it to “It doesn’t suck” is, in and of itself, a noteworthy achievement.
I’ll continue to hold out hope that the editor will realize that you can do “difficult” without resorting to WAITITI, MALLOW plants, AIR BENDER, MR. BURNS, Soap opera trivia, MSPEC, ORKIN and so on. So, a step in the right direction. It will be interesting to see if we continue on this path next weekend or revert back to the mean and get another garbage laden slogfest.
I’m embarrassed to admit, this was way above my pay grade. I gave up, defeated by the many names I didn’t know and couldn’t guess, and the oral phrases.
Thank goodness for HG’s wonderful recap, I enjoyed it very much. Thank you.
When my "Serengeti" changed to SCREEN CAP, it took me a moment to understand. I do use Windows+Shift+S to take screenshots AKA screen snips, and I understand SCREEN CAPture, but SCREEN CAP is new to me. DNK the NBA rookie, of course, nor the newest Kardashian, nor the newest sexual preference designation, and like others, I unTANGLED my hair until DETANGLED became necessary. All of that said, I Finished It Right and felt some joy in working through it. Thanks, August! Thanks, Gary! Feel better soon.
August’s puzzles have aggravated me in the past, but this one was relatively straightforward, though difficult enough to take an hour or so to finish.
I was (even) more error-prone than usual. I couldn’t remember TAIKA from the other day, so I had save before STOW at 1A. I had Pablo before PAOLO until I realized the lizard was a HORNY TOAD. I had lava lamps before LAVA LAKES until PEKOE intervened.
Worst of all, I had Santa before VISTA until I double-checked and was looking for something “peak”-related. I was thinking “peek,” and felt a peek at Santa could be rewarding.
SPLIT DECISION came easily to this former boxing reporter, and SELES was easy although I never covered her. INTEL seemed obvious here in Silicon Valley. I was lucky with my EARLY guess and DE-TANGLED. and I came away wondering which Kylie has a daughter named STORMI.
As for top knot, I picture poofy-headed dogs rather than a human updo. The Dandie Dinmont has the ultimate in top knots. We think our standard poodle looks better without a top knot, but he’s a beautiful specimen and we sometimes want him to look like the excellent representative of the breed that he is.
-Thanks for the well wishes! I am 80% better this morning thanks to rest and my lovely bride.
-My aforementioned lovely bride got a tube of Vicks VapoRub that now comes in this easier to use form and whose scent brought back memories of being sick in the 1950’s.
-Thanks, Yooper, I am well past 400 consecutive Saturday blogs and it is one of the joys of my life. I remember the email when C.C. asked me to give it a go for the December 12, 2017 puzzle.
Tip of the day: if you have the time and inclination, check out Taika Waititi's brilliant movie "Jojo Rabbit." It won multiple awards, including an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Can't believe it, but I finished a Saturday puzzle too!
Yay! Congrats! Me too!
HG, hope you are 100% asap!
The puzzle? Enjoyable for a Saturday, kept me entertained for a while, right up until screencap? Sorry, I don't use that word, never heard of it, and without perps made me T.i.T.T. And play whack a mole with the red letter button.
Learning moment: ( there are more than 7 curse words...)
Just kidding, lava lakes was one of many learning moments today. At the South Pole? Gotta research this, sounds like a great place for a getaw@y Spa...
Yep. It’s very good. Loved it.
Speaking of getaway spa,
I was YouTubing last night, and managed to watch all but the last 3 minutes of a one hour show before the power transformer on the pole behind the house exploded, and we were cast into darkness for many hours. But this was a kind of special show, and I want to share. I can't share it with my kids, because the will go " it's in black and white, we can't watch that!" They don't know what they are missing.
Here is The Danny Kaye Show from Christmas 1963, with Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, and Jamie Farr (pre M*A*S*H*). Enjoy! It's better than anything you will see today...
Also, I discovered a site that uses A.I. to enhance old old videos of music songs that I used to listen to growing up. it's amazing! go to the site to see hundreds of old music videos made new again and in 4K...
Close, but no cigar. A few too many obscure names for my taste, but an enjoyable instead of aggravating Satutday outing...just a bit above my current pay grade, but a good brain workout.
Ditto. My exact experience!
I enjoyed today’s puzzle, and blog, and comments. Thank you, All❣️
I was with my grandkids (age 10 & 7) for christmakkuh (sp? of a “thang” now, when more fams have culture mixes?) - and it was fun getting their help with the cws.
Today was pretty good for me. I did know Taika Waititi, but when I went to look at why/how, I didn’t know (of my own recalled experience) a single thing IMBD says he’s done - HUH!? I did recognize his face tho.
I too put “untangled” first. Even tho, I used “detangler” solutions on both my daughters’ hair when they were little - never saw “untangled” solutions for sale.
Ah, words! - how we humans make them up; use, misuse, and overuse, then change, them; and then throw them away; only to start again - with our ?genetically ?fated attempts to communicate with each other!
I’ve never taken to okra (slimy) or kale (bitter, r/tough). But I do recommend aloo gobi (if one likes cauliflower) - the spices add/balance flavors nicely, and of course ghee (read “butter”) makes everything better - oui?!
Now on toward 2026! The Rose Parade ends not too far from me - so the tradition is: friends arrive EARLY (with home-made cinnamon rolls), watch parade on tv, then walk to it in real time-space for closeups of the floats. Most of the bands are doing merely cadences by the end — eager (I project) to be done with the 4.9 mile march, and to get to the port-a-potties, and - then - to the IN-N-OUT trucks for their “free” food reward! [We buy the (grilled-peppers-&-onions-topped) bacon-wrapped hot dogs from street vendors for our 2nd NYs-day treat!]
Thx again❣️Happy New Year - almost!
An August performance from August. At first, I thought this might be the rare Saturday with a theme (snaps), but it soon worked itself out.
I could cut-n-paste Naomi @ 9:59. She hit all my highlights.
Gary, you are a trooper and your dedication to this blog is admirable. Nothing more nostalgic than reliving being sick long ago via VapoRub. LOL
Wow! Over !400 !consecutive blogs — that’s amazing❣️ All of you bloggers, and constructors, are amazing to me❣️
(And, we dedicated cw solvers are not “chopped liver”!)
HG - Sorry to read you’ve been under the weather. (I haven’t seen the blog since last Sunday ๐ - the grands only gave me a little screen time of my own each day ๐คฃ๐คช. I’m back home today.) Yeh - that Vicks smell is one-of-a-kind! And (?tele-, er, no!) transports me back to the1950s too. H’rray for supportive spouses!
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