CHiPs Fries
I do believe this is Peggy Sue Marlin's first published puzzle - congratulations~! I found this link to another crossword site, and her name appears there a few times. For today's theme, Peggy uses the "UK" term for a 'thing' as an adjective for the "American" 'thing', with a humorous result. My parents were born and raised in Nottingham, England, so I was familiar with the "other" terms Brits use, e.g. lorry for truck, bonnet for hood, etc. Standard grid, no circles, just thirteen 3LWs, but a few too many names for my taste. The themers, all unique;
20. Rental unit with zero personality?: FLAT APARTMENT
A whole building of FLAT apartments
28. One who forgot insect repellent for a walk in the park?: BUGGY STROLLER - Camelot~!
I have to push the Pram A Lot ~!
45. Five-star frank?: BANGER SAUSAGE
This is a FINE example of sausage~!
52. Salad special at a Cape Canaveral cafe?: ROCKET ARUGULA - new to me, I did not know that arugula, everywhere else, is called "rocket" - you learn something new from crosswords everyday~!
And Away We Loo~!
ACROSS:
1. "Star Wars" villain: VADER - "I find your lack of faith . . . . distubing" - name #1
6. Cartoon supplier of explosive tennis balls: ACME
Wile E Coyote's go-to supply company
10. "I'm __ you asked": "GLAD"
14. BP merger partner: AMOCO
15. Glitzy rock genre: GLAM - ah, such sweet memories....NY Dolls and Kiss may have started it all, but I grew up in the 80s with the likes of Poison, Cinderella, and my personal favorite, Mötley Crüe
Care to see the video for Looks that Kill~? - I'm GLAM you asked~!
16. Work (up): RILE
17. Emblems on some caps: LOGOS
18. Add to the staff: HIRE
19. Auth. unknown: ANONymous
23. Mai __: rum drink: TAI
25. Día de __ Muertos: LOS - Espaniol, "Day of the Dead" - used as the backdrop for the opening sequence from "Spectre", the penultimate Bond film starring Daniel Craig. There were NO edits for the first four minutes, and that's an incredible feat; the behind-the-scenes making of - with the one-shot description mentioned at 10:42. Here's a gratuitous Daniel 007 for C.C.
26. "Lost" actor Daniel __ Kim: DAE - "Dae of the Five-O", too - in fact, I see he had a guest "54D." on Law & Order back in 1994 - his IMDb; name #2
27. Grow older: AGE
32. Host of the 2004 Olympics: ATHENS - I believe they hosted the FIRST games, as well
33. __ cards: INDEX - they come in handy for . . . .
34. Repetitive learning method: ROTE - printing music notes on, so I could learn them by sight, rather than counting lines and spaces
35. Craft beer letters: IPA - crossword staple
36. "Aladdin" parrot named for a Shakespeare villain: IAGO - name #3
40. Brother's daughter: NIECE - my niece-in-law broke her lower leg riding a quad on Thanksgiving
43. Puffy reminder of a scuffle: FAT LIP - FAT TIRE is an Amber Ale
47. Washington airport code: DCA - Dah~! Not SEA for Seattle / Tacoma, the other Washington - D.C. - and Ronald Reagan Airport
49. Bible book before 1 Cor.: ROM - Romans - ooof; I guess it's a change-up from ROMantic COMedy, but I am not familiar with the Biblical books
Bottom Shelf
50. "Star Trek" series, for short: TNG - The Next Generation, and MY generation. I could not get into the original series, as I knew Star Wars before I saw William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, et. al. in their roles as Kirk & Spock, etc. I did, however, embrace the characters in this series, which began in 1987
Bangers humor
51. Recycle bin item: CAN
56. Repulsive: ICKY
57. Club choice: IRON - not sa'miches, but one of the "niblicks" used at 44D.
58. Big name in plastic wrap: SARAN - says name right in the clue - #4
61. Outside the lines: FOUL - sports lingo, not coloring books
62. Sandy sediment: SILT - Sandy sentiment~?
You're The One That I Want, Grease, 1978
63. Entry on a Spotify playlist: TITLE - music streaming; I use Pandora; Spotify is too much work for me
64. Carton sealer: TAPE - I first read this as cartOON
Wile E "sealed" in glue
65. Low digits: TOES
66. Quite capable: ADEPT
DOWN:
1. Actor Kilmer: VAL - name #5
2. Ti __: Italian "I love you": AMO - how ROMANtic
3. Ace-versus-ace sky battle: DOGFIGHT - George Lucas explains how he used clips of WWII dogfights so his Star Wars special effects team could grasp what he was aiming for with the Death Star battle finale
4. Climate change sci.: ECOLogy
5. Historian Terborg-Penn: ROSALYN - Sheesh. On Wednesday. Name #6 - her Wiki
6. Horrified: AGHAST
7. Chip bag closer: CLIP - Not SEAL
8. Argentine soccer legend Diego: MARADONA - I recalled this name - more here - name #7
9. May birthstone: EMERALD
Definitely not the Grinch . . . .
10. Nana: GRAM - I grew up with "Granny", thus my one goof in the grid - the 'N' to 'M'
11. One-dimensional: LINEAR
12. Word with run or tag: ALONG - run along, tag-along
13. Al __: pasta specification: DENTE
21. Throw in the trash: TOSS
22. Lead-in to prompter: TELE - TelePrompTer - history
23. Ski lift: T-BAR - third "Tee" answer in row
24. Mustang or Pinto: AUTO - FORD worked, as well - two names used by the Ford Motor Co. - and Charlie's Angels, too
An article from Motorbiscuit about the cars here
29. Davis of "A League of Their Own": GEENA - knew it, still a name, #8
30. More edible, perhaps: RIPER
31. Off-ramps: EXITS
35. Video game plumber who freezes enemies: ICE MARIO - I knew Mario, but not the ICE version - name #9
37. Menu phrase: À LA CARTE - good to see the whole phrase in a crossword
38. More than mega-: GIGA - one point twenty-one GIGAwatts~!
Doc Brown, Back to the Future
39. Like a 24-hour diner: OPEN - all day . . . . and night
41. Memo phrase: IN RE
42. Self-centered sort: EGOTIST - Narcissist was too much for this answer
43. Vampire tooth: FANG
44. Masters Tournament host city: AUGUSTA - I like to watch golf
45. "Wait, what did you just say?": "BACK UP..."
46. Double duty?: STUNTS - Stunt doubles, har-har
47. Deviate: DRIFT
48. __ powder: COCOA
53. Schwarber who led the National League in home runs in 2022 and 2025: KYLE - I don't care much for baseball, so this one was all perps - name #10
54. Actor's assignment: ROLE - I prefer behind-the-scenes work, but I would love to play a twisted bad guy in a movie some day
55. Set, as a table: LAID - meh, but I guess so
59. Swiss peak: ALP
60. March Madness souvenir: NET - college basketball - the winners usually snip the net from the rim
27 comments:
FIR without erasure. DNK ROSALYN, MARADONA, ICE MARIO, and KYLE.
Also, DNK that ARUGULA was AKA ROCKET. Made me fret over the perps, because by the time I got there I had already dubbed the puzzle "doublespeak."
One cannot apply for membership at AUGUSTA National. I've read that the one way to assure that one will NEVER be a member is to ask to be one. No one is allowed to play the course in June, July, August and September, but members still have to pay their dues, which are rumored to be between $1,000 and $4,000 per month.
Thanks to Peggy Sue for the easy Wednesday puzzle, although I would have had more fun had there been less A&E fill. And thanks to Splynter for another fun review.
Good morning!
Rats. D-o dyslexically entered API rather than IPA, yielding MARADONI and ACE MARIO. Looked bon to moi. Bzzzzzt. In my ute it was Granma rather than Gram -- she was the only oldster still alive after my 5th birthday. Caught the duplication in the themers, but didn't notice the British/American connection. Interesting debut, Peggy Sue. Enjoyed the expo, Splynter. (Do you speak with a British accent?)
Welcome Peggy Sue. I wonder if you were named after the Buddy Holly hit song, maybe you are tired of that question.
My unknowns were already mentioned so I will just say I enjoyed the puzzle and the write up. Splynter you managed two leg pics today. Good job
Today is the 52nd anniversary of my father’s passing and the tenth for my oldest brother. Love you both, they solved crosswords much faster than I and as such led to my ever being here.
Not remembering that
“rocket” is a synonym for “arugula” was my only difficulty, in this clever puzzle.
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
No accent here, but mom & dad never lost theirs in the almost 50 years of living in America; when my school friends used to call for me on the wall-mounted landline back in the day, they thought they'd mis-dialed the UK as mom would answer 'ello~?
Like Jinx. I
" DNK ROSALYN, MARADONA, ICE MARIO, and KYLE.
Also, DNK that ARUGULA was AKA ROCKET", but I FIR.
I caught the theme after BUGGY STROLLER, but had not a clue about ROCKET and ARUGULA. British vs. American terms- I didn't catch that.
I figured the airport code was for Dulles but didn't know the abbr. as DCA.
The only orders in the bible I remember are Genesis & Exodus and Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John.
This year, I went to Cape Canaveral and Washington D.C. At the Space Center the only things to eat were the usual tourist fare-hamburger, fries,...etc. Didn't notice any ARUGULA in the prepared salad I didn't order.
On the D.C. trip, we flew into BWI because we were going to Amish country before our four days in D.C. while most things were closed in October. But there was a gun, not DOG, fight a less than two blocks from our hotel just as we drove up.
There could have been a better clue for 55D if you 'catch my 47D". LAID was used as the past tense for "Set" in the puzzle.
Took 6:18 today without needing a rubber eraser.
Thanks solely to this being a recent rerun clue, I knew the Actor of the "Dae". Historian somebody?
Without trying to violate the no-religion rule of the Corner, I remember this mnemonic: Gods Everlasting Love Never Dies.
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
(Now, if only I had a way to remember how to spell them.)
Musings
-I’m guessingROCKET ARUGULA was learning for some of us here
-Senator to nominee, “Is it true you are a lying and corrupt person?” Nominee, “I’m GLAD you asked that Senator.”
-I might have a few hats with the NASA meatball LOGOon them.
-A woman for whom I sub allows kids to take tests with all the notes they can cram onto one side of an INDEX card
-President Carters’s first lady has two N’s at the end of her name so Peggy Sue had to dip into the obscure bucket
-A nearly LINEAR relationship
-Some TV personalities are not very good at stopping eye movement when reading a TELEPROMPTER
-Servants on Downton Abbey have the duty to LAY the table
-What, not one Buddy Holly mention vis-à-vis contructor Peggy Sue? :-)
-Nice job, Splynter
Guess ROCKET ARUGULA is a plant and figured BANGER SAUSAGE must relate to English BANGERS and mash and a FLAT is an APARTMENT. Odd theme . The rest fairly easy, didn’t know KYLE or ROSALYN, but knew MARADONA just wasn’t sure of spelling. My grandson woulda known ICEMARIO. “Double duty: STUNTS?
P
Inkover: Atlanta/AUGUSTA
Ancient Greek athletes were known to compete in the buff. So how did they avoid frostbite during the Winter Olympics 🥶
Going to the supermarket you can use a basket or shop ALACARTE
The “plastic wrap” inventor named it after his wife Sarah and daughter Ann = SARAN
Why DOGFIGHT, dogs don’t fly (except Snoopy)
Besides the Buddy Holly song Kathleen Turner starred in the 1986 flick “Peggy Sue Got Married”
Over the hump today. Lately that indicates a big jump in difficulty tomorrow. 🙀
Place to store your cowboy gear = BOOT TRUNK? I really enjoyed this creative theme - never seen one like it before. I also appreciated the clever clueing and mild misdirection for FAT LIP, TOES, FOUL, STUNTS.
Congratulations to Peggy Sue on your debut, and thanks for the fun romp! And thanks to Splynter for the engaging recap. Always fun to think about the indefatigable Wile E Coyote.
I got this unusual and delightful theme at BUGGY STROLLER. I knew all the Brit terms making it easy for me to detect the other entries.
There were a few unknown names like MARADOMA and DAE as well as ROSALYN and KYLE.
I’ll take a CSO for EMERALD, not only my birth stone but my favorite stone. Just before we got married DH bought me a pair of slender EMERALD earrings.
Thank you Splynter for your nice review.
I DNK that was called a "meatball logo". I've always thought it was a very cool, well designed logo. Was calling it a "meatball logo" meant to be derogatory?
Hola! I got through this puzzle with only a minor stumble at DRIFT/ICKY. I had UGLY so, of course, DRUFT made no sense. Sigh. I am just not on my A game these days. I did get the British terms at FLAT, BUGGY, BANGER. And I'll take a CSO at Nana which is what I am called by my grandchildren, one of whom is graduating from ASU this term.
I've always liked the name ROSALYN. Interesting to learn the origin of SARAN. Thank you for that, Ray.
In June 2004 I was in ATHENS when construction began in anticipation of the Olympics. Great enthusiasm ensued.
Thanks to Splynter and Peggy Sue Martine for today's exertainment.
Have a beautiful day, everyone! I'm almost ready to mail Christmas cards!
If that's a Q re "Double duty = STUNTS" think of the actor's double: he does the stunts.
Another piece of cake today. Romped right through until the southwest corner slowed me down a bit, but managed the FIR. The only unknown names were ROSLYN and the soccer guy, but they were nicely perped. I thought the theme was clever, and the puzzle quite enjoyable. Three easy ones in a row...I await the rest of the week with great trepidation!
From Yesterday and Today:
AnonT & Splynter Thank you for the PICARD shouts out!
Here Merlie and I were with that famous OBELISK near DCA.
DCA is the code for George Washington National Airport. We locals usually call it "National".
As Lucina said, thanx Ray for the origin of SARAN. DNK. I've always thought "Fat Tire" is a very odd name for an IPA. I agree w/ BE@8:27: I've never laid a table (or a couch, for that matter) and have never heard anyone, including my Brit friends, say they were gonna lay the table. "Club choice" is a nice misdirection clue. It had me thinking sandwiches or drinks at first. 14 names, DNK 5, including MARAdONA and dAE. These two names crossing brought me to a resolution: from now on if my WAG is incorrect, I will give myself a pass and still say I managed to FIR. Today, I did the CW online, so red letter help got me the "D". So...FIR in 12. In spite of those nits, overall, a good, clever CW, thanx PSM. As always, I enjoyed your write-up, Splynter, thanx for all the time and effort you put into it for our entertainment. And thanx for the nice legs pics. I haven't heard about any work on pipe organs lately. Did you retire, or just not posting info? FYI, I always enjoy those pics of pipe organs. Amazingly complex instruments. And beautiful. Got my Christmas cards done yesterday, but was short one "Global" stamp, and had to go to the post office and stand in a long line of people shipping multiple boxes...to buy ONE stamp. At least it's done. Fewer and fewer people mail Christmas cards anymore. If I haven't rec'd a card in three years, I take 'em off the list, now down to 24. Hallmark used to say, "When you care enough to send the very best." When people text "HBD" or "Merry Xmas" instead of sending a card, makes me think "When you care so little you send the very least". Last year I sent 26, got 8. Oh well. :-((
Good Afternoon:
I agree with Kat on the freshness and unusualness of the theme which I got but didn’t get the British connection. Clever execution indeed. I didn’t know Rosalyn but managed to come up with Kyle because he’s been in the news recently. Maradona I knew but Ice Mario needed some perps. Overall, the solve was fun and enjoyable, once I conquered the SW corner.
Thanks, Peggy Sue, and congrats on your debut and thanks, Splynter, for your recap and personal asides.
Have a great day.
Ugly slowed me down. Didn't know anything about rocket and arugula but knew it had to be that. I enjoyed the puzzle and the recap Splynter.
I never met a sausage I didn’t love, but bangers are my favorite. Put them in Yorkshire pudding batter, bake it and you’ve got Toad-In-The- Hole. Add some HP Sauce and you’ve got yum.
Delightful Wednesday puzzle, many thanks, Peggy Sue. And I always enjoy and appreciate your commentary, Splynter, thanks for that too.
Well, that puzzle suggested that we might be GLAD to be able to live in a FLAT APARTMENT near an ACME or some other store where we might be able to buy food A LA CARTE. Would be fun to order some BANGER SAUSAGE or some ROCKET ARUGULA, wouldn't it? But there was also some trouble going on in this puzzle, starting with that DOG FIGHT (what were those poor critters fighting about, not enough food?) or that sad person who forgot her insect repellent while walking her BUGGY STROLLER. Later we got even more negative words from that FAT LIP telling us how ICKY and FOUL everything was out there.
I think I'd rather stay home, and just hope you all also have a healthy and happy rest of the day, and enjoy your evening.
Fun puzzle but the whole SW corner slowed me down majorly. I knew ICE MARIO but that's still just absolutely psychotic fill haha
Splynter, an inquiring mind wants to know: What’s with the ~ before the ! ?
Ahhh gotcha.
How cold does Greece get in the winter?
Thanks to Peggy Sue and congrats on your debut! I liked your clever gimmick. FAV was ROCKET ARUGULA. I listen to a BBC gardening podcast so that one clicked for me. Another FAV was INDEX cards. I have stacks.
Thanks, Splynter for all the fun. CHiPs Fries was brilliant. I guffawed at the BANGERS humor.
Can someone enlighten me, please? What does "5-star" have to do with bangers or sausage or franks?
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