Theme: Zero to hero
Constructor Doug Peterson has constructed a lovely grid with five symmetrically placed theme entries, two of which span the grid from side to side. It is all based on a familiar rags-to-riches story, as revealed at 62-Across.
62-Across. Underdog's feel-good narrative, and where to find the first words of the answers to the starred clues: CINDERELLA STORY. Let's review the starred clues and answers to see the Cinderella elements.
17-Across. *Lead Belly song about a wee-hours train: MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. Cinderella has to leave the royal ball before MIDNIGHT, when her dress will turn back into rags, her coach will turn back into a pumpkin, and her coachmen will turn back into mice. As for the song, MIDNIGHT SPECIAL is a folk song that originated among African-American prisoners in southern states, and was recorded by Huddie William "Lead Belly" Ledbetter in 1934.
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| Lead Belly |
28-Across. *Armless furniture that sits low to the ground: SLIPPER CHAIR. When Cinderella runs away from the ball, one of her glass SLIPPERs falls off, leaving behind a crucial clue for the prince to find her. A SLIPPER CHAIR is an upholstered, armless chair with a low seat, typically placed in a corner of a bedroom so that ladies can sit to put on their SLIPPERs.
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| A 19th century slipper chair. |
39-Across. *Play area with plastic spheres: BALL PIT. Cinderella's stepmother provides her own daughters with elegant gowns and a coach so that they may attend the royal BALL, but Cinderella is left at home in rags to continue her usual chores -- until her fairy godmother provides her with magical garb and transportation. You may never have attended a royal ball, but you've probably seen a BALL PIT, where children crawl around among small plastic balls.
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| Cinderella's ball pit? |
47. *Flavor of many fall lattes: PUMPKIN SPICE. How will Cinderella get to the ball, since her sisters have left without her? Her fairy godmother turns a PUMPKIN into a coach. Think about that next fall when you order a PUMPKIN SPICE latte at Starbucks!
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| Appearing every fall since 2004. |
Who doesn't love a CINDERELLA STORY, in which the good and kind triumph over the wicked and mean? And who can fail to appreciate the beauty of this grid?
Quickly now, before any of us turn into mice, let's address the rest of the clues and answers.
Across:1. Put on: DON. Cinderella had the bright idea to DON her dead mother's dress, but her nasty stepsisters tore it to pieces.
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| Poor Cinderella! |
4. More crafty: SLIER. This answer works in the USA, but Brits are slyer.
9. Red emblem on the English flag: CROSS.
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| Flag of England |
14. Org. concerned with forever chemicals: EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.
15. Trattoria course: PASTA. A trattoria is an Italian eatery, less formal than a ristorante, but more formal than an osteria. Pasta is usually among the dishes labeled Primi, or first, which constitute the first hot course of a meal, often vegetarian. Secondi is the next course, where meat and seafood appear.
16. Flood barrier: LEVEE.
17. [Theme clue]
20. Blooming __: deep-fried appetizer: ONION. DH used to invite clients and prospective clients to dinner at nice restaurants. His then-assistant set up one of these meals at a steakhouse, and the vegetarian entree she arranged for DH was a blooming onion. He was not thrilled with her choice.
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| blooming onion |
21. Large atlas section: ASIA.
22. Broadband letters: DSL. Digital Subscriber Line is high-speed Internet access that uses existing copper telephone lines from homes and businesses to transmit data.
23. Pico de gallo pepper: SERRANO. Pico de gallo is a chunky Mexican salsa made from tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeños or serranos, and lime juice.
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| pico de gallo |
26. Advance, as cash: LEND.
28. [Theme clue]
33. In this spot: HERE.
36. Prefix with classical: NEO. Neo is a prefix meaning "new" or "revived." Neoclassical refers to the revival of classical styles, especially in literature, music, art, or architecture.
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| The U.S. Capitol is an example of neoclassical architecture. |
37. Extreme: ULTRA.
38. GI show gp.: USO. The United Service Organizations Inc. is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment to members of the United States Armed Forces and their families.
39. [Theme clue]
42. "Ugh, sounds painful!": OOF.
43. New Zealand native: MAORI.
45. Forever and a day: EON.
46. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo, for short: TMNT. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The turtles, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo, starred in comic books, animated cartoons, video games, and films.
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| Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo |
47. [Theme clue]
51. __ Millions lottery: MEGA. Mega Millions is a multijurisdictional lottery game. It is offered in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For those of you in Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, or Utah, this will not be your rags-to-riches story.
52. Lose one's footing: STUMBLE.
56. One of the Manning brothers: ELI. Eli Manning played in the National Football League for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. He led the Giants to underdog Super Bowl victories against the New England Patriots in Super Bowls XLII (2008) and XLVI (2012). Those were zero-to-hero seasons for the Giants!
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| Eli Manning |
61. Bit of mint: SPRIG.
62. [Theme clue]
66. Mombasa's country: KENYA. Mombasa is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. Centered on an island, the city extends onto the mainland. It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi.
67. JPEG, e.g.: IMAGE. A JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) file is a popular, compressed image format (.jpg, .jpeg) ideal for digital photos.
68. Dispenser at a bar: TAP.
69. Beginning stage: ONSET.
70. Took to the impound lot: TOWED.
71. Pres. before DDE: HST. Before Dwight D. Eisenhower, there was Harry S. Truman.
Down:
1. Tech expo presentations: DEMOS.
2. Share a view: OPINE.
3. Lowest point: NADIR.
4. Backbone-related: SPINAL.
5. Delay in a livestream: LAG.
6. "Kinda": ISH.
7. Gospel great James: ETTA. Crossword puzzles love this songstress.
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| Etta James |
8. Grapple, slangily: RASSLE.
9. Neat and well-groomed: CLEAN CUT.
10. "Parks and __": REC. Parks and Recreation (also known as Parks and Rec) is a political satire mockumentary television sitcom that aired on NBC from 2009 to 2015. The series stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. I found the first few episodes unbearable, but apparently it improved.
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| Amy Poehler in Parks and Recreation |
11. Poet of ancient Rome: OVID.
12. Bodies of water: SEAS.
13. Exchange for cash: SELL.
18. Like myths about Asgard: NORSE.
19. Walkway over water: PIER.
24. Girl, in Guatemala: NIÑA.
25. Autobahn auto: OPEL. Opel began as a sewing machine manufacturer founded by Adam Opel in 1862 in Rüsselsheim am Main. They began making bicycles in 1886 and produced their first automobile in 1899. The company was responsible for the world's first rocket-powered flights in 1928 and 1929. In 1929, General Motors took a majority stake in Opel and then full control in 1931, establishing American ownership of the German automaker for nearly 90 years. In 2017, PSA Peugeot Citroën acquired Opel, which is still headquartered in Rüsselsheim am Main.
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| Opel's 2026 all electric auto will sell for 25,000 euros. |
27. FedEx alternative: DHL. DHL (named after founders Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) is a multinational logistics company, founded in the United States and headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It provides courier, package delivery, and express mail services.
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| DHL in the USA |
30. Basic particle: ATOM.
31. Mineral in leafy greens: IRON. And protein! DH is cooking up fresh spinach as I type.
32. River float: RAFT.
33. Camel feature: HUMP.
34. Biblical twin: ESAU. His fraternal twin was Jacob. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentils. He was hungry!
35. Suite part: ROOM.
39. Pedaler's perch: BIKE SEAT.
40. Opens, as a trunk: POPS.
41. Still a competitor: IN IT. Still with me? You are IN IT to win it!
44. LP fig.: RPM. An LP (Long Play) record typically plays at 33 1/3 RPM (revolutions per minute).
46. Tantalize: TEMPT.
48. Classical composer Stravinsky: IGOR. Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and a pivotal figure in modernist music. His third ballet, The Rite of Spring, caused a near-riot at the premiere in 1913 due to its avant-garde nature. But then, there were four near-riots in European concert halls that year!
49. "Anything you want!": NAME IT.
50. Was a potty mouth: CUSSED.
53. Soup liquid: BROTH.
54. Turkish coins: LIRAS.
55. Red Sea nation: EGYPT. My cousin's wife is currently climbing pyramids. DH's best bud cruised the Nile recently. It's trending.
56. Fashion designer Marc: ECKO. Marc Ecko followed his artistic inclination into T-shirt design and made a name for himself with hip-hop and skater fashions. He's an emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and is known for charitable works.
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| Marc Ecko |
57. Bank's property claim: LIEN.
58. Cozy lodgings: INNS.
60. Red friend of Grover: ELMO.
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| Oscar the Grouch, Grover, Elmo, and Cookie Monster |
64. Statute: LAW.
65. Get on in years: AGE. Presumably, this is what the prince and Cinderella did when they lived happily ever after.
43 comments:
I’ve been avoiding the
phrase “a walk in the park” lately, feeling like it had been overused, however I think this puzzle is a good example of a “walk in the park.” Others may disagree. We’ll see.
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
FIR, but that’s not what’s on my mind this morning. Rather, it’s the discussion of the past two days about the why there has been a decrease in blog viewers and commenters over recent years. My suggestion is that the love, lore, and lure of crossword puzzles, like cursive handwriting, resides in us geezers and not to the younger “x, y, or z” generations. I bet that if we polled the regular bloggers, commenters, including the lurkers, to the “Corner,” the average age would be above 65. What ye think?
Good morning!
Never heard of a SLIPPER CHAIR, and as I worked my way through the grid, the Sisty Uglers never occurred to me. Still, it's a clever theme. Thanks to NaomiZ for 'splainin' TMNT. I thought DHL stood for Dewey, Huey, and Louie. Thanx for the amusement, Doug, and for the expo, NaomiZ. (I like a bloomin' onion, but I agree it would make a poor entree.)
Musings
-Indiana University football was the CINDERELLA STORY for the ages
-An Arch Campbell story: Now, Rindercella lived with her mugly other and her two sad bisters.
-I have been fasting for two days and that blooming ONION looks mighty TEMPTING!
-LENDING cash to my siblings led to a lot of problems
-It had to be TMTN but I had no idea it was right
-Jeff Foxworthy called the MEGA millions lottery a redneck IRA
-Naomi, your cousin’s wife had better be careful climbing: No, you are
not allowed to climb the pyramids in Egypt or most other major archaeological sites. The practice is strictly prohibited by law, and violators face severe penalties, including hefty fines, potential jail sentences of up to three years, and a lifetime ban from visiting the country.
@Prof M: I have been doing crosswords since the mid nineties (got hooked on the Detroit News). Started doing LA Times when it was reprinted in the Michigan Daily student newspaper in the early oughts (Fridays seemed impossible then!). I’ve been coming here for about five years but rarely comment. Mid 40s here
@Husker Gary: May the best basketball team win this week!
FIR, but erased slyer for SLIER. Guess I was in a Brit frame of mind.
My first "appointment TV" show was MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. Must have been on NBC, whose WSAZ-TV affiliate was the only station we could get.
Blooming ONION is a trademark of Outback Steakhouse. There are copycat versions by other names.
Bill Murray's hilarious CINDERELLA STORY bit in CaddyShack was totally unscripted. Director Harold Ramis was smart enough to let Bill be Bill.
I noticed that we had SPINAL and TAP today.
Didn't much like "tech expo" for DEMOS, but I get it. Kinda like coming up with fresh clues for OBOE and OREO. At least it was better than TMNT.
Thanks to Doug for the fresh start to the week. And thanks to NaomiZ for another fine review. But if DH took business clients to an Outback Steak House, he probably should have known that the vegetarian entrees would be a bit limited.
74
FIR. Slipper chair? Not something I've heard of before. But the rest of the puzzle was somewhat fair.
For some reason I stared at Cinderella for some time without the first letter and just couldn't see it. Ecko was unknown to me so the letter "C" took a while to fill. Then my aha moment!
Yet overall a so-so puzzle.
Took 4:26 today to find Prince Charming....
Seemed like WITP today, despite sharing Jinx's slyer/slier and KS's hesitation at the "C" in Ecko/Cinderella.
My age is below Prof M's estimated average.
75
70 yrs old
81
12 to FIR, a bit longer than most Mondays for me. Never heard of a SLIPPERCHAIR and once I had the SLIPPERC part, thinking furniture, I guessed COUCH. Bzzzt! W/O there when CHAIR appeared with perps. Other W/O = CURSED/CUSSED. TMNT was all perps and I had no idea what it stood for until NaomiZ 'splained it. "MANNING BROTHERS" perps filled _LI before the V-8 can hit: Oh! THOSE Manning brothers! Good thing because of the 15 names, I DNK 4, ECKO being one of them, so I needed that "E" from ELI. Yellow flag to DP for crossing two names, but other than that and TMNT a very clever, fun construction, thanx DP. And I did see the theme. Great symmetry, too. Thanx for the terrific write-up, NaomiZ.
Good Morning:
I saw the theme as soon as I filled in Slipper, immediately following Midnight. Interestingly, CC and I collaborated on a Cinderella theme, but I can’t remember the exact themers or reveal. As usual, Doug has given us a cute theme and a clean grid and some fun cluing. Fish sticks, indeed! My only stumble was coming up with TMNT and having no idea what those letters referred to.
Thanks, Doug, and thanks, Naomi, for the interesting fact-filled review and commentary. I’ve heard of a Slipper Chair and now I know what one looks like. It seems awfully low, though, for easy rising. Thanks for the brief reminder of the Giant’s glory days!
Have a great day.
FIR. Got the theme after the reveal. Cute. ECKO and TMNT needed perps to fill. BALL PIT was a WAG.
I’ve never seen SLIPPER CHAIR before. Based on the picture NaomiZ provided, it seems impractical. It would be almost like sitting on the floor, and then you have to be very young and spry to get up from that low a CHAIR. (I’m one of the way over 65 cornerites).
When I saw grapple in the clue at first I thought it was some kind of grape/apple juice. LOL.
Thank you NaomiZ for your fine review.
Prof M, perhaps there is some correlation between the average age of the older solvers and the average age of today’s young constructors that accounts for the decrease?
You and I were writing at the same time and had the same reaction to the SLIPPER CHAIR.
70
74 y.o. Occasional commenter, daily solver.
68 here….and I thought today’s puzzle was more of a Wednesday than a Monday
Great minds . . . . 🤣
Not to worry, the young will get older. And if lucky, wiser...
Marvelous Monday. Thanks for the fun, Doug and NaomiZ.
I FIRed, but I took longer than the usual Monday time, and had more inkblots. I smiled at the CINDERELLA STORY theme with the story going up from the themer.
Hand up for being in the over 65 crowd.
This Canadian had SLyER before being forced to SLIER (yuk). (But I did know HST.)
Loan changed to LEND., TEase to TEMPT.
I noted DHL and DSL. (Great catch on SPINAL and TAP, Jinx.
TMNT was an easy fill as my two sons were fans. Recently I found a TMNT Shredder poster in a box in the cupboard still unclaimed by the youngest. Like old baseball cards, it may be worth more than its original price.
Wishing you all a great day.
you never hear the other side of the story...
The three musketeers reference had me searching my head for French Literature. (Yes, I know. There is no French Literature in my head...)
As my Spanish teacher taught me, "No se nada..."
Hmm, that Esau/Jacob thing is deep... (I may be researching all day...)
Re: Outback Steakhouse...
Yes, shrimp on the Barbie would have been a better choice...
But let's take look, shall we... in all fairness to your DH's aide, "bloomin Onion is their signature dish. But what else can a vegetarian eat? Spinach dip? Sheesh! If it were up to me, it would have been deep fried jalapeño poppers with yellow American cheese inside and blue cheese dip! (And possibly bacon...)
And im a bloomin' Aussie!
P.s. Addendum,
Any complaints, (being CrossEyedDave) I would have referred them to the kids Menu... so your DH got off lucky, (and I would have got fired...)
When I saw that todays offering was a Doug Peterson puzzle I made a fresh cup of coffee and looked forward to solving it.
As usual he offered a clean grid, no dreck, a bit of fresh fill, and a clever theme.
Thanks Naomi for the entertaining and educational recap.
For the survey I am 68.
Thanks, HG at 6:05 AM! My cousin's wife has been climbing interior passages in pyramids in the company of a licensed guide.
70-year-old crossword fan here! (My daughter prefers Sudoku. My mother does the USA Today crossword.)
Rather than provide links here, I suggest a Google search for "slipper chair." You'll recognize these armless upholstered chairs at once. The antique chair I used as an illustration is nothing like today's slipper chairs, and I don't know whether it is typical of older ones. I just thought it looked like something out of a castle 🏰 !
Well, I thought tonight's MIDNIGHT SPECIAL was clearly going to need some PASTA along with side dishes of PUMPKIN SPICE and flavored with ONION and other tasty things. If we could listen to a CINDERELLA STORY the whole time we're cooking, wouldn't that be delightful? Hey, I think we're having a great start this morning, even before we head off to that BALL PIT.
So it looks as though there was some discussion about aging, and people were listing their ages. Okay, I just turned 81 on December 23. I'd say that makes me a bit of a senior, doesn't it?
Have a great day, everybody.
77
A fitting puzzle for Monday, lots of CW standard clues and fill, and not a lot of names, although I needed perps for the unknown ECKO. CROSSed the finish line in 5 ticks under 10. Like others, SLIPPER CHAIR was new to me. My kids were young when the TMNTs were popular, I recognized the names so that was a gimme. I’m more familiar with the CCR version of MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. MEGA Millions is like a tax on people who are really bad in math, odds are 1 in 24 to even get your $5 back, much higher for bigger prizes. Thanks Doug for the enjoyable solve, and to NaomiZ, your writing is always a bright spot on Monday’s, I appreciate your time and thought in putting your blog together!
72 1/2 as of 1/17
72
TMNT for a crossword fill. Other than the unknown, but easily filled SLIPPER CHAIR, that was the only fill that took more than a few seconds.
The ONION mum originated at a local restaurant, Russell's Marina Grill in NOLA, about 40 years ago. Outback Steakhouse popularized it a few years later.
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. Remember TV shows over 50 years ago , before 24hr broadcasting? NBC would run a show at midnight. I think Johnny Rivers sang the song. CCR also did a version. And there was a movie from 10 years ago by that name with Kirsten Dunst. Very few people saw it but the producers paid me $2,000 to shoot a scene at my house. There were here from 7am to past 4pm with an army of workers for a less than one minute scene.
I enjoyed this puzzle. Doug Peterson is another master.
This 84-year-old solver had BONES as those fish sticks at first. And SLYER before SLIER.
Good reading all your comments.
85
74
Hola! As always, I'm late on Mondays but enjoyed Doug Peterson's offering. It took about 10 minutes, give or take, to fill it. I've never heard of a SLIPPER CHAIR and that photo tells me I've never before seen one, either.
4A SPINAL could have been connected with TAP 68A.
SERRANO chiles are very hot!
My carpool friend drove an OPEL, so every other week I was in it.
I have been doing crossword puzzles since age 10 and I'm now 88.
Have a great day, everyone!
68
Google’s collection of SLIPPER CHAIRS makes more sense. Thanks for the suggestion.
72….for a few more weeks
70, Do the USAToday and LA Times x words most every day for the last 5 years or so, and “slipper chair” was unfamiliar to me too.
72 and a lurker for 10 years or so - love reading you all - thanks - dlt
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