Theme: NEWS FLASH!
Here's big news: This appears to be Pranav Daryanani's first published crossword puzzle. If so, congratulations! It's perfect for Monday, fast and fun but with some fresh fill. I didn't see the theme until the big reveal:
54-Across. "This just in!," or what 20-, 33-, and 40-Across are doing?: BREAKING NEWS. Oh, I get it! In the theme entries, the word NEWS is broken so that NE occurs at the beginning of the answer, and WS occurs at the end. Here are the theme entries:
20-Across. "Bridgerton" and "Stranger Things," for two: NETFLIX SHOWS.
33-Across. Cushions for napping on long flights: NECK PILLOWS.
40-Across. Statutes that attempt to ensure a carbon-neutral future: NET-ZERO LAWS.
Yours truly enjoys this sort of theme. It's not just about BREAKING a word, but revealing it in a way that is a clever play on words ... literally, BREAKING "NEWS." Hats off to Pranav.
Let's see what else our NEW constructor has in store for us.
Across:1. Mischief-makers: IMPS. An imp is a small evil spirit, or a mischievous child.
5. Cauliflower unit: HEAD. I like to buy cauliflower HEADs of different colors at the local farmers market, cut them up, rub them with olive oil and black pepper, and roast them in the oven on high heat until fork tender. Delicious as a side dish, or as the basis for cauliflower tacos.
9. "I __ Feeling": Black Eyed Peas hit: GOTTA. "I Gotta Feeling" is a song by the Black Eyed Peas from their fifth studio album The E.N.D. (2009). Bet you'll recognize the refrain.
14. Biblical ark maker: NOAH.
15. Ivy that was the first U.S. school to issue a Ph.D.: YALE. The eight members of the Ivy League are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University.
16. Barcelona bills: EUROS. Barcelona is in Spain, which is part of the European Union, and uses banknotes or "bills" in Euros, in these denominations: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, and €500. Single Euros exist only as coins.
17. Killer whale: ORCA.
18. "Journeys" that involve emotional manipulation: GUILT TRIPS. Cute clue!
20. [Theme clue]
22. Shoe front: TOE.
23. Watch display: TIME.
24. Letters between names: AKA. Also Known As. On Thursdays, we sometimes hear about a smart lady called RightBrain AKA Mrs. RustyBrain.
27. Vegas venue: CASINO. Have you seen any shows in Las Vegas?
30. Sparks happiness in: ELATES.
32. Groovy: FAB.
33. [Theme clue]
36. Historic chapters: ERAS.
38. Sombrero, e.g.: HAT.
39. Sticky strip: TAPE.
40. [Theme clue]
45. "Park it!": SIT.
46. Split: CLEAVE. Cleave is a great verb, with two opposing meanings:
1. to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly -- as in "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)
2. to divide by or as if by a cutting blow : split ; to separate into distinct parts and especially into groups having divergent views.
Keep CLEAVE in mind for clues like "cling together"!
47. Military gesture: SALUTE.
49. Overhead trains: ELS. Elevated trains, often called "Els" or "L trains," are rapid transit systems with tracks built above street level on elevated structures. DH and I were fascinated to see these in Chicago.
47. Military gesture: SALUTE.
49. Overhead trains: ELS. Elevated trains, often called "Els" or "L trains," are rapid transit systems with tracks built above street level on elevated structures. DH and I were fascinated to see these in Chicago.
 |
| Chicago "L train" |
50. Shade trees with oval leaves: ELMS. Oval leaves? Sure, I guess -- compared to maple leaves. Anyway, crossword "shade trees" are usually ELMS.
53. Dipping bread: SOP. This reviewer is familiar with the verb (to dip in liquid), but -- breaking news! -- has just learned the noun, a piece of food dipped in a liquid.
54. [Theme clue]
59. Magic or ventriloquism performance, say: VARIETY ACT. A variety act is a short, specialized performance -- such as juggling, magic, comedy, ventriloquism, or acrobatics -- featured within a larger, mixed-entertainment show.
62. Misses the mark: ERRS.
63. Radiates: EMITS.
64. Tiny unit of matter: ATOM.
65. Marvel-ous mutants?: X-MEN. The X-Men are a superhero team in comic books published by Marvel Comics.
 |
| X-Men |
66. Land near 41-Down: TIBET. "Land" as in "country."
67. State bird of Hawaii: NENE.
 |
| It was nice of this Nene on the Big Island to come close for a portrait. |
68. Sun-kissed shades: TANS.
Down:
1. Aware of, as a secret: IN ON.
2. "Encore!": MORE. Literally, "again" in French. Audiences in English speaking countries yell "Encore!" to mean "More!" French audiences shout "Bis!" (meaning "twice" or "repeat") or "Une autre!" (another one).
3. Treaty: PACT.
4. Mine passages: SHAFTS.
5. Personal cleanliness: HYGIENE. Easier to say than to spell! Hi, Jinx!
6. Waters, in French: EAUX. Literally, "waters" in French. The singular is "eau."
7. Sought-after party guests: A-LIST.
8. New __, India: DELHI. Delhi is a metropolitan region encompassing Old Delhi and surrounding areas. New Delhi is a specific, modern district within Delhi that serves as the capital of India.
9. Message on a hospital bouquet: GET WELL.
 |
| This can be a mood booster! |
10. For us: OURS.
11. Prefix with -ceratops: TRI. Triceratops means "three-horned face."
12. Tee or polo: TOP. TOP meaning "shirt."
13. Braying animal: ASS.
19. Marisa of "Spider-Man: No Way Home": TOMEI.
 |
| Marisa Tomei played Aunt May |
21. Pork cut: LOIN.
24. Words for raising spirits?: A TOAST.
25. Collectible doll with the same name as a Japanese mayonnaise brand: KEWPIE. This reviewer never heard of Kewpie mayo (sounds delish, actually), but knows Kewpie dolls. Our youngest grandchild looks just like a Kewpie doll, but his millenial parents don't know what that is.
 |
| Kewpie mayo and Kewpie doll |
26. Thing of value: ASSET.
27. "The Office" star Steve: CARELL. Steve Carell starred as Michael Scott in NBC's mockumentary comedy The Office for seven seasons, 2005–2011, and 2013. Great show.
 |
| Steve Carell in The Office |
28. Wanes: ABATES.
29. Spanish eight: OCHO.
31. PC key near Z: ALT. I'm glad they don't ask me about Mac keyboards.
32. Backyard border: FENCE.
34. Actor Penn: KAL. Kalpen Modi, known professionally as Kal Penn, is an American actor, author, and former White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration. He is known for his portrayals of Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar film series, Lawrence Kutner on the television program House, White House staffer Seth Wright on Designated Survivor, and Kevin, a psychologist and boyfriend to Robin in How I Met Your Mother.
 |
| Kal Penn |
35. School support gps.: PTAs. Parent Teacher Associations.
37. Kendrick Lamar's "All the Stars" collaborator: SZA. "All the Stars" is a song by rapper Kendrick Lamar and singer SZA, released in 2018 as the lead single to the soundtrack album of the film Black Panther. I'm not up to date with pop music, so this was NEWS to me.
41. Only mountain taller than K2: EVEREST. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on earth in terms of altitude, 29,032 feet above sea level. K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen, at 28,251 feet above sea level, is the second tallest. K2 is considered more difficult and dangerous to climb.
42. Rent out again: RELET.
43. "Someone else did this!": WASN'T ME.
44. Tedious assignment: SLOG.
48. First in line: UP NEXT.
51. Like Chichén Itzá: MAYAN.
42. Rent out again: RELET.
43. "Someone else did this!": WASN'T ME.
44. Tedious assignment: SLOG.
48. First in line: UP NEXT.
51. Like Chichén Itzá: MAYAN.
 |
| Very cool pre-Columbian site in Yucatán State, Mexico. |
52. Use an ice rink or a roller rink: SKATE.
54. Chomp: BITE.
55. Cultural legend: ICON.
56. Humorist Bombeck: ERMA. Erma Bombeck (1927-1996) wrote a syndicated newspaper humor column from 1965 to 1996, describing Ameican suburban home life . It was pretty great, and very popular. She suffered from kidney disease most of her life, requiring daily dialysis, and disclosed it only three years before her death.
 |
| Erma Bombeck |
57. Small songbird: WREN.
58. Govt.-issued IDs: SSNs.
59. Doc who might implant a microchip: VET. Doc is short for doctor; VET is short for veterinarian.
60. Mate, in Marseille: AMI. French for "friend."
61. Tease playfully: RIB.
58. Govt.-issued IDs: SSNs.
59. Doc who might implant a microchip: VET. Doc is short for doctor; VET is short for veterinarian.
60. Mate, in Marseille: AMI. French for "friend."
61. Tease playfully: RIB.
Here's the grid:
Solvers,
Were you on the FENCE about this puzzle? Was it a struggle akin to climbing EVEREST?
Or was it the sort of grid that ELATES you, with a VARIETY of fill that allowed you to SKATE to the finish?
Let us IN ON your thoughts in the comments!
-- NaomiZ
14 comments:
Well, it got me again.
And on a Monday, no less!
I just couldn’t get
“Net_ero Laws” and didn’t remember
“S(z)a” so I finally hit the “reveal letter” icon.
That’s the story, Now you know.
Good morning!
After noticing the X and Z, I checked to see if this was a pangram. Close, but no J or Q. NET ZERO LAWS was tough to parse. Otherwise, this one had a nice glide path to the bottom. We visited Chichén Itzá for my 50th. Climbing the pyramid was still allowed in those days. So we did. Impressive debut, Pranav. Enjoyed your enthusiastic expo, NaomiZ. (A bribe can also be a SOP.)
FIR, but guilt traps->GUILT TRIPS, eaus->EAUX, caroll->CARELL, and incan->MAYAN.
I found this one to be difficult for a Monday. Not getting Netflix and not knowing that SOP could be a noun (except in the context of a trinket used in negotiations) didn't help.
Also DNK GOTTA, but Naomi Z is right - the tune is well-known. That, and I've had a crush on Fergie for nearly as long as the one I have on TOMEI.
Jerry Reed sang She Got the Gold Mine, I Got the SHAFT. But I prefer Isaac Hayes' marvelous Theme From SHAFT.
Thanks to Pranav for the Monday challenge, and to NaomiZ for another fun review. I've seen hundreds of Vegas lounge acts. I was always amazed at the high quality of those performers. The only show I've paid to see was Cirque du Soleil, which was great too. Oh, and I've played lots of blackjack at Circus Circus while watching trapeze shows, which was a lot more fun than trying to count cards.
Okay, my Jerry Reed link was blocked. Let's try
this one.
FIR. The middle of the puzzle was the last to fall. With three proper names, Carell, Sza (?), and Kal, net zero laws would not appear. Fortunately figuring out the theme got me the answers I was looking for. But it was a head scratcher.
Overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Good Morning:
Despite the few non-Monday entries, the solve was easy due to helpful perps. I didn’t see the theme until the reveal, which is always a neat achievement by the author, especially in early week puzzles. Sza was a complete WAG.
Thanks, Pranav, and congrats on your debut and thanks, Naomi, for the interesting and informative review.
Have a great day.
Pleasant Monday puzzle with a neat theme i didn’t notice until the reveal. There were a few people whose names I didn’t know like SZA, although we’ve had it before, but perps took care of them.
Thank you NaomiZ for a great review. To answer your question, many years ago we saw the Fifth Dimensions in concert in Las Vegas. We were driving from Louisiana to San Francisco and spent some 24 hours in Sin City.
That should be DIMENSION. Spell check got carried away.
Took 4:17 today to hear the news.
I originally had "Sia" before "Sza", but I was eventually able to parse "net zero laws."
Is Erma Bombeck the only "humorist"? I may have heard that used with Mark Twain, but can't recall anyone else labeled that way.
I am not complaining, at all, but didn't it seem odd that there weren't those pesky circles today? I'm hoping we'll see less and less of them.
Fast and fun Monday, congrats to Pranav for the debut
Jefferson City High School's rival is Columbia, MO Hickman High's fighting KEWPIEs - the only school in the country with that mascot. I guess they were popular at the time but a cherubic baby is hard to align with a tough football team.
Like SS I had Sia before SZA but not really knowing either SZA makes sense being a rapper.
Naomi - I did recognize the Black eyed peas song - its a fun one for my cardio dance class.
Musings
-I saw the NE……….WS after two gimmick fills.
-I tried Bridgerton for two episodes and did not like it at all. Downton Abbey it ain’t!
-I’ll take I GOTTA Woman by Ray Charles any time
-Last night 60 Minutes had a feature about how ORCAS are contributing to the decline in the number of great white sharks.
-SALUTE – Bring hand up slowly and smoothly and after acknowlegement bring hand down sharply.
-The most famous VARIETY show of all time was The Ed Sullivan Show and America’s Got Talent is now somewhat fulfilling that role
-Two tossups for me: The arrangement of consecutive I’s and E’s and where a silent H goes
-My backyard border for this former landscaper at _ E _ _ E was first a HEDGE
-WASN’T ME – High school principals have to be detectives and lie detectors for both kids and staff
-Wimpy school mascots – Omaha Benson opted to be the Benson Bunnies in the l920’s
-Useless info – SZA, pronounce Sizza, is female and her “lyrics” are the usual rap fare.
Marvellous Monday. Thanks for the fun Pranav (congrats on your debut) and NaomiZ.
I FIRed in good Monday time and took a moment to see the BREAKING NEWS theme (no circles needed!). But I had to look carefully at the reveal 20,33,40-Across to get the proper themers (not 18, 59-Across).
I was held up for a minute by entering ERMA at 57Down and WREN at 56Down (probably due to the two Rs in ERRS).
Unknown-to-me names (KAL, SZA, CARELL) perped fairly.
My incorrect plural EAUs changed to EAUX.
Nee changed to AKA.
I smiled at ELATES crossing “Words for raising spirits”. But the answer, A TOAST, was my favourite today. (GUILT TRIPS was a close second.)
Wishing you all a great day.
Fortunately, I knew zero, so the puzzle filled in rather quickly...
(The one time when knowing nothing helps...)
Question, how can you be sure it's a constructors first puzzle if they are not posted anywhere?
Breaking news: From Scotland...
Honorable mention: it wasn't me..,
Took me a few AFib heartbeats to get the theme but a typical top o’ the week experience. (Seeing the Doc later today)
Does anyone remember “Kewpees” Hamburgers? We had one of the last ones near our frat house in college affectionately known as “Pukees”
Seinfeld’s Elaine sporting the Peterman Urban SOMBRERO
“Doc who might inject a microchip”? Some antivaxers think it’s the pediatrician 😉
(Fowl humor?) “What is that MAYAN bird”? … "itza chichen” 🐓
“Mate (in the Brit sense) in Marseilles” AMI
My first thought was “I’m Hooked on a Feelin’”
SZA? … Kal Penn sounds like a college
The travels from court room to prison… GUILTTRIPS
CASINO dilemma: ___ or not ___ that is the question … TIBET
Small braying animal … ASSET
What I’ll-fared climbers who don’t make it down from K2 find… EVEREST
Happy Monday 🙂
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