Jeffrey Wechsler made a triumphant return to the LAT with a fun
Sunday puzzle just last month. While I know he has no control about when
these are published, I think this one came out of the oven a bit too
soon.
Golly Gee! For all you fans out there that love proper nouns, this is the puzzle for you. All five themers are peoples' names, both real and fictional, and they all end with GG.
17. "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" novelist: FANNIE FLAGG. She was also a frequent panelist on the Match Game.
30. Rapper featured on the Dr. Dre song "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang": SNOOP DOGG. That SNOOP is mentioned in a song with a "G" in the title, is the closest thing I found to a deeper theme.
37. Circumnavigator in a Jules Verne novel: PHILEAS FOGG. As a boy growing up on Verne, this was the one answer I filled in without hesitation, except I thought he was PHInEAS with an "N".
41. English actress who played Emma Peel on "The Avengers": DIANA RIGG. DIANA RIGG as British spy Emma Peel in the 60s TV series was everything a young boy could hope for (when not reading Verne).
58. "The Road to Wellville" role for Anthony Hopkins: JOHN KELLOGG. "K-E-double L, O-double Good, Kellogg's best to you!" Whee! Are we having fun yet?
 |
| The real Dr. John Harvey Kellogg |
I like the majority of the puzzles I do, but this one didn't excite me. I kept waiting for something to happen, a clever reveal, maybe something to do with movie Gigi, but it never materialized. It's just a list of names that end in GG.
Across:
1. Revels (in): BASKS.
6. Kremlin cash: RUBLE.
11. Part of the DHS: TSA. The Transportation Security Administration is a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
14. Like sparrows and swallows: AVIAN.
15. One of several mistakes in a Shakespeare comedy?: ERROR. Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's earliest and shortest plays, known for its farcical humor, slapstick, and mistaken identity, revolving around two sets of identical twins separated at birth.
16. Ashen: WAN.
17. [theme]
19. See 34-Down: ORA. Rita ORA.
20. Naval groups: FLEETS.
21. Fresh start?: NEO. From the Greek meaning "new."
22. Govt. figure: POL. POL is short for a government politician.
23. Whispery: LOW. LOW as in volume, not in tone. Cows LOW to communicate hunger or distress.
 |
| Psst! The grass is greener on the other side. |
24. Observed furtively: SPIED.
27. Florence's river: ARNO.
28. One-named singer from Donegal: ENYA. ENYA has sold an estimated 80 million albums worldwide and now lives in a castle.
30. [theme]
33. Warble: TRILL.
36. Custardy desserts: FLANS. This is rarely seen in the plural, unless we're talking about the all-girl group from Mexico.
37. [theme]
39. Greek island in "The Two Faces of January": CRETE. The Two Faces of January is a 2014 thriller film set in Greece. Also see 29D.
40. Stay put, in Paris: RESTE. French lesson. It's interesting when a foreign word looks like a English word with a different etymology, yet has a similar meaning. "Rest" has Germanic roots.
41. [theme]
43. Fret (over): STEW.
47. eBay caveat: AS IS. I buy and sell often on eBay, and have had surprisingly good interactions with people. Especially gratifying are fair resolutions when something doesn't go quite right on either end.
48. Opposite of o'er: NEATH.
51. Lille pal: AMI. A little more French.
52. Oz. and mg.: WTS. Ounces and milligrams are WEIGHTS.
53. "The View" airer: ABC. The View is a daytime talk show hosted by women, now in its 29th season.
55. Driver's lic. with an added star: REAL ID. Starting on May 7, 2025, a REAL ID license or authorized alternative (like a passport) is required for U.S. domestic flights, entering secure federal buildings, and military bases.
57. Born: NEE. And even more French.
58. [theme]
61. Round topper for a scepter: ORB.
62. Part of the Dutch Caribbean: ARUBA. ARUBA is an island off the coast of Venezuela.
63. Netflix category: GENRE.
64. Vane dir.: NNE. I'm glad more recent xwords have started cluing compass points this way rather than directions between two random cities.
65. Satisfy, as a debt: REPAY.
66. Good point: ASSET.
Down:
1. Perplex: BAFFLE.
2. Island where Excalibur was forged: AVALON. "Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government."
 |
| Monty Python and the Holy Grail |
3. Trim and muscular: SINEWY.
4. "Citizen __": KANE. Played by Orson Wells in 1941.
5. Pique performances?: SNITS. Fun clue.
6. NFL employee: REF.
7. Brief address: URL.
8. Corleone player: BRANDO. "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."
 |
| The Godfather |
9. Theater section: LOGE.
10. Therefore: ERGO.
11. Like many electric plugs: TWO PRONG. This guy's a victim of a TWO PRONG attack.
12. Some Malaysian attire: SARONGS.
13. Like Big Ben's clock: ANALOG.
18. Dubious ability: ESP.
25. Michigan's __ Royale National Park: ISLE.
26. Make bigger: ENLARGE.
27. Maxims: ADAGES.
29. Greek city in "The Two Faces of January": ATHENS. Almost a clecho. See 39A.
31. Trade-__: compromises: OFFS.
32. Gardener's parcel: PLOT.
34. With 19-Across, "How We Do (Party)" singer: RITA. RITA Ora.
35. Robert of "The Sopranos": ILER. I don't remember this young man, and he's already quit acting, but misspelling the cross of PHInEAS with an "N" sunk me.
37. "Hallelujah!": PRAISE BE.
38. Video game giant: SEGA.
39. Collector of rainwater: CISTERN.
41. Suddenly hit: DAWN ON.
42. Increase slowly: INCH UP.
44. Claws: TALONS.
45. New citizen, perhaps: EMIGRE.
46. Doohickey: WIDGET.
49. Otto meno cinque: TRE. Now we switch to Italian for a math lesson. Eight minus five equals three.
50. Hägar the Horrible's wife: HELGA.
53. Slightly open: AJAR.
54. Offer no amusement to: BORE. Zzzz.
56. Tavern quaffs: ALES.
59. Bulls org.: NBA. The Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association.
60. Big name in jewelry: KAY. Winner - Best Slogan: "Every Kiss Begins With KAY."
Well, was Jeffrey a good eGG or did he lay one?
Be good. RB
21 comments:
I knew most of the “double g” people
and what I did not know was easily perped.
FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
Thought that actor's name was IGER. Nope. PHInEAS changed that to INER. (Hi, RB.) OK, it could'a been...but wasn't. Bzzzzzzt. It took fewer than 9 minutes to screw this one up--not bad for a late week cw. Welcome back, Jeffrey. Enjoyed your expo, RB. (Great minds think alike. What's our excuse?)
Remember when Jeffrey Wechsler puzzles were actually challenging?
Thursdays and Fridays in general used to be much tougher. Current Saturdays feel like too much of a difficulty spike.
FIR, but iner->ILER. I get him confused with Robert Iger, the head honcho @ Disney. I also erased port for ISLE.
I think it's easy for young actors to get typecast, and being cast as A. J. may have doomed ILER's career. Same thing happened to Kaki Hunter, who played Wendy Williams in Porky's. Thank goodness it didn't happen to Dame DIANA RIGG, my adolescent heart throb.
I just got my TSA Prepass last week. Could have been a problem - I was born a "Junior," but I started dropping the "Jr." after my father died. My REAL ID does not have the suffix, but my passport does. So I'll have to carry my passport when I fly until I get my Florida license later this year (which will carry the "Jr.")
Thanks to JefWesch for another outstanding puzzle. And thanks to Rusty Brain for the chuckles.
FIR. What a G-G-Great puzzle. For a Thursday not too difficult.
I got the theme early on and fortunately knew all the double G names.
I enjoyed the reference to Aruba. I was just there in December to visit where my parents had once lived. It's a beautiful island. I can see why my parents loved it.
I miss the Avengers. Diana Rigg was so cool in that show.
Overall a very enjoyable puzzle.
"Love proper nouns" Not me. That's why I rely on perps.
Anybody else here old enough to remember FANNIG FLAGG on Alan Funt's Candid Camera? I knew she wrote the tomato book. Speaking of the 60s, I also remember DIANA RIGG in "The Avengers".
I though PHINEAS was a gimme-wrong. I had to change PHINEAS to PHILEAS after INER became ILER. Live and learn.
SNOOP was added after DOGG was filled by perps. Unknown song.
John- I didn't know 'that' KELLOGG, only W.K. Kellogg.
RESTE-Frawnch I didn't know filled by perps.
I think Brian must have had a train to catch because his write-up is really only a couple of negative opinions and an endorsement of EBay. Diana Rigg young was a very classy but sexy woman. She had presence even at the end of her career in GAME OF THRONES. The January movie mentioned by RB was based on a Patricia Highsmith novel which I read many years ago. Her books are worth a try. I agree the puzzle was too easy for a Thursday but remember it is the editor who decides on publication date. I personally was impressed JW found 5 known figures with names ending with double G. Oh well it the differences that make humanity interesting.
Thanks Jeffrey and Brian
BTW odd that it appears everyone,me included, remembers Mr.Fogg’s name as PHINEAS.
My thought too. I also entered PHInEAS.
I knew all the theme names. FANNY FLAGG was a clever woman. I knew DIANA RIGG right away. I used to watch The Avengers. Great series. JOHN KELLOGG was easy to guess. And like several other cornerites I entered PHInEAS.
This puzzle felt more like a Monday, but as a recovering cold sufferer, I welcomed this easy CW.
Thank you Splynter for your nice review. I like your suggestion for a reveal, Gigi.
Hand up.
"The term for when a large group of people shares the same false memory is the Mandela Effect. Coined by Fiona Broome in 2009, it refers to instances where numerous people vividly remember events, names, or images incorrectly..."
For other examples, and possible explanations of why this happens, read;
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-mandela-effect-4589394
Count me among those who tried PHINEAS first. I have never not enjoyed a Wechsler puzzle, and this one was no exception.
I am not a stickler for many of the "rules" of crossword construction. Wanna cross a name with another name ? Have at it. A puzzle can have zero proper names or 30 proper names, and I won't care as long as the clues aren't stupid, and the puzzle interests me.
Puzzles that are designed with the solvers' likely failures as the goal are to me a far greater sin.
Those that read my comments will correctly predict that I hate this CW. If it's not the worst ever, it rates in the top two or three. A festival of overlapping and beside-one-another names, 22 by my count, including 12 DNKs.
39 and 41 across cross 34 and 35 down: all names. I printed the CW, circled the clues that were names with my red pen, and immediately saw I would need to go online and turn on red-letter help.
WEES: PHInEAS.../PHILEAS...
For some reason I stupidly tried to enter SERAPE where SERONG belongs, but red-letter help made me re-read the clue. DOH!
I did not like this CW at all, even though I FWH in 15.
No thanx, JW. Want a challenge? Create a CW with no names at all.
Thanx RB for the write-up, the best part of today. I, too, waited for some theme having to do with the two "G"s.
As has been commented on many times, it's interesting how some love and some hate the same CW.
My drivers license has the star in the corner indicating it is a "Real ID". So what was my prior drivers license, a fake ID?
A little easy for a Thursday but that would be the editors choice of puzzle publication.
I enjoyed the double GG theme.
I liked Phileas Fogg as a youngster.
I managed to spell it right.
I had a juvenile crush on Dianna Rigg in her Avengers role.
Snoop Dogg is a lovable rapper and a dominant influence in the music industry.
I found this to be a fun and memory evoking puzzle.
Thanks JW and RB
Musings
-An puzzle from Jeffrey is always welcome and I really liked it!
-I did know FANNIE from her hilarious Match Game reruns and was pleased to learn she is also an author.
-SNOOP DOGG’s shady past has not kept him from becoming a cultural icon like Tim “The Tool Man Allen” did after doing time for dealing dope.
-DIANA RIGG – Hubba, Hubba!
-ENYA’S Orinoco Flow is a fav of mine
-I didn’t realize I had a star on my Driver’s license until I saw it here and found it
-It BAFFLES me how POLS can maintain 99% of their allegiance to their party on votes regardless of the issues
-REFS and umps now labor under the spectre of replay challenges
-I had the same PHILEAS/PHINEAS ERROR, RB! You’re probably as old as I am if you remember Phineas T. Bluster
-I don’t know Spanish or Italian but the numbers are similar and so I figured it out
I agree with you concerning the proper names of people in this puzzle. Unlike some other puzzles that require being up on the latest TV shows or pop culture, this puzzle relied on rather common knowledge.
That’s an interesting theory, but doesn’t quite explain the simple misspelling of this one name. I wonder where the influence would come from. Personally I have not thought about this book and its character in a very long time.
Good Morning:
JW can do no wrong in my book so I blame the wrong day placement error on the Editorial staff. This offering wasn’t a typical JW theme, either in difficulty or originality, but I enjoyed the solve, so I’m pleased. Hand up for Phineas before Phileas, a mistake I’ve made before, probably because Phineas sounds more like a real name, odd though it may be. The cluing and fill were pretty straightforward and any obstacles were overcome by generous perps.
Thanks, Jeffrey W, it was fun to see you back so soon, and thanks, RB, for the honest and detailed review and the array of great photos.
Have a great day.
Yep, I always thought it was "Phineas". I knew nothing about "Iler" so "Iner" looked good to me. I knew all the double G's. which sped things up. I actually knew a rap answer which I rarely ever do. I enjoyed the puzzle and Rusty's recap.
Thursday namefest. Thanks for the workout, Jeffery and RustyBrain.
I was dismayed by all the names, and felt like 54D “offer no amusement to” was going to be an appropriate ending.
But I did manage to finish, as perps were almost fair, or I dredged names out of my memory (or WAGged correctly - did you get the Gg pun?).
I thought the GG theme was a BORE.
As unclefred said “As has been commented on many times, it's interesting how some love and some hate the same CW”. Everyone is entitled to their own response. I think this one depended on how many of those names you knew or remembered IMHO.
Alas, I raise my hand for N instead of L in that cross of PHILEAS and ILER.
This Canadian needed perps for TSA, KAY, REAL ID, although I have seen them all here before.
Wishing you all a great day.
FIW with "n" instead of L in the now notorious PHILEAS. I enjoyed the puzzle, although I really only knew DIANA RIGG and SNOOP DOGG among the themers, with a vague memory of aforesaid PHILEAS. To miss by one square is not too bad! Thanks, Jeffrey, and thanks, RB -- I always learn something and get a laugh from your reviews.
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