Saturday Themeless by Rafael Musa
Rafa, a software engineer for Airbnb in San Francisco. is a frequent constructor and collaborator. I started out looking for an on ramp and found several in the west columns and before I knew it, the entire west side was done. From ther, I was able to get up to speed and his lovely puzzle was done. I'll comment on some of Rafa's more clever entries as I blog. Across
1. Bernardine Evaristo's "Girl, Woman, __": OTHER - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Published in 2019, exploring identity, race, class, sexuality, and the history of modern Britain across multiple generations.
6. Selfish kinds: HOGS.
10. "Get lost!": SCAT.
14. "Fingers crossed!": I HOPE SO TOO.
16. Not one __: IOTA.
17. Where classes proceed on a case-by-case basis: LAW SCHOOLS 😀
18. "Oh, fudge": RATS.
19. Strong showing from 2012 to 2022, for short?: SNL - 😀 Capitalizing strong as the first word of the clue did not give away that it was a name.
 |
| Cicely Strong |
20. Hole up: HIDEOUT.
22. Hissed admonishment: SHH.
23. Aired: RAN.
24. Southern brew: SWEET TEA.
26. Revenue metric: AD SALES - This ad, thought to be one of the best ever, announced the release of MacIntosh computers. It aired during the 1984 Super Bowl and generated huge initial sales. This entire 1984 ad
30. Matters of course?: MEALS 😀
31. Area most people can't stand to be in: CRAWL SPACE - Yeesh!
34. Handy accessory?: MITT 😀 - Early baseball players were considered to be "unmanly" if they wore a glove or mitt. Modern players now wear fielding, batting and sliding gloves.
37. Foofaraw: ADO ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
38. Island west of Maui: LANAI.
39. "Smooth Operator" singer: SADE.
40. Ding, maybe: E-MAIL ALERT 😀
42. Exams that begin with a Chemical and Physical Foundations section, for short: MCATS - My grandson passed his with flying colors but his roommate failed twice.
44. Ends up behind: LOSES TO.
45. Fried Mexican dishes: CHALUPAS.
48. "Yellowstone" star Bentley: WES ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
49. Todos __ días: every day, in Spanish: LOS - Hago el crucigrama todos LOS días. (I work the crossword everyday.)
50. Rep who is also the parent of a child star, perhaps: MOMAGER - Rosalind Russell played one of the first ones in this wonderful movie.
52. __ Fridays: TGI.
55. Lincoln, e.g.: AUTO - Here's the Lincoln Lawyer in one. One story arc concerned a dead body found in the trunk of that Lincoln.
55. Lincoln, e.g.: AUTO - Here's the Lincoln Lawyer in one. One story arc concerned a dead body found in the trunk of that Lincoln.
57. Major annoyances: ROYAL PAINS.
59. Puerto Rico, por ejemplo: ISLA.
60. Defend aggressively: TRIPLE TEAM.
 |
| Steph Curry getting TRIPLE TEAMED |
62. Solidifies: SETS.
63. Creates a cozy home: NESTS.
Down:
1. Works in a museum: OILS - Our wonderful puzzle constructor Jeffrey Wechsler was an art curator who worked in a museum curating works therein.
2. Comparison word: THAN - A beautiful Peruvian folk melody with lyrics by Paul Simon. Enjoy!
3. React to a riot, maybe: HOWL - A great comedian can make you do this
4. Short releases: EPS - Elvis made several with four songs on each.
5. Pool areas?: REC HALLS 😀
6. Under the __: HOOD.
7. Missouri River people: OTOES.
8. Play dirty: GO LOW - There are penalties in football for blocking below the waist
9. "What are you gonna do about it?": SO SUE ME. 😀
10. Title for David Attenborough: SIR.
11. Areas affected by current events: COASTLINES.😀
12. Initially: AT THE START.
10. Title for David Attenborough: SIR.
11. Areas affected by current events: COASTLINES.😀
12. Initially: AT THE START.
13. Gospel singer Cobbs: TASHA. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
15. Lights up: SHINES.
21. Top choice: TEE - Many of my tops are TEE shirts with the NASA meatball on them
23. Short end of the stick: RAW DEAL.
26. Panto units: ACTS - Panto is short for pantomime
27. Three-story abode in Barbie pink: DREAM HOUSE.
32. Statute mandating curb cuts, for short: ADA.
33. Feature of type 4 hair: COIL - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
38. Pocket-size pointer: LASER PEN - I used mine a lot in my "lectures"
40. Field for a competitive Valorant player: E-SPORTS.
41. Former mill town in the Boston metro area: LOWELL.
43. Belly: TUM.
45. Progressive request: CLAIM 😀
46. Subject for Elena Ferrante: AMORE - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ A pseudonym for an Italian author who prefers anonymity
47. "Stop beating around the bush!": SAY IT.
51. Concerns for some orthodontists: GAPS.
52. Connections: TIES.
53. Minor annoyance: GNAT.
54. Belief systems: ISMS.
56. __ latte: OAT.
Notes from C.C.:
Happy Birthday to CanadianEh!, one of our longtime blog family members. She's been with us since 2012. I hope your day is filled with fun, laughter, and all your favorite things. Thank you for the kindness, insight, and thoughtful contributions you've shared with us over the years!
I got it!
ReplyDeleteIt took quite a bit of time but eventually it all came together.
Was there a “mini-theme” of Mexican dishes? It seemed so.
Anyway, FIR, so I’m happy.
FIR, getting my SWAG @ LOWELL x WES. However, shoo->SCAT, tsk->SHH, manager->MOMAGER, gels->SETS, cheat->GO LOW, and anime->AMORE. Phew!
ReplyDeleteTGI Friday closed all the restaurants it owned, but it still supports franchise units.
If I'm not mistaken, I once saw a movie titled TRIPLE TEAM in an "art house" theater.
I'm pretty sure that I have type 0 hair.
I've heard of TUMmy and TUM TUM, bit never TUM (except for those antacids.)
Happy birthday to everyone's pal Canadian Eh! Always a delight to read your comments.
Thanks to Rafel for the Saturday puzzle that was so easy that even my dumb mass could solve it. My favorite was "Strong showing..." for SNL. And thanks to H.Gary for another Saturday special review. Hand up for using a LASER PEN while teaching classes.
Rafa constructed this one with appropriate difficulty for a Saturday. I liked the parallel "current events."
ReplyDeleteI didn't know what a "foofaraw" was, but in hindsight it sounds like what it means.
The male equivalent of a MOMAGER is a "dadager." I hope we never see that in a xword.
I had trouble parsing RECHALLS at first.
Thanks, HG, for your usual thorough review.
It must be birthday week. Happy Bday to CanadianEh!
FIR. I didn't have that much difficulty with today's presentation. Considering it's Saturday I expected it to be tougher.
ReplyDeleteThere were a few knotty areas but the perps were more than fair.
Overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Took 14:13 today to finish reading up on the current events.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the gospel singer (Tasha), the book title (Other), the subject for someone (amore), the bandleader (Tito), or the Spanish word (los). Also took me a long time to parse "rechalls".
The obscure food of Saturday (musubi) was unknown to me, but "spam" appeared eventually.
Despite all the Spanish and the unknown names, an overall enjoyable puzzle.
To me this puzzle was a ROYAL PAIN. I TIT. I was not on Rafael’s wave link at all.
ReplyDeleteThank you HG for your usual solid review. And a very happy birthday to CanadianEh!. 🎊🎉🎈🇨🇦
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteNor was I on Rafael’s wavelength. It took me ages to complete and then was disappointed by the lack of any Tada! Upon checking for errors, I discovered that Escorts was incorrect and the unknown Valorant played ESports. Had I known the correct Chalupas, I would have been home free. Oh well, I tried and despite the difficulties I had, I enjoyed the challenge and admired the cluing and top-notch fill.
Thanks, Rafael, and thanks, HG, for the review and commentary, especially the emphasis on those tricky but fair clues. Your photo array, as always, was the highlight.
Happy Birthday, CanadianEh, hope it’s a special day. 🎂🎊😊🎉🎈
I had a steady solve except for the NW corner but kept coming back to it until it filled in
ReplyDeleteThanks to Gary for the blog as always informative and fun, and to Rafa for the puzzle
Happy birthday CanadianEh- hopefully good weather to enjoy it!
Could someone please explain to me what the symbols in the bloggers explanation are for
ReplyDelete1, 37 and 43 across among others are?
It’s the same as this 🤷♂️, meaning “I dunno”
Deletethe explanation of HG’s emoticon is me, appearing as anonymous.
DeleteThanks for helping the Anon, YooperPhil.
DeleteAnon, it is the Shrug emoticon, and means what YooperPhil said.
Several unknowns but just enough perp help to FIR in 31:42 without any other help. Had to change manager’ to MOMAGER FTW. Thank you Rafael for your fine work, some outstanding clues and fill in this one! Also thanks to HG for another stellar review, and keep your long Saturday blog streak alive!
ReplyDeleteHappy b/day CanadianEh! 🇨🇦 Your comments are always a bright spot on the Corner!
I love this blog and have always enjoyed the comments, but was disappointed to read yesterday’s comments about which female body part was the favorite of one poster. You will have to go back and read it for yourself.
ReplyDeleteFinally finished without further foofaraw sussing the super obscure clue for SNL: Cecily “Strong” (Saw her recently starring in a send up/parody of broadway musicals called “Shmigadoon”) … Rafael you spell your name wrong 😉
ReplyDeleteInkovers: at the onset/START, LASERgun/PEN, curl/COIL, loot/HOWL, inch/IOTA, double/TRIPLETEAM
” 🎶 Cut out sweets, ooh, ooh
Lay off meat, ooh, ooh
You'll get a pain and ruin your TUM-TUM”
“Hissed astonishment “ ? Huh? oh sorry, my bad 🙄
“Días” isn’t feminine? With an A ? LOS not LAS (actually todos should have given it away)
Although I’ve learnt more Spanish from these CW’s guess I’m still not ready to take the Sp 101 exam
Hbd C-eh! 🎁
Have Yourself some TAMALES and CHALUPAS … I’m treating 😊
Ray-O, I think I inadvertently deleted your comment yesterday rather than the message that you had deleted your comment. Sorry about that.
Delete12:02. Really lovely puzzle. A bit on the easy side (except for the NW) but so many beautiful fresh answers. Once I plunked down "dream house", I was off to the races.
ReplyDeleteI started out with a sea of white, but little by little (26:55) I filled it all in…right! Had to make a couple of changes…Double/ Triple team ..Coastlands?/Coastlines…good feeling. I think it’s only my second Saturday puzzle that I FIR!
ReplyDeleteI posted and was published right after Monkey but the post has disappeared! Gremlins?
ReplyDeleteI saw your post earlier, but you're right, it's gone now.
DeleteIt was in the Spam folder. You used a word that blogger doesn't think is appropriate.
DeleteI just approved it so it is back now.
I can’t wait to see what inappropriate word I used. 🤔
DeleteDidn’t this happen to you once before?. You really need to watch your language. Young lady 😠
Delete😃
A while ago I speculated on what the offending word might have been, but I see my post has disappeared. So I won’t repeat the word.
DeleteSaw "Rafael Musa," set down my phone and took my dog for a walk. Life's too short.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend, everybody.
Happy birthday, CanadianEh! I always enjoy reading your posts. I hope you do something special to celebrate today.
ReplyDelete57 across aptly describes this puzzle. (Royal pains)
ReplyDeleteYou can't fail the MCAT, btw.
ReplyDeleteMCATS- when I took the test in 1970, they ranked those who took it and I was in the 87th percentile. My knowledge of Chemistry, Physics, and Zoology got me there. But the most important thing kept me out of med school. No connections.
DeleteI wasn't related to a doctor.
I learned early that it's not what you know but WHO you know.
TEN for TOP CHOICE
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rafael, and thank you HG.
ReplyDeleteSuccessfully solved in 13 minutes and change with no help.
My last answer was SHH and that completed the unknown TASHA, FTW.
Happy Birthday, CanadianEh!
DNF (but still had fun). I had Curl before Coil and Goat before Spam but in both cases the crosses eventually saved me.
ReplyDeleteWhat did me in was Gut instead of Tum. That left me with MCAGs and Tomager. Neither of which looked right, but neither of which sparked an aha moment. :-(
It was al 'almost' FIR but the Rio Grande valley got me. MOMAGER, AMORE, & ESPORTS had me stumped. With even ROYAL PAINS, SETS, TEAMS and CHLUPAS filled, I couldn't think of TRIPLE. I'll SAY IT. It was a DNF. Valorant, Elena Ferrante, TASHA Cobbs, WES Bentley. Bernadine Evaristo, and Strong were unknown people.
ReplyDeleteCOIL hair? Why would a bald person (moi) know or care?
This is Jayce.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, CanadianEh!
I only needed to turn on red letters once to fix my wrong answers (some of them totally 100% wrong) solve this enjoyable puzzle.
Yesterday and the day before I could sign in as my usual blue self. Today I am instructed to "check my browser configurations to allow sign-in." The thing is, I didn't change any of my browser configurations since yesterday, so I would expect them to be the same as they were yesterday when I was allowed to sign in.
Good reading all your comments.
Jayce, I'm curious. Do you use Firefox?
DeleteHappy birthday, CanadianEh!
ReplyDelete