Shape-Shifters:
4-Down. Aspiring actor's asset: STAR QUALITY.
8-Down. Trustworthy sort: SQUARE SHOOTER.
17-Down. Intensely shocking events: HEART STOPPERS.
27-Down. Peak physical condition, or a feature of 4-, 8-, and 17-Down: TIP-TOP SHAPE. Each of the the theme clues is in the down position, making the Shape at the Tip-Top of the answer.
Here's the Grid:
Which personality shape helps you complete this puzzle?
Across:
1. Colorful violet kin: PANSY. I love these flowers.
6. Suga and Jung Kook's band: BTS. BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. The band makes frequent appearances in the puzzles.
9. "__ the Cat": children's book series: PETE. Pete the Cat was not around when I was a child.
13. Give a speech: ORATE.
14. Atty.'s title: ESQ.
15. And others, in a bibliography: ET AL. We had a discussion about this Latin phrase just two weeks ago.
16. Highly sensitive person: EMPATH.
18. Kitchen deputy: SOUS CHEF. The Sous Chef was in last Tuesday's puzzle and is visiting us again today.
20. Old Russian ruler: TSAR.
21. Bothers greatly: EATS AT.
23. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI. Obi-Wan Kenobi wearing an Obi. // And 56-Down. Offspring of Leia and Han: KYLO. References to the Star Wars franchise.
24. Thigh muscles, familiarly: QUADS.
26. Exposes, in a way: RATS ON.
28. Treat that may be dipped in dulce de leche: CHURRO. Yummers! A churro is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil with a piping bag and large closed star tip or similar shape.
30. Indiana University basketball coach Moren: TERI. Teri Marie Moren (b. Apr. 14, 1969) is the current head coach of the Indiana University women's basketball team. Unknown to me.
31. Flexible: PLIANT.
32. Amusement park time-saver: FAST PASS.
36. Former first lady Biden: JILL. Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (b. June 3, 1951) was Second Lady from January 2009 to January 2017 and First Lady from January 2021 to January 2025.
37. Winter migration direction: SOUTH.
39. Tried's partner: TRUE. Tried and True ...
40. "Hear me out ... ": SO, LISTEN. I initially tried Listen Up.
42. Woodwind section player: OBOIST.
44. Norse god of thunder: THOR.
45. Two-door cars: COUPES.
46. Neaten: TIDY UP.
49. Many shelter dogs: MUTTS.
50. Astonishment: AWE.
51. Soft drink brand with a "lymon" logo: SPRITE.
53. Creative solution: HACK.
57. Spinning toy: PINWHEEL.
59. "Are you serious?": REALLY.
61. "Let It Go" singer: ELSA. A reference to the Disney film Frozen. Elsa is the fictional character in the film. The actual performer is Idina Menzel (b. May 31, 1971).
62. Genetic transcription molecule: RNA. Another last Tuesday repeat.
63. Thread holder: SPOOL.
64. Snow day ride: SLED.
65. Daughter's brother: SON.
66. Canine command akin to "drop it": LET GO!
Down:
1. Expert concerned with feet?: POET. Everything you ever wanted to know about poetic feet.
2. Octopus octet: ARMS. Octopuses are Remarkably Bright Creatures.
3. Auto parts giant that shares a name with a California wine valley: NAPA. The National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA) was founded in Detroit in 1925 by 28 independent auto parts suppliers to fix an unorganized parts market.
5. So far: YET.
6. One-ups: BESTS.
7. General __ chicken: TSO'S. General Tso's chicken is a sweet and spicy deep-fried chicken dish. It supposedly was first created in the 1950s in Taiwan.
9. Delt neighbor: PEC. Deltoid and Pectoral muscle groups.
10. Shared ideology: ETHOS.
11. Martial arts-based fitness regimen: TAE-BO. Everything you wanted to know about Tae-Bo.
12. Like Santa's helpers: ELFIN.
19. One end of a maze: START.
22. Ruckus: ADO.
25. Spot where there's no trouble brewing?: URN.
28. Advertising award: CLIO. The Clio Awards were first awarded in 1959 for advertising. The name is derived from the Greek mythological muse, known as the recorder and glorifier of great deeds and accomplishments.
29. Biker's challenge: HILL.
30. Skin art, for short: TAT.
31. Sleepover attire, familiarly: PJs. The origin of the word Pajama. Do people really wear pajamas when they fly?
32. Enjoyable: FUN.
33. Grammy winner India.__: ARIE. India Arie Simpson (b. Oct. 3, 1975) is an American singer and songwriter.
34. Puzzle (out): SUSS. I'm sure we all sussed out the correct answers to today's puzzle.
35. Group of reps at the gym: SET.
38. Above, in classic odes: O'ER.
41. "Be quiet!": SHUSH.
43. "Having said that ... ": BUT.
45. Minor injury: CUT.
46. Cassettes: TAPES.
47. "Count on me": I WILL.
48. Quite thick: DENSE.
49. 2026 Winter Olympics host city: MILAN. The 2026 winter olympics were held in February.
52. "The Biggest Little City in the World": RENO. Reno is also the home of the National Judicial College.
54. Tons: ALOT.
55. Drain blockage: CLOG.
58. Crumple (up): WAD.
60. Course for some intl. students: ESL. English as a Second Language.
Until next week ...
חתולה
Although it initially
ReplyDeletelooked like it might be pretty difficult, it actually turned out to be not that bad.
FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteGuess who read "band" as "land" and wondered what country BTS could be? Yup. TERI Moren is about as obscure as a crossword clue can get. There had to be a better way to clue that. Otherwise, zipped through this one. Thanx, Rena (I had a great-aunt Rena who lived in Colby -- where Colby cheese comes from) and Hahtoolah. (Chuckled at the cassette surgery and the cat and dog readers. Wondered where you came up with those dates for Jill Biden???)
FIR, but lots->a ton->A LOT.
ReplyDeleteAgreed that this one started like a bulldog, then turned into a pussycat.
Tuesday clue for Teri? Garr? Hatcher? Not this Tuesday. Let's throw in a fairly good coach in a little-followed sport, and pretend that it's the weekend already.
I was confused by the association between brewing and URN, But I think I've seen URNs that actually are drip coffeemakers. Most I've seen are just dispensers, though.
I also balked at "quite thick" for DENSE. I was thinking of a thick slab of balsa or Styrofoam, then the V8 can hit - A person who hasn't had his/her morning coffee can be said to be thick or DENSE.
I guess a CUT is a minor injury, as long as it's someone else's CUT.
Thanks to Rena for the challenge, and to Ha2la for the extra-funny tour. Yes, I did get the pencil-eraser ER treatment, and loved the pets' choices of reading material.
Agree about trouble brewing and urn not being quite right but a good Tuesday puzzle for a' that and fun recap. Thx to both
DeleteHand up for not knowing TERI Moren. Happily the perps helped me FIR, and I found the SHAPEs at the TIP TOP of the theme clues. The puzzle was FUN, and so was the review! Thanks, Rena and Hatoolah!
ReplyDeleteFIR. I had little trouble with today's puzzle. With the exception of Teri, whom I didn't know., the clues were pretty straightforward.
ReplyDeleteI needed the reveal to get the theme but once I got it all was good.
Overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteThis was a fun solve with a very clever and well-executed theme, well-hidden, also. However, Patti’s penchant for WNBA references is getting old and detracts from judging the constructor’s cluing talents, IMO. As usual, a vertical themed grid is a nice change of pace and adds a little more difficulty to the solve, at least for me, which I enjoy. This grid was super clean and free from dreck and obscurities which made for a pleasant and enjoyable solve.
Thanks, Rena, and thanks, Hahtoolah, for the fun and facts. The comics were great today, as usual, but the “readers” was my favorite. It brought an audible chuckle!
Have a great day.
Jill Biden was 1st lady from 2020-2024. Michelle Obama was 2008-2016.
ReplyDeleteThe theme was a little too subtle for me, but FIR anyway. Except for the coach’s name and the singer ELSA, no hiccups to speak of. I’m beginning to know when to enter BTS now. PANSies are lovely little flowers. EMPATH felt a little strange. MUTTS make great pets.
ReplyDeleteThank you Hahtoolah for the informative and amusing review. I live the dog and cat readers.
Fair challenge but perhaps a bit later-in-the-week level. “Expert/feet” a little too clever/obscure for a Tuesday. POET: almost put pedo for podiatrist🫣 (If it’s “metric” then it shouldn’t be “feet”) and “Bell the Cat
ReplyDeleteTook a while to SUSS the theme “shapes ⭐️, ❤️, ⬛️ at the tip top of the vertical clues”. 😅
”
Isn’t it straightSHOOTER? 🔫
Inkovers: elvin/ELFIN
If you asked a car dealer today to see a COUPE, I wonder if they would know what you’re talking about.
HACK seems to have evolved a completely new meaning
“Coach Moren”?
Great toons H2LH 😄
11 minutes to the finish line today. I see I’m not the only one who thinks the clue for TERI should get a nomination for “worst of the month”. A very enjoyable solve befitting of a Tuesday, thank you Rena for the puzzle. Hahtoolah ~ as usual your graphics and cartoons are a riot!! “Birds flying west for the dank weed”. 🤣
ReplyDeleteTook 14 to FIR, and after that I couldn't see what took so long. 14 names, DNK 4. I did see the theme, but only after the reveal.
ReplyDeleteI, too, wanted PODI at 1D, but perps said otherwise.
Cleverly designed CW, thanx RC.
Thanx too to Hahtoolah for the fun write-up and cartoons. I especially liked the cassette tape, being operated on, with the doctor calling for a pencil. The WORST problem with cassettes was when the tape got all tangled up inside the tape player in your car, and you spent 20 minutes getting it out.
A nice vertical theme offering from Rena on this sunny Tuesday. I liked it.
ReplyDeleteBTS has been clued in so many different ways but I have “Boys That Sing” etched in my memory thanks to fellow cornerites.
So it was easy fill.
I threw down 🚘 sedan before coupe.
Coach Teri should of been “benched” on a Tuesday. Put her in Saturday’s line up.
Thanks Hahtoolah for a fun and informative recap.
I had FUN solving this puzzle. Finally I remembered BTS, thanks to the person who offered the mnemonic Boys That Sing the other day.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of TAE-BO, I have started learning and practicing an exercise called BaDuanJin.
Good reading all your comments.