The full line of Diane von Furstenberg's crossword fashions clip
Rebecca Goldstein returns with a Friday foray into fashion - Five fills framed as (out)FITs, with their associated attire in the answers ( see what I did there~? ). This is Ms. Goldstein's sixth puzzle this year, and I blogged a streak of her constructions on Wednesdays in, Jan, Feb, and March of 2025. I found today's puzzle less difficult than yesterday's. For a change, we had no add-in/on letters as a theme, a standard grid - which is unusual for Rebecca - no 'outlier' squares, just a handful of names ( but a crossing pair, thus a Natick ), no circles, and 17 3LWs, one more than the 5-letter word count. The themers, with 38A. at the center, and no reveal;
17. Fit to eat?: LOBSTERBIB - You can eat the lobster, but not the bib
38. Fit for a king?: PAJAMAS - A king-sized bed, very clever
62. Fit for work?: SUITANDTIE - Thankfully, I've never had to wear a suit & tie for work
11. Fit to a tee?: GOLFSHIRT - Not the "T" shirt, the "tee" prop of a golf ball
34. Fit for service?: CHOIRROBE - Here's Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture
with a full, robed choir and pipe organ ( in the background )
Perhaps you prefer a choir with real cannons - this one
But Wait - Get Dressed - There's More~!
ACROSS:
1. Diminish: WANE - Think the Moon, and thus - 32D. 1-Across opposite: WAX - now makes sense
5. "Too rich for my blood": I'M OUT." - Poker reference, but the "catch phrase" of Shark Tank, too
10. "My word!": "EGAD~!"
14. Fusses: ADOs
15. Bay area on the East Coast: TAMPA - Kinda vague, kinda Friday, Geo name #1
16. Olden times: YORE
19. Enthusiasm: ELAN - "E"lliteration . . . 🙄
20. Uno e uno e uno: TRE - Español: English - 1 and 1 and 1 is three - I only saw "uno" = Italian 😜
The Beatles, lyric @2:42
21. Arabian aristocrat: EMIR - we're "A & E"ing all over this blog . . .
22. Hurled: LETFLY - e.g., insults
24. Nintendo princess: ZELDA - the original video game is now 40 years old; name #2
26. Archrivals: NEMESES - the plural spelling
28. __ Minor: URSA
30. Event that may have drawings: ARTSHOW - very clever clue / answer; LOTTERY fit, too
33. Single ant, say: SCOUT - I tried DRONE to start - had just the "O", but "totes" correct . . . 🙄
35. Hon: BAE - cringe. I don't care for this abbr at all, even IRL, not just crosswords . . . 😖
OK, the Shein "Bae" outFITs are pretty attractive . . .
36. "Proud Mary" singer Turner: TINA - name #3
37. "Don't think so": "NAH."
41. Nero Wolfe creator Stout: REX - I read the whole series, have a boxful of the paperback books I am still waiting to display, as the shelves I have planned still need to be built; name #4
42. Book jacket blurbs: BIOs - a biography, in a few words
44. Lip-smacking word: YUM~!
45. Air ways: DUCTS
47. Masterful demonstrations: CLINICS - typically related to sports professionals, musicians, etc.
49. Capital city with a Museum of the Viking Age set to open in 2027: OSLO - I'd like to visit that kind of place - still, a geo name, #5
50. Home body?: REALTOR - Har-har
52. Diving aquatic birds: LOONS
56. One sister in "King Richard": SERENA - The "S" being a Natick crossing with another name, #6, I had no clue, was thinking Shakespeare's "Richard III", then King Lear, but no - this is the story of "Richard", the father of sisters Venus & Serena, and his drive for making them successful tennis pros
58. Treadmill setting: PACE - I finished 45mins at level 5 on the Stairmaster; this week I started level 6
60. D.C. MLBer: NATional
61. The whole shebang: ATOZ
65. Broccoli __: RABE
66. Law of __: trigonometry equation: SINES - for the math geeks; for the Law(yer) of SIGNS . . .
69. "Tough crowd!": "YEESH~!" - I usually spell it "SHEESH" in my journal
70. Zoomed: SPED
DOWN:
1. Flounce: WALTZ - "you think you can just come ___ing in here dressed like that~?!?"
2. Be wild about: ADORE
3. Prize first awarded in 1901: NOBEL - name(ish) - the 'explosive' & tragic life of Alfred Nobel
4. Slow start?: ESS - metaclue, "S" starts the word sLOW
5. Object: ITEM - nailed it, but wondered if it might be the legalese verb, "I object, your honor~!"
6. Yacht spot: MARINA - and SERENA, look at us rhyming~!
7. Color gradient technique: OMBRE - never heard this term, usually related to hair, and of Frawnche origin, meaning "shadow"; I found this "Fire" version, and while I've not seen it IRL, it's mesmerizing. . .
8. News initials: UPI - United Press International, and it's American, too . . . 😁
9. Rehearsals a cast generally won't stand for?: TABLEREADS - made me think of a Family Guy episode; Seth MacFarlane and cast have done live ones at Comic Cons, but they're definitely NSFW
10. Reason to look one's best?: EYETEST - very clever, that kind of "look"
Can you read line seven~?
12. Central Asia's North __ Sea: ARAL - Geo name #7
13. Say "It wasn't me," say: DENY
18. Start to cry: TEARUP - start to cut a rug; TEAR it UP~!
Gramatik, Tearin It Up
23. Rough fig.: ESTimate
25. Pair: DUO - Dah~! Not TWO
27. "M'lady": MA'AM
29. Sarcastic response to rude behavior: STAYCLASSY - Yeah, or Meh~?
31. Individuals: ONES
33. Travel as the wind blows: SAIL - ah, another good clue / answer; if you're on a submarine, does one still "set sail~?" - I'm reading a book that involves U-Boats, and I thought this description a bit odd . . .
FIR, but ease->WANE, not me->IM OUT, and nines->SINES. Waited for uey / UIE.
The horrible Nor’easter that Norfolk has been experiencing is supposed to begin to WANE tomorrow. Storm surge has been closing several major streets at every high tide for days now. It only affects me because I wanted to go to Costco yesterday, but didn’t because I’d have to drive through some leftover salt water puddles even at low tide.
TEAR UP – The cheerleader started to tear up when she realized that her team would lose in the tournament’s first round. TEAR UP – The coach was confident that his team would TEAR UP the tournament and win it all. (Kind of reminds me of Norfolk’s Lead Street, Is it Lead, as in “get the lead out,” or as in “Lead the way?” After 25 years I still have no idea.)
Just before Covid 19, restaurants around these parts were starting to charge extra for paying in CASH. They saw CASH as a temptation for theft, both from robbers and from untrustworthy employees. Now many are charging credit cards fees.
I saw Rebecca’s name without a co-constructor and was tempted to skip the puzzle, but I’m pleased that I didn’t. I thought is was a fun challenge, just right for my mediocre Friday puzzling ability. My only nit is that TAMPA Bay is on the Gulf Coast, not East Coast. Better clue: "bay area not on the West Coast." And thanks to Splynter for another fun tour.
Speaking of CASH, our local MUD (municipal utility district) recently provided a pay on-line option instead of mail-in or drop through the mail slot on the door. But they tack on a $1 convenience fee if you pay on-line. Nope. It's not the $1, but I object on principle.
This was another cute theme from Rebecca. My employer dropped the SUIT AND TIE requirement thirty years ago. That's the last time I wore one. Jinx is right. Florida is on the U.S. east coast, but TAMPA Bay is on Florida's west coast. YEESH. (Hi, Jayce.) Our radio station's wire service was provided by UPI. The AP wire was written for newsprint, not to be read aloud. It all finally came down to the spelling of UIE (Uey Uee). Guess who got it wrong? I understand "sine" (opposite over hypotenuse) but don't think I've ever heard of the "Law of Sines." Bzzzzzt. Enjoyed your expo, Splynter.
Then I'm guessing that a "jughandle turn" isn't in your vocab either. Other Northeast lingo I had to learn is that "regular coffee" (which I think of as not decaf) comes with cream and sugar. Blech!
I didn't know today's foreign language lesson, but I disagree that "tre" is Spanish. I think Spanish's 3 is "tres" and it uses "y" instead of "e" for addition. I'm sure someone else here will set us straight.
Like the others, I've grown accustomed to spelling it "uey." "uie" looks wrong, but again, I'm sure somewhere it's a legit alternative spelling.
Have you heard that folks are trying to establish 9/25 (nine t(w)o five to recognize the contributions of Dolly Parton? I'm all for it, as long as it doesn't become yet another paid holiday for government workers.
Well, it was a bit of a
ReplyDeletestruggle, but in the end, I got it.
FIR, so I’m happy.
FIR, but ease->WANE, not me->IM OUT, and nines->SINES. Waited for uey / UIE.
ReplyDeleteThe horrible Nor’easter that Norfolk has been experiencing is supposed to begin to WANE tomorrow. Storm surge has been closing several major streets at every high tide for days now. It only affects me because I wanted to go to Costco yesterday, but didn’t because I’d have to drive through some leftover salt water puddles even at low tide.
TEAR UP – The cheerleader started to tear up when she realized that her team would lose in the tournament’s first round.
TEAR UP – The coach was confident that his team would TEAR UP the tournament and win it all.
(Kind of reminds me of Norfolk’s Lead Street, Is it Lead, as in “get the lead out,” or as in “Lead the way?” After 25 years I still have no idea.)
Just before Covid 19, restaurants around these parts were starting to charge extra for paying in CASH. They saw CASH as a temptation for theft, both from robbers and from untrustworthy employees. Now many are charging credit cards fees.
I saw Rebecca’s name without a co-constructor and was tempted to skip the puzzle, but I’m pleased that I didn’t. I thought is was a fun challenge, just right for my mediocre Friday puzzling ability. My only nit is that TAMPA Bay is on the Gulf Coast, not East Coast. Better clue: "bay area not on the West Coast." And thanks to Splynter for another fun tour.
Speaking of CASH, our local MUD (municipal utility district) recently provided a pay on-line option instead of mail-in or drop through the mail slot on the door. But they tack on a $1 convenience fee if you pay on-line. Nope. It's not the $1, but I object on principle.
DeleteThis was another cute theme from Rebecca. My employer dropped the SUIT AND TIE requirement thirty years ago. That's the last time I wore one. Jinx is right. Florida is on the U.S. east coast, but TAMPA Bay is on Florida's west coast. YEESH. (Hi, Jayce.) Our radio station's wire service was provided by UPI. The AP wire was written for newsprint, not to be read aloud. It all finally came down to the spelling of UIE (Uey Uee). Guess who got it wrong? I understand "sine" (opposite over hypotenuse) but don't think I've ever heard of the "Law of Sines." Bzzzzzt. Enjoyed your expo, Splynter.
ReplyDeleteUie for Uey. not in my vocab for a uturn
ReplyDeleteThen I'm guessing that a "jughandle turn" isn't in your vocab either. Other Northeast lingo I had to learn is that "regular coffee" (which I think of as not decaf) comes with cream and sugar. Blech!
DeleteThe TRE clue is in Italian.
DeleteTook 10:11 today to wade through this one.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know today's foreign language lesson, but I disagree that "tre" is Spanish. I think Spanish's 3 is "tres" and it uses "y" instead of "e" for addition. I'm sure someone else here will set us straight.
Like the others, I've grown accustomed to spelling it "uey." "uie" looks wrong, but again, I'm sure somewhere it's a legit alternative spelling.
Fun theme that I detected at LOBSTER BIB. My only real unknowns were ZELDA and SARA. Now, TAMPA is a real head scratcher. Rebecca needs to explain it.
ReplyDeleteI loved the clues for SERENA and PAJAMAS. All in all, I really liked this CW and found it easier than most Friday fares.
Thank you Splynter for this nice review.
Have you heard that folks are trying to establish 9/25 (nine t(w)o five to recognize the contributions of Dolly Parton? I'm all for it, as long as it doesn't become yet another paid holiday for government workers.
ReplyDelete