Theme: Good stuff!
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| Michael Hobin |
Michael Hobin is a real estate broker in Chicago, who passed some quiet hours during the COVID-19 pandemic trying to construct his own crossword puzzles. He garnered a few rejections from the New York Times, and then some encouraging words from that quarter, and then a request for a few specific revisions, which led to his first published puzzle. Mr. Hobin is becoming a regular at the NYT and in the pages of our own Los Angeles Times. Based on the fun I had with this one, I'd say Michael has mastered the medium.
The theme of today's puzzle is revealed here:
35-Across. Tom Wolfe book about Project Mercury, or an apt description of the ends of 16-, 24-, 47-, and 56-Across: THE RIGHT STUFF. Tom Wolfe's 1979 book describes the mental and physical characteristics required of the first astronauts. They had to have the right STUFF.
16-Across. Citrus garnish for many a cocktail: LEMON WEDGE. WEDGE as a verb means to squeeze or force something tightly into a narrow space -- to STUFF it, so to speak.
24-Across. Driver's rush-hour headache: TRAFFIC JAM. JAM as a verb means to push something into a space so tightly that it becomes stuck -- to STUFF it, if you will.
47-Across. Budget chain owned by Choice Hotels: ECONO LODGE. One meaning of LODGE as a verb is to become stuck in a place, like a coin that manages to lodge in the parking meter's coin slot -- to STUFF the slot, as it were.
56-Across. Average guy: JOE SIX-PACK. An ordinary blue-collar worker, whose after hours libation may be a six-pack of beer, can really PACK it in. He might go to the game on the weekend with other fans and PACK the stadium. In other words, he can STUFF it in.
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| This fellow is WEDGED, JAMMED, LODGED, and PACKED into a tight space -- really STUFFED in there. |
Talk about a tight theme -- this one is crammed in there! Let's expand our evaluation to the rest of the clues and answers.
Across:
1. Owl sound: HOOT.
5. Blue-green hue used in color printing: CYAN.
9. Pet that can be laser-focused?: CAT. There are a variety of laser toys made for cats.
5. Blue-green hue used in color printing: CYAN.
9. Pet that can be laser-focused?: CAT. There are a variety of laser toys made for cats.
12. __ committee: AD HOC. In Latin ad hoc means "for this," and in English the term describes anything that can be thought of as existing "for this purpose only."
14. Volcano's output: LAVA.
15. Task list heading: TO DO.
16. [Theme clue]
18. Toiling away: AT IT.
19. Manipulate, as bread dough: KNEAD.
20. Playground fixture with a ladder: SLIDE.
14. Volcano's output: LAVA.
15. Task list heading: TO DO.
16. [Theme clue]
18. Toiling away: AT IT.
19. Manipulate, as bread dough: KNEAD.
20. Playground fixture with a ladder: SLIDE.
21. "SportsCenter" network: ESPN.
24. [Theme clue]
27. Ice cream servings: SCOOPS.
29. Cut (off): LOP.
30. Donkey: ASS.
31. Little bite: TASTE.
32. Least hospitable: ICIEST.
35. [Theme clue]
39. Moves like a crab: SIDLES. To sidle is to move with one side forward.
24. [Theme clue]
27. Ice cream servings: SCOOPS.
29. Cut (off): LOP.
30. Donkey: ASS.
31. Little bite: TASTE.
32. Least hospitable: ICIEST.
35. [Theme clue]
39. Moves like a crab: SIDLES. To sidle is to move with one side forward.
40. Mistake: ERROR.
42. Canyon edge: RIM.
45. Scooby-__: DOO. Scooby-Doo is a cartoon dog and media franchise created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969. Scooby and his teenage human friends solve mysteries that seem supernatural until our heroes unmask the villains behind the hoax.
42. Canyon edge: RIM.
45. Scooby-__: DOO. Scooby-Doo is a cartoon dog and media franchise created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969. Scooby and his teenage human friends solve mysteries that seem supernatural until our heroes unmask the villains behind the hoax.
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| Scooby-Doo and friends |
46. Fast-casual bakery franchise: PANERA. The menu has improved! There are certainly more options for vegetarians.
47. [Theme clue]
51. Genesis garden: EDEN.
52. West Point student: CADET.
53. Sloshed through water: WADED.
55. Field of study: AREA.
56. [Theme clue]
61. Sound like a 9-Across: PURR. Here's your reminder that 9-Across was CAT.
62. Fencing sword: ÉPÉE. Modern fencing uses three types of sword: épée, foil, and sabre. This is the fourth Monday with ÉPÉE as a clue this year!
47. [Theme clue]
51. Genesis garden: EDEN.
52. West Point student: CADET.
53. Sloshed through water: WADED.
55. Field of study: AREA.
56. [Theme clue]
61. Sound like a 9-Across: PURR. Here's your reminder that 9-Across was CAT.
62. Fencing sword: ÉPÉE. Modern fencing uses three types of sword: épée, foil, and sabre. This is the fourth Monday with ÉPÉE as a clue this year!
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| Mind where you poke that thing! |
63. Familiar theme: TROPE. A trope is a recurring literary device, theme, or figure of speech. It also refers to Hebrew cantillation, the system of musical chant used for reading the Hebrew scriptures during religious services, which is a service I occasionally perform.
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| NaomiZ chanting Torah with trope |
64. Oft-redacted ID: SSN. A Social Security Number is issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, temporary residents who have work authorization, or a valid nonwork reason to be in the United States. It is often redacted from shared documents to avoid having it misused.
65. Pen points: NIBS.
66. Moisturizer brand: OLAY.
Down:
65. Pen points: NIBS.
66. Moisturizer brand: OLAY.
Down:
1. Actor Holbrook: HAL. Hal Holbrook (1925-2021) was an American actor who made his reputation with a 1954 one-man stage show titled Mark Twain Tonight! He played Deep Throat in the 1976 film All the President's Men, Abraham Lincoln in two TV miniseries, and many other roles in dozens of films and TV shows. He was honored with the National Humanities Medal by President George W. Bush in 2003.
2. Tribute poem: ODE.
3. Unit of resistance: OHM. An ohm is the standard unit of electrical resistance, named after the German physicist Georg Ohm. Its symbol is an uppercase Greek letter omega (Ω).
4. Didn't count on one's memory in class: TOOK NOTES. Loved this clue.
5. See-through: CLEAR.
6. When repeated, "and so on": YADDA. About this time last month, I wrote: "This expression was popularized by the 153rd episode of Seinfeld, in which George's new girlfriend said "yada yada yada" to shorten her stories. That episode was titled "The Yada Yada." YADDA is an alternate, less used spelling." And I offered this illustration:
7. The "A" of GPA: Abbr.: AVG. Grade Point Average.
8. Scottish "no": NAE.
9. Crumbly Mexican cheese: COTIJA. An aged Mexican cheese made from cow's milk and named after the town of Cotija, Michoacán, cotija is often crumbled over burritos, soups, salads, beans, tostadas, tacos, and corn on the cob.
8. Scottish "no": NAE.
9. Crumbly Mexican cheese: COTIJA. An aged Mexican cheese made from cow's milk and named after the town of Cotija, Michoacán, cotija is often crumbled over burritos, soups, salads, beans, tostadas, tacos, and corn on the cob.
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| Elote -- grilled corn topped with crema, cotija, chili powder, and lime juice. |
10. Nike rival: ADIDAS.
11. Sacred tribal carvings: TOTEMS.
13. "Erin Burnett OutFront" channel: CNN. Erin Burnett OutFront is an hour-long weekday evening television news program on CNN. News to me.
11. Sacred tribal carvings: TOTEMS.
13. "Erin Burnett OutFront" channel: CNN. Erin Burnett OutFront is an hour-long weekday evening television news program on CNN. News to me.
15. Very soft mineral: TALC. Talc is a natural clay mineral made of hydrated magnesium silicate that ranks as the softest solid on the Mohs hardness scale. Once popular in cosmetics and baby powders, it is no longer recommended because it tends to occur naturally with asbestos, and because breathing in fine powders is bad for the lungs. Its association with ovarian cancer is debated, but has resulted in billions of dollars in legal settlements.
17. Moistens: WETS.
20. Enjoys gossip without adding to it, in slang: SIPS TEA. We've encountered "spills the tea" in the LAT crossword as a phrase that means shares gossip, reveals a secret, or talks about juicy personal news. This is my first encounter with SIPS TEA. Cute!
21. "C'__ la vie!": EST. "C'est la vie" is French for "that's life." Coincidentally, this old song popped into my head out of nowhere recently:
17. Moistens: WETS.
20. Enjoys gossip without adding to it, in slang: SIPS TEA. We've encountered "spills the tea" in the LAT crossword as a phrase that means shares gossip, reveals a secret, or talks about juicy personal news. This is my first encounter with SIPS TEA. Cute!
21. "C'__ la vie!": EST. "C'est la vie" is French for "that's life." Coincidentally, this old song popped into my head out of nowhere recently:
22. "Buzz off!": SCAT.
23. Swanky: POSH.
25. Darts around: FLITS.
26. Rivals: FOES.
28. August birthstone: PERIDOT. Peridot is a yellowish-green gemstone, the shade being influenced by iron content. It is considered too soft to survive as an engagement ring stone; it chips easily.
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| This genuine peridot ring with little zircon accents is on sale for $149.00 at www.stauer.com. |
32. Shelter made of compressed snow: IGLOO.
33. "Weekend Update" comic Michael: CHE. Michael Che is a stand-up comedian best known for his work on NBC's Saturday Night Live, where he has been co-anchor of the Weekend Update news sketch since 2014.
33. "Weekend Update" comic Michael: CHE. Michael Che is a stand-up comedian best known for his work on NBC's Saturday Night Live, where he has been co-anchor of the Weekend Update news sketch since 2014.
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| Colin Jost and Michael Che host Weekend Update on SNL |
34. Gave up one's amateur status, perhaps: TURNED PRO.
36. Pop sensation: IDOL.
37. Mister Rogers: FRED.
38. Golfer's warning shout: FORE.
41. Hightailed it: RAN.
42. "Previously on ... " segments: RECAPS.
43. Son of Daedalus: ICARUS. In Greek mythology, Daedalus built a labyrinth for King Minos of Crete to imprison the Minotaur. When the hero Theseus killed the Minotaur and escaped the labyrinth, King Minos suspected Daedalus of revealing the labyrinth's secrets, and imprisoned Daedalus there with his son Icarus. Daedalus fashioned wings for himself and his son, made of items collected in the labyrinth: beeswax, leather straps from their sandals, threads from blankets, and birds' molted feathers. Before escaping the island, Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too high nor too low, but youth is impetuous; Icarus flew too close to the sun, his wax wings melted, he fell into the sea, and he drowned.
36. Pop sensation: IDOL.
37. Mister Rogers: FRED.
38. Golfer's warning shout: FORE.
41. Hightailed it: RAN.
42. "Previously on ... " segments: RECAPS.
43. Son of Daedalus: ICARUS. In Greek mythology, Daedalus built a labyrinth for King Minos of Crete to imprison the Minotaur. When the hero Theseus killed the Minotaur and escaped the labyrinth, King Minos suspected Daedalus of revealing the labyrinth's secrets, and imprisoned Daedalus there with his son Icarus. Daedalus fashioned wings for himself and his son, made of items collected in the labyrinth: beeswax, leather straps from their sandals, threads from blankets, and birds' molted feathers. Before escaping the island, Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too high nor too low, but youth is impetuous; Icarus flew too close to the sun, his wax wings melted, he fell into the sea, and he drowned.
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| Daedalus and Icarus |
44. Contemporary: MODERN.
46. Spa treatment for feet, briefly: PEDI. Pedicure.
48. At hand: NEAR.
49. Dorky one: DWEEB.
50. Elements that make up most of the atmosphere: GASES.
54. Telephone no. addition: EXT. "Extensions" are frequently seen in business telephone numbers.
56. MS NOW's "The Briefing With __ Psaki": JEN. The woman formerly known as White House Press Secretary to President Joe Biden hosts this political news program on the cable channel formerly known as MSNBC. Again, news to me.
46. Spa treatment for feet, briefly: PEDI. Pedicure.
48. At hand: NEAR.
49. Dorky one: DWEEB.
50. Elements that make up most of the atmosphere: GASES.
54. Telephone no. addition: EXT. "Extensions" are frequently seen in business telephone numbers.
56. MS NOW's "The Briefing With __ Psaki": JEN. The woman formerly known as White House Press Secretary to President Joe Biden hosts this political news program on the cable channel formerly known as MSNBC. Again, news to me.
57. Nail polish brand: OPI. OPI and Essie are tops in the market and in crossword puzzles.
58. Pioneering ISP: AOL. AOL (American Online) is considered a pioneering Internet Service Provider because it made a curated portion of the internet available to folks without technical knowledge through a simple graphical user interface. At its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s, AOL accounted for nearly half of all internet traffic in the United States.
59. Fig. figuring figures: CPA. A certified public accountant is a figure (person) who figures (calculates) figures (numbers).
60. __ lime pie: KEY. Michael saved the best for last! A refreshing dessert! Small, thin-skinned Key limes are named for their association with the Florida Keys, although they are native to Southeast Asia. Spanish explorers brought them to the West Indies, and Dr. Henry Perrine (1797-1840) introduced them to the Keys.
58. Pioneering ISP: AOL. AOL (American Online) is considered a pioneering Internet Service Provider because it made a curated portion of the internet available to folks without technical knowledge through a simple graphical user interface. At its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s, AOL accounted for nearly half of all internet traffic in the United States.
59. Fig. figuring figures: CPA. A certified public accountant is a figure (person) who figures (calculates) figures (numbers).
60. __ lime pie: KEY. Michael saved the best for last! A refreshing dessert! Small, thin-skinned Key limes are named for their association with the Florida Keys, although they are native to Southeast Asia. Spanish explorers brought them to the West Indies, and Dr. Henry Perrine (1797-1840) introduced them to the Keys.
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| Key lime pie |
Here's the grid:
Solvers,
I am reveling in the very low Arts & Entertainment content of this puzzle, and the complete absence of professional or collegiate team sports. Wow!
An ODE to Michael Hobin!
We’re glad he TURNED PRO!
He gave us a nice puzzle
With words we’re sure to know.
Did this puzzle give you THE RIGHT STUFF as well? Please comment.
-- NaomiZ
P.S. Many thanks in advance to Dave and Tony for taking the next three Mondays, while I have something else TO DO.
That “Mexican cheese” was the only unknown
ReplyDeletein this otherwise quite easy puzzle, but that, too, was easily perped.
FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteHad to replace MEOW with PURR, but that was my only Wite-Out moment. JEN Psaki was back for an encore after yesterday's appearance. I can testify that YADDA YADDA YADDA is not considered an appropriate response when taking the juror's oath. Excellent offering, Michael, and excellent expo, NaomiZ. (Hope you're planning something pleasant for your upcoming hiatus.)
FIR without erasure. DNK the Mexican cheese, and hope I can remember it. I'd also like to know what kind of cheese Mexican restaurants use under the broiler to top things like refried beans. Melts so deliciously. Also DNK PERIDOT. We have an antique/curio store here called Mrs. PinkaDOT. Interesting place, but getting your money for the sale of your consignment items is like pulling teeth.
ReplyDeleteI think I finally remember the difference between oxo and OPI. Never bought either brand, at least as far as I can recall.
My first thought was that all the atmosphere is made of gasses. Then I remembered my freshman meteorology class and those gloomy things called "clouds" which are made of (liquid) water droplets. And hygroscopic particles (which are solids) that facilitate the formation of rain drops and ice crystals.
Thanks to Michael for the fun, easy Monday exercise. But I thought that LODGE was a weak themer, and that it would have been better with just the three solid ones. And thanks to NaomiZ for another fine, interesting review. Happy trails to you 'til we meet again.
I don't know OPI, either. OXO, on the other hand, is my favorite supplier of kitchen utensils. LODGE is my go-to for cast-iron cookware.
DeleteMe too, the only true unknown was COTIJA. Michael Hobin has THE RIGHT STUFF in my book.
ReplyDeletePerps made me erase meow and enter PURR. Where was clue #56 down when I needed MSNOW yesterday. 😜 I don’t know the expression SIPS TEA but I like it. Lots of TV with CNN, ESPN, MSNOW.
Thank you NaomiZ for an excellent RECAP. Where did you find the picture of JOE SIX PACK WEDGED in at the ECONO LODGE. Did you create that image? We’ll miss you but fare well.
Enjoyed this puzzle a lot. Very minimal foreign words, no text speak, and no mention of anything to do with the WNBA. The birthstone was new to me, but got it right. Only hiccup was putting in Lemon Twist and kneed, but white out cured that and I finished it right.
ReplyDeleteFIR. Cotija seems totally out of place for a Monday puzzle. I only got it via perps. Seems more Thursday fare to me.
ReplyDeleteBeside that, this was an easy puzzle throughout. I particularly liked the clue for cat at 9A. Very clever, and were it not for that I would never have come up with the Mexican cheese.
Overall an enjoyable puzzle.