Saturday Themeless by Matthew Luter
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Dr. Matthew Luter is a writer and teacher in Jackson, MS. Originally from Laurel, MS, he is an alumnus of Millsaps College and of the University of North Carolina. He teaches courses in American literature at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.
Dr. Matthew Luter is a writer and teacher in Jackson, MS. Originally from Laurel, MS, he is an alumnus of Millsaps College and of the University of North Carolina. He teaches courses in American literature at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.The solve was fun until the NE corner where INTERROBANG was really "out there". Usually long fill is very helpful but it provided no help with a part of the puzzle that was a challenge to me. It MADE NO SENSE.
ACROSS
1. Nowhere near: AFAR.
5. Allegro: RAPID. - I'm confident that our cultured solvers here at the corner know at the Allegro Spring movement from Vivaldi's Four Seasons! Listen to this unique presentation of this Allegro piece
5. Allegro: RAPID. - I'm confident that our cultured solvers here at the corner know at the Allegro Spring movement from Vivaldi's Four Seasons! Listen to this unique presentation of this Allegro piece
10. Improvise: VAMP.
14. Podcaster's software option: GARAGE BAND - A Mac product
14. Podcaster's software option: GARAGE BAND - A Mac product
16. Cricket field shape: OVAL.
17. Conversion that some pray will be successful?: EXTRA POINT 😀
18. Work with Python, say: CODE.
19. Arise: EMERGE.
20. Retraced one's steps, in a way: PACED.
21. Light touch: PAT.
24. Hybrid punctuation mark: INTERROBANG ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
26. Unsure where to go: ADRIFT.
28. Logical start: GEO.
29. Jane in a suit?: DOE 😀 Jane DOE is the female equivalent of John Doe. They simply refer to an unknown person in a legal matter.
30. Pantheon honoree: DEITY.
31. Cereal with a vanilla-flavored Confetti version: CHEERIOS.
28. Logical start: GEO.
29. Jane in a suit?: DOE 😀 Jane DOE is the female equivalent of John Doe. They simply refer to an unknown person in a legal matter.
30. Pantheon honoree: DEITY.
31. Cereal with a vanilla-flavored Confetti version: CHEERIOS.
34. Back up: SAVE.
35. Kleptocracy ruler: THIEF.
36. "The Mystery at Lilac Inn" sleuth: DREW - From October 1930
38. Setting of Frank McCourt's "Angela's Ashes": LIMERICK - You can join this tour at 20 O'Connell St, Prior's-Land, Limerick, Ireland
42. Sportscaster Patrick: DAN.
43. Words of warning: OR ELSE.
44. Absolute noob: RANK AMATEUR - Me at chess
48. Steered: LED.
49. Pretty penny or bad penny: IDIOM.
50. Collection of highlights, perhaps: TOP TEN
52. Dreamcast maker: SEGA.
53. Help line?: DO ME A SOLID.
57. Kathryn of "WandaVision": HAHN ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
58. Strong desire for one in search of just desserts?: SWEET TOOTH. 😀
59. Secondary social media accounts: ALTS - I barely have any primaries let alone any secondaries
60. Pernod flavor: ANISE.
Down:
1. Actuarial stat: AGE - I'll soon turn 80 and this is what one actuarial says my future looks like.
2. Quaint transmission: FAX - 😀 Not transmitting much anymore
3. Word with pop or op: ART.
4. Like an Inverted Jenny stamp: RARE - This misprint can be worth as much as two million dollars.
6. "Cancel the launch!": ABORT - Jim Lovell considered this option during the launch of Apollo 13
7. 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Bueckers: PAIGE.
8. Something that may be on display while playing D&D: INNER GEEK 😀
9. "Silent Spring" subj.: DDT.
10. Informal lexicon: VOCAB.
11. Vegetarian sushi option: AVOCADO ROLL.
12. Beggared belief: MADE NO SENSE.
13. Fundraising promise: PLEDGE.
15. Turn into a competition, say: GAMIFY - The most famous example of this (3:10)
20. Subpar: POOR.
21. Trampoline park gear: PADS.
22. "We agreed on this!": A DEAL'S A DEAL.
23. Bar exam setting?: TRIVIA NIGHT - Matthew took some pretty big liberties with the language here but it was fun when I "got it"!
25. Utah's Capitol __ National Park: REEF.
27. Article: ITEM.
31. Neighborhood that may contain a paifang: CHINA TOWN.
32. Minute Maid brand: HI-C.
33. Unserious: IDLE.
35. Mine wagon: TRAM - An electric TRAM hauling gold or silver at the Bohemia Mine in Cottage Grove, OR. Postmarked 1909.
37. Intruder from under the surface: WEED.
39. Semisoft cheese: EDAM.
40. Halt: ARREST.
41. Country star Yearwood: TRISHA - She has been married to this "other singer" since 2005.
43. Showed up at dinner?: OUTATE - If. you GAMIFY eating...
45. Zen riddles: KOANS - I learned this in cwd and I know the example of, "What is the sound made by one hand clapping?"
46. "The Wrestler" Oscar nominee: TOMEI - Her portrayal a stripper won accolades for her acting and 44-year-old body.
47. Light blades: EPEES.
51. Alcove: NOOK.
53. Mamdani political org.: DSA.
54. Bath lav: LOO.
55. "__ no use": ITS.
56. Org. that oversees 41-Across: DHS.
I got it!
ReplyDeleteIt was tough but doable.
FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteAm I wasting my time, or is Blogger commenting fixed? We'll soon find out.
Yay, d-o finished a Saturday stumper, and in less than ten minutes, too. "Kleptocracy" is a pretty good description of the current administration. A different Dan Patrick is the current Texas Lieutenant Governor who also happens to be an ex-sportscaster. I owned a pair of KOSS headphones back in the early '60s. Now I use Audio Technica. I enjoyed your puzzling efforts, Matthew, and your expo, Husker.
I managed to fill about half of the grid, mostly correctly, before slamming into the proverbial brick wall. After that I managed to make it to the finish only with the help of red letters and painfully long alphabet runs.
ReplyDeleteI made one pass, filled about 10 items, and quit. Too many unknowns to even guess. When it comes to being a RANK AMATEUR, it emerges for me on Saturday morning.
ReplyDeleteIf you have no Apple equipment, not a coder, don't follow the WNBA, never played Dungeons & Dragons, or don't have a primary or secondary social Media account, you can't solve this puzzle.
Looking at Gary's top 10 list, I don't know a single song on the first list and know every song on the second list.
Agreed on the top 10s. I knew none of the first list, and 9 of 10 on the second. That's proof that we're both old farts.
DeleteDitto for me!! “Aah, I remember it well”. And not a single current hit
DeleteDitto for me too. 1964 was the year we got married.
DeleteAnd we're back! I'm sorry that Splynter didn't get his due for yesterday's great review. I've said it before, but he's the master of titles, and "BlackTOP Market" was up there with the best.
ReplyDeleteTodays puzzle by Matthew seemed appropriately difficult for a Saturday. Some false starts followed by wooshes. Except for the cross of HAHN and KOANS which ultimately sunk me.
As a RANK AMATEUR writer, I knew INTERROBANG, so one man's poison is another man's pleasure?!
I had GAME ON that delayed me until GAMIFY came to light.
Wonderful review as always, HG.
I did it. All on my own. Tho it took a while. The “?” turns of phrases were fun: ❣️“wanders in an airport?” I also enjoyed watching my memory step it up; and I learned a few things…. Thanks to Matt & Husker. Y’all have a great week!
ReplyDeleteHey, how's iit going today!? (interrobang, for an exclamation in the form of a question, not really expecting an answer)
ReplyDeleteHave heard of 3 or 4 of the artists of the current top ten, but can hum along at least fragments of 7 of 1964's.
An EPEE is actually the heaviest of fencing swords
I decided to wait for crossings there, my crosswordese sense was screaming EPEES but FOILS also fits.
DeleteThree flavors of "?" clue in one corner:
ReplyDelete- A transparent one whose answer is easy to get and requires a few crosses at worst (SWEET TOOTH)
- One where the wordplay is immediately apparent but the answer takes some work because of how vague the clue is (DO ME A SOLID)
- And finally, a completely mystifying one that only makes sense after you get the answer from crossings (OUTATE).
I really enjoyed this puzzle except DHS x KOSS. We could have had NOOB x BOSS, or even KOOL crossing ITO and DHL. I'm not from the US so I have to ask... assuming you have DH- filled in at 56D, is the answer easy to get for the average American?
DHS stands for Department of Homeland Security and when it was put together after 9/11 TSA was one of the sub-departments under it
DeleteFIR. I'm glad the comments section has been fixed. Just as well yesterday's performance for me was abysmal. This was definitely a workout but of course it is Saturday and to be expected.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not sure what interrobang is, but the perps insisted it was right. Oh well!
Overall, despite being very hard, an enjoyable puzzle.
Glad the blogger is up and running again!
ReplyDeleteThis was typical Saturday challenging but doable. I had heard of INTERROBANG but never used it IRL
When I was little, Hi-C was a drink my mom served instead of the more expensive orange juice.
SPORCLE - the trivia website my daughter used to work at also hosts Trivia nights a various pubs and restaurants - mainly in the upper Mid-west Minnesota to Michigan.
https://www.sporcle.com/events/locations/
Thanks Gary for the blog and Matthew for the puzzle!
Took 13:47 today to arrest the timer.
ReplyDeleteI knew the Actresses of the Day (Tomei and Hahn), but didn't (and don't) know "innterobang".
I am familiar with Capitol Reef National Park. It's a hidden gem in the middle of the Southern part of Utah (Zion & Bryce Canyon to the West and Arches & Canyonlands to the East). Definitely worth visiting if you are able to visit any of the other "Mighty 5" parks in Utah. We spent a lovely afternoon there about 10 years ago.
The Inverted Jenny reminds me of Ohio's license plates, which are supposed to pay tribute to the Wright Brothers who designed and made their first plane(s) in Dayton, OH. However, the license plates were produced with a red banner streaming from the front of the plane, instead of the rear of the plane.
I guess vanilla-flavored, Confetti version of Cheerios constitutes the obscure Saturday food.
The top-left and bottom-right corners were the toughest for me today.
I had three LIUs: PAIGE,, HAHN. The rest of the numerous UKNs filled with perps: KOSS, TOMEI as clued, DREW was a WAG, DAN, CODE, TRISHA and Eco had to give way to DDT.
ReplyDeleteSome fun clues like SWEET TOOTH and REPENT. I would have liked this CW more if there had been fewer proper names.
I used to like a Pernod drink in the summer.
Thank younHG for your review. Most useful. And thank you Splynter for your review yesterday. It’s weird how one person got to comment.
Obviously I don’t know how to count. 😜
Delete12:42. A little on the easy side with all of the long answers but solid puzzle all the way around.
ReplyDeleteI found this Saturday worthy and extremely difficult, but I somehow managed a FIR w/out help in 40:39, after spending quite a while ADRIFT in the NE. Was surprised to get the congratulatory message when I WAGed the R to get REEF, which gave me the unknown INTERROBANG. It helped that I knew all the names except HAHN. Never heard the term ‘‘beggared belief’, but I guess it describes a lot of the cluing in this puzzle for me. Thank you Matthew for the very challenging CW, and to HG for the explication. The current TOP TEN list, I’ve heard of a few of the artists but none of the songs. Lately I’ve been tuning in to channel 73 on Sirius XM, 60’s GOLD, which plays all those songs from 1964 and a slew of others from that decade. The DJ’s are a wealth of info about music from that era.
ReplyDeleteSaved my comment from yesterday:
ReplyDeleteThis CW seemed to have even more names than it actually has (16) maybe because the 6 DNKs were so tough for me to perp. I did FIR in roughly 16 minutes. Several interruptions may have screwed up my timing.
Overall, when I went back and looked at the completed CW, I gotta say: pretty clever! And yes I did see the theme, but only after the CW was done and I went back to find it.
Thanx WLB, fun Friday. Never heard of SMH, though, all perps.
Thanx too to Splynter for the terrific write up, complete with cool cartoons and fabulous legs. I took it as "FABRICS WATCH" rather than "FABRIC SWATCH", but I guess it could be either.
As for today, I needed red-letter help and still needed several alpha runs. So although I did fill every cell, it took 29 minutes, and by my own rules, I give myself a DNF due to all the alpha run cheats.
Thanx ML, very nice CW just too tough for my meager abilities.
Thanx too to HG for the fine write-up, and for enlightening me on a few items I DNK.