Theme: Soccer positions.
I tried out for Soccer once,
They gave me this T-Shirt...
A defender is an outfield player whose main job is to stop the other team from scoring goals.
Types of Defenders
Center-backs (CB): Play in the middle of the defense right in front of the goal. They win high balls and block shots.
Full-backs (LB/RB): Play on the left and right sides of the backline. They stop opposing wingers and run up the sidelines to help on offense
Wing-backs (LWB/RWB): An aggressive type of full-back. They focus heavily on running up and down the field to support attacks
Sweepers (SW): A rare, deeper defender who plays behind the main defensive line to clean up loose balls.
Key Skill
Tackling: Winning the ball cleanly from opponents
Positioning: Standing in the right place to block passing lanes
Aerial ability: Heading away crosses and long balls
Communication: Organizing the backline and talking with teammates.
38 Across. Soccer player from a Florida archipelago?: KEEPER OF THE KEYS.
A keeper (short for goalkeeper) is the designated player on a soccer team whose primary job is to stop the opposing team from scoring by preventing the ball from crossing the goal line.
Key Responsibilities and Rule
Handball Privilege: The keeper is the only player on the field allowed to use their hands and arms, but they can only do this inside their own designated penalty area.
Last Line of Defense: They act as the final barrier against shots and direct the outfield defenders during plays and set pieces.
Distinct Uniform: To easily tell them apart from everyone else, the keeper must wear a jersey color that is different from both teams and the referee.
Starting Attacks: Beyond stopping goals, modern keepers often use kicks or throws to launch fast counter-attacks for their team.
51 Across. Soccer player who doesn't pull their weight?: CARRIED FORWARD.
A forward in soccer is an outfield player who plays closest to the opposing teams's goal with the primary job of scoring and creating goals.
Main Roles of a Forward
Center Forward / Striker: Plays through the middle as the main goalscorer and focal point of the attack.
Winger / Wide Forward: Plays on the left or right side to stretch the defense, dribble past defenders, and cross the ball into the penalty box
Second Striker: Plays just behind the main center forward to link the midfield and attack
False Nine: A forward who drops backward into the midfield to pull defenders out of position and create open space for teammates.
Core Responsibilities
Finishing: Shooting and heading the ball into the net to score goals
Creating Space: Making smart runs off the ball to open passing lanes for teammates
Holding the Ball: Using physical strength to keep possession under pressure from defenders until help arrives
Pressing: Applying early pressure on opposing defenders when the other team has the ball.
Onward! To the coin toss, and kickoff!
1. Insensitive: CRASS.
6. Not out: SAFE.
10. Apple variety: GALA.
14. __ Productions: media company founded by Oprah: HARPO. (Oprah backwards.)
15. West Coast sch. that joined the Big Ten in 2024: UCLA.
16. Team with a lot of pull?: OXEN.
17. All over: AGAIN.
18. Birds whose oil is used in Aboriginal medicine: EMUS.
19. Super Serum seller: OLAY. (Note: Olay does not sell Emu Oil...)
20. [Theme.]
23. __-di-dah: LAH.
24. Blubber: FLAB. Emu oil is made by harvesting, melting, and refining the thick layer of fat found on the back of an Emu.
25. Accident report?: OOPS. 😬
28. "What a gimme!": EASY.
31. Mail: POST.
34. King topper in a game of war: ACE.
35. Singer Halliwell: GERI.
Also known as Ginger Spice...
36. Leave in a fit?: CLOTHE. (To make sense, you must read this 3 times...)
38. [Theme.]
41. Like steak, but not cake: SAVORY.
42. Reasons to go to extra innings: TIES.
43. Jazz (up): AMP.
44. Rookie gamer: NEWB. Also Newbie, or Noob...
45. Speck on a map: ISLE.
46. Sign: OMEN.
47. Long fish: EELS.
49. "Truthfully" initials: TBH. (To Be Honest.)
51. [Theme.]
58. Lean: THIN.
59. Within reach: NEAR.
60. Eaglet home: AERIE.
61. Avant-garde style: DADA. Examples can be found here...
62. Small bird of prey: KITE. Again, examples can be found here...
63. "You almost guessed it!": CLOSE. No examples here, because you missed it...
64. Staircase part: STEP.
65. "Now!": STAT.
66. Respected leader: ELDER.
Down:
1. Fella: CHAP.
2. Robusto! sauce brand: RAGU.
3. Many an Eid celebrant: ARAB. More info here...
4. Lets the cat out of the bag: SPILLS.
5. Ketanji colleague: SONIA.
Clue/answer refers to these guys.
Since there is no politics on the Blog,
I will not be naming them...
6. Sought compensation: SUED. (See below:)
7. Height: ACME.
A scene from Coyote Vs Acme.
8. Nickname for comedian Gabriel Iglesias: FLUFFY.
9. Stand for artistic freedom?: EASEL. 😀
10. Bible: GOOD BOOK.
11. Wheel spinner: AXLE.
12. Father of Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia: LEAR. William Shakespeare wrote the tragedy King Lear.
Quick Facts:
Written: Between 1605 and 1606
First Performance: December 1606
Plot: An aging king divides his kingdom among his daughters, leading to tragic consequences and madness.
13. Flexible amount: ANY.
21. Joyful: CHEERY.
22. Italy's third-largest city: NAPLES.
25. National trees of the United States: OAKS.
26. Place where people cruise through life?: OCEAN.😏
27. Get to: PEEVE.
29. Preferring platonic relationships, for short: ARO. Aro is short for aromantic, which describes a person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others.
30. Searches (through): SIFTS.
32. Iron output: STEAM.
33. Herb in jerk seasoning: THYME.
35. Company with an annual search for a spokesbaby: GERBER.
36. Flamin' Hot puff: CHEETO.
People are serious about their Cheetos...
37. "College GameDay" network: ESPN.
39. Short time out: POWER NAP.
40. From dawn __ dusk: TIL.
45. Finder's cry: I SEE IT.
Finders cry: Mine!
46. "Such is life": OH WELL.
48. Spot for a tee party?: LINKS. ❤️
50. Knee protector: BRACE.
51. Small talk: CHAT.
52. Deputy: AIDE.
53. Spreadsheet input: DATA.
54. Guitar ridge: FRET. My 50 year old guitar is getting worn grooves in its frets.
(I fret about my frets...)
55. Yankee nickname of the 2000s: AROD.
56. "__ and shine!": RISE.
57. Lots of bucks: DEER.
58. Some 37-Down highlights: Abbr.: TDS. (Touchdowns.)
55. Yankee nickname of the 2000s: AROD.
56. "__ and shine!": RISE.
57. Lots of bucks: DEER.
58. Some 37-Down highlights: Abbr.: TDS. (Touchdowns.)
The Grid.
7 three letter words, 6 people names, and only one abbreviated school name. Not bad!Describing this lovely Constructor...
Sorry for the deep dive into splainin' Soccer positions, but I know little about the game and had to do much research to do this write up, and, you know I hate to suffer alone...
CE:D out...
≽^• ˕ • ྀི≼
I have very little knowledge about soccer, so I didn’t pick up the unifying theme at all. And certain clues were
ReplyDeletetricky, such as “.leave in a fit” but I got them, eventually.
FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteToday was a perfect day to ignore the theme and let the perps unveil a common expression. Done. DW likes to watch soccer matches. I find them excruciating -- worse than American football (which I also don't watch). Thanx, Rena. Nice expo, CE:D, even though you went overboard on the soccer lingo.
TIL that you can spell NOOB as NEWB.
ReplyDeleteIt filled easily until I reached the SW and was stuck for a while. TBH (I've never seen that abbr. except in a crossword), I almost threw in the towel. I changed NOOB to NEWB and It took an alphabet run to get PEEVE, a word that I've only heard with 'pet'. FLUFFY was the only other unknown today.
ReplyDeleteCED- you know more about soccer than me, which is zero.
A pair of Mississippi KITEs would nest in an oak tree in my yard until hurricane ZETA and termites toppled the tree.
I keep forgetting to get the first step right.
DeleteFIR, but had to fix six wayward entries, which is a lot for a Wednesday puzzle.
ReplyDeleteHOF catcher Johnny Bench used to hawk Blue EMU cream. I suspect that he raised the birds in his native Oklahoma, or at least had investments in the industry.
It's nearing the end of 2026. I think we can refer to any member of the Spice Girls as "Old Spice."
My response to ARO is TMI. I don't give a rat's patooie who you are (or are not) attracted to. (Except Sydney Sweeney.)
I know more about cosmetics than I know about soccer, except that in soccer if a player needs a short time out and can't POWER NAP, (s)he falls down in feigned agony and waits for a trainer to apply a little ointment. Then (s)he pops back up, all rested and as good as new.
Thanks to Rena for the humpday challenge, and to CED for another fun review.
Yesterday was Windows patch day, so I'm no longer blue.
DeleteI forgot until just now. A few days ago, some Cornerites opined that tug boats aren't ocean-going vessels. I was down on the farm that day, and internet is spotty to be generous. I wanted to point out that there ARE ocean-going tugs, including one that moved the USS Cole from Yemen to the (crossword favorite) Gulf of Aden following the terrorist bombing in 2000.
ReplyDelete