Theme: CAST your mind back ...
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| Zhouqin Burnikel -- our C.C. |
Today's constructor, Zhouqin Burnikel, grew up in Xi'an, China, and moved to the Minneapolis area in 2001. She started this blog in 2008, and started making her own crosswords in 2010. Since then, she has become one of the most prolific and popular crossword constructors in the country. We know her in this space as C.C., where her band of bloggers collaborates to educate and entertain everyone enjoying crossword puzzles in the Los Angeles Times.
C.C. helped us out today with circled letters to highlight the theme. Note that the theme entries are symmetrically placed in the grid. That's elegant! The theme clues and answers are:
17-Across. "Piece of cake!": IT'S A CINCH. Two ways of saying "easy!" -- just like a Monday puzzle.
29-Across. Airport screening spots: TSA CHECKPOINTS. Where the Transportation Security Administration scans for prohibited items and holes in your socks.
47-Across. Landmark antidiscrimination legislation of 1964: CIVIL RIGHTS ACT. Proposed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, this act outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
64-Across. Shoe with a strap behind the heel, or what can be found in each set of circled letters: SLINGBACK. Slingback shoes can be high- or low-heeled, but "it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that sling." Did you see the circled letters, which if read BACKwards, spell CAST? CAST, as a verb, is a synonym for the verb SLING. In the theme answers, the SLING (or CAST) goes BACK.
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| Slingback shoe |
It took this blogger a moment to grasp the theme. I was picturing my father, CASTing a fly fishing line, which involved SLINGing the entire line backward and forward before letting it settle on the water's surface, and eventually the synonyms hit me.
Across:
1. Mani-pedi spots: SPAS. Spas are nice places to get MANIcures and PEDIcures.5. Muscles targeted by leg raises: ABS. You can do leg raises lying down, hanging from a bar, or in a "captain's chair" as shown below.
13. Like a trusted mentor: WISE.
14. Not of the clergy: LAIC.
16. Windy City airport: O'HARE. O'Hare is a massive global hub in Chicago.
17. [Theme clue]
19. Harder to come by: RARER.
20. Stingray relative: MANTA. Manta rays can be as large as 29 feet wide. They have one of the highest brain-to-body ratios of all fish and exhibit self-awareness. They are endangered by overfishing.
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| Human diver and manta ray with suckerfish |
21. Search for: SEEK.
23. "Well, golly!": GEE.
24. Vipers in the Sahara: ASPS. The asp, or Egyptian cobra, is highly venomous. The Egyptian queen Cleopatra committed suicide through the bite of an asp, reputed to bring on sleepiness and death without pain.
27. Feel the same way: AGREE.
29. [Theme clue]
34. Actor Lowe: ROB. Rob Lowe was a Brat Pack actor in the 1980s, and has achieved critical acclaim this century with roles in The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters, and other television productions.
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| Rob Lowe |
35. "That sounds cool!": OOH.
36. Below, poetically: 'NEATH. Simon & Garfunkel used this shortened version of "beneath" in their 1964 song, The Sound of Silence.
In restless dreams I walked aloneNarrow streets of cobblestone'Neath the halo of a street lampI turned my collar to the cold and dampWhen my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon lightThat split the nightAnd touched the sound of silence
38. Individual: ONE.
39. Heartburn reliever: ANTACID.
42. Title for Louis XIV: ROI. "Roi" is French for "king."
43. Tennessee NFL player: TITAN. I knew this one only because DH is from Tennessee, and follows sports.
45. Snowboarding great Chloe: KIM. Chloe Kim is an American professional snowboarder and two-time Olympic gold medalist.
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| Chloe Kim |
46. German 101 article: EIN. "Ein" is German corresponding to the English article "a." Courses numbered "101" are usually introductory classes for college undergraduates.
47. [Theme clue]
52. Girl Scout Cookie with coconut: SAMOA. In some regions, Samoas are labeled Caramel deLites, but they're made by a different bakery and have key differences. Samoas have darker chocolate and more coconut. Caramel deLites have milk chocolate and less coconut. I wonder whether the deLites inspire the same level of devotion as the Samoas?
53. Relax in the bath: SOAK.
54. Oral health org.: ADA. American Dental Association. If you use one of the major toothpaste brands, you're probably used to seeing the ADA Seal of Acceptance on the package.
56. Line on a graph: AXIS.
58. Golf course halves: NINES. A full course has eighteen holes. Playing half the course takes less time and may benefit beginners.
62. Automaton: ROBOT.
64. [Theme clue]
67. "You had to be __": THERE.
68. Currency in Cyprus: EURO. Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, and adopted the euro in 2008.
69. Woe after a long hike: ACHE.
70. Filled to the brim: SATED.
71. Shoot the breeze: GAB.
72. Shine from within: GLOW.
Down:
1. First leg of a traditional triathlon: SWIM. A triathlon is an endurance race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running.
2. Falafel bread: PITA. Falafel is a deep fried ball of chickpeas and/or fava beans, often served in pita bread.
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| Falafel in pita |
3. Professional gp.: ASSN. "Gp." stands for "group." "Assn." stands for "association."
4. Closest airport to Mt. Rainier, familiarly: SEA-TAC. The 14,411-foot active volcano is about 60 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the state of Washington.
5. Mahershala of "Green Book": ALI. Mahershala Ali's acting has been rewarded with two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Ali won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Moonlight (2016) and in Green Book (2018). Green Book tells the true story of a 1962 tour of the deep south by African-American pianist Don Shirley, relying on The Negro Motorist Green Book to find restaurants and hotels accepting black customers.
6. Declare off-limits: BAN.
7. Sets the dogs (on): SICS.
8. Salty fried snack: PORK RIND.
9. "I get it now!": AHA.
10. Bull's-eye vicinity: TARGET AREA.
11. One of Canada's First Nations: CREE. The Cree are a North American indigenous people whose homelands occupy most of eastern and central Canada.
12. "Present!": HERE. Both are responses to roll call.
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| David? Here! Alice? Present! |
15. Low-priced: CHEAP.
18. Fat wallet fattener: CASH.
22. Sense of self: EGO.
25. Laborer: PEON. A low ranking worker, or debtor bound to servitude.
26. Edinburgh native: SCOT. We encountered these good looking folks in Edinburgh last month:
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| Edinburgh natives |
28. U-turn from WSW: ENE. Opposite points on a compass.
29. Slow and steady run: TROT.
30. Lightning-fast hedgehog of video games: SONIC. Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game series for Sega which debuted in 1991.
31. "No weaseling out! Pay up!": A BET IS A BET.
32. Uniform color for some park rangers: KHAKI.
33. Showing no emotion: STOIC.
37. Helpful suggestion: HINT.
39. Like Pixar movies: ANIMATED.
40. Slangy smokes: CIGS. Short for cigarette, of course.
41. Intro to a texter's two cents: IMHO. IMHO stands for "in my humble opinion."
44. "Selma" director DuVernay: AVA. Ava DuVernay is a recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, a BAFTA Film Award, and a BAFTA TV Award, as well as a nominee for an Academy Award and Golden Globe. Her Academy Award nomination was for the 2014 film Selma, about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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| Ava DuVernay |
48. Fishy bagel topping: LOX. Lox is a fillet of raw salmon that has been soaked in salt water for at least several days and then thinly sliced. It is typically served on a bagel with cream cheese.
49. Reward for a job well done: RAISE.
50. Zesty flavor: TANG.
51. Carrier for poles, boots, and goggles: SKI BAG.
54. Bonsai and saikei: ARTS. Bonsai is the Japanese art of pruning trees or shrubs in shallow containers to create miniature versions of mature trees. Saikei goes a step further by adding stones, moss, gravel and other elements to create miniature landscapes.
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| Saikei |
55. Gulf capital known for its futuristic skyline: DOHA. Doha is the capital of Qatar.
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| Doha |
57. Slimy garden pest: SLUG.
59. Table salt, to a chemist: NACL. NaCl is the chemical formula for sodium chloride, commonly known as table salt.
60. Sound in an empty chamber: ECHO.
61. Distort, as data: SKEW.
63. Mined find: ORE.
65. 401(k) kin: IRA. Individual Retirement Account.
66. San Francisco's __ Hill: NOB. An historic, affluent neighborhood in San Francisco, with steep hills, luxury hotels, and great views of the city and the bay.
Notes from C.C.:
Here's a picture of CrossEyedDave, all dressed up for a fancy French restaurant. He said "This is my first time tasting Crepe Suzette. I don't like crepe Suzette any more than I like French in my crosswords..."
Despite the length of
ReplyDeletea couple of the themed answers, this one was a “cinch” as you might expect a Monday puzzle to be.
FIR, so I’m happy.
FIR, and my eraser was pleased to receive a day off.
ReplyDeleteThis may come as a surprise, but I can never remember how to spel KHAKI.
KIM Chloe or Chloe KIM? Never heard of either, so I’ll take NaomiZ’s word for it. I reserve my Olympics viewing for real sports, like curling.
The late Jimmy Buffett released You Had to Be THERE, an album of live performances, early in his wonderful career.
One of these days maybe I’ll remember AVA isn’t only a Gardner.
Thanks to CC for the fun, easy start to the work week. And thanks to NaomiZ for another round of chuckles.
I see that CC co-authored the USA Today crossword puzzle Breaking Rank today.
DeleteGood morning!
ReplyDeleteMaybe if I knew about SLING BACK shoes, this theme would've made more sense. I was thinking they put your arm in a CAST and support it with a SLING. And that reminds me, why is it ANTACID and not ANTiACID? Has anyone heard from DOHA Doc lately? He used to be a regular here. This was a nice start to the final week before the midterms. My mailbox gets stuffed with several hundred "send money" emails daily. I sure hope it tapers off after next Tuesday. It's crazy. Thanx to C.C. and NaomiZ for this morning's amusement.
No white out and a fun puzzle. Nice way to start the week.
ReplyDeleteFiR. Just because this is a CC puzzle doesn't make me like circles any more or any less. They don't belong in crosswords, period. And as usual I ignored them.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very easy Monday presentation as befits the day. All the clues were very straightforward and fair.
Overall an enjoyable puzzle.
Who's the new girl? 😂 C.C. delivered a fun Monday-appropriate puzzle that I flew through, from O'HARE to SEA-TAC. IT'S A CINCH!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed a CINCH. I didn’t know KIM and ALI but no problem. The rest was very straightforward. At first I thought the theme would involve scrambled CATS. But the reveal wanted something else. I have several SLING BACK shoes.
ReplyDeleteSEA TAC is where I adopted my little Monkey good luck charm.
Thank you NaomiZ for that fine review and for the recap of CC’s bio.
Took 3:42 today to act like a QB and geT SACked.
ReplyDeleteI knew the actors of the day (Rob & Ali), as well as the director (Ava).
I liked "a bet is a bet." I didn't like "German 101 article." Especially with "ein" being underneath French (roi).
Speaking of French, with those squares, I thought CED had a crossword grid shirt on for his fancy dining. And, speaking of shapes...
Oh joy, circles!
Good Morning:
ReplyDeleteUntil I got to the reveal clue, I was convinced the theme was about Cats. Nice misdirection on CC’s part. In any case, the solve was quick and easy due to Monday level cluing and answers, a spotlessly clean grid, and the deft execution of the author’s talents. This is what a Monday puzzle should be, especially for newbies and beginner solvers.
Thanks, CC, for a fun start to the week and thanks, Naomi, for the usual spot on review and analysis of the theme and overall offering.
DO, the last we heard from Doha Doc was when he moved back to the US and became Riverside Doc (California). He posted for a while and then disappeared. Maybe he’ll see this and chime in and say hi.
Have a great day.
I was also thinking CATS. I'm glad i filled SLINGBACK by perps because it was new to me. Chloe KIM was the only other unknown.
DeleteI enjoyed today's puzzle. As a solver that often struggles later in the week, I appreciate circles, which helped me to finish the puzzle. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteMarvellous Monday. Thanks for the fun, C.C. and NaomiZ.
ReplyDeleteI FIRed in good time while travelling to see the grands. I saw the backward CASTs early in the solve, but like d’o, I was thinking of a cast on your broken arm.
No inkblots, and perps helped with any unknowns like KIM, SEA TAC (it took this Canadian a few perps to recognize the American geography, but I did know OHARE!)
Wishing you all a great day.
I think this is right up there with fastest speedy solve on a Monday! I came to the blog to see most of Down answers because they had been solved already by the Across perps!
ReplyDeleteGirl Scout cookie SAMOAs are almost as addictive as Thin Mints
I've never been to DOHA but am very familiar with it as my BFF from growing up lived in Doha, QUATAR for 5 years while her husband worked on a new plant as a chemical engineer for Chevron
Thanks Naomi for the blog and CC for the puzzle!
Musings
ReplyDelete-A just right start to my week with just a little effort needed to see CAST as SLING
-I toyed with actors being miscast for a while
-There are several family pumpkin patches around us and we went to one yesterday where we spent $60 for not much.
-The back NINE of my course is much more boring than the front
-My granddaughter ran her first marathon (not TRIATHLON) yesterday in D.C. I was so proud she finished.
-In teaching there is no RAISE given for good work. The pay scale has years of experience on one AXIS and education on the other and where they intersect, that is your salary.
-Silent H’s are not my fav!
14 names, but only 3 DNKs. FIR in 8. A fun start to the week, thanx C.C.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know what a "slingback" shoe is, and once again forgot to take the time to look for the theme, so it took NaomiZ's excellent write-up to see it.
I was thinking Mike Rowe (dirty Jobs) before Rob Lowe, and I left the 3 letter German article blank, as there might be a few, and never saw it again because this easy Monday puzzle didn't leave many blank spaces.
ReplyDeleteAnywho, I did learn a couple of things, like what to tell the Boss next time...
And,
Looking at those slingback shoes makes me wince. I keep thinking, "what a perfect way to get a blister on your heel... Here is an artistic version that may out a lot less stress on your feet!