Friday, March 28, 2025 - Katherine Simonson

 Theme: "PrEEEE-fix" - or - "Four E-'s [sic] a jolly good fellow ..."

Puzzling thoughts:  

First, thanks to NaomiZ for filling in for me while I was taking some time off of the puzzle boards to recover from my eye surgeries.  I appreciate the well-wishes from you readers, though I am still working towards better vision. Maybe I will have good news to share on my next blog ...

Second, with most eye surgery layoffs comes the need to refocus on the task at hand; that being, to clearly see what the constructor is trying to illustrate in her puzzle.  Cataract surgery or not, I re-viewed the puzzle after completing it in less than 10 minutes.  It seems that Ms. Simonson (owner of two published LAT puzzles) was merely trying to convey a witty (or is it, "wit-E-") connection between her clues and a common phrase/item that begins with the letter "E".  As follows:

16-across. Headquarters for a simulated space launch?: E-MISSION CONTROL.  An emission control system on a car, for example, might be a catalytic converter which converts noxious gases into a less harmful substance. (Note:  How come they haven't been able to develop something similar for the flatuant society?)

I digress ... the clue, however, refers to a "mission control center" - the facility that monitors and guides space flights, e.g.  The humor/wit is associated with how I've hyphenated the answer.  Items that begin with the prefix "E -" usually refer to something "electronic" or done "on-line" (e-commerce/e-mail/e-ticket).  If there ever existed a place where space-traffic control applicants could go to train in a simulator, it might be here ... @ e-mission control

29-across. Recognition for top cyber snoops?: E-SPY AWARDS.  I would hope that all who have solved crossword puzzles are familiar with the ESPY awards which honor professional and amateur athletes.  The word ESPY is very commonly used by crossword puzzle constructors. By hyphenating the "e" from the "spy" in this example, an on-line (cyber) recognition for top sleuths might be called the e-spy awards

47-across. Group of online church leaders?: E-RECTOR SET.  Hands up for how many of you Crossword Corner readers played with one of these when you were a kid?  A rector is defined in various ways, as the hyperlink shows.  Not sure if the American Anglican church is ready to hand over their priestly duties to an e-rector set just yet.  If they did, would they now be called: e-piscopalians?

62-across. Co-branding by web-based sellers?: E-MERGING MARKETS.  You seeee [sic] where this is going by now?  😉

I guess if I had to choose one of the four entries today that gave me a slight grin it would be the E-SPY AWARDS.  The others were kinda "meh" IMO, although E-RECTOR SET might be the best of the other three

As for the rest of the fill, it was actually quite tight.  No weird words, nor too many TLW's or abbrs.  Also, the inclusion of the words: TOE TAP, CORKER, and GREEN MEN added to its enjoyment.  All in all, I score it, ⭐⭐ - 3/4⭐, though I think a few solvers today might use the "juice/squeeze" analogy in their comments. It certainly was not very hard for a Friday puzzle, but that seems to be the norm these days

Here is the filled in grid with the "E-s" highlighted, then off to the rest ... 

The Grid

Across:

1. Legato symbol on a score: SLUR.  The arced line connecting the scale notes below

5. High flyer: JET.  Glad to see an actual word here instead of SST, for example

8. Medicinal or savory plants: HERBS.  Hand up for trying ALOES, first?

13. Prong: TINE.  As on a fork

14. "That was a long time __": AGO.  When C-Moe last blogged, maybe?

15. Fermented Japanese condiment: TAMARI.  Not familiar with this condiment

[themer]

19. Spunk: MOXIE.  I love this word! 

20. Like many shower stalls: TILED.  

This type of tile seems to be the current trend for shower stalls

21. NYC hrs.: EST.  Eastern Standard Time (only during late fall and winter hours, however)

22. Grocery department: DELI.  When I stop by there, they make me feel like a hero

24. Working diligently: AT IT.  What I found myself doing with today's blog! A bit rusty I admit

26. One of Padmé and Anakin's twins: LUKE.  Star Wars dude, Skywalker 

[themer]

34. Mil. branch: USN.  I waited for the perps to fill this

35. Dust speck: MOTE.  Seems synonymous - let's check with the thesaurus-saurus: 

Close enough

36. Jasper Johns genre: POP ART.

The artist and one of his images (pop art)

37. Cal State city: CHICO.  Here is a link to the Cal State dot edu website.  CHICO is in the north/central part of the state, between Sacramento (the capital) and Redding.  My partner Margaret was on the library staff of Cal State Channel Islands, once upon a time

39. Droop: SAG.  Gravity takes over on we older persons.  My extra bit of paunch is what I refer to as "Dunlop" disease ... my belly done lopped over my belt

41. Consideration when halving or doubling a recipe: RATIO.  I liked this clue!  3:1 = 6:2

42. Rehabilitate: REFORM.  There is no reforming C-Moe, I'm afraid 

44. Wearying trip: TREK.  @ Picard - would you define the journey of the Star TREK Enterprise to be wearying?

46. Brew in a mug: TEA. and its "clecho" @ 64-down. Brew in a mug: ALE.

[themer]

49. Anatomical sac: CYST.  Moe-ku: 

        How would the cheer go

        If an ovine's zit explodes?

        You'd say: "CYST", "BOOM", "BAAA ..."

50. __ fresca: AGUA.  CSO to Lucina

51. Sound reflection: ECHO.  Clue reflection = clecho

53. Science site: LAB.  Or for some owners, "lap site"

56. Martian, perhaps: ALIEN. and its "clecho" @ 40-down. Martians, perhaps: GREEN MEN.

58. Clear: ERASE.

[themer]

65. Silky fabric: SATEEN.

66. Hair-raising product: GEL.  This look would scare me; you?? 

How much GEL was used to create this whatever it is you'd call it?

67. Stretches often named for music genres: ERAS.  Any Disco ERA fans here? 

68. Some Central Europeans: SLAVS.  

69. Dollar: ONE.  Store, Tree, or General did not fit

70. Automation prefix: ROBO.  

Down:

1. Derive (from): STEM.  Or in 2020's speak, an acronym for Science Technology Engineering and Math

2. Prom conveyance: LIMO.  Or in my case, a 1964 Dodge Dart GT, equipped with a 225 cu in slant 6, and Chrysler's TorqueFlite push button transmission - I think the young lady that rode with me was named Debbie ... great car for driving: not so much for a prom date ... bucket seats ... 

3. Linux predecessor: UNIX.  I will defer to the resident computer geeks to better explain this clue and answer ... 

4. Dwell: RESIDE.

5. __ alai: JAI.  Here is an erstwhile popular crossword pair of entries - I think "Alai" appears more often then "Jai"

6. Narcissists: EGOTISTS. Nudists: ECOTISTS

7. Collette of "The Power": TONI. This link will tell you about her

8. Artisan's output: HANDIWORK. According to @CrosswordTracker, this entry word has shown up just once - also in 2025 - so kudos to Ms. Simonson for finding this

9. First aid pro: EMT.    

10. Not well-done: RARE.  The hyphenated "well-done" led me to think it referred to a temperature of steak.  Here is how I prefer my steak prepared:

"Pittsburgh" style; Rare +

11. Frat boys: BRO'S. [note: I added the apostrophe so you could see that it's an abbreviation] Fraternity members are called "brothers".  Moe-ku #2:

        The sorority

        XTP's* fraternity

        Partner: BRO's for Rho's

*X = Chi; T= Tau; P = Rho

12. Fine-grained soil: SILT. and its clecho (count 'em, three clechos today!) 18-down. Fine-grained soil: CLAY.

15. Keep time with one's foot: TOE TAP. Here is a golden oldie that includes tapping all five TOES  

17. Behold: SEE.

[cut and pasted next to 12-down]
 
23. Many an August baby: LEO.  The others are Virgos - hands up for any LEOs here? Not I

25. Taberna dish: TAPA.  Taberna: Spanish; Tavern: English ... tapas are small plate dishes (appetizers) that are offered by many tabernas 

26. Ill-gotten gains: LUCRE.  Crossword-y?? Not a word I use in everyday speak

27. Guide: USHER.  I like this clue, as the clue word and entry word mean both whether it's used as a noun or a verb.  "The guide ushered me to my seat, or the usher guided me to my seat" 

28. Kitchen block insert: KNIFE.  We have one of these kitchen blocks, but they contain a mis-matched set of knives a pair of food scissors and a meat fork

Picture this unbranded, for mine

30. Bog accumulations: PEATS.  Not sure that I like seeing the word "PEAT" pluralized; maybe a forced entry or something edited in?  Moe-ku #3

        Well-known model Kate

        Married tennis pro Sampras.

        She became Pete's Moss

31. Threadbare: RATTY.  This picture describes it perfectly!

Star of a new movie called "Ratty Toile"

32. Hangs on the line: DRIES.

33. Weasel with a black-tipped tail: STOAT.

35. Household expenses: MORTGAGES.  Another word that shouldn't be pluralized, IMO, given the context of the clue.  Unless, of course, you have two (or more) mortgages to pay.  One is enough for me/us, thank you!

38. __-Cola: COCA.  Is this really Friday?  Did anyone else think that the clues/answers were not "Friday-tough"

[cut and pasted next to 56-across]

43. __ Rouge: Paris cabaret: MOULIN.  Online reservations are available!

45. List shortener: ETC.  Et al had one too many letters

48. Picnic spoiler: RAIN.  ANTS fit until it didn't

49. Excellent joke: CORKER.  This brought back memories of the 15 odd years I lived in New England.  The word corker has its roots in the UK and means: a person or thing that is especially good, attractive, hilarious or funny.  The folks I knew in NE wouldn't pronounce this as it appears (Cork' - er), they would say: (Caw'-kuh)

Here's a real "corker"!

52. Pronoun option: HER.  HIM works, too

53. Minus: LESS.  Again, it's Friday, folks! Tougher clues, please

54. Human rights lawyer Clooney: AMAL.  George Clooney's better half

55. Phi __ Kappa: BETA. Again, it's Friday, folks! Tougher clues, please

57. Waffle maker: EGGO. I suppose IRON would fit, but again, it's Friday, folks! Tougher clues, please

59. Prefix with dynamic: AERO. Again, it's Friday, folks! Tougher clues, please

60. Grab with a toothpick: STAB. Again, it's Friday, folks! Tougher clues, please

61. Canadian gas brand: ESSO. Again, it's Friday, folks! Tougher clues, please [CSO to Canadian Eh!]

63. Informal title for a clergyman: REV.  Short for Reverand

[cut and pasted alongside 46-across]

Please offer your puzzling thoughts in the Comments section.  I'll shake the blogging rust off next month, promise ...