Tuesday July 23, 2023 Agnes Davidson and Zhouqin Burnikel

Do Not PASS Go.  Today's treat comes to us from our very own Irish Miss and C.C.  Do Not PASS up the opportunity to complete today's puzzle.

17-Across. Vocalist who expresses unrequited love: TORCH SINGER.  Pass the Torch.

28-Across. Early sci-fi adventure hero: BUCK ROGERS.  Pass the Buck, unless you're Harry S Truman.

35-Across. Hockey feats: HAT TRICKS.  Pass the Hat.  The modern equivalent is the on-line GoFundMe request for money to pay for something or to reward someone.

46-Across. Cocktail makers: BAR KEEPERS.  Pass the Bar.

And the unifier:

57-Across. Kill a few hours, and an apt title for this puzzle?: PASS THE TIME.

Across:

1. Vehicle not allowed in Venice: CAR.  Cars are not permitted in Venice, Italy; boats are the preferred method of public transportation, even police vehicles.

4. Museum piece: RELIC.

9. Relax in a tub: SOAK.

13. Mineral deposit: ORE.  A crossword staple.

14. __ acid: AMINO.  Protein building blocks.

15. "More or less": SORTA.

16. Put money (on): BET.

19. Skin bump: WART.

21. In first place: AHEAD.

22. Letters on tubes of toothpaste: ADA.  As in the American Dental Association.

23. Pencil end: ERASER.

26. "And that's final!": I MEAN IT!

31. Bring on board: HIRE.

32. Mil. rank: SGT.  Sergeant is a military rank.

33. Anchor a boat: MOOR.

34. "__ your age!": ACT.

39. Madrid Mrs.: SRA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

41. Previously: ONCE.  "Once upon a time there lived... 'A king! ' my little readers will say immediately.  No, children, you are mistaken.  Once upon a time there was a piece of wood."   Oh, wait!  That was last week.

42. Franchise that includes "Iron Man" and "WandaVision," for short: MCU.  As in Marvel Comic Unlimited.

45. Chimney dust: SOOT.

49. Petitions to a higher court: APPEALS.

51. Workplace for a forensic scientist: DNA LAB.

52. Uno e due: TRE.  Today's math and Italian lesson.

53. Vision-correcting surgery: LASIK.

56. Barest trace: WISP.

61. "Couples Therapy" network, for short: SHO.  I am not familiar with this show, which is apparently  a documentary series following couples as they seek the help of psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik  with their troubled relationships. 

62. Grammy winner Baker: ANITA.  Anita Baker (née Anita Denise Baker; Jan. 26, 1958) is known for her soulful ballads.  She has won several Grammys for her work.  [Name # 1.]

63. BBC airer, familiarly: TELLY.  Television.

64. Spanish for "to be": SER.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

65. Award for "Hadestown": TONY.  I saw Hadestown a year or so ago.  It's a modern re-telling of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.  Eurydice, a young girl looking for something to eat, goes to work in a hellish industrial version of the Greek underworld to escape poverty and the cold, and her poor singer-songwriter lover Orpheus comes to rescue her.

66. Sign of fire: SMOKE.  Where there's smoke ...

67. Museum pieces: ART.

Down:

1. Spider traps: COBWEBS.

2. Partial floor covering: AREA RUG.

3. Take back, as a statement: RETRACT.

4. Rodent in the Vietnamese zodiac: RAT.  The animals in the Vietnamese zodiac are Tý (Mouse), Sửu (Ox), Dần (Tiger), Mão (Cat), Thìn (Dragon), Tỵ (Snake), Ngọ (Horse), Mùi (Goat), Thân (Monkey), Dậu (Rooster), Tuất (Dog), and Hợi (Pig).

5. Introspective music genre: EMO.  A Crossword staple.

6. Turkish currency: LIRA.

7. Move very slowly: INCH.

8. Joint inheritor: CO-HEIR.

9. Cain, to Adam: SON.  There was another son, but Cain slew Abel.  [Names # 2 and 3, Biblical.]

10. Common label at Whole Foods: ORGANIC.  The store affectionately known as Whole Paycheck.

11. Humbly accepted blame: ATE DIRT.

12. Martial art developed in Okinawa: KARATE.

15. Steamed vegetables, e.g.: SIDE.

18. __ Club: Costco rival: SAM'S.

20. Sound of disapproval: TSK!

24. Humorist Bombeck: ERMA.  Erma Louise Bombeck (née Erma Louise Fiste; Feb. 21, 1927 ~ Apr. 22, 1996) was an American humorist.  In addition to writing several books, she also wrote a syndicated newspaper column about suburban life.  [Name # 4.]

25. Daikon or beet: ROOT.  A Daikon is a white Asian radish.

27. Cries of discovery: AHAs!

29. Understood: GOT.

30. Misspelling, e.g.: ERROR.

35. Dislike intensely: HATE.

36. Tattoo artist's supply: INK.

37. Looped in on an email: CC'ED.  As in Carbon Copied.

38. Enthusiastic: KEEN.

39. Opera diva, usually: SOPRANO.

40. Successfully entices: ROPES IN.

42. "Bridesmaids" actress McCarthy: MELISSA.  Melissa Ann McCarthy (b. Aug. 26, 1970) is a comic actress.  [Name # 5.]

43. Uninvited party guest: CRASHER.

44. Spot for a flash drive: USB PORT.

45. Made no changes: SAT PAT.

46. Ho-hum: BLAH.

47. Desirable traits: ASSETS.

48. "__ Patrol": animated series with dogs in uniform: PAW.  Paw Patrol is a big hit with the toddler set.

50. Ski resort near Snowbird: ALTA.  Alta is a ski resort in Utah.

54. To-do list entry: ITEM.

55. Metric weight: KILO.

58. Trough locale: STY.

59. "I have a dream" monogram: MLK.  As in Martin Luther King, Jr. (Jan 15, 1929 ~ Apr. 4, 1968).  [Name # 6.]

60. Place for winged liner: EYE.  Think of Amy Winehouse (née Amy Jade Winehouse; Sept. 14, 1983 ~ July 23, 2011).  She died 13 years ago today.

Here's the Grid:

It's your turn to PASS on your comments to C.C. and Irish Miss.

חתולה

Monday April 22, 2024 Agnes Davidson and Zhouqin Burnikel

  

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

sumdaze here with a puzzle by two of our favorite people on The Corner -- Irish Miss and C.C.! What a lovely surprise to open up the puzzle and see both of their names! 

Theme:                

We will begin with the reveal:

64. Newspaper's attention-getters, and what both words in 17-, 25-, 38- and 54-Across can do: HEADLINES.

The answer to each starred clue is a two-word phrase where both the first word and the second word can be placed at the front (HEAD) of the word LINE.  

I liked how the clues for the themers did not stand out from the regular fill. The lack of stars (*) added to my surprise at the reveal.

Since the clues for the themers also define them, I will focus on their +LINE meanings. (Note:  Some of these have additional meanings not identified here.)

17 Across. Improper etiquette at a social gathering: PARTY FOUL.

• PARTY LINE:  either a policy adopted by a political party or an old-school telephone system
• FOUL LINE:  in sports, a linear demarcation that, if crossed, incurs a penalty

25 Across. Aristocrat: BLUE BLOOD.

• BLUE LINE:  the offside boundary in hockey
• BLOOD LINE:  the pedigree of an animal

38 Across. Romantic outing: DATE NIGHT.

• DATELINE:  a TV newsmagazine show that premiered in 1992
• NIGHT LINE:  an evening, in-depth TV news show that first aired in 1980

54 Across. Biography: LIFE STORY.

• LIFE LINE:  a hand crease identified in palmistry
• STORY LINE:  the plot of a story, drama, or game

I enjoyed seeing both parts of the themers used for the reveal. I suppose we should not be surprised that our dynamic duo gave us a  double-the-fun theme. I am duly (dually?) impressed!  

Here is a double the pleasure celebration ditty.

Across:
1. "Antiques Roadshow" network: PBS.  What would you take to a filming?  

Junk in the Trunk  ~  2:50 min.

4. Sudden burst of activity: RUSH.  also, as -T would be quick to point out, a Canadian rock band... 

Rush released Tom Sawyer in 1981.

8. Seeks an answer: ASKS.

12. People who are not prone to infatuations, informally: AROS.  Merriam-Webster says this word was first used in 2014 as an abbreviated version of aromantic. Parse it as the prefix "a-" (meaning not or without) with the word "romantic". An ARO person may never develop a crush on a person or envision themselves entering into a romantic relationship.

14. In the past: ONCE.  upon a time...

15. Mown path: SWATH.  Have you seen any of the SB Mowing videos on YouTube? This guy goes around cleaning up the  worst eye-sore yard in the neighborhood for free. He is in Wichita, KS. It is sort of mesmerizing to watch him work because he speeds up the video as he cuts a SWATH in the lawn. This video is 30 min. but you can skip easily skip ahead. He gets out his mower at 18:23. There is a before/after part at the end. The world could use more people like Spencer!

19. Company newbie: HIREE.     and     66 Across. Job seeker's success: OFFER.

20. Customary routine: RITUAL.  I like the play on the word "custom".

21. Pot cover: LID.

23. Fat in tamale dough: LARD.  

¡Delicioso!

24. Confident way to solve newspaper puzzles: IN INK.

27. Actor Jeong: KEN.  Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong is an American doctor, stand-up comedian and actor born in Detroit, MI in 1969. His popularity soared after playing Mr. Leslie Chow in The Hangover. Here he talks about his NBC sitcom, Dr. Ken (2015-2017).  

28. Biol. or geol.: SCI.  Biology and Geology are SCIences.

30. __ de mer: MAL.  seasickness

31. Korean automaker: KIA.

32. Jason's ship, in Greek mythology: ARGO.

34. Sport-__: versatile vehicle: UTE.  utility

CSO to D-Otto who likes the expression, "In my UTE ...." 😀

36. Zipped: RACED.

41. Image problem, for short: BAD PR.  Public Relations

43. General on a Chinese menu: TSO.  

...and now you know.

44. Ocean predator that sleeps with one eye open: ORCA.  Scientists think this is so they can rest one half of their brain at a time.

48. Chum: PAL.

49. Faux __: PAS.  

2020...what a year!

51. Sports drink suffix: -ADE.  

53. Shade tree: ELM.

57. Take, as advice: ACT ON.

59. Actor Alda: ALAN.

60. Meadow mama: EWE.  

My dog's name is Meadow.
Q:  Does that make me a meadow mama?
A:  Yes, EWE are.

61. Pique, as interest: AROUSE.

62. Accent on "señor": TILDE.  The ~ symbol has a number of uses. I notice Splynter uses it in his blogs.

On a PC, you can hold down the Alt key while typing 164 on the number pad then let go to get ñ. To type a capital Ñ, change that to 165. I do not know if this works on a Mac.

67. Home to billions of people: ASIA.  Comparatively, Australia is home to about 26 million people.

68. Celebratory suffix: -FEST.  Think "OctoberFEST", perhaps.

69. Fleeting trends: FADS.  

no comment

70. Time period: TERM.

71. Farm enclosure: STY.     and     9 Down. Gloppy fare: SWILL.

SWILL is kitchen refuse and scraps of waste food mixed with water for feeding to pigs.  

Down:

👉In the Across clues we had four themers plus a reveal. In the Down clues, we will encounter 12 seven-letter fills. Well done C.C. and Irish Miss!

Here is the first of the twelve:

1. Dusting on deviled eggs: PAPRIKA.  I figure McCormick seasoning company is an excellent source on this topic. They say, "PAPRIKA is made from the dried, ground, ripened fruit pods of less pungent varieties of the Capsicum annum species. It is mildly flavored and prized for its brilliant red color. It is closely related to red pepper which also derives from the Capsicum annum species."

2. No-__: easy decision: BRAINER.  

3. Doing some laundry prep: SORTING.  Notice how the clue and answer verb tenses match.

4. "ur hilarious!": ROFL.  "ur" is a hint the answer will be in textspeak. Rolling On the Floor Laughing  

5. Mattel game with 108 cards: UNO.

6. Light boat in a regatta: SCULL.  Boats with scullers (athletes with two oars each) in them are referred to as sculls.  SCULL as a verb means to propel a boat with sculls.  An empty SkULL with a "k" can be a 2-Down.

We will see single, 2-person, and 4-person events at the Paris Olympics.

7. Balloon gas: HELIUM.     and     65-Down. Yoga ball filler: AIR.

8. Fire pit residue: ASH.

10. Singalong activity at a bar: KARAOKE.  This one is for the BBT fans (1 min.)  

11. Drug type banned by most pro sports: STEROID.

13. Leave speechless: STUN.

16. Ibsen's "__ Gabler": HEDDA.  Hedda Gabler is a play written by Norwegian Henrik Johan Ibsen. It was first staged in 1891 in Munich, Germany. Hedda is the main character. She is newly married but already bored with her marriage and life.

18. Himalayan bovines: YAKS.  

That's pretty specific....

22. Prayer opening: DEAR GOD.  We often see the prayer closing "amen" in grids.

25. Small taste: BITE.

26. Yawn-inducing: BLAH.  "Dull" and "bore" also fit ... for a bit.

29. Bargain-basement: CUT-RATE.

33. Like 2025, but not 2024: ODD.  

35. Doc who treats sinusitis: ENT.  Ear Nose Throat

37. Exec concerned with data security: CTO.  Chief Technology Officer

39. Tablet downloads: APPS.

40. "If you ask me ... ": I SAY.

41. Courtroom figure who says "All rise!": BAILIFF.  

42. Cloverlike crop: ALFALFA.

45. Optimizes, as an engine: RETUNES.  Def.:  to tune something again or differently.

46. Most near: CLOSEST.

47. Political pardon: AMNESTY.

48. Student of Socrates: PLATO.  

50. "You think I care?": SO WHAT.

52. Noble title: EARL.

55. Phased out: ENDED.

56. Elle portrayer in "Legally Blonde": REESE.  Thanks to IM and C.C. for an opportunity to include a Legally Blonde clip!  (2:25 min.)  

58. Pageboy, for one: COIF.  A pageboy is a hairstyle. The length may vary but most variations have the ends curled under in a loose roll.  

61. Genesis man: ADAM.  Genesis is also an English rock band. Members came and went over the years but notably included Tony Banks (keyboard), Mike Rutherford (bassist/guitar), and Phil Collins (drums/vocals). Here are those Genesis men performing Turn It On Again (1980).  

63. Busy hosp. areas: ERS.  Hospital Emergency RoomS

Our conventional timeline is to insert the grid next:

Well, that was today's lineup. I'd say they hit it out of the park. What do you think?