Theme: "Wheeling and Dealing" - Each common phrase is reinterpreted as if it's a car model.
23A. Shopping for a Kia subcompact SUV?: SOUL SEARCHING.
33A. No longer keen on that Ford crossover SUV?: OVER THE EDGE.
56A. Choosing the Nissan with the all-wheel drive?: GOING ROGUE.
60A. "Love the new Ford crossover"?: GREAT ESCAPE.
89A. Expert in hard-to-find Rolls-Royces?: GHOST HUNTER.
92A. Deep dive into the three-row Honda?: PILOT STUDY.
112A. Leaning toward the Honda sedan?: CIVIC MINDED.
128A. Last Nissan truck off the assembly line?: FINAL FRONTIER.
No
Hyundai, their models are place names. Not good for wordplay. Eight
theme entries, four in front, four in the back. Very consistent.
Alan has collabrated a few times with Andrea Carla Michales and Doug Peterson. This is his first solo LAT Sunday. Congrats, Alan!
Across:
1. Pilates roll up targets: ABS.
4. Return advice pro: CPA. Tax return.
7. Emmy winner Uzo: ADUBA. Gained fame for her role in "Orange Is the New Black".
12. States with authority: SAYS SO.
18. Public notice: PLACARD.
20. Use a zoom: PAN IN. And 109. Zoom events: Abbr.: MTGS. Meetings.
21. Go over exam notes, e.g.: PREPARE.
25. Check one's math again: RE-TOTAL.
26. "I could go on": ETC ETC. Boomer's high school classmate Paul Newman visited me last Tuesday. He lives in a 16-acre farm. Has a story for everything.
27. Clay mineral: TALC.
28. French café partner?: LAIT. Cafe au lait.
30. Ryan Gosling and Kingsley Ben-Adir in "Barbie": KENS.
31. Coastal concern: SEA LEVEL.
36. 37-Across+Y: RE-DO &
37. PC shortcut key: CTRL.
39. Collaborators: TEAMS.
40. "Yikes!": EEK.
43. Figure on the shelf at Christmas: ELF.
45. Genesis figure: ENOS.
47. "Sorry, impossible": I CAN'T.
51. Flamenco star José: GRECO. Italian-born flamenco dancer. Learning moment for me.
54. "The Witch Elm" novelist French: TANA.
63. __ Rabbit: BR'ER.
64. Pans with patinas: WOKS.
65. Munich Olympics star Mark: SPITZ.
66. Asian mushroom: ENOKI. Common ingredient in Chinese, Japanese and Korean soup dishes and hot pots.
68. "Get Smart" crime org.: KAOS.
70. Bring home: NET.
71. NBA great Curry: STEPH. And
73. "Goosebumps" series writer: STINE. And
75. "Julie & Julia" actor Stanley: TUCCI. Three name in a row, but all well-known.
77. President's advisory gp.: NSC. National Security Council.
79. Skateboarding trick spot: RAIL.
81. Drum kit piece: SNARE.
83. Really irritated: CROSS.
85. Tiny amount: A TAD. Bill and Margaret loved my quinoa & sweet potato salad. I used a few drops of maple syrup in my dressing.
87. Commit a faux pas: SLIP.
95. Bone, in Bologna: OSSO.
96. Khaki kin: BEIGE.
97. Collection of plates?: ARMOR. Armor plates.
98. Farm baby: FOAL.
100. Hosp. theaters: ORS.
102. Limit: CAP.
103. Third-largest city in Israel: HAIFA.
107. Lego competitor: K'NEX.
116. Mooch: FREELOAD.
120. Guinness of "Smiley's People": ALEC.
121. Useful houseplant: ALOE.
122. Mindy, to Emily in "Emily in Paris": AMIE.
124. "Sit!": PARK IT.
126. Direct connection: LINKAGE.
131. Past-post wager: LATE BET.
132. Guitar-playing "Glee" kid: ARTIE. Played by Kevin McHale.
133. Disney film whose opening song is "The Family Madrigal": ENCANTO.
134. Fixers of fixer-uppers: DIYers.
135. Temps for bundling up: TEENS. You can still see guys in shorts in our grocery store. Crazy.
53. Kelp forest dweller: OTTER.
From Google: One of the most important mammals in a kelp forest is the
sea otter, who takes refuge from sharks and storms in these forests.
55. Mums' mums: NANS.
57. Rankle: IRK.
58. "How cool!": NEAT.
59. Curmudgeon: GROUCH.
61. Convenience that may take a toll?: E-ZPASS. Great clue.
62. Squeezing (by): EKING.
67. No longer even: IN A HOLE. Casino, right?
69. Benchwarmer: SCRUB. Scrub player.
72. Sword handle: HILT.
74. God with magical arrows: EROS.
76. Pet protector: CONE.
77. Good place to pick up a cab?: NAPA. Cabernet.
78. Commotion: STIR.
80. Lucy who played Watson: LIU. Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu and Chen are popular surnames in China.
82. Petrol provider: ESSO.
84. Angry Birds owner: SEGA.
86. Thingamabob: DOOHICKEY.
88. "See attached" attachment: PDF.
90. Singer Mel: TORME.
91. Sales __: REP.
93. Gillette brand: TRAC.
94. Tie together: YOKE.
99. Slow and steady, musically: ANDANTE.
101. "First ... ": STEP ONE.
104. Radiologist: IMAGER.
105. Options at Ruth's Chris: FILETS. We have a Ruth's Chris in Minneapolis.
106. "So is that __?": A NO.
108. Cases for Mulder and Scully: X-FILES.
110. Hurried look: GLANCE.
111. "That's not totally wrong": SORTA.
112. Dial up: CALL.
113. "The Song of Achilles" inspiration: ILIAD.
114. Starbucks order: VENTI.
115. Skim, as homemade chicken stock: DE-FAT.
117. Zebra on a field: REF.
118. Claude of "B.J. and the Bear": AKINS. Unknown to me.
119. Pescatarian and vegetarian: DIETS. Connie is a pescatarian.
A classic song by Joe South and a classic on transactional analysis by psychiatrist Eric Berne
Our constructors today, Alan Massengill and Doug Peterson,
clue their themers with 4 leading questions about popular game shows,
resulting in 4 in the language phrases. No stars, circles, or reveal
...
17. Mistake by a contestant on "The Price Is Right"?: COST OVERRUN. "The Price Is Right"
is an American television game show where contestants compete by
guessing the prices of merchandise to win cash and prizes. Contestants
are selected from the studio audience: the announcer calls their name,
inviting them to "Come on down!", the show's famous catchphrase.
27. Very long response by a contestant on "Jeopardy!"?: ESSAY QUESTION. Jeopardy! is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin.
The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional
question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given
questions, contestants are instead given general knowledge clues in the
form of answers and they must identify the person, place, thing, or idea
that the clue describes, phrasing each response in the form of a
question.
47. Prior results considered by a contestant on "Deal or No Deal"?: CASE HISTORIES. "Deal or No Deal" is an American version of a game show of Dutch origin of the same name. A contestant chooses one briefcase from a selection of 26. Each briefcase contains a cash value from $0.01 to $1,000,000. Over the course of the game, the contestant eliminates cases from the game, periodically being presented with a "deal" from The Banker
to take a cash amount to quit the game. Should the contestant refuse
every deal, they are given the chance to trade the case they chose at
the outset for the only one left in play at the time; they then win the
amount in the selected case.
63. Pre-show training for a contestant on "Wheel of Fortune"?: SPIN CLASSES. "Wheel of Fortune" is an American television game show also created by Merv Griffin.
The show has aired continuously since January 1975. It features a
competition in which contestants solve word puzzles, similar to those in
hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a giant carnival
wheel. The current version of the series, which airs in nightly
syndication, premiered on September 19, 1983. It stars Pat Sajak and Vanna White as hosts, who have hosted the nighttime version since its inception.
Here's the grid ...
Across:
1. Entrepreneur Blakely who founded Spanx: SARA. Spanx, Inc.
is an American underwear maker focusing on shaping briefs and leggings,
founded in Atlanta, Georgia. The company manufactures mainly pantyhose
and other underwear for women and, since 2010, produces male underwear
as well. Spanx specializes in foundation garments intended to make
people appear thinner or more shapely -- and they're also
onomatopoetic! 😀
Sara Blakely
5. Mischievous kids: SCAMPS. One of the most notorious SCAMPS in history is Till Eulenspiegel. His life is memorialized in this brief tone poem by Richard Strauss entitled Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks. Things do not go well for him in the end, but his spirit lives on ...
11. Personal pronoun: SHE.
14. Malevolence: EVIL. We were visited by EVIL in last Thursday's puzzle. One of the things that Hannah Arendt taught us about it is its banality, i.e. its commonness. Today marks the commemoration of the Christian saints Perpetua and Felicity, women who were martyred for the entertainment of Roman emperor Septimius Severus during his birthday party in 203 AD.
15. 7UP nickname, with "the": UNCOLA.
16. Male cat: TOM. . 17. [Theme clue]
19. "__ bet!": YOU.
20. Blazer fabric: TWEED. Fabric created on a 44A.
22. Edelweiss range: ALPS. Edelweiss is not an area in the ALPS, but a region where the flower is particularly abundant. It is also the name of this song made famous by Roger's and Hammerstein'sSound of Music. 23. __ Bravo: RIO. Rio Bravo is a 1959 American Western film directed and produced by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, and Ward Bond. Here's Get Along Home Cindy sung by Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan and Dean Martin. 25. Like neither Jack nor Jill, apparently: AGILE.
Jack and Jill went up the hill To fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after.
Up Jack got, and home did trot, As fast as he could caper, He went to bed to mend his head, With vinegar and brown paper
41. Rocky __: ROAD. Lots of things answered this clue/fill including an ice cream, a confection made of chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts and one of the roads to Dublin ...
42. "For sure!": OH YES.
44. Textile machine: LOOM. A LOOM is a device used to weave cloth and tapestry.
The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension
to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads. The precise shape
of the loom and its mechanics may vary, but the basic function is the
same.
A simple treadle floor loom.
46. 70-Across's div.: NLE. National League East
47. [Theme clue]
51. "Bring it!": TRY ME.
52. Wee bit: TAD.
53. "Uptown Funk" singer Bruno: MARS. Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars,
is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is known for
his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide
range of musical styles, including pop, R&B, funk, soul, reggae,
disco, and rock. Very funky! 55. North African seaport: ORAN. ORAN is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers,
because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural
importance. It is 432 km (268 mi) west-southwest from Algiers. The total
population of the city was 803,329 in 2008, while the metropolitan area
has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the
second-largest city in Algeria.
8. Mad scientist in an H.G. Wells classic: MOREAU. The Island of Doctor Moreau is an 1896 science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells. The text of the novel is the narration of Edward Prendick, a shipwrecked man rescued by a passing boat. He is left on the island home of Doctor Moreau, a mad scientist who creates human-like hybrid beings from animals via vivisection.
First Edition Cover
9. Drop like a stone: PLUNGE.
10. Hokkaido honorific: SAN. E.g. Cho Cho SAN, the honorable Madama Butterfly. Her last words were "If you cannot live with honor, you must die with honor". Here she is waiting for the beautiful day (Un bel dì, vedremo) when her faithless husband returns to Nagasaki to retrieve "his" child ,accompanied by his "American wife" ... 11. Billy Porter and Lady Gaga, for two: STYLE ICONS.
12. Earring shape: HOOP.
13. Some native Australians: EMUS. The first time I've heard it clued this way.
18. Pindar, for one: ODIST. Pindar (Greek: Πίνδαρος; Latin: Pindarus; c. 518 BC – c. 438 BC)
was an Ancient Greek lyric poet from Thebes. Of the canonical nine
lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved.
Quintilian wrote, "Of the nine lyric poets, Pindar is by far the
greatest, in virtue of his inspired magnificence, the beauty of his
thoughts and figures, the rich exuberance of his language and matter,
and his rolling flood of eloquence, characteristics which, as Horace
rightly held, make him inimitable. Here is one of his victory odes ..
Creatures of a day! What is anyone?
What is anyone not? A dream of a shadow
Is our mortal being. But when there comes to men
A gleam of splendour given of heaven,
Then rests on them a light of glory
And blessed are their days. (Pythian 8)
22. Communion table: ALTAR. Here is the high ALTAR at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore where we attend Mass ...
Cathedral Sanctuary
24. Birthplace of 53-Across: OAHU. Bruno Mars.
26. Doctrine: ISM.
27. Financial independence: EASY STREET.
28. Hither and __: YON.
29. Patterned spread: QUILT. Here's a QUILT created by Teri's sister Rose ...
Barn and Windmills
30. Face-to-face exam: ORAL. I wonder if the face-to-face exams at Gallaudet University are DIGITAL?
31. Lymph __: NODE. Lymph NODES are a part of the Lymphatic System,
a group of organs, vessels and tissues that protect you from infection
and keep a healthy balance of fluids throughout your body. Lymphatic
system organs include your bone marrow, thymus and lymph nodes. Swollen
lymph nodes are a sign of common infections, like strep throat, but also
more serious diseases like cancer.
32. Footwear sometimes decorated with charms: CROC. Here's a pair for little Taylor Swift fans ...
33. "I got it": HA HA.
37. Jury makeup: PEERS.
39. Excessively: TOO.
40. Database command: SORT. In SQL, the most common database language, records are SORTED with the ORDER BY clause. Here is a list of the basic SQL commands.
50. New Jersey township named for an inventor: EDISON. EDISON is a township located in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 1876, Thomas Edison
set up his home and research laboratory in a neighborhood called "Menlo
Park". While there he earned the nickname "the Wizard of Menlo Park".
Before his death at age 83 in 1931, the prolific inventor amassed a
record 1,093 patents for creations including the phonograph, a stock ticker, the motion-picture camera, the incandescent light bulb, a mechanical vote counter, the alkaline storage batteryincluding one for an electric car, and the first commercial electric light.
Edison Tower A monument to the light bulb?
53. "Do the __!": MATH.
54. Quarter: AREA.
56. Photographer Geddes: ANNE. Anne Elizabeth Geddes
MNZM* (born 1956) is an Australian-born, New York City-based portrait
photographer known primarily for her elaborately-staged photographs of
infants. Here's her website.
57. CBS maritime drama: NCIS. NCIS
is an American military police procedural television series and the
first installment in the NCIS media franchise. The series revolves
around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service,
combining elements of the military drama and police procedural genres
with comedy. Here's an extended trailer for the 2024 season that also
contains a bit of history for the entire series. 59. K2 locale: ASIA. K2, at 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) above sea level, is the second-highest mountain in ASIA (and also on Earth), after Mount Everest at 8,849 metres (29,032 ft). Here are some rest stops on the way up ...
60. Lease: RENT.
61. Is inquisitive: ASKS.
63. Eric Dickerson's alma mater: Abbr.: SMU. Eric Demetric Dickerson
(born September 2, 1960) is a former American football running back who
played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Dickerson
played college football for the Mustangs of Southern Methodist University
and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected in the first
round of the 1983 NFL Draft and played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. During
his NFL career, he rushed for over 13,000 yards. He holds the NFL's
single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards, set in 1984.
Dickerson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999 and,
in 2019, was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. He wore prescription goggles throughout his career due to myopia ...
64. Primus lead singer Claypool: LES. Primus is an American rock band formed in El Sobrante, California in 1984. The band is currently composed of bassist/vocalist LES Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde, and drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander. To describe them as strange
would be a bit of an understatement. One interesting thing about them
is that they do a lot of purely instrumental work and remind me a little
of the modern German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen
(of whom I am not a big fan!). I had trouble connecting with their
work, but finally found this recent opus. Here is the first 5 minutes
or so of Conspiranoia (2022) ...
Cheers, Bill
And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.
Today's
theme and reveal totaled 60 squares - I don't have the comparison
software, but I think that's a pretty high count. I suppose this was a
"typical" Wednesday-level puzzle, but once again, it felt like there were
way too many proper names - this is becoming the "Universal Solving Bane"
of many LA Times crosswords these days; call it the 'theme' that
'carries over' via 'flash drive' from puzzle to puzzle - but your
experience may vary. OK, I'm done ranting....Since I typically do the
DOWN clues first, the reveal at 67D. gave away the theme - when I looked
back at my partially filled grid, U, S, & B had already filled in
at 24 Across via perps, and therefore verified the "connection". Ta-DA~!
17. Place that takes care of bad Apples: GENIUS BAR
- I have had several disappointing experiences with Apple products in
the past, so in my world they're all "bad" Apples; I am 22D. 24. Agency that conducts a decennial count: CENSUS BUREAU - I have changed states since the last census 40. No joke: SERIOUS BUSINESS
67. Connection port, and the connections found in 17-, 24-, 40-, 52-, and 66-Across: USB - Short for Universal Serial Bus - the Wiki
And A Name We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Crowd-sourced review site: YELP
5. "Or __ what?": ELSE
9. Tennis star Naomi: OSAKA - considering the number of names (
this is #1) in the grid, could we not have made this clue "Japanese
city"~? Crossing ARRAU is just cruel, as I had to WAG the last "A"
14. See 62-Down: see 62-Down
15. Capital of Qatar: DOHA - I knew this name only because I do crossword puzzles (#2)
16. Henry VIII's house: TUDOR - I happen to like the "style"
of Tudor homes, tho there's an argument that it's not actually a
"style" - more of a conglomerate of English building details - I plan to
do the front of my home in this "style" - and yes, people, I
recognize "house" means 'ruling family' here....
Henry the Eighths actual residence
19. Asparagus piece: SPEAR
20. Treats wrinkles: IRONS
Oh, not that kind of iron....
21. Upscale hotel chain: OMNI - been a popular fill lately
23. 47-Across, in Spanish: ELLA - meh. Not only circumreferential, but a "foreign" word as well; crossing a name I had never heard of = Natick
27. Contemporary of Julius Caesar: CICERO - Name #3
30. "Singin' in the Rain" studio: MGM - I had the first "M"
31. Hubbub: ADO
32. Like paper clips: BENT - uh, well, yeah, I guess they are, in fact, bent....
36. Hawaii's sixth-largest island: LANAI - I've never been to Hawaii, and I didn't pay enough attention while watching Hawaii Five-O to recall which is "Number six" on the largest island list....name #4
And I forget the "Big Island" is named "Hawai'i", too
44. NORAD tracking target: SANTA - target~? Someone at NORAD is gonna end up on the 'naughty' list....
45. Cab: TAXI
46. Chowed down: ATE
47. Personal pronoun: SHE
49. Raucous bird: MAGPIE
58. NPR's Totenberg: NINA - #5
59. "Thinking about it": "I MAY..."
60. Word with dots or bands: POLKA
64. Radiology study: IMAGE
68. Jeans fabric: DENIM
69. Award-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust: MAUS - name #6, filled via perps, and a WAG at the "A" - I was going to link the Wiki, but it seemed to graphic for the blog
70. Firmly declare: AVER - I had the "R", so it was not AVOW
73. Stitch's buddy: LILO - Disney movie I have not seen; name #7
DOWN:
1. Jellystone Park bear: YOGI - "smarter than your AVERage bear", name #8
2. Of all time: EVER
3. Fallon predecessor: LENO - The Tonight Show hosts; #9
4. Paisley Park Records founder: PRINCE - The "artist formerly known as Name Number 10"
5. Mag honchos: EDs - editors of magazines
6. University of New Mexico athletes: LOBOS - filled via perps
7. Former SeaWorld headliner: SHAMU - name #11 - I didn't know the history of the show animal
8. Comes by honestly: EARNS
9. Tense sports periods, for short: OTs - overtime, plural.
10. Character who debuted in Action Comics #1: SUPERMAN - this was my guess, but I waited on perps, and, technically, a name
11. Singer known for numerically titled albums: ADELE - and numerically name no. 12
12. __ bear: KOALA
13. Chilean pianist Claudio: ARRAU - Yeah, not much you can do with the "U" at the end of CENSUS BUREAU, so this was a necessary evil - still, name #13
18. __-friendly: USER
22. "Big Blue": IBM - The "anti" Apple - the Personal Computer (PC); or would it be the "Orange~?"
25. Asian fusion chain: NOBU - Never heard of this; it would appear that the closest locations to me are both in NYC - and, technically, a name
26. Jamaican tangelo: UGLI - semi-orange~?
27. Mama of pop: CASS - a name ( #double-digits ) that I did know
28. Notion: IDEA
29. Biofuel source: CORN - You can tell when someone has converted their car to biofuel, because the exhaust usually smells like fast food fries
33. Guessed-at fig.: ESTimate
34. Thunder's org.: NBA - Oklahoma City's National Basketball Association team
35. Gala garb: TUX
37. Tide type: NEAP
38. Province bordering Turin: ASTI - geographic name #, uh...
39. "Makes sense": "I SEE."
41. Cheeky comeback to "How did you do that?": "IT'S MAGIC"
42. Hawaii's third-largest island: OAHU - I found this fascinating reference image of my home state - and - geographic name blah blah blah
43. California's __ Valley: SIMI - geographic - OK, I've lost count of the names....
48. Yalie: ELI - from doing crosswords
50. Range in Europe: ALPS - another geographic na... - oh, never mind
51. Part of GPS: GLOBAL - the other two thirds being "Positioning System"
52. Dripping with sarcasm: SNIDE - like calling a person with 'weight issues' "Shamu" - Brendan Fraser starred in the 2022 film "The Whale" - the trailer
53. Ironman Triathlon watchmaker: TIMEX
54. Silly: INANE - too many clues in name / is just inane meh.
55. Fifth flavor: UMAMI - from crosswords
56. Largest city in Yemen: SANAA - only because I do crosswords; name #291,971, I think
57. "For dang sure!": "BY GUM~!" - I have been reading Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series, and this is a standard phrase from the books
61. Big name in 68-Across: LEVI - namenamename
62. With 14-Across, collapse: KEEL - and - 14A. See 62-Down: OVER - I'm about to KEEL OVER from the number of names in this grid
Theme: How Did We Get Here? [We went for a ride.]. This is a hidden word theme, where a common mode of transportation spans between words in a 2 or 3 word theme fill.
7 A. *Barbie-inspired doll on "The Simpsons": MALIBU STACY. This is the most popular doll in Springfield. You can read about it here. She arrived in this puzzle by BUS.
31 A. *"OK, gotta go!": WELL I'M OUT. Announcing one's departure - in this case via a LIMO. Maybe Stacy will go along for the ride.
36 A. *Free baseball, so to speak: EXTRA INNINGS. There's no extra charge when the game is tied after nine innings, and the spectators get to stay and watch the rest of the excitement. If it's a home game in Chicago, you can leave afterward on a TRAIN.
46 A. *Limb for Jaime Sommers or Steve Austin: BIONIC ARM. Fictional characters from the two TV series The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. Each of them was seriously injured in separate accidents, and had body parts replaced with artificial components, giving them super-human abilities. A CAR is a common means of transportation, even for us ordinary people.
62 A. Service offered by 18-Down, and what's happening in the answers to the starred clues: RIDE SHARING. A company that, via websites and mobile apps, matches passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire that, unlike taxicabs, cannot legally be hailed from the street. Here, the theme fill surround the various vehicles that share their letters with the finished answer,
Hi Gang. JazzBumpa here to direct today's traffic. In this puzzle we have to find different way to get from point A to point B. Let's see if we can do it without any accidents or unnecessary delays. Start your engines, and/or let's get on track!
Across
1. Donation sticker words: I GAVE.
6. Unskilled in: BAD AT.
11. "Have we __?": MET. Suspicious kind of greeting.
14. Thread holder: SPOOL. A cylindrical device which has a rim or ridge at each end and an axial hole for a pin or spindle and on which material (such as thread, wire, or tape) is wound.
15. Upscale Honda brand: ACURA.
16. Passed-down tales: LORE. A body of traditions and knowledge on a subject or held by a particular group, typically passed from person to person by word of mouth.
19. Surface measure: AREA. As defined.
20. __ fever: CABIN. Irritability, listlessness, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors during the winter.
21. Many a Henry James heroine: HEIRESS. A woman who is legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person's death. James is best known for his novels dealing with the social and marital interplay between émigré Americans, the English, and continental Europeans. He also wrote ghost stories.
23. Spice in pumpkin spice, often: MACE. Mace is a yellowish-brown spice that is derived from the dried lacy coating of the nutmeg seed.
26. Field for a 23-Down: ECON. Economics - the branch of knowledge concerned with the production, consumption, and transfer of wealth.
28. "Purgatorio" poet: DANTE. Dante Alighieri (c. 1265 – 1321) was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His Divine Comedy is widely considered one of the most important poems of the Middle Ages and the greatest literary work in the Italian language.
29. Justin from Canada: BIEBER. Justin Drew Bieber [b.1994] is a Canadian singer. He is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and global influence in modern-day popular music. His personal life has been --- complicated.
34. Supplement: ADD ON. Include something as an additional element.
35. Pundit piece: OP-ED. Denoting or printed on the page opposite the editorial page in a newspaper, devoted to commentary, feature articles, etc.
42. "If it __ broke ... ": AIN'T. Multi-purpose contraction of am not, is not, are not, has not, or have not. Meanwhile, if something is reasonably successful or effective, there is no need to change or replace it.
43. Hall's Hall of Fame partner: OATES. Daryl Hall and John Oates are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two write most of the songs they perform, separately or in collaboration. They have a pile of gold and platinum albums. I was never a fan.
51. Gospel writer enshrined in a Venice basilica: ST. MARK. The ascribed writer of the oldest of the four canonic New Testament gospels. Modern scholarship suggests that the gospels were written anonymously, and that supposed authors names were added in the 2nd century.
52. Metallica's "__ It Sleeps": UNTIL. This is the lead single from their 6th studio album "LOAD," from 1996, and their only single to reach the top 10 in America.
You are not obligated to watch this
53. Startled cry: YIPE. On of many possibilities.
55. Actress Turley of "Mad Men": MYRA. Myra Turley [b. 1947] is an American film and television actress, best known as Dale in the 1995 sitcom Muscle, and as Madeline Evelley in Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers.
56. Drops by: STOPS IN. Makes an unannounced visit.
59. One more than tri-: TETRA. Prefixes indication three and four.
61. Basketball target: HOOP. An 18 inch diameter circle through which the players attempt to shoot a 9.4 inch diameter ball.
67. Cagey: WILY. Skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully.
68. Motionless: INERT. Lacking the ability to move.
69. Bit part: CAMEO. A small role (as in a movie) usually performed by a well-known actor
70. Consumed: ATE. Ingested.
71. Last word: SAY SO. The power or act of deciding or allowing something.
72. Japanese city that's home to Nijo Castle: KYOTO. The castle consists of two concentric rings (Kuruwa) of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens. The surface area of the castle is 275,000 square metres (27.5 ha; 68 acres), of which 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft) is occupied by buildings. Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It's famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses.
Down:
1. Belief system: -ISM. A suffix appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it was used to form action nouns from verbs (baptism); on this model, used as a productive suffix in the formation of nouns denoting action or practice, state or condition, principles, doctrines, a usage or characteristic, devotion or adherence, etc.
2. Dean's list fig.: GPA. Grade Point Average.
3. Web pioneer: AOL. America On Line An American web portal and online service provider based in New York City. It is a brand marketed by the current incarnation of Yahoo! Inc. It was founded in 1985.
4. Larynx: VOICE BOX. The hollow muscular organ forming an air passage to the lungs and holding the vocal cords in humans and other mammals;
5. Idris of "The Suicide Squad": ELBA. Idrissa Akuna Elba OBE [b. 1972] is an English actor and DJ. An alumnus of the National Youth Music Theatre in London, he is known for roles including Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire, DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther, and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. OBE is an award given in the UK for a special achievement.
6. Bare-bones: BASIC. Reduced to or comprising only the unadorned or essential elements of something.
7. "Don't delay!": ACT NOW. Snooze and you lose.
8. "Levitating" singer __ Lipa: DUA. Dua Lipa (b. 1995) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Her mezzo-soprano vocal range and disco-influenced production have received critical acclaim and media coverage. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including six Brit Awards, three Grammy Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, two Billboard Music Awards, an American Music Award, and two Guinness World Records. She was included on the Time 100 Next list in 2021.
MEH!
9. Structure stabilized by a keystone: ARCH. A curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it. A keystone is the wedge-shaped piece at the crown of an arch that locks the other pieces in place.
10. Actor Diggs: TAYE. Scott Leo "Taye" Diggs [1971] is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the Broadway musicals Rent and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the TV series Private Practice, Murder in the First, and All American
11. EGOT winner Rita: MORENO. Rita Moreno [b. 1931] is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. She is noted for her work on stage and screen in a career spanning over seven decades. Moreno is one of the last remaining stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
12. 1974 hit with Spanish lyrics: ERES TU. "Eres tú" (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈeɾes ˈtu]; "You Are") is a popular Spanish language song written in 1973 by Juan Carlos Calderón and performed by the Spanish band Mocedades, with Amaya Uranga performing the lead vocal.
13. Social service?: TEA SET. Also called a TEA SERVICE, this is a set of matching tea pot, cups, saucers, along with cream and sugar containers, often made of fine china. I can be used at a social event.
16. Any Super Bowl LVI-winning player: L. A. RAM. Super Bowl LVI was an American football game played on Feb.13, 2022, to determine the champion of the National Football League for the 2021 season. The National Football Conference champion Los Angeles Rams defeated the American Football Conference champion Cincinnati Bengals, 23–20.
18. Lyft competitor: UBER. These are companies that offer app based ride sharing opportunities, and other transportation services.
22. Emphatic denial: I DID NOT. And I really mean it!
23. Degree for future execs: MBA. Master of Business Administration. I have one, but was never an exec.
24. Succor: AID. Assistance and support in times of hardship and distress.
25. Formally surrender: CEDE. Give up (power or territory).
27. Like some vivid colors: NEON. Neon colors are just bright types of primary and secondary colors, such as green, yellow, red, blue, and purple. Neon colors stand apart from conventional colors since they absorb and reflect more light.
30. Necessitates: ENTAILS. Involves (something) as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence.
32. Hosp. worker: LPN. Licensed Practical Nurse.
33. Tropical garland: LEI. A circle of flowers that is worn around the neck in Polynesia.
37. Cars singer Ocasek: RIC. Richard Theodore Otcasek, [ 1944 - 2019] known as Ric Ocasek, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the primary vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the rock band The Cars.
38. Actress de Armas: ANA. Ana Celia de Armas Caso [b. 1988] is a Cuban and Spanish actress. She began her career in Cuba with a leading role in the romantic drama Una rosa de Francia. At the age of 18, she moved to Madrid, Spain, and starred in the popular drama El Internado for six seasons from 2007 to 2010
39. Humble self-appraisal: I TRY. But -- do I succeed? You be the judge.
40. Radioactive emission: GAMMA RAY. A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation, is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves, typically shorter than those of X-rays.
41. Lisa Loeb's biggest hit: STAY. Lisa Loeb [b. 1968] is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author and actress. She started her career with the number one hit song "Stay" from the film Reality Bites, the first number one single for an artist without a recording contract.
44. Miscalculate: ERR. Make a mistake.
45. Calypso-influenced genre: SKA. A music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the off beat.
46. Malarkey: BUSHWA. Nonsense.
47. Really pumped: IN TO IT. Highly enthused about something.
48. "Lawrence of Arabia" star: O'TOOLE. Peter Seamus O'Toole [1932 - 2013]. was a British stage and film actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old Vic and with the English Stage Company.
49. Kinda chilly: NIPPY. That's cool.
50. Angled joints: MITERS. A joint made between two pieces of wood or other material at an angle of 90°, such that the line of junction bisects this angle.
51. "Late Night" host after Jimmy: SETH. Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
54. Gnocchi sauce: PESTO. A sauce that traditionally consists of crushed garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Sardo, all blended with olive oil. It originated in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy.
57. Crocus kin: IRIS. A flowering plant genus of 310 accepted species with showy flowers. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also widely used as a common name for all Iris species, as well as some belonging to other closely related genera.
58. Designer Ricci: NINA. Nina Ricci [1883 - 1970], born Maria Nielli in Turin, was an Italian-born French fashion designer. She moved to France at the age of 12. At the age of 13, she began an apprenticeship at a dressmaker's. In 1904, she married Luigi Ricci. They had one child,
60. Ribs order: RACK. A rack of ribs will have a minimum of 8 ribs, but can also include up to 13 depending on the butcher and how it was prepared. Butchers will call it a “cheater rack” if it contains less than 10 ribs.
63. TV actress Susan: DEY. Susan Hallock Dey [b. 1952] is a retired American actress, known for her television roles as Laurie Partridge on the sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and as Grace Van Owen on the drama series L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992.
64. Brief "As I see things": IMO. In My Opinion.
65. Accounting figure: NET. The amount that's left over after you deduct expenses, taxes, and other liabilities (sums you have to pay). Your net amount is the lowest number you can get, meaning you only reach your net point once you've subtracted everything you need to dedicate money to.
66. Gloppy stuff: GOO. A sticky or slimy substance.
So, on that rather unpleasant not, we bring another Wednesday to a close. But we covered a lot of territory, and I hope you enjoyed the rest of the excursion. At least we got a lot to listen to on the way.
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