Tuesday, December 5, 2023 Amanda Cook

Water, Water, Everywhere ... but not in my Glass, my Cup, my Pitcher, or my Bowl.

17-Across. Sherlock Holmes costume accessory: MAGNIFYING GLASS.

22-Across. Means of sticking a shower caddy to a tile wall: SUCTION CUP.

35-Across. Support from the bullpen: RELIEF PITCHER.

46-Across. Annual football game in Arizona: FIESTA BOWL.

And the unifier

52-Across. Isn't credible, or a literal description of 17-, 22-, 35-, or 46-Across?: DOESN'T HOLD WATER.

I laughed when I got the reveal.  While the last word of each theme answer could hold water, the answer as written is not an item that would hold water.

Across:

1. Mooch, as a smoke: BUM.

4. Royal elephant of children's literature: BABAR.  We saw Babar just last Wednesday when he made an appearance in the puzzle.  The Babar books have been around since 1931.  They are not without controversy, however.  [Name # 1, fictional.]

9. Functional: UTILE.

14. Slice of history: ERA.

15. Alpaca relative: LLAMA.  This made me think of Ogden Nash and his thoughts on the Llama.

            The one-l lama,

            He’s a priest.

            The two-l llama,

            He’s a beast.

            And I will bet

            A silk pajama

            There isn’t any

            Three-l lllama.”

16. Inheritance from one's parents?: GENES.  Cute clue.  //  and 56-Down. Makeup of 16-Across: DNA.  We learned about Eugene Pool last Thursday.

20. Marriage: UNION.

21. Desert watering holes: OASES.  Is the Cajun Oasis in the desert?

26. Fungus gnat, e.g.: PEST.

29. Paul Anka's "__ Beso": ESO.  I'll spare your ears.

30. Score more than: BEAT.  Earlier this Fall, the LSU Tigers beat the Georgia State Panthers in football by a score of 56 to 14.

31. Figure on the last float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: SANTA.  And a shoutout to our dear Argyle.  The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day / Annual Christmas Parade was in 1924.  

This Float from 1924 was filled with oxygen, so was propped up on stilts instead of actually floating.

32. To the left, at sea: APORT.

34. Takes effect: SETS IN.

38. Bibliography list: TITLES.  A bibliography is a list of all of the sources used in preparing a research paper.  The bibliography typically includes the authors' names and the titles of the works, such as papers, books, etc.

39. Neglects to mention: OMITS.

40. "The Good Place" creator Michael: SCHUR.  I never saw The Good Place and am not familiar with Michael Schur (né Michael Herbert Schur; b. Oct. 29, 1975).  The show was a sit-com that starred Ted Danson (né Edward Bridge Danson, III; Dec. 29, 1947).  [Name # 2.]

Michael Schur is on the right.

41. "Sunday NFL Countdown" network: ESPN.

42. Agcy. operating full-body scanners: TSA.  This federal agency, the Transportation Security Administration,  makes frequent appearances in the puzzles.

45. __ out a win: almost lost: EKED.

49. Convene again: RESIT.  Meh!

51. Dubbed: NAMED.

57. Muse of poetry: ERATO.  She makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.  She is especially known for erotic poetry.   Erato is one of the nine muses of Greek mythology.  Can you name the other eight?  [Name # 3, fictional.]

58. Supreme Court justice Kagan: ELENA.  Justice Kagan (b. Apr. 28, 1960) also makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.  She has served in the Supreme Court since August 2010.  [Name # 4.]

59. Nail polish brand: OPI.  We often see this nail polish brand in the puzzles, although the company prefers to be called a Nail Lacquer.

60. Luminous: AGLOW.

61. Weather forecast aid: RADAR.

62. Web portal with Bing: MSN.

Down:

1. Perplex: BEMUSE.

2. Ice planet beyond Saturn: URANUS.  There are so many sophomoric jokes about this planet.  Uranus is the ancient Greek deity of the Heavens.

3. Realismo __: Isabel Allende genre: MÁGICO.   Today's Spanish lesson.  Isabel Allende (née Isabel Angélica Allende Llona; b. Aug. 2, 1942) novels incorporates Magical Realism, which is a style of literary fiction and art. It paints a realistic view of the world while also adding magical elements, often blurring the lines between fantasy and reality.  Allende is a Chilean author and much of her works have been translated into English.  Her novels are often based upon her personal experience and historical events, while weaving together elements of myth and realism.

Isabel Allende

4. Russian pancakes: BLINI.  They are supposed to be easy to make.  I can't vouch for this because I have never tried to make Blini.

5. Melmac native of 1980s TV: ALF.  Did you know that Alf's name stood for Alien Life Form?  He was known for wanting to eat the family cat, which is probably why I never watched the show.  [Name # 6, fictional.]

6. __ leaf: stew herb: BAY.

7. Bordeaux beau: AMI.  Today's French lesson.

8. Expired, as time: RAN OUT.

9. Fleece-lined boots: UGGS.  Ugg is right!

10. Mind readers: TELEPATHS.

11. Sort of: IN A SENSE.

12. "__ Misérables": LES.  Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo (Feb. 26, 1802 ~ May 22, 1885).  The book, which follows the lives of several people, focuses primarily on Jean Valjean, an ex-convict.  Jean Valjean struggles for redemption.  The novel culminates with the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris.  The novel has also been adapted into movies and musicals.  [Name adjacent.]

13. Serpentine curve: ESS.

18. "__ my cup of tea": NOT.  A shoutout to Yellow Rocks as this was an expression she often used in her comments.  Has anyone heard from her?

19. Athleta parent company: GAP.  Or, if you're in London, you must mind the Gap.

23. Orchestral reeds: OBOES.  A crossword staple.

24. Tank the efficacy of, in gamer slang: NERF.  According to dictionary.com, Nerf means: "(in a video game) to reconfigure (an existing character or weapon), making it less powerful."  The only Nerf I knew of was the Nerf Ball.

25. Arched-back yoga asana: CAT POSE.  The Cat-Cow are common warm-up positions in yoga.

27. Risotto recipe verb: STIR.  Yummers!  I love a good risotto.  It does take a long time to make and there is a lot of stirring to get the dish to come out just right.

28. Khaki kin: TAN.

31. Splinter group: SECT.  This, too, is becoming a crossword staple.

32. Mentions indirectly: ALLUDES TO.

33. Docking spot: PIER.

34. Duration of employment: STINT.

35. Novelist Riordan: RICK.  I am not familiar with this author.  Rick Riordan (né Richard Russell Riordan, Jr.; b. June 5, 1964) writes fantasy novels.  He is best known for his Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which is also a movie series.    [Name # 7.]

36. Light and delicate: ETHEREAL.

37. Little rascals: IMPS.

38. "The Waste Land" poet's monogram: TSE.  I always thought Thomas Stearns Eliot (Sept. 26, 1888 ~ Jan. 4, 1965) was British.  He was actually born in St. Louis, Missouri, but renounced his American citizenship and became a British subject in 1939.  [Name # 8.]

41. "Both would be fine": EITHER.

42. Narrow-headed drum: TOM-TOM.

43. Wins every game in a series: SWEEPS.

44. Astronaut Buzz who was the second man on the moon: ALDRIN.  Besides being an astronaut, Buzz Aldrin (né Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr.; b. Jan. 20, 1930), was also a jet fighter pilot.  He flew 66 combat missions during the Korean War.  He legally changed his name from Edwin to Buzz in 1988. [Name # 9.]

46. Athletic: FIT.

47. Peace Nobelist Sadat: ANWAR.  In 1978, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly to Anwar Sadat (né Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat; Dec. 25, 1918 ~ Oct. 6, 1981) and Manachem Begin (Aug. 16, 1913 ~ Mar. 9, 1982) for jointly negotiating peace between Egypt and Israel.  Sadly, Sadat was assassinated in 1981.  [Name # 10.]

48. What did ewe say?: BAA.

50. Skier's surface: SNOW.

52. Anti-narcotics law gp.: DEA.

53. URL ending for charities: ORG.  The difference between .com and .org.

54. Suffix with pay or Cray: -OLA.  As in Payola, which is a criminal offense, and Crayola, which are crayons.

55. Conducted: LED.  Gustav Mahler (July 7, 1860 ~ May 18, 1911) was Bohemian composer and one of the leading conductors of his time.  He was from a little village called Kaliště, which is in what is now the Czech Republic.   We visited Kaliště a few years ago because it is also the home town of hubby's great-grandfather.  They were contemporaries.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

I'll be away for the next few weeks, but I know you will be in good hands.  Happy Chanukah and Merry Christmas!

Monday October 9, 2023 Amanda Cook and Katie Hale

  

Hello Cornerites!

Theme:  

Today, constructors Amanda Cook and Katie Hale are taking us through the steps to grow a garden. Although it might feel a bit late in the year for this activity, some of us are lucky enough to be able to plant Fall veggies while the soil is still warm. I like to sow lettuce and cilantro seeds in late September to harvest before the new year. Here are planting suggestions for a variety of climates:

12 Best Vegetables and Flowers to Plant in October

Our puzzle has five, themed clues such that all have answers ending in a plant term; however, the full answers are not garden-related. Even though I consider myself to have a green thumb, the full answers were not always at my fingertips. I had to use the theme to fill in the ends then reason out the beginnings. Case in point, 17A.

17 Across. Potential March Madness bracket buster: SIXTEEN SEED.  In basketball (as well as several other sports), a team's SEED is its initial ranking going into a tournament. SEEDs are used to determine the first-round matchups of the tournament and to place the teams in the tournament bracket. A "bracket buster" is a team that upsets a highly-ranked opponent in a tournament, ruining fans' bracket predictions.  I drew red ovals around the SIXTEEN spots on this schedule: 

Please direct any comments/questions to the Cornerites who follow this sport.

25 Across. Hair coloring technique with an ombre effect: SHADOW ROOT.  

See how her ROOTs are darker (SHADOWy) but they blend in,
as opposed to just looking like her dye job grew out?

37 Across. Mind-body connector: BRAINSTEM.  This is the structure that connects the cerebrum (higher functions) of the brain to the spinal cord (brain/body message conduit) and cerebellum (mainly controls muscles).  

51 Across. Electrifying industrial facility: POWERPLANT.  

60 Across. "Black Hole Sun" grunge band: SOUNDGARDEN.  SOUNDGARDEN was an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. The group broke up in 1997 then got back together in 2010. Sadly, Cornell committed suicided in 2017 when he was 52 years old. Here is the song from the clue:

Note:  The official video is creepy. If you are into that, you can watch it here.

Instead, I am embedding a lyrics video. As far as the lyrics go, Chris Cornell has been quoted as saying, "Lyrically it's probably the closest to me just playing with words for words' sake, of anything I've written. I guess it worked for a lot of people who hear it, but I have no idea how you'd begin to take that one literally."

We cruciverbalists enjoy 'playing with words', too!

No reveal was needed today. I like how the plant words progress in the same order they do when growing. We begin with a SEED. It first grows a ROOT then a STEM and, before you know it, leaves emerge on your PLANT. When you group several plants together, you have a GARDEN. Let's take a look at the grid and compare it to a seed germination diagram.

And now on to the remaining 73 clues:

Across:
1. Physical effort: LABOR. a requirement for gardening

6. Girl Scout sash addition: BADGE.  In case you are interested:  Early Girl Scouting and New GS BADGEs for 2023

11. Flamenco cry: OLÉ.  

The word "flamingo" comes from the Latin and Spanish word "flamenco", which means "fire".

14. Unaccompanied: ALONE.  This made me think of the 1990 movie, Home Alone. Here is a Google ad (and its filming) starring Macaulay Culkin made in 2018.  (2:19 min.)

15. Road one-eighty: U-TURN.  utilitarian unabridged U_TURN underpinnings

16. "Industry Baby" rapper Lil __ X: NAS.  "NAS" is my go-to for any "rapper" clue.

19. Egyptian viper: ASP.  A viper is a poisonous snake. I took this viper's picture in Borneo. The image is fuzzy because I did not want to get close! You can click on the pic to enlarge it.

20. Comfort: SOLACE.  

21. Rowboat pair: OARS.  

23. Pilates surface: MAT.

29. "Gossip Girl" steps location: THE MET.  unknown but suss-able

Gossip Girl is a TV show (CW network 2007-2012), based on a novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar, about privileged teens living on the Upper East Side. The METropolitan Museum of Art was a frequent hangout spot.

32. Cooks (up), as grub: RUSTLES.  

"slimy and satisfying"

Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa teach Simba how to RUSTLE up some grub.

The Lion King (1994)

33. Gaseous water: VAPOR.  refers to a gas-phase material that normally exists as a liquid or solid under a given set of conditions, e.g., temperature

34. Flying formations: VEES.  The geese where I live make a lot of noise while flying. This article explains what all the honking is about.

36. "Frozen" princess: ELSA.  It is easy to get her confused with her younger sister Anna. Both were princesses before becoming queens. Plus, there is the 4-letter-ends-with-"A" aspect....

40. Against: ANTI.

43. JPEG alternatives: PNGS.  Both are formats for digital images.

I thought this graphic was helpful but I cannot think of why it says "weigh" instead of "way".
Can someone explain?

44. Prefix with scope or soft: MICRO-.

48. Floating basketball hoop, e.g.: POOL TOY.  

50. "Leaving already?": SO SOON.

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine's friend has overstayed his welcome? Don't tell my family & friends, but I think of it when I drive them back to the airport.  (3:35 min.)

54. Whiskey grain: RYE.  It is a plant so...Easter egg!

55. 1950s sitcom name: DESI.  Tricky clue! It does not say, "the name of a 1950s sitcom".

56. Absorb, as a significant moment: SOAK IN.  

Wouldn't it be wonderful to SOAK IN mountain views while SOAKing IN this hot tub?

59. Like most reruns: OLD.

65. Modernist architect who lived to be 102: PEI.  12 Iconic buildings by I.M. PEI

66. Hebrew prophet: HOSEA.  This 7:35 min. summary of the Book of HOSEA attempts to explain who HOSEA was and what path he walked.

67. Actress Mary Tyler __: MOORE.  and  52 Down. 67-Across co-star: ASNER.  

68. ID on an I-9 form: SSN.  An I-9 is used to verify employment authorization in the U.S. Non-U.S. citizens filling out the form can leave the SSN box blank.

69. Not together: APART.

70. Adolescent emotion: ANGST.  a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, and/or insecurity

The Scream. Edvard Munch (1893)
He painted it when he was 30 but he said he had re-created a vision that had seized him as he walked one evening in his youth with two friends at sunset. Teen ANGST??? 

Down:
1. __ Vegas: LAS.

2. "Moonlight" actor Mahershala: ALI.  

Maershala ALI as Juan in this 2016 indie film

3. Basic foxtrot move: BOX STEP.  

Back in our Jazzercise days, my friend Ang teased me mercilessly for not being able to do this.  #GirlsCanBeDyslexicToo

4. Not fooled by: ONTO.  to have knowledge, be suspicious, or be aware of one's actions, behavior, or intention

5. Fishing rod attachment: REEL.

6. Banana buy: BUNCH.  and  38 Down. Each, informally: A POP.

At 19¢ per banana (Trader Joe's), it's hard to think of a better buy.

7. Completely lost: AT SEA.

8. Invoice word: DUE.

9. Future MBA's exam: GRE.  "Master of Business Administration" is abbreviated, so is the "Graduate Records Exam". It is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the U.S. and Canada, as well as a few other countries. "Master" is an important hint because it points to a post-baccalaureate exam. Try not to confuse it with the GED (General Educational Development test), an option for those who do not graduate from high school.

10. Provides with funds: ENDOWS.

11. Enjoying a hot streak: ON A ROLL.  

12. Ropes at the rodeo: LASSOES.  I am not throwing shade on the clue and perhaps it is a regional thing, moreover, I cannot speak for the rodeo community; but, in my cowboying experience on ranches, neither I nor anyone I worked with ever called it a "lasso". We call it a rope (noun) and it is used to rope (verb) cattle who require medical treatment.

13. Paranormal ability, for short: ESP.  I sensed this would be the answer.

18. Sunrise direction: EAST.

22. Twin sister of Apollo: ARTEMIS.  You can see why ARTEMIS is a good name for the NASA moon missions.

credit

23. "The Hills" airer: MTV.  Unfamiliar to me, this reality TV series began in 2006 and lasted for six seasons. I wonder if Amanda or Katie or Patti is a fan.

24. "Eureka!": AHA.  an exclamation used to express satisfaction, triumph, or surprise  

"Eureka" is also CA's state motto. It means, "I have found it!"
For many years, CA was reached by sea so cartographers were unsure how it attached to the rest of the U.S.

26. Put on clothes: DRESS.  verb

27. Forcibly remove: OUST.

28. PreCheck org.: TSA.

DH has PreCheck but I do not so he kindly waits with me in my line.

 30. Alexander Calder sculptures: MOBILES.  

I have visited his installation at the National Gallery of Art in D.C. many times. Some were huge. Some were small. I marveled at the combination of art and physics. I wonder if the MOBILES are still there.

31. Mix up "their" and "there," e.g.: ERR.  I see this err 😉 alot😉.

34. Pressed music medium: VINYL.  How many grooves are on a VINYL LP? (answer at bottom)

35. 2023 World Cup finalists, briefly: ENG.  Spain beat ENGland in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final, 1-0.

39. Moody music genre: EMO.

40. Smartphone program: APP.

41. Udon and soba: NOODLES.  I like them both but I mostly cook with soba.

NOODLE note:  Last week Picard and I were discussing NOODLE, nobility, and the song Yankee Doodle. This link fills some of the gaps in our discussion. (It is a long transcript. You might want to skip waaaaaaaaay down to the paragraph which begins, "And then the other thing that was so surprising to me is that 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'".)

42. Taken to the junkyard: TOWED IN.

45. Snack on a stick: CORN DOG.

46. Baseball Hall of Famer Campanella: ROY.  He played for 18 seasons for four teams:  Washington Elite Giants, Baltimore Elite Giants, Philadelphia Stars, and Brooklyn Dodgers. (Boomer could have told us more about him.)

47. Top Billboard spot: ONE.  As of this writing, the #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 is Paint the Town Red by Doja Cat. Didn't we see her in a clue three Mondays ago?

49. Country singer Yearwood: TRISHA.  her website

50. Male deer: STAG.

53. Greet wordlessly: NOD AT.  In The Sting (1973), they 'greeted wordlessly' with a nose touch.  (35 sec.)

57. __ Sutra: KAMA.  Principles of Love

58. Word with Man or Maiden: IRON.  IRON Man is a Marvel character. IRON Maiden is an English heavy medal band. Clever clue!

59. Mil. missions: OPS.  "Military" is abbreviated, so is "OPerationS".

61. Alley-__ pass: OOP.  Another basketball reference I did not know.... Basically, Player #1 throws the ball near the rim then Player #2 catches it and seals the deal in mid-air. Of course there are variations. The timing is spectacularly exciting!  

62. Mex. and Can. neighbor: USA.

63. Triage sites, briefly: ERS.  Emergency RoomS

64. Take-home pay: NET.  I am grateful this is an accounting clue and not another basketball clue.

Answer to my 34D question:  one. There is just one long spiral!  

The wall calendar above my desk is telling me that today is a federal holiday in the U.S. and a statutory holiday in Canada. Whatever your plans, wishing you a lovely day!