Saturday, January 27, 2018, Andy Kravis

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?

Andy's very challenging but fair Saturday puzzle left me playing a mental edition of this game:

The puzzle came down to an obvious vowel for the crossing of these two words:

10. Official cocktail of New Orleans : SAZERAC - Made with SAZERAC Rye Whiskey and assorted goodies

27. Court dance : PAVANE - A slow, processional dance of 16th century Europe. I wonder if Cole Porter could have written When They Begin The PAVANE if he were alive in 1588.

Suffice it to say "I" made a bad pick but had a good time. Two stacks of nine-letter words and twin ten and eleven letter stacks looked very impressive to this humble blogger!  Well let's see what other treats Andy has for us:


Across

1. Longtime employer of 26-Down : ABC SPORTS and 26. "Miracle on Ice" commentator : AL MICHAELS - Al called out, "Do you believe in miracles?" when the USA beat the  46. "Miracle on Ice" loser : USSR

10. Double shot? : STUNT - Fabulous clue! Here's Johnny Depp with his STUNT Double

15. "Geek sighting!" : NERD ALERT - Name calling abates when you really need one!

16. "Mad TV" alum Lange : ARTIE - You might know troubled ARTIE better as this guy's sidekick if you go for that type of entertainment

17. Runway-ready : DRESSED UP - Models properly adorned taking off down the runway


18. Boarding pass data : ZONES - Seating areas like this flight from Jeddah to Cairo

19. Pay stub abbr. : YTD - Year To Date

20. Kid gloves, so to speak : CARE - Parents have to know when to treat their child with kid gloves.

21. Turn down : REJECT

22. City on Lake Michigan : GARY - Or your humble Saturday blogger

23. African capital formerly called Salisbury : HARARE - Salisbury, Rhodesia became HARARE, Zimbabwe as the British Empire continued to shrink

24. "Cool, dude!" : GNARLY - Beach lingo

28. Hard-to-count quantity : PILES - PILES are much harder to count than stacks

29. Emit a powerful magnetic force? : OOZE CHARM - Delightfully phrased by Alan Jay Lerner and wonderfully sung by Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady describing a pompous Turkish man who dances with Liza

32. It's all downhill from here : ACME

33. Hoofed it : HIKED

34. Comics pooch : ODIE - Here with his best friend

35. They're matched by foundations : SKIN TONES - Foundation/SKIN TONE match chart

37. Take forcibly : WREST

38. Like milk of magnesia : CHALKY - Mg(OH)₂

39. "You Gotta Be" soul singer : DES'REE

40. Old-time feature film preceders : SHORTS - "One-reelers"

41. Corduroy feature : WALE - The "ridges" in the material that can make that swoosh sound when walking

42. Rose __: reddish mineral : QUARTZ

43. Big name in hair trimmers : WAHL - I bought one because Paul Harvey was pitching them. Meh... 

44. Big Ten sch. that competes for the Paul Bunyan Trophy : MSU - Naturally enough, the other team is Michigan

47. Singer __ Marie : TEENA - Claimed to be a black artist with white skin

48. Exposes to public scorn : PILLORIES

50. Goldbrick : IDLER - Is Beetle Bailey the most famous one?

51. Ruins things? : ARTIFACTS - Pompeii is nothing but these

52. Pains : PESTS

53. 1790s political powder keg : XYZ AFFAIR - Our young country refused to pay a bribe

Down

1. "Honey, I'm Good" singer Grammer : ANDY - Not on my playlist but I think I've posted enough pictures of singers I don't know

2. "Sesame Street" roommate : BERT - He of the paper clip collection

3. Street __ : CRED - Short for credibility which can be gained by some overt act

4. '60s protest org. : SDS

5. Units of pressure : PASCALS 

6. Owner of a legendary lantern kicker : O'LEARY - Most say her cow did not start the Chicago fire but it makes for a good story

7. Put through the wringer again? : REDRY

8. "Can't argue with that" : TRUE

9. Brand sold at Pep Boys : STP

11. Agent that undermines from within : TROJAN HORSE - Modern day application 

12. "Cure Ignorance" magazine : UTNE READER - I only know this from crosswords. My ignorance is probably incurable anyway. 

13. Victoria, to William IV : NIECE - Yup! William IV had a brother named Edward and Edward's daughter was Victoria 

14. One of many taken in school : TEST

21. Rhapsodized : RAVED

22. Britt Reid's alter ego : GREEN HORNET - See alter egos below

    Chen Zhen       Britt Reid      Bruce Wayne      Dick Grayson

23. Shore weather phenomena : HAZES 

24. Med school admissions data : GPA'S

25. __ of time : NICK - When the superheroes above appear 

27. Cooler : POKEY - Colorful name for a jail

29. Hog calls : OINKS - For calling hogs at this school  it's SOOIE!

30. Obey a court order : RISE - When Officer Byrd says RISE for Judge Judy, you'd better or he will 31. Parcel (out) : METE out a big time glare

33. 1980s-'90s Notre Dame football coach Lou : HOLTZ - A great coach and speaker but a horrible TV football analyst

36. Medieval Turko-Mongol settlers : TARTARS

37. Comfortable : WELL OFF

39. National flower of Mexico : DAHLIA

40. Jacket material : SUEDE - Jerry Seinfeld muses about why water can hurt Suede when it comes from cows who stand out in the rain.

41. Strauss piece : WALTZ - Professor Higgins and Liza doing just that

42. Common applicator : Q-TIP

43. Like an Irish Terrier's outer coat : WIRY

44. Flaky mineral : MICA

45. Long-distance calling org.? : SETI - The best movie about Search for Extra  Terrestrial Intellligence scientists 

48. __ Romana : PAX - Sometimes it was PAX Romana or else!

49. Battle of Britain gp. : RAF - Royal Air Force

Your take?

DA GRID

Friday, October 27, 2017, Andy Kravis and Erik Agard

Title: It all fits, but where is the Z?

What a nice treat as we get a collaboration between two of the millennial constructors, both of whom had their debuts here at the LAT. They along with many others have changed the landscape of puzzle publication by publishing their own work. Meet them LINK Andy; LINK Eric.

Back to this effort which, like last week, uses 'insert three letters' to make a new phrase. A very fair puzzle which may have a couple of curve balls, but it is Friday. They also introduce us to some new fill -AIDS WALK, MOON GODS, CORE ASSETS and WHAT CAN I DO. It is the aforementioned Z away from being a pangram. Guys, really?

19A. Watch a music-streaming app? : SEE SPOTIFY RUN (13). If you do not know Spotify you were born before 1970. You still might remember learning from seeing Spot run.

26A. Organize circus performers? : CLASSIFY CLOWNS (13). I wonder if either of these young men were class clowns?

46A. Rationalize one's need for duel assistance? : JUSTIFY A SECOND (14). Sly, the duelists need a second, why may take longer than just a second.

53A. Worship at the altar of buttercream? : DEIFY FROSTING (13). The outlier - Defrosting is one word, Also, Buttercream is not worth worship

Across:

1. Apples on a desk: iMacs. One office where I work uses lots of the 27" model.

6. Unattached: STAG.

10. Ruler meas. : CMS. Centimeters.

13. Two-sport Sanders: DEION. Neon Deion, Primetime is a Florida born product of FSU. During his most productive year in the majors, the 1992 season, he hit .304 for the team, stole 26 bases, and led the NL with 14 triples in 97 games. During the 1989 season, he hit a major league home run and scored a touchdown in the NFL in the same week, the only player ever to do so. Sanders is also the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.

14. Texas city: WACO. Home to Chip and Joanna Gaines.

15. Leave work: QUIT.

16. Braugher of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine": ANDRE. From serious police procedural TV - Homicide: Life on the Street - to deadpan comic, but still in the SQUAD ROOM.

17. Maker of Swift laptops: ACER.

18. Waiter at a stand: TAXI. Nice deception.

22. Garden State city: NEWARK. Ironic isn't it.

24. "__ be the judge of that": I'LL.

25. Make the call: OPT. In or out.

30. Afflicts: AILS.

31. Where Spike Lee earned his MFA: NYU.

32. Louisville Slugger wood: ASH. Ash is back for the second week in a row. Louisville sluggers were all we had playing baseball as kids.

33. Answered counterpart: ASKED. AAA.

35. Little devil: IMP. Tyrion started out as the Imp.

37. Brazilian music genre: SAMBA.

41. Up to, for short: TIL.

43. Blanc with "That's all folks" on his gravestone: MEL.

45. Punch or file: TOOL. Meh.

50. Actress Aniston, in tabloids: JEN. Have not had a gratuitous female form in a while.

51. Afternoon social: TEA.

52. "Mean Girls" actress Seyfried: AMANDA. Buy the magazine.

57. Declare openly: AVOW. Aver, avow, aver.

58. Streaming on Facebook: LIVE. We have friends who actually do this.

59. Tantalus' daughter: NIOBE. Moral: do not try and show up gods. LINK.

62. Manage: TEND.

63. Over: ANEW. Got me, anyone?

64. Further out there: ODDER.

65. Start of something? : ESS.

66. Gets some sun: TANS.

67. Sparkling wine choices: ROSES. The magic ending ess.

Down:

1. Mont. neighbor: IDA. Hey girl, weather better?

2. "White __ Can't Jump": MEN.

3. Charity fundraiser since 1985: AIDS WALK.  Florida VERSION.

4. Vital business holdings: CORE ASSETS.

5. Villainous visages: SNEERS. I do love alliteration.

6. Exchange: SWAP.

7. Folded Mexican fare: TACO.

8. Vinegary, as acid: ACETIC. Didn't Moe explain about wine and acid?

9. Brute: GORILLA.

10. Oscar-winning "Gravity" director Alfonso: CUARON. LINK.

11. Mistakes: MIXUPS.

12. Stretch on the job: STINT.

15. Invoice abbr. : QTY.

20. Parchment source: SKIN. Not necessarily human.

21. Dental visit freebie: FLOSS.

22. Org. that fills bowls? : NCAA. More wit.

23. Bulldog fans: ELIS.

27. "Just an update" letters: FYI. Another version of the IFY inserted.

28. Delish: YUMMY.

29. "Need my help?" : WHAT CAN I DO.

34. Catchy tune: DITTY.

36. Edible orb: PEA.

38. Selene and Luna: MOON GODS. Greek and Roman - the same goddess. LINK.

39. No foe: BOND. Dr. No, nice clue.

40. Only actor to appear in every episode of "M*A*S*H": ALDA. I really enjoyed him in Blacklist.

42. Become prostrate: LIE FLAT.

44. Future atty.'s exam: LSAT.

46. Valet in Wodehouse stories: JEEVES.

47. Labor parties? : UNIONS.

48. Oatmeal alternative: FARINA.

49. Key of Dvorák's New World Symphony: E MINOR.

50. Singles network logo with a partly outlined Star of David: JDATE. Do they still use this?

54. Chain email abbr. : FWD.

55. It may be self-cleaning: OVEN.

56. Works with threads: SEWS.

60. Pollen carrier: BEE.

61. Hectic hosp. zones: ERS.

Thanks for the help all see later. Thank you gentleman for a fun puzzle. Lemonade out.

Monday, July 20, 2015 Andy Kravis

Theme: not ready for prime time - Words starting with J & V.

38A. School's underclass team ... or, initially, what the four longest answers in this puzzle comprise : JV SQUAD

17A. Decision of a courtroom dozen : JURY VERDICT

22A. Business partnership : JOINT VENTURE

48A. Words on Monopoly's Jail square : JUST VISITING

57A. Vital blood vessel : JUGULAR VEIN

Argyle here, in a bit of a quandary. This is Andy's first solo effort with us and it's a doozy. The theme is an easy reveal but an impressive construction. The problem lies in the level of the fill, ranging from crosswordese to Thursday level. Nearly a pangram(no H) and a trio of six letter stacks on the sides gives us a good start to the week...or a warning?

Across:

1. Cager Shaquille : O'NEAL

6. Port in southeastern Iraq : BASRA. Anagram of Arabs.

11. Butcher's trimmings : FAT

14. Actor Gabriel or singer David : BYRNE. David is lead for The Talking Heads while Gabriel may become more well know with an upcoming film.

15. "Family Matters" misfit : URKEL. The annoying "Did I do that?" kid.

16. Sci-fi aircraft : UFO

19. Half an evasive route : ZAG

20. Noisy pig : OINKER

21. Poet Pound : EZRA. Yes, that's his real name.

27. "Snowy" birds : EGRETS

28. Fuse with an alloy : SOLDER

32. Greek Cupid : EROS

33. Letter between rho and tau : SIGMA

36. Chicken __ king : À LA. The sauce is the thing in Chicken à la King but the creator of the sauce is in dispute.

37. Fled the scene : RAN

40. Tennis division : SET. Match, set, game.

41. Tokyo, once : EDO. crosswordese.

42. Itty-bitty : EENSY

43. Donated : GAVE

44. Hereditary ruler : DYNAST

46. Made amends : ATONED

52. Head over heels (over) : GAGA

55. Bronx baseballer : YANKEE. Hey, stop that booing!

56. Mimic : APE

62. Buddhist sect : ZEN

63. Supreme Court justice Kagan : ELENA

64. Pass on, as a message : RELAY

65. Lumberjack's tool : AXE

66. Like toads : WARTY

67. Japanese cartoon art : ANIME

Down:

1. Noun after a vb., generally : OBJect

2. Big Apple sch. : NYU. (New York University)

3. Make a mistake : ERR

4. "It's still __ game" : ANYONE'S. Common sports comentary.

5. "Inception" actor Joseph Gordon-__ : LEVITT

6. Actress Delta : BURKE

7. Shakespearean forest : ARDEN

8. Blouse go-with : SKIRT

9. Camcorder button : RECord

10. PC key : ALT. Who peeked? Wait! Don't ask, don't tell.

11. Peach __ : FUZZ

12. Miles off : AFAR

13. "Julius Caesar" costume : TOGA. Gaius Julius Caesar we now know.

18. Holders of ltrs. or bills : ENVS. (envelopes)

21. Long-bodied swimmer : EEL

22. Razzed : JEERED

23. Sweet Rosie of song : O'GRADY. The Uncle Miltie Show, take a look.



24. Applied with heat, as patches : IRON ON

25. West Point letters : USMA. (United States Military Academy)

26. Willie Nelson's "On the __ Again" : ROAD

29. Aquafina rival : DASANI. Pepsi vs Coke.

30. Late news hour : ELEVEN

31. Kid-friendly, TV-wise : RATED G

33. Govt.-issued ID : SSN

34. Mensa stats : IQs

35. Fella : GUY

38. Bach's "__, Joy of Man's Desiring" : JESU



39. November honorees : VETs. The 11 hour of the 11 day of the 11 month.

43. Settled a score : GOT EVEN

45. 1977 Steely Dan album : AJA. crosswordese.

46. "__ silly question ... " : ASK A

47. __ del Fuego : TIERRA. Southernmost tip of the South American mainland.

49. Blake's "burning bright" big cat : TYGER

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,

In the forests of the night;

What immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

50. Brag : VAUNT. Often used as VAUNTED.

51. Decorative woodwork : INLAY

52. Disputed Mideast strip : GAZA

53. Peak : APEX

54. Heredity unit : GENE

57. Yom Kippur observer : JEW

58. Suffix with form : ULA. (formula)

59. Quarterback Manning : ELI

60. "__ the Walrus" : I AM

61. "Science Guy" Bill : NYE

Argyle

Note from C.C.:

Misty's husband Rowland passed away on Saturday afternoon. Misty said "He had still been able to answer questions and even respond to crossword puzzle clues on Wednesday, but became unresponsive that night. Thankfully he appeared to have very little pain and I held his hand when he stopped breathing."

Our condolences to Misty, who's been contributing to our blog almost daily since 2011. Rowland introduced crosswords to Misty after his stroke in 2008 and they often solved LAT Daily together.

 

Misty & Rowland 2009 (15th Anniversary Party)

Sunday May 20, 2012 Will Nediger and Andy Kravis

Theme: Insert-a-ble - "Ble" is inserted into common phrases.

22A. Where peasants work? : NOBLEMAN'S LAND. No man's land.

45A. Fight organizer? : RUMBLE RUNNER. Rum runner.

67A. Telescope protector? : HUBBLE CAP. Hubcap.

94A. Commercial jingle segments? : PRICE WARBLES. Price wars.

119A. One tending a brush fire? : BRAMBLE STOKER. Bram Stoker.

16D. Doesn't speak clearly? : MUMBLES THE WORD. Mum's the word. This one involves grammatical change.

50D. Aimless walks around the Gateway Arch? : ST LOUIS RAMBLES. St Louis Rams. RAMBLES is a noun here, right? Since it's "Aimless walks" rather than "Aimlessly walks".

I had guessed the theme was inserting ABLE when I glanced at the puzzle title. But then all the new theme entries would be just adjectives from their verb forms and there would not be much change in terms of meaning. So, not an option.

I talked before about how a grid & fill often reflect its constructor's interest and background. Today's TOM THOMSON (5D. "The Jack Pine" Canadian painter with an echoic name) is a good example. It's a total stranger to me and I would not have put him in a grid. Will Nediger is a Canadian and a very knowledgeable and talented constructor.

Looks like this is Andy Kravis' debut. Congrats!

Across:

1. Cardiovascular implants : STENTS

7. "Apostrophe (')" album maker : ZAPPA (Frank). Not familiar with the album name.

12. Word with first, second or third : BASEMAN

19. How some tapes are played : IN A LOOP. I guess so.

20. '90s sitcom bookstore owner : ELLEN. Ellen DeGeneres. So witty, genuine and warm.

21. With deception : UNTRULY

24. Telescope user's aid : STAR MAP

25. Timberland : FOREST. Man, I just realize that this rapper's name is Timbaland.

26. Sarkozy's state : ETAT. Sarkozy lost power last Tuesday. His state now is "sorrow".

27. Luxurious fabric : SATIN

29. "The Price Is Right" action : BID

30. Senior attachment? : ITIS. Senioritis. I used to think it referred to old people's senior moment.

31. Fireplace shelf : HOB

33. Alumni newsletter word : NEE

35. Where Jefferson can be seen : NICKEL. D'oh!

37. VW followers : XYZ. Alphabet.

38. Doughnut shape : TORUS. Plural is tori.

40. Saws : ADAGES

42. Charcuterie fare : MEAT. Did not know the meaning of Charcuterie.

47. "Thong Song" singer : SISQO. No idea. The song title does sound familiar.

48. Puts forward : POSITS

51. "Perfect! Right there!" : AAH. 53. Place to hear 51-Acrosses : HOT TUB.

52. MSN alternative : AOL

54. Decides one will : OPTS TO

55. Appointment book opening : SLOT. And 60. Ones without appointments : WALK-INS. Clue echos.

57. Fair vis-à-vis cloudy, say : NICER

59. Loft filler : HAY

62. In the thick of : AMID

64. Hold water, so to speak : COHERE

66. Mary Jane, e.g. : SHOE. These shoes are all the rage now, with Mary Jane style ankle strap & rounded toe, thanks to Lady Gaga.

70. GI delinquent : AWOL

73. Father of the Titans : URANUS. Their mother is Gaea.

76. Eczema symptom : ITCH

77. Hand raised in support, say : YES VOTE

80. "A Farewell to Arms" conflict, briefly : WWI

82. Nocturnal insects : MOTHS

84. Fall in the rankings : SLIP

86. Puts on notice : ALERTS

87. Reservation waster : NO SHOW

89. Green gp. : EPA

91. Clark's "Mogambo" co-star : AVA (Gardner). Perfect measurements.

92. Mozart movements : RONDOS

93. Big yawns : BORES

97. Many miles off : AFAR

98. Sales targets : QUOTAS

99. Inn season visits : STAYS. Nice "Inn season".

100. Chowderhead : SAP

103. Enterprise crewman : MR. SULU

105. Hairy TV cousin : ITT

107. Sale rack abbr. : IRR

108. Puppeteer Baird : CORA. Total stranger. Wife to Bil Baird.

109. One of the Books of Wisdom : JOB. I could only think of Solomon.

111. "Cape Fear" actor : NOLTE (Nick)

113. __ avis : RARA

115. Archipelago component : ISLAND

117. "Could regret this, but tell me" : I'LL BITE

122. Prince of the Tigers : FIELDER. Prince Fielder. Previously with the Brewers. Can't get my hand on Bryce Harper's rookie cards now. Hot!

123. Forearm bones : RADII

124. Prepare for a comeback tour : REUNITE

125. Australian brew : FOSTER'S. And 126. Australian gems : OPALS.

127. Burning : ARDENT

Down:

1. Putting on airs : SNOOTY

2. City in NW Iran : TABRIZ. See this map. In northwest. I saw 2 more cities ending in Z. No such thing in Chinese. Z & ZH only start words.

3. Nice girls? : ELLES. Nice the French city of course.

4. Discouraging words : NOES

6. Chic getaway : SPA

7. Citrus shaving : ZEST

8. Literary middle name : ALLAN. Edgar ALLAN Poe.

9. Level of achievement : PLATEAU

10. Treaty-signing memento : PEN

11. Additions : ANDS

12. Push-up garment : BUSTIER. Look, some girls are so lucky.

13. Shenanigans : ANTICS

14. Displayed zero talent : STANK

15. Go astray : ERR

17. Jai __ : ALAI

18. "Blue" TV lawmen : NYPD. Linda, we need an Andy Sipowicz in our neighborhood.

19. Implant, as an idea : INFIX. Alright.

23. Fantasy writers' awards : NEBULAS. Guessed.

28. Sweet wine with a woman's name : ANGELICA. Ah, wine, Marti's forte, as is skiing or any risk-taking activity.

32. Heavenly body : ORB

34. Novelist Ferber : EDNA

36. Throw off : EMIT

38. __-frutti : TUTTI

39. Oceanographer's workplace : SEA LAB

41. Shortly : ANON

43. Blue hue : AQUA

44. "Twelfth Night" sir : TOBY

45. One taking chances : RISKER. Well, Splynter is one. Tough to be uprooted and move to a new city so far away.

46. Four-sided figures : RHOMBI

47. Nursing a grudge : SORE

48. Comic strip punches : POWS

49. Aquarium beauty : OPAH. "Beauty", ha ha! Beholder issue.

53. "Clever" : HEH

56. Isn't quite perpendicular : TILTS

58. Work to edit : COPY

61. Sealed : SHUT

63. Render harmless, in a way : DE-CLAW

65. Winged croakers : RAVENS

68. See to the exit : USHER OUT

69. Scotch choice, familiarly : CHIVAS. Chivas Regal. Was just asking Argyle about Whisky, Whiskey usage the other day. They use "whisky" spelling in Canada.

71. Preminger of film : OTTO

72. Minus : LESS

74. Baking entrepreneur Wally : AMOS. I have yet to try a "Famous Amos" cookie.

75. "Get cracking!" : NOW

78. One with a long commute, perhaps : EARLY RISER

79. Gin berries : SLOES

80. L.A. Sparks' org. : WNBA. Do they have good attendance, Bill?

81. Shepherd's comment : WOOF

83. Cookout aid : SPIT

85. Missing something : PARTIAL

88. Title for Brahms : HERR

90. Berry rich in antioxidants : ACAI

94. Tugboats, at times : PULLERS

95. "CHiPs" actor : ESTRADA. We see ERIK more often.

96. Watering hole : BAR

98. One issuing a citation? : QUOTER

100. Penetrate the mind : SOAK IN

101. Gulf War reporter Peter : ARNETT. His daughter is married to John Yoo, known for the "Torture Memos".

102. Father on a base : PADRE. Military base.

104. Slyly cutting : SNIDE

106. An official language of Sri Lanka : TAMIL

108. Knockoff : CLONE

109. Sec : JIFF

110. Hodgepodge : OLIO

112. River originating in Cantabria : EBRO. I only know it flows to the Mediterranean.

114. DH stats : RBIS. DH = Designated Hitter. Or Dear Husband on the blog.

116. Simple earring : STUD

118. Short order? : BLT. Sweet little clue.

120. Criticize : RAP

121. Big Band __ : ERA

Answer grid.

Happy Birthday to Mainiac!

C.C.