Sunday, August 4th, 2024 ~ Kelly Richardson

Title: All Ball

Kelly provides us nuthin' but net in today's puzzle. #Basketball.

22. Goal of a dog running an agility course?: GET TO THE HOOP. And drop a bucket.

A puppy doin' it

36. Arrive too late for the blanket giveaway?: MISS A FREE THROW. This gave me a chuckle.
How do folks that make $$$/yr miss?

51. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle?: DEEP THREE. Oooh! A mid-court shot by a philosopher.

Monty Python

61. Garden privacy border made of psychoactive plants?: ILLEGAL SCREEN. Ref blows the whistle.

73. Gutter ball?: ALLEY OOPS. Boomer would call that a missed lane(?)

86. All of the reporters covering a trial?: FULL COURT PRESS.

105. Basketball stat, and what can be found in six of this puzzle's long answers: DOUBLE DOUBLE. And there's the cute - notice the double letters in each of the themers.

I can understand, if you've not been around basketball fans, how this theme might be a passed ball.

Across:
1. Fuses: WELDS. I was thinking electrical fuses. Anyone remember putting a penny under one to keep the lights on until getting back from the hardware store?

6. Fuse: UNITE. Cute cleco.

11. Microsoft's web browser: EDGE. Also U2's guitarist.

15. Bar: BAN. LSAT was first to mind. Youngest takes it this fall. She should take the Bar in 3 years.

18. Really fowl?: AVIAN. #boo-hiss :-)

19. "Fuller House" actor John: STAMOS.

20. Like a leaf blower: LOUD. Oy! Every time I want to take a nap the HOA mowers appear on the median raising a racket.
//BTW, that's why tennis is the loudest sport... They're always raising a racket :-)

21. "Flamin' Hot" director Longoria: EVA. TLN w/ a V in the middle... perp wait for Es or As.

22. [See: Theme]

24. "__, Brute?": ETTU.

25. Talk by a rev.: SER. The REVerend makes a SERmon.

26. Adds nutrients to, as flour: ENRICHES.

27. Mass x acceleration: FORCE. F=ma. Physics 101.

29. Provide fare for an affair: CATER. Love the clue's alliteration.

31. Vibe: TENOR.

32. Teddy bear picnic need: TEA SET.

34. Betting setting: CASINO. I'll be staying at the Linq's Tuesday for Blackhat|Defcon.

35. Wildebeest: GNU. What's GNU with you?

Gary GNU

36. [See: Theme]

38. Chrysalides, e.g.: PUPAE.

41. Art able to: CANST. Um, OK.

42. Cove, e.g.: INLET.

43. Stringed instrument: HARP.

44. World's third-largest river, by volume: CONGO.

45. Thanksgiving Day Parade sponsor: MACYS.

47. Really grate on: RILE.

51. [See: Theme]

53. Hajj destination: MECCA.

54. Ride a bike: PEDAL.

55. Branch of Islam: SHIA.

56. Two-tone bear: PANDA. A black and white answer.

57. Handles: FIELDS. An Easter Egg; as in fields a Ball.

58. Saint-Tropez sea: MER.

61. [See: Theme]

65. Part of REM: EYE. Anyone else think Stipe at first?

R.E.M.'s Orange Crush

66. Graduates: ALUMNI.

68. Major artery: AORTA.

69. Sch. between Mex. and N. Mex.: UTEP. University of Texas, El Paso. With Youngest at UT Austin and the other three of us with degrees from OU, um... #Awkward :-)

71. Nom de plume: ALIAS. Do they call AKA NdP in France?

72. HS assessments: PSATS. High School's Pre-Standard Achievement TestS.

73. [See: Theme]

78. List of options: MENU.

79. Los Angeles art museum: GETTY.

The Getty

80. Salty side: FRIES. I was looking for sass from Flo at Mel's.

81. Appeal: PLEA.

82. Big name in tractors: DEERE.

84. Pam of "Jackie Brown": GRIER.

85. Petrichor, e.g.: SCENT.

86. [See: Theme]

91. Brains behind a tech startup?: CPU. Cute. Central Processing Unit of a "techy" computer.

92. Ed who plays Donald Sterling in the miniseries "Clipped": O'NEILL.

93. Lambaste: BERATE.

94. New Hampshire state flower: LILAC.

97. Tehran resident: IRANI.

98. Take over a dance: CUTIN.

99. Seats near the action: FRONT ROW.

102. "Sneakers" actor Kingsley: BEN.

103. Lowly worker: PEON.

105. [See: Theme]

108. Back muscle, briefly: LAT.

109. "Not long now": SOON.

110. Over the moon: ELATED.

111. __ Loops: FROOT. All the colors taste the same but it's a great sugar rush before school.

112. "Rockaria!" rock gp.: ELO.

I was not familiar with this song.

113. Sports award: ESPY.

114. Chip dip: SALSA. I prefer pico de gallo.

115. Forest fronds: FERNS.

Down:
1. Pay: WAGE.

2. Vault or beam, in gymnastics: EVENT.

3. Petrol unit: LITRE. C,Eh! should be happy w/ the spelling.

4. Modern matchmakers: DATING APPS. Cute.

5. Ice-and-syrup treat: SNO-CONE.

6. Some Numic speakers: UTES.

7. "Prolly not": NAH.

8. Letters introducing a judgment: IMO. In My (Humble) Opinion.

9. 85 in a 55, say: TOO FAST. No, 85 in a 55 is just about right on Houston's Beltway (Grand Parkway is another matter - better be doing ~95 to keep from getting run over)

10. Evita, to Juan Per n: ESPOSA. OMG!, Duolingo just paid off :-)

11. Lyriq or Leaf: ELECTRIC CAR. I've never heard of Lyriq.

12. Coddle, with "on": DOTE.

13. Instinct: GUT. Gut reaction.

14. Teach: EDUCATE.

15. Awaken: BESTIR.

16. Skin care brand whose name comes from the Latin for "oats": AVEENO.

17. Like a slot canyon: NARROW.

19. "__ Used To Be Mine": Sara Bareilles song: SHE. I was thinking The Cars' My Best Friend's Girl.
 

23. Not 'round?: THRU. Adverbs abriv'd.

28. Pro coin flipper: REF. Think beginning of a footBALL game.

30. Plant with helicopter seeds: ASH TREE.

32. Hint: TINGE.

33. Sylvan __: "Hey Mami" folktronica duo: ESSO. ESP.

34. Animation stills: CELS.

36. Head locks?: MANE.

37. Artist who has recorded in Tolkien's fictional language: ENYA.

38. Post-M.A. pursuit: PHD. Out of respect, I call her Dr. DW.

39. Fed. next to Oman: UAE. United Arab Emeritus.

40. Not post-: PRE.

41. Undersea colony creator: CORAL.

44. Cook-off bowlful: CHILI. You know, one of things I really miss about living in SPI is the CHILI parlors. I know H-Town doesn't put beans in it, but,.. some kidney beans stretches out the proteins.

45. Smart society: MENSA. Half of the MENSA's I know are <redacted>

46. "Hells Bells" band: AC/DC. Hell yeah! //Splynter can get on board :-)

AC/DC

48. Lounging: IDLE.

49. British title: LADY.

50. If not: ELSE.

52. Adds water to: THINS.

53. Soda fountain drinks: MALTS.

54. Like some air fresheners: PINEY.

56. Celebration: PARTY.

57. Celebrations: FETES.

58. "__, this is a Wendy's": MA'AM. This is a response to someone who's not at the right time nor place for what they are saying.
 

59. Romance novelist Kennedy: ELLE.

60. Destroy: RUIN.

62. Hopping holiday figure: EASTER BUNNY.

63. Farm animal in some yoga classes: GOAT.

64. Mathematician who wrote the first theorem of graph theory: EULER. Ooooh, now we're getting into maths *heart emoji*

67. Schmaltzy: MAUDLIN.

70. References in some crossword clues: POP CULTURE.

72. Machu Picchu country: PERU.

73. Rally: ARISE.

74. Fabrications: LIES.

75. Cheer after un gol: OLE.

76. Write: PEN.

77. Perched: SAT.

79. Subj. of John McPhee's "Annals of the Former World": GEOL.

80. Guitar component: FRET.

83. Celestial obscuration: ECLIPSE.

84. Yogurt topping: GRANOLA.

85. Prequel series, essentially: SPINOFF.

86. Quirk: FOIBLE.

87. "Far out!": UNREAL.

88. Shanty: LEANTO.

89. Hanoi holiday: TET.

90. Lion families: PRIDES.

91. Lump of earth: CLOD.

95. Trellised archway: ARBOR.

96. Two-dot punctuation: COLON.

98. Flock flat: COOP.

99. __ market: FLEA.

100. Vermilion: RED. Google tells me vermilion is a brilliant RED. ESP saved me.

101. Hoses down: WETS.

104. Dawn goddess: EOS.

106. LUV competitor: UAL. LUV is Southwest Airlines; UAL is United.

107. "Boy With Luv" band: BTS. #K-POP

The Grid:

The Grid

Thanks Kelly for the Slam Dunk puzzle. It was a lot of words but this dyslexic solved it.

I've missed posting at The Corner the last few (very busy) days and I've been remiss...
Happy 80th Tehachapi Ken. You raised a good boy.
And, SubG, Happy Birthday to you too. Thanks for sharing the snap.

I'm getting girded for Hacker Summer Camp [read: getting my Pi proxy updated for Blackhat & Defcon] so y'all probably won't hear from me 'till the 13th.

Cheers, -T

Tuesday, July 2, 2024 ~ Susan Gelfand

The Perfect Gift

G'Day!, Cornerites.

Today, Susan offers us jewelry apropos to one's occupation. Each phrase is "in the language" with the first word describing the position and the second a bit of bling. Let's take a look:

20. Custom timepiece for a meteorologist?: STORM WATCH.

33. Custom necklace for a chef?: FOOD CHAIN.

41. Custom brooch for a defensive back in the NFL?: SAFETY PIN.

Johnny can make a brooch out of it.

52. Custom band for a barista?: COFFEE RING.
I once had the idea that, if I ever went out on my own consulting, I'd call it "Coffee Ring Consultants" 'cuz every document I pre-produced for draft editing ended up with a coffee stain in the upper left corner.
//I always wore a mocha button-down when I did presetations for clients - that way spilt coffee wouldn't show. #ProTip

Cute theme, eh? Nicely done Susan. Thanks.

Across:
1. Passionate enthusiasm: ZEAL.

5. College concentration: MAJOR. Mine was Double-E w/ a Masters granted in CS. In my young ZEAL I thought I could build AI robots but, instead, I landed at DOD protecting networks which took all my hackin' skilz to the other side of the fence.
Tell us your major and why.

10. Dazzling figure skating feat: QUAD. Quadruple (14a) AXLE.

Ilia Malinin

14. Car bar: AXLE. Not a cocktail-box in the back, Double-O-7. Sorry to disappoint you, sir.
//I rewatched a few James Bond flicks while DW was in Japan :-)

15. Run off to wed: ELOPE.

16. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO...as you would have them do unto you - The Golden Rule.

17. Falafel wrapper: PITA.

Yummers!

18. Greased: OILED.

19. Fan favorite: IDOL. Billy is one of them.

Dancing With Myself

20. [See: theme]

22. Word on a door: PULL.

The Far Side

23. Agreeable answer: YES.
 

Roundabout - YES (a big influence on RUSH*)

24. Art studio stands: EASELS.

26. "Let's keep going!": ONWARD.

30. Spill the beans: BLAB.

32. Jeweled topper: TIARA.

33. [See: theme]

38. Still a contender: IN IT.

39. Robes at the Roman Forum: TOGAS.

Obligatory Animal House clip.
(It's in my contract)

40. Plot parcel: ACRE.

41. [See: theme]

43. Mountain lions: PUMAS.

44. Cathedral alcove: APSE.

45. Scout's discovery: TALENT. Talent scout not a Boy Scout.

46. Push and shove: JOSTLE.

50. Pointy leatherworking tool: AWL. Funny, I call my awl "pointy tool."

51. No more than: UP TO.

52. [See: theme]

59. Statistical average: MEAN.

60. Naturally bright courtyards: ATRIA.

61. Double-reed woodwind: OBOE.

62. Soft French cheese: BRIE.

63. Bird associated with babies: STORK.

64. Air conditioning outlet: VENT.

65. Rowboat pair: OARS.

66. Hefty books: TOMES. Asmov's Foundation Trillogy was one. It filled 80% of my backpack (sorry, history book). #Priorities

67. Previous partners: EXES.

Down:
1. Heats up in the microwave: ZAPS.

Percy Spencer accidentally discovered it.

2. Highway off-ramp: EXIT.

That's not real. This one is.
 

3. Silicon Valley city Palo __: ALTO. I think I mentioned they (the eponymous company) make pretty good firewalls.

4. Shakespearean ruler who divides his kingdom between two of his daughters: LEAR.

5. Cried like a calico: MEOWED.

6. Pseudonym: ALIAS.

7. Caffeine rush: JOLT.

8. Crude cartel: OPEC.

9. Conan O'Brien and Prince Harry: RED HEADS.

10. Witticisms: QUIPS.

11. Disproportionate, as influence: UNDUE.

12. Coral island that surrounds a lagoon: ATOLL.

How they're formed

13. Barbie and Skipper: DOLLS.

Barbie and kid-sister Skipper

21. British pianist Hess: MYRA.

25. "Abbott Elementary" network: ABC.

26. Redding of R&B: OTIS.

27. Simone of R&B: NINA.

28. Ragamuffin: WAIF.

29. Prado paintings: ARTE.

30. "Casablanca" star, familiarly: BOGIE.

Humphrey Bogart

31. Library offering: LOAN.

33. Fancy dressers: FOPS.

34. Transport: HAUL.

35. Pinnacle: ACME.

Wile E. Looking for the Perfect Gift.

36. Country on the Persian Gulf: IRAN.

37. Hummingbird's home: NEST. I remember the night before DW's water broke for Eldest. She was in fast-mode getting things in order and I was tidying up the garage. We fell asleep for about 20 minutes on the couch and spent the next morning in the Delivery Room.

Nesting Urge.

39. Stuck playing the same roles again and again: TYPECAST.

42. " Qu __?": Spanish "What's up?": TAL.

43. Muted, as colors: PALE.

45. Makes minor adjustments: TWEAKS.

46. Extra-large: JUMBO.

47. Met performance: OPERA.

48. One step: STAIR.

49. Earth __: natural shades: TONES.

50. Blazing: AFIRE. Hand-up if you thought Saddles immediately.

53. Nove minus uno: OTTO.

54. Email heading word: FROM.

55. Wander about: ROVE.

56. Mountain goat: IBEX.

57. Zilch: NONE.

58. Comprehends: GETS.

The Grid:

The Grid

WOs: AXIL [sic] -> QUAD
ESPs: MYRA, TAL
Fav: JOSTLE is such a fun word.

There you have it folks. Next week we'll be back to our regularly scheduled Hahtoolah. It was fun (for me anyways) filling in.
Cheers,
-T

*I think it's also in my contract to include RUSH. DW got home Sunday to IAH from NRT but didn't go through

YYZed

Tuesday, June 25, 2024 ~ Amie Walker

Polar Bear Club

Today we get another "downs theme." [See: last Monday].  This one from Amie Walker who, IIRC, we last saw set a puzzle for Star Wars Day (May the 4th). Today she lures us to the Polar Bear Plunge by calling it "therapy."

Let's see what I mean:

1. Temporary housing-cost regulation: RENT FREEZE.

4. "What's with the dad jokes all of a sudden?": YOU USED TO BE COOL. I've got Dad Jokes, but I'm still cool, right?

7. Streamlined date?: NETFLIX AND CHILL. Snuggle up and watch a movie at home.  Streamlined is a twist on streaming over the internet a program / film.

28. Post-workout water therapy option, or a description of the ends of 1-, 4-, and 7-Down: COLD PLUNGE. And there we have it... All the themers go down and end with a synonym for cold.

Across:
1. Not family-friendly, maybe: RACY. I was going with UN-PC first, but that depends on the family ;-)

5. Kylo of "Star Wars": REN.

8. __ pit: slam dancing spot: MOSH. The area in front of the stage where concert goers dance energetically and somewhat violently. You can also body-surf the crowd. Here's folks at a Nirvana concert running on stage and diving off into the audience.

Floyd The Barber (live)

12. Musical pace: TEMPO.

13. Gift at "no gifts" events: PRESENCE. "Just showing up is your gift to me." -Pop on Father's Day (we did get him a $$ grill too).

They agreed "No gifts" 

[WKRP @6:55 (I've been binging it (again) while DW's in Japan)]

15. Alaska's capital: JUNEAU.

16. Group that might divide and conquer?: MATH TEAM. I went to state twice (in IL & LA) with the Math Team. #Nerd!

17. Tunneling insects: ANTS.

18. __ and downs: UPS.

20. Indulgent meal: FEAST.

21. Pt. of HDTV: DEF. Hi DEFinition Television.

22. Tire inflation abbr.: PSI. Pounds / Square Inch.

23. Balkan native: SLAV.

24. __ on the side of caution: ERR.

25. Martial arts teacher: SENSEI.

27. MBA course: ECON. ECONomics is part of a Masters of Business Administration degree.

31. "My word!": EGAD.

33. Wicked spell: HEX.

34. Caramel-filled candy: ROLO.

Originally made by Mackintosh's in the UK in 1937.
Now produced by Nestle globally and Hershey's in the US.

35. Cookie with a Space Dunk variety: OREO. A new clue for an old x-word friend.

37. Princess Tiana costume topper: TIARA.

39. Whole bunch: SLEW.

40. Greek liqueur: OUZO. The Greek version of Sambuca. Both are anise [read: licorice] flavored booze. Goes great in evening coffee.

41. Not new: OLD.

42. Requirement: NEED.

44. Chicken __: trifling amount: FEED. Gramps had this tiny wooden box he made with "Three Piece Chicken Dinner" printed on the top. You open it and there are three kernels of corn inside! #GrampsJoke

45. Mixes thoroughly: BLENDS.

47. Kiss in a crowded room, for short: PDA. Public Display of Affection. eg me smooching DW full-on at a restaurant.

50. Totally wows: AWES.

52. Pretend: ACT.

53. "haha": LOL.

54. No-frills: BASIC.

56. "Ew, whyyy": UGH.

57. Taurus symbol: BULL.

58. Works too hard too fast, maybe: BURNS OUT. I attended a talk at a Cybersecurity conference on Burnout. The guy was the Musical Director for Hamilton. He'd suffered a heart attack and came up w/ a triangle of work/life balance-y stuff. No mention of "Have a beer. It'll all be just fine." :-)

60. "I wish!": IF ONLY.

62. Reason to branch out during yoga class?: TREE POSE. An Ektorp (X-word slang coin'd by Emma Oxford for "a clue whose answer you can get from context without actually knowing it." Splynter proved the rule by entering IKEA at the clue: "Maker of EKTORP sofas").

63. Pines (for): LONGS. Yearns was too long. Cue Python.

Pining for the Fjords [@1:38 of The Dead Parrot Sketch]

64. Crunchy picnic dish: SLAW.

65. Birth announcement abbr.: LBS. How many Pounds the baby weighed. I have no idea why this is important -- perhaps to spot the next heavy-weight champ?

66. Vein rich with ore deposits: LODE.

Down:
1. [See: theme]

2. Iowa college town: AMES.

3. Tax prep pro: CPA. Certified Public Accountant.

4. [See: theme]

5. Record speeds, for short: RPMS. Rotations Per Minute (per is used here in the abbr. but not in PSI... wonder why).

6. Stretch of history: ERA.

7. [See: theme]

8. Set of interactive virtual spaces: METAVERSE. Oy! Don't get me started.

9. Small bills: ONES.

10. "Shoo!": SCAT.

11. Dress edge: HEM.

12. Old TV knob: TUNER.

14. __ butter: skin care ingredient: SHEA.

15. Green gem: JADE.

19. Brooch: PIN.

22. Ad with an educational message: PSA. Public Service Announcement.

23. Clairvoyant: SEER.

26. Concealer specification: SHADE. A makeup c/a.

28. [See: theme]

29. Fotbol cheer: OLE.

30. This second: NOW.

32. "All better!": GOOD AS NEW.

35. "Yikes": OOF.

36. Be sorry about: RUE.

38. Hardships: ILLS.

43. Approximate fig.: EST. ESTimate.

46. Bother relentlessly: NAG.

48. Tea party attendees, often: DOLLS. Not Daddy?!?... the number of times I sat in that tiny chair wearing a TIARA wishing there was beer in my cup...

49. Friend: ALLY.

51. Trace of smoke: WISP.

54. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" singer Ives: BURL. I oft hum this song throughout the year - much to the chagrin of my family.

55. Field of study: AREA.

56. Great Basin people: UTES. Cue Vinny.

My Cousin Vinny clip

57. Open up to, with "with": BOND.

58. "Dynamite" K-pop group: BTS. BTS is an abbreviation for K- (Korean) Bangtan Sonyeondan which translates to Bulletproof Boy Scouts [WikiP]. DW has really gotten into K-Dramas; it's mostly light-fluff.

59. PC port letters: USB. Universal Serial Bus.

61. __ Fighters: "Learn to Fly" rock band: FOO. The front-man for Foo Fighters, known as the nicest guy in Rock & Roll -- Dave Grohl, was the drummer for Nirvana [see: 8d].
There are 3 songs that I know of titled Learning to Fly: Pink Floyd's ('87), Tom Petty's ('91), and the Foo Fighters' ('99). Google says Sheppard ('21) and Christina Aguilera ('23) also have a song titled Learning to Fly. Since the clue is about Foo Fighters (and the Video is funny (Jack Black ++the band members play the main roles)), I'll leave you with 'em b/f the grid.

And the Grid:

Da' Grid

WOs: REy -> REN, Serb -> SLAV
ESPs: N/A - Clean (of obscure names) Grid.
Fav: I'll go w/ MATH TEAM //yeah, I'm a #Geek.

Cheers!
-T

Dave Grohl's bar bill - 'cuz he just had to.

Monday, June 17, 2024 ~ Renee Thomason and Zhouqin Burnikel

Day-O!

The Banana Boat Song

A downs theme grid. C.C. taught me about the pinwheel grid and gridded a down theme for me (I'm not sure it was published).
She's the best.

I wondered why I was pushed to Monday for this grid and, upon reading the byline,.. Sumdaze does it again!

We'll start with the unifier:
37. Head honcho, and a hint to the first word of 3-, 8-, 21-, or 24-Down: TOP BANANA.

The TOP word of each themer starts a BANANA phrase.

3. Features of dress slacks: BELT LOOPS. Banana BELT. Temperate swaths on the planet.

8. Disney pair who live in a big oak tree: CHIP AND DALE. Not the strip joint but wholesome cartoon characters. Banana CHIPs are delicious, sweet, potassium.

21. Fight to the finish: SLUG IT OUT. Banana SLUG - mascot of UC Santa Cruz.

24. Blink of an eye: SPLIT SECOND. Banana SPLIT. An over the top dessert to share w/ your honeybunch.
 

Across:
1. Credit's opposite: DEBIT.  Always use credit; debit cards have little protection against fraud. #PSA

6. Like many an irate text: IN CAPS.

12. Marjoram kin: OREGANO.  You'll notice when it's missing in a sauce.

15. Bright flowers native to Mexico: DAHLIAS.

(Army) Bro has these in his yard

17. Came from behind: RALLIED.

18. Do some video game design, say: ANIMATE.

19. On the topic of: AS TO.

20. Quick meeting?: SESH. Session. Kids these days.

22. Freak out: PANIC.

23. In need of a map: LOST.

25. "Copacabana" showgirl: LOLA.

Barry Manilow

27. Southernmost Canadian prov.: ONT. YYZ (Toronto, ONT) is home of RUSH.

28. Couple: DUO.

30. Lima's country: PERU.

32. Geico's business: Abbr.: INS.

34. Gp. that boosts military morale: USO. Paternal Gramps met Grams at a USO dance. She was 6'1" and he was 5'6". They'd giggle telling the story about where his head was when they danced.

35. "Auld __ Syne": LANG.

36. Newspaper bigwig: EDITOR.

40. Coca-Cola alternative: PEPSI.

42. Act immorally: SIN.

44. Aircraft banned in Washington, D.C.: DRONE. Good thing I live in TX. I got my FAA drone license earlier this year. And then, on my first test flight, crashed the damn thing into the side of the garage :-).

45. Like a knockoff purse: ERSATZ. Fun word I learnt at The Corner.

47. "Bye-bye!": TATA.

49. Gp. that boosts school morale: PTA.

50. Agcy. that X-rays bags: TSA.

51. October birthstone: OPAL.

52. Jazz genre: BOP.

53. Detectives like Veronica Mars, for short: PIS. Private Investigators.

56. Light brown shade: ECRU.

58. Land formation on "The Road Runner Show": MESA.

60. Bit of monkey business: ANTIC.

62. "__ girl!": ATTA.

64. Column to the left of a decimal point: ONES.

67. Outerwear that may have anchors on its buttons: PEACOAT.

69. Country band named for its home state: ALABAMA.

71. Group artistically, as flowers: ARRANGE.

72. Backs off: RELENTS.

73. Took care of: TENDED.

74. Rubbish: TRASH.

Down:

1. Bilingual cartoon explorer: DORA.

2. Chapters of history: ERAS.

3. [See: theme]

4. Yeti alternative in the cooler aisle: IGLOO.

5. Mai __: rum drink: TAI.

6. Western state with a panhandle: IDAHO.

7. Grandma, to some: NAN.

8. [See: theme]

9. __ mater: ALMA.

10. Chopin's instrument: PIANO.

11. Glossy fabric: SATIN.

13. AriZona rival: NESTEA.

14. Respectful poem: ODE.

16. Religious splinter group: SECT.

21. [See: theme]

24. [See: theme]

26. Falsehood: LIE.

28. Hoodwink: DUPE.

29. App downloader: USER.

31. Hosp. caretakers: RNS.

33. Knight's title: SIR.

37. [See: Theme]

38. "I'm __ your tricks!": ON TO.

39. Harvest: REAP.

41. Took a chair: SAT.

43. Short sleep: NAP.

46. Efron of "The Greatest Showman": ZAC.

48. Husk-steamed Mexican dish: TAMALE.

53. Bear with a too-big chair: PAPA.

54. Not active: INERT.

55. Look steadily (at): STARE.

57. Gave stars to, say: RATED.

59. Quite serious: SOBER.

61. Volunteer's words: I CAN.

63. Driveway goo: TAR.

65. Life-saving pros: EMTS.

66. Merit badge holder: SASH.

68. Grow older: AGE.

70. PC space bar neighbor: ALT.

The Grid:

The Grid

WOs:  N/A
ESP: DAHLIAS
Fav:LOLA alternative...

The Kinks

That's it from me in IL.
Cheers, -T

Tuesday, Jun, 11, 2024 ~ Jay Silverman

Future Farmers of America?

No, today Jay offers four thememers each of which with four (4) Hs in the fill.

18. Like some boots: THIGH HIGH.

Stock Photo(?)

23. Jewish New Year: ROSH HASHANAH.

37. With 39-Across, considered carefully: THOUGHT.
39. See 37-Across: THROUGH.

48. "How do you tell them apart?": WHICH IS WHICH.

And the unifier:
57. Youth organization that 18-, 23-, 37-/39-, and 48-Across could be members of?: FOUR-H CLUB.

Across:
1. Highest point: ACME.

You can actually buy this book.

5. Sunup: DAWN.

9. App opener: USER.

13. "Arrested Development" actress Portia de __: ROSSI.

Portia w/ her wife Ellen

15. Vietnam's continent: ASIA.

16. Jewish wedding dance: HORA.

17. Conclude with: END ON.

18. [See: Theme]

20. Message on a rescue dog's kennel, perhaps: ADOPT ME.
 

Pop's rescue (Tinker) checking out the pizzelles

22. Continental coins: EUROS.

23. [See: Theme]

27. First __ kit: AID.

28. PDQ kin: ASAP. Pretty Damn Quick: As Soon As Possible.

29. Pekoe, e.g.: TEA.

32. Complete, as a PDF contract: ESIGN. Portable Document Format files can be eSign'd.

35. Large deer: ELKS.

36. Boys: LADS.

37. [See: Theme]

39. [See: Theme]

41. Word before crawl or cycle: NEWS.

Generic (#noPolitics) News Crawl at the bottom

42. Dismayed cry: OH NO.

44. Cosmetician Lauder: ESTEE.

45. Orthodontist's org.: ADA. American Dental Association.

46. Roasting rod: SPIT.

47. CT summer hrs.: EDT. Connecticut is on Eastern Daylight Time in the summer.

48. [See: Theme]

53. Skylit courtyards: ATRIA.

56. Focus of many a school fair: SCIENCE. Did I ever tell the story of when, in HS, I won 2nd-prize* for my work on Fibonacci numbers at the (LA) State Science Fair?

57. [See: Theme]

61. Lowest point: NADIR.

62. Went by car: RODE.

63. Teller's partner in magic: PENN.

I'm thinking about getting tix for their Rio show

 when I'm in Vegas for Blackhat|Defcon.

64. Pulverize, as peppercorns: GRIND.

65. Rubber-stamped: OKED.

66. x or y, on graphs: AXIS.

67. Clothing labels: TAGS.

Down:
1. Toward the back: AREAR.

2. Many a retirement unit: CONDO.

Weird Al

3. Windows predecessor: MS-DOS. Microsoft Disc Operating System.

4. Part of the digestive system: ESOPHAGUS. Learned this in Gulp.

Many of Mary Roach's books are
fun looks at "gross" things.

5. Calendar array: DATES. 

// Oy! This week the DATES are crazy. Youngest left yesterday for an internship in CHI. I leave Thurs for ORD and DW leaves two hours later for Japan. Eldest is set to land at MDW and we'll meet at CHI's Union Station for an Amtrak to SPI. Youngest will join us Sunday in SPI for Father's Day. Then we all disperse again the 17th (when the next blog is due [don't expect much folks :-)]).

6. Wood for many woodworking projects: ASH.

7. Nintendo game console: WII.

8. Remind constantly: NAG.

9. "Surely!": UH HUH.

10. French evening: SOIR. Root-word for a fancy soiree perhaps?

11. Logician's "In that case ... ": ERGO.

12. Stadium cheers: RAHS.

14. Latest trend: IN THING.

19. Jalopy: HEAP.

21. Furious: MAD.

24. Actor Holbrook: HAL. Mark Twain impressionist.

Some #Politics(?)

25. Invite for: ASK TO.

26. Two-time NBA MVP Steve: NASH.

29. Pulled tight: TAUT.

30. Border: EDGE.

31. Tennis icon Arthur: ASHE.

32. Active volcano on Sicily: ETNA.

33. Garden tool storage building: SHED.

34. Sioux City state: IOWA.

35. Code of conduct: ETHIC.

36. Gave up in despair: LOST HEART. Or LOSt THE ART. You decide parsing.

38. Pueblo people: HOPI.

40. Motor City NHL player: RED WING.

43. To the __ degree: NTH.

46. Former Iranian ruler: SHAH.

47. Key next to F1: ESC.

48. Jittery from too much caffeine: WIRED. Or, as we learned last week, a Conde Nast publication.
//Yes, I nerd, subscribe.

49. IDs on copyright pages: ISBNS. International Standard Book NumberS.

50. Mumbai's nation: INDIA.

51. Including on an email: CCING. Anachronistically, Carbon Copying someone on an email.

52. Roaming buffalo, e.g.: HERDS.

53. Natural hairstyle: AFRO.

54. Grabbed: TOOK.

55. Not at all polite: RUDE. Grabbing is RUDE.

58. Tax pro: CPA. Certified (Certifiable? ;-)) Public Accountant.

59. Luthor of "Smallville": LEX.

60. College, to an Aussie: UNI.

The Grid:

The Grid

The skinny:
WO: icon -> USER
ESPs: N/A
Fav: SCIENCE fair.
//I got that 2nd place at state in Louisiana's SciFair by deriving a formula that could tell if X was in the Fibonacci Sequence or not. The formula involved logarithms (which was apparently advanced for a HS kid :-))

Cheers, -T
*IIRC, the kid that won 1st hacked a dot-matrix printer to emboss Braille. 

 

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

 

Irish Miss (Agnes) and I made today's USA Today puzzle. Click here to solve. Congrats on your USA debut, Agnes!

 

Tuesday, June 4, 2024 ~ Taylor Johnson

Party On!

Aurora, IL Party Animals

It took me a second for the party-penny to drop but each creature is proceeded by a type of party.

17. Vegetable patch pest: GARDEN SNAIL. Garden Party.

25. Feline who lives indoors: HOUSE CAT. House Party.

37. Workplace companion: OFFICE DOG. Office Party.

52. New York City rodent that went viral in 2015: PIZZA RAT. Pizza Party.

In case you missed the viral video

62. Really fun person, or an apt descriptor of 17-, 25-, 37-, and 52-Across?: PARTY ANIMAL.

My kids loved this book.

Across:
1. Pool or polo: GAME. Pool as in billiards not swimming.

5. Groups of troops: ARMIES.

11. Understood, as a joke: GOT.

14. Persian Gulf country that borders Armenia: IRAN.

15. Noggin: NOODLE. Brain.

16. NPR host Shapiro: ARI. He also plays with Pink Martini.

17. [See: Theme]

19. "Mm-hmm": YEP.

20. Lawyer's org.: ABA. American Bar Association (the antithesis of AA ;-))

21. Unwilling (to): LOATH.

22. Band bookings: GIGS.

23. Native Costa Ricans, informally: TICOS.

25. [See: Theme]

28. Anthem heard in Nova Scotia: O CANADA. (Hi C, Eh!)

31. Olympic gymnast Biles: SIMONE. She grew up in Spring, TX.

And is Amazing!

32. Vanity Fair publisher Condé __: NAST. Publisher of The New Yorker, GQ, Wired, [see: clue], Vogue, etc.

33. Tooth's outer layer: ENAMEL.

36. Neither's partner: NOR.

37. [See: Theme]

40. Cable network with many reruns: TBS. Turner Broadcasting System.

43. "Good enough": IT'LL DO.

44. Job inspection org.: OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

48. Baltimore ballplayer: ORIOLE.

You know #8

50. Walked stealthily: SNEAKED.

52. [See: Theme]

55. Mixes: STIRS.

56. School support orgs.: PTAS.

57. Coral producer: POLYP.

60. Combat sport, briefly: MMA. Mixed Martial Arts.

61. Ad-__: improvise: LIB.

Two of the best at Ad-libbing.

62. [See: Theme]

65. Subj. for some new immigrants: ESL. English as a Second Language.

66. Zoo section with birds: AVIARY.

67. Actress Russo: RENE.

68. __/her pronouns: SHE.

69. Prime-time soap opera set in Texas: DALLAS.

70. Commotions: ADOS.

Down:
1. Unit of explosive force: GIGATON. ~50 megatons is biggest nuclear bomb tested; a gigaton is on the order of a mile-wide asteroid's impact.

2. Coffee bean variety: ARABICA. Arabica beans are grown in high-altitudes and have a smoother, sweeter, and more complex flavor than other coffees.

3. Seed-filled percussion pair: MARACAS.

I read these are not found in Spain but in
Mexico / S.A. because of the African slave trade.

4. Stop: END.

5. __ Domini: ANNO.

6. Civil rights activist Parks: ROSA.

7. Calendar viewing option: MONTH.

8. Washington neighbor: IDAHO.

9. Former quarterback Manning: ELI.

10. Salt, in French: SEL.

11. Judy Garland or Cher: GAY ICON.

12. Herb in Italian seasoning: OREGANO.

13. Bettor's adviser: TIPSTER.

18. Anna's sister in "Frozen": ELSA.

22. Precious stone: GEM.

24. Not fooled by: ONTO.

26. Applied to: USED ON.

27. Storage tower: SILO.

29. More adroit: DEFTER. ? I'd say more deft.

30. Deep blue dye: ANIL.

34. Oft-torn knee pt.: ACL. Austin City Limits, er... anterior cruciate ligament.

35. Rx items: MEDS.

38. Seoul-based athleisure brand: FILA.

39. Billy __: GOAT.

40. Brings down: TOPPLES.

41. "The Great __ Baking Show": BRITISH.

42. Quite large: SIZABLE.

45. Read quickly: SKIMMED. Cute - past tense.

46. Spanish brother: HERMANO. Just learned this on Duolingo.

47. Revenue source for magazines: AD SALES.

49. Parts of lbs.: OZS. Pounds / Ounces.

51. "SportsCenter" network: ESPN.

53. Earth Day time: APRIL.

54. Add up to: TOTAL.

58. Harp-shaped constellation: LYRA.

If you say that's a harp, um, OK.

59. Celebratory shouts: YAYS.

62. Cushion: PAD.

63. Filmmaker DuVernay: AVA.

64. Nest egg letters: IRA.

The Grid

The Grid

The WOs, ESPs, etc. will have to wait; I left my original grid at the office.

Cheers, -T

Tuesday, May 28, 2024 ~ Barbara Lin

Hold On!

Blues Brothers Band covers Sam and Dave.

Today Barbara gives us four things one can hold. Only one you do for someone else...

20. Hard core exercise?: PLANK POSITION. It strengthens your "core."

27. Conference room activity: STAFF MEETING.

45. Portal to another level: ELEVATOR DOOR. Be nice; don't hit the close-door button.

53. Postgraduate pursuit: MASTERS DEGREE. One of my professors had this on his door:

Eldest just got her Masters on her way to a PhD.
//if the characters look familiar that's because
  Matt [Letterman] is also creator of The Simpsons.

58. "Not so fast!," or what one can do with 20-, 27-, 45-, and 53-Across: HOLD IT.

Across:
1. Make a splashy attempt: GO BIG or go home.

6. Cartoon cry of alarm: ACK.

IIRC, the last Cathy.

9. Beer ingredient: MALT.

13. Expert in resolving tense situations?: EDITOR. Ha! Verb tense.

15. __ favor: please, in Spanish: POR.

16. Conversely, briefly: OTOH. On The Other Hand.

17. Mark in the margin: NOTATE. Not doodle.

18. Polish brand at a nail salon: OPI.

Cajun Shrimp is the color (for Lucina :-))

19. Egg on: URGE.

20. [See: Theme]

23. Syst. of hand symbols: ASL. American Sign Language.

25. Photographer Goldin: NAN.

26. Beehive State resident: UTAHAN.

27. [See: Theme]

30. Tofu source: SOYA.

31. Right-angle bend: ELL.

32. Actress Sarandon: SUSAN.

36. Daredevil Knievel: EVEL. As a kid, I loved his stunts.

37. Angioplasty tube: STENT.

40. Land unit: ACRE.

41. Succinct: TERSE. I would say more, but it defeats the fill.

43. Neither here __ there: NOR.

44. Oblong tomato: ROMA. Love 'em for sauce.

45. [See: Theme]

49. Sneezer's need: TISSUE.

51. Feel bad about: RUE.

52. Best 5K times, e.g.: PRS. Google says it means "Personal Records."

53. [See: Theme]

56. Constellation bear: URSA.

57. Buckeye State sch.: OSU. Ohio State University (not to be confused with Oklahoma State University).

58. [See: Theme]

61. Tart-tasting: SOUR.

62. Writing tool: PEN.

63. To the max: SO MUCH.

64. 13-Across's override: STET.

65. Yellowstone ruminant: ELK.

66. Matter of debate: TOPIC.

Down:
1. __ Z: Zoomers: GEN.  My kids are.  Keeps me young (at least insofar as the modern-day vernacular).

2. Automotive prefix with meter: ODO. The odometer measures milage (or kms for C, Eh!).

3. Performer with a small role: BIT PLAYER.

4. Slanted type, for short: ITAL. Italics.

5. Failed, in a way: GOT AN F. Most of my spelling tests in grade school. Spellcheck makes me look smarter than I am #dyslexia!

6. Informal pricing words: A POP.

7. Flimsy excuse: COPOUT.

8. Figure skater Yamaguchi: KRISTI.

9. Device that protects teeth and gums: MOUTH GUARD.

10. Bright and airy areas of some malls: ATRIA.

11. Connect after entering credentials: LOGON.

12. "And __ what happened?": THEN.

14. Gives a new handle to, as a rescue pet: RENAMES.

21. Prepared to propose, possibly: KNELT.

22. Writers McEwan and Fleming: IANS.

23. Money in the bank, say: ASSET.

24. Hot appliance: STOVE.

28. Sprinter's before-the-gun error: FALSE START.

Football False Starts

29. Kagan of the Supreme Court: ELENA. When she was 8yrs old, Youngest listened to Sotomayor's hearings on NPR in the back seat on the way to school. About a week later, she announced she was going to be a Supreme Court Justice. She's studying for the LSAT as I type.

33. Grabbed with both hands: SCOOPED UP.

34. Knight's suit: ARMOR.

35. Comes close: NEARS.

38. "The Hunchback of __ Dame": NOTRE.

Youngest was in Paris a few weeks back and snapped this.

39. Slop holders on a farm: TROUGHS.

42. Otherwise: ELSE.

46. Liechtenstein's continent: EUROPE.

47. Boat or gravy boat: VESSEL.

48. Propagate anew: REROOT. The girls & I repotted our cacti yesterday. We rooted the "arms" of Bullwinkle that broke off in our effort.

49. Divination deck with 78 cards: TAROT.

50. Matter of debate: ISSUE.

53. Dishevel, with "up": MUSS.

54. Action with a basketball or a cookie: DUNK. Eldest bought Pepperidge Farm's London Fog w/ Earl Grey. They were delicious w/ milk. //so I got two more packages :-)

55. Ticklish Muppet: ELMO.

59. Here, in Quebec: ICI. I'm assuming that's French.

60. CBD-like compound in some edibles: THC. Can's miss the seemingly hundreds of CBD stores that have popped-up in the last few years. They're at every strip-center (along with a liquor store, a massage parlor, and a kids' learning center(?!?)). Tetrahydrocannabinol - the part of "the devil's lettuce" that makes one high.

The Grid:

The Grid

The skinny:
WOs: N/A
ESPs: PRS, NAN, ICI
Fav: I'll go with ROMAs from ITALy :-)

Cheers, -T