Sunday January 12, 2025 Zhouqin Burnikel

Theme: "PR Stunt"

Good Sunday morning. Today C.C. presents a puzzle so dazzling, adding PR to the themers, the press must cover it. Let's take a look:

22a. Ultrathin bicycle chain holder?: LIGHT SPROCKET. Remove the PR and you get light socket.

This light-weight set of sprockets [a gear] will set you back $280

40a. Divinely inspired binge session?: THE HOLY SPREE. The Holy See.  It's not a body of water, like I used to think, but the government of the Catholic Church in the Vatican.

58a. Number important to bakers?: VANILLA PRICE. Vanilla Ice. I'll spare you a rap song.

81a. Guaranteed ball catchers?: PROVEN GLOVES. Oven Gloves. I've stopped using them. All cotton side-towels work just fine and you don't have to walk over to get a mitt.
 

97a. Question from a grocery mister?: SHALL WE SPRAY. Shall we say?

118a. Fairyland queen?: SPRITE MANAGER. Site Manager.

34d. Garment for a gingerbread cookie?: PRALINE SKIRT. A-Line Skirt.

39d. Avid fan of Chunky Garden pasta sauce?: PREGO BOOSTER. Ego Booster. If you want to boost my ego, lie to me about how much you enjoyed this expo ;-)

Across:
1. "Alright, Still" singer Lily: ALLEN. Never heard of her or the song.
 

6. Split asunder: CLEAVE. This is a fun word 'cuz it's a contranym. Cleave means to tear apart but also means to cling to. [Cite [49:31 - Cleave is @2:30]]

12. Sought a dog treat: BEGGED.

18. Computer in a messenger bag: LAPTOP. My laptops go in a backpack along with a second monitor and various cables and lockpicks.

20. Throws in the trash: TOSSES. We learned Thursday to recycle eWaste.

21. Real: GENUINE. In my head I pronounce it like Mr. Haney [Pat Buttram] from Green Acres.
 

22. [See: Theme]

24. "Hold your horses!": EASY NOW. Just slow down your gumption.

25. Purple palm berry: ACAI.

26. High-pitched bark: YELP. Yip was too short.

27. Modern art?: ARE. LOL! Thou art -> You ARE.

28. Weighty burden: ONUS.

29. Poultry farm sight: COCK.
 

Foghorn Leghorn

31. Meat in a Cuban sandwich: HAM.
 

Yum!

33. Comics dog with a long tongue: ODIE.

34. Drain pipe material: PVC.

37. Stay-at-home worker?: UMP. Cute. In Baseball the UMP is at home plate.

40. [See: Theme]

44. Cookie with a churro flavor: OREO. There's a churro stand not far from me - they're good. A churro is pâte à choux (cream puff) batter, piped into hot fat, deep-fried until crisp, and shaken with cinnamon-sugar.
 

I checked.  They exist(ed).

45. Trunk: TORSO. Not on an elephant nor a train :-)

47. Peddle: SELL. It's funny, I can recognize peddle from pedal but, when it comes to writing it out, I get confused.

48. Seats for the faithful: PEWS.
 

You can buy it here

49. Delany of "China Beach": DANA. China Beach was a TV series on ABC ('88 to '91) and she was the lead actress, or so I've Googled.
 

Dana Delany

50. Sherlock adversary Adler: IRENE. She only appeared in the short story "A Scandal in Bohemia."

51. "I know kung fu" character: NEO.

I love this movie!

52. Land in the Seine: ILE.

53. "Get a hold of yourself!": COOL IT.

55. Batter's practice area: CAGE.

56. Plot progression: ARC.

58. [See: Theme]

61. Succulent harvested for its gel: ALOE.
 

Sorry Splynter, it's obligatory :-)

62. Judged to be: DEEMED.

64. Bracelet closure: CLASP.

65. Nancy Drew's beau: NED.

66. "Nicely done!": BRAVO.

68. Scent: AROMA.

70. Yonder things: THOSE.

72. "Hamilton" actress Phillipa: SOO. Perps

74. The "L" of Samuel L. Jackson: LEROY.

76. Thrill-seeker's activity: BUNGEE. Everything you wanted to know. I'm still not doing it.

78. Quiet attention-getter: PSST.

81. [See: Theme]

84. Doctor's orders, for short: RXS.

85. Middling: OKAY. I like the clue here.

86. Refuse to give in: INSIST.

87. Jaden's role in "The Karate Kid": DRE. The 2010 reboot of the movie. I had to LIU after the solve 'cuz I had no idea.

88. Spanish uncle: TIO. Makes sense since TIA is an aunt.

90. Resume highlight: SKILL.

91. Fancy party: FETE.

92. Som tam cuisine: THAI.

93. Small earring: STUD.

95. Intrinsically: PER SE.

96. Flintstones Vitamins shape: FRED.
 

Mom doled these out daily.

97. [See: Theme]

100. Asphalt alternative: TAR. On a Southwest flight after a bumping landing, the announcer said, "Oooh, that wasn't the pilot's fault; that was the asphalt."

101. Turk. neighbor: SYR. Turkey and Syria are neigbors.

102. Dude from Dundee: SCOT. The company I work for has an office is Aberdeen and that's the only place I've been in Scotland.

103. Pocket-sized: WEE.

104. "What __ have you got?": ELSE.

106. "The Alienist" author Caleb: CARR.

107. Find work for: USE.

109. Drink with cardamom: CHAI. Chai just means tea in Hindi. My co-worker from India laughs when anyone says chai tea: "Why are you saying tea tea?"
 

Marsala Chai

111. Cast down?: MOLT.

115. Pack of camels: CARAVAN.

118. [See: Theme]

121. One with a cordial rivalry: FRENEMY. A portmanteau of Friend and Enemy.

122. Exactly right: DEAD ON.

123. Fancy party: SOIREE. At my last company we called our Christmas Party a soiree on the invites. One of the partners thought is was funny and pretentious so he'd be funny and pretentious when he said this word.

124. Auction bids: OFFERS.

125. Pitching battles?: AD WARS. This was cute. Not a (baseball) tie in the 10th inning reference, but ads. Eight clever stunts in ongoing ad wars.

126. Word between God and you: BLESS. LOL! Not a prayer nor a scene in Oh, God but God Bless You - like gesundheit.

Down:
1. Gnocchi __ Romana: ALLA.
 

Recipe

2. Nonclerical: LAIC.

3. Org. for women who are great drivers: LPGA. Not cars but Lady's Professional Golf Association.

4. Set of principles: ETHIC.

5. "Ha, fooled ya!": NOT.

6. Lower left PC key: CTRL.

7. Contract flaw: LOOPHOLE.

8. Upper left PC key: ESC. Nice clecho.
 

9. Dickinson's advice column: ASK AMY. I know of AMY Dickinson from Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me - she's a very competitive guest.

10. Turn suddenly: VEER.

11. Haim sister mentioned in Taylor Swift's "No Body, No Crime": ESTE. Perps.

12. Fitted cap: BEANIE.

13. Succeed: ENSUE.

14. Fellas: GUYS. Or Dudes (whether or not a SCOT [see: 102a])

15. Liquor in a Negroni: GIN. Negroni is a cocktail, made of equal parts gin, vermouth rosso (red, semi-sweet), and Campari, generally served on the rocks, and commonly garnished with an orange slice or orange peel. It is considered an apéritif. [WikiP]

16. Capital One's virtual assistant: ENO. Did music's Brian voice this? ;-) //that's a joke - Brian ENO is puzzledom's favorite music man. ENO is also ONE (part of Capital One) spelled backwards

17. Drops on the lawn: DEW.

19. "Ha, fooled ya!": PSYCH. Clecho! And what I wanted for NOT! at 5 down.

21. Crystal hunter's finds: GEODES.

23. Some toy doggies: PEKES.
 

30. __-Missouria Tribe: OTOE.

32. Everywhere: ALL OVER.

33. "1984" author: ORWELL. Prepare. 1984 is coming 40 years late.

34. [See: Theme]

35. Marco Polo's hometown: VENICE. I've actually been to his home in Venice. It's a little off the beaten path - at least that's how DW & I got there.
 

UNESCO image

 

My snap

36. Like many candies: COATED.

37. City east of Syracuse: UTICA.

38. Principled: MORAL.

39. [See: Theme]

41. Consequently: HENCE.

42. Go around in circles: SPIN.

43. Diver on Louisiana's state seal: PELICAN. I lived in North Louisiana for ~8 years so this was a gimme.

44. Scent: ODOR.

46. Mocking smile: SNEER.

53. Redeems, as a check: CASHES.

54. Info on a political rival: OPPO. Opposition Research.

56. Pre-Christmas season: ADVENT. A four week period where you light a candle each Sunday leading up to Christmas. Lucina can explain.

57. Corp. shake-up: REORG. Oy! Last week at my Corp., a re-org was announced and layoffs are impending.

59. Brick made of soil and straw: ADOBE.

60. Balloon material: LATEX.

63. Like some city races: MAYORAL. I kept thinking of fun runs / marathons.

67. Happy hour picks: ALES. Hand up if you order that expensive scotch at a happy hour 'cuz you're too cheap to buy it IRL.

69. Not-to-be-missed: MUST SEE. Y'all remember NBC's MUST SEE TV of Seinfeld & Friends?

71. Gave an address: SPOKE. Orated didn't fit.

72. Gussies (up): SPIFFS. In slang, "Church it up."

73. Cantankerous: ORNERY. Mom said I was ornery. I assumed it meant impishly entertained.

75. Overly familiar: OLD HAT.

77. Category: GROUP.

79. Pico de gallo, e.g.: SALSA. I love pico and oft sauté it for scrambled eggs.
 

80. "The Accidental Tourist" novelist Anne: TYLER. Name.

82. Fought (for): VIED.

83. Face concealer: VEIL. Oh, not makeup.

89. AI field: IT SECTOR. I didn't realize last week when I posted an IT SECTOR joke that I was cribbing from the wrong puzzle and may have given a spoiler.

90. 1974 espionage spoof: SPYS.
 

92. Tough to solve: THORNY.

94. Night vision?: DREAM.

97. Leaves in a hurry: SCRAMS.

98. Sister show of "SmackDown": WWE RAW.  Wrestling shows.

99. Smith or Jones, sometimes: ALIAS. In HS, we used Townes - more believable and, if "they" looked it up, it'd get our buddy in trouble :-)

102. Piggy bank filler: SAVER. Not the coins but the person inserting them. Cute, C.C., cute.

105. Spam, e.g.: EMAIL.

106. Sugar crop: CANE.

107. Food safety org.: USDA. United States Department of Agriculture.

108. Ignored the limit: SPED.

110. Chick tenders: HENS. Ha! Not snacks for tots but the bird that tends to baby chic.

112. EverQuest monster: OGRE.

113. Some bell-bottoms: LEES. Oh, please - let's not go retro and bring those back.

114. Number before cuatro: TRES. Spanish counting. Uno, dos, TRES, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ochoe, nueve, diez. Two semesters of Spanish and that's as little as I remember. Father Guido Sarducci was right! [3:55]

115. Exec. who holds the purse strings: CFO. Chief Financial Officer.

116. "I want my bone!": ARF. You didn't really think you'd escape an Anon -T review w/o some heavy metal, did you?
 

117. B-ball official: REF.  Basketball is REFereed.

119. State next to Ore.: IDA. Oregon & Idaho.

120. San Francisco's __ Hill: NOB. A ritzy part of SFO just south of Lombard St.

The Grid:
  

The Grid

Thank you, C.C. for another wonderfully fun puzzle!

Cheers!, -T

Tuesday, December 24th, 2024 ~ Taylor Johnson

Gifts for Girls and Boys!

When the girls were little, they'd get to OPEN one present from us on Christmas Eve.  On Christmas morning, they'd see what Santa brought (mostly unwrapped and built the night before).

In this Christmas Eve offering, Taylor gives us gifts that a trained eye will spot at the beginning of four answers.  Let's see what they are:

17a. Asset of a highly skilled individual: TRAINED EYE.

25a. Lizard with a misleading name: HORNY TOAD.

Cute little fella

47a. "The Nutcracker" performer: BALLERINA. Both Girls took ballet. For years, we schlepped -- at least one girl -- to four performances in December.

Source: Houston Ballet

61a. List of cheap eats: DOLLAR MENU.

And the reveal:
38a. Christmas morning activity, and what 17-, 25-, 47-, and 61-Across all have?: OPENING PRESENTS.

Each themer Opens with a Present!  Let's unwrap the rest of Taylor's gifts...

Across:

1. Casino ratios that favor the house: ODDS. The house always wins.

5. Button alternatives: SNAPS.

10. Sir equivalent: DAME. Sir Elton John [Colbert 18+m]; DAME Judi Dench. [Tracey Ullman 2:25]

14. Schnitzel meat option: PORK.

15. Holy scroll of Judaism: TORAH.

16. Gulf nation bordering Yemen: OMAN.

17. [See: theme]

19. Orange skin: RIND. I had peel 'cuz that's what I zest ;-)

20. Bend under pressure: SAG.

21. Provide a welcome distraction: AMUSE. I wonder if Dame Judi was AMUSEd by Tracey's sketch.

22. Door joint: HINGE.

23. Key NFL players: QBS. QuarterbackS

25. [See: theme]

27. Personal energy fields: AURAS.

29. Early investor's opportunity, briefly: IPO. Initial Public Offering.

30. Urgent entreaty: PLEA.

31. Home of the University of Oregon: EUGENE.

35. Settle on a chair: SIT.

38. [See: theme]

41. Large amount: TON.

42. Half step down from D natural: C SHARP.

Both Java and C# are programming languages (yes, I am a nerd)

43. Twilight time: DUSK.

44. Nat __: documentary channel: GEO.

45. Sticky, as the weather: MUGGY.

47. [See: theme]

53. Implore: BEG.

54. Opera soliloquies: ARIAS.

55. Like Thor and Odin: NORSE. Thems NORSE gods.

57. Tupperware topper: LID. Mom was a Tupperware lady for a while. I learned how to burp the lid at parties :-).

Mom was no Brownie Wise

60. Mercedes-__: BENZ. Janis Joplin* sang about this German auto maker.

61. [See: theme]

63. Olympic blade: EPEE.

64. Bit of inside info: INTEL.

65. Adorable: CUTE.

66. Shore thing?: SAND.

67. Gaggle members: GEESE.

68. Television ad: SPOT.

Down:

1. Votes (for): OPTS.

2. Cartoon explorer with a talking backpack: DORA. The Girls loved Dora cartoons.

3. Adore Delano or Plastique Tiara: DRAG QUEEN. Perps half filled this before it became obvi.

4. Traverse a black diamond slope, say: SKI.

Movie: Better Off Dead

5. Thorny rose part: STEM.

6. "Obviously!": NO DUH. Obvi.

7. "You __ welcome!": ARE SO.

8. Venmo user, maybe: PAYER. Venmo is an app to pay folks. My paper deliver put her Venmo on her tip request insert.

9. Pronoun option: SHE.

10. Cool Ranch chip: DORITO.

11. __ acid: AMINO.

12. Japanese comic style: MANGA.

L337 Translation:
Panel 1: "The Pain!"
Panel 2: "I need help!" and
"I need you to get the doctor. I got some bad pain in my chest.  I need my pills."
Panel 3:  Does anyone here speak "eleet"?
Panel 4: "Yes"
//told you I was a nerd ;-)

13. Stopped: ENDED.

18. Mars rover org.: NASA. The history of NASA's logos.

22. Amps (up): HYPES.

24. Muffin fiber: BRAN.
 

R.I.P. Phil Hartman

26. Prime-time hour: NINE PM. The SNL Players were not ready for Prime-time.

27. Pet aisle brand: ALPO.

28. Motion detector, e.g.: SENSOR.

30. Planter: POT.

32. Groaning sound: UGH.

33. College application fig.: GPA. Grade Point Average.

34. Go off course: ERR.

35. Get cozy together: SNUGGLE UP.

36. Teeny: ITSY.

37. "How naughty!": TSK.

39. Some slushies: ICEES.

40. Rim: EDGE.

44. Sticky, as a doughnut: GLAZED.

46. Cab alternative: UBER.

47. "__ in Toyland": Christmas classic: BABES.

48. Venezuelan snack: AREPA.

Yummers!

49. Summery material: LINEN.

50. Hole-__: golf feat: IN ONE.

51. Nick of "Affliction": NOLTE.

52. French city in many van Gogh paintings: ARLES.

56. Garage event: SALE.

58. "__ the Woods": Sondheim musical: INTO.

59. Couple's karaoke request: DUET.

61. Use a spade: DIG.

62. Hosts, for short: MCS. Emcees.

The Grid:

The Grid

Taylor gifted us a nice Tuesday puzzle fit for the holidays, Oui?

The skinny: WO: peel -> RIND
ESPs: N/A
Fav: A Mercedes-BENZ for Janis.*

Merry Christmas & Happy (start of) Hanukkah!
//If that's not your thing... Happy Festivus!

Cheers!, -T
*Story: Last New Year's, we visited DW's aunt in Tiburon, CA. We, however stayed in nearby Sausalito.
DW found this wonderful Air B&B.  During our stay, we learned that it was a house Janis Joplin had lived in.
One afternoon for lunch, we met up with DW's cousin (who lives in LA, CA) at The Trident (opened by the Kingston Trio!) that had a few pictures of Janis (and her car) on the walls... We even got to sit at Janis' regular table. How cool is that?

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