Tuesday September 16, 2025 ~ Tennessee Grimes

Creature Comforts

Hi All!
Our normal relief pitcher, RustyBrain, is getting some well earned R&R so I'm stepping in [read: you're stuck with me] for Hahtoolah today.

Today's gimmick: Phrases that critters may call housing.

17. Fraternal organization venue: ELKS LODGE.

The Possum LODGE

24. Desk accessory that might coordinate with a wrist rest: MOUSE PAD.

Jerry Mouse's Pad

34. Place to adopt a new pet, or what is found in 17-, 24-, 49-, and 59-Across?: ANIMAL SHELTER.

49. Emphasizes passionately: RAMS HOME.

Ramming it Home?

59. "Land ho!" caller's spot: CROWS NEST.

Keepin' the crows out of the Crow's Nest
(so there's not a murder up there).

Across:
1. ABC show for early risers, briefly: GMA. American Broadcasting Company airs Good Morning America at 7am.

4. Cut, as logs: SAWED. Cut is past-tense here.

9. Button on a job listing website: APPLY. Oy! These are the bane of hirning managers (that actually read all submitted resumes) 'cuz folks / bots submit resumes w/o even reading the requirements.

14. Grammy winners __ Tigres del Norte: LOS. No clue. Their WikiP. I would link a video but I don't know enough Spanish to figure out if #Politics.

15. Muscat resident: OMANI.

16. Celtic priest of old: DRUID.

Stonehenge had Druids

[Spinal Tap (ft. Sir Elton) -- The End Continues]

17. [See: Theme]

19. Musical instrument similar to the xylophone, familiarly: VIBES. I'm assuming vibraphone.

20. On the line: AT STAKE.

21. Gloomy: GRIM.

23. Device at a parking spot: METER.

Sir Paul going on about Lovely Rita

24. [See: Theme]

28. Oscar hopeful: NOMINEE.

31. Turn into: BECOME.

32. Functions: USES.

33. Knowledgeable about: UP ON.

34. [See: Theme]

40. Latch (onto): GLOM.

41. Mystical glow: AURA.

42. Kenya's continent: AFRICA.

Toto's Africa

45. Knotty: GNARLED. I love this word - it's onomatopoetically visual.

49. [See: Theme]

51. Salami choice: GENOA. A very yummy Italian salami.

53. Shoe bottom: SOLE.

54. Ugly garment at many a holiday party: SWEATER. There's a whole store dedicated to this.

56. Pinkberry dessert, familiarly: FRO-YO.

[site cite]

59. [See: Theme]

61. Starts of some renovation projects, informally: DEMOS. Demolition: out w/ the old. Renovation: in w/ the new.

62. __ Major: constellation with Sirius, the Dog Star: CANIS.

63. Many ICU pros: RNS. Intensive Care Units are staffed by Registered Nurses.

64. Rascal: ROGUE.

65. Actress Harmon: ANGIE.

Angie's WikiP

66. Pigpen: STY. Not Charlie Brown's friend.

Down:
1. Twinkle: GLEAM. Think eyes.

2. Liquefied by heat, as lava or metal: MOLTEN.

3. Invites out for: ASKS TO.

4. Room with a lot of natural light: SOLARIUM. I kept trying to stretch out atRIUM.

5. Frenzied: AMOK.

6. Get ready to start fly-fishing, say: WADE.

7. U.K. part: ENG.

8. Soccer great Maradona: DIEGO. I didn't know of Maradona until last week when I heard The Engineer [25m] on This American Life.

WikiP

9. Counsel: ADVISE.

10. Quality piece of meat: PRIME CUT. I had PRIME rib.

11. Irish tavern: PUB.

12. Falsehood: LIE.

13. NFL gains: YDS. Yards gained in football.

18. Originate (from): STEM.

22. Create friction: RUB.

24. Email, e.g.: MESSAGE.

25. Title for Robert Prevost since May 8, 2025: POPE. Leo is Frank's successor.

26. Common topic for a bachata crooner: AMOR. Bachata is music from the Dominican Republic. I sussed AMOR from "crooner" :-)

27. Lair: DEN.

29. Govt. intel org.: NSA. National Security Agency - "The only part of government that actually listens." :-)

30. Skinny swimmer: EEL.

34. Automaker __ Romeo: ALFA.

My '86 Spider Veloce

35. Par for the course: NORM.

36. Words of longing: I MISS YOU.

37. Roman Empire raider: HUN.

38. Stretch of history: ERA.

39. Philanthropist's quality: LARGESSE.

40. Skinny swimmer: GAR. Another 3-letter thin aquatic animal.

43. Cast a ballot, say: CHOOSE.

44. Pioneering ISP: AOL. America On Line was an early Internet Service Provider.

46. Like a small, efficient team: LEAN.

John Candy in Stripes

47. Goes through an open door: ENTERS.

48. "That __ seem right": DOESN'T.

50. Site where the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad: MECCA.

52. Overly intellectual, maybe: ARTSY.

54. Spotify selection: SONG.

55. 1940s conflict, for short: WWII. World War II

56. U.S. pres. for most of 55-Down: FDR. Franklin Delano Roosevelt

57. __ Speedwagon: REO. The band [Keep on Rollin'] named themselves after the car that Neal Doughty (keyboardist) saw written on the blackboard in his History of Transportation class at U of IL.

A soup'd up REO Speed Wagon

58. Texter's "No way!": OMG. Oh, My Gracious!

60. Published: RAN. The reporter RAN with the story: "The senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity." [WKRP Intro @0:24]

The Grid:

The Grid

WOs: heWED -> SAWED, PRIME rib => inON => UP ON, GNARLEy [sic]
ESPs: LOS (as clued), DIEGO, ANGIE
Fav: GNARLED is just too fun to ignore.

Cheers, -T

Sunday, August 24, 2025 ~ Zhouqin Burnikel

Ship Building

This Sunday, C.C. meticulously builds a ship in a puzzle like the puzzle of a ship in a bottle.

23. "Don't wait to sign up!": REGISTER NOW. The STERN is the back of a ship.

25. Rolling aid at a sushi bar: BAMBOO MAT. The BOOM is perpendicular to the MAST.

Mmm... Sushi

36. Places to see turkeys: BOWLING ALLEYS. The GALLEY is the boat's kitchen. Note: Boomer said lanes; BOW is highlighted 'cuz, um... see 111a ;-)

58. Tree blight spread by bark beetles: DUTCH ELM DISEASE. The HELM is the ships wheel. Dutch elm disease is caused by sac fungi spread by bark beetles.

78. Christmas carol set to "Greensleeves": WHAT CHILD IS THIS. The HATCH is the door to the hold or cargo area. I'll admit I had to write this with out the circles in order to NOT parse it as WATCH ILDIST HIS.

95. "Mood Indigo" composer: DUKE ELLINGTON. The KEEL is ship's backbone.

Nice.

111. Boss at a hot spot: CLUB OWNER.

113. Like a blanket fresh from the dryer: WARM AS TOAST. The MAST is the center pole.

Not to be buttered.

And, just to keep us all on the same boat:

Ship's Bits

Across:
1. Father of Rosemary's baby: SATAN.

6. State tree of Texas: PECAN. My old neighborhood had pecan trees shading the streets. Every year, folks walk down the medians bagging them up.

11. Lhasa __: APSO.

Cousin Itt dogs.

15. Mlle., in Mexico: SRTA. Short for señorita.

19. Affordable, in brand names: ECONO. Economic or easy on your wallet.

20. Red Velvet leader: IRENE. Red Velvet is a female K-pop group. You can read about them here or listen below:

YMMV

21. Bring up: REAR. Not bring up the rear but bring up as child to adult.

22. Many a babysitter: TEEN.

23. [See: Theme]

25. [See: Theme]

27. Beach on a film set: ADAM. Canadian actor.

Rotten Tomatoes Bio

28. Hardly an angel: BRAT.

Calvin could be a real stinker.

29. Love to pieces: ADORE.

31. Sussex strollers: PRAMS.

32. In progress: AFOOT.

34. Some breakdancers: BGIRLS. B-Girls are breakdancing females.

35. Slip of the fingers: TYPO.

36. [See: Theme]

40. "SNL" actor Wakim: EMIL.

Emil on Weekend Update

42. Miracle-__: garden brand: GRO.

YMMV

43. Store with hiking gear: REI. Recreational Equipment Inc.

44. Sculling tool: OAR.

45. Chopping tool: AXE.

46. Sacred bird of the Nile: IBIS.

50. Share a viewpoint: AGREE.

52. Swindler's scheme: CON.

53. Cosmopolitan place?: BAR.
 

A Cosmo

55. Most exquisite: FINEST.

57. Shopping centers: MALLS.

58. [See: Theme]

61. Winds down: ENDS.

62. Top gear?: HATS.
 

Similar to my topper.

63. Tapestry creature: UNICORN. So, this was a thing [WikiP].
 

The Unicorn Purifies Water

64. Time out?: NAP.

65. __ press: small appliance: PANINI.

67. Dated: OLD. Think fashion.

68. Shade-loving plants with broad leaves: HOSTAS.

70. Come up short, maybe: OWE.

72. Largest fog desert in the world: ATACAMA. Atacama is a desert in Chile.

74. Street food vendor's need: CART. I've seen tamale sellers outside of bars with just a 5-gallon bucket.

75. Links org.: LPGA. Ladies Professional Golf Association.

78. [See: Theme]

81. Sensitive spots: SORES.

82. Setting: LOCALE.

83. Take a course?: EAT. Cute.

84. "__ Missing Hearts": Celeste Ng novel: OUR.

85. Dog, cutesily: POOCH. Cf. 121a.

86. Built on __: SPEC.

87. Blog feed letters: RSS. Really Simple Syndication. It's a protocol to update you without needing to constantly visit all of your subscribed websites to know if they've updated.

89. QB misfire: INT. An interception is a quarterback's error.

90. Drink in a growler: ALE.

About 4 pints

92. Luau instrument, briefly: UKE.

93. Don't throw away: KEEP.

95. [See: Theme]

99. Best buds: PALS.

101. Continental divides?: OCEANS.

103. Speak in public: ORATE.

104. Labyrinthine puzzles: MAZES.

A maize maze at nearby Dewberry Farm

105. "Gosh!": OH GEE.

106. Movie ending?: GOER. A moviegoer sees films.

107. Tom yum cuisine: THAI. Tom yum is a hot (as in spicy) and sour soup. WikiP says, "Tom yam [alt.] is composed of two words in the Thai language. Tom refers to the boiling process, while yam means mixed."

Yummers!

111. [See: Theme]

113. [See: Theme]

116. Prefix with space: AERO.

117. Roll-call call: HERE.

118. Like some college walls: IVIED. Also like Wrigley's outfield walls.

Two early ground-rule doubles.

119. Monument Valley land formation: BUTTE.

120. "__ hates pushups": message on a silly tee: T-REX.  Me parsing: "What's a TREX? Oh, a T-Rex!"

LOL!

121. Garfield's frenemy: ODIE.

122. Baby bear?: TEDDY. #Roosevelt

123. Mist in a sauna: STEAM.

Down:
1. "Buona __!": SERA. "Good night" in Italian.

2. Totally crushed, as a test: ACED.

3. Classic dorm party costume: TOGA.

Animal House

4. Cat or mouse: ANIMAL.

5. Thumbs-downs: NOS.

6. Dumplings often served with sour cream: PIEROGI.

Yummers!

7. Printed slips: ERRATA. Ha!

8. Bit of change: CENT.

9. "It's __-win situation": A NO.

10. Crystal collector, maybe: NEWAGER. A newager is into new age crystal healing.

11. Shady spots: ARBORS.

12. Tapioca unit: PEARL.

13. Like some couples: SAME SEX.

14. Space ball?: ORB.

15. Thread that unfolds in a courtroom drama: STORY LINE.

16. Craft a new plot: REMAP.

17. Phrase heard before un beso, at times: TE AMO. I love you followed (at times) by a kiss.

18. Six-legged social workers: ANTS.

24. Cut from the short loin: T-BONE.

26. __-Free: contact lens solution: OPTI.

30. Handy letters: DIY. Do It Yourself.

33. Camp cracklers: FIRES.

34. Sauvignon __: BLANC. A dry, herbal, white-grape wine.

36. Second-best effort: B-GAME. A-Game is a thing... B-Game, not so much(?).

37. Brain or heart: ORGAN.

38. Global harmony: WORLD PEACE.

John Lennon's Vision ;-)

39. Takes inventory?: LOOTS. Ha!

41. Selfish shout: ME FIRST.

45. __ quarterback: ARM CHAIR. During the game as opposed to Monday-Morning around the watercooler.

47. Shoot added to pho: BEAN SPROUT. They add a bit of crunch to your soup.

48. Rae of "Barbie": ISSA.
 

President Barbie

49. "Take a __ back": STEP. And look at the bigger picture.

51. Queen with a frosty touch: ELSA. Disney's Frozen movie.

52. Manicure targets: CUTICLES.

53. Be flexible: BEND.

54. "Aladdin" prince: ALI. Another Disney reference.

56. Ain't right?: ISN'T. Cute.

58. Gurira of "Black Panther": DANAI.
 

Danai Gurira

59. Luau dances: HULAS.

60. Access points: DOORS.

62. "Well, hello!": HI THERE.

66. Salt formula: NACL. Sodium [Na] Cloride [Cl].

67. Fail to include: OMIT.

69. __ gobi: vegetarian curry dish: ALOO. Even though I enjoy Indian cuisine often, it's crosswords that have taught me potato is aloo.

70. Hooting birds: OWLS.

71. Hit with force: WHOP.

73. Orthodontist's org.: ADA.

74. Skydiver's need: CHUTE. You only need a chute if you expect to skydive more than once.

76. Lizard with sticky toe pads: GECKO.

77. Visibly frightened: ASHEN.

79. Container with lures and worms: TACKLE BOX. I have a tackle box filled with IC [integrated circuit] components ;-)

80. Strengthens, as muscles: TONES.

81. Totally wiped: SPENT.

88. Cuddled in bed: SPOONED.

89. "Told ya so!": I KNEW IT.

90. "So soon?": ALREADY.

91. Make-up artists?: LIARS.

94. Petro-Canada rival: ESSO.

95. Academic goal: DEGREE.

96. Dubai's fed.: UAE.

97. Was imminent: LOOMED.

98. "Beat it!": GET OUT.

99. Lighter in color: PALER.

Procol Harum's 1967 A Whiter Shade of Pale

100. Shade of blue: AZURE.

102. Darling, in Dijon: CHERI.

Pepé Le Pew

104. Aspiring doc's exam: MCAT. The Medical College Admission Test.

106. Aid in solving a logic puzzle: GRID.

108. "Stop the __": HATE.

109. Hammett dog: ASTA.

110. Article: ITEM.

112. "__ told you?": WHO.

The WHO who told(?)

114. Blvd. kin: AVE.

115. Conan's former network: TBS. Originally, the Turner Broadcasting System.

The Grid:

The Grid (for the visually impaired)

WO: HaSTAS
ESPs: SATAN (as clued), IRENE, ADAM, ATACAMA | DANAI, T-REX (as clued)
Fav: LOOTS' clue.

Well, what do you think? (I know, I know, "circles")
I say this was a another fun Sunday puzzle by our hostess C.C..

Now it's time for me to SHIP out.
Cheers, -T

Thursday, May 29, 2025 ~ Andrew Colin Kirk

Good Morning Cornerites. Let's begin with the reveal 'cuz I don't have a better way to start:

59. Keepers of the faith, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues: RELIGIOUS LEADERS.

And, if you squint real hard, you can see a Religious figure Leading the answers.

18. *Quinta Brunson sitcom set in a school: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY. An ABBOT,

I've never seen this show but this clip popped up in my ad feed recently.

32. *First John Updike novel to feature Harry Angstrom: RABBIT RUN. A RABBI,

39. *Delivery room breathing technique: LAMAZE METHOD. A LAMA,

49. *"Get a load of me!": I'M AMAZING. And an IMAM

Walk into a bar <insert punchline here>.

I think this is Andrew's debut LAT. Congrats Andrew!

Across:
1. Feature of the UNICEF logo: GLOBE. After collecting all those dimes at Halloween, you'd think I'd have remembered the logo.

6. Spanakopita cheese: FETA.

10. Alligator abode: SWAMP.
 

15. Wrap sheet: SARAN.

16. Andy who coached the Chiefs to three Super Bowl wins: REID. No clue.

17. Desert retreat: OASIS. Second Thursday in a row. TTP, you had a good OASIS pick too!

18. [See: Theme]

21. Marcia's "Desperate Housewives" role: BREE. No clue. Name #2 (don't expect me to keep track like Splynter does.)

22. Track of one's tears?: DIRGE. I don't get it.

23. __ Minor: URSA. Little bear.

26. Kitchen cover-ups: APRONS.

28. Incline: RAMP.

32. [See: Theme]

34. Skateboard trick: OLLIE.

35. Pasture: LEA.

36. Extremely dry: ARID.

37. Fed. anti-mob law: RICO ACT. I loved watching Jack Webb in Dragnet (it's on MeTV @11:30p CDT). RICO - Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations.

39. [See: Theme]

42. Parting word: GOOD BYE.

44. Toast spread: OLEO.

45. Fist bump: DAP.

48. Tests: EXAMS.

49. [See: Theme]

51. Part of MSG: MONO. If you're a fan of Uncle Roger, you know this.  //BTW, that's a persona he made up for YouTube but now uses it at his restaurants. 

52. Hot condiment: WASABI.

54. Actress Taylor-Joy: ANYA. Name.

55. Totally aces: NAILS.

57. "NBA Today" airer: ESPN.

59. [See: Theme]

66. Totally remove: ERASE.

67. Sly chuckle: HE-HE.

68. Bar in a birdcage: PERCH.

69. Walkways: PATHS.

70. Adderall target, briefly: ADHD. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

71. Wide variety: ARRAY.

Down:
1. Student-led support org.: GSA. Graduate Student Association - the S is in the clue.

2. Chem class: LAB.

3. Poetic 1-Across: ORB.

4. Madagascar tree: BAOBAB.

5. __'acte: ENTR.

6. Marketing gimmick: FREE PRIZE. Check your cereal boxes!

7. Long swimmer: EEL.

8. Attached, in a way: TIED ON.

9. Syst. overseer: ADMIN.  My early career was network ADMIN.

10. Playlist unit: SONG.

11. Belgian site of an 1815 battle: WATERLOO.  You don't want to meet yours.

12. Red __ beet: A SA.

13. Former Russian space station: MIR.

14. Social science subj.: PSY.

19. Platter with a pot, cups, and saucers: TEA TRAY.

20. Hesitant sounds: ERS.

23. Link letters: URL.

24. Singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE.

25. Govt. funds for a mom-and-pop shop: SBA LOAN.  Small Business Association

27. "I can't believe you said that!": RUDE.

29. Disney film with Jafar and Jasmine: ALADDIN.

30. Podcaster's need: MIC.

31. Touch tenderly: PET.

33. Poetic feet: IAMBS.

34. Astronaut Ellen who was the first Latina in space: OCHOA.  Name #?

37. Like many of Costco's Kirkland brand products: RELABELED.

38. List in detail, in Liverpool: ITEMISE.  Notice the UK spelling.

40. Reprimand: ADMONISH.

41. NYC cultural center: MOMA.

42. Aquamarine, e.g.: GEM.

43. Brand of ergonomic kitchen tools: OXO.

46. "__ luck?": ANY.

47. The Masters org.: PGA.

49. Came out with: ISSUED.

50. Diminutive related to Alex: ZANDER.

52. Nintendo console: WII.

53. Waikiki welcome: ALOHA.

56. Many moons: AGES.

58. Daddy: PAPA.

59. Sales agt.: REP.

60. Timeline stretch: ERA.

61. Delt neighbor: LAT.

62. "Quiet, please!": SHH.

63. Make a mistake: ERR.

64. Color TV pioneer: RCA.  Hi Misty!

65. Bashful: SHY.

The Grid:

The Grid

Sorry for the skinny expo today, folks. I spent the weekend catching up on worked missed whilst sick and then Monday waiting on DW to land at IAH from DFW only to have the storms turn her flight back to Dallas at 1am. Either FlightAware wasn't aware or I wasn't 'cuz I didn't figure it out unti DW texted me from Dalls. I got home around 4am.

Cheers, -T

Thursday, May 22, 2025 ~ Joe Marquez & Boaz Moser

Bad Poker Hand

In five card draw, one can dump 3 cards an PICK 3 more. That's what Joe & Boaz offers today... 3 PICKs. Let's look:

19. One who's bound to get away?: ESCAPE ARTIST. Houdini made his great escapes by hiding lockpicks on his person.

Eldest's first pick set & practice lock.

30. Fiddler accompanist in bluegrass, often: BANJO PLAYER.

Take your...  //sry too soon :-)

43. Artist who makes some pretty cool pieces?: ICE SCULPTOR.

A chain saw being used as an ICE pick.

50. "Go ahead and choose one," and what one might say to a 19-, 30-, or 43-Across?: TAKE YOUR PICK. 

And there you have it - 3 types of picks.

Across:
1. Basic lesson: ABCS.

5. Smack-__: DAB. In the middle...

8. PC shortcut employed when creating a draft: CTRL-S. Shortcut for saving a file.

13. Noted host of a couples' getaway?: NOAH.  Fav!

14. Vegetarian staple: TOFU.

15. Figure skater Sonja: HENIE. No clue - ESP.

16. Yarn: TALE.

17. Middle East sultanate: OMAN.

18. Magazine piece?: ISSUE.

19. [See: Theme]

22. Centers of interest: FOCI.

23. Formally withdraw: SECEDE.

27. Small pellets: BBS.

30. [See: Theme]

33. Indie genre with mainstream appeal: ALT-POP. Meh. Ok

35. "__ guesses?": ANY.

36. Cook fast, as steak: SEAR.

37. Guarded: LEERY.

38. French pal: AMI.

39. Bass kin: CELLO.  Hand-up if you were thinking fish.

40. Button on a scale: TARE.

41. Seasonal vaccine target: FLU. I should have gotten the summer one. I'm still under the weather.

42. More like a snoop: NOSIER.

43. [See: Theme]

46. Many "Grey's Anatomy" pros: DRS. A TV show with Drs making out or something.

47. Singled out: CHOSEN.

48. Some Minecraft blocks: ORES.

50. [See: Theme]

56. Deserted rest area?: OASIS.

A different "Alt-Pop" Oasis

59. Some tennis shots: LOBS.

60. Pod in Creole cuisine: OKRA. Fry it up! [See: Jolly below]

61. Top-level performance: A-GAME.

62. [Chef's kiss]: MWAH.

63. Bridle part: REIN.

64. Kits, eventually: FOXES.

Two guys on the hunt for Foxes

65. Played out: OLD.

66. Two-time Newbery Medal winner DiCamillo: KATE.  ESP but CSO to DW.

Down:
1. Request from a 25-Down: ANTE. To PICK some cards.

2. Feathery accessories: BOAS.

3. AP math class: CALC. Was that AP? I thought it was just Jr. yr. math.

4. Grain amount: SHEAF.

5. Taxonomic classification broader than kingdom: DOMAIN.

6. Out there: AFAR.

7. Part of a suicide squeeze: BUNT.
 

8. Woodshop tool: CHISEL.  Another kinda PICK.

9. Precedent-setting trials: TEST CASES.

10. Many ICU professionals: RNS. They were in Grey's Anatomy too, right?

11. Simu who plays Shang-Chi: LIU.  ESP.

12. "What did I tell you?": SEE.

14. Work boot tip: TOE CAP.

20. NOLA sandwich: PO'BOY.

If you've not seen the Jolly boys, you've missed out.

21. Spotting game: ISPY.  With my little 24d.

24. Lashes site: EYE LID.

25. Poker figure: DEALER.

26. Box score statistic: ERRORS.

27. Like Latvia and Lithuania: BALTIC.

28. Sodium hypochlorite: BLEACH.

29. Upgrade from mono: STEREO.

31. Clog: JAM UP.

32. Covert maritime org.: ONI.  Someone's gotta explain 'cuz I don't have time to look it up - too close to 34d.

34. Deadline set by a printer: PRESS TIME.

38. Start and end of the Musketeers' motto: ALL.

39. Apple device?: CORER.  Ha!  cute.

41. Doldrums: FUNK.

42. "I can wait": NO RUSH.  Do I insert RUSH here or follow the instructions of NO?

44. Puts an end to: CEASES.

45. "That's rough": TOO BAD. So sad.

49. Multipurpose utensil: SPORK.

51. Red Muppet with a goldfish: ELMO.

52. Pained cry: YOWL.

53. Big-box store with a Smaland play area: IKEA.

54. Lit __: CRIT.  DW knows all about this.

55. "Citizen __": KANE.  #Spoiler - Rosebud.

56. Clumsy fellow: OAF.

57. Before now: AGO.

58. Jazz horn: SAX.

The Grid:

The Grid

"You can PICK your friends, & you can PICK your nose, but you can't PICK your friend's nose." -Abe Lincoln (probably).

Cheers, -T

Thursday, May 15, 2025 ~ Desiree Penner & Jeff Sinnock

Love is in the air...

Good morning folks. Today's expo is going to be a little skinny as my allergies turned into a chest cold. On the plus side, Youngest Graduated UT and is now taking a break in Spain before digging into Law at GW.  I've got Eldest home for only one more day :-)

16. *Dolores Huerta, for one: LABOR LEADER. - The leader of labor is the letter L

25. *In the lead: OUT FRONT. - O is the front letter of out.

35. *Convention site: CIVIC CENTER.  - The center of civic is the letter V.

52. *Portion of the Irish flag that's green: ONE THIRD.  - The third letter of one is the letter E.

Yep, 1/3 Green

60. Messages containing X's and O's, and what the answers to the starred clues literally describe?: LOVE LETTERS.

Across:
1. Stirs in: ADDS.

5. Canines, e.g.: TEETH. Ripping teeth, not puppies.

10. "In a way": ISH.

13. Mammal that may steal fish from a fisher's line: SEAL. Humm, minus a T in Steal is the SEAL.

14. Transparent layer in the eye: CORNEA.

15. Surname separator: NEE.

16. [See: Theme] 18. TNT part: TRI. TRInitrotoluene

19. Hotel fillers: GUESTS. DW has eschewed Hotels for Air B&Bs. Most of 'em are great but no breakfast.

20. Tempts fate: DARES.

22. Rum-soaked cakes: BABAS.

25. [See: Theme]

27. "Call anytime": PHONE ME.

Call me any time... Dirty Deeds - AC / DC.

30. Raves about: PRAISES.

31. TV remote batteries: AAS.

32. Bodega convenience: ATM.

34. Cooling systs.: ACS. Air Conditioners. I have a degree in EE but BTUs still escape me. Convert to Joules and I've got it.

35. [See: Theme]

40. "Unforgettable" singer __ King Cole: NAT.

41. Cap. founded by Brigham Young: SLC.

42. Shrill bark: YAP.

45. Cause of a flubbed field goal, maybe: LOW SNAP.

49. Beer bashes: KEGGERS.

52. [See: Theme].

54. Robust: LUSTY.

55. Yemen metropolis with an elevation over 7,200 feet: SANAA.

56. "But of course, Madame!": OUI OUI.

59. Hairy Addams cousin: ITT.

60. [See: Theme]

65. Actress Vardalos: NIA.
 
66. English cathedral city: EXETER.

67. In a frenzy: AMOK.

68. Family docs: GPS.

69. Frowned-upon activities: NO-NOS.

70. Shade of red: RUBY.

Down:
1. Handy way to communicate, for short?: ASL. American Sign Language. Cute that "Handy" was in the clue.
 
2. Justice Dept. arm: DEA.

3. Apply with a light touch: DAB.

4. "Just say no" or "Just do it": SLOGAN.

5. Small digits: TOES.

6. Poet's Muse: ERATO.

7. Ultimately becomes: ENDS UP.

8. Merch table purchase: TEE.

9. Truism backed up with irrefutable evidence: HARD FACT.

10. Prefaces: INTROS.

11. Placid: SERENE.

12. Bank capers: HEISTS.

14. The Cavs, on scoreboards: CLE.

17. Clever scheme: RUSE.

21. Get out of bed: ARISE.

22. Chem. in some plastic: BPA.

23. Cry after an epiphany: AHA.

24. Pear variety: BOSC.

26. Hypnotic state: TRANCE.

28. Cocktail with a tiny umbrella: MAI TAI.

Yummers!

29. "I could go on" abbr.: ETC.

33. Roast VIPs: MCS.

36. Social media app launched on Oct. 6, 2010: INSTA.

37. "1984" rock band: VAN HALEN.
 

MCMLXXXIV - Catholics know their Roman Numerals :-)

38. Caribou kin: ELK.

39. Marbled loaves: RYES.

43. Works on easels: ART.

44. Social science maj.: PSY.

45. Behind, in a way: LOSING.

46. How detectives might act: ON A TIP.

47. Dressed like for a comic-con, e.g.: WENT AS.

48. Tried-and-true: PROVEN.

50. Oversupply: GLUT.

51. Instrument for 37-Down: GUITAR.

53. Caused by: DUE TO.

57. Seine sights: ILES.

58. Opposite of 'neath: OER.

61. Good Grips brand: OXO.

62. Grounded bird: EMU.

63. Actor Lowe: ROB.

64. Drone zone: SKY.
 

The Grid

Cheers, -T

Friday, April 18th, 2025 ~ Doug Peterson

Verb Teams!

Happy Good Friday, all!

Today, Doug uses team names as verbs actioning their city. Take a look at what I mean:

20. Sends an invoice to an upstate New York municipality?: BILLS BUFFALO. The NFL team BUFFALO BILLS's city gets a remittance.

28. Makes hostile comments online about Alberta's biggest city?: FLAMES CALGARY. The NHL CALGARY FLAMES' city gets burnt by trash-talk.

42. Gamely faces the heat and humidity in Georgia's capital?: BRAVES ATLANTA. The MLB's ATLANTA BRAVES' city takes on the weather.

And the reveal:
47. Groups that do prep work ahead of an event, and a directive followed by this puzzle's theme answers?: ADVANCE TEAMS.

Too soon?

See? Doug put the team names as a verb ahead of their city. I really like how Doug used different sports. However, he left out the NBA:

Earns a borough?:  Nets Brooklyn.

Enough silliness, let's get on with it:

Across:

1. Bonobo relative: CHIMP.

6. Salazar of "Alita: Battle Angel": ROSA.

Rosa Salazar

10. In vogue: CHIC.

14. Zellweger who played Judy Garland: RENEE.
 

Renee Zellweger

15. School supporter, often: ALUM.

16. "Revenge of the Sith" mentor: YODA.
 

Yoda

17. Promising location?: ALTAR. Cute.

18. Indiana steel city: GARY.

19. Inferior to none: BEST.

20. [See: Theme]

23. Actress Zadora: PIA.
 

Pia Zadora

24. Grow dim: DARKEN.

28. [See: Theme]

32. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Jerry: SLOAN.

34. High-altitude herd animal: LLAMA.

"Which one is the Dalai Llama?"

35. Golden __ Golf: video game series: TEE.

Golden Tee Golf video game

36. Qualify for: EARN.

37. Rajma masala ingredient: BEANS.

Recipe

38. Political alliance: PACT.

39. Hurricane spirit: RUM.

40. Ryan's "Wheel of Fortune" co-host: VANNA. Ha! Last time I blogged, VANNA was clued as: P-A-G-E turner.

41. Superman's adoptive parents: KENTS. Kal-El was named Clark Joseph by his Earth parents Jonathan & Martha Kent.

42. [See: Theme]

45. Gown fabrics: SATINS.

Moody Blues' Nights in White SATIN

46. Dot on a domino: PIP.

47. [See: Theme]

54. Test kit item: SWAB.

57. Classic Camaro: IROC.

Bitchin' Camaro [Dead Milkmen]

58. Rosalind's cousin in "As You Like It": CELIA.

59. Milker's container: PAIL.

60. Dreaded figure: OGRE.

61. "Hold it," from the bridge: AVAST.

62. Civic shaft: AXLE.

63. Dishwasherful: LOAD.

64. Buenos Aires cash: PESOS.

Down:

1. Beach creature: CRAB.

2. Prefix with pad: HELI.

3. Like many conglomerates: Abbr.: INTL.

4. Campus dining option: MEAL PLAN.

5. Iran's official language: PERSIAN.

6. Classico competitor: RAGU.

7. Snowman who sings "In Summer": OLAF. From the movie Frozen.

8. Roar producer: SURF.

9. "Arrival" star: AMY ADAMS.

Amy Adams

10. "Teen Titans Go!" character who's part robot: CYBORG.

11. Long-handled tool: HOE.

12. Wallet items: IDS.

13. Viral video star, often: CAT.

17m of silly cat videos

21. "There ya go!": BAM.

22. Sing-along syllables: LA LA.

25. Samurai sword: KATANA.

Video on how to use a Katana

26. Not slumped: ERECT.

27. Russian rejections: NYETS.

28. Style: FORMAT.

29. 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina: ELENA. The second E was my last square inked.

Elena Rybakina

30. Italics feature: SLANT.

31. Ear piece?: CANAL.

32. Some Slavs: SERBS.

33. Actress Dern: LAURA.

37. Instrument often paired with a harpsichord: BASS VIOL.

This

38. Knuckle cracking, for some: PET PEEVE.

40. Peddle: VEND.

41. Topper topped with a pom-pom: KNIT CAP.

43. Likely to work: VIABLE.

44. Mimic: APE.

48. Mythical vessel built in Thessaly: ARGO.

49. Comedian Dunn: NORA.

50. Included on a distribution list: CCED.

51. Sighed word: ALAS.

52. High-protein paste: MISO.

Miso

53. Pre-coll. exams: SATS.

54. Place that offers a menu of treatments: SPA.

55. 54-Down treatment: WAX.

56. Feel off: AIL.

The Grid:

The Grid

My experience:
WOs: wrong ALE, JEFF -> NORA (I was thinking of Dunham)
ESPs: ROSA, CYBORG (as clued), SLOAN, ELENA, KNIT hAt
Fav: I'll go with ALTAR's clue.

For those who celebrate,

Happy Passover!

Happy Easter!

Cheers, -T