Thursday, November 18, 2021, August Miller

Ahoy, cruciverbalists!  Malodorous Manatee here with the recap.  Today's puzzle setter is August Miller who has been seen in these parts quite often lately.  I recapped one on his puzzles on June 17th of this year.  That effort by August was followed with puzzles on September 3rd, September 29th, October 13th and, just a bit more than two weeks ago, on November 3rd.  Apologies if I missed any.

The theme of today's puzzle made all marine creatures feel right at home.  At six places within the grid, the names of six SEAS are placed, as anagrams, within circles.  Did you see it?  If your publication chose not to print the circles then you may have found yourself in a bit over your head, underwater, or, at least, up to your neck. . . theme-wise.

The explanation is found at 33 Down:  Dramatic shift . . . or what's literally found in each set of circles?: SEA CHANGE.  The vocabularic ancestor of Paradigm Shift.

PAINSCA -  CASPIAN

EAGANE -  AEGEAN

YLOWEL -  YELLOW

LITBAC -  BALTIC

INGERB -  BERING

ICRADIAT -  ADRIATIC

The phrase The Seven Seas" is a merely a figurative term so having six seas is okay.  Seas differ from oceans in that they are found on the margins of oceans and are usually located where the land and ocean meet.

Because there are no themed answers, per se, let's dive right in:

Across:

1. Apply softly: DAB.  Also, a small amount . . . and a flatfish.  Oh, and a puzzle constructor.

4. Indy 500 leader: PACE CAR.  Only at the start of the race.

11. About 40 gallons of it usually makes a gallon of syrup: SAP.

14. GPS calculation: ETA.  Estimated Time of  Arrival

15. Mollusk with a nacreous shell: ABALONE.  We often saw NACRE as a crossword puzzle answer back in the day.

16. Gp. for moms and dads: PTA.  Parent Teacher Association.  Abbreviated clue with GP for group.

17. Particles from far, far away: COSMIC RADIATION.  High energy charged particles , x-rays, and gamma rays produced in space.

20. Burger topping: ONION.  Relish wouldn't fit.  See 23 Across.

21. 23andMe subject: DNA.  23andMe is a company that offers genetic testing.  See 28 Across.

22. Lena Dunham TV show: GIRLS.  One of several actor/actress references, today.

23. Dog topping: RELISH.  Onion wouldn't fit.  See 20 Across.

25. To wit: NAMELY.

26. Wind-driven clouds: SCUD.  Also the name of a missile.

SCUD Clouds

28. Hereditary unit: GENE.  See 21 Across.  Might have been clued as  _____ Simmons or Autry.

29. Riddle end, maybe: WHAT AM I.  You can see me once in a year, twice in a week, but never in a day.  What am I?  The letter e.

32. 2001 NBA MVP Allen: IVERSON.  A basketball reference.

36. Goal: AIM.  Alternatively:  We ___ to please.  You ___, too, please.

37. Student, ideally: LEARNER.

39. Runner Down Under: EMU.  Down Under being slang for Australia.  EMUs are flightless.

40. Zoom alternative: SKYPE.  A bit of present-day technology.  Fixed focal length lens was not going to fit.

42. Race part: LEG.  Sometimes, a racer's part, too.

43. Over: AGAIN.

45. Brazilian soccer great: PELE.  Ne Edson Narantes do Nascimento.

46. Responds to a phone solicitation, perhaps: GIVES.  I first thought of YELLS, RANTS, RAVES.  Neither HANGS UP nor CURSES would fit.

48. Improvs, e.g.: ACTS.  I guess IMPROV is now an "official" word.  Its use here as a verb seems a bit off.

49. Eye-bending genre: OP ART.  An example:

51. Fiennes of "The Grand Budapest Hotel": RALPH.  Another of several actor/actress references, today.

53. Drops off before midday?: DEW.  Clever.  The drops of dew come off the grass before noon.  We were, I suppose, meant to think of something sleep-related,

55. Easy throw: LOB.

56. "Later": BYE.  As in "See you later."

57. Words With Friends, for one: APP.

60. Post-teaching title for some: EMERITA.  Female equivalent of EMERITUS.

62. Latvia neighbor: ESTONIA.

64. Fluorescent element?: SILENT C.  We have seen this type of c/a before.  They fool me less often than they used to.

65. Like many a wedding planner: ENGAGED.  For those who plan their own weddings.

66. "It's just a flesh wound": ILL BE OK.  A staple of OATERS.  

67. Repair crew with tiles: ROOFERS.  TILERS was too short and FLOORERS was too long.

Down:

1. Interior designer's specialty: DECOR.

2. Make reparations: ATONE.  Afterwards, one can be AT ONE with their conscience.

3. Margherita pizza herb: BASIL.

4. It tops out at ten in a doctor's office: PAIN SCALE.  It has been argued that the PAIN SCALE was used to inappropriately market opioids.  Pain Scales And The Opioid Crisis

5. "Mixed-ish" airer: ABC.  Another TV show.

6. Calling or playing follower: CARD.  Pick a CARD, ANY CARD.  But don't Teller which one.

7. Stylish vigor: ELAN.

8. Musical symbol resembling a set of crosshairs: CODA.

9. Young Darth: ANI.  Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader are characters in the Star Wars series of films.

10. When the Cold War ended: REAGAN ERA.

11. Pinnacle of religion?: SPIRE.  A nice play on words.

12. Coral island: ATOLL.  I always forget if it's two tees and one ell or vice versa.

13. Violet hybrid: PANSY.  Violet could refer to a color, a flower (in this case), or her:

18. Like eyes starting to tear up: MOIST.

19. Dingy kitchen item?: TIMER.  Dingy means dirty or unclean.  A dinghy is a small watercraft.  In this case, though, the puzzler maker (or editor) wants us to think of something that makes the sound "ding".  Ding-y, if you will.

24. "A Treatise of Human Nature" author: HUME.

25. Campbell of "Scream" films: NEVE.  Another of several actor/actress references, today.

27. Ease up: DIAL IT BACK.  Idiomatic expression defined in the clue.

28. Spiced brew: GINGER BEER.  Hands up for first thinking of some kind of tea.

29. Paper-nest builder: WASP.  Did wasps invent paper?

30. Backpack, e.g.: HIKE.  Noun or verb?  Verb.

31. 1926 Pulitzer-winning poet: AMY LOWELL.

34. Neglect to mention: OMIT.

35. Sisters in the 2017 film "The Little Hours": NUNS.

38. Excite, with "up": REV.  The first of three three-letter answers in sequence.

41. Exuberance: PEP.  The second.

44. Gender __: GAP.  The third.

46. Underground recess: GROTTO.

Grotta Azzurra

47. Declines: SAYS NO.  PASSES would have fit the space and two of the letters would have worked out.

50. Flared dress style: A-LINE.  One can see whence the name was derived.

52. Released: LET GO.

53. Arnaz of early TV: DESI.  Another of several actor/actress references, today.

Babalu

54. Painter Nolde: EMIL.  One of the early Expressionists.

58. Place to drop a line: PIER.  Another play on words.  "Drop a line" is idiomatic for writing.  In this case, though, fishing.

59. Paw parts: PADS.

61. 1860s gray: REB.  A Civil War reference.  The soldiers of the Confederacy wore gray uniforms and re referred to as REBs (rebels).

63. Klutz: OAF.  So, this shark swims into a bar . . . "Arrrgg", he yells.  "I'm such a klutz!"

. . . and with that, the completed grid:

________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Wednesday, November 3, 2021 August Miller

Theme: Here it is from Hans and Franz.

 

Let's lift up the unifier first.  59 A. Overpowered ... or how the Across answers with circles might be described?: OUT-MUSCLED.  Out-manned and outgunned - unable to compete.  In the puzzle, significant muscles are abbreviated and featured as book ends in the theme fill.  Hence the use of "OUT" to indicate that the muscles are severed in the grid. [Ouch!]. So let's build them back up.

24 A. Opposite of a roast: GLOWING TRIBUTE.  In a roast, the guest of honor is humorously showered with [presumably] good-natured disrespect.  So, definitely the opposite.  GLUTES come in large, medium and small varieties, as illustrated in this cut away, and they follow you wherever you go.

Keep them strong

29. Fictional legal secretary: DELLASTREET.  From the old Perry Mason TV show, played by Barbara Hale [1922 - 1917].

Tribute

DELTS are shoulder muscles and also travel in threes.

Pump them up

42. Three-horned dinosaur: TRICERATOPS.  This behemoth wandered in North America between 66 and 68 million years ago.

Herbivore

The TRICEPS, as the name suggests, also are a trio, located in the back of the arm.

They extend the elbow joint

49. Job for the police: LAW ENFORCEMENT.   Responsibilities for enforcing laws, maintaining public order, and managing public safety.   The Latissimus Dorsi Muscle, aka, "LAT," is a large, flat triangular muscle that is not used strenuously in common daily activities but is an important muscle in many exercises such as pull-ups, chin-ups, lat pulldowns, and swimming.

Don't let them get too tight

Hi, Gang.  JazzBumpa here to do the heavy lifting.  Let's exercize our grey muscles and see what we can build up.

Across:

 1. Site-hop, Webwise: SURF.  You can find anything on the web.  Just be skeptical.

5. Watched closely: EYED.  

9. Beetle relative: JETTA.  Volkswagen Marques.

14. "Small world": OH, HI. Spoken at an unexpected meeting.

15. Fish that ought to go well with a cobbler?: SOLE.  An entrée, a desert, a shoe part and a shoe maker, all together in neat word play.

16. Paddled: OARED.  Moved a boat by arm power.  Which muscles are involved?

17. Not at all biased: FAIR.  

18. Yeast-free loaf: QUICK BREAD.  Bread made with a leavening agent (such as baking powder or baking soda) that permits immediate baking of the dough or batter mixture.

20. Au courant, with "in": TUNED.  Aware, maybe even woke.

22. Common lunch hour: NOON.  

23. Instrument for Este Haim of the pop rock trio Haim: BASS.

27. "When They See Us" creator DuVernay: AVA.   Ava Marie DuVernay is an American filmmaker. She won the directing award in the U.S. dramatic competition at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for her second feature film 'Middle of Nowhere," becoming the first black woman to win the award.   When "They See Us"  is a 2019 American crime drama television miniseries created, co-written, and directed by Ava DuVernay for Netflix, that premiered in four parts on May 31, 2019

28. Become less brilliant, as colors: FADE.

35. Org. impacted by the Real ID Act: DMV.  Department of Motor Vehicles.

38. "CHiPs" actor Estrada: ERIK.   Henry Enrique "Erik" Estrada [b 1949] is an American actor and police officer. He is known for his co-starring lead role as California Highway Patrol officer Francis (Frank) Llewelyn "Ponch" Poncherello in the police drama television series CHiPs, which ran from 1977 to 1983.

39. Kitten's cry: MEW.

40. Place in an overhead bin, say: STOW.

41. Not looking good: WAN.  Pale, so therefore not looking healthy.

46. Self-__: CARE.   The process of taking care of oneself with behaviors that promote health and active management of illness when it occurs.

48. Hoppy brew letters: IPA.  

56. DEA agent: NARC.  The Drug Enforcement Agency deals with narcotics, hence the ugly nick-name for their agents.

57. Valley: DALE.   The name is used when describing the physical geography of an area. It is used most frequently in the Lowlands of Scotland and in the North of England;

58. Application of small drops: SPRAY.  As paint or nasal decongestant.

62. Bends: ARCS.  Smooth curves. 

63. Surg. holding area: PRE-OP.  Last stop before surgery.

64. Save for later, as a TV show: TIVO.  A digital recording device. 

65. Pacific salmon: COHO.   One of 5 Pacific salmon species.

66. Puts in the work for: EARNS.   An honest day's work for an honest day's pay.

67. Appear: SEEM. Look like.

68. Suffix with Jumbo: -TRON.  A video display using large-screen television technology.   It is typically used in sports stadiums and concert venues to show close up shots of an event or even other sporting events occurring simultaneously. 

Down:

1. What Germany has that Greece doesn't?:  SOFT G.   Phonetics, peeps.

2. DIY mover: U-HAUL.  Commercial truck and trailer renting company.

3. Mighty mammal with keratin horns: RHINO.

4. Rite of passage involving hot embers: FIRE WALK.   Walk bare foot over hot embers.  Where does this happen?

5. Law firm abbr.: ESQ.   Esquire: a title appended to a lawyer's surname.

6. Kits and cubs: YOUNG.  Animal babies.

7. "Silas Marner" author: ELIOT.  George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans [1890 - 1880.]

8. Interior design: DECOR.   The furnishing and decoration of a room.

9. Role: JOB.  Position in an organization chart?  I don't understand this.

10. iPod accessory: EAR BUD.  A very small headphone, worn inside the ear.

11. Showed, as a good time: TREATED TO.   Picked up the bill.

12. Rag on: TEASE.  I don't think so.  Teasing is playful, ragging on is hostile.

13. Puts into the mix: ADDS.

19. Carver's tool: KNIFE. 

21. Soprano superstar: DIVA.  A famous and highly regarded female singer in opera or pop music

25. Rapper Lil __ X: NAS.   Montero Lamar Hill [b. 1999), known by his stage name Lil Nas X, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter.

26. Upside-down sleeper: BAT.  They hang around in the day time and get active at night.

29. Dawn phenomenon: DEW.  Moisture condensing on grass and other plants.

30. Slice of history: ERA.  A period of time notable for some important person or characteristic.

31. Author who wrote the Thongor fantasy series: LIN CARTER.  Linwood Vrooman Carter [1930 - 1988] was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor, poet and critic. 

32. "That's enough!": TMI.  Too Much Information: tell me no more.

33. Word with hall or room: REC.  Short for recreation.

34. Woolly mama: EWE.  Female sheep.

36. Unruly head of hair: MOP.

37. 9-Across et al.: VWS.  Volkswagen vehicles.

40. Short-lived 1765 legislation: STAMP ACT.   The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first internal tax levied directly on American colonists by the British Parliament. The act, which imposed a tax on all paper documents in the colonies, came at a time when the British Empire was deep in debt from the Seven Years' War (1756-63) and looking to its North American colonies as a revenue source. 

42. Amount past due?: TRE.  Two and three in some European language.

43. Tears to shreds: RENDS.

44. Rocker Ocasek: RIC.   Richard Theodore Otcasek [1944 – 2019], known as Ric Ocasek, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He was the primary co-lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the rock band the Cars. 

 

 45. Goodall subjects: APES.  Jane Goodall is best known for her 60-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees since she first went to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in 1960, where she witnessed human-like behaviors among chimpanzees, including armed conflict.  The chimpanzee  is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. I

47. "You gotta be kidding!": AW, C'MON.  Gimme a break.

49. Linney of "Ozark": LAURA.   Laura Leggett Linney [b. 1964] is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of several awards, including two Golden Globe Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards, and has been nominated for three Academy Awards and five Tony Awards.

50. Indisputable evidence: FACTS.   Things that are known or proven to be true.

51. Skateboard leap: OLLIE.   Here is how to do it.

 

 52. Christopher who played Superman: REEVE.   Christopher D'Olier Reeve [1952 - 2004] was an American actor, director, and activist, best known for playing the titular main character in the film Superman and its three sequels.

53. Boot on a diamond: ERROR.  Misplay a batted ball in base ball.

54. Cheesy chip: NACHO.  A dish of tortilla chips topped by or dipped into melted cheese and often also other savory toppings.

55. Cicely of "Roots": TYSON.   She [1924 - 2021] was an American actress and model. In a career which spanned more than seven decades, she became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. 

56. "Ain't gonna happen": NOPE.  Slangy denial.

60. Market advances: UPS.  When the indexes are rising.  So far, so good, this week.

61. Bubbly title: DOM.  Part of the name of a champagne brand.

That does it for another Wednesday.   I had a rather difficult time finding footholds with this one, but it all worked out [so to speak] in the end.  Also had a couple nits, but overall, a fun puzzle.  Hope you didn't strain anything.

Cool Regards!

JzB

Wednesday, October 13, 2021, August Miller

Theme: THAT'S ABOUT IT

16. *Progressive Era muckraker: IDA TARBELL.

28. *12-time 35-Down All Star and TV analyst: ISIAH THOMAS.

34. *Australian swimmer with five Olympic golds: IAN THORPE.

 

46. *First daughter and senior adviser to #45: IVANKA TRUMP. 

59. '00s Britcom about an underappreciated computer support squad ... or what the answers to starred clues comprise?: THE IT CROWD.

Good morning all, Melissa here, and happy Wednesday. This is about as straightforward a theme as it gets, each two-word phrase begins with letters I (first word) and T (second word).

Across:

1. Mires: BOGS.

5. Loving smack: KISS. Ever heard of a loving smerp?

9. Kind of coach or jacket: LIFE.

13. "Bolero" composer: RAVEL.

14. Spots to clear up: ACNE.

15. Not at one's desk: AWAY. A rare occurrence for many. Except for you lucky retired folks!

18. Socially aware: WOKE.

19. Tundra deer: CARIBOU.

20. Plane engine type: FANJET. The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft propulsion.

22. CNN anchor Burnett: ERIN.

23. "Your turn": OK GO.

26. Whack, biblically: SMITE. Past tense, smote. This is a long-ish clip (5 mins), in which Archangel Michael (played by John Travolta) describes how he smote a bank.

27. Stephen of "Citizen X": REA. 1995 film based on Robert Cullum's non-fiction book The Killer Department, published in 1993.

30. Wall St. "500": SANDP. The Standard and Poor's 500, or simply the S&P 500, is a stock market index tracking the performance of 500 large companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. It is one of the most commonly followed equity indices.

32. PreCheck org.: TSA. That'll be extra.

33. Crave, e.g.: WANT.

38. Tijuana home: CASA. Spanish.

41. Gen-Z sweetheart: BAE.

42. Prompts: URGES.

50. Fig. of interest to a dietitian: RDA. Recommended Dietary Allowance of essential nutrients.

51. Slangy "Absolutely!": TOTES. Sub for totally.

52. Petro-Canada competitor: ESSO.

53. Leave early: BAIL.

54. Appliance connection, briefly: AC PLUG.

56. Mass-times-velocity measures: MOMENTA. Plural form of momentum.

58. Swimming great Torres: DARA. Twelve-time Olympic medalist.

62. Early garden spot: EDEN.

63. Muscat's land: OMAN. Oman's port capital. The allures of Muscat, Oman.

64. Book with roads: ATLAS. Nice clue.

65. Easy gait: LOPE.

66. X-rated material: SMUT. Seeing this word more and more, it was in the last puzzle I blogged, too.

67. "__ she blows!": THAR.

Down:

1. Shady part of town: BAD AREA.

2. Of a certain reproductive gland: OVARIAN.

3. Arrive: GET IN.

4. Thick slice: SLAB. Who else thought of bacon?

5. Japanese dance-drama: KABUKI. How to enjoy your first Kabuki experience to the fullest.

6. Party bucket item: ICE.

 

7. NBC skit show: SNL. Saturday Night Live.

8. Lead-in to made or love: SELF.

9. Blades that cut blades: LAWN MOWER.

10. WWII flag-raising island: IWO JIMA. Iconic.

11. Faux glow: FAKE TAN.

12. Evaluation with a capital E?: EYE TEST.

13. Kitchen cutters: RICERS. Food is pushed or pressured through a metal or plastic plate with many small holes, producing a smoother result than mashing, but coarser than pureeing or passing through a sieve or tamis.

17. Outback hoppers: ROOS. Kangaroos.

21. Outdoor grill residue: ASH.

24. Amasses: GATHERS.

25. Very, very: OH SO.

28. Pub drink, briefly: IPA. India pale ale is a hoppy beer style within the broader category of pale ale.

29. Roofing goo: TAR. Haha. Smells terrible, I hate getting stuck behind one of those with the hot, smoking tar wafting behind it.

31. "Unfaithful" Oscar nominee: DIANE LANE. 2002 Erotic thriller.

35. Hoops org.: NBA.

36. London gallery: TATE. A family of four art galleries in London, Liverpool, and Cornwall, known as Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, and Tate St. Ives. Tate Modern is the one in London. See here.

37. Yipping adoptee: PUP.

38. Fortress: CITADEL.

39. Much of guacamole: AVOCADO.

40. H.S. course pioneered by Stanley Kaplan: SAT PREP. Interesting fellow. In 1984, Stanley Kaplan sold his company to The Washington Post Company for $45 million.

43. Crunchy bar stuff: GRANOLA. Ohhh, that kind of bar. I was thinking bar like saloon - peanuts or pretzels.

44. Battle waged on Wikipedia: EDIT WAR.

45. Tossed courses: SALADS. Another sneaky misdirection - courses of a meal.

47. The NCAA's Wildcats: KSU. Kansas State University.

48. Govt. moneymaker: US MINT.

49. Academic: MOOT. 1. Subject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty. 2. Having little or no practical relevance, typically because the subject is too uncertain to allow a decision.

53. Sailor's quarters: BERTH. A fixed bed or bunk on a ship, train, or other means of transport.

55. Sporty muscle cars: GTOS.

57. Future MD's exam: MCAT. Kaplan of 40D can help with that, too!

60. "Let's see ... ": HMM.

61. Lac contents: EAU. Eau is the French word for water, and lac is French for lake.

Melissa

 

Wednesday, September 29, 20201, August Miller

Theme: TRAIL AFTER

18. *Steam: WATER VAPOR.

24. *Western capital: SALEM, OREGON.

40. *Systematic rumor spreading: WHISPER CAMPAIGN.

52. *Wite-Out alternative: LIQUID PAPER.

61. Hikers' starting points ... or what the ends of the answers to starred clues can be?: TRAIL HEADS.

The word TRAIL can follow the last word of each theme answer: VAPOR TRAIL, OREGON TRAIL, CAMPAIGN TRAIL, and PAPER TRAIL.

Across: 

1. A third of XXX, maybe?: TAC. One third of the phrase tic, tac, toe.

4. Rorschach image: BLOT. See the original images here.

8. Make oneself decent, so to speak: DRESS.

13. "That's rough": ALAS. One of those words we mostly see in books and crosswords.

15. Clothing store website category: MEN'S.

16. Spunk: MOXIE. Mr. Grant hates spunk.

 17. Colombian coin: PESO.

20. One in a Hollywood crowd: EXTRA.

22. Yoko who voiced a self-named character in 2018's "Isle of Dogs": ONO.

23. Sedate, say: DRUG. Verb, not adjective.

28. PC file suffix: EXE.  An executable file for Windows.

29. Skip over: ELIDE. Another word not heard very often. A second definition is to join together or merge.

30. Come clean, with "up": FESS.

32. __ buco: OSSO. Means "hollow bone." Traditionally made with veal but can also be made with beef.

34. Paul who founded a pet food company: IAMS. Perps - had no idea.

37. Utterly lost: AT SEA.

43. "Buffalo Stance" singer Cherry: NENEH. Had not heard of artist or this song, released in 1988.

44. Fail to enunciate: SLUR.

45. Love of money, to all evil?: ROOT. Good to see this correctly, as it's so often stated that money is root of all evil, rather than the love of money.

46. Faltering step: TRIP.

48. Condescend: DEIGN.

50. "So pretty!": OOH.

57. Made fun of: APED. I guess so.

59. Zero-__ game: SUM.

60. Hyundai sedan no longer sold in the U.S.: AZERA. Discontinued in 2018.

65. Work on text, maybe: EDIT.

66. They're rarely worth splitting: HAIRS. True enough.

67. Blue prints, e.g.?: SMUT. Haha. An informal definition of blue is pornographic or profane.

68. Do a fall chore: RAKE.

69. Tear up: SHRED.

70. With everything in its place: TIDY.

71. Young guy: LAD.

Down: 

1. Records, old-style: TAPES. Verb.

2. Siri counterpart: ALEXA. Alexa vs. Google vs. Siri.

3. Daydreams: CASTLES IN THE AIR.

4. Munich-based automaker: BMW.

5. Bucolic setting: LEA.

6. En pointe: ON TOE. Ballet.

7. Taiwanese golfer Yani __, youngest to win five majors: TSENG.

8. It's known for lines, briefly: DMV. Department of Motor Vehicles. True story.

9. Fork locale: ROAD. The proverbial fork in the road.

10. Steel guitar device: EXPRESSION PEDAL.

11. Dakota tribe: SIOUX. The Sioux Name and Dialects.

12. Suit material: SERGE.

14. Postgame griper: SORE LOSER.

19. It may be pitched: ROOF.

21. ProvenÁal pal: AMI.

25. Dog in the comics: ODIE.

26. Raises: REARS.

27. Half-moon tide: NEAP.

31. Telescope toter: STAR GAZER. My favorite astrophysicist. Love the nod to Carl Sagan's pale blue dot at 2:18.

 

32. Come clean, with "up": OWN.

33. __-crab soup: SHE. Made with lump crabmeat and crab roe.

35. Commonly injured ligament for NFLers: MCL. A sprain or tear to the medial collateral ligament - which is a band of tissue on the inside of the knee that connects the thigh bone to the lower leg. The MCL keeps the knee from bending inward.

 
36. Riyadh native: SAUDI.

38. Freudian focus: EGO. Sigmund Freud's Id, Ego, and Superego.

39. Carpenter __: ANT.

41. Singer Collins: PHIL.

42. TV's talking horse: MR. ED.

47. "Don't be silly!": PISH.

49. Brewpub initials: IPA. India Pale Ale. 11 Questions about IPA You're Too Embarrassed to Ask, Answered.

50. They're taken on stands: OATHS.

51. Daytime TV mogul: OPRAH.

53. Knight adventure: QUEST.

54. MSG flavor: UMAMI.

55. "Get Out" actress Alexander: ERIKA. Greta in A Nightmare on Elm Street 5.

56. Like books on goodreads.com: RATED. Meet Your Next Favorite Book.

58. Very serious indeed: DIRE.

62. Drug whose effects are similar to psilocybin: LSD. Where I Stand on Magic Mushrooms by Michael Pollan.

63. July 4th letdown: DUD.

64. Pigs' digs: STY.

Friday, September 3, 2021, August Miller

Theme: 49-Across. Epitome of anxiety ... or what's hidden in three puzzle answers?: NERVOUS WRECK

Hey there Cornerites! It is I, Chairman Moe, back as promised! It's September and I and my better half Margaret are back from a long and deserved vacation. 5,678 miles covered, all by car; 21 states visited; quality time spent with both family and friends after missing this in 2020 . . . I could go on, but I have a crossword puzzle to blog! And don't think that I wasn't a NERVOUS WRECK wondering if I still have the ability to parse puzzles after taking such a lengthy hiatus! So how fitting that I got this appropriately clever theme to solve, courtesy of our constructor du jour, August Miller. August now has four LA Times puzzles to their credit, two of which appeared on a Friday. Let's see how they caused my anxiety:

20-Across. 2013 Mark Wahlberg war film: LONE SURVIVOR. As you'll see when the grid is printed, the word "NERVOUS" is scrambled - or "wrecked" - within the contents of the answer. Lone Survivor was a biographical war film based on the eponymous 2007 nonfiction book by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson. Set during the war in Afghanistan, it dramatizes the unsuccessful United States Navy SEALs counter-insurgent mission Operation Red Wings, during which a four-man SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team was given the task of tracking down the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. The film was written and directed by Peter Berg and stars Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, and Eric Bana. See the trailer below:

28-Across. Warning on some serving containers: NOT FOR OVEN USE. Many pre-packaged food containers are solely meant for use in a Microwave and not a conventional oven, and vice versa. But then again, many packages come with labeling that imply they're impervious to ANYTHING!!:

42. 1960 Melina Mercouri rom-com: NEVER ON SUNDAY. According to Wikipedia, the plot of this movie was that Ilya, a self-employed, free-spirited prostitute (played by Melina Mercouri) who lives in the port of Piraeus in Greece, meets Homer, an American tourist and classical scholar who is enamored of all things Greek. Homer feels Ilya's lifestyle typifies the degradation of Greek classical culture, and attempts to steer her onto the path of morality, while, at the same time, Ilya attempts to loosen Homer up. I kind of recall this, but I was only 7 years old at the time ... I do remember the Academy Award winning song, though; do you? Listen:

The grid:

Across:

1. Wind instrument's flared end: BELL. See below:

5. Asian noodle: UDON, and 19. Evening course for many college students: RAMEN. Not exactly a clecho, but close

9. "As if!": PSHAW. DRATS fit, too . . .

14. Smoothie ingredient: ACAI. ACAI is now officially "crosswordese"

15. Endangered Pacific bird: NENE. The State Bird of Hawai'i

16. Big name in games: ATARI. Another "crossword" staple

17. You might take a day trip on one: WHIM. After a month on the road, Margaret and I have NOT had a WHIM to take a day trip; although, the triple-digit temp's here in our part of AZ have made us itchy to find cooler weather. We can drive about 2 hours north and find respite

18. Suffragist Carrie Chapman __: CATT. All perps. I was not familiar with this suffragist

23. Comb: SIFT. Very useful when emptying the litter box

24. NBA player since 2013: PELICAN. Their history as a franchise

30. Previously owned: HAD. A lengthy clue for a 3-letter word

31. Great Plains tribe: OTOE. More crosswordese

32. Homeland Security org.: TSA. Transportation Security Administration; formed in November 2001 about 2 months after 9/11

33. Passed unremarkably: GOT A "C". I'm pretty sure that I had a few of these during my college years (1970-1974), and my 2.0+ GPA enabled me to keep my 2-S status during the Vietnam War

35. Info on rap sheets: M.O.'S. Short for "mo·dus op·e·ran·di", or the way a criminal "operates", in this case

36. Not hiding much: SHEER. "Oh, Moe! Please don't show us anything too revealing!!" OK

38. Prefix with -logue: EPI. Did anyone else pencil in "DIA" first? I did

39. Minimal, with "of": A BIT. As in a direction to a barber, perhaps . . . "Just A BIT off the top and sides, please"

41. Proposal amt.: EST. Short for "estimate"

47. Long Island university: ADELPHI. HOFSTRA also fit but proved incorrect

48. Coat for Santa?: SOOT. Cute clue! A quote from "A Visit from Saint Nicholas": "He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and SOOT"

54. Bishop in "Alien" films, for short: DROID. Lance Henriksen

57. Pokémon species whose final form is Alakazam: ABRA. Or, the beginning of a magician's chant: ABRA cadabra

58. "Fancy seeing you here!": OH HI. Maybe what some of you said when you saw C-Moe doing the recap today?

59. "TODAY with Hoda & __": JENNA. Twin daughter of George and Laura Bush

60. Winter air?: NOEL. "Air" as in song

61. Slinky, e.g.: COIL. Having a set of stairs made this toy so much more fun to play with

62. With "over," request for room: SCOOT.

63. Spanish muralist: SERT. This guy from Barcelona:

64. Skater Michelle: KWAN. This gal:

Down:
1. Cry out loud: BAWL.

2. Call back?: ECHO.

3. Stretched out: LAIN. "LAID" fit, but then again, it doesn't for this clue!

4. Citrus soft drink: LIME SODA. Not my favorite clue and answer; not sure that I ever drank a LIME SODA. LEMON-LIME SODA, yes. It's called; "7-Up"

5. Free from shackles: UNCUFF. I tried UNLOCK at first . . .

6. Treasured by: DEAR TO. August Miller used several two-word answers in the fill of this puzzle

7. Airing: ON TV. See the recap of 6-Down

8. Sinus-clearing aids: NETI POTS. According to the Mayo Clinic, A NETI POT is a container designed to rinse debris or mucus from your nasal cavity. You might use a neti pot to treat symptoms of nasal allergies, sinus problems or colds. If you choose to make your own saltwater solution, it's important to use bottled water that has been distilled or sterilized. Delightful!

9. Some former inmates: PAROLEES. I just recently saw that Sirhan Sirhan was granted PAROLE for his assassination of Robert Kennedy . . . or is that comment too political?

10. Lead the cast of: STAR IN. See the recap of 6-Down

11. Omelet choice: HAM. My "go to" omelet choice is mushroom, spinach, and black beans

12. "__ you serious?": ARE. See 11-Down. Yes!

13. Succeed: WIN. Do you think it's a WIN when you solve a Friday puzzzle with no cheats?

21. Command before "Stay," maybe: SIT.

22. Video hosting service with a big YouTube presence: VEVO. In case you wondered, VEVO connects artists with their audience globally via music videos and original content, working directly with them to find unique ways to bring their music to life. Vevo also works with emerging artists, providing them with a platform of global scale and reach, to find and grow their audience

25. Too adorable: CUTESY. My grandson fits this clue, as I'm sure yours does, too!

26. It's a plus: ASSET. A "minus" is called a DEBIT

27. Approaching: NEAR. We are NEARing the end of the blog

28. __ lands: NATIVE. We saw many NATIVE land areas on our trip; sadly, many have added casinos and hotels to their lands, but they do provide both revenue and employment

29. Turnips, say: ROOTS. As in "ROOT" vegetables

30. Was optimistic: HOPED. I HOPED I would be done by now!

33. Actress Rowlands: GENA. The "1968" version

34. Complained about: CARPED AT.

35. Common sights at kids' soccer games: MINIVANS. LOUD MOMS fit, too!!

37. Pet lizard's basking spot: HEAT ROCK. Huh?! This one stumped C Moe I'm afraid. I tried HEAT RACK at first, but neither one seemed "correct". Did anyone else have a problem with this?

40. Nobelist Niels: BOHR. Atomic structure and nuclear physics is BOHRing . . .

43. Weather-affecting current: EL NIñO. EL NIñO weather currents spawn hurricanes, methinks

44. Kind of shark: USURER. Mako? Great White? Nurse? Hammerhead? Oh! THAT kind of "shark"! As in a "loan shark" who charges exorbitant interest rates

45. Margarita order: NO SALT. Ordering a Margarita with NO SALT would be like Tinbeni ordering a Scotch "on the rocks"!

46. Notable index, with "the": DOW. The DOW Jones Industrial Average is the barometer for the "health" of investments. It has set many new "highs" over the past decade

50. It's found among the reeds: OBOE. Cute clue! An OBOE is a double-reed instrument, and is the one that sets the pitch for the orchestra. Playing an "A"

51. Site for DIYers: eHOW. eHow is an online how-to guide with many articles and 170,000 videos offering step-by-step instructions. eHow articles and videos are created by freelancers and cover a wide variety of topics organized into a hierarchy of categories. Wikipedia

52. Trendy smoothie seed: CHIA. And I just thought they were pets!

53. Pottery basic: KILN. CLAY was my first answer, but a KILN is used to "fire" the CLAY and make it a pot

54. Supplies the tunes, briefly: D.J.'S. Short for Disc Jockey'S

55. "Parks and __": REC. Parks and RECreation is an American political satire mockumentary sitcom television series created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur

56. Artist Yoko: ONO. And we end with another Crossword staple proper name

Well, this was fun! And I wasn't as much a NERVOUS WRECK as I thought! Thanks again to desper-otto for filling in for me while on vacation! Please add your comments below!