Thursday, February 15, 2024, Billy Ouska

 

Today's constructor Billy Ouska's last visit to the Corner was on January 22, 2024 blogged by sumdaze.   Today he's here to fill us in on that ever popular topic, the vicissitudes of FATE (today's Latin lesson) ...

 O Fortuna!
Lyrics

(which didn't work out too well for Prometheus!)

And just like one hit wonder Carl Orff's  secular cantata Carmina Burana, Billy's puzzle is all about ...

60. Reversal in luck, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues: CHANGE OF FORTUNE.  I'm sure that some in our community will be delighted that Billy doesn't circle around his fill, but gets right to the point (which I've decided to do today 😀) ...

17. *Critical juncture: POINT OF NO RETURN.  In Prometheus' case it was after he had defied the gods and had given FIRE to humanity ...

27. *Record: CAPTURE ON FILM.  No one was around to capture his defiance on film, but Orff later captured it in music.

46. *Online discussion site: INTERNET FORUM.  Ours will begin immediately after (*the trailer to) this review.

Here's the grid ...
 

Here's the rest ...

Across:
1. Surge of adrenaline: RUSH.   If you really want to get your hormones up, try a little of Rush's Fly By Night (and a CSO to Tony for all of his help when I was away) ...  

Click CC for lyrics

5. Regent's order: EDICT.

10. Mil. branch with wings: USAF.  The United States Air Force.  See also 22A.

14. Tactical political research, for short: OPPO.  Prepare yourself for a blitz of it this year.

15. Birthplace of pesto: GENOA.  Also the birthplace of GENOA salami ...

16. Issue at the ATM: NOTE.

17. [Theme clue]

20. [New paragraph]: ENTER.

21. "Handling that now!": I'M ON IT.  This review.

22. Take to the sky: SOAR.  Fly like an eagle ...

25. Friend __ friend: OF A.  Is the enemy of my enemy my friend?

26. Midnight to midnight: DAY.  1440 is the number of minutes in a DAY; the approximate year that the printing press was invented; and a daily news site:  here's what they have to say today.

27. [Theme clue]

32. Not just some: ALL.

33. Kitchen scale button: TARE.  A TARE button zeros the scale to compensate for the weight of any containers used to weigh ingredients in.   When weighing ceramic glaze ingredients I use a triple-beam balance with a sliding TARE weight on a separate beam to compensate for container weights.

34. Frangipani garlands: LEIS.

Aloha!

36. Water taxi: BOAT.

38. Longtime "One Life to Live" actress Renée __ Goldsberry: ELISE. In addition to starring as Evangeline Williamson in One Life to Live,  Renée Elise Goldsberry (born January 2, 1971) also created the role  Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway musical Hamilton, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Renée Elise Goldsberry

40. Red sign above a door: EXIT.

42. Mantis quintet: EYES.   Six astonishing facts about the Praying Mantis.

Praying Mantis
The three additional eyes are tiny and
are in the center behind its tentacles

44. Literary magazine contributor, perhaps: POET.  As this is the 400th Anniversary of  the printing of Shakespeare's First Folio I think one of his sonnets would be appropriate.

45. Status update fig.: ETA.

46. [Theme clue]

50. Fellow: MAN.

52. Tres menos dos: UNO.

53. As appropriate: DULY.   I guess appropriately is close enough ...

54. Garden container?: EDGING.

56. Isaac of "Dune": OSCAR.    Here's a father son talk between Duke Leto Atreides (Isaac) and his son Paul (Timothée Chalamet).  Dune Part 2 will be upon us soon.  I wonder if OSCAR will get an Oscar?

60. [Theme reveal]

65. Show up: COME.

66. Record company: LABEL.

67. God who took a bow: EROS.  His darts can be painful and sometimes even fatal.

68. Half of all blackjacks: ACES.

69. Did half of a biathlon: SKIED.

70. "Seasons of Love" musical: RENT.  Here it is ...

Down:

1. Tire swing line: ROPE.

2. Right after: UPON.

3. Doner kebab rod: SPIT.  Doner kebab is a dish of Turkish origin made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Seasoned meat stacked in the shape of an inverted cone is turned slowly on the rotisserie, next to a vertical cooking element. The operator uses a knife to slice thin shavings from the outer layer of the meat as it cooks. The vertical rotisserie was invented in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire,  I guess it saves counter space in small kitchens ...

Doner Kebab
meat cooking on a vertical rotisserie

4. "No fooling!": HONEST.

5. Boosting target: EGO.

6. Dict. entry: DEF.

7. Airbnb alternative: INN.

8. Soft murmur: COO.

9. Trade hindrance: TARIFF.  A TARIFF is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods.

10. Biblical preposition: UNTO.

11. Audio engineer's equipment: SOUND MIXER.  A SOUND MIXER, AKA a SOUND BOARD takes multiple input signals—such as microphones, instruments, iPods, DJ turntables, etc.—and merges them together so they can be sent to speakers as one signal.

Sound Mixer

12. Heart duo: ATRIA.  The atrium (plural ATRIA) is one of the two upper chambers in the heart that receives blood from the circulatory system. The blood in the atria is pumped into the heart ventricles through the atrioventricular mitral and tricuspid heart valves.

13. Rihanna's fashion brand: FENTY.  Fenty Beauty  is a cosmetics brand by Rihanna, that was launched on September 8, 2017. Popular for its broad inclusivity across various skin tones, its Pro Filt'R foundation became high-demand upon first release. The original foundation launch included 40 shades, and has since expanded to 50. The inclusion of Fenty Beauty concealer includes 50 shades, offering a wide variety for all skin types.

18. Slangy britches: TROU.  "Cut offs"?

19. "Inbox zero" killer: EMAIL.  Inbox Zero is a rigorous approach to email management that aims to keep an inbox empty -- or almost empty -- at all times.  Digital OCD?
 
23. Collezione della galleria: ARTE.  Today's Italian lesson.  No English or French ART allowed.

24. Expert: REAL PRO.

25. Top rank in a tournament: ONE SEED.

27. __ franc: CAB.  Cabernet Franc is a grape varietal blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to make Bordeaux wines.

28. Plant with lace and soap varieties: ALOE.  Soothe your aches and take a bath at the same time.

29. Qualifying contest, perhaps: PLAY-IN GAME.  A play-in game is a game, usually played at the beginning of a tournament or just prior to the tournament depending on how the tournament is defined. In a play-in, the lowest qualifiers and/or participants who have earned conditional qualification compete for qualification to the main portion of the tournament.

30. Star-studded hunter: ORION.

31. Name sewn onto some jeans pockets: LEE.

35. In __: unmoved: SITU.  In SITU (Latin) is a phrase that translates literally to "on site" or "in position."  It can mean "locally", "on site", "on the premises", or "in place" depending on a wide variety of contexts.  My father, who was a carpenter, used to build cabinets, counters, and benches "in situ" (not his term for it) -- nowadays they're brought in prefabbed and then installed.  In fact today whole houses are prefabbed, trucked in, and assembled on site --  or even 3D printed! ...

Ugh!

37. Number of Canadian provinces: TEN.  A CSO to CanadianEh!  IIRC she lives in Ontario.

39. Caesar's rebuke: ET TU.  I think this is a myth.  Can you imagine Crossword puzzles using Roman numerals? 😁

41. Edinburgh topper: TAM.  This one's for you Lucina!

Scottish Tam

43. Wounded by a jellyfish: STUNG.

47. Marx collaborator: ENGELS.  Friedrich Engels (8 November 1820 – 5 August 1895) was a German philosopher, political theorist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He was also a businessman and Karl Marx's closest friend and collaborator.  It turns out that Engels continued to work in his Father's cotton business throughout his life and used a lot of his money to support Marx -- but then they do say that "the ends justify the means".

Friedrich Engels

48. __ de Mayo: Christmas orchid: FLOR.  There are several "Christmas Orchids", but Billy apparently wanted this one, Cattleya trianae

Flor de Mayo

49. Raw bar offering: OYSTER.  My favorite bivalve.  Chesapeake Bay sushi!

50. Muslim holy site: MECCA.  Mecca  is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia and the holiest city in Islam.  Mecca is revered in Islam as the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.  Visiting Mecca for the Ḥajj at least once is an obligation upon all able Muslims.

The Kaaba during the Hajj

51. __ committee: AD HOC.  Latin: "for this".  An AD HOC committee is formed for a specific purpose and upon completion of its mission is disbanded.

55. Spanish model Sastre: INES.  Inés Sastre Morató (born 21 November 1973) is a Spanish model and actress.  She studied at The Sorbonne in Paris, and in addition to Spanish, she speaks French, English and Italian fluently. In 1996, Sastre succeeded Isabella Rossellini as Lancôme's spokes model for its perfume, Trésor.

Ines Sastre

57. Medical research objective: CURE.

58. Quote book abbr.: ANON.

59. Have a nap: REST.

61. Tree on the Connecticut quarter: OAK.   The story of the Charter Oak.

25 cents

62. CBS crime drama: FBI. 

63. Service charge: FEE.

64. Played out: OLD.  This review is almost played out.

Cheers,
Bill

And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.

waseeley

*Bonus trailer:  This is a short romantic comedy called Crossword (13 minutes).  We are certain you will love it!

Monday January 22, 2024 Billy Ouska

  

Theme:                A Rough Translation

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. I hope you got off on the right foot and did not stumble on this one!

I searched The Corner and found this Tuesday, April 19, 2022 puzzle by today's constructor, Billy Ouska. It's nice to see him back with a Monday challenge. He delivered three themed clues and a reveal tucked into the SE corner. A less crowded field allowed room for some longer, fun fills. Sussing those out was my favorite part of this puzzle.

The themed clues are:

17 Across. Artistic gymnastics event: UNEVEN BARS.  

I've always been impressed by this skill!

24 Across. Campy musical comedy starring Tim Curry, to fans: ROCKY HORROR.  

This is Tim Curry, in character and in life.
He played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in both stage and film versions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

47 Across. Cocktails with peach schnapps and orange juice: FUZZY NAVELS.  

FUZZY was a nice add to Billy's list of synonyms for ROUGH. It made me think of leather. Only one side is smooth. The ROUGH side is what we call suede. A saddle with the suede side showing is called a "roughout" saddle.  

Here's a FUZZY-skinned peach slice garnish for your FUZZY NAVEL.

 

And the reveal:

57 Across. Inauspicious beginning, or a feature of 17-, 24, and 47-Across: ROUGH START.

UNEVEN BARS, ROCKY HORROR, and FUZZY NAVEL all START with a synonym for the word ROUGH.

Let's keep going. The terrain can be uneven so watch your step!

Across:
1. Raised, as horses: BRED.

5. Dust-ups: TIFFS.  I was not familiar with this phrase. They can be arguments or a scuffles.  

10. Rights org. with a Smart Justice campaign: ACLU.  "Organization" is abbreviated, so is American Civil Liberties Union.

14. Lyft alternative: TAXI.  UBER also has four letters.

15. Former Chinese premier Zhou __: ENLAI.  (1898 - 1976) He was a leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and also the premier of the People's Republic of China from 1949 until his death.  

Many say his 1972 meeting with Nixon was a game-changer.
(I wrote this Saturday night so 112-D in yesterday's puzzle was a gimme.)

16. Shoe with little to no heel: FLAT.  

I am wondering if any of the guys had trouble with this one. It's a no-brainer for women.

19. Sample: TEST.  

20. Miatas and CX-5s: MAZDAS.  Mazda Motor Company's headquarters are near Hiroshima, Japan.  

21. Fluff, as hair: TEASE.  Here is a 1:46 min. How-To video:  

22. Cough syrup dosage unit, maybe: CAP.  

This brand's lid (CAP) doubles as a cup for administering the dosage.
I had this in mind when I entered CuP before CAP.

27. Have a higher position than: OUTRANK.  This was the theme of last Wednesday's puzzle.  

29. Geologic span: EON.     and     42 Down. Historic spans: AGES.

30. "Garfield" dog: ODIE.

31. Place to observe undercover activity?: SLEEPLAB.  Polysomnography, known as a sleep study, is a test used to diagnose sleep disorders. Polysomnography records your brain waves, the oxygen level in your blood, your heart rate, and breathing during sleep. It also measures eye and leg movements. Has anyone here done one?

36. Safari park roarer: LION.  

37. Rolled sandwiches: WRAPS.  If you are wondering which is the healthier choice, sandwiches or WRAPS, you might want to read this article.

39. Prefix with space: AERO-.  

40. First picture in a baby book, perhaps: SONOGRAM.  Often the terms SONOGRAM and ultrasound are used interchangeably; however, there is a difference. An ultrasound is a tool used to take a picture and a SONOGRAM is the picture that the ultrasound generates.  

43. Slangy about-face: U-EY.  U-Turn. Well mates, from what I can tell, this seems to be more of an Aussie spelling.

44. Voice range of many a 4-Down: SOPRANO.     and     4 Down. Opera star: DIVA.  

Metropolitan Opera SOPRANO, Maureen McKay  (3 min.)

I do not know what she is singing about but her voice is beautiful

and it makes me feel a melancholy for something just out of reach.

52. Far from strict: LAX.  Def.:  not sufficiently strict, severe, or careful.

53. Ram of horoscopes: ARIES.  Those born March 21 - April 19.

54. Make a priest, say: ORDAIN.  confer Holy Orders on

56. Mario Kart units: LAPS.  I had the luxury of remembering this from a previous puzzle I blogged. 

61. Narrow opening: SLIT.  Or SLoT? The definitions for slot seem more focused on a SLIT designed for something to be inserted into it.

62. Like agts. who no longer work for "the company": EX-CIA.  "The company" is a nickname for the CIA.

63. Outback birds: EMUS.  EMUS have a reputation for being very dangerous; but in actuality, there are no confirmed cases of an EMU directly killing a human. (Of course it would be foolish to threaten or provoke one!)  Read more here.

64. " Cómo __ usted?": ESTÁ.  A polite way of asking "How are you?" in Spanish.

65. "Stunning!": SO HOT.  HOT has been slang for "attractive" for many years now. SO HOT, meaning more than attractive is a step up from that.

a stunning sunset
(Both sunsets and suns are SO HOT.)

66. Far from bold: MEEK.  

Down:
1. AC meas.: BTU.  

2. Made a break for it: RAN.  Made and RAN are both past tense.

3. Freedom from an obligation: EXEMPTION.  Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2016, your federal tax return no longer counts up how many EXEMPTIONs you have -- but your State return might.

5. Hamstring, for one: TENDON.  

Try this stretch for tight hamstrings.
Notice that she is reaching her chin towards her toes as opposed to her nose to her knee.

6. Place for a passenger: IN BACK.  I cannot wait for driverless cars so I can ride as a passenger IN the BACK seat.

7. Chem lab vessel: FLASK.  

8. Not within walking distance: FAR.

9. Female sib: SIS.  

Click to expand.

10. Trying to find: AFTER.  as in "they're only after a good time"

11. Wipe away: CLEAR.

12. Rodeo rope: LASSO.

13. Give voice to: UTTER.

18. Old Testament book before Nehemiah: EZRA.

Also, Better Than Ezra is an American rock band based in New Orleans. Their name comes from an Ernest Hemmingway book, A Moveable Feast, "Anything was better than Ezra learning to play the bassoon," referring to Ezra Pound. Here is the song Good off of their debut album.  

Who knew FFA jackets were cool?

21. Vocal quality: TONE.     and     23 Down. Broadcast's sound component: AUDIO.

22. Goes from hot to warm: COOLS.  Obviously!  😜

25. App with reviews: YELP.  Years ago, before YELP and smartphones, a friend and I were the unknowing beneficiaries of a big misunderstanding. We were at a restaurant. The soup was delicious so I pulled a pen and pad out of my backpack and started writing down what I thought the ingredients might be because I wanted to replicate it at home. I felt "caught" when the waitress approached unexpectedly so I tried to hide what I was writing. She must have thought I was secretly reviewing the restaurant because after that she kept bringing us small bites that the "chef wanted us to try" and giving us way too much information on what we were eating. We finally figured out what was happening when she brought us a free dessert. Did we clear the air? No. It was too awkward. But we did leave a big tip!

26. Long-handled garden tools: HOES.

28. Nevada city near Lake Tahoe: RENO.  

That's a climbing wall in the NW.

31. Actor Rockwell: SAM.  

Here he is with Saoirse Ronan in See How They Run (2022).

32. Pioneering late-night host Jack: PAAR.  I always forget...two As or two Rs?

33. Passport info: LEGAL NAME.

34. Big venue: ARENA.

35. Fenway Park team, casually: BO SOX.  Do people say this?

37. Small, chirpy bird: WREN.  In proportion to its size and weight, the call of the Winter Wren is ten times louder than that of a crowing rooster. "Chirpy", indeed.

38. Disney's "__ and the Last Dragon": RAYA.  This movie was released in 2021, making XWD constructors everywhere very happy. Here's the trailer:  

41. "__ Grocery Games": Food Network series also called "Triple G": GUY'S.  It stars Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives fame.

44. Spanish golfer Garcia who won the 2017 Masters Tournament: SERGIO.

45. No longer in style: OLD HAT.  

Ah, but wouldn't it be lovely if they were still in style?
(cartwheel hat, 1948)

46. Educational TV ads: PSAS.  Public Service Announcements

Please see mine below.

47. Untrue: FALSE.  

Linus goes for the meta approach.

48. Range between Europe and Asia: URALS.  

49. "Quiet, you!": ZIP IT.  

50. Brand of saltine crackers: ZESTA.  

51. Go to bat (for): VOUCH.  Def.:  to be able from your knowledge or experience to say that something is true.

55. Celebrity couple: ITEM.  Here is People Magazine's list of the top 10 celebrity couples at this year's Golden Globes. Bennifer is #2 so I guess there is some stability in the universe.

57. Hi-__ image: RES.

58. Good Grips brand: OXO.  

I use a lot of these OXO containers.

59. Feel shame about: RUE.  A cringe attack is the sudden, intense feelings of embarrassment, shame, or awkwardness that flood over us when we recall past actions or events that we perceive as negative or humiliating. The experience is often accompanied by a mental replay of the incident, complete with vivid sensory and emotional details that can make the event feel as if it is happening in the present.

60. "For shame!": TSK.  

Time for the grid:

46-Down.  PSA

Cue my annual reminder....  Tax season in the U.S. is just around the corner. The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free tax help for taxpayers who qualify. This will be my 6th year as a VITA preparer. D-Otto volunteered for several years, too. If you know someone who needs assistance with filling out their forms, perhaps recommend they try VITA. We do both Federal and State income taxes. Certain complicated returns are out-of-scope. Use this link to find an IRS VITA location near you.

Have a good week, everyone!

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

Dear Agnes suggested that regulars designate someone to alert me (crosswordc@gmail.com) if you just can't be on the blog for sometime for whatever reason. We're a close community, we care very much one another's well-being. I know first-hand how important your cards and emails meant for Boomer and me in his fight against cancer. We want to provide the same support to all our regulars.