Wednesday, February 19, 2025 Brian Callahan

Theme: Dorothy was FLAT OUT WRONG!  There are lots of places like home.

17 A. *Completely and utterly incorrect: FLAT OUT WRONG.  Like the beliefs of flat earthers, I suppose.  A FLAT is also an apartment.  This is more common in British than in American usage, I think.

24 A. *Cheat sheets: CRIB NOTES.  Written notes used as an aid in "remembering' things, sometimes used to cheat on a test.  I vaguely remember a prof allowing us to have a crib sheet in a physics test once upon a time.  I had to google to learn that CRIB could also be ones house of apartment.  I don't recall ever seeing or hearing it use in this way.   Then, within a couple of hours of typing this, I did see it.  Irony strikes again.

 35 A. *Tries to uncover old scandals, say: DIGS UP DIRT.  Searches for negative information in order to damage someone's reputation, or influence public opinion. DIGS also refers to a person's place of residence.

47 A. *Thai dish also called "drunken noodles": PAD KEE MAO.  This is a Thai stir-fried noodle dish.  Anecdotally, its name refers to it being popular among the inebriated; alcohol is not part of the ingredients or preparation.  PAD also refers to someone's home. 

And the unifier -- 56 A. Change for a dollar, and what can be found at the starts of the answers to the starred clues: FOUR QUARTERS.   QUARTERS refers to  rooms or lodgings, especially those allocated to people in military or domestic service.   

So, my homies, the four stared clues all indicate someone's living QUARTERS.  I'd give 25 pennies for your thoughts.

Hi Gang -- Jazzbumpa here, reporting from the cozy comfort of my own living quarters.  We've had lots of cold and snow, so I'm happy to not be anywhere else

Across:

1. Reading while propped up by pillows, say: ABED.  Getting comfy in the coziest part of one's quarters.

5. Peach __: MELBA.   A dessert of peaches and raspberry sauce with vanilla ice cream. It was invented in 1892 or 1893 by the French chef Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy Hotel, London, to honor the Australian soprano Nellie Melba.

10. Casual greetings: HIs.   Hi, and Hi again.  I'm not fond of this.  It's a tortured plural you are very unlikely to ever see or hear in the real world.  And it is spelt like the singular male possessive pronoun.

13. Black bird: RAVEN.  Any large black bird, of which the RAVEN is one example.

15. "It's our time to shine!": WE'RE ON.  It's our turn to perform or present something.

16. German cry: ACH.   An exclamation or interjection. It is similar to the English “Oh.” 

19. Quilting party: BEE.  A gathering of people for a specific purpose

20. Texas city that forms the Petroplex with Midland: ODESSA.   Odessa is a city in western Texas. Downtown, Jack Ben Rabbit is an 8-foot-tall statue of a jackrabbit. Another 37 Jamboree Jackrabbits dot the city. The Presidential Archives and Leadership Library exhibits presidential memorabilia. The University of Texas of the Permian Basin's Stonehenge is a replica of the famous English site. To the southwest, meteorite fragments are on display at the Odessa Meteor Crater.  

21. Activist Yoko: ONO.   Yoko Ono is a Japanese multimedia artist, musician, singer, author, filmmaker, and peace activist. A pioneer of conceptual and participatory art in the 1960s, her work is known for its political messages, feminist themes, and audience participation.

22. Venue: SITE.  A specific location for an event or meeting.

23. Worldwide social welfare org.: UNICEF.   Originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide.

26. Lease: RENT.   Pay someone for the use of (something, typically property, land, or a car).  A lease is a legal contract regarding the details of a rental agreement.

27. Meadow: LEA.   An open area of grassy or arable land.

29. Expression of awe: OOH - AAH.  An informal idiom that means to express pleasure, surprise, or both.

30. NFC East team, on scoreboards: NYG.  The New York Giants are an American Football team competing in the East Division of the National football Conference.

31. Pre-GPS navigation aid: AAA MAP.  A paper map obtained from the American Automobile Association

34. Rugrats: TOTS.  Very young children.  I fondly remember those days.  Most of our grands are adults now.

37. Wineglass part: STEM.  True story -- One time a few years ago we were eating at one of those small plate restaurants when the waitress accidentally dropped a utensil.  It hit my wine glass, breaking the bowl from the stem.  The bowl landed upright on the table and didn't spill a drop.  I felt like I witnessed a miracle.

39. Pricey property: ESTATE.  An extensive area of land in the country, usually with a large house, owned by one person, family, or organization.

40. Gas additive brand: STP.   STP® Gas Treatment claims to improve the quality of gas by adding powerful cleaning agents that help fight the accumulation of harmful deposits in the fuel system that can reduce performance.

43. Like meat rubs: SPICED.  Seasoned with various flavorful spices.

45. Air marshal's org.: TSA.   Transportation Security Administration, a US agency that protects the country's transportation systems. The TSA was created after the 9/11 attacks to prevent future attacks. 

46. Formal address: SIRE.  An archaic form of respectful address for someone of high social status, especially a king.

50. More svelte: LEANER.  More slender and elegant.

52. Midmonth time: IDES.   In the ancient Roman calendar, a day falling roughly in the middle of each month (the 15th day of March, May, July, and October, and the 13th of other months) from which other dates were calculated.

53. As well: TOO.  Also.

54. Groom-to-be: FIANCE.   A man to whom someone is engaged to be married.

55. Knock: RAP.  As knuckles on a door, to gain entrance.

59. "The Bear" Emmy winner Edebiri: AYO.  Ayo Edebiri [b. 1995] is an American actress, comedian, and television writer who has solidified her star status in recent years. Since 2022, she has played chef Sydney Adamu in the comedy-drama series The Bear, winning a Golden Globe Award for her performance.

60. "Sense and Sensibility" novelist Jane: AUSTEN.   Jane Austen [1775-1817] was an English novelist known for her six novels that critique and comment on the English landed gentry in the late 18th century. Her works are celebrated for their social commentary, particularly on class, status, and gender barriers. 

61. __ Lawrence College: SARAH.  Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York, United States. Founded as a women's college in 1926, Sarah Lawrence College has been coeducational since 1968. The college's campus in Yonkers maintains a Bronxville mailing address and sits roughly 20 miles from New York City.   Founder William van Duzer Lawrence named the college for his wife, who was a bog proponent of higher education for young women

My son went to Lawrence Technological University here in Michigan.  No relation.

62. Acid: LSD.  Lysergic acid diethylamide is a psychedelic drug that can cause hallucinations and alter thoughts and emotions. It's considered a soft drug, which means it's not thought to be as addictive as harder drugs. However, LSD is still considered unsafe. 

63. Dough: BREAD.  Synonyms for money.

64. Actor Rogen: SETH.   Seth Aaron Rogen (b.1982) is a Canadian actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Known primarily for his comedic leading man roles in films, the accolades he has received include nominations for three Golden Globe Awards, five Primetime Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Independent Spirit Award.

Down:

1. Sound in a vet's office: ARF.  Canine utterance.  Perhaps a reaction to a lab test.

2. "My eye!": BALONEY.  Expression of unbelief or disdain.  There are more colorful alternatives.

3. Ducking: EVADING.  Slipping away from, especially by cleverness or trickery,

4. Catch a hint of: DETECT.   Discover or identify the presence or existence of something.

5. Sound in a vet's office: MEW.   Feline utterance, and a clecho.  Perhaps a reaction to a cat scan.

6. Blunder: ERROR.  A blunder is a particularly dumb or careless mistake.

7. Téa of "Madam Secretary": LEONI.  Téa Leoni (b Elizabeth Téa Pantaleoni, 1966) is an American actress. In her early career, she starred in the television sitcoms Flying Blind (1992–93) and The Naked Truth (1995–1998). Her breakthrough role was in the 1995 action comedy film Bad Boys. Leoni had lead roles in films such as Deep Impact (1998), The Family Man (2000), Jurassic Park III (2001), Spanglish (2004), and Fun with Dick and Jane (2005). From 2014 to 2019, she starred as Elizabeth McCord, Secretary of State, in the CBS political drama series Madam Secretary.

8. Chimpanzee kin: BONOBO.   The bonobo (Pan paniscus) is a great ape that lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are endangered and have experienced a significant population decline in recent years.  Bonobos are distinguished from common chimpanzees by relatively long limbs, pinker lips, a darker face, a tail-tuft through adulthood, and parted, longer hair on their heads.

9. "Sense and Sensibility" director Lee: ANG.   Ang Lee OBS is a Taiwanese filmmaker. His films are known for their emotional charge and exploration of repressed, hidden emotions. During his career, he has received international critical and popular acclaim and numerous accolades including three Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards.

Since :Sense and Sensibility" is another clecho, here is a little bit about the movie based on the novel.  When Elinor Dashwood's (Emma Thompson) father dies, her family's finances are crippled. After the Dashwoods move to a cottage in Devonshire, Elinor's sister Marianne (Kate Winslet) is torn between the handsome John Willoughby (Greg Wise) and the older Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman). Meanwhile, Elinor's romantic hopes with Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant, aka "that annoying British guy") are hindered due to his prior engagement. Both Elinor and Marianne strive for love while the circumstances in their lives constantly change.  But, then, don't we all.

10. Savanna or steppe: HABITAT.   The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism, like the bonobo. 

11. Lipton offerings: ICE TEAS.   Drinks made by infusing the dried crushed leaves of the tea plant in boiling water, and then chilling.  Shall we revive the ice tea - iced tea controversy?  I vote no. 

12. "Puh-leeze": SHEESH.  Exclamations of disbelief or exasperation.

14. __ ring: NOSE.  A hooplike piece of jewelry worn on the nose, either through a pierced hole or held by a clasp.  

15. Aryna Sabalenka's org.: WTA.   Aryna Siarhiejeŭna Sabalenka (b. 1998) is a Belarusian professional tennis player. She is currently ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), and is a former world No. 1 in women's doubles. 

18. Pinned item on many a pol's lapel: US FLAG.

22. Übertrendy: SO HOT.  "Very trendy" or "extremely fashionable."   Some of us are too old to care.

23. Continental breakfast vessel: URN.   Coffee reservoir.

24. Literature Nobelist Albert: CAMUS.   Albert Camus(1913 – 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, journalist, world federalist, and political activist. He was the recipient of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His works include The Stranger, The Plague, The Myth of Sisyphus, The Fall and The Rebel.

25. __ Dame: NOTRE.   Notre-Dame de Paris, often referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, France. The cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.  Construction was started in 1163, and the opening was in 1345.

The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame) is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States.  Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Catholic religious order of priests and brothers, the main campus of 1,261 acres  has a suburban setting and contains landmarks such as the Golden Dome main building, Sacred Heart basilica, the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, the 134 foot tall Word of Life mosaic mural (nicknamed "Touchdown Jesus" because of the Christ figure's upraised arms), and Notre Dame Stadium.

28. Simplicity: EASE.   Simplicity is the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do.

31. Pop singer Mann: AIMEE.   Aimee Elizabeth Mann [b. 1960]  is an American singer-songwriter. Over the course of four decades, she has released ten studio albums as a solo artist. She is noted for her sardonic and literate lyrics about dark subjects, often describing lost or lonely underdog characters. 

From the comments under the Youtube vid, this song is deeply meaningful to some people who were struggling.

32. Likely will, with "is": APT TO.  Describing a presumed high probability expectation.

33. Old-school organizers, briefly: PDAs.  Personal Data Assistants. Now we can do it all with our phones.

35. Knocks to the canvas: DECKS.  Delivers a punch that knocks an opponent or adversary down.

36. Roma's land: ITALIA.  Both words rendered in their native language: Italiano.

37. Times for pampering: SPA DAYS.  A SPA DAY is a day of pampering and relaxation at a a commercial establishment offering health and beauty treatment through such means as steam baths, exercise equipment, and massage. It's a chance to escape daily stresses and rejuvenate. 

38. Procter & Gamble detergent pack: TIDE POD.   Tide PODS are laundry detergent pacs that contain detergent, stain remover, and color protector. They are designed to work in any washing machine, including high-efficiency machines. 

40. Genuine: SINCERE.   Free from pretense or deceit; proceeding from legitimate feelings.

41. Squirrel, in slang: TREE RAT.  "Tree rat" can refer to a number of rodents that live in trees, including roof rats, spiny rats, and other tree-dwelling rodents -or squirrels. 

42. Each: PER.  Relative to a single unit of something.

43. Feature of a well-thrown football: SPIRAL.  A ball thrown so that it rotates around its axis in flight. 

44. Way out of the way?: DETOUR.   Rerouted travel in order to avoid some obstacle or difficulty. 

46. Seasonal mall workers: SANTAS.  Don't fall for it,  they're impersonators.

48. Menu opener: MOUSE.  A computer accessory used to actuate applications and processes. 

49. Major artery: AORTA.    The main artery of the body, supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system. In humans it passes over the heart from the left ventricle and runs down in front of the backbone.

51. Corn units: EARS.  The spiked part of a corn plant that contains kernels.

54. Good times: FUN.   Enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure.

56. Terrif: FAB.  Slangy indications of fun or something of high quality.

57. Logician's letters: QED.   QED is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum, which means "what was to be demonstrated". It's used to indicate that a proof or argument is complete. 

58. [Finger on lips]: SHH.  A plea for silence.

So, on this quiet note we arrive at home.

If you recall from my blog last month, our 18-year-old granddaughter Emily was badly injured when the car she was riding in got struck broadside by a drunk driver on December 16.  She is still in the hospital, and has had some complications to deal with, but has made significant recovery.  She gets 3 hours of physical and occupational therapy every week day.  She was healed enough to stand up - with assistance - a few days ago, and can now pivot while standing.  We are very proud of her for the progress she's making and her determined efforts to fully recover.  This kid has a lot of grit.

Cool regards!

JzB

Monday January 6, 2025 Brian Callahan and Jess Shulman

  

Happy first Monday of 2025, everyone! sumdaze here. Brian Callahan has become a popular constructor on The Corner with six solo and five collaborations for the LAT since 2023.  Jess Shulman has two LAT Friday collaborations. It was fun to see them team up on today's puzzle.

I'm going to give it the same title Merle Haggard gave this 1977 song, 

The Running Kind

You may wonder what kind of running we talking about. A look at the three themers will answer that:

17 Across. *New job that's hardly a promotion: LATERAL MOVE.  

28 Across. *Honking collective: GAGGLE OF GEESE.  

45 Across. *Phenomenon of collective false memories: MANDELA EFFECT.  This one was an interesting learning moment for me. Paranormal researcher Fiona Broome named this phenomenon after discovering that she and others possessed strong, yet false, memories about the death of Nelson Mandela.  Britannica article  (See 52-Down.)

Then the unifier:

58 Across. Vice presidential hopeful, and what the first part of the answer to each starred clue can be: RUNNING MATE.

LATE, GAG, and MAN can all be MATEd to (joined with) the word RUNNING to form these in-the-language phrases:

• RUNNING LATE is to be behind schedule.
• A RUNNING GAG is a joke that is repeated several times (often with slight tweaks) throughout a performance or literary piece. (See 14-A & 40-A.)
• The RUNNING MAN is a 1982 Stephen King Novel set in a dystopian United States in the year 2025 (This year!) In 1987 a movie version was released starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

I liked how only a few letters were connected to the unifier. That helped the theme stay hidden until after I completed the grid.

Across:

1. Packs on muscle, with "up": BEEFS.  I quickly threw down BulkS. What is it D-Otto likes to say? I wonder if he made the same error.

6. Aspect: FACET.  

11. Q's keyboard neighbor: TAB.  computer keys

14. Super Breakout console: ATARI.  Super Breakout is the sequel to a 1976 video game -- but all I really needed was "console that begins with the letter 'A'".

15. "Fame" star Cara: IRENE.

16. Three, on a sundial: III.  Roman numerals (as seen in 21-A)

19. Awareness-raising TV spot: PSA. Public Service Announcement

20. "Anything __?": ELSE.

21. WWII soldiers: GIs.  

a WWII GI Joe toy

22. Big, big stars: IDOLS.  This NASA site will teach you about even bigger stars. 😀

24. "Mind. Blown.": WHOA.  

26. Pointy tooth: CANINE.

31. Axton of country music: HOYT.  (1938-1999) This is a 1 min. clip of Axton doing a guest appearance on WKRP Cincinnati:  

"It was Della and the dealer and a dog named Jake and a cat named Kalamazoo."

32. Pie __ mode: A LA.

33. Reader of a quick-start guide: USER.  Great clue! Most tech today comes with a quick-start guide and a website for more details. Gone are the days of thick USER manuals in eight languages.

34. Pair: DUO.

35. Sofía of "Modern Family": VERGARA.  I know who she is but always forget how she spells her last name.  

39. Consumes: HAS.     and     3-Down. Consumes: EATS.

...as in, "He HAS a sandwich for lunch every day."

40. Grocery chain with a Winking Owl wine brand: ALDI.   E&J Gallo produces ALDI's own, in-house brand labeled Winking Owl -- but all I really needed was "grocery chain that begins with the letter 'A'".  

42. Texting titter: LOL.  To titter is to laugh in a nervous, affected, or partly suppressed manner.

43. Future DA's exam: LSAT.  CSO to my big bro who is a definitely amazing District Attorney who passed the Law School Admission Test on his first try!

49. Led: HELMED.  "HEadED" almost fit. It took me a bit to let go of that one....

50. Constellation bear: URSA.

51. "Head over and take a look": GO SEE.

52. "Let You Love Me" singer Rita: ORA.  We often see this clue, OR A version of it, on Mondays.

53. __ prep: weekend activity for some home cooks: MEAL.  DH does this. Every Sunday he preps his lunches for the work week and puts them in containers, ready for the microwave.  

DH's lunches

57. Lip balm in egg-shaped containers: EOS.  

62. Spin bike meas.: RPM.  In Spin class, speed is measured in Revolutions Per Minute.

63. Name with Will and Frankie in sitcom titles: GRACE.  This clue refers to two separate sitcoms:  Will and GRACE (1998-2020) and GRACE and Frankie (2015-2022). It took a bit for the penny to drop because I am unfamiliar with the second show. I was trying to think of a show with Will & Frankie. I finally noticed that titles was plural.

64. Gnats, flies, etc.: PESTS.

65. WNW's opposite: ESE.  compass directions

66. "The Princess Bride" co-star Cary: ELWES.  I should have this name memorized by now but I am still working on it.

67. Spaces: AREAS.  ...as in, "Please clean up your work spaces."

Down:

1. Bundle of hay: BALE.  The woman in this video does a good job of showing how to use hay hooks to move a BALE of hay (1:38 min.). It's true, one of my best birthday presents ever was my very own set of hay hooks. 

2. Latin shorthand in a bibliography: ET AL.  It means et alia which translates to "and others". (See 31-D.)

4. Thoroughfare without tolls: FREEWAY.  I liked the without tolls clueing for FREEway.

You have likely heard that Californians use the word "the" before a FREEWAY name, as in "The 405". This is a Southern California thing. As a native Northern Californian, I can say the only people I know who speak that way are people who have spent time in Southern California. YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

5. Knight's title: SIR.  

6. Befitting an offspring: FILIAL.  Def.:  (adj.) having or assuming the relation of a child or offspring.

7. Upper limbs: ARMS.

8. Corp. leader: CEO.  Corporation and Chief Executive Officer

9. Pt. of SASE: ENV.  Self Addressed Stamped Envelope and ENVelope

10. Enraging, with "off": TEEING.  "Teed off" is an informal English expression to say one is angry. I always thought it was short for "Ticked off". I suppose one might say, "He is TEEING off the entire committee," but something feels off about this one.

11. Show respect, in a way: TIP ONE'S HAT.  If the clue said "Shows", we would answer TIPS ONE'S HAT.

12. Flight selection: AISLE SEAT.  This is my preference.  

13. Slant: BIAS.

18. Awestruck: AGOG.

23. French deity: DIEU.

25. "Love It or List It" channel: HGTV.  I like this show but I would like it more if they were not so adversarial.

26. Pepsi or Coke: COLA.

27. Way off: AFAR.

28. "Heavens to Betsy!": GOODNESS ME.  Both are quaint expressions of surprise or astonishment.

29. Bird on Mexico's flag: EAGLE.  

Mexico's national animal is the majestic golden eagle.

30. Triage ctrs.: ERS.  centers and emergency rooms

31. Toys to play around with?: HULA HOOPS.  This one is for the Cornerites who turned me on to Ted Lasso (Irish Miss, -T, ET AL.). I just finished Season 2 and am next in line for Season 3 at my library. I would not have known about this clip two weeks ago. It's the HULA HOOP scene from Season 2 with Coach Beard (Brenden Hunt) and girlfriend Jane Payne (1:40 min.):  

This episode was quite the outlier. I'm still processing it. Your thoughts?

34. Beaver's construction: DAM.

36. French fashion magazine: ELLE.  A print-version subscription for 2025 (10 issues) costs $25.

37. Map line: ROAD.

38. Some beers: ALES.

41. Not doing much: IDLE.

44. Con artist: SCAMMER.  This article from the FTC gives advice on recognizing phone scams. Another huge red flag is when someone tells you to not tell anyone about your conversation.

46. Come forth: EMERGE.

47. Greek goddesses of vengeance: FURIES.  ESP for me. "Nemesis" also comes up on a Google search but this clue specifies more than one goddess. more info.

48. Actress Drescher: FRAN.  (b. Sept. 30, 1957) In 2023, during the Hollywood writer's strike, we learned that this star of The Nanny (1993-1999) is the president of SAG-AFTRA.  

51. "Chicago" actor Richard: GERE.

52. In the past: ONCE.  Think, "I was a teenager ONCE." It is an interesting word because the clue, "In the future" works, too. Think, "ONCE you get to the stoplight, turn right."

Also, Once is a 2007 movie with an awesome soundtrack.  

If You Want Me  ~  Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard

Many people think they are a real-life couple, but they are not.

Perhaps this is an example of a 17-A  MANDELA EFFECT.

54. Simplicity: EASE.  "Simplicity" is also a brand of sewing patterns -- suggesting how EASy it can be to make your own clothes.  

55. "__ boy!": "Well done!": ATTA.

56. "More or __": LESS.  

59. Bookmarked link: URL.

60. "Yep" opposite: NAW.

61. Report card no.: GPA.  number and Grade Point Average

Today's grid:  

How did you do today? Did you run away with this one or did your luck run out?

Wednesday August 21, 2024 Brian Callahan and Will Eisenberg

 

Theme: Confused Dog Days of August.   The circled letters in each theme fill are a jumble of a type of terrier dog.  

Fortunately, not like this.

18 A. *Skeptical response to an ultimatum: OR ELSE WHAT.  Wadda ya gonna do about it?   The mixed up dog here is a WELSH terrier.

24 A. *Swashbuckling feline voiced by Antonio Banderas: PUSS IN BOOTS.  The original story is a European fairy tale about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand in marriage of a princess for his penniless and low-born master.  Now, this cat has gone to the dogs.  Or at least to a BOSTON terrier.

50 A. *Common side with chiles rellenos: SPANISH RICE.  A Mexican side dish made from white rice, tomato, garlic, onion, and perhaps other ingredients.   Under the table, hoping for scraps, is an IRISH terrier.

39 A. *"Absitively posolutely!": HECKYES.  Slangy and jumbled, but enthusiastic agreement.  And who could say no to a SKYE terrier?

And the unifier -- 59 A. Hybrid dog breed, literal examples of which can be found in the answers to the starred clues: TERRIER MIX.  A terrier mix is a dog that is a combination of a terrier-type dog and another breed. They can vary in size, color, and personality, and can make good companions for many lifestyles.  What kind of dogged determination did it take to find the fill for this puzzle?

Hi, Gang.  JazzBumpa here to walk us through this doggone fine puzzle, and not bark up any wrong trees along the way.  Nothing arf-way about it.  I've never had a dog, but every family in our next generation has has had a parade of them over the decades - mostly rescues.

Across:

1. Forecaster's tool?: ESP.  Extra Sensory Perception - a paranormal ability to perceive information outside of the five senses, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, or precognition.  Here, this is not a weather forecaster, as you might suspect, but somebody predicting the future

4. Sow's opposite: REAP.   Planting and harvesting.

8. Forecaster's tool: RADAR.  This clecho does refer to the weather.

13. Wong of "Beef": ALI.  Alexandra Dawn "Ali" Wong [b. 1982] is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer and director. She is best known for her Netflix stand-up specials Baby Cobra, Hard Knock Wife, and Don Wong.

14. Seal predator: ORCA.  The orca, or killer whale, is a toothed whale that is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. It is the only extant species in the genus Orcinus. Orcas are recognizable by their black-and-white patterned body.  They are the only predator feared by the great white shark.  All they want from the shark is it's liver.   

15. Lady Liberty's land, familiarly: US OF A.  United States of America.

16. Bay Area industry: TECH.   Computers, chips, software, and related items.

20. Unwilling to be swayed from: SET ON.  Bound and determined, as my mother used to say.

22. Driver's "Star Wars" role: REN.   The son of Han Solo and Princess Leia, Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, is a dark warrior strong with the Force. He commands First Order missions with a temper as fiery as his unconventional lightsaber. As a leader of the First Order and a student of Supreme Leader Snoke, he seeks to destroy the New Republic, the Resistance and the legacy of the Jedi.  If anyone is interested, here is my review of a movie he was in.

23. "Were your __ burning?": EARS.  'Cuz I was dissing you to your friends.

28. Retired Bing assistant: CORTANA.  Not Mr. Crosby's former butler, Cortana was a virtual assistant developed by Microsoft that used the Bing search engine to perform tasks such as setting reminders and answering questions for users. 

29. Shout to a diva: BRAVA.  A shout of approval, the female equivalent of "bravo."

32. Days before: EVES.  Especially of holidays or important events.

33. Vocal quality after a long speech, perhaps: RASP.   A rough, unpleasant sound due to vocal irritation.
  
36. Giving a good look: EYING.  Looking at or watching closely or with interest.  Ogling, perhaps.

38. Flanders who lives on Evergreen Terrace: NED.   Homer Simpson's neighbor.

41. Change one's tone?: DYE.  Tone here meaning color, as of hair or clothing.  Clever.

42. Innate characteristic: TRAIT.  A distinguishing quality or genetically determined characteristic.

44. Role: PART.   As in a stage or screen performance.

45. Nintendo rival: SEGA.   Video game consoles.

46. Electronic instrument, for short: SYNTHesizer -- An electronic machine for producing different sounds. Synthesizers are used as musical instruments, especially for copying the sounds of other instruments, and for copying speech sounds..

48. National Park vacation package, perhaps: ECOTOUR.  Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education

53. Burn treatment: ALOE.  Ointment made from the juice of Aloe vera -- a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world

56. Bushwacker liquor: RUM.   This does not refer to woodsmen skilled at surviving in the wilderness, nor to confederate guerrillas.  Instead, the bushwhacker is a complex cocktail with several and varied ingrediants, which might or might not include rum.

57. Skyscraper abundance: GLASS.    Because they often have a cladding system that covers the building's exterior by combining large windows and opaque panels to create the look of an uninterrupted glass surface. 

63. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.   When their kingdom becomes trapped in perpetual winter, fearless Anna (Kristen Bell) joins forces with mountaineer Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his reindeer sidekick to find Anna's sister, Snow Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), and break her icy spell.   One might argue which of these female siblings is the main character and which is the "sister."

64. Runs into: MEETS.  This refers to a chance encounter, rather than a planned meeting or a collision.

65. Click a floppy disk icon: SAVE.  The act of preserving data at a storage location, such the hard drive or a portable device.

66. Stocking stuffer?: LEG.  Usually this phrase refers to Christmas presents stuck in a decorated cloth tube hanging from the mantle.  But here it's a body part put into an article of clothing.

67. Tiny bit: SKOSH.   The word skosh comes from the Japanese word sukoshi, which is pronounced "skoh shee" and means "a tiny bit" or "a small amount." The Japanese word was shortened by U.S. servicemen stationed in Japan after World War II. 

68. "Grand" ice cream: EDYS.  A brand of ice cream from the American company Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream, Inc., which was founded in 1928 by William Dreyer and Joseph Edy. The brand is named after its founders and is sold in the Eastern and Midwestern United States under the Edy's name, and in the Western United States and Texas under the Dreyer's name.

69. U.S. ID issuer: SSA.  Social Security Administration.

Down:

1. Puts away: EATS.   Downs, ingests, devours.

2. Some tween parties: SLEEPOVERS.  An event involving an overnight stay at another's house.  

3. When school is full of posers?: PICTURE DAY.  The day when school pictures are taken.  Of course, the students all pose.  Clever.

4. Aussie hopper: ROO.  A kangaroo.   

Hop over here to learn more

5. Go astray: ERR.   Goof up.  In the New Testament the Greek word for sin is a term from archery that means "missing the mark."

6. Biting: ACERB.  Dry, sour or bitter.  I always want an -ic at the end.

7. Diet that avoids processed foods: PALEO.   An eating plan based on foods humans might have eaten during the Paleolithic Era. The Paleolithic Era dates from around 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. A modern paleo diet includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds.

8. Regret: RUE.   Bitterly regret what one had done.   Did the apprentice chef rue spoiling the roux?   

9. In a manner of speaking: AS WE SAY.  In a manner of speaking.

10. City whose name comes from the Arabic for "roundness": DOHA.   Doha is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the country's population.   It does have a sort of semi-circular layout.

11. Nowhere near: AFAR.  At a distance.

12. "Dagnabbit!": RATS.  Oh, phooey!

17. Slews: HOSTS.  Large quantities.

19. Craft beer aficionado, perhaps: SNOB.  A person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people.  I, for one, prefer Bell's Oberon to Budweiser.

21. Unit with a classified no. of employees: NSA.   The National Security Agency/Central Security Service, a US Department of Defense agency that is part of the US Intelligence Community. The NSA's mission is to protect US national security systems and information by collecting, processing, and sharing foreign electronic signals intelligence. They also work to prevent foreign adversaries from accessing classified national security information. 

25. Memo header: IN RE.   In re is a Latin phrase meaning “in the matter of.” The term “In re” is used in legal documents to refer to a case, particularly a case without an opposing party. 

26. Image Awards gp.: NAACP.  NAACP stands for National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. It is the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States, founded in 1909 by Black and white activists in New York City. The NAACP was created in response to the violence against Black Americans at the time.

27. Very, in Vichy: TRES.  

28. Minor change?: CENT.  Ha, ha.  One penny, rather than some slight modification.

30. What Zoomers are up to these days?: VIDEO CALLS.   Zoom is a proprietary videotelephony software program developed by Zoom Video Communications. The free plan allows up to 100 concurrent participants, with a 40-minute time restriction. 

31. "Who thinks they know the answer?": ANY GUESSES.  I had a few solving this puzzle.

34. Reel Big Fish genre: SKA.   A music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the off beat. Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album Turn the Radio Off.

35. Funeral piles: PYRES.   Heaps of wood for burning a dead body.

37. Camper's bagful: GEAR.   Equipment that is used for a particular purpose.

39. Address letters: HTTP.   For web addresses

40. __ A Sketch: ETCH.  A mechanical drawing toy operated by two knobs moving an enclosed stylus horizontally and vertically.  It always amazed me when someone could actuallly draw something with one.

43. Some orthotic devices: INSERTS.  Custom-made, removable, prescription medical devices that are worn inside shoes to help relieve pain and correct foot problems.   Not all shoe inserts are orthotics.

45. Subway spinner: STILE.  Short for turnstile, a post having arms which turn around that is set in an entrance or exit so that persons can pass through only on foot one by one.

47. Fabled braggart: HARE.  In his hubris, he lost the race with the tortoise. "The Tortoise and the Hare" is one of Aesop's Fables and is numbered 226 in the Perry Index. The account of a race between unequal partners has attracted conflicting interpretations. The fable itself is a variant of a common folktale theme in which ingenuity and trickery are employed to overcome a stronger opponent.

49. Assn.: ORG.  Association, organization.

51. Breastfeed: NURSE.  literal.

52. "So cheesed off!": I'M MAD.  An expression of anger.

53. Note givers: ATMS.  Automatic Teller Machines, notes in this case being paper currency.

54. Shallot relative: LEEK.  Both of these plants form edible bulbs that are used in cooking.  They are related to onoins.

55. McCafé frappé flavor: OREO.   A sweet, frozen coffee drink from McDonald's that blends vanilla Frappé base, ice, Oreo cookie pieces, and Cookies 'N Cream flavored syrup, and tops it with whipped cream and more Oreos

58. Overdrawn account?: SAGA.  Not related to bank overdrafts.  Instead, this clue isa pejorative descriptor of a long story.  

60. Thereabouts: -ISH.  A suffix that makes the modified noun less exact.

61. Wrigley Field plant: IVY.   Wrigley Field is a ballpark on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises.  Wrigley Field's features include its ivy-covered brick outfield wall, distinctive wind patterns off Lake Michigan, the red marquee over the main entrance, and the hand-turned scoreboard. 

62. Marks (out): XES.   Draws an X or a series of X's through something to indicate that it is incorrect or no longer wanted.

 That's it for this Wednesday.  See you in September.

Cool regards,

JzB

Monday, July 8, 2024 Brian Callahan and Amie Walker

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with our theme:  

Today we are back in the garden. (You might recall a tomato-themed puzzle from three weeks ago.) It is July now so more vegetables are ready for harvesting. Let's look for these plants in the four themers:

PEAs, YAMs, CORN, and KALE

17 Across. Anti-war demonstration: PEACE MARCH.  

25 Across. Talks incessantly: YAMMERS ON.  To YAMMER is to talk in an exhausting, tedious, and lengthy manner, especially about something trite or meaningless.  

51 Across. Local watering hole: CORNER BAR.

62 Across. "The Big Bang Theory" actress who voices Harley Quinn: KALEY CUOCO.  

Kaley played Penny on TBBT (2007-2019).
(Apparently her character did not have a last name
until she married Leonard Hofstadter.)
Harley Quinn is a DC Comics character.

The reveal is found center-grid:

38 Across. Person who doesn't eat meat, informally, and a feature of 17-, 25-, 51-, and 62-Across: VEGHEAD (sometimes spelled VEG-HEAD or VEG HEAD).

While I cannot say I have never heard VEGHEAD, it is not a term either I or my friends use. YMMV (your mileage may vary). Nevertheless, I like Brian and Amie's clever idea of finding VEGetables hidden at the HEAD (at the front of) common, two-word phrases.

They get 5 carrots! 🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕

VEGEGHEADs
(lt. to rt.)   Too creepy?,   Too cutesy?,   Too much?,   a classic!

Lettuce now move along to the other clues:

Across:
1. "Marriage Story" actor Alan: ALDA.  How fun would it be to be Alan Alda, always seeing your name in XWDs!

5. Indian flatbread: ROTI.  

9. Lhasa __: APSO.  

13. Tournament rank: SEED. 

Jannik Sinner is the #1 SEED for Men's Singles at Wimbledon this year.
June 24 - July 14

14. Makes level: EVENS.

16. Sty supper: SLOP.  

19. Didn't discard: KEPT.

20. Ejectable part of a computer tower: CD TRAY.  

21. Rove: ROAM.

23. Tuna type: AHI.

24. Phoenix's birthplace: ASHES.  

Hand up if this is your tattoo.
(just kidding!)

27. James of jazz: ETTA.

29. Respect: ESTEEM.

30. "Hold your horses!": STOP.  Whoa seemed a better fit for horses but did not perp.

33. Abbr. on a business card: INC.  INCorporated

35. __ salts: EPSOM.  

37. Carpool lane initials: HOV.  High Occupancy Vehicle

Do you remember the TV show Carpoolers (2007-08)? Here is a 30 sec. clip. Watch closely right at the beginning to see how they are speeding through the HOV lane while the other lanes are at a standstill. You can sort of see it through the car's windows, too. It was a running gag throughout the show. California's commuter traffic was a snarl but the HOV lanes were wide open.  

the Phil Collins clip

41. 401(k) kin: IRA.

42. Doglike scavenger in Africa: HYENA.  

44. Old AOL exchanges: IMS.  Instant MessageS

45. Steep, as tea: BREW.

46. "Now!": PRONTO.

49. "Ah, gotcha": I SEE.  This is not the "tricked ya" gotcha. It is more like, "I understand what you are trying to say."

53. British strollers: PRAMS.  

Catherine, Princess of Wales, looking natty with her PRAM

57. "Rugrats" grandpa: LOU.  Rugrats is a children's animated TV show that first aired 33 years ago. David F. Doyle (1929-1997) originally voiced Grandpa Lou. You might remember him as Bosley from Charlie's Angels.  

58. Vend: SELL.

59. Cocktail with lime juice: GIMLET.

60. Not busy: IDLE.

64. Pest on a pet: FLEA.  cute  

65. Marvel superhero who can control the weather: STORM.  She is a member of the X-Men. It is a gimme for X-Men fans but still sussable (weather) even if you do not have specific knowledge of the reference. Props to the clue's writer!

66. Art __: DECO.  This architectural style emerged around 1920. The video below is a song called Art Deco, co-written and performed by crossword puzzle personality, Lana Del Rey. It was featured on the soundtrack for the 2013 movie, The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The video includes Art Deco elements from the movie.  

67. Suffix with love or nerd: -FEST.

68. Emoji that may mean "Don't miss this": EYES.  

emoji that may mean "I don't know"

69. "Don't delay" letters: ASAP.

Down:
1. Pet rescue org.: ASPCA.  I was surprised to learn that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is not an umbrella organization for the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). They are not affiliated with each other. Your local SPCA relies on local donations.

2. West Yorkshire city: LEEDS.  

I visited Leeds, England in 2012.
This indoor market was filled with small stalls selling everything from A to Zed.

3. "Till __ do us part": DEATH.  

4. Spread of commercial marketing into new spaces: ADCREEP.  In Mark Bartholomew's book about ADCREEP, he posits that the average American is exposed to over 3,000 advertisements each day. That seems high, but I probably easily hit that number just watching 30 min. of Tour de France highlights.  

1 out of 3,000

5. __ Martin cognac: REMY.  Cognac is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is a bit too strong for me but I do love a sweeter pear cognac.

6. Lab eggs: OVA.

7. __ cotta: TERRA.  Terra-cotta is a type of ceramic made from fired clay that is usually porous. These pots are terrific in my neck of the woods because they absorb water then release it back into the soil during dry spells.  

my ALOE plant in a TERRA-cotta planter
(I think I might have shared this picture in a previous blog.)

8. Wages: INCOME.  

9. Inquire: ASK.

10. Start of Oliver Twist's request: PLEASE SIR.

11. 10th grader: SOPHOMORE.  Most U.S. SOPHOMOREs are 15-turning-16-years old.

SOPHOMORE can also be an adjective. In that case, it means being or associated with the second in a series. Example: Let's Go is the lead-off track on The Cars' SOPHOMORE album, Candy-O (1979).  

12. Sign up for newsletters, perhaps: OPT IN.  

Waldo chooses to OPT out.

15. Fancy pillow covers: SHAMS.  

I know that you are not supposed to use them when you sleep,
but I do not know what you are supposed to do with them while you sleep.

18. West's opposite: EAST.  It does not get any more Monday than this, folks.

22. Doled (out): METED.

25. Bowen of "SNL": YANG.  Bowen was born in 1990 in Brisbane, Australia. He became a writer for SNL in 2018 and a cast member the following year. Here's a sample:  

Warning:  He says the A-word and the B-word.

26. Sales agt.: REP.  Agent and REPresentative

28. Link (to): TIE.

30. "Quiet you!": SHH.

31. Curly-haired dog that fits in a purse: TOY POODLE.  

The term “TOY” simply pertains to the size of the dog, but this classification can span a variety of different breeds, each with its unique attributes and histories.

32. Uses veto power: OVERRULES.  This puzzle had four 9-letter bonus words. (See 10-, 11, 31-, and 32-Down.)

34. The WNBA's Sky, on scoreboards: CHI.  CHIcago

I recently heard an interview on WWDTM with Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child. She is a native of Rockford, IL and a minority owner of the Chicago Sky. Very cool!  

Michelle Williams

Sun Will Shine Again  (2002)

36. Gaping mouth: MAW.  

This image is from a comic book series.

38. Rooftop spinners: VANES.  Last month I was relaxing in a plaza in Spain when I looked up to see this VANE depicting Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. ¡Perfecto!  

39. Gulf States ruler: EMIR.

40. Stubborn animal: ASS.

43. Opposite of "oui": NON.  French  

45. Island with a namesake Triangle: BERMUDA.  The BERMUDA Triangle is a region in the western part of the N. Atlantic Ocean in which ships, planes, and people are alleged to have mysteriously vanished. Read more here.

My neighbor had this board game when we were growing up.  

47. Expeditions: TREKS.

48. Not perfectly round: OBLATE.  Def.:  (adj.) flattened or depressed at the poles.

50. Massive in scale: EPIC.

51. Steep drop-off: CLIFF.

52. Stainless steel, e.g.: ALLOY.

A metallic solid or liquid that is composed of a homogeneous mixture of two or more metals or of metals and nonmetal or metalloid elements, usually for the purpose of imparting or increasing specific characteristics or properties: Brass is an alloy of zinc and copper.

54. Houseplants with healing properties: ALOES.  See 7-Down.

55. Muslim pilgrim's destination: MECCA.

56. Entrance porch: STOOP.  Here is the STOOP scene from When Harry Met Sally (1989).  

Warning:  Meg throws out an F-bomb.

59. Fitness centers: GYMS.

61. "I could __": "I'm not not hungry": EAT.

63. Before, in verse: ERE.  

Sonnet 73

Time for the grid:

That's all for today. I'll read you later in the week. PEAs out!