Sunday October 22, 2023 Brian Callahan

Theme: "Finish Lines" - Each theme entry has five R's.

27A. *Coral Sea structure: GREAT BARRIER REEF.

46A. *Place to chill on the train?: REFRIGERATOR CAR.

65A. *Long-running comic strip about the Patterson family: FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE.

85A. *Naval vessel known as a "flattop": AIRCRAFT CARRIER.

107A. *Dog breed that weighs no more than seven pounds: YORKSHIRE TERRIER.

14D. *Cause of some memory problems: READ/WRITE ERROR.

47D. *Need for a comprehensive background check?: REARVIEW MIRROR.

Reveal:

122. Fins, or when parsed differently, a feature of the answers to the starred clues: FIVERS.

I don't get the title "Finish Lines". How does it relate to the five R's?

I like that 14D/47D & 65A intersections. I always try myself and love when it happens. Interesting that Brian started the first theme entry at Row 4 rather than 3. 

Across:

1. "That's sorta funny": HEH.

4. Oscar-nominated biopic about a Supreme Court justice: RBG. Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

7. Pampered pet's destination: CAT SPA.

13. "If I Were __ Man": A RICH.

18. Good Grips brand: OXO. Their ginger grater.

19. In the way of: A LA.

20. Eyepieces: OCULARS.

22. Soprano Fleming: RENEE.

23. Choking hazard warning label: NOT A TOY.

25. Like some car engines: REBUILT.

26. Disciple of Haile Selassie, informally: RASTA. Their god is Jah.

30. Fawning parents?: DEER. 33. Shows of soft power?: NERF WARS. Great clues.

31. Roland Garros playing surface: CLAY. French Open. The King.

32. "Far out!": NEAT.

35. Battleship response: MISS.

36. Webpage standard: HTML. 92. Wrote 36-Across, say: CODED.

37. Delight: JOY.

40. Pushover: DOORMAT.

41. Quick __ wink: AS A.

42. Tribeca neighbor: SOHO.

43. Names on a fundraiser's call list: ALUMS.

45. Customizable Wii Sports avatar: MII.

50. Wander off: STRAY. I had a few 6-mile hikes at Elm Creek this year. Mostly because I wandered off and got lost.

54. Property transfer need: DEED.

55. Word on a whiskey bottle: MALT.

56. Stadium visitors: AWAY TEAMS.

58. DDE rival: AES.

60. __ Xtra: soda brand: PIBB.

63. Pan Am rival: TWA.

64. Track legend Zátopek: EMIL. Czech runner. Wikipedia says he popularized the interval training.

71. First name in game shows: MERV.

72. Old Prizm maker: GEO.

73. Actor Morales: ESAI.

74. South, south of the Rio Grande: SUR.

75. Liz of fashion: CLAIBORNE.

78. Vegetables in fried rice: PEAS. No peas in Xi'an style fried rice. Just green onions, eggs and rice. 

81. Peal: TOLL.

84. Fifth cen. pope: ST LEO.

90. Org. with lots of "Raw" footage: WWE.

93. Threesome: TRIO.

94. Fannie or Sallie follower: MAE.

95. Salt spray: SEAMIST.

99. Gas additive brand: STP.

100. Luge, e.g.: SLED.

101. Ctrl+C action: COPY.

102. Belle & Sebastian genre: INDIE POP. Scottish indie pop.

104. Hearty bowlful: STEW.

105. Blue Pixar fish: DORY.

106. Red or Card: NL'ER. Gluey.

113. Iraq port city: BASRA.

115. "You had your chance!": TOO LATE.

116. Centrum alternative: ONE A DAY. I finally finished Boomer's remaining multivitamin last Friday.

117. One who plays a part: ACTOR.

118. To the extent that: SO FAR AS.

119. Adobe file format: PDF.

120. New __: cap brand: ERA.

121. Caterpillar rival: DEERE. Caterpillar has a big factory in Shanghai.

123. Retired boomer: SST.

124. 1040 fig.: SSN.

Down:

1. __ Kong: HONG. An hour away from Guangzhou via the speed train.

2. Lifted one's spirits?: EXORCISED. Nice clue also.

3. Traveler's storage spot: HOTEL SAFE.

4. Well-worn: RATTY.

5. Amorphous mass: BLOB.

6. Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," for one: GAY ANTHEM.

7. Round up: CORRAL.

8. Nail the midterm: ACE IT.

9. Mascara container: TUBE.

10. Curved line, in musical notation: SLUR.

11. Twosome: PAIR.

12. "King of the Hill" town: ARLEN. Arlen, Texas.

 

13. Pt. of ETA: ARR.

15. Jeans measure: INSEAM. I like American Eagles jeans. They have the perfect inseam, rise and leg opening for me. 

16. Part of etc.: CETERA.

17. San Simeon castle builder: HEARST.

21. Mount: STEED.

24. Duracell options: AAAS.

28. Suckerfish: REMORA.

29. Gift tag field: FROM.

34. Pass off (on): FOIST.

35. Tarnish: MAR.

36. Biker's wheels: HOG.

37. "The Back-up Plan" actress, familiarly: JLO.

38. Sharing word: OUR.

39. Org. with a community pool: YMCA. Brooklyn Park does not have a YMCA.

42. Record half: SIDE B.

43. Wear: ATTIRE.

44. Handled: SAW TO.

48. Suisse peak: ALPE.

49. Playful growl: RAWR.

51. Hits hard: RAMS.

52. French friend: AMIE.

53. Couture initials: YSL.

57. Veers port or starboard: YAWS.

59. Bell-shaped lily: SEGO.

61. Sox from Mass.: BOS.

62. Cup insert: BRA PAD.

65. Experienced: FELT. Verb.

66. __ hygiene: ORAL.

67. Portable drive capacity prefix: TERA.

68. Restorative: TONIC.

69. Medieval land: FIEF.

70. Closing music: OUTRO.

71. Roast hosts, briefly: MCS.

76. "Young Americans" singer David: BOWIE.

77. Son of Ares and Aphrodite: EROS.

79. Prime minister before and after Churchill: ATTLEE. Clement Attlee.

80. Some bottle caps: SCREW TOPS.

82. Stretches out?: LIMO RIDES.

83. 2024 and 2028: LEAP YEARS.

86. ORD summer hrs.: CDT.

87. Weight room unit: REP.

88. Help: AID.

89. Del __ Books: sci-fi publisher: REY.

91. 2023 award for Lionel Messi: ESPY. Inter Miami.

95. Mythical mariner: SINBAD.

96. Twist together: ENLACE.

97. "__ Fideles": ADESTE.

98. Horn sounds: TOOTS.

100. Emotional strain: STRESS.

101. Former "Iron Chef America" chef Cat __: CORA.

103. Word on a whiskey bottle: PROOF.

104. Instrument in the tanbur family: SITAR.

105. P&G detergent brand: DREFT.

108. Former U.N. chief Annan: KOFI. He graduated from Macalester, a private college here in Minnesota.

109. Macedonian or Montenegrin: SLAV.

110. Aesop character: HARE.

111. Winds down: ENDS.

112. Meg of "You've Got Mail": RYAN.

114. "__ you sure?": ARE.

C.C.

Tuesday, October 10, 2023 Brian Callahan

Not Ready for Prime Time.  The first word in each theme answer is an Ordinal, not a Prime number.

16-Across. Junior: THIRD YEAR.

22-Across. Age of Attila's reign: FIFTH CENTURY.  Attila the Hun lived sometime around 400 to 450 CE.  [Name # 1.]

34-Across. Like some Adventist Protestants: SEVENTH DAY.

48-Across. Almost too late: ELEVENTH HOUR.

And the clue and answer that ties the puzzle together:

58-Across. Popular television programming block, and an apt title for this puzzle: PRIME TIME.  Prime Time for television watching is considered to be between 8:00 to 11:00 pm Eastern and Pacific Time / 7:00 to 10:00 Central/Mountain Time.  Note, too, as Inanehiker pointed out, that the second word in each theme answer relates to Time.

A Prime Number is whole number greater than 1 that cannot be exactly divided by any whole number other than itself and 1.  Three, Five, Seven and Eleven are all Prime Numbers.  The numbers in each theme answer are actually Ordinal Numbers, not Prime Numbers. Ordinal numbers indicate the position of something.  Thus, the unifier technically incorrect, although the base of the ordinal number are prime numbers.

Across:

1. Chess piece that's often the first to be played: PAWN.

5. [I'm shocked!]: GASP.

9. "I'm Every Woman" singer Chaka __: KHAN.  Chaka Khan (née Yvette Marie Stevens; b. Mar. 23, 1953) is known as the Queen of Funk.  [Name # 2.]

13. Gobi locale: ASIA.  The Gobi Desert is the Fifth (a prime ordinal number) desert in the world.  It is located in northern China and southern Mongolia. It's known for its dunes, mountains and rare animals such as snow leopards and Bactrian camels.  In the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, the Khongoryn Els sand dunes are said to sing when the wind blows. The park also features the deep ice field of Yolyn Am canyon.  Dinosaur fossils have been found at the red "Flaming Cliffs" of Bayanzag.

14. "__ girl!": ATTA.

15. Sweet sandwich: S'MORE.  Common dessert around Girl Scout campfires.

18. "No kidding!": THAT SO?

19. Black and blue, say: BICOLOR.  Strange clue and answer.

Black and Blue watch face

20. Top: SHIRT.

21. Stomach: GUT.

26. Question that introduces doubt: OR IS IT?

28. Writers McEwan and Fleming: IANs.  Both of the Ians are British novelists.  Ian McEwan (né Ian Russell McEwan; b. June 12, 1948) is probably best known for his 2001 novel Atonement.  I read it, but have no desire to read any of his other books.  Ian Fleming (né Ian Lancaster Fleming; b. May 28, 1908 ~ Aug. 12, 1964) is best known for being the creator of James Bond, but he also wrote the children's book Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang.  [Names # 3 and 4.]

29. Pollen gatherer: BEE.

30. Bagless vacuum pioneer: DYSON.  The Dyson vacuum cleaner was invented by, and named after, Sir James Dyson (b. May 2, 1947).  [Name # 5.]

31. Japanese box lunch: BENTO.  Yummers!

33. Warning with a URL: NSFW.  Not Suitable For Work appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.

37. Ticklish Muppet: ELMO.  This puppet is a character on Sesame Street.  [Name # 6, fictional.]

40. Came to light: AROSE.

41. Changes direction: VEERS.

45. Campground inits.: KOA.  KOA = Kampgrounds Of America.

46. Mashed avocado, for short: GUAC.  Yummers!  Hubby makes the best Guacamole.

47. Litter box user: PET CAT.

52. Lucy of "Charlie's Angels": LIU.  Lucy Alexis Liu (b. Dec. 2, 1968) also starred in the television show Elementary.  [Name # 7.]

53. Squander: WASTE.

54. Fingertip-to-fingertip measurement: ARM SPAN.

56. Chooses: ELECTS.

60. Mojave landforms: MESAs.  Do you know the difference between a Plateau and a Mesa?

61. Fencing sword: ÉPÉE.  A crossword staple.

62. North __ Sea: lake fed by the Syr Darya river: ARAL.

63. Like a cereal bar: OATY.

64. Opinion sampling: POLL.

65. Govt.-issued IDs: SSNs.  As in Social Security Numbers.

Down:

1. Gentle touch: PAT.

2. San Francisco street crossing Haight: ASHBURY.  The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco was the home of the 1960s counterculture movement.

3. Arm pain from playing too much Nintendo: WIIITIS.  Wiiitis an actual medical condition and is the subject of several medical journals!

4. DEA agent: NARC.

5. Bookstore section with Jeanette Winterson and Andrew Sean Greer: GAY LIT.  Jeanette Winterson (b. Jan. 21, 1960) is a British novelist and Andrew Sean Greer (b. Nov. 21, 1970) is an American novelist.  [Names # 8 and 9.]

6. Tasted, quaintly: ATE OF.

7. Get-go: START.

8. Average: PAR.

9. Target rival: K-MART.  I hardly thing that K-Mart is a serious rival of Target.  According to an April 2022 article in Forbes, there were only 3 K-Marts in operation.  [Name adjacent.]

10. Jacuzzis: HOT TUBS.

11. Talk Like a Pirate Day sounds: ARs.  Talk Like a Pirate Day was exactly 2 weeks ago, on September 19.

12. New prefix: NEO-.

15. Lower legs: SHINS.

17. Get by: DO FINE.

18. Official approval: THE NOD.

20. Rip into: SCATHE.

21. Mars, for one: GOD.  Roman mythology.

23. Clues: HINTS.

24. One who makes sure fighting between the Sharks and the Jets doesn't get out of hand?: REF.  Not a reference to West Side Story, but a reference to the two professional National Hockey League teams ~ the San Jose Sharks and the Winnipeg Jets.

25. Archery wood: YEW.

27. Average: SO-SO.

31. Rip into: BERATE.

32. Cain's oldest son: ENOCH.  A Biblical reference.  You can read about him in Genesis 4:17-18.  After that, he pretty much disappears.  [Name # 10.]

33. Russian "no": NYET.

35. Crows about: VAUNTS.  Not a Tuesday word.

36. Disinclined (to): AVERSE.

37. __ out a living: EKE.

38. "ur soooo funny!": LOL.  Textspeak for Laughing Out Loud.

39. "I'm No Angel" star: MAE WEST.  Mae West (née Mary Jane West; Aug. 17, 1893 ~ Nov. 22, 1980) was known for her bawdy double entendres.  The video is a little hard to understand, but it has one of Mae's signature lines.  [Name # 11.]

42. Oblong pastries: ECLAIRS.  Yummers!

43. 1988 Best Picture: RAIN MAN.  This movie starred Dustin Hoffman (né Dustin Lee Hoffman; b. Auug. 8, 1937) as Raymond "Rain Man" Babbitt and Tom Cruise (né Thomas Cruise Mapother, IV; b. July 3, 1962) as his younger brother, Charlie Babbitt.

44. "The Simpsons" disco guy: STU.  [Name # 12, fictional.]

46. Knight's tales: GESTS.  Probably the most famous gest is the La Chanson de Roland, or Song of Roland, and epic poem written sometime between 1040 and 1115.

47. Wallop: PUMMEL.

49. Brief holiday?: VACAY.

50. Silent Marx brother: HARPO.  Harpo Marx (né Adolph Marx; Nov. 23, 1888 ~ Sept. 28, 1964) was the second oldest of the five Marx Brothers.  Although his given name was Adolph, he changed it to Arthur around 1911.  [Name # 13.]

51. Bay window: ORIEL.

55. Education advocacy gps.: PTAs.  The Parent Teacher Associations have become a crossword staple.

56. Punk subgenre: EMO.  Everything you wanted to know about EMO music but didn't know to ask.

57. Grassy expanse: LEA.

58. High spirits: PEP.

59. High trains: ELs.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday August 14, 2023 Brian Callahan

  

Hello Cornerites!

sumdaze here with another fun Brian Callahan puzzle. This is his 5th L.A. Times puzzle. Two were collaborations with Assistant Editor Katie Hale.

Today's theme is: 

Brian sets us up with these 4 themed clues:

17 Across. Stretch of a blowout game when bench players come in: GARBAGE TIME.

I am familiar with this concept but was unfamiliar with this term. As you might guess, it refers to the period of time towards the end of a game where one opponent's score is so far ahead that the outcome has effectively already been decided. "Bench players" refers to the substitutes that come in to replace the starters in this hopeless situation. Some credit Chick Hearn (play-by-play announcer for the L.A. Lakers) with coining the term.

26 Across. Citrus grove inhabitant: ORANGE TREE.  Ever try telling a 2-year old that you have an ORANGE tree in your backyard?

38 Across. Sulu player before John Cho: GEORGE TAKEI.  

Born April 20, 1937, TAKEI is a Japanese-American actor, author, and activist. He portrayed Hikaru Sulu on the TV series Star Trek from 1966 to 1969 (plus follow-ons).

51 Across. Book that's hard to put down: PAGE TURNER.  

The unifier is at 61 Across:

61. Informal meeting, and what can be found in 17-, 26-, 38-, and 51-Across?: GET TOGETHER.

Notice that the word "GET" always spans the 2-word answers. You might say it "GETs them TOGETHER". Very clever!

GET it? Got it? Good!

Here's the grid:  

And now, for our theme's theme song:  

Get Together was recorded in 1967 by The Youngbloods.

Chester Powers wrote it in the early '60s.

NPR's Morning Edition did this piece on it in 2019 as part of its American Anthem series.

Across:
1. Foot-in-mouth incident: GAFFE.  pronounced "gaf". Def:  a social or diplomatic blunder.  

6. "__ goodness": THANK.  Today's puzzle has 10 fill-in-the-blank clues.

11. Airport near OAK: SFO.  Oakland International Airport and San Francisco International Airport

They are 12 miles (19 km.) apart as the crow flies (or 'as the plane flies', if you will), but the road distance is 30.5 miles (49 km.).

14. Spanish "so long": ADIOS.  You might not expect Enya, the Irish singer, songwriter, and musician who frequently visits XWD puzzles and Yoga classes, to have a popular song with ADIOS in the lyrics.

Enya's One by One (2000)

15. "It's an __ just to be nominated": HONOR.

16. Anti-racism movement since 2013, for short: BLM.  Black Lives Matter

19. Summer mo.: AUG.  "Month" is abbreviated, so is "AUGust."

20. Ball club execs: GMS.  General ManagerS. A GM is responsible for the daily activities of a sports team -- handling all of the contracts and (sometimes) acting as a spokesperson for media briefings.

21. Ocean State sch.: URI.  University of Rhode Island  

Rhody the Ram is their mascot.

22. __-pants: SMARTY.  

24. Back muscles, briefly: LATS.  We use our LATissimus dorsi muscles during everyday activities such as picking something up off the ground, grabbing something out of a cabinet, opening doors, and even pulling someone in for a hug.

29. Break things off: END IT.  

Remember the Sex in the City episode when Berger broke up with Carrie on a post-it note? (2:46 min.)  Note:  potty-mouth alert

31. Opposite of NNW: SSE.

32. "Bonanza" brother: HOSS.  Years ago I knew the guy who designed and made Little Joe's green jacket. One day he gave me this jacket. He never took any measurements. He just surprised me with it. I am trying hard to remember his name....  

33. Ruckuses: TO DOS.  It could have been "todos" which is Spanish for "all".

35. Superman's birth name: KAL-EL.  

41. Hit the slopes: SKIED.  "Hit" is an irregular past tense verb. Very tricky!

42. __ dish: lab container: PETRI.  

44. Minor dispute: SPAT.  You might also worry if you suspect the waiter SPAT in your soup.

47. Assistance: AID.

49. Some designer gowns: DIORS.  

She is on her way to Safeway to pick up some cheese & crackers for her book club.

55. Tech tutorials site: CNET.  product reviews, advice, how-tos, and the latest news website

56. Frozen treat: ICE POP.  

When the dad (Jack Nicholson) died in The Shining he became an ICE POP.

57. Nonstick spray brand: PAM.  Some triathletes spray PAM on their wrists and ankles to help pull off their wetsuits faster when transitioning from the swim portion to the bike portion. List of 21 weird uses for Pam cooking spray

59. Tax prep pro: CPA.  "Professional" is abbreviated, so is Certified Public Accountant".

60. 18-wheeler: RIG.  This trucker song will get your wheels turning!

Six Days on the Road (and I'm a-gonna make it home tonight)

Dave Dudley (1963)

65. De Armas of "Blonde": ANA.

66. Egypt's Sadat: ANWAR.  Born Dec. 25, 1918, ANWAR El-Sadat was president of Egypt from 1970 until he was assassinated on Oct. 6, 1981.

67. Bagel variety: WHEAT.  Hand up for liking pumpernickel bagels!

68. Cut (off): LOP.   

That is why these are called "LOPping shears".

69. Sly sound or sty sound: SNORT.  Good cluing!

70. Vehicles for hire that once sported fuzzy pink mustaches: LYFTS.  

the origin of the pink stash

Down:
1. __ of geese: GAGGLE.  

Who let the goose loose?

2. Inflexible: ADAMANT.  Def: refusing to be persuaded to change one's mind.  

It could have been ADAM ANT, a rocker from the early '80s. IMDb page

3. Informal title for a pet such as Major Biden: FIRST DOG.  George Washington had Polly the Parrot and 36 hounds. Presidential Pets list

4. Key __: car unlocker: FOB.  Spell check does not like "unlocker".

5. Genesis twin: ESAU.  

6. Nonbinary possessive: THEIRS.  and  64 Down. Biblical possessive: THY.

7. Trendy: HOT.  

Fashion is a fickle thing.

8. Nickname in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy: ANI.  ANI is the childhood nickname that Shmi Skywalker (Anakin's mother), Watto (Anakin's slave master), and Padme Amidala (Anakin's love interest) use for Anakin Skywalker (who later became Darth Vader) in Episode I:  The Phantom Menace and Episode II:  Attack of the Clones. source

#WhyWeGetPaidTheBigBucks

9. Claim on some food packaging: NO MSG.  

10. Krispy __: KREME.  They hold the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest box of donuts. 11 Things You Might Not Know About Krispy Kreme

11. Food court pizza chain: SBARRO.  You have probably seen this fast-food restaurant in malls and airports. It was founded in 1956 and specializes in New York-style pizza sold by the slice, along with other Italian-American cuisine.

Need help deciding what to order? Eat This, Not That at Sbarro

12. Champagne glasses: FLUTES.  

13. "lol of course": OMG YES.  textspeak

18. Miracle-__: garden brand: GRO.  It is ironic how some people insist on buying organic produce then feed their tomato plants non-organic Miracle-GRO.

23. Good at sports: ATHLETIC.

25. Dodge: SIDESTEP.  Merriam-Webster shows "SIDESTEP" as a verb and "SIDE STEP" as a noun. Google dictionary shows both with a hyphen. 🤔  

This comic uses the no-space version for a noun.

27. Didn't leave waiting at the door: ASKED IN.

28. "No ice" or "Noice!": NEAT.  The first, we know, refers to beverage orders. The second, when pronounced with an exaggerated Australian accent, means "nice" as in "awesome". Perhaps Brian is relating it to "NEATo". Fortunately, knowing 50% of the clue was enough to get an A on this one.

30. Ran off with: TOOK.  Yet, if you "TOOK part", you joined in.

34. __ Lanka: SRI.  The weather forecast for today shows rain, a high of 85°F (29°C), and a low of 70°F (21°C).

36. Track unit: LAP.  

37. Barely managed, with "out": EKED.

39. Drive or park: GEAR.  fun clue!  

40. Cooking competition series that originated in Japan: IRON CHEF.  Last year Netflix put out a new spin-off, IRON CHEF: Quest for an Iron Legend. Here is the trailer:  

43. "Once more ... ": I REPEAT.

Yesterday we had 29 Down. Said again: RE-STATED.

44. Like some space-saving staircases: SPIRAL. I first had "narRow".

45. Al of "Scarface": PACINO.  He was in the news last month for becoming a dad again at 83 years old.

46. Generational divide: AGE GAP.  Noor Alfallah, the mother of Al PACINO's new son, is 29 years old.

48. Kick out: DEPORT.  and 50 Down. Kicks off: STARTS.

52. Roman garments: TOGAS.

53. Philly Ivy League sch.: UPENN.  University of PENNsylvania  

Quaker is their mascot.

54. Many an old tee: RAG.

58. Cry weakly: MEWL.

62. Pair: TWO.

63. La Brea __ Pits: TAR.

Thanks to Splynter for covering while I was away! I'm sure everyone was happy to read you again!

Some of you might recall that I did a cycling trip in the Canadian Rockies last summer. I had such a good time that I went back for a similar trip. This time I cycled in the Kootenay Range, British Columbia. Good times!  (Hi CanadianEh! I'm sure I don't have to tell you that you live in a beautiful country!)

Here I am, geared up and ready to start riding at Halcyon Hot Springs on Upper Arrow Lake.
This was our longest day's ride -- 65 miles (105 km.)!!

Notes from C.C.:

1) Welcome back, Sumdaze! Stunning distance.

2) Here's a great picture of our Chairman Moe (Chris), his girlfriend Margaret, MM (Joseph), and his girlfriend Valerie. So happy that they finally met one another! 

 

So far, Chris has met with Lemonade, me and MM, who met with Picard a while ago.

I've met with Lucina, JimmB (CA), Gary and Chris on our blog. 

 

Lucina met with more blog friends than I have: Me, Dodo, Wolfmom, JD, Clear Ayes, Chickie (Leah), Garlic Gal , Windhover and the other Judy on our blog.