Friday, June 6, 2025 - Baylor Gallagher and Katie Hale

 

 Theme:  "No, No, Nanette"

 

 

ZaSu Pitts played Pauline Hastings in the film "No No Nanette"

Puzzling thoughts:

In all honesty, I found coming up for a "theme" for today's puzzle quite difficult.  I certainly "get" the concept of adding and/or subtracting a letter from a more or less familiar phrase, and then cluing it to provide a pun and/or humorous outcome.  But did you find this puzzle fun and/or enjoyable to solve?  Did the entries tickle your "facy"?  The Chairman is a bit "oplussed"

In checking "Google" for any references to the co-constructor (Baylor Gallagher) I found none.  So I am guessing that this is her/their debut puzzle.  Choosing the assistant editor of the LA Times Crossword Puzzle (Katie) to collaborate with was certainly not a bad idea.  Katie has been published quite often in other venues, and here, too.  And if I had to guess, the puzzle idea was Baylor's and Katie helped create the grid and many of the connecting words and/or clues

 

Reveal:

 

I will start with the "reveal" in case some of you were scratching your head trying to figure out what happened in the entries.  64-across. Out of the ordinary, or, parsed differently, what has been applied to the phrases in 18-, 24-, 41-, and 53-Across?: NON STANDARD (NO "N" STANDARD when parsed differently).  If you remove the letter "N" from a word in the four entry phrases it supports the clue.  But no "n" standard seems forced and a bit weak, IMO

 

Entries:

 

18-across. False claim about a DIY project?: ASSEMBLY LIE.  The first entry was probably the best of the four.  As most know, a Do It Yourself project requires a lot of "assembly".  The term "assembly liNe" dates back to the automotive industry and was a feature of the FORD Model T cars to make the building of them more efficient.  Without the "N" in the word "line", it fits the clue

 

24-across. Overall condition of steel girders and beams?: METAL HEALTH.  MeNtal health is a known phrase but had I been editing/choosing this I might have looked for something less serious to spoof

 

41-across. "Do you know who my father is?"?: I'M KID OF A BIG DEAL.  "I'm kiNd of a big deal" is a bit of a stretch (again, IMO) and why clue it as "male-related"?  Couldn't this question (the clue) be asked of King Charles in referring to his mother, Queen Elizabeth?  She was kind of a big deal ... 

53-across. "Just put the succulent down and go!"?: "LEAVE ME ALOE!".  "Leave me alone!" is the phrase that this is spoofing.  Meh.  We use aloe often here in the desert SW when we've been exposed to too much sun.  Not sure I would be so brazen if I requested some from a friend

 

The grid:

The rest of the answers to the clues:

Across:
1. Dashboard tech: GPS.  MPH and RPM were tried, unsuccessfully.  The first of 20 three-letter words and 12 abbreviations in today's puzzle

4. Queen with icy powers: ELSA. The fictional character from Disney's "Frozen"

8. Hands over: GIVES.  CEDES was tried, unsuccessfully

13. Daiquiri ingredient: RUM.  This clue was directed, I think, at we older solvers as I doubt that many Millennials and/or Gen Z's drink Daiquiris.  And another cocktail related clue/word was found at (30-down. Cognac cocktail with orange liqueur): SIDECAR.  This is another drink that probably escapes the younger generations

 

The sidecar became popular in Paris and London in the early 1920s

14. Purple hue: MAUVE.  LILAC was tried, unsuccessfully

16. Put on a pedestal: ADORE.

17. Rollover subj.: IRA.  Not so fun fact:  the Chairman did this once and the institution I had the IRA with forgot to report it as a "rollover" to another retirement fund.  The IRS spotted this and sent me a tax statement for a huge amount of $.  Moe had to make a lot of phone calls and collect a lot of paperwork to prove the rollover was legit

[a theme entry]

20. Word of thanks: MERCI.  Hmm.  I suppose that the word "merci" (although French) is commonly substituted for the word "thanks".  The clue didn't lead us to knowing this

22. "Thus with a kiss __": Romeo's final line: I DIE. Seemed kind of logical as I recall that Romeo dies in the final scene of Shakespeare's play, "Romeo and Juliet"

23. Fortune: LUCK.  I'm reminded of the negative phrase: "if it weren't for bad luck I would have none at all"

[entry]

27. "Industry Baby" rapper Lil __ X: NAS.

28. Intel org.: NSA.  An anagram of 27-across, too

29. Vane point: EAST.  Had to end in st; waited for the perps to determine whether it was 90° or 270°

31. Dry mop target: DUST.

34. __ large: LOOM.

38. Reunion attendee: NIECE.  And its clecho: (54-down. Reunion attendee): AUNT. In both cases the constructors were looking at family reunions rather than school reunions

[entry]

44. Invertebrate's lack: SPINE.

45. Greek house: FRAT.  Moe-ku #1:

        When transgender pledge

        Thought they joined sorority,

        They said, "I smell a FRAT"

46. Sea eagles: ERNS.  Crossword-ese; kind of surprised to see one in this puzzle, honestly

47. Tropical tree: PALM.

49. Business letter abbr.: ENC.  I somehow prefer the letters encl to refer to an enclosure in a letter

51. Commanders org.: NFL.  Erstwhile Washington Redskins

[entry]

60. "Oh, woe!": ALAS.

62. Hearts, e.g.: SUIT.  Could've used spades, clubs, or diamonds

63. Eat away at: ERODE.

[reveal]

67. Countdown start: TEN. "Nine, eight, seven, six, five, ...

68. Large venue: ARENA.

69. Hit lightly: TAP ON.

70. Letters of urgency: SOS. 

71. Full of back talk: SASSY.

72. Gave temporarily: LENT.  Does this word have any particular significance when something is given temporarily during the time period from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday?

73. Indefinite amount: ANY.  Fun observation:  now that I have lived in the desert SW for almost 6 years and take many hikes, I have discovered that the number of rocks, pebbles, and boulders on this planet are not just indefinite, but they may be infinite

Down:
1. Fairy tale brother: GRIMM.  As in the brothers GRIMM

2. Step in making some soups: PUREE. 

3. Sharp: SMART.

4. Online letters: EMAILS.

5. Part of UNLV: LAS.  The "Running Rebels" is the sports team nickname for the University of Nevada @ Las Vegas

6. Girl in "Calvin and Hobbes": SUSIE.  Susie Derkins is a little girl who makes her home in Calvin's neighborhood. She is his well-known neighbor and the only major character to have both a given name and a family name

Susie is an intelligent and polite 6-year-old girl, who in many ways is a foil to Calvin. She takes her studies seriously and doesn't slack off on her homework as Calvin does. She also takes piano lessons 

[this from the calvin and hobbes fandom page]

The three characters

7. Eco-friendly spa brand: AVEDA.

8. Lass: GAL.

9. Pastoral poem: IDYL.

10. Tennessee athlete: VOLUNTEER.  Or when written as the plural, VOLUNTEERS, a Jefferson Airplane song back in the Vietnam War era.  I could've chosen "Rocky Top" but I didn't

 

11. "I Luh God" gospel singer Campbell: ERICA. Sounds more like rap, to me

 

12. Is after: SEEKS.

15. Wakim of "SNL": EMIL.  This video violates politics and religion, but it was the only SNL video I could find on YouTube.  FTR, I haven't watched SNL since it first aired 50 years ago

 

19. __ noire: BETE.  From [Merriam-Webster]: "Bête noire is a French phrase meaning "black beast" or "bugbear". It refers to a person or thing strongly detested or avoided"

21. Saloon: CANTINA.  From [Merriam-Webster]: "Cantina is a noun that can mean a pouch or bag at the pommel of a saddle, or a small barroom or saloon"

25. Angelic glow: HALO.  AURA fit unsuccessfully

26. Suspend: HANG. 

[listed in across]

31. Insult: DIS.  Is it DIS or DISS??

32. Cricket official: UMP.  Similar to baseball I've heard

33. Some transports in the Arctic tundra: SKI PLANES.  They are real!

 

35. On vacation: OFF.  I suppose if they allowed 2-letter words in xword puzzles, the opposite clue would fit: OFF vacation = ON

36. Regatta tool: OAR.  When I think of a regatta I picture this:

But when you sort through enough images, you will find the picture of what today's clue describes: 

37. Exec's degree: MBA.

39. "__ it wait?": CAN.

40. High trains: ELS.  Also a transport for golfer Ernie?

42. Wooded valley: DELL.  GLEN fits too

43. Thing: ITEM.

48. Colorado's __ Verde National Park: MESA.  This is one of several dozen National Park sites that Ms Margaret and I have visited.  Well worth seeing

50. "You __ worry": NEEDN'T. I may have incorrectly counted this as one of the abbreviations ... technically it's a contraction

51. Mamas' mamas: NANAS.  Meemaws didn't fit but GRANS did

52. Vegetation: FLORA.  Place where many fauna hang out

[added in the across section]

55. "1876" novelist Gore: VIDAL.  Some info about the novel

56. Tour de France stage: ETAPE.  Definition

57. Many, casually: LOTSA.  Speaking of "casually", remember when Casual Fridays first appeared?

 

58. Classic Greek theater: ODEON.  Does anybody who is a senior citizen remember the name(s) of their town's movie theater as a child?  The two in our south-central Pennsylvania town were called the Strand and the Capitol

59. Minuscule: EENSY.

61. Hyphenated IDs: SSNS.  Have I ever mentioned before that certain pluralized abbreviations are not my cup of tea?

65. Swift nickname, when doubled: TAY.  As in TAYlor Swift.  I wonder if today's constructor follows her?  Moe-ku #2:

        Heard Ms. Gallagher

        Is a huge fan of Ms. Swift

        BAY BAY loves TAY TAY  

66. Emmy winner __ Cephas Jones: RON. Ron appeared on one of my favorite made for TV dramas This is Us

 

Summary:

 

Coming up with new and fresh puzzle ideas is getting more and more difficult.  I get it.  And while my sense of humor was not stimulated by today's puzzle I'm sure that others may like it.  But as the blogger/critic of each puzzle I solve and describe here, I don't want to sugar-coat something if I don't find it overly creative and/or enjoyable.  We can agree to disagree

Friday, May 23, 2025 - Marc Goldstein

 Theme:  "Play ball!"

Today, we played baseball

Puzzling Thoughts:

Today's puzzle seemed a bit more Friday-ish in difficulty; clues were more suited to an end-of-the-week puzzle and made for a more satisfying solve

I don't know much about today's constructor, other than this similar puzzle that appeared early in 2024, so this might be a debut for Marc.  There are scores of puzzles from Rebecca Goldstein ... unlikely that they're related, but who knows? 

Today's "theme" is all about baseball.  Five entries; a mixture of words and phrases that begin with a baseball reference and are supported by clever clues:

17-across. Tube on an automatic ball launcher?: PITCH PIPE.  A pitch pipe is actually the image shown below and is used by choral groups when singing a cappella:

25-across. Batter's decision not to bunt?: SWING VOTE.  A swing vote refers to a vote that is regarded as decisive to the outcome of an election because it is not predictable which candidate or party it will be cast for.  Or maybe it just refers to this?

34-across. "I got it!" or "Blazing fastball!," for example?: CATCH PHRASE. Great clue!  Here is a little whimsy

50-across. Tally entered on a scoreboard?: HIT RECORD. Of all the hit records out there, I chose the one below as my favorite ... listen to as much or as little as you desire as it's the "album" version ... 

The video I found, coincidentally, combines the song with (58-across. Instructional video about getting under a tag?:) a SLIDE SHOW, so enjoy both simultaneously

Pitch, swing, catch, hit, and slide.  All BASEBALL terms

Well done, Marc - and if this is your debut LAT puzzle, congratulations are in order.  Feel free to post here if you stop by 

The Grid

Here are the rest of the clues/answers

Across:

1. "Whip It" band: DEVO.

5. Substantial account: SAGA.

9. Mint family herb: BASIL.  learning Moe-ment but not surprised by it

14. Photoshop, say: EDIT.

15. __ hygiene: ORAL.

16. "My Brilliant Friend" novelist Ferrante: ELENA.  A bit tougher clue than to use the name of one of our Supreme Court justices - good Friday clue

17. [entry]

19. "Sorry, got other plans": I CAN'T.  I tried "I PASS" first

20. Ghost __ chance: OF A.  Partial phrase - thought these were "no-no's" for 21st Century crossword puzzles

21. Cry of discovery: OHO.  I tried AHA first

22. Polar vehicle: SNO-CAT®.  This spelling refers to the brand name of vehicles produced by Tucker Industries.  The actual "vehicle" is referred to as snowcat - a portmanteau of snow and caterpillar 

23. __-Leste: first new sovereign state of the 21st century: TIMOR.  More info

25. [entry]

28. Bygone boxy Toyota: SCION.  

Debuted in 2003 - discontinued in 2016

29. Art Deco designer: ERTE.  aka, Romain de Tirtoff

30. Flagon kin: EWER.  A good Friday clue - the word flagon is rarely used, but then again, so is ewer

31. Suffix similar to -ess: ENNE.  

32. Crushes, in a way: ACES.

34. [entry]

39. Stock option?: SOUP.  You make soup by using stock - here is one of our favorites:

40. Starring role: LEAD.

42. Whack: SWAT.

46. "A Death in the Family" writer James: AGEE. One of many 4-letter proper names that have one consonant and three vowels

48. Container allowances on scales: TARES.

50. [entry]

52. Not suitable: INAPT.

53. Sudden charge: ONRUSH.

54. Racket: DIN.

56. Rock & Roll HoF city: CLE.  Here is the list of the 2025 inductees (Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is in CLEveland, OH)

57. Perch: ROOST.

58. [entry]

61. Govt. security: T-NOTE.  T-BILL and T-BOND fit, until they didn't

62. Obedience school lesson: HEEL.  STAY fit until it didn't

63. "Present!": HERE.

64. Ribald nature spirit of Greek mythology: SATYR.  This one certainly fits the description

65. "Relax": EASY.  "CHILL" didn't fit

66. "New-to-you," perhaps: USED.  Nice clue

Down:
1. Storehouses: DEPOTS.

2. Imposing structure: EDIFICE.  The reason the image of my puzzle grid has one black triangle in the corner of the second letter "I" is because I spelled the word edifAce

3. Nutrient in citrus: VITAMIN C. 

4. Like 3-Down pills: Abbr.: OTC.  Over-The-Counter

5. Former frosh: SOPH.

6. Melodic: ARIOSE.

7. Opening: GAP.

8. Brewpub brew: ALE. IPA fits, too, but I didn't fall for it

9. "The Perks of __ a Wallflower": 2012 teen drama: BEING.  Sure, why not

10. Secluded spot: ALCOVE.

11. Dugong, for one: SEA COW. A CSO to my fellow Friday sherpa, Malodorous Manatee

12. Natural: INNATE.  Not to be confused with its homophone enate which refers to those relatives traced to the female side of the family

13. More recent: LATTER.  LATEST was inserted by me which made the NE corner take longer than it should have to solve

18. Insects in the genus Vespa: HORNETS.  More, from Wikipedia

22. Scornful expression: SNEER.

Younger generation's "sneer"

My generation's "sneer"

24. Actress Chaplin: OONA.  One of many 4-letter proper names that have one consonant and three vowels

26. Spot for a bar code, often: WRAPPER.  aka, a SKU ... 

One of my favorites

27. Hankering: ITCH.  URGE also fit until it didn't

33. Cracker served with 39-Across: SALTINE.

35. Whistle blower: COACH.  Good clue

36. "Les Misérables" novelist: HUGO.

37. English actor Bean: SEAN.

38. Maladies treated with drops: EARACHES.

41. Strongly regret: DEPLORE.

42. Gym bottoms: SHORTS.  As opposed to tennis and/or golf bottoms, for women, SKORTS

43. Ryder of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice": WINONA.  She was also in "Beetlejuice" (the original - which I liked better than the remake)

44. Fundamentally: AT ROOT.

45. Unlikely to be undependable: TRUSTY.

47. Swirls of water: EDDIES.  <=== this is one of the entries that I considered for a Moe-ku

49. Like some tomatoes and prunes: STEWED.  <=== this is another 

51. Organic compound: ESTER.  No "ku" here

55. Aimlessly: IDLY. 

58. Pop duo __ & Him: SHE.  Is it just me, or did this song sound a bit like the Beach Boys??

59. Thompson of "Back to the Future": LEA.  In "Back to the Future", Thompson plays the role of mother to Michael J. Fox's character, Marty McFly ... in real life, Lea is but 10 days older than Michael

60. Moo __ pork: SHU. Finally, a "Moe-ku":

        The Three Stooges coined

        A new Chinese restaurant dish:

        It's called:  Moo SHU Shemp

Friday, May 9, 2025 - Noelle Griskey

 Theme:  Waiting for the big BUILD-UP

Puzzling thoughts:

Hmm ... where to begin today ... do we talk about the theme (based on the reveal in 25-down)?  Do we talk about having another "easy Friday" solve?  Do we talk about some rather hackneyed entries/clues?

I address them all, so don't worry about any big "build-up" in today's puzzle re-cap

First - the theme:  25-down. Create high expectations for, or an apt description of the first part of the answer to each starred clue: BUILD-UP (note that the first word of each entry answer below is highlighted in red)

Second - the ease of solving:  I solve the puzzles using "Across Lite" software.  This software contains a timer, separate from the grid.  I don't type nearly as quickly as I solve, and I often have to backspace and/or erase rogue letters I've entered.  I also like to take a sip of coffee (or another beverage) whilst solving, so I will never win a prize for being the fastest.  But today, I managed to get this in about 7 minutes:30 seconds.  That, to me, is not what a "Friday puzzle" should "feel like"

Third - the hackneyed entries (and clues):  I will address these within the text of my recap below

Can we all agree that whenever we solve a crossword puzzle - regardless of the venue - we have a certain "build-up" of expectation?  Are we wondering on what clever corridor the constructor took us?  I know I do.  I am always looking for the "aha" moment when the final letter is placed in the grid, and/or the reveal is, well, revealed. So, if anyone had trouble sussing this today, please allow me to "emarf" my answer.  Here are the "theme entries":

5-down. *Snappy dresser: NOIHSAF PLATE. The word "FASHION" is inverted and/or built "UP" in the puzzle grid

11-down. *Many a rejection notice: MROF LETTER.  The word "FORM" is inverted and/or built "UP" in the puzzle grid

23-down. *Pillar of society: LEDOM CITIZEN. The word "MODEL" is inverted and/or built "UP" in the puzzle grid

29-down. *Mutate: EPAHS SHIFT.  The word "SHAPE" is inverted and/or built "UP" in the puzzle grid

FASHION, FORM, MODEL, and SHAPE are all synonyms of the word "build" (when used as a verb)

This is Noelle's third puzzle @ LA Times.  Her two previous ones were in 2024 and appeared on a Monday and Tuesday.  I think that this one, too, should have been featured on an early-in-the-week day

Level of difficulty (Mohs hardness scale rating): 2.5 out of 10

Let's examine the grid and then the rest of the entries:

The Grid

Across:

1. Country made up of 14,125 islands: JAPAN.  This was a learning moment (for me) but also my first choice.  I sneaked a peek at 1-down and knew that it had to start with a "J" 🗾

6. Vegetable with a lacinato variety: KALE.  Odd clue / odd vegetable; solved with a perp or two

10. License issuers, for short: DMVS.  Plurals of abbrs are not my favorite entries

14. Budget, in brand names: ECONO.  Budget is also a brand name of a rental car company

15. Storm centers: EYES.  How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer 

16. Part of the HOMES mnemonic: ERIE. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer 

17. Italian luxury brand: FENDI.  "Posh", on steroids

18. "Cool!": NEAT.  How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer 

19. Ingredient in some barbecue sauce: COLA.  Learning moment for me.  Here is a recipe

20. Anew: FRESHLY.  This is a good and proper Friday word entry.  According to Crossword Tracker, this is just the fourth usage of the word freshly - well chosen, Noelle!

22. Fried chickpea bite: FALAFEL. 🐤🫛

24. Bygone Swedish auto: SAAB.  Moe-ku #1:

        Founder of Swedish

        Car was brought to tears when he

        Told his SAAB story

        
26. Relate: TELL.

27. Microbrewery fixture: ALE TAP.  This answer might soon become hackneyed 

31. Secondhand: USED.  How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

33. Pitching stat: ERA.  How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

36. On __ the world: TOP OF.  Can you be "on top of the world" and "over-the-moon" at the same time?

37. Tech boss: CIO.  How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

38. Rice cooker brand: OSTER.  Well, I suppose if the clue read "Blender brand" I could pan it as being too easy for a Friday! 😜

40. Forever __: STAMP.  Speaking of "BUILD UP", check out the increasing prices of the Forever Stamp since its inception in 2007

41. "__ see myself out": I'LL.  This would've been a fun clue and entry @ 64-down!

42. Dull, in a way: MATTE.  As in a matte finished photo, e.g.

43. "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" singer Waters: ETHEL.  Acceptable; a non-acceptable clue would've referred to erstwhile singer/actress Merman

44. Bother: ADO.  

45. Family friendly: CLEAN.  I wanted to use "RATED G" but there weren't enough spaces

46. Small batteries: AAS.  Plurals of abbrs are not my favorite entries

47. Six-time MLB All-Star Moises: ALOU.  Speaking of hackneyed clues/entries

49. Letter before Tango: SIERRA.  My last recap contained a reference to the NATO alphabet

50. Make full: SATE. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

52. Novel idea?: PLOT.  Clever clue and answer 📖

54. Reach, as a goal: ACHIEVE.  I tried SUSTAIN first

57. Pink Floyd album with the songs "Dogs" and "Sheep": ANIMALS.  This 1977 studio-album release from Pink Floyd was loosely based on George Orwell's Animal Farm - the entire album is downloaded below (41 minutes in length).  More about it from Wikipedia

62. __-back: LAID.  Not usually a descriptor used for yours, truly

63. Fair, in a way: EVEN.  Not according to the Thesaurus-saurus

Not "EVEN" mentioned

65. "Not another sound!": ZIP IT. 🤐

66. Small transverse flute: FIFE.  A fife is played in a position transverse to the flute.  I wonder if anyone needed a perpendicular to solve this?  That would be fitting, wouldn't it?? 😜

67. "The thing is ... ": LOOK. 👀

68. College athletics airer: ESPN U.

69. Picnic pests: ANTS. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer 🐜 🐜 🐜

70. Trinitron developer: SONY. Sony Trinitron history

71. Snooped: NOSED.  I tried SPIED first and then changed it

Down:

1. TV host Probst: JEFF.  He, of the CBS virtual reality show, "Survivor"

2. Big name in laptops: ACER.  DELL also fits

3. Southern cake: PONE. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

4. "No ifs, __, or buts": ANDS. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

[5. 1st Entry]

6. "Out of Africa" setting: KENYA.  If you had to take a wild guess, there are eight African countries that have a 5-letter name:  BENIN, EGYPT, GABON, GHANA, KENYA, LIBYA, NIGER, and SUDAN

7. Yeoman's yes: AYE. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

8. Part of the Apple logo: LEAF.

9. Manor: ESTATE. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

10. Parking permit, perhaps: DECAL.

[2nd Entry

12. Wicked: VILE.  Its anagram - EVIL - also fits 😁

13. Make airtight: SEAL. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer 🦭

21. Napkin holder: LAP.  Moe-ku #2:

        (folded) Napkins at strip club

        Were quite the hit.  They performed

        Origami LAP dance

[23. 3rd Entry]

[25. - Reveal]

27. Sailing: AT SEA. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

28. Led Zeppelin's "Whole __ Love": LOTTA. One of my favorites; this iconic Led Zeppelin hit song: 

Another of my favorite Led Zeppelin hits:

[29. 4th Entry]

30. Hefty volume: TOME. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

32. Aria, for one: SOLO. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

34. Do some roof repairs: RE-TAR. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

35. Hockey venue: ARENA. How "un-Friday like" a clue/answer

37. Parting word: CIAO.  [my use of "how un-Friday like" is starting to get hackneyed]😄 So, I will not use this again ... 

39. "Going out of business" event: SALE.  What else could it be?

48. Takes to the ground: LEVELS.  I remember when a few of the older casinos in Vegas were imploded ...

 

49. Bart, to Homer: SON.  Monday clue/entry

51. Hill workers: AIDES.  As in "Capitol Hill" (assistants to senators and representatives in Washington, D.C.)

53. Long and lean: LANKY.

 

54. Letter before Bravo: ALFA.  My last recap contained a reference to the NATO alphabet; today's recap contains two

55. "Mildred Pierce" novelist: CAIN.  Acceptable; a non-acceptable clue would've referred to a family member in the Book of Genesis

56. Vinaigrette acronym: EVOO.  This answer might soon become hackneyed 

58. Japanese soup base: MISO.  This answer might soon become hackneyed 

59. Home screen array: APPS. This answer might soon become hackneyed 

60. Part of a script: LINE.  My last recap used this as the clue: Actor's "What am I supposed to say?": LINE.  

Is it me or have my recaps been made redundant?  Or are they, too, becoming hackneyed?

61. Wall support: STUD.

64. Countless lifetimes: EON.  No comment ... 

OK, final thoughts as I wrap this up:

a)  Note to the editor(s) - Friday puzzles should be more difficult than this.  Please invite Barry                Silk and/or Jeffrey Wechsler to re-submit a puzzle for a Friday inclusion

b)  Noelle Griskey- if you happen to see/read this recap please accept this constructive tip:                    maintain symmetry in your clues.  Too many were too easy for a Friday puzzle.  If this puzzle                was meant to be an early week submission, your clues were just fine ... BTW, are you the Noelle          Griskey who has an ETSY site, and is from Pittsburgh?

Friday, April 25, 2025, Dylan Schiff

 Theme:  Incidentally ...

[note, this cartoon is totally unrelated to the puzzle]

Puzzling thoughts:

I thought the name Dylan Schiff looked familiar.  I discovered that I was the blogger of his January 8, 2021 LA Times debut crossword puzzle; a collaboration between he and Mark McClain

BTW, yesterday we had a puzzle from Zachary Schiff.  Might they be related?

I digress ...   

After completing today's puzzle I kept thinking, "is there more to this that I am missing?"  So, with Mark McClain's help, I was able to reach out to Dylan and ask him about his thought process in coming up with today's puzzle.  And no, I didn't miss anything. [phew!] 

BTW, Dylan promises to stop by today and see what you all have to say about this, and answer any questions, so be nice!! 😀

Here are the entries:

17-across. Homeland, nation, or state?: ALT-COUNTRY.  Three different (alternative) synonyms for the word "country"

The thesaurus-saurus agrees, in part

25-across. Soapstone, shale, or mudstone?: SOFT ROCK.  Three different kinds of "rocks" that have a Moh's Scale rating of 2 or less.  Remember when Chairman Moe used the scale below to rate puzzles??

50-across. Cheerwine, Maine Root, or Jones Soda?: INDIE POP.  Not familiar with Cheerwine?  How about Maine Root? Does Jones Soda come to mind when you think of a soft drink?  As those who live or grew up in the Midwest/western PA area know, the word "pop" is the term used to describe a carbonated beverage.  Other parts of the country refer to it as "soda", and "Coke" (see map in the video below).  And for those in the deep South, you know that the word "Coke" refers to any carbonated beverage. 

Here is an example of ordering a soft drink at a drive-through in Mobile, AL: 

[you] "I'd like a Big Mac, Fries, and a Coke." 

[voice in the drive-thru]: "What kind of Coke do you want?" 

[you]: "I'd like a Pepsi, if you have it. If not, make it a Mr. Pibb"  

Fun Fact:  The term "indie" refers to independent (as in the term "indie" films which are produced by smaller companies not called "MGM", "Universal", "Disney", et al) Here, the examples of "indies" are the three independent bottlers 

[note, the video also contains other terms besides carbonated beverages]

62-across. Mercury, bismuth, or lead?: HEAVY METAL.  Once again, three types of metals that are "heavy" as it refers to their weight.  Here is a link to how Wikipedia defines "heavy metals".  As for the musical connection, heavy metal is not what I first think of when defining incidental music.  But hey, it's fun to listen to!  Here is one of my favorites from a band that arguably planted the seed for all heavy metal bands to follow

 

And the reveal: 

38-across. Score that sets the mood, and an apt description of 17-, 25-, 50-, and 62-across?: INCIDENTAL MUSIC.  From Dylan's e-mail reply to me: "This puzzle takes four music subgenres and clues them in non-music contexts by providing 3 examples. The revealer INCIDENTAL MUSIC points to how each of them also "happens to be" a music subgenre when put back in the musical context" ... so don't look for another, hidden meaning!! 😁

I've enclosed the finished grid to help you find the other answers ... since this puzzle featured an incidental reference to hardness, I will use the Moh's Scale Rating today instead of assigning ⭐'s.  Given that it took me just 6:33 to solve (more like my time for solving a Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday puzzle) I have to rate it less than a "5", as it barely "whet my apatite" (pun, intended - go back and look at the Moh's Scale)

The completed grid

Across:

1. Food in red paraffin wax: EDAM.  Moe-ku #1:

        Judi Dench started

        Cheese biz.  Anagrammed headline:

        "The Dame made Edam"

        

5. Luxuriate in the great outdoors: GLAMP.  Glamp (see also, glamper and glamping) is a portmanteau of the words "glorious and camping", put into its verb form

What bears might think about glampers

And in a similar vein:

😂

10. Bird of prey: HAWK.  

14. Flatbread made with 3-Down: ROTI.  Here is a DIY recipe for ROTI 

15. Bay Area NFLer: NINER.  As in "Forty-Niner" - the nickname (singular) of the SF area pro football team

16. DOL division: OSHA.

17. [entry]

19. Fix, as a pet: SPAY.  Of course, I doubt that the pet would agree to be "fixed" if they had a say in it 😀

20. Beatles drummer: STARR.  Moe-ku #2:

        Quarterback Bart and

        His Center, Jim, had a child;

        Named him Ringo Starr

21. Unagi roll protein: EEL.  One of 19 three-letter-words in today's puzzle.  Hard to avoid that many when you have 4 entries (36 letters, total) and 1 reveal (15 letters) taking up so much real estate

22. Brand sold at Mattress Firm: SERTA.

23. Gondola propeller: OAR.  "Gondolier" was too big to fit

25. [entry]

27. Without stopping: AT A CLIP.

31. With 30-Down, accessory that may coordinate with cuff links: TIE. (30-down. See 31-Across: PIN.)

  

And then, as if being a spoonerism of sorts, Dylan found a way of including this: (45-down). Baking pan that inspired the Frisbee: PIE TIN.

32. More, in Mexico: MAS.  I kind of prefer this as an actual word (mas = Spanish for "more") as opposed to a clue that might read "Pa's companions"

33. __ out: discuss in detail: HASH.  Moe-ku #3

        I'm ticked off because

        Number sign's (#) meaning's been changed.  

        Let's HASH(tag) this out

34. Falsehood: LIE.  Fib also fits

36. Like many legal terms: LATIN.

38. [reveal]

42. French military caps: KEPIS.  Also worn during the US Civil War/War Between the States

43. Movie SFX: CGI.  Imagine that!

44. Insta- kin: REDI.  OK, I know that this is not the "redi" that Dylan was after, but I much prefer videos ... this video dates back to 2009.  I hope the plant in Pensacola is now able to meet demand for this fun-to-use product

45. Writing tool: PEN.

46. Baby hyena: CUB.  My first choice was pup.  Yours?

48. Without stopping: ON AND ON.  Kind of like my sentences when I write a blog ...

50. [entry]

53. "Shameless" network, for short: SHO.  Not a subscriber

54. "My goodness!": EGADS.  For all of the solvers here that are members of the "Silent Generation"

55. Media center?: DEE.  The "?" in the clue gave this away.  The letter D is in the center of the word, media

57. Flattens (out): EVENS.  I chose irons - anyone else make that mistake?

61. "Bob's Burgers" daughter: TINA.  This solved by perps as I never watched this sitcom

62. [entry]

64. Part of a foot: INCH.  Heel/sole/arch also fit, but I measured my choice precisely ... 

65. See eye to eye: AGREE.  Kind of an easy Friday clue

66. Assign stars to: RATE.  So, if I did assign ⭐'s to this puzzle I would give it a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐

67. "Because of You" R&B singer: NE-YO.  Total perps.  [internet info] "Shaffer Chimere Smith, known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer and songwriter. Regarded as a leading figure of 2000s R&B music, he is the recipient of numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards. He gained recognition for his songwriting abilities following the success of his first major credit, Mario's 2004 single "Let Me Love You"

68. __ verde: SALSA.  Mi favorito!

Salsa = sauce; Verde = green

69. Approach bumper-to-bumper traffic, say: SLOW.  I tried using the word "cuss" ... which is what I might have done once or twice back in my commuting days ... 

Down:

1. Notable times: ERAS.  We are currently in the Chairman Moe/Malodorous Manatee ERA of Crossword blogging.  I am coming up on my fifth year here at the Corner as your co-Friday blogger; MalMan is close behind ... 

2. Numbskull: DOLT.

3. Flour ground in a chakki: ATTA. Not familiar with the word "chakki". The "Silent Generation" (and this "Boomer") would prefer this clue: " ___ girl!"

4. Aid in locating a lost pet: MICROCHIP.

5. Serengeti grazer: GNU.  Moe-ku #4:

        Serengeti Times

        Deletes antelope stories.

        No GNUS is good news

6. Actor's "What am I supposed to say?": LINE.  Very clever clue for this word

7. Chips in?: ANTES.  How many different ways has this word been clued?

8. Bordeaux grape: MERLOT.  In my former life as a wine rep/sommelier, the "casual" wine drinker was still focused on the line from the movie "Sideways" and the popularity of merlot plummeted.  I can honestly say that the best ever wine I drank was a bottle of 2001 Paloma Merlot (ok, it was a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, but it was f***ing awesome!)

Here is a clip of the movie and Paul Giamatti's utterance (NSFW).  BTW, the character, Miles, loves Merlot.  The problem is, so did his ex-wife; and every time he encounters that grape varietal it reminds him (negatively) of her 

9. Be nosy: PRY.  I reached out to Dylan for his thoughts about this puzzle before I finished my blog.  Hope he didn't think I was pry-ing

10. Canadian lout: HOSER.  Not sure that I would ever call this a CSO ... but maybe our resident Canadian, "Canadian, Eh!" can chirp in here and give us the true explanation for this 😉

11. "Just like we discussed ... ": AS PROMISED. I confirmed [@Crossword Tracker] that this entry phrase is seldom used; just twice (2019 and 2020)

12. "Tell me how to help": WHAT CAN I DO?.  Another in-the-language phrase that is seldom used in crossword puzzles 

13. Whitewater vessels: KAYAKS. 

18. Like many a thesis defense: ORAL. Just throw in a bunch of Latin words to impress and defend!

22. Cook over boiling water: STEAM.  

24. Maddens: RILES UP.  If the clue had read "Madden's", the answer would have had a far different meaning (sports gamers will get this!)

26. Temps: FILL-INS.  Moe-ku #5:

        The dentist was out

        Of amalgam, so he used

        Gum for his fill-ins 

27. Steak choice: AHI.  The only kind of steak (tuna) that offers a three-letter answer - unless you count the word "RAW" as a steak choice (har har! Tartare!) 😂

28. Thomas, for one: TANK ENGINE. Congratulations, Dylan, this is a first use for the phrase tank engine in a major crossword publication! For those unaware of who this is ...

29. Dominance: ASCENDANCY.  Congratulations, Dylan, this is also a first use entry ... you're on a roll today!

30. [see in the across comments]

35. List-shortening abbr.: ETC. and its clecho @ (58-down. List-shortening abbr.): ET. AL..

37. Fruit-filled pastries: TURNOVERS.  

39. Chops finely: DICES.

40. In the past: AGO.

41. NL Central team: CIN.  STL/MIL/PIT/CHI all fit, so I waited until a few perps came to the rescue

45. [see in the across section]

47. Corner store: BODEGA.  I also thought about using the word "tienda" ... does anyone here know the difference between bodega and tienda?

49. [Your attention, please!]: AHEM.

51. The Gem State: IDAHO. Immediately following is (52-down. Gem from a mollusk): PEARL

52. [see above]

56. Holiday lead-ins: EVES.

59. __ phonetic alphabet: NATO. *Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Unicorn, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, and Zulu 

(*Who can spot the mistake?)

60. Whole bunch: SLEW.

62. Holds: HAS.

63. Assenting vote: YEA.

That's a wrap, folks.  See you in a couple of weeks.  A personal "ps" from the Chairman, today is my little big sister's birthday.  I know she won't be stopping by but as my only sibling, it is more than worth giving her a shout out. Happy Birthday, sis! 🎂

Friday, April 11, 2025 - Zachary Edward-Brown

  Theme: "ALL righty then ..."

Puzzling thoughts:

Today's Friday offering from Zachary Edward-Brown (who, after doing some research, appears to be a newbie constructor - having had published puzzles this year in both Universal and AV Club) features the type of puzzle that our Irish Miss 🍀loves almost as much as she does a puzzle that contains a plethora of three-letter words, abbreviations, and uncommon names:  the add/subtract a word/letter with corny clues 😜

Ok, that being said ... let's look at the "good", the "bad", and the "so-so" that Zachary provided us today:

As my theme heading suggests, the word ALL appears once in three of the across entries and twice in another.  We'll get to that in a Moe-ment ... 

As the reveal in 53-down. states: "Bold poker play, and an apt title for this puzzle:" ALL IN is the bold move Zachary uses to change the meaning of the entry phrases.  How?  Let's check out the entries:

18-across. Performance in which dancers avoid center stage?: SIDE BALLET.  In this example, the word all changes the familiar term side bet to fit the clue.  A side bet is usually one made at a Texas Hold'em table after one of the players goes "all in".  A side bet can be made by the remaining players who have called the "all in" bet, and that wager does not affect the outcome of the other

31-across. Fearlessness shared by characters such as Rocky and Rambo?: HEART OF STALLONE. By far, my favorite of the entries.  Perhaps my all-time favorite add/subtract clue/answer.  Well done Zachary! How about a little Rolling Stones "Heart of Stone" to bring this one home?

40-across. Decide it's time to harvest oniony bulbs?: CALL THE SHALLOTS.  This entry is the outlier as it has the word ALL in two places of the answer: after the first letter (Call) and word of the phrase, and again in the word shallots.  "Call the shots" is the phrase that's being punned, and in keeping with what appears to be a gambling theme (the reveal is a poker term, as is the first entry), this phrase, too, can be used in various forms of wagering.  Have you ever played "HORSE" in basketball?

58-across. Vehicle built for Yao Ming and Shaq?: TALL-MOBILE.  And then this entry threw all of the monkey wrenches into the mix, as the word, minus the "all", T-Mobile, has nothing to do with gambling.  It is a wireless phone carrier service and internet provider ... although some users of that provider might say that you're "gambling" with getting good coverage

So, the good: HEART OF STALLONE (as well as the phrase "SNAIL MAIL" and the word "HOLYOKE")

The bad: TALL-MOBILE (as well as the entries of "HTC", "EEL POT", "T-BEAM", "ODOR EATER" and "E-BOAT") 

The so-so:  SIDE BALLET (that phrase just doesn't make any sense) and CALL THE SHALLOTS (due to its use of the word "all" twice) as well as the entries: "IMAGO" "A LOT" "ESAU", "ABC NEWS", and "BEEP" (as clued)

Overall rating for this one: ⭐⭐ and 1/2⭐

Perhaps one of the clued entries that was left on the cutting room floor:

00-across.  Convention activity for clowns that involves creating blown-up animals from colorful latex?: BALLOONDOGGLE

Here is the grid ... 

Across:

1. "Casablanca" role: ILSA.  Some SparkNotes for ILSA Lund

5. Postop therapy: REHAB. 

10. Sound from R2-D2: BEEP.  meh

14. Family nickname: NANA.  My maternal grandparents were called "NANA and Gramps"

15. Insect stage: IMAGO.

  

IMAGO = The adult stage

16. Syllables repeated in Rihanna's "Umbrella": ELLA.  Fast forward the video to the 1:20 mark to find the refrain that repeats the syllables, ella ella eh eh eh 

17. Place for Jazz players to practice: UTAH.  Utah Jazz basketball team (NBA)

[entry #1]

20. Take to the hills?: SKI.  Something my fellow Friday co-blogger, Malodorous Manatee, has done often this past ski season

21. Like supernovas: HOT.  Hot?  Ya think?

Literally, an exploding star

22. Some flight destinations: ATTICS.  Not a fan of the plural use of the word attic, but the clue was very clever

23. Underwater trap: EEL POT. Moe-ku #1

        Underwater trap

        Set by narcs had effect. Caught

        Users of eel pot

25. Digging: INTO.  

27. Pig's place: STY.

28. Needs to: MUST.  As opposed to "wants to" --- and its somewhat related clue/answer from 25-down:  Refuses to bargain: INSISTS.  

29. Holiday melodies: NOELS.  Some biblical history on the use and meaning of the word Noel

[entry #2]

37. Voyage: TRIP.  

38. Flair who was the first wrestler to complete the WCW's Triple Crown: RIC.

 

Also known as, "The Nature Boy"

39. Noisy commotions: ADOS.

[entry #3]

45. WWII craft: E-BOAT.  German "fast attack craft" known as Schnellboot.  The British donned it "E"-Boat with the "E" standing for enemy

Schnellboot

46. Oaf: BOOR.  I tried "clod" until I knew it wasn't correct

47. Dockworker's gp.: ILA.

50. Part of BPOE: ELKS.

51. Purchase that's worth a shot: CAMERA.  I really wanted the word here to be "whisky"

54. Amount after deductions: NET PAY.  Moe-ku #2:

        Trapeze artist earned

        Full salary, 'til he fell.

        Then, he got net pay

56. "Your point being?": AND.

57. Feel sick: AIL.

[entry #4]

61. Etc. kin: ET. AL.  Fun Faux Fact:  the abbreviation et. al. really stands for (Extraterrestrial Aliens)

62. Biblical twin of Jacob: ESAU. Moe-ku #3

        Jacob and his twin

        Discovered the first fulcrum:

        Called Esau's seesaw

63. "Bam!": KAPOW.

64. Alien-seeking org.: SETI.  Fun Fact:  This doesn't mean: Seeking English Translators Intergalactically 

65. Suffix that means "without": LESS.  Moe-ku #4:

        Crossword puzzle came

        With just a grid; nothing else.

        Left us all clueless

 
66. Les __-Unis: ETATS. Mandatory foreign phrase entry

67. Prefix in some juice names: CRAN.  

Down:

1. Unavailable: IN USE. As opposed to this:

Not in use

2. Potato pancake: LATKE. Not to be confused with:

Any "Taxi" fans out here??

3. Delivery for those who haven't gone paperless: SNAIL MAIL.

4. Spa sigh: AAH.  If you didn't look carefully, you might have thought the clue said: "Spa sign"

5. Starchy dish that requires attentive stirring: RISOTTO. How to be a risotto master:

6. Radiate: EMIT.

7. Bore: HAD.  Took me a while to suss this ... think of birthing a child, and now re-read the clue and entry ... 

8. Grow old: AGE.  

9. Bubbly drink?: BOBA TEA.  In this case, I think the word "bubbly" should have been in quotes, and the clue does not include a question mark. The "bubbles" in boba tea refer to tapioca beads, not CO²

11. "Black-ish" star Tracee __ Ross: ELLIS.  This person.  To be perfectly honest, I have never seen this actor in any of her movies and/or television series

12. Put in office: ELECT.

13. Gullible one: PATSY.

19. Bikini, for one: ATOLL.  Here is some interesting history regarding the atoll called Bikini

21. Emcee: HOST.

24. Color of Fear in the "Inside Out" films: PURPLE.  This one solved via perps, but I have seen this animated short from Pixar.  Just didn't recall that the Color of Fear was purple

26. "Take it down a __, please": NOTCH. "It's creepin' a bit"

30. Super G event, e.g.: SLALOM.  

31. Taiwanese electronics co.: HTC.  High Tech Computer corporation

32. Cy Young stat: ERA.  All of Cy Young's stat's

33. "Let your __ flag fly": FREAK. An idiomatic phrase that refers to being singular and expressive

34. Shoe insert: ODOR EATER.  A lot of us carp about certain words or phrases in crossword puzzles being erroneously pluralized; but in this case, I've never heard of the branded name product used to mask the smell in one's shoes called by its singular ... they're always referred to as "Odor-Eaters"

35. "Psych!": NOT.  For those who are not into either internet jargon nor youthful slang:

36. Start of spring: ESS. The letter ess is also the start of start

41. Construction girder: T-BEAM.  Here <== is a link to many of the different kinds of construction girders, including the t-beam, as well as the i-beam and h-beam ... "Beam me up, Scotty"

42. "The Paper City" of Massachusetts: HOLYOKE.  So why, in my intro, did I target this word in the "good" category?  Well, for starters, that is the city where C-Moe spent some of his early career in sales.  Holyoke is situated on the Connecticut River, in Western Massachusetts, and was, in the 1870's a leading producer of various paper and textile products.  Paper mills in Holyoke produced everything from paper napkins to cotton-fiber printing paper, as well as wall coverings (textile-based wallpaper) used during the early 20th century. The city is also home to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame ... most folks, when looking at the city's name, would pronounce it "holy - oak".  But true natives say it as: "whole'-yolk"

And now you know!

43. "GMA" production co.: ABC NEWS.  Good Morning America = "GMA"

44. Burden: LOAD.  Onus fit, too

47. Brand of chips: INTEL.  Moe-ku #5:

        Recent stock market

        Trend shows Lay's gaining speed, while

        Intel takes a dip

48. New car option: LEASE.  Remember when new car options included: automatic transmission, AM/FM radios, A/C, power brakes and power steering, power windows, carpeting, cloth-interior, white-walled tires, et al??  And soon after, cruise-control and cassette-radios were options?  The question now is:  what isn't included 

49. Book filled with world views: ATLAS.  This clue uses great play-on-words

52. Vaquero's rope: RIATA.  Only the second foreign phrase used in today's puzzle; kudos!

[reveal]

55. Bonus: PLUS. Let's see if the Thesaurussaurus agrees:

Yup!

56. Very much: A LOT.  OK, I included this in the "so-so" group of entries today.  I am not a big fan of using a lot in crossword puzzles.  How could Zachary have avoided this?  Here is how I might have constructed the bottom center of the grid.  The new look would get rid of ETATS, BAT, IPA, and most importantly, the dreaded "a lot":

59. Critter under Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas: BAT.  Learning Moe-ment  <=== every crossword puzzle should have at least one of these as a clue, IMO.  I had no idea that a ginormous colony of bats was a feature of the capital city of TX

60. Hoppy brew, briefly: IPA.  So, if Zachary had used C-Moe's version, the clue would have been: URL addresses:  IPS 

61. Key above ~: ESC.  Fitting clue/answer for the last one of the puzzle ... it's now time to escape this blog and wait for your comments and thoughts to today's puzzle