Friday, September 26, 2025 - Ariana Borut

 Theme: ???? 

Puzzling thoughts:

Ok, despite solving this puzzle quickly and easily, I have no idea what the reveal has to do with the entries (themers).  And maybe there is nothing beyond the obvious.  Look, I may be one of the designated bloggers here, but that doesn't mean that I always "get" what the constructor is after

Today's constructor, Ariana Borut (if indeed this is she) indicates on her LinkedIn profile that she "worked with Patti Varol and Katie Hale; I reviewed crossword submissions to the LA Times, test solved accepted puzzles and constructed a crossword to be published in the Times."  The dates for this activity were May 2025 to July 2025, so the appearance of her puzzle today seems to validate her identity.  Her other crossword-related position is constructing puzzles for the Friday printed edition of the Yale Daily News.  This may be Ariana's major publication debut; if so, congratulations

The reveal today - at least to me - seems ambiguous to the entries:

59-across. Go over the top, or a hint to 17-, 23-, 37-, and 48-Across: PUT ON A SHOW.  I inserted the YouTube video above to try to see if there is some explanation I am missing.  Maybe someone who follows this blog can enlighten me in the comments section

The themers (entries):

17-across. Extremely popular puddle jumper?: HOT AIR TAXI.  Ok, I am familiar with a hot air balloon but I don't think that's in play here.  I found a link to a site that describes the present and future of air taxis.  But how does this connect?  Where is the hint that the reveal describes?  Is it the fact that the promise of using an air taxi for commuting is "full of hot air?"  The phrase "puddle jumper" in the clue (to me) refers to a commuter air service that makes frequent stops 

23-across. Soon-to-be buds?: NEXT BEST FRIENDS. Again, there can be two pairs of phrases:  next best which refers to something that can be an alternative if the best option is not available; best friends which refers to a group of acquaintances that are all well-connected and well-liked by each other.  Where (again) is the hint, and what does this have to do with "putting on a show"?

37-across. Beach race outcome?: QUICKSAND CASTLE. Can I not see the forest for the trees? How is a quick sand castle (however you want to connect the words) related to a beach race outcome?  Is it that there is a race to build a sand castle the fastest?

48-across. Four-bed, three-bath digs in the backyard?: FAMILY TREEHOUSE.  A family tree is simply the charting of ones ancestors and showing it as a "tree" to indicate the branches from one generation to the next.  A treehouse is simply a structure built into the network of branches and limbs of a tree and used as a getaway (secret hiding place, maybe?) for kids

Maybe it's time for me to retire - both from doing crossword blogs and creating crossword puzzles.  I hope the future generations of solvers and constructors are at least getting some entertainment from this.  Maybe after somebody reveals the "aha" I will see what's so clever ... 

The Grid

Across:

1. Settles: CALMS.

6. Assess: RATE.

10. Lens option: TINT.  Here is a link to reasons why to tint eyeglass lenses

14. 2009 Nobel Peace Prize winner: OBAMA.  Ariana Borut is an undergrad @ Yale University.  Barack Obama graduated (law school) from Yale's biggest rival, Harvard

15. Like a lemon: OVAL.  Nice misdirection clue - I thought tart was the answer; oval never registered but indeed, a lemon is oval in its shape

16. Seth's first son: ENOS.

[themer]

19. Soul singer James: ETTA.

20-across. 12/31, for one: EVE.  This clue is written as a date (in this case, New Year's Eve falls on December 31st.  (50-down. 12:31, for one): RATIO.  This clue is written as a ratio which made me wonder why the use of a colon?  Here is one explanation

21. "Despacito" singer Fonsi: LUIS.  I think this is the correct video

22. Pep rally chant: CHEER.  

[themer]

27. Shakespearean exclamations: AYS.  An actual William Shakespeare quote: "What, gone without a word? Ay, so true love should do; it cannot speak, For truth hath better deeds than words to grace it." 

Why AY?

28. Batman and Robin, e.g.: ROLES.  Another interesting, misdirected clue 

29. Coyote call: HOWL.

32. Hispaniola nation: HAITI.  Two choices, and Dominican Republic was too large to fit into the five cells

34. Charged particle: ION.  

[themer]

41. "Un Verano __ Ti": Bad Bunny album whose title translates to "A Summer Without You": SIN.  The word "sin" in Spanish means "without".  Fun fact: the literal translation for an erstwhile high-end strain of marijuana (sinsemilla) means "without seed"

42. Perplexed: AT SEA.

43. Jekyll's alter ego: HYDE.

44. Actor Hawke: ETHAN.

46. Barnyard sound: MOO.

[themer]

55. National alternative: ALAMO.  Rental car 

56. Vegan-friendly gelling agent: AGAR. All you need to know about AGAR

57. Cello's sect.: STR. Abbreviation for strings

58. Durham university: DUKE.  Not an Ivy League school (such as Yale or Harvard) but one that ranks highly in its academics 

[reveal]

62. Pt. of EMS: EMER.  Emergency Medical Service

63. Curriculum segment: UNIT. I was thinking of a college credit, rather than a unit, so I found this link that explains the difference

64. Italian fountain at the junction of three roads: TREVI.

65. Bygone pol. divisions: SSRS.

66. Angry chorus: BOOS.  

67. Warning often accompanied by flashing lights: SIREN.

Down:
1. Andy of "The Real Housewives" franchise: COHEN.  Not a tv franchise that I watch so I had to wait for the perps to fill this in

2. All of the __: ABOVE.

3. Swim cap material: LATEX.  The clue:  "Examination glove material" would also work.  I wonder - since every time I fill out my medical "history" the question is there - if one is allergic to latex and were a swimmer, what kind of swim cap would they use?

4. Combat sport, for short: MMA.  Mixed Martial Arts

5. Pass on the water: SAIL BY.  I thought this would be a debut word, but Crossword Tracker shows three other times used [by the way, if you get a warning about Crossword Tracker not being "safe", I can attest that it is.  They haven't updated their website]

6. Flatbreads cooked on a tawa: ROTIS.  I am guessing that the word "tawa" gave this away.  I was thinking NAANS but again, waited for perps

7. Nautical shout: AVAST.

8. Assess: TAX.  We just got our 2025 tax assessment for our house.  Didn't go up too much

9. "Lux et Veritas" collegian: ELI.  Our constructor's school

10. Light laugh: TEE HEE.

11. Strong quality: INTENSITY.

12. "Understood": NOTED.

13. Pre-1917 rulers: TSARS.

18. Regrets: RUES.

22. Paramecium hairs: CILIA. 

 

24. Makeup powder: TALC.  What the American Cancer Society has to say about TALC

25. With 38-Down, Mexican artist known for self-portraits: FRIDA  (38-down. See 25-Down:) KAHLO.  As a fellow constructor I noted that while the two names are proximate on the grid, they are not in the same symmetric location.  Close

26. Univ. scholarship program: ROTC.

29. Control ctrs.: HQS. 

30. "Certainement!": OUI.  A bit of French 

31. One familiar with the aging process: WINEMAKER.  I obviously enjoyed seeing this word for the given clue.  I met a few winemakers during my California vacation trip

32. "It __ been easy": HASN'T.

33. Hydrocarbon suffix: ANE.

35. Out of style: OLD.

36. Maiden name intro: NEE.

39. Lab request?: STAY.  As in a Labrador Retriever 

40. "Scram!": SHOO.

45. Treadmill features: TIMERS.  Once upon a time I used to frequent treadmills at the gym.  My walking regimen now is to speed walk in the neighborhood or go for hikes in the desert

46. Spiteful: MEAN.

47. "Darn it!": OH RATS.

48. Slowly disappears: FADES.

49. Reunion attendees: ALUMS.  As this blog is being published, I am one day away from attending my HS reunion, so if I don't respond to any of the comments today it's due to my traveling

51. "Grand slam" awards, for short: EGOTS.  In this case, the "Grand slam" is for the quartet of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.  Awards for TV, Music, Motion Pictures, and Theater, respectively 

52. One who walks you down an aisle: USHER.

53. Heated counter point?: STOVE.  If this referred to a debate or argument, the word counterpoint would be one word, not two words.  Strange clue, IMO, as I never think of a stove as being a "point" along the counter, but it made for a decent Friday clue

54. Theoretical physicist Schrödinger: ERWIN.  One of my favorite clips from TBBT:

59. Crawl stop: PUB.  I think that a few of my fellow HS alums are planning on visiting a brew pub or two, as our hometown has become a place where a number of these have popped up.  I don't plan on "crawling" though; will take Uber or Lyft

60. Game based on Crazy Eights: UNO.  New rules

61. Sanskrit title of respect: SRI.  Rearranged, this group of letters can also make the word sir - another title of respect

Comment below if you like ... 

Friday, September 12, 2025 - Katherine Simonson

 Theme:  "Bride"-al path ... 

 

As seen in the hit film, "Sire of the Bride"

Puzzling thoughts:

Today's puzzle was summed up with the reveal entry:

54-across. Rom-com starring Julia Roberts, and a feature of 20-, 32-, and 41-Across?: RUNAWAY BRIDE.

As you'll see in each of the three entries, the BRIDE has RUN AWAY from the movie title listed (as clued):

20-across. Gurinder Chadha adaptation of a Jane Austen novel: AND PREJUDICE.  The movie was not a box-office "biggie", nor a fan favorite, but it did cause the Chairman to wonder what was to follow as I was thinking PRIDE and Prejudice, Jane Austen's actual novel.  As it turns out, what's "missing" is the word BRIDE from the title (BRIDE AND PREJUDICE) - open the hyperlink to learn more

32-across. Fantasy adventure starring Cary Elwes and Robin Wright: THE PRINCESS.  The movie was not a box-office "biggie" but at least garnered an 80% approval rating.  Once again, the word BRIDE was missing from the puzzle entry (THE PRINCESS BRIDE)

41-across. Spencer Tracy comedy with a remake starring Steve Martin: FATHER OF THE.  The movie earned the most $ of the three but was still regarded as a "stinker" by Rotten Tomatoes.  BRIDE was missing from the movie title (FATHER OF THE BRIDE)

OK, without sounding too ignorant, what am I missing here?  I can honestly say that "Father of the Bride" is the only one of the three movies I've seen.  And it came out in 1991 so my memory of it is pretty foggy.  IIRC, the father, aka, George Banks, is more concerned about the cost of the wedding rather than the fact that he is losing his daughter Annie to his future son-in-law

Did any of the three entry movies feature the BRIDE running away?  Having "cold feet" perhaps?  If so, then this was a brilliant discovery by the constructor.  Three movies whose titles include the missing word "BRIDE" and whose story lines include the BRIDE actually "running away".  If not, then I don't know if this registers very high on my creativity list of puzzles

Guess I will have to wait at the altar (or watch the three movies to find out) 

Kudos Katherine to being published again (debuted October 2024) as I know from personal experience just how difficult it is to have a puzzle go to print

A small "nit" to pick:  In the first movie title, the word "BRIDE" was the missing from the first word in the title.  In the other two movies, the word "BRIDE" was missing from the last word of the title.  Perhaps if Katherine had thought of this movie (in which the word BRIDE is the second word in the title) I might have enjoyed this more, as the BRIDE would have run away from three different spots 

For some odd reason (maybe my weirdness) this whole "runaway bride" thing made me think of a fitting Moe-ku:

       Home, Home on the Range

       Features a runaway BRIDE: 

       "The deer and the ant elope ... "     

Here, then, is the grid and then off to the rest of the puzzle words

 

Across:

1. Burdened: BESET.

"Burdened" didn't make the top ten

6. Puff: WISP.  See 6-Down ... we have WISP crossing WASP

10. Grifter's game: SCAM. If the word "game" had been capitalized the answer might have been "BOOK"

14. French honey: AMOUR.  "Honey" as in dearie - French word for "my love"

15. Org. co-founded by Helen Keller: ACLU.  American Civil Liberties Union

16. Angelic ring: HALO.

17. Semper __: Space Force motto: SUPRA.  All you need to know about the US Space Force 

All you need to know about Semper Supra

18. Spotted: SEEN.  Not this spotted:

19. Enthusiastic: AVID.

[entry]

23. Oscar winner Tomei: MARISA.  One of my favorite clips from the movie, "My Cousin Vinny".  Marisa in her role as Mona Lisa Vito

26. Pickleball need: PADDLE.

27. Some pyramid-topped monuments: OBELISKS.  

Unlike 50-Down, this Luxor is an obelisk

30. Scare word: BOO.  Irish Miss must be pleased today as Katherine only used 11 three-letter words in her puzzle (if I counted correctly)

31. Scottish cap: TAM.  And of course, another three-letter word appears right afterwards ... 

[entry]

37. Long-billed wader: IBIS.  Also, the mascot of the University of Miami Hurricanes 

Sebastian, the IBIS

39. Mexican kinsman: TIO.  Would the clue "Uncle in Uruguay" have been any easier?

40. Cabbage cousin: KALE.

[entry]

46. B'way passes: TIX.  Moe-ku:

        Can dogs that have fleas

        Get into a theater

        Without having TIX?             

47. Exclamation of discovery: AHA.

48. Formidable: FEARSOME.  Any football fans remember the "FEARSOME" foursome?
 
50. Off-road vehicles?: LEMONS.  When was the term "lemon" first used to describe an "off" car?

How about a lemon-colored lemon??

53. Done for: RUINED.  

[reveal]

57. Teammates who really pull for you?: OXEN.   Clever clue

58. Small ensemble: TRIO.  Duo and quartet didn't fit

59. Wrinkle removers: IRONS.  Thankfully as a retiree I no longer need to worry about removing wrinkles from my dress shirts, as I used to when I worked in the corporate world ... 

63. Pop singer Amos: TORI.

  

64. Haughty manners: AIRS.

65. Part of one's inheritance: TRAIT.  My good looks, I'm told ... 😀

66. Clog decorated with Jibbitz charms: CROC.  Not familiar with this?  Watch below:

67. Invited: BADE.  Friday clue

68. Primitive: EARLY.  Friday clue

Down:

1. __-relief: BAS.  Moe-ku:

        A professional

        Fisherman mounted his catch:

        His bass bas-relief

2. Australian source of some cosmetic oil: EMU.  Johnny Bench is a spokesman for this brand:

3. Soak (up): SOP.

4. Continental train pass: EURAIL.  All you need to know about Eurail passes

5. Part of BART: TRANSIT.  Bay Area Rapid Transit

6. Queen mother?: WASP.  All you need to know about a Queen WASP

7. Cake shop artist: ICER.  Moe-ku:

        What bakery does

        When bride carps on wedding cake?

        Of course, they ICER

8. With 13-Down, laptop setting: SLEEP.  [13-Down. See 8-Down]: MODE.  Moe-ku:

        Breyer's IT staff

        Equipped their computers with

        SLEEP a la MODE 

9. Most prevalent language of Pakistan: PUNJABI. [Brittanica dot com says] "Punjabi language, or Panjabi language, Indo-Aryan language of the Punjab in India and Pakistan. Punjabi has about 26 million speakers in India and more than 60 million in Pakistan—nearly half the population of the latter—but linguists have sometimes considered the dialects of southwestern, western, and northern Punjab province in Pakistan a different language. Inhabitants of southern Punjab province have agitated for consideration of their speech, Siraiki (with more than 12 million speakers), as a distinct language, though Siraiki and Punjabi are mutually intelligible"

10. Pomelo: SHADDOCK.  [Wikipedia says] "The pomelo , also known as a shaddock, is the largest citrus fruit. It is an ancestor of several cultivated citrus species, including the bitter orange and the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid citrus fruit, native to Southeast Asia and Malaysia."

11. Kvetch: CAVIL.  What's the difference between Kvetch and CAVIL?

12. Chez Panisse owner Waters: ALICE.  Anyone here familiar with this woman and/or restaurant? Here is a conversation I found on YouTube

21. Vague amount: DASH.  Moe-ku:

        Recipes are vague;

        How salty should the dish be?

        Just ask Mrs. Dash

22. Japanese noodle: UDON.  The vagueness of the clue could have steered you toward SOBA, too.  Want to know the difference?  I'll also compare ramen noodles to them

23. Repeated pattern: MOTIF.  Moe-ku:

        What boxer said when

        He saw his incisors gone:

        "I just want Motif"

24. Addis __, Ethiopia: ABABA.  Addis-Ababa translates to "New Flower"

25. Pay: REMIT.  The word REMIT has a boatload of definitions 

28. Low-carb regimen: KETO.  Diets are just fads 

29. Polish (up): SPIFF.  My friend the Thesaurussaurus agrees; sort of

Again, "polish (up)" didn't make the top ten

33. Tedious learning method: ROTE.  I wonder if this is how actors learn their lines?

34. Brand of fine stationery: EATON.  I remember using this brand of stationery when I prepared my work resume, as it added both quality and professionalism to the document 

35. Goopy stuff: SLIME.  When the Ghostbusters got slimed ... "why am I drippings with goo?"

36. Sch. health class: SEX ED.  Click here for a preview of an article on SEX EDucation

38. Like some New Agey practices: SHAMANIC.  According to [shamanichealing.org.uk]: "Shamanic healing is an ancient spiritual practice that focuses on restoring balance and harmony to an individual's mind, body, and spirit through various techniques and rituals.  According to [Urban Dictionary]: New Agey is an adjective used to describe a new age type individual, i.e., someone who has a crystals collection, has many self-improvement books, believes in alternative medicine, practices yoga and meditation, eats organic, wears socks and sandals, and/or believes in auras and energy fields. Can also be used to describe new age practices such as shamanic healing"

42. Online instruction site: E-HOW.  Moe-ku:

        Old MacDonald song

        Lyrics are found online at

        "E-I-E-I How"

43. Deferred payment: RAN A TAB. Moe-ku:

        The teetotaler

        Who drank unsweetened cola

        Just ran a Tab® tab 

44. Mata __: HARI.  If you have 24 minutes to spare, please watch this video as it tells the story behind the woman known as Mata Hari

45. Scholarly: ERUDITE.  I've never been confused with someone who's erudite; glib, maybe 😉

49. Jagged-looking range: SIERRA.  Literal translation for the word sierra is a jagged mountain range.  Go figure!  Here is a look at a very small portion of the Sierra Mountains at a very famous lake that borders CA and NV ... taken by the Chairman when he was on sabbatical ... 

Along the western edge of Lake Tahoe

50. Vegas hotel whose rooms have slanted windows: LUXOR.  The Luxor Hotel resembles a pyramid from its exterior.  If you book a room there your windows will look like this

Yes, the windows are slanted

51. Month when it's not chilly in Chile: ENERO.  Hah! Enero is the Spanish word for January; Chile is located in the Southern Hemisphere where the month of January is the start of their summer season.  Now, if you were located here in Chile, in Enero, you would definitely be chilly unless you were wearing a warm jacket

52. Ancient Palmyra's land: SYRIA.

54. Campus mil. group: ROTC.  Reserve Officers' Training Corps

55. Blue-footed booby, for one: BIRD.  I wonder if the blue-footed characteristic of the booby indicates a male, and the females are pink-footed?  Actually, the blue feet are the male's way of attracting a female for mating ... 

If you were a female booby, would you find this guy attractive?

56. Neither red nor white: Rosé.  Speaking of pink, I'm guessing this clue/answer refers to wine.  If so, here's a fun fact from your resident sommelier:  Rosé wines are generally made from red grape varietals and are not a result of blending a white wine with a red wine, though that is an option.  During fermentation, especially with red and/or darker skinned grapes, the longer the pressed grape "juice" stays in contact with their skins, the darker the color of the wine.  When making rosé, many winemakers will leave the skins in contact with the fermenting wine for mere hours.  That is generally long enough to provide a tinge of color and create a pink-colored wine. Here are a just a few of the red-grape varietals that can make rosé: Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, and Zinfandel

60. Coxswain's lack: OAR.  The coxswain is the person at the front of the boat yelling the cadence to the rowers

This is for our cat-loving Cornerites

61. Nothing at all: NIL.  At some point (maybe it's already happened) this word might also be clued as: NCAA athlete compensation acronym

62. Barnyard dwelling: STY.  What lives in a STY?  Why, little piggies I'm told.  Here's a cut from the White Album to lead you towards the comments ... see you in a couple ...

Oh, I have a post-script to add as I found a picture recently of a spud that resembles my blogging partner, Malodorous Manatee.  He will provide the jocularity next week

Quite the resemblance, eh?

Friday, August 29, 2025 - Jeffrey Martinovic

 Theme: "Will it go round in Circles"

Puzzling thoughts:  

First off, a big thank you to RustyBrain for taking my turns (pun intended, given today's puzzle) while Ms Margaret and I took a spin around the state of California and part of southern Oregon.  3,600 miles in 28 days. We got to check off four more National Parks (Channel Islands, Lassen Volcanic, Crater Lake, and Redwoods) and also see some of the California State Parks (Humboldt, Burney Falls, et al) during our trip.  Throw in some wine tastings and a lunch visit with a smelly sea cow (aka Malodorous Manatee), and we had a glorious vacation.  Every day was at least 15 degrees cooler than where we live, and when we were admiring the view from Mendocino, it was 55 degrees cooler!

But enough about my absence ... back to blogging.  And, as one of the many Anonymous posters likes to say, "Oh, joy; circles!!"  Yup, first puzzle back and I have to make sense out of every circled word in today's entries; of which, there were 7

Normally the circled letters in a crossword puzzle will be anagrams or maybe hints to a revealed phrase.  Not today.  Today they were, literally, circles and/or synonyms for a circle that helped the clue make sense.  How?  Let's explore:

16-across. Programming sequences that don't end, literally: INFINITE.  As in infinite "LOOPS".  And if you can imagine a circle as a loop, you'll "get" today's theme (the word infinite is contained within "loops"/circles on the grid)

In computer programming, an infinite loop (or endless loop) is a sequence of instructions that, as written, will continue endlessly, unless an external intervention occurs, such as turning off power via a switch or pulling a plug. It may be intentional [per Wikipedia]

22-across. Puzzling field formations, literally: CROP.  As in, crop "CIRCLES" [According to Wikipedia] "The term (crop circles) was first coined in the early 1980s".  Further into the article it also said that while many people (fringe theorists) believe crop circles to be linked to aliens, "there is no scientific evidence for such explanations, and all crop circles are consistent with human causation"

30-across. Containers for a comic character's internal monologue, literally: THOUGHT.  As in thought "BUBBLES" - look at the cel where Charlie Brown is thinking "I'll kick it out of sight" to see the thought bubbles connecting from his brain to the statement ...

35-across. Bling for successful MLB teams, literally: WORLD SERIES.  As in World Series "RINGS".  Yogi Berra was the MLB player who sported the largest number of world series rings, 10

42-across. Exercise devices for pet rodents, literally: HAMSTER. As in hamster "WHEELS"

51-across. Toys that are quite hip, literally: HULA.  As in hula "HOOPS".  This is not an "exercise" that the Chairman can do

59-across. Weights used for strength training, literally: MEDICINE. As in medicine "BALLS". 

Moe-ku #1:

        You literally 

        Need courage to work these. Takes

        A big set of balls ... 

LOOPS, CIRCLES, BUBBLES, RINGS, WHEELS, HOOPS, and BALLS became the round objects that completed the clues connected to the entry words.  I'm thinking, though, if Jeffrey and Patti really wanted to avoid using a phrase that contained the word "circle", could they not have used this, instead for 22-across: 

22-across. "Decorative objects that depict winter scenes, literally?" SNOW

Maybe Jeffrey thought of this, or couldn't make it fit, but I digress ... 

Here is the grid and then we are off to the other clues/entries:

The Grid

Across:

1. Celebrate emphatically: DO A JIG.  It's been a while since C-Moe has worked an LA Times crossword puzzle.  For the record, today's puzzle took me 15:15 to solve.  And it took me about 4:15:00 to write the blog.  1-across slowed me down at the start.  I ultimately finished but I don't recall celebrating the way the dog in the image below did:

7. Root with red skin: RADISH.  They also come in other colors

13. Gum choice: CINNAMON.  Hmm - odd clue but it ended up being "Friday tough"

15. Invitation on a sealed envelope: OPEN ME.

[theme entry]

17. Moral of the story: LESSON.

18. "The Matrix" protagonist: NEO.  And the first of 19 three-letter words 

19. Crown material: ENAMEL.  As in a tooth crown.  I have both gold and enamel crowns in my mush

21. Skater Midori: ITO.  

[theme entry]

24. __ sequitur: NON.  Non sequitur is from the Latin: "it does not follow".  One might refer to my "Moe-kus" as non sequiturs

25. Chelsea apartments: FLATS.

27. Exercise in a heated studio: HOT YOGA.  The history of hot yoga

[theme entry]

32. Sigma preceder: RHO.  From the Greek alphabet - more on this, later

33. Eurasian border river: URAL.  Why do I always have to wait to enter the A or the U?  You'd think by now that I would know the difference between ARAL and URAL ... ARAL is the dry sea; URAL is the name of the mountain range and/or river

34. Ability to see what others can't: ESP.  Could those of us who solved the theme today claim to have ESP?

[theme entry]

38. Ante-: PRE.  I misread the clue (thought it said "anti") and entered PRO - which really doesn't make sense

40. Together, in music: A DUE.

41. Little one: TOT.

[theme entry]

44. Instant coffee brand: NESCAFE.  I entered FOLGERS first before correcting

48. Cameo shapes: OVALS.  This entry would not have made sense in today's puzzle to be circled 😁

49. Many moons __: AGO.  As a septuagenarian I am legally allowed to use this phrase  

[theme entry]

52. NAACP co-founder __ B. Wells: IDA.

53. Tequila plants: AGAVES.  One of the restaurants we dined at during our trip (in Santa Barbara) was called "Los Agaves".  It was "muy bueno"

56. 'Twas, now: TIS.  Somehow the line "My country, 'twas of thee ... " just doesn't sound right

57. Word with license or justice: POETIC.  Moe-ku #2:

        My non sequiturs

        Exist because I have a

        MOE-tic license

[theme entry]

61. Paying customer: CLIENT.

62. Holier-than-thou sorts: ELITISTS.  SNOBS fits the clue but not the number of grid squares ...

63. Winter Paralympian apparatus: SIT SKI.  Some information on this device

64. Cooks dim sum, say: STEAMS.  Friday-ish clue

Down:
1. Moola: DINERO.  Moe-ku #3:

        There's no difference

        Between Robert and moola:

        They're both "money" 

[used Moe-tic license here ...  Robert De Niro vs dinero ... get it?!]     

2. Walking or running: ON FOOT.

3. Darth Vader's childhood nickname: ANI.

4. __ Doe: JANE.  Why are unidentified people called John or Jane Doe?

5. "Let's do it!": I'M IN.  I entered C'MON instead 

6. Passed with flying colors: GOT AN A.  My personal grade for solving today's puzzle was an A minus.  Made a couple of errors.  My grade for solving today's puzzle theme was a solid A

7. Take a turn in Yahtzee: ROLL.  This has nothing to do with Yahtzee, but I thought it a worthy video when it comes to a roll of the dice ... 

8. Copycat: APE.  

9. Original "Star Trek" studio: DESILU.  Learning moe-ment today.  I did not know this before solving the puzzle.  There was even a video I found about this (FTR, Ms. Margaret knew this, but she's a Trekkie)

10. Step-by-step: IN STAGES.

11. Evens (out): SMOOTHS.

12. Barnyard mother: HEN.  I tried COW.  EWE, too? 

13. Guaranteed victory: CINCH.  

14. Verne captain: NEMO.  Moe-ku #4:

        Three Stooges were cast

        In a Jules Verne film. Curly's

        Role was to NEMO

20. Between, in Spanish: ENTRE.  Two doses of Spanish today:  DINERO and ENTRE

23. Fireworks prefix: PYRO.  Moe-ku #5:

        Fireworks in Greece

        Are set off by folks known as:

        Pi-RHO maniacs

25. Large books: FOLIOS.  TOMES did not fit

26. Pit stop brand: STP.  I want to believe that my last blog also had the word "STP" in the grid.  I asked it then, and will ask it now: does anyone other than a racecar driver use this stuff??

28. "Nuts!": OH RATS.  Seems to be a "Peanuts" theme in here - one of Charlie Brown and Snoopy's favorite phrases.  And this cartoon also features a reference to 23 down:

29. "Fiddler on the Roof" wife: GOLDE.  Chaim Topol as Tevye and Norma Crane as GOLDE [copyright United Artists]

31. Gold rush storyteller Bret: HARTE.

33. Take advantage of: USE.

35. "Success!": WE MADE IT.

36. Tight-fitting lid: DURAG.  Is this the correct spelling of the tight-fitting lid? Turns out, it is

37. Scratch the surface?: ETCH.  Not to be confused with "scratch the serf" which would be ITCH

38. Soup with rice noodles: PHO.  Moe-ku #6:

        Vietnamese moms

        Say this to their whining kids:

        "PHO crying out loud!!"

39. Filled pasta: RAVIOLI.

43. Roof tiles: SLATES.  Our roof has these.  Very common here in the Valley of the Sun

44. Storied works: NOVELS.  NOVELS tell a story

45. Condition measured on a spectrum: AUTISM.  Information on this from the Mayo Clinic

46. Spark producers: FLINTS.  Making fire is a critical skill for those who participate in the reality show, Survivor.  Heidi was un fuego

47. Alleviates: EASES.  Moe's hope is to ease/alleviate your concerns about the puzzle

50. Clue, e.g.: GAME.  The name of a board game from Hasbro.  "Colonel Mustard - in the Library - with a Rope"

53. Dramatic beginning: ACT I.  The first lines in a dramatic play begin in Act I, Scene I

54. Revise: EDIT.  As I look back to my preamble, I really wish that Patti had edited Jeffrey's 22-across entry to use a reference to GLOBES and not actually used a reference to CIRCLES.  But that's why she has a paying job in the crossword business, and I am just a blogger who does this for free ...

55. Location: SITE. 

57. Mac alternatives: PCS.  I have always used PCS for my desktop and/or laptop computers, but I use an iPhone for my mobile device.  Go figure

58. HP supply: INK.  HP = Hewlett Packard.  Why would it be abbreviated in the clue when the word INK is not an abbreviation? 

60. Langley org.: CIA.  NSA and OSS fit; fitting that this puzzle ends on a 3-letter word

So, how did you all manage to circumnavigate the entries?  Comment below if you like ... 

***A post-script from earlier in the week ... Lucina mentioned on Tuesday's blog about the haboob that engulfed much of the Phoenix valley area.  I captured just a brief video of it as it approached my place (from the ESE) - in this century, Phoenix is now on a 7-year cycle of having severe haboobs (2011, 2018, and now 2025).  I hope it loads properly ... 

Friday, July 4, 2025 - Zachary David Levy

 

 Theme: "Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone"?

[only because she (Lisa LOEB) showed up at 68-across this past Tuesday]

Puzzling thoughts:

I will admit that after solving today's Zachary David Levy puzzle, I was a bit perplexed.  I kept looking and looking for some unifier that brought this puzzle's reveal (64-across. Goldarn, or a hint to making the starred clues match their answers: DOGGONE.) to an "aha" moment.  Maybe the reveal should be DOG GONE.  And then, like the proverbial can of V8 Juice, it hit me:  the "key" is to look at each of the four starred clues, find the canine (i.e., "dog"), get rid of the pooch, and then re-read the clue

Still stumped?  Let's look at all four individually and see where the little dog has gone

3-down. *Jet setter: PITCH BLACK.  In the clue, eliminate the word "setter" (a name of a dog breed) from "jet" and then match the phrase "pitch black" to the clue "jet".  Best thing I could find that ties the word "jet" to Pitch Black is shown in the video below

7-down. *Puget sound: PHONE HOME.  In the clue, remove the letters "p.u.g." (pug, another dog breed) from the word Puget, and you're left with the clue: "ET sound".  And for those who watched the eponymous movie, "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial", the "phone home" line is well-known.  For those who haven't (or those who forgot) I've linked a short video clip below

Note:  for those who thought this clue and answer might refer to the body of water in Washington state, the word "sound" in the clue is not capitalized.  Additionally, this clue/answer was the one that gave it away for Chairman Moe.  I kept thinking, "phone home" is an E.T. catchphrase and sure enough ...

11-down. *Boxer brief: SHORT-LIVED. Once again, once the "dog word" boxer is gone from the word brief the clue/answer makes sense.  Something that is "brief" is definitely short-lived.  

53-across. *Labatt offerings: WIRELESS ROUTERS.  Similar to 7-down, the dog that disappears is in the first word of the clue, Lab.  And what is left behind is another abbreviation ATT, a communications company that also specializes in the sale of (offers) wireless routers

Like this one

So, there you have it.  Not so tough once you examine the clues closely.  I came "this close" to asking my fellow bloggers for assistance, but once I got the reveal it all made sense.  I'll comment further about some specific areas in the rest of the puzzle in the section below

The grid symmetry is somewhat unusual.  The blocks (black squares) in the center of the grid almost appear to be a smiley face with its tongue sticking out!  Not sure if this was Zachary's intention, but the grid pattern certainly allowed him to include all of the entries 

Here are a couple of clues/entries that ended up in the editor's waste basket:

Clue:  Rock hound: OUTCROPPING

Clue:  Joe Cocker: CUP OF COFFEE

For what it's worth, I was kind of hoping for an Independence Day themed puzzle, but no fireworks. So in lieu of none in the puzzle, I'll add this to the recap:

One year shy of 250 ...

I also thought about using "Who Let the Dogs Out" for my theme title.  For those who wanted that one instead, here is a brief clip:

The Grid

On to the rest ... 

Across:
1. "That's on me": OOPS.  In the words of my Crossword Corner buddy, desper-otto, "have I ever told you how frustrating it is not to solve 1-across?" This remained unsolved until perps came to the rescue

5. Ready for bed, briefly: IN PJS.  Not often seen (the answer, that is) in crossword puzzles but I like it. If I had to answer this personally, the answer would be IN MBS.  TMI??  Wait until you see 43- and 44-across ...

10. Invitation abbreviation: RSVP.  No RSVP needed to visit the Crossword Corner; just show up!

14. Ballet move: PLIE. I had so much trouble with the NW corner of this puzzle that I entered this word and erased it four times.  Should've trusted my instincts

15. Like seven Nolan Ryan games: NO HIT.  Ryan is #1 all-time in throwing the most no hitters

16. River that ends in Cairo: OHIO.  A very clever and misdirecting clue.  Cairo, IL is the general place where the OHIO river merges with the Mississippi River.  You think this is false?  Please don't be in denile [sic]

Technically, just south of Cairo

17. Some FD members: EMTS.  FD = Fire Department

18. Walk heavily: TROMP.  I'm sure that some folks breathed a sigh of relief when they saw an "O" as the vowel in this word entry ... 

19. Not all: MOST.  SOME also fits

20. Latte order: DECAF.  MOCHA was fitting this spot for way too long; hence my troubles in the NW corner

22. Demo letters: TNT.  Demo as in "demolition"; but my puzzle grid was far from being blown up

23. "No one __": CARES.  The phrase "Gives a $hit" had too many letters 😜

24. Average joe: SCHMO.  Average "Moe" would have given us Stooge 😀

25. "Good one": HEH.  "Hah" also fit

26. Unable to sit still: ANTSY.  This describes me at times

27. Name that also means "son of" in Hebrew: BEN.  I had to cheat to get this answer; my lack of Hebrew knowledge leaves me verklempt und verstumpft - does Yiddish count?

28. "Billions" network, for short: SHO.  I tried HBO to no avail

29. Nada: NIL. "Zip" fit

30. Ga. capital: ATL.  Also, the airport code for Hartsfield-Jackson Intl 

32. Got ready for school?: TUTORED.  This wasn't as hard to figure out as the clue might have suggested

35. Sort: ILK. Crossword-ese

38. Spot for rumination: LEA.  A bit of a stretch, IMO but I get it.  I don't know if I ever meditated in a LEA; maybe a wooded spot, though and certainly at the beach

39. Salon step: SHAMPOO.  Speaking of shampoo ... why do some (fill in the blank) exhaust an entire bottle of it while showering?  Because they take the directions on the bottle too literally.  It reads: "lather, rinse, repeat ..."

40. Vehicle on the move?: VAN.  Were you "moved" by this clue/answer?? 

41. Creatures that make Frodo's sword glow blue: ORCS. Thanks to Ms. Margaret (my partner) for helping me with this one

43. Liberates: FREES.  The Naturist Society celebrates two International "naked" days:  The first Saturday in May is World Naked Gardening Day;  the 21st of June is Naked Hiking Day.  Nothing FREES you like doing these activities in your birthday suit - but apply plenty of sunscreen and stay hydrated if you choose to participate in these events (next year)

[the links above do NOT show anyone naked; in case you were wondering ...]

44. Low-carb diet: KETO.  After this past hiatus I took (and certainly after the one coming up in July and August) the Chairman will need to adopt this diet (or one similar) to shed a few unwanted #s - so I continue to look good in mbs

45. Some Polynesian carvings: TIKIS.  This filled with perps and seemed appropriate

47. __ finger: INDEX.  "Ring" was too short; "middle" was too long; PINKY, also fit

48. Rattle off: NAME.  Great clue

51. Word on a cornerstone: ANNO.  ESTD fit until it didn't

[theme entry]

60. Drink suffix: ADE.  I also struggled a bit in the SW corner, but ADE was the logical answer.  A CSO to our former Friday Sherpa LemonADE714

61. Figure on the red carpet: A-LISTER.  Several hyphenated answers in today's puzzle

62. "This is the life": AAH.  What I as a retired person says quite often

63. Serene: ZEN.  The feeling after ruminating in a LEA perhaps?

[reveal / theme unifier] 

65. Hydrotherapy spot: SPA.  Doggone it!  If you insert a letter "C" into this answer you'd have SPCA 

66. Use up: EAT.  This consumed more time (to solve) than necessary

67. Gregory Peck's co-star in "The Paradine Case": ANN TODD.  A 1947 film with an actor most folks would not recall.  This one definitely took a Google search to confirm

68. Atty.'s title: ESQ.  Short for ESQuire

Down:
1. News stands?: OP-EDS.  In the words of my Crossword Corner buddy, desper-otto, "have I ever told you how frustrating it is not to solve 1-down?"

2. Native of Tabasco: OLMEC.  MAYAN fits, too, and that mistake made the NW corner nearly impossible to solve without a few "cheats"

[theme entry]

4. Word in a magical phrase: SESAME.  PRESTO fit, too

5. QB mishap: INT.  Short for "INTerception" - often thrown by QuarterBacks

6. Guiding principle, metaphorically: NORTH STAR.  Another great clue

[theme entry]

8. First Native American to win Olympic gold: JIM THORPE.  Now we know why Zachary used IN PJS for 5-across.  Needed the "J" to begin Jim.  BTW, I do like it when a constructor uses the full name of a person rather than just their first or last name

9. Gas additive brand: STP.  Question:  when was the last time anyone used STP as a gasoline additive? Not I.  Not since the 1970's for me.  Corner Quiz:  Who was the spokesman for STP back in the day? 

[Answer:  this guy]

10. Itinerant people whose flag depicts a wagon wheel: ROMANI.  All perps

[theme entry]

12. Shop clamps: VISES.  Using these when I was in shop class (woodworking) was one of my strengths; one of my devices I guess ... 

13. Hopscotch, in New York slang: POTSY.  Filled with perps.  My knowledge of New York slang is slightly less than my knowledge of Hebrew.  I guess that a clue that referred to a character on "Happy Days" would've been too easy for Friday

21. Text formatting array: FONTS.  I think the default text FONT for the blog is Georgia

23. "Count on me": CAN DO.  I tried "I AM IN" first

30. Tons: A LOT.  This is not one of my favorite entries, but it seems to show up a lot in crossword puzzles

31. Actress Polo: TERI.  Another word that filled with perps [from the Internet]: "Theresa Elizabeth Polo is an American actress. She starred as Pamela Martha Focker (née Byrnes) in the Meet the Parents trilogy, Helen Santos in The West Wing, and played the role of police officer Stef Adams Foster in the Freeform series"

Polo, c. 2012

33. Old TV dial letters: UHF.  I tried VHF first - a coin toss for sure

34. Dawn goddess: EOS.  Anyone ever wonder if there is a Palmolive goddess?  Oh!  There is!! Her name is Madge, and she's a manicurist

36. Past due: LATE.  Term used for library books and expectant mothers

37. Fort south of Indianapolis: KNOX.  Ft. KNOX is in Kentucky, but it is almost due south of Indianapolis if you check a map

42. Trig ratio: SINE. Moe-ku #1:

        Astrophysicist

        Used trigonometrics. They

        Were called "Old Lange SINEs"

44. Tangle: KNOT.

46. Canadian tea brand: SALADA.  I recall this tea brand, but it isn't a name I hear often; a mini CSO to Canadian Eh!  And of course, worthy of another commercial from the archives:

47. Toughened: INURED.  Did anyone else find this one too hard?

49. Noggin: MELON.  I put BRAIN in first 

50. Endorse remotely: E-SIGN.  My e-signature looks nothing like my written one

51. Nickname in "Star Wars": AR-TOO.  Cee Three Pee Oh didn't fit

52. Seemingly forever: NO END.  Not today's blog; finished it in record time

53. Google Maps alternative: WAZE.  Lots of tough entries today, including this one.  Definitely a Friday puzzle, finally!! Lucina must be pleased! 😉

54. Inkling: IDEA.  What I had for less than 1/2 of the answers

55. Studio figure: RENT.  Great clue - a "studio" is another name for an apartment for which one pays RENT

56. NCO rank: SSGT.  No problem

57. Facility: EASE. No problem

58. Uses a gavel: RAPS. Moe-ku #2:

        Musician Ice-T

        Decides to become a judge;

        He enjoys his RAPS (with his gavel)

59. Former NBAer known as "The Big Cactus": SHAQ.  His nickname when he played for the Arizona Suns.  Here are some of his other nicknames beginning with "The Big"

 

 

My "dogs" are tired.  Please add your comments and thoughts in the section below ...