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 ... 

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! 🎂