Saturday, August 9, 2025, David Karp

 Themeless Puzzle by David Karp

David's fun puzzle started out quickly but slowed to a more moderate pace. Here is what he shared with me after I told him that MWAHAHA/RAWR gave me one bad cell.

Hi Gary,

Glad you enjoyed the puzzle! And sorry to trip you up -- I was a bit worried about how that crossing would play out.

This one is a pretty open grid so it was challenging getting clean yet interesting fill throughout -- it went through a few revisions with the editors, particularly in the bottom right corner. But I'm particularly happy that MUSIC BINGO (I enjoy playing it), ZAMBONI RIDE (I'm a Canadian/hockey fan) and EGG MATZOS (my dad's side of the family is Jewish) made it through.

I can't believe it's been a couple years since my last LA Times themeless puzzle. I've had three crosswords in the LA Times since then (including a couple collaborations with friends and family), but they've all been Mondays, funnily enough. I feel most in my element doing challenging themeless puzzles though so it's nice to be back with a themeless.

Not much to update in the way of my current activities; I still work for the provincial government, enjoy making crossword puzzles in my spare time (I recently published my 50th puzzle -- this one is #52) as well as playing ball hockey and soccer. 

Across:

1. Rank denied to Anakin Skywalker: JEDI MASTER ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  He never became a Jedi Master. He became a Jedi Knight close to the beginning of the clone wars. Knights were also given padawans to train during the unprecedented times in the final years of the Republic. Even after he became a force ghost he was still known more as the Chosen One than a true Jedi Master.

11. Pollutants phased out by the Montreal Protocol, for short: CFCS - Chlorofluorocarbons were identified as destroying the ozone layer and were outlawed in 1987.

15. "Count me in!": I AM SO THERE.

16. Baseball dynasty name: ALOU - They had a lot of talent and vowels.

17. Game whose object is to get lots of hits: MUSIC BINGO - A fav game of David's. Players receive bingo cards with song titles or artists listed in a grid. The host plays short clips of songs. Players identify the songs and mark them off on their cards. Five in a row, column or diagonal wins.

Sample Card

18. Gamer who lacks game: NOOB.

19. 1971 cult classic: SHAFT - The fabulous Isaac Hayes theme song below has the lyrics start at 1:48

 
 

20. Startles: SPOOKS.

22. Celeb gossip site: TMZ - It stands for the Thirty Mile Zone surrounding Los Angeles and the entertainment business. Here's the latest edition

25. Story that may remain unfinished: ATTIC 😀 An unfinished top story ATTIC would get pretty toasty around here.

27. Spine-tingling: EERIE.

28. Treats: HEALS.

30. "What a bore!": SNORE.

32. "Wanna __?": BET - TV's most famous BET!

33. "__ Vep": HBO miniseries: IRMA - An anagram of Vampire More

34. Crispy kosher snack: EGG MATZOS.

36. Clouds of gas and dust: NEBULAE.

38. "They'll never catch me!": MWAHAHA and 31. Noise made while curling one's fingers, perhaps: RAWR the crossing of these two cost me a "got 'er done".

 

40. Debate figure: MODERATOR.

42. Layered sandwich: OREO.

43. Actor Chaney: LON.

44. Blacksmith garb: APRON.

45. "Paul Bunyan" librettist: AUDEN.

46. __ coffee: IRISH - IRISH is also a beloved member or our community

48. Networks, for short: SYSTS.

50. Fr. holy title: STE - French abbreviation for SAINTE the female form for Saint 

51. Some adoptees: STRAYS - God bless those that do this

53. One of the three R's: REUSE - Oh, those 3 R's. I first tried "RITIN'"

55. Duck out early: BAIL - We did BAIL on a Husker FB game once when it looked like they would lose. The cheering we heard on the street told us we made a mistake.

56. Unlikely to show mercy: IRON FISTED - These leap to mind: Stalin, Lenin, Putin in Russia. Idi Amin in Uganda. Fidel Castro in Cuba. Daniel Noriega in Nicaragua. Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Hafez Assad in Syria. Hitler in Germany. 

61. "Balladz" poet Sharon: OLDS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Her bio

62. Tale that may be told with a fire in one's eyes: GHOST STORY 😀

63. On a cruise: ASEA.

64. Easy wins for presidential candidates, often: HOME STATES - Most do but in 1972 George McGovern, among others, even lost his home state of South Dakota in the Nixon landslide.

Down:

1. Actor Parsons: JIM - He was a big reason The Big Bang Theory was a huge hit.

2. Evian, e.g.: EAU.

3. Private convos: DMS - Direct MessageS

4. Mother of Horus: ISIS.

5. Drinks made from two kinds of beans: MOCHAS - A mixture of cocoa and coffee beans

6. Rockie start?: AT BAT - 😀 Their AT BATs have not been very productive as the Colorado Rockies have the worst record in MLB (30 - 85).

7. Takes a turn: SHIFTS GEARS - I really liked this clue as it references a turn in a conversation or strategy not in a car.

8. Part of a nomad's lifestyle, perhaps: TENTING.

9. Work unit: ERG - I love this definition of an ERG: It's the equivalent of an ant doing one push up 

10. Some classic cars: REOS - Ransom Eli Oldsmobile invented the Oldsmobile Car and then, after a falling out with a partner, stopped that and started building the REO

11. __ Journey: annual event for Pacific Northwest Indigenous peoples: CANOE.

12. They may be swept under the rug: FLOOR BOARDS - There is a difference between actually doing this and the sense of ignoring a bad topic

13. Need for one who's rolling in dough?: COOKIE SHEET 😀

14. Part of the whole: SUBSET - We crossword solvers are a SUBSET of the general population 

21. "The Hunger Games" boy: PEETA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

22. Scarce: THIN.

23. They're only human: MERE MORTALS.

24. Hockey fan's intermission experience, perhaps: ZAMBONI RIDE.

26. Sound track?: COMMON SENSE 😀

29. Credit: LAUD.

34. Tombstone name: EARP - Despite his adventures in Tombstone, AZ, Wyatt's actual, uh, tombstone, along with his wife's, is in Colma, CA near San Francisco.

35. Dynasty before the Qin: ZHOU.

37. __ Law: human rights measure named for the third-longest-serving U.S. senator: LEAHY.

39. Top-notch: A-ONE.

41. Place for kidding around at home?: TOY ROOM 😀

43. Capital city in Província da Estremadura: LISBOA - Portuguese in clue means the city will be spelled in that language

45. One of 3,234 for Sue Bird: ASSIST.

47. Verde or roja topping: SALSA - Even I knew green and red

49. Boston university: TUFTS.

52. [Not this again!]: SIGH.

54. Spanish pronoun: ESTA.

 

57. Density symbol, in physics: RHO - Density = Mass/Volume 

58. Threenager, e.g.: TOT 😀

59. Bard's before: ERE.

60. Start to function?: DYS.

Notes from C.C.:

 

Wishing Ray O. and his wife a joyful celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary - what a wonderful milestone!

Monday January 27, 2025 David Karp

  

Hay there, everyone! sumdaze here. Today's theme:

It's a horse, of course! 

Out of the gate, we'll begin with today's reveal:

58 Across. Deal made with shrewd bargaining, or a swap that could be made with the ends of 17-, 25-, 37-, and 47-Across?: HORSE TRADE.

A HORSE TRADE is as defined in the clue, but this reveal is also telling us that we can substitute (that is, TRADE) the word HORSE for the ends of each themed answer.

Note:  "Ends" is used instead of "words" because 37-Across is hyphenated.  

Rounding up the themers, we have:

17 Across. Prerequisite for going into labor?: WORK PERMIT.  WORKHORSE

The question mark indicates a bit of misdirection about childbirth. A WORK PERMIT is an official document that allows one to work.

A WORKHORSE is a hardworking person.

25 Across. Hypothetical stuff in space: DARK MATTER.  DARK HORSE

NASA webpage on the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope and DARK MATTER

A DARK HORSE is a little-known, unexpectedly successful entrant in a contest.

37 Across. Requiring a lot of careful attention: HIGH-MAINTENANCE.  HIGH HORSE

HIGH-MAINTENANCE is as defined in the clue.

Someone described as being on their HIGH HORSE is acting as if they are superior to those around them.  

47 Across. Unvarying background sound: WHITE NOISE.  WHITEHORSE 

more on WHITE NOISE

There are a few options for this one. WHITEHORSE is the largest city in northern Canada and the capital of the Yukon. A hero can come riding up on a symbolic WHITE HORSE. WHITE HORSE is also the name of a 2008 song by Taylor Swift. We could go on, but let's take a look at the grid instead.

I also noticed a Geography mini-theme. If 47-Across is the Yukon capital, that is Geography question #1. We have eleven more so put on your Geography hats!   

Across:

1. Lively Brazilian dance: SAMBA.  

6. Diet that's high in 10-Across: KETO.  (see next clue)

10. Macronutrients that may be saturated: FATS.

14. Inbox filler: EMAIL.

15. Disney snowman voiced by Josh Gad: OLAF.  Josh Gad was recently a guest on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! That is when I first realized I was confusing him with panelist Josh Gondelman. (Sorry, Josh G.!)  

(l to r)  Josh Gad, Olaf, and Josh Gondelman

16. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.  [Geography question #2]  

19. "Hacks" Emmy winner Smart: JEAN.  (b. Sept. 13, 1951 in Seattle) I remember her from Designing Women (1986-1993)  

Jean is the blonde.

20. __ Lauder: ESTEE.  

21. Dice finely: MINCE.  

22. Recipe amt.: TBSP.  To make pizza sauce, I combine 1 TaBleSPoon dried MINCEd onion with a small can of tomato sauce, a handful of fresh herbs from my garden, and a few turns of the peppermill. Let simmer.

28. Bother: EAT AT.  If something is bothering you, you could say it is EATing AT you. In that case you might need some 29-DownS.

30. __ Scotia, Canada: NOVA.  [Geography question #3] Nova Scotia is one of Canada's ten provinces. Its estimated population is over one million people. Visitors enjoy exploring its charming coastal towns, eating lobster, and whale watching. 

31. Flirt with: CHAT UP.  Like the clue, I associate this phrase with a romantic purpose to the conversation. Others equate CHAT UP with simply "shooting the breeze". How do you use it?

33. First __ tent: AID.  I always appreciate these volunteers at events.

34. Co. such as Google Fiber: ISP.  Company and Internet Service Provider

41. "__ queen!": YAS.  "YAS queen" is a slang expression that signifies celebration, support, and empowerment. Wiki says it is mostly used by the 42-Across community.

I did not care for this A crossing the name of a Brazilian state.

42. Part of LGBTQ+: GAY.

43. More irate: MADDER.  I'm mad for the lyrics to this song from the Broadway musical Wonderland. 

44. Conference freebies: SWAG.  I think this acronym stands for Stuff We All Get ... but opinions vary.

46. Home Depot department: PAINT.  

Don't forget to ask for a stirring stick!

53. Combinatorics discipline: MATH.  Combinatorics, as the name suggests, is an area of discrete MATH that looks at possible combinations. (There is more to it than that but this will suffice for today.) A sample problem is "A committee of three people needs to be made from a group of ten participants. How many possible combinations of committee members is possible?"  

Use this formula to get the answer 120 combinations.

54. Big name in boxers: HANES.  Chonies -- not dogs!

55. Some party shenanigans: DARES.  This clue refers to the party game Truth or Dare.  

Penny, Bernadette, and Amy play Truth or DARE on TBBT.

57. Native of ancient Peru: INCA.  [Geography question #4]

63. Free kick cause: FOUL.  I'm going to go with Isaac McAdoo's penalty kick in Season 3 of Ted Lasso (3:11 min.).

Warnings:  Spoiler alert and F-bombs.  

64. Line on a graph: AXIS.  More math!!  😎  

65. Camera giant: NIKON.

66. Fragrant trees: FIRS.  

67. Prying: NOSY.  

Get it? They're elephants.

68. Die down: ABATE.  Def.:  to decrease in force or intensity.

I always associate this word with IRS penalties. I have written many letters for clients asking that the IRS ABATE their penalty.

Speaking of the IRS, it is time for my annual PSA announcement.... Tax season in the U.S. is just around the corner. The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free tax help for taxpayers who qualify. This will be my 7th year as a VITA preparer. D-Otto volunteered for many years, too. If you know someone who needs assistance with filling out their forms, perhaps recommend they try VITA. We do both Federal and State income taxes. Certain complicated returns are out-of-scope. Use this link to find an IRS VITA location near you.

Down:

1. Do some needlework: SEW.     and     26 Down. Do some needlework: KNIT.

2. "Yo te __": AMO.  

3. Damage: MAR.  

"Vitiate" is a Saturday word.

4. Cyclist's route through a park: BIKE PATH.  How to find bike paths on Google Maps video (1 min.)

5. Swiss mountains: ALPS.   [Geography question #5]  Britannica.com

6. Divided Asian peninsula: KOREA.  [Geography question #6]

7. Wabbit hunter Fudd: ELMER.  

8. __ chi: martial art: TAI.  ...not to be confused with chai tea!  

9. Frequently, in poems: OFT.  short for OFTen     and     52 Down. Before, in poems: ERE.

10. Sizzling Tex-Mex fare: FAJITA.

11. Customer service representative: AGENT.  They as are elusive as the secret spy AGENTs.

12. Tiny amount: TRACE.  

13. More reasonable: SANER.

18. Takeoff approx.: ETD.  "Approximation" is abbreviated, so it "Estimated Time of Departure".

21. Big D cager: MAV.  Big D is Dallas, TX. A cager is a basketball player.  Dallas' NBA team is the Mavericks.  

22. Futuristic: TECHY.  TECHY is an adjective which means "characterized by technical sophistication". Its first known use was in 1977.

23. Brazilian state where the 1-Across originated: BAHIA.  [Geography question #7] Bahai is one of Brazil's 26 states. Its estimated population is over 14 million people. The Travel Channel says that Bahia is Brazil's "pulsing epicenter of Afro-Brazilian culture".

24. Bucks: STAGS.  ...not slang for money.

27. Surfer's gear?: MODEM.  web surfer

29. Stomach, cutely: TUM.  stomach  -->  tummy  -->  TUM

32. Winter solstice celebrant: PAGAN.  Here is an NPR piece from last December 20th.

33. One or more: ANY.

34. World's most populous country: INDIA.  [Geography question #8]

Click to enlarge.

I like this graphic, too.

35. Aromatherapy choice: SCENT.  Eucalyptus is one of my favorites.

36. Capital of Western Australia: PERTH.  [Geography question #9]  Western Australia is one of Australia's six states and two territories. Perth's population is estimated at 2.3 million people. It is known for its beaches, favorable climate, and outdoor activities. A non-stop flight from Sydney to Perth is about five hours.  

38. "Othello" villain: IAGO.  CliffsNotes explains why IAGO is a villain:

Iago in this play, has the qualities of the Devil in medieval and Renaissance morality plays: He is a liar, he makes promises he has no intention of keeping, he tells fancy stories in order to trap people and lead them to their destruction, and he sees other's greatest vulnerabilities and uses these to destroy them.

39. Day break?: NAP.  This one had some fun wordplay. This break in the day is a rest -- not the dawning of a new day.

40. Tracy/Hepburn romantic comedy: ADAM'S RIB.  ESP for me. Here is the trailer for this 1949 film. (I love her houndstooth robe!)

44. Amazing deals: STEALS.  The price is so good it is like you are STEALing it.

45. Director Anderson: WES.  There is something about the pacing of Wes Anderson's films that make them fun to watch. You can see what I mean in this short clip from The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) with Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, and Edward Norton.  

47. Faint smell: WHIFF.  

48. Vietnam's capital: HANOI.  [Geography question #10]

49. Rack up: INCUR.  For example, one can rack up (INCURE) penalties.

50. Actor Elba: IDRIS.  Is he the new 007 ???!!!  

51. Full of attitude: SASSY.

56. Sicilian volcano: ETNA.  [Geography question #11]

58. Solo of "Star Wars": HAN.  

59. Kitchen gadget brand: OXO.  

OXO's jar opening tool makes a good gift for people of a certain age.

60. Pseudonym letters: AKA.  Also Known As

61. Decimal point: DOT.  "And" also fit ... and is more correct.  

62. Opposite of WSW: ENE.  [Geography question #12]

Time for me to mosey along. Happy trails!