google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Ed Sessa

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Showing posts with label Ed Sessa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ed Sessa. Show all posts

Feb 25, 2024

Sunday February 25, 2024 Ed Sessa

Theme: "Free Booze" - BOO is added to each theme entry.

22. Air freshener in the monkey house?: BABOON DEODORANT. Ban deodorant.

31. Ready to take reservations?: FIT FOR A BOOKING. Fit for a king.

53. Container for firecracker flowers?: BOOMING VASE. Ming vase.

69. Jump-start?: BOOSTING OPERATION. Sting operation.

88. Apparel for linksbabies?: GOLF BOOTEES. Golf tees.

102. (Soup or salad) and (chicken or fish), e.g.?: BOOLEAN CUISINE. Lean Cuisine.

120. Train conductor's "That's the end of the ride for you!"?: GET OFF MY CABOOSE. Get off my case.

This would have been a perfect Halloween's puzzle, but it's a Tuesday last year when Ed sent in this puzzle idea. Thursday this year.

I love the title and theme clues. "Jum-start" is so simple, so perfect.

Across:

1. God often depicted in a helmet: ARES.


5. "Gracias a la vida" singer Mercedes: SOSA. Don't know her. Argentine singer. From Wikipedia:
"Her music made people hail her as the "voice of the voiceless ones". She was often called "the conscience of Latin America." She died in 2009.


9. Fire sign: SMOKE.

14. Marble piece: SLAB.

18. Lopsided win: ROMP.

19. K-12 appropriate: EL HIElementary High. This is my old high school. 200-meter tracks.

 

20. Dust-up: RUN-IN.

21. Fuel: STOKE.

25. Artist Matisse: HENRI.

26. Secondhand music purchase: USED CD.

27. Boxer Laila: ALI.

28. "__ you see that!?": DID.

29. "Game of Thrones" beast: DRAGON.

30. D or C, in D.C.: STREET.

34. IJBOL equivalent: LOL. I Just Burst Out Laughing.

36. Jiffy: SEC.

37. Before now: AGO.

38. Pink shade: CORAL.

42. Strange: ODD.

45. Doohickey: THING.

48. College focus: MAJOR. What did you study in college, Splynter?

56. Fun time: GAS.

57. Jiffy __: LUBE.

58. Pest in a cloud: GNAT.

59. The Mel-Tones lead singer: TORME.

60. Rooked: HAD.

61. Add yeast to: LEAVEN.

63. Broken mirror, for some: BAD OMEN.

65. Better than expected, except on the links: ABOVE PAR. I broke 90 a few times at Cedar Creek, a very ladies-friendly course here in Minnesota. Very flat.

68. Storm center: EYE.

73. Tina Fey's former show, for short: SNL.

75. Hunter-gatherer period: STONE AGE.

76. Low bar?: GIN MILL. I did not know the meaning of "gin mill". Cheap bar.

79. Takes as one's own: CO-OPTS.

81. White Claw container: CAN. Never had this.



82. __ seas: SEVEN.

85. Pelvic bones: ILIA.

86. With the bow, in music: ARCO.

87. One hanging around a cave: BAT.

90. Used the oven: BAKED.

92. Mushroom in miso soup: ENOKI.  Mushroom and tofu. Classic miso soup.



94. __ Jima: IWO.

95. Edition: ISSUE.

96. Actress Thurman: UMA.

98. O'er and o'er again: OFT.

100. Brynner of "The King and I": YUL.

110. Ready for fresh paint: PRIMED.

115. Smithy fixtures: ANVILS.

116. Co. interested in net neutrality: ISP.

117. Potassium-rich fruit: FIG. I served Tom Pepper fresh figs a while ago. He liked the taste. He also liked ripe papaya slices, but could not stand green papaya salad.

118. Patti who won a Tony as Evita: LUPONE.

119. French royal: REINE.

123. Took some courses: DINED.

124. Sports venue: ARENA.

125. "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" actor Omar: EPPS.

126. Big barrel: DRUM.

127. Husky's load: SLED.

128. __ longlegs: DADDY.

129. Sports figure: STAT.

130. Bishoprics: SEES.

Down:

1. "Identical Twins" photographer Diane: ARBUS.
 

2. Use the oven: ROAST.

3. Campfire remnant: EMBER.

4. Fine English china: SPODE.

5. Phrase on a mailing label: SEND TO.

6. Hardly fresh: OLD.

7. Harvest bundle: SHEAF.

8. Remoulade kin: AIOLI. Never had remoulade or aioli or tartar.



9. "All seats taken" sign: SRO.

10. "The Sea, the Sea" novelist: MURDOCH. Iris.



11. Studio sign: ON AIR.

12. "Yes and no": KINDA.

13. Doc with a tongue depressor: ENT.

14. Tuna cut: STEAK.

15. Sound heard in libraries?: LONG I.  The i sound in "libraries".

16. Ohio tire city: AKRON.

17. Person: BEING.

21. Psychedelic fungus, casually: SHROOM.

23. Spots on a peacock feather: OCELLI.

24. Morse clicks: DITS.

29. Fetch player: DOG.

32. Swanky do: FETE.

33. Luggage: BAGS.

35. Access, as a network: LOG ONTO.

38. Legendary NYC punk club: CBGB.

39. Actress Chaplin: OONA.

40. Reason for a detour: ROADBLOCK.

41. "Are not!" retort: AM TOO.

43. TiVo, for one: DVR.

44. Power generator: DAM.

46. "__ it my all": I GAVE.

47. Four-time presidential candidate Ralph: NADER.

49. __ mode: A LA.

50. Youth: JUVENILES.

51. Follow directions: OBEY.

52. "The False Mirror" painter Magritte: RENE.



54. Arms treaty subjects, briefly: N TESTS.

55. One who avoids all animal products except fish: SEAGAN. I only knew the term "pescetarian". My sister-in-law Connie is one.

60. Words spoken with crossed fingers: HOPE SO.

61. "__ USA": NPR program hosted by Maria Hinojosa: LATINO.


62. Environmentalist Brockovich: ERIN.

64. Lion's share: MOST.

66. Cranberry field: BOG.

67. Bobbed hairstyle: PAGEBOY.

70. Like some Peruvian ruins: INCAN.

71. "Terrif!": NEATO.

72. Glosses over: OMITS.

73. Wound cover: SCAB.

74. Filmmaker Ephron: NORA.

77. In __ of: LIEU.

78. Cut with a beam: LASE.

80. "The Last Jedi" pilot Dameron: POE.


83. New Haven Ivy Leaguer: ELI.

84. Armed forces org.: VFW.

87. Burrito morsel: BEAN.

88. Some image files: GIFS.

89. Soothing massage option: OIL RUB.

91. Crossed swords: DUELED.

93. Water feature with ornamental fish: KOI POND.

97. Some humanities degs.: MAS.

99. Spat: TIFF.

101. Batting ninth: UP LAST.

102. Medieval poets: BARDS.

103. "The Rookie" actress Melissa: O'NEIL.


104. Ewe-like: OVINE.

105. Like loose-leaf paper: LINED.

106. Cutlass model: CIERA.

107. Spanish pronoun: USTED.

108. City in southern France: NIMES.

109. Country in two continents: EGYPT.

111. Apple players: IPODS.

112. Julianne of "Still Alice": MOORE.

113. Follow: ENSUE.

114. Judges: DEEMS.

120. Josh of "Frozen": GAD. He voiced Olaf.

121. Actress Wray: FAY.

122. Audit pro: CPA.

C.C.




Jul 22, 2023

Saturday, July 22, 2023, Ed Sessa

 Saturday Themeless by Dr. Ed Sessa


It has been over two years since I have had the privilege blogging one of Dr. Sessa's Saturday themeless puzzles. He is a master constructor and even the obscure fill of today had plenty of help to complete. Here we see him with his late puppy Tug. 

As you know, Dr. Ed was displaced from his idyllic Sanibel Island by Hurricane Ian and after searching for new quarters wound up on the Florida mainland just across from his old digs on Sanibel. 
Across:

1. Bee team: SWARM 😀

6. One who handles liner notes?: 😀 PURSER  - One of many jobs a PURSER handles on a cruise liner.

            

12. Gorillagram get-up: APE SUIT.


14. Individually: APIECE.

15. [yawn]: BLAH BLAH - Read the room!


17. Northernmost capital on the Mississippi: ST. PAUL - Just across the river from C.C.

 
18. Need for some kiddie pools: AIR.

19. Bit of Springfield graffiti: EL BARTO.


21. Actress Wray: FAY - She'll always be remembered for this role


22. Orhan Pamuk novel featuring a blizzard in Turkey: SNOW All you'd ever want to know


24. Choir section: ALTOS.

25. Carpentry joint: DADO.


26. Lab burners of old: ETNAS - I wasn't teaching when they were called this: in my lab we called them Bunsen burners


28. When day is done, to Donne: EEN - Poetic contraction for evening

29. "The Newsroom" creator Sorkin: AARON - AARON is on the front right


30. Wielder of a Neutrona Wand: GHOSTBUSTER - A model of Peter Venkman with one. "Who ya gonna call?"


33. Number cruncher: BEAN COUNTER.    


34. Fine and dandy: RIGHT AS RAIN - A very appropriate sentiment for summer in Nebraska

35. Some consoles: SEGAS.


36. Tent stake: PEG.

37. Lives like a queen?: RULES - We have one at our house.


41. Footlocker clasp: HASP.

42. Get ready, in a way: TEE UP - Fore!

44. Slow roller from first to third?: TARP - Yes, it rolls out slowly and covers first base to third base, but don't be too slow and get caught under it.


45. High point of a Ricola commercial: ALP.


46. Places with some good deals: CASINOS - 😀 After years of resistance, Nebraska has finally legalized CASINOS.  Temporary ones have already generated millions in tax revenues while big new facilities are being constructed like this one in Lincoln.


48. Orange County airport, on luggage tags: SNA - SNA is the airport code for this airport in Santa Ana, CA.


49. Plug: STOP UP 

51. QB stat: TD PASSES.

53. Blow one's horn: TOOTLE - This sounds like something Jeffrey Wechsler might author.


54. "Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical," for one: YOGIISM - Ya gotta love #8, YOGI Berra!

55. Name of the pig on "Green Acres": ARNOLD - ARNOLD Ziffel to be exact


56. Parking ticket issuer: VALET - 😀 You get a ticket so your VALET can retrieve your car



Down:

1. Support after a break, perhaps: SPLINT 😀


2. Start to aggravate: WEAR ON.

3. Volcanic fallout: ASH - From the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens


4. Unsophisticated sort: RUBE - Lil Abner leapt to my mind

5. Jovovich of the "Resident Evil" films: MILLA - Hollywood has a penchant for scantily attired, young women toting weapons


6. Personal histories: PASTS.

7. Until: UP TO.

8. Letters set in stone: RIP - Rest In Peace

9. Plymouth voyager?: SEAFARER - Puritan was one letter short. Those who did make the 66-day trip in 1620 were indeed SEAFARERS.


10. Country named for its location: ECUADOR - ECUADOR is Spanish for equator. ECUADOR is one of the few places on Earth where the 0o line of latitude goes through Ciuad Mitad del Mundo, which is a few miles north of Quito.  Some say it is off by 250 yds but on March 21 and September 21 they have no shadow there.



11. Need: RELY ON.

12. Put down: ABASE.

13. Artistic settings?: TABLESCAPES - Probably too fancy for a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.


16. "Such a shame": HATE TO SEE IT - An instate boy was a huge disappointment!


20. Fictional news anchor who ended broadcasts with "You stay classy, San Diego!": RON BURGUNDY.


23. Equal Pay Day issue: WAGE GAP - I've never taught at a school where there was a WAGE GAP between men and women teachers. Nor was there one between great and mediocre ones. 

25. Bread sold in cans: DATE NUT.


27. Pahlavi dynasts: SHAHS - The SHAH had his shortcomings but after he left...


29. Up: ASTIR.

31. Maple Leafs prov.: ONT - The Maple Leafs play in the Scotiabank Arena, 40 Bay St., Toronto, ONT M5J 2X2, Canada


32. "__ cerveza, por favor": UNA - One beer please in Español 

33. Hip hugger?: BIG SPOON - 😀


34. One who moves a lot?: REALTOR - REALTORS in our neighborhood are trying to move building lots for $75,000 apiece

35. Peak in the Cascade Range: SHASTA - C.C. and I did a puzzle 9 years ago that had the names of peaks in The Cascade Range differently clued.

38. Dog star: LASSIE.  Not Sirius


39. "A Lesson Before Dying" writer __ J. Gaines: ERNEST.


40. Unavoidable jerk: SPASM - We have an unavoidable jerk in our golf league. 

42. Cordoned (off): TAPED.


43. American vodka brand with a Russian name: POPOV.


46. Gather selectively: CULL - My MIL had to periodically CULL the non-laying hens out of her flock 

47. Extensive account: SAGA.

50. Sick days, personal days, etc.: Abbr.: PTO - Paid Time Off

52. Part of RSVP: SIL - Voulez-vous S'IL vous plaît commenter l'énigme du Docteur Sessa? (Will you please comment on Doctor Sessa's puzzle?)