Thursday, May 8, 2025, Enrique Henestroza Anguiano

 Theme:  Neighboring states

How exciting to have the opportunity to blog a puzzle by Enrique Henestroza Anguiano!  On Saturday, April 5, 2025, Enrique co-authored a puzzle in the L.A. Times with Erik Agard in which they used the clue & answer:  Brown bread specialist: BURSAR.  In the comments section of our Corner, it was the most hated puzzle I can remember.  Enrique had a solo puzzle in the L.A. Times on Saturday, February 15, 2025, which I liked, but some loathed.  Enrique has also published in the New Yorker and in the New York Times.  Is he closer to our wavelength and abilities today?  I think so!  And you know what else is close today?  The circled abbreviations for neighboring states.

The theme clues and answers are:

18. Guest spot in a studio, perhaps: FOLD OUT COUCH.  In a studio apartment, a guest might sleep on a fold out couch.  The circled letters are UT (Utah) and CO (Colorado).

fold out couch

31. Denim option: ACID WASH JEANS.  Acid wash jeans are soaked in chlorine bleach, then washed with pumice stones. The bleach removes the indigo dye, while the stones create a pattern of dark and light patches.  The circled letters are ID (Idaho) and WA (Washington).

acid wash jeans

49. Spot for a home bartender's stash: LIQUOR CABINET.  Some folks keep the booze in a cabinet, some display it on a little cart.  The circled letters are OR (Oregon) and CA (California).

liquor cabinet

65. Big name in money transfers, and a hint to the neighbors found in this puzzle's circled letters: WESTERN UNION.  Western Union was a pioneer in telegraph technology, but today focuses on helping folks send money hither and yon.  It hints at the relationship of the circled letters in the theme answers:  they are all Western states, and they form a union with the state next door by virtue of being placed right next to it in the circles.

Looks like Enrique has come back to be a good neighbor.

The rest of the puzzle goes like this:

Across:

1. Network in Venice: CANALS.  Venice, Italy, is famously crisscrossed by a network of canals.  

Venice is a marvel of engineering.
Built on wood stakes driven into muddy islets in a lagoon,
it has survived for 1600 years.

7. Tire pattern: TREAD.

12. LGBTQ History Mo.: OCT.  DNK but perps helped.

15. "Well, I guess so": UM YEAH.  Some of our solvers hate these conversational equivalents.  This one wasn't easy. Again, perps to the rescue.

16. 32-Down need: VODKA.  32-Down is a COSMO cocktail:  vodka, cointreau or triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice.  I don't do vodka.  Nope.

Cosmopolitan cocktails were the drink of choice on "Sex and the City"

17. Travel to or from 67-Down: FLY.  67-Down is an airport, so you would FLY to or from there.

18. [Theme clue]

20. Smart dresser: FOP.  A man who is concerned with his clothes and appearance in an affected and excessive way; a dandy.

21. Natural hairstyle, for short: FRO.  Short for Afro.

Afro hairstyle

22. Tempest: STORM.

23. Periodical release: ISSUE.  A periodical is a magazine or newspaper.  From time to time, it releases an issue.

25. Text status: SENT.

27. Came across as: SEEMED.

30. "__ Lasso": TED.  Looks like we're all going to have to subscribe to Apple TV again, as season 4 is in the works.  

31. [Theme clue]

35. Guiding light: BEACON.

38. Couldn't keep a secret: TOLD.

39. Transgression: SIN.

40. Leaves out: OMITS.

41. Nouveau réalisme artist Klein: YVES.  Yves Klein (1928-1962) was a leading member of the French artistic movement called Nouveau réalisme. In the 1950s, he focused on monochrome paintings, eventually settling on International Klein Blue.  People bought this stuff.

Yves Klein, IKB 191, 1962

43. Without help: ALONE.

45. "This means __!": WAR.

46. Many a viral GIF: MEME.

48. Music app on old Macs: iTUNES.

49. [Theme clue]

53. Tote: LUG.

54. Coastal city in Andalusia: MÁLAGA.  Málaga was founded around 770 BCE by Phoenicians. It has been under the rule of Ancient Carthage, Rome, the Visigoths, the Byzantine Empire, Islamic caliphates, the Spanish Catholic monarchy, and today's constitutional monarchy.

Málaga in the south of Spain

55. Breakfast burrito proteins: EGGS.

59. WordPress sites: BLOGS.

61. Word derived from the Japanese for "a bit": SKOSH.

63. Sign of summer: LEO.

64. Hoppin': LIT.  "It's lit" is a slang term meaning something is really good, fun, exciting, or intense,  similar to other terms like "poppin'," "hoppin'," or "off the chain."

65. [Theme clue]

69. Put into practice: USE.

70. Fill in the blanks, in a way: INFER.  To infer is to derive as a conclusion from facts or premises.  Deduce is a near relative.  We do a lot of this in crossword solving.

71. Meeting outline: AGENDA.

72. UFO pilots: ETs.  Extraterrestrials pilot Unidentified Flying Objects.

73. "Music" from a cat organ: MEOWS.  That organ being the larynx.

74. Tin alloy used in ancient Egypt: PEWTER.

Down:

1. Slaps: CUFFS.  ​ To cuff is to hit someone with your hand in a light, joking way.

2. Love, in Firenze: AMORE.

3. Parachute fabric: NYLON.

4. Lifesaving device for an EMT: AED.  An Automated External Defibrillator can be used by an Emergency Medical Technician to treat a person whose heart has suddenly stopped working.

5. Vietnam neighbor: LAOS.

6. Closes the door on: SHUTS IN.

7. Network news team: TV CREW.

8. Casual movie night partner: ROOMMATE.

9. Howard URL suffix: EDU.  Colleges and universities use .EDU domains for their websites.

10. Pedigree org.: AKC.  American Kennel Club.  There's a place for purebred dogs, but I miss our mutts.

Daphne and Huxley, 2008-2024

11. Yogurt in lassi: DAHI.  Dahi is a traditional Indian yogurt.  Lassi is a yogurt-based beverage.

12. Time for travel deals: OFF SEASON.  There are things to be said for traveling in the off season, especially fewer crowds and lower prices.  But sometimes the weather is a challenge!

13. State of bliss: CLOUD NINE.

14. Sort: TYPE.

19. Three-__ sloth: TOED.  Three-toed sloths live in the tropical forest canopy in Central and South America.  Their algae-covered fur is an ecosystem unto itself.

24. Fr. holy title: STE.  Sainte (abbreviated Ste) is the feminine form of "saint" in French.  We've all heard of Sainte Jeanne d'Arc (Ste Jeanne d'Arc) or Joan of Arc.

26. Social finesse: TACT.

28. Those, in Spanish: ESOS.  Used for masculine or mixed gender persons or objects.  Those men = Esos hombres.  Those men and women = Esos hombres y mujeres.

29. UPS competitor: DHL.  UPS (United Parcel Service) and DHL (Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) offer shipping and delivery services.

32. Pink cocktail, familiarly: COSMO.  Short for cosmopolitan.  See 16-Across.

33. Matchmaking app available in Hebrew: JDATE.  I know several young people who have looked for love on JDate, but I think their eventual matches occurred through unplanned encounters.

34. Donkey Kong Country console, for short: SNES.  Super Nintendo Entertainment System.  It helps to be a certain age, or to have children or grandchildren of a certain age.  SNES was sold in North America from 1990 to 1999.

35. Get the ball rolling?: BOWL.

36. Need for a marketing blast: EMAIL LIST.

37. Punctuation made with bunny ears: AIR QUOTES.

41. Community gym org.: YMCA.

42. Hearty beef dish: VEAL STEW.

44. Pear-shaped instrument: LUTE.

Lute

47. Hesitant sound: ERM.  I think "erm" is British for "um."

48. Just like that: IN A SNAP.

50. Comfy boot brand: UGG.

51. Patisserie staff: BAKERS.  Patisserie is French for "pastry shop."

52. "Petrushka" composer Stravinsky: IGOR.

56. Flicker of light: GLINT.

57. Glittery rock: GEODE.

A geode's glitter is all on the inside.

58. Shipwreck-finding tech: SONAR.

59. Smurf-colored: BLUE.

Would Yves Klein have appreciated their blueness?

60. Take a dip: SWIM.

62. Bigger than big: HUGE.

66. WSW opposite: ENE.  Directions.

67. Second-busiest Calif. airport: SFO.  San Francisco International Airport.

68. Top condition on eBay listings: NEW.  My younger sister, of blessed memory, liked to buy fancy dresses on eBay, and taught me to look for the abbreviation NWT -- new with tags.

Here's the grid:

Would you say Enrique's puzzle SEEMED better than the last one?

Would you say it's LIT?  Were you on CLOUD NINE while solving?

Did I like it?  UM YEAH!

NaomiZ

Thanks in advance to Anonymous T, who's going to blog the next three Thursdays.

À bientôt.  Hasta pronto.

Saturday, April 5, 2025, Enrique Henestroza Anguiano and Erik Agard

Saturday Themeless by Enrique Henestroza Anguiano and Erik Agard

 

Erik Agard

Enrique and Erik presented a real big boy puzzle with occasional obscure-to-me fill and insidious cluing. The northeast corner provided me with too many alternate fills, the worst of which was XOXO replacing TATA. Arrrggghhh. A bad cell cost me a 100% but once I got what the guys were after in a section, everything cascaded to completion. Somewhere, Enrique and Erik have to be snickering about the cluing for BURSAR and PADS.

Across:

1. Activist Lee known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth": OPAL ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

5. Fakémon images, e.g.: FAN ART - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Fakémon are fan-designed fictional creatures based on the Pokémon franchise, ofter created as FAN ART or to be mistaken for real Pokémon. Google at your pleasure.

11. "What's __ deal?": HIS.

14. Pitcher's start: HERE'S AN IDEA - I went to ad pitcher's right away. Uh, some are not so great.

16. [raises index finger]: ONE.

17. Boundary-breaking home concept: OPEN KITCHEN.

18. Pithier version of lorem ipsum text: TBA - 😀 Lorem Epsom is a standard place holder in a graphic design until the text To Be Announced is inserted.

19. __ and gentler: KINDER.

20. Sonic, notably: HEDGE HOG - The Drive-In restaurant possibility kept me guessing.

22. Even a skosh: AT ALL.

23. Canadian conservative: TORY.

24. Repetitive email sign-off: XOXO - As I mentioned, TATA was repetitive but not correct and overstayed its welcome.

25. "__ queen!": YAS - A phrase that might be heard at a 51. Fierce competition: DRAG PAGEANT.

26. Send a return over the net: E-FILE - 😀 Turbo Tax does it for me every year

28. Made less sharp: TUNED 😀

29. Signs of safe traffic flow: STOPS 😀 Our recent blizzard/blackout made every traffic light intersection into four-way STOP SIGNS.

30. Oaxacan sauces that can have more than 30 ingredients: MOLES - We've had this a couple of times recently but it still took me time. 

31. Set available at thenounproject.com: ICONS - See for yourself

32. Two score: FORTY - Abe used "four score and seven" (80 +7) so...

33. Rep: AGENT.

34. Mutual aid groups: BLOCS 

Europe 1914

35. Gets hot under the collar, say: IRONS 😀

36. Ken's job, in "Barbie": BEACH - Coach and teach were briefly in Ken's CV

37. Fun time: GAS.

40. Dish (out): METE.

41. Remove from a 46-Down: OUST and 46. Headquarters: SEAT. You're fired!

42. Struck down: SMOTE - There's a lot of SMOTING in the Bible.

44. Deep-fried South Asian street food: PANIPURI ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

46. Calm: SOOTHE - Serene, the six-letter adjective was replaced by the six-letter verb

47. "And you __?": ARE.

48. Ugly duckling anthem of 1975: AT SEVENTEEN - I've been around teens my entire adult life and I have never had a song reach out and touch me like this Janis Ian's.

50. Unit of illuminance: LUX.

52. Competition with a Golden Buzzer, to fans: AGT.

53. Supremely miffed: SOREST 😖

54. "i cant w/ u": LMAO - The phrase "I can't with you" is a casual way of expressing exasperation or frustration with someone's behavior or actions suggesting the speaker finds them overwhelming or intolerable. Therefore, its absurdity might drive one to Laugh My Ass off.

Down:

1. "If you say so": OH, OKAY.

2. Seed in some 30-Across: PEPITA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

3. Where to see the stars: ARENAS - In this case, athletic stars

4. 1980s US Open three-peater: LENDL.

5. Word with job or craft: FAIR.

6. Formicarium dweller: ANT.

7. Uhura player: NICHOLS - I knew the character instantly but not her real name

8. Stick: ADHERE.

9. Like some voices and wetlands: REEDY - Abe Lincoln's voice was said to be REEDY and we have all heard the REEDY voice of Barney Fife.

10. Sharp flavor: TANG.

11. Sweet, chili-infused condiment: HOT HONEY.

12. What highly motivated people may have zero goals for?: IN-BOXES 😀 

13. One making waves: SEA GOD 😀

15. Zoology class figures: SKELETONS - SPECIMENS hung around a long time

21. Does a happy dance: EXULTS - ELATES hung around a long time

23. Bill-collecting label: TIPS 😳  I was really taken aback the first time I had to make a decision on a TIP while the wait person was holding the iPad.

27. Nunito sans, for one: FONT ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  - Word on my computer has a ton of FONTS but not his one.

Not on my computer!

28. Lyrical story of unrequited love: TORCH SONG - There are so many good ones but nobody does it like Frank.

29. Act opener: SCENE I - Name the musical that had its opening scene on a train. (Answer below*)

30. Class offered by MITx, e.g.: MOOC - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  MITx is MIT online

31. Court call: I GOT NEXT - What you'd say to challenge the winner for a one-on-one game. Name this movie (Answer below **) No more movie quizzes, I promise.

32. Lacking sparkle: FLAT.

33. Under-the-table purchase: AREA RUG 😀

34. Overwhelm: BESIEGE.

35. Animal also known as a rooibok: IMPALA.

36. Brown bread specialist: BURSAR -  😳 Wow, talk about an all-time twisted clue! Bread is of course slang for money and the specialist for collecting money at Brown University is the BURSAR Michael C. White. 

37. "We did good!": GO TEAM - Yay us!

38. Angela Bassett's "9-1-1" role: ATHENA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

39. Taken care of: SEEN TO - I have SEEN TO blogging this fun puzzle.

41. Album ender: OUTRO - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  An "outro" (a blend of "out" and "intro") refers to the concluding track of an album, or an instrumental solo played as the song fades out.  

43. Rest stop along a highway: MOTEL.

45. Some legal places to make records: PADS - 😀 This is the runner-up to the cluing for BURSAR.

49. Some execs: VPS.

*That is the opening scene from The Music Man. The entire scene

** Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes are going one-on-one in White Men Can't Jump

 

Notes from C.C.:

Happy 84th Birthday to dear Irish Miss (Agnes), my creative puzzle collaborator and close friend, who has guided me through so many life issues. So grateful to have her in my life.