Theme: "Hidden Figures" - Each set of circled letters is a movie embedded in another movie.
27. Will Smith title role in a beauty pageant movie?: MISS CONGENIALITY. Ali.
37. Salma Hayek Pinault title role in a body swapping movie?: FREAKY FRIDAY. Frida.
45. Jamie Foxx title role in a globe-trotting movie?: EAT PRAY LOVE. Ray.
68. Dev Patel title role in a boxing movie?: MILLION DOLLAR BABY. Lion.
87. Benicio del Toro title role in a crime thriller movie?: JACK REACHER. Che.
96. Angelina Jolie title role in a space robot movie?: THE IRON GIANT. Gia.
Reveal:
110. Multifeed television setting, and what six of this puzzle's answers display: PICTURE IN PICTURE.
When
I first saw the title, I figured "one, two, three, four, etc" were
hidden inside. So pleasantly surprised by Enrique's approach.
I'm
not famliar with movie "Lion". Only wish it were a person's name like
the other five embedded movies, "Hidden Figures" title would have been
perfect.
Clean and sparkly fill, a hallmark of Enrique.
Across:
1. __ donna: PRIMA.
6. Dalai Lama's homeland: TIBET. This puzzle was probably edited before the Dalai Lama controversy.
11. Greenlighted: OK'ED.
15. Porpoise kin: ORCA.
19. Celebrate wildly: REVEL. Yesterday was the first time Carmen's granddaughter visited her and Lao Pan. They were ecstatic.
20. Still in it to win it: ALIVE.
21. "When in __ ... ": ROME.
22. Go yachting, say: SAIL.
23. "The L Word" co-creator Chaiken: ILENE. Grid-friendly letter combo.
24. Gastric ailment: ULCER.
25. Point after deuce: AD IN.
26. Mojito garnish: MINT. Never had mojito.
30. Fun run dist.: ONE-K.
31. Unpaid TV ads: PSAS.
32. Perched upon: ATOP.
33. TV pioneer: RCA.
34. "I can help however you see fit": USE ME.
35. Drum kit pieces: HI-HATS.
41. "Where __ sign?": DO I.
42. Online icon: AVATAR.
44. Unagi and anago: EELS. You can find frozen unagi at our Asian store.
49. Fencing blade: EPEE.
51. That girl: SHE.
54. [I'm trying to scare you!]: BOO.
55. Orderly: NEAT.
56. Square and Squarespace space?: IT SECTOR. Great clue/fill.
59. Misses a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, say: BLOWS IT. Is it weird that I only start to like "Lose Yourself" now?
62. Cause and __: EFFECT.
67. Sophisticated: SUAVE.
72. Luxury car brand: ACURA. Same letter count as LEXUS.
74. Moolah: DO RE MI.
75. Abates: EASES UP.
78. App used for selfie retouching: FACETUNE. I like the before picture though.
81. Tandoori bread: NAAN.
83. "__ Te Ching": philosophical text: TAO.
84. Texter's "Not gonna lie ... ": TBH. To Be Honest.
85. Ritzy: POSH.
91. Extinct bird: DODO.
93. Franklin known as the "Queen of Soul": ARETHA.
107. Sudsy stuff: SOAP. I got a small sample of this shower gel. Smells amazing.
109. Part of the HOMES mnemonic: ERIE.
115. "I'm down!": LET'S.
116. French for "mine": A MOI.
117. Largish jazz combo: OCTET.
118. Viscounts' superiors: EARLS.
119. "The Sympathizer" Pulitzer winner __ Thanh Nguyen: VIET. This is the same as Chinese "Yue". The Nam is Vietnam just means "south".
120. Global extremity: POLE.
121. Big spender at a casino: WHALE.
122. Beginning phase: ONSET.
123. Ultimate goals: ENDS.
124. "No ifs, __, or buts": ANDS.
125. In a way: SORTA.
126. Comes (from): STEMS.
Down:
1. Gussy up: PRIMP.
2. Hot dog topper: RELISH.
3. "Me and my big mouth!": I'VE SAID TOO MUCH. Great debut entry. Partnered with another great entry: 51. Keeps on keeping on: STAYS THE COURSE.
4. Place to find boxers and bow ties, say: MEN'S SHOP.
5. Comedian Mapa: ALEC. He's of a Filipino-American. Here with his husband and their kid.
6. Shouts "neener neener" at, say: TAUNTS.
7. Volunteer's offer: I'LL GO.
8. __ curls: BICEP.
9. Well-matched: EVEN.
10. Actress Garr: TERI.
11. Brushing, flossing, etc.: ORAL CARE.
12. Type of bear important to the Alutiiq people: KODIAK. They live in the Kodiak Island, right?
13. Throw off: EMIT.
14. Say no to: DENY.
15. Absorption process: OSMOSIS.
16. Drizzled: RAINED.
17. Movie house: CINEMA. My sister-in-law Connie attends all kinds of film festivals.
18. Element of some computer shortcuts: ALT KEY.
28. Vegan milk choice: OAT. I grew up drinking soy milk. Standard breakfast for many: soy milk and youtiao.
29. Part of town: AREA.
36. Broadcast: AIR.
37. Most-loved, informally: FAV.
38. GPS suggestion: RTE.
39. Throw forcefully, in slang: YEET. Learned from doing crosswords.
40. Hidden costs, often: FEES.
42. Pie __ mode: A LA.
43. Action urged by some political ads: VOTE NO.
45. Recede: EBB.
46. Web portal co.: AOL.
47. Indigo plant: ANIL. Pretty.
48. Bigfoot kin: YETI.
50. Stuffed pocket: PITA.
52. Carpool lane letters: HOV.
53. Before, in poetry: ERE.
57. Those, in Spanish: ESAS. Also 77. __ favor: POR.
58. Die shape: CUBE.
60. Transfer, as money: WIRE.
61. Venetian blind part: SLAT.
63. Four-term pres.: FDR.
64. Counter person?: FOE. Love the clue.
65. National Mall tree: ELM. Also the first word of a park
reserve I've been loving lately. Gorgeous trails inside. I spotted a
mama black bear and her two cubs two weeks ago. The trails have since
greened up nicely and one of the cubs was sadly deserted last week.
66. Secure, as a playoff berth: CLINCH.
69. Poems of praise: ODES.
70. Raise, as kids: REAR.
71. Source of misery: BANE.
72. Toward the stern: AFT.
73. Alternative to zin or pinot: CAB.
76. Abu Dhabi's fed.: UAE.
79. High bun, e.g.: UPDO. And 86. Pony accessories?: HAIR TIES.
80. Midday: NOON.
82. Nickname preceder: AKA.
87. MSNBC political analyst Psaki: JEN. The former White House press secretary.
88. QB passing stat: ATT.
89. "You __ so busted!": ARE.
90. Unrelenting: CONSTANT.
91. Processes: DIGESTS.
92. Mother lode material: ORE.
94. Hearty meat and tomato sauce: RAGU. Boomer loved this.
96. Midday: TWELVE.
97. On these pages: HEREIN.
98. Prepped for publication: EDITED.
99. Yield no further clues, as a trail: GO COLD.
100. Hydrate while down with the flu, maybe: SIP TEA. The Chinese way. Ginger & date tea.
101. Brief "Spare me the details": TMI.
102. Apollo Theater locale: HARLEM.
105. Anoushka Shankar's instrument: SITAR.
106. Posed in a team photo, maybe: KNELT.
108. Annoying ones: PESTS.
110. Family nickname: PAPA.
111. "Time for me to take the stage!": I'M ON.
112. Spats: ROWS.
113. Reverberating sound: ECHO.
114. Business bigwigs: CEOS.
Look
whose selfie landed in my email box last week? Splynter! He does not
comment these days but he still reads the blog. He writes to me when he
spots a mistake in my blog post or just wants to cheer me up.
Theme: (I get by) "With a little help from my friends"
Puzzling thoughts:
First off, I will explain why I chose the "theme" that I did. Every one of us bloggers has plenty of time to solve the puzzle, and write a recap for you all to read (and enjoy, we hope). Today's offering by Enrique was both a challenge for me to solve, but also a challenge for me to grasp. I just didn't "get it"
So what did I do? Why, contact my other brother from another mother, Malodorous Manatee, and ask for his assistance. After a few text messages and phone calls, Joseph sent me the following:
"Each of the three themed answers can be viewed as consisting of two words. But, in order to answer the clue appropriately, the second word must, itself, be split into two words." Aha! Thank you, again, MalMan, for explaining this!
Enrique is a recent crossword puzzle hobbyist/constructor. He started solving puzzles just a few years ago, and has already been published (as a constructor) in the NY Times. This is his third puzzle at the LA Times
Please allow me to map out this puzzle and see if you agree with MalMan about the reveal ...
Let's start with the reveal: 57-across. Brief moment, or what three long answers in this puzzle have?: SPLIT SECOND
Now, let's insert the grid:
19-across. Dinner and drinks with a preacher?: HOLY MAN DATE. The SECOND word in this entry is MANDATE. But if you SPLIT it into two words, MAN and DATE, it fits the clue
26-across. Thousands of years, for a megalith?: STONE MASS AGE. The SECOND word in this entry is MASSAGE; split in two it becomes MASS AGE. A megalith is a STONE MASS, and a thousand years is an AGE
45-across. Exam for a certificate in mediation?: PEACE PRO TEST. The SECOND word in this entry is PROTEST, and when divided becomes PRO and TEST. A PEACE PRO is, I suppose, a person who administers meditation. And I guess they have to be TESTed in order to do it. This one was my least favorite of the three
The puzzle was clever for sure, but I'm glad that I had over a week to solve, review, and prepare my thoughts. Today, my thoughts are going to be mostly in picture form ...
Across:
1. Otherwise occupied: BUSY.
5. "Checkmate!": "I WON".
9. Concert gear: AMPS. Interesting word, AMPS. It can represent the abbreviation for AMPLIFIERS as well as the abbreviation for the "juice" that runs amplifiers, AMPERES
13. "__ upon a midnight dreary ... ": ONCE.
14. Origami bird: CRANE. A couple of us on a Limerick and Haiku chat group put together a series of limericks about origami. My most recent one sort of fits this clue/answer:
Origamists, I hear, don't last long; Folding paper can often go wrong. I suppose you could say That there will come a day When they stop and submit their swan song
15. Henhouse: COOP. Moe-ku:
Car guy turned farmer Gave his hens a free-range roost: A Coupe DeVille COOP
16. "¡__ mío!": DIOS. I wonder ... when Latinos want to use "OMG" in a text message, do they use "DM" instead?
17. Rabbit kin: HARES. [according to Merrium Webster dot com] Hares are distinguished from rabbits by their larger size, longer ears, and longer hind legs. They also tend to live alone or in pairs in above-ground nests, whereas rabbits often live together in groups of up to 20 in underground tunnels known as warrens
18. Color of unbleached linen: ECRU. That seemed like a forced clue, but then again, it is Friday
22. Actor Jeong: KEN.
23. "Quite so": INDEED. A favorite word of mine. In German, they use the word "genau"
24. Move, roots and all: REPOT. Or in our case, as new home owners, it's to UNPOT. As you read this, Margaret and I are buying 3 vines, 2 shrubs, and a patio tree
31. __ Diego: SAN. What is the most popular opera in SAN Diego? Why, Carmen, of course!! ;^)
34. CNN anchor Burnett: ERIN. I don't watch CNN so this was a perped-in fill
35. Brain teaser aid: HINT. What I would've liked more of in today's puzzle. My solving time today was just south of 30 minutes
36. Bouillon cube maker: KNORR.
38. "Queen __": pop music nickname: BEY. Who is known as "Queen BEY" you ask? "BEYoncé. Her name conjures more than music, it has come to be synonymous with beauty, glamour, power, creativity, love, and romance. Her performances are legendary, her album releases events. She is not even forty but she has already rewritten the Beyoncé playbook more than half a dozen times" [as copied from us dot macmillan dot com]
40. Big fetes: GALAS.
41. Quechua speaker: INCA.
42. Nonpayment risk, for short: REPO.
44. Squalid digs: STY.
50. "Same!": ME,TOO. DITTO fit this
51. Titter: TEEHEE. Our thesaurussaurus:
55. Golf ball position: LIE. TEE also fit
60. Gumbo pod: OKRA. Moe-ku two:
TV Host turned chef Starts food show in New Orleans Called: OKRA Winfrey
62. Miso soup base: DASHI. The only DASH I know is Dash T ...
63. Possess: HAVE. OWN didn't fit
64. Ray: BEAM. Remember where the high BEAM activater was on a Coupe DeVille?
65. Like some rural roads at night: UNLIT. Unless there's a full moon
66. Rid of wrinkles: IRON. The verb
67. "__ there, tiger": EASY. What literally can be said to golfer Woods, these days, whenever he has to take an awkward step
68. Poems of praise: ODES.
69. Ice cream brand with a birthday cake flavor: EDYS. CrossEyedDave gets the shout out, here. Looking forward to seeing what kind of cake he links to today
Down:
1. __ Tree: place of enlightenment in Buddhist tradition: BODHI. I had LOTUS, which f***ed me up for a good 15 miuntes or so until the perps came into view
2. Collective bargaining group: UNION.
3. Give a good talking-to: SCOLD. Does any kid really get SCOLDed these days? Or do they just get sent to the "time-out area"
4. "Okay, I get it": YES! YES!. Not exactly what I said to Joseph, but close! ;^)
5. Country where Farsi is spoken: IRAN. Made me think of another pun ... the answer: CDC. The question: Place where Fauci is spoken?
6. New Orleans voting district: WARD. If you show up at one of these with an OKRA in hand, you're good to go!
7. Like challenging pushups: ONE ARM.
8. Lipton rival: NESTEA.
9. Royal flush card: ACE. The highest hand in poker (royal flush) when wild cards/jokers are not in use
10. Nojito and nada colada, for two: MOCKTAILS. I seem to recall my parents referring to these as "Shirley Temples"
11. Sweat outlet: PORE.
12. Like some silk or sugar: SPUN. Who didn't eat these SPUN sugar concoctions when visiting a state fair?
14. Garment similar to a hijab: CHADOR. I guess when I made my VEILed threat last time I blogged, Patti and Enrique called me on it!! ;^) [nytimes dot com says] "The CHADOR has no fasteners; it is held in place under the neck by hand. Black is the preferred color in public, but women often wear colorful versions at home or at the mosque. Hijab: The term has become a catchall, particularly in the West, for all Islamic veils, but is mainly used to mean a head scarf"
20. Parking post: METER. Some of these today don't take coins any longer; just credit cards
21. Short music releases: EPS. I've seen this word used quite often; it's borderline "crosswordese"
25. Job safety org.: OSHA. Another common crossword word
27. Bit of cacao: NIB. [Oxford Languages Dictionary definition] "noun: nib"
1. the pointed end part of a pen, which distributes the ink on the writing surface; a pointed or projecting part of an object. Example:"slide the tile into place until the nibs hook on" 2. shelled and crushed coffee or cocoa beans. In the USA, they're also small pieces of caramel, licorice, or other sweets
28. Month before febrero: ENERO.
29. Little pest: GNAT. BRAT also fit
30. Site with handmade crafts: ETSY.
31. Omit: SKIP. What I've done for several clues today on my recap
32. Actress Hathaway: ANNE. ANNE Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, she was among the world's highest-paid actresses in 2015 [Wikipedia]
33. Sign at some museums: NO CAMERAS. I thought it was NO CAMERAS ALLOWED?
37. Sack __: RACE. Might be difficult to do whilst eating Cotton Candy ...
39. Thus far: YET. Have you been enjoying the recap, YET??!
40. "Check it out": GO SEE. Hands up for iPhone users? Especially whenever you ask Siri to find something for you? What does she say? She says, "I found this on the web; check it out"! And for those of us whose partner has an Android phone ...
43. Watch the birdie?: PET SIT. Was this Enrique's clue or Patti's? The same letter sextet could be clued: What he does to a friendly dog?
46. UFO beings: ETS.
47. Tegan and Sara, for one: POP DUO. Are some of you asking who Tegan and Sara are? I did, and had to cheat a bit to confirm that it was a POP DUO
48. "Independence Day" director Emmerich: ROLAND. [Wikipedia] "Roland Emmerich is a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is widely known for his science fiction and disaster films and has been called a "master of disaster" within the industry"
49. Computer pro: TECHIE.
52. Stockpile: HOARD. Would AMASS fit?
53. Diplomat: ENVOY. [Merrium-Webster] "en·voy ˈen-ˌvȯi ˈän- : a diplomatic representative who ranks between an ambassador and a minister. : a representative sent by one government to another. ambassadors and other envoys"
54. Perfect places: EDENS.
55. Ear part: LOBE. Is there any room for another piece of jewelry here?
56. Store whose packages typically contain Allen keys: IKEA. Not to be confused with ALICIA Keys
58. Archipelago part: ISLE. "ISLE be back in two weeks, like it or not!" ;^)
17. Get-together with a sketchy vibe?: OFF[ICE] PARTY.
23. Marketer's blitz campaign?: PR[ICE] INCREASE.
37. Intercom call on Take Your Child to Work Day?: SON[ICE] TO SEE YOU.
51. Shake Weight and The Flex Belt, per their infomercials?: BOD[ICE] RIPPERS.
62. Cold Hawaiian treat ... or a directive followed four times in this puzzle?: SHAVE ICE.
For me this seemed a tad above typical Wednesday level, mostly because of the theme answers - but made easier once I realized the gimmick. Remove ICE from these phrases to reveal a different phrase. SHAVE ICE sounds awkward without the D, but I'll accept it.
Across:
1. Tool that can be a musical instrument: SAW.
4. Not berthed: ASEA.
8. Designated: TERMED.
14. Confidentiality contract: Abbr.: NDA.
15. Spider-Man co-creator Lee: STAN.
16. Prophecy source: ORACLE.
19. Beam benders: PRISMS. Nice clue.
20. Cookie-based dessert: OREO PIE.
21. Spanish "those": ESOS. Ayer esos besos eran por san valentin. (Yesterday those kisses were for Valentine's.)
31. Sign of healing: SCAB. Always have to wait for perps to fill in the last B or R.
32. __ Cruces, New Mexico: LAS.
34. "Yeah, I guess": SURE.
36. Pickleball shot: LOB. From Wikipedia: Pickleball is an indoor or outdoor racket/paddle sport where two players, or four players, hit a perforated hollow polymer ball over a 36-inch-high net using solid-faced paddles. Fun fact: It began soaring in popularity as the search for new activities during the coronavirus pandemic turned many people into “picklers.”
40. Mud bath spot: SPA.
42. Bash who co-hosts CNN's "State of the Union": DANA.
43. Mo: SEC. This one had me scratching my head - but fellow guest bloggers helped me out. Shortened forms of moment and second, as in, 'wait a mo,' or 'wait a SEC.'
44. The Buckeye State: OHIO.
46. WNBA official: REF. Basketball referee.
47. A few bucks, say: STAGS. Nice clue. Animal, not cash.
55. Heaps: A LOT.
56. Limo destination: PROM.
57. Jack up: ELEVATE.
59. Nut used to make vegan cheese: CASHEW. Never tried artificial cheese, but what's not to love about cashews? Can anyone recommend?
63. Understood by few: ARCANE. Not unlike many crossword words.
64. Despise: HATE.
65. Org. with seven teams in Canada: NHL. National Hockey League.
66. "This Is Spinal Tap" director: REINER. In the film, Rob Reiner plays a documentary filmmaker named Marty DiBergi who is wearing the same hat throughout the entire film that says "USS OORAL SEA OV-4B" instead of "USS CORAL SEA OV-43." The hat was made because the Navy refused to grant permission to use the real Coral Sea hat. Fun fact: Mark Knopfler told Reiner that he would only do the theme for The Princess Bride if Reiner put the hat into that movie. You can see it in the little boy's room when his grandfather is reading him the story (though apparently it was not the actual hat from This is Spinal Tap because that one had been lost).
67. Lyft competitor: UBER.
68. Game Boy batteries: AAS.
Down:
1. Beagle who pilots an imaginary Sopwith Camel: SNOOPY. The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917.
2. Like premium streaming services: AD FREE. That'll be extra.
10. Ups the ante: RAISES. The phrase originated in betting games like poker. The ante is the amount the player commit to before the game begins. When a player increases the amount, it is termed as upping the ante. The cost, risk, reward all go up as a result of upping the ante.
11. Telethon VIPs: MCS. From the abbreviation MC, which stands for master of ceremonies. Emcee is a less formal way of saying master of ceremonies. Both terms are used in the context of events like weddings, banquets, and awards ceremonies, but, of the two, emcee is more commonly used in less formal situations.
12. Blight-stricken tree: ELM. The disease is still a threat, but fortunately, several resistant American elm and hybrid elm selections are available or being developed. Two insect vectors are responsible for transmitting DED: the native elm bark beetle (Hylurgopinus rufipes) and the European elm bark beetle (Scolytus multistriatus).
25. Rights advocacy gp.: ACLU. American Civil Liberties Union.
26. __ Tomé and Príncipe: SÃO. Uninhabited until being discovered by the Portuguese in the late 15th century, São Tomé and Príncipe is a tiny archipelago situated in the Gulf of Guinea. It became a outpost of the slave trade under Portuguese rule, with sugar cane, cocoa and coffee all prominent exports.
27. Recede: EBB.
29. Hourglass stuff: SAND.
33. Draw for some pictures: STAR POWER. Ah. Pictures as in films.
35. Contact lens holders: EYES. Haha.
37. Uttered: SAID.
38. Hr. for an after-lunch nap, maybe: ONE PM. Tricky when it's spelled out like that.
39. Interval of eight notes: OCTAVE.
40. Cry noisily: SOB.
41. Soup with rice noodles: PHO. Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat.
48. "Riverdale" actress Huffman: ALAINA. Canadian film and television actress.
49. "Caught red-handed!": GOTCHA.
50. Braces (oneself): STEELS.
52. Nobel-winning chemist Joliot-Curie: IRENE. Irène Joliot-Curie was a battlefield radiologist, activist, politician, and daughter of two of the most famous scientists in the world: Marie and Pierre Curie. Very interesting from nobelprize.org: Women Who Changed Science.
53. Process that may involve PT or OT: REHAB. Physical or Occupational Therapy.
54. Roofing option: SLATE.
58. Of all time: EVER.
59. Subway unit: CAR.
60. "What __ those?": ARE. 61. Bio or chem: SCI. Sciences.
62. Moo __ pork: SHU. More Asian food! Apparently Moo Shu Pork is a very common home-cooked dish in China and the authentic Chinese moo shu pork recipe does not include any moo shu pancakes.
I’m a data scientist from Oakland, CA, with a background in computational linguistics. I fully dove into crosswords as a daily solver and then constructor in 2019, and I love that both sides have allowed me to continually engage with everything I love about language, wordplay, and even coding. I also appreciate the friends I’ve made so far through this great community.
As a forever Simpson's fan, here's a photo of me noshing oh "The Homer" from Voodoo donuts in Portland.
This is my second puzzle of Enrique's I have blogged and I have been able to solve them in great time while being entertained. Joann and I took a tour of Portland a few years ago and we also waited in line and got some delicious Voodoo donuts.
Across
1. Pros: ACES.
5. Pasta joint?: ELBOW.
10. Network that airs 52-Down news: CNBC - Consumer News and Business Channel
14. Only: SOLE.
15. "Uprooted" novelist Novik: NAOMI - Watts, Judd, Campbell and Osaka I knew but this NAOMI had solid crosses.
16. Breezy: AIRY.
17. Quaint arcade prompt: INSERT COIN - These were very busy at one time and required the player to INSERT a COIN.
19. Harmon series: NCIS.
20. Box set bonus: FEATURETTE.
21. Try out: TEST.
22. Informal greetings: HEYS.
23. Like some fine frames: GILT.
25. Contacted over Slack, for short: IMED - All you want to know about another way to Instant Message someone
27. Some sketchy characters?: CARTOONS - Fun Enrique!
31. Ship's hdg.: NNE - One of many possibilities
32. Type of photo that led to the "Streisand effect": AERIAL SHOT - Barbara tried to suppress this picture of her Malibu mansion that highlighted coastal erosion. Her suppression instead drew much greater attention to the picture and this has become known as the "Streisand effect".
34. "Eyes up front!": ATTENTION PLEASE.
37. Do the right thing in the parking lot, perhaps: LEAVE A NOTE - I did this, but unlike this note I actually left my number and the guy was as surprised as he was grateful.
38. Doc who may share paw-shaped treats: VET.
39. Something to sneeze at: ALLERGEN.
40. Runs out of batteries: DIES.
42. Iron clothes?: MAIL - Iron is not a verb here
Chain MAIL
43. Dire: GRIM.
45. Policy-driving appointee: CZAR.
47. Swiftie or Little Monster: ADORING FAN - The name for Taylor Swift fans seems pretty obvious but Lady Gaga lovingly calls her fans "Little Monsters" because they should be proud of who they are no matter what others think.
53. Round up, as cats or cattle: HERD.
54. "I'm sorry you were offended," e.g.: NON-APOLOGY.
I’m sorry, but other people don’t overreact like you do.
I’m sorry but other people would’ve understood it was a joke!
I’m sorry, but you started it!
I’m sorry but you know I’m right
I’m sorry if you were offended.
I’m sorry if I didn’t do it correctly.
I’m sorry if you think I did something wrong.
55. Lake into which the Cuyahoga empties: ERIE.
56. Fleck on a baked potato: CHIVE.
57. Iowa home of the Cyclones: AMES - My neighbor drove the 3 hours east to Ames and their very famous veterinary school to get his St. Bernard's hip fixed for $5,000.
58. "The Girl Who Drank the __": Newbery winner about a girl named Luna: MOON.
59. Polished off: EATEN.
60. Two pills before bed, e.g.: DOSE.
Down:
1. "Ha, right": AS IF.
2. Detour guide: CONE - There is highway construction in every direction to, from and around our town and the CONES are ubiquitous.
3. Queen who appears in "Olaf's Frozen Adventure": ELSA.
4. Stew: SEETHE.
5. Part of a log: ENTRY.
6. What loafers do without?: LACES - Our friend Boomer might say JOBS
7. Retired Monopoly token: BOOT.
The original pieces
8. Skip past: OMIT.
9. Vitis vinifera cultivar: WINE GRAPE.
10. Guaranteed: CAN'T LOSE - "I got the horse right here, The name is Paul Revere..".
11. Ideal but not essential: NICE TO HAVE.
12. Ritual for some eight-day-olds: BRIS.
13. Skin malady: CYST.
18. __ the day: RUED.
24. "__ never work": IT'LL - Oh, yeah?
25. Xeon processor maker: INTEL.
26. Silver-colored plumber in Super Smash Bros.: METAL MARIO.
27. Deliver an old standard, perhaps: CROON - A wonderful CROONER that we see in x-words quite often
28. Informal contraction: AIN'T.
29. Circus clown's collection: NOSES - I guess the clown would have to pick his nose before each performance
30. Editorial override: STET - Hey, put that back in there!
31. Beyoncé voice role: NALA.
32. With one quick look: AT A GLANCE.
33. "__ kleine Nachtmusik": EINE - A fun way to hear this wonderful music
35. "Mildred Pierce" Oscar nominee: EVE ARDEN.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - 1945
Eve Arden – Mildred Pierce
Ann Blyth – Mildred Pierce
Angela Lansbury – The Picture of Dorian Gray
Joan Lorring – The Corn Is Green
Anne Revere – National Velvet - winner
36. Environmental design artist Oxman: NERI - Congrats if you knew Ms. Oxman.
Neri Oxman (Hebrew: נרי אוקסמן; born February 6, 1976) is an American–Israeli designer and professor at the MIT Media Lab, where she led the Mediated Matter research group. She is known for art and architecture that combine design, biology, computing, and materials engineering.
40. Snorkasaurus of Bedrock: DINO - Hey, I did know DINO!
41. "Happy to hear!": I'M GLAD.
43. Dire: GRAVE.
44. Mature: RIPEN - This very cool weather has made our tomatoes cease to RIPEN. Well there's some 80's next week
46. From __ to hero: ZERO - Harlan Sanders was a retired man in his 60's and all he had was a recipe of fried chicken. After 1,009 rejections he made it big.
48. Souq Waqif city: DOHA - A huge market place in DOHA, Qatar
