Saturday, December 17, 2022, Erica Hsiung Wojcik and Brooke Husic

 Themeless Saturday by Erica Hsiung Wojcik and Brooke Husic

Erica is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Skidmore College. I plan on looking up some of her fascinating research topics such as: How do infants and toddlers learn the sounds, words, and grammar of their native language(s)? How do infants, toddlers and adults use patterns in the world around them to learn about language, objects, and events?

I have reviewed several of Brooke's collaborative puzzles, the one previous was with our friend Mary Lou Guizzo. Brooke received her Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2019 from Stanford University and worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department Of Mathematics And Computer Science at the Free University Berlin until 2021. Postdoc (2021-): Lewis-Sigler Institute / Center for Theoretical Science / Center for the Physics of Biological Function, Princeton University

On personal note, today marks the end of my 5th year of blogging Saturday puzzles on C.C.'s Crossword Corner. I have learned a lot and interacted with so many very smart and clever bloggers, commenters and constructors. 19. Starting from: SINCE 2017!

Now on we go to my 6th year and 261st Saturday write-up!

Across:

1. Ceremonial champagne opener: SABER.

6. Rich brown shade: MOCHA.

11. Brazen personal ad?: SHAMELESS PLUG - Many talk show guests are there to simply promote their latest project and work it into the conversation.

14. Gains star power: HITS THE BIG TIME - They credit appearing on Johnny Carson's Tonight show to HIT THE BIG TIME

15. Attacks, as a snow fort: PELTS.

16. First name in jumps: EVEL - In some of attempts, the jump was fine but the landing not so much. 

17. Hub served by BART: SFO - This Bay Area Rapid Transit map shows you can take the red or yellow line out to The San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

18. Initial request for an answer?: RSVP.

19. "You're killing me, __!": SMALLS - I have this 1993 video of Sandlot but forgot this line. It is now slang for telling someone that they are disappointing you. The origin of the line

21. Something clasped for support: BRA.

23. Legal conclusion?: ESE -LEGALESE - Here they are essentially saying "today": In witness whereof, the parties hereunto have set their hands to these presents as a deed on the day month and year hereinbefore mentioned.

24. Knee-slappers: RIOTS.

25. Workshop device: CLAMP.

27. Mystery-shrouded novelist Elena: FERRANTE - Did anyone else think of the piano duet of Ferrante and Teicher?

29. Fancy affair: SOIREE - SOIR is French for night and so SOIREE is an elegant evening party

30. Restless desire: ITCH.

31. Symbol held aloft in an Emmy statuette: ATOM - One of our favorite people with his Emmy

32. Indigenous Arizona people: APACHE - I'd thought I'd throw in a 1960 classic named for this tribe in Eastern Arizona with great pictures too.

35. Minibar tool: ICE TONGS.

39. Number of World Series wins for each of Chicago's teams: THREE - Cubs 1907, 1908 & 2016. White Sox - 1906, 1917 & 2005

40. Draws (away): SHIES.

41. Continuity problem: GAP - Many students suffered a continuity GAP during the Covid pandemic

42. See 45-Down: MAT and 45. With 42-Across, surface for shavasana: YOGA.

43. Having sex, perhaps: RATED-R - The wonderful movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles would have been easily rated PG-13 but the rental car scene between Steve Martin and the delightful Edie McClurg used the "f-word" eighteen times and thus received an R rating.

45. City in the Sonoran Desert: YUMA - They bill themselves as the hottest city in America. 

46. Chest bone: RIB.

48. "Phooey!": DRAT.

49. Entrance hall: FOYER.

50. "Calm down, sport": EASY THERE TIGER - Slow your roll...

53. Triumphant declaration: NOT TODAY SATAN - You're not getting me today, Satan.

54. Animals in Serta ads: SHEEP.

55. A couple: MATES.

Down:

1. Chutzpah: SASS - Don't use "chutzpah" unless. you know how to pronounce it

2. Invoice no.: AMT.

3. Colossus: BEHEMOTH - Two beasts from the book of Job

4. Give a lift: ELEVATE.

5. Defies authority: REBELS - Make sure it's worth it.

6. Food additive: MSG - The Monosoduim Glutamate myth

7. Picks: OPTS.

8. Snack with a rock climber on its wrapper: CLIF BAR.

9. "Just play along": HUMOR ME.

10. Number that's always positive: AGE.

11. Second place: SILVER.

12. Letters in a tab: HTTP - Where we are right now: HTTPs://crosswordcorner.blogspot.com/

13. Place for a plant: SILL.

14. Sculptor Eva who pioneered postminimalism in the 1960s: HESSE - All about Eva

One of her pieces

15. Fave option: PREF.

20. Hustles out: SCOOTS.

22. King Kong or Kanzi: APE - Kanzi is a bonobo APE who is said to be the first ape to be able to recognize spoken language 

24. "__ Outspoken: My Life in the News": 2012 memoir: RATHER.

26. Long ride: LIMO - I'm getting used to this reference being to the vehicle and not the trip

28. Main ingredient of zongzi: RICE - A recipe

29. Use a joystick, perhaps: STEER - A common sight in nursing homes

31. Quality assurance: ACID TEST - I have spent hours making a lesson plan but the ACID TEST is putting it in front of teenagers.

32. Bread machine: ATM.

33. Title derived from the ancient Egyptian for "great house": PHARAOH - Interesting to learn

34. Skilled performer: ARTISTE.

35. "Word": I HEAR YA - "Word Up" became "Word" and is slang for I HEAR YA!

36. Illustrator Dustin who won an Eisner Award for "Descender": NGUYEN - The illustrator for this "Science fiction/Space opera" comic book. 

37. One gaining star power, perhaps: GAMER - They can get college scholarships as well.

38. Go at it: SPAR - What boxers do in the ring and politicians do in a debate

40. Water under the bridge: STREAM.

44. Diagnosis that may be accommodated with an IEP: ADHD.

47. Gig fraction: BYTE.

49. Makes sense: FITS and 52. Korean for "kick": TAE - TAEkwando is familiar in Crosswordville and it FITS

50. Two out of nine?: ENS - Gotta love meta clues: Two of the letters in "nine" are ENS. Half of nine would work too.

51. Polo, e.g.: TOP - Polo shirts are standard wear for boys and girls high school golfers at the school where I sub.  

Erica has a great article about her philosophy of cross wording:

https://www.skidmore.edu/news/2022/0726-power-of-words.php