Friday, February 28, 2025, Wendy L. Brandes

 Theme:  Biased magazine movie reviews.

Today's theme clues from constructor Wendy L. Brandes involve real magazines and their supposed picks for the best movie of all time.  Each magazine chooses a movie whose title reflects the name of the magazine.

The theme clues and answers, all Across are:

18. Mad's pick for the best movie of all time?: RAGING BULL.

Mad is an American satire magazine, launched in 1952 and currently published by DC Comics.  Raging Bull is a 1980 film adaptation of middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta's 1970 memoir Raging Bull: My Story. "Mad" is a synonym for "raging," so of course Mad magazine would have an affinity for the film.

24. The Atlantic's pick for the best movie of all time?: OCEAN'S ELEVEN.

Founded in 1857, The Atlantic is an American magazine featuring articles on politics, business, the arts, technology, and science.  Ocean's Eleven is a 2001 comedy film which is a remake of a 1960 Rat Pack film, and stars George Clooney as professional thief Danny Ocean.  Since "Atlantic" is the name of an ocean, naturally the magazine would favor a movie with "ocean" in the title.

39. Shape's pick for the best movie of all time?: CIRCLE OF FRIENDS.

Shape is an American monthly fitness magazine for women started by Weider Publications in 1981.  Circle of Friends is a 1995 film based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Maeve Binchy.  A circle is a shape, so the magazine might favor that movie.

53. Rolling Stone's pick for the best movie of all time?: SCHOOL OF ROCK.

Rolling Stone is an American monthly magazine, founded in 1967, that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture.  School of Rock is a 2003 comedy film starring Jack Black.  Because Rolling Stone is concerned with popular music, especially rock 'n' roll, it would of course favor a movie about rock music.  And a "stone" is a "rock," so there's another connection.

63. The New Yorker's pick for the best movie of all time?: A BRONX TALE.

The New Yorker is an American magazine, founded in 1925, that features journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. A Bronx Tale is a 1993 film directed by and starring Robert De Niro, adapted from Chazz Palminteri's 1989 one-man show of the same name. The New Yorker might look favorably upon a movie whose title features a borough of New York City, like The Bronx.

Are you with me?  Time to move on?  OK, People!

Across:

1. Pic: SNAP.

5. Thread: FIBER.

10. Eye woe: STYE.

14. Ace in the __: HOLE.  In poker, this refers to an ace card which is dealt and kept face down until the deal is over.  Figuratively, it is any advantage held in reserve until needed.

15. "Rolling in the Deep" singer: ADELE.

16. Eurasian river: URAL.

17. "Leave that to me!": ON IT.  Blog the puzzle while Chairman Moe recovers from surgery?  I'm ON IT!

18. [Theme clue]

20. Lab's dish?: PETRI.  Laboratory's dish -- not Labrador Retriever's dish.

22. Meat-grading org.: USDA.  United States Department of Agriculture.

23. Get even with?: TIE.

24. [Theme clue]

28. "Bet you __ to doughnuts ... ": DOLLARS.  A favorite expression expressing certainty, but dollars were worth more than doughnuts when it originated.  At this point, it makes little sense, since doughnuts cost more than a dollar.  A "Krispy Kreme" original glazed doughnut goes for $2.69 at our nearest location.

Maybe a dollar will get you a doughnut hole.

31. Vicinity: AREA.

32. Smug cry: OHO!

33. Diet branding word: LITE.

35. Big name in sporting goods: VOIT.

39. [Theme clue]

44. Coke, e.g.: SODA.

45. Overflow (with): TEEM.

46. Animal featured on the Olympic National Park quarter: ELK.

47. Spring break?: THAW.  When ice breaks up in the spring -- and possibly road surfaces along with it.

51. Stockpiles: AMASSES.

53. [Theme clue]

57. Small digit?: TOE.  Digit can mean any of the numerals from 0 to 9, or a finger or toe.  Is that because we count on them?  

58. Surrealist Magritte: RENE.

59. Scott of NPR: SIMON.

63. [Theme clue]

67. Cordon (off): ROPE.

68. Blossomed: GREW.

69. Unsuccessful Ford: EDSEL.

70. Orange or pear: TREE.

71. Move very slowly: EASE.

72. Minuscule amounts: IOTAS.

73. Delight: SEND.

Down:

1. Browse: SHOP.

2. Fewer than few: NONE.

3. Landed: ALIT.

4. Gas, to an Aussie: PETROL.

5. A ways away: FAR.

6. Mont. neighbor: IDA.  Montana and Idaho.

7. Kicked off: BEGUN.

8. Senator Slotkin of Michigan: ELISSA.

Elissa Slotkin

9. Give, as a verdict: RENDER.

10. Temp: SUB.  Shout out to Husker Gary, our Saturday blogger and substitute teacher extraordinaire.

11. Cable channel with reruns of sitcoms and reality shows: TRUTV.  TruTV is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It broadcasts reruns of comedy and reality shows, with a recent primetime focus on live sports.

12. Connecticut Ivy Leaguer: YALIE.  Another nickname for a Yale student that we frequently encounter here is "Eli."

13. Sigourney's "Alien" role: ELLEN.

Good on you if you remembered the character's name!

19. Beaufort scale rating: GALE.  The Beaufort scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land.  Ratings include conditions from Calm to Hurricane.

21. "Let's see your hand": I CALL.  Is this where your ACE IN THE HOLE comes in handy?

25. Lake that surrounds Kelleys Island: ERIE.

Kelleys Island is flagged, due east of Toledo, Ohio.

26. Regarding: AS TO.

27. Roof trim: EAVE.

28. Ob-gyns, e.g.: DOCS.  An OB/GYN, meaning obstetrician gynecologist, is a medical DOCtor.

29. Home of Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks: OHIO.  Ohio again!  Holy Toledo!  Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks is a World Heritage Site preserving eight monumental earthworks constructed by the Hopewell Culture between approximately 0 and 400 AD along tributaries of the Ohio River.

30. "Bridgerton" title: LORD.  Bridgerton is an fantasized historical television drama set in the early 1800s in England.  It is based on a book series by Julia Quinn and appears on Netflix.

A scene from Bridgerton

34. Baby newt: EFT.

36. Tip jar wad: ONES.

37. Collecting dust: IDLE.

38. Judgy clucks: TSKS.

40. "The Censor" of ancient Rome: CATO.  Marcus Porcius Cato (234–149 BC) was a Roman soldier, senator, and historian known for his conservatism.  Among other government positions, Cato served as censor, responsible for the census, for public morality, and for government finances.

Cato the Censor, AKA Cato the Wise, and Cato the Elder.

41. Phobia: FEAR.

42. San __, Italy: REMO.

43. Safari runners: IMACs.  Safari is a web browser used on Apple devices.

48. ESPN's "Around the __": HORN.  Around the Horn is an ESPN sports roundtable discussion show, conducted in the style of a panel game.

49. Russian political dissident Navalny: ALEXEI.

50. Is inadequate: WON'T DO.

52. Parts of some suits: SKIRTS.

53. Ride out of town, in a Western: STAGE.  In this case, "ride" is a noun -- a "vehicle" to get out of town.  

Stagecoach -- or "stage." 

54. Hooded snake: COBRA.

55. "__ to you": HERE'S.  Congratulations!  You've almost finished the puzzle.

56. Repast: FEAST.

60. Greedy cry: MORE!

61. Unbox: OPEN.  Unboxing is the act of taking a product out of its packaging, especially when it's recorded on video and shared online. Strangely, it's a popular trend that allows people to watch others unpack new products. 

62. Sine qua non: NEED.  Sine qua non can be translated literally from Latin as "Without which, not."  It indicates that "without (something), (something else) won't be possible."  Or a need.  I learned this in high school, when my friend's father dedicted his magnum opus to his wife:  "For Gloria, sine qua non."

64. Buy on credit, say: OWE.

65. Perrins's partner in steak sauce: LEA.  Lea & Perrins is a United Kingdom-based subsidiary of Kraft Heinz, originating in Worcester, England, where it manufactures Worcestershire sauce.

66. Couple of locals?: ELS.  There are a couple of ELS ("L"s) in the word LOCALS.

Here's the grid:

Did today's puzzle earn a BRONX cheer?  Or a call for MORE?

NaomiZ

Friday, February 21, 2025, Jeff Stillman

 

Good Morning, Cruciverbalists.  Malodorous Manatee, here, with the recap of a Friday Puzzle by Jeff Stillman who has previously had puzzles published by the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times.

Today's theme is quite straightforward.  At four places within the grid, Jeff has added the letter A to morph common expressions into witty answers to the out-of-necessity-somewhat-convoluted clues.  In each case, the A follows an E and is the third letter of the "new" word and the first three letters form a word or acronym that could stand alone.  Here are the places where this occurs:

20 Across:  Say, "Everyone put your key in the ignition and turn," e.g.?: TEACH STARTUPS.  From Tech Startups.  (A cuppa, anyone?)

28 Across:  Brief reminder before a Disney musical featuring Belle?: BEAST IN SHOW.  From Best In Show. (Bureau of Economic Analysis)

Disney's Beauty and the Beast

44 Across:  Sidewalk stand earnings arranged in tidy stacks of cash?: NEAT PROFITS.  From Net Profits. (National Educational Association)

55 Across:  One overseeing a reform program for kleptomaniacs?: DEAN OF THIEVES.  From Den Of Thieves. (Drug Enforcement Agency)

This is how it all looks in the grid:

... and the rest of the story:

Across:

1. Big production: EPIC.  The Waco Kid knows EPIC.

5. Half an island in French Polynesia: BORA.

9. Mediocre grade: C-PLUS.  Actually, just a little bit better than average.

14. Fish tacos fish, on menus: MAHI.

15. Bus alternative: UBER.  RAIL and LYFT would both fit but neither would work out.

16. Window treatment: DRAPE.  I don't know if I can afford new DRAPEs for my windows.  These are un-curtain times.

17. D.C. VIP: PRES.  PRESident

18. Kunis of "Family Guy": MILA.  She voices Meg.

With A Cameo

19. __ knife: BOWIE.

23. Ump's cry: YER OUT.  If your grid requires YER this is the way to pull it off.

24. Early late-night host: PAAR.  Jack PAAR followed Steve Allen and preceded Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show.

 

25. Rite Aid rival: CVS.  A drug store reference.

31. Cut with a beam: LASE.

35. Bull's-__: EYE.  Did anyone check with the cattle on this one?

36. Lyric poem: EPODE.  EPODE - Wikipedia

37. Tablet option: IPAD PRO.  Not a medicinal reference.

39. Bar sing-along: KARAOKE.   This guy comes up to me at the karaoke bar and asks, "Are you the guy who spends all night singing Neil Diamond songs?"  "I am", I said.

41. Actress Kemper: ELLIE.  Best known for her role in The Office.

42. Elevator part: CAR.  Ever pause to reflect on what is really going on when you are riding in an elevator CAR two hundred feet above the ground floor?

43. Bed support: SLAT.

48. Dejected: SAD.

49. VMI program: ROTC.  Reserve Officer Training Corps

50. Opening word?: SESAME.

58. The least bit: AT ALL.

60. After-lunch sandwich: OREO.  How do I clue thee . . . .

61. Some watch displays: LEDS.

62. Faithful: LOYAL.  What is a 3 letter word for playful, LOYAL, and unconditional love?  Dog.

63. Bound: LEAP.  Where do most people dine out on LEAP day?  IHOP

64. Empire State canal: ERIE.

65. "R u kidding me?": SRSLY.  Seriously?

66. Seals' meals: EELS.  How does it feel when they reel in the EEL with zeal?

67. Chips-in-a-can brand: STAX.  I might have clued this differently.

Down:

1. Without value: EMPTY.

2. French city, in song: PAREE.  Paris

3. "A little birdie tells me ... ": I HEAR.

4. Networking giant: CISCO.  Cisco - Wiki  Thirty years ago few people had ever heard of the company.  Fortunately, I knew someone who had.

5. Lousy piece of advice: BUM STEER.  It turns out that one need not bother checking with the cattle on this one.  From Wikipedia: Its origin is possibly from 19th-century American maritime humor and the difficulty of trying to steer a vessel in reverse.  A ship's stern is flat and lacks the pointed structure of a bow, and a ship is therefore difficult to maneuver in reverse when using the rudder, also found on the stern.

6. Account of life after death?: OBIT.  OBITuary

7. Turn for the worse: RELAPSE.  A bit odd in the cluing.  One could get worse without having previously been in that condition.

8. Turkey's highest peak: ARARAT.  Where many people believe Noah's ark landed.

9. Data recording device: CD BURNER.  Hey, at the time, it was a significant step forward!

10. Play thing: PROP.  Not a toy for a child to play with.  An item used in a stage play.

11. "The Paper Chase" setting: LAW SCHOOL.  A book and a movie.

12. Letters in the news: UPI.  Long before social media.

13. "Get it?": SEE.  Ya dig?

21. Busy airport: HUB.  A general response.  The answer could have been a specific airport but with only three letters the clue would require an abbreviation.

22. __ chi: TAI.

26. Salty dog option: VODKA.

FLATT would have fit.

27. Saccharine: SWEET.  From whence the artificial SWEETener got its name.

29. "Big Mouth" writer/voice actress Edebiri: AYO.  Unknown to this solver.  She plays a chef on The Bear.

30. Luxury home features: SPAS.  Novel cluing and almost on target.

31. Credit report entries: LIENS.  A legal claim on an asset.

32. Cop __: bargain in court: A PLEA.

33. Times of youthful innocence: SALAD DAYS.

Where does the noun salad days come from?

Earliest known use

early 1600s

The earliest known use of the noun salad days is in the early 1600s.

OED's earliest evidence for salad days is from before 1616, in the writing of William Shakespeare, playwright and poet.

34. Perfect copy: EDIT.  Not perfect as in without flaws.  Perfect is used, here, as a verb as in "to make perfect" and copy is a body of writing.

38. Pregame event: PEP RALLY.

39. Ryssdal who hosts NPR's "Marketplace": KAI.  

40. Places to pick up paint: ART SHOPS.  Home Depot would not fit.

42. Like most aerosol cans, now: CFC FREE.  Without chlorofluorocarbons.

45. Former Mets pitcher Darling: RON.

46. "Smallville" actress Annette: O'TOOLE.  Not related to Peter.

47. Cinque e uno: SEI.  5 + 1 = 6  La lección de español y matemáticas de hoy.

51. Monica who won three consecutive French Opens: SELES.  Five letters with two E's and two S's - a construtor's friend.

52. Head off: AVERT.  A man was about to be hit by a Voyager minivan.  Fortunately, the driver stopped in time.  Chrysler AVERTed!

53. Radio and such: MEDIA.

54. County in the Greater Boston area: ESSEX.  Unknown to this solver but, in our puzzles, county names are often ESSEX.

56. Airline to Israel: EL AL.

57. Blue-green: TEAL.

58. Weather anchor Roker and actor Pacino: ALS.

59. Only Canadian MLB city, for short: TOR.  At one time there was also MON.

BBFN, for short.

_______________________________________________________

Friday, February 14, 2025, Daniel Hrynick

  Theme:  Darling, food is love!

Constructor Daniel Hrynick treats us to a Valentine's Day feast, introduced by terms of endearment.

The theme clues and answers, all Across, are:

17. "My love, borscht for the first course of our Valentine's dinner!": SUGAR, BEETS!  Hey, Sugar, I prepared SUGAR BEETS in a delicious Russian soup!

23. "My love, ruby spuds as a side": BABY, RED POTATOES!  Hey, Baby, I boiled BABY RED POTATOES to go with our main dish!

49. "My love, sweet-and-sour chops for our entree": HONEY, GLAZED PORK!  Hey, Honey, I made HONEY GLAZED PORK for dinner!

56. "My love, I didn't forget dessert!": PUMPKIN, PIE!  Hey, Pumpkin, I baked PUMPKIN PIE!

I like how the terms of endearment are part of the names of the food.  Food is love.

Across:

1. Clipped: TERSE.

6. Per: EACH.

10. Binary pronoun: SHE.

13. __ trail: VAPOR.  Contrails (short for "condensation trails") or VAPOR TRAILs are line-shaped clouds produced by aircraft engine exhaust or changes in air pressure. They are composed primarily of water in the form of ice crystals. Unfortunately, these high altitude clouds absorb thermal radiation from the Earth and then warm the atmosphere.

14. March Madness org.: NCAA.  The National Collegiate Athletic Association organizes this annual basketball tournament in -- you guessed it -- March.

15. Aviation prefix: AERO.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Avian mimic: MYNA.  MYNA (or mynah) birds are prized as pets because of their ability to mimic human speech.  They are perching birds in the starling family, native to Iran and Southern Asia.  The common MYNA (AKA Indian Myna) has been declared one of the world's most invasive species and is one of only three birds listed among "100 of the World's Worst Invasive Species" that pose a threat to biodiversity, agriculture and human interests.

Common Myna

20. D.C. figure: POL.  Short for politician.  Some of these also pose a threat to biodiversity, agriculture and human interests!  In this neutral space, we shall not opine as to which ones.

21. Site traffic stat: PAGE HIT.  Website owners like to see PAGE HITs.  It means someone is looking.

23. [Theme clue]

28. __ loss: AT A.  Puzzled or uncertain what to think, say, or do.

29. Balkan natives: SERBS.

30. Cybergiggle: LOL.  Texting shorthand for Laugh Out Loud.

31. "Whipped Cream" musician Alpert: HERB.

33. Ceremonial pile: PYRE.  A ceremonial pyre is a structure of combustible material that is set on fire for a variety of purposes, including funerals, celebrations, and executions.

34. Strong cleaners: LYES.  LYE is a strongly alkaline solution, especially of potassium hydroxide, used for washing or cleansing.

36. Princeton team: TIGERS.  The Princeton Tigers are the athletic teams of Princeton University. The school sponsors 35 varsity teams in 20 sports.  

38. Ease: SOOTHE.  

40. Actor Corddry: NATE.  Nathan Corddry is an American actor best known for his roles as Adam Branch in the NBC drama series Harry's Law and for his role as Gabriel in the first two seasons of the CBS sitcom Mom.  Sorry, NATE, all perps for me.  Glad I didn't have to spell your surname.

Nate Corddry

41. First name in animation: WALT.  WALT Disney.

44. Touchpad toucher: USER.

45. "__ be an honor!": IT'D.

46. Filmmaker Kurosawa: AKIRA.

48. Moo goo __ pan: GAI.  Moo goo gai pan is a Chinese-American dish that translates to chicken with mushrooms.

49. [Theme clue]

53. Taking five: ON BREAK.

54. __ mode: A LA.  "À la mode" is a French phrase that means "according to the fashion".  It is used to describe something that is stylish or fashionable, or something served with ice cream.

55. Free __: REIN.  Free REIN is the freedom to do or say what you want.  The expression comes from horseback riding:  when you give a horse free rein, you hold the reins loosely so that the animal may wander where it wants. In contrast, if you keep a tight rein on something, you control its every move.

56. [Theme clue]

62. Prefix between micro- and pico-: NANO.

63. Colossal: EPIC.

64. Digestive aid brand: BEANO.

65. Winter hrs. in Utah: MST.  Mountain Standard Time.

66. "Last four digits" IDs: SSNs.

67. Change channels?: SLOTS.  I think the clue refers to coin slots -- where you insert your "change."

Down:

1. Hotel room sets: TVs.

2. __ Claire, Wisconsin: EAU.  The name of this city in Wisconsin is French for "clear water."

3. WoW or D&D: RPG.  World of Warcraft and Dungeons and Dragons are Role Playing Games.

4. Like the taste of cilantro, to some: SOAPY.  I love cilantro.  DH hates it.  My love language involves keeping cilantro out of the house.

5. Blunders: ERRORS.

6. Chemistry suffix: ENE.  A suffix used to form the names of hydrocarbons having one or more double bonds, such as benzene.  

7. Expert: ACE.

8. Spine-stretching asana: CAT POSE.  An āsana is a body posture, originally a general term for a sitting meditation pose, and later extended to any type of yoga exercise position.

Above:  CAT POSE.  Below:  Cow pose.  Good stretches to alternate.

9. Attacks: HAS AT.

10. "Likewise!": SAME TO YOU.

11. Repeated line in "Blitzkrieg Bop": HEY! HO! LET'S GO!  Blitzkrieg Bop was the opening track on the Ramones' self-titled debut album, 1976.  The line "Hey! Ho! Let's go!" became a rallying cry at sporting events.

The song came out first as a single with this cover art.

12. Orange Muppet who tries to learn the saxophone: ERNIE.

16. Stout grains: OATS.

18. Censors: BLEEPS.

22. Pico de __: taco topper: GALLO.  Pico de GALLO (Spanish for "rooster's beak") is a roughly chopped Mexican salsa made from tomato, onion, peppers, salt, lime juice, and cilantro.  Sorry, DH!  Cilantro is a key element.

23. Thai coin: BAHT.

24. Ordered room service, say: ATE IN.

25. Spots for priced-to-sell items: BARGAIN BINS.

26. Not at all humid: DRY.

27. Beer letters since the 1800s: PBR.  Pabst Blue Ribbon.

32. "Actually, bad idea": BETTER NOT.

35. Cut close: SHEAR.

37. Touch up, as a fading salon job: RE-DYE.

38. Barely run?: STREAK.  To STREAK is to run bare naked through a public place for publicity, for fun, as a form of protest, or to participate in a fad.  It was a big fad in the 1970s.

39. Actor Estrada: ERIK.  Henry Enrique "Erik" Estrada is an American actor and police officer.  He is known for his co-starring lead role as California Highway Patrol officer "Ponch" Poncherello in the police drama television series CHiPs, which ran from 1977 to 1983.

41. Buildings without elevators: WALK-UPs.

42. Alias letters: AKA.  AKA is an abbreviation for Also Known As, which might precede an alias.

43. Fashion's Claiborne: LIZ.  Liz Claiborne's success was built on stylish but affordable apparel for career women featuring tailored separates that could be mixed and matched.  I loved wearing her clothes during the decades I spent as a college librarian.  She left this mortal coil in 2007.

47. Improvises: AD-LIBs.

49. Instrument in a toot suite?: HORN.  Silly!  Horns "toot."  "Tout de suite" (which sounds like "toot sweet") is French for "right away."  And of course, a suite in music is a collection of short musical pieces that are played in sequence. Maybe it's a French HORN for a toot suite!

50. Wee hour: ONE AM.

51. Stares slack-jawed: GAPES.

52. Advisory group: PANEL.

57. Max. opposite: MIN.  Maximum vs MINimum.

58. Dells, e.g.: PCs.  Dells are Personal Computers ... Dell being a brand name.

59. Kung __ tofu: PAO.  More good eats!  

60. QB misfire: INT.  Interception.  The quarterback gets the blame if his throw is intercepted by a member of the opposing team.  Amirite?

61. Goddess of the dawn: EOS.  In Greek mythology, Eos is the goddess and personification of the rosy-fingered dawn, who drives a chariot each morning from her home at the edge of the river Oceanus to deliver light and dispel the darkness.

Eos AKA Aurora (in Roman mythology)

Here's the grid:

If you were old enough to listen to popular music in 1969, you might remember a song by The Archies that became the most successful "bubblegum pop" single of all time.  Today's puzzle brings that old ear worm to mind:

Sugar

Oh, honey, honey

You are my candy girl

And you got me wanting you

Honey

Oh, sugar, sugar

You are my candy girl

And you got me wanting you

With love to all you lovers,

NaomiZ