Friday, November 15, 2024, Mark McClain

Good Morning, Cruciverbalists.  Malodorous Manatee here with a recap of this Friday's puzzle by the top-flight and prolific constructor Mark McClain.  From Mark: "Fun fact, my very first published puzzle was also an LAT Friday, and it was almost exactly 10 years ago (10-3-14). I think this is #68, but the first in a couple of years, so it's good to be back."

In this puzzle, Mark takes commonly known two-word combinations and, by reversing the meaning of the first word, conjures up amusing answers to the clues.  There is no reveal.  The word play is performed at these four places within the grid:

17 Across:  People less likely to appear in a police lineup?: UNUSUAL SUSPECTS.

Casablanca

I know.  I know.  I could have gone with Keyser Söze.

26 Across:  Institute of weird learning?: ABNORMAL SCHOOL  A NORMAL SCHOOL is an institution that trains teachers by teaching them pedagogy and curriculum.

Young Frankenstein

42 Across:  Salad dressing ingredient that has to be special ordered?: NONSTANDARD OIL.  Oil and Vinegar dressing.

55 Across:  Group of TV episodes shown out of order?: IRREGULAR SEASON.  During the 2024 REGULAR SEASON, the Los Angeles Dodgers won 98 baseball games.  They also won 11 games during the POST SEASON.

The rest of the clues and answers can be found at:

Across:

1. Lots and lots: SCADS.

6. Some bits of harvest festival decor: COBS.  Corn COBS.  Swans, anyone?

10. Ladder part: STEP.  Hand up for first thinking RUNG.

14. Prohibited by social custom: TABOO.

15. Showroom selection: AUTO.  As in AUTOmobiles at a car dealership.

16. Not fancy at all: HATE.  Very clever cluing here and at 33 Across.  Here, the clue is taken in the British English (probably from the 16th century) sense as in "to (not) like" something.  At 33 Across, the clue is taken in the sense of something not being ornate.

20. Trifecta, for one: BET.  The bettor must pick the top three finishers in the correct sequence.

21. Dismissive sound: PFFT.  My sentiments, exactly.

22. Really bug: EAT AT.

23. Four-time winners of the FIFA Women's World Cup, for short: USA.  1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019.

24. Suppressed, with "up": PENT.

33. Not fancy at all: PLAIN.  See also 16 Across.

34. Deliver a stemwinder: ORATE.  From The Grammarist:

A stem-winder or stemwinder is an exciting speech that whips the crowd into a frenzy; a rousing speech that energizes a crowd; a persuasive speech that stirs emotion. The idiom stem-winder or stemwinder is derived from a type of watch that came into use after the American Civil War. A stem-winder or stemwinder is a watch with a winding stem attached to it, rather than a key. In Britain, this type of watch was called a keyless watch. The idiom stem-winder or stemwinder to describe a speech came into use near the end of the nineteenth century. Note that the form stem-winder is a hyphenated compound word that is preferred by the Oxford English Dictionary, and stemwinder is a closed compound word with no hyphen or spaces that is preferred by other dictionaries.

35. The Horned Frogs of the Big 12, familiarly: TCU.  Texas Christian University.

36. Stand the test of time: LAST.  Endure.

37. Clinic pro: NURSE.  What did the nurse say to the man who fainted at the airport?  I think you might have a terminal illness.

38. Tennis match units: SETS.

39. Parisian pal: AMI.  A frequent French lesson.

40. Open-weave fabric: SCRIM.  Often clued with a reference to stage curtains.

41. Media mogul with a book club: OPRAH.

45. Aunts of Andalusia: TIAS.  One of today's Spanish lessons.

46. D.C. summer hrs.: EDT.  Eastern Daylight Time.

47. Reject: SPURN.

50. Stand up to: DEFY.  I once witnessed a magician make the fog over a lake disappear.  It was mist DEFYing.

52. Glass of NPR: IRA.  A frequent visitor often confused, by this solver, with ARI Shapiro.

59. First name in civil rights history: ROSA.  ROSA Parks.  ROSA was her first name.

60. Summoning instrument: GONG.

61. Parcel out: ALLOT.

62. Email annoyance: SPAM.  Named for the canned meat product that many find unappealing.

Monty Python

63. "Les Misérables" author: HUGO.

64. Really stinks: REEKS.  A local man was causing a disturbance in town because he stunk like fish.  He was REEKing haddock on the neighborhood.

Down:

1. Scant Wikipedia article: STUB.  Often clued with a reference to concert, or other types of, tickets.

2. Stroller's accessory: CANE.  Not stroller as in baby carriage.  Stroller as in a person taking a walk.

3. Lie against: ABUT.

4. __ Equis beer: DOS. Literally, Two X's.  

5. "Dinner's ready!": SOUP'S ON.  "Soups on" is an idiom of Anglo-Saxon origin. This idiomatic phrase was originally used to alert others that the Soup was ready and it was time to eat. In a broader context, it is often used to signify that something is ready or about to begin. Whether it is a meal, an event, or a project, the phrase can denote a sense of readiness and urgency. Therefore, the phrase can be used in a variety of situations not limited to food, expanding its versatility in everyday language.

6. Leg part: CALF.

7. Remove from office: OUST.

8. HVAC meas.: BTU.  British Thermal Unit

9. "Mamma Mia!" number: SOS.  ABBA  have sold over 150 million records.  This solver owns none.

10. Blade cover: SHEATH.

11. Sense of appropriateness: TACT.

12. "Call My Name" singer James: ETTA.

13. Annoying sort: PEST.

18. Off in the distance: AFAR.

19. London coppers: PENCE.  Coppers as in coins, not as in police.

23. Military outfit: UNIT.  Not as in what a soldier might wear.   As in a group of soldiers.

24. Obsolete display type: PLASMA.  A PLASMA display is a type of flat-panel display that uses ionized gas to create images. Plasma TVs were the first large flat-panel displays to be released to the public, but they have been superseded by other technologies such as OLED and QLED.

25. Spanish direction: ESTE.  East.  One of today's Spanish lessons.

26. San Antonio landmark: ALAMO.  Frequently visited in our puzzles.

27. Bathroom fixture: BASIN.  It's best to just let this one sink in.

28. Feels sorrowful: MOURNS.

29. Ban rival: ARRID.  A deodorant reference.  Both are brand names.

30. Comic actor Cheri: OTERI.  On the subject of women's history:

Saturday Night Live

31. In base eight: OCTAL.

32. Cosmetics retailer known for vegetarian and vegan products: LUSH.  New to this solver.

33. Strategize: PLAN.

37. Frozen Four org.: NCAA.  The ice hockey version of the Final Four (basketball).  Abbreviated clue .... abbreviated answer.

38. See in a crowd: SPOT.

40. Beekeeping hazard: STING.  Bee puns really sting.  Bee warned.

41. 2023 or 1999: ODD YEAR.  So many from which to choose.

43. Watch a series on Disney+, say: STREAM.

44. NBA game trio: REFS.  REFerees.  A basketball REFerence.

47. House of Lords titles: SIRS.  You need not have a seat in the House of Lords to have the title.

Sir Paul McCartney & Sir Elton John

48. Stagehand concern: PROP.  Someone leaked the prop notes for the movie Thor Ragnarok.  They had to use a lot of low-key lighting.

49. Bear in the night: URSA.

50. "Oh, heck!": DANG.

Roger Miller

51. Consequently: ERGO.

52. Cruise ship stop: ISLE.

53. Chess piece: ROOK.

54. Colony insects: ANTS.

56. "This tastes awful!": UGH.

57. Brock in the Baseball Hall of Fame: LOU.  Renowned for his base stealing.

58. Brewpub option: ALE.  My local bar ran out of ALE.  It was a bitter disappointment.

This solver enjoyed the puzzle.  The gag was not difficult and it was quite amusing.  The two fifteen-letter answers were a nice touch and the relative lack of proper nouns (bucking the recent trend that we have seen of puzzles as trivia contests) was refreshing.  Besides, the constructor has very good initials.  Welcome back, Mark.

. . . and a hearty, although belated, "Thank you!" to NoamiZ for filling in for me a couple of weeks ago.  Your efforts are very much appreciated.

Here is the completed grid:

_________________________________________________

Friday, November 8, 2024, David Alfred Bywaters

 Theme: "Oh Where, Oh Where ... " 

Puzzling thoughts:

Today's play-on-words Friday-level puzzle was offered to us by none other than David Alfred, "one if by land, two if" Bywaters!  This is now three-in-a-row for me recapping some of my favorite puzzlers (Rich, Patti, and now David).  As many of you know, one of my partners-in-crime, waseeley, is also a fan of David's and regularly shares with us his fortnightly, crossword cavalcade

David often comes up with a fiendish connection in his puzzles, so I reached out via email to him to confirm (or deny) that these entries had anything more than what appears on the surface.  David was honored to think that I had uncovered a secret code, perhaps ... but as he said, "it was by mere chance" that he came up with 5 phrases that have a double-meaning, all of which were framed by a clue question beginning with the words "where to find".  Did you have the wherewithal to figure them out?

Let's explore each one and see if we can find out the meaning behind the clues:

17-across. Where to find a dogcatcher at the end of the working day?: BY THE POUND.  David's first clue/entry was to explore the whereabouts of a dogcatcher (do these even exist anymore?) when his shift is over.  By the dog POUND of course!  Would this entry have been as exciting if it had been clued: "How bananas are sold?"  Nope

But speaking of bananas, I find it interesting that Trader Joe's is a retailer who sells bananas individually as well as in a bunch.  So, which is the better deal?  Individual or by the pound? Well, if you allow that a single banana - on average (with the peel) - weighs about 8 ounces, then their selling price of 19 cents each (maybe it's now a quarter) is a pretty good deal.  The by the pound price is usually around 69 cents per

31-across. Where to find a Tyrolean shepherd?: ABOVE THE FOLD.  Normally, C-Moe uses the Thesaurus-saurus (see 70-across in the recap) to confirm synonyms.  And while Moe has heard of the word fold in reference to a flock of sheep it took a while to confirm (open the link)

The phrase, above the fold, is a newspaper reference that applies to the headline (or major news story) that appears above the folded part of the paper.  Maybe as this one so erroneously did back in 1948?

Notice how the paper is folded

38-across. Where to find an Iowa farmer in late summer?: BEHIND THE EARS.  This was by far the corniest of the crop ... 😀 

Too bad, though, that David didn't have a few extra squares in the puzzle grid to allow him to add an adjective to the phrase.  Then the clue could've been:

How to find an Iowa farmer after a late summer thunderstorm?: ___ BEHIND THE EARS 💧💧💧

46-across. Where to find a Chicago suburbanite?: OUT OF THE LOOP. Fortunately for those who regularly visit the Crossword Corner, you are never out of the loop.  Even when we are faced with trying to figure out certain actors, authors, places, or things; the bloggers here are always eager to do the googling for you and offer it in our comments ...

So why a Chicago suburbanite?  Well, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the "landscape" "The Loop" is both a geographic reference as well as a pretty famous area in downtown Chicago (see the rectangular loop in the map below)

63-across. Where to find a lumberjack at lunchtime?: ON THE STUMP.  David ends his quintet of quirky quips with a reference to political speeches and rallies.  We steer clear of discussing politics here at the Corner ... but we do like to post cartoons! 

Today's grid is brought to you by Sharpie®:

The Grid - My first time using a highlighter 😂

As an aside, there were 24 3LW's today ... again, a result of having 57 of the 225 available squares occupied by the theme entries ... we'll soon learn if Irish Miss minded these, or not ... I'm guessing, not!

As a further aside, David provided me (through our email correspondence) a couple more of the entries he had for this puzzle that didn't make the cut:

Clue: Where to find the lighthouse keeper on foggy Fridays?: BESIDE THE POINT.

Clue: Where to find the scientist who created the abbreviations for silver (Ag) and gold (Au)?: UNDER THE TABLE 

My "grade" for this puzzle is a solid, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Across:

1. Home of Minor League Baseball's Storm Chasers: OMAHA.  CSO to Husker Gary.  I did not know this and chose TULSA as my first guess

6. Oscar season oversight: SNUB.  

10. Org. concerned with lab safety?: SPCA.  Cute clue; DAB's or PV's?  In this case the "lab" is a dog; not a room for science experiments 

14. Not haram: HALAL.  Here's the difference

15. Potential London flat?: TYRE.  Lots of play-on-words today!  The London "flat" refers to an automobile tyre; not a rental unit (apartment)

16. Broccoli unit: HEAD.  My partner, Margaret, advised me last week that broccoli is a man-made vegetable - Cauliflower, too as it turns out

19. Goals: AIMS.  

20. Brief indication of flexibility: OBO.  Or Best Offer.  As in an ad (you'll see this on eBay) where an item is listed for sale for a price of, say, $50.00, OBO

21. Slender fish: EEL.  GAR also fit, and it's a pretty slender fish IIRC

24. Quaint assent: YES'M.  Contraction for yes, ma'am (also a contraction)

26. Out of harm's way: SAFE.  Which supports (5-down. Away from the wind:) ALEE

29. "__ you asked ... ": SINCE.

34. Opening stake: ANTE.

36. Pitching superstar: ACE.  Walker Buehler may have been the ACE in this year's World Series

37. Marker: IOU.  PEN also fit

43. Rx provider: DOC.  With 24 3LW's you're bound to get several that are abbrs.

44. Delighted cry: OOH.

45. In addition: ELSE.

51. Not just glance: STARE.  How good are YOU at a starting contest?? 

52. Many a Saudi: ARAB.

53. Jazzy improvisation: SCAT.  Ella was one of the best

57. Attempts: TRIES.

59. Coded plea for help: SOS.  Morse code.  Dit dit dit, dah dah dah, dit dit dit (... --- ...)

61. Nev. neighbor: ARI.  CSO to me, Lucina, Yuman, et al

62. "Despicable Me" voice actress Kristen: WIIG.  This actress pronounces her last name the same as an artificial hairpiece: "wig".  But if you look at it again, what if she pronounced it like a video game platform + the last letter, might you get this?:

Wii - G

67. Beginning for potent or present: OMNI.  A prefix meaning "all; everywhere"

68. Core supporters: BASE.  This term was used ad nauseum during the Presidential campaign

69. "Booped" body parts: NOSES.  

70. Acute: KEEN.  The Thesaurus-saurus agrees!

71. Roe source: SHAD.  I prefer mine from sturgeon

72. Down-at-the-heels: SEEDY.  Merrium-Webster agrees

Down:

1. Enthusiastic or impatient cry: OH BOY.  Enjoy this little ditty from a performer who left us way too soon

2. Perhaps: MAYBE.  Do you think maybe there'll be a Moe-ku today?  Perhaps ...

3. Some flutes: ALTOS.

        The fife producer

        Took today off; celebrates

        (the) Flutes of his labor

4. "Caught you!": HAH.  See!  There was a Moe-ku; hah!

6. Norwegian king in hagiographies: ST OLAV.  Learning moment for me, today regarding the clue

7. Greenwich Village sch.: NYU.  Right in the heart of Greenwich Village  

Washington Square Arch near NYU

8. Large container: URN.  A large-sized container (urn) is often used for coffee; a small-sized container (urn) is often used as an alternative to a coffin

9. Hotel capacity: BEDS.  Same answer applies to a hospital's capacity

10. "Doctor Zhivago" star: SHARIF.  Aka, Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub

11. Lingerie array: PEIGNOIRS.  I wondered if this word had been used before in a major crossword puzzle - apparently, yes

12. Almost had it: CAME CLOSE. For some reason, this brought to mind a quip I wrote some ten years ago (October 2014).  Not sure if those here are familiar with the racehorse I reference, so when you get to the last word click on the link ... 

Famous actress Glenn mourned the recent death of a Breeders Cup winning racehorse. She even went so far as to attend the horse's funeral. Unbeknownst to her, the horse's owners cancelled the funeral and had the horse cremated instead.  She came to the funeral, anyway.  TMZ followed her and published this headline the next day on their website: 

CLOSE, but no Cigar

13. Spots: ADS.  So here, all along, the images on a Dalmation's coat are actually ads?? 😉

18. Uruguayan coin: PESO.  We had this word entry on Tuesday; Susan gave us the list of those other countries who use the peso as their currency of choice ... 

23. Call upon: USE.

25. Class that brings problem after problem?: MATH. Why is it that I have a problem with this clue and its answer??  Maybe, because I couldn't find a Moe-ku to fit the answer ... how about a Moe-l'ick instead, that is sorta related ...

        The young mermaid showed quite a big flaw,

       While committing a fashion faux pas.

       She was kicked out of MATH

       After showing some wrath

       When she wore her see-through Algae-bra

27. Part of a boa: FEATHER.  SPLEEN and SCALE didn't fit.  And when I found this image, I couldn't see any feathers ... 

Where the heck are its feathers???

28. Inscribe with acid: ETCH.  Could've been clued: "___ a Sketch"

30. Part of a prof's address: EDU.  Only since 43-across (DOC) was already used

32. "__ mir bist du schoen": 1937 hit: BEI.  Who here remembers the Andrews Sisters?  Let's see.  In 1937 my future parents were in grade school ... 

33. Little snicker: HEE.  We gave out these little "snickers" for Halloween this year 

34. "At last!": ABOUT TIME.  This clue/entry would've been more appropriate if it were at the end of my blog!! 😂😂

35. Peach kin: NECTARINE.  Here's the difference between the two

39. "Au contraire!": NOT.  The clue was in Frawnch

40. Qatar's capital: DOHA.  Coin flip here:  If you chose the capital as in currency, then rial fits.  But in this case it refers to the government center

41. Job listing letters: EEO.  Except on Old MacDonald's farm, where jobs there are listed E-I-E-I-O

42. Italian ski destination: ALPS.  Where you just might run into that Tyrolian shepherd fellow from 31-across

43. Bobs and buns: DOS.  I hear that pre-Windows computer technicians chose MS-DOS for their haircut styles ... 

47. Root: ORIGIN.

48. Charge: FEE.  The noun; not the verb form

49. __ out at: LASHED.  My twisted brain saw this image as someone who might resemble this: 

50. Slender woodwind: OBOE.  Played by that slender fish in 21-across, maybe??

54. Make happen: CAUSE.  How did this happen?  Just 'cause

55. On, as an alarm: ARMED.  Once again, my brain went in a different direction when I saw the word armed.  I wondered if there were any cartoon images of an octopus holding 8 alarm clocks, but this one is funnier:

56. A bit buzzed: TIPSY.  I swear I was cold stone sober when I wrote this blog ... (which, FTR, was done on Monday the 4th)

58. Sounds of woe: SOBS.  "There's no crying in crossword puzzle blogging!"

60. U.S. IDs: SSNS.  See 65-down; you need one of these to apply 

62. Stir-fry need: WOK.  How about another Moe-l'ick?

        When the pastry chef went to embark

       New position, I heard him remark,

        “I’ll be good at stir-fry.”

        “Piece of cake!” I replied.

        He said, “no, just a WOK in the park.”

64. "Pass": NAH.  Oh, you don't want another Moe-l'ick or Moe-ku??

65. PreCheck org.: TSA.  PreCheck for frequent travelers is a must - I got mine as part of Global Entry

66. Foot part: TOE.  Toe, which rhymes with Moe, who is now going to bid you à bientôt! 😃

Friday, November 1, 2024, Renee Thomason, Katie Hale

 Theme:  There must be a way!

Each of the theme answers is a recognizable person or thing, but does not match the clue until you SHOW THE word WAY at the beginning of the answer.

Here are the theme clues and answers, all of which are Across:

18. *Pop-up shop on the edge of the road?: SIDE HUSTLE. A side hustle is a job or occupation that brings in extra money beyond one's regular job.  But a WAYSIDE HUSTLE might be a business at the edge of a road.

23. *Underground market for home goods?: FAIR TRADE.  Fair trade is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect.  But WAYFAIR TRADE might be taking furnishings from the online retailer Wayfair and trading them off market.

35. *Butcher's knife that's very hard to handle?: WARD CLEAVER.  Ward Cleaver is a fictional character in the television sitcom Leave It to Beaver.  But a WAYWARD CLEAVER might be a big knife that is difficult to control.

50. *Snuck up on a chicken coop to collect breakfast?: LAID AN EGG.  Saying someone laid an egg means they failed at something.  But WAYLAID AN EGG means they hid themselves and attacked an egg by surprise.

58. Give clear directions, or how to make the starred clues match their answers?: SHOW THE WAY.

Today's puzzle comes to us from Renee Thomason (our Monday blogger, known in the Corner as sumdaze) and frequent constructor Katie Hale.  Allow me to SHOW THE WAY through the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. State that's easy to draw: UTAH.

Because Wyoming and Colorado wouldn't fit!

5. South American bean: CACAO.  Best bean ever.  Thank you, South America!

10. Loyalty program level: TIER.

14. Post-WWII alliance: NATO.

15. Celebrity gossip source since 1991: E! NEWS.  A late-night entertainment news program on the E! cable network.

16. Princess athlete in the 1976 Summer Olympics: ANNE.  The Games of the XXI Olympiad took place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Great Britain, competed as part of the British equestrian team. 

Princess Anne in the 1976 Olympics

17. Air quality factor: SMOG.

18. [Theme clue]

20. Device called a "cashpoint" in the U.K.: ATM.

21. Matching: SAME.

22. Stellar: ASTRAL.

23. [Theme clue]

26. Court tie: DEUCE.  Apparently, tennis score keeping was originally done using a clock face, marking points as 15, 30, and 45 minutes, with 45 eventually being abbreviated as 40:

     0 points = Love  (Zero was "The egg" or "L'oeuf" in French, which in English became "Love.")

     1 point = 15

     2 points = 30

     3 points = 40

     Tied score = All

     40-40 = Deuce

     Server wins deuce point = Ad-In

     Receiver wins deuce point = Ad-Out

27. Host: EMCEE.  We used to say "Master of Ceremonies," which became MC or "emcee."

28. Forensic profiling material: DNA.

30. Solstice mo.: DEC.  Also JUN, but it wouldn't work with the perpendicular entries.

31. Corp. head: CEO.

33. Ripe old __: AGE.

34. "__ we forget": LEST.  This phrase was first used in an 1897 poem by Rudyard Kipling called "Recessional," written to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

     God of our fathers, known of old,

        Lord of our far-flung battle-line,

     Beneath whose awful Hand we hold

        Dominion over palm and pine—

     Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,

     Lest we forget—lest we forget!

35. [Theme clue]

38. Chop garlic, say: PREP.  DH and I do the prep for each other, taking turns as head chef and sous chef.  Assembling a recipe is easier if you prep first and get all the ingredients mise en place.

40. Address bar character: DOT.  A web address includes a "dot" before the domain name, as in LATimes.com.

41. Car wheel part: RIM.

42. Coxswain's lack: OAR.  A coxswain sits in the stern of a boat, facing the bow, and steering with the rudder while coordinating the efforts of the rowing team.

A coxswain at work.

43. Pressure meas.: PSI.  Pounds per Square Inch.

44. Justice Sotomayor: SONIA.

48. Feudal lord: LIEGE.

50. [Theme clue]

54. Bringing up the rear: IN LAST.

56. Hindu honorifics: SRIS.  In South and Southeast Asia, Sri is used as a polite form of address, similar to the English "Mr.".

57. Truly regret: RUE.

58. [Theme clue]

60. __ Williams bourbon: EVAN.   Evan Williams is a brand of straight bourbon whiskey distilled at the Heaven Hill distillery in Louisville, Kentucky.  The product is aged for a minimum of four years (which is more than the two year minimum to be called 'straight' bourbon, but is the minimum requirement for a straight whiskey that does not have an age statement on the label).  It has been ranked as one of the world's best selling whiskey brands.

A Kentucky bourbon distillery I visited with DH in 2016.

61. Ale holder: CASK.

62. Thrill to bits: ELATE.

63. Stitch up: MEND.

64. Supersmall: ITTY.  Not "itsy" this time!  Often itty-bitty or itsy-bitsy.

65. Many a forty-niner: MINER.  Participant in the California gold rush.

66. Bank for mil. families: USAA.  USAA (United Services Automobile Association) is a bank that is only available to military members, veterans, and their families.

Down:

1. In need of a Mr. Yuk sticker: UNSAFE.  Mr. Yuk is a trademarked graphic image, created by UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and widely employed in the United States in labeling of substances that are poisonous if ingested.

2. Instrument also known as a chau gong: TAM-TAM.  The Tam-Tam is a huge metal percussion instrument which makes a booming sound. When you strike the tam-tam, the sound gets louder and louder, building up to a climax before fading away.

3. Infinitesimal: ATOMIC.

4. Selfish type: HOG.

5. Labor leader Chavez: CESAR.

6. Inner self, to Jung: ANIMA.

7. Surrendered: CEDED.

8. Veneration: AWE.

9. Mae's sister on "Star Wars: The Acolyte": OSHA.  "Star Wars: The Acolyte" is a television series created for the streaming service Disney+.  An obscure clue!  What ever happened to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration?

10. Decorator's asset: TASTE.

11. Unwelcome visitor: INTRUDER.

12. Intertwines: ENLACES.

13. Word on some campaign posters: RE-ELECT.

19. MyPlate org.: USDA.  The United States Department of Agriculture produced this guideline for nutritious eating -- while supporting various types of food production that are anything but healthy.

21. Heifer's brother: STEER.

24. Summary: RECAP.  A summary of what has been said; a recapitulation.

25. Polygon part: EDGE.

29. Not far: NEAR.

32. Probability calculations: ODDS.

33. Key not found on a Mac: ALT.

34. Finger bowl slice: LEMON.  A finger bowl is a small bowl with water (and perhaps a slice of lemon) for rinsing fingers during a meal.

35. "Let's check the map": WE'RE LOST.

36. Spiral: COIL.

37. Exchange program papers: VISAS.

38. Future Hill worker's maj., maybe: POLI SCI.  Someone who hopes to work on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC might study Political Science.

39. Slicker accompaniment: RAIN HAT.  In this case, a slicker is a rain coat.

43. Wasp, for one: PEST.  Wasps eat spiders, flies, roaches, and caterpillars.  They pollinate at least 960 different plants, including 164 species that are completely dependent on them.  They disperse seeds.  They are responsible for the growth of figs!  But sure, they're pests.

45. Jitters: NERVES.

46. Tropical lizard: IGUANA.

47. Meeting list: AGENDA.

49. Nervously clumsy: GAWKY.

51. Egyptian market city: ASWAN.

52. Furious: IRATE.

53. Person eager to tackle home improvement projects, briefly: DIYer.  Do-It-Yourselfer.

55. Those folks: THEM.

59. New Haven student: ELI.  Elihu Yale was the primary benefactor of Yale University, and students at Yale are called Elis in his memory.

60. Petting zoo bird: EMU.  This seems to be a thing, but is it really safe to have a small child pet an emu?

Here's the grid:

So, did you find THE WAY?  Or WERE you LOST?

NaomiZ