Saturday, October 5, 2019, Gail Grabowski

Saturday Themeless by Gail Grabowski

Probably somewhat dated info

Today I had a nice Easter Egg hunt with Gail's offering. I found my basketful in the SE corner and then had to work my way back up for a very satisfying "got 'er done!" That made my time a little higher than usual but did not diminish my pleasure in doing one of Gail's always fun offerings.

Any lady who authors such fun puzzles and likes Siamese cats is a friend of mine. Plus, the second smartest woman I have ever known (C.C. is tops) was also a JH English teacher.

Across:

1. Mirage sights?: CARD GAMES - I'll bet you could find CARD GAMES at this Las Vegas hotel/casino but no oasis

10. Hint: WHIFF - Yeah, this WHIFF is giving her a hint

15. Puccini's Rodolfo, for one: OPERA ROLE - Spoiler alert! Mimi dies of consumption in Rodolfo's arms in the final scene of La Boheme 

16. Word with society or system: HONOR - People who violate the HONOR system should not get into the HONOR society

17. Parties like there's no tomorrow: LETS LOOSE.

18. Singular: OUTRE.

19. Recipe word: ADD.

20. Utter: PURE - Triskaidekaphobia is utter nonsense to us science peeps

21. Serves, with "out": DISHES.

22. Considerable number: MASS.

23. Implore: BESEECH - Reminds me of this wonderful Godspell song - We BESEECH Thee

24. Traditional Mesoamerican fare: TAMALE.

27. Name on the 1969 album "Clouds": JONI - Ms. Mitchell's wonderful song and album.

28. One may be purposely broken: LAW which might cause the police to 51. Pick up: NAB the offender

29. Program access aids: ICONS - These are the ones we bloggers use here

30. Pop-up fare: TOAST - I TOAST my English muffins twice for extra crispness

31. Former NHL forward Tikkanen: ESA - Here 'ya go

32. Nothing more than: MERE.

33. City ordinance subject: NOISE - Around the 4th of July these ordinances are not 41. Require compliance with: ENFORCEd quite to the letter of the law

34. Bit of power: WATT.


35. Green of "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children": EVA - EVA Green as Miss Peregrine appears to be armed with a crossbow

36. Contaminate: TAINT - One bad apple...

37. Word in a marriage metaphor: AISLE - Marriage is a "Walk down the AISLE"

38. __ Aviv: TEL - "Hill of Spring" founded in 1909

39. Restraining order: HALT.

40. __ storm: WINTER - It can increase traffic to web sites to check for school closings. I think kids go there too.

43. Woven line: CORD.

44. Provoke: STIR UP and 6. Turn on: AROUSE - Is it getting warm in here?

45. Oregon's highest mountain: HOOD - Mt. HOOD from the International Rose Garden in Portland is an awesome sight!

46. Org. with Eagles: BSA - Now both boys and girls can make Eagle Scout

49. Squeezable holders: TUBES.

50. Listen: LEND AN EAR - Shakespeare put similar words in Mark Antony's mouth

52. Upstanding: ERECT.

53. Regular beach walker's resource: TIDE TABLE - The TIDE TABLES if I were taking a group to Cocoa Beach today

54. Load with jeans, say: DARKS - Every student should have to cut out the lower squares and sort them correctly

55. They don't sting: DRONE BEES - The DRONES only job is to mate with an unfertilized queen

Down:

1. Cuba libre ingredient: COLA.

2. Behaved like: APED.

3. Like many Fla. residents: RETD 

4. Ones often working in small rms.: DRS.

5. Thelma and Louise, e.g.: GAL PALS - To the end

7. "Wuthering Heights" scenery: MOORS - It was hard for Catherine and Heathcliffe to 9. Make out: SEE each other in the MOORS. Yeah, I know there's a second way to construe "make out" but...

8. Apart from this: ELSE.

10. Response to a bell: WHO IS IT - Needed one more cell to enter SALIVATE

11. __ wine: HOUSE - A usual order for a wine know-nothing like yours truly

12. At all: IN THE LEAST - "That joke was not funny IN THE LEAST"

13. Ship's deck sometimes reduced to six letters: FORECASTLE - The F'O'CSLE of the Queen Mary is behind the bow and in front of the first stack

14. It's in ice caps and ice sheets: FRESH WATER - Where over 68% of FRESH WATER is found

21. Like urban population: DENSE - Exhibit A: Hong Kong

22. Giraffe feature: MANE - _ A _ E made me think NAPE but...

23. Talk a good game: BOAST- Joe Namath shocked the sports world when he made good on his 1969 BOAST

24. Borne out long-term: TIME TESTED.

25. Fictional detective often seen wearing an open aloha shirt: ACE VENTURA - You either like Jim Carrey's brand of humor or you don't

26. Strength of character: MORAL FIBER - See Gandhi above

27. Cooler: JOINT - Also jail, gray bar hotel, hoosegow, club fed, gaol, et al

30. Decorative fabric: TOILE - Here 'ya go


33. Rights org. since 1909: NAACP.

34. Leaf blower: WIND - I am very aware of WIND in my two avocations - biking and golf

36. Fencing maneuvers: THRUSTS.

37. Show time: AIR DATE - Usually there is a three month gap between when a Jeopardy game is taped and that show's AIR DATE

40. Stiff: WOODEN - Some pols just aren't good "on the stump"

42. Eponymous vacuum brand: ORECK.

43. Many a time-share: CONDO - This company specializes in getting people OUT OF time-shares

45. Next in line: HEIR.

46. Tiny tot, in Toledo: BEBE - When Michael Buble sings Melancholy Baby in Spanish, the first line is "Ven a Mi BEBE Melancolico" (Come to my my melancholy baby)

47. Commission source: SALE - Their commission rate is why we chose this company to list MIL's house

48. Combative deity: ARES - Gods of war can be that way

50. Part of LLC: Abbr.: LTD - LIMITED Liability Company

Comment away. I'm sure Gail will overlook grammar errors:

Sunday September 1, 2019 Gail Grabowski

Theme: "Wide-Screen Display" - Each theme entry is in the pattern of H* D*:

27A. Aircraft carrier storage area: HANGAR DECK.

29A. Performer using hand motions: HULA DANCER.

49A. Just okay: HALFWAY DECENT.

67A. Interior designer's concern: HOME DECOR.

85A. "ER," for one: HOSPITAL DRAMA.

 

104A. Pointer, e.g.: HUNTING DOG.

109A. Certain downpour downside: HAIL DAMAGE.

 

37D. Real go-getter: HUMAN DYNAMO.

41D. Nutritionist's recommendation: HEALTHY DIET.

 

Reveal:

126A. How most TV shows air, and a hint to nine puzzle answers: IN HD.

This complements the IN HD puzzle we had a few years ago. Fun to read Santa again.

Again, Gail started her first two theme entries in Row 4 rather than the traditional Row 3. This way, the two Down 11's could be placed where they are right now. As she had theme material in both Across and Down, she made sure the longest non-theme entries ares 8-letter long. 
 

Across:

1. Moussaka ingredient: LAMB. I think that's eggplant under the ground lamb.

5. Angular pipe fitting: ELBOW.

10. Motion carriers: AYES.

14. Distorts: SKEWS.

19. Hesse-based automaker: OPEL.

20. Portmanteau breakfast brand: MAYPO. Never saw this in our local grocery store.

21. Pic, in ads: FOTO.

22. Like a fog-enshrouded cemetery: EERIE.

23. Trendy farewell: CIAO.

24. Join the contest: ENTER.

25. Aussie greeting: G'DAY.

26. Slender-billed marsh bird: SNIPE.

31. Jobs in clubs: GIGS. Here's a Chinese Idol performing Chinese version of "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!". The singer is well-known in Beijing's club scene.

32. Ever so slightly: A TAD.

34. Somme soul: AME.

35. Arrival announcement: I'M HERE.

38. Holy sanctuary: SHRINE.

40. Singer at Barack's 2009 inauguration ceremony: ARETHA.

43. Dispense drinks: POUR.

44. Murmured romantically: COOED.

45. Crimp-haired critter: EWE.

46. Towel designation: HERS.

48. All-hrs. convenience: ATM.

54. Electrical unit: AMP.

55. Opioids watchdog org.: DEA.

56. Ready to blow: IRATE.

57. Kitchenware brand: OXO. D-Otto likes this brand.

58. How many rumors spread: ORALLY.

60. Almost reaches: NEARS.

62. Gross portion: DOZEN.

64. More sharp: TARTER.

65. Navy Cross, e.g.: MEDAL.

71. Emmy winner Christine: LAHTI.

72. Macron's palace: ELYSEE.

74. Shirt tags may irritate them: NAPES.

75. Birthplace of the violin: ITALY. Piano too. We have 93. Piano piece?: PEDAL.

77. Karaoke singer's liability: TIN EAR. Been loving "Lost Without You" lately. So moving.

78. "Evil Woman" gp.: ELO.

79. Pain-relief brand: ADVIL.

81. Grumpy companion?: DOC. Disney dwarf.

84. Picasso's here: ACA.

89. "Rosemary's Baby" novelist Levin: IRA.

90. Capital south of Quito: LIMA. And 103. Pacific Coast country with a 22,000-foot peak: PERU.

92. __ Adams: SAM.

94. Come off as: SEEM.

95. Throat tissue: TONSIL.

97. Chicken serving: BREAST. Boomer uses Fryin' Magic to coat the chicken pieces. Amazing.

99. Style popularized by the Beatles: MOP TOP.

101. Bout ender, briefly: TKO.

102. Sommelier's suggestions: REDS.

115. Vast, in verse: ENORM.

116. Hibernation spot: LAIR.

117. Attracted: LURED.

118. "I heard you the first time": OK OK.

119. Backpack feature: STRAP.

120. Glamour shelfmate: ELLE.

121. Type similar to Helvetica: ARIAL. Our blog uses Georgia.

122. Late hours, in ads: NITE. And 68. Hr. when the sun is strong: ONE PM.

123. All lathered up: SOAPY.

124. Source of many tweets: NEST.

125. Basket contents, perhaps: WASTE.

Down:

1. Nessie's hangout: LOCH.

2. Samoan capital: APIA.

3. Have in mind: MEAN.

4. Writer with a website: BLOGGER. I'm one, but Google owns the site. We can't even block those mean-spirited anonymous attackers.

5. Come to light: EMERGE.

6. Reels in: LANDS.

7. Part of MB: BYTE.

8. Gp. with pipelines: OPEC.

9. Place to do a job: WORK AREA.

10. Throw on the couch?: AFGHAN. Nice clue.

11. "Hey, bro": YO DUDE.

12. What makes lists briefer, briefly: ET AL.

13. Tofu source: SOYA. To the British.

14. Bagel choice: SESAME.

15. Fashion house founder Cole: KENNETH.

16. __ Burdon, the Animals' frontman: ERIC. Unknown to me.  Is he very famous?

17. Moist towelette: WIPE.

18. Visionary: SEER.

28. Natural drier: AIR.

30. Be loath to: DARE NOT.

33. Spruce (up): TIDY.

35. 2010 Apple debut: IPAD. Seems like ages ago.

36. Floater in a sunbeam: MOTE.

38. Like either "g" in "George": SOFT.

39. British general at Bunker Hill: HOWE. Googled afterwards. William Howe.

40. Leave wide-eyed: AWE.

42. Biceps band: ARMLET.

44. Don't play well together: CLASH.

45. Thrifty, in brand names: ECONO.

47. Johanna who created Heidi: SPYRI. This Swiss lady.

49. Historic Florida racetrack: HIALEAH.

50. Part of ETA: Abbr.: ARR.

51. Drifts off: DOZES.

52. Boardroom VIP: EXEC.

53. Cheerful refrain: TRA LA LA.

59. Word near Kazakhstan on Asia maps: ARAL.

61. Minimal effort: EASE.

62. Stop on a line: DEPOT. And 63. Commemorative lines: ODE.

65. Black Sabbath's genre: METAL.

66. Bring forth: ELICIT.

69. Niger neighbor: MALI.

70. Romantic triangle figure: RIVAL.

73. It formed some features of Arches National Park: EROSION.

76. Director Burton: TIM. Directed Johnny Depp in a few movies:  "Edward Scissorhands"; "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"; "Alice in Wonderland", etc.

79. Mixes in: ADDS.

80. "Phooey!": DRAT.

82. McFlurry flavor: OREO.

83. Sleep out, say: CAMP.

86. Abe's role in "The Godfather": SAL.

87. Did a takeoff on: APED.

88. Regulation affecting boxers?: LEASH LAW. Another great clue.

91. Raid product: ANT TRAP.

94. Layered Italian dessert: SPUMONI.

96. Like Speedos: SKIMPY.

97. Suffers from the heat: BROILS.

98. Feel sorry about: REGRET.

99. Stick one's nose where it doesn't belong: MEDDLE.

100. Man-mouse link: OR A.

103. Kilt feature: PLEAT. Looking good.

104. Pianist Dame Myra __: HESS.

105. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO.

106. Romance novelist Roberts: NORA.

107. Secluded spot: GLEN. And 108. Secluded spot: DALE.

110. Surrounding atmosphere: AURA.

111. Camera lens feature: IRIS.

112. Comparable (to): AKIN.

113. Many a black-clad teen: GOTH. There's a goth lady in our local flea market. She wore black from head to toe. Same outfit for about 12 years.

114. Scratched (out): EKED.

C.C.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019, Gail Grabowski

What's Your Super Power?  The word Power can be placed before the each word in each starred theme clue to give a very special type of Power.

17-Across. *   Cafeteria queue: LUNCH LINE.  Power Lunch (a working lunch where important discussions take place) and Power Line.

39-Across. *    Non-glitzy local tavern: DIVE BAR.  Power Dive and Power Bar.  I was unfamiliar with the term Power Dive.  According to the dictionary, it is a "steep dive of an airplane with the engines providing the thrust".   It also the title of a 1941 movie.

11-Down. *     Corporate retreat with team-building activities: COMPANY TRIP.  Power Company and Power Trip.

25-Down. *     Basil sitting on a sill, e.g.: WINDOW PLANT.  Power Window and Power Plant.

Anatomy of a car Power Window.

And the Unifier:

64-Across. Takeover endeavor ... and a hint to what can precede each word in the answers to starred clues: POWER PLAY.

Across:
1. Not fatty: LEAN.

5. Polynesian carving: TIKI.

9. Ebenezer's partner Marley: JACOB.  A reference to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  Jacob Marley is the deceased business partner of Ebenezer Scrooge who makes a ghostly appearance to Scrooge on Christmas Eve.  He tells Scrooge that he will be visited by three ghosts before morning.

14. Luxury hotel name: OMNI.

The Omni Hotel in Houston

15. Word before rock or rain: ACID.  As in Acid Rock or Acid Rain.

16. Run off to wed: ELOPE.  A crossword staple.

19. Chickens (out): WIMPS.

20. Dr. Mark Sloan portrayer in "Grey's Anatomy": ERIC DANE.  I never watched Grey's Anatomy, so am not familiar with either Dr. Mark Sloan or ERIC DANE (b. Nov. 9, 1972).

22. Flower holder: POT.

23. Harsh treatment: RAW DEAL.

26. Rio Grande city: EL PASO.   The Texas city that has been in the news recently.

28. Buckeye State: OHIO.  It's the State that's Round on the End and High in the Middle: O-HI-O.

29. Vane heading: EAST.

32. From scratch: ANEW.

33. Drums held between the knees: BONGOS.

36. How wet hair hangs: LIMPLY.

38. Australian hub, in itineraries: SYD.  As in Sydney, home of the iconic Sydney Opera House.

41. Quattro meno uno: TRE.  Foreign math.  4 - 1 = 3.

44. Part of a mug shot profile: ONE EAR.

John Dillinger, Public Enemy #1

46. "I'll handle it": NO PROB.

48. Like early-morning golf greens: DEWY.

(I know, different spelling.)

50. Self-important type: SNOB.

He's probably on a Power Trip.

52. "Lovely" musical meter maid: RITA.

 

53. Maven: EXPERT.

55. Unwrap with gusto: RIP OPEN.

58. Rank above maj.: COL.  A Colonel is a rank above a Major.

59. Device used to record aerie hatchlings: EAGLE CAM.

62. "Better late than never," e.g.: ADAGE.  (Maxim also fits, here, but that was yesterday's word.)

68. Desert drifts: DUNES.

The name of the first book in the Sci-Fi series by Frank Herbert.

69. Taiwanese PC giant: ACER.  I learned of this company from working the crosswords.

70. Word game piece: TILE.

Also known as a manual from IKEA.

71. Lauder of makeup: ESTÉE.  Estée Lauder (nйe Josephine Esther Mentzer; July 1, 1906 ~ Apr. 24, 2004), makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.

72. Lays down a lawn: SODS.

73. Worry obsessively: STEW.

Down:

1. Bit of cybermirth: LOL.  Textspeak for Laughing Out Loud.

2. Earthbound bird: EMU.  A male EMU can grow to a height of over 6 feet.  It is the largest bird native to Australia.  It can't fly, but can run at a rate of 30 MPH if being hunted.  If cornered, its sharp toe claws can eviscerate its hunter, so be warned.

3. Gothic novelist Radcliffe: ANN.  Ann Radcliffe (né Ann Ward; July 9, 1764 ~ Feb. 7, 1823) was a pioneer in writing Gothic fiction.  She was also one of the most popular writers of her time.  Her appeal is probably lost to time.

4. Words to pacify a pooch: NICE DOG!

5. Shire of "Rocky": TALIA.  Talia Shire (née Talia Rose Coppola; b. Apr. 23, 1946) is the sister of Francis Ford Coppola.  Other than the Rocky and The Godfather films, I can't name another movie she was in.

6. Christmas eave decoration: ICICLE.  Cute clue.

7. Bighearted: KIND.

8. Think tank nugget: IDEA.

9. Tiara sparkler: JEWEL.

10. "Aladdin" prince: ALI.

 

12. Try to block: OPPOSE.

13. Give: BESTOW.  Fun word.

18. Charlemagne's realm: Abbr.: HRE.  As in the Holy Roman Empire.

21. Doubles partner who's not serving: NETMAN.  A tennis reference.

23. Steals from: ROBS.

24. Crow's-nest call: AHOY!

27. Sidekick: PAL.

30. Final Olds made: ALERO.  This model ceased production in 2004.

31. Bro or sis: SIB.  As in a Sibling.

34. Laudatory lines: ODE.

35. Sonora snooze: SIESTA.

37. Supporting: PRO.

40. Delivery vehicle: VAN.

42. Memorization method: ROTE.

43. Israeli diplomat Abba: EBAN.  Abba Eban (né Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban; Feb. 2, 1915 ~ Nov. 17, 2002) made a guest appearance recently.

45. Emmy-winning scientist Bill: NYE.  As in William Sanford Nye (b. Nov. 27, 1955).  He bills himself as Bill Nye, the Science Guy.

47. Gives a cue: PROMPTS.

48. Ten-year period: DECADE.

49. Book after Genesis: EXODUS.  A Biblical reference

51. Prepared, as coffee: BREWED.

54. Maker of tasty "pieces": REESE.

56. Cupcake finishers: ICERS.

57. Achievement for a duffer: PAR.  A golfing reference.

60. Transcript nos.: GPAs.  As in Grade Point Averages.

61. Bonkers: LOCO.

63. "That's surprising": GEE!

65. Beyond tipsy: LIT.

66. Many a microbrew: ALE.

67. Archery wood: YEW.

Here's the Grid:

I'll leave you with a QOD:  Just because your ad looks good is no insurance that it will get looked at.  How many people do you know who are impeccably groomed … but dull?  ~  William Bernbach (Aug. 13, 1911 ~ Oct. 2, 1982), American advertising executive

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to Betty, loving wife of dear Spitzboov.  I think they have the longest marriage on our blog.

Happy Birthday also to dear Chickie (Leah), who used to comment regularly on the blog. Chickie lost here husband Bill a while ago and now lives in a new place.

Left to Right: Chickie, JD, Garlic Gal and Lucina.

June 3, 2015