Sunday February 23, 2024 Gary Larson

Theme: "Toy Story" - Each common phrase is humorously reinterpreted as if it's a toy.

23A. Spinner for an early riser?: TOP OF THE MORNING.

44A. Classic playset made of cut logs?: LUMBERJACKS.

67A. Equipment for playing catch in a costume?: MASQUERADE BALLS.

93A. Rollerblades that are a dime a dozen?: CHEAPSKATES.

115A. Competitive activity with infinite possibilities?: GAME FOR ANYTHING.

17D. Shapers for kids' goo?: SLIME MOLDS.

73D. Travel version of a stackable building set?: ROADBLOCKS.

I like this playful twist. Reminds me of this "This is not a toy" puzzle I made with Tom Pepper five years ago.  

My childhood was stolen. No toys or games. We did kick Jianzi a lot. I was wearing my red scarf just like this little girl does.

 

Across:

1. Halls rival: RICOLA. Boomer liked Halls cough drops.

7. Open to change: ADAPTIVE.

15. Irritates: RASPS.

20. Undermines: ERODES.

21. Army training exercise: MANEUVER.

22. Radiant: AGLOW.

25. Waititi of "What We Do in the Shadows": TAIKA. Husband of xword regular Rita Ora.

26. Proton partner: NEUTRON.

27. Finish: END.

28. Fate: KISMET.

29. Future esq.'s exam: LSAT.

30. Punchy salad ingredient: CRESS. This refers to watercress, right?

33. Overused theme: TROPE.

34. Sp. titles: SRAS.

37. Free: LET OUT.

39. James of "Funny Lady": CAAN.

40. __ and cheese: MAC.

43. Unkempt do: MOP.

47. Magic, on scoreboards: ORL. Orlando.

48. Headline writer: EDITOR.

52. "Enough already!": TMI.

53. Build on: ADD TO.

54. Muse of history: CLIO.

55. Discover: LEARN OF.

57. Japanese dog breed: AKITA.

59. Gamekeeper: WARDEN.

61. Phrase on Texas license plates: LONE STAR.

63. Nickel, e.g.: METAL.

66. Verdon partner: FOSSE. Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse.

71. "A Christmas __": CAROL.

74. "The Hobbit" dragon: SMAUG. I'm a descendant of the dragon. All Chinese are. 

75. Homer that scores one run: SOLO SHOT.

79. Likes a lot: ADORES.

81. Arena levels: TIERS.

84. Like a sailboat's mainsail: SCALENE. Scalene triangle with the longest edge along the mainmast.

85. Narrow inlets: RIAS.

86. Louisiana cuisine: CAJUN.

89. Volkswagen convertible: EOS. Not a car person. No idea.

91. Did a do: STYLED.

92. Place to retire: BED. And 98. Study, say: ROOM.

96. Fellow: LAD.

97. Hero: SUB.

99. Tailor, at times: FITTER.

101. "__ cannoli!": HOLY.

102. Rest atop: LIE ON.

104. Step up from nano-: MICRO.

106. Buggy terrain: DUNE.

108. Ethically challenged: AMORAL.

110. Embargo: BAN.

111. Folks who may be up a creek with a paddle: CANOERS. Now I know how to swim, I look forward to canoe someday.

114. Center of power: LOCUS.

120. Bracelet spot: ANKLE.

121. Natives of Wyoming: ARAPAHOS. Google shows that they were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe.

122. Skilled speaker: ORATOR.

123. Honkers: NOSES.

124. Totals: DESTROYS.

125. Meditative genre: NEW AGE.

Down:

1. No longer working, briefly: RET.

2. Part of a press kit?: IRON. Pressing.

3. Carry on: COPE.

4. Nonalcoholic beer brand: O'DOULS. 

5. Some driving instructions: LEFTS.

6. Type of plane that doesn't fly: ASTRAL. Astral plane.

7. Hymn ending: AMEN.

8. Three Gorges project: DAM.

9. "Should I take that as __?": A NO.

10. Piece of rpm: PER.

11. Fixes, as a piano: TUNES. My mentor Don G is a piano tuner.

12. Political columnist Molly: IVINS. Quick wit.

13. Hawk: VEND.

14. Indoor rower, for short: ERG.

15. Controls supply: RATIONS.

16. Showing shock: AGASP.

18. Jab: POKE.

19. Smack: SWAT.

24. Monopoly purchase: HOTEL.

28. Polish metropolis: KRAKOW. Poland's second-largest city.

30. Clause separator, at times: COMMA.

31. Puzzle cube creator: RUBIK.

32. Nice season: ETE. Nice, France.

33. Diplomat's skill: TACT.

34. Common sense?: SMELL. Also like this clue: 76. Phone line?: HELLO.

35. Bull rider's sport: RODEO.

36. Like some drones: APIAN.

38. Sound of reproach: TUT.

39. Currency with toonies, briefly: CAD. The code for Canadian $. More here. CNY is Chinese Yuan.

41. Sign before Taurus: ARIES.

42. Geneticist's research subject, perhaps: CLONE.

45. Like most films: RATED.

46. Social app with a synagogue directory: JDATE.

49. Kevin Bacon horror film with an "Aftershocks" sequel: TREMORS.

50. Marked down: ON SALE.

51. Goes off: ROTS.

54. In an angry manner: CROSSLY.

56. Website help pages: FAQS.

58. Public relations concern: IMAGE.

60. Like ice cubes in water: AFLOAT.

62. Piña colada ingredient: RUM.

64. Muscles worked by planks: ABS.

65. Southeast Asian nation: LAOS.

68. Really enjoy: EAT UP.

69. Ancient civilization remnants: RUINS. So many ruins in my hometown Xi'an. Our city wall. Rectangular. 4-hour walk.

70. Inc. relatives: LLCS.

71. Keto no-nos: CARBS.

72. "So long, mon ami": ADIEU.

77. NBA analyst Shaquille: O'NEAL.

78. Bear in a crib: TEDDY.

80. Pod relative: SCHOOL.

82. Broadcast again: RE-AIR.

83. __ voce: SOTTO.

87. Many moons: AEON.

88. Copier problem: JAM.

90. Firm up: SET.

93. Clothing lines: CREASES.

94. Colonel Sanders's place: KFC.

95. Midsize car: SEDAN.

100. Damon who wrote the stories adapted as "Guys and Dolls": RUNYON.

101. Donkey's call: HEEHAW.

103. Victor's cry: I RULE.

104. 111-Down and Phillips, in a 1960s pop group: MAMAS. And 111. Singer Elliot: CASS.

105. Klutzy: INEPT.

107. Paris possessive: NOTRE.

108. "The Traitors" host Cumming: ALAN.

109. Not stereo: MONO.

110. Show: BARE.

112. Actress Wilson: RITA.

113. Lip-lock, in London: SNOG.

115. Josh of "Wolf Like Me": GAD.

116. Way off: FAR.

117. "Well, lookee here!": OHO.

118. Wizzard singer Wood: ROY.

119. Test for M.A. hopefuls: GRE.

 

Thank you, Husker Gary, for making my 400th LAT puzzle so memorable. Thank you all for the sweet messages.

C.C.

Friday, December 27, 2024, Gary Larson, Amy Ensz

 Today's theme is SELF-EVIDENT.

Gary Larson and Amy Ensz have placed five OBVIOUS theme clues symmetrically throughout the grid.  The first word of each answer is a synonym for OBVIOUS.

The theme clues and answers (all Across) are:

15. Casino employee, obviously?: PLAIN DEALER.  PLAIN is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "It is PLAIN to me that the readers of this blog enjoy crossword puzzles."  A DEALER is a casino employee who runs games by distributing cards and managing chips.  A PLAIN DEALER is a person who interacts with others honestly and openly.

23. Natural pillow stuffing, obviously?: MARKED DOWN.  MARKED is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "There is a MARKED difference between summer and winter temperatures."  DOWN is a layer of fine feathers found under the exterior feathers of birds, often used as pillow stuffing.  MARKED DOWN is a phrase that means reduced in price.

34. Actor Jude's offspring, obviously?: PATENT LAW.  PATENT is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "He told a PATENT lie."  LAW is the surname of actor Jude Law.  PATENT LAW is a legal framework providing exclusive rights to inventors.

48. Honorific, obviously?: CLEAR TITLE.  CLEAR is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "It is CLEAR to me that the theme answers are humorous double entendres."  TITLE can refer to an honoric, like "Mr.," "Ms.," or "Dr."  CLEAR TITLE is a phrase that means undisputed ownership.

58. Convenient excuse, obviously?: STRIKING OUT.  STRIKING is a synonym for OBVIOUS, as in, "The younger Law bore a STRIKING resemblance to his father, Jude."  OUT can be used to mean an excuse, as in, "I didn't want to attend the party, and my sniffles gave me an OUT."  STRIKING OUT has a number of meanings -- setting out on a course of action, having three unsuccessful swings in baseball, failing at something, or in this case, a spectacular excuse!

And now, it is obviously time to review the remaining clues and answers!

Across:

1. Made-up band: KISS.  The American rock band KISS has been made up of various members over the years.  They are known for being MADE-UP with lots of makeup.

5. EPA concern: SMOG.

9. "Rules __ rules": ARE.

12. Native of Pre-Columbian Peru: INCA.

13. Gaze: STARE.

14. T. follower: REX.  T. rex is short for Tyrannosaurus rex, a large, carnivorous dinosaur that lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous period.

15. [Theme clue]

17. Red block in Minecraft: TNT.  Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all-time, with over 300 million copies sold and nearly 170 million monthly active players as of 2024.  The game world is composed of cubes (or "blocks") representing materials such as ores, water, and lava.  And TNT!

18. Retinol Correxion skin care brand: RoC.  Apparently this stuff is the fountain of youth for your face.  Stay out of the sun if you use it, and watch out for skin irritation!

19. Hair-raising: EERIE.

20. Manitoba people: CREE.  The Cree are a North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories of Canada.

21. "Plus some other folks" abbr.: ET AL.  Short for "et alia," a Latin phrase meaning "and others."

23. [Theme clue]

26. Leave the band, perhaps: GO SOLO.

28. Rejected: VETOED.

29. Pirouetting, perhaps: ON TOE.  A ballet dancer supporting their weight on the tips of their toes is said to be en pointe.  

30. Call on: VISIT.

33. Physicians, briefly: MDs. Medical doctors.

34. [Theme clue]

37. Coolers, briefly: ACs. Air conditioners.

40. A mile a minute: SIXTY.  If you're going a mile a minute, that's sixty miles per hour.

41. "Up in Smoke" co-star: CHONG.  "Up in Smoke" is a 1978 comedy film starring Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong.

45. New Jersey city: CAMDEN.

47. Black eye: SHINER.

48. [Theme clue]

52. Cacio e __ pasta: PEPE.  "Cacio e pepe" is Italian for "cheese and pepper."  The classic dish is made with just pecorino romano cheese, black pepper and pasta.  Some folks consider this a good dish to order to test the quality of the kitchen in an Italian restaurant.  If they offer pizza, try margherita, topped with crushed peeled tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves.

53. Not pretty: UGLY.

54. Plays: DRAMA.

56. GPS display: RTE.  A Global Positioning System app (like Google Maps or Waze) displays a "route" to follow.

57. Was on the bottom?: SAT.  Oh, *that* bottom! 

58. [Theme clue]

61. Before, before: ERE.  Ere used to mean before, well before our time.

62. Filch: SWIPE.

63. Nature or nurture: NOUN.  Nature and nurture are both nouns.  

64. Leb. neighbor: SYR.  Lebanon and Syria.

65. Schnoz: NOSE.  Likely from Yiddish שנויץ (shnoyts), cognate to German Schnauze (“snout”) and English snout.

66. Ill at __: EASE.

Down:

1. Unit of explosive force: KILOTON.  A unit of explosive power equivalent to 1,000 tons of TNT.

2. Plastered?: IN A CAST.  Plaster casts are used to treat bone fractures.

3. __-fi: SCI.

4. Sensible: SANE.

5. Step: STAIR.

6. "Bohemian Rhapsody" Best Actor Oscar winner: MALEK.  Rami Malek portrayed Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury in the 2018 biographical film "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury

7. Lode load: ORE.

8. Neighbor of Aus.: GER.  Austria and Germany.

9. Creative venue: ART ROOM.

10. Like some library books or contracts: RENEWED.

11. Stretches out: EXTENDS.

13. "Buona __": SERA.  "Good evening" in Italian.

15. Barilla rival: PREGO.  Competing brands of bottled marinara sauce, made with tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs.

16. Expo presentation: DEMO.  At an exposition, exhibitors offer demonstrations of their products.

20. Chi. summer setting: CDT.  Chicago is on Central Daylight Time in the summer.

22. Aerial maneuver: LOOP.  A loop maneuver is an aerial stunt performed by airplane pilots.  The loop is achieved by diving and pulling back sharply. In every loop, the pilot has to navigate through a force of gravity nine times the normal.  It's dangerous!

24. Malicious: EVIL.

25. Rip off: DETACH.

27. Landlord: LEASER.

30. Bother: VEX.

31. Abbr. on a bank statement: INT.  With any luck, your bank statement shows interest.

32. Mud hole: STY.  A sty is a pig pen, which is often muddy.

35. Shade: TINT.

36. Blender setting: WHIP.

37. Charges: ACCUSES.

38. Home of the Stampede: CALGARY.  The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

39. Place of refinement?: SMELTER.  A smelter is a machine or factory that heats ore to high temperatures to separate metal from other elements.

42. Burdensome: ONEROUS.

43. Planet with the Great Dark Spot: NEPTUNE.  The Great Dark Spot was observed by NASA's Voyager 2 space probe in 1989, and later by the Hubble Space Telescope.  It is a large storm.

44. Welcome: GREET.

46. Same-__ delivery: DAY.

47. Formal introduction?: SEMI.  Semi-formal is a dress code:  more polished than work wear, but less formal than black-tie.  For men, a suit is in order.  For women, who the heck knows?

49. Actor Elba: IDRIS.  Idris Elba is an award-winning English actor and singer.  He is OBVIOUSLY sexy, having been named Essence's annual Sexiest Man of the Year in 2013 and People's Sexiest Man Alive in 2018.

50. Drivel: TRIPE.  Drivel is nonsense.  Tripe is slang for nonsense.  The first meaning of tripe is the edible lining of a cow, pig, or sheep's stomach.  The edible tripe looks like rubbish, which led to the secondary meaning of rubbish or nonsense.

51. Camp sight: LAKE.

55. Celebrity chef Burrell: ANNE.  Anne Burrell is an American chef and television personality She hosts the Food Network show Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and co-hosts Worst Cooks in America. 

58. Digits from the government: SSN.  Social Security Number.

59. Wee hour: TWO.  The wee hours are the first few hours after midnight, so called because they have wee (or small) numbers.  TWO o'clock AM is a wee hour -- but not the only one.

60. Indian state whose capital is Panaji: GOA.  Goa is a state on the southwestern coast of India.  It is India's smallest state by area and fourth-smallest by population. India rates Goa as having the best quality of life in the country.  The state capital, Panaji, retains cultural influences from its 456 years as a territory of Portugal.  The beaches of Goa appear to be popular tourist destinations.

Here's the grid:

So, was this puzzle perfectly CLEAR to you?

Or did you find yourself STRIKING OUT along the way?

NaomiZ

Sunday December 1, 2024 Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

Theme: "Rhyme Scheme" - Each common phrase is humorously rephrased fitting the nursery rhyme in the clue.

21A. Cleanup duty after Humpty Dumpty's accident?: FALL CLEARANCE.

37A. Rental stipulations for a large family's befuddled matriarch?: SHOESTRINGS.

58A. Vessel designed for row-row-rowing gently down the stream?: DREAM BOAT.

72A. Serving dish for Old Mother Hubbard's dog?: BONE CHINA.

90A. Telegram heralding Jack's candlestick feat?: JUMPER CABLE.

110A. Weasel's mindset after being chased by a monkey?: POP PSYCHOLOGY.

14D. Identifying marks for a horn-blowing little boy?: BLUEPRINTS.

70D. Strong flavor from that little Horner kid's Christmas pie?: CORNER KICK.

In case you're not aware of, Gary Larson and Amy Ensz are a couple. Here's an interesting article about Gary, the Bubble Man.

 Across:

 

1. Barrio grocery: BODEGA. Barrio is Spanish for "neighborhood".

7. Breakfast strip: BACON.

12. "I guess that's fine": SO BE IT.

18. Suggestive: EROTIC.

19. Love, in Roma: AMORE.

20. Actress Dahl who founded the Dahlia fragrance company: ARLENE.  Unfamiliar with the fragrance.

23. Crept around: SKULKED.

25. Intercontinental mountain range: URALS.

26. Pad: DIGS.

27. Mixes in: ADDS.

29. Nail polish brand in square bottles: ESSIE.

30. German 39-Down: EINS. 69. Spanish 39-Down: UNA. 39. Countdown end: ONE.

31. Color wheel display: TONES.

32. Bring in, as crops: REAP.

34. Place to stay: INN.

35. Mind-altering synthetic drug: LSD.

36. Puts a lid on: SHUTS.

41. Field event: SHOT PUT.

43. Singer Lewis who won "The X Factor": LEONA. British singer.

44. Boost: AID.

45. Crumple (up): WAD.

46. Ranted and raged: STORMED.

48. Poet's below: NEATH.

52. Big bullies: OGRES. And 55. Big bully: MEANIE.

56. Electron stream: BETA RAY.

60. Bogie toppers?: FEDORAS. Humphrey Bogart.

63. Word typically ignored when alphabetizing: THE.

64. Hog's grunt: OINK.

65. City with a van Gogh walking tour: ARLES. Starry, Starry Night.

67. Musical endings: CODAS.

68. Makeshift screwdriver, maybe: COIN.

70. Phylum units: CLASSES.

74. Kerosene: LAMP OIL.

76. Broadcasts again: RE-AIRS.

78. Retreat: OASIS.

79. Use a tiller: STEER.

80. Counsels: ADVISES.

82. ICU caregiver: LPN.

83. Tennis pair?: ENS. Letter N's in Tennis. We see this cluing misguide often.

85. Vegetarian chili bits: BEANS. Boomer loved beans in his chili. 

86. Make like new: RESTORE.

94. 100 smackers: C NOTE.

96. British granny: NAN.

97. Go gray, maybe: AGE.

98. Origin: ROOT.

99. Old cars from Sweden: SAABS. 101. Local language in Copenhagen: DANSK.

100. Take different routes: PART.

103. Happy __: MEAL.

106. Currency symbolized by € : EURO.

107. Apple gadget: CORER. Have you tried Cosmic Crisp apples?

108. Arranged like train cars: ENDWISE.

113. Cleared for takeoff, in a way: DE-ICED.

114. Batter's box neighbor: PLATE.

115. "Très chic!": OO LA LA.

116. Button in some shortcuts: ALT KEY.

117. Mélange: SALAD.

118. Elegant strand: PEARLS. Very pretty.

Down:

1. Like a pessimistic broker: BEARISH.

2. Bloom in Hollywood: ORLANDO.

3. Some "Coppélia" characters: DOLLS.  Not famliar with "Coppélia", a comic ballet. Coppélia is a mechanical doll.

4. List-ending abbrs.: ETCS.

5. Apt name for a pet fish: GIL.

6. Got the better of, in a contest: ACED OUT.

7. Canal craft: BARGES.

8. Gather: AMASS.

9. Hoodwink: CON.

10. Marine predator: ORCA.

11. __ for Speed: video game series: NEED.

12. Talks back: SASSES.

13. Mork's planet: ORK.

15. Pot-caught fish: EELS. You can find this in the Asian aisle in your grocery store.

16. Finishes, as a cartoon: INKS IN.

17. Driver's setting?: TEEING. Golfer's starting drive.

21. Energy sources: FUELS.

22. "It __ over till it's over": AIN'T.

24. Family rooms: DENS.

28. Emotion before starting an unpleasant task: DREAD.

31. Heavy clonk: THUD.

33. __ disadvantage: AT A.

36. Charley horse, e.g.: SPASM.

37. Typeface flourish: SERIF.

38. Practical HS course, once: HOME EC.

40. Lightbulb, in the comics: IDEA.

42. Fine-tune: TWEAK.

43. Silent film star Chaney: LON. He died in 1930 at age 47.

46. Puts a lid on: SEALS.

47. Cookie brand owned by Mondelez: TATE'S.

49. Stella __: Belgian beer: ARTOIS.

50. Sesame sauce: TAHINI. We have sesame paste in Chinese cooking. We use unhulled sesame seeds.

51. Serengeti scavengers: HYENAS.

52. Near beer brand: O'DOULS.

53. Direct a smile toward: GRIN AT.

54. Make a file more identifiable: RE-NAME.

55. Fable finale: MORAL.

56. Cereal grains: BRANS.

57. Simplify: EASE.

59. Indonesia's "Island of the Gods": BALI.

61. Gillis of old TV: DOBIE.

62. Nose wrinklers: ODORS.

66. African wildcat: SERVAL. Learning moment for me. Cute.

68. Gregorian __: CHANT.

71. Paris Olympics opening ceremony site: SEINE.

73. Thicket: COPSE.

75. Easter basket treat: PEEP.

77. Palm Sunday transport: ASS.

80. Lose power: ABATE.

81. Food blogger Perelman: DEB. Smitten Kitchen blog.

82. Permits: LETS.

84. Last-minute ticket caveat: SRO.

86. Cyberpunk franchise featuring a crime-fighting cyborg: ROBOCOP.

87. Hot: ON A ROLL.

88. Xenon, for one: RARE GAS.

89. Blog post: ENTRY.

90. Emerald alternative: JADE. Cantonese girls love jade bracelets. The real jade is quite pricey, like this one Carmen is wearing. Over $1,000.

 

91. Country with a border in Lake Victoria: UGANDA.

92. Genetics pioneer Gregor: MENDEL.

93. Spoof genre: COMEDY.

94. Brought about: CAUSED.

95. __ a soul: NARY.

99. Philly transit org.: SEPTA. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

100. Chris Van Allsburg's "The __ Express": POLAR.

102. Loretta of "M*A*S*H": SWIT.

104. Intro courses?: APPS. Appetizers. Nice clue.

105. Dancer Falana: LOLA.

107. Cuba libre mixer: COLA.

109. Picture: SEE. The land I showed last week belongs to the Chinese government. My mom and dad were buried there also. It's very remote, hilly, dense with bushes and tall plants. I'd walk for miles to visit my mom's tomb. The stubbornness in that little girl.

111. Mate: PAL.

112. Soil-turning tool: HOE.

Just got this sweet picture from JD, who joined our blog in 2009 when her oldest grandson Truman was not yet one, now Truman is a senior. The tallest boy is Grady, younger brother of Truman (most right). The youngest boy in the picture is Dylan, who plays the saxophone and is about to get his Black Belt in Taekwondo. The boy in white sweater is Cameron, Dylon's old brother.