Wednesday, November 14, 2018, Ed Sessa

Piece of Cake!

You can find 10 different types of cake in the circles found in this puzzle.  (Yes, this is a dreaded circle puzzle.)  The cakes are placed in pairs with one of the cakes "layered" upon the other cake in the pair.  I don't see a connection between the pairs, other than the fact that they all contain the same number of letters.  Despite the circles, the cakes makes for a sweet theme.

6-Across. Tinker Bell's friend: PAN.  //  Layered upon 15-Across.  Garden tool: HOE.

Tinker Bell's pal is Peter Pan.  Do you think they eats PANCAKES?

Despite living in the South, I had never heard of a HOE Cake.  Apparently, it is made with cornmeal and may also be called a Johnny Cake.  Here's a Recipe.

14-Across. Low on funds: SHORT.  //  Layered upon 17-Across:  Manx currency:  POUND.

Here's a recipe for Strawberry SHORTcake.

The Pound is the currency used on the Isle of Man.  Here's a Recipe for POUND Cake.

33-Across. Amaretto flavor: ALMOND.  //  Layered upon 36-Across.  Reef creature:  SPONGE.

ALMOND Cake is not a common type of cake, but it looks good.  Here's a Recipe.

Nothing is better than a good SPONGE Cake.  Here's a Recipe.

41-Across. Word that always brings a smile?: CHEESE.  //  Layered upon V8 veggie:  CARROT.

A CHEESEcake is a very different type of cake.  Here's a Recipe

Our wedding cake was a CARROT Cake.  The food editor of our local newspaper was a friend and she made it for us.  Here's a Recipe

66-Across. Coke go-with: RUM.  //  Layered upon 69-Across.  English cuppa: TEA.

RUM Cake remind me of the Christmas Holidays.  Here's a Recipe.

Just go buy a box of TEA Cake!  I'm tired of cooking!  I thought Tea Cakes would be more exciting.  Steve, can you enlighten us on the appeal of these Tea Cakes?

And the "icing" that unifies the theme:

64-Across. With 67-Across, what five pairs of answers in the circles represent: LAYER.

67-Across. See 64-Across: CAKES.

Together these to two clues give us LAYER CAKES.

Let's see what tasty treats are in store for us.

Across:

1. Hee-hawers: ASSES.

9. Part of WTO: TRADE.  As in the World Trade Organization.  The word World also fits into the spaces provided.

16. Four-bagger: HOMER.  Think of baseball.  The bases are loaded and the batter hits a Home run.  Bases don't have to be loaded, but it's fun when they are.

18. Seriously funny shows?: DRAMEDIES.  Portmanteau of Drama and Comedy.

20. Organ near the stomach: SPLEEN.  I'm pretty sure you can live without one.

22. Doldrums: BLAHS.

23. "Boyz n the Hood" actress Long: NIA.  Boyz n the Hood was a 1991 movie.  I never saw the movie, but apparently NIA Long (b. Oct. 30, 1970) was in the cast.

25. __ shadow: EYE.

26. Hive builder: BEE.

29. Entrance: BEWITCH.  Not the door type of entrance.

35. Trivial matter: NON-ISSUE.

37. Foes of the evil Saruman: ENTs.  Think of The Lord of the Rings.  Actually, I try not to think of those creatures.

38. Logical beginning?: ECO-.  As in ECOlogical.

40. Appear: SEEM.

44. Winding Alaskan river with a Hawaiian name: HULA HULA.  A learning moment.  I had never heard of this river.  It is way north!

48. Upper arm muscle: TRICEPS.

49. Yoga chants: OMs.  I take a yoga class twice a week.  We always chant OM at the beginning and ending of the class.

50. Wrigley Field abbr.: CHI.  As in the Chicago Cubs.

52. Roll in the grass: SOD.  Cute clue.

53. Political spin, say: SLANT.

55. Cocoa company: NESTLÉ.  Because Hershey wouldn't fit.

60. Anno Domini alternative: COMMON ERA.  Anno Domini is a Latin term meaning "In the Year of Our Lord."  It presupposes a belief in Christianity, as this calendar begins with the birth of Christ.  Other faith traditions use different calendars.  We are currently in the year 5779 in the Hebrew Calendar, for example.  For consistency with dates, however, the Christian calendar is used throughout most of the world.  Non-Christian, however, prefer the term Common Era.

65. Hippie's wheels: VW BUS.  I initially tried a VW Bug.

68. Roofing stone: SLATE.

70. More than a little heavy: OBESE.

Down:

1. Pharaoh's sacred snakes: ASPS.  These snakes make frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.

2. Look for bargains: SHOP.

3. Heart's companion: SOUL.  As in the phrase Heart and Soul.

4. Sea eagle: ERNE.

5. Martyred bishop of Paris: ST. DENIS.  St. Denis was a 3rd century Bishop of Paris, France.  He was beheaded, and, according to legend, picked up his head and carried it to the location where he wanted to be buried.

6. Advanced deg.: Ph. D.  As in the Doctor of Philosophy degree.  I think I had this answer the last time I did the blog.

7. "You have two choices": A OR B.

8. Writer Zora ___ Hurston: NEALE.  Zora NEALE Hurston (Jan. 7, 1891 ~ Jan. 28, 1960) was an African-American author.  She is best known for her 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God.  I have never read this novel.

9. Oscar-nominated film starring Viola Davis: THE HELP.  Viola Davis (b. Aug. 11, 1965) also stars in the television show, How to Get Away with Murder.

10. Towel holders: RODS.  Because Racks was one letter to many for the spaces provided.

11. Mate, across the Channel: AMI.  Today's French lesson.  The Channel in question is the  English Channel that separates England from France.

12. Ruby of "A Raisin in the Sun": DEE.  Ruby Dee (Oct. 27, 1933 ~ June 11, 2014) was married to actor Ossie Davis.

13. Critical-care ctrs.: ERs.  As in Emergency Rooms.  My first thought was ICU, but the clue indicated the plural.

19. Mesoamerican pyramid builders: MAYAS.  I would probably say Mayan, but ...  Here is the famous pyramid at Chichen Itza.  In 2004, we took my parents to visit this pyramid.  We were able to climb to the top then.  It may be off limits now.

21. Petty peeves: NITS.

24. Take __ from: emulate: A CUE.

26. Study hard: BONE UP.

27. Marx collaborator: ENGELS.  As in Friedrich Engels (Nov. 28, 1820 ~ Aug. 5, 1895) who collaborated with Karl Marx (May 5, 1818 ~ Mar. 14, 1883).  No relation to the Marx Brothers.

28. Buildup of fluid: EDEMA.

29. Actress Helena __ Carter: BONHAM.  Helena BONHAM Carter (b. May 26, 1966) has stared in many films directed by Tim Burton (b. Aug. 25, 1958).

30. Passes the threshold: ENTERS.

31. More like the Magi: WISER.  As in the three WISEmen.

32. "Notorious" screenwriter Ben: HECHT.  I am not familiar with Ben HECHT (Feb. 28, 1894 ~ Apr. 18, 1964).  I think he has made guest appearances in the puzzles, though.

34. Israeli leader Dayan: MOSHE.  MOSHE Dayan (May 20, 1915 ~ Oct. 16, 1981) was my childhood hero.

35. Maker of sweet wafers: NECCO.  I still love NECCO Wafers.  They are called such because they are made by the New England Confectionery Company.  My favorites are the chocolate.

39. Collective possessive: OURS.

42. "Missed it by that much": SO CLOSE.

43. Musical wunderkind Bortnick: ETHAN.  Ethan Jordan Bortnick (b. Dec. 24, 2000) began playing the piano at age 3!

45. Columbia University athlete: LION.

46. Auto parts supplier: ACDELCO.  Thank you perps for giving me the name of this company ~ ACDelco.

51. Like some gases: INERT.  Also known as the Nobel Gases.  The ones that occur naturally are Helium (He), Neon (Ne), Argon (Ar), Krypton (Kr), Xenon (Xe), and Radon (Rn).

53. X-rated stuff: SMUT.

54. Get straight?: TRUE.

56. Automaker founded in Sweden: SAAB.  The company went into bankruptcy in 2011.

57. Tot: TYKE.

58. Jeans choice: LEEs.  Levi would also fit into the spaces provided.

59. Scots Gaelic: ERSE.

60. Rite Aid rival: CVS.  CVS stands for Consumer Value Stores.

61. Midnight mouser: OWL.  Cute clue; cute owl.

62. Degree for a CFO: MBA.  A Chief Financial Officer would likely hold a Master of Business Administration degree.

63. Reddit Q&A session: AMA.  AMA stands for Ask Me Anything.

I hope you enjoyed this Dessert for Breakfast!

Halloween, Wednesday, October 31, 2018, Bruce Haight

A  Spooktacular  Halloween! Bruce Haight has given us a Frightening puzzle for this Halloween.

From ghoulies and ghosties

And long-leggedy beasties

And things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord, deliver us!

 ~ Scottish Poem

17. Actor who's anxious to get the Halloween party startled?: BOO BRIDGES.  Long lost brother of Beau Bridges (né Lloyd Vernet Bridges, III; b. Dec. 9, 1941).

24. Sci-fi character trying to creep it real?: MISTER SPOOK.   Mr. Spock's evil twin.

35. Comedian who says no body's perfect?: RED SKELETON.  As in Red Skelton (né Richard Skelton; July 18, 1913 ~ Sept. 17, 1997).  He had lots of amusing characters in his repertoire.  When I was a kid, I thought his surname really was Skeleton.

49. Pop group whose music is in en-crypted files?: SPICE GHOULS.  Kin to the Beastie Boys.  Very appropriate since one of the members was known as Scary Spice.

58. Actor who frights for every part?: SCARY GRANT.  As in Cary Grant (né Archibald Alec Leach; Jan. 18, 1904 ~ Nov. 29, 1986).

And the unifier:

42. Like this puzzle's theme?: HAUNTED.

What other scary things appeared in today's puzzle?

Across:

1. Story with many chapters: SAGA.  I can really get lost in a good Saga.

5. Hoops gp. since 1996: WNBA.  As in the Women's National Basketball Association.

9. Colorado tribe: UTEs.

13. Curved fastener: U-BOLT.  Not to be confused with Usain Bolt.

15. Remote batteries: AAAs.

16. Former Persian ruler: SHAH.  The last Shah was Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Oct. 26, 1919 ~ July 27, 1980).  He was shah from September 1941 until he was overthrown by the Iranian Revolution in February 1979.

19. Only: MERE.  I initially tried Sole.

20. Man __: trendy hairstyle: BUN.

21. Neighborhood: AREA.

22. Sonnet line fivesome: IAMBI.

23. Communications co. with a blue-and-white globe logo: ATT.

27. Bends to retie laces, say: STOOPS.  Or a place to sit.

29. Velvet-voiced Tormé: MEL.  As in the singer Mel Tormé (Sept. 13, 1925 ~ June 5, 1999).  I remember him from being the hero of the Honorable Judge Harry T. Stone from the sit-com, Night Court.

30. Air rifle ammo: BBs.

31. One might put stock in it: SOUP.  How to make a Soup Stock.

32. Small keyboard: SPINET.  It doesn't look so small to me.

39. Zero: NOT ONE.  The perps gave me this answer, which I initially parsed as NO TONE.

40. Composer who was a CBS reporter: TESH.  As in John TESH (né John Frank Tesh; b. July 9, 1952).  I think he was more of an entertainment reporter, not a news reporter.

43. Medium ability: ESP.  As in ExtraSensory Perception.

46. __ de deux: PAS.  A ballet dance for two people, generally a man and a woman and a Red Sox player.

47. Everycity, USA: PEORIA.  But does it play in Peoria?

53. __ shot: FLU.  I got my Flu shot.  Did you get yours?

54. Pear centers: CORES.

55. __ B'rith: B'NAI.  B'nai B'rith is a Hebrew phrase that means "Children of the Covenant".  Founded in 1843, B'nai B'rith is the oldest Jewish service organization the world.

56. Former Fed chair Bernanke: BEN.  As in Ben Bernanke (né Ben Shalom Bernanke; b. Dec. 13, 1953).  He served as the 14th Chairman of the Federal Reserve from February 2006 through January 2014.

57. Just barely: A TAD.

61. Show impatience, in a way: PACE.

62. Opposite of away: HOME.

63. Actor Nick: NOLTE.  As in Nick Nolte (né Nicholas King Nolte; b. Feb. 8, 1941).

64. Ice cream brand: EDY'S.  This brand of ice cream makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.

65. Messy stack: HEAP.

66. Ran, as dye: BLED.

Down:

1. Speaker for low sounds: SUB-BASS.

2. Momentarily will, after "is": ABOUT TO.  As in the sentence:  Dinner is About To be served.

3. Travel with the band: GO ON TOUR.  Thank you, perps.  This is another one I tried to parse incorrectly.  I initially looked at it as Goon Tour.  Well, that fits with today's scary theme!

4. Greece neighbor: Abbr.: ALB.  As in Albania, the country to the west of Greece.

5. Gets one's feet wet: WADES.

6. Bedevil: NAG AT.

7. Sweetie, in slang: BAE.  We've had discussions of this puzzle word in the recent past.

8. Donkey: ASS.

9. 50states.com graphic, for short: US MAP.  As in a Map of the United States.  If you had a map of the US without the States identified, could you place all the States in their correct location?

10. Crime film group: THE MOB.

11. Dangling jewelry: EARBOB.  I think of this as being an old-fashioned word.  I remember reading about Earbobs in Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott.

12. Mideast chieftains: SHEIKS.

14. Pooch who shared spaghetti with Lady: TRAMP.  A reference to the Disney animated movie Lady and the Tramp.

18. Crocus kin: IRIS.

22. Florida key, e.g.: ISLET.

25. Novelist Zola: ÉMILE.  Émile Zola (Apr. 2, 1940 ~ Sept. 29, 1902) is best known for his role in the Dreyfus Affair, in which Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French army, was wrongfully accused of revealing military secrets solely because he was Jewish.  Zola wrote a letter that was published in the Paris newspaper accusing high ranking army officials of anti-Semitism.  Dreyfus was ultimately exonerated.  Dreyfus Affair.

26. Russo who plays Frigga in "Thor" films: RENE.  As in actress Rene Russo (née Rene Marie Russo; b. Feb. 17, 1954).  She began her career as a fashion model.

28. Uncork, say: OPEN.

32. Smidge: SKOSH.  A fun word.

33. Fenced-in area: PEN.

34. "Africa" band: TOTO.  You know you've heard this song.

36. Chowderheads: DOPES.

37. Dudes-only: STAG.

38. Spongy toy: NERF BALL.  You can get one for all sorts of sports.

41. Matte finish?: SILENT E.  Not keen on this type of cluing.

43. Way out: ESCAPE.  Another appropriate word for Halloween.  This reminded me of Harry Houdini (né Erik Weiss; Mar. 24, 1874 ~ Oct. 31, 1926), the great ESCAPE artist.  Sadly, he died on Halloween.

44. Brief TV plug: SPOT AD.

45. Kidd stuff: PIRACY.  Think of Captain Kidd, the pirate, not the USS Kidd, which is now housed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

47. Remote button: PLAY.

48. Complete, as a PDF contract: E-SIGN.

50. Gives over (to): CEDES.

51. Michelle Robinson's married name: OBAMA.  As in the former First Lady, Michelle Obama (b. Jan. 17, 1964).

52. Gen. Assembly member: UN REP.  As in a Representative in the United Nations.

58. "Lower your voice!": SHH!  Don't awaken all the Ghouls tonight!

59. Country singer David Allan __: COE.  I am not up in my country music, so was not familiar with David Allan Coe (b. Sept. 6, 1939).

60. Steal from: ROB. This puzzle was a real Treat.

Here's the Grid: