Tuesday, May 14, 2024 Emily Biegas and Sala Wanetick

Stick(y) Figures:

20-Across. Specialized curriculum in a public school: MAGNET PROGRAM.  Technically a magnet is anything that carries a static magnetic field around with it.  Here's a scientific definition of why things STICK to a magnet.

35-Across. Expand one's horizons: BRANCH OUT.  Why is this clue/answer different from all other theme clues/answers? *

40-Across. Pet with separation anxiety, perhaps: VELCRO DOG.  I had never heard the phrase Velcro Dog, but apparently it's a thing.  Here's the history of Velcro.

And the unifier:

52. Complicated discussion topic, and an apt description of the start of 20-, 35-, or 40-Across?: STICKY SUBJECT.

Across:

1. Joni Mitchell's "Both __ Now": SIDES.  [Name # 1.]

6. Dano of "The Fabelmans": PAUL.  I wasn't familiar with the 2022 film, The Fablemans, which is apparently a coming-of-age film, which stars Paul Dano (né Paul Franklin Dano; b. June 19, 1984) as Burt Fableman.  I was also not familiar with the actor's name, however, I do recognize his photo.  [Name # 2.]

10. Performances: ACTS.

14. Buzzing: ALIVE.

15. Cuatro y cuatro: OCHO.  //  And 49-Across. Uno y uno: DOS.  A double dose of today's math and Spanish lesson.

16. Pad see ew cuisine: THAI.  Yummers!  Pad see ew is a stir-fried noodle dish that is commonly eaten in Thailand.

17. Breathable fabric: LINEN.

18. Wharton biz school home: PENN.  The Wharton Business School is at the University of Pennsylvania.   [Name adjacent.]

19. Nightstand light: LAMP.

23. YouTube spots: ADs.

24. Merry: GAY.

25. Mahalia Jackson's genre: GOSPEL.  Mahalia Jackson (née Mahala Jackson; Oct. 26, 1911 ~ Jan. 27, 1972) was born in New Orleans.  There is a beautiful theater in New Orleans that is named after her: The Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts.  [Name # 3.]

28. Yoga surface: MAT.

29. Bouncy gait: TROT.

31. Quartz suffix: -ITE.  More than you will ever want to know about Quartzite.

32. Conspiring clique: CABAL.

37. Mining yields: ORES.  A crossword staple.

38. Sir Michael of acting: CAINE.  Michael Caine (né Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; b. Mar. 14, 1933) appeared in over 160 films during his acting years.  He became Sir Michael in 2000.  [Name # 4.]

39. Overturn: UNDO.

42. "A Doll's House" playwright Henrik: IBSEN.  A Doll's House is a 1879 play by Henrik Johan Ibsen (Mar. 20, 1828 ~ May 23, 1906).  It was quite radical for its time.  It's about the fate of a married woman, who lacked reasonable opportunities for self-fulfillment in a male-dominated world.  One could argue that not that much has changed in the ensuing 150 years.  [Name # 5.]

43. Class for some immigrants: Abbr.: ESL.  As in English as a Second Language.

44. Masterpiece: OPUS.

45. Coast Guard rank: Abbr.: ENS.  As in Ensign.  In case you have ever wondered about the ranks in the Coast Guard, check out this site.

46. Comfy cozy: TOASTY.

48. Texter's "No idea": IDK.  I Don't Know what this means.  **

56. Fuzzy fruit: KIWI.  Also a flightless bird found in New Zealand.

58. AFB truant: AWOL.  As in Absent WithOut Leave.

59. Bass of 'N Sync: LANCE.  Lance James Bass (b. May 4, 1979) was one of the 5 members of the boy band 'N Sync.   [Name # 6.]

Lance Bass is on the far left.

60. "As far as __ tell ... ": I CAN.

61. Snatch: TAKE.

62. Like draft beer: ON TAP.

63. NBA two-pointer: DUNK.

64. SimCity console, in brief: SNES.  As in Super Nintendo Entertainment System.  Hand up if you knew this.

65. Overflows (with): TEEMS.

Down:

1. Actress Hayek Pinault: SALMA.  She is best known as Salma Hayek (née Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez; b. Sept. 2, 1966).  [Name # 7.]

2. Trojan War epic by Homer: ILIAD.  Homer was an ancient Greek poet.  Two of his epic poems are known today: the Iliad and the Odyssey.  He didn't have a surname, so shouldn't be confused with Homer Simpson.  [Name # 8.]

3. Demerits: DINGS.

4. Not odd: EVEN.

5. Westernmost country of continental Africa: SENEGAL.  The official name of Senegal, is the Republic of Senegal.  The country was in the news last week when a plane in Dakar skidded off the runway and caught fire.

6. California's state flower: POPPY.  The state flower of Louisiana is legally the Magnolia (see La. R.S. 49:154).  What is your state's flower?

7. Dell competitor: ACER.

8. "Never gonna happen": UH, NO.

9. Of the distant past: LONG GONE.

10. Geography book: ATLAS.

11. Victors: CHAMPIONS.

12. Scottish cap: TAM.

13. Small drink: SIP.

21. Tit for __: TAT.

22. Campus mil. group: ROTC.  As in Reserve Officer Training Corps.

26. Piano exercise: ÉTUDE.  Today's French lesson.

27. Disclose: LET ON.

28. Not fem. or neut.: MASC.  Masculine is neither Feminine nor Neutral.

29. Some jazz groups: TRIOS.

30. Pealed: RANG.

32. Really, really want: COVET.

33. "You __ busted!": ARE SO.

34. Edward Cullen's love interest in the "Twilight" series: BELLA SWAN.  [Names # 9 and 10, fictional.]

35. "Queen of Neo Soul" Erykah: BADU.  Her given name is Erica Abi Wright (b. Feb. 26, 1971).  [Name # 11.]

36. Centers of activity: HUBS.

38. Mimics: COPY CATS.

41. Round flatbread: ROTI.  A flatbread found in Indian cuisine.

42. Rorschach pattern: INK BLOT.

45. School URL ending: EDU.

47. Big to-do: STINK.

48. Tahiti and Bora Bora: ISLES.

49. Al __: firm, as pasta: DENTE.  Today's Italian lesson.  The phrase Al Dente literally means to the tooth.  Pasta cooked al dente is firm when bitten without being hard.

50. Philosopher who espoused simple explanations: OCCAM.  William of Ockham (1287 ~ 1347) wasn't a barber, but he does have a razor named in his honor.  Occam’s Razor is the principle that says that if you have two competing ideas to explain the same phenomenon, you should prefer the simpler one.  [Name # 12.]

51. Fitness tracker units: STEPS.

53. "Rich People Problems" novelist Kevin: KWAN.  Kevin Kwan (b. Nov. 8, 1973) is a Singapore-born American novelist. He wrote a trilogy of satirical novels Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, and Rich People Problems.  Crazy Rich Asians was also made into a movie.  [Name # 13.]

54. Oxen harness: YOKE.

55. Actress Fonda: JANE.  In addition to being an actress, Jane Seymour Fonda (b. Dec. 21, 1937), is the daughter of actor Henry Fonda (May 16, 1905 ~ Aug. 12, 1982), and sister to Peter Fonda (Feb. 23, 1940 ~ Aug. 16, 2019).  [Name # 14.]

The family Fonda.

56. Young goat: KID.

57. Hospital dept.: ICU.  As in Intensive Care Unit.

Here's the Grid.

*  On Passover, we ask, "Why is this night different from all other nights?"  We know, of course, what the answer is.  My question about why the Branch / Stick was intended in the same vein.  The answer is "different" because a Branch is literally a Stick, whereas with the other two answers, something can Stick to Magnet and Velcro.

**  Yes, I do know that the letters IDK actually stand for I Don't Know.

חתולה

Tuesday, May 7, 2024 Amanda Cook and Katie Hale

Pandemic Etiquette:  Now that it has been a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) downgraded Covid-19 from a health emergency to a health threat and we are not in pandemic mode, do we still have to STAND APART?

17-Across. Generic choice at the supermarket: STORE BRAND.  Store brands are made and sold for a specific retailer and meant to compete with brand-name goods. Store brands tend to be cheaper than name brand goods.

Store Brand for Costco.

25-Across. Emotional condition: STATE O FMIND.

40-Across. Cue a jazz ensemble, e.g.: STRIKE UP THE BAND.

50-Across. Inspire wannabes, maybe: START A TREND.

And the unifier:

63-Across. Stick out from the crowd, and what can be found in 17-, 25-, 40-, and 50-Across?: STAND APART.  No circles were needed in today's puzzle to see that the word Stand is broken Apart in each theme answer.

Across:

1. All __: medium for shouty emails: CAPS.  YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL!

5. Meteorologist's tool: RADAR.

10. Apple tablet: iPAD.

14. Feel sore: ACHE.

15. Adler played by Lara Pulver on "Sherlock": IRENE.  Lara Pulvar (b. Sept. 1, 1980) is an English actress who portrayed Irene Adler on the BBC version of Sherlock Holmes.  [Names # 1 and 2, One fictional, one real.]

16. Overhaul: REDO.

19. Bank lobby conveniences: ATMs.  A crossword staple.

20. Sum: TOTAL.

21. __ deck: cruise ship level: LIDO.

23. Formal neckwear: TIE.

24. Sign at a packed theater: SRO.  Standing Room Only.

29. Become misshapen: WARP.

30. Tortilla chip dip, for short: GUAC.  Yummers!  I love a good Guacamole.

31. Alan of "M*A*S*H": ALDA.  Hawkeye Pierce from M*A*S*H was portrayed by Alan Alda (né Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; b. Jan. 28, 1936).  The television sit-com ran for 11 years: from September 1972 through February 1983.  [Name # 3.]

34. Deciduous 26-Downs: ELMS.  //  And 26-Down. Backyard shade provider: TREE.  Living on Elm Street can be a real nightmare.

37. Schnoz: SNOUT.

43. Hard to pick up: HEAVY.

44. "Scram!": SHOO.

45. Great Basin people: UTES.

46. Sound from a 57-Across: MEOW.  //  And 57-Across. Feline: CAT.  //  And 53-Across. Sounds from big 57-Acrosses: ROARS.

48. Chirpy songbird: WREN.

54. Caspian __: SEA.  The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake and sometimes referred to as a full-fledged sea.  It is a landlocked body of water in Eurasia. The countries surrounding Caspian Sea are five countries: Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan

58. Layered cookie: OREO.  A crossword staple.  You can get the cookie in a variety of flavors, but why?

59. Birth-related: NATAL.

61. Within: AMID.

66. Puerto __: RICO.  Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and unincorporated U.S. territory.  Its capital is San Juan.

67. Data assortment: ARRAY.

68. Grain tower: SILO.

69. Otherwise: ELSE.

70. Fritter away: WASTE.

71. Big name in ice cream: EDYS.

Down:

1. __ a ballot: votes: CASTS.  This is an election year.  Enough said.

2. Many an A-lister: ACTOR.

3. Camera output: PHOTO.

4. Some hydrating skin care products: SERA.  But do they really work?

5. Tease: RIB.

6. Flight status abbr.: ARR.  As in Arrival time.

7. Handed out a hand: DEALT.

8. "It's the Hard Knock Life" musical: ANNIE.  [Name # 3, fictional.]

9. Clifford of kid-lit, for one: RED DOG.  Clifford The Big Red Dog is a series about the adventures of a girl named Emily Elizabeth and her pet dog, a giant, red-furred dog named Clifford.  Norman Bridwell (1928 ~ 2014) was the author of this series.  The first book in the series was published in 1963.  [Name # 4, fictional.]

10. Gershwin brother: IRA.  A nice, refreshing change from the usual Individual Retirement Account.  Ira Gershwin (né Israel Gershovitz; Dec. 6, 1896 ~ Aug. 17, 1983) was the older brother of George Gershwin (né Jacob Gershovitz; Sept. 26, 1898 ~ July 11, 1937).  The two brothers collaborated on many songs: George composed the music and Ira wrote the lyrics.   [Name # 5.]

George and Ira Gershwin

11. Frilly garment in many a costume drama: PETTICOAT.

12. Online moderator, for short: ADMIN.  As in Administrator.

13. Gave a couple of Advil, say: DOSED.

18. Olaf's creator in "Frozen": ELSA.  The musical Frozen is based on Hans Christian Anderson's story The Snow Queen.  [Name # 5, fictional.]

22. Practical: OF USE.

27. Great grade: A-PLUS.

28. Topknot on a dude: MAN BUN.

29. Formal relinquishing of rights: WAIVER.

31. __ Wednesday: ASH.

32. Cell service initials: LTE.  As in Long Term Evolution.  Everything you wanted to know about LTE but didn't know to ask.

33. Theatrical behavior: DRAMATICS.

35. Dashboard stat: MPH.  As in Miles Per Hour.

36. Writer and abolitionist Harriet Beecher __: STOWE.  Harriet Beecher Stowe (June 14, 1811 ~ July 1, 1896) is best known for her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin.  [Name # 6.]

38. Arles article: UNE.  Today's French lesson.  Arles is a city in southern France.  It is best known for being the place that inspired Vincent Van Gogh (Mar. 30, 1853 ~ July 29, 1890) to paint many of his works.  It was also an ancient Roman outpost.

39. QB goals: TDS.  Think football: as in Touch Downs.

41. Japanese city whose name means "capital city": KYOTO.  Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It's famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses.

42. "Beep beep" maker: HORN.

47. Polish capital: WARSAW.

49. Novelist Ferber: EDNA.  Edna Ferber (Aug. 15, 1885 ~ Apr. 16, 1968) wrote many novels, including Show Boat, which was later adapted into a musical.  [Name # 7.]

50. Cause to jump, maybe: SCARE.

51. Native of Sri Lanka: TAMIL.

52. Eye-catching aquarium fish: TETRA.  Everything you wanted to know about Tetra but didn't know to ask.

54. Serious: STAID.

55. Before the doors open: EARLY.

56. Choir section: ALTOS.

60. Cathedral area: APSE.

62. Mama deer: DOE.

64. D.C. MLBer: NAT.  The Washington, D.C., Nationals are a professional baseball team.

65. Salon supply: DYE.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה