Monday July 7, 2025 Janice Luttrell

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. 

Theme:  

Call Me   ~   Blondie   ~   1980

Today's puzzle has five fun themers. Each begins with a word that can be used to mean "make a telephone call".

18 Across. Trendy bits of jargon: BUZZ WORDS.

24 Across. Choice spots at a prizefight: RING SIDE SEATS.

38 Across. Carol lyric before "Oh! What fun it is to ride / In a one-horse open sleigh": JINGLE ALL THE WAY.  

48 Across. First line of "Moby-Dick": CALL ME ISHMAEL.

58 Across. Do a job half-heartedly: PHONE IT IN.  

Let's let our fingers do the walking through the other clues...

(Note:  To catch that reference, you have to be old enough to remember phone books and yellow pages.)

Across: 

1. Soft support for an injured arm: SLING.  

6. Halogen bulb unit: WATT.  

10. Sneaker, e.g.: SHOE.  

14. Social no-no: TABOO.

15. Jane Austen matchmaker: EMMA.  The protagonist's full name is Emma Woodhouse. This novel was originally published December 23, 1815. Did they schedule releases for Christmas must-haves back then?

16. Shed, as feathers: MOLT.  Penguins do a "catastrophic MOLT". That sounds serious, doesn't it? Whereas most birds lose and replace feathers here and there, penguins lose their feathers all at once. This is so they can remain waterproof most of the time. Their MOLT takes 2-3 weeks.  

17. Photographer Adams: ANSEL.  He is usually associated with his images of Yosemite but I have a pretty cool book of photos he took of University of California features called Fiat Lux. This photo is of Lick Observatory. (Jayce knows this place.)  

20. Writer/actress Issa: RAE.

21. Beaver creations: DAMS.  Here is a 3:51 min. BBC video about beaver DAMS. Baby beavers (kits) appear at 2:08.  

"A beaver can lift its own body weight in timber."

23. Natural sweetener: HONEY.  A typical beehive makes more than 400 lbs. (181.4 kg.) of HONEY per year. 

28. Etymologist's ref.: OED.  An etymologist specializes in word histories. One might study a reference book such as the Oxford English Dictionary.

29. School subject with fractions: MATH.  

30. First course of action: PLAN A.

33. Understands: SEES.    

SEE'S understands me.

35. King Kong, e.g.: APE.

42. Place for a facial: SPA.  "Face" was one letter too long.

43. Landed on a perch: ALIT.

44. One-named "I Drink Wine" singer: ADELE.  I know we have some Adele fans here on The Corner. Here is this 2021 song with lyrics:  

45. Use a peeler: PARE.  If you think of the phrase PARE down, you might think of a knife slowly peeling away layers.  This article lists six uses for a PARing knife:  peeling, coring/pitting/deseeding, segmenting, deveining, scoring bread, and making detailed cuts. (Apparently coring, pitting, and deseeding are all one use.)

47. Simile phrase: AS A.  

54. Hawk's nest: AERIE.  This word is also used for an eagle's nest. Perhaps you are familiar with the clothing store American Eagle. They have a sub-brand called Aerie.  

56. Nine-__ battery: VOLT.  Last night I replaced one of these in my smoke detector. Why do they always start the low-battery chirp in the middle of the night? It really freaks out my dog.

57. Army ration, briefly: MRE.  Meal, Ready-To-Eat. I think I've mentioned I take these backpacking. You only need  an ounce of water to activate the heating pouch. Each one is about 1,250 calories. I figure on one per day plus oatmeal for breakfast, a few Luna bars, and some herbal tea bags.  

61. "Rashomon" director Kurosawa: AKIRA.  Rashomon is a 1950 film set in Kyoto, Japan.

63. Chimney sweep's target: SOOT.  

Dick Van Dyke   ~  Chim Chim Cher-ee   ~   Mary Poppins  (1964)

64. __ Field: Queens stadium: CITI.  I know this one from doing XWDs.

65. "We Got the Beat" band: GO-GO'S.  They are an all-female rock band. This video is from American Bandstand in 1982.  

Hand up for being a fan back in the day!

66. Possesses: OWNS.  not in the creepy The Exorcist sort of way

67. Corporate VIP: EXEC.  Very Important Person and EXECutive

68. Just-in-case tire: SPARE.  

Down:

1. Ringo of the Beatles: STARR.  On January 10, 2025, Ringo released Look Up, a solo country album.  

2. Roofed patio: LANAI.

3. "A Doll's House" playwright Henrik: IBSEN.  This is another answer I know from doing XWDs.

4. __ Valley, San Francisco: NOE.  This neighborhood guide extols the area's virtues. Redfin says the median sale price of a home in Noe Valley last month was $2.2 million.

5. Shiny embossment on a certificate: GOLD SEAL.

6. Online health info source: WebMD.

7. Make chuckle: AMUSE.  It turns out that the ancient Greek word muse is not related to AMUSE. The latter comes from Latin.  

AMUSEd muses ???

8. Tabloid news org.: TMZ.  From wiki:  TMZ on TV is an American syndicated entertainment and gossip news television show that premiered on September 10, 2007.

and

The name "TMZ" is derived from the initialism for "thirty-mile zone" that was historically used in the film and television industry to refer to the so-called "studio zone"—an area with a 30-mile (48 km) radius centered on the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.

9. Looney Tunes character who spins wildly, informally: TAZ.  

Tasmanian Devil

10. Like satin: SMOOTH.

11. Traffic jam noisemakers: HORNS.

12. Ye __ Tavern: OLDE.

13. Online seller of many bespoke gifts: ETSY.

19. "Come again?": WHAT.

22. Provide support: AID.  The 2025 Tour de France began last Saturday. I watch the daily recaps on YouTube. Cycling is very much a team sport, with team members providing support for their lead rider.

Tadej Pogacar's team car was equipped to provide
whatever AID was needed at this year's Paris-Roubaix.
(I do not know how much that Audi costs,
but there is easily over $100K in bikes on its roof.)

25. "The __ Show": talent competition: GONG.  Its first run was from 1976-1980. One might describe it as the '70s version of America's Got Talent. 

26. Refine using heat, as metal ore: SMELT.

27. Sunrise direction: EAST.  

30. Jammies: PJS.

31. Chapstick target: LIP.

32. Marilyn Monroe portrayer de Armas: ANA.  

Ana played Marilyn in the 2022 film, Blonde.

33. Oregon's capital: SALEM.  

34. Former quarterback Manning: ELI.

35. Really impress: AWE.

36. Chum: PAL.

37. Needle hole: EYE.

39. __ Grey tea: EARL.

40. Symbols on social media: HASHTAGS.  This octothorpe has several names. For this clue, the HASH symbol (#) is used to metaTAG something in a post.  #LMGTFY

41. Dutch cheese: EDAM.  

45. Art classroom supply: PAINTS.

46. Sheltered, at sea: ALEE.  This diagram helps you SEE that while the leeward side of an island is more protected, it is also more arid than the windward side.  

47. Handspeak.com subj.: ASL.  

48. Serenade, perhaps: CROON.

49. Party request opened with a tap or a click: EVITE.

50. Greek column style: IONIC.  

neither dull nor too much

51. Latina chum: AMIGA.  Latina is feminine so we knew the last letter was an A.

52. Software flaw: ERROR.  

53. Rental contract: LEASE.

54. Lhasa __: Tibetan dog breed: APSO.  

I was surprised to read that they do not shed.

55. DIY tutorial site: EHOW.

59. Zamboni surface: ICE.  Who doesn't love the word Zamboni?

60. B'way buys: TIX.  Broadway and TIckets ???

62. Keystone bumbler: KOP.  Both cop and KOP are acceptable spellings.

That was the last one. You are now dialed in!

Here is the grid:  

There was no "reveal" today; so, no, you did not miss it.  😀

Monday June 23, 2025 Janice Luttrell

Rise and shine! It’s RustyBrain again, this time trying to fill sumdaze’s shoes, although my canal boats might not fit into her ballet slippers.

Today's constructor, Janice Luttrell, has been delivering quality crosswords for a decade now. True to form, this one was a smooth solve, but I think I turned up a hidden theme that may or may not have been intentional. Only your square-dresser knows for sure! Let’s see how it all turns out, starting with the revealer:

56. The Byrds No. 1 hit whose lyrics come from Ecclesiastes, and what can be found at the starts of 20-, 27-, and 48-Across: TURN TURN TURN. We are invited to find synonyms for TURN at the beginning of each theme answer. Not only that, but it's three TURNs, one for every season each themer! Told ya she was good. 

20. Soaker with jets: WHIRLPOOL TUB. WHIRL = TURN. WHIRLPOOL TUBS are often known by the popular brand name Jacuzzi. Ahh...

27. Unexpected change in circumstances: TWIST OF FATE. TWIST = TURN. If not for a strange TWIST OF FATE, these four could have been the Fab Four.

46. Public relations pros, informally: SPIN DOCTORS. SPIN = TURN. Also a popular rock group.

I think I'll dust off my old turntable and play some more records from my collection:

Across:

1. Olympic diver Louganis: GREG.

5. Like lit barbecue coals: HOT. And first half of a popular classic rock group, HOT Tuna.

8. Juice box insert: STRAW. And the beginning of another classic rock group, the STRAWberry Alarm Clock.

13. Christmas carol: NOEL.

14. "Who does __!?": THAT.

16. Vulgar: CRUDE.

17. Word puzzles involving quotations: ACROSTICS. Quote ACROSTICS are really tough! I hardly ever finish one.

19. __ and repeat: RINSE. It's a great marketing ploy to sell more shampoo, but this company is refreshingly honest.

20. [theme]

22. "Toodles!": SEE YA.

23. Clodhopper: OAF.

24. Tofu base: SOY.

27. [theme]

32. Father of Jesus, familiarly: ST JOSEPH. "Oh, please. Just call me Joe." Pope Pius IX declared him to be a patron of the sick, hence the product tie-in.

36. Capital on the Willamette River: SALEM. The Willamette is a major tributary of the Columbia River in Oregon.

37. Asia's North __ Sea: ARAL.

38. "Let's Make a Deal" choices: DOORS.  "Would you like to trade that rubber chicken for one of these three DOORS?" Also, another popular rock group.

41. Give a hoot: CARE.

42. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor: SONIA.

44. Tried to control, as a horse: REINED IN. Santa had trouble reining in horses, so he chose reindeer instead.

46. [theme]

49. Agreeable answer: YES. YES is one of my favorite bands. Their album "Close to the Edge" is considered a progressive rock masterpiece.

50. __ alai: JAI. JAI ALAI used to be very popular in Florida, but nowadays there are only a few frontons (courts) left. 

51. New Haven Ivy Leaguer: YALIE. A YALIE is a five letter Eli.

56. [theme]

60. Ballet leaps: JETES. The only JETES that Miami Dolphins like.

63. Tricolor feline: CALICO CAT.

64. Major shindig: EVENT. Like a rock concert!

65. Raw minerals: ORES.

66. "Whose __ Is It Anyway?": LINE. Drew Carey was the original host of this improvisational comedy TV series.

67. Smartphone messages: TEXTS. "Your aunt passed away. LOL" Just a friendly reminder that LOL doesn't mean Lots Of Love.

68. Informal top: TEE. 

69. Animal's retreat: LAIR.

Down:
1. Chews like a chipmunk: GNAWS.

2. La __-Posay: L'Oréal brand: ROCHE. News to me. I don't carry them in my tool box.

3. Spooky: EERIE.

4. Acclaim: GLORY.

5. Link letters: HTTP. HyperText Transfer Protocol is the language used for loading webpages and other resources across the internet.

6. Cleveland's state: OHIO. Before "Who's Line," Drew Carey had a sitcom set in Cleveland, home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In keeping with rock'n'roll tradition, here's the OHIO Players.

7. Handheld snack topped with salsa: TACO. TACO's remake of "Puttin' on the Ritz" always reminds me of Young Frankenstein. And another album cover.

8. Places to pick up kittens: SCRUFFS. SCRUFF being a colloquial term for the nape of the neck.

9. Chicago paper, for short: TRIB. The venerable Chicago TRIBune.

10. Campaign for office: RUN. This time we have half of a popular rap group, RUN-DMC. Their cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" was a huge crossover hit.

11. Free game pop-ups: ADS.

12. Supersmall: WEE. A smaller version of WEE is wee.

15. Letter-shaped groove: T-SLOT.

18. Window shutter boards: SLATS.

21. Chinese philosophy: TAO.

24. Starter course, often: SALAD.

25. "SNL" alum Cheri: OTERI. Some names just lend themselves to crosswords.

26. Arabian Sea country: YEMEN. YEMEN is as far south as you can go and still be in the Middle East.

28. Join at the altar: WED.

29. Stock exchange launch, briefly: IPO. Initial Public Offering

30. Not quite able to pay: SHORT.

31. Clock front: FACE. Almost Rod Stewart and the FACEs

32. Smart-alecky: SASSY.

33. Overused plot device: TROPE.

34. Rock legend Joplin: JANIS. Are you catching on that "rock legends" is a sub-theme?

35. "Riviera" actress Lena: OLIN.

39. __ Speedwagon: REO. And the hit's just keep on coming!

40. Knight's title: SIR.

43. Fine-tunes: ADJUSTS.

45. "No Strings Attached" boy band: NSYNC. NSYNC (pronounced "in sync") sprang Justin Timberlake on us. 

47. Crew blade: OAR.

48. __ de Mayo: CINCO.

52. Ring-shaped reef: ATOLL.

53. Holy namesake of a Lesser Antilles island: LUCIA. Saint LUCIA. Many islands in the Caribbean Sea are named after saints - St. Kitts, St. Vincent, and all of the U.S. Virgin Islands, to name a few.

54. Tehran native: IRANI. 

55. Keyboard key: ENTER.

56. Big top: TENT. 

57. Small fruit pie: TART.

58. Peter Fonda title role: ULEE.

59. Greet the day: RISE.

60. New York NFLer: JET. Bane of Dol-fans everywhere.

61. Holiday lead-in: EVE.

62. __-Mex cuisine: TEX. In South Florida, Mexican restaurants leave out the Texas part and instead combine it with Cuban and South American fare. It's all good.

Wow, that's a lot of albums...

I think it's a record!