google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Jeff Chen

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Showing posts with label Jeff Chen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeff Chen. Show all posts

Sep 14, 2023

Thursday, September 14, 2023, Bill Pipal, Jeff Chen

 

 

Jam Session ...
... brought to you  live from the Apollo in 1993 by B.B. King, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton,
Albert Collins and Buddy Guy.  Lucille never sounded sweeter!

Today's puzzle was brought to us by Bill Bipal  and Jeff Chen, a mentor to many fledgling constructors.   Bill is making his LA Times debut, and the big news is that Jeff is retiring from his position as a commenter to the indispensable NYT xwordinfo blogJim Horne, creator and editor of that site informs us emphatically that he won't miss Jeff Chen!

I know a lot of solvers don't like it when clues cross reference other clues, especially when they reference themers.  But that is also a big giveaway that they are probably pointing to the reveal. If you perp down on that fill you can often get yourself out of a sticky situation.  At least in this case ...

17A. See 54-Across: GRAPE JELLY.  Personally I prefer marmalade, a traditional English preserve.  You can even make your own ...
Homemade Marmalade
brought to you by Jacqui

22A. See 54-Across: RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.  Getting stuck in TRAFFIC can be a real slow drag.  To cope with the GRIDLOCK I'd suggest keeping a copy of this classic puzzle by Merl Reagle in your glove compartment.

36A. See 54-Across: SLAM DUNK.  A SLAM DUNK, also simply known as DUNK, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by shoving the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands.  Some say that this one by Hamidou Diallo in 2019 is the greatest of all time.  He jumps over Shaq, sinks the ball, and then opens his jersey to reveal a Superman shirt! ...

48A. See 54-Across: A DILLY OF A PICKLE.  A very, very sticky situation and a piquant pun on a different kind of PICKLE.

And all the themers point to this one ...

54A. "I love this song!," and what might be said about 17-, 22-, 36-, and 48-Across?: THAT'S MY JAM.  Personally I think JAM beats BOPS from last Thursday's puzzle.

Here's the grid ...
 

Here's the rest ...

Across:

1. Purview: REALM.

6. Novelist Leon: URISLeon Marcus Uris (August 3, 1924 – June 21, 2003) was a Baltimore born author of historical fiction who wrote many bestselling books including Battle Cry (1953), Exodus (1958), Mila 18 (1961) and Trinity (1976).
Leo Uris
Israel in the 1950s

10. Disapproving noises: TUTS.  Also a long line of Egyptian pharaohs ...

14. "The Bare Necessities" bear: BALOO.  From the Jungle Book soundtrack  ...
This clue is also the name of a local ladies apparel shop in Greenspring Station, MD.  Or so I've heard.

15. Salade niçoise ingredient: TUNA.  We first had this salad at The Café de la Gare in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.  Here's Julia Child's recipe
Salade Niçoise
16. Still abed: NOT UP.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Weigh in: OPINE. Short for O Christmas Tree?  There are only 102 shopping days left!
20. Jag: SPREE.  Start shopping now and you won't have to go on a last minute SPREE!

21. Long-winded: PROLIX.  I resemble that remark!

But I won't admit to being pleonastic, whatever that is!

22. [Theme clue].

27. Snares: ENTRAPS.

28. Overhead: ALOFT.

29. Hubbubs: ADOS.

30. Candlelit ceremony, e.g.: VIGIL.  The classic candlelight VIGIL ceremony in our Church is called Tenabrae, usually held on the Wednesday before Easter.  The service begins at twilight and as various hymns are sung and psalms are read, the candles in the church are extinguished one by one.  When the last candle is snuffed out the participants leave in total darkness.

32. "Affirmative": YES.

35. Pay-__-view: PER.

36. [Theme clue]

39. Khan who founded Khan Academy: SALKhan Academy is an American non-profit[2] educational organization created in 2006 by Sal Khan. Its goal is creating a set of online tools that help educate students. The organization produces short lessons in the form of videos. Its website also includes supplementary practice exercises and materials for educators.
Sal Khan
TED Conference 20111
40. Texter's "My bad": SRY.

41. Actress Shire: TALIATALIA Rose Shire (née Coppola; born April 25, 1946) is an American actress who played roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather trilogy and Adrian Balboa in the Rocky series. For her work in The Godfather Part II and Rocky, Shire was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively, and for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in Rocky.
Talia Shire
42. Tuscany town: PISA PISA is built on a Tuscan hill, which makes all the pictures of the prominent tower appear ASLANT. 😁

43. Cyber Monday sector: ETAIL. Hot tip -- the Monday after Black Friday there will be a fire sale on the AI phenom chatGPT!

45. Presidential advisory group: CABINET.  There's the CABINET and then there's the KITCHEN CABINET.

48. [Theme clue]

51. Black Sea peninsula: CRIMEA.  The Russian occupation of Crimea is an ongoing military occupation within Ukraine by the Russian Federation, which began on 20 February 2014 when the military-political, administrative, economic and social order of Russia was spread to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. The occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol was the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Crimean Peninsula
52. Principle: TENET

53. Mandolin kin: LUTES.  A LUTE is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.  I think it's only a distant kin of the mandolin, as it's more like a violin-sized guitar..  Here is Maryland lutenist Ronn McFarlane at St. David's Church in Baltimore, playing W. Lee's Reel accompanied by Carolyn Surrick on viola da gamba ...

 54. [Theme reveal]

59. "Don't push that button!": ABORT.  Or "Push that button to ABORT!"

60. Low-carb diet: KETO.

61. In unison: AS ONE.

62. "Stars on __": reality show hosted by William Shatner: MARS.  Hand up if you're a FAN?

63. About: OR SO.

64. Fabric fold: PLEAT.

Down:

1. "Notorious" SCOTUS justice: RBGRuth Bader Ginsburg (March 15, 1933 – September 18, 2020) was nicknamed "Notorious" because she was formidable in the courtroom.  She spent a lifetime flourishing in the face of adversity before being appointed a Supreme Court justice, where she successfully fought against gender discrimination.  The comic opera Scalia/Ginsburg was written about her and Antonin Scalia, her political nemesis on the court, both of whom shared a love of that art form. She was recently given a posthumous honor by the elevation of her Jabots to the status of crosswordese ...
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Notorious RBG
 
2. Musical gift: EAR.

3. Selma's st.: ALASelma is a city in the state of Alabama.

4. Prune: LOP.

5. Sitcom role for Brandy: MOESHAMOESHA is an American television sitcom that aired on UPN from January 23, 1996, to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy Norwood as Moesha Denise Mitchell, an African-American teenager living with her upper middle class family in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.  Apparently she has step-mother issues ...

6. Embryo's home: UTERUS. Sounds cozy!

7. Yardstick, e.g.: RULER.

8. Small bay: INLET.

9. For instance: SAY.

10. Fill to the brim: TOP OFF.

11. Laundry room convenience: UTILITY SINK.

12. Forum top: TUNIC.

13. X-ray __: gadget advertised in classic comic books: SPEXX-ray specs or X-ray glasses are an American novelty item, purported to allow users to see through or into solid objects. In reality, the spectacles merely create an optical illusion; no X-rays are involved. The current paper version is sold under the name "X-Ray SPEX"; a similar product is sold under the name "X-Ray Gogs".  Standard equipment for those who think they are voyeurs.

16. City with the world's largest naval complex: NORFOLK.  A CSO to our friend Jinx and his friend Zoё.  Jinx tells me that her racing handle is Jugni (Hindi for "female firefly."), but at the racing kennel  they called her "Cookie" ...
Zoё
18. Genre that's an element of Kawaii metal: J POP.

21. Monty Python alum Michael: PALIN.  In 1989 actor Michael PALIN retraced the fictitious steps of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg to circumnavigate the wold in 80 days, sans airplane.  Here's a trailer from the 7-part BBC television series ...
There have been several adaptations of Verne's story.  We haven't seen the Palin documentary, but we would highly recommend the more recent PBS Masterpiece series starring David Tennant.

22. Realizes: REAPS.

23. Below: UNDER.

24. Production team member who shapes narratives: STORY EDITOR.  As of this writing these folks are still on the picket line.

25. Slugger's stat: HRS.

26. Mama's Special Garden Sauce maker: RAGU.

30. ROTC school near D.C.: VMI.  The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a public senior military college in Lexington, Virginia. It was founded in 1839 as America's first state military college and is the oldest public senior military college in the United States.
31. Civil rights pioneer __ B. Wells: IDAIDA Bell Wells-Barnett (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931) was an American investigative journalist, educator, and early leader in the civil rights movement. She was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Wells dedicated her career to combating prejudice and violence, and advocating for African-American equality—especially that of women.
Ida B. Wells
33. Art studio stand: EASEL.

34. Online magazine with a "Dear Prudence" advice column: SLATE. "Prudie" responds to your questions about relationships at home, work, and beyondDear Prudence is also the name of a song ...
36. Least original: STALEST.

37. Undefeated boxer Ali: LAILALAILA Amaria Ali (born December 30, 1977) is an American television personality and retired professional boxer who competed from 1999 to 2007. During her career, from which she retired undefeated, she held the WBC, WIBA, IWBF and IBA female super middleweight titles, and the IWBF light heavyweight title. Ali is widely regarded by many within the sport as one of the greatest female professional boxers of all time. She is the daughter of boxer Muhammad Ali
Laila Ali
38. Friend: ALLY.

42. Insta upload: PIC.

44. Stopwatches: TIMERS.

45. "Just watch me!": CAN TOO.

46. Mimics: APES.

47. JPEG alternative: BITMAPWhat is the difference between BITMAP (BMP) and JPEG files?

48. Island birthplace of shortstop Xander Bogaerts: ARUBA.  Xander Bogaerts is an infielder for the San Diego Padres.  Here are his stats ...
Xander Bogaerts
49. Catchall check box: OTHER.

50. Achievements: FEATS.

51. Happy as a __: CLAM.  Clams are not always happy,  only at high tide.
Happy Clams
54. Possible UFC match ender: TKOTechnical Knock OutWhat is the difference between a knockout and a technical knockout?  Only 3 of Laila Ali's 24 victories were won by a TKO.

55. Designer label initials: YSLYves Saint Laurent.  But then you already knew that.

56. Java: JOE.

57. California's Santa __ Mountains: ANAThe Santa ANA Mountains are a short peninsular mountain range along the coast of Southern California in the United States. They extend for approximately 61 miles (98 km) southeast of the Los Angeles Basin largely along the border between Orange and Riverside counties.
Santa Ana Mountains
Orange County, CA
58. Joined: MET.  Also the name of a building in New York where people have often MET to see operas ...
The Metropolitan Opera House

Cheers,
Bill

And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.

waseeley

Apr 27, 2023

Thursday, April 27, 2023, Lance Enfinger & Jeff Chen

 

Honors Courses

Today's constructors, Lance Enfinger and Jeff Chen, bring us a letter addition puzzle, with 4 themers (2 across, 2 down) that work with or without the addition.  Each themer fits the pattern "Honors course for an aspiring ___?" and the fill is a career description prefixed with AP, short for Advanced Placement.  Note also that all the theme fills actually begin with APP, which is short for AP Program.

18A Honors course for an aspiring aircraft marshaller?:  AP POINTING, as in telling the pilot where to go.  Aircraft marshalling is a real gig.  Complete this course and your career will really take off!

Aircraft Marshaller

62A. Honors course for an aspiring pastor?: AP PRAISINGA pastor  is the leader of a Christian congregation, who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation.  In Catholic congregations where there may be multiple priests, it is the pastor's job to administer the parish and supervise the younger priests.  Pastors don't really PRAISE God any more than the priests. Their honors courses are more likely to be in planning, budgeting, building maintenance, and even in learning new languages.  Last year our pastor spent a month in Guatemala in a Spanish immersion course to enable him to support our church's growing number of Hispanic parishioners.

3D. Honors course for an aspiring lawyer?: AP PROVINGPROVING is presenting evidence used to either support or ascertain that something happened or that a person’s statement is true.  Whether it really is or not is something decided by the JURY.

36D. Honors course for an aspiring bell ringer?: AP PEALING.  In England bell ringing is a very competitive field ...
Here's the grid ...


Here's the rest ...

Across:

1. Cracked: AJAR.  "When is a door ...?".  Oh. You've already heard it.

5. Actor Omar: EPPS. Omar Hashim EPPS (born July 20, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, and producer. He has been awarded nine NAACP Image Awards, two Teen Choice Awards, one MTV Movie Award, one Black Reel Award, and one Screen Actors Guild Award.
Omar Epps
9. Dull sound: THUMP.

14. Easy going?: LOPE.

15. Pharmacist's container: VIAL.  Last Thursday a distraught ROMEO, thinking that JULIET was dead, swallowed a VIAL of a VILE substance to poison himself, leaving "no friendly drop" for her.

16. Ancient region of modern Turkey: IONIAIONIA was an ancient region on the western coast of Anatolia, to the south of present-day Izmir.
IONIA

17. Range for Zermatt and the Matter Valley: ALPS.  The Matterhorn is one of the best-known mountains (14,692 feet [4,478 metres]) in the ALPS, straddling the frontier between Switzerland and Italy, 6 miles (10 km) southwest of the village of Zermatt, Switzerland.
Matter Valley
18. [Theme clue]

20. Get down to basics: STRIP.  Or to paraphrase my old math teacher, "to get down far enough for all practical purposes."

22. Consumes: EATS.

23. Red carpet stance: POSE.
 
24. Irish actor Chris of TV's "Get Shorty": O DOWDChristopher O'Dowd (born 9 October 1979) is played Miles Daly in this film.  As someone who is only 5'6" tall, it is only natural that I would dislike this movie (which I have not seen), but not as much as I dislike this song by Randy Newman (lyrics) ...

And don't get me started on his song about Baltimore.  It's not like I take it personal or anything, but it's not easy being short.  For example reaching the books on the top shelves.  😉

26. Shenanigans: HI JINKS.  A CSO to our man in Norfolk.

28. Dust jacket design: COVER ART.   Here's Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Album Covers.   And here's No. 32 (you knew I had to get an OPERA in here somewhere) ...
Overture
Pinball Wizard
31. Bowling pin count: TEN.  A CSO to our dearly departed Boomer.

32. Bird mascot for the Miami Hurricanes: IBIS.

33. New Zealand parrots: KEAS.

35. Ray's relative: SKATEStingrays and SKATES are often mistaken for one another. Both  can be found in Baltimore's National Aquarium:
Also a CSO to Ray - O, whose relatives do a lot of SKATING up in the frozen Northeast I'm sure.

39. Tanqueray liquor: GIN.  As long as it's shaken, not stirred.

40. Georgia fruit: PEACHES.

42. Hoppin' John morsel: PEA.  A Black-eyed PEA that is, known in some parts as the COW PEA.  One of my favorite legumes: easy to grow, disease resistant, prolific, easy to shell, and easy to dry for storage.  Here's a recipe for this Southern favorite.
Hoppin' John
43. George of "The Goldbergs": SEGALGeorge Segal Jr. (February 13, 1934 – March 23, 2021) was an American actor. He became popular in the 1960s and 1970s for playing both dramatic and comedic roles.  He played Albert "Pops" Solomon on The Goldbergs (2013–2021).
George Segal
1965
45. Word with ring or music: MOOD.  Like most MOODS, these rings don't last forever.  I'm not a big fan of MOOD music as it generally lacks passion, but I do like these guys ... 
46. Relaxation stations: SPAS.

47. Claire of "The Crown": FOYClaire Elizabeth Foy (born 16 April 1984) won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of the young Queen Elizabeth II in the first two seasons of the Netflix series The Crown (2016–2017).  Here she confronts Edward the VIII, who abdicated his throne in 1936 for "the woman he loved", Baltimorean socialite Wallis Simpson ...
She stole our hearts in the 2008 BBC mini-series Little Dorrit based on the novel by Charles Dickens ...
49. Fleetest of foot: SWIFTEST.  According to the Encyclopedia Britannica that would be Jamaican Usain Bolt ... 
Usain Bolt
51. Brandy glass: SNIFTER.  Here are a pair of SNIFTERS I made for the oncologist who cured my prostate cancer to drink the single-malt scotch I gave him after 10 years in remission.
 
SNIFTERS
55. Penta- minus one: TETRA.  Today's math lesson, in Greek no less.

56. Goddess who is the mother of Apollo and Artemis: LETO.  More Greek.  Apollo was the god of music and Artemis was the goddess of the hunt. LETO was the daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, and the sister of Asteria.
Leto with
infants Apollo and Artemis
57. Protein option for pho: TOFU.

59. Olympic volleyball great Kerri __ Jennings: WALSH Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings (born August 15, 1978) is an American professional beach volleyball player, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a one-time Olympic bronze medalist. She is the beach volleyball leader in career victories as of 2016 having won 135 international and domestic tournaments.  Her nickname is "Six Feet of Sunshine"!
Kerri Walsh Jennings
[Theme fill]

65. Totenberg of NPR: NINANINA Totenberg (born January 14, 1944) is an American legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR) focusing primarily on the activities and politics of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Nina Totenberg
.... also a CSO to our inane hiker!

66. Barbecue sites: YARDS.

67. Creative flash: IDEA.

68. Tiny annoyance: GNAT.

69. Splash through puddles: SLOSH.

70. Prying: NOSY.

71. Meringue need: EGGS.  You provide the shell and the filling and this simple recipe will provide the Meringue.
Down:

1. Quaint plaint: ALAS.

2. Shock: JOLT.

3. [Theme clue]

4. Lives: RESIDES.

5. Perón of Argentina: EVA.  Here's Madonna singing Don't Cry for Me Argentina for Lloyd Weber's Evita ...

6. Out-of-reach goal: PIPE DREAM.
7. __ Smurf: PAPA.

8. Arboreal slowpoke: SLOTH.  If you stop by the National Aquarium to see the RAYS and the SKATES (see 35A) be sure to pop-up to the Tropical Rainforest and see the SLOTHS.
Linne's Two-Toed Sloth
9. Metal in pewter: TIN. Pewter is a malleable metal alloy consisting of TIN (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver.
Pewter Cream Pitcher
c. 1780

10. Bright lipstick shade: HOT PINK.  A CSO to Lucina! 😀

11. Gabrielle of "L.A.'s Finest": UNIONL.A.'s Finest is an American action comedy crime television series created by Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier; and produced by Sony Pictures Television. It is a spinoff of the Bad Boys franchise created by George Gallo.   Gabrielle plays Special Agent/Detective Lieutenant Sydney "Syd" Burnett.
Gabrielle Union
12. Capital of Belarus: MINSK.  Thumper.

13. Audiobook's lack: PAGES.

19. "You think so?": IS IT.

21. __ ejemplo: POR.  Today's Spanish lesson, e.g.  CSO número dos POR Lucina.

25. Waves from a boat: WAKE.  Also a celebration of a life held at the passing of someone.  One of the most famous of these events is the subject of James Joyce's Finnegans WAKE (a book which I have not read).  A CSO to our Misty, a Professor Emerita of English and an authority on Joyce's works. Here's hoping she stops by and shares a few bon mots about the book.

27. Milo's "Gilmore Girls" role: JESSGilmore Girls is a mother-daughter comedy-drama television series (2000 - 2006) starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore).  Milo Anthony Ventimiglia played Jess Mariano, one of Rory's heartthrobs:
Milo Ventimiglia (2019)
(he was 24 when he played Jess)
28. Slangy smokes: CIGS.

29. Big Apple stage award: OBIE.

30. Tuesday fare: TACOS.

34. Many entries in the Great American Songbook: SHOW TUNES.  The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant early-20th-century American jazz standards, popular songs, and show tunes. It's not just a list of tunes and lyrics, but also an eponymous organization founded by Michael Feinstein, who is still on the road promoting these songs.  Selecting a single song representative of this music is really impossible.  This one by Henry Mancini is from the soundtrack to Breakfast at Tiffany's, and one of the first that I fell in love with ...
Audrey Hepburn
36. [Theme clue].

37. Dim sum brews: TEAS.  Legend has it that Dim sum originated in TEA houses in the 10th Century (Sung Dynasty), and is a communal dining and social experience that can span hours. It is customary for large groups to enjoy dishes together.  A CSO to our fearless leader!
Dim sum array
38. All-Star side: EAST.

40. Storyline: PLOT.

41. Falco of "Nurse Jackie": EDIE.

44. Provides, as an opportunity: AFFORDS.

46. Idiosyncratic: STRANGE.  IMHO, all of REALITY.

48. Creature in Tibetan myth: YETI.  aka the Abominable snowman ...

50. "Woo-hoo!," in textspeak: FTWFor The Win, a gamer expression anticipating victory, with "Woo-hoo!" being an expression of enthusiasm.   It's opposite is FTL, "For The Loss".  We Cornerites solve puzzles FTW, or as we would put it to FIR.  Here's wishing you got a "Woo-hoo" for this puzzle!

51. Leaves rolling in the aisles: SLAYS.  Another CSO to Ray - O.

52. Place to spot a 48-Down, maybe: NEPAL.  As YETIS don't recognize international boundaries, they occasionally stray into neighboring countries ...
53. Staffer who's good at networking, for short: IT PRO.  A CSO to -T, Jinx, et MOI (a long time ago).

54. Pitcher's gripping aid: ROSINROSIN, also called colophony or Greek pitch (Latin: pix graeca), is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile components.  In addition to its use by pitchers, it's also used as a flux in soldering, and by violinists on their bows to get a better grip on the strings.  This country boy always kept his bows rosined ...
This song is played at Orioles games during the 7th inning stretch.

58. Everymutt: FIDOGarfield's favorite FIDO ...
Odie
60. Obstacle: SNAG

61. Bowlers, e.g.: HATS.  another CSO to our BOWLER in Heaven.

63. Fire pit residue: ASH.

64. Carefree: GAY. Or a synonym for HAPPY. A refreshingly retro clue.

Cheers,
Bill

As always, thanks to Teri for proof reading, for her constructive criticism.

waseeley

 

Mar 29, 2023

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 - Chase Dittrich & Jeff Chen

Blah, Blah, Blah...

 
Alex Explains

Reveal: 67. "I lost interest" acronym spelled out by the starts of four answers in this puzzle: TL;DR. TOO LONG; DIDN'T READ.  //Monday was a spoiler :-(

When writing a long memo, just start off with The TL;DR (Executive Summary) and give 'em the skinny.

The Themers today builds the acronym's meaning (and Monday's 5d):

17. Like an amazing and fortuitous circumstance that can't possibly exist, despite an initial promising appearance [67-Across: Suspiciously awesome]: TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

26. Metaphor for the legal system that implies a criminal cannot hide or escape from that system's vast resources and unparalleled authority [67-Across: Police jurisdiction]: LONG ARM OF THE LAW.
(Do I link Kenny Rogers or Styx's Renegade?)


I went with Kenny - I love the Judge's sentence for Billy

42. Was as successful and enjoyable as early conjecture and predictions suggested it would be [67-Across: Met expectations]: DIDN'T DISAPPOINT.

51. Declaration from a person playing poker in a situation where the opponents think they have it in the bag [67-Across: "I win!"]: READ 'EM AND WEEP.
 
Wait, what? Five Aces? Eat Lead.

Cute build to the theme for a breezy Wednesday outing. Also note, each Theme fill and [bracketed hint - nice touch] is the TL;DR for the very wordy clues. Thanks Chase, Jeff, & Patti.

Across:
1. Wet dirt: MUD. Clear as my theme explanation, right? :-)

4. Biblical saying: PROVERB.

11. Fave pal: BFF. Best Friend Forever.

14. Sushi-grade tuna: AHI.

15. Pen with bright ink: HI-LITER.

16. Hoppy brew: ALE.

17. [see: Theme].

20. Pulsate: THROB.

21. Junior: SON.
 

Son, I said son.

22. Gave a leg up to: AIDED.

23. Actress Vardalos: NIA. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (even though she's Canadian) actress who came up through Second City (Chicago). Her WikiP.

25. 24/7 cash source: ATM. Automatic Teller Machine machine //from the Redundancy Department of Redundancy.

26. [see: Theme]

35. Unlock, poetically: OPE'.

36. Director Kubrick: STANLEY. [WikiP] Nothing but classic movies under his belt. For my money, I'll see Dr. Strangelove, 2001 - A Space Odyssey, or A Clockwork Orange again.

37. Wall St. debut: IPO. Initial Public Offering.

38. Plot portion: ACRE.

40. Feel bad about: RUE.

41. Successor: HEIR.

42. [see: Theme]

47. Mogul: TYCOON.

48. South Seas wrap: SARONG.

49. WC: LAV. Water Closet - LAVatory.

50. "i" topper: DOT. Dot your i's and cross your t's & zeds.

51.[see: Theme]

58. Game show creator Griffin: MERV. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are still on the air.

59. Pesto herb: BASIL. There is nothing better than basil pesto with angel-hair pasta.
 

Jamie Oliver is too afraid of garlic.

60. Broad valley: DALE. Hi Lucina!

62. Brink: EDGE.

63. Joint above a foot: ANKLE. Most of our joints are - pick one. //Not to be confused with a 13" Cheech MARIN [29d] doobie.

64. Bailiwick: AREA.  Wheelhouse.

65. WCs: LOOS. I always love a good callback [see: 49a]. //Bob Newhart's was the best!

66. Stands: RISES.

67. [see: Theme]

Down:
1. Actor Damon: MATT.

2. "Yikes!": UH OH. Pop says UH OH was the first phrase I uttered every time he screwed up. Apparently, I was a little-rat.

3. Designer Christian: DIOR.

4. Fears: PHOBIAS.

5. Kia sedan: RIO.

6. Cutlass sedan, e.g.: OLDS.  Nice callback.

7. Corleone patriarch: VITO. Hey! We no discuss business this early.

8. Henry VI's school: ETON.

9. Hoops stat: REB. Rebounds.

10. Whispery in tone: BREATHY. Why don't you go up and see her sometime?

11. Poet: BARD. There was once one upon Avon.

12. Fireplace shaft: FLUE.

13. Farm store bagful: FEED.

18. Large flat bell: GONG. Lynne Griffin (no relation to Merv (that I can find)) co-designed the set for the GONG Show.

19. Proctor's shout: TIME.
Student comes in late to the lecture hall for his final. He picks up a blue-book from the professor's desk and gets to writing his exam. The prof. calls TIME but the tardy student just keeps furiously writing.
I said, "TIME!" 
As the prof begins to pack up all the blue-books, the student comes forward with his hastily written essay.
"Sorry, SON [see: 21a]. I called TIME 10 minutes ago and I won't accept your exam."
"Do you know who I am? Or who my father is?," the student asks with airs.
Not to be belittled, the professor responds, "No I don't. And frankly I don't give a damn."
"Good!," exclaims the student as he places his essay in the middle of the pile.

24. Graffiti, e.g.: ART. It's in the eye of the beholder.

25. Dined: ATE.

26. Laundry batch: LOAD.

27. Footnote kin of ibid.: OPCIT. Cit'd earlier.

28. Geeky: NERDY.

29. Cheech of Cheech & Chong: MARIN. "It's me, Dave, man. Open up."
 

Tommy Chong Explains

30. Obligation: ONUS. I was obliged to link the above video.

31. Canine pests: FLEAS.

32. Occupy, as a bed: LIE IN.

33. Copying: APING.

34. Saint-John's-__: herbal remedy: WORT.

39. Closed-off districts: ENCLAVES.

41. Derided from the stands: HOOTED AT. A step above a Bronx Cheer.

43. Pond critter: TOAD.

44. Option for soap or ice cream: DOVE BAR.

45. Ping-Pong and canoeing needs: PADDLES.

46. Boat's front: PROW.

51. Ctrl+Y action: REDO. For Mac users, it's Command-Shift-Z (which makes sense 'cuz CMD-z == undo)

52. "By that logic ... ": ERGO.  Ergo, the professor didn't know who's exam it was.  
//That was the crux of the joke above.  Took Pop a second to get it. :-)

53. __-pedi: MANI. Lucina can fill you in.

54. Requests: ASKS.

55. Giza's river: NILE.

56. __ Grey tea: EARL. R.I.P. Abejo.

57. Implored: PLED.

58. Country singer Tillis: MEL.

61. Musician's gift: EAR.

There you have it folks. Here's the TL;DR:
WOs: N/A
ESP: OPE'
Fav: Cheech MARIN. Up in Smoke was one of the first R-Rated films I ever saw (I was 9yrs?) -- I laughed my butt off even though I probably didn't get half the jokes.

A while back, I used TL;DR in this blog's comment section and, IIRC, TTP hadn't seen it before. So, thanks C.C. for picking me to expo this aptly themed grid.
Now, it's up to y'all to comment and don't be TOO LONG that we DON'T READ :-)

Cheers, -T

Jul 26, 2022

Tuesday, July 26, 2022 / Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen

Game Night.  The END word of each theme answer is a board GAME.

16-Across. *   "Now you see what I deal with every day": WELCOME TO MY LIFE.

26-Across. *   "Our goose is cooked": WE'RE IN TROUBLE.


40-Across. *   Tools that may make one say, "Damn you, autocorrect!": SPELL CHECKERS.





54-Across. *   "No idea": I HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE.

And the unifier:

62-Across. Last stage of a chess match, and what each answer to a starred clue literally has: ENDGAME. Everything you wanted to know about the Endgame, but didn't know to ask.



Across:
1. Rental for some exercise classes: YOGA MAT.  Yuck!  Sorry, but I would never rent a Yoga Mat.


8. Vice President Harris: KAMALA.

Kamala Devi Harris (b. Oct. 20, 1964)

14. Make move, as a cartoon: ANIMATE.

15. Grapefruit kin: POMELOS.  The Pomelo is native to Southeast Asia.


18. Clandestine org.: NSA.  As in the National Security Agency.



19. Shortfin shark: MAKO.


20. Facts and figures: DATA.  Hi, Picard!


21. EMT's skill: CPR.  The Emergency Medical Technician better know how to perform CardioPulmonary Resuscitation.

24. More than fix up: REDO.

32. Color selection tools: PALETTES.  One of Van Gogh's palettes as seen in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.


33. Defeat badly: TROMP.

35. Extended a performance, in a way: ENCORED.

36. "The Good Doctor" actress Thomas: ANTONIA.  I have never seen The Good Doctorso was not familiar with Antonia Thomas (née Antonia Laura Thomas; b. Nov. 3, 1986).


38. "Their Eyes Were Watching God" novelist Zora __ Hurston: NEALE.  Zora Neale Hurston (Jan. 7, 1891 ~ Jan. 28, 1960) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.


39. Stereo components: SPEAKERS.

43. Fly high: SOAR.

44. "Jeopardy!" co-host Jennings: KEN.  Ken Jennings (né Kenneth Wayne Jennings, III; b. May 23, 1974) has made a pretty good living with his trivia knowledge.  Not only was Jeopardy! good to him, both as a contestant and a host, but he has appeared on other trivia game shows, such as Masterminds and The Chase.


45. Regarding: AS TO.

49. Heavy burden: ONUS.

51. Cake mix need: EGG.


59. Desert illusions: MIRAGES.


60. Source of pint-sized beverages?: MINI-BAR.



61. Use: EMPLOY.

Down:
1. Show sleepiness: YAWN.

2. Tip jar bills: ONES.

3. __ monster: lizard: GILA.  //  And 8-Diwn. __ dragon: lizard: KOMODO.  What is the difference between a Gila Monster and a Komodo Dragon?

4. Theater chain initials: AMC.  As in American Multi-Cinema.

5. Chairman who led China's Cultural Revolution: MAO.


6. Bank drive-thru device: ATM.  The Automated Teller Machine is a crossword staple.

7. Swarm (with): TEEM.


9. "Vice" Oscar nominee Adams: AMY.  Amy Lou Adams (b. Aug. 20, 1974) portrayed Lynne Chaney in the movie Vice.


10. Blend: MELD.

11. "Search Party" actress Shawkat: ALIA.  Alia Martine Shawkat (b. Apr. 18, 1989) also portrayed Maeby Fünke on Arrested Development.


12. Hay storage area: LOFT.

13. Drifting aimlessly: ASEA.

15. "__ Face": Lady Gaga hit: POKER.


17. Small fruit pastries: TARTS.


21. New Orleans cuisine: CREOLE.  Creole versus Cajun cuisine.

22. Seabirds that often follow ships: PETRELS.  Everything you wanted to know about Petrels, but didn't know to ask.

23. Solemn ceremony: RITE.

25. Scene not meant to be seen: OUTTAKE.


26. Decreases in strength: WANES.

27. Yosemite peak, familiarly: EL CAP.  El Capitan, affectionally known as El Cap, is more than just a big rock.


28. "The Simpsons" neighbor Flanders: NED.



29. Kaput: BROKEN.

30. Solitary sort: LONER.



31. Kuwaiti rulers: EMIRS.

32. Ballpoint, e.g.: PEN.   A brief history of the Ballpoint Pen.


34. Faux __: PAS.  Today's French lesson.

36. Tailless primate: APE.

37. Bottle part: NECK.


39. "So what" shoulder gesture: SHRUG.


41. __ Tunes: LOONEY.

42. Leans to one side: CANTS.  Probably the most famous CANTer in the world ...



45. Je t'__: French "I love you": AIME.  More of today's French lesson.

46. Leveling device: SHIM.

47. Canvas cover: TARP.

Blue tarps after a hurricane

48. Avocado shape: OVAL.


50. A few: SOME.

51. Idris of "Luther": ELBA.  Idris Elba (né Idrissa Akuna  Elba;b. Sept. 6, 1972) also played Stringer Bell on The Wire.


52. "Where America's Day Begins": GUAM.  According to this article, Guam is not technically where America's Day Begins.



53. "Chicago" star Richard: GERE.  Richard Tiffany Gere (b. Aug. 31, 1949) starred in many, many movies.


55. Sense of self: EGO.

56. Metal container: TIN.

57. Plus: AND.

58. Smoke, briefly: CIG.



Here's the Grid:



חתולה

Today would have been my mother's 92nd birthday.  Sadly, it is also the day that I lost my grandmother, who died 20 years ago today, just 1 week shy of her 96th birthday.