Saturday, January 18, 2025, Jess Rucks

 Saturday Themeless by Jess Rucks 

Jess returns after a nine month hiatus and brightens our Saturday with a wonderful puzzle. I sailed through in good time and was slowed only to be amazed and amused by her skill. I found Jess on FaceBook and can't tell you what a bright, engaging person she is. She and her family recently drove through Lincoln and wanted to make a connection with me but couldn't make it work.

Jess has separated from the Air Force after five years of service where she told me served as an Urdu linguist, not interpreter. She now lives in Colorado Springs with her husband who serves in the U.S. Space Force. This is a picture with her and her then 5-year-old son having a good time on the playground. Jess assures me this is Urdu for, "I hope you enjoyed Jess's puzzle."

                                         مجھے امید ہے کہ آپ نے جیس کی پہیلی کا لطف اٹھایا

Across:

1. Music genre with roots in swing: BEBOP. 

             

6. Observation deck?: TAROT 😀 Oh, a deck of TAROT cards!

11. Record label for P!nk and Cat Burns: RCA.

The RCA logo is in there somewhere.

14. Vegan beauty brand headquartered in Minnesota: AVEDA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

15. "Should I be worried about us?": ARE WE COOL?

17. Monopoly property based on a historical monopoly: READING RAILROAD - The READING (pronounced redding) RAILROAD became a huge company because it owned the mines in NE Pennsylvania and also the railroad that hauled it to Philadelphia and points south. This monopoly was broken up.

19. Write alot, say?: ERR 😀 Oops, nospace!

20. Hound: DOG.

21. Instrument whose name comes from the Latin for "heavenly": CELESTA.

Celesta are keyboard glockenspiels 

22. Anatomical pouches: SACS.

24. "Mary Poppins" chimney sweep: BERT.

 

26. Team that retired Willie Mays's No. 24: METS - Willie was one of the best to ever play the game but will always be a NY/SF Giant.

27. Banjo ridge: FRET.

29. Clear for takeoff?: DE-ICE.

31. Pong consoles: ATARIS - I remember being amazed with this "cutting edge" technology in the 70's!

33. Third of a cappuccino: FOAM.

34. Choose: OPT.

37. "Great, now I'm scared of this" hashtag: NEW FEAR UNLOCKED -it implies a sudden realization of a previously unknown vulnerability.

MY FIRST THOUGHT!

40. Not virtually, virtually: IRL - In Real Life, a shark is not likely to ever threaten you

41. Once menos ocho: TRES - In Mexico 11 - 8 = 3

42. Lilikoi and lychee: FRUITS - Lilikoi are also know as passion fruit 

43. Rips into: HAS AT.

45. Electric __: EELS.

46. Painter Thomas of the Hudson River School: COLE.

 

49. Entreaty: PLEA.

51. Gin berry: SLOE.

53. Island home of the Ka Hula Piko festival: MOLOKAI - The name intimated Hawaii and I just went through the names of the islands until one fit.

55. Tiny issue: NIT.

57. Coder's concern: BUG.

58. Elaboration intro: AND ANOTHER THING - Ya gotta love Clouseau! 

61. "Voilà!": I'VE DONE IT.

62. Best: OUTDO.

63. Scand. land: NOR.

64. Tries out: TESTS.

65. Garlic __: PRESS.

Down:

1. Uncovers: BARES and the opposite 12. Covers: COATS.

2. Drew Barrymore film promoted as "A Cinderella Story": EVER AFTER.

3. Strength exercise done on all fours: BEAR CRAWL.

4. "Huh": ODD.

5. Part of PTO: PAID - Out here in farm country, it will much more likely mean Power Take Off  than Paid Time Off

6. Reached a friend on the playground?: TAGGED 😀

7. Timetable abbr.: ARR.

8. Big stink, e.g.: REACTION  - George Brett had a bad REACTION when a home run he hit was declared illegal because of too much pine tar on his bat

9. Baby bump, in baby talk: OWIE.

10. Invitation to elaborate: TELL ME MORE - It's a four minute clip but this is a fun song and ear bug where TELL ME MORE is a oft repeated lyric.

11. Crow bar?: ROOST 😀

13. "Clear+Vivid" podcast host Alan: ALDA - Science and Alan ALDA, what's not to like?

16. "Spirit Rangers" voice actress Summer: CREE - She's very big in the voice actor genre 

18. Noodle: NOB - Euphemisms for someone's head

23. Peasant: SERF.

25. No: REFUSAL.

28. Join a union?: TIE THE KNOT - Very uniquely in some cases.

30. Leg muscle: CALF.

31. Righteous Babe Records founder DiFranco: ANI.

32. Singer-songwriter Bareilles: SARA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ A Saturday SARA

34. Cautious invitation to elaborate: OK I'LL BITE 😀

35. 1966 pop album with cover art of band members feeding goats: PET SOUNDS.

36. Scores that often result in dances: Abbr.: TDS.

38. Timeouts: RESPITES 😀

39. Signs to act?: CUES.

44. Principles: TENETS.

46. Chat sesh: CONVO - Slang for conversation

47. "The __ I get, the better I used to be": John McEnroe: OLDER 😀

48. Mutual fund fee: LOAD.

50. Make public: AIR.

52. Some quick toasts?: EGGOS 😀

53. Primary: MAIN.

54. Prime: A-ONE.

56. Muscle car roof: T-TOP.

59. Hot single: HIT.

60. "Ben-__": HUR - An 1880 first edition with an autograph - $8,950.

 

Saturday, March 16, 2024, Jess Rucks

 Themeless Saturday by Jess Rucks

Jess returns after a six month hiatus and brightens our Saturday with a wonderful puzzle. I sailed through in sixteen minutes and was slowed only to be amazed and amused by her skill. I found Jess on FaceBook and can't tell you what a bright, engaging person she is.

Jess has separated from the Air Force after five years of service where she told me served as an Urdu linguist, not interpreter. She now lives in Colorado Springs with her husband who serves in the U.S. Space Force. This is a picture with her and her then 5-year-old son having a good time on the playground. Jess assures me this is Urdu for, "I hope you enjoyed Jess's puzzle."

                                          مجھے امید ہے کہ آپ نے جیس کی پہیلی کا لطف اٹھایا ہوگا۔

Across:

1. Beach blanket: SAND - 😀 Yeah, I guess beaches are blanketed with SAND

5. __ Men: one-hit junkanoo band of 2000: BAHA.

9. Member of a dazzle: ZEBRA - I'd probably still say herd

14. "Van Helsing" role: IGOR.

15. Smart __: ALEC.

16. Location of the Karnak Temple Complex: EGYPT - A visit to the Karnak Temple Complex is part of Agatha Christie's plot in this Poirot movie.

17. Have empathy: CARE.

18. Pepa or pepper partner: SALT - 😀 The less common of the pairing.

19. "Buona __": NOTTE - Good Night in Italian. I hope Jess will stop in to tell us if شب بخیر is correct in Urdu.

20. Phrase on a shamrock-green T-shirt: KISS ME I'M IRISH - I'd love to buy this for a dear lady we all know on our Crossword Corner!

23. "Almost ready": ONE SEC.

24. Sleeping soundly: OUT.

25. Hermey of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," for one: ELF - Who knew?

28. Comedian who wrote "Cracking Up" and "I Know I Am, but What Are You?": SAMANTHA BEE.

32. Hodgepodge: MISH MASH.

35. Hoity-toity type: SNOOT.

36. Euler's field: MATH - If you're a math peep like I am, you know it is pronounced OY LER. Bonus points for understanding this:

37. Vital organ elements: PIPES - Our good friend Splynter knows a lot about these elements! Be sure to read his comments below the write-up!

    

39. Sound quality: TONE.

40. "Long story short ... ": IN SUM.

42. Motocross need: DIRT BIKE.

44. Cozy aesthetic: COTTAGE CORE.

46. Goof: ERR.

47. Camel kin: TAN.

48. Some event notices: E-VITES

53. "Stop misquoting me!": I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

57. Treadmill options: PACES - It's in here somewhere 

59. Throaty sound: AHEM.

60. Cornstarch brand: ARGO - Also the ship for Jason and the Argonauts

61. Rice brews: SAKES.

62. "American Chopper" argument, e.g.: MEME.

63. Diminutive of Dolores: LOLA - Did anyone else think of Gwen Verdon and Damn Yankees?

64. Aromatic herb: THYME.

65. Robed dignitary: EMIR.

66. Chuck: YEET - A well known synonym for throw is softball circles

Down:

1. Travis Scott's "__ Mode": SICKO.

2. Once more: AGAIN.

3. Like Freya and Hel: NORSE.

4. Word with down or up: DRESS 😀

5. One of two near Everest: BASE CAMP - All who climb 29,00o foot Everest must first make the 8 - 12 day difficult but doable trek up to BASE CAMP at 17,500 feet. This family did make it to BASE CAMP with their kids. 

 

6. Jai __: ALAI - A fav game in Crosswordland 

7. Tiller: HELM - He is "at the HELM" because he has his hand on the tiller

8. Lara Croft, for one: ACTION HERO.

9. High points: ZENITHS - Big brother to cwd regulars acme and apex

10. Super followers?: EGOS.

11. Without any variation: BY THE BOOK.

12. Sch. assignment: RPT.

13. Made a fast stop: ATE 😀 On Easter Sunday, March 31 this year, those of you who fast for lent can stop.

21. Breathable fabric: MESH.

22. Groove: RUT - There can be a big difference 

26. Currency in West Africa: LEONE - This bike in Freetown, Sierra Leone will run you 107,000,000 LEONES or about $4,400.

27. Swanky gala: FETE.

29. Handle for a née-sayer: MAIDEN NAME - I have no issue with keeping a surname after marriage

30. Savory jelly: ASPIC.

31. Start to freeze?: ANTI.

32. Large estate: MANOR.

33. "Too much to get into": IT'S TRICKY.

34. Close: SHUT - klōz not klōs

36. Game for owls: MICE 😀

38. Cord cutter, perhaps: STREAMER 😀

41. "Blue Nude" painter: MATISSE.

A set of three

43. Large group: BEVY.

45. Josh who plays Shakespeare on "History of the World, Part II": GAD.

49. Winner of four FIFA World Cups: ITALY.

50. Paroxysm: THROE.

51. Old quarter back: EAGLE - 😀 In this clue, quarter back is two words. Now the obverse side still has George Washington but the reverse side has hosted an EAGLE and many special images

Old quarter

A example of a new quarter

52. Mink kin: STOAT.

54. Judge: DEEM.

55. Creature feature with giant ants: THEM - Circa 1954

56. Quasi: SEMI.

57. Wash. setting: PST - Washington state is two hours behind me where I'm on CST

58. "That's the spot": AAH - I'll bet that's how you feel after finishing Jess's fun puzzle!

From Splynter:

Hi Gary,

Most of what I do for the company concerns design, drafting and the installation of the components of a pipe organ - chests, reservoirs, windlines, etc.  I am rarely on site when the actual pipes get put on the chests.  I did find some images, but nothing special, see attached.  I had a coworker snap the image, also attached, when we recycled zinc pipes that did not get voiced and reinstalled at a church.  I then took a selfie ( and I really, really wanted to send you a "shelfie", too ) Here are half of the facade pipes from the National Cathedral before we took them down and refurbished them.

Splynter