L.A.Times Crossword Corner: John Andrew Agpalo

Showing posts with label John Andrew Agpalo. Show all posts

Dec 7, 2025

Sunday December 7, 2025 John Andrew Agpalo

Theme: "APPENDIX" - Ix sound is added to the end of each theme entry, changing spellings as needed.

22. Compensation for those expecting bad outcomes?: THE WAGES OF CYNICS. The wages of sin.

32. Gem that's been photoshopped?: BRUSHED UP ONYX. Brushed up on.

50. Class that teaches the science behind flair bartending?: SLOE GIN PHYSICS. Sloe gin fizz.

70. Paper jam?: PRINTERS REMIX. Printer's ream.

90. Well-worn long tops?: FAMILIAR TUNICS. Familiar tune.

105. Genetic makeup of a Trojan war hero?: ACHILLES HELIX. Achilles' heel.

117. Message to a graduating class at an occult school?: YOU WILL BE MYSTICS. You will be missed.

When I read the title, I figured IX is added to each theme entry, like Pie/Pixie, Par/Pixar, etc. John's approach is more creative. Consistent too.

Lots of fun clues in this puzzle.

Across:

1. "The Count of Monte Cristo" novelist: DUMAS. The former French president Sarkozy said he would bring this book to prison to read.

6. Gallagher of Oasis: LIAM.

10. Sour taste: TANG.

14. Queue before Q: LGBT.

18. "Didn't we just see this?": AGAIN.

19. Meat dish topped with mashed potatoes: COTTAGE PIE. Have some.

21. Ohio border lake: ERIE.

24. Like some parks: Abbr.: NATL. National.

25. Coat flaps: LAPELS.

26. Receipt fig.: AMT.

27. This evenin': TONITE.

29. Quick chats?: IMS. Instant messaged.

31. Iguana, to some: PET.

36. LuPone of "Agatha All Along": PATTI.

38. Croc, but not gator: SHOE.

40. Jalapeño kin: SERRANO.

41. Front covers?: APRONS. More clever clues: 10. Column that's beside the point?: TENTHS. 81. Hairstyles that many pick?: AFROS. And 89. Turner once big in the music industry?: CD PLAYER.

43. Cartography collection: ATLAS.

46. Poetic contraction: NE'ER.

47. Browning's "__ Lippo Lippi": FRA.

53. Periods of inactivity: STASES. Plural of stasis.

55. Kinda-sorta: SEMI.

56. Rep. group: GOP.

57. Pottery supplies: CLAYS.

59. Went down: SANK.

60. Dramamine target: NAUSEA.

63. Yale grad: ELI.

64. Shoulder ornament: EPAULET.

67. Vegan sammie: PBJ.

73. Pair: TWO.

74. Stuffed meat dish: ROULADE. Never had this either.

76. Tattle (on): RAT.

77. Tiltrotor military aircraft: OSPREY. Tiltrotor is a new word to me. Tilt-rotor.

79. Writer Bombeck: ERMA.

80. Boondi __: spiced yogurt dish: RAITA.

82. Dead __ Scrolls: SEA.

83. Alleviate: EASE.

87. With all judges present: EN BANC.

94. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.

95. Smell: ODOR.

97. Glinda, to Elphaba, at first: ENEMY.

98. Snare: ENTRAP.

99. Secondary thread: SUBPLOT.

102. Ikebana vessel: VASE.

104. Gleefully spiteful: CATTY.

109. Lentil dish: DAL.

111. Pack animal: ASS.

112. LASIK target: CORNEA.

113. Lennox of R&B: ARI.

114. Hindu god with the head of an elephant: GANESH. God of wisdom.

116. Create a narrative out of reality show footage, e.g.: EDIT.

124. Tibetan monk: LAMA.

125. Sine qua nons: ESSENTIALS.

126. Kevin McHale's "Glee" role: ARTIE.

127. Serpents on sarcophagi: ASPS.

128. Frost's "The __ Not Taken": ROAD.

129. Race goal, sometimes: SEAT. Senate race, e.g.

130. Damp: MOIST.

Down:

1. Who __ Nation: Saints fans: DAT.

2. Disgusted sound: UGH.

3. Turbulent situation: MAELSTROM. Terrific entry.

4. Japanese consumer electronics brand: AIWA.

5. __ turtle: SNAPPING.

6. Source of grief: LOSS.

7. Skater Midori: ITO.

8. Org. with bomb-sniffing dogs: ATF.

9. One spelling of an Asian gambling hub: MACAU. Carmen has been there a few times. She just loves the real jade there.

11. Bee fore?: API. Prefix for "bee".

12. Actor Cage, casually: NIC.

13. Hand motions: GESTURES.

14. McCartney's songwriting partner: LENNON.

15. Application for dubious advice: GRAIN OF SALT. Partnered with 69. Cocktail ingredient: JUMBO SHRIMP. Love both.

16. Wee: BITTY.

17. Email ancestor: TELEX.

19. Irish speakers, e.g.: CELTS.

20. Press rooms?: GYMS. Bench press, etc.

23. "Isn't that something": GEE.

28. Visual style that tricks the eye: OP-ART.

29. Card table declaration: I PASS.

30. __ syrup: MAPLE.

32. Greedy choice: BOTH.

33. Depend (on): RELY. Thanks for saving me last Sunday, Brian! Got the precious infusion on Tuesday, now I'm good for another 8 weeks. Grateful for the good days and the people who help me get to them.

34. Wee: EENSY.

35. Rapper Dr. __: DRE.

37. Front-wheel alignment: TOE IN.

39. Occur: HAPPEN.

42. Brynhild's beloved, in Norse myth: SIGURD. Learning moment for me also. Google AI says Sigurd is the beloved of Brynhild. Their love story is a tragic one, marked by a love potion that caused Sigurd to forget Brynhild, leading him to marry another woman and indirectly causing Brynhild to orchestrate his death. Ultimately, Brynhild takes her own life to be reunited with Sigurd in the afterlife

44. Find out: ASCERTAIN.

45. Places for small herb gardens: SILLS.

48. Option for a library book: RENEW.

49. Invite for: ASK TO.

51. More meddlesome: NOSIER.

52. African capital: CAIRO.

54. Tempe sch.: ASU. They still have a good swimming team after Bob Bowman left for Texas. This guy is their star Ilya Kharun.

58. Start of the Marine Corps motto: SEMPER. Fidelis.

61. Therapists' org.: APA.

62. Bright spots?: ATRIA.

65. Unlicensed radio broadcaster: PIRATE.

66. Body spray brand: AXE.

67. Fuss in the mirror: PREEN.

68. Carried: BORNE.

71. Wonderland cake words: EAT ME.

72. Contents of college blue books: ESSAYS.

75. Trout's team, on scoreboards: LAA. Mike Trout. LA Angels.

78. Gossipy person: YENTA.

84. Carrier in French Polynesia: AIR TAHITI.

85. Performs like Ella: SCATS.

86. Awards for excellent plays and players: ESPYS.

88. Aristocratic: NOBLE.

91. __ Strauss & Co.: LEVI.

92. Big-screen movie format: IMAX.

93. 119-Down figure: UNCLE SAM. 119. Country that turns 250 years old in 2026: Abbr.: USA.

96. Spanish cheer: OLE.

100. Range that includes Utah's Kings Peak: UINTAS.

101. Sat on the kitchen counter, perhaps: THAWED.

103. Cheeses from the Netherlands: EDAMS.

105. Fast Amtrak train: ACELA.

106. Musical conclusions: CODAS.

107. Pam's successor on "The Office": ERIN.

108. Cheerful ditties: LILTS.

110. Whichever: ANY.

114. Coins in a game of dreidel: GELT.

115. Houston MLBer: STRO.

118. Spanish bear: OSO.

120. Whopper: LIE.

121. [Stop shearing me!]: BAA.

122. Not trans: CIS.

123. Fixed: SET.

Happy 80th birthday to Windhover (Larry), who used to comment on our blog years ago. I still think of you often, Larry. Hope all's well with you and Irish. Here's a picture of Windhover with Lucina.

Windhover & Lucina, July 24, 2015

Nov 9, 2024

Saturday, November 9, 2024, John Andrew Agpalo

Saturday Themeless by John Andrew Agpalo

John's third LA Times puzzle turned out to be a pleasant and quick walk in the park for this solver. John's construction had a low word count of only sixty four which yeilded a very desirable count of only six three-letter words. When the long fills appear with ease, it greatly facilitates obtaining a "got 'er done!"

Across:

1. Running tally?: VOTES - I followed a bunch of these Tuesday night.

6. City on the River Clyde: GLASGOW - GLASGOW on the Clyde at night

13. Fast train between Union Station and Back Bay Station: ACELA - This train and its lovely three vowels pulls into our crossword station quite often.

14. Target of a dehumidifier: MOISTURE and 12. Adds 14-Across: WETS - I'll be making the switch in our basement very soon.

15. German city: STADT - The largest in Germany according to their 2018 census

16. Outline in a plaster of paris keepsake: HAND PRINT.

17. "Get lost!": TAKE A HIKE.

19. Mike Trout's team, familiarly: HALOS - Mike Trout has been one of the MLB's best players for years as a member of the Los Angeles Angels, but like the Cubs' Ernie Banks, has never been in a World Series.

20. Vulcan salute, e.g.: GESTURE.

21. "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe" painter: MANET - The Luncheon On The Grass with clothing optional. Our friend Jeffery Wechsler would be so disappointed I don't know my MANET from my Monet.

22. Hall of Famer Ronnie who won four Super Bowls with the 49ers: LOTT - Some consider Ronnie to be the best safety in NFL history. Here he is separating a receiver from the ball

23. Got completely out of hand: RAN WILD.

25. Colony toiler: ANT.

26. Commits a hoops infraction: GOAL TENDS - If a basketball shot is in or above the basket cylinder, neither the offense or defense can touch it. Ironically, as our own goal tender Splynter can attest, it is perfectly legal in hockey!

30. Incapable of having a bad hair day, say: BALD - Waddaya think?

32. Gives hell?: DAMNS.

33. Catastrophic: DIRE.

34. Deliberate: SLEEP ON IT - The verb not the adjective. My car salesman friend says the chances for a sale go way down when a customer wants to do this.

36. Veto: NIX.

37. Pioneer in "New New Orleans" cuisine: LAGASSE.

39. Tax: LEVY.

40. Quite buff, casually: SWOLE.

42. In proportion: TO SCALE - Gutzon Borglum made a scale model and then transferred those dimensions to the mountain.

44. Airport featured in "Home Alone": O'HARE.

45. Notable name on a case: SAMSONITE - My 1964 H.S. graduation present from Grandma Opal

47. Dish that requires one's level best?: LAYER CAKE - Usually

49. Strikingly real: VIVID - This amazing holographic reproduction of an ABBA concert now playing in London is said to be very VIVID!

50. Supersuit designer who insists, "No capes"!: EDNA MODE ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ - A cartoon based on Edith Head. If you're interested...

51. "They Called Us __": graphic novel co-written by George Takei: ENEMY - The story of his family's life in Japanese internment camps after Pearl Harbor.

52. [Look below]: SEE NOTE.

53. Levels a theatre, say: RASES - Alternate spelling for RAZES [Look below]

Down:

1. Seemingly endless: VAST.

2. Like many gazebos: OCTAGONAL.

3. Water heater: TEA KETTLE - Wrapped by a tea cosy not cozy (similar to raise and raze?)

4. Like Meg, among the March sisters: ELDEST - Little Women

5. Occupied, as a table: SAT AT.

6. Missing: GONE.

7. Topper: LID.

8. Lot surface: ASPHALT.

9. High and dry: STRANDED - How hurricanes can leave boats

10. Chicanery: GUILE.

11. Second-guessing phrase: OR NOT.

14. "Let me be clear": MAKE NO MISTAKE.

16. Some characters in Japanese writing: HIRAGANA - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

18. "Ben-__": HUR - It took 800 workers 4 months to build this recreation of Rome's Circus Maximus for the 13-minute chariot race scene in the 1925 version of Ben-Hur. [Look Below] Today this land has massive lanes of traffic and shops in Culver City, CA.