Wednesday, Dec 3rd, 2025 ~ John Harrington

  BRAIN CRAMP

I'm a fan of the Canucks, like Bert  - or perhaps you know of this card game

I do the DOWN clues to start, so I quickly discovered that the theme was DOWN, as well - and I know there are a few visitors to the Corner who are not fond of this type of construction, and now, combined with the always admired circles - just like yesterday~!.  Sigh.   John had one other contribution to the LA Times in the past, almost four years ago to the day with a similar theme that Boomer covered.  I have not had the pleasure of blogging one of his puzzles; I am totally impressed with the theme fills, and their clever arrangement, but some of the other clue/answers didn't thrill me.  A handful of names, 24 each of four- and five-letter words - more than the 17 3LWs - a 15x15 grid, and three unique (*) fills; 

5. The Guess Who song covered by Lenny Kravitz: AMERICAN WOMAN* - I never cared for the original, so the remake did nothing for me - sorry.  

10. Principle that anything that can go wrong will go wrong: MURPHY'S LAW - There are more now;

I have proven the Workshop law too many times to count - hardware as well as tools

19. Comedian's self-deprecating assurance: "I'M HERE ALL WEEK.~!"* - Ba-dum-tiss

29. Unseen collective character on "The Office": CAMERA CREW

I so wanted to link the "best of" this phrase, but it's NSF Work - ironically

7. Routine before a race, or what can be found in this puzzle's circled letters: 

WARM UP STRETCHES* - The circles denote the letters W A R M that s-t-r-e-t-c-h "up" the theme answers - one needs to limber up the noggin before working a crossword puzzle . . . .

Grid Flow is 35.2, roughly the average

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. __ lines: mysterious geoglyphs in Peru: NAZCA - I like watching "Ancient Aliens", and the Lines are a frequent topic on that show - the Wiki; geo name#1

And now A I has discovered 300+ more glyphs - the website

6. Couple: TWO

9. Love, in Spanish: AMOR

13. Geometry class statement: AXIOM - here's an explanation, sort of . . . 

14. Ink pouches: SACS

16. Knockoff version: DUPE - no abbr indicated for "duplicate"

17. Chop finely: MINCE - my AXLE/IRON made this  - L O C - , so I knew something was not right

18. Some Hollywood red-carpet events: PREMIERES - Solid fill

20. Go along with: ESCORT

Air Force One with a fighter "escort"

22. Formal address: MA'AM

23. Con's opposite: PRO - Corrections Officer was too long 😜

24. Celebratory gesture after a success: AIR PUNCH

'tis the season~!

26. "You __ one job!": "HAD~!"

27. TV network based in Central London: BBC - network #1, the "beeb"

30. Complain: CARP

A goldfish carp - get it~?

31. "Claws" actor Jack: KESY - No clue, filled via perps; his IMDb; name #2

33. In the style of, on French menus: À LA

34. Sailor's "Halt!": "AVAST~!"

36. Puts one's feet up: RESTS

39. Instant noodles option: RAMEN - I made my mac N cheese for Thanksgiving, but when I opened this box of Penne, it had Rotini in it

It's an "im-pasta"

41. Ultimate degree: Nth

42. Razzle-dazzle: ÉCLAT - more Frawnche, "burst out"

43. "Sullivan's Crossing" channel: THE CW - network #2 , never watched, filled via perps - name (ish)

44. Caribbean island near Venezuela: ARUBA - geo name #2

46. Blackjack card: ACE - see also 63D.

47. Crucifix: ROOD - My US History teacher in high school was Mr. Rood; he claimed his "rock band" went by the name "Merchants of Death", from the historical WWI pejorative - and he would tell us on Fridays to "make it a better weekend for someone else.", which I always appreciated.

49. Track legend Zátopek: EMIL - name #3

50. __ factor: WOW

51. AIT scanner org.: TSA - three days in a row now; Advanced Imaging Technology, Transportation Security Admin.

53. Spaghetti topper: MEATBALL

Looked so good when I wrote the blog, I went and made more "Ro-Penne" with meatballs

Or is it Pen-tini~?

56. "Monsters, __": INC.

57. With, on French menus: AVEC - more more Frawnche; without = sans

58. Dives like a hawk: SWOOPS

62. Taylor Swift hit that aptly spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100: FORTNIGHT

65. Easy-to-spot jigsaw pieces: EDGES - I had a picture of Cooper made into a jigsaw puzzle as a present for my sister-in-law last year; she and my brother are tackling it now to be done before this Christmas

Me 'n Cooper, loungin' on the couch

66. Release: FREE - messed up my "SPATS" @ 51D.

67. In __ of: LIEU - send donations to the Splynter board game fund in lieu of flowers . . . .

68. Everglades wading bird: EGRET - showed up in Monday's puzzle, too - I lived in Florida for two years, don't  rEGRET moving 😜

69. Threaded together: SEWN

70. Form 1099 fig.: SSN - IRS didn't work

71. Falls (over): KEELS

DOWN:

1. Topic of conversation for parents-to-be: NAME - #. 1. name.  Ha~!

2. Turning point?: AXIS - I put in AXLE, but in retrospect, an axle is not really a "point"

3. Multivitamin element: ZINC - Dah~!  Not IRON

4. Drinkable chocolate: COCOA - I like Ryze mushroom cocoa, but it does not make me as sleepy as advertised

6. Cook's meas.: TSP - a "tisp" is smaller than a tibble-spip, ( TBSP ) amounts I am working with when following a 'ree-sype'

8. One of a geographic quintet: OCEAN - Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, Antarctic - which is now called Southern

9. Summery drink suffix: ADE - hi Lemonade~!

11. "Tosca," for one: OPERA

12. Fill in, as a bare spot in a yard: RESOD

I think I see a "bare spot" in the yard

15. Noisy kiss: SMACK

21. Chiefs star Kelce, to fans: TRAV - Since I am so NOT a Chiefs fan, I had no clue; this season, no NFL team seems to be the run-away favorite, as far as I can tell - name #4

25. Sanskrit for "life force": PRANA - ooops, not ASANA - that's a hatha yoga posture

27. Oldest Simpson kid: BART - Lisa, & Maggie haven't aged a day in almost 40 years - name #5

28. Ho-hum: "BLAH."

32. Min. fraction: SEC

35. Stick out like a sore __: THUMB

37. Food truck fare: TACO

38. Nurse a grudge, say: STEW - we already had several 'food' clues & answers

40. Green prefix: ECO

45. Slant: BIAS

48. New Jersey NHL player: DEVIL - I lived in Albany, NY, which is home to their farm team, the River Rats

51. Petty quarrels: TIFFS - my answer was Bzzzt~!

52. "Zzz" sound: SNORE - I prefer this ZZ sound

A post-Thanksgiving "TV Dinners", ZZ top

54. Protection: AEGIS - filled via perps; the OE dictionary says it's of Greek origin meaning "shield"

55. Ski resort building: LODGE - A-FRAME didn't fit

59. Fantasy heavy: OGRE

60. Banana skin: PEEL

61. Retired jets, briefly: SSTs - Super-Sonic TransportS - The Concorde, e.g. - this fill has been making a comeback, lately

63. Royal flush card: TEN - had to change my ACE here due to its showing up for Blackjack @ 46A.

64. Winery vat: TUN - filled via perps; etymology here

Splynter

Monday December 13, 2021 John Harrington

Theme: OUT OF ORDER (62. Like a nonfunctioning vending machine, or what the circled letters are, in two ways) - The circled letters are anagrams of ORDER.

17. TV Mister with a "neighborhood": FRED ROGERS.

23. Regular cybersecurity measure: PASSWORD RESET.

40. Agatha Christie play set in Egypt: MURDER ON THE NILE.

51. Self-inflicted tennis mistake: UNFORCED ERROR.

Boomer here. Congrats to John on his crossword debut!

Last week Minnesota celebrated the election of Tony Oliva and Jim Kaat to the major league baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  I think I may have mentioned that Jim Kaat used to ORDER pizza from a pizza restaurant where I worked at the time (mid 1960s).  Later in the 1980s I used to run a fund raising baseball card show for a scholarship foundation in memory of my daughter.  Debbie passed away too early at the age of ten.  Mr. Kaat came to the show and signed autographs to those who requested.  Also the organist for the Twins, Ronnie Neuman came that day and pounded out a few great songs on an organ I used to own and had hauled it up to the school on  my pickup truck.  

What a great memory I have of that day.  I believe my foundation raised $2200.00 that year!   

Kaat and Oliva

 

Across:

1. To __ her own: EACH.

5. Work on, as a bone: GNAW.  I bought some boneless steaks, but I still had to GNAW.

9. Swedish pop group: ABBA.  The members of the group are still alive - ages 71 - 76.

13. Pond plant with floating "pads": LILY.  Remember MS. Tomlin on "Laugh In."

14. "West Side Story" heroine: MARIA.  "Say it loud and there's music playing, say it soft and it's almost like praying." 

16. Golf scorecard numbers: PARS.  Sorry, you won't see too many of those numbers on my scorecard.  I remember C.C. carded 19 birdies in one year.  Back in healthier days for both of us.

19. MADD ads, e.g.: PSAS.  Last reading, my PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) was a bit high.

20. Achy from exercise: SORE.  I have no problem getting SORE without exercise.

21. Italian half-dozen: SEI.

22. The "L" in "SNL": LIVE.  "LIVE, from New York, It's Saturday Night !!"

27. Thurman on screen: UMA.

29. Crumpets drink: TEA.  For Two

30. Enjoy a meal: EAT.  Sometimes EAT and Enjoy do not go together.

31. Fulfill fully: SATE.

33. Things best not all put in one basket?: EGGS.  Scramble a few.

36. Ocean levels: TIDES.  In and out daily.  I guess the moon causes them.

43. Identify as yours, as baggage: CLAIM.

44. College sports org.: NCAA.  The big Basketball Tournament is coming.  Place your bets.

45. Man or Wight: ISLE.

46. Spanish aunt: TIA.

48. First-aid set: KIT.  Mr. Carson of the old west.

50. Cell pic taker: CAM.  I am no good at this,  I have a forty year old camera. 

57. Get close to: NEAR.

58. Charlemagne's domain, for short: HRE. Holy Roman Empire.

59. Disney exec Robert: IGER.  I have been to both Disneyland, and Disney World.  Fascinating places a long way from Minnesota.  We just sold a couple of key chains from each park on eBay.

61. Painter of limp watches: DALI.

66. Memorable lioness: ELSA.

67. Performance sometimes seen through glasses: OPERA.  I have never been to one.

68. German article: EINE.  When I was in Hardheim Germany, "Eine Bier" was a common order from the bar.

69. Rod partner: REEL.  Well known in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes"

70. "Jurassic Park" menace, briefly: T-REX. Tyrannosaurus rex.

71. "Halt!": STOP.  These Octagon signs were all yellow when I was young. 

Down:

1. Santa helper: ELF.  I'll bet they are busy at the North Pole this time of year.

2. Broadcasts: AIRS.

3. Antony's last spouse: CLEOPATRA.  "When I think of Elizabeth Taylor...."

4. Monster slain by Hercules: HYDRA.

5. Modern food concern, briefly: GMO.  Genetically Modified Organism.

6. Old horse: NAG.  Mr. Ed was NOT a NAG !!

7. "Am not!" reply: ARE SO.

8. Electrical job: WIRER.  The Job is a job.  The guy who does it is an Electrician.

9. Drink replacing "mar" with an apt fruit: APPLETINI.

10. Foundation: BASIS.

11. Courageous: BRAVE.  "Land of the free and home of the BRAVE."

12. Balance sheet item: ASSET.  Bowling balls and golf clubs are NOT ASSETS.

15. "Step __!": "Outta my way!": ASIDE.  "A SIDE" order of fries.

18. Take a break: REST.  Not yet, I am almost done.

24. Prophet: SEER.

25. Old West vehicle: WAGON.  I noticed that they are running "WAGON TRAIN" reruns now on one of my cable channels.

26. Per-hour amount: RATE.  It's been a long time ago since I worked "Per Hour".

27. "Semper Fi" org.: USMC.  Thank you for your service.

28. Hammering tool: MAUL.

32. Opinion piece: EDITORIAL.  I kind of skim by these pages.  I am not interested in others opinion.  Just the facts!

34. Health supplements co.: GNC.  General Nutrition Center.

35. Vampire's undoing: STAKE.

37. Cast doubt on: DISCREDIT.

38. Scat legend Fitzgerald: ELLA. "The First Lady of SONG"

39. Apparently are: SEEM.

41. Mideast ruler: EMIR.

42. Win by a __: barely beat: HAIR.  "Gimme a head with HAIR, Long beautiful HAIR.  Shinin' Gleamin' Streamin' Flaxen Waxin"

47. Sneezing sound: ACHOO.  KAZOO Height.

49. Emerson, Lake & Palmer, e.g.: TRIO.  Chad Mitchell plus two. Became the Mitchell TRIO when Chad left and was replaced by John Denver.

51. Beneath: UNDER.

52. Author Zora __ Hurston: NEALE.

53. True-__ test: FALSE.  Pretty easy.  If you do not know the answer, you have a 50-50 chance.

54. Explode in rage: ERUPT.  Billy Martin and an Umpire !!

55. Try to stop: DETER.

56. Shrek and family: OGRES.

60. City sometimes mistaken for the capital of Nevada: RENO.  Been there quite a bit for the Bowling Center.  It is HUGE.  Not so much anymore.

63. Mined resource: ORE.  Never been to Oregon.

64. Obsolescent document transmitter: FAX.

65. One ab crunch, say: REP.  I never did these either.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

I'm so sorry to let you know that dear Spitzboov (Al) passed away last night. I'm just so devastated. He's such a generous, kind soul. He gave me so much advice over the years. He gifted me this flag when I became a US citizen. 

I'm so lucky to have known you and collaborated with you on a few puzzles, Al, I'll always remember you! I also want to thank Al's son Peter for keeping me updated on his situation. 

Please accept our deepest sympathies on your loss, Betty, Anita (Al's sister), Peter, Chris and Mark (Al's sons)!

Spitzboov and Betty at the US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT.  2012.