Friday, May 1st, 2026 ~ John Michael Currie

 MAY  MAYDAY~!

"May Day~? Why, that's the Russian New Year~!"

And the Frawnche reason for the emergency distress call

Happy first of May~! John Michael Currie is a regular here at the LA Times crossword, but it's been  while; his last appearance was in Nov 2024.  Today we have a calm, gimmick-free puzzle compared to last Friday, but alas, "Ah me", we have a dozen names again.  55 theme squares of the total fill, or about 30% of the construction, the theme is basically a simple 'self-regarding' play on words/abbrs, half clever, half not so much.  A standard 15x15 grid, a balance again of 3-, 4- & 5-letter words, no circles, too many names, and a couple of twurds; the themers;  

20. Color commentator's remark about a zebra on the field?: REF REFERENCE - typically an NFL slang term, 'zebra' refers to the REFeree

29. Pickling, canning, headspace, annealing, etc.?: JAR JARGON - I understand pickling and canning, but I had to look up headspace, and annealing in reference to jars

37. Like clockwork, e.g.?: ANALOG ANALOGY - The clip below is too funny - and too sad

Can you tell me what time it is~?

45. Pressing the "permanent press" button?: IRON IRONY - It does seem to be Ironic

The 'perm press' setting is in the center

56. "Words are but wind"?: META METAPHOR - oooh, trippy . . . 

Wait, But More There Is . . .

ACROSS:

1. Departing word: CIAO - Italian lesson

5. "Of course," in Oviedo: CLARO - Español lesson, technically means "clear"; Oviedo is this city in Spain ( geo name #1 ) - see also map at 18A.

10. Chevrolet model until 2019: VOLT - really rough way to start the first row of  Across fills; foreign word/foreign word/name - sheesh, can we get an English words puzzle~?

The Wiki for those who are curious

14. Address letters: HTTP - website address, that is

15. Bleachers shoutout: "HI MOM~!" - this twurd has made 36 other crossword puzzles

16. Biblical plot: EDEN - plot as in land, not story arc

17. Dramatic sigh: "AH ME..."

18. St. Teresa's birthplace: AVILA - geo name #2 - more here

Dos cuidades

19. Succeeding: NEXT

23. Created hazardous driving conditions, perhaps: SLEETED - uh-huh . . .

24. Two-digit sign: PEACE - my parents, both born in the UK, made it clear that "palm in" was a far more vulgar version of the sign . . . 

The origins of the "V" for Victory ( peace ) sign

28. Org. that promotes vegan leather: PETA - Tuesday Dupe

33. Quaint affirmation: "'TIS"

35. Sticky stuff: GOO

36. Abnormal: ODD

42. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, for one: DUO - names #3 - the Wiki, and a tie-in to 4D.

43. Comedian Wong: ALI - name #4; see also the last Down clue

44. Prefix with binary: NON

49. Swim/bike/run races, briefly: TRIs - meh, a semi-abbr for triathlon

52. Growing alarm: PANIC - "Not only is it slightly cheaper, it has the words DON'T PANIC printed in large, friendly letters on its cover"

The Hichhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

53. Lifeblood: ESSENCE

60. Place to find one's credit history?: IMDb - the Internet Movie Database, and film credits

63. Home of Creighton University: OMAHA - filled via perps, geo name #5

64. Net: EARN - think paycheck

65. Tarot figure carrying a bindle: FOOL

From the Rider-Waite Deck

66. Program broadcast from Rockefeller Plaza: TODAY - good clue/answer for this fill; I didn't know it

67. Gastropub pours: ALES - a WAG

68. Maker of Inzone gaming gear: SONY - got most via perps; name (ish)

69. Presents inaccurately, as data: SKEWS

70. Try out: TEST

DOWN:

1. Nears burning: CHARS - I got it, but it seems slightly 'off ' - I mean, the outside is burned . . . 

2. Geek Squad offering: IT HELP - this has appeared in seven other puzzles

I can't see the problem . . .

3. Charge for cash: ATM FEE - this has appeared in twenty other grids

4. Gilbert and Sullivan work: OPERETTA - filled via perps; I recognize the names, but not their legacy

5. Abrade: CHAFE - not SCUFF

6. Club record holder?: LIVE DJ - not a unique fill

7. "The Kite Runner" boy: AMIR - a name, #6, a book, and a movie - it's IMDb

8. Part: ROLE

9. Yemen neighbor: OMAN - geo name #7

10. Deceptive layer: VENEER - I suppose "deceptive" refers more to a persona, than, say, furniture

11. Amanda Gorman's "An __ We Owe": ODE - the poem, here; name (ish)

12. Latin law: LEX - oops, not RES; I can't remember a 'thing' 🙄

13. Boom operator's need?: TNT - har-har; trying to be fresh with a stale fill

21. Cybercommerce: eTAIL

22. Audit firm exec: CPA - Certified Public Accountant, CW staple

25. Spellbound: AGOG - Dah~! Not AWED; only 25% correct

26. "Dirt Cheap" country singer Johnson: CODY - the sentimental YouTube music video, name #8

27. Terminus: END

30. "From the top": AGAIN

31. Kim Possible sidekick __ Stoppable: RON - name #9 - Here's a family tree I found - I also noted that the Downy in-wash scent booster "Unstopables" product is spelled wrong . . . 

Coor's Artic Ice ( missing the inner c ) is another example

32. Cusack of the "Toy Story" franchise: JOAN - I tried John, her brother, just one letter off, but still Bzzzzt~!  name #10

34. Skyrocket: SOAR

37. Lighting effect: AURA - I tried HALO . . . 

38. Lunch hour, for some: NOON - neither ONE PM nor TWO PM would fit

39. Mop & __: GLO - More product spelling trickery - from founders John Mop & Tom Glo 😜

I don't use Mop & Glo, but I do have the spin bucket

40. "__ luck!": LOTSA - two Fridays in a row with this answer

41. How viral videos might be played: ON REPEAT - also not a unique fill

42. Short decline: DIP - I notice the price of gasoline spikes, but only "dips" back to its previous level

46. With quick movements: NIMBLY

47. Clinch: ICE - like a playoff spot

48. Rodeo cry: "YEEHAW~!" - has made two other crosswords

50. Half of a meditative refrain: INHALE - Exhale . . . Omm . . .

Eddie Van "Inhalen"

51. Film compositions: SCORES - Ah.  I filled in FRAMES; well, they are composed of frames . . .

54. Collar supports: STAYS

55. Dada pioneer Max: ERNST - name #11, but I learned this from doing crosswords - bizarre stuff

57. Fries alternative: TOTS - I got flak from my gym class people because I made my shepherd's pie "wrong" - tater tots are not the "same thing" as mashed potatoes 🙄

...and then my trainer says "It does look good~!"

58. Out of control: AMOK

59. Not natural: MADE - I guess . . . Friday vague

60. Hypotheticals: 'IFs' - A Pulp Fiction quote two weeks in a row . . . here's the NSFW clip with Jules on the phone to Mr. Wallace

61. Ranch sound: MOO - take your guess; BAA, MAA, "GIT~!" 😜

62. Put on: DON - "on" and "on" in clue & answer, a bit weak . . . but then again, the alternate is a name

Splynter

Grid Flow 22.7

Monday November 11, 2024 John Michael Currie

  

Today is Veterans Day (USA) and Remembrance Day (Australia, Canada, and the UK).

To all the veterans on The Corner, thank you for your service!

sumdaze here with my 100th blog on The Corner. It feels like only yesterday....

Constructor John Michael Currie returns this week, bringing a gentle touch. The theme is: 

Soft Serve

These are the four themed clues:

17 Across. Campy photo booth accessory: FEATHER BOA.  

Some people rent photo booths for their events. I have been to weddings that had them. Outside the booth there were various accessories one could put on to create a fun photo. These are example pictures from the internet.  

25 Across. Southern California's June Gloom, essentially: CLOUD COVER.  

We get June Gloom here on the Central Coast, too. We also say "May Gray". Some people add "No Sky July" and "Fogust" but that might be going a bit too far. The marine layer usually burns off around midday, revealing a sunny sky.  explanation from a San Diego weatherman

38 Across. Candy treat shaped like a chick or bunny: MARSHMALLOW PEEP.  

46 Across. Sleepover hideaway: PILLOW FORT.  

The reveal ties these all together:

57. Trial period for a new product, and what 17-, 25-, 38-, and 46-Across all have?: SOFT LAUNCH.

A LAUNCH is the start of an event. Each of the themed clues starts with something SOFT (FEATHER, CLOUD, MARSHMALLOW, and PILLOW). I like it!

Here are the rest of the clues & answers:

Across:

1. __-dab in the middle: SMACK.  This was a fun start, erm LAUNCH!  

SMACK-dab means exactly; precisely; right in place or time; squarely. Its first known use was in an American publication in 1892.

6. Smartphone downloads: APPS.  How many are on your phone?

10. Paper money: CASH.     and     28 Across. 10-Across, slangily: MOOLAH.

14. City west of Venice: PADUA.  PADUA has two UNESCO World Heritage List entries:  the world's oldest Botanical Garden and its 14th-century frescos.

15. Shave (down): PARE.  

16. Spanish eight: OCHO.  Here's a Spanish cover version of a song you likely know:  

OCHO días por semana...  𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮

19. Comics icon Lee: STAN.  (1922-2018) Fans loved his cameos in the Marvel movies. Here's a quick one from Avengers: Endgame (2019).

20. Epitome of slowness: SNAIL.  An epitome is a typical or ideal example; embodiment. 

21. __ acid: AMINO.  Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins. They play a crucial role in the body’s functioning and are vital for growth and development.  functions & food sources

22. "Oorah!" military org.: USMC.  Marines say "Oorah!" and Army soldiers say "Hooah!".

30. Fish eggs: ROE.

31. Assumed name: ALIAS.

32. Gravy vessel: BOAT.  I liked this November angle on a common word!

34. Goes (for): OPTS.  

41. Some Fidelity offerings, for short: IRAS.  Fidelity Investments is a financial services company headquartered in Boston.

42. Fades to black: ENDS.  

43. Snorer's affliction: APNEA.  Mayo Clinic info on sleep APNEA

44. Gut punch reaction: OOF.     intersects     44 Down. Alley-__: OOP.  

45. Trademarked pastry creation: CRONUT.  CROissant + doughNUT = CRONUT  

52. Weightlifter's units: REPS.  How many REPS are needed to burn off the calories in one CRONUT?

53. Furnish with gear: EQUIP.  One might equip (not an abbreviation) themself with equip. (abbreviation for "equipment").

54. For starters: FIRST.  This M-W article about FIRST vs. firstly is for the word nerds (like me).

56. Skeet shout: PULL.  I linked a video about skeet shooting two weeks ago. In trap shooting, the participant calls, "PULL" when they are ready for the target to be thrown.

62. Flowerpot spot: SILL.  I think of the SILL as being on the inside and the ledge as being on the outside but I found this on a window installation company's website:

Despite common belief, the window sill is found on the outside of the home. Inside the home, the part of the window often called the "sill" is actually the stool. However, the stool is often described as the sill, even by window experts.
Hmmmmm.......  🤔

63. Mideast canal: SUEZ.  

64. Battery terminal: ANODE.

65. "The __-bitsy spider ... ": ITSY.

66. Lean and muscular: WIRY.  Def: (adj.) Being lean, supple, and vigorous; sinewy.  

Both of these men are lean and muscular, 
but I would call only one of them WIRY.

67. "Heavens to __!": BETSY.  Land sakes! This one took me down a rabbit hole trying to find its origin.  more

Down:

1. Beach bottle no.: SPF.  

Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)  ~  Baz Luhrmann  ~  1997

2. Actress Whitman: MAE.  Mae's IMDb page

3. Toothpaste-endorsing org.: ADA.  American Dental Association  

4. Doesn't make history?: CUTS CLASS.  Good one! The student skipped history class.

5. "Clue" actress Madeline: KAHN.  She played Mrs. White in the 1985 movie. (58 sec.) 

6. Diamond birthstone month: APRIL.  

(Click to expand.)
I wonder how the November people feel about this.

7. "Halo" star Schreiber: PABLO.  Pablo's IMDb page

8. In favor of: PRO.

9. __ urchin: SEA.  Purple SEA urchins got out of hand and began destroying the kelp forests along the CA coast when their predators, starfish, began to die off. Here is a news story about what the scientists are doing to reverse the damage. (3:32 min.) 

10. Pink cocktail, familiarly: COSMO.  

Sex in the City's Samantha, Carrie, and Charlotte with their COSMOs.

11. Last part of a play, perhaps: ACT IV.  Applause was too long.

12. MacGowan of the Pogues: SHANE.  (1957 - 2023) Born in Kent, England, he was a singer-songwriter, musician, and poet best know as the lead vocalist in the Celtic punk band the Pogues.

13. Accept, as a coupon: HONOR.

18. A pop: EACH.

21. Card with no face or number: ACE.  

It was not standard for playing cards to have numbers on them until the 1860s.  

22. Savory quality: UMAMI.  UMAMI means "delicious savory taste" in Japanese. It is one of the basic five tastes, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It is often described as "the meaty, savory deliciousness that deepens flavor", but it is not necessarily restricted to meat. Mushrooms and tomatoes can have an UMAMI taste, for example.

23. Renewable energy source: SOLAR.  CSO to unclefred!

24. Catherine's "Schitt's Creek" role: MOIRA.  Catherine O'Hara played MOIRA Rose on this TV series (2015-2020).

26. Mountain range from Kazakhstan to the Arctic Ocean: URALS.  

27. Inflict upon: DO TO.  

29. Fire residue: ASH.

32. National park in Alberta: BANFF.  Established in 1885, Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park. It encompasses 2,564 sq. mi. (6,641 sq. km.) in the Canadian Rockies. (That is a little larger than the State of Delaware!) The scenery is gorgeous in every direction!

I took this picture last summer of Mt. Rundle and the Bow River outside the town of Banff.

33. On in years: OLD.  "Getting on in years" is an idiom that means "becoming elderly".

34. Perfectly timed: OPPORTUNE.  

35. Tubular pasta: PENNE.  

Besides being tubular, another feature of PENNE
is its diagonally cut ends.

36. Start, as a golf round: TEE UP.  In golf, when you TEE UP a ball, you place it on a tee so that it is ready for you to hit it.  

This one is for Husker Gary.

37. Petty quarrels: SPATS.     and     40 Down. Armed conflict: WAR.

39. Cat's noise: MEOW.  

45. Keyboard shortcut starter: CTRL.  CTRL is a key on PCs.

46. Cola brand: PEPSI.

47. "That's it for me!": I QUIT.

48. Calm periods: LULLS.

49. Pharmaceutical giant Eli __: LILLY.  Eli Lilly and Company (dba Lilly) is an American multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, IN. Eli Lilly was a Union Army veteran and pharmaceutical chemist who founded the company in 1876. Lilly was the first company to mass-produce the polio vaccine and insulin.

50. Proposal: OFFER.  

51. Posh: RITZY.  RITZY entered English in 1919 to describe the ostentatiously fancy lifestyles of the guests who could afford to stay at the hotels owned by César Ritz (1850-1918). The enterprise is now the Ritz-Carlton hotel company.  

In 1934 Nabisco used the RITZ name to give depression-era shoppers a 
taste of the good life, but the crackers were not connected to the hotels.
I imagine that would be a big law suit today!

55. Onetime Swedish automaker: SAAB.  The company was founded in 1945 and went defunct in 2016.

57. NNE opposite: SSW.  compass directions

58. French yes: OUI.  

59. Do __ disturb: NOT.  I set my cell phone to 'Do Not Disturb' from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Whatever it is, it can wait.

60. Media that's burned before reading: CDS.  "Burned" is the term used to mean the information is imprinted onto a CD.  

Talk about burning media....

"This tape will self-destruct in five seconds."

Peter Graves  ~  Mission: Impossible  ~  1966-1973 TV series

61. "Listen up!": HEY.  I can hear my grandmother answering, "Hay is for horses and cows." In other words, she thought it was impolite to try to get attention by hollering, "Hey!" 

It is time for the grid:

Have a great day, everyone!