Thursday, July 17, 2025, Katie Hale, Doug Peterson

Theme:  Multiuse implements.

Alton Brown, the cook, TV personality, and food scientist, abhors a single use tool in the kitchen.  If it only does one job, it's wasting space.  Alton might approve of the multiuse implements in today's theme answers, which give second meanings to common phrases.

"The only unitasker allowed in my kitchen is a fire extinguisher."
-- Alton Brown

Katie Hale and Doug Peterson have constructed many crosswords, alone and in collaboration with others.  Their theme answers today are symmetrically placed in rows Across, with two answers spanning the width of the grid.  The reinterpreted phrases all involve implements of some kind.

The theme clues and answers are:

17. E-readers?: LITERARY DEVICES.  Literary devices are generally understood to be writing techniques like metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, alliteration, and irony.  But our clever crossword creators think that Amazon's Kindle, Apple's iPad, and similar electronic tablets used for reading literature can also be called literary devices.

30. Printing press?: TIME MACHINE.  H.G. Wells published The Time Machine in 1895, planting in our minds the idea of a machine that facilitates time travel.  But Katie and Doug think the big machine that prints the glossy bi-weekly issues of Time is also a Time machine.

47. Zambonis?: GARDEN TOOLS.  Zambonis are ice resurfacing machines used in skating rinks, like Madison Square Garden.  If they are used at the Garden, can't they also be thought of as Garden tools?

62. Magnifying glass?: INSPECTOR GADGET.  You're probably familiar with Inspector Gadget, the police inspector with thousands of high tech gadgets installed in his body.  But since inspectors of various kinds may use a magnifying glass in their work, isn't one of those an inspector gadget, too?

I'm curious to know whether you interpreted the theme the same way I did.  Meanwhile, here's how I solved the rest of it:

Across:

1. "Cabaret" star Minnelli: LIZA.  Liza Minnelli starred in the 1972 musical film about bohemian characters in Berlin against a background of rising Nazism.

5. Word with sweet or candy: CORN.

9. Bolivian city ESE of Lima: LA PAZ.  La Paz, Bolivia is ESE of Lima, Peru.

14. Long-horned goat: IBEX.

15. Part of a Hawaiian honeymoon, perhaps: LUAU.

16. Thumbnail, e.g.: IMAGE.  A thumbnail is a small image representation of a larger image, usually intended to make it easier and faster to look at or manage a group of larger images.

17. [Theme clue]

20. Beauty spot: SALON.

21. Something to build on: SITE.

22. Cost fig.: EST.  One type of cost figure (abbreviated) is an estimate.

23. Member of K-pop's BTS: SUGA.  Min Yoon-gi is a South Korean rapper, songwriter, record producer, and member of the K-pop group BTS. He uses the stage names Suga for BTS and Agust D for his solo work. He is BTS's lead rapper.  All perps (perpendicular entries) for me.  Any fans here?

Suga

25. Holds or saves, e.g.: STAT.  A hold or a save is a baseball statistic.  Usually, if the answer is abbreviated, the clue is also abbreviated.  Hold and save aren't abbreviations, but I suppose sports fans use "stat" so often, they might not think of it as an abbreviation.

27. Retro taper: VCR.  My first mental image for "taper" was of a tall candle, but this "taper" was used to tape TV shows and movies.

30. [Theme clue]

35. Component of many detergents: WHITENER.  A few years ago, I discovered Patric Richardson's show, The Laundry Guy, on HGTV, and then read his book, Laundry Love, when it was pubished in 2021.  He is a phenomenon.  I have retrained our adult children so that none of us buys bottled detergents or dryer sheets anymore.  For whites, all you need are soap flakes and oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate).  Life changing!

Patric Richardson

37. Wiped out: TIRED.

38. Tolerate, quaintly: BIDE.  Bide is an old fashioned word meaning to wait, to withstand, or to tolerate.  "He couldn't bide children on his property."

39. Contort: GNARL.  Gnarl as a verb can mean snarl or growl, or it can mean to twist into a state of deformity.  As a noun, a gnarl is a hard protruberance with twisted grain on a tree.

42. Spot for some Christmas decorations: EAVE.

43. Home of the Vols: U TENN.  A gimme for me!  DH is a UT grad and loyal vol.  During the war of 1812, Tennessee was called the Volunteer State, and the nickname was reinforced during Texas's 1836 War for Independence from Mexico, and again during the Mexican-American War of 1846.

45. More than is necessary: TOO OFTEN.

47. [Theme clue]

50. Filler syllables: ERS.  Er, um, uh, like ...

51. Wide band: SASH.

52. German woman: FRAU.

54. Item that's waxed: SKI.

57. Dabbling duck: TEAL.  Dabbling ducks feed mainly at the water's surface rather than by diving.

Look how tiny the Green-Winged Teal is compared to the Mallards!

59. Possible response to 41-Down: I KNOW.

62. [Theme clue]

66. Cast list: ROLES.

67. Move by small increments: INCH.  People inch forward in their cars when traffic is heavy, or they inch forward on tiptoes to sneak up on someone or something.

An inchworm shows us how it's done.

68. Messes up: ERRS.

69. Bring to bear: EXERT.

70. Take to a booth: SEAT.

71. Overdo the aftershave, say: REEK.

Down:

1. "Lip Gloss" rapper __ Mama: LIL.  "Lip Gloss" was the 2007 debut single by hip-hop artist Lil Mama. Rated G for all audiences.

Lil Mama -- Lip Gloss

2. African wading bird: IBIS.

3. Epsilon follower: ZETA.  Greek to me.

4. Rink moves: AXELS.

5. Ringing sounds from old trolley bells: CLANGING.

6. "__ Planet": David Attenborough series: OUR.  Our Planet is a 2019 nature documentary series made for Netflix, narrated by David Attenborough.  The series focuses on the wildlife and natural wonders of eight different ecosystems, and is noted for its focus on humans' impact on the environment, especially how climate change impacts all living creatures.

7. Bright beams: RAYS.

8. Revealing lifestyle choice?: NUDISM.

9. Magic show, for one: LIVE ACT.

10. "__ imagining things?": AM I.

11. Walk worriedly: PACE.  Pacing is underrated.  DH burns lots of calories this way while speaking with clients and associates on the phone.

12. Factors in baby clothing sizes: AGES.

13. Ingredient in marmalade: ZEST.

18. Map guidance: ROUTE.

19. "Tell Mama" singer James: ETTA.

24. Grace closer: AMEN.

26. Pincher: THIEF.

27. Beetle with brakes: VW BUG.  The Volkswagen Beetle (often called the VW Bug) was a small car produced by the German company Volkswagen from 1938 to 2003.  My first husband had a barely functional VW Bug when we married.  We spent weekends "bleeding" the brakes in hopes that they'd stop the car when necessary.

1967 Volkswagen Beetle

28. Tony winner Rivera: CHITA.  Chita Rivera was an American actress, singer, and dancer.  She received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and a Drama League Award. She was the first Latino American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.  She won the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018.  She passed away just after her 91st birthday last year.

Chita Rivera

29. Legislative addition: RIDER.  A legislative rider is a provision added to a bill that may not be directly related to the bill's main subject matter. These riders are often added to urgent legislation, like appropriations bills, to enact controversial policies that might not pass on their own.

31. Sister of Calliope: ERATO.  In Greek mythology, the Muses were the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts.  By the Classical period, the number of Muses was standardized to nine:  Calliope, Clio, Polyhymnia, Euterpe, Terpsichore, Erato, Melpomene, Thalia, and Urania.  Calliope is all about eloquence and epic poetry; she has a lovely voice.  Erato is the muse of erotic poetry, and she is quite seductive.

Roman statue of Erato (2nd century AD)

32. Likely to storm off: IRATE.

33. Unequivocal turndown: NEVER.

34. Perfect places: EDENS.

36. Watches over: TENDS.

40. Spot for some Christmas decorations: ROOF.

41. "Ha, so true": LOL RIGHT.  Text speak for: Laughing Out Loud, right?

44. Worthy of a handwriting award: NEATEST.

46. "Shogun" setting: OSAKA.  Shōgun is an historical drama television series broadcast on FX in 2024.  It is based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell, which was previously adapted into a 1980 television miniseries.  

Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko in Shogun

48. Fraction of a min.: NSEC.  A nanosecond (ns or nsec) is one-billionth (10⁻⁹) of a second.

49. "To clarify ... ": THAT IS.

53. Supervised by: UNDER.

54. Kingly address: SIRE.

55. Fort guarded by the U.S. Mint Police: KNOX.

56. Shetland element: ISLE.  Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. 

58. Sole: LONE.

60. Large fantasy antagonist: OGRE.

61. Beyoncé's "If I __ a Boy": WERE.

63. On the authority of: PER.  I have almost completed this post as per C.C.'s request.

64. Classic TV brand: RCA.

65. "I expected better from you": TSK.

Here's the grid:

What did you think of Katie and Doug's crossword DEVICES today?  

Did they trick you TOO OFTEN?

Or did you call out I KNOW and end up with the NEATEST grid ever?

-- NaomiZ

P.S.  Today is my 70th birthday!  My mom and I celebrated earlier this week on her 94th.

Friday, April 4, 2025 ~ Katie Hale

Fun with Portmanteaus!

17. The ever-increasing size of deer antlers?: STAGFLATION. Stagnant mashed-up with inflation gets you bigger antlers.

36. Adversaries from Avignon?: FRENEMIES. Frenemies are folks that are friendly even with a dislike or a rivalry - friends & enemies combined.

59. Opinion piece with too many qualifiers?: ADVERTORIAL. An advertisement disguised as an editorial.

11. Symposium focused on spider silk?: WEBINAR. World-Wide-Web merged with seminar.

40. Radio program that plays only whale song?: PODCAST. iPod fused with broadcast. Whales come in pods.

Gotta hand it to Katie for another fun theme.

Across:
1. Service singers: CHOIR. In HS, Eldest made ~$400/mo. for leading the CHOIR.

6. __ latte: CHAI.

10. Bygone airline: TWA. Trans-World Airlines.

13. P-A-G-E turner, maybe: VANNA. Ha! Wheel of Fortune. Cute clue.

14. Brother of Groucho: HARPO.

16. Cool, once: HEP. Hip or HEP, wait for the perp.

17. [See: Theme]

19. Flow back: EBB.

20. Alter ego of Harvey Dent: TWO-FACE. #BatmanComics

21. "Let me try": CAN I. May I, I think, is the proper way to ask(?)

23. Like 51-Across: BRITISH.

24. Grammy-winning soprano Renée: FLEMING. Eldest has met her.

27. Above, poetically: O'ER.

28. Board game with forbidden words: TABOO. Couples friends and us played this in college. There's a word at the top of each drawn card and you have to get your partner to guess it without using the five words below. The opposing team gets a buzzer and monitors clue-r. Once, a buddy's girlfriend, who was a bit ditzy, had to get him to guess orange without using the word "color" or "fruit." Her first clue: "It's the color of an orange!" Buzz! Buzz!

30. Exclamation with a hand clap: BLAM.

31. Actress Davis: GEENA.

34. Makes shiny, in a way: LACQUERS.

36. [See: Theme]

39. Dessert that may be topped with cheddar cheese: APPLE PIE. I prefer ala mode.

Why?

42. Bangladesh's capital: DHAKA.

46. Bakery unit: LOAF.

47. Like a big brother: ELDER.

50. Fish and chips fish: COD.

51. Novelist who created the detective Adam Dalgliesh: P.D. JAMES. WikiP says: "Phyllis Dorothy James White, Baroness James of Holland Park, known professionally as P. D. James, was an English novelist and life peer. Her rise to fame came with her series of detective novels featuring the police commander and poet, Adam Dalgliesh."

53. Maybelline product: MASCARA.

56. Walking stick: CANE.

57. Put back: REPLACE.

58. Rec. device: CAM.

59. [See: Theme]

63. Mex. neighbor: USA.

64. "What are you __!?": DOING. "Um, nothing."

65. Best course of action: PLAN A.

66. "Mic Drop" boy band: BTS. K-Pop boy band that we all should know by now.

67. Airport board info: GATE.

68. Teen magazine of the 1990s: SASSY. I did not remember this one on the racks.

Down:
1. Docs sent to potential employers: CVS. Curriculum Vitae. Academics and the (23a) BRITISH use CV instead of resume. I'm not sure about Canada.

2. Panama spot, perhaps: HAT TREE. Cute.

3. Where to find some Cirque du Soleil performers: ON A WIRE.

4. Gold block: INGOT.

5. "Bananaphone" singer: RAFFI. Children's enterertainer.

6. Ballroom style: CHACHA.

7. Find odious: HATE.

8. Glinda portrayer, to fans: ARI.

9. Co. founder's big day: IPO.

10. North African flower: THE NILE. I always read flora at this type of clue :-)

11. [See: Theme]

12. Police alert, for short: APB. All Points Bulliten.

15. __ and for all: ONCE.

18. Final: LAST.

22. Surprise attack: AMBUSH.

23. Peat spot: BOG.

24. Head inside a bar?: FOAM. Cute.

25. Centers: LOCI.

26. Team execs: GMS. General ManagerS #Baseball

29. Run, as dye: BLEED.

32. Likely Super Bowl viewer: NFL FAN. #Football

33. Exist: ARE.

35. Proof letters: QED. "Quod Erat Demonstrandum," aka "that which was to be demonstrated." Having had many math classes, this was easily proven ;-)

37. Fencing sword: EPEE.

38. Lofgren of the E Street Band: NILS. Nils stepped in for Stevie Ray Zandt after Stevie went solo.

39. Weisshorn, e.g.: ALP.

40. [See: Theme]

41. Bed clothes: PAJAMAS.

43. Trees also known as wattles: ACACIAS.

WikiP

44. Seoul natives: KOREANS.

45. Oral care org.: ADA.

48. Reveal one's true self: EMERGE.

49. Totally focused: RAPT.

52. Renaissance faire quaff: MEAD.

54. Splashes (over): SLOPS.

55. Actress Gugino: CARLA.

57. "La Vie Bohème" musical: RENT.

58. Baby bear: CUB.

60. Pester: DOG. Bug?, Nag?, Nope: DOG.

61. Through: VIA.

62. __ down the law: LAY.

The Grid:

The Grid

My take...
WOs: N/A
ESPs: P.D. James, Sassy (as clued), Acacias
Fav: Clue for Vanna

Cheers, -T

Monday March 3, 2025 Janice Luttrell and Katie Hale

  

Happy Monday, everyone!

Theme:  

Today we have three themed answers. Each begins with a type of HUMBLE ABODE (modest home):

16 Across. Choose as a live-in romantic partner: SHACK UP WITH.

24 Across. Loose frocks with wide bottoms: TENT DRESSES.

38 Across. Count in a marching command: HUT, TWO, THREE, FOUR.

These are tied together with a two-part reveal:

47 Across. With 59-Across, what one might say when entering the starts of 16-, 24-, and 38-Across?: WELCOME TO MY.

59 Across. See 47-Across: HUMBLE ABODE.

These add up to an impressive 59 themed letters!

Sidebar: Do people say "Welcome in" when you enter a shop in your town? I mostly hear it in retail stores but last month the greeter at an art museum said it to me. It always throws me for a bit. Humorist and author David Sedaris in not a fan. In his book The Best of Me, he wrote about going shopping after the Covid lockdown:

The clerk said, "Welcome in". Civilization as we know it ends, but "Welcome in" survives? I realized I should have been grateful everyday I didn't have to hear that. 

Across:

1. "Why __ I think of that?": DIDN'T.

6. Word after folk or fairy: TALE.  The Dewey Decimal System assigns 398.2 to both folk TALEs and fairy TALEs.

10. PD alert: APB.  Police Department and All Points Bulletin

13. Frozen drinks with spoon-straws: ICEES.

14. __ boom: SONIC.

15. Big bucks or the Bucks, for short: MIL.  a MILlion dollars or the MILwaukee basketball team  

18. Logger's tool: AXE.

19. New Year's popper: CORK.

20. Fashion designer Anna: SUI.  unknown to me

This is her Spring line.

21. Desert watering hole: OASIS.

23. Hosp. areas: ORS.  I spent several hours waiting outside of a hospital's Operating Room last Monday. I found a chair next to a window with a view of a beautiful pepper tree. That helped.

27. Med. condition treated by Ritalin: ADHD.

29. Board game played on a map: RISK.  I noticed RISK crossed 26-Down RISE.

30. Sleep study subject: APNEA.

32. Foamy lather: SUDS.

34. Winter flakes: SNOW.

41. Letter-shaped beam: I-BAR.

42. Flower holder: VASE.  

Still Life:  Vase with Twelve Sunflowers  (1888)
Vincent van Gogh
more info.

43. Dorothy nickname: DOTTY.

44. Share a border with: ABUT.

46. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.

52. Fall over: TIP.

55. Simply must: HAS TO.

56. Sundial numeral: III.  The II other possibilities were VII and XII.

57. Short skirt: MINI.

58. "Kings & Queens" singer Max: AVA.  unknown to me

This is the 2020 song referenced in the clue:  

63. Replayed tennis serve: LET.

64. Great Plains Natives: OTOES.

65. "Zip your lip!": CAN IT.  Neither of these exhibit good manners.

66. Mag staff managers: EDS.  Magazine EDitorS

67. Brewer's oven: OAST.

68. Book report, e.g.: ESSAY.

Down:

1. 1970s music genre: DISCO.

2. Blood of the Greek gods: ICHOR.  This one was another learning moment for me. Merriam-Webster's first definition is "(noun) a thin watery or blood-tinged discharge". The second definition is "(n0un) an ethereal fluid taking the place of blood in the veins of the ancient Greek gods." The adjectival form is ichorous. I wondered if it was connected to Icarus (the character who flew too close to the sun), but I did not find a connection (in my very brief search).

3. Start of a letter to the North Pole: DEAR SANTA.

4. Head twister: NECK.  Fun clue!  

5. Scolding sound: TSK.

6. "Namely ... ": TO WIT.

7. Singer DiFranco: ANI.  Today we had SUI, ANI, AVA, and UTA ... but not Uma.

8. Like an amazing party, slangily: LIT.

9. Canyon comebacks: ECHOES.

10. Accumulate: AMASS.

11. Playful sprite: PIXIE.

12. "__ your heart": BLESS.

14. Like a spiderweb: SPUN.

17. Like most donated clothing: USED.

22. Requests: ASKS FOR.

24. Defrost: THAW.

25. Beats Electronics co-founder: DR DRE.  AVA sports a pair of this brand of headphones in the 58-Across video.

26. Get out of bed: RISE. ...and shine! 🌞

28. Take away (from): DETRACT.

30. Tuna variety: AHI.

31. Alehouse: PUB.

32. Illinois or California: STATE.  Hmmmm, could these be Janice's and Katie's home states?

33. Sounds of uncertainty: UHS.

35. Jottings in the margins: NOTATIONS.  article about doodles in medieval margins

36. No longer cool: OUT.  The answer was not hot because hot would also be cool.

37. Dryly humorous: WRY.

39. Egg cell: OVUM.

40. Jittery: EDGY.

45. Sarcastic "So sad": BOO-HOO.

46. Parisian friend: AMIE.

47. Ocean giant: WHALE.  This video of a mother humpback WHALE and her calf was taken in Monterey Bay last October.  

48. Like a roof with an overhang: EAVED.

49. Exams for future attys.: LSATS.

50. Bhutan neighbor: TIBET.     and     53-Down. Bhutan neighbor: INDIA.  

51. Spa supplies: OILS.

54. Saintliness: PIETY.

57. Degs. sometimes paid for by corps.: MBAS.

60. Tony Award winner Hagen: UTA.  (1919-2004)

61. Mar. and Sept.: MOS.  Hmmmm, could these be Janice's and Katie's birthday MOnthS?

62. Low card in gin rummy: ACE.

The grid:

My apologies for the slim pickings today. DH had (crossword favorite) ENT surgery last Monday for a deviated septum. All went well but my priority this past week was to be a good caregiver so I did not have much time for solving, commenting, or blogging. Today I am taking him back to (another crossword favorite) Palo Alto so his doctor can remove the little breathing tubes in his nose -- which I expect will unleash more ICHOR.  😬

Have a good day! I'll read you later....

Sunday January 26, 2025 Amy Johnson & Katie Hale

Theme: "Quality Time" - Common phrases that start with the synonyms of "top quality" are reinterpreted as "Quality of good ...", matching the second word in each theme answer with the profession in each corresponding clue.

23. Quality of good mediums?: PREMIUM CHANNELS.

33. Quality of good photographers?: PARAMOUNT PICTURES.

53. Quality of good pyrotechnicians?: GREAT BALLS OF FIRE.

70. Quality of good detectives?: BEST-CASE SCENARIOS.

91. Quality of good gourd farmers?: SMASHING PUMPKINS.

108. Quality of good politicians?: FIRST CLASS TICKETS.

124. Quality of good architects?: EPIC PROPORTIONS.

Hmm, I thought the answer for "Quality of ...." would be an abstract noun, no? 

Otherwise, the theme entries are all consistent and sparkling. Notice how few proper names and abbrs in this grid. Not surprising from two of our best Sunday puzzle makers.

Across:

1. Faculty leader: DEAN.

5. "How dull": BLAH.

9. "Hot Shots!" or "Hot Fuzz": SPOOF. "Hot Shots!" is a parody of "Rambo". What about "Hot Fuzz"?

14. Harden of the NBA: JAMES. With the Clippers now.

19. Hankering: URGE.

20. Garter trim: LACE. I've never worn a garter.

21. Amp input: AUDIO.

22. Grove fruit: OLIVE.

26. Lower arm bones: ULNAE.

27. Click a magic link: LOG ON. Magic link is password-less.

28. Seed cover: ARIL. The seeds of a pomegranate are called ARILS.

29. Puts into play: USES.

31. "Curious": ODD.

32. Italian time piece?: ORA. Italian for "hour".

39. Sojutsu weapon: SPEAR.

41. Ten hundos: ONE G.

42. "Stay" singer Lisa: LOEB.

43. Colorful reef fish: WRASSE. We also have 135. Move like a fish: SWIM. And 4. Pixar fish: NEMO. Tom Pepper was just snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef last week.

47. Tap annoyance: DRIP.

49. Cutoffs material: DENIM.

59. Like some romance novels: RACY.

60. Playroom detritus: TOYS.

61. Grape also known as shiraz: SYRAH. I want to taste them.

62. Is more efficient, in a way: SAVES GAS.

64. Have a bond with?: OWE TO. In the sense of "I owe it all to him", right?

66. "A Dream Within a Dream" poet: POE.

68. Wild house party: RAGER.

69. Formicarium pet: ANT. Formicarium is an ant farm.

76. In the way of?: ALA.

78. Landlord's document: LEASE.

79. Life game piece: CAR.

80. "__ of the Dead": zom-com starring Simon Pegg: SHAUN.

83. Embers: HOT COALS.

85. Warmest temps: HIGHS.

89. Some fried pods: OKRA.

90. Soft repetition: ECHO.

96. Stroll: MOSEY.

98. "Crescent City" novelist Sarah J. __: MAAS. Don't know her. But happy with the new clue angle.

99. Desert north of the Sahel: SAHARA.

100. Innocent one: NAIF.

103. "Modern Family" dad Dunphy: PHIL.

105. Point __: Northern California cape: REYES.

115. Homer's "neighborino": NED.

117. Biomolecule in some vaccines: RNA.

118. Palette shades: HUES.

119. Actor Rickman: ALAN.

120. Talent show host: EMCEE.

122. "They were with me all day," e.g.: ALIBI.

129. Red Sea republic: YEMEN. 34. Many 129-Across residents: ARABS.

130. "The Birds" actress Hedren: TIPPI. Dakota Johnson is her granddaughter.

131. Check, as a cake for doneness, e.g.: POKE.

132. Composer Satie: ERIK.

133. Reek: STINK.

134. Sneer at: SCORN.

136. Volleyball fixtures: NETS.

Down:

1. Lego brand for younger children: DUPLO.

 

2. Typos: ERRORS.

3. Sibling statistic: AGE GAP.

5. __-ray disc: BLU.

6. "Poetic Justice" rapper Kendrick: LAMAR. He won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

7. Ghana's capital: ACCRA.

8. Pronoun pair: HE/HIM.

9. __ Marino: SAN.

10. Basis of many a popsicle stick joke: PUN.

11. Reverent poem: ODE.

12. Prepare to shine in a bodybuilding contest?: OIL UP.

13. Mary Anning find: FOSSIL. I don't know this lady. Wikipedia says she's a fossil collector and a paleontologist.

14. Participated in a Renaissance sport: JOUSTED.

15. __ or nothing: ALL.

16. Inconsequential: MINOR.

17. Slip by: EVADE.

18. Crunchy salad toppers: SEEDS. I like macadamia nuts.

24. Not completely: IN PART.

25. __ paratha: Indian flatbread: ALOO. With mashed potatoes,

30. Friendly prefix: ECO.

35. Revert to a previous version: UNDO.

36. Football brand: NERF.

37. Quittin' time letters: TGIF.

38. Taxi alternatives: UBERS.

40. Discarded Apples?: E WASTE. Capitalized Apple.

44. "You can __ that again": SAY.

45. Camera shop purchase, briefly: SLR.

46. Slip by: ELAPSE.

48. Like Galileo and Fibonacci: PISAN.

50. "Madama Butterfly" setting: NAGASAKI. Literally "Long Cape" in Japanese. 

51. "Not if __ help it!": I CAN.

52. PC adventure game: MYST.

53. Old Pontiac model: GTO.

54. Verbal spat: ROW.

55. Optic solutions: EYE BATHS.

56. Pump or clog: SHOE.

57. Framework for Indian classical music: RAGA.

58. On any occasion: EVER.

63. Judgement of Paris pot-stirrer: ERIS. The goddess of discord. She started the Trojan War.

65. Northern European capital: OSLO.

67. "Close this pop-up" key: ESC.

68. Puts a sail back up: RE-RIGS.

71. 73-Down exports: TEAS. 73. Northeast Indian region: ASSAM.

72. Feeling after a deep breath: CALM.

74. "It's Magic" lyricist Sammy: CAHN.

75. "Well then, fine": OH OKAY.

76. "If I may ... ": AHEM.

77. Motion opening?: LOCO. Locomotion.

81. Hot water holder: URN.

82. Grammy winning rapper Lil __ X: NAS. Known for his fashion sense.

84. Joel and Ethan of Hollywood: COENS.

86. Valedictorian stat: GPA.

87. "I didn't catch that": HUH.

88. "I like your thinking!": SMART.  And 97. "Thanks, Captain Obvious!": YA THINK.

92. Suckers: SAPS.

93. Skeptic's laughs: HAHS. And 94. Skeptic's question: IS IT.

95. Activate at a designated time: PRESET.

101. Post-op ward: ICU.

102. Battleship groups: FLEETS.

104. Whopper maker: LIAR.

106. Last song at a concert, often: ENCORE.

107. "I watched that already": SEEN IT.

108. Shreds at the edge: FRAYS.

109. Sound of the sea?: INLET. Not the noise.

110. "Spider-Man" films director Sam: RAIMI.

111. Meaty jelly: ASPIC.

112. Trotting noises: CLOPS.

113. "Smack!": KAPOW.

114. Long mushroom: ENOKI. The Chinese way. Very cheap in China.

 

116. Classroom furniture: DESKS.

121. Outward manner: MIEN.

123. "Paddington" voice actor Whishaw: BEN.

125. Mkt. debut: IPO.

126. First aid training, for short: CPR.

127. Brooch: PIN.

128. Sleep acronym: REM.

 

JD sent me this loving picture of her birthday celebration. Surreal to think that Truman was a only a baby when JD first joined us.

 

A few pictures of the Chinese New Year office lobby decoration and the flower market from my friend Lesley in Guangzhou.