Monday December 29, 2025 Keegan Edgar

  

Happy Monday, everyone! This is Keegan Edgar's second LAT puzzle. His debut was on Feburary 6, 2025. Today's theme is:  

We will begin with the four fin-tastic themers:

17 Across. Hangout with ramps and rails for boarders and bladers: SKATE PARK.  I liked the bit of misdirection with hangout the noun versus hang out the verb. In this case, it is the place where skateboarders and rollerbladers can practice their tricks.  

23 Across. Exclamation of surprise: HOLY MACKEREL.  This phrase goes back at least 200 years. It likely originated as a minced oath, substituting mackerel for "Mary" or the archangel "Michael".  

46 Across. Diving stance with bent hips and straight legs: PIKE POSITION.  

57 Across. A-OK: HUNKY-DORY.  This slang expression means "everything is quite satisfactory". It is believed to have Dutch origins and was first spotted in English in the mid-1800s.

(I get those mixed up but I think this mnemonic will help now.)

The reveal spans the equator:  

36 Across. "This doesn't seem right," or what can be said about 17-, 23-, 46-, and 57-Across: SOMETHING'S FISHY.  

In case you have not yet smelt the gimmick, there are four types of fish hidden in the themed answers, making them FISHY. 

(clockwise from top-left)  skate, mackerel, dory and pike

This puzzle earns a gold-starfish for its separation between the themed answers and the reveal. Additionally, note the alternating pattern of the fish word placement. Well done, Keegan! No trout about it!

Now, let's see what other clues we can catch....

Across:

1. "You snooze, you __!": LOSE.  ... said the tortoise to the hare.

5. Not doing anything: IDLE.  not the same as snoozing  

9. Data on baseball cards: STATS.  CSO to our former Monday sherpa, Boomer.

14. Consumes a 15-Across: EATS.     and     ↙

15. Lunch or dinner: MEAL.  

I love a good Venn diagram.

16. Cockpit figure: PILOT.  One of the noun definitions for figure is "bodily shape or form especially of a person".  

19. French "between": ENTRE.  

20. Nine-digit ID: SSN.

21. Hard drive capacity prefix: TERA-.  If you are truly curious, this article explains the basics.  

22. Gemstone with colored stripes: AGATE.  all about AGATE

26. British nobles with low ranking: BARONS.  By comparison, Lord Grantham of Downton Abbey was two steps up:  Earl.

It could be worse....

29. Scottish gal: LASS.  Have you heard of Ally Crowley-Duncan, aka Ally the Piper? She was a guest on WWDTM a while back. Ally was born in Latham, New York in 1995. She is known for playing songs from rock, pop, and metal music on the bagpipes. Although she is not from Scotland, her piper skills surely give her LASS cred. In this video, she plays The Session, the title track from her 2025 album.  

30. Grows older: AGES.  

31. __ pie: dish with corn chips: FRITO.  

recipe

33. Tennis server's success: ACE.  An ACE is a legal serve that is not touched by the receiver, winning the point for the server.

40. Self-image: EGO.

41. Aired again: RERAN.  Think "old TV shows".

42. __-Ball: target game in arcades: SKEE.  

43. Add to the payroll: HIRE.

44. Places for bracelets: WRISTS.  "Ankles" was too long.

51. Actress Tatum: O'NEAL.  [b. November 5, 1963]  Tablet claims her father Ryan named his daughter after the jazz pianist Art Tatum.  source

52. Convent residents: NUNS.  CSO to Lucina!

53. Spot for a facial: SPA.  

56. Blue-gray color: SLATE.  

These walls are painted with Glidden's blue-gray SLATE.

59. Guiding principle: TENET.

60. Length x width: AREA.  

61. Sunburn-soothing succulent: ALOE.  

62. Small earrings: STUDS.  Basically, they are earrings that do not hang down past the lobe.

63. Trial run: TEST.

64. Archery items: BOWS.  "Arrows" was too long.

Down:

1. Not as expensive: LESS.  

2. Acorn droppers: OAKS.  

3. "Thunderbolts*" actor Sebastian __: STAN.  Thunderbolts is a Marvel movie that came out earlier this year.

4. Approximate fig.: EST.  Another noun definition for figure is "value, especially as expressed in numbers".  In this case, that figure is an ESTimate.

5. Spurs to action: IMPELS.

6. Sweetie pie: DEARY.  

7. SoCal NFL player: LA RAM.

8. Large deer in the Rockies: ELK.

9. Talks about: SPEAKS OF.  

The Gossips   ~   Norman Rockwell  ~  1948

10. Touches of color: TINGES.  A TINGE of color is like a "splash of color", only more subtle.

11. "I do" venue: ALTAR.  

Notice what is in their hands.

12. Rich layer cake: TORTE.  

This one certainly has a lot of layers.

13. Construction girder metal: STEEL.

18. Historic British school: ETON.

23. Hydrant hookup: HOSE.  Hee!Hee!

24. Arrange in a row: ALIGN.  You know ... so they line up.

25. Purring pets: CATS.  

I have been cat-sitting for my neighbor.
This gray tuxedo looks sweet but she will not let me get any work done.

26. Acid counterpart: BASE.  This clue references the pH scale.

27. Eager: AGOG.  

28. San __, Italy: REMO.  Population ~55,000. Wiki says it is Sanremo in Italian but two words in English.  It is known as a tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. I was curious how many other municipalities fit the clue (but not the perps). Cono, Fele, Fili, Fior, Luca, Lupo, Rufo, Siro, and Vito all work.

31. "Little __ Everywhere": Celeste Ng novel: FIRES.  goodreads link

32. Genetic messenger molecule: RNA.

33. Queries: ASKS.

34. NBA player Holmgren: CHET.  [b. 2002 in Minneapolis, MN] He plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

35. Potato spots: EYES.  I always thought they were poisonous if ingested but the Idaho Potato Commission says otherwise. Nevertheless, do not take my word for it! Do your own research. 

37. Three siblings with the same birthday: TRIPLETS. This cute clue deserves a cute image.

St. Bernard TRIPLET puppies
(BTW, I recommend Googling "TRIPLET puppies images".)

38. One saving the day: HERO.  

Mighty Mouse made his debut in 1942.

39. "The proof __ the pudding": IS IN.  M-W explains this idiom

43. Like a sauna: HEATED.

44. Reassure that one's joking, in a way: WINK AT.  😉

45. Like pink cheeks: ROSY.

46. Sends with a stamp: POSTS.  To POST a letter is to mail a letter.

47. Small bay: INLET.

48. Actor Reeves who plays John Wick: KEANU.  [b. September 2, 1996] His mother was English; his father was American; he was born in Beirut, Lebanon because his mother was there for work; and yet Keanu is Canadian.  

There are four John Wick movies ... so far.

49. Become accustomed (to): INURE.  I found this example sentence online:  Does the violence on television INURE children TO violence in real life?

50. Adjusts a piano's pitch, e.g.: TUNES.  It was fun to see a verb meaning for TUNES instead of a plural noun.  

53. Brand of red plastic cups: SOLO.  When filmmakers include red SOLO cups in a scene they send the viewer a quick message about the characters and the gathering. It might be a message of formality, taste level, financial situations, group dynamics, age range, attitudes towards alcohol, or a combination of all those.  

Friends     ~     Phoebe is in charge of cups and ice.     ~     (1:26 min.)

54. Boat's front: PROW.  The bow is the front part of a boat. It includes the PROW, the stem, and the foremost part of the hull. the PROW is the part of the stem line above the waterline.  

55. Affirmative votes: AYES.

57. Part of a Santa costume: HAT.  

58. Apply gently: DAB.

The grid:  

That's all for this puzzle and that's all from me. Changes are afoot on The Corner. Beginning in 2026, another project will require my time and attention. I simply will not have enough free hours to continue in this role. I still intend to add to the comments most days. I will also be around as an occasional substitute blogger. So, I am not leaving -- just transitioning. I am thankful to C.C. for creating and maintaining this space where solvers can share a common hobby. It has been my pleasure to be a part of her team. I have learned so much! Speaking of the team, I happen to know you will be in excellent hands going forward! So long and thanks for all the fish!

~ sumdaze

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

I'm sad that today marks Sumdaze's final Monday blog post. Renee gives her all to every write-up. Her posts are always rich with images, video clips, and thoughtful, detailed explanations. Mondays won't be  the same without her.

That said, Mondays will remain in very capable hands. The incredible Naomi will begin covering Mondays starting next week. RustyBrain will take over Thursdays, and Splynter will blog Fridays, as both Chairman Moe and MM have decided to scale back and blog once a week. They'll now be sharing Wednesdays alongside Jazzbumpa and CrossEyedDave.

Hahtoolah and Husker Gary will continue their excellent work on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and Anonymous T (Tony) remains our ever-reliable pinch hitter.

I can't say how thankful I am for the dedication and generosity of our blogging team. Each post represents hours of care, often three or more, spent choosing the right words, finding just the right images, and tracking down helpful links. This blog simply wouldn't exist without them.

 

Thursday, February 6, 2025, Keegan Edgar

Dress Codes

Today's constructor Keegan Edgar is making his LAT debut (his constructor debut anywhere I think), and he wants to know why people who perform certain services are such conformists when it comes to their garb ...  

20A. Court garb: TENNIS WHITES.  These people don't wear robes, but they do serve. So why do tennis players wear white -- at least on the poncier courts?  Turns out it's a Victorian thing.

Serena Williams
Wimbledon 2012

29A. Naval garb: SAILOR SUITS.  Actually SAILOR SUITS are for Halloween parties😀. The Navy calls their garb uniforms (but Keegan had room for only 5 letters), and the US Navy is pretty strict about the uniforms of those who serve in them 

Two Sailors in Dress Whites
Fleet Week in New York

47A. Restaurant garb: WAIST APRONS.  There are several types of aprons for those who serve in restaurants: bib aprons cover from the neck to waist, full body aprons cover from the neck to the knees and are most often used by cooks in the kitchen, and waist aprons are most likely worn by the ladies and gents who take your order and serve your food ...

Waist apron

I thought the reveal was a bit forced until I googled SERVING LOOKS and discovered that it's Gen-Z speak for "someone who is confidently wearing a distinctive and memorable outfit" -- and thus a clever pun on the three "services" in the theme clues ...

55A. Very well-dressed, or what 20-, 29-, and 47-Across are?: SERVING LOOKS.  IMHO they're really just an invitation to be ogled 😀 -- here are 200 examples from Pinterest (apparently cell phones are required accessories).

Here's the grid ...
 

Here's the rest ...

Across:

1. Early __: RISER.

6. Have empathy (for): FEEL.

10. Model/actress Delevingne: CARA.  Cara Jocelyn Delevingne (born 12 August 1992) is an English model and actress. She signed with Storm Management after leaving school in 2009. Delevingne won Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012 and 2014, and has also received three Teen Choice Awards and nominations for a British Independent Film Award and an MTV Movie & TV Award. 

Cara Delevingne

14. Pet adoption org.: ASPCA.  

15. Kent co-worker: LANE.  As in Lois.  There have been a lot of  Kents and Lanes over the years,  but here they meet for the first time in the 1978 film Superman played by Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder ... 

16. Hoppy brews: ALES.  IPAS fit, but didn't perp.

17. Deluge: FLOOD.

18. Some mnemonic devices: ACROSTICS.  An acrostic mnemonic is a sentence or poem where the first letter (or letters) of each part of the text represents a thing that you’re trying to memorize.  Here are some common examples, and how you can create your own.  An acrostic is also a type of word puzzle, related somewhat to crossword puzzles, that uses an acrostic form. It typically consists of two parts. The first part is a set of lettered clues, each of which has numbered blanks representing the letters of the answer. The second part is a long series of numbered blanks and spaces, representing a quotation or other text, into which the answers for the clues fit.

20. [Theme clue]

22. Slurpable course: SOUP.  TSK, TSK -- such bad manners!

23. Spam holder: CAN.  22A comes in CANS too but we make our own.  One of our favorites is vegetable soup -- here's Jaclyn's recipe. 

Vegetable soup

24. Atlanta sch.: GSU.  Georgia State University (Georgia State, State, or GSU) is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1913, it is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities. It is also the second largest institution of higher education by enrollment based in Georgia with a student enrollment of around 50,000, including approximately 33,000 undergraduate and graduate students at the main campus downtown.  They apparently have very good cyber security, as I was blocked when I tried https://www.gsu.edu/

27. Negotiator's abbreviation: OBO.  Or Best Offer.

29. [Theme clue]

33. Basis for a civil action: TORT.

35. Jamaican genre: SKA.  Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues.  Here's Give It To Me by one of the founders of the genre, Stranger Cole.  

Lyrics

  36. Waffle House alternative: DENNYS.  IHOP was too short.

37. "They went __ in a Sieve, they did": Lear: TO SEA.  Nice misdirection -- not a quote from the Shakespeare play, but from the  poem The Jumblies by 19th century English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet Edward Lear.  Probably his most famous poem was The Owl and the Pussy-Cat published in 1870.

Edward Lear
1866

39. See 57-Down: EGG.

41. Cliched: STALE.

42. B flat equivalent: A SHARP.  B flat and A sharp are examples of "enharmonic equivalents" that is notes, intervals, scales, key signatures, or chords that sound the same but have different names. 

44. Dawn goddess: EOS.  This is the tale of Eos and Tithonus: a tragic story of immortality and love.

The goddess EOS
The Bringer of Light

46. Early part of many an outline: ONE A.

47. [Theme clue]

50. Cable alternative: DSL.  Digital Subscriber Line -- you might have faster ways to get to the Internet, but if you don't, here's what you need to know about DSL.
 

DSL connections

51. Energy storage molecule, briefly: ATP.  Adenosine triphosphate is often referred to as "molecular unit of currency" for intracellular energy transfer.  The energy that it supplies is contained in its phosphate bonds and when one of them is broken that energy is available for use to by various cellular processes. The depleted ATP results in either ADP (Adenosine diphosphate) or ADM (Adenosine monophosphate).  But as cells have a constant need for energy, there an ongoing process for "recharging" ATP via a complex enzyme called ATP synthase, a so called "molecular machine".  Here is an amazing simulation of ATP synthase converting ADP to ATP ...

... but the most amazing thing about ATP synthase is that it resulted from zillions and zillions of accidental mutations 😀.

52. Son of a son: III. Assuming that the sons have the same given name, the second son's name will be suffixed with "Jr" and the third son's will be suffixed with "III".

53. Organizer entry: Abbr.: APPT.

55. [Theme reveal]

60. Fish commonly prepared à la meunière: DOVER SOLE.  The term à la meunière translates from the French literally as "in the style of the miller's wife". The name implies a simple dish, usually fish, which is first dusted with flour and then cooked in butter sprinkled with lemon juice and chopped parsley.  The simplicity of the dish derives from the delicacy of the fish -- anything more would be "gilding the lily" ... 

63. Golfer Palmer, familiarly: ARNIE.  Arnold Daniel Palmer (September 10, 1929 – September 25, 2016) was an American professional golfer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most charismatic players in the sport's history. Since embarking on a professional career in 1955, he won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and the circuit now known as PGA Tour Champions. Nicknamed "The King", Palmer was one of golf's most popular stars and seen as a trailblazer, the first superstar of the sport's television age, which began in the 1950s.

Arnold Palmer
sporting his US Coast Guard whites in 1953

64. CNN anchor Burnett: ERIN.  Erin Isabelle Burnett (born July 2, 1976) is an American news anchor, currently the anchor of Erin Burnett OutFront on CNN. She has also worked over the years in various positions for CNBC, NBC. and MSNBC. 

Erin Burnett

65. Four Corners Natives: UTES.  They corner us a lot on the Corner. 😀

66. Stretch: STINT.

67. Pulsate: BEAT.

68. Soft summons: PSST.

69. Ingredients in traditional collard greens: HOCKS.  Here's LaKita's recipe for Southern Collard Greens with Ham Hocks.  Collards will get leathery if you leave them in the garden too long, and our advice is to pick them when they're young and tender.

Collard Greens with Ham Hocks.

BTW my first google hit on HOCKS had a dad joke, which I wasn't going to use, but now I can't resist -- it reminds me just a little of O'Henry's Gift of the Magi.

Down:

 1. Rapids transport: RAFT.  If you're going to do this sort of thing, it pays to work with pros ... 

I wonder if Renee or anyone else has any rafting stories?

2. Tropical spot: ISLE.  We spot this one on the Corner a lot too.

3. Big deal for an Olympian: SPONSORSHIP. The story of advertising and sponsorships at the modern Olympics begins in Athens, Greece, during the 1896 Games, when stamps were sold to help fund the event. In 1908, OXO became the first official sponsor of the Olympics, providing athletes with beef stock drinks for energy. Jump forward to 1928, when Coca-Cola signed its first contract with the Games and remains a major sponsor 104 years later.  Sponsorships have evolved considerably since the early days and are currently regulated by Rule 40, a by-law in the Olympic Charter.  I think sponsorships really are a "big deal" in that you need a lawyer to understand them! Here is some guidance that was put together for 2024 athletes and sponsors to navigate advertising restrictions.  CSO to Jason and Susan for a simpler explanation?

4. __ Lodge: ECONO.

5. Spoke on a bicycle wheel, e.g.: RADIUS.

6. Fatal __: FLAW.

7. Made for __ other: EACH.

8. Henry, in Italian: ENRICO.  Of course the most famous ENRICO is Enrico Caruso, widely regarded as the greatest tenor of all time.  Here he's singing the aria Nessun Dorma from Giacomo Puccini's last opera, Turandot ...

... and a CSO to Anonymous T.

9. Bodysuit named for a trapeze artist: LEOTARD.  Jules Léotard (1 August 1838 – 16 August 1870) was a French acrobatic performer and aerialist who developed the art of trapeze. He also created and popularized the one-piece gym wear that now bears his name and inspired the 1867 song The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" here sung by the inimitable Eddie Cantor ...

10. Lions and tigers, but not bears: CATS.  "Oh my Toto!  Maybe we really ARE still in Kansas!" 😀

11. Oscar winner Mahershala: ALI.  Mahershala Ali (born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore on February 16, 1974) is an American actor. He has received multiple accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2019, and in 2020, The New York Times ranked him among the 25 greatest actors of the 21st century.  Like wow!

Mahershala Ali

12. Cam button: REC.  As in RECORD.

13. Pack animal: ASS.  Constructors seem to pack a lot of this fill into puzzles as well.

19. Has a feeling: SENSES.

21. Facilities for rest and relaxation: SPAS.  I think we need to give this fill a rest too.

24. Cocktail that often contains quinine: GIN AND TONIC.  Tonic water is a carbonated soft drink in which quinine is dissolved. Originally used as a prophylactic against malaria, modern tonic water typically has a significantly lower quinine content and is often more sweetened than the original medicinal form. It is consumed for its distinctive bitter flavor.  Here's a recipe for a gin and tonic.

Gin and tonic

25. "Harry's House" pop singer: STYLES.  Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer and actor.  Known for his influence in popular culture, showmanship, artistry, philanthropy and flamboyance in dressing, he is a subject of widespread public interest with a vast fanbase. Styles is considered to be among the most successful solo artists who have emerged from a boy band.  Styles' musical career began in 2010 as part of the pop band One Direction.  They became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time before going on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.  Harry's House is Styles' 3rd studio album.  Here he sings As it Was, issued as one of the singles from the album ...

If you haven't seen the Christopher Nolan film Dunkirk it's definitely worth viewing -- in his feature film debut Styles plays the character Alex, one of thousands of British soldiers waiting on the exposed beaches of Dunkirk for evacuation to England, while being strafed and dive bombed by the German Luftwaffe. 

26. Natl. logo: US SEAL.  A timely clue ...

The Great Seal of the United States

27. Bilingual North American capital: OTTAWA.  French and English.

28. Expresses disdain for: BOOS AT.

30. One half of a candy duo: IKE.  Thank you perps.  DNK this candy. Mike and Ike is an American brand of fruit-flavored candies that were first introduced in 1940 by the company Just Born, Inc. Despite conjecture, the origin of the candy's name remains unknown. Mike and Ike were originally all fruit flavored but now come in several varieties. 

31. Golden brew: LAGER.  The basic difference between these two major beer classifications is how they are fermented. Ales are fermented with top-fermenting yeast at warm temperatures (60˚–70˚F), and lagers are fermented with bottom-fermenting yeast at cold temperatures (35˚–50˚F). Because of their warm fermentations, ales can generally ferment and age in a relatively short period of time (3-5 weeks). On the other hand, lagers take much longer to ferment (up to 6 to 8 weeks) because they are cold fermented.  And I say "Vive la difference!"

32. Golden Rule word: UNTO.  As I used the Golden Rule ("Do unto others as you would have them do unto you") as a part of a non-denominational answer last week I'm going to steal from myself (gee, I hope that doesn't violate the Golden Rule 😀).

34. Steeped brews: TEAS.  These are usually bottom-brewed for only a couple of minutes.  Here's our favorite ...

38. Less conventional: ARTIER.  An adjective usually delivered with a whiff of condescension ... 

40. Gunk: GOO.

43. Finds a partner: PAIRS UP.  A lot of pairing up goes on at square dances ...

... and a CSO to Yellowrocks.

45. Unforeseen impediment: SNAG.

48. Swivels: PIVOTS.  Another common square dance activity.

49. Eclat: SPLASH.  To do something with éclat could be described as making a SPLASH.  The word is obviously derived from the French and has an interesting history.

54. Douro River city: PORTO.  Thank you perps -- not a river or a city I knew.  The Douro is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It originates in Spain and flows generally west through Castile and León into northern Portugal. Its largest tributary (carrying more water than the Douro at their confluence) is the right-bank Esla. The Douro flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Porto, the second largest city of Portugal.

The Path of the Douro

55. In the mail: SENT.

56. "Southern Man" novelist Greg: ILES. The novel Southern Man by Greg Iles is "a political thriller from his Natchez Burning series". Here's the goodreads review.

Amazon page

57. With 39-Across, funds for a rainy day: NEST.  A "rainy day" is a metaphor for times when things don't go right.  The band Coldplay has set one to music ... 

58. Hose problem: KINK.  LEAK fit but didn't perp.  Preventing kinks in long garden hoses requires a sturdy metal hose hanger, e.g. the one shown below available from Amazon.  As you're coiling a hose for storage you need to give it a slight twist after each turn to preventing kinking ...
 

Hose storage hanger

59. Volleyball match divisions: SETS.  Volleyball matches are made up of SETS, typically three or five sets.  Three-set matches are two sets to 25 points and a third set to 15 points. Each set must be won by two points. The first team to win two sets is the winner of the match.  Researching this term was a bit confusing, as SET is also the term used as part of a one-two maneuver to pass the ball to a player near the net to either dump the ball over into an undefended spot or to “set” the ball into a position that allows the hitter to spike it over.  Fortunately I didn't have to ask my third granddaughter about this, as she is a volleyball specialist, and despite having driven her to many games I'm still unclear on the nuances of the sport -- I can see her just rolling her eyes and saying "Granddad? ..." 😀

60. Food blogger Perelman: DEB.  Smitten Kitchen is a blog for home cooks created and maintained by foodie Deb Perelman -- her site has a lot of tempting recipes. Perelman received undergraduate and graduate degrees from George Washington University, where she studied psychology and art therapy. She originally started writing online in 2003 while also working as an art therapist, and she eventually began the Smitten Kitchen blog in 2006.  IIRC our very own sumdaze is one of her fans.

Deb Perelman

61. Load from a lode: ORE.  Very punny -- crosswordese for pay dirt?

62. By way of: VIA.  Today's Latin lesson: "ROAD".

Cheers, 

Bill

And as always, thanks to Teri for proofreading and for her constructive criticism.

waseeley