Sunday June 9, 2024 Amanda Cook & Kelly Richardson

Theme: "DJ Remix" - D and J are swapped in each common phrase.

22. College administrators who never skip gym class?: RIPPED DEANS. Ripped jeans.

28. Mistake a bluebird for a blue bird?: CALL IT A JAY. Call it a day.

41. Finally breaking up with that no-good, pool hall hustler?: DUMPING THE SHARK. Jumping the shark.

64. Tiny bells added to an ugly Christmas sweater?: JANGLING MODIFIERS. Dangling modifers.

85. Honorific for San Francisco's top athlete?: THE JOCK OF THE BAY. The Dock of the Bay.

103. Beaver construction party?: DAM SESSION. Jam session.

111. "Good news! The animals living under the deck aren't skunks!"?: JUST BUNNIES. Dust bunnies.

Ah, I grokked the theme immediately. I bet many regulars did also.

I suck at this type of letter change themes and I always admire how others clue their wacky theme entries.

Love the fill today. So smooth and clean.

Across:

1. Center: HEART.

 6. Visibly nervous: SHAKY.

11. BCBS offering: HMO. Blue Cross Blue Shield.

14. Beaker's sound: MEEP. OK, Beaker the Muppet.

18. Wabbit hunter Fudd: ELMER.

19. Like a foggy graveyard: EERIE.

20. Brim (with): TEEM.

21. Minnesota representative Ilhan: OMAR. Most famous Minnesotan in crossword world.

24. Panache: ELAN.

25. Score symbol: NOTE.

26. Mattel product: DOLL.

27. Whoops: YELLS.

30. Harder to hike: STEEPER. Nothing beats the thrill of climbing Huashan, world's deadliest hiking route. My hometown.

32. "Big yikes": HOO BOY.

34. Court orders: WRITS.

35. __ Talks: TED.

36. Shinbone: TIBIA.

37. Podcast equipment: MIC.

38. Iverson in the Basketball Hall of Fame: ALLEN.

48. Nintendo Switch precursor: WII.

49. Carolyn Bertozzi, notably: CHEMIST. Did not know her. She received the Nobel in 2022.

51. One with niblings: AUNT. Google shows that "Nibling is a gender-neutral term used to refer to a child of one's sibling as a replacement for "niece" or "nephew". Learning moment for me also.
 
52. Regret: RUE.

53. Massachusetts state tree: ELM.

54. "__ Nagila": Hebrew folk song: HAVA. And 6. Occasion to read the Haggadah: SEDER.

55. Made brownies, say: BAKED.

57. Crafty platform: ETSY.

58. Gwen of No Doubt: STEFANI.

60. Penalty shot defender: GOALIE.

63. Queues up: WAITS.

68. Still-life subject, often: FRUIT.

70. Man cave locale, maybe: GARAGE. Not in MN. Too cold in winter.

71. In the spotlight for bad behavior: ON BLAST.

74. Freight option: RAIL.

75. Nick of "Cape Fear": NOLTE.

77. Purple bloom: IRIS.

78. Once called: NEE.

79. "Exit full screen" button: ESC.

80. "Toodles": CIAO.

81. Indian flatbread: CHAPATI.

84. Some undergrad degs.: AAS.

89. Churchyard peals: TOLLS.

91. Scrape (by): EKE.

92. Opera solos: ARIAS.

93. Muscle mag muscle: PEC.

94. Space Invaders console: ATARI.

97. Marzipan nut: ALMOND. Never had Marzipan.

99. Abandons: DESERTS.

105. Concert platform: RISER.

108. Heavenly glow: AURA.

109. NYC drama award: OBIE.

110. Vegan pho protein: TOFU. This is my favorite Tofu brand at the moment.

113. Bridesmaid's handful: POSY.

114. Tinnitus docs: ENTS.

115. Balance sheet entry: ASSET.

116. Sty sounds: OINKS.

117. Lob: TOSS.

118. Director Anderson: WES. Prolific. "Asteroid City" is his latest hit.

119. Big bangs: WHAMS.

120. Like a windbag: GASSY.

Down:

1. Ranch groups: HERDS.

2. "Daniel Deronda" novelist: ELIOT (George)

3. Bountiful: AMPLE.

4. Brimming (with): REPLETE.

5. Three, in Trieste: TRE. Port city in Italy.

7. Tap location: HEEL.

8. North __ Sea: Central Asian lake: ARAL.

9. Bonds between friends: KINSHIPS.

10. "Absolutely!": YES.

11. "Are you even listening?": HELLO.

12. Like overripe apples: MEALY.

13. Hyatt competitor: OMNI.

14. Orange-and-black butterfly: MONARCH.

15. Fire in a text?: EMOJI. Fire emoji.

16. Patronize, as a bistro: EAT AT.

17. Hunts, with "on": PREYS.

20. Rooibos pouch: TEA BAG.

23. Made an egg into an Easter egg: DYED.

28. Invent, as a word: COIN.

29. Chocolate-and-vanilla soft serve: TWIST.

31. Inclination: PENCHANT.

33. Memorial piece: OBIT.

36. "Ew, stop talking!": TMI.

37. Resew, maybe: MEND.

38. Dazzles: AWES. 

39. Jaunty tune: LILT.

40. Ceviche marinade: LIME JUICE.  Looks yummy.

41. Crafty sort: DEVIL.

42. Hindu goddess also known as Parvati: UMA. Another learning moment.

43. Activist known for his time aboard the Enterprise: TAKEI.

44. Tinge: HUE.

45. Small-batch: ARTISANAL.

46. Used car concern: RUST.

47. Florida __: KEYS.

50. Get together: HANG.

55. Online journal: BLOG. And 63. Squarespace creations: WEBSITES.

56. Assistant: AIDE.

57. Former Chief Justice Warren: EARL.

59. Word in many a YouTube title: FAIL. Like makeup fails.

60. Little pest: GNAT.

61. D&D monster: OGRE.

62. "I'm an open book" Reddit sesh: AMA. Ask Me Anything.

65. Heavy-duty cooler brand: IGLOO.

66. Venture: FORAY.

67. "What's __ for you?": IN IT.

68. Sitar ridge: FRET.

69. Hasty: RASH.

72. Wax closure: SEAL.

73. Harper of "No Country for Old Men": TESS.

75. French Riviera city: NICE.

76. Iowa state tree: OAK.

77. Many a Lagunitas brew, briefly: IPA.

80. Roberts who was one of NPR's "Founding Mothers": COKIE.

81. Helmet clip spot: CHIN.

82. Result of standing up too fast: HEADRUSH. Low blood pressure.

83. Six-packs, sometimes: ABS.

86. Game day tops: JERSEYS.

87. Nathan's __ hot dogs: FAMOUS.

88. Jumbo suffix: TRON.

90. Papua New Guinea region: OCEANIA. Guess how many languages in this island nation?

93. Cuzco's country: PERU. 100. Cuzco attraction: RUINS.

94. Rescue, as a pet: ADOPT.

95. Don't: TABOO.

96. Off: AMISS.

97. In concert: AS ONE.

98. Rides: LIFTS.

99. Balance sheet entries: DEBTS.

101. Does the Tour du Mont Blanc, say: TREKS.

102. Bold: SASSY.

 104. Crockpot recipe: STEW.

106. "The Lovebirds" actress Rae: ISSA.

 107. Derive (from): STEM.

 111. Chatter: JAW.

 112. Holiday party serving: NOG.

 

Here are two great pictures from Lemonade, our faithful Friday Sherpa for many years. That's his sweet wife Oo taking the selfie. The other two are his granddaughters Charlotte and Harper. The little boy in the second picture is his cute grandson Owen. You can click here to see more pictures.  

C.C.

Thursday, February 22, 2024, Amanda Cook, Kelly Richardson

 

Someone's in the
Kitchen With Dinah!

Today's offering by Amanda Cook and Kelly Richardson reminds me of a puzzle by David Alfred Bywaters that I reviewed a few years back, all about things found in a Victorian kitchen.  In this case the constructors treat us to 5 punny clues loosely describing kitchen utensils (no stars, circles, or reveal) ...

18A. Reporters who cover the multiple-recalls beat?: LEMON PRESS.  Reporters (PRESS) specializing in faulty cars (LEMONS).  Here's an unpunned LEMON PRESS ...

23A. Championship match for competitive waitstaff?: SERVING BOWL.  The competitive waitstaff make their living SERVING and the BOWL doubles as either the final game in a series or the coveted award to the winner.  Here's a real bowl we use for serving salads ...

35A. Party where sparks really fly?: ELECTRIC MIXER.  A party thrown by the Mean Girls?

51A. Zero-star review that goes fully scorched earth?: ROASTING PAN.  I viewed a number of celebrity ROASTINGS for this clue, but they were all so HOT that I was a afraid that Blogger would PAN them.

57A. Professional purveyor of gossip?: TEA PITCHER.  One of my granddaughters taught me that TEA in her generation is synonymous with gossip.  The problem with this fill however, is that there is really no such thing as a TEA PITCHER in the kitchen.  Tea is brewed in TEA POTS, e.g.

Tea Pot

However in the summer we use a tea pot to brew very strong tea, add sugar, lemon, and ice to it, and use this PITCHER to serve ICED TEA ...

Tea Pitcher

Here's the grid ...
 

Here's the rest ...

Across:

1. Octopus octet: ARMS.  This rare octopus would have been clued "Octopus nonet" ...
 

Nine armed octopus found off the coast of Japan

5. Unmoored: ASEA.

9. "Ready or not, here __!": I COME.  I guess I'm IT!

14. Potting soil base: PEAT.  PEAT is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. Sphagnum moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most common components in peat, although many other plants can contribute.  Dried peat is still used in rural areas in countries like Ireland for heating and cooking.

15. Melodious cadence: LILT.  More than that, lilting is a form of traditional singing common in the Gaelic speaking areas of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, though singing styles like it occur in many other countries.

16. Opera star Callas: MARIA.   Maria Callas (born Maria Anna Cecilia Sofia Kalogeropoulos; December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano who was one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century.  Here she sings Schubert's AVE MARIA ...

Lyrics w/translation

17. Anti-cruelty org.: PETA.  SPCA fit as well, but didn't perp.  People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia (CSO to Jinx) and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president.  PETA says that its entities have more than 9 million members globally. 

18. [Theme clue]

20. Country star Haggard: MERLE.  Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.  I don't think that MERLE and MARIA ever met.  Here he laments the passing of the good old days ...

22. In a clingy way: NEEDILY.

23. [Theme clue]

26. "Breaking Bad" law org.: DEA.  Drug Enforcement Administration.

27. Flounder and Scuttle's friend: ARIEL.  Would you believe -- Flounder and Scuttle are controversial now?

28. "Yikes": OOF.

29. Beanie Babies, Tamagotchi, etc.: FADS. 

30. The Masters gp.: PGA.

31. Kept in a barrel: AGED.  A CSO to Chairman MOE.  He had a birthday just last week. 😁

33. "Knives Out" actress de Armas: ANA.  This may look like a spoiler, but the movie doesn't actually end the way it looks like it ends ...

35. [Theme clue]

40. General on a Chinese takeout menu: TSO.  Natasha shows you how to make your own.

General TSO's Chicken

41. Stylish: CHIC.

42. Understand: GET.

44. Blanchett of "Thor: Ragnarok": CATE.   CATE has come a long way since she played Galadriel in Middle Earth ...

47. __ culpa: MEA.  Today's Latin lesson: "My fault" -- e.g. this review is MEA CULPA.
 
48. Soaring apex predator: EAGLE.  Or a member of this rock band ...

And CSO to this early poster.

50. Actress Longoria: EVA.  Eva Jacqueline Longoria Bastón (née Longoria; born March 15, 1975) is an American actress, producer, director and business woman.  Apparently she started off young and restless and then became desperate.

Eva Longoria

51. [Theme clue]

54. "Dinner!": LETS EAT.  May I suggest 40A.

56. Meted (out): DEALT.

57. [Theme clue]

60. Conceited: VAIN.  Cue Carly  ...

She says this song is actually about 3 men,

only one of which she has identified.

62. Finalize, as a comic strip: INK IN.  A heavenly CSO to Don Carlton, one of the greatest INKERS of all time ...

Don Carlton
December 28, 1936 – May 16, 2023

63. Hindu festival: HOLI.  Here's the filming of the Holi Scene from the Good Karma Hospital (one of the greatest series of all time) ...

And a CSO to Picard who has celebrated

many HOLI festivals

64. Desire: ENVY.

65. Nickels and dimes: COINS.

66. Bookbinder's tools: AWLS.

67. Mushroom part: STEM.  While looking for the diagram below, I noticed that almost all of mushrooms shown were poisonous, although only a small percentage of those in the wild actually are.  If you can tell an oak leaf from a maple leaf you can probably identify the edible ones.  When I used to collect edible mushrooms here's the book I used. The basic rule is: IF YOU CAN'T POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THAT IT'S AN EDIBLE SPECIES - DON'T EAT IT! (FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm not a mycologist, I just play one on the Corner 😀).

Parts of a Mushroom
This reminds me that my close friends in high school
used to call me Bilious Mycelium 😃

 

Down:

1. Oft-shared restaurant order, informally: APP.  And you may be able to order your APP ahead of time with your cellphone APP.

2. Surface again: REEMERGE.  Cicada's REEMERGE every 13 or 17 years depending on the brood and what part of the country they inhabit.  Here's everything you need to know, although it doesn't tell you how to escape them -- other than leaving your state for a couple of weeks.

3. Relevant: MATERIAL.

4. Treat a fever, per dubious folk wisdom: STARVE.  The bad news.  The good news is you can FEED a cold.  [Informal survey]: hand up if you've had all of your COVID vaccinations and haven't gotten a cold since.  Knock on wood, I haven't ✋.

5. "Grey's Anatomy" executive producer Debbie: ALLEN.  She's not only a producer of the show, but she also acts in it.  But those roles sound like the least of her accomplishments.

Debbie Allen
Kennedy Center Arts Honoree

6. "Sprechen __ Deutsch?": SIE.  Today's German lesson: "Do you speak German".  A CSO to our dearly departed Spitzboov.  I speak ein bishchen, but read it better -- most of which I learned by listening to German art songs (Lieder), an acquired taste.  Did you know that Franz Schubert wrote over 600 songs (not to mention tons of other stuff) in his short life of 31 years?  Here's the late, great Fritz Wunderlich singing Schubert's An die Musik (ODE to Music -- what other Lied would I play in a crossword puzzle 😀) ...

Lyrics and translation

7. Blight-stricken tree species: ELM.

8. Many, many: A TON OF.

9. Urge: IMPEL.

10. Penalize in soccer: CARD.  Or a CSO to Ray - O.  😁

11. Tater Tots maker: OREIDA.  A portmanteau of Oregon and Idaho, the great potato producing states.

12. Hoodwinked: MISLED.

13. GPA-boosting classes: EASY A'S.

19. Fresh: NEW.

21. Purple blossoms: LILACS.  An image from the Walt Witman poem When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed, an homage to Abraham Lincoln.

23. Tree product: SAP.

24. Movie trailer?: GOER.

25. Dress design options: BODICES.  A BODICE is an article of clothing traditionally for women and girls, covering the torso from the neck to the waist. The term typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the upper portion of a modern dress to distinguish it from the skirt and sleeves. The name bodice is etymologically an odd plural spelling of "body" and comes from an older garment called a pair of bodies (because the garment was originally made in two separate pieces that fastened together, frequently by lacing).

Bodice

29. Once-common office fixture: FAX. Short for "facsimile", a FAX uses the phone system to transmit an actual image of a document, especially useful for signed documents.  Some medical facilities require them, e.g for the transmission of prescriptions.

32. Classic Pontiac: GTO.

33. Bordeaux buddy: AMI.  French for "friend".  The grape varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc are also Bordeaux buddies.

34. __ Creed: church recitation: NICENE.  The NICENE Creed,  also called the Creed of Constantinople, is the defining statement of belief of Nicene or mainstream Christianity and in those Christian denominations that adhere to it. The original Nicene Creed was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 and was later amended in 381.  It is recited by the congregation at every Sunday Catholic Mass, immediately after the scripture readings and the homily.

36. Avignon summer: ETE.  More French.

37. Catch up, maybe: CHAT.  Often done by texting these days or in Internet CHAT rooms.

38. Parmigiana choice: EGGPLANT.  Here's a recipe.  We used to make it, but now I'm on a low salt  diet and salt is required to de-moisturize the eggplant slices.  It's a lot easier to make with yellow squash or zucchini (particularly useful if you don't keep an eye on them in the garden and they morph into Italian baseball bats!).

Eggplant Parmesan

39. Second cousin, e.g.: RELATIVE.

43. Big __ Conference: TEN.  The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Most of its 14 member institutions are in the Midwestern United States. The conference footprint will expand to the country's Pacific coast in 2024.  Sounds like it's
 

and getting BIGGER

44. Like the Irish language: CELTIC.  Closely related to Irish are the CELTIC languages spoken in Wales, Brittany, Scotland, Cornwall, and the Isle of Man (see 15A).

45. Maker of Positively Radiant skin care products: AVEENO.

46. Japanese food prep method that translates to "pounded": TATAKI.  I thought it just meant "seared", as that's what Tuna TATAKI is advertised as in the sushi restaurants we frequent.  Perhaps Renee can shed some light on this.

47. Green tea ice cream ingredient: MATCHA.  I started adding a few tablespoons of MATCHA powder to my smoothies and within a few days my blood pressure was elevated.  When I stopped using it the BP went back to normal. Teri later verified that it has this effect on BP.

49. Mezcal plants: AGAVES.  Mezcal  is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave plant. The word mezcal comes from a Nahuatl word meaning "oven-cooked agave".  Agaves are endemic to the Americas and are found globally as ornamental plants.  Apparently agave is becoming a popular crop with farmers in drought stricken areas of California.

51. Harness straps: REINS.

52. Nondairy milk: OAT.

53. Elba of "Thor: Ragnarok": IDRIS.  I think Amanda and Kelly must have a "Thor" spot for Ragnarök (see 44A), which I just discovered is a Scandinavian word for "Doom of the Gods".  This is a blatant ripoff of Richard Wagner's Twilight of the Gods, the final opera in his epic Ring Cycle.  I hope Marvel Studios is paying his estate royalties! 😀

58. "No matter __ you slice it ... ": HOW.  No matter HOW you slice it, this review is just about finished!

59. Tetris shape: ELL. You can play this while the clock runs out (be sure to read the ABOUT TETRIS section on the addictive nature of this game before you start -- you may never make it to the comments section!)

61. Queens team, in box scores: NYM.  New York Mets.

Cheers,
Bill

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

waseeley

Tuesday, December 12th, 2023, Kelly Richardson

Speed needed to reach your gate~?

 A clever, double-depth theme of not just words, but 'concluding' adjectives rephrased as nouns into a 'punny' answer; I missed the 'resulting' part until I went to use the word 'final' in one of my comments, and thought "I'd rather use 'last' here", and the "A-ha~!" moment occurred: see below.  I'm impressed, so I had to find an appropriate theme title, and I think I succeeded - the answer, if you haven't guessed, is below.  Several answers brought music to my mind, and I will now share those thoughts with you.  Two  ten-letter and two fourteen-letter theme answers; odd-numbered answers always seem to be more difficult to get into a grid, at least in my constructing experience.   Here they are; 

17. Spa for out-of-shape shoe forms?: LAST RESORT

33. Marking off the hours left to cram before the big exam?: FINAL COUNTDOWN - the first musical interlude

 

Europe - Ear-worm~!

41. Home-buyer's day-of-sale demand for a single window dressing?: CLOSING CURTAIN - I asked for nothing when I closed on my home here in CT

60. Effects of months of glute workouts?: END RESULTS - oh, so easy for me to add a raunchy photo here, but I will refrain....

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Sitcom pioneer Lucille: BALL

5. Taken __: startled: ABACK - can you be taken "A-forward~?"

10. Arthur __ Stadium: world's largest tennis venue: ASHE - crossword staple

14. "Titans" actor Morales: ESAI - crossword staple

15. __ Lama: DALAI

16. Great Basin people: UTES

19. Coffee brewing choice: DRIP - my preferred method, but I do have a one-cup K-cup coffee maker, and since I am hosting Christmas this year, I will suggest to my brother to bring his choice of coffee K-cups, just to be considerate.

20. French farewell: ADIEU

"Indiana Jones, Adieu" - @ 1:18

21. __ decorator: INTERIOR - I used to put in my dating app profile that I was looking for an interior decorator, but now that I am the sole owner of my home, it's a total man-cave...

23. Himalayan bovine: YAK - an oldie, 1958, before my time....

 

Yakety -Yak, The Coasters

24. Word with stone or marker: MILE

26. "Right now," in texts: ATM - Hey~!  A new clue for a crossword cliche - "at the moment"

27. Sit-up muscles: ABS - yesterday's theme

28. Ceiling metal: TIN - as interior decorating goes, I like the look, with the right tiles; might do this in my home - I plan on a pool table in the basement, and I like At Deco

30. Identity statement, briefly: BIO

38. Clenched hand: FIST

39. Major artery: AORTA

40. Writer Wiesel: ELIE - crossword staple

44. Animation frame: CEL

45. Commercials: ADs

46. Boat blade: OAR

47. Uru. neighbor: ARGentina

49. Spielberg film featuring a shark: JAWS

I SAID JAWS~!

51. Answer to an addition problem: SUM

54. Wore red at a wedding, say: STOOD OUT - if it ever happens for me again, I am totally hip to a red wedding dress ( my first marriage was a "medieval" one - in more ways than one.... )

57. Fluffy-eared marsupial: KOALA

59. Cancel, as a check: VOID

62. __ vera: ALOE -   ah, just for Hahtoolah....

63. Inbox message: EMAIL

64. Binary digit: ZERO - and - 32D. Binary digit: ONE

 65. Running with scissors, e.g.: NO-NO

66. Southwestern plateaus: MESAS - another Spielberg movie

 

It's not a MESA, but it's a "BUTTE"

67. Muscat's country: OMAN

DOWN:

1. Secure, as a ship's line: BELAY - as I've said in the past, I start with the DOWN clues, and I didn't know this answer, so not a good start

2. Carne __: steak dish: ASADA - but I knew this one, and we were on our way~!

3. Sharper image innovation?: LASIK - and then we weren't

4. Lo-cal: LITE - and I dropped in DIET here....sigh

5. Fruit drink suffix: ADE

6. Pesto herb: BASIL

7. Independently: ALONE

8. E-commerce icon: CART

9. Toy with a string and a tail: KITE

10. Sit in on, as a class: AUDIT

11. Calzone cousin: STROMBOLI

12. Beneficiary: HEIR

13. Telepathic letters: ESP

18. Afro-Cuban dance: RUMBA

22. Tirade: RANT

25. Manhattan, e.g.: ISLAND - cocktail wouldn't fit

27. CGI creatures in a superhero film series starring Paul Rudd: ANTS

28. Tulle skirt: TU-TU

29. Lined up: IN A ROW

31. Victorious cry: "I WIN~!"

33. Nail salon tool: FILE

34. Quarantine: ISOLATION

35. Gear teeth: COGS

36. Tolkien monster: ORC

37. Beloved: DEAR

38. Media-monitoring org.: FCC - I would link Eminem here for a musical interlude, since "the FCC" is mentioned in his rap "Without Me", but Google for yourself....

42. Shakespearean betrayer: IAGO

43. Assignments: TASKS

48. "This isn't my first __": RODEO

49. Biblical betrayer: JUDAS - another musical interlude, this time, JUDAS Priest

 

Judas Priest, Invincible Shield, 2024

50. Naturally lit courtyards: ATRIA

51. Capital of Oregon: SALEM

52. Extreme: ULTRA

53. Lawyer Perry of classic TV: MASON - another musical interlude:

 

Ozzy~! Perry Mason

54. Without help: SOLO

55. Judge to be: DEEM

56. "Lunch is __": "I'm buying": ON ME

58. Anise-flavored Greek liquor: OUZO - the "penultimate" musical interlude...

 

"I'd Like to See You in Black" - Blue Öyster Cult - ouzo @ 2:39

59. Vehicle with sliding side doors: VAN - I have a Dodge CaraVAN, and here's my LAST musical interlude, VAN Halen~!

 

Stay Frosty

61. Raised trains: ELs - <-- train, train ^

 Answer: TERMINAL VELOCITY 😁

Splynter

Sunday October 29, 2023 Kelly Richardson & Katie Hale

Theme: "Relatively Speaking" - Each theme entry consists of A, B & C, both AB and BC are common phrases. A is the comparative form, with two different meanings as shown in each clue.

22. Date night, or a midgame show starring Beyoncé instead of the coach's nephew's garage band?: BETTER HALFTIME.

39. Giving up a lazy Saturday to clean up a beach at sunrise, or waking up to pancakes instead of gruel?: GREATER GOOD MORNING.

56. A chic gray bob and cat eye bifocals, or sleeping until noon and dancing until dawn?: LATER LIFESTYLES.

80. Cardstock instead of newsprint, or the work of a wordy student?: LONGER TERM PAPER.

93. "The copy editor says this needs a capital letter," or a judge saying "Not enough evidence" in a bass-baritone?: LOWER CASE DISMISSED.

116. God's rest on the seventh day, or forty winks on a bunk bed?: HIGHER POWERNAP

Another Sunday debut! Congrats, Kelly! This is her second collaboration with Katie Hale, assistant to Patti Varol.

Sometimes theme is easier for me to understand than to explain in a blog post. Today is that case. So much thoughts went into making this theme work.

Across:

1. "The Name of the Game" pop quartet: ABBA.

5. Driver's lic. info: DOB.  Chinese driver's license. Year first, then month and date. We also put surname first.

8. Nixed, at NASA: NO-GO.

12. Back teeth: MOLARS.

18. Adolescent: TEEN.

19. Concessions purchase: COLA.

20. Very, informally: UBER.

21. Bright red liqueur: APEROL.

25. Stovetop piper: KETTLE.

26. Still going: ACTIVE.

27. Cappuccino topping: FOAM. And 8. Cappuccino topping, perhaps: NUTMEG.

28. Prophetic sign: OMEN.

30. Pliable wood: YEW.

31. English article: THE.

32. "And so forth" abbr.: ETC.

34. Bohr played by Kenneth Branagh in "Oppenheimer": NIELS. Always appreciate the clue angle.

37. Word with bright or big: IDEA.

45. Busy mo. for a 102-Across: APR. 102. Tax prep pro: CPA.

47. Weep: CRY.

48. Brazilian berry: ACAI.

49. Cancel: ANNUL.

50. Ease of movement: FLUIDITY.

53. Target: AIM AT. OK, Wendy and Glen, below are my latest freestyle and breaststroke. Now I can do bilateral breathing. I'm working on the fingertip drag drill. Hopefully I can get the high elbow soon.

55. Food stamp org.: USDA.

59. Classified: RATED.

60. Ethically indifferent: AMORAL.

61. Skip over: OMIT.

62. Fast Amtrak train: ACELA. And 65. Underground systems: METROS.

64. Took first place: WON.

67. Fluffy craft supply: POM POM.

70. Writing tip?: NIB.

73. Adventure game console: ATARI.

75. Soy block: TOFU. Can't live without miso and tofu. 

76. "I am enough," e.g.: MANTRA.

78. Snouts: NOSES.

85. Feel (for): ACHE.

86. Spanish diacritic: TILDE.

87. Meetings: SESSIONS.

88. Bite noisily: CHOMP. 92. Wolfed down: ATE.

90. Operatic icon: DIVA.

91. Pub choice: ALE.

99. Flit: DART.

100. Greek fabulist: AESOP.

101. Wallach of "The Holiday": ELI.

105. Scolding sound: TSK.

108. Spring: LEAP.

110. 2-Down, for one: TREE. 2. Canvas for many an arborglyph: BEECH. Arborglyph is a new word to me. Tree carving. 

 

112. Ready at a moment's notice: ON CALL.

114. "Girl on Fire" singer Keys: ALICIA.

120. Sharp grabbers: TALONS.

121. Large barrel: DRUM.

122. Fish caught in pots: EELS. Wish I could eat this every day.

123. Hippocratic __: OATH.

124. Orbital extreme: APOGEE.

125. 18-wheeler: SEMI.

126. "Happy now?": SEE.

127. __ bargain: PLEA.

Down:

1. Up, in baseball: AT BAT.

3. Midler of "Hocus Pocus": BETTE.

4. Against: ANTI.

5. Play-__: Fun Factory clay: DOH.

6. Norwegian saint: OLAF.

7. Balderdash: BALONEY.

9. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI.

10. Jewel: GEM.

11. Cookie used to make Halloween bat-shaped treats: OREO.

12. Manage with whatever's available: MAKE DO.

13. 1968 to now, in professional tennis: OPEN ERA.

14. "__ the games begin!": LET.

15. Highbrow: ARTY.

16. Part: ROLE.

17. Whole lot: SLEW.

19. Heraklion's island: CRETE. Unfamiliar with Heraklion. Looks pretty.

23. Eternally: EVER.

24. Event where pies win ribbons: FAIR.

29. "La Bohème" heroine: MIMI.

33. Prickly plants: CACTI.

35. Like fertile soil: LOAMY.

36. Bolsa Chica State Beach's locale, informally: SOCAL.

38. Single-season bloom: ANNUAL.

39. Actress Pam: GRIER.

40. Take a shot at: TRY FOR.

41. Promposal goal: DATE.

42. Appliance that performs under pressure?: INSTANT POT. Great clue/fill.

43. In the buff: NUDE.

44. Happy: GLAD.

45. Dollar alternative: ALAMO.

46. Give 'em the old razzle-dazzle, say: PUT ON A SHOW. Another great fill.

50. Weak spot: FLAW.

51. Many Oscar contenders: DRAMAS.

52. Not as well: ILLER. Gluey.

53. Sale caveat: AS IS.

54. Hirsute cousin: ITT.

57. Punk offshoot: EMO.

58. Drain: SAP.

59. Plots again: REMAPS.

63. PR focus: COMMS.

66. Ending at, casually: TIL.

67. Bioré target: PORE. Fun to pop on one.

68. Frequently, poetically: OFT.

69. Oaty breakfast mix: MUESLI.

71. Oscar nominee Dunne: IRENE.

72. Xylophone parts: BARS.

74. Abounded (with): TEEMED.

75. Journalist Koppel: TED.

77. Water nymph: NAIAD.

78. Salt formula: NACL.

79. Nueve preceder: OCHO.

81. Singer Redding: OTIS.

82. "Love your skin" body brand: NIVEA. I like their sunscreen. Japanese version.

83. Woody area: GLADE.

84. Actress Witherspoon: REESE.

89. Nutty confection: PRALINE.

90. __ mining: DATA.

91. Current units: AMPERES.

94. Fold: CREASE.

95. Thin strips of land: ISTHMI. Hard to pronounce for me. Chinese does not have TH letter combo.

96. Irked: SORE.

97. Loses speed: SLOWS.

98. German article: EINE.

102. Gondola waterway: CANAL.

103. Tectonic __: PLATE.

104. First Greek letter: ALPHA.

105. "Toodles": TA TA.

106. Thwack: SLAP.

107. 2.2 lbs., roughly: KILO.

109. Univ. conferrals: PHDS.

111. Sport sword: EPEE.

113. Trim, as a photo: CROP.

115. Horologist's piece: COG.

117. Wrath: IRE.

118. Orbit, e.g.: GUM.

119. Fútbol cheer: OLE.

Some extra notes:

1) Dennis sent me this stunning display at his front yard. His buddy surprised him when he returned from his annual New Jersey trip. The second one is from the visit on his 80th birthday. He has not aged one day in all these years since I knew him.  

 

2) Look who's finally back home! Melissa picked up her husband Jacob on Oct 20. It's been a long, hard journey. Melissa said "Jacob has been home a week and already has work through the office of public defense, and a few other irons in the fire for backup." More pictures here. The first picture below was taken on their way out to dinner his first night home.