Puzzling thoughts: So, after a two-month absence from blogging, my initial thought about today's crossword was what our constructor (Mr. Horton) offered at 41-across: ("Give me your best shot!":) BRING IT! And "bring it" he did, as this took me about 20 minutes to solve using my Across Lite software. As I alluded to a couple weeks ago, my solving skills may have atrophied a bit while I was hiatusing; but I have never been speedy when solving puzzles on-line. My typing skills are much worse than my solving skills, which slows me down considerably. Anyway, I finally got 'er done ...
This appears to be Landon's DEBUT at LAT; when I googled his name with a "crossword" reference, this is what came up. Congratulations Landon on your published puzzle(s); I'm sure we'll be seeing more from you in the future ...
So, if my "theme title" didn't give this away, the basic tie-in to all four entries is the addition of the letters "DLE" to common items. This added syllable gave the items a clever and punny twist. For example:
20-across. Table-tennis implement that lacks a partner?: BACHELOR PADDLE. I had a BACHELOR PAD for several years but don't miss it. Although, if it looked like this one ...
33-across. Combo deal of frankfurters, ketchup, mustard, relish, etc.?: HOT DOG BUNDLE. More truth than fiction in this entry ... remove the ketchup, make sure the mustard is either dark or spicy, make sure the relish is "dill", add some chopped red onions and sauerkraut, and you have the Chairman's perfect HOT DOG BUNDLE. The ones at Costco are pretty tasty, and contain some of the condiments that Moe likes
40-across. Sketch of a crime-fighting canine?: SCOOBY DOODLE. Probably my favorite of the four
And last, but not least ... 54-across. Gift for someone who loves the smell of potato chips?: PRINGLES CANDLE. It looks like someone else had this idea:
This kind of wordplay is right up the Chairman's alley ... and prompted me to come up with a Moe-ku. Perhaps Landon had this as a backup entry for today's puzzle?? Clue and answer in haiku format:
Recipient of
Deceased man's e-book reader?
His NEXT OF KINDLE
{groan}
Here is the grid:
Across:
1. Treat with supreme care: BABY. Desper-otto: did you get this one straight away? I didn't
5. Not messy: NEAT. Or how I like my Whisky/Whiskey pours ... sorry, Irish Miss! A CSO to a former Crossword Corner regular, Tinbeni
9. Piracy, e.g.: THEFT.
14. Prefix with futurism: AFRO. Friday clue
15. Wile E. Coyote's preferred supplier: ACME. Landon appears - from his LinkedIn account photo - to be a Gen X'er, so he was probably familiar with this from watching cartoons as a lad. Goes with 17-across. (Warner __:) BROS. The studio that produced this cartoon
35-across. (Tuscan waterway:) ARNO. Goes with 16-across. (35-Across, for one:) RIVER. We've had this one before
18. Couple: ITEM. PAIR also fit and that was what I inserted first
19. Cohesion: UNITY.
23. Impediments to inbox zero: E-MAILS. Once I got the perps, this filled in itself
24. Former NFLer Michael portrayed in "The Blind Side": OHER. Goes with 45-across. (Actress Bullock:) SANDRA, who played Michael's adopted mom; as well as 17-across (it's a Warner BROS production). Great story; decent film
25. "__ Misérables": LES.
26. Seder, e.g.: MEAL. I had "RITE" as my first guess; was I correct in saying that the SEDER is a RITE?
29. Once-common glove box item: AAA MAP. Not just any MAP ... a AAA map. They (AAA) always included one or two mistakes on their maps to ensure that no one infringed on their copyright(s)
38. "The Last of Us" cable network: HBO. WAG filled by perps
39. Hair __: CLIP. Moe is pretty much "sans" hair ... CLIP was not my first thought
46. Nimble: SPRY.
47. Tax org.: IRS.
50. Annex: WING.
52. Childish denial: ARE NOT. AM TOO was too short
58. Singapore __: SLING. Wow! Hadn't heard of this cocktail in a long, long time. Here is the recipe
59. Honolulu's island: OAHU.
60. Level: TIER.
61. Rapper Minaj: NICKI. Moe-ku 2:
When rapper NICKI
Hooked up with roommates, it's called:
A Minaj à trois
62. Like some coffee tables: OVAL. Ours is rectangular
63. Harold's "Ghostbusters" role: EGON. Who you gonna call??
64. Bare minimum: LEAST.
65. Jumbo: MEGA.
66. Blush wine: ROSE. Believe it or not, most rosé wine is not sweet. The wine is derived primarily from red grape varietals, and very little skin contact is seen during the crushing of the grapes and/or the fermentation process. Great for summer meals; we drink it all year long in Arizona
Down:
1. Duolingo alternative: BABBEL. 1-across and 1-down almost made this puzzle unsolvable for me. Quite obviously, I didn't know what Duolingo was (I do recall hearing the word, though), and I sure didn't know any familiar six-letter words that ended in BEL. I perped and WAG'd my way through this NW corner; it was my last section to fill
2. Triangular abode: A FRAME. TEEPEE was my first guess
3. __ area: brain region linked to speech: BROCAS. After guessing this word, I looked it up to confirm
4. Super Mario World dinosaur: YOSHI. Another WAG that seemed correct when I placed it into this space. I thought at first that SOSHI was its name, but once BABY was perped ...
5. Tool tapped by a hammer: NAILSET. This word hasn't appeared in a major crossword puzzle in awhile
6. Opposite of endo-: ECTO.
7. USA part: Abbr.: AMER.
8. Pace: TEMPO.
9. Canadian prime minister: TRUDEAU. CSO to CanadianEh!, but the recent big news about Pierre is that he and his wife of 18 years are getting a divorce ... any more "dirt" you can spread on this, C-Eh!?
10. Obstacle: HINDRANCE. Another lesser used crossword
11. Pernicious: EVIL. Friday clue
12. Swanky party: FETE.
13. Give it a whirl: TRY. Hmmm ... I recently submitted a puzzle that had "GIVE IT A WHIRL" as the reveal ... the puzzle wasn't accepted ... but now this clue shows up ... coincidence?
21. Red Muppet who visits Grouchland: ELMO. You had me at "Red Muppet"
22. Literary captain whose last words are "Thus, I give up the spear!": AHAB. Easily filled
27. Ritalin target, for short: ADHD.
28. Chicano rock band Los __: LOBOS. Most know this group for their song "La Bamba". Here is one that also popped up in a Google search
30. 16th century date: MDL. For as clever as this puzzle was, I'm OK with this; most editor's frown on using roman numerals unless absolutely necessary
31. Oscar winner Mahershala: ALI. Total WAG/perp; hadn't seen his movies or TV programs ... it happens!
32. Gusto: PEP. This word makes me think of the PEP Boys ... Manny, Moe, and Jack
33. Bamboozles: HOODWINKS. Moe-ku 3:
Clever bamboozler
Fashioned a new sweatshirt by
Adding some HOOD WINKS
34. "The __ Lab": Netflix docuseries hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow: GOOP. GOOP has become an oft-used word recently in x-word puzzles; probably because of this docuseries' popularity
35. Donkey: ASS.
36. Classic TV brand: RCA.
37. __ sequitur: NON.
42. Andrew who founded the Forward Party in 2021: YANG. Rumors are that he might run for Prez in 2024
43. Bram Stoker horror novel: DRACULA.
44. "His Dark Materials" heroine: LYRA. Margaret was familiar with her; not I
47. Rainbow hue: INDIGO. ROY G BIV (acronym for remembering): RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, INDIGO, and VIOLET. The seven colors of the rainbow
48. Birling contests: ROLEOS. This crossword entry hasn't been used in quite awhile, either. Having perped the "L" I knew it wasn't RODEOS
49. "Tristram Shandy" author: STERNE. Has someone been keeping track of the proper names today? In case anyone wondered: [according to Wikipedia] "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, also known as Tristram Shandy, is a novel by Laurence STERNE, inspired by Don Quixote. It was published in nine volumes, the first two appearing in 1759, and seven others following over the next seven years (vols. 3 and 4, 1761; vols. 5 and 6, 1762"
51. Low spirits: GLOOM. Interpreting this clue a different way ... the "low spirits" in my liquor cabinet include vodka, gin and rum - are mostly the ones used for mixers ... the top spirits (top shelf) are closer at hand! ;^)
53. Input: ENTER.
54. Ballet bend: PLIE.
55. Costa __: RICA.
56. Spot for Christmas lights: EAVE. Although TREE works, too
57. Carpet choice: SHAG. This almost fits with one of the theme entries (SCOOBY DOODLE) as SHAGgy was one of the human characters in the cartoon series
58. Weekly NBC show, for short: SNL.
Well, here we are at the conclusion of today's recap. I hope you'll offer YOUR comments below. In keeping with my new puzzle rating score (MOES scale), this one came in at a solid 5 point 6 ... See y'uns in a couple weeks ...
