Friday May 24, 2024, Margi Stevenson

Theme:   "PR" pressure

 

Puzzling thoughts:

Another "reveal-less" Friday puzzle; one that adds the letter "P" next to a phrase that begins with the letter "R" to form 5 "new" phrases based on a hypothetical clue

As a constructor I enjoy creating this kind of "add a letter" (or "subtract a letter" puzzle) 

Margi Stevenson has had four recent puzzles (dating back to last fall) published at the LA Times; one each on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  So, it's only fitting that her 5th puzzle would be on a Friday; in poker terms, we call that "filling in (or making) a straight"

Here are the 5 entries:

17-across. Stellar essay?: PROSE GOLD.  Rose Gold is a term used in the jewelry trade to indicate the color (in this case, "rose") of a piece of gold (bracelet, ring, watch, et al); the other colors being "white" and "yellow".  The added "P" twists the phrase to denote that a work of prose might be "golden" (stellar)

22-across. Modest proposal?: PRUDE REMARK.  Rude remark is a term used to negatively characterize a person or their demeanor.  Too often we hear these from politicians ... the added "P" might soften this a bit as prudes are often quite shy or modest

35-across. Compliment a nice thatching job?: PRAISE THE ROOF.  Raise the roof is an oft used term to indicate a cacophony of noises, or maybe loud cheers (at a basketball game, e.g.).  The added "P" contorts the idiom by giving kudos to one who performs repairs to the highest point on a house ... kind of like what a pigeon might do if it perched on one and gave "high coos" ...

49-across. June celebrant's social media posts?: PRIDE SHARES.  Rideshares is a term that found its way into lexicography when Uber and Lyft became popular.  The added "P" here gives a SO to the month of June which has become synonymous with "Pride" month.  Of the five entries, this one gave me the biggest chuckle.  The only (44-across. Little gripe:) NIT I have with this one is that the word rideshares can be used singularly

56-across. Comparison shop at BevMo?: PRICE WINE.  Rice wine is also known as "sake".  Sake is a distilled spirit made from rice grain rather than corn, rye, wheat, malt, et al.  BevMo! (note the exclamation point after "Mo", which is missing from the clue) is both a big box and on-line retailer of wine and spirits, with stores in California, Arizona, and Washington state.  Those of you located east of the left coast probably aren't familiar with them.  Personally, I don't shop there.  The added "P" makes this answer almost too obvious ... 

Here is the completed grid: (see my two corrections: the O in iPod nano and the L in Kal)

 

 

Across:
1. Home of S.D. and the O.C.: SO CAL.  S.D. is for San Diego; O.C. is for Orange County. Given the BevMo! reference in one of the entries I can only guess that Margi hails from the Golden State.  Wonder if she likes IN-N-Out Burgers, too?

6. Cardinals gp.: NFL.  Anybody else try MLB before NFL?  I did

9. Hall of Famer Piazza who caught the ceremonial last pitch at Shea Stadium: MIKE.  Mike Piazza is an erstwhile MLB catcher who is also a member of the HOF.  I'm guessing that Patti had a hand in this clue (she's a METS fan)

13. __ myrtle: CRAPE.  Anybody else try CREPE before CRAPE?  I did

Fun Fact:  The Crape Myrtle's roots actually begin in China, where it was named “Pai Jih Hung,” meaning hundred days red for its beautiful color and long bloom season. The Chinese also called it the “monkey tree” because monkeys could not climb the smooth, slippery trunks

 

Crape Myrtle

14. MSN rival: AOL.  Puzzles with 5 entries usually have a plethora of TLWs (18 of them at my last count). Sorry, Irish Miss - and I know that this kind of puzzle is not one of your favorites ...

15. Country with one of the highest life expectancies in the world: JAPAN.  I took a wild guess at this based on my knowledge of 5-letter countries ... and when (15-down. Dried meat snack:) JERKY appeared at its perpendicular, I knew I was correct

16. Dried poblano: ANCHO.  CSO to Lucina.  If she cares to, maybe she'll give us a bit of its history or an anecdote or two about her experiences with using them in recipes

19. Zero-stress period: ME TIME.  Nice phrase for a Friday fill, though a tad selfish! 😃

21. Cyberhandle: USER I.D.  Mine is "Chairman Moe", duh!

24. "Never gonna happen, laddie!": NAE.  What I said to MM last week when he tried to make us believe that he would turn down a dram of Glenmorangie

27. Pt. of 61-Across: SYS (61-across. Pre-Sierra Mac platform:) OSX.  I will defer to our resident computer geeks to explain this one

28. Use a straw: SIP.  Knowing the mean age of this group, I am guessing that most of you recall when a straw was made of paper, not plastic

29. Go around: BY-PASS.  Having just read this book, I am quite familiar with how the US Interstate highway system had to by-pass many cities to preserve some historic areas

31. Spotter's confirmation: I SEE IT.  First of the three "IT" phrases

34. "Can do!": ON IT.  Second of the two "IT" phrases 

39. Eldest Brady boy: GREG.  The "Brady Bunch" TV series - back in the day - was the forerunner of blended families.  Actor Barry Williams played the role of Greg

40. Sea salt: SAILOR.  Not the condiment; the "nickname" for a seafarer

41. Hit Ctrl+R, say: RE-LOAD.  When I am writing my blog I often use "Ctrl+C" (copy), "Ctrl+V" (paste), and Ctrl+X (cut), but never Ctrl+R.  We had this word earlier this week (Monday)

45. Fig. on a mountaintop sign: ALT.  Unlike the previous clue (which referenced HTML), this one chose the abbreviation for altitude rather than the keyboard key just left of the space bar

48. Waste watchers org.: EPA.  A bit of play-on-words for the clue

53. Harangue: TIRADE.  I had to see if the Thesaurussaurus agrees:

He does

55. Singer-songwriter Billie: EILISH.  Eilish appeared in the May 10 puzzle

59. Martini's vermouth partner: ROSSI.  It's for sure that you can find this brand of vermouth (in both the white and red versions) at BevMo!  Vermouth is both an aperitif as well as a mixer.  I use one-part red vermouth to two-parts rye whiskey to make a Manhattan cocktail

60. Tackle box supply: HOOKS.  Anybody else try LURES here?  I did

62. Subsequently: AFTER.

63. Refuse: DENY.  The entry subsequently to AFTER

64. Satisfied, as expectations: MET.  I always hope that I MET your expectations when blogging these puzzles, even if I didn't have one single Moe-ku among all of the "across" answers.  MET was recently used in this past Monday's puzzle (5/20/24)

65. Turn on: START.  My prurient thoughts immediately went another direction ... but as clued, it was a fitting answer as its opposite clue appeared at 12-down. (Turn off: END)

Down:
1. Rapscallions: SCAMPS.  A definition of the Friday bloggers here?? 😂

2. Like Scrooge: ORNERY.  I mean, the mean couldn't be mean, could they? 

3. Flora that's tricky to transplant: CACTUS.  As a new Arizonan, I came to learn quickly that transplanting a cactus is not just tricky because of the thorns/spines/prickles, but because of multiple laws and protections for native plants - my favorite cactus is pictured below:

Crested Saguaro; quite rare

4. Garden pest eaten by hoverfly larva: APHID.  I think on Monday sumdaze mentioned that she enjoys clues that offer a bit of trivia ... Hoverfly larvae

5. 2022 World Cup Golden Ball winner: LEO MESSI.  From the FIFA World Cup Football event in Qatar.  His "full" name is Lionel Andres Messi, but fans call him "Leo"

6. Power __: NAP.  I am not quite old enough to qualify for taking a daily power nap, but I am getting close ... 

7. Rome landmark: FORUM.  A funny thing happened on the way there: 

8. Writer Mario Vargas __: LLOSA.  This guy

9. Christmas trio: MAGI.  And they presented the Christ child with gifts of Frankincense, Myrrh, and a stellar essay of Prose Gold ... don't believe me?  Ask Margi, our constructor ... 

10. Big little tech release of 2005: iPOD NANO.  I had iPAd Nano at first 

11. Actor Penn: KAL.  Sean didn't fit.  Kal is becoming quite the character actor

18. Balkan native: SERB.  Margaret's daughter-in-law is a Serb; originally from Belgrade (nee, Yugoslavia)

20. Native Ohioans: ERIES.  Buckeyes didn't fit.  ERIE is more commonly seen when referring to one of the Great Lakes.  The Eries were a native American tribe who lived in what is now known as Ohio 

23. L'escrime equipment: EPEES.  "Frawnch", as our erstwhile and sometimes substitute blogger Splynter would say.  This solved as a perp since I don't speak the language of the Gauls.  I'm guessing that L'escrime has to do with fencing ... 

25. "Never gonna happen, bud": AS IF.  Well, this is what's happening!  A video that explains it so much better than I could:

26. Repair shop fig.: EST.  This fig. is only good during the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, EST

30. "__ Things": Oscar-winning Lanthimos film: POOR.  Yorgos Lanthimos, director, producer, film writer, et al

31. Who Othello declares "is most honest": IAGO.  Somehow this didn't need perps or prior knowledge.  Just about any time I see a four-letter Shakespeare-based clue that is also a proper name, Iago is inserted

32. "Give __ go!": IT A.  Third and final of the "IT" phrases, my sole Moe-ku du jour, and maybe another way to clue this:

In 1950
High school geeks were advised to
"Give I T a go"

33. Yours, biblically: THINE.  The word appears in the Lord's Prayer.  This hymnal version (though done in a sort of Barbershop Quartet style) is quite good.  One guy (Tim Waurick) does all four parts:

35. Get ready to cook: PREP.  My four-year-old grandson and his mom were making a batch of banana bread muffins this past weekend.  I got to see them via FaceTime.  It was interesting watching him help with the prep 

36. Many a wedding guest: RELATION.  And in some parts of the U.S., it may also be the wedding participants ... [Margaret just rolled her eyes]

37. Name in a Beethoven title: ELISE.  The video has some interesting variations on this theme

38. Untaxed investment options: ROTH IRAS.  Unlike conventional IRAs a Roth IRA taxes the investment amount up front rather than on withdrawal.  But in the end, regardless of which way you go, the government is going to get THEIRS (which, when the letters are separated spells THE IRS)

39. Hurdle for M.A. hopefuls: GRE.  Would a hurdle for an NCO field combat hopeful be MRE?? Having never tried one, maybe they are tasty?

42. __-ski: APRES.  This entry word was captured in my 5/10/2024 blog with a cartoon.  In case you missed it, here it is again!

43. Lure: DRAW.  Another Friday-level clue.  On Monday the answer to "lure" might be bait

45. Label founded by Clive Davis: ARISTA.  Some pretty big name artists recorded with Arista

46. __ of two evils: LESSER.  This phrase used to be my go-to whenever someone asked me who I might be voting for ... 

47. Part of a summer camp uniform: T-SHIRT.  Merit Badge Sash wouldn't fit.  I wonder what the Camp Grenada T-Shirt looked like? 

50. Kick to the curb, for one: IDIOM.  An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase. For example, saying that something is "beyond the pale" is an idiomatic way of saying that it is improper or "over the line," but you would only know that if someone had explained it to you, or if you had been able to infer its meaning based on context

Why didn't I think of this title before?

51. Crowded: DENSE.  Is this also a Friday-like clue for this word? 

The Thesaurussaurus agrees!

52. Like a kite: ALOFT.  I felt pretty soar after figuring this one out 

54. Totally gross: ICKY.  I almost TITT when I saw this clue; I was trying my best to figure out how something "twelve-dozen"-ish was icky
 
56. Deg. held by Wilson, but no other U.S. president: PH.D.  Learning Moe-ment.  I was unaware that Woody was the only POTUS to have a Ph.D.  He earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in history and political science from Johns Hopkins University

57. Tuna tartare topper: ROE.  Too bad that the word entry didn't begin with a "T", too.  Very alliterative clue

58. Tel. no. addition: EXT.  Why not end on a TLW?? 😀

BTW, I thought of another possible entry that was likely discarded due to its being too long for a 15x15 grid:

Clue:  Beef choice for an old seafaring storyteller? Answer: PRIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER

Well, as always, I am anxious to read your comments and thoughts about today's puzzle ... see you next month

Monday March 11, 2024 Margi Stevenson

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with a Dyn-o-Mite puzzle from constructor, Margi Stevenson.

Theme:          

Jimmie Walker as J.J. Evans in Good Times (1974-1979)
His catchphrase really blew-up in popular culture.

We'll begin with the four themed clues:

17 Across. Sound of the 1970s: DISCO MUSIC.

29 Across. Electronic source of percussion: DRUM MACHINE.

45 Across. Unaccredited source of degrees: DIPLOMA MILL.

61 Across. Hypothetical space stuff that doesn't interact with light: DARK MATTER.

The reveal is nicely tucked into the bottom, right corner: 

69 Across. Private chats, briefly, and what 17-, 29-, 45-, and 61-Across literally are: DMS.  Direct Messages

It's what you do when you want to chat with someone, but not in the general comments forum.

Across:
1. Was ahead: LED.     and     15 Across. Ahead by a small margin: UP ONE.  

The home team is leading by one point.

4. __ eclipse: daytime celestial event: SOLAR.  A big one is coming up on April 8. Where & When - NASA site

9. Iowa State's home: AMES.

13. Opera solo: ARIA.

16. Discourteous: RUDE.

19. Radiate: EMIT.

20. Pours from one container to another: DECANTS.  DECANTing allows red wines to aerate. This hack works for me:  pour one glass then put the cork back in the bottle. Shake the bottle hard. Remove the cork and let sit a few minutes before pouring the other glasses. (You can sip on the first glass while you wait. 😉)

Click to enlarge.

21. Blue Ribbon brewery: PABST.  Established in Milwaukee, WI in 1844 and currently based in San Antonio, TX.

<no DECANTing required>

22. __ and beans: RICE.  I just made a big pot of this yesterday. Two pounds dried pinto beans to 1 cup rice is a good ratio.

23. Novelist O'Brien: EDNA.  This D was my last fill. It crosses with another name in 24-Down.

26. Early email provider: AOL.

27. Organ with an iris: EYE.  At first I was thinking of Splynter's variety of organs but today it was an EYEball.

32. Cry: WEEP.

34. "Heck if I know": NO IDEA.  "SAT XWD" also fit...

35. Looks up to: ESTEEMS.  ...which is why I hold our Sat. blogger Husker Gary in such high ESTEEM.

38. Wine shop event: TASTING.  Today I saw this ad in my weekly 'downtown events' email. I thought it was odd to call it a "Cigar Tasting". Have you heard of these?

42. G major analogue: E-MINOR.  The song in 63-D is in F Major.

This is another way of asking what the relative key is for G Major. Both scales only have one sharp (F#).

44. Qatari leader: EMIR.

50. Suffix with percent: -ILE.  

51. Florida NBA team, on scoreboards: ORL.  ORLando Magic...as in the Magic Kingdom (Disney World)

52. CrossFit units: REPS.

53. Wood stove output: HEAT.  The Miami HEAT NBA team also plays in Florida.

55. "Works __ time": EVERY.

57. Carrying capacity of a cargo ship: TONNAGE.

60. Trig function that models light waves: SINE.  Light acts as both a wave and a particle.  

Visible light is one component of the electromagnetism spectrum.

64. Not taken in by: ONTO.  Def.:  being aware of a scheme.

65. Figure of speech: IDIOM.  The IDIOM "barking up the wrong tree" means you are wrong or mistaken.

66. Word repeated after "Que" in a classic song: SERA.  

Doris Day famously sang Que Sera, Sera when she appeared in Hitchcock's 

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956).

Her co-stars were Jimmy Stewart and Peter Lorre.

67. Locksmith's supply: KEYS.

68. Canadian honker: GOOSE.  

Down:
1. Diane of "Chesapeake Shores": LADD.  Chesapeake Shores aired on the Hallmark Channel from 2016 to 2022.

2. The "E" of the Great Lakes HOMES mnemonic: ERIE.  

This Great Lakes mnemonic is less helpful.

3. Careful about what one reveals: DISCREET.

4. Historic fort in South Carolina: SUMTER.  National Parks website plus a video

5. Numbered musical work: OPUS.

6. Part of UCLA: LOS.  the University of California, Los Angeles

7. Singer DiFranco: ANI.

8. __ room: place for a foosball table: REC.  

9. Square footage: AREA.

10. India's largest city: MUMBAI.  The weather there today is expected to be sunny with highs in the low 90s and lows in the 70s with light winds and no rain.

11. Inventor Thomas who co-founded General Electric: EDISON.

12. Accept, with "for": SETTLE.

14. Antioxidant berry: ACAI.

18. How software was once sold: ON CD.

21. Dueling steps: PACES.

23. Angsty genre: EMO.

24. Composer Shostakovich: DMITRI.  As I said at 23-Across, this D was my last fill. The M made me first do a mental run of the vowels and then the letter S. Nothing felt right. Finally I noticed that the last name was Russian and that gave me DMITRI.

Here is his Suite for Jazz Orchestra #2  (1938).  

25. Zero: NADA.     and     40 Down. Zero: NIL.

27. Woolly mama: EWE.  cute play on "wooly mammoth"

28. Agreeable reply: YES.

30. Open with a pop: UNSNAP.  Def.:  unfasten or open with a brisk movement and a sharp sound.

31. Despise: HATE.

33. Tangerine coat: PEEL.

36. Georgia school that's one of the New Ivies: EMORY.

37. Play charades, say: MIME.     and     39 Down. Aped: IMITATED.

41. Test for M.A. hopefuls: GRE.  The Graduate Record Examinations is a standardized test that is part of the admissions process for many graduate schools in North America. One would need to attend a graduate school to earn a Master of Arts degree.

43. Mantra syllables: OMS.  

45. Makes a decent living: DOES OK.

The latest census numbers indicate what income ranges constitute the middle class (as of 2020). This will depend on family size. For a single individual, a middle-class income ranges from $30,000 - $90,000 per year. For a couple it starts at $42,430 up to $127,300; for a family of three, $60,000 - $180,000; and four $67,100 - $201,270.  Investopedia article

46. "Trainspotting" novelist Welsh: IRVINE.  goodreads link

47. More than enough: PLENTY.

48. YSL men's fragrance: L'HOMME.  

about $33 per oz. at Nordstrom

49. "Girls" creator Dunham: LENA.  Girls was a show on HBO from 2012-2017.

54. Industrious insects: ANTS.

56. Vintage Speed Wagons, e.g.: REOS.  

1949 D19XA Pickup  website

57. Boxing match decisions, for short: TKOS.  Technical Knockouts

58. Antiseptic target: GERM.

59. Notable times: ERAS.  "ERAS" is also the name of Taylor Swift's current tour.

61. Use a shovel: DIG.  

62. Ruckus: ADO.

63. Ipanema's city: RIO.  It's not the first time you've heard this song...and it likely won't be the last. 😊

What a lovely finish to a Delightful Monday solve! Here's the grid:  

Dasvidaniya Mates!

 

Notes from C.C.

 

I made today's  "Making the Right Move" for the Atlas Obscura. Give it a whirl.

 

 

Wednesday, February 14, 2024 Margi Stevenson and Katie Hale

Theme: Terms of Endearment - Career-specific phrases identifying one's object of affection.  

17. Beekeeper's valentine?: HONEY BUNCH.  A beekeeper is a person who owns and breeds bees, especially for their honey.  Their love is sweet.

25. Juice barista's valentine?: MAIN SQUEEZE.  A juice barista prepares and serves fruit-based beverages, which presumably involves some squeezing.  The main squeeze is someone's preferred girl/boyfriend or lover. No indication is given for the one in second place.  

37. Optometrist's valentine?: GOOD LOOKING.   Optometrists examine, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders that affect your eyes and vision.   A good looking person is one who is physically attractive, either with or without glasses, on either of you.

52. Aesthetician's valentine?: SWEET CHEEKS.  An aesthetician is a person trained to administer facials, advise customers on makeup and the care of skin and hair, etc.  I did not know that. So the reference is to the attractiveness of the beloved's facial shape.  My mind never even considered the callipygian alternative. Nope, not even for a microsecond.

I feel like such an ass

61. Baker's valentine?: STUD MUFFIN.  This is a sexually attractive, usually muscular young man.  Unlike a culinary muffin, which is a small domed cake or quick bread made from batter or dough.

Probably low carb

Hi, Gang, and happy Valentine's Ash Wednesday!  JazzBumpa here to share the love.  Margi and Katie have cooked up some tasty treats for us, and a bit of Valentine's eye-candy.  And then comes Lent.  So let's have some fun while we can. 

Across:

1. Plot points?: BEDS.  I guess this refers to garden beds in a plot of land, rather than a moment in a story that affects the character or the direction of the story in some way.   Am I missing anything?

5. Reply-all email storm deterrents: BCCS.  Blind copies, where the list of recipients is not revealed.

9. Horse breed native to the Middle East and North Africa: ARAB.   A breed of horse with historic roots on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest modern breeds.

13. In a frenzy: AMOK.   With uncontrolled and disruptive behavior.

14. Desert succulents: ALOES.   An evergreen perennial, it also originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.

16. Common piercing spot: LOBE.   For ear rings.

19. Chaucer chapter: TALE.  The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's magnum opus. 

20. Up and about: AWAKE.    Out of bed and in motion.

21. Meditation retreat: ASHRAM.   As defined.

23. "Karma is a __ / Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me": Taylor Swift lyric: CAT.  Ode to a contented pet.

28. Almost overflow: BRIM.   Filled to the very edge of a container.

30. Yokohama drama: NOH.   traditional Japanese masked drama with dance and song, evolved from Shinto rites.

31. Consumer advocate Ralph: NADER.   Ralph Nader [b. 1934] is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes, and a perennial presidential candidate.

32. Spanish title: SEÑORA.  A title or form of address used of or to a Spanish-speaking woman, corresponding to Mrs. or madam.

35. Hardware store purchase: TOOL.   A device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.

41. Yemeni port: ADEN.   Aden is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km east of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and north of the Gulf of Aden.

From Google Maps

42. Buys time: STALLS.   Delays an event temporarily so as to have longer to improve one's own position.

45. Packs in, as coffee: TAMPS.   Rams or packs (a substance) down or into something firmly.  I've never tamped coffee.

49. Performer's routine: ACT.   Perform a fictional role in a play, movie, or television production.

51. Nursery rhyme vessel: PAIL.   A usually cylindrical container with a handle.   Don't fall down when carrying one, you could break something.

56. Snoop: SPY.   Investigate or look around furtively in an attempt to find out something, especially information about someone's private affairs.

57. "Never would have thought": THAT SO?  Expression of surprise or disbelief

58. Vegas lights: NEONS.   Fluorescent lamps filled with neon, and inert gas

60. Monopoly payment: RENT.   A fee charged to a player who lands on somebody else's property

66. Midrange voice type: ALTO.   In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by either low women's or high men's voices. It is pitched lower than soprano, and higher than baritone.

67. "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" writer: AESOP.  Aesop [c. 620–564 BCE] was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. 

68. Spicy __ roll: TUNA.   A saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, which averages 2 m and is believed to live up to 50 years.

69. Devious plan: PLOY.   A tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent, or to trick someone to achieve an often concealed objective.

70. Parking lot mishap: DENT.  Making a bad impression.

71. Healthy piece: SLAB.  A large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood.  Though, in this case, it's probably a piece of meat.

Down:
1. "A Christmas Carol" cry: BAH.  Frequent utterance of Ebenezer Scrooge.  His redemption by three spirits has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday in the English-speaking world

2. Intense music genre: EMO.   Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and post-hardcore from the mid–1980s Washington, D.C. hardcore scene.

3. Making a gift of: DONATING.   Giving money or goods for a good cause, for example to a charity.
 
4. Misrepresent, as data: SKEW.   To distort from a true value or symmetrical form

5. Braided bread often filled with chocolate or cinnamon: BABKA.   A sweet braided bread which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. It is popular in Israel and in the Jewish diaspora.

6. Make aware: CLUE IN.  Provide information about a particular item or event.

7. Swindle: CON.  Use deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.

8. "Just wait a __": SEC.  Request for someone to briefly pause an action.

9. Tennis and golf legend Gibson: ALTHEA.   Althea Neale Gibson [1927 - 2003] was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam event.

10. Showed displeasure like a dragon: ROARED.   A roar is a a full, deep, prolonged cry uttered by a lion or other large wild animal.  Why a fictional creature was chosen is a bit of a mystery.

11. Burning: ABLAZE.   On fire.  Keep your distance.  AFLAME has 4 of the same letters.

12. Pricey German wheels, informally: BEEMER.  A BMW automobile, a product of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, commonly abbreviated to BMW, a German multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.  

15. "Inside the NBA" analyst, familiarly: SHAQ.   Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, known commonly as Shaq, is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA.

18. Thanksgiving vegetable: YAM.   Only maybe.  Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same? No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.

22. Naturally bright: SUNLIT.  Like an atrium,  a large open-air or skylight-covered space surrounded by a building.

23. "Survivor" network: CBS.   Columbia Broadcasting System

24. "__ we having fun yet?": ARE.  The second person singular present and first, second, third person plural present of be.   Well - are we?

26. Never ever: NOT ONCE.   Ain't gonna happen.

27. "Get out!": SHOO.  A word said to frighten or drive away a person or animal.   And never, ever come back!

29. Dairy farm sound: MOO.   Bovine utterance.   Not to be confused with an udderance, though moo utterers do have udders. 

33. Events with a lot of insult comedy: ROASTS.   A banquet at which the guest of honor is subjected to good-natured ridicule.

34. Put in: ADD.   To put something with something else to increase the number or amount or to make it more important.  Or, to voice an opinion in an on-going discussion.

36. Allows: OKs.   Grants assent or permission.

38. Two-time Emmy winner Remini: LEAH.   Leah Marie Remini [b. 1970] is an American actress. She starred as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Vanessa Celluci in the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait, both alongside Kevin James. 

39. Snooze: NAP.   A short period of sleep, typically taken during daytime hours as an adjunct to the usual nocturnal sleep period. Naps are most often taken as a response to drowsiness during waking hours.

40. Generous pour: GLASSFUL.   An amount contained by or sufficient to fill a glass or tumbler, possibly to the brim.

43. Gloss target: LIP.   Gloss is a cosmetic used primarily to give lips a glossy luster, and sometimes to add a subtle color. It is distributed as a fluid or a soft solid.   A lip is either of the two fleshy parts which form the upper and lower edges of the opening of the mouth.  Their primary purpose is to make sounds on the trombone.

44. Wily: SLY.   Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.

45. Sandal style: T-STRAP.   Having a single or multiple strap attached to a shoe to hold it on the foot or having a purely ornamental function and passing either above the instep near the arch or around the ankle.

46. "Gosh darn it!": AW HELL.  Slangy expressions of disappointment. 

47. Treating unkindly: MEAN TO.   Purposefully being rude or saying or doing something to hurt someone.

48. Object in a game of fetch: PET TOY.  Toys specifically marketed for dogs to play with come in many varieties, including dog bones, puppy toys, balls, tug toys, training aids, squeaky toys, etc.  As far as I know, attempting to play fetch with cats is doomed to failure.

50. Connective tissue: TENDON.   A flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone.

53. Spanish "thing": COSA.  Literal translation.

54. Well-groomed: KEMPT.    Maintained in a neat and clean condition; well cared for.

55. Trifling sum: SOU.   A former French coin of low value.

59. Crypto artworks, for short: NFTs.  Non-Fungible Tokens -- blockchain-based tokens that each represent a unique asset like a piece of art, digital content, or media. An NFT can be thought of as an irrevocable digital certificate of ownership and authenticity for a given asset, whether digital or physical.

62. Nickname for Edward or Theodore: TED.  It's unclear to me how TED is derived from either of them.  But I knew I guy named Roland who went by Ron.  This whole thing is about as confusing as NFTs

63. Not let go to waste: USE.  Consume or put in to action - not let something sit idle.

64. "Go-To Dinners" cookbook writer Garten: INA.  Ina Rosenberg Garten [b. 1948] is an American television cook and author. She is host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and was a former staff member of the Office of Management and Budget.

65. Capture: NAB.   In this context, apprehend a wrong-doer.

Hope you found something sweet to enjoy in this basket of Valentine treats.  

Cool regards!

JzB

Tuesday, November 14, 2023 Margi Stevenson

A Day at the Gym.  The End word of each theme answer is a Workout one might do at the gym.

16-Across. *   Device that crushes pungent cloves: GARLIC PRESS.

24-Across. *   Go swimming in one's birthday suit: SKINNY DIP. 

48-Across. *   Perm style popular in the 1980s and early 1990s: JHERI CURL.

58-Across. *   Very little, informally: DIDDLY SQUAT.

And the unifier:

38-Across. Come to a satisfying conclusion, and what the answer to each starred clue literally has: WORKOUT IN THE END.

Across:

1. Yahtzee cubes: DICE.   //  27Across. Domino dimple: PIP.  The dimples on the dice and dominos are both called PIPs.

5. Load to bear: ONUS.  From the Latin, literally meaning Burden.

9. Includes on an email: CC's.  A shout out to our wonderful Blog host.

12. Milky white gem: OPAL.  Hi, Kazie!  These gems are prevalent in Australia.

13. Exactly right: SPOT ON.

15. Barrister's field: LAW.  A Barrister is an attorney who specializes in trial litigation, as opposed to a 

Solicitor, who focuses on more transactional areas of law, such as contracts.  These terms are more common in the United Kingdom rather than in the United States.  In England, the Barrister in criminal court wears the iconic wig.

18. Unlock, in verse: OPE.

19. Shared values: ETHOS.

20. "Tag, __ it!": YOU'RE.

22. Puts on: DONS.

28. Flexible blackjack card: ACE.

30. Letters accompanying college apps: RECS.  As in Recommendations.

31. Maker of Calm + Restore skin care products: AVEENO.  We learned from a recent crossword puzzle that Aveeno products are also vegan.

I know everyone won't get the joke, but it made me laugh. *

33. Sheep sound: BAA.

34. Threesome: TRIO.  Ménage à trois?

41. Wild guess: STAB.

42. P-like Greek letter: RHO.  The Greek letters appear so often in the puzzles that we should have them all memorized by now.

43. Apple AirPod, e.g.: EARBUD.

44. Qatari leader: EMIR.  The letters also stand for European Market Infrastructure Regulation.

46. __ deco: ART.  We haven't seen our old friend Erté (né Romain de Tirtoff; Nov. 23, 1892 ~ Apr. 21, 1990) in a long time.  He used to make frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  He was best known for his Art Deco designs.

47. Some coll. degrees: BSs.  As in a Bachelor of Science degree, as opposed to a Bachelor of Arts degree.

52. Olympic sword: ÉPÉE.  A crossword staple.

54. Vampire teeth: FANGS.

My neighbor's cat that we renamed Fang.  He likes us better than his real owner.

57. Tot: KID.

64. "World of Dance" judge, to fans: JLO.  Jennifer Lynn Lopez Affleck (b. July 24, 1969) got her start as a Fly Girl on the television comedy In Living Color.  She is well known for her many marriages and relationships.  [Name # 1.]

65. Make a minister: ORDAIN.

66. Constellation bear: URSA.  I guess if you have a good imagination, you can see the Bear in the Stars.  It's easier to see the Big Dipper.  Can you find the 27-Down. Bear hands: PAWS?

67. << on a remote: Abbr.: REW.   The Rewind button.

68. Rapper Lil Uzi __: VERT.  Although I didn't recognize the name, when I saw his photo, I realized that Lil Uzi Vert (né Symere Basil Woods; b. July 31, 1995) has made appearances in the puzzles before.  Apparently, he had a $24M pink diamond imbedded into his forehead, until it was "ripped" out during a concert.  [Name # 2.]

69. Yellowstone grazers: ELKS.  We learned from last Tuesday that all Elks are Deer, but not all Deer are Elks.

Down:

1. "Best in Show" animal: DOG.  One of the funniest movies I have seen.

2. Hoppy brew letters: IPA.  As in India Pale Ale.  The real story of IPA's origin.

3. Sedan, e.g.: CAR.

4. Astronaut Ochoa who was the first Latina in space: ELLEN.  Not only was Ellen Ochoa (b. May 10, 1958) the first Latina in space, but she was also the director of the Johnson Space Center.  In 1993 she became the first Hispanic woman to go into space when she went on a 9-day mission on the Space Shuttle Discovery.  [Name # 3.]

5. Stand against: OPPOSE.

6. Scandinavian language, to its speakers: NORSK.  Norsk is one of two principal languages of Norway, but there are several others.

7. Native people of Colorado: UTE.  A crossword staple.

8. Distress call: SOS.  This is becoming a crossword staple.  It has appeared in several of the past Tuesday puzzles.

9. Sun block?: CLOUD.  Great misdirection.

10. __ pants: warm-weather wear: CAPRI.  Where did they come from?

11. Use a broom: SWEEP.

13. PTA meeting place: SCH.  The Parent Teacher Association meetings take place at the School.

14. "Bye Bye Bye" boy band: NSYNC.  [Name adjacent.]

17. "Hard pass": IT'S A NO.

21. Bivalve in a bed: OYSTER.

22. Golfer's gouge: DIVOT.

23. Rossini composition: OPERA.  Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) wrote 39 operas, as well as many pieces of music, including chamber music and sacred pieces.  He is probably best known for his 1816 opera The Barber of Seville.   [Name # 4.]

25. Tehran's land: IRAN.

 

26. Less of a mess: NEATER.

29. Journalist Katie who guest-hosted "Jeopardy!" in 2021: COURIC.  Katherine Anne Couric (b. Jan. 7, 19957) always seemed a little too cheerful for me.  [Name # 5.]

32. Actress Anita of "La Dolce Vita": EKBERG.  Anita Ekberg (née Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg; Sept. 29, 1931 ~ Jan. 11, 2015) was a Swedish actress.  In 1964, she became a permanent resident of Italy.  She is known for her role as Sylvia in the 1960 film La Dolce Vita, which was directed by Federico Fellini (Jan. 20, 1920 ~ Oct. 31, 1993).  [Name # 6.]

33. Sci. course: BIO.

35. Yeshiva leader: REBBE.  Rabbi vs Rebbe.

36. Occupied: IN USE.

37. Betting numbers: ODDS.

39. Drive-__ window: THRU.

40. Trash-talking types: HATERS.

45. Bungle: MIS-DO.

46. Writing movement rooted in internet culture: ALT LIT.  Alternative Literature.

48. Jackie O's son: JFK, JR.  Tragically, JFK, Jr. (né John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Jr.; Sept. 25, 1960 ~ July 16, 1999) and his wife, Caroline (née Caroline Jeanne Bessette; Jan. 7, 1966 ~ July 16, 1999) were killed in a plane crash while on their way to the wedding of a Kennedy cousin.  After the death of President John F. Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy (née Jacqueline Lee Bouvier; July 18, 1929 ~ May 19, 1994) married shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and became known as Jackie O.  [Names # 7 and 8.]

Caroline Kennedy, JFK, Jr., and Jackie Kennedy Onassis

49. Selassie of Ethiopia: HAILE.  Everything you wanted to know about Emperor Haile Selassie (né Täfäri Mäkonnän; July 23, 1892 ~ Aug. 27, 1975), but didn't know to ask.  When he became emperor, he changed his name to Haile Selassie which means Power of the Trinity in Amharic.  [Names # 9.]

50. Fund: ENDOW.

51. Storm-tracking aid: RADAR.

53. Arouse, as interest: PIQUE.

56. Author Rand: AYN.  Ayn Rand (née Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum; Feb. 2, 1905 ~ Mar. 6, 1982) was a Russian-born American writer and philosopher.  She is best known for her novels Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, both of which I read when I was in college.  [Name # 10.]

59. Hip-hop producer Gotti: IRV.  I am not into the hip-hop scene, so am not familiar with Ive Gotti (né Irving Domingo Lorenzo, Jr.; b. July 26, 1970).  [Name # 11.]

60. 1950s political monogram: DDE.  As in Dwight David Eisenhower (Oct. 14, 1890 ~ Mar. 28, 1969).  [Name # 12.]

61. Bookmarked link: URL.  The Uniform Resource Locator has become a crossword staple.

62. Invite (to): ASK.

63. Prof's assistants: TAs.  As in Teaching Assistants.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

*  Avinu Malkeinu (Hebrew: אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ; "Our Father, Our King") is a Jewish prayer recited during the High Holidays.  Avinu is pronounced like Aveeno.