Thursday, September 29, 2022 MaryEllen Uthlaut

 

Quiet Cities

Incidental music for the Irwin Shaw play Quiet City
Aaron Copeland, 1939

By my count this is constructor MaryEllen Uthlaut's 20th appearance in the LA Times, the last one a Sunday puzzle on August 14, 2022.  She also contributes to the New York times.

The 5 themers are clued with descriptions of small cities with some unusual inhabitants, and each is filled with a common town name suffix, prefixed by a word that results in an idiom or metaphor.  As these cities are not well advertised, I call them QUIET CITIES:

17A. City for delinquent library patrons?: FINE POINT.  Not to put too FINE a POINT on it, but my DOWN FALL started when I figured out that it was cheaper to buy books than to pay all my library fines.  My eventual undoing was the accursed Amazon 1-click.

25A. City for look-alikes?: DOUBLE PARK.  Legendary "look-alikes" even have a name: doppelgänger, from a German word for a biologically unrelated look-alike, or a double, of a living person.  German composer Franz Schubert wrote an eerie song about a doppelgänger, but it was way too scary to share.  Even some contemporary physicists wonder if there is another 'You' out there in a parallel universe.

37A. City for undercover agents?: MOLE HILLS.  The State Department recently announced that the Rooskies funneled over $300 million into other countries to influence foreign elections, but  I'm sure that none of it ended up in the hands of undercover agents here.  OTOH, the furry critters that create  real MOLE HILLS are no laughing matter if they infest your garden.

53A. City for bank managers?: SAFE HARBOR.  I guess banks are probably the the safest place to HARBOR SAFES, but a determined specialist still knows where to find them:

Willie Sutton

63A. City for feather-bed manufacturers?: DOWN FALLS.   In a fictional FALLS called BEDFORD,  in the film It's a Wonderful Life, a man named George Bailey, faces his DOWN FALL as the result of a mistake at a BANK, and is saved only through the ministrations of an angel called Clarence. We'll be seeing it soon. Christmas is just around the Corner!

Here's the grid with all the quiet cities:

Across:

1. Lacking refinement: RAW.

4. __ list: WISH.

8. Young deer: FAWNS.  Or its homophone FAUNS.  The ballet Prelude of the Afternoon of a Faun put composer Claude Debussy on the map.  The role of the FAUN in this performance was the great Vaslav Nijinski, born in Kyiv, Ukraine:

13. Comedian Nwodim: EGO.  Egobunma Kelechi "Ego" Nwodim born March 10, 1988) is an American actress and comedian who is a cast member on Saturday Night Live, joining in the 44th season in 2018.  Of Nigerian heritage, she hails from Baltimore.
 

Ego Nwodim

14. "Luther" star Elba: IDRIS.  Idrissa Akuna Elba OBE (born 6 September 1972) is an English actor, producer, and musician.  An alumnus of the National Youth Theatre in London, he is known for roles in the HBO series The Wire, the BBC One series Luther, and as Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013).

Idris Elba

16. Be of use to: AVAIL.

17. [See theme expo]

19. Sturdy fabric: SERGE.

20. "My Cousin Vinny" Oscar winner: TOMEI.  Marisa Tomei (born December 4, 1964) is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, in addition to nominations for a British Academy Film Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Marisa Tomei

21. A bit loopy: DAFT.  I resemble that remark!

23. "How about that!": GEE.  Or partnered with HAW, voice commands used to tell a draft horse to turn right or left when pulling a plow or other farm equipment, or to direct sled dogs pulling a sled or sleigh.

24. Cleveland pros, for short: CAVS.  Okay hoopsters, here's everything you need to know about the 2022-23 season.

25. [See theme expo]

28. Broke bread: ATE.

29. Part of an ear: COB.  Also a male SWAN.  Here's the haunting English Horn solo from Jean Sibelius' tone poem The Swan of Tuonela:

30. Lack of societal values: ANOMIE.  Is it just me or are "societal values" just so yesterday?

31. Short and snappy: TERSE.  I'm short and sometimes snappy, but I've never been called TERSE.

33. "The Little Mermaid" voice actress Benson: JODI.  "Benson" cues you that it's the 1989 film, not the upcoming 2023 remake starring Halle Bailey. Here's JODI singing Part of Your World:

 
And here's JODI live at the Disneyland, Florida:

Jodi Benson

While researching this clue, the plot of the Little Mermaid struck me  as very similar to the plot of the opera  Rusalka by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak.  Through a strange coincidence, I happened to be listening to a broadcast of Rusalka while working on this review and the announcer mentioned that the opera plot originated with Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid.  Like many European fairy tales Andersen's story ends sadly, as does Rusalka.  Disney's version of course is an American fairy tale and thus has a happy ending.  Here's the famous statue of Andersen's Little Mermaid in the Copenhagen's harbor:

The Little Mermaid
Edvard Eriksen, sculptor

And as an bonus, here's the beautiful Song to the Moon from Rusalka (with English subtitles), sung by the divine Renee Fleming.  A CSO to Jayce and OMK.

 

36. Cook fast, as tuna: SEAR.  In Sushi World it's called Tuna Tataki.

37. [See theme expo]

40. Fruit that lives up to its name: UGLI.  I just couldn't bear to bare a picture of one.

43. Bodega fixtures: ATMS. I don't think this is a first time for this clue.

44. "Sailing to Byzantium" poet: YEATS.  Sailing to Byzantium is about end times, our personal end times.  My favorite William Butler Yeats poem, The Second Coming, is also about end times, but not necessarily the religious end times that the title might suggest.  Published in 1920, in the aftermath of the Great War, Yeats seems to be prophesying WWII and it's aftermath, our times characterized by widespread ANOMIE.  The question raised in the final stanza is one that many of us might be asking at this critical time in world history.

William Butler Yeats

48. Nucleus particle: PROTON.  The positively charged PROTONS in the atomic nucleus are bound to charge-less NEUTRONS by the strong force, which also binds the QUARKS which comprise both particles.  And the composition of Quarks?  Turtles all the way down!

50. Prompt: CUE.

52. "What a lousy play!": BOO.  Sports not a drama.  But in Italy you sometimes hear BOOS in OPERA performances.

53. [See theme expo]

56. Org. that delivers: USPS.  They were having a rough time of it during the pandemic, but seemed to have recovered. 

57. __ for tat: TIT.   Also a type of bird.  Here's the song of the great tit, (Parus major) a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae.

58. Christian with style: DIOR.  Fashionable crosswordese.

59. Creator of many talking animals: AESOP.  Here's a partial list.  And here's the story about the creator.  Your grandchildren can keep you awake for hours with these tales.

61. "Dragon Ball Z" genre: ANIME.  Dragon Ball Z is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation. Part of the Dragon Ball media franchise, it is the sequel to the 1986 Dragon Ball anime series and adapts the latter 325 chapters of the original Dragon Ball manga series (comics) created by Akira Toriyama.  Got that?  It later became the basis for a 2022 movie.  Here's the trailer:

63. [See theme expo]

66. __ salami: GENOA.  GENOA is also famous as the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, although he has fallen out of favor in recent years.  IMHO it's a pity that we now hold the past up to our current high standards.

67. Dark beer: STOUT.  The essential ingredient of Guinness Punch.

68. Capital of Vancouver?: VEE.  Clever misdirection.

69. "Last Night in Soho" director Wright: EDGAR.  Last Night in Soho is a 2021 British psychological horror film directed by Edgar Wright and co-written by Wright and Krysty Wilson-Cairns. It stars Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Rita Tushingham, Michael Ajao, Terence Stamp and Diana Rigg.  Here's the trailer.  I think it's kinda scary ...

70. Gas brand with toy trucks: HESS.  For all the NICE children on Santa's list, here's this year's model.

71. Inexact fig.: EST.

Down:

1. Call the shots?: REF. To REF, as a verb.

2. Stir up: AGITATE.

3. Brought around: WON OVER.

4. Erase completely: WIPE.

5. Enthusiastic yes: I DO I DO.  Also a 1966 musical by Harvey Schmidt, with lyrics by Tom Jones, about a couple who enthusiastically said YES:

6. __ Lanka: SRI.   Much of the recent news from Sri Lanka has not been good.

7. Diwali celebrant: HINDU.  Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs. The festival usually lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November).  One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".

Diwali Rangoli
Illuminated mandala

 

8. Secure: FASTEN.

9. Map abbr.: AVE.

10. Military exercise: WAR GAME.  I wish all WARS ended like this one:

11. Gulf of Guinea country: NIGERIA. LIBERIA might have also fit, at least the Southern tip of it:

Gulf of Guinea

12. More streamlined: SLEEKER.

15. Try: STAB.  A common strategy for solving NATICKS.

18. 911 responders, briefly: EMS.

22. Swing wildly: FLAIL.  See 15D.

24. Laser pointer chaser: CAT.  Does the ASPCA know about this?

26. __ d'art: OBJET.  On Teri's recent birthday we had lunch at Gertrude's restaurant at the Baltimore Museum of Art and then headed upstairs to the Cone Gallery, an extraordinary collection of modern art assembled by the independently wealthy sisters Claribel and Etta Cone from the late 19th thru mid 20th century, and later donated to the BMA.  In addition to over 3000  objets d'art collected over 50 years, the exhibit also has a state-of-the-art interactive touch-screen computer simulation that enables the viewer to navigate images of the sisters' Baltimore apartment and see where many of the objects were first displayed.

27. Western outfit: POSSE.

29. Rosalind Brewer of Walgreens, e.g.: CEO.Rosalind G. Brewer, also known as "Roz", is an American businesswoman serving as the CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance. With her appointment at Walgreens in March 2021, she is one of only two Black women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies (along with Thasunda Duckett).

Rosalind Brewer

32. Whack, biblically: SMITE.

34. Physicist with a law: OHM.  Georg Simon Ohm ( 16 March 1789 – 6 July 1854) was the physicist and his eponymous law defines the relationship between the voltage, amperage, and resistance in electrical circuits.

Georg Simon Ohm

35. Summer songs?: DISCO. "Summer" as in Donna Summer.  LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the ""Queen of Disco", while her music gained a global following.  Here's her Last Dance:

38. Open veranda: LANAI.  A lanai or lānai is a type of roofed, open-sided veranda, patio, or porch originating in Hawaii.  Many homes, apartment buildings, hotels and restaurants in Hawaii are built with one or more lānais. 

Lanai is also the name of the sixth-largest of the Hawaiian Islands and the smallest publicly accessible inhabited island in the chain.  It is colloquially known as the Pineapple Island because of its past as an island-wide pineapple plantation.

Lanai
(just West of Maui)

 

 

39. Soap chemical: LYE.

40. Steal the spotlight from: UPSTAGE.

41. Ending for coarse and cross: GRAINED.  Here are some definitions of GRAINED.  With reference to wood here are six types of grains:

42. Sending high in the air: LOFTING.  Or Dr. Dolittle children's author HUGH LOFTING who, like AESOP was the creator of many talking animals.

HUGH LOFTING

45. Clear: ABSOLVE.  Or FORGIVE.

46. Knocks over: TOPPLES.

47. Brief alarm: SOS.  S.O.S. is an abbreviation for Save our Ship or Save our Souls, an easy to remember, easy to send alert in Morse Code.

49. "I have concerns": OH DEAR.

51. First planet discovered using a telescope: URANUS.  William Herschel (né Frederick William Herschel, 15 November 1738 – 25 August 1822) is most famous for discovering the planet URANUS, but what is not so well known is that he was also an accomplished composer of Baroque music, with over 200 works to his credit.  Here's his Fugue in d-minor for forte piano.

William Hershel

54. Some pretzels: RODS.

55. Stock: BROTH.

56. "Latino __": podcast hosted by Maria Hinojosa: USA.  Maria de Lourdes Hinojosa Ojeda (born July 2, 1961) is a Mexican-American journalist. She is the anchor and executive producer of Latino USA on National Public Radio, a public radio show devoted to Latino issues. She is also the founder, president and CEO of Futuro Media Group, which produces the show.   In 2022, Hinojosa won a Pulitzer Prize.

Maria Hinojosa

60. Terrarium youngsters: EFTS.  The odd life cycle of the Eastern Newt.

Red eft stage

62. Extinct New Zealand bird: MOA.  A lot rarer than EMUS, although not in crossword puzzles.  I believe this is the 3rd or 4th time I've blogged a MOA.  Trigger warning: this is way too much information about MOAS.

Haast's eagle attacking moa

64. Misfortune: WOE.  Well don't say I didn't warn you.

65. Good to go: SET.  We're SET. On to the comments!

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

waseeley

Cheers,

Bill

MaryEllen Uthlaut, you are invited to post anything you'd like to share about this puzzle, its evolution, the theme, or whatever, in the Comments section below.  We'd love to hear from you.

 

Sunday August 14, 2022 MaryEllen Uthlaut

Theme: "Begging the Question" - Each theme entry is a question raised by the clue.

23A. York, Jersey, Mexico, etc.?: SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW?.

46A. R?: IS THAT RIGHT?.

70A. None, few, many, most, __?: WILL THAT BE ALL?.

96A. Ralph Emerson?: WHERE'S WALDO?.

122A. "Mice guys finish last"?: WOULDN'T IT BE NICE?.

16D. Sesa Street?: DID YOU MISS ME?. Same clue angle as 122A. Misspellings.

64D. Guess __?: WHO GOES THERE?.

I don't remember seeing a theme like this before. Fun and fresh. Varied clue angles.

Here's a short bio about MaryEllen. Noticed the second constructor Kelly Clark? That's the Kelly that comments on our blog frequently.

Across:

1. Sticky situation: BIND. In a bind.

5. Feeling no pain: NUMB.

9. Hard exterior: CRUST. I like the hard part.

14. Rock projection: LEDGE.

19. Field of study: AREA.

20. On a cruise: ASEA.

21. Adele chart-topper that won three Grammys: HELLO. I must have heard of this song a thousand times.

22. __ skeleton: AXIAL.

26. TV, radio, newspapers, etc.: MEDIA.

27. Minnesota twins?: ENS. The two letters in Minnesota.

28. Like modern farmhouse decor: RUSTIC.

29. Small chess piece: PAWN.
 
30. "Breaking Bad" star Cranston: BRYAN. He played Walter White.

31. More slippery: ICIER.

33. Legless reptile: SNAKE.

35. Muse of poetry: ERATO.

37. Swiped, in a way: SCANNED.

39. Doctrinal breakaways: SECTS.

42. "__ a virtue, if you have it not": Hamlet: ASSUME.

45. Vermicelli, e.g.: PASTA. This is sweet potato noodles. Very popular in China and Korea.

50. Dallas NBAer: MAV.

51. Midrange voice: ALTO.

52. Greek letter that seems like it should be last: ZETA.

53. Unaccompanied: SOLO.

54. Beethoven honoree: ELISE.

56. Neckwear pins: TIE TACKS.

60. Fasten, as buttons: DO UP. I've only used "button up".

62. NCAA pt.: ASSN.

63. Get dizzy with delight: SWOON.

65. Sierra __, Africa: LEONE. Without the "Africa", you might want MADRE.

67. Firmly decided: DEAD SET. Against.

69. "Amazing!": OOH.

74. Juilliard subj.: MUS.

75. Type of court concerned with wills: PROBATE.

77. Like a cold-weather jacket: LINED.

78. Western show: OATER.

80. Logician's "hence": ERGO.

81. Soccer period: HALF.

84. Generosity: LARGESSE. Super grid-friendly letter combo.

86. Barrels of laughs: RIOTS.

88. 1973 Toni Morrison novel: SULA.

90. Aptly named cooler brand: YETI.

91. Nick at __: NITE.

95. Smithwick's beer: ALE. Not a familiar brand to me.

100. Like corned beef: CURED.

101. Orderly method: SYSTEM.

103. Art studio stand: EASEL.

104. Impulse-conducting cells: NEURONS. Guess how many neurons are in your brain?

106. Lock of hair: TRESS.

108. Soul singer Baker: ANITA.

111. "__ you clever!": AREN'T.

112. Informal name for Google Talk: G CHAT. Now just Chat.

114. Old Dodge subcompact: OMNI.

117. Hopeless cases: GONERS. Like my eyebrows.

119. Hang loosely: SAG.

121. Naproxen brand: ALEVE.

125. Stuff to sell: WARES.

126. Respected figure: ELDER. Asian tradition: always respect your elders.

127. Seesaw sitter of classic tongue twisters: ESAU.

128. Not engaged: IDLE.

129. Lowered oneself?: KNELT. Some of you might find this incredible.

130. Like the sound of bagpipes: REEDY.

131. Mix together: MELD.

132. Scallion kin: LEEK.

Down:

1. Private home?: BASE. Military base.

2. Humorously twisted: IRONICAL.

3. Anchor venue: NEWSCAST.

4. "Lah-di-__!": DAH.

5. The great outdoors: NATURE. Beautiful weather here in Minnesota!

6. Puts to work: USES.

7. Softens: MELTS.

8. Washbowl: BASIN.

9. City with two MLB teams: CHI. Cubs and White Sox.

10. Has high regard for: RESPECTS.

11. Forearm bone: ULNA.

12. Whole bunch: SLEW.

13. "Chinatown" screenwriter Robert: TOWNE. I never watched "Chinatown".  Was it good?

14. Scold harshly: LAMBASTE.

15. Applies, as pressure: EXERTS.

17. Greek earth goddess: GAIA.

18. Lively spirit: ELAN.

24. Ice Capades setting: ARENA.

25. Cybercurrency: E CASH.

32. All things considered: IN TOTO.

34. Hawaii's Mauna __: KEA. or LOA.

36. Cheer-full message: RAH.

37. Health resort: SPA. 43. 37-Down staffer: MASSEUR.

38. Food regimen: DIET.

40. Stepped heavily: TROD.

41. Missile housing: SILO.

44. Goings-on: EVENTS.

47. Play for time: STALL.

48. "Be silent," in music: TACET.

49. Mild Dutch cheese: GOUDA.

52. Apex: ZENITH.

55. A.E. Housman's "A Shropshire __": LAD. Learning moment for me.

57. Sioux City state: IOWA.

58. Former German Chancellor Helmut: KOHL.

59. Algae-eating aquarium critter: SNAIL.

61. House speaker Nancy: PELOSI.

63. In a regretful manner: SORRILY.

66. Italian peak also known as Mongibello: ETNA.

68. "Such a pity!": ALAS.

69. Some musical works by Kaija Saariaho: OPERAS. She's a Finnish composer.

71. Rental document: LEASE. The people who live next door to us are renters. Quite a few houses in our HOA have changed hands during COVID and become rental units.

72. Emerald, for one: BERYL.

73. Nosed (out): EDGED.

76. CAPTCHA prey: BOT. I'm not a robot. I'm a Ninja.

79. Academic status: TENURE.

82. Entice: LURE.

83. Pet collar target: FLEA.

85. British school attended by many prime ministers: ETON.

87. Most saccharine: SWEETEST.

89. Attacked: ASSAILED.

92. Raymond Burr crime series: IRONSIDE.

93. Sci-fi monster's appendage: TENTACLE.

94. Mag managers: EDS.

97. "__ Pinafore": HMS.

98. Former Chinese Premier __ Jiabao: WEN (2003-2013). Succeeded by Li Keqiang.

99. Adjust, as car wheels: ALIGN.

100. Hex: CURSE.

102. Visit faraway places: TRAVEL.

105. Tiny headphone: EARBUD.

107. Seed scatterer: SOWER.

109. Sacred emblem: TOTEM.

110. Fennellike herb: ANISE. I've only used star anise.

112. Goggle: GAWK.

113. Extended family: CLAN.

115. Burrowing insectivore: MOLE.

116. Needing extra sunscreen?: NUDE. Ha.

118. Etc. kin: ET AL.

120. __ Squad: Best Buy tech support: GEEK.

123. Like unbuttered toast: DRY.

124. Zero, in soccer: NIL.

Boomer's PSA jumped to 742. It was 525 on 7/11/2022. So the oral chemo Olaparib  has not worked its magic yet. We'll continue for two more months hoping the number might drop as it has done so for a few other patients.

C.C.

 

Friday, May 20, 2022, MaryEllen Uthlaut

 

Title: Welcome to the New Age

I am here for my second Friday for the Varol/Iverson regime today welcoming back MaryEllen Uthlaut who recently appeared here on March 6 with a Sunday (her specialty) discussed by C.C. ME burst on the constructor scene with a puzzle in the NYT followed by many LATs. My last count has this as her 35th over time. Her theme is one frequently used on Friday with a trigram (3 letters) removed from a phrase, re-clued for maximum hilarity. We do not have circles but we do have the asterisk which should have sped up the solve, if D-O noticed them. Nah. 

But first, there are some sparkly fill which include words longer than some of the themers. We have AGELESS, DISCORD, SPRAYER, CHARADES, ERUPTIVE, ELEMENTARY, and SKY MARSHAL all of which are worthy of some discussion. But not now, as it is time talk about the theme which is a classic Friday remove letters from known phrases to make new phrases which are then clued to promote hilarity. ME removed three letters (AGE) also known as a trigram, from the end of one word of four two word phrases. Generously we have a central reveal which is quite cute but makes this a somewhat easy solve. 

17A. *Appendage capable of kicking a 60-yard field goal?: RARE FOOTAGE.(8). The before and after of this fill mirror each other. We have the unique toeless foot of Tom Dempsey who kicked the first 60 yard field goal in 1970. We also have the rare video (FOOTAGE) of the accomplishment. 

It was not until 14 years later that there was another 60 yarder, but now the record is 66 yards in a LIST of 26 such feats. Haha!

23A. *Result of a computer virus?: INTERNET MESSAGE (12). Viruses in people and machines wreak havoc, and they computer variety are often malicious bugs planted by hackers. This LIST is maintained by those trying to protect computers.

54A. *Purpose of a phone booth, to Clark Kent?: GARBAGE DISPOSAL .(12). This both the funniest and an outlier as the AGE is added to the first of the two words. Making a kitchen device morph into where Superman changes was extra special.

65A. *LEGO minifigure of Emmet Brickowski, e.g.?: MICRO MANAGE (8).You have to RESPECT this Master Builder despite his lack of stature. I did not know his name despite watching the movies with the grands.

Then we have the Friday reveal which was witty, but seemed too much and too soon as it appeared at:

39A. Like someone who appears untouched by time, and like the answers to the starred clues?: AGELESS. If you did not notice the missing letters, this should tip the scales to SOLVED!

Now to dissect ME's clue/fill.

Across:

1. Routine: ACT. Mort Sahl did political satire, that was his routine, his act.

4. Agitate: RILE. Like Lenny Bruce it did upset some people as neither had any...

8. Snob __: APPEAL. Do you think the word come from the Latin  "Sine NOBilitate" which means without nobility? 

14. Guessing game: CHARADES. I do not know  either, just guessing.

16. Metal framework: GRILLE. Do you like this?

18. Successfully lure: ROPE IN.

19. List-ending abbr.: ET AL. Al is really busy.

20. "Act Like You Don't" country singer Brooke: EDEN.

22. Like a March hare: MAD. A little Lewis Carroll. 

28. Communications platform that began as a chat service for gamers: DISCORD. The ironic concept and its HISTORY.

31. Deck out: ADORN.

32. Calligraphy supply: INK. Do you have ink in your pen?

33. Latvian seaport: RIGA. This is very close to the Ukraine action so please read their NEWS.

35. Uneducated guess: STAB. 

38. Farm house: STY.

43. Blonde __: ALE.

44. Browser button: HOME.

46. China setting: ASIA. Where we can get some...

47. Maki topping: ROE. maki is the entire Sushi offering including the Nori, the rice and the filling.

48. Subside: ABATE.

52. Hose attachment: SPRAYER. Very important when washing the car or watering plants.

57. Uncertain sounds: UMS. Ah, ok. 

58. Quash: VETO. 

59. Be without: LACK.

63. Sweater wool: MOHAIR. Merino?

69. Slow-cook, in a way: BRAISE. This is to fry (food) lightly and then stew it slowly in a closed container.

70. Volatile: ERUPTIVE. A new clue/fill for the LAT. 

71. Cried out: YELLED.

72. "I __ to recall ... ": SEEM. Usually by some bigwig forced to testify after being recorded. 

73. Wet blanket: DEW. A nice but common clue/fill.

Down:

1. Animal Crossing unit: ACRE. Is there more here than I see?

2. Zoom option: CHAT.

3. Strong who voices Miss Minutes on "Loki": TARA.

4. U.K. fliers: RAF. Royal Air Force.

5. Binding words: I DO. And you had better

6. Zodiac sign: LEO. Part August part September.

7. Aromatic compound: ESTER. Perfume

8. "It's settled, then!": AGREED.

9. Right away: PRONTO.

10. Apple seed: PIP.

11. Miller/Liu TV drama: ELEMENTARY. The show was okay and Lucy Liu was a fun twist for Dr. Watson, but Johnny Lee Miller was even less Sherlockian than Robert Downey Jr.

12. Assumed name: ALIAS.

13. Takes interest, maybe: LENDS. A great clue/fill.

15. Museum item: RELIC.

21. Genetic letters: DNA.

24. Bollywood dancer/actress Fatehi: NORA. This Canadian (yes another one) born actress was endowed with much including Indian heritage and a career in Bollywood.

25. Pre-calc course: TRIG. For all of out math people.

26. Periphery: EDGE.

27. Dash of flavor?: MRS. Do you splash a dash of Mrs. Dash in your dish?

28. Chef's creation: DISH.

29. Passionate about: IN TO.

30. In-flight officer: SKY MARSHAL.

34. __    provençale:  À LA.  Some fonts just do not cooperate. This mean a dish prepared prepared in the style of Provence typically with garlic and olive oil                                                                                                                     

36. The Body Shop balm: ALOE. For sunburn this is the bomb.

37. Ingredient in some batter: BEER.  A RECIPE for WASEELY and others who want what they but also want to be healthy.

40. Canadian gas brand: ESSO. Complicated? Esso is ExxonMobil's primary gasoline brand worldwide except in Australia, Guam, Mexico, Nigeria, and New Zealand, where the Mobil brand is used exclusively. In Canada (since 2017), Colombia, Egypt, and formerly Malaysia (until 2013, when Petron acquired ExxonMobil's Malaysian operations)[29] and Japan (until 2019), both the Esso and Mobil brands are used. In Hong Kong and Singapore, Mobil brand is applied on Esso fuel tank after Mobil service stations began to merge with Esso since 2006.

Mobil is ExxonMobil's primary retail gasoline brand in California, Florida, New York, New England, the Great Lakes and the Midwest. Exxon is the primary brand in the rest of the United States, with the highest concentration of retail outlets located in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states

41. Nurses: SIPS. A drink or ?

42. Indie pop duo Tegan and __: SARA. Their website tells us Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie pop duo formed in 1998 in Calgary, Alberta, composed of identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin. Canadian Eh, on your playlist?

45. Flow back: EBB. EBB keeps coming back here as well.

49. Counsel: ADVISE. My first solo business card read, "Counselor and Adviser of Law."

50. In layers: TIERED. When I get tired I feel like a cake.

51. Superlative suffix: EST.

53. Dole out: ALLOT. 

54. Claymation character with a horse: GUMBY.  They are now support toys for kids.

55. Love, in arias: AMORE. Because the sing in Italian

56. Apples, pears, etc.: POMES. Not de terre

60. Surrounded by: AMID.

61. Finally give: CAVE.

62. Had down cold: KNEW.

64. Feel sick: AIL.

66. Fury: IRE.

67. Shuffleboard stick: CUE. We have a relatively new court (de rigeur for 55+ communities in SoFla) and I do play some. I never called the stick anything but a stick.

68. Record no.: RPM. We spin out of here on a nice deception, not a record number but the number of revolutions per minute for record being played.

If this is the future, I am in; we had many fun food and Asia clues as well as more female prominence. Get on the train or be left behind and my behind ain't what is used to be. Thank you ME and all who read and/or write. Continued prayers and best wishes for boomer and who are suffering both from the Corner and the world.

Sunday March 6, 2022 MaryEllen Uthlaut

Theme: "Just Desserts" - Phrases are rephrased as if they're desserts.

 24. *Fruity dish that imparts a healthy glow?: PEACHES AND CREAM.

 34. *Blended drinks that leave something to be desired?: NO GREAT SHAKES.

 57. *Shortbread that doesn't crumble under pressure?: TOUGH COOKIE.

 65. *Pastry that doesn't live up to its hype?: PIE IN THE SKY.

 79. *Slice that's easy to make?: PIECE OF CAKE.

 98. *Triangular confections that are a credit to their baker?: BROWNIE POINTS.

 114. *Dish that's a metaphor for life?: A BOWL OF CHERRIES.

Actually each answer has two clue layers, one refers to its "dessert" part, the other is just the normal meaning. 

I suspect Rich added the asterisks as there are two long food-related entries:

105. Thin-sliced, browned bread: MELBA TOAST 

109. Turkey choice: WHITE MEAT.

Across:

1. Cause friction: CHAFE.

6. 70-year-old morning show: TODAY. The co-anchor Hoda Kotb appears in our grid occasionally. Friendly letter combo.

11. Small, deadly snakes: ASPS.

15. Actor's goal: PART.

19. One way to gain access: LOG IN.

20. Northern California town that once had a palindromic bakery: YREKA. This link says that "When the business closed and a gallery opened in the same spot, they named themselves the Yrella Gallery so that it would also form a palindrome."

21. First thing lost in the "For Want of a Nail" proverb: SHOE.

22. Many a solo: ARIA.

23. Air raid signal, e.g.: ALERT. My last TaskRabbit tasker is from Ukraine. He's only been here for a few months.

27. Significant Civil War concern: DESERTION.

29. Run-throughs: REHEARSALS.

30. Buzzers: BEES.  And 31. Nuisances: PESTS.

33. Ball-bearing peg: TEE. Some are taller. We also have 2. Flagstick holder: HOLE.

39. Resort area attractions: BEACHES.

43. Certain something: AURA.

44. River to the English Channel: SEINE.

45. Online message: POST. And 54. Memorandum: NOTE.

46. Used (up): ATE. Poor Boomer has to use the toilet after every meal. This side effect lasted about 8 days after his last chemo. We expect the same this around. He also has encountered some stomachache problem this time.

47. Music : verse :: poetry : __: STANZA.

50. Rule, briefly: REG. Regulation.

51. Indecent matter: SMUT. And 84D. Often blocked online lewdness: PORN.

53. Bring upon oneself: INCUR.

55. Casually shod: SANDALLED. Not a word I use.

59. Shell-covered edible: EGG. One more food items: 7. After-sandwich sandwich: OREO. 67. Deli hanger: SALAMI. 110. Often-shared sandwich: HERO.

60. Small valley: GLEN.

61. Tastes: SIPS.

62. Canada's most populous prov.: ONT.

63. Snorkeling spot: REEF.

69. Disney souvenir feature: EARS.

73. Airport abbr.: ARR.

75. Buds: PALS.

76. Long, long time: AEON.

78. Magna __ laude: CUM.

84. "What's done is done," e. g.: PLATITUDE. Great fill.

86. Implanted: SOWED.

87. Rich deposit: LODE.

88. __ constrictor: BOA.

89. Cookware coating: ENAMEL.

90. Flock female: EWE.

91. End of many a hammer: CLAW.

93. Kuhling of "Chicago Med": NORMA. Unknown to me.

95. For fear that: LEST.

96. Thigh-length outer garment: CAR COAT. Never heard of this term.

102. Tolkien creature: ORC.

103. Is right for: SUITS.

104. "The __ Must Be Crazy": 1980 comedy film: GODS.

117. Authority: SAY SO. The VA Occupational Therapist visited our home last week. She was shocked by how low Boomer's recliner is. She recommended a lift chair. We think we're just going to get this one from Amazon in a few months. It's friendly to a tall person.

 

118. Sauna covering: ROBE.

119. Many a retired racehorse: SIRE.

120. Off-the-wall: OUTRE.

121. Draco Malfoy's trademark expression: SNEER.

122. It opens many doors: KNOB.

123. H-shaped letters: ETAS.

124. Cultural character: ETHOS.

125. Test, as ore: ASSAY.

Down:

1. Dressed: CLAD.

3. Periods with names: AGES. Also works for ERAS.

4. Agitator: FIREBRAND.

5. Menu listing: ENTREE.

6. Keyboard pros: TYPISTS.

8. Campus leader: DEAN.

9. Westminster show org.: AKC. American Kennel Club.

10. "Boo-__!": cry of celebration: YAH.

11. Balance sheet heading: ASSETS.

12. Persian rulers: SHAHS.

13. Cornmeal product: PONE. Never had this.

14. Tranquilizes: SEDATES.

15. About 3.26 light-years: PARSEC. Also 79. Tiny time meas.: PSEC.

16. Space: AREA.

17. Omani money: RIAL.

18. Alternatives to mortarboards: TAMS.

25. Gaelic tongue: ERSE.

26. First act?: CREATION. Genesis.

28. Leaves in a cup: TEA.

31. Twinge: PANG.

32. Barely make, with "out": EKE.

34. Sadat's predecessor: NASSER. Here they are. Then Mubarak succeeded Sadat.

35. Service break?: OUTAGE. Another great clue.

36. Farm: GRANGE. Learning moment for me.

37. Calm: SERENE.

38. Hastened: HIED. 41. Needle case: ETUI. 42. Dried-up: SERE. Regulars in our old Tribune Daily days.

39. Joni Mitchell's "__ Sides Now": BOTH.

40. Break-in, nowadays: HACK.

45. Pooch with a turned-up nose: PUG.

48. Zig counterpart: ZAG.

49. Star NFL player: ALL-PRO.

51. Juniors-to-be: SOPHS.

52. Calliope, for one: MUSE.

56. Welcoming wreath: LEI. Hi there JimmyB!

57. Words on a spine: TITLE.

58. Acme cactus costume wearer: COYOTE.

61. Crawling reptile: SNAKE.

64. "Mirror of the mind": St. Jerome: FACE. OK, full quote is "The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart."

66. Air 2 or Pro: IPAD.

68. New Zealand parrot: KEA.

70. Insight: ACUMEN.

71. Least courteous: RUDEST.

72. Refines, as ore: SMELTS.

74. Gemstone from the sea: RED CORAL.

77. Diarist Anaïs: NIN.

80. Field of Dreams home: IOWA. Mall of America used to have  store called "Field of Dreams"  It's closed.

81. Pitcher sans arms: EWER. Fun clue.

82. Word with panel or screen: FLAT.

83. Holy animal?: COW. Thanks for the tape tip for cracked finger, ATLGranny!

85. Magic charms: TALISMANS.

88. Archery items: BOWS.

92. Source of intolerance: LACTOSE.

93. "Just kidding!": NOT.

94. Sponsorships: AEGISES. Learned from doing crosswords.

97. Spider's network: COBWEB.

98. Things beaten in searches, with "the": BUSHES. Beat the bushes.

99. Baptism, for one: RITE.

100. Lobster catcher: POT.

101. Texas or Ukraine city: ODESSA. Minnesota has quite a large Ukrainian Community.

103. Pelvic bones: SACRA.

105. Work on papers: MARK.

106. "... the __-coloured ink": Shak.: EBON.

107. Mexican wolf: LOBO. Hi there!

108. "What __?": OF IT.

109. In the company of: WITH.

111. Contacts can help them: EYES.

112. Having set sail: ASEA.

113. Whig rival: TORY.

115. __ v. Wade: ROE.

116. Well-worn track: RUT.

We had a busy week. Regular Monday & Tuesday morning PT and OT, then an extra home visit by a different OT.

Thursday was long, we were at the VA hospital for a full day for various appointments and chemo infusion. The neurosurgeon was happy with Boomer's latest MRI scan. Boomer's PSA also dropped to 365. Still sky high (0-4 is normal), but his PSA was 485 a month ago. So the chemo is working. His next chemo is March 23.

Friday was easier. Morning video test call with the Oncology, then we went to our local VA clinic for his annual diabetic checkup. His doctor was pleasantly surprised by how upbeat Boomer was. 

Here's Boomer with his OT Erin, who's trying to improve Boomer's balance. As you can see, Boomer was not steady at the start. Erin has a belt on Boomer so she can catch him if he falls.

Sunday July 18, 2021 MaryEllen Uthlaut

Theme: "Flip-flops" - The second part of each theme entry is a swapped part of the first half. 

22A. The drive-through diner scene that was cut became a __: TAKEOUT OUTTAKE.

36A. The girls who spent the night prioritized chat time at the __: SLEEPOVER OVERSLEEP.

53A. When the dog got loose, some house plants __: ENDED UP UPENDED.

81A. The casual quarterback made an __: OFFHAND HAND-OFF.

99A. A navel ring is a piercing one may __: WEAR UNDER UNDERWEAR.

120A. The fast-learning police cadet had the __: PAT-DOWN DOWN PAT.

Sometimes it's easy for me to understand the theme but hard to explain. Today's is a good example.

I know we call "End up" & "Pat down" phrasal verbs, but what do you call nouns like "takeout" and "sleepover"? 

Across:

1. Wretched: ABJECT. Lots of great 6's in this grid.

7. Mount Rainier gateway: TACOMA.

13. Hoops statistic: ASSIST.

19. Taste: FLAVOR.

20. In favor of Mideast unity: PAN-ARAB.

 21. Arty: CHI-CHI. Golfers know this "arty" guy. Chi Chi Rodriguez.

24. Right after this: HERE ON.

25. Fall garden?: EDEN. Nice clue.

26. Riverbank residue: SILT.

27. Parisian season: ETE. Summer.

28. Vote of support: AYE.

29. What Jill has that Jack doesn't?: DOT. The dot over the i in "Jill".

30. Break: REST.

31. Stab: TRY.

32. 1956 title film monster: RODAN. More powerful than the Godzilla.

34. Smart: NATTY.

41. LP's 33 1/3: RPM.

44. Browsing annoyances: ADS.

45. Wordless agreement: NOD.

46. Sugary ending: OSE. Lactose, e.g.

47. Reduce: PARE.

48. Long: YEARN.

50. Shot __: competitive event: PUT. Also 4D. Track contests: EVENTS. I don't think I can name one shot putter.

51. Privileged people: ELITE. I chuckled at the "scheduling conflict" excuse of that anonymous space flight guy.

57. False front: FACADE.

63. Get into: DON.

64. What a stationary orrery part may represent: SUN. I did not know the word "orrery", the solar system model.

65. Clarifying Latin words: ID EST.

67. Grew dimmer: WANED.

68. Sweetens, as yams: CANDIES. Staple in our home during Chinese Spring Festival period.

70. Iraqi currency: DINAR.

72. Modified for the better: AMENDED.

74. Private: INNER.

75. Barely sufficient: SCANT.

77. Stroke that makes a rally irrelevant: ACE. Tennis.

78. Surrealist German-French painter: ARP (Jean). Here's his "Shirt Front and Fork". I just see a fork.

79. Gazes fixedly: STARES.

86. Expand: ADD TO.

88. Bossy utterance: MOO.

89. African capital on the 30th parallel: CAIRO.

90. "It is a __ told by an idiot": Macbeth: TALE.

94. What chatty tongues do?: WAG. Ha.

95. Poke fun at: KID.

96. Mrs., in Madrid: SRA.

98. Apply a new hue to: DYE.

105. It has pipes and keys: ORGAN. We had to call a junk guy to haul our old organ away.

106. Source of some overhead footage: DRONE.

107. Apple operating system: IOS.

108. Hadrian's defense: WALL. Hadrian's Wall.

112. Follow (along) closely: TAG.

113. "It totally happened!": WAY. I don't understand this clue.

115. Memorable first name in soccer: MIA. Hamm, who lives in Bill G's neighborhood.

116. Small racer: KART.

117. Sailing: ASEA.

118. Indicating stress: ITALIC.

123. Most trifling: MEREST.

124. Fail to take seriously: SNEER AT.

125. Red-skinned root: RADISH. These are daikon radishes. Staple winter food for me.

126. Current events?: EDDIES. Another great clue.

127. Soaked through: SODDEN.

128. Demands and gets: EXACTS.

Down:

1. Following: AFTER.

2. Business end of an ax: BLADE.

3. "North and South" trilogy author John __: JAKES. Learning moment for me.

5. Bill's partner: COO.

6. Confided in: TRUSTED.

7. Showing strain: TAUT.

8. One lining up for food?: ANT. Ah, cute clue angle.

9. Took care of the food: CATERED.

10. Strong speaker: ORATOR.

11. Be resourceful: MAKE DO.

12. Prez on a penny: ABE.

13. Feeling it after a workout: ACHY.

14. Lusters: SHEENS. Spellcheck does not like the plural form.

15. Honorary title: SIR.

16. Picnic pitcherful: ICED TEA. This is the popular summer drink in Hong Kong. Lemon tea. Iced of course.

17. NBA's Steph Curry, frequently: SHOOTER.

18. Early photograph: TINTYPE.

20. Sea anemone, e.g.: POLYP.

23. Gives out: TIRES.

28. "__ of robins ... ": Kilmer: A NEST.

33. Refrains from: AVOIDS.

35. The Eiger, for one: ALP.

37. Secure, as a job or a role: LAND.

38. "Get __": James Brown biopic: ON UP.

39. Choose at the polls: VOTE.

40. Shipping hazard: REEF.

41. Bread-making grain: RYE. My friend Carmen is very into Russian rye bread now. She also likes Japanese milk bread. Guangzhou is very international.

42. Locket, for one: PENDANT.

43. Singer/actress known as the "Queen of Pop": MADONNA.

49. Cause to become: RENDER.

50. Mae West's "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted," e.g.: PUN.

51. Icelandic literary work: EDDA.

52. Sidelong glance: LEER.

54. Consume: USE.

55. Kitty: PUSS.

56. Beethoven's __: NINTH.

58. Response to the sublime: AWE.

59. Largest English-speaking country: CANADA. Wow. Not US?

60. Google operating system: ANDROID.

61. Cook, as much county fair fare: DEEP-FRY.

62. Announcer Hall: EDD. Jay Leno's announcer on "The Tonight Show" (1992 to 2004).

66. Gauge on the dash: TACH.

68. Opposite of trans: CIS. Gender-wise.

69. Hot temper: IRE.

70. Inane: DAFT.

71. Lowdown: INFO.

73. "Give __ minute": ME A.

76. Often "old" eccentric: CODGER.

77. Big deal: ADO.

80. Like fireplace logs: SAWN.

82. Within: AMID.

83. Plant stem joint: NODE.

84. Final Four org.: NCAA.

85. Moriarty, to Holmes: FOE. Professor Moriarty & Sherlock Holmes.

87. __ longlegs: DADDY. Looks like a spider.

90. Cheat on one's sweet, say: TWO-TIME.

91. Freshened up, in a way: AERATED. It seems that golf courses all aerate their greens in fall.

92. Slowpoke: LAGGARD.

93. Often titled stretch: ERA.

95. Massaged: KNEADED.

96. Excalibur, e.g.: SWORD.

97. Put back as it was: RESTORE. Lost all my iPod downloads after I hit the restoring to factory settings button. Good old classic.

100. Not sensible: UNWISE.

101. Pecorino __ cheese: ROMANO.

102. __ Kingdom: UNITED.

103. Laughing: RIANT. Only saw word in crosswords.

104. Its capital is Kigali: RWANDA.

109. Gelatin garnish: ASPIC. Jellied pork, Chinese style. I think Vietnamese has similar dish also.

110. "Not in the __": LEAST.

111. Framework strips: LATHS.

114. Book after John: ACTS.

116. Nine-time U.S. skating champ Michelle: KWAN.

119. Gift with an aloha: LEI.

120. Brief afterthoughts: PSS.

121. Metal source: ORE.

122. Become more intense, as the moon: WAX.

 C.C.