Theme: What An Earthquake Might Do. Here we have a jumbled hidden word theme. Let's see what's going on inside this quivvering humble abode.
17. Social pariah:. One who does not fit in. BLACK SHEEP. Our jumbled word fits nicely into the fill.
25. "All Eyez on Me" rapper: TUPAC SHAKUR. Tupac Amaru Shakur [1971 - 1996] also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. He was one of the most influential musical artists of the 20th century, and a prominent political activist for Black America. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was murdered by an unidentified assailant in a drive-by shooting in Paradise, Nevada; he died six days later. His name also includes our hidden word.
35. Laughs during an "SNL" appearance, say: BREAKS CHARACTER. To break character means to stop acting like the person or role you are playing and act like your real self. This happens when an actor laughs, smiles, or loses focus during a play, movie, or show. Have you deciphered the hidden word yet?
51. Drawing toy that uses aluminum powder: ETCH A SKETCH. A classic mechanical drawing toy invented in 1959. It has a red plastic frame, a gray screen, and two white knobs. Turning the left knob moves the stylus left and right. Turning the right knob moves it up and down. Shaking the toy erases the picture. By now, we've pretty thoroughly sketched out our hidden word. What is left for the reveal to reveal?
59. Fast-food chain that began as a hot dog cart, and what this puzzle's circled letters do?: SHAKE SHACK. An American multinational fast casual restaurant chain based in New York City. It started out asa hot dog cart inside Madison Square Park in 2001, and its popularity steadily grew. In 2004, it received a permit to open a permanent kiosk within the park, expanding its menu from New York–style hot dogs to one with hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and its namesake milkshakes. Shake Shack Inc. owns and operates over 400 locations globally. And it now shows us what has been going on, shaking up a simple hovel.
So, here we have the work SHACK shaken in each of the theme fill entries, with its letters in the circles. This is a cleverly done, thematically rich puzzle. Let's see what else we can shake out if it.
Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here. All is calm in my home, and I hope nothing is shaking in yours.
1. Cherubic god: CUPID. Often pictured as a chubby winged infant, carrying a bow and arrows that inspire uncontrollable passion or repulsion in his targets. His name comes from the Latin word cupido, meaning "passionate desire".
6. Spot for pore strips: NOSE. A place for deep cleansing adhesive strips. Your nose gets there before the rest of your face, and you want to make a good impression.
10. Jumbled mess: HEAP. A disarrayed stack of things.
19. Social media spammers: BOTS. Automated software programs that run tasks over the internet. They do repetitive jobs much faster than a person can. Bots can be helpful tools like search helpers, or bad programs like spammers.
20. Rectitude: HONOR. Unshaken moral integrity, strict honesty, and righteousness.
21. In flight: ALOFT. Up in the air.
22. Union agreement?: I DO. The marriage union vow. Do people nervously shake while saying this?
28. Film technique derived from the French for "to assemble": MONTAGE. A montage is an artistic technique that combines multiple separate images, video clips, or musical pieces into a single unified composition. In film and video, it is used to compress time, show the passage of days, or express a character's complex inner emotional state through a rapid sequence of shots.
30. "Not answering email," briefly: OOO. Out Of Office [I assume.]
31. Foxy: SLY. Clever in a sneaky, hidden, or quiet way. Artful, maybe.
32. Capitol canvas for "The Apotheosis of Washington": DOME. The Apotheosis of Washington is the fresco painted by Greek-Italian artist Constantino Brumidi in 1865 and visible through the oculus of the dome in the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The fresco is suspended 180 feet above the rotunda floor and covers an area of 4,664 square feet.
33. Jilt: SPURN. To jilt is to suddenly and unkindly reject or abandon a romantic partner after having encouraged their love or commitment. To spurn means to reject someone or something with hatred, pride, or deep dislike. It is a harsh way to say no because you feel the other person or offer is not good enough for you. I don't see these as equivalent.
42. Settle, as a debt: REPAY. Pay back what is owed.
43. Vibe: AURA. A distinct atmosphere, feeling, or quality that seems to surround a person, place, or thing.
44. "Future Nostalgia" singer Lipa: DUA. Dua Lipa is a Grammy-winning English singer and songwriter known for her dance-pop hits like "Levitating", "Don't Start Now", and "New Rules". Her music blends pop, R&B, and disco, and she's known for her deep voice and confident persona. Lipa has won seven Brit Awards, including best British female solo artist and British breakthrough act. She's also known for her fashion sense, feminist views, and advocacy for refugee issues and women's rights.
47. Some Eng. degrees: BAS. Bachelors of Arts, undergraduate university degrees focused on arts, humanities, or social sciences. "Eng." here must mean English, and not Emgineering.
48. Truly fiendish: SATANIC. An adjective meaning relating to Satan, extremely wicked, or tied to modern religious and philosophical groups known as Satanism
54. Opening day pitcher, typically: ACE. A team's premier starting pitcher, typically the number-one starter on their pitching staff. Aces are elite hurlers expected to consistently deliver dominant, high-quality performances, control games, and start on Opening Day or during crucial postseason matchups
55. SAT prep subj.: VOCAB. The SAT is a digital standardized college admission test created and managed by the College Board. "Vocab" is a short, informal word for vocabulary. It means all the words a person knows, uses, or learns in a language. It would be relevant to the reading and writing modules of the test.
56. "Thus with a kiss I die" hero: ROMEO. From Shakespeare's play. Romeo was badly shaken by Juliet's death.
58. Tirade in the Times, say: OP-ED. An op-ed is a short essay published by a newspaper, magazine, or news website that shares the personal opinion of a writer. The term is short for "opposite the editorial page," because print newspapers traditionally place these guest essays on the page facing the publisher's official editorials. Until I learned this, I thought it meant opinion-editorial.
64. Antler point: TINE. A slender, sharp-pointed prong or spike on a tool, implement, or animal horn.
65. FX drama about New York City's ball culture: POSE. Set in the 1980s, `Pose' is a dance musical that explores the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe, and the downtown social and literary scene.
66. Magazine release: ISSUE. One copy of a magazine or newspaper from a specific day or month.
67. Has a meal: EATS. Ingests victuals.
68. Serve a meal to: FEED. Provide the victuals.
69. Like a toddler mid-bath: SOAPY. Covered with suds, maybe.
Down:
1. Zin alternative: CAB. Zinfandel and Cabernet are red wines.
2. Link destination: URL. Universal Resource Locator - a web site's unique address.
3. Storied cause of royal insomnia: PEA. From the Princess and Pea story by Hans Christian Anderson. There's a PEA the bed joke in there somewhere, but I'm avoiding it.
4. Progress slowly: INCH. Make progress in small increments.
5. Actress Fanning: DAKOTA. Hannah Dakota Fanning [b. 1994] is an American actress and model known for her roles in both blockbuster and independent films. Born in Conyers, Georgia, she started her career in local productions at the Towne Lake Arts Center. Fanning has received critical acclaim for her performances, earning nominations for four Emmys, a Golden Globe, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
6. Pessimist's words: NO HOPE. All is lost.
7. "Fire Shut Up in My Bones," e.g.: OPERA. Composer Terence Blanchard turned Charles M. Blow's memoir of the same name into an opera with a libretto by Kasi Lemmons. It made history in 2021 as the first opera by a Black composer ever performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Fire shut up in my bones" is a famous Bible phrase from the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:9). It describes an unstoppable, burning urge to share a message or truth.
8. Litigate: SUE. Initiate a legal proceeding.
9. Ability to see what others can't: ESP. Extra Sensory Perception. A claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. I experienced this at a pivotal moment in my life.
10. "Se __ español": HABLA. "I speak Spanish," in Spanish.
11. Paperless reads: E-BOOKS. Digital books that you can read on a screen like a phone, tablet, computer, or e-reader.
12. Foxy: ARTFUL. Being clever and skillful, often in a crafty, cunning, or sneaky way to get what you want. Possibly sly.
13. Bakery offering: PASTRY. A baked food made from a dough of flour, water, and a high amount of fat like butter or shortening.
18. Nesting cozily: SNUG. Fitting closely and comfortably, or feeling warm, safe, and cozy in a protected space.
21. Now, in Nicaragua: AHORA. Mas Español.
22. Cinephile's site: IMDB. The Internet Movie Data Base - a popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
23. Cuckoo clock part: DOOR. Cuckoo bird's portal.
24. "I'll pay this time": ON ME. An offer to buy something, like a round of drinks.
26. Manilow's "hottest spot north of Havana," familiarly: COPA. Reference in his 1978 song to the Copacabana night club in New York City.
27. Like a gooseberry: SOUR. Having a sharp acidic taste.
29. Feature of some happy and sad emoji: TEAR. Crying, either way.
33. Slow to open up: SHY. Being timid, bashful, or uncomfortable when meeting new people or talking in groups.
34. Org. for Sarah Strong and Hannah Hidalgo: NCAA. These ladies are college basketball players for Connecticut and Notre Dame, respectively. College sports are under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
36. Shish __: KEBAB. Skewered and grilled cubes of meat.
37. Ice bath spots: SPAS. Business offering health, beauty, and relaxation treatments like massages, facials, and baths.
38. Bourbon barrel: CASK. A large, strong, barrel-shaped container made to hold liquids, especially alcoholic drinks like wine, beer, or whiskey.
39. Protein in some melts: TUNA. A grilled sandwich containing tuna, condiments and cheese.
40. Comedian Andrè: ERIC. Eric Samuel André [ b. 1983] is an Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, writer, producer, musician, and television host. He's best known for creating, hosting, and co-writing the surreal Adult Swim comedy series The Eric Andre Show, which blends stand-up, live events, and controlled chaos. The show opens with André destroying the set and often features celebrity impersonators.
41. "RuPaul's Drag __": RACE. "RuPaul's Drag Race" is a reality show in which a group of talented drag queens compete in challenges to impress host RuPaul, the world's most famous drag queen, to win a cash prize along with a crown and the title of America's Next Drag Superstar.
44. Dedicate, as time: DEVOTE. To give your time, money, energy, or love completely to a specific person, activity, or cause.
45. Harmonious society: UTOPIA. An imaginary place or state where the government, laws, and social conditions are completely perfect. The word, made up by Sir Thomas More in 1516, comes from Greek roots meaning "no place."
46. Brogue, for one: ACCENT. A distinct way of pronouncing a language that shows where a person comes from, their social group, or their background.
48. Amped up: STOKED. Feeling very excited, happy, or thrilled about something.
49. Peak: ACME. Apex, zenith, pinnacle, summit.
50. Grad school hurdle: THESIS. An academic research paper - a long, formal written project required for a university degree.
52. Disney villain with hair of blue flame: HADES. Hades is the main antagonist of Disney's 1997 animated feature film Hercules. He is the fast-talking god of the Underworld, known for having a fiery temper and a vendetta against his oldest brother, Zeus.
53. Wipe: ERASE. To rub out, remove, or delete something written, recorded, or stored.
57. Quite a bit: OH SO. A phrase that acts as an intensifier meaning very or extremely, usually placed right before an adjective to add strong feeling or emphasis.
59. Tanning oil letters: SPF. Solar Protection Factor. A measure of how well a sunscreen blocks UVB rays, which cause sunburn and skin cancer.
60. Weeding tool: HOE. an ancient and versatile hand tool used in farming and gardening to shape soil, clear dirt, and remove weeds. It features a long handle with a flat metal blade set at a right angle to the end.
61. Red __ beet: AS A. "Red as a beet" is a common English idiom used to describe someone whose face has become bright red because of strong emotions like embarrassment, anger, shyness, or extreme physical exertion. Or of any body part exposed to strong sunlight with insufficient SPF.
62. Chalice, e.g.: CUP. A large drinking cup or goblet raised on a stem with a base. It is used most often in Christian religious services to hold the sacramental wine for the Eucharist, but it also appears in other traditions and everyday language.
63. Decryption need: KEY. A piece of digital information or a string of characters used in an algorithm to turn scrambled text, or ciphertext, back into readable data. Today's reveal provided one.
14. Stunt show setting: ARENA. An enclosed space designed for sports, entertainment and public events.
15. Significant work: OPUS. Generally said of the works of major composers.
16. Syllables for a stage magician: ABRA-. -cadabra, to complete the phrase.
15. Significant work: OPUS. Generally said of the works of major composers.
16. Syllables for a stage magician: ABRA-. -cadabra, to complete the phrase.
19. Social media spammers: BOTS. Automated software programs that run tasks over the internet. They do repetitive jobs much faster than a person can. Bots can be helpful tools like search helpers, or bad programs like spammers.
20. Rectitude: HONOR. Unshaken moral integrity, strict honesty, and righteousness.
21. In flight: ALOFT. Up in the air.
22. Union agreement?: I DO. The marriage union vow. Do people nervously shake while saying this?
28. Film technique derived from the French for "to assemble": MONTAGE. A montage is an artistic technique that combines multiple separate images, video clips, or musical pieces into a single unified composition. In film and video, it is used to compress time, show the passage of days, or express a character's complex inner emotional state through a rapid sequence of shots.
30. "Not answering email," briefly: OOO. Out Of Office [I assume.]
31. Foxy: SLY. Clever in a sneaky, hidden, or quiet way. Artful, maybe.
32. Capitol canvas for "The Apotheosis of Washington": DOME. The Apotheosis of Washington is the fresco painted by Greek-Italian artist Constantino Brumidi in 1865 and visible through the oculus of the dome in the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The fresco is suspended 180 feet above the rotunda floor and covers an area of 4,664 square feet.
33. Jilt: SPURN. To jilt is to suddenly and unkindly reject or abandon a romantic partner after having encouraged their love or commitment. To spurn means to reject someone or something with hatred, pride, or deep dislike. It is a harsh way to say no because you feel the other person or offer is not good enough for you. I don't see these as equivalent.
42. Settle, as a debt: REPAY. Pay back what is owed.
43. Vibe: AURA. A distinct atmosphere, feeling, or quality that seems to surround a person, place, or thing.
44. "Future Nostalgia" singer Lipa: DUA. Dua Lipa is a Grammy-winning English singer and songwriter known for her dance-pop hits like "Levitating", "Don't Start Now", and "New Rules". Her music blends pop, R&B, and disco, and she's known for her deep voice and confident persona. Lipa has won seven Brit Awards, including best British female solo artist and British breakthrough act. She's also known for her fashion sense, feminist views, and advocacy for refugee issues and women's rights.
47. Some Eng. degrees: BAS. Bachelors of Arts, undergraduate university degrees focused on arts, humanities, or social sciences. "Eng." here must mean English, and not Emgineering.
48. Truly fiendish: SATANIC. An adjective meaning relating to Satan, extremely wicked, or tied to modern religious and philosophical groups known as Satanism
54. Opening day pitcher, typically: ACE. A team's premier starting pitcher, typically the number-one starter on their pitching staff. Aces are elite hurlers expected to consistently deliver dominant, high-quality performances, control games, and start on Opening Day or during crucial postseason matchups
55. SAT prep subj.: VOCAB. The SAT is a digital standardized college admission test created and managed by the College Board. "Vocab" is a short, informal word for vocabulary. It means all the words a person knows, uses, or learns in a language. It would be relevant to the reading and writing modules of the test.
56. "Thus with a kiss I die" hero: ROMEO. From Shakespeare's play. Romeo was badly shaken by Juliet's death.
58. Tirade in the Times, say: OP-ED. An op-ed is a short essay published by a newspaper, magazine, or news website that shares the personal opinion of a writer. The term is short for "opposite the editorial page," because print newspapers traditionally place these guest essays on the page facing the publisher's official editorials. Until I learned this, I thought it meant opinion-editorial.
64. Antler point: TINE. A slender, sharp-pointed prong or spike on a tool, implement, or animal horn.
65. FX drama about New York City's ball culture: POSE. Set in the 1980s, `Pose' is a dance musical that explores the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe, and the downtown social and literary scene.
66. Magazine release: ISSUE. One copy of a magazine or newspaper from a specific day or month.
67. Has a meal: EATS. Ingests victuals.
68. Serve a meal to: FEED. Provide the victuals.
69. Like a toddler mid-bath: SOAPY. Covered with suds, maybe.
Down:
1. Zin alternative: CAB. Zinfandel and Cabernet are red wines.
2. Link destination: URL. Universal Resource Locator - a web site's unique address.
3. Storied cause of royal insomnia: PEA. From the Princess and Pea story by Hans Christian Anderson. There's a PEA the bed joke in there somewhere, but I'm avoiding it.
4. Progress slowly: INCH. Make progress in small increments.
5. Actress Fanning: DAKOTA. Hannah Dakota Fanning [b. 1994] is an American actress and model known for her roles in both blockbuster and independent films. Born in Conyers, Georgia, she started her career in local productions at the Towne Lake Arts Center. Fanning has received critical acclaim for her performances, earning nominations for four Emmys, a Golden Globe, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
6. Pessimist's words: NO HOPE. All is lost.
7. "Fire Shut Up in My Bones," e.g.: OPERA. Composer Terence Blanchard turned Charles M. Blow's memoir of the same name into an opera with a libretto by Kasi Lemmons. It made history in 2021 as the first opera by a Black composer ever performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Fire shut up in my bones" is a famous Bible phrase from the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:9). It describes an unstoppable, burning urge to share a message or truth.
8. Litigate: SUE. Initiate a legal proceeding.
9. Ability to see what others can't: ESP. Extra Sensory Perception. A claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind. I experienced this at a pivotal moment in my life.
10. "Se __ español": HABLA. "I speak Spanish," in Spanish.
11. Paperless reads: E-BOOKS. Digital books that you can read on a screen like a phone, tablet, computer, or e-reader.
12. Foxy: ARTFUL. Being clever and skillful, often in a crafty, cunning, or sneaky way to get what you want. Possibly sly.
13. Bakery offering: PASTRY. A baked food made from a dough of flour, water, and a high amount of fat like butter or shortening.
18. Nesting cozily: SNUG. Fitting closely and comfortably, or feeling warm, safe, and cozy in a protected space.
21. Now, in Nicaragua: AHORA. Mas Español.
22. Cinephile's site: IMDB. The Internet Movie Data Base - a popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
23. Cuckoo clock part: DOOR. Cuckoo bird's portal.
24. "I'll pay this time": ON ME. An offer to buy something, like a round of drinks.
26. Manilow's "hottest spot north of Havana," familiarly: COPA. Reference in his 1978 song to the Copacabana night club in New York City.
27. Like a gooseberry: SOUR. Having a sharp acidic taste.
29. Feature of some happy and sad emoji: TEAR. Crying, either way.
33. Slow to open up: SHY. Being timid, bashful, or uncomfortable when meeting new people or talking in groups.
34. Org. for Sarah Strong and Hannah Hidalgo: NCAA. These ladies are college basketball players for Connecticut and Notre Dame, respectively. College sports are under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
36. Shish __: KEBAB. Skewered and grilled cubes of meat.
37. Ice bath spots: SPAS. Business offering health, beauty, and relaxation treatments like massages, facials, and baths.
38. Bourbon barrel: CASK. A large, strong, barrel-shaped container made to hold liquids, especially alcoholic drinks like wine, beer, or whiskey.
39. Protein in some melts: TUNA. A grilled sandwich containing tuna, condiments and cheese.
40. Comedian Andrè: ERIC. Eric Samuel André [ b. 1983] is an Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, writer, producer, musician, and television host. He's best known for creating, hosting, and co-writing the surreal Adult Swim comedy series The Eric Andre Show, which blends stand-up, live events, and controlled chaos. The show opens with André destroying the set and often features celebrity impersonators.
41. "RuPaul's Drag __": RACE. "RuPaul's Drag Race" is a reality show in which a group of talented drag queens compete in challenges to impress host RuPaul, the world's most famous drag queen, to win a cash prize along with a crown and the title of America's Next Drag Superstar.
44. Dedicate, as time: DEVOTE. To give your time, money, energy, or love completely to a specific person, activity, or cause.
45. Harmonious society: UTOPIA. An imaginary place or state where the government, laws, and social conditions are completely perfect. The word, made up by Sir Thomas More in 1516, comes from Greek roots meaning "no place."
46. Brogue, for one: ACCENT. A distinct way of pronouncing a language that shows where a person comes from, their social group, or their background.
48. Amped up: STOKED. Feeling very excited, happy, or thrilled about something.
49. Peak: ACME. Apex, zenith, pinnacle, summit.
50. Grad school hurdle: THESIS. An academic research paper - a long, formal written project required for a university degree.
52. Disney villain with hair of blue flame: HADES. Hades is the main antagonist of Disney's 1997 animated feature film Hercules. He is the fast-talking god of the Underworld, known for having a fiery temper and a vendetta against his oldest brother, Zeus.
53. Wipe: ERASE. To rub out, remove, or delete something written, recorded, or stored.
57. Quite a bit: OH SO. A phrase that acts as an intensifier meaning very or extremely, usually placed right before an adjective to add strong feeling or emphasis.
59. Tanning oil letters: SPF. Solar Protection Factor. A measure of how well a sunscreen blocks UVB rays, which cause sunburn and skin cancer.
60. Weeding tool: HOE. an ancient and versatile hand tool used in farming and gardening to shape soil, clear dirt, and remove weeds. It features a long handle with a flat metal blade set at a right angle to the end.
61. Red __ beet: AS A. "Red as a beet" is a common English idiom used to describe someone whose face has become bright red because of strong emotions like embarrassment, anger, shyness, or extreme physical exertion. Or of any body part exposed to strong sunlight with insufficient SPF.
62. Chalice, e.g.: CUP. A large drinking cup or goblet raised on a stem with a base. It is used most often in Christian religious services to hold the sacramental wine for the Eucharist, but it also appears in other traditions and everyday language.
63. Decryption need: KEY. A piece of digital information or a string of characters used in an algorithm to turn scrambled text, or ciphertext, back into readable data. Today's reveal provided one.
So ends another Wednesday. Hope you were able to shake some enjoyment out of today's offering.
Cool Regards!
Cool Regards!
JzB
