Sunday February 16, 2024 Jill Rafaloff & Michelle Sontarp

Theme: "Wide World of Sports" - Each common phrase is humorously reinterpreted as sports-related, fitting the legend in each corresponding clue.

24. Perfect serve by Serena Williams?: POINT OF NO RETURN.

37. Asset for Simone Biles during a beam routine?: OUTSTANDING BALANCE.

51. Patrick Mahomes's responsibilities on the football field?: SNAP DECISIONS.

63. Lindsay Vonn's secret to winning the super G?: GOING DOWNHILL FAST.

83. Makes like Richard Petty in a NASCAR race?: GETS UP TO SPEED.

93. What the Reds had when Johnny Bench was behind the plate?: HOME SECURITY SYSTEM

112. What Rory McIlroy does to practice his golf swing?: TAKES A TEST DRIVE.

This is indeed Wide World of Sports, covering seven different sports. Each person in the clue is the GOAT in their own field.

This is our third puzzle from Jill Rafaloff and Michelle Sontarp. They make a great team

 
Across:

1. Not shy about giving one's opinion: VOCAL. Also 11. Verbalized: SPOKEN.

6. Yogi demonstrations: ASANAS.

12. NMSP qualifying exam: PSAT. NMSP is National Merit Scholarship Qualifications.

16. Black Mission fruit: FIG. So good when fresh.

19. Thrifty alternative: ALAMO.

20. Dynamite roll filler: SHRIMP. With shrimp tempura.

21. Dined at a table for one: ATE ALONE.

23. Flight leader: PILOT.

26. Blow past one's budget: OVER-SPEND.

28. Fulfill, as a promise: KEEP.

29. Elation: GLEE.

30. Scrap and start again: REDO.

31. Anxiety-related med. condition: OCD.

32. Paired fairly: EVEN.

34. Pay rate: WAGE.

43. Clip art?: BONSAI. We call it Penjing. Same art.

 

45. Up to today: YET.

46. "Plus others not listed" abbr.: ET AL.

47. Singer/actress Rita: ORA.

49. Functionality: UTILITY.

55. Collar insert: STAY.

56. Spreads uncontrollably: RAGES.

58. Attestation: OATH.

59. Sheer skirt need: SLIP.

60. Paul David Hewson's stage name: BONO.

61. "You've got mail" company: AOL.

62. Intel employees?: SPIES. Intelligence.

70. "The Iron Claw" actor Zac: EFRON. He bulked up for the role.

72. Espouse: WED.

73. Pork cut: LOIN.

74. Give up: DROP.

75. Ready and willing partner: ABLE.

77. Hellspawn: DEMON.

79. Crude content: SMUT.

87. Eighth planet from the sun: NEPTUNE.

89. Rough guess, for short: EST.

90. Rests one's feet: SITS.

91. Infuriated: MAD.

92. Hand in: SUBMIT..

99. Cheese with a red casing: EDAM.

100. "His Dark Materials" actress Wilson: RUTH. And 117. "The Office" actor Wilson: RAINN.

101. Weed whacker?: HOE.

102. Fissure: RIFT.

105. Golden calf, e.g.: IDOL.

108. Authors: PENS.

110. Unexpected charge: HIDDEN FEE.

118. Crumbly topping: STREUSEL. Often on top of the apple crisp at the Graybar Christmas luncheon. 

119. Winner's wreath: LAUREL.

120. __-Roman wrestling: GRECO.

121. Pro motion?: YEA. Nice clue.

122. Profs' degrees: PHDS.

123. Fire remnants: EMBERS.

124. More peculiar: ODDER.

Down:

1. Gaseous matter: VAPOR.

2. Castelvetrano, for one: OLIVE. Castelvetrano is new to me. Named after the down in Sicily.

3. Poetic name of Scotland: CALEDONIA. Also new to me. Wikipedia says it "was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the part of Scotland that lies north of the River Forth, which includes most of the land area of Scotland.

4. With passion: AMOROUSLY.

5. Parcels: LOTS.

6. Facet: ASPECT.

7. "Scandal" producer Rhimes: SHONDA.

8. Like the McMurdo Dry Valleys: ARID.

9. Writer Anaïs: NIN.

10. Check no.: AMT.

12. French door piece: PANE.

13. Clock app option: STOPWATCH.

14. __ Lingus: AER.

15. __ Bo: 1990s fitness fad: TAE.

16. Rank: FOUL.

17. Subject line?: IN RE.

18. __ therapy: GENE.

22. Three-star mil. rank: LT GEN.

25. __ shui: FENG. Literally "wind".

27. Electron's antiparticle: POSITRON.

32. Pristine places: EDENS. Have you ever tried a brand called Eden? I recent bought a bag of millet from them. The taste is close to what I had as a kid.

33. Life, in Italy: VITA.

35. Jai __: ALAI.

36. Some folks: GALS.

38. Mai __: cocktail: TAI.

39. Big Board abbr.: NYSE.

40. Vivid root vegetable: BEET.

41. "Check your temper!": COOL IT.

42. Hudson of "Ghostbusters": ERNIE.

43. Crosstown transit option: BUS.

44. Baseball great Mel: OTT. Picture from Big Easy a while ago.

48. Nile reptiles: ASPS.

50. Bowen of "Wicked": YANG.

52. Piglet's pal: POOH.

53. Surrealist painter of "The Elephants": DALI.

54. Cos. like Xfinity and Verizon: ISPS.

57. Zeus, e.g.: GOD.

60. Container: BIN.

61. "One more thing": AND.

62. __ Antonio: SAN.

63. Sea cave: GROTTO.

64. "Didn't mean to do that!": OOPS.

65. Rice University athletes: OWLS.

66. Break down, in a way: WEEP.

67. Generative AI tool: LLM. Large Language Model. Learning moment for me.

68. Bird on the Canadian dollar coin: LOON.

69. Handled adroitly: FINESSED.

70. Boundary: EDGE.

71. Sassy: FRESH.

75. Tried: ATTEMPTED.

76. Pear variety: BOSC.

77. Narrator of "The Book Thief": DEATH. The cover looks scary.

78. Current event?: EDDY.

79. Barrel-wearing dog: ST BERNARD.

80. Prepared for burial, as in ancient Egypt: MUMMIFIED.

81. Sea urchin on a Japanese menu: UNI. We also have 109. Unadon fish: EELS.

82. Lunar New Year: TET.

84. Cheaper, perhaps: USED.

85. City on the Arno: PISA.

86. Send out: EMIT.

88. "__ 'er there!": PUT.

94. Disorderly fight: MELEE.

95. Serve-yourself coffee holders: URNS.

96. Cook (up): RUSTLE.

97. Shake with cold: SHIVER. This winter has been brutally cold.

98. Alpine sounds: YODELS.

103. Yard separator: FENCE.

104. Sax type: TENOR.

105. Teeny-weeny: ITSY.

106. Go out with: DATE.

107. Stew-thickening pod: OKRA.

110. Take on: HIRE.

111. "Logically, this means ... ": ERGO.

113. "Yo!": SUP.

114. Fire remnant: ASH.

115. Flow stopper: DAM.

116. "Ay, there's the __": RUB.

Anyone else on our blog takes Methotrexate? I started the pills last Tuesday for my rheumatoid arthritis, along with prednisone. 

C.C.

Sunday September 3, 2023 Jill Rafaloff & Michelle Sontarp

Theme: "Do the Math" - Each common phrase is rephrased as if it's math-related.

23. Button on a quartermaster's calculator?: MILITARY OPERATION.

30. One?: OPENING NUMBER.

50. Birds + Bees = Bundle of Joy?: BABY FORMULA.

63. Staunch advocates of quotients?: DIVISION CHAMPIONS.

80. Average thoroughfares?: MEAN STREETS.

96. Knack for reciting multiplication tables?: PRODUCT RECALL.

106. Fails to complete a subtraction problem?: MAKES NO DIFFERENCE.

Second Sunday collaboration from Jill and Michelle. We had them last December with this "Hesitations" theme.

I really like the 50A clue. So inspired. I would need to shoot an email to Fremont, Nebraska.

Across:

1. Mature: AGE.

4. "Things Fall __": Chinua Achebe novel: APART. Nigerian novelist.

9. Exam for jrs.: PSAT.

13. Lack compatibility, as colors: CLASH.

18. Clickable address: URL.

19. One of 17 properties on a Monopoly board: AVENUE.

20. Supply company in Road Runner cartoons: ACME. Regulars know that ACME = Andrea Carla Michaels. Boomer was in pain then, but walked quite a bit that day.

Boomer, C.C., Tom Pepper & Andrea, 5/26/2021

21. Must: HAS TO.

22. Simon and Garfunkel, e.g.: DUO.

26. Little rascal: IMP.

27. Term of endearment: BAE. Bao Bei in Chinese (Baby).

28. Burden: ONUS.

29. Amount consumed: INTAKE.

35. Burdened: LADENED.

36. "For sure!": YES.

37. Archer of myth: EROS.

38. Builds to a crescendo: SWELLS.

40. Colorado site of the Winter X Games: ASPEN. 41. 40-Across forecast: SNOW.

43. Thick & Fluffy waffle brand: EGGO. Never had this. Never tried some things you guys eat.

44. Detest: HATE.  And 48. Bad mood: SNIT.

45. Ceiling: CAP.

49. "__ McCartney": 2016 compilation album: PURE. Unknown to me.

54. Jump over: HOP.

55. Judean king: HEROD.

56. Stockpile: AMASS. My stockpiled frozen durians are all gone. Can't wait for the next durian season.

57. Valuable minerals: ORES.

58. Female sheep: EWE.

59. Laundry appliance: IRON.

60. Self-checkout action: SCAN.

61. Australian sextet: STATES. And 72. Down Under bird: EMU.

68. Category on Disney+: MARVEL.

70. Cries from Homer: DOHs.

71. Cogito __ sum: ERGO.

75. Neighborhood: AREA. Just learned that two units in our quad have guns. Kind of surreal to see guys doing drugs in my driveway at 4:00am. 

76. Vowel sequence: AEIOU.

78. Move furtively: SLINK.

79. Shrill bark: YAP.

83. Silent assents: NODS.

84. Actor Mostel: ZERO. Number too.

85. School of thought: ISM.

86. Tattle: TELL.

87. Dull: FADE.

88. Expand: WIDEN.

89. "Gunsmoke" star: ARNESS. James.

91. APR-reducing loan: RE-FI.

92. Author: PEN.

93. Sleeping spots for tabbies: CAT BEDS.

102. City west of Flint, Michigan: OWOSSO. Never heard of it. Famous for what?

103. Hydrox rival: OREO.

104. Lend a hand: AID.

105. Poseidon's realm: SEA.

111. Toque, e.g.: HAT.

112. Cara of "Fame" fame: IRENE.

113. Learning by repetition: ROTE.

114. In tatters: RAGGED.

115. Time for last-minute gift wrapping: EVE.

116. Pennies: CENTS.

117. Title for a fictional fox: BRER.

118. Rose: STOOD.

119. Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second __": SEX.  And 53. Sound of pain or pleasure: MOAN.

Down:

1. Video counterpart: AUDIO.

2. Curmudgeon: GRUMP.

3. Act unceremoniously?: ELOPE.

4. Birds: AVIANS.

5. Ship owner who described Ahab as "ungodly, god-like": PELEG.

6. "Both Hands" singer DiFranco: ANI.

7. Road groove: RUT.

8. Dim sum drink: TEA. From my friend Lesley. Her favorite dim sum items. She's also a tea connoisseur. Wish you guys could meet her. Sweetest Cantonese girl.

9. Liam of One Direction: PAYNE.

10. Uses steel wool, maybe: SCOURS.

11. Increases, with "up": AMPS.

12. "Fore!" site: TEE.

13. Friend on "Friends": CHANDLER. Bing.

14. Foamy hot beverages: LATTES.

15. From the Philippines, e.g.: ASIAN.

16. Stir up: STOKE.

17. Sharpened: HONED.

19. Insomnia option: AMBIEN.

24. Rips off: ROBS.

25. Oldest bridge spanning Venice's Grand Canal: RIALTO.

31. Duma veto: NYET.

32. Campari cocktail: NEGRONI.

33. Goaded: URGED.

34. Farm sound: MOO.

35. Flips (through): LEAFS.

39. Reasons: WHYS.

40. Arthur in the International Tennis Hall of Fame: ASHE.

42. Wildly improbable goal: PIPE DREAM. Great fill.

43. Portuguese bread?: EUROS.

45. Greeted a queen, perhaps: CURTSEYED. I spell it as CURTSY.

46. Away from the wind, nautically: ALEE.

47. "Hard no": PASS.

49. Hazard: PERIL.

50. Greek god of wine: BACCHUS.

51. Indian nurses: AMAHS. Lots of Filipino amahs in Hong Kong. They're the largest ethnic minority there.

52. "Munich" star Eric: BANA.

55. Bee hub: HIVE.

60. Supercilious sort: SNOOT.

61. Inks: SIGNS.

62. __ one's time: TOOK.

64. Lendl in the International Tennis Hall of Fame: IVAN.

65. Garfield's goofy housemate: ODIE.

66. Like a hummable tune: MELODIC.

67. June celebration: PRIDE.

68. Spanish term of affection: MAMI. Our Mommy.

69. Son of Zeus: ARES.

73. Female zebra: MARE.

74. Over: UPON.

76. City in Provence: ARLES. The cover of my compact mirror. Got it at Musée d'Orsay 23 years ago.

77. Snaky fish: EELS. And 87. Made dinner for: FED. I want to be fed grilled eels.

78. Big blunder: SNAFU.

81. Emphasizes: STRESSES.

82. Muscle-bone connector: TENDON.

84. Metal in pennies: ZINC.

88. Tidied the garden: WEEDED. My #1 goal is to keep our Asiatic lilies alive. Boomer loved them so much.

89. Away: ABSENT.

90. Pixie: SPRITE.

91. Ski rack spot: ROOF.

92. __ to sell: PRICED.

93. Open mic performer, often: COMIC.

94. Plugged in: AWARE.

95. Arcade coin: TOKEN.

97. Send (to): REFER.

98. Letter between Sierra and Uniform: TANGO.

99. Clambake leftovers: ASHES.

100. Split: LEAVE.

101. Paint choice: LATEX.

103. Stench: ODOR. The intense, relentless odor from my neighbor's week-long weed parties (so so many guys and girls came for the orgies)! The day Splynter blogged for me, I was on the trails early in the morning for fresh air, then again in the hot afternoon, for a total 6 hours. Crazy.

107. Globe: ORB.

108. Hosp. areas: ERS.

109. "I smell a __!": RAT.

110. Psyche component: EGO.

C.C.

Sunday December 4, 2022 Jill Rafaloff & Michelle Sontarp

Theme: "Hesitations" - ER is added to each theme entry.

25. Milwaukee slugger who keeps striking out?: COLD BREWER. Cold brew.

27. Put an album up for auction?: OFFER. THE RECORD. Off the record.

52. Animal hospital amenity?: DOG AND PONY SHOWER. Dog and pony show.

66. Robbery involving a diamond?: BASEBALL CAPER. Baseball cap.

85. C-suite member who shreds on the half-pipe?: EXECUTIVE BOARDER. Executive board.

109. Rooster?: CHICKEN BROTHER. chicken broth.

115. Selfie taken by a financial professional?: BANKER SHOT. Bank shot.

Looks like a Sunday debut for Jill Rafaloff & Michelle Sontarp. Congratulations! Maybe Gary can find more information about them.

Five of the ERs are added to the last word, two are added to the first one. So no odd-man out.

Across:

1. Secured, in a way: TAPED.

6. Quick inhalation: GASP.

10. Stitched loosely: BASTED. I bought a Jennie-O turkey breast this year. So easy to prepare.

16. Morsel: BIT.

19. Short digression: ASIDE.

20. Layered snack: OREO.

21. Slide subject: AMOEBA.

22. Written tribute: ODE.

23. Sail (through): COAST.

24. Connections: TIES.

30. Actor Neeson: LIAM. 

31. Vuitton of fashion: LOUIS. And 100. Fashion monogram: YSL.

32. Start of the Common Era: ONE AD.

34. Senses: FEELS.

35. Fuel additive brand: STP. Scientifically Treated Petroleum. Owned by Energizer.

38. Bus. letters: INC.

39. "¿Qué pasa?": SUP.

41. Reception problem: STATIC.

43. Manage, as an art exhibit: CURATE.

45. Home of BTS: KOREA. South Korea. "Butter"!

47. Put back: RESTORE.

51. Sitting upon: ATOP.

56. Relocated: MOVED. Boomer can't move by himself now. His legs are just numb. Quite a challenge for me to change the bed sheet, bed pads and the diapers. My arms do get stronger!

58. Venomous snake: ASP.

59. Iridescent gem: OPAL.

60. Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew: BREES.

61. Part of GDP: PRODUCT.

63. Cardiff's country: WALES.

65. Scuffle: TUSSLE.

70. "Cat's in the Cradle" singer: CHAPIN (Harry)

 

 

74. See 13-Down: LASSO. 13. With 74-Across, 2021 and 2022 Emmy winner for Outstanding Comedy Series: TED.

75. Guts: INNARDS.

80. Prefix meaning "sun": HELIO.

81. Michael who plays Luis in the "Ant-Man" movies: PENA.

82. Geological span: EON.

84. Supply with gear: EQUIP.

90. Tropical tangelo: UGLI. Tried once. Pretty juicy. 

91. Accumulates, as debt: RACKS UP. Scary.

92. Trojan War epic: ILIAD.

93. Functional: USABLE.

95. Maine-based retailer since 1912: L.L. BEAN. They have a store in Mall of America.

98. "The Marvelous __ Maisel": MRS.

99. Bioengineered food source, briefly: GMO.

101. First name of boy detective Encyclopedia Brown: LEROY.

104. Night noise: SNORE. For me, it's the air mattress noise from the hospital bed.

106. Garlicky mayo: AIOLI. So vowel-y.

108. Apple variety: IMAC.

119. Early spring flower: IRIS. And 7. Many an April birth: ARIES.

120. Fast Amtrak train: ACELA.

121. Oil field sight: RIG.

122. Scandinavia locale: EUROPE.

123. Motorcade vehicle: LIMO.

124. Gorge: CHASM.

125. Draft selection?: ALE. Good old clue.

126. Gawks: STARES.

127. What "T" stands for, in video game ratings: TEEN.

128. Sorts: TYPES.

Down:

1. Snack from a truck: TACO.

2. Beginning with: AS OF.

3. "La Vie en Rose" singer Édith: PIAF. Marion Cotillard on the left.

4. Short-lived Ford model: EDSEL.

5. Largest city on the border between the U.S. and Canada: DETROIT.

6. Like "Dracula" and "Frankenstein": GOTHIC. Gothic novels.

8. Oracle: SEER.

9. Model: POSE.

10. BLT part: BACON.

11. Collection of love poems by Ovid: AMORES.

12. Were bought for: SOLD AT.

14. Wane: EBB.

15. __ es Salaam: DAR. Tanzania.

16. "Modern Love" singer David: BOWIE.

17. Utopian: IDEAL.

18. School sessions: TERMS.

26. Certain college members: ELECTORS.

28. Pitched well?: TUNED. Nice clue.

29. Managed somehow: COPED.

33. Hannah of "Roxanne": DARYL. Married to Neil Young.

34. Laurence who played Pops on "Black-ish": FISHBURNE.

35. Scalawag: SCAMP.

36. Teach privately: TUTOR.

37. Home of Brigham Young University: PROVO.

39. Caress, e.g.: SOAP.

40. Banquet coffeepot: URN.

42. QB targets: TES. Tight Ends.

44. Mimicked: APED.

45. Metric wts.: KGS.

46. Twin of Artemis: APOLLO.

48. Sees red?: OWES.

49. Stagger: REEL.

50. Irish Gaelic: ERSE.

53. Muffin grains: OATS.

54. Crude cartel: OPEC.

55. Mars rover org.: NASA.

57. With skepticism: DUBIOUSLY.

62. Food drive donation, often: CAN.

63. Sashimi condiment: WASABI. My favorite brand. So good.

64. Singer Green and politician Gore: ALS.

65. Decimal base: TEN.

67. Mtn. stat: ELEV.

68. Downfall: BANE.

69. Christmas candle scent: PINE.

70. "Moonstruck" Oscar winner: CHER.

71. Half dodeca-: HEXA. Dodeca is prefix for 12.

72. Smart __: ALEC.

73. Burglar: PICK LOCK.

76. Water color: AQUA.

77. Sport with an oval ball: RUGBY.

78. Some pickles: DILLS. Best brand.

79. Sales pitch: SPIEL.

81. Singing voice, informally: PIPES.

82. Historical spans: ERAS.

83. Not even: ODD.

86. Sudsy spot: TUB. Thankfully our tub works great. The sink faucet is another matter.

87. Early Mesoamerican: OLMEC.

88. Ventilate: AIR.

89. "__ has it ... ": RUMOR.

94. Typical open mic performance: SOLO ACT.

96. Last runner in a relay race: ANCHOR.

97. Zero chance: NO HOPE.

99. Martini with an onion: GIBSON.

101. Heavenly scales: LIBRA.

102. Inbox message: EMAIL.

103. Scope: RANGE.

105. Custom-made things?: RITES. Ritual "custom".

106. "Spirited Away" genre: ANIME.

107. Like a mosquito bite: ITCHY.

110. Bagpiper's skirt: KILT.

111. Lake near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: ERIE.

112. Pile: HEAP.

113. Otherwise: ELSE.

114. Los Angeles team: RAMS.

116. Some Caltech grads: EES.

117. Boring routine: RUT.

118. Sp. address: SRA.

To borrow a line from Marc Maron, Boomer Lives!

He did develop a few issues last week. Itchy eyes bother him the most. One of his pressure sores also got worse. Hopefully more rounds of barrier & Mepilex will ease the pain. We also hope to get the thickening powder Dr. Nina recommended soon so Boomer won't choke on water. 

The good news is that Father Charlie Lachowitzer (Twin Cities' vicar general) visited us on Thursday. He spent quite a bit of time at our home and gave Boomer a special blessing. He said before he left that "Now I know why everyone likes to visit you".

C.C.