Monday January 27, 2025 David Karp

  

Hay there, everyone! sumdaze here. Today's theme:

It's a horse, of course! 

Out of the gate, we'll begin with today's reveal:

58 Across. Deal made with shrewd bargaining, or a swap that could be made with the ends of 17-, 25-, 37-, and 47-Across?: HORSE TRADE.

A HORSE TRADE is as defined in the clue, but this reveal is also telling us that we can substitute (that is, TRADE) the word HORSE for the ends of each themed answer.

Note:  "Ends" is used instead of "words" because 37-Across is hyphenated.  

Rounding up the themers, we have:

17 Across. Prerequisite for going into labor?: WORK PERMIT.  WORKHORSE

The question mark indicates a bit of misdirection about childbirth. A WORK PERMIT is an official document that allows one to work.

A WORKHORSE is a hardworking person.

25 Across. Hypothetical stuff in space: DARK MATTER.  DARK HORSE

NASA webpage on the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope and DARK MATTER

A DARK HORSE is a little-known, unexpectedly successful entrant in a contest.

37 Across. Requiring a lot of careful attention: HIGH-MAINTENANCE.  HIGH HORSE

HIGH-MAINTENANCE is as defined in the clue.

Someone described as being on their HIGH HORSE is acting as if they are superior to those around them.  

47 Across. Unvarying background sound: WHITE NOISE.  WHITEHORSE 

more on WHITE NOISE

There are a few options for this one. WHITEHORSE is the largest city in northern Canada and the capital of the Yukon. A hero can come riding up on a symbolic WHITE HORSE. WHITE HORSE is also the name of a 2008 song by Taylor Swift. We could go on, but let's take a look at the grid instead.

I also noticed a Geography mini-theme. If 47-Across is the Yukon capital, that is Geography question #1. We have eleven more so put on your Geography hats!   

Across:

1. Lively Brazilian dance: SAMBA.  

6. Diet that's high in 10-Across: KETO.  (see next clue)

10. Macronutrients that may be saturated: FATS.

14. Inbox filler: EMAIL.

15. Disney snowman voiced by Josh Gad: OLAF.  Josh Gad was recently a guest on Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! That is when I first realized I was confusing him with panelist Josh Gondelman. (Sorry, Josh G.!)  

(l to r)  Josh Gad, Olaf, and Josh Gondelman

16. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.  [Geography question #2]  

19. "Hacks" Emmy winner Smart: JEAN.  (b. Sept. 13, 1951 in Seattle) I remember her from Designing Women (1986-1993)  

Jean is the blonde.

20. __ Lauder: ESTEE.  

21. Dice finely: MINCE.  

22. Recipe amt.: TBSP.  To make pizza sauce, I combine 1 TaBleSPoon dried MINCEd onion with a small can of tomato sauce, a handful of fresh herbs from my garden, and a few turns of the peppermill. Let simmer.

28. Bother: EAT AT.  If something is bothering you, you could say it is EATing AT you. In that case you might need some 29-DownS.

30. __ Scotia, Canada: NOVA.  [Geography question #3] Nova Scotia is one of Canada's ten provinces. Its estimated population is over one million people. Visitors enjoy exploring its charming coastal towns, eating lobster, and whale watching. 

31. Flirt with: CHAT UP.  Like the clue, I associate this phrase with a romantic purpose to the conversation. Others equate CHAT UP with simply "shooting the breeze". How do you use it?

33. First __ tent: AID.  I always appreciate these volunteers at events.

34. Co. such as Google Fiber: ISP.  Company and Internet Service Provider

41. "__ queen!": YAS.  "YAS queen" is a slang expression that signifies celebration, support, and empowerment. Wiki says it is mostly used by the 42-Across community.

I did not care for this A crossing the name of a Brazilian state.

42. Part of LGBTQ+: GAY.

43. More irate: MADDER.  I'm mad for the lyrics to this song from the Broadway musical Wonderland. 

44. Conference freebies: SWAG.  I think this acronym stands for Stuff We All Get ... but opinions vary.

46. Home Depot department: PAINT.  

Don't forget to ask for a stirring stick!

53. Combinatorics discipline: MATH.  Combinatorics, as the name suggests, is an area of discrete MATH that looks at possible combinations. (There is more to it than that but this will suffice for today.) A sample problem is "A committee of three people needs to be made from a group of ten participants. How many possible combinations of committee members is possible?"  

Use this formula to get the answer 120 combinations.

54. Big name in boxers: HANES.  Chonies -- not dogs!

55. Some party shenanigans: DARES.  This clue refers to the party game Truth or Dare.  

Penny, Bernadette, and Amy play Truth or DARE on TBBT.

57. Native of ancient Peru: INCA.  [Geography question #4]

63. Free kick cause: FOUL.  I'm going to go with Isaac McAdoo's penalty kick in Season 3 of Ted Lasso (3:11 min.).

Warnings:  Spoiler alert and F-bombs.  

64. Line on a graph: AXIS.  More math!!  😎  

65. Camera giant: NIKON.

66. Fragrant trees: FIRS.  

67. Prying: NOSY.  

Get it? They're elephants.

68. Die down: ABATE.  Def.:  to decrease in force or intensity.

I always associate this word with IRS penalties. I have written many letters for clients asking that the IRS ABATE their penalty.

Speaking of the IRS, it is time for my annual PSA announcement.... Tax season in the U.S. is just around the corner. The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free tax help for taxpayers who qualify. This will be my 7th year as a VITA preparer. D-Otto volunteered for many years, too. If you know someone who needs assistance with filling out their forms, perhaps recommend they try VITA. We do both Federal and State income taxes. Certain complicated returns are out-of-scope. Use this link to find an IRS VITA location near you.

Down:

1. Do some needlework: SEW.     and     26 Down. Do some needlework: KNIT.

2. "Yo te __": AMO.  

3. Damage: MAR.  

"Vitiate" is a Saturday word.

4. Cyclist's route through a park: BIKE PATH.  How to find bike paths on Google Maps video (1 min.)

5. Swiss mountains: ALPS.   [Geography question #5]  Britannica.com

6. Divided Asian peninsula: KOREA.  [Geography question #6]

7. Wabbit hunter Fudd: ELMER.  

8. __ chi: martial art: TAI.  ...not to be confused with chai tea!  

9. Frequently, in poems: OFT.  short for OFTen     and     52 Down. Before, in poems: ERE.

10. Sizzling Tex-Mex fare: FAJITA.

11. Customer service representative: AGENT.  They as are elusive as the secret spy AGENTs.

12. Tiny amount: TRACE.  

13. More reasonable: SANER.

18. Takeoff approx.: ETD.  "Approximation" is abbreviated, so it "Estimated Time of Departure".

21. Big D cager: MAV.  Big D is Dallas, TX. A cager is a basketball player.  Dallas' NBA team is the Mavericks.  

22. Futuristic: TECHY.  TECHY is an adjective which means "characterized by technical sophistication". Its first known use was in 1977.

23. Brazilian state where the 1-Across originated: BAHIA.  [Geography question #7] Bahai is one of Brazil's 26 states. Its estimated population is over 14 million people. The Travel Channel says that Bahia is Brazil's "pulsing epicenter of Afro-Brazilian culture".

24. Bucks: STAGS.  ...not slang for money.

27. Surfer's gear?: MODEM.  web surfer

29. Stomach, cutely: TUM.  stomach  -->  tummy  -->  TUM

32. Winter solstice celebrant: PAGAN.  Here is an NPR piece from last December 20th.

33. One or more: ANY.

34. World's most populous country: INDIA.  [Geography question #8]

Click to enlarge.

I like this graphic, too.

35. Aromatherapy choice: SCENT.  Eucalyptus is one of my favorites.

36. Capital of Western Australia: PERTH.  [Geography question #9]  Western Australia is one of Australia's six states and two territories. Perth's population is estimated at 2.3 million people. It is known for its beaches, favorable climate, and outdoor activities. A non-stop flight from Sydney to Perth is about five hours.  

38. "Othello" villain: IAGO.  CliffsNotes explains why IAGO is a villain:

Iago in this play, has the qualities of the Devil in medieval and Renaissance morality plays: He is a liar, he makes promises he has no intention of keeping, he tells fancy stories in order to trap people and lead them to their destruction, and he sees other's greatest vulnerabilities and uses these to destroy them.

39. Day break?: NAP.  This one had some fun wordplay. This break in the day is a rest -- not the dawning of a new day.

40. Tracy/Hepburn romantic comedy: ADAM'S RIB.  ESP for me. Here is the trailer for this 1949 film. (I love her houndstooth robe!)

44. Amazing deals: STEALS.  The price is so good it is like you are STEALing it.

45. Director Anderson: WES.  There is something about the pacing of Wes Anderson's films that make them fun to watch. You can see what I mean in this short clip from The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) with Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, and Edward Norton.  

47. Faint smell: WHIFF.  

48. Vietnam's capital: HANOI.  [Geography question #10]

49. Rack up: INCUR.  For example, one can rack up (INCURE) penalties.

50. Actor Elba: IDRIS.  Is he the new 007 ???!!!  

51. Full of attitude: SASSY.

56. Sicilian volcano: ETNA.  [Geography question #11]

58. Solo of "Star Wars": HAN.  

59. Kitchen gadget brand: OXO.  

OXO's jar opening tool makes a good gift for people of a certain age.

60. Pseudonym letters: AKA.  Also Known As

61. Decimal point: DOT.  "And" also fit ... and is more correct.  

62. Opposite of WSW: ENE.  [Geography question #12]

Time for me to mosey along. Happy trails!

Monday January 20, 2025 Susan Gelfand

 

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, everyone!  

Theme:            A Wrench in the Works  

Constructor Susan Gelfand throws a few wrenches into today's puzzleworks, hopefully bringing a smile to the faces of DIYers. Here are her four themers:

17 Across. Ocular opening: EYE SOCKET.

23 Across. Rum and vodka cocktail: BRASS MONKEY.

35 Across. Actress who played dance teacher Lydia Grant on "Fame": DEBBIE ALLEN.

49 Across. Muffler attachment on a car: EXHAUST PIPE.

Next, the reveal:

59 Across. Good gift for a handy homeowner, and what the ends of 17-, 23-, 35-, and 49-Across are?: WRENCH SET.  Socket, monkey, Allen, and pipe are all types of wrenches. Together, they make a set of wrenches.

(l to r)  socket wrench, monkey wrench, Allen wrench, and pipe wrench

Across:

1. Famous __ cookies: AMOS.  AMOS is almost as famous for being in crossword puzzles as he is for his cookies.

5. Iranian currency: RIAL.  As of this writing, one US dollar is worth 42,000 Iranian RIALs. A gallon of regular milk costs 101,000.56 ﷼ in Iran. That is about $2.40.

9. Hopping mad: IRATE.  

14. Daddy: PAPA.  

Also...I know that some of you listen to NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and are familiar with panelist Tom PAPA. Here is 45 sec. of his stand-up comedy routine. (I've heard him on the show for years but I never knew what he looked like until today.)

15. Poker starting stake: ANTE.  

16. Parcels (out): DOLES.  

Can someone please help DOLE out these cans of pineapple?

19. Accumulate: AMASS.

20. Like a marching band, hopefully: IN STEP.  Who doesn't love a marching band?! Generally speaking, a band marches at 120 beats per minute. Each step is about 1.5 ft. long. Therefore, it takes them roughly half an hour to go 1 mile.

21. Peak in the Cascade Range: SHASTA.  Scientists think Mt. Shasta last erupted 3,200 years ago. This NASA page has some interesting information about Mt. Shasta, along with two very cool photos taken from the ISS.

22. Proposal fig.: EST.  "Fiancé" was too long.

"Figure" is abbreviated, so is "estimate".

26. Some cars and trucks made in the early 1900s: REOs.  The REO Motor Car Company Plant in Lansing, MI was a National Historic Landmark from 1978 to 1985. National Park Service website with several old photos

28. Dinner and a movie, perhaps: DATE.  15 DATE night ideas for seniors  (Just saying...)

29. Sponsored spots: ADS.  advertisements

30. Stinks: REEKS.  

32. V, on a battery: VOLTS.     and     50 Down. Battery part: ANODE.  

39. Stands in line: WAITS.  Here's a flashback to 1981.

Foreigner  ~  Waiting for a Girl Like You

40. French pancake: CREPE.  

Do you usually order a sweet or savory crepe ... or both?

43. Guys: HES.  plural of the third person singular pronoun

46. Drawn tight: TAUT.

48. Share a border with: ABUT.  

54. Patient care pros: RNs.  Registered Nurses are professionals.

55. Song sung by sailors: SHANTY.  The video below is an example of a sea shanty. This group's story was told in the movie Fisherman's Friends (2019). Clips from the movie are sprinkled in this video. If you like the feelings in this song, you should watch the movie.

56. Capital of Oman: MUSCAT.  

a very strategic location

58. Diviner's deck: TAROT.  A diviner is a person who predicts the future by magical, intuitive, or other means.

62. Skip over in speech: ELIDE.  Certain sounds are skipped over to make the language easier and faster to say. Some examples are "I dunno" for "I don't know"; "kamra" for "camera"; and "fish 'n' chips" for "fish and chips".

63. Merit: EARN.  

64. Green pod that thickens gumbo: OKRA.

65. Direct elsewhere: REFER.  

66. Crafter's online marketplace: ETSY.

67. Yellow jacket, for one: WASP.  

They are considered beneficial insects because they kill other insects
that are harmful to plants  -- sort of a natural (and more selective) pesticide.

Down:

1. Bonobo or gibbon: APE.  

2. "Can you please show me?": MAY I SEE.

3. Like most sandals: OPEN-TOED.  not recommended for cyclists

4. Back talk: SASS.

5. Indy entrant: RACER.  race car driver

6. Stamping need: INK PAD.  

this kind of stamping 

7. Noshed: ATE.

8. "__ the good times roll!": LET.  

The Cars  ~  Good Times Roll  ~  (1978)

9. State known for potatoes: IDAHO.  NPR's Planet Money recently did a story about Idaho potato farmers and NAFTA as an example of how pest regulations are sometimes used as a "sneaky form of economic protectionism". I would not label this as "political" since every country does it to some extent. It is more of a reality check on how trade works after the politicians get their pictures in the newspapers. Here is a link to the podcast and transcript, for those who are interested in these types of economic issues. It is about a 30-min. read.

10. Times New __: common font: ROMAN.  We use the Georgia font here on The Corner but I changed this one to Times.  a brief history

11. Baked __: dessert covered with meringue: ALASKA.  

This is a picture of a recipe for Baked Alaska in my first cookbook.
I was 5-years old. I 'was good' at my doctor's appointment so my mom
let me choose a book at the bookstore nearby.
I chose this one -- probably because there was a cat on every page.

12. Tried out: TESTED.  I tried out most of the recipes in that cookbook but I cannot remember ever making Baked Alaska. I was never much of a cake person and I don't think my family was keen on meringue.

13. Literature class assignments: ESSAYS.

18. Wagering site, briefly: OTB.  Off Track Betting 

National Problem Gambling Help Line

21. Aroma: SMELL.

22. Make a boo-boo: ERR.

24. Builds a nest egg: SAVES UP.  Here is a time-lapse video of a chickadee building an egg nest. You can see the entrance hole on the left. Also, when the fledglings start to leave, look on the right hand side for an insert view of the outside of the nest. The camera actually catches the fledglings leaving. 

25. Greek portico: STOA.  Def:  (noun) an ancient Greek porch-like structure, usually walled at the back with a front colonnade designed to afford a sheltered promenade.

27. Distort, as data: SKEW.

31. Agcy. that helps entrepreneurs: SBA.  Agency and Small Business Administration

33. Pampering initials: TLC.  Tender Loving Care  

Elvis Presley singing Love Me Tender with TLC on the Ed Sullivan Show (1956)

34. "Buona __": Italian "Good evening": SERA.  

36. Teensy: BITSY.     and     59 Down. Tiny: WEE.

37. "Let's just leave __ that!": IT AT.

38. Lincoln's locale: NEBRASKA.  Illinois also has eight letters and is known as the "Land of Lincoln", but this time we needed the city of Lincoln.

CSO to Husker Gary!

41. Football players often needed in fourth-down plays: PUNTERS.  Another option would be kickERS -- if they want to go for a field goal.

42. Aliens, for short: ETs.  

43. Prynne of "The Scarlet Letter": HESTER.  Hester Prynne is the protagonist of this 1850 Nathaniel Hawthorne novel. She has a child out of wedlock and is condemned by her Puritan community. She must wear a letter A on her bodice as a reminder of her sin of adultery.

44. Breathe out: EXHALE.  I do this about half the time.

45. "Doctor Zhivago" actor Omar: SHARIF.  

from the 1965 movie
Hi Lucina!

47. Stopwatches: TIMERS.

51. Say out loud: UTTER.

52. Like groan-inducing jokes: PUNNY.  

53. Key to exit a program: ESC.  

I copied this image from -T's write up last Sunday.

57. Grub: CHOW.  not a bug

60. Maze rodent: RAT.  

61. Spigot: TAP.  

If your spigot stops working, you can try 
TAPping it with a WRENCH.

Today's grid:

Thanks and have a great day!