Monday May 13, 2024 Aaron Ullman

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with an LAT debut for constructor Aaron Ullman. Congrats, Aaron!

Theme:  

We will begin with the four starred clues:

20 Across. *"I can't make sense of it": DON'T ASK ME WHY.  

Tell Me Why was the opening track on Neil Young's After the Gold Rush album (1970).

33 Across. *World Series of Poker game: TEXAS HOLD'EM.

Yes, it's a card game but it is also a song on Beyoncé's new country album, Cowboy Carter (released March 29). This album is getting a lot of attention. Perhaps you've heard about it. I decided to not embed the music video; but, if you are curious, you can catch it here.  Warning:  language, skin, and incorrect rope swinging (Do not hold onto the honda.)

41 Across. *Natural-horror film franchise featuring superintelligent sharks: DEEP BLUE SEA.

Not my genre but sussable. Here is the trailer: 

Warning:  It's Samuel L. Jackson intense!  (Yes, I just used SLJ as an adjective.)  

52 Across. *Catchphrase of the Three Stooges: OH A WISE GUY EH.

I just could not parse the first three letters of this one. That contributed to my loss of patience and a DNF in the southwest. Oof! I bet Chairman Moe knew it!  

The reveal is perfectly placed in the bottom, right corner:

67 Across. Disco classic spelled out with arm motions and by the ends of the answers to the starred clues: YMCA.  Sing it with me -- WHY   'EM   SEA   EH  ♪♪  

Well, now that we have that all sorted, let's take a look at the other clues:

Across:
1. "The Phantom of the Opera" prop: MASK.  In the 1909 novel by Gaston Leroux, the phantom was born disfigured. The 1943 film changed this explanation to say that he had acid splashed in his face.

5. Made, as a free throw or golf putt: SANK.  

9. Parroting: APING.  

14. Wrinkly citrus fruit: UGLI.     and     10. Large citrus fruit: POMELO.  

The UGLI fruits look easy to peel.

15. Slender wind instrument: OBOE.

16. Polite refusal: NO SIR.

17. Inspirational collage for designers: MOODBOARD.  more info.

19. Mental picture: IMAGE.

22. Crab or lobster catcher: POT.  From what I read online, it seems a lobster POT is another name for a lobster trap. This video explains how a lobster trap works.  

25. Told tales: LIED.

26. Feel poorly: AIL.  This one reminds me of an example my high school English teacher liked to use:  My boyfriend feels well.

27. Puts into law: ENACTS.

29. Losing candidate: ALSO RAN.

36. Brewpub pour: ALE.

37. Scissors sound: SNIP.

38. Spanish day: DÍA.

39. "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar" actress Kristen: WIIG.  Here's the trailer for this 2021 movie:  

40. Bowler's target: PIN.     and     64 Across. Bowler's place: LANE.

It makes me smile to see these clues on a Monday.  😊

45. African capital on the Mediterranean Sea: ALGIERS.  

47. Tab key function: INDENT.  Also, Shift+Tab will un-indent.

48. __-cone: icy treat: SNO.

49. "__ well that ends well": ALL'S.  This idiom is used to say that a person can forget about how unpleasant or difficult something was because everything ended in a good way. It is a line from Shakespeare:

All's well that ends well,

Still the fine's the crown:

Whate'er the course,

The end is the renown.

51. U-turn from NNW: SSE.

57. Euripides tragedy: MEDEA.  Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides. 

58. Many a charitable organization: NONPROFIT.  Generally speaking, the IRS filing due date is March 15 for S-Corps , April 15 for individuals, and May 15 for NONPROFITs. (That's just two days away!)

62. Common font: ARIAL.  Arial is the font, Ariel is the mermaid, and aerial is the antenna.

63. Actress Swenson: INGA.  (1932 - 2023) Inga was an American actress with a long list of credits from the screen and stage, including Hoss's mother on Bonanza and the housekeeper on Benson (1979-1986).

65. Sidles up to: NEARS.     and     12 Down. Close by, quaintly: NIGH.

66. Like pink hair: DYED.

Down:
1. Bluey and Bingo's parent: MUM.  If you do not watch cartoons targeted to 5-7 year-olds, you might not know that Bluey is a children's animated TV show on Disney+ about an Australian Blue Healer Cattle Dog (Bluey) and her little sister (Bingo). It does have some controversy. Here is a 1:25 min. clip:  

"Bluey" was also the name of the Australian cattle dog with the world record for longevity.

Bluey ---> Australia ---> + parent  =  MUM

2. Many moons __: AGO.  This is also the title of a song from the Broadway show Once Upon a Mattress. Here is Harry Snow as the Minstrel (1959-1960). You will likely recognize the first two names on the Playbill.

3. __-mo replay: SLO.

4. "The Mermaid Chair" novelist Sue Monk __: KIDD.  goodreads link

5. Vague promise from a procrastinator: SOONISH.  The opposite of many moons ago???

6. Tail off, as a storm: ABATE.

7. U.S./Canada military acronym: NORAD.  The North American Aerospace Defense Command is a bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America.

Additionally, every Christmas Eve NORAD tracks Santa's flight around the world to ensure his safety. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to help man the phones in 2019.  #BestChristmasEveEver

8. Canvas shoe brand that makes bridal sneakers: KEDS.  

9. Belief that all beings have a spirit: ANIMISM.  You can read more here.

11. "__ it first!": "Dibs!": I SAW.  

It is just now occurring to Calvin that his no-nonsense babysitter will be coming over tonight.

13. __ Goose vodka: GREY.

18. Runs away fast: BOLTS.

An aptronym is a name that matches the occupation or character of its owner, often in a humorous or ironic way. One example is the Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt.  Wiki list

21. Leafy vegetable in a green smoothie: KALE.

22. Pampering place for furry friends: PET SPA.

23. Close soccer score: ONE-NIL.  Hand up for first having ONE-one.

24. Exhausting: TAXING.

28. Baseball hat: CAP.

29. Not much (of): A DAB.

30. Salary hikes: RAISES.

31. Sci-fi beings: ALIENS.  

32. Invalidate: NEGATE.  

34. Celebratory poems: ODES.  Jimmy Stewart shared this heartwarming ODE with Johnny Carson about a dog named Beau:  

35. Place for a piercing: LIP.

39. Married: WED.

41. "Wasn't me!" and "I didn't do it!": DENIALS.  It is a bit unusual to see two quotes in one clue but it works for the plural answer.

42. Greek god of love: EROS.

43. Perch for a frog in an ornamental pond: LILY PAD.  

44. Al or Bobby of auto racing: UNSER.  The Unser family has won the Indianapolis 500 a record nine times, with Bobby and Al Unser Sr. being the only set of brothers to win in the race's history.

46. "Pinkie promise!": I SWEAR.

49. Great pain: AGONY.  AGnst also fit ... for a while.

50. Fencing thrust: LUNGE.  

52. Muscat's land: OMAN.  

53. "Take this": HERE.  Well clued, Aaron!

54. 1998 Sarah McLachlan hit: ADIA.  Adia is a song by Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan from her fourth studio album, Surfacing (1997). It was co-written by McLachlan and her longtime producer, Pierre Marchand.

Oh, that song!

55. Oklahoma city west of Tulsa: ENID.

56. "__ guacamole!": HOLY.  

59. Closest peeps: FAM.  "Peeps" is short for "people" -- a hint that the answer will be a shortened word, too.

60. Company abbr.: INC.  INCorporated

61. Lipton drink: TEA.

The grid:  

C ya!

Monday May 6, 2024 Patti Varol

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. Today's theme is:  

Editor and constructor Patti Varol treats us to one of her own creations. I am always impressed with Patti's gridwork and today is no exception. She gives us five themed clues, three of which are grid-spanners. 

17 Across. Dr. Seuss work featuring an elephant who declares, "A person's a person no matter how small": HORTON HEARS A WHO.  

23 Across. Skeptical reply to an assertion: BASED ON WHAT?.

39 Across. Very remote place: MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

50 Across. "Should I stop pouring?": JUST SAY WHEN.

61 Across. "My motives have to remain a secret": I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY.

WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY are sometimes called the Five Ws of report writing. Patti has identified their placement at the ends of in-the-language phrases. The first one is my favorite because the character meaning of WHO is furthest from its interrogative pronoun usage.

It helped that Horton is the only elephant I know of in the Dr. Seuss universe.

When a 15X15 grid is divided up by five, long, themed answers, it will inevitably have some less-than-first-choice fill that is difficult to get around. Patti dealt with that by using familiar clueing in just the right places to help keep things at a Monday level. Well done! 

Why not take a closer look?

Across:
1. The "O" of EGOT: OSCAR.  "EGOT" is an acronym for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards.

Also...OSCAR is the name of the cat introduced in Season 4 of All Creatures Great and Small. I know we have some fans here on The Corner (including me!) I hope they will enjoy this 1:25 min. video.  

6. Pulitzer winner Jennifer: EGAN.  Here is Jennifer, receiving her prize in 2011 for her novel, A Visit From The Goon Squad.  more about this award

I have not read any of her books
but I knew her name from my volunteer work at my local library.

10. Some primates: APES.

14. Frighten: SCARE.  The movie Planet of the 10As SCAREs me!

15. Mouse catcher: TRAP.  

Remember this game?

16. See 4-Down: DECO.     and     4 Down. With 16-Across, style of L.A.'s Griffith Observatory: ART.  

more on art deco

20. IM pioneer: AOL.  Instant Messaging and America Online

21. Single: ONE.

22. Maker of EcoTank Supertank printers: EPSON.  "Printer" narrowed down my guesses.

28. "That ship __ sailed": HAS.  Use this idiom when you want to say that it is now too late to do something, an opportunity has been lost.  

I know I've used this one before, but it's so funny!

29. Harrison Ford's "Star Wars" role: HAN SOLO.  He appeared in six Star Wars movies.  wookieepedia

Confession:  For too long, I though his name was Hanz Olo.

33. More slippery, as a winter sidewalk: ICIER.  

36. Spring shape: COIL.  

It's a slinky on a treadmill!

38. Pea holder: POD.

43. Chowed down: ATE.

44. Fashion's Spade: KATE.  This is her website. She is mostly know for handbags, shoes, and jewelry.

45. Tries to avoid being seen: HIDES.

46. Tampers (with): MEDDLES.

49. Ryan of rom-coms: MEG.  

a gimme for us rom-com fans

55. Dads: PAPAS.    

58. Stately tree: ELM.  

59. "Blue Bloods" actor Cariou: LEN.  I have never watched this show so the crossing with 53 Down was a WAG for me.

Len Cariou was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on Sept. 30, 1939.

66. Math course with many functions, for short: TRIG.  In TRIGonometry, students explore the ratios between sides of right triangles -- sine, cosine, tangent, cotangent, secant, and cosecant.

67. Word after "all the" or "just the": SAME.  Nice clue!  

68. Geek Squad clients: USERS.  Think "computers".

69. Long sandwich: HERO.  The longest sandwich was close to  a half a mile long (735 meters) and was built in Beirut, Lebanon in 2011.

Have I mentioned I love sandwiches?

70. Say the rosary, e.g.: PRAY.  

Bon Jovi released Livin' On A Prayer in 1986.

Jon met his DW when they were in high school. 

71. Magazine edition: ISSUE.  

What about the Down clues?

Down:
1. Federal org. that approves protective gear: OSHA.  

2. Shaggy's pal, informally: SCOOB.  

3. Celebrity chef Hall: CARLA.  I know Carla from Top Chef. She was also on The Chew from 2011 to 2018. Here she is:  

5. __ Speedwagon: REO.  Time for another big hair music break!  

REO Speedwagon released Keep On Loving You in 1980.

(They still had telephones with cords shaped like a 36-A in 1980.)

6. Prefix with "musicology": ETHNO-.  Ethnomusicology is the study of music in its social and cultural contexts.  more

7. Color of a correctly placed letter in Wordle: GREEN.  What a welcomed clue for all the Wordlists on The Corner!

8. Small battery size: AAA.  

What happened to B?
What happened to A?
Why do more As make it smaller?

9. "Weekend Edition" airer: NPR.

10. Learns to fit in: ADAPTS.

11. Church seats: PEWS.

12. Sound that bounces back: ECHO.  

13. In a few minutes: SOON.

18. Dozes (off): NODS.

19. Actor Astin: SEAN.  He played Mikey in The Goonies and Sam in The Lord of the Rings.  IMDb link

24. Leave fur on the sofa, maybe: SHED.  

25. __ Grey tea: EARL.  DH drinks this. I prefer the herbals.

26. Kvetch: WHINE.  The Yiddish word kvetshn (literally, to squeeze or pinch) comes from Middle High German. When used as a verb, kvetch means to complain habitually. As a noun, it is a habitual complainer.  

waseeley, are you and Teri still watching Northern Exposure (1990-1995)?
I am almost finished with Season 4. Joel immediately came to mind.

27. Saintly glow: HALO.  HALO lesson

Benozzo Gozzoli's Angels in Adoration (detail) (1459-1460)
Gozzoli used HALOs as a sort of speech bubble.

30. Opinion column: OP-ED.

31. Traditional tales: LORE.  Folklore and fairy tales can be found in the 398 section of the Dewey decimal system.

32. Poetic tributes: ODES.

33. Muslim leader: IMAM.

34. Give credit to: CITE.

35. Carded, briefly: ID-ED.

36. Sail (through): COAST.  To coast is to move easily without using power. I think of COASTing down a hill on my bicycle.

The Coasters released Poison Ivy in 1959.

Talk about double entendre!

(Added note:  Imagine my surprise when I read Husker Gary's blog last Saturday and saw that he had quoted this song!)

37. Many times o'er: OFT.  The first known use of OFT was before the 12th century. "Often" became commonly used in the 16th century.

40. Barely gets (by): EKES.

41. "Glad that's over!": WHEW.  A CSO to this month's graduates.

42. __ and mighty: HIGH.

47. "__ Unchained": Tarantino film: DJANGO.  The D is silent.  IMDb link

48. Unbridled desire: LUST.

49. "Good gravy!": MY MY.  

The Simpsons (11 seconds)

"It's just brown and water."

51. Alabama home of the National Voting Rights Museum: SELMA.  It is part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

52. Bowling venue: ALLEY.  Bowling lanes on a Monday bring up fond memories.

53. Cary of "The Princess Bride": ELWES.  You might be hoping I will insert a 3:14 min. scene from The Princess Bride with Westly (Cary Elwes) and Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright). "As yooouuu wiiiiiiishhhhh...."  

54. Jawaharlal who was the longest-serving prime minister of India: NEHRU.  (1889-1964) He was also the first prime minister of an independent India (1947-1964). Some might better know him as Indira Gandhi's father or as the wearer of an eponymous jacket.

55. White part of an orange: PITH.  

56. Vineyard measure: ACRE.

57. Au __: nanny: PAIR.  

"Mom and dad have to migrate now, so we're leaving you with the au pair".

60. Wall St. index: NYSE.  "Street" is abbreviated, so is New York Stock Exchange.

62. Cook's meas.: TSP.  "Measurement" is abbreviated, so is TeaSPoon.

63. Corn shucker's unit: EAR.  

64. Yes, in French: OUI.  

65. Letters on the starship Enterprise: USS.  This is a Star Trek reference. Depending on whom you ask, USS has alternately stood for "United Space Ship", "United States Ship", and "United Star Ship". It also carries the letters NCC. Perhaps that foiled true fans?

Also, back on Earth, the USS Enterprise is a decommissioned aircraft carrier. In this case, USS definitely means United States Ship. In 1958 she was the world's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier. She currently sits at a pier in Newport News, VA.  

When can you see the grid? Right now! 

Where can posters leave comments?  Please comment below.

Who wants to join in?

Monday April 29, 2024 Harry Doernberg

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here, trying to come up with a suitable title for this Harry Doernberg puzzle. While seeing the theme came easy to me, giving it a title did not. Please bear with me on this one. A slang definition for flame is to insult someone over the internet. Harry's puzzle is so fantastic that it leaves no opening for such behavior. Therefore, my title is 

FlameprooF

Perhaps it is best to leave it at that and move on to the puzzle's four themed clues....

17 Across. Closely held conviction: FIRM BELIEF.  

23 Across. Sport with flying saucers: FRISBEE GOLF.  

46 Across. Blue toon in green overalls and a straw hat: FARMER SMURF.  I was unfamiliar with this character but "blue toon" and "overalls" got me there.  Cute!

57. Formal sleeve style: FRENCH CUFF.  This is a soft double cuff that is made by turning back half of a wide cuff band and fastening with a cuff link.  more on French cuffs

Here is the reveal:

46 Down. Camera lens setting, and a feature of both ends of 17-, 23-, 46-, and 57- Across?: F-STOP.  more on F-stop

All of the themed clues begin and end with the letter F. The Fs act as STOPS. In this case STOP is a noun much like a bus STOP is the beginning or end of a bus route.  

We solvers often see F-STOP and SLR as fill clues and answers. It was fun to see F-STOP functioning as the reveal today. I noticed the initial F's early on but overlooked the final F's. The grid contains only one other F that is not a STOP. It is the second F in FRENCH CUFF. An interesting feature of this grid is how the reveal is placed vertically, growing off of one of the themed clues. I will insert the grid here so you can see what I mean.  

Across:
1. SUV alternative: SEDAN.  A SEDAN is a closed automobile having two or four doors and a front and rear seat. SUVs add a rear door, along with other features. Here is a Car and Driver comparison.

6. Say "I do": WED.  Have you heard that some people are using ChatGPT to write their wedding vows? Who Says Romance Is Dead?

9. Tire speed stats: RPMS.  Revolutions Per Minute

13. Speaker on a dais: ORATOR.  A dais is a raised platform, as in a lecture hall, for speakers or honored guests.

15. Rd. crosser: AVE.  Road and AVEnue

"Chicken" did not fit.  

16. "Pick me! Pick me!": OH OH.  Does this make anyone else think of Arnold Horshack on Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979)?  

19. Peeved: SORE.

20. Top combat pilots: ACES.  

21. Yahoo! alternative: AOL.  America Online

22. Nickel or copper: METAL.     and     28 Down. Nickel or copper: COIN.  

"Copper" is a nickname for a U.S. penny and also some British coins. It might have helped to see something in the clue that hinted at a nickname, but that would have foiled the clever clecho.

26. College level HS course: AP CLASS.  "High school" is abbreviated, so is Advanced Placement.

30. Novel thought: IDEA.  Author Danielle Steel has turned over 140 IDEAs into novels.

31. For all to hear: ALOUD.

32. Reward for giving a pawshake, perhaps: DOG TREAT.  Meadow does high fives.

36. Limit, with "in": REIN.

37. Gem State capital: BOISE.  The Star Garnet is the state gem of Idaho. We Januarians recognize the garnet as our birthstone.

39. Wide valley: DALE.  Also ... Dale Evans (b. Frances Octavia Smith; 1912-2001) was Roy Roger's on- and off-screen partner. She became influential in changing public perceptions of children with developmental disabilities when she wrote Angel Unaware (1953) about her daughter, Robin.  

40. Organ that produces insulin: PANCREAS.  

So much for being "pretty on the inside".

42. Classic breath mint: CERTS.  They were officially discontinued in 2018. If you find a roll in your glovebox or at the bottom of an old purse, you might want to throw them out.

43. Microwave: HEAT.  verbs

44. Ceramic cooker for a classic Boston dish: BEAN POT.  This one is new to me. Has anyone cooked beans this way? 

  50. Shiny and smooth: SLEEK.

51. "__ you happy now?": ARE.  This 2003 Michelle Branch song falls into the Break-up Revenge Song category.  

52. "Poor Things" Oscar winner Stone: EMMA.  Here she is winning her second Oscar this past March. I have not seen this movie but I generally like her so I just now put it on my library queue.  

56. "Please clap now!": TA DA.

60. Fail to include: OMIT.

61. Sweets: LUV.  not candies

62. __ sauce: seafood condiment: TARTAR.  I thought the second A was an E.

63. Pea homes: PODS.  

64. Colorado Plateau Native: UTE.

65. Bonkers: NUTSO.  Merriam-Webster says this word is "sometimes offensive".

Down:
1. Furniture to crash on: SOFA.  I liked this clue! Crash is slang for "to sleep" or "to collapse exhausted".

Do you see the U.S. Army soldier crashing on this SOFA?

2. Rapper Eazy-E's given name: ERIC.  I guess that makes sense.

3. Truth alternative, in a party game: DARE.  

4. Money dispensers: ATMS.

5. Noodle: NOB.  NOB is slang for the human head.  

6. Cries and cries: WAILS.

7. Genesis figure: EVE.  Last Monday we had "Genesis man:  ADAM".

8. Rock's __ Leppard: DEF.  Def Leppard is an English rock band formed in 1976. On April 20, 2024, they released a vinyl recording of a live show they performed last year.

9. Site of many outdoor presidential press conferences: ROSE GARDEN.  National Park Service link

10. Shutterstock image: PHOTO.  Shutterstock, Inc. is an American company founded in 2003. It listed 1,274 employees in 2023. They provide stock photography, footage, music, and editing tools. Here is an example of a Shutterstock image:  

11. "Little Bunny Foo Foo" lesson, e.g.: MORAL.  Little Bunny Foo Foo is a preschoolers' song about a rabbit who liked to hop through the forest, pick up field mice, and bop them on the head. The Good Fairy gave him three chances to change his ways before turning him into a goon.  

Spoiler alert:  The MORAL of this story is, "Hare today, goon tomorrow."

(I did not make that up.)

12. Tchotchke holder: SHELF. A tchotchke is a small trinket that is more decorative than functional. Its etymology is Polish.

14. Guides into adulthood: REARS.  Guides is a verb here.

18. Daily Planet reporter Lane: LOIS.  

22. "__ me halfway": MEET.

23. Short-term trend: FAD.  Maybe this blending-in-with-your-sofa thing could become a FAD.  

Notice he is in a furniture store so he probably did not plan this.

24. Short get-to-know-you pieces: BIOS.

25. Precipice: EDGE.

26. Group with a Staying Sharp program: AARP.  American Association of Retired Persons

Visiting The Corner everyday checks the first two boxes.
(Click to enlarge.)

27. Impassioned cry: PLEA.

29. Cold cuts: LUNCHMEATS.  

32. Insult: DIS.  I first had DIg. 

33. Old West icon Wyatt: EARP.  Kurt Russel played him in Tombstone (1993). Do you recognize the other guy? (See below.*)  

34. Midrange voice: ALTO.

35. Experiment: TEST.

37. Fozzie, for one: BEAR.  He is one of Kermit's buddies.  

38. Horse feed grains: OATS.

41. Stink to high heaven: REEK.  

42. Half-__: coffee blend: CAF.  Half-Caf coffee is made with a blend of regular and decaffeinated beans, usually in a 1:1 ratio. I have also seen it spelled with two Fs.

44. Insult: BURN.  Kelso on That '70s Show (1998-2006) used this slang a lot.

45. Standing tall: ERECT.

47. San Antonio field trip site: ALAMO.  I liked this angle for clueing the site of the 1836 battle between Mexican and Texan forces. These days, 2.5 million people a year visit the ALAMO. I would guess that a substantial number of those are students on field trips.

48. Tried again: REDID.  

49. Irish novelist Binchy: MAEVE.  Maeve was born May 28, 1939 in Dublin, Ireland. She passed away there 73 years later. Her stories are described as "delightful, charming, and a joy to read".

52. Eggshell shade: ECRU.  Both are off-white.

53. Pup of unknown origin: MUTT.  The word MUTT is derived from muttonhead. It has come a long way from being an insult to today's connection as man's best friend.

National Mutt Day is July 31.

54. Some drama degs.: MFAS.  "Degrees" is abbreviated, so is Master of Fine Arts.

55. Questlove's hairstyle: AFRO.  Ahmir K. Thompson (b. January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove, is an American musician, record producer, and music journalist. You might recognize him as the drummer for The Roots (Jimmy Fallon's house band).

57. Winter malady: FLU.

58. Dull routine: RUT.  

59. Solo of "Star Wars": HAN.  

Farewell GIF
Have a great week, everyone!

*33-Down. Billy Bob Thornton played the crooked dealer in Tombstone.