Monday November 18, 2024 Amy Johnson and Katie Hale

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with a theme that seems to have arisen out of nowhere.

Theme:      Ta-da!

18 Across. Long garment with no waistline: TENT DRESS.

A POP-UP TENT is a tent that is ready to use as soon as it is unfolded, without requiring a frame to be assembled first.  

a TENT DRESS and a POP-UP TENT

24 Across. "These aren't the droids we're looking for" speaker: STORM TROOPER.

Our constructors threw us a curve ball with this one. If you read the clue too quickly you might have wanted to answer Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, Ben said "you're" and the STORM TROOPER responded "we're". Here is the scene from the 1977 Star Wars movie. (The STORM TROOPERs are wearing white body armor.) (1:29 min.)  

Read about a POP-UP STORM here.

38 Across. Activity for a green-thumbed apartment dweller: WINDOW GARDENING. 

A POP-UP WINDOW is a small advertisement or banner that appears in the foreground of one's screen while browsing a website.  

a WINDOW GARDEN and a POP-UP WINDOW I often see on Blogger

49 Across. Aftereffects of a great read: BOOK HANGOVER. I do not recall hearing this term before today but I have definitely experienced one. Here is how one blogger describes it:

A “book hangover” is the slangy shortcut for the feeling when a reader finishes a book—usually fiction—and they can’t stop thinking about the fictional world that has run out of pages. The story is over, but the reader misses the characters or the atmosphere of the novel. 

I bought this elaborate POP-UP BOOK for my grandmother when she developed dementia.
It turned out to be a good gift because her visitors enjoyed looking through it with her.

Now for the reveal:

60 Across. Right-click result, often, and where the starts of 18-, 24-, 38-, and 49-Across can be found?: POP-UP MENU.

If you right-click on your PC*, a MENU of options POPs-UP. Here is an example:  

The reveal clue also says that the starts of the themed clues can be found on a POP-UP MENU. I take that to mean that if you were looking at a menu (list) of things that POP-UP, you might see these four items:  TENT, STORM, WINDOW, and BOOK.

Before we POP on over to the rest of the clues, here's a CSO to all the POPS on the Corner.  

Across:

1. Financial liability of concern to creditors: DEBT.     and     6 Down. Have a 1-Across with: OWE TO.  

Investopedia article about Credit Scores

5. "Gilmore Girls" daughter: RORY.  Do we get a lot of Gilmore Girls cast member clues or is it always RORY? I never saw the show so these questions are always ESPs for me.  

9. Lightning streak: BOLT.

13. Dickens villain Heep: URIAH.  Uriah Heep is such a great name! He was the creep in David Copperfield. I chose this book for my senior literature project when I was in high school.

15. Tot's scrape: OWIE.

16. Grammy winner India.__: ARIE.  My trick for remembering this XWD staple fill is she sings an aria, but with an "e" at the end.

17. "So anyway," e.g.: SEGUE.  Def: (noun) a transition made without pause or interruption.

Regardless, this was a fun word to find in the grid.

20. TV channel with a large film library: TCM.  Turner Classic Movies

21. Sidesplitters: RIOTS.  Def:  (noun) an exceedingly funny story or joke.

23. German sub dangerous to Allied ships: U-BOAT.

27. Goat pen noises: MAAS.  

28. Anchorage locale: ALASKA.  Anchorage is ALASKA's most populous city with 286,075 people. ALASKA's capital, Juneau has 31,555 people.  

North to Alaska  ~  Johnny Horton  ~  1960

32. Calvin of fashion: KLEIN.  As it turns out, Calvin Richard Klein celebrates his 82nd birthday tomorrow. He was born in The Bronx, NY. He graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 1962.

34. Anti-inflammatory antioxidant berry: ACAI.  Will the accolades to this berry never cease?

37. Backdrop of many novels set in the 1940s: WAR.  This one took me a bit, but after I got it I thought, "Fair enough."

42. Recipe no.: AMT.     and     55 Down. Report card nos.: GPAS. 

"Number(s)" is abbreviated in these clues, so is "AMounT" and "Grade Point Averages".

43. Top-tier: A-ONE.  Also top-tier is the XWD staple, A-Team.

44. Date opening: MONTH.  In the U.S., dates are usually (but not always) written as MONTH/day/year. Since MONTH comes first, it is the opening.

45. Apple download: IOS APP.  iOS is the iPhone Operating System. iOS APPs are designed to take advantage of an iPhone's built-in features, like its camera, microphone, GPS, etc.

48. Duck, duck, goose shape: RING.  Duck, Duck, Goose is a children's game in which the players sit in a circle.

55. Figure on a wedding cake, maybe: GROOM.  

58. Steel support for concrete: REBAR.  

59. Ida. neighbor: ORE.  There is a movement for some eastern OREgon counties to join IDAho.  GreaterIdaho.org website 

62. "Hakuna Matata" composer John: ELTON.     and     11 Down. WNBA great Leslie: LISA.

We have two double firsties in today's puzzle. Those always throw me off.

64. Hymn finale: AMEN.

65. Give off: EMIT.

66. Shoe material that shouldn't get wet: SUEDE.  You shouldn't step on SUEDE either. Elvis sang a song about that.  

67. "__ my regards": SEND.  not "give"  

68. Loose tops: TEES.

69. Went up a size: GREW.  

The Grinch's heart GREW. (45 sec.)

Down:

1. Does some light housekeeping: DUSTS.  

Treadmills are also good for hanging laundry.

2. Not hunched over: ERECT.

3. Life-changing events: BIG MOMENTS.

4. "T," on sorority row: TAU.  

Greek alphabet

5. Helicopter part: ROTOR.

7. Classic Unilever laundry soap: RINSO.  Unilever is the company that owns the brand name RINSO...among other well-known brands.

8. "So close, __ so far": YET.  

9. Streisand of "Yentl": BARBRA.  The story is that she was born "Barbara" then changed the spelling of her name when she was 18 because she wanted to be unique but did not want to change her name.

10. Cookie with a Coca-Cola variety: OREO.

12. Rorschach __: TEST.  The test consists of a series of 10 symmetrical blots where the subject states what they see. These slides are shown in the same order to align modern observations with historical performance. You can see the 10 cards here.

This is a 22 sec. clip from Batman Forever (1995) with Val Kilmer and Nichole Kidman.

14. Boy of la familia: HERMANO.  Spanish for "brother"

19. "Hamilton" climax: DUEL.  I liked this clue!  The song from that scene is called The World Was Wide Enough. It is a great message for today's quarrels as well! 

22. "__ showtime!": IT'S.

25. Midnight snack expedition: RAID.

26. Reimbursed: PAID.

29. Person who is a big factor in a two-party election: SWING VOTER.

30. Philosopher Immanuel: KANT.  (1724-1804) He was born in Germany and is one of the Enlightenment thinkers. Basically, he believed in humanity's ability to be rational about morality and wrote about categorical imperatives. The internet says Kant was 5'2" (157.5 cm.).

31. "Grr": ARGH.

32. River in an epic film title: KWAI.  The Bridge on the River Kwai was the highest-grossing film of 1957. It won seven Oscars, including Best Picture.

33. Bachelorette party hire, perhaps: LIMO.

34. Before now: AGO.

35. Food drive item: CAN.  a good November reminder to help out

36. "__ you sure?": ARE.  No, I'm sumdaze.

39. D.C. paper: WAPO.  WAshington POst

40. Some asylum seekers: EMIGRES.

41. Improper action: NO-NO.  

46. Teem: ABOUND.

47. Showy splendor: POMP.  I thought of the graduation march POMP and Circumstance by Edward Elgar, a name I've seen in a few puzzles.

48. Biochem molecule: RNA.

50. Krispy __: KREME.  

51. Figure skater Sonja: HENIE.  (1912-1969) Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other female figure skater. She was born in XWD's favorite capital, Oslo.

52. Shares an edge: ABUTS.

53. Eat away at: ERODE.  During the Ice Age, glaciers ate away at the granite in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, creating Yosemite's Half Dome.  

54. Affirm again, as vows: RENEW.  

56. Italy's capital: ROME.

57. Willing to listen: OPEN.

61. Encountered: MET.

63. Carry with effort: LUG.  

Here's the grid, with a POP of color:

Have a great day! I'll POP by later to read the comments.

*Note to Mac users:  According to the Apple Support website, a right-click on a Mac is called a 'secondary click' or 'Control-click'. To open shortcut menus, Control-click an item using your keyboard and mouse or trackpad.

Monday November 11, 2024 John Michael Currie

  

Today is Veterans Day (USA) and Remembrance Day (Australia, Canada, and the UK).

To all the veterans on The Corner, thank you for your service!

sumdaze here with my 100th blog on The Corner. It feels like only yesterday....

Constructor John Michael Currie returns this week, bringing a gentle touch. The theme is: 

Soft Serve

These are the four themed clues:

17 Across. Campy photo booth accessory: FEATHER BOA.  

Some people rent photo booths for their events. I have been to weddings that had them. Outside the booth there were various accessories one could put on to create a fun photo. These are example pictures from the internet.  

25 Across. Southern California's June Gloom, essentially: CLOUD COVER.  

We get June Gloom here on the Central Coast, too. We also say "May Gray". Some people add "No Sky July" and "Fogust" but that might be going a bit too far. The marine layer usually burns off around midday, revealing a sunny sky.  explanation from a San Diego weatherman

38 Across. Candy treat shaped like a chick or bunny: MARSHMALLOW PEEP.  

46 Across. Sleepover hideaway: PILLOW FORT.  

The reveal ties these all together:

57. Trial period for a new product, and what 17-, 25-, 38-, and 46-Across all have?: SOFT LAUNCH.

A LAUNCH is the start of an event. Each of the themed clues starts with something SOFT (FEATHER, CLOUD, MARSHMALLOW, and PILLOW). I like it!

Here are the rest of the clues & answers:

Across:

1. __-dab in the middle: SMACK.  This was a fun start, erm LAUNCH!  

SMACK-dab means exactly; precisely; right in place or time; squarely. Its first known use was in an American publication in 1892.

6. Smartphone downloads: APPS.  How many are on your phone?

10. Paper money: CASH.     and     28 Across. 10-Across, slangily: MOOLAH.

14. City west of Venice: PADUA.  PADUA has two UNESCO World Heritage List entries:  the world's oldest Botanical Garden and its 14th-century frescos.

15. Shave (down): PARE.  

16. Spanish eight: OCHO.  Here's a Spanish cover version of a song you likely know:  

OCHO días por semana...  𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮

19. Comics icon Lee: STAN.  (1922-2018) Fans loved his cameos in the Marvel movies. Here's a quick one from Avengers: Endgame (2019).

20. Epitome of slowness: SNAIL.  An epitome is a typical or ideal example; embodiment. 

21. __ acid: AMINO.  Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins. They play a crucial role in the body’s functioning and are vital for growth and development.  functions & food sources

22. "Oorah!" military org.: USMC.  Marines say "Oorah!" and Army soldiers say "Hooah!".

30. Fish eggs: ROE.

31. Assumed name: ALIAS.

32. Gravy vessel: BOAT.  I liked this November angle on a common word!

34. Goes (for): OPTS.  

41. Some Fidelity offerings, for short: IRAS.  Fidelity Investments is a financial services company headquartered in Boston.

42. Fades to black: ENDS.  

43. Snorer's affliction: APNEA.  Mayo Clinic info on sleep APNEA

44. Gut punch reaction: OOF.     intersects     44 Down. Alley-__: OOP.  

45. Trademarked pastry creation: CRONUT.  CROissant + doughNUT = CRONUT  

52. Weightlifter's units: REPS.  How many REPS are needed to burn off the calories in one CRONUT?

53. Furnish with gear: EQUIP.  One might equip (not an abbreviation) themself with equip. (abbreviation for "equipment").

54. For starters: FIRST.  This M-W article about FIRST vs. firstly is for the word nerds (like me).

56. Skeet shout: PULL.  I linked a video about skeet shooting two weeks ago. In trap shooting, the participant calls, "PULL" when they are ready for the target to be thrown.

62. Flowerpot spot: SILL.  I think of the SILL as being on the inside and the ledge as being on the outside but I found this on a window installation company's website:

Despite common belief, the window sill is found on the outside of the home. Inside the home, the part of the window often called the "sill" is actually the stool. However, the stool is often described as the sill, even by window experts.
Hmmmmm.......  🤔

63. Mideast canal: SUEZ.  

64. Battery terminal: ANODE.

65. "The __-bitsy spider ... ": ITSY.

66. Lean and muscular: WIRY.  Def: (adj.) Being lean, supple, and vigorous; sinewy.  

Both of these men are lean and muscular, 
but I would call only one of them WIRY.

67. "Heavens to __!": BETSY.  Land sakes! This one took me down a rabbit hole trying to find its origin.  more

Down:

1. Beach bottle no.: SPF.  

Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)  ~  Baz Luhrmann  ~  1997

2. Actress Whitman: MAE.  Mae's IMDb page

3. Toothpaste-endorsing org.: ADA.  American Dental Association  

4. Doesn't make history?: CUTS CLASS.  Good one! The student skipped history class.

5. "Clue" actress Madeline: KAHN.  She played Mrs. White in the 1985 movie. (58 sec.) 

6. Diamond birthstone month: APRIL.  

(Click to expand.)
I wonder how the November people feel about this.

7. "Halo" star Schreiber: PABLO.  Pablo's IMDb page

8. In favor of: PRO.

9. __ urchin: SEA.  Purple SEA urchins got out of hand and began destroying the kelp forests along the CA coast when their predators, starfish, began to die off. Here is a news story about what the scientists are doing to reverse the damage. (3:32 min.) 

10. Pink cocktail, familiarly: COSMO.  

Sex in the City's Samantha, Carrie, and Charlotte with their COSMOs.

11. Last part of a play, perhaps: ACT IV.  Applause was too long.

12. MacGowan of the Pogues: SHANE.  (1957 - 2023) Born in Kent, England, he was a singer-songwriter, musician, and poet best know as the lead vocalist in the Celtic punk band the Pogues.

13. Accept, as a coupon: HONOR.

18. A pop: EACH.

21. Card with no face or number: ACE.  

It was not standard for playing cards to have numbers on them until the 1860s.  

22. Savory quality: UMAMI.  UMAMI means "delicious savory taste" in Japanese. It is one of the basic five tastes, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It is often described as "the meaty, savory deliciousness that deepens flavor", but it is not necessarily restricted to meat. Mushrooms and tomatoes can have an UMAMI taste, for example.

23. Renewable energy source: SOLAR.  CSO to unclefred!

24. Catherine's "Schitt's Creek" role: MOIRA.  Catherine O'Hara played MOIRA Rose on this TV series (2015-2020).

26. Mountain range from Kazakhstan to the Arctic Ocean: URALS.  

27. Inflict upon: DO TO.  

29. Fire residue: ASH.

32. National park in Alberta: BANFF.  Established in 1885, Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park. It encompasses 2,564 sq. mi. (6,641 sq. km.) in the Canadian Rockies. (That is a little larger than the State of Delaware!) The scenery is gorgeous in every direction!

I took this picture last summer of Mt. Rundle and the Bow River outside the town of Banff.

33. On in years: OLD.  "Getting on in years" is an idiom that means "becoming elderly".

34. Perfectly timed: OPPORTUNE.  

35. Tubular pasta: PENNE.  

Besides being tubular, another feature of PENNE
is its diagonally cut ends.

36. Start, as a golf round: TEE UP.  In golf, when you TEE UP a ball, you place it on a tee so that it is ready for you to hit it.  

This one is for Husker Gary.

37. Petty quarrels: SPATS.     and     40 Down. Armed conflict: WAR.

39. Cat's noise: MEOW.  

45. Keyboard shortcut starter: CTRL.  CTRL is a key on PCs.

46. Cola brand: PEPSI.

47. "That's it for me!": I QUIT.

48. Calm periods: LULLS.

49. Pharmaceutical giant Eli __: LILLY.  Eli Lilly and Company (dba Lilly) is an American multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, IN. Eli Lilly was a Union Army veteran and pharmaceutical chemist who founded the company in 1876. Lilly was the first company to mass-produce the polio vaccine and insulin.

50. Proposal: OFFER.  

51. Posh: RITZY.  RITZY entered English in 1919 to describe the ostentatiously fancy lifestyles of the guests who could afford to stay at the hotels owned by César Ritz (1850-1918). The enterprise is now the Ritz-Carlton hotel company.  

In 1934 Nabisco used the RITZ name to give depression-era shoppers a 
taste of the good life, but the crackers were not connected to the hotels.
I imagine that would be a big law suit today!

55. Onetime Swedish automaker: SAAB.  The company was founded in 1945 and went defunct in 2016.

57. NNE opposite: SSW.  compass directions

58. French yes: OUI.  

59. Do __ disturb: NOT.  I set my cell phone to 'Do Not Disturb' from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Whatever it is, it can wait.

60. Media that's burned before reading: CDS.  "Burned" is the term used to mean the information is imprinted onto a CD.  

Talk about burning media....

"This tape will self-destruct in five seconds."

Peter Graves  ~  Mission: Impossible  ~  1966-1973 TV series

61. "Listen up!": HEY.  I can hear my grandmother answering, "Hay is for horses and cows." In other words, she thought it was impolite to try to get attention by hollering, "Hey!" 

It is time for the grid:

Have a great day, everyone!