Monday, January 5, 2026, Morton J. Mendelson

Theme: After life.

Morton J. Mendelson at McGill University Convocation

Morton J. Mendelson joined the faculty of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology in 1977.  He served as the University’s first Deputy Provost of Student Life and Learning from 2005 until 2013.  When he retired, he devoted himself to family, good works, and crossword puzzle constuction.  Dr. Mendelson was very successful in this last endeavor, with many puzzles published in these pages, in The New York Times, and elsewhere.  It is my sad duty to report that Dr. Mendelson passed away suddenly in July 2025.  May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him.

Sigh ... I thought we'd be off to a sad start this morning, as I take over the Monday spot held for so many years by the incomparable Sumdaze.  But I didn't know how sad, until I looked into the biography of today's constructor.  Let's honor Dr. Mendelson by enjoying the crossword puzzle he made for our pleasure.

Best to start with the big reveal:  

39-Across. Time for extracurricular activities, or where the ends of 17-, 26-, 52-, and 62-Across literally are: AFTER SCHOOL.  All sorts of extracurricular activities are scheduled after school, but in today's puzzle, the second word in each theme answer comes AFTER the name of a well-known SCHOOL.  Together, the first and second words form a familiar English phrase.

The other theme clues and answers are:

17-Across. Sweetener used on a Providence campus?: BROWN SUGAR.  BROWN University is a private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island.  SUGAR is a sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrate.  BROWN SUGAR contains a little molasses, a byproduct from the refining of sugarcane or sugar beet juice.

26-Across. Horse that's saddled up for a tour of a Philadelphia campus?: TEMPLE MOUNT.  TEMPLE University is a public "state-related" research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  MOUNT (as a noun) is another word for horse, or other animal that is ridden.  TEMPLE MOUNT is a hill in the Old City of Jerusalem, once the site of two successive Jewish temples, and now home to the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.

52-Across. Quad found on a Portland campus?: REED SECTION.  REED College is a private liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon.  A quad is a SECTION of campus enclosed by buildings.  A REED SECTION is the group of musicians in a band or orchestra who play instruments that use a vibrating reed to produce sound, such as saxophones, clarinets, oboes, and bassoons.

62-Across. Kitchen appliance used at a Houston campus?: RICE COOKER.  RICE University is a private research university in Houston, Texas.  COOKER is an appliance used for cooking food.  A RICE COOKER is specifically for cooking rice.  Cooking rice is easy, but sometimes the appliance makes it easier.

Here's the grid, with its lovely symmetry:

Let's learn a little more from Dr. Mendelson's clues and answers.

Across:

1. Insurance company with a gecko mascot: GEICO.

6. "What __ is new?": ELSE.

10. Freeway exit: RAMP.

14. Heavy coat?: ARMOR.  

15th century coat of armor

15. WhatsApp's parent company: META.  Meta Platforms owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

16. Gumbo pod: OKRA.

17. [Theme clue]

19. See 12-Down: DASH.  (The answer to 12-Down is MRS.)  In 2020, the product was rebranded as "Dash," dropping the "Mrs." from its name.  Too dowdy, I suppose.  The original blend includes "Onion, Spices (Black Pepper, Parsley, Celery Seed, Basil, Bay Marjoram, Oregano, Savory, Thyme, Cayenne Pepper, Coriander, Cumin, Mustard, Rosemary), Garlic, Carrot, Orange Peel, Tomato, Lemon Juice Powder, Citric Acid, Oil of Lemon."

20. Restroom, to a Brit: LAV.  Short for lavatory, as Brit is short for British.

21. Forearm bones: ULNAE.  The long bones in your forearm are the ulna and radius.

Not humerus at all.

23. "__ dreaming?": AM I.

26. [Theme clue]

31. Hybrid orange fruit: TANGELO.  A tangelo can be a hybrid of a Citrus reticulata variety, such as mandarin orange or tangerine, and a Citrus maxima variety, such as a pomelo or grapefruit. The name is a portmanteau of "tangerine" and "pomelo."

Cushman honeybells -- a type of tangelo

33. Physician: DOCTOR.

34. Oft-grilled fish, on menus: MAHI.

35. Flirts (with): TOYS.

38. Adventure novelist Cussler: CLIVE.  Clive Cussler (1931-2020) was an American novelist and underwater explorer. His thriller novels have been listed on The New York Times fiction best-seller list more than 20 times. Cussler was the founder and chairman of the National Underwater and Marine Agency which has discovered more than 60 shipwrecks. He was the sole or main author of more than 80 books.  And yet I Did Not Know.

Clive Cussler

39. [Theme clue]

42. Basil-based sauce: PESTO.  DH is not a fan of pesto -- or of green herbs in general -- so we don't have it at home, and I like to order it when we eat out.

pesto pasta

44. Author Wiesel: ELIE.  Eliezer "Elie" Wiesel (1928-2016) was a Romanian-born American writer, professor, political activist, Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor. He authored 57 books, including Night, which is based on his experiences as a Jewish prisoner at Auschwitz and Buchenwald during the Holocaust.  I read the book half a century ago, and parts of it are still burned into my brain.

45. Hot spot service: WI-FI.  Wi-Fi is a family of wireless network protocols which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio waves.  Free at Starbucks!

48. Toward the back of a boat: ASTERN.

50. Supplied, as funds: FRONTED.

52. [Theme clue]

55. "Totally!": YES.

56. Australian marsupial: KOALA.  Marsupials are mammals whose young are born in a relatively undeveloped state and then nurtured in a pouch on their mother's abdomen.  We're all familiar with kangaroos, but the tree-dwelling koala is also a marsupial.

Koalas

57. Provisos: IFS.  Provisos are conditions attached to agreements.  Your rental agreement might guarantee you a certain rate for one year, with the proviso that the property be kept in good repair.  IF the condition is met, THEN your rent won't rise.

59. With 27-Down, "The Substance" Oscar nominee: DEMI.  (The answer to 27-Down is MOORE.)  The Substance is a 2024 horror movie starring DEMI MOORE as a fading celebrity who uses a black market drug to create a younger version of herself.  Critically acclaimed.

Demi Moore in The Substance

62. [Theme clue]

67. Wowed: AWED.

68. Genesis grandson: ENOS.  Enos, or Enosh, was the son of Seth, and grandson of Adam and Eve.  According to the Bible, he lived to be 905 years old!

69. Mediterranean oil source: OLIVE.

70. Beseeches: BEGS.

71. Take a break: REST.

72. Sacred carving: TOTEM.  A totem is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people.  In North America, we are familiar with totem poles, the monumental carvings found in western Canada and the northwestern United States.  The carvings may represent ancestors, legends, or historic events.

I took this photo of a totem pole in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a dozen years ago. 

Down:

1. Chitchat: GAB.

2. Make a wrong turn, say: ERR.

3. "Seems to me" shorthand: IMO. In My Opinion.  A texting abbreviation.

4. Monastic hood: COWL.  A cowl is an item of clothing consisting of a long, hooded garment with wide sleeves, often worn by monks.  It can refer just to the hood, but usually means the entire robe.  Outside of religious contexts, a cowl is a loose, draping neckline or circular scarf.

Carthusian Monk wearing a cowl

5. Elaborately decorated: ORNATE.  Unlike the outfit pictured above.

6. Australian bird: EMU.

7. Boost: LEG UP.

8. Horse stable unit: STALL.

9. Brought home, as a salary: EARNED.

10. Performer in bull riding competitions: RODEO CLOWN.  All I know about rodeo clowns, I learned from watching Zach Galifianakis in Baskets, which ran on FX from 2016 to 2019.  It was weird.

Zach Galifianakis as Chip Baskets

11. Letters between names: AKA.  Also Known As.

12. With 19-Across, salt-free seasoning brand: MRS.  Ah yes, the late, great Mrs. Dash.  You won't find this label in stores any more:

13. Dismissive sound: PAH.  I don't think I've ever encountered this puff of air, conveying contempt or annoyance, but my Google search suggests that it is often clued this way in crossword puzzles.

18. Gracefully slim: SVELTE.

22. Gas brand with a torch logo: AMOCO.  Amoco has a long history selling gasoline in the United States.  The American Oil Company introduced both the gasoline tanker truck and the drive-through filling station.  Now owned by British conglomerate BP, it is part of a huge multinational company.  The closest one to my home in Los Angeles is in Lincoln, Nebraska ... but it appears they are spreading.

23. Spot for short people?: ATM.  If you are short on cash, head to an Automated Teller Machine.

24. Barnyard bleat: MAA.  Goat speak!

25. Without bothering to be careful: IN HASTE.

27. See 59-Across: MOORE.  We've already talked about Demi Moore in The Substance.

28. __ knife: handy kitchen tool: UTILITY.  A utility knife is smaller than a chef's knife and often serrated.

29. Thanksgiving mo.: NOV.  An abbreviation in the clue (mo. for month) calls for an abbreviation in the answer.

30. Italian three: TRE.  Uno, due, tre ...

32. Naturally talented youngsters: GIFTED KIDS.

36. French fashion monogram: YSL.  Yves Saint Laurent.

37. Futuristic genre: SCI-FI.  Science fiction.

40. Upper body: TORSO.

41. Brave and noble: HEROIC.

42. __ for the course: PAR.  "Par for the course" means what is normal or expected in any given circumstances.  It comes from golf, where par is the standard number of strokes a skilled player is expected to take to complete a hole or an entire course.  

43. Opposite of WNW: ESE.

46. Extra charge: FEE.

47. Docs with DOBs, often: IDS.  Documents with Dates Of Birth are often IDs (identification cards).

49. Not as far: NEARER.

51. By walking: ON FOOT.

53. Country singer Patsy: CLINE.  Patsy Cline (1932-1963) was one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, and one of the first country music artists to successfully cross over into pop music.

54. Food truck fare: TACOS.  Common sight here in Los Angeles.

58. Without backup: SOLO.

59. Pat gently: DAB.

60. Female sheep: EWE.  And what do EWE say?

61. Actress Ryan: MEG.  Meg Ryan is a successful actress who is probably best known for her role in the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally (1989).

Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal

63. Ballpark fig.: EST.  A "ballpark figure" is an estimate.  It's somewhere in the ballpark ...

64. Baby beaver: KIT.  Baby beavers are called kits.  They are born with fur and open eyes, and can swim shortly after birth.  And they are cute as buttons.

baby beaver AKA kit

65. Genesis matriarch: EVE.  You may recall from 68-Across that Eve was the grandmother of Enos -- and more famously, the first human female, according to the Biblical account.

66. Sleep cycle letters: REM.  Rapid Eye Movement sleep is marked by vivid dreams and muscle paralysis.  If not for that paralysis, we might act out our crazy dreams.

Our blog mistress, C.C., has explained that Monday puzzles are the hardest to create, because the clues and answers have to be simple and straightforward.  I would say that Dr. Mendelson's puzzle is very suitable.  I certainly didn't have to illustrate the long list of minor celebrities that we often encounter later in the week.  Well done, I'd say.

What about you?

Did you solve the puzzle IN HASTE and ERR along the way?

Did you have a LEG UP because of your particular expertise?

Did you make a HEROIC effort to Finish It Right?

Let us know in the comments!

-- NaomiZ

Sunday March 28, 2021 Morton J. Mendelson

Theme:  "Body Language" - Hilarious quip.

22. Start of a quip: WHEN SHE LISTENED TO

30. Quip, part 2: MY RIB-TICKLING

37. Quip, part 3: SIDE SPLITTERS

59. Quip, part 4: AND MY GUT-BUSTING

68. Quip, part 5: KNEE-SLAPPERS, SHE

91. Quip, part 6: STOPPED CRYING

97. Quip, part 7: HER EYES OUT AND.

113. End of the quip: LAUGHED HER HEAD OFF

This brings back the old Tribune Media Daily days. We got a quip/quote puzzle every Thursday. But Alan P. Olschwang always used others' quips/quotes. Evan Esar quotes, Reader's Digest (Quotable Quotes), Forbes Quote, etc. 

I think this quip is Morton's own creation. Pretty funny. Creating a quip puzzle is not as easy as it look.

Across:

1. South American capital: LIMA.

5. Cinnamon roll appeal: AROMA.

10. Staff lines?: MEMOS. Notes to the staff. Great clue.

15. Sit-up targets: ABS.

18. Coolers that sound really cool: YETIS. The annual Graybar retiree Las Vegas gathering had this as a raffle prize one year.  They also give us a Grizzly Grip Cup with Graybar logo every year.

19. Disgust: REPEL.

20. Trump who had a cameo in "The First Wives Club": IVANA.

21. Lousy start?: MAL. Malpractice, e.g.

25. Obamacare, briefly: ACA.

26. Was a piece of cake: CAME EASY.

27. Like brackish water: SALINE. I did now know the meaning of "brackish". Wiktionary says it's "Salty or slightly salty, as a mixture of fresh and sea water, such as that found in estuaries."

28. George Orwell's alma mater: ETON. And 33. Approximately 2,200 pounds: TONNE.

29. Fiery felonies: ARSONS.

36. Series of natl. concerts: US TOUR.

44. Remuneration reported in SEC Form 10-K, part 3: CEO-PAY. Maybe a gimme for D-Otto. He knows all those forms. Could not have done our tax without his advice.

48. Excessively expensive: TOO STEEP. Like some of the skincare products.

49. MLB statistic: RBI.

50. To's partner: FRO.

52. "And so on" word: YADA.

53. Perfect agreement: UNISON.

54. Author Fleming: IAN.

55. May, to Peter Parker: AUNT. Aunt May in "Spider-Man".

57. Write: PEN.

58. __ noire: BETE.

64. Cell centers: NUCLEI.

67. Trivial: PALTRY.

74. Type type: PICA.

78. Drift (off): NOD.

79. Afghanistan's Tora __ region: BORA. Always associate this place with Taliban.

80. Thieves' hideout: DEN.

81. Knows about: IS IN ON.

83. Cries of approval: OLES.

85. Tee options, initially: SML.

86. Pasta suffix: INI.

87. How a college resident advisor lives: RENT-FREE.

89. Site of Kubla Khan's palace: XANADU. Kubla Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan. Kubla Khan founded Yuan dynasty in China. Did you see me there?

 

93. Overly vivid: GARISH.

96. See 14-Down: PAULO. 14. With 96-Across, Brazilian city: SAO.

103. Shabbily dressed: IN RAGS.

108. D.C.'s Pennsylvania and Wisconsin: AVES.

109. Rose hip infusion, e.g.: TISANE. Herbal tea.

110. Landlocked Asian country: MONGOLIA. Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire. Inner Mongolia is part of China.

112. FB upload: PIC.

116. Class-conscious gp.?: PTA. Good old clue.

117. Jeff of ELO: LYNNE.

118. Longtime senator Hatch: ORRIN.

119. What's left, in Lyon: RESTE. Rest.

120. "You betcha!": YEP.

121. Feinted on ice: DEKED.

122. Eastwood co-star in "In the Line of Fire": RUSSO. I watched the Chinese version ages ago. John Malkovich killed this girl simply because she's from Minneapolis. This is how I learned the city Minneapolis in the first place.

123. Forest floor growth: MOSS.

Down:

1. "The Merry Widow" composer: LEHAR. Franz.

2. Tabloid couples: ITEMS.

3. Sal of "Rebel Without a Cause": MINEO.

4. Okays: ASSENTS TO.

5. Greek counterpart of Mars: ARES.

6. Fall back (on): RELY.

7. Cosmetics company that began as Odontorium Products Inc.: OPI.

8. Like some breakups: MESSY.

9. Promising spot?: ALTAR. Sweet. Boomer and I were married by a judge in 2001.

10. Shuttle, perhaps: MINIBUS.

11. Shot put and javelin: EVENTS.

12. Got to the top: MADE IT.

13. Can.'s southernmost point is in it: ONT.

15. First-class strings: AMATI.

16. Symbolic food to bring home: BACON.

17. Challenge for a language learner: SLANG. For sure.

18. Fem. advocacy group: YWCA.

23. Doesn't fill, as calendar slots: HAS OPEN.

24. New Haven alum: ELI.

28. Jetson at the Little Dipper School: ELROY.

30. Citi Field player: MET. 34. 30-Down's div.: NLE. National League East.

31. Milk source: COCONUT.

32. Letter before ar: KUE. Gluey.

35. Chill in the air: NIP.

37. Theater memento: STUB.

38. Actress Skye: IONE.

39. "No more procrastinating!": DO IT.

40. Ancient Qumran denizen: ESSENE.

41. Piping, perhaps: TRIM.

42. Company with a four-color lowercase logo: EBAY.

43. Match site: RING.

45. Big __: baseball's David Ortiz: PAPI. Was a Twin once.

46. Mideast gulf port: ADEN.

47. Yin and __: YANG.

50. Party chaired by Mahmoud Abbas: FATAH.

51. Russian capital: RUBLE.

56. Original D&D co.: TSR.

59. Warning sound: ALARM.

60. The Himalayan monal is its national bird: NEPAL. Did not know the bird.  Such bright plumage.

61. Onion __: DIP.

62. P.O. alternative: UPS.

63. Epitomize: TYPIFY.

65. Port letters: USB.

66. Feeling of finality: CLOSURE.

68. Fortune-filled fort: KNOX. Fort Knox.

69. "A Streetcar Named Desire" setting, informally: NOLA.

70. Prime real estate?: EDEN. Another great clue.

71. Dele and stet, say: EDIT.

72. Apt "casino" rhyme: RENO.

73. Sassy sort: SNIP.

75. Crucifix letters: INRI.

76. Either of two filmmaking brothers: COEN. From MN. Joel Coen is married to actress "Fargo" actress Frances McDormand.

77. Uncommon blood type: Abbr.: A NEG.

81. Slope: INCLINE.

82. Coerce: STRONG-ARM.

84. Wise ones: SAGES.

87. Blues-rocker Chris: REA.

88. End of a Brigham Young address?: EDU.

90. Wedding __: DAY. May 25. For us.

91. Quieted, but often not quietly: SHUSHED.

92. Opposite of COD: PPD.

94. "My performance was awful!": I STUNK.

95. Elegantly groomed: SOIGNE. New word to me also.

97. Smiling, probably: HAPPY. So happy for you, Oo. I know the amount of work involved.

98. Text with an RSVP: E-VITE.

99. Sportscast staple: RECAP.

100. __ Bo: TAE.

101. Dual conjunction: AND/OR.

102. '60s jacket style: NEHRU.

104. Copland ballet with a hoedown: RODEO.

105. At __: clueless: A LOSS.

106. Natural talents: GIFTS. I'm amazed at the talents of our blogging team. They really rock.

107. One way to play it: SAFE.

110. 3-D med. tools: MRIS.

111. "Oops!": OH NO.

113. Honorary legal deg.: LLD.

114. Bit of bridge obedience: AYE.

115. Um cousins: ERS.

C.C.

Thursday, March 19th 2020 Morton J. Mendelson

Theme Whodunnit - the theme entries tell a short story.

17A. The con entered the bank under an __, ...: ASSUMED IDENTITY

27A. ... told the banker a __, ...: FABRICATED STORY

44A. ... opened an account with a __, ...: COUNTERFEIT BILL

56A. ... and cashed a check with a __: FORGED SIGNATURE

Hands up, straight off the bat, I'll confess, I'm not a fan of the narrative puzzle. This is cleverly done, four 15's across the grid is no small feat to pull off, but ... these kind of themes just don't work for me.

For crossword aficionados, Merle Reagle once ran two consecutive Sunday puzzles under the title "Kindergarten Crime Spree" and I was yawning by the end of the first one, let alone the second. Maybe that's what set me against the gimmick? I still, just my 2¢, we can agree to disagree. I'll take my Mr. Grumpy hat off now.

However, there were a couple of clues I'm still baffled by, maybe you can help me out. The first is 10D. "CV" is an abbreviation for "Curriculum Vitae", or "resumé" here in the US. The clue/answer makes no sense. "Vita" is not short for CV, and forms no part of the original phrase. I think there's just basic misunderstanding here, maybe? I don't want to spout all Latin genitive at you, but this is all wrong.

The second is 57D. "Apt answer for this puzzle location". What? "... clue location" I could understand, but "puzzle location"? I think wires crossed again. But, there are more important things in the world to worry about at the moment, so I'll park my irk and let's see what was enjoyable:

Across:

1. Jazzes (up): PEPS

5. "Let's open a window": I'M HOT

10. Musical riff: VAMP

14. Louver part: SLAT

15. Whistle blower: COACH. Nice clue, sometimes you don't see the obvious.

16. Retailer whose logo colors are the same as on its founder's national flag: IKEA

20. Sly critic: SNIPER. Someone who snipes.

21. Became frothy: FOAMED

22. Fertility clinic supply: OVA

24. Prefix with content: MAL

25. Not agin: FER

26. Amazon snake: BOA

31. Catching a break: IN LUCK

32. Iditarod runner: HUSKY

33. "High School Musical" extra: TEEN

34. Crouched behind a boulder: HID

35. This and that, say: PAIR. This had me thinking for a while. Nice clue for a simple word.

39. Jack of "The Great Dictator": OAKIE

42. Colorado's "Steel City": PUEBLO. The first steel mill was built to supply rail lines for the new Denver - Rio Grande railroad. It's still going strong. I didn't immediately associate Colorado with steel mills.

48. One in a tchr.'s key: ANS. The answer key for teachers. You'd think they'd know the answers without having to cheat :)

49. Canadian whisky: RYE. Odd clue, there's nothing to say that Canadian whisky has to be rye. It must be fermented, distilled and aged in Canada, but you can make it from pretty much whatever grain you like. Here's a collection of single malts. Cheers!

50. Old call letters?: MCI. The name stood for Microwave Communications Inc. Worldcom bought them in 1998.

51. "The Hollow Men" poet's monogram: TSE. Thomas Stearns Eliot on his driver's license. It's not the most cheery of poems:

Sightless, unless

The eyes reappear

As the perpetual star

Multifoliate rose

Of death's twilight kingdom

The hope only

Of empty men.

52. Giggle: TEE HEE

54. It merged with CBS in 2019: VIACOM. Viacom need to make up their minds. CBS was spun off from the original Viacom in 2005. Now they're all smiles and back together again.

60. JFK part: Abbr.: INIT. This had me puzzled for a while. JFK is three initials, therefore an abbreviation of part of it.

61. Languid: INERT

62. Pic to click: ICON

63. Koppel and others: TEDS. Koppel best known as the "Nightline" anchor on ABC.

64. "Long time __!": NO SEE!

65. Like racehorses: SHOD

Down:

1. TV ad promoting water conservation, e.g.: PSA

2. Golfer Ernie from South Africa: ELS

3. Good enough: PASSABLE

4. Bowl over: STUN

5. Swell treatment?: ICE PACK

6. Classic Ford: MODEL A. It replaced the Model T, which seems a little peculiar.

7. Word with net or ball: HAIR

8. Anxious med. condition: O.C.D. Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

9. American agents, familiarly: THE FEDS

10. CV, briefly: VITA. See my comment in the intro on this.

11. With hands on hips: AKIMBO

12. Night streaker: METEOR

13. Bright spot in the workweek: PAY DAY. In my first job after school we were paid in cash on a Thursday. We were given a half-hour to pick up the pay packet from the pay window. There was a little corner of the envelope you tore off and counted the contents before you stepped away.

18. Copycat: MIMIC

19. Language of Oslo, in Oslo: NORSK

22. Make the most __: OF IT

23. Barn topper: VANE. The antique ones go for quite a lot of money.

25. Clash of clans: FEUD

28. Sentence that should be two or more sentences: RUN-ON

29. Crook: THIEF

30. Laid-back sort: TYPE B. Do type-b people drive Model A Fords?

34. New employee: HIRE

36. Over the top: A BIT MUCH

37. Societal woes: ILLS

38. What a hat may symbolize: ROLE. A little puzzlement at first, but "wearing my sales hat" for example.

40. Trapped, after "up": A TREE

41. Entered: KEYED IN

42. Salsa option: PICANTE

43. New York college town: UTICA

44. Tantrum: CATFIT. Never heard of it. I'd like to tell you if it is one word or two, but Google didn't help a whole lot. I did find an article about cat seizures, which is not what I expected, and I found some workout programs.

45. Pre-shoot-out score, perhaps: ONE-ONE

46. Cyberhandle: USER-ID. My first thought was "AVATAR", but that's your pictorial persona.

47. Political fugitive: ÉMIGRÉ

53. Driver's lic. stats: HGTS

54. Competes: VIES

55. Blues singer Redding: OTIS. Who can't resist a couple of minutes to listen again to this?

57. __-cone: SNO

58. Hundred Acre Wood denizen: ROO. Here's one of the original illustrations of Kanga and Roo. Don't talk to me about the Disney cartoonification of the books and their commercialization beyond.

59. Apt answer for this puzzle location: END. Another bit of clue bafflement, as I mentioned at the top.

Which brings me to the grid! Stay safe and make smart choices. Shelter-in-place is a smart choice, whether or not mandated in your specific area.

Steve

Wednesday, October 30, 2019, Morton J. Mendelson

Theme: THE OUTER LIMITS

15 (rows) x 16 (columns) to accommodate the 16-letter theme answer STUCK ONE'S NECK OUT.

21. Risked it big-time: LIVED ON THE EDGE.

37. Risked it big-time: STUCK ONE'S NECK OUT.

55. Risked it big-time: WENT OUT ON A LIMB.

Across:

1. Gets misty, with "up": FOGS.

5. Salon treatment, briefly: PEDI. Never gets old.

9. Benjamins: C SPOTS. $100 dollar bills. The "C" refers to the Roman numeral for 100.

15. Curly coif: AFRO.

16. Popular river name from the Welsh for "river": AVON. Learning moment, I did not know the origin.

17. They're exchanged in Hawaii: ALOHAS.

18. Nonstick cookware product: T-FAL. This brand name is a portmanteau of the words TEFlon and ALuminium. I use cast iron cookware almost exclusively. Once it's seasoned there is no issue with sticking.

19. Religious season: LENT. Religious season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. It is a traditional time for fasting or giving something up or abstinence.

20. "Don't take the blame": DENY IT.

24. Cooler filler: ICE.

25. Chinese zodiac critter: RAT. 2019 is a year of the Pig, starting from February 5th 2019 and ending on January 24th 2020. 2020 will be a year of the Rat. 2018 was a year of the Dog.

26. Approximate nos.: ESTS.

27. MN and NM: STS. States - Minnesota and New Mexico.

30. Puts (in) tentatively: PENCILS. Who solves on paper? Pencil or pen?

32. Bad-mouth: DIS.

33. Word before bug or ant: FIRE.

34. Prov. bordering four Great Lakes: ONT. Ontario is bordered to the south by Great Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie & Ontario. 

35. Hairpiece: RUG.

36. Hazardous gas: RADON.

42. Parrots geese: HONKS. Had a hard time deciphering this clue.

43. Fill up on: EAT.

44. Nero's 91: XCI.

45. Exclusive: ONLY.

46. Part of UNLV: LAS. University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

47. Wore: SPORTED.

51. BB-shaped veggie: PEA. Or pea-shaped ammo.

52. Coll. Board exams: SATS.

53. "I'm sorry, Dave" film computer: HAL. In the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, HAL is a sentient computer that controls the systems of the Discovery One spacecraft and interacts with the ship's astronaut crew.

54. "__ you serious?": ARE.

59. Compensate for: OFFSET.

61. Short hoppers?: ROOS. Short for kangaROO.

62. Hall of Fame pitcher Randy "The Big __" Johnson: UNIT. From Wikipedia: During batting practice in 1988, the 6'10" Johnson, then with the Montreal Expos, collided head-first with outfielder Tim Raines, prompting his teammate to exclaim, "You're a big unit!" The nickname stuck.

63. Hairpiece: TOUPEE.

64. Pennsylvania county: ERIE.

65. 5 for B or 6 for C: AT. NO. Atomic Number is the number of protons found in the nucleus of every atom of that element. The atomic number uniquely identifies a chemical element. It is identical to the charge number of the nucleus.

66. Coffee and wine: COLORS. Sneaky.

67. Lairs: DENS.

68. One logging on: USER.

Down:

1. Fistfight souvenir: FAT LIP. Haha. Same amount of letters as SHINER, but perps prevented that.

2. __ hours: OFFICE.

3. Second Commandment adjective: GRAVEN. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image ..."

4. Footprint maker: SOLE.

5. Silicon Valley city: PALO ALTO.

6. Pentathlon's five: EVENTS. Fencing, freestyle swimming, equestrian show jumping, and a final combined event of pistol shooting and cross country running.

7. "That's a no-no!": DON'T.

8. Where losers of a race may be left: IN THE DUST.

9. West Point students: CADETS.

10. Gravity-powered vehicles: SLEDS. Wondering if we're going to have snow here in my neck of the woods this year, it's regularly below freezing overnight now.

11. Classic video game: PONG.

12. Reaffirming rebuttal: OH YES I DO.

13. __ chi: TAI.

14. Boomer that no longer booms: SST. Not our Boomer.

22. Screwdrivers, e.g.: DRINKS. Clever misdirection.

23. Give approval online, in a way: E-SIGN.

28. Slacks, briefly: TROU. If you say so.

29. Email status: SENT.

31. Far from self-effacing: COCKY.

33. Mystic on a bed of nails: FAKIR. A Sufi Muslim ascetic who has taken vows of poverty and worship, renouncing all relations and possessions. 

35. Comforted: REASSURED.

36. Soda since 1905: RC COLA.

37. Explore OfferUp: SHOP.

38. Hue: TONE.

39. Prohibited: UNLAWFUL.

40. "Awesome!": NEATO.

41. Wide-open spaces: EXPANSES.

46. Coffeehouse orders: LATTES.

47. Sure winner: SHOO IN. This expression purportedly comes from the practice of corrupt jockeys holding their horses back and shooing a preselected winner across the finish line to guarantee that it will win. A “shoo-in” is now an easy winner, with no connotation of dishonesty. “Shoe-in” is a common misspelling.

48. Contaminates: TAINTS.

49. White-coated weasel: ERMINE.

50. One with bills to pay: DEBTOR.

52. Look of disdain: SNEER.

56. Hockey's Phil, to fans: ESPO. Philip Anthony Esposito OC is a Canadian broadcaster, and former professional ice hockey executive, coach and player.

57. Sped: TORE.

58. Waikiki bash: LUAU.

59. Needing no Rx: OTC. Over The counter.

60. Egg __ yung: FOO. An asian omelet-like dish, usually served with gravy.

Friday, June 29, 2018, Morton J. Mendelsohn

Title: Somewhere Under the Rainbow.

This is puzzle number 6 here at the LAT for retired PROFESSOR MENDELSOHN a well-published Psychology researcher from McGill University in Montreal. He first published twice in the NYT followed by 5 LATs last year with one being a Friday. MJM uses a theme which we have seen before, where words in the down fill are clued to represent B(under)A phrases. He makes it his own by locating 4 unique to the puzzle world phrases that work. He adds triple stacks of 6 letter words in the NW and SE corners, with doubled up 8 letter fill in the NE and SW which include the sparkly LOOKED IN, MERE HINT and USO SHOWS. He sprinkles some amusing word combos and some geography.  There are included stuff from other puzzles for the week. See how many you recognize. we have:

4D. Carefully consider, literally: ADVISEMENT TAKE (14).  Take UNDER Advisement.

8D. Add to the list of possible perps, literally: SUSPICION PUT (12). Put UNDER Suspicion.

16D. Ail, literally: THE WEATHER FEEL (14). Feel UNDER the Weather.

20D. Rein in, literally: CONTROL BRING (12). Bring UNDER Control.

Across:

1. Fix: ATTACH. Not an easy start for me.

7. Egyptian symbols of royalty: ASPS. All you need to know about these SNAKES.

11. Fitness stat.: BMI. Body Mass Index. Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson (6'5" 262 pounds)  comes in as "obese" with a reading of 31.1. Yeah, right.

14. Greeted casually, with "to": SAID HI. I did not need the "to."

15. Grill: QUESTION.

17. Classic London theatre: OLD VIC. The Old Vic, originally named the Royal Coburg Theatre, was designed in 1818 by Rudolph Cabanel, where it stands now south-east of Waterloo Station. various.

18. They raise camp spirit: USO SHOWS. SO? Hmm.

19. Arrive on an air taxi: FLY IN. Air Taxi?

20. Cereal box rank: CAP'N. I guess this makes this puzzle crunchy.

21. North-of-the-border gas: ESSO. An example?

22. "Could be better": SO SO. Cute next to ESSO.

24. Second of a Caesarean three: I SAW. VIDI.

26. Undressed: BARE.

29. "Squawk Box" channel: CNBC.

31. Feinted: DEKED. We hockey fans know this term,

35. Cheese town: EDAM. Edam is a semi-hard cheese that originated in the Netherlands and is named after the town of Edam in the province of North Holland. Packed in red.

36. Abruzzi bell town: ATRI. Long ago there was a king in Italy who was known for his goodness and wisdom. King John of Atri believed in justice, and so one day he purchased a great bell to hang in a tower in the village square...

37. The Congo, formerly: ZAIRE.

38. Tune (out): ZONE.  Not related to 33D. White out: ERASE.

39. Agonize (over): BROOD. This verb was originally used with an object, i.e., ‘to nurse (feelings) in the mind’ (late 16th century), a figurative use of the notion of a hen nursing chicks under her wings.

41. Catching strategy: TRAP. For C.C. What is Trapped? A baseball term that describes the state of a fly ball or line drive that touches the ground just prior to being concealed and secured by a player's glove.

42. Key wood: EBONY. It took a moment too long for me to see this LINK.

44. Hyatt competitor: OMNI. The one in Miami closed but THESE are still open.

45. Horde: HOST.

46. Slow movement: LENTO. In music. 58A. Major relative to F minor: A-FLAT. JzB, help me!

47. Canter: LOPE.

48. Pre-event periods: EVES.

49. Pyramid, to Tut: TOMB.

51. Kindle reader, say: USER. One who uses the Kindle not the device.

53. Quartet named for its members: ABBA. Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

56. Q.E.D. word: ERAT. Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

62. Checked (on): LOOKED IN. With so many oldsters living here, we look in and bring homecooked treats to them.

64. Mock: PSEUDO.

65. Barely a trace: MERE HINT. Like good perfume.

66. Party to a search: SEEKER.

67. Is for some: ARE. Cute, think about it.

68. Declines: SAGS. nothing but un-pc comes to mind.

69. Least well: ILLEST. Not a favorite.

Down:

1. Dating from: AS OF.

2. Hard to believe: TALL. Tale. The HISTORY?

3. Not like a sty: TIDY.

5. Slacks material: CHINO.  Versus KHAKI?

6. Kool-Aid alternative: HI-C.

7. Marine opening?: AQUA.

9. Lowly laborers: PEONS. Not since the serf days?

10. Cooking-burger sound: SSS.



11. Dust jacket blurbs: BIOS.

12. Manicures, in a way: MOWS. The lawn, or for Steve and NC and others, the garden.

13. __ many words: IN SO.

23. One who crosses the line: SCAB. From blemish … to strikebreaker, the history of the word scab … shows a displacement of meaning from the visceral or physical to the moral register … Just as a scab is a physical lesion, the strikebreaking scab disfigures the social body of labor—both the solidarity of workers and the dignity of work.

25. Wood dresser: ADZ.

26. Gem mounting: BEZEL. Bezel settings use a type of elevated collar which wraps the rim of the diamond in a complete metal edging

27. Pueblo building material: ADOBE.

28. Talked nonstop: RAN ON. Like many of my sentences.

30. Stomach relief, briefly: BROMO.

32. Bolshoi rival: KIROV.

34. Firm parts: Abbr.: DEPTS.

40. Runs out of juice: DIES.

43. Hoo's first?: YOO. Chocolate drink.

50. Social __: MEDIA.

52. Brainstorming staple: EASEL. Whiteboard these days.

53. Operatic Gluck: ALMA.

54. Dutch colonist: BOER. More cute pairing with...

55. Put to sleep: BORE.

57. Unwanted workers: ANTS.

59. Uncle to Ben Solo: LUKE. Ben Solo, Princess Leia's son. A dark warrior strong with the Force, Kylo Ren commands First Order missions with a temper as fiery as his unconventional lightsaber.

60. Vitamin C sources: ADES. Yay! CSO for me!!!!!

61. Libel or slander: TORT.   A civil wrong.

63. Doubtful interjections: EHS.

64. Tire shop meas.: PSI. Pounds per Square Inch.

We have almost put another month in the corner record books, with HG closing the deal tomorrow with one of his exhaustive explications. I hope to see you all back here next month. Thank you, Morton and cornerites, Lemonade out.

Note from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to dear Barry G, a regular on our blog for many years. How's work, Barry? Do you still have to drive a long way to work? How's Joshua?

July 2, 2016