Friday, April 14, 2023, Pam Klawitter

 

Good Morning, Cruciverbalists.  Malodorous Manatee here along with He-man to bring you a TGIF recap.  Today, the ayes (I's) definitely have it with a straightforward theme from veteran puzzle-setter Pam Klawitter.  This puzzle "continues" the egocentric "I Me Mine" drift of the puzzle reviewed by this blogger two weeks ago.  Who knows what the future may hold.  I can't wait to find out.

At the following four places within the grid, Pam has added (dropped in) the letter I within common words/phrases to create amusing answers to the given clues:

16 Across:  Member of the swim-up bar staff?: TREADING WAITER.  Treading Water.

21 Across:  Exercise class that's all about one's ego?: VANITY PILATES.  Vanity Plates.

34 Across:  Elements needed to start NFL games?: THE PROS AND COINS.  The Pros And Cons.   A professional football reference.

The Pre-game Coin Toss

Call It In The Air

48 Across:  Tricks for producing excellent Tweetstorms?: TIRADE SECRETS.  Trade Secrets.

The reveal comes at:

54 Across:  "Not staying long," and an apt title for this puzzle?: I JUST DROPPED IN.

Here are the rest of the clues and answers:

Across:

1. Pizza chain in many food courts: SBARRO.  The chain specializes in what is called "N.Y. style" pizza.

7. Mark Cuban's NBA team: DALLAS.

13. Blue state: SADNESS.  Misdirection.  Not a political red state/blue state reference.

15. Fútbol chant: OLE OLE.

18. La Scala showpiece: ARIA.  Tunes frequently heard in crossword puzzles.

19. Take a little off the top: TRIM.

26. Hardware with crosspieces: T-BOLTS.

28. Big name in nail polish: OPI.  This had to be something like the twentieth time I have seen this one in a puzzle....and I finally remembered the product's name.

29. Phishing fig.: SSN.  Social Security Number

30. Interior designer Berkus: NATE.  Unknown to this solver.  Thanks, perps.

31. Marriages: UNIONS.

40. Most massive: HUGEST.  An odd-looking word is it not?

41. Barrel band: HOOP.

42. Many a "9-1-1" character: EMT.  Emergency Medical Technicians are not strangers to crosswords.

45. Make a typo, say: ERR.

46. Not fair: CLOUDY.  Not an ethics reference, a meteorological reference.   With a nod to Paul and Art:

52. One with elitist tastes: SNOB.

53. Gray __: AREA.  Neither MATTER nor WHALE were going to fit.

62. "Come From the Heart" country singer Kathy: MATTEA.

63. Without any oomph: WEARILY.

64. Came next: ENSUED.

65. Office binder: STAPLE.  Not a three-ring binder.  Something to use to bind papers together.

Down:

1. Retired jet: SST.  SuperSonic Transport

2. Granola __: BAR.  A raisin, a peanut, and an oat sit down to order a drink.  The bartender says, "What do you think this is, a granola bar?"

3. Juice aisle suffix: ADE.

4. Genetic letters: RNA.

5. Hill-building stinger: RED ANT.

6. Egyptian god of the underworld: OSIRIS.

7. __ Jones: DOW.  The stock market is fluctuating wildly.  We haven't seen so much bouncing up and down since Clinton was in the White House.

8. Menu phrase: ALA.  In the style of.

9. Island chain: LEI.  A bit of wordplay.  A "chain" of flowers often associated with the Hawaiian Islands.

10. Buncha: LOTTA.  Punt.

11. National Weather Service postings: ALERTS.

12. Binger's target: SERIES.

14. Cranky mood: SNIT.

17. Part of LGBTQ+: GAY.

20. Web portal with a butterfly logo: MSN.

21. Participate in a primary, say: VOTE.

22. First Hebrew letter: ALEPH.

23. Gesture while giving directions, maybe: POINT.

24. Shuffle gadget: IPOD.  Before we kept our tunes on those devices that we call "phones" some of us used these:

25. "The Mod Squad" role for Omar Epps: LINC.

Omar is on the right

26. Explosive letters: TNT.

27. "Phooey!": BAH.  The sheep says Baa.

31. Tech support callers: USERS.

32. "Panini" rapper Lil __ X: NAS.  A frequent visitor.

33. Not __: barely acceptable: SO HOT.

35. Had regrets: RUED.

36. Nasty sort: OGRE.  Shrek might beg to differ.

37. "We'll square up later" markers: I O U S.  Phonetically, I Owe You.  In Philly, I Owe Youse.

38. Wordless agreement: NOD.  Apparently, most people lean slightly forward when they NOD their head.  I am inclined to agree.

39. Seeker of intel: SPY.

42. UFO mechanics, presumably: ETS.  Extra TerrestrialS.  

43. Verne Troyer's "Austin Powers" role: MINI-ME.

44. __ horse: TROJAN.  As a UCLA Bruin and Cal Bear, I might take umbrage . . . but both my father and my son graduated from USC.

46. Brunch choice: CREPES.  Two weeks ago we were served OMELETTES.

47. Seize, as an opportunity: LEAP AT.

49. Is up against: ABUTS.

50. Canal setting: EAR.  Neither Suez nor Panama would fit the allotted space.

51. Jackdaw kin: CROW.

55. Disco __ of "The Simpsons": STU.

56. Rugby ball prop: TEE.  Often clued with a reference to American football or golf.

57. Cam or Mitch, on "Modern Family": DAD.  A TV reference.

58. Celebrated time span: ERA.  Often clued along the lines of Equal Rights Amendment or Earned Run Average.

59. Short swim: DIP.  When people take a dip in the ocean how do they say "Hi" to each other?  They wave.

60. Under the weather: ILL.  

61. "Science Guy" Bill: NYE.  Another frequent visitor.

And now, having just dropped in for a quick visit . . . .

_________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Sunday April 2, 2023 Pam Amick Klawitter

Theme: "Sound Bites" - Both words in each theme entry end with the same letters but are pronounced differently.

21A. Traveling puppet show featuring talking melons?: CANTALOUPE TROUPE.

34A. Coffee vessel with a broken handle?: UNSAFE CARAFE.

56A. "Men never eat flaky pastry for brunch," e.g.?: QUICHE CLICHE.

80A. Result of an orchard's promotional deal with a bakery?: FRUIT BISCUIT.

98A. Lobster soup that's a little too spicy?: RISQUE BISQUE.

117A. Rule for adding toppings to french fries?: POUTINE GUIDELINE.

14D. Unconventional spot for breadmaking?: DOUGH TROUGH.

65D. Box of donuts kept on ice?: FROZEN DOZEN.

Pam Amick Klawitter is a wordsmith. See her books here. How did she think of Cantaloupe? Amazing.

I was just talking to a friend about the craziness of the English language, using the classic example of Dough/Laugh/Through/Bough. Chinese is so simple. Chinese verbs never change. We don't even have a definitely article. The tones can drive people nuts though. Just see this Ma.

 Across:

1. Go against: DEFY.

5. Faction: SECT.

9. Mesoamerican pyramid builders: MAYAS.

14. Cozy room: DEN.

17. Pelee Island's Great Lake: ERIE.

18. "Same here!": SO DO I.

19. "When the moon hits your eye" feeling: AMORE. Dean Martin's "That's Amore". Also 109. Sings soothingly: CROONS.

20. Dublin-born singer/activist: BONO.

24. Sign of aging: RUST.

25. Add zest to, e.g.: SEASON. Do you use cumin in your daily cooking?

26. Skipping school: TRUANT.

27. One of 10 in Exodus: PLAGUE.

29. Org. with an elephant mascot: GOP. Created by Thomas NAST, whom we see from time to time. Donkey seems silly.

30. German gent: HERR.

31. Squirt __: GUN.

33. Hearth debris: ASHES.

39. "Scat!": BEAT IT.

41. H.H. Munro's pen name: SAKI. Have not seen him for a long while.

42. Trauma ctrs.: ERS.

43. "Anchors __": Navy fight song: AWEIGH.

45. Classic TV brand: RCA.

48. Man of La Mancha: SPANIARD.

51. Mystery writer Nevada: BARR. Anna Pigeon series.

53. Talk enthusiastically in a nerdy way: GEEK OUT.

55. Chinese zodiac animal before the Ox: RAT.

59. Ringlet: CURL.

60. D-Day fleet: LSTS.

61. Carol opener: ADESTE.

62. Taj Mahal city: AGRA. Also 68. Colorful Hindu festival: HOLI.

63. Remote hiding place?: SOFA.

66. Pay attention to: HEED.

71. Matthew of HBO's "Perry Mason": RHYS. Married to Keri Russell ("Felicity').

72. Male deer: HART.

73. Media revenue source: AD SALE.

77. Burden: ONUS.

79. "All right already!": OK OK.

83. Former Fed chair Bernanke: BEN.

86. Website known for feminist cultural criticism: JEZEBEL. Used to be owned by Gawker Media.

88. Microwave alert: BEEP.

89. Competence in a specific field: LITERACY.

91. United: ONE.

92. Not on edge: AT EASE.

94. Scouring pad brand: SOS.

95. Goofs up: ERRS.

96. "Credit cards only": NO CASH.

103. Increase: ADD TO.

105. One of the fam: SIS.

107. Stunning defeat: ROUT.

108. Fish-to-be: ROE. I like mentaiko pasta. Cod roe.

111. Teahouse mat: TATAMI.

113. Papier-mâché party item: PINATA.

116. Labyrinth: MAZE.

121. Some sheep: EWES.

122. Bath-loving Muppet: ERNIE.

123. Striped stone: AGATE.

124. Objectives: ENDS.

125. Obj. of identity theft: SSN. Chinese has 18 digits.

 

126. Campus list-makers: DEANS.

127. Russian turndown: NYET.

128. __ of yore: DAYS.

Down:

1. Solstice mo.: DEC.

2. Timeline units: ERAS.

3. __ print: FINE.

4. One more time: YET AGAIN. Solid 8.

5. Before long: SOON.

6. School domain: EDU.

7. Whirlybirds, for short: COPTERS.

8. Earth, en español: TIERRA.

9. Last name of acting sisters Rooney and Kate: MARA. Also 46. Last name of NBA brothers Steph and Seth: CURRY.

10. Interspersed with: AMONG.

11. Video-sharing site: YOUTUBE.

12. Abstract art pioneer Jean: ARP.

13. Leak slowly: SEEP.

15. Follow logically: ENSUE.

16. Takes down: NOTES.

18. Sledding spot: SLOPE.

20. Luca of "The Godfather": BRASI.  "Sleeps with the fishes."

22. Beginning on: AS OF.

23. Grounds crew concern: TURF.

28. Wood-shaping tool: LATHE.

30. Metallic finish?: HARD C. Last letter in Metallic.

32. Pastoral sound: NEIGH.

34. Cold War initials: USSR.

35. California wine valley: NAPA. Also the cabbage that I eat often.

36. 32-card game: SKAT.

37. Cherry red: CERISE.

38. Some British peers: EARLS.

40. "A Death in the Family" Pulitzer winner James: AGEE.

44. Squirms: WRITHES.

47. Map collection: ATLAS.

49. Brightness stats?: IQS.

50. Writer: Abbr.: AUTH. Pam is an author.

51. Place to retire: BED.

52. Blackjack card: ACE.

54. Some 1980s Chryslers: K CARS.

57. Called "Shotgun!," say: HAD DIBS.

58. Corp. leader: CEO.

60. Potato pancake: LATKE.

63. Manga made for adolescent girls: SHOJO. Literally "young girls". Sho= Young. Jo = Girl/Girls.

64. Like some chardonnay barrels: OAKEN.

67. __ de cologne: EAU.

69. Novelist Erdrich: LOUISE. She was born in Little Falls, Minnesota.

70. Still competing: IN IT.

74. Take turns?: STEER.

75. Vigoda of "Fish": ABE.

76. __ service: LIP.

78. 4x4, briefly: UTE.

80. Greek salad topper: FETA. 87. Club ingredient: BACON. And 93. Sashimi fish: AHI TUNA. Our foodie Steve right now is now in an island off Fiji.

81. Like non-oyster months, traditionally: R-LESS.

82. Pull: CLOUT.

83. Root beer eponym: BARQ.

84. Neutral tone: ECRU.

85. CNBC topic: NYSE.

90. Zipped again: RESEALED.

94. Lenny's pal on "Laverne & Shirley": SQUIGGY. Unknown to me.

97. Native Nebraskans: OTOES.

99. Persia, today: IRAN.

100. "Not nice!": SO MEAN!

101. Wedding party: BRIDE.

102. Skye of "La Brea": IONE.

103. Capstones: ACMES.

104. Sketches: DRAWS.

106. Nightie fabric: SATIN.

110. Zipped: SPED.

112. Associations: TIES.

113. Surname of two British prime ministers: PITT. "William Pitt the Elder" & "William Pitt the Younger".

114. "Queen Sugar" actress Lifford: TINA.

115. Comedian Richter: ANDY.

118. Mine extraction: ORE.

119. OPEC member: UAE.

120. Tee preceder: ESS.

C.C.

Sunday March 5, 2023 Pam Klawitter

Theme:  "Moving In" - On is switched into ING, changing spelling as needed.

24. Task for the caregivers of a Trojan War hero?: ACHILLES TENDING. Achilles tendon.

36. Method of preserving souvenir tops?: T-SHIRT CANNING. T-shirt cannon.

51. Activity in a Toronto pastry shop?: CANADIAN BAKING. Canadian bacon.

65. Tall tales about one's climbing experience?: MOUNTAIN LYING. Mountain lion.

84. Greeting that may come with barks and licks?: WELCOME WAGGING. Welcome wagon.

95. Rodent who's really angry he missed the migration?: BITTER LEMMING. Bitter lemon.

114. Good-natured fun leading up to an election?: CAMPAIGN RIBBING. Campaign ribbon.

I don't quite get the title. When I first read the title, I thought IN in the first word is moved into the second word. 

In case you missed, here's an interview of today's constructor Pam Klawitter, who also makes puzzles for the Daily POP Crosswords, edited by Patti also.

Across:

1. Performs an operation, in a way: ADDS. Math operation.

5. "One Kiss" singer __ Lipa: DUA. Meaning "love" in Albanian.

8. Southwestern building block: ADOBE.

13. Buzzing cloud: SWARM.

18. Sans-__: font style: SERIF.

20. Liberty Mutual's industry: Abbr.: INS. Due to the puzzle title, this is clued as insurance-related.

21. Toyota's luxury division: LEXUS.

22. Common newspaper name: TIMES. China's English newspaper Global Times is controlled by the government.

23. Saudi neighbor: OMANI.

27. __ optics: FIBER.

28. Tolkien saga, briefly: LOTR. The Lord of the Rings.

29. Forbes rival: INC.

30. Vitamin C source: CITRUS. These are called yuzu. I have a tiny tube of hand cream with yuzu in. Smells amazing.

31. Chicago business district: THE LOOP.

34. Bootleg booze: HOOCH.

42. March on Washington fig.: MLK.

43. Split __ soup: PEA.

46. Most candid: OPENEST.

47. Iris covering: CORNEA.

49. Bring in: EARN.

50. Lead: GUIDE.

55. Ethiopian capital: ADDIS ABABA. Means "new flower"  in Amharic, the official Ethiopian language. We also have 101. Horn of Africa nation: SOMALIA.

58. Aliens, for short: ETS.

59. Certain lamp resident: GENIE.

60. "Breathe Me" singer: SIA.

61. Fuel-efficient bikes: MOPEDS.

63. Bertie played by Hugh Laurie: WOOSTER.

69. Many an episode of "This Is Us," e.g.: SOB FEST.

73. Kir __: French cocktail: ROYALE.

74. Naughty: BAD.

77. To no __: in vain: AVAIL.

78. Tallahassee sch.: FSU.

81. "Some Like It Hot" co-star: TONY CURTIS. I think Marilyn Monroe was the most beautiful woman in the world. Don't you agree?

88. Dry Italian wine: SOAVE.

89. __ Major: URSA.

90. "Let's go, amigos!": ANDALE.

91. Concession speech deliverer: ALSO-RAN.

93. School org.: PTA.

94. __ drop: MIC.

99. Rizzo of "Midnight Cowboy": RATSO.

102. Tubman of Judy Blume's "Fudge" series: SHEILA.

105. SUV stat: MPG.

108. Taylor Swift's "Look What You __ Me Do": MADE.

109. Genius Bar tablets: IPADS.

117. Gymnast Comaneci: NADIA.

118. On, as an alarm: ARMED.

119. Garlicky mayonnaise: AIOLI. Never had this.

120. "Da 5 Bloods" director Spike: LEE.

121. Serengeti grazer: ELAND.

122. John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen __": MEANY.

123. Painter Picasso: PABLO.

124. AARP folks: SRS.

125. Hook's sidekick: SMEE.

Down:

1. Starting from: AS OF.

2. __-glace: rich sauce: DEMI. Steve would have told you more about this.

3. Dull: DRAB.

4. Trigonometry function: SINE.

5. Cockney, e.g.: DIALECT.

6. 7UP nickname, with "the": UNCOLA.

7. Kutcher of "Jobs": ASHTON.

8. Tide alternative: ALL.

9. Sub station?: DELI. 25. Pressing need?: IRON. Good old clues. 

10. Team members: OXEN.

11. Anheuser-__: BUSCH.

12. Abbr. on some cornerstones: EST.

13. Christmas Eve visitor, familiarly: ST NICK.

14. Shoe measurement: WIDTH.

15. Boy in "The Kite Runner": AMIR.

16. Eye care brand: RENU.

17. Inbox fillers: Abbr.: MSGS. Messages.

19. Some evergreens: FIR TREES.

26. Big name in water purification: ECOLAB.

32. Growth chart nos.: HTS. Heights.

33. Printing measure: PICA.

35. Portent: OMEN.

36. Wardrobe item on HBO's "Rome": TOGA.

37. Taters: SPUDS.

38. Klum of "Making the Cut": HEIDI.

39. Setting of the 2022 film "RRR": INDIA. I love this clue angle. "RRR" is a huge hit. Most expensive Indian film ever made.

40. Lymph __: NODE.

41. Fortitude: GRIT.

43. Smock stain: PAINT.

44. Bert's BFF: ERNIE.

45. Tick off: ANGER.

48. "Illmatic" rapper: NAS.

49. Just scrapes (by): EKES.

51. Crunch's rank: CAP'N.

52. Disable the security system for, say: ABET.

53. Zilch: NADA.

54. Eagerly expectant: AGOG.

56. "Famous" cookie-maker: AMOS.

57. Ring match: BOUT. Boxing ring.

62. Polite address: SIR.

63. Artful: WILY.

64. Two Grants: ONE C.

65. Ten-time NBA All-Star Anthony, to fans: MELO. Now with the Lakers.

66. "Me? Never!": NOT I.

67. Fourvière locale: LYON. Known for this basilica.

68. Yin counterpart: YANG. Lesley just had Ba Huo Guan (cupping) two days ago. See below. She told me she had too much "Yin" inside her. Cupping is quite popular now. Even Gwyneth Paltrow tried it.

69. Escorted to the penthouse, say: SAW UP.

70. For all to see: OVERT.

71. Light wood: BALSA.

72. Pay stub abbr.: FICA.

74. Witch craft?: BROOM. Love this clue.

75. Arcade pioneer: ATARI.

76. Lounge piece: DIVAN.

78. Subject line abbr.: FWD.

79. Old car from Sweden: SAAB.

80. Fruit that's not so cute: UGLI. Do you guys like cranberry walnut bread? Sometimes they put orange peels inside. Ruins the whole thing for me.

82. Ship sunk in Havana Harbor in 1898: USS MAINE.

83. Hong Kong's Hang __ Index: SENG. Often abbreviated as HSI, like our DOW.

85. Tiki bar drink: MAI TAI.

86. RSVP cards, often: ENCS.

87. Sees: GETS.

91. Asserts without proof: ALLEGES.

92. Plumeria garland: LEI.

94. Illness: MALADY.

96. "Lara Croft: __ Raider": TOMB.

97. Inbox fillers: EMAILS.

98. Original "SNL" cast member Gilda: RADNER.

99. Turn red, say: RIPEN.

100. __ vincit amor: OMNIA. Reads like "everything conquers love".

102. Car warranty call, usually: SCAM.

103. Fabled loser: HARE.

104. Watson of "Little Women": EMMA.

106. "No __": "Piece of cake": PROB.

107. Fish organ: GILL. I finally tried Caribbean jerk salmon yesterday. It's not bad. I still prefer soy sauce/honey combo.

110. BFFs: PALS.

111. Singer Lambert: ADAM.

112. Have a meal: DINE.

113. "Soldier of Love" singer: SADE.

115. Space: GAP.

116. "About Me" info: BIO.

 

Malcolm, a regular blog reader and friend of Fermatprime (Lorraine), sent me below picture and note. Lorraine used to comment on our blog regularly. She does not solve LAT crosswords these days. Malcolm said she plays Word Solitaire every day and almost always gets the max possible score.

This is from the Techer, a Caltech Alumni Magazine, Spring 2023. A FULL-page photo. It sits by itself but seems to be associated with an article called Groundbreakers which is about the first women to earn bachelor’s degrees at Caltech.

C.C.