Friday, November 11, 2022, Patti Varol

Theme (and revealer): 63-Across. Scam victim's lament, and an apt title for this puzzle: I'VE BEEN HAD.

Puzzling thoughts:

Today's puzzle is one constructed by the new LA Times Crossword Puzzle editor, Patti Varol. I'm not certain, but this may be her first here AS the new editor. I suppose that being the editor, she not only accepted the puzzle but also didn't have to change any of the clues! ;^)

This puzzle added the word "I'VE" (or perhaps just the letters, I, V, and E) to a common phrase to add some word play. Let's explore:

16. Part of a player piano?: PASSIVE KEY. The term/phrase "PASS KEY" is extended with IVE to form the answer; PASSIVE KEY. But I'm at a loss for how PASSIVE KEY relates to a player piano? When I googled "PASSIVE KEY" I got lots of images of KEY fobs, so this one didn't "tickle my ivories"

23. Letter from Zurich?: SWISS MISSIVE. SWISS MISS (see image) is a popular cocoa beverage brand; a MISSIVE is another word for letter or memo. Better

39. Excited cry from a chicory farmer waiting for harvest?: THE ENDIVE IS NEAR. Probably the best pun of the four entries, as ENDIVE is a bitter leafy vegetable that is in the chicory family. As many of our Louisiana bloggers know, chicory is an additive to coffee - and in some cases, a coffee replacement - for a uniquely flavored breakfast beverage. "THE END IS NEAR" might be a phrase used by the noun in 57-across (worrywort)

50. Dust, silverfish, or dampness?: ARCHIVE ENEMY. My second favorite of the entries, as the combination (or singular) of dust, silverfish, and dampness can definitely be the "ENEMY" of anything "ARCHIVED". "ARCH ENEMY" could be this villian of Marvel comics fame:

Which spawned the lone Moe-ku du jour:

Thor had foot problems.
He found Loki in his boot.
His ARCH ENEMY??

The grid:

Across:
1. Cherry-pick: CULL. If the Thesaurussaurus says so, then it IS so

5. "On the Basis of Sex" monogram: RBG. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the first of several abbreviations used in today's puzzle

8. Calm and Headspace, for two: APPS. Both are used for meditation; kinda like a bedtime story for adults

12. China setting: ASIA. DINING ROOM TABLE wouldn't fit

13. One bit: AT ALL. The clue reminded me of an old football cheer: "One bit [sic], four bits, six bits, a dollar; all for ______, stand up and holler" ...

But a clue that REVEALED a football cheer is: 55-across. "Go team!": RAH.

15. Sudden transition: LEAP.

18. "I w-wish I'd brought a sw-sweater!": BRRR. The weather here in the Valley of the Sun has turned rather chilly lately; but I must be pretty hot-blooded, as I haven't needed a sweater. Light jacket, maybe

19. Art that may later be regretted: TATTOO. No TATTOOs for Chairman Moe. Would any of our regular posters care to share a TATTOO moment they had in their past (or present)? Maybe @Picard has some in one of his photo albums?

20. Sandwich title: EARL. HERO also fits, but as this link describes, "in 1762, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich®, invented the meal that changed dining forever. As the story goes, he was playing cards and did not want to leave the gaming table to eat. He asked for a serving of roast beef to be placed between two slices of bread so he could eat with his hands" ... has anyone had an "EARL of Sandwich, sandwich?

22. Fr. holy woman: STE. Abbreviation #4 in today's puzzle

26. Royal Navy letters: HMS. #5

29. Oral health org.: ADA. #6

30. Pets in a Lilian Jackson Braun mystery series: CATS. Perps solved this; the clue was definitely Friday-worthy

31. Continuity problems: GAPS. If you look at my iPhone screen, there are very few GAPS between my APPS

33. Pretty pitcher: EWER. LORI fit, too, if you considered the pitcher Kit Keller from the Rockford Peaches in the movie, "A League of Their Own"

36. Aquarium fish: TETRA. Fun Fact: [Wikipedia] says: "(TETRA) is short for Tetragonopterus, a genus name formerly applied to many of these fish, which is Greek for "square-finned" (literally, four-sided-wing). Because of the popularity of tetras in the fishkeeping hobby, many unrelated fish are commonly known as tetras, including species from different families"

42. Large country estate: VILLA. I'd bet that this one on Cape Cod comes with a rather large price tag

43. Period: TERM.

44. Way back when: ONCE.

45. The Dalai __: LAMA.

47. PO alternative: UPS. #7

49. Assam export: TEA. Fun Fact #2: [dpiit.gov.in] "What is exported from Assam? TEA is the major item of export from Assam. Apart from Tea, Petroleum products, Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical products, Textiles, Food products and Agro and Horticulture produces, ornamental fishes, Agar oil, etc also exported from the state

56. Great time: BALL. "Actress Lucille" would've been too simple a clue

57. Worrywart's words: DEAR ME. "OH DEAR" also fit

61. Some Neruda poems: ODES. Poet Pablo

65. "Fargo" co-star: MACY. If you were thinking the TV series, then maybe ROCK could fit; but this clue referenced the 1996 crime/drama movie (Fargo) which starred Frances McDormand as pregnant Sherrif Marge Gunderson. William H. MACY played Jerry Lundegaard. Here's a trailer ... ah, jeez ...

66. Like some raincoats: LINED. London Fog was a popular brand for LINED raincoats

67. Russell of "The Americans": KERI. You'd have to know about "The Americans" to know this was KERI Russell and not KURT

68. Torah chests: ARKS. As in what was being sought in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

69. Droop: SAG. I might get some flak for this image ...

70. "Oh, for heaven's __!": SAKE. This one kinda sorta goes with 57-across.

Fun Fact #3: A homograph of this entry (SAKE) is: Sake, also spelled saké; an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran

Down:
1. Lt.'s superior: CAPT. #8

2. Insurance option for military families: Abbr.: USAA. #9, and the insurance carrier for Margaret and me

3. Planning aid: LIST. We keep one on the fridge for groceries; one on the kitchen table for projects; one on an end table for appointments ... we can organize both vertically AND horizontally

4. Goes the distance: LASTS. Kind of like finishing this recap ...

5. Road with a no.: RTE. #10 - "AVE" also fit

6. Suffers in the sun: BAKES. BURNS was my first entry

7. Sparkle: GLEAM. What might happen if you brushed your teeth with this, back in the day ...

8. Clerical robe: ALB. I'd prefer this word to have been yet another abbreviation, "International airport code in NY"; then we could've had a CSO to Irish Miss AND ray-o-sunshine

9. Nagging: PERSISTENT. And its "clecho" of sorts: 64-down. Whine for table scraps, say: BEG.

10. "The Empire Strikes Back," chronologically: PART V. I was thinking "FIFTH". I usually think chronological describes on of these words: "FIRST", "SECOND", "THIRD", et al ... but maybe those are called ordinals ... hoping that one of our resident grammarians will comment on this and set the record straight ...

11. Jag: SPREE. Once again, the Thesaurussaurus confirms:

13. Steered clear of: AVOIDED. IVE AVOIDED any comments about this past Tuesday's midTERM elections

14. Like some poetry: LYRIC. Fun Fact #4: [poets dot org] "LYRIC poetry refers to a short poem, often with songlike qualities, that expresses the speaker’s personal emotions and feelings. Historically intended to be sung and accompany musical instrumentation, lyric now describes a broad category of non-narrative poetry, including elegies, odes, and sonnets

17. "Field of Dreams" state: IOWA. Lots of movie references today ... Fun Fact #5: The Chairman has been to Dyersville, IOWA and visited the Field of Dreams back in 1994. Played catch with my kids on the diamond. They have changed the field considerably since, and now play a regular season MLB game there. Here is the trailer:

21. Exams for future attys.: LSATS. #11 - and the second pluralized abbr

24. "Don't need to watch that again": SAW IT. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

25. Gregg pro: STENO. #12; short for STENOgrapher. "Gregg" is a form of shorthand invented by John Robert Gregg back in the late 1880's

26. "Property Brothers" channel: HGTV. #13; short for Home & Garden Television. HGTV is an American pay television channel owned by Warner Bros/Discovery. The network primarily broadcasts reality programming related to home improvement and real estate

27. Fish tacos fish, informally: MAHI. Strange clue to my ears, but I guess that MAHI is the informal way of saying MAHI MAHI

Fun Fact #6: [tastes better from scratch dot com] "What type of fish to use for fish tacos: Lean and flakey white fish fillets are traditionally used in fish tacos because they are mild in flavor, cook quickly and are relatively inexpensive. Popular kinds of white fish for fish tacos include halibut, tilapia, mahi mahi, snapper, cod, bass and cat fish. In Florida I preferred grouper ...

28. Word processor feature: SPELLCHECK. I'd call it the word processor "evil"

32. Hebrew word in the Book of Psalms: SELAH. Fun Fact #7: [the bump dot com]: "SELAH is a gender-neutral name of Hebrew origin and is a variation of the Hebrew word Sela, meaning “rock” or “boulder.” However, this particular spelling of Selah is used in the Hebrew Bible 74 times and its meaning isn't exactly known"

34. Woman on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel: EVE. Easy WAG for a Friday puzzle

35. Sitcom in syndication, e.g.: RERUN. Margaret has shown a mild interest in seeing the RERUNs of "The Big Bang Theory". She never watched them but has enjoyed watching "Young Sheldon" ...

37. Hustle: RACE. RUSH, FUSS, and PUSH also fit

38. General vicinity: AREA.

40. Coastal desert of southern Africa: NAMIB. I was all catawampus on this; was apparently thinking northern Africa/Israel when I inserted NEGEV into these cells ... NAMIB is not an everyday word you'd use, but I'm sure this one got by our editor with no issues ...

41. Slowed down: IMPEDED. I wasn't too IMPEDED by today's puzzle as I finished it in my average solving time for a Friday; maybe faster

46. To no __: in vain: AVAIL. Another way you could describe failing to solve this puzzle, perhaps?

48. Barrie buccaneer: SMEE. "Mr. SMEE is a fictional character who serves as Captain Hook's boatswain in J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and 1911 novel Peter and Wendy" [wikipedia]

50. Patisserie lure: AROMA. "Patisserie" is Frawnch for pastry shop

51. Plane tracker: RADAR. He could also track helicopters, and knew when Colonel Potter had to use the latrine

52. 2022 music biopic directed by Baz Luhrmann: ELVIS. This film is an HBO exclusIVE. We don't get HBO through our Roku account, so this one solved via perps. Here is yet another trailer for you to watch!!

53. Two-time WNBA MVP __ Delle Donne: ELENA. Her:

54. BoSox rivals: YANKS. In the context of the clue, this probably was the fourteenth abbreviation; however, YANKS by itself (without a clued reference) would not be considered an abbreviation ... just in case you were wondering ...

58. Ostrichlike bird: RHEA. Never seen one? How about a trio of them, instead??

59. School grade: MARK. I was pretty much a "B", "B-Plus" student

60. Singer Brickell: EDIE. Brickell has replaced ADAMS as the 21st Century crossword puzzle singer's surname for EDIE

62. __ admin: SYS. #14 of the abbreviations in today's puzzle. That may be a record for a 15x15 puzzle. My "goal" today was to have as many movie trailers and "Fun Facts" in my blog as there were abbreviations. I think I came up a couple short ... anyway, that's all today for this blogger

The next two Friday puzzles will be recapped by my "brother from another mother", Malodorous Manatee. I'll see you in December. Please remember to recognize a veteran today, and thank them for their service to our country

Please enter any comments about the puzzle or recap below, and don't forget to tip your bloggers ... !! ;^)

Sunday May 1, 2022 Patti Varol

Theme: "Work Clothes" - Each common phrase is humorously rephrased as if it's a work clothing fitting the person in the clue.

25A. What the housekeeper wore to work?: DUST JACKET.

27A. What the actor wore to work?: MOVIE SHORTS.

47A. What the messenger wore to work?: BICYCLE PUMPS.

68A What the truffle hunter wore to work?: MUSHROOM CAP.

91A. What the NASA scientist wore to work?: ASTEROID BELT.

111A. What the scholar wore to work?: SMARTY PANTS.

114A. What the groundskeeper wore to work?: GARDEN HOSE.

36D. What the conductor wore to work?: RAILROAD TIE.

46D. What the soda jerk wore to work?: COUNTER-SUIT.

Patti likes themes that are consistent,  narrowly-defined and humorous. She delivers what she likes. Super wacky answers and clues. Makes you LOL during the solving.

She also sticks to 144-worder for the cleanest fill. Very limited proper names.

Across: 

1. Kills time in an airport terminal, say: SHOPS. Here is the list of busiest airports in China. Lemonade stopped at #1 Guangzhou Airport a few years ago. It opened a few years after I left the city.

6. "Be there in __": A SEC.

10. Deposed Iranian ruler: SHAH.

14. __ Scotia: NOVA.

18. "Who's there?": HELLO.

19. Cuarón film nominated for 10 Oscars: ROMA. Won three.

20. As yet: TO NOW.

22. "Young Sheldon" star Armitage: IAIN. Unknown to me. He looks so happy.

23. No-frills type: ARIAL.

24. Debit slip: CHIT.

30. Look that way: SEEM TO.

31. Genesis locale: EDEN.

32. Body image, briefly: TAT.

33. Pass on, in a way: RETELL.

35. Runs: AIRS.

38. Wraparound dress: SARI.

40. Hyland of "Modern Family": SARAH. Very strong lady.

41. Bumbling one: SAD SACK.

44. "Abbott Elementary" TV network: ABC.

50. Country name on some euro coins: EIRE.

51. Jam: CLOG UP.

53. Hotmail alternative: AOL. Who else still use Hotmail besides me?

54. Writer Zora __ Hurston: NEALE. She wrote "Their Eyes Were Watching God".

56. Schlep: LUG.

57. Romance: COURT.

58. Backing: PRO.

59. Mennen product: AFTA.

61. Outlying communities: EXURBS.

63. Indian royalty: RANIS. or RAJAS.

64. Available if needed: ON CALL. Took three EMTs to get Boomer off the floor last Tuesday.

66. Back in: RETRO.

67. Routing abbr.: ATTN.

71. Big do: GALA.

74. "Shaun of the Dead" director Wright: EDGAR. He also directed "Last Night in Soho".

76. Pie choice: CHERRY.

77. Relinquishes: CEDES.

78. Quite steamy: TORRID.

80. Hazmat monitor: OSHA. And 84. E-file org.: IRS.

82. Color nuance: HUE.

83. Naysayers: ANTIS.

85. Tree surgeon's transplant: GRAFT.

87. Orch. work: SYM. Symphony.

88. Tempt: ENTICE.

89. Art Spiegelman graphic novel: MAUS. Have any of you read this book?

95. Pack it in: EAT.

96. Snobbery: ELITISM.

98. Brink: VERGE.

99. Michelle of "Crazy Rich Asians": YEOH. Her surname is spelled as "Yang' (Jerry Yang, e.g.) in Chinese. Same characters of course.

101. A/C units: BTUS.

102. Jagged: UNEVEN.

104. Tuning pin on a cello: PEG.

105. Rae who has won five Black Reel Awards: ISSA. Gimme!

109. Football Hall of Famer Jones: DEACON. From Wikipedia: Jones stated that he gave himself the nickname Deacon after joining the Rams because too many David Joneses were in the local phone book. "Football is a violent world and Deacon has a religious connotation," he told the Los Angeles Times in 1980. "I thought a name like that would be remembered."

118. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.

119. Rarely ordered meat?: STEAK. Ha, rare-ly.

120. Diaper cream ingredient: ALOE.

121. Church law: CANON.

122. Deep-dish chain, familiarly: UNO'S.

123. Shampoo brand with an Essentials line: SUAVE. I bet I'm the only one who tried this brand.

124. Touch down: LAND.

125. Dispatch: SEND.

126. Fortified wine from the Douro Valley: PORT.

127. Expressed disdain: TSKED.

Down:

1. Embarrassment: SHAME.

2. Early Judean king: HEROD.

3. "__ Kitteridge": Pulitzer winner by Elizabeth Strout: OLIVE. Wikipedia says she also wrote a sequel titled "Olive, Again".

4. Grasslands: PLAINS.

5. Lone: SOLE.

6. Really, really old-school: ARCHAIC.

7. "You're not looking __ yourself!": SO HOT.

8. Mideast title: EMIR.

9. Kim who narrates "How I Met Your Father": CATTRALL.

10. Avg.: STD.

11. Work with a real estate agent, say: HOUSE HUNT. Quite a few nice long Downs. See also 87. "Sounds awesome!": SIGN ME UP.

12. Photographer Adams: ANSEL.

13. Posh spot for a weekend getaway: HOTEL SPA. And 37. Clean vigorously: SCRUB.

14. Classic salade: NICOISE.

15. State tree of Iowa: OAK.

16. Try (for): VIE.

17. Tiny tunneler: ANT.

21. Lou Grant's TV station: WJM. From "The Mary Tyler Moore Show".

26. Somewhat: A TAD.

28. Narrow piece: STRIP.

29. Sun-cracked: SERE. Learned from doing crossword.

34. Choose, in Duck, Duck, Goose: TAP.

39. Borders on: ABUTS.

40. "Shift over a bit, will ya": SCOOCH. Can't wait to receive this Amazon belt. Right now, getting Boomer off the chair and his recliner is a daunting task for me.

42. Out: ASLEEP.

43. Brewery array: KEGS.

44. Ghana's capital: ACCRA.

45. Swell up: BLOAT.

48. Rambling accounts: YARNS.

49. __ culpa: MEA.

52. Gay dating app: GRINDR. Owned by China's Kunlun Tech for a few years.

55. Interoffice no.: EXT.

58. Rain hard: POUR.

59. Hi or bye on Lanai: ALOHA.

60. Arctic chunk: FLOE.

62. Top-priority: URGENT.

65. Many a rock formation in Bryce Canyon: ARCH.

66. Susan or Collin of country music: RAYE. I know neither.

68. Multicolored fabric: MADRAS. Named after the city Madras (now Chennai).

69. Literary alter ego: MR HYDE. And 81. Scottish writer who created 69-Down: STEVENSON.

70. Roomba target: CRUMB.

72. German camera: LEICA.

73. Plus: ASSET.

75. Play date?: GIG. 80. Frequently found in a sonnet?: OFT. 108. Did something appealing?: ASKED. Fun clues for small words.

77. Poem section: CANTO.

78. "Pencils down": TIME.

79. G-U-M rival: ORAL B.

86. To an equal degree: AS MUCH AS.

88. Melancholy poem: ELEGY.

90. Star-__: STUDDED. Met Gala tomorrow night. Eager to see what Katy Perry comes up this year.

 

92. Crank (up): REV.

93. Smelter input: ORES.

94. Chart-reading exam: EYE TEST.

97. "Ohhhhh": I SEE.

100. Short break: HIATUS.

103. "... said __ ever": NO ONE.

104. Earlier: PRIOR.

106. Weasel: SNEAK.

107. Ward (off): STAVE.

110. Mandela's org.: ANC. African National Congress.

112. River of Pisa: ARNO. It flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea

113. "Hey, c'mere!": PSST.

114. "Wonder Woman" star Gadot: GAL.

115. __ carte: ALA.

116. Mets color commentator Darling: RON.

117. Conclusion: END.

Boomer had a bad fall last Tuesday and broke his left shoulder. We're seeing an orthopedic doctor soon to see if he needs a surgery. Quite tricky for him to maneuver the walker with one hand, esp since his legs are so weak. Getting up stairs and downstairs also becomes extra hard. But Boomer is Boomer! He'll have the Monday blog ready for you guys. He's been working slowly with one hand.

One more blood draw tomorrow. Hope his white blood count is good so he can get his 5th chemo infusion on Thursday. His numbers were pretty low when he was treated at the ER at the North Memorial hospital a few days ago.

C.C.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020 Patti Varol

Theme: March Person

17. March commander: DRILL INSTRUCTOR. Base training.

41. March composer: JOHN PHILIP SOUSA. "The March King".

64. March creator: LOUISA MAY ALCOTT. The March family,

Boomer here again. I hope you are not sick of me, and especially I hope you are not sick!!  Bowling centers and my church are still closed. C.C. and I are pretty much situated at the home front.  Maybe if the weather warms up a bit here, we might take a chance at a walk in the park, but we will stay away from any other humans.  Enjoy the puzzle, we're here for you!

Forward March, Hup, Two, Three, Four, - You had a good home when you left, You're right, Your girlfriend was home when you left, You're Right! Am I right or wrong ? You're right ! Are we weak or strong ?  We're Strong ! Sound off, one, two, Sound off, three four. Sound off - one, two, three, four, one two, THREE, FOUR !! 

Across:

1. Furniture chain that also sells lingonberry jam: IKEA.  Been there once.  Their furniture seems half-finished and I only like strawberry jam.

5. Highlander: GAEL.

9. Irritable: CROSS.  A symbol for Good Friday or go from one side of the street to the other.

14. December temp: MALL SANTA. A frequent visitor to our Northtown Mall.

16. Overseas coppers: PENCE.  Or a vice president.

19. Count who has a cameo in "Blazing Saddles": BASIE.  I don't remember him, but I really liked Mel Brooks' Movie.

20. Thus far: YET.

21. Airport with many connecting flights: HUB.  Our MSP is a Delta hub.  They are really struggling in these critical times.

22. Rathskeller rejection: NEIN.  While I was in Germany, this was one of the words we all knew.

25. Tenants: RENTERS.

28. SFO overseer: FAA. I think this Airport is in even worse shape than ours. Not sure if international flights are even allowed.

31. Not just assume: KNOW.

33. Merit badge spot: SASH.  I made it through Cub Scouts.  Did not get any higher.

34. Gaga over: INTO.

36. Shellfish serving: CLAW.  Does not sound too appetizing to me.

38. Smug look: GLOAT. Nothing to GLOAT about for awhile.  Bowling centers are closed.  I am wondering if the golf courses will be open. I never buy food there. I bring a couple of sandwiches and some Diet Pepsi and load it on the cart.

44. Fritters away time: IDLES.  A decent way to warm up your car up here in the North.

45. French 101 verb: ETRE.

46. Old Russian ruler: TSAR.  Look at it - it spells RATS.

47. Not demanding: EASY.  A BIG one could be New Orleans or Ernie Els who is on the Champions tour now.

49. Citrus peel: ZEST. Or a bar of soap.

51. Greener Living org.: EPA.

52. English blue cheese: STILTON.

55. Whiskey cocktail: SOUR.

57. Form 1099 org.: IRS.  We already filed, but I hear you have until July now this year.

58. "Wonder Woman" actress Gadot: GAL.

60. Run out: LAPSE.  So many health care agencies have RUN OUT of masks and safety equipment.

69. Hides in the shadows: LURKS.

70. "Shape of You" Grammy winner: ED SHEERAN.

71. Direct: STEER.  A big Cow with horns.

72. "Gone Girl" actress Ward: SELA.

73. "Queen of Country," familiarly: REBA. 

Down:

1. Website for looking up "that actor on that show": IMDB. 

2. __ Zor-El: Supergirl's name on Krypton: KARA.

3. Yale students: ELIS.  Poor little lambs.

4. Totally wiped: ALL IN.  Or when you bet your entire roll as a final bet in poker.

5. Moo goo __ pan: GAI.

6. "Commonwealth" novelist Patchett: ANN.

7. "Unique everything" online shop: ETSY.  I have never been there.

8. "Gotta run!": LATER.  "See you LATER Alligator!"

9. PC core: CPU.

10. Copying button: REC.

11. Music to a bar customer's ears: ON THE HOUSE.  At Christmas, listen for reindeer.

12. Really clean: SCOUR.  You'll need an SOS or Brillo pad.

13. Some Slavs: SERBS.

15. Stylishly smooth: SLEEK.  I believe I have seen that word on a Corvette ad.

18. GPS displays: RTES.  I don't have GPS, but I usually do not get too lost.  Although people have told me I don't have a clue to where I'm going.

23. Go very slowly: INCH.  "A pinch to grow an INCH and a smile to go a mile".

24. "I'm not kidding!": NO LIE.

26. Torments with reminders: NAGS. Someone in our house tells me to take a pill or eat more veggies.

27. Letter-shaped opening: T SLOT.

28. "Natural artesian water" brand: FIJI.

29. Give __ to: okay: A NOD.  "And giving A NOD up the chimney he rose."  A little out of season, sorry.

30. Fashionable sportswear portmanteau: ATHLEISURE. This sounds like the overpriced clothing I see on the rack at the PGA Superstore.

32. Ballroom dance: WALTZ.  Our MN Governor is Tim Walz, and he's been dancing around the coronavirus for a month.

35. Tatum who plays Amanda in "The Bad News Bears": ONEAL.  Ryan O'Neal's daughter, she was also a hit in Paper Moon.

37. Tangle around a surge protector: WIRES.

39. Pronto: ASAP.

40. "Teen Titans" and "Teen Titans Go!" voice actress Strong: TARA.

42. Hissed summons: PSST.

43. 100 centavos: PESO.

48. Tranquil discipline: YOGA.  Reminds me of the great Yankee catcher, #8

50. Veil material: TULLE.

52. Opera great Beverly: SILLS.

53. Brook fish: TROUT.  Not too many in Minnesota lakes.  You need to try a river.

54. Identifies: NAMES.

56. Regatta entrant: RACER.  I don't know if the Kentucky Derby is a Regatta, but I've heard it has been moved to September.  Don't worry, all the horses will be three year olds.  Their birthdays are all January 1.

59. Put on cargo: LADE.

61. Peruse, with "over": PORE.

62. Wild guess: STAB.  "BATS" spelled backwards.  We won't be seeing any soon.

63. Italian peak: ETNA.

65. '50s prez: IKE.  Mentioned him previously.  Great General, decent President.

66. Pre-1991 atlas initials: SSR.

67. Couture monogram: YSL.

68. "I've got it!": AHA. And A HA HA HA to you, we are done.

Boomer

Friday, February 22, 2019, Patti Varol

Title: Does a male deliver your mail?

Today Rich's assistant Patti provides the entertainment with a very consistent homonym puzzle. 5 in the language phrases are repurposed using their sound-alike equivalent with humorous results.  This is my seventh trip as the guide for a PV puzzle, one of more than 30 she has published in the LAT. All five themers are four-letter words ending "AIL" replacing the "ALE."  WHALE is the outlier, as it is five letters. The puzzle does not feel like a Friday, with 78 words which average less than 5 letters each. It has some non-theme glitter like ATHEIST, EGOSURF, FLITTED, MULCHES, PADLOCK, SIDE BET, CAROL KANE, and  KALE CHIPS. There are some challenging words, some unknown directors, and a few that were hidden to me as clued, but lo and behold it is done, so time to discuss.

17A. Totally rad electric guitar performance?: KILLER WAIL (10). After last Saturday's WHALE tribute by HG, we start with a nice guitar solo. BOBBY BARTH.

23A. Emergency bucket on Dior's boat?: CHRISTIAN BAIL (13). Christian Dior has a hole in his boat which he needs to BALE the water and becomes the Welsh actor who has been Batman and Dick Cheney on screen but is HIMSELF accepting his awards.

37A. Jib made of clothing labels?: TAG SAIL (7). When I was a child, my grandmother worked in a tag factory, where they made all the labels used to show at a Tag SALE.

51A. Where to find more beach toys?: BEYOND THE PAIL (13). Beyond the PALE  a rather negative concept changes to evoke an idyllic scene by the ocean.

60A. Impressive New York zoo peacock display?: A BRONX TAIL (10). This is my favorite as the cult classic A BRONX TALE, a dark movie becomes a lively display at the famous Bronx Zoo.

Across:

1. Information desk sign: ASK ME. I do not see that often, my favorite is below.

6. Sits in a cellar, say: AGES. Wine, it was Chairman Mao's birthday recently.

10. Chuckleheads: SAPS. I have not heard the phrase chucklehead in years.

14. Yuletide name: CLAUS.



15. Philanthropist Wallace: LILA. Co-founder of the READER'S DIGEST. Do you remember her?

16. Grammy-winning rapper: ICE-T. Tracy Lauren Marrow reappears. HG one.

19. Short copy?: DUPE. Cute.

20. Upper bod muscle: PEC. Bod tells you it is an abbreviation. It also is a word not popular any longer IMO.

21. Poor Richard, really: BEN. I did not know Mr. Franklin well enough to call him Ben, I do like to look at him in my wallet.

22. Brusque: TERSE.

27. Nonbeliever: ATHEIST.

29. Shoreline flood protection: DUNE. According to the Waikato Regional Council, sand dunes protect our shorelines from coastal erosion and provide shelter from the wind and sea spray.

30. Caper film event: HEIST. What is your favorite of all time?

31. Actor Danson: TED. Again a repeat from Husker's Saturday.

32. Dessert chain with Cotton Candy Freeze: TCBY. The Country's Best Yogurt.

36. Travel guide: MAP.

41. SE state: ALAbama.

42. "When all __ fails ... ": ELSE. People say THIS many ways.

44. "Let 'er __!": RIP. Speaking of ripped...

45. Zac of "Baywatch": EFRON.

47. Error: GOOF.

49. Master piece?: PADLOCK. Very cool clue.  This fill has never appeared in the LA Times and referencing the lock company MASTER  was brilliant.

55. Expunge: ERASE.

56. Mahershala of "True Detective": ALI. This is his BIOGRAPHY.

57. IMAX purchase: TKT.

59. X-ray, Yankee, __: ZULU.  Your cheat sheet.

64. Phone button abbr.: OPER.

65. X-ray units: RADS. The rad is a unit of absorbed radiation dose , defined as 1 rad = 0.01 Gy = 0.01 J/kg.

66. Starbucks size: VENTI. We have had this discussion recently.

67. Double __ Oreos: STUF. We have had this discussion recently.

68. "If you don't mind?": MAY I.

69. In other words, in Caesar's words: ID EST. Not Sid, but one of the Emperors speaking Latin.


Down:

1. "Crikey!": ACK. I do not see these as synonymous. My SOURCE.

2. Berth place: SLIP. A nice sound alike pun/clue.

3. Healthy snack: KALE CHIPS.  That claim is being DEBATED.

4. Puts a cover on, as a bed: MULCHES.  A bed of flowers, again, cool misdirection. These are probably healthy as well,  just as tasty, but too high in fiber.

5. Jargon suffix: ESE.

6. Astros' MLB division: AL WEST.

7. Really big: GIANT.

8. "The House With a Clock in Its Walls" director Roth: ELI. I have not seen this movie, but would never have known the DIRECTOR even if I had. His work seems promising.

9. "On the Road" narrator: SAL. Sal Paradise was the central character in Jack Kerouac's anthem to the post-World War II freedom of the open road.

10. Secondary wager: SIDE BET. There are various situations where this occurs. Side bets can involve any topic, such as a bet on a sports game occurring at the same time as the poker game or a bet on a piece of trivia that players are arguing over. However, usage is traditionally confined to bets that in some way involve occurrences in the poker game.

11. Integra maker: ACURA.

12. "For every generation" soft drink: PEPSI. Do you like the new Steve Carrell commercial?

13. 1943 penny metal: STEEL. Copper shortage due to WWII.

18. Hitting stat: RBIs. Runs Batted In.

22. Paramount Network, once: TNN. The NASHVILLE NETWORK became Spike TV before the recent switch to its current name.

24. "Norma Rae" director: RITT. Another DIRECTOR I do not know. Sally is back after also seeing her in this part in HG's Saturday.

25. Writer's block breakthrough: IDEA.

26. German wheels: AUDI.

27. Words of lament: AH ME. Ask me?

28. Marsh duck: TEAL.

31. Cough syrup meas.: TSP. Abbreviations.

33. Actress who plays Kimmy Schmidt's landlady: CAROL KANE. Her role in TAXI will always be what my memory of her is, I have never watched the new show.

34. Allied group: BLOC. Bloc is also back.

35. Jerk: YANK.ee? Next to...

38. "Sunday Night Baseball" analyst, familiarly: A-ROD.

39. One often taking a bow: GIFT. Ah, bow not bow!

40. Helen of Troy's mother: LEDA. The STORY is much more complicated than that clue/fill suggests.

43. Try to find oneself?: EGOSURF. I still do not know this term, but it is in the OED and was introduced to us by Brad Wilber on Saturday, Mar 27, 2010, here at the LAT. I also said then I did not know the concept while commenting on a rare JzB Saturday write-up.

46. Made moth moves: FLITTED. A very cute clue also.

48. Half and half: ONE. Another time a simple clue adds up as something other than for coffee.+

49. House speaker after Ryan: PELOSI. No apolitical way to comment on this.

50. Neat as __: A PIN.

51. Amazon founder: BEZOS. How will his FEUD with the National Enquirer turn out? For 500 million, I might have married him.

52. Blow one's stack: ERUPT.

53. Ivy in Conn.: YALE U. Glue.

54. Resistant to cold, as plants: HARDY. Such a versatile word.

58. Small songbirds: TITS. Snicker, snicker.

60. Parka sleeve: ARM.

61. "Listen, ewe!": BAA. Sheep humor.

62. Income tax Amendment: XVI. "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration." The origin of the income tax on individuals is generally cited as the passage of the 16th Amendment, passed by Congress on July 2, 1909, and ratified February 3, 1913; however, its history actually goes back even further. During the Civil War Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1861 which included a tax on personal incomes to help pay war expenses.

63. Hammered: LIT. There are endless synonyms for this (maybe I shouldn't mention that after the last week kerfuffle); here are SOME.

Patti is a pro, though puzzle still did not seem like a Friday even with the hard clues and other obstacles, but I had a great time. I hope you did, but either way, thank you for being here. Lemonade out.

Notes from C.C.:

Malcolm told me that Fermet Prime (Lorraine) stays at the Northridge Hospital, but is expected to be released on Saturday. I'll call her later today. Malcolm talked to her yesterday and said  "She’s a bit groggy because of the pain-killers she’s on". Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Sunday November 11, 2018 Patti Varol

Theme: "Hunger Games" - Each theme entry starts with a synonym for "eat" and it's punnily clued as what a hungry person whose profession is mentioned in the clue might do.

23. A hungry actor might __: CHEW THE SCENERY.

30. A hungry film critic might __: TAKE IN A MOVIE.

53. A hungry locksmith might __: BOLT THE DOOR. This is a really hungry locksmith.

68. A hungry librarian might __: DEVOUR A GOOD BOOK.

 89. A hungry janitor might __: BITE THE DUST.

107. A hungry banker might __: DOWN PAYMENTS.

120. A hungry angler might __: SWALLOW THE BAIT.

What a great title, so apt describing what's happening in this puzzle. 

You all know Patti is Rich's assistant. She's also the editor for The Crosswords Club. This puzzle represents nicely what Patti is looking for in a puzzle: fun theme, tight theme set and clean fill. No weird abbreviations or entries only known to sports/musical fans, etc.

Patti Varol

Across:

1. Comfy cover-up: CAFTAN. Same structure as tunic.

7. Didn't toss: KEPT.

11. Elemental variant: ISOTOPE.

18. Loosen, in a way: UNLACE. Here is D-Otto's Hook and Loop New Balance, in case you wonder. He said they're the most comfortable walking shoes.

19. "Spare me your excuses": SAVE IT.

21. Spot for doodles: NOTEPAD.

22. Land at Mexico City Airport?: TIERRA. Spanish for "land". Nice misdirection.

25. Poison sumac exposure risk: ITCH.

26. Nonstick cookware brand: T-FAL.

28. "It matters how you get there" app: LYFT.

29. Dollars for quarters: RENTS.

34. Compote component: FRUIT.

36. Polish literature?: EDIT. Another fun clue. Of course I was thinking of Poland.

37. Exile: CAST OUT.

39. Bird feeder food: SUET.

43. "How you holdin' up?": FEEL OK?

46. "No __ done": HARM.

48. Subjects of the film "Blackfish": ORCAS. Unfamiliar with the film.

50. Music-licensing org.: BMI. OK, Broadcast Music, Inc.

51. Not quite right: AMISS.

52. Some is changed regularly: OIL. And  56. Pentagon address: SIR. Love both clues.

57. Clever barb response: OH SNAP.

60. Loch with a mystery: NESS.

61. Seriously ticked: IRATE.

62. Cartoon desert island sight: TREE.

64. Passé: OLD. This bag was super popular in China around 1981. Imagine my surprise when I saw Cameron Diaz sported it again.

65. Special forces mission: RAID.

67. Competed using blades: SKATED.

73. Cherry-topped dish: SUNDAE.

76. Venerable English school: ETON.

77. Dinghy need: OAR.

78. "Thor: Ragnarok" actor Idris: ELBA. Sexiest Man Alive.

82. Live, TV-wise: ON AIR.

83. Bouquet bearer: VASE.

85. Mariano Rivera, memorably: YANKEE. Rich is a Yankee fan. Patti loves her Mets.

88. Alley in comics: OOP.

92. Shade: HUE.

93. Curved plumbing piece: P TRAP.

95. Call __ day: IT A.

96. Monopoly buy: HOTEL.

97. Somber notice: OBIT.

99. CafePress purchase: T-SHIRT. Barry G has a shop at CafePress.

100. Comes together: GELS.

102. Kellogg's toaster pastry: POP TART. Never had one.

104. Philistine: BOOR.

105. Inched: CREPT.

113. Point of contention: ISSUE.

116. Swearing or swearing-in words: OATH.

118. Cookie grain: OATS.

119. Mystique: AURA.

124. Lanai furniture material: RATTAN. Never saw a rattan palm in person. Looks very spiky.

126. "One man's struggle to take it easy," for "Ferris Bueller": TAG LINE.

127. Intimidating words: OR ELSE.

128. Password preceder: USER ID.

129. Poor rating: ONE STAR.

130. Actress Falco: EDIE.

131. Reason: SANITY.

Down:

1. Measure up: CUT IT.

2. Singer Baker: ANITA.

3. 14-time Grammy-winning banjoist Béla: FLECK.

4. North Carolina team: TAR HEELS.

5. Unlike this ans.: ACR. Across.

6. One who picks up a lot: NEATNIK.

7. Mexican painter Frida: KAHLO.

8. Night before: EVE.

9. Chapel bench: PEW.

10. Champ's collection: TITLES. The kids Boomer coached the past eight weeks finished 3rd in their division (4 teams) last Friday.

11. Trains: INSTRUCTS.

12. A behavioral sci.: SOC.

13. Ferrell's "SNL" cheerleading partner: OTERI.

14. Guiding principles: TENETS.

15. Willing to listen: OPEN.

16. Auto store buy: PART.

17. "Grand" ice cream brand: EDY'S.

19. Ponzi scheme, e.g.: SCAM.

20. Psalm pronoun: THY.

24. Sincere attempts: EFFORTS.

27. Oft-chewed item: FAT. Tiny clue/answer dupe with one of the themers.

31. Defiant response: I DO SO.

32. TiVo predecessor: VCR.

33. Foot that's part of a meter: IAMB. Poetic foot.

35. Four Corners state: UTAH.

38. City on Lake Erie: TOLEDO.

40. WWII sub: U-BOAT.

41. Gush on stage: EMOTE.

42. Wiped out: TIRED.

43. Ramadan ritual: FAST. I can't imagine the will it takes not to eat.

44. Abu Dhabi dignitary: EMIR.

45. Name on Irish euros: EIRE

46. Veda reader: HINDU.

47. Resembling: A LA.

49. Omega rival: SEIKO. Only Grand Seiko.

52. Capital north of Berlin: OSLO.

54. Like some bagels: ONIONY. We also have 71. Breakfast-on-the-run pickup: DONUT.

55. Pond papa: DRAKE.

58. Stopped at sea, with "to": HOVE. Another learning moment for me.

59. Chatters: PRATES.

63. Terrier on "Frasier": EDDIE.

66. Before now: AGO.

67. Fit to be tied: SORE.

69. Word before or after "mother": EARTH.

70. Outcome: RESULT.

72. Really feel the heat: BAKE. Excited that the local Hmong farmers here started to grow Asian sweet potatoes. The ones I got at the farmers' market this year were so good. Taste of Xi'an.

73. Pulitzer-winning Ferber novel: SO BIG.

74. Work together: UNITE.

75. Present at birth: NATAL.

79. Actress Petty of "Orange Is the New Black": LORI.

80. Tusked critter: BOAR.

81. Cal. entry: APPT. Thank God for Google Calendar and reminders.

83. Naysayer's weapon?: VETO POWER. Great fill.

84. Highly skilled in: ADEPT AT.

86. Often-seared tuna: AHI. You can find it in your local Aldi.

87. English Derby town: EPSOM.

90. Last element in Pandora's box: HOPE.

91. Lawn-Boy parent company: TORO. Based here in MN.

94. Menace: THREATEN.

98. Texter's "Oh, and another thing ... ": BTW.

99. Geoffrey the Giraffe's store: TOYS "R" US. Still open in China.

101. River racers: SCULLS.

103. Stick (to): ADHERE.

104. Carlsbad Caverns dweller: BAT.

106. Bright again: RE-LIT.

108. White __: NOISE.

109. Party spread: PATE.

110. __-Grain: breakfast bar brand: NUTRI.

111. Blue eyes, e.g.: TRAIT.

112. Baseball Hall of Famer Koufax: SANDY. One guy at our flea market has this Life magazine.

113. Ratio phrase: IS TO.

114. Adult cygnet: SWAN.

115. Herb used in turkey dressing: SAGE.

117. E'en if: THO.

121. "Based __ true story": ON A.

122. Retirement spot: BED.

123. "Moonlight" Oscar winner Mahershala __: ALI.

125. Comparison words: AS A.

Boomer updates:

We had a consultation with a radiation oncologist on Thursday. Then Boomer got tattooed. He's going to start his daily radiation treatment on Nov. 14th. The procedure ends on Nov. 28th. Weekends are rest days. At the moment, they're just going to focus on the area where he has the T 11 fracture.

He's also going to have more blood work done next week. Then we'll meet with Dr. Thomas Downs for the monthly follow-up. Eager to see if the Eligard shot works on him. So far, Boomer still has not had any hot flashes, so I'm a bit nervous. 

He's also going to have the Zoledronic acid infusion next week.

Happy Veterans Day to all the veterans on our blog: Spitzboov, Boomer, Jayce, D-Otto, TTP and Anon-T! Sorry if I forget others.

C.C.