Sunday February 6, 2022 Peter Koetters

 

Theme: "Mondegreens" - Song titles are funnily misinterpreted.

 23. Song in which Pat Benatar challenges the owner of an aquarium? (1980): HIT ME WITH YOUR PET SHARK. "Hit Me with Your Best Shot".

 30. Song in which The Beatles say goodbye to a girl on a big bird? (1965): CHICKEN TO RIDE. "Ticket to Ride"

 43. Song in which Johnny Rivers unmasks a Far East spy? (1966): SECRET ASIAN MAN.
"Secret Agent Man".

 60. Song in which Peter Gabriel bakes a simian-shaped dessert? (1982): CHOCOLATE MONKEY. "Shock The Monkey".

 69. Song in which the Plastic Ono Band promotes legumes? (1969): GIVE PEAS A CHANCE. "Give Peace a Chance." Homophone.

 86. Song in which Culture Club dons lizard costumes to teach punctuation? (1983): COMMA CHAMELEON. "Karma Chameleon".

 99. Song in which The Clash knocks over a wedding reception? (1982): ROB THE CASH BAR. "Rock the Casbah".

 107. Song in which AC/DC plays nasty tricks on livestock? (1976): DIRTY DEEDS DONE TO SHEEP. "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap".

Here is the Wikipedia article on Mondegreen. I bet D-Otto enjoyed this puzzle.

I don't recall a theme with more theme material. Peter's grid has 126 squares dedicated to the gimmick, including two grid spanners.

Across:

1. Heat in "The Heat": NARCS.

6. Pickle piece: SPEAR. I was intrigued by the fried pickles at our state fair. But they wanted $9 for a pickle.

11. Eschew: SHUN.

15. On its way: SENT.

19. Scouting party?: TROOP.  Oh boy/girl scout troop.

20. 2018 CVS Health acquisition: AETNA.

21. Prepare to be shot?: POSE. By a photographer.

22. x, y and z, in math: AXES.

27. Trapped by a winter storm: ICED IN.

28. It's not an option: NEED.

29. Split in two: HALVE.

35. Zipped: DARTED.

36. IRS exam: AUD. Audit.

37. Tokyo, once: EDO. Before 1868.

38. Peruvian pronoun: ESO.

39. Gibbons on TV: LEEZA. She won "The Celebrity Apprentice".

41. Answered an invite: RSVP'D.

49. Puritan pronoun: THEE.

50. Judge's seat: BANC.

52. Release money: RANSOM. Have you seen Jennifer Aniston's "Derailed". Such a disturbing movie.

53. Big pitcher: ACE.

54. Like some office jobs: CLERICAL.

58. Checkout task: SCAN.

59. Bit of sediment: DREG.

64. Volkswagen model: JETTA.

65. Veracruz neighbor: OAXACA. South of Veracruz.

66. Ending with calc and sod: IUM. Gluey. Needed for a Sunday grid.

67. "Amen": SO BE IT.

68. Drag racer's fuel, briefly: NITRO.

75. Good card for lowball: TREY.

76. Explorer Hernando de __: SOTO.

77. Former renter: EX-TENANT. Well, if this is OK, then we can have ex-employee, ex-college, ex-boss, etc.

78. Oral health org.: ADA.

79. Tool in a wheeled bucket: WET MOP.

81. Polite address: MA'AM.

82. Biblical twin: ESAU.

90. Nickname for Chicago's Ernie Banks: MR CUB. "Let's Play Two!"

91. Pretentious: ARTSY.

92. Ewe wish?: RAM. Ha.

93. Apt name for a chef?: STU.

95. "We __ the World": ARE.

96. Mid-calf pants: CAPRIS.

103. Ninja Turtles' ally April __: O'NEIL. We had her before.

104. Pension __: PLAN.

106. Pablo's "precise": EXACTO.

114. Actress Watson: EMMA.

115. Nabisco cookie: OREO. These are sweet snacks in Guangzhou during Spring Festival. Yau gok, filled with sweetened ground peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.

116. Home on the range: RANCH.

117. Calculus pioneer: EULER. Swiss mathematician (April 15, 1707- Sept 18, 1783)

118. Negotiation ender: DEAL.

119. Ballroom basic: TURN.

120. Remove: ERASE.

121. Brontë sister: EMILY.

Down:

1. Ultimate degree: NTH.

2. Singer Grande's debut fragrance: ARI. Quite popular among the YouTube crowd.

3. Hogwash: ROT.

4. Larry the Cable Guy, for one: COMIC.

5. Dotted (with): SPECKED.

6. Declined: SAID NO.

7. Small, at the Sorbonne: PETIT.

8. Culture: Pref.: ETHNO.

9. Even one: ANY.

10. '90s Indian prime minister: RAO. Learned from doing crosswords.

11. Jag: SPREE.

12. Crossed-fingers sentiment: HOPE. We hope Bloomer's radiation works.

13. Yard sale adjective: USED.

14. Hoops hanger: NET.

15. Very hot and dry: SAHARAN.

16. Glorify: EXALT.

17. Chutzpah: NERVE.

18. Expressed disdain for: TSKED.

24. Neaten the garden, perhaps: WEED.

25. Scandal, to a politician, perhaps: UNDOER. Or to a news media CEO.

26. Captain Marvel's magic word: SHAZAM. Also the app that can help you identify the song. Amazing.

30. E-commerce icon: CART.

31. "Quiet!": HUSH.

32. "If only __ known ... ": I'D'VE.

33. Tape deck button: REC.

34. Leb. neighbor: ISR.

35. __ Sanders, only athlete to play in both the Super Bowl and World Series: DEION. Gimme for our regulars.

39. Jousting weapon: LANCE.

40. Homework assignment: ESSAY.

42. South American pig relative: PECCARY. Learning moment for me. Look at their stiff hair.

43. Vexed state: SNIT.

44. "__ homo": ECCE.

45. Job: TASK.

46. Mink cousin: MARTEN.

47. Acid type found in vinegar: ACETIC. What vinegar do you normally use? I like Mizkan rice vinegar. Very mild.

48. Cancel out: NEGATE.

50. Composer Bartók: BELA.

51. Altar in the sky: ARA.

55. In __ parentis: LOCO.

56. French friend: AMIE.

57. Jeweler's tool: LOUPE. Boomer has a big magnifier for his baseball cards.

59. Con, half the time: DEBATER.

60. Cold relief brand: CONTAC.

61. High style, maybe: HAIRDO.

62. It can take a yoke: OX TEAM.

63. Truth or Consequences st.: N MEX.

64. Father of Julian Lennon: JOHN. And 73. Half-brother of Julian Lennon: SEAN. From left to right: Sean Lennon, Yoko Ono, Cynthia Lennon & Julian Lennon.

67. Con job: SCAM.

69. Some black-clad teens: GOTHS.

70. "Possibly": IT MAY.

71. "Va-va-__!": VOOM.

72. Prefix with sphere: ATMO.

74. Santa __ winds: ANA.

76. Splinter groups: SECTS.

79. With suspicion: WARILY.

80. Argentine icons: PERONS. Eva and Juan.

83. Worker during a walkout: SCAB.

84. Ambiance: AURA.

85. Ride provider: UBER.

87. Kind of vows: MARITAL.

88. Chocolate __: LAB.

89. First responder: Abbr.: EMT.

90. Rave review word: MUST SEE.

93. Rake over the coals: SCATHE. I only know "scathing".

94. Sinaloa street snack: TACO. We need more taco mixes. Otherwise, I don't know how to make tacos for Boomer.

96. Like apps: CODED.

97. Cartoon genre: ANIME.

98. Prefix with frost: PERMA.

99. Odorless basement hazard: RADON.

100. Temporary tattoo dye: HENNA.

101. C-suite VIPs: EXECS. CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, etc.

102. "Meh": HO HUM.

104. Major quinoa producer: PERU. Tasty quinoa salad.

105. Creepy look: LEER.

108. Web address component: DOT.

109. Hip-hop Dr.: DRE.

110. Propeller with just one blade: OAR.

111. Philanthropist Broad: ELI. Just passed away last year.

112. Fish that may be jellied: EEL.

113. Meddle: PRY.

We enjoyed our VA-free week. Boomer visited his bowling buddies last Monday and we had our 42-year-old furnace replaced last Thursday. Now the basement is warm for Boomer to lounge around.

We're going to VA Spinal Cord Injury center tomorrow morning for a PT session, then a blood draw, then a meeting at the oncology about the new chemo. Boomer was told to stop taking the oral chemo when he was hospitalized. We'll have an OT session on Tuesday. Wish the VA could arrange the  PT and OT in the same day, as it's a long drive for us, but they can't. We'll go to VA hospital every Monday and Tuesday for the next few weeks. So happy that it's not below zero any more.

C.C.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021 Peter Koetters

A Wrap by any other name ...  Just stay warm and fashionable.

17-Across. Midas stock item: MUFFLER ASSEMBLY.  A muffler is typically a scarf that is warn to keep one warm.  If you wear a muffler all day, will you be exhausted?

23-Across. Left surreptitiously: STOLE AWAY.  Fur stoles were once considered high fashion.

36-Across. Simple New England houses: CAPE COD COTTAGES.

48-Across. Gobble up: SCARF DOWN.  A scarf may be worn to keep one warm, but may also have decorative, protective, or religious purposes.

55-Across. Director's "We're done for today, people" ... and hint to the start of 17-, 23-, 36- and 48-Across: THAT'S A WRAP FOLKS.  The first word of each theme answer is another word for something you might wrap around you if you get cold.  And, yes, there are technical differences between each of these items.  Everything you wanted to know about the differences, but didn't know to ask.

Across:

1. Insult: SLUR.

5. Golden fruit that, legend has it, started the Trojan War: APPLE.  A brief history of how the Golden Apple instigated the Trojan War.

10. Heat in "The Heat": COPS.  The Heat was a 2013 Comedy-Action film that starred Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.

14. First-rate: A-ONE.

15. Stands at lectures: PODIA.  Plural of Podium.  It is derived from the Greek word meaning Foot.

16. Like some hygiene: ORAL.

20. Slept noisily: SNORED.

21. Period in office: TERM.

22. Leered at: OGLED.

28. Beatty and Kelly: NEDs.   Ned Beatty (né Ned Thomas Beatty; b. July 6, 1937) is an American actor.  Kazie taught me about Ned Kelly (1855 ~ Nov. 11, 1880), who was an Australian outlaw and gang leader.

29. "Walking in Memphis" Grammy winner Marc: COHN.  Marc Craig Cohn (b. July 5, 1959) is an American folk rock singer-songwriter.

30. Bill for svc. rendered: INV.  I am guessing that this means a Bill for Services Rendered, which would be an Invoice.

31. Berry who played Storm in "X-Men": HALLE.  Halle Berry (née Maria Halle Berry; b. Aug. 14, 1966) won an Oscar for Best Actress in the 2001 movie Monster's Ball.

33. Israeli or Arab: SEMITE.  The word Semite comes from Shem, the eldest son of the Biblical Noah.

40. From dawn to dusk: ALL DAY.

41. '90s candidate __ Perot: H. ROSS.  H. Ross Perot (né Henry Ross Perot; June 27, 1930 ~ July 9, 2019) ran in the 1992 and 1996 Presidential campaigns.

42. Buzzer in a swarm: BEE.

43. Half-moon tide: NEAP.

44. Office fill-in: TEMP.  As in a Temporary employee.

52. "Wherefore art thou" guy: ROMEO.

53. Weighty Kuwaiti?: EMIR.

54. Girl-asks-guy dances, informally: SADIES.  Sadie Hawkins was a character in a Li'l Abner cartoon.

60. Bequest beneficiary: HEIR.

61. Linney of "Ozark": LAURA.  Laura Leggett Linney (b. Feb. 5, 1964) portrayed Wendy Byrde in the  TV crime drama Ozark.

62. "Blue" or "White" African river: NILE.

63. "This is __ a test": ONLY.

64. Matches audio to video, e.g.: SYNCS.

65. Verbalizes: SAYS.

Down:

1. Lover of Delilah: SAMSON.  A Biblical reference from the Book of Judges in the Hebrew Bible.  Samson was known for his great strength.  If, however, his long hair was ever cut, he would lose his strength.  His lover, Delilah, betrayed him to the Philistines, and his hair was cut while he was sleeping.  This scenario is often portrayed in art, such as the one below by Anthony Van Dyck (1599 ~ 1641).

2. Airport waiting area: LOUNGE.  On my initial trip a couple of weeks ago, the airport lounge was not very crowded, however, on my return trip the lounge was crowed and the plane was packed.

3. Prepare to use, as a lawn chair: UNFOLD.

4. Updated, as a Web page: REFRESHED.

5. Mimicked: APED.  This has become a crossword staple.

6. For, to Fernando: POR.  Today's Spanish lesson.

7. "Get a room!" evoker, initially: PDA.  Textspeak for Public Display of Affection.

8. Sonny who lost to Clay in 1964: LISTON.  On February 25, 1964, Sonny Liston (né Charles L. Liston; 1930 ~ Dec. 1970) lost his title of heavyweight boxing champion to Cassius Clay (Jan. 17, 1942 ~ June 3, 2016).  Shortly after this fight, Clay announced that he would henceforth be known as Muhammad Ali.

9. Portraitist's prop: EASEL.

10. City-state separator: COMMA.  This clue and answer made me laugh.  New York, New York.

11. Globe: ORB.

12. Pay or pen follower: PAL.

13. Foxy: SLY.

18. Captained: LED.

19. "She desires to speak with you ... __ you go to bed": "Hamlet": ERE.

23. Realtor's favorite sign: SOLD.

24. 2010s cooking-themed talk show: THE CHEW.  I never heard of The Chew, which was apparently a daytime talk show for foodies.  It ran for several seasons.

25. Kristen of "Bridesmaids": WIIG.  Kristen Carroll Wigg (b. Aug. 22, 1973) joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2005.  Six years later, she was one of the cast of Bridesmaids.

26. Required wager: ANTE.

27. The "Y" of YSL: YVES.  From fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent (Aug. 1, 1936 ~ June 1, 2008).

29. Be saccharine: CLOY.

32. Here, in Havana: ACÁ.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

33. Octagonal sign: STOP.

34. Short aliens?: ETs.  As in ExtraTerrestials.

35. Extinct elephants: MASTODONS.

36. Uber competitors: CABS.

37. "Match Game" host Baldwin: ALEC.  Does this mean that the movie career of Alex Baldwin (né Alexander Rae Baldwin, III; b. Apr. 3, 1958) is over?

38. Earnest request: PLEA.

39. Algerian port: ORAN.

43. Land with fjords: NORWAY.

45. Clarke who played Daenerys on "Game of Thrones": EMILIA.  Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke (b. Oct. 23, 1986) is a British actress.

46. Sheepishly: MEEKLY.

47. Deputized bands: POSSES.

49. Second attempt: RETRY.

50. Radio settings: FMs.

51. Circular dashboard devices: DIALS.  Don't touch that Dial!

52. U.K. fliers: RAF.  As in the Royal Air Force.

54. Restorative resorts: SPAS.

55. Albeit, briefly: THO.

56. Barnyard layer: HEN.

57. Disturb: AIL.

58. Operate: RUN.

59. Pendulum path: ARC.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

I am back home again after having a nice visit with my Dad.  And no, I didn't come home to this game!

Passover begins this weekend.  For those who celebrate, Happy Pesach!