google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Rebecca Goldstein

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Showing posts with label Rebecca Goldstein. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rebecca Goldstein. Show all posts

Mar 6, 2024

Wednesday, Mar 6th, 2024 Rebecca Goldstein

  SOMETHIN' FISHY

A pretty straight-forward puzzle, although I fumbled in the SW corner with a "bad name" - at least there were just a few to contend with today.  Lots of clues that were merely clever definitions*, I thought - YMMV.  At first I surmised that the theme may have something to do with the "I" situated in the center(ish) of the theme fills - but no, it's three things that can be found "in the tank" - and I have added a fourth at the end of the theme answers.  I do not have the crossword comparison tools, but I recognize the constructor from previous grids.  The theme answers;

17. Family member with a heat lamp: PET IGUANA - I had a pet iguana - his name was Zeus, and he did NOT have a tank - he roamed my apartment freely, but due to some personal changes, he had to go to a zoo in Texas


The black thingy is his heat lamp


28. Military unit with mechanized forces: ARMORED DIVISION - this doesn't quite jibe for me - I suppose the personnel would be "in the tank"

47. Fuel that typically has an octane of 91 or higher: PREMIUM GASOLINE

63. On a losing streak, or where to find 17-, 28-, and 47-Across: IN THE TANK

Just add soothing music

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Subject with angles and equations: MATH - the only thing I studied in "math" was the teacher....

Van Halen - "Hot For Teacher" - OK, maybe not soothing....

5. Proofreader's catch: TYPO

9. Cork citizens: IRISH - and - 42A. __ Lingus: AER - their local airplane people

14. Juárez water: AGUA

15*. Collect crops: REAP

16. Accordion-heavy genre: POLKA

19. Got the fire going again: RELIT

20. "Indeed": "SURE" - One of Nero Wolfe's frequent comments is "Indeed"

21. "Greetings!": "HELLO~!"

23. Bring into play: USE

24. Beaver's building: DAM


26. Mosque leader: IMAM

36. Small touches: DABS

37. Like most highlighters: NEON

38. PBJ or BLT: SANDO - This must be regional, as no one I know refers to a sandwich as a sando - I have been known to call it a "sa'mich"

39. Double helix molecule: DNA

40. "Show me!": "CAN I SEE~!?"

43*. Milk source: UDDER

45. Like some JFK flights: INTernationaL

46. Classic Pontiacs: GTOs - I was more of a Mercury Cougar fan

They had rotating headlight doors and sequential tail-lights

50*. Inner workings: GUTS

51*. Sense of self: EGO

52. Golfer's goal: PAR

54. Tuesday fare: TACOS - I like tacos any day of the week~!

58. __ and file: RANK - us paycheck-to-paycheck types

61. Public meltdown, maybe: SCENE - as in to "make a ___"

66. Smudge: SMEAR

67. Pajama tops: TEES - that's what I wear

68. Pentathlon blade: EPEE

69. Trying times?: TESTS

70. "SportsCenter" channel: ESPN

71. First light: DAWN


DOWN:

1*. Travel guide: MAP

2. Forever and ever: AGES - EONS, AEON, nope.

3*. Ballet costume: TUTU

4. Side braids or side shaves: HAIRDOs

5. "Ur not wrong": TRU - text-speak

6. "Uh-huh": "YEAH."

7. Cut glass: PANE - an intended glass piece - unintentional, and it's a "shard"

8. Gem with a honey variety: OPAL - my first thought, but I waited for perps

Not so different from Amber

9. "Scout's honor!": "I PROMISE~!"

10. Ikura at the sushi bar: ROE - perps

11. Enlightenment-era secret society: ILLUMINATI - Part of the plot in the movie "Angels & Demons", and the first 10-letter non-theme Down fill

12. Travels cross-country?: SKIS - on my first pass, I missed the "s" at the end of travelS

13*. Abhor: HATE

18. Backpack contents: GEAR - uh, well, yeah - kinda vague

22. Tyler of "Empire Records": LIV

25. Actress Suvari: MENA -this actress - I had her confused with Mira Sorvino

27. Cute __ button: AS A

28. Make sense: ADD UP - if you saw my math teacher, it would "add up"

29. Short time off?: R AND R - clever; I like this one - Rest & Relaxation

30. C-suite qualifications: MBA DEGREES - the other 10-letter non-theme Down fill

31. Jorts fabric: DENIM - learning moment - I did not 60D what Jorts are - but in retrospect, it's pretty obvious now - Jean Shorts, and from what I read, sort of derogatory if men wear them - but on women, they're "Daisy Dukes"

The Dukes of Hazzard - and I loved the theme song

32. Word before or after nothing: DOING - doing nothing, or "nothin' doin'"

33. App with stories, familiarly: INSTAgram - I keep planning to do one for the Pipe Organ company, but I can never seem to get started

34. Ancient Greek theater: ODEON

35. Language on a longship: NORSE

Truth is, I'd really like to do a Viking Cruise

40. Beasties: CRITTERS

41. Ultimate word of an ultimatum: ELSE

44. Australian avian: EMU - I had to cheat on Saturday, and look up the word "Ratite"

46. Was a poor winner: GLOATED

48. Suni Lee's Olympic team: USA - her Wiki - born in our blog host's state of Minnesota~!

49. Brute: OGRE

52. Hissed summons: PSST

53. Top: ACME - had to wait on perps - this or APEX, for one

55*. Offer as proof: CITE

56. Individuals: ONES

57. Put one foot in front of the other?: STEP - I started with "WALK" - Bzzzt~!

59. Auto parts chain that shares a name with a California valley: NAPA


60. Didn't need to guess: KNEW

62. William Styron's "The Confessions of __ Turner": NAT - oops, not IKE

64. Where to watch for deals?: HSN - Home Shopping Network - never watched it myself

65. "I'm Just __": song sung by Ryan Gosling in "Barbie": KEN

Splynter



Jan 10, 2024

Wednesday, January 10, 2014 ~ Rebecca Goldstein

Hey Bartender!


19. "New Miserable Experience" pop band: GIN BLOSSOMS. I nailed it sans perps - I have the CD.


Hey Jealousy

25. Pepper named for its resemblance to a tam-o'-shanter: SCOTCH BONNET.
Recipe

52. Role for Jason Derulo in 2019's "Cats": RUM TUM TUGGER.

63. British desserts similar to cannoli: BRANDY SNAPS.

41. "Now you're talking!," and what can be said about the ts of 19-, 25-, 52-, and 63-Across: THATS THE SPIRIT.

That was (hic!) a bit (hic!) of fun, no? (hic!) Let's check the fill...

Across:
1. Range across eight European countries: ALPS. Those countries being France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.

5. Plays the kazoo, say: HUMS.

9. Pet also called a rainbow fish: GUPPY. I was thinking a tetra.

14. Look at: VIEW.

15. Best: ONE UP.

17. Really loud: AROAR.

18. "You are something __!": ELSE. The nerve!

19. [See: Theme]

21. Yelp user, e.g.: RATER. Yelp lets users RATE a service. Look at the 3 & 2-star comments to get a better idea. //my $0.02

23. Actor Hemsworth: LIAM.
LIAM

24. "Pagoda Fruit" artist Jean: ARP.
That's a "fruit?"

25. [See: Theme]

29. UPS alternative: DHL. German company founded in 1969 by Americans Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom, and Robert Lynn.

31. Bangs on the head?: HAIR. In the UK, it's called a fringe.

32. Annual awards: NOBELS. I prefer the Ig Nobels.

34. NNW opposite: SSE. North-northwest is opposite south-southeast.

36. Soda brand that turned 125 in 2023: PEPSI.

40. Ranted and __: RAVED.

41. [See: Theme]

44. Boscs and Bartletts: PEARS. Learned this years ago from crosswords.

45. Book list entry: TITLE.

46. San Jose Earthquakes org.: MLS. The Earthquakes are a Major League Soccer team.

47. Some mattresses: SERTAS.
 


49. Pond organism: ALGA.

51. Variety: ILK.

52. [See: Theme]

59. "More info soon" letters: TBA.

61. FaceTime alternative: ZOOM. Covid put this company on the map.

62. Drum kit component: SNARE.
 
A drum kit.  Wanna hear Neil Peart? [Letterman]

63. [See: Theme]

67. Actress __ Rachel Wood: EVAN.
 
Evan Rachel Wood

68. Yogurt-based dip: RAITA.
 
Recipe

69. Microwave feature: TIMER.

70. French head: TETE. Today's French lesson.

71. Made a choice: OPTED.

72. "Arrivederci!": CIAO. Today's Italian lesson.

73. Sluggish: SLOW.

Down:
1. Swears up and down: AVERS.

2. Purple hue: LILAC.

3. Herbaceous sauce: PESTO. Herbaceous? That's a new word on me.
 
I do love me some basil pesto


4. Honey: SWEET HEART. I had SWEETie pie.

5. Biker's ride: HOG. Did you know that's the stock-ticker symbol for Harley Davidson?

6. Singular prefix: UNI.

7. __ Park, California: MENLO.

8. Join the game as a replacement: SUB IN.

9. 5-Down fuel: GAS.

10. Major in astronomy?: URSA. Cute - the Great Bear constellation.
 
There must not have been much light pollution
 for them to get a bear out of this


11. Pitiable person: POOR DEVIL.

12. Printed handouts: PAMPHLETS.

13. Jr. and sr.: YRS. Not son & father but 3rd & 4th years of high-school or collage (aka UNI).

16. Scheme: PLAN.

20. Sign of things to come: OMEN.

22. Classic TV brand: RCA. Hi Misty!

26. Hula Hoop movers: HIPS.

27. "Ted Lasso" actor Goldstein: BRETT.
 
He played SWEET HEART foul-mouthed Roy Kent on Ted Lasso
and his stand-up is funny but NSFW / this Blog.


28. Pop singer Amos: TORI.

30. Psychopharmacology initials: LSD. Lysergic acid diethylamide - ask your parents about Timothy Leary.

33. Objects that attract iron filings: BAR MAGNETS. How is this not part of the theme? :-)

34. Good memory, metaphorically: STEEL TRAP. My mind is a steel trap... rusted shut.

35. Nickname given to Nemo by the Tank Gang: SHARK BAIT.
 


37. __ Beta Kappa: PHI.

38. Cohesive group: SET.

39. Imam's faith: ISLAM.

42. Russian ruler, once: TSAR.

43. Attack with water balloons, say: PELT.

44. Inflation letters: PSI. Pounds per Square Inch. And here I was thinking Consumer Price Index until, with ESP, the V-8 can hit.

48. __ Sheep: Peppa Pig's best friend: SUZY. A buddy of mine is trying to learn Mandarin by watching the Chinese version of Peppa Pig. Also, fun bit, Peppa Pig is giving American toddlers British Accents.

50. Gloomy guy: GUS.

53. More than half: MOST.

54. Elixir: TONIC. Add a lime & GIN for a G&T //theme adjacent?

55. Savory flavor: UMAMI. Added to tastes sweet, salty, sour, & bitter in 1907 by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda of Japan after an especially good bowl of miso (er, kombu dashi - aka, seaweed & tofu to us 'Mericans).

56. Judge's hammer: GAVEL.

57. Muse of poetry: ERATO.

58. Sign up for another season: RENEW. I can't tell you how many streaming services we have (no really, I don't know!) and they magically renew.

60. Two chips, say: ANTE. Do Brits sweeten the pot with crisps? ;-)

63. Certain sib: BRO. I have two. And two SISes.

64. Papa: DAD. Pop is the DAD of all five (5) of us.

65. Wasabi-coated snack: PEA.

66. Sellout letters: SRO. Standing Room Only. I've been to a few SRO games; tell you what - even if you had a seat, you'd be standing out of excitement at every pitch.

The Grid:
 
The Grid


WOs: SWEETie pie
ESPs: SCOTCH BONNET, RUM TUM TUGGER, EVAN
Fav: BAR MAGNETS and TONIC are other Easter Eggs.

That was a lot to swill. But, S.O.B., gimme a drink before I get the Night Sweats.

Cheers, -T

Dec 26, 2023

Tuesday, December 26th, 2023, Rebecca Goldstein

 PHYSICS 101

Hi there~! - A quick solve for me today, only four proper names, three of which I had no clue about, and a 'simple' theme/reveal.  Two each of 13- and 9-letter theme answers, with some chunky 8-, 9-, and 10-letter DOWN answers in the mix, again leading to several three-letter fills.  BTW, this puzzle featured many of what I think are 'typical' 4- and 5-letter answers, but with too many choices that potentially "fit".  The clues are marked "*", so you can see what I mean....


18. Make a real mess: SCREW THINGS UP

oops

33. Gymnastics rings position held with the body parallel to the ground: LEVER HANG - I will be able to do this by the end of 2024 - NOT~!

39. Feature of some espadrilles: WEDGE HEEL - I did not know an espadrille was a shoe; but I recognize them now~!


53. Force-multiplying device that can be found at the beginning of 18-, 33-, and 39-Across:

SIMPLE MACHINE - see the links in blue for examples

 
And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Finishes: ENDS

5. Spill the beans: BLAB

9. Chest muscle, for short: PECtoral - doesn't help with the lever hang....

12. In __ of: LIEU

13. Credit card user: PAYER - uh, well, not necessarily....

14*. "It follows logically that ... ": ERGO - THUS, too

15. Maintain: KEEP - I like this kind of KEEP



16. "Me too," more formally: "AS DO I"

17. State of mind: MOOD

21. Chillingly strange: EERIE

22*. "Pronto!": ASAP - or STAT~?

23. Many moons __: AGO

26*. Rightmost computer menu, often: HELP - HOME, FILE, EDIT, VIEW, DRAW - a great clue for a 'common' word - I had to think about the software I use before I could pick the correct one

 
AutoCAD

28. Cloak and __: DAGGER

30. Tortoise's fabled competitor: HARE

36. Norse god of war: ODIN

37. Collaborative sites: WIKIs

38. Another, in Spanish: OTRA

41. Witnessed: SEEN - I have SEEN images of guys wearing the next answer....

42. Swim team swimwear: SPEEDO - which brings to mind the word "UNSEE"....

43. Toward sunrise: EAST

46. Extra sports periods, briefly: OTs

47*. Per person: A POP - EACH, too

50. Chops, as an onion: DICES

57. Japanese noodle: UDON

59. Dog collar dangler: ID TAG

60. Notion: IDEA

61. Come to a stop: HALT

62. "You've got some __!": "NERVE~!"


 
63. Shakespeare's mad king: LEAR

64. "Yellowjackets" network, briefly: SHO - No clue, but I had two-thirds via crossings

65. Mardi __: pre-Lenten festival: GRAS

66. Annoys: IRKS

DOWN:

1. Part of BPOE: ELKS - as usual, I started with the DOWNS clues first, and was on a roll quickly....

2. Nephew's sister: NIECE - check

3. Brand of riding mowers: DEERE - check

4. Ruins at Durrington Walls that once consisted of wooden posts, not stones: SUPERHENGE - ....but here I was denied STONE henge, so it had to be something else

5*. Giant party: BASH - FETE, GALA~?

6. Winona's "Beetlejuice" role: LYDIA - ya know, I have never seen this movie....and I don't plan to

7. Very long time: AEONS

8. Units led by colonels: BRIGADES - I'm not military, nor anyone in my family, but PLATOONS fit, as well; the Charge of the Light Brigade gives me a gratuitous opportunity to link Iron Maiden


 
The Trooper


9. Grow cuttings from a succulent, say: PROPAGATE - succulent~?


10. Alter __: EGO

11. Fish that may be black or blue: COD

13. Dev of "Lion": PATEL - perps

14. Down Under bird: EMU

19. Golfer Michelle __ West: WIE - perps

20. Practice in the ring: SPAR

24*. Bookstore section: GENRE - HOW TO was my first thought

 25. Liver, for one: ORGAN - I do have a "liver", but I deal with a different kind of "ORGAN"

Reinstalled six reed pipes, buried in a corner behind the chamber in the shot;

my 'boss' is packing up on the right

A pain in the a** to get to, I might add

 27. Ballet barre bend: PLIÉ

29. Pepper in extremely hot curry dishes: GHOST CHILI - no clue; the CHILI part filled in, but I WAGed the GHOST half

30. "Can you explain?": "HOW SO~?"

31. Skilled (at): ADEPT

32. Works alone: RIDES SOLO - meh.  Unless you're a cowboy~?

34. __ out a win: almost lose: EKE

35. Disgusting: VILE

37. Extraordinarily large: WHOPPING

40. Dutch cheese: EDAM

44*. "Better late than never," e.g.: ADAGE - AXIOM, IDIOM~?  I always forget which

45. [as per the original]: SIC

48. More mature: OLDER

49. Historic site in Jordan known as the Rose City: PETRA - Dah~! ( see 58D., below ) I shoulda known this from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"


51*. Duck down: EIDER -ha~! I read this clue as 'heads up'; AVOID, EVADE, ELUDE~? - Bzzzt~!

52. Go on tiptoe: SNEAK

54. Picked-off pass, for short: INTerception - football, which is a sport I do like....

55. Big D NBA squad: MAVs -  Thought it was the NUGgetS - but they're DENVER, not DALLAS - I am a total NON-basketball guy

56. Prominent feature of a fennec fox: EARS - I tried TAIL first

na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-NA - BATMAN~!

57*. Hesitation syllables: UHs - ERs, UMs~?

58. Lah-di-__: DAH - or, my clue, the "I shoulda got that" noise, like "D'Oh~!"


Splynter




Dec 17, 2023

Sunday December 17, 2023 Rebecca Goldstein & Rachel Fabi

Theme:  "Creatures of Habit" - Each common phrase, in the pattern of *ING + creature, is humorously rephrased.

22. Canine that thinks it's an old-timey news announcer?: CRYING WOLF.

32. Bird that thinks it's a television show host?: TALKING TURKEY.

48. Marsupial that thinks it's an actor?: PLAYING POSSUM.

67. Tabbies that think they're collies?: HERDING CATS.

86. Insects that think they're outfielders?: CATCHING FLIES.

99. Lambs that think they're census takers?: COUNTING SHEEP.

115. Bird that thinks it's a restaurant critic?: EATING CROW.

I wonder who came up with the title. So perfectly captures the theme/clue approach of this puzzle.

Here is a short bio of Rebecca. Here is Rachel's website. Both are amazing constructors.

Across:

1. Squirrel's cheekful: ACORN.

6. Whole bunch: SCAD.

10. "I did it!": TA DA.

14. Spumante specification: BRUT.

18. Faith with a shrine in the Hanging Gardens of Haifa: BAHAI. I bet Hahtoolah has been here.


19. Healing succulent: ALOE.

20. Silent stars?: MIMES. Lovely clue.

21. "The Chi" creator Waithe: LENA.


24. Bikini in the Pacific, e.g.: ATOLL.

25. Eager: AVID.

26. Any minute now: SOON.

27. Corvallis sch.: OSU. Oregon State University. The Beavers. Tom Pepper graduated from University of Oregon. The Ducks. This picture was taken on Nov 1, 2013. He likes that hat.

(Left to Right: George Barany, David Liben-Nowell, Matt Ginsberg, C.C. & Tom Pepper)

28. Ridiculous: INANE.

29. Flanged fasteners: T NUTS. Also 74. Minor in Hollywood: D LIST. 81. Cable network that's a nonprofit: C SPAN.

30. Willingness to support: BUY IN.

36. Contacted privately, in a way: DM'ED.

38. Craps cube: DIE.

39. Egyptian peninsula: SINAI.

40. Ingredient in some vegan marshmallows: AGAR.

42. "The curl experts" hair care brand: OUIDAD. Unfamiliar to me. What does the word mean?

45. Tourney favorite: TOP SEED.

51. Agcy. that oversees PubMed: NIH.

52. Snare: NET.

54. Cambridgeshire cathedral city: ELY.

55. Brewery shipments: CASES.

56. Cheer syllable: RAH.

58. Snapple rival: NESTEA.

60. "Homeland" org.: CIA.

61. Opposite of 33-Down: HOLA. 33. Opposite of 61-Across: ADIOS.

62. Sets to zero, as a scale: TARES. Learned from doing crosswords.

64. Runs very slowly: SEEPS.

65. Alight: LAND.

71. Pound sounds: ARFS.

72. Pot payments: ANTES.

75. Inflict upon: DO TO.

77. Italian three: TRE.

78. Big name in financial services: SCHWAB. They bought TD Ameritrade last year.

80. Fashion monogram: YSL.

82. Trouble: AIL.

83. Observe: SEE.

84. Cozy room: DEN.

 90. Teensy bit: SMIDGEN.

93. Wool type: MERINO.

94. Olympic swimmers Crocker and Thorpe: IANS. Ian Thorpe is known for his powerful 6-beat kicks. We also have 104. Swim events: MEETS.

95. "Groovy": NEATO.

96. Picture of Pluto?: CEL. Pluto the dog.

97. "Star __": WARS.

107. Takes a victory lap, maybe: TROTS.

108. Reads (over): PORES.

109. Frozen solid?: ICE.

111. Caramel candy sold in a tube: ROLO.

113. Word after "Lavender" and "Purple," in song titles: HAZE.

114. Red Monopoly piece: HOTEL.

118. Finished: OVER.

119. __ City: Pittsburgh: STEEL.

120. "__ did I just watch?": WHAT.

121. Don: PUT ON.

122. Try again: REDO.

123. Little helper?: ASST. Little hints at Abbr.

124. Simplicity: EASE.

125. Pedometer units: STEPS.

Down:

1. Basics: ABCS.

2. Pod used as a chocolate substitute: CAROB.

3. "Such a flirt!": OH YOU.

4. Occasion to carry an umbrella: RAINY DAY. Cloudy, rainy here, but not cold.

5. Diarist Anaïs: NIN.

6. Carpentry tools: SAWS.

7. Social capital: CLOUT.

8. Pioneering ISP: AOL.

9. Pt. of HDTV: DEF.

10. Phoebe or Cronus: TITAN.

11. Surrounded by: AMONGST.

12. Mutation that removes a DNA sequence: DELETION. Might be Rachel's clue.

13. Interpretation first provided for a SOTU address in 2021: ASL.

14. Comfort item for some tots: BLANKIE.

15. Light show?: REVUE.

16. Principle celebrated on the first night of Kwanzaa: UNITY.

17. Iotas: TADS.

20. __-pedi: MANI. Someone asked about my hand cream last week. This saved me.



23. Used up: GONE.

28. Stores with Småland play areas: IKEAS.

29. Gives a zero-star review, say: TRASHES.

31. Cry from a Mega Millions winner: I'M RICH.

34. Ball caps or bottle caps: LIDS.

35. Remove from the top of an inbox, say: UNPIN.

37. Musher's conveyance: DOGSLED.

40. Partnerships: ALLIANCES.

41. Jam at a Pride Parade: GAY ANTHEM.

43. Awake before the alarm: UP EARLY.

44. Headwear sported by Rihanna on the cover of British Vogue: DURAG. Preferred over DORAG

46. Consider, as an idea: ENTERTAIN.

47. Prepares at a state fair, perhaps: DEEP-FRIES. Come here and try our fried pickles.

48. Gym: PE CLASS.

49. Lye, in a lab: NAOH.

50. Syst. between Baltimore and D.C.: MARC. OK, Maryland Area Rail Commuter. Unknown to me.

53. Fez danglers: TASSELS.

57. Enters: HEADS IN.

59. __ cucumber: SEA.

62. Blast letters: TNT.

63. "This is your last warning!": STOP NOW.

66. Droplets on a cobweb: DEW.

68. LP or EP, e.g.: DISC.

69. Official religion of Djibouti: ISLAM.

70. Deer sir: STAG.

73. Turns blue?: SADDENS.

76. Burning: ON FIRE.

79. Sired: BEGAT.

81. Easter Island's country: CHILE.

85. Nasal irrigation vessels: NETI POTS. Looks uncomfortable.

87. Backstage crew: TECHS.

88. First Nations people: CREE.

89. Like some intricate designs: LASER CUT.

91. Before birth: IN UTERO.

92. "I love everything you've done here": NO NOTES.  Just perfect.

98. "I'll drink to that": AMEN.

99. Hunger for: CRAVE.

100. Ran very slowly: OOZED.

101. Receive: GREET. I mentioned last time that I bumped into Boomer's old colleague Steve at the pool last month. He kindly invited me as his guest to the annual Graybar Retiree Luncheon. The couple in the second picture told me about their granddaughter, who received the very last Debra Burnikel Scholarship.

C.C. & Steve Bauer, 12/14/2023
 

Joan, Allen Silver & C.C.

102. Put on the market: SELL.

103. Breads with pockets: PITAS.

105. Rich cake: TORTE. Graybar had this and carrot cake on their menu.


106. Single-masted sailboat: SLOOP.

107. Mjölnir wielder: THOR.

110. Give credit to: CITE.

112. Possesses: OWNS.

114. Employee benefit option, for short: HSA. Health Savings Account.

115. Manchego source: EWE.

116. Cry of recognition: AHA.

117. Path finder in a Pathfinder, briefly: GPS.

C.C.



Oct 1, 2023

Sunday October 1, 2023 Rebecca Goldstein

(Sorry, no write-up today as I'm dealing with some tough stuff. If you have any questions, please visit the Comments section.)

 

Theme: "Tick Tock"

22A. Screen time?: BACKGROUND CHECK.

41A. Face time?: HAIR AND MAKEUP.

64A. Flex time?: MR OLYMPIA.

87A. Run time?: ULTRA MARATHON.

109A. Party time?: PRIMARY ELECTION.

15D. Set time?: OPEN MIC NIGHT.

57D. Tee time?: CASUAL FRIDAY.

 

Across:

1. West Coast wine region: NAPA.

5. "It __ me": WASN'T.

10. Mythical beast: OGRE.

14. Flower with hips: ROSE.

18. Tandoor, e.g.: OVEN.

19. Skateboard trick: OLLIE.

20. Mouth-y?: ORAL.

21. Stack next to a boombox: TAPES.

25. Narrowly avoid: AVERT.

26. Tapped container: ALE KEG.

27. Small sip: TASTE.

28. Departure spot: POINT A.

29. Knock-__: KNEED.

30. Smidge: DAB.

31. Not pizzicato: ARCO.

33. Ilhan of Congress: OMAR.

34. Die dot: PIP.

35. "Empire" actress Long: NIA.

37. Aches and pains: ILLS.

39. Like 33-Across: SOMALI.

45. Food with a Peruvian holiday in its honor: CEVICHE.

48. Line of sight?: I SEE.

49. Green gamers: NOOBS.

50. "I reject your offer": NO SALE.

52. "Pronto!": NOW.

53. Inflicts on: DOES TO.

55. Deceive verbally: LIE TO.

56. Cycle: BIKE.

57. Documentary filmmaker Erin Lee __: CARR.

58. Singer Del Rey: LANA.

61. Direct or instant things: MESSAGES.

63. Genius Bar devices: MACS.

67. Like a used fireplace: ASHY.

68. Not great: JUST OKAY.

70. "The Show Goes On" rapper __ Fiasco: LUPE.

71. Kick out of a seat: OUST.

72. PC gaming hardware company: ASUS.

73. Nash of "Never Have I Ever": NIECY.

75. Nursery furniture: CRADLE.

78. By way of: VIA.

79. Pampering place for a boxer: PET SPA.

80. Former planet: PLUTO.

81. Vanilla extract amts.: TSPS.

85. Sports injury: ACL TEAR.

90. Crossed, as a stream: FORDED.

92. Home to Pha That Luang: LAOS.

93. "Totes": DEF.

94. Comm. from some interpreters: ASL.

95. Glasses, in a pinch: JARS.

97. Genesis garden: EDEN.

99. ER drips: IVS.

100. Advil competitor: ALEVE.

102. Made a long story short?: EDITED.

104. Dashboard readout: GAUGE.

106. Badenov's partner in cartoon crime: FATALE.

108. Acknowledge silently: NOD AT.

113. Test result: GRADE.

114. Lead-in to some bad news: WELP.

115. Dog to beware: BITER.

116. Calle __ Festival: annual event in Miami's Little Havana: OCHO.

117. Taylor-Joy of "The Menu": ANYA.

118. Noun suffix: NESS.

119. Technical deets: SPECS.

120. Inert gas: NEON.

Down:

1. Noodle: NOB.

2. "Abbott Elementary" principal: AVA.

3. Gooey, nutty dessert: PECAN PIE.

4. Talus locale: ANKLE.

5. Meal on an expense report: WORK DINNER.

6. Plant with a hedgehog variety: ALOE.

7. Mollusk with a banana variety: SLUG.

8. Diarist Anaïs: NIN.

9. "Ideas worth spreading" lectures: TED TALKS.

10. Utters delight: OOHS.

11. "Barbie" director Gerwig: GRETA.

12. Track figures: RACERS.

13. Wapiti: ELK.

14. Stuffed pasta: RAVIOLI.

16. Casper competitor: SERTA.

17. To be, in Bogotá: ESTAR.

21. East Asian principle: TAO.

23. Davis of "A League of Their Own": GEENA.

24. Cord cutters' lack: CABLE.

28. Grapefruit kin: POMELOS.

29. Korean coupes: KIAS.

30. Toy derived from the Chinese yo-yo: DIABOLO.

32. South American herbal brew: COCA TEA.

34. Gritty's team, on scoreboards: PHI.

36. Fusses: ADOS.

38. Light therapy box: SUNLAMP.

40. Map abbr.: AVE.

42. Works with black boxes: REDACTS.

43. Zinger: MOT.

44. Luau dish: POI.

46. Cornball: HOKEY.

47. Some lambs: EWES.

51. Trucker's truck: SEMI.

54. Estimate qualifier: ORSO.

56. Angela of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever": BASSETT.

59. Everyone in the South?: ALL Y'ALL.

60. Campus near NoHo: NYU.

62. "Better Call __": SAUL.

63. Noted work?: MUSIC.

64. Front of house position: MAITRE'D.

65. Some cover crops: RYES.

66. Dodgeball setting: PE CLASS.

68. Coffee, colloquially: JAVA.

69. Tended to some knots: KNEADED.

71. Sneaker inserts: ODOR EATERS.

74. PC core: CPU.

76. Piña colada need: RUM.

77. Somewhat: A TAD.

79. Apiece: PER.

80. Book after Psalms: PROVERBS.

82. Frozen Hawaiian treat: SHAVE ICE.

83. Model: POSE.

84. Sarah Sherman's show, for short: SNL.

86. Open-faced taco: TOSTADA.

88. Subarctic biome: TAIGA.

89. Insurance company with a spokesgoose: AFLAC.

91. Thermometer unit: DEGREE.

95. Game whose outdoor version can be five feet tall: JENGA.

96. Bedazzle, say: ADORN.

98. Hammer targets: NAILS.

101. Pop star John: ELTON.

103. Summer on the Riviera: ETE.

105. Strike callers: UMPS.

106. Fancy function: FETE.

107. Smart __: ALEC.

109. Destroy in esports: PWN.

110. Sharp bark: YIP.

111. "Well, well, well!": OHO.

112. Toulouse turndown: NON.

C.C.



Sep 20, 2023

Wednesday 20 September, 2023 ~ Rebecca Goldstein

Envy much?

16. Injury sustained while making guacamole: AVOCADO HAND. Never heard of this but a quick Google says it's like bagel-hand  -- you slice the *explicate* out of your hand while cutting your food.

29. Person aggressively opposed to progress: MOSSBACK. Another never heard of. I kept trying to fit Luddite but perps said no. Google says: MOSSBACK - An old-fashioned or extremely conservative person.

34. First track on Fleetwood Mac's "Mystery to Me" album: EMERALD EYES. Yet another I didn't know.

40. Nitwit: PEA-BRAIN. I've heard of this one - usually directed at me.

54. Marvel Comics supervillain, or a creature made up of 16-, 29-, 34-, and 40-Across?: GREEN GOBLIN. Finally, my mispent youth pays off!

There you have it - different shades of green for different body parts of the
 
The Green Goblin

Across:
1. Poaching targets: EGGS. Is this a Dr. Seuss bonus themer?


5. Afghanistan's capital: KABUL. My little (Army) Bro spent a tour there.

10. "Rumor __ it ... ": HAS.

13. Alpaca product: WOOL.

14. "One more song!": ENCORE.
 
How it Started

How it's Going

15. One in a concert lineup: AMP.
 
Story behind the Marshall Stack

16. [See: theme]

18. NFL arbiter: REF.

19. John Fetterman's title, briefly: SEN.
 
(D) Pennsylvania

20. Bat mitzvah, e.g.: RITE.

21. "Here's the one-sentence version" letters: TL;DR. Too Long; Didn't Read.

23. Makes urgent decisions?: TRIAGES. I was in a field medical unit so I learned all about this. Avocado Hand is treatable and not life threatening.

25. Dangerous pool in a video game: LAVA PIT.

28. "Perfect is the __ of the good": ENEMY.

29. [See: theme]

30. Violets or lilacs: FLOWERS.
 
Pretty with a lovely aroma

33. __ Tomé and Príncipe: SAO.
 
Found it!

34. [See: theme]

37. Wood-burning stove buildup: ASH.

39. More icky: GROSSER. Eew(er)?

40. [See: theme]

43. Theater walkway: AISLE.

47. Pico de gallo pepper: SERRANO.
 
Hotness on Scoville Scale

48. Czech Republic region: BOHEMIA.

50. Urban haze: SMOG.

51. Deutschland city on the Rhein: KOLN.  German name for the city of Cologne.

52. Corn unit: EAR.

53. Steamed bun in Asian cuisine: BAO.
 
Yum!

54. [See: theme]

58. BYOB part: OWN. Bring Your OWN Beer.

59. Word on the California state seal: EUREKA. There's gold in them thar hills! [The real money was in selling shovels, sluice pans & Levi's :-)].

60. "What __ is new?": ELSE.

61. Social science subj.: PSY. Psychology.

62. Faculty positions: DEANS.

63. Turned red?: DYED. Ha!

Down:
1. Discarded Apples, e.g.: E-WASTE. Your old iThings.

2. Do House work?: GOVERN. If they'd do their job.

3. Mouth, Chunk, or Data, in a 1985 film: GOONIE. Total gimmie. Goonies is a movie from the '80's and absolutely fun.
 

Hey You Guys!

4. 2002 Winter Games host, initially: SLC. Salt Lake City. Mitt Romney made that happen.

5. Pretzel shapes: KNOTS.
 
Fun With Food

6. Throb: ACHE.

7. __ constrictor: BOA. A snake.

8. Caterer's coffee container: URN.

9. Some Best Buy buys, briefly: LED TVS. My old TV (that was in my study (it was the living room TV until it got funky)) died. I found two TVs we gave to the Girls when they were little. One was so old it couldn't decode over the air HD signals. The other has a HD tuner and is the only DVD player in the house.

10. "Absolutely not": HARD PASS. I kept thinking "HARD NO."

11. IN place?: AMERICA. Indiana is in America.

12. Sunblock letters: SPF. Sun Protection Factor.

14. Actress Falco: EDIE.
 
Edie Falco

17. Knitting pattern: ARGYLE. R.I.P. our buddy Santa.

22. Research site: LAB.

24. Radio switch letters: AM/FM. Do you really want me to go into Amplitude Modulation / Frequency Modulation?
 
Waveforms

25. House of __: LORDS. I inked caRDS.

26. Donkeys: ASSES.

27. MMA decision: TKO. Mixed Martial Arts / Technical Knock Out.

29. Honeydew, e.g.: MELON.

31. Instrument with pipes: ORGAN.  Splynter can tell you all about their innards.
 
Organ at Catlett Music Center, OU

32. Nintendo antagonist with a "W" on his cap: WARIO This calls for SNL.
 

Anyone else reading Walter Issacson's Elon Musk?

34. "Get Who Gets You" dating site: E-HARMONY. We usta get A-words; now they're all E-lectronic.

35. "Don't think so": YEAH, NO.

36. Canal with a museum in Syracuse: ERIE.

37. High-level HS courses: APS.

38. Vacillates: SEE SAWS. Goes back and forth; up and down.

41. Dude: BRO.

42. Worn out: RAGGED.

44. Hardly fresh: SMELLY.

45. Connect (with): LIAISE.

46. Worked for: EARNED.

48. Knocks on the head: BONKS. I had Conks cuz' I was going for Croatia on the across.

49. Gymnast Korbut: OLGA.
 
Olga Korbut

51. Eager: KEEN.

53. Knock on the head: BOP.

55. Have buyer's remorse, say: RUE.

56. Significant period: ERA.

57. Vegetable plot: BED. My garden BED burned up 'cuz of 45+ days of 3-digit temps and no rain. Even my cacti are crying uncle.

Only think left to do is paste the grid:
 
The Grid


Oh, you want'd the -T report?
WOs: caRDS, cONKS
ESPs: Most of ACOCADO HAND & EMERALD EYES. All of MOSSBACK, OLGA, SAO
Fav: Goonie

Cheers, -T