Friday October 17, 2025 Luke Nagel

At this point, MM is wondering if he should return early and stop RustyBrain's madness...but it's too late. Mwahaha!

This appears to be Luke Nagel's debut. Congrats! I hope it's not ONE AND DONE. Lets start with the revealer:

57. Like some NBA prospects, or like the answers to the starred clues: ONE AND DONE. This refers to the National Basketball Association's rule that requires players to be one year removed from high school to be eligible for the draft. Usually that means at least a year of college, but sometimes players opt to join foreign or minor leagues. For our purposes here, the phrase means that once you reach the letters "O-N-E," the answer is DONE and the remaining letter is deleted. I think. I tried to spell out the missing letters (T, D, S, S) to no avail. Let me know if you came up with something deeper.

17. *Camper's canopy: MOSQUITO NE. MOSQUITO NET.

24. *Whiskey cocktail: OLD FASHIONE. OLD FASHIONED.

36. *"Hackney Diamonds" rock band: THE ROLLING STONE. THE ROLLING STONES.

47. *Ford explorer?: INDIANA JONE. INDIANA JONES.

All the answers are straight forward, except for missing the final letter. Unfortunately, that mostly leaves us with nonsense words which I don't really like. If the last letters had spelled out a word like "DONE," it would have elevated this puzzle. It's Friday, so fun (tricky) clues abounded. Note my one caution square at the intersection of AMMAN and AIDAN - pick a vowel.

As players say in the NBA, "Show me the mone_."

Across:

1. Goes for a slice?: GOLFS. Or DUFFS - either way, a bad shot. Trickily, the clue suggests going to a pizzeria. 

6. Body wrap venue: SPA. Mrs. RightBrain tried out an new Egyptian SPA. I told her to go there again in two weeks before our Halloween party.

9. Honor roll figs.: GPAS. Grade Point Averages. I was an underwater student. All my grades were below C level.

13. WWII subs: U-BOATS. In World War II, German Unterseeboots (literally Under-sea Boats) were submarines that posed a significant threat to Allied ships.

15. Top: CAP. Baseball or bottle? You decide.

16. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" writer/illustrator Carle: ERIC. Classic.children's picture book.

17. [theme]

19. Pestered persistently: RODE. Especially by a mother-in-law on the road.

20. Nectar collectors: BEES.

21. Dict. offering: DEF. The Definition of a Dictionary is a reference book that lists the words of a language (typically in alphabetical order) and gives their meaning. You can look it up.

22. Mideast capital once named Philadelphia: AMMAN. AMMAN, Jordan is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Evidence of human habitation dates back to the Neolithic period of around 10,050 B.C. My, how time flies!

23. CIA predecessor: OSS. Office of Strategic Services.
 
24. [theme]

27. Party mix ingredient: CHEX. The CHEX Mix recipe first appeared on boxes in 1954 with the intent of selling more cereal. It's timing was fortuitous because as television usage grew, so did snacking in front of the small screen. It required a new snack that “could be eaten with your hands, offered a variety of flavors and textures, and was easy to put together.” Corn Chex, introduced in 1958, was later added to the mix. 

28. Elmo, for one: SAINT. A Muppet, for another.

29. Some parents: MAMAS. 

32. Blame (on): PIN. Blame the Tail on the Donkey! 

33. Fresh: AIRY. 

36. [theme]

40. Brine abundance: SALT. Actually, it's mostly water.

41. Take in: EAT.

42. Group that hosts an annual Mind Games board game competition: MENSA. I have the home edition:

43. "You've got to be kidding": OH MAN. 

45. Quit working: DIED. "Mac DIED this morning." "WHAT!?" "I mean he quit working to go to a doctor's appointment."

47. [theme]

50. Small shot: BBS. Big shot: BMOC.

53. Sweaters?: PORES. Where sweat pours out from.

54. Cy Young stat: ERA. Earned Run Average. A year after his death in 1955, the Cy Young Award was created to honor the best pitcher in Major League Baseball.

55. Spoken: ORAL. 

56. Norwegian royal name: OLAV. Famous for his smooth skin, his heirs later marketed his beauty secret: Oil of Olav.

57. [theme]

60. Stopping point?: DIME. Nowadays, I only stop for paper money.

61. Chop (off): LOP.

62. Brought out: EVOKED.

63. Swell places?: SEAS. Fun clue.

64. Pro-__: some tourneys: AMS. Where Professionals and Amateurs.team up and compete together.

65. Get into gear?: DRESS. Another fun clue.

Down:

1. Okra dish: GUMBO.

2. Orchestral group: OBOES.

3. Comes up short: LOSES. 

4. Online help pgs.: FAQS. A web page that answers Frequently Asked Questions, such as, "What does FAQ stand for?"

5. Fox Sports soccer analyst Holden: STU. Like many former players, he now sits in the booth as a color commentator providing expert analysis and insights. 

6. Jeer: SCOFF. 

7. Wok, e.g.: PAN.

8. Tailless simian: APE. AKA a Sans Simian.

9. Sprouted: GERMINATED. That gives me an idea...

10. Bump up: PROMOTION. I thought this clue should be "A bump up."

11. Gillen of "Mayor of Kingstown": AIDAN. I know him better as Lord Baelish, the conniving "Littlefinger" on Game of Thrones.

12. Cry from a high chair?: SCENE. "OUT!" Because it's higher that a director's chair! But the clue misdirect was for baby talk.

14. Crab-walk: SIDLE.

18. Local lecture series: TEDX. Part of the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference series.

22. Steak choice: AHI. For those days when you don't feel like wagyu.

24. Quite: OH SO. Sounds OH SO British.

25. Clarifying phrase: AS IN. I like word games, AS IN crosswords.

26. Crooned: SANG.

27. Many "Gone in 60 Seconds" characters: CAR THIEVES. Some would argue that the cars were the stars, like "Eleanor" here, which recently sold for $852,000.

29. Chain pts.: MTS. Chain Points? Parts? It's MOUNTAINS, but I initially thought of island chains.

30. __ moment: AHA. Much better than an OHO moment.

31. Soap ingredient: MELODRAMA. Cute clue. It means that borax is out.

32. Avocado discard: PIT. 

34. Hosp. workers: RNS. Registered Nurses work in Hospitals, but some are better than others.

35. "About __ big": YEA. 

37. Unlike Wagyu: LEAN. Wagyu is special due to its intense marbling, which gives it a unique tenderness, buttery texture, and rich flavor. Basically, that means expensive. 

38. "Henry, Come On" singer Del Rey: LANA. This clue is ultra-current as her country hit was only released in April. 

39. Hook hand?: SMEE. Ha ha! It's his right hand man. It's not you, it's SMEE!

44. More, in Spanish: MAS. 

45. 21st century explorer: DORA. She knew the answer to the last clue.

46. Foolish: INANE. Hey! Why are you looking at me?

47. Bygone Apple gadgets: IPODS. I've never heard of these! (I'm so young, you see...)

48. "Honest!": NO LIE. I swear! I don't know what IPODS are.

49. Gladiators, e.g.: JEEPS. He doesn't look so tough.

50. In need of change?: BROKE. Another good clue.

51. Curses: BANES.

52. Uses a coaster, perhaps: SLEDS. Uses a coaster, perhaps: PLEASES MY MOM. I wasn't born in a barn, you know, although she sometimes disputed this.

55. Scent: ODOR. 

57. São Paulo greeting: OLA. Brazilian greeting in Portuguese.

58. Oscar nod, briefly: NOM. Nomination. Oscar nods to Cookie Monster for sharing with him.

59. __ player: DVD. Another device that was waaaay before my time.

OK, I'm DONE.

Monday October 6, 2025 Agnes Davidson & Zhouqin Burnikel

All rise. The court is now in session, the Questionable Judge RustyBrain presiding - because sumdaze is in jail. Just kidding! She's actually out on bail. 

It's the trial of the century! Well, not quite, but when our boss, C.C., and our own Irish Miss collude, it's big news. In looking over the court documents, I see that that they have conspired over two dozen times in the past. I find them guilty of being habitual cruciverbalists!

The opening statement is the revealer:

37. Proceeding that may follow a subpoena, and what the ends of 16-, 23-, 46-, and 59-Across can make?: COURT APPEARANCE. Each of the following themers ends in a word that can be found in a courtroom.

16. Spot to paste a URL in a browser window: ADDRESS BAR. The BAR is the railing or barrier that separates the public area from the space reserved for judges, lawyers, and court officials. 

23. Holds firm against opposition: TAKES A STAND. The witness STAND is the location in a courtroom where a witness gives testimony. A witness called to testify is said to "take the stand."

46. Hall of Fame catcher who won two World Series with the Cincinnati Reds: JOHNNY BENCH. The judge's raised platform when presiding over a court is called the BENCH.

59. Place for oils and watercolors: ART GALLERY. The GALLERY refers to the public area in a courtroom where onlookers, citizens, and the media can observe court proceedings.

So, we have order in the court. All these answers are common phrases that match their clues. I also appreciate that the name-calling was kept to a minimum, or else I'd have to declare a mistrial. 

Let's see how the case unfolded:

Across:

1. "That's tragic": SO SAD. Too bad, SO SAD.

6. Bridal gown material: LACE. Also available in leather.

10. City ride with a sign on top: CAB. 

13. Ingredient in pepper pot soup: TRIPE. Campbell's discontinued Pepper Pot soup in 2010. Now it's hard to find a load of TRIPE.

14. Love, in telenovelas: AMOR. 

15. Temporary calm: LULL. I've been in the eye of a hurricane. After an hour's LULL with clear blue sky directly overhead, it struck again, except blowing in the opposite direction. Trees that were bent one way snapped as the storm wrenched them back the other way.

16. [theme]

18. Et __: and others: ALIA.

19. Extra charges: FEES. I hate hidden FEES. Especially in the travel industry, with flights and hotels being the worst.

20. Épée handle: HILT. Finally an épée clue where it's not the answer!

21. Colorado ski town: ASPEN. 

22. 48 hrs. before Sun.: FRI. Another cool way to clue a common answer. 

23. [theme]

25. Lose traction: SKID. 

27. Tree gunk: SAP. SAP from various trees has many uses: in foods, medicine and even sealants. Here's a cup Mrs. RightBrain gave me to use when collecting it: 

28. "Challenge accepted!": IT'S ON.

30. Colombian city: CALI.

33. Told a whopper: LIED. In our courtroom today, it would be perjury.

37. [theme]

40. Leg joint: KNEE. I prefer wing joints - like this one in Pompano Beach, FL that I've been going to for 45 years.

41. Raised, as horses: BRED. 

42. Cast member: ACTOR. Cast member: LEG JOINT.

43. Internet dial-up pioneer: AOL. America On-Line, I think. It's been forever.

45. Tech support caller: USER. TASS support caller: USSR.

46. [theme]

52. Clumsy fellow: OAF. Someone who says, "Oof," a lot.

55. Cropped up: AROSE. Cropped out: ERASE

56. Kapoor of "Slumdog Millionaire": ANIL. I could picture his face, but not his name. So I phoned a friend.

57. Openly declare: AVER.

58. Hornet, for one: WASP. Both are of the genus vespa, hence the sign they put up while building a nest in my garage.

59. [theme]

61. Blues singer James: ETTA. Finally squeezed in an album cover. Phew!

62. EverQuest monster: OGRE. EverQuest is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Your basic MMORPG.

63. Spine-chilling: EERIE.

64. __ Moines River: DES. From the French meaning "The Moines." Actually, I don't speak French. But the name probably doesn't mean "of the monks," and likely came from a Native American word, "Moingona," which referred to the local Illinois tribe and their path around the rapids.

65. Topple (over): KEEL. Usually a bad sign when the KEEL is over the topple.

66. Daisylike flower: ASTER.

Down:

1. Office crew: STAFF. Also available on office polos.

2. Cry from a judge: ORDER. Part of today's courtroom drama!

3. Tangential topic: SIDE ISSUE.

4. Car loan figs.: APRS. Annual Percentage Rate$

5. Poor grade: DEE. 

6. Corrective eye surgery: LASIK.

7. Meander along: AMBLE.

8. Paint applications: COATS. And here's a COAT of paint:

9. Miss the mark, maybe: ERR. This is wrong.

10. Mea __: acknowledgment of fault: CULPA. OK, you got me. ERR is right?

11. Out of this world?: ALIEN. 

12. Lacking seasoning: BLAND. Also a bad name for a new restaurant.

15. The cellar, in sports: LAST PLACE. Funny, this is the first place I'd go for sports.

17. Fish prized for its roe: SHAD.

21. Happy __ clam: AS A.

23. Add color to: TINT. 

24. Angkor Wat's continent: ASIA. Angkor Wat is a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia that is famous for being the world's largest religious monument.

26. Pampering spot known as jjimjilbang: KOREAN SPA. Unknown but inferable.

28. "Gross!": ICK. This clue is yucky.

29. Huge amount: TON.

30. EMS skill: CPR. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

31. Primate with no tail: APE. SO SAD that he had no tale to tell. 

32. Took the reins: LED. Took the vows - this lucky mare has been LED by the reins to the altar! Good thing she bought a copy of Modern Bridal.

34. Social butterfly's opposite: INTROVERT.

35. __-conscious: green-minded: ECO. "Green-minded" used to mean jealous.

36. German article: DER. I read a German article once, and the only word I knew was "DER."

38. With skill: ABLY.

39. Poison ivy reaction: RASH. 

44. Lowest roll on a die: ONE. 

45. School near Sunset Blvd.: UCLA. The University of California, Los Angeles chose Bruins as the team mascot because "Golden Bear" was already taken by Cal Berkley.

46. Talked and talked: JAWED. ORATE?

47. Speak in public: ORATE. JAWED?

48. Party planners: HOSTS.

49. Flat-bottomed boat: BARGE. I hate when they BARGE in like this.

50. Between, in French: ENTRE. Not to be confused your main meal or with entrez-vous which is "come in" in French. 

51. Hawthorne of "The Madness of King George": NIGEL. New to me but not to Brits. He was knighted in 1999.

53. Eagle's nest: AERIE.

54. Doughnut cooker: FRYER.

57. Hoppy brews: ALES. A hare of the dog?

59. Hunky-dory: AOK. The term "hunky dory" is widely believed to have originated from the Japanese phrase honcho dori ("main street"). When American sailors got disoriented (no pun intended) in town and found the main street that led back to port, they knew everything would be AOK.

60. Grassy expanse: LEA.

The court is adjourned. What's your verdict?