Theme: "All in a Day's Work" - Each common phrase is rephrased as if it's part of the job description fitting the professional in the clue.
23. Part of an orchestra conductor's job description?: KNOW THE SCORE.
34. Part of a deckhand's job description?: TIE THE KNOT.
42. Part of an EPA technician's job description?: TEST THE WATERS.
66. Part of a wedding caterer's job description?: TAKE THE CAKE.
72. Part of an angler's job description?: HOLD THE LINE.
95. Part of a museum curator's job description?: GET THE PICTURE.
102. Part of a road maintenance worker's job description?: PAVE THE WAY.
119. Part of a set designer's job description?: MAKE THE SCENE.
We've
seen fitting job themes in the past few years, but none with this "verb
+ the + noun" consistency. This extra layer attracted Pattie's
attention, I'm sure.
Very smooth fill, as expected from two veteran constructors. So few proper names. Not easy to pull it off.
Across:
1. Goes on to say: ADDS.
5. Thinks the world of: ADORES.
11. Stain layer: COAT.
15. Chat__: GPT. GPT stands for Generative Pre-training Transformer. A mouthful.
18. Evening, in Venice: SERA.
19. Cool Ranch snack brand: DORITOS.
21. Wheelbarrow part: AXLE.
22. Bike tire filler: AIR.
25. Sensitivity training exercise: ROLE PLAY. Role-play training.
27. Doodlebug, e.g.: ISOPOD.
28. Focused, at work: ON TASK.
30. Cold snap temps: TEENS.
31. Annapurna's country: NEPAL. Annapurna's is the 10th-highest mountain in the world.
32. Hill builder: ANT.
37. Hidden: SECRETED.
41. "You saved the day!": MY HERO.
46. Subside a bit: EASE OFF.
50. "Blech!": UGH.
51. Pack animal: ASS.
52. Penny prez: ABE.
53. Lane marked with diamonds: Abbr.: HOV.
54. Texter's chuckle: LOL.
55. "Tough noogies": TOO BAD.
58. All thumbs: CLUMSY.
60. Expatriate: EMIGRE. Am I an emigre?
63. Puff from an iron: STEAM.
64. Pie __ mode: ALA.
68. Toddler's siesta: NAP TIME.
71. Tiny puncture: PINHOLE.
76. Install, as carpeting: LAY.
77. Moisten while roasting: BASTE. I associate this word with Thanksgiving turkey.
81. Oil-rich peninsula: ARABIA.
82. Criticize sharply: ASSAIL.
84. Prepared for takeoff: TAXIED.
85. Tip, briefly: REC. Recommendation.
86. Cars singer Ocasek: RIC.
88. Coffee holder: URN.
89. Like unsewn edges: RAW.
91. Sharks and minnows, essentially: TAG. Is this a gimme to you guys?
92. Camrys and Corollas: TOYOTAS.
99. Like winter base layers: WOOLEN.
101. 96-Down member: HOOPSTER. 96. Charlotte NBA team: HORNETS.
106. Caviar: ROE.
107. Drops from the sky: RAINS.
111. Select few: ELITE.
112. Greet the day: AWAKEN.
115. Famous Liverpudlian: LENNON. John Lennon was born in Liverpool.
116. Heart-pumping class: AEROBICS.
122. French vineyard designation: CRU.
123. Quite frequently: A LOT.
124. Western topper: STETSON.
125. White-tailed sea eagle: ERNE. I want to have a dark green tail.
126. Sci-fi subjects: ETS.
127. Sheer delight: GLEE.
128. Lengthy exam answers: ESSAYS.
129. Planetary system center: STAR. And 75. Third in a noted set of eight: EARTH. Solar system planets.
Down:
1. More than greet at the door: ASK IN.
2. Like thick fog: DENSE.
3. Turn down?: DROOP. Truly "turn down".
4. Looked beyond: SAW PAST.
5. Med. condition that often presents in childhood: ADHD.
6. Forest female: DOE.
7. Hosp. theaters: ORS. Not famliar with this "operating theater" meaning.
8. Lasagna cheese: RICOTTA.
9. British boarding school by the Thames: ETON.
10. Separate, as laundry: SORT.
11. Ignition insert: CAR KEY.
12. Good Grips brand: OXO.
13. The complete set: ALL.
14. Vacillates: TEETERS.
15. Ancient Greek physician: GALEN. Google shows that he served several Roman Emperors, including Marcus Aurelius.
16. Grand instrument: PIANO.
17. Lovers' meeting: TRYST.
20. Stadium spot: SEAT.
24. Vacancy sign: TO LET.
26. Orange __ tea: PEKOE.
29. Virtual city population: SIMS.
32. Son of Zeus: ARES.
33. Reportage: NEWS.
35. Ted's alternate nickname: THEO.
36. Cry aboard a frigate: HEAVE HO.
38. Landlocked African country: CHAD. The other answer is MALI. We also have 53. Spotted African predator: HYENA.
39. List-shortening abbr.: ET AL.
40. World premiere: DEBUT.
42. Sounds of disapproval: TUTS.
43. Four-award acronym: EGOT.
44. Cleat or clog: SHOE.
45. Update after a survey: RE-MAP.
47. Gymnast Korbut: OLGA.
48. Food picker-upper: FORK.
49. Hightail it: FLEE.
56. Cozy inn, casually: B AND B.
57. Master luthier: AMATI. From Cremona.
58. Sleeveless tops, briefly: CAMIS. And
74. Like some wedding gowns: LACY.
59. Craft: SKILL.
61. __ toast: MELBA.
62. Alpine climber's tool: ICE AX.
64. Noshed: ATE.
65. Pastel purple hue: LILAC.
67. "Above __ deep and dreamless sleep / The silent stars go by": THY.
69. Egyptian ruler: PHARAOH.
70. Follow: ENSUE.
72. Stag: HART.
73. Milkshake mix-in at Five Guys: OREO.
78. In __: as found: SITU.
79. Shred: TEAR.
80. Periphery: EDGE.
83. Gaga over: INTO.
84. Silly billy: TWIT.
87. Archipelago piece: ISLE.
89. Property takeback: REPO.
90. Cathedral recess: APSE.
93. Have a debt with: OWE TO.
94. Canvas carrier: TOTE BAG. So many people go crazy over Trader Joe's mini tote bags.
95. Nibble (on): GNAW.
97. Agriculture goddess: CERES. Roman goddess.
98. Hypnotic states: TRANCES.
100. Discarded cells: E WASTE.
102. Tranquility: PEACE.
103. Warning: ALERT.
104. Computer bug: VIRUS.
105. Some purple tubers: YAMS. Just bought some at the farmers market. I like boiling them with walnuts.
Today's constructor is Susan Gelfand who is making her 34th appearance on
the Corner. She presents us with 5 punny theme clues all beginning
with the word "Presentation", and fills them with in the language
phrases that are trying to demonstrate something or convince us of something ...
17A.
Presentation on an organic flytrap?: WEB ADDRESS. This one
brings to mind the valiant attempts of a spider to save a pig ...
24A. Presentation on how to generate chemistry when matchmaking?:SPARK PLUG. The perfect match for generating internal combustion in your engine
...
37A. Presentation on hot dogs?: FRANK DISCUSSION. Frankly these
famous hotdogs are the greatest (but the winners of their contest are
CRAZY!) ...
50A. Presentation on recycling?: TRASH TALK. Sorry but all
the clips I viewed on TRASH TALKING were rated R, so here's a
PSA on recycling courtesy of the city of Chandler, Arizona and a CSO to
Lucina and Chairman Moe ...
61A. Presentation on the Indiana WNBA team?:FEVER PITCH. The clue
is about the
Indiana women's basketball team, but the fill is really about EXTREME FANDOM. Here's a trailer
for the film Fever Pitch, based on a book by British author
Nick Hornby, starring Colin Firth and Ruth Gemmell (rated PG) ...
Here's the grid ...
Here's the rest ... Across:
1. Bread component, casually: CARB.
5. __ toast: MELBA. Named for Australian diva
Dame Nellie MelbaGBE
(née Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 1861 – 23 February
1931). Here is a 1904 recording of Caro nome ("Dearest
name") from Verdi's Rigoletto
10. Research sites: LABS. DIGS fit, but didn't perp.
14. Ingredient in some superfood smoothies: ALOE.
15. Classic cookies: OREOS. 5 letter plural cookie - Ektorp.
16. Assessment, briefly: EVAL.
17. [Theme clue]
19. Sam Cooke's "__ Little Love": TRY A.
20. Book that details the origin of Passover: EXODUS. In
EXODUS chapter 12
the Lord describes in detail the Passover -- the flight from Egypt by the
Jewish nation and the meal that the Jews consumed before departing. In
verse 14 He says "This day will be a day of remembrance for you, which your future
generations will celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD; you
will celebrate it as a statute forever." And in fact devout Jews do
observe the Passover to this day; and this celebration is also the basis for
Christianity's various communion services, e.g. the Catholic Mass.
21. Time with a therapist: SESSION. A CSO to constructor and
therapist
Trent H. Evans
who has had 6 puzzles published in the LA Times.
23. Went out with: DATED.
24. [Theme clue]
26. Postpone: DEFER.
28. Hermana del padre: TIA. Today's Spanish lesson:
AUNT.
29. Part of a one-two punch: JAB. The JAB is the first
punch, but there are apparently several types of TWO punches, as shown
in this How-to ...
32. Had a bite: ATE.
33. MSNBC host Jen: PSAKI.
Jennifer Rene Psaki
(born December 1, 1978) is an American television political analyst and former
government official. A political advisor who served under both the Obama and
Biden administrations. She served the Biden administration as the 34th White
House press secretary until May 2022.
Jen Psaki
37. [Theme clue]
42. Divided Asian peninsula: KOREA.
43. Seemingly forever: EON.
44. Lots of noise: DIN.
45. Ozs. and lbs.: WTS.
47. Sacks: LOOTS. The city of Rome had the distinction of being
sacked twice, in
410 AD
and again
in 1527 AD. However the last two times we visited the Eternal City it seemed to
have recoverecd. 😀
60. Potatoes, in South Asian cuisine: ALOO. Here's a video
showing how to make perfect Aloo parathas (flatbread stuffed with
spiced potatoes) ...
61. [Theme clue]
64. Pixar protagonist who has one small fin and one large fin:
NEMO. Here's NEMO in case anybody is still looking for
him -- although I'm not sure the clue description exactly fits - by my
count he has 7 fins ...
65. Liechtenstein currency: FRANC. The
Swiss franc
(plural: francs; in German: Frank, plural: Franken) has been the currency of
Liechtenstein since 1920. The Swiss franc is legal tender since Liechtenstein
is in a customs and monetary union with Switzerland.
66. Like Southern California skies during June Gloom: GRAY.
Understanding
localisms for Summer in SOCAL. A CSO to MalMan, NaomiZ,Picard, and
Wendybird -- how's the weather out there?
67. Wax-wrapped cheese: EDAM.
Edam is a semi-hard cheese
that originated in the Netherlands, and is named after the town of
Edam in the province of North Holland. Edam is traditionally sold in
flat-ended spheres with a pale yellow interior and a coat, or rind, of red
paraffin wax.
Edam Cheese
68. Gets together?: SYNCS.
69. Corridor: HALL. *See the Epilogue for the Concert HALL we visited on our vacation.
Down:
1. Cried like a crow: CAWED.
2. "Five Feet of Fury" pro wrestler Bliss: ALEXA. In 2013, Alexa Bliss (née Kaufman; born August 9, 1991) signed a contract with WWE and was assigned to their developmental brand Big Show. She made her main roster debut on theBig Show brand in 2016, later becoming a two-time Big Show Women's Champion and the first woman to hold the title twice.
Alexa Bliss In her Glitter Fairy persona
3. Unpaid worker: ROBOT. And they're worth every penny of it. 😀
4. Like some intricate wedding gowns: BEADED. This one can by yours for only $2,350...
Beaded wedding dress
5. Some admins: MODS. MODeratorS? Close enough I
think ...
6. Make a boo-boo: ERR.
7. "Da 5 Bloods" director: LEE. Da 5 Bloods is a 2020
American war drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Spike Lee.
The film's plot follows a group of four aging Vietnam War veterans who return
to the country in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader, as well
as the treasure they buried while serving there.
8. __ nova: BOSSA. Here are Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto, Stan Getz and "The Girl from Ipanema" performing a famous bossa nova ...
9. Stand up for (oneself): ASSERT.
10. "I vote we say no": LETS PASS. [Okay]
11. "Love Sux" singer Lavigne: AVRIL. Think of The Nanny's
Fran Drescher as a blonde pop singer on steroids ... 😀
12. Spoonbill habitat: BAYOU. A CSO to Bayou Tony? Spoonbills are a genus of large, long-legged wading birds.
The spoonbills have a global distribution, being found on every
continent except Antarctica. The genus name Platalea derives from
Ancient Greek and means "broad", referring to the distinctive shape of
the bill.
Roseate Spoonbill
13. Colloquialism: SLANG.
18. "My man!": DUDE. An example of 13D.
22. Happy hops: SKIPS.
24. Alien-seeking org.: SETI. Having despaired of finding any terrestrial intelligence, the SETI Institute
("Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence") has trained its eyes on
the skies. The institute was founded in 1984 with astrophysicist Dr. Frank Drake ( (May 28, 1930 – September 2, 2022) as its president. Dr. Drake is probably most famous for this eponymous equation, which estimates that 12,500 intelligent civilizations may currently exist in our galaxy. But to paraphrase physicist Enrico Fermi "Where are they?" -- the following article on the "Fermi Paradox" asserts that we are alone in the universe.
29. LGA alternative: JFK. Not the Ladies Golf
Association, but the
LaGuardia Airport, New York City's other air field.
30. Not prone to infatuation, for short: ARO.
AROmantic.
31. Keep out: BAR.
34. Lend a hand: AID.
35. Splash of color in a water garden: KOI. Below is a picture of the Koi pond in the H.P. Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens
in Baltimore. They have a coin-operated dispenser for food to feed to
the fish. This was a favorite place we used to take our youngest
granddaughter ...
Koi Pond
36. Lodge: INN.
38. Place where things are always breaking?: NEWSROOM. Some of
the news we're getting these days is definitely worth breaking.
39. Forensic anthropologist/writer Reichs who inspired the TV series "Bones":
KATHY. Dr. Kathleen Joan Reichs
(PhD) (née Toelle, born July 7, 1948) is an American crime writer,
forensic anthropologist and academic. She is an adjunct professor of
anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Kathy Reichs
Here's a teaser from the pilot episode of Bones ... 40. Diner staffer: COOK.
41. Game with a spinoff called Dos: UNO. Spanish lesson two:
ONE.
46. Packs: STUFFS.
48. Seasonal worker: TEMP.
49. Santa's transport: SLEIGH.
50. Old Scottish title: THANE. At beginning of Shakespeare's Macbeth there are a total of eight THANES, each a governor of a particular region of Scotland. The Thanes are all noblemen beneath an elected kingship (King Duncan). But then the plot thickens.
51. Was extremely sweet?: RULED. Let's see what the pigeons think
...
56. Window sticker: DECAL. Short for
decalcomania, a decorative technique by which engravings and prints are transferred to
pottery or other materials.
57. __ alcohol: hand sanitizer ingredient: ETHYL. AKA Ethanol.
59. Tolkien brutes: ORCS. The gray meanies ...
ORC
62. Many a shuttle: VAN.
63. Env. insert: ENC.
Cheers, Bill
And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism. And special thanks to Naomi for filling in for me on the 11th.
waseeley
Epilogue: What We Did on Our Summer Vacation
We began our vacation by visiting our family at Catholic Family Land,
a retreat center about 20 miles West of Steubenville, Ohio. Here we
are, lined up for the annual picture, from left to right: the 4 youngest
grandchildren, Teri and I, the 4 oldest grandchildren, our
daughter-in-law, and our son.
The
next stop was Cleveland, Ohio, about 3 hours NW of Steubenville. Why
Cleveland? Well we'd been there before for our niece's graduation from
Case-Western's Nursing School in 2017 and had a really great time. Also
it is the home of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, which came to prominence under renowned conductor George Szell
from 1946 - 1970 and is ranked as one of the top 3 orchestras in the
US. On the first visit we saw the most incredible performance of Leoš Janáček's fairy tail opera, The Cunning Little Vixen,
augmented with superb digital animation. But alas Severance Hall is
dark during the Summer so we had to look around for other musical
diversions ...
The first was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is basically a 6 story visual and auditory history of Rock and its origins, starting with the legendary guitarist Robert Johnson
who invented the blues, and continuing through hundreds of different
musicians, up to the present time. It winds up in a small theatre with
an immersive 20 minute video of past musicians celebrating their
investitures into the Hall, playing Rock the way it is meant to be
played -- LOUD. Here is Teri out front, recovering from the experience! ...
Teri
Speaking of immersive experiences, we had another one at the Cleveland Museum of Art called Into the Seven Jeweled Mountain inspired
by a 19th-century Korean folding screen. The experience uses digital
imagery overlaid on a room-size image of the screen to create the
illusion that you are ascending the legendary mountain, which has 7
jewels buried somewhere on its slopes. The Seven Jeweled Mountain
actually exists in Northern Korea, but of course the guardians of that
realm are keeping it to themselves. There is much to see in the
Cleveland Museum of Art and it is considered by some to be the second
greatest museum in the US after the Metropolitan in New York. It is
probably worth a visit to Cleveland for that purpose alone.
But we were still in search of music, and we'd done some homework. The Cleveland Symphony has a Summer series called The Blossom Festival where it hosts a series of concerts, both pop and classical.Our researches had found that one of the classical concerts happened to be on July 6th and it featured a musician named Béla Fleck, who had transcribed the piano part to George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue to banjo. If you've not heard of this musician you can just think of him as the Jascha Heifetz of the banjo ...
Béla Fleck
Conductor Brett Mitchell opened his introduction to the Rhapsody
with the words "I knew this was going to work out when I did the NY
Times crossword puzzle yesterday and it had the entry: 'Banjo player
Béla: FLECK'"! Somehow we'd managed to get front row seats and the whole concert was amazing! Here's a review. Here's Fleck's original recording conducted by Eric Jacobsen with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (may not work if your browser has ad blockers enabled - if so it is worth buying on Amazon).
And finally it seems that Béla has some fans on the Corner -- see if you recognize this one from 50 years ago ...
We would definitely recommend a visit to Cleveland anytime, but it's good to be back home!
Today, Susan offers us jewelry apropos to one's occupation. Each phrase is "in the language" with the first word describing the position and the second a bit of bling. Let's take a look:
20. Custom timepiece for a meteorologist?: STORM WATCH.
33. Custom necklace for a chef?: FOOD CHAIN.
41. Custom brooch for a defensive back in the NFL?: SAFETY PIN.
Johnny can make a brooch out of it.
52. Custom band for a barista?: COFFEE RING. I once had the idea that, if I ever went out on my own consulting, I'd call it "Coffee Ring Consultants" 'cuz every document I pre-produced for draft editing ended up with a coffee stain in the upper left corner.
//I always wore a mocha button-down when I did presetations for clients - that way spilt coffee wouldn't show. #ProTip
Cute theme, eh? Nicely done Susan. Thanks.
Across:
1. Passionate enthusiasm: ZEAL.
5. College concentration: MAJOR. Mine was Double-E w/ a Masters granted in CS. In my young ZEAL I thought I could build AI robots but, instead, I landed at DOD protecting networks which took all my hackin' skilz to the other side of the fence. Tell us your major and why.
14. Car bar: AXLE. Not a cocktail-box in the back, Double-O-7. Sorry to disappoint you, sir.
//I rewatched a few James Bond flicks while DW was in Japan :-)
15. Run off to wed: ELOPE.
16. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO...as you would have them do unto you - The Golden Rule.
17. Falafel wrapper: PITA.
Yummers!
18. Greased: OILED.
19. Fan favorite: IDOL. Billy is one of them.
Dancing With Myself
20. [See: theme]
22. Word on a door: PULL.
The Far Side
23. Agreeable answer: YES.
Roundabout - YES (a big influence on RUSH*)
24. Art studio stands: EASELS.
26. "Let's keep going!": ONWARD.
30. Spill the beans: BLAB.
32. Jeweled topper: TIARA.
33. [See: theme]
38. Still a contender: IN IT.
39. Robes at the Roman Forum: TOGAS.
Obligatory Animal House clip. (It's in my contract)
40. Plot parcel: ACRE.
41. [See: theme]
43. Mountain lions: PUMAS.
44. Cathedral alcove: APSE.
45. Scout's discovery: TALENT. Talent scout not a Boy Scout.
46. Push and shove: JOSTLE.
50. Pointy leatherworking tool: AWL. Funny, I call my awl "pointy tool."
51. No more than: UP TO.
52. [See: theme]
59. Statistical average: MEAN.
60. Naturally bright courtyards: ATRIA.
61. Double-reed woodwind: OBOE.
62. Soft French cheese: BRIE.
63. Bird associated with babies: STORK.
64. Air conditioning outlet: VENT.
65. Rowboat pair: OARS.
66. Hefty books: TOMES. Asmov's Foundation Trillogy was one. It filled 80% of my backpack (sorry, history book). #Priorities
67. Previous partners: EXES.
Down:
1. Heats up in the microwave: ZAPS.
Percy Spencer accidentally discovered it.
2. Highway off-ramp: EXIT.
That's not real. This one is.
3. Silicon Valley city Palo __: ALTO. I think I mentioned they (the eponymous company) make pretty good firewalls.
4. Shakespearean ruler who divides his kingdom between two of his daughters: LEAR.
5. Cried like a calico: MEOWED.
6. Pseudonym: ALIAS.
7. Caffeine rush: JOLT.
8. Crude cartel: OPEC.
9. Conan O'Brien and Prince Harry: RED HEADS.
10. Witticisms: QUIPS.
11. Disproportionate, as influence: UNDUE.
12. Coral island that surrounds a lagoon: ATOLL.
How they're formed
13. Barbie and Skipper: DOLLS.
Barbie and kid-sister Skipper
21. British pianist Hess: MYRA.
25. "Abbott Elementary" network: ABC.
26. Redding of R&B: OTIS.
27. Simone of R&B: NINA.
28. Ragamuffin: WAIF.
29. Prado paintings: ARTE.
30. "Casablanca" star, familiarly: BOGIE.
Humphrey Bogart
31. Library offering: LOAN.
33. Fancy dressers: FOPS.
34. Transport: HAUL.
35. Pinnacle: ACME.
Wile E. Looking for the Perfect Gift.
36. Country on the Persian Gulf: IRAN.
37. Hummingbird's home: NEST. I remember the night before DW's water broke for Eldest. She was in fast-mode getting things in order and I was tidying up the garage. We fell asleep for about 20 minutes on the couch and spent the next morning in the Delivery Room.
Nesting Urge.
39. Stuck playing the same roles again and again: TYPECAST.
42. " Qu __?": Spanish "What's up?": TAL.
43. Muted, as colors: PALE.
45. Makes minor adjustments: TWEAKS.
46. Extra-large: JUMBO.
47. Met performance: OPERA.
48. One step: STAIR.
49. Earth __: natural shades: TONES.
50. Blazing: AFIRE. Hand-up if you thought Saddles immediately.
53. Nove minus uno: OTTO.
54. Email heading word: FROM.
55. Wander about: ROVE.
56. Mountain goat: IBEX.
57. Zilch: NONE.
58. Comprehends: GETS.
The Grid:
The Grid
WOs: AXIL [sic] -> QUAD
ESPs: MYRA, TAL Fav: JOSTLE is such a fun word.
There you have it folks. Next week we'll be back to our regularly scheduled Hahtoolah. It was fun (for me anyways) filling in.
Cheers,
-T
*I think it's also in my contract to include RUSH. DW got home Sunday to IAH from NRT but didn't go through
Happy Tuesday, everyone! sumdaze here. For those of you keeping track, the enchanting Hahtoolah (our usual Tuesday blogger) is away this month so Anonymous T (aka, -T) has been covering the Tuesday puzzles. This week, however, -T and I switched days so he could review C.C.'s and my puzzle that ran yesterday.
Theme:
Tomatoes just might be my favorite food ever so I loved, loved, loved today's theme! Constructor Susan Gelfand has cleverly STUFFED three varieties of tomatoes with other letters to form two-word phrases. Did you see the TOMATOES? Here are the three themers:
30 Across. Netflix's "The Crown," for one: ROYAL DRAMA. ROMA
The Crown is a TV series that ran on Netflix from 2016-2023. It followed the political rivalries and romances of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped Britain for the second half of the 20th century.
42 Across. Pretend to be asleep: PLAY POSSUM. PLUM
There are many stories of people who were sure a possum was dead, went to get removal tools, then returned to find the possum had run away. Tricky, tricky!
The reveal was a fun surprise:
59 Across. Rice-filled appetizers with red shells, and a hint to the words that bookend 17-, 30-, and 42-Across: STUFFED TOMATOES.
"Rice" might be a red herring here for some. Instead, the focus is on how three types of tomatoes are spelled out in the bookends of the phrases.
Left to right: CHERRY, ROMA, and PLUM tomatoes.
The remaining letters are the "stuffing", as seen in the grid below:
Great job, Susan! If your puzzle were a movie, it would get this Rotten Tomatoes score:
Next we will ketchup on the other clues:
Across: 1. Change back to zero: RESET. This works if you think of RESETting the trip odometer in your car.
6. Aid and __: ABET. Doing this could get you in trouble.
10. Elton John's "Bennie and the __": JETS. Here you g-g-g-g-g-go! 14. Playful furry swimmer: OTTER.
I am going to use this as an opportunity to tell you about Rosa, a beloved Southern Sea OTTER at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Rosa passed away earlier this month. At 24 years old, she was the oldest known member of her species. (Female sea otters in the wild live between 15 and 20 years.) During her time at the aquarium, Rosa served as a surrogate mother to 15 orphaned otter pups! This is a 1:35 min. video reflection on Rosa's life. You can see her teaching a pup important otter skills. If you would like to read more about Rosa, click here then read the post below the video. 15. Source of torment: BANE.
16. She loves, in Latin: AMAT.
20. Flesh and blood: KIN.
21. The whole nine yards: A TO Z. I like how the mood of the clue matches the answer.
22. Spirited person: PISTOL. My friend named her very spirited Goldendoodle PISTOL.
23. "Nothing Compares 2 U" singer Sinéad: O'CONNOR. (1966-2023) She was a singer, song writer, and activist from Ireland.
Nothing Compares 2 Uwas named the
Top World Single of the Year by Billboard for 1990.
25. Mongrel: CUR.
26. Summer in Saint-Étienne: ETE. ETE means summer in French.
Its sister city in the USA is Des Moines, Iowa.
27. Sense of self: EGO.
28. More miffed: SORER.
34. Noshes: EATS. Nosh means "to eat a snack".
38. "I'm well __": AWARE.
39. North Pole worker: ELF.
40. Egyptian peninsula: SINAI.
41. Internet phenomenon: MEME. We know that a MEME is a humorous or interesting image, video, etc. that spreads quickly across the internet. This has led to the term meme stock to refer to a corporation that has a cult-like following on social media. GameStock is widely regarded as the first meme stock. Read more here.
44. Sci-fi robot: DROID. Science Fiction is shortened, so is anDROID.
I enjoy meta clues but I know some of you are not fond of them.
Another word for a volcano opening is a vent.
62. Hodgepodge: OLIO. a miscellaneous mixture
63. PlayStation maker: SONY.
64. Unsophisticated: NAIVE.
65. Rx orders: MEDS. "Rx" was a hint that the answer would be abbreviated.
66. Whole bunch: SCAD.
67. Agrees (with): SIDES. When used as a verb, SIDES can mean "to align oneself in a disagreement".
Down: 1. Young wallaby in a Nickelodeon animated series: ROCKO. ESP for me.
This is ROCKO Wallaby.
2. Moral standard: ETHIC.
3. Courtroom fig. with a keyboard: STENO. Figure, in this case, is a human STENOgrapher.
4. Always, poetically: E'ER. a contraction for ever
5. Musical instrument named for its shape: TRIANGLE.
This guy is the Yo-Yo Ma of the TRIANGLE! (1:55 min.)
6. Really hate: ABHOR.
7. Legendary folk singer Joan: BAEZ.
8. Wrap up: END.
9. Deep-fried Japanese dish: TEMPURA. I first misread the clue as "fish" so I thought I was in deep water for a minute there.
10. Jazz sessions: JAMS.
11. Overact: EMOTE.
12. Medium's medium: TAROT. Fun wordplay! An expanded version of this clue could be a spiritual go-between's materials.
13. Fashion sense: STYLE.
18. Didn't ask for a card in blackjack: STOOD. In blackjack, once you are dealt your first two cards, you must decide if you are going to hit or stand. To stand means you are satisfied with the cards that you have been dealt and do not want any additional draw cards.
19. Limerick's land: EIRE.
24. Came close to: NEARED.
25. Warm and cozy: COMFY.
28. Waldorf __: SALAD. There are no TOMATOES in this SALAD. You can easily identify Waldorf SALADs at a buffet because they contain apples and mayonnaise. recipe
29. "Stranger Things" actor Paul: REISER. Paul is an actor and comedian. He was born in 1956 in New York, NY. You might remember him from the 1990s TV show Mad About You with Helen Hunt. In 2017-2022, he played Dr. Sam Owens in Netflix's Stranger Things. I saw Paul's stand-up show a few years back. He was very funny!
30. Los Angeles footballer: RAM.
31. Need to pay: OWE.
32. Sweet tuber: YAM.
33. Kindled again: RELIT. Def.: to light again.
35. FAQ entry: ANS. Frequently Asked Questions pages provide ANSwers.
36. Greek consonant that resembles a "T": TAU.
TAU is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet.
37. __ card: smartphone insert: SIM.
A SIM card, or Subscriber Identity Module, is a small, removable smart card that stores information about a mobile device's network plan, contacts, and other data. SIM cards are usually made of PVC and contain an embedded chip with integrated circuits (ICs) and semiconductors.
40. Protein-rich legumes: SOYBEANS.
Soy in Spanish means "I am".
42. Have in one's hands: POSSESS.
43. Light refractor: PRISM.
45. Snorkeling spot: REEF.
47. English derby town: EPSOM. I would have had this one quicker if it asked about the salts.
The EPSOM Derby is a horserace comparable in significance to the Preakness Stakes on this side of the pond in that it is the second race in the English Triple Crown. A three-year-old bay colt named City of Troy won the Epsom Derby three Saturdays ago.
48. Sports championship: TITLE. As in, "They won the TITLE".
51. Fallingwater architect Frank __ Wright: LLOYD. This is a 5:10 minute vlog (video blog) about Falling water. Listening to the water takes it up a notch from just looking at a photo.
52. Steer clear of: AVOID.
53. "Superman" actor Christopher: REEVE. (1952 - 2004) He first played Superman in 1978. My friends and I had super-crushes on him.
54. Positive responses: YESES.
60. "What's up, __?": DOC.
61. __ chi: martial art: TAI. Does anyone on The Corner do this? I used to see groups doing it in parks in Hawaii -- very zen. I hope to try it someday.
