google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Susan Gelfand

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Showing posts with label Susan Gelfand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Susan Gelfand. Show all posts

Mar 4, 2024

Monday March 4, 2024 Susan Gelfand

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. Jinx will probably get to this; but, I just wanted to mention that today is National Grammar Day. Perhaps you are asking, "Why is March 4th National Grammar Day?" Well, not only is March Fourth a date but it is also an imperative sentence. How fun is that?! Now, let us march forth with today's puzzle.

Theme:          

Constructor Susan Gelfand had me at "shoes". Let's begin with her reveal:

36. Step in for another, and what the answers to the starred clues literally do: FILL ONE'S SHOES.

Next, let's see how the four starred clues provide "fill" for shoes. My red letters represent the circled letters. Notice how they are on the outsides of the phrases. The black letters "fill in" the gap to create something altogether different.

18 Across. *Online journals for DIYers: CRAFT BLOGS.  
CLOGS  are shoes with thick, wooden soles.

23 Across. *Warm alcoholic beverages with sugar and spices: MULLED WINES.  
MULES have no backs or constraints on the foot's heel.

52 Across. *Horse-drawn excursions: SLEIGH RIDES.  
SLIDES are a comfortable sandal with a wide strap across the front part of the foot.
You can slide your foot in without adjusting buckles or laces.

58 Across. *Low-effort posts of vacation pics, say: PHOTO DUMPS.  
There are many variations of PUMPS but the classic style
is a slip-on shoe with a closed toe, one-piece design, and an appropriately chic heal.

Hmmm... I am just now noticing an additional layer to Susan's theme set. All four of the shoe styles are slip-ons. Perhaps that relates to the "step in" part of the reveal???

In case you were wondering... a PHOTO DUMP is a collection of photos and videos gathered together in one post on apps like Instagram. Rather than perfectly edited photos or videos, a PHOTO DUMP is a low-effort collection that conveys a story or a mood. I found this example on-line: 

Now might be a good time to try the grid on for size:  
Let's keep walking....

Across:
1. Graceful long-necked bird: SWAN.

5. Hoover Dam lake: MEAD.  If you're in the area, I recommend the Hoover Dam tour.  

9. Colorful quartz: AGATE.  
Wow! They certainly are colorful!

14. Roof spot for holiday lights: EAVE.

15. Moreno who owns the MLB's Angels: ARTE.  I suppose SoCal solvers who actually read the LA Times are more familiar with this name.

16. Like some pools: TIDAL.  This link takes you to some tips for exploring tide pools and a quick video of some of the curious-looking creatures you might see.

17. Cabbage side often served in tiny cups: SLAW.  

20. "The Little Mermaid" role for Halle Bailey: ARIEL.  Halle Bailey is not to be confused with Halle Berry just as the mermaid ARIEL is not to be confused with the font arial.  
Halle Bailey performing at Disneyland

22. Take up again, as a case: REHEAR.  court of law reference

26. Back in time: AGO.

29. Twisty letter: ESS.     and     30 Across. Neckline shape: VEE.  

31. "j" topper: DOT.  Remember to DOT your J's and cross your X's.

32. Cereal container: BOX.

33. Update to reflect new districts, say: REMAP.

35. Nondairy spread: OLEO.  Not to be confused with OLiO which is a miscellaneous collection of things. My memory trick is you can eat OLEO.  
What is Oleo -- And Why Is It In So Many of My Grandma's Recipes?

41. Printer stoppages: JAMS.  

42. The "C" of CEO: CHIEF.  CHIEF Executive Officer

43. Signs off on: OKs.

44. "C'__ la vie!": EST.  It's French for "Such is life!"
As it turns out, this is the title of the book currently at the top of my tsundoku.  

47. Turkish title: AGA.

48. Gibbon or gorilla: APE.

51. Former GM division with a globe in its logo: GEO.  
55. Respectable: DECENT.  

57. Divination deck: TAROT. cards

62. Brood: MOPE.  
Lily is the broody teen character in Duolingo.

63. Charitable sort: DONOR.

64. Uncommon: RARE.

65. Peevishness: BILE.  This is a good example of how a one-word clue can be much more difficult than a constructor might have intended.

66. Expert dealmaker: AGENT.

67. Storm centers: EYES.  Think "centers of storms" as opposed to "Weather Channel base camps".

68. Much of a sunflower: STEM.  
This is a pic of a "volunteer" sunflower in my yard when I lived in Colorado.
Yeah, mostly STEM.
Also, that's my dog, Meadow. She is mesmerized by the floating, blue circle.

Down:
1. __ seed bun: SESAME.  A surprisingly interesting 2 min. read on the history of hamburger buns

2. Arctic mammal with tusks: WALRUS.  Time for an (obvious) musical interlude.  
I Am The Walrus was part of The Beatle's Magical Mystery Tour in 1967.
It was released as the B-Side to Hello, Goodbye.
Lennon said part of his inspiration for the song was Lewis Carroll's poem

3. Makes use (of): AVAILS.

4. Banister post: NEWEL.  Even though it is a Monday, we can build our vocabularies.
5. Apple desktop: MAC.  

6. Make a mistake: ERR.

7. Pong producer: ATARI.  
How can something so groundbreaking in 1972 seem so lame today?

8. Stick up for: DEFEND.

9. Optimally: AT BEST.

10. Arizona river: GILA.  

11. Cute as can be: ADORABLE.  
The chick on the right is saying, "I don't remember you from the nest."

12. Identify, as on Facebook: TAG.

13. Above-the-street trains: ELS.

19. James of "The White Lotus": THEO.  IMDb page

21. Be honest (with): LEVEL.  
Can I LEVEL with you?
This comic feels forced.

24. First stage in many an HGTV renovation show, informally: DEMO.  Here is a 1:13 min. video montage of DEMO scenes from The Property Brothers.  

25. Gradually stop nursing: WEAN.

27. __ for it: takes a chance: GOES.

28. Kitchen gadget brand: OXO.

33. "Treasure Island" writer's monogram: RLS.  Treasure Island was Robert Louis Stevenson's (1850-1894) first novel. Here's a short bio.  He lived here in Monterey for a few months while waiting for his future wife's (Fanny's) divorce to finalize.

34. Bench press muscle, for short: PEC.

35. Gut punch reaction: OOF.

36. Art world fraud: FAKE.  This was my FAV clue today.  

37. "This is it for me!": I'M SO DONE.  Actually, there are still 17 clues left....

38. Hair or carpet style: SHAG.  
(L to R) SHAG carpet, SHAG haircut, Disney's  The SHAGgy DA movie (1976)

39. Express relief: SIGH.

40. Artichoke core: HEART.   Many of us save them for the "last bite". If you've only eaten artichokes from a jar or freezer, you do not know what you are missing!
Castroville, CA is the "Artichoke Capital of the World".
Go there to see the World's Largest Artichoke...
or just enjoy this pic!

41. Get some exercise on the track: JOG.  "JOG", like pong, is a 1972 reference.

44. Compact Ford succeeded by the Focus: ESCORT.  I changed ESCape to ESCORT.
The North American version of the Ford ESCORT entered the market in 1981 and lasted all the way until 2003. Hot Cars article

45. Snow coaster: SLED.

46. Time in office: TENURE.

48. Skillful: ADROIT.

49. Human beings: PEOPLE.  

50. Regard highly: ESTEEM.

53. "That could happen": IT MAY.

54. Poetic feet in Shakespeare: IAMBS.  Def. (noun) a metrical foot consisting of one short (or unstressed) syllable followed by one long (or stressed) syllable. For example, the words amuse (a-MUSE), portray (por-TRAY), delight (de-LIGHT), and return (re-TURN) are all IAMBS.
The opening line to Romeo and Juliet has five IAMBS, making an iambic pentameter.
(2 syllables X 5 = 10 syllables)
Two households both alike in dignity

56. Venerable British school: ETON.  When Prince William enrolled at Eton College in 1995, he became the first senior royal to enroll there. His father (King Charles) and his grandfather (Prince Philip) both went to a boarding school in Scotland (Gordonstoun), but Princess Diana's father and brother had both attended Eton.

58. Kissing in the park, briefly: PDA.  "Briefly" does not refer to the duration of the kiss. It alerts us to an abbreviated answer.  Public Display of Affection  
59. Harley bike: HOG.  It's a nickname.

60. Post- opposite: PRE-.  ICU is a post-op place but Susan is referring to prefixes here.

61. French "his": SES.  

That's the last one. Have a great day, everyone and feel free to march forth in whichever shoes you prefer!

Nov 19, 2023

Sunday November 19, 2023 Susan Gelfand & Katie Hale

Theme: "Change the Subject" - Each common phrase is rephrased as if it's a tip from a school teacher.

23. Tip from a history teacher about how to study WWII?: CHOOSE ONE'S BATTLES.

38. Tip from an English teacher about the editing process?: MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT.

60. Tip from a gym teacher about how to win at tug-of-war?: PULL IT TOGETHER.

81. Tip from an astronomy teacher about how to set up telescopes?: AIM FOR THE STARS.

102. Tip from an accounting teacher about calculating profits and losses?: FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE.

121. Tip from a math teacher about working with squares and cubes?: REMEMBER YOUR ROOTS

I feel CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES work better for 23A, but then it would result two YOUR in the theme set. Only 6 entries, but they're all very long. A perfect 100 theme squares with an extra "Tip from .... teacher" clue layer.
 
I just realized that this is Susan's first Sunday LAT. Surprising. She's a veteran constructor who's been published in many places. Congrats, Susan!

Across:

1. Word with corn or matzo: MEAL.

5. Fill-in at an office: TEMP.

9. Truly hopeless: ABJECT.

15. Org. with badges: BSA.

18. Director Preminger: OTTO. Our Otto. This is from his retirement luncheon in 2010.

19. Thrown in: EXTRA.

21. "Clever you": TOUCHE.

22. Each and every: ALL.

26. __ card: smartphone need: SIM.

27. Intimate: HINT AT.

28. Went fast: SPED.

29. Radio City Music Hall style: ART DECO. We often just have DECO.

31. Unreturned tennis serve: ACE.

32. Grover's predecessor: CHESTER. Arthur.

35. __ the pot: STIR.

37. "On a ... " poems: ODES.

42. "__ there, done that": BEEN.

44. Rapper Dr. __: DRE.

45. Dines: SUPS.

46. 3-Down novelist McEwan: IAN. 3. Booker Prize-shortlisted novel made into a film starring Keira Knightley: ATONEMENT.


47. Desilu co-founder: ARNAZ.

49. Actress Ward: SELA.

52. Observed Ramadan, say: FASTED.

55. Question of identity: WHO.

58. Make a difference: MATTER.

63. Get more out of: RECYCLE.

65. Nonprofit URL ender: ORG.

66. Make money: EARN.

67. Tiny organism: MICROBE.

71. Atlanta pitcher Kirby: YATES. Free agent now. Also 94. Baseball deal: TRADE.



74. Sandal feature: OPEN TOE.

76. Botanical balm: ALOE.

77. Hosp. areas: ORS.

79. Charlie Parker's instrument: ALTO SAX.

85. Some flower girl candidates: NIECES.

90. "Stay With Me" singer Smith: SAM.

91. Invisible: UNSEEN.

92. Great flood protagonist: NOAH.

95. Western treaty gp.: OAS. Organization of American States.

97. Stuck in __: A RUT.

99. MMA calls: KOS.

101. Big-screen format: IMAX.

109. Pie crust ingredient: LARD. Boomer loved pumpkin pies. I don't think we ever had apple pies for Thanksgiving. We also always had boiled rutabaga.


110. "Anything __?": ELSE.

111. Prepare for a comeback tour: RE-UNITE.

112. Reproductive cells: OVA.

115. Google oneself, perhaps: EGO-SURF.

117. Downright nasty: MEAN.

118. Caged copycat: PARROT.

120. Successful show letters: SRO.

126. Shorten, as a skirt: HEM.

127. Venezia's land: ITALIA.

128. Skin soother: SALVE. I love this brand.



129. Sheltered from the wind: ALEE.

130. Thumbs-up: YES.

131. Former Seattle team, familiarly: SONICS.

132. Tide type: NEAP.

133. Colorado's __ Verde National Park: MESA.

Down:

1. Chocolaty coffee: MOCHA.

2. Moral code: ETHIC.

4. Booty: LOOT.

5. Grew molars, say: TEETHED.

6. Prefix with thermic: EXO.

7. Any of the Rockies: Abbr.: MTN.

8. Magic word: PRESTO.

9. Little bit: A TAD.

10. Droid: BOT.

11. Stick (out): JUT.

12. Log-shaped pastry: ECLAIR.

13. Shirley Temple garnish: CHERRY.


14. Acid __: TEST.

15. Question of evidence: BASED ON WHAT.  Debut fill. Two more long multi-word entries: 69. Dorm areas for hanging out: COMMON ROOMS.  87. Small part for a big name, often: CAMEO ROLE.

16. Deli device: SLICER.

17. Just about: ALMOST.

20. Colorado ski spot: ASPEN.

24. Burlap bag: SACK.

25. Arctic hazards: BERGS.

30. Qatar's capital: DOHA.

33. Hearing things: EARS.

34. Struggling to stay awake: SLEEPY.

35. Apostle of Ireland, for short: ST PAT.

36. Throw at: TOSS TO.

39. Med school subj.: ANAT.

40. Islamic mystic: SUFI. Rumi was one.

41. Fries or slaw: SIDE.

42. "Kapow!": BAM.

43. Notable period: ERA.

48. Zip: ZERO.

50. Girl who cannot be trusted to hold the football for Charlie Brown: LUCY.

51. Pasta __ Norma: ALLA. Never heard of it. Pasta with eggplant.


53. Pamplona bulls: TOROS.

54. Omelet skillet: EGG PAN.

56. Supersized sandwich: HERO.

57. Normandy river: ORNE.

59. Energized anew: REBORN.

61. Unleash upon: LET AT.

62. Number of Grammy Awards won by Dolly Parton: TEN. She has won almost every award. 

64. Classic mint brand: CERTS.

67. Bleating sounds: MAAS.

68. Pelvic bones: ILIA.

70. NBA official: REF.

72. Dynamism: ELAN.

73. H-Town pro: STRO.

75. Parkway sign: EXIT.

78. Wool clippers: SHEARS. And 106. Doesn't use scissors: TEARS.

80. Resident of Japan's third largest city: OSAKAN.

82. Unseat: OUST.

83. Spooky: EERIE.

84. Comfy and cozy: SNUG.

86. Prince in "The Little Mermaid": ERIC.

88. Writer LeShan: EDA.

89. Census datum: SEX.

93. Hindu spring festival: HOLI.

96. Goes on to say: ADDS.

98. Number of Powerpuff Girls: THREE. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup.



100. Course for college-bound HS students: SAT PREP.

102. Plump: FLESHY.

103. "Amen to that!": I AGREE.

104. Contract adverb: HERETO.

105. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" composer Danny: ELFMAN.

107. Legendary Paul: BUNYAN.

108. Close by: NEAR.

113. Casts a ballot: VOTES.

114. On a cruise: AT SEA.

116. "Exodus" novelist Leon: URIS.

117. Many execs: MBAS.

119. Travel without a destination: ROAM.

122. Pharmaceutical giant __ Lilly: ELI.

123. MC's need: MIC.

124. World Cup cheer: OLE.

125. Cavaliers sch.: UVA.

C.C.



 

Sep 12, 2023

Tuesday, September 12, 2023 Susan Gelfand

Nickel-and-Dimed:  Those Hidden Fees will kill you.  Each theme answer contains a HIDDEN FEE.


18-Across. *  Food stalls offering filled tortillas: TACO STANDS.  COST.


23-Across. *  Kits that include pots for melting cheese or chocolate: FONDUE SETS.  DUES.  Fondue Sets were common wedding gifts in the '70s, or so I'm told.


38-Across. *  1933 comedy starring Marie Dressler and John Barrymore: DINNER AT EIGHT.  RATE.  This movie came out a little before my time.  Although I had heard of John Barrymore (né John Sidney Blyth; Feb. 1882 ~ May 29, 1942), who was the grandfather of actress Drew Barrymore (née Drew Blythe Barrymore; b. Feb. 22, 1975), but Marie Dressler (née Leslie Marie Koerber; b. Nov. 9,1868 ~ July 28 1965) is a new name for me.  The movie is a comedic drama about an ambitious New York socialite and her husband.  She planned an extravagant dinner party while her husband was having financial issues.  As in any marriage, this caused a lot of tension between the couple.  


50-Across. *  Ingredient amount in a recipe for paella or risotto: ONE CUP RICE.  PRICE.



And the unifier:

57-Across. Unexpected charges, and a feature of the answers to the starred clues: HIDDEN FEES.

This is our second week in a row to have Susan Gelfand prepare our Tuesday puzzle.  What else did she hide from us?

Across:
1. Skyline obscurer: SMOG.

Can you name this city?

5. Slight fabrications: FIBS.

9. Lengthy exam answer: ESSAY.

14. Afghanistan's __ Bora region: TORA.  Tora Bora is a cave complex in eastern Afghanistan near the border of Pakistan.


15. Wrinkle remover: IRON.

16. Teatime treat: SCONE.  Yummers!


17. Condo division: UNIT.


20. Liberated: FREED.

22. Meaner than mean: CRUEL.

Cruella De Ville

26. Verdi opera about an African princess: AIDA.  Aida is a popular tragic opera by Giuseppe Verdi (né Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi; Oct. 9, 1813 ~ Jan. 27, 1901) that is set on the old Kingdom of Egypt.  It premiered in Cairo in December 1871.  The 1998 musical Aida by Elton John (né Reginald Kenneth Dwight; b. Mar. 25, 1947) and Tim Rice (né Timothy Miles Bindon Rice; b. Nov. 10, 1944) is based on Verdi's opera.


30. As of now: YET.

31. Rodent that followed the Pied Piper: RAT.


32. Finalized, as a deal: SEWN UP.

34. Relishes: SAVORS.

37. Indiana NBA player: PACER.  Why the name Pacer, you ask.



41. Treasury secretary Yellen: JANET.  Janet Louise Yellen (b. Aug. 13, 1946) is the 78th United States Secretary of the Treasury.  She has held that Office since January 26, 2021.  Prior to that she was the Chair of the Federal Reserve.


42. __ Berry Farm: Southern California amusement park: KNOTTS.

43. High regard: ESTEEM.

45. "Let's call __ day": IT A.

46. Heat in the microwave: ZAP.


49. Norse god of thunder: THOR.  Everything you ever wanted to know about this Norse god but didn't know to ask.

54. Barnett of CBS News: ERROL.  Errol Barnett (b. Apr. 3, 1983), is a British-born news anchor and correspondent for CBS News.


56. Therefore: HENCE.

62. Over again: ANEW.  A crossword staple.

63. Relating to birds: AVIAN.

64. Rights org. since 1920: ACLU.  As in the American Civil Liberties Union.  The organization was founded to protect the constitutional rights of Americans.  One of its earliest cases was the so-called Monkey Trial, which challenged Tennessee's law banning the teaching of evolution.

65. Checkout queue: LINE.


66. Marriott rival: HYATT.  Both are hotels found in major cities.  Hyatt and Marriott compared.


67. Car roof with removable panels: T-TOP.


68. Life partner: MATE.  15 animals that mate for life.



Down:
1. In need of some fresh air: STUFFY.

2. "Some Like It Hot" star Marilyn: MONROE.  Marilyn Monroe (née Norma Jean Mortenson; June 1, 1926 ~ Aug. 4, 1962) portrayed Sugar Kowalczyk, a singer, who befriended Tony Curtis (né Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925 ~ Sept. 29, 2010) and Jack Lemmon (né John Uhler Lemmon, III; Feb. 8, 1925 ~ June 27, 2001), who were disguised as women to escape from mafia gangsters.


3. Get situated: ORIENT.

4. Like some private communities: GATED.


5. In shape: FIT.

6. Nest egg letters: IRA.  As in Individual Retirement Account.

7. Italian bowling game: BOCCE.

8. Pig sound: SNORT.


9. East, in Spanish: ESTE.  Today's Spanish lesson. 

10. Rascals: SCALAWAGS.  Fun word.  After the Civil War, however, the word became pejorative term for a white Southerner who supported the federal plan of Reconstruction or who joined with black freedmen and the so-called carpetbaggers in support of Republican Party policies.

11. Prodigal __: SON.  A Biblical reference.

12. "Wait, there's more": AND.

13. "You bet!": YES.


19. Figure (out): SUSS.

21. Vaudeville legend Jimmy: DURANTE.  Jimmy Durante (né James Francis Durante; Feb. 10, 1893 ~ Jan. 29, 1980) was known for his gravelly voice and his big nose, which he lovingly referred to as his Schnozzola.


24. Roof edge: EAVE.

25. Bird on birth announcements: STORK.


27. Snowfall accumulation unit: INCH.



28. Song for two: DUET.


29. Tax-paying mo.: APR.


33. Words set in stone?: EPITAPH.


34. Looked down on: SNEERED AT.


35. Competed in a sprint, say: RAN.  //  Ane 38-Down: Sprinter's race: DASH.


36. Unflappable: STOIC.

39. Enamored of: INTO.

40. Caesar's rebuke: ET TU.  Today's Latin lesson.  A phrase that literally means "and you".  Most famously seen as "Et tu, Brute?" supposedly the last words of Julius Caesar after he had been stabbed by his friend Brutus.


41. Airport arrival: JET.

44. Eve's opposite: MORN.  Nice misdirection.  Eve isn't a person, but the evening.


46. Colorful annual: ZINNIA.  Beautiful and colorful flowers.


47. Regional manner of speech: ACCENT.  Here's the Downeast Accent.



48. Baseball Hall of Famer Reese: PEE WEE.  Pee Wee Reese (né Harold Peter Henry; July 23, 1918 ~ Aug. 14, 1999) played shortstop for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers.  He is also known for befriending and supporting his teammate, Jackie Robinson (né Jack Roosevelt Robinson; Jan. 31, 1919 ~ Oct. 24, 1972) when Robinson broke the color barrier into baseball's major leagues.  He got his nickname from playing in marble competitions as a child.  A Pee-Wee is a small marble.  Not to be confused with Pee Wee Herman the alter ego of Paul Reubens (Aug. 28, 1952 ~ July 30, 2023), who recently died of cancer.


51. Like some lean dairy products: NO-FAT.


52. Put into office: ELECT.

53. Domain: REALM.


55. Landlord's income: RENT.

57. "A likely story!": HAH!

58. Climbing vine: IVY.


59. Day in Durango: DIA.  Today's Spanish lesson.

60. "Xanadu" rock gp.: ELO.  The band's full name is Electric Light Orchestra.





61. "How's it goin'?": 'SUP.



Here's the Grid:


חתולה



 
Notes from C.C.:

Happy Birthday to Steve, who guided us faithfully for many years on Thursdays and pinched in a few times the past few months. Hope it's special there in L.A.

Steve & his wife Jill