Thursday, June 12, 2025, Amie Walker, Amanda Rafkin

 Theme:  Love Of My Life

LOML and NaomiZ on their recent trip to Spain
checking out the Alcázar in Segovia where
Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon once held sway.

Constructors Amie Walker and Amanda Rafkin team up today to give us a pleasant diversion with a puzzling theme.  There are no circles, but we are asked to look at the beginning of each of the starred entries to find a secret message.

17-Across. *Elixirs that stir passion: LOVE POTIONS.

27-Across. *Steinbeck novella featuring George and Lennie: OF MICE AND MEN.

48-Across. *Franchise whose characters have "cutie marks": MY LITTLE PONY.

63-Across. *"Appreciate every moment": LIFE IS SHORT.

62-Down. Romantic initialism spelled out by the starts of the answers to the starred clues: LOML.

I'm glad the ladies told us this was an initialism, because LOML did not look like an English spelling to me!  And I'm glad they said it was romantic, too.  That helped me to guess "Love Of My Life."  When I went online to confirm this solution, I found that according to Yahoo News UK, "The acronym LOML is universally believed to mean 'love of my life'. It is used in messages and comments constantly."  Not only that, but Taylor Swift released a song just last year titled "loml."  Learning new things is good mental exercise, and not a waste of precious brain cells, right?

On to the rest of the things we knew, or didn't:

Across:

1. Fire (up): REV.

4. Sound of an ungentle landing: THUD.

8. Ready to pour: ON TAP.

13. "Little Red Riding Hood" tool: AXE.

I had nightmares about this story for years.

14. Grey __ vodka: GOOSE.

15. Boatload: CARGO.

16. __ reel: GAG.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Fish sauce quality: UMAMI.  Umami is often described as a fifth taste sensation (not salty, sour, bitter, or sweet) that is savory and delicious.  Vague enough?  Oxford Languages says it corresponds to the flavor of glutamates, especially monosodium glutamate.  Yum!

21. Takes a turn?: REVOLVES.

22. "Let's kick it up a __": NOTCH.

25. Worn-down pencil: NUB.

26. Jargon suffix: ESE.  Legalese, bureaucratese, journalese, computerese ...

27. [Theme clue]

31. Not post-: PRE.

32. Hindu festival: HOLI.  Holi is a major Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of spring in India and the blossoming of love. It is colorful!

33. Gave the star treatment to: RATED.  Oh, that kind of star treatment!  

37. Morrison who said, "The function of freedom is to free someone else": TONI.  Spoken at the Barnard College commencement ceremony, 1979.

39. Like cereal sitting in milk: SOGGY.

42. Clip: PACE.  Clip is usually used when speaking of a rapid pace:  a good clip, a fast clip.

43. Compress: SMUSH.  Informal for mash or push.  

45. Warmth: HEAT.

47. Pro's opposite: CON.

48. [Theme clue]

52. Rapper __ Nas X: LIL.  By now you all know him.

Lil Nas X

55. Particle: BIT.

56. Rounds in tourneys: SEMIS.

57. "That was off topic ... ": I DIGRESS.

60. Cultured __: PEARL.

63. [Theme clue]

66. WC: LOO.  WC (water closet) and loo are British terms for toilet or lavatory.

67. Put some chips on the table: ANTED.  Not snacks!  He put some chips (gaming tokens) on the table to play a round of cards.  In other words, he anted (sounds like ANTEED) up.

68. Capitol Hill staffers: AIDES.

69. Cash dispenser: ATM.

70. Wine vessels: CASKS.

71. Some "Modern Family" figures: DADS.

72. Marina __ Rey, California: DEL.  The other end of "the 90" from our place.  Speaking of which, save the 90!  Los Angeles city planners want to repurpose this short freeway by putting apartment buildings and businesses on it.  It's not continually jammed, so it must be ripe for further development.

Down:

1. Italian meat sauce: RAGÙ.  Yes, ragù (with a grave accent, leaning left) is a meat sauce typically served with pasta.  But RAGÚ (with an acute accent, leaning right) is a trademarked brand of bottled pasta sauces.  I counted 25 varieties of RAGÚ on their website, and only one contained meat.  

2. Test: EXAM.

3. List that may include black bean chili and mushroom pot pie: VEGAN MENU.  Traveling in Europe can be challenging for us.  We were happy to find places like Roots & Rolls in Barcelona, Mad Mad Vegan in Madrid, and Wild Food in Granada, where the menus are entirely vegan.

4. All __ well: TOO.  I know all TOO well that vegetarian options are limited in some places!

5. __ lane: HOV.  We can use the High Occupancy Vehicle lane in California if there are two or more people in the car -- or if it's a Clean Air Vehicle with a required decal.  To qualify for a decal, the vehicle must be: 1) 100% electric or hydrogen fuel cell powered, or 2) plug-in hybrid-electric meeting certain standards, or 3) compressed natural gas meeting state and federal emission standards.

6. Tech support caller: USER.

7. Rely (on): DEPEND.

8. National Black Cat Day month: OCTOBER.  Sure, but:

National Black Cat Appreciation Day is August 17th.

National Black Cat Day is October 27th.

October is Black Cat Awareness Month.

All of these events are meant to raise support for black cat adoptions and to dispel superstitions.

9. Get just right: NAIL.

10. Treasure stash: TROVE.

11. Nosy neighbor in "WandaVision": AGNES.  WandaVision is a TV miniseries created for Disney+, based on Marvel Comics, featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff (whose alter ego is Scarlet Witch) and Vision.  Nosy neighbor Agnes is secretly a witch herself, and an antagonist.  If we are going to get into complex fictional worlds, I'd rather listen to my granddaughter describe the tribes of dragons in the Wings of Fire books:  SkyWings, IceWings, NightWings, SeaWings, MudWings, SandWings, RainWings, HiveWings, LeafWings, SilkWings ....

12. Entourage: POSSE.

14. Bug: GLITCH.

18. Reproductive cell: OVUM.

20. Pronoun used in mock outrage: MOI.  Made famous by Miss Piggy, it's Frawnche for "Who, ME?"

23. Co. leaders: CEOs.  Company leaders are Chief Executive Officers.

24. Angel hair topper: HALO.  You were thinking ragù, right?  Not that kind of angel hair.

27. Elects (to): OPTS.

28. Gift tag word: FROM.

29. "See ya in the morning!": 'NIGHT.

30. __ trapped: stuck at home because of a tot's sleep schedule: NAP.  The clue defines this very well.  I'm not sure this phrase existed when I had little children, but I may experience the situation with the upcoming grandson.

34. Tex-Mex dish with an edible bowl: TACO SALAD.  I always called the salad in a fried tortilla bowl a tostada, though I'm aware that some skimpy tostadas are built on flat, fried tortillas.  Extremely brief research suggests that the meal in the yummy bowl is actually a TACO SALAD. 

El Pollo Loco calls this a Classic Tostada.  They're on my side!

35. Nobel Prize subj.: ECON.  Also phys., chem., med., lit., and peace.

36. Say no to: DENY.

38. Belief system: ISM.

40. Obtains: GETS.

41. Home of Grace Hopper College: YALE.  Grace Hopper College is a residential college of Yale University, opened in 1933 as one of the original eight undergraduate residential colleges.  It was originally named Calhoun College after US Vice President John C. Calhoun, but renamed in 2017 in honor of computer scientist Grace Murray Hopper.  If you knew this, you just might be a Yalie, AKA Eli.

44. Some Subarus: HYBRIDS.

46. Lures: TEMPTS.

49. "Completely false!": LIES.

50. "Such a shame": IT'S SAD.

51. Food in "Sweeney Todd" and "Waitress": PIE.  In the penny dreadful stories about Sweeney Todd (1846/47), the villainous barber of Fleet Street, Todd kills his customers, and his neighbor bakes their flesh into meat pies, which she sells.  Waitress was a 2015 stage musical and 2023 musical comedy movie, in which a waitress who bakes pies eventually finds a way to leave her abusive husband and run her own business.

52. Lavender kin: LILAC.

53. Tony winner Menzel: IDINA.  Idina Menzel is an American actress and singer. She has been nicknamed the "Queen of Broadway" for her commanding stage presence and powerful mezzo-soprano voice.  Having achieved mainstream success across stage, screen, and music, her accolades include a Tony Award and a Daytime Emmy Award.

Idina Menzel

54. Elevates: LIFTS.

58. __ chic: GEEK. According to Collins English Dictionary, geek chic is a fashion style believed to be characteristic of geeks, including the wearing of heavy-rimmed glasses and T-shirts with humorous slogans.

59. Branch of Islam: SHIA.

61. Repetitive learning method: ROTE.

62. [Theme clue]

64. Out of the ordinary: ODD.

65. Hi-__ graphics: RES.

Here's the grid:

One of the Loves Of My Life is solving the crossword puzzle with all of you here in the Corner ... the bloggers, the commenters, and those who read along.  

So ... was this puzzle a rare PEARL?  Or did it land with a THUD?

NaomiZ

Thursday, June 5, 2025, Roland Huget

 Theme:  There and back.

NaomiZ here with many thanks to the great Anonymous T for blogging the last three Thursdays.  I made a ROUND TRIP and have come back to work the crossword puzzle with you all.  Today, constructor Roland Huget clues us in on the theme with a big reveal:

61-Across. There and back, or a progression found in 17-, 25-, 35-, 51-, and 61-Across: ROUND TRIP.

The word TRIP appears in each theme entry.  The first time, TRIP is spelled normally.  In each subsequent appearance, the last letter from the previous appearance moves to the front of the word.  In the final appearance, TRIP has come back to the beginning.

17. Hair removal option: WAX STRIPS.  Ouch.

25. Underhanded move: CHEAP TRICK.  And for the rockers among us ...

35. Growth also known as yellow poplar: TULIP TREE.  Liriodendron tulipifera -- known as the tulip tree or yellow poplar -- is native to eastern North America.

51. Noncommissioned screenplay: SPEC SCRIPT.  A spec script is a screenplay written on speculation, meaning without a guaranteed payment. It may be written with the goal of selling it to a production company or studio.

61. There and back, or a progression found in 17-, 25-, 35-, 51-, and 61-Across: ROUND TRIP.

Across:

1. Former "Doctor Who" star Capaldi: PETER.  Peter Capaldi is a Scottish actor, director, singer and guitarist, who portrayed the twelfth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who from 2013 to 2017.

6. "Quit crying, ya big baby!": WAH.  

9. Latches (on to): GLOMS.

14. Breakout publisher: ATARI.  Breakout is an arcade video game developed and published by Atari, Inc. and released in 1976. Eight rows of bricks line the top portion of the screen, and the player's goal is to destroy the bricks by repeatedly bouncing a ball off a paddle into them. 

Breakout starting screen

15. Punk offshoot: EMO.  Thank goodness for frequent fill EMO to get me started on this puzzle.

16. Make merry: REVEL.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Get around: EVADE.

20. Shot: PIC.  We took many shots on our three week adventure, and need to sort through them.

21. Apex predator with feathers: EAGLE.  

22. 21-Across nest: AERIE.

23. Homecoming attendee: ALUM.

25. [Theme clue]

27. Blotter target: WET INK.  An ink blotter is either a handheld rocking device or simple blotting paper, both used to absorb excess ink when writing with a fountain pen. 

29. Emblem on a dol.: US SEAL.  Abbreviated "dollar" in the clue lets US know there will be an abbreviation in the answer.

30. "4 real?": SRSLY.  Text speak:  seriously?

31. So-so poker hand: PAIR.

One pair ranks just above I got nuthin'.

34. Conniving: SLY.

35. [Theme clue]

39. Stand __: PAT.  "If you stand pat in draw poker you're betting on the cards in your hand being better than any you're likely to draw. It didn't take long for stand pat to move from the poker table, where it first appeared in the late 1800s, to the realm of politics; by the early 20th century, to stand pat was to oppose any change in U.S. tariff policy. The term continues to be used mainly in U.S. English, where it's applied to everything from a coach's decision not to change out players during a game to a homeowner's decision not to refinance." -- www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/standpat

42. Really liking: INTO.

43. Brings up: REARS.  As in brings up, or rears, children.

47. Fireplace receptacle: ASH PAN.

fireplace grate and ash pan

50. __ Sea: saline lake in California's Sonoran Desert: SALTON.  Although there were salt lakes in the area millions of years ago, the current lake was formed by accident in 1905 when an irrigation canal broke, and water flowed into the Salton Basin for two years.  Over the course of the 20th century, the lake became an important resting stop for migrating birds, but as the lake shrank and agricultural runoff poisoned the fish, it became an ecological disaster.

51. [Theme clue]

55. Dreamcast maker: SEGA.  Sega introduced its Dreamcast video game console in 1998/99, replacing the Saturn, and the earlier Genesis.  The Dreamcast was discontinued in 2001, ending Sega's 18 years as a console maker.

56. "Bosch" star Welliver: TITUS.  Titus Welliver is an American actor, best known for his portrayals of the Man in Black in Lost, Silas Adams in Deadwood, Jimmy O'Phelan in Sons of Anarchy, and the title role in the television series Bosch and Bosch: Legacy. He is also known for his collaborations with Ben Affleck, starring in his films Gone Baby Gone, The Town, Argo, and Live by Night.  I clearly need to watch more television.  I did watch Sons of Anarchy, though!

57. Place for HS filmmakers: AV LAB.  High School is abbreviated; so is Audio Visual Laboratory.

59. Gown partner: CAP.

60. Wipe out: ERASE.

61. [Theme clue]

63. Compare: LIKEN.  Shall I "liken" thee to a summer's day?  Shakespeare used the word "compare," and the lady being compared came out ahead:  But thy eternal summer shall not fade!  To liken is to assert a similarity, but to compare is to examine similarities and differences.

64. Hesitant response: ERM.  Here's that British "um" again.

65. With a single voice: AS ONE.

66. Hägar's dog: SNERT.  Hägar the Horrible is the title and main character of a comic strip created by Dik Browne, which first appeared in 1973.  Following Browne's retirement in 1988, his son, Chris Browne, continued the strip until his own death in 2023.  The strip is a caricature commenting on life in the United States through a loose interpretation of Viking Age Scandinavian life.

67. Deli choice: RYE.

68. Deviated from a straight course: YAWED.  (A moving ship or aircraft) twisted or oscillated around a vertical axis.

Down:

1. Green-skinned fruits in the custard-apple family: PAWPAWS.  I only know this fruit from the old song, "Way down yonder in the pawpaw patch."  Asimina triloba is a small deciduous tree native to the eastern United States and southern Ontario, Canada, and it yields the largest native fruit of North America.

2. Always-open merchant: E-TAILER.  An internet retailer.

3. Campaign promises directed at wage earners: TAX CUTS.

4. Triage ctrs.: ERs.  Triage centers are Emergency Rooms.

5. Liturgical act: RITE.

6. Consider the pros and cons of: WEIGH.

7. Copious: AMPLE.

8. Hebrew prophet: HOSEA.

9. Hall of Famers: GREATS.

10. Simple machines: LEVERS.   A lever is a simple machine that amplifies an input force to provide a greater output force, which is said to provide leverage, which is mechanical advantage gained in the system.  Components of the machine are fulcrum (or pivot), load, and effort.

11. Egg cell producers: OVARIES.

12. Insurance category: MEDICAL.

13. In an aerodynamic way: SLEEKLY.

18. Pool triangle: RACK.  Pool as in billiards.

This carbon fiber rack will set you back $895.00 plus tax and shipping.

24. Jackson of the Modern Jazz Quartet: MILT.  Milton "Bags" Jackson (1923-1999) was an American jazz vibraphonist.  He is especially remembered for his solos as a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Milt Jackson at the vibraphone.

26. Ragdoll sound: PURR.  The Ragdoll is a breed of cat whose silky coat is dark on top and light below, with blue eyes. American breeder Ann Baker developed Ragdolls in the 1960s. The name Ragdoll comes from the tendency of these cats to go limp when picked up. Ragdolls are considered  dog-like because they follow people around, are receptive to handling, and are not aggressive toward other pets.

Ragdoll cat

28. Alma mater of Spike Lee and Ang Lee: Abbr.: NYU.  Filmmakers Spike Lee and Ang Lee (no relation) earned their MFAs from New York University.  

31. Map marker: PIN.

32. Well-suited: APT.

33. Skater Midori: ITO.  Midori Ito is a Japanese figure skater. She was the 1989 World champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist.  She was the first woman to land a triple Axel in competition.  Midori Ito continues to compete:  in 2024, she won the International Skating Union Adult Figure Skating Competition's Masters Elite Women III + IV Artistic Free Skating category.

Midori Ito at the 1992 Olympics

36. "The Mod Squad" role: LINC.  Clarence Williams III (1939-2021) played the character of Linc Hayes in the police television series The Mod Squad from 1968 to 1973.

The Mod Squad:  Michael Cole, Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III

37. Bullpen stat: ERA.  In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also called the bullpen.  A statistic relevant to pitchers is their Earned Run Average -- the number of earned runs they have allowed, divided by the number of innings pitched, and multiplied by nine (the usual number of innings in a game).  Lower is better.  

38. Anago and unagi: EELS.

39. Some Degas works: PASTELS.  French artist Edgar Degas (1834-1917) did much of his work in pastels, which are powdery sticks of pigment with very little binder, resulting in beautiful works of art that are very fragile.

Edgar Degas, "Waiting" (c. 1882), pastel on paper

40. Medicine cabinet staple: ASPIRIN.

41. Bad thing for an official to be on: THE TAKE.  To be "on the take" is to accept bribes or other illegal income.

44. Was humiliated: ATE CROW.

45. Hair growth option: ROGAINE.  According to the manufacturer, "ROGAINE® minoxidil products are the first FDA-approved topical treatment that is clinically proven to help regrow hair."  Rip it out with WAX STRIPS, grow it with chemical treatments ... or maybe just get comfortable with your hair.

46. Replied sharply: SNAPPED.

48. One who may download Microsoft software: PC USER.

49. Green light: ASSENT.  Since a green traffic light gives permission to proceed, by extension, to "green light" a project is to give permission to go ahead with it.  To assent is to express approval.

50. Diehard fan, in slang: STAN.  A "stan" is an obsessed fan.  The term comes from the song Stan by Eminem, which describes a fan who is excessively fixated on the rapper.

52. Harder to come by: RARER.

53. Creamy white: IVORY.

54. Decorative feather: PLUME.

58. Annual celebration, briefly: BDAY.  Easier to write in the tiny spaces of my pocket calendar.

62. Passenger-screening org.: TSA.  Transportation Security Administration.  

Here's the grid:

While I was away, I was able to briefly scan most of the blog posts here and many of the comments as well.  What struck me was how very difficult the puzzles seemed to be, and how very clever all of you were to solve them.  I hoped I would be able to keep up with you upon my return!  I managed to complete today's puzzle on paper, no cheating, but it took a moment to get started, and there were quite a few entries solved by perps.  Anyone who made it through the grid deserves AMPLE praise.  I hope you all got to REVEL in your success, and that no one ATE CROW.

Thursday, May 29, 2025 ~ Andrew Colin Kirk

Good Morning Cornerites. Let's begin with the reveal 'cuz I don't have a better way to start:

59. Keepers of the faith, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues: RELIGIOUS LEADERS.

And, if you squint real hard, you can see a Religious figure Leading the answers.

18. *Quinta Brunson sitcom set in a school: ABBOTT ELEMENTARY. An ABBOT,

I've never seen this show but this clip popped up in my ad feed recently.

32. *First John Updike novel to feature Harry Angstrom: RABBIT RUN. A RABBI,

39. *Delivery room breathing technique: LAMAZE METHOD. A LAMA,

49. *"Get a load of me!": I'M AMAZING. And an IMAM

Walk into a bar <insert punchline here>.

I think this is Andrew's debut LAT. Congrats Andrew!

Across:
1. Feature of the UNICEF logo: GLOBE. After collecting all those dimes at Halloween, you'd think I'd have remembered the logo.

6. Spanakopita cheese: FETA.

10. Alligator abode: SWAMP.
 

15. Wrap sheet: SARAN.

16. Andy who coached the Chiefs to three Super Bowl wins: REID. No clue.

17. Desert retreat: OASIS. Second Thursday in a row. TTP, you had a good OASIS pick too!

18. [See: Theme]

21. Marcia's "Desperate Housewives" role: BREE. No clue. Name #2 (don't expect me to keep track like Splynter does.)

22. Track of one's tears?: DIRGE. I don't get it.

23. __ Minor: URSA. Little bear.

26. Kitchen cover-ups: APRONS.

28. Incline: RAMP.

32. [See: Theme]

34. Skateboard trick: OLLIE.

35. Pasture: LEA.

36. Extremely dry: ARID.

37. Fed. anti-mob law: RICO ACT. I loved watching Jack Webb in Dragnet (it's on MeTV @11:30p CDT). RICO - Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations.

39. [See: Theme]

42. Parting word: GOOD BYE.

44. Toast spread: OLEO.

45. Fist bump: DAP.

48. Tests: EXAMS.

49. [See: Theme]

51. Part of MSG: MONO. If you're a fan of Uncle Roger, you know this.  //BTW, that's a persona he made up for YouTube but now uses it at his restaurants. 

52. Hot condiment: WASABI.

54. Actress Taylor-Joy: ANYA. Name.

55. Totally aces: NAILS.

57. "NBA Today" airer: ESPN.

59. [See: Theme]

66. Totally remove: ERASE.

67. Sly chuckle: HE-HE.

68. Bar in a birdcage: PERCH.

69. Walkways: PATHS.

70. Adderall target, briefly: ADHD. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

71. Wide variety: ARRAY.

Down:
1. Student-led support org.: GSA. Graduate Student Association - the S is in the clue.

2. Chem class: LAB.

3. Poetic 1-Across: ORB.

4. Madagascar tree: BAOBAB.

5. __'acte: ENTR.

6. Marketing gimmick: FREE PRIZE. Check your cereal boxes!

7. Long swimmer: EEL.

8. Attached, in a way: TIED ON.

9. Syst. overseer: ADMIN.  My early career was network ADMIN.

10. Playlist unit: SONG.

11. Belgian site of an 1815 battle: WATERLOO.  You don't want to meet yours.

12. Red __ beet: A SA.

13. Former Russian space station: MIR.

14. Social science subj.: PSY.

19. Platter with a pot, cups, and saucers: TEA TRAY.

20. Hesitant sounds: ERS.

23. Link letters: URL.

24. Singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE.

25. Govt. funds for a mom-and-pop shop: SBA LOAN.  Small Business Association

27. "I can't believe you said that!": RUDE.

29. Disney film with Jafar and Jasmine: ALADDIN.

30. Podcaster's need: MIC.

31. Touch tenderly: PET.

33. Poetic feet: IAMBS.

34. Astronaut Ellen who was the first Latina in space: OCHOA.  Name #?

37. Like many of Costco's Kirkland brand products: RELABELED.

38. List in detail, in Liverpool: ITEMISE.  Notice the UK spelling.

40. Reprimand: ADMONISH.

41. NYC cultural center: MOMA.

42. Aquamarine, e.g.: GEM.

43. Brand of ergonomic kitchen tools: OXO.

46. "__ luck?": ANY.

47. The Masters org.: PGA.

49. Came out with: ISSUED.

50. Diminutive related to Alex: ZANDER.

52. Nintendo console: WII.

53. Waikiki welcome: ALOHA.

56. Many moons: AGES.

58. Daddy: PAPA.

59. Sales agt.: REP.

60. Timeline stretch: ERA.

61. Delt neighbor: LAT.

62. "Quiet, please!": SHH.

63. Make a mistake: ERR.

64. Color TV pioneer: RCA.  Hi Misty!

65. Bashful: SHY.

The Grid:

The Grid

Sorry for the skinny expo today, folks. I spent the weekend catching up on worked missed whilst sick and then Monday waiting on DW to land at IAH from DFW only to have the storms turn her flight back to Dallas at 1am. Either FlightAware wasn't aware or I wasn't 'cuz I didn't figure it out unti DW texted me from Dalls. I got home around 4am.

Cheers, -T

Thursday, May 15, 2025 ~ Desiree Penner & Jeff Sinnock

Love is in the air...

Good morning folks. Today's expo is going to be a little skinny as my allergies turned into a chest cold. On the plus side, Youngest Graduated UT and is now taking a break in Spain before digging into Law at GW.  I've got Eldest home for only one more day :-)

16. *Dolores Huerta, for one: LABOR LEADER. - The leader of labor is the letter L

25. *In the lead: OUT FRONT. - O is the front letter of out.

35. *Convention site: CIVIC CENTER.  - The center of civic is the letter V.

52. *Portion of the Irish flag that's green: ONE THIRD.  - The third letter of one is the letter E.

Yep, 1/3 Green

60. Messages containing X's and O's, and what the answers to the starred clues literally describe?: LOVE LETTERS.

Across:
1. Stirs in: ADDS.

5. Canines, e.g.: TEETH. Ripping teeth, not puppies.

10. "In a way": ISH.

13. Mammal that may steal fish from a fisher's line: SEAL. Humm, minus a T in Steal is the SEAL.

14. Transparent layer in the eye: CORNEA.

15. Surname separator: NEE.

16. [See: Theme] 18. TNT part: TRI. TRInitrotoluene

19. Hotel fillers: GUESTS. DW has eschewed Hotels for Air B&Bs. Most of 'em are great but no breakfast.

20. Tempts fate: DARES.

22. Rum-soaked cakes: BABAS.

25. [See: Theme]

27. "Call anytime": PHONE ME.

Call me any time... Dirty Deeds - AC / DC.

30. Raves about: PRAISES.

31. TV remote batteries: AAS.

32. Bodega convenience: ATM.

34. Cooling systs.: ACS. Air Conditioners. I have a degree in EE but BTUs still escape me. Convert to Joules and I've got it.

35. [See: Theme]

40. "Unforgettable" singer __ King Cole: NAT.

41. Cap. founded by Brigham Young: SLC.

42. Shrill bark: YAP.

45. Cause of a flubbed field goal, maybe: LOW SNAP.

49. Beer bashes: KEGGERS.

52. [See: Theme].

54. Robust: LUSTY.

55. Yemen metropolis with an elevation over 7,200 feet: SANAA.

56. "But of course, Madame!": OUI OUI.

59. Hairy Addams cousin: ITT.

60. [See: Theme]

65. Actress Vardalos: NIA.
 
66. English cathedral city: EXETER.

67. In a frenzy: AMOK.

68. Family docs: GPS.

69. Frowned-upon activities: NO-NOS.

70. Shade of red: RUBY.

Down:
1. Handy way to communicate, for short?: ASL. American Sign Language. Cute that "Handy" was in the clue.
 
2. Justice Dept. arm: DEA.

3. Apply with a light touch: DAB.

4. "Just say no" or "Just do it": SLOGAN.

5. Small digits: TOES.

6. Poet's Muse: ERATO.

7. Ultimately becomes: ENDS UP.

8. Merch table purchase: TEE.

9. Truism backed up with irrefutable evidence: HARD FACT.

10. Prefaces: INTROS.

11. Placid: SERENE.

12. Bank capers: HEISTS.

14. The Cavs, on scoreboards: CLE.

17. Clever scheme: RUSE.

21. Get out of bed: ARISE.

22. Chem. in some plastic: BPA.

23. Cry after an epiphany: AHA.

24. Pear variety: BOSC.

26. Hypnotic state: TRANCE.

28. Cocktail with a tiny umbrella: MAI TAI.

Yummers!

29. "I could go on" abbr.: ETC.

33. Roast VIPs: MCS.

36. Social media app launched on Oct. 6, 2010: INSTA.

37. "1984" rock band: VAN HALEN.
 

MCMLXXXIV - Catholics know their Roman Numerals :-)

38. Caribou kin: ELK.

39. Marbled loaves: RYES.

43. Works on easels: ART.

44. Social science maj.: PSY.

45. Behind, in a way: LOSING.

46. How detectives might act: ON A TIP.

47. Dressed like for a comic-con, e.g.: WENT AS.

48. Tried-and-true: PROVEN.

50. Oversupply: GLUT.

51. Instrument for 37-Down: GUITAR.

53. Caused by: DUE TO.

57. Seine sights: ILES.

58. Opposite of 'neath: OER.

61. Good Grips brand: OXO.

62. Grounded bird: EMU.

63. Actor Lowe: ROB.

64. Drone zone: SKY.
 

The Grid

Cheers, -T

Thursday, May 8, 2025, Enrique Henestroza Anguiano

 Theme:  Neighboring states

How exciting to have the opportunity to blog a puzzle by Enrique Henestroza Anguiano!  On Saturday, April 5, 2025, Enrique co-authored a puzzle in the L.A. Times with Erik Agard in which they used the clue & answer:  Brown bread specialist: BURSAR.  In the comments section of our Corner, it was the most hated puzzle I can remember.  Enrique had a solo puzzle in the L.A. Times on Saturday, February 15, 2025, which I liked, but some loathed.  Enrique has also published in the New Yorker and in the New York Times.  Is he closer to our wavelength and abilities today?  I think so!  And you know what else is close today?  The circled abbreviations for neighboring states.

The theme clues and answers are:

18. Guest spot in a studio, perhaps: FOLD OUT COUCH.  In a studio apartment, a guest might sleep on a fold out couch.  The circled letters are UT (Utah) and CO (Colorado).

fold out couch

31. Denim option: ACID WASH JEANS.  Acid wash jeans are soaked in chlorine bleach, then washed with pumice stones. The bleach removes the indigo dye, while the stones create a pattern of dark and light patches.  The circled letters are ID (Idaho) and WA (Washington).

acid wash jeans

49. Spot for a home bartender's stash: LIQUOR CABINET.  Some folks keep the booze in a cabinet, some display it on a little cart.  The circled letters are OR (Oregon) and CA (California).

liquor cabinet

65. Big name in money transfers, and a hint to the neighbors found in this puzzle's circled letters: WESTERN UNION.  Western Union was a pioneer in telegraph technology, but today focuses on helping folks send money hither and yon.  It hints at the relationship of the circled letters in the theme answers:  they are all Western states, and they form a union with the state next door by virtue of being placed right next to it in the circles.

Looks like Enrique has come back to be a good neighbor.

The rest of the puzzle goes like this:

Across:

1. Network in Venice: CANALS.  Venice, Italy, is famously crisscrossed by a network of canals.  

Venice is a marvel of engineering.
Built on wood stakes driven into muddy islets in a lagoon,
it has survived for 1600 years.

7. Tire pattern: TREAD.

12. LGBTQ History Mo.: OCT.  DNK but perps helped.

15. "Well, I guess so": UM YEAH.  Some of our solvers hate these conversational equivalents.  This one wasn't easy. Again, perps to the rescue.

16. 32-Down need: VODKA.  32-Down is a COSMO cocktail:  vodka, cointreau or triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice.  I don't do vodka.  Nope.

Cosmopolitan cocktails were the drink of choice on "Sex and the City"

17. Travel to or from 67-Down: FLY.  67-Down is an airport, so you would FLY to or from there.

18. [Theme clue]

20. Smart dresser: FOP.  A man who is concerned with his clothes and appearance in an affected and excessive way; a dandy.

21. Natural hairstyle, for short: FRO.  Short for Afro.

Afro hairstyle

22. Tempest: STORM.

23. Periodical release: ISSUE.  A periodical is a magazine or newspaper.  From time to time, it releases an issue.

25. Text status: SENT.

27. Came across as: SEEMED.

30. "__ Lasso": TED.  Looks like we're all going to have to subscribe to Apple TV again, as season 4 is in the works.  

31. [Theme clue]

35. Guiding light: BEACON.

38. Couldn't keep a secret: TOLD.

39. Transgression: SIN.

40. Leaves out: OMITS.

41. Nouveau réalisme artist Klein: YVES.  Yves Klein (1928-1962) was a leading member of the French artistic movement called Nouveau réalisme. In the 1950s, he focused on monochrome paintings, eventually settling on International Klein Blue.  People bought this stuff.

Yves Klein, IKB 191, 1962

43. Without help: ALONE.

45. "This means __!": WAR.

46. Many a viral GIF: MEME.

48. Music app on old Macs: iTUNES.

49. [Theme clue]

53. Tote: LUG.

54. Coastal city in Andalusia: MÁLAGA.  Málaga was founded around 770 BCE by Phoenicians. It has been under the rule of Ancient Carthage, Rome, the Visigoths, the Byzantine Empire, Islamic caliphates, the Spanish Catholic monarchy, and today's constitutional monarchy.

Málaga in the south of Spain

55. Breakfast burrito proteins: EGGS.

59. WordPress sites: BLOGS.

61. Word derived from the Japanese for "a bit": SKOSH.

63. Sign of summer: LEO.

64. Hoppin': LIT.  "It's lit" is a slang term meaning something is really good, fun, exciting, or intense,  similar to other terms like "poppin'," "hoppin'," or "off the chain."

65. [Theme clue]

69. Put into practice: USE.

70. Fill in the blanks, in a way: INFER.  To infer is to derive as a conclusion from facts or premises.  Deduce is a near relative.  We do a lot of this in crossword solving.

71. Meeting outline: AGENDA.

72. UFO pilots: ETs.  Extraterrestrials pilot Unidentified Flying Objects.

73. "Music" from a cat organ: MEOWS.  That organ being the larynx.

74. Tin alloy used in ancient Egypt: PEWTER.

Down:

1. Slaps: CUFFS.  ​ To cuff is to hit someone with your hand in a light, joking way.

2. Love, in Firenze: AMORE.

3. Parachute fabric: NYLON.

4. Lifesaving device for an EMT: AED.  An Automated External Defibrillator can be used by an Emergency Medical Technician to treat a person whose heart has suddenly stopped working.

5. Vietnam neighbor: LAOS.

6. Closes the door on: SHUTS IN.

7. Network news team: TV CREW.

8. Casual movie night partner: ROOMMATE.

9. Howard URL suffix: EDU.  Colleges and universities use .EDU domains for their websites.

10. Pedigree org.: AKC.  American Kennel Club.  There's a place for purebred dogs, but I miss our mutts.

Daphne and Huxley, 2008-2024

11. Yogurt in lassi: DAHI.  Dahi is a traditional Indian yogurt.  Lassi is a yogurt-based beverage.

12. Time for travel deals: OFF SEASON.  There are things to be said for traveling in the off season, especially fewer crowds and lower prices.  But sometimes the weather is a challenge!

13. State of bliss: CLOUD NINE.

14. Sort: TYPE.

19. Three-__ sloth: TOED.  Three-toed sloths live in the tropical forest canopy in Central and South America.  Their algae-covered fur is an ecosystem unto itself.

24. Fr. holy title: STE.  Sainte (abbreviated Ste) is the feminine form of "saint" in French.  We've all heard of Sainte Jeanne d'Arc (Ste Jeanne d'Arc) or Joan of Arc.

26. Social finesse: TACT.

28. Those, in Spanish: ESOS.  Used for masculine or mixed gender persons or objects.  Those men = Esos hombres.  Those men and women = Esos hombres y mujeres.

29. UPS competitor: DHL.  UPS (United Parcel Service) and DHL (Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn) offer shipping and delivery services.

32. Pink cocktail, familiarly: COSMO.  Short for cosmopolitan.  See 16-Across.

33. Matchmaking app available in Hebrew: JDATE.  I know several young people who have looked for love on JDate, but I think their eventual matches occurred through unplanned encounters.

34. Donkey Kong Country console, for short: SNES.  Super Nintendo Entertainment System.  It helps to be a certain age, or to have children or grandchildren of a certain age.  SNES was sold in North America from 1990 to 1999.

35. Get the ball rolling?: BOWL.

36. Need for a marketing blast: EMAIL LIST.

37. Punctuation made with bunny ears: AIR QUOTES.

41. Community gym org.: YMCA.

42. Hearty beef dish: VEAL STEW.

44. Pear-shaped instrument: LUTE.

Lute

47. Hesitant sound: ERM.  I think "erm" is British for "um."

48. Just like that: IN A SNAP.

50. Comfy boot brand: UGG.

51. Patisserie staff: BAKERS.  Patisserie is French for "pastry shop."

52. "Petrushka" composer Stravinsky: IGOR.

56. Flicker of light: GLINT.

57. Glittery rock: GEODE.

A geode's glitter is all on the inside.

58. Shipwreck-finding tech: SONAR.

59. Smurf-colored: BLUE.

Would Yves Klein have appreciated their blueness?

60. Take a dip: SWIM.

62. Bigger than big: HUGE.

66. WSW opposite: ENE.  Directions.

67. Second-busiest Calif. airport: SFO.  San Francisco International Airport.

68. Top condition on eBay listings: NEW.  My younger sister, of blessed memory, liked to buy fancy dresses on eBay, and taught me to look for the abbreviation NWT -- new with tags.

Here's the grid:

Would you say Enrique's puzzle SEEMED better than the last one?

Would you say it's LIT?  Were you on CLOUD NINE while solving?

Did I like it?  UM YEAH!

NaomiZ

Thanks in advance to Anonymous T, who's going to blog the next three Thursdays.

À bientôt.  Hasta pronto.