Tuesday, September 2, 2025 Noelle Griskey

Come on Baby, Let the Good Times Roll.

17-Across. It's on a roll: SPICY MAYO.

24-Across. Who's on a roll: STAR STUDENT.

36-Across. They're on a roll: COLOR PHOTOS.

47-Across. They're on a roll: SESAME SEEDS.

57-Across. It's on a roll: RICE PAPER.  Rice Paper is the thin edible wrapper used for wrapping spring rolls in spring rolls in Southeast Asian foods.

Let's get Rolling ...

Across:

1. Does some light cleaning: DUSTS.

6. Brief "Holy cow!": OMG.  Textspeak.

9. Rand McNally publication: ATLAS.  The Rand is also the official currency of South Africa.

14. Like much pub ale: ON TAP.

15. Dim sum bun: BAO.  Everything you ever wanted to know about these Chinese steamed buns.

16. Construction site sight: CRANE.

19. "That's just my two __": CENTS.

20. Othello's betrayer: IAGO.

21. Punk subgenre: EMO.  A crossword staple.

22. Beyond mad: IRATE.

23. Strategic game with matchsticks: NIM.  I was not familiar with this game.  Apparently it is a mathematical game in which two players take turns removing (ie, "nimming") objects from distinct heaps or piles.  On each turn, a player must remove at least one object, and may remove any number of objects provided they all come from the same heap or pile.  Depending on the version being played, the goal of the game is either to avoid taking the last object or to take the last object.  Clear as mud.

27. Vintner's fruit: GRAPE.

29. Sugar suffix: -OSE.  As in Sucrose, or Maltose.

30. Genetic messenger: RNA.  As in RiboNucleic Acid, which is a biological molecule that carries genetic information and plays crucial roles in protein synthesis, gene regulation, and various cellular processes.

31. Research assistant, informally: LAB TECH.

35. Unforeseen hiccup: SNAG.

38. Left at sea?: PORT.  Port refers to the left side of a vessel when facing forward, while starboard refers to the right side.  The term starboard comes from the Old English word for the side of the ship where the steering oar was placed (the "steer-board").  Port was the side used to tie up to the dock.

40. Wright of "Black Panther": LETITIA.  Letitia Michelle Wright (b. Oct. 31, 1993) is a Guyanese-born British actress.

41. Expert: ACE.

42. Extra periods, briefly: OTs.  As in Over Times.

43. Operating principle: CREDO.

52. Race unit: LAP.  I initially tried Leg.

53. Like farm owners: ACRED.

54. Printer spec.: DPI.  As in Dots Per Inch.

55. Angry or achy: SORE.  //  And 35-Down. Take to the sky: SOAR.

56. Negro Leagues legend Buck: O'NEIL.  Buck O'Neil (né John Jordan O'Neil, Jr.; Nov. 13, 1911 ~ Oct. 6, 2006) was a first baseman and manager for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro American Baseball League.

59. Shampoo step: RINSE.

60. Environmental prefix: ECO-.

61. Foam on un espresso: CREMA.

62. Good-sized band: OCTET.

63. Addams cousin: ITT.

64. Soup and salad: SIDES.

Down:

1. Administering medication: DOSING.

2. Disconnect, as a Bluetooth device: UNPAIR.

3. Mark of disgrace: STIGMA.

4. Part of Tuesday's dinner, maybe: TACO.

5. Asset with intel: SPY.

6. President born in Hawaii: OBAMA.  Barack Obama (b. Aug. 4, 1961) celebrated his 64th birthday earlier this month.

7. City hall leader: MAYOR.

8. Baby talk syllable: GOO.

9. Amass over time: ACCRUE.

10. Sneaker pattern: TREAD.

11. Some decorative outdoor lighting: LANTERNS.

12. Rabbit ears: ANTENNA.

13. Paris possessive: SES.  Today's French lesson.

18. Came together: MET.

22. "Crack a window, would you?": IT'S HOT.

24. Make airtight: SEAL.

25. Largest resort city in Russia: SOCHI.

26. Graffiti signature: TAG.

28. Scheme: PLOT.

32. Locked securely: BOLTED.

33. Curly lock: TRESS.

34. Clearblue alternative: EPT.  Both are home pregnancy tests.

36. Moon shape: CRESCENT.

37. Personal quirks: TICS.

38. Faux follower: PAS.  More of today's French lesson.

39. Part of NOAA: OCEANIC.  As in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  During hurricane season, we keep an almost daily look at activity in the Atlantic Ocean and Mississippi Gulf. 

42. Spanish __: OMELET.  A traditional Spanish Omelet is made with eggs, potatoes, and onions. It may also include some meats and vegetables.  The difference between a Spanish Omelet and a "regular" omelet, is that the Spanish omelet is potato based and is thick, not fluffy.  Yummers!

44. Skipped the big wedding: ELOPED.

45. Response to "I bet you won't": DARE ME.

46. Works with arias: OPERAs.

48. Come to light: ARISE.

49. Official order: EDICT.

50. World Showcase theme park: EPCOT.  EPCOT is an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow.

51. Sputter out: DIE.

55. Garment in Hindi cinema: SARI.  A crossword staple.

56. Acapulco gold: ORO.  Today's Spanish lesson.

57. "A Life Outdoors Is a Life Well Lived" co.: REI.  REI makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.  It is an acronym for Recreational Equipment Inc.

58. Mac rivals: PCs.

We're on a Roll!  Here's the Grid/

חתולה

Tuesday August 26, 2025 Susan Gelfand

What?! RustyBrain is now pinch-hitting for Hahtoolah? When will the madness end?!

If Susan Gelfand's first born puzzle had gone to class, it would be graduating from high school right about now. This one flowed nicely and was Tuesday appropriate. She obviously aced her lessons!

I had to dig deep in my record collection for this one. If it had been "Five Easy Pieces," well, then we'd be sitting with Jack Nicholson in a diner trying to order toast.

17. "Easy!": PIECE OF CAKE. Finally, an answer that's a real phase, not something convoluted.

28. "Easy!": LIKE CHILD'S PLAY. And another one!

46. "Easy!": A WALK IN THE PARK. Three in a row!

60. "Easy!": NOTHING TO IT. And this makes it a home run.

Nice job, Susan, you've restored my faith in constructors. Not much else to say about these except they're all common phrases that work well with the theme. I like these kind of puzzles where a singular clue leads to multiple answers. And unlike some other crosswords I've reviewed lately, each one is something you'd actually say. Easy does it!

Across:

1. Brother of Chico, Harpo, and Groucho: ZEPPO. It was either ZEPPO or Gummo. In the early Marx Brothers movies, ZEPPO played the straight man while Chico played the piano.

6. 1965 Alabama march site: SELMA.

11. Draft animal: ASS. I worked at the Williamsburg Busch Gardens, and occasionally had to bring bales of hay to the Budweiser Clydesdales. Up close, they were huge "draft" animals with shoes the size of dinner plates.

14. Earth Day month: APRIL. "There is no PLANet B."

15. Starting 11 in soccer, e.g.: A TEAM. Although Premier League matches traditionally start at 3pm, not 11.

16. Org. for Sharks and Ducks: NHL. Organization is abbrev. so the National Hockey League is also.

17. [theme]

19. "__ willikers!": GEE. "Looks like someone's been a bat boy."

20. Obama daughter: SASHA.

21. Shirt with a button-down collar: OXFORD. An OXFORD is a casual shirt that is typically made from heavier fabric than a dress shirt. Oddly, they're rarely worn with Oxfords. 

23. Scoreboard figs.: PTS. Scoreboard figures: POINTS. Scoreboard figs: SPONSOR.

25. Gold, in Mexico: ORO. So I don't confuse this with OSO (Spanish for bear) I think that ORO looks like ORE, which gold is.

27. Makes a wrong choice: ERRS. Dang, I wrote OSO instead of ORO. 

28. [theme]

34. Jungian inner self: ANIMA. I should know this, but I needed an assist from perps.

35. Set up for solitaire: DEALT. My mom said I was a card and needed to be DEALT with.

36. Quick learner: NATURAL. 

39. Pan-frying hazard: SPATTER.

43. Doesn't make the podium: LOSES.

45. Around about: CIRCA. "Roundabout" CIRCA 1972. Hit single from YES off their Fragile album. 

46. [theme]

50. Sulky mood: SNIT.

51. London lavatory: LOO.

52. Right on __: CUE. The opposite of wrong on queue.

53. Build some muscle: TONE UP.

56. Seize by force: WREST. WREST and wrestle are related and derive from the same root meaning "to twist."

59. Museum collection: ART. Because donations wouldn't fit in the slot.

60. [theme]

65. Happy hour haunt: BAR.

66. Cedar Rapids resident: IOWAN.

67. Movie legend Greta: GARBO. Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American actress and a premier star during Hollywood's silent and early golden eras.

68. Rainbow's backdrop: SKY. Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow - his band after Deep Purple.

69. Flip-flop: THONG. I was relaxing on Haulover Beach in Miami when a woman near me slipped out of her thong! I was surprised to say the least, until she kicked the other one off as well. That's when I noticed a lot of people were going around bare foot.

70. Inception: ONSET.

Down:

1. Thaw in the microwave: ZAP.

2. Prefix for a lifesaving "Pen": EPI.

3. Promotional packet released to the media: PRESS KIT. Here's a home version.

4. Printing measure: PICA. Back before word processors with their plethora of fonts, typewriters basically had two: PICA (wide) and Elite (narrow). Nowadays, printers measure how much toner is left so they can sell you more.

5. Cheers at the Bienal de Flamenco: OLES. The Flamenco Biennial (in English) is a major international flamenco festival that takes place in Seville, Spain, every two years.

6. Serengeti adventure: SAFARI.

7. "The list goes on," briefly: ETC.

8. __ & Perrins steak sauce: LEA.

9. Fastest known shark: MAKO. The "something new" I always learn from crosswords.

10. Discover or MC alternative: AMEX. A MasterCard alternative is American Express. For your convenience, I accept all of them. Send your money to me @ Crossword Corner, especially if you have an unlimited Black Card. Thanks in advance.

11. Soft sweater wool: ANGORA.

12. Fortified wine from Andalusia: SHERRY.

13. Winter coasters: SLEDS. Winter coasters: SNOWFLAKES.

18. "I got it! I got it!": OH OH. I know this one!
-

22. Soft pen type: FELT TIP.

23. Details shared before a night out: PLAN. 

24. Rock legend Turner: TINA.She's timeless.

26. "I was today years __ when ... ": OLD. The “I was today years OLD” meme began on Twitter in 2015, when users posted the phrase to express surprise or humor upon learning something new or realizing it for the first time.

29. Try to equal: EMULATE. 

30. "O Holy Night," for one: CAROL. As played by Carole:

31. __ Plaines, Illinois: DES.

32. Sticky stuff on a tree: SAP. It takes about 40 gallons of maple SAP to produce 1 gallon of maple syrup. I guess that's what it all boils down to.

33. Finish second in a horse race: PLACE. Win, PLACE and Show = 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

37. Inquire: ASK.

38. Hula dancer's garland: LEI.

40. Farm vehicles: TRACTORS. I have cousins who are third-generation dairy farmers in Upstate New York. They collect vintage TRACTORS. Or maybe they don't junk the old ones...

41. Light beige: ECRU.

42. Leaf gatherer: RAKE.

44. Skit show with musical guests, briefly: SNL. The show was originally known simply as NBC's Saturday Night because ABC was broadcasting a program titled Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell. The opening announcer still says "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

46. Outerwear suitable for cold, frosty, and snowy conditions: ANORAK.

47. Cold, frosty, and snowy: WINTRY. I like when two clues share common words, almost like today's theme!

48. AAA service: TOWING.

49. Car instrument: HORN. I never played the HORN, but I did play the radio.

50. Uninformed guesses: STABS.

54. Group of troops: UNIT.

55. Eeyore's pal: POOH. Whenever I see "Eeyore", my mind sees eyesore.

57. Frozen waffle brand: EGGO. EGGO experienced a resurgence in sales after the Netflix series Stranger Things became a hit. The lead character, a girl named Eleven with psychic abilities, is obsessed with them.

58. Baseball Hall of Famer Musial: STAN. "STAN the Man" is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most consistent hitters in baseball history.

61. Number needed to tango: TWO.

62. "To All the Boys" series creator Jenny: HAN. One of many bestsellers that I haven't read, but I'm sure it's good. Her novels have been adapted into movies and TV series.  

63. "May __ excused?": I BE.

64. Youngster: TOT. Young spuds are tater TOTs.

May I be excused now?