Tuesday, April 30, 2024 Kyle Dolan

Home is Where the Heart Is, Redux.  This is the second Tuesday in a row where home was the theme.  Last week, we were in actual living spaces.  This week the word House is combined with another word to give us a new concept, most of which are not actual human living spaces.

17-Across. "Go," to a driver: GREEN LIGHT.  Green House / Light House

26-Across. Insurance company whose slogan begins "Like a good neighbor": STATE FARM.  State House / Farm House

37-Across. Trip of a lifetime: DREAM VACATION.  Dream House / Vacation House

49-Across. Boost for a hockey team after a penalty: POWER PLAY.  Power House / Play House

And the Unifier:

60-Across. People who share a living space, and what both parts of 17-, 26-, 37-, and 49-Across can be?: HOUSE MATES.  Because Room Mates was too few letters.

Across:

1. Speck released by fluffing cushions: MOTE.

5. Outfit: GETUP.

10. Phishing, e.g.: SCAM.

14. Talk Like a Pirate Day greeting: AHOY.  September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

15. Friend in Oaxaca: AMIGO.  Today's Spanish lesson.

16. Silicon Valley's __ Alto: PALO.

19. NBA and WNBA: ORGs.  Both the National Basketball Association and the Women's National Basketball Association are sports Organizations.  //  And 42-Across. Basketball venues: ARENAS.  Teams in both the above organizations will play in an Arena.

20. Tile floor covering: MAT.

21. Sworn statement: OATH.

22. Go nuts for: ADORE.

24. Classic video game maker: ATARI.

29. Garden shovel: SPADE.

31. Easily reached, in a way: LOW.  I recently had to move some of my dishes to a LOWer shelf to make it easier for me to reach.

32. Scattergories game piece with 20 sides: DIE.

33. Frozen treats in Roma: GELATI.  Today's Italian lesson.  What's the difference between Gelato and Ice Cream?

36. Serum container: VIAL.

41. Hosted, for short: MC'ED.  As in acting as the Master of Ceremonies.  Not to be confused with Einstein's theory of special relativity.

43. Med. condition featured in the novel "Turtles All the Way Down": OCD.  Were you aware that the expression Turtles All the Way Down refers to the concept of infinite regress, or the idea that any explanation always requires a further explanation?  It is also the title of a young-adult novel by John Green about a teenager with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

44. "Bien sûr": OUI.  Today's French lesson.

46. Garden statue with a pointy hat: GNOME.  This clue made me think of this scene from The Full Monty.

53. Disappear, as a puddle: DRY UP.  Because Evaporate was too many letters.

55. Time-saving options for bakers: MIXES.  Because Betty Crocker wouldn't fit into the spaces provided.

56. Post re-re-reshared on social media: MEME.

58. Sign of B'way success: SRO.  Standing Room Only.

59. __ golf: MINI.

63. Blackjack cards: ACES.

64. Fertile spots in a desert: OASES.

66. Furtive "Hey!": PSST.

67. Length of hair: TRESS.

68. Leave a mark: SCAR.

Down:

1. Lava, while underground: MAGMA.  Everything you wanted to know about Magma but never thought to ask.

2. "Darn it!": OH, RATS!

3. Keep a beat, digitally?: TOE TAP.

4. Organ on a dollar bill: EYE.  Does the Eye really have a secret meaning?

5. Charity ball, say: GALA.

6. Sends out: EMITS.

7. Like an inflated blood pressure cuff: TIGHT.

8. "Yuck!": UGH.

9. Shepherd's pie topper: POTATO.  Yummers!  Here's a recipe.

10. Parody: SPOOF.

11. Dashboard feature: CAR RADIO.

12. Native of Africa's largest country: ALGERIAN.  Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in North Africa. Algeria is bordered to the northeast by Tunisia; to the east by Libya; to the southeast by Niger; to the southwest by Mali, Mauritania, and Western Sahara; to the west by Morocco; and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea.  Speaking of Africa, do you know which US State is closest to Africa?  *

13. Calendar divs.: MOs.  As in Months.

18. "I'm stumped": NO IDEA.  I wasn't stumped by today's puzzle.

23. __ point: condensation temperature: DEW.

25. Ranted and raved: RAGED.

27. Wonderland visitor: ALICE.  The original name of the book, which was published in 1864 was Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  [Name # 1, fictional.]

28. Filmmaker Brooks: MEL.  Mel Brooks (né Melvin James Kaminsky; b. June 28, 1926) was the creative genius behind the television series Get Smart.  He is best known, however, for some really funny movies, including Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, Space Balls, and High Anxiety.  [Name # 2]

30. Street in a horror franchise: ELM.  What a nightmare!

34. To no __: unsuccessfully: AVAIL.

35. Sticky stuff: TAR.

36. Ski helmet part: VISOR.

37. Batman publisher: DC COMICS.  Did you know that the DC is short for Detective Comics?  

38. Merlot, Malbec, Montepulciano, etc.: RED WINES.  I am familiar with Merlot, but Not Malbec or Montepulciano.  

39. "The Ice Storm" director Lee: ANG.  Ang Lee (b. Oct. 23, 1954) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  [Name # 3.]

40. With 65-Across, two-person vehicle: TANDEM.  //  And 65-Across: See 40-Down: BIKE.

41. Bucket partner: MOP.

44. Smelter input: ORE.  A crossword staple.

45. Conclusion: UP-SHOT.

47. Occult practitioner: MYSTIC.

48. "Aha!": EUREKA.

50. Live: EXIST.

51. Bring on a smile: AMUSE.

52. Some RSVPs: YESES.

54. Tough question: POSER.

57. Clutter: MESS.

59. Geography class display: MAP.

61. Canoeist's need: OAR.

62. Crunched muscles: ABs.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

*  The closest US State to Africa is Maine.  The closest point in Africa to the United States is El Beddouza, Morocco.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 Matthew Stock and Wendy L Brandes

Home is where the heart is.  The last word of each theme clue describes a type of living space.

16-Across. Digs for a member of a string quartet?: CELLO SUITE.  Suite:  a set of rooms designated for one person's or family's use or for a particular purpose.

26-Across. Digs for a gym rat?: MUSCLE BUILDING.  Building:  a structure with a roof and walls, such as a house, school, store, or factory.

42-Across. Digs for a Greek mythology buff?: OEDIPUS COMPLEX.  Complex:  A building complex consists of a large building or series of interconnected buildings that fulfill a specific purpose.

56-Across. Digs for a dancer?: BALLET FLAT.  Flat:  A term predominantly used in the United Kingdom to describe a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building.  The etymology of flat originates from the Old English word “flett,” dating back to the 1300s.  The term means level and in one plane.  Hence, the term flat is used to describe a one-level apartment.

Across:

1. Dynamism: PEP.

4. Eatery with a chalkboard menu: BISTRO.  Bistro: a small, casual restaurant with a relatively inexpensive, simple menu. Though often a French restaurant, it doesn't have to be, and not every bistro serves French food.  I was just reading something about the defeat of Napoleon and learned about the word Bistro came into the French language.  It was first used in the early 1800s following the 1814 occupation of Paris by Russian soldiers.  It seems that it was a mispronunciation of a Russian word that meant hurry.  Russian soldiers would shout Hurry at restaurant owners while waiting for their food.  Small restaurants began to pop-up that could quickly serve food ~ the original fast food restaurants!

10. Free TV spot: PSA.  As in Public Service Announcement.

13. "Origin" writer/director DuVernay: AVA.  Ava Marie DuVernay (b. Aug. 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer.  She has been involved in many movies, including Selma, and A Wrinkle in Time.  Origin is based on Isabel Wilkerson's book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. [Name # 1.]

14. Off-the-cuff performance: IMPROV.  Short for Improvisation.

15. Final push?: CRAM.  Cram:  Study intensively over a short period of time just before an examination.

18. Roll-call call: HERE.

19. "At Wit's End" writer Bombeck: ERMA.  Erma Bombeck (née Erma Louise Bombeck; Feb. 21, 1927 ~ Apr. 22, 1996) was an American humorist.  She wrote over 4,000 newspaper columns which gave a humorous view on family life.  She also published 15 books.  At Wit's End, her first publish book, came out in 1967. [Name # 2.]

20. Spherical body: ORB.

21. "Ant" on a celery "log": RAISIN.

23. Scand. land: NOR.  Norway is a Scandinavian country.

25. Flakes on plans: BAILS.  This clue appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle as Flake (on): Bail.  [See 68-Across in last week's puzzle.]

32. Lauder in the cosmetics aisle: ESTÉE.  Estée Lauder (née Josephine Esther Mentzer; July 1, 1908 ~ Apr. 24, 2004) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  She was an American businesswoman. She and her husband, Joseph Lauter co-founded her eponymous cosmetics company.  [Name # 3.]

33. Measurement given in degrees: ANGLE.

34. __ Lanka: SRI.  Sri Lanka is the tear-drop island off the south-east coast of India.

36. OPS or RBI: STAT.  Both OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) and RBI (Runs Batted In) are baseball Statistics.

37. Prunes: TRIMS.

38. Sparks or Fire: TEAM.  The Los Angeles Sparks are a WNBA Team and the Chicago Fire is a soccer Team.  This clue is immediately followed by 39-Across. Like sparks and fire: HOT.

40. __ Monica Pier: SANTA.

41. Mazda roadster: MIATA.

45. Entrepreneur __ C.J. Walker: MADAM.  According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Madam C J Walker (née Sarah Breedlove; b. Dec. 23, 1867 ~ May 25, 1919) was the first female self-made millionaire in America.  That's a pretty amazing feat considering she was an African-American woman who born in Louisiana a year before the State was readmitted into the Union.  Her older sibling were all born enslaved.  She made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women.  [Name # 4.]

46. Language in which to order larb: LAO.  Larb is certainly not a Tuesday word.  Larb is a spicy and sour meat salad and is the national dish of Laos.

47. Puts one's feelings on display: EMOTES.

49. Woebegone: SAD.  //  And 52-down. Woebegone word: ALAS.

51. Hand-held coolers: FANS.

55. Checkout lane purchase: TOTE.

59. Starchy snack bites, for short: TOTS.  Think of Tater Tots.  Yummers!  //  And 40-Down: 59-Across, perhaps: SIDE.

60. Tennis star Andre: AGASSI.  Andre Kirk Agassi (b. Apr. 29, 1970) was briefly married to actress Brooke Shields (b. May 31, 1965) in the 1990s.  [Name # 5.]

61. Periodontists' gp.: ADA.  As in the American Dental Association.

62. "Without further __ ... ": ADO.

63. Like some work from home: REMOTE.

64. "__ your piece": SAY.

Down:

1. Four-minute mile, for one: PACE.

2. CCR's "Have You __ Seen the Rain": EVER.  This song was first released in 1971 by Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Can it really be over half a century ago?

3. Acai tree, e.g.: PALM.

4. Info on a profile page: BIO.  As in a Biography

5. Post-triathlon lament: I'M SORE.

6. Barrel racer's accessory: SPUR.

7. Chi-Town paper: TRIB.  As in the Chicago Tribune.  Film critic and journalist Gene Siskel (1946 ~ 1999) wrote for the Tribune.

8. Turn brown, maybe: ROT.

9. Clothes with bibs and braces: OVERALLS.

10. Film similar to cling wrap: PRESS'N SEAL.  A bit unfair, since cling wrap is a generic term and the answer is the name of a product.

11. Garment that may be nine yards long: SARI.

12. Grace ender: AMEN.

15. Cook-off entry: CHILI.

17. Small surgical knife: LANCET.  Another déjà vu from last Tuesday.  Also the name of a medical journal.  The Lancet, which was founded in England in 1823, is one of the oldest medical journals.  [See 30-Down from last week.]

22. Congressional staffer: AIDE.

24. "Rah," in fútbol: OLÉ.  Today's Spanish lesson.

25. Signature Golden Arches offering: BIG MAC.  I understand it has a special sauce.

26. Sports bib material: MESH.

27. "We totally agree": US, TOO.

28. "Liberty and Prosperity," for New Jersey, e.g.: STATE MOTTO.  Louisiana's state motto is Union, Justice and Confidence.  What's yours?

29. Bailey's circus partner: BARNUM.  As in P.T. Barnum (né Phineas Taylor Barnum; July 5, 1810 ~ Apr. 7, 1891) and James Anthony Bailey (né James Anthony McGinnis; July 4, 1847 ~ Apr. 11, 1906).  [Names # 6 and 7.]

30. Curriculum parts: UNITS.

31. Shred, as cheese: GRATE.

35. Big big-screen format: IMAX.

37. Eatery with small plates: TAPAS BAR.  A tapa is an appetiser or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold or hot. In some bars and restaurants in Spain and across the globe, tapas have evolved into a very sophisticated cuisine.  Yummers!

38. WNBA game start: TIP OFF.

41. UFC sport: MMA.  As in Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship.

43. eHarmony matches: DATES.

44. Like Yellowstone, among National Parks: OLDEST.  Yellowstone National Park was established by and Act of Congress and President Ulysses S Grant () signed it into law on March 1, 1872.  Not only is Yellowstone National park the first National Park in the United States, but it is also believed to be the first national park in the world.

47. "At Last" singer James: ETTA.  Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  [Name # 8.]

48. Atmosphere: MOOD.

49. Shut with a bang: SLAM.

50.  Additionally: ALSO.

53. Nothing at all: NADA.

54. "Hang around a bit longer!": STAY.

57. Just a number, for some: AGE.  Age is just a number.  It might be a big number, but it is just a number.

58. Cause for overtime: TIE.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Happy Passover for all who celebrate.  Enjoy the Second Seder tonight.