Get Down! The circles are all in theDownposition and spell out a type of common type of aSystem.
4-Down. Unauthorized rock recordings: BOOTLEG ALBUMS. LegalSystem. ALegal Systemis the framework of rules, procedures, and institutions that a community uses to interpret and enforce their laws.
8-Down. "SNL" sketch featuring Christopher Walken and a percussion instrument: MORE COWBELL. Ecosystem. An Ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment.
25-Down. Retail rep's quota: SALES TARGET. Star System. A Star system is a group of planets, meteors, or other objects that orbit a large star.
And the unifier:
19-Down. Grammy-winning metal band, or what can be found three times in this puzzle?: SYSTEM OF A DOWN. Hand up if you knew of this Armenian-American band. Apparently it has been active since the mid-1990s. It was unknown to me and if it wasn't for the circles, I would have had trouble with today's theme.
Here's the Grid:
Across:
1. Wound cover: SCAB.
5. Fox or ox: ANIMAL.
11. Tub: VAT.
14. Christmas pageant headwear: HALO.
15. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" star Lombard: CAROLE. Mr. and Mrs. Smith was a 1941 film. Tragically, the following year Carole Lombard (née Jane Alice Peters; Oct. 6, 1908 ~ Jan. 16, 1942) was killed in a plane crash.
16. Australian bird: EMU.
17. Silicon Valley city Palo __: ALTO.
18. 1920s dance craze that originated in South Carolina: CHARLESTON.
20. Oregon Trail river: PLATTE. The Platte River originates in the Rocky Mountains as two main tributaries, the North Platte and the South Platte, in Colorado and Wyoming. It flows through Nebraska and eventually empties into the Missouri River near Plattsmouth, Nebraska
22. Letters that end a proof: QED. Today's Latin lesson. QED is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase Quod Erat Demonstrandum, which roughly translates to that which was to be proved.
23. Oxen harness: YOKE.
24. Aviator hat features: EARLAPS.
26. T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical __": CATS.
28. "At Last" singer James: ETTA. Our old friend Etta James (née Jamesettta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) is back to grace us with song.
29. Raw bar mollusks: OYSTERS. For a fascinating look into the history of oysters, I recommend The Big Oyster, by Mark Kurlansky.
33. Male deer: STAG. I tried Buck first, but the perps objected.
36. Reuben sammie side: SLAW.
38. Orange __ tea: PEKOE. Everything you didn't know you needed to know about Orange Pekoe Tea.
39. Like ice caps: POLAR.
41. Wane: EBB.
42. Troutlike fish in the Great Lakes: SMELT. Yummers!
43. Use TurboTax, say: E-FILE.
44. Oracle: SEER.
46. Poems of praise: ODES.
47. Give up, informally: CUT BAIT.
49. Laze: LOAF.
51. Arm bone: ULNA.
52. Celebrity chef Emeril: LAGASSE. Although Emeril Lagasse (né Emeril John Lagassé, III; b. Oct. 15, 1959) is known for Creole and Cajun cuisine, he was actually born in Fall River, Massachusetts and is of French and Portuguese descent.
56. Like some margins of victory: SLIM.
59. Globe: ORB.
61. Mellow: SEDATE.
62. The "MO" of FOMO: MISSING OUT. Fear Of Missing Out.
65. Foreboding sign: OMEN.
66. MLB official: UMP.
67. South Dakota's capital: PIERRE. Unless you are from South Dakota, this is probably more than you ever though you would know about Pierre.
68. Troubles: WOES.
69. Identity celebrated during Pride Month: GAY. June is Gay Pride Month.
70. Show up for: ATTEND.
71. __ a soul: NARY.
Down:
1. Circle or triangle: SHAPE.
2. __ lily: trumpet-shaped flower: CALLA. They are beautiful flowers.
3. Religious platform: ALTAR.
5. Says yes to: ACCEPTS.
6. "Nope": NAH.
7. Country where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet: IRAQ.
9. From sunrise to sunset: ALL DAY.
10. Olympic gymnast Suni: LEE. Her given name is Sunisa Phabsomphou Lee (b. Mar. 9, 2003). She participated in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.
11. Presidential power: VETO.
12. Out of control: AMOK.
13. Melody: TUNE.
21. Tit for __: TAT.
27. Recipe amts.: TSPS. As in Teaspoons.
30. Just managed, with "out": EKED.
31. Actor's part: ROLE.
32. Production designer's creations: SETS.
33. Job detail, for short: SPEC. This is becoming a crossword staple.
34. Pad thai protein option: TOFU. Yummers! I love pad thai.
35. Landed: ALIT.
37. "The Godfather" actor Vigoda: ABE. Abraham Vigoda (Feb. 24, 1921 ~ Jan. 26, 2016) portrayed Salvadore Tessio in The Godfather and Phil Fish in the sitcom Barney Miller.
40. Not imagined: REAL.
45. Like some nuts: ROASTED.
48. Complicit: IN ON IT.
50. Life time: AGE.
53. South Pacific island group: SAMOA.
54. Take the wheel: STEER.
55. Itty-bitty: EENSY.
56. Self-satisfied: SMUG.
57. Peru's capital: LIMA.
58. Classic road trip game: I SPY. I Spy with my Little Eye ...
60. Tire through tedium: BORE.
63. Hoppy brew letters: IPA. As in India Pale Ale. Everything you ever wanted to know about IPA.
Let Them Eat Cake! Although this phrase is attributed to Marie Antoinette, there is no historical evidence that she actually said this. Today's puzzle was Easy as Pie.
20-Across. Indonesian archipelago now known as the Moluccas: SPICE ISLANDS. Spice Islands is also name of a company that sells spices and herbs. The Spice Islands are also known as Malaku or the Moluccas.
27-Across. Thorny garden flowers: TEA ROSES. Tea roses are named for the fragrance of their flowers. They are said to smell like a cup of freshly brewed tea.
35-Across. Shake, rattle, and roll at a concert: ROCK OUT.
45-Across. Absorb, as spilled milk: SPONGE UP.
And the unifier:
51-Across. "Nothing to it!," and what each circled letter literally is?: A PIECE OF CAKE. Each circle is a Piece of the word CAKE. We get SpiCe Cake, TeA Cake, RocK Cake, and SpongE Cake. I think Rock Cakes are more like cookies.
Here's the Grid so you can see all the Pieces of Cake scattered about the puzzle.
Scottish Rock Cakes
There were a lot of names in today's puzzle, but they were all pretty easy to suss out.
Across:
1. Marx brother known for silent gags: HARPO. The comedic Marx brothers make occasional appearances in the puzzles. There were five brothers known for their vaudeville acts and movies. Harpo Marx (né Adolph Marx; Nov. 23, 1988 ~ Sept. 28, 1964) was the second-oldest brother and rarely spoke but was known for blowing a horn. He also was known for playing the harp, hence, his name. [Name # 1.]
6. Laborious process: SLOG.
10. In style: CHIC.
14. "Rush Rush" singer Paula: ABDUL. Paula Julie Abdul (b. June 19, 1962) got her start as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers. [Name # 2.]
15. Uncontaminated: PURE.
16. Walesa of Poland's Solidarity movement: LECH. In the late 1970s, Lech Wałęsa (b. Sept. 29, 1943) co-founded the Solidarity trade-union in Poland. He later served as the President of Poland from December 1990 to December 1995. He was award the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983. [Name # 3.]
17. Burn with steam: SCALD.
18. Recedes slowly: EBBS.
19. __ Day vitamins: ONE-A-.
23. "Fiddlesticks!": OH, DARN!
26. Targeted, with "at": TOOK AIM.
30. Mardi Gras, for one: FEST. Mardi Gras is early next year. It falls on February 17, 2026.
31. Alpo rival: IAMS. It is pet food for dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.
32. Tire inflation abbr.: PSI. As in Pounds per Square Inch.
33. Currency of Montreal and Toronto: Abbr.: CAD. As in the Canadian Dollar. As of this writing, the Canadian Dollar is worth $0.73 US Dollars. It is very colorful money. Hi, Canadian, Eh!
34. Fuel additive brand: STP.
37. Six-pack in a gym: ABs. Abdominal Muscles are a crossword staple.
40. Vietnamese New Year: TET. In 2026, the Vietnamese New Year falls on February 17. It just happens to coincide with Mardi Gras. It, too, would be considered a FEST.
41. Move like a kangaroo: HOP.
42. "Enchanted" girl in a fantasy comedy: ELLA. [Name # 4, Fictional.]
43. Lab container: VIAL.
47. Blown sign of affection: AIR KISS.
50. Hybrid big cats: LIGERS. A Liger is the offspring of a male lion and a female tiger. Did you know that if the mother is a lion and the father is a tiger, the offspring is known as a Tigon?
54. Egg container: NEST.
55. Soon, to Shakespeare: ANON.
56. Most suitable: IDEAL.
60. Teen sleuth Nancy: DREW. Nancy Drew has been around since 1930. I read a lot of Nancy Drew mysteries when I was a kid. [Name # 5, fictional.]
61. Diet-friendly, on labels: LITE. // And 22-Down. Diet-friendly, on labels: LO-FAT.
62. Sculpture trunk: TORSO.
63. Canadian gas brand: ESSO. Everything you wanted to know about Esso, but didn't know to ask. Another shout out to Canadian, Eh!
64. Glaswegian, e.g.: SCOT. Someone from Glasgow, Scotland is called a Glaswegian.
65. Feeling of dread: ANGST.
Down:
1. "Everything __ Changed": Taylor Swift song: HAS.
4. Some neutron stars and analog watches: PULSARS. What exactly are Pulsars?
5. Seasoned vet: OLD PRO.
6. Architectural detail, for short: SPEC.
7. Jiffy __: chain that specializes in oil changes: LUBE.
8. Once around the world: ORBIT.
9. Artist's primer: GESSO. Not a Tuesday word. Gesso prepares the surface for painting, making the surface slightly textured and ready to accept acrylic paint. Without gesso, the paint would soak into the weave of the canvas.
10. Concealed: CLOAKED.
11. Reddish brown dyes used in body art: HENNAS.
12. Clinched the win: ICED IT.
13. Deep divide: CHASM.
21. Trendy place: IN SPOT.
23. R&B legend Redding: OTIS. Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (Sept. 9, 1941 ~ Dec. 10, 1967) tragically died at age 26 in a plane crash. [Name # 6.]
24. Frozen food directive: HEAT.
25. Like clothes put out to dry: DAMP.
28. Key near F1: ESC.
29. Many Punjabis: SIKHS. A religion primarily practiced in the Punjab region of Southeast Asia.
33. Rounded roof: CUPOLA.
35. Artifact: RELIC.
36. Alley-__ pass: OOP.
37. Not aweather: ALEE.
38. Hazy shape: BLUR.
39. Drains: SAPS.
40. Second try on a movie set: TAKE TWO.
42. Encouraged: EGGED ON.
43. Venomous snakes: VIPERS.
44. Spring blooms with beards: IRISES.
Vincent Van Gogh was famous for his paintings of Irises.
46. Soviet premier Khrushchev: NIKITA. Nikita Khrushchev (Apr. 15, 1894 ~ Sept. 11, 19971) was the first Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He served from 1953 to 1964. Did he really bang a shoe on a desk at the United Nations? [Name # 7.]
47. "Hoarders" airer: A AND E. Usually depicted as A&E.
48. Aquatic barkers: SEALS.
49. Hedgehog mascot of Sega: SONIC.
52. Picture, informally: FOTO.
53. Gadget review site: C-NET.
57. Unit of energy: ERG.
58. Biblical beast: ASS. You can read about of Balaam and his talking donkey in the Book of Numbers (Chapters 22-24).
