Another 16 x 15 grid for a Wednesday puzzle - but - no circles, then again eight or ten names, depending on how you count, 22 each of TLWs and four-letter words, eight "quoted" clues, and a whopping ELEVEN abbreviations;
49. *Lost control of one's emotions: FLEW OFF THE HANDLE
64. Expression that covers a broad category, or what is found at the end of the answer to each starred clue?: UMBRELLA TERM - Today's $2 word for this phrase is "hypernymy"
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Coastal country with approximately a quarter of Africa's gorillas: GABON - I recall "Survivor" had a season there
6. "Huh, really?": "THAT SO~?"
12. Panda car driver: COP - I did not know this is a British term, despite having parents born & raised in England, but it makes sense; black & white . . . . the Wiki
15. The "A" of the ABC islands: ARUBA - the others being Bonaire and Curaçao
16. Become less intense: EASE UP
17. Singer DiFranco: ANI - name #1
20. Slump: SAG
21. Skedaddles: SCOOTS
22. Fish out of water: MISFITS - semi-meh. FishES would have helped
24. Data unit: BYTE
26. "A little assistance here!": "HELP~!"
28. Monogram pt.: INITials - abbr#1
34. Irene who matched wits with Holmes: ADLER - #2; I did not know this character
35. Eateries that might have 1950s decor: DINERS
Hello~? McFly~?
36. Actress Gadot: GAL - #3; I am getting used to seeing her in crosswords now
37. Apple platform: iOS
40. Foot part: TOE
41. Arthur of "The Golden Girls": BEA - #4, crossword staple
5. Brussels-based gp.: NATO - Wed-level crossword clue - abbr#3
6. Wobble: TEETER - good WAG on my part
7. Pestered: HASSLED - but ANNOYED was not
8. Volcanic residue: ASH
9. United group: TEAM
10. Certain Muslim: SUFI
11. Makes a selection: OPTS - meh. chooses is better
12. Vegas venue: CASINO - I have ZERO desire to go to Las Vegas, other than to see the architecture
13. How some bet: ON A TIP - Dah~! Not ONLINE
14. Spot that isn't spotless: PIG STY
19. Hostess brand: HoHo - meh. I don't like this clue; isn't it a "product", not a brand~?
23. Snorkeler's footwear: FINS - how goes the swimming, C.C.~?
24. Boast: BRAG
25. When repeated, "Blah, blah, blah" kin: YADA - the "Elaine-ism" from Seinfeld
27. Trident-shaped letter: PSI
30. __ pie: dish with corn chips: FRITO - does make sense; we called it "Dip" in Cincinnati
31. Explosive letters: TNT - two blogs in a row for me; abbr#5
32. Corp. suit: CEO - ah; 'suit' meaning the 'person' in the position; the term for this is "metonymy" - and abbr#6
33. Colombian street snack: AREPA
A recipe here - a taco made with a thick corn flatbread
38. "Sounds painful!": "OOF~!"
39. UV-filtering measurement: SPF - Sun Protection Factor - for UV "B" rays, and abbr#7
41. Nightmare: BAD DREAM
42. Fanning of "Super 8": ELLE - #5, More from her IMDb page
43. Prayer ending: AMEN
44. Branded totes and pens, e.g.: SWAG - I am quietly wondering if I will ever get invited to the Pipe Organ convention, and see what swag they are offering. . . .
18. Tailgating seat: LAWN CHAIR. A light, collapsible chair made to be used outside.
20. Brunch choice: FRENCH OMELET. A dish of beaten eggs cooked in a pan until the outside is smooth and golden brown, and the inside is moist and custardy.
37. Part of a formal place setting: CLOTH NAPKIN. A small square of cloth used at meals to clean your fingers and lips, and to protect your clothes.
56. Medium for an artist whose work is in-creasing?: ORIGAM IPAPER. A flat sheet of paper that is transformed into a finished culture. [I love this clue WAY too much.]
59. Easy-to-store piece of furniture: CARD TABLE. A square table for playing cards on, typically having legs that collapse for storage. Ours slips neatly behind the china cabinet.
What do all these items have in common? Let's check the unifier.
62. Poker player's concession, and what 18-, 20-, 37-, 56-, and 59-Across might say?: I FOLD. The poker player is figuratively folding his cards, giving up on that hand. The theme fill are all items that can be folded in a more literal sense. Clever!
Hi Gang, JzB here to straighten things out. Sadly, I had a couple naticks which gave me a DNF. <sigh.> But I'm not going to hold a grudge. Let's press on.
Across:
1. Parenthesis, in an emoticon: SMILE. Like this -- :-)
6. Automaker __ Romeo: ALFA. Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian luxury carmaker known for its sports-oriented vehicles, strong auto racing heritage, and iconic design. Headquartered in Turin, Italy, it is a subsidiary of Stellantis Europe and one of 14 brands of multinational automotive company Stellantis.
10. London elevator: LIFT. English English vs American English.
14. Word with roll or code: HONOR. An Honor Roll is a recognition of excellence for students; and Honor Code is a set of rules or principles that define what is considered honorable behavior in a given community.
15. Bank claim: LIEN. A legal claim or security interest on a property that secures the payment of a debt or obligation. The property owner who grants the lien is known as the lienee, and the person who benefits from the lien is called the lienor or lienholder.
16. Actress Taylor-Joy: ANYA. Anya-Josephine Marie Taylor-Joy [b. 1996] is an actress. Born in Miami and raised in Buenos Aires and London, Taylor-Joy left school at the age of 16 to pursue an acting career. After a series of small television roles, her breakthrough came with a leading role in the horror film The Witch.
Not my idea of a good time
17. Sundance film, e.g.: INDIE. A movie or short film that is produced and distributed outside of the major film studio system.
22. Freight weight: TON. A unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds avoirdupois (907.19 kg).
23. Pointer: TIP. Helpful hints, suggestions, or key points that guide you towards understanding a subject or situation.
24. Use an X-ray on: SEE INTO. Observe the inner structure.
28. Meyers of late-night TV: SETH. Seth Adam Meyers [b. 1973] is an American comedian, television host, actor, writer, producer, and podcaster. He currently hosts Late Night with Seth Meyers, a late-night talk show on NBC.
30. Umami, for one: TASTE. Umami or savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes. It is characteristic of broths and cooked meats.
32. Clod: OAF. An awkward, foolish or stupid person.
33. Soul singer Baker: ANITA. Anita Denise Baker [b 1958] is an American singer-songwriter. She is known for her soulful ballads, particularly from the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress, in 1983.
35. Porcine proboscis: SNOUT. A pig's nose. it's how they smell.
40. Annual NBA event: DRAFT. The NBA draft happens every year in June. It is where teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) choose players who have never played in the NBA before. If a team chooses a player, that player cannot sign a contract to play for any teams other than that team.
42. Small change: TWEAK. Improve a mechanism or system by making fine adjustments to it.
43. Sully: MAR. Impare the appearance or quality of something.
44. Land parcel: TRACT. An area of indefinite extent, typically a large one.
46. Earth Day sci.: ECOLogy. the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment; it seeks to understand the vital connections between plants and animals and the world around them.
50. "America's Got Talent" judge SofÌa: VERGARA. Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara [b. 1972] is a Colombian and American actress and television personality. She is known for her role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in the ABC sitcom Modern Family and Griselda Blanco in the Netflix miniseries Griselda.
53. RN workplaces: ORS. Operating Rooms, where surgeries happen.
55. British pop singer Rita: ORA. Rita Sahatçiu Ora [b. 1990] is a British singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress. Born in Pristina, modern-day Kosovo, she rose to prominence when she featured on DJ Fresh's 2012 single, "Hot Right Now", which peaked atop the UK singles chart.
63. Potatoes, in Indian cuisine: ALOO. As in, for example: Aloo gobhi, aloo gobi or alu gobhi is a vegetarian dish from the Indian subcontinent made with potatoes, cauliflower, and Indian spices. It is popular in Indian cuisine. It is yellowish in color due to the use of turmeric, and occasionally contains black cumin and curry leaves.
64. Spanish cat: GATO. Literal.
65. __ and effect: CAUSE. The direct relationship between an action or event and its consequence or result.
66. Like new: MINT. In mint condition, originally, the phrase related to the way collectors described the condition of coins.
67. Spengler of the Ghostbusters: EGON. Egon Spengler, PhD is a fictional character from the Ghostbusters franchise. He appears in the films Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, in the animated television series The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters, and in the video games Ghostbusters: The Video Game and Ghostbusters Beeline. Egon was portrayed by Harold Ramis in the films and voiced by him in Ghostbusters: The Video Game and Lego Dimensions.
68. ATM keypad key: ENTER. The enter key is a computer innovation, which in most cases causes a command line, window form, or dialog box to operate its default function. This is typically to finish an "entry" and begin the desired process, and is usually an alternative to clicking an OK button.
Down:
1. Work periods: SHIFTS. Any of two or more recurring periods in which different groups of workers do the same jobs in relay.
2. Curtis and Lemmon's "Some Like It Hot" co-star: MONROE. Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson (June 1, 1926 – August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as well as an emblem of the era's sexual revolution. She was a top-billed actress for a decade, and her films grossed $200 million (equivalent to $2 billion in 2023) by the time of her death in 1962.
3. Use a Tab key: INDENT. Move a line of test a specified distance from the left margin
4. Pork portion: LOIN. Pork loin is a cut of meat from a pig, created from the tissue along the dorsal side of the rib cage
5. Put up: ERECT. Build, as, for example, a house.
6. Conventional doctor, to an alternative medicine practitioner: ALLOPATH. A doctor who treats disease by conventional means, i.e., with drugs having opposite effects to the symptoms.
7. Actor Neeson: LIAM. William John Neeson OBE [b. 1952] is a Northern Irish actor. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed seventh on The Irish Times list of Ireland's 50 Greatest Film Actors.
8. Smallest in number: FEWEST. The least quantity of people or things.
9. Founder of the American Shakers: ANN LEE. Ann Lee ( 1736 – 1784), commonly known as Mother Ann Lee, was the founding leader of the Shakers, later changed to United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing following her death. She was born during a time of the Evangelical revival in England, and became a figure that greatly influenced religion at this time, especially in the Americas.
10. "Chicago Hope" Emmy winner Christine: LAHTI. Christine Ann Lahti [b. 1950]s an American actress and filmmaker. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1984 film Swing Shift. Her other film roles include ...And Justice for All, Housekeeping, Running on Empty, Leaving Normal, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
11. Food Network host Garten: INA. Ina Rosenberg Garten [b. 1948] is an American television cook and author. She is host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and was a former staff member of the Office of Management and Budget.
12. BTW relative: FYI. By the way and For Your information, phrases used to indicate you have something more to say.
13. La Brea __ Pits: TAR. La Brea Tar Pits is an active paleontological research site in urban Los Angeles. Hancock Park was formed around a group of tar pits where natural asphalt has seeped up from the ground for tens of thousands of years. Over many centuries, the bones of trapped animals have been preserved. You can decide if "La Brea Tar Pits" is redundant. in my opinion, since it is a recognized place name, it is not.
19. So-so grade: CEE. A letter grade given to work that is not particularly good nor bad.
21. Bandleader's cry: HIT IT. Start playing. In all my decades of playing in various venues and formats, I don't recall any leader ever saying this.
25. Halfway to midnight: NOON. The exact midpoint between one midnight and the next.
26. Sigma follower: TAU.
27. Many a time, in verse: OFT. Often is oft thus abbreviated.
29. __ Dome: Yosemite attraction: HALF. Half Dome is a quartz monzonite batholith at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California. It is a well-known rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half.
31. Present day celebrity?: SANTA. Famous mythical gift-giver who shows up between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Clever clue.
34. "__ on my watch!": NOT. The speaker is saying that they will not allow something to happen, and the intent is that they will be taking action to stop it.
35. Reggae precursor: SKA. Ska is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the off beat.
36. Reebok rival: NIKE. An American athletic footwear and apparel corporation headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, United States. It is the world's largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel and a major manufacturer of sports equipment, with revenue in excess of US$46 billion in its fiscal year 2022.
37. NFL quarterback Derek: CARR. Derek Dallas Carr [b. 1991] is an American professional football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League.
38. "You're pulling my leg!": AW COME ON. Expression of disbelief.
39. Cultural dish?: PETRI. A shallow transparent lidded dish that biologists use to hold growth medium in which cells can be cultured, originally, cells of bacteria, fungi and small mosses.
40. ID-issuing org.: DMV. Department of Motor Vehicles.
41. "I Really Like You" singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE. Carly Rae Jepsen [b. 1985] is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After studying musical theatre for most of her school life and while in university, Jepsen garnered mainstream attention after placing third on the fifth season of Canadian Idol in 2007.
44. System based on urgency: TRIAGE. In medicine, triage is a process by which care providers such as medical professionals and those with first aid knowledge determine the order of priority for providing treatment to injured individuals and/or inform the rationing of limited supplies so that they go to those who can most benefit from it.
45. Mishmash: RAGBAG. a confused mixture or a random collection of odds and ends.
47. Poor excuse: COP OUT. The act or an instance of backing out of a situation or commitment or avoiding responsibility for something. When you take the easy way out to avoid doing something challenging or making a difficult choice, that's a cop-out. An excuse can be called a cop-out.
48. "... you'll be sorry if you don't!": OR ELSE. A vague threat suggesting an unspecified outcome if certain conditions are not met.
49. Food storage spot: LARDER. A room or large cupboard for storing food.
51. Beckett's "Waiting for __": GODOT. Waiting for Godot is a play by Irish playwright Samuel Beckett in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, engage in a variety of discussions and encounters while awaiting the titular Godot, who never arrives.
52. Works in a gallery: ART. Works of art on display rather than labor performed.
54. Liven (up): SPICE. To add interest or excitement to something. For example, you can spice up a speech, a story, a performance, or food.
57. Silicon Valley city Palo __: ALTO. Palo Alto (Spanish for 'tall stick') is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. As one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is home to the headquarters of multiple tech companies
58. Anonymous admirer's sign-off: A FAN. A person who has interest or likes something, or somebody.
59. Zoom meeting need, for short: CAMera.
60. Lord of the rings?: ALI. Muhammd Ali [1942- 2016] was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century. Widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, he held the Ring magazine heavyweight title from 1964 to 1970
61. Actor Perlman: RON. Ronald N. Perlman [b. 1950] has a long list of movie acting and voice acting credits.
And so it ends. Hope you made it through with no structural damage.
If anyone is interested, the Dearborn Big Band, where I play, did a joint concert with the Dearborn Concert Band on Oct 30. Here is a video of the concert.
A fresh and enjoyable debut puzzle from Jack Maurer for the LA Times, with four planets ( worlds ) "separated" across the theme answers of 11-, 13- and a 15-letter spanners. Not quite in planetary order, but a very well constructed crossword. Yes, we have circles, but thankfully a mere three(ish) names by my count and just 21 TLWs. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5 rating. The theme answers, with some musical interpretation:
16. Focus of some nongovernmental organizations: HUMAN RIGHTS - MARS - Interesting that the God of war be found in the phrase; I considered Human League, their song "Human", and Rage Against the Machine, but settled for this one....
Civil War - Guns N' Roses - lyric @ 1:35
22. The five ways romantic partners connect and communicate, per Gary Chapman:
LOVE LANGUAGES - VENUS - Very cool that this planet/goddess be found in the phrase; I did an internet search for songs titled "Love Language", but I cannot listen to them - Period. So I will go with the actual topic in the answer, the Love Languages. . . .
I like to receive Time and Touch; I am good at giving Service and Gifts
36. In succession: ONE AFTER ANOTHER - EARTH - there is only ONE home planet, and this song is close enough . . . .
One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx
46. Musician's calling card: SIGNATURE TUNE - SATURN - the God of time, wealth, and liberation - here is my signature "warm-up" karaoke tune; keep your hands off my wealth. . . .
Keep Your Hands to Yourself - The Georgia Satellites
57. Utterly different, and what can be found in four of this puzzle's answers: W O R L D S APART
Separate Ways ( Worlds Apart ) - Journey
And Away We Go~!ACROSS:
1. Roti flour: ATTA - AND - 66A. Org.: ASSN - AND - 55D. Memo abbr.: ATTN: see also 51A.
5. "Stop that!": "DON'T!"
9. Papa: DAD - AND - 25D. Nana: GRAN - it was "granny" when I was growing up
12. Hatchling: CHICK
14. Made noise while throwing tomatoes, maybe: BOOed
15. Alter __: EGO
18. Maker of tools for writing and lighting: BIC - AND - 58. Maker of tools for paring and peeling: OXO - a clever way to clue a couple of 3LWs
19. Opposite of WNW: ESE
20. Splitting target: ATOM
21. Build muscles, with "up": BULK
Yeah, I'll get into shape - I am tired of "round" being my shape
27. Pizzeria purchases: SLICES
29. "A simple yes __ will do": OR NO
30. Bit of help: HINT
31. Gold unit: KARAT
33. "__ asked?": WHO - meh.
40. Signs off on: OKs
41. Reluctant (to): LOATH
42. Bring on board: HIRE
43. Sea swallow: TERN - Crossword staple
44. Thrills: ELATES
51. Plenty: ALOT - I don't care for "ALOT" and "ATON" in crosswords
61. __ milk: OAT - this or "SOY" would have worked
62. Pig Latin rejection: IXNAY - Formed when the N of "Nix" moves to the end + "ay"
63. Transfer, as a houseplant: REPOT - Hey, guess what~? My mother's last remaining house plant is doing well again after a repot almost a year ago. Phew.
64. Feature of some lower-priced streaming services: ADS - I pay $4/mo. for Pandora - worth every penny to not be interrupted with overly loud advertising while trying to relax with music
65. Overly curious: NOSY
DOWN:
1. Heating pad target: ACHE - I have a beanbag version that I can microwave for those times when my lower back tightens up
2. In this manner: THUS - "À LA" was too short
3. Social media feeds: TIMELINES - I don't Facebook, Instagram, or SnapChat, etc., and I am banned on Pinterest
4. Legislation from the Obama Era, initially: ACA - Affordable Care Act
5. Religious doctrine: DOGMA
6. "Aah" counterpart: "OOH"
7. Court feature in basketball and tennis: NET - Thanks to HuskerG for the shout-out, as I used to "mind" the net in hockey; Tolland Town is building new pickleball courts at Heron Cove park just around the corner from my house
Love the color palette of this image
8. NFL scores: TDs
9. Clean up, as code: DEBUG
10. Limber: AGILE
11. Prepares to disembark, say: DOCKS
13. Scoundrel: KNAVE
14. Life sci.: BIOLogy
17. Numbered hwys.: RTEs - also in yesterday's puzzle
21. Pixar short featuring a dumpling that comes to life: BAO
31. Reeves of "The Matrix": KEANU - I was never a huge fan of "The Matrix" films, but my brother and I have this ongoing thing of sending the other a text whenever a "John Wick" movie comes on TV
32. National Gallery collection: ART
33. Waves on rough seas: WHITECAPS - found in the stained glass window of the church where the latest pipe organ installation continues
It's getting close to finished
34. "Take this": "HERE."
35. Raw metals: ORES - is it the raw metal, or is this the rock it be found in~?
37. Pet shampoo target: FLEA - I tried ODOR to start . . .
38. Legal wrong: TORT - learned by doing crosswords
59. Some ER workers: RNsEmergency Room : Registered Nurse
The cure for what ails me
60. Pod unit: PEA - also also yesterday
Splynter
Notes from C.C.:
Happy birthday to George (Big Easy), husband of Louisiana Tennis Hall
of Famer Diane. I'll never forget his call last Christmas when I was walking alone on the trail. Thanks for the care all these years, George!
This appears to be Sala Wanetick's first solo effort for the LA Times - I found three other puzzles with a co-constructor, Emily Biegas. The grid is size 15 x 16, and the theme is two-word formations known as reduplication. Some really vague clues/answers today, 18 TLWs, just two less than the number of four letter words, and a handful names, some of them totally obscure. The themers;
18. Drag one's feet: DILLY-DALLY
27. Idle banter: CHIT-CHAT
40. Indecisive: WISHY-WASHY
57. Mixed bag: MISH-MASH
69. Tchotchke: KNICK-KNACK - I learned the word "tchotchke" ( CHOCH-key) from the terminal manager at Roadway Express - he was referring to the truckload of Home Interiors goods we had to sort every Friday night
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Loose-fitting: BAGGY
6. Hiker's snack mix: GORP - AND - 32A. Tidbit in 6-Across: NUT - Good Ol' Raisins & Peanuts
10. New England fish: SCROD
15. Tunisian couturier Azzedine __: ALAÏA - Wow. On a Wednesday. Beyond obscure. His Wiki. Name #1
16. Is short: OWES
17. __ Troopa: Mario Bros. turtlelike foe: KOOPA - I grew up with Atari 2600;
this was the "next generation" of video gaming - Name #2
Sort of theme-ish, too
20. "All good here": "I'M SET."
21. Italian sub slice: SALAMI
22. Unleash (on): SIC
23. Management level: TIER
24. Seeking, in ads: ISO - the old newspaper classified dating section - In Search Of . . . .
25. Organic lip balm brand: EOS
30. Cabinet-level div.: DEPartmenT
34. Drops in on: VISITS
35. Petro-Canada rival: ESSO - Name #3, but a common fill
47. Hangs loose: CHILLS - how 'bout some Chillaxing music~?
Rapture At Sea
48. Presidential terms, maybe: ERAS - did we go back to another era~?
52. "Got it": "OH, I SEE" - a bit meh.
54. Secret agent: SPY
56. Knitting loop: PURL - I used to watch several women in AA meetings knit, to the point where my curiosity got the better of me, and I asked Carol to teach me.
60. Slangy greeting: 'SUP
I made my own UPS logos, too
62. NYC bus org.: MTA - the Metropolitan Transit Authority - some history
63. Like those on a world cruise: ASEA - Rapture~?
64. Float filler: AIR - I was not sure what "float" this referred to - I am guessing this . . . .
My brother once participated in the parade, holding on to Garfield
66. Out of this world: COSMIC - AND - 11D. Funny pages: COMICS - same letters
68. Hybrid piece of flatware: SPORK
71. Neutral shade: TAUPE
eBay Vintage
72. Easter haul: EGGS
73. Aerie nester: EAGLE
74. Counterpart of "ser," in Spanish: ESTAR - I had no idea - I used Google translate; both mean "be"
75. "Save me a __!": SEAT
76. Track athlete's asset: SPEED
DOWN:
1. Less photogenic angle: BAD SIDE - my "top side" is bad; the field manager is obsessed with taking pictures of my bald spot
My "bad side" at Washington National Cathedral
2. Names on falsified papers: ALIASES
3. Runs fast: GALLOPS
4. __ monster: GILA
5. Self-congratulatory cheer: "YAY ME~!" - cute, but a bit meh.
6. Smallest state in India: GOA - learned by doing crosswords; name #4
7. Parliament birds: OWLS - a 'parliament' being a group of owls - very clever
8. Piece of history: RELIC - this was my nick-name when I worked at Winn-Dixie; I was 27yrs old, roughly 10 years older than the rest of the stock crew - I was actually enamored of the moniker
9. "Gotcha!": "PSYCH~!"
10. Like some newly rescued dogs: SKITTISH - understandable
13. Manage: OPERATE - manage/operate is more Saturday clue/answer, IMO
14. Who __ Nation: New Orleans Saints fans: DAT - I have heard of this; it appears from the Corner map that Hahtoolah and Big Easy might be fans of this NFL team . . . .
19. Pop diva Celine: DION - Name #5, but I knew this one
26. Food that may be served via conveyor belt: SUSHI - I did not understand this clue; when I did an internet search, I discovered that there are restaurants that have sushi dishes going around on a belt - fascinating~!
28. St. __ Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub: IVES - fresh cluing for an old fill
29. Seasoning amt.: TSP - teaspoon
31. Auto club service: TOW - I toyed with AAA first, but that would be the club, not the service
33. Texting farewell: TTYL - text-speak, Talk To You Later
37. Knob-handled stickers: AWLS - stickers has different meanings in different places. I was asked by an associate of the Pipe Organ company to get a couple of "stickers"; growing up on Long Island, "stickers" are the self-adhesive images that went on your books and binders - here in New England, it would seem that they are the "chocks" for under lumber stacks. Go figure. In this clue/answer, the term "sticker" is more like "poke-r"
Get it~?
38. Sounds of awe: GASPS - Like your reaction to the above image
41. Spot with falling rocks?: ICEMAKER - very clever clue / answer
42. Former home of the Mets: SHEA - name #6, but I grew up a Mets fan on Long Island, so . . . .
It would appear that today's crossword from Marshal Herrmann is his debut for the LA Times, and it's the closest we are going to get to a "Halloween" themed puzzle, as far as I can tell. Three Across theme answers, plus the reveal, with two equally long 11-letter non-theme fills in the Down as well. Double the number of four-letter words over TLWs, no circles, and a mere handful of names - though I did not know half of them. I note, too, that several answers are straight definitions of the clues. The theme answers;
20. Chiles near the top of the Scoville scale: GHOSTPEPPERS
36. Hard-boiled hors d'oeuvres: DEVILED EGGS
42. Citrus with red pulp: BLOOD ORANGE 56. Gordon Ramsay cooking competition that sounds like it should involve 20-, 36-, and 42-Across?: HELL'S KITCHEN - Devils, yes; Ghosts, likely; Blood, not so much . . . .
I actually watched the show, way back when it first aired
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. Supermodel Banks: TYRA - name #1, but learned from Crosswords
30. One of a set needed for a monopoly in Monopoly: DEED
This is the first time I have paid attention to the "Connecticut" square since
I moved to the state - right next to "jail"
33. Landform generally bigger than a gully but smaller than a valley: RAVINE
35. Curved path: ARC
38. Ernie's bestie: BERT - name #2, but who doesn't know this duo~?
40. Halloween night, to All Saints' Day: EVE - it's the Eve of the Eve - but not the theme
41. "Hot Girl Summer" rapper Megan __ Stallion: THEE - no clue, filled via perps, name #3
47. Not close: FAR
48. "Honest!": "I SWEAR~!"
49. Arise (from): STEM
50. Gallery collection: ART - I am slowly building a collection of art in my home
51. Fictional coach Lasso: TED - name #4, I know, but never watched the show
52. Light touch: TAP - not DAB
54. Pine for: MISS
61. Off the cuff: AD LIB
64. Comparable (to): AKIN
65. Word on an Irish passport: EIRE - AND - 7D. Symbol on an Irish passport: HARP
66. Small crown: TIARA
67. Casserole pasta: ZITI
68. Eggy seasonal drinks: NOGS - with EGGS in a theme answer, I would have preferred a different clue for this fill
69. Taxi fare calculator: METER
70. Primatology subjects: APES
71. Grandson of Adam: ENOS - name #5
DOWN:
1. Common sitcom rating: TV-PG - I figured it was a little more mature; TV-MA . . . .
2. "Sure," informally: "YEAH..."
3. Feature of a 2023 women's volleyball match at Nebraska's Memorial Stadium: RECORD CROWD - they moved the game to the football stadium to beat another record; watch to hear why . . . .
Did you make it to the game, HuskerG~?
4. Playground retort: "ARE SO~!" - oops, not AM TOO
5. Rescued dog, e.g.: ADOPTEE - I SO want to adopt a dog, but going on the road to install Pipe Organs, like I did for the last two weeks, this week, and next week, is not fair to the animal, even with a dog-sitter. Here is the progress of the organ we are installing at St. Peters in Harwich, MA
Note the bourdon wood pipes laying flat against the back wall
6. Hockey feint: DEKE - I'd like to find a deck hockey league and play goalie again
8. Hang, as a curtain: DRAPE
9. Watch what one says?: LIP READ - great clue / answer
10. Notable times: ERAS
11. Neon or xenon: GAS - noble, no less
12. Educ. testing data: IQs
13. Deadlock: TIE
21. Welker's "Meet the Press" predecessor: TODD - name #6, no clue
22. Brontë's "Jane __": EYRE - name #7, but a crossword standard
25. Haute couture: HIGH FASHION - Frawnche for "high sewing", according to Google translate
26. Ready to go: IN GEAR
27. Climate for Utah's "Mighty Five" national parks: DESERT - the website for Utah parks
28. Protein in a traditional paella: RABBIT - ah. Not SHRIMP - rabbit in Spanish is coneja
29. Vague warning: OR ELSE - or else what~?
31. At any point: EVER
32. Prima donnas: DIVAS
34. Nov. honoree: VETerans Day - The History of why it's the 11th
