Wednesday, Jan. 1st, 2025 ~ Jay Silverman

 C CCC CC C
(rough "C"s)

Happy New Year~!  - Ah, circles - nothing like starting 2025 off with a familiar constructor, but the same old, same old . . . . nine or more names, depending on how you count, twenty more 4LW than TLW, and a reveal that explains how the WATER words are "chopped up".  The themers;

20. *Occasion to stay up late: SLUMBER PARTY - I recall playing Atari 2600 all night for my B-day sleep-over in 5th grade - and BAY

29. *Hard wear with links: CHAIN MAIL - I wore chain-mail at my "medieval" wedding - and CANAL

Yes - if you look closely, we had coconuts . . . 

38. *Team whose stadium is at the highest elevation in the majors: COLORADO ROCKIES - the  NHL's Colorado Rockies became the New Jersey Devils in 1982 - and LAKE

Barry went on to become a NY Ranger

45. *Ford Mustang, for one: MUSCLE CAR - I like the Mustang, but I'm partial to the '67 "10A." Cougar - and SEA

I actually had two, but '69s

53. Rough sailing, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues: CHOPPY WATERS

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. "Hurry!" letters: ASAP - I believe most Cornerites are OK with "hurry" to define 'As Soon As Possible' - STAT, not so much

5. Post-marathon feelings: ACHES - post-beach hike, too; sloped sand is a tough surface for walking 

I prefer the beach when it's Christmas Day - and the Atlantic was not CHOPPY
Splynter with Cooper - there's SNOW on the sand~!

10. 88 Earth days on Mercury: YEAR - the planet "Spirographs" in its orbit

Want more confusion~?  Read more here

14. Ricky Martin's "Livin' la Vida __": LOCA - not really my thing, but there are some cool guitar licks

Co-written by Desmond Child - who has a long list of hits across several genres

15. Where the heart is: CHEST - Dah~!  We had TORSO last week, so I tried it again - Bzzzt~!

16. Like a literary duckling: UGLY

17. Gelcap, e.g.: PILL

18. Rodeo rope: RIATA

19. Spy: MOLE - I am reading the Lance Spector books by Saul Herzog, and guess what~?  Book #5 is called - The Spl(y)nter~!

The previous book, "The Sleeper", was a real page-turner

23. Anna's "Frozen" sister: ELSA - name #1

24. Cry of pain: "OUCH~!"

27. Protein source in Greek salad: FETA - AND - 68A. Second Greek letter: BETA; see 48D., too

34. "My gosh, you're right!": "SO IT IS~!"

36. Acr. from: OPP - 'across' , 'opposite' - a bit Meh.

37. Mrs. in Mexico: SRA - abbr.s

42. Actor Mahershala: ALI - not a clue; his Wiki; name #2

43. Head-slapping cry: "D'OH~!"

44. Glistens: SHINES - I guess; I think of it more as "sparkles"

49. Lovers' vows: "I DOs"

50. Branch of Islam: SHIA - name(ish) - and a note to the Noobs

51. Storyteller __ Christian Andersen: HANS - name #3

60. Mexican peninsula, informally: BAJA

63. Alpaca kin: LLAMA

Classic

64. Off-white shade: OPAL

65. Treated, as a sprain: ICED

66. Bamboozles: DUPES

67. Mythical cousin of Bigfoot: YETI

69. Big Broadway hit: SMASH

70. Come off as: SEEM


DOWN:

1. Much of Switzerland: ALPS

2. Gardener's purchase: SOIL  - I had SEED, only 25% correct

3. RBG employer in the 1970s: ACLU - RBG = Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the American Civil Liberties Union - I knew who the "notorious RBG" was, but not her history - the Wiki

4. South Carolina's state tree: PALMETTO

That's the state "shape" and its "flag", with the palmetto tree

5. Tracts of land: ACRES - whenever I hear "tracts of land", it reminds me of this scene

Monty Python @ 1:02 - "huge tracts of land"

6. Former French president Jacques: CHIRAC - no clue; Frawnche name #4

7. Haphazard pile: HEAP

8. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA - Spanish lesson; "How are you~?"

9. People person?: STAR - People, the magazine, that is

10. Syllables said while rubbing one's tummy: YUM-YUM

11. Sense of self: EGO

12. Everyone: ALL

13. Sandwich bread: RYE

21. Serena's frenemy on "Gossip Girl": BLAIR - no clue, again; name #5

Methinks I should start watching, tho

22. Cargo weight: TON

25. Reno venue: CASINO - a casino in reno - I'm a poet - and I know it

26. New staff members: HIREES - a good WAG on my part

27. Magic competition hosted by Penn & Teller: FOOL US - on TV, the IMDb, a rhyme you see

but I've never watched

28. "Bad Guy" singer Billie: EILISH - I have heard of her; name #6

30. Hullabaloo: HOO-HA

31. Busy IRS mo.: APRil  - I am still waiting for the Internal Revenue Service to resolve a dispute from 2022 . . . April 15th is a Tuesday - there will be no extensions

32. Wall St. debuts: IPOs - Initial Public Offering

33. Girl: LASS - I tried LADY - that's 50% correct

Check out this bagpipe LASS

34. Bogus deal: SCAM

35. "Smooth Operator" singer: SADE - "Smooth Sailing"; name #7

there's a great little guitar solo before the sax solo

39. "What's up, __?": DOC - Bugs Bunny to me - I did not know it was also a movie (BTW, Splynter was born a mere year before its release)

40. Fine dishes: CHINA

41. Playroom detritus: KIDS TOYS

46. Noisy summer bug: CICADA - I'm not a fan of summer, sun, sand, sweating and insects

47. "Well, __-di-dah!": LAH

48. Jay, Kay, and May, say: RHYMES - Ah, clever - the constructor's name is in there, but NAMES didn't fit - he even snuck "say" in there, as well

52. Inundated (with): AWASH

54. Poet Sharon: OLDS - never heard of her, and a departure from the 'car maker'; name #8

55. Purple fruit: PLUM - or sloe~?

56. Smurf with a white beard: PAPA - I guess it's a name, too - #9

He's the one with the, uh, beard . . . 

57. Olympian's weapon: ÉPÉE

I just learned there are specific "targets" in fencing

58. Hourly charge: RATE

59. Svelte: SLIM

60. High chair garb: BIB

There are times when I feel like I missed out, not having kids . . . .

61. Opening day pitcher, typically: ACE

62. Jacuzzi feature: JET - I plan to replace my "plain" tub with a Jacuzzi

Now that's choppy water

Splynter

HAVE A BLESSED NEW YEAR~!

( DID YOU WATCH THE WINTER CLASSIC~? )

Wednesday, Dec 25th, 2024 ~ Samantha Podos Nowak

 THE STOCKINGS . . .

. . . . HANG in Splynter's "Family Room"

This would be the third publication from Samantha for the LA Times, but my first blog for her as my puzzle constructor.  Not a holiday theme as I expected, but I did my best to add in a seasonal reference.  A 'normal' grid for a change, no circles, a handful of names, and more 4LW than TLW.  The themers;

17. Work space?: ART GALLERY - "Works" of art HANG in a gallery

25. Brew house?: COFFEE SHOP - "Friends" characters would HANG at "Central Perk"

49. TV station?: FAMILY ROOM - watch cartoons and HANG out in the den

59. Jacket pocket?: COAT CLOSET - my jacket, hoodies and heavy coat HANG over the radiator in my kitchen; the clue refers to where one ( at least, I do ) keeps the seasonal hat and gloves - in the "coat closet" - and that pleasant surprise I get every December when I would find a $5 bill jammed in a pocket from last winter

I love putting on a warm coat in the morning

36. "Don't give up," and a suggestion that can apply to 17-, 25-, 49-, and 59 Across?:
HANG IN THERE - Luke says, "Leia, hear me~!"

You weren't expecting a cat, were you~?

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Cherry-picks, perhaps: CULLS - this word had a different connotation when I was an employee at Grossmans Lumber - we would CULL the bowed, cupped, crooked, & checked "27D.'s", etc., so not really "cherry-picking", more like "unsellable" merchandise

6. Exam for HS jrs.: PSAT - the practice SAT

10. Classic road trip game: "I SPY" - "I spy" something in red - Ho-Ho-Ho~!

14. Pickled garnish in a Gibson: ONION - if it didn't start out pickled . . .

. . . swimming in gin & vodka will certainly do it

15. Dayton's state: OHIO - I worked for a cleaning company when I lived in Cincinnati, but on occasion we had some "new construction" homes to tidy up in Dayton as well

Bottom left - not "180° from SSW"

16. Readily available: NEAR

19. Ballpark figures?: FANS - no "abbr", therefore no "ESTS", etc., so I waited 

20. Harden, as glue: SET 

21. Fancy fete: GALA

22. Sneeze inducer: DUST

23. Like a giant redwood: TALL

I'd like to visit

29. What a new parent often craves: SLEEP - I never had the pleasure of sleepless nights and potty-training

31. Spot for the first caller, perhaps: LINE ONE - think landline business phones; "lumber department, pick up line one."

32. PBS funder: NEA - I liked the newbies highlight idea from sumdaze, so I am going to adopt it, too; Public Broadcasting Service, and the National Education Association

34. Bugs: NAGS

35. Account exec: REP

39. Big name in pasta sauce: RAO - never heard of this brand; these onions are getting around....

Does look good

41. Inlet: COVE

42. Chinese menu general: TSO - It's my go-to when I order Chinese - no onions, though

43. Interlace: ENTWINE

45. Where the heart is?: TORSO - um, yeah

53. Tarot reader: SEER

54. Blue or red part of 3D glasses: LENS - reminds me of this secondary character ↙

I did not know that the guy between Biff and George was played by Billy Zane

55. Salon sound: SNIP

57. "Lover" or "Red," for Taylor Swift: ERA

58. Reddish-brown horse: ROAN

62. Jamaican citrus fruit: UGLI

63. Seltzer starter: ALKA - plop-plop, fizz-fizz . . . .

64. Dunne of "Love Affair": IRENE

65. IPO option: NYSE - a dupe from yesterday; Initial Public Offering, and the New York Stock Exchange

66. Tide type: NEAP

67. Abated: EASED


DOWN:

1. Moves effortlessly: COASTS - SLIDES, GLIDES~?  Bzzzt.

2. "That's wild!": "UNREAL~!"

3. Itty-bitty: LITTLE - I was expecting something like "TEENSY"

4. Fireplace fuel: LOG - Ah.  Not "GAS"

5. Fly in the ointment: SNAG

6. __ al ajillo: Spanish chicken dish: POLLO - a recipe, if you care

These onions are everywhere....

7. Bunch of papers: SHEAF

8. Pool float filler: AIR

9. Item on a tot's Christmas list: TOY - but you'll get coal if you're naughty

10. Make chili oil, perhaps: INFUSE - I had to find out more - the Wiki

11. Sandcastle building site: SEASHORE

12. Company whose Color of the Year 2024 is Peach Fuzz: PANTONE - a list of colors in years past

13. Decade divs.: YRs

18. Body of water in the French Alps: LAC - Frawnche for "lake"

22. Like osmium compared to all other stable elements: DENSEST - learning moment for me - the Wiki

24. Olin of "Chocolat": LENA

26. No longer fizzy: FLAT - I can drink flat soda, but flat seltzer is just "weird water"

27. Two-by-four?: EIGHT - literally, 2x4 = 8

28. Zest: PEP

30. Golf course freebies: PENCILS - Mulligans didn't fit . . . .

33. "The __ and the Ecstasy": novel about Michelangelo: AGONY - Goodreads link

34. 180º from SSW: NNE

36. Soup kitchen offerings: HOT MEALS

37. Indie folk artist Bon __: IVER - no clue, 3 of 4 letters filled via perps, and the "V" was my last entry; the Wiki

38. Oz hoppers: ROOS - Kanga - roos -  Oz = Australia

39. Make calls on the court: REF

40. Explanatory tool: ANALOGY - Kissing her was like a garbage truck getting hit by an onion train.   The onions again.  

44. Danica's role on "The Wonder Years": WINNIE

w/Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold

46. __ Peanut Butter Cups: REESE'S - I loves me some PB & chocolate - I bought the "trees"

47. Like a meditation spot, hopefully: SERENE - ah. Not "SILENT", but I was 50% correct

48. Stumped: ORATED - Ah.  That kind of stumped

50. Japanese port city: OSAKA - good WAG on my part: WAG = Wild A** Guess

51. Readily available: ON TAP - Samantha had this answer in her first puzzle

52. Karaoke need: MICrophone - and a little nerve, or liquid confidence

56. Basic barre bend: PLIÉ

58. Manage: RUN

59. __-do attitude: CAN

60. Cheer after un gol: OLÉ

61. Rita featured on DJ Fresh's "Hot Right Now": ORA - note the headline

Rocking the Stocking(s)

From last week: YooperPhil, we do tune those NYC instruments, and we had the opportunity to "bid" on the upkeep of the Radio City Wurlitzer - the man who started my company has a Wurlitzer in his house, so he's partial to those ( they run on higher pressure than most church organs ); Irish Miss - I check weekly to see what dogs have arrived at the local rescue shelter; it's still in the works~!; unclefred, I saw the "60 Minutes" report on Notre Dame - when we rebuild an organ, we wash every pipe - for the National Cathedral, some of those pipes are huge

Pedal Bourdon, 32ft

Splynter

!~ MERRY CHRISTMAS ~ HAPPY HOLIDAYS ~ !

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

1) Happy birthday to dear Kathy (Yellowrocks). Hope you're having a wonderful day with your sons and grandson.

 

Yellowrocks, Dec 10, 2020

2) Happy Birthday to Lorraine (Fermatprime) also. Her good friend Malcolm reads our blog regularly and gives me update on her life from time to time.

Fermatprime, Thanksgiving, 2015

Wednesday, Dec 18th, 2024 ~ Daniel Hrynick

 SKYFALL

I prefer THIS opening & theme song, however, but

a gratuitous Daniel Craig for C.C.

A clever puzzle from a constructor I've had the pleasure to blog before, Juneteenth this year.  The same "word" moving - that is, falling - through the grid, yet always in the same position relative to the edge of the puzzle.  Not an easy task to accomplish without using the "word" as itself and stay within the vernacular, too.  The grid has mirror symmetry, four unique fills (*) a handful of names ( but ones we see constantly in crosswords ) the same # of TLW & 4LWs (22), and a Moe ( per Splynter ) rating of 4 out of 5⭐.   The theme fill falls thusly;

20. "Take time to consider ... ": *                                                                                ASK YOURSELF

 

40. 1983 Tom Cruise teen comedy: *                                                                        RISKY BUSINESS

47. Hangout for a long-distance couple: *                                                                SKYPE DATE

60. Chicken Little's warning, and an apt title for this puzzle?:                           THE SKY IS FALLING

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Lawyer Goodman in the "Breaking Bad" franchise: SAUL - With the spin-off series "Better Call Saul" - I have watched neither series, and reduced my TV bill from $105/mo. to $20/mo. by "dropping" Disney and ESPN - I just don't watch much TV

5. Brazen: BRASH - a bit 'meh' with both words starting with 'B-R-A-'

10. Deliberate loss: DIVE - TANK did not fit with my DOWNS

14. Workforce addition: HIRE - usually with "new"

15. New __, India: DELHI

16. Gulf States title: EMIR

17. Actor Idris: ELBA - name #1, but we see it all the time

18. City in Provence: ARLES

Bottom left on the map

19. Energizer options: AAAs - I just got a 12-pack from Amazon

23. "Tiny Bubbles" singer: DON HO - we had this recently; name #2

25. Scepter companion: ORB - The Crown Jewels of the UK - more here

"I am your king"/"well I didn't vote for you."

26. Under-the-sink piece: P-TRAP

29. "Looking for" shorthand: ISO - In Search Of . . . . also a TV series hosted by Leonard Nimoy and "Skinner" from the X-files, with its own spin-off  (if you will ) called "Ancient Aliens"

30. Bandleader of the Electric Mayhem on "The Muppet Show": DR. TEETH - name #3

"Animal" on the drums

33. Fitting: APT

34. Sunday __: dread of returning to work on Monday: SCARIES - I had the Sunday Scaries for school when I was a youngster - hearing the theme of the PBS show "All Creatures Great & Small" starting up for the closing credits meant bedtime, and I knew I hadn't done my book report . . . .

The theme song

36. Fossil-preserving spots: TAR PITS

38. Fast-__ restaurant: CASUAL - never heard of this; filled via perps

39. Shaped: MOLDED - I had FORMED first

44. NNW opposite: SSE

45. Tempe sch.: ASU - Arizona State University

46. Automated spammer: 'BOT

52. "Pokémon" protagonist Ketchum: ASH - no clue; the "S" was my last fill; name #4

55. "Mangia!": "EAT~!"

56. Newcastle Brown __: ALE

57. Shearing day sound: BAA

64. Code with dits and dahs: MORSE

65. "The Batman" actress Kravitz: ZOE - Daughter of Lenny Kravitz & Lisa Bonet; name #5

66. Barista canvas: LATTE - canvas as in the "art" in the cream/froth atop an espresso

67. Imminently: SOON

68. Stop: END

69. Pollinators that can see in the ultraviolet spectrum: BEES


DOWN:

1. Feminine pronoun: SHE -or "HER"~?  I do the DOWNS first, but I WAGed correctly

SHE's got legs

2. Feel rotten: AIL

3. Green spot in a concrete jungle: URBAN OASIS * - I see this is an HGTV show, too

4. Obedience school item: LEASH - I'm going to need me some dog food & supplies soon

5. Dec. 25, for Justin Trudeau: BDAY - Dah~!  I was going to fill in "B-DAY", but I thought I was the only one who abbreviated it this way....

6. Digs into new digs, say: REROOTS - not MOVES IN

7. Magnetic power: ALLURE - my buddy Adam owns a restaurant of this name, sorta

A Lure, Southold, NY - the "SKY" is very blue

8. Frozen dessert: SHERBET - I read this as DESERT, and TUNDRA did not fit . . . .

9. Radiator sound: HISS - my house has baseboards, but they still "radiate" - much preferred over the forced-air system in my parents house

10. Gave a hand: DEALT - not AIDED  -- a "hand" as in a poker game.  Very clever

11. "Sorry, but it's true": "I'M AFRAID SO." - two of the last three clues fooled me~?  I'm afraid so. . . .

12. Passing through: VIA

13. Hosp. triage units: ERs

21. Alaskan bear: KODIAK

22. Filmmaker Nora: EPHRON - I am sure you've seen at least ONE of her movies - her IMDb; name #6

23. __ jockey: DISC

24. Academy honors: OSCARS - I had the wrong academy in mind - see below, 37D.

27. Subj.-specific exam for the college-bound: AP TEST - Advanced Placement - I took the classes, but only one of the tests

28. Condition that may be treated with exposure therapy, for short: PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - George Carlin's take on the "words" - ** WARNING** may be considered "political" 

31. Count (on): RELY

32. Roman of "The Ms. Pat Show": TAMI - no idea; filled via perps; her IMDb; name #7

35. Sly tactics: RUSES

37. Academy cadet: PLEBE

41. Christen: BAPTIZE

42. Play for a pawn: USE

43. Decongestant brand: SUDAFED

48. Palmer of "Nope": KEKE - also no clue, her Wiki; name #8

49. "Woo-hoo!": "YAY~!"

50. __ mode: À LA

51. Bluffer's giveaway: TELL - more poker

52. Cash dispensers: ATMs

53. Wave away: "SHOO~!"

54. Foot-long sandwich: HERO - I just had one for the first time in a looong time for lunch Friday

57. Orthodontist's instruction: BITE - yeah. but meh.

58. Poker game starter: ANTE - and yet more poker

59. Range listed on board games: AGES - ah; did not make sense until it filled in 

Parker Brothers RISK is appropriate for AGES 10 to Adult

61. Tax form ID: SSN - Social Security Number

62. Daughter's brother: SON - did you have to "think" about this~?  I did - too funny.  How about this~?  My aunt married the brother of her mother's second husband - try and figure that one out . . . .

63. Bunsen burner setting: LAB - ah. Not "LOW"

Splynter

One Week 'til Christmas~!

Wednesday, December 11 2024 Maddy Ziegler

Theme - We are in our Salad Day. [appropriately, in GREEN]. Lettuce continue down to the theme fill, each one indicated with an "*".

8. *Salute in ancient Rome: HAIL CAESAR.   More or less "Long live the King!" maybe.

14. *Scary Halloween venue: HAUNTED HOUSE.   A house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were otherwise connected with the property.  Or, as in this case, a more normal structure decorated to simulate one, for scary amusement.

21. *Vacation spot with horses: DUDE RANCH.  A vacation resort offering activities (such as horseback riding) typical of western ranches.  

Anybody remember these guys?

27. *Irish novelist who writes the "Dublin Murder Squad" series: TANA FRENCH.  Somehow, I suspect the French [relating to France or its people or language] is not a common name in Ireland.

And the unifier:  19. Severe scolding, and what the answers to the starred clues literally have?: DRESSING DOWN.  An acute verbal reprimand for some real or imagined wrong-doing.

What each of the indicated two-word answers have in common is that each of the second words indicated a type of salad DRESSING.  CAESAR DRESSING is mayonnaise based, with anchovies, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and mustard.  HOUSE DRESSING this time of year could mean Christmas decorations for the home, but, in the kitchen is probably some variation on an oil and vinegar combination.  RANCH DRESSING, when it's not chaps, spurs and a cowboy hat, is a mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, lemon juice and a secret blend of herbs and spices.  FRENCH DRESSING is a mixture of oil, vinegar, tomato puree and other flavorings.

Hi Gang, Jazzbumpa here to get things started.  Note the gimmick in the theme.  The unifier gives the clue that the theme fill will will be oriented in the down direction. With the salad now behind us, let's move on the the main course. 

Across:

1. Gratuity: TIP.   An extra payment made to a wait person or other service provider to supplement their normal wage. 

4. Common London weather: FOG.  A thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth's surface which obscures or restricts visibility (to a greater extent than mist; strictly, reducing visibility to below 1 km).  

7. __ moment: AHA.  The instant one comes to a new revelation.

10. Feathery accessory: BOA.  A long, thin decorative scarf or stole made of feathers or a similar material.

13. Burdened by debt: IN A HOLE.   As defined.

15. Competed in a turkey trot: RAN.  Participated in a walking or running even on Thanksgiving morning.  These are ususally 5 or 10 kilometers.

16. Piercing tool that resembles a screwdriver: AWL.  A small pointed tool used for piercing holes, especially in leather.

17. Musical set at the Kit Kat Klub: CABARET.  Cabaret is an American musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Joe Masteroff. It is based on the 1951 play I Am a Camera by John Van Druten, which in turn was based on the 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood.  Also, it is a 1972 American musical period drama film directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse from a screenplay by Jay Presson Allen, based on the stage musical of the same name

18. Way of thinking: MINDSET.  The established set of attitudes held by someone.

20. Spared no expense: SPLURGED.   Spent freely or extravagantly.

22. Border city on the Rio Grande: LAREDO.   A city in the U.S. state of Texas and seat of Webb County, on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Founded in 1755, Laredo grew from a village to the capital of the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande to the largest inland port on the Mexican border. Laredo's economy is primarily based on international trade with Mexico, and as a major hub for three areas of transportation: land, rail, and air cargo.

23. Distinguishing feature of some languages: TONE.   In tonal languages, pitch is a property of words, and the relative pitch is more important than the absolute pitch. For example, in Mandarin, the word "ma" can have four different meanings depending on its pitch.

24. __ shirt: MUSCLE.   A close-fitting, sleeveless or short-sleeved shirt that is designed to accentuate the wearer's physique

26. Skin art, for short: TAT.   Tattoo, for long - a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. 

28. Anti-narcotics org.: DEA.  Drug Enforcement Agency

29. Barter: SWAP.   Trade an item or items for another or others.

33. 2023 Academy Honorary Award recipient Bassett: ANGELA.  Angela Evelyn Bassett [b. 1958] is an American actress. Known for her work in film and television since the 1980s, she has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards.

36. WSW opposite: ENE.  Directional indications, 45 degrees off of the compass's cardinal points

37. Goalie's success: SAVE.   Stopping the launched missile from entering the goal in sports such as soccer and hockey.  

38. British nobleman: LORD.  A title given to a member of the peerage, a social class of nobles that includes dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons

39. Big name in tiny candies: NERDS.    Crunchy, neon-colored American candies that come in a variety of flavors and are known for their moon rock shape

41. Curling __: IRON.  A tool used to change the arrangement of the hair using heat. There are three general kinds: curling irons, used to make the hair curl; straightening irons, commonly called straighteners or flat irons, used to straighten the hair; and crimping irons, used to create crimps of the desired size in the hair.

42. Four Corners state: UTAH.  The Four Corners Monument marks the quadripoint in the Southwestern United States where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. It is the only point in the United States shared by four states, leading to the area being named the Four Corners region

43. "Sex Education" actor Butterfield: ASA.   Asa Bopp Farr Butterfield [b. 1997] is an English actor. Beginning his career as a child actor, Butterfield first achieved recognition as the lead of the historical drama film The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

44. "Advancing the power of facts" journalism website: A P NEWS.  The Associated Press is a not-for-profit news agency that supplies news to newspapers, radio, and television stations. It's known for its fast and reliable reporting, and is considered a trusted source of accurate information.

46. Office 34-Down: MEMO.    A usually brief written message from one person or department in an organization, company, etc., to another

47. Fair-weather __: FAN.    Someone who only actively supports a team or person when they are winning or performing well, losing interest when the team starts to struggle or face setbacks.  In contrast are long suffering fans, like me, whose team [The Lions] has been mired in mediocrity or worse since 1957, now scarcely able to believe what they are seeing.

48. Rule, for short: REG.  Regulation.

49. Lars of Metallica: ULRICH.   Lars Ulrich R [b.1963] is a Danish musician who is the drummer and a founding member of American heavy metal band Metallica. Along with James Hetfield, Ulrich has songwriting credits on almost all of the band's songs, and the two of them are the only remaining original members of the band.

52. Throws in: ADDS.   Speaks up in conversation, or contributes to an activity

55. Kind of paper in a gift bag: TISSUE.  A thin gauzy paper used especially for protecting something (as by covering or wrapping.)

58. Long, relaxing baths: HOT SOAKS.   Self evident.

61. Works a summer office job, perhaps: INTERNS.   Said of a student or trainee who works, sometimes without pay, at a trade or occupation in order to gain work experience.  Granddaughter Samantha has interned at Disney World and two local organizations in northern Michigan.  She recently landed a sales job at the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City.

63. Scout who may sell cookies: BROWNIE.  A member of the junior branch of the Girl Scouts, for girls aged between about 6 and 8.

64. Hotshot: ACE.  One who is highly skilled in a particular endeavor.

65. Green prefix: ECO-.  Not harmful to the environment.

66. ID checker at a nightclub: BOUNCER.   A person employed by a nightclub or similar establishment to prevent troublemakers from entering or to eject them from the premises.

67. Tool with teeth: SAW.   A hand tool for cutting wood or other materials, typically with a long, thin serrated steel blade and operated using a backward and forward movement.

68. Camera __: SHY.   Unwilling to be photographed.

69. Casual affirmative: YUP.  Un-huh.

70. Historic time: ERA.  An important or outstanding period of history.  Or something about Taylor Swift

Down:

1. Nervous twitches: TICS.   An idiosyncratic and often non-voluntary and habitual feature of a person's behavior, or spasmidic muscle contraction.

2. Not fitting: INAPT.  Inappropriate.

3. 2012 World Series MVP Sandoval: PABLO.   Pablo Emilio Sandoval Reyes (b. 1986) is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball third baseman for the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves. Nicknamed "Kung Fu Panda", Sandoval is a two-time All-Star and has won three World Series championships with the Giants. He hit three home runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series, becoming the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, leading to his being named that year's World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP).

4. "You're not making this up?": FOR REAL?.   Expression of surprise and/or disbelief.

5. Designer Cassini: OLEG.   Oleg Cassini [1913 - 2006] was a fashion designer born to an aristocratic Russian family with maternal Italian ancestry. He came to the United States as a young man after starting as a designer in Rome, and quickly got work with Paramount Pictures. Cassini established his reputation by designing for films.

6. "Don't let the thieves escape!": GET 'EM.  Capture those miscreants!

7. Cup holder locale, perhaps: ARM.  As in a piece of furniture.

9. Record of the year?: ANNAL.  Annals are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year.  Or, as indicated here, within a year.

10. Acid counterpart: BASE.  A counterpart is a person or thing holding a position or performing a function that corresponds to that of another person or thing in another place.  However, an acid and a base will neutralize each other.  They are opposites.

11. Carried debt: OWED.   Had a financial obligation to another person or entity.

12. Voice above tenor: ALTO.  From the top down, they are soprano, also, tenor and bass.

25. Button that may submit an online form: SEND.  It's function is transmit a message or document to a recipient.

30. Spy follower?: WARE.   Spyware is software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another's computer activities by transmitting data covertly from their hard drive.  I dislike this kind of self-referential clue.

31. Declare bluntly: AVOW.  Assert or confess openly.

32. Pilot gear?: PENS.  I guess this refers to PENS made by the Japanese company Pilot.

33. Grad: ALUM.  One who graduated from a learning institution.

34. Short message: NOTE.  Or MEMO, maybe?

35. Unit on a kitchen scale: GRAM.  A metric unit of mass equal to one thousandth of a kilogram.  28.3485 grams equal 1 oz.

40. Actor Morales: ESAI.   Esai Manuel Morales Jr. [b.1962] is an American actor. He has had notable roles in the films Bad Boys with Sean Penn and La Bamba with Lou Diamond Phillips.

45. Thick 4-Across metaphor: PEA SOUP.  Because it is thick and opaque.

50. Tackle box supply: LURES.  Artificial objects used to catch fish by attracting them with the appearance of prey

51. Solving crosswords, for some: HOBBY.  An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.

53. Destination after a promposal: DANCE.  A prom is a formal dance for high school or college students.

54. Slalom competitor: SKIER.   A slalom is a ski race down a winding course marked by flags or poles.

55. Aunts in la familia: TIAS.  En Español.

56. Peru native: INCA.  The Incas were an advanced civilization that ruled a large empire in the Andes Mountains of South America from approximately 1200 to 1533 AD.

57. Seethe: STEW.  Cooking terms involving boiling or simmering liquids, also used to indicate intense anger.

59. Pants, in slang: TROU.  Short for trousers.

60. Word sung twice after "Que" in a classic song: SERA.  Whatever will be will be.

62. __ sauce: SOY.   A sauce made with fermented soybeans, used in Chinese and Japanese cooking.  I saw a quip recently, saying that it might just be sauce introducing itself in Spanish, since "Soy" in Spanish means "I am."

And so we end on that bit of silliness.   Hope you enjoyed the meal and got through it without choking.  What - no dessert?  You know I would never desert you.

And thanks for all the Birthday wishes on Sunday.  You guys are the best!

Cool regards and Happy Holidays!

JzB

Wednesday, Dec 4th, 2024 ~ Jay Silverman

  TO GO

A bottle of anything, and a glazed donut - to go~!

This is my second Jay Silverman puzzle this year, AND yet another 15 x 16 grid on a Wednesday . . . . The "4LWs" outnumbered the TLWs today, just a handful of names - but I knew them - and no circles.  On to the reveal first; 

41A. Speedy meal option, and what the answers to the starred clues literally are?: FAST FOOD

18A. *Speedy dinner option?: INSTANT RAMEN

Ah - the connoisseur version

66A. *Speedy beverage option?: BRISK ICED TEA - a tad meh; I usually think "brisk" means chilly, bracing, refreshing - but there's more here

12D. *Speedy breakfast option?: QUICK GRITS

I almost had grits when I lived in Jacksonville, FL

31D. *Speedy side dish option?: MINUTE RICE

I have this product in my kitchen for when I make General Tso's Chicken

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Whisky, e.g.: SCOTCH

Indiana Jones is not particular about the type...

7. Business entities: FIRMS

12. HSN alternative: QVC

15. Santa's laugh: HO-HO-HO - a timely clue; three weeks til Christmas~!

16. Wide open: AGAPE - I started with APART, but thought better of it

17. Dubai's fed.: UAE - United Arab Emirates

20. __-at-ease: ILL

21. Prefix with natal: NEO - neonatal

22. Bodies of water: SEAS

23. Didn't make the team's final roster: GOT CUT

25. Somewhat ruddy: REDDISH

28. Tools for fall guys?: RAKES - Har-har

29. Pop in for a scene, say: CAMEO

32. Hip-hop's __ Clan: WU TANG - One of their songs comes up on my Pandora station, but I cannot think of the title - and it's not Hip-Hop

34. Dover landmarks: CLIFFS - while listening to the radio waaay back in 1990, I heard this song in my headphones working for Grossmans Lumber, and prayed the FM radio DJ would mention the artist's name, and he did  - Eric Johnson; I went out and immediately bought the record; here's the full track, and this is Juliana Wilson doing the ridiculously fast and difficult intro

Cliffs of Dover - note the finger stretches

36. Wistful sound: SIGH - I have been doing a lot of this lately

37. Singer Kristofferson: KRIS - sadly passed Sep 28th, 2024 ( on my hiring anniversary date at the pipe organ company ); I remember him most for his role as the big boss in the movie Payback

40. Forever, figuratively: EON

44. Texter's "No clue": IDK - I Don't Know - Ozzy & Randy can tell you more . . . .

From the album Blizzard of Ozz, released in the US in 1981

after he was kicked out of Black Sabbath

45. Two, in Trois-Rivières: DEUX - Frawnche

47. Tidy: NEAT - ah, our friend Tinbeni took his 1A. this way . . . .

48. Strength of character: METTLE - I'm into Heavy Mettle

50. Wall Street figure: TRADER

52. Checked out before a heist: CASED - usually with "the joint"

53. Suffix with home or farm: STEAD - homestead, farmstead

55. Moisturizer target: DRY SKIN - AND - 30D. Ingredient in some 55-Across treatments: ALOE

Never gets old, Hahtoolah

59. Skeptical about: WARY OF - like maybe my humor~?

61. "Just joshing!": "I KID~!" - I really do~!

62. Pampering place: SPA

65. Japanese sash: OBI

70. __-A-Fella Records: Jay-Z label: ROC - not the extinct bird

71. Goose-bumps-causing: EERIE

72. Minolta partner: KONICA - not just high-end cameras - their Wiki

73. Mama deer: DOE

74. Pedometer units: STEPS - I did a lot of dog walking while visiting my brother on Thanksgiving - his fiancée has an Australian Shepherd, and I want a dog now~!

Cooper~!

75. Makes catty comments: SNARKS

DOWN:

1. Lower leg: SHIN - or CALF~?  Had to wait on perps

2. Gelato receptacle: CONE

3. Exceedingly: OH SO

4. Little one: TOT - little tater

5. Drive away: CHASE OFF

6. Made sharper: HONED

7. Iranian tongue: FARSI

8. Polish tennis star Swiatek: IGA - recently busted for doping - probably before the puzzle was submitted for publication - her Wiki

9. Male sheep: RAM - and the Zodiac sign Aries

10. Video file format: MPEG - Moving Picture Experts Group - the format's website here

11. Spanish title: SEÑORA

13. Hold in esteem: VALUE

14. Boston NBA team, colloquially: CELTS - the Celtics - not a basketball fan, at all

19. Bit: TAD

24. Scuba necessity: TANK - I am thinking about installing an in-wall TANK for fish

Technically, a Fish Tank Media Wall....

25. NFL flag thrower: REF

26. Taylor who was Time's 2023 Person of the Year: SWIFT - I cannot watch the KC Chiefs because any broadcast of that team focuses way too much on her; I don't go to a Van Halen concert to see a football game on the big screen behind them . . . .

27. "Les Misérables" novelist Victor: HUGO

29. Included on an email: CCed

33. Yorke of Radiohead: THOM - Not a fan; the only song I know from them is "Creep"

35. __ dollar: SAND

36. Comic strip reporter Brenda: STARR - I did not know it was a movie with Brooke Shields

38. Not busy: IDLE - Dah~! not FREE

39. List of appts.: SKED - abbr for schedule

42. Beginning of an idea: SEED - I had the "seed" for a song in a dream last week - what I heard was the lyric "the horses in the barn"  

43. Opt for: DECIDE ON

46. Dentist's procedure: X-RAY

49. Khaki kin: TAN

51. Some haciendas: ADOBES - I never actually read up on what a 'hacienda' really is - the Wiki

53. Excalibur, for one: SWORD

Why Arthur is King, according to Monty Python

54. Beyond discouraged: TABOO

56. "Jeepers!": "YIKES~!"

57. Hit the slopes: SKI

58. Sneakers, informally: KICKS

60. Guitar part: FRET - body, neck, and head work, too

62. __ the pot: STIR - I have to restrain myself from "stirring the pot" at work

63. Brief kiss: PECK

64. Smallish batteries: AAAs - anything smaller, and we're into hearing aid/watch batteries

67. Wrath: IRE

68. Small intake: SIP

69. CSI sample: DNA

Splynter