Leslie Young, née (oooh, I got to use it for real~! ) Leslie Rogers, was part of this collaboration here at the LA Times, and has been published in a few other places as well. I really liked the theme today - a solid, non-reveal type that has multiple examples of the common 4x4, "four by four" term we use day to day. All the themers are unique, cosisting of always-hard-to-use, 12-letter fills ( or, 4x3 if you like ), in a standard grid, and none of the trite trappings - NO circles (yay), just a few names, a few abbrs, and nothing vague or "meh". The FOUR themers;
19. Where to find a sturdy 4x4: THE HOME DEPOT - my "second" home; A 4x4 in this instance actually starts as lumber four inches by four inches square, but once dried and planed, measures 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" - and a judge upheld this "nominal" terminology. I used a short one for the center leg of this table I made as a Christmas present for my brother.
My first try at epoxy, too
26. Where to find a caloric 4x4: IN N' OUT BURGER - there are no locations of this west-coast franchise beyond TX ( TN is next ) as of 2025 - a 4x4 is this mouth-watering construction
My trainer would tell me this is my entire daily caloric intake in one sa'mich
42. Where to find an adventurous 4x4: OFF-ROAD TRAIL - the "classic" definition of a 4x4, which is a 'truck' with all four wheels powered; nowadays, there's also "all-wheel drive" - A.I. says this is the original four-wheel drive - the Wiki
Great sales pitch imagery
51. Where to find an athletic 4x4: RUNNING TRACK - I had to look this one up, as I am not "athletic", per se; it's the 4 x 400 meter dash - more from this website
An' A w ! a ~ y o G eW
ACROSS:
1. Gift wrapping need: TAPE - For all those "last minute" Christmas types, of which I was once a part, you now have less than 24hrs to minimum safe distance . . .
5. Sound in "The Addams Family" theme song: SNAP - Twice, preceded by; Du-Du-Du DUM
9. Dramatic haircut: CHOP
13. Jazz legend Fitzgerald: ELLA - name #1
14. Award presented at the World Science Fiction Convention: HUGO - name #2 - I am a voracious reader, and I switch between Crime/Detective/Mystery & Sci-Fi to change it up, so I knew what a "Hugo Award" was; can anyone recommend an author from any of these genres~? I am looking to read someone new...
15. Origami bird: CRANE
16. Fortnite's company: EPIC GAMES - Learned by doing crosswords; more here
18. Noodle dish: RAMEN
21. "You __ to be there": "HAD"- wouldn't be Wednesday without a Monday dupe . . . .
22. Tug-of-__: WAR
23. Endless expanse: OCEAN - wouldn't be Wednesday without a Monday dupe . . . .
30. Shadowboxes: SPARS
33. Disapproving chorus: BOOs
34. Brew that may be hazy: IPA - getting to be a cliché fill now
41. In one's __: emotional: FEELS - never heard this phrase; the "F" was my last "eff-in" fill
46. Drummer twice inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: STARR - Ringo, and I learned today the second induction was as a solo artist in 2015; name #3
And previously as the drummer for The Beatles
47. Subj. for an aspiring polyglot: ESL - polyglot = knowing or using several (English as Second) Language(s)
48. Faux __: PAS - Foe Paaah, Frawnche, "false step"
55. Baggage __: CLAIM - I have not been in an airport for over 20yrs, and I don't travel much anymore - two weeks ago, I had some questions from Cornerites; unclefred asked about the pipe organ job - I left in February as I felt I was not being given the chance to grow into the company - and then they changed owners in June, as well ... see also 31D.
64. Dull: FADE - the verb instead of the adjective
DOWN:
1. Pearly whites: TEETH
2. Omega opposite: ALPHA - it's all Greek to me . . . .
3. Practiced, as a trade: PLIED - I am learning much as I ply(wood) my new trade as a handyman member of Home Advisor on the Angi app; just finished this bar for a client
Home Depot 1x oak boards and 3/4" oak plywood - a learned a few "bar" things, too
4. Per person: EACH
5. Spiritual healer: SHAMAN - good WAG on my part
6. Dos, por ejemplo: NUMERO - Español, 'two', but I didn't suss the 'No.' connection
7. Like black vinegar: AGED - I have never heard of 'black' vinegar
8. Billy Porter series about 1980s ball culture: POSE - name #4, totally unknown to me; "ball" refers to ballroom culture, the Wiki on that; here's Billy Porter's Wiki
9. Result of a blast from the past?: CRATER
That'll leave a mark....
10. Cordon bleu meat: HAM
11. End of a countdown: ONE - Give it a week, and "Yule" understand this clue/answer
12. Write: PEN - I am still gathering ideas for my own Sci-Fi book/screenplay
15. Early spring bloomer: CROCUS - I found out ASTER "comes up", er, short
17. Met Gala garb: GOWNS - Dah~! Got suckered by the lack of 'plural' in the clue
I'm down with the gown~!
20. NOLA sandwich: PO'BOY - I am reading James Lee Burke's Robicheaux series - the main character Dave is an alcoholic cop who goes to AA, set in Lousiana. ( CSO to Big Easy & Hahtoolah ), name(ish)
24. Quick and nimble: AGILE
25. Annapurna's country: NEPAL - filled via perps
In the center
26. W-2 org.: IRS - Death & Taxes, or, phonetically, the "hearse and the irse"
27. Horseshoe-shaped fastener: U-BOLT
28. Spinner: TOP
29. Merino males: RAMS - Motorized Machines, too
I worked with a guy who liked to point out "Ram in front, Dodge behind"
30. Japan's national sport: SUMO - does make sense
31. Tenured employees, for short: PROFs - ...and Prof M asked two weeks ago why the "~"~? It started waaay back in texts - I like to see an "!" stand out from a "1", "or an "l", and it just went from there
32. Floating in the air: ALOFT
36. Get the hang of: LEARN
37. Word before some language names: OLD - Old Enlgish, Old Norse, e.g.
38. Insole option: GEL
40. Subreddits, e.g.: FORUMS - should this be forA~? Or am I being too forMAL~?
41. Sordid matter: FILTH - "I read this disgusting filth. Twice."
43. Triple play, for one: RARITY - Did C.C. know this fact~?
44. Vacation cottage, often: RENTAL - Ah. Not A-FRAME - but 50% correct letter-wise
45. Realm in Norse cosmology: ASGARD - that's the "A" word I could not recall; name #5
48. "Love, Loss, and What We Ate" memoirist Lakshmi: PADMA - no clue, filled via perps, and I WAGed the last "A", since I misunderstood what "DULL" referred to at 64A. Name #6
49. Pungent: ACRID - but I nailed this one
50. Walk on water, essentially: SKATE - har-har....
BEDROOM DOOR - Double bed. Double room. Double door.
TAKE UP SPACE - Double Take. Double up. Double space.
First, the unifier -- 58 A. Impressive basketball feats, and what 20-, 36-, and 43-Across have: TRIPLE DOUBLES. A triple-double in basketball occurs when a player achieves double digits (10 or more) in three of the five main statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks, with points, rebounds, and assists being the most common combination
20 A. Artist with success in more than one genre: CROSS-OVER STAR. A celebrity who successfully moves from one entertainment field (like music) to another (like acting) or from a niche genre to mainstream success, broadening their appeal. The three doubles here are R, O and S, though the S's over-achieve.
36. What an angsty teenager may slam: BEDROOM DOOR. A bedroom door primarily provides privacy, security, and noise control for a personal space. The psychology behind door slamming involves expressing intense, often negative, emotions like anger, frustration, and helplessness when words fail, acting as a physical release or symbolic boundary-setting against overwhelming situations or people, and sometimes it's a learned behavior or a passive-aggressive way to signal displeasure without direct confrontation, serving as a powerful, non-verbal declaration of ending something or needing space. The three doubles here are D, R and O. The O's have a doubled double.
43. Be useless: TAKE UP SPACE. In a non-constructive way. The doubles here are A, E, and P.
Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here, with only two doubles, though they bookend the alphabet. Let's dig into this puzzle. I promise not to have a tantrum.
Across:
1. Biblical kingdom east of the Dead Sea: MOAB. A people and a land east of the Dead Sea, descended from Lot, known for their frequent conflicts with Israel but also for figures like Ruth, a Moabitess in Jesus's lineage, showcasing grace amidst rivalry.
5. "But there is __ in Mudville ... ": NO JOY. " . . .mighty Casey has struck out." I once had an occasion to write a parody of Ernest Lawrence Thayer's famous poem. It can be seen here.
10. Pack and send: SHIP. My lovely wife does this with her cookies to our grands in remote locations.
14. Poet __ St. Vincent Millay: EDNA. Edna St. Vincent Millay [1892 - 1950] was an American lyrical poet and playwright. Millay was a renowned social figure and noted feminist in New York City during the Roaring Twenties and beyond. She also wrote prose under the pseudonym Nancy Boyd.
15. Abruptly end an engagement?: ELOPE. Well - this is ending it in a hopeful way, getting married.
16. Nevada city on the Truckee River: RENO. A city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County. Reno is a tourist destination known for its casino gambling and proximity to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.
17. Pros and __: CONS. Good and bad points.
18. Relentlessly protect the line on the battlefield: MAKE A STAND. To adopt a firm position or opinion about an issue and be prepared to defend it, often in the face of opposition or a majority consensus.
22. To this point: AS YET. Until now.
23. Snacked: ATE. Consumed victuals, like those in 33 A.
24. Scratch, say: MAR. Cause a defect.
27. Fortuneteller's deck: TAROT. Tarot card reading is a form of cartomancy whereby practitioners use tarot cards to purportedly gain insight into the past, present or future. The process typically begins with formulation of a question, followed by drawing and interpreting cards to uncover meaning.
31. Home for Sharks or Kraken: ARENA. This is kind of sneaky, since OCEAN also fits. but no - this refers to two west coast teams in the National Hockey League, located in San Jose and Seattle, respectively.
33. Frito-__ snacks: LAY. Salty, crunchy, carby, bet-you-can't-eat just one delights, as in 23A.
39. Skin care brand: OLAY. A skincare brand owned by Procter & Gamble (P&G), that originated in South Africa in 1952 as "Oil of Olay". Founded by Graham Wulff, the brand was acquired by P&G in 1985. The brand offers moisturizers, cleansers, and serums, and is a market leader in the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.
41. Decorate: ADORN. Make more beautiful or attractive.
42. BMW competitor: AUDI. German cars. Audi of America, Inc., a subsidiary of Audi AG, markets Audi vehicles in the United States. The company, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, sells sedans, crossovers, coupes, SUVs, and convertibles.
46. Sum of the first three prime numbers: TEN. These primes are two, three and five. One looks like it should also be a prime, but for some technical reason, it isn't.
47. __ legend: URBAN. A humorous or horrific story or piece of information circulated as though true, especially one purporting to involve someone vaguely related or known to the teller. Or - such a story about country singer and former spouse of Nicole, Keith. Or [and this is a reach] a high-performance race car built as a 5/8-scale replica of 1930s and 1940s American automobiles, driven in the city.
48. Choose: ELECT. Opt for.
50. Big D sch.: SMU. Southern MethodistUniversity, a private research university in University Park, Texas, United States. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South—now part of the United Methodist Church—in partnership with Dallas civic leaders.
51. Org. that may confiscate liquids: TSA. Transportation Security Administration, a United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agency, secures U.S. transportation systems. Created in 2001 after the September 11 attacks, its main focus is airport security, preventing aircraft hijackings and other threats.
54. Torah teacher: RABBI. A spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. A person becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as semikhah—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts, including the Tanakh, Midrash, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, Halakha, and rabbinic commentaries thereon.
63. Find an extra level, ala Spinal Tap: GO TO ELEVEN. One more better higher louder.
65. Help (out): BAIL. Rescue someone from a bad spot, often financially or from trouble, by analogy to paying bail to get released from jail. One of my trombone buddies bailed me out with an extra stand light when mine went out in the middle of performing for a Christmas party on Sunday.
66. Innovator's first step: IDEA. A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.
67. Like a baseball bat's symmetry: AXIAL. Symmetry around an axis or line (geometry). An object is said to be axially symmetric if its appearance is unchanged if transformed around an axis. In a bat, this axis is the center line along the length of the bat.
68. Squeeze (past): EDGE. To win or advance by a very small margin; or to narrowly slip by an obstacle.
69. Square figure: NERD. A nerd is a term for someone deeply passionate about intellectual, academic, or niche subjects, often seen as socially awkward. A square is someone uncool, conventional, old-fashioned, or out of touch with current trends.
70. Running total: TALLY. The current amount at any given moment.
71. Juicy bit of info: DEET. Slang for detail[s.]. They don't have to be juicy, so I have my doubts about this clue
Down:
1. Hajj destination: MECCA. A hajj the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca that takes place in the last month of the year, and that all Muslims are expected to make at least once during their lifetime. Mecca is Islam's holiest city, located in Saudi Arabia, known as the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad.
2. Smells: ODORS. Aromas, if they're pleasant. If not, other synonyms may apply.
3. Pester: ANNOY. Bug or irritate someone, or make them a little angry.
4. Type of dog serenaded by Elvis on "The Steve Allen Show": BASSET. It's a hound.
6. Royal name of Norway: OLAV. The name of 5 Norwegian kings over the last 1000 or so years.
7. Card material: JOKE. In slang, "card" often means an amusing, eccentric, or unique person. Which card? The Joker, probably.
8. Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking," for one: OPERA. A renowned contemporary American opera by composer Jake Heggie with a libretto by Terrence McNally, based on Sister Helen Prejean's memoir about her spiritual work with death row inmates, exploring themes of justice, compassion, and humanity.
9. Beer foam producer: YEAST. Yeast makes beer foam by producing carbon dioxide during fermentation, which forms bubbles that get trapped by foam-stabilizing proteins from malt and yeast, creating the frothy head
10. Mex. miss: SRTA. A form of "señorita", a noun which is often translated as "young lady". "Srta." is an abbreviation which is often translated as "Ms.".
11. "I can explain": HEAR ME OUT. "Hear me out" means "listen to my full explanation or perspective before you judge or respond," asking for patience to fully convey an idea, often something unusual or potentially controversial, so the listener understands the complete thought.
12. Travel stop: INN. A place to spend the night in.
13. Orca family group: POD. A whale pod is a social group, usually of related whales (like orcas or dolphins), that travels, hunts, and lives together, often centered around a matriarchal line, providing protection and cooperative benefits.
19. Boiling water output: STEAM. Water vapor condensing in the air.
21. Guess: STAB. An attempt to answer, without a sound basis in knowledge or evidence.
25. Cathode's counterpart: ANODE. The negative and positively charged electrodes, respectively, of a device.
26. __ to go: RARIN'. Eager and enthusiastic.
28. Gather, as crops: REAP. Bring in the harvest.
29. Against all __: ODDS. Succeeding or happening despite extremely low chances, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, or expectations that it wouldn't happen, emphasizing perseverance and unlikely triumph over difficulty.
30. Familiar theme: TROPE. A writer's usage of commonly recurring or overused literary techniques and rhetorical devices (characters and situations), motifs, and clichés in a work of creative literature.
32. Nutrition fig.: RDA. Recommended Dietary Allowance, the average daily nutrient intake level that meets the needs of nearly all (97-98%) healthy people in a specific life stage and gender group, serving as a key guideline within Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) to ensure adequate nutrition
33. Seated meditation pose: LOTUS. An advanced yoga and meditation pose where each foot rests on the opposite thigh, creating a stable, upright seat with knees pointing out, resembling a lotus flower.
34. False follower?: ALARM. Misdirecting clue. The word "alarm" can follow the word "false." It means a warning given about something that fails to happen.
35. Calorific tea ingredient in Tibet: YAK BUTTER. Yak butter tea, or po cha, is a traditional, hearty Himalayan drink made from strong tea, yak butter, salt, and sometimes milk, providing essential fats and energy in harsh climates, often described as savory, oily, and creamy, serving as sustenance, a ritual drink, and even a skin moisturizer. It's prepared by boiling tea leaves, churning the strong brew with yak butter and salt, and sometimes milk, resulting in a frothy, soup-like beverage that's central to Tibetan culture and diet.
37. Like much medication: ORAL. Taken by mouth, rather than injection.
38. __ in a lifetime: ONCE. An event, experience, or opportunity that is extremely rare, special, and unlikely to happen again in a person's life. And this famous song.
40. Vote to pass a bill: YEA. All opposed say Nae.
44. Loosen, as a shoelace: UNTIE. Undo a knot.
45. Hosiery shade: ECRU. A pale, creamy, grayish-yellow or light brownish-beige color, named from the French word for "raw" or "unbleached" linen, describing its original natural state.
49. Like busy browser windows: TABBED. As I write this, I have 14 tabs open in my Chrome window.
52. Water balloon sound: SPLAT. A slappy, splashy sound.
53. Amazon assistant with regional accents: ALEXA. Amazon's cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) voice service that powers smart speakers (like Echo) and other devices, allowing users to control them with voice commands to play music, get news, manage smart home devices, set timers, and more. Alternatively, my 2nd oldest granddaughter.
55. Mandoline piece: BLADE. A mandoline slicer is a kitchen tool with a razor-sharp blade for quickly slicing fruits and vegetables into uniform shapes and thicknesses.
I'll admit I was baffled by this for a while, since I misunderstood the clue.
56. Hosiery shade: BEIGE. A pale, sandy, neutral color, like a grayish-tan or light yellowish-brown, named from the French for undyed, natural wool, offering a warm, subtle, and versatile backdrop often associated with dependability and relaxation, blending creamy off-white with light brown tones. And a clecho.
62. Hulu's "__ Murders in the Building": ONLY. No one or nothing more besides; solely or exclusively. The program is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman. The show focuses on a trio of strangers (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) with a shared interest in true crime podcasts, who become friends while investigating a succession of suspicious murders in the Arconia, their upscale apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and producing their own podcast about the cases, titled Only Murders in the Building. It's been renewed for a 6th season. I never got around to watching season 4.
63. Gimlet liquor: GIN. A Gimlet is a classic, tart, and refreshing cocktail made with gin, lime juice, and a sweetener like simple syrup or lime cordial, traditionally shaken with ice and served up in a coupe glass, garnished with a lime wheel or twist. Gin is a clear, distilled alcoholic spirit defined by its primary flavoring: juniper berries, combined with other botanicals like citrus peels, coriander, and angelica root, creating a fresh, piney, and complex flavor profile, popular in cocktails.
64. Lines from an admirer: ODE. A lyrical, often ceremonial poem that praises or glorifies a specific person, place, thing, or idea.
That wraps up another Wednesday. Happy holidays, and a joyous and prosperous New Year to all. I'll be back in January.
I do believe this is Peggy Sue Marlin's first published puzzle - congratulations~! I found this link to another crossword site, and her name appears there a few times. For today's theme, Peggy uses the "UK" term for a 'thing' as an adjective for the "American" 'thing', with a humorous result. My parents were born and raised in Nottingham, England, so I was familiar with the "other" terms Brits use, e.g. lorry for truck, bonnet for hood, etc. Standard grid, no circles, just thirteen 3LWs, but a few too many names for my taste. The themers, all unique;
20. Rental unit with zero personality?: FLAT APARTMENT
A whole building of FLAT apartments
28. One who forgot insect repellent for a walk in the park?: BUGGY STROLLER - Camelot~!
I have to push the Pram A Lot ~!
45. Five-star frank?: BANGER SAUSAGE
This is a FINE example of sausage~!
52. Salad special at a Cape Canaveral cafe?: ROCKET ARUGULA - new to me, I did not know that arugula, everywhere else, is called "rocket" - you learn something new from crosswords everyday~!
And Away We Loo~!
ACROSS:
1. "Star Wars" villain: VADER - "I find your lack of faith . . . . distubing" - name #1
6. Cartoon supplier of explosive tennis balls: ACME
Wile E Coyote's go-to supply company
10. "I'm __ you asked": "GLAD"
14. BP merger partner: AMOCO
15. Glitzy rock genre: GLAM - ah, such sweet memories....NY Dolls and Kiss may have started it all, but I grew up in the 80s with the likes of Poison, Cinderella, and my personal favorite, Mötley Crüe
Care to see the video for Looks that Kill~? -I'm GLAM you asked~!
16. Work (up): RILE
17. Emblems on some caps: LOGOS
18. Add to the staff: HIRE
19. Auth. unknown: ANONymous
23. Mai __: rum drink: TAI
25. Día de __ Muertos: LOS - Espaniol, "Day of the Dead" - used as the backdrop for the opening sequence from "Spectre", the penultimate Bond film starring Daniel Craig. There were NO edits for the first four minutes, and that's an incredible feat; the behind-the-scenes making of - with the one-shot description mentioned at 10:42. Here's a gratuitous Daniel 007 for C.C.
I need to talk to my trainer Brett about this diet & exercise plan
26. "Lost" actor Daniel __ Kim: DAE - "Dae of the Five-O", too - in fact, I see he had a guest "54D." on Law & Order back in 1994 - his IMDb; name #2
27. Grow older: AGE
32. Host of the 2004 Olympics: ATHENS - I believe they hosted the FIRST games, as well
33. __ cards: INDEX - they come in handy for . . . .
34. Repetitive learning method: ROTE - printing music notes on, so I could learn them by sight, rather than counting lines and spaces
35. Craft beer letters: IPA - crossword staple
36. "Aladdin" parrot named for a Shakespeare villain: IAGO - name #3
40. Brother's daughter: NIECE - my niece-in-law broke her lower leg riding a quad on Thanksgiving
43. Puffy reminder of a scuffle: FAT LIP - FAT TIRE is an Amber Ale
47. Washington airport code: DCA - Dah~! Not SEA for Seattle / Tacoma, the other Washington - D.C. - and Ronald Reagan Airport
49. Bible book before 1 Cor.: ROM - Romans - ooof; I guess it's a change-up from ROMantic COMedy, but I am not familiar with the Biblical books
Bottom Shelf
50. "Star Trek" series, for short: TNG - The Next Generation, and MY generation. I could not get into the original series, as I knew Star Wars before I saw William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, et. al. in their roles as Kirk & Spock, etc. I did, however, embrace the characters in this series, which began in 1987
Bangers humor
51. Recycle bin item: CAN
56. Repulsive: ICKY
57. Club choice: IRON - not sa'miches, but one of the "niblicks" used at 44D.
58. Big name in plastic wrap: SARAN - says name right in the clue - #4
61. Outside the lines: FOUL - sports lingo, not coloring books
62. Sandy sediment: SILT - Sandy sentiment~?
You're The One That I Want, Grease, 1978
63. Entry on a Spotify playlist: TITLE - music streaming; I use Pandora; Spotify is too much work for me
64. Carton sealer: TAPE - I first read this as cartOON
Wile E "sealed" in glue
65. Low digits: TOES
66. Quite capable: ADEPT
DOWN:
1. Actor Kilmer: VAL - name #5
2. Ti __: Italian "I love you": AMO - how ROMANtic
3. Ace-versus-ace sky battle: DOGFIGHT - George Lucas explains how he used clips of WWII dogfights so his Star Wars special effects team could grasp what he was aiming for with the Death Star battle finale
4. Climate change sci.: ECOLogy
5. Historian Terborg-Penn: ROSALYN - Sheesh. On Wednesday. Name #6 - her Wiki
6. Horrified: AGHAST
7. Chip bag closer: CLIP - Not SEAL
8. Argentine soccer legend Diego: MARADONA - I recalled this name - more here - name #7
9. May birthstone: EMERALD
Definitely not the Grinch . . . .
10. Nana: GRAM - I grew up with "Granny", thus my one goof in the grid - the 'N' to 'M'
11. One-dimensional: LINEAR
12. Word with run or tag: ALONG - run along, tag-along
13. Al __: pasta specification: DENTE
21. Throw in the trash: TOSS
22. Lead-in to prompter: TELE - TelePrompTer - history
23. Ski lift: T-BAR - third "Tee" answer in row
24. Mustang or Pinto: AUTO - FORD worked, as well - two names used by the Ford Motor Co. - and Charlie's Angels, too
I'm a fan of the Canucks, like Bert - or perhaps you know of this card game
I do the DOWN clues to start, so I quickly discovered that the theme was DOWN, as well - and I know there are a few visitors to the Corner who are not fond of this type of construction, and now, combined with the always admired circles - just like yesterday~!. Sigh. John had one other contribution to the LA Times in the past, almost four years ago to the day with a similar theme that Boomer covered. I have not had the pleasure of blogging one of his puzzles; I am totally impressed with the theme fills, and their clever arrangement, but some of the other clue/answers didn't thrill me. A handful of names, 24 each of four- and five-letter words - more than the 17 3LWs - a 15x15 grid, and three unique (*) fills;
5. The Guess Who song covered by Lenny Kravitz: AMERICAN WOMAN* - I never cared for the original, so the remake did nothing for me - sorry.
10. Principle that anything that can go wrong will go wrong: MURPHY'S LAW - There are more now;
I have proven the Workshop law too many times to count - hardware as well as tools
19. Comedian's self-deprecating assurance: "I'M HERE ALL WEEK.~!"* - Ba-dum-tiss
29. Unseen collective character on "The Office": CAMERA CREW
I so wanted to link the "best of" this phrase, but it's NSF Work - ironically
7. Routine before a race, or what can be found in this puzzle's circled letters:
WARM UP STRETCHES* - The circles denote the letters W A R M that s-t-r-e-t-c-h "up" the theme answers - one needs to limber up the noggin before working a crossword puzzle . . . .
Grid Flow is 35.2, roughly the average
And Away We Go~!
ACROSS:
1. __ lines: mysterious geoglyphs in Peru: NAZCA - I like watching "Ancient Aliens", and the Lines are a frequent topic on that show - the Wiki; geo name#1
And now A I has discovered 300+ more glyphs - the website
6. Couple: TWO
9. Love, in Spanish: AMOR
13. Geometry class statement: AXIOM - here's an explanation, sort of . . .
14. Ink pouches: SACS
16. Knockoff version: DUPE - no abbr indicated for "duplicate"
17. Chop finely: MINCE - my AXLE/IRON made this - L O C - , so I knew something was not right
18. Some Hollywood red-carpet events: PREMIERES - Solid fill
20. Go along with: ESCORT
Air Force One with a fighter "escort"
22. Formal address: MA'AM
23. Con's opposite: PRO - Corrections Officer was too long 😜
24. Celebratory gesture after a success: AIR PUNCH
'tis the season~!
26. "You __ one job!": "HAD~!"
27. TV network based in Central London: BBC - network #1, the "beeb"
30. Complain: CARP
A goldfish carp - get it~?
31. "Claws" actor Jack: KESY - No clue, filled via perps; his IMDb; name #2
33. In the style of, on French menus: À LA
34. Sailor's "Halt!": "AVAST~!"
36. Puts one's feet up: RESTS
39. Instant noodles option: RAMEN - I made my mac N cheese for Thanksgiving, but when I opened this box of Penne, it had Rotini in it
It's an "im-pasta"
41. Ultimate degree: Nth
42. Razzle-dazzle: ÉCLAT - more Frawnche, "burst out"
43. "Sullivan's Crossing" channel: THE CW - network #2 , never watched, filled via perps - name (ish)
44. Caribbean island near Venezuela: ARUBA - geo name #2
46. Blackjack card: ACE - see also 63D.
47. Crucifix: ROOD - My US History teacher in high school was Mr. Rood; he claimed his "rock band" went by the name "Merchants of Death", from the historical WWI pejorative - and he would tell us on Fridays to "make it a better weekend for someone else.", which I always appreciated.
49. Track legend Zátopek: EMIL - name #3
50. __ factor: WOW
51. AIT scanner org.: TSA - three days in a row now; Advanced Imaging Technology, Transportation Security Admin.
53. Spaghetti topper: MEATBALL
Looked so good when I wrote the blog, I went and made more "Ro-Penne" with meatballs
Or is it Pen-tini~?
56. "Monsters, __": INC.
57. With, on French menus: AVEC - more more Frawnche; without = sans
58. Dives like a hawk: SWOOPS
62. Taylor Swift hit that aptly spent two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100: FORTNIGHT
65. Easy-to-spot jigsaw pieces: EDGES - I had a picture of Cooper made into a jigsaw puzzle as a present for my sister-in-law last year; she and my brother are tackling it now to be done before this Christmas
Me 'n Cooper, loungin' on the couch
66. Release: FREE - messed up my "SPATS" @ 51D.
67. In __ of: LIEU - send donations to the Splynter board game fund in lieu of flowers . . . .
68. Everglades wading bird: EGRET - showed up in Monday's puzzle, too - I lived in Florida for two years, don't rEGRET moving 😜
69. Threaded together: SEWN
70. Form 1099 fig.: SSN - IRS didn't work
71. Falls (over): KEELS
DOWN:
1. Topic of conversation for parents-to-be: NAME - #. 1. name. Ha~!
2. Turning point?: AXIS - I put in AXLE, but in retrospect, an axle is not really a "point"
3. Multivitamin element: ZINC - Dah~! Not IRON
4. Drinkable chocolate: COCOA - I like Ryze mushroom cocoa, but it does not make me as sleepy as advertised
6. Cook's meas.: TSP - a "tisp" is smaller than a tibble-spip, ( TBSP ) amounts I am working with when following a 'ree-sype'
8. One of a geographic quintet: OCEAN - Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, Antarctic - which is now called Southern
9. Summery drink suffix: ADE - hi Lemonade~!
11. "Tosca," for one: OPERA
12. Fill in, as a bare spot in a yard: RESOD
I think I see a "bare spot" in the yard
15. Noisy kiss: SMACK
21. Chiefs star Kelce, to fans: TRAV - Since I am so NOT a Chiefs fan, I had no clue; this season, no NFL team seems to be the run-away favorite, as far as I can tell - name #4
25. Sanskrit for "life force": PRANA - ooops, not ASANA - that's a hatha yoga posture
27. Oldest Simpson kid: BART - Lisa, & Maggie haven't aged a day in almost 40 years - name #5
28. Ho-hum: "BLAH."
32. Min. fraction: SEC
35. Stick out like a sore __: THUMB
37. Food truck fare: TACO
38. Nurse a grudge, say: STEW - we already had several 'food' clues & answers
40. Green prefix: ECO
45. Slant: BIAS
48. New Jersey NHL player: DEVIL - I lived in Albany, NY, which is home to their farm team, the River Rats
51. Petty quarrels: TIFFS - my answer was Bzzzt~!
52. "Zzz" sound: SNORE - I prefer this ZZ sound
A post-Thanksgiving "TV Dinners", ZZ top
54. Protection: AEGIS - filled via perps; the OE dictionary says it's of Greek origin meaning "shield"
55. Ski resort building: LODGE - A-FRAME didn't fit
59. Fantasy heavy: OGRE
60. Banana skin: PEEL
61. Retired jets, briefly: SSTs - Super-Sonic TransportS - The Concorde, e.g. - this fill has been making a comeback, lately
63. Royal flush card: TEN - had to change my ACE here due to its showing up for Blackjack @ 46A.
64. Winery vat: TUN - filled via perps; etymology here
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