Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018 Michael Ray Jacobson and Patti Varol

Theme: HAPPY 75th, JONI MITCHELL.  Theme answers feature some of her body of work.

20 A. 1968 55-Across song: BOTH SIDES NOW.  First recorded by Judy Collins in 1968, then the following year by the composer on an album named for a word in this song.

32. 1976 55-Across album: HEJIRA.  Her 8th studio album. It was mostly written on and inspired by a driving trip from Maine to L.A.  You can read about it here.

37. 1970 55-Across song: BIG YELLOW TAXI.  I never knew that was the name of this song.  The things you learn  .  .  .

43. 1969 55-Across album whose last song is 20-Across: CLOUDS.  This is the word. Cf 20 A, above.

55. Singer/songwriter born 11/7/1943: JONI MITCHELL.  The birthday girl, herself. 

Program Book for the Joni 75 event in Los Angeles 

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here to spin the platters.  This doesn't quite take me back to my 'ute.  But I'm no spring chicken, either.  It takes me back to early adulthood.  CLOUDS was released about a year before my son was born.

Let's examine this score and see if we can find some high notes.

Across:

1. Crowds around: MOBS.  Here, "crowds" is a verb, describing a group of people [presumably] mobbing someone or some thing.

5. Geologic time: EPOCH.  On a geologic time scale, this is a long, but non-specific time period that is shorter than a period and longer than an age.  Certainly longer than my age, and that's saying something.

10. It's the truth: FACT.  An element or aspect of reality.

14. Baseball's Felipe or his son Moises: ALOU.  Along with Felipe's younger brothers Matty and Jesús.  Very talented players from the Dominican Republic.

15. Nabisco wafer brand: NILLA.   Shortened form of VANILLA. the main flavor element of these cookies.

16. Serengeti feline: LION.  And that's a FACT!

17. Barclays Center team: NETS.  Basketball.

18. Strung along: LED ON.   Given false hopes by someone insincere.

19. Boatloads: A LOT.  Non-specific large quantity.

23. Axis foes: ALLIES.  WWII foes.   The main Allied powers were Great Britain, The United States, China, and the Soviet Union.   The main Axis powers were Germany, Japan and Italy.

24. Spot for an AirPod: EAR.  These are wireless headphones made by Apple.

25. Tight spot: JAM.  Unpleasant situation with no easy escape route.

28. "__ whiz!": GEE.  Golly!

29. Sundance's sweetie __ Place: ETTA.  "The Sundance Kid" was outlaw Harry Alonzo Longabaugh. Her real name, age and birthplace are all unknown. Evidently, she was married to Longabaugh.

"Classic Good Looks"

34. Lofty principles: IDEALS.  Standards of perfection, principles to strive for.

36. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO. Archaic form of "to."

41. "The Walking Dead" survivor Grimes: CARL.  The son of primary protagonist Rick Grimes, and his wife Lori Grimes.  Already more than I know.

42. Advertising lure: COME ON.  Bait.  May or may not come with switch.

46. Business review site: YELP.  An on-line publishing service for crowd-sourced revues of local businesses.

47. Influential D.C. group: PAC.  Political Action Committee.

50. Place in the woods: DEN.  An animals lair, I suppose.  Not fond of this clue.

51. Forever and a day: EON.  Is this longer than an EPOCH?

53. "Watch and learn": LIKE SO.  As I demonstrate  .  .  .

58. Auburn rival, familiarly: 'BAMA.  University of Alabama, the Crimson Tide.

61. Miguel's "I love you": TE AMO.  Spanish amor.

62. Small Chevy model: AVEO.  Or Aero.  Needed perp help.

63. Vacationing: AWAY.  Out of town.  Or at least away from the office.

64. Harsh-smelling: ACRID.  Nasty odor.

65. Sharp-edged: KEEN.  Well honed.

66. Tach reading: REVS.  I wanted RPMS.  But R stands for Revs, so OK.

67. Annoy: GET TO.  Bug, in a way.

68. Car trip game: I SPY.   The spy observes something and gives a hint, such as the letter it strts with or its color, and other players have to guess what it is.

Down:

1. Metrosexual tote: MAN BAG.  Choose from our wide selection.

2. Repetitive refrain in the song "Hot Hot Hot": OLE OLE.

3. Perfume holder: BOTTLE.

4. Fish dish served with wasabi: SUSHI.  Actually, a vinegared rice dish often, but not necessarily, served with sea food.

5. Willing recruit: ENLISTEE.  One who joins without a lead on or come on.

6. Like a noted piper: PIED. Clad in multicolored clothing.

7. Quaint retail adjective: OLDE.  As in Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe.

8. In the neighborhood: CLOSE.  Near by, but cigarless.

9. ESPN anchor __ Storm: HANNAH.

Helped break the gender barrier in sportscasting

10. It may be tragic: FLAW.  Or even fatal.

11. Not feel well: AIL.  Have something

12. Whisper sweet nothings: COO.  Might also involve billing.

13. Explosive letters: TNT.  Dy-no-mite!

21. Far from swanky: SEEDY.  In poor, run-down condition.

22. Mined-over matter: ORE.  Stuff found in a hole in the ground.  Clever clue.

25. "We just said the same thing at the same time!": JINX.  So you owe me!

26. Basic drawing class: ART I.  Here the I stands for the number 1, designating the introduction to Art class.  Have you met Art?  Would you introduce me?

27. "Little Red Book" author: MAO.  A book of quotations and writing from Mao Zedong,  chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from its inception in 1949 until his death in 1979.

30. Powder puff stuff: TALC.  A finely divided form of hydrated magnesium silicate.

31. Bronze or brass: ALLOY.  An ALLOY is a mixture of metals, generally designed to enhance physical properties.

33. San __, Puerto Rico: JUAN.  Located on the north coast of the island, it is the capital and largest city of the commonwealth.

34. "House," in Inuit: IGLU.  Usually rendered as IGLOO in the English speaking world.

35. A few: SOME.  An indeterminate quantity of moderate size.

37. Hayloft bundle: BALE.  Of hay, of course.

38. Wrinkle remover: IRON.   For your clothing.

39. Prosperous: WELL TO DO.  Upper class.

40. __ sentence: essay opener: TOPIC.  What it's all about.

41. Included in an email, briefly: CCD.  Copied.  Thus, included as a recipient, not in the contents.

44. "Gloria in Excelsis __": DEO.  Glory to God in the highest, in Latin - a Christian hymn, also known as the Greater Doxology.

45. "In America" novelist Susan: SONTAG.  The novel is based on the true story of Polish actress Helena Modjeska who arrived in California in 1876.

47. Pet problems?: PEEVES.  Pet PEEVES are thing you find particularly annoying.  Are they necessarily problems?  I have mixed feelings about this clever, misleading clue.  More clever than accurate, perhaps.

48. __ at the wheel: ASLEEP.  An expression indicating a failure to handle duties or responsibilities.  Also a country music group that has recorded over 20 albums and won 9 Grammies since their start in 1970.

49. Ant-sy complex?: COLONY.   Misleading, but accurate and cute.

52. Female relative: NIECE.  Sister's or brother's daughter.  Mine lives in N. Car.

54. Uniform cloth: KHAKI.  A strong cotton fabric in a dull yellow-brown color.

55. Rogers Centre team, familiarly: JAYS.  Toronto Blue Jays of the American League of baseball.

56. K follower: MART.  Are there any left?  The former K-Mart site near me is being converted into an Aldi grocery store.

57. "Look no further than me": I'M IT.  Choose me!

58. Trivia night site: BAR.  Site for drinking and gaming.

59. Bedazzle: AWE.  Impress in a highly favorable way.

60. Big D hoopster: MAVerick, a player on the team representing Dallas in the National Basketball Association.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  Was it all in tune for you?  A little dissonance here and there, but not too many sour notes, IMHO, and a nice tribute to Ms. Mitchell.  Patti Varol is a familiar contributor, but it looks like this might be an LAT debut for Mr. Jacobson - congrats!

Cool regards!
JzB

Halloween, Wednesday, October 31, 2018, Bruce Haight

A  Spooktacular  Halloween! Bruce Haight has given us a Frightening puzzle for this Halloween.

From ghoulies and ghosties

And long-leggedy beasties

And things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord, deliver us!

 ~ Scottish Poem

17. Actor who's anxious to get the Halloween party startled?: BOO BRIDGES.  Long lost brother of Beau Bridges (né Lloyd Vernet Bridges, III; b. Dec. 9, 1941).

24. Sci-fi character trying to creep it real?: MISTER SPOOK.   Mr. Spock's evil twin.

35. Comedian who says no body's perfect?: RED SKELETON.  As in Red Skelton (né Richard Skelton; July 18, 1913 ~ Sept. 17, 1997).  He had lots of amusing characters in his repertoire.  When I was a kid, I thought his surname really was Skeleton.

49. Pop group whose music is in en-crypted files?: SPICE GHOULS.  Kin to the Beastie Boys.  Very appropriate since one of the members was known as Scary Spice.

58. Actor who frights for every part?: SCARY GRANT.  As in Cary Grant (né Archibald Alec Leach; Jan. 18, 1904 ~ Nov. 29, 1986).

And the unifier:

42. Like this puzzle's theme?: HAUNTED.

What other scary things appeared in today's puzzle?

Across:

1. Story with many chapters: SAGA.  I can really get lost in a good Saga.

5. Hoops gp. since 1996: WNBA.  As in the Women's National Basketball Association.

9. Colorado tribe: UTEs.

13. Curved fastener: U-BOLT.  Not to be confused with Usain Bolt.

15. Remote batteries: AAAs.

16. Former Persian ruler: SHAH.  The last Shah was Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Oct. 26, 1919 ~ July 27, 1980).  He was shah from September 1941 until he was overthrown by the Iranian Revolution in February 1979.

19. Only: MERE.  I initially tried Sole.

20. Man __: trendy hairstyle: BUN.

21. Neighborhood: AREA.

22. Sonnet line fivesome: IAMBI.

23. Communications co. with a blue-and-white globe logo: ATT.

27. Bends to retie laces, say: STOOPS.  Or a place to sit.

29. Velvet-voiced Tormé: MEL.  As in the singer Mel Tormé (Sept. 13, 1925 ~ June 5, 1999).  I remember him from being the hero of the Honorable Judge Harry T. Stone from the sit-com, Night Court.

30. Air rifle ammo: BBs.

31. One might put stock in it: SOUP.  How to make a Soup Stock.

32. Small keyboard: SPINET.  It doesn't look so small to me.

39. Zero: NOT ONE.  The perps gave me this answer, which I initially parsed as NO TONE.

40. Composer who was a CBS reporter: TESH.  As in John TESH (né John Frank Tesh; b. July 9, 1952).  I think he was more of an entertainment reporter, not a news reporter.

43. Medium ability: ESP.  As in ExtraSensory Perception.

46. __ de deux: PAS.  A ballet dance for two people, generally a man and a woman and a Red Sox player.

47. Everycity, USA: PEORIA.  But does it play in Peoria?

53. __ shot: FLU.  I got my Flu shot.  Did you get yours?

54. Pear centers: CORES.

55. __ B'rith: B'NAI.  B'nai B'rith is a Hebrew phrase that means "Children of the Covenant".  Founded in 1843, B'nai B'rith is the oldest Jewish service organization the world.

56. Former Fed chair Bernanke: BEN.  As in Ben Bernanke (né Ben Shalom Bernanke; b. Dec. 13, 1953).  He served as the 14th Chairman of the Federal Reserve from February 2006 through January 2014.

57. Just barely: A TAD.

61. Show impatience, in a way: PACE.

62. Opposite of away: HOME.

63. Actor Nick: NOLTE.  As in Nick Nolte (né Nicholas King Nolte; b. Feb. 8, 1941).

64. Ice cream brand: EDY'S.  This brand of ice cream makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.

65. Messy stack: HEAP.

66. Ran, as dye: BLED.

Down:

1. Speaker for low sounds: SUB-BASS.

2. Momentarily will, after "is": ABOUT TO.  As in the sentence:  Dinner is About To be served.

3. Travel with the band: GO ON TOUR.  Thank you, perps.  This is another one I tried to parse incorrectly.  I initially looked at it as Goon Tour.  Well, that fits with today's scary theme!

4. Greece neighbor: Abbr.: ALB.  As in Albania, the country to the west of Greece.

5. Gets one's feet wet: WADES.

6. Bedevil: NAG AT.

7. Sweetie, in slang: BAE.  We've had discussions of this puzzle word in the recent past.

8. Donkey: ASS.

9. 50states.com graphic, for short: US MAP.  As in a Map of the United States.  If you had a map of the US without the States identified, could you place all the States in their correct location?

10. Crime film group: THE MOB.

11. Dangling jewelry: EARBOB.  I think of this as being an old-fashioned word.  I remember reading about Earbobs in Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott.

12. Mideast chieftains: SHEIKS.

14. Pooch who shared spaghetti with Lady: TRAMP.  A reference to the Disney animated movie Lady and the Tramp.

18. Crocus kin: IRIS.

22. Florida key, e.g.: ISLET.

25. Novelist Zola: ÉMILE.  Émile Zola (Apr. 2, 1940 ~ Sept. 29, 1902) is best known for his role in the Dreyfus Affair, in which Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish officer in the French army, was wrongfully accused of revealing military secrets solely because he was Jewish.  Zola wrote a letter that was published in the Paris newspaper accusing high ranking army officials of anti-Semitism.  Dreyfus was ultimately exonerated.  Dreyfus Affair.

26. Russo who plays Frigga in "Thor" films: RENE.  As in actress Rene Russo (née Rene Marie Russo; b. Feb. 17, 1954).  She began her career as a fashion model.

28. Uncork, say: OPEN.

32. Smidge: SKOSH.  A fun word.

33. Fenced-in area: PEN.

34. "Africa" band: TOTO.  You know you've heard this song.

36. Chowderheads: DOPES.

37. Dudes-only: STAG.

38. Spongy toy: NERF BALL.  You can get one for all sorts of sports.

41. Matte finish?: SILENT E.  Not keen on this type of cluing.

43. Way out: ESCAPE.  Another appropriate word for Halloween.  This reminded me of Harry Houdini (né Erik Weiss; Mar. 24, 1874 ~ Oct. 31, 1926), the great ESCAPE artist.  Sadly, he died on Halloween.

44. Brief TV plug: SPOT AD.

45. Kidd stuff: PIRACY.  Think of Captain Kidd, the pirate, not the USS Kidd, which is now housed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

47. Remote button: PLAY.

48. Complete, as a PDF contract: E-SIGN.

50. Gives over (to): CEDES.

51. Michelle Robinson's married name: OBAMA.  As in the former First Lady, Michelle Obama (b. Jan. 17, 1964).

52. Gen. Assembly member: UN REP.  As in a Representative in the United Nations.

58. "Lower your voice!": SHH!  Don't awaken all the Ghouls tonight!

59. Country singer David Allan __: COE.  I am not up in my country music, so was not familiar with David Allan Coe (b. Sept. 6, 1939).

60. Steal from: ROB. This puzzle was a real Treat.

Here's the Grid:

Wednesday, October 24 2018, Tim Schenck

Theme: IN GOOD SPIRITS

17A. Roadblocks: BARRICADES. SIDECAR. Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice.

65A. Gambles in a church basement, maybe: PLAYS BINGO. GIBSON. Gin, dry vermouth, garnished with a pickled onion.

10D. Wawa and 7-Eleven: MINI MARTS. MARTINI. Never heard of Wawa - it is only in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida. A MARTINI is made with gin or vodka and vermouth, garnished with an olive or a lemon twist.

36D. Captivating: ARRESTING. STINGER. Crème de menthe added to brandy.

25. With 38-Down, bar offering found in each set of circles: MIXED.

38. See 25-Down: DRINK.

Melissa here. Grokking this theme would be next to impossible without the circles, since the drink anagrams did not include all the letters in each theme answer. Sneaky and so clever.

Across:

1. Vote to accept: ADOPT.

6. Sincerely asks for: BEGS.

10. Vicki Lawrence sitcom role: MAMA.

14. Harley owner: BIKER.

15. "This is __ a test": ONLY.

16. Flower painted by van Gogh: IRIS. Beautiful.

19. Friendly: NICE.

20. Win the affections of: ENAMOR.

21. "__ lost!": GET.

22. Mental flash: IDEA.

23. Be rude to: SASS.

24. Doc's org.: AMA.

26. Good name for many a tree-lined street: ELM.

28. Energy: VIM.

29. Barely sufficient: MEAGER.

33. "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" co-creator Fey: TINA. Love Tina Fey, but have never seen this.

37. Crossed (out): EXED.

39. Prepare, as Romano: GRATE.

40. Womb-related: UTERINE.

42. Crowd control weapon: RIOT GUN.

44. Part of TNT: NITRO.

45. Trace amount: DRIB. Thought to be a shortening of driblet.

47. Not tacit: SAID.

48. Ledger column: ASSETS.

50. Charlotte-to-Raleigh dir.: ENE.

51. Did nothing: SAT. Lots of people who sit in front of their computers would BEG to differ.

52. Calypso-influenced genre: SKA.

53. __ of March: IDES.

57. Minor argument: SPAT.

60. Baseball bat wood: ASH.

62. In the center: MEDIAL.

64. Airport idler: TAXI. Less and less, due to Uber and other ride-hailing apps, which are also impacting airport parking revenue.

67. Golfer's selection: IRON.

68. Easy gait: LOPE.

69. Winemaker with 1900 acres of vineyards in California: BOGLE. If you like beefy reds, their Old Vine Zinfandel is delicious.

70. __ a bell: sounded familiar: RANG.

71. Short-horned bighorns: EWES. Ewe can't pull the wool over their eyes.

72. Lid inflammations: STYES.

Down:

1. Clerics in un monastère: ABBES. French - monastery / abbot.

2. "Outlander" novelist Gabaldon: DIANA. First in an eight-part series. Adapted to a television series on Starz.

3. Gumbo pods: OKRAS.

4. Salon jobs: PERMS. Is that still a thing?

5. Crosby, Stills & Nash, e.g.: TRIO.

6. Fancy neckwear: BOA.

7. Final stage of a chess match: END GAME.

8. TV series with choreographed numbers: GLEE.

9. Word with metric or merit: SYSTEM.

11. Bone-dry: ARID.

12. Attic pests: MICE.

13. Topside, perhaps: ASEA. New to me, topside means "above the waterline."

18. Cowardly: CRAVEN.

27. Big name in small construction: LEGO. Cute. Parents know exactly what it feels to step on them barefoot. There's a funny haiku about this - google if you're not offended by curse words.

30. "Poker Face" Lady: GAGA.

31. Needle case: ETUI.

32. Tear to bits: REND.

33. Sushi option: TUNA. Any sushi lovers here? A Japanese Guide to Sushi Tuna. Between overfishing and mercury - it's hard to know what to eat anymore.

34. "For real?": IT IS.

35. Brooklyn NBA team: NETS.

41. Greek letter: IOTA.

43. Support group?: I-BEAMS. Nice clue.

46. Mold into a new form: RESHAPE.

49. Paper clip alternative: STAPLE.

53. Senseless sort: IDIOT.

54. Shabby: DINGY.

55. Sharp-eyed hunter: EAGLE.

56. Astringent plumlike fruits: SLOES. In keeping with today's theme, what is sloe gin?

57. Prepare, as a 25-/38-Down: STIR.

58. Prefix with graph: PARA. Paragraph.

59. Neural transmitter: AXON.

61. Hoping for more customers: SLOW.

63. Drops off: EBBS.

66. "Amen!": YES.

Wednesday, October 17 2018, Frank Virzi

Theme: A Touch of Class - The last word of each phrase is also the name of a university. All are research universities.

17. 2005 reality show featuring Whitney Houston: BEING BOBBY BROWN. Private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island.

23. '60s sitcom portrayer of Cathy Lane and her "identical cousin": PATTY DUKE. Private, non-profit, research university located in Durham, North Carolina.

38. Ginger-ale-and-grenadine "cocktail": SHIRLEY TEMPLE. State-related university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

55. Chinese menu standard: FRIED RICE. Private research university in Houston, Texas.

62. Where social graces are taught, and what 17-, 23-, 38-, and 55-Across each has: FINISHING SCHOOL.

Melissa here. Interesting, from Wikipedia: "The term finishing school is occasionally used, or misused, in American parlance to refer to certain small women's colleges, primarily on the East Coast, that were once known for preparing their female students for marriage. Since the 1960s, many of these schools have closed as a result of financial difficulties stemming from changing societal norms, making it easier for women to pursue academic and professional paths not open to previous generations."

Sad fact: In too many states, it costs more to house a prisoner for one year than one year of university tuition. One example.

Across:

1. Recurring theme: MOTIF.

6. Contemporary of Dashiell: ERLE. Hammett and Stanley Gardner, mystery writers. Both contributors to pulp genre publication Black Mask magazine.

10. Apple debut of 1998: IMAC.

14. Childish retort: I DO SO.

15. Group of two: DUAD. Makes sense, but I don't think I've ever seen or heard this word. Googled "how to pronounce duad," and found at least three different ways (audio clips). Cambridge dictionary doesn't have an entry at all.

16. Santa __: Sonoma County seat: ROSA. California and Florida both have Santa Rosa Counties - but according to Wikipedia, only Florida's Santa Rosa is a County Seat.

20. War on Poverty org.: OEO.

21. "In that event ... ": IF SO.

22. Kipling python: KAA. From The Jungle Book.

27. Spin, as a baton: TWIRL.

29. "The Simpsons" storekeeper: APU.

30. Leb. neighbor: SYR.

31. Looks up to: ESTEEMS.

33. Show of rural respect: YES'M.

35. Army NCO: SGT. Non-commissioned officer.

37. Little piggy: TOE. Cute.

43. 1988 noir remake: DOA. 1949 Film Noir classic, public domain, full length avail on YouTube.

44. Ewe, say: SHE. Cute.

45. Website with business reviews: YELP.

47. Supple: LISSOME.

51. Many a microbrew: ALE.

53. One in the middle of Knoxville?: VEE. I still get fooled by these sometimes.

54. FDR and JFK: INITS. Initials.

58. Announcer Hall: EDD. Jay Leno's announcer on The Tonight Show from 1992 to 2004.

59. Protein-rich food: TOFU.

61. Wish undone: RUE.

68. McFlurry cookie: OREO.

69. Start of a hymn: O GOD.

70. Creeps-inducing: EERIE. Timely for October.

71. Arms of a starfish: RAYS.

72. Over and above: Abbr.: SYNS.

73. Silvery little fish: SMELT.

Down:

1. Will Smith sci-fi series: MIB. Men in Black.

2. Laudatory piece: ODE.

3. French pronoun: TOI.

4. "You're lying!" in a playground: IS NOT. Is too!

5. "Old" old-fashioned sorts: FOGEYS.

6. Old name for Tokyo: EDO.

7. Cube creator: RUBIK. I had a classmate in HS who learned to speed-solve - was impressive to watch.

8. Bio class cost: LAB FEE.

9. Slow Churned ice cream brand: EDYS.

10. Like the vb. "be": IRR. Irregular.

11. Red Sox star Betts: MOOKIE.

12. Like angry bees: A SWARM.

13. Lock sites: CANALS. A lock is is a device used for raising and lowering boats, ships and other watercraft between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways.

18. Pro wrestling throw: BODY SLAM.

19. Deepest level: BOTTOM.

23. Shell out: PAY.

24. Jungle swingers: APES.

25. Rear: TUSH.

26. Impulse: URGE.

28. Tearful: WEEPY.

32. Team with the most Super Bowl victories: STEELERS.

34. Central spot: MIDST.

36. TV host Pennington and Hall of Famer Cobb: TYS.

39. Places to perch: ROOSTS.

40. Bangkok native: THAI.

41. Big name in denim: LEVI.

42. Power co. product: ELEC.

46. Peruvian capital?: PEE. Nice clue.

47. Commit perjury to protect: LIE FOR.

48. Former Indian prime minister Gandhi: INDIRA.

49. "Dog Day Afternoon" director Lumet: SIDNEY.

50. Crude model used for public ridicule: EFFIGY.

52. Elicits: EDUCES.

56. Long sentence: RUN ON.

57. Turn a midi into a mini, say: RE-HEM.

60. Cries of discovery: OHOS. Okay.

63. Platform for Siri: IOS.

64. Mdse.: GDS.

65. Malachite, e.g.: ORE.

66. Many a Monet: OIL.

67. Permit: LET.

Wednesday, October 10, 2018 C. C. Burnikel

Theme: Fast times down in the paddy.  Otherwise unrelated theme answers contain the letters of the word RICE, but WILDLY out of order. In each case, the letters span two words, which is always a nice touch.  Hope you got the circles.  This would be awfully opaque without them

16 A. Vice squad operations: POLICE RAIDS. Unannounced visits by law enforcement, using the element of surprise to aid in making arrests, so things don't get too WILD.

28 A. Fictional feline that could disappear at will: CHESHIRE CAT.  Best known for its mischievous grin, and most generally associated with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by creepy 19th century British minister Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, rather than T. S. Eliot.  Its presence in folk lore pre-dates this 1865 novel, and is of uncertain origin.  As it fades away, the last thing visible is its ionic grin.

45 A. "Talladega Nights" actor: JOHN C REILLY.  Here he is in CHICAGO.

62 A. It eases tension in some serious tales: COMIC RELIEF. A light or humorous episode in an other wise serious dramatic work.

3 D. Social class prominent in "The Great Gatsby": IDLE RICH.  People of substantial inherited wealth who have no need to work for a living.  And a shout out to anyone named ERIC.

And the unifier -- 39 D. Whole-grain food, and a description of each set of circles: WILD RICE.  This is a separate species from white rice.  Though it is now cultivated, it is still also harvested from shallow lakes in its natural habitat in North America.  The word WILD indicates that the letters of RICE have been rearranged in the theme entries.

The byline indicates that this puzzle was constructed by our gracious and prolific hostess, whose published puzzles now must number in the hundreds.  Note the clever and original grid, with theme fill that is both horizontal and vertical, but not in a pinwheel array.

Hi, Gang - JazzBumpa here.  Let's all have a WILD time together.

Across:

1. Vice president after Hubert: SPIRO.  T. Agnew [1918-1996] V.P. under Richard Nixon.  He resigned as a result of a corruption scandal involving kick-backs and tax evasion dating from his time as county executive in MD, and continuing into his vice presidency.  He escaped prosecution in a plea bargain.

6. Harry Potter's lightning bolt, e.g.: SCAR.  On his forehead, resulting from an unpleasant incident when he was in infant, involving Tom Riddle

10. Cauldron stirrer: HAG.  They seem nice.

13. Intense passion: ARDOR.  Fervor, zeal, vehemence.

14. Big strings: CELLI.  Here is a sample.

15. "We're on __ way": OUR.  Be right with you  .  .  .

18. Prefix with angle or athlete: TRI.  Indicating something in threes - a TRIangle is a three sided figure. A TRIathlete competes in a three-part combined event, usually involving running, bicycling and swimming.

19. Make very happy: ELATE.

20. "__ Go": cellphone game: POKEMON.  A game centered on fictional creatures which humans can train and battle each other for sport. I'll stop here, because this is already more than i know about it, lest I --

22. Mess up: ERR.  Goof.

24. PC core: CPU.   Central Processing Unit.  It perfprms the basic computational, logic and control functions.

26. Sorvino of "Mimic": MIRA.  I had her last time.

She's rather tall.

27. Hawaiian garland: LEI.   Flower garland necklace.

Blossoms

32. Ultra-masculine: MACHO.  Overtly, aggressively and pridefully male.  Short of toxic masculinity, one would hope

34. Underwater detector: SONAR.  From SOund Navigation And Ranging, a system that uses sound waves to navigate and detect objects, usually under water

35. Sister of Laertes: OPHELIA.  In Shakespeare's play, daughter of Polonius, and the potential wife of Hamlet.

38. Major turf battle: GANG WAR.  Battle for control of a neighborhood or area between rival gangs.

42. They may be pumped or bumped: FISTS.  Or used for fighting.

44. Neutral shade: BEIGE. A pale, sandy yellowish brown color.

50. Meadow: LEA. An open grassy area.

51. Sheriff Andy Taylor's boy: OPIE.  From the Andy Griffith show.

Early Ron Howard

52. Ewe call: BAA.  She said, sheepishly.

53. ISP option: DSL. Digital Subscriber Line.  Distinct from dial-up, but using a telephone line.

54. "Oh, puh-leeze!": SPARE ME.  Get real.

58. African country whose name begins another African country: NIGER. and Nigeria.  Adjacent countries in west Africa.

Niger is in orange

61. Wee one: TOT.  A small child.  I once was one.

66. Baton Rouge sch.: LSU.  Louisiana State University, home of Mike the Tiger.

67. Occupied, as a restroom: IN USE.  Come back later.

68. Award for "Moonlight" or "Spotlight": OSCAR.  An award presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for excellence in the creation and production of movies.

69. Some Caltech grads: EES.  Electrical Engineers.  People who really do live in the realm of imaginary numbers.

70. "Gee whiz!": GOSH.   Golly.

71. Cautious (of): LEERY. Wary, due to realistic suspicions

Down:

1. Liquid from a trunk: SAP.   Sticky stuff from a tree trunk.

2. Golf instructor: PRO.  Or tennis.

4. Churn up: ROIL.  Cf. 10 A.

5. White-bellied ocean predator: ORCA.  The killer whale.

6. __ salt: SEA.  Other wise known as .  .  . salt.

7. Movie excerpt: CLIP.   Cf 10 A, 45 A, 70 A.

8. Big name in footwear: ALDO.  I like Clarks.

But how would I look in these?

9. Put in peril: RISK.

10. One may pick up an embarrassing remark: HOT MIC.  Conversations can be captured when the speakers think the microphone is off.  Ooops!

11. Goddess of the dawn: AURORA.  From Roman mythology.

12. Be amused by: GRIN AT.   Smile!

14. Dessert pancake: CREPE.  A thin pancake, usually rolled and filled with something.

17. Draw with acid: ETCH.  Coat the substrate with a protective substance such as wax, draw on it with a needle to expose the surface, then flow acid over it.  This will attack the exposed surface and create the desired image.

21. Come into view: EMERGE.  Unfold, transpire, become apparent.

22. Sailor's patron: ELMO.  AKA St Erasmus of Formia [d 303 AD.]   The account of his various tortures and imprisonments is disturbing.  You have been warned.

23. Use a scythe: REAP.  For harvesting a crop.  No reason to be grim about it.

25. Navy vessel letters: USS. United States Ship, applied only while it is in commission.

28. Infant's ailment: COLIC.  Abdominal pain caused by gas or obstruction.  Unpleasant for baby, parents, and anyone else near by.

29. Gluttonous sort: HOG.  Greedy one who wants it all.

30. Once __ while: IN A.  Occasionally.

31. Asked for an opinion on, as an idea: RAN BY.

33. Playboy founder: HEFNER.  Hugh [1926 - 1917]

Judge him by the company he kept

36. Mideast nation: Abbr.: ISRael.

37. Had breakfast: ATE. Typically raisin bran for me.

40. Quite a while: AGES.  Non-specific long time duration.

41. Bona fide: REAL.  From the Latin, meaning "with good faith."

43. Family vacay participant: SIB.  Sibling, joining the fam for a vacation.

45. Push rudely: JOSTLE.  To elbow or push against someone, typically in a crowd.  From late Middle English, derived from jousting [Cf. 48 D.] The original meaning was "to have sex with."  Current, more pedestrian, meaning is from the mid 16th century.

46. Vote against: OPPOSE.  Nay, nay, I say.

47. Continuity break: HIATUS.  A pause or gap in a sequence, series or process.

48. Renaissance Faire weapon: LANCE.   For jousting.  You can find many examples on Youtube.  I chose not to link.

49. Dragon's den: LAIR.  Brings to mind a poem I wrote long ago.

  
IN PRAYER SHE CONTEMPLATES

Far from her home, sequestered in a cave

In dampness, gloom and foul lizard's filth

With golden chains that mock a kingdom's wealth,

She waits the coming of the knight or knave --

The fool who'd face the flame and fang to save 

A royal maiden from this monstrous death.

The fool arrives.  To scale and scalding breath

He shouts his dare.  Could one so wild and brave

Be any but a lout?  No doubt he'd clench

A princess as he would some low-born wench. 

Is lance of knight or fang of worm to be

The one to test her vain virginity?

Reposed in prayer she contemplates her sins,

Then spies her knight, and prays the dragon wins.

 © JazzBumpa

55. Vaper's smoke, briefly: E-CIG.  Prompts a question about technology: just because we can, does that mean we should?

56. Stereo preceder: MONO.  In monaural sound, a single channel is used, and all speakers will project the same copy of the signal.  In stereophonic sound, there are typically two channels, and each one projects a different portion of the total sound package.  This gives the effects of directionality and space.

57. Fast Aussie birds: EMUS.  Australian native Dromaius novaehollandiae is the second largest living bird, after the ostrich, which is native to Africa.  Both are fast runners, but neither can fly.

59. Earth sci.: GEOLogy  is an earth science.  As the saying goes, GEOLOGY rocks, but Geography is where it's at.

60. "What __ can I do?": ELSE.  An offer of further assistance, or an expression of exasperation.  You decide.

63. "Kinda" suffix: -ISH.

64. Piece of corn: EAR. Something to listen for when you stalk the grain.

65. Cook, as spring rolls: FRY.  Cook with hot oil in a shallow pan.  MAybe have some WILD RICE as a side.

That wraps up another Wednesday.  Hope you found this nit-free puzzle to be delicious, nutritious and just crunchy enough.

Cool regards!
JzB

Wednesday October 3, 2018, Craig Stowe

Someone Keeps Moving My Chair!

 

The first word of each starred theme answer describes a specific type of chair.

3-Down. *Life of affluence: EASY STREET.   Think of an Easy Chair.  This one doesn't really look terribly comfortable.

9-Down. *Specialty: WHEELHOUSE.  Think of a Wheel Chair.

17-Down. *Magician's riffled prop: DECK OF CARDS.  Think of a Deck Chair.  We called these Adirondack Chairs, but they go on a Deck.

25-Down. *Swimming option: SIDE STROKE.  Think of a Side Chair.  This is a Queen Anne Side Chair.

And now for the Unifier: 27-Down. Perches for tots, and what the answers to starred clues literally contain: HIGH CHAIRS.  If you notice, all of the theme answers go down, so that the "chair" can be "high" in the answer.

This is now an old-fashioned high chair, but looks like the one we had when we were growing up.

Thank goodness, Mr. Stowe didn't slip in the dreaded Dentist Chair!

From where I sit, this was a fun puzzle.  So pull up your favorite chair, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Across:

1. Party with a piñata: FIESTA.  Today's Spanish lesson.  Fiesta is Spanish for Party.

7. Tin alloys: PEWTERS.  Pewter is an alloy of tin and other metals, which may include, silver, copper, antimony or bismuth.  In the olden days, Pewter also contained lead, but that could be toxic.

14. Online icon: AVATAR. Also the name of a movie.  

15. Expo entry: EXHIBIT.

16. Begrudge: RESENT.  Not to be parsed as Re-Sent.

17. 31-day month: DECEMBER.  Or, as my hubby calls it, the Month of Susan.  //  And:  47-Down: Month after 17-Across, south of the border: ENERO.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

18. Jabber: YAK.

19. Surge protector?: LEVEE.  People in Louisiana know all too well about Levees.  The levees ostensibly protect against a storm surge.  In New Orleans, a very complex system of canals and other structures are needed to help protect against potential surges from hurricanes.

20. __-Cat: winter vehicle: SNO.

21. "That wasn't nice of you": TSK!  Often repeated as in Tsk! Tsk!

22. Italian tenor Andrea: BOCELLI. Andrea Bocelli is an Italian singer who just celebrated his 60th birthday on September 22.

24. Cricket club: BAT.  I sat through the 2001 movie Lagaan, which was about a cricket game in India.  The game was played over several days.  It felt like I sat in the movie for several days just watching the film.  Cricket is not a fast moving game!

25. Went down: SANK.  I initially tried Fall.

26. Dander reaction, perhaps: AH CHOO!

30. 1979 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee: ORR.  Bobby Orr (né Robert Gordon Orr; b. Mar. 20, 1948), makes frequent guest appearances in the crosswords.  He had a long career with the Boston Bruins.

31. Shakespearean bad guy: IAGO.  Iago is the main antagonist in Othello.

32. __ the line: TOEING.

33. Word with dating or skating: SPEED.  As in Speed Dating or Speed Skating.  I have done neither.

35. Airport NW of LAX: SFO.  As in the San Francisco International Airport, which is NorthWest of the Los Angeles International Airport.

37. Egged on: URGED.

38. Strainers: SIEVES.  I had a boss who had the attention span of a sieve.

40. 2018 Stanley Cup champs, familiarly: CAPS.  As in the Washington Capitals, which is a hockey team.

42. Yard tool: HOE.

43. Swear (to): ATTEST.

44. Tennis immortal Arthur: ASHE.  As in Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. (July 10, 1943 ~ Feb. 6, 1993).  There is a new biography about him entitled Arthur Ashe: A Life.

45. "Fareed Zakaria GPS" network: CNN.  Fareed Zakaria (b. Jan. 20, 1964), is an Indian-American journalist.  He hosts a television show about public affairs from around the world.

46. Took the helm: STEERED.  Hi, Spitzboov!

48. Revolutionary icon: CHE.  As in the revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara  (June 14, 1928 ~ Oct. 9, 1967).  He went to medical school before becoming a revolutionary.

49. Butter square: PAT.  Why a Pat of Butter?  More than you ever wanted to known.

52. Marmalade morsels: RINDS.  My favorite marmalade is orange marmalade.  I have a kumquat tree in my backyard.  Maybe I will try making some kumquat marmalade.

53. Feathery accessory: BOA.

54. Marine animals named for flowers: ANEMONES.  One is the flower and the other is the sea creature.

56. Nabokov novel: LOLITA.   A 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov (Apr. 22, 1899 ~ July 2, 1977) about a middle aged literature professor obsessed with a young girl.  It was made into a 1997 movie starring Jeremy Irons.  I saw it in London.  That's all I remember of the film.

59. Athletic shoe: SNEAKER.  Do people really call athletic shoes sneakers?

60. Island group that includes São Miguel: AZORES.  My sister frequently vacations in the Azores.

61. Italian Riviera resort: SAN REMO.

62. Triple Crown winners: HORSES.

Down:

1. Many miles: FAR.

2. "Now __ seen it all!": I'VE.

4. It might be rare: STEAK.  My favorite clue of the puzzle.

5. Fail big-time: TANK.  I initially tried Fall.

6. "The creation of beauty is __": Emerson: ART.  A quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 ~ Apr. 27, 1882)

7. Complaint: PEEVE.  A Pet Peeve is not to be confused with a Pet Rock.

8. Show a real talent for: EXCEL AT.

10. "Humble and Kind" singer McGraw: TIM.  Tim McGraw (né Samuel Timothy McGraw; b. May 1, 1967) was born in Delhi, Louisiana.  His father was Tug McGraw (Aug. 30, 1944 ~ Jan. 5, 2004), a major league baseball pitcher.

11. Falls back: EBBs.

12. Nothing, in Quebec: RIEN.  Today's French lesson.

13. Texas ballplayer, to fans: 'STRO.  As in the Houston Astros.

19. Yearns (for): LONGS.

21. La Brea attraction: TAR PIT.  All together, now:  La Brea Tar Pit is redundant.

22. Barnyard bleat: BAA.  As in the sheep.

23. Bakery employee: ICER.

24. __ nova: BOSSA.  The Bossa Nova is a genre of Brazilian music.

28. Common soccer score: ONE / ONE.  I don't believe I have ever seen a soccer game.

29. Nash who wrote "Parsley / Is gharsley": OGDEN.  As in Ogden Nash (né Frederick Ogden Nash; Aug. 19, 1902 ~ May 19, 1971)

34. Big nights: EVEs.

36. Desert refuges: OASES.  Midnight at the Oasis.

39. "Revolution From Within" writer Gloria: STEINEM.  As in Gloria Steinem (b. Mar. 25, 1934).  I can't believe she is 84 already!

41. Prof.'s degree: Ph.D.  As in a Doctor of Philosophy.  What is the difference between an M.D and a Ph.D.?    * Answer below.

48. __ scheme: COLOR.  What is the Color Scheme of your living room?

49. Bridge call: PASS.  I have never played bridge, but I have heard some of the terms.

50. LPGA golfer Nordqvist: ANNA.  Anna Nordqvist (b. June 10, 1987) is a Swedish golfer.

51. Video game rating: TEEN.

53. Nincompoop: BOZO.

55. Spoil: MAR.

56. "Well, __-di-dah!": LAH.

57. Ball holder: TEE.

58. Pack animal: ASS.

Sit back in your comfy chair and give us your thoughts on today's fare.

 

* Answer:  An M.D. buries his mistakes; the Ph.D. must live with his mistakes.