google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday

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Showing posts with label Wednesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wednesday. Show all posts

Feb 28, 2024

Wednesday February 28, 2024. Natalie Murphy

Theme:  If we could turn back time.  The word "DAY is hidden in each theme entry, but spelt backwards.  Not easy to find.  Nota bene: each YAD is split across two words.

21. Beach community in L.A.'s South Bay: PLAYA DEL REY.   A seaside suburb in the Santa Monica Bay and the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California. As of 2018, the community had a population of 16,230 people.

26. Customer who buys a gadget as soon as it's available: EARLY ADOPTER.    an early customer of a given company, product, or technology. The term originates from Everett M. Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations.  They ususally pay the highest price.

43. Guidance at just the right moment: TIMELY ADVICE.   Exactly as defined in the clue.

50. Time to do things out of order, or what appears in 21-, 26-, and 43-Across: BACKWARD DAY.   National Backwards Day, celebrated on January 31st each year, is a whimsical and fun-filled observance that encourages people to do things in reverse or unconventional ways.

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here, thinking about driving a Toyota in reverse.  But let's go at this puzzle in a straightforward way.  

Across:

1. Like purchases made while playing freemium games: IN APP.  With some apps, you can buy additional content or services within the app. We call these "in-app purchases." Here are some examples of in-app purchases: A sword that gives you more power in a game. A key that unlocks more features of an app. Virtual currency that can be used for purchases.

6. Hanging on every word, say: RAPT.  Completely fascinated by what one is seeing or hearing.

10. Golf course transport: CART.   A small motorized vehicle for golfers and their equipment.

14. Storm-tracking device: RADAR.   A system for detecting the presence, direction, distance, and speed of aircraft, ships, and other objects, by sending out pulses of high-frequency electromagnetic waves that are reflected off the object back to the source.  Radar spelt backwards is __________.

15. Cincinnati's state: OHIO.   A state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ohio borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the west, and Michigan to the northwest. Of the 50 U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area. With a population of nearly 11.8 million, Ohio is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated state. Its capital and largest city is Columbus, with other large population centers including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Akron, and Toledo. Ohio is nicknamed the "Buckeye State" after its Ohio buckeye trees, and Ohioans are also known as "Buckeyes".[10] Its flag is the only non-rectangular flag of all U.S. states.  Giraffes are not native to Ohio because buckeyes are poisonous to them.

16. Taiwan-based laptop giant: ACER.   Acer Inc. is a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics corporation specializing in advanced electronics technology, headquartered in Xizhi, New Taipei City.

17. "Skyfall" singer: ADELE.  Adele Laurie Blue Adkins MBE  (born 5 May 1988), known mononymously as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. She is known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting. Adele has received numerous accolades including 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards (including three for British Album of the Year), an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

18. __ bene: NOTA.   A Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB or n.b., and first appeared in English writing c. 1711.

19. "Space Jam" bunny voiced by Kath Soucie: LOLA.  Lola Bunny is a Looney Tunes cartoon character portrayed as an anthropomorphic female bunny created by Warner Bros. Pictures. She is generally depicted as Bugs Bunny's girlfriend. She first appeared in the 1996 film Space Jam.

20. Oldest Bobbsey daughter: NAN.  The Bobbsey Twins are the principal characters of what was, for 75 years, the Stratemeyer Syndicate's longest-running series of American children's novels, written under the pseudonym Laura Lee Hope. The first of 72 books was published in 1904, the last in 1979, with a separate series of 30 books published from 1987 through 1992. The books related the adventures of the children of the upper-middle-class Bobbsey family, which included two sets of fraternal twins: Bert and Nan, who were twelve years old, and Flossie and Freddie, who were six.  Does anybody read them any more?   Imagine NAN facing in the other direction.

24. Scottish Highlander: GAEL.  (Especially in historical contexts) a member of the Gaelic-speaking peoples inhabiting Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.

25. Calendar entries: EVENTS.  An occasion planed for a certain lpace and time.

31. Woodshop grippers: VISES.   A mechanical apparatus used to secure an object to allow work to be performed on it. Vises have two parallel jaws, one fixed and the other movable, threaded in and out by a screw and lever. 

32. "Aw, darn!": RATS.   Exclamation of disappointment or dismay.  But it's bright in reverse.

33. Sweet potato: YAM.  Not the same thing.  We've been over this.  Especially in MAY.

36. "__ done the same thing!": I'D'VE.  I would have.

37. "The Cider House Rules" Oscar winner Michael: CAINE.  Sir Michael Caine CBE [b 1933] is an English retired actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over a career spanning eight decades and is considered a British film icon. 

39. Beauty mark: MOLE.    A normal skin growth that develops when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) grow in groups. They appear as small, dark marks, or sometimes flesh-coloured small bumps, on your skin. Moles can appear in a range of different colours, shapes and sizes.

40. Napkin holder: LAP.  The flat area between the waist and knees of a seated person, suitable for placing a napkin or computer.   In retrospect, it could be your friend.

41. Cast a ballot: VOTE.  A formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of action, expressed typically through a ballot or a show of hands or by voice.

42. All fired up: EAGER.   Wanting to do or have something very much.

46. "Ooh, makes sense": AH, I SEE.   Expression of enlightened agreement.

49. __ and ends: ODDS.   Miscellaneous articles or remnants.

53. Enormous: BIG.  Huge

56. Working hard: AT IT.   Or arguing, or something . . .

57. Verbally attacked, with "into": TORE.  A verbal assault.

58. Like some breakfast tea: IRISH.   Irish Breakfast Tea is a type of black tea that has been a beloved beverage in Ireland and around the world for centuries. This tea is known for its robust and bold flavor, as well as its invigorating effects, making it a popular choice for a morning cuppa. Nota bene: Irish Tea is not grown in Ireland.

60. "__ a Lady": Tom Jones classic: SHE'S.  




61. Brunch, e.g.: MEAL.   A meal is an eating occasion that takes place at a certain time and includes consumption of food. The names used for specific meals in English vary, depending on the speaker's culture, the time of day, or the size of the meal.

62. Terse denial: NOT ME.  Properly should be NOT I, but nobody talks like that.

63. Quaint "Listen!": HARK.  Pay attention!

64. Quiche base: EGGS.  Oval or round objects laid by  female birds, reptiles, fish, or invertebrates, usually containin developing embryos. The eggs of birds are enclosed in a chalky shell, while those of reptiles are in a leathery membrane.

65. V-formation flyers: GEESE.  A goose is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera Anser and Branta. Some other birds, mostly related to the shelducks, have "goose" as part of their names.  They also lay eggs,

Down:

1. Persia, today: IRAN.   Iran, also known as Persia and officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Iraq to the west and Turkey to the northwest, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south. It covers an area of 1.648 million square kilometers (0.64 million square miles), making it the world's 17th-largest country. Iran has around 90 million people, making it the world's 17th most populous country. Its capital and largest city is Tehran with around 16 million people in its metropolitan area.


2. Spanish "nothing": NADA.  Literal

3. Yemen's Gulf of __: ADEN.

4. Buddy: PAL.  Amigo, chum, bestie.   Reversed when you sit down.

5. Takes care of charges in advance: PRE-PAYS.  Pay up front, or earlier,

6. 2018 NL Rookie of the Year Acuña Jr.: RONALD.  Ronald José Acuña Blanco Jr. [1997] is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. After signing with the Braves as an international free agent in 2014, Acuña made his MLB debut in 2018, and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

7. "Howdy, Cap'n!": AHOY.  A shout used, especially by people in boats, to attract attention: Ahoy there! used, especially on a boat, when you see something, usually something that is in the distance: Land ahoy! Ship ahoy!

8. Bread with a pocket: PITA.    A flat rounded slightly leavened bread, originally from the Middle East, with a hollow inside like a pocket, which can be filled with food. 

9. Marioverse racer with pink braids: TOADETTE.   A female Toad who appears as a playable character in various spin-off games throughout the Mario series.


10. Telemarketer: CALLER.    Salespeople who are employed by a company to telephone people in order to persuade them to buy the company's products or services, typically at dinner time. 

11. __ squash: ACORN.  An acorn-shaped dark green winter squash (Cucurbita pepo) with a ridged surface and mildly sweet yellow to orange flesh.



12. Rented again: RELET.  Rent (a property) for a further period or to a new tenant.

13. Cafeteria stack: TRAYS.   Flat, shallow containers with raised rims, typically used for carrying food and drink, or for holding small items.

22. Grassy meadow: LEA.   An open area of grassy or arable land.

23. Nights before: EVES.   The day or period of time immediately before an event or occasion.

24. Delight: GLEE.   Great delight.   Originally, the joy one gets from singing, hence glee clubs as singing ensembles.

26. Wicked: EVIL.  Bad and nasty.  In real time if you turn it around.

27. Verdi opera set in Egypt: AIDA.  A tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt.  The Egyptians have captured and enslaved Aida, an Ethiopian princess. An Egyptian military commander, Radamès, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the King of Egypt. To complicate the story further, the King's daughter Amneris is in love with Radamès, although he does not return her feelings.

28. "Tell me if you're coming" letters: RSVP.   RSVP is an initialism derived from the French phrase Répondez s'il vous plaît, literally meaning "Respond, if it pleases you", or just "Please respond", to require confirmation of an invitation.

29. Protruding window: ORIEL.    A large window built out from a wall and resting on a bracket or a corbel.



30. Skillet: PAN.  A flat-bottomed pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically 20 to 30 cm in diameter with relatively low sides that flare outwards, a long handle, and no lid. 

33. "Pic-a-nic" basket-stealing bear: YOGI.



34. Smart __: wiseacre: ALEC.   A person who is irritating because they behave as if they know everything.  Frex, I know this should be ALECK.

35. Little more than: MERE.   That is solely or no more or better than what is specified.

37. "Bring it on!": COME AT ME.  Used to express confidence in meeting a challenge.

38. Consumed: ATE.   Eat, drink, or ingest food or drink.

39. Dallas NBA team, for short: MAVS.   The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at the American Airlines Center, which it shares with the National Hockey League's Dallas Stars.

41. Perspective: VIEW.   A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

42. Going around in circles?: EDDYING.  As water, air or smoke.

43. "Naughty!": TSK-TSK.   A tongue-clicking sound expressing disapproval or annoyance.

44. Alpine songs: YODELS.  a form of singing which involves repeated and rapid changes of pitch between the low-pitch chest register and the high-pitch head register or falsetto.  This vocal technique is used in many cultures worldwide.

45. Poet laureate Limón: ADA.  Ada Limón [b. 1976] is an American poet. On July 12, 2022, she was named the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States by the Librarian of Congress. This made her the first Latina to be Poet Laureate of the United States.  She's the same, any way you look at her.

46. Embarrass: ABASH.   A feeling of shame or being disconcerted or embarrassed.

47. Branch of yoga: HATHA.   A yoga system of physical exercises and breathing control.

48. Less welcoming: ICIER. More unfriendly or hostile.

51. "Walkabout" director Nicolas: ROEG.  Nicolas Jack Roeg CBE BSC [1928 -2018] was an English film director and cinematographer, best known for directing Performance, Walkabout, Don't Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Bad Timing and The Witches.

52. "RuPaul's __ Race": DRAG.    A reality show in which a group of talented drag queens compete in challenges to impress host RuPaul, the world's most famous drag queen, to win a cash prize along with a crown and the title of America's Next Drag Superstar. 

53. Tasting menu portion: BITE.   A very small portion of food.

54. Schools of belief: -ISMS.  A suffix denoting the act, practice, or process of doing a particular thing in a particular way. 

55. Clarified butter: GHEE.   Ghee is made by melting regular butter. The butter separates into liquid fats and milk solids. Once separated, the milk solids are removed, which means that ghee has less lactose than butter. 

59. Maki sushi topper: ROE.  The fully ripe internal egg masses in the ovaries, or the released external egg masses, of fish and certain marine animals such as shrimp, scallop, sea urchins and squid. As a seafood, roe is used both as a cooked ingredient in many dishes, and as a raw ingredient for delicacies such as caviar.

That's it for today.  Hope it didn't set you back too much,

Cool regards!
JzB







Feb 21, 2024

Wednesday, Feb 21st, 2024, Natalie Tran & Sean Ziebarth

GREATEST AMERICAN


Suddenly I'm up on top the world....

A fine puzzle that was a good challenge for me with some fresh clues, and nary a name in the mix~!  (OK, there was one*).  I know that the appearance of circles puts a fair number of people off; I'm OK with them - I didn't really notice the circles, but as I got close to finishing, I only had a partial fill for the reveal at 55A. Despite knowing that the word was spelled wrong, I was trying to figure out what "hero(e)s AND _ich" meant.  And then the V-8 can - it needed to be parsed the other way....I believe this may be a debut construction for Natalie Tran.

20. Make a fool of: PUT ONE OVER ON - Neo, hero of "The Matrix" movies

34. Hide-and-seek exclamation: THERE YOU ARE~! - Rey, hero(ine) of the three "Star Wars" second series of sequels, from Disney, not Lucasfilm

42. Determines the age of, as archaeological finds: CARBON DATES - Bond, James Bond - 'nuf said - and a gratuitous image for C.C. of the last actor to portray him....

IMO, he was the best - but I was born 10yrs after the franchise began

55. Sub, and an apt description of 20-, 34-, or 42-Across: HERO SANDWICH - hero, hoagie, grinder, Italian, and a couple I was not familiar with - wedge and spuckie - are alternate names for the submarine "dish", depending on your region

I guess that makes these people the "meat", huh~?

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Glow of virtue: HALO

5. Fort Knox supply: GOLD - speaking of Bond, Auric the villain was going to contaminate the GOLD stored at Fort Knox with nuclear fallout in the third installment film "Goldfinger"

9. Wet: RAINY - I like rainy days; we get a LOT of them here in NE CT

14. __ of March: IDES - Iron Maiden would warm up before a concert with this instrumental


The Ides of March

15. 57-Down for a diva: ARIA

16. Run onstage?: EMCEE

17. Some inbox attachments: PDFs - we had this yesterday - Portable Document Format; I thought it was "PRINTable"

18. Change course suddenly: VEER

19. Puts together: MAKES

23. Decline, with "out": OPT

24. Sounds of pain: OWs -and- 46. Sounds of relief: AHs -and- 11D. Grossed-out reaction: ICK -and- 30D. Verbal stumbles: ERs - there's a lot of "noise" in this grid today~!

25. Pencil topper: ERASER

29. Air filter acronym: HEPA - High Efficiency Particulate Air (filter)

31. Christmas poem contraction: 'TWAS

33. Smooching on the kiss cam, say: PDA - Public Display (of) Affection

37. Bae: LUV - cringe - I have gotten "bae" twice now as a guest blogger; I'd rather have "ALOE"


38. Charged particles: IONS

39. Joan of __: ARC - Jane Wiedlin, guitarist from the "Go-Go's", played Joan in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure"


40. Harmful habit: VICE

41. Big name in anonymity: DOE - Family members John and Jane; they work in the morgue

47. In case that's the case: IF SO

48. Masseur's supply: OILS - How about body paint~?  Look closely; it's two women - let's hope it's acrylic paint~!

Artist Johannes Stötter

49. Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, for one: LATINA

51. Sock part: TOE

52. Seasoned pro: VETeran

59. Wedding figure: GROOM

62. Invalidate: VOID

63. Pasta __ checca: trattoria dish: ALLA

64. Animated British piglet of kid's TV: PEPPA - I knew this - I've watched many an episode with my buddy's two-year old daughter


65. Feminine Spanish pronoun: ELLA

66. Shutter section: SLAT - meh.  Part would have been better

67. Fleming subjects: SPIES - IMHO, "Fleming" makes this a dupe with the theme - anything other than the author of James BOND would have been more appropriate

68. In someone's business: NOSY

69. Loved ones blessed at the Feast of St. Francis: PETS - filled via perps; it was not until I wrote up the blog did I see this clue/answer


DOWN:

1. River-dwelling mammal related to whales and dolphins: HIPPO - I tried OTTER first; Bzzzt~!

2. Tally: ADD UP

3. Flew off on one's own: LEFT THE NEST - Eleven-letter non-theme fill

4. Bone, in Italian: OSSO

5. Collapsed: GAVE WAY

Gallopin' Gertie - The Tacoma Narrows Bridge, 1940 - poor Tubby

6. Double Stuf treats: OREOS - I like these cookies, but my spellcheck doesn't like this plural

*7. Actor Schreiber: LIEV - this guy

8. Be bold enough: DARE


9. Guilty feeling: REMORSE

10. Kitchen appliance brand: AMANA

12. Wedding page word: NÉE

13. "Let's": YES - the "Y" was my last fill - "let us, tomato"

21. "Forget it": "NOPE."

22. Foster: REAR

26. Potential "destination" for a troubled relationship: SPLITSVILLE - now this clue/answer I like; I can't check if this is the first time it's made it into a crossword puzzle - and it's the other 11-letter non-theme fill

27. Elicit: EDUCE - I do the DOWN clues first; tried EVOKE first; 40% correct

28. Gushes: RAVES - not FLOWS; a mere 20%

31. __Tax: Intuit software package: TURBO - 'Tis the season~!

32. City on the Brazos: WACO - Here's a bridge that did NOT collapse

Check out this website

34. Word with pool or basin: TIDAL

35. Ruckus: HOO-HA - ado/to-do/hullabaloo - free-for-all/a rhyme for you~!

36. Dinghy duo: OARS
It's TWO oars, they're just, uh, joined....
40. Actor Kilmer: VAL

42. Projection places: CINEMAS

43. Hardly a hop, skip, and a jump away: AFAR

44. Time when shadows are shortest: NOONDAY - spellcheck thinks this is just fine, but where I'm from, no one says "noonday" - it's just "noon"

45. Petered out: DIED

50. Optimist's words: "I HOPE"

51. Follows surreptitiously: TAILS - Still making my way through the "Nero Wolfe" detective series; about once every other book, Archie, or Saul Panzer, who is the best at it, "tails" some character

53. Brilliance: ÉCLAT - I knew there was a "tk" over a vowel in the word somewhere....

54. Dean Martin's "__ Amore": THAT'S

56. Baker: OVEN - slight misdirection; another clever clue/answer

57. Song for one: SOLO

58. Insect that first appeared in the Jurassic era: WASP - I did not know this

59. Family docs: GPs - General Practitioners; does it bother anyone else that a musician can "perform", while a doctor can only "practice"~?

60. Sales agt.: REP

61. Brand at a nail salon: OPI - becoming a crossword staple that's catching up with "ERA"

Splynter





Feb 14, 2024

Wednesday, February 14, 2024 Margi Stevenson and Katie Hale

Theme: Terms of Endearment - Career-specific phrases identifying one's object of affection.  

17. Beekeeper's valentine?: HONEY BUNCH.  A beekeeper is a person who owns and breeds bees, especially for their honey.  Their love is sweet.




25. Juice barista's valentine?: MAIN SQUEEZE.  A juice barista prepares and serves fruit-based beverages, which presumably involves some squeezing.  The main squeeze is someone's preferred girl/boyfriend or lover. No indication is given for the one in second place.  




37. Optometrist's valentine?: GOOD LOOKING.   Optometrists examine, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders that affect your eyes and vision.   A good looking person is one who is physically attractive, either with or without glasses, on either of you.



52. Aesthetician's valentine?: SWEET CHEEKS.  An aesthetician is a person trained to administer facials, advise customers on makeup and the care of skin and hair, etc.  I did not know that. So the reference is to the attractiveness of the beloved's facial shape.  My mind never even considered the callipygian alternative. Nope, not even for a microsecond.



61. Baker's valentine?: STUD MUFFIN.  This is a sexually attractive, usually muscular young man.  Unlike a culinary muffin, which is a small domed cake or quick bread made from batter or dough.



Hi, Gang, and happy Valentine's Ash Wednesday!  JazzBumpa here to share the love.  Margi and Katie have cooked up some tasty treats for us, and a bit of Valentine's eye-candy.  And then comes Lent.  So let's have some fun while we can. 

Across:

1. Plot points?: BEDS.  I guess this refers to garden beds in a plot of land, rather than a moment in a story that affects the character or the direction of the story in some way.   Am I missing anything?

5. Reply-all email storm deterrents: BCCS.  Blind copies, where the list of recipients is not revealed.

9. Horse breed native to the Middle East and North Africa: ARAB.   A breed of horse with historic roots on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest modern breeds.

13. In a frenzy: AMOK.   With uncontrolled and disruptive behavior.

14. Desert succulents: ALOES.   An evergreen perennial, it also originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.

16. Common piercing spot: LOBE.   For ear rings.

19. Chaucer chapter: TALE.  The Canterbury Tales is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's magnum opus. 

20. Up and about: AWAKE.    Out of bed and in motion.

21. Meditation retreat: ASHRAM.   As defined.

23. "Karma is a __ / Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me": Taylor Swift lyric: CAT.  Ode to a contented pet.

28. Almost overflow: BRIM.   Filled to the very edge of a container.

30. Yokohama drama: NOH.   traditional Japanese masked drama with dance and song, evolved from Shinto rites.

31. Consumer advocate Ralph: NADER.   Ralph Nader [b. 1934] is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes, and a perennial presidential candidate.

32. Spanish title: SEÑORA.  A title or form of address used of or to a Spanish-speaking woman, corresponding to Mrs. or madam.

35. Hardware store purchase: TOOL.   A device or implement, especially one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function.

41. Yemeni port: ADEN.   Aden is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km east of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and north of the Gulf of Aden.

From Google Maps

42. Buys time: STALLS.   Delays an event temporarily so as to have longer to improve one's own position.

45. Packs in, as coffee: TAMPS.   Rams or packs (a substance) down or into something firmly.  I've never tamped coffee.

49. Performer's routine: ACT.   Perform a fictional role in a play, movie, or television production.

51. Nursery rhyme vessel: PAIL.   A usually cylindrical container with a handle.   Don't fall down when carrying one, you could break something.

56. Snoop: SPY.   Investigate or look around furtively in an attempt to find out something, especially information about someone's private affairs.

57. "Never would have thought": THAT SO?  Expression of surprise or disbelief

58. Vegas lights: NEONS.   Fluorescent lamps filled with neon, and inert gas

60. Monopoly payment: RENT.   A fee charged to a player who lands on somebody else's property

66. Midrange voice type: ALTO.   In 4-part voice leading alto is the second-highest part, sung in choruses by either low women's or high men's voices. It is pitched lower than soprano, and higher than baritone.

67. "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" writer: AESOP.  Aesop [c. 620–564 BCE] was a Greek fabulist and storyteller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. 

68. Spicy __ roll: TUNA.   A saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, which averages 2 m and is believed to live up to 50 years.

69. Devious plan: PLOY.   A tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent, or to trick someone to achieve an often concealed objective.

70. Parking lot mishap: DENT.  Making a bad impression.

71. Healthy piece: SLAB.  A large, thick, flat piece of stone, concrete, or wood.  Though, in this case, it's probably a piece of meat.

Down:
1. "A Christmas Carol" cry: BAH.  Frequent utterance of Ebenezer Scrooge.  His redemption by three spirits has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday in the English-speaking world

2. Intense music genre: EMO.   Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and post-hardcore from the mid–1980s Washington, D.C. hardcore scene.

3. Making a gift of: DONATING.   Giving money or goods for a good cause, for example to a charity.
 
4. Misrepresent, as data: SKEW.   To distort from a true value or symmetrical form

5. Braided bread often filled with chocolate or cinnamon: BABKA.   A sweet braided bread which originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. It is popular in Israel and in the Jewish diaspora.

6. Make aware: CLUE IN.  Provide information about a particular item or event.

7. Swindle: CON.  Use deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.

8. "Just wait a __": SEC.  Request for someone to briefly pause an action.

9. Tennis and golf legend Gibson: ALTHEA.   Althea Neale Gibson [1927 - 2003] was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam event.

10. Showed displeasure like a dragon: ROARED.   A roar is a a full, deep, prolonged cry uttered by a lion or other large wild animal.  Why a fictional creature was chosen is a bit of a mystery.

11. Burning: ABLAZE.   On fire.  Keep your distance.  AFLAME has 4 of the same letters.

12. Pricey German wheels, informally: BEEMER.  A BMW automobile, a product of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, commonly abbreviated to BMW, a German multinational manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.  

15. "Inside the NBA" analyst, familiarly: SHAQ.   Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal, known commonly as Shaq, is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA.

18. Thanksgiving vegetable: YAM.   Only maybe.  Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the Same? No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. Sweet potatoes have smooth reddish skin, softer flesh (when cooked), and a sweet flavor.

22. Naturally bright: SUNLIT.  Like an atrium,  a large open-air or skylight-covered space surrounded by a building.

23. "Survivor" network: CBS.   Columbia Broadcasting System

24. "__ we having fun yet?": ARE.  The second person singular present and first, second, third person plural present of be.   Well - are we?

26. Never ever: NOT ONCE.   Ain't gonna happen.

27. "Get out!": SHOO.  A word said to frighten or drive away a person or animal.   And never, ever come back!

29. Dairy farm sound: MOO.   Bovine utterance.   Not to be confused with an udderance, though moo utterers do have udders. 

33. Events with a lot of insult comedy: ROASTS.   A banquet at which the guest of honor is subjected to good-natured ridicule.

34. Put in: ADD.   To put something with something else to increase the number or amount or to make it more important.  Or, to voice an opinion in an on-going discussion.

36. Allows: OKs.   Grants assent or permission.

38. Two-time Emmy winner Remini: LEAH.   Leah Marie Remini [b. 1970] is an American actress. She starred as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Vanessa Celluci in the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait, both alongside Kevin James. 

39. Snooze: NAP.   A short period of sleep, typically taken during daytime hours as an adjunct to the usual nocturnal sleep period. Naps are most often taken as a response to drowsiness during waking hours.

40. Generous pour: GLASSFUL.   An amount contained by or sufficient to fill a glass or tumbler, possibly to the brim.

43. Gloss target: LIP.   Gloss is a cosmetic used primarily to give lips a glossy luster, and sometimes to add a subtle color. It is distributed as a fluid or a soft solid.   A lip is either of the two fleshy parts which form the upper and lower edges of the opening of the mouth.  Their primary purpose is to make sounds on the trombone.

44. Wily: SLY.   Having or showing a cunning and deceitful nature.

45. Sandal style: T-STRAP.   Having a single or multiple strap attached to a shoe to hold it on the foot or having a purely ornamental function and passing either above the instep near the arch or around the ankle.

46. "Gosh darn it!": AW HELL.  Slangy expressions of disappointment. 

47. Treating unkindly: MEAN TO.   Purposefully being rude or saying or doing something to hurt someone.

48. Object in a game of fetch: PET TOY.  Toys specifically marketed for dogs to play with come in many varieties, including dog bones, puppy toys, balls, tug toys, training aids, squeaky toys, etc.  As far as I know, attempting to play fetch with cats is doomed to failure.

50. Connective tissue: TENDON.   A flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone.

53. Spanish "thing": COSA.  Literal translation.

54. Well-groomed: KEMPT.    Maintained in a neat and clean condition; well cared for.

55. Trifling sum: SOU.   A former French coin of low value.

59. Crypto artworks, for short: NFTs.  Non-Fungible Tokens -- blockchain-based tokens that each represent a unique asset like a piece of art, digital content, or media. An NFT can be thought of as an irrevocable digital certificate of ownership and authenticity for a given asset, whether digital or physical.

62. Nickname for Edward or Theodore: TED.  It's unclear to me how TED is derived from either of them.  But I knew I guy named Roland who went by Ron.  This whole thing is about as confusing as NFTs

63. Not let go to waste: USE.  Consume or put in to action - not let something sit idle.

64. "Go-To Dinners" cookbook writer Garten: INA.  Ina Rosenberg Garten [b. 1948] is an American television cook and author. She is host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and was a former staff member of the Office of Management and Budget.

65. Capture: NAB.   In this context, apprehend a wrong-doer.

Hope you found something sweet to enjoy in this basket of Valentine treats.  

Cool regards!
JzB

Feb 7, 2024

Wednesday, February 7th, 2024, Alan Massengill & Doug Peterson

CHARGE~!

 Today's theme and reveal totaled 60 squares - I don't have the comparison software, but I think that's a pretty high count.  I suppose this was a "typical" Wednesday-level puzzle, but once again, it felt like there were way too many proper names - this is becoming the "Universal Solving Bane" of many LA Times crosswords these days; call it the 'theme' that 'carries over' via 'flash drive' from puzzle to puzzle - but your experience may vary.  OK, I'm done ranting....Since I typically do the DOWN clues first, the reveal at 67D. gave away the theme - when I looked back at my partially filled grid, U, S, & B had already filled in at 24 Across via perps, and therefore verified the "connection".  Ta-DA~!


17. Place that takes care of bad Apples: GENIUS BAR - I have had several disappointing experiences with Apple products in the past, so in my world they're all "bad" Apples; I am 22D.

24. Agency that conducts a decennial count: CENSUS BUREAU - I have changed states since the last census

40. No joke: SERIOUS BUSINESS

52. Congressional economic boost: STIMULUS BILL

66. Top-quality meat: ANGUS BEEF


ANGUS~! (Young, that is) - AC/DC

67. Connection port, and the connections found in 17-, 24-, 40-, 52-, and 66-Across: USB - Short for Universal Serial Bus - the Wiki

And A Name We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Crowd-sourced review site: YELP

5. "Or __ what?": ELSE

9. Tennis star Naomi: OSAKA - considering the number of names ( this is #1) in the grid, could we not have made this clue "Japanese city"~?  Crossing ARRAU is just cruel, as I had to WAG the last "A"

14. See 62-Down: see 62-Down

15. Capital of Qatar: DOHA - I knew this name only because I do crossword puzzles (#2)

16. Henry VIII's house: TUDOR - I happen to like the "style" of Tudor homes, tho there's an argument that it's not actually a "style" - more of a conglomerate of English building details - I plan to do the front of my home in this "style" - and yes, people, I recognize "house" means 'ruling family' here....


Henry the Eighths actual residence


19. Asparagus piece: SPEAR

20. Treats wrinkles: IRONS

Oh, not that kind of iron....

21. Upscale hotel chain: OMNI - been a popular fill lately

23. 47-Across, in Spanish: ELLA - meh.  Not only circumreferential, but a "foreign" word as well; crossing a name I had never heard of = Natick

27. Contemporary of Julius Caesar: CICERO - Name #3

30. "Singin' in the Rain" studio: MGM - I had the first "M"

31. Hubbub: ADO

32. Like paper clips: BENT - uh, well, yeah, I guess they are, in fact, bent....

36. Hawaii's sixth-largest island: LANAI - I've never been to Hawaii, and I didn't pay enough attention while watching Hawaii Five-O to recall which is "Number six" on the largest island list....name #4


And I forget the "Big Island" is named "Hawai'i", too

44. NORAD tracking target: SANTA - target~?  Someone at NORAD is gonna end up on the 'naughty' list....

45. Cab: TAXI

46. Chowed down: ATE

47. Personal pronoun: SHE

49. Raucous bird: MAGPIE

58. NPR's Totenberg: NINA - #5

59. "Thinking about it": "I MAY..."

60. Word with dots or bands: POLKA

64. Radiology study: IMAGE

68. Jeans fabric: DENIM

69. Award-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust: MAUS - name #6, filled via perps, and a WAG at the "A" - I was going to link the Wiki, but it seemed to graphic for the blog

70. Firmly declare: AVER - I had the "R", so it was not AVOW

71. C-suite types: EXECS

72. Metrical foot: IAMB - the poetic "beat"

73. Stitch's buddy: LILO - Disney movie I have not seen; name #7


DOWN:

1. Jellystone Park bear: YOGI - "smarter than your AVERage bear", name #8

2. Of all time: EVER

3. Fallon predecessor: LENO - The Tonight Show hosts; #9

4. Paisley Park Records founder: PRINCE - The "artist formerly known as Name Number 10"

5. Mag honchos: EDs - editors of magazines

6. University of New Mexico athletes: LOBOS - filled via perps

7. Former SeaWorld headliner: SHAMU - name #11 -  I didn't know the history of the show animal

8. Comes by honestly: EARNS

9. Tense sports periods, for short: OTs - overtime, plural.

10. Character who debuted in Action Comics #1: SUPERMAN - this was my guess, but I waited on perps, and, technically, a name

11. Singer known for numerically titled albums: ADELE - and numerically name no. 12

12. __ bear: KOALA

13. Chilean pianist Claudio: ARRAU - Yeah, not much you can do with the "U" at the end of CENSUS BUREAU, so this was a necessary evil - still, name #13

18. __-friendly: USER

22. "Big Blue": IBM - The "anti" Apple - the Personal Computer (PC); or would it be the "Orange~?"

25. Asian fusion chain: NOBU - Never heard of this; it would appear that the closest locations to me are both in NYC - and, technically, a name

26. Jamaican tangelo: UGLI - semi-orange~?

27. Mama of pop: CASS - a name ( #double-digits ) that I did know

28. Notion: IDEA

29. Biofuel source: CORN - You can tell when someone has converted their car to biofuel, because the exhaust usually smells like fast food fries

33. Guessed-at fig.: ESTimate

34. Thunder's org.: NBA - Oklahoma City's National Basketball Association team

35. Gala garb: TUX

37. Tide type: NEAP

38. Province bordering Turin: ASTI - geographic name #, uh...

39. "Makes sense": "I SEE."

41. Cheeky comeback to "How did you do that?": "IT'S MAGIC"

42. Hawaii's third-largest island: OAHU - I found this fascinating reference image of my home state - and - geographic name blah blah blah

43. California's __ Valley: SIMI - geographic - OK, I've lost count of the names....

48. Yalie: ELI - from doing crosswords

50. Range in Europe: ALPS - another geographic na... - oh, never mind

51. Part of GPS: GLOBAL - the other two thirds being "Positioning System"

52. Dripping with sarcasm: SNIDE - like calling a person with 'weight issues' "Shamu" - Brendan Fraser starred in the 2022 film "The Whale" - the trailer

53. Ironman Triathlon watchmaker: TIMEX

54. Silly: INANE - too many clues in name / is just inane    meh.

55. Fifth flavor: UMAMI - from crosswords

56. Largest city in Yemen: SANAA - only because I do crosswords; name #291,971, I think

57. "For dang sure!": "BY GUM~!" - I have been reading Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series, and this is a standard phrase from the books

61. Big name in 68-Across: LEVI - namenamename

62. With 14-Across, collapse: KEEL - and - 14A. See 62-Down: OVER - I'm about to KEEL OVER from the number of names in this grid

63. Curly coif: AFRO

65. Ambulance letters: EMS


Splynter



Jan 31, 2024

Wednesday January 31, 2024. Chris Gross

Theme Buried Culinary Treasures.  Common in-the-language phrases contain, that is to say, have room for,  tasty postprandial delights.

20 A. *Bakery employees who offer free samples?: CUPCAKE HOLDERS. The surface meaning is a person holding cupcakes to be distributed.  A CUP HOLDER is a device for holding a plastic cup or other drinking container, as in the console of a motor vehicle, or an item if furniture.  The hidden desert is a CAKE an item of soft, sweet food made from a mixture of flour, shortening, eggs, sugar, and other ingredients, baked and often decorated. And this fill is a CAKE holder in more ways than one. A bit involuted, but tasty.  Do those bakery folks have frosting on their fingers?

33 A. *Mistakes made while preparing a simple breakfast?: POPTART FOULS How wold one foul a Poptart?  By dousing it in pickle juice, perhaps. In baseball, a POP FOUL is a ball hit high in the air for not much distance that lands in foul territory.  Our dessert here is a TART - an open pastry case containing a filling.   Don't mess it up.

43 A. *Comfort food with a high price tag?: POTPIE OF GOLD.   I've heard of gilding the lily. Hmmm. Perhaps made with gold electroplated pastry dough? A POT OF GOLD is a large amount of money, especially one that is unattainable or illusory.  A dessert PIE is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savory ingredients.  As distinguished from a TART, the PIE has a top crust. Probably not made of gold, though

58. Question from a server, or what was needed to create the answer to each starred clue: ROOM FOR DESSERT.   Chris made room in each of these phrases to tuck in a sweet treat.  The server would be asking of you are too full to participate.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here, in the throes of a dramatic glucose spike.  Let's get going and work off some of those carbs.

Across:

1. Tracks: CUTS.  Album tracks.  Wasn't my first thought.

14. "Pronto" letters: ASAPAs Soon As Possible.  Take your time, but hurry.

15. Delight: ELATE. Make very happy.

16. Rachel Maddow's field: NEWS.   Information about current events.  What's happening now.

17. Simon or Garfunkel: NAME.  Ditto Smith and Jones.  Again, not what one would expect from the clue

18. Terra __: COTTA.  A clay-based non-vitreous ceramic, fired at relatively low temperatures.  Earthenware.

19. Small valley: DELL.  Often in a wooded area.

23. Purpose: USE.  The reason for which something exists.

24. Shed: LOSE.  Give off, discharge or expel.  During the hurricane my yard shed its shed.

25. Summer hrs. in Portsmouth: EDT Eastern Daylight Time

26. Some DEA employees: NARCS.  Slang shorthand for narcotics agent, who specializes in laws dealing with illegal drugs.

28. Smallest state in India: GOA.   Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations.

30. Stable staple: OAT.   A nutritious breakfast for both horses and people.

38. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.  Elsa is the Queen of Arendelle in the Disney cartoon feature, Frozen.  I think this clue should point to her sister Anna, since Elsa is the star of the show.

41. Misstep: ERROR.  Faux pas, Fingerfehler.  Oops.

42. Water waster: DRIP.  From a not-properly-shut-off faucet.

46. Back: AGO. In the past.

47. "The A-Team" actor: MR T.   Laurence Tureaud [b. 1952] is an American actor. He is known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team and as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III.

48. Abbr. before a year: ESTAB.  Established - referring to the year something was founded. 

52. Fundraising org.: PTA Parent-Teachers Association, a network of of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools.   

54. Gets faint: DIMS.   Reduces in brightness or image clarity.

57. Laundry brand: ERA.  A P&G product.

62. Soap brand: LAVA.  Lava is a heavy-duty hand cleaner in soap bar form manufactured by the WD-40 Company. Unlike typical soap bars, Lava contains ground pumice, which gave the soap its name. The soap and pumice combination is intended to scour tar, engine grease, paint, dirt, grime, filth, and similar substances from the skin.

63. French 101 infinitive: AVOIR.  Meaning to have.

64. Last remarks?: OBIT.  Not a last utterance, but funereal comments about the recently departed.

65. Improves in a cellar, say: AGES.  As wine or cheese.

66. Barbershop quartet part: TENOR.  Unlike choral harmony in which the parts from top down are soprano, alto, tenor and bass, with the melody usually in the soprano part; in barbershop harmony the tenor sings a harmony part that is consistently above the melody, which is sung by the lead.  Below that are baritone and bass.  So the voices from top down are tenor, lead, baritone and bass.

67. Soap brand: DOVE.  A brand of facial soap made by Unilever that comes in a variety of specialized uses.  Dove chocolate tastes better than any of them.

68. Pigeon fancier on "Sesame Street": BERT.  This was not a great success.




69. Adversary: ENEMY.  One that contends with, opposes, or resists.

70. Took a hatchet to: AXED.  Hewed or chopped.

Down:

1. Tourist destination on the Yucatan: CANCUN.   Cancún, a Mexican city on the Yucatán Peninsula bordering the Caribbean Sea, is known for its beaches, numerous resorts and nightlife. It’s composed of 2 distinct areas: the more traditional downtown area, El Centro, and Zona Hotelera, a long, beachfront strip of high-rise hotels, nightclubs, shops and restaurants. 

2. Chant for the red, white, and blue: USA-USA.  Often heard at the Olympics.

3. Mess (with): TAMPER.  Interfere with something in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations.

4. Job detail, for short: SPEC.  Specification - a detailed description of the design and materials used to make something.

5. Geico icon: GECKO.  I don't know which I hate more - the Geico adds with the gecko or without the gecko.

6. Medicinal plants: ALOES.   Aloe vera is a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.   The leaves of Aloe vera contain significant amounts of the polysaccharide gel acemannan, which can be used for topical purposes. Aloe skin contains aloin which is toxic. Products made from Aloe vera usually only use the gel.

7. Come clean?: BATHE.   Instead of admitting to some wrong-doing, here we make us of, for example, Dove or Lava soap.

8. "A Man Called __":  OTTO.  Tom Hanks film based on a Fredrik Backman novelm, A Man Called Ove.   When a lively young family moves in next door, grumpy widower Otto Anderson meets his match in a quick-witted, pregnant woman named Marisol, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world upside down.


9. Down-to-earth: REAL.   With no illusions or pretensions; practical and realistic.

10. Done: ENDED.  Finished.

11. Excursion where one might see something brewing?: BEER TOUR.   As you visit each brewery, you will learn how they differ from each other, and how their beers make them distinct from the others. You will also get to taste different kinds of beer and know each brewery's bestseller and award-winning beers.

12. Pointed tools: AWLS.    Tools with which holes can be punctured in a variety of materials, or existing holes can be enlarged. They are also used for sewing heavy materials, such as leather or canvas. They have a thin, tapered metal shaft, coming to a sharp point, either straight or slightly bent.

13. Designer monogram: YSL.   The initials of Yves Saint Laurent.  I will wear clothes with his monogram when he wears clothes with the RLT monogram.

21. To boot: ALSO.  The term comes from the Old English to bote, which was once used as part of a legal term in English law, meaning something extra that is added as part of a bargain or compensation.  
You don't hear this expression much here in the States.  But I watch a lot of hockey, and it seems quite common in Canada

22. Like many students at Gallaudet University: DEAF.  Gallaudet University is a private federally chartered university in Washington, D.C., for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing. It was founded in 1864 as a grammar school for both deaf and blind children.

27. Sleep apnea apparatus, initially: CPAP.   CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a machine that uses mild air pressure to keep breathing airways open while you sleep. Your healthcare provider may prescribe CPAP to treat sleep-related breathing disorders including sleep apnea.

28. High seas quaff: GROG.   A strong alcoholic drink, originally rum, mixed with water

29. Other, in Oaxaca: OTRO.   Spanish.

31. Wong of "Birds of Prey": ALI.    Alexandra Dawn Wong [b. 1982] is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. She is best known for her Netflix stand-up specials Baby Cobra, Hard Knock Wife, and Don Wong. She has also starred in the romantic comedy film Always Be My Maybe, on which she also served as a writer and producer.

I think I'll pass

32. Recipe amt.: TSP.  Teaspoon.

34. Equal: PEER.   One that is of equal standing with another 

35. Relaxed pace: TROT.  A pace faster than a walk

36. Dog park sound: ARF.  Barking.

37. Likelihood: ODDS.  Probability that something will happen.

38. BEACH Act org.: EPAEnvironmental Protection Agency

39. Record: LOG.  Enter (an incident or fact) in the log of a ship or aircraft or in another systematic record.

40. Brief visit: STOP OVER.   To stay at a place for a short period of time on the way to somewhere else or before returning home.

44. Islamic leader: IMAM.   Any of various rulers that claim descent from Muhammad and exercise spiritual and temporal leadership over a Muslim region

45. "Not that much": LESS.  Comparatively not as much.

49. Place to drive: TEE BOX.   In golf,  the start of each hole where you take your first swing.

50. Show up: ARRIVE.  Reach a place at the end of a journey or a stage in a journey.

51. Part of RBI: BATTED.  RBIs are Runs batted in: a run that is scored as a result of a specific batter's hit, walk, sacrifice, etc. 

53. Canapé base, maybe: TOAST.  A canapé is a small piece of bread or pastry with a savory topping, often served with drinks at a reception or formal party.

54. Worker with a monotonous routine: DRONE.   a person who is obliged to do menial, routine or boring work 

55. Cold feet or hot seat: IDIOM.   A type of phrase or expression that has a meaning that can't be deciphered by defining the individual words. Appropriately, the word “idiom” is derived from the ancient Greek word “idioma,” which means “peculiar phraseology.”

56. Full of cheer: MERRY.  Cheerful and lively.

58. Breathe fire, say: RAGE.  Be extremely angry and vocal.  Another example of an idiom.

59. Inevitable end: FATE.  The development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.

60. Pizza place: OVEN.  Where it is cooked, not where it is eaten.

61. Bartender's supply: SODA.  Bubbly water.

62. Chocolate __: LAB.  The Hershey product research facility. No, wait -- The Chocolate Lab is a brown colored variety of Labrador Retriever,  a friendly, confident and loving dog with great character and huge appeal as a pet.



And on that friendly note we draw today's treats to a close.  We had some fun snacks and a few opportunities to clean up.  Hope you found it satisfying.

Cool regards!
JzB




Jan 24, 2024

Wednesday, January 24th, 2024, Michael Schlossberg

 FLAME ON~!

A Marvel Comics theme with the long(ish) Across fills referring to the "super-powers" of the four members of the reveal "Fantastic" group - here's the Wiki.  I must apologize in advance to everyone here at the blog who is a massive comic book and/or Marvel / DC Comics movies fan - it's just not my "THING" (get it~?)  I grew up with Star Wars, and those movies, toys & action figures.  I did actually see the Fantastic Four movie released in 2005 , but the "THING" I don't much care for is the never-ending "remakes" and rebranding of comic book superheroes - including Batman, Iron Man, Spiderman, etc. - Fantastic Four came out again in 2015 ( and for the truly hard-core, there was a 1994 movie as well ).  The "THING" is, part of the reason for my apathy - and this is a consequence of Star Wars - is that the movies are SO overdone with CGI that it's all just a blur to me....

19. Economic metaphor coined by Adam Smith: INVISIBLE HAND - Sue Storm-Richards, who can turn invisible and generate force fields

28. Gawk: RUBBERNECK - Reed Richards, able to 'stretch' to incredible proportions

38. Hurry, with "it": HOTFOOT - Johnny Storm, who has the ability to become the "Human Torch"

46. Lowest of lows: ROCK BOTTOM - Ben Grimm, with skin of stone

54. Superhero team with the physical features of 19-, 28-, 38-, and 46-Across: FANTASTIC FOUR



And Aflame We Go~!


ACROSS:

1. Halts: CEASES

7. Loops in via email: CCs - a subtle shout-out to our blog creator - as to our "challenge", I had my first personal training session last Friday, and another on Sunday - ooof....

10. Muslim cleric: IMAM

14. "Dear Prudence" offering: ADVICE

15. Circle of life?: TREE RING


17. __ Marcus: NEIMAN

18. New word for something old: RETRONYM - Spell-check doesn't like it, but it makes sense to me

21. Crow's-nest call: "AHOY~!" - I had "LAND" to start; crossing LDS at 20D. - Bzzzt~!

22. Tolkien villains: ORCS - another series of movies I was not really interested in, until I read The Lord of the Rings - which, surprisingly, I only recently picked up, back in 2022; I did like the book, so I ended up watching the movies.

25. Cryptographer Turing: ALAN - if you get the chance, read Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stevenson, a great story beginning before WWII and running through the 1990s; it's a well-developed narrative based on secret codes and a little bit about the NFT coins of the stock market today

33. Cantina dip: SALSA - Star Wars had a cantina


35. Hence: ERGO - THUS fit too, but didn't gibe

36. "Leave the World Behind" actor Mahershala: ALI - filled via perps; never read the clue until I wrote the blog

37. Very softly, in music: ppp - meh.  Technically correct, but it's an abbreviation for one step past pianissimo, 'very quiet' - as opposed to fff, forte, 'loud' - but there's no 'abbr.' in the clue; filled via perps anyway...


41. Hydroelectric facility: DAM

42. Ore-__ Tater Tots: IDA

43. Years during Caesar's reign: ANNI

44. One of the Stooges: SHEMP

50. Some Dada works: ARPS - learned from doing crosswords; Jean Arp, artist of the Dada movement

51. "Manhattan Beach" novelist Jennifer: EGAN - no clue, filled via perps

52. Ranch newborn: FOAL

62. Hawaiian treat similar to a snow cone: SHAVE ICE

64. Mellow: SEDATE

65. "Until we meet again": "FAREWELL"


Welcome To My Morning (Farewell Andromeda)

66. Beyond thrilled: ELATED

67. Pieces de resistance?: OHMS - har-har

68. "Levitating" singer __ Lipa: DUA - a recent addition to crosswords, from my perspective - my cable provider offers VEVO music video channels, and I managed to watch a whole clip from her - just not my "THING"

69. States definitively: SAYS SO -  "sand" being a problem for the Fantastic Four and Darth Vader - this article "says so"

DOWN:

1. "Pretty please?": "CAN I~?"

2. Genesis paradise: EDEN

3. Tel __, Israel: AVIV - crossword staple

4. Gorillas, e.g.: SIMIANS

5. Net funds: eCASH - as in interNET

6. Ranking: SENIOR

7. Corner PC key: CTRL

8. One of Canada's First Nations: CREE

9. "An American Pickle" star Rogen: SETH - about the only proper name I did know

10. Like some transfers: IRON-ON

11. Telepath: MIND READER - how 'bout a Blue Öyster Cult interlude~? - the "THING" is, it's got a bit of a 'superhero' flair to it....

FLAMING Telepaths

12. Whichever: ANY

13. James Bond film studio: MGM - which bought out the original studio, United Artists - but "UA" was not long enough.  The story of two Bonds in one year

16. Big Band __: ERA

20. Mormon sch.: BYU - Dah~!  Brigham Young University.  For some reason, I went with Latter Day Saints

23. Letter-shaped vise: C-CLAMP - I like answers like this, with the opening "C-C" ( shout out ) as sort of misleading; I thought I had something wrong

24. Pinches pennies: SKIMP

25. Seek (to): ASPIRE - I do not "ASPIRE" to be in the spotlight, but the "THING" is, I managed to get my picture in the Washington National Cathedral newsletter; that's me in the lead with a chest that we just removed from the gallery division of the pipe organ

26. Cuddly companion: LAPDOG

27. Source of some wool: ALPACA FARM

29. Suit: BEFIT - ah, the verb

30. "Dude!": "BRO~!"

31. Self-importance: EGO

32. Decomposes: ROTS

34. Literary captain obsessed with a whale: AHAB - believe it or not, I was not obligated to read this book/novel in high school, but I did actually read it by choice about 5 years ago; a bit of a slog; the "THING" is, much of the book came across more like a whale encyclopedia

39. Artist Yoko: ONO

40. Minecraft explosive: TNT

45. Part-timer's work period, perhaps: HALF-DAY - ah, but which half~?

47. Rapscallions: KNAVES

48. Many times, poetically: OFT

49. Felipe Alou's outfielder son: MOISES - learned by doing crosswords

53. Amtrak express: ACELA - I pondered a visit to my good buddy down in Georgia by taking a sleeper bunk on Amtrak to get there - but round trip was somewhere around $1400; not likely, since a Southwest flight is about $250, and about 4hours, not 24hours.  The "THING" is, I did take the "Empire Builder" from NYC all the way to Seattle back in 2003, and it was a great trip.

55. State-of-the-art: NEW

56. Deadlocked: TIED

57. Women's Rights Project org.: ACLU

58. Actress Ward: SELA - I know her from the movie "The Fugitive", and TV's "House, M.D."


59. Feedbag grains: OATS

60. Versatile vehicles, for short: UTES - crossword staple

61. Start afresh: REDO

62. Bay Area airport letters: SFO - I went looking for an explanation for the "O" at the end, but no revelations there; I did, however, see that a plane crashed on my birthday in 1937 - the Wiki

63. "As if!": "HAH~!"

Splynter


24 Jan 24