Sunday, October 4th, 2026 ~ Zhouqin Burnikel

RANGE OF MOTION

Good morning Cornerites. You got the Big Dash T here coming to you on the Corner's frequency.
Do you copy? Over.

Now y'all respond with "That's a big 10-4 good buddy" and we'll kick off National CB Radio Day just right.

Hi Y'all!
Today we get another beauty from our fearless hostess, C.C.. And this one's a doozy of a thinker - I'm not even sure how she came up with the concept. I'm going to start with the reveal just so the themers make a bit more sense:

106 Down. Wyoming range, or when read as three parts, how the answers to the starred clues were formed?: TETONS.

If you solved this puzzle with no idea of the goings on, consider parsing 106d as "TE" TO "NS" (TE -> NS).

It's really just a two letter substitution puzzle in common phrases turning them whimsical but, it's so cleverly done, I didn't notice until after a brief study post solve.

Let's review the themers:

22. *Motto of a calligraphy enthusiast?: FOR THE LOVE OF PENS. "[Oh,] For the love of PETE" is the common phrase.

34. *Transgressions included in textbooks?: HISTORIC SINS. Many texts omit the SINS of the winners 'cuz the winners write the history. Proper tellings include those SITEs' sins.

52. *Devoted followers of painter O'Keeffe?: GEORGIA STANS. Georgia STATE is a .edu but super-fans (STANS) of Georgia O'Keeffe enjoy her suggestive(?) flowers.
 

Flower Abstraction, 1924

71. *Timepiece worn by a "Star Wars" pilot?: HAN'S WATCH. A HATE WATCH is viewing a despised show or movie to mock it. I'm sure they made Harrison Ford remove his wristwatch after the test episode.
// j/k -- HAN was the Pilot of the Millennium Falcon

92. *Dropping hints about the release of a director's cut, perhaps?: TEMPTING FANS. Only true FANS TEMPT FATE & watch the director's cut. Oy! there's a reason those scenes are not in the movie.

107. *Blueprints for a new wardrobe?: FASHION PLANS. A FASHION PLATE is an illustration of a clothing style. I, of course, had to look that up.

123. *Like a sawmill without disposal facilities?: ALL BARK AND NO BINS. LOL! Once the logs are milled with the BITE of the saw, sans BINS, there's nowhere to put the leftover BARK. My fave of the themers. *chefs kiss*

Across:

1. Beauty entrepreneur Elizabeth: ARDEN.

Her WikiP

6. Resort near Snowbird: ALTA.

10. 28-Across flow: [28. Sicilian peak: ETNA] LAVA.

14. Captain with an ivory leg: AHAB. I didn't recall it was ivory.

18. Frisbee maker: WHAM-O.

19. Like samosas and wontons: FRIED.

20. Vein contents: ORES.

21. Spanish "nothing": NADA.

22. [See: Theme]

25. Turning point?: KNOB.

26. Mono- kin: UNI.

27. Brand of kitchen gadgets: OXO.

28. Sicilian peak: ETNA. 10a told us it flows LAVA.

29. Locale for clam diggers: SEASHORE. Beach was too short.

31. Weapon in Clue: LEAD PIPE.

Upper Left

34. [See: Theme]

36. Second chance for a student: RE-TEST. Did y'all ever get these? I had profs that would 2x test you and then give you average of grades but never a "try again, dummy." //oh, I take that back - one prof would give you a second chance but you'd get worst of the two grades - that's so you couldn't boost your score.

38. Canonized Mlle.: STE. A Holy Lady of France.

39. In the style of: ALA.

40. Like much music of the 1990s: ON CD. I was looking for Grunge (#Nirvana) but ON Compact Disc works.

43. Jaguar's roar: VROOM. Har, har.

45. Inexact no.: EST. Estimate

47. Birds similar to crows: ROOKS.

Rook v Crow v Raven

52. [See: Theme]

56. Dessert that may have a lattice crust: PEACH PIE.

Yum!

58. Alfa __: sports cars: ROMEOS.

Obligatory

59. Cause of a quick blessing: SNEEZE. Cute.

61. College official: REGENT. Dean was too short and NCAA Ref too long.

62. Chemical suffix: ENE.

63. Scratchy sound: RASP.

66. Most twisted: WRIEST.

68. Indoor rowers: ERGS.

69. Part of LGBTQ+: GAY. #2 in the list.

71. [See: Theme]

74. Actress Arthur: BEA.

She refused Comicus his Vnemployment Insvrance

75. Video file format: MPEG.

77. Country that borders 14 other countries: RUSSIA.

78. Jekyll's counterpart: HYDE. Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of those two.

80. __-pitch softball: SLO.

83. Off the mark: ASTRAY.

85. Sudden bursts: SALVOS.

88. 46-Down deliverer: [46. Public address: SPEECH] ORATOR.

90. Trial version of a puzzle app, e.g.: GAME DEMO.

92. [See: Theme]

95. Take the wheel: STEER.

Dare ya' to STEER this STEER

96. Hill worker?: ANT. Is a "?" needed?

98. User without an account: GUEST.

99. Small ensemble: TRIO.

100. Assn.: ORG.

102. Hard water?: ICE.

105. Backspace over: DELETE.

107. [See: Theme]

113. Nonconformist: MAVERICK.

James Garner as Maverick

117. Invisible ink?: UV TATTOO. A tat with specialized fluorescent inks that glow brightly under blacklight or UV. Huh, new to me.

118. "This instant!": STAT.

120. Accessory for a fish tank: NET.

121. Versailles monarch: ROI.

122. Rotary phone part: DIAL.

123. [See: Theme]

127. Walking pace: GAIT.

128. Piece in Azul or mahjong: TILE.

129. Patronage: AEGIS.

130. Spanish boys: NINOS.

131. Concludes: ENDS.

132. Sunrise locale: EAST.

133. "Hey, c'mere!": PSST.

134. Like a haunted house: SCARY.

Down:

1. Just terrible: AWFUL.

2. River past Arles: RHONE.

3. Classmate of Beavis: DARIA.

4. AED-trained pro: EMT.

5. Zero chance: NO HOPE.

6. __/ace: LGBTQ+ orientation: ARO.

7. In real time: LIVE.

8. Saw things?: TEETH.

9. Lover of Aphrodite: ADONIS. Greek mythology.

10. Chop (off): LOP.

11. Playground retort: ARE SO.

12. Put on a pedestal: VENERATE.

13. Criticize harshly: ASSAIL.

14. Symbols in Egyptian iconography: ANKHS.

Symbol of Life

15. Capital city that's home to Turtle Tower: HANOI.

It's Turtles All The Way Down

16. Embellish: ADORN.

17. Naive ones: BABES.

19. Series of setbacks, in slang: FLOPERA. A portmanteau of FLOP and OPERA #S***Show

23. Travel permit: EXIT VISA.

24. Like sprinters: FAST.

30. In short supply: SCARCE.

32. Hip-hop pioneer from Compton: DR DRE.

33. Those, in Tijuana: ESOS.

35. Support for a driver: TEE.

37. Little ones: TOTS.

40. Fantasy monster: OGRE.

41. Very bright: NEON.

42. "I need a ride home": COME GET ME.

44. "I'll be!": MAN.

46. Public address: SPEECH. An 88a, ORATOR, delivers these.

48. "I'll be!": OH GEE.

49. Marian Anderson, for one: OPERA STAR I doubt she was in any FLOPs.

Her WikiP

50. "It's Too Late" singer Carole: KING.

51. Scenographer's designs: SETS.

53. Like many horror films: GORY.

54. Genre for Talking Heads: NEW WAVE.

55. Repeated word in a Doris Day classic: SERA.

57. Works in a gallery: ART.

60. Concealer target: ZIT.

64. Moo __ shrimp: SHU.

65. Relay: PASSON.

67. Hesitant around strangers: SHY.

70. Reach consensus: AGREE.

72. Govt. intel org.: NSA. No Such Agency.

This sign made me giggle when I saw it in the 2000's

73. Bank deposit?: SILT.

74. North Atlantic hazard: BERG.

75. GQ and Cosmo: MAGS.

76. Exam for HS jrs.: PSAT.

77. Reuben bread: RYE.

Kenny & Ziggy's Rubin

79. "Stop right there": DONT EVEN.

81. "The Real" co-host Love: LONI.

82. Approximately: ORSO.

84. Deft: ADROIT.

86. "R u kidding!?": OMG.

87. Root veggie: SPUD.

89. Subsequently: AFTER.

91. Flower on Mississippi's state quarter: MAGNOLIA.

Yep, there it is.

93. Swarm (with): TEEM.

94. Christmas and Easter: ISLANDS. Nice misdirection.

97. "__ we meet again": TIL.

101. Take turns: ROTATE.

103. "Mi __ es su ... ": CASA.

104. Catch in a snare: ENTRAP.

106. [See: Theme]

107. Sundae topping: FUDGE.

108. Like swifts, but not Swifties: AVIAN. Cute clue.

109. Prim and proper: STAID.

110. Hits the brakes: HALTS.

111. Matters of opinion?: POLLS.  Nice.

112. Sushi bar bottles: SAKES.

114. Supermodel Shayk: IRINA.

115. "The Weir" playwright McPherson: CONOR.

116. __-face: smooching: KISSY.

119. Social media labels: TAGS.

124. Get in a pool: BET.

125. Trivial complaint: NIT.

126. Shaving brand: BIC.

The Grid:

Range of Motion

Y'all have a great Sunday!
Cheers, -T

Tuesday, September 8, 2026 Zhouqin Burnikel

A Shot in the Dark.  Today's puzzle is by our Blog Hostess.

16-Across. Mall kiosk for pictures: PHOTO BOOTH.  //  Photo Shot.

22-Across. Night out before tying the knot: BACHELOR PARTY.  

47-Across. Court marking that's 15 feet from the backboard: FREE THROW LINE.  Who was the most famous professional baseketball player known for consistently throwing free throws underhand?  Hint: He retired with a 90% free-throw percentage in the NBA.  *

And the unifier:

58-Across. Tries, or what one does at 16-, 22-, and 47-Across: TAKES A SHOT.

Here's the Grid.  Are you willing to give this puzzle a shot?

Across:

1. Outings with a significant other: DATES.

6. Ancestry test sample: DNA.  DNA is short for DeoxyriboNucleic Acid, which is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth, and reproduction of all living organisms. It is a classic double-helix shape, resembling a twisted ladder.  A brief history of DNA and how it can be used to determine ancestry.

9. Reach across: SPAN.

13. NCAA hoops powerhouse: UCONN.  As in the University of Connecticut, not to be confused with the Yukon, which is a territory in northwest Canada.

14. Paid players: PROS.  As in Professionals.

15. __ Zor-El: Supergirl: KARA.  A cartoon character.  Kara Zor-El is somehow related to Superman, but the DNA story is twisted.

18. Soothes, as a sprain: ICES.

19. Dragon roll option: EEL.  Yummers!  

20. Places for posters: WALLS.

21. Tuckered out: SPENT.

25. Artichoke core: HEART.

26. Dudes: GUYS.

27. Mild, medium, or hot dip: SALSA.

28. Greek god with arrows: EROS.  Everything you wanted to know about Eros but didn't you wanted to know.

30. Symbol on Chile's flag: STAR.  The flag of Chile was officially adopted on October 1817.  The blue represents the the sky and the Pacific Ocean.  The white represents the snow on the Andes Mountains.  The red represents blood shed by patriots fighting for independence from Spain.  The star symbolizes the independent state.

34. Mango center: PIT.  Mangos are indigenous to South Asia.

35. Refuse to patronize: BOYCOTT.  The word Boycott is named after Charles Boycott (Mar. 12, 1832 ~ June 19, 1897).  He was an English estate agent in Ireland and refused to lower the rents and tried to evict protesting tenants.  The local community banded together refused to work in Boycott's fields, sell him food, or even deliver his mail.  This led to his ostracism by his local community in Ireland gave the English language the term boycott.

38. In the style of:  À LA.

39. "What's more ... ": ALSO.

41. Cabbage unit: HEAD.

42. __ salts: footbath additive: EPSOM.  Epsom salt is a pure chemical compound made of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen, known chemically as magnesium sulfate.

44. Gator relative: CROC.

46. Totally steamed: IRATE.

52. Chowder server: LADLE.

53. Ahead of schedule: EARLY.

54. "Impractical Jokers" network: TBS.  Impractical Jokers is a hidden-camera series that follows four friends who take dares to an outrageous level.  I am not familiar with this show.

57. Cornstarch brand: ARGO.

60. Swimming event: MEET.

61. "Yes, exactly!": AMEN.  A crossword staple.

62. Knightley of "Atonement": KEIRA.  Keira Christina Knightley (b. Mar. 26, 1985) is an English actress known for her roles in period dramas and blockbusters.  I plowed through the book Atonement by Ian McEwan (b, June 21, 1948), which this movie was based on.  The book did not make me want to see the film.

63. Drops a fly ball, say: ERRS.

64. "People Puzzler" channel: GSN.  As in the Game Show Network.

65. Map feature: INSET.

Down:

1. Bamboozle: DUPE.

2. Dull pain: ACHE.

3. Accessories worn at construction sites: TOOL BELTS.

4. Doc who treats rhinitis: ENT.  As in an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor.

5. Crustacean found in cold northern oceans: SNOW CRAB.  Everything you ever wanted to know about the Snow Crab.

6. Dryly humorous: DROLL.

7. Mediocre at best: NOT SO GOOD.

8. Tandoor residue: ASH.  A tandoor is a cylindrical, vase-shaped oven traditionally made of clay and fueled by charcoal or wood, used for high-heat cooking and baking.  It is most commonly used in South Asia, Western Asia, Central Asia, and the Horn of Africa.

9. Ticket for access to the slopes: SKI PASS.

10. Indiana basketball player: PACER.

11. "Why __ you ready?": AREN'T.

12. Extremely mean: NASTY.

14. Flag holder: POLE.

17. Bank of Thailand coin: BAHT.  As of the day I am writing this, the Thai Baht is worth 0.030 US Dollars.

21. Undercover agent: SPY.

23. Small batteries: AAs.

24. Coating on a junkyard car: RUST.

25. Hard precipitation: HAIL.

27. Mineral bath place: SPA.

28. Skin care products that treat fine lines: EYE CREAMS.

29. Color TV pioneer: RCA.  The RCA Corporation began as the Radio Corporation of America over 100 years ago.

31. "Have a little bite!": TASTE THIS!

32. Succulent that grows pups: ALOE.  Aloe vera pups are the small baby offshoots that grow at the base of a mature parent plant.

33. Horned sheep: RAM.

36. "Pick me! Pick me!": OH, OH!

37. Dish marinated in soy sauce and mirin: TERIYAKI.  Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking method and sweet-savory glaze made from soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake.  Teri means shine or luster from the sugar and Yaki means grilled or broiled.

40. Spotted rainforest cats: OCELOTS.

43. Stovetop vessel: PAN.  I initially tried Pot here, but that didn't work with the perps.

45. Driver's path: Abbr.: RTE.  As in Route.

46. Misfortunes: ILLS.

47. Moth magnet: FLAME.

48. Harder to find: RARER.

49. Lawn care device: EDGER.

50. Like some whiskey barrels: OAKEN.  Why whiskey is aged in oaken barrels.

51. Small brown bird: WREN.  Wrens are known for their surprisingly loud songs and upright tail posture.

55. Snoozefest: BORE.

56. "Right away!": STAT.

58. Identify on social media: TAG.

59. Rep.'s colleague: SEN.  A Senator is a colleague of a Member of the House of Representatives.

*  Rick Barry (né Richard Francis Dennis Barry, III; b. Mar. 28, 1944).

חתולה

Many thanks to Kat and Manatee for substituting for me during my recent absence.