Saturday, December 30, 2023, Zhouqin Burnikel

 Saturday Themeless by Zhouqin Burnikel 

Our gracious blogmistress offers us a challenging and clever puzzle on this last Saturday of 2023. Her long fills in the pinwheel pattern were very helpful but SAPOR and DULE along with some alternate fills were speed bumps for me. However, I persisted and earned a "got 'er done!"

Across:

1. Carne __: ASADA - I was all over Roast Meat even with the Spanish adjectives following the noun.

6. Pull: SWAY - Sometimes you need someone with real pull or SWAY

10. __-relief: BAS - This is one of many on the capitol building in Lincoln, NE

13. Short-lived business: POP UP STORE - Hickory Farms has had these for years at Christmas time

15. Minesweeper unit: CELL - Haven't we all played this addictive game?

16. Delicious desserts?: APPLE TARTS.

17. Della Warrior's heritage: OTOE - the first and only woman to date to serve as the chairperson and chief executive officer for the Otoe-Missouria Tribe

18. Romeo or Juliet: ROLE - TEEN and NAME came and went

19. Group originally called the "Jolly Corks": ELKS - Here ya go

20. Magnificent: GRAND.

21. Rugby score: TRY.

22. Orange coat: PEEL 😀

23. One paying a flat rate: RENTER 😀 

24. Sings again: REPRISES - 76 Trombones is REPRISED for the big finale in Music Man

26. Fig. affected by traffic: ETA.

27. Word with ring or swing: MOOD.

29. Achievement: FEAT.

30. [I know this is wrong]: SIC - This was a grate [SIC] puzzle by our lovely hostess

31. "I have more to say": DON'T INTERRUPT ME.

35. Short chats?: IMS.

36. 1936 Cooperstown inductee: COBB 

This ball signed in 1939
by the first 11 members 
3 years after the original 6
sold for over $600,000

37. Obeyed a court order: ROSE - "All RISE" - Name this movie. (* answer below)

38. Place with soothing music: SPA.

39. Like some potential: UNTAPPED.

42. Magnetism: ALLURE.

44. Rough positions: LIES - Good luck in this rough 

45. Punch sound: POW.

48. Witherspoon of "The Morning Show": REESE - An Apple+ series

Reese                  Jennifer Anniston

49. Dough for pupusas: MASA - A wonderful Guatemalan restaurant makes them here in our town. I told the owner  to give me something good and she got me some tasty pupusas!

50. Background for a portrait: BLUR - As seen here in this painting of Mona (Lady) Lisa Gherdinini, the wife of Francesco Del Giocondo.

51. Locks in the zoo?: MANE 😀 - Here's one in Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo with the tram going overhead.

52. "Never been in that situation myself": CAN'T RELATE.

54. Those, in Toledo: ESOS.

55. Shell stations?: TACO STANDS ¿A quién pertenecen ESOS puestos de tacos? (Who owns those TACO STANDS?)

56. Drops in the morning: DEW 😀

57. Eclipse, in the ancient world: OMEN.

58. Gig for a model: SHOOT.

Down:

1. Split up: APART.

2. Lethargy: SOPOR - I never have seen this word and so I first had SLOTH

3. Put on: APPLY.

4. Hill of "The Wonder Years": DULE - He plays the father in the updated version of the 1988 original.

5. Dr. Zaius, for one: APE - From 1968 movie

6. Not as newsworthy: STALER.

7. Professional challenge?: WORK LIFE BALANCE.

8. Part of STEAM: ARTS.

9. No other choice?: YES 😀

10. Trials for errors: BETA TESTS - Hopefully all the bugs will appear to be fixed

11. Solo stretch: ALONE TIME.

12. The American Dog Derby, for one: SLED RACE - Started in 1917, it is the oldest dog SLED RACE in the lower 48. It is run in Ashton, ID in the shadow of the Tetons

14. Brew: STEEP - Zhoquin is also a tea connoisseur 

15. Ear pieces?: CORN 😀

20. Waves, say: GESTURES.

22. Digital service: PEDICURE 😀

23. Nurture: REAR.

24. Spoil: ROT.

25. Spanish infinitive: SER.

27. "Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I?": MOM PLEASE 😀

28. Spot line: ON SALE NOW.

31. Turned off, in a way: DISARMED 😀

32. Zip: NONE.

33. Hashtag for retro pics: TBT - I could use this retro pic for Throw Back Thursday

 Jim        Linda           Gary
circa 1956

34. Place for new calves: POD 😀

40. Slide whistle part: PISTON.

41. Sliced pieces on top of bibim naengmyeon: PEARS - A Korean PEAR on top.

43. Purposes: USES.

45. Texas home of Frito-Lay: PLANO.

7701 Legacy Dr., PLANO, TX

46. Better or best: OUTDO - Verbs

47. Seize by force: WREST.

49. Address with an apostrophe: MA'AM.

50. Vanilla: BLAH - Plain label unlike 49. "Eww!": BLEH we had recently

52. Exec concerned with network security: CTO - Chief Technology Officer

53. Nonprofit that administers Praxis assessments: ETS - Educational Testing Service. I had never heard of this test.

*If you can handle the truth, that is a scene from the great movie A Few Good Men 

Sunday December 3, 2023 Steve Marron & Zhouqin Burnikel

Theme: "Do the Dishes" - The last word of each common phrase is replaced by its food homophone.

23A. Score a seafood morsel in a bite of paella?: PULL A MUSSEL. Pull a muscle.

25A. Carefully check some deli stock?: SCREEN LOX. Screen locks.

53A. Hamburgers and hot dogs sold at a NASCAR race?: TRACK MEAT. Track meet.

66A. Ingredient that tends to fly out of the stand mixer?: WILD FLOUR. Wild flour.

82A. Make an unusual choice while making borscht?: SKIP A BEET. Skip a beet.

112A. Sketch the Thanksgiving turkey before it's carved?: DRAW A FOWL. Draw a foul.

114A. Request to a fishmonger for smaller portions?: BREAK MY SOLE. Break My Soul.

41D. "This herb is amazing!"?: GREAT THYME. Great time.

45D. Avoid the downside in a corn investment?: HEDGE MAIZE. Hedge maze.

This theme was inspired by another food idea Steve had. I pervaded him to go with the "verb & food item" so "Do the Dishes" works nicely as a title. 

The theme clues went through substantial changes. Patti's are much more imaginative than our originals. 

Just FYI, all my future LAT puzzles will have the Zhouqin Burnikel byline.

Across:

1. Saoirse of "Lady Bird": RONAN. Her parents are Irish.

6. Casino request: HIT ME.

11. Go to the polls: VOTE.

15. Ship's staff: CREW.

19. IRS option: E FILE.

20. Lakers legend Shaquille: ONEAL.

21. Nutrient in dried beans: IRON. I eat tofu every day. Plenty of iron. No beans.

22. Letter before kappa: IOTA.

27. City viewed from Holmenkollbakken: OSLO. It's ski jumping hill in Oslo. Never heard of it until I read Steve's clue. He might have skied there.

28. Miles and meters: UNITS.

29. Decree: FIAT.

30. Intel microprocessor: XEON.

31. Kelp and sargassum: SEAWEEDS. Sargassum is brown seaweed.

33. Sour: TART.

35. Mosque leader: IMAM.

37. Certain, for sure: Abbr.: SYN. I love this clue. Patti's also. Certain is a synonym of sure.

38. __ firma: TERRA.

40. Patterns in an aviary: PLUMAGES.

44. Most bashful: SHIEST.

47. Low-pressure technique: SOFT SELL.

49. Numbered hwy.: RTE.

50. No Doubt lead singer Stefani: GWEN.

51. "__ a wrap": THAT'S.

56. Landscaping supply: SOD.

57. Travis or Haggard of country music: MERLE.

58. Polite interruption: AHEM.

60. Court proceeding: TRIAL. So pricey to have a lawyer to handle this probate issue. Gosh. Hope to have this thing wrapped up soon.

61. Restricted zone: NO-GO AREA.

63. Scottish lowland: GLEN.

64. Kind: SORT.

65. Magician Jillette: PENN.

70. Understands: GETS.

72. Repast: MEAL. I got papaya salad from our Asian grocery store for Thanksgiving. So spicy. I just can't handle hot pepper.

74. 50+ group: AARP.

75. Golfing compliment: NICE SHOT.

78. Steam room: SAUNA.

79. Lid woe: STYE.

80. Raga instrument: SITAR.

81. Ming who is the tallest player in the basketball Hall of Fame: YAO. He's 7'6".

84. Stocky dog: BOXER.

85. Little devils: IMPS.

86. "The Long Goodbye" Oscar winner Ahmed: RIZ. British actor.

87. Biometric recognition method: FACE SCAN.

90. Talks back: SASSES.

92. Artists' lofts: ATELIERS.

95. Mike Brady or Phil Dunphy: TV DAD. The latter from "Modern Family".

97. Mauna __: LOA.

98. Scraped (by): EKED.

99. Warthog feature: TUSK.

100. Far from calm: IN A PANIC.

105. Utter delight: GLEE.

107. Picnicker's worry: RAIN.

109. Battle of the brands: AD WAR.

111. Credit alternative: CASH.

116. Aria deliverer: DIVA.

117. Ignored the limit: SPED.

118. Abundant: AMPLE.

119. Noggins: DOMES.

120. "Please don't go!": STAY.

121. Letters on egg cartons: USDA.

122. Speedy: RAPID.

123. Piques: SNITS.

Down:

1. Some tow tasks, for short: REPOS.

2. Functional: OF USE.

3. Wafer named for its flavor: NILLA.

4. Admits: ALLOWS IN.

5. Read Across America org.: NEA.

6. Beagle, for one: HOUND.

7. Refuse to bend: INSIST.

8. Reason to hit the books: TEST.

9. Super conductors?: MAESTROS. Steve's clue. I love it.

10. Annex shape, perhaps: ELL.

11. Take a trip to: VISIT.

12. Killer whale: ORCA.

13. Chimichanga wrap: TORTILLA. Never had this.

14. Chemical suffix: ENE.

15. Picture house: CINEMA.

16. Caramel-filled treat: ROLO.

17. Town across the Thames from Windsor: ETON.

18. Spa treatment: WAX.

24. Jack kin: MUENSTER. No cheese for me.

26. Reason to hit the books: EXAM.

29. Campus brothers: FRAT.

32. __ contact: EYE.

34. Bark: ARF.

36. Punishes with a fine: MULCTS. Did this word give any of you trouble?

39. Oldest Haim sister: ESTE. Danielle, Este and Alana Haim. 

40. Pricey salon job: PERM.

42. Citation shortener: ET AL.

43. Movie location: SET.

44. In one fell __: SWOOP.

46. Pitched: THREW.

48. Court fig.: STENO.

50. "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" channel: GSN.

52. Jai __: ALAI.

54. Retail giant that owns Food 4 Less and Ralphs: KROGER. I don't think we have a Kroger here in Minnesota.

55. Swamps: MIRES.

57. "See ya!": MANANA.

58. Actress Woodard: ALFRE.

59. Pitch in: HELP.

62. Outdo: ONE UP.

63. Aussie greeting: G DAY.

67. Drink with foam art: LATTE.

68. Operating system developed by Bell Labs: UNIX.

69. Ceremonies: RITES.

71. Melodramatic fare: SOAPS.

73. Chem class cost: LAB FEE.

76. Garage cacophony: CAR ALARM.

77. How-__: manuals: TOS.

78. Comedy bit: SKIT.

79. Min. parts: SECS.

80. Movsesian who co-hosts "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend": SONA. Does your paper have the "Movesian" spelling? Patti corrected the error, but your local paper might still have the typo.

82. Sp. woman: SRA.

83. Dangling jewelry: EAR DROPS.

84. Unhappy returns?: BAD KARMA.

85. "Elon Musk" biographer Walter: ISAACSON. I told Steve not to use Elon Musk, way too divisive. So he went with Steve Jobs. Then Patti used Elon Musk. Shows you how much I know Patti's preferences. 

88. Bowl over: STUN. And 108. Blown away: AWED.

89. Walgreens rival: CVS.

91. Soak (up): SOP.

93. Elbow room: LEEWAY.

94. Furniture chain founded in Sweden: IKEA.

96. Hindu festival of lights: DIWALI. One of Patti's test solvers grew up in India.

99. Actress Swinton: TILDA.

101. Blunt, as truth: NAKED.

102. Supermodel Campbell: NAOMI.

103. Spot of land: ISLET.

104. Game with rooks: CHESS.

105. Sandpaper surface: GRIT.

106. Etna emission: LAVA.

110. "The Idol" actress Lily-Rose: DEPP. Johnny Depp's daughter.

112. Driller's deg.: DDS.

113. Tallahassee sch.: FSU.

114. Watering hole: BAR.

115. Fantasy football stat: YDS.

OK, guys, I finally got a "bent elbow" now. I need to work on rotating my shoulders more so the recovery arm is "over the top" rather than "on the side". I'm going to try Renee's "reach out in front of your nose" idea.

The biggest problem is now my kicks. With a kickboard, I kick like a pro, left/right, left/right, very rhythmic. Without my kickboard, my legs seem to kick randomly. Sometimes I have the mini dolphin kicks mixed in. Sometimes I stop kicking for a second, esp when I breathe. I don't know why. I'm going to wean myself off the kickboard. 

C.C.