Monday December 8, 2025 Brian Gubin

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. Today's theme is:  

This is constructor Brian Gubin's third LAT puzzle. We'll begin with the three themed clues and answers:  

18 Across. Sleuth for hire: PRIVATE EYE.  

28 Across. Important tool in weather prediction: DOPPLER RADAR.  This was my favorite of the three themers.  DOPPLER RADAR is named for the DOPPLER effect, which is named for Austrian physicist Christian Doppler [1803-1853]. He was "the first to describe how the observed frequency of light and sound waves is affected by the relative motion of the the source and the detector."

National Science Foundation info. about DOPPLER RADAR  

49 Across. Tour guide off the coast of Washington or Maine, e.g.: WHALE WATCHER.  

And now for the reveal:

62 Across. "Sounds about right," and what can be said about 18-, 28-, and 49-Across: THAT TRACKS.  This phrase means that something matches what one would expect it to be.

Also, the three themed answers all TRACK something. That is, they follow the trail of something with the intention of making a discovery. Works for me!

Next we'll follow the remaining clues:

Across:

1. Advertising award named for a Greek goddess: CLIO.  Clio was one of the nine muses. She was known as "the proclaimer, glorifier, and celebrator of history, great deeds, and accomplishments."

Clio on an antique fresco from Pompeii.

5. "It __ me to say ... ": PAINS.  

10. Apex: ACME.  

14. Rather wealthy: RICH.  

Pink Floyd     ~     Money     ~     1973

Hi unclefred!

15. Sound that clears a path in traffic: SIREN.  This made me think of carriage dogs. They were bred to trot alongside the horses pulling a carriage, both for protection and to help clear the path with their barking -- like a SIREN. Dalmatians were good at this so they were used for fire carriages.  

16. Alum: GRAD.  alumnus and GRADuate

17. Reddit Q&As: AMAS.  Ask Me Anythings  

From the reddit website:  It is an event where creators, celebrities, public figures, or regular folk with interesting experiences or specific knowledge, and the like can answer any questions the general public has within a certain timeframe. 

20. Heaven-sent food: MANNA.     and     22-Across. "For heaven's __!": SAKE.

23. Cargo weight: TON.

24. Binder flaps: TABS.  

26. Michael C. Hall crime drama with a "Resurrection" sequel series: DEXTER.  The original Dexter series consisted of 8 seasons on Showtime (2006-2013). The Resurrection sequel series premiered on July 11, 2025.

32. Tech sch. in upstate New York: RPI.  Technical school and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It is a private research university in Troy, New York. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world and the Western Hemisphere.

33. Sicilian volcano: ETNA.     and     64-Down. Hawaii's Mauna __: KEA.

34. Rests one inside another: NESTS.  

38. Curved paths: ARCS.  

40. Like the bottoms of beach house pools, often: SANDY.

43. Aching: SORE.

44. Youngsters: TYKES.

46. "Pop! __ the Weasel": GOES.

48. Teeny-tiny: WEE.

53. Upload a new version to the cloud, say: RESAVE. to SAVE again, often in the same location  

55. __ Lee desserts: SARA.  

56. Long, slithery fish: EEL.  How long? This spotted moray EEL can grow up to 6.6 ft. (2 meters).  

I like how the inside of its mouth matches the outside. 

57. Storm relief org.: FEMA.  organization and Federal Emergency Management Agency

The FEMA website has some good winter weather preparedness tips.

59. "And yet ... ": BUT NO.  Thank you, perps!

66. Salon sound: SNIP.  ✂

Now, if the clue had been "Barbershop sound", we might have something like this video:  

67. "Toodles": TA-TA.  Both are casual ways of saying 'goodbye'.

68. Unkind smile: SNEER.  

69. Vocal quality: TONE.     and     31-Down1. Singer's span: RANGE.

70. Aid and __: ABET.  

71. Writing class writing assignment: ESSAY.  I recently came across this newspaper clipping from when I won a writing class assignment (but not for an ESSAY). I was in the 6th grade. My teacher was proud that my handwriting was so neat that they did not re-type it for the newspaper. (Taking notes in college later destroyed my handwriting.)

72. Graceful long-necked bird: SWAN.  SWANs are large birds. Just how large are they? The trumpeter swan is tenth on this list of 55 bird species ranked by size. They are about the same size as a Great Blue Heron but weigh 20 pounds (9 kg.) more. Mute swans are about a foot shorter than trumpeter swans. BTW, the collective nouns for SWANs is bevy, flock, game, lamentation, or wedge.

comparing a trumpeter swan (l.) to a mute swan (r.)

Down:

1. Hit the books hard: CRAM.  Think, "CRAM for a test".

2. Peruvian city founded as Ciudad de los Reyes: LIMA.  Translation:  City of the Kings

Last Monday we learned that LIMA is the eponymous city for the beans.

3. "Both options are too good to take just one": I CAN'T PICK.   

Watch this 18 sec. video to see how a family's dog helped to PICK their baby's name.

@beaunosebones Who knew choosing a tennis ball could be this hard! #fyp #foryoupage #dogsoftiktok #namereveal ♬ Until I Found You - Stephen Sanchez

4. "Sick burn!": OH SNAP.  an ESSAY on the origin of OH SNAP  

5. Bygone handheld game console, for short: PSP.  Handheld is supposed to be a hint that the answer is PlayStation Portable ... but I was still clueless. Sony released PSP in N. America in 2005. The introductory price was $250.

6. Balloon filler: AIR.  "Helium" is too long.

7. Early spring flower: IRIS.  

8. The Silver State: NEVADA.  This nickname is a reflection of silver's importance to Nevada's history and economy.  In 1859, two miners Peter O'Riley and Patrick McLaughlin discovered silver near Virginia City. Twenty thousand people followed, hoping to strike it rich. Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864.

Do we have any Cornerites from Nevada?

9. Created a serpentine path: SNAKED.  

10. Sit in the cellar, perhaps: AGE.  Speaking of AGE, our part-time Wednesday blogger JazzBumpa has a new one today. Happy birthday, JzB!!  

11. Most populous Greek island: CRETE.  It is also the largest Greek island. As of this writing, the weather forecast for CRETE for today is 55-65°F with rain showers.

12. Big city bigwig: MAYOR.  When I was growing up, my dentist was our MAYOR. Yes, we had fluoridated water.  

13. Genesis garden: EDEN.  

19. Houston resident, for one: TEXAN.  Houston residents reside in the most populated city in Texas and the fourth most populated city the U.S.   more data

21. Up to the challenge: ABLE.

25. Tennis match units: SETS.  Ah yes, the bewildering world of tennis scoring! A SET consists of at least six games, but it can be more than six because the winner has to win by at least two games. For example a win of 6 to 0 means they played six games; a win of 6 to 4 means they played ten games; and a win of 7 to 5 means they played 12 games. In the last example, they were probably at 6 to 5 but they had to play another game so someone could win by two games. A match is usually the best out of three SETS.

Did I say that right, Big Easy?

27. Uno, dos, __: TRES.

28. "Fiddlesticks!": DRAT. These two expressions of frustration share the same vibe.  

Dick Dastardly and Muttley (8 sec.)

"Drat! Drat! Drat! and a double drat!"

29. The Grand Ole __: OPRY.

30. Molecule in some vaccines: RNA.

35. "Where do we go from here?": SO WHAT NOW.  

36. __ frog: TREE.  Tree frogs are a diverse family of amphibians that includes over 800 species. Not all tree frogs live in trees. Rather, the feature that unites them has to do with their feet—the last bone in their toes (called the terminal phalanx) is shaped like a claw. Tree frogs also have toe pads to help them climb and many have extra skeletal structures in their toes. Tree frogs can be a variety of colors, but most of the species found in the United States are green, gray, or brown. Some of them, like the squirrel tree frog (Hyla squirella), are chameleon-like in their ability to change color.  <source>  

red-eyed tree frog

37. Visionary: SEER.  Hear, hear! Steer clear if your SEER SNEERs!

39. Uses needle and thread: SEWS.

41. The "D" of DJIA: DOW.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) tracks thirty of America's biggest and most established companies, acting like a quick temperature check of the U.S. economy.  more from Investopedia

42. Pro votes: YEAS.

45. Elevator passage: SHAFT.  

47. Attempt: STAB.  as in "Let me take a STAB at it"

50. Opposed (to): AVERSE.  Do not vote YEA if you are AVERSE to the proposal.

51. French city known for a 24-hour car race: LE MANS.  While I'm not the sort of person who would know about car races, this one was in the punchbowl.

The Le mans 24h race takes place on a ~8.5 m. (13.6 km) circuit. All teams must rotate three drivers through the car during the race, with no single driver behind the wheel for more than 14 hours in total. They cleverly schedule it in June on one of the shortest nights during the year. The winner is the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours. There are different categories, but just to give you a rough idea, one of this year's winners managed 387 laps.

52. Sandwich leftovers on many a kid's plate: CRUSTS.  Were you ever told by an adult that the CRUSTS are the healthiest part of your sandwich? The jury is still out on this one. A 2002 study found that bread CRUST contained more cancer-fighting antioxidants than bread crumbs. Then another report said the extra heat that forms the CRUST may form a carcinogenic chemical.  Read more here.  

crusty bread

53. Postop therapy: REHAB.

54. Make happy: ELATE.  

56. Jazz great James: ETTA.

58. Las Vegas WNBA team: ACES.  

60. Singer Simone: NINA.  [1933-2003]  She was known as "the high priestess of soul".  National Women's History Museum page

61. "__ sesame!": OPEN.  

63. Skin pic: TAT.   If you are thinking of getting a TATtoo, you might want to consult this picture showing the areas of the body that will hurt the most.

65. Texter's "My bad": SRY.  sorry

The grid:  

That's all for today. I gotta go catch a train!  

Note from C.C.:

As Renee mentioned earlier. today is the birthday of dear Jazzbumpa (Ron), our faithful and cool Wednesday Sherpa. Ron never fails to entertain us with his humor and wits. 

 

Monday December 1, 2025 Katherine Simonson

  

Welcome to December, everyone! sumdaze here with a truly SPECIAL episode of   <dramatic pause>   The Crossword Corner.

Theme:  

If you are wondering, "What's the deal with today's puzzle?", skip ahead with me to the reveal:  

58 Across. Snarky response to a boast, and what can be said about the ends of the answers to the starred clues?: ISN'T THAT SPECIAL.  

In other words, the ends of the themed clues fit the pattern SPECIAL _____.

Dana Carvey being snarky as The Church Lady on SNL 

Now let's see how this gimmick works on the themed answers: 

17 Across. *Belongings: PERSONAL EFFECTS.  

SPECIAL EFFECTS are illusions created for movies and television by props, camerawork, computer graphics, etc.  

an example of campy SFX in a movie

23 Across. *Grow, as a savings account: EARN INTEREST.  

A SPECIAL INTEREST group is a group of people or an organization seeking or receiving special advantages, typically through political lobbying.  

39 Across. *Gas station convenience store chain: CIRCLE K.  

SPECIAL K cereal has been around since 1955. It was the first cereal fortified with seven vitamins and iron.  

CIRCLE K and SPECIAL K

50 Across. *Philosophical concept concerning the moral code of the universe: NATURAL ORDER.  NATURAL ORDER is the orderly system comprising the physical universe and functioning according to natural (as distinguished from human or supernatural) laws.

A SPECIAL ORDER is a request for a customized item, like the one in this Burger King jingle from the 1970s:  

Hold the pickle. Hold the lettuce. SPECIAL ORDERs don't upset us.  🎵🎵

I really liked Katherine's theme set! Let's see what other SPECIAL sauce she put into today's grid:

Across:

1. South American capital city with a namesake legume: LIMA.  I did not know that they are the same LIMA. Get all the facts here.

5. Tells a white lie: FIBS.  

9. Resist authority: REBEL.

14. Many a North African: ARAB.

15. Foot or furlong: UNIT.  Both are UNITs of measure.

16. Fill with joy: ELATE.  OTOH, to fill with air is to "infLATE".

20. Capitol Hill VIP: SEN.  Very Important Person and SENator  

21. "Well, gosh!": GEE.  

22. Small talk: CHAT.  

28. Small caves: GROTTOS.  

Italy's Blue Grotto is along the Capri Coast.

29. South Korean capital: SEOUL.  12 Interesting Facts about Seoul (with pictures!)

32. Fires up, as an engine: REVS.  Listen for the engine REVS in the Shangri-Las' 1964 song, Leader of the Pack.   

33. Stair climber's aid: RAIL.  

36. Bert's "Sesame Street" roommate: ERNIE.  In this 2 min. video, Bert and Ernie remind us that we are all SPECIAL.  

38. Summer on the Riviera: ÉTÉ.  This is the French word for summer.  

It looks so Nice!

41. Compadre: PAL.

42. Body midsection: TORSO.

44. Headquarters: SEAT.  Think "County SEAT".

45. Minute __ orange juice: MAID.

46. "__ mio": classic Italian love song: O SOLE.  I have linked the Pavarotti version in previous blogs. Today I am opting for this 1967 jaunty instrumental version. (Details can be found in the video.)  

48. General unease: MALAISE.  Def.:  (noun) a vague sense of mental or moral ill-being.

53. Civil rights icon Parks: ROSA.

56. Forensic sci. specialty: CSI.  science and Crime Scene Investigation

57. Snatch: NAB.

64. Assumed name: ALIAS.

65. Equipment: GEAR.

66. Silicon Valley city Palo __: ALTO.  I'll be there later this week.

67. "__ luck!": LOTSA.  This is informal speech for "lots of". It might not always be said with sincere intentions.

68. Best Comeback Athlete, e.g.: ESPY.  ESPN presents annual ESPY awards to athletes.

69. Whole bunch: SLEW.  There have been a SLEW of ESPY winners.  website

Down:

1. Once around the track: LAP.

2. Outrage: IRE.

3. Exploratory vehicles on the red planet: MARS ROVERS.  There have been six successful robotically operated MARS ROVERS. This 2 min. video presents a possible next generation MARS ROVER -- a tumbleweed rover. I'm a fan of biomimetic ideas! 

4. Removes (oneself): ABSENTS.  Def.:  (verb) to keep (oneself) away.

5. "Sounds like a good time!": FUN.  This was a FUN answer!

Here is the 2011 song, We Are Young by the band named FUN.  

6. Once __ lifetime: IN A.  

7. Hogwash: BILGE.  I only knew this word in connection to boats (BILGE pump).  

This is a screenshot from the Merriam-Webster website.

8. Cattle ranch animal: STEER.  

9. NBA official: REF.  

10. Qualified voter: ELECTOR.  Merriam-Webster gives us three definitions. The first relates to this clue and the third was niche so I thought I would include it for your entertainment.

Def. #1:  a person qualified to vote in an election.

Def. #3:   any of the German princes entitled to take part in choosing the Holy Roman Emperor.

11. "Brandenburg Concertos" composer: BACH.  Speaking of German noblemen...Johannes Sebastian Bach [1685-1750] presented the Brandenburg Concertos to one. It is a collection of six pieces given to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt in 1721. The original title translates to Six Concertos for several instruments. They are now known as the Brandenburg Concertos. You can listen to Concerto No. 3 by clicking the video below.  

12. Jazz vocalist James: ETTA.

13. "__ we forget": LEST.  

18. "I'm taking care of that": ON IT.

19. Add-on charges: FEES.  

23. White marsh bird: EGRET.  EGRETs are wading birds, closely related to herons. These clever birds have comb-like serrations on the edges of their middle claws which help them to preen feathers they cannot reach with their beaks.  this and more

24. Unimaginative retort: ARE, TOO.

25. Sushi seaweed: NORI.  

You can buy it in sheets, ready to roll.

26. Bygone Russian rulers: TSARS.

27. "__ and ye shall find": SEEK.  

30. Debt collector's target: UNPAID BILL.

31. Be a go-between: LIAISE.  Liaise rhymes with "ablaze". It is a back formation of "liaison". With all of those vowels, you probably already know it comes to us from French. 

34. Winter road hazard: ICE.

35. Alpaca kin: LLAMA.  I had lunch with this mama alpaca and her 2-day old cria when I was on my cycling vacation. Nancy, the owner of the farm, gave us a lovely tour. 

37. Respected leader: ELDER.

39. Pepsi or Coke: COLA.  sOdA  🠆  COLA

40. List-shortening abbr.: ET AL.

43. Hyundai sedans: SONATAS.  Hyundai has been making these mid-sized cars since 1985.  Wiki says it was named after the musical term. BTW, their SEAT is in SEOUL.

45. Salsa percussion pair: MARACAS.  

Is this Joe Manganiello?

47. Inscribe with acid: ETCH.

49. Unique: LONE.  

51. Factor in battery life: USAGE.

52. Ceremonial acts: RITES.

53. Money in Iran: RIAL.  We also had its anagram RAIL today. Furthermore, "Iran" and "RIAL" are 75% anagrams.

54. Norway home of the Munch Museum: OSLO.  The Munch Museum opened in 2021. It contains a staggering amount of Munch-related pieces. The building itself is also very interesting. Watch this 4:19 min. video to see what I mean.  

Note #1:  Try to spot the swimmer at 3:49 in the very bottom, left corner.

(I looked it up. In its warmest month, that water is 61°F.)

Note #2:  The sculpture in the water at 3:53 is She Lies.

55. Peevish state: SNIT.  Def.:  (noun) a state of agitation.

I would advise against accusing someone of being in a SNIT. If they were not already, they will likely be in a SNIT after your accusation.

59. Agcy. that x-rays bags: TSA.  agency and Transportation Security Administration

60. Sticky tree juice: SAP.

61. Snoop: PRY.

62. Stopped fasting: ATE.  In a way, we stop fasting every morning. The word breakfast comes to us from a Middle English phrase that means "to break one's fast; end abstinence from food".

63. Blue: LOW.  as in "sad"

The grid:  

Katherine's grid has 61 themed letters. Wow!

That's all for today. Have a great week, everyone!