Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here. Today we are treated to a puzzle by constructor John Michael Currie.
Our theme is:
Tricks for a Treat!
JMC has packed into this grid 5 in-the-language phrases that start with a command often taught to dogs.
They are:
17 Across. Sound that may accompany a salute: HEEL CLICK.
Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (3:14 min.)
Heel Click @ 1:39
23 Across. Inexpensive way to spend time off: STAYCATION.
39 Across. "Mention you, and there you are!": SPEAK OF THE DEVIL.
"Speak of the devil is a phrase used when someone appears who has just been the subject of conversation. The term is a shortened version of the phrase, Speak of the Devil and he will appear." (grammarist.com)
Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada (2006) (1:06 min.)
47 Across. Ride shotgun: SIT UP FRONT.
a bear riding shotgun in a motorcycle car in Russia
(Notice he gets TREATs for waiving.)
61 Across. "Come again?": BEG PARDON. "Come again?" is shortened, so is "I BEG your PARDON", a polite (or ironic) way of saying, "I'm sorry" or "Could you repeat what you just said?"
And the unifier:
66 Across. Reward for a pup who obeys the commands at the starts of 17-, 23-, 39-, 47-, and 61-Across: TREAT.
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| I love this face! |
Now that we've had our TREAT, let's zoom off to the other clues.
1. Throw with effort: HEAVE.
6. Like some moody punk music: EMO. EMO MasterClass
9. Hold responsible: BLAME.
14. Own up to: ADMIT. It is fitting that 14A follows 9A because some people ONLY own up to their mistakes after they have been held responsible.
15. Slip on: DON. As in, "DON we now our gay apparel". ♪♪♪
16. Complete: TOTAL. Adjectives. You can substitute "TOTAL" for "complete" in the sentence, "The teenager's room was a complete mess."
19. Meager: SCANT.
20. Novelist Tyler: ANNE.
"Anne Tyler was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1941 and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is the author of more than twenty novels. Her twentieth novel, A Spool of Blue Thread, was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize in 2015. Her eleventh novel, Breathing Lessons, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1988." (Amazon.com)
21. Dull pain: ACHE.
22. Golden Fleece ship: ARGO.
21. Dull pain: ACHE.
22. Golden Fleece ship: ARGO.
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| Jacapo di Arcangelo Italian ca. 1465 At the left, Jason is charged by King Pelias to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Jason's ship, the Argo, is in the distance. |
26. Escorted to the door: LED OUT.
31. Freezer cubes: ICE.
32. Appropriate inappropriately: USURP. Clever wording! "Appropriate" is a verb here (rhymes with "create").
33. Moisten while cooking: BASTE. like a Thanksgiving turkey
36. Pixie: ELF.
42. "Inside the NBA" airer: TNT. and 27Down. "NBA Today" airer: ESPN.
43. Make joyful: ELATE.
44. "Goodnight, __": Lead Belly song: IRENE. about Lead Belly
45. Grazing field: LEA.
46. Gawked: STARED.
53. Smack hard: WHOP.
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| Ron Howard & Ron Howard |
55. At one's __ and call: BECK.
I will take this opportunity to note the passing of guitarist Jeff Beck on Jan. 10, 2023 at age 78. He has been called, "Your favorite guitar player's favorite guitar player."
Jeff BECK Brush with the Blues (1999)
63. Says goodbye: PARTS.
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| PARTing words |
64. Mined resource: ORE.
65. PayPal alternative: VENMO. Best Money Transfer Apps for 2023
67. Roofing goo: TAR.
68. Change to fit: ADAPT.
Down:
1. "Good joke!": HA HA.
Minions laughing (Contagious!)
2. Genesis garden: EDEN.
3. Prayer ending: AMEN.
4. Despicable: VILE.
5. And so on: Abbr.: ETC.
6. Formal decree: EDICT.
7. Coffee-and-chocolate flavor: MOCHA.
8. Perfectly pitched: ON KEY.
9. "Butter" K-pop band: BTS. BTS is a 7-member, S. Korean "boy band". They have #1 singles in 100+ countries and 46 million followers on Twitter. BTS is in the news again this week because Jin, the oldest member (30 yrs!), just completed Basic Training for military service in S. Korea.
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| Jin ready for duty |
10. Pinpoint: LOCATE.
11. Game company since 1972: ATARI.
12. Snapple's __ Madness: MANGO.
13. John who sings "Cold Heart" with Dua Lipa: ELTON. Oh, "John" is the singer's last name! Gets me every time. Same with "Paul on guitar."
Elton John & Dua Lipa - Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) (2021)
18. Final: LAST. not "teST"
24. Quote as a source: CITE.
25. Crushed the test: ACED IT.
26. Romance novel emotion: LUST.
24. Quote as a source: CITE.
25. Crushed the test: ACED IT.
26. Romance novel emotion: LUST.
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss won Album of the Year for Raising Sand at the 2009 Grammys.
This is Killing the Blues, off that album. Beautiful harmony!
29. "You for Me" singer Rita: ORA.
30. Property manager's responsibility: UPKEEP. the process of keeping something in good condition
33. Painter's deg.: BFA. Bachelor of Fine Arts
34. QB stat: ATT. ATTempts.
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| Rita married New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi last year. |
30. Property manager's responsibility: UPKEEP. the process of keeping something in good condition
33. Painter's deg.: BFA. Bachelor of Fine Arts
34. QB stat: ATT. ATTempts.
As of this writing, the NFL QB with the most passing ATTs this season is Patrick Mahomes of the KC Chiefs at 648.
35. "Nevertheless, __ persisted": SHE.
36. At any point: EVER.
37. Queue: LINE. In British English, to "cut in LINE" is to "jump the queue".
38. Ran away: FLED.
40. "Frozen" snowman: OLAF.
35. "Nevertheless, __ persisted": SHE.
36. At any point: EVER.
37. Queue: LINE. In British English, to "cut in LINE" is to "jump the queue".
38. Ran away: FLED.
40. "Frozen" snowman: OLAF.
Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad) sings In Summer (Frozen 2013)
41. Stretch of history: ERA.
45. Nyong'o of "Black Panther": LUPITA.
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| Ms. Nyong'o won an Oscar for her role in 12 Years a Slave (2013). |
46. Ladder rung: STEP.
48. "Word on the street is ... ": I HEAR. The verb in the clue is present tense, so is the answer.
49. MLB exec Joe who was the Yankees' manager for 12 seasons: TORRE. (1996 to 2007)
Clued in yesterday's puzzle as 116A. Yankee manager before Girardi.
50. Automaton: ROBOT. If this one felt a bit wonky to you, see Definition #2.
51. Word with space or soap: OPERA. I like these types of clues because they double my chances.
50. Automaton: ROBOT. If this one felt a bit wonky to you, see Definition #2.
51. Word with space or soap: OPERA. I like these types of clues because they double my chances.
Space Opera explained
52. Landlocked nation in West Africa: NIGER.
52. Landlocked nation in West Africa: NIGER.
55. Raised, as farm animals: BRED. In the true spirit of CW puzzles, here is a link to Aldermere Farm, one place where Belted Galloways (a.k.a. Oreo cows) are BRED.
56. Poet __ St. Vincent Millay: EDNA. about this poet
57. Give for free: COMP. informal for "COMPlimentary"
58. Hardwood flaw: KNOT. Is it a "flaw" or is it just beautiful?
60. Approximate fig.: EST. "Figure is abbreviated, so is "ESTimate".
62. Principal on ABC's "Abbott Elementary": AVA.
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| Principal AVA Colemen, played by Janelle James |
Here's the grid:
That's all for today. I look forward to reading your thoughts!
