Wednesday, December 28, 2022 - Julian Lim

D-V-S

I really don't know much about Julian Lim except he's a deft constructor. I'm pretty sure he's had at least two other LATs this year and, while maybe on the more difficult side, his are always fun.  Also, Lim has some NYT grids, so that's cool.

Wait, hang tight...

With Props to HG for some background: Dr. Lin (my appologies, good Dr.) holds a B.S. in Psychology from Duke and a PhD from The University of Pennsylvania in the same discipline. I wonder if Eldest has crossed his research. [Eldest is working towards PhD in Psych at GM].
If I'm to trust my Google-fu, Dr. Lin continues research in cognative/sleep depravation at the Centre For Sleep and Cognition, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. And, apperently, Dr. Lin, has time to entertain word-play. [bet he doesn't sleep either]
//Oh, he'd have a field-day in our house. I think Eldest went into Psych [PhD candidate in 4.5 more years!] just to undo me :-)

Enough of the couch...
Let's breakdown the themers:

17. Actress who wrote the 2022 memoir "Dying of Politeness": GEENA DAVIS.

Oh! Her. Bettlejuice.WikiP 

24. Expeditions made by freegans, say: DUMPSTER DIVES. I don't know if this is still a thing but freegans are (were?) anti-corporates who look for food(?!?) in the trash. It was the hipster thing to do there for a while.
The other type of Dumpster Diving is inre: hacking - reconnaissance to find important documents $corp$ #HackTarget tossed. (Shreaders!, people. shreaders).

42. Policy debate sides during an international conflict: HAWKS AND DOVES. Those who want to release the dogs of war and those that try to appease.

58. Prima donnas: OPERA DIVAS. I'll let waseeley take this one. All I can think of is #Karens.

35. Sly, and a phonetic hint to the pattern in the last words of 17-, 24-, 42-, and 58-Across: DEVIOUS. D-V-S. Dig?

Cute theme, no? Last words in *clues are D_V_S with diffent vowels thrown in to make 'em words.

Across:
1. Title of respect: MA'AM. Don't forget to doff your HATS (64a), gentlemen.

5. Suffix with "Wrestle": MANIA.

10. Stinging insect: WASP. Fire ant was too long.

14. Both: Pref.: AMBI. When my (Army) Bro bragged he had two girlfriends, DW quipped: "AMBI and Dextrous?"

15. Scent: AROMA. Smell #1

16. Prepared to veto: ANTI. Don't know why I just noticed but veto is an anagram of vote.

17. [See: theme]

19. House spot: SEAT. Cute. Said about a sold-out show, "Not a SEAT in the house."

20. Spike Lee heist film starring Denzel Washington: INSIDE MAN.

Actually looks really goood.

21. Croquet sites: LAWNS.

Alice plays Croquet

22. Hawaii's "Valley Isle": MAUI.

23. Groovy: FAB. FAB-U-lous.

24.[See: theme]

30. Born in: FROM. "Where you from? No, really from?" caused a Royal todo recently.

32. Beer foam: HEAD. Aha... Guinness

Guinness Foam

33. Longoria of "Telenovela": EVA. No clue.

Eva for the Gents

34. Olympic swimmer Thorpe: IAN. Australian with five (5) gold medals.

Ian for the Ladies

35. [See: theme]

38. Band's job: GIG. (CEO) Bro's got a Dad-Band. They Gig for beer.

39. Bay Area airport letters: SFO. San FrancisO International Airport. We learned last week there's two BART-lines in/out.

40. Scent: ODOR. Smell #2

41. Black-tie party: GALA.

42. [See: theme]

47. Onyx, for one: GEM. A dark-blackish stone. Wanna know more? Click here.

48. Freeway sign: EXIT.

Downtown Houston

49. Stop and go: VERBS. Cute. I was stuck in traffic for a moment.

52. Competition with rockets: SPACE RACE. USA is back in it with Artemis but this time v. China.

I can watch this over and over. 

 All the mission tapes are stored 

here in Houston at JSC. I got to see the vault once!*

57. Hertz rival: AVIS. Car rental rivals.

58. [See: theme]

59. Afternoon fare: SOAP. What, no sandwich? Kenny & Ziggy's does the best chicken-noodle & grilled-cheese to head-off a head-cold. Ain't cheap but it's tasty & effective.
//I just caught this: [See: my 51d fill when the V-8 finally clanked against my skull].
The c/a refers  to afternoon Telenovelas and NOT lunch | SOuP. Can I blame #dyslexia for missing this for so long? :-)

60. More sage: WISER. [See: 1d MAGI]

61. Half of dix: CINQ. Todays French lesson. Five is half of ten.

62. Playwright Kushner: TONY. A) great 1st name B) Anthony Robert Kushner is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Lauded for his work on stage he's most known for his seminal work Angels in America which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award. [WikiP] C) (and I looked this up) no relation to Jared.

63. Derisive sound: SNORT. Or what some people do when they laugh [guilty].

64. "__ off to you!": HATS. Bravo!

Down:
1. Crèche figures: MAGI. #Learning: Crèche (Brit) is a nursery and ('Merican) a Baby-Jesus Manger model. //And here I thought it was French for something. (WikiP says Latin(?))

2. Blessing ender: AMEN. Now dig in. //Pop's lasagna was *chef's kiss*

3. Hollywood's Vigoda and basketball's Saperstein: ABES.

Vigoda

Saperstein

I was thinking the Basketball-guy was someone current. Check this bit of #Learning: Abraham Michael Saperstein (July 4, 1902 – March 15, 1966) was the founder, owner and earliest coach of the Harlem Globetrotters. Saperstein was a leading figure in black basketball and baseball from the 1920s through the 1950s, primarily before those sports were racially integrated.
Saperstein revolutionized the game of basketball and took the Globetrotters from an unknown team touring small farm towns in the Midwestern United States during the height of the Great Depression to a powerhouse that went on to beat the best team in the all-white National Basketball Association. He also introduced the three-point shot, which went on to become a mainstay of modern basketball.
Wow!

4. Least amount: MINIMUM. "It's the Least I could do." "Yes, I believe it is." :-)

5. Reconciled: MADE UP. I love the c/a. MADE UP is also conjure. Took me a second to see see two kids shaking hands / reconciling after a brawl.

6. One of the Musketeers: ARAMIS. Ha! I looked this up 'cuz of ZORRO last week and... being curious paid-off.

7. Old Chevy model: NOVA. I'll let those that owned one comment.

8. "Sounds like a plan!": IM IN. Hold my beer.

9. Thin batteries: AAS. Hand-up if you almost ink'd AAA. //I still didn't have GEENA DAVIS yet.

10. __ peas: WASABI. My kids love these (and they'll clear your sinuses!)

11. All over again: ANEW. From the top!

12. Comics icon Lee: STAN. Stan made a cameo in Marvel Movies of the characters he created (and then some). If you were a child of the '50s and had your comics burned 'cuz they'll melt your mind - that was my '80's re: video games.

Stan Lee - Corruptor of Youth

13. La Brea Tar __: PITS. From the Redundant Office of Redundancy.

18. Maroon 5 lead singer Levine: ADAM. Name.

21. Actresses Cheryl and Diane: LADDS. Cheryl gave it away. I didn't know of Diane LADD.

23. German woman: FRAU. You know I'm compelled to do this:

24. "What am I supposed to __?": DO NOW? I mean, with a fill like FRAU...

25. "Hot corner" base: THIRD. Baseball! It's called the Hot Corner because, typically, the three-bagger plays closest in on the infield.

Maybe this helps

26. Job listing inits.: EEO. Equal Employment Opportunity. Did anyone else miss the memo that it was no longer EOE (Equal Opportunity Employer)?

27. "What happens in __ ... ": VEGAS. Stays in Vegas... including your gambling money.

28. Wicked: EVIL.

29. Drawn-out account: SAGA.

30. Sneakily probe (for): FISH. Fishing for an answer; fishing for a complement. Not to be confused with Phishing for a password or ABE Vigoda.

31. Nadal of tennis, familiarly: RAFA. Rafael Nadal has won 22 Grand Slams [Tennis].

35. Medical units: DOSES. Who else was thinking M*A*S*H-plural(?)?. My (Army) Medical (Reserve) unit was based out of Bossier City, LA. So, me getting to DOSES took a V-8 dope-slap.

36. Semisoft cheese: EDAM.

37. 2016 Super Bowl MVP Miller: VON. Perps. WC, HG, help us out :-)

41. Make a bundle: GET RICH. You can build a better mouse-trap or a better Ponzi scheme #NFTs

43. Cold War agent: KGB SPY. A spy for Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti, the precursor to Kaos(?).

44. More highly cherished: DEARER.

45. Vehicle pulled by yoked animals: OXCART. Is that one word or two? And, if it's a OX CART, shouldn't the oxen be in it? You know, like an apple-cart? (You don't see apples pulling apple-carts down the street). We should be told. #SteveM

46. Contended: VIED. "I coulda been a vie'er!"

49. Stretching on and on: VAST. And if it's a story... SAGA.

50. Vinaigrette ingredient, briefly: EVOO. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I import from Italy (though Greece & CA has some good ones too).

51. "Knives Out" filmmaker Johnson: RIAN. *Googles who(?)* Wait - It's not RIuN? I didn't get soup for lunch? Oy! I FIW!?!
//hangs head, waits for dunce-cap, and I'm familiar with the stool in the corner. Cue: everyone point & laugh.

52. Washer cycle: SPIN. Your Maytag.

53. Manila money: PESO.

54. Sneaker brand: AVIA.

55. "__, or won't?": CAN'T. Priorities, people.

56. Legal honorifics: Abbr.: ESQS. Python's sketch pops to mind (sorry folks). Starts with Evening Squire

58. Yelps of pain: OWS. Here's a question: Do you yell OW! before you've checked to see if you actually hurt yourself?

The Grid:

The Grid
//Green highlight is gratuitous :-)

Thanks Julian for the fun, it's nice to see your by-line again. (Even though you got me at SOuP.)

WOs: N/A
ESPs: GEENA DAVIS, IAN, EVA, ADAM (as clued) VON, RIUN | TONY
FIW: I really do like soup on wintery afternoons.
Fav: FISH & ABE Vigoda in the same grid. I don't know if that was Julian's intent but, I like it.

I hope everyone had a wonderful time with Lim's puzzle and the Hollidays.
Come into The Corner, take off your jacket, and talk about either. (Er, puzzle | hollidays - I'm not really concerned about your coat (unless it's a real nice light-wieght warm one - where's it FROM?)).

Cheers, -T
*JSC video vault contains films from all the missions from Apollo to current. As I scanned the shelf, my heart fell when I saw there was only one slot labeled STS-25 (Challenger).

Tuesday, December 27, 2022 Margaret Seikel

"Boot Up" is the reveal and makes for an apt title.   And heads up, it's an LA Times Crossword debut for Margaret. 

Hi all !  Anonymous T(tp) here, subbing for Hahtoolah.    No cartoons, but I did hide three Easter eggs.   Can you find them ?

This puzzle was a real doozy.  Let's get right at it.

The reveal is BOOT UP.  Read the starred clues from the bottom up, and look for a famous boot name.

6. *Small child, facetiously: ANKLE BITER.   The first one is the heralded RE-TIB, made by ELK, NA.   These boots are commonly known as Wapitits because of the company name.   They feature two hooves in the front, and sport the instantly recognizable big white rump on the back of the heel.   The TIB was original men's version.    The redesigned RE-TIB model shed the decorative antlers after numerous product liability lawsuits were filed.    Not my cuppa, in either the original or redesigned version.  

10. *Endangered cat that turns white in winter: SNOW LEOPARD.  Boot # 2 is the equally famous DRAPO EL WONS.    I got a pair of these stylish winter boots for Christmas, and let me tell you, yes, they are "As-advertised."   They are the warmest winter boots I've ever had.    These heavily lined boots were originally made near the lowlands of Mont Blanc and marketed heavily in the French newspaper LE MONDE, using the French word drapeau, meaning woolen cloth maker.   I think they were a little too clever targeting an international market, combining French, Spanish and English.   It's been debated as to whether the intent was to be "The Winners" or "The Ones."    Regardless, look for these at high-end retailers.

Wait.   Cool your jets.  Hold the phone.  This just in.   That's not what's going on here.  Not even close.

Just read the first word (the "Up" word) in each of the theme answers, and add Boot to it.

6. *Small child, facetiously: ANKLE BITER.   - Ankle Boot

10. *Endangered cat that turns white in winter: SNOW LEOPARD. - Snow Boot

16. *Salad of corn and black-eyed peas that originated in Texas: COWBOY CAVIAR.  - Cowboy Boot.

26. *Sleeping option that lacks a box spring: PLATFORM BED.  - Platform Boot.

32. *Cinnamon roll with currants: CHELSEA BUN.  - Chelsea Boot.

62. Start, as a computer, and what each answer to a starred clue has?: BOOT UP.

That makes a lot more sense.   Down running theme answers, and the up (first, top) word is a style of boot.   I knew each of the styles by name except for Ankle and Chelsea.  

15 x 16 grid today.   A fine puzzle, Margaret.  Feel free to comment.

Across::

1. Enclosure for changing into a swimsuit: CABANA.   You might find one poolside when you take some time off to spend at at a relaxing resort in the southern climes.   

7. One of the original Seven Sisters schools: VASSAR.  The Hudson Valley college in Poughkeepsie that was named for a brewer.

13. Roused from sleep: AWOKEN.  Disturbed.

14. French daily paper: LE MONDE.  It's read at Notre Dame.  The one in Paris. 

15. Mostly shaved hairstyle: MOHAWK.   DeNiro's haircut in "Taxi Driver."

16. Commutes with co-workers: CARPOOLS.   HOV lane users.

17. __-mo replay: SLO.  The instant replay feature that often takes too long to review.

18. Arm joints: ELBOWS.  They're brutally effective in hand to hand combat and self defense. 

20. Foolish sort: TWIT. 

21. Like some GameStop merchandise: PRE-OWNED.  Used.

23. Units of wt.: LBS.   My New Year's resolution was to lose ten of them.  Only twelve more to go.

24. Home screen array: APPS.  Applications shown on your phone or browser.

27. __ and weaves: BOBS.   How a boxer moves to avoid getting hit.

28. Issa of HBO's "Insecure": RAE.   No relation to Norma.

30. __ monster: GILA.  The venomous lizard of the Sonoran desert.  Venomous, but not normally fatal to healthy adult people.   Any stories, Yuman  ?  Or anyone that's been to that desert ?
 
31. Ad abbr. for "seeking": ISO.    Do you think that ... ?  Is it true  ...  ?   Am I SO out of touch I don't know what ISO means ?   In search of.

32. Uses crayons: COLORS.  Stay between the lines.  Thems the rules.

35. Travel discount provider: AAA.  And a small battery size.

36. Courtroom fig.: ATTY.  A professional in briefs. 

37. Many a Woodstock attendee: HIPPIE.   I believe Lemonade said he was there.  Yasgur's farm, Bethel, N.Y.  

38. Chant: INTONE.  Enunciate slooowly.

 
40. Prompted on stage: CUED.   The forgetful actor was fed a line.

42. Get on in years: AGE.  Mature.  Maybe.  Maybe not.

43. "That's cheating!": NO FAIR.  "I was robbed!"

44. The Hawks, on scoreboards: ATL anta.   I must commend ATLGranny for always projecting such a positive attitude.   Not to take away from the other positive minded people here; it's just that I had that opening with ATL.  

45. __ and proper: PRIM.  Like many schoolmarms ?

46. Greenlights: OKS.  Approves.  Thumbs up !

47. Numbered rds. in a city: AVES.   Not so much in Chicago.  Generally, avenues here are named.

48. Stirs in: ADDS.  Combines.  The verb.  Not the generic name of the harvesting equipment.

49. Time off, briefly: RNR.  Rest and R (elaxation, ecuperation, ecreation, ...) Pick one.

51. Completeness: ENTIRETY.  The whole kit and caboodle.

54. Rhythmic foot: IAMB.   The metrical foot in poetry.

56. Hebrew prophet: ISAIAH.  Michelangelo painted him on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

57. Relaxing resort: SPA.   A place to get some RNR.

60. "I expect more from you": DO BETTER.  "Improve, or else!"

64. Retired, as a professor: EMERITA.  Honored in academia.

65. Orders for regulars: USUALS.   The regular customers, and what they'll order.

66. 2022 documentary about actor and activist Poitier: SIDNEY.   Great actor.   The documentary is on Apple TV+

67. Weed with stinging hairs: NETTLE.   Plan on 30 to 45 minutes of stinging pain if you come in contact with a Texas Bull Nettle.   Click the pic for a close up.

Down:

1. Pic takers: CAMS.   Incredible overhead shots of the Argentinians celebrating.  I'm happy for Messi.

2. GI sought by MPs: AWOL.  I knew a few that received an Article 15 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for not reporting for duty, but never knew anyone that got written up for the much more serious charge of being AWOL.   That's Article 87 of the UCMJ.  I just looked it up.

3. __-chic: 37-Across-influenced style: BOHO.  Boho-chic.  Bohemian stylish.  "While boho and hippie fashions have certain things in common, boho is more about encouraging a more romantic appearance and a more nomadic way of living.  Hippie and boho fashions both attempt to break away from conventional dress. Boho fashion, in contrast to hippie fashion, has no political roots."  - All news to me.

4. Alias letters: AKA.  As in, "Chicago, aka the Windy City, the City of Big Shoulders, or the Second City, is noted for ..."

5. Next gen: NEWER.  Next gen has become a marketing buzzword, and may or may not represent any real improvement or advancement in a product or service offering.  So it's often only hype, but it sells better than using descriptors like last gen or old gen. 

7. Song segment: VERSE.  Second verse, same as the first. 

8. Concert device: AMP.   The Story of the Marshall Amp.   Thanks, Dash T !

9. Chimney grime: SOOT.  How does Santa's suit stay so clean ?

11. Improvise on stage: AD LIB.  Spontaneous remarks or actions.  Riffing.  Sometimes by the forgetful actor that wasn't cued.

12. Takes five: RESTS.  A five minute RNR ? 

14. Grassy yards: LAWNS.  A coworker who was also a neighbor relocated here from Arizona, and hated mowing his large back yard, and also hated paying to have it mowed.  He hired a landscaping company to spray with a non-selective systemic herbicide, and then had them blanket the whole kit and caboodle with truckload after truckload of stones and rocks.  Apparently it wasn't enough to remind him of home, or maybe it was the winters, because as soon as he retired he moved back to Arizona. 

19. Helpful push upward: BOOST.   Physical, emotional or career wise. 

21. Anti-vaping spot, for short: PSA.  Public Service Announcement.  The current PSA encourages parents to "Get your head out of the cloud, and to talk to your kids about vaping."  Just so you know, nicotine is the third most addictive substance behind heroin and cocaine.

22. Sci-fi robot: DROID.  Abbreviated from android, I suppose.

24. "Can you repeat that?": AGAIN.    I said, "abbreviated from android, I suppose."

25. Baby grand, e.g.: PIANO.  Unlike baseball, the active player sits on the bench.

29. Swiss mountain: ALP.  

 Click here to open the enlarged version of this map

33. Inflexible: RIGID.   Are we talking about a character trait, or are we describing the physical properties of certain materials ?   I suppose the clue and answer works either way. 

34. Looks like: SEEMS.  Seems to me, you just turn your pretty head and walk away.

36. Licoricelike herb: ANISE.   Depending on the dish, a little goes a long way.

39. Acorn tree: OAK.  Squirrels love them.

41. Wombs: UTERI.   Gestation stations.

45. Pick up the tab: PAY.   Treat. 

47. Completely confused: AT SEA.   Is anyone puzzled by this ?

49. Uber offerings: RIDES.  Cedar Point attractions: Rollercoasters.  Rides.

50. Model Campbell: NAOMI.  Not just model.  1990s Supermodel.

52. __-gritty: NITTY.   The essentials.  The crux of the matter.  "Let's skip the chit chat and get down to the nitty gritty."  Brass tacks.

53. That and that: THOSE.  Them ones.  No, that's not correct.  It's them thar ones.

55. Swiss capital: BERN.   Zoom in, zoom out.  The ALPs shown in 29D are southeast of Bern.

 

57. Sports fan's datum: STAT istic.

58. Injure, as a muscle: PULL.  Been there, done that.

59. Cathedral recess: APSE.  The view from a pew.

61. Even score: TIE.   Baseball games rarely end in one. 

63. Not at home: OUT.   Gone fishin', perhaps.  I'm out.  Next time I'll try to do better.

 

Monday December 26, 2022 Lynn K. Watson and Will Nediger

 Hello Cornerites! Happy Boxing Day! Let's celebrate by filling in the boxes on Lynn K. Watson and Will Nediger's CW grid!

Today's theme is:              

A CASE FOR CRACKERJACK SOLVERS

We will start with the reveal:

57. Across  Solve a mystery, and a hint to the answers to the starred clues: CRACK THE CASE.  It takes a crackerjack solver to see that in all 3 of the themers, there is a "CRACK" in the word "CASE". The "CRACKs" are filled not with caulk, but with letters to form a familiar thing or phrase.

The themers are:

20. Across*  Pink flower native to eastern North America: CAROLINA ROSE.

rosa carolina

35. Across*  Like a game that involves evasive subterfuge: CAT AND MOUSE. An idiom referring to a dedicated pursuit with near captures and close escapes.  (No "EEKS" today!)

43. Across*  Migratory honker: CANADA GOOSE. CSO to CanadianEh!

Some people say "Canadian goose" and some say "Canada goose". It's a regional thing. Where I live, the geese prefer to not migrate. Instead, they stay all year, enjoying the mild climate and getting very fat grazing on golf course grass. I suspect they are too fat to make the trip home to Canada!

Ever vigilant, the male (gander) holds his head up higher.

Let's investigate the other clues:

Across:

1. Warning sound from a rattlesnake: HISS.  I once had a cat that got bit by a rattlesnake. She survived. HENCEforth, she would spend the rest of the day hiding in the closest whenever a hose kinked and made a HISS noise!

5. Electrical pioneer Nikola: TESLA.  11 things about Nikola TESLA

10. Certain partner: WIFE.  At first I thought this was one of those paired words clues so I kept trying to think of a word that went with "certain".

Movie trailer for The Wife (2017), starring Glenn Close.

14. "Hello... hello... hello...," e.g.: ECHO. Clever way to clue a CW staple.

15. To no __: without success: AVAIL.

16. Each, informally: A POP.  a piece

17. Sign gas: NEON.  Can also be used to pimp your ride.

50 sec. video

18. Paper size longer than letter: LEGAL.  In the U.S. and Canada, LEGAL paper is 8.5 X 14 inches. When I worked at the Australian Embassy in D.C., I had to adjust to size A4. It might not seem like that much of a difference but one's brain recognizes the disconnect right away.

19. Cab: TAXI.

23. Leftover: EXTRA.  Many people like to have EXTRA Christmas turkey so they can make sandwiches on Boxing Day.

24. Sound system: STEREO.

27. Eyes a bull's-eye, say: AIMS.  "Eyes" is a verb here.

30. Chapel centerpiece: ALTAR.

32. U.K. lawmakers: MPS.  United Kingdom is abbreviated. So is MemberS of Parliament.

39. Oodles: A LOT.  In Nov. 2016, Crystal, a standard poodle, gave birth to 16 puppies in Lancaster, MN -- possibly tying the record for her breed. The puppies are 9 weeks old in this pic. (It looks like they trapped the puppies on a suspended board to get them to line up.)

Oodles of Poodles

41. Chutney fruit: MANGO.  Alton Brown's recipe

42. Chief Valhalla god: ODIN.

46. WNW's opposite: ESE.

47. Reptile in the Chinese zodiac: SNAKE.  The only other reptile is a dragon.

You are a SNAKE if you were born in 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, or 2013. The next Year of the Snake is 2025.

48. __-esteem: SELF.

Miss Wormwood was always one step ahead of Calvin.

50. Pays for everyone: TREATS.  My dog loves this word!

53. Reading lights: LAMPS.

61. "Veep" actress Chlumsky: ANNA.

Anna with her Veep castmates

64. Latest craze: MANIA.

65. Tehran's land: IRAN.  Last week I read Funny in Farsi:  A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America by Firoozeh Dumas (2004). It is a humorous look at the immigrant experience. Two thumbs up!!

66. See 28-Down: BEAR. and 28D. With 66-Across, fairy-tale character whose bed was too soft: MAMA.  "Papa", "MAMA", and "Baby" all have 4 letters but only MAMA BEAR's bed was too soft.

67. Campaign button word: ELECT.

68. Guitarist Lofgren: NILS.  An American rock musician born in 1951 in Chicago, IL. Among other things, he is know for being a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band since 1984.

NILS Lofgren -- Pretty Soon (2019)

69. Deal (with): COPE.

70. Searches for: SEEKS.

71. Checkers or chess: GAME.  "Or" keeps it singular. "And" would make it plural.

Down:
1. From this point forward: HENCE.  Hence, we shall commence the Down clues.

2. Climbing tool for frozen surfaces: ICE AX.

3. Low on funds: SHORT. SHORT for "SHORT on cash".

4. Mexican state bordering Arizona: SONORA. Also, SONORA, California, nicknamed the "Queen of the Southern Mines", is a Gold Rush town named by Mexican miners in 1948 from the state of SONORA. It is 3 miles south of Columbia State Historic Park, a popular field trip destination for 4th graders in CA studying their state's history.

5. Anklebones: TALI.  "Talus" is singular. "TALI" is plural. Both are pronounced with a 'long a' sound.

6. Level: EVEN.

7. Very long story: SAGA.  It would take a lot of time to explain SAGA's etymology.

8. Perjurers: LIARS.  "Lies" would not fit. Then I read the clue more carefully:  perjurERs

9. Parcel out: ALLOT.  not "oodles"

10. ABBA hit with the line "I was defeated, you won the war": WATERLOO.  Did you remember this song from 63D yesterday? Taking you back to 1974...

11. Craft beer letters: IPA.

12. "Sour grapes" critter: FOX.  Grateful to 19A for limiting my WAGs to all animal names spelled with 3 letters and ending in "x".

13. Prefix with -logue: EPI.  Hand up for trying "pro" first.  EPIlogues vs Afterwards vs Appendices

21. Not of the clergy: LAIC.

22. Tailor's line: SEAM.  This clue seemed more difficult when I first read it.

25. Piano piece: ÉTUDE.

/ˈāˌto͞od/

Learn to pronounce

noun

1. a short musical composition, typically for one instrument, designed as an exercise to improve the technique or demonstrate the skill of the player.

26. Welcome sight in the desert: OASIS.  Other good answers:  Yuman, Chairman Moe, Lucina, and OwenKL. I hope I did not leave out any other Cornerite desert dwellers. lmk

29. Male deer: STAG.

31. Actress Russo: RENE.  I love this scene from In the Line of Fire (1993). RENE Russo and Clint Eastwood play Secret Service Agents.  (2.07 min.)

"If she looks back, that means she's interested."

"Well Abe. Wish I coulda been there for ya pal."

32. Apple computers: MACS. Mine is a PC.

33. Garden growth: PLANT.  I am a gardener. I learned from my farmer grandfathers.

I set up this greenhouse in my backyard when I lived in Colorado.

34. Underwater detector: SONAR.  animals that use echolocation

36. "It's __-win situation": A NO.

37. Private aid gps.: NGOS.  "Groups" is abbreviated. So is "Non-Governmental OrganizatonS".

38. Prescribed amount: DOSE.

40. Friendly send-off: TAKE CARE.

44. Cherished: DEAR.

45. Fashion monthly: ELLE.

this month's cover

49. Not back-to-back with: FACING.

Downward FACING Dog (Yoga)

51. Makes less unruly: TAMES.

52. Bathroom accessory: SCALE.

54. Tennis star Sharapova: MARIA.

MARIA is one of 10 women (and the only Russian)
to achieve the career Grand Slam.

55. Sacred song: PSALM.

56. Smell, for one: SENSE.

58. Joint between the foot and the hip: KNEE.  KNEEs are hinge joints. Avoid injuries by making sure your KNEES and toes are pointing in the same directing when doing Yoga or other strenuous movements.

59. Clock sound: TICK. or tock

60. Bowlers and berets: HATS.

Bowler                            Beret

61. Start of the alphabet song: ABC.

62. "The Matrix" hero: NEO.

Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix (1999)
One Cool Dude

63. Quick snooze: NAP.  I'm ready for one now.  

Here's the completed grid:

How did you do? Did you earn your CRACKer Jack Detective pin?

That's all for today. I look forward to reading your comments!

Sunday December 25, 2022 Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

Theme: "Tis the Season" - Each common phrase is re-phrased as Christmas-related.

23. Snow-covered home in many Hallmark Christmas greetings?: HOUSE OF CARDS.

28. Task of untangling last year's outdoor Christmas decorations?: LIGHT DUTY.

41. Rude way to describe shopping mall Santas?: SUBORDINATE CLAUSES.

66. Like a decorated Christmas tree, usually?: BALL BEARING.

87. Like the contents of a gift-wrapped pet carrier, hopefully?: LIVING IN THE PRESENT.

103. Career preparing gifts for those on Santa's "naughty" list?: COALFIELD.

110. Portraying Comet's sleigh-pulling partner in the Christmas pageant?: PLAYING CUPID.

We have a standard 7-theme entry in a 142 word grid from our crossword power couple. 84 black squares, 6 more than usual.  

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope your day is full of love and fun. I attended a Christmas eve mass last night. Bill, our Thursday sherpa, asked this mass to be offered to Boomer. Thanks, Bill! It's surreal to sit on the first row and be the first to get Father Charlie's blessing. I did remember to say "Amen" rather than "Thank you!" this time.

Across:

1. "God bless us, __ one!": EVERY. "A Christmas Carol". And 11. __ pudding: Christmas treat: PLUM. 21. Syllables from Santa: HO HO.

6. Cola choice: PEPSI.

15. Org. with Falcons and Ravens: NFL.

18. Stimulates, as curiosity: PIQUES.

20. Mr. T's outfit: A TEAM. And his outfit.

22. ISP pioneer: AOL.

25. Soon, long ago: ANON.

26. Overly: TOO.

27. Most wee: LITTLEST.

30. "Sounder" Best Actress Oscar nominee Cicely: TYSON.

31. Cap brims: VISORS.

34. Dog-__: EARED.

35. Ryder Cup org.: PGA. The 2023 Ryder Cup will be played in Italy.

37. Loudness measure: DECIBEL.

40. Chef's workload: ORDERS.

47. Completely updated: ALL NEW.

48. "Well, shoot": DRAT. Now I know why you need an ATM card. Never had one before. Hope to receive mine next week.

49. Air France hub: ORLY.

50. Wok, for one: PAN.

53. Coffee cup insulators: SLEEVES.

55. TV series based on a Coen brothers film: FARGO.

57. Noted second-place finisher: HARE.

58. Dodger great Reese: PEEWEE. Here with #42.

61. Slender stemware: FLUTE.

62. Went up a size: GREW.

63. "Waterloo" quartet: ABBA.

69. Word with wind and Wing: WEST.

70. Armoire part: DOOR.

71. Oscar winner Hunt: HELEN. For her "As Good as It Gets".

72. Build up: ACCRUE.

74. Go up against: ABUT.

75. Parlor piece: DIVAN.

76. Shows age, as newspaper: YELLOWS.

80. Yoga roll: MAT.

81. Make a bundle?: BALE. Good old clue.

82. Meyers of late-night TV: SETH.

86. British fish dish: EEL PIE. Looks tasty.

91. With good judgment: WISELY.

94. Perfect example: EPITOME.

95. Game console letters: NES.

96. Perfect: IDEAL.

97. Tell: RELATE.

99. Puts at ease: CALMS.

105. Proclaim loudly: BLARE OUT.

108. Actress Basinger: KIM. Here in "L.A. Confidential"

109. "Start talking": OK GO.

114. College domain: EDU.

115. Jump: LEAP.

116. Dispatch: HASTE. I only know "dispatch" as a verb.

117. Wonderland host who says, "It's always tea-time": HATTER. Mad.

118. Tres menos uno: DOS.

119. "NASCAR on NBC" analyst Earnhardt Jr.: DALE.

120. Figures (out): DOPES.

121. Flowering shrub, in gardener slang: RHODY. Rhododendrons.

Down:

1. NT book before Philippians: EPH. Ephesians.

2. Baroque stringed instrument: VIOL.

3. Evenhanded: EQUITABLE.

4. Out of practice: RUSTY.

5. Throws away quickly, in slang: YEETS. Not a word I use.

6. Busy orgs. during campaigns: PACS.

7. Coup d'__: ETAT.

8. According to: PER.

9. Despondent: SAD.

10. Online chats, briefly: IMS.

11. "Exile in Guyville" singer Liz: PHAIR.

12. Yearns (for): LONGS.

13. "I don't like the sound of that": UH OH.

14. __ Jack cheese: MONTEREY.

15. Essence: NATURE.

16. Header's opposite: FOOTER.

17. London insurance giant: LLOYDS.

19. Flight school hurdle: SOLO.

24. Italian fashion house known for leather goods: FENDI. Here's a nice Fendi Baguette.

28. Hang around lazily: LOLL.

29. Some parents: DADS.

31. "La Dolce __": VITA.

32. "Yeah, right": I BET.

33. Min. fraction: SEC.

35. Free TV spots: PSAS.

36. Noisy shorebird: GULL. What?

38. Wrap up: END.

39. Mercury or Saturn: CAR.

40. Norwegian capital: OSLO.

42. Words in a cocktail recipe: ONE PART.

43. Nice dream?: REVE. Nice the French city.

44. Geeky type: DWEEB.

45. __ valve: heart part: AORTIC.

46. Pressing need: URGENCY.

50. Cut (down): PARE.

51. War god: ARES.

52. Small amphibian: NEWT.

54. African language: SWAHILI.

55. Ala. neighbor: FLA.

56. Luminous glow: AURA.

57. "The Time Machine" author: H G WELLS.

59. Telepathic girl in "Stranger Things": ELEVEN.

60. Jazz great Fitzgerald: ELLA.

61. Marshy area: FEN.

63. "House of Gucci" actor Driver: ADAM.

64. "The Book of __ Fett": BOBA.

65. Boxing match: BOUT.

67. Actor Kingsley: BEN.

68. "The Whole Woman" writer Germaine: GREER. A few names in Down slots.

73. Peter Fonda title role: ULEE.

75. Crockett of folklore: DAVY.

77. Confides in: OPENS UP TO. Can't confide much to Carmen now. She's been sick with COVID. 

Lao Pan and Carmen, 5/3/2022

78. Sangria ingredient: WINE.

79. Gels: SETS.

81. Wallet: BILLFOLD.

82. Tizzy: SNIT.

83. Kin of -kin: ETTE.

84. Howe'er: THO.

85. Garment border: HEM.

87. "Dreamgirls" actress Sharon: LEAL.

88. Fix, as a horse: GELD.

89. Brewery letters: IPA.

90. Praline nut: PECAN.

91. Musical set in Oz: WICKED.

92. Eager reply to "Who wants dessert?": I DO I DO.

93. Irish poet Heaney: SEAMUS. Learning moment for me.

97. Fit for a queen: REGAL.

98. Skip the formalities, in a way: ELOPE.

100. Cry of frustration: ARGH. Big Easy got plenty from me last week.

101. Aptly named Renault: LE CAR.

102. Impudence: MOUTH.

104. Superstore with wordless assembly instructions: IKEA.

105. Information unit: BYTE.

106. Baloney: LIES.

107. Seven up, e.g.: TIED. Nice clue.

110. Letters from school: PHD.

111. Asian language: LAO.

112. Egyptian viper: ASP.

113. Like some humor: DRY.

 

A few extra notes:

1) Happy birthday to dear Kathy (Yellowrocks) and Lorraine (Fermatprime)! Have not heard from Lorraine for a while. I think her good friend Malcolm reads our blog from time to time.

Kathy (Yellowrocks), Dec 10, 2020

2) Boomer was buried on Dec 17th Saturday. It was a beautiful cold day. I wish I could tell him that I received the most amazing group card from his Monday morning traveling league, so so many guys signed it. And all five of his Thursday night teammates showed up for the visitation despite the bad weather, but he probably knew everything.  

 

I just want to say a special "thank you" to Dr. Nina (inanehiker). I would not have been able to take good care of Boomer without her medical and life advice. Nina patiently and promptly answered all my questions. She checked on me regularly and she still does. Her book of hope in the darkness, her generous gift card, her kindness and love will stay with me forever. 

I also want to thank constructor Tom Pepper, who drove Boomer to the VA, moved the TV and chair upstairs, and installed a floating shelf for me in our bathroom. Tom was there every step of the way for Boomer's funeral service. And he helped pay the group dinner after the mass. What you've done for me, Tom, touched me deeply.

 

Also want to thank D-Otto, Agnes, TTP, and my whole blogging team, who were always there for me when I needed help.

And to our blog readers, esp Janice Leavitt (Ohio), Glenn (Acesaroundagain), Tara Silva, Misty and Kelly Clark, thank you so much for making Boomer feel special in his final months.

    

I had a rocky start without Boomer. Wells Fargo locked me out of our bank account and deactivated my only credit card on Dec 16. Suddenly simple life basics became impossible. Hope the glitches get solved next week and I can live again. 

 

C.C.