Tuesday, January 10, 2023 Dan Schwartz and Shannon Rapp

What's the connection?  The theme answers have absolutely Nothing in Common with each other.  The circles show us that the connection is just NADA.

17-Across. 1965 Beach Boys hit whose B side was "Please Let Me Wonder": DO YOU WANNA DANCE.

29-Across. "Just part of the job": ALL IN A DAY'S WORK.

49-Across. Fruity cocktail: BANANA DAIQUIRI.

And the unifier:

63-Across. Lack of similar interests, and what the three long answers with circled letters have?: NOTHING IN COMMON.

Here's the Grid, so you can see for yourself that the three long answers have Nothing In Common (aka NADA).

Across:

1. __ off: gets smart: WISES.  I wanted Mouth off, but the second part of the clue indicates a plural answer.

6. Online customer service option: CHAT.

10. Actor Daniel __ Kim: DAE.  Daniel Dae Kim (b. Aug. 4, 1968) was born in Busan, South Korea.  He moved with his family to the United States when he was just 1-year old.  [Name # 1.]

13. Quaking trees: ASPENS.

15. Honolulu's island: OAHU.

16. Mos. and mos.: YRS.  Months and Months add up to Years and Years.

20. Cry of disgust: UGH.

UGG.

21. Field of greens?: GOLF.

22. "L'shanah __": Rosh Hashanah greeting: TOVAH.  Technically, this phrase means "for a good year".  Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.

23. Stage accessory: PROP.

25. "Thor" role for Anthony Hopkins: ODIN.  Although Sir Anthony Hopkins (né Philip Anthony Hopkins; b. Dec. 31, 1937) played Odin in Thor, he is probably best known as Hannibal Lecter in The  Silence of the Lambs.   [Name # 2.]

27. "__ and Juliet": ROMEO.  My father was a member of the ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out).  [Name # 3.]

32. Honey liquor: MEAD.  I wonder if Margaret Mead (Dec. 16, 1901 ~ Nov. 15, 1978) liked Mead?

33. Uber status: ETA.  As in Estimated Time of Arrival.  This answer usually refers to plane schedules.

34. Method: Abbr.: SYS.  As in System.

35. Depilatory brand: NAIR.

38. Job detail, briefly: SPEC.

41. "__ your imagination!": USE.

44. Animated pic: GIF.  As in Graphics Interchange Format.

46. Protective trench: MOAT.

54. Bonus: EXTRA.

55. Khaki alternative: ECRU.  Both are shades of brown.

56. Simply must have: NEED.

58. Greek letter between rho and tau: SIGMA.

60. Slog away: TOIL.

62. Director DuVernay: AVA.  Ava DuVernay (née Ava Marie DuVernay; b. Aug. 24, 1972) is probably best known for her 2018 film A Wrinkle in Time.  [Name # 4.]

66. Letter opener?: ELL.  As in the letter "L".  I am not keen on this type of clue and answer.

67. Rex Stout sleuth Wolfe: NERO.  Nero Wolfe was/is a fictional private detective created in 46 mystery stories written by Rex Stout (né Rex Todhunter Stout; Dec. 1, 1886 ~ Oct. 27, 1975).  Stout's mysteries were later adapted into a television series that starred William Cannon (1920 ~ 1994).   [Name # 5.]

68. "Cobra Kai" practice: KARATE.  Cobra Kai is a martial arts comedy drama television series.

69. Digit on a foot: TOE.

70. Peabody-winning journalist Ifill: GWEN.  Gwen Ifill (Sept. 29, 1955 ~ Nov. 14, 2016) hosted Washington Week in Review.  She was the first African-American woman to host a nationally televised US public affairs program.  Sadly, she died young of cancer.  [Name # 6.]

71. Fees for overdue library books, e.g.: FINES.  I have 2 overdue books from my local library that should have been returned when I was away.  Oops!

Down:

1. Crumple into a ball: WAD UP.

2. Map line connecting points of equal value: ISOGRAM.

3. Small security opening in a door: SPY HOLE.

4. Job listing abbr.: EEO.  As in Equal Employment Opportunity.

5. Warm and cozy: SNUG.

6. Disclose: CONFIDE.

7. __ Chinese: world's largest ethnic group: HAN.

8. At the drop of __: A HAT.

9. Some houses with exposed-beam exteriors: TUDORS.

10. Big bundles of energy: DYNAMOS.  Also the name of the professional soccer team in Houston.

11. Target sport: ARCHERY.

 

12. Opposite of WNW: ESE.  Points on the compass.

14. Faint: SWOON.

18. "Bridge of Spies" actor Alan: ALDA.  Alan Alda (né Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; b. Jan. 28, 1936) is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H.  He'll celebrate his 87th birthday later this month.  [Name # 7.]

19. Declare bluntly: AVOW.  A crossword staple.

24. Strategize: PLAN.

26. Battle of the Beltways MLB team: NATS.  [Name adjacent.]

28. Approves: OKs.

30. Mont. neighbor: IDA.  Idaho is adjacent to Montana.

31. Shrill bark: YAP.

36. Swiatek ranked world No. 1 by the WTA in 2022: IGA.  [Name # 8.]  Hand up if you are familiar with Iga Natalia Świątek (b. May 31, 2001).  She is a Polish professional tennis player.

37. Uber service: RIDE.

39. CGI bird in Liberty Mutual ads: EMU.  I'll spare you these annoying adverts.

40. Nickel or dime: COIN.

 

41. Purple yam from the Philippines: UBE.

42. Moment to shine at a jazz recital, perhaps: SAX SOLO.

43. Authorize: ENTITLE.

45. Political subgroup: FACTION.

47. Nameless local guy in The Onion headlines: AREA MAN.  Total guess.

48. 50-50 in the Senate, say: TIE VOTE.  Hmm...  No politics on this blog.

50. Exasperated cry: ARGH!

51. New pet owner's task: NAMING.

 

52. Wrinkle remover: IRON.

53. "Hurry up!": QUICK.

57. "Homeland" Emmy winner Claire: DANES.  Claire Danes (née Claire Catherine Danes; b. Apr. 12, 1979) got her start in the teen drama My So-Called Life.  In 2011, she began her role as CIA agent Carrie Mathison on Homeland.  [Name # 9.]

59. From the top: ANEW.

61. Bread shape: LOAF.

63. Pickleball court divider: NET.  Everything you need to know about Pickleball, but didn't know to ask.

64. Test for aspiring profs: GRE.  As in the Graduate Record Examinations, which of often required for admission into graduate school.

65. CT scan kin: MRI.

חתולה

Many thanks to Anonymous T for filling in for me for the last several weeks while I had the opportunity to explore in Southeast Asia.  Below are a few photos from my travels.

The Royal Palace Complex in Phnom Penh

The Royal Palace Complex in Phnom Penh

The Royal Palace

Angkor Thom

Angkor Wat

At the Udon Monestery

Monday January 9, 2023 Lynn K. Watson and Will Nediger

  

Hello Cornerites! 

Welcome to another Lynn K. Watson and Will Nediger collaboration. We recently enjoyed their Monday, Dec. 26. 2022 puzzle,  "Crack the Case".

This time, our theme is:        You Should Be DancinG, yeah!

The Bee Gees (1976) You Should Be Dancing

featuring John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Fast Forward 46 years (yikes!), we find the unifier for today's puzzle:

60 Across.  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame trio, and an apt name for a trio of answers in this puzzle: THE BEE GEES.

The Bee Gees were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.  According to their website, the trio's name originally referred to the common initials of Barry Gibb and his two friends, Bill Goode and Bill Gates (not that Bill Gates). The name then evolved into the BG's and then to the Bee Gees, which eventually came to mean the Brothers Gibb.

The trio (See what the constructors did there?) of answers are:

16 Across.  Open-air alehouse: BEER GARDEN.

26 Across.  Kathleen Turner comedy featuring super intelligent infants: BABY GENIUSES.

Not my thing. BTW, Kathleen Turner played Dr. Elena Kinder.

Baby Geniuses movie trailer (1999)

Surprisingly, there is a sequel, Superbabies:  Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)

46 Across.  Eggplant appetizer: BABA GHANOUSH.  a Mediterranean dip made from roasted eggplants.  5-star recipe  Definitely my thing! 

All 3 answers have a first word that begins with the letter "B" and a second word that begins with the letter "G". No *starred* clues to miss this time; though I did have some spelling challenges.

We Better Get Going..   <---- 1 B, 2 G's

Across:
1. Rainbow flag letters: LGBT.  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender

5. Too sure of oneself: SMUG.

Cats can be so SMUG.

9. "The Vampire Diaries" actress Dobrev: NINA.  Coincidentally, today is NINA's birthday. She was born 34 years ago in Bulgaria.  If you are reading this, NINA, we wish you a very happy birthday!

Also, CSO to inanehiker!

the birthday girl

13. Vicinity: AREA.  The police code 10-60 means there is a (law enforcement) squad in the vicinity.

14. Play button's alternate function, often: PAUSE.  Let's see who has the most clickers. I will start the bidding at 5. That is 4 more than I care to have.

15. More than one: A FEW.  Five clickers is A FEW too many.

18. __ of approval: SEAL.

19. Cul-de-__: SAC.  French; literally "bottom of the bag"

Think of a paper sack with just one opening.

20. Goddess who wears a headdress with cow horns: ISIS.

ISIS sporting her trademark headdress.

21. Underdog victories: UPSETS.  Remember when Rulon Gardner from Wyoming, won the Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wresting in Sydney 2000?

an Olympic UPSET (38 sec.)

23. Waters down: THINS.

25. Like fast-spreading TikTok videos: VIRAL.  'VIRAL' is good. 'Virus' is bad.

31. Fruit-flavored drink brand: SOBE.

34. Hollered: YELLED.

35. CPR pro: EMT.

36. Largest Greek island: CRETE.  Greek islands list

38. "Hold on a __!": SEC.

39. Nemesis: ENEMY.

41. Untouched serve: ACE.  You know...tennis, volleyball, and probably other sports, too. 

42. Eritrea's capital: ASMARA.  pronounced "eh-ruh-TREE-uh" and "aa-SMAA-ruh", AtG (According to Google)

45. Black gemstone: ONYX.

49. Actress Barkin: ELLEN.

Oh, that ELLEN.

50. Attempts: SHOTS.  You know...hockey, basketball, and probably other sports, too. 

53. Shrub with colorful flowers: AZALEA.  I think of these as being popular on the East Coast.

55. Slugger Juan who won the 2022 Home Run Derby: SOTO.  Respect moment #1.

57. "When will u b here?": ETA.  short for "Estimated Time of Arrival"

59. Snoozefest: BORE.

63. __ 500: INDY.

64. Surround: HEM IN.

65. Ginger cookie: SNAP.  July 1 is National Ginger Snap Day...in case you were wondering.

66. Model Holliday: TESS.  Because "Holliday" is capitalized, we might guess a name.  This is Tess Holliday.

67. Sign above a door: EXIT.

68. Questions: ASKS.  verbs...or lately, "ASKS" is often used as a noun

Down:
1. Science workshops: LABS.  Time to add a cute animal pic for Irish Miss!

2. Australia's __ Barrier Reef: GREAT.

Any other Old 97's fans fans out there?

"What's so GREAT about the Barrier Reef? What's so Fine about Art?"

3. Tree with smooth gray bark: BEECH.

hauntingly beautiful BEECH tree trunks

4. Roofing material: TAR.

5. South Asian wraparound dress: SARI.

6. Some spa applications: MUDS.

7. "__ only as directed": USE. so you cannot sue them later

8. Bona fide: GENUINE.

George Clooney in O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

"But you ain't bona fide."

9. Largest city in the Bahamas: NASSAU.  Things to do while on holiday in Nassau

So Picturesque!!

10. "You really understand me": I FEEL SEEN.  essay by Caleb Madison, the crossword puzzles editor at The Atlantic magazine (<500 words)

11. Well-organized: NEAT.

12. Hole-making tools: AWLS.

14. Elapse, as time: PASS BY.

17. Actress Lollobrigida: GINA.  Born in 1927, GINA lives in her home country of Italy.

22. Start of a title by 44-Down: PRIDE.  and Prejudice

and 44D. "Emma" novelist Jane: AUSTEN.

24. "As if!": I BET.

25. Shoelaces alternative: VELCRO.

27. Guy who always agrees with the boss: YES-MAN.

28. Gather a bit at a time: GLEAN.

29. Award for TV excellence: EMMY.

30. Mythical river of the underworld: STYX.  Also, an American rock band that formed in 1972 in Chicago.

STYX performing Come Sail Away (1977)

31. Wound covering: SCAB.

32. Black-and-white sea creature: ORCA.

ORCAs can be found in the blue parts.
They have been known to travel up to 1,200 miles (2,000 kms)

33. Buzzing facial adornments: BEE BEARDS.  HUGE learning moment!

How to Grow a Bee Beard (1:45 min.)

Warning:  not for the faint of heart!

37. Sharp-eyed bird: EAGLE.

40. L.A. arts district: NOHO. "Los Angeles" is abbreviated, so is "NOrth HOllywood".

43. Put away, as a sword: SHEATHE.

Shown here, the Dread Pirate Roberts' sword is SHEATHEd.

47. Places for bowling: ALLEYS.  Respect moment #2.

48. Espadrille, e.g.: SHOE.  Espadrilles can be flats or heels. They are usually casual and have canvas/cotton straps. The main thing is their soles are made out of rope.  Do guys know this?

51. Frigid temps: TEENS.  CSO to our northern Cornerites!

52. T-bone, for one: STEAK.

53. "This won't hurt __!": A BIT.  What is usually said before it hurts a lot.

54. Tune (out): ZONE.

55. Big rig: SEMI.

56. Solemn bio: OBIT.  Respect moment #3.

58. Egyptian serpents: ASPS.

61. Magic spell: HEX.

One more song before we Break for Good....

Bette Midler a.k.a. The Divine Miss M

in Hocus Pocus (1993) sings I Put a Spell on You

62. Fed. property agency: GSA.  "Federal" is abbreviated, so is the "General Services Administration". It manages federal property and provides contracting options for government agencies.

Here's the full Bore Grid:

I was in NorCal most of last week -- first to attend an event in my brother's honor and then a few days in Napa. RLS sometimes appears in grids so I wanted to share this pic of the famous sign with his wine quote. The other pic is of me in front of the wine train when we stopped for a tasting.

That's all for today. Remember to Be Grateful! As usual, I look forward to reading your comments!