Wednesday, June 3, 2026 - Shmuel Schmell

 

Theme:  "Attention K-Mart Shoppers: Clean-up on aisles 3, 6, and 10 [sic]"

 

 

 

Puzzling thoughts:

 

Chairman Moe here.  It's the first Wednesday of June and my turn to blog.  What a fun puzzle to recap today!  It's got circles (CSO to Anonymous), it's got word play, it's got an African Nation AND its capital city, it's got only a handful of three-letter words, each of its entries are completely unrelated which leads to a surprising reveal as I honestly didn't try to unscramble the circled letters before solving 61 across

 

Today's constructor, Shmuel Schmell, appears to have had a handful of published puzzles, dating back to 2021.  I was unable to find any biographical information for him, and I am guessing that this puzzle is his LAT debut.  Job well done, sir

 

The wordplay begins with the first entry:

 

17 across. One skilled in routine deliveries?: STAND UP COMEDIAN.  Love this clue!  Finding the first of the anagrams for the reveal (STAND UP = DUST PAN) was not readily seen by me.  Well-hidden in the circles.  And did I mention how much I loved this clue??!!  Not sure that I could choose among all of the stand-up comedians who is my favorite.  But this guy is pretty creative:

 

 

 

The second entry involves a throwback to my youth: 

 

26 across. San Francisco counterculture center of the 1960s: HAIGHT-ASHBURY.  As a child and teenager during the 1960's the San Francisco hippie scene was frequently featured in both newspapers and TV news programs.  Second of the circled anagrams for the reveal (ASHBURY contains the word BRUSH).  As I am sure many of you are aware, the name HAIGHT-ASHBURY is taken from a pair of intersecting streets in San Francisco as well as its neighborhood.  Lots of famous folks lived there:

 

 

The third entry is a CSO to my fellow Wednesday blogger, Jazz Bumpa, aka JzB, aka Ron.  His prowess as a SLIDE TROMBONE player only further defines his varied skills.  One of my earlier memories of a JzB post was around Christmas time - he shared a video of a guy who played Christmas and other holiday tunes on his trombone.  IIRC, the guy played all of the harmonies and spliced them together

 

46 across. Instrument that makes the sound of adults talking in "Peanuts" cartoons: SLIDE TROMBONE. Here is a "tutorial"

 

 

 

 

As you see, within the word TROMBONE is also the word BROOM.  And now, we have the trio of utensils that can be used to perform a clean-up:  BRUSH - BROOM - DUST PAN.  And this supports the reveal:

 

61. Overhauls that have lasting effects, or what can be found in this puzzle's circled letters: SWEEPING CHANGES.  I am not sure if this puzzle solves easily without the circles; the "sweeping" devices are very well-hidden

 

Here is the grid.  My only error was in the crossing of HARARE and REACHER 

 

 

 

 

Across:
1. Will beneficiary: HEIR. Nice, easy start to the solve

5. Thick-furred dog whose tail curls over its back: SPITZ. For some unknown reason, I chose AKITA before changing to SPITZ

10. "hahahahahaha": ROFL. Texting shortcut = Roll On Floor Laughing

14. Gillette razor: ATRA.  Rumor has it that Gillette named the razor ATRA because their CEO was big into crossword puzzles ...

15. "Yellow Odalisque" painter Matisse: HENRI.  This:

16. Adept: ABLE.

[entry word]

20. Many a Sunday talk show panelist: PUNDIT.  [AI overview] defines it as: A pundit is an expert who frequently shares their opinions with the public through mass media. Commonly referred to as "talking heads" or commentators, they are highly prominent in political, financial, and sports journalism

 

21. "Today" producer: NBC NEWS.  I have never been a fan of morning news programs, regardless of the network airing.  "The Today Show" debuted on January 14, 1952 and is the first of its kind.  Several other morning news programs followed but "Today" is the most-watched

22. Foal's father: SIRE.  Here is a video that was made before the last Triple Crown champion.  Of these horses Seattle Slew topped all Triple Crown winners as a sire; producing 8 champions, including Horse of the Year A.P. Indy, Swale (Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner), and Slew o’ Gold.

 

25. "Rules __ rules": ARE.  

[entry word]

32. Love, in Verona: AMORE.  

33. Cabbage side: SLAW.  One of my favorite slaw mixes is called "Tri-Color" and contains both green and red (purple) cabbage as well as chopped carrots

34. Fig. in a QB's completion percentage: ATT.   Attempts (actual passes thrown) divided by completions = the completion percentage.  One of the leading quarterbacks in winning Super Bowls, Terry Bradshaw, had a completion percentage of 51.9 - that is mediocre as far as statistics goes, but his 4 Super Bowl wins (no losses) is the highest winning percentage (based on total wins), tied with Joe Montana.  Tom Brady has 7 Super Bowl wins but has also had 3 Super Bowl losses

 

37. Second chances for students: RE-TESTS.  I can't recall ever having had a re-test when I was in school.  But this young woman did [Moe-ku]

 

Cosmetic student

Was absent; had to make-up

Her Makeup exam

 

39. Lee Child protagonist: REACHER.  Jack Reacher is a large, nomadic man with a military police background who wanders the country, taking odd jobs and stumbling into trouble

 

42. Genetic material: DNA.  Comparing the structure of DNA vs RNA: DNA is typically double-stranded, forming a twisted double helix. RNA is usually single-stranded and shorter, allowing it to easily interact with other molecules

43. Gymnast Korbut: OLGA.  Fun fact:  Olga Korbut never scored a perfect "10" in any of her Olympic events

45. TV executive Arledge: ROONE.  The man who brought ABC's "Wide World of Sports" and "Monday Night Football" to the TV Sports lineup

[entry word]

50. Smug cry: OHO.  

51. Blood bank fluids: SERA.

52. Kylo Ren's father in "Star Wars": HAN SOLO.  For those who are unfamiliar with some of the genealogy in "Star Wars":  Kylo Ren (born Ben Solo) is the biological child of Han Solo and Leia Organa. Because Leia is the daughter of Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker), Darth Vader is Kylo Ren's grandfather

56. Jewel box: CD CASE.  Clever clue.  Fun Fact: [according to AI] CD case inventor, Peter Doodson christened the name "jewel case" in 1982 when he was working for Philips. He named the case "jewel" because he considered its structure "virtually perfect" and specifically designed its polished ribs to catch the light, giving it a shining, gem-like appearance

[reveal]

64. Paddington, but not Waterloo: BEAR.  This clue refers also to a pair of stations in the London Underground (Tube).  According to AI: the fastest way to travel between them is by taking the direct Bakerloo line on the London Underground, which takes around 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, a taxi ride takes 15–20 minutes

65. Grey Goose rival: STOLI.  Vodka rivals.  As an imbiber of various adult beverages, vodka is my least favorite.  I keep a bottle strictly for any guest who requests.  My "go-to's" include (in no particular favorite order): Single Malt Scotch (Highland and Islay), Bourbon and Rye whiskey, Gin, and Tequila/Mezcal

66. History book sections: ERAS.  Moe-ku #2:

Baseball history book

Has section for great pitchers:

E.R.A. eras 

 

67. USN officers: CDRS. I tried ADMS first before doing the down words

68. Schlepped: TOTED.  I have received many tote bags at various trade shows I've attended, but never one called a "schlepp bag"

69. Starchy root in poi: TARO.  I am trying to cut back on starches ...

Down:
1. Strongbox fastener: HASP.  Another word for "lock"

2. Words said to Marcus Junius Brutus: ET TU.  Does the "Marcus Junius" preface to Brutus make this a harder clue?  Any time I see the name "Brutus" I think of "et tu?"

3. Modern Persia: IRAN.  Modern Mesopotamia: IRAQ

4. Pretoria currency: RAND.  As of the day I wrote this blog, the value of a ZAR (also known as the South African Rand) is R1.00 = $0.06 USD

5. "Quit yapping!": SHUT IT.  

6. Cheer team feeling: PEP.  

7. Company abbr.: INC.  LLC also fits

8. Jumbo suffix: TRON.  Fun Fact: Jumbotron, although originally a registered trademark by Sony in 1985, has become a generic term for any oversized stadium screen [Wikipedia]

9. Country between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers: ZIMBABWE. Zimbabwe info And, we have as a supporting clue/answer: 30 down. Capital of 9-Down: HARARE.

10. "It's Always Something" memoirist Gilda: RADNER. 

11. Theater honor: OBIE.  The "O" in EGOT

12. Fault: FLAW. If grammar and spelling errors in my blog are considered flaws, well, there could be a few

13. Camera part: LENS. Also a part of the eye.  I now have two artificial lenses as a result of cataract surgery last year.  Never have I ever seen better

18. Sink accumulation: DISHES.  Guilty as charged!  When I was a single man I always left the dirty dishes in the sink until enough were ready for transfer to the dishwasher.  Same now; however, Miss Margaret transfers to the dishwasher immediately OR washes them by hand

19. Sandy shade: ECRU.  

23. Do a bit of grapplin': RASSLE.  Grapplin' (missing the last letter "G") indicated to me that this was going to be an abbreviated form of the word WRESTLE

24. Night school subj.: ESL.  English as Second Language

26. Like some cider: HARD.  Not one of Moe's preferred "adult" beverages

27. Blessing response: AMEN.  

28. Bitty bits: IOTAS.

29. Pre-MBA hurdle: GRE.  Graduate Record Examination

[re-pasted with 9 down]

31. "Hot diggity dog!": YAHOO.  Another clue could have been: "alternate to Hotmail"

35. Miss. neighbor: TENN.  Considering that Mississippi has four neighbors, the only one of those that I think can be expressed in a four-letter abbr. is TENNessee - Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas are its other neighboring states

36. Cypress or cedar: TREE. 

38. Task manager?: TO DO LIST. I use one; on a piece of paper, as opposed to having something entered on my cellphone, e.g.

40. Ocean fleet: ARMADA.  For a "fleeting" moment, the Chairman and Miss M owned an Armada, which we "lovingly" called "The Beast".  This:

41. Corn core: COB.

44. Some classic muscle cars: GTS.  This GT was hardly a muscle car but it did have bucket seats and only two doors - more like a "mush muscle" car ... 

47. Total failures: LOSERS.

48. Waffle House rival: IHOP.  I would hardly compare iHOP to Waffle House.  IYKYK

49. Dragon's mouth, e.g.: ORCHID.  Learning "moe-ment".  I never heard of this example until today

52. U.K.-based bank: HSBC.  HBSC (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations, serving approximately 41 million customers across 56 countries and territories. Founded in Hong Kong in 1865, the institution is headquartered in London and acts as a major global bridge for trade corridors between Asia, Europe, and the Americas [from their website]

53. Wowed: AWED. 

54. Close by: NEAR.

55. "I think you're __ something": ON TO.

57. Tech trends site: CNET.  I've used this site occasionally to read reviews about cellphones, computers, and even headphones

58. Indian tourist city with a mausoleum: AGRA.  Home to the Taj Mahal

59. Step in a scallops recipe: SEAR.  Here is a random recipe I found for seared scallops

60. Petro-Canada rival: ESSO.  Standard Oil

62. Realized: GOT.  

63. Guardians, on a scoreboard: CLE.  Fun Fact:  I have been a CLEveland baseball fan since the late 1950's.  And while I "GOT" (see 62 down clue) that their team's mascot (Chief Wahoo) was a bad choice, the elimination of the name Indians was not one I supported.  The Cleveland Baseball Franchise was the first to have a native American player (Louis Sockalexis), as well as the first black player (in the American League) Larry Doby.  At the time Sockalexis played for them (late 1890's) the team was known as the Spiders; Sockalexis was the inspiration to rename the team the Indians in 1915 after he was through playing, and many a Cleveland fan called the team the Indians while he was playing

The "Guardians" reference is to a pair of "Guardians of Traffic" statues located on the Hope Memorial Bridge, which stands near the team's ballpark (see image below).  The interesting thing is that until this "logo/image/name" was chosen, most Clevelanders were unfamiliar with the statues or never paid much attention to them as they drove across the bridge 

 

Summary:

Great puzzle; I give this ⭐⭐⭐⭐'s (one of my highest rankings, IIRC).  As a side note, the Chairman's alter ego (Chris Gross) will have a puzzle published @ Newsday tomorrow, June 4.  If you would like to solve it, please save this link - I think it will refresh to the correct date so you can fill it in on-line.  You can also change it from the drop down icon on its task bar.  Or, perhaps this link will provide you a copy to print and solve  This is my first published puzzle in quite a while.  Hope you enjoy!

Sunday August 3, 2025 Ella Dershowitz

Theme: "Kinetic Exercises" - Anagrams of various sports are hidden inside each theme entry. 

22. Series of musical tones that evoke sadness: MINOR SCALES. Lacrosse.

24. Weaponized food in a Hitchcock episode: LEG OF LAMB. Golf.

31. Desire to cause harm: MALICIOUS INTENT. Tennis.

37. Mathematical operation that may have a remainder: LONG DIVISION. Diving.

55. Scam: CONFIDENCE TRICK. Cricket.

64. Like some voting systems: WINNER TAKE ALL. Karate.

78. Lip product in a Katy Perry song: CHERRY CHAPSTICK. Archery.

92. Lean patty choice: TURKEY BURGER. Rugby. 

 99. July Fourth: INDEPENDENCE DAY. Dance.

115. Athletic record: SCORECARD. Soccer. 

Reveal: 

117. Party poopers, or what this puzzle's circled letters do: SPOILSPORTS.

Congrats, Ella, on your first LAT Sunday!

This is just brilliant construction. Some of the sports names are long, not easy to anagram. And we have 11 theme entries with one reveal. Normally we have 7 or 8. Ella is an actor. 

Ella Dershowitz

Across:

1. Romantic painter Francisco: GOYA.

5. "Is it ever!": AND HOW.

11. Lettuce variety: BIBB. Also called butter lettuce. Sweet and buttery.

15. Levy of "Schitt's Creek": DAN.

18. Copied: APED.

19. Copy illegally: PIRATE.

20. Taiwanese laptop brand: ACER.

21. Unlikely cat name: FIDO.

26. Main course: ENTREE.

27. Damage: MAR.

28. "Elsbeth" network: CBS. Wikipedia says "Elsbeth" is "a spin-off of "The Good Wife" (2009–2016) and "The Good Fight" (2017–2022)". 

29. Name-caller: MEANIE.

30. Artifact: RELIC.

34. __ as a pin: NEAT.

36. Add to, as an already big pile: HEAP ON.

43. Fixes, at the vet: NEUTERS.

49. Favor: PREFER.

50. Like mood lighting: DIM.

51. Inflation no.: PSI.

53. Gymnast Comaneci: NADIA. First gymnast to receive a 10.

54. Blood test liquids: SERA.

59. Bach production: SONATA.

62. Fairy tale first: ONCE.

63. Detest: LOATHE.

69. Cinder collector: ASH PAN.

73. Director Kazan: ELIA.

74. Colorful New Zealand fish: RED COD. Due to its color. 

83. Villainous Count of kid-lit: OLAF.

85. Handed (out): DOLED.

86. Feel ill: AIL.

87. German outburst: ACH.

88. Spanish grandmother: ABUELA. Po Po in Chinese.

90. Techie's major, for short: COMP SCI. Computer science. 

95. State where almost all of U.S. hazelnuts are grown: OREGON. I didn't know this. 

98. Check in spots?: ATMS. Meaning you can deposit a check at an ATM?

107. Counter: REBUT.

111. Spot for self-reflection?: MIRROR. Ha. 

112. Half an inning?: ENS. Three n's in inning.

113. Title for two Beatles: SIR.

114. Private sign?: SALUTE.

119. Unagi roll fish: EELS.

120. First name in whodunits: ERLE. Erle Stanley Gardner, creator of Perry Mason.

121. Like chinchillas: ANDEAN.

122. Olympian with a fighting spirit: ARES.

123. 31-Down countdown show: TRL. Total Request Live. 31. "Unplugged" network: MTV.

124. Bucks and does: DEER.

125. Invitees: GUESTS.

126. Nick Jr. explorer: DORA.

Down:

1. Minecraft streamer, e.g.: GAMER.

2. Give a take: OPINE.

3. Streisand musical: YENTL.

4. Groupie: ADORING FAN. Partnered with 75. Class list: COURSE LOAD. Not a lot of long fill due to the heavy themeage. 

5. Church nook: APSE.

6. Actor Cage, to fans: NIC.

7. Emmy category: DRAMA.

8. Haram counterpart: HALAL. We've yet to see HARAM in our LAT grid.

9. "Dog Man" voice actress Cheri: OTERI.

10. Director Craven: WES.

11. Fictional boxer for whom Philadelphia's Rocky Steps are named: BALBOA. AI Overview: The Rocky Steps are a set of 72 stone steps leading to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, made famous by the movie "Rocky".

12. Freezes over: ICES UP.

13. Ask and then some: BEG.

14. Hot tub chemical: BROMINE. To disinfect the water. Chlorine too.

15. Actress Keaton: DIANE.

16. One with extra online privileges: ADMIN.

17. "Check," in a casino: NO BET.

21. Like hair after removing a beanie: FLAT. 

23. Move back: RECEDE.

25. Bog: FEN.

28. Diez squared: CIEN. 100. 

32. Comic Margaret: CHO.

33. Genesis hedgehog: SONIC.

35. Element whipped into eggs to make meringue: AIR.

37. Collection at a listening bar, briefly: LPS.

38. Major finds for miners: ORES.

39. "Too Many Cooks" sleuth Wolfe: NERO.

40. Uniting words: I DO. Wedding. 

41. Transgression: SIN.

42. U.N. financial arm: IMF.

44. Indescribable: UNTOLD.

45. Olympic gold medalist Lipinski: TARA.

46. Cut and paste, say: EDIT.

47. Loaded: RICH.

48. Sushi bar drink: SAKE. Can't have sake or any alcohol due to the methotrexate. 

51. Demure kiss: PECK.

52. Giants legend Chris: SNEE. Didn't know him. Fresh clue angle.

55. Tuna holder: CAN.

56. Little letters?: IOTAS.

57. CSI stuff: DNA.

58. French fashion magazine: ELLE.

60. Nobels, e.g.: AWARDS.

61. __ houses: minimalist trend: TINY. This one looks nice.

65. Peach soda brand: NEHI.

66. Mideast airline: EL AL.

67. Tear (into): RIP.

68. Genesis boat: ARK.

69. Australian rock band: AC DC.

70. "Don't bug me!": SHOO.

71. Vessel control post: HELM.

72. Mise en place: PREP. Wikipedia gives this example: mise en place for a peanut brittle recipe.

76. Cassini of fashion: OLEG.

77. Small valley: DALE.

79. Pile of stones to mark a trail: CAIRN.

80. Pitch: TAR.

81. "So gross": ICK.

82. Revolutionary Guevara: CHE.

84. Miles away: FAR.

88. NYC dance co.: ABT. American Ballet Theatre.

89. Undeserved infamy, informally: BUM RAP.

91. Compelled: COERCED.

92. Oodles: TONS.

93. Coll. in the Research Triangle: UNC. Didn't know the Research Triangle, formed by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University and North Carolina State University. 

94. "Excellent news!": YAY.

96. English Channel swimmer Gertrude: EDERLE.

97. __ reveal party: GENDER.

99. "All good here": I'M SET.

100. Like party clothes compared to everyday clothes: NICER.

101. Oddly funny: DROLL.

102. Books a table for seven at 6 instead of six at 7, say: ERRS.

103. Macabre poet: POE.

104. Channel for college games: ESPNU.

105. The "D" of LED: DIODE.

106. Sign of spring: ARIES.

108. Small donkey: BURRO.

109. Say aloud: UTTER.

110. Thompson of "Westworld": TESSA.

114. Form W-2 digits: SSNS.

116. Is for many?: ARE.

117. Mattress malady: SAG.

118. Muscle useful in rock climbing: LAT.

C.C.

Monday February 17, 2025 Janice Luttrell

  

Happy Presidents Day, everyone! sumdaze here on another holiday Monday. Constructor Janice Luttrell gave us a puzzle with an Executive Branch-adjacent theme. Let's take a look:

17 Across. Chocolate treat from Reese's: PEANUT BUTTER CUP.  

They were created in 1928 -- almost 100 years ago!

25 Across. Replacement on the mound: RELIEF PITCHER.  In baseball, a RELIEF PITCHER is called up to enter the game after the starting pitcher (or another relief pitcher) has been removed.

From the MLB rulebook:  Pitchers must either face a minimum of three batters in an appearance or pitch to the end of a half-inning, with exceptions for injuries and illnesses. If a pitcher faces one batter to end an inning, he may be removed, but if he is brought back for a second inning, he must still face two more batters for a total of three. Once removed, players are not permitted to return to the game in any capacity. 

42 Across. Venue for summer concerts in Los Angeles: HOLLYWOOD BOWL.

The HOLLYWOOD BOWL is an amphitheater and public park in the Hollywood Hills of Southern California. In case you were wondering, it did survive the recent fires.  

Anchors Aweigh  (1945)

In this scene, filmed at the HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 

Spanish conductor and pianist José Iturbi plays Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 

... accompanied by 17 other pianists!

The reveal:

56 Across. High-level government post, and what the ends of 17-, 25-, and 42-Across may have?: CABINET POSITION.  Established in Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the CABINET's role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office.

Also, a CUP, a PITCHER, and a BOWL might all be found POSITIONed in a CABINET.  

sort of like this

Works for me. Let's see how the other clues stack up.

Across:

1. "Speak of the __!": DEVIL.

6. Pick up a newspaper: READ.     and     50 Down. Solemn bio: OBIT.  

10. __ Valuable Player: MOST.

14. Singer Menzel of "Frozen": IDINA.  John Travolta famously botched her name at the 2014 Oscars but she got him back the following year.

15. "Uh, that's wrong": UM, NO.

16. Culturally pretentious: ARTY.

20. NBC sketch show since 1975, familiarly: SNL.  SNL 50: The Anniversary Special aired last night. Did anyone watch it?

21. "Disgusting!": GROSS.

22. Lady Gaga's instrument: PIANO.  Earlier this month, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars won the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for this song, Die With A Smile.  

23. Many a restaurant owner: CHEF.

24. One-named "Chandelier" singer: SIA.

31. Pampering place: SALON.     and     31 Down. Pampering place: SPA.

32. Tomato sauce brand named for a New York restaurant: RAO'S.  pronunciation

33. Chicken serving: LEG.  CSO to Splynter!

35. Storyline: PLOT.

36. Put one's foot down: STOMP.  

38. "Dancing Queen" pop group: ABBA.  

39. Spring mo.: APR.  month and APRil

40. Molecule part: ATOM.

41. Slender woodwinds: OBOES.

46. Ginger __: ALE.

47. Partnership for Peace gp.: NATO.  group and North Atlantic Treaty Organization

48. Dwelling: ABODE.

51. Actress Hayek Pinault: SALMA.  (b. September 2, 1966 in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico)

Salma began dating French businessman François-Henri Pinault in 2006.
They married in 2009.

53. Civil rights monogram: MLK.  

59. Buffalo's lake: ERIE.  

60. City near Phoenix: MESA.  

61. Viking language: NORSE.  

62. Sinks out of sight, as the sun: SETS.  

a scientific explanation of the 'green flash'

63. Ready for customers: OPEN.  

64. California, for one: STATE.  This puzzle is published in the LA Times, after all.  

Led Zeppelin   ~   Going to California   ~  (1971) 

Down:

1. Salsa, and some salsa moves: DIPS.  This was my favorite clue today. The first salsa is of the edible variety.

2. Biblical garden: EDEN.  

3. Lab container: VIAL.

4. B and B: INN.  Bed & Breakfast

5. Classic TV show hosted by Rowan & Martin: LAUGH-IN.  

Arte Johnson (1929-2019) was a regular on this sketch comedy program.

6. Wear away: RUB OFF.

7. Tall birds in some insurance ads: EMUS.  

8. Aardvark snacks: ANTS.  

Can you see its long tongue in the tube?
Actually I think this is an anteater, not an aardvark.
Anteater cannot be used to clue ant because they share too many letters.

9. Ellipsis element: DOT.  Let me think....

10. Grammy winner Carey: MARIAH.

11. Killer whale: ORCA.  

Did you catch this one on Mal-Man's last blog? LOL!

12. Shock: STUN.

13. Keyboard blunder: TYPO.  

18. Genealogy chart: TREE.  as in a family TREE

19. Long stories: EPICS.

23. Form a clump: CLOT.

24. Hit the brakes: STOP.  

25. Designer Lauren: RALPH.

26. Spanish Olympian's goal: EL ORO.

27. "Coming soon" ad: PROMO.

28. First words of "Green Eggs and Ham": I AM.  Speaking of elementary poetry....

Hello dear Chairman!

Today's your birthday, so I

Wrote this Hi-Moe-Ku.

🎈🎂🎈🎂🎈🎂🎈🎂🎈

29. Macaroni shape: ELBOW.

30. Defy authority: REBEL.

34. Highway sign: GAS.  The Deets on the Blue Highway Signs  

36. Eyelid problem: STYE.

37. AAA service: TOW.  

38. Suffix with bug or peek: -ABOO.  

A bugaboo is something that causes fear, alarm, or worry.

Peekaboo is a game played with children who have not yet developed an understanding of object permanence.

40. __ wrench: tool that comes with flatpack furniture: ALLEN.  

41. Gets: OBTAINS.  It took me a bit to get this one because we have been trained to associate this clue with the answer SEES.  

43. Women: LADIES.  

Flight of the Conchords   ~   Ladies of the World   ~   (2008)

Flight of the Conchords was an HBO comedy series in 2007-2009.

44. Checked out, as a library book: ON LOAN.  I am currently reading The Wilderness Idiot by Ted Alvarez, ON LOAN from my library.

45. River barriers: DAMS.

48. The tops: ACES.  Green's Dictionary of Slang

49. Plain: BARE.  

51. Ladder rung: STEP.

52. Church recess: APSE.  A four-letter church architecture word is going to be either APSE or nave. The former is the location of the altar while the latter is the seating area leading up to the altar. Memory trick:  APSE begins with an A, as does altar and arc.

53. Actress Sorvino: MIRA.  (b. 1967)  her IMDb page

54. Baffled: LOST.  Back in 2004 DH and I were driving on Oahu's North Shore. We saw small, red signs nailed to posts and trees, much like the signs people buy when they want to sell their own car. Someone had written "LOST" on the signs with an arrow pointing which way to turn. We wondered if maybe they were directions for someone who was potentially LOST on their way to a party. We followed them to a beach. There we found what looked like a plane wreck and suitcases strewn about. Upon closer inspection we could see that the plane was staged. We wondered if this was some sort of training exercise. The following Fall, ABC aired a new TV show called Lost. It ran from 2004 to 2010.

55. Leg joint: KNEE.  Oops! LEG is the answer to 33-Across so it is not supposed to be in another clue. Perhaps it's OK to bend the rules for KNEE.

57. Angsty music genre: EMO.

58. Tyke: TOT.  

I like the looks of this 15-13-13-15 grid.

Enjoy your day!

 

Notes from C.C.:

1) Happy Birthday to our Friday blogger, Chairman Moe. Chris mentioned that he is doing well post-surgery and will have his second eye done in another week.

 

2) Happy 58th anniversary to the sweetest, most caring couple I've ever met: Husker Gary and his wife Joann. Here's a picture of us from 2014 when Gary attended a wedding here in Minnesota.