Themeless Saturday by Ella Dershowitz
Hi Gary,
When not sitting at my computer staring at tiny boxes, I am an actor. I’ve long been obsessed with solving crosswords, initially as a backstage activity and then as an always activity. I discovered constructing as a pandemic hobby and am now equally obsessed with the puzzle that is constructing. This is one of only three themelesses I’ve ever made. I was trying my hand at them, but I have since returned to the comfort of themed puzzles with their higher word counts and non-codependent corners. Major props to those who make lots of themeless puzzles - I find it so hard!
The seed entry for this puzzle was lucid dreaming. I was talking about the concept with some friends and realized it hadn’t appeared in a puzzle yet (it has since I believe). One thing I love is when I learn a new word or phrase from my dictionary while constructing. That happened here with “baby moon” - I saw it was an option for the upper right corner and assumed it was related to the moon in the sky, so I looked it up and was surprised to discover what it actually means. I also love it when editors made puzzles a zillion times better, as Patti did here with so many awesome clues. One of her additions I particularly appreciated was the love for my hometown (Boston) in the Beacon clue! Hope the solve is as challenging yet fun for you as the construction was for me!
5. Van Halen icon: HAGAR - The original front man David Lee Roth quit Van Halen to pursue a solo career and was replaced with Sammy HAGAR.
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| Sammy HAGAR. David Lee Roth |
10. Shortening in some cookie recipes: TBSP - Tablespoon is shortened to TBSP.
14. "Keep talking ... ": TELL ME MORE 18. "Likely story": I BET- Yeah, I BET the kitty is interested
16. Fade: WANE.
17. House blends, e.g.: TABLE WINES - In the United States, the term primarily designates a wine style: an ordinary wine which is not fortified or expensive and is not usually sparkling. You're welcome.
19. Trap during January, maybe: ICE IN.
20. "Euphoria" actor Eric: DANE - I have never seen "Euphoria" but remember him as Dr. Mark Sloan in Grey's Anatomy
21. Nej : Swedish :: __ : Russian: NYET - Omaha - "Is the answer yes or no?" Stockholm - "Är svaret ja eller NEJ?" Moscow - "Ответ да или нет?"
22. Doesn't work hard: COASTS - What a senior does during the last six weeks of H.S.
24. Sabermetrics input: DATA.
27. "The Boys of My Youth" writer Jo __ Beard: ANN - Saturday cluing 101
28. Jolly good: AOK - This event is why May 5 is also National Astronaut Day
30. Lock: SHOO-IN - House incumbents are virtual SHOO-INS for reelection
32. United in a cause: ALLIED.
35. Word with string or sing: ALONG.
36. Focus of a diary in some sleep therapy sessions: LUCID DREAMING During a lucid dream, you’re aware of your consciousness. It’s a form of metacognition, or awareness of your awareness. Often, lucid dreaming also lets you control what happens in your dream. You're welcome.
39. Campus group: SOPHS.
40. Yellowish pink: SALMON
41. "And all that": ETC ETC.
43. Forrest player: TOM - Very devious, Ella! 😁
44. Bitey dog: CUR.
47. Unlikely to pipe up: SHY.
48. Buckwheat noodle: SOBA - With sesame seeds
51. Chemical synthesized in the liver: KETONE - Here ya go
53. Sail a zigzag course: TACK - Sailing into the wind
55. Résumé concerns: GAPS.
57. Put a handle on: NAMED - Mom's sister gave me my handle
58. Gardner of mystery: ERLE - Perry Mason's creator is a familiar cwd visitor
59. Chow from a halal cart, e.g.: STREET MEAT - More info
61. Caught up to, in a way: TIED - On August 11, 1951 the NY Giants were 13 1/2 games behind the NY Giants but caught them and TIED for the NL lead on the last day of the season. Bobby Thompson then hit the most famous home run in baseball history to win the 3-game playoff series.
62. Yoga class respite: CHILD'S POSE.
63. Covers up a plot?: SODS.
64. Five Pillars faith: ISLAM.
65. Taylor-Joy of "The Queen's Gambit": ANYA.
1. Aegean peninsula: ATTICA - ATTICA contains Athens and its suburbs. The rest of the peninsula is called, uh, Rest Of Attica.
2. Boston street where Cheers is located: BEACON - It's on the corner of BEACON and Brimmer Street in Ella's hometown
3. Retailer with Outdoor Discovery programs: LL BEAN - 114 miles NNE of Cheers in Boston
4. Golden Globe winner Tracee __ Ross: ELLIS - The mom
5. Fell: HEW.
6. During: AMID - Desiderata: "Go placidly AMID the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence."
7. Reproductive gland: GONAD.
8. __ rock: ARENA - Taylor Swift is in the picture somewhere
9. Starts over: RESETS.
10. Either "Twelfth Night" sibling: TWIN - Gender bending comedy
11. Vacay for parents-to-be: BABYMOON - Cute.
12. Disdainful: SNEERING.
13. __ zoo: PETTING - Hey, as long you're PETTING us...
15. Experts who prefer open-minded people?: MENTALISTS.
23. "No need to convince me": SOLD.
25. Flashes of insight: AHA MOMENTS - Engineer Percy Spencer was working with this very radar device that emitted microwaves. Percy then noticed the candy bar in his shirt pocket had heated up and melted. AHA!
29. Ribs: KIDS.
31. "Chocolat" actress: OLIN - Lena OLIN is at the bottom of the picture and is on the left in the big picture.
32. Aleve target: ACHE.
33. Cy Young stat: ERA - The pride of Omaha had an incredible 1968 Cy Young-winning-season
34. Muscle worked by a reverse fly, for short: DELT.
36. Rake: LOTHARIO: LOTHARIO is a male given name that came to suggest an unscrupulous seducer of women, based upon a character in The Impertinent Curious Man, a story within a story in Miguel de Cervantes' 1605 novel, Don Quixote. You're welcome.
37. Repurposed creatively, as trash: UPCYCLED - Can be seen in your local Wal~Mart
38. Wildly: AMOK.
39. Elements of Petrarchan sonnets: SESTETS - A very famous Petrarchan sonnet by Emma Lazrus
44. "That can't possibly be true": COME ON.
45. Weirded out: UNEASY.
46. Herbal brew: RED TEA - Also called...
49. Mikvehs, e.g.: BATHS - Jewish ritual BATHS
50. National Scrabble Day month: APRIL.
52. City across from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge: TAMPA.
54. Shoe brand with a Kate Spade New York collection: KEDS - When I was a kid and now
60. Genre that includes techno: EDM - Play as much of Electronic Dance Music as you'd like.
