Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here, filling in for the delightful Hahtoolah.
Today's CW is a worthy challenge from constructor/blogger, Michael Sharp. For more on M.S., follow this link to a 2011 article titled, "How an English professor became the online king of the crossword".
Our theme is: A PHEW POINTERS
We begin with:
1. Across. Sci-fi weapon that makes the sounds heard at the ends of the answers to the starred clues: RAY GUN.
Later, M.S. neatly wraps things up in the SE corner with a clecho:
71. Across. Sci-fi weapon that makes the sounds heard at the ends of the answers to the starred clues: PHASER.
Notice that both answers have 6 letters. Perps are required to start this puzzle. (Hi D-Otto!)
There are 3 themed answers. Each ends in the sound associated with sci-fi weapons:
Pew-Pew-Pew
20. Across * "Black Widow" co-star: FLORENCE PUGH.
I had no idea who this could be; but, perps, along with the standard spelling of Ms. Pugh's first name, helped me until I got to the last letter and found it crossed with another unknown name. Fortunately, the theme came to my rescue and I reasoned only an "h" could provide the "pew" sound.
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| Florence Pugh |
36. Across * Cathedral bench: CHURCH PEW.
56. *Offer of assistance: LET ME HELP YOU.
I find this answer especially clever since we need to borrow the "p" in "help". Tacking the "p" onto "you", we have a third way to write the "pew" sound.
Let's look at the rest of the clues:
7. Hubs: Abbr.: CTRS. CenTeRS
11. Catch: NAB.
14. Operating mindlessly: ON AUTOpilot.
15. "Call on me! I know!": OH OH. Remember Arnold Horshack from Welcome Back Kotter (1975-1979)?
16. Mined resource: ORE.
17. Getting some sun: DAYLIT. (adjective) illuminated by daylight
18. Like a phenom's rise to stardom: METEORIC.
22. Placeholder abbr.: TBA. To Be Announced
25. Court divider: NET. Think "tennis", not "legal system".
Watch this player leap over the NET during play.
26. Light lunch: SALAD.
27. Spy of kid-lit fame: HARRIET. Published in 1964. Recommended for ages 8-12.
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Do you consider the horses participating in Olympic equestrian events "athletes"? Equestrian Olympics Sports Facts
32. Oxen harnesses: YOKES.
33. "Should that be the case ... ": IF SO.
35. Costa del __: SOL. a region in the south of Spain
32. Oxen harnesses: YOKES.
33. "Should that be the case ... ": IF SO.
35. Costa del __: SOL. a region in the south of Spain
I always like the name Marysol (sea & sun) so I named my cat that. She's in kitty heaven now.
40. Isr. neighbor: SYR. ISRael is abbreviated, so is SYRia
40. Isr. neighbor: SYR. ISRael is abbreviated, so is SYRia
43. Genius Bar pro: TECH.
44. Capital city on the Andean Plateau: LA PAZ. The hint here is "Andean" so we can narrow down our options to South American capitals. Wiki Link
48. Forced: COERCED.
51. Binge watcher's unit: EPISODE.
54. Sound from a fold: BAA.
61. Much of nursery school: PLAY TIME.
62. Of France: GALLIC.
(adjective)
- 1.French or typically French.
- 2.relating to the Gauls.
68. New York prison in 1971 headlines: ATTICA. NPR Attica link
69. Mormon initials: LDS. Latter Day Saints
Last week I read Josh Hanagarne's memoir, The World's Strongest Librarian. Josh is 6'7" tall, was raised in the Mormon Church, has Tourette Syndrome, and works as a librarian in Salt Lake City. It was interesting to read his thoughts on all of that.
70. Enthusiast, colloquially: NERD.
70. Enthusiast, colloquially: NERD.
Down:
1. Towel holder: ROD.
2. De Armas of "Blonde": ANA. Lovely Ana is from HavANA, Cuba. (for realz!)
3. Happy cry: YAY.
4. Wide gap: GULF.
(noun)
- 1.a deep inlet of the sea almost surrounded by land, with a narrow mouth.
- 2. a deep ravine, chasm, or abyss.
5. Elec., for one: UTIL. ELECTricity is a UTILity.
6. Zero: NOT ONE. I suppose "two" could also be "not one".
7. Cupid colleague: COMET. Nice misdirection! I was thinking of the cupid with wings and an arrow.
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| Coming to your rooftop in 39 days! |
8. "__ what?": THEN.
Do you know someone who needs money to pay for college? Army ROTC scholarship info
10. "Jeepers!": SHEESH.
11. "Anything goes!": NO RULES.
10. "Jeepers!": SHEESH.
11. "Anything goes!": NO RULES.
At first I had "NO hoLES" because I was confusing "holes" with "holds" as in "no holds barred"; which, it turns out, is a term from wresting meaning, "no restrictions (RULES) on the kinds of holds that are used." So I got there, eventually!
12. Japanese "thank you": ARIGATO.
12. Japanese "thank you": ARIGATO.
This word is often mispronounced by non-native speakers of Japanese. Do not combine the "a" and "r" as one syllable. It is not ar-i-ga-to. Instead, say a-ri-ga-to. The "a" is like the "a" in "father". Also, extend the last "o" sound a bit, almost as if it were 2 syllables.
13. Alison who wrote the graphic memoir "The Secret to Superhuman Strength": BECHDEL. Crossing unknown names can be tricky but we had some help with this one. (See the 20A themer.)
19. Stone for a Libra: OPAL. According to most charts, there are only 2 birthstones spelled with 4 letters: Opal & Ruby. Wait for a perp.
21. No longer working: RETIRED.
13. Alison who wrote the graphic memoir "The Secret to Superhuman Strength": BECHDEL. Crossing unknown names can be tricky but we had some help with this one. (See the 20A themer.)
19. Stone for a Libra: OPAL. According to most charts, there are only 2 birthstones spelled with 4 letters: Opal & Ruby. Wait for a perp.
21. No longer working: RETIRED.
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| Several Cornerites are retired teachers. |
22. Poetic possessive: THY.
23. Steamed bun in Asian cuisine: BAO. On Sunday, 11/6/22, we had 57D "Bun cooked in a bamboo steamer".
24. Genesis boat: ARK.
28. "Parks and __": REC. Recreation
This video is 8 min. of "best of" video clips from the TV show Parks and Rec. (Fans of the show will probably enjoy this more than those of us who are not as familiar with all of the characters.)
29. Sorta: ISH.
Informal (adverb): to some extent
30. Metaphor for no-longer-relevant history: ASH HEAP.
30. Metaphor for no-longer-relevant history: ASH HEAP.
"The ash heap of history (or often garbage heap of history or dustbin of history) is a figurative place to where objects such as persons, events, artifacts, ideologies, etc. are relegated when they are forgotten or marginalized in history."
31. Blouse: TOP.
"Blouse" is an interesting word. I always associated it with a lady's TOP so I had to resist the temptation to snicker when I married my Marine husband and he called the TOP to his uniforms a "blouse". Also, my Aussie boss called his shirt a "blouse". I am thinking the connection is that both U.S. Marines and Australians have a history with British English ... which obtained the word from French. Would anyone like to chime in on this?
31. Blouse: TOP.
"Blouse" is an interesting word. I always associated it with a lady's TOP so I had to resist the temptation to snicker when I married my Marine husband and he called the TOP to his uniforms a "blouse". Also, my Aussie boss called his shirt a "blouse". I am thinking the connection is that both U.S. Marines and Australians have a history with British English ... which obtained the word from French. Would anyone like to chime in on this?
Also, "blouse" can be used as an adjective (in its participle form) and a verb. Marines use "blousing bands" to blouse their boots so things cannot fall down into their boots. Here is a 34 sec. video on how to blouse military boots. (Marysol used to love to steal DH's blousing bands! We'd usually find them under the couch.)
34. Media-monitoring org.: FCC. The Federal Communications Commission
37. Great Basin native: UTE. a CW staple
38. Actor Wallach: ELI. Oh, that's who he is!
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| Eli Wallach (1915 - 2014) |
39. Is past?: WAS. Fun clue!
40. Surgical tool: SCALPEL.
41. Sang some high notes?: YODELED. Some clever word play here in that "high" can refer to the yodeler's vocal range as well as the altitude at which Swiss yodelers live.
I hope this song will put a smile on your face:
Riders in the Sky sing "A Cowboy's ABCs"
Y is for "the Yodel"
42. Colorful sale labels: RED TAGS. The hint on this one is "colorful".
45. "Kaboom!": POW.
46. Commotion: ADO.
47. Garden type: ZEN.
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| I took this photo at Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto, Japan. |
49. "Ratatouille" rat who loves gourmet food: REMY.
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| Remy in "Ratatouille" (Pixar 2007) |
50. Greek islander: CRETAN. Start with the first Greek island you can think of then adjust the suffix.
52. Evidence of workplace gender bias, perhaps: PAY GAP. Similar to 4D ??
54. Mix: BLEND. Interesting that both words can be used as a noun or a verb.
57. Walk in the park, maybe: HIKE.
At first I thought of this type of park. Then I thought of this type of park.
58. Mideast dignitary: EMIR.
EMIR: a title of various Muslim (mainly Arab) rulers.
IMAM: one who leads Muslim worshipers in prayer
OMAN: a country in the Middle East
OMAR Sharif: Egyptian actor
59. Pledge: OATH.
60. Beauty store chain: ULTA.
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| With 1,356 stores, you've probably driven past one. |
63. Fleur-de-__: LIS. (Hi Big Easy!)
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| also spelled fleur-de-lys |
64. Curling surface: ICE.
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| Not this type of curling! |
65. Automobile: CAR.
Here's the grid:
That's all for today. I look forward to reading your thoughts.
Oh, and in case you missed it, here is Hahtoolah’s note from 11/8/22:
If you are reading this on Tuesday, I will likely be on the crossword puzzle's favorite airline heading towards Tel Aviv. Part business, part fun. Unlike the song, however, I do know when I will be back. See you at the end of the month. You will be in capable hands during my absence.
