Who Let the Dogs Out?
Happy Wednesday folks! Anon -T here reporting for duty.
Emma and Shannon Rapp (aka Norah Sharpe) bring us three breeds of "Rover" that "Range" across the fill (in the circles) and unifies it with an SUV that will likely fit all the pups (but,... it's not a Subaru :-)).
17. Dog relaxing across a foam flotation device?: POOL NOODLE. Poodle. Pick which second O gets the circle.
//Here's where I got my wires crossed for a bit. I though "POOL POODLE; theme is dog-breeds with the first few letters making another first or second word."
You try to think of a breed that begins with TRI at second themer fill - ain't gonna work.
Anyway, when I got to the reveal, I realized the dogs are in the circles (which were light on my printout - I'll add toner to my Amazon cart), fixed my pOODLE to NOODLE, and filled the rest of the grid lickety-split.
28. Dog traveling through a mysterious section of the North Atlantic?: BERMUDA TRIANGLE. Beagle.
Our favorite Beagle |
49. Dog spreading out at a minimal performance venue?: BLACKBOX THEATER. Boxer.
63. High-end SUV, and an apt description of each set of circled letters?: RANGE ROVER.
Cute and much more simple that I was trying to make it. Thanks Emma & Shannon for the entertaining puzzle.
Across:
1. "Between Two Ferns" host Galifianakis: ZACH.
Obama played along for ACA |
5. German woman: FRAU.
Cloris Leachman played along.
9. Brief "Don't know yet": TBD. To Be Determined.
12. __ mutter: potatoes and peas dish: ALOO. I think we've all learned this by now - foreign (not French) potatoes == ALOO. Don't get me wrong - I love a good Indian dish but never understand them as printed. I make Youngest order -- she grew up Montessori, knows Indian food, and knows what I like.
13. "Birmingham" sculptor Simone __: LEIGH. Perps. I Googled so you don't have to. Chicago artist born in '67. Amazing work!
15. Trick or treat: VERB. Ha!! "Fool" or "buy for." Also, noun: (magic) trick; (sweet) treat. Halloween is only 173 days away.
17. [see: theme]
19. Garden need: SOIL. "Fence" to keep out the critters was too long.
20. Respected figure: ELDER. Am I an ELDER yet? I've waited 52 years...
21. Round Table titles: SIRS. Trust me, I'm holding myself back from linking yet another Monty Python clip.
23. Cavaliers sch.: UVA. University Virginia.
24. Way out: EXIT. The egress.
Believe it or Not - That's how Ripley got 'em out the door. |
26. Realms: EMPIRES.
28. [see: theme]
32. What "will be" will be: ARE. Cute. Very cute.
33. Window part: SASH. Pane also fit :-(
34. Short pants?: TROU. Short for Trousers.
35. 2019 documentary about fatherhood: DADS. Sussable.
37. "Designated Survivor" actor Penn: KAL. I Googled for an image and... "Kalpen Suresh Modi, known professionally as Kal Penn, is an American actor, author, academic lecturer, and former White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration." Fandom Link.
39. Robin's residence: NEST.
Robin, aka Mork, resided here with Mindy. |
42. Spanish house: CASA.
45. Court dividers: NETS. Tennis courts not basketball nets.
48. __ of Tranquility: SEA. Lunar geography and Apollo 11's landing site.
49. [see: theme]
53. Expression of love that doesn't quite land?: AIR KISS. Didn't land the kiss? Tsk. Tsk.
54. Stitches: SEWS.
55. Car care brand: STP. Scientifically Treated Petroleum. Or, if you visit STP's website: Science. Technology. Performance. Not to be confused with a Stone Temple Pilots' performance.
56. Fold: TUCK.
58. Pronoun pair: HE/HIM. You'll see this on some folks' Social Media profile -- pronouns to be used when addressing.
61. Call-and-response response: AMEN. #Church
63. [see: theme]
66. Renaissance fair instrument: LUTE.
67. Dentist's tool: DRILL. Open wide.
68. Angry outburst: RANT.
69. Opposite of NNE: SSW. Points on a compass rose.
70. Octagonal sign: STOP.
71. Codas: ENDS.
Down:
1. Comic book onomatopoeia: ZAP. Onomatopoeia - a word that sounds like what it means. But y'all knew that.
2. Soothing succulent: ALOE.
3. Like early spring weather: COOL.
4. Poker variety: HOLD 'EM. How to play.
5. Home of Everglades National Park: FLORIDA.
6. __ Speedwagon: REO. The car or the band from Champaign, IL? We should be told.
7. Helps: AIDS.
8. Less appealing: UGLIER.
UGLIer fruit |
9. Best Buy wallful: TVS. Have y'all seen some of the new TVs? I don't think I want to watch News Hour with that kind of definition.
10. "Beauty and the Beast" song: BE OUR GUEST.
Classic fun animation.
11. Tripe: DRIVEL. [see: this expo]
14. __ crab: HERMIT.
Hermit Crab Changes Shells
16. Nonchalant: BLASE. I think I spelled it with a "Z" first 'cuz there's extra ink in that square.
18. Connection: NEXUS.
22. Trade jabs: SPAR. Boxing.
25. Undertaking: TASK.
27. Party to: IN ON. Privy didn't fit.
28. Billie Eilish's "__ Guy": BAD. If you're so inclined. //It's not that BAD.
29. Notable slice of time: ERA.
30. Fancy places to see the stars?: RED CARPETS. Planetarium didn't fit //and there's no Pink Floyd at the RED CARPET.
31. Quick note of appreciation: THANX. Saves only one letter typed. Thx is what I use - saves three keystrokes.
36. Bag of potatoes: SACK.
38. "Shall we?" response: LET'S. Do it!
40. "Told ya!": SEE.
41. Roof goo: TAR.
43. Comic vignette: SKIT.
44. Ridiculous: ABSURD. Inane. //CED came to mind ;-)
46. Viola Davis film whose tagline was "Change begins with a whisper": THE HELP.
Trailer
47. Ninja Turtle home: SEWER.
//want a story? As undergrads, DW would do some babysitting for extra cash.
Being an educator, she'd teach the kids literature and art.
She introduced one kid (about 7yrs old) to Michelangelo.
"Mrs. K, I didn't know he painted too!"
He was talking about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
49. Rudimentary: BASAL.
50. Chemistry paper?: LITMUS. Stick in the stick and ph will show acid or base via color. Always fun to have a handful of these on hand for playing with, erm teaching, the kids.
51. 2023 awards for "Everything Everywhere All at Once": OSCARS.
52. On land: ASHORE.
57. Make mittens, say: KNIT.
59. Tennis star Lendl: IVAN.
60. Repair: MEND.
62. Just out: NEW.
64. __ Worm: 1980s bedtime toy: GLO.
My lil' Sis had one of these. |
65. Shares again, on Twitter: RTS. RE -Tweets. Honestly, I've never gotten the hang of the TwitterVerse and I probably make myself look like an old dude when I RT a response. Frankly, Musk is making it worse (NPR & BBC #StateAffiliated. Really?). I'm still waiting on BlueSky to accept my "Let me play, please!" request. //end RANT
The Grid:
The Grid |
WOs: noun->VERB, TanK, pane->SASH, BASic -> BASAL
ESPs: LEIGH, IVAN (as clued), KAL.
Fav: Trick or treat == noun or VERB
Well, another expo in the books here at The Crossword Corner. Hope y'all had fun too.
Looking forward to y'alls take and expo corrections / additions.
Cheers, -T