Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here. Today's puzzle is an LA Times debut for constructor Glenn Cook. The inspiration for this grid is SAMIN NOSRAT's 2017 book, SALT FAT ACID HEAT: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking.
Consequently, our theme is: Cook's Cook Book
Lest you cry foul for never having heard of this book, I am here to tell you that I read it this past February (all 480 pages) but still could not remember the author's name, the third element, nor the order of the elements. (Oof!) My "advantage" is debatable. Nevertheless, the Monday-level perps got me to a FIR.
I do remember that I very much enjoyed the book -- especially the parts where Samin talks about growing up in America as an Iranian immigrant. I also learned some cooking tips, e.g., I should warm up my pan before adding the olive oil. In short, I recommend the book. goodreads link
We have seen this author & book clued three times in LA Times puzzles over the last year and a half: May 26, 2022, September 18, 2022, and June 28, 2023. SALT FAT ACID HEAT is also a series on Netflix. I remember inanehiker saying she liked the series. I really should commit this one to memory for next time. (Yes, it is reasonable to expect there will be a "next time".)
Here are the four themers and the reveal:
16 Across. "Push It" hip-hop trio: SALT-N-PEPA. (Not a duo?)
23 Across. Mardi Gras: FAT TUESDAY.
48 Across. Inclination to use biting sarcasm: ACID TONGUE.
56 Across. "Feels like" figure that combines temperature and humidity: HEAT INDEX.
33 Across. Chef and cookbook writer whose four elements of cooking are the first words of the answers to 16-, 23-, 48-, and 56-Across: SAMIN NOSRAT.
Let's see what other goodies we can cook up:
1. Fancy alternative to a classic necktie: ASCOT. Every ASCOT is a cravat, but not every cravat is an ASCOT.
6. Time sheet abbr.: HRS. HouRS
9. Meat salad from Laos: LARB. It seems there is no recipe for LARB in SALT FAT ACID HEAT. Here's a recipe that has five stars on the internet.
13. Shop: STORE. "Shop" and "STORE" are both nouns here.
14. Informal assent: YEP. more than our usual, "nod"
15. Third-longest African river: NIGER. The Nile, Africa's longest river, is also the longest river on the planet.
List of 10 Longest Rivers in Africa
18. Verdi work: OPERA. Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901) was the central figure in Italian OPERA for much of the nineteenth century. He wrote 28 operas!
18. Verdi work: OPERA. Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901) was the central figure in Italian OPERA for much of the nineteenth century. He wrote 28 operas!
This is Verdi's Otello Act II finale, performed at the Royal Opera House, U.K. (2:27 min.)
We might be able to persuade waseeley to give us more background.
19. "Am __ picky?": I TOO. If you are asking, you probably already know.
20. Mattel game based on Crazy Eights: UNO. I used to play Crazy Eights when I was a kid. Now that I think about it, it is just like UNO. We used a regular deck of cards. Each player starts with 8 cards. You can either match the suit of the last discard or play a card with the same value. The 8s were wild and could change the suit. I cannot remember if we used the joker for something special. I also do not remember if we had to announce a last card.
21. Spoke monotonously: DRONED. Can you think of a classic movie example? Anyone? Anyone?
Ben Stein played a Science Teacher in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). (1:15 min.)
22. Omen: SIGN.
25. Traveler's stopover: INN.
26. Hypotheticals: IFS. "If IFS and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a very merry Christmas." (Don Meredith, QB for the Cowboys)
27. Crumb-carrying critter: ANT. They can carry 10 -50 times their body weight.
29. Microbe: GERM. Def.: a microorganism, especially one which causes disease.
31. Freeze over: ICE UP. This made me think of the Ice Age movies and that silly saber-toothed squirrel, Scrat.
Ice Age: Continental Drift (a.k.a. the 4th one) (2012) (2:40 min.)
37. Extinct birds: DODOS.
38. Russian denial: NYET. We do not see "Russian acceptance" because "da" (ะดะฐ) is only two letters.
40. Foldable bed: COT.
43. 2016 Summer Olympics city: RIO. and 26 Down. Mount Olympus dwellers, e.g.: IMMORTALS.
44. Meditation sounds: OMS.
46. Period of history: ERA.
51. Quick cut: SNIP.
52. Say again: REPEAT. a.k.a. Peter Jr.
53. GPS suggestion: RTE. "Global Positioning System" is abbreviated, so is "RouTE".
NASA website's GPS page
54. Support staff member: AIDE. An AIDE provides aid to the head honcho.
55. Artist's stand: EASEL.
58. Foul moods: SNITS. The following is an excerpt from I'm in a Rotten Mood! by Jack Prelutsky:
54. Support staff member: AIDE. An AIDE provides aid to the head honcho.
55. Artist's stand: EASEL.
58. Foul moods: SNITS. The following is an excerpt from I'm in a Rotten Mood! by Jack Prelutsky:
I'm in a rotten mood today,
a really rotten mood today,
I'm in a SNIT,
I'm in a stew,
there's nothing that I care to do
but sit all by myself and brood --
I'M IN A ROTTEN MOOD!
59. "I __ your pardon?": BEG. I never promised you a rose garden. ๐ ๐ ๐
Lynn Anderson (1947-2015) won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female
in 1971 for her version of Rose Garden.
60. "Basic Instinct" actress Sharon: STONE. Also, a solid, non-metallic mineral matter. Difference Between a Rock and a Stone
61. IRS IDs: SSNS. Social Security NumberS were first used by the IRS for tax reporting purposes in 1962. Banks began requiring them in 1970. They were required by financial institutions for all interest-bearing accounts in 1983.
62. Poem of praise: ODE.
63. Puts a stop to: HALTS. This puts a HALT to our across clues.
Down:
1. Birthplace of St. Francis: ASSISI. He is the patron saint of animals, peace, and Italy. His feast day is October 4th.
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| St. Francis of Assisi Holding a Bird (artist unknown) Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery |
2. Announcing: STATING.
3. Choices at perfume counters: COLOGNES. Thirteen, fourteen, nineteen, forty-one, forty-two, forty-six, fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-six, sixty-one, sixty-two, and sixty-six also fit. Weirdly, eight does not fit.
4. WWE champion Randy who had a long rivalry with John Cena: ORTON. ESP
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| Randy & John Randy is the one with the tats (I think). |
6. African scavengers whose cries sound like laughter: HYENAS. I learned here that they are primarily hunters, not scavengers. I did not know that. You can watch them on the Milwaukee County Zoo's HYENA cam.
7. Transplant in the greenhouse: REPOT. Def.: to put (a plant) in another pot, especially a bigger one.
It was not immediately obvious to me that "transplant" is a verb here! Tricky!
8. Relaxation station: SPA.
9. Slimming surgeries, informally: LIPOS. LIPOSuctionS.
10. Meeting outline: AGENDA. Flight of the Conchords (HBO 2007-2009) was known for its Band Meetings.
11. Go over again, as a contract: REREAD.
12. Blended sitcom family of classic TV: BRADYS.
15. "All sales are final": NO RETURNS. I first had NO REfUndS.
8. Relaxation station: SPA.
9. Slimming surgeries, informally: LIPOS. LIPOSuctionS.
10. Meeting outline: AGENDA. Flight of the Conchords (HBO 2007-2009) was known for its Band Meetings.
Rhys Darby, Bret McKenzie, and Jermaine Clement (1:19 min.)
11. Go over again, as a contract: REREAD.
12. Blended sitcom family of classic TV: BRADYS.
The opening theme song to The Brady Bunch explained how they became a blended family.
I always liked the way they looked around at each other.
15. "All sales are final": NO RETURNS. I first had NO REfUndS.
The National Retail Federation reports that for every $1 billion in sales, retailers incur $165 million in merchandise returns. Plus, for every $100 in returned merchandise accepted, they lose $10.40 to return fraud.
17. Bit of smoke: PUFF. This song always makes me cry a little bit.
21. Sand formations: DUNES. The tallest DUNES in North America are in Colorado!
17. Bit of smoke: PUFF. This song always makes me cry a little bit.
Puff, The Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul and Mary was released in January 1963.
21. Sand formations: DUNES. The tallest DUNES in North America are in Colorado!
This is a link to a 1:30 min. orientation video from the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve.
24. Snack in a shell: TACO. "Escargot" did not fit.
30. "Awesome!": RAD.
31. Allstate's industry: Abbr.: INS. Allstate is an American INSurance company headquartered in Glenview, IL.
32. Foot the bill: PAY.
34. "American __": rock musical based on a Green Day album: IDIOT. This website has all the details -- plus the red tabs on the left have videos and songs.
35. Twelve sharp: NOON.
36. Many a Disney Channel star: TEEN IDOL.
39. Poseidon's staff: TRIDENT.
40. Gentle touch: CARESS.
41. Quite a lot: OCEANS. Def.: (noun) any great expanse or quantity.
42. Deflects through a basketball rim: TIPS IN. This is when an offensive player taps the ball into the hoop following a missed shot.
24. Snack in a shell: TACO. "Escargot" did not fit.
31. Allstate's industry: Abbr.: INS. Allstate is an American INSurance company headquartered in Glenview, IL.
34. "American __": rock musical based on a Green Day album: IDIOT. This website has all the details -- plus the red tabs on the left have videos and songs.
35. Twelve sharp: NOON.
High Noon original trailer (1952)
starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly
36. Many a Disney Channel star: TEEN IDOL.
39. Poseidon's staff: TRIDENT.
40. Gentle touch: CARESS.
41. Quite a lot: OCEANS. Def.: (noun) any great expanse or quantity.
42. Deflects through a basketball rim: TIPS IN. This is when an offensive player taps the ball into the hoop following a missed shot.
44. Electrical interruption: OUTAGE.
45. Run into: MEET.
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| Poor Wile E.! |
47. Pinnacles: APEXES.
49. Info, slangily: DEETS. details
50. Avarice: GREED.
51. Father Christmas: SANTA.
56. "Barry" cable network: HBO. I saw Season 1 and I hope to get around to watching the other seasons. Henry Winkler is brilliant as Gene Cousineau the acting coach. I cannot tell if he is a smooth hustler or if he believes his own schtick.
57. "Or so" suffix: -ISH. It seems we have made it to the finISH line!
49. Info, slangily: DEETS. details
50. Avarice: GREED.
51. Father Christmas: SANTA.
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| Click to enlarge. |
Time to serve up the grid:
I will be traveling so I am submitting this blog a few days early. If it turns out that there is a glaring omission, now you know why. (For example, I am wondering if Patti might 'remind' us of Samin's book in another puzzle between now and Monday.)
Our ever-vigilant admin, C.C. and TTP, can correct any errors you might find. Chat with you next month!
