Saturday, January 20, 2024, Amie Walker

 Saturday Themeless by Amie Walker

Amie Walker is an attorney/current stay-at-home parent to three little girls in Chandler, Arizona. When she’s not thinking about puzzles, she loves spending time with her family and singing in her women’s choir. Here is a picture of Amie on Jeopardy on 3/28/22. The video of the result of her game is at the bottom of this write-up. 

Amie's puzzle went slowly and I was done below the Mason Dixon Line before heading north. Single small words unlocked big areas.

Across:

1. "Designing Women" co-star: POTTS - Annie was a hoot as Mary Jo Shively (l.) in this great show. These days she is still a riot as Shelton's racy grandma (r.) in Young Sheldon.

     

 

6. Constellation critter: URSA - I went through the zodiac constellations until, duh, it was just a run of the mill constellation which contains the Big Dipper. Can you see the Big Dipper (BTW, it's an asterism not a constellation) below?

10. "Might as well" hashtag: YOLO - I'd try this and I'll bet Sumdaze has!

14. Watch part: STRAP.

15. Got down to business: SET UP SHOP - In a hilarious Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray and Peggy have a real battle on where they could SET UP SHOP to sell cookies.

17. Botanical opening: STOMA.

18. Auto-graph?: CAR SELFIE - I hope this car is at a stop! 😳

19. Salmorejo base: TOMATO - Salmorejo, sometimes known as ardoria or ardorío, is a traditional soup originating from Andalusia, southern Spain, made of tomato, bread, extra virgin olive oil and garlic.

21. Going around in circles, say: LOST 😀 Gotta love GPS!

22. German conjunction: UND - Dick UND Doof translates to Thick AND Stupid

23. "Encanto" uncle: BRUNO.

25. Some peaceful protests: LIE INS - The Woolworth lunch counter SIT INS in Greensboro, S.C. first came to my mind.

27. Comment before "He was dead the whole time," hopefully: SPOILER ALERT - Don't tell anyone how Psycho ends if they haven't seen it. 😀

30. Salt component: ION - This was the first thought for this guy who has taught chemistry but I fought it. Sodium (Na) gives up an electron and becomes a positive ION and Chlorine picks up that electron and becomes a negative ION. Ergo, they attract each other. 

31. Finest form: A-GAME - The NFL teams bring their A-GAME to the playoffs

32. Morally bankrupt: EVIL.

36. Cooks up: BREWS.

38. Ayesha Rascoe's network: NPR

39. 4-Down quality: UMAMI and 4. Wheat-free soy sauce: TAMARI What's the difference?

40. Informal get-together: SESH - Slang for session

41. Pool units: GENES - LANES in the swimming pool? Uh, not so much. 

43. Langston Hughes Library designer: LIN - Of course Mia Lin is more famous for this wall

               

44. "Let me recover from that": I NEED A MOMENT - My birthdate is as close to 1869 as it is to today!

48. Tears it up on the slopes: SHREDS.

50. Stage: PUT ON.

51. Cable abbr.: SHOwtime

52. Knob-handled tools: AWLS.

54. "Ish": SORT OF.

57. Mane squeezes?: PONY TAILS 😀

Husker VB 63. Squad: TEAM.
in front of 92,000 fans last. year

60. Serving a purpose: UTILE.

61. Paws-itive homebody?: INDOOR CAT - That's our Lily

62. Cliffside town west of M·laga: RONDA.

       

64. Like freshly moisturized skin: DEWY.

65. Bad look: SNEER.

Down:

1. Soft call: PSST.

2. Inflatable pilot in "Airplane!": OTTO - Ya gotta love OTTO Pilot

3. Ska instruments: TROMBONES.

5. Flippers?: SPATULAS 😀

6. Women of Troy's sch.: USC.

7. Rihanna's "As __ as You and Me": REAL.

8. Time out in the park?: STROLLER NAP 😀

9. Barbie owner?: AUSSIE 😀

10. Fashion house co-founded by Pierre BergÈ: YSL.

Yves             Pierre 
    Fashion        Business

11. "Love that for you!": OH FUN 😀

12. Cuts for Canadian-style bacon: LOINS - Yup, there it is on the label

13. News stand?: OP ED.

16. Filmmaker Jackson: PETER.

20. Donor type, briefly: O-NEG - A NASA guy would see ONE-G 😀

24. Part of a halftime snack for many a soccer player: ORANGE SLICE - Soccer mom on duty

26. Article: ITEM. 

27. Bros, e.g.: SIBS 😀

28. Toner target: PORE.

29. Totally psyched: AMPED 

33. Part of a heart-to-heart exchange: VALENTINE 😀

34. "You convinced me": I'M IN - Matt Damon apologized for getting people into this risky investment.

35. Trap collection: LINT.

37. Sound like a fan: WHIR.

39. Performances that might earn major props?: USO TOURS - Bob Hope would always bring out beautiful women and tell the majors, privates, et al, "I want you to remember what you're fighting for."

42. Grounded birds: EMUS 😀

45. "Swell": NEATO.

46. Part of PEI: EDWARD.

47. Big name in salt: MORTON - Joy MORTON was the son of Nebraska's great tree planter, and founder of Arbor Day, J. Sterling Morton. Joy moved to Chicago and founded MORTON Salt.

48. Dazzled: SHONE.

49. Passport producer: HONDA.

51. Narrow peninsula: SPIT - Dungeness SPIT in western Washington State

53. Leaves on the side: SLAW 😀

55. Tavern adjective: OLDE.

5183 Main St.
Manchester Center, VT

56. Cause of quakes: FEAR.

58. Hebrew for "day": YOM.

59. Total mess: STY.

It is very impressive that AMIE made the show but here is her unfortunate Final Jeopardy round: