Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with a Dyn-o-Mite puzzle from constructor, Margi Stevenson.
Theme:
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| Jimmie Walker as J.J. Evans in Good Times (1974-1979) His catchphrase really blew-up in popular culture. |
We'll begin with the four themed clues:
17 Across. Sound of the 1970s: DISCO MUSIC.
29 Across. Electronic source of percussion: DRUM MACHINE.
45 Across. Unaccredited source of degrees: DIPLOMA MILL.
61 Across. Hypothetical space stuff that doesn't interact with light: DARK MATTER.
The reveal is nicely tucked into the bottom, right corner:
69 Across. Private chats, briefly, and what 17-, 29-, 45-, and 61-Across literally are: DMS. Direct Messages
It's what you do when you want to chat with someone, but not in the general comments forum.
Across:
1. Was ahead: LED. and 15 Across. Ahead by a small margin: UP ONE.
4. __ eclipse: daytime celestial event: SOLAR. A big one is coming up on April 8. Where & When - NASA site
1. Was ahead: LED. and 15 Across. Ahead by a small margin: UP ONE.
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| The home team is leading by one point. |
4. __ eclipse: daytime celestial event: SOLAR. A big one is coming up on April 8. Where & When - NASA site
9. Iowa State's home: AMES.
13. Opera solo: ARIA.
16. Discourteous: RUDE.
19. Radiate: EMIT.
20. Pours from one container to another: DECANTS. DECANTing allows red wines to aerate. This hack works for me: pour one glass then put the cork back in the bottle. Shake the bottle hard. Remove the cork and let sit a few minutes before pouring the other glasses. (You can sip on the first glass while you wait. 😉)
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| Click to enlarge. |
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| <no DECANTing required> |
22. __ and beans: RICE. I just made a big pot of this yesterday. Two pounds dried pinto beans to 1 cup rice is a good ratio.
23. Novelist O'Brien: EDNA. This D was my last fill. It crosses with another name in 24-Down.
26. Early email provider: AOL.
27. Organ with an iris: EYE. At first I was thinking of Splynter's variety of organs but today it was an EYEball.
32. Cry: WEEP.
34. "Heck if I know": NO IDEA. "SAT XWD" also fit...
35. Looks up to: ESTEEMS. ...which is why I hold our Sat. blogger Husker Gary in such high ESTEEM.
38. Wine shop event: TASTING. Today I saw this ad in my weekly 'downtown events' email. I thought it was odd to call it a "Cigar Tasting". Have you heard of these?
42. G major analogue: E-MINOR. The song in 63-D is in F Major.
This is another way of asking what the relative key is for G Major. Both scales only have one sharp (F#).
44. Qatari leader: EMIR.
50. Suffix with percent: -ILE.
51. Florida NBA team, on scoreboards: ORL. ORLando Magic...as in the Magic Kingdom (Disney World)
52. CrossFit units: REPS.
53. Wood stove output: HEAT. The Miami HEAT NBA team also plays in Florida.
55. "Works __ time": EVERY.
57. Carrying capacity of a cargo ship: TONNAGE.
60. Trig function that models light waves: SINE. Light acts as both a wave and a particle.
44. Qatari leader: EMIR.
50. Suffix with percent: -ILE.
51. Florida NBA team, on scoreboards: ORL. ORLando Magic...as in the Magic Kingdom (Disney World)
52. CrossFit units: REPS.
53. Wood stove output: HEAT. The Miami HEAT NBA team also plays in Florida.
55. "Works __ time": EVERY.
57. Carrying capacity of a cargo ship: TONNAGE.
60. Trig function that models light waves: SINE. Light acts as both a wave and a particle.
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| Visible light is one component of the electromagnetism spectrum. |
64. Not taken in by: ONTO. Def.: being aware of a scheme.
65. Figure of speech: IDIOM. The IDIOM "barking up the wrong tree" means you are wrong or mistaken.
66. Word repeated after "Que" in a classic song: SERA.
Doris Day famously sang Que Sera, Sera when she appeared in Hitchcock's
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956).
Her co-stars were Jimmy Stewart and Peter Lorre.
67. Locksmith's supply: KEYS.
68. Canadian honker: GOOSE.
Down:
1. Diane of "Chesapeake Shores": LADD. Chesapeake Shores aired on the Hallmark Channel from 2016 to 2022.
2. The "E" of the Great Lakes HOMES mnemonic: ERIE.
3. Careful about what one reveals: DISCREET.
4. Historic fort in South Carolina: SUMTER. National Parks website plus a video
5. Numbered musical work: OPUS.
6. Part of UCLA: LOS. the University of California, Los Angeles
7. Singer DiFranco: ANI.
8. __ room: place for a foosball table: REC.
9. Square footage: AREA.
10. India's largest city: MUMBAI. The weather there today is expected to be sunny with highs in the low 90s and lows in the 70s with light winds and no rain.
11. Inventor Thomas who co-founded General Electric: EDISON.
12. Accept, with "for": SETTLE.
14. Antioxidant berry: ACAI.
18. How software was once sold: ON CD.
21. Dueling steps: PACES.
23. Angsty genre: EMO.
24. Composer Shostakovich: DMITRI. As I said at 23-Across, this D was my last fill. The M made me first do a mental run of the vowels and then the letter S. Nothing felt right. Finally I noticed that the last name was Russian and that gave me DMITRI.
68. Canadian honker: GOOSE.
Down:
1. Diane of "Chesapeake Shores": LADD. Chesapeake Shores aired on the Hallmark Channel from 2016 to 2022.
2. The "E" of the Great Lakes HOMES mnemonic: ERIE.
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| This Great Lakes mnemonic is less helpful. |
3. Careful about what one reveals: DISCREET.
4. Historic fort in South Carolina: SUMTER. National Parks website plus a video
5. Numbered musical work: OPUS.
6. Part of UCLA: LOS. the University of California, Los Angeles
7. Singer DiFranco: ANI.
8. __ room: place for a foosball table: REC.
9. Square footage: AREA.
10. India's largest city: MUMBAI. The weather there today is expected to be sunny with highs in the low 90s and lows in the 70s with light winds and no rain.
11. Inventor Thomas who co-founded General Electric: EDISON.
12. Accept, with "for": SETTLE.
14. Antioxidant berry: ACAI.
18. How software was once sold: ON CD.
21. Dueling steps: PACES.
23. Angsty genre: EMO.
24. Composer Shostakovich: DMITRI. As I said at 23-Across, this D was my last fill. The M made me first do a mental run of the vowels and then the letter S. Nothing felt right. Finally I noticed that the last name was Russian and that gave me DMITRI.
Here is his Suite for Jazz Orchestra #2 (1938).
25. Zero: NADA. and 40 Down. Zero: NIL.
27. Woolly mama: EWE. cute play on "wooly mammoth"
28. Agreeable reply: YES.
30. Open with a pop: UNSNAP. Def.: unfasten or open with a brisk movement and a sharp sound.
31. Despise: HATE.
33. Tangerine coat: PEEL.
36. Georgia school that's one of the New Ivies: EMORY.
37. Play charades, say: MIME. and 39 Down. Aped: IMITATED.
41. Test for M.A. hopefuls: GRE. The Graduate Record Examinations is a standardized test that is part of the admissions process for many graduate schools in North America. One would need to attend a graduate school to earn a Master of Arts degree.
43. Mantra syllables: OMS.
45. Makes a decent living: DOES OK.
25. Zero: NADA. and 40 Down. Zero: NIL.
27. Woolly mama: EWE. cute play on "wooly mammoth"
28. Agreeable reply: YES.
30. Open with a pop: UNSNAP. Def.: unfasten or open with a brisk movement and a sharp sound.
31. Despise: HATE.
33. Tangerine coat: PEEL.
36. Georgia school that's one of the New Ivies: EMORY.
37. Play charades, say: MIME. and 39 Down. Aped: IMITATED.
41. Test for M.A. hopefuls: GRE. The Graduate Record Examinations is a standardized test that is part of the admissions process for many graduate schools in North America. One would need to attend a graduate school to earn a Master of Arts degree.
43. Mantra syllables: OMS.
45. Makes a decent living: DOES OK.
The latest census numbers indicate what income ranges constitute the middle class (as of 2020). This will depend on family size. For a single individual, a middle-class income ranges from $30,000 - $90,000 per year. For a couple it starts at $42,430 up to $127,300; for a family of three, $60,000 - $180,000; and four $67,100 - $201,270. Investopedia article
46. "Trainspotting" novelist Welsh: IRVINE. goodreads link
47. More than enough: PLENTY.
48. YSL men's fragrance: L'HOMME.
49. "Girls" creator Dunham: LENA. Girls was a show on HBO from 2012-2017.
54. Industrious insects: ANTS.
56. Vintage Speed Wagons, e.g.: REOS.
57. Boxing match decisions, for short: TKOS. Technical Knockouts
58. Antiseptic target: GERM.
59. Notable times: ERAS. "ERAS" is also the name of Taylor Swift's current tour.
61. Use a shovel: DIG.
62. Ruckus: ADO.
63. Ipanema's city: RIO. It's not the first time you've heard this song...and it likely won't be the last. 😊
What a lovely finish to a Delightful Monday solve! Here's the grid:
46. "Trainspotting" novelist Welsh: IRVINE. goodreads link
47. More than enough: PLENTY.
48. YSL men's fragrance: L'HOMME.
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| about $33 per oz. at Nordstrom |
49. "Girls" creator Dunham: LENA. Girls was a show on HBO from 2012-2017.
54. Industrious insects: ANTS.
56. Vintage Speed Wagons, e.g.: REOS.
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| 1949 D19XA Pickup website |
57. Boxing match decisions, for short: TKOS. Technical Knockouts
58. Antiseptic target: GERM.
59. Notable times: ERAS. "ERAS" is also the name of Taylor Swift's current tour.
61. Use a shovel: DIG.
62. Ruckus: ADO.
63. Ipanema's city: RIO. It's not the first time you've heard this song...and it likely won't be the last. 😊
What a lovely finish to a Delightful Monday solve! Here's the grid:
Dasvidaniya Mates!
Notes from C.C.
I made today's "Making the Right Move" for the Atlas Obscura. Give it a whirl.
