Themeless Saturday by Jess Rucks
Jess has separated from the Air Force after five years of service where she told me served as an Urdu linguist, not interpreter. She now lives in Colorado Springs with her husband who serves in the U.S. Space Force. This is a picture with her and her then 5-year-old son having a good time on the playground. Jess assures me this is Urdu for, "I hope you enjoyed Jess's puzzle."
مجھے امید ہے کہ آپ نے جیس کی پہیلی کا لطف اٹھایا ہوگا۔
Across:
1. Beach blanket: SAND - 😀 Yeah, I guess beaches are blanketed with SAND
5. __ Men: one-hit junkanoo band of 2000: BAHA.
9. Member of a dazzle: ZEBRA - I'd probably still say herd
14. "Van Helsing" role: IGOR.
15. Smart __: ALEC.
16. Location of the Karnak Temple Complex: EGYPT - A visit to the Karnak Temple Complex is part of Agatha Christie's plot in this Poirot movie.
17. Have empathy: CARE.
18. Pepa or pepper partner: SALT - 😀 The less common of the pairing.
19. "Buona __": NOTTE - Good Night in Italian. I hope Jess will stop in to tell us if شب بخیر is correct in Urdu.
20. Phrase on a shamrock-green T-shirt: KISS ME I'M IRISH - I'd love to buy this for a dear lady we all know on our Crossword Corner!
23. "Almost ready": ONE SEC.
24. Sleeping soundly: OUT.
25. Hermey of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," for one: ELF - Who knew?
28. Comedian who wrote "Cracking Up" and "I Know I Am, but What Are You?": SAMANTHA BEE.
32. Hodgepodge: MISH MASH.
35. Hoity-toity type: SNOOT.
36. Euler's field: MATH - If you're a math peep like I am, you know it is pronounced OY LER. Bonus points for understanding this:
37. Vital organ elements: PIPES - Our good friend Splynter knows a lot about these elements! Be sure to read his comments below the write-up!
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40. "Long story short ... ": IN SUM.
42. Motocross need: DIRT BIKE.
44. Cozy aesthetic: COTTAGE CORE.
46. Goof: ERR.
47. Camel kin: TAN.
48. Some event notices: E-VITES
53. "Stop misquoting me!": I DIDN'T SAY THAT.
57. Treadmill options: PACES - It's in here somewhere
59. Throaty sound: AHEM.
60. Cornstarch brand: ARGO - Also the ship for Jason and the Argonauts
61. Rice brews: SAKES.
62. "American Chopper" argument, e.g.: MEME.
63. Diminutive of Dolores: LOLA - Did anyone else think of Gwen Verdon and Damn Yankees?
64. Aromatic herb: THYME.
65. Robed dignitary: EMIR.
66. Chuck: YEET - A well known synonym for throw is softball circles
Down:
1. Travis Scott's "__ Mode": SICKO.
2. Once more: AGAIN.
3. Like Freya and Hel: NORSE.
4. Word with down or up: DRESS 😀
5. One of two near Everest: BASE CAMP - All who climb 29,00o foot Everest must first make the 8 - 12 day difficult but doable trek up to BASE CAMP at 17,500 feet. This family did make it to BASE CAMP with their kids.
6. Jai __: ALAI - A fav game in Crosswordland
7. Tiller: HELM - He is "at the HELM" because he has his hand on the tiller
7. Tiller: HELM - He is "at the HELM" because he has his hand on the tiller
8. Lara Croft, for one: ACTION HERO.
9. High points: ZENITHS - Big brother to cwd regulars acme and apex
10. Super followers?: EGOS.
11. Without any variation: BY THE BOOK.
12. Sch. assignment: RPT.
13. Made a fast stop: ATE 😀 On Easter Sunday, March 31 this year, those of you who fast for lent can stop.
21. Breathable fabric: MESH.
22. Groove: RUT - There can be a big difference
26. Currency in West Africa: LEONE - This bike in Freetown, Sierra Leone will run you 107,000,000 LEONES or about $4,400.
29. Handle for a née-sayer: MAIDEN NAME - I have no issue with keeping a surname after marriage
30. Savory jelly: ASPIC.
31. Start to freeze?: ANTI.
32. Large estate: MANOR.
33. "Too much to get into": IT'S TRICKY.
34. Close: SHUT - klōz not klōs
36. Game for owls: MICE 😀
38. Cord cutter, perhaps: STREAMER 😀
41. "Blue Nude" painter: MATISSE.
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| A set of three |
45. Josh who plays Shakespeare on "History of the World, Part II": GAD.
49. Winner of four FIFA World Cups: ITALY.
50. Paroxysm: THROE.
51. Old quarter back: EAGLE - 😀 In this clue, quarter back is two words. Now the obverse side still has George Washington but the reverse side has hosted an EAGLE and many special images
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| Old quarter |
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| A example of a new quarter |
54. Judge: DEEM.
55. Creature feature with giant ants: THEM - Circa 1954
57. Wash. setting: PST - Washington state is two hours behind me where I'm on CST
58. "That's the spot": AAH - I'll bet that's how you feel after finishing Jess's fun puzzle!
From Splynter:
Hi Gary,
Most of what I do for the company concerns design, drafting and the installation of the components of a pipe organ - chests, reservoirs, windlines, etc. I am rarely on site when the actual pipes get put on the chests. I did find some images, but nothing special, see attached. I had a coworker snap the image, also attached, when we recycled zinc pipes that did not get voiced and reinstalled at a church. I then took a selfie ( and I really, really wanted to send you a "shelfie", too ) Here are half of the facade pipes from the National Cathedral before we took them down and refurbished them.
Splynter
