Theme: It's a Jumble Out There!
SOUND MIXING usually refers to editing of audio files in a movie, whether to make sound levels even, to layer sounds, or to bring in additional sounds. Or something like that! We don't need to know the specifics here, because the trick is that the word SOUND is scrambled, or jumbled, in each of the answers to the starred clues.
The theme clues and answers are:
17. *Totally falls apart: COMES UNDONE. You can unscramble the red letters to spell SOUND.
25. *Floating lunar particles: MOONDUST. Again, red letters can be rearranged to spell SOUND.
39. *Gravity powered nourishment: INTRAVENOUS DRIP. Another mixed SOUND.
64. Audio technique, or a feature of the answers to the starred clues: SOUND MIXING. This is the big reveal, letting us know that the word SOUND is mixed (or scrambled, or jumbled) in the answers to the starred clues.
Would you say that this puzzle was built on a SOUND basis?
5. Comforting text during a bad storm, say: I'M SAFE. I tried I'M OKAY and I'M FINE first. I finally remembered seeing friends "mark themselves SAFE" on Facebook during crises.
11. Popeyes rival: KFC. Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken vs Kentucky Fried Chicken -- not Popeye vs Bluto.
19. 20-20, say: TIE. A tie occurs in sports when both players or teams have the same score.
20. Surgical tube: STENT.
21. "Deal": SOLD.
22. Offshore: ASEA.
23. Radiate happiness: BEAM.
25. [Theme entry]
51. [Theme entry]
56. Wolfe of fiction: NERO. Nero Wolfe is a fictional armchair detective created in 1934 by writer Rex Stout.
57. Professionals who work from home about a quarter of the time?: UMPS. UMPires work from behind home plate -- as well as from other positions on the baseball diamond.
58. Asian language: THAI.
60. Channels of communication: MEDIA.
63. "__ me guess ... ": LET.
64. [Theme entry -- the big reveal]
2. Bushels: A LOT.
3. Residential delivery?: HOME BIRTH. Cute!
4. Act divisions: SCENES.
5. Critical hosp. area: ICU. Intensive Care Unit.
6. Department store department: MENS. A fraction of the size of the women's department.
7. Genesis city: SODOM. Sodom and its sister city, Gomorrah, were destroyed by the Almighty for their evil ways. Lot's wife made the mistake of looking back at the destruction of the cities as she fled with her family, and the Almighty turned her into a pillar of salt.
13. Spiked shoe: CLEAT. A shoe with studs on the sole, or the stud itself, meant to provide grip on a slippery surface.
18. Saves or assists: STAT. Sports again?! Someone is keeping STATistics on every save or assist in the game. Hey, have you heard of the new punctuation mark, the interrobang? It's a question mark with an exclamation mark superimposed on it. Neat, huh‽
22. Said more: ADDED.
24. Griffin who created "Jeopardy!": MERV.
26. Loch __ monster: NESS. A mythical creature that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands
37. Lifford of "Queen Sugar": TINA. DNK.
38. Ad: SPOT.
40. Bridle straps: REINS.
41. Former Yank who's now part owner of the Timberwolves: A ROD. Apparently, Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) is one of the greatest players in the history of baseball.
42. Japanese noodle: UDON.
47. American leg of a concert series: US TOUR.
49. Frozen Four game: SEMI. Sports again‽
50. "Jurassic Park" dinos: T REXES. Tyrannosaurus rex (or T. rex) lived throughout what is now western North America in the Late Cretaceous period. It lived in the Jurassic Park movie, but not in the actual Jurassic period, which came before the Cretaceous.
51. Principles: RULES.
52. Last Greek letter: OMEGA.
53. Supermodel Kate: UPTON.
54. Saldaña's "Star Trek" role: UHURA. Zoë Saldaña plays Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek movies.
55. Slacks: PANTS.
59. Run in neutral: IDLE.
61. Still fighting: IN IT. We are IN IT to win it!
62. Grows older: AGES.
64. Sault __ Marie: STE. Sault Ste. Marie is a city in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
65. Month, in Mexico: MES.
Here's the grid. Mixed SOUNDs are in red letters.
Thanks for playing along!
Across:
1. Satisfied sounds: AAHS. Satisfied, but not mixed, SOUNDs.5. Comforting text during a bad storm, say: I'M SAFE. I tried I'M OKAY and I'M FINE first. I finally remembered seeing friends "mark themselves SAFE" on Facebook during crises.
11. Popeyes rival: KFC. Popeyes Famous Fried Chicken vs Kentucky Fried Chicken -- not Popeye vs Bluto.
14. Political coalition: BLOC.
15. Econ. figure used to highlight income inequality: CEO PAY. This did not immediately spring to mind as an economic figure. Note that an abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.
16. Every last one: ALL.
17. [Theme entry]
17. [Theme entry]
19. 20-20, say: TIE. A tie occurs in sports when both players or teams have the same score.
20. Surgical tube: STENT.
21. "Deal": SOLD.
22. Offshore: ASEA.
23. Radiate happiness: BEAM.
25. [Theme entry]
27. Hollywood VIP: A LISTER.
30. Doc's order: MED. A doctor orders medicine.
31. Bygone space station: MIR. Mir was a space station operated by the Soviet Union, and later by Russia, from 1986 to 2001.
32. Wine category: REDS. I love reds. DH loves whites. In summer, we agree on Rosés.
35. Breakaway groups: SECTS.
39. [Theme entry]
30. Doc's order: MED. A doctor orders medicine.
31. Bygone space station: MIR. Mir was a space station operated by the Soviet Union, and later by Russia, from 1986 to 2001.
32. Wine category: REDS. I love reds. DH loves whites. In summer, we agree on Rosés.
35. Breakaway groups: SECTS.
39. [Theme entry]
43. Anesthetic of old: ETHER.
44. Praise: LAUD.
45. Musician Yoko: ONO.
46. Debtor's letters: IOU. Short for "I owe you."
48. Words on some missing posters: LOST CAT. It's a dangerous world for lost pets.
45. Musician Yoko: ONO.
46. Debtor's letters: IOU. Short for "I owe you."
48. Words on some missing posters: LOST CAT. It's a dangerous world for lost pets.
51. [Theme entry]
56. Wolfe of fiction: NERO. Nero Wolfe is a fictional armchair detective created in 1934 by writer Rex Stout.
57. Professionals who work from home about a quarter of the time?: UMPS. UMPires work from behind home plate -- as well as from other positions on the baseball diamond.
58. Asian language: THAI.
60. Channels of communication: MEDIA.
63. "__ me guess ... ": LET.
64. [Theme entry -- the big reveal]
66. "Me" problem: EGO.
67. Terrarium pet: TURTLE. I have hosted a number of turtles in my home. One of them had a massive terrarium.
67. Terrarium pet: TURTLE. I have hosted a number of turtles in my home. One of them had a massive terrarium.
All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises.
(Tortoises are a land-dwelling subset of turtles.)
I photographed this Giant Tortoise on the island of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos.
68. "Night" author Wiesel: ELIE. "Night" is a terrifying Holocaust memoir.
69. __ Juan, Puerto Rico: SAN.
70. Wipes: ERASES.
71. Related groups: SETS. I imagine some of you are playing the New York Times "Connections" game. One of our youngsters showed it to me. Looked challenging.
Down:
1. Building blocks: ABCS. Building blocks, or ABCs, are basic elements that are vital to construct a thing. Words are the building blocks of language. Hard work and perseverance are the building blocks of success -- in crossword puzzle solving.
69. __ Juan, Puerto Rico: SAN.
70. Wipes: ERASES.
71. Related groups: SETS. I imagine some of you are playing the New York Times "Connections" game. One of our youngsters showed it to me. Looked challenging.
Down:
1. Building blocks: ABCS. Building blocks, or ABCs, are basic elements that are vital to construct a thing. Words are the building blocks of language. Hard work and perseverance are the building blocks of success -- in crossword puzzle solving.
2. Bushels: A LOT.
3. Residential delivery?: HOME BIRTH. Cute!
4. Act divisions: SCENES.
5. Critical hosp. area: ICU. Intensive Care Unit.
6. Department store department: MENS. A fraction of the size of the women's department.
7. Genesis city: SODOM. Sodom and its sister city, Gomorrah, were destroyed by the Almighty for their evil ways. Lot's wife made the mistake of looking back at the destruction of the cities as she fled with her family, and the Almighty turned her into a pillar of salt.
Or perhaps Lot's wife stopped to take a selfie.
8. Speed skater Ohno: APOLO.
9. Swifties, e.g.: FANDOM. "Use the word fandom to talk about the community of people who admire a particular celebrity, hero, sports team, or TV show." -- Vocabulary.com. In this case, Swifties are fans of Taylor Swift.
10. Word with public or private: EYE. "A private eye is a detective who works for private customers, rather than with a police department." "The public eye is the attention of the general public, or the focus of many people. Movie stars and famous criminals are both examples of people in the public eye." -- Vocabulary.com
11. Fried Japanese cutlet: KATSU. Breaded, fried meat. DNK (Did Not Know). Relied on perps (perpendicular entries, AKA crosses).
12. Takes a high way: FLIES. Takes an airplane, sure, but long ago:
9. Swifties, e.g.: FANDOM. "Use the word fandom to talk about the community of people who admire a particular celebrity, hero, sports team, or TV show." -- Vocabulary.com. In this case, Swifties are fans of Taylor Swift.
10. Word with public or private: EYE. "A private eye is a detective who works for private customers, rather than with a police department." "The public eye is the attention of the general public, or the focus of many people. Movie stars and famous criminals are both examples of people in the public eye." -- Vocabulary.com
11. Fried Japanese cutlet: KATSU. Breaded, fried meat. DNK (Did Not Know). Relied on perps (perpendicular entries, AKA crosses).
12. Takes a high way: FLIES. Takes an airplane, sure, but long ago:
O you take the high road, and I'll take the low road
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
13. Spiked shoe: CLEAT. A shoe with studs on the sole, or the stud itself, meant to provide grip on a slippery surface.
18. Saves or assists: STAT. Sports again?! Someone is keeping STATistics on every save or assist in the game. Hey, have you heard of the new punctuation mark, the interrobang? It's a question mark with an exclamation mark superimposed on it. Neat, huh‽
22. Said more: ADDED.
24. Griffin who created "Jeopardy!": MERV.
26. Loch __ monster: NESS. A mythical creature that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands
Nessie
27. Québec pal: AMIE. Female friend in French.
28. __ roller: LINT. Necessary equipment for dog and cat guardians.
29. Instagram video: REEL.
33. 23andMe material: DNA. Spit in a tube and learn about your ancestry! Amazing, really.
34. Genre for Otis Redding: SOUL.
36. Predator with powerful jaws: CROCODILE. The American Crocodile lives in the Neotropics, including South Florida, which is the only place it is found in the wild alongside the American Alligator. I prefer to find them from the deck of a river boat or from a boardwalk.
28. __ roller: LINT. Necessary equipment for dog and cat guardians.
29. Instagram video: REEL.
33. 23andMe material: DNA. Spit in a tube and learn about your ancestry! Amazing, really.
34. Genre for Otis Redding: SOUL.
36. Predator with powerful jaws: CROCODILE. The American Crocodile lives in the Neotropics, including South Florida, which is the only place it is found in the wild alongside the American Alligator. I prefer to find them from the deck of a river boat or from a boardwalk.
Alligator on the left -- Crocodile on the right
37. Lifford of "Queen Sugar": TINA. DNK.
38. Ad: SPOT.
40. Bridle straps: REINS.
41. Former Yank who's now part owner of the Timberwolves: A ROD. Apparently, Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) is one of the greatest players in the history of baseball.
42. Japanese noodle: UDON.
47. American leg of a concert series: US TOUR.
49. Frozen Four game: SEMI. Sports again‽
50. "Jurassic Park" dinos: T REXES. Tyrannosaurus rex (or T. rex) lived throughout what is now western North America in the Late Cretaceous period. It lived in the Jurassic Park movie, but not in the actual Jurassic period, which came before the Cretaceous.
My dad the paleontologist didn't raise no anachronists.
51. Principles: RULES.
52. Last Greek letter: OMEGA.
53. Supermodel Kate: UPTON.
54. Saldaña's "Star Trek" role: UHURA. Zoë Saldaña plays Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek movies.
55. Slacks: PANTS.
59. Run in neutral: IDLE.
61. Still fighting: IN IT. We are IN IT to win it!
62. Grows older: AGES.
64. Sault __ Marie: STE. Sault Ste. Marie is a city in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
65. Month, in Mexico: MES.
Here's the grid. Mixed SOUNDs are in red letters.
-- NaomiZ
Notes from C.C.: Happy birthday to CanadianEh!,
who's been with our blog since 2012. Wishing you a beautiful and fun-filled day, Eh! Thanks for all the informative and caring posts all these years.
