Four What It's Wurth
Today constructor Rebecca Goldstein presents us with three straightforward theme clues and a rather cryptic reveal, one of those puzzles within a puzzle. Here are the theme clues.
17. Patrons of the arts: CULTURE VULTURES. After getting this on perps, I thought it might be a rhyming theme -- but it wasn't. There seem to be several definitions for this phrase. Here's a poetic definition by Christopher Lindsay
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| Vultures in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarves |
27. Fluffy blockers of the sun: CUMULUS CLOUDS. This one was pretty obvious. Cumulus clouds have flat bases and are often described as puffy, cotton-like, or fluffy in appearance. Their name derives from the Latin cumulus, meaning "heap" or "pile", as in "to accumulate".
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| Cumulus clouds |
48. Coined phrase?: E PLURIBUS UNUM. Today's Latin lesson: "Out of many, one", a phrase describing the unity of our nation -- one state comprised of many states. It appears on the Great Seal of the United States, and on the coinage and paper bills of our currency. It is also the title of this book by former President George W. Bush ...
61. "So great, bestie!," and a phonetic hint to 17-, 27-, and 48-Across: I LOVE THAT FOR YOU.
This was not so easy to get, as I initially had HOPE instead of HYPE for 58 down. The FOR YOU in the fill is a homophone for the FOUR Us that occur in each of the themers. Here's how they appear in the grid ...
Here's the rest ...
Across:
1. Topic covered in middle school math: RATIOS. In mathematics, a ratio shows how many times one number contains another. For example, if there are eight oranges and six lemons in a bowl of fruit, then the ratio of oranges to lemons is eight to six (that is, 8:6, which is equivalent to the ratio 4:3).
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| The ratio of width to height of standard-definition television (aka the "aspect ratio") |
7. Pretax funds for medical expenses: Abbr.: HSA. Health Savings Account (HSA). A type of savings account that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. By using untaxed dollars in an HSA to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and some other expenses, you may be able to lower your out-of-pocket health care costs.
10. Salty snack: CHIP.
14. Tennis great Andre: AGASSI. Andre Kirk Agassi (born April 29, 1970) is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. He is an eight-time major champion, an Olympic gold medalist, and a runner-up in seven other majors. Agassi is the second of five men to achieve the career Grand Slam in the Open Era and the fifth of eight overall to make the achievement. He is also the first of two men to achieve the career Golden Slam (career Grand Slam and Olympic gold medal), as well as the only man to win a career Super Slam (career Grand Slam, plus the Olympic gold medal and the year-end championships). He has been married to tennis great Steffi Graf since 2001 ...
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| October 22, 2001 |
16. Traditional Maori dance: HAKA. Traditionally, HAKA was a customary way to welcome visiting tribes, but it also served to invigorate warriors as they headed into battle. It was a show of physical prowess but also an embodiment of cultural pride, strength, and unity. It was intended to strike fear in the hearts of the enemy, but perhaps more so, to get them to retreat, avoiding bloodshed on both sides. Today is often danced when New Zealanders start a contest in competitive sports such as rugby or soccer and thus it is known to sports fans around the world ...17. [Theme clue]
20. Per: EACH.
21. Chill: VEG. Just act like a VEGetable and relax! 😀
22. Regions: AREAS.
23. Recurring theme: MOTIF. Recurring themes are used in all types of music, but in none more than in Richard Wagner's four opera Ring Cycle. In these operas they are called leitmotifs ("leading themes") and they play a important role in announcing the arrival of characters, objects, emotions, and places. In this brief clip members of the Metropolitan Opera's brass section explain and play some of the major leitmotifs from the cycle ...
26. Inspired stuff: AIR. The guys illustrating the last clue are inspiring a lot of AIR, demonstrating some of Richard Wagner's inspirations for several new types of instruments.
27. [Theme clue]
32. Up for the day: ARISEN.
34. Minor issue: NIT.
35. Quick cut: SNIP.
36. Small drink?: BEV. Short for BEVerage.
37. Volleyball court divider: NET.
39. Where to hang one's hat: PEG. Or the INSPIRATION for this song ...
41. Average guy: JOE. Or a BEV I drink soon after I've ARISEN.
42. Villain's hideout: LAIR. According to this book, some of those LAIRS are pretty fancy hideouts ...
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| LAIR Chad Oppenheim , Andrea Gollin, et al. |
44. Little glob: DAB. We had a DAB of Brylcreem just last week.
46. Insist on: DEMAND.
48. [Theme clue]
51. Thumbs-down in Dijon: NON. Today's French lesson: "NO", in a town that DEMANDS that any mustard be made locally. 😀
52. Drew (in): ROPED.
53. Pod used as a chocolate substitute: CAROB. The carob, sometimes called "the poor man's chocolate" is a flowering evergreen tree or shrub widely cultivated for its edible fruit, which takes the form of seed pods. The carob tree is native to the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. Portugal is the largest producer of carob, followed by Italy and Morocco. Here's a recipe for Carob Almond Freezer Fudge.
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| Carob pods and leaves |
57. Flight of fancy: WHIM.
61. [Theme reveal]
65. Heavy volume: TOME. You can have a limited edition of this TOME containing the complete works of Shakespeare for only $460 or 5 monthly installments of $92 ...
66. Make things interesting, say: BET. Just make sure it's a sure thing!
67. Acclimates: ADAPTS.
68. Time between birthdays: YEAR.
69. Reddit Q&A: AMA. Ask Me Anything. But you'd better take a seat first. 😀
70. Spotify button: REPEAT.
Down:
11. Jackrabbit, e.g.: HARE.
12. Billy bookcase retailer: IKEA. Ektorp.
13. "Nah, thanks": PASS.
18. Wicked: EVIL.
19. Shadow: TAIL. As in TAILING a suspect.
24. Bad sign: OMEN. Albert King sings the blues ...
25. Aware of one's surroundings: TUNED IN. In the Sixties, a lot of hippies TURNED ON, TUNED IN, and DROPPED OUT. 😀
26. Pulled shenanigans: ACTED UP. A lot of those were going on back then too.
27. On speaking terms, say: CIVIL. Civility appears to be a lost art.
28. Small drink: SIP. A clecho with 36A . DNK that the term clecho was actually invented on the Corner by someone named Dennis? Hand up if you know him?
29. Remove a crumpled sheet from, maybe: UN JAM. E.g. a Laser printer. When I was in IT support I often said that "Computers would be really great if it weren't for printers!".
30. Singer Celine: DION. Celine Dion sings a stirring rendition of Édith Piaf’s Hymne à l’amour ("Hymn to Love") at the base of the Eiffel Tower on the evening of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony ...(and a CSO to CanadianEh!) ...
31. Tested a certain limit: SPED.
32. Having the wherewithal: ABLE.
33. Collect crops: REAP.
38. Word often seen under a tilde?: TAB.
40. Molecular biology unit: GENE. It’s time to admit that GENES are not the blueprint for life -- is the title of a Nature article by one of my favorite biologists reviewing a book by one of my favorite science writers --
43. End a few minutes late: RUN OVER.
45. Creamy cheese: BURRATA. Burrata is an Italian cow's milk (occasionally buffalo milk) cheese made from mozzarella and cream. The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella and clotted cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is a specialty of the Puglia region of southern Italy. Here's a recipe.
47. Cleansing treatment that sounds dirty: MUD WRAP. I seem to get WRAPPED up in MUD every time I go down to my studio. 😀
49. Plushy hotel perk: ROBE. Also a 1953 film starring Jean Simmons and Richard Burton ...
50. Word with launch or landing: SOFT.
53. Dot on a map: CITY.
54. Plant toxic to some pets: ALOE. Funny that Aloe is toxic to some pets, but not to humans -- you can actually add the stuff to smoothies. And here's another shameless ripoff from Hahtoolah's cartoon hoard ...
55. Tomato type: ROMA. How to grow Roma tomatoes. And here's a recipe for tomato sauce that requires no peeling or blanching.
56. "I'm standing right here": AHEM.
58. Build up anticipation: HYPE. We'll be hearing a hyper amount of it in the coming weeks ... 😔
59. Greek vowel: IOTA.
60. Absolute necessity: MUST.
62. Placeholder abbr.: TBA. To Be Announced, but first it's TBD.
63. Not even close: FAR.
64. Venerating verse: ODE. Here's an Ode to Odes from the Chicago Poetry Center.
65. Heavy volume: TOME. You can have a limited edition of this TOME containing the complete works of Shakespeare for only $460 or 5 monthly installments of $92 ...
66. Make things interesting, say: BET. Just make sure it's a sure thing!
67. Acclimates: ADAPTS.
68. Time between birthdays: YEAR.
69. Reddit Q&A: AMA. Ask Me Anything. But you'd better take a seat first. 😀
70. Spotify button: REPEAT.
Down:
1. Fun run, for one: RACE.
2. Amazon contents: AGUA. Today's Spanish lesson: "Water", as in the water in the Amazon River, which passes through Peru, significant parts of Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia, and a small area of Venezuela. As it also passes through Brazil, so it is also today's Portuguese lesson: ÁGUA.
3. Mineral no longer used in baby powder: TALC. TALC is a clay mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate, with the chemical formula Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. In 2019 Johnson and Johnson discontinued sales of their baby powder product, due to the association of the mineral in nature with asbestos, a known carcinogen.
TALC is still widely used in ceramic clay bodies and glazes. With proper dust control in the studio it does not pose any risks ...
4. Land bridge: ISTHMUS. Try saying that 3 times real fast! 😀
5. Columbus campus initials: OSU. Ohio State University.
6. Salutation in a salute: SIR.
7. "Enjoy yourself": HAVE FUN.
8. Not at all baggy: SNUG. Like a BUG in a RUG. 😀
9. 53-Down with more than 70 sts. that have a form of "Peachtree" in their names: ATL. "sts" is an abbreviation for "streets" and ATL is an abbreviation for a particular 53D.
10. Pastries often dipped in chocolate: CHURROS. Here's a recipe (I think Misty is going to like this puzzle!). I bet you could dip them in hot Carob sauce too.
2. Amazon contents: AGUA. Today's Spanish lesson: "Water", as in the water in the Amazon River, which passes through Peru, significant parts of Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia, and a small area of Venezuela. As it also passes through Brazil, so it is also today's Portuguese lesson: ÁGUA.
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| Amazon River |
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| Johnson and Johnson baby powder |
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| Talc based Silky Matte glazes |
5. Columbus campus initials: OSU. Ohio State University.
7. "Enjoy yourself": HAVE FUN.
8. Not at all baggy: SNUG. Like a BUG in a RUG. 😀
9. 53-Down with more than 70 sts. that have a form of "Peachtree" in their names: ATL. "sts" is an abbreviation for "streets" and ATL is an abbreviation for a particular 53D.
10. Pastries often dipped in chocolate: CHURROS. Here's a recipe (I think Misty is going to like this puzzle!). I bet you could dip them in hot Carob sauce too.
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| Churros |
12. Billy bookcase retailer: IKEA. Ektorp.
13. "Nah, thanks": PASS.
18. Wicked: EVIL.
19. Shadow: TAIL. As in TAILING a suspect.
24. Bad sign: OMEN. Albert King sings the blues ...
26. Pulled shenanigans: ACTED UP. A lot of those were going on back then too.
27. On speaking terms, say: CIVIL. Civility appears to be a lost art.
28. Small drink: SIP. A clecho with 36A . DNK that the term clecho was actually invented on the Corner by someone named Dennis? Hand up if you know him?
29. Remove a crumpled sheet from, maybe: UN JAM. E.g. a Laser printer. When I was in IT support I often said that "Computers would be really great if it weren't for printers!".
30. Singer Celine: DION. Celine Dion sings a stirring rendition of Édith Piaf’s Hymne à l’amour ("Hymn to Love") at the base of the Eiffel Tower on the evening of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony ...(and a CSO to CanadianEh!) ...
31. Tested a certain limit: SPED.
32. Having the wherewithal: ABLE.
33. Collect crops: REAP.
38. Word often seen under a tilde?: TAB.
40. Molecular biology unit: GENE. It’s time to admit that GENES are not the blueprint for life -- is the title of a Nature article by one of my favorite biologists reviewing a book by one of my favorite science writers --
 |
| Amazon link |
45. Creamy cheese: BURRATA. Burrata is an Italian cow's milk (occasionally buffalo milk) cheese made from mozzarella and cream. The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella and clotted cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is a specialty of the Puglia region of southern Italy. Here's a recipe.
 |
| Burrata with heirloom tomatoes |
49. Plushy hotel perk: ROBE. Also a 1953 film starring Jean Simmons and Richard Burton ...
50. Word with launch or landing: SOFT.
53. Dot on a map: CITY.
54. Plant toxic to some pets: ALOE. Funny that Aloe is toxic to some pets, but not to humans -- you can actually add the stuff to smoothies. And here's another shameless ripoff from Hahtoolah's cartoon hoard ...
55. Tomato type: ROMA. How to grow Roma tomatoes. And here's a recipe for tomato sauce that requires no peeling or blanching.
56. "I'm standing right here": AHEM.
58. Build up anticipation: HYPE. We'll be hearing a hyper amount of it in the coming weeks ... 😔
59. Greek vowel: IOTA.
60. Absolute necessity: MUST.
62. Placeholder abbr.: TBA. To Be Announced, but first it's TBD.
63. Not even close: FAR.
64. Venerating verse: ODE. Here's an Ode to Odes from the Chicago Poetry Center.
Cheers,
Bill
And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.
waseeley
