Saturday, September 21, 2024, Maddy Ziegler

 Saturday Themeless by Maddy Ziegler

After quite a few Saturday puzzle fastballs (including yesterday's BRITA exercise), Maddy's initial LA Times offering is a nice changeup. I had an enjoyable 20-minute stroll and  really liked her three, helpful grid-spanners! 

Happy Autumn Equinox Eve!

Tomorrow at 7:43 a.m. CDT
The Sun will be directly over the equator

Across:

1. Only marsupial native to the Americas: OPOSSUM - A possum is a type of marsupial, native to Australasia. An opossum is also a type of marsupial, but one that is native to the Americas. A video explanation 

8. Least approachable: ICIEST.

14. Repeating numbers: REPRISES - You can find the reprise in the album track list

16. Mogadishu language: SOMALI.

17. Unleashed unintended consequences: CREATED A MONSTER

19. Stimulator of Vitamin D production: SUN.

20. Spurs great Ginóbili: MANU.

21. Body style: COUPE - People my age can remember leaning the front seat forward so people can get in or out of a two-door COUPE

22. Bleak breakfast: GRUEL.

25. Carve out a career?: SCULPT - Carve out AS a career. 

27. Some flowering succulents: ALOES.

29. Picked up: HEARD.

Jodie Foster in Contact

30. Entertains with a story, say: READS ALOUD - Some of the best time I ever spent with grandchildren

33. Flapper's cut: BOB.

36. Broadcast booth role: COLOR COMMENTARY - Tom Brady's debut got mixed reviews

39. Walk-__: ONS - Nebraska is famous for kids who WALK-ON without a scholarship and become stars

40. Game element that requires a hands-on approach: TWISTER MAT.

41. Slice: PIECE.

43. __ car: CABLE - Tony Bennett sang about the city Where little CABLE cars climb halfway to the stars

44. Actress Seyfried: AMANDA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

46. Harajuku district locale: TOKYO.

  

48. Kills it: SLAYS.

49. "Good Luck, Babe!" singer Chappell: ROAN - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

51. Tribute poem: ODE.

54. Kellogg's Light-Up Saber Spoon, Super Sugar Crisp Mystery Ball, Alpha-Bits Pocket Printer, et al.: CEREAL BOX PRIZES.

My 1950's Prize
that used baking powder
for "fuel"

58. Eczema treatment brand: AVEENO.

59. Nonverbal "D'oh!": HEAD SLAP.

60. Meddles (with): MESSES.

61. "The Bear," for one: DRAMEDY - I really liked this great DRAMEDY

Down:

1. "The Elder Scrolls" beasts: ORCS.

2. Arequipa's land: PERU 

At an elevation of 7,300 ft.

3. Easy shots: OPEN GOALS.

4. Sp. honorific: SRA.

5. Host's request: SIT.

6. Volunteer's offer: USE ME.

7. Award for Simone Biles: MEDAL and 53. Award for Simone Biles: ESPY - She also got one of these

 

8. Classified ad shorthand: ISO - In Search Of

9. Agree: CONCUR and 10. "Agreed!": I'M SOLD.

11. Scarf: EAT UP.

12. Lay dormant: SLEPT - Cicada eggs can lie dormant for years

13. Many a tree swing: TIRE.

15. __ Bernardino: SAN - Don't most people not pronounce the "R" in the middle?

1905

18. Halls of fame, essentially: MUSEUMS - The Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown, NY is on my bucket list.

23. Mulligan: REDO - Our group  allows one mulligan for the front and back nine.

24. Letters on an outdated globe: USSR.

26. VMI student: CADET.

27. West Coast gas brand: ARCO.

28. "Gold-Diggers Sound" singer Bridges: LEON ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

29. Pal: HOMIE.

31. Played a part: ACTED.

32. Like some diets: LOW CARB.

33. Buffalo: BAMBOOZLE.

34. Lacking a paper trail: ORAL.

35. Storage unit: BYTE.

37. Make out: NECK.

38. Printer part: TRAY.

41. Check list?: PAYEES 😀 They each get one...

42. Outrageous: INSANE.

44. Naproxen brand: ALEVE.

45. Members of a stable family?: MARES 😀

46. Took a toll on: TAXED - TAXED by taxes

47. Equal (with): ON PAR.

48. Con: SCAM.

50. "Wow!": OOH.

52. Bricked: DEAD.

55. L.A. City Council leader?: LOS 😀

56. Nutrition fig.: RDA.

57. Philosophy: ISM.