Sunday, September 22, 2024, Zhouqin Burnikel

 Theme:  "Spanglish"

Spanglish is a mixture of Spanish and English, typical of Spanish speaking immigrants to English speaking countries, who -- like most language learners -- rely on a mix of the native tongue and the new.  In today's puzzle by veteran constructor and our blog mistress, Zhouqin Burnikel (known here in the Corner as C.C.), the answers to theme clues are English phrases that can be read with a Spanglish meaning.  Let's see ... !  Vamos a ver ... !  Here are the theme clues -- each distinguished by a question mark -- and the answers.

23 Across. Number of NBA championships won by Bill Russell?: ONCE IN A LIFETIME.

You might think that Bill Russell only won the NBA championship once, but he actually won it eleven -- once [pronounced ON-say] -- times!

38 Across. Heaven for basic seasoning lovers?: SAL PARADISE.

Sal Paradise is the protagonist of Jack Kerouac's 1957 novel, "On the Road."  Or maybe ... it is a wonderful place for those who love salt -- which is sal, in Spanish.

My cousins visited this salt operation in Baja California, Mexico.

56 Across. Introduction for a cartoon hamburger?: SOY PROTEIN.

As a vegetarian, I try to incoporate a little soy protein in my diet.  But if I were a Spanish hamburger, I might say, "Hola, soy proteína!"   Soy means "I am."

80 Across. Carb choice of Olympic marathon runners?: PAN FOR GOLD.

Folks raced to California to pan for gold during the California gold rush (1848–1855).  But if you were a Spanish speaking athlete, you might take pan (bread) in exchange for gold.

98 Across. Typical posture for a cancan dancer?: PIE IN THE SKY.

Pie [pronounced pee-AY] means "foot" in Spanish.

A cancan dancer with her pie in the sky.

115 Across. Representative for Buckingham Palace, say?: REAL ESTATE AGENT.

Real [pronounced ray-AL] means "royal" in Spanish.

37 Down. Sweet spread for a teen's birthday celebration?: QUINCE JELLY.

Quince is a pear-like fruit that can be made into jelly.  Or ... maybe it is a special treat for a birthday party when a young person turns fifteen -- which is quince [pronounced KEEN-say] in Spanish.  A quinceañera is a celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday.  Here in Los Angeles, the festivities usually include religious services and an elaborate party with dancing.

41 Down. Gene carrier that keeps people wanting more?: Y CHROMOSOME.

The Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes that determine an individual's biological sex.  Usually, a male has an X and a Y chromosome, whereas a female has two X chromosomes.  But in Spanish, "y" [pronounced EE] means "and."  Imagine a chromosome (which is a gene carrier, by the way), saying, "And ... ?"  "¿Y ...?"

So many theme clues and answers!  ¡Tantas pistas y respuestas temáticas!

Extra impressive because English is not C.C.'s first language, and her native tongue is not Spanish, either!  

Here are the rest of the clues and answers.  Aquí están el resto de las pistas y respuestas.

Across:

1. Hoity-toity type: SNOB.

5. "Poker Face" singer Lady __: GAGA.

9. Berth place: WHARF.

14. Former TV drama set in SoCal: LA LAW.

19. Anecdotal tales: LORE.

20. Genesis garden: EDEN.

21. Code breaker?: ERROR.  When you write computer code, an error in the code may break the functionality.  Amirite?  Coders, please chime in.

22. Fill with joy: ELATE.

23. [Theme clue]

26. Island near Java: TIMOR.

27. Baby panda: BEAR CUB.  In 1985, molecular studies indicated that the giant panda is a true bear, part of the family Ursidae.  In case you wondered.

28. Dr. with a dream: MLK.  Dr. Martin Luther King.

29. Video game where players round up primates: APE ESCAPE.  A game for Sony PlayStation.

31. Early console letters: NES.  Nintendo Entertainment System.  This was the game system we had when the kids were growing up.  I enjoyed playing Tetris, where you fit falling shapes into rows. 

32. Office assistant: AIDE.

34. Remove from a page: ERASE.

35. Stimulate, as curiosity: PIQUE.

38. [Theme clue]

41. NFL gains: Abbr.: YDS.  Oh, no!  I have to explain a sports thing.  Players in the National Football League make gains measured in "yards"!

44. Decisive win: ROUT.

45. School book fair org.: PTA.  The Parent Teacher Association may organize special events and fund-raising activities for the school.

46. In __: harmonized: SYNC.

47. Song that was never a single: DEEP CUT.  A deep cut is a song that is less widely played and less well-known than other songs on the same album or by the same artist.

49. Soul great Redding: OTIS.  Otis Redding (1941-1967) was an American singer and songwriter, nicknamed the "King of Soul."  He was only 26 years old when he died in a plane crash.  Shortly before his death, Redding wrote and recorded his iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. 

Otis Redding

50. Rabbit kin: HARE.

52. Annoyed: IRKED.

54. Words of surprise: OH MY.

55. Prohibit: BAN.

56. [Theme clue]

59. Detergent powder: BORAX.

60. Miracle-Gro alternative: SCOTTS.

62. "Feels so good!": AAH.

63. Pluto, for one: DOG.  Pluto is Mickey Mouse's pet dog in Disney cartoons.

65. People unlikely to develop crushes, briefly: AROS.  Some folks do not experience romantic attraction to others.  They are "aromantic" people, popularly called aro (or plural aros).  They have their own pride flag!

66. Skin care product long used by Aboriginal people in Australia: EMU OIL.  WebMD says:  "People use emu oil for hair loss, eczema, burns, high cholesterol, psoriasis, wound healing, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses."  Yes, they kill the emu and distill its fatty bits into oil.

Is this all I am to you?

68. Seller of Souls: KIA.  The Kia Soul is a compact car manufactured in South Korea.

70. Amazes an audience: WOWS 'EM.

72. Spun records: DJ'ED.  Also DJed or DJ'd or Deejayed.

73. Goose egg: NIL.  "Goose egg" can be used to mean "zero."  "Nil" also means zero, especially in the context of score keeping.

75. College domain: EDU.  College and university websites and email addresses end in .edu which is a top-level web domain.

77. Steering gear component: TIE ROD.  A tie rod connects the steering rack to the steering arm, which is connected to the steering wheel.  You cannot steer your car without tie rods.

79. Some facials: PEELS.

80. [Theme clue]

83. Cry noisily: SOB.

85. Result of a good pitch: SALE.

86. South American barbecue: ASADO.  Asado is a South American barbecue technique that involves cooking meat over an open fire or grill.

This Argentine asado looks like a Biblical trauma.

88. Olympic event whose name comes from the French for "sled": LUGE.

89. Caramel candy: ROLO.

90. Full of bluster: ALL TALK.

92. Writer/illustrator Carle: ERIC.

95. N's on sorority row: NUS.  Nu is a letter of the Greek alphabet used to represent the "n" sound.  The names of fraternities and sororities generally consist of two or three Greek letters.

96. Balls, in dodgeball: AMMO.  In dodgeball, balls are used as ammunition (or ammo) against the opposing team.

97. Hog hangout: STY.

98. [Theme clue]

101. Think pieces: IDEAS.

102. Expels, as lava: SPEWS.

103. "__ smokes!": HOLY.

104. Reggae kin: SKA.

105. Coverage of regional events: LOCAL NEWS.

109. Texting nicety: PLS.  Texting shorthand for please.

110. Many Mount Everest mountaineers: SHERPAS.  The real heroes of Mount Everest!

114. "Yes we can" sloganeer of 2008: OBAMA.

115. [Theme clue]

118. "Never needs sharpening" brand: GINSU.

119. Some British peers: EARLS.

120. Actress Falco: EDIE.

121. Cosmetics chain: ULTA.

122. Place: STEAD.

123. Constellation that resembles a serpent: DRACO.  The Big Dipper is the serpent's head.

124. Emporium: MART.

125. Tree house?: NEST.

Down:

1. Messy houseguest: SLOB.

2. Second to __: NONE.

3. Mammal that can sink a boat: ORCA.

4. Happy hour snacks: BEER NUTS.

5. Family division: GENUS.

6. Very little: A DAB.

7. Goo in a reusable ice pack: GEL.

8. Kangaroo or koala: ANIMAL.  There seem to be quite a lot of animals in Australia whose names begin with the letter K:  Kangaroo, Koala, Kookaburra, and Kiwi, for starters.  But our crossword constructor is confounding us; any animals could have served in the clue for this answer.

9. One of a calendar quintet: WEEKDAY.

10. Menopause treatment, briefly: HRT.  Hormone Replacement Therapy.  The history of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) started in the 1960s, with very high popularity in the 1990s. After the announcement of the first results of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) in 2002, which showed that HRT had more detrimental than beneficial effects, HRT use dropped.  The message went out that HRT had more risks than benefits. Later, a reanalysis of the WHI trial showed that the use of HRT in younger women or in early postmenopausal women had a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, reducing coronary disease and all-cause mortality.  Tough decisions for the ladies, based on changing information.

11. Diva's chance to shine: ARIA.  A diva is a distinguished female opera singer.  An aria is a melody sung by a single voice.

12. Frolicked: ROMPED.

13. Full scholarship, informally: FREE RIDE.

14. "Hmm ... ": LET'S SEE.

15. White Rabbit pursuer: ALICE.

From Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, an 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll.

16. Tibetan spiritual leader: LAMA.

17. Resting on: ATOP.

18. ''Wish you __ here'': WERE.

24. Slushy summer treat: ICEE.

25. Acrobatic feats: FLIPS.

30. Made simpler: EASED.

33. Bert's roommate: ERNIE.

Bert and Ernie, Muppet characters who appear on the PBS/HBO show Sesame Street.

35. "No __!": "Happy to help!": PROB.  No problem!  ¡No hay problema!  [Pronounced no eye proBLEHma.  "No problemo" is not even Spanglish.]

36. Tiny bits: IOTAS.

37. [Theme clue]

38. Doesn't go out: STAYS IN.

39. Org. that fights age bias: AARP.  AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is an interest group in the United States focusing on issues affecting those over the age of fifty.  An abbreviation in the clue signals an abbreviation in the answer.

40. Bitter-tasting: ACRID.

41. [Theme clue]

42. "The Black Tulip" novelist: DUMAS.  The Black Tulip, by Alexandre Dumas, is a work of historical fiction that mixes actual events in the Netherlands in the 17th century with fictional characters and events.  It was first published in 1850.

43. River of Hades: STYX.  In Greek mythology, dead souls crossed the river Styx into Hades, the realm of the dead.  The realm shared the name of its ruler, the god Hades.

Charon the ferryman brings a dead soul across the river Styx.

45. Pinterest upload: PHOTO.  Pinterest is a social media platform that allows users to share images they have found on the web.

48. Not as flush: POORER.  An informal meaning of "flush" is "having plenty of money."

51. Noteworthy period: ERA.

53. Have down pat: KNOW.

56. Hoops alternative: STUDS.  Not sports this time!  Earrings!

A hoop and two studs.

57. Whiskey barrel wood: OAK.

58. Man of steal: THIEF.  Ha ha! 

59. Contingent (on): BASED.

61. Tamagoyaki, e.g.: OMELET.  Tamagoyaki is a type of Japanese omelette made by rolling together several layers of fried beaten eggs.

64. Reliable sort: GO-TO GUY.  Someone you can go to for reliable help, usually in a particular area of expertise. 

67. "Illusion" singer Dua __: LIPA.  I don't know the song, but is there another singer Dua ____?

69. Commotion: ADO.

71. Sneaky tricks: WILES.

72. Gave a hand: DEALT.  Not applauded, but gave playing cards.

74. Heavily loaded: LADEN.

76. Link destination: URL. A URL (Uniform Resource Locator, also called a web address) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the internet. URLs consist of multiple parts -- including a protocol and domain name -- that tell web browsers how and where to retrieve a resource.  A link on a webpage or in an email takes you to a specific URL.

78. Stuffed grape leaf: DOLMA.  A Turkish dish, often minced meat or grains wrapped in grape leaves.

79. Ads that raise awareness: PSAS.  Public Service Announcements.

81. Needle point?: NORTH.  The needle on a compass points north through the magic of magnetism.

82. Icky, sticky stuff: GUNK.

84. Sounds of disapproval: BOOS.

86. Visitor from outer space: ALIEN.

87. Way to serve satay: SKEWERED.  Satay is composed of small pieces of meat, marinated and grilled on a skewer, and served with a spicy sauce.  Our local vegan Thai place skewers soy meat.

89. Speed trap device: RADAR GUN.

91. Give a hand: APPLAUD.  A near clecho!  (Clue echo.)  72 Across was *gave* a hand.

93. "Fingers crossed!": I HOPE SO.

94. Minesweeper units: CELLS.  Minesweeper is a logic puzzle video game genre generally played on personal computers.  To win a game of Minesweeper, all non-mine cells must be opened without opening a mine.

99. "Fingers not crossed!": I SWEAR.  Honestly!

100. Honor __: SYSTEM.  An honor system is a way of running an endeavor based on trust and honesty. 

101. Store with a Swedish House Mafia collaboration: IKEA.  "Designed in collaboration with electronic music artists Swedish House Mafia, the OBEGRÄNSAD collection answers the needs of home music creators."  Ektorp!

102. Kafka protagonist: SAMSA.  Franz Kafka's novella, The Metamorphosis, tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a huge insect.

104. Paper tray unit: SHEET.

105. Enters in a record book: LOGS.

106. Final bio: OBIT.  Bio is short for biography.  Obit is short for obituary.

107. Walking stick: CANE.

108. Mystery writer Paretsky: SARA.  Credited with transforming mystery novels through the creation of her female private eye V.I. Warshawki, Sara Paretsky's books are international best-sellers.  I did not know (DNK) this author.

110. Awaken: STIR.

111. Soccer legend nicknamed "O Rei": PELE.  Edson Arantes do Nascimento (1940-2022), better known by his nickname Pelé, was a Brazilian professional footballer (or soccer player).  "O Rei" is Portuguese for "The King."

112. Insects who prefer sweet foods: ANTS.

113. "Right now!": STAT.  "Stat" is a medical term that means "immediately" or "right now."  It comes from the Latin word statim which has the same meaning.

116. Business letters: LLC.  Limited Liability Company.  Limited liability means that the individual assets of LLC members cannot be used to satisfy the LLC's debts and obligations.

117. Oral health org.: ADA.  Org. is an abbreviation for organization.  ADA is an abbreviation for American Dental Association,

Here's the grid:

Until next time ... !  ¡Hasta la próxima ... !

NaomiZ