Theme: It's hip to be square
Puzzling thoughts: Calling all nerds!
The "reveal" today gives the solver the chance to look back and see how the symmetric quartet of "T's Squared" are the feature of today's crossword puzzle: 40-across. Drafting tool, and a feature found four times in this puzzle: T-SQUARE. When you look below at the image of the completed grid, you'll see that I've highlighted the four "t-squares"
I think this Joseph Gangi's debut puzzle @ LAT, but I could be mistaken
Here is a look at Joseph Gangi's NYT puzzle dates and his biography
Not sure that this was a "Friday-tough" puzzle, but it was fun to solve. Several trite entries (ALOU, ALOE, EDIE, ODOR, EENIE, OLE, SLOE, EEN, ADO) but not a lot of proper nouns nor 3LW's. Since there are too many word entries that intersect to form the "t-squares", I won't describe them in my intro
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| The Grid |
On to the clues and other entries:
Across:
1. 2023 title role for Chalamet: WONKA. Actor Timothée Chalamet
6. Mournful sounds: WAILS. CRIES was not mournful enough for this clue. Odd to see that a word that is in a clue is also an entry today: 45-down. Grieve: MOURN.
11. __ of the land: LAY. Moe-ku #1:
The free-range chicken
Checked out her food source to get
The LAY of the land
14. How zeppole are fried: IN OIL. Italian doughnut
14. How zeppole are fried: IN OIL. Italian doughnut
15. Classified charge: AD FEE.
16. Fútbol cheer: OLE. Trite entry #1
17. Small brawl: SET TO.
18. Folded fare: SOFT TACOS. My favorite way to order tacos is with a soft tortilla shell - nice clue
20. Glib pitch: PATTER. Moe-ku #2:
Star hurler for Mets
Threw an insincere fastball:
The hitter PATTER
22. Rare-earth element whose atomic number is 39: YTTRIUM. I was surprised to find that this word has been used quite often in crossword puzzles
23. Blackthorn: SLOE. Trite entry #2
24. Run out of power: DIE.
27. Tree with serrated leaves: ELM. OAK fits, too
28. "To victory!": ONWARD.
30. Activate again, as a tab: RE-OPEN. I do this often when I am blogging my recap. A similar word was used in 38-across. Try again: REDO.
34. Western band?: POSSE. Friday clue
36. French friar: ABBE.
39. Part of a valedictorian's address: EDU. Cute clue. As in their email address: valedictorian@pitt.edu
43. Clear (of): RID.
44. Average: NORM.
46. Like a schnauzer's coat: WIRY. This canine breed:
22. Rare-earth element whose atomic number is 39: YTTRIUM. I was surprised to find that this word has been used quite often in crossword puzzles
23. Blackthorn: SLOE. Trite entry #2
24. Run out of power: DIE.
27. Tree with serrated leaves: ELM. OAK fits, too
28. "To victory!": ONWARD.
30. Activate again, as a tab: RE-OPEN. I do this often when I am blogging my recap. A similar word was used in 38-across. Try again: REDO.
34. Western band?: POSSE. Friday clue
36. French friar: ABBE.
39. Part of a valedictorian's address: EDU. Cute clue. As in their email address: valedictorian@pitt.edu
43. Clear (of): RID.
44. Average: NORM.
46. Like a schnauzer's coat: WIRY. This canine breed:
47. Casual eateries: CAFES.
49. Cactus bump: AREOLE. These:
51. Small lump: NODULE.
53. Federation in OPEC: UAE.
54. __-dried tomatoes: SUN.
55. Clicked pic: ICON. Moe-ku #3:
A smart camera
Uses a clickable app
Called: Nikon ICON
58. Web-integrated den fixture: SMART TV.
62. Intermission follower, perhaps: ACT TWO. In many puzzles we see this entry as: ACT II
64. Destined: MEANT TO BE. It is destined that in Moe's blogs there will be several "ku's"
67. Swimming mammal in Native American totems: OTTER.
68. "This is the worst!": UGH. Glad this wasn't a five-letter entry that revealed "GROSS"
69. "__ Meenie": 2010 pop single: EENIE. Trite entry #3
70. Narrow valleys: GLENS. DALES also fit
71. Natural __: GAS.
72. Kept going, as a sentence: RAN ON. I can be criticized for using many sentence that ran on but not this one ...
73. Impression: SENSE.
Down:
1. Strands of smoke: WISPS.
2. Oscar winner Tatum: O'NEAL. For her role in Paper Moon
3. On the fence: NOT TOO SURE.
4. Mini mewlers: KITTENS.
5. Lotion additive: ALOE. Trite entry #4
6. Once cost: WAS.
7. Hustle and bustle: ADO. Trite entry #5
8. Questionable: IFFY. Moe-ku #4:
58. Web-integrated den fixture: SMART TV.
62. Intermission follower, perhaps: ACT TWO. In many puzzles we see this entry as: ACT II
64. Destined: MEANT TO BE. It is destined that in Moe's blogs there will be several "ku's"
67. Swimming mammal in Native American totems: OTTER.
68. "This is the worst!": UGH. Glad this wasn't a five-letter entry that revealed "GROSS"
69. "__ Meenie": 2010 pop single: EENIE. Trite entry #3
70. Narrow valleys: GLENS. DALES also fit
71. Natural __: GAS.
72. Kept going, as a sentence: RAN ON. I can be criticized for using many sentence that ran on but not this one ...
73. Impression: SENSE.
Down:
1. Strands of smoke: WISPS.
2. Oscar winner Tatum: O'NEAL. For her role in Paper Moon
3. On the fence: NOT TOO SURE.
4. Mini mewlers: KITTENS.
5. Lotion additive: ALOE. Trite entry #4
6. Once cost: WAS.
7. Hustle and bustle: ADO. Trite entry #5
8. Questionable: IFFY. Moe-ku #4:
Rudyard Kipling wrote
A poem about courage.
It wasn't IFFY
9. Comic book writer?: LETTERER. This was the image I saw:
9. Comic book writer?: LETTERER. This was the image I saw:
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| Stan Lee was Marvel-ous |
10. Wrap up: SETTLE. Not as a present; as an agreement
11. Centers of activity: LOCI. HUBS also fit
12. Outfielder Matty who played 15 seasons in the MLB: ALOU. Trite entry #6
13. Quaint affirmative: YES'M.
19. Strong suit?: ARMOR.
21. Nutrition fig.: RDA.
25. Najaf native: IRAQI.
26. Writer/producer who frequently collaborates with David Simon: ED BURNS.
29. Sauced up, to a pitmaster: WET. A pitmaster is a person who oversees the barbecue. When you "sauce up" the ribs, they're wet. And now you know how this fits
31. Score for Comaneci and Retton: PERFECT TEN. Olympic gymnasts
32. Actress Falco: EDIE. Trite entry #7
33. Dozes (off): NODS.
34. "Ant-Man" actor Michael: PENA.
35. Distinctive feature of a corpse flower: ODOR. Trite entry #8
37. Ecosystem susceptible to eutrophication: BAYOU. I wondered if SWAMP would also fit here. Turns out that A bayou is a type of creek or river, while a swamp refers to low-lying land that is often saturated and spongy with water but can still have some species of tree growing in the area
41. Sugary Southern brew: SWEET TEA. I'm not a true Southerner as I like my tea un-sweetened
42. Old French coin: ECU. This could've been another trite entry, me thinks
48. Somewhat: A LITTLE.
50. Second of a pair: LATTER. Moe-ku #5, and a pun on the entry word:
Some firemen formed
New religious cult called "Church
Of Ladder-Day Saints"57. Like some gods: NORSE.
58. Like some gods: SMUG. Clecho
59. Huge: MEGA.
60. Massage sighs: AAHS.
61. Olympic gold medal skier Lindsey: VONN. Former Tiger Woods girlfriend
63. Machine parts: COGS.
65. Short life story?: BIO. OBIT didn't fit
66. Poetic dusk: EEN. Trite entry #9
58. Like some gods: SMUG. Clecho
59. Huge: MEGA.
60. Massage sighs: AAHS.
61. Olympic gold medal skier Lindsey: VONN. Former Tiger Woods girlfriend
63. Machine parts: COGS.
65. Short life story?: BIO. OBIT didn't fit
66. Poetic dusk: EEN. Trite entry #9
See you in a couple of weeks
Notes from C.C.:
Happy
87th birthday to Lucina! Here's a 2011 picture of Lucina and our old
California blog regulars JD, Chickie, Clear Ayes and Garlic
Gal and Dodo.
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| L-R back row: Chickie, Clear Ayes, Garlic Gal Front: JD, Lucina, Dodo (June 23, 2011) |
