Wednesday, Jan 8th, 2025 ~ Catherine Cetta

 This is not a Pipe (organ)

This Is Not a Tool for Drilling

A new twist on a crossword puzzle idea that even I tried to construct - in that version, I inserted "Drill" into the song title "The Thrill Is Gone" - but that idea had been done more than once; in fact, the old editor, Rich Norris, was the constructor of one.  Our C.C. could tell you more - today's author is another "C.C.", whom I have not had the pleasure to blog - she appeared for the LA Times three times in 2024, two of them on Mondays.  No circles, a few names that filled via perps before I had the chance to read the clues, a run of 26 Five-Letter Words ( 5LW ), and several answers that I "Learned From Doing Crosswords" (LFDC).  Here's your "Do It Yourself" minimum requirements; 

17. Emphasize and then some: HAMMER HOME

24. Had an aha moment: SAW THE LIGHT

51. "Be brutally honest": LEVEL WITH ME

63. Some Expedia search results: PLANE FARES - I don't much like "plane", but it works - but Southwest came up before Expedia on my Google

39. "Remember your training, people!," and what can be said about the starts of 17-, 24-, 51-, and 63-Across: THIS IS NOT A DRILL - for those who don't recognize the paint job on the drill above, here's where it comes from

Van Halen - Poundcake

And Away We Go~!

ACROSS:

1. Carve into: ETCH - I used letter punches to "ETCH" my name into this wood block for sanding

I whacked the "N" sideways the first time 😜

5. Multitasking, perhaps: BUSY

9. Chocolate canines: LABS - as in Labrador, the dog breed; Australian Shepherds are on their way to my local shelter, so I might just go with that breed for my new pet - I already know how much they shed, bark, weigh, and the amount of exercise they need~!

13. 22-Down city: TROY - AND - 22D. Epic poem featuring Patroclus and Achilles: ILIAD - Five-letter Epic poem blah-blah-blah = Ektorp

14. Turkish bigwigs: AGHAS - Learned from doing crosswords (LFDC)

16. Run __: AMOK - I do the DOWNs first; otherwise, I doubt I would have understood this clue

19. Written reminder: NOTE

20. Portents: OMENS

21. Glowing quality: RADIANCE

23. Me day place: SPA

27. Bearded garden figure: GNOME

I want one~!

29. NPR host Shapiro: ARI - name #1, filled via perps

30. "Don't get carried __!": "AWAY~!" - we have a lot of "quoted" clues today as well . . . .

32. Whisper receiver: EAR - different way to clue this answer

34. Book of maps: ATLAS

43. "Water Lilies" painter Claude: MONET - Is it mAnet, or mOnet~? - I can never remember; the "O" filled via perps

44. Little bit: TAD

45. Above: OVER

46. Slugger Mel inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951: OTT - name #2, Crossword Staple

49. Isabel Wilkerson work subtitled "The Origins of Our Discontents": CASTE - name #3, again, filled via perps

56. Financial daily, initially: WSJ - The Wall Street Journal

59. Speechmaker's story: ANECDOTE - "So there I was, in the middle of nowhere . . . "

60. Bonn's river: RHINE - or rhOne~?  This time, I was wrong with the "O"

62. Seethe: BOIL

66. Jazz legend Fitzgerald: ELLA - name #4, Crossword Staple

67. Canyonlands features: MESAS

68. Campfire output: HEAT

69. Stand the test of time: LAST

70. Credit card balance, e.g.: DEBT

71. Requests: ASKS


DOWN:

1. Belief system: ETHOS

2. Walk with heavy steps: TRAMP - I tried CLOMP first

3. "What?": "COME AGAIN~?" - reminds me of the "Wolf" scene from Pulp Fiction - NSFW

4. "His Eye Is on the Sparrow," for one: HYMN - no clue; again, perps; name(ish) #5

5. Forbid: BAR - I had BAN first; 67% correct

6. "How repulsive!": "UGH~!"

7. In the red: SHORT - OWES was not long enough

In the RED, and SHORT

8. Big name in electronic instruments: YAMAHA - an electric organ~?  Anathema~!

9. One of four islands in Maui County: LANAI - name #6, filled - oh, never mind

10. "You're __ friends": AMONG - ooof - not sure I would ever guess this answer

11. Bungle: BOTCH - I always associate "BOTCH" with plastic surgery - definitely NSFW - even the "success" stories look creepy

12. Shooting sport: SKEET

15. Passover meal: SEDER - LFDC

18. Canadian fuel giant: ESSO - LFDC

25. Iowa college town: AMES - name #7 - LFDC

26. Gradually ease off: WEAN

28. Org. with opening and closing bells: NYSE - check the $$$ of your IPO on the NYSE in the WSJ

30. PIN point: ATM - good change-up for this Crossword Staple

31. "__ knows?": "WHO~?"

33. "Rubbish!": "ROT~!"

35. Not quite run: TROT - another tough-to-relate clue/answer

36. Go-getters: LIVE WIRES - I have to put this one in

I love playing the drums to this - the cowbell fills are great
Mötley Crüe - Live Wire

37. India Pale __: ALE - Crossword Staple - seen as "IPA"

38. Pro's camera: SLR - a professional's Single-Lens Reflex 35mm (typically) tool

40. "Mom knows": "I TOLD." - you dirty rat . . . .

41. RPM gauge: TACH - abbr. for RPM = abbr for tachOMETER

42. Driver at the Oscars: ADAM - Ooops, not MINI ( which is actually Minnie ) - name #8

47. Early afternoon hr.: TWO PM

See what I mean~?

48. Named: TITLED

50. Feudal laborer: SERF

51. Laundry instructions spot: LABEL - my first thought was the lid of the washing machine 😜

52. "__ Holmes": Millie Bobby Brown film: ENOLA - name #9

53. Obscures: VEILS

54. Razzle-dazzle: ÉCLAT

55. Rib: TEASE

57. B-ball shoe: SNEAK - meh.  sneakER.  My first thought, and I said "there's no way that's the answer."

58. Makes jokes: JESTS

61. "That's funny!": "HA-HA~!"

64. Snag: NAB

65. Superlative ending: EST - as in the BESTEST, ever

Splynter

That's a PIPE~!

Notes from C.C.:

Today we celebrate the pipe guy's 20th continued sobriety. Reaching this milestone is a testament to your resilience and dedication to living your best life. Congrats, Splynter!