Hello Cornerites!
sumdaze here with with more food for thought -- just when you were finally finishing up those Thanksgiving leftovers! "What's today's theme?" you ask. You're such a clever bunch, I'm sure...
Constructor Carolyn Davies Lynch gives us three parlor games with fruity names:
20 Across. Game whose cards have images of red and green fruit: APPLES TO APPLES.
28 Across. Game whose tiles are stored in a fruit-shaped bag: BANANAGRAMS.
44 Across. Game in which players compete to collect plastic fruit: HI-HO! CHERRY-O.
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| Are you familiar with these games? The first one is new to me, I often play the second one with DH (more fun than waiting for your turn at Scrabble), and I have not thought about the third one for many, many years. |
The reveal:
51. What I shouldn't do at the dinner table, except in 20-, 28-, and 44-Across?: PLAY WITH MY FOOD.
Cute! Those are all FOOD-themed (specifically, fruit-themed) games one can PLAY WITH on a dinner table...or on a coffee table...or on the floor....
Grape job, Carolyn! Also, this ap-pears to be your LA Times debut. Congratulations!
Now, orange you ready for the other clues?
Across:
1. "High Voltage" rock band: AC๐ฒDC. We're starting off with a jolt!
1. "High Voltage" rock band: AC๐ฒDC. We're starting off with a jolt!
This Australian group released their High Voltage album internationally in 1976. Track#1 is It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll). That shrill sound you hear is rocker Bon Scott (1946 - 1980) playing the bagpipes.
38. "We're live!" studio sign: ON AIR.
39. Dad, or soda: POP. CSO to -T's father!
40. Yogurt-based condiment: RAITA. Here is Swasthi's 5-star recipe.
41. Mama of music: CASS. Cass Elliot was born in 1941 in Baltimore, MD (Hi waseeley!). She is perhaps best known as one of four members of the late 1960s pop group sensation, The Mamas and the Papas. Sadly, she died of heart failure at the young age of 32.
48. "The Raven" poet Edgar Allan __: POE.
49. Actress Watson: EMMA. her IMDb page
58. Mickey or Minnie: MOUSE.
59. Base x height, for a parallelogram: AREA. Perhaps you are thinking, "Isn't that like the formula for the area of a rectangle?" Yes! That's correct! If you take a pair of scissors and snip along the dotted line then move that piece to the other side, you will make a rectangle without adding any new area or taking any area away. Their areas are the same so you can use the same formula. #MathIsSoCool
60. Big brass horn: TUBA.
62. Pork or beef: MEAT. Have you heard of uglitarians? They only eat the "ugly" animals. OUCH! I guess beauty is in the eye of the diner.
63. Supply-and-demand subj.: ECON. "Subject" is shortened, so is "ECONomics".
64. Kiss on both cheeks, perhaps: GREET.
22. Schedule: PLAN.
25. Geologic time: EPOCH.
26. Hawaiian patio: LANAI. Earlier this month, Hahtoolah gave us this helpful link. I will add that Hawaiians also call a balcony a LANAI.
27. Brief bright light: FLASH.
29. Superloud: AROAR.
30. Forty winks: NAP.
31. Bird-related: AVIAN. Also, sheep-related is "ovine" and cattle-related is "bovine".
32. British unit of length: METRE. Hi CanadianEh!
45. Most demure: COYEST. "COY" is an adjective that describes someone who is making a pretense of shyness or modesty with the intention of being alluring.
46. Pop in the microwave, perhaps: REHEAT. Not a 39-A "Pop".
50. "Repeat __ me": AFTER.
51. Like a one-star review: POOR. In 1877, The Odessa Courier published this POOR review of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina:
52. Plastic worm, e.g.: LURE. fishing tackle
53. Healthy Kitten brand: IAMS.
54. Walnut or chestnut: TREE.
55. "You wound me!": OUCH.
56. Double-reed woodwind: OBOE.
57. "The X-Files" agent Scully: DANA. The X-Files is an American sci-fi TV series that aired on the FOX network in 1993-2002, 2016, and 2018. The show attracted a huge cult following. Gillian won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for her portrayal of an FBI agent investigating paranormal occurrences.
58. Flavor enhancer, for short: MSG. MonoSodium Glutamate
I apple-solutely hope you will share your thoughts below!
5. Frozen drink brand: ICEE. 
9. Revolving entryway: STILE. 
14. "Heck no": UH UH. Nope. Not happening. Hard pass.
15. Humpty Dumpty's perch: WALL.
16. Alleviates: EASES.
17. Freddie Mercury portrayer Malek: RAMI.
18. Sleeve fillers: ARMS. Cute. Not the clear plastic sleeves that go in a binder.
19. Assists in a crime: ABETS.
23. "If u ask me": IMHO. In My Humble Opinion, the "u" is a hint that it will be a textspeak answer.
24. Falsehood: LIE.
25. Folklore figure: ELF.
34. Concealed via sleight of hand: PALMED. and 5 Down. "They tricked me!": I WAS HAD.
14. "Heck no": UH UH. Nope. Not happening. Hard pass.
15. Humpty Dumpty's perch: WALL.
16. Alleviates: EASES.
17. Freddie Mercury portrayer Malek: RAMI.
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| RAMI is on the right. He won the Best Actor Oscar in 2019 for his work in Bohemian Rhapsody. |
18. Sleeve fillers: ARMS. Cute. Not the clear plastic sleeves that go in a binder.
19. Assists in a crime: ABETS.
23. "If u ask me": IMHO. In My Humble Opinion, the "u" is a hint that it will be a textspeak answer.
24. Falsehood: LIE.
25. Folklore figure: ELF.
34. Concealed via sleight of hand: PALMED. and 5 Down. "They tricked me!": I WAS HAD.
"Palming" is a technique for holding or concealing an object in the hand. It is used frequently by magicians to conceal a card, coin, or other object. This 2 min. video shows how it's done:
36. Bled in the wash: RAN. and 61 Across. Puts laundry into piles, say: SORTS.
36. Bled in the wash: RAN. and 61 Across. Puts laundry into piles, say: SORTS.
Color bleeding occurs when dyes from one fabric transfer onto another during the washing process. We say, "The color RAN." This can happen due to various factors, such as the fabric's dye quality, water temperature, agitation, or improper SORTing.
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| the culprit |
37. Tied, as a score: EVEN.
38. "We're live!" studio sign: ON AIR.
39. Dad, or soda: POP. CSO to -T's father!
40. Yogurt-based condiment: RAITA. Here is Swasthi's 5-star recipe.
41. Mama of music: CASS. Cass Elliot was born in 1941 in Baltimore, MD (Hi waseeley!). She is perhaps best known as one of four members of the late 1960s pop group sensation, The Mamas and the Papas. Sadly, she died of heart failure at the young age of 32.
This song seems like a good fit for today.
42. U.S. spy org.: CIA. and 43. Cease communication: GO DARK.
42. U.S. spy org.: CIA. and 43. Cease communication: GO DARK.
Here is an article on spy fiction tropes.
47. Once named: NรE. Pronounced "nay", English borrowed this adjective from the French (feminine) word for "born".
47. Once named: NรE. Pronounced "nay", English borrowed this adjective from the French (feminine) word for "born".
48. "The Raven" poet Edgar Allan __: POE.
49. Actress Watson: EMMA. her IMDb page
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| She is 33 years old now but I still think of her as "the girl from Harry Potter. |
59. Base x height, for a parallelogram: AREA. Perhaps you are thinking, "Isn't that like the formula for the area of a rectangle?" Yes! That's correct! If you take a pair of scissors and snip along the dotted line then move that piece to the other side, you will make a rectangle without adding any new area or taking any area away. Their areas are the same so you can use the same formula. #MathIsSoCool
60. Big brass horn: TUBA.
62. Pork or beef: MEAT. Have you heard of uglitarians? They only eat the "ugly" animals. OUCH! I guess beauty is in the eye of the diner.
63. Supply-and-demand subj.: ECON. "Subject" is shortened, so is "ECONomics".
Shortening the supply of letters creates a demand for more mental agility.
64. Kiss on both cheeks, perhaps: GREET.
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| I suspect this is a pre-covid map. |
65. Sinks out of sight, as the sun: SETS.
66. "Better Call Saul" actress Seehorn: RHEA. Her fans will be happy to know that Vince Gilligan (the creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul) is currently working on a new series. It will be very different from those, but it is set in Albuquerque and features RHEA in a leading role. more gouge
Down:
1. New Age-y emanation: AURA.
2. "I say, old __": CHAP.
3. Trash destination: DUMP.
4. Five-alarm potful: CHILI.
6. Container for eggs: CARTON. The cardboard-y ones are great for starting your seeds indoors while you wait for the ground to warm up.
7. Ticklish Muppet: ELMO. and 8 Down. Anna's "Frozen" sister: ELSA.
9. Common name for a deep-ocean cucumber: SEA PIG. "Larry" did not fit so this one was ESP for me. The first three letters seemed logical but PIG was unexpected. Here's a video:
10. Early run-through of a script: TABLE READ. In film and theater, this is an organized reading of a script in which the speaking parts, stage directions, and scene headings are read out loud. more from MasterClass
11. "Makes sense": I SEE. ...said the blind man to his deaf dog.
12. "Why don't we?": LET'S.
13. Squiggly letter: ESS.
21. Glowing coal: EMBER. This link will take you to my favorite YouTube fireplace video. It has cracking logs, rain pitter-patter, and smooth jazz. If you worked last Saturday's puzzle, you might call this video an ASMRtist (40-Across). Let it play in the background while you cozy up with an afghan, a cuppa, and a book.
Sunrise, Sunset
from Fiddler on the Roof (original motion picture soundtrack, 1971)
66. "Better Call Saul" actress Seehorn: RHEA. Her fans will be happy to know that Vince Gilligan (the creator of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul) is currently working on a new series. It will be very different from those, but it is set in Albuquerque and features RHEA in a leading role. more gouge
Down:
1. New Age-y emanation: AURA.
2. "I say, old __": CHAP.
4. Five-alarm potful: CHILI.
6. Container for eggs: CARTON. The cardboard-y ones are great for starting your seeds indoors while you wait for the ground to warm up.
7. Ticklish Muppet: ELMO. and 8 Down. Anna's "Frozen" sister: ELSA.
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| Here are ELMO & ELSA. We're just missing 49-A EMMA. |
9. Common name for a deep-ocean cucumber: SEA PIG. "Larry" did not fit so this one was ESP for me. The first three letters seemed logical but PIG was unexpected. Here's a video:
10. Early run-through of a script: TABLE READ. In film and theater, this is an organized reading of a script in which the speaking parts, stage directions, and scene headings are read out loud. more from MasterClass
11. "Makes sense": I SEE. ...said the blind man to his deaf dog.
12. "Why don't we?": LET'S.
13. Squiggly letter: ESS.
21. Glowing coal: EMBER. This link will take you to my favorite YouTube fireplace video. It has cracking logs, rain pitter-patter, and smooth jazz. If you worked last Saturday's puzzle, you might call this video an ASMRtist (40-Across). Let it play in the background while you cozy up with an afghan, a cuppa, and a book.
22. Schedule: PLAN.
25. Geologic time: EPOCH.
 |
| Scientists are now debating the beginning of the Anthropocene Epoch. |
26. Hawaiian patio: LANAI. Earlier this month, Hahtoolah gave us this helpful link. I will add that Hawaiians also call a balcony a LANAI.
27. Brief bright light: FLASH.
Speaking of 17-A Freddy Mercury, in 1980 Queen released their Flash Gordon soundtrack.
29. Superloud: AROAR.
30. Forty winks: NAP.
31. Bird-related: AVIAN. Also, sheep-related is "ovine" and cattle-related is "bovine".
32. British unit of length: METRE. Hi CanadianEh!
Carolyn also used the British spelling.
33. Slithering reptile: SNAKE.
35. Soup base made from fermented soybeans: MISO PASTE.
39. Fruit-filled dessert: PIE.
40. Like baggy pants: ROOMY. My mind went to "Hammer pants", previously known as "harem pants" or "parachute pants".
42. __ necklace: jewelry that provides soothing oral sensory input: CHEW. At first I thought, "Huh?", but then I remembered that in the past I have bought these necklaces as gifts for new moms. Today I learned that they can be therapeutic for people of all ages. Blog about Chewelry
43. Soft spots for tumblers: GYM MATS.
33. Slithering reptile: SNAKE.
35. Soup base made from fermented soybeans: MISO PASTE.
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| Miso Soup is part of a typical Japanese breakfast. ใใใใใงใ (It's delicious!) |
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| Remember when Marshall (How I Met Your Mother) made a PIE chart of his favorite bars and a bar graph of his favorite pies? |
40. Like baggy pants: ROOMY. My mind went to "Hammer pants", previously known as "harem pants" or "parachute pants".
M.C. Hammer U Can't Touch This (1990)
42. __ necklace: jewelry that provides soothing oral sensory input: CHEW. At first I thought, "Huh?", but then I remembered that in the past I have bought these necklaces as gifts for new moms. Today I learned that they can be therapeutic for people of all ages. Blog about Chewelry
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| Babies like to grab necklaces and put them in their mouths, so why not make something that is good for teething and also fashionable? Brilliant! |
43. Soft spots for tumblers: GYM MATS.
45. Most demure: COYEST. "COY" is an adjective that describes someone who is making a pretense of shyness or modesty with the intention of being alluring.
46. Pop in the microwave, perhaps: REHEAT. Not a 39-A "Pop".
51. Like a one-star review: POOR. In 1877, The Odessa Courier published this POOR review of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina:
"Sentimental rubbish.... Show me one page that contains an idea."
Hah! Shows what reviewers know. Oh, wait, I'm a reviewer....
52. Plastic worm, e.g.: LURE. fishing tackle
53. Healthy Kitten brand: IAMS.
55. "You wound me!": OUCH.
56. Double-reed woodwind: OBOE.
57. "The X-Files" agent Scully: DANA. The X-Files is an American sci-fi TV series that aired on the FOX network in 1993-2002, 2016, and 2018. The show attracted a huge cult following. Gillian won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for her portrayal of an FBI agent investigating paranormal occurrences.
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| David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Fox Mulder and DANA Scully. |
58. Flavor enhancer, for short: MSG. MonoSodium Glutamate
And now, for a berry special grid:
