Theme: There must be a way!
Each of the theme answers is a recognizable person or thing, but does not match the clue until you SHOW THE word WAY at the beginning of the answer.
Here are the theme clues and answers, all of which are Across:
18. *Pop-up shop on the edge of the road?: SIDE HUSTLE. A side hustle is a job or occupation that brings in extra money beyond one's regular job. But a WAYSIDE HUSTLE might be a business at the edge of a road.
23. *Underground market for home goods?: FAIR TRADE. Fair trade is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect. But WAYFAIR TRADE might be taking furnishings from the online retailer Wayfair and trading them off market.
35. *Butcher's knife that's very hard to handle?: WARD CLEAVER. Ward Cleaver is a fictional character in the television sitcom Leave It to Beaver. But a WAYWARD CLEAVER might be a big knife that is difficult to control.
50. *Snuck up on a chicken coop to collect breakfast?: LAID AN EGG. Saying someone laid an egg means they failed at something. But WAYLAID AN EGG means they hid themselves and attacked an egg by surprise.
58. Give clear directions, or how to make the starred clues match their answers?: SHOW THE WAY.
Today's puzzle comes to us from Renee Thomason (our Monday blogger, known in the Corner as sumdaze) and frequent constructor Katie Hale. Allow me to SHOW THE WAY through the rest of the clues and answers.
Across:1. State that's easy to draw: UTAH.
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| Because Wyoming and Colorado wouldn't fit! |
5. South American bean: CACAO. Best bean ever. Thank you, South America!
10. Loyalty program level: TIER.
14. Post-WWII alliance: NATO.
15. Celebrity gossip source since 1991: E! NEWS. A late-night entertainment news program on the E! cable network.
16. Princess athlete in the 1976 Summer Olympics: ANNE. The Games of the XXI Olympiad took place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Great Britain, competed as part of the British equestrian team.
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| Princess Anne in the 1976 Olympics |
17. Air quality factor: SMOG.
18. [Theme clue]
20. Device called a "cashpoint" in the U.K.: ATM.
21. Matching: SAME.
22. Stellar: ASTRAL.
23. [Theme clue]
26. Court tie: DEUCE. Apparently, tennis score keeping was originally done using a clock face, marking points as 15, 30, and 45 minutes, with 45 eventually being abbreviated as 40:
18. [Theme clue]
20. Device called a "cashpoint" in the U.K.: ATM.
21. Matching: SAME.
22. Stellar: ASTRAL.
23. [Theme clue]
26. Court tie: DEUCE. Apparently, tennis score keeping was originally done using a clock face, marking points as 15, 30, and 45 minutes, with 45 eventually being abbreviated as 40:
0 points = Love (Zero was "The egg" or "L'oeuf" in French, which in English became "Love.")
1 point = 15
2 points = 30
3 points = 40
Tied score = All
40-40 = Deuce
Server wins deuce point = Ad-In
Receiver wins deuce point = Ad-Out
27. Host: EMCEE. We used to say "Master of Ceremonies," which became MC or "emcee."
28. Forensic profiling material: DNA.
30. Solstice mo.: DEC. Also JUN, but it wouldn't work with the perpendicular entries.
31. Corp. head: CEO.
33. Ripe old __: AGE.
34. "__ we forget": LEST. This phrase was first used in an 1897 poem by Rudyard Kipling called "Recessional," written to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
35. [Theme clue]
38. Chop garlic, say: PREP. DH and I do the prep for each other, taking turns as head chef and sous chef. Assembling a recipe is easier if you prep first and get all the ingredients mise en place.
40. Address bar character: DOT. A web address includes a "dot" before the domain name, as in LATimes.com.
41. Car wheel part: RIM.
42. Coxswain's lack: OAR. A coxswain sits in the stern of a boat, facing the bow, and steering with the rudder while coordinating the efforts of the rowing team.
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| A coxswain at work. |
43. Pressure meas.: PSI. Pounds per Square Inch.
44. Justice Sotomayor: SONIA.
48. Feudal lord: LIEGE.
50. [Theme clue]
54. Bringing up the rear: IN LAST.
56. Hindu honorifics: SRIS. In South and Southeast Asia, Sri is used as a polite form of address, similar to the English "Mr.".
57. Truly regret: RUE.
58. [Theme clue]
60. __ Williams bourbon: EVAN. Evan Williams is a brand of straight bourbon whiskey distilled at the Heaven Hill distillery in Louisville, Kentucky. The product is aged for a minimum of four years (which is more than the two year minimum to be called 'straight' bourbon, but is the minimum requirement for a straight whiskey that does not have an age statement on the label). It has been ranked as one of the world's best selling whiskey brands.
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| A Kentucky bourbon distillery I visited with DH in 2016. |
61. Ale holder: CASK.
62. Thrill to bits: ELATE.
63. Stitch up: MEND.
64. Supersmall: ITTY. Not "itsy" this time! Often itty-bitty or itsy-bitsy.
65. Many a forty-niner: MINER. Participant in the California gold rush.
66. Bank for mil. families: USAA. USAA (United Services Automobile Association) is a bank that is only available to military members, veterans, and their families.
Down:
1. In need of a Mr. Yuk sticker: UNSAFE. Mr. Yuk is a trademarked graphic image, created by UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and widely employed in the United States in labeling of substances that are poisonous if ingested.
62. Thrill to bits: ELATE.
63. Stitch up: MEND.
64. Supersmall: ITTY. Not "itsy" this time! Often itty-bitty or itsy-bitsy.
65. Many a forty-niner: MINER. Participant in the California gold rush.
66. Bank for mil. families: USAA. USAA (United Services Automobile Association) is a bank that is only available to military members, veterans, and their families.
Down:
1. In need of a Mr. Yuk sticker: UNSAFE. Mr. Yuk is a trademarked graphic image, created by UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and widely employed in the United States in labeling of substances that are poisonous if ingested.
2. Instrument also known as a chau gong: TAM-TAM. The Tam-Tam is a huge metal percussion instrument which makes a booming sound. When you strike the tam-tam, the sound gets louder and louder, building up to a climax before fading away.
3. Infinitesimal: ATOMIC.
4. Selfish type: HOG.
5. Labor leader Chavez: CESAR.
6. Inner self, to Jung: ANIMA.
7. Surrendered: CEDED.
8. Veneration: AWE.
9. Mae's sister on "Star Wars: The Acolyte": OSHA. "Star Wars: The Acolyte" is a television series created for the streaming service Disney+. An obscure clue! What ever happened to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration?
10. Decorator's asset: TASTE.
11. Unwelcome visitor: INTRUDER.
12. Intertwines: ENLACES.
13. Word on some campaign posters: RE-ELECT.
19. MyPlate org.: USDA. The United States Department of Agriculture produced this guideline for nutritious eating -- while supporting various types of food production that are anything but healthy.
21. Heifer's brother: STEER.
24. Summary: RECAP. A summary of what has been said; a recapitulation.
25. Polygon part: EDGE.
29. Not far: NEAR.
32. Probability calculations: ODDS.
33. Key not found on a Mac: ALT.
34. Finger bowl slice: LEMON. A finger bowl is a small bowl with water (and perhaps a slice of lemon) for rinsing fingers during a meal.
24. Summary: RECAP. A summary of what has been said; a recapitulation.
25. Polygon part: EDGE.
29. Not far: NEAR.
32. Probability calculations: ODDS.
33. Key not found on a Mac: ALT.
34. Finger bowl slice: LEMON. A finger bowl is a small bowl with water (and perhaps a slice of lemon) for rinsing fingers during a meal.
35. "Let's check the map": WE'RE LOST.
36. Spiral: COIL.
37. Exchange program papers: VISAS.
38. Future Hill worker's maj., maybe: POLI SCI. Someone who hopes to work on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC might study Political Science.
39. Slicker accompaniment: RAIN HAT. In this case, a slicker is a rain coat.
43. Wasp, for one: PEST. Wasps eat spiders, flies, roaches, and caterpillars. They pollinate at least 960 different plants, including 164 species that are completely dependent on them. They disperse seeds. They are responsible for the growth of figs! But sure, they're pests.
45. Jitters: NERVES.
46. Tropical lizard: IGUANA.
47. Meeting list: AGENDA.
49. Nervously clumsy: GAWKY.
51. Egyptian market city: ASWAN.
52. Furious: IRATE.
53. Person eager to tackle home improvement projects, briefly: DIYer. Do-It-Yourselfer.
55. Those folks: THEM.
59. New Haven student: ELI. Elihu Yale was the primary benefactor of Yale University, and students at Yale are called Elis in his memory.
60. Petting zoo bird: EMU. This seems to be a thing, but is it really safe to have a small child pet an emu?
36. Spiral: COIL.
37. Exchange program papers: VISAS.
38. Future Hill worker's maj., maybe: POLI SCI. Someone who hopes to work on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC might study Political Science.
39. Slicker accompaniment: RAIN HAT. In this case, a slicker is a rain coat.
43. Wasp, for one: PEST. Wasps eat spiders, flies, roaches, and caterpillars. They pollinate at least 960 different plants, including 164 species that are completely dependent on them. They disperse seeds. They are responsible for the growth of figs! But sure, they're pests.
45. Jitters: NERVES.
46. Tropical lizard: IGUANA.
47. Meeting list: AGENDA.
49. Nervously clumsy: GAWKY.
51. Egyptian market city: ASWAN.
52. Furious: IRATE.
53. Person eager to tackle home improvement projects, briefly: DIYer. Do-It-Yourselfer.
55. Those folks: THEM.
59. New Haven student: ELI. Elihu Yale was the primary benefactor of Yale University, and students at Yale are called Elis in his memory.
60. Petting zoo bird: EMU. This seems to be a thing, but is it really safe to have a small child pet an emu?
Here's the grid:
So, did you find THE WAY? Or WERE you LOST?
