Tuesday, November 5, 2019 C.C. Burnikel

Is your name Google, because you have everything I want.  There is a dating app hidden in each of today's theme answers.  Apps didn't exist back in the dark ages when I was dating.  Do these apps replace bad pick-up lines?  Here is a fun puzzle from our very own C.C.

18-Across. Black-and-yellow pollinator: BUMBLE BEE.

24-Across. Tense tennis moment: MATCH POINT.

37-Across. Volatile situation: TINDER BOX.

54-Across. Body part that provides limited motion: HINGE JOINT.

And the Unifier:

61-Across. Mobile download for single people, and what the starts of 18-, 24-, 37- and 54-Across have in common: DATING APP.

Across:

1. Works on a quilt: SEWS.  My mother made over 500 quilts for the Linus Project ~ an organization that donates quilts to children in hospitals or are victims of disasters.  This is the last quilt my mother made.  She completed it just a few days before she was killed.

5. Team that won the Women's World Cup in 2019: USA.

8. Winter skating sites: PONDS.  Rinks also work, but some skating rinks are available all year long. Ponds are less reliable and the ice is never smooth.

13. Yawn-inducing: HO-HUM.

15. Melancholy: SAD.

16. Love to pieces: ADORE.

17. Burr, to Hamilton: ENEMY.  As in Aaron Burr (Feb. 6, 1756 ~ Sept.  14, 1836), Vice President under Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton (Jan. 11, 1750s ~ July 12, 1804), the 1st United States Secretary of the Treasury.  The former shot and killed the latter in a duel.  Everything you ever wanted to know about the Hamilton-Burr duel.

20. Fodder for fantasy football: STATS.  As in Statistics.

22. Cause for a handshake: DEAL.

23. Waited to be found, maybe: HID.

26. Classroom staffer: AIDE.

27. Word after drinking or driving: AGE.  Are the Drinking Age and Driving Age same in your state?

28. Maple extract: SAP.  My family had friends who had a sugar house in northern Vermont.  When I was a kid, I used to go there during sugar season and we would have Sugar-on-Snow.  The sap would be heated to syrup, and while still hot would be poured on fresh snow.  It would immediately harden. It was so tasty!

29. Many an eBay user: SELLER.

31. Curtain holders: RODS.

33. Jack of "Dragnet": WEBB.  Jack Webb (né John Randolph Webb; Apr. 2, 1920 ~ Dec. 23, 1982), portrayed Sgt. Joe Friday on Dragnet.  He wanted just the facts, ma'am.

36. Honeycomb units: CELLS.

40. Lion in "The Chronicles of Narnia": ASLAN.  This critter has become a crossword staple.

43. Marquee name: STAR.

44. 24-hr. banking conveniences: ATMs.  Do you remember the first time you used an Automated Teller Machine?

48. Sits on the throne: REIGNS.

50. Picture file suffix: GIF.  Ever wonder what GIF means?  It is an abbreviation for Graphic Interchange Format.

52. Fish-to-be: ROE.  Roe, Roe, Roe your Fish ...

53. Batting practice area: CAGE.  Think Baseball.

58. Fire pit residue: ASH.

59. "Soldier of Love" Grammy winner: SADE.  Sade (née Hele Folasade Adu; b. Jan. 16, 1959) is a British-Nigerian singer.
 

60. Much paperwork: FORMS.  Everyone's favorite forms.

64. Takes a breather: RESTS.

66. Kagan on the bench: ELENA.  Elena Kagan (b. Apr. 28, 1960) is an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.  She joined the Court in August 2010.  She was the 4th woman to serve on the High Court.  She also makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

67. "Take that!": HAH!

68. Chuckleheads: DOPES.  I don't think I have ever used this word to describe someone.

69. Guitarist's aid: STRAP.

70. Moth-eaten: OLD.  It's old, because holey didn't fit.

71. "Pretty Little Liars" series novelist Shepard: SARA.  I am not familiar with Sara Shepard (b. Apr. 8, 1977).

Down:

1. Pronoun for a mom: SHE.

2. Way, way back when: EONS AGO.

3. Sparked, as one's appetite: WHETTED.

4. "Poison" shrub: SUMAC.

The poison Sumac is on the left.

5. Flash drive port: USB.  The Universal Serial Bus makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.

6. Riyadh resident: SAUDI.  Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia.

7. Jingle-writing guys: AD MEN.  Do you know who wrote this little jingle?  *

8. Veil of gloom: PALL.

9. Poem from an admirer: ODE.

10. Ritzy San Francisco neighborhood: NOB HILL.  This neighborhood of San Francisco is home to many unique and historic buildings.

11. Hanukkah toy: DREIDEL.  [Note:  Because Chanukah is a transliteration of a Hebrew word, there are various spellings of the word in English.  The "CH" at the beginning of a transliteration indicates to the reader that the word is pronounced with a guttural "H" sound.]

12. Farm machines: SEEDERS.

Not intended for home use.

14. Traditional stories: MYTHS.

19. Dugout rack items: BATS.

21. Produce offspring: SPAWN.

24. Spoil: MAR.

25. Opinion pages: OP-EDs.  This has become a crossword staple.

26. Echo Dot assistant: ALEXA.  Amazon's assistant.  This one comes complete with a clock.

30. Prefix with friendly: ECO-.  As in Eco-friendly.

32. Place for a play: STAGE.  Nice clue.

34. Wager: BET.

35. North Carolina fort: BRAGG.  Fort Bragg is named for Confederate General Braxton Bragg (Mar. 22, 1817 ~ Sept. 27, 1876).  He had served in the United States Army, but resigned in 1856 to become a sugar plantation owner in Thibodaux, Louisiana.  He later joined the Confederate army, where he became a General.  He lost the plantation after the Civil War.  He died suddenly at age 59.

38. Place for a stay: INN.

39. Court filing: BRIEF.

40. Hangouts for video game players: ARCADES.

41. Chef's condiment: SEA SALT.  Sea Salt is made by evaporating seawater.  Some people claim is has healthful benefits, but there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.

42. Not as heavy: LIGHTER.

45. Dietary supplement once pitched by Anna Nicole Smith: TRIMSPA.

46. Centaur or chimera: MONSTER.

Centaur

Chimera

47. __ foot in: enter: SET.

49. Fluffy rug: SHAG.  Are these rugs still popular?

51. Norwegian inlet: FJORD.

55. Twin Falls' state: IDAHO.  Twin Falls is a town in Southern Idaho in the county of the same name.

56. Mount Everest is on its border with China: NEPAL.  Nepal is the only country in the world with a national non-quadrilateral flag.

57. Layered cookies: OREOS.  You can get Oreos in all sorts of flavors.

59. Piece of cake: SNAP.  I wanted Easy, but the perps objected.

62. Once __ while: IN A.

63. Deg. of distinction: Ph.D.  As in a Doctorate of Philosophy.

65. Retirees' benefits org.: SSA.  As in the Social Security Administration.

Here's the Grid:

*  Barry Manilow wrote a lot of ad jingles, including "I am Stuck on Band-aids."

If I don't comment on the blog, it's because a couple of weeks ago I really made a mess of my google account, and now it doesn't give me any options to comment when I am on my mobile device.

QOD:  Life it too short to work so hard.  ~  Vivien Leigh (née Vivian Mary Hartley; Nov. 5, 1913 ~ July 8, 1967)

Monday November 4, 2019 Matt Skoczen

Theme: KEWPIE (48D. Collectible doll, and a phonetic hint to four long puzzle answers) - Each theme entry is in the pattern of Q* P*:

17A. Market report detail: QUOTED PRICE.

58A. 2:15 p.m., e.g.: QUARTER PAST.

11D. "Shh!": QUIET PLEASE.

25D. "The $64,000 Question," e.g.: QUIZ PROGRAM.

Boomer here. I suggest you use a Quality Pencil rather than a Quill Pen. How about them Nationals? I cannot believe we witnessed the first 7 game World Series where all games were won by the visiting team. And ... The last time a Washington team won a World Series, Calvin Coolidge was president. 

Across:

1. Meh: SO SO.

5. Rubs out a mistake: ERASES.  I wish a ten pin could be rubbed out.

11. Four times daily, in an Rx: QID.  This stands for quater in die.  Latin always invades pharmacy.

14. Isaac's eldest son: ESAU. Sorry but the history of these twins, Jacob and Esau is like a soap opera "Days of our Lives".

15. "Scooby-Doo" friend of Velma, Fred and Shaggy: DAPHNE.

16. Former Egypt-Syria confed.: UAR. United Arab Republic.

19. Texter's "I think": IMO.  In my opinion, this is not a word. More like something the emu says in the Liberty Mutual commercials.

20. Genetic messengers: RNAS.  Quite a few acronyms in this puzz.

21. Give, as a citation: ISSUE TO.  My last one was for speeding in 1992.  I hate fines.

23. Southwestern native that rhymes with 53-Down: YAQUI. 53D. Here, in Spanish: AQUI.

26. Breakfast grain: OAT. Cheerios entered the world as "Cheerioats" in 1941. The name was changed to Cheerios after the big war.  No I was not around then, but we live 10 miles north of General Mills Headquarters, and I bowl with a General Mills retiree.

28. Word on an octagonal sign: STOP.  I think they are all red now, but I remember when they were yellow.  Do You?

29. Plentiful amount: ABUNDANCE.

31. Bank takebacks, briefly: REPOS.  Sad, but you really have to make your payments.

32. Home run stat: RBI.  An acronym that everyone knows.

33. "That's gross!": UGH.

34. 12th Jewish month: ELUL.

35. Wows: DAZZLES.  Reminds me of Bill Murray's "Razzle Dazzle" in "Stripes".

38. Examine for flaws: INSPECT. I cannot remember the General who was inspecting Winger's  platoon.

41. Scissors unit: PAIR.  Here we go again to start another argument.  How come scissors and pliers are called "pairs" when there is only one of them ?

42. Single: ONE.  Our Rod Carew was famous for singles.

43. French friend: AMI.

44. Harsh-smelling: ACRID.

46. Babe __ Zaharias, multi-sport athlete with two Olympic golds (1932) and 10 LPGA major championships: DIDRIKSON.  This lady was the Annika of the thirties.

49. Not good at all: POOR.  "Blessed are the POOR in spirit, for they shall inherit the earth."  I'm not sure they would want it.

50. Yale student: ELI.  No kidding, I thought he was a Manning brother.

51. Davis of "A League of Their Own": GEENA.  This movie was great.  Kind of the "Bull Durham" of female baseball.

52. Beauty contest: PAGEANT.

55. Cornfield bird: CROW.

57. Say "Oopsie," say: ERR.  So when I miss a ten pin, should I say "Oopsie" ?

63. __ rule: usually: AS A.  ASA Hutchinson is governor of Arkansas.  Not related to my Great Great Grandfather, Asa Hutchinson of the Hutchinson Family singers who founded Hutchinson, Minnesota about 150 years ago.

64. Part of 16-Across: UNITED.  Pardon the pun, but United is "up in the air" about replacing their fleet of 757s with the newer 737 MAX which are currently on the ground.

65. "All good here": I'M OK.

66. Sleep acronym: REM.

67. Requiring help: IN NEED.  A Friend IN NEED is a friend indeed.

68. Canadian gas: ESSO.  Fill er up eh

Down:

1. Follow-up film: Abbr.: SEQ.  "Stripes" and "Bull Durham" were sooo good that they did not need a sequel.

2. Sch. in Columbus: OSU.  Ohio State has been a Big Ten powerhouse. Gophers are challenging but chances are slim. 

3. __ Paulo: SAO.

4. Beat in a meet: OUTRUN.  Gophers need to OUTRUN Penn State this Saturday to have a chance.

5. Icelandic literary work: EDDA.

6. Drake musical numbers: RAP SONGS.  Not me.  I like Folk and Country.

7. Mo. with showers: APR. Brings May flowers.  Except in 2018, Minnesota's "April Showers" were 20 inches of snow. 

8. Certain Muslim: SHIITE.  Careful how you pronounce this.

9. SASEs, e.g.: ENCS.

10. Observes: SEES.  I remember a teacher in 4th grade used to ask the class "How many sees?"

12. "Me, also": I AM TOO.  A young child may say this after their second birthday. They haven't picked up spelling yet.

13. Hangs limply: DROOPS.

18. City west of Tulsa: ENID.  "OOHHHKLAHOMA where the wind comes sweeping down the plains."

22. Exhaust: USE UP.  If you USE UP the toilet paper please set up a new roll.

23. Three feet: YARD.  Our YARD is finally fairly free of leaves.

24. Swedish pop band: ABBA.

27. German gripe: ACH.  This is an acronym for automated clearing house.  I use it to automatically pay monthly bills.  No wonder the German's gripe about it. 

30. Heifetz's teacher: AUER.

31. Mr. Hyde creator's monogram: RLS.  Forgot to mention Jekyll.

34. Fed. power dept.: ENER.  We get decent service from XCEL energy.  However I recently learned that our electric bill may increase by $10.00 monthly while they develop wind power and various other forms of eco-friendly power. I expect that will result in business for Graybar so I'll pay the $awbuck and wait for a dividend.

36. The Congo, formerly: ZAIRE.

37. Thing on top of things: LID.

38. One charged with a crime: INDICTEE.

39. "Follow me!": C'MON.  I know I've mentioned it, but I still remember a nice stay at the C'mon Inn in Billings, MT.

40. Funny Fey: TINA. She did the best Sarah Palin I ever saw on SNL.

42. Frying liquid: OIL.  I try not to use much.  Makes the food heavy.

44. Materialize: APPEAR.  "I am the great and powerful Wizard of Oz"

45. Needing smoothing: COARSE.  Not to be confused with a golf COURSE which could also need smoothing, especially on the greens.

46. Keep in custody: DETAIN.

47. "Young Frankenstein" helper: IGOR.  I did not see any trick-or- treaters in IGOR costumes last week.

54. Ex-Georgia senator Sam: NUNN.  Served 6 terms (24 years).  Retired in 1996.  A Democrat from Georgia and still living.  Probably glad to be out of the Senate rat race.

56. Comedian Foxx: REDD. Fred Sanford on TV. But on a recording - His horse race bit was hilarious but I cannot repeat most of it here. "There goes bubble gum sticking to the rail"  That's all I can repeat.

59. 66, notably: Abbr.: RTE.  My older sister loved "Route 66" on TV.  I think she had a crush on Martin Milner.

60. Morning hrs.: AMS.  Did all of you turn your clocks back an hour yesterday at two AM ??

61. "Help!" at sea: SOS.  ... --- ...

62. Boxing ref's decision: TKO.  At last - The final acronym. 

Boomer

Sunday November 3, 2019 David Alfred Bywaters

Theme:  "Don't Miss the Finale" (Final e)  - E is added to the end of each familiar phrase.
 
23. Coiffure created using a mirror?: SELF-MADE MANE. Self-made man.

25. Catholic leader appealing to a younger demographic?: TEEN POPE. Teen pop.  Wiki says "Pope John XI (931–935) was 20 at the beginning of his papacy. Youngest pope.
 
41. Aggressive tie feature?: POWER STRIPE. Power strip.

46. Becoming a full-grown dog?: PUPPY FATE. Puppy fat.

66. Topper for a tiny barn?: MINI VANE. Mini van.

70. Result of a hotel sprinkler malfunction?: WET SUITE. Wet suit.

89. Abundant greens?: BUNNY HOPE. Bunny hop.

92. Sleazy bar offering?: INSTANT WINE. Instant win.

112. Sad Rogaine result?: DOWN PATE. Down pat. Fun image.

114. Superhero beachwear?: SWIMMING CAPE. Swimming cap. Should have avoided 16. Gown complement: CAP.
 
All the added E's are silent. No syllable is added to any of the entries. Did I miss any other layer?

Heavy themage. Total 10. Yet David still manages a 140-worder.

Across:

1. Apes: MIMICS.

7. Wise advisers: SAGES.

12. "That's how it __!": GOES.

19. Parks with games: ARENAS.

20. Plane figure: PILOT. I'm glad the Southwest pilot camera was just a joke. Scary.

21. Emotion linked to schadenfreude: ENVY.

22. "'I __ you liked your drink,' sez Gunga Din": OPE. Hope. And 90. Luck, to the Bard: HAP.

27. Pry: SNOOP.

28. Nailed: ACED.

29. School support gps.: PTAS.

31. '50s TV innovation: COLOR. My dad got us one in the late 1980s.

32. Longing: YEN.

33. Slender bit of stemware: FLUTE. This is Chinese flute Dizi.

35. Woos: COURTS.

37. Branch of Islam: SHIA.

38. One often seen in a parlor: PIANO. Our editor Rich Norris is a piano player.

39. Establish firmly: ENROOT.

40. Coll. major: ENG.

49. Soft leathers: SUEDES.

50. Convert to ready money: CASH IN.

52. Pharma offerings: MEDS.

53. Downed: ATE. And 63. Much party food: SNACKS. Guangzhou's 7-Eleven stores have wonderful snacks. I really miss those sticky rice dumplings.

54. Game with plenty of kicks: SOCCER.

57. Extremity: END.

58. Window coolers: ACS.

59. Some pvt. equity ventures: LBOS.

61. Ejection: OUSTER.

69. Not Rep. or Dem.: IND. And 45D. Strongly favoring one side: PARTISAN.

72. Termination: DEMISE.

73. Two trios: SESTET. Six.

75. Alike, in Arles: EGAL.

76. Tats: INK.

77. Letters on a tap: IPA. Beer tap.

79. Basilica display: MOSAIC.

82. Challenge to "You're wrong!": AM I

83. Horse hue: ROAN.

85. "Manic" time in a 1986 hit: MONDAY. Manic Monday.

87. Duped: FOOLED.

95. WWII carrier: LST.

96. Krishna, for Vishnu: AVATAR.

98. Events with vandalism: RIOTS.

99. Surprised greeting: OH HI.

101. Small size: PETITE. Do any of you shop at Express?

102. "Inferno" part: CANTO.

103. Wall et al.: Abbr.: STS.

106. Signs: OMENS.

108. Bento box staple: RICE. Japanese moms spend lots of time on their kids' bento box.

109. Sulk: POUT.

110. Inborn: NATAL.

117. Period: ERA.

118. Part of Xerxes I's realm, nowadays: IRAN. The king in "300". He has lots of piercings in the movie.

119. Where sailors go: TO SEA.

120. Called from a sty: OINKED.

121. "L.A. Law" actress: DEY (Susan)

122. Audition cry: NEXT.

123. Reactions to mosquitoes: SWATS. Mosquitoes here in MN are vicious.

124. Derisive looks: SNEERS.

Down:

1. Sizable: MASSY. Not a word I use.

2. Goddess of peace: IRENE.

3. Fruit served in balls: MELON.

4. Dope: INFO. Thanks for the info on your smart vacuums. I'll stick to dumb one.

5. Settings for many ghost stories: CAMPFIRES.

6. U.S. number-issuing agcy.: SSA.

7. Ronnie of the Ronettes: SPECTOR. Unfamiliar to me. The singer with the second tallest hair?

8. Actress Anouk: AIMEE.

9. Pleased: GLAD.

10. Geological period: EON.

11. Squish: STEP ON.

12. Elude: GET AROUND.

13. Convenient, as shopping: ONE-STOP. Tiny ONE dupe: 43. Tyke: WEE ONE.

14. Night before: EVE.

15. Coordinate audio and video: SYNC. My iPod Classic sometimes triggers the "Power surge on the USB port" error. Do any of you use a powered USB hub? Dell says I need one for 11-year-old iPod.

16. Asset in a crisis: COOL HEAD.

17. Names (to): APPOINTS.

18. House of Lords group: PEERAGE.

24. Frighten: DAUNT.

26. Places to buy stamps: Abbr.: POS. Post Offices.

30. Romanticized 18th-century highwayman Dick: TURPIN. Wiki says he's an "English highwayman whose exploits were romanticized following his execution in York for horse theft."

34. Dogie catcher: LASSO.

35. Middling grades: CEES.

36. Frequent auto race sponsor: STP.

38. One on foot, in signs: PED.

41. One of a Biblical 150: PSALM.

42. Offer more than: OUTBID.

44. Clinches: ICES.

47. Workout ctrs.: YMCAS.

48. Grass used on some golf greens: FESCUE. Never heard of the term.

51. Sheep tender: HERDSMAN.

55. Baskin-Robbins buy: CONE.

56. Word with stick or ball: CUE.

58. Army-forming insect: ANT.

60. Like a monkey: SIMIAN.

62. OKC-to-Tulsa dir.: ENE.

63. "Go __ Watchman": Harper Lee novel: SET A.

64. Rwanda's capital: KIGALI.

65. Pollen producer: STAMEN.

67. Title Brooklyn lawyer in an Alabama courtroom: VINNY. "My Cousin Vinny".

68. Want as a price: ASK.

70. Jazz guitarist Montgomery: WES.

71. Leave out, in speech: ELIDE.

74. Little dogs: TOYS.

77. In a hurry, maybe: IMPATIENT.

78. Appropriate for versification: POETIC.

80. Otherwise: IF NOT.

81. 18th/19th-century agricultural innovation: COTTON GIN. Eli Whitney invented it. Handpicking cotton is hard on hands.

83. Mount with carved heads: RUSHMORE.

84. Coming: ON THE WAY.

86. Ominous: DIRE.

88. Paper cut cries: OWS.

89. Full-__: purebred: BLOODED.

91. More than exhaust: OVERTAX.

93. Psychological wounds: TRAUMAS. Has any of you read Sebastian Junger's "Tribe"?

94. "__ a stinker?": Bugs Bunny: AIN'T I.

97. Manhattan Project projects: A TESTS.

100. Quaint stopover: INN.

102. Heavenly body with a tail: COMET.

103. Vampire's undoing: STAKE.

104. Slim candle: TAPER.

105. Flexible Flyers, e.g.: SLEDS.

107. PR firm's forte: SPIN.

109. Leaning Tower site: PISA. My favorite Pisa guy.

111. Common adolescent affliction: ACNE.

113. "You __ here": ARE.

115. "Golly!": WOW.

116. Refusals: NOS.

C.C.