Tuesday, November 10, 2020 Jerry Edelstein

Three Letters, Six Words.  The circles give us the sign.

16-Across. Carrier to Cork and Shannon: AER LINGUS.

22-Across. She played Ika in "Quest for Fire": RAE DAWN CHONG.  Rae Dawn Chong (b. Feb. 28, 1961) is the daughter of Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong fame.

29-Across. "Really?": ARE YOU SURE?

41-Across. Best Actor nominee for "The Crying Game": STEPHEN REA.  Stephen Rea (b. Oct. 31, 1946) had been in many films, but is probably best know for 1992 film The Crying Game.

46-Across. Ignore, with "to": TURN A DEAF EAR.

59-Across. Period preceding Reagan's presidency: CARTER ERA.

President Jimmy Carter (b. Oct. 1, 1924)

Notice the symmetry.  In the first three answers, the theme "word" begins the phrase.  In the last three answers, the theme "word" ends the phrase.

Across:
1. Church seating: PEW.  The eytomology of the word pew.

4. The boy who cried wolf, e.g.: LIAR.  A reference to one of Aesop's fables.

8. Hint of hunger: PANG.

12. Señora Perón: EVA.  Eva Perón (né María Eva Duarte, May 7, 1919 ~ July 26, 1952) was the 2nd wife of Argentine President Juan Perón.  The musical Evita was based on her life.

13. Soften the effect of, as words: MINCE.  My mother made the best Minced pie.

14. Pen name: ALIAS.  //  And 37-Across. Letters before a pen name: AKA.  As in Also Known As.

18. Release: LET GO.

19. Streamlined, as a sports car: SLEEK.

20. Miner's find: ORE.  A crossword staple.

21. Kitchen protector with strings: APRON.  Cute clue.

25. Tiered Eastern temple: PAGODA.

The Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, China

28. "Definitely": YES.

33. Chomped: BIT.

36. Graduating group: CLASS.  There were 99 students in my high school graduating class.

38. Back of a hit 45 record: B-SIDE.  Here are 25 B-side hits that you have probably listened to.

40. Rocky crest: TOR.  I learned this word from doing the crossword puzzles.

43. Slippery, as a winter road: ICY.

45. Colossus island: RHODES.  The Colossus of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  It was said to have been a giant (colossus) statue of the Greek sun god Helios.  According to contemporary descriptions, it was about 108 feet tall, making it the tallest man-made structure in the ancient world.  Sadly, an earthquake that occurred in about 226 BCE was the statue's demise.  We can only speculate what the statue looked like.

52. Chinese, for example: ASIAN.

53. Baton Rouge sch.: LSU.  I'll that the CSO for Louisiana State University.

54. Snake secretion: VENOM.

58. Italian sauce with pine nuts: PESTO.  I misread this clue as being Italian sausage.

61. Tavern mug: STEIN.  The Maine Stein song is the song of my alma mater.

62. Killed time: IDLED.

63. Boomer's kid: X'ER.  Generation X.

64. Change for a ten: ONEs.

65. Prescribed medication amount: DOSE.

66. Mattel product: TOY.  This company makes lots and lots of toys.

Down:
1. "Split" veggies: PEAS.  What are Split Peas?  Split peas are often used in soup.

2. Daredevil Robbie's dad: EVEL.  Evel Knievel (né Robert Craig Knievel; Oct. 17, 1938 ~ Nov. 30, 2007) bragged that he could jump the Grand Canyon on his motorcycle.  He never actually attempted this stunt, however.

3. Suffix with hard or soft: WARE.  As in Hardware and Software.

4. "Hamilton" creator __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.  Not only did Lin-Manuel Miranda (b. Jan. 16, 1980), write Hamilton, he starred in the original musical as Alexander Hamilton.

5. "__ We Trust": U.S. motto: IN G~D.

6. Luxury Honda: ACURA.

7. Fix with thread: RESEW.

8. Regal abode: PALACE.  The Neuschwanstein Castle may be one of the most recognizable palaces in the world.  It was one of Mad King Ludwig II's castles.  He had this castle commissioned to honor composer Richard Wagner.

9. Hebrew A's: ALEPHs.  This spelling is a transliteration, so sometimes the "English" spelling varies.  In the Hebrew alphabet, the letter is written as:

10. Part of TNT: NITRO.  The full name of this chemical compound is Trinitrotoluene, or more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene.  Its the formula C₆H₂(NO₂)₃CH₃. 

11. Be unable to swallow: GAG ON.

13. Onetime Japanese emperors: MIKADOS.  The Mikado is also the name of an opera by Gilbert and Sullivan.

15. Neil Diamond work: SONG.

17. Composer Anderson and Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad" Brown: LEROYs.  Leroy Anderson (June 29, 1908 ~ May 18, 1975) was a New Englander and wrote many pieces that were played by the Boston Pops Orchestra.  Sadly, Jim Croce (né James Joseph Croce; Jan. 10, 1943 ~ Sept. 20, 1973) was killed when the small plane he was in crashed in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

23. Nice water?: EAU.  //  And 34-Across. Cannes concept: IDÉE.  Today's French lesson.  Both cities are on the French Riviera.  We frequented both cities when we lived in Aix-en-Provence.

24. "Science Guy" Bill: NYE.  Bill Nye (né William Sanford Nye; b. Nov. 27, 1955) makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.

25. Agreement: PACT.

26. Woody's son: ARLO.  Arlo Guthrie (né Arlo Davy Guthrie; b. July 10, 1947) is best known for Alice's restaurant.

27. Camping equipment: GEAR.

30. Grabbed a chair: SAT.

31. Luau strings: UKE.

32. Eminem genre: RAP.  Marshall Bruce Mathers, III (b. Oct. 17, 1972) is better known by his Rap name of Eminem.  He always looks so angry.

33. Cardinal or oriole: BIRD.  Because Baseball Team didn't fit into the space provided.

35. Black or green beverages: TEAS.  Do you know the difference between Black and Green teas?

38. Acted properly: BEHAVED.

39. Noisy napper: SNORER.

41. Australian airport code: SYD.  As in the airport that services Sydney, Australia.  //  Not to be confused with 49-Down. Legendary Spanish hero: EL CID.  El Cid (né Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar; 1043 ~ July 10, 1099) was a Castilian knight and national folk hero.

42. Charlemagne's realm: Abbr.: HRE.  As in the Holy Roman Empire, which as we have noted before was neither Holy nor Roman.  Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as the 1st Holy Roman Emperor after Charlemagne protected the Pope from his enemies.  Charlemagne is sometimes referred to as Charles I, as Charles was his given name.  Charlemagne comes from a corruption of the old French, Charles le Magne, meaning Charles the Great.  The territory of the HRE was largely in what is now Germany and France.

43. How football games rarely end: IN A TIE.

44. EOS cameras, e.g.: CANONs.  The EOS stands for Electro-Optical System.  

46. Brewpub lineup: TAPS.

47. Was of __: helped: USE TO.

48. Up: RISEN.

50. South American grilled meat dish: ASADO.

51. Rolls up, as a flag: FURLS.  Furl vs. Unfurl.

55. Deli counter call: NEXT.

56. Early Hydrox rival: OREO.  Did you know that the name Hydrox is derived from the word Hydrogen and Oxygen.  Hydrox cookies actually were "invented" 4 years before the Oreo cookie hit the market.  If you listen to podcasts, you can learn more about the cookie here.

57. Contrary girl of rhyme: MARY.

60. Golf ball holder: TEE.

Here's the Grid:

Notes from C.C.:

1) Chairman Moe (Chris Gross) and I made today's Universal puzzle, edited by David Steinberg. Click here to solve. Congrats on your crossword debut, Chris!

2) Happy birthday to Husker Gary's amazing wife Joann and her twin sister Joyce! Both turn 74 years old today.  Here they're with their mom Martha.

Monday November 9, 2020 Kurt Krauss

Theme: GIVE ME A SIGN (36. Plea for divine guidance ... and hint to the ends of the answers to starred clues)

 17. *Doctor's visit, back in the day: HOUSE  CALL. Call sign.

 23. *Perry Mason's secretary: DELLA STREET. Street sign.

 49. *Rural station at which trains need to be flagged down: WHISTLE STOP. Stop sign.

 59. *Expatriate American poet who was a WWII fascist collaborator: EZRA POUND. Pound sign.

Boomer here. 

After a long week, Monday has arrived. You would not believe Minnesota's November weather.  We had highs in the 60s most of last week, and tripped the 70s for a couple of days. We did not use our furnace or air conditioner at all.  Neither did I use the money we saved on golf or bowling.  New cases of the nasty COVID are around 5000 daily.

Across:

1. Tooth trouble: ACHE.  Not for me any longer.  Just toss them in a cup before bed and glue them in tomorrow.

5. Omar of "In Too Deep": EPPS.

 

9. Place to exchange vows: ALTAR.  

14. Debit card reader opening: SLOT.  It's incredible how nearly every business large or small has a reader for a debit or credit card.  Seems that cash might be a virus spreader.  Doesn't bother me because I get a few pennies back from the card company for the purchase.

15. Nasty: MEAN.  I MEAN really MEAN.

16. Chili con __: CARNE.  Not sure "Y" Jackie Gleason's buddy Art has anything to do with Chili.

19. "Good grief!": EGADS.  Please Charlie Brown.  Don't say EGADS.  Thank you.

20. "The Tomorrow Show" host Tom: SNYDER.  "The sun'll come out, Tomorrow". (Annie)

21. Many a psychedelic T-shirt: TIE DYE.

22. Was in first place: LED.  Being an electrical retired person, I thought about Light Emitting Diodes. We installed an LED fixture in our kitchen after I broke the refractor of the one we had. These LED fixtures are amazing.  

26. Takeoff ests.: ETDS.  Bad memories. Sun Country delayed our departure by over six hours last February on our flight to Las Vegas.  We are not going next year. but if we ever go again it will NOT be on Sun Country.

28. Bone-dry: SERE.

29. Rehab symptoms, for short: DTS.

30. Chemical relative: ISOMER.

33. From the __: at the start: GET GO.  I think if you pass it, you get $200.

39. Golf gimme: TAP IN.  There are no gimmes on the PGA tour except in stuff like the Ryder Cup.  For me it's a bit of "give and take."

40. Mama Cass __: ELLIOT.  "All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray".  (California Dreamin' Mama' and the Papas.)

 

43. "Send help!" message: SOS.  Many people think this stands for "Save our Ship".  But really it is just a distress signal that can be easily sent by Morse code.  

46. Brings to a close: ENDS.

48. Beige look-alike: ECRU.

54. German "a": EIN.  The first word we GI's learned when we landed in Germany.  The second word of course was bier.

55. Fragrant compounds: ESTERS.

56. Rise into view: EMERGE.  "When the morning sun, streaks across my room, and I'm wakin' up from another dream of you."  "You know I love you", - Dolly Parton - Kenny Rogers.

58. Like many attics: DUSTY.  We have a very small attic, with just a fair amount of insulation.  There is no T206 Honus Wagner card up there.  I checked.

62. Muse of poetry: ERATO.

63. Dutch South African: BOER.

64. Mega- or giga- unit: BYTE.  I have no way of knowing how many bytes are in this blog.

65. New Jersey's __ Hall University: SETON.  Elizabeth Ann SETON was the first U.S, citizen to be canonized a Saint in the Catholic religion.

66. Mannerless one: BOOR.

67. To be, in Latin: ESSE.

Down:

1. Baseball bat wood: ASH.  Yup, I used the Louisville Sluggers in my youth baseball career.  Then along came slow pitch softball and aluminum.

2. Coat-hanging places: CLOSETS.  Comes with a shelf to store baseball cards.

3. Elvis classic: HOUND DOG.  You ain't nothin' but 

4. Website for artisans: ETSY.

5. Show host: EMCEE.

6. Oyster gems: PEARLS.  I never found one.  Of course around here we only have clams.

7. Amigo: PAL.  My buddy Jorge calls me AMIGO.

8. NBC's "Weekend Update" show: SNL.  I wonder what they will do now that the election is over.

9. Nail the test: ACE IT.  Or make a hole-in-one.

10. Popular beer: LAGER.  Not the kind that they sold in Germany.

11. Swapped: TRADED.  Sometimes, MLB TRADED players, sometimes we TRADED cards.

12. "But still ... ": AND YET.  Rich YETT pitched one game for the Twins but then was traded to Cleveland for a five or six year career.

13. Turns back, as a clock: RESETS.  Yup, we did that last week,  Still getting used to the new hour.

18. Onetime Leno announcer Hall: EDD.

21. Scary African fly: TSETSE.

22. Island garland: LEI.  Oahu to you too.

24. Stories of the Loch Ness Monster, e.g.: LEGENDS.  I am surprised that one of these professional sports teams with offensive names has not switched to LEGENDS,

25. Side squared, for a square: AREA.

27. Struck, old-style: SMIT.  Never knew this was a word.  I've heard of smitten.

31. Actress Longoria: EVA.  Not to be confused with EVAN Longoria of the Rays or Giants.

32. Drives back: REPELS.

34. Hodges of the Dodgers: GIL.  Great First Baseman for Brooklyn and LA.  Finished his career as manager of the Mets.

35. Eye wolfishly: OGLE.

37. Coal site: MINE.  The stuff we use in a barbecue is called charcoal and is not real coal.

38. They "finish last," per the title of Leo Durocher's autobiography: NICE GUYS.  "May have been about Gil Hodges' Mets."

41. Points in the right direction: ORIENTS.  Northwest once became Delta.

42. Wine cask: TUN.  Never heard this word, but if you did not like EIN BIER you could get a TUN of wine for two marks.

43. Stockholm natives: SWEDES.  Yah sure!

44. "Yeah, right!": OH SURE.  Yah sure! again.

45. Occupies, as a desk: SITS AT.

47. Sound investment?: STEREO.  Tell that to Charles Schwab.

50. Small squabble: SETTO.

51. Check for fit: TRY ON.

52. Horoscope columnist Sydney: OMARR.  Pretty close to our 5th District Representative Ilhan who gets her name in the paper a lot.

53. Gusto: PEP.  Once in awhile as I coach high school bowling a PEP talk may be in order.  This year the season is delayed until spring. I only hope, because we seem to be getting 100,000 COVID positives per day nationally right now.

57. After-bath wear: ROBE.

59. Tidal recession: EBB.

60. Place to observe animals: ZOO.  Something told me it's all happening at the ZOO. Simon and Garfunkel.

61. Actor Billy __ Williams: DEE.

Boomer

 

Sunday November 8, 2020 Daniel A. Finan & Brian Herrick

Theme:  "Did You Get the Part?" - Each theme clue is part of the first/second word of each theme entry. The other part of each theme entry hints at the "part" gimmick.

23A. PROP: IMPROPER FRACTION. Prop is a fraction of IMPROPER. Same logic applies to all the theme entries.

31A. OUT: MOUTHPIECE.

48A. VIE: MOVIE CLIP.

81A. GET: BUDGET CUT.

98A. ORE: CORE SAMPLE.

107A. TEN: SENTENCE FRAGMENT.

12D. ARE: RARE ELEMENT.

15D. VAT: PRIVATE SECTOR.

55D. HANG: CHUNK OF CHANGE.

66D. CON: SLAB OF BACON.

Eight of the entries have the parts in first words. Two entries in second words with the "of" structures. All clues are solid words. Super consistent and creative.

So nice to see Daniel A. Finan back. He was very active when I started blogging crosswords. Congratulations on your first Sunday, Brian!

Across:

1. Ones found on saucers, briefly?: ETS. Great clue.

4. Max: AT MOST.

10. Undercover agent's device: WIRE.

14. Many downloads: APPS. What are your favorite apps?

18. Oz creator: BAUM.

19. Corrupting atmosphere: MIASMA. This word just looks and sounds unpleasant.

20. Organized to a fault: ANAL.

21. Having no meetings, say: FREE.

22. Florentine flower?: ARNO. Flow-er. This gimmick was used a lot years ago
 
26. 2000s Cal.-based teen drama: THE OC. Starring Mischa Barton & Rachel Bilson.

28. Equate: LIKEN.

29. Longtime late-night host: LENO.

30. Iran has multiple ones: Abbr.: VPS. I did not know.

34. You, once: THEE.

36. Big, strong swimmer: WHALE. And 25. Female 36-Across: COW.

38. Ricola ad instrument: ALPHORN.

39. Database systems giant: ORACLE.

41. Pac-12 squad: UTES.

42. Nintendo's Super __: NES.

43. Winter fuel units: CORDS.

46. Dawdle: WASTE TIME. Great fill.

50. Lewd material: SMUT.

51. "How you doin'?": SUP.

54. Basic digital exercise: SCALE.

56. Chile relleno stuffing: CHEESE. Never had it.

58. Many readers of "Dreyer's English," for short: EDS. OK, editors.

59. Brian of electronica: ENO.

60. Home of the Milad Tower: TEHRAN. Wiki says Milad Tower (also known as the Tehran Tower) is a multi-purpose tower in Tehran, Iran. It is the sixth-tallest tower and the 24th-tallest freestanding structure in the world."

61. Cone counterparts: RODS.

62. Corn bread: PONE.

64. Icy Hot target: ACHE.

65. Short notice?: I QUIT.

66. Ward in Hollywood: SELA. Know for her "Once and Again".

67. Big break: RIFT.

68. Gyro holders: PITAS.

 

69. Desert formation: DUNE.

70. Lab coat discovery?: FLEA. Cute clue also.

71. Subject of many Instagram posts: SELF.

72. Snicket of kids' books: LEMONY.

73. Shocked cry: EEK.

74. Culinary lead-in to king: A LA.

75. Odds, etc.: RATIOS.

77. Hallmark of a procrastinator?: E-CARD. And 93. Like activity that can move mountains: SEISMIC. Just amazing clues.

78. __-mo: SLO.

79. Adds a soundtrack to: DUBS.

83. Decorated: FESTOONED.

86. Longtime "60 Minutes" reporter: STAHL (Lesley)

87. Hoppy brew, for short: IPA.

90. Disagreement ender: PACT.

92. Notes in C minor scales: E FLATS.

95. Allergic reaction: ACHOO.

97. Outdo: BEST.

101. Early TV maker: RCA.

102. Builder concerned with pairs: NOAH.

104. Midway alternative: O'HARE.

106. Bugs: RILES.

112. Creedence song named for a California city: LODI. Anyone from there?

113. Beat by a run, say: EDGE.

114. Slinky shape: COIL.

115. Metaphor for extreme pleasure: HEAVEN.

116. Make read better: EDIT.

117. No good one goes unpunished, it's said: DEED.

118. Professor 'iggins: ENRY.

119. Will of "BoJack Horseman": ARNETT.

120. Craving: YEN.

Down:

1. Batting helmet feature: EAR HOLE.

2. Jobs in which plugs are replaced: TUNE-UPS.

3. Slick: SMOOTH.

4. Pal in Provence: AMI. That's so gratifying that you noticed the total 3-letter words in my last puzzle, Agnes/Jayce!

5. "The Things They Carried" author O'Brien: TIM.

6. Syrup source: MAPLE.

7. "Hamlet" courtier: OSRIC.

8. Cook, in a way: SMOKE. Not fond of smoked food.

9. Compelling evidence: TAPE.

10. __ on Drugs: WAR.

11. Changes tonally: INFLECTS. Chinese can be complicated. Same MA has 5 different meanings depending on the tone.

13. Flair: ELAN.

14. To the rear, at sea: AFT.

16. Kind of person?: PEOPLE. People person. Boomer is one.

17. Taste and touch: SENSES.

18. Member of the Justice League: BATMAN.

24. Snares: ENTRAPS.

27. 2000 film set in a French confectionery: CHOCOLAT. I like Juliette Binoche.

32. Verified: PROVEN.

33. Cross inscription: INRI.

35. Possesses: HAS.

37. Fire on all cylinders: HUM.

39. Boo-boos: OWIES.

40. Usually challenging piece: ETUDE.

44. Official order: DECREE.

45. Authority: SCHOLAR.

47. "__ alive!": IT'S.

48. Tussaud of wax museum fame: MARIE.

49. Spartan queen of Greek myth: LEDA.

52. "__ me, you cad!": UNHAND.

53. Neruda's oeuvre: POESY.

54. "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo," for example: SEQUEL.

57. Concluding sections: EPILOGS.

60. Oceans' motions: TIDES.

63. Compensate for: OFFSET.

64. Get in the crosshairs: AIM AT.

67. Chiefs coach Andy: REID.

68. Odd: PECULIAR. Oh oh, try white miso & avocado combo on your toast.

70. One may be raised at a wedding: FLUTE.

71. Ear ornaments: STUDS.

72. Tres __ cake: dessert soaked in dairy liquids: LECHES.

74. Billboard displays: ADS.

76. Driver in a heist, say: ABETTOR.

80. Lisa Marie as of 1980, vis-à-vis Elvis: SOLE HEIR. Lisa Marie just lost her son.

82. Shock, as a perp: TASE.

84. Ike's WWII command: ETO. European Theater of Operations.

85. "Illmatic" rapper: NAS.

87. Self-destruct: IMPLODE.

88. Boarded, like clowns entering a clown car: PILED IN.

89. Nails that test: ACES IT.

90. Analyzed in English class: PARSED.

91. Say yes (to): ACCEDE.

94. :-): SMILEY.

96. Air Force __: ONE.

98. Heat player, say: CAGER.

99. Finance guru Suze: ORMAN.

100. "The Canterbury Tales" pilgrim: REEVE.

103. In the old days: ONCE.

105. "That's hilarious ... not": HA HA.

108. "Chopped" host Allen: TED.

109. Sac __: FLY.

110. Take home: NET.

111. Where to see a Heat player: TNT.

Does anyone know what these roots are?

C.C.