Tuesday, December 15, 2020 Adam Vincent

Dance to the Music!  The last word of each theme answer is a music genre.

 18-Across. Drywall material: SHEET ROCK.  Rock Music.

24-Across. Freezer aisle treat: ICE CREAM POP.  Pop Music.

49-Across. Similar but unspecified things: ALL THAT JAZZ.  Jazz Music.

56-Across. Peepers of a certain color, affectionately: BABY BLUES.  Blues Music.

And the Unifier:

36-Across. Instruction to start playing ... or a hint to the end of 18-, 24-, 49- and 56-Across: CUE THE MUSIC.

And a musical bonus:

1-Down. Jamaican genre: SKA. 

Across:

1. Technical details: SPECS.

6. Roadie's load: AMPS.

10. World's best-selling cookie: OREO.

14. Superhero sound effect: KAPOW!

15. Are in the past?: WERE.  We are at the store.  We were at the store.

16. Home to il Colosseo: ROMA.  Did you know that the Colosseum in Rome, Italy was also used to stage naval battles?  It could be filled with water due to an elaborate plumbing system.

17. Ouzo flavoring: ANISE.  Anise has a licorice-like flavor.

20. "Won't you be __ and ... ": polite request words: A DEAR.

22. School fundraising gp.: PTA.  Time for a musical interlude.

23. Filmmaker Brooks: MEL.  Mel Brooks (né Melvin Kaminsky; b. June 28, 1926) is a comic actor and film director.  Some of his films include Young Frankenstein and The Producers.  He was also a co-writer on Get Smart, the television series.

Don Adams, Mel Brooks, and Gene Wilder

27. Spelling showdown: BEE.  Spellbound was a movie that followed 8 competitors in the 1999 Scripts National Spelling Bee.

28. Sleep stage: REM.  Rapid Eye Movement sleep is the phase where the sleeper is believed to have vivid dreams.  The phenomenon occurs in mammals and birds.  Do you often awaken at 3:00 a.m.?  It is not all that uncommon.

29. Sound like an ass: BRAY.

30. "Piece of cake!": EASY.  Probably not easy to make and quite time-consuming.

31. Chill: LAID BACK.

34. Syrup source: SAP.  My grandparents had friends who tapped maple trees and boiled the sap to syrup. If you pour the heated syrup onto fresh snow, it will immediately harden.  We called it Sugar on Snow, and it was such a treat.

39. Eagle or evil organ: EYE.

40. Unrecoverable expense, in economics: SUNK COST.

43. Cat's warning: HISS.

46. Seek, as a compliment, with "for": FISH.

47. "Argo" spy org.: CIA.  As in the Central Intelligence Agency.  The 2012 movie Argo was loosely based on  the rescue of 6 Americans following the Iran Hostage crisis in 1979.

48. Total: Abbr.: AMT.  As in Amount.

53. Unwinding spot: SPA.

54. 2016 Olympics city: RIO.

55. Outline, maybe: TRACE.

60. Lyric poem: EPODE.  According to Webster's, an Epode is: (a) a lyric poem in which a long verse is followed by a shorter one; or (b) the third part of a triadic Greek ode following the strophe and the antistrophe.

62. Get up in arms: RILE.

63. Crafts go-with: ARTS.

64. French greeting: SALUT.  Today's French lesson.

65. Finds in mines: OREs.

66. Ink cartridge color: CYAN.  Cartridge colors come in Cyan, Magenta and Yellow.  When mixed in the appropriate combinations, we get blue, green, red and black.

67. Digital "I've got it!" gestures: SNAPS.

Down:

2. Cure-all: PANACEA.

3. Marked by widespread growth: EPIDEMIC.  Or if it is really wide spread, it becomes a Pandemic.

4. Trig ratio: COSEC.  Short for Cosecant.

5. Promise with one hand on the Bible: SWEAR.

6. Cuteness reactions: AWs!

AW!

7. "I could go either way": MEH!

8. Like Ivy League clothing styles: PREPPY.  In case you need to know how to look Preppy, there is a handy handbook on the style.

9. Sort out: SEE TO.

10. "Catch-22" pilot: ORR.  Orr was the roommate of Yossarian in the 1961 novel Catch-22, by Joseph Heller.  He was a pilot who was also nearly crashing his plane, or getting shot down, but somehow managed to survive.

11. iRobot vacuum: ROOMBA.  It can also be used as transportation for your pet cat.

12. Award show hosts: EM CEES.  Short for Master of Ceremonies.

13. Buffalo Bill show shooter: OAKLEY.  Annie Oakley (née Phoebe Ann Mosey; Aug. 13, 1860 ~ Nov. 3, 1926) was an American sharpshooter.  

19. Select, as for a job: TAP.

21. Money-back offer: REBATE.

24. Not online: Abbr.: IRL.  In Real Life.

25. Structure with a keystone: ARCH.

Anatomy of an Arch.

26. Finally arrives: MAKES IT.  It could be parsed as Make Sit, but that answer wouldn't fit the clue.

30. Totally rad, in modern lingo: EPIC.

Epic Fail

32. Club fees: DUES.

33. Queen __: "Lemonade" star's nickname: BEY.  As in Beyoncé (née Beyoncé Giselle Knowles; b. Sept. 4, 1981).

34. Summery headwear: SUN HAT.

35. Pose a question: ASK.

37. Sled dog command: MUSH.

38. Soda since 1886: COCA~COLA.  It is listed as KO on the New York Stock Exchange.  Dr. John Pemberton first sold his beverage creation in May 1886.

41. Evaluated, as competition: SIZED UP.

42. Looney toon?: TAZ.  As in the Warner Brothers Tasmanian Devil.

43. Monopoly maker: HASBRO.

44. Get in the way of: IMPAIR.

45. Horse house: STABLE.

46. Like a baker's apron, probably: FLOURY.

49. Wall St. trader: ARB.  As in Arbitrage.

50. Purple hue: LILAC.  I love Lilac trees and their flowers.

51. Lock on the head: TRESS.

52. Country made up of 6,852 islands: JAPAN.  Everything you wanted to know about the Japanese archipelago.

57. "Sure": YES.

58. GPS approx.: ETA.  As in Estimated Time of Arrival.  This is a crossword staple.

59. Taxpayer's ID: SSN.  As in Social Security Number.  This has become a crossword staple, but do you know how to decode the number?  The Number is divided into 3 parts: the Area, the Group, and the Series.  The Area is the first 3 digits.  Prior to June 25, 2011, the first three digits indicated where the Social Security number was issues.  After that date, numbers were issued randomly.

61. "The War of the Worlds" foes, e.g.: ETs.  As in ExtraTerrrestials.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday, December 14, 2020 Bruce Haight

Theme: Going Postal - Each even-letter-numbered theme entry is consisted of all two-letter state abbreviation.

18. Florida swim-with-the-dolphins park: MARINELAND. MA/RI/NE/LA/ND.

23. Energy source with tunnels: COAL MINE. CO/AL/MI/NE.

53. Huge corporate agreement: MEGA DEAL. ME/GA/DE/AL.

63. One requiring a token payment?: ARCADE GAME. AR/CA/DE/GA/ME.

Reveal:

39. With 43-Across, America ... or what 18-, 23-, 53- and 63-Across contain, briefly: UNITED.

43. See 39-Across: STATES.

Boomer here. This grid is a special 16x14. 

When I was a kid, I remember having a boxed "Game of the States" but like many of my 1950s baseball cards it is now history.  I noticed that Minnesota's postal abbreviation did not make it into the puzzle. I suppose it's because it does not have a vowel.  But North Dakota made it!  DaMN.

Across: 

1. Food nutrients that might be saturated: FATS.  Speaking of Minnesota, I'm sure you've all heard of Mr. FATS.

5. Trooper automaker: ISUZU.  Some autos have strange names. Who ever heard of Hyundai?

10. Docks: PIERS.  Also, when I was a kid, we had a dock at our cabin at North Star Lake.  I think it has to be a lot bigger to get PIER status. 

15. Father of Leif: ERIK.  Yes he was and Leif took the surname Erikson.  I guess Thorvaldsson was too hard to spell.

16. Curry spice: CUMIN.

17. Away from the dock, maybe: AT SEA.  "We sail the ocean blue, in our saucy ships of beauty."  Gilbert and Sullivan - HMS Pinafore.

20. Lightning-fast Bolt: USAIN.  I think he owns eight Olympic golds from three Olympics.  I think his Mom should have named him Lighting.

21. 1860s prez: ABE.  Honestly?

22. Energy source: OIL.

25. Slangy "Now it's clear": I GOT YA.

28. Miler Sebastian: COE.  Another owner of Olympic medals. Not so many as "Lightning."

29. Tree pod used as ersatz chocolate: CAROB.

31. Muslim mystic: SUFI. Whirling Dervish.

34. Bellicose god: ARES.  Greek god of war.  Said to be an Olympian of Greek history.

38. Symphony wind: OBOE.

41. Black-clad subculturist: GOTH.

42. Boy Scout groups: DENS.  I'm pretty sure that Boy scout groups were called Troops. Cub scouts met in DENS.

44. "Back forty" unit: ACRE.

45. "What's more ... ": ALSO.  I see Alabama

46. Words of woe: AH ME.  Now it looks like Maine.

47. Favored on Facebook: LIKED.  I use Facebook now and then.  Now they are getting sued.  Mr. Zuckerberg got too big too fast I guess.

48. Pester: NAG.

50. Amber and epoxy: RESINS.

58. Zodiac butter: RAM.  LA football player or a Dodge truck.

59. Smartphone no.: TEL.  I only use a dumb phone.

62. Rossini work: OPERA.

66. Sexy poster: PIN-UP.

67. Big blood vessel: AORTA.

68. Grand __: auto race: PRIX.

69. Bloodhound's clue: SCENT.  Did someone say South Carolina ??

70. Haughty one: SNOOT.

71. __ Spumante wine: ASTI.

Down:

1. Hurricane response org.: FEMA.  They had a lot to do on our Gulf Coast last summer.

2. Many a Syrian: ARAB.

3. Flat-fixing tools: TIRE IRONS.

4. Slider on a slope: SKI.  Popular in Minnesota.  We have a golf course south of Minneapolis that becomes a ski area in the winter.  Right now it has no use.  We did get a bit of snow in October and early November but it is long gone.  It was 47 degrees last week but getting colder now.

5. Seal the deal: ICE IT.  Cannot do that with temperatures like above.

6. Pilot played by Hanks: SULLY.  Quite a feat, he landed his plane on the Hudson River.  Saved a lot of lives.

7. Actress Thurman: UMA.

8. Brass component: ZINC.

9. Loosen, as a knot: UNDO.

10. São __, Brazil: PAULO.

11. "I'm baaaack": IT'S ME AGAIN.

12. Morales of "Criminal Minds": ESAI.  I remember him on NYPD Blue.

13. Equestrian's control: REIN.

14. All there: SANE.  I see Nebraska.  

19. Gaming novice: NOOB.

24. Stomach __: digestive aids: ACIDS.

26. Starts one's daily jog: GOES ON A RUN.  We used to go on a daily WALK.  I am too old to run.

27. "Take me __": "This is me": AS I AM.

29. Musical finale: CODA.

30. Biblical shepherd: ABEL.  Cain's BRO.

32. Unmitigated: UTTER.

33. Greens __: golfer's payment: FEE.  I have made plenty of these.  Thankfully the course does not charge by the stroke.

35. Rolling Stone interviewees: ROCK STARS.  We keep a few rocks in the garden area.  The stars are overhead and you can only see them at night.

36. To be, in Toulon: ETRE.

37. Mower storage spot: SHED.  Our Association hires a lawn service.  Thankfully because I don't think we would have room for a mower in the garage.

39. Grammar lesson subject: USAGE.

40. Utmost degree: NTH.

47. Corona wedge: LIME.  Bartender's favorite garnish.

49. Modify to fit: ADAPT.

51. Muse with a lyre: ERATO.

52. Anwar of Egypt: SADAT.  No one ever said what he was SAD AT.

53. Deck-swabbing tools: MOPS.  I was not on a ship, but we used MOPS in the barracks also.

54. Large-scale tale: EPIC.

55. Heredity carrier: GENE.

56. Small batteries: AAAS.

57. Scientologist Hubbard: L RON.

60. Radiate, as light: EMIT.

61. Thompson of the LPGA: LEXI.  This young lady is now 25 and well established on the LPGA tour.  Can you believe that she qualified for the women's LPGA U.S. Open at age 12?

64. __-Magnon: CRO.  I am not as old as this guy but some days I feel .... Oh never mind.

65. College transcript no.: GPA.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

 1) Amazing puzzle, Bruce!!

2) Here is Kathy (Yellowrocks) entering her new home on Thursday (Dec 10, 2020). So glad you settled in and are back to our Corner family quickly.

Sunday December 13, 2020 Garry Morse

Theme:  "Paper Trail" - Each familiar phrase is punnily reinterpreted as if the last word is a newspaper name.

23A. Newspaper for jeans wearers?: CASUAL OBSERVER.

39A. Newspaper for newlyweds?: HITCHING POST.

57A. Newspaper for attorneys?: TRYING TIMES. What we are, right now.

81A. Newspaper for chefs?: GARLIC PRESS.

98A. Newspaper for traffic cops?: TWO-WAY MIRROR.

118A. Newspaper for Schwinn owners?: BICYCLE COURIER.

32D. Newspaper for hairstylists?: SETTING SUN.

53D. Newspaper for metalworkers?: BRONZE STAR.

 

Fun puzzle. We've seen this type of newspaper theme before, including one from me for the NYT ages ago. It's called "Paper Jam". I love the way today's puzzle is presented. 

 

A bit name-heavy.

 

Across:
 

1. Springlike: VERNAL. Not a word I use.

7. Word in France's national motto: EGALITE. "Liberte, egalite, fraternite"

 

14. Scratched, say: MARRED.

20. Skin care brand: AVEENO. Endorsed by Jennifer Aniston.

21. Michelle's successor: MELANIA.

22. Alpine climbing tool: ICE AXE.

25. Shake and bake, e.g.: RHYMES.

26. Rodeo ropes: RIATAS.

27. Essen article: DER.

28. For example: SAY.

29. "Leaves and Navels" artist: ARP. Not familiar with the work. Very abstract.

30. Philippine money: PESOS.

33. General on a menu: TSO.

34. "A Beautiful Mind" mathematician: NASH. John Nash.

36. At the discretion of: UP TO.

37. Preceding periods: EVES.

38. Apple platform: IOS.

43. Venetian Renaissance artist: TITIAN.

45. Chinese currency: YUAN. $1 = 6.55 Yuan now.

47. Six-time NBA MVP, familiarly: KAREEM. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

48. Hi-tech medical image: CAT SCAN.

50. Investor's concern: RISK.

52. Like a solid theory: TENABLE.

56. U.S. maritime agcy.: ONI. Office of Naval Intelligence.

61. Not std.: IRREG.

62. Div. that, in its first year of existence, produced a World Series champ: NL EAST. OK, Mets won. Might be Rich's clue.

64. Best poker pair: ACES.

65. Phnom Penh river: MEKONG.

66. Saltimbocca spice: SAGE. Wrapped with prosciutto and sage.

 

68. Company whose spoofed horror film ad has the line, "Why can't we just get in the running car?": GEICO.

71. Swimmer Ledecky: KATIE. She's amazing.

73. Racer Ferrari: ENZO.

74. Paperwork, often: HASSLE.

76. Get exactly right: NAIL.

78. Fake: ERSATZ. Consonant-rich.

80. Island with Dutch as an official language: ARUBA.

84. Diminish: EBB.

87. 12th-century English king: HENRY II. And 16. King of Spain: REY. And 108. Tenth of 12 popes: PIUS X.

89. Place to park it: SEAT.

90. Fulfill: SATISFY.

92. It starts in the 60s, by most reckonings: OLD AGE. Hong Kong has the highest life expectancy in the world for the past decade. It's very close to Guangzhou. Same temperature. Same language (Cantonese). Same food (Cantonese). Soup every day.

95. Mine car: TRAM.

97. Wee bit: LITTLE. Cantonese bowls are small. So a bowl of soup or rice is not that much. Authentic Cantonese food is light and fresh.

102. 2010 health law: Abbr.: ACA.

104. Coal-rich valley: SAAR.

105. Cut: HEWN.

106. Sad: BLUE.

107. Four-term prez: FDR.

108. Auto repair bill component: PARTS.

109. Seine summer: ETE.

110. Prefix with cycle: TRI.

112. Deg. for drillers: DDS. The price for my dental package skyrockets again. Same with yours?

114. Like an accomplice: IN ON IT.

116. Make changes to: MODIFY.

123. Insect-sized superhero: ANT MAN.

124. Puts away: STASHES.

125. Poetic Bible book: PSALMS.

126. __ skills: PEOPLE.

127. Large chamber groups: SEPTETS.

128. Americans in Paris, maybe: EXPATS. Good old clue.

Down:

1. Short cleaner: VAC.

2. "Casino Royale" (2006) actress Green: EVA. First movie with Daniel Craig as Bond.

 3. High-__ monitor: RES.

4. Phobia, e.g.: NEUROSIS.

5. Diarist first name with a diaeresis: ANAIS.

6. Glaudini of early "Criminal Minds" episodes: LOLA.

7. Consulate cousin: EMBASSY. Guangzhou has an American Consulate. I was once here waiting in line. So was Bill, our new Thursday guide. So was Brad, a Nebraskan reader who used to live in the White Swan hotel nearby. Brad had a business in Guangzhou/Hong Kong area years ago.

8. Artwork base coat: GESSO.

9. Bar order: ALE.

10. Frying medium: LARD.

11. Create: INVENT.

12. Clothing store display aid: TIE RACK.

13. Kernel holder: EAR.

14. "Look!," to Luis: MIRA.

15. Sore: ACHY.

17. NY/NJ's __ Mountains: RAMAPO. Learning moment for me.

18. Applies: EXERTS.

19. Absolute ruler: DESPOT.

24. Due times four: OTTO. Due here refers to "Two" in Italian.

28. Team in some pickup games: SHIRTS.

30. San Diego's __ Park: PETCO.

31. Aquafina rival: EVIAN.

35. Doo-wop syllable: SHA.

36. Short seller's concern: UP MARKET. 49. Where Coca-Cola is KO: NYSE.

38. Steamed: IN A RAGE.

39. Reagan's first secretary of state: HAIG. "I'm in control here".

40. Photo-sharing app, briefly: INSTA. Instagram.

41. Once called: NEE.

42. 1992 Robin Williams role: GENIE.

44. Part of un opéra: ACTE.

46. Keats' "Sylvan historian": URN.

51. Complain: KICK.

54. Emmy winner Kay: LENZ.  Wiki says "For her role in the episode "After It Happened" of Midnight Caller, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series."

55. Wafflers brand: EGGO.

58. Singer Turner's memoir: I TINA.

59. "Give __ minute ... ": ME A.

60. Glyceride, for one: ESTER.

63. Longtime "Band of Renown" leader: LES BROWN.

65. "Ben-Hur" villain: MESSALA. No idea. Never saw the movie.

66. Ousted Iranian: SHAH.

67. Bern's river: AARE.

69. Caboose, for one: CAR.

70. Artist's medium: OILS.

72. Angers: IRES.

75. Clapton woman who's "got me on my knees": LAYLA.

77. Deceive: LIE TO.

79. Italian wine hub: ASTI.

81. 2000 A.L. MVP Jason: GIAMBI. He was really good when I first arrived in the US.

82. Gideon Fell creator John Dickson __: CARR.

83. Bk. fair organizer: PTA.

85. Key of Schumann's "Spring Symphony": B FLAT.

86. Joyce __, Winona Ryder's "Stranger Things" role: BYERS. Did any of the names cause you trouble today?

88. Mount __: Charley Weaver's home: IDY.

91. "Don't go in there!": IT'S A TRAP.

93. Grissom on "CSI": GIL.

94. Scholarly: ERUDITE.

96. "O, that way __ lies": Lear: MADNESS.

98. On __: famous: THE MAP. Long partial.

99. Sloppy kiss: WET ONE.

100. Had because of: OWED TO.

101. Baggage porter: REDCAP.

103. Foam footwear: CROC.

107. Sole order: FILET.

110. Nonstick kitchen brand: T-FAL. We have two of these. Change them about every two years.

111. Ex-Cub Sandberg: RYNE.

113. Part of DOS: Abbr.: SYST.

115. "Nuh-uh": NOPE.

117. Little dickens: IMP.

118. Undergrad degs.: BSS. And 122. Blog feed format letters: RSS. Really Simple Syndication.

119. Friend of Fidel: CHE.

120. Dockworker's gp.: ILA. International Longshoremen's Association.

121. CPR expert: EMT.

Best wishes to your wife and your family, Ray-O-Sunshine! So scary. Boomer's son also got COVID but has since recovered.

Please continue keeping Bill G and his wife Barbara in your thoughts and prayers. I echo Michael's time-tested advice for caregivers:  "Guard your energy".

Barbara, Bill & their grandchildren

C.C.