Tuesday, February 9, 2021 Michael A Macdonald

Hit the Road, Jack!  The last word of each theme answer is an infrastructure that one can take to get from  Point A to Point B.

18-Across. *   Nostalgic place for a walk: MEMORY LANE.

27-Across. *   Place to pursue pleasure: PRIMROSE PATH.

47-Across. *   Place with no options: END OF THE ROAD.

62-Across. *   Evidence in white-collar crime: PAPER TRAIL.

And the Unifier:

60. Cry of approval ... and what the end of each answer to a starred clue is: WAY TO GO.

Across:

1. One of the Three Bears: MAMA.

5. Pro concerned with Apr. 15: CPA.  As in a Certified Public Accountant.  We have a few CPAs in our crossword community.

8. Like one liable for libel: SUABLE.  An awkward, but valid, word.

14. Tons: ALOT.  A crossword staple.

15. The Boston Bruins retired his #4 in 1979: ORR.  Bobby Orr (né Robert Gordon Orr; b. Mar. 20, 1948) is a Canadian former professional hockey player.  He is considered the GOAT of Hockey.  He played 10 years with the Boston Bruins and two with the Chicago Black Hawks.

16. Like mosaic stones: INLAID.   We saw some beautiful mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily.  The villa was built in the early 300s CE.  The mosaics show beautiful scenes of daily life, including women competing in athletic events.

17. Ilk: SORT.

20. Patella: KNEE CAP.  I shattered my knee cap in a car accident about 20 years ago.  In an X-ray, my patella probably looks like a mosaic.

22. Sign of summer: LEO.  Hi, Leo III!

23. D.C. figure: SEN.  As in a Senator.

24. Alabama march city: SELMA.  In March 1965, there were three Civil Rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

25. Porcine sounds: OINKS.

33. Brought back to its original condition: RESTORED.  Art Restorations gone bad.

Before and After

36. Song for a diva: ARIA.  The Habanera from Carman.

37. Sturdy tree: OAK.  Louisiana is known for its Live Oak Trees.

38. Some shower components: METEORS.

42. Overnight option: INN.

43. Plumbing concern: DRIP.

45. Fixed, as old shoes: REHEELED.

51. Relaxed: EASED.

52. Trivial, as issues: MINOR.

56. Have debts: OWE.

59. Without end, to the Bard: EER.

65. Dunkable cookie: OREO.  A crossword staple.

66. Aphrodite's love: ADONIS.  In Greek mythology, Adonis was the god of desire and beauty.

67. Web address: URL.  As in Uniform Resource Locator.

68. Measure of versatility: USES.

69. Renter: LESSEE.

70. Map part: KEY.

71. Measure of proficiency: TEST.

Down:

1. Batman and Robin wore them: MASKS.

2. Without help: ALONE.

3. Type of mushroom: MOREL.  This mushroom used to be a crossword staple.

4. NFL passing stat: ATTEMPT.

5. Robin Cook's breakout 1977 novel: COMA.  I read this back when I was in high school.

6. Pre-cooking job: PREP.  I find prep bowls to be extremely useful when I cook.

7. Limb on a rest: ARM.  It has been way too long since I have flown, so the arm on the armrest hasn't been an issue.

8. Fire alerts: SIRENS.  Mythological Sirens.

9. Break up, as a bovine team: UNYOKE.

10. Without exception: ALL.

11. Ewe sounds: BAAs.

12. One drawn in the sand: LINE.

13. First home: EDEN.

19. Potpourri: OLIO.

21. Pool shot: CAROM.

25. Said, "I'll have the lobster," say: ORDERED.

26. Health resort: SPA.

28. Rage: IRE.

29. Bumped into: MET.

30. Seed cover: ARIL. 

31. Diner sticker: TINE.

32. Round of applause: HAND.

33. Went in a taxi: RODE.

34. Merit: EARN.

35. Icy street risk: SKID.

39. "__ the ramparts ... ": O'ER.  A line from the Star Spangled Banner.

40. P-like Greek letter: RHO.

41. Sordid: SEAMY.

44. Author of macabre tales: POE.  As in Edgar Allan Poe (Jan. 19, 1809 ~ Oct. 7, 1849).

46. Remove from text: EDIT OUT.

48. Spenser's "The __ Queene": FAERIE.  The Faerie Queene is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser (1552 ~ Jan. 13, 1599).  The poem was originally published in 1590.

49. Fly to avoid: TSETSE.  The Tsetse fly is a carrier of the vector that causes sleeping disease in humans.

50. Bonn mister: HERR.  Today's German lesson.

53. Like Odin and Loki: NORSE.

54. Curved moldings: OGEES.

55. Fowl pole: ROOST.  Fun clue.

56. Australian gem: OPAL. Hi, Kazie!  These gemstones have such sparkle.

57. Walk in the shallows: WADE.

Wade Boggs (b. June 15, 1958)

58. Grand-scale poetry: EPOS.  Think of The Illiad or The Odyssey.  Hand up if you have ever read either of these epic poems.

60. Line with a plug: WIRE.

61. One on your side: ALLY.

63. Sunny pair?: ENs.  As in the letter "N".  Sunny.

64. Arctic diving bird: AUK.  How to tell the difference between an Auk and a Penguin.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday February 8, 2021 Jared Goudsmit

Theme: B AND B  (38. Inn offering a morning meal, briefly ... or a hint to six puzzle answers) - Each theme entry is in the pattern of B* B*:

17A. Foamy tubful for unwinding: BUBBLE BATH.

27A. Lumber on a diamond: BASEBALL BAT.

47A. Bryan Cranston crime drama: BREAKING BAD.

62A. Fish-and-chips coating: BEER BATTER.

3D. Infant's source of nourishment: BABY BOTTLE.

30D. Icon with a left-facing arrow: BACK BUTTON.

Boomer here. Congrats to Jared Goudsmit on his LA Times debut.

My older sister, Barbara Burnikel, is pretty good at solving crosswords.  She lives in San Francisco and subscribes to the New York Times.  

Last Friday I needed a "Boomer Blood" draw at the VA. and today I will receive a phone consultation from my oncologist to let me know how I am doing. During the Blood Draw, I asked if they had any Covid vaccine doses lying around, and the young lady told me that they just had a clinic for vaccines the previous week and 650 veterans received shots.  I was shocked by the news that all of the recipients were 85 years or age or older.  I remember years ago when I was too young to buy cigarettes or liquor, but I never knew the day would come where I was too young to get a shot.

Across:

1. Swedish pop group with the hit "Chiquitita": ABBA.

5. Top dog: ALPHA.  This sounds like a fraternity thing.

10. Trojan War hero: AJAX. A cleanser that you might clean your driveway with.

14. Stroller, in Sheffield: PRAM.

15. Give up, informally: BAG IT.  Our Las Vegas trip was cancelled this year, so I won't have to BAG IT at the craps table.

16. Serenity "before the storm": CALM.  "Serenity now" - Frank Costanza on Seinfeld.

19. Excessive publicity: HYPE.

20. Needlelike engraving tools: STYLETS.

21. Mae __, first Black woman in space: JEMISON.  About 10 years younger than I.  She floated aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor.

23. Airer of Tyler Perry's "The Oval": BET.  Black Entertainment Television.

24. Harmonic: TONAL.

25. "Last Week Tonight" network: HBO.  I have cable TV but I pass on paying extra for HBO.

33. Deli sandwich, initially: BLT.  One of my favorites, but a little tough to open wide to eat.

34. Nobelist Wiesel: ELIE.

35. Use the exit: LEAVE. "Leaving on a Jet plane, Don't know when I'll be back again." John Denver.

36. On the __: quarreling: OUTS.  Three of them are the end on an inning.

41. Whole heap: SCAD.

42. Turns to soup, as ice cream: MELTS.  I have found some excellent "Vanilla Bean" ice cream at Aldi.  1/2 fat and I lace it with sugar-free chocolate pudding powder and some sugar free wafers. 

44. Mystical vibe: AURA.

46. Jest: KID.  No KIDDING - it's a great dessert.

50. Investigative journalist Nellie: BLY.  HOF Twins pitcher Bert BLYleven.

51. "Check it out for yourself!": GO SEE.

52. Bird in Liberty Mutual ads: EMU.  Yup, and if you ask me, they are pretty stupid ads.

54. Ali of "Love Story": MACGRAW

57. Artist's board: PALETTE.

61. Loafing around: IDLE.  If you live in my state, it's called letting your car warm up in the winter. 

64. Old Russian ruler: CZAR.

65. Hosp. trauma pro: ER DOC.  I have a bowling buddy named Don.  He is a retired ER gas passer so of course we call him "Doc".

66. Caramel-filled candy: ROLO.

67. Shift and Tab: KEYS.  On the keyboard.  It has taken me time to get used to the fact that our Santa Fe does not have KEYS.  Press a button to open the doors.  Put your foot on the brake and push a button and it starts.

68. Praises highly: LAUDS.

69. Small bills: ONES.  Honoring our first president but these days it doesn't buy much.

Down:

1. Police dept. alerts: APBS.   More than one All Points Bulletin.

2. Very dry, as Champagne: BRUT.  I seem to remember a cologne by this name.

4. Easygoing pace: AMBLE.  Putt out on the hole then AMBLE to the next tee.

5. Help a robber, say: ABET. Double it  $10.00 on the Pass Line.

6. Experiment sites: LABS.

7. Links org.: PGA.  I was following them in Phoenix last week.  A few spectators but I did not see any masks.  Okay, I did not wear a mask when I played last summer, but I kept a distance. 

8. Assassin's assignment: HIT JOB.  Also Albert Pujols' assignment.

9. Greek goddess of wisdom: ATHENA.

10. Trojan War hero: ACHILLES.  He must have been the guy with the bad heel.

11. Blue birds: JAYS.  Toronto's MLB baseball team eh.

12. Purina rival: ALPO.

13. Marvel-ous heroes?: X-MEN.

18. Do not disturb: LET BE.  "Speaking words of wisdom, LET it BE, LET it BE.  Beatles.

22. Retail complex: MALL.  Minnesota has a "Mall of America" on the South side of Minneapolis.  Since we live on the north side, we don't visit it much.  Have not been there at all since the virus hit. 

24. Like many first-time workers: TEENAGE.  My first time job was a caddy at the country club.  I was fourteen.  Great job and free golf every Monday morning.

25. Cold War threat: H BOMB.

26. Clearer, as a sky: BLUER.  It's a bit odd.  A clear blue sky in the summer and it's very pleasant.  Same clear blue sky in the winter and you freeze your tail off. 

28. Priest's robe: ALB.

29. One-named "Chandelier" singer: SIA.

31. Be of use to: AVAIL.  We had a bit of snow last week and had to AVAIL ourselves of a couple of shovels.  Nothing like the Northeast got last week however. 

32. Bear in a kid's bed: TEDDY.  Mr. Roosevelt on Mount Rushmore.

37. Walks drunkenly: STAGGERS.  My meds prohibit alcohol in my system but sometimes I stagger anyway. 

39. Name, as a knight: DUB.  Hit a golf ball less than five yards.

40. Bikini top: BRA.

43. Toffee candy bar: SKOR.

45. Journalist __ Rogers St. Johns: ADELA.

48. Author Allende: ISABEL.

49. Period "ushered in": NEW ERA.  This is our NEW ERA of Covid vaccine.  Minnesota has given shots to 8% of its citizens.  I have received four emails "We'll let you know" from the VA. Still waiting my turn.  

53. Paris subway: METRO.  I thought it was one of those big, long sandwiches.

54. Rocking Jagger: MICK.  HOFer Mantle.

55. Axlike tool: ADZE.

56. Potter's material: CLAY.

57. Jab: PROD.

58. Elementary lesson: ABCS.

59. Marketing prefix: TELE.  Yes and I wish they would leave me alone.

60. Greek matchmaker: EROS.

63. Tulane URL ending: EDU. And many others.

Boomer

Sunday February 7, 2021 Gary Larson

 

Theme: "Work Place" - Each familiar phrase is reinterpreted as if it's a workplace fitting the products or professions in the clue.

22A. Facility for processing vacation requests?: LEAVE OFFICE.

24A. Facility where the higher-ups do business?: STATUS BAR.

44A. Facility for researching cocoa-based goodies?: CHOCOLATE LAB.

69A. Facility for baking custard-filled pastries?: NAPOLEON COMPLEX.

97A. Facility for purchasing the latest fad items?: WHAT'S IN STORE.

121A. Facility for a matchmaker?: SETUP SHOP.

124A. Facility for cloning research?: DOUBLE SPACE.

3D. Facility for recycling old batteries?: DEAD CENTER.

79D. Facility for manufacturing homes?: HOUSEPLANT.

This is a extension of the Robert W. Harris puzzle we had years ago. I think it works the best when all the entries are nouns phrases.

Quite theme heavy. Total 9 entries. Four of themers intersect. I always love it when that happens.

 

 

 

Across:

1. She plays Niobe in "The Matrix" sequels: JADA. Jada Pinkett Smith.

5. '70s Connecticut governor Ella: GRASSO. Was she nationally known?

11. Requiring utensils, as some sandwiches: OPEN FACE.

19. Pitcher Hershiser: OREL.

20. Searched roughly: RIFLED.

21. Apparent displacement due to observer movement: PARALLAX. We had this before.

26. Puts on cargo: LADES.

27. "It's a __!": FACT.

28. ORD postings: ETAS.

29. Expert: ACE.

30. English race place: ASCOT.

31. Hides: LIES LOW.

35. Reagan secretary of state: SHULTZ. George Shultz is still alive.

37. Click beetles: ELATERS. New to me. Sure does not look like elated.

39. Wyoming natives: ARAPAHOS. Google shows that "Today, the Cheyenne and Arapaho are federally recognized as one tribe and known as the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes".

42. Peak: ZENITH.

48. Muesli morsel: OAT.

49. City NNW of San Francisco: EUREKA.

53. __-Ball: arcade game: SKEE.

54. Place for a hero: DELI. Xi'an style sandwich.

55. Pizzeria fixture: OVEN. And 8D Pizzeria offerings: SLICES. And 57A. "Yum!": DELISH.

59. Last of a series: OMEGA.

62. Help: AID.

63. Red Cross supply: SERUM.

65. Deck alternatives: PATIOS.

67. Advisories: ALERTS. We're under a Wind Chill Advisory right now. High today - 2.

74. Minds: SEES TO.

77. Composer Prokofiev: SERGEI. He composed "Peter and the Wolf". Read more here.

78. Master, in Hindi: SAHIB. Does this term apply to woman also, Vidwan?

82. Zero deg. at the equator, say: LAT. OK, latitude.

83. Impact sound: SPLAT. 38D. Sound of an impact: THUD.

87. Put (away): SALTED.

89. California lake near the Nevada border: MONO. Also new to me.

90. Unpopular spots: ACNE.

92. Donor drive target: ALUM.

94. Eye: PEER AT.

96. Tabloid topic: UFO.

101. Fingers: RATS ON.

103. Indian cooking style: TANDOORI. I wonder if TTP has fiddled with tandoori chicken.

104. Michelin product: CAR TIRE.

107. Some are vital: ORGANS.

110. Shapes again: RE-MOLDS.

112. Slangy denials: NOPEs.

115. Super Bowl LIV halftime performer: J LO. Here with Shakira.

116. Ph.D. hurdle: DISS. Dissertation.

119. Kind of 1940s suit: ZOOT.

120. Gown fabric: TULLE.

126. Disinfect: SANITIZE.

127. Start a paragraph, maybe: INDENT.

128. Writer Bagnold: ENID.

129. Many kilt wearers: SCOTSMEN.

130. Pickles: MESSES.

131. Yardsticks: Abbr.: STDS.

Down:

1. La __, San Diego neighborhood that's home to Scripps Research: JOLLA.

2. Neighborhoods: AREAS.

4. Lung air sacs: ALVEOLI. Not an easy word.

5. Miracle-__: GRO.

6. Thumb (through): RIFFLE.

7. Fling: AFFAIR.

9. Shakers and others: SECTS. The religious Shakers.

10. Keats' "To Autumn," e.g.: ODE.

11. Black __: OPS.

12. Toast topping: PATE.

13. Part of Q.E.D.: ERAT.

14. Foe of Rocky and Bullwinkle: NATASHA.

15. Frequent subject in recent headlines: FLU SHOT. Still no extra dose for Boomer's arm. VA clinic just completed the 85+ group. Soon, hopefully.

16. Green and Yankovic: ALS.

17. Conspiring group: CABAL.

18. Strict: EXACT.

23. It's often divided: ESTATE.

25. __-de-chaussée: ground floor: REZ.

32. "Well, __-di-dah!": LAH.

33. Suit in a Spanish deck of cards: OROS: "A Spanish deck of cards has always been divided in 4 suits, called: Oros ("golds" or gold coins), Copas (cups), Espadas (swords), and Bastos (clubs). These symbols supposedly represented the 4 social classes divided by the feudal society: royalty, clergy, military, and common people." Source here.

34. Off-the-wall: WACKO.

36. Worn: USED.

40. Work with feet: POEM. Good old clue.

41. Toward the sheltered side: ALEE.

42. Attractions in San Diego and the Bronx: ZOOS.

43. Icicle's locale: EAVE.

44. Privia Pro Stage pianos, e.g.: CASIOS.

45. Cordelia's father: LEAR.

46. Touched down: ALIT.

47. Bridge actions: BIDS.

50. Seized vehicle: REPO.

51. Its planes have missile defense systems: EL AL.

52. Toy with a tail: KITE.

56. Women with habits: NUNS. We've been in contact with the sweet nuns at Benedictine Sisters at Clyde, Missouri all these years. Boomer's aunt, Sister Caroline, was buried there.

58. Sharpens: HONES.

60. Liquid meas.: GAL.

61. They may be bitter: ALES.

64. Gym equipment: MATS.

66. Tough spot: SCRAPE.

68. Physical, say: EXAM.

70. Weasel report?: POP. "Pop! Goes the Weasel".

71. Stare at in a creepy way: OGLE. You won't find this word in USA Today puzzle.

72. Distribute, with "out": METE.

73. Waterfront sight: PIER.

74. Leaves on a dog: SLAW. Never saw Boomer put coleslaw on his hot dogs.

75. A head: EACH.

76. Peak seen from Messina: ETNA.

80. Skinny: INFO.

81. Godsend: BOON.

84. Arrive, in a way: LAND.

85. Plus: ALSO.

86. Pre-test helper: TUTOR. Hi there, Bill G!

88. Flier with a flight: DART.

91. Jazz diva Jones: ETTA.

93. Seconds, say: MORE.

95. Contaminates: TAINTS.

98. Excavation site: SAND PIT.

99. Isn't at all wishy-washy: INSISTS.

100. Glass lip: RIM.

102. Thespian companies: TROUPES.

104. "Feather canyons everywhere," to Joni Mitchell: CLOUDS.

105. Building blocks: ADOBES.

106. Givens in the "Wheel of Fortune" bonus round: R S T L NE. And 108. Like non-oyster months, traditionally: R LESS.

107. Drinks in the a.m.: OJS.

109. Did okay in class: GOT A C. Quite a few letter plays here.

111. __ layer: OZONE.

113. Heston title role: EL CID.

114. Sprouts-to-be: SEEDS.

117. Mason's wedge: SHIM.

118. "The Usual Suspects" crime lord Keyser __: SOZE. OK, I googled, played by Kevin Spacey. I won't link then.

122. 108-card game: UNO.

123. Montblanc product: PEN.

124. Hard to see in: DIM.

125. Sci-fi beings: ETS.

C.C.