Thursday June 24, 2021 Alex Bajcz

Our constructor for today is Alex Bajcz (pronounced like "badges") who last appeared here March 19th, 2018, reviewed by Lemonade.  As we will see, Alex has his fingers in a lot of pies having published in the NYT, WSJ, as well as here on the Corner.  Here is a more complete list of his constructions on his website.  But you will also notice that he has a day job - that of a Plant Ecologist at the Drew University P.R.U.N.E Research Lab (Plant Reproduction in (Un)Natural Environments).  Here is a picture of Alex giving a “lesson” on blueberry reproductive ecology to blueberry growers at Blueberry Hill Farm:
 

Among his other interests Alex, is an expert in a programming language called R.  I'm familiar with scores of programming languages, but as my cockney relatives would say, "I never 'eard of it!".  I gather that it has a lot of powerful tools for processing statistical data.

Today he will give us a lesson in 4 other pies he has his fingers in.  The themers contain hints as to what he's baking up, enclosed in the fill circles (here highlighted in RED). 

17A Cornell's main campus overlooks it: CAYUGA LAKE.  I believe this calls for a CSO to Irish Miss, Spitzboov, and Ray - O.  Which one of you is closest?

23A. Home to more than 425 US wineries: SONOMA COUNTY.  Not the VALLEY, but the COUNTY wherein it lies.  Looks like it might be close to JayCe and GarlicGal.

33A. "V." novelist (1963): THOMAS PYNCHON. 

46A. Ham, pepper and green onion dish: DENVER OMELET.

As I'm sure by now the AROMAS of the themers have clued you in to the reveal:

54A. Pie-making scraps ... and what this puzzle's circles represent?: APPLE CORES.  I'm not sure I'd call them "scraps", but rather delicious Crossword FILLING consisting of 4 different types of APPLES.  I've already given away where two groups of Cornerites might buy these apples locally.  The remaining two are ROME apples from Ohio (hands up anyone?) and SPY apples, also from Upstate New York. SPY apples have the additional distinction of having been recognized by the USPS in commemorative stamps issued in 2013.  Clockwise from the top left we have: SPY, GOLDEN DELICIOUS, BALDWIN, and GRANNY SMITH apples:
 

Here's the rest of the filling:

Across:
1. Measuring tools: TAPES.  Both my parents were crafts people.  My mother was a seamstress who used tapes for the fitting and alteration of suits, dresses, gowns, furs, you name it.  My father was a carpenter who used tapes to measure wood.  He would always say "Measure it twice, cut it once".

6. They're often removed for the National Anthem: HATS.

10. Those in charge: Abbr.: MGMT.  Geeks usually call them "suits".

14. "Same for me": AS AM I.

15. "Or __ what?!": ELSE.  A response to an ULTIMATUM.

16. "Unfortunately ... ": ALAS.  The bad news.  Which do you want first?

19. TV heroine whose name is derived from the Greek for "stranger": XENA.  This is where we get our word XENOPHOBIA, or "fear of foreigners".  The heroine in the clue was Xena: Warrior Princess, played by Lucy Lawless, a New Zealand actress.  DW and I have not seen her in Xena, but we have seen her in a new Aussie series playing the retired detective Alexa Crowe, whose old boss keeps hitting her up for free consulting in My Life is Murder.  Season 2 is currently being filmed in New Zealand. Alexa is also an expert in the operation and maintenance of German coffee makers.

20. Adorns playfully, for short: TPS.  I got this with perps, but I'm still not sure what it means.  Is "to toilette paper" now a verb?

21. "The Maltese Falcon" genre: NOIR.  It starts to get dark in the evening here on the Corner, when the groaners begin to run out.

22. Marvel's Stark: TONY. The IRON MAN.  Here's but one of many portals into the Marvel Universe.  Be careful not to venture in too far!

27. It's fun to skip them: STONES.  I showed one of my grandsons how to skip stones when he was about 5, and then we had to do it for at least the next hour.  It can be a highly addictive behavior!
 

And the hopelessly addicted have even turned it into a competitive sport:
 

29. Modern test of humanity: CAPTCHA.  Since when did we start getting "humanity" tests?  With the arrival of computers of course.  CAPTCHA stands for the Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. CAPTCHAs are tools you can use to differentiate between real users and automated users, such as bots who might co-opt them to run spam nets.  Hand up if you thought that the narrator of the video sounded like a bot!:

 

However I have a nit to pick with the use of the phrase "Turing test".  The generally accepted definition for the term Turing Test "is a method of inquiry in artificial intelligence (AI) for determining whether or not a computer is capable of thinking like a human being."  BTW I'm skeptical that we'll ever reach Ray Kurzweil's "singularity", a hypothetical "tipping point" at which computer "intelligence" surpasses that of humans.  Computers, like all tools, are mechanisms for the concentration of power. IMHO the "singularity" is the ultimate power grab by the Technocracy.

30. Sushi fare: EEL.  I love sushi, but UNAGI (Eel) is very fatty and I find it hard to digest.

31. Spicy cupful: CHAI.  Read all about it from a registered dietitian.  Click the  Jump to Recipe button if you don't want all the foodie stuff.

32. Big name in chips: LAY.  As a hypertensive, I prefer Utz No-Salt Potato Chips, made in Hanover, PA, just up the road from where I live.  The only problem with them is that you CAN eat the whole bag:
 

38. Std. paper size: LTR.

39. "Typee" sequel: OMOO.   TYPEE and OMOO published in 1846 and 1847 respectively, are based on Melville's  experiences in the South Pacific. 

 40. Set a price of: ASK.

41. College schedule entries: CLASSES.

43. They're tapped in spring: MAPLES.  A CSO to CanadianEh!  Maple sugaring is such a labor and energy intensive process that I've always wondered how people can make a living at it.  Perhaps they make enough money to support this labor of love when the "sap isn't rising" in Spring, Summer, and Fall.  Helen and Scott Nearing made a living from it, as they describe in a remarkable book that I read many years ago called Living the Good Life first published in 1973.

48. Conks out: DIES.

49. Binge to excess, as a TV show: OD ON.  If you have an addictive personality, steer clear of LINE OF DUTY on Prime.  DW and I binged our way to the last season and now find that we actually have to WAIT for the new episodes, that are being released only once a week.  I'm running out of fingernails.

50. Mobile __: APP.

53. Appliance appendage: CORD.  First support question in the troubleshooting decision tree: "Is it plugged in?"

57. V-day note sign-off: SWAK.  Clever clue I thought.  I immediately thought of VJ Day 1945 when my parents were married in England.  But this note is from someone to his/her Valentine 💕, Sealed With A Kiss.  Of course I'm sure my parents sealed their marriage with a KISS!

58. Slide cry: WHEE.  A whole lotta' slidin' on the Corner today.  See also 26D.

59. Creative nuggets: IDEAS.

60. Tolstoy's Karenina: ANNA.  I confess to not having read this 800 page novel, considered near the pinnacle of Western literature. A hand up from anyone who has?  There are several film and TV versions based on it.  DW and I saw and enjoyed the 1977 BBC version staring Nicola Pagett, which I believe is still available on YouTube.  It consisted of ten 50-minute episodes, and so was able to include more of the original plot than some adaptations.  Perhaps the most famous of all the adaptations is the 1935 film staring Greta Garbo.  The film was ranked #42 on the American Film Institute's list of AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions.

61. Swirl: EDDY.  An EDDY is a circular current of water.  Eddies swirl in different directions in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres due to a phenomenon known as the CORIOLIS EFFECT

noun

 Physics

an effect whereby a mass moving in a rotating system experiences a force (the Coriolis force ) acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation. On the earth, the effect tends to deflect moving objects to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern and is important in the formation of cyclonic weather systems.

from the Oxford Languages dictionary

62. Part of LCD: LEAST.  No not Liquid Crystal Display, but rather Least Common Denominator.  Today's math lesson:

 
Down:

1. Statesman's asset: TACT.

2. PDQ: ASAP.

3. Uses Venmo, say: PAYS.  I use Paypal, which owns Venmo, and have generally found it easy to use and reliable.  However I did have one experience in the early days of the pandemic where an overseas company was able to compromise it using a cleverly designed website.  I'd say how, but that would be tellin'.  Here is a comparison of Venmo vs PayPal ( CAVEAT:  I've not vetted the reviewer,  theBalance.com, so who can say whether they're on the level?  You can't trust anybody these days, except for Cornerites of course!).   A CSO to Anon -T, who might actually have something intelligent to say about this subject.  But then he's probably got enough sense not to say anything about it!

4. Aussie runner: EMU.  This bird seems to catch up with me every time I blog.

5. You need a password to do it: SIGN ON.  While we're on the topic of security ... I've got scores of "strong" passwords and a 20 page document to keep track of them all.  What a mess.  See 29A for more on this mess.  A CSO to anybody who has found a good way to deal with this problem.

6. Chariot-riding god: HELIOS.   The Greek god of the sun, a guardian of oaths, and the god of sight.  The "Colossus of Rhodes", a 108 foot high statue of Helios stood from 280 - 226 BC overlooking the island of Rhodes, before being destroyed by an earthquake.  It is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Colossus of Rhodes
artist impression 1880

7. Wake-up call?: ALARM.  May simply be the clock that wakes you in the morning, or a metaphor for "trouble is brewing".  We seemed to have had a lot of those in the last few decades.

8. Judgy sound: TSK.

9. Notice: SEE.

10. Crank to 11, say: MAX OUT.

11. Actress with the most Oscar nominations without a win: GLENN CLOSE.  Eight as of this writing.  But she HAS won three Primetime Emmy Awards, three Tony Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards.  She's has the distinction of being tied with Peter O'Toole for missed Oscars, she's still alive, and there is still time!

12. "I really appreciate it!": MANY THANKS.  Is Elvis still in the building?

13. Org. using wands: TSA.  But they've got stiff competition from the other IBM:
 

18. Top-notch: A ONE.

22. Focus of discussion: TOPIC. I have to admit to a tendency to go off this from time to time, e.g. ...

23. On one's own: SOLO.  As in an operatic aria.  Here is a performance by soprano Angela Gheorghiu of Puccini's aria Vissi d'arte from the opera Tosca.  The absolutely saddest opera I know.  I actually heard Ms Gheorghiu sing it just today (well 6/19/21) in a rebroadcast from Covent Garden.  :
 

24. Hurting: ACHY.  It may be your aching back, or it may be your heart:
 

25. "Thief" star James: CAAN.  As we learned last Saturday, he has an actor son named Scott, one of the stars of the reboot of Hawaii 5-0,

26. Cry on a slide: YAY.  See 58A!

27. "Chill!": SETTLE DOWN.  I'll have to try "Chill!" on my youngest grandsons.  SETTLE DOWN doesn't work.

28. Capital north of Doha, Qatar: TEHRAN IRAN.  TEHRAN is in North central IRAN, closer to the Caspian Sea than the Persian Gulf.  The latter body of water to the South is named for Persia, the old name for Iran. The Persian Empire was an ancient civilization, dating back to Paleolithic times.  It is ironic that the Persian Emperor Cyrus the Great brought an end to the Babylonian Captivity in 538 BC, freeing the Israelites and helping them rebuild their nation.  Today the nations of Iran and Israel are in a state of perpetual cold war.

Tehran, Iran

31. USCG rank: CPO.  Chief Petty Officer.

34. Noted receiver of tablets: MOSES.  That is the Prophet MOSES, the most important in figure in Judaism and important to many other Western religions as well. The tablets MOSES received on Mt. SINAI are sometimes call the DECALOGUE, but are more commonly known as THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.   As depicted in this painting by Rembrandt, Moses later smashed the tablets upon finding that, in his absence, the Israelites had been worshiping a golden calf, a violation of the First Commandment:
 

The Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, Germany

35. USA part: Abbr.: AMER.  The United States of America.  Here is the USA flag:
 

The Stars and Stripes

36. Just passable: SO SO.  Meh.

37. Screeching __: HALT.

38. Calculator feature, for short: LCD.   Now it's Liquid Crystal Display.  More than you'll ever need to know about the technology.  Here's what they look like:
 

42. Smirnoff competitor: SVEDKA.  Apparently this vodka is cheap and fruity and doesn't YELP very well; the hangovers are reportedly terrible.

43. Olympic swimming event: MEDLEY.  Also a series of musical numbers, e.g. a SUITE.  Handel's Water Music wasn't a swimming event, but it did involve floating down the Thames River to entertain King George I.  Given that it involved two barges, one for the King and a second for Handel, and keeping 50 musicians in tune on open water, the first performance of the work can certainly be described as an olympian effort:
 

44. Burn soother: ALOE.

45. Write (in) tentatively: PENCIL.

47. Scooter kin: MOPED.  Looks like the PEDALS have become obsolete.

50. Region: AREA.  It can cover a lot of territory.

51. Podded veggies: PEAS.

52. Hissed "Yo!": PSST.

53. Its last official capital was Richmond, Va.: CSA.  Confederate States of America.

54. Wonder: AWE.  Shucks!

55. Prof.'s holding: PHD.  A CSO to all the PhD's on the Corner!

56. Laudatory work: ODE.  For example Keats' Ode on a Grecian Urn.
 

Here's the grid:
 

waseeley

And special thanks to my Dear Wife for her Eagle Eyed proof reading!

Cheers,
Bill

Wednesday, June 23, 2021 Kevin Christian

Theme: To Kill a Vampire.  The last word of each theme fill is something that a vampire cannot abide.

17. Netflix series about unintended consequences of new technology: BLACK MIRROR.  A British dystopian science fiction series with stand alone episodes.

As the legend goes, a vampire will not reflect in a MIRROR.  This is because, traditionally, MIRRORS were backed with a thin layer of silver, which, due to its purity, is incompatible with creatures of darkness. Cf silver bullets and were-wolves.

29. Campground support: TENT STAKE. A spike designed to hold the tent to the ground, either directly or by connecting to ropes.

A STAKE through the heart will take the un from the undead. Decapitation also works.  Leaving nothing to chance, a diligent vampire hunter will do both.

48. Part of a southpaw's ring repertoire: LEFT CROSS.  I boxing, a power punch delivered with the dominant hand when the opponent leads with the opposite hand.

The idea that a vampire cannot abide the CROSS stems from folk lore in Christian Europe.  Evidently, since vampires are taken to be agents of Satan, the crucifix is anathema to them.  Ditto holy water and the eucharist host.  But Anne Rice discarded these concepts in her more modern vampire novels.

61. On earth: UNDER THE SUN.  On earth; in existence (used in expressions emphasizing the large number of something.)

Since vampires are creatures of darkness, they cannot abide direct SUNlight.  Light reflected by the moon, however, is perfectly acceptable to all sorts of macabre and nocturnal entities.

And the unifier - 46. Classic Lugosi character with an aversion to the ends of 17-, 29-, 48- and 61-Across: DRACULA. The prototypical vampire, from Bram Stoker's novel, and its various adaptations.

Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here, STAKing a claim to to this vampiric puzzle.  Let's avoid getting CROSSED up, and finish it before the SUN goes down.

Across:

1. Digital money: ECASH.  Originally a digital-based system that facilitated the transfer of funds anonymously.  eCash was created by Dr. David Chaum under his company, DigiCash, in 1990. Though there was interest in the platform from large banks, eCash never took off and DigiCash filed for bankruptcy in 1998. Apparently the term is now used generically for a variety of electronic money transfers.

6. Welcomed at the door: SAW IN.  According to legend, a vampire can Olly enter a home if invited.

11. "Happy little trees" painter Ross: BOB.  He [1942-1995] died young from a lymphoma.  His TV show lived on long after his passing.

14. Elder Obama daughter: MALIA. She [b 1998] is to the left in this family photo.

15. Ad: PROMO.  Promotional spot

16. Sci-fi vehicle: UFO.  Unidentified Flying Object.

19. Cal. airport not in its namesake city: SFO.  It is located 13 miles from downtown San Francisco.

20. Arcing shot: LOB.

21. Like money in a poker game: AT RISK.  Or the stock market.

22. Some "Rocky" settings: GYMS.  Movies about a boxer.

23. Historic chapters: ERAS.  Long and distinct periods of history having  a particular feature or characteristic.

25. "__ la France!": VIVE.  An expression of French patriotism, on a par with God Bless America.

26. Embezzler's dread: AUDIT.  When the cooked books don't match the expected recipe.

27. Actors sans lines: MIMES.    Those using the theatrical technique of suggesting action, character, or emotion without words, using only gesture, expression, and movement.

31. Google: SEARCH.  Exploring the inter-tubes.

33. Uses a needle: SEWS.  Making a mend, perhaps.

34. "__ out!": YER.   Umpires declaration in baseball.

35. Dutch colonist: BOER. A member of the Dutch and Huguenot population that settled in southern Africa in the late 17th century.

37. Per __: DIEM.  Per diem is a Latin phrase that translates to “by the day.” The term also refers to the amount of money paid to employees for 2 different types of “day” scenarios. The most common use of the term per diem refers to expenses a company reimburses an employee when they travel on business. Another type of per diem is for employees who receive a set amount of pay for a single days’ work.

39. "Get a room!" elicitor, for short: PDA.  Public Displays of Affection.  Stop it - you're making me sick!

42. Pants, briefly: TROU.  Short for trousers.

44. Fashions: TRENDS.  That come and they go.

51. Insignificant person: TWERP.  A silly or annoying person.  Might or might not be insignificant.

52. TV host with her "OWN" network: OPRAH.  Needs no introduction

53. Fruity antacid: TUMS.  I prefer the old-fashioned minty-chalk version.

55. ROFL relative: LMAO. Laughing My Aft-regions Off

56. Colorful cereal brand: TRIX.

Silly Rabbit!

57. Homes high up: AERIES.  An AERIE is a large nest of a bird of prey, especially an eagle, typically built high in a tree or on a cliff.

59. Green prefix: ECO-.  -logical.  

60. Efron of "High School Musical": ZAC.  He [b 1987] has since moved on to a variety of other roles since this 2006-8 trilogy

63. Spacewalk initials: EVA.  Extra-Vehicular Activity

64. Image on some birth announcements: STORK.  

65. Hirsch of "Into the Wild": EMILE. [b 1985] Since then he has gone on to other movies, an assault conviction for an event he claims not to remember due to substance involvement, and a rehab stint.

66. Hibernation location: DEN.  If you are a bear.

67. Itty-bitty: EENSY.  teeny-tiny.

68. "Alas!": SO SAD.

Down:

1. Insignias: EMBLEMS.

2. Some diet soda has one: CALORIE.  A measure of the energy content of ingestibles.

3. College football powerhouse: ALABAMA.  The Crimson Tide.

4. [not my mistake]: SIC.  Sic is a Latin term meaning “thus.” It is used to indicate that something incorrectly written is intentionally being left as it was in the original. [Sic] is usually italicized and always surrounded by brackets to indicate that it was not part of the original.  If it ends up being unintentionally funny, it's {sic} humor.

5. Maori dance with rhythmic chanting: HAKA. If, like me, you knew noting about this, you can learn more here.

6. Exorcist's target: SPIRIT.  Presumably of the evil variety.

7. Gets in: ARRIVES.

8. Took a downturn: WORSENED.  

9. "Everything's fine!": I'M OK.

10. Postal motto word: NOR.  "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"   Until recently.

11. Reason to skip lunch, maybe: BUSY DAY.  If it's really busy, I might miss my nap.  But lunch?!? Hardly.

12. How some candid comments are made: OFF MIKE.  Or so the speaker hopes.

13. Enthusiastic supporter: BOOSTER.

18. "Jersey Shore" airer: MTV.

22. __ check: test of character: GUT.  An evaluation or test of a person's resolve, commitment, or priorities, typically with respect to a particular course of action.

24. Belgrade resident: SERB.  City and citizen of Serbia.

26. Aver: ASSERT.  Avow, proclaim..

28. Rusty nail liquor: SCOTCH.  The Rusty Nail is a cocktail made from Drambuie and SCOTCH whisky. Drambuie is a liqueur with a SCOTCH whisky base.  The classic recipe is two parts Scotch to one part Drambuie, over ice. Modern versions are as dry as 5 to 1.  A lemon twist is optional. 

30. Silly person: TWIT.

32. Munich address: HERR.  Meaning Mister or Sir.

36. Cheered for: ROOTED ON. For your favorite sports team

38. Whimper: MEWL.

39. Was overcome with emotion, informally: PLOTZED.  I was unfamiliar with this Yiddish term.

40. Corrupt: DEPRAVE.  This equivalence is legit, but I would never use them interchangeably

41. Like some violets: AFRICAN.   The various pecies and cultivars are commonly called African violets (although they are not closely related to true violets) or saintpaulias. They are commonly used as indoor houseplants, but can also be kept as outdoor plants in certain climates.

My mom was fond of them

43. Loan sharks: USURERS.  Lenders of last resort who charge exorbitant fees.

45. Draco Malfoy, to Harry Potter: NEMESIS.  A loog-standing rival, or arch enemy.

47. Cuddled, in a way: SPOONED. In a couple of ways.  You choose.

1 : to nestle close together while lying down with one person facing the back of another

2 [perh. from the Welsh custom of an engaged man's presenting his fiancée with an elaborately carved wooden spoon] : to engage in amorous caressing, kissing, and conversation : NECK

49. Line on many bills: TAX.  Sales tax, in this instance.

50. Condescending: SMIRKY. characterized by or having a smirk, especially so as to seem irritatingly smug or conceited..  Could be condescending, by not necessarily.

54. "Quiet on the __!": director's cry: SET.

57. Pay to play: ANTE.  An initial bet before the cards are dealt.

58. Sows, e.g.: SHES.  Females.

61. Operate: USE.    Run also fits. Need perps.

62. Punk rock offshoot: EMO.  A style of rock music resembling punk but having more complex arrangements and lyrics that deal with more emotional subjects.  

So ends another Wednesday.  Now, go out and get some SUN.

Cool regards,

JzB

Tuesday, June 22, 2021 Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen

Vowels on Parade.

17-Across. Arrest: TAKE INTO CUSTODY.

33-Across. Kind of in jest, kind of not: HALF SERIOUSLY.

39-Across. Vintage Burger King slogan: HAVE IT YOUR WAY.

60-Across. Mixed drink recipe directive: SHAKE VIGOROUSLY.

and the unifier:

45-Down. Sextet featured in order in this puzzle's theme answers: A E I O U Y.  I like the idea of Y being an honorary vowel.

Across:

1. Sunbather's goal: TAN.

4. Beach dwelling support: STILT.  Many houses in Grand Isle, Louisiana are built up on stilts.  Appropriate for today's puzzle since Tropical Storm Claudette just swept through the area.

9. Move in the breeze: SWAY.

13. Somber notice: OBIT.  This is not the kind of obituary you want.

15. "War and Peace" and "Gone with the Wind": SAGAS.  Guess which of one of these sagas I have read.

16. It has a same-named river on its southern border: OHIO.

20. Squirrel morsel: ACORN.

21. "__ you special!": AREN'T.

22. GM's Mary Barra, e.g.: CEO.  Mary Barra (née Mary Teresa Makes; b. Dec. 24, 1961) has been the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors since 2014.

23. Type of equation: LINEAR.  Easy, right?

25. WWII conference site: YALTA.  It is also known as the Crimea Conference.  The meeting of Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin took place in February 1945 near the end of WWII.

27. "Soft embalmer of the still midnight": Keats: SLEEP.  A poem by John Keats (Oct. 31, 1795 ~ Feb. 23, 1821).

30. Bully: MEANIE.  Was George Meany (Aug. 16, 1894 ~ Jan. 10, 1980) a Meanie?

35. Comic Margaret: CHO.

Margaret Moran Cho (b. Dec. 5,  1968)

37. __ shop: golf course store: PRO.

38. Brown bar order: ALE.

46. Show one's face: EMERGE.

47. Dwelling that sounds like two letters: TEPEE.  TP has other meanings, too.

48. Ship deck guards: RAILS.

Not the intended use for ship rails.

50. Nonliteral language features: IDIOMS.

54. "The __ of the moral universe ... bends toward justice": MLK Jr.: ARC.

56. Parking employee: VALET.

59. Temple text: TORAH.

Torah scrolls at my shul.

63. "This is for you": HERE.

64. PR pro's concern: IMAGE.

65. "Carpe diem" acronym: YOLO.  You Only Live Once.  //  Not to be confused with 12-Down. Toy similar to a spool: YO-YO.  National Yo-Yo Day was Sunday, June 6, 2021.

66. Like a one-star sudoku: EASY.  I would still find a one-star sudoku a challenge.

67. May 8, 1945, briefly: V-E DAY.  Also known as Victory in Europe Day.

68. Fed. research org.: NSF.  Non-Sufficient Funds for some research projects funded through the National Science Foundation.

Down:

1. Utter: TOTAL.  This clue and answer will rile some people up.  Think of:  That is an Utter mess and That is a Total mess.

2. Beaded calculators: ABACI.

3. Coolpix digital camera maker: NIKON.

4. Fig. whose last four digits are often requested: SSN.  As in the ubiquitous Social Security Number.

5. "See ya!": TA-TA!

6. Horror film aide: IGOR.

7. Cagney's TV partner: LACEY.  Cagney and Lacey was a television show that ran in the 1980s.

8. Word from the Japanese for "harbor wave": TSUNAMI.  Also the name of a sushi restaurant in southern Louisiana.

9. Inebriate: SOT.

10. "Your guess is as good as mine": WHO CAN SAY?

11. West Wing worker: AIDE.  As in an Aide in the White House's West Wing.

14. Mother with a Nobel Prize: TERESA.  As in Mother Teresa (née Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu; Aug. 26, 1910 ~ Sept. 5, 1997).  She was born in what is present-day Madeconia, but is best known for her work in India.  She was made a Saint in the Catholic Church in 2016 and is now known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

18. Collectively: IN ALL.

19. Canonized fifth-cen. pope: ST. LEO.  Pope Leo I, also known as Leo the Great, was Pope from September 440 until his death in 461.

24. Game official: REF.  As in a Referee.

26. Upsilon preceder: TAU.  It's Greek to me.

28. Notice: ESPY.

29. 1995 Reform Party founder: PEROT.  H. Ross Perot (né Henry Ross Perot; June 27, 1930 ~ July 9, 2019) was a billionaire businessman who ran as an independent presidential campaign in 1992 and a 3rd party candidate in the 1996 presidential race.

31. Unwell: ILL.

32. Pupil's place: EYE.

33. Futuristic sci-fi vehicles: HOVER CARS.

34. Bounder: ROUÉ.

35. "Evita" narrator: CHE.  Che Guevara (né Ernesto Guevara; June 14, 1928 ~ Oct. 9, 1967) was a physician who turned Marxist Revolutionary.

36. Easter entrée: HAM.  Here is one theory of why Ham is eaten on Easter.

40. Memorable period: ERA.

41. "Enough already!": I GIVE!

42. City that merged with Jaffa in 1950: TEL AVIV.  Jaffa is sometimes written as Yafo.

43. Troy, N.Y., campus: RPI.  As in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  Some in our crossword family are graduates of this institute of higher learning.

44. Joined with: WED TO.

49. Gooey gunk: SLIME.

51. Welles of "War of the Worlds": ORSON.  Orson Wells (né George Orson Wells; May 6, 1915 ~ Oct. 10, 1985) was an American film director, but also a radio host.  In 1938, he narrated a radio adaption of H.G Wells' novel The War of the Worlds about an alien invasion.  Many people believed that the Earth was being invaded by extraterrestrials.  Interesting to have two Wells (different spellings) involved in this tale.

52. Shopping meccas: MALLS.

53. Just __: almost: SHY OF.

54. Tennis legend Arthur: ASHE.  Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. (July 10, 1943 ~ Feb. 6, 1993) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

55. Ostrich kin: RHEA.  Everything you wanted to know about Ostriches vs Rheas but didn't know to ask.

57. "Zounds!": EGAD.

58. Roman garb: TOGA.

61. Critical: KEY.

62. "Star Wars" heroine: REY.  Rey Skywalker appeared in some of the more recent movies of the Star Wars Series.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

'Tis the season

Monday June 21, 2021 Chris Sablich

Theme:  HOW SWEET IT IS (52. Jackie Gleason catchphrase, and a hint to the starts of 20-, 28- and 46-Across) - The first part of each theme entry is "Sweet".

20. Hospital volunteer named for a feature of their uniform: CAND- STRIPER.

28. One of two on a post-wedding vacation: HONEYMOONER.

46. Legal border-crossing spot: PORT OF ENTRY.

Boomer here. Looks like another L.A. Times debut. Congrats, Chris!!

Of course I am unable to verify the sweetness of any of the answers due to diabetes.  But I do know a crossword constructor is extremely sweet. 

Across:

1. Scandal suffix: GATE.  WaterGATE involved a break in of DFL Headquarters and eventually cost Richard Nixon his job. 

 

5. Dog of unknown ancestry: MUTT.

9. One of the Musketeers: ATHOS.  Porthos and Aramis were the other two.  I believe they invented a candy bar. 

14. Trojan War hero: AJAX. And he may have invented a sink and bathtub cleaner.

15. Where the seven "-stan" countries are: ASIA.  I won't try to name them.  I think I only know Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

16. San __, city SE of L.A.: DIEGO.  My Aunt Virginia was the head Librarian of the San Diego Library.  When I was two years old we visited and Dr. Suess who signed a copy of "If I Ran the Zoo".  for me was there. Of course I was too young to remember and I also cannot remember what happened to the book.

17. Bulldoze: RAZE.  There is a grocery store that we visit and last Friday we saw Bulldozers working on about 10 acres of land.  Keeping our eyes open to see what we are going to get there.  I don't suppose it will be a golf course.

18. Mannerly fellow: GENT.  Not me.

19. La Scala offering: OPERA.  Not Winfree.

23. Hindu honorific: SRI.  Could be Lanka?

26. Huge fan: NUT.  I am a huge fan of cashews.

27. Layer on the farm: HEN.  My Uncle Bill's farm had many layers.

32. Health resort: SPA.

35. Dreadlocks wearer: RASTA.

36. Like thoughts you'd rather not share: PERSONAL.  I might have some.  I'm not going to say.

38. Prepare for publication: EDIT. A lot of work goes into the preparation of these crosswords!

39. Digging tool: SPADE.  Thirteen in a deck of cards.

41. Gangster's gal: MOLL.

42. Hurricane or tornado, often: DISASTER.  It seems Minnesota has avoided tornados for a number of years.  Luckily we never have hurricanes.  In fact we have not even had rain since May. 

44. Panfry: SAUTE.

45. Solidify: SET.

49. Cocktail server: BAR.  I believe the server is a waiter or waitress.  I don't go to bars, not even the ones in bowling centers.  But I have seen a few on slot machines -- never three in a row.  

50. Ewe's mate: RAM. Los Angeles NFL football player.

51. The "S" in CBS: Abbr.: SYS.

58. Bolt who bolts: USAIN.  He's getting older, like the rest of us.  I wonder if he'll be in Tokyo this summer.

59. Footwear for snow: BOOT.  Easy clue for us Northerners.

60. "Oh dear!": ALAS.

64. Fly like a seagull: GLIDE.  I remember swing sets that had GLIDErs on them

65. Hay unit: BALE.

66. Prefix with gram: KILO.  If you have 1000 of them.

67. Sank on the green: HOLED.  That's what I am doing today.

68. British WWII gun: STEN.

69. Adam's first home: EDEN.  A garden with three bedrooms and a fireplace?

Down:

1. Long-nosed fish: GAR.

 

2. 1977 Steely Dan album: AJA.  I do not own a Steely Dan Album, sorry.

3. Toon devil: TAZ.  This guy was a villain on "Law and Order."

4. Suit in a corner office: EXEC.

5. Title P.I. played by Tom Selleck and Jay Hernandez: MAGNUM.  Now Selleck does commercials for reverse mortgages. You all know I watch too much TV.  You would think he made enough money being a detective. 

6. Did, but not anymore: USED TO.  I USED TO have a 200 + Average on the lanes.

7. Wee: TINY.  Tim tiptoed through the tulips.

8. Ink spots?: TATS. Tattoos.

9. Ardent fans: ADORERS.  Those would be those great fans in Green Bay Wisconsin.

10. Easy two-pointer: TIP IN.

11. Dickens villain Uriah: HEEP.  Created by Charles Dickens.  Some Rock band stole the name.

12. Shrek, e.g.: OGRE.

13. Fly at a great height: SOAR.  I'm sure the gymnasts will be soaring greatly in Tokyo.

21. "The Queen's Gambit" star __ Taylor-Joy: ANYA.

22. "I did it!": THERE.  No, you're not THERE  yet.

23. Destroys, as docs: SHREDS.

24. Amp toter: ROADIE.

25. Demand: INSIST.  I INSIST we keep going!

29. Jazz great James: ETTA.  I've heard of ETTA KETT .

30. Dizzying paintings: OP ART.  It takes quite an imagination to call it ART.

31. Actor Beatty: NED.  "Deliverance" was a movie to remember.  I still remember the banjos.

32. Hog noses: SNOUTS.  I think Frosty the snowman had one.

33. Meager: PALTRY.

34. Narrow passages between buildings: ALLEYS.  Okay, as long as this has nothing to do with bowling.

37. Muscat is its capital: OMAN.

39. Put away for later: STORE.  I put away my baseball cards for later.  I guess it is not quite later yet.

40. According to: PER.

43. Gave birth to: SPAWNED.

44. Big rig: SEMI. I still do not know why it's called a SEMI. The ones I see are bigger than both of us.

47. Manny Machado, before becoming a Padre: ORIOLE.  Twins are battling them for "Worst team in baseball".

48. Make plump: FATTEN.

49. Reverse of a hit 45: B SIDE.  I still have a few 33 1/3 LPs and a couple of 45s.  Nothing to play them on though.  

52. Laurie of "House": HUGH.  I only remember Hugh O'Brian - My sister used to watch "Wyatt Earp".

53. Norway's capital: OSLO.  Yah - Das is So.

54. Haunted house sound: WAIL.

55. Goes out, as the tide: EBBS.

56. Just right: TOAT.

57. Sushi bar drink: SAKE. For heaven's sake.

61. Pot top: LID.  Put a LID on it !

62. Pale __: ALE. Canada Dry ginger ale with NO sugar.  Yum.

63. Relative in some business names: SON.  Walmart did not bother.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

I have a question: When you click on this Minis label, do you land on "To a T" (oldest Mini) or do you land on "Aggie" (newest Mini?). I'm using a PC, and I land on "To a T". Same with Nina (inanehker). Spitzbooz, Gary and Agnes land on "Aggie", and they'll use iPad or iMac.

Updated later: D-Otto uses a PC also, but he lands on "Aggie".

Updated again: Just published the "Terrible" puzzle as a test. Can you solve the puzzle, then click on the Minis label, and let me know where you land next?