Tuesday, October 12, 2021 Alan Olschwang

TailSpins:  The word Tail is "spun" into each of today's theme answers.

17-Across. Crude carrier: OIL TANKER.

31-Across. Gem set by itself: SOLITAIRE.

46-Across. It's useless to argue with one: KNOW IT ALL.

9-Down. Good thing to spend with one's kids: QUALITY TIME.

25-Down. "Rebel Without a Cause" co-star: NATALIE WOOD.  Natalie Wood (née Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko; July 20, 1938 ~ Nov. 29, 1981) died under mysterious circumstances.

And the unifier:

66-Across. Dramatic descents, and a hint to each set of circles: TAIL SPINS.  Interesting how two of the spun tails intersect.  The forms sort of form a bit of a tail spin, I suppose.

Across:

1. Crosses by wading: FORDS.

A Ford Fording a River.

6. Bag-checking org.: TSA.  As in the Transportation Security Administration.

9. Juice buy: QUART.

14. Spreads used instead of butter: OLEOs.  //  Not to be confused with 2-Down. Hodgepodges: OLIOs.

15. Bar passer, briefly: ATT.  As in an Attorney.

16. Latin bears: URSAE.  Today's Latin lesson.  Probably the most well known Latin bears are Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

19. De La Garza of "FBI": ALANA.  Alana de la Graza (b. June 18, 1976) was also a character in the Law & Order franchise.

20. "Stop stalling!": DO IT!

21. Like a stunt pilot's maneuvers: AERIAL.   See the video above.

23. Disfigure: MAR.

24. Part of an act: SCENE.  Hi, OMK!

26. Notable biblical birth: NATIVITY.

28. "Inferno" poet: DANTE.  Dante Alighieri (circa 1265 ~ d. 1321) was from Florence, Italy.  The Inferno is just one part of his longer poem The Divine Comedy.  The other 2 parts are Purgatorio and Paradiso.  The focus of this poem is the SOUL.

30. Tour de France saison: ÉTÉ.  Today's French lesson.  The Tour de France bicycle race takes place in the Summer.

35. "She loves you" followers, in song: YEAHs.  The Beatles!

39. What may be before now?: ERE.

40. Old nuclear agcy.: AEC.  As in the Atomic Energy Commission.  It operated from August 1946 to 1975.  It was created by Congress during the Truman administration and was designed to control the peacetime development of atomic science and technology for military and civilian use.

41. Chicago winter hrs.: CST.  As in Central Standard Time.

43. Statesman with an eponymous jacket: MAO.  Andy Warhol made many portraits of Mao.

44. Court case: TRIAL.

49. Predicament: FIX.

51. "Speed Racer" genre: ANIME.  Speed Racer is a Japanese comic about car racing.

52. Hikers' flasks: CANTEENS.

56. Serena's sister: VENUS.   As in the tennis-playing sisters Serena (née Serena Jameka Williams; b. Sept. 26, 1981) and Venus (née Venus Ebony Starr Williams; b. July 17, 1980) Williams.

59. Time to remember: ERA.

60. Twist in pain: WRITHE.

62. Barbershop sound: SNIP.

64. Kaka'ako crooner: DON HO.  Don Ho (né Donald Tai Loy Ho; Aug. 13, 1930 ~ Apr. 14, 2007) is best known for his song Tiny Bubbles.

68. Prenatal test, informally: AMNIO.

69. Circus closing?: ESS.  As in the letter "S".  Circus.  I am not a fan of this type of clue.

70. Pigeon shelters: COTES.  These shelters are usually referred to as Dovecotes.  They can come in all shapes and sizes.  You can make your own pigeon cote if you are so inclined.

71. Like starfish: RAYED.

72. Legal thing: RES.  More of today's Latin lesson.

73. It's quite a blast: H-TEST.  Hydrogen Bomb.

Down:

1. __ chain: FOOD.

3. Bit of antiquity: RELIC.

4. Punctuational symbol of completeness: DOTTED I.

5. U.S. ID issuer: SSA.  As in the Social Security Administration.

6. Word before heart or heed: TAKE.  Take heart, you know you can complete today's puzzle.

7. Less lax: STERNER.

8. Skylit courts: ATRIA.

Take Heed of the Atria in the Heart

10. Internet acronym: URL.  As in the Universal Resource Locator.  This appears with some frequency in the puzzles.

11. "Ditto": AS AM I.

12. Approached aggressively: RAN AT.

13. Lachrymose: TEARY.

18. Swaying hip-hop dance: NAE NAE.  I am not familiar with this dance despite the fact that half of the dance appeared in a recent puzzle.

22. Downed: ATE.

27. Sign of success: VEE.

29. Clock sound: TICK.

31. Collector's goal: SET.

32. Yossarian's "Catch-22" tentmate: ORR.  Catch-22 is a 1961 satirical war novel by Joseph Heller (May 1, 1923 ~ Dec. 12, 1999)

33. Island garland: LEI.

34. Janet Yellen's field: Abbr.: ECON.  Janet Louise Yellen (b. Aug. 13, 1946) is an Economist who is the current United States Secretary of the Treasury.  She earned her Ph.D. in Economics at Yale University.

36. Physicians' org.: AMA.  As in the American Medical Association.

37. Scary "2001" computer: HAL.

38. Fifth of a musical series: SOL.

42. Desk chair feature: SWIVEL.

45. Admiral's rear: AFT.  Hi, Spitzboov!

47. '70s tennis star Ilie: NĂSTASE.  In the 1970s, Ilie Năstase (né Ilie Theodoriu Năstase; b. July 19, 1946) was ranked the number 1 tennis singles player.  He was born in Bucharest, Romania.

48. Two fins: TEN SPOT.

50. Gen-__: XER.

52. Aromatic closet-lining wood: CEDAR.

53. Barbecue draw: AROMA.

54. Child minder: NANNY.

55. Fertilizer compound: NITER.  Niter is another term for Potasium Nitrate.  A weird word for a Tuesday puzzle.

57. Act in concert: UNITE.

58. Angle calculations: SINEs.  We all remember this from high school math, don't we!

61. Escaping-steam sound: HISS.

63. Verbal nudge: PSST!

65. Step on it, quaintly: HIE.

67. BYU or NYU: SCH.  Brigham Young University and New York University are both Schools.

חתולה

Monday October 11, 2021 Fred Piscop

Theme: EAT IN A HURRY (61. Gobble down food, and hint to the ends of 17-, 31- and 45-Across)

17. "Born to Be Wild" rock band: STEPPENWOLF.

31. Cold-weather neckwear: WINTER SCARF.

45. Flash of lightning: THUNDERBOLT.

Boomer here. 

 

I do not think I gobble down food, but I guess I am known to finish a pizza in less than 10 minutes.

 

Bowling news.  Last Thursday I took my new bowling balls out and made 29 of 30 possible marks (Spare or Strike) and rolled 222-180-188 - 590.  It's not a big deal but it is my highest score since I started taking Xtandi. 

Across:

1. Dull paint finish: MATTE.  Yes it's dull.  I like the glossy stuff.

6. Make furious: ANGER.  I hope there is no anger here today with this nice crossword.  Wait until Friday and then you can shout a few words of ANGER.

11. Cry loudly: SOB.  So much death from Covid.  I hope the vaccine makes it go away. 

14. Handle on a rap sheet: ALIAS. Smith and Jones.

15. Short and sweet: TERSE.

16. Actress Longoria: EVA.

19. Mo. after February: MAR.  Shouldn't this clue be "Month after Feb. ?"

20. Like a poor loser: SORE.  I suppose if you went a few rounds with Cassius Clay.

21. Figure in red ink: LOSS.  The stock market has been a little red the past few weeks.  I really do not understand the debt ceiling but I understand my social security payment, and I sure don't want to delay it.

22. Submit tax returns online: E-FILE.  We have been doing this for the past two years.  It works pretty good.

24. Single-handedly: SOLO.  I had several SOLO songs in the Benilde H.S. Glee Club.

26. Clear kitchen wrap: SARAN.

28. One of the political Bushes: JEB.  He was the Governor of Florida and thought about moving into the White House after his dad and brother finished their terms.

35. Is crazy about: ADORES.

37. FDR's successor: HST.  Seems like every President in my time went by three initials until Barack Obama came along.  The press was afraid to call him BO.

38. Pants, in slang: TROU.

39. Gives the thumbs-down: NIXES.

40. Egyptian boy-king: TUT.

41. Gesture while giving directions: POINT.  Or how to blame Who Done It?

42. "__, Brute?": ET TU.  "How many eggs did you have for breakfast Ceasar ?"

43. __ out: depress: BUM.  "The great historical BUM built the rock of ages it was in the year of one, and that's about the biggest thing that man has ever done." Chad Mitchell Trio at the Bitter End.

44. Texas border city: LAREDO.

48. Part of the Trinity: SON.  "And the three men I admire the most. the Father, SON and Holy Ghost; They caught the last train for the coast, the day the music died."  American Pie.

49. Aired again: RERAN.  I think I have watched enough "Law & Order" shows by now.

50. Former: PAST.

52. Flag maker Ross: BETSY.  Heavens to her.

54. In Touch Weekly twosome, usually: ITEM.

56. Film spool: REEL.  Years ago I went fishing with a cane pole.  Then I got a little older and learned how to use a rod and REEL.

60. Every bit: ALL.

64. Fail a polygraph test: LIE. Or get into bed.

65. River of Lyon: RHONE.

66. Role player: ACTOR.

67. __ Cruces, N. Mex.: LAS.  Like LAS Vegas, however some people spell it Lost Wages.

68. Less loony: SANER.

69. V-formation fliers: GEESE.  I see flocks of GEESE daily in open fields looking for food.

Down:

1. Sunday service: MASS.  I go on Saturdays these days.  Not too crowded but I still wear a mask.

2. Voice above tenor: ALTO.  I was a BASS.  Not a fish, just a guy with a low singing voice. That's me on the most right.

3. Stadium level: TIER.  These current baseball and football teams really have huge fancy stadiums.

4. Cassettes and eight-tracks: TAPES.  A bit old fashioned, mine are on a closet shelf.  I have nothing to play them on anymore.

5. Sixth sense letters: ESP.

6. When both hands are straight up: AT NOON.  "Blocking a basketball shot" did not fit

7. Anchor's delivery: NEWS.  How many read the NEWS before turning to the crossword ?

8. Icky to the max: GROSSEST.

9. Bilingual subj.: ESL. English as a second language.

10. Mentions, with "to": REFERS.

11. Schools for ministers-to-be: SEMINARIES.

12. Mirror shape: OVAL.  Also the shape of our president's office.

13. Uncarpeted: BARE.  Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard.

18. New York Harbor's __ Island: ELLIS.  "Give me your tired, your poor.  Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

23. The "F" in SPF: FACTOR.  The MAX in creamy make up.

25. Hasn't paid yet: OWES.

27. Music or dance: ART.  Mr. Garfunkel.

28. Pop star Jackson: JANET.  The youngest of the luffly Lennon Sisters.  Wunnerful Lawrence Welk.

29. Writer Wharton: EDITH.  Archie's wife in All in the Family.

30. Hard-shelled terrarium pets: BOX TURTLES.  Chocolate and peanut candy that I cannot eat anymore.

32. "Opposable" digit: THUMB.

33. Lively sonata movement: RONDO.

34. Bed that's easily stored: FUTON.  Never had one of these.

36. Attends homecoming, say: REUNES.  I just went to my 56th H.S. reunion.  I am pretty sure I was the youngest one there.

40. Activate the TV, say: TURN IT ON.

41. New England NFL team: PATS.  Wonder why they let Tom Brady get away.

43. Arthur of "The Golden Girls": BEA.  I watch reruns frequently.  Betty White is the lone survivor.

44. Andean pack animal: LLAMA.

46. Laundromat array: DRYERS.  Thankfully, Gone are the days when I used to use a Laundromat.

47. Bottle cap remover: OPENER.  Patiently waiting for the Major League Season to start.  I hope the Twins improve.

51. Feud ender: TRUCE.

52. Matzo __ soup: BALL.  Yup who cares about the World Series. I am waiting for Base BALL, 2022. 

53. Kazan who directed "On the Waterfront": ELIA.

55. Fork prong: TINE.

57. One-named Art Deco notable: ERTE.

58. Erotic god: EROS.

59. Ancient harplike instrument: LYRE.

62. "Caught ya!": AHA.

63. Witchy woman of folklore: HAG.  "I'll get you my pretty, AND YOUR LITTLE DOG TOO !"

Boomer

 

Sunday October 10, 2021 David Alfred Bywaters

Theme: "Moonlighting" - Each common phrase is rephrased as if the last word is a job held by the person in the clue.

22. Exec working as a lifeguard?: DIVING SUIT.

32. Sailors working as aromatherapists?: SMELLING SALTS.

49. Committee head working as a lead guitarist?: ROCKING CHAIR.

63. NBA players working as Instacart employees?: SHOPPING CENTERS.

84. Comics working as phone solicitors?: CALLING CARDS.

97. Author's rep working as a janitor?: CLEANING AGENT.

114. Football player working as a tailor?: FITTING END. Fitting end of the theme set. Nicely played.

The first words are all *ING form. Super consistent. Go to David's website if you want some extra every Saturday. He's a genius at letter addition/deletion/replacement themes.

 

We don't often see paralleled 10s in a Sunday puzzle. Today is an exception:

15. From every direction: ON ALL SIDES. And 16. In close opposition: NOSE TO NOSE.  69. Studier of signs: ASTROLOGER. 70. "I can't tell": IT'S A SECRET.

Across:

1. Milk consumer: CALF. Baby cow. Not BABY.

5. 2017 Dan Stevens fantasy title role: BEAST. "Beauty and the Beast".

10. Units of resistance: OHMS.

14. Stop running, with "out": CONK.

18. Like zeroes: OVAL.

19. Aerie occupant: EAGLE.

20. Heartless: CRUEL.

21. Shortly, once: ANON.

24. Speaks in Spanish: HABLA. "No habla espanol."

25. Stalwart political group: BASE.

26. "Accidents will happen," e.g.: ADAGE.

27. Accessory for Astaire: TAP. Fred Astaire.

28. .000001 meters: MICRON.

29. Head for the hills: FLEE.

30. Word of technique: HOW. How to say "I love you" in Chinese. Wo Ai Ni.

35. Narrow opening: SLIT.

38. Sole: ONE.

41. City near Nîmes: ARLES.

42. Rough words?: OR SO. Roughly speaking.

43. Truckload unit: TON.

44. Source of perfection, so they say: PRACTICE.

46. Crossword constructor's chore: CLUEING. Tough to come up with fresh, never-been-used clues.

51. Stimulate: FUEL.

52. Fawn's mom: DOE.

53. Bolt with great speed: USAIN.

54. Get a look at: SEE. Had a nice walk around the Lake Harriet with Andrea Carla Michaels & Tom Pepper last Tuesday. Beautiful weather. See more pictures here. Andrea grew up in Minneapolis. Tom grew up in Edina.

Andrea Carla Michaels, Tom Pepper and C.C.

55. Site of Napoleon's exile: ELBA.

56. "The __ is silence": Hamlet's last words: REST. Also 6. "It is the __, and Juliet is the sun": Romeo: EAST.

57. Good guy: MENSCH. Every Tom I know.

59. "To repeat ... ": AS I SAID.

62. Puts to work: USES.

68. Badly hurt: MAIM.

71. Not in time: TOO LATE.

72. "I'm not buying that!": NO SALE.

76. Bone: Pref.: OSTE. Like the painful osteoarthritis.

77. Inform: TELL.

78. St. with a panhandle: FLA.

81. "Uh-oh!": YIPES.

82. Rehab symptoms: DTS. Delirium tremens.

83. It might be on a stickie: MEMO.

88. Correction tools: ERASERS.

90. Traditional song with the line "Je te plumerai": ALOUETTE.

91. Call __ day: IT A.

92. Workplace standards org.: OSHA.

93. Sunlit lobbies: ATRIA.

95. "Gloria in Excelsis __": DEO.

96. Overdo the sweetness: CLOY.

101. Chic retreat: SPA. I saw a YouTube clip about Thermage. Wow, why would you want such pain?

103. Security device: LOCK.

104. Church official: DEACON.

105. "__ Dark Materials": HBO fantasy series: HIS. (Thanks, Big Easy!)

108. Sound: AUDIO.

112. Farm prefix: AGRI.

113. Hanukkah potato pancake: LATKE.

116. React to a shock: REEL.

117. Cultural values: ETHOS.

118. City map, sometimes: INSET. China's map looks like a rooster. See Shaanxi, the very middle? That's where Xi'an is.

119. Not just dislike: HATE.

120. Pretentious: ARTY.

121. Equine hue: ROAN.

122. Cleopatra's kingdom: EGYPT. Egypt-born Greek.

123. Walked: TROD.

Down:

1. Composition conclusion: CODA.

2. Ardent: AVID.

3. Volcanic output: LAVA.

4. Small sampling, as of various beers: FLIGHT. Never took one.

5. Implore: BEG.

7. Liquido claro: AGUA. Clear liquid.

8. Loses traction: SLIPS.

9. Asian festival: TET. I bought a Vietnamese mung bean cake from our local grocery store. So good. It's wrapped in banana leaves.

10. Expert in futures?: ORACLE. Great clue.

11. Overreaching self-confidence: HUBRIS.

12. Dieter's breakfast: MELON. I've got to have some real carb.

13. Much street talk: SLANG.

14. A subway rider might save it: CAB FARE.

17. Joints with caps: KNEES.

20. Scary story: CHILLER. New word to me.

23. Modernist: NEO.

28. Word of Gallic gratitude: MERCI. Xie xie!

31. Frayed: WORN.

33. Greek goddess for whom a spring month is named: MAIA. May.

34. "Divine Comedy" focus: SOUL.

35. Neither bow nor pick: STRUM.

36. Unsecured: LOOSE.

37. Like ancient Peru: INCAN.

39. Bugs: NAGS.

40. Pilate's "Behold!": ECCE. "Ecce homo".  Jesus had abs.

44. Small recipe quantity: PINCH.

45. With 100-Down, 1951 horror film whose title role was played by James Arness: THE. 100. See 45-Down: THING.  No idea. Horror movie.

46. Ark unit: CUBIT.

47. Heavy: LEADEN.

48. Comes into: GETS.

50. Affectionate invitation: KISS ME. And 58. More torrid: HOTTER.

51. Custard dessert: FLAN.

55. Salem-to-Boise dir.: ESE.

56. Nation in a Fleming title: RUSSIA. "From Russia With Love".

59. Santa __ winds: ANA.

60. Army NCO: SGT.

61. Cooling cubes: ICE.

64. Poe output, aptly: POEMS. Baltimore Ravens' mascot is named after Poe. We also have 73. National Poetry Month: APRIL.

65. Game played on horseback: POLO.

66. Badly: ILL.

67. Auto pioneering partner: ROYCE. Henry Royce. Charles Rolls

68. Fashion: MODE.

74. Brought about: LED TO.

75. Long exam answer: ESSAY. I took the challenging Gaokao (College Entrance exam) in 1990. Look at the acceptance rate that year. 21.55%. I lucked out.

78. Seasonal affliction: FLU. And 96. Came down with: CAUGHT.

79. Wasn't true: LIED.

80. Poker hand staple: ANTE.

83. Intend: MEAN.

84. Freighters' loads: CARGOES.

85. From far away (perhaps very far): ALIEN.

86. Bank offering: LOAN.

87. Pontiac muscle cars: GTOS.

89. With uncertainty: SHAKILY.

93. Mystery award namesake: AGATHA. The Agatha Awards.

94. Add at the end: TACK ON.

97. Philanthropist Barton: CLARA. She founded the American Red Cross.

98. Do-nothing: IDLER.

99. Cool kin: NEATO.

102. Critical critique: PAN.

106. Wee: ITSY.

107. Dance part: STEP.

109. Letter opening: DEAR.

110. Fond of: INTO.

111. Binged (on), as junk food: OD'ED.

114. "Shame on thee!": FIE.

115. Hairy Addams family member: ITT.

Extra notes:

1) I know it's hard to avoid politics or other sensitive issues on the blog. Please try your best. If I mention a potential Nobel Peace on a GRETA entry and you disagree, just ignore. No need to seize on my comment and prolong the discussions.

2) Good news on Agnes! Her oncologist said no bone marrow biopsy is necessary. The anomalies in her blood work were attributed to other health issues. She did have to visit ER last Thursday due to her  debilitating cough. She said the chest x-ray was inconclusive but viral pneumonia was a possibility. She's dehydrated because she can't eat or drink. But she's feeling better! Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

C.C.