Tuesday November 23, 2021 Bruce Venzke

Buddy, can you Spare a dime?  The circled letters can be rearranged to spell out the word Spare.

18-Across. Spicy condiment: PEPPER SAUCE.  Tabasco sauce is our favorite pepper sauce.

23-Across. Astronaut's milieu: OUTER SPACE.

35-Across. Lawn areas lacking grass: BARE SPOTS.

53. NYC's World Financial Center architect: CÉSAR PELLI.  I was not familiar with César Pelli (Oct. 12, 1926 ~ July 19, 2019).  He was an Argentine-American architect best known for designing some the world's tallest buildings, including the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lampur.  I recognized many of his designs.

And the unifier:

59-Across. Coins in one's pocket ... and what literally happens in each set of circles: SPARE CHANGE.  When was the last time you actually used cash to make a transaction?  I rarely carry money anymore.

It is strange to see a Bruce Venzke puzzle without seeing Gail Grabowski's name too.

Across:
1. D.C. insider: POL.

4. Anxious feeling: ANGST.

9. "Silent Night" words before calm and bright: ALL IS.  Now is the season for the Christmas songs.

14. Actress Gardner: AVA.  Although Ava Gardner (née Ava Lavinia Gardner; Dec. 24, 1922 ~ Jan. 25, 1990) was in many films, for my generation, she is probably best known for her marriage to Frank Sinatra.

15. More rational: SANER.

16. Africa's Sierra __: LEONE.  Sierra Leone is a country on the West Coast of Africa.  It is one of the poorest countries in the world.

17. "Star Wars" sequel trilogy heroine: REY.

20. Pay off illicitly: BRIBE.

22. How a scary-movie watcher might recoil: IN HORROR.

26. Deserved, as recognition: DUE.

27. Keep separate from the rest: ISOLATE.

Covid Isolation

28. Restaurant chain with an owl logo: HOOTERS.

31. Horne of jazz: LENA.  I initially misread this as Home of Jazz.  Lena Horne (née Lena Mary Calhoun Horne; June 30, 1917 ~ May 9, 2010) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.

32. In the manner of: À LA.  Today's French lesson.

34. Oktober endings: FESTS.  Oktoberfest in 2022 will be held from September 17 to October 3.  The countdown is on!  The first Oktoberfest was in 1810 in celebration of the marriage between Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

39. Perth __, NJ: AMBOY.

42. LBJ's boy beagle: HIM.  President Lyndon B. Johnson (Aug. 27, 1908 ~ Jan. 22, 1973) loved dogs.  When he was in the White House,  his most well-known beagles were named Him and Her.

43. Big brass: TUBA.  This makes me think of our friend Abejo.

47. Greets with guffaws: ROARS AT.  //  And 49-Down.  Far from a guffaw: TEE-HEE.

50. Features of some cruise ships: CASINOs.

52. Heavy weight: TON.

55. Working together as one: IN TANDEM.  Like this couple who have 67-Across. Wed on the sly: ELOPE(d).

58. '90s candidate __ Perot: H. ROSS.  H. Ross Perot (né Henry Ross Perot; June 27, 1930 ~ July 9, 2019) ran as an independent candidate in the 1992 presidential campaign and as a third-party candidate in 1996.

62. When doubled, a Latin dance: CHA.  The Cha-Cha, or the Cha-Cha-Cha?

63. Fix in the crosshairs: AIM AT.

64. Knighted composer Edward: ELGAR.  Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet (June 2, 1857 ~ Feb. 23, 1934) is probably best known for Pomp and Circumstance.

65. Showy pond fish: KOI.

66. Stacks like Tupperware: NESTS.

68. Vicious with a bass: SID.  Sid Vicious (né Simon John Ritchie; May 10, 1957 ~ Feb. 2, 1979), was the bassist for the Sex Pistols.  He is probably best known, however, for being charged with brutally murdering his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen (Feb. 27, 1958 ~ Oct. 12, 1978).  He died of a heroin overdose  before going to trial for the murder while out on bail.

Down:

1. Partially cook, as rice: PARBOIL.  The How's and Why's of Parboiling Rice.

2. Employ excessively, as muscles: OVER USE.

3. Overdo the flattery: LAY IT ON.

4. Last word of Kansas' motto: ASPERA.  The full motto is:  Ad astra per aspera.  It translates to mean: to the stars through difficulties.  It apparently represents the struggles Kansas faced with issues such as slavery, Indian attacks, and the inevitable war that were debated prior to statehood.  What is your state motto and what does it mean?

5. Macduff rebuff: NAE.  Lord Macduff is a character in Macbeth.  He was from Scotland, hence, his rebuff is Nae.

6. Econ. measure: GNP.  As in Gross National Product.

7. Old photo hue: SEPIA.

Queen Victoria.  She is not amused.

8. Battlefield furrow: TRENCH.

9. "What's more ... ": ALSO.

10. Norman who created Archie and Edith Bunker: LEAR.  Norman Milton Lear (b. July 27, 1922) is still involved in producing television shows.  He will be 100 years old next summer.

11. French pilgrimage site: LOURDES.

12. Trying a case, say: IN COURT.

13. Prophetic woman: SEERESS.

19. Prefix with stat: RHEO.  As in a Rheostat.

21. Overdo, as a point: BELABOR.

24. Twinkler: STAR.

25. Soccer standout: PELÉ.  He make occasional guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  His given name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento (b. Oct. 23, 1940).  He is the only soccer player to hold 3 World Cup winner's medals.  He won the award in 1958, 1962 and in 1970.

29. Frequently, to a bard: OFT.

30. More irritable: TESTIER.

33. Fireplace grate buildup: ASH.

36. Shakespearean cries: AYs.

37. 12-point type: PICA.  More than you ever wanted to know about Printing Types.

38. Actor Epps: OMAR.  Omar Hashim Epps (b. July 20, 1973) played a doctor on the television series House.

39. Craftsperson: ARTISAN.

40. Marshmallowy treat: MOONPIE.  MoonPies are a Southern thing.  Everything you wanted to know about a MoonPie, but didn't know to ask.  They even come in Pumpkin Spice.

41. Little chickens: BANTAMS.

44. Disengages the bolt for, as a door: UNLOCKS.

45. Russian ballet company: BOLSHOI.

46. "Let me reiterate ... ": AS I SAID.

48. "High Voltage" band: AC/DC.  Everything you wanted to know about the band's logo, but didn't know to ask.  The band was formed by brothers Malcolm (Jan. 6, 1953 ~ Nov. 18, 2017) and Angus Young (b. Mar. 31, 1955).

51. Round figure: SPHERE.

54. Little: SMALL.

56. "I smell __!": A RAT.

57. Ping-Pong supplies: NETS.  Not the ball, but the Nets.  I know, the clue indicates a plural.

60. Private aid prog.: NGO.  As in a Non-Governmental Organization.  What's the difference between an NGO and a Non-Profit?  Find out here.

61. Space between outfielders: GAP.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday November 22, 2021 Robert E. Lee Morris

Theme:  POTATO HEAD (54. Toy that can be either Mr. or Mrs. ... and what the first part of the answers to starred clues can literally be)- The first word can precede "potato" (Thanks, YooperPhil!)

17A. *Arkansas resort known for its geothermal waters: HOT SPRINGS. Hot potato.

37A. *FDR recovery program: NEW DEAL. New potato.

11D. *Affectionate bedtime words: SWEET DREAMS. Sweet potato.

24D. *Silky-coated bird dog: IRISH SETTER. Irish potato.

Boomer here.  

Happy four days before Thanksgiving to one and all! Time to decide which kind of potato you may be adding to your dinner table.  C.C. and I have a 20 pound turkey which I will be stuffing with carbs called stuffing and so no potato is necessary on our table.

Across:

1. The Grateful __: rock group: DEAD.

5. Odometer units: MILES.  Many will be traveling MILES to be with family and friends who are thankful to be together.

10. Ukr. and Lith., once: SSRS.  Bowling tournament designation for Super Seniors. I am one.

14. Wrinkly fruit: UGLI.  I am not sure if those will show up on Thanksgiving day tables.

15. Arabian Peninsula resident: OMANI.

16. Scrape, in tot-ese: OWIE. Careful slicing the bird.

19. Great Smokies st.: TENN.  I spent time at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  Oddly most of it was in Tennessee.

20. Trolley sound, in an old song: CLANG.

21. Top of a wave: CREST.  Toothpaste.

22. Ill will: ANIMUS.

25. On one's way: EN ROUTE.  Might be a bit safer to be EN ROUTE to holiday greetings on Tuesday. 

28. SoCal NFL team: LA RAMS.  Looking forward for a matchup with Vikings on the day after Christmas.

29. Put on television: AIRED.  Yup, I am sure the game will be on TV.

30. Thor's father: ODIN.

31. Dividing membranes: SEPTA. Plural of septum.

33. Letter between pi and sigma: RHO.  It's Greek to me.

36. Bath towel word: HIS.  I guess we are simple folks.  We have no words on our towels.

39. Musical ability: EAR.  What ???

40. Sound of contentment: AAH.  CHOO !!!

41. Newspaper opinion pieces: OP-EDS.  I only scan the section.  I guess I am not too interested in others' opinions.

42. "__! The Herald Angels Sing": HARK.  "Glory to the new born King"

43. More than gratified: SATED.

45. Garlicky shrimp dish: SCAMPI.

47. Film critic with a cameo in 1978's "Superman": REX REED.   Not interested in his opinion either.

49. Holmes' friend and flatmate: WATSON.  "Elementary"

50. Adorable one: CUTIE.  Q T

51. Muslim religious leaders: IMAMS.

53. Palo __, Calif.: ALTO.  A bit lower than a Soprano.

59. Abound: TEEM.

60. Baking tray of cookies: BATCH.  Not here - Only pumpkin pie.

61. Paris airport: ORLY.

62. Makes a mistake: ERRS.  "And nobody left on base."

63. Cropped up: AROSE.

64. The "P" in IPA: PALE.

Down:

1. "How silly of me!": DUH.  That's why I changed to Boomer.  DUH is too close to Doug.

2. Freud's "The __ and the Id": EGO.  Start with an "L" and you have a huge display of plastic blocks at Mall of America.

3. Space bar neighbor: ALT.

4. Sony audio product unveiled in 1984: DISCMAN.

5. Marshy tract: MORASS.

6. "You can count on me!": I'M IN.  It may cost you in a poker game.

7. Oscar winner Jessica: LANGE.  Famous lady from Cloquet, Minnesota.

8. The "E" in ESL: Abbr.: ENG. English.

9. Family nickname: SIS.  I have three, and no Bro.

10. "I totally agree": SO TRUE.

12. Lather, __, repeat: RINSE. And Conditioner?

13. In the mail: SENT.  Stupid PNC Bank claims the mail lost my September payment.

18. Professor in Clue: PLUM.  With a Rope in the Kitchen?

21. Reef material: CORAL.

22. Honolulu hello: ALOHA.  I have never been to Hawaii so I just say Hello

23. 1976 Olympic great Comaneci: NADIA.  Incredible!  Although those games were scarred by boycotts and a debt to Canada.

26. Places where moms grab puppies when they pick them up: NAPES.

27. Actress Hayworth: RITA.  Lovely RITA Meter Maid.  Nothing can come between us. Beatles.

31. Stockholm native: SWEDE.  Never been there but I have been called a Swede. Blonde hair and blue eyes.

32. Advanced teaching deg.: EdD. Doctor of Education.

34. Silent Marx brother: HARPO.  He was not silent.  He had a horn.

35. Pest control biggie: ORKIN.

37. __ Dame: NOTRE.

38. Fencing tool: EPEE.  One sport that never attracted my interest.

42. Milliner's store: HAT SHOP.  Can a store survive by just selling hats??

44. Algebraic givens: AXIOMS.

45. Wrap snugly: SWATHE.

46. Army garb, for short: CAMO.  Short for CAMOFLAGE and pretty drab.

47. Head of state: RULER.  A piece of wood. 12 inches long.

48. "Same here": DITTO.

50. Actress Blanchett: CATE.

52. Brits' raincoats: MACS.  You can get a BIG one at McDonald's.

54. Kegler's org.: PBA.  Finally a bowling clue.  I bowled in one Senior Professional tournament in a center about one mile from our home.  I averaged 207 in the 10 game qualifying and did not make the cut. I learned that the PBA is very fussy about bowling balls, but mine passed the regulations.  Also this tournament was in 1997 and I was on the lanes with a guy named Dick Weber.

55. Dory propeller: OAR.

56. MLB hurler's stat: ERA.  Earned run average.

57. Every one: ALL.

58. Salon coloring: DYE.  Never used it.  I am still blonde with gray mixed.

Boomer

Sunday November 21, 2021 David Alfred Bywaters

Theme:  "See To It" - Two C's are added to each familiar phrase.

23. Part of a successful baker's rep?: CRUST CRED. Rust red.

25. Ice-cream shop cry?: CALL FOR CONE. All for one.

44. Report on a sucker?: COVER THE CHUMP. Over the hump.

67. Ice skater's small talk?: COLD CHAT. Old hat.

74. Shell game item?: CHEAT CUP. Heat up. (Thanks, Splynter!)

93. Salon receptionist's job?: CLOCKING CLIPS. Locking lips.

118. Cowardly committee head?: CRAVEN CHAIR. Raven hair.

120. Farmers market IOU?: CHARD CHIT. Hard hit.

Another creative puzzle from David Alfred Bywaters (DAB).

I imagine he tried to put together a tight set of 2-word entries, but could not come up with enough entries. 

Solid grid. Lots of great fill in the Down slots.

Across:

1. Order not to pay: STOP. Banks charge $30 to cancel a check these days. 

5. Attention-seeker's word: AHEM.

9. Make up one's mind: DECIDE. Amazon just gave us another free Prime trial.

15. Half of a theoretical duality: YANG. Like dates and ginger. Good winter food.

19. Frankfurt article: EINE.

20. Make over: REDO.

21. Serving from a buffet station: OMELET. Yellowrocks probably knows how to make Tamagoyaki, Japanese omelet.

22. Versed in: UPON.

27. Irritable: TESTY.

28. Where to find Bend and Bandon: Abbr.: ORE. I think crossword constructor Andrew Ries lives in Bend, Oregon. He's from Minnesota.

29. Mosaic part: TILE.

30. Centers: NUCLEI.

31. Joie de vivre: ELAN.

33. New Age physician: HOLIST. One taking a holistic approach.

35. Bundles that may be cylindrical: BALES. Thought of Spitzboov and Argyle, both made bundles in their youth.

36. Nocturnal nuisance: SNORER. Boomer's snore now soothes me.

39. Critter that doesn't sound interesting: BOAR. Bore. Also 72. Metaphor for a mess: STY. And 126. Some farm moms: EWES.

41. Fish in a spread: TUNA.

43. Has too much, briefly: ODS.

48. Expressed, as a farewell: BADE.

50. Imitated: APED.

51. Early Iranian: MEDE. They lived in Media and they spoke Median. According to a Reddit thread:  The Medes and Persians were two Iranian peoples. At the time of the birth of Cyrus the Great, the Persians were lower feudal lords in service to the Median Empire. Cyrus the Great led an uprising that eventually toppled the Median Empire and became the Persian Achaemenid Empire."

 

52. Simple Simon's request: PIE. Boomer already did a pumpkin pie test run last week.

53. Try to live up to: EMULATE.

57. Blue-striped ball: TEN.

58. Amer. attorney's study: US LAW.

60. Proofer's "Leave it alone": STET.

62. Chihuahua kisses: BESOS.

63. W. alliance since 1948: OAS. Organization of American States.

65. "Hadestown" creator Mitchell: ANAIS. Great new clue, David! Wikipedia said her father named her after Anaïs Nin.

69. Verify: CONFIRM. The Catholic church Boomer attends every week says "All are welcome!". So I go with him. They don't check.

73. Talked pompously: SPOUTED.

75. Brown ermine: STOAT.

77. Dumbbell abbr.: LBS.

78. "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here" poet: DANTE.

79. Puerto Rico, por ejemplo: ISLA.

81. Company with orange-and-white trucks: U HAUL.

83. Friend: PAL.

86. Golf club without much loft: TWO IRON. I don't know how to use one. I don't even like 6-iron.

88. Smashed: LIT. Drunk.

90. Humble response to praise: I TRY.

91. South Africa's __ Town: CAPE.

92. Sound of disgust, in comics: PTUI.

96. One side of many rulers: Abbr.: CMS.

99. Composer of the opera "Alfred": ARNE. Thomas.

101. Oil cartel letters: OPEC.

102. Smartphone sounds: ALERTS.

103. Attempts to beat on foot: RACES.

105. Bowler's aversion: GUTTER.

108. Desierto's lack: AGUA. Desert.

109. Listing in a revision, perhaps: ERRATA.

111. "Juno" actor Michael: CERA. Gimme for regulars.

112. Many a bottom line: SUM.

114. Wear away: ERODE.

122. Bob with jokes: HOPE. Nancy Reagan looks so happy in this picture.

123. Back fin: DORSAL.

124. Move like honey: OOZE. I like acacia honey. 

125. Manual reader: USER. I imagine TTP reads his manuals carefully.

127. Swift: SPEEDY.

128. Potential opponents of us: THEM.

129. Carry: TOTE.

Down:

 

1. Group within a group: SECT.

2. Lose energy: TIRE.

3. Taxing task: ONUS.

4. Wouldn't leave be: PESTERED.

5. Rainbow, e.g.: ARC.

6. Egret, for one: HERON.

7. River to the Fulda: EDER.  Quite a few  4-letter German river: EDER,  EGER ELBE ODER RUHR SAAR.

8. Sleep __: MODE.

9. Tweak for better flavor, say: DOCTOR UP.

10. Text alternative: EMAIL.

11. Quartet in many a string orchestra: CELLI. Cellos more common.

12. Least healthy: ILLEST.

13. Bit of OED info: DEF. Definition.

14. Thames campus: ETON.

15. Desert plant in the asparagus family: YUCCA.

16. Lunar program: APOLLO.

17. "You don't have to": NO NEED.

18. Pleasant-sounding rock?: GNEISS. Nice.

24. Polk predecessor: TYLER.

26. Sound from a nursery rhyme trio: RUB-A- DUB- DUB. Another great 10-letter fill is 64. Wine drinker's bonus: AFTERTASTE.

32. Aesthetic notes: ART MUSIC.

33. "Caught you!": HAH.

34. Sleeveless garment: TUBE TOP.

36. Vocal improv: SCAT.

37. "Uh-uh!": NOPE.

38. Kitchen fixture: OVEN. Most Chinese don't have an oven or toaster in the kitchen, since mantou (bread) is steamed. Then you use a steamer to warm up the stale mantou.

39. Late-night reading aids: BED LAMPS.

40. Arctic, for one: OCEAN.

42. '60s conflict site: NAM. Good morning!

45. Guys: HES.

46. Greeting card sentiment: MISS YOU.

47. Carrier rider: PET.

49. Chooses: ELECTS.

54. "A Hard Road to Glory" author: ASHE. I never asked any of my WeChat friends about Peng Shuai.

55. Hopper on a pad: TOAD. Lily pad.

56. Fixer's proposed amt.: EST. Estimation.

59. Hot holiday drink: WASSAIL. Also 96. Christmas display: CRECHE.

61. Overjoyed: ECSTATIC. Lovely fill.

63. How police might act: ON A TIP.

66. Big comm. company, once: ITT.

68. Dawdle: LOLLYGAG. Lovely fill.

69. Tobacco plug: CHAW.

70. Winery prefix: OENO.

71. Making a mess of: RUINING. I wish companies would stop putting fragrance in some body creams.

74. Summer setting in K.C.: CDT.

76. "Take __!": A HIKE.

80. Inc. cousin: LLC.

82. Keats' "foster-child of silence and slow time" is one: URN.

83. Two together: PAIR.

84. Cal. entry: APPT.

85. Not so pricey: LESS. Because of of Aldi, I've been indulging in SweeTango apples. So good!

87. "The Fault in __ Stars": 2014 film: OUR.

89. Badly timed, sometimes: TOO EARLY.

91. Easy to see: CLEAR CUT.

94. Life-saving proc.: CPR.

95. Like crossword answers: CLUED.

97. Bone __: MARROW.

98. Abrasion: SCRAPE.

100. Trump game often with 24 cards: EUCHRE. Never played it.

104. Icicle sites: EAVES. Getting chillier here.

106. Gibe: TEASE.

107. G-B-D, say: TRIAD. Chord.

108. Fill with wonder: AMAZE. Wow, ATLGranny! You won the prize!

110. Added stipulations: ANDS.

112. Lipton of tea fame, for one: SCOT. Thomas Lipton.

113. Cry of trepidation: UH OH. Tiny dupe with 115. Very: OH SO.

116. Nutrition regimen: DIET.

117. Basic French verb: ETRE.

119. Filch: COP.

121. Sleep phenomenon, briefly: REM.

For new regulars in our blog, if you want to be included in our birthday celebration list, please email me (crosswordc@gmail.com). It'll be great if you send me a picture as well.

C.C.