Tuesday, November 30, 2021 John Michael Currie

Do Opposites Attract?

20-Across. Available workers, statistically: LABOR MARKET.  Labor Day is the first Monday in September.

27-Across. Meteorology, e.g.: EARTH SCIENCE.  Earth Day falls on April 22.

45-Across. Game in which grabbing a piece of cloth replaces tackling: FLAG FOOTBALL.  Flag Day is on June 14. 

And the unifier:

54-Across. Period when everything is backwards ... and where the starts of 20-, 27- and 45-Across might be found?: OPPOSITE DAY.  Hand up if you have heard of Opposite Day.  Apparently it is a real day and is observed on January 25.

This clue indicates that the first word of each theme answer can be placed Opposite word Day to give us a new concept.  Note that each of these "days" is a recognized holiday: Labor Day (1st Monday of September), Earth Day (April 22), and Flag Day (June 14).  It appears to me Market Day and Science Day can also valid "days", albeit not recognized holidays.  I don't believe I have ever heard of a specific Football Day.

Across:

1. Way in the woods: PATH.

5. Japanese cattle breed yielding Kobe beef: WAGYU.  Not a Tuesday word, but I think we have seen it in the puzzles before.  Everything you wanted to know about Wagyu Cattle, but didn't know to ask.

10. Fleecy footwear brand: UGGS.  Supposedly, the owner named his line of footwear Uggs because his wife thought they were ugly.  She was right.

14. Currency named for a continent: EURO.  The money is so colorful.

15. Used for dinner, as dishes: ATE ON.  Did anyone pull out the good china for Thanksgiving?

16. Fit: SUIT.

17. Burnett on CNN: ERIN.  Erin Isabelle Burnett (b. July 2, 1976) is the anchor of OutFront on CNN.

18. Author Dahl: ROALD.  Roald Dahl (Sept. 13, 1916 ~ Nov. 23, 1990) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  He is arguably best known for his children's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

19. Crib sheet user: BABY.

23. "Oedipus __": REX.

24. Set of TV programs: SERIES.  Law & Order is a long-running series with several spin-offs.

25. First name in civil rights history: ROSA.  Rosa Parks(née Rosa Louise McCauley; Feb. 4, 1913 ~ Oct. 24, 2005) is best know for her role in the Montgomery, Alabama Buss Boycott of December 1955, when she refused to give up her seat, but do you know of Claudette Colvin (b. Sept. 5, 1939), a 15-years old schoolgirl who had refused to give up her seat in March of 1955?

Rosa Parks (left) and Claudette Colvin (right)

32. Gets ready for a selfie: POSES.

 

35. Tried to be like: EMULATED.

36. Before, in poems: ERE.

37. Explosion: BLAST.

39. Rock in a vein: ORE.  This is now a crossword staple.

40. Merchant: RETAILER.  ///  And 9-Down. Go even lower than, pricewise: UNDERCUT.

43. Cling wrap brand: SARAN.

48. Spanish kiss: BESO.  Today's Spanish lesson.  Hi, Lucina!

49. Meteorologist's pressure line: ISOBAR.

52. Do stuff?: GEL.

58. Out of the office: AWAY.

60. Made a boo-boo: ERRED.

61. NFL analyst Tony: ROMO.  Tony Romo (né Antonio Ramiro Romo; b. Apr. 21, 1980) played for the Dallas Cowboys for 14 seasons, from 2003 until 2016.

62. Google-owned navigation app: WAZE.

63. Volleyball great Gabrielle: REECE.  I am not up on professional volleyball players, so the perps helped me out with her name.  Gabrielle Allyse Reece (b. Jan. 6, 1970) played volleyball for Florida State University before she turned pro.

64. Deuce defeater: TREY.

65. Had down pat: KNEW.

66. Dalmatian features: SPOTS.

67. __ Domini: ANNO.  Today's Latin lesson.  The term is translated to mean: the year of the Lord, and is generally abbreviated as AD.

Down:

1. Banana leftover: PEEL.

2. Subtle vibes: AURAS.  Everything you wanted to know about Auras, but didn't know to ask.

3. Wichita or Omaha: TRIBE.

4. Distinguished guest, perhaps: HONOREE.

5. Not so cold: WARMER.

6. "Raise your glass!": A TOAST!

7. Camping equipment: GEAR.  Not a Tent.

8. The "sun" in "sunny side up": YOLK.

10. Thumb drive port: USB.  As in Universal Serial Bus.  One now needs an adapter for the new Apple computers.  The standard USB doesn't fit.

11. Co-signer, e.g.: GUARANTOR.

12. Taunt: GIBE.

13. River in which Achilles was dipped: STYX.  Greek mythology.

21. Narrow inlets: RIAS.

22. Work really hard: TOIL.

26. Caribbean, for one: SEA.  Also the name of a 1989 novel by James Michener.

28. Essence: HEART.

29. Texting format, for short: SMS.  As in Short Message Service.

30. Michael of "Arrested Development": CERA.  Michael Austin Cera (b. June 7, 1988) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

31. Genesis garden: EDEN.  Another crossword staple.

32. Flawless, in slang: PERF.  Because it's just to tiring to say: Perfect.

33. Baseball's Hershiser: OREL.  Orel Hershiser (né Orel Leonard Hershier, IV; b. Sept. 16, 1958) is a former baseball pitcher.  He played in the majors for 18 years.

34. Light on fire: SET ABLAZE.

37. Humorous outtakes: BLOOPERS.

38. Cancer follower: LEO.  As in in signs of the zodiac.

41. Golden __: AGE.

42. "In that case ... ": IF SO.

43. Vending machine opening: SLOT.

44. Calgary's province: ALBERTA.  Hi, CanadianEh!

46. Split equally: BISECT.

47. Comments only for the audience: ASIDES.

50. Decorate: ADORN.  Some people go to extreme measures to adorn their homes this time of year.

51. Asian noodle dish: RAMEN.  Several years ago, one of our regulars (sadly, I don't remember who), provided us with a recipe for a Bird Seed Salad that used Ramen noodles.  I have made that salad many times when I need to bring a dish to a potluck dinner.  It is delicious.

52. Stare stupidly: GAWK.

53. Obi-Wan portrayer McGregor: EWAN.  Ewan Gordon McGregor (b. Mar. 31, 1971) portrayed Obi-Wan in the prequel Star Wars movies.

Ewan McGregor, left, and Alec Guinness, right both played Obi-Wan Kenobi

55. Help the chef: PREP.

56. Black-and-white cookie: OREO.  A crossword staple.

But these are the true Black and White cookies.

57. Toy on a string: YO-YO.

59. Bow wood: YEW.  Everything you wanted to know about the Yew, but didn't know to ask.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Happy Chanukkah!

Monday November 29, 2021 Kurt Krauss

Theme: Start to Finish

17. How books are usually read: FRONT TO BACK.

30. How chapters in books are read: FIRST TO LAST.

46. How pages in chapters in books are read: TOP TO BOTTOM.

61. How words on pages in chapters in books are usually read: LEFT TO RIGHT.

Boomer here again. 

My Monday bowling team has gone from FIRST to LAST in a short time, Also TOP to BOTTOM in the standings.  Too much LEFT to RIGHT on those darn ten pins.

Across:

1. Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman," e.g.: OPERA.  I never sang OPERA.  Not a fan either.

6. Bumbling: INEPT.  Did I mention those darn ten pins ?

11. Frisk, as a suspect, with "down": PAT.  Kansas City Quarterback PATrick Mahomes also does commercials for State Farm in his spare time. Aaron Rodgers also.

14. Sharpen the image in the viewfinder: FOCUS.

15. Give a recap: SUM UP.

16. Grow older: AGE.  It happens to all of us.

19. Tide competitor: ERA.  I think TIDE wins.

20. Gaming novice, in slang: NOOB. Newbie.

21. Snuggles: NESTLES. N_E_S_T_L_E_S, Nestles makes the very best ... Chocolate.

23. Quite: VERY.

26. Female rodent, to Fernando: RATA. Spanish for "rat".  RATA TAT TAT

28. Out of the wind: ALEE.

29. Fútbol cheer: OLE.  Also a butt of many Minnesota Jokes with his buddy SVEN.

33. Frisbee company: WHAMO.  I owned one of these once but never got very good at it.

35. New Hampshire college town that sounds peachy: KEENE.

36. Akin: SIMILAR.

39. Sign-lettering aid: STENCIL.  It won't be long before campaign signs start appearing on lawns.  Our townhome association does not permit them.  Yay!

43. __ Says: imitation game: SIMON.  Art's buddy Paul.

45. Arcade pioneer: ATARI.  I had one for my old Compaq.  Played it too much I admit.

51. Western omelet meat: HAM.  Of course we had Turkey for dinner last Thursday, and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I think we'll go for HAM for Christmas.

Boomer's Turkey

52. Mayberry boy: OPIE.  Ronny Howard went on to a pretty great career.

53. "__ she blows!": THAR.

54. The "A" in A.D.: ANNO.   Year of our Lord. 

55. Numbs: DEADENS.

58. Old fast fliers: Abbr.: SSTS.  Super Sonic Transports.  I never rode in one.

60. __ Arbor, Michigan: ANN.  Home of Big Ten powerhouse University of Michigan. Took care of Ohio State on Saturday. Then our Gophers upset the Wisconsin Badgers! 

66. Uruguay uncle: TIO.

67. Actress Demi: MOORE.

68. "Farewell, mon ami": ADIEU.  ADIEU, my friend Adieu.  I'll hang my heart on the weeping willow tree, and may the world go well with thee! 

69. UFO pilots: ETS.

70. No right __: road sign: ON RED.  We have a few in Minnesota.

71. Intended: MEANT.

Down: 

1. "We're __ to See the Wizard": OFF.  That great movie was on again last week on TBS.  Hats off to Judy Garland from Grand Rapids MINNESOTA ! (not Michigan).

2. Iberian land: Abbr.: POR. Portugal.

3. Environmentalist's prefix: ECO.

4. Like undercooked eggs: RUNNY.  If served at Easter are they RUNNY Bunnies??

5. Regarding: AS TO.

6. Weather map line: ISOBAR.

7. Worn-down pencil: NUB.  I never wore one down that far.  Pencils are cheap.

8. Comes out of, as a scent from blossoms: EMANATES.  Sun in the morning.

9. Brownish purple: PUCE.  I could talk about a Purple Jersey football team but I'll leave it alone.   Last week our pastor said he was a Green Bay Packer owner.  They issue shares of stock.  However, after last Sunday when the Vikings squeaked one out, this Sunday the pastor told us he was wearing purple vestments because it was Advent and not because of football.

10. Toll rds. often named for states: TPKS.  Got me.  We have no Toll Roads in Minnesota.  But our state charges a lot for license plates.

11. Spanish rice dish: PAELLA.  Add a "T" and you have a kneecap.

12. Goes along (with): AGREES.

13. Service with cups and saucers: TEA SET.  All my sisters had one of these in days gone by.

18. Pop singer Amos: TORI.  Torii Hunter, who played for the Twins, has an extra I.

22. "America's Got __": TALENT.  I think it's fixed.  They never asked me to go on.

23. Swears: VOWS.  I guess I've made a few VOWS on the Golf Course.

24. K-12, for short: EL HI.

25. Paper purchase: REAM.  500 sheets.

27. "Naughty, naughty!": TSK.

30. Manuscript sheet: FOLIO.

31. Vietnamese New Year: TET.  A Nasty attack from the North Vietnam on the South, back around 1968.  

32. Wee hour: ONE AM.

34. Lightly sprayed: MISTED.

37. Embassy rep.: AMB. Ambassador.

38. Cheers on: ROOTS FOR.  Of course I tirelessly ROOT FOR the Vikings and Gophers every week.  I gave up on the Twins last summer.

40. "Let It Snow" lyricist: CAHN. Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne.

41. Tehran's land: IRAN.

42. "Stretch" vehicle: LIMO.  Never rode in one.  My Santa Fe is just fine, thank you.

44. Extreme degree: NTH.

46. Until now: TO DATE.

47. Gift giver's cry: OPEN IT.  This will be coming next month with cards and presents.

48. Steinways, e.g.: PIANOS.

49. Sampled, as food: TASTED.

50. Approximately: OR SO.

54. "All kidding __ ... ": ASIDE.  Sorry, I never put it aside.

56. Red Muppet: ELMO.  Tickle Me.

57. Brightly colored: NEON.  We visited the Mall of America last week.  Indoor stores with many NEON signs.  Then the local news showed MSP Airport on TV.  Looked like Mall of America without the stores.

59. Ore carrier: TRAM.

62. Luigi's three: TRE.

63. Supermodel Carangi: GIA.  Sorry, I have never heard of her.

64. Barnyard layer: HEN.  But I have heard of her.

65. Boy king: TUT.

Boomer

Sunday November 28, 2021 Ed Sessa

Theme: "Two for Two" - Both words in each entry can follow "double"

 

23. *Band aide: BOOKING AGENT. Double booking. Double agent.

34. *Period after a crash, perhaps: DOWN TIME. Double down. Double time.

43. *Figure in many Monty Python routines: CROSS DRESSER. Double cross. Double dresser.

60. *Figurative place for deferred options: BACK BURNER. Double back. Double burner.

68. *Airbags in cars, e.g.: STANDARD FEATURE. Double standard. Double feature.

 

82. *Hoops buzzer-beater, for one: CLUTCH PLAY. Double clutch. Double play.

 

96. *Mall rarity on Black Friday: PARKING SPACE. Double parking. Double space.

 

105. *Nightly barracks routine: BED CHECK. Double bed. Double check.

 

Reveal: 

121. Wimbledon category, and a hint to the answers to starred clues: MIXED DOUBLES.

 

I'm amazed that Ed found a Sunday set with all solid-in-the-language entries. Theme entries often strain a bit for this theme type.

 

I've mentioned this before, Ed is one of those constructors who always strives for originality. Also one of very few who make great themed & themeless grids. Also probably the only one with Mr. in the byline in the NYT crosswords.

Ed Sessa

Across:

1. Balls and some apples: GALAS.

6. "Bicycle Thieves" director Vittorio: DE SICA. Saw the movie ages ago.

12. Cleopatra's killer: ASP.

15. Hindu epic hero: RAMA. The Ramayana epic.

19. Wanting words: I WISH.

20. Spots for spectacles: ARENAS. Sports spectacles.

21. Lobbying gp.: PAC.

22. Airline whose name means "to the skies": EL AL. Different EL in 27. Pacific current: EL NINO.

25. Stuck playing a familiar role: TYPECAST. Tony Danza has played quite a few Tonys in movie/TV. 

28. Top drawers?: ARTISTS. Draw-ers. Great clue.

30. Incomplete body of art: TORSO. Rich does not mind this kind of art/ARTIST clue/answer dupes.

31. Budgetary figures: NET COSTS.

36. Wood cutter: SAW.

39. Do another hitch: RE-UP.

40. Time VIPs: EDS. Editors. Rich Norris is ours.

42. Burglar's take: HAUL.

47. __ mentality: MOB.

48. Ones using mixers, for short: DJS.

51. Former Sony brand: AIWA.

52. Afghanistan neighbor: IRAN. I've never had saffron, you?

53. Saucer, briefly: UFO.

55. "Hey, that's great!": OH COOL. And 62. "Give me a break!": PLEASE.

58. Animal shelter: LAIR.

59. "Family Circus" creator Bil: KEANE.

64. MLB's "Splendid Splinter" Williams: TED. I heard from our own Splynter last week. He's still solving crossword every day. He's thinking of moving to Connecticut.

66. Phi follower: CHI.

67. Staggers: REELS.

73. "Bless you" evoker: ACHOO. And   76. "That feels good": AAH.

77. Rum __ Tugger: "Cats" role: TUM.

78. Making a big deal out of: HYPING.

85. Files in shop class: RASPS.

88. Emulate a frigatebird: SOAR.

89. "Godzilla" franchise co-creator Tomoyuki __: TANAKA. Learning moment for me.

90. LAX posting: ETA.

91. Job safety org.: OSHA.

92. Eclectic magazine: UTNE. Reader.

93. Cephalopod's discharge: INK. Want some?

94. "__L": "Bye for now": TTY.  Might be Rich's clue.

100. Pained expression: OUCH.

102. Bank account ID: SSN.

103. Very wide shoe: EEEE.

104. Pink Floyd's Barrett: SYD.

108. Biometric security procedure: IRIS SCAN. Another great fill.

112. Mtge. issuer: S AND L.

113. Like some eaves in winter: ICICLED. Not a word I use.

115. Pharaoh depicted on the Sphinx: KHAFRE. Learning moment also.

119. Capital east of New Delhi: KATMANDU. Nepal.

124. Gillette blade: ATRA.

125. Cool, like a cat: HEP.

126. Crib outfit: ONESIE.

127. Gaming rookies: NOOBS. Sometimes it's TYROS.

128. Back in the day: THEN.

129. Holiday song syllables: LAS.

130. Lipton rival: NESTEA.

131. Forum garments: TOGAE. Often TOGAS.

Down:

1. Barb: GIBE.

2. Base runner?: AWOL. Good old clue.

3. Oz traveler: LION.

4. Welcome at the door: ASK IN.

5. Fight souvenirs: SHINERS.

6. Hammarskjöld of the U.N.: DAG. Have not seen this fill for quite some time.

7. Historical period: ERA.

8. "Sonic" consoles: SEGAS.

9. Like krypton and xenon: INERT.

10. Don't get: CAN'T SEE.

11. Piedmont bubbly: ASTI.

12. Likely will, after "is": APT TO.

13. "Oh yeah?": SAYS WHO. Lots of colloquial phrases in Ed's puzzles.

14. Angel dust, briefly: PCP.

15. Snap back: RECOIL.

16. Cause to sweat: ALARM. Can you believe the looting happened in Minnesota on Black Friday? None of the guys was caught.

17. Vertical billiards shot: MASSE.

18. __ sax: ALTO.

24. Well-known: NOTED.

26. Julius' cry to Marcus: ET TU.

29. '60s activist gp.: SDS. Students for a Democratic Society.

32. Nobelist of 1903 and 1911: CURIE. Marie.

33. "William Tell," e.g.: OPERA.

35. Big cheese: NABOB. I did not know "big potatoes" is not a phrase until D-Otto commented last time. We have small potatoes, but no big potatoes.

36. Rogaine target: SCALP.

37. No-frills font: ARIAL.

38. "Holy Toledo!": WOWIE.

41. Beat handily: DRUB.

44. Florida coastal city or its county: SARASOTA.

45. Red-and-white topper: SANTA HAT. Really miss our Santa.

46. Scornful look: SNEER.

47. Latte variant: MOCHA.

48. Ready to eat: DONE.

49. "An Innocent Man" songwriter: JOEL (Billy)

50. Canon AE-1 et al., for short: SLRS.

54. Cover for some superheroes: FACE MASK. For us non-heroes also.

56. "We don't have much time!": HURRY.

57. Stealthily nears, with "on": CREEPS UP.

59. Mauna __: KEA.

61. Modeler's buy: KIT.

63. Seller's supply: STOCK.

65. Rachel Carson subject: DDT.

69. Quick snooze: NAP.

70. Family name in Chicago politics: DALEY. The Daley family.  Richard M. Daley here.

71. Hubbub: FUROR.

72. Sounds of hesitation: UHS.

73. Musical opening: ACT I.

74. Family group: CLAN.

75. Tarzan type: HUNK.

79. Little bits: IOTAS.

80. Rival of Tonya: NANCY. Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya Harding.

81. Devotion to Mammon, biblically: GREED. Mammon is biblical term for wealth. I did not know.

83. Come out of one's shell: HATCH.

84. Toy dog's barks: YAPS.

86. Draws back: SHIES.

87. Philatelist's buys: PANES. Stamps.

95. "What nerve!": THE IDEA.

97. Dye-making compound: ANILINE.

98. Insurance lizard: GECKO.

99. Old TV series with a scuba-diving hero: SEA HUNT.

100. Guy who's often out: ODD MAN. Odd man out.

101. Pac-12's Bruins: UCLA.

102. Go downhill fast: SKI.

105. Saddam's party: BA'ATH. Read more here. Saddam took power in 1979. Outed in 2003.

106. Between, in Brest: ENTRE.

107. Some bra features: C CUPS.

109. Curly-coated cats: REXES.

110. That is, to Cicero: ID EST.

111. Jar Jar Binks' planet: NABOO.

112. Card game for three: SKAT.

114. "Let's do it!": C'MON.

116. Aggressively promote: FLOG.

117. Singer McEntire: REBA.

118. Latin "to be": ESSE.

120. Devils org.: NHL. The New Jersey Devils.

122. Lose power, as a battery: DIE.

123. Org. that makes traffic stops?: DEA. Drug traffic.

Some extra notes:

1) I don't have any updates from Al, hopefully I'll hear from him soon. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

2) For those who have trouble posting links on our blog Comments section from your iPhone/iPad/Mac,  you can turn smart punctuation off by going to Settings, tap General. Then, tap Keyboards, and toggle Smart Punctuation to off. 

Thanks to TTP for the solution.