Tuesday, September 20, 2022 Amie Walker

Ticket to Ride:  The circles spell out a word that is "split" that can go with Ticket to make a new concept.

17-Across. Showers someone with money?: MAKES IT RAIN.  Train Ticket

27-Across. "Spit it out!": TELL ME ALREADY.  Meal Ticket

44-Across. Cheese, beans, guacamole, sour cream, etc.: NACHO TOPPINGS.  Hot Ticket

And the unifier:

58-Across. Voter's crossover ballot, and what can literally be found in the circled letters: SPLIT TICKET.

Across:

1. Snorkeler's destination: REEF.

5. Challenging H.S. science class: AP BIO.  As in Advanced Placement Biology.

10. Chef's meas.: TSP.  As in a Teaspoon.

13. Musical "Jeopardy!" category that's tough for many contestants: OPERA.

15. Swampy area: MARSH.  Louisiana Marshes.

16. Rower's blade: OAR.  //  Not to be confused with 66-Across. Portland's st.: ORE.

19. Undivided: ONE.

20. Lead-in to gender: CIS-.  Cisgender, the antonym transgender.

21. Use when there are no better options, say: RESORT TO.

23. City in northern Illinois: DeKALB.  The city is a bit west of Chicago.

26. Breakfast chain with bottomless stacks: iHOP.

32. Sheltered, at sea: ALEE.  This used to be a crossword staple.

33. Beef and pork: MEATS.

34. Clock-setting std.: GMT.  As in Greenwich Mean Time.  Everything you wanted to know about GMT, but didn't know to ask.

37. "Top Gun" nickname: MAV.  Tom Cruise (né Thomas Cruise Mapother, IV; b. July 3, 1962) portrayed Captain "Maverick" Mitchell in the movie franchise.  The sequel to the original Top Gun is Top Gun: Maverick.   [Name # 1.]

38. Poolside structures: CABANAS.

40. __ Grande: RIO.

41. Potato spot: EYE.

42. Prepares for a recipe, as onions: CHOPS.

43. __ one's time: be patient: BIDE.

48. Car: AUTO.

50. Creamy chocolate dessert: MOUSSE.  Yummers!

51. Sidelong glances: SLY LOOKS.

56. Afore: ERE.

57. "Is that __?": "Are you declining?": A NO.

63. Journalist Rather: DAN.  Dan Rather (né Daniel Irvin Rather, Jr.; b. Oct. 31, 1931) was the CBS Evening News anchor following Walter Cronkite's retirement.  [Name # 2.]

64. Linney of "Ozark": LAURA.  Ozark is a crime drama.  Laura Linney (née Laura Legget Linney; Feb. 5, 1964) portrays Wendy Byrde, the wife of Marty Byrde, who move to the Ozark to launder money for a Mexican drug cartel.   [Name # 3.]

65. Peak in Greek myth: MT. IDA.  Mt. Ida is the highest mountain on the Greek island of Crete.

67. Early Mesoamerican: OLMEC.  Everything you wanted to know about the Olmec Civilization but didn't know to ask.

68. Puny pencil: STUB.

Down:

1. __-com: date movie, maybe: ROM.  According to Harper's Bazaar, here is a list of Rom-Coms that are both funny and romantic.

2. Clean air org.: EPA.  As in the Environmental Protection Agency.

3. Cartoon shriek: EEK.  //  Not to be confused with 39-Down. "That hits the spot!": AHH!

EEK!

AHH!

4. Skin spot that may be darkened by sunlight: FRECKLE.

5. Acct. balance, e.g.: AMT.  Amount.

6. "The Incredibles" family name: PARR.  Who knew the cartoon family had a last name?  [Name # 4.]

7. Scottish hillside: BRAE.

8. Egyptian fertility goddess: ISIS.  Everything you wanted to know about Isis, but didn't know to ask.  [Name # 5.]

9. "That's not good!": OH NO!

10. Wide smiles: TOOTHY GRINS.  Some happy animals.

11. __ Domingo: Caribbean capital: SANTO.  Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominical Republic.  Sadly, it was in the path of Hurricane Fiona.  It was the first hurricane to make a direct hit on the country since Hurricane Jeanne struck in 2004.

12. Hosp. stop before surgery: PRE-OP.

14. "Take me __": AS I AM.

18. Small landmass: ISLE.

22. Free (of): RID.

23. Make late: DELAY.

24. Bilbo Baggins' age at the start of "The Lord of the Rings": ELEVENTYONE.  I guess you have to be a Lord of the Rings fan to get this one.

25. Panda's diet: BAMBOO.  Everything you wanted to know about Panda's but didn't know to ask.

27. Domesticated: TAME.

28. Jumped: LEAPT.

29. Kidnapper's demand: RANSOM.

30. Incoming flight stat: ETA.  A crossword staple.

31. Pack animal: ASS.

35. Gnatlike insect: MIDGE.  Everything you wanted to know about a midge, but didn't know to ask.

36. Pedicure targets: TOES.

38. Junk bond rating: CCC.  Everything you wanted to know about junk bonds but didn't know to ask.

43. Divides equally: BISECTS.

45. IM pioneer: AOL.  America OnLine.

46. Bard: POET.

47. Jewish festival when the Book of Esther is read: PURIM.  Everything you wanted to know about Purim but didn't know to ask.  Purim is a festive holiday and people dress up in amusing costumes, even while they are on the job.  The last time I was in Israel, it was during Purim.  Even the rabbi dressed in costume.

48. Pollo __: grilled chicken dish: ASADO.  Yummers, more food!

49. Of a forearm bone: ULNAR.

52. Norway's capital: OSLO.

53. Milky white gem: OPAL.  White opals are found in Australia.  Hi, Kazie!

54. Supermodel Heidi: KLUM. [Name # 6.]

Heidi Klum (b. June 1, 1973)

55. "Your Majesty": SIRE.  I guess that would now be King Charles III.

59. Tic-__-toe: TAC.

60. Assembly-required boxful: KIT.

61. School URL ending: .EDU

62. Indent key: TAB.

Here's the grid:

חתולה

Monday September 19, 2022 Katie Hale

Theme: STOMP (66. Walk heavily, or a three-word hint to the answers to the starred clues) - Read it as S to MP:

17. *Park light recharged by the sun: SOLAR LAMP.

22. *Street feature that forces drivers to slow down: SPEED BUMP.

35. *Winter Olympics structure: SKI JUMP.

50. *Program for aspiring astronauts: SPACE CAMP.

55. *Cube added to tea: SUGAR LUMP.

Boomer here. Katie Hale is the new assistant to editor Patti Varol and this is her first LAT puzzle.

I am doing what I can to deal with this bad spinal cord injury. Of course I miss bowling, but also I miss coaching the High School kids.

Across:

1. Roll for wrapping wounds: GAUZE.  Good for fixing a weak elbow.

6. Leopard marking: SPOT.  What's your dog's name?

10. Pioneering TV brand: RCA.  Victor - With a dog listening for "His Master's Voice".

13. __ jar: preserves preserver: MASON. 

14. Novelist Calvino: ITALO.

15. Lip balm brand whose name is short for "evolution of smooth": EOS.

16. 2000s teen drama set in California: THE OC.

19. __ City: Detroit nickname: MOTOR.  I think most American cars come from there.

21. What "meow" may mean: FEED ME.  Or ME OUCH!!

26. Clarifying words: I MEAN.

27. Contentious territory between airplane seats: ARMREST.  I really need the left one.

28. Rebuke from Caesar: ET TU.  How many eggs did you have for breakfast Caesar?  ET TU Brute!

30. "Vaya con __": DIOS.

31. Texas politician Beto: O'ROURKE.  Popular in the big state.

34. Defib expert: EMT.  Thin-Wall pipe.

38. Frequently, in verse: OFT.

40. Eyes, in slang: PEEPERS.  Jeepers, where did you get them?

42. In short supply: RARE.  Order for a steak.

43. Filmmaker Wachowski: LANA. 

44. Partygoer: REVELER.  DFL and GOP are placing lots of TV ads these days.

47. Piglike forest dweller: TAPIR.

52. Wows: AMAZES.  You would not believe the cornfield mazes in Minnesota.

54. East Coast rte.: US ONE.  Never been on it.

57. Odometer reading: MILES.  A little over 1600 miles from Minneapolis to Las Vegas.  Only 200 from Minneapolis to Ho Chunk casino in Black River Falls, WI.

61. Flight safety org.: TSA. With about 6 ounces of metal in my shoulder? I don't think so.

62. Little bits: IOTAS.  More than an IOTA of metal.

63. Verdi composition: OPERA.

64. Hankering: YEN.

65. Hive insects: BEES.  A home for the fleas, a hive for the buzzin' BEES. Hair, grow it, show it, long as I can show it my hair. 

Down:

1. Clock setting in Eng.: GMT.  Green Mountain Time.

2. Ooh and __: AAH.

3. Employ: USE.

4. Generation Z, colloquially: ZOOMERS.  Boomers Zoomers.  I make them up.

5. Convert into cipher: ENCODE.

6. Hurricane, e.g.: STORM.  These have been going on all over our US.  Minnesota has been lucky.

7. Friend: PAL.  No longer owned by eBay.

8. German chancellor Scholz: OLAF.  We have St. OLAF college in Northfield.  I used to sell them light bulbs.

9. Went wild on the dance floor: TORE IT UP.  I cannot dance.  Sorry.

10. Aptly named novelist Charles: READE.

11. Pause-causing punctuation: COMMA. Sometimes I hit period by mistake.

12. Colorado snowboarding mecca: ASPEN.  I had a 1976 Dodge ASPEN once.

14. "The jury __": IS OUT.  I never had to serve - got called a couple of times.

18. Ring-tailed primate: LEMUR.

20. Conan's former network: TBS.  Turner Broadcasting out of Atlanta.

22. "The Sweetest Taboo" singer: SADE.

23. Spruce oneself up: PRIMP.  Maybe Graybar will have a Christmas lunch for retired old guys and I may have to wear a coat and tie - if I can find it.  

24. Ham it up on stage: EMOTE.

25. Lima's land: PERU.

29. Actor Hanks: TOM.  Easy clue.  I have a cousin in Idaho named TOM.

31. Tropicana products, for short: OJS.

32. Fluffy-eared marsupial: KOALA.  I think the San Diego zoo may have them.

33. Zimbalist Jr. of old TV: EFREM.

35. Part of a pork rack: SPARE RIB.  Delicious with BBQ sauce.

36. Barbie's beau: KEN.

37. Golden yrs. funds: IRAS.  Did not do too well last week.

39. U. of Maryland player: TERP.

41. "My Fair Lady" role: ELIZA.

42. Proof of purchase: RECEIPT.

44. Speaks hoarsely: RASPS.  Happens often in the hot summer.

45. Green prefix: ECO.

46. Pays using an app: VENMOS.  I do not use APPS to pay anything, sorry.

47. Scrumptious: TASTY.  Pizza and ice cream!

48. Cause to chuckle: AMUSE.  I get amused playing Pac-Man.

49. Solstice celebrator: PAGAN.  Twins have a pitcher - last name PAGAN. He's terrible!

51. Mountain lions: PUMAS.

53. __ gin fizz: SLOE.

56. SLC athlete: UTE.

58. Sign before Virgo: LEO.  I had a great bowling friend - LEO MANN.  May he rest in peace.

59. Verbal hesitation: ERM.

60. Tree gunk: SAP.  Make syrup from Maple.

Boomer

 

Sunday September 18, 2022 Lynn Lempel

Theme: "Game Day" - Each common phrase is clued as if it's game-related.

28. Prompt to a Twister player?: PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN.

45. Encouragement to a Yahtzee player?: GET THIS STRAIGHT.

69. Sad request to one's Hangman opponent?: GIVE ME A HAND.

97. Advice to a checkers player?: JUMP AT THE CHANCE.

114. Prayer for a chess player?: GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.

3D. With 73-Down, assertion to one's Scrabble opponent?: IT'S YOUR WORD.

73D. See 3-Down: AGAINST MINE.

I don't remember blogging a Lynn Lempel Sunday puzzles. She's called "The Queen of Mondays". Her grids are always super clean and lively. She's been making puzzles since 1970s. Incredible!

Across:

1. Interpretation: SPIN. Guess how many 4-letter entries in this puzzle?

5. Left on board?: PORT. Ship.

9. Smartphone array: APPS.

13. Church reading: PSALM.

18. Falafel bread: PITA.

19. Civil rights leader Medgar: EVERS. His wife is a civil rights activist as well.

21. Vault: LEAP.

22. Submit for judging: ENTER.

23. Bind with a cord: LASH. Not familiar with this meaning.

24. Piece of history: RELIC.

25. Gumbo pod: OKRA. Tasty with bonito flakes.

26. Lines on GPS displays: ROADS.

27. Vague amount: ANY.

31. Over the speed limit: TOO FAST.

33. Glove material: LATEX.

34. Half-baked, as a plan: INSANE.

37. Impulse: URGE.

38. Bursts: POPS.

40. Former NBA star Ming: YAO. His wife was a basketball player also.

42. Figs.: NOS.

43. Correspond: AGREE.

50. One in a dory: ROWER. 52. Dory's companion: NEMO. Clue echo.

51. Biblical preposition: UNTO.

53. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" co-star: JOLIE.  And 65. "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" co-star: PITT.

54. Psychology 101 subject: EGO.

55. Brief times, briefly: SECS.

57. Coarse: RUDE.

59. Heavenly octet: PLANETS.

61. Benchmark: NORM.

63. "Salt Fat __ Heat": Samin Nosrat cookbook: ACID. Super popular.

67. D'backs, on a sports ticker: ARI.

68. Actor Alan who hosts the "Clear+Vivid" podcast: ALDA.

72. Microwaves: ZAPS.

76. "Summertime Sadness" singer Lana __ Rey: DEL.

78. Equally matched: EVEN.

79. Climate change sci.: ECOL.

80. Entertainment industry grand slam, for short: EGOT. Total 17 people have achieved this honor.

81. Diminished: RECEDED.

85. Vegas calculation: ODDS.

87. Arborist's patient: TREE.

89. Atmosphere: AIR.

90. One way to think: ALOUD.

91. Prosecco kin: ASTI. Both sparkling wines.

93. Trim, perhaps: EDIT.

95. Originate: ARISE.

100. Connective tissue: SINEW.

101. Sports drink suffix: ADE.

102. Sculling need: OAR.

103. Botanist Gray and actor Butterfield: ASAs. Here's Butterfield.

104. Crown array: GEMS.

105. __ opener: SEASON.

108. Like the River Shannon: IRISH.

111. Forced (on): FOISTED.

118. Damage: MAR.

119. Geometry surface: PLANE.

121. "A __ technicality!": MERE.

122. Real doozies: LULUS.

123. Globetrotter's need: VISA.

124. Knuckle or knee: JOINT.

125. Prune, before drying: PLUM. Prune is French for "plum".

126. Singer Ronstadt: LINDA. Argyle really liked her.

127. Turn over __ leaf: A NEW.

128. Some TVs: SONYS.

129. Fed. IDs: SSNS.

130. Over: PAST.

131. Spill the beans: TELL.

Down:

1. Bug-hitting-the-windshield sound: SPLAT.

2. Yamaha with a bench seat: PIANO.

4. "Not gonna happen": NAH.

5. Read: PERUSE.

6. 1980 Olympics track medalist Steve: OVETT.

7. Count (on): RELY.

8. The Jonas Brothers, e.g.: TRIO.

9. In flight: ALOFT.

10. Black tea: PEKOE.

11. Sudden burst of emotion: PAROXYSM. New word to me.

12. Quarrel: SPAT.

13. Woman on Argentina's 100 peso note: PERON.

14. Bamboozles: SNOWS.

15. Slanted: AT AN ANGLE.

16. Spearheaded: LED.

17. "__ America": 2020 miniseries about the ERA movement: MRS.

20. Artist who works with a chisel: SCULPTOR.

28. On-call devices: PAGERS.

29. Impetuous: RASH.

30. French fashion giant: DIOR. I just don't see beauty in this Dior bag. We also have 45. Italian fashion giant: GUCCI.

32. Priceless?: FREE.

35. Like two 2015 Max Scherzer games: NO-HIT. I bet  this is Patti's clue. She's a Mets fan.

36. Will of "Blue Bloods": ESTES.

38. Thoughtful: PENSIVE.

39. Classical pianist Alice Sara __: OTT. Hey, a new clue angle.

41. Resting on: ATOP.

43. Sports stadium: ARENA.

44. Nikolai who wrote "The Overcoat": GOGOL.

46. __ pale ale: INDIA.

47. Do a slow burn: SEETHE.

48. Allowing access: AJAR.

49. Charge, in a way: IONIZE. Electrical charge.

56. Philadelphia NFLer: EAGLE.

58. Overturn: UPEND.

60. Chili scoop: LADLE. Boomer likes chili with beans.

62. Fabricated: MADE UP.

64. Dedicate, as time: DEVOTE.

66. Strategic steps: TACTICS.

70. First-aid dispenser: MEDIC. Took the VA home care nurse three tries to get Boomer's blood last week.

71. Opposite of sur: NORTE.

74. Grace under fire: POISE.

75. Spread around: STREW.

77. Medieval Icelandic collection: EDDA. Prose Edda and Poetic Edda.

81. Hindu royalty: RAJAS. Hindi for "king".

82. Give the slip: ELUDE.

83. "Huh?": COME AGAIN.

84. Survey results, e.g.: DATA.

86. Beachcombing prize: SEASHELL. I saw my first seashell in 1994. I went to Qingdao (Tsingtao) for a job interview.

88. Enter gingerly: EASE IN.

92. Dries up: SHRIVELS.

94. Strands in a lab: DNA.

96. Wheel parts: RIMS.

98. Lots and lots: TONS. So many glitches from the constructor crew who have been repairing the driveways in our association. We lost power for long hours as they fractured the power cables. Twice. Then they hit a gas line on Thursday.

99. __ out: resolve: HASH.

104. Attacks: GOES AT.

106. Jazz saxophonist Rollins: SONNY.

107. "Waiting for Lefty" dramatist Clifford: ODETS.

109. TV Land fare: RERUN.

110. Agenda entries: ITEMS.

111. Extended conflicts: FEUDS.

112. Stand for something?: EASEL. For canvas.

113. Southern twang: DRAWL.

115. Roadie's vanload: AMPS.

116. Witticism: QUIP.

117. Pinkie-side arm bone: ULNA.

119. Comfy loungewear: PJS.

120. Lav: LOO.

123. Napa Valley tub: VAT.

 

We had a challenging week. Boomer had another fall. Had to call 911 to get him off the floor. His hemoglobin count continues to be very low. We're going to the VA tomorrow for a blood transfusion.

C.C.