Tuesday, October 11, 2022 Jared Goudsmit

Road Trip:  We will visit first Athens then Sérres, Greece.  The first word in each theme answer begins with an A, THEN the second word begins with an S.

1-Across. *   "Yes, captain!": AYE, SIR!

18-Across. *   "Well, shoot": AW, SHUCKS!  Also the name of a chain of oyster bars.

27-Across. *   Immunotherapy injection: ALLERGY SHOT.

44-Across. *   Plane passenger's selection: AIRLINE SEAT.  

55-Across. *   Director's "That's a wrap!": AND SCENE!

And the unifier:

65. Capital of Greece, or a three-word hint to the answers to the starred clues: ATHENS.  Take it apart, and we get A Then S.

Across:

7. Kansas City cuisine, briefly: BBQ.  There are lots of regional styles of Barbecue.

10. "Quickly!" letters: ASAP.  As Soon As Possible!

14. Period of self-care: ME TIME.

15. Steal from: ROB.  [Name adjacent.]

16. Greek philosopher known for a paradox: ZENO.  There are actually several Greek philosophers, but the one with paradoxes was Zeno of Elea (BCE 490 ~ 430).  [Name # 1.]

17. "Things are bleak": IT'S BAD.

20. Like many budget reno projects: DIY.  As in Destroy-It-Yourself.

21. Aussie greeting: G'DAY.  Hi, Kazie!

23. Wide variety: ARRAY.

24. Underling: PEON.

25. Little pigs count: THREE.

31. Playground game: TAG.

34. God: DEITY.

35. "Stop pouring": WHEN.

36. Start of a play: ACT I.

37. Kayaking site: LAKE.

38. Scallion kin: CHIVE.  Everything you wanted to know about the difference between Chives and Scallions, but didn't know to ask.

39. Civil rights icon Parks: ROSA.  Rosa Parks (née Rosa Louise McCauley; Feb. 4, 1913 ~ Oct. 24, 2005) was instrumental in the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott, when in December 1955, she refused to give up her seat to move to the back of the bus.   [Name # 2.]

40. Happily __ after: EVER.

41. Move, in Realtor lingo: RE-LO.  As in Re-Locate.

42. Expand, as a highway: WIDEN.  A widening of Interstate-10 in Louisiana is anticipated.

43. Dreaming sleep phase, briefly: REM.  As in Rapid Eye Movement sleep.

46. "How about that!": I'LL BE!

48. Surrender, as territory: CEDE.

49. Janelle of "Moonlight": MONÁE.  Janelle Monáe (née Janelle Monáe Robinson; b. Dec. 1, 1985)  also starred in Hidden Figures.  [Name # 3.]

51. __ Strauss & Co.: LEVI.  Everything you wanted to know about this history of the Levi Strauss company, but didn't know to ask.  [Name adjacent.]

52. Scrabble-like game app, briefly: WWF.  As in Words With Friends.  These initials also stand for World Wildlife Fund and was formerly referred to the World Wrestling Federation.

58. Think highly of: ADMIRE.

60. "Rhyme Pays" rapper: ICE-T.  Ice-T (né Tracy Lauren Marrow; b. Feb. 16, 1958) also portrays  Detective Odafin Tutuola on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.   [Name # 4.]

61. Job on a band's tour: GIG.

62. Immersed briefly: DIPPED.  On Rosh Hashanah, the holiday we just celebrated, it is traditional to dip apples in honey.

63. Some long-lasting bulbs: LEDs.  As in Light-Emitting Diode light bulbs.

64. Good Grips kitchenware brand: OXO.  This brand appears with som frequency in the puzzles.

Down:

1. In the thick of: AMID.

2. Himalayan creature sometimes sought on "Finding Bigfoot": YETI.  Also the name of a very expensive brand of ice chests and related items.  [Name # 5.]

3. Online crafts marketplace: ETSY.

4. Sis or bro: SIB.  As in Sibling.

5. Language that paints mental pictures: IMAGERY.

6. Kid-lit's Clifford, notably: RED DOG.

7. Donkey sound: BRAY.

8. Decoration on a wrapped present: BOW.

9. NFL play callers: QBs.  As in Quarter Backs.

10. Sky blue: AZURE.

11. Encryption for private messages: SECRET CODE.

12. "My Way" songwriter Paul: ANKA.  Paul Albert Anka (b. July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-born singer.  He and Mick Jagger (b. July 26, 1943), and John Lennon (b. Oct. 9, 1940) are contemporaries, but have completely different musical styles.  [Name # 6.]

13. Small bouquet: POSY.

19. Musical partner of Rodgers before Hammerstein: HART.  Richard Rodgers (né Richard Charles Rodgers; June 28, 1902 ~ Dec. 30, 1979) and Lorenz Hart (né Lorenz Milton Hart; May 2, 1895 ~ Nov. 22, 1943) collaborated on stage musicals from 1920 until Hart's death .  [Names # 7 and #8.]

Hart is on the right.

22. No place in particular: ANYWHERE.

24. Tosh of reggae: PETER.  His given name is Winston Hubert McIntosh (Oct. 19, 1944 ~ Sept. 11, 1987).  He was murdered at age 42.  [Name # 9.]

25. NBC singing competition hosted by Carson Daly: THE VOICE.  [Name # 10.]

26. Fine-tune, as skills: HONE.

27. Chicago's __ Planetarium: ADLER.  If you haven't been to the Adler Planetarium, it is well worth the visit.  It was named after Max Adler (May 12, 1866 ~ Nov. 4, 1952).  He had been a vice president at Sears Roebuck.  After he retired, he became a key figure in funding the planetarium, which has the distinction of being the first planetarium the western hemisphere.  [Name adjacent.]

28. Walk away: LEAVE.

29. On the same wavelength: LIKE MINDED.

30. Con artist's aide: SHILL.

32. Hopelessly lost: AT SEA.

33. Humongous: GIANT.

36. Come to light: ARISE.

38. Nursery bed: CRIB.

42. "Teamwork makes the dream work!": WE DID IT!

44. Smart __: wiseacre: ALEC.

45. Reno's state: NEVADA.  Reno, Nevada is also the home of the National Judicial College.

47. Endures: LASTS.

49. Postal delivery: MAIL.

50. __ and for all: ONCE.

51. Danish toy maker: LEGO.  The Lego company has been around for 90 years.  Did you know that Lego comes from the Danish words Leg Godt, which translates to Play Well in English.  I played with Legos as a child, when they only came in white and red bricks.  It's all fun and games until you step on one at night in the dark.

52. Clear, as data: WIPE.

53. Little songbird: WREN.

54. Govt. agents: FEDS.

56. Sense of self: EGO.

57. Shoot down: NIX.

59. Freeway meas.: MPH.  As in Miles Per Hour.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday October 10, 2022 Justin Werfel

Theme: Containers

 20. Like passwords that likely won't work if Caps Lock is on: CASE SENSITIVE.

 36. Question from a store clerk: CAN I HELP YOU.

 43. "Star Wars" character from an underwater city: JAR JAR BINKS.

 54. Film that doesn't make much money: BOX OFFICE FLOP.

Boomer here. Congrats on Justin's LAT debut!

Well, Oncology at the VA let us know that I was not responding with cancer fighting results. So, the prescription was not renewed. I always have a saying responding about my healthcare: I have been fighting cancer for four years, but this year it has been fighting back. Now we are fighting with Turkey Tail mushrooms. It has shown some positive results.

Across:

1. Aid and __: ABET.  Planning to make a few at Mystic Lake Casino in my birthday visit in a few weeks.

 

5. Garbage: TRASH.  Ours is picked up once a week.

10. Finish third: SHOW.  A two dollar bet doesn't pay much.

14. White House no: VETO.

15. Biblical prophet: HOSEA.

16. The "P" of IPA: PALE. Casper the friendly ghost.

17. "Plus some other folks" abbr.: ET AL.  I ET ALL my breakfast this morning.

18. "Spider-Man" trilogy director Sam: RAIMI.

19. The "Y" of YSL: YVES. 

23. Easter egg dip: DYE.  Let's take care of Thanksgiving and Christmas first!

24. "__ only a game": IT'S.  That's what Aaron Judge said.

25. Try to buy, at an auction: BID ON.  Judge's #62 ball might attract some bids.

28. "The Lord of the Rings" beast: ORC.

31. Invite for: ASK TO.

35. Zion Church letters: AME.

39. Requirement: NEED.  Judge needed a few more hits.  Twin Luis Arraez won high average.

41. Fit for a monarch: REGAL.  Also a die cast pipe fitting.

42. Jellystone Park bear: YOGI.  Yankee Hall of Famer Berra.

46. __ Mahal: TAJ.

47. Negro Leagues legend Buck: O'NEIL. In 2006 he got a place in Cooperstown.

48. Chicago summer hrs.: CDT.  Central daylight time.

49. Writer Mario Vargas __: LLOSA.

51. Garden plot: BED.  Green beans sleep there.

53. "Hamilton" Tony nominee Phillipa: SOO.

61. Chicken cordon __: BLEU.  I never knew why they spelled blue wrong.

63. Finish second: PLACE.  This bet might pay a bit more.

64. Bicycle wheel: TIRE.

65. Payment to a landlord: RENT.  We own - no landlord here.

66. Ingested: EATEN.

67. "Did you __?!": EVER.

68. Voting no: ANTI.  Elections are coming soon.  Mudslinging ads are already here. 

69. Stockholm native: SWEDE.

70. Cubicle fixture: DESK.  Had one for years at work.  Now our computer is on one.

Down:

1. French "with": AVEC.

2. Phi __ Kappa: BETA.  Fraternities always seem to have Greek letters.

3. Guesses from late guests, briefly: ETAS. 37. The "A" of 3-Down: ARR.

4. Ohio city west of Cleveland: TOLEDO.  Home of the Mud Hens.

5. Number of strikes in a strikeout: THREE.  

6. Horse coat color: ROAN.  A horse is a horse of course of course.  Mr. Ed.

7. OfferUp caveat: AS IS.  Usually means that there something wrong with it.

8. 18-wheeler: SEMI.  We need them but I hate following them.

9. French-speaking Caribbean country: HAITI.

10. Mad magazine cartoon featuring secret agents: SPY VS SPY.

11. "What'll ya __?": HAVE.  Pabst Blue Ribbon.

12. World Cup cheer: OLE. Sven's buddy

13. Director Craven: WES.

21. Lip-__: mouth the words: SYNC. I can't hear you!

22. Lang. of Rome: ITAL.

25. Bluegrass strings: BANJO.

26. "Know what __?": I MEAN.  Nope.

27. Big name in riding mowers: DEERE.  Nothing runs like a Deere.

28. Yr. before A.D. started: ONE BC.  I was not around then

29. Unyielding: RIGID.

30. Repetitive shout: CHANT.

32. Environmental protocol city in Japan: KYOTO.

33. Roman robes: TOGAS.  Never owned one.

34. __ board: séance device: OUIJA.  Never played one either,

38. Great Plains grazer: ELK.  We have many deer in Minnesota but I never saw an ELK

40. Smallest country on the Horn of Africa: DJIBOUTI.

44. Longtime "Jeopardy!" host Trebek: ALEX.  Gone but not forgotten.

45. __ gin fizz: SLOE.

50. Hit high in the air: LOFTED.  Aaron Judge specialty.

52. Puzzles (out): DOPES.  Minnesota Twins.

53. Play division: SCENE.

54. Crooked: BENT.

55. Defect: FLAW.

56. Kismet: FATE.

57. Covered in frosting: ICED.  Best kind of tea.

58. "C'mon, __ a little!": LIVE.  Laugh a little.

59. Metal-yielding rocks: ORES.

60. Cheer (up): PERK.

61. Bikini top: BRA. George Costanza was going to sell them.

62. "When They See Us" actor Cariou: LEN.

Boomer

Sunday October 9, 2022 Katie Hale

Theme: "Say It Again"- An homophone is added to each common phrase.

23. Love letters between Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf?: TENNIS PROS' PROSE.
 

32. Hot food served extra cold?: CHILLY CHILI PEPPERS.
 

50. Cast members who may sing "Under the Sea" at sea?: DISNEY CRUISE CREWS.
 

67. Musical composition to meditate to?: INNER PEACE PIECE.

86. Ransack the Grand Ole Opry?: STEAL STEEL GUITARS.

102. Money made by one with a Messiah complex?: FALSE PROPHET PROFIT.

117. Excited cry when Alabama pulled even in the big game?: CRIMSON TIDE TIED.

Katie Hale's first LAT Sunday! She is Patti's new assistant. 

 

Fun theme entries and clues. Sometimes the theme entries feel a bit forced for this type of homophone or sound deletion/addition theme. This one just flows so naturally.

Across: 

1. Milk option: SKIM. Whole milk for Boomer now.

5. Organs with the smallest bones in the body: EARS.

9. Escapade: ANTIC.

14. Good point: ASSET.

19. __ Domini: ANNO.

20. Grad: ALUM.

21. Old-timey truth: SOOTH. Now we only use "soothe".

22. "You win!": UNCLE.

26. Word repeated in a Culture Club song: KARMA. Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon.

27. Halvah flavor: SESAME. Never had halvah.

28. Letters before a handle: AKA.

29. Type of lift: T BAR.

31. Glance: PEEK.

37. City east of Pittsburgh: ALTOONA.

40. Force on Earth: ONE G.

41. Spotted: SEEN.

42. Vientiane language: LAO. Meaning "old" in Chinese.

43. Chemical relative: ISOMER.

47. Lawmaking bodies: SENATES.

56. "__ been thinking ... ": I'VE.

57. "Wreck-It Ralph" setting: ARCADE.

58. Museum hanging: OIL.

59. Not 'neath: O'ER.

60. Supermodel with a Global Chic collection on HSN: IMAN.

61. "We need help!": SAVE US.

63. Like Roy Haylock as Bianca Del Rio: IN DRAG.

66. Change: AMEND.

71. Walks in the shallows: WADES.

74. Miley Cyrus's "Party in __": THE USA.

75. Fuel rating: OCTANE.

78. Flaps: ADOS.

79. See 95-Across: TEA. 95. With 79-Across, drink with tapioca pearls: BOBA. Those are the tapioca pearls at the bottom. Very chewy.

80. Nutrition fig.: RDA. Recommended Dietary Allowances.

83. Check out, in a way: RING UP.

85. Convent resident: NUN.

91. Grow resentful: GET SORE.

93. Saudi __: ARABIA.

94. Apple platform: IOS.

96. Running wear?: HOSE. It runs.

98. Highest: TOPMOST.

108. MLB family name: ALOU.

109. Wine from Douro: PORT.  The Douro Valley, birthplace of Port wine. Learning moment for me.

110. Rio maker: KIA.

111. Reached by plane: FLEW TO.

115. Moved to a better fishing spot, maybe: ROWED.

121. Sound from a steeple: CHIME.

122. __ butter: COCOA.

123. Weymouth of Talking Heads: TINA.

124. Nick at __: NITE.

125. All gone: EATEN.

126. Director Welles: ORSON.

127. "The Addams Family" adjective: OOKY.

128. Grows old: AGES.

Down:

1. H.S. exams: SATS.

2. Meniscus location: KNEE.

3. Country lodgings: INNS.

4. European microstate led by Prince Albert II: MONACO. Son of Grace Kelly.

5. Enter with caution: EASE IN.

6. Chamonix backdrop: ALP.

7. Sub-suburban: RURAL.

8. Great __ Mountains: SMOKY.

9. Snake also known as Naja haje: ASP. New clue.

10. Neither's partner: NOR.

11. Play the recorder, perhaps: TOOTLE.

12. "Brace yourself for heavy news": IT'S BIG.

13. Inexpensive: CHEAP.

14. Puffin kin: AUK.

15. Podded plant: SNAP PEA.

16. Hours reduced by unplugging: SCREEN TIME. And its symmetrical partner:  73. "This is your only chance": DON'T BLOW IT. Brilliant fill.

17. Composer Bernstein: ELMER. Wikipedia says he's not related to Leonard Bernstein.

18. Tropical hardwoods: TEAKS.

24. "If u ask me": IMHO.

25. __ fly: SAC.

30. Hem over, say: RESEW.

33. Secular: LAIC.

34. Breaks up a plot, say: HOES.

35. Memo header: IN RE.

36. Hutches: PENS.

37. "M*A*S*H" star: ALDA.

38. Hideouts: LAIRS.

39. "Vissi d'arte" opera: TOSCA. 66. When "Vissi d'arte" is sung in 39-Down: ACT II.

44. Sign for a packed house: SRO. Standing Room Only.

45. French affirmative: OUI.

46. Surroundings: MILIEU.

47. "Groo the Wanderer" cartoonist Aragonés: SERGIO. Another learning moment.

48. __ Rachel Wood of "Westworld": EVAN.

49. Text command: SEND.

51. Forces that act on water?: NAVIES.

52. Perfect places: EDENS.

53. "The Walking Dead" actor Steven: YEUN. South Korean-born.

54. Pineapple center: CORE.

55. "You __ what you sow": REAP.

60. "Let me clarify ... ": I MEANT.

62. Small sofa: SETTEE.

64. "Illmatic" rapper: NAS.

65. Takoma Park, Md., region: DC AREA.

68. Seehorn of "Better Call Saul": RHEA.

69. Sound from a steeple: PEAL.

70. Beige hue: ECRU.

71. Fashion designer Vera: WANG. Can you believe she's 73 years old?

72. Together, musically: ADUE.

76. Mystery writer Marsh: NGAIO. Quite a few names in Down slots.

77. Irish capital: EUROS.

81. Interior Secretary Haaland: DEB.

82. Mahershala of "Green Book": ALI.

84. "Wanna know a secret?": PSST.

86. Drink brand with a lizard logo: SOBE.

87. Maria von __: TRAPP.

88. Window part: SASH.

89. Shady one?: TREE.

90. Persian in Mexico, e.g.: GATO. Fun clue. Cat.

92. "Get over it": SO SUE ME.

96. "Get Out" genre: HORROR.

97. Fiber __: OPTICS.

99. Ineffective period: OFF DAY.

100. Stack: PILE.

101. Ital. peak: MT ETNA.

102. Screwball comedy: FARCE.

103. Hilo hello: ALOHA.

104. Celebrity chef DiSpirito: ROCCO. No idea.

105. MMA call: TKO.

106. Piebald horse: PINTO.

107. 1:1, for one: RATIO.

112. "Wonder Woman 1984" actress Kristen: WIIG.

113. French noodle: TETE.

114. Words of appreciation: ODES.

116. Sofa bed site: DEN.

118. Stock quote?: MOO.

119. __ Francisco: SAN.

120. Tats: INK.

 Two extra notes:

 1) Belated "Happy Birthday" to dear Jayce (John), who turned 81 years old yesterday. Did you do anything special, Jayce?

Jayce and his wife on their wedding day

2) Boomer's PSA soared to 1,000+, so the latest oral chemo just did not work for him. The doctor has stopped the cancer treatment and said Boomer only had a few months to live. I've been consumed by this profound sadness and hopelessness. 

C.C.