Tuesday November 8, 2022 David Karp

Shake it Off!  Three phrases that involve a Shake.

17-Across. Shiver during a horror film, perhaps: TREMBLE WITH FEAR.  Shake # 1.

29-Across. Thick fast-food beverage: CREAMY DRINK.  The illustration gives us Shake #2 and Shake #3.

46-Across. Finalize an agreement, say: SEAL THE DEAL.  Shake # 3.

And the unifier:

61-Across. Start of a KC and the Sunshine Band title, and 17-, 29-, and 46-Across: SHAKE,  SHAKE, SHAKE.

Across:

1. Hissed "Hey! Over here!": PSST.

5. Island nation near Fiji: TONGA.

10. Milky birthstone: OPAL.  These gemstones make frequent appearances in the puzzles.  Hi, Kazie!

14. Teensy bit: IOTA.

15. Smells: ODORS.

16. Payroll tax that funds Soc. Sec.: FICA.  As in the Federal Insurance Contributions Act.

20. Whenever one wants: AT WILL.

Not always, apparently.

21. Historic German state: PRUSSIA.  More than you ever wanted to know about Prussia.

22. Hay storage areas: LOFTS.

25. Curved piece: ARC.

26. "Slumdog Millionaire" actor Patel: DEV.  Dev Patel (b. Apr. 23, 1990) is an English actor.  He was the star of the 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire.  [Name #1.]

34. Colorful eye part: IRIS.

36. Jazz great Fitzgerald: ELLA.  Ella Jane Fitzgerald (Apr. 25, 1917 ~ June 15, 1996) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  [Name #2.]

37. Iced tea garnish: LEMON.  Hi, Lemonade.  We hope you are doing well.

38. Reef explorer's tube: SNORKEL.

40. Church spire: STEEPLE.  Do you know it's connection with 19-Down?

42. Tiny hairs: CILIA.

43. Odd sock's lack: MATE.

45. "American Gods" novelist Gaiman: NEIL.  Neil Gaiman (né Neil Richard Gaiman; b. Nov. 10, 1962) will celebrate his 62nd birthday in Thursday.  He is an English author of short stories and graphic novels.    I read one of his books of short stories.  [Name #3.]

49. Tennis do-over: LET.

50. Cry of insight: AHA!

51. Killer whales: ORCAS.

53. Starting to spoil: TURNING.

57. Vacuum brand: HOOVER.  [Name adjacent.]

64. Big mountain cat: PUMA.  Also the name brand of a running shoe.

65. Suez Canal tanker: OILER.

66. Small bills: ONES.

67. Lower leg area: SHIN.

68. Shopping centers: MALLS.  The malls are becoming more and more empty.  It's quite eerie to walk through some of them.

69. Exam: TEST.

Down:

1. Bread with a pocket: PITA.  I will probably be eating quite a few Pita and Falafel sandwiches in the next couple of weeks.

2. Put laundry into piles, say: SORT.

3. Meat-and-potatoes bowlful: STEW.

4. Language spoken by many a 35-Down: TAMIL.  //  And 35. Colombo resident: SRI LANKAN.  The official name of the country is the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.  The capital of the country is Colombo.  A brief history of the country.

5. Like many infomercial phone numbers: TOLL FREE.  Because 1-800 didn't fit.

6. Poem written "on" or "to" something: ODE.  We often find Odes in the puzzles.

7. Right this minute: NOW.

8. Hold tight: GRIP.

9. Off course: ASTRAY.

Cats gone astray.

10. Like a movie star's personal life: OFF SCREEN.  But we still have to hear too much about their personal lives, don't we.

11. Diner desserts: PIES.

12. Antioxidant-rich purple berry: AÇAÍ.  This berry has become very trendy and makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.

13. "__ Croft: Tomb Raider": LARA.  Lara Croft is a fictional character, but she was portrayed by Angelina Jolie in the film. [Name # 4.]

18. Group of allied countries: BLOC.

19. Steeplechase obstacle: HURDLE.  Origin of the Steeplechase.

23. "Out with it!": TELL ME!

24. Paolantonio of ESPN: SAL.  I don't watch ESPN, so am not familiar with Sal Paolantonio (né Salvatore Anthony Nicholas Paolantonio; b. June 13, 1956), a Philadelphia-based sports reporter.  [Name #5.]

26. Vertebrae separators: DISCS.

27. 123 Sesame Street resident: ERNIE.  You rarely see Ernie without his pal, Bert.  [Name #6.]

28. String quartet instrument: VIOLA.  What's the difference between a Viola and a Violin?

30. The "M" of MBA: MASTER.  As in a Master of Business Administration.

31. Urge forward: IMPEL.

32. "Honest!": NO LIE!

33. Prepared to pray: KNELT.

39. TV host __ Lee Gifford: KATHIE.  Kathie Lee Gifford (née Kathryn Lee Epstein; b. Aug. 16, 1953) was married to Frank Gifford (né Francis Newton Gifford; Aug. 16, 1930 ~ Aug. 9, 2015).  They shared the same birthdate.  In the 1980s, she did commercials for a cruise line.  [Name #7.]

41. Classroom figures: TEACHERS.

44. Brouhaha: ADO.

47. __ cab: two-wheeled carriage: HANSOM.  The Hansom cab was the creative invention of Joseph Hansom (né Joseph Aloysius Hansom; Oct. 26, 1803 ~ June 29, 1882).

48. Landlocked Asian country: LAOS.

52. Not __: far from optimal: SO HOT.

53. Recipe amts.: TSPS.  As in Teaspoons.

54. "Nah": UH, UH.

55. Actor Malek: RAMI.  Rami Malek (né Rami Said Malek; b. May 12, 1981) starred as a computer hacker in the television series Mr. Robot, but is probably best known for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody.  [Name #8.]

56. Karmann __: classic Volkswagen: GHIA.  The Karmann Ghia was a sporty little car that was made between 1955 and 1974.  It looks so dated now.  [Name adjacent.]

58. Barn topper that indicates wind direction: VANE.

59. Makes do, with "out": EKES.

60. Lie down for a while: REST.

62. Completely: ALL.

63. Kenan's former Nickelodeon partner: KEL.  [Name # 9.]  Kenan & Kel was apparently a buddy sit-com that ran from 1996 until 2000 on Nickelodeon.  

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

If you are reading this on Tuesday, I will likely be on the crossword puzzle's favorite airline heading towards Tel Aviv.  Part business, part fun.  Unlike the song, however, I do know when I will be back.  See you at the end of the month.  You will be in capable hands during my absence.

Monday November 7, 2022 MaryEllen Uthlaut

Theme: OOHS (67. Cries of delight, and what each of the answers to the starred clues literally are?)

17. *"Drinks are on the house!": FREE BOOZE.

25. *"Just what I wanted to hear!": GREAT NEWS.

36. *"Eyes like Paul Newman!": BABY BLUES.

51. *"Check out those Outback hoppers!": KANGAROOS.

60. *"There's the star of 'Top Gun'!": TOM CRUISE.

Boomer here.  

Make a CHOOSE -You'll never LOSE. I usually stop for a SNOOZE after I watch the NEWS.  

Happy November one and all.  Of course Thanksgiving is on the calendar and coming soon.  

Across:

1. "At __, soldier!": EASE. "Ten Hut"

5. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.  Farming business is AGRI.

9. Burdened (with): LADEN.  Potatoes LADEN with turkey gravy.

14. Horn-shaped flower: LILY.

15. "Get a __ of this!": LOAD.

16. Large stadium: ARENA.  They keep getting bigger and bigger.  And the NFL football seems to be sold out every game.

19. A- or B+: GRADE.  Sometimes mine was a 75.

20. "Beauty and the Beast" heroine: BELLE.

21. Out of style: OLD.  That's me at 75.

23. Big fuss: ADO.

24. Outdoor dining area: PATIO.  We had a deck, but we never eat out there.

28. Autotrader offering: USED CAR.  Our Santa Fe turned two years old last month.

30. Refrigerator art holder: MAGNET.

31. Place for pillow talk: BED. 

32. __ and carrots: PEAS.  Not my favorite.

35. Toy bear: TEDDY.  Mr. Roosevelt.

39. Fall-blooming plant: ASTER.

42. Glasgow resident: SCOT.

43. To the __ degree: NTH.

46. Cheap cigar: STOGIE.  I cannot remember smoking a cigar.  I think I received one when someone had a baby,

48. Fist pump or fist bump: GESTURE.  Fist bumps are frequent in bowling.

54. Actor Capaldi: PETER.  Pumpkin eater.  Many of Halloween pumpkins were fed to animals.

55. Genetic letters: RNA.  Some kind of acid that I can't spell.

56. NATO HQ locale: EUR.

57. Mom's sisters: AUNTS.  I had 6 nice ladies.

58. Unblinking look: STARE.

63. Racing sleds: LUGES.  Popular when the snow falls here.

64. Pesky insect: GNAT.

65. Really stink: REEK.  Take the garbage out every week. 

66. Opinion pieces: OP-EDS.  I seldom read them. Just someone else's opinion.

68. Gaelic language: ERSE.

Down:

1. Figure on the shelf, in Christmas decor: ELF.  Santa's helper.

2. Post for military pilots: AIRBASE.  We had a huge one at Fort Campbell, KY.

3. Rained ice: SLEETED.  Nope, we get the real snow - coming soon to a state near you.

4. Body part with lashes: EYELID.

5. __ vera: ALOE.  Never used it.

6. Sticky substance: GOO.  Never used this either.

7. Stubble remover: RAZOR.  I've used this now and then.

8. "Someone Like You" singer: ADELE. Not ah-dell, but uh-dale.

9. Internet connectivity annoyance: LAG.

10. Sets up, as flowers in a vase: ARRANGES.  I could not believe when I was told how much funeral flowers cost!!

11. Like many paths in a maze: DEAD END.

12. Funded on an ongoing basis: ENDOWED.  Like Social Security - going up next year.

13. "Sorry, laddie": NAE.

18. Voting alliance: BLOC.

22. Flood-control structure: DAM.  We have a huge one on the Mississippi.  That's where we get our electricity 

24. Tavern: PUB.  There is one in your town.

25. "__ Anatomy": Ellen Pompeo series: GREY'S.

26. London art gallery: TATE.

27. Spot that's rarely spotless: STY.  A home for your pigs.

29. PD alert: APB.  All Points Bulletin

33. Kindergarten letters: ABC.  A TV station as well.

34. Plods (through): SLOGS.

36. Defied, as belief: BEGGARED. ??

37. Opera solo: ARIA.

38. Beehive State native: UTE.

39. "__ me no questions ... ": ASK.  I'll tell you no lies.

40. Fledgling company: STARTUP.

41. Shipping weight allowance: TONNAGE.  I think the US raised the limit on highways.

43. Like Almond Joy, compared to Mounds: NUTTIER.  Than a fruitcake.

44. Long locks of hair: TRESSES.

45. That girl: HER.

47. "... __ he drove out of sight": ERE.  And all a good night.

49. San Antonio NBAer: SPUR.  Also a place to buy gas.

50. Academic security: TENURE.

52. Expenditure: OUTGO.  Everything is UP.  Thanks to inflation.

53. Maine college town: ORONO.  Also a Minnesota city

57. Plays a part: ACTS.

58. __-mo video: SLO.

59. Sinuous letter: ESS.

61. __-jongg: MAH.  Never played it.

62. Scratch (out), as a living: EKE.  Yikes!

Boomer

Sunday November 6, 2022 Scott Hogan & Katie Hale

Theme: "Scale It Back" - Do, Re, Me, Fa, Sol, La, Ti are orderly removed from the theme entries

23. Chant that could start any minute in a yoga class?: IMPENDING (DO)OM.

31. Beaver structure that defies all laws of physics?: THE IMPOSSIBLE D(RE)AM.

40. Result of a cracked Kindle?: BROKEN PRO(ME)SE.

61. Lingering resentment between rival 16th century Italian painters?: RENAISSANCE (FA)IRE.

72. Obstacles in a Grand Theft Auto construction zone?: VIDEO GAME CON(SOL)ES.

96. Rate at which romaine salads come out of the kitchen?: CAESARS PA(LA)CE.

103. Put up with my shenanigans?: STAND THE TEST OF (TI)ME.

Reveal:

118. Creating study aids during a classroom lecture, and how seven long answers in this puzzle were created?: TAKING NOTES.

Our second Sunday puzzle from Scott Hogan. His last is a collaboration with Christina Iverson. Who else can say that they've collaborated with two assistant editors of the L.A. Times crosswords?

Like the theme. Reminds me of the Opening Notes I did for the Universal back in 2020.

Across:

1. Improvises with nonsense syllables while singing: SCATS.

6. Hosp. area: PRE-OP. Extensive prep, as I've learned from Boomer's second surgery.

11. "Frozen" snowman: OLAF.

15. Go the distance: LAST.

19. Old Turkish title: PASHA. Wikipedia says this rank "is similar to a British peerage or knighthood".

20. Body art medium: HENNA.

21. Roam: ROVE.

22. Glom __: take hold of: ONTO.

25. Bibliography abbr.: ET AL.

26. Playing a fifth qtr., say: IN OT.

27. Vegan pizza order, perhaps: NO CHEESE. My first pizza is Hawaiian pizza from Pizza Hut in Guangzhou.

28. Speak without thinking: BLURT.

29. Thick book: TOME.

30. Biblical twin: ESAU.

36. Soap chemical: LYE.

38. Singer Lena: HORNE.

39. African capital: CAIRO. Has anyone read "Midnight in Cairo" by Raphael Cormack?

45. Uses, as a coupon: REDEEMS.

47. Paddle kin: OAR.

48. Brownstone porch: STOOP.

49. Family man: PAPA.

52. Telly watchers: BRITS.

54. Sitcom fixture: TV CAMERA.

56. 11th Greek letter: LAMBDA. Also 118. 19th Greek letter: TAU.

59. Casual refusal: NAH.

60. Messy pile: HEAP.

66. Con: SCAM.

70. Gimlet garnishes: LIMES.

71. Like some Chardonnay: OAKY.

77. AnnaSophia of "Bridge to Terabithia": ROBB. Unfamiliar to me.

81. NAACP co-founder __ B. Wells: IDA.

82. E-signature alternative: WET INK.  91. Problem with 82-Across: SMEAR.

83. Celebrity mag since 1977: US WEEKLY.

87. Transform (into): MORPH.

89. Drops from above: RAIN.

92. Biodegrade: ROT.

93. Resort with moguls: SKI AREA. Bumpy moguls on the slope.

99. Impressionist Claude: MONET.

100. Beekeeping hazard: STING.

102. Irish actor Stephen: REA. Unforgettable performance in "The Crying Game".

 

108. Sleeveless garment: VEST.

112. Twee: CUTE.

113. Competitor: RIVAL.

114. Goes long?: RUNS LATE. Nice clue/fill.

116. Poker stake: ANTE.

117. Scored 100 on: ACED.

121. Look intently (at): PEER.

122. "How __ refuse?": CAN I.

123. Garlicky sauce: AIOLI.

124. Cornell, Penn, etc.: IVIES.

125. Flubs: ERRS.

126. Jewelry designer Peretti: ELSA.

127. Eurasian border mountains: URALS.

128. Black-and-white vegetarian: PANDA.

Down:

1. Book part: SPINE.

2. Patterns meant to blend in, briefly: CAMOS. This really stands out.

3. Org. providing creature comfort?: ASPCA.

4. One who has an impressive green thumb?: THE HULK. Another great clue.

5. With it: SANE.

6. Trey Anastasio's jam band: PHISH. Amazing fan base.

7. Actress Zellweger: RENEE.

8. Pt. of OED: ENG.

9. Singer Yoko: ONO.

10. Hulu's "__ & Tommy": PAM.

11. Vague warning: OR ELSE.

12. Seated yoga pose: LOTUS.

13. Greed: AVARICE.

14. Had regrets: FELT BAD.

15. One who lingers: LOITERER.

16. Latin phrase in some dates: ANNO DOMINI. The hospice sent chaplain John Curran to our house last week. John is an ex-priest. He left the church and got married. He could deliver a mass in Latin.

17. Leaf pore: STOMA.

18. __ pole: TOTEM.

24. Political thaw: DETENTE.

28. "__ appétit!": BON.

32. Breakfast chain: IHOP.

33. Calendar pgs.: MOS. Months.

34. Get set: PREP.

35. Recline: LIE BACK.

37. Polite contraction: YES M.

40. All of two: BOTH.

41. Talk wildly: RAVE.

42. Killer whale: ORCA.

43. __ favor: POR.

44. Crowd sound: ROAR.

45. Crashes (into): RAMS.

46. Constellation part: STAR.

50. Strange: ALIEN.

51. Behind the times: PASSE.

53. __/her pronouns: SHE.

55. Abbey area: APSE.

57. Bun cooked in a bamboo steamer: BAO. We can Baozi in China.

58. Genetic letters: DNA.

62. Justice Kagan: ELENA.

63. "The Pinkprint" rapper Minaj: NICKI.

64. Latin I verb: AMO.

65. Brontë governess: EYRE.

67. Buckaroo: COWHAND.

68. Mature: AGE. We received 81 cards from you guys for Boomer's birthday. Thank you! Amazing English muffins from Ray - O - Sunshine!

69. Pilates surface: MAT.

72. Pep: VIM.

73. Rite words: I DOS.

74. Hypothetical stuff in space: DARK MATTER. Another great fill.

75. Oscar winner Sorvino: MIRA. She speaks Chinese.

76. Totals: SUMS.

78. Sticky pod: OKRA.

79. Political coalition: BLOC.

80. Computer memory unit: BYTE.

84. __ salt: SEA.

85. Nate Dogg's "Regulate" collaborator: WARREN G. Another learning moment.

86. Scots Gaelic: ERSE.

88. Leads the way: PIONEERS.

90. CBS military drama: NCIS.

91. __ lily: Utah state flower: SEGO.

94. Go over again: RETRACE.

95. Virtuous: ETHICAL.

97. Social insect: ANT.

98. Meringue dessert named for a ballerina: PAVLOVA. Looks good on top. Anna.

100. Bowl game venues: STADIA. I just use stadiums.

101. __ Aviv: TEL.

103. Land's end?: SCAPE.

104. Pitching aid?: TUNER. Fun clue.

105. Levels (out): EVENS.

106. Flounce: FRILL.

107. Some tax-free bonds: MUNIS.

109. Stay home for supper: EAT IN.

110. Knight's mount: STEED.

111. Thompson of "Creed": TESSA.

115. Scissors sound: SNIP.

119. Beach ball inflater: AIR.

120. RV park chain: KOA.

Our week started well. On Monday, the great Tom Pepper came to our house and moved the TV upstairs. Now we only have to struggle with one set of stairs. Thanks again, D-Otto and Tom!

 

On Tuesday we had a routine meeting with the VA nurse Amanda. Then Boomer started to develop serious stomachache and constipation on Wednesday & Thursday. By Friday morning, he could not poop or pee. The hospice nurse was ready to do an enema. Thankfully Senna & MiraLax combo worked before the nurse came. 

 

Unfortunately he continues to have stomach upset, even with the daily help of Pepcid. He also had a few throw-up episodes on Friday and Saturday (he ate hardly anything). He gets breathless just walking from our bedroom to the toilet.

 

Here is a picture of him watching "Seinfeld" at our living room last Tuesday. Calm and content. Things have been tough since.