Monday January 9, 2023 Lynn K. Watson and Will Nediger

  

Hello Cornerites! 

Welcome to another Lynn K. Watson and Will Nediger collaboration. We recently enjoyed their Monday, Dec. 26. 2022 puzzle,  "Crack the Case".

This time, our theme is:        You Should Be DancinG, yeah!

The Bee Gees (1976) You Should Be Dancing

featuring John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Fast Forward 46 years (yikes!), we find the unifier for today's puzzle:

60 Across.  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame trio, and an apt name for a trio of answers in this puzzle: THE BEE GEES.

The Bee Gees were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.  According to their website, the trio's name originally referred to the common initials of Barry Gibb and his two friends, Bill Goode and Bill Gates (not that Bill Gates). The name then evolved into the BG's and then to the Bee Gees, which eventually came to mean the Brothers Gibb.

The trio (See what the constructors did there?) of answers are:

16 Across.  Open-air alehouse: BEER GARDEN.

26 Across.  Kathleen Turner comedy featuring super intelligent infants: BABY GENIUSES.

Not my thing. BTW, Kathleen Turner played Dr. Elena Kinder.

Baby Geniuses movie trailer (1999)

Surprisingly, there is a sequel, Superbabies:  Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)

46 Across.  Eggplant appetizer: BABA GHANOUSH.  a Mediterranean dip made from roasted eggplants.  5-star recipe  Definitely my thing! 

All 3 answers have a first word that begins with the letter "B" and a second word that begins with the letter "G". No *starred* clues to miss this time; though I did have some spelling challenges.

We Better Get Going..   <---- 1 B, 2 G's

Across:
1. Rainbow flag letters: LGBT.  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender

5. Too sure of oneself: SMUG.

Cats can be so SMUG.

9. "The Vampire Diaries" actress Dobrev: NINA.  Coincidentally, today is NINA's birthday. She was born 34 years ago in Bulgaria.  If you are reading this, NINA, we wish you a very happy birthday!

Also, CSO to inanehiker!

the birthday girl

13. Vicinity: AREA.  The police code 10-60 means there is a (law enforcement) squad in the vicinity.

14. Play button's alternate function, often: PAUSE.  Let's see who has the most clickers. I will start the bidding at 5. That is 4 more than I care to have.

15. More than one: A FEW.  Five clickers is A FEW too many.

18. __ of approval: SEAL.

19. Cul-de-__: SAC.  French; literally "bottom of the bag"

Think of a paper sack with just one opening.

20. Goddess who wears a headdress with cow horns: ISIS.

ISIS sporting her trademark headdress.

21. Underdog victories: UPSETS.  Remember when Rulon Gardner from Wyoming, won the Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wresting in Sydney 2000?

an Olympic UPSET (38 sec.)

23. Waters down: THINS.

25. Like fast-spreading TikTok videos: VIRAL.  'VIRAL' is good. 'Virus' is bad.

31. Fruit-flavored drink brand: SOBE.

34. Hollered: YELLED.

35. CPR pro: EMT.

36. Largest Greek island: CRETE.  Greek islands list

38. "Hold on a __!": SEC.

39. Nemesis: ENEMY.

41. Untouched serve: ACE.  You know...tennis, volleyball, and probably other sports, too. 

42. Eritrea's capital: ASMARA.  pronounced "eh-ruh-TREE-uh" and "aa-SMAA-ruh", AtG (According to Google)

45. Black gemstone: ONYX.

49. Actress Barkin: ELLEN.

Oh, that ELLEN.

50. Attempts: SHOTS.  You know...hockey, basketball, and probably other sports, too. 

53. Shrub with colorful flowers: AZALEA.  I think of these as being popular on the East Coast.

55. Slugger Juan who won the 2022 Home Run Derby: SOTO.  Respect moment #1.

57. "When will u b here?": ETA.  short for "Estimated Time of Arrival"

59. Snoozefest: BORE.

63. __ 500: INDY.

64. Surround: HEM IN.

65. Ginger cookie: SNAP.  July 1 is National Ginger Snap Day...in case you were wondering.

66. Model Holliday: TESS.  Because "Holliday" is capitalized, we might guess a name.  This is Tess Holliday.

67. Sign above a door: EXIT.

68. Questions: ASKS.  verbs...or lately, "ASKS" is often used as a noun

Down:
1. Science workshops: LABS.  Time to add a cute animal pic for Irish Miss!

2. Australia's __ Barrier Reef: GREAT.

Any other Old 97's fans fans out there?

"What's so GREAT about the Barrier Reef? What's so Fine about Art?"

3. Tree with smooth gray bark: BEECH.

hauntingly beautiful BEECH tree trunks

4. Roofing material: TAR.

5. South Asian wraparound dress: SARI.

6. Some spa applications: MUDS.

7. "__ only as directed": USE. so you cannot sue them later

8. Bona fide: GENUINE.

George Clooney in O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

"But you ain't bona fide."

9. Largest city in the Bahamas: NASSAU.  Things to do while on holiday in Nassau

So Picturesque!!

10. "You really understand me": I FEEL SEEN.  essay by Caleb Madison, the crossword puzzles editor at The Atlantic magazine (<500 words)

11. Well-organized: NEAT.

12. Hole-making tools: AWLS.

14. Elapse, as time: PASS BY.

17. Actress Lollobrigida: GINA.  Born in 1927, GINA lives in her home country of Italy.

22. Start of a title by 44-Down: PRIDE.  and Prejudice

and 44D. "Emma" novelist Jane: AUSTEN.

24. "As if!": I BET.

25. Shoelaces alternative: VELCRO.

27. Guy who always agrees with the boss: YES-MAN.

28. Gather a bit at a time: GLEAN.

29. Award for TV excellence: EMMY.

30. Mythical river of the underworld: STYX.  Also, an American rock band that formed in 1972 in Chicago.

STYX performing Come Sail Away (1977)

31. Wound covering: SCAB.

32. Black-and-white sea creature: ORCA.

ORCAs can be found in the blue parts.
They have been known to travel up to 1,200 miles (2,000 kms)

33. Buzzing facial adornments: BEE BEARDS.  HUGE learning moment!

How to Grow a Bee Beard (1:45 min.)

Warning:  not for the faint of heart!

37. Sharp-eyed bird: EAGLE.

40. L.A. arts district: NOHO. "Los Angeles" is abbreviated, so is "NOrth HOllywood".

43. Put away, as a sword: SHEATHE.

Shown here, the Dread Pirate Roberts' sword is SHEATHEd.

47. Places for bowling: ALLEYS.  Respect moment #2.

48. Espadrille, e.g.: SHOE.  Espadrilles can be flats or heels. They are usually casual and have canvas/cotton straps. The main thing is their soles are made out of rope.  Do guys know this?

51. Frigid temps: TEENS.  CSO to our northern Cornerites!

52. T-bone, for one: STEAK.

53. "This won't hurt __!": A BIT.  What is usually said before it hurts a lot.

54. Tune (out): ZONE.

55. Big rig: SEMI.

56. Solemn bio: OBIT.  Respect moment #3.

58. Egyptian serpents: ASPS.

61. Magic spell: HEX.

One more song before we Break for Good....

Bette Midler a.k.a. The Divine Miss M

in Hocus Pocus (1993) sings I Put a Spell on You

62. Fed. property agency: GSA.  "Federal" is abbreviated, so is the "General Services Administration". It manages federal property and provides contracting options for government agencies.

Here's the full Bore Grid:

I was in NorCal most of last week -- first to attend an event in my brother's honor and then a few days in Napa. RLS sometimes appears in grids so I wanted to share this pic of the famous sign with his wine quote. The other pic is of me in front of the wine train when we stopped for a tasting.

That's all for today. Remember to Be Grateful! As usual, I look forward to reading your comments!

Sunday January 8, 2023 David Alfred Bywaters

Theme: "Down in Front" - IN is added to the start of each common phrase.

3. Orchestra conductor's memo heading?: IN RE PERCUSSION. Repercussion.

6. So-so golf swings?: INDIFFERENT STROKES. Different strokes.

10. How married couples may spend Thanksgiving?: IN-LAW ABIDING. Law-abiding.

14. Baseball groundskeeper's problem?: INFIELD MOUSE. Field mouse.

30. Religious seminary?: INVOCATIONAL SCHOOL. Vocational school.

53. Dragon tattoos, e.g.?: INKING OF BEASTS. King of beasts.

61. Take out a policy for replacement value?: INSURE ENOUGH. Sure enough.

63. Finding actors for a small-studio film?: INDIE CASTING. Die casting.

See how "Down" added the extra elegance to this puzzle? I would have just used "In Front" and put theme entries in Across. The brain of DAB!

Grid-wise, it's a standard 144-word, 78-black square grid that I really like.

Across:

1. Breezily unconcerned: GLIB.

5. Storage tower: SILO.

9. Emotional exhalation: SIGH. And 59. Cry of dismay: OH NO.

13. Mint metal, once: SILVER.

19. Wine opener?: OENO.As in "Oenophile".
 
20. Home of the Railroad Museum of Oklahoma: ENID. Here with Thomas.

21. "Next round's __": ON ME.

22. Whomever: ANYONE.

23. Sent on: FORWARDED.

25. Group with ancestral ties: CLAN.

26. Paranormal cases: X-FILES.

27. Serpent's tail?: INE. Serpentine. Also 106. Chemical suffix: ANE.

28. Nintendo consoles: WIIS.

29. Designer Versace: GIANNI. Here with his sister Donatella.

31. Habituate: INURE.

32. Swindles: RIPS OFF.

34. Eject forcibly: SPEW.

35. Cost of hand delivery?: ANTE. Poker hand.

37. CEO, CFO, etc.: MGT. Management.

38. Go furtively: SNEAK.

39. 82-Down subcompacts: FIESTAS. 82. Maker of Explorers and 39-Across: FORD.

42. Low places: VALLEYS.

44. __ Haute: TERRE. Indiana.
 
45. Finish: END.

46. Lawyer's gp.: ABA.

47. Outdated, spelled in an outdated way: OLDE.

48. Is able to: CAN.

49. NBC founder: RCA. I associate a "founder" with a person.

50. Purple flower: LILAC.

52. "__ oui!": MAIS.

55. Render aghast: STUN.

57. Intend: MEAN.

58. Hindu deity: DEVA. Sanskrit for "god".

60. Owns: HAS.

61. McShane of "Deadwood": IAN. Looks like a bad character.

62. Spanish ayes: SI SI. Chinese is "Shi de, Shi de".

65. Rebuke from Caesar: ET TU.

67. Kith and __: KIN.

69. Raised trains: ELS.

70. Minor quibbles: NITS.

72. "I'll Be Your Mirror" photographer Goldin: NAN.

73. Ebro y Douro: RIOS. Wikipedia says Douro is "the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula".

74. Anger: IRE. 127. Come to a boil: SEETHE.

75. Hit the slopes: SKI.

76. Shrugworthy: SO SO.

77. Hounds, e.g.: DOGS. Verb.

79. Smelter's supply: ORE.

80. Grant-giving gp.: NEA.

81. Soy block: TOFU. I like it extra firm.

83. Pad krapow gai cuisine: THAI. Pad ="Stir-fried". Krapow= "Holy basil". Gai is just "chicken". Same as Cantonese. Also slang for "prostitute".

85. Glass piece: PANE.

87. Disney CEO Bob: IGER. He's back.

88. __ close to schedule: ON OR.

89. Choir attire: ROBES.

91. Roth __: IRA.

92. Peace activist Yoko: ONO.

93. Forfeited auto: REPO.

95. Earth-friendly prefix: ECO.

96. "Wonder Woman" star Gadot: GAL.

97. Aficionados: BUFFS.

100. Spot with patio furniture: SUNDECK.

103. Relatively reliable sources of income: DAY JOBS.

105. Defame in print: LIBEL.

107. Tiny amt. of time: NSEC.

109. Coin receiver: SLOT.

110. Country estate: CHATEAU.

112. Release: LET GO. Tiny dupe with 1. Lead: GO FIRST.

114. Targeted, as a basketball hoop: SHOT AT.

116. Not ajar: SHUT. Hi there, Hahtoolah!

117. Bank drive-thru device: ATM. Oh, I finally got my Wells Fargo ATM card. Now I have access to our bank account again. No more credit card from them though. I just don't have the bandwidth to deal with them any more. 

118. Warmed the bench: SAT OUT.

120. "There's nobody else": I'M IT.

121. Relaxes: LOOSENS UP.

123. Cheese in some bagels: ASIAGO. Boomer would be startled by what I have in the fridge now.

 124. Pre-Easter period: LENT.

125. Out of control: AMOK.

126. Raison d'__: ETRE.

128. "Bus Stop" playwright: INGE (William)

129. Salon array: GELS.

130. Secondhand: USED.

Down:

2. Like a maned cat: LEONINE.

4. Gift topper: BOW.

5. Sans-__: type style: SERIF.

7. Reclines: LIES.

8. Peculiar: ODD.

9. Transcending the individual: SOCIETAL.

11. FBI guy: G MAN.

12. Reddish brown dye: HENNA. Intricate.

13. Jazz horn: SAX.

15. "__ Eyes": 1975 Eagles hit: LYIN'.

16. Encyclopedia unit: VOLUME.

17. Cabinet department created under Carter: ENERGY.

18. Creates anew, as a password: RESETS.

24. Roused: AWOKEN.

29. Rte. provider: GPS.

33. Wrap brand: SARAN.

34. Some cars: SEDANS.

36. "Culture Warlords" author Lavin: TAL. New clue angle. Sometimes we see "Chess master Mikhail".

40. Worshipper of the goddess Pachamama: INCA.

41. Merchant's goal: SALE.

43. "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology" memoirist Remini: LEAH. She's pretty gutsy.

51. Affirm: AVER.

54. Evening party: SOIREE.

55. "__ So Unusual": Cyndi Lauper's debut album: SHE'S.

56. Converse with: TALK TO.

57. Month between abril and junho: MAIO. May.

64. First word of some Brazilian city names: SAO.

66. Ripped apart: TORE.

68. Close: NEAR.

71. Little Italy neighbor: SOHO.

78. Tap: SPIGOT.

84. Still tucked in: ABED.

86. Part of UAE: ARAB.

87. Indigenous people of the far North: INUIT.

90. Nondairy coffeehouse order: SOY LATTE.

92. Not quite spherical: OBLATE.

94. Mac alternatives: PCS.

98. __ film: FEATURE.

99. Had a dry spell at the plate: SLUMPED.

100. Taco bar array: SALSAS.

101. Disquiet: UNEASE.

102. Geneticist Stevens who discovered sex chromosomes: NETTIE.

104. Write (down): JOT.

108. Cook-off dish: CHILI.

111. Shucker's discards: HUSKS.

113. Superlative acronym: G.O.A.T.

115. Sign: OMEN.

116. More than none: SOME.

119. __ loop: simple skating jump: TOE.

121. Fall behind: LAG.

122. Modern, in German: NEU.

Big milestone today for Patti Varol, editor for the L.A. Times Daily crosswords. Happy birthday, Patti! 

I've worked with Patti for many years, both for the Crosswords Club and the LAT daily. Whether a puzzle is accepted or rejected, she always gives me constructive feedback and helps me tighten up the theme set. She also spends an extraordinary amount of time to polish my clues:

1) She makes sure that my clues don't dupe the clues in the puzzles that run in the same week as mine.

2) She makes sure that I have no typos and the cluing style fit in the Tribune Media requirements, that my total character count does not exceed the space for various newspapers. It's very easy to get long-winded!

3) She makes sure that my clues are fair.  Can you imagine I want every clue to reflect my interests and who I am? Can you imagine I clue BING as [Ice, in Chinese] and DING as [Ancient Chinese cauldron with three legs] and I intersect the two in the same grid? Certainly fair to me, but it's not to you guys.

4) She makes sure that my clues are fresh and witty. As I've mentioned in the past, the many clever clues you guy like are not mine. She's the unsung hero behind all this.

It's just astonishing to read yesterday's comments. I'm stunned by this constructor's lack of understanding of how a puzzle is edited.

Saturday, January 7, 2023, Robyn Weintraub

Notes from C.C.:

Today's official LAT puzzle is a re-run of the April 23, 2022 puzzle. Below is Husker Gary's write-up of that puzzle. A few other sites have the wrong puzzle. 

Sorry for the confusion. New puzzles will resume tomorrow.

 

I’m a fairly regular contributor for my hometown (okay, home state) paper The New York Times, and a member of the in-house constructing team at The New Yorker. For those who may not be aware, The New Yorker recently upgraded their puzzle offerings to 5 puzzles per week (four themeless and one themed) and I contribute 2 each month, typically of the ‘easy’ themeless variety. Those two venues keep me pretty busy. When I’m not making puzzles I volunteer for The League of Women Voters, in a last ditch effort to save democracy. 

As for today’s grid, I made it a few years ago, so looking at it with older and wiser eyes there are a few entries in there I’d like to take back if I could. But the long stuff is all pretty fun—perhaps one might be so bold as to say a CROWDPLEASER—so hopefully that’s the part of the puzzle that solvers will enjoy and remember. 

Happy solving,

Robyn

Across:

1. Cutting-edge name?: ATRA - Ginsu wouldn't work for this cwd regular

5. Scenery in Road Runner cartoons: MESAS.

10. Polite address: MAAM.

14. "Sorry, my hands are tied ... ": WHAT CAN I DO - Probably said by constructors when they have to settle for fill they don't like.

16. Price for hand delivery?: ANTE - Oh, a poker hand!

17. Musical arrangement?: RECORD DEAL - This shows a young truck driver from Memphis signing his first RECORD DEAL with RCA. How did that work out?

18. Revolution: GYRE - Same root for Elvis' GYRATIONS

19. "I rock!": YAY ME.

20. Class stat: GPA - Research is showing that a H.S. GPA is as good or even better predictor of college success as standardized tests.

21. "Can confirm": IT IS.

22. Mystery that may have a stirring message?: SECRET RECIPE - 23 products with SECRET RECIPES

26. Bon __: MOT - Example: ''I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.'' Clarence Darrow

29. Place: PUT.

30. Unpredictable jerk: SPASM.

31. Checked: ARRESTED - Synonyms for stopped

34. Aegean capital: ATHENS - The preferred capital in this capital is the Euro

37. Folk dance: REEL - Here's three minutes of the Virginia REEL. I wonder if Yellowrocks has ever danced one. 

38. Like all tigers: ASIAN - What could possibly go wrong here?

40. Draft status: ONE -A - In the 60's: Next stop - Vietnam 

41. Continues: GOES ON.

43. Run ragged: OVERWORK.

45. "__ Gabler": HEDDA - One critic wrote: "Fans of Diana Rigg will enjoy a jackpot in her remarkable performance as Ibsen's icy, manipulating, despairing bitch."

47. U.N. agency: ILO.

48. Misery: WOE.

49. Popular performer: CROWD PLEASER - Tiger Woods had no chance of winning on at the Masters last April but his galleries, in person and on TV, were very large

53. "Yeah, no": UH UH.

54. Bread machine: ATM - Here's one dispensing €'s "bread" in Europe 

 

55. Source of some lumber: PINES.

59. Audio brand: BOSE.

60. Bridal store event: SAMPLE SALE.

63. Central German river: EDER - In red below

64. "Deep breaths ... ": TRY TO RELAX.

65. Ms. enclosure: SASE - Viking Press probably stuffed this rejection letter into a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope to Alice Walker when they rejected The Color Purple. Oops!

66. Unlikely assignment from a math teacher: ESSAY.

67. Pinch at the table: SALT.

Down:

1. A bit off: AWRY - Many of my schemes have oft gone AWRY or "gang aft agley".

2. Australian novelist Astley: THEA - Wikipedia's take on her

3. Somewhat blue: RACY and 58. Have a heated exchange?: SEXT - Be careful, the internet remembers everything.

4. Cyclotron units: ATOMS - This cyclotron at Cal Berkley was used to discover Plutonium, Neptunium and other transuranium ATOMS. in the 1950's

5. Publication credited to the "Usual Gang of Idiots": MAD - Mad Magazine Archive where you can find every edition and turn every page. 

6. Wrap: END.

7. Military blockade: SIEGE - The 47- Day SIEGE at Vicksburg, MS gave the Union control of the Mississippi River at the same time the South fell at Gettysburg.

8. Makes fit: ADAPTS.

9. Array for catching rays: SOLAR PANELS - There is a 5 acre "farm" of SOLAR PANELS a quarter mile south of me.

10. Disappearing act?: MAGIC SHOW - I don't think he fooled the kitty

11. "I'm waiting ... ": ANYTIME NOW.

12. Aweigh: ATRIP - ATRIP is an obscure (to me) synonym for aweigh which both describe when the anchor is no longer touching the bottom.

13. "With Reagan" memoirist: MEESE - He held high positions in Governor and Presidnet Reagan's administrations 

15. Advances slowly: CREEPS.

23. Relocation option: CUT AND PASTE - I type my daily musings in Word and then CUT AND PASTE them into the blog.

24. USPS assignments: RTES.

25. "Have some": EAT.

26. Helgenberger of "CSI": MARG - A mile from my golf course there is a sign showing she was raised in North Bend, NE

27. Cookie with the same colors as a crossword: OREO.

28. Construction projects guaranteed to get off the ground: TREE HOUSES - Wow!

32. Neither here nor there: ELSEWHERE.

33. "Rainbow in the Dark" metal band: DIO - Here ya go

35. Fictional Wolfe: NERO - The author's name dominated this early novel

36. Drink that may be served warm: SAKE.

39. Brand with Vanessa Hudgens workout collection: AVIA.

42. Like 2021: ODD.

44. Educator Annemarie who co-founded a school in Greater Detroit: ROEPER.

46. Sites for some rites: ALTARS.

49. Products with triple the power?: CUBES -   4³ = 64 (the product of 4 x 4)

50. Sitcom whose 1974 pilot episode was titled "Joe": RHODA - Rhoda leaves Minneapolis (and The Mary Tyler Moore show) and moves to NYC where she meets Joe

51. Awards won by 50-Down: EMMYS - Valerie Harper

52. Climbs: RISES.

56. Beyoncé voice role: NALA.

57. Airline whose first flight was from Geneva to Tel Aviv: EL AL - It returned Israels's prime minister to Tel Aviv from a conference in Geneva

61. School org.: PTA.

62. "The Thin Man" star: LOY - Myrna LOY poses with Thin Man costar William Powell and a dog whose name appears here quite often too.