Wednesday, April 12, 2023, Michael A. MacDonald

Theme: ALL HEART 💛💜🧡💙💚

19. *Particularly memorable event: ONE FOR THE AGES.

32. *Party topper: PAPER HAT.

43. *1990 theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, e.g.: ART HEIST.

53. Attitude shift, and the shift found in five letters in the answer to each starred clue: CHANGE OF HEART.

Melissa here. Each theme answer contains an anagram of HEART.  

Across: 

1. Lots of bucks: DEER. DEER is both singular and plural. Some are for other animals - fish, moose, sheep, swine, buffalo. Here are 101 Words That are Both Plural and Singular.

5. Bird's crop: CRAW. "Craw" is an obsolete term for "crop," and this is still seen in the saying "it sticks in my craw," meaning "I can't [metaphorically] swallow it," that is, a situation is unacceptable, or at any rate annoying. Wikipedia: A crop is a thin-walled expanded portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion. This anatomical structure is found in a wide variety of animals. It has been found in birds, and in invertebrate animals including gastropods, earthworms, leeches, and insects.

9. Small amounts: DABS. Remember this?

13. Folklore brute: OGRE. A hideous giant represented in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings. Ogres have appeared in many works, including Tom Thumb; Hansel and Gretel, where the witch is a type of ogre because she intends to eat the children; and Little Red Riding Hood, where the wolf resembles an ogre.

14. Fissile rock: SHALE. Easily split.

15. Some cold drafts: ALES.

16. "This week has gone on long enough!" letters: TGIF. Thank God/Goodness It's Friday.

17. Estate home: MANOR. A large country house with lands

18. Jedi Master voiced by Frank Oz: YODA. "Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.” 

22. __ Speedwagon: REO. American rock band from Illinois, named after the REO Speed Wagon, a 1915 truck that was designed by Ransom Eli Olds. Neal Doughty had seen the name written across the blackboard when he walked into his History of Transportation class on the first day they had decided to look for a name. Rather than pronouncing REO as a single word as the motor company did ("REE-oh"), they chose to spell the word out, pronouncing each letter individually ("R-E-O").

23. Reindeer reins holder: SANTA.

24. Beats, as an incumbent: UNSEATS.

28. Stand: STOMACH. Ohh, verb. To bear without overt reaction or resentment : put up with.

34. Lighthearted: MERRY.

35. One-named "Chandelier" singer: SIA.

36. Moles, maybe: SPIES. In espionage jargon, a mole (also called a "penetration agent," "deep cover agent," "illegal" or "sleeper agent") is a long-term spy (espionage agent) who is recruited before having access to secret intelligence, subsequently managing to get into the target organization. However, it is popularly used to mean any long-term clandestine spy or informant within an organization (government or private).

39. English cuppa: TEA.

40. Send packing: EVICT. Nice clue.

46. Sinews: TENDONS. A tendon or sinew is a tough, high-tensile-strength band of dense fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. Ligaments connect bone to bone.

49. Most miserly: MEANEST.

50. Barbecue briquettes: COALS.

52. Pipe plastic: PVC. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one type of thermoplastic polymer that is currently penetrating many aspects of life through its wide use, and has become a universal polymer.

58. Disdainful chorus: BOOS. I have a cat named Boo, after the character in To Kill A Mockingbird, played by a very young Robert Duvall. Scout utters the words "Hey, Boo," a child's gesture of understanding kindness that leads To Kill a Mockingbird to its unforgettable conclusion.

59. Fiction or nonfiction: GENRE.

60. Prom attire: GOWN.

62. Besides: ELSE.

63. Fiji alternative: EVIAN. Bottled water brands.

64. Menu heading often next to File: EDIT. On your computer.

65. Ink spots?: TATS. Nice. Remember this group?

66. Leader with a .edu address: DEAN. Academia.

67. "A Suitable Boy" novelist Vikram: SETH. Also a a BBC television drama miniseries.

Down: 

1. Small point: DOT.

2. French Toaster Sticks brand: EGGO.

3. "Blue Bloods" daughter played by Bridget Moynahan: ERIN.

4. Judo official: REFEREE. An unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.

5. Arctic trout: CHAR. What’s The Difference Between Trout And Char?

6. Diatribes: RANTS.

7. Warm welcomes: ALOHAS. Aloha actually comes from two Hawaiian words: Alo – which means the front of a person, the part of our bodies that we share and take in people. And Ha, which is our breath. When we are in each other's presence with the front of our bodies, we are exchanging the breath of life. That's aloha.

8. "If you __ you, then we'd all be a bit less we": wisdom from Piglet: WEREN'T.

9. Afternoon sports event: DAY GAME.

10. Household succulent: ALOE.

11. Garden areas: BEDS. It's almost time!

12. Fed. benefits provider: SSA. Social Security Administration.

14. Irons (out): SMOOTHS.

20. Phobia: FEAR.

21. Bit with neutrinos: ATOM. I am not going to pretend I have any idea what this means.

24. Beat, as a favored incumbent: UPSET.

25. Unsophisticated: NAIVE.

26. Much of Iberia: SPAIN. The Iberian peninsula is located in the West of Europe where modern-day Spain and Portugal are.

27. Plant juice: SAP.

29. Kevin McHale's "Glee" role: ARTIE. Kevin McHale, who plays all singing, all dancing, wheelchair using geek Artie Abrams, is not disabled himself.

30. Peppery salad green: CRESS. A fast-growing, edible herb.

31. Omni rival: HYATT. Hotel resorts.

33. Spanish aunt: TIA.

37. Sound of hesitation: ERM. I see this in books, but don't think I've ever actually heard someone make that sound.

38. Colbert of late-night: STEPHEN. I recently saw this clip of Colbert telling this charming story of how he met his wife Edie. Look how rapt the band is.

41. Jewel boxes: CD CASES.

42. Multiple-cel creature?: TOON. Animation. A cell is a transparent sheet of celluloid or similar film material, which can be drawn on and used in the production of cartoons.

44. Give birth to: HAVE.

45. Confines, as a pet bird: ENCAGES.

47. Kept bothering: NAGGED.

48. LP cover: SLEEVE.

51. Justice Sotomayor: SONIA.

53. Cuba libre mixer: COLA. Rum and Coke, or the Cuba libre, is a highball cocktail consisting of cola, rum, and in many recipes lime juice on ice.

54. Large number: HOST.

55. Hall of Fame quarterback Tarkenton: FRAN.

56. Needled: RODE. Tricky clue. Needled is to annoy someone, especially by repeated criticism: His mother was always needling him about getting a job. To ride is to harass persistently.

57. Silly goose: TWIT.

58. "After Happily Ever After" cable channel: BET. Did not know about this show. Hosted by Bow Wow, seven former couples live under the same roof as one person plays matchmaker for their ex and tries to find the perfect new person to date.

61. To the __ degree: NTH.

 

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 Adam Vincent

Creating a Bucket List for making a Bucket.  A good Bucket should be able to Carry Weight, have a Handle and Hold Water.  Thus, each of the theme answers are characteristics that should be on list of items for making a good bucket.

M

20-Across. *  Has significant influence: CARRIES WEIGHT.

44-Across. *  Is able to wrap one's head around: HAS GOT A HANDLE ON.

26-Down. *  Stands up to scrutiny: HOLDS WATER.  But what if there's a hole in the bucket?

28-Down. Enumeration of life goals, on which one should also find the answers to the starred clues?: BUCKET LIST.  A Bucket List refers to things one should do be for Kicking the Bucket.  The term  Kicking the Bucket means to die and is somewhat disrespectful.  It has a rather gruesome origin.  The wooden frame used to hang animals by their feet for slaughter was called a bucket.  As the animals struggled and spasmed, they were said to “kick the bucket.” 

Let's move on to more cheerful topics.  What else is in our puzzle today?

Across:

1. Emery board target: NAIL.  Did you ever wonder what exactly Emery is?  According to Merriam-Webster it is "a dark granular mineral that consists of corundum with iron oxide impurities (such as magnetite) and is used as an abrasive."

5. Change as needed: ADAPT.

10. "F" on a gas gauge: FULL.

14. No-frills grocery chain that collects a deposit for a shopping cart: ALDI.  Is there a connection between Aldi and Trader Joe's?  There is a Trader Joe's within walking distance from my house.

15. With a long face: SADLY.

16. Michigan neighbor: OHIO.  Here's a cute little riddle for you:  What's Round on the End and High in the Middle?

17. Self-checkout sound: BEEP.

18. Batch of Brownies: TROOP.  My favorite clue of the puzzle.

19. Paper towel purchase: ROLL.

23. AirPods holders: EARS.  I'd be afraid I'd lose them.  The pods could be considered 32-Down. Sci-fi getaway option: ESCAPE POD.  People get "lost" in listening to their AirPods.

24. Nothing to write home about: SO-SO.

25. Small talk: CHAT.

27. Bubble tea "bubbles": BOBA.  What is Boba?

30. Encapsulated ecosystem: BIODOME.  Scandal in the Biosphere.

33. Lead an orchestra: CONDUCT.  It's not as easy as you might think.

36. "Tutti," in English: ALL.  Today's Italian lesson.

37. Ones who fail to keep up appearances?: NO SHOWS.

39. Margaret of "Fire Island": CHO.  [Name # 1.]  Margaret Moran Cho (b. Dec. 5, 1968), is a comedian who makes makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

40. Potluck contribution: SIDE.  If everyone brings a side dish, where is the main course?

42. Base for jam and clotted cream: SCONE.  Yummers!

43. Hershey toffee bar: SKOR.  Yummers!

47. Vessel in some Asian restaurant names: WOK.

48. __ favor: POR.  Today's Spanish lesson, if you please, and a nod to our Lucina.

49. "Do __ disturb": NOT.

50. [Shrug]: BEATS ME.

53. Boat pulling a fishing net: TRAWLER.

57. Play part that follows an overture: ACT I.  We learned last Friday that many modern plays lack an Act Two.

58. Footnote abbr.: OP. CIT.  Today's Latin lesson.  Op. Cit. is a Latin for the phrase opus citatum or opere citato, which means the work cited.

60. Foolish talk: JIVE.

61. Nurses a sprain, say: ICES.  Has anyone heard from Tinbini recently?

62. Group of associates: POSSE.

63. "Make it snappy!" letters: ASAP.  As Soon As Possible.

64. Word: TERM.  The two are not interchangeable.

65. Touches up, as text: EDITS.

66. Range components: Abbr.: MTNs.  As in Mountains.

Down:

1. Seize: NAB.

2. Smart __: wisenheimer: ALEC.  A possible theory on the origin of the term Smart Alec.  [Name adjacent.]

3. Planning session offering: IDEA.

4. Comprehend without hearing, in a way: LIP READ.

5. Up and about: ASTIR.

6. Has the guts (to): DARES.

7. Noisy commotions: ADOs.  It's probably just Much Ado About Nothing.

8. Farm machines: PLOWS.  Everything is bigger in Texas.

9. Like a universal donor's blood: TYPE O.  Everything you wanted to know about blood types, but didn't know to ask.

10. Permanently: FOR GOOD.

11. "I have a bad feeling about this": UH-OH!

12. Bouncy tune: LILT.

13. Texting guffaw: LOL.  Textspeak for Laughing Out Loud.  But you knew that.

21. Boca __, Florida: RATON.

22. 13-digit pub. codes: ISBNs.  As in the International Standard Book Number.

25. Fine hairs: CILIA.

29. Hay fever sound: ACHOO!  This has become the word of the month.

30. Shindig: BASH.

31. __ Valuable Player: MOST.  LSU's Angel Reese (b. May 6, 2002) was named the Most Outstanding Player after the Women's basketball championship game last week.

33. Grifter: CON ARTIST.

34. "Marry Me" actor Wilson: OWEN.  Owen Wilson (né Owen Cunningham Wilson; b. Nov. 18, 1968) is a comedic actor who has been in a number of films, many of which are somewhat off-beat.  He is the older brother of actor Luke Cunningham Wilson (b. Sept. 21, 1971).  [Name # 2.]

Luke and Owen Wilson

35. Unable to make up one's mind: TORN.

38. Jolly syllables: HO-HO.

41. Self-absorption: EGOTISM.

43. Smooth R&B tune: SLOW JAM.

45. Gives the go-ahead: OKs.

46. Subj. of Rosalind Franklin's research: DNA.  Rosalind Franklin's (July 25, 1920 ~ Apr. 16, 1958) research was critical in the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA.  Sadly, she died young and never received the recognition she deserved.   [Name # 3.]

50. Can of worms, maybe: BAIT.

51. Latin "behold": ECCE.  More of today's Latin lesson.

52. Wallow in sadness: MOPE.

54. Numbered hwys.: RTEs.  As in Routes.

55. __ Williams bourbon: EVAN.  [Name adjacent.]

56. Gym count: REPs.

59. Forensic series whose theme song is "Who Are You": CSI.

Here 's the Grid:

חתולה

 

Monday April 10, 2023 Jon Pennington

  

Hello Cornerites!

Today's theme is         Three-peat

Jon Pennington is back with another Monday toughie. I reviewed Jon's L.A. Times debut on March 20.  BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front):  I was cruising along pretty well until the SE (southeast) corner. I probably should have given it time to process. Instead, TBT (truth be told) I TITT (threw in the towel) and ask Google about Simone Biles' signature move. Perhaps I should watch more gymnastics.

Let's see where I fell off the beam....

not Simone Biles

20 Across. Some virtual get-togethers: ZOOM MEETINGS.

27 Across. Astronomer's setup for outer space transmissions: ANTENNA ARRAY.

This is an overhead picture of the Very Large Array in New Mexico.
Each ANTENNA gathers information which is then combined with the other ANTENNAs' information to create a composite signal that each independent ANTENNA could not create on its own. How Very Large Arrays Work

46 Across. Never: ON NO OCCASION.

55 Across. Signature gymnastics move of Simone Biles, and the kind of repetition found in 20-, 27-, and 46-Across: TRIPLE DOUBLE.

Simone Biles is the first woman in history to land a TRIPLE DOUBLE on her floor routine at the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Kansas City, MO. (1:57 min.)

Well done, Simone!! You are amazing!!

Today's puzzle has three entries with 3 sets of double letters -- a TRIPLE DOUBLE! The highlighted grid tells the tale.

Hoops fans might say, "Hey, what about a TRIPLE DOUBLE in basketball?" Yep, it's a thing there, too.

Let's vault over to the other clues:

Across:
1. Paddington, for one: BEAR.  

the story of Paddington Bear

5. Amenity in some cafes: WI-FI.  8 tips to stay safe on free WI-FI

9. 51-Across, e.g.: METAL. and 51 Across. Alloy of copper and zinc: BRASS.

Family Handyman article on BRASS doorknobs and the oligodynamic effect

14. Angler's gadget: LURE.  

15. Desktop image: ICON.

16. Mealtime prayer: GRACE.

17. Lacking rainfall: ARID.  California has seen some big changes.

18. Tear apart: REND.  This feels to me like a biblical action so I asked Google how many times REND appears in the Bible. One site came back with 34 instances in 8 translations.

verb

1. tear (something) into two or more pieces.

19. Like a pair of socks: MATED.  Hand up for MATEs before MATED.

23. Cosmetician Lauder: ESTEE.

24. Sudden: ABRUPT.  

32. Pride parade abbreviation: LGBT.

35. Before now: AGO.

36. Writer Zora __ Hurston: NEALE.  (Jan. 7, 1891 - Jan. 28, 1960)  National Women's History Museum link  "Although, Hurston’s work was not widely known during her life, in death she ranks among the best writers of the 20th century."

37. Informal promise of payment: IOU.  I owe you a better explanation.

38. Wore: SPORTED.  Serena Williams SPORTED a one-legged outfit at the 2021 Australian Open in an homage to Flo-Jo.

41. Broke the tape, perhaps: WON.  Once, just once, I broke the tape. I did a 1/2 Ironman on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) back in 2012. I was the only female competitor so all I had to do was finish!  

See the crown of yellow flowers on the left? That was for me!
I'm so grateful for such an amazing day!

42. Transform (into): MORPH.  

"To become a butterfly, a caterpillar first digests itself."
Scientific American article

44. End of a soldier's email address: MIL.  ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is responsible for internet domains names.

45. Quaint hotels: INNS.

50. Emphasize: STRESS.  Do you feel STRESS when people overly STRESS the importance of something?

59. Alpaca relative: LLAMA.  

62. Norway's capital: OSLO.  The name comes from Ás and lo. The lo part is a field, meadow or pasture. The Ás  part could derive from Old Norse Áss meaning Godhead – derived from the Æsir – to give ‘meadow of the Gods’.  source

63. "See above," in footnotes: IBID.  Did you see -T's use of IBID in his blog yesterday? See 66 Across.

64. Fragrant shrub: LILAC.  This is a well-timed clue since, depending on where you live and the lilac varieties you choose, lilacs can provide color and fragrance from April through June.

This looks like a nice spot to read a book or pet a cat.

65. Like skyscrapers: TALL.  The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world.

MalMan included this pic in his Mar. 31 blog.

66. "Good one!": NICE.

67. Toast-making sound: CLINK.  Was anyone else thinking of this kind of toast?

Instead, it was this kind of toast....

Bridgit Jones's Diary (2001)

So cringe-worthy yet so lovable! 2:10 min.

68. Game recap datum, for short: STAT.  sports STATistics

69. Prophetic one: SEER.

Down:

1. Bright flame: BLAZE.

2. Continental bills: EUROS.  The "bills" are paper money.

3. "You're __!": "You crack me up!": A RIOT.

4. Beef, e.g.: RED MEAT.  Remember when the pork industry tried to distance itself from beef with this campaign in 1987? Was the slogan hogwash? Let's ask the USDA.

5. Electrician's supply: WIRE.

6. Slush Puppie company: ICEE.  "Slush" might be sufficient but it's a fun play on a Southern dish.

7. Helvetica, for one: FONT.

Helvetica movie trailer (2007) 1:30 min.

8. Mumbai resident: INDIAN.  Mumbai's 2023 population is now estimated at 21,296,516. In 1950, the population of Mumbai was 3,088,811. Mumbai has grown by 335,044 in the last year, which represents a 1.6% annual change.  source

9. Vegas casino targeted in "Ocean's Eleven": MGM GRAND.

Ocean's Eleven movie trailer (2001) 2:10 min.

10. Sign of a changed answer: ERASURE.

11. Tit for __: TAT.  Last Monday we had 62 Down. __ for tat: TIT

12. "Helpful hardware folks" retail chain: ACE.  ACE is the place.  ♪♪♪

13. Was in first place: LED.

21. Fellows: MEN.

22. Org. for Jazz quintets?: NBA. Clever misdirection but I am now wise to the Jazz ploy. #SchoolOfHardKnocks

Professional basketball teams have 5 players on the court.

25. Large shrimp: PRAWN.  

26. Raptor's claw: TALON.

28. Activate, as a touchscreen: TAP.

29. Bigheadedness: EGO.

30. Marilyn Monroe's birth name: NORMA.

In 1973 Elton John included Candle in the Wind (Goodbye NORMA Jean)

on his album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

He later re-worked the song when Princess Diana died in 1997.

31. Desires: YENS.

32. Wedding day car: LIMO.

33. Hired hooligans: GOONS.  a bit of the word's history

34. __ ends: barbecue delicacy: BURNT.  BURNT ends is a popular barbecue dish that originated in Kansas City. The dish is made by cooking the fatty ends of meat until they are crispy and charred. The BURNT ends are then usually smothered in barbecue sauce and served on a bun, by themselves, or with baked beans.  source

38. Footwear organizer: SHOE RACK.  Hand up for first penciling in SHOE tree.

39. "My country, __ of thee ... ": 'TIS. an abbreviation for iT IS

40. Actor Wallach: ELI.  ELI makes a regular appearance on grids.

43. "Black Swan" Oscar winner Natalie: PORTMAN.  OTOH, Crossword Tracker has only seen this actress' surname 3 times in the past.  

Natalie as Nina Sayers in The Black Swan (2010).

45. Completely demolished: IN RUINS.  My heart goes out to those in the paths of the recent tornados.

47. CBS forensic drama franchise: CSI.

48. $100 bills, informally: C-SPOTS.  run?

C is the Roman numeral for 100. Hand up for first having C-notes.

49. "Flexible on price," in ads: OBO.  Or Best Offer

52. Actress Cornish: ABBIE.  Unknown to me, ABBIE is an Australian actress and rapper. Her rap name is Dusk. ABBIE's IMDb page

53. Pizza piece: SLICE.

54. Passover meal: SEDER.  I hope to be invited to one someday.

56. Future JD's exam: LSAT.  Juris Doctor is abbreviated, so is Law School Admission Test.

57. Scat queen Fitzgerald: ELLA.

58. Fool: DOLT.  

59. Inc. kin: LLC.  Incorporated is abbreviated, so is Limited Liability Company.

60. Short, for short: LI'L.   as in LI'L Abner

61. "Thrilla in Manila" victor: ALI. a.k.a. The Greatest

Now that the bookkeeping is complete, I have just one more pic to add:  

Bendigo, Australia snake catcher Chris Page
Chris sees snakes.

Pretty lame, huh? Props to Jon for finding 3 much better phrases!

That's all for today. Have a great week!