Saturday, May 27, 2023, Tom Pepper and C.C. Burnikel

 Themeless Saturday by Tom Pepper and C.C. Burnikel

Today brings us a lovely puzzle that frustrated delighted me tremendously. It is a joint effort by our lovely C. C. and her dear friend Tom Pepper who has been a great comfort to her in this past year. Here is what they had to say about their collaboration:

From C.C. - Tom sent me a grid with the IDLE GOSSIP/PIGEON POSE stack in place. I changed some and together we built a new one.

 

From Tom - When we've done themelesses, C.C. and I typically go 50/50 on the fill and 50/50 on the clues. I think this might be the one time C.C. clued the whole puzzle because I was out of commission for a while for some reason. 

I got an entry point in the NE and started working and all of a sudden I had the entire Eastern side done. I shifted to the southwest and finally the NW (gotta love GLEE/GHEE) and its great wordplay succumbed to my patience. 

Across:

1. Up state?: GLEE 😀

5. Had kittens: BRED - This vexed me for a while as too obvious. I never miss a chance at kitty pix!

9. Big hits, for short: HRS - A baseball clue from C.C. is as standard as a Shakespeare clue from Jeffrey Wechsler.

12. Shows emotion: SHEDS A TEAR.

14. Mary Oliver, e.g.: POET.

15. Welcome message to a waiter: NEXT PLEASE - 😀 This clever turn of phrase unlocked the last corner for me after I saw waiter was simply someone who is waiting in line and not a server

16. Goddess whose temple on Palatine Hill glowed at night: LUNA - It was burned in the great Roman fire of 65 A.D. and not rebuilt.

The Temple Of Sol And Luna

17. Wreath that may be stored in a fridge: LEI - LEI, how do I clue thee? Let me count the ways!

18. "Got everything?": READY.

19. Benched way too long: RUSTY - First day on golf course after a long winter 

20. Look that makes waves?: PERM. 😀

21. Places to find temples and bridges: FRAMES. 😀

23. One of Sue Bird's WNBA record 3,234: ASSIST.

26. Hardest to see: TINIEST - Be sure to read the small print 

27. Runs across: SPANS - To this day my wife can't believe I talked her into walking across this SPAN at The Royal Gorge

28. Paris native: TEXAN - What a fun structure in Paris, Texas. I'll bet D-O has been there.

29. Shepherd's greeting: ARF - Would it sound the same from a German Shepard?

31. Shoegaze band Yo La __: TENGO - Yo La TENGO (Spanish for “I’ve got it,” alluding to the call of a baseball outfielder) was assembled in 1984 in Hoboken, NJ, by romantic partners (later spouses) Kaplan and Hubley. Shoegaze comes from the use of pedal boards where musicians tend to look down at their feet a lot. Yeah, I knew all that! 😏

Georgia Hubley and 
Ira Kaplan

32. North Dakota Natives known as the Arikara: REE - Arikara also known as Sahnish, Arikaree, REE or Hindi  are a tribe of Native Americans in North Dakota. It had to fill itself.

33. Cory Booker, once: YALIE.

35. Med. condition exhibited by Hannah on "Girls": OCD - When I saw _ _ D, I was afraid Hannah had a more personal health issue.

36. Puts on the line: BAITS - Did anyone else thinks of RISKS before you thought of fishing

38. Apt rhyme for "quake": SHAKE.

39. Like a golfer who usually shoots around par: SCRATCH - I play golf with Nebraska's former governor Dave Heineman and he is a SCRATCH player on our course.

41. Gave title to: DEEDED.

42. Churlish: COARSE - Every substitute teacher's favorite skit

43. __ Paragon: large shopping mall in Bangkok: SIAM - Like the kitties above. Thailand, of course, used to be known as SIAM.

44. Jazz combo set: DRUMS.

45. En passant pieces: PAWNS - En Passant means "in passing" in French

47. Gives clearance: OKS.

50. Fenty Beauty founder, to fans: RIRI - Rhianna has appeared here before 

51. Coffee break exchange: IDLE GOSSIP.

53. Decides: OPTS.

54. Haphazardly: WILLYNILLY - A fun fill

55. Sue Bird's WNBA career 6,803: Abbr.: PTS - I'll bet this was for two of them

56. Autumn stone: OPAL.

57. Bit of trouble: SPOT.

Down:

1. Fat with a very high smoke point: GHEE.

2. Golfer Thompson: LEXI - Even Tiger Woods wrote to the PGA and said this penalty on LEXI was too severe for unintentionally moving a ball less than an inch

3. Std. that starts every March: EDT.

4. Places for hot shots: ESPRESSO BARS - Here's one for the home

5. Nonstarters: B-TEAM - My fate for a lot of high school

6. Interpretation: READ - What's your READ on this?

7. Basic solutions: EASY FIXES.

8. "Power" role for Rotimi: DRE - Olurotimi Akinosho known professionally as Rotimi, is an Nigerian-American actor and singer. He is known for his role as Darius Morrison on the Starz series Boss and as Andre Coleman or DRE on Power. 

9. Soup du jour alternative: HOUSE SALAD - A minimal one I would say

10. Complex protest?: RENT STRIKE - If the whole apartment complex is upset, then...

11. Temporary reprieve: STAY.

12. NBC show with more than 950 eps: SNL.

13. Vigilant: ALERT.

14. Column of smoke: PLUME.

19. Wet periods: RAINY SEASONS.

20. Notify: PING - I have had to PING my iPhone from my Apple Watch using the upper right hand icon more times than I can count.

22. Molecule studied by Joan A. Steitz: RNA.

23. Concerning: ASTO.

24. Unsolicited screenplay: SPEC SCRIPT - TriStar initially optioned the film (Pulp Fiction) and was even in talks to produce it, but then did a 180 by declaring, “This is the worst thing ever written. It makes no sense. Someone’s dead and then they’re alive. It’s too long, violent, and unfilmable.”

25. Beach volleyball spots: SAND COURTS - I'll have to admit that the court is not the first thing I notice in this competition. 

26. Nail biters: TEETH.

28. Exercise that works the upper body: TRICEP DIP.

30. Network signal: FEED - The most famous network FEED was from The Sea Of Tranquility on 7/20/69

34. Noise before a break-in: AHEM.

37. Tags someone on Twitter, e.g.: ATS - Here ya go

40. "Groundhog Day" director: RAMIS - During the making of Ground Hog Day with his friend Bill Murray the two had such terrible disagreements they did not speak for 21 years.

41. Shabby: DINGY.

43. Balloon: SWELL - After years of coaching, I can say this describes what happens to a sprained ankle 

44. Go down: DROP.

46. Pasta __ Norma: ALLA - The name Pasta alla Norma is said to have originated from the cry of joy and approval that people cannot repress after they eat this Sicilian specialty: “This pasta is a NORMA!” meaning "a masterpiece" in Italian. Yeah, I knew that! 😏

47. Capital with ferry service to Copenhagen: OSLO.

48. Scottish wedding garb: KILT.

49. Plant, for one: SPY - Eight spys or plants who worked for the Soviet Union during the building of the atom bomb

51. __ Jima: IWO.

52. Small intake: SIP.

From C.C.: Tom is now a newly-minted grandpa. His cute granddaughter Mary was born on Friday May 19th.

Friday, May 26, 2023, Andrew Anker

 

Good Morning, Cruciverbalists.  Malodorous Manatee here with a Friday recap In Re:  A puzzle by Andrew Anker.  I was not able to find a preexisting label for Andrew on this blog so it may be his LAT debut.

At four places in the grid, Andrew breaks apart the first word of common two-word expressions.  In each case, the first word starts with the letters RE.  By separating those letters we get "regarding" and, thereby, new meanings.  Here are the four themed answers:

20 Across:  Subject line on an email about bog vandals?: REPEAT OFFENDERS.  Re: Peat Offenders.

25 Across:  Subject line on an email about CPA training?: REFORM SCHOOL.  Re: Form School.  The implication is that what Certified Public Accountants do is fill out (tax) forms.

42 Across:  Subject line on an email about a guide to raising twins?: REPAIR MANUAL.  Re: Pair Manual.  How to raise two (a pair of) children.

48 Across:  Subject line on an email about art studios?: RECREATION AREAS.  Re: Creation Areas.

. . . . and here are the rest of the clues/answers:

Across:

1. Datum from Elias Sports Bureau, e.g.: STAT.  Sports STATistics

5. Take it easy: COAST.  "Phone it in"

10. "Fine, be like __!": THAT.

14. Gyro part: PITA.  Not a gyroscope.  A Greek sandwich.

15. Forget, as a repulsive image: UNSEE.  Often used in a phrase such as "I wish that I could UNSEE that."

16. Field mouse: VOLE.

17. Berserk: AMOK.

18. Sparkling alternative: STILL.  Do you prefer your bottled water with or without carbonation?

19. Somali-born supermodel: IMAN.  A frequent visitor.

23. __ Grande: RIO.  A suitable name for a big river.

31 December 1978

24. Pity party cry: POOR ME.

31. Creme-filled cookies: OREOS.  We are often offered these snacks while doing our puzzles.

32. Sticker: THORN.  Not, in this case, something to apply to your ski or motorcycle helmet.

33. Stroke: PET.  Not a medical reference.  Used as a verb.

36. Glove: MITT.  I used to be one of those chefs that shouts and swears a lot.  Then I discovered oven MITTs.

37. Behr product: PAINT.  Hand up for first thinking STAIN.  Heck, four of the five letters are the same.

38. Lucy van __: "Peanuts" girl: PELT.

39. Green vegetable in minji stew: PEA.   Not a reference to the K-pop NewJeans singer.

40. __ Park, California: MENLO.  Roughly twenty miles south of SFO.

41. __ fries: CURLY.

44. Fantasized: DREAMT.

47. Set as a price: ASK.

55. Cream additive: ALOE.  A soothing substance frequently found in crossword puzzles.

56. Permissible: LICIT.  Legit or LICIT, the perps know.

57. Miranda of "Homeland": OTTO.  Having never watched "Homeland" I initially found myself wondering, after perping the fill, who the heck was OTTO Miranda.  Then it dawned on me that we're talking about Miranda OTTO from LOTR.

58. Buds: PALS.  Not young flowers.

59. Mound: KNOLL.  Grassy KNOLL jokes are not funny.  They're hill areas.

60. Stick in one's __: CRAW.  Idiomatic.

61. Cloverleaf element: EXIT.  Not a plant reference.

62. Know without knowing why: SENSE.

63. "We came to play" sneakers brand: KEDS.

Down:

1. Practice boxing: SPAR.

2. Life partner: TIME.  As in publishing.

 

3. Straddling: ATOP.   Seems a bit off.  Yes, you might straddle a horse but you could also be ATOP a building without straddling said structure.  Then again, could you be straddling something without being ATOP it?

4. Become established: TAKE ROOT.

5. Made to order: CUSTOM.  CUSTOM-made exit signs are all the rage these days.  But I think that they are on their way out.

6. Aware of: ONTO.

7. "Get real!": AS IF.

8. Mirror image: SELF.  What you see in the looking glass.

9. Appear out of nowhere?: TELEPORT.

10. Small-screen fave: TV IDOL.

11. Simpson who demands, "Operator! Give me the number for 911!": HOMER.

12. Rating unit for 29-Down: ALARM. and

29. Cook-off potful: CHILI.

13. Perfect or imperfect: TENSE.  Adjective was too long.

21. Publicizes: AIRS.

22. Halfway to midnight: NOON.  

25. Easy win: ROMP.  ROUT?  The perps know.

26. Lake that drains into the Niagara: ERIE.

27. Crumbly cheese: FETA.  Do we get FETA with our PITA?

28. "Castle" co-star __ Katic: STANA.

30. Lionize: HONOR.

33. Ucayali River country: PERU.  A more obscure reference than something Incan related would have been but, hey, it's Friday.

34. "Heart on My Sleeve" singer __ Mai: ELLA.

35. "Chat soon," in texts: TTYL.  Talk To You Later

37. Pregame motivators: PEP TALKS.

38. Rotten genre?: PUNK ROCK.

Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols

40. Viral post: MEME.  A shortened version of the Greek mimeme itself derived from the Ancient Greek meaning mimema meaning imitated thing.

41. La __ Azul: Frida Kahlo museum: CASA.  A Spanish lesson.  The Blue House.

42. Most prized, perhaps: RAREST.

43. Hall of Famer known as "The Mick": MANTLE.

44. Fall in folds: DRAPE.

45. "Don't get so worked up": RELAX.

46. Common recall trigger: E COLI.

49. Jabber at the table?: TINE.

50. Screen image: ICON.  I showed my grandson an old floppy disk.  He said, "Cool!  You 3-D printed the save ICON."

51. Many Louvre works: OILS.  One would have thought that this answer would be in French.

52. Raison d'__: ETRE.  This one is.

53. Hardly any: A TAD.  A BIT.  A FEW.  SOME.  The perps know.

54. Scatters seed: SOWS.  Not clued as female pigs.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Thursday, May 25, 2023 Kelly Richardson, Katie Hale

 

Feathered Follies

Tweety

Today's constructors-cum-ornithologists feather our nest with fill from 5 classic movies, which they have morphed into punny birds with just a single letter change.  Kelly Richardson is a fledgling in these parts and Katie Hale has soared through our skies many times as a constructor and assistant editor.

Here is each new hatchling, followed by the original still in its shell ...

16A. Film about a seabird who will stop at nothing for a sandwich?: RAGING GULL.  RAGING BULL is a 1980 American biographical sports drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and based on Jake LaMotta's 1970 memoir Raging Bull: My Story. It stars Robert De Niro as Jake LaMotta.
 

22A. Film about a bird who is constantly mistaken for a common pigeon?: DOVE ACTUALLY.  LOVE ACTUALLY is a 2003 Christmas romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. It features an ensemble cast, composed predominantly of British actors, many of whom had worked with Curtis in previous film and television projects. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through 10 separate stories involving a variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as the plot progresses.  There were a lot of trailers for this movie and one wouldn't really tell the story, but I had to stop viewing them after the first 2 because my glasses started fogging up.  The first one stars Keira Knightly and Andrew Lincoln ...

The second one stars Colin Firth and Ana Lúcia Pereira Moniz ...

33A. Film about a flocking bird who wants to fly solo?: INDEPENDENCE JAY.  INDEPENDENCE DAY is a 1996 American science fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich and written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin. It stars an ensemble cast that consists of Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, James Rebhorn, and Harvey Fierstein ...

45A. Film about a prehistoric songbird?: JURASSIC LARK.  JURASSIC PARK is a 1993 American science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough. It is based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Michael Crichton ...

55A. Film about a diving bird who collides with a snorkeler?: LOON STRUCK.  MOONSTRUCK is a 1987 American romantic comedy-drama film directed and co-produced by Norman Jewison, starring Cher, Nicolas Cage, Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis, and Vincent Gardenia. The film follows Loretta Castorini, a widowed Italian-American woman who falls in love with her fiancé's hot-tempered, estranged younger brother (with a soundtrack by Puccini!) ...

And of course this explanation wouldn't be complete without a coda from my favorite bird (and a CSO to Ray - O) ...

Here's the grid ...
 

Here's the rest ...

Across:

1. Purple bloom: LILAC.  Here is an Asian Lilac ...

Asian Lilac

6. "Your Baby's First Word Will Be __": Jimmy Fallon picture book: DADA.  I imagine that a baby would quickly get BOARD with this BOOK ...

10. Digital collectible: Abbr.: NFT. Non Fungible Token.  Think of this as a digital contradiction of the old maxim that "Information is the only thing of value that you can give away and still own".   If you give away an NFT, you don't own it anymore ...

13. Geek Squad member, for short: IT PRO.  Geek Squad is a service of Best Buy.  They can also fix refrigerators (different team from the ITO PROS).

14. Lyric poems: ODES.

15. Foal's mama: MARE.

16. [Theme clue]

18. Track shape: OVAL.

19. One of the Gulf States: Abbr.: ALA.  ALABAMA not the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE).

20. Jewish scholar: RABBI.

21. Garden gastropod: SNAIL.

22. [Theme clue]

24. Like a cyclops: ONE EYED.  E.g. Polyphemus, who was the son of Poseidon and Thoosa and the most feared of the Sicilian Cyclopes—brutish, one-eyed shepherds who lived far from civilization.

Polyphemus, a cyclops

27. "Oh, dear": AH ME.

28. Ermine kin: MINK.

29. 39- and 59-Across locale: ASIA.

30. Be in the picture?: ACT.

33. [Theme clue]

38. Future profs, often: TAS.  Teaching Assistants

39. Vietnam neighbor: LAOS.  The two countries are apparently much more than just neighbors.
 

40. Wild onion: RAMP.  What’s So Special About Ramps?

Ramps

41. Feline rumble: PURR.  A CSO to our Tuesday tabby.

42. Much of the Great Plains: PRAIRIE.  The Great Plains lie between the Rio Grande in the south and the delta of the Mackenzie River at the Arctic Ocean in the north and between the Interior Lowland and the Canadian Shield on the east and the Rocky Mountains on the west.  CSOs to Husker Gary, desper-otto, LeoIII, Anon-T, TxMs, and OwenKL.  SO if I missed you ...
 

45. [Theme clue]

49. Some Pennsylvania Dutch speakers: AMISH.  Pennsylvania Dutch, sometimes referred to as Pennsylvania German, is a variety of Palatine German, also known as Palatine Dutch, spoken by the Pennsylvania Dutch: Old Order Amish, Old Order Mennonites, Fancy Dutch, and other descendants of German immigrants in the United States and Canada. There are possibly more than 300,000 native speakers of Pennsylvania Dutch in the United States and Canada.  Spitzboov, we miss you.

50. Way to go: ROUTE.   As you are reading this my oldest granddaughter will be walking "The Way", a 500 mile pilgrimage across Northern Spain, more formally known as El Camino de Santiago ("The Way of Saint James").  This ROUTE was celebrated in a beautiful 2011 video entitled The Way starring Martin Sheen and his son Emilio Estevez ...

51. Barb: DIS.

54. GQ and Cosmo: MAGS.

55. [Theme clue]

57. Parisian pal: AMIE.  Specifically a GAL PAL.

58. Designer Cassini: OLEG.

59. Capital of Vietnam: HANOI.  See 39A.

60. Top: LID.

61. Merrie __ England: OLDE.  England is over 1000 years OLDE, but it hasn't always been Merrie.
 

England
ca. 880 AD

62. Spy: AGENT.  Before there was James Bond, there was The Spy Who Came in From the Cold ...

Down:

1. Euro forerunner: LIRA.  The LIRA is the former monetary unit of Italy and Malta and the currency of modern Turkey.  The EURO is now the official currency of 20 of the 27 member states of the ...

European Union

2. Stress indicator: Abbr.: ITAL.  Cute clue.

3. Links org.: LPGA.

4. "Beau Is Afraid" director Aster: ARI.   ARI Aster (born July 15, 1986) is an American film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in horror films, including Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019), and Beau Is Afraid (2023).  Here's the trailer from his latest film.  It looks like a lot of fun ...

5. Frances of "Six Feet Under": CONROY.  Six Feet Under is an American drama television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It premiered on the premium network HBO in the United States on June 3, 2001, and ended on August 21, 2005, spanning 63 episodes across five seasons. It depicts the lives of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home in Los Angeles, along with their friends and lovers.  Frances plays Ruth Fisher, the matriarch, who is emotionally repressed and trying to form a new, independent life.

Frances Conroy 2014

6. Spot for Spot to sleep: DOG BED.

7. "In Treatment" actress Uzo: ADUBA.  In Treatment is an American drama television series for HBO, produced and developed by Rodrigo Garcia about a psychotherapist, 50-something Paul Weston, and his weekly sessions with patients, as well as those with his own therapist at the end of the week. The program, which stars Gabriel Byrne as Paul, debuted on January 28, 2008 and ran for four seasons.  Uzo plays Dr. Brooke Taylor.  We saw Gabriel Byrne recently as a quirky pathologist in an Irish series called Quirke.
 

Uzo Aduba

8. Lunch meat holder: DELI CASE.

9. Visual communication syst.: ASL.  Used by deaf people and their children, even those who hear ...

10. Maritime: NAVAL.

11. Delicate: FRAIL.

12. British tube: TELLY.  As the Brits have a chronic word shortage, "Tube" doubles as jargon for the London Underground, a rapid transit system serving Greater London and some parts of the adjacent home counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in England.

The Tube

15. "Dirty Computer" singer Janelle: MONAE.  Dirty Computer is a 2018 dystopian musical science fiction film in which Janelle plays a robot.  It serves as a visual companion to Dirty Computer, the third studio album by Janelle Monáe.  Here's the title song ...

17. Yielded: GAVE.

21. Poison __: SUMAC.  This clue has been repeated as a Public Service Announcement.  Memorize this picture ...

Poison Sumac

22. Hockey feint: DEKE.

23. Unconvincing, in a way: THIN.  A meta-clue?

24. Leave out: OMIT.

25. "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" singer Simone: NINA.  Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone, was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and pop.

26. Objectives: ENDS.

29. Some pop-ups: ADS.

30. Not quite closed: AJAR.  It's not a DOOR.

31. Cropped top?: CAMI.  A "cropped" CAMISOLE?
 

Camisole

32. Sort: TYPE.

34. Luxuriously soft: PLUSH.

35. Hearing things: EARS.

36. Seaweed-wrapped bite: NORI ROLL.  NORI (海苔) is an edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, made from a species of red algae, which turns dark when dried.  It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is often used to wrap rolls of sushi or onigiri (rice balls).  MAKI is probably the more common term for a NORI ROLL.
 

Assorted MAKI sushi

37. Karlsson of the NHL: ERIK.  ERIK Karlsson is currently with the San Jose Sharks.

Erik Karlsson

41. So last season: PASSE.

42. Deep dive: PLUNGE.

43. "Darn it!": RATS.

44. "Chain of Fools" singer Franklin: ARETHA.  ARETHA Louise Franklin  (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the "Queen of Soul", Rolling Stone has twice named her as the greatest singer and the ninth greatest artist of all time.

45. Crawford who was NBA Sixth Man of the Year three times: JAMAL.  The NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award has been given annually since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's best performing player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute (or sixth man).  Jamal currently plays for the LA Clippers.

Jamal Crawford

46. Savory flavor: UMAMI.

47. Unlikely to flex: RIGID.

48. Babbled, as a baby: COOED.

51. Sand formation: DUNE.  DUNE is also the name of  a 2021 American epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve, the first of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert.  There are LOTS of sand formations in this movie, some of which are the underground habitat of gigantic, voracious monsters called sand worms.  In this clip a sand worm overtakes and consumes an entire spice harvester ...
 

52. Tapped pic: ICON.

53. "A Black Lady Sketch Show" segment: SKIT.  A Black Lady Sketch Show is an HBO comedy series created by Robin Thede.  The show began in 2019, was renewed for 2023, and consists of comedy SKITS performed by a main cast of Black women, currently consisting of producer and creator Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, and Skye Townsend. Alumni cast members include Quinta Brunson, Laci Mosley, and Ashley Nicole Black. The show has featured guest stars such as Issa Rae, Vanessa Williams, Angela Bassett, Gabrielle Union, Wanda Sykes, and Patti LaBelle.

55. WC: LOO.  A CSO to our Wilbur Charles. 😀

56. Cleaning cloth: RAG.

Cheers,
Bill

As always, thanks to Teri for proof reading, for her constructive criticism.

waseeley

Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Enrique Henestroza Anguiano and Brooke Husic

Theme:  Countdown [with an implied blast off.]  The theme fill contains spelt-out hidden numbers in circled squares that decrease as you move down the grid.

Today's theme song --

20 A. "The Mum Hunt" children's author: GWYNETH REES.   Gwyneth Rees (b. 1968) is a British author of children's books. Her novel The Mum Hunt won the Red House Children's Book Award for Younger Readers in 2019, and another, My Mum's from Planet Pluto, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in the same year.    I parsed this wrong as Gwyne Threes, which did not help.  The hidden number is THREE.

28 A. "I'll believe it when I see it!": FAMOUS LAST WORDS.   Said as an ironic comment on or reply to an overconfident assertion that may well be proved wrong by events.  The hidden number is TWO.

48 A. Proceed with care: WALK ON EGG SHELLS.  Be extremely cautious about one's words or actions. The hidden number is ONE.

55 A. Oscar-nominated film about NASA mathematicians, and a description of the countdown found in this puzzle?: HIDDEN FIGURES.  Three brilliant African-American women at NASA -- Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson -- serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world.

Of course, the hidden figures are the numbers included in the theme fill.  And the count down is to the blast that launched John Glenn into orbit, where he circled the earth 3 times, if you counted up.

Hi, Gang - Jazzbumpa here.  This all should have been as easy as 1, 2, 3, but I foiled myself repeatedly.  Let's blast off and orbit this puzzle.

Across:

1. Molecule part: ATOM.  The building block of everything.

5. Confidence games, e.g.: SCAMS.   Deceptive schemes or tricks used to cheat someone out of something, especially money. 

10. Cherished: DEAR.   Held in high estimation.

14. Monsieur, across the Rhine: HERR.  The honorific "mister." in French and German.

15. Verboten: TABOO.   Anything forbidden by religious custom or social mores.

16. Nigerian language: IGBO.   The principal native language cluster of the Igbo people from Southern Nigeria.

17. "Yes, correct": IT IS.   Statement of agreement.

18. "Rhythm of Love" singer Baker: ANITA.   Anita Denise Baker (b. 1958 in Toledo Ohio - my home town) is an American singer-songwriter. She is known for her soulful ballads, particularly from the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s.

19. Sniffer: NOSE.  A part of your respiratory system. It allows air to enter your body, then filters debris and warms and moistens the air. Your nose gives you a sense of smell and helps shape your appearance. 

23. ID on a map: IDAHO.  I was thinking "identification," making this harder than it needed to be

25. Squeezed (out): WRUNG.  Squeezed and twisted (something) to force liquid from it.

34. Enjoy Aspen: SKI.  Aspen, in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, is a ski resort town and year-round destination for outdoor recreation. It's also known for high-end restaurants and boutiques, and landmarks like the Wheeler Opera House, built in 1889 during the area’s silver mining boom.   Our granddaughter Samantha was there in January working in hospitality for the XXVII X-Games. Bad weather complicated her return trip.

35. Food and dining website since 2005: EATER.  Eater is a food website by Vox Media. It was co-founded by Lockhart Steele and Ben Leventhal in 2005, and originally focused on dining and nightlife in New York City. Eater launched a national site in 2009, and covered nearly 20 cities by 2012.

36. Enthusiast: FAN.  An enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art) usually as a spectator.  The word is uncertain etymology.  It is likely derived from fanatic, a person with “uncritical zeal and enthusiasm.” 

37. One-piece shapewear options: BODY SUITS.  A close-fitting one-piece stretch garment for women, typically worn for sports.   I misread the clue as "sleepwear," adding to my confusion.

41. "227" actress Reed Hall: ALAINA.   Alaina Reed Hall [1946 - 2009] was an American actress and singer who portrayed Olivia Robinson, Gordon's younger sister, on the PBS children's television series Sesame Street, and Rose Lee Holloway on the NBC sitcom 227.

44. Get hold of: OBTAIN.  Get, acquire, or secure something.

52. Left turn from sur: ESTE.   South and east en Español.

53. Jazz pianist Mary __ Williams: LOU.  Mary Lou Williams [1910 - 1981] was an American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records.

54. Her, across the Rio Grande: ELLA.  Female pronouns in English and Español.

60. __ Pèrignon: DOM.  a brand of vintage Champagne. It is named after Dom Pérignon [1638 - 1715] a Benedictine monk who was an important quality pioneer for Champagne wine but who, contrary to popular myths, did not discover the Champagne method for making sparkling wines.

61. Flies: AVIATES.  Pilots or flies in an airplane.

62. PIN point: ATM.  A Personal Identification Number is used at an Automatic Teller Machine.

64. Sine __ non: QUA.   The phrase refers to an essential condition; a thing that is absolutely necessary.

65. Type of roof with dormer windows: MANSARD.   A roof which has four sloping sides, each of which becomes steeper halfway down.

Source

66. Unjustly deprive (of): ROB.   Take property unlawfully from (a person or place) by force or threat of force.

67. Ave. crossers: STS.  Streets cross Avenues. 

68. __-Dame de Paris: NOTRE.   A medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.  Construction of the cathedral began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and was largely completed by 1260, though it was modified in succeeding centuries. 

69. Place for a scrub: SPA.   A commercial establishment offering health and beauty treatment through such means as steam baths, exercise equipment, and massage.

Down:

1. Big tuna: AHI.   The Hawaiian term used to refer to Yellowfin or Bigeye tuna. Ahi Tuna has a light pink flesh and a flavor that is stronger than most fish.

2. Vietnamese New Year: TET.   The Vietnamese New Year observed during the first several days of the lunar calendar beginning at the second new moon after the winter solstice

3. Art form used to create a crane or a masu box: ORIGAMI.   The Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures.

4. "A Wrinkle in Time" woman: MRS. WHO.   A Wrinkle in Time is the story of Meg Murry, a high-school-aged girl who is transported on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin O'Keefe to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from the evil forces that hold him prisoner on another planet. You can read more about it here.

5. __ Smiths: Adidas tennis shoes: STAN.   Stanley Roger Smith [b. 1946] is an American former professional tennis player. Smith is best known to non-tennis players as the namesake of a popular brand of tennis shoes. A world No. 1 player and two-time major singles champion, Smith also paired with Bob Lutz to create one of the most successful doubles teams of all-time.

6. Sugar stalk: CANE.    Sugar cane is a species of tall, perennial grass that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sucrose, which accumulates in the stalk internodes. 

7. Somewhat: A BIT.  An uncertain small amount.  While "quite a bit" is an uncertain large amount.

8. Light-headed creature?: MOTH.   A chiefly nocturnal insect related to the butterflies. It lacks the clubbed antennae of butterflies and typically has a stout body, drab coloration, and wings that fold flat when resting.  It is attracted to light.

9. Really take off: SOAR.  Fly high and fast.

10. Pesos, e.g.: DINERO.  Money en Español.

11. Try to find oneself?: EGO SURF.  To search the internet to find references to one's name or one's personal information.   Well played clue.

12. Cobra pose muscles: ABS.  The abdominal muscles.   The cobra pose is a gentle backbend practiced from a face-down position that warms and strengthens the spine while opening the chest. 

13. Poke bowl topping: ROE.   Poke is diced raw fish served either as an appetizer or a main course. 

21. The "y" in ily: YOU.  I guess ily means I love YOU.

22. "Grossss!!": EWW.  Expression of disgust.

23. "No __, ands, or buts": IFS.   An idiom used to indicate certainty.

24. Prescott of the Cowboys: DAK.  Rayne Dakota Prescott [b. 1993] is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at Mississippi State, where he twice received first-team All-SEC honors, and was selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

26. Doc meant to protect trade secrets: NDA.  Non-Disclosure Agreement.

27. "Family Feud" reruns channel: GSN.  The Game Show Network.

29. Midsize car: SEDAN.   A passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for an engine, passengers, and cargo. The first recorded use of sedan in reference to an automobile body occurred in 1912. The name derives from the 17th-century litter known as a sedan chair, a one-person enclosed box with windows and carried by porters. 

30. Frito-__ snacks: LAY.  An American subsidiary of PepsiCo that manufactures, markets, and sells corn chips, potato chips, and other snack foods.   Frito-Lay began in the early 1930s as two separate companies, "The Frito Company" and "H.W. Lay & Company", which merged in 1961 to form "Frito-Lay, Inc". In 1965, Frito-Lay, Inc. merged with the Pepsi-Cola Company, resulting in the formation of PepsiCo. Since then, Frito-Lay has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo. 

31. Symbols in email addresses: ATS.  This thing: "@."   It is properly called the at sign.

32. Brazilian singer __ Jorge: SEU.

33. Small combos: TRIOS.  A group of three musicians.  A trio of piano, violin and cello is common in classical chamber music.  A typical jazz trio will contain drums, a chording instrument, such as piano or guitar, and a melodic instrument or singer.

  
37. Did the second leg of a triathlon: BIKED.   A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of swimming, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the time transitioning between the disciplines included.

38. Artist Yoko: ONO.   Yoko Ono [b. 1933] is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up in Tokyo and moved to New York City in 1952 to join her family. 

39. Texter's "If I'm being real": TBH.  To Be Honest.

40. Take the helm: STEER.  To control the course of or direct, especially to guide by mechanical means (such as a rudder;) to set and hold to a course.

41. Floor: AWE.   Inspire a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.

42. React angrily: LASH OUT.   Express anger by saying or writing furious words about someone or some thing..

43. Nissan 29-Downs: ALTIMAS.   a mid-size car that has been manufactured by Nissan since 1992. It is a continuation of the Nissan Bluebird line, which began in 1955.  The Altima has historically been larger, more powerful, and more luxurious than the Nissan Sentra but less so than the Nissan Maxima. The first through fourth-generation cars were manufactured exclusively in the United States and officially sold in North and South America, along with the Middle East and Australia. 

45. Very attentive: ALL EARS.   Listening eagerly and attentively.

46. "You've had enough of my jokes": I'LL STOP.  But I never do.

47. Govt. org. with cryptanalysts: NSA.   National Security Agency, a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence purposes, specializing in a discipline known as signals intelligence (SIGINT).

49. Current event in the Pacific?: EL NIÑO.    An irregularly recurring flow of unusually warm surface waters from the Pacific Ocean toward and along the western coast of South America that prevents upwelling of nutrient-rich cold deep water and that disrupts typical regional and global weather patterns.  Another clever clue.

50. Zip along: GO FAST.  Zoom

51. Fender instrument: GUITAR.  Fender produces acoustic guitars, bass amplifiers and public address equipment, however it is best known for its solid-body electric guitars and bass guitars, particularly the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar, Jazzmaster, Precision Bass, and the Jazz Bass.

56. Hoover, for one: DAM.  Neither president nor vacuum cleaner fit.  Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

57. Fashion's __-Picone: EVAN.   A line of women's clothing made by the partnership of Charles Evans and Joseph Picone in1949.   They sold it to Revlon in 1962. 
 
58. "Runaway Bride" co-star: GERE.   Richard Tiffany Gere [b. 1949] is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence with his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol. 

59. Amer. capital: USD.  Capital, not capitol.  The U.S. Dollar -- $.

60. Blizzard sellers, familiarly: DQS.  Dairy Queens are an American chain of soft serve ice cream and fast food restaurants headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. It was owned and operated by Sherb Noble and opened on June 22, 1940. It serves a variety of its own original frozen products that vary from location to location.

63. C-suite degree: MBA.  Master of Business Administration, a postgraduate degree focused on business administration.  The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounting, applied statistics, human resources, business communication, business ethics, business law, strategic management, business strategy, finance, managerial economics, management, entrepreneurship, marketing, supply-chain management, and operations management in a manner most relevant to management analysis and strategy. It originated in the United States in the early 20th century when the country industrialized and companies sought scientific management.  I has one of dem.

So, we've reached the end of another Wednesday adventure.  Hope you had a blast.

Cool regards!

JzB