The Write Stuff. If you are going to write a novel, you might jot down your notes the
old fashioned way ~ with pen and paper. A nice pen might give you
inspiration. What is your favorite pen? I have a nice Waterman
pen, but that isn't an option in today's puzzle. The first word in each
theme answer it the NAME brand of a PEN. Some are high-quality pens, and
others are your everyday pen that you don't mind if it gets lost.
17-Across. * High-intensity workout regimen: CROSS FIT. A Cross Pen was a classic gift for a high school graduate. A.T. Cross
Company, LLC. is an American manufacturing company of writing implements,
based in Providence, Rhode Island. The company was founded in 1846 and
is one of the oldest pen manufacturers in the world. The company makes
fountain pens, ballpoint, and rollerball pens, as well as mechanical pencils
and refills.
25-Across. * Feasibility assessment of a large project: PILOT STUDY. Pilot pens are
inexpensive pens and good for everyday use. I have dozens of such pens
scattered about my house. The company is a Japanese manufacturer based
in Tokyo.
39-Across. * Buttery choice in a bread basket: PARKER HOUSE ROLL. The Parker House Rolls are named after the Boston Parker House Hotel, where they were first
served in the 1870s. According to their origin story, they were created
when a disgruntled hotel baker threw a batch of unfinished rolls into an over
after a fight with a guest.
The Parker Pen Company is a
French manufacturer. It's a moderate-priced pen.
51-Across. * Pattern inspired by nature: ZEBRA PRINT. The Zebra pen is probably the most obscure pen in today's puzzle.
Zebra is also a Japanese
company. I have seen them at Walmart.
And the unifier:
64-Across. Writers' aliases, and what are found at the starts of the answers
to the starred clues: PEN NAMES. Can you identify the following authors? (1) Howard Allen
Frances O’Brien; (2) A. B. Barnard; (3) George Eliot; (4) Charles
Lutwidge Dodgson; (5) Mary Westmacott; (6) Eric Blair; (7) William
Sydney Porter (8) Jozef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski (9) David John Moore
Cornwall; and (10) Theodore Geisel
Across:
1. Cornfield cry: CAW.
4. Insect whose larvae eat clothes: MOTH.
8. Hawaiian dances: HULAS.
13. German cry: ACH. Today's German lesson. What child
doesn't like a 1000 piece puzzle. Ach, come on. It'll be fun!
19. Radio tuner: AM DIAL. The only time I listen to the
radio is when I'm in my car. According to the Buggles, , thus there would be no need to worry about the radio tuner.
20. Oodles: HEAPS.
23. Out __ limb: ON A.
24. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTA. How are you? Today's
Spanish lesson.
27. RN's needle: HYPO.
29. Guthrie's "Today" co-anchor: KOTB. The anchors on
the Today show seem just a little too cheerful so early in
the morning. Hoda Kotb (b. Aug. 9, 1964) and Savannah Guthrie (née
Savannah Clark Guthrie; b. Dec. 27, 1971) are the primary hosts of that
morning show. [Name # 1.]
35. "A Death in the Family" writer James: AGEE. James Rufus Agree
(Nov. 27, 1909 ~ May 16, 1955) makes frequent appearances in the crossword
puzzles. A Death in the Family is his autobiographical novel
that, ironically, was published in 1957, after his death. It's about the
death of his father, who also died young. Sadly, Agee died at age 45 of
a massive heart attack. [Name # 2.]
43. Boardroom bigwig: EXEC. As in the Executive.
44. Pink Lady, for one: APPLE. Everything you wanted to know
about the Pink Lady, but didn't know to ask.
45. Meditative sounds: OMS. // And 33-Down. Yoga
energy point: CHAKRA.
46. "Oh, now I see": AH, OK.
49. Like most fine wines: AGED.
56. Some spicy fare: THAI. Yummers! I made Pad Thai
for dinner last night.
59. Eclectic musician Brian: ENO. Brian Eno (né Brian Peter
George Eno; b. May 15, 1948) appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle. Just
last week, I mentioned that we hadn't seen him in a while, yet here he is
again! [Name # 3.]
60. Biscayne Bay city: MIAMI. How Biscayne Bay got its name ... maybe.
61. Course-reversing move: U-TURN. Last week we had a UIE.
I much prefer the more formal U-Turn.
62. Observes, with "on": SITS IN.
66. Bring down on the gridiron: TACKLE.
67. Sound like this this this this: ECHO.
68. Undivided: ONE.
69. Kid: CHILD.
70. Not as much: LESS.
71. __ race: RAT.
Down:
1. Hidden stockpile: CACHE.
2. Central Park's 843: ACRES. A brief history of Central Park. Frederick Law Olmstead (Apr. 26, 1822 ~ Aug. 28, 1903) and his
partner, Calvert Vaux (Dec. 20, 1824 ~ 1895), won the design competition to
create arguably the most famous park in the United States.
3. "Easy, tiger": WHOA, THERE!
4. Component of momentum: MASS. Today's physics lesson.
P = M x V, where P is Momentum, M is Mass and V is Velocity.
5. Not quite right: OFF.
6. "If I Had a Hammer" singer Lopez: TRINI. I think
of Peter, Paul and Mary when I hear this song. Trini
Lopez (né Trinidad Lopez, III; May 15, 1937 ~ Aug. 11, 2020) was a singer and
guitarist from Dallas, Texas. [Name # 4.]
7. Bellhop's employer: HOTEL.
8. Set out for: HEAD TO.
9. Greatest extent: UTMOST.
10. HDTV choice: LCD. As in Liquid-Crystal Display.
11. Vowel quintet: A E I O U. Old MacDonald had a farm ...
30. "Gorillas in the Mist" primate: APE. Gorillas in the Mist was a book by Dian Fossey (Jan. 16, 1932 ~ Dec. 26, 1985). It was
later made into a movie starring Sigourney Weaver (née Susan Alexandra Weaver;
b. Oct. 8, 1949) Dian Fossey studied the mountain gorillas in the mountain forests of Rwanda.
Sadly, she was murdered at age 53. One of her research assistants
was convicted in absentia, but the circumstances of her death remain clouded
in mystery.
31. Candle stuff: WAX.
34. Quick trip: HOP.
36. Ice cream brand with a truck logo: GOOD HUMOR.
37. Blight-stricken tree species: ELM. Dutch elm disease is caused by a fungus affecting elm trees, and is spread by elm bark
beetles. It has decimated the elm trees across America.
38. Trains that rumble overhead: ELs.
40. 1980s Chrysler compact: K-CAR.
41. Shutter part: SLAT.
42. Brain scan letters: EEG. Short for ElectroEncephalography. It's a test that detects abnormalities in the brain waves,
or in the electrical activity of the brain.
47. Skywalker player: HAMILL. A reference to the Star Wars movies. Mark Hamill (né Mark Richard Hamill; b. Sept. 25, 1951)
is the actor who played the role of Luke Skywalker in those movies. Can
you name any other films that he starred in? [Name # 4.]
48. Expressed a view: OPINED.
50. Blues Hall of Famer James: ETTA. It's always nice to
have Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 1925 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) visit us in
the puzzle. [Name # 5.]
51. Fragrant scraping: ZEST.
52. Room-sized early computer: ENIAC. The ENIAC was the
first programmable, electronic, general-purpose digital computer, completed in
1945. Its name stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer.
53. Make a mess of: BOTCH.
54. Spur into action: IMPEL.
55. Dorothy, to Auntie Em: NIECE. A reference to The Wizard of Oz.
57. Portland's Moda Center, e.g.: ARENA. Portland, Oregon not Portland, Maine.
58. Map detail: INSET.
61. Chicago-style pizza chain, familiarly: UNOS. Best known
for its deep-dish pizzas.
Yummers!
Before we leave the puzzle, here are the answers to the pen names:
(1) Anne Rice; (2) Louisa May Alcott; (3) Mary Ann Sands; (4) Lewis Carroll;
(5) Agatha Christie; (6) George Orwell; (7) O. Henry; (8) Joseph Conrad; (9)
John le Carré; and (10) Dr. Seuss
חתולה
Notes from C.C.:
I met with Chairman Moe (Chris) and his girlfriend Margaret yesterday (June 12, 2023). Here we are at P. F. Chang's in Maple Grove, MN. Chris is just like he's on the blog. Margaret spent 3 years in Hong Kong and 2 years in Bali, overlapping the period when I lived in Guangzhou. Both avid hikers.
I searched this blog and did not find another entry from Angela Kinsella Olson, so this may be her LAT debut. If that is the case, congratulations to Angela!!
Our theme:
Today Angela has given us 3 themed answers. They are:
17 Across. *"She Don't Use Jelly" band, with "The": FLAMING LIPS.
The FLAMING Lips She Don't Use Jelly (1993)
They have 3 Grammy Awards but none for this song.
26 Across. *Mel Brooks Western starring Cleavon Little: BLAZING SADDLES.
Angela, you have made Anonymous T very happy because now I have a reason to link these "Top 10 Scenes".
Blazing Saddles (1974) 6:43 min.
46 Across. *Enthusiastic praise: GLOWING TRIBUTE.
High praise, indeed!
What do these 3 answers have in common? Let's look at the reveal:
63 Across. 1980 Stephen King novel, and what the answer to each starred clue literally has?: FIRESTARTER.
The book, Firestarter, was made into a movie in 1984 starring Drew Barrymore and again in 2022 starring Ryan Kiera Armstrong.
It's probably best to not overthink this one. FLAMING, BLAZING, AND GLOWING are all FIRE-related words and are the STARTing words to the themed clues. Full stop.
Overthink it #1. You can START a (bigger) FIRE if you have a FLAMING torch, BLAZING campfire, or GLOWING ember. I do not think this is what Angela meant because there is no mention of anything along the lines of a torch, campfire, or ember.
Overthink it #2. All three can be the START word in a FIRE phrase of the form "____ FIRE". So, we would have FLAMING FIRE, BLAZING FIRE, and GLOWING FIRE. To me, "FLAMING" feels the weakest of those three but perhaps it is a regional thing.
Am I missing something??? Your thoughts?
Across: 1. Some rodent pets: MICE.
You can buy this teeny beanie for your pet mouse on Etsy.
11. Reno's st.: NEV. "State" is abbreviated, so is "Nevada".
How do you pronounce "Nevada"? Do you pronounce it (nuh-vad-uh) or (nuh-vah-duh) ?
In this clip, the campaign advisor is trying to correct the politician's pronunciation. It turns out, locals like it when you know how to pronounce the name of their state.
Veep starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus. "Nevada or Nevaaaada" (17 sec.)
14. Water or elec.: UTIL. "Electricity" is shortened, so is "UTILities".
15. Buildings in the Pueblo Revival style, e.g.: ADOBES. Here is an HGTV article on Pueblo Revival Architecture. Also, Monterey was California's first capital city so it is home to many historical ADOBES. This webpage has a list of several of them with photos and a short description of each. The Cooper-Molera ADOBE (11th on the list) is one of my favorite lunch spots.
16. Hockey surface: ICE.
19. "Not happy!": GRR.
Remember this from the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes? Definitely "not happy"!
20. One of the Bobbsey Twins: FLOSSIE.
The older pair were Bert & Nan. The younger pair were Freddie & FLOSSIE.
21. Ticket marketplace with a rhyming name: STUBHUB.StubHub is an American ticket exchange and resale company. It provides services for buyers and sellers of tickets for sports, concerts, theater, and other live entertainment events. By 2015, it was the world's largest ticket marketplace.
23. Self-storage rental: UNIT.
25. "Dig in!": EAT.
33. Brand in the eye care aisle: RE-NU.
34. Charged particle: ION.
35. Ailing: ILL.
36. __ Roll: TOOTSIE.
39. Mensch: NICE GUY.
42. Trivial criticism: NIT. See 8D.
43. __ of Reason: AGE. The AGE of reason is generally used as a synonym for the Enlightenment Period (17th & 18th centuries Europe). It is also the title of a book by Thomas Paine, published in 3 parts (1794, 1795, & 1807). Nowadays, the term can be used to describe the time in life when one begins to be able to distinguish right from wrong.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) "a veritable AGE of reason" (1:48 min.)
66. Cousin of the Bradys: OLIVER. This clue refers to the 1969-74 TV show, The Brady Bunch. The addition of younger children to sitcoms that seem to have run their course, in an attempt to improve declining ratings, is known as "Cousin OLIVER Syndrome". These attempts generally fail.
Cousin OLIVER appeared in the last 6 episodes of the 5th and final season of The Brady Bunch. Coincidence??? If you do not remember OLIVER, it could be because of the Cousin OLIVER Syndrome.
67. Brewery output: BEER.
68. Chicago WNBA team: SKY. Women's National Basketball Association
69. "__ on me": "I'm delicate": GO EASY.
70. IRS form figures: SSNS.
Down: 1. Play awkwardly, as a ground ball: MUFF. A MUFF is when a player touches the ball without successfully holding it.
In fashion, a MUFF is an elegant accessory designed to keep both hands warm. I was surprised to learn that in the 1600s they were worn by both men and women. Here is a short history of the hand MUFF.
7. "haha! ur a riot!": LOL. The "ur" is a hint that the answer will be textspeak.
Get it? They're laughing hyenas. LOL!
8. Japanese sashes: OBIS. "OBI" is a Japanese word but in Japanese you do not create a plural by adding an S. Although I do not like to see this done, I can accept that it is common practice.
9. Mo. many Virgos are born: SEPT. birthdates Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
10. Sent out: ISSUED. like a magazine or a decree
11. Device for one who's afraid of the dark: NIGHT LIGHT.
12. Beige shade: ECRU. I've always been a sucker for an ECRU cable knit sweater.
Don't they look cozy?
13. Action word: VERB.
18. Old Rodeos, e.g.: ISUZUS. That capital R was a hint. (Yes, ugh, another English pluralization of a Japanese word....)
They were sold in 1988 - 2004.
22. Defective: BAD.
24. __ Fridays: TGI.
Never mind that it's only Monday.
26. Oven setting: BROIL.
27. "Anna Karenina" writer: LEO TOLSTOY. Spoiler alert:
28. Picnic pest: ANT.
29. Male offspring: SON.
30. Singer DiFranco: ANI.
31. Dodge: ELUDE. Sometimes EvaDE works.
32. __ as a fox: SLY.
36. "Star Trek" series, familiarly: TNG. The Next Generation
CSO to Picard!
37. "At Seventeen" singer Janis: IAN.
At Seventeen (1975) was Janis Ian's most successful single on the American charts.
Perhaps a bit crunchy for a Monday...
38. Cobb salad ingredient: EGG.
40. Poolside structure: CABANA.
Looks like a lovely place to solve XWD puzzles!
41. College URL part: EDU.
44. Aliens, for short: ETS.
47. Wisdom partner: WIT. A good XWD puzzle has a bit of both.
48. Recovering from anesthesia, say: IN A FOG.
49. __ Pieces: REESES.
They are like M&Ms ... but with peanut butter on the inside.
50. Possible reply to "Will you be there?": I'LL TRY.
53. Max Scherzer's squad: METS. Born 7/27/84, Maxwell Martin Scherzer is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets. He previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Dodgers...but you probably already knew that.
54. "Out of Africa" writer Dinesen: ISAK.
55. Metric weight: KILO. I'm a fan because I weigh less in KILOs. 😉
56. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.
58. Heavenly bodies, poetically: ORBS.
59. GPS suggestions: RTES. RouTES
60. __ Choice Awards: TEEN. Here are some facts you might not (want to) know:
The first TEEN Choice Awards were held in 1999.
The last TEEN Choice Awards were held in 2019.
Winners get a custom-made surfboard.
One Direction has the most wins at 28.
64. Actress Longoria: EVA.
Easy-on-the-eyes EVA was recently on the cover of Parade magazine.
And now for the grid:
I hope this write-up answered any questions you might have had. I flame to please!
Notes from C.C.:
Here is a picture of our fun-loving Sumdaze and her dog. She lives near the ocean and loves getting into the water.
You can also click here and see all the pictures of our current and past bloggers and commenters. Email me (crosswordc@gmail.com) if you want to be included in the Blog Photos section.
Theme: "Let's Do This!" - DO is added to each familiar phrase.
23A. Finally send off that alumni check?: FACE THE DONATION. Face the Nation.
40A. Bulletin forbidding residents from camping in the complex's shared spaces?: CONDOTENT WARNING. Content warning.
57A. Bedtime message for Raggedy Ann?: AND TO A DOLL A GOODNIGHT. And to all a good night.
82A. Salon job for a sunrise wedding?: UPDO AT THE CRACK OF DAWN. Up at the crack of dawn.
99A. Accusations of cheating at the Kennel Club agility competition?: DOG RACE UNDER FIRE. Grace under fire.
119A. Catchphrase for Earth lovers?: WE ADORE THE WORLD. We Are the World.
Three
are standard insertions, the other three (40A, 57A and 99A) all change
the original one-word into two words. Very imaginative.
Only six themers, but they're all very long, total 102 squares. Standard for our Sunday grid.
Across:
1. Boat launch aid: RAMP.
5. NYC neighborhood with luxury boutiques: SOHO. In Lower Manhattan.
9. Bloviate: RANT.
13. Top-shelf: PRIMO. Miso Master has the best white miso paste.
18. Qatari monarch: EMIR.
19. Black suit: CLUBS.
21. Beginning of a conclusion: ERGO.
22. Prepared to putt: AIMED.
26. Liechtenstein border river: RHINE. 74. Mountains where the 26-Across rises: ALPS.
27. Ahi tuna cut: STEAK.
28. "Beowulf" translator Heaney: SEAMUS. Learning moment for me.
29. Cruise stops: ISLANDS.
31. Vodka drink, briefly: COSMO.
34. Glass sheets: PANES.
36. Immeasurably long time: EON.
37. Quick bite: NOSH. My mouth is watering just looking at these sesame balls.
46. Org. concerned with climate adaptation: EPA.
47. Wine label word: CRU.
48. Oklahoma city: ENID.
49. Wormlike fish: EEL.
50. Taylor-Joy of "Emma": ANYA.
51. Scully in Dodger Stadium's street address: VIN. Vin Scully Avenue. Steve was there last month.
52. Natural dye: HENNA.
54. Be stealthy: SNEAK.
56. Collectible for an animation buff: CEL.
63. Letter opener: DEAR.
64. Umami enhancer, briefly: MSG.
65. Podcaster Klein: EZRA. I was a listener for a while.
66. Lead the cast: STAR.
67. Compose on the fly: AD LIB.
69. Snarky critic: HATER.
70. Tostitos dip: SALSA.
77. "Got it": I SEE.
78. Mobile platform since 2007: IOS.
81. Twelve: NOON.
87. "OMG, enough!": TMI.
88. Spanish "Of course": CLARO. Another learning moment.
89. Jeff's wife on "Curb Your Enthusiasm": SUSIE.
90. E'en if: THO.
91. Dating word: ANNO. Carbon dating.
93. Previously: AGO.
94. Mario Andretti's twin brother: ALDO.
97. Coffee server: URN.
98. __ fever: HAY.
103. Pickleball barriers: NETS.
104. Expected: DUE.
105. Crib bear: TEDDY.
106. Attention-starved: NEEDY.
108. Fashion designer Paloma: PICASSO. Daughter of Pablo Picasso.
112. Bernadette of "Mozart in the Jungle": PETERS.
114. Many a song played at a class reunion: OLDIE.
118. Actor Elba who DJs as DJ Big Driis: IDRIS.
123. Téa of "Spanglish": LEONI.
124. "__ & Stitch": LILO.
125. Appears to be: SEEMS.
126. Curiosity org.: NASA.
127. Come to an end, in a way: LAPSE.
128. Beyoncé's "Brown __ Girl": SKIN.
129. Genre for BTS and Blackpink: K POP. Blackpink is hugely popular in Asia.
130. Went for a dip: SWAM.
Down:
1. Some whistle blowers: REFS.
2. Part of a Latin trio: AMAT.
3. Furry scurriers: MICE.
4. "Amen!": PREACH.
5. TCU or UGA: SCH.
6. Fútbol cheer: OLE.
7. "Sully" river: HUDSON. The movie is subtitled "Miracle on the Hudson",
8. Bassoon kin: OBOE.
9. Adjusted a trumpet slide again, say: RE-TUNED.
10. Out of bed: ARISEN.
11. The Carter Center, e.g., briefly: NGO.
12. Actress Collette: TONI.
13. __ trick: PARLOR.
14. 2023 Super Bowl halftime performer: RIHANNA.
15. "You've got my support!": I'M IN. Here's Big Easy (George), my #3 fan.
16. Patch up: MEND.
17. Artistic tributes: ODES.
20. Like some Tupperware lids: SNAP ON.
24. Ring decision, briefly: TKO. Boxing ring.
25. Prized violin: AMATI.
30. Deck application: SEALANT.
32. Real riot: SCREAM.
33. Small hills: MOUNDS.
35. Broadcast captioner, for short: STENO.
37. Driest U.S. state: NEVADA. I can't imagine living there in the summer. So hot.
38. Shared views: OPINED. Also 109. Think piece?: IDEA.
39. Teva product: SANDAL.
41. "Sold!": DEAL.
42. Green invaders: WEEDS.
43. Give : __ :: take : mile: INCH.
44. No, to Nabokov: NYET.
45. Miss: GAL.
47. Comic Margaret: CHO. Her parents are from South Korea. Look at her tattoos.
53. Eggy drink: NOG.
54. Skyrocket: SOAR.
55. Some Korean cars: KIAS.
58. Simple chord: TRIAD.
59. Rental contract: LEASE.
60. Native Mexican: AZTEC.
61. Oscar winner Garson: GREER. She won an Oscar for "Mrs. Miniver".
62. Thou: GRAND.
68. Like-minded group: BLOC.
69. Kermit's greeting: HI HO.
71. Abhor: LOATHE.
72. "Yeah, and?": SO WHAT. And 79. "If you say so": OK SURE.82. "Uh, I doubt that": UM NO.
73. Pesters: ANNOYS.
75. Royal digs: PALACES. The Forbidden City.
76. Thespian's domain: STAGE.
78. Hosp. area: ICU.
80. Evening affair: SOIREE.
83. __-pong: PING.
84. Fly-fishing target, perhaps: TROUT.
85. Starting on: AS OF.
86. Marshy area: FEN.
87. Bit: TAD.
92. Makes a minister: ORDAINS.
94. Constructed a new wing, say: ADDED ON.
95. Brought about: LED TO.
96. Laundromat array: DRYERS. Our neighbor's house caught fire a few months ago because they did not clean the lint trap.
100. "G'day!" sayer: AUSSIE.
101. Kathmandu native: NEPALI.
102. Synchronized, like a marching band: INSTEP.
103. Stockings: NYLONS.
107. __ Jones: DOW.
108. Tablet: PILL.
110. Cut down to size: CROP.
111. Birds capable of 270° head turns: OWLS.
113. Raise a big stink?: REEK. And
115. Make faces, say: DRAW. I like both clues.
116. To whom Rick says, "We'll always have Paris": ILSA.
117. Dutch cheese: EDAM.
120. Apt. feature, in ads: EIK. Eat-In Kitchen.
121. Med. plan option: HMO.
122. Psychic ability: ESP.
Thank you to the 110+ of you who bought my book.
It's fun for me to go to my Amazon Author Central and look at the
stats. Can I ask you to leave a review? Good or bad. Thank you so much
for supporting me! I just wish Boomer could see this.
