Thursday, June 22, 2023, Taylor Johnson

 Let the Good Times Roll!

Today veteran constructor Taylor Johnson (7 previous LAT and 4 NYT puzzles) presents us with an interesting challenge.  It's not uncommon for puzzles to have clues that reference other clues, but I've never seen one where all the theme clues just referenced another clue, which of course had to be the reveal:

57A. "Time to go," and a phrase that could be uttered by a 15-, a 21-, a 32-, or a 48-Across?: LET'S ROLL.   This is an idiom that can have at least four different meanings, depending on who the "utterer" is ...

15A. See 57-Across: DIRECTOR.  This utterer is the one who says "Lights, camera, action".  In this case LET'S ROLL means "start the film reels that record the action".  This is an anachronism these days as most video is recorded digitally or generated by CGI.   We see a few examples of the latter in the clues below.

21A. See 57-Across: CRAPS DEALER.  The role of this utterer is not a simple one.  As near as I can tell her/his job is to direct the activities at the craps table, determining who "shoots" next and how much, if any the players at the table will win or lose, depending on their bets prior to the roll.  In this case the dealer might say LET'S ROLL to keep the action going and maximize the house's cash intake. This video explains it all (you've got nothing to lose, so good luck!) ...

32A. See 57-Across: SUSHI CHEF.  This utterer might say LET'S ROLL to his crew if a party of 8 has just placed a big order for makizushi.  Of course if the order is for sashimi or nigiri sushi, the chef might say LET'S SLICE.

48A. See 57-Across: JAZZ DRUMMER.  Actually I think the utterer in this case would be the band leader who would cue the DRUMMER: "it's time for your solo", LET'S ROLL.  In this case he points to TWO of the greatest drummers of all time to show their chops: Gene Krupa & Buddy Rich:

Gene Krupa & Buddy Rich
The Famous Drum Battle

Did the guy who came down stage at the end look familiar? He played Sportin' Life in Porgy and Bess in last Thursday's puzzle.

Here's the grid ...

Here's the rest ...

Across:

1. Oscar, __, Quebec: NATO sequence: PAPA.  From the The International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, commonly known as the NATO phonetic alphabet.  It's the most widely used set of clear code words for communicating the letters of the Roman alphabet.

5. Wand-waving org.: TSA.  Transportation Security Administration.

8. Peas, for a peashooter: AMMO.

12. Thou: ONE G.  One Grand.  Parse this differently and you get O NEG, the blood type of 13% of blood donors.

13. Dated: OLD.

14. Scout group: TROOP.

15. [Theme clue]

17. Wears away: ERODES.

18. Dickens miser: SCROOGE.  Ebenezer Scrooge is the protagonist of Charles Dickens's 1843 novella A Christmas Carol.  He has been played by countless actors over the years in a wide variety of media.  This one was neither filmed digitally nor via CGI (with apologies to any Scots on the Corner) ...

19. Silent performer: MIME.

20. SLC athlete: UTE. Salt Lake City athlete.  That was easy. 😀

21. [Theme clue]

25. Season with heavy rainfall: MONSOON.  A MONSOON is a seasonal change in the direction of the prevailing, or strongest, winds of a region. Monsoons cause wet and dry seasons throughout much of the tropics. Monsoons are most often associated with the Indian Ocean

27. Faux __: PAS.  "False step" (pl. FAUX PAS), today's French lesson.  I make a lot of FAUX PAS when creating reviews  (as opposed to TYPOS, which Teri catches) and I rely on the early crew (you know who are), to point them out in their comments and give me a chance to fix them.   It's likely that the Cornerites who get up at a reasonable hour don't even know I made them.

28. The Cavaliers of the NCAA: UVA.  The Virginia Cavaliers football team represents the University of Virginia in the sport of American football (not the one played in most other parts of the World).  Here's why they're called The Cavaliers.

29. Not behind: ANTI.  "Not behind" as in "Does not support".

30. Fated: DESTINED.  See 64A.

32. [Theme clue]

36. Put the final touches on, say: POLISH UP.  Sometimes I just don't know when to stop.

39. Some bros: SIBS.

43. Tan line cause: BRA.  Colorful cue.

44. "Mangia!": EAT.  Today's Italian lesson.

45. Core-sculpting apparatus: AB TONER.  This is not a well-defined term.  Presumably anything, whether it be machines, electrical stimulation, or stuff that you strap to your body to make your ABS look like a 6-pack of beer.

48. [Theme clue]

51. __ Paulo, Brazil: SAO.  Saint Paul.   Today's Portuguese lesson.  A city in Brazil named for a famous letter writer.

52. Strong dark beer: BOCK.  The dark lager known as BOCK beer was first brewed in the 14th century in the town of Einbeck in Lower Saxony.  Definitely not a good way to get 6-pack ABS.

53. Buoys: UPLIFTS. 

55. Palm leaves: FRONDS.

57. [Theme reveal]

59. "Oh, I remember now!": AH YES.  Said by people all over the Corner every day.

60. "__ you serious?": ARE.  R.U. Sirius is the name of the space station where most of the action takes place in the daily cartoon Brewster Rockit, drawn by Tim Rickard.  Here's Dr. Mel Practice counseling Oldbot in the June 13th 2023 episode ...

61. Region: AREA.

62. Big cheese: BOSS.

63. Homer's "okily-dokily" neighbor: NED.  Apparently NED has a lot of relatives ...

64. "Champagne Life" R&B singer: NE-YO.  I'm not sure if he was DESTINED for this fill or it was just perped in by a Google search, but Champagne Life does qualify as Rhythm and Blues, and he can sing it.  Here's NE-YO and his posse having a good time with some bubbly ...

Down:
 
1. "__ Save America": Crooked Media production: POD.  In the review racket this clue is called a political "hot potato" and I'm punting. 

2. Jennifer of "The Morning Show": ANISTON.  The Morning Show, is an American comedy-drama television series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, that premiered on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019. The series is inspired by Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV. The series has been renewed through 2023.

3. Degree of interest?: PERCENT.

4. Antiquing agent: AGER.

5. "My Neighbor __ ": 1988 Miyazaki film: TOTORO.  This one was right on the tip of my tongue (where it stayed until perped).  My Neighbor TOTORO is a 1988 Japanese animated fantasy film that was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli. The film stars tells the story of a professor's young daughters Satsuki and Mei, and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan.  Beautiful animation (English voice overs provided by the Fanning sisters, Dakota and Elle) ...

6. Branding words: SLOGAN.

7. Pro pitcher?: AD REP.  EWER was too short.

8. Something in the air: AROMA.

9. Gp. with student diplomats: MODEL UN.  MODEL UN is a popular activity for those interested in learning more about how the UN operates. Hundreds of thousands of students worldwide take part every year at all educational levels.
 

Model UN Assembly

10. One of the Three Stooges: MOE.  A CSO to our Chairman!  Here's hoping he and Margaret are enjoying their vacation.

11. Curtailed missions?: OPS.  "BLACK" was chopped off the front?

14. Italian port neighboring Slovenia: TRIESTE.  TRIESTE is located at the head of the Gulf of Trieste, on a narrow strip of Italian territory lying between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia; Slovenia lies approximately 8 km (5 mi) east and 10–15 km (6–9 mi) southeast of the city, while Croatia is about 30 km (19 mi) to the south of the city.

Trieste

16. Pixar film with the song "Remember Me": COCO.  COCO is a 2017 American computer-animated fantasy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.  The story follows a 12-year-old boy named Miguel (Gonzalez) who is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead, where he seeks the help of his deceased musician great-great-grandfather to return him to his family among the living and to reverse his family's ban on music.

17. Punctuation found in many Emily Dickinson poems: EM DASH.  Here's a brief bio of the Bell of Amherst -- and a selection of her poems -- see if you agree with Taylor on that assessment.

Emily Dickinson

20. Actress Thurman: UMA.

22. Blueprint info: SPEC.

23. Part of NYE: EVE.

24. "Cool, man": RAD.  A truncation of RADICAL -- Dude!

26. "Absolutamente": SI SI.  Yes Yes.  Italian lesson #2 (idiomatic).

30. Party bowlful: DIP.

31. "In that case ... ": IF SO.

33. Bargain bin stock at some music stores: USED CDS.  Most music is streamed from the Cloud these days, free or with a fee -- e.g. Spotify -- so USED CDS can be had cheaply.  Or you can listen on your favorite radio station -- e.g. WBJC -- streamable free from anywhere in the world (I assume you have Internet service or you wouldn't be reading this) --  I think Emily is starting to rub off on me.

34. San Jose team: SHARKS.  The San Jose SHARKS are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference.

The Sharks website.

35. Native Rwandan: HUTU.  The HUTU, also known as the Abahutu, are a Bantu ethnic or social group which is native to the African Great Lakes region. They mainly live in Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they form one of the principal ethnic groups alongside the Tutsi and the Great Lakes Twa.

Rwanda Burundi

36. Vegan sandwich, initially: PBJ. 

37. "Your Song" singer Rita: ORA.  No automobiles were damaged in the making of this (rated PG13) video ...

38. Some recliners: LA-Z-BOYS.

40. Forthcoming: IN STORE.

41. "Moonlighting" actress Allyce: BEASLEY. Moonlighting is an American comedy drama television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989, starring Cybill Shepherd (Maddie) and Bruce Willis (David) as private detectives, and Allyce Beasley (Agnes) as their quirky receptionist. In this scene Agnes has arrived early at the office, but David has arrived earlier ...

42. Full house indicator: SRO.

45. Electrical unit: AMPERE.   The amount of current (AMPERES (I)) passing through a conductor of a given resistance (OHMS (R)), for a given voltage (VOLTS (V)), as defined by Ohm's Law.

46. Sang with gusto: BELTED.  Here's the late, great Dimitri Hvorostovsky BELTING out the aria Largo al Factotum from Giaochino Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville ...
 

47. Swim/bike/run races, briefly: TRIS.  Short for Triathlon, and a CSO to sumdaze, who has done several TRIS and 10 marathons!!!

The three legs of a Triathlon

49. Regions: ZONES.

50. Disney retelling of a Chinese folk legend: MULAN.   As it turns out, Disney made two versions of this legendary story: an animated version in 1998 and a live action version in 2020.  As I avoid decisions wherever possible, here are trailers for both.

 

54. Drescher of "The Nanny": FRAN.  "The Nanny" is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993 to June 23, 1999, starring FRAN Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish fashionista from Flushing, Queens, New York, who becomes the nanny of three children from the New York–British high society.  Here's her job interview ...

55. Groovy: FAB.  A sibling of 24D.

56. Sigma preceder: RHO.

58. Asian language: LAO.


Cheers,
Bill

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

waseeley

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 Rebecca Goldstein

Theme:  The SHELL, you say!  The unifier explains it perfectly

54 A. Corporations with little business activity, and what are formed by the circled letters: SHELL COMPANIES.    Corporations without active business operations or significant assets. These types of corporations are not all necessarily illegal, but they are sometimes used illegitimately, such as to disguise business ownership from law enforcement or the public.  

Here, the phrase is repurposed [or reused, per 28D] to indicate a bookends type theme for the puzzle, in which the names of prominent American corporations are split, providing the beginning and ending letters for the theme fill entries.

16 A. Fruity frozen treat: ORANGE POPSICLE.  A popsicle is a piece of flavored ice or ice cream on a stick.  In this case the flavor is ORANGE.  Rather specific fill for an other general clue.  Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas. In 2020, Oracle was the third-largest software company in the world by revenue and market capitalization.   Oracle also declined during 2022.  It started to recover in October and has recently passed its former high and gone hyperbolic.

25. Pursue additional education, e.g.: APPLY FOR COLLEGE.   To ask to be accepted as a student at colleges or universities by filling out and sending applications.   Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California. Apple is the world's largest technology company by revenue, with US$394.3 billion in 2022 revenue. As of March 2023, Apple is the world's biggest company by market capitalization. As of June 2022, Apple is the fourth-largest personal computer vendor by unit sales and the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world. It is often considered as one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Alphabet (parent company of Google), Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft.  Apple stock had a choppy decline through 2022, bottoming early this year.  It has since soared to new highs.

35. Spanish "I like": ME GUSTA.  Literal.   Meta Platforms, Inc., formerly named Facebook, Inc., and TheFacebook, Inc., is an American multinational technology conglomerate based in Menlo Park, California. The company owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among other products and services. Meta is one of the world's most valuable companies and among the ten largest publicly traded corporations in the United States. It is often considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Alphabet (parent company of Google), Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft.  Meta stock price peaked in September, 2021, then lost over 75% of its value at the November, 2022 low.  It has since recovered, but is still far below its all time high.

42 A. Slips, bras, etc.: INTIMATE APPAREL.    Women's underwear and nightclothes. synonyms: lingerie. types: gown, night-robe, nightdress, nightgown, nightie; lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women.  Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is one of the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 series of instruction sets found in most personal computers.  Its stock was badly battered last year, losing over 50% of its value.  It flattened out in October and is starting to make a comeback.

Hi Gang, JazzBumpa here to broker today's transactions.  All the theme entries are American multi-national corporations involved in various aspects of technology.   Let's see how we can push forward.

Across

1. Chaparral growth: SHRUB.  It is a shrubland plant community found primarily in California, in southern Oregon and in the northern portion of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is shaped by a Mediterranean climate (mild wet winters and hot dry summers) and infrequent, high-intensity crown fires.

6. Place to soak some barking dogs: FOOT SPA.   A bowl for soaking the feet in warm water, especially one in which the feet are massaged by small jets of water.  For "dogs," not canines.

13. Indigenous New Zealanders: MAORIS.   Māori originated with settlers from East Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350. 

15. Underhanded course of action: LOW ROAD.   A behavior or approach that is unscrupulous or immoral.

18. Precious stone: GEM.  A precious or semiprecious stone, especially when cut and polished or engraved.

19. Release, as an album: DROP.  The act of releasing it to the public.

20. Chats online, briefly: IMS.  Instant Messages.

21. Beach bucket: PAIL.  A bucket is usually an open-top container. In contrast, a pail can have a top or lid and is a shipping container. In common usage, the two terms are often used interchangeably.  In this context, a beach bucket is a toy for plying in the sand.

22. "Rumor has it ... ": I HEAR.  Through the grape vine, maybe.

31. Spring flower: IRIS.   A plant with sword-shaped leaves and showy flowers, typically purple, yellow, or white. Native to both Eurasia and North America, it is widely cultivated as an ornamental.

Wikipedia

32. Fish in a swarm: EELS.  Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes, which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage and are usually predators.  They do swarm in deep water

33. Ctrl-__-Del: ALT.  On a personal computer with the Microsoft Windows operating system, Control+Alt+Delete is the combination of the Ctrl key, the Alt key and Del key that a user can press at the same time to terminate an application task or to reboot the operating system.

34. Not 'neath: O'ER.   Over, aka above.

38. "Obvi": DUH.  Said of something that is readily apparent and not at all surprising.

39. Comedian DeLaria: LEA.  Lea DeLaria is an American comedian, actress, and jazz singer. DeLaria is credited with being the first openly gay comic to appear on American television with her 1993 appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show. 

40. Notable times: ERAS.   A long and distinct period of history with a particular feature or characteristic.  Three of our granddaughters attended the Detroit performance of The Eras Tour, the ongoing sixth headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Described by her as a journey through all of her "musical eras", the Eras Tour is a tribute to all of Swift's studio albums so far.  They loved it.

41. Ballet leap: JETE.   A jump in which a dancer springs from one foot to land on the other with one leg extended outward from the body while in the air.

47. Express big feelings, maybe: EMOTE.    Portray emotion in a theatrical manner.

48. Transit option to NYC's Roosevelt Island: TRAM.  A tram is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are called tramways   The Roosevelt Island Tramway provides the most modern aerial tramway in the world, running every 7-15 minutes from 59th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan to Tramway Plaza on Roosevelt Island.  

49. Web access co.: ISP.   Internet Service Provider.

50. "Any minute now": SOON.  Immanent.

51. WNBA honor for A'ja Wilson in 2020 and 2022: MVP.    Most Valuable Player.

59. Item on a laundry list?: TIDE POD.   Water-soluble pouches containing highly concentrated laundry detergent, marketed by Proctor and Gamble under the Tide brand name.

60. Campfire treats: S'MORES.  Toasted marshmallows sandwiched between graham crackers with a chocolate segment.

61. Bounding main: OPEN SEA.   An expanse of sea away from land.

62. Prevent, as disaster: AVERT.  Prevent or ward off an undesirable occurrence

Down:

1. Dark cloud on the horizon?: SMOG.   Air pollution that reduces visibility. The term "smog" was first used in the early 1900s to describe a mix of smoke and fog. The smoke usually came from burning coal. Smog was common in industrial areas, and remains a familiar sight in some cities today.   I don't think this clue is accurate.  Smog occurs much closer than the horizon.

2. Largest lagomorph: HARE.  A lagomorph is a mammal of the order Lagomorpha; a hare, rabbit, or pika.

3. Cover a lot of ground: ROAM.  Move about or travel aimlessly or unsystematically, especially over a wide area.

4. Mantle piece: URN.   A tall, rounded vase with a base, and sometimes a stem, especially one used for storing the ashes of a cremated person.

Ashes to Ashes . . .

5. Circled square on a calendar, maybe: BIG DAY.   A very important or significant day.

6. First three community cards in Texas Hold 'em: FLOP.    The dealing of the first three face-up cards to the board, refers also to those three cards themselves. 

7. Alley-__: OOP.   Used to encourage or draw attention to the performance of some physical, especially acrobatic, feat.

8. Hurt sounds: OWS.  Expressions of pain.

9. Start to cycle?: TRI.  A vehicle similar to a bicycle, but having three wheels, two at the back and one at the front.   This kind of clue makes me gnash my teeth.

10. __ media: SOCIAL.   Websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.

11. Expert who relies on a show of hands: PALM READER.  Typically, this clue refers to a non-verbal method of voting by raising hands.  Here, the PALM READER is one who practices fortune-telling through the study of the palm. Also known as palm reading, chiromancy, chirology or cheirology, the practice is found all over the world, with numerous cultural variations. Clever clue.

12. Citrus drinks: -ADES.   I can't find a specific definition for this suffix on its own.  But these drinks  contain the juice of the fruit mixed with sweetened water.

14. Calligrapher's flourish: SERIF.   A slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter in certain typefaces.

17. Casual top: POLO.   A casual short-sleeved cotton shirt with a collar and several buttons at the neck.

21. "Thx" counterpart: PLS.  Please and thanks, shortened.

22. Fruity frozen treats: ICES.  Very cold -ADES, maybe.

23. "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester: HOLT.  Lester Don Holt Jr. (born March 8, 1959) is an American journalist and news anchor for the weekday edition of NBC Nightly News, NBC Nightly News Kids Edition, and Dateline NBC. On June 18, 2015, Holt was made the permanent anchor of NBC Nightly News following the demotion of Brian Williams.  Holt became the first African-American to solo anchor a weekday network nightly newscast.

24. Pataky of "Fast & Furious" films: ELSA.  Elsa Lafuente Medianu [b 1976] known professionally as Elsa Pataky, is a Spanish model and actress. Pataky is known for her role as Elena Neves in the Fast & Furious franchise. She has appeared in the films Snakes on a Plane, Giallo and Give 'Em Hell, Malone.

Doesn't look furious

25. Garlicky dip: AIOLI.   A cold sauce consisting of an emulsion of garlic and olive oil; it is found in the cuisines of the northwest Mediterranean, from Andalusia to Calabria. 

26. Take a long look in the mirror?: PREEN.   Devote effort to making oneself look attractive and then admire one's appearance.

27. Vessel that may fly the Jolly Roger: PIRATE SHIP.   A sailing vessel used by a person who commits robbery on the seas.  Jolly Roger is a pirate's flag with a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

But is he really happy?

28. Waste reduction strategy: REUSE.   Reuse is the action or practice of using an item, whether for its original purpose or to fulfill a different function. It should be distinguished from recycling, which is the breaking down of used items to make raw materials for the manufacture of new products.

29. Muscle used in a squat, informally: GLUTE.  A muscle of the buttock.

Glutes

30. Broadway icon Merman: ETHEL.   Ethel Merman [1908 - 1984] was an American actress and singer. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, as well as her leading roles in musical theater, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." She performed on Broadway in Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy, and Hello, Dolly! 

35. "Someone didn't get the __": MEMO.  To not know something that everyone else knows: Everybody seems to be wearing green today - I guess I didn't get the memo.

36. Part of Q.E.D.: ERAT.  Latin abbreviation for quod erat demonstrandum: "Which was to be demonstrated." Q.E.D. may appear at the conclusion of a text to signify that the author's overall argument has just been proven.

37. Scandal suffix: GATE.  This originated with Nixon's Watergate scandal, the burglary of the DNC headquarters in the Watergate Office Building.  Now the suffix is recklessly added to any distinctive word associated with a political scandal.

41. Printer problem: JAM.   Paper getting stuck in the printer mechanism.

43. Hold up: IMPEDE.   Deter, delay, obstruct, hinder.

44. Bonding partner: ATOM.  ATOMS are the smallest particles of a chemical element that retain the properties of that element.  Molecules are made up of atoms bonded together.

45. Play things?: PROPS.   Prop is short for 'property' and is any object used in a performance that isn't part of the set or worn by an actor. Props can be anything, from small to large items – a notebook to a fountain.   This is a clever clue.

46. Country that connects the Americas: PANAMA.  Panama is a country on the isthmus linking Central and South America. 

49. Analogy phrase: IS TO.  A is to B as alpha is to beta.   Comparative connector, I suppose.  In a cursory search I'm unable to discover anything else about this usage.

50. Word with bread or cracker: SODA.  These items are made with sodium bicarbonate in the recipe rather than yeast as a leavening agent.

51. Slimy mud: MIRE.  Swampy or boggy ground.

52. Swerve: VEER.   Change direction suddenly.

53. "Over here!" in a library voice: PSST.  A non-vocalized whisper.

55. Ballroom dancer Goodman: LEN.  Leonard Gordon Goodman [1944 - 2023] was an English professional ballroom dancer, dance teacher, and dance competition adjudicator.

56. Vinyl records, briefly: LPS.  Long Playing records.

57. Cedar Rapids campus: COE.   Coe College is a private liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was founded in 1851 and is historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The college is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities.

58. Native American Heritage mo.: NOV.   November.   On August 3, 1990, President of the United States George H. W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, thereafter commonly referred to as Native American Heritage Month. The bill read in part that "The President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities". This landmark bill honoring America's tribal people represented a major step in the establishment of this celebration which began in 1976 when a Cherokee/Osage Indian named Jerry C. Elliott-High Eagle authored Native American Awareness Week legislation the first historical week of recognition in the nation for native peoples. This led to 1986 with then President Ronald Reagan proclaiming November 23–30, 1986, as "American Indian Week"

On that happy note we wrap up today's midweek transactions.  Thanks for keeping me company. Hope you found it to be profitable.

Cool regards!

JzB

Tuesday June 20, 2023 Kathy Lowden

Theme: Rhyming Trio - Each theme entry consists of three words ending with *ALE.

20. Rhyming term for a dead letter?: SNAIL MAIL FAIL.

27. Rhyming description of "Moby-Dick"?: PALE WHALE TALE.

45. Rhyming discount for week-old leafy greens?: STALE KALE SALE.

54. Rhyming hazard for cyclists on shared-use track?: RAIL TRAIL NAIL.

C.C. here. Hahtoolah has been in Texas to take care of a loved one. She'll be back next Tuesday.

Across:

1. Words before a start date: AS OF.

5. "The Sopranos" chef Bucco: ARTIE. Quite a few names for a 15X15 grids: 14. Eric of "Munich": BANA. 16. "The Simpsons" bus driver: OTTO. 23. Rat Pack member __ Davis Jr.: SAMMY. 31. Director Kazan: ELIA. 33. Storyteller __ Christian Andersen: HANS. 61. Baby-voiced red Muppet: ELMO. 63. Supreme Court justice Kagan: ELENA. 8D. "Vera Drake" Oscar nominee Staunton: IMELDA. 21D. Country singer Lovett: LYLE. 52D. Reality TV judge Cowell: SIMON.

10. Pen tips: NIBS.

15. Florida city with a Little Havana neighborhood: MIAMI.

17. Glamping shelter, maybe: YURT. Mongolian-style.

18. Bass staff symbol: F CLEF.

19. Pull: HAUL.

24. Canine checker: DENTIST.

32. Salami choice: GENOA.

 

37. Metric weights: KILOS.

40. Spreadsheet lines: ROWS.

41. Kept __: held off: AT BAY.

43. Fluttered down to a perch, say: ALIT.

50. Took up the challenge: HAD AT IT.

51. "__ luck!": LOTSA.

58. Mosque prayer leader: IMAM.

60. Traffic jam: TIE UP.

62. Sidewalk eatery: CAFE.

64. Detroit NFL player: LION.

65. Founded, as a co.: EST'D.

66. White-water transports: RAFTS.

67. Yin and __: YANG. Cucumbers & watermelons are Yin. Gingers & dates are Yang.

Down:

1. Deep gulf: ABYSS.

2. Steamy setting at a spa: SAUNA.

3. Freeway entrance: ON RAMP.

4. Shrine site in Portugal: FATIMA. Our Lady of Fátima,

5. Radio band toggle: AM FM.

6. Costa __: Nicaragua neighbor: RICA.

7. Anklebones: TALI.

9. Paris tower engineer: EIFFEL. Here's Picard at the Eiffel Tower, 2015.

 

10. Pitcher's dream game: NO-HITTER.

11. Lingua di Roma: ITALIANO. My sister-in-law Connie speaks Italian. She spent 3 years there. She just told me about this sun-dried tomatoes. So good.

12. HVAC meas.: BTU.

13. Pine-__: cleaning brand: SOL.

22. Rare blood type, informally: A NEG.

25. "__ and steady wins the race": SLOW.

26. Assam, Darjeeling, etc.: TEAS. Celebrated the church lady Margaret's 80th birthday last Saturday at the newly opened House of Kirin. Very authentic Cantonese food. Alas, something did not agree with me. Or maybe I talked too long with the waiter whose mom is from Guangzhou. I had sore throat immediately and started coughing on Sunday. Yesterday was bad at the oil change place. Gonna get some Robitussin after I'm done with this post. Important meeting later this morning.

Margaret & C.C., 6/17/2023

28. Large deer: ELK.

29. Nintendo game console: WII.

30. Islamic equivalent of kosher: HALAL. Also 36. Greeted with a respectful bow: SALAAMED.

33. Corned beef concoction: HASH.

34. "__ girl!": ATTA.

35. Selection process for Bucks and Bulls: NBA DRAFT.

38. World Cup cry: OLE.

39. Girl of the fam: SIS.

42. Cooler brand named for a mythical creature: YETI.

44. Like most basketball players: TALL.

46. Off-__: askew: KILTER.

47. Leader of the Huns: ATTILA. Attila the Hun.

48. Needing company: LONELY. I'm so comfortably alone. 

49. List-shortening Latin term: ET ALIA.

53. __ for the ride: ALONG.

55. Coral habitat: REEF.

56. Mom's sister: AUNT.

57. High-ABV beers, typically: IPAS.

58. Freezer cubes: ICE.

59. Some graduate degrees, for short: MAS.

Thank you so much to those who bought my little book and left an Amazon review. I'm so grateful that you took the time and wrote a feedback. This means a ton to me.

C.C.

Monday June 19, 2023 Susan Gelfand

Hello Cornerites! Today is the U.S.'s newest federal holiday, Juneteenth.

sumdaze here. I was happy to see Susan Gelfand's name on today's puzzle. I enjoy her positive puns, witty words, and clever cluing. Today is no exception. We were treated to a fun solve by an exceptional constructor! THUS, our theme is:

Please make an exception-al pun.

Today's puzzle had 4 themers with no reveal. The first and third were right-aligned in the grid while the second and fourth were left-aligned.

Each themed answer is a 2-word phrase such that the first word is a synonym for "exceptional" and the second word is another way of saying the remaining words in the clue. Together, they make up a common phrase.

Let's take a closer look:

18 Across. Exceptional lithograph?: FINE PRINT.  What everyone knows we should always read.

27 Across. Exceptional place to play tennis?: SUPREME COURT. Hmmmm.... what would be more fun, reading about 9 lawyers who constantly 'argue' or listening to Diana Ross' trio?

Click the arrow to watch one of The Supremes' 14 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

44 Across. Exceptional job vacancy?: GRAND OPENING.  Here is the job OPENINGs data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

55 Across. Exceptional plantain?: TOP BANANA.  

The Savannah Bananas are the TOP BANANAs of baseball entertainment.

There are more where those came from:

 

Across:
 

1. Stand-up comic's material: JOKES.  

6. Take down with a wrecking ball: RAZE.  to destroy to the ground; demolish.

Watch this video to see a Tokyo building being taken down in the most polite way possible. (1:29 min.) 

10. Lickety-split: FAST.

14. Similar: ALIKE.

15. Former flames: EXES.  "ashES" was too long.

16. Miscellany: OLIO.  You can select from this list of links on the Crossword Corner.

17. Professional parker: VALET.

20. Toward the stern: AFT.  

21. Therefore: THUS.

23. Mental picture: IMAGE.  "Mental" is superfluous. Rather than helping to narrow things down, sometimes an extra word can be something I trip over.

24. Dab with a tissue: BLOT.  Here is a Rorschach ink BLOT. What do you see?

25. Spread, as cream cheese: SMEARED.  Is it schmear or SMEAR? I am not an authority but I thought this explanation made sense:  

Click to enlarge.

31. Foy of "The Crown": CLAIRE.  CLAIRE's IMDb page

32. Heavenly headwear: HALO.  

33. Chitchat: GAB.

36. __ Spunkmeyer cookies: OTIS.

37. Sprang: LEAPT.

39. Gondolier's stick: POLE.  

Does he look authentic?
He works at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

40. Bundle of bills: WAD.

41. Destitute: POOR.

42. Weather map line: ISOBAR.  a line on a map or chart connecting or marking places of equal barometric pressure.

Those lines have a name???

46. Florida squad that was the first to win two World Series titles as a wild-card team: MARLINS.

FL has two MLB teams: Tampa Bay Rays and Miami MARLINS. So you really just need to count the boxes...but the trivia is interesting.

49. Modeling medium: CLAY.  I'm going with SNL's Mr. Bill on this one. (2:36 min.)

50. Language student's challenge: IDIOM.

Def:  an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements (such as up in the air for "undecided") or in its grammatically atypical use of words (such as give way).

51. Hold on to: KEEP.

52. Abbr. in a high-rise address: APT.  AParTment number

58. Pro sports VIP: OWNER.

60. "Magic __ House": kid-lit series: TREE.  The TREE house is "magic" because it is a time machine that takes the children (Jack & Annie) to significant dates in history where they learn a lesson. These are terrific books for readers aged 6-10. So far there are 63 titles.

61. Plow-pulling team: OXEN.

62. Back in fashion: RETRO.  The past is the future.

63. Strong desires: YENS.  If you save your YEN, you can purchase your desires in Tokyo.

64. Summer shirts: TEES.  

This girl is wearing a RETRO TEE.

65. On edge: TESTY.

Down:
1. Morning cuppa: JAVA.

2. "Frozen" snowman who sings "In Summer": OLAF.  One of my FAVs, Josh Gad, voices OLAF.

3. Bagpiper's wear: KILT.

4. __ out a living: just get by: EKE.

5. Oregon Trail traveler, e.g.: SETTLER.  Between 1846 and 1869, approximately 400,000 settlers, farmers, miners, ranchers, and business entrepreneurs, along with their families, traveled its 2,170 miles from Missouri to the West. source

6. Prove wrong: REFUTE.

7. x or y, on graphs: AXIS.  

You can go 3D by adding the z-AXIS.

8. Extremely chill: ZEN.  I named my town bike ZEN because it is chill and because that was the name of the guy working at the shop where I bought it.

9. Opposite of WNW: ESE.  Nāʻālehu on the ESE side of Hawaii's Big Island is the southernmost community with a U.S. post office (within the 50 States).  

10. Layout: FORMAT.

11. "Are you calling me __?": A LIAR.

12. Burn the tips of: SINGE.

13. Lugged: TOTED.

19. Early Renaissance painter __ della Francesca: PIERO.  né Piero di Benedetto dei Franceschi, (1416-1492)

Piero della Francesca's  serene, disciplined exploration of perspective had little influence on his contemporaries but he came to be recognized in the 20th century as a major contributor to the Italian Renaissance. more info  

portrait of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino (1470-ish)

22. Mortgage, often: HOME LOAN.

24. Jewish ceremony for a newborn son: BRIS.

25. Suds source: SOAP.  We've recently had some conversations on The Corner about the dangers of dropping this on your foot. Perhaps a solution is to use hotel-size bars.

26. __-choice test: MULTIPLE.

27. Flat-bottomed boat: SCOW.

28. "The Possibilities Are Beautiful" cosmetics superstore: ULTA.

29. Picked up the tab: PAID.

30. Swiss __: leafy vegetable: CHARD.  

33. Asian desert: GOBI.  It is the 6th largest desert on Earth. 19 more interesting facts

34. "Succession" actor Ruck: ALAN.  Back in 1986, he was Ferris Bueller's best bud.  

35. Glacier chunk: BERG.  

38. Ages and ages: EONS.

39. Chincoteague horse: PONY.  I have seen these horses on Assateague Island in Virginia. You can read more about them here.

41. Ballerina descriptor: PRIMA.  

Svetlana Zakharova (born 1979 in Lutsk, Ukraine)

She is truly exceptional!

43. City on a harbor: SEAPORT.  Hand up for first trying to make a specific city fit.

44. Spinning classroom spheres: GLOBES.

45. Waters between continents: OCEANS.  You can find these on GLOBES.

46. "The Secret Life of Walter __": MITTY.  Yesterday we had 89D. Walter Mitty creator James: THURBER.

This short story was first published in The New Yorker in 1939. It was made into a movie in 2013 starring Ben Stiller.

47. Cherish: ADORE.

48. Reach peak flavor: RIPEN.  Cherries are finally in season. Yum!

51. Patella's place: KNEE.  a little alliteration

52. Targets of Terro bait traps: ANTS.  

53. Sassy: PERT.

54. Donald Glover's "Community" role: TROY.  

the cast of Community
In case you are wondering, Donald is not related to Danny.

56. Commandment word: NOT.  as in "Thou shalt NOT..."

57. Body spray brand: AXE.  a fav among teenage boys

59. Teeny-tiny: WEE.  PSA to teenage boys:  if you use AXE body spray, you only need a WEE bit.

Grid:

Wishing you all an exceptional day (in a good way)!

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

Our foodie Steve Marron and I made today's USA Today crossword. Click here to solve. It's edited by Amanda Rafkin. Congrats on your USA debut, Steve!

 

Sunday June 18, 2023 ~ Susy Christiansen & Doug Peterson

Human Resources

Happy Father's Day!

Today, Susy & Doug offer a simple theme with "in the language" phrases where the second word of each phrase is a body part.

23a. *Witch's dialect?: WICKED TONGUE.

39a. *Snowman's joint?: COLD SHOULDER.

44a. *Rocket scientist's trap?: SMART MOUTH.

66a. *Baker's digits?: BUTTER FINGERS.

87a. *Gingerbread man's chomper?: SWEET TOOTH.

92a. *Soda jerk's noggin?: FOUNTAIN HEAD. Fountain Head is a book by Ayn Rand.

15d. *Smurf's plasma?: BLUE BLOOD.

77d. *Comic's humerus?: FUNNY BONE.

112a. Nonverbal communication, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues?: BODY LANGUAGE.

Let's see what else we can get our hands on...

Across:
1. Puff up: BLOAT.

6. Brief survey: APERCU. (?) 1: a brief survey or sketch : outline 2: an immediate impression; especially : an intuitive insight.

12. Gestation location: WOMB.

16. Printer spec.: DPI. Dots Per Inch

19. Word of thanks: MERCI. French.

20. Holy scrolls: TORAHS.

21. Former sea in Central Asia: ARAL.

22. Geologic age: EON.

23. [see: theme]

25. French Calvinist of the 16th and 17th centuries: HUGUENOT.

27. Fed. benefits agency: SSA. Social Security Administration.

28. Unfreeze, as a plane's wing: DE-ICE.

29. Avian crop: CRAW.

31. Kid-lit character who says, "It's not much of a tail, but I'm sort of attached to it": EEYORE.
 

EEYORE

32. Jazz drummer Max: ROACH. One of two leading drummers of the bebop era.

33. Slopes headgear: SKI CAP.

35. __ nut chewing: BETEL. Betel nutis the seed of an areca palm that grows in tropical parts of the Pacific, Asia and eastern Africa. It is chewed, usually in combination with other substances like tobacco, and is said to have both stimulant and relaxation effects. (wikiP)

36. Insect appendage: ANTENNA.

39. [see: theme]

41. Chimney residue: SOOT.

42. Organ array: PIPES.

43. Psych 101 topic: EGO.

44. [see: theme]

48. Accepted doctrine: ORTHODOXY.

54. Unfavorable renown: NOTORIETY.

55. Bill of fare: MENU.

57. Messing of "Will & Grace": DEBRA.

58. Breaks a commandment: SINS.

59. "Hamilton" creator: MIRANDA. Lin-Manuel Miranda.

62. Teller of tall tales: LIAR.

63. Umami source, briefly: MSG. Monosodium glutamate.

66. [see: theme]

70. "Danny and the Dinosaur" writer Hoff: SYD.
 

You remember this?

71. "Woe is me!": ALAS.

73. Marine creatures: SEA LIFE.

74. Greek campus group: FRAT.

76. Ariz. neighbor: CALIF. Arizona & California.

78. Smooch: KISS.

79. Sneaker strings: SHOE LACES.

84. Withdraws to safety: EVACUATES.

87. [see: theme]

88. Ultimate degree: NTH.

89. Preadolescent: TWEEN.

91. Actress Skye: IONE.

92. [see: theme]

97. Feline grooming sites: CATSPAS.

100. Outfielder Ramirez who won two World Series with the Red Sox: MANNY.
 

Manny Ramirez

101. Offend: INSULT.

102. Wine grape: PINOT.

103. Game-enhancing toy by Nintendo: AMIIBO. These are little figurines that can interact with video games. WikiP.

105. Traffic blocker?: NARC. Cute.

106. BLT part: BACON. BACON, Lettuce, and Tomato.
 

Yum!

107. Golfer's goal: PAR.

110. Oscar-winning film featuring a bunny named Judy Hopps: ZOOTOPIA.
 

Trailer

112. [see theme]

115. Pressure for payment: DUN.

116. Fit together neatly: NEST.

117. Hammed it up: EMOTED.

118. Crèche figure: ANGEL. Crèche == Nativity Scene.

119. Crèche figure: ASS.

120. Salinger title heroine: ESME.
 

121. L.A. suburb mentioned in Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'": RESEDA. At 0:48
 

Tom Petty

Down:
1. Some autobahn autos: BMWs.

2. Luau wreaths: LEIS.

3. Killer whale: ORCA.

4. "Yikes!": ACK.

5. Secured, in a way: TIED ON. I had TIED up.

6. Aegean region that includes Athens: ATTICA. Attica is an administrative region in Greece.

7. Doggie: POOCH. Pup.

8. Fish-eating bird: ERNE.

9. Dust cloth: RAG.

10. Laugh: CHUCKLE.

11. Login handles: USER IDS.

12. "Sad trombone" sound: WAH WAH. Anyone else listen to Market Place on NPR? When the market is down for the day, Kia will play the "Wah Wah trombones." He got corrected.

13. Christian sch. in Tulsa: ORU. Oral Roberts University.

14. 2023 Kentucky Derby winner: MAGE.
 

Mage breaks out

15. [see: theme]

16. Mean: DENOTE.

17. Not as prosperous: POORER.

18. Recon acquisition: INTEL. Reconnaissance : Intelligence.

24. Official at Oberlin, e.g.: DEAN.

26. Gave the once-over: EYED.

30. Runners in hot weather: Abbr.: ACS. Air Conditioners run when it's hot out.

32. Auxiliary rockets, for short: RETROS.

33. JV player, perhaps: SOPH. Sophomores play Junior Varsity level.

34. Verse writer: POET.

36. Focused gp.: ASSN. Association.

37. 1995 NL Rookie of the Year Hideo: NOMO. Pitcher from Japan.
 

Hideo Nomo

38. Perfectly: TO A T.

39. Map dot: CITY.

40. "That's just nasty": UGH.

42. "To __ it mildly!": PUT.

45. Chi-Town daily, with "the": TRIB. The Chicago Tribune.

46. Calculator button: MINUS.

47. Left, on un mapa: OESTE. Spanish for West.

48. __ annual basis: ON AN.

49. Ladder step: RUNG.

50. Argentine tennis player Juan Martín __ Potro: DEL.
 

Retired February, 2023.

51. Silk ties: OBIS.

52. __ vision: XRAY.

53. Cloth measure: YARD.

55. Annoys a little: MIFFS.

56. Empire State canal: ERIE.

59. Diagnostic pics: MRIS.

60. "Moll Flanders" author: DEFOE. Daniel Defoe (1660 to 1731) also wrote Robinson Crusoe.

61. Stop, in Strasbourg: ARRET. French for "stop."

63. Nutmeg spice: MACE.

64. Balkan native: SLAV.

65. Glitzy gathering: GALA.

67. Make off with: TAKE.

68. New Haven alumni: ELIs. Yale graduates.

69. Tots seasoning: SALT. Tater-tots, not tykes.

72. [Not my mistake]: SIC.

75. Disciple of Laotzu: TAOIST.

77. [see: theme]

79. Scand. nation: SWED.

80. 81-Down resident: HEN.

81. Structure with layers?: COOP. Is it also a co-op in there?

82. Italian rumbler: ETNA.

83. Billy Joel's "__ Got a Way": SHES.
 

Billy Joel

85. NFL stat: ATT. Attempt in football.

86. Asian cuisine with drunken noodles and massaman curry: THAI.

87. Boarding pass information: SEAT.

89. Walter Mitty creator James: THURBER.

90. Greet warmly: WELCOME.

92. Widely known: FAMOUS. There's an Amos that's Famous for cookies.

93. Kitchen bulbs: ONIONS. Cute.

94. Military group: UNIT.

95. Not learned: INNATE.

96. Wiretapping org.: NSA. National Security Agency.

97. Insect that resembles a locust: CICADA.

98. Soon, poetically: ANON.

99. Citizen of a Polynesian archipelago: TONGAN.

100. Miata maker: MAZDA. Zoom, Zoom, Zoom.

102. Grew ashen: PALED.

104. "See how the morning __ her golden gates": Shakespeare: OPES.

106. Mega- or giga- ending: BYTE.

107. Leaf (through): PAGE.

108. On in years: AGED.

109. Depend (on): RELY.

111. Doctrine suffix: ISM.

113. Tijuana pair: DOS. Spanish for two.

114. French article: UNE.

The Grid

WOs: TIED up, SKI hat, sICADA
ESPs: APERCU, SYD, HUGUENOT AMIIBO
Fav: NARC's clue

Hope you all had fun and enjoy the day ahead.

Cheers!, -T