Tuesday, July 25, 2023 Joe Deeney

I've Got My I's on You!  In today's puzzle, each theme word is a two-word phrase where the first word ends in the letter "i" and the next word begins with the letter "i", giving the phrase "i" [eye] contact.

16-Across. Denomination of most of the world's Muslims: SUNNI ISLAM.

25-Across. Spiced cold drink made with sweetened condensed milk: THAI ICED TEA.  How to make Thai Tea: Thai Tea is a strongly black tea that is spiced with star anise, cloves, crushed tamarind, cardamom, or a combination of any of those spices.  It is sweetened with sweetened condensed milk.

37-Across. Pro on the slopes: SKI INSTRUCTOR.

49-Across. Coastal resort town southeast of Naples: AMALFI ITALY.

And the unifier:

60. Nonverbal communication concern, and a phonetic hint to a feature of 16-, 25-, 37-, and 49-Across: EYE CONTACT.

Across:

1. Spelman or Morehouse, for short: HBCU.  HBCU = Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  Historically Black Colleges and Universities are those institutions of higher education that were established before Civil Rights Act of 1964 that were designed to serve African-American students.

5. Fluffy scarves: BOAS.

9. "Surely, you __!": JEST.

13. List-ending abbr.: ET AL.  Today's Latin lesson and crossword staple.  Et al. is an abbreviation of the Latin term et alia, which translates as and others.  Note that in the term, Et is a word in and of itself, thus there is no period after this word, only Al, which is the abbreviated word.

14. Texter's "What's up?": HOW R U.

15. Black-and-white cookie: OREO.  A crossword staple.

These are the REAL Black and White cookies.

18. Genesis twin: ESAU.  Jacob and Esau make frequent appearances in the puzzles.  They were the sons of Isaac and Rebecca.  [Name # 1.]

19. Zesty flavor: TANG.  Also the Orange drink made from a powder, as we learned from yesterday.  It was made famous as being the drink of astronauts.

20. Saloon: BAR.  //  And 58-Across. Brewpub options: ALES.

22. "GMA" TV network: ABC.  GMA = Good Morning America.

23. Teacup pig, e.g.: PET.  Everything you wanted to know about a Teacup Pig but didn't know to ask.

29. "Dracula" novelist Stoker: BRAM.  Bram Stoker (né Abraham Stoker; Nov. 8, 1847 ~ Apr. 20, 1912) was an Irish writer who never even set foot in Transylvania, the home of Dracula.  [Name # 2.]

Dracula's Castle in Romania.

31. Doc intended to protect confidentiality: NDA.  NDA = Non-Disclosure Agreement.

32. Eggs purchase: DOZEN.  Eggs were rather expensive earlier this year.

33. Spicy pizza topping: JALAPENO.  Not my first choice as a topping.

36. Clumsy oaf: LUG.

41. __-mo replay: SLO.

42. Host, as guests: HAVE OVER.

44. Divided Asian peninsula: KOREA.

47. Nape tickler: TAG.  Cute clue.  Lots of shirts now print their label on the cloth instead of attaching a tag.

48. Sharp cry: YELP.

53. __ de plume: NOM.  Today's French lesson.  Also known as a pen name.

54. TiVo button: REC.  TiVo is (was?) a video recorder with a Record button.

55. Normal: Abbr.: STD.  As in Standard.

56. "Silly me!": OOPS!

65. U. of Maryland athlete: TERP.

Looks mean.

66. Disney warrior played by Liu Yifei: MULAN.  The movie Mulan is about a young girl who disguises herself as a man who takes the place of her elderly and ailing father who had been conscripted into the army.  Liu Yifei (née An Feng; b. Aug. 25, 1987) portrayed Mulan in the 2020 film version.   [Name # 3.]

67. Some: A FEW.

68. Online artisan marketplace: ETSY.  Etsy is an e-commerce company that specializes in handmade or vintage items.

69. Dalmatian mark: SPOT.

70. Actress Ward: SELA.  Sela Ward (née Sela Ann Ward; b. July 11, 1956) is probably best known for her role as Theodora "Teddy" Reed on the television drama Sisters.  The show ran in the 1990s.  [Name # 4.]

Sela Ward is in the lower right corner.

Down:

1. "__ So Shy": HE'S.  And now for a musical interlude.

2. AC meas.: BTU.  BTU = British Thermal Unit.  From the US Energy Information Administration webpage: "A British Thermal Unit is a measure of the heat content of fuels or energy sources. One Btu is the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of liquid water by 1° Fahrenheit (F) at the temperature that water has its greatest density (approximately 39° F)."  Perfectly clear, right?

3. "No time to chat!": CAN'T TALK.

4. Forearm bone: ULNA.

5. Fenway team: Abbr.: BOS.  As in the Boston Red Sox.  Years ago, I lived just a few blocks from Fenway.  That was back in the day when bleacher seats were only $3.

6. Duo, the Duolingo mascot, for one: OWL.  I wasn't familiar with Duolingo, but the perps helped finding the Owl.  Apparently, Doulingo is an app designed to help you learn another language.  Cute little owl.

7. Saudi __: ARABIA.  Another country on a peninsula.

8. Poison shrub: SUMAC.  Everything you wanted to know about the poison sumac bush but didn't know to ask.

9. Actor Pesci: JOE.  Although Joe Pesci (né Joseph Frank Pesci; b. Feb. 9, 1943) has been in many films, he is often cited in the puzzles for his role as Vinny Gambini in My Cousin Vinny.  [Name # 5.]

10. Not genuine: ERSATZ.  Derived from old German meaning replacement.

11. "We build, we fight" military member: SEABEE.

12. Big-billed bird: TOUCAN.  Toucan Sam is the mascot for Froot Loops.

14. Low's opposite: HIGH.

17. Loan payment pt.: INT.  As in Interest.

21. Decrease: REDUCE.

23. Kid-friendly sandwich, informally: PBJ.  As in A Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich.  Yummers!  I still like a PB&J sandwich every now and then.

24. History chapters: ERAs.

26. Actresses Sothern and Jillian: ANNS.  Only one of the Ann's was always an Ann.  Ann Sothern (née Harriette Arlene Lake; Jan. 22, 1909 ~ Mar. 15, 2001) starred in numerous films in the 1930s.  Ann Jillian (née Ann Jura Nausea; b. Jan. 29, 1950) was a television star in the 1980s.  [Names # 6 and 7.]

Ann Sothern

Ann Jillian

27. "Very relatable": I DO THAT.

28. Nylabone, e.g.: DOG TOY.  I don't have dogs, so am not familiar with the manufacturer of these toys.  But are they safe for dogs?

30. "The Marvelous Mrs. __": MAISEL.  The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a comedy-drama television series set in the 1950s.  It got rave reviews.  [Name # 8]

34. Rice dishes: PILAFs.  Yummers!

35. Experimental musician Brian: ENO.  Brian Eno (né Brian Peter George Eno; b. May 15, 1948) makes so many guest appearances in the puzzles that he must have a permanent home here.   [Name # 9.]  //  Not to be confused with 61-Down. Jeff Lynne's band, informally: ELO.  Jeffrey Lynn (b. Dec. 30, 1947) is also an English musician who co-founded the band Electric Light Orchestra, affectionally known as ELO.  [Name # 10]

Brian Eno, then and now.

36. Hon: LUV.

38. Music featuring sitars: RAGA.

39. Like Pyrex: OVEN SAFE.  Everything you wanted to know about Pyrex but didn't know to ask.

40. Work-related move, for short: RE-LO.  As in Re-Locate.

43. LP's 33 1/3: RPM.  RPM = Revolutions Per Minute.

44. Discipline taught by a sensei: KARATE.

45. Filled and folded brunch order: OMELET.  Yummers!

46. Indy 500 entrants: RACERS.

47. Prepare for company, in a way: TIDY UP.

50. Things: ITEMS.

51. Minnesota's state bird: LOON.  Hi, C.C.!  Other Minnesota State Symbols.  Louisiana and Minnesota share the same state beverage.

52. Hither and __: YON.

57. School support orgs.: PTAs.  PTA = Parent Teacher Association.

59. Undercover agent: SPY.

62. Feline: CAT.

63. Cartoon frame: CEL.  A crossword staple.

64. Defunct airline: TWA.  My first plane trip was on a TransWorld Airline flight.  The company was founded in July 1930 and ceased to exist in December 2001.  You can visit the TWA Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday July 24, 2023 MaryEllen Uthlaut

  

Hello Cornerites!

Today's theme is                 Ziploc-ed!

Constructor MaryEllen Uthlaut has locked in a fun take on the expression, ZIP IT!

Dr. Evil can elaborate...  

Austin Powers:  The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

starring Mike Meyers as Dr. Evil (50 sec.)

The four themers are all items that can have ZIPpers:

18 Across. Change holder: COIN PURSE.

25 Across. Decorative sham, for one: PILLOW COVER.

43 Across. Camper's bedding: SLEEPING BAG.

57 Across. Outerwear for hitting the slopes: SKI JACKET.

They are ZIP-tied together by the reveal:

59 Across. "Pipe down!," and an instruction for 18-, 25-, 43-, and 57-Across: ZIP IT.

The Smithsonian website has an article entitled, The Up and Down History of the Zipper. It credits Elias Howe with inventing the zipper in 1851. The zipper's next big milestone was its debut at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair as a "clasp locker". Gideon Sundback developed our modern version of the zipper in 1913. He called it a "separate fastener" and filed a patent in 1917. The B.F. Goodrich company gets the credit for calling it a "zipper" on their boots and tobacco pouches. French designers did not find a use for zippers in their garment designs until the late 1930s. In 2017, Talon International (a zipper supplier) unveiled a 3.1 mile (~5 km.) long, world record zipper as part of L.A.'s Fashion Week. National Zipper Day is on April 29.

Shall we ZIP ahead to the rest of the clues?

Across:
1. Double-deckers in checkers: KINGS. Great start!

6. RPM gauge: TACH. A TACHometer measures the Rotations Per Minute of a moving object.

10. Brand name on some blue jeans: GAP.  GAP Jeans website

Seinfeld "So, do you wanna go to the GAP?"

13. Be very fond of: ADORE.

14. Bit of fish tank gunk: ALGA.  ALGA is singular. ALGAE is plural.

Def. (noun): a simple, nonflowering, and typically aquatic plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms. Algae contain chlorophyll but lack true stems, roots, leaves, and vascular tissue.

15. "I hope you saved __ for dessert!": ROOM. 

Japanese people have a similar expression, which I like and have adopted. The word betsubara (別腹), composed of betsu (separate) and bara (stomach), literally says that your body has a second stomach for sweets. This way, you can be full from dinner but still have ROOM for dessert!

17. Any "Breaking Bad" episode, now: RERUN.  Breaking Bad originally aired from 2008 to 2013, so if you are watching an episode now, you are watching a RERUN.

20. Scold harshly: LAMBASTE.  Also, a marinade brand from New Zealand. 😜

22. More preposterous: DAFTER.  "DAFT" is a Briticism that means "silly" or "foolish".

23. Mai __: tropical cocktail: TAI.  A Mai TAI at Duke's Barefoot Bar on Waikiki Beach will run you $16 + tip.

24. Cost to travel by plane: AIR FARE.  

30. More dangerous for winter driving: ICIER.

31. Hi-__ monitor: RES.

32. Cry of disbelief: WHAT.  

36. Easy throw: TOSS.  Hand up for not being able to catch a set of keys when someone TOSSes them directly at me.

37. No longer together: APART.  According to this Jack Johnson song, we're Better Together (2005).  

39. Queen of Mount Olympus: HERA.  HERA was the goddess of women, marriage, and childbirth. The Romans called her Juno. She was Zeus' sister and wife. Together they reined on Mt. Olympus.  

Juno-Hera Campana (Lourve, Paris) more details

40. Tunneling insects with two sets of jaws: ANTS.  I like clues that add knowledge. "Tunneling insects, four letters...we know it's ANTS but now we also know they have two sets of jaws. The outer pair is used for carrying objects such as food and for digging. The inner pair is used for chewing. Both pairs seem to love my dog's food.

41. Switched on: LIT.  This works if they are both adjectives or verbs.

42. Warning wail: SIREN.  

46. Transgression: MISDEED.  an act that is criminal or bad

50. Mined matter: ORE.  

51. National Guard building: ARMORY.  

I visited he DC Armory to pick up my race packet when it used to be the location for the Marine Corps Marathon Expo. It is huge! This Joint Force Headquarters of both the Air and Army National Guard was built in 1941. It was designed by noted New York architect Electus D. Litchfield. Today the building serves as a sports and entertainment complex. more 

52. Friendly store employees by the front door: GREETERS.  Lately (post-COVID) I have noticed that employees say, "Welcome in," when I enter a store. They say it at my gym, too. It seems to be the younger employees saying it.  Has anyone else noticed this? At first it sounded odd but I am getting used to it.

60. High-fat, low-carb diet: KETO.  This is what the Nutrition Diva said about the KETO diet.

61. First-rate: A-ONE.  

Due to his impressive lead, it is pretty safe for me to say today (Friday) that A-ONE cyclist
Jonas Vingegaard won the 2023 Tour de France yesterday (Sunday).

62. Writer Jong: ERICA.  her website

63. __ Plaines, Illinois: DES.  Mo Willems was born Feb. 11, 1968 in DES Plaines. He is a prolific author and illustrator of children's books. He became a favorite after publishing Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! in 2003. My local library has a whole shelf dedicated to his books.  

64. Wedding cake layer: TIER.  This cake has four ... um ... make that two tiers.

65. Hunter's plastic duck, e.g.: DECOY.  

Down:
1. Auto pioneer Benz: KARL.  I wonder why the Mercedes-Benz website spells his name with a "C".

2. "I had no __!": IDEA.  This is quite often the case.

3. Standard: NORM.  

4. Pub __: casual fare: GRUB.  I heard on the Good Job, Brain! podcast (the source of most of my trivia knowledge) that the microwave can be credited for 'elevating' pub GRUB from a bowl of nuts to mozzarella sticks.

5. Elizabeth Warren, for one: SENATOR.  She was first elected as a U.S. SENATOR from Massachusetts on Nov. 6, 2012.

6. Element of a battle plan: TACTIC.  Also, a mint marketed toward dyslexics.  😜

7. Spiky succulent: ALOE.  Here is an idea for making ALOE vera ice cubes to help soothe sunburns.  

8. Movie SFX: CGI.  Special FX (effects) are often created by Computer-Generated Imagery.

9. Most easily reached: HANDIEST.

10. Brusque: GRUFF.

11. Primary artery: AORTA.

12. Puzzling problem: POSER.

16. __ mortals: MERE.  MERE mortals are ordinary human beings -- not gods. The term is often used tongue in cheek.  

for Better Call Saul fans

19. "The Incredibles" family name: PARR.  We've had this a few times but, being the MERE mortal that I am, I keep forgetting it.

Holly Hunter voices the mom.

21. Carpentry tool with teeth: SAW.

24. Declare with confidence: AVER.  I looked up the difference between AVER and avow. This is what I learned:

To aver is to affirm and to avow is to openly declare. There's some overlap with these words because when people want to aver something — state a truth — they probably also want to avow it — say it publicly. So remember, to aver is to verify, and to avow is to tell the whole world.

25. Falafel wrapper: PITA.  

Yes, please!

26. Object of devotion: ICON.

27. Lean to one side: LIST.  This definition is more often used when talking about a boat or a ship.

28. Justin Bieber's "One __ Lonely Girl": LESS.  unfamiliar but easily sussed

29. Deliver an impassioned speech: ORATE.

32. Political party founded by Henry Clay in the 1830s: WHIG.  History.com link

33. Sage, e.g.: HERB.  Did anyone first think of "sage" as an adjective (wise through reflection or experience)?  

34. Region: AREA.

35. Orange drink made from a powder: TANG.  Have you every tried Hot TANG, made with boiling water?

37. Street-smart stray: ALLEY CAT.  

Disney's Aristocats (1970) "Thomas O'Malley Cat"

featuring Phil Harris and Eva Gabor

38. Spotted with color: PIED.  When I Googled images for PIED, it gave me a lot of pictures of unattractive feet. I do not recommend you try it. #HazzardsOfTheJob

42. Reacted to pollen, say: SNEEZED.

43. Blood bank fluids: SERA.  Today I learned that "SERA" is the plural of "serum".

44. "Kinky Boots" Tony winner Billy: PORTER.  Here he reflects on playing the role of Lola.  

45. Fury: IRE.  and  47 Down. Quite irritated: IRKED.

46. Catcher's protection: MASK.  

Buster Posey spent his entire 12-year MLB career with the SF Giants.

48. Strike, quaintly: SMITE.

49. Feuding schools on "Cobra Kai": DOJOS.  Cobra Kai is a TV series sequel to The Karate Kid. In June they announced that next season (its 6th season) will be its last.

52. Gift from one's parents?: GENE.  cute

53. One of three on a tricycle: TIRE.

54. Long heroic tale: EPIC.

55. Puerto __: RICO.

I took this photo of a Tree Fern in Puerto RICO's El Yunque National Forest.
It is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S.'s national forest system.

56. "Don't leave": STAY.  

58. Colorful pond fish: KOI.

Today's Zen moment.

Here's the grid:

That's all for today. I'm headed out now to take a ZIP drive. Have a good week!

Sunday July 23, 2023 Enrique Henestroza Anguiano

(No write-up today. Internet issue. If you have any questions, please ask in the Comments section).

 

Theme: "Moving Parts" - Anagrams of CAMEO are hidden inside each theme entry.

27. *Contact the Better Business Bureau, say: LODGE A COMPLAINT.

36. *"We're glad you joined the team!": WELCOME ABOARD.

49. *Summer treat: ICE CREAM CONE.

65. *Request at some stage shows: NO CAMERAS PLEASE.

86. *Some home entertainment systems: GAME CONSOLES.

95. *Indoor roller coaster at Disney Parks: SPACE MOUNTAIN.

Reveal:

110. Small film role, and a feature of the answer to each starred clue?: CAMEO APPEARANCE.

Across:

1. Dry-eyes solution: SALINE.

7. Up to the task: ABLE.

11. Brain wave: IDEA.

15. Guerrero greeting: HOLA.

19. TV spots: PROMOS.

20. Ukrainian, e.g.: SLAV.

21. __ Rangoon: seafood-filled appetizer: CRAB.

22. Taxing load: ONUS.

23. Straying: ERRANT.

24. Sleeveless top, briefly: CAMI.

25. Angry goose noise: HISS.

26. __ performance: PEAK.

30. Boyfriends: BEAUS.

31. Too cute: TWEE.

32. Tater bite: TOT.

33. Sausage ingredient: PORK.

34. Staff at sea: MAST.

35. In medias __: RES.

41. Prefer: FAVOR.

45. Subarctic forest: TAIGA.

47. "The Celts" singer from Ireland: ENYA.

48. __-dye: TIE.

52. Ornamental molding: CORNICE.

54. Painter Magritte: RENE.

55. Actor Estrada: ERIK.

56. Plane tracker: RADAR.

59. During: AMID.

60. Spanish state: ESTADO.

62. Krill consumers: WHALES.

64. Fateful signs: OMENS.

70. "Washington Journal" channel: C-SPAN.

73. Remote button with "+" and "-": VOLUME.

74. Work clumsily (through): MUDDLE.

78. Baseball family name: ALOU.

79. Attach, as a button: SEW ON.

80. Subway price: FARE.

83. Subway line: RAIL.

84. Bureaucratic holdup: RED TAPE.

90. NYE month: DEC.

91. "In so __ words": MANY.

93. "Not exactly": SORTA.

94. Weigh in: OPINE.

99. Upcycling initials: DIY.

101. Phoenix NBA team: SUNS.

102. First-time Fortnite player, e.g.: NOOB.

103. Confession confession: SIN.

104. Pancake shape: DISK.

108. "¿Cómo está __?": USTED.

114. Zoomed: SPED.

115. Ceremonial Maori dance: HAKA.

116. ESPNU topic: NCAA.

117. Business-speak: JARGON.

118. Earthy hue: ECRU.

119. Zealous: AVID.

120. Diamond authorities: UMPS.

121. From time immemorial: AGE-OLD.

122. Hoarse tone: RASP.

123. Clothing lines: HEMS.

124. Clothing line: SEAM.

125. Unmissable tourist experience, say: MUST DO.

Down:

1. Dinkel wheat: SPELT.

2. Shape on some road signs: ARROW.

3. "Your Silence Will Not Protect You" poet/activist Audre: LORDE.

4. Visual: IMAGE.

5. __ of the above: NONE.

6. Gosford Park, e.g.: ESTATE.

7. Broad tie: ASCOT.

8. Sound of a prank cigar: BLAM.

9. Genie's confines: LAMP.

10. Scheme cooked up by a film villain: EVIL PLAN.

11. Suzuki who racked up an MLB record 262 hits in a single season: ICHIRO.

12. Wonderland message: DRINK ME.

13. Down __: Maine nickname: EAST.

14. Situp muscles: ABS.

15. "Counting on it!": HOPE SO.

16. "Wait your turn": ONE AT A TIME.

17. Party named for taro leaves: LUAU.

18. Invites (out): ASKS.

28. Share top billing: COSTAR.

29. Rep. from the Bronx: AOC.

30. Crown-wearing literary elephant: BABAR.

34. City boss: MAYOR.

35. 2022 film with the Oscar-winning song "Naatu Naatu": RRR.

36. Trimmable candle part: WICK.

37. Psyche element: EGO.

38. Box up: ENCASE.

39. Toxin found in castor beans: RICIN.

40. Accomplishments: DEEDS.

41. Campsite warmer: FIRE.

42. Air Force heroes: ACES.

43. Dryer outlet: VENT.

44. Undersea explorer: OCEANAUT.

46. "__ glad to see you!": AMI.

50. Workers' rights org.: EEOC.

51. Dry-__ board: ERASE.

53. Casually mention a famous friend, say: NAME-DROP.

57. Zugspitze, e.g.: ALP.

58. "Traffic" actor Benicio __ Toro: DEL.

61. Actor Cheadle: DON.

62. Twisted dry: WRUNG.

63. Cordon bleu meat: HAM.

64. Stillwater sch.: OSU.

66. Eczema treatment brand: AVEENO.

67. Do a yard chore: MOW.

68. Chess rating system: ELO.

69. "I can relate!": AMEN.

70. Requests identification: CARDS.

71. Shut-eye: SLEEP.

72. The "Only Murders in the Building" protagonists, e.g.: PODCASTERS.

75. Surrealist painter with a book about his mustache: DALI.

76. Property claim: LIEN.

77. "Above all __ ... ": ELSE.

79. Sends email destined for the trash: SPAMS.

80. Bracken, for one: FERN.

81. Play part or play a part: ACT.

82. Tour technician: ROADIE.

85. Adjust, as a law: AMEND.

87. "On top of that ... ": AS A BONUS.

88. "Little ol' me?": MOI.

89. __ sauce: SOY.

92. South Korean figure skater who won a gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics: YUNA KIM.

96. Ready to play: CUED UP.

97. Peripatetic folks: NOMADS.

98. __ the line: TOE.

100. Really stuck: IN A JAM.

103. Twitch: SPASM.

104. Has the nerve: DARES.

105. Metal bar: INGOT.

106. Tell off: SCOLD.

107. Martial art with bamboo swords: KENDO.

108. Apple consumer?: USER.

109. Pet re-homing org.: SPCA.

110. Spelunking site: CAVE.

111. Tiptop: ACME.

112. "__ Loves Mambo": PAPA.

113. Prego competitor: RAGU.

115. "Yeah, I bet!": HAH.