Tuesday, October 10, 2023 Brian Callahan

Not Ready for Prime Time.  The first word in each theme answer is an Ordinal, not a Prime number.

16-Across. Junior: THIRD YEAR.

22-Across. Age of Attila's reign: FIFTH CENTURY.  Attila the Hun lived sometime around 400 to 450 CE.  [Name # 1.]

34-Across. Like some Adventist Protestants: SEVENTH DAY.

48-Across. Almost too late: ELEVENTH HOUR.

And the clue and answer that ties the puzzle together:

58-Across. Popular television programming block, and an apt title for this puzzle: PRIME TIME.  Prime Time for television watching is considered to be between 8:00 to 11:00 pm Eastern and Pacific Time / 7:00 to 10:00 Central/Mountain Time.  Note, too, as Inanehiker pointed out, that the second word in each theme answer relates to Time.

A Prime Number is whole number greater than 1 that cannot be exactly divided by any whole number other than itself and 1.  Three, Five, Seven and Eleven are all Prime Numbers.  The numbers in each theme answer are actually Ordinal Numbers, not Prime Numbers. Ordinal numbers indicate the position of something.  Thus, the unifier technically incorrect, although the base of the ordinal number are prime numbers.

Across:

1. Chess piece that's often the first to be played: PAWN.

5. [I'm shocked!]: GASP.

9. "I'm Every Woman" singer Chaka __: KHAN.  Chaka Khan (née Yvette Marie Stevens; b. Mar. 23, 1953) is known as the Queen of Funk.  [Name # 2.]

13. Gobi locale: ASIA.  The Gobi Desert is the Fifth (a prime ordinal number) desert in the world.  It is located in northern China and southern Mongolia. It's known for its dunes, mountains and rare animals such as snow leopards and Bactrian camels.  In the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, the Khongoryn Els sand dunes are said to sing when the wind blows. The park also features the deep ice field of Yolyn Am canyon.  Dinosaur fossils have been found at the red "Flaming Cliffs" of Bayanzag.

14. "__ girl!": ATTA.

15. Sweet sandwich: S'MORE.  Common dessert around Girl Scout campfires.

18. "No kidding!": THAT SO?

19. Black and blue, say: BICOLOR.  Strange clue and answer.

Black and Blue watch face

20. Top: SHIRT.

21. Stomach: GUT.

26. Question that introduces doubt: OR IS IT?

28. Writers McEwan and Fleming: IANs.  Both of the Ians are British novelists.  Ian McEwan (né Ian Russell McEwan; b. June 12, 1948) is probably best known for his 2001 novel Atonement.  I read it, but have no desire to read any of his other books.  Ian Fleming (né Ian Lancaster Fleming; b. May 28, 1908 ~ Aug. 12, 1964) is best known for being the creator of James Bond, but he also wrote the children's book Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang.  [Names # 3 and 4.]

29. Pollen gatherer: BEE.

30. Bagless vacuum pioneer: DYSON.  The Dyson vacuum cleaner was invented by, and named after, Sir James Dyson (b. May 2, 1947).  [Name # 5.]

31. Japanese box lunch: BENTO.  Yummers!

33. Warning with a URL: NSFW.  Not Suitable For Work appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.

37. Ticklish Muppet: ELMO.  This puppet is a character on Sesame Street.  [Name # 6, fictional.]

40. Came to light: AROSE.

41. Changes direction: VEERS.

45. Campground inits.: KOA.  KOA = Kampgrounds Of America.

46. Mashed avocado, for short: GUAC.  Yummers!  Hubby makes the best Guacamole.

47. Litter box user: PET CAT.

52. Lucy of "Charlie's Angels": LIU.  Lucy Alexis Liu (b. Dec. 2, 1968) also starred in the television show Elementary.  [Name # 7.]

53. Squander: WASTE.

54. Fingertip-to-fingertip measurement: ARM SPAN.

56. Chooses: ELECTS.

60. Mojave landforms: MESAs.  Do you know the difference between a Plateau and a Mesa?

61. Fencing sword: ÉPÉE.  A crossword staple.

62. North __ Sea: lake fed by the Syr Darya river: ARAL.

63. Like a cereal bar: OATY.

64. Opinion sampling: POLL.

65. Govt.-issued IDs: SSNs.  As in Social Security Numbers.

Down:

1. Gentle touch: PAT.

2. San Francisco street crossing Haight: ASHBURY.  The Haight-Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco was the home of the 1960s counterculture movement.

3. Arm pain from playing too much Nintendo: WIIITIS.  Wiiitis an actual medical condition and is the subject of several medical journals!

4. DEA agent: NARC.

5. Bookstore section with Jeanette Winterson and Andrew Sean Greer: GAY LIT.  Jeanette Winterson (b. Jan. 21, 1960) is a British novelist and Andrew Sean Greer (b. Nov. 21, 1970) is an American novelist.  [Names # 8 and 9.]

6. Tasted, quaintly: ATE OF.

7. Get-go: START.

8. Average: PAR.

9. Target rival: K-MART.  I hardly thing that K-Mart is a serious rival of Target.  According to an April 2022 article in Forbes, there were only 3 K-Marts in operation.  [Name adjacent.]

10. Jacuzzis: HOT TUBS.

11. Talk Like a Pirate Day sounds: ARs.  Talk Like a Pirate Day was exactly 2 weeks ago, on September 19.

12. New prefix: NEO-.

15. Lower legs: SHINS.

17. Get by: DO FINE.

18. Official approval: THE NOD.

20. Rip into: SCATHE.

21. Mars, for one: GOD.  Roman mythology.

23. Clues: HINTS.

24. One who makes sure fighting between the Sharks and the Jets doesn't get out of hand?: REF.  Not a reference to West Side Story, but a reference to the two professional National Hockey League teams ~ the San Jose Sharks and the Winnipeg Jets.

25. Archery wood: YEW.

27. Average: SO-SO.

31. Rip into: BERATE.

32. Cain's oldest son: ENOCH.  A Biblical reference.  You can read about him in Genesis 4:17-18.  After that, he pretty much disappears.  [Name # 10.]

33. Russian "no": NYET.

35. Crows about: VAUNTS.  Not a Tuesday word.

36. Disinclined (to): AVERSE.

37. __ out a living: EKE.

38. "ur soooo funny!": LOL.  Textspeak for Laughing Out Loud.

39. "I'm No Angel" star: MAE WEST.  Mae West (née Mary Jane West; Aug. 17, 1893 ~ Nov. 22, 1980) was known for her bawdy double entendres.  The video is a little hard to understand, but it has one of Mae's signature lines.  [Name # 11.]

42. Oblong pastries: ECLAIRS.  Yummers!

43. 1988 Best Picture: RAIN MAN.  This movie starred Dustin Hoffman (né Dustin Lee Hoffman; b. Auug. 8, 1937) as Raymond "Rain Man" Babbitt and Tom Cruise (né Thomas Cruise Mapother, IV; b. July 3, 1962) as his younger brother, Charlie Babbitt.

44. "The Simpsons" disco guy: STU.  [Name # 12, fictional.]

46. Knight's tales: GESTS.  Probably the most famous gest is the La Chanson de Roland, or Song of Roland, and epic poem written sometime between 1040 and 1115.

47. Wallop: PUMMEL.

49. Brief holiday?: VACAY.

50. Silent Marx brother: HARPO.  Harpo Marx (né Adolph Marx; Nov. 23, 1888 ~ Sept. 28, 1964) was the second oldest of the five Marx Brothers.  Although his given name was Adolph, he changed it to Arthur around 1911.  [Name # 13.]

51. Bay window: ORIEL.

55. Education advocacy gps.: PTAs.  The Parent Teacher Associations have become a crossword staple.

56. Punk subgenre: EMO.  Everything you wanted to know about EMO music but didn't know to ask.

57. Grassy expanse: LEA.

58. High spirits: PEP.

59. High trains: ELs.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday October 9, 2023 Amanda Cook and Katie Hale

  

Hello Cornerites!

Theme:  

Today, constructors Amanda Cook and Katie Hale are taking us through the steps to grow a garden. Although it might feel a bit late in the year for this activity, some of us are lucky enough to be able to plant Fall veggies while the soil is still warm. I like to sow lettuce and cilantro seeds in late September to harvest before the new year. Here are planting suggestions for a variety of climates:

12 Best Vegetables and Flowers to Plant in October

Our puzzle has five, themed clues such that all have answers ending in a plant term; however, the full answers are not garden-related. Even though I consider myself to have a green thumb, the full answers were not always at my fingertips. I had to use the theme to fill in the ends then reason out the beginnings. Case in point, 17A.

17 Across. Potential March Madness bracket buster: SIXTEEN SEED.  In basketball (as well as several other sports), a team's SEED is its initial ranking going into a tournament. SEEDs are used to determine the first-round matchups of the tournament and to place the teams in the tournament bracket. A "bracket buster" is a team that upsets a highly-ranked opponent in a tournament, ruining fans' bracket predictions.  I drew red ovals around the SIXTEEN spots on this schedule: 

Please direct any comments/questions to the Cornerites who follow this sport.

25 Across. Hair coloring technique with an ombre effect: SHADOW ROOT.  

See how her ROOTs are darker (SHADOWy) but they blend in,
as opposed to just looking like her dye job grew out?

37 Across. Mind-body connector: BRAINSTEM.  This is the structure that connects the cerebrum (higher functions) of the brain to the spinal cord (brain/body message conduit) and cerebellum (mainly controls muscles).  

51 Across. Electrifying industrial facility: POWERPLANT.  

60 Across. "Black Hole Sun" grunge band: SOUNDGARDEN.  SOUNDGARDEN was an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. The group broke up in 1997 then got back together in 2010. Sadly, Cornell committed suicided in 2017 when he was 52 years old. Here is the song from the clue:

Note:  The official video is creepy. If you are into that, you can watch it here.

Instead, I am embedding a lyrics video. As far as the lyrics go, Chris Cornell has been quoted as saying, "Lyrically it's probably the closest to me just playing with words for words' sake, of anything I've written. I guess it worked for a lot of people who hear it, but I have no idea how you'd begin to take that one literally."

We cruciverbalists enjoy 'playing with words', too!

No reveal was needed today. I like how the plant words progress in the same order they do when growing. We begin with a SEED. It first grows a ROOT then a STEM and, before you know it, leaves emerge on your PLANT. When you group several plants together, you have a GARDEN. Let's take a look at the grid and compare it to a seed germination diagram.

And now on to the remaining 73 clues:

Across:
1. Physical effort: LABOR. a requirement for gardening

6. Girl Scout sash addition: BADGE.  In case you are interested:  Early Girl Scouting and New GS BADGEs for 2023

11. Flamenco cry: OLÉ.  

The word "flamingo" comes from the Latin and Spanish word "flamenco", which means "fire".

14. Unaccompanied: ALONE.  This made me think of the 1990 movie, Home Alone. Here is a Google ad (and its filming) starring Macaulay Culkin made in 2018.  (2:19 min.)

15. Road one-eighty: U-TURN.  utilitarian unabridged U_TURN underpinnings

16. "Industry Baby" rapper Lil __ X: NAS.  "NAS" is my go-to for any "rapper" clue.

19. Egyptian viper: ASP.  A viper is a poisonous snake. I took this viper's picture in Borneo. The image is fuzzy because I did not want to get close! You can click on the pic to enlarge it.

20. Comfort: SOLACE.  

21. Rowboat pair: OARS.  

23. Pilates surface: MAT.

29. "Gossip Girl" steps location: THE MET.  unknown but suss-able

Gossip Girl is a TV show (CW network 2007-2012), based on a novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar, about privileged teens living on the Upper East Side. The METropolitan Museum of Art was a frequent hangout spot.

32. Cooks (up), as grub: RUSTLES.  

"slimy and satisfying"

Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa teach Simba how to RUSTLE up some grub.

The Lion King (1994)

33. Gaseous water: VAPOR.  refers to a gas-phase material that normally exists as a liquid or solid under a given set of conditions, e.g., temperature

34. Flying formations: VEES.  The geese where I live make a lot of noise while flying. This article explains what all the honking is about.

36. "Frozen" princess: ELSA.  It is easy to get her confused with her younger sister Anna. Both were princesses before becoming queens. Plus, there is the 4-letter-ends-with-"A" aspect....

40. Against: ANTI.

43. JPEG alternatives: PNGS.  Both are formats for digital images.

I thought this graphic was helpful but I cannot think of why it says "weigh" instead of "way".
Can someone explain?

44. Prefix with scope or soft: MICRO-.

48. Floating basketball hoop, e.g.: POOL TOY.  

50. "Leaving already?": SO SOON.

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine's friend has overstayed his welcome? Don't tell my family & friends, but I think of it when I drive them back to the airport.  (3:35 min.)

54. Whiskey grain: RYE.  It is a plant so...Easter egg!

55. 1950s sitcom name: DESI.  Tricky clue! It does not say, "the name of a 1950s sitcom".

56. Absorb, as a significant moment: SOAK IN.  

Wouldn't it be wonderful to SOAK IN mountain views while SOAKing IN this hot tub?

59. Like most reruns: OLD.

65. Modernist architect who lived to be 102: PEI.  12 Iconic buildings by I.M. PEI

66. Hebrew prophet: HOSEA.  This 7:35 min. summary of the Book of HOSEA attempts to explain who HOSEA was and what path he walked.

67. Actress Mary Tyler __: MOORE.  and  52 Down. 67-Across co-star: ASNER.  

68. ID on an I-9 form: SSN.  An I-9 is used to verify employment authorization in the U.S. Non-U.S. citizens filling out the form can leave the SSN box blank.

69. Not together: APART.

70. Adolescent emotion: ANGST.  a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, and/or insecurity

The Scream. Edvard Munch (1893)
He painted it when he was 30 but he said he had re-created a vision that had seized him as he walked one evening in his youth with two friends at sunset. Teen ANGST??? 

Down:
1. __ Vegas: LAS.

2. "Moonlight" actor Mahershala: ALI.  

Maershala ALI as Juan in this 2016 indie film

3. Basic foxtrot move: BOX STEP.  

Back in our Jazzercise days, my friend Ang teased me mercilessly for not being able to do this.  #GirlsCanBeDyslexicToo

4. Not fooled by: ONTO.  to have knowledge, be suspicious, or be aware of one's actions, behavior, or intention

5. Fishing rod attachment: REEL.

6. Banana buy: BUNCH.  and  38 Down. Each, informally: A POP.

At 19¢ per banana (Trader Joe's), it's hard to think of a better buy.

7. Completely lost: AT SEA.

8. Invoice word: DUE.

9. Future MBA's exam: GRE.  "Master of Business Administration" is abbreviated, so is the "Graduate Records Exam". It is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in the U.S. and Canada, as well as a few other countries. "Master" is an important hint because it points to a post-baccalaureate exam. Try not to confuse it with the GED (General Educational Development test), an option for those who do not graduate from high school.

10. Provides with funds: ENDOWS.

11. Enjoying a hot streak: ON A ROLL.  

12. Ropes at the rodeo: LASSOES.  I am not throwing shade on the clue and perhaps it is a regional thing, moreover, I cannot speak for the rodeo community; but, in my cowboying experience on ranches, neither I nor anyone I worked with ever called it a "lasso". We call it a rope (noun) and it is used to rope (verb) cattle who require medical treatment.

13. Paranormal ability, for short: ESP.  I sensed this would be the answer.

18. Sunrise direction: EAST.

22. Twin sister of Apollo: ARTEMIS.  You can see why ARTEMIS is a good name for the NASA moon missions.

credit

23. "The Hills" airer: MTV.  Unfamiliar to me, this reality TV series began in 2006 and lasted for six seasons. I wonder if Amanda or Katie or Patti is a fan.

24. "Eureka!": AHA.  an exclamation used to express satisfaction, triumph, or surprise  

"Eureka" is also CA's state motto. It means, "I have found it!"
For many years, CA was reached by sea so cartographers were unsure how it attached to the rest of the U.S.

26. Put on clothes: DRESS.  verb

27. Forcibly remove: OUST.

28. PreCheck org.: TSA.

DH has PreCheck but I do not so he kindly waits with me in my line.

 30. Alexander Calder sculptures: MOBILES.  

I have visited his installation at the National Gallery of Art in D.C. many times. Some were huge. Some were small. I marveled at the combination of art and physics. I wonder if the MOBILES are still there.

31. Mix up "their" and "there," e.g.: ERR.  I see this err 😉 alot😉.

34. Pressed music medium: VINYL.  How many grooves are on a VINYL LP? (answer at bottom)

35. 2023 World Cup finalists, briefly: ENG.  Spain beat ENGland in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final, 1-0.

39. Moody music genre: EMO.

40. Smartphone program: APP.

41. Udon and soba: NOODLES.  I like them both but I mostly cook with soba.

NOODLE note:  Last week Picard and I were discussing NOODLE, nobility, and the song Yankee Doodle. This link fills some of the gaps in our discussion. (It is a long transcript. You might want to skip waaaaaaaaay down to the paragraph which begins, "And then the other thing that was so surprising to me is that 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'".)

42. Taken to the junkyard: TOWED IN.

45. Snack on a stick: CORN DOG.

46. Baseball Hall of Famer Campanella: ROY.  He played for 18 seasons for four teams:  Washington Elite Giants, Baltimore Elite Giants, Philadelphia Stars, and Brooklyn Dodgers. (Boomer could have told us more about him.)

47. Top Billboard spot: ONE.  As of this writing, the #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 is Paint the Town Red by Doja Cat. Didn't we see her in a clue three Mondays ago?

49. Country singer Yearwood: TRISHA.  her website

50. Male deer: STAG.

53. Greet wordlessly: NOD AT.  In The Sting (1973), they 'greeted wordlessly' with a nose touch.  (35 sec.)

57. __ Sutra: KAMA.  Principles of Love

58. Word with Man or Maiden: IRON.  IRON Man is a Marvel character. IRON Maiden is an English heavy medal band. Clever clue!

59. Mil. missions: OPS.  "Military" is abbreviated, so is "OPerationS".

61. Alley-__ pass: OOP.  Another basketball reference I did not know.... Basically, Player #1 throws the ball near the rim then Player #2 catches it and seals the deal in mid-air. Of course there are variations. The timing is spectacularly exciting!  

62. Mex. and Can. neighbor: USA.

63. Triage sites, briefly: ERS.  Emergency RoomS

64. Take-home pay: NET.  I am grateful this is an accounting clue and not another basketball clue.

Answer to my 34D question:  one. There is just one long spiral!  

The wall calendar above my desk is telling me that today is a federal holiday in the U.S. and a statutory holiday in Canada. Whatever your plans, wishing you a lovely day!

Sunday, October 8, 2023 Carl Larson

Theme: "The ESPY Awards" - SP is added to each common phrase.

23. Advice for making a stick more fun?: PUT A SPRING ON IT. Put a Ring on it.

33. One with joint custody of a pet cat?: KITTY SPLITTER. Kitty litter.

43. Request from a chef who ran out of asparagus?: LEND ME YOUR SPEARS. Lend me your ears.

62. Treatment for phaser burns?: SPACE BANDAGE. Ace Bandage.

69. Peloton instructor from hell?: SPINNER DEMON. Inner demon.

85. Litterbugs in Alberta's capital?: EDMONTON SPOILERS. Edmonton Oilers.

94. Encouragement to a waiter adding ground pepper to a dish?: BREAK THE SPICE. Break the ice.

108. Budget for "Hamlet," "Macbeth," "Othello," et al.?: TRAGIC SPENDING. Tragic ending. 

I don't recall seeing this SP addition before. Great title!

Congrats to Carl on his LAT debut. Here's his intro from Xword Info: "My name is Carl Larson, I'm 56, retired and living in Studio City, California. When working, I was an electrical engineer and marketing manager in the computer industry."

 Across:

1. "We Create Music" org.: ASCAP. The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

6. Unplanned break from school: SNOW DAY. I might still hike Elm Creek when it snows. My favorite place on earth these days. So pretty with all the fall colors now.

13. Stood out: POPPED.

19. Ristorante choices: PASTAS.

21. Emphasize strongly: RAM HOME.

22. "One ring __ them all": "LOTR" line: TO RULE. Patti normally limits partials to 5 letters.

25. Enthusiasm: SPIRIT.

26. Capote nickname: TRU.

27. Ocho menos cinco: TRES. All Spanish.

28. Quaint contraction: TIS.

30. Snarky: SNIDE.

31. Hannah of "Sense8": DARYL. She's married to Neil Young.

38. Big game locale: ARENA.

40. Yoga poses: ASANAS.

42. Ukrainian port on the Black Sea: ODESA. Their preferred spelling.

47. Energy bar bit: NUT.

50. Array in linear algebra: MATRIX.

51. Astronaut Jemison: MAE.

52. Slapstick prop: PIE. Here's a picture of Carmen's meal for Mid-Autumn Festival (9/29/2023). Behind the grapes are two steamed taros.

53. Freshness symbol: DAISY.

55. View from a pew: APSE.

56. Top with spaghetti straps, informally: CAMI.

58. Within: AMID.

60. Tablet alternative: GELCAP. 64. Pain-relieving drug: OPIATE.

61. Attic pests: MICE.

67. Coastal flock: TERNS.

68. World Cup chant: OLE OLE.

71. Silver-tongued: GLIB.

72. Bountiful residents: UTAHNS. City in Utah.

73. Sprinkle, say: RAIN.

74. Level or bevel: TOOL.

75. Invitation letters: RSVP.

79. "The Terminator" actress Hamilton: LINDA.

80. Rapper will.__: I AM.

81. __ Speedwagon: REO.

82. Runs together?: ELOPES.

84. Card game cry: UNO.

89. Writer Mario Vargas __: LLOSA. Peruvian novelist.

 

92. Kit with paints, markers, colored pencils, etc.: ART SET.

93. Kilt detail: PLEAT.

98. Ticked off: RILED.

100. Hops-drying kilns: OASTS.

101. Energy bar bit: OAT.

102. Kolkata dress: SARI.

103. "New Rules" singer __ Lipa: DUA.

106. Rebel: RISE UP.

114. __ St. Brown: NFL player named for an Egyptian deity: AMON-RA. Unknown to me. Is he good?

115. Many a family car: MINIVAN.

116. Tranquil: SEDATE.

117. Like some windshields: TINTED.

118. Arnold Palmer and Shirley Temple, e.g.: EPONYMS.

119. Job-related moves, for short: RELOS.

Down:

1. Google Calendar entry: Abbr.: APPT.

2. Ending with dino-: SAUR.

3. Kids of the 70s?: C STUDENTS. Nice clue.

4. __ loss for words: AT A.

5. Langer's Deli specialty: PASTRAMI. Learning moment for me. Wikipedia says it's a kosher deli in LA. "Founded in 1947, Langer's is known for its No. 19 pastrami on rye sandwich, described by the Los Angeles Times as "the Marilyn Monroe of pastrami sandwiches".

6. Indian honorifics: SRIS.

7. Editor Talese with her own Doubleday imprint: NAN.

8. "r u kidding me?!": OMG.

9. "__ knew?": WHO.

10. Slip on: DON.

11. Friendship: AMITY.

12. "Smallfoot" creatures: YETIS.

13. Qt. halves: PTS.

14. "Clumsy me!": OOPSIE.

15. Museum store purchases: PRINTS.

16. Rigidly moral: PURITANICAL.

17. Skip over, as syllables: ELIDE.

18. Try to stop: DETER.

20. Quick and nimble: SPRY.

24. Pass along: RELAY.

29. Fern bump: SPORE.

32. Actor Braugher: ANDRE. He's in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"

33. Island home of the Grand Canyon of the Pacific: KAUAI.

34. Memo phrase: IN RE.

35. Univ. helpers: TAS.

36. Kitchen meas.: TSP.

37. Mormon initials: LDS.

38. __ mater: ALMA.

39. Gather: REAP.

41. River in northern France: SOMME. So many 5-letter rivers in France. Seine, Rhone, Loire, Isere, Saone. What else?

44. Fires up: EXCITES.

45. Cinematic spectacles: EPICS.

46. White House staffer: AIDE.

48. Stylebook subject: USAGE.

49. Classify, as blood: TYPE.

53. Summer triangle star: DENEB.

54. Designer Gucci: ALDO. Messy family.

57. Taiwan-based laptop brand: ACER.

58. Food Network cover: APRON.

59. Grammy winner Aimee: MANN.

60. Italian astronomer who embraced heliocentrism: GALILEO.

61. Food from heaven: MANNA.

62. Big rig: SEMI.

63. LAPD alert: BOLO.

64. Decide to take part: OPT IN.

65. Where to learn key concepts?: PIANO LESSON. Another great clue.

66. Aired with sharp resolution: IN HD.

67. Spanish "I love you": TE AMO. Boomer used "wo ai ni" from time to time.

69. Helmsman under Kirk: SULU.

70. Ounce fraction: DRAM.

71. "Duck, duck" follower: GOOSE.

74. Nerve-wracking: TENSE.

75. Esther of "Good Times": ROLLE.

76. One-touch shortcut: SPEED DIAL.

77. Designer Wang: VERA.

78. Soft "Over here!": PSST.

80. Shoshone Falls state: IDAHO.

81. College mil. unit: ROTC.

83. Makeup bag item: LIP-LINER.

85. Approximate fig.: EST.

86. Midday refresher: NAP.

87. TNT part: TRI.

88. Curved plumbing piece: P-TRAP.

90. Dormant: LATENT.

91. "Fine, whatever": OK SURE.

94. Sacha Baron Cohen persona: BORAT.

95. "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" director Sam: RAIMI.

96. Wonderland cake instruction: EAT ME.

97. Funny pages unit: STRIP.

99. Ticks off: IRES.

102. IDs on tax forms: SSNS.

104. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO.

105. Forever: AGES.

107. __ thai: PAD.

109. "It's __-brainer!": A NO.

110. Card game cry: GIN.

111. Wrigley Field climber: IVY.

112. Kiss follower: CAM.

113. JFK predecessor: DDE.

 

A few extra notes:

1) I'm relieved to tell you that the 5501 renters are finally gone. I got way too close to a gun one day. Scary and scarring. The 5505 renter, the guy with a gun and does drugs, seems to have left also. Not sure. The renter before him had a gun also, but the gun was not able to save his life.

Anyway, I celebrated the Pyrrhic victory with my sweet neighbor Valerie (5507) at P. F. Chang's. She saved me the day I had the car tire problem. I was cold and hungry, sobbing in the rain, then she showed up.

Valerie My Neighbor, 10/5/2023

2) Belated 74th "Happy Birthday" to Pat and her husband. And 80th "Happy Birthday" to Dennis. Sorry I missed both on the blog.

3) Happy 82nd birthday to dear Jayce! Hope it's a day full of love and good food. I bet you've tried the Kung Pao Brussels sprouts P. F. Chang's, so good.

Jayce and his wife on their wedding day

C.C.