Tuesday, November 21, 2023 Natasha Erickson

It's Raining Men!

18-Across. *  Dude who knows his ABCs?: ALPHA MALE.

24-Across. *  Dude whose favorite season is autumn?: FALL GUY.

38-Across. *  Dude who always pipes up to support a proposed motion?: SECOND GENTLEMAN.  Douglas Craig Emhoff (b. Oct. 13, 1964) is the Second Gentleman by virtue of his marriage to Kamala Harris (b. Oct. 20, 1964), the Vice-President.

51-Across. *  Dude who attends every formal dance?: BALL BOY.

59-Across. *  Dude who refuses to use even numbers?: ODD FELLOW.  What is the origin of the name Odd Fellow?

Lots of Dudes in today's puzzle.

Across:

1. Shielded from the sun: SHADY.

6. Cauliflower unit: HEAD.  It comes in a variety of colors.

10. Answer an invite, briefly: RSVP.  Today's French lesson.  Répondez S'il Vous Plaît, which means: Respond, if you please.  You really should respond, whether you please or not.

14. Lake boat: CANOE.

 

15. Red Muppet: ELMO.  The Muppets like to visit in the crossword puzzles.  [Name # 1, fictional]

16. October birthstone: OPAL.  The Opal has become a crossword staple.

17. Strength: ASSET.

20. Rd. with a no.: RTE.  A Road with a number is a Route.

21. Farm division: ACRE.

23. Tied, as sneakers: LACED.

26. Just one of __ days: THOSE.  I just had a week of those days.

28. Goal for many community college students: AA DEGREE.  A community college grants Associate of Arts degrees which is a two-year course of study.

30. Businesses: Abbr.: COs.  As in Companies.

33. Cover story: ALIBI.  Cute clue

36. "That really hurt!": OOF!

37. Dark blue shade: NAVY.  //  Immediately followed by 42-Across. Seaside town structure: PIER, which together gives us Chicago's Navy Pier.

43. Lab rodent: RAT.

44. Waldorf salad fruit: APPLE.  Yummers!  It's a very easy to make.

45. Spanish condiment: SAL.  Today's Spanish lesson.  This condiment is known in the sciences as NaCl.

46. HBO teen drama starring Zendaya: EUPHORIA.  I am not familiar with this television drama.  It's apparently a drama about teen angst as they struggle with love, loss, sex, and addiction.  Zendaya (née Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman; b. Sept. 1, 1996) stars as Rue Bennett, a drug-addicted teen in Euphoria.  Zendaya was also named as one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2022.  [Name # 2.]

49. Many Omanis: ARABS.

55. North African capital: TUNIS.  It's the capital of Tunisia and is on the Mediterranean Sea.

57. "Levitating" singer Dua __: LIPA.  Dua Lipa (b. Aug. 22, 1995) is a British-Albanian singer-songwriter.  [Name # 3.]

58. Log chopper: AXE.

62. Naturally lit courtyards: ATRIA.  Today's Latin lesson.

64. Work hard: TOIL.

65. Mystical glow: AURA.  A crossword staple.

66. Lets use for now: LENDS.

67. At some earlier time: ONCE.

68. "Frozen" reindeer: SVEN.  [Name # 4, fictional.]

69. "That's plenty for me": I'M SET.

Down:

1. Winter neck warmer: SCARF.

2. "__ luego": HASTA.

3. Photographer Adams: ANSEL.  Ansel Adams (né Ansel Easton Adams; Feb. 20, 1902 ~ Apr. 22, 1984) was an American landscape photographer best known for his photos of the American West.  Most of his work was in black-and-white, which added to the drama of his images.  [Name # 5.]

4. Fawn's mother: DOE.

5. "For the millionth time ... ": YET AGAIN.

6. Quaint "Listen up!": HEAR, YE!

7. Fashion magazine with a French name: ELLE.  The first issue of Elle magazine was published exactly 78 years ago today (November 21, 1945).  It was originally only published in France.  It didn't make it to the United States until 1985.  [Name adjacent]

8. Band's sound booster: AMP.

9. Play-__: kids' clay: DOH.

10. Tomatoes in marinara sauce: ROMAs.  Everything you wanted to know about Roma tomatoes but didn't know to ask.

11. Out-of-this-world summer program?: SPACE CAMP.

12. "Shining __": comedy horror series starring Courteney Cox: VALE.  I have never heard of this television series.

13. Begged: PLED.

19. Spiky succulent: ALOE.  A fresh new clue for this crossword staple.

22. Cow's mouthful: CUD.  Everything you wanted to know about a Cow and her Cud, but didn't know to ask.

25. Repair bill line: LABOR.

26. Jumbo suffix: TRON.  Did you known that Jumbotron was a registered trademark owned by the Sony Corporation.  The company stopped making the devices in the early 2000s, and because a trademark must be registered every 10 years to remain in effect, it has now become a generic term for a large screen display.

27. Weight: HEFT.

29. "Pride __ before ... ": GOETH.

31. Shape of many racetracks: OVAL.

32. "Auld Lang __": SYNE.  Never thought I'd hear him singing this song.

33. Nile snakes: ASPs.

34. Princess "in a galaxy far, far away": LEIA.  Princess Leia was portrayed by Carrie Fisher (Oct. 21, 1956 ~ Dec. 27, 2016).  [Name # 6, fictional.]

35. Reykjavík language: ICELANDIC.  Keep a close eye on Iceland.  It seems like a volcanic eruption may be imminent.

37. Kathmandu's country: NEPAL.

39. Defeat thoroughly: DRUB.

40. Empty spaces: GAPS.

41. Retired boxer who wrote the cookbook "Food for Life": LAILA ALI.  I was not aware that Laila Ali (née Laila Amaria Ali; Dec. 30, 1977) had written a cookbook.  In her boxing career, she was sometimes called She Bee Stingin'.  [Name # 7.]

46. Alleviate: EASE.

47. Jedi Kenobi: OBI-WAN.  In the initial movie series, Obi-Wan Kenobi was portrayed by Alec Guinness (né Alec Guinness de Cuffe; Apr. 2, 1914 ~ Aug. 5, 2000).  [Name # 8, fictional.]

48. Latto's music genre: RAP.  Hand up if you knew Latto, or Big Latto as she is also sometimes known, who's given name is Alyssa Michelle Stephens (b. Dec. 22, 1998 )[Name # 9.]

50. Rummage (through): RIFLE.  What's the difference between Rummage and Rifle?

52. Horse abodes: BARNS.

53. Iron __: rust: OXIDE.

54. Leavening agent: YEAST.

55. "The Wizard of Oz" dog: TOTO.  [Name # 10, fictional.]

56. Japanese noodle: UDON.  Yummers!  More food.

57. Passed-down stories: LORE.

60. __ Vegas Aces: LAS.  Women's professional basketball team.

61. Candy heart word: LUV.

63. President pro __: TEM.

Here's the Grid:

 

חתולה

Monday November 20, 2023 Tom Locke

  

Hello Cornerites!

sumdaze here. Today's theme is: 

The answer to each starred clue is a two-word phrase where both the first word and the second word are types of SUITS. Let's take a look:

16 Across. *Result of a hockey penalty, often: POWER PLAY.  

a POWER SUIT and a PLAYSUIT

23 Across. *Field of expertise for corporate attorneys: BUSINESS LAW.  

a BUSINESS SUIT and a LAWSUIT
("LAWSUIT" was the only one I did not relate to clothing.)

32 Across. *Primate passenger on a rocket ship: SPACE MONKEY.  

a SPACE SUIT and a MONKEY SUIT (nickname for a tuxedo)

48 Across. *Good find for a traveler on a budget: CHEAP FLIGHT.  

a CHEAP SUIT and Maverick in his FLIGHT SUIT (See 5-D.)

And the reveal:

56. Piece of carry-on luggage, and what the answer to each starred clue literally is: TWO-SUITER.

I was unfamiliar with this term for a garment bag that is sized to fit two suits, but that did not prevent a swimmingly FIR.  example

It is always impressive when a constructor can make both words work. To quote Husker Gary from two weeks ago, "Having half of a phrase in the gimmick is fun but it is doubly fun when both words are in it!"

Thanks for the double fun, Tom!

Across:
1. Repair, as torn clothes: MEND.

5. Kite dangler: TAIL.

9. Garments with underwires: BRAS.

13. Protected, at sea: ALEE.  An island's windward side faces the prevailing (or 'trade') winds; whereas, the island's LEEward side faces away from the wind, sheltered from prevailing winds by hills and mountains.

This is a good fit for one of my favorite Hawaiian songs. (No, not the guava jelly belly one again!)  

Island Style by John Cruz (1996)

14. Spanish "other": OTRA.  no hints today as to feminine "a" or masculine "o"

15. Georgia's state fruit: PEACH.  

18. 62-Across contributor: RATER.   and   62. Restaurant review app: YELP.

19. Heavy shoe: BROGAN.  learning moment  The Met website

20. Softhearted: GENTLE.

21. Moody music genre: EMO.

25. One part in a hundred: PERCENT.  From dictionary.com:  PERCENT is from the Latin adverbial phrase per centum meaning "by the hundred". The Latin phrase entered English in the 16th century. Later, it was abbreviated per cent. with the final period. Eventually, the period was dropped and the two parts merged to produce the modern one-word form PERCENT.  

27. DDE's WWII command: ETO.  Dwight David Eisenhower was a five-star general in the U.S. Army and the 34th President of the United States. During World War II, he commanded the European Theater of Operations.  "Army Years" article from his presidential library

28. Curvy letter: ESS.

29. Tolstoy's "__ Karenina": ANNA.

30. Like some charity golf tourneys: PRO-AM.  My friend works in radio advertising so she often has an extra ticket for me to go with her to watch the PROfessionals and AMateurs team up at Pebble Beach. Last February, we saw Bill Murray tee off at the 14th hole.  

37. Mary, Queen of __: SCOTS.  her story through art

Mary, Queen of Scots
early 17th C

38. Jump: LEAP.  Remember to look first!

41. Mop (up), as gravy: SOP.   and   61 Across. Serve a meal to: FEED.   and   39 Down. Had a meal: ATE.

Thanksgiving is just 3 days away!  🦃

44. Aunt, in Spanish: TIA.

45. Ethyl __: nail polish remover option: ACETATE.  I found this on the Sally Beauty Supply website:  Acetone is a powerful solvent that removes nail polish quickly and easily, but can be drying to the cuticles. Non-acetone polish removers contain ETHYL ACETATE or methyl ethyl keytone as their active ingredient. They are gentler on skin and were developed for use with nail extensions.

Turns out, I have some in my bathroom.

51. 40-Down doc: VET.   and   40 Down. Furry friend: PET.  

This is my faithful sidekick, Meadow. She is a 63 lb. (28.6 kilo), almost-11-years-old, Catahoula/Lab mix.

52. Starlike flowers: ASTERS.  

53. Italian playhouse: TEATRO.  theater / theatre

55. Sip slowly: NURSE.

59. Scout unit: TROOP.  

Do we have any Wes Anderson fans on The Corner?

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Edward Norton is Scout Master Ward. (2:15 min.)

P.S.:  Bill Murray was in this movie, too.

60. Dorothy and Toto creator L. Frank __: BAUM.  

63. Retired fliers: Abbr.: SSTS.  SuperSonic Transport. They land in XWDs quite often.

64. Sounds of disapproval: TSKS.  

Down:
1. Helpful inset in some video games: MAP.

2. "Xanadu" band, familiarly: ELO.

3. Nursery arrivals: NEWBORNS.

4. Antelope's playmate on the range, in song: DEER.  Home, home on the range...  𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅮

5. Tom Cruise film with a "Maverick" sequel: TOP GUN.  Here's the official trailer to the sequel:  

6. "About time!": AT LAST.

7. Tehran inhabitant: IRANI.

8. Sam Smith's "__ Me Down": LAY.  Sam was the answer to yesterday's 90-A. Today's song was released in 2014. 

9. Vegan protein source: BEANS.

10. Worrisome engine sound: RATTLE.  Rational RATERS realize road RATTLES R really rotten.

11. High-speed Amtrak trains: ACELAS.

12. Molelike mammals: SHREWS.  Here is a PBS video about the tiny water SHREW. The underwater footage is amazing!  

They are the smallest diving mammal on Earth.  (3:13 min.)

15. Laundry cycle for a tough stain: PRESOAK.

17. Attire for a lazy Saturday: ROBE.

20. Board, as a bus: GET ON.  According to Paul Simon, it's HOP ON the bus, Gus.  

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (1975)

21. Clean water org.: EPA.  The Environmental Protection Agency was created on December 2, 1970, by President Nixon to protect human health and the environment.

22. Fellows: MEN.

24. Wolfe of fiction: NERO.

26. Baseball hats: CAPS.

30. Some govt. leaders: PMS.  "Government" is abbreviated, so is Prime MinisterS.

31. Soften, as butter: MELT.

33. Class for some HS juniors: ACT PREP.  "High school" is abbreviated so is a PREParation test to take the American College Testing exam, an admissions test used by some colleges.

34. Hairstyles: COIFS.

35. Etc. kin: ET AL.  

36. Hands raised in support, say: YEA VOTES.  Raise your hand if you got this one right.

45-A changed my YEs to YEA.

41. Meager: SCANTY.

42. "Yeah, I totally believe you": OH, SURE.

43. Gas, to a Brit: PETROL.

45. Get too old: AGE OUT.  Def.:  to become ineligible or irrelevant by virtue of physical age.

Example:  The program is designed for young adults and provides support until they AGE OUT at 21.

Conversely, does anyone ever say "age in"?

46. Deep divides: CHASMS.  

47. "__, Brute?": ET TU.

49. "The Fox and the Crow" storyteller: AESOP.

50. "__ a dark and stormy night ... ": IT WAS.

Since 1982 the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest has challenged participants to write an atrocious opening sentence to the worst novel never written. (Yes, "never" -- not a typo.) This whimsical literary competition honors Sir Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, whose 1830 novel, Paul Clifford, begins with "It was a dark and stormy night." Click here to read the 2023 Grand Prize winner.

54. Falling-out between friends: RIFT.  I hope you can 1-A the friendship.

56. TNT sister station: TBS.  Ted Turner's offspring

57. High-pitched cry: EEK.  

58. GPS lines: RDS.  A Global Positioning System shows RoaDS.

We were early adopters. DH brought one home in 2005. I complained that it took too long to load and was unnecessary for driving around a city I already knew.  Later that year, we drove cross-country and I used it to take me to the Patagonia Outlet in Utah. I became a believer!

Here is the grid:

I will leave you with one more:  Daring winter feat:  SNOW JUMP

a SNOW SUIT and a JUMP SUIT

Have a great week, everyone!

Sunday November 19, 2023 Susan Gelfand & Katie Hale

Theme: "Change the Subject" - Each common phrase is rephrased as if it's a tip from a school teacher.

23. Tip from a history teacher about how to study WWII?: CHOOSE ONE'S BATTLES.

38. Tip from an English teacher about the editing process?: MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT.

60. Tip from a gym teacher about how to win at tug-of-war?: PULL IT TOGETHER.

81. Tip from an astronomy teacher about how to set up telescopes?: AIM FOR THE STARS.

102. Tip from an accounting teacher about calculating profits and losses?: FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE.

121. Tip from a math teacher about working with squares and cubes?: REMEMBER YOUR ROOTS

I feel CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES work better for 23A, but then it would result two YOUR in the theme set. Only 6 entries, but they're all very long. A perfect 100 theme squares with an extra "Tip from .... teacher" clue layer.

 

I just realized that this is Susan's first Sunday LAT. Surprising. She's a veteran constructor who's been published in many places. Congrats, Susan!

Across:

1. Word with corn or matzo: MEAL.

5. Fill-in at an office: TEMP.

9. Truly hopeless: ABJECT.

15. Org. with badges: BSA.

18. Director Preminger: OTTO. Our Otto. This is from his retirement luncheon in 2010.

19. Thrown in: EXTRA.

21. "Clever you": TOUCHE.

22. Each and every: ALL.

26. __ card: smartphone need: SIM.

27. Intimate: HINT AT.

28. Went fast: SPED.

29. Radio City Music Hall style: ART DECO. We often just have DECO.

31. Unreturned tennis serve: ACE.

32. Grover's predecessor: CHESTER. Arthur.

35. __ the pot: STIR.

37. "On a ... " poems: ODES.

42. "__ there, done that": BEEN.

44. Rapper Dr. __: DRE.

45. Dines: SUPS.

46. 3-Down novelist McEwan: IAN. 3. Booker Prize-shortlisted novel made into a film starring Keira Knightley: ATONEMENT.

47. Desilu co-founder: ARNAZ.

49. Actress Ward: SELA.

52. Observed Ramadan, say: FASTED.

55. Question of identity: WHO.

58. Make a difference: MATTER.

63. Get more out of: RECYCLE.

65. Nonprofit URL ender: ORG.

66. Make money: EARN.

67. Tiny organism: MICROBE.

71. Atlanta pitcher Kirby: YATES. Free agent now. Also 94. Baseball deal: TRADE.

74. Sandal feature: OPEN TOE.

76. Botanical balm: ALOE.

77. Hosp. areas: ORS.

79. Charlie Parker's instrument: ALTO SAX.

85. Some flower girl candidates: NIECES.

90. "Stay With Me" singer Smith: SAM.

91. Invisible: UNSEEN.

92. Great flood protagonist: NOAH.

95. Western treaty gp.: OAS. Organization of American States.

97. Stuck in __: A RUT.

99. MMA calls: KOS.

101. Big-screen format: IMAX.

109. Pie crust ingredient: LARD. Boomer loved pumpkin pies. I don't think we ever had apple pies for Thanksgiving. We also always had boiled rutabaga.

110. "Anything __?": ELSE.

111. Prepare for a comeback tour: RE-UNITE.

112. Reproductive cells: OVA.

115. Google oneself, perhaps: EGO-SURF.

117. Downright nasty: MEAN.

118. Caged copycat: PARROT.

120. Successful show letters: SRO.

126. Shorten, as a skirt: HEM.

127. Venezia's land: ITALIA.

128. Skin soother: SALVE. I love this brand.

129. Sheltered from the wind: ALEE.

130. Thumbs-up: YES.

131. Former Seattle team, familiarly: SONICS.

132. Tide type: NEAP.

133. Colorado's __ Verde National Park: MESA.

Down:

1. Chocolaty coffee: MOCHA.

2. Moral code: ETHIC.

4. Booty: LOOT.

5. Grew molars, say: TEETHED.

6. Prefix with thermic: EXO.

7. Any of the Rockies: Abbr.: MTN.

8. Magic word: PRESTO.

9. Little bit: A TAD.

10. Droid: BOT.

11. Stick (out): JUT.

12. Log-shaped pastry: ECLAIR.

13. Shirley Temple garnish: CHERRY.

14. Acid __: TEST.

15. Question of evidence: BASED ON WHAT.  Debut fill. Two more long multi-word entries: 69. Dorm areas for hanging out: COMMON ROOMS.  87. Small part for a big name, often: CAMEO ROLE.

16. Deli device: SLICER.

17. Just about: ALMOST.

20. Colorado ski spot: ASPEN.

24. Burlap bag: SACK.

25. Arctic hazards: BERGS.

30. Qatar's capital: DOHA.

33. Hearing things: EARS.

34. Struggling to stay awake: SLEEPY.

35. Apostle of Ireland, for short: ST PAT.

36. Throw at: TOSS TO.

39. Med school subj.: ANAT.

40. Islamic mystic: SUFI. Rumi was one.

41. Fries or slaw: SIDE.

42. "Kapow!": BAM.

43. Notable period: ERA.

48. Zip: ZERO.

50. Girl who cannot be trusted to hold the football for Charlie Brown: LUCY.

51. Pasta __ Norma: ALLA. Never heard of it. Pasta with eggplant.

53. Pamplona bulls: TOROS.

54. Omelet skillet: EGG PAN.

56. Supersized sandwich: HERO.

57. Normandy river: ORNE.

59. Energized anew: REBORN.

61. Unleash upon: LET AT.

62. Number of Grammy Awards won by Dolly Parton: TEN. She has won almost every award. 

64. Classic mint brand: CERTS.

67. Bleating sounds: MAAS.

68. Pelvic bones: ILIA.

70. NBA official: REF.

72. Dynamism: ELAN.

73. H-Town pro: STRO.

75. Parkway sign: EXIT.

78. Wool clippers: SHEARS. And 106. Doesn't use scissors: TEARS.

80. Resident of Japan's third largest city: OSAKAN.

82. Unseat: OUST.

83. Spooky: EERIE.

84. Comfy and cozy: SNUG.

86. Prince in "The Little Mermaid": ERIC.

88. Writer LeShan: EDA.

89. Census datum: SEX.

93. Hindu spring festival: HOLI.

96. Goes on to say: ADDS.

98. Number of Powerpuff Girls: THREE. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup.

100. Course for college-bound HS students: SAT PREP.

102. Plump: FLESHY.

103. "Amen to that!": I AGREE.

104. Contract adverb: HERETO.

105. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" composer Danny: ELFMAN.

107. Legendary Paul: BUNYAN.

108. Close by: NEAR.

113. Casts a ballot: VOTES.

114. On a cruise: AT SEA.

116. "Exodus" novelist Leon: URIS.

117. Many execs: MBAS.

119. Travel without a destination: ROAM.

122. Pharmaceutical giant __ Lilly: ELI.

123. MC's need: MIC.

124. World Cup cheer: OLE.

125. Cavaliers sch.: UVA.

C.C.