Tuesday, April 23, 2024 Matthew Stock and Wendy L Brandes

Home is where the heart is.  The last word of each theme clue describes a type of living space.

16-Across. Digs for a member of a string quartet?: CELLO SUITE.  Suite:  a set of rooms designated for one person's or family's use or for a particular purpose.

26-Across. Digs for a gym rat?: MUSCLE BUILDING.  Building:  a structure with a roof and walls, such as a house, school, store, or factory.

42-Across. Digs for a Greek mythology buff?: OEDIPUS COMPLEX.  Complex:  A building complex consists of a large building or series of interconnected buildings that fulfill a specific purpose.

56-Across. Digs for a dancer?: BALLET FLAT.  Flat:  A term predominantly used in the United Kingdom to describe a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building.  The etymology of flat originates from the Old English word “flett,” dating back to the 1300s.  The term means level and in one plane.  Hence, the term flat is used to describe a one-level apartment.

Across:

1. Dynamism: PEP.

4. Eatery with a chalkboard menu: BISTRO.  Bistro: a small, casual restaurant with a relatively inexpensive, simple menu. Though often a French restaurant, it doesn't have to be, and not every bistro serves French food.  I was just reading something about the defeat of Napoleon and learned about the word Bistro came into the French language.  It was first used in the early 1800s following the 1814 occupation of Paris by Russian soldiers.  It seems that it was a mispronunciation of a Russian word that meant hurry.  Russian soldiers would shout Hurry at restaurant owners while waiting for their food.  Small restaurants began to pop-up that could quickly serve food ~ the original fast food restaurants!

10. Free TV spot: PSA.  As in Public Service Announcement.

13. "Origin" writer/director DuVernay: AVA.  Ava Marie DuVernay (b. Aug. 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer.  She has been involved in many movies, including Selma, and A Wrinkle in Time.  Origin is based on Isabel Wilkerson's book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. [Name # 1.]

14. Off-the-cuff performance: IMPROV.  Short for Improvisation.

15. Final push?: CRAM.  Cram:  Study intensively over a short period of time just before an examination.

18. Roll-call call: HERE.

19. "At Wit's End" writer Bombeck: ERMA.  Erma Bombeck (née Erma Louise Bombeck; Feb. 21, 1927 ~ Apr. 22, 1996) was an American humorist.  She wrote over 4,000 newspaper columns which gave a humorous view on family life.  She also published 15 books.  At Wit's End, her first publish book, came out in 1967. [Name # 2.]

20. Spherical body: ORB.

21. "Ant" on a celery "log": RAISIN.

23. Scand. land: NOR.  Norway is a Scandinavian country.

25. Flakes on plans: BAILS.  This clue appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle as Flake (on): Bail.  [See 68-Across in last week's puzzle.]

32. Lauder in the cosmetics aisle: ESTÉE.  Estée Lauder (née Josephine Esther Mentzer; July 1, 1908 ~ Apr. 24, 2004) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  She was an American businesswoman. She and her husband, Joseph Lauter co-founded her eponymous cosmetics company.  [Name # 3.]

33. Measurement given in degrees: ANGLE.

34. __ Lanka: SRI.  Sri Lanka is the tear-drop island off the south-east coast of India.

36. OPS or RBI: STAT.  Both OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) and RBI (Runs Batted In) are baseball Statistics.

37. Prunes: TRIMS.

38. Sparks or Fire: TEAM.  The Los Angeles Sparks are a WNBA Team and the Chicago Fire is a soccer Team.  This clue is immediately followed by 39-Across. Like sparks and fire: HOT.

40. __ Monica Pier: SANTA.

41. Mazda roadster: MIATA.

45. Entrepreneur __ C.J. Walker: MADAM.  According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Madam C J Walker (née Sarah Breedlove; b. Dec. 23, 1867 ~ May 25, 1919) was the first female self-made millionaire in America.  That's a pretty amazing feat considering she was an African-American woman who born in Louisiana a year before the State was readmitted into the Union.  Her older sibling were all born enslaved.  She made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women.  [Name # 4.]

46. Language in which to order larb: LAO.  Larb is certainly not a Tuesday word.  Larb is a spicy and sour meat salad and is the national dish of Laos.

47. Puts one's feelings on display: EMOTES.

49. Woebegone: SAD.  //  And 52-down. Woebegone word: ALAS.

51. Hand-held coolers: FANS.

55. Checkout lane purchase: TOTE.

59. Starchy snack bites, for short: TOTS.  Think of Tater Tots.  Yummers!  //  And 40-Down: 59-Across, perhaps: SIDE.

60. Tennis star Andre: AGASSI.  Andre Kirk Agassi (b. Apr. 29, 1970) was briefly married to actress Brooke Shields (b. May 31, 1965) in the 1990s.  [Name # 5.]

61. Periodontists' gp.: ADA.  As in the American Dental Association.

62. "Without further __ ... ": ADO.

63. Like some work from home: REMOTE.

64. "__ your piece": SAY.

Down:

1. Four-minute mile, for one: PACE.

2. CCR's "Have You __ Seen the Rain": EVER.  This song was first released in 1971 by Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Can it really be over half a century ago?

3. Acai tree, e.g.: PALM.

4. Info on a profile page: BIO.  As in a Biography

5. Post-triathlon lament: I'M SORE.

6. Barrel racer's accessory: SPUR.

7. Chi-Town paper: TRIB.  As in the Chicago Tribune.  Film critic and journalist Gene Siskel (1946 ~ 1999) wrote for the Tribune.

8. Turn brown, maybe: ROT.

9. Clothes with bibs and braces: OVERALLS.

10. Film similar to cling wrap: PRESS'N SEAL.  A bit unfair, since cling wrap is a generic term and the answer is the name of a product.

11. Garment that may be nine yards long: SARI.

12. Grace ender: AMEN.

15. Cook-off entry: CHILI.

17. Small surgical knife: LANCET.  Another déjà vu from last Tuesday.  Also the name of a medical journal.  The Lancet, which was founded in England in 1823, is one of the oldest medical journals.  [See 30-Down from last week.]

22. Congressional staffer: AIDE.

24. "Rah," in fútbol: OLÉ.  Today's Spanish lesson.

25. Signature Golden Arches offering: BIG MAC.  I understand it has a special sauce.

26. Sports bib material: MESH.

27. "We totally agree": US, TOO.

28. "Liberty and Prosperity," for New Jersey, e.g.: STATE MOTTO.  Louisiana's state motto is Union, Justice and Confidence.  What's yours?

29. Bailey's circus partner: BARNUM.  As in P.T. Barnum (né Phineas Taylor Barnum; July 5, 1810 ~ Apr. 7, 1891) and James Anthony Bailey (né James Anthony McGinnis; July 4, 1847 ~ Apr. 11, 1906).  [Names # 6 and 7.]

30. Curriculum parts: UNITS.

31. Shred, as cheese: GRATE.

35. Big big-screen format: IMAX.

37. Eatery with small plates: TAPAS BAR.  A tapa is an appetiser or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold or hot. In some bars and restaurants in Spain and across the globe, tapas have evolved into a very sophisticated cuisine.  Yummers!

38. WNBA game start: TIP OFF.

41. UFC sport: MMA.  As in Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship.

43. eHarmony matches: DATES.

44. Like Yellowstone, among National Parks: OLDEST.  Yellowstone National Park was established by and Act of Congress and President Ulysses S Grant () signed it into law on March 1, 1872.  Not only is Yellowstone National park the first National Park in the United States, but it is also believed to be the first national park in the world.

47. "At Last" singer James: ETTA.  Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.  [Name # 8.]

48. Atmosphere: MOOD.

49. Shut with a bang: SLAM.

50.  Additionally: ALSO.

53. Nothing at all: NADA.

54. "Hang around a bit longer!": STAY.

57. Just a number, for some: AGE.  Age is just a number.  It might be a big number, but it is just a number.

58. Cause for overtime: TIE.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Happy Passover for all who celebrate.  Enjoy the Second Seder tonight.

Monday April 22, 2024 Agnes Davidson and Zhouqin Burnikel

  

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

sumdaze here with a puzzle by two of our favorite people on The Corner -- Irish Miss and C.C.! What a lovely surprise to open up the puzzle and see both of their names! 

Theme:                

We will begin with the reveal:

64. Newspaper's attention-getters, and what both words in 17-, 25-, 38- and 54-Across can do: HEADLINES.

The answer to each starred clue is a two-word phrase where both the first word and the second word can be placed at the front (HEAD) of the word LINE.  

I liked how the clues for the themers did not stand out from the regular fill. The lack of stars (*) added to my surprise at the reveal.

Since the clues for the themers also define them, I will focus on their +LINE meanings. (Note:  Some of these have additional meanings not identified here.)

17 Across. Improper etiquette at a social gathering: PARTY FOUL.

• PARTY LINE:  either a policy adopted by a political party or an old-school telephone system
• FOUL LINE:  in sports, a linear demarcation that, if crossed, incurs a penalty

25 Across. Aristocrat: BLUE BLOOD.

• BLUE LINE:  the offside boundary in hockey
• BLOOD LINE:  the pedigree of an animal

38 Across. Romantic outing: DATE NIGHT.

• DATELINE:  a TV newsmagazine show that premiered in 1992
• NIGHT LINE:  an evening, in-depth TV news show that first aired in 1980

54 Across. Biography: LIFE STORY.

• LIFE LINE:  a hand crease identified in palmistry
• STORY LINE:  the plot of a story, drama, or game

I enjoyed seeing both parts of the themers used for the reveal. I suppose we should not be surprised that our dynamic duo gave us a  double-the-fun theme. I am duly (dually?) impressed!  

Here is a double the pleasure celebration ditty.

Across:
1. "Antiques Roadshow" network: PBS.  What would you take to a filming?  

Junk in the Trunk  ~  2:50 min.

4. Sudden burst of activity: RUSH.  also, as -T would be quick to point out, a Canadian rock band... 

Rush released Tom Sawyer in 1981.

8. Seeks an answer: ASKS.

12. People who are not prone to infatuations, informally: AROS.  Merriam-Webster says this word was first used in 2014 as an abbreviated version of aromantic. Parse it as the prefix "a-" (meaning not or without) with the word "romantic". An ARO person may never develop a crush on a person or envision themselves entering into a romantic relationship.

14. In the past: ONCE.  upon a time...

15. Mown path: SWATH.  Have you seen any of the SB Mowing videos on YouTube? This guy goes around cleaning up the  worst eye-sore yard in the neighborhood for free. He is in Wichita, KS. It is sort of mesmerizing to watch him work because he speeds up the video as he cuts a SWATH in the lawn. This video is 30 min. but you can skip easily skip ahead. He gets out his mower at 18:23. There is a before/after part at the end. The world could use more people like Spencer!

19. Company newbie: HIREE.     and     66 Across. Job seeker's success: OFFER.

20. Customary routine: RITUAL.  I like the play on the word "custom".

21. Pot cover: LID.

23. Fat in tamale dough: LARD.  

¡Delicioso!

24. Confident way to solve newspaper puzzles: IN INK.

27. Actor Jeong: KEN.  Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong is an American doctor, stand-up comedian and actor born in Detroit, MI in 1969. His popularity soared after playing Mr. Leslie Chow in The Hangover. Here he talks about his NBC sitcom, Dr. Ken (2015-2017).  

28. Biol. or geol.: SCI.  Biology and Geology are SCIences.

30. __ de mer: MAL.  seasickness

31. Korean automaker: KIA.

32. Jason's ship, in Greek mythology: ARGO.

34. Sport-__: versatile vehicle: UTE.  utility

CSO to D-Otto who likes the expression, "In my UTE ...." 😀

36. Zipped: RACED.

41. Image problem, for short: BAD PR.  Public Relations

43. General on a Chinese menu: TSO.  

...and now you know.

44. Ocean predator that sleeps with one eye open: ORCA.  Scientists think this is so they can rest one half of their brain at a time.

48. Chum: PAL.

49. Faux __: PAS.  

2020...what a year!

51. Sports drink suffix: -ADE.  

53. Shade tree: ELM.

57. Take, as advice: ACT ON.

59. Actor Alda: ALAN.

60. Meadow mama: EWE.  

My dog's name is Meadow.
Q:  Does that make me a meadow mama?
A:  Yes, EWE are.

61. Pique, as interest: AROUSE.

62. Accent on "señor": TILDE.  The ~ symbol has a number of uses. I notice Splynter uses it in his blogs.

On a PC, you can hold down the Alt key while typing 164 on the number pad then let go to get ñ. To type a capital Ñ, change that to 165. I do not know if this works on a Mac.

67. Home to billions of people: ASIA.  Comparatively, Australia is home to about 26 million people.

68. Celebratory suffix: -FEST.  Think "OctoberFEST", perhaps.

69. Fleeting trends: FADS.  

no comment

70. Time period: TERM.

71. Farm enclosure: STY.     and     9 Down. Gloppy fare: SWILL.

SWILL is kitchen refuse and scraps of waste food mixed with water for feeding to pigs.  

Down:

👉In the Across clues we had four themers plus a reveal. In the Down clues, we will encounter 12 seven-letter fills. Well done C.C. and Irish Miss!

Here is the first of the twelve:

1. Dusting on deviled eggs: PAPRIKA.  I figure McCormick seasoning company is an excellent source on this topic. They say, "PAPRIKA is made from the dried, ground, ripened fruit pods of less pungent varieties of the Capsicum annum species. It is mildly flavored and prized for its brilliant red color. It is closely related to red pepper which also derives from the Capsicum annum species."

2. No-__: easy decision: BRAINER.  

3. Doing some laundry prep: SORTING.  Notice how the clue and answer verb tenses match.

4. "ur hilarious!": ROFL.  "ur" is a hint the answer will be in textspeak. Rolling On the Floor Laughing  

5. Mattel game with 108 cards: UNO.

6. Light boat in a regatta: SCULL.  Boats with scullers (athletes with two oars each) in them are referred to as sculls.  SCULL as a verb means to propel a boat with sculls.  An empty SkULL with a "k" can be a 2-Down.

We will see single, 2-person, and 4-person events at the Paris Olympics.

7. Balloon gas: HELIUM.     and     65-Down. Yoga ball filler: AIR.

8. Fire pit residue: ASH.

10. Singalong activity at a bar: KARAOKE.  This one is for the BBT fans (1 min.)  

11. Drug type banned by most pro sports: STEROID.

13. Leave speechless: STUN.

16. Ibsen's "__ Gabler": HEDDA.  Hedda Gabler is a play written by Norwegian Henrik Johan Ibsen. It was first staged in 1891 in Munich, Germany. Hedda is the main character. She is newly married but already bored with her marriage and life.

18. Himalayan bovines: YAKS.  

That's pretty specific....

22. Prayer opening: DEAR GOD.  We often see the prayer closing "amen" in grids.

25. Small taste: BITE.

26. Yawn-inducing: BLAH.  "Dull" and "bore" also fit ... for a bit.

29. Bargain-basement: CUT-RATE.

33. Like 2025, but not 2024: ODD.  

35. Doc who treats sinusitis: ENT.  Ear Nose Throat

37. Exec concerned with data security: CTO.  Chief Technology Officer

39. Tablet downloads: APPS.

40. "If you ask me ... ": I SAY.

41. Courtroom figure who says "All rise!": BAILIFF.  

42. Cloverlike crop: ALFALFA.

45. Optimizes, as an engine: RETUNES.  Def.:  to tune something again or differently.

46. Most near: CLOSEST.

47. Political pardon: AMNESTY.

48. Student of Socrates: PLATO.  

50. "You think I care?": SO WHAT.

52. Noble title: EARL.

55. Phased out: ENDED.

56. Elle portrayer in "Legally Blonde": REESE.  Thanks to IM and C.C. for an opportunity to include a Legally Blonde clip!  (2:25 min.)  

58. Pageboy, for one: COIF.  A pageboy is a hairstyle. The length may vary but most variations have the ends curled under in a loose roll.  

61. Genesis man: ADAM.  Genesis is also an English rock band. Members came and went over the years but notably included Tony Banks (keyboard), Mike Rutherford (bassist/guitar), and Phil Collins (drums/vocals). Here are those Genesis men performing Turn It On Again (1980).  

63. Busy hosp. areas: ERS.  Hospital Emergency RoomS

Our conventional timeline is to insert the grid next:

Well, that was today's lineup. I'd say they hit it out of the park. What do you think?

Sunday April 21, 2024 Julian Kwan

Theme: "Getting in the Way" - two letters are added to each common phrase. Those letters orderly spell out photobombing.

23. Ode to a much-loved Galaxy?: SOME PHONE LIKE YOU. Someone Like You.

40. Magical ottoman?: ENCHANTED FOOTREST. Enchanted forest.

58. Constantly thinking about escaping?: BREAKOUT OBSESSION. Breakout session.

80. Intention of one without morals?: DOOM THE RIGHT THING. Do the right thing.

98. Must-haves for a fashion doll?: BARBIE NECESSITIES. Bare necessities.

116. Converse with one more party guest?: GO THE EXTRA MINGLE. Go the extra mile.

Another Sunday debut. Congrats, Julian! Kwan is the Cantonese spelling of Mandarin Guan. Same character as the Quan (Vietnamese) in Ke Huy Quan, the director of "Everything Everywhere All at Once".

Hope the circles show up in your local paper. Otherwise, you might have missed the message in this puzzle.

Across:

1. Aural danger for Odysseus: SIREN.

6. Snit: HUFF.

10. Slow Churned ice cream brand: EDY'S. 27. Slush Puppie maker: ICEE.

14. High-and-mighty: SMUG.

18. Edge or Firefox alternative: OPERA. Never used Opera browser.

19. Camembert kin: BRIE.

20. Penn State's Nittany __: LIONS.

22. Fabled second-place finisher: HARE.

26. Actress Kurylenko: OLGA. She's a Bond Girl.

28. Camera type, for short: SLR.

29. Bygone news source: TOWN CRIER.

31. Pessimist's word: CAN'T.

33. Political cartoonist Thomas: NAST. The guy who designed the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey. I wonder why he did not pick up tiger or lion.

36. Had tea, to a Brit: ATE.

38. "Cat __ your tongue?": GOT.

39. Solo homer result: RBI.

47. Unsure sounds: UHS.

48. Restrain, as one's enthusiasm: BATE.

49. Poetic preposition: O'ER.

50. Experienced veteran: OLD TIMER.

51. Traditional fare of Japanese New Year: MOCHI. Sticky rice. Same thing in Chinese Tang Yuan.

Mochi Soup

Tang Yuan

53. Rockefeller Center's "American Progress" muralist: SERT.

55. Breeze (by): SAIL.

57. Division symbols: OBELI. Plural of obelus.

62. HIIT unit: REP. HIIT =  High-Intensity Interval Training .

63. "The Idol" star Lily-Rose: DEPP. Daughter of Johnny Depp.  She looks more like her mom.

64. Scrooge outburst: BAH.

65. Word after door or lock: STEP.

66. Computer clickers: MICE. I'm experiencing big Blogger glitch at this moment. Suddenly I can't save or access the blog Drafts folder. (One hour later: TTP came to the rescue. I can access the Drafts now,  but picture embed remains a problem. Sigh. Blogger!)

67. Treasure __: CHEST.

69. Give guidance: EDIFY.

71. Slanted: ATILT.

73. Co. founders, often: CEOS.

74. Level in a loyalty program: TIER.

77. Easter preceder?: NOR. Nor'easter.

78. Upper arm muscles, briefly: TRIS.

79. Football stat: ATT.

86. "The Cloister and the Hearth" author: READE. Charles Reade.

88. Learned: WISE.

89. Handle with __: CARE.

90. "Ciao!": LATER.

91. Avenue next to Reading Railroad: ORIENTAL.

93. __ date: DUE.

95. Tennis great with a namesake stadium: ASHE.

97. Kid's cry: MAA.

101. Raiding org.: ATF. And 102. Screening org.: TSA.

103. Equals: ARE.

104. Robe securer: SASH.

105. Unit of speed that's approximately 1.15 mph: KNOT.

106. Latte server: COFFEE BAR.

111. Gingerbread __: MAN.

113. Thought: IDEA.

115. One side of a sports bet: OVER.

122. Rose bowl?: VASE. Sweet clue.

123. SEC athlete in orange and blue: GATOR. Florida Gators. 

124. Garish: LOUD.

125. How to play without knowing the score?: BY EAR.

126. "Above all __ ... ": ELSE.

127. Uses a touchscreen: TAPS.

128. Squeezed (by): EKED.

129. Barracks VIP: SARGE.

Down:

1. "Mamma Mia!" duet for Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep: SOS.

2. Stock market debut letters: IPO.

3. Talk about the good old days: REMINISCE. Carmen came here a few weeks ago and bought some delicious snacks. I used to live here. Very old part of Guangzhou.

4. Assemble, as a Lego tower: ERECT.

5. Necklace clasp spot: NAPE.

6. "The Last of Us" network: HBO.

7. Catering dispenser: URN.

8. Cinco de Mayo celebration: FIESTA.

9. Chop down: FELL.

10. State animal of Utah: ELK.

11. Tried a nutrition program: DIETED.

12. Spinning toy on a string: YO-YO.

13. Frosty's makeup: SNOW. Snow on our yard when I woke up this morning, but all gone now.

14. Slow-cooked beef piece: SHORT RIB.

15. Bamako's country: MALI.

16. Push (to): URGE.

17. Climber's backpack filler: GEAR.

21. Apollo or Ra: SUN GOD. RA is the Egyptian sun god.

24. Temporary tattoo medium: HENNA.

25. Raging: IRATE.

30. Second wedding anniversary material: COTTON.

31. Cookie leftover: CRUMB. Carmen bought these. Almond cookies on the upper left.

32. Loathe: ABHOR. Sad to get a text from my sweet neighbor Valerie that she's planning to move to Fridley. This scared both of us. This is where we live.

34. Seeks attention, maybe: ACTS UP.

35. Linen closet item: SHEET.

37. Straight to the point: TERSE.

40. Urban transport options: E-BIKES.

41. "Could be better": NOT BAD.

42. Inflict (upon): FOIST.

43. Skateboard stunt: OLLIE.

44. Chef Lagasse: EMERIL. "Kick it up a notch!"

45. Highlight, as text: SELECT.

46. Absolute rubbish: TRIPE.

52. Underworld king: HADES.

54. Julia of "Leave the World Behind": ROBERTS.

56. Mesopotamian civilization: ASSYRIA.

59. Go for: OPT TO.

60. Stand out: SHINE.

61. Moving image?: OP-ART.

66. Baryshnikov nickname: MISHA.

67. Latin for "the rest": CETERA. Et.

68. Balloon filler: HOT AIR.

70. Push and pull, in physics: FORCES.

72. Mr. and Mrs.: TITLES.

73. Ingredient in some vegan brownies: CAROB. I've never had brownies.

75. Hawkeye: IOWAN.

76. Novelist Zola: EMILE.

78. Ph.D. requirement: THESIS.

80. Fitness instructor Austin: DENISE.

81. Jon of "Napoleon Dynamite": HEDER.

82. Persona non __: GRATA.

83. Head of servers?: IT MANAGER. IT service. 

84. "Crackerjack!": NEATO.

85. Obtain illegally: GRAFT.

87. Ideal way to graduate: DEBT-FREE.

92. Asian snack steeped in spices: TEA EGG. Five-spice powder. Lesley loved these. 

94. "I'm here to help": USE ME.

96. Pronoun duo: HE/HIM.

99. Sonic waiter: CARHOP.

100. Could be better: ISN'T OK. Do dislike this new Blogger format. 

105. Tanzania neighbor: KENYA.

106. Sheltered inlet: COVE.

107. Shape of a powerful office: OVAL.

108. Admit, with "up": FESS.

109. Full house, in poker slang: BOAT.

110. Flour for some flatbread: ATTA.

112. Toll unit: AXLE.

114. "That one's mine!": DIBS.

117. Triage ctrs.: ERS.

118. Québec street: RUE.

119. Contribute (to): ADD.

120. Streaming annoyance: LAG.

121. Before, once: ERE.

C.C.