Tuesday October 29, 2024 Doug Peterson

GOAAAAAL!  Last week, I had the Football QuarterBacks.  This week I hit the soccer GOAL!  The word GOAL can be found STRETCHED in the circles in each of the theme answers.

17-Across. Person announcing numbers in a hall: BINGO CALLER.  GOAL.

26. Grammy Award won twice by CeCe Winans: BEST GOSPEL ALBUM.  CeC Winans (née Priscilla Marie Winans; b. Oct. 8, 1964) has earned 15 Grammys.   GOAL  [Name # 1.]

45-Across. Notre-Dame de Paris, notably: GOTHIC CATHEDRAL.  Since the massive fire at the cathedral in April 2019, the church has been closed.  It is anticipated that the cathedral will reopen in early December 2024.  What features make a cathedral gothic?  According to Britannica, "the term Gothic was coined by classicizing Italian writers of the Renaissance, who attributed the invention (and what to them was the nonclassical ugliness) of medieval architecture to the barbarian Gothic tribes that had destroyed the Roman Empire and its classical culture in the 5th century CE."  GOAL

And the Unifier:

59-Across. Crowdfunding target, and what can be found in three of this puzzle's answers: STRETCH GOAL.  I had not heard this term, but have been the "recipient" of such a concept.  A Stretch Goal is "a form of motivation that relies on challenging your team to push harder and reach for the proverbial stars." 

Across:

1. Useful quality: ASSET.

6. "All __ Up": Elvis hit: SHOOK.

11. LED TV brand: RCA.  The initials stand for Radio Corporation of America.

14. "¡Hasta __!": LUEGO.  Today's Spanish lesson.  See you later, alligator.

15. Satirical 2022 biopic about Al Yankovic: WEIRD.  [Name # 2.]  Quinta Brunson (b. Dec. 1989), who was featured in last Tuesday's puzzle, appears in the Weird Al biopic.  Alfred Matthew Yankovic (b. Oct. 23, 1959) began his career when he was on the Dr. Demento Radio Show in 1976.

16. Pole worker: ELF.

Also known as Aerial Aerobics.

19. "Houdini" singer Lipa: DUA.  Dua Lipa is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Earlier this year, Time magazine included Dua Lipa (b. Aug. 22, 1995) in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world.  [Name # 3.]

20. Justice Dept. worker: ATT.  As in an Attorney.

21. Rock groups: BANDS.

22. Many an early email user: AOLER.  An AOLer is a person who subscribes to America On Line.

24. Dot on a domino: PIP.

25. Childish comeback: AM SO.

34. Canyon sound: ECHO.

35. __ protector: SURGE.

36. Workplace protection agcy.: OSHA.  As in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

37. Opponent: FOE.

38. Scuff up: MAR.

39. Yogurt container: TUB.

40. Wallet bills: ONES.

42. Military trainee: CADET.

44. __ moments ago: MERE.

48. Floor protectors: MATS.

49. Bendy letter: ESS.  Or, as we would write the letter, it is an "S."

50. Watercooler gurgles: GLUGS.

52. Poet T.S.: ELIOT.  T.S. Eliot (né Thomas Sterns Eliot; Sept. 26, 1888 ~ Jan. 4, 1965) is considered to be one of the 20th century's greatest poets.  [Name # 4.]

55. No. 1 pal: BFF.  As in Best Friend Forever.

58. Apple's mobile platform: iOS.  As in iPhone Operating System.

62. Luau gift: LEI.

63. Ram, in the zodiac: ARIES.

64. Privileged group: ELITE.  We are an Elite group of crossword solvers.

65. "Not Dead Yet" TV network: ABC.  Not Dead Yet is a sit-com about a woman who gets a job writing obituaries.

66. Undersized: DINKY.

67. Upscale watch brand: ROLEX.  Did you know that a genie just "whispered" the name "Rolex" into the ear of the company's founder one day, hence the name of the company.  

This diamond encrusted watch will set you back a few bucks.

Down:

1. Actress and entrepreneur Jessica: ALBA.  Jessica Marie Alba (b. Apr. 28, 1981) has been acting since the age of 13 when she appeared in the 1994 film Camp Nowhere.  [Name # 5.]

2. Court filing: SUIT.

3. Shipped off: SENT.

4. Pancake batter ingredient: EGG.

5. Oversized: TOO BIG.  David Byrne (b. May 14, 1952), of Talking Heads, was known for wearing a BIG suit.

6. White lake bird: SWAN.  Does the King of England all the swans in England?

7. Grasped: HELD.

8. Paints on palettes: OILS.

9. Extracted resource: ORE.  A crossword staple.

10. Subtitled TV show from Seoul, e.g.: K-DRAMA.  Korean Dramas, or K-Drama, refers to Korean-language television shows made in South Korea.  Complete unknown to me.

11. Chain known for Cheddar Bay Biscuits: RED LOBSTER.  Apparently the company just hired a new CFO.

12. Whodunit game: CLUE.  It's also a musical.

13. Hardly close: AFAR.

18. Guitar clamps: CAPOS.  Everything you wanted to know about a guitar Capo but didn't know to ask.

23. Scandinavian capital: OSLO.  The capital of Norway.

24. Compensated break from work: Abbr.: PTO.  As in Paid Time Off.

25. Tavern beverage: ALE.

26. Enshroud in mist: BEFOG.

27. Thrifty, in brand names: ECONO.

28. Pianist's reference pages: SHEET MUSIC.

29. Poison __: SUMAC.  Everything you need to know about Poison Sumac before you venture out into the wild.

30. Designer bag name: PRADA.  Prada is an Italian  high-end fashion house that specialized in leather handbags, shoes, and prêt-à-porter.  The company was founded in 1913 by Mario Prada (d. 1958).  [Name # 6.]

31. White marsh bird: EGRET.  Egrets are such beautiful and elegant birds.

32. Communications officer on the Enterprise: UHURA.  A Star Trek reference.  [Name # 7, Fictional.]

33. Selena's "Only Murders in the Building" role: MABEL.  Only Murders in the Building is a sit-com where three strangers share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. It stars Steve Martin (né Stephen Glenn Martin; b. August 14, 1945), Marty Short (né Martin Hayter Short, Mar. 26, 1950) and Selena Gomez (née Selena Marie Gomez; b. July 22, 1992).   [Name # 8. ]

41. Thick carpet: SHAG.  Shag Carpets were a big thing in the 1970s.  Are they making a comeback?

42. Loops in via email: CCs.  Originally CC stood for Carbon Copy from the days when a piece of carbon paper was placed between two sheets of paper in the typewriter so the sender could retain a copy.  The term survives even though it is a far cry from the original meaning.

43. 2000s teen series set in Newport Beach: THE OC.

44. Surgeons' degs.: MDs.  As in Medical Doctor.

46. "How tragic": IT'S SAD.

47. Old Testament queen: ESTHER.  In Hebrew, she is known as Hadassah.  Esther is the Persian version of the name.  In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Esther tells the story of a young Jewish woman living in the Persian diaspora.  She find with the king and becomes queen.  She then risks her life to save the Jewish people from destruction when the court official Haman persuades the king to authorize a pogrom against all the Jews of the empire.  The Book of Esther, which is read during the Jewish Holiday of Purim, is the only Biblical book that does not mention the name of G'd.  [Name # 9.]

50. Arizona county or river: GILA.

51. "Feel What U Feel" Grammy winner Lisa: LOEB.  I am not familiar with Lisa Anne Loeb (b. Mar. 11. 1968).  [Name # 10.]

52. Olympic speedskater Jackson: ERIN.  Erin Jackson (b. Sept. 19, 1992) was the first Black American to win a Winter Olympic gold medal in an individual sport.  She won the gold medal in the Women's 500m speed skating event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. [Name # 11.]

53. Onion kin: LEEK.  Everything you wanted to know about leeks and onions.

54. Teeny: ITSY.

55. Bubble, as water: BOIL.

56. Destiny: FATE.

57. Show off, in slang: FLEX.

60. Bi- plus one: TRI-.

61. Day-__ colors: GLO.  DayGlo might also glow in the dark.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Today is National Cat Day!  It's my lucky day!

Fang, my neighbor's cat that adopted me.

Monday October 28, 2024 Catherine Cetta

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with a puzzle whose gimmick was easy to PIN down.

Theme:                            PIN DROP

Veteran constructor Catherine Cetta quietly drops four types of PINS into today's grid. We will look at those clues first:

18 Across. Cautious person's motto: SAFETY FIRST.  

24 Across. Like many ignition switches: PUSH BUTTON.  

36 Across. Trios of goals: HAT TRICKS.  A HAT TRICK is three successes of the same kind. The term is often used in hockey or soccer to refer to three goals in a game by one player. It was first used in 1869 in reference to cricket.

51 Across. Anklets worn with a poodle skirt: BOBBY SOCKS.  

Then the reveal:

57. "Come back to that later," and an apt title for this puzzle: PUT A PIN IN IT.

a possible origin of this phrase

The first word of each of the themed answers is a type of PIN, as illustrated below.

l to r:  SAFETY PIN, PUSH PIN, HAT PIN, and BOBBY PIN

Works for me! Now let's explore the rest of the puzzle....

Across:

1. Took a chair: SAT.   

4. Small tool in a knife block: PARER.  

The three knives (l to r) are chef's, utility, and paring.

9. Bedouin's beast: CAMEL. A Bedouin is a nomadic Arab of the Arabian, Syrian, or northern African deserts. Their population is estimated at about 4 million people.  

14. Forensic series with the theme song "Who Are You": CSI.  

Who Are You by The Who is featured in the opening credits for the TV show CSI.

15. Trumpet sound: BLARE.

16. Dress with a flared skirt: A-LINE.

17. One who might say, "I like ewe!": RAM.  

20. Neck of the woods: AREA.

22. Indigenous Canadians: CREE.

23. OR professionals: RNS.  Registered Nurses work in Operating Rooms.

28. Ghostly sound effect: MOAN.  

Cab Calloway  ~  The Ghost of Smokey Joe  ~  1939

29. Guest's guest: PLUS ONE.  If you are invited to an event and if your invitation says you can bring a date then you are the guest and your date is your guest -- also called your PLUS ONE.  

30. Food court pizzeria: SBARRO.  Carmela and Gennaro Sbarro opened their first restaurant in Brooklyn in 1956. Today Sbarro has grown to 630 locations in 28 countries. That-sa lotta pizza!

32. Snappy agreement: YEP.  

33. Heart of the matter: GIST.  In a nutshell, GIST crossed over to common use from the legal world.

35. Positive: ASSET.  An ASSET is in the positive column so I suppose one could say these words are connected.

39. Early anesthetic: ETHER.  ETHER was replaced by other substances in the 1960s.

42. The Bulldogs of the Ivy League: YALE.  I knew this one because the Friday before last MalMan told us that the mascot of YALE university is a bulldog named Handsome Dan. He posted this adorable pic.  

43. Snatch: NAB.

46. Primitive shelter: LEAN-TO.  I learned this word when I read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books as a girl. Pa built a LEAN-TO outside their cabin's door.  

48. Tenon's partner: MORTISE.  I bet our builders on the blog knew this one. Learning moment for me. Now I know what to call the pieces of my coffee table that come apart every time I move it to vacuum the area rug.  

50. Science centers: LABS.  

54. Here, in Paris: ICI.  I used this comic for Catherine's August 19th puzzle.

Translation:  You Are Here (ICI)
and:  Your shoelace is untied.

55. Diabolical: EVIL.  

56. Gnat or mosquito: PEST.  To understand this 49 sec. scene from Lilo & Stitch (2002), you need to know that Pleakley is an alien Professor of Earth Studies who thinks that mosquitoes are an endangered species. This is his first encounter with an actual mosquito on Earth. His professional excitement soon turns to ... well, you'll see.

62. Headsail on a sloop: JIB.  

You can read more about this sloop and see a larger diagram here.

63. Flurry: SPATE.  

64. Rogue: KNAVE. Def: (noun) a tricky, deceitful fellow.

65. One of five principal resources in the game Catan: ORE.  Last month the board game Catan was in the news because of the Buffalo Bills football team.  link to ESPN article

66. Cosmetician Lauder:  ESTÉE.  (1908-2004) She was an American businesswoman who entered the cosmetic field when she helped her uncle sell his beauty products. She has been quoted as saying, "I never dreamed about success. I worked for it."  

There are many beautiful photos of her.

67. Shooting sport: SKEET.  Here is a 2:14 min. how-to video:  

68. Iota: BIT.

Down:

1. Feisty: SCRAPPY.  

2. In most cases: AS A RULE.  for the most part; generally

3. "Pencils down!": TIME'S UP.  Think of a written exam.

4. "Finding Your Roots" airer: PBS.  This is a TV show where Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. guides influential guests into their roots, uncovering deep secrets, hidden identities, and lost ancestors. Here is a list of the guests queued up for Season 10.

5. Brownie __ mode: A LA.  

6. U.K. fliers: RAF.  Royal Air Force

7. Standing up straight: ERECT.  

He still isn't wearing socks.

8. Back in fashion: RETRO.  RETRO was first used as an adjective in 1972. I would have guessed it harkened back further than that.

9. Barista employer: CAFE.  Barista was first used to mean "a person who makes and serves coffee to the public" in 1982. (I am not as surprised by that.) Barista is gender-neutral in English. 

10. Boxer who said, "The will must be stronger than the skill": ALI.  Muhammad ALI (1942-2016), among other things, was a boxer with a 3-letter name who gave the press rhyming quotes.

11. Self-reflection aids?: MIRRORS.  Cute clue! "Diaries" also has seven letters.  

12. Trap: ENSNARE.

13. "Better we skip it": LET'S NOT.  ...and say we did.

19. Hankerings: YENS.

21. Satisfied sounds: AHS.

25. Four-time Bacall co-star: BOGART.  Here is a timeline of their relationship from People Magazine.

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall

26. Meter, e.g.: UNIT.  UNIT of measurement

27. Challenge: TEST.  This clue works if they are both verbs ... or nouns.

28. __ transit: MASS.  Mass transit is "the transportation of large numbers of people by means of buses, subway trains, etc., especially within urban areas".

31. Cookie-makers: BAKERS.  

Everyone loves a cookie-maker!

34. Attempt: TRY.

36. Small chicken tenders?: HENS.  I did not understand this one. I know that a HEN is a female chicken but a HEN is full grown, not small. Maybe it means that chicken tenders used to be HENS??? I am sure one of you will be able to explain it to me.

37. Two-syllable foot: IAMB.  An IAMB is "a metrical foot consisting of one short syllable followed by one long syllable or of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable."

38. Be sickly sweet: CLOY.

39. Earth's orbit around the sun, e.g.: ELLIPSE.  

40. Where to leave leaves: TEA CUPS.  

Some people leave the Disneyland TEA CUPS ride feeling quite dizzy.
Hey, was that Santa?!

41. Savanna woodlands, to a giraffe: HABITAT.  

43. "Well done!": NICE JOB.  Catherine's grid has 14 seven-letter answers (2 horizontal and 12 vertical).  NICE JOB!!

44. "Maybe your iPhone can answer that": ASK SIRI.  SIRI is the digital assistant on iThings.  

45. Optimal option: BEST BET.  

47. Terse "Well, duh!": OBVI.  OBVIously!

49. Outdo: TOP.  This one made me think of Hahtoolah because she always outdoes herself with her blogs. They're TOPs!

52. Sty sounds: OINKS.  

53. Lose a staring contest: BLINK.  

Also, Blink-182 is an American rock band from southern California.

They formed in 1992. Here is their story of triumphs and tragedies over the years.

Reading that article explains this song, One More Time (2023).

#It'sNotTooLateToTellThePeopleAroundYouThatYouLoveThem

55. Pentathlon sword: EPEE.  This 2 min. video gives a quick run down of the five events.  

58. Had a bagel, say: ATE.  What's your bagel order? I'll take a toasted pumpernickel, please. 

59. Scot's denial: NAE.

60. "Eh, __ seen enough": I'VE.  Well, just one more....

61. Vietnamese spring festival: TET.  Tết, short for Tết Nguyên Đán, is the annual Vietnamese New Year celebration. It's date changes each year because it begins on the second new moon after winter. In 2025, it will be on January 29.

The grid:  

That's all from me. PINNY for your thoughts?

Sunday October 27, 2024 John Lieb

Theme: "Interview With the Vampire" - Each common phrase contains a vampire-related word and rephrased as Vampire's answer to an question. 

 23. "What is your least favorite form of advertising?": CROSS PROMOTIONS.

 34. "What pricing advice do you have for garden centers?": RAISE THE STAKES.

 51. "What aspect of your personality are you working on?": SELF-REFLECTION.

 68. "What would you wear, say, when spending St. Patrick's Day in Madrid?": CAPE VERDE.

 85. "Not to put you on the spot, but who is your favorite pet?": BAT ONE THOUSAND.

 97. "What investment do you recommend to your fellow creatures of the night?": CRYPTOCURRENCY.

115. "Above all else, what must your minions be?": DOWN FOR THE COUNT.

We've seen a few Vampire puzzles in the past, but none with this approach. Perfect title. I'm sure this puzzle starts the title first. I don't recall a Sunday grid with two 15-letter non-theme fill. Stunning. John is a great themeless constructor.

I mentioned before that John (upper left) runs the Boswords. The guy on the upper right is Andrew Kingsley. And you all know the third guy.

Across:

1. Texas A&M athlete: AGGIE. Agnes's niece calls her "Aunt Aggie".

6. Foldable dish: TACO.

10. Study like mad: CRAM. You need 14. Nightstand lights: LAMPS and 19. Hotel bookings: ROOMS.

20. Wrinkle remover: IRON.

21. Georgetown athlete: HOYA.

22. Words of empathy: I CARE.

26. Edible Arrangements bit: MELON. Not famliar with Edible Arrangements.

27. Australian hub, for short: SYD. Sydney Airport.

28. Starters: A TEAM.

29. March Madness openers?: EMS. Starting letters of March Madness.

30. Last part: TAIL END.

32. Procedures: WAYS.

37. Les États-__: UNIS.

39. High pts.: MTS.

40. Spanish gold: ORO.

41. Depends (on): RELIES.

44. She, in Lisbon: ELA.

46. Phillies slugger Harper: BRYCE. Boomer would have proudly told you that he owned Harper's rookie card. We also have 42. Pitcher's stat: ERA. 99. BoSox rivals: YANKS.

48. HDTV choice: LCD.

55. Domed homes: IGLOOS.

57. Help at a wedding, informally: USH.

58. Took a spill: ATE IT.

59. Former SCOTUS monogram: RBG. Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

60. Sunscreen: PARASOL. I probably would have added ?

61. Garish: LOUD.

63. Does harm to: INJURES.

65. Pink cat in "Garfield": ARLENE.

66. "Tomorrow" musical: ANNIE.

70. Aquarium fish: TETRA.

73. Soy-based meat alternative: TEMPEH. Not fond of its taste. 

75. Inorganic: MINERAL.

77. Sealed: SHUT.

78. Rum cocktails: MAI TAIS.

80. Finish with zero cards in Uno, say: WIN.

81. Couldn't stand still, say: PACED.

83. Musician Brian: ENO.

84. Throat part: TONSIL.

88. Math subj.: ALG.

89. 1970s Renault model: LE CAR.

91. Fútbol cheer: OLE.

92. Pan-fried: SAUTED.

93. Sis or bro: SIB.

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

96. Missives: Abbr.: LTRS.

105. Trickster of the 109-Across: LOKI. 109. Norse pantheon: AESIR.

107. Title girl in a No. 1 song by the Knack: SHARONA.

108. Poetic contraction: OER. And 111. Poetic contraction: TIS.

114. __ grigio: PINOT.

119. Oft-taped joint for athletes: ANKLE.

120. Alan of "Bridge of Spies": ALDA.

121. Running shoe brand: AVIA.

122. Actress McDonald with six Tony Awards: AUDRA. She also has two Grammys.

123. Bouquets, at a vineyard: NOSES.

124. Articulates: SAYS.

125. "Roundball Rock" composer John: TESH.

126. Guide: STEER.

Down:

1. Shuttlecock paths: ARCS.

2. Like some horror movies: GORY.

3. Film with the Boston-accented line "How do you like them apples?": GOOD WILL HUNTING. Such a good movie. Partnered with a great 48. "Enough with your sass!": LOSE THE ATTITUDE.

4. Some online exchanges, briefly: IMS.

5. Composition: ESSAY.

6. Run out of steam: TIRE.

7. Like a cheering crowd: AROAR.

8. Grammatical pause: COMMA.

9. Musician Yoko: ONO. 12. Author Rand: AYN. 16. Oscar winner Rami: MALEK. 82. "Dance the Night" singer Lipa: DUA. All regulars in our grids.
 
10. Wind __: CHIMES.

11. Perch: ROOST.

13. Virtuosity: MASTERY. People were often surprised when I told them that Boomer had 20 perfect games. He would have turned 77 today. This photo was taken in 2002. Myrtle Beach.

14. Maximum or minimum: LIMIT.

15. Northeast Corridor train: ACELA.

17. Given (to): PRONE.

18. Elates: SENDS.

24. NBA stat: Abbr.: PTS.

25. "This is only a __": TEST.

31. Standoffish: ASOCIAL.

33. "Yeah, right!": AS IF.

35. Apple desktop: IMAC.

36. Shofar, e.g.: HORN. Shofars are used for Jewish religious purposes, according to Wikipedia.

37. "The Little Mermaid" witch: URSULA.

38. Liam of "Taken": NEESON.

43. Org. looking for alien life: SETI.

44. Seder prophet: ELIJAH.

45. Relent: LET UP.

46. Peaty wetland: BOG.

47. Everglades bird: EGRET.

49. Murmur: COO.

50. Broadband letters: DSL.

52. Yard dividers: FENCES.

53. Golf great Lee: TREVINO. He used to be here for the 3M Championship. Always in the same group as Jack Nicklaus & Gary Player.

54. "Peer Gynt" playwright: IBSEN.

56. Highway divisions: LANES.

60. Deliver a sermon: PREACH.

62. Meal plans: DIETS.

64. Send payment: REMIT.

65. Classified stat: AD RATE.

67. Inbox message: EMAIL.

69. Drive off: REPEL.

71. Athlete in a triathlon's last leg: RUNNER.

72. Holding conflicting views: AT ODDS. With.

74. Supplies additional criticism: PILES ON.

76. Many August babies: LEOS.

78. NYC subway org.: MTA.

79. Early ISP: AOL.

80. "One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb __!": WAR.

85. Hindu "sir": BABU.

86. Midday: NOON.

87. Brood: SULK.

90. Noisy insects: CICADAS. Tasty when fried. 

94. Sports venues: ARENAS.

95. Foam toy material: NERF.

97. Channel created as a community service: C-SPAN.

98. Thick-skinned herbivore: RHINO.

100. Member of the working class: PROLE. Short for proletariat.

101. "For sure!": TOTES.

102. Rambunctious: ROWDY.

103. Make one's mark, in a way: CARVE.

104. Legendary Himalayans: YETIS. Called "Xue Ren" in Chinese, literally "snowman".

105. Tell tales: LIE.

106. Black-and-white whales: ORCAS.

110. Deposed Iranian ruler: SHAH.

112. Memo starter: IN RE.

113. Coveted symbol in Dr. Seuss's "The Sneetches": STAR.

116. Lisbon greeting: OLA.

117. Cheerios grain: OAT.

118. Tennis call: OUT.

I'd like to recommend this puzzle book to you guys. You can read this blog post from Brooke Husic. I don't remember solving a puzzle book with constructor notes. Quite a few LAT constructors have a puzzle in the collection. Just from my puzzle answer sheet page, I see Rafa Musa, Darby Ratliff and Adam Aaronson (yesterday's constructor).

C.C.