Sunday November 17, 2024 Ricky J. Sirois

Theme: "Cards on the Table" - Each theme answer starts with a card game.

22. Temptation for Hansel and Gretel: GINGER BREADHOUSE.

38. Place to take a long drive?: WARNING TRACK.

47. Highly suspenseful: HEART-STOPPING.

67. Song for Snow White: WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK.

85. Infield feature: PITCHER'S MOUND.

92. Role that earned Renée Zellweger her first Oscar nomination: BRIDGET JONES.

115. "Time to play!," and what could be said about 22-, 38-, 47-, 67-, 85-, and 92-Across: LET THE GAMES BEGIN.

Fresh take on the card game theme. I don't recall seeing this approach before.

I think this is our constructor. He's an accomplished Scrabble player.

Across:

1. More predictable: TAMER.

 6. Quite a few: MANY.

10. Extensions: LIMBS.

15. __ card: smartphone insert: SIM.

18. Atlanta university: EMORY.

19. Early Ron Howard role: OPIE. "The Andy Griffith Show".

20. Roast host: EMCEE.

21. Trillion, in computer storage: TERA. Mega, giga, tera.

25. Celebrated one: IDOL.

26. The 13 of PG-13: AGE.

27. Informal French pronoun: TOI. As to "vous".

28. Tweet: CHIRP.

29. Layered Italian dessert: SPUMONI. Layered gelato. With cherries and pistachios.

31. Hesitant: NOT SO SURE.

34. Tidy the garden: WEED.

36. Drive-in chain with carhops: SONIC.

37. En __: as a group: MASSE.

41. Farley of "Tommy Boy": CHRIS.

44. Wind up: COIL.

46. Airport destination: GATE.

52. Gallo Winery city: MODESTO.

57. "Dead Wake" author Larson: ERIK

58. Janelle of "Glass Onion": MONAE.

59. Otherwise: ELSE.

61. Singe: CHAR.

62. Voice artist Blanc: MEL.

63. "Whatcha __?": DOIN.

64. __ circus: FLEA.

65. Ornamental style: ROCOCO.

72. "I need grub!": FEED ME.

73. Maryland blue, e.g.: CRAB. This is huge.

74. Test-drive: SPIN.

75. "CrazySexyCool" R&B trio: TLC.

77. Even, in France: EGAL.

78. Headliner: STAR.

79. Very pale: ASHEN.

81. Spirit: BRIO.

82. Tattoos and such: BODY ART.

88. Half-moon tide: NEAP.

90. Citation abbr.: ET AL.

91. Longtime Celtics GM Danny: AINGE. Unfamiliar with this guy.

98. 64-Down tellers: LIARS. 64. Bit of baloney: FIB.

101. Eagle's nest: AERIE.

102. Irritable state: SNIT.

103. Reservation taker: CONCIERGE.

107. Name associated with two types of cups: STANLEY. The hockey cup and this type.

110. "Gesundheit" elicitor: ACHOO.

112. Beauty: GEM.

113. Amount to: ARE.

114. Donkey __: KONG.

119. Yale alumni: ELIS.

120. Sarge's superior: LOOIE.

121. Soul legend Redding: OTIS.

122. Congregational calls: AMENS.

123. Sixers for the Niners, briefly: TDS. I like this clue angle. And 78. 123-Across, e.g.: STAT.

124. Boutiques: SHOPS.

125. Tabloid fare: DIRT.

126. Like soapy hands: SUDSY.

Down:

1. __ and Sara: Canadian pop duo: TEGAN.

 

 

2. Buddy, in Bolivia: AMIGO.

3. "Rouen Cathedral" painter: MONET.

4. Energy unit: ERG.

5. Canapé option: RYE TOAST.

6. __ strip: mathematics model used in the NASCAR Hall of Fame design: MOBIUS.

7. Loan fig.: APR.

8. Nephew's sister: NIECE.

9. "Totes": YEAH.

10. Musical satirist Tom: LEHRER. "The Elements".

11. "Throw it to me!": I'M OPEN.

12. Superhero franchise initials: MCU. The Marvel Cinematic Universe.

13. First lady after Eleanor: BESS.

14. Move like water in a percolator: SEEP.

15. Arizona home of Cathedral Rock: SEDONA. Stunning view.

16. Unexpectedly apt: IRONIC.

17. Wendie of "Just Shoot Me!": MALICK. Sometimes we see MALEK (Rami).

21. Divided island of Southeast Asia: TIMOR.

23. "American Fiction" actress Tracee Ellis __: ROSS.

24. Hindu festival celebrated over five days: DIWALI. When I was a kid, Chinese New Year lasted at least 15 days. It's the only time I got new clothes.

30. Formal Spanish pronoun: USTED.

32. Smug look: SMIRK.

33. Meet up with old friends: RE-CONNECT.

35. Archaeological site: DIG.

38. Moist towelette: WIPE.

39. "__ your price": NAME.

40. Classic Pontiac: GTO.

41. Sci. class with a lab requirement: CHEM.

42. "Brace yourselves!": HERE WE GO.

43. End of the line, perhaps: RAILHEAD.

45. Joyful cry at a Greek wedding: OPA. Let's see if this video works.

48. Struck down, biblically: SMOTE.

49. Slog away: TOIL.

50. Tony winner Carter: NELL.

51. TV musical with 207 songs on the Billboard Hot 100: GLEE.

53. Danish shoe brand: ECCO.

54. Immediate future: SHORT RUN. Or a 3-mile trot to Renee. 

55. Taking on, as a challenge: TACKLING.

56. Spanish treasure: ORO.

60. Offers a greeting: SAYS HELLO.

63. Psych. handbook: DSM. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. 

65. Archaeological site: RUINS.

66. Possess: OWN.

68. Without thinking: IDLY.

69. Sandwich option: WRAP.

70. Mata __: HARI.

71. Pay phone abbr.: OPER.

72. Shortest mo.: FEB.

76. Program: CODE.

79. Goes for it: ACTS.

80. Doo-wop syllable: SHA.

81. Home of the NCAA's Broncos: BOISE. Boise State Broncos.

 

83. Nativity play role: ANGEL.

84. Food writer Drummond: REE.

86. Get a bite?: TEETHE. Fun clue.

87. Xylophone kin: MARIMBAS.

89. Comfy outfit: PJS.

92. Picnic container: BASKET.

93. Like stories of days gone by, often: RE-TOLD.

94. Tehran natives: IRANIS.

95. Small imperfections: DINGS.

96. Using inside info, perhaps: ON A TIP.

97. Cozy spots: NICHES.

99. Eat: INGEST.

100. Las Vegas WNBA team: ACES.

103. Animal also known as the hog-nosed raccoon: COATI.

104. Stormed: RAGED.

105. Sly expressions: GRINS.

106. Itty-bitty: EENSY.

108. What always ends well?: ELLS. The two letters.

109. Michelle of "Everything Everywhere All at Once": YEOH. Hokkien spelling of the Chinese name Yang. Hokkien is the largest Chinese dialect in Malaysia.

111. Psalm starter: O GOD.

116. As well: TOO.

117. Bygone space station: MIR.

118. Cassowary relative: EMU. We have ostriches in our local Como Zoo. 

In case you missed it, Husker Gary met with Inanehiker (Nina) and her friend Marla last Wednesday. I love seeing our blog regulars meet in real life. This picture made me so happy.

Nina, Gary and Marla

Saturday, November 16, 2024, Zhouqin Burnikel

 Saturday Themeless by C.C. Burnikel

Our friend C.C. gave us a fun puzzle for today but left me flummoxed at the bottom right as you see here where my two empty cells were. I made the right guess for someone named NASIM but had no shot at the  name for the nesting Russian figurines. I knew of their existence but could not come up with the correct vowel. I also had no shot at the tofu dish. I'll take one bad cell and soldier on. 

I had a very nice lunch with inanehiker [see picture at bottom of write-up] on Wednesday and showed her this SE corner and she laughed at seeing that trouble spot early.

 Across:

1. Sweet drink with a velvety texture: MANGO LASSI.

           

11. Go-to docs: PCPS - My Primary Care Physician is a former student who referred me to another former student for my surgery.

15. "Seems unlikely": I DOUBT THAT.

16. Smoothie option: ALOE - Colorful drinks today

17. Walk of Style locale: RODEO DRIVE.

1 

18. One on Charon's ferry: SOUL 

19. Remove all traces of: ERASE.

20. Hostile territory: ENEMY TURF - In Westside Story, if the Sharks or Jets invaded ENEMY TURF,  they either danced or had a fight

22. Groups of reps: SETS.

23. Long-running CBS drama: CSI - Crime Scene Investigation

24. Growing needs: SEEDS - Burpee SEEDS are a sure sign of spring

25. Doctor: ALTER - My lovely bride always doctors up a "boughten" pizza

27. Banks at Wrigley Field: ERNIE - ERNIE did it all but never got to play in a World Series

29. Sound cranky: WHINE.

32. Versailles figure: ROI.

The Dream Of A King

34. Evening, in promos: NITE.

35. Jules who pioneered the art of trapeze: LEOTARD - A puzzle I recently blogged had "bloomers" that were named for Amelia Bloomer.

37. Language close to Portugués: ESPAÑOL - Welp, Spain and Portugal do share the Iberian Peninsula so...

39. Liberal follower: ARTS.

40. Brewery vessel: KEG.

42. Draw a parallel: LIKEN.

43. Canyonlands formations: MESAS.

45. Country with a red dragon on its flag: WALES.

47. Salk contemporary: SABIN.

49. Guitar legend Paul: LES - This is the LES Paul #1 he built in 1952.

50. Diplomatic achievement: PACT.

54. Souvenirs caught by fans: FOUL BALLS - An unbelievable one in this year's World Series

56. Actress Ringwald: MOLLY - MOLLY traced her roots to a small house in Arlington, NE which is my hometown and where I sub. When she and a film crew showed up, these kid recognized her and had a picture taken. 

57. Mammal on the Vancouver Canucks logo: ORCA.

58. Mollusk native to the northwest Atlantic: SEA SCALLOP.

60. Mount Olympus figure: ARES.

61. Spiritual calm: INNER PEACE.

62. Video game whose fifth and final sequel was End of Ages: MYST ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

63. Nesting Russian figurine: MATRYOSHKA - muh tree OWSH kuh) As I said, I knew of the nesting dolls but the name of this set  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Down:

1. Gets good and stuck: MIRES - I got MIRED down in the SE corner but I still love C.C.! 💗

2. Treasure: ADORE.

3. Signal to: NOD AT.

4. Wild thing?: GUESS 😀 Also an occasional crossword strategy.

5. Woodwind with a Viennese variety: OBOE.

6. Old Ford: LTD.

7. Phrase in Newton's first law: AT REST - I have done this demo, and had kids do it, hundreds of times. Object AT REST want to remain AT REST.

8. More polished: SHINIER.

9. File menu choice: SAVE.

10. Agenda bullets: ITEMS.

11. "Doctor Zhivago" author: PASTERNAK.

12. Seventh heaven: CLOUD NINE.

13. Spares no effort: POURS IT ON - In sports, this is can be known as running up the score

14. __-care: SELF.

21. "Way Up" host Angela: YEE ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

23. Court figure: CLERK.

25. Gasteyer of "Mean Girls": ANA - ANA was one of several SNL alums to be in this movie where she played Lindsay Lohan's mother.

 ANA            Lindsay

26. Eggs on top of toast Skagen: ROE - Common fill with an exotic clue.

28. Fish in unagi musubi: EEL - This musubi has both EEL and Spam. See comment above.

29. "Please forgive us": WE'RE SORRY.

30. What might really put a fire in one's belly?: HOT SAUCES.

31. Part of a rave review: IT'S A BLAST.

33. Key chains?: ISLES 😀

35. On the __: LAM.

36. Drops in the yard: DEW 😀

38. Film noir figures, briefly: PI'S - Bogie as Sam Spade leaped to my mind

41. Chivalrous: GALLANT - GAL ent or archaic Guh LAHNT

44. Part of the fam: SIB.

46. Not as important: LESSER.

48. "Chad" star Pedrad: NASIM ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

50. Ends of the earth: POLES 😀

51. The Almighty, to most Uyghurs: ALLAH.

52. Second place?: CLOCK 😀 - Also minutes and hours

53. Strong personality: TYPE-A.

54. Head: FOAM.

55. Headey of "White House Plumbers": LENA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

56. __ tofu: spicy Sichuan dish: MAPO ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

59. Noise on a baby monitor: CRY.

This is picture of inanehiker (Dr. Nina Kiekhaefer - nee Miller 😊), her friend Marla and me having lunch at The Venue in Lincoln on Wednesday. My grandfather emigrated to America from Switzerland with his sister named Nina (NY nuh) and he and grandma named their firstborn Nina. I wondered if our Nina pronounced her name that way or as NEE nuh. She uses my great aunt's pronunciation said she tells people to think of eight-uh, nine-uh, ten-uh. Very cool 😀 

Nina is a lovely person and we had a great visit on personal and crossword topics! BTW, I really enjoyed my turkey ciabatta. 

Nina        Me          Marla
I'm the thorn midst two roses.