Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Alan Massengill and Doug Peterson

A Friendly Word of Advice.  Each of the theme answers is in the Down position to create a Column of Advice.

4-Down. "Things are going well, so avoid sudden changes": DON'T ROCK THE BOAT.

8-Down. "If you rush, you won't do it right": HASTE MAKES WASTE.

17-Down. "Relax and take things as they come": ONE DAY AT A TIME.

And the unifier: 

9-Down. "Dear Abby," "Ask Amy," et al., and an apt description of 4-, 8-, and 17-Down: ADVICE COLUMNS.

In The Graduate, the advice Dustin Hoffman was given was Plastics.  My advice to you is AirTags.  We were just vacationing and were flying from one tiny island to another.  Our luggage was inadvertently taken by another guest's cab driver to the ferry station.  We were heading to the airport.  Fortunately, the AirTags in allowed us to locate our luggage, which we were able to retrieve before it headed off to a location unknown.

Here's the Grid so you can more easily find the Advice Columns.

What other advice does today's puzzle give us?

Across:

1. Basic bed: COT.

4. Vader's title: DARTH.  A Star Wars reference.

9. Tablet downloads: APPS.

13. Language similar to Thai: LAO.  //  And 5-Down. Like 13-Across: ASIAN.

14. Tennis champion Naomi: OSAKA.  Naomi Osaka (b. Oct. 16, 1997) is a Japanese professional tennis player and has been ranked as the world's number 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association.

15. Self-improvement icon Carnegie: DALE.  Dale Carnegie taught courses in self-improvement and is probably best known for being the author of How to Win Friends and Influence People.  I don't believe he wrote advice columns, however.

16. "The Simpsons" bus driver: OTTO.

18. Yucatán boys: NIÑOS.  Today's Spanish lesson.  It's a short flight from New Orleans to the Yucatán.

19. Scenic sight: VIEW.

20. "Game" of missed connections: PHONE TAG.

22. Classic Fords: T-BIRDS.

24. Acquire with effort: EARN.

25. Former Ford div.: MERC.  Mercury was a division of Ford Motor Company until 2011, when Ford phased out the brand.

26. "No choice, sorry": I HAD TO.

29. In a melancholy way: SOMBERLY.

33. Astronauts org.: NASA.

34. Brownie ingredient: COCOA.

36. Farewell accompanied by an air kiss: CIAO.  Today's Italian lesson.

37. DVD holder: TRAY.  It took me a minute to figure out this clue.  We haven't used DVDs in centuries!

38. Rap: KNOCK.

39. The Grand Ole __: OPRY.

40. Div. of Labor: OSHA.

41. Church donation: TITHE.  A Tithe is traditionally considered one tenth of annual produce or earnings for the support of the Church.

42. Italian lake: LAGO.  I confidently wrote in Como, until the perps let me to realize that we were looking for a more generic Italian lake.  This is a continuation of today's Italian lesson.

43. Impassioned to the extreme: WHITE HOT.

45. Lightly fries in oil: SAUTÉS.

47. Prayer ending: AMEN.

48. Did the first stage of a triathlon: SWAM.  The three stages of a triathlon are: swimming, cycling, and running, all in sequence.

49. Spot for a therapeutic cold plunge: ICE TUB.

52. Colorful reef dweller: SEA SNAKE.

56. Full-length skirt: MAXI.

57. Hockey Hall of Famer Adam: OATES.  Adam Robert Oates (b. Aug. 27, 1962) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player.  He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

59. Iditarod vehicle: SLED.  This Alaskan race has an interesting history.

60. British baby carriage: PRAM.

61. Change with the times: ADAPT.

62. Wooden pin: PEG.

63. Equivalent: SAME.

64. Succinct: TERSE.

65. Foxy: SLY.

Down:

1. Hoofbeat sound: CLOP.

2. Pledge in court: OATH.

3. Dorothy Gale's pup: TOTO.

6. Called up: RANG.

7. MMA decision: TKO.  As in Mixed Martial Arts and a Technical KnockOut.

10. Connect via Bluetooth, say: PAIR.  What, exactly, is Bluetooth?  Bluetooth technology is named after Danish and Norwegian King Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson.  He was known for uniting (pairing) Norway and Denmark in 958.  

11. Swore: PLED.

12. Stitches (up): SEWS.

21. Consume: EAT.

23. Texter's "Gimme a sec": BRB.  Textspeak for Be Right Back.

25. Freeloading sort: MOOCH.

26. Following behind: IN TOW.

27. Like an arctic winter: HARSH.

28. Beer with sushi, maybe: ASAHI.

29. "The Great Gatsby" novelist F. __ Fitzgerald: SCOTT.  The Great Gatsby, which was published in 1925, focuses millionaire Jay Gatsby and his pursuit of love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan.  The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, a young man who becomes acquainted with Gatsby and witnesses his extravagant life and the tragic consequences of his desire.  The novel has been adapted into many movie versions.  The Great Gatsby is arguably the best known novel by Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (Sept. 24, 1896 ~ Dec. 21, 1940).

30. Open eagerly, as a present: RIP AT.

31. Not quite jumbo: LARGE.

32. Up-and-down toys: YOYOs.

35. Pungent bulb: ONION.

44. Bird on the Australian coat of arms: EMU.  The Australian shield is held up by the native Australian animals the kangaroo and the emu, which were chosen to symbolize a nation moving forward, based on the fact that neither animal can move backwards easily.

46. Small batteries: AAs.

48. Oozes: SEEPS.

49. Real troublemakers: IMPS.

50. Chanel model Delevingne: CARA.  Cara Jocelyn Delevingne (b. Aug. 12, 1992) is an English model and actress.

51. Academic hurdle: EXAM.

52. Betelgeuse, for one: STAR.  Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star located in the constellation Orion.  The name Betelguese is derived from the Arabic term bat al-jawzāʾ, which means “the giant's shoulder."

53. Mont Blanc's range: ALPS.  Also the name of an expensive pen.

54. On an even __: stable: KEEL.

55. With just a bit of spice: EDGY.

58. Citrus drink suffix: -ADE.  And a shout-out to our friend Lemonade.

~~~~~~
Many thanks to Rusty Brain for taking the Tuesday spot while I was away.

See you next week!

חתולה

Monday May 26, 2025 Christina Iverson

  

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!  

sumdaze here. Today's theme is:

Things We Need to Trim for $200, Alex.  

You can put away your hedge clippers. This one is more personal. We'll begin with the three themed clues & answers:

16 Across. Really, really strong: AS TOUGH AS NAILS.  

26 Across. Delicate pasta often served with a light sauce: ANGEL HAIR.  It is one of the thinnest pastas available. Its Italian name is capellini which means "little hairs". 

<not for those with trichophobia>

44 Across. French folktale that inspired a Kurt Vonnegut novel: BLUEBEARD.

Britannica's write-up  

The reveal:

52 Across. "I wasn't sure at first, but ...," or what could be said about the ends of 16-, 26-, and 44-Across?: IT'S GROWING ON ME.  We use this idiom to say that we like something better as time goes on. It can also imply an increasing attachment. Ex.:  At first I did not like my roommate's pet iguana but now IT'S GROWNING ON ME.

Also, the words NAILS, HAIR, and BEARD name things that GROW ON the human body.  

Play-Doh Buzz 'n Cut Fuzzy Pumper Barber Shop Set

Across:

1. Flurries of activity: ADOS.  This fill always makes me think about the Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing.

5. Swedish aerospace giant: SAAB.  SAAB aerospace history

9. Pet food brand: ALPO.  

Remember the Lorne Greene ads?
(BTW, he was a Canadian, born in Ottawa...eh!)

13. Olympic skier Lindsey: VONN.  [b. October 18, 1984 in St. Paul, MN]  Lindsey Vonn: All alpine ski titles, records, and medals - complete list  

She is simply amazing!

14. The Bruins of the Big Ten Conf.: UCLA.  University of California, Los Angeles

memory trick for next time:  the bear on the CA state flag

15. Devil costume part: TAIL.

19. Impressive display: ARRAY.  This is the first of three answers that could be clued in a math way.  

20. One whose age is given in months: TODDLER.

22. Brick and __: MORTAR.  In this age of E-TAIL, brick and mortar has developed a more specific meaning to distinguish businesses with a physical building where clients and customers can visit.

24. Plead: BEG.  Does anyone remember this Olivia Newton-John song from 1975?  

Please Mr. Please

I may or may not have sung this song into a hairbrush

while roller-skating in my driveway back in the day.

25. __ Star State: LONE.  CSO to our TX Cornerites!

28. "Please explain?": HOW SO?.

29. Chilled: ICED.  

30. Bus. letters: INC.  Business and INCorporated.

31. "Right this minute!": NOW.

32. Allow: LET.

33. Musician known as the "Godfather of Punk": IGGY POP.  [b. James Newell Osterberg Jr. on April 21, 1947]  I question how many IP fans we have on The Corner; but, in case you are curious....

Iggy Pop   ~   Lust for Life   ~   released 1977

35. Beaver's project: DAM.  

38. "As if!": HAH.

39. Prefix with gender: CIS-.  Wiki list of English words prefixed with CIS-

40. "Of __ and Men": MICE.  John Steinbeck [1902-1968] was an American author who won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writing, combining sympathetic humor and keen social perception." To me that perfectly describes this novella (published in 1937) as well as his other works. Steinbeck is much celebrated here in Monterey, his home county.

41. Lofty goal: DREAM.

46. Tidy: NEAT.

47. Stick in a pool hall: CUE.

48. Stovetops: RANGES.  This is the second of three answers that could be clued in a math way.  

49. "Wow, so soon?": ALREADY.

51. Refried beans bean: PINTO.

56. "If the __ fits ... ": SHOE.  

57. World-traveling Verne protagonist: FOGG.  Phileas Fogg is the protagonist in the 1872 Jules Verne novel Around the World in Eighty Days. This is the trailer for the 2004 Disney movie version starring Steve Coogan and Jackie Chan:  

58. Train travel: RAIL.  

The Doobie Brothers   ~   Long Train Runnin'   ~   1973

59. Watch part: HAND.  

60. Own (up): FESS.  

This one didn't go where I thought it was going.

61. Loud noise: SLAM.     and     45 Down. Loud noise: BANG.

Down:  

1. Director DuVernay: AVA.     and     27 Down. "Brokeback Mountain" director Lee: ANG.

We see these directors regularly in our grids.

2. Uno y uno: DOS.  "Y" (pronounced "ee") translates to "and" in English. I love the name Marysol (sea and sun).

3. Properly aimed: ON TARGET.  Eaglets instinctually shoot their poop outside of their nest but they do not seem to first look to make sure family members are not in the way. In this video Sunny NAILS eagle dad Shadow 🎯, who takes it in stride.  

video from 5/11/25

As of this writing, neither Sunny nor Gismo have fledged

-- but I am keeping an eye on them!

BTW, the correct word for an eagle poop shoot is slice.

4. Showed appreciation for a bad joke, maybe: SNORTED.  

5. Result of a Halloween candy binge: SUGAR HIGH.  This was not a first-y but it is a great bonus word! I started with SUGAR rusH.

6. Sore: ACHY.

7. In the style of, on a menu: À LA.

8. Tool often used on Thanksgiving: BASTER.

9. Just slightly: A TAD.

10. Brought down to the ground: LAID LOW.

11. Bed cushion: PILLOW.

12. "Full House" twins: OLSENS.  They did that thing where twins play one character so a TODDLER would not have to be on set so much.  

Mary-Kate and Ashley
(or Ashley and Mary-Kate???)

17. Asian territory on a Risk board: URAL.  Risk is a board game of strategy and territorial conquest.

18. Eggy holiday drink: NOG.

21. __ Speedwagon: REO.

22. Put in the post: MAIL.

23. A single time: ONCE.

24. Transport with training wheels: BICYCLE.  We see training wheels less and less because today's TODDLERs learn to ride on balance bikes. Pretty nifty!!  

28. Move like a frog: HOP.

31. Some facial jewelry: NOSE RINGS.  Speaking of frogs...

33. Terse affirmative: I AM.  "Remember to take out the recycling."  "I AM!"

34. More, on a music score: PIÙ.  This is an Italian musical term that means "more". It is commonly used in conjunction with other musical instructions to indicate that the performer should increase certain aspects of the music, such as volume, speed, or emotion.  source  

35. Like the lines on argyle socks: DIAGONAL.  This is the third of three answers that could be clued in a math way.  

36. Land unit: ACRE.

37. Rx items: MEDS.  Note that both the clue and answer are abbreviations.

38. Talks trash about: HATES ON.  Just as it is not a good idea to roll around in trash, it is not a good idea to wallow in HATE.

40. Trusted career guides: MENTORS.

41. Genetic letters: DNA.

42. Condiment on a hot dog: RELISH.  This word is a good fit for Memorial Day picnics.

43. "Santa Baby" singer Kitt: EARTHA.  [1927-2008]  Eartha also played Catwoman in two episodes of the 1960s Batman TV series. Here she is with Cesar Romero as The Joker.

44. Bribe: BUY OFF.  I had paY OFF before BUY OFF.

47. Capt.'s underling: CDR.  In the U.S. Navy, a Captain is over a Commander.

50. Became older: AGED.  Speaking of birthdays, Happy 75th Birthday to Sophia!  

51. Babe and Wilbur, for two: PIGS.  Young PIGS are called piglets and young hedgehogs are called hoglets.  

Babe, Wilbur, and a hoglet

53. Deep sadness: WOE.

54. "Mamma __!": MIA.  Such a great soundtrack! I'll take a chance on this one:

55. Furniture wood: ELM.  If this were 1-Down, I would have inked in oak but by 55-D it had filled itself.

Today's grid:  

Christina put ten (non-themed) two-word answers in this grid.

I hope this puzzle measured up to your expectations!

Have a safe and happy holiday!