Tuesday, July 8, 2025 Noel Griskey

It's All Fun and Games Until ...  The last word of each theme answer is the name of a card game, unlike Chess, which is a board game.

17-Across. *   Wrestling contest where opponents hold hands: THUMB WAR.

25-Across. *   Homemade liquor during Prohibition: BATHTUB GIN.

39-Across. *  Marinated antipasto items: ARTICHOKE HEARTS.

51-Across. *   Isthmus: LAND BRIDGE.

And the unifier:

64-Across. Chess finales, and what the answers to the starred clues have: ENDGAMES.  The END word of each theme answer is a Card GAME.

Across:

1. Scoffer's laugh: HAH(toolah).

4. Shapes of some annexes: ELLs.

8. No longer feral: TAMED.

13. Kerfuffle: ADO.

14. Roll of fabric: BOLT.

15. Open declaration: AVOWAL.

19. Replace outdated connections, perhaps: REWIRE.

20. Sprinkler hookups: HOSES.

21. Georgia home of the Allman Brothers: MACON.

23. Poetry Out Loud org.: NEA.  As in the National Endowment for the Arts.

24. Top poker cards: ACES.

27. Fatherly nickname: PAPA.

29. __-friendly: USER.

30. Quilters' gathering: BEE.

32. Positive quality: ASSET.

35. "It's a cinch!": EASY.

43. [OMG!]: GASP.

44. Sticky pine product: RESIN.

45. Long, slithery fish: EEL.

46. "Humpty Dumpty" rhyme scheme: AABB.

49. Thompson who won four NBA championships with the Warriors: KLAY.  Klay Alexander Thompson (b. Feb. 8, 1990) currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks.  He previously played for the Golden State Warriors for 13 seasons.

56. Money to repay: LOAN.

59. Reproductive cells: OVA.

60. __-Coeur Basilica: Paris tourist spot: SACRÉ.  Today's French lesson.  Sacré-Cœur Basilica is a minor basilica in Paris and is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

61. Pianist's practice piece: ÉTUDE.  More of today's French lesson.

62. Cocktail garnishes: OLIVES.

66. Experts: MAVENS.

67. Rum quaff: GROG.  There are several "origin" stories of how Grog came to be.  Here is one version.

68. Not mainstream, informally: ALT.  As in Alternative.

69. White of "The Golden Girls": BETTY.  Betty Marion White (Jan. 17, 1922 ~ Dec. 31, 2021) was a wonderful comedian and actress.  She also starred in the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

70. Filming locations: SETS.

71. __ Moines, Iowa: DES.  Anyone here from Iowa?  

Down:

1. Gentle yoga style: HATHA.  Everything you wanted to know about Hatha yoga but didn't know to ask.

2. Like some committees: AD HOC.  Today's Latin lesson.

3. Indoor cats, e.g.: HOUSE PETS.  //  And 63-Down. 3-Down doc: VET.

4. Flows out, as the tide: EBBS.

5. Close to the ground: LOW.

6. Camel kin in Peru: LLAMA.

7. Classic Fender, familiarly: STRAT.  Everything you wanted to know about Fender guitars.

8. Fortunetelling decks: TAROTS.

9. Utah or Maine, in Washington, D.C.: AVENUE.

10. Make a path in a field, say: MOW.

11. Former Knicks center Patrick: EWING.  Although Patrick Ewing (né Patrick Aloysius Ewing; b. Aug. 5, 1962) was born in Jamaica, he lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts during his childhood before being recruited by Georgetown, where he played college basketball.

12. "Is it worth the risk?": DARE I?

16. Like turkey chili: LEAN.

18. Flat-topped landform: MESA.

22. Skydivers' needs: CHUTES.

25. Wild party: BASH.

26. La __ Tar Pits: BREA.

28. Ms. __-Man: arcade classic: PAC.

30. Tote or duffel: BAG.

31. Pitching stat: ERA.  As in Earned Run Average.

33. Food preservative acid: SORBIC.

34. Scrape (by): EKE.

36. "Did I do something wrong?": ARE YOU MAD?

37. Fr. holy woman: STE.  A continuation of today's French lesson.

38. Fr. fashion brand: YSL.  More of today's French theme.  The company is a luxury fashion house founded 1961 by Yves Saint Laurent (né Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent; Aug. 1, 1936 ~ June 1, 2008) and Pierre Bergé (né Pierre Vital Georges Bergé; Nov. 14, 1930 ~ Sept. 8, 2017)

40. Apple Pencil device: iPAD.

41. Mountain trail activity: HIKE.

42. Made a JPEG bigger, briefly: ENL.  As in Enlarge.

47. Not at school: ABSENT.

48. Loud and shrill, as a trumpet: BRASSY.

50. Ski town in Utah's Wasatch Mountains: ALTA.

51. Weaver's device: LOOM.

52. Space for tech-savvy HS kids: AV LAB.

53. Clueless: NAÏVE.

54. Wine residue: DREGS.

55. Artistic category: GENRE.

57. "Skyfall" vocalist: ADELE.  Adele (née Adele Laurie Blue Adkins; b. May 5, 1988) English singer-songwriter known for her soulful ballads and mezzo-soprano vocals.  Yesterday she was drinking wine.

58. Cozy spots: NESTS.

61. Soufflé ingredients: EGGS.  Yummers!

65. Part of a URL: DOT.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday July 7, 2025 Janice Luttrell

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. 

Theme:  

Call Me   ~   Blondie   ~   1980

Today's puzzle has five fun themers. Each begins with a word that can be used to mean "make a telephone call".

18 Across. Trendy bits of jargon: BUZZ WORDS.

24 Across. Choice spots at a prizefight: RING SIDE SEATS.

38 Across. Carol lyric before "Oh! What fun it is to ride / In a one-horse open sleigh": JINGLE ALL THE WAY.  

48 Across. First line of "Moby-Dick": CALL ME ISHMAEL.

58 Across. Do a job half-heartedly: PHONE IT IN.  

Let's let our fingers do the walking through the other clues...

(Note:  To catch that reference, you have to be old enough to remember phone books and yellow pages.)

Across: 

1. Soft support for an injured arm: SLING.  

6. Halogen bulb unit: WATT.  

10. Sneaker, e.g.: SHOE.  

14. Social no-no: TABOO.

15. Jane Austen matchmaker: EMMA.  The protagonist's full name is Emma Woodhouse. This novel was originally published December 23, 1815. Did they schedule releases for Christmas must-haves back then?

16. Shed, as feathers: MOLT.  Penguins do a "catastrophic MOLT". That sounds serious, doesn't it? Whereas most birds lose and replace feathers here and there, penguins lose their feathers all at once. This is so they can remain waterproof most of the time. Their MOLT takes 2-3 weeks.  

17. Photographer Adams: ANSEL.  He is usually associated with his images of Yosemite but I have a pretty cool book of photos he took of University of California features called Fiat Lux. This photo is of Lick Observatory. (Jayce knows this place.)  

20. Writer/actress Issa: RAE.

21. Beaver creations: DAMS.  Here is a 3:51 min. BBC video about beaver DAMS. Baby beavers (kits) appear at 2:08.  

"A beaver can lift its own body weight in timber."

23. Natural sweetener: HONEY.  A typical beehive makes more than 400 lbs. (181.4 kg.) of HONEY per year. 

28. Etymologist's ref.: OED.  An etymologist specializes in word histories. One might study a reference book such as the Oxford English Dictionary.

29. School subject with fractions: MATH.  

30. First course of action: PLAN A.

33. Understands: SEES.    

SEE'S understands me.

35. King Kong, e.g.: APE.

42. Place for a facial: SPA.  "Face" was one letter too long.

43. Landed on a perch: ALIT.

44. One-named "I Drink Wine" singer: ADELE.  I know we have some Adele fans here on The Corner. Here is this 2021 song with lyrics:  

45. Use a peeler: PARE.  If you think of the phrase PARE down, you might think of a knife slowly peeling away layers.  This article lists six uses for a PARing knife:  peeling, coring/pitting/deseeding, segmenting, deveining, scoring bread, and making detailed cuts. (Apparently coring, pitting, and deseeding are all one use.)

47. Simile phrase: AS A.  

54. Hawk's nest: AERIE.  This word is also used for an eagle's nest. Perhaps you are familiar with the clothing store American Eagle. They have a sub-brand called Aerie.  

56. Nine-__ battery: VOLT.  Last night I replaced one of these in my smoke detector. Why do they always start the low-battery chirp in the middle of the night? It really freaks out my dog.

57. Army ration, briefly: MRE.  Meal, Ready-To-Eat. I think I've mentioned I take these backpacking. You only need  an ounce of water to activate the heating pouch. Each one is about 1,250 calories. I figure on one per day plus oatmeal for breakfast, a few Luna bars, and some herbal tea bags.  

61. "Rashomon" director Kurosawa: AKIRA.  Rashomon is a 1950 film set in Kyoto, Japan.

63. Chimney sweep's target: SOOT.  

Dick Van Dyke   ~  Chim Chim Cher-ee   ~   Mary Poppins  (1964)

64. __ Field: Queens stadium: CITI.  I know this one from doing XWDs.

65. "We Got the Beat" band: GO-GO'S.  They are an all-female rock band. This video is from American Bandstand in 1982.  

Hand up for being a fan back in the day!

66. Possesses: OWNS.  not in the creepy The Exorcist sort of way

67. Corporate VIP: EXEC.  Very Important Person and EXECutive

68. Just-in-case tire: SPARE.  

Down:

1. Ringo of the Beatles: STARR.  On January 10, 2025, Ringo released Look Up, a solo country album.  

2. Roofed patio: LANAI.

3. "A Doll's House" playwright Henrik: IBSEN.  This is another answer I know from doing XWDs.

4. __ Valley, San Francisco: NOE.  This neighborhood guide extols the area's virtues. Redfin says the median sale price of a home in Noe Valley last month was $2.2 million.

5. Shiny embossment on a certificate: GOLD SEAL.

6. Online health info source: WebMD.

7. Make chuckle: AMUSE.  It turns out that the ancient Greek word muse is not related to AMUSE. The latter comes from Latin.  

AMUSEd muses ???

8. Tabloid news org.: TMZ.  From wiki:  TMZ on TV is an American syndicated entertainment and gossip news television show that premiered on September 10, 2007.

and

The name "TMZ" is derived from the initialism for "thirty-mile zone" that was historically used in the film and television industry to refer to the so-called "studio zone"—an area with a 30-mile (48 km) radius centered on the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.

9. Looney Tunes character who spins wildly, informally: TAZ.  

Tasmanian Devil

10. Like satin: SMOOTH.

11. Traffic jam noisemakers: HORNS.

12. Ye __ Tavern: OLDE.

13. Online seller of many bespoke gifts: ETSY.

19. "Come again?": WHAT.

22. Provide support: AID.  The 2025 Tour de France began last Saturday. I watch the daily recaps on YouTube. Cycling is very much a team sport, with team members providing support for their lead rider.

Tadej Pogacar's team car was equipped to provide
whatever AID was needed at this year's Paris-Roubaix.
(I do not know how much that Audi costs,
but there is easily over $100K in bikes on its roof.)

25. "The __ Show": talent competition: GONG.  Its first run was from 1976-1980. One might describe it as the '70s version of America's Got Talent. 

26. Refine using heat, as metal ore: SMELT.

27. Sunrise direction: EAST.  

30. Jammies: PJS.

31. Chapstick target: LIP.

32. Marilyn Monroe portrayer de Armas: ANA.  

Ana played Marilyn in the 2022 film, Blonde.

33. Oregon's capital: SALEM.  

34. Former quarterback Manning: ELI.

35. Really impress: AWE.

36. Chum: PAL.

37. Needle hole: EYE.

39. __ Grey tea: EARL.

40. Symbols on social media: HASHTAGS.  This octothorpe has several names. For this clue, the HASH symbol (#) is used to metaTAG something in a post.  #LMGTFY

41. Dutch cheese: EDAM.  

45. Art classroom supply: PAINTS.

46. Sheltered, at sea: ALEE.  This diagram helps you SEE that while the leeward side of an island is more protected, it is also more arid than the windward side.  

47. Handspeak.com subj.: ASL.  

48. Serenade, perhaps: CROON.

49. Party request opened with a tap or a click: EVITE.

50. Greek column style: IONIC.  

neither dull nor too much

51. Latina chum: AMIGA.  Latina is feminine so we knew the last letter was an A.

52. Software flaw: ERROR.  

53. Rental contract: LEASE.

54. Lhasa __: Tibetan dog breed: APSO.  

I was surprised to read that they do not shed.

55. DIY tutorial site: EHOW.

59. Zamboni surface: ICE.  Who doesn't love the word Zamboni?

60. B'way buys: TIX.  Broadway and TIckets ???

62. Keystone bumbler: KOP.  Both cop and KOP are acceptable spellings.

That was the last one. You are now dialed in!

Here is the grid:  

There was no "reveal" today; so, no, you did not miss it.  😀

Sunday July 6, 2025 Gary Larson & Katie Hale

Theme: "Make a Long Story Short" - The last letter of each movie title is cut.  

23. Proposed network television schedule?: AIRPLANE.

25. Title for a tell-all about Cinderella's early social life?: OF MICE AND MEN.

39. Wise men bearing gifts of formula, onesies, and diapers?: PRACTICAL MAGIC.

71. "That guy prefers more formal greetings"?: HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU.

103. Horse-drawn carriages delivering Christmas trees?: CHARIOTS OF FIRE.

119. Norm for the dinosaur era?: JURASSIC PARK.

123. Edited version seen in theaters, and what six long answers in this puzzle need to match their clues?: FINAL CUT.

Super tight set. All well-known movies with the last letters deleted. Love the title.

I think this is first Sunday collab between Gary and Katie. Or maybe the very first between them. I've shown Gary's photo before. Below is a picture of Katie from Xword Info. She's based in London. 

Across:

1. Parking spot: LOT.

4. Curved paths: ARCS.

8. Visual multiplication tool: ARRAY.

13. Finishing touches on a letter?: SERIFS. The alphabet character. Not your sign-off.

19. Be in arrears: OWE.

20. Biblical sister of Rachel: LEAH.

21. Pinkish-purple: MAUVE. So many shades of mauve. We also have 111. Brownish-purple: PUCE.

22. Sweet liqueurs: CREMES.

27. Moore of "The Substance": DEMI.

28. Actor Michael: CERA.

30. Taj __: MAHAL.

31. Strong attraction, with "the": HOTS.

32. Wetland layer: PEAT.

34. Not so good in: POOR AT.

37. Genghis Khan follower: TATAR. Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire are romanticized in this popular TV series.  

43. "Something To Talk About" singer: RAITT.

45. Want: HOPE FOR.

46. Align properly: EVEN UP.

48. Beach, in Portuguese: PRAIA. I only know PLAYA.

50. Project ending?: ILE. Projectile. 

51. Hershey rival: NESTLE.

54. Gaggle members: GEESE.

56. Filmmaker Spike: LEE.

57. Some nobles: LORDS.

60. Blunted blade: EPEE.

61. RR connection: STA.

62. Skirt that shows off ankle boots: MIDI.

63. Draft choice: IPA.

65. Monkeyshines: ANTICS.

69. Dish made with Arborio rice: RISOTTO. Creamy seafood risotto. 

76. Ships abroad: EXPORTS.

77. Hit the hay: RETIRE.

78. Office no.: TEL.

79. Front or spot: LOAN. Verb "Front".

80. Estadio "Rah!": OLE.

82. Lass: MISS.

84. Argentine prairie: PAMPA.

88. Succinct "I could go on": ETC.

89. Saw logs: SNORE.

91. Chaste: VESTAL. Learning moment for me.

93. Bit of static buildup: ION.

94. Sister's daughter: NIECE. And 117. Grandma's daughter: AUNT.

96. Gave faithfully?: TITHED. From the faithful.

98. Oil used in some hair products: COCONUT. And 109. Like butter ready for whipping: SOFT.

101. Actor Haim: COREY.

106. Metamorphosis stage: PUPAL.

108. More ridiculous: INANER.

110. Impersonates: APES.

112. River near Roswell: PECOS. 

114. Agitate: RILE.

116. Inserts for some noisy toys: AAAS.

125. National park in Maine: ACADIA. We have Voyageurs National Park. We also have 64 state parks.

126. Madeline Miller novel featuring Odysseus: CIRCE. 

127. Member of the onion family: LEEK.

128. Artist Yoko: ONO.

129. Begrudge: RESENT.

130. Custard apple kin: PAPAW. The big seeds have medicinal benefits.

131. Icelandic epic: EDDA.

132. Racing initials: STP.

Down:

1. Cargo: LOAD.

2. Toddler's scrape: OWIE.

3. Major essay: TERM PAPER.

4. __ in a day's work: ALL.

5. Spit take, e.g.: REACTION.

6. Riddler accessory: CANE.

7. Tenzing Norgay, for one: SHERPA. For Edmund Hillary. Sherpa Tenzing was born in Tibet.

8. Latin lover's verb: AMO.

9. WWII fliers: RAF.

10. Search haphazardly (through): RUMMAGE.

11. Taking to the skies: AVIATING.

12. "Blech": YECH.

13. Graduated, in math: SCALAR. Not SCALED. 

14. Directional ending: ERN.

15. Poison Ivy feature: RED HAIR. Capitalized Ivy. DC Comics character.

16. Vampire's power: IMMORTALITY. How can you kill it with a stake then?

17. Stocking stuffers: FEET.

18. Tax form IDs: SSNS.

24. Jigsaw unit: PIECE.

26. "Mangia!": EAT.

29. Letters in "You've Got Mail": AOL.

33. DOJ branch: ATF.

35. Brunch staple: OMELETTE. And 85. Bite-size Tex-Mex snacks: MINI TACOS.

36. Party with glow sticks: RAVE.

38. Gift wrapper's need: TAPE.

39. Punxsutawney weather forecaster: PHIL.

40. Foil-wrapped candy: ROLO.

41. Manitoba people: CREE.

42. Prompts to act now?: CUES. On a stage.

44. Connected with: TIED TO.

47. __ dish: PETRI.

49. Vowel quintet: A E I O U.

52. Attention __: SPAN.

53. Gist: TENOR.

55. Goody-goody: SAINT.

58. Pastrami on rye spread, perhaps: DIJON.

59. Goad: SPUR.

62. Simoleons: MOOLA.

64. __ Martin: British automaker: ASTON.

66. Wednesday's kin: ITT. Wednesday Addams. 

67. Added one's two cents: CHIMED IN.

68. Attire at Hindi weddings: SARIS.

70. Dance instruction: STEP.

71. Honorary Oscar winner Keller: HELEN. Didn't known this. Google shows that Helen Keller was given an honorary Oscar as inspiration for the movie "Helen Keller in Her Story",  a documentary about her life.

72. "The Best __ Marigold Hotel": EXOTIC.

73. Films like "Star Wars": SPACE OPERAS.

74. Letter-shaped track: T SLOT.

75. __ drive: TEST.

81. Actor Stonestreet: ERIC.

83. Biodegradable egg containers: SACS.

86. Do a sommelier's job: POUR.

87. Upfront stake: ANTE.

89. Ooze: SEEP.

90. Horn of Africa nation: ETHIOPIA.

91. Aloe __: VERA.

92. Turned left, maybe: LOOSENED. Love the clue. 

95. Tireless campaign: CRUSADE.

97. Dada pioneer: HANS ARP.

99. Fiscal VIP: CFO.

100. Ingredient in some raw dog food: OFFAL.

102. Tries to intimidate, as a Chihuahua might: YAPS AT.

104. Poetic preposition: O'ER.

105. Rum-soaked British dessert: TRIFLE.

107. Lahaina loop: LEI. Maui town. 

110. Open a bit: AJAR.

113. USSR, in Russia: CCCP. 

115. Committed perjury: LIED.

118. "Halt!": STOP.

120. __ bin: penalty box: SIN.

121. Classic TV brand: RCA.

122. London's __ Gardens: KEW.

124. Letters between names: AKA.

Happy 78th birthday to dear waseeley (Bill), our faithful Thursday Sherpa for many years.  So happy to see both him and Lemonade on the blog these days. 

 

 

 

Thank you for the sweet birthday messages and cards. I had a lovely day. I've been making progress. The swollen right ankle continues to bother me though. Will see the doctor in 2 weeks. Hope there's a solution to it.  

C.C.