Money Makes the World Go Round. Today we travel with world with various currencies of four different countries.
18-Across. Was victorious in the ring, but not by a knockout: WON ON POINTS. The Won is the official currency of South Korea. One Won is approximately 0.00072 US Dollars, or put another way, $1 is approximately 1390.17 South Korean Won. I was not familiar with this currency.
27-Across. Drawn from actual events: REAL WORLD. The Real is the official currency of Brazil. One Real is approximately 0.18 US Dollars, or put another way, $1 is approximately 5.43 Brazil Real.
41-Across. Dessert made with equal parts sugar, eggs, butter, and flour: POUND CAKE. The Pound is the official currency of the United Kingdom. One Pound is approximately 1.34 US Dollars, or put another way, $1 is approximately .74 Pounds. Until recently, Queen Elizabeth II was on the Pound, but now it's Charlie.
54-Across. Big name in map publishing: RAND MCNALLY. The Rand is the official currency of South Africa. One Rand is approximately 0.056 US Dollars, or put another way, $1 is approximately 17.76 South African Rands.
35-Across. Demand for payment prior to service, or what 18-, 27-, 41-, and 54-Across all have: CASH UP FRONT. The first, or "FRONT" word of each theme answer a the name of a monetary unit.
Across:
1. Gift of __: GAB.
4. Inaudible on Zoom, perhaps: MUTED.
9. Durango automaker: DODGE.
14. Org. concerned with mental health: APA. As in the American Psychological Association.
15. __-3 fatty acid: OMEGA.
16. Orchestral woodwinds: OBOES.
17. FIFA zero: NIL. FIFA is the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or as we say in the Untied States, Soccer.
20. Shows to be false: DEBUNKS.
22. Small roles for big stars: CAMEOS.
23. Supply-and-demand subj.: ECON. As in Economics.
24. Raise a hem, e.g.: SEW.
25. Informal "I've heard enough!": TMI. Textspeak for Too Much Information.
31. Spike on a shoe bottom: CLEAT.
33. "You'll definitely pass" course: EASY A.
34. Patterns on shoe bottoms: TREADS.
37. Ancient Greek city-state: SPARTA.
39. Comes to a crawl: SLOWS.
40. Tube-shaped pasta: PENNE. Penne is a type of pasta with a cylinder shape and angled ends, often with ridges.
45. "You're a tough __ to follow!": ACT.
46. B+, but not A+: ION. B+ is an ion of Boron.
47. Former soccer pro Morgan: ALEX. Alexandra Morgan (b. July 2, 1989) played for several soccer teams between 2008 and 2024 when she retired. Her last team was with the San Diego Wave.
48. Prone protests: LIE INS. It's like a Sit-In, but instead of sitting, the protesters lie down.
51. "Acupuncture is a jab well done" et al.: BAD PUNS. This could also be called a Dad Joke.
56. Bon __: witty remark: MOT. Today's French lesson.
57. Yoga pose: ASANA.
58. Site with an RSVP tracker: E-VITE.
59. Nikola Jokic's org.: NBA. Nikola Jokić (b. Feb. 19, 1995) is a Serbian professional basketball player. He currently plays as a center for the Denver Nuggets.
60. History assignment: ESSAY.
61. Some towed autos: REPOS. Repo Man was a 1984 film about repossessing cars.
62. Put on TV: AIR.
Down:
1. Male goose: GANDER.
2. Each: APIECE.
3. Movie boxer Rocky: BALBOA.
4. Like freshly cut grass: MOWN.
5. "Uh, whatever": UM, OK.
6. Till bills: TENS.
7. Narcissist's problem: EGO.
8. Did the mambo: DANCED.
9. __ and gloom: DOOM.
10. Off-Broadway award: OBIE.
11. Label on toy food: DO NOT EAT.
12. Sees red: GETS MAD.
13. Curvy letter: ESS.
19. What a dog gives to "shake": PAW.
21. Break, as a bad habit: UNLEARN.
24. Applies carelessly: SLAPS ON.
26. Part of TGIF: IT'S. Thank Goodness It's Friday.
28. "__ not, want not": WASTE.
29. Workplace std. setter: OSHA. As in Occupational Safety and Health Administration. We see this governmental entity quite often in the puzzles.
30. Street Fighter fighter: RYU. Apparently Ryu is a character in a Japanese game.
37. Place where the cucumbers aren't for eating?: SPA.
38. HS gym session: PE CLASS. As in Physical Education class.
41. "Cooler Than Me" singer Mike: POSNER. I am not familiar with Mike Posner (né Michael Robert Henrion Posner; b. Feb. 12, 1988).
42. College fundraising source: ALUMNA. Today's Latin lesson. This targets female graduates.
43. Obi-Wan __: KENOBI. A fictional character from the Star Wars movie series.
44. Washed-up celeb: EX-STAR.
46. Bus. card letters: INC.
49. "Show Boat" novelist Ferber: EDNA. Show Boat was a 1926 novel by Edna Ferber (Aug. 15, 1885 to April. 16, 1968) that spanned three generations of performers on a steamboat that traveled along the Mississippi River from the 1880s to the 1920s. The story moves from the Reconstruction Era to Gilded Age to Roaring Twenties. The novel was later adapted to a musical.
50. "Still considering it": I MAY.
51. Radar screen dot: BLIP.
52. Sax type: ALTO.
53. Goes green?: DYES.
54. Singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE. Carly Rae Jepson (b. Nov. 21, 1985) is a Canadian singer and actress.
Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here with (what I think is) Mary Winslow's worldwide debut puzzle. Congratulations, Mary!!
Theme:
Today's themers are all two-word phrases such that the first word can be combined with the word CUT to MAKE a new, in the language phrase.
18 Across. Hula dancer's bottom: GRASS SKIRT. I liked the three S's in a row.
CUT theGRASS
23 Across. Yellow spice in tangy marinades: MUSTARD SEED.
CUT the MUSTARD (This one is figurative.)
36 Across. Lounger on an ocean liner: DECK CHAIR.
CUT the DECK (of cards) Well, not quite like Bugs is doing it.
54 Across. Influencer with serious clout: POWER BROKER.
CUT the POWER
Now for the unifier:
60 Across. Survive an audition, and what one may do to the start of 18-, 23-, 36-, or 54-Across?: MAKE THE CUT.
<We are already inside that window. Yikes!>
Time to CUT to the chase. These are the remaining clues:
Across:
1. Split __ soup: PEA.
4. "Time to get up!" noise: ALARM.
9. Ceremonial accoutrement: SASH. Accoutrement is an accessory, item of clothing, or equipment.
13. Greek god of war: ARES. and
22 Across. Mount of Greek legend: OSSA. and
65 Across. "A Death in the Family" writer James: AGEE. and 67 Across. Director Preminger: OTTO. and 25 Down. Anna's "Frozen" sister: ELSAand
27 Down. Vietnamese celebration that welcomes spring: TETand 31 Down. Actress Sorvino: MIRAand 40 Down. Abstract artist Jean: ARP and 55 Down. Heroic knight of medieval Spain: EL CIDand 62 Down. Music producer Brian: ENO.
All of these proper nouns are known crossword staples. They are necessary to construction and help with perps. (They can be lifelines on Saturdays!) Unfortunately they rarely add any sparkle to a grid.
15. Called: NAMED. This song seemed the obvious choice:
Johnny Cash ~ A Boy Named Sue ~ recorded at San Quinten Prison in 1969
Those prisoners look like church ushers by comparison.
16. Not for: ANTI.
17. Not illuminated: DARK.
20. Evening parties: SOIREES. evening = after DARK
"Oh, dahling don't you look mahvelous."
26. Wile E. Coyote's explosive: TNT.
He's always scheming, that Wile E.
28. Spanish gold: ORO.
29. Classified ad shorthand: ISO. In Search Of ___
30. With a scoop of ice cream, as pie: À LA MODE.
32. Lunch spots: DELIS.
34. Cooling systs.: A/Cs. Systems and Air Conditioners
35. Technical sch.: INST. school and INSTitute
"The primary difference between an institute and a private school is their purpose and funding model, with institutes being focused on research, education, or social causes, and private schools being focused solely on education."
40. Cathedral recess: APSE.
43. __ : raisin :: log : celery: ANT. The colons in this clue are used to express an analogy. It is read, "ANT is to raisin as log is to celery." (That last colon is just our blogging format.)
44. Slangy "For sure!": NATCH. NATCH-urally
48. Have another nibble of: RETASTE. "eat more" Bzzzt. Try again.
(See what I did there?)
50. __ kwon do: TAE.
52. "And you __?": ARE. I'm a fan of nametags.
53. A pop: PER.
57. Civil rights icon Parks: ROSA.
Rosa Parks Memorial
Veterans Courthouse, Essex County, New Jersey Bronze and stainless steel, over life-size
59. Despised with a passion: LOATHED.
63. Egyptian fertility goddess: ISIS. Also ... the name of the dog on Downton Abbey. We saw her bum at the beginning of every episode.
66. Criticize pettily: SNIPE. It's really not fair to the bird.
Common Snipe
68. Worktable: DESK.
Are you familiar with NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts? It is a video series of live music performed in the All Songs Considered D.C. offices. This link goes to the Takács Quartet performance posted last month. Prepare yourself for some thrilling music!
The Tiny Desk venue is quite cluttered!
69. Lymph __: immune system parts: NODES.
Lymph NODES are part of your lymphatic system, which, along with your spleen, tonsils, and adenoids, help you fight off illness and infections. The number of lymph nodes varies from person to person. Adults generally have about 600-800 lymph nodes.
70. CIA forerunner: OSS. Office of Strategic Services
This famous American served in the OSS before she cooked on PBS. Read about Julia Child in the OSS and see more photos here.
3. Spray starch dispenser: AEROSOL. If you could identify the typewriter eraser above, you have probably sprayed starch on shirt collars when ironing -- or thanked someone else for doing that for you.
4. Makes miffed: ANGERS.
5. Texas border city on the Rio Grande: LAREDO.
home to a famous song
6. Stockpile: AMASS.
7. Hi-__ photo: RES.
8. Surgeons, e.g., for short: MDS. Doctors of Medicine
9. __ Off 5th: discount fashion chain: SAKS. This is an American off-price department store chain founded in 1990. It is a sister brand to the luxury department store chain, Saks Fifth Avenue, founded in 1867 by Andrew Saks.
10. Jennifer of "The Morning Show": ANISTON. The Morning Show is not a network news show. It is an Apple TV+ drama series starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. I have not seen it. This is the trailer for Season 4.
11. Hair pieces: STRANDS. Toupees fit but did not perp.
12. Smashing success: HIT. Think "Broadway".
14. Comedy sketch: SKIT. Think SNL.
19. Club __: bar mixer: SODA.
Hi C-Eh!
21. Pay increase: RAISE.
23. Forum admin: MOD. administrator and MODerator
24. "To __ their own": EACH. That's why they make different flavors of ice-cream.
It is interesting how the "IN" in INERT came from the prefix meaning "not".
41. British aristocracy: PEERAGE. The British PEERAGE is a system of heredity and life titles of nobility in the U.K. They are expected to "act their peerAGE".
42. Paintbrush marks: STROKES. Also ... here is a PSA on another definition of STROKES.
45. Becomes smitten with: TAKES TO.
46. University units: CREDITS. University classes are worth units, which are sometimes called hours or CREDITS. They are part of one's GPA calculation.
47. Feminine pronoun: HER.
49. Squabble: SPAT. Also ... the past tense of spit. You can see where this is going....
50. Company that takes the show on the road: TROUPE. Think "theater company."
51. Lets up: ABATES. ABATE shares some etymology with abatis, "a defensive obstacle formed by felled trees with sharpened branches facing the enemy". That tracks. Both decrease the force of something.
58. Participate in a scavenger hunt: SEEK. Do you remember scavenger hunts? Teams had a list of ordinary things like paper clips, rubber balloons, or popsicle sticks. They had to knock on neighbors' doors and ask for the items. It is a race to see who can complete their list first.
60. Crazy (about): MAD. This 3 min. clip is from a TV show called Mad About You (1992-1999), starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt. They had great timing together! 61. QVC alternative: HSN. They are both TV networks dedicated to selling things you did not know you needed.
64. "Help!" letters: SOS.
The grid:
That's all for today. Next I have to go stack some CORD WOOD.
