From Brazil, Musa moved to the Bay Area a decade ago to attend Stanford, where he earned his B.A. and master's degrees in computer science. He has called San Francisco home since graduating in 2018, which is the same year he started solving crosswords. Musa now solves up to six a day. He is a software engineer at Airbnb.
I made very good time in this puzzle but there was no way I was going to get the red cell you see below. ¯\_(γ)_/¯
Across:
1. Warning on some sauce: ATOMIC.
7. __ Darya river: AMU - ¯\_(γ)_/¯ It is mostly a DaRYa River now and it "flows" into the southern remnants of the Aral Lake.
10. Solidarity leader Walesa: LECH - A true Polish living legend whose courage foreshadowed the fall of the Soviet Union.
14. Place to take a break from the hustle and bustle: URBAN OASIS.
16. Part that helps the wheels on the bus go round and round: AXLE π
17. Words before a gavel banging: GOING TWICE π
18. Fuss: STIR.
19. Doing: UP TO.
20. [Jazz hands]: TADA.
21. "David Copperfield" villain: HEEP.
22. Caldo de __: Mexican beef soup: RES.
23. "Was that not enough?": MORE?
24. Plow creation or brow formation: FURROW π
26. Cake or Bread: BAND - I only knew one of them. You?
27. Asset in cornhole: AIM.
28. Dallas-to-Plano dir.: NNE.
29. "Shake it off": HATERS GONNA HATE.
34. "No complaining!": I DON'T WANT ANY LIP.
35. Events that only get some coverage?: PARTIAL ECLIPSES π
36. Big primate: APE.
37. 50-Down org.: NBA and50. Cleveland pro: CAV.
38. Aware of: ONTO.
39. Pitfall! consoles: ATARIS.
41. Be overly maudlin: CLOY - His bleak and jaded worldview is tempered by an unflagging, never cloying faith in love and its ability to transcend the muck and vile. —Carlos Valladares, SFChronicle.com, 4 Nov. 2019 42. "Golly!": BOY.
45. Work: OPUS.
46. One may thicken over time: PLOT π
47. Like the oxygen in a hyperbaric chamber: PURE - They are believed to promote faster healing by using PURE oxygen under increased pressure.
48. "A Visit From the Goon Squad" novelist: EGAN and 30. Substance in herbal medicine: ADAPTOGEN. - The G where these two intersected was an impossibility for me as you saw in the grid. π
49. Seeing things that aren't natural?: BIONIC EYES - These can restore sight to blind people
51. "Mistakes __ made": WERE.
52. Break in?: STAYCATION - Take a break but stay in town
53. Otorhinolaryngologists, for short: ENTS.
54. Not assume, say: ASK.
55. "Regardless ... ": EVEN SO.
Down:
1. Herald: AUGUR - These clouds in central Nebraska AUGUR some extreme weather
2. Enemies to lovers, e.g.: TROPE - A familiar plot device in TV shows and movies. This fun movie leapt to my mind.
3. Dying words?: OBITS.
4. Hand for a mariachi band?: MANO - ... or any hand in Spanish
8. Ground mineral in joint compound: MICA - The second ingredient listed
9. Capitalize on: USE.
10. Surgical tool: LASER.
11. Appearances: EXTERNALS - Front and back of the Hill Valley Courthouse from Back To The Future
12. Hassle-free accessory: CLIP ON TIE.
13. "I Can't Breathe" singer-songwriter: HER.
H.E.R.
15. Occasion to celebrate achievements: AWARD GALA.
21. Habitat for __: HUMANITY - Two famous workers
23. Gin cocktails: MARTINIS.
24. Recourse before pursuing legal action, maybe: FINAL NOTICE.
25. Responds with great emotion: WEEPS.
26. Predisposition: BENT - I have always been a man with a math and science BENT
27. Carpenters' union?: ANT COLONY π π
29. Abbr. on some medical forms: HIPAA.
31. Criticized harshly: TORE APART.
32. Half and half: ONE π
33. Shot provider: HYPO π
40. Old Norse characters: RUNES.
41. Conceal: CLOAK.
42. Poker fee: BUY IN - Ya gotta pay to play
43. Treat with vanilla creme: OREOS - How do I clue thee, Let me count the ways
44. Binary, in a way: YES NO - If this makes no sense to you, ask a math peep.
46. Centers of drupes: PITS.
47. Mets slugger Alonso: PETE.
48. Manchego source: EWE - ¯\_(γ)_/¯ Manchego is traditionally made from the milk of Manchega ewesthat graze in Spain's La Mancha region. For a cheese to be authentic Manchego, it must be made from 100% sheep's milk from this specific breed and region, following strict DenominaciΓ³n de Origen (DO) rules. You're welcome.
Thankfully I was on my "A" game today while solving this puzzle. Unlike my last blog attempt, when I was completely stumped, this clever puzzle collaboration between Ms Rapp and Mr Eisenberg was a breeze
The reveal (63-across. Avian that plunges for prey, or what can be found in 14-, 28-, 52-, and 60-Across: DIVING BIRD) tells us all we need to know to solve the theme. As the clue indicates, each of the 4 entries has a diving bird featured once you realize that the actual bird of prey "dives" at a 90° angle. How? Well, let's take a deep dive and explain
14-across. "Frasier" brother: NILES C and 15-down. Hoisting device: CRANE - As you look at the entire grid (see image below) you will notice that the character's name Niles Craneis highlighted by the perpendicular position of the diving bird
The filled grid
28-across. "All I Wanna Do" singer-songwriter: SHERYL C and 30-down. Brag: CROW. Just as in the first entry, Sheryl Crow is revealed when the bird species, crow, is added in the down position of her last name's initial. As I scanned the website about crows I really didn't see how it fits as a diving bird. This may have been the weakest of the flock, but it also inspired a Moe-ku (missing element from last blog):
Singer Sheryl was
Fearful of the Oz straw man;
Did he just scare Crow?
52-across. Time's Person of the Year in 2023: TAYLOR S and 55-down. Rapid: SWIFT. Check out its feeding habits to see how the swift fits the diving bird category. And of course, the 2023 Time Magazine's Person of the Year, Taylor Swift, is perhaps the most popular singer on the planet. According to Spotify the song featured in the video below is her most popular song
60-across. Pro skater of the Pro Skater video game franchise: TONY H and 62-down. Sell: HAWK. This one I had trouble with. In the first go 'round of solving (before I figured out the theme) I put Apolo (erstwhile Olympic speedskater) in this spot, as I had no idea about the video game "franchise"
What I further liked about this puzzle was how the constructors clued the entries. The acrosses (14, 28, 52, and 60) all gave a straightforward representation of the person (Niles Crane was in Frasier; et al) while the downs all gave a completely different meaning of the word that depicted a bird of prey. This must have been a really difficult puzzle to create let alone think up. As I take a further "deep dive" into the remainder of the clues/answers I will identify those that were borderline green paint; but in the case of this puzzle, I am pretty sure that Patti allowed a few outliers to make sure it all came together
5. "Moon and Half Dome" photographer: ADAMS. The photographer's first name, Ansel, also fit the space but usually it's the last name the constructor is after
In Yosemite National Park
10. Starbucks seasonal drink with pie flavors, for short: PSL. Pumpkin Spice Latte
13. Specialty: AREA.
[partial theme entry]
16. Pi follower: RHO. 16th letter (Ο) followed by 17th letter (Ο). The next in the series are: Ο, ⲧ, Ο , Ο, α΅ͺ, α΄ͺ, and Ρ‘? Not clear? Is it all Greek to you? [sigma, tau, upsilon, phi, chi, psi, and omega, all in lower case]
17. Harvest: REAP.
18. Chain with Two Buck Chuck wine: TRADER JOE'S. As the resident sommelier, I will attest that the Two Buck Chuck series of wine (which now sells for $3.99 per bottle, I think) is pretty ordinary. But there are many "diamonds in the rough" at TJ's and the Chairman is quite fond of them. Send me an email if you're wanting some advice as what to buy at this iconic supermarket chain
20. Flourless cake: TORTE. Which reminded me of this spoonerism/riddle:
What is the difference between a heavy weight and guests at a party avoiding a rich cake? One is a SHORT TON, while the other is a TORTE SHUN
22. Uni- + bi-: TRI. Just the opposite order of numeric prefixes used by most cyclists. Start out on a TRIcycle, advance to a BIcycle, and if you're really coordinated you graduate to a UNIcycle
23. "Emmy in the Key of Code" author Lucido: AIMEE. I will admit to asking Siri to provide this answer. I had a couple of the letters but was too impatient to wait for the perps. She is also a crossword puzzle constructor
24. Airplane __: MODE. Funny fact: on the day I solved this I had just returned home from my trip to my 55th HS reunion. I was on board a Delta flight and of course had to set my phone to AirplaneMode. Why use that setting? See the video for some answers ...
26. Central parking facility: MAIN LOT. My first entry that felt like green paint
[partial theme entry]
31. Divisive feature of some racket sports?: NET. The net divides the two sides of the tennis court as well as pickleball, et al
32. Try to win over: WOO. Moe-ku #2:
Owl and Pussycat
Had love language. The cat purred;
The owl? A WOO Hoo
33. Woven poncho: SERAPE.
36. Mlle., in Spain: SRTA. I almost Miss'd this
40. Sun Devils sch.: ASU. CSO to both me and Lucina. Arizona State University has two campuses in our area: Tempe and Phoenix. My partner's son is an instructor there
41. Use crayons: COLOR. I thought this was a cute clue.
Fun fact: The Chairman's crayon box (as a kid) had just 8 colors - and speaking of colo(u)rs here is one of my favorite tracks in the YouTube video below. Terry Kath sang vocals; Robert Lamm was on keyboards; Walter Parazaider played the flute solo; and trombonist James Pankow wrote and composed the song. Enjoy!
42. Eternity: EON.
43. Cold-weather cryptid: YETI. Helps to know what the word cryptid means. Interesting that the first use of the word was in 1983. Moe-ku #3:
Cryptid is a word
I don't know. I looked it up,
YETI'm still perplexed
45. Nestling chirps: TWEETS. Cheeps also fit
47. Get weepy: CRY. Sob also fits
48. First-aid subj.: CPR. A tip of the hat to our first responders/emergency medical technicians
50. Herbal infusion: MINT TEA. The entry isn't green paint; the clue seemed to be, though, IMO
[partial theme entry]
56. Audio brand: AIWA. Sony also fits
57. Former "Top Chef" host Lakshmi: PADMA. Her website
58. Be in debt: OWE. My only OWEment is for the house in which we reside. All else is paid off, month-to-month
[partial theme entry]
[reveal]
66. __ fresca: AGUA. Translation is either "cool water" or "fresh water". Water from the ocean (aka, seawater) in Spanish is Agua de Mar
67. Singer DiFranco: ANI.
68. Low-speed personal iPhone video: SLOFIE. I am sure this was one that Patti let slip by but maybe it is a real thing; too lazy to google it and insert one
69. Part of a plushie-stocked arcade game: CLAW. When I put in claw and found it correct, I was gobsmacked. I don't think the odds are your favor when playing this "game"
I also found a video about Claw machines that, while almost 10 years old, gives some good info
70. WashU's city: STL. Washington University is located in St Louis, MO
71. Abalone eater: OTTER.
72. Many a charity run: TEN K. For those who are metrically challenged, a ten-kilometer race is about 6.2 miles in length. In my youth I could run one of these in about 40-45 minutes. Now I could walk one in about one hour and 40-45 minutes
Down: 1. Simpson who says, "Eat my shorts!": BART. I thought this cartoon was funny
2. Cookie with a blueberry pie flavor: OREO. There are so many random clues out there with regards to an Oreo cookie. I rarely buy them but if/when I do I usually go for the double-stuffed version
3. "I promise it's not as weird as it sounds ... ": HEAR ME OUT.
9. Minneapolis-to-70-Across dir.: SSE. At first this didn't seem correct to me, as I mistakenly put SEA in as WashU's location. The U of Wash is located in SEAttle; Wash U is in ST Louis. Fun fact: there is another pair of universities with a similar outcome: Miami University is in Oxford, OH whilst University of Miami is in Coral Gables, FL
10. Teaser ad: PROMO.
11. Word with rock and music: SHEET. This clue was pretty clever. Sheet rock is a nickname for Gypsum Board - the panels used by home builders for interior walls; Sheet music is the name for written songs/lyrics presented in a paper format
28. Pull: SWAY. While the thesaurussaurus may not agree, when the word "pull" is defined as a noun (meaning "the ability to exercise influence) the word sway fits
Thesaurussaurus was thinking of the verb definition of "pull"
29. Vacuum part: HOSE.
[partial theme entry]
34. Tavern quaff: ALE. Whilst visiting the area nearby my hometown (for my HS reunion) I found a really good brewpub and an equally good taproom where I had several quaffs. Ale, Porter, Stout, and a Lager
35. Cinquain, e.g.: POEM. In 43 across I confessed that I didn't know the word "cryptid" - the clue for YETI. I didn't know the definition of cinquaineither. And for someone who has been given the power of Moetic Justice you'd think I'd know this ... should I try my hand at a "Moe-quain"?? Why not! The "rules" for writing a cinquain are in the hyperlink above
Puzzles
I can solve them
And can also blog them
When I construct them, I provide
Cross words
37. Colorado or Wyoming, but not Utah: RECTANGLE. Interesting "Friday-like" clue. It is referring to the state's approximate shape - Colorado and Wyoming are rectangular - but so is Utah. Count the number of sides ... it's four, just like the other two. Strange ...
Every google for "the shape of Utah" said "Rectangle"
44. "Don't overlook this news" letters: ICYMI. In Case You Missed It
46. Tizzy: SNIT. I am still in a snit about the clue for 37 across
49. Schemes: PLANS.
51. Like many plays: TWO ACT. ONE ACT also fits - and it was what Moe entered, initially
52. Contaminate: TAINT. I am not going to touch this one ...
53. Ibuprofen brand: ADVIL. Do you recall when I said that for 70 across my first answer was SEA? Well, guess what that did for 53 down? I literally swallowed three Ibuprofen caplets to calm my headache when I tried to figure out which brand of that pain reliever ended in an "A"
54. Captcha target: ROBOT. Hah! Yup, Captchas are still being used to prove that you're a human
[partial theme entry]
57. Shared intimacies, briefly: PDAS. Another entry that sparkled of green paint. Wouldn't you commonly say Public DisplayS of Affection? Not public display affections. This is why you shouldn't pluralize an abbreviation
59. City on a lake with the same name: ERIE. Easiest clue/solve today
61. Dough used for bao?: YUAN. This clue/solve had some real punch to it! For those who saw this and scratched their head: A bao is a type of yeast-leavened filled bun that is seen in several Chinese cuisines. The play-on-word in the clue refers not to the starch, but to a nickname for currency - which in China is the Yuan
[partial theme entry]
64. __ Worm: 1980s bedtime toy: GLO. I don't recall my daughter having one of these; she is a 1980's kid. I'll have to call her and ask
Sleeping with this would give me nightmares
65. German article: DER. Ich habe Deutsch in beide Hochschule und UniversitΓ€t studiert. Mein Spitzname war "Chris der Grosse" π€£
Ist alles gut? Ausgezeichnet! Bitte, unten kommentieren. Bis spΓ€ter; tschΓΌss!
Some messy buns are truly casual, and others are carefully calculated, like the lovely coiffure pictured above. Today's puzzle constructor has at least a couple dozen crossword puzzles under his belt, including six in the L.A. Times. And he's a funny guy! Dan Caprera: Writer. Comic. Barrel-Aged to Perfection. More at DanCaprera.com.
Today Dan has deliberately messed up some BUNS, scrambling them in the theme answers.
17-Across. *Vessel secretly ridden by Indiana Jones in "Raiders of the Lost Ark": GERMAN SUB. The movie Raiders of the Lost Ark came out in 1981. I don't remember many details from 44 years ago! Perpendicular entries saved the day for me.
Indiana Jones and the U-Boat in the Marvel Comics adaptation
24-Across. *Hank Aaron's record 2,297: RUNS BATTED IN. Wow! That's a lot! Famous baseball batter, not too hard to guess the statistic category.
1976 Topps trading card
39-Across. *Ursine critter with a distinctive orange patch on its chest: SUN BEAR. This arboreal bear is found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia.
Sun Bear
50-Across. *Don't pull any shenanigans: MEAN BUSINESS. Be determined and firm.
"I look like I mean business, and, by golly, I do!"
61. Casual updos, or what can be found in the answers to the starred clues?: MESSY BUNS. An updo is a hairstyle in which the hair is swept up and fastened away from the face and neck.
Before the rage for messy buns, there were more formal buns:
Not being much of a hair hopper, I'll jump right into the rest of the clues and answers.
Across:
1. Distracted boyfriend and Surprised Pikachu: MEMES. Folks put their own text to these popular images.
"Distracted boyfriend"
"Surprised Pikachu"
6. Giants slugger Mel: OTT. Another famous batter.
9. Grows faint: DIMS.
13. Glorify: EXALT.
14. __ Beta Kappa: PHI. The oldest academic honor society in the United States, founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.
15. Waiting, as champagne: ON ICE.
17. [Theme clue]
19. Saw: MAXIM.
20. Brief fight: SET TO.
21. "X" and "Pearl" actress Goth: MIA. Mia Gypsy Mello da Silva Goth (born 1993) is an English actress. DNK.
Mia Goth
23. Loan option, for short: REFI. Short for refinance.
24. [Theme clue]
27. Divine: FORESEE. Divine as an intransitive verb. Per Merriam-Webster: to seek to predict future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers : to practice divination : prophesy
30. Clothing line: SEAM.
31. Instrument commonly made from African blackwood: OBOE.
32. Prefix with net or com: INTER.
35. Abate: EBB. Abate is to decrease in force or intensity. Ebb (as a verb) is to fall from a higher to a lower level.
38. Gym unit: REP. Short for repetition, as gym is short for gymnasium.
39. [Theme clue]
41. Couple: DUO.
42. Go green, perhaps: DYE.
43. Shredded __: WHEAT.
44. Euro forerunner: LIRA. Lira was the basic monetary unit of Italy, until replaced by the euro in 2002.
45. Actress Remini: LEAH. Actress Leah Remini, know for roles on sitcoms The King of Queens and Kevin Can Wait, wrote a book about her upbringing in the Church of Scientology and produced an Emmy Award winnning documentary series on the same subject.
Leah Remini
47. LeBron James and Steph Curry, by birth: OHIOANS. LeBron plays basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Steph for the (San Francisco) Golden State Warriors. Steph's father also played on an NBA team. LeBron's father was a criminal and not involved in his life, but LeBron moved into the home of a youth football coach who introduced him to basketball at age nine. Sometimes the road is crooked.
50. [Theme clue]
54. "Let There Be Rock" band: AC/DC.
55. Laid low: HID.
56. Rizzo of "Midnight Cowboy": RATSO. Dustin Hoffman played "Ratso" Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy, the 1969 film that is the only X-rated film ever to win an Academy Award. It won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy
59. Musical endings: CODAS.
61. [Theme clue]
64. Woeful words: ELEGY.
65. Flock sound: BAA.
66. Emma Roberts, to Julia Roberts: NIECE. Emma Roberts has played a number of roles in horror films and has a reputation as a scream queen.
Emma Roberts' hair color is in a constant state of flux.
67. Really ticks off: IRES.
68. PC key near Z: ALT.
69. City east of the Great Salt Lake: OGDEN.
Down:
1. "Family Guy" daughter: MEG.
Meg Griffin
2. Awkward people to run into, perhaps: EXES.
3. Frutti di __: Italian seafood dish: MARE. Seafood in Italian is "fruits of the sea."
Fettuccine ai Frutti di Mare
4. One of many in Boston Common: ELM TREE. The Boston Common is the oldest city park in the United States, established in 1634. Its Great Elm Tree was destroyed by a storm in 1876, but many others grow there today.
Boston Common
5. Position: STATUS.
6. Black __: OPS. Black ops, or black operations, refers to secret missions that are hidden from public knowledge, and sometimes even from personnel of the organizing agency. The CIA is said to conduct black ops to protect national security.
7. Flip (through): THUMB.
8. Leg bone: TIBIA. The tibia, also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee; it connects the knee with the ankle.
10. Covered by one's insurance: IN AREA. Insurance is often limited to a particular geographic coverage area.
11. Found object art, often: MIXED MEDIA.
12. N.K. Jemisin genre: SCI-FI. N. K. Jemisin is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. She is the first African American author to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the first author to win that award in three consecutive years, and the first to win it for all three novels in a trilogy. Guess we'd better read her Broken Earth series. She went on to win a fourth Hugo for Best Novelette, and a fifth for Best Graphic Story. Wowza.
N. K. Jemisin
16. Key with one sharp: Abbr.: E MIN. E minor.
18. Zero: NONE.
22. Totally stumped: AT SEA. Idiomatically, to have lost one's bearings, to be bewildered.
25. River to the English Channel: SEINE. The Seine originates northwest of Dijon, flows through Paris, and northward into the English Channel at Le Havre.
33. Org. for LeBron James and Steph Curry: NBA. See 47-Across.
34. Grand __ National Park: TETON.
36. Aloe target: BURN.
37. Fluffy accessories: BOAS. A boa is a fluffy fashion accessory, worn around the neck like a scarf, and often made of feathers. Let's go faux for the sake of the birds. These are pretty costumey anyway.
39. Deckhand: SWAB. A ship's crew member may be a deckhand, whose duty is to mop or "swab" the deck of the ship, and is therefore called a swab or swabbie.
40. "Totally!": UH HUH. Yep, I agree with you.
44. Got clobbered: LOST BIG.
46. Coop up: ENCAGE. Not a word we use every day.
48. Feminine possessive: HERS.
49. "My vote is to skip it": I SAY NO. Want to go see the new Superman movie again? I SAY NO. DH says yes. He happily accepted younger son's invitation without mentioning he'd seen it already.
50. Scotch cookie spice: MACE. Scotch spice cookies are made with molasses, cinnamon, and mace, which is the outer coating of the nutmeg seed. In 2019, a Reddit user was investigating a murder that occured in their Maine home in the 1930s, and happened upon a contemporary cookie recipe in the course of the investigation. The cookies have become an internet sensation of sorts, called "murder cookies" because of the source. Another Reddit user explains, "They're KILLER!" All news to me.
another item for our crossword picnic
51. Biotech bacteria: E. COLI. Most Escherichia coli strains are part of the normal microbiota of the gut. These bacteria are harmless or even beneficial to humans. Some types cause food poisoning, mostly through fecal-oral transmission. (Don't eat poop.) E. coli is easy to grow in a laboratory and is used in biotechnology and microbiology as the host organism for recombinant DNA.
52. Disney lion: SIMBA. The title character of The Lion King (1994).
Simba as a cub and as an adult lion
53. Perfect: IDEAL.
57. Courted?: SUED. Took to court.
58. As soon as: ONCE. I'll be ready once I finish the crossword puzzle, darling!
60. Pt. of GPS: SYS. Global Positioning System.
62. Convened: SAT.
63. Capitol fig.: SEN. A figure you encounter in the capitol might be a senator.
Here's the grid:
I cannot FORESEE what the comments will be.
Will our cruciverbalist crowd EXALT today's puzzle and constructor?
