Tuesday October 14, 2025 Prasanna Keshava

Lessons in Chemistry.

20-Across. Mug shot souvenir from an Old West tourist town: WANTED POSTER.  Water.

29-Across. Spiritual serenity: INNER PEACE.  Ice.

46-Across. Influencers in a grassroots marketing campaign: STREET TEAM.  Steam.

And the unifier:

56-Across. Geographic neighbors, or what this puzzle's circled letters literally are: BORDER STATES.  In today's puzzle, we learn about the three main states of matter: Solid (ICE), Liquid (WATER), and Vapor (STEAM).  Solids, in this case ICE, have a definite shape and volume, liquids, in this case WATER, have a definite volume but take the shape of their container, and gases, in this case STEAM, have no definite shape or volume.  You will also notice that each of these "States" form the "Border" of the answer to the clue.

Across:

1. Occupied a chair: SAT.

4. Memory aids for shoppers: LISTS.

9. Puff up, as pillows: PLUMP.

14. Chuckle syllable: HEH.

15. Fundamental skateboard jump: OLLIE.  Everything you wanted to know about the Ollie but were afraid to ask.

16. Desert watering holes: OASES.

17. Metal-bearing material: ORE.

18. Nursery purchase: PLANT.

19. Martial art also known as kung fu: WUSHU.  I was not familiar with this alternative name.

23. "So much chaos in there!": IT'S A ZOO.

24. Beginning: ORIGIN.

28. Half-moon tide: NEAP.  A neap tide just after the first or third quarters of the moon when there is least difference between high and low water.

32. Legal pro: Abbr.: ATT.  As in an Attorney.  //  And 43. Exam for a future 32-Across: LSAT.  As in the  Law School Admissions Test.

34. Common crumbled froyo topping: OREO.  A fresh new clue for an old staple.

35. Hanks who played Mr. Rogers: TOM.

The real Mr. Rogers is on the right.

36. Ordinary writing: PROSE.

39. Wacoal undergarment: BRA.  The lingerie company.

40. __ pad: STENO.

42. Totally fine: A-OK.

45. "Told you!": SEE.

49. Labor Day mo.: SEPT.  Labor Day originated in the late 19th century as the American labor movement sought recognition for workers' social and economic achievements.  The first observance was in New York City on September 5, 1882, organized by the Central Labor Union and Knights of Labor.  It became a federal holiday on June 28, 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September a national day to honor American workers.  Today it is mostly considered a day off of work.

53. Shrimp dish: SCAMPI.  The term Scampi refers to the preparation of the dish.

54. British beer with a red triangle logo: BASS ALE.

59. Place to say "I do": ALTAR.

62. Coeur d'Alene locale: IDAHO.  The name Coeur d'Alene originated with French-Canadian fur traders in the late 18th or early 19th century.  The traders gave this name to the local Schitsu'umsh people, observing their shrewd and disciplined trading practices.  It was meant as a compliment for their business acumen.

63. Muesli grain: OAT.

64. Push-button word: START.

65. Poet Nash: OGDEN.  Frederic Ogden Nash (Aug. 19, 1902 ~ May 19, 1971) was an American poet well known for his light verse.

66. Put into service: USE.

67. Extra benefits: PERKS.

68. Demanding constant attention, perhaps: NEEDY.

69. "The Good Place" actor Danson: TED.  Ted Danson (né Edward Bridge Danson, III; b. Dec. 29, 1947) began his career as a model for Aramis.

Down:

1. Do a butler's job: SHOW IN.

2. Make fizzy: AERATE.

3. Covert org.: THE NSA.

4. Pop idol Jennifer: LOPEZ.  Is she or isn't she back with Ben Affleck?

5. "Leave this to me!": I'LL DO IT.

6. Apply sloppily: SLAP ON.

7. Former Yankee Martinez who won the Home Run Derby in 1997: TINO.  Constantino "Tino" Martinez (b. Dec. 7.. 1967) is a former professional baseball player.  He played for a number of teams, including the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

8. Tennis match units: SETS.

9. Confidence-boosting stance: POWER POSE.

10. "Lady Bird" Oscar nominee Metcalf: LAURIE.  Lady Bird is a 2017 American coming-of-age comedy drama about a turbulent relationship between a high school senior, played by Saoirse Ronan (née Saoirse Una Ronan; b. Apr. 12, 1994) and her mother, played by Laurie Metcalf (née Laura Elizabeth Metcalf; b. June 16, 1955).

11. Frigate letters: USS.  As in United States Ship.

12. "Doesn't excite me": MEH.

13. Nittany Lions sch.: PSU. As in Penn(sylvania) State University.

21. Spanish small bites: TAPAS.  Yummers!

22. Went really fast: TORE.

25. Garden entrance: GATE.

26. Tappable image on a touchscreen: ICON.

27. "Finding __": Pixar film about a missing fish: NEMO.

30. Opposite of sur: NORTE.  Spanish directions.

31. Timeline block: ERA.

33. Travels, sci-fi style: TELEPORTS.

36. __ muster: make the grade: PASS.

37. Campus cadet org.: ROTC.  As in Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

38. Cajun pod: OKRA.

Yummers!  Fried Okra.

39. Club made by Louisville Slugger: BAT.  Professional baseball player Pete Browning (né Louis Rogers Browning; June 17, 1861 ~ Sept. 10, 1905), was the original Louisville Slugger.   He played for the Louisville team from 1882 until 1894.  He had a .341 batting average.

41. Thompson of "Passing": TESSA.  Passing is a 2021 film about two Black women, one of whom passes for white.

44. Recipe step: STIR.

45. In pieces: SMASHED.

47. Set out (on): EMBARK.

48. Grate against: ABRADE.

50. Choose not to cook, say: EAT OUT.

51. "I beg of you": PLEASE.

52. Pushed to the limit: TESTED.

55. Poker-faced: STONY.

57. Pop idol Celine: DION.

Céline Marie Claudette Dion; b. Mar. 20, 1968

58. Advantage: EDGE.

59. "Antony and Cleopatra" snake: ASP.

60. Mobile network letters: LTE.  As in Long Term Evolution.

61. Driveway goo: TAR.

חתולה

Monday, October 13th, 2025 Ginny Too

Theme: Bear Necessities?

Bare Necessities

G'Day Cornerites!

Today, Ginny front loads the theme answers with a type of BEAR on the LEFT.

18. "Dream a Little Dream" singer: MAMA CASS. Papa bear, MAMA BEAR, Baby bear.

24. Symbol on a difficult ski run: BLACK DIAMOND. Black Bear.

40. Daily paper in the Windy City: CHICAGO SUN TIMES. Tribune didn't quite fit. The Sun Times is a daily nonprofit newspaper and the former home of Roger Ebert. Last Thursday NaomiZ illustrated a SUN BEAR (and SUN isn't far enough left) so...
 

Da Bears

52. Fast-casual Chinese restaurant chain: PANDA EXPRESS.

Good for a lunch at the airport

63. One option at a fork in the road, and an apt description of 18-, 24-, 40-, and 52-Across: BEAR LEFT.

Yogi is another BEAR on the LEFT

Due to the government shutdown, we didn't have:
Stubb's BBQ sauce flavor: SMOKEY MESQUITE [14] nor
"Being With You" Artist: SMOKEY ROBINSON [14]

We at The Corner hope SMOKEY BEAR resumes his National Parks duties soon.

Across:

1. Get plenty of sleep before a big event: REST UP.

7. Quick and nimble: SPRY.

11. __ Lock: PC key: NUM.

14. Starting squads: A-TEAMS.

15. French peak: ALPE.

16. CBS forensic franchise: CSI.

17. Hip-hop dance move: NAE NAE.

In case you need a refresher before rehearsal ;-)

18. [See: Theme]

20. Home project initials: DIY. Do It Yourself instead of hiring a contractor.

21. Thumb drive ports: USBS. Universal Serial Bus(es).

Quantum States of USB Connectors

23. Asian grocery chain: H-MART. The H is for Han Ah Reum (한아름), which means "an armful" in Korea [cite: WikiP]. We have two in Houston.

24. [See: Theme]

28. __ beer float: ROOT.

The Root Beer Bear

29. Pep talk target: MORALE.

33. House of Lords title: BARON.

36. Part of a superhero costume: CAPE.

Edna on why "No Capes"

39. Soccer great Hamm: MIA. Not only a soccer superstar but now a marrow & cord blood transplant awareness.

40. [See: Theme]

44. Nashville awards org.: CMA. Country Music Association.

45. Clock toggle: AM/PM.

46. Home: ABODE.

47. Dojo instructor: SENSEI.

50. Where to find "Campbell's Soup Cans" in NYC: MOMA. Museum of Modern Art.

52. [See: Theme]

58. ICU hookup: IV BAG.

61. Wet and squirmy: EELY.

62. Genetic messenger molecule: RNA. Ribonucleic acid.

63. [See: Theme]

65. French cake: GATEAU. In France it's just cake, in English there's a difference.

"Yummers, gateau," said no one I know.

68. Sports doc's scan: MRI. Magnetic resonance imaging -- difference from a CT scan.

69. __-steven: EVEN. Squared-up.

70. Draw out: ELICIT.

71. Plopped down: SAT.

72. Skating commentator Lipinski: TARA. Youngest (15yro) Gold Medalist.

73. Stinging weed: NETTLE.

Down:

1. Mary J. Blige's music genre: R AND B. Rhythm AND Blues (and SMOKEY's genre too!).

2. Etsy business: E-TAIL.

3. "Bye now": SEE YA.

4. Sun shade?: TAN.

5. Actress Thurman: UMA. I know her from Brooks' 2005 The Producers.
 

6. Bogus: PSEUDO.

7. Lively Afro-Brazilian dance: SAMBA.

8. Suffix with proto-: PLASM.

9. Turntable letters: RPM. Revolutions Per Minute.

10. "You'd think so, but ... ": YEAH, NO.

11. Org. covered by ESPNU: NCAA. ESPN (known as Entertainment and Sports Programming Network until 1985) Universities covers the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

12. Cold War initials: USSR. The CCCP (Союз Советских Социалистических Республик) is Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to English speakers.

13. Fine spray: MIST.

19. Nav. rank: CMDR. Commander.

22. "Friends" or "Girlfriends": SITCOM. A portmanteau of SITuation and COMedy.

25. Lightweight clog: CROC.
 

A croc with a CROC?  What a crock!

26. Hawaiian coffee district: KONA.

27. Harbinger: OMEN.

30. Snowball pile, say: AMMO.

31. Stretched the truth: LIED.

32. Soften: EASE.

33. Emails discreetly: BCCS. Blind Carbon Copy.

34. [Sigh]: AH ME.

35. "Glass Onion" director Johnson: RIAN.
 

37. Egyptian cobra: ASP.

38. Beat with one's fists: PUMMEL.

41. Make a profit: GAIN.

42. Pack (down): TAMP.

43. Vowel-shaped beam: I-BAR, U-bar, We-bar :-)

48. Practice in the boxing ring: SPAR.

49. Young bird of prey: EAGLET.

51. Gas with the symbol O: OXYGEN.

53. Put off: DEFER.

54. Health insurance giant: AETNA. Not to be confused with the Italian giant Etna.

55. Put up: ERECT.

56. Mollusk that's a symbol of slowness: SNAIL.

57. Pan fry: SAUTE.

58. Some early PCs: IBMS.

59. "Up in the Air" Oscar nominee Farmiga: VERA. Costars include George Clooney and Anna Kendrick.
 

Vera Farmiga

60. Fly, in fly-fishing: BAIT.

64. Actress Longoria: EVA. I only know her from Only Murders in the Building.
 

Eva Longoria

66. Blonde brew: ALE.

67. __ for tat: TIT. I'll leave this one to our Corner limerickists.

The Grid:

The Grid

WOs: cap -> NUM Lock, lure -> BAIT
ESPs: NAE NAE, RIAN, VERA, RARA
Fav: SNAIL next to SAUTE - escargot anyone?

Cheers, -T

Sunday October 12, 2025 Doug Peterson

Theme: "BUILT TO SCALE" - Different shoes climb up in the grid.

3. "Boom Boom" blues legend: JOHN LEE HOOKER. Heel.

7. Approach that emphasizes fundamentals: BACK TO BASICS. Sabot.

9. Group that can play a symphony: PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA. Croc.

21. "What a shame": THAT'S TOO BAD. Boot.

62. Hygiene tool on a spool: DENTAL FLOSS. Flat.

65. "How many sugars?," quaintly: ONE LUMP OR TWO. Mule.

Reveal:

58. Footwear for boulderers, and what can be found in this puzzle's circled letters: CLIMBING SHOES.

We've seen quite a few shoes in the past, but never the climbing angle. Love this fresh approach from Doug. Notice all the shoe words span across two words? 

Doug is a brilliant constructor. He's also a super fast solver. This pic is from ACPT 2008.

Doug Peterson & Will Shortz

Across:

1. Sandos with two spreads: PBJS. Sando is Japanese for sandwich. White bread with no crust. 

5. Restaurant chain co-founded by chef Matsuhisa: NOBU. It's his given name.

9. Star's entourage: POSSE.

14. "You know you want to!": C'MON.

18. Floor plan unit: ROOM.

19. Country with a Persian-speaking majority: IRAN.

20. Operational launch time: H HOUR. And 24. Flanged support pieces: I BARS. 66. Govt. securities: T BILLS. 70. Powerful engine named for its shape: V TEN. 121. Sporty car roof: T TOP. 

21. Yours, in hymns: THINE. Next Thursday our class is "Seeking the Face of God".

22. Unoriginal reply: ECHO.

23. Checkbook no.: ACCT.

25. Actress Bailey: HALLE.

26. Big Apple team: YANKS.

28. Alpine course: SKI SLOPE.

30. Spoke like a boxer: BARKED. Not the boxer in the ring.

31. Explorer Erikson: LEIF.

33. Into the latest gadgets: TECHY.

34. Call made behind one's back?: BUTT DIAL. Lock your screen.

36. Stayed in line: OBEYED.

38. Div. of Labor: OSHA.

39. Williams with four Olympic gold medals: VENUS.

40. Holiday cusp: EVE.

41. Hoppy beer: ALE.

42. Snatch quickly: GRAB.

44. Specter: WRAITH.

46. Ready for a break: TIRED.

48. Lake near Carson City: TAHOE.

50. Charcuterie board selections: SALAMIS.

52. Retired record holder?: IPOD. Fun clue.

54. Production: SHOW.

55. Omega preceder: PSI.

56. Activist Yoko: ONO.

57. Stick on a pub wall: POOL CUE.

61. Multivolume ref.: OED. Oxford English Dictionary.

63. Herb on a bánh mì sandwich: CILANTRO. I love the pickled daikon and carrots. 

67. Capacious craft: ARK.

69. Rescue op: EVAC. Evacuation. 

71. Knock, in slang: DIS.

72. Artemis org.: NASA.

74. "__ complicated": IT'S.

75. Can refuse to: NEEDN'T.

77. Treats flavored with syrup: SNO-CONES. 

80. River project: DAM.

82. Went in circles: GYRATED.

84. Siglo de __: era of El Greco and Cervantes: ORO.  Siglo de Oro means "Golden Century".  Spanish Golden Age. Learning moment for me.

85. Patterned after: ALA.

86. Long-legged wader: IBIS.
 
89. Billy of "Titanic": ZANE. He played the snobbish fiancé of Rose.

90. Fortnite Frenz 4 Ever Blaster, for one: NERF GUN. 

92. Select with a mouse: CLICK.

93. Milk source in the Sahara: CAMEL.

96. Mural on plaster: FRESCO.

98. Subject that includes set theory: MATH. And 108. Subject that includes gender theory: SEXOLOGY.

100. Prefix with natal: NEO.

101. USPS abbr.: AVE.

102. __ Loops: FROOT.

104. Court target: HOOP.

106. Barely sufficient: MEAGER.

110. Islanders' NHL division, familiarly: METRO. New York Islanders is one of the teams in the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The others are the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.
 
111. Animation collectibles: CELS.

112. Stumble over: TRIP ON.

113. List of specialized terms: GLOSSARY.

116. "Dos Mujeres" painter: KAHLO. "Two Women",

119. Football features: LACES. On a baseball, the equivalent raised stitching is called seams.

120. Scrub, as a mission: ABORT.

123. Dish in a bowl: SOUP.

124. "My stars!": EGADS.

125. Episcopal figure: VICAR.

126. Stealthy flyers: OWLS.

127. Clark from Smallville: KENT.

128. Wildlife refuges: DENS.

129. Walled Spanish city: AVILA.

130. Dig like a pig: ROOT.

131. Seeks information: ASKS.

Down:

1. Salmon, to bears: PREY.

2. __ Raton: BOCA.

4. "__ and the Bandit": SMOKEY.

5. "Candyman" director DaCosta: NIA. She also directed "The Marvels".

6. Brutish Tolkien characters: ORCS.

8. Disentangles: UNTIES.

10. "I can't wait!": OH BOY.

11. Stuff in a pump bottle: SOAP.

12. Guaranteed winner: SURE BET.

13. Workplaces for triage nurses: Abbr.: ERS.

14. Leafy vegetable: CHARD. I just had stir-fried cabbage every day for the past 5 days.

15. More opalescent: MILKIER.

16. Ashore, perhaps: ON LEAVE.

17. Mocked playfully: NEEDLED.

27. Sustained attack: SIEGE.

29. Phonetic symbol: SCHWA.

30. Furnace meas.: BTU.

32. Pres. who created the "alphabet agencies": FDR.

35. Not cool: UNHIP.

36. Breakfast sometimes prepared overnight: OATS. So good in summer. 

37. Ho-hum: BLAH.

39. Helmet feature: VISOR.

43. Pet welfare org.: ASPCA.

45. "Yer lyin'!": AIN'T SO.

47. South Indian rice cake: IDLI.

49. "You __ it to yourself ... ": OWE.

51. Word rapper Bow Wow dropped from his stage name: LIL

53. Nursery containers: POTS.

59. Final: Abbr.: ULT.

60. Squiggly letter: ESS.

64. Loves to bits: ADORES.

67. Lee with two Best Director Oscars: ANG.

68. "West Coast" singer Lana Del __: REY. Stunning singer.

73. Mountain pose, for one: ASANA.

76. Stunned state: DAZE.

78. Baseball team's starting lineup, e.g.: NONET.

79. Pester: NAG.

81. Feel rotten: AIL.

83. Clear of condensation: DEFOG.

87. Drink with a domed lid: ICEE.

88. Toffee candy bar: SKOR.

91. __ the bill: FOOTS.

92. Sass: CHEEK.

93. Made a two-piece chess move: CASTLED.

94. Just OK: AVERAGE.

95. Like axolotls: MEXICAN. Salamander.

97. Colorful character?: ROY G. BIV.

99. Flix sister station: TMC.

103. Actor Funches of Apple TV+'s "Loot": RON.

105. One on the stump: ORATOR.

107. "North to the Future" state: ALASKA.

109. Persuasive columns: OP-EDS.

110. __ compass: MORAL.

114. Focal points: LOCI.

115. "Let's do it!" hashtag: YOLO.

117. Knucklehead: LUNK.

118. Decides: OPTS.

120. Gardner of "Show Boat": AVA.

122. LAX clock setting: PST.

C.C.