Rafael is a frequent constructor from Patti's coterie (how 'bout that word?) and is often seen paired with Rebecca Goldstein who had a nice Thursday puzzle this week. Rafa is a software engineer for Airbnb in San Francisco.
I could stare at that red cell below until the proverbial cows come home and would never get it, so I'll take one bad cell and, as Taylor Swift would sing, Shake It Off.
Across:
1. Florentine political dynasty: MEDICI - The MEDICI family were the main patrons of Galileo and supported much of his work.
7. Posters that are usually ignored: SPAMBOTS.
15. Transfer: IRON ON - Mom IRONED ON a big Superman IRON transfer for 10-yr-old me and it was my favorite shirt for many years.
16. Music genre that originated in 1930s Shanghai: MANDO POP - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ A mix of Mandarin and Western music. Origin and an example of it today.
17. Confection: BONBON.
18. Cold look: ICY STARE.
19. Put away: STOW.
20. Bajo opposite: ALTO - I always think of Baj(a) California (lower california) and Palo ALTO (tall stick), CA.
21. Meathead: CLOD.
22. Federal holiday since 2021: JUNETEENTH.
25. Secondary account, informally: FINSTA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You might create a FINSTA (fake instagram account) along with your RINSTA (real instagram account) to share more freely with a small group of friends. It's a way to post silly memes, inside jokes, and unfiltered thoughts without worrying about your public image.
26. Revolutionary outcomes, often: NEW ERAS - Mao's Cultural Revolution brought a NEW ERA to China and he tried hard to eliminate Mandopop and other "Western cultural trash". BTW, Taylor Swift has a huge following in China today.
30. Stick around the TSA line: WAND 😀
31. Meddle: PRY.
33. In profile: SIDE ON - You might have some miles on your tires to recognize this famous profile. (*answer at bottom of write-up). BTW, I don't anyone who knew FINSTA would get this famous profile.
34. Cancel: NIX.
35. Vegan baking ingredient made with ground seeds: CHIA EGG ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Egg substitutes
37. __ Jayawardenepura Kotte: urban area near Colombo: SRI - This suburb of Colombo, Sri Lanka is usually just referred to as Kotte. Be sure to get a tee shirt at the gift shop.
38. Scrub Daddy competitor: BRILLO.
40. Greeting often followed by "Como vai?": OLA - "How are you?" and "Hello" in Portugese
41. Smith of "House of the Dragon": MATT - I wonder if Rafa even knows the name Gunsmoke's MATT Dillon
42. Flabbergast: ASTOUND.
44. Tame __: "The Slow Rush" band: IMPALA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ but it just kept filling itself in
46. Find peace: FEEL AT EASE.
48. Abbr. in some titles: ASST.
51. Workers' residence: HIVE 😀
52. Crash site org.: NTSB - The National Transportation Safety Board examines a damaged aircraft in Philadelphia
54. Like some hair products: TWO IN ONE.
56. Amused sound: TEE HEE.
58. Thing that's handled badly: MISNOMER - A handle can be called a name for something so a misnomer could be Koala Bear (is a marsupial not a bear), a peanut is a legume (not a nut), lead pencils (they use graphite), etc.
59. Wading birds with powder down: HERONS - Not EGRETS this time
60. Exhaustive analysis?: SMOG TEST.
61. New money?: CRYPTO - 😀 What I know about CRYPTO could be put in here
Down:
1. Sci-fi franchise starring Will Smith: MIB - Men In Black
2. Cherubic deity: EROS.
3. "You'll bring us bad luck!": DONT JINX IT.
4. Like some rush-hour traffic: INBOUND.
5. Shares responsibility, in a way: COOWNS.
6. Stonewall __: INN - The site of a 1969 riot that launched the gay rights movement
7. Katy Perry album with the single "Cry About It Later": SMILE.
8. Old name of a gp. that now has two members: PAC TEN - All the schools left and only lOregon State and Washington State remained
9. Impossible to call: ANYONE'S GAME - Tie score in the ninth inning...
10. Physical performers, for short: MDS 😀
11. Made a mess of: BOTCHED.
12. Gem for a Libra: OPAL - Ruby is the only other 4-letter birthstone
13. Sushi bar cut: TORO.
14. Tore: SPED.
20. Game company that released a 50th anniversary bundle in 2022: ATARI.
23. Classic movie line uttered while pointing out the window: ET PHONE HOME.
24. Bit of kindling: TWIG.
25. The Big E et al.: FAIRS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
27. Old stock market: RESALE SHOP.
28. Left ventricle outlet: AORTA.
29. Foul mood: SNIT.
30. Dream realm?: WNBA.
32. Former Rocket Ming: YAO - His wife is 6' 3" but he is 7' 6"
35. Fingerprint, maybe: CLUE.
36. Select few: ELITE.
39. Hitting up: LOFTING - That'll get them away from the net
41. Proficiency: MASTERY.
43. Tackling groups, for short: D-LINES - a famous one played in Pittsburgh in the 70's
45. Saag __: spinach dish with cheese: PANEER ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I'll bet you can get this in Jayawardenepura Kotte
47. Stave off: AVERT.
48. PIN-points: ATMS.
49. Make waves, say: SWIM.
50. Shrugworthy: SO SO.
53. Dog-eared, say: BENT - Don't let the librarian catch you 😊
55. "__ cool!": NOT.
56. Compound in some edibles: THC - The hilarious day everyone in Grey's Anatomy ate cookies that were laced wtih marijuana (active ingreint is (Tetra Hydro Cannabinol)(5:58)
57. Spanish pronoun: ESO - Paul Anka's ESO Besso (Ooo That Kiss) always saves me. here.
*That famous SIDE ON profile is of Alfred Hitchcock and was used at the start of his 60's TV show
Jess Rucks, a crossword constructor, whose puzzles I have blogged many times, contacted me via FaceBook to meet in Lincoln for dinner on Friday night as she was driving from Colorado Springs to her hometown in Minnesota. We met at Lazlo’s Restaurant and had a very pleasant evening. Here is a picture of me and Jess. As you might imagine from the picture, she played D1 volleyball at New Mexico but not so obviously she later served as an Urdu translator for the Air Force. Besides being brilliant, she also has a wonderful sense of humor!
Theme: Addition can sometimes be better than subtraction ... OR ... am I adding or losing some (L)B's?
Puzzling thoughts:
First, this is my last recap/blog of 2025. Second, since we are one week before Christmas, my recap today will be more brief than usual
Now, with regards to today's puzzle, this is not the first Samantha Podos Nowak puzzle I've blogged. One of her earlier efforts was a collaboration with LAT assistant editor, Katie Hale. Samantha, like I, came into constructing puzzles after/during the Covid pandemic. In fact, she and I both had a puzzle that ran the same day (her's at WSJ and mine at LAT) but that's just a coincidence ...
Today's puzzle has an interesting theme, based on a famous line in a Shakespeare play:
36-across. Soliloquy dilemma, and a phonetic hint to 17-, 25-, 51-, and 61-Across: TO BE OR NOT TO BE. I checked a few sources, and surprisingly this entry has not been seen in a published xword puzzle in almost a decade, and obviously, not used with this set of entries:
17-across. "Pencils, down!" for one: TIMBERLINE. The "Be(B)" or Not to Be(B") is highlighted in the entry. Use the Band the entry means - literally - the upper limit of tree growth (usually in mountainous regions). Such as this:
But if you eliminate the B the clue fits the "not to be(B)" meaning. Think of when you were taking a timed test in school and the proctor calls out: "Pencils, down!" I guess (stretching one's imagination) that this would be a TIMER "LINE"
25-across. "What I did last summer" essay penned by a lifeguard?: POOL TABLE. A pool table should not be mistaken for a billiards table. Likewise, if you are working a summer part-time job as a lifeguard, you probably don't want to go off telling pool tales or this might happen:
51-across. Ice cream truck jingle, e.g.?: SUGAR CUBE. When was the last time you saw a sugar cube served in a restaurant?
Now lose the B and you get a semi-ridiculous answer that fits another semi-ridiculous clue ... I never thought of the jingle from an ice cream truck as a sugar CUE. You can thank me later for the earworm I am about to inject you with, once you click on the "play" button on the video below:
61-across. Fee for a reunion dinner?: ALBUM COVER. With the B you get this:
IMO, the best ALBUM, ever
Without the B you get a goofy answer to a goofy clue. At my latest HS reunion, the "ALUM COVER" was $50 which included the cost of renting the venue and what turned out to be a pretty good buffet dinner. Here is a picture from mine this past September:
Oh, and those of you who wanted to know why Moe thinks that Led Zeppelin IV is the best ever, here is the full album on YouTube - starting with one of my top 5 favorite songs ever:
So, Moe, if you didn't like SUGAR CUBE entry, what would you have suggested, instead? Ok, here:
51-across. Preserves made by artisans from Wisconsin resort county? DOOR JAMBS - but alas, this one would be cut as the B in JAMBS is silent ...
How about: Comment from a Jewish kid when he realizes spring break is over? SCHOOLBOY
The Grid:
I will address the words I disliked or stumbled with in the other clues/answers, below
Across: 1. "Black Widow" singer Rita: ORA. She is not a singer that I listen to, so this one sat for a while before the perps appeared
4. Oodles: STACKS. Another that took some time to fill
10. Harvest: CROP. REAP also fits
14. Loonie currency, briefly: CAD. For some reason I thought CND would be the answer; but come on, even for a Friday the clue for cad should've been for a noun, not an abbreviation
15. Prestige: CACHET. It's interesting to note that when I asked the Thesaurusaurus for a synonym for cachet it provided me with prestige - but when I asked for a synonym for prestige it gave me this:
16. Lentil pancake: DOSA. This word has been used somewhat often @ both Universal Crosswords and USA Today. Mostly since 2020. Was this a food item that was introduced during COVID that C-Moe possibly ignored? I don't think I have ever had one (or two)
And of course, my puerile brain had to think of a Moe-ku:
Do Indian chef's
Like Square Dancing? They must. They
Do the DOSA-dough
[theme entry]
19. Scattered: SOWN. I originally spelled this SEWN; then, realized my mistake (which left me in stitches)
20. More than half of the world's population: ASIANS.
21. Courtroom figs.: D.A.s. Again, a clue for an abbreviation, when the clue could have been: German article (DER, DIE, and DAS) and have been just as difficult (IMO)
23. Brief read?: MAG. What's with all of the abbreviations? Sheesh
24. Curriculum __: VITAE. After watching this video, I am perfectly happy being retired!
[theme entry]
28. USN rank: ENS. Maybe I should have started counting abbr's ...
29. Hotel bar: SOAP. My mind immediately thought "MINI"
31. Burrito option: ASADA. As in "carne asada". Asada translates to the English "grilled". Personally, I prefer El Pastor burritos
41. Sculpture medium: ICE. Phil Conners was quite the ice sculptor, as depicted in this movie by (54-across. "Groundhog Day" writer/director) Harold RAMIS.
42. Bygone JFK carrier: TWA. I'm done panning all of the abbreviations ... if I see another one, I will ignore it and move on, FWIW
43. Silver State city: RENO. Silver State = Nevada
45. Fountain spot, perhaps: PLAZA.
48. Staffer: AIDE.
50. Keebler baker: ELF. Moe-ku:
Michael Bloomberg's one
Of the shortest billionaires
He's an ELF-made-man
[theme entry]
56. Slip: ERR.
57. __ Quixote: DON.
58. From the beginning: DE NOVO. Our Latin word-of-the-day
59. Luau strings: UKES.
[theme entry]
64. Bambi, for one: DEER. FAWN also fits
65. Afternoon trayful: TEA SET. SCONES also fits
66. QB mistake: INT.
67. Ish: OR SO. Ballpark estimate might have worked as a clue, too
68. Knight mares: STEEDS. While this definition doesn't specify, a steed can be either a stallion or a mare - and since it can be a female horse, it allowed Samantha (or maybe Patti) to use this witty clue
69. Season opener?: ESS. For those who don't "get" the wordplay, season opener usually refers to the first MLB game of the new year - but here, it's the starting letter in the word, season
Down: 1. So-so ranges?: OCTAVES. Sometimes clues go too far ... but I am guessing that whoever came up with this one was referring to the "do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do" range, which is also an octave
And for anyone here who learned/played their first scale (octave) on the piano - with "do" being middle C - I trust that you will "get" this Moe-ku:
"So-so ranges" was
The clue. I knew where to start.
Gee, I'm one sharp guy
2. Chocolate-covered bite: RAISINET. Did anyone else think that this chocolate-covered candy was spelled Raisinette?
3. Comes clean about: ADMITS TO. See 2-down for MY confession
4. Tantrums: SCENES. Having just returned from spending time with a 5-1/2 year old grandson, I endured more scenes than a Shakespeare play
5. Works on the road: TARS. Or, sailors on a ship
6. Knee pt.: ACL.
7. Home of the Cubbies and the Bears: CHI.
8. Martial art that began as sword exercises practiced by samurai: KENDO. In Japan, I hear that toy stores are selling a figurine by the same name (Kendo) that's equipped with a sword, a convertible, and a girlfriend named Barbie
9. Take the wrong way?: STEAL. This word (steal) is among the more popular starting words for the online game, Wordle
10. Common PC inserts, once: CDS.
11. Floor model?: ROOMBA. Model, as in which model Roomba would you purchase for cleaning your floor. The one on the left below looks pretty functional, to me
30. Oklahoma Natives: OTOE. So, Otoe is also the plural?
33. Island near Majorca: IBIZA. Okay. I've been pretty lenient about the obscurity of many of today's words. And honestly, a couple of "odd" words for a Friday are OK if the puzzle venue specifies that. But the LA Times Friday puzzles lately have been anything but consistent. IBIZA, PANGEA, OSWALD, ROOMBA, KENDO, RAISINET, SETI, VITAE, DOSA (and I still have a few more words to recap ...)
35. Little bit: A TAD. You think I am a tad frustrated by today's puzzle? I don't think I will be the only one
37. Digital greeting: E-CARD.
38. Tot's bruise: OWIE.
39. Animated film in which Renée Zellweger voices a florist named Vanessa Bloome: BEE MOVIE. I wonder if one of the possible titles for this film was "To Bee or Not to Bee"?
40. Spices up: ENLIVENS. I suppose you could say that Moe-kus enlivens my recaps (44-down. In a way:) OF SORTS.
45. Ersatz: PSEUDO. Don't believe this answer; it's fake
46. Forum visitor who never posts: LURKER. How many lurkers do we have at this forum? I'm guessing it's in the hundreds - maybe more
47. Sees eye to eye: AGREES.
49. Raises: ERECTS.
52. Checked garments: COATS. Do restaurants still have coat check rooms?
53. Still in need of tenants: UNLET. Can we add unlet to the list of weird words today?
55. "That's __-brainer!": A NO. [see above] - maybe not
58. Contacted privately, briefly: DM'ED.
60. B'way sign: SRO.
62. Honeybunny: BAE.
63. Capitalize on: USE. Did anyone keep a count of how many abbreviated words there were today? Does anyone use many of these in their normal conversations, written or oral?
I hoped my last puzzle to recap this year could've been more fun. But I have enjoyed doing these; hard to believe it's been 5-1/2 years since I volunteered to blog on C.C.'s LATCC site
Wishing everyone a safe and blessed holiday season - see you next year!
Was our constructor, Rebecca Goldstein, inspired by yesterday's 122nd anniversary of the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina? Maybe! The theme answers in today's puzzle all involve wings. They are:
17-Across. Many an American employee: FLIGHT ATTENDANT. The American Airlines flight attendant uniform includes a metal pin in the shape of wings with the company logo at the center.
25-Across. List of pub grub: BAR MENU. A bar menu frequently includes chicken wings.
28-Across. Contest that starts with a center-ice faceoff: NHL GAME. The National Hockey League includes a team called the Detroit Red Wings that is celebrating its 100th anniversary in the 2025/26 season.
42-Across. Residential upgrades: HOME IMPROVEMENT. Upgrading your home? You might add a new wing.
55-Across. Red Bull slogan, and what can also be said of 17-, 25-, 28-, and 42-Across: GIVES YOU WIIINGS. Red Bull is an "energy drink" containing caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, B vitamins, and inositol. It is advertised as a performance enhancer. In 2013, a class-action lawsuit argued that the slogan "Red Bull gives you wings" and related marketing claims misled consumers into believing the drink provided benefits not found in a cup of coffee. The suit was settled for $13 million, and the slogan was changed to "Red Bull gives you WIIINGS" as if this is somehow more clearly metaphorical, and less a literal claim. Both the before and after slogans are news to this blogger.
So, 17-, 25-, 28-, and 42-Across GIVE YOU WINGS. Sort of, right? The flight attendant might give you a wings pin. The bar menu might give you chicken wings. An NHL game might serve up the Detroit Red Wings. And home improvements might give you (and your house) new wings.
At this point, we are flying high. On to the rest of the clues and answers!
Across:
1. "In the headlights" animal: DEER. Deer have more light sensitive rod cells and greater dilation than we have in our eyes, giving them good night vision. When you shine bright light into their faces at night, they are blinded. Their fear response is to freeze to avoid detection by predators. This response is not well adapted to fast moving cars.
5. Golf tops: POLOS. Golf courses often have dress codes requiring shirts with collars, so a polo shirt is a comfortable way to meet that standard.
10. Fury: RAGE.
14. Soul, in Spanish: ALMA.
15. "Alas and __!": ALACK. Alas and alack have the same meaning, and are doubled for effect.
16. Some Sharon Olds poems: ODES. Sharon Olds is an American poet who won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Raised by abusive parents in a strict religious environment, her poetry uses raw language to expose domestic and political violence. Odes is a 2016 collection of poetry in the form of odes addressing taboo subjects.
17. [Theme clue]
20. __ sauce: TARTAR.
21. Called: TERMED.
22. Brand of 5-Across: IZOD. Remember when this brand of polo shirts was all the 10-Across?
24. Breakfast bowl berry: ACAI.
25. [Theme clue]
28. [Theme clue]
32. Skin soother: ALOE.
33. HS diploma equivalent: GED. General Educational Development is a set of exams that provide a certificate equivalent to a high school diploma.
35. "All over that": ON IT.
36. Wellness space: SPA.
37. Fruit also known as guanabana: SOURSOP. Soursop is the fruit of Annona muricata, a broadleaf evergreen tree. It is native to the tropical Americas and is widely propagated. With an aroma similar to pineapple, the flavor has been described as a combination of strawberries and apple with sour citrus notes, and a creamy texture reminiscent of banana.
Soursop fruit on the tree
41. Herbal refreshment: TEA.
42. [Theme clue]
45. Director Lee: ANG.
46. Quick __ wink: AS A.
47. Escapade: LARK.
49. Chess greats, for short: GMS. Grandmasters. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain.
52. Indigenous Canadians: CREE.
55. [Theme clue]
59. Butter Restaurant chef/owner Guarnaschelli: ALEX. She's a Food Network star and Manhattan restaurateur.
Alex Guarnaschelli
60. March follower: APRIL.
61. Sushi seaweed: NORI.
62. Pops: DADA.
63. Foul call, maybe: PRANK. A couple of my friends made "foul calls" when we were in middle school. A call to the corner drug store or liquor store: "Do you have Prince Albert in a can? You do? Well, let him out!" And a call to any random number: "Is your refrigerator running? It is? Well, you'd better go catch it!"
64. Scratched (out): EKED.
65. Con: SCAM.
66. Shoe bottoms: SOLES.
67. Simchat bat, for one: RITE. "Simchat bat" is Hebrew for "rejoicing over a daughter." This ritual welcomes a baby girl into the Jewish people, much as the "brit milah" (or "covenant of circumcision") welcomes a baby boy ... but with no surgery involved.
Down:
1. Absurd: DAFT. Just plain silly.
2. "First Lady of Song" Fitzgerald: ELLA.
3. Qatari commander: EMIR.
4. "The Entertainer" genre: RAGTIME. "The Entertainer" is a 1902 ragtime piece for piano written by Scott Joplin. It was popular as a piano roll for player pianos in the 1910s, and was first recorded by "the Blue Boys" in 1928, on mandolin and guitar. In 1973, it was the theme music for The Sting, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Ragtime was big from the 1890s to 1910s; its signature trait is a syncopated or "ragged" rhythm.
5. Source of financial aid: PATRON.
6. Rio greeting: OLA. "Hello" in Portuguese, the language of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
7. Muscle worked in dumbbell rows: LAT. Cruciverbalists call those large back muscles "latissimi dorsi," but gym rats call them lats.
8. Halloween mo.: OCT. An abbreviation in the clue suggests an abbreviation in the answer.
9. Comedy scene: SKETCH.
10. "Good 4 U" singer Olivia: RODRIGO. Olivia Rodrigo acted in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and then shifted into singing, which has earned her three Grammy awards. She was recognized as Time's Entertainer of the Year in 2021, Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2022, and ASCAP's Pop Music Songwriter of the Year in 2022 and 2024. Good 4 U was her second number-one song in 2021. This blogger is behind the times.
11. Driver of "Ferrari": ADAM. Adam Driver played Enzo Ferrari in the 2023 film.
Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari, and as himself.
12. Part of an inheritance: GENE. Part of a genetic inheritance.
13. Founded, as a co.: ESTD. "Established" can be abbreviated as EST, ESTD, or EST'D.
18. Skyline obscurer: HAZE.
19. Diane of "Law & Order: SVU": NEAL. Diane Neal played a New York assistant district attorney on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit from 2003 to 2012. She had an unsuccessful run for Congress in 2018.
Diane Neal on SVU
23. Excavated: DUG UP.
24. "In conclusion ... ": AND SO ...
25. Fun function: BASH.
26. Chewy brand: ALPO. Chewy is a pet supplies website. As far as I can tell, they don't offer the Alpo brand of pet food on their U.S. site, but they do offer it in Canada. Alpo does make a dog treat called Chew-eez, but again, it appears to be for the Canadian market. Is our constructor suggesting that Alpo is a particularly chewy brand of pet food? How would she know?
27. Wander: ROAM.
29. Price for hand delivery?: ANTE. The price you pay to be dealt a hand in a card game.
30. Bearing: MIEN.
31. Coup d'__: ÉTAT. French for "blow to the state," more or less. An illegal takeover of the government by sudden action.
34. Stumble or fumble: ERR.
37. Vanity pieces: SINKS. A bathroom vanity combines a sink, countertop, and storage cabinet.
38. "Srsly!?": OMG. Textspeak: Seriously? Oh my god!
39. Roe, e.g.: OVA.
40. "Raging Bull" Oscar nominee: PESCI. Raging Bull is a 1980 Martin Scorsese film about boxing champion Jake LaMotta. Joe Pesci plays Jake's brother, Joey LaMotta.
From Raging Bull: Joe Pesci is on the right
43. Sound check?: EAR EXAM. Your blogger has an audiology appointment tomorrow.
44. Water boy?: MARINER. A mariner works aboard a boat or ship ... on the water.
47. Olive family shrub: LILAC. Lilacs and olives are members of the family Oleaceae. Other family members (of which there are 700!) include jasmine and forsythia.
48. Vegan brand owned by Estée Lauder: AVEDA.
49. Device on a snowboarder's helmet, maybe: GOPRO. A GoPro is a camera used to capture videos and photos in challenging situations. It is waterproof and shockproof, can stabilize images, and has versatile mounting options.
50. Wall flowers, perhaps: MURAL.
51. Pigs: SWINE.
53. Miso soup mushroom: ENOKI.
Enoki mushrooms
54. Ibis kin: EGRET.
55. Wanders (about): GADS.
56. Blathers on: YAPS.
57. Varieties: ILKS.
58. "Oh sure, take their __!": SIDE.
Here's the grid:
Solvers: Did you think Rebecca's puzzle was DAFT? Did you ERR at some point and react in RAGE?
Or did you think the experience of solving was a LARK and look forward to more puzzles of this ILK?
BEDROOM DOOR - Double bed. Double room. Double door.
TAKE UP SPACE - Double Take. Double up. Double space.
First, the unifier -- 58 A. Impressive basketball feats, and what 20-, 36-, and 43-Across have: TRIPLE DOUBLES. A triple-double in basketball occurs when a player achieves double digits (10 or more) in three of the five main statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks, with points, rebounds, and assists being the most common combination
20 A. Artist with success in more than one genre: CROSS-OVER STAR. A celebrity who successfully moves from one entertainment field (like music) to another (like acting) or from a niche genre to mainstream success, broadening their appeal. The three doubles here are R, O and S, though the S's over-achieve.
36. What an angsty teenager may slam: BEDROOM DOOR. A bedroom door primarily provides privacy, security, and noise control for a personal space. The psychology behind door slamming involves expressing intense, often negative, emotions like anger, frustration, and helplessness when words fail, acting as a physical release or symbolic boundary-setting against overwhelming situations or people, and sometimes it's a learned behavior or a passive-aggressive way to signal displeasure without direct confrontation, serving as a powerful, non-verbal declaration of ending something or needing space. The three doubles here are D, R and O. The O's have a doubled double.
43. Be useless: TAKE UP SPACE. In a non-constructive way. The doubles here are A, E, and P.
Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here, with only two doubles, though they bookend the alphabet. Let's dig into this puzzle. I promise not to have a tantrum.
Across:
1. Biblical kingdom east of the Dead Sea: MOAB. A people and a land east of the Dead Sea, descended from Lot, known for their frequent conflicts with Israel but also for figures like Ruth, a Moabitess in Jesus's lineage, showcasing grace amidst rivalry.
5. "But there is __ in Mudville ... ": NO JOY. " . . .mighty Casey has struck out." I once had an occasion to write a parody of Ernest Lawrence Thayer's famous poem. It can be seen here.
10. Pack and send: SHIP. My lovely wife does this with her cookies to our grands in remote locations.
14. Poet __ St. Vincent Millay: EDNA. Edna St. Vincent Millay [1892 - 1950] was an American lyrical poet and playwright. Millay was a renowned social figure and noted feminist in New York City during the Roaring Twenties and beyond. She also wrote prose under the pseudonym Nancy Boyd.
15. Abruptly end an engagement?: ELOPE. Well - this is ending it in a hopeful way, getting married.
16. Nevada city on the Truckee River: RENO. A city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County. Reno is a tourist destination known for its casino gambling and proximity to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.
17. Pros and __: CONS. Good and bad points.
18. Relentlessly protect the line on the battlefield: MAKE A STAND. To adopt a firm position or opinion about an issue and be prepared to defend it, often in the face of opposition or a majority consensus.
22. To this point: AS YET. Until now.
23. Snacked: ATE. Consumed victuals, like those in 33 A.
24. Scratch, say: MAR. Cause a defect.
27. Fortuneteller's deck: TAROT. Tarot card reading is a form of cartomancy whereby practitioners use tarot cards to purportedly gain insight into the past, present or future. The process typically begins with formulation of a question, followed by drawing and interpreting cards to uncover meaning.
31. Home for Sharks or Kraken: ARENA. This is kind of sneaky, since OCEAN also fits. but no - this refers to two west coast teams in the National Hockey League, located in San Jose and Seattle, respectively.
33. Frito-__ snacks: LAY. Salty, crunchy, carby, bet-you-can't-eat just one delights, as in 23A.
39. Skin care brand: OLAY. A skincare brand owned by Procter & Gamble (P&G), that originated in South Africa in 1952 as "Oil of Olay". Founded by Graham Wulff, the brand was acquired by P&G in 1985. The brand offers moisturizers, cleansers, and serums, and is a market leader in the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.
41. Decorate: ADORN. Make more beautiful or attractive.
42. BMW competitor: AUDI. German cars. Audi of America, Inc., a subsidiary of Audi AG, markets Audi vehicles in the United States. The company, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, sells sedans, crossovers, coupes, SUVs, and convertibles.
46. Sum of the first three prime numbers: TEN. These primes are two, three and five. One looks like it should also be a prime, but for some technical reason, it isn't.
47. __ legend: URBAN. A humorous or horrific story or piece of information circulated as though true, especially one purporting to involve someone vaguely related or known to the teller. Or - such a story about country singer and former spouse of Nicole, Keith. Or [and this is a reach] a high-performance race car built as a 5/8-scale replica of 1930s and 1940s American automobiles, driven in the city.
48. Choose: ELECT. Opt for.
50. Big D sch.: SMU. Southern MethodistUniversity, a private research university in University Park, Texas, United States. SMU was founded on April 17, 1911, by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South—now part of the United Methodist Church—in partnership with Dallas civic leaders.
51. Org. that may confiscate liquids: TSA. Transportation Security Administration, a United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agency, secures U.S. transportation systems. Created in 2001 after the September 11 attacks, its main focus is airport security, preventing aircraft hijackings and other threats.
54. Torah teacher: RABBI. A spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. A person becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as semikhah—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts, including the Tanakh, Midrash, Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmud, Halakha, and rabbinic commentaries thereon.
63. Find an extra level, ala Spinal Tap: GO TO ELEVEN. One more better higher louder.
65. Help (out): BAIL. Rescue someone from a bad spot, often financially or from trouble, by analogy to paying bail to get released from jail. One of my trombone buddies bailed me out with an extra stand light when mine went out in the middle of performing for a Christmas party on Sunday.
66. Innovator's first step: IDEA. A thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action.
67. Like a baseball bat's symmetry: AXIAL. Symmetry around an axis or line (geometry). An object is said to be axially symmetric if its appearance is unchanged if transformed around an axis. In a bat, this axis is the center line along the length of the bat.
68. Squeeze (past): EDGE. To win or advance by a very small margin; or to narrowly slip by an obstacle.
69. Square figure: NERD. A nerd is a term for someone deeply passionate about intellectual, academic, or niche subjects, often seen as socially awkward. A square is someone uncool, conventional, old-fashioned, or out of touch with current trends.
70. Running total: TALLY. The current amount at any given moment.
71. Juicy bit of info: DEET. Slang for detail[s.]. They don't have to be juicy, so I have my doubts about this clue
Down:
1. Hajj destination: MECCA. A hajj the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca that takes place in the last month of the year, and that all Muslims are expected to make at least once during their lifetime. Mecca is Islam's holiest city, located in Saudi Arabia, known as the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad.
2. Smells: ODORS. Aromas, if they're pleasant. If not, other synonyms may apply.
3. Pester: ANNOY. Bug or irritate someone, or make them a little angry.
4. Type of dog serenaded by Elvis on "The Steve Allen Show": BASSET. It's a hound.
6. Royal name of Norway: OLAV. The name of 5 Norwegian kings over the last 1000 or so years.
7. Card material: JOKE. In slang, "card" often means an amusing, eccentric, or unique person. Which card? The Joker, probably.
8. Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking," for one: OPERA. A renowned contemporary American opera by composer Jake Heggie with a libretto by Terrence McNally, based on Sister Helen Prejean's memoir about her spiritual work with death row inmates, exploring themes of justice, compassion, and humanity.
9. Beer foam producer: YEAST. Yeast makes beer foam by producing carbon dioxide during fermentation, which forms bubbles that get trapped by foam-stabilizing proteins from malt and yeast, creating the frothy head
10. Mex. miss: SRTA. A form of "señorita", a noun which is often translated as "young lady". "Srta." is an abbreviation which is often translated as "Ms.".
11. "I can explain": HEAR ME OUT. "Hear me out" means "listen to my full explanation or perspective before you judge or respond," asking for patience to fully convey an idea, often something unusual or potentially controversial, so the listener understands the complete thought.
12. Travel stop: INN. A place to spend the night in.
13. Orca family group: POD. A whale pod is a social group, usually of related whales (like orcas or dolphins), that travels, hunts, and lives together, often centered around a matriarchal line, providing protection and cooperative benefits.
19. Boiling water output: STEAM. Water vapor condensing in the air.
21. Guess: STAB. An attempt to answer, without a sound basis in knowledge or evidence.
25. Cathode's counterpart: ANODE. The negative and positively charged electrodes, respectively, of a device.
26. __ to go: RARIN'. Eager and enthusiastic.
28. Gather, as crops: REAP. Bring in the harvest.
29. Against all __: ODDS. Succeeding or happening despite extremely low chances, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, or expectations that it wouldn't happen, emphasizing perseverance and unlikely triumph over difficulty.
30. Familiar theme: TROPE. A writer's usage of commonly recurring or overused literary techniques and rhetorical devices (characters and situations), motifs, and clichés in a work of creative literature.
32. Nutrition fig.: RDA. Recommended Dietary Allowance, the average daily nutrient intake level that meets the needs of nearly all (97-98%) healthy people in a specific life stage and gender group, serving as a key guideline within Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) to ensure adequate nutrition
33. Seated meditation pose: LOTUS. An advanced yoga and meditation pose where each foot rests on the opposite thigh, creating a stable, upright seat with knees pointing out, resembling a lotus flower.
34. False follower?: ALARM. Misdirecting clue. The word "alarm" can follow the word "false." It means a warning given about something that fails to happen.
35. Calorific tea ingredient in Tibet: YAK BUTTER. Yak butter tea, or po cha, is a traditional, hearty Himalayan drink made from strong tea, yak butter, salt, and sometimes milk, providing essential fats and energy in harsh climates, often described as savory, oily, and creamy, serving as sustenance, a ritual drink, and even a skin moisturizer. It's prepared by boiling tea leaves, churning the strong brew with yak butter and salt, and sometimes milk, resulting in a frothy, soup-like beverage that's central to Tibetan culture and diet.
37. Like much medication: ORAL. Taken by mouth, rather than injection.
38. __ in a lifetime: ONCE. An event, experience, or opportunity that is extremely rare, special, and unlikely to happen again in a person's life. And this famous song.
40. Vote to pass a bill: YEA. All opposed say Nae.
44. Loosen, as a shoelace: UNTIE. Undo a knot.
45. Hosiery shade: ECRU. A pale, creamy, grayish-yellow or light brownish-beige color, named from the French word for "raw" or "unbleached" linen, describing its original natural state.
49. Like busy browser windows: TABBED. As I write this, I have 14 tabs open in my Chrome window.
52. Water balloon sound: SPLAT. A slappy, splashy sound.
53. Amazon assistant with regional accents: ALEXA. Amazon's cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) voice service that powers smart speakers (like Echo) and other devices, allowing users to control them with voice commands to play music, get news, manage smart home devices, set timers, and more. Alternatively, my 2nd oldest granddaughter.
55. Mandoline piece: BLADE. A mandoline slicer is a kitchen tool with a razor-sharp blade for quickly slicing fruits and vegetables into uniform shapes and thicknesses.
I'll admit I was baffled by this for a while, since I misunderstood the clue.
56. Hosiery shade: BEIGE. A pale, sandy, neutral color, like a grayish-tan or light yellowish-brown, named from the French for undyed, natural wool, offering a warm, subtle, and versatile backdrop often associated with dependability and relaxation, blending creamy off-white with light brown tones. And a clecho.
62. Hulu's "__ Murders in the Building": ONLY. No one or nothing more besides; solely or exclusively. The program is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman. The show focuses on a trio of strangers (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) with a shared interest in true crime podcasts, who become friends while investigating a succession of suspicious murders in the Arconia, their upscale apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and producing their own podcast about the cases, titled Only Murders in the Building. It's been renewed for a 6th season. I never got around to watching season 4.
63. Gimlet liquor: GIN. A Gimlet is a classic, tart, and refreshing cocktail made with gin, lime juice, and a sweetener like simple syrup or lime cordial, traditionally shaken with ice and served up in a coupe glass, garnished with a lime wheel or twist. Gin is a clear, distilled alcoholic spirit defined by its primary flavoring: juniper berries, combined with other botanicals like citrus peels, coriander, and angelica root, creating a fresh, piney, and complex flavor profile, popular in cocktails.
64. Lines from an admirer: ODE. A lyrical, often ceremonial poem that praises or glorifies a specific person, place, thing, or idea.
That wraps up another Wednesday. Happy holidays, and a joyous and prosperous New Year to all. I'll be back in January.
