It's the first day of Spring, which officially arrives at my house @10:46am EDT. Here's my strike-through clue review of the first puzzle of spring, from John Liber, whose name I could not find with regard to any crossword construction; if I'm correct, then congratulations on your debut~! The theme, however, is not vernal equinox related, but instead consists of "extra" words in the clues, specifically 'pain' and 'gain' - take those out, and the clues are straight defintions of the answers. Quaint, but for me, a long way to go for otherwise unrelated theme fills. An over-sized 15x16 grid, 26 3LWs, and a few too many names - one of which created a Natick - see 44A./42D. The themers, and reveal;
19. *One who's overly concerned with pain control: MICROMANAGER - take "pain" out of the clue = the def. of 'micromanager'; I once had a boss who left a Post-It note on everything we needed to work on, with exactly what steps needed to be taken; paint thisπ , fix thisπ , cut hereπ . . . π
The World's Most Interesting Micromanager
24. *Gain ground, to a general: BATTLEFIELD- take "gain" out of the clue = . . .
39. *Capital gain recordkeeper: NATIONAL ARCHIVES- take "gain" out of the clue = . . .
51. *Highly effective pain relievers: BULLPEN ACES- take "pain" out of the clue = the baseball pitchers that come in to "relieve" the starter
59. Fitness mantra, and a hint to making the starred clues match their answers: NO PAIN, NO GAIN
How I feel after leaving the gym sometimes
But Gain Weight, There's More Pain
ACROSS:
1. Sack: BAG - I do the Downs first to have some perpendicular fills crossing the themers; it also gave me the "G" here, so this is the 'container', not the 'AXE', kind of sack
33. Sounds of hesitation: UHs - I filled in UMs, and crossing the name at 34D., which I did not recognize, made it hard to find that I was, er, um, uh, . . . "wrong"
36. Unwelcoming: ICY -11-letters synonym for 3-letters
37. Help in making things go smoothly for furniture movers: CASTERS - I once "wished" that all the freight I handled at Roadway Express came with its own set of wheels; the next night, I got a 28ft trailer filled with 300 shopping carts - be careful what you wish for . . . .
43. Grungy clothing?: FLANNEL - back in the 90's, when "Grunge" was all the rage, members in bands of the genre were typically seen wearing some sort of flannel shirt
Not exactly flannel, but since it came up last Friday,
"The Man Who Sold The World", Nirvana from Mtv Unplugged
44. Country music's __ Brown Band: ZAC - the "Z" was a semiWAG; name, #2, but crossing a foreign language word = Natick for me. Not a fan of this genre, but I found this . . .
"Toes", typical country lyrics, but the video is worth it
45. Altar affirmation: "I DO." - I.D.~? - O, Nevermind ( that guy from 43A. again )
46. Skip over: ELIDE - typically syllables of words, as in "Y'all"
47. Unfair accusation: BUM RAP - skirts are a kind of "bum wrap"
In spring pastels~!
50. Disavow: DENY
56. Sphinx location: CAIRO
58. Australian currency: DOLLAR - it's a G'day to make a G'dollar
64. 24/7 hosp. areas: ERs - Emergency Rooms
65. "May I speak with you privately?": "A WORD..." - A Twurd
66. __-pants: SMARTY - half my family lives in England, and when I was kid, before there was internet, we would be treated to a delivery of British candy at the holidays - including Smarties ( like M&Ms ), Flake, and Crunchie, my favorite - I ordered a package from Amazon last week to give to my trainer Brett for his B-day on Friday, the 13th; he, of course, looked at the calories first . . . π
67. Coca-Cola HQ: ATLanta - UPS and several others are headquartered there, too
68. Long-necked birds: GEESE
69. Charley horse, e.g.: SPASM - AND - 37. Charley horse, e.g.: CRAMP - I've had both versions
70. Biblical possessive: THY
DOWN:
1. Message on a jacket: BLURB - jacket, that is, of a book, not an LP/album like I was thinking; I had pondered LYRIC
2. Clueless: AT SEA
3. 50s president?: GRANT - not HARRY ( and Ike is short a few $s), the 50s of US currency - name #3
4. Big citrus: POMELO - orange did fit . . . but that was SO yesterday . . . π
5. Riesling, for one: WHITEWINE - I knew this
6. Foreign policy gp.: NSC - US National Security Council
7. Port. locale: EUR - Port(ugal) and Eur(ope) - in print, the period (.) might be hard to spot
π
8. Spoke in a monotone: DRONED - this got used in the write-up title here
9. Alley division: LANE - Bowling
10. Italian macaroons made with almonds: AMARETTI - They don't seem to be the same thing . . .
Let the controversy begin~!
11. SCOTUS justice who said, "Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time": RBG - that's a lot of clue for a 3LW, yada yada yada Supreme Court = Ruth Bader Ginsburg - name #4
12. Grand opening?: GEE - the "G" that starts the word gRAND
13. Make a typo, say: ERR
16. Russian pianist Gilels: EMIL - name #5
Heavy Metal Rachmaninov - I dig the hair, man - he gets into it
34. "The Little Mermaid" star Bailey: HALLE - I knew of the original animated Disney movie only - here's more on the 2023 live-action version from IMDb - name #6
40. Brickyard racers, casually: INDY CARS - Brickyard being the nickname of the Indianapolis 500 race track, the consequence of a repaving in 1909 with 3.2 million bricks
41. United: ONE - think "as"
42. Blue, in Peru: AZUL - Español lesson; I tried AGUA
47. Flourishes: BLOOMS
48. Banksy, for one: ANONYM - the basis for "anonymous", a kind of pseudonym - I have seen his art, but did not know his name, #7
There was a series of "Girl with Balloon" - the Wiki
49. Bud: PAL
51. Container: BIN
52. Self-serve servers: URNS - I tried EGOS - Bzzzzt
53. Spiked shoe: CLEAT
54. "Pale Blue Dot" subject: EARTH - Carl Sagan's 1994 book, and reference, to "home"
The photo taken by Voyager I, a mere 4 Billion miles away from home in 1990. Mark you calendars,
November this year, the spacecraft will be ONE LIGHT DAY from us - fascinating
55. "4 real?": SRSLY - 21st century textspeak = seriously~?
57. Hill staffer: AIDE
59. Hound: NAG - ah - the verb, not the noun; I tried DOG - 'hound' is a homonym
60. Have debts: OWE
61. "The Cask of Amontillado" writer: POE - name #8
62. Lacuna: GAP - Learning moment; more here; I tried "EAU", Frawnche water - Bzzzzt~!
63. Legendary coach Parseghian: ARA - crossword staple, but still, name #9
Shannon Rapp has been a crossword constructor since 2021. She is also a
co-director of the annual Midwest Crossword Tournament in Chicago. Will Eisenbergis a musician, music teacher, and puzzlemaker since 2019. Together, they're trying to bowl us over!
61. 1985 novelty hit for the Bears, with "The," or an apt title for this puzzle?: SUPER BOWL SHUFFLE.
In 1985, the Chicago Bears were riding high when this song came out to
benefit hungry families in the area. They went on to win the Super Bowl,
having lost only one game* all season. For our purposes here, however,
these BOWLs are the classic college football championship games - with
their letters SHUFFLEd.
18. Ina Garten franchise: BAREFOOT CONTESSA. COTTON BOWL. Ina is famous for her dinner parties. Here she is preparing wine for the evening.
24. Video game series based on Dungeons & Dragons: BALDUR'S GATE. SUGAR BOWL. BALDUR'S GATE is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. I guess you've got to be into D&D to make sense of this.
38. Tomie dePaola book whose title evokes the Italian for "Grandma Witch": STREGA NONA. ORANGE BOWL. STREGA NONA is a 1976 Caldecott Honor-winning children's book about a kind "Grandma Witch" in a Calabrian town who uses a magical, ever-full pasta pot to help her community.
55. Cry after a triumphant return: WE ARE SO BACK. ROSE BOWL. WE ARE SO BACK is a popular phrase usedto signal a comeback or relaunch.
Normally
you don't see circles this late in the week, but in this case they are
needed. I'm not great at anagrams, and without the heads-up, I never
would've found them, or even understood what the revealer was trying to
say. Luckily, COTTON popped out at me early on, but then I started looking for
textiles until I got down to the revealer.
Well, I was bowled over, all right. BALDUR"S GATE and STREGA NONA were either "know
them or you don't." They mostly filled in by perps, but where they
both crossed another name (ARIE) left me scratching my head for the
intersecting letters. That's always the problem with too many names.
The rest of this was more up my alley.
Across:
1. Mensa stats: IQS. Intelligence QuotientS are used in Mensa statistics. I don't mean to brag, but I'm a perfect 10...is that good?
4. Deprive (of): STRIP. I once went to a poor joint where the women were deprived of clothes. I left them a few dollars so they could buy some.
9. T's, in Morse code: DASHES. "T" in Morse code is simply ( – ) because it represents one of the most frequently used letters in the English language. You guessed it, "E" is just ( • ).
15. "Is the Pope Catholic?": DUH. A classic rhetorical question.
16. Hawaiian letter that resembles an apostrophe: OKINA. The Κ»OKINA ( Κ» ) is a consonant letter in the Hawaiian language representing a glottal stop, similar to the pause between the sounds in "oh-oh". It is distinct from an apostrophe or reversed comma.
17. "In my view ... ": I THINK.
18. [theme]
21. Director Kurosawa: AKIRA. AKIRA Kurosawa was a Japanese writer-director and filmmakerknown for his innovative storytelling and cinematic techniques.
23. Sanskrit for "goddess": DEVI. DEVI is the term for "divine female," representing the supreme feminine energy in Hinduism. 24. [theme]
30. Receptionist, often: GREETER.
32. Reasons: MOTIVES. Why do you ask?
33. YMCA class: ESL. English as a Second Language class at a Young Men's Christian Association facility.
34. Sam of "Peaky Blinders": NEILL. Sir Nigel John Dermot “Sam” NEILL is an actor with dual New Zealand and British citizenship. He is also well know for his role in the Jurassic Park movies.
37. On deck: NEXT.
On deck at the DMV.
38. [theme]
42. "Not cool!": DUDE. Not, "That's not cool, DUDE," but "DUDE! That's not cool!"
45. Investment: STAKE. Investment: STEAK. Kobe Beef is the most expensive meat in the world due to its extremely high marbling and limited availability.
46. So-so, slangily: MID. Why not? We used to call this MOR, an abbreviation of Middle-Of-the-Road.
49. Cut without permission?: FAN EDIT. They tried to fool us with TRUANCY, but FAN EDITs are essentially unauthorized alternative versions of films made by fans.They may remove, reorder or add material in order to create a new interpretation of the source material.
53. Composer parodied in "Rabbit of Seville": ROSSINI. Gioachino Antonio ROSSINI not only composed the Barber of Seville opera,
he was a friend and supporter of many of the greatest French chefs of
his time, inspiring many dishes in his name. He was also believed to be
an incredible cook and possess exquisite taste. Just like me! Not.
Beef Rossini - investment grade
55. [theme]
58. Burnt __: ENDS. Now, this is more my style!
Burnt Ends - ingestion grade
59. Comedy legend Burnett: CAROL. CAROL made a guest appearance a few years ago in Better Call Saul, and suddenly she's in demand again. She's presently starring in the Apple series Palm Royale, a period piece about the haves and have-nots in 1969 Palm Beach high society.
60. Toyota hybrid: PRIUS.
61. [theme]
67. Main dish: ENTREE. Like Beef ROSSINI or Burnt ENDS.
68. App for foodies: EATER. This puzzle is making me hungry!
69. Game review site: IGN."In-Game Name" describes a player's identity in virtual worlds. IGN is a leading online destination for video game and entertainment news, reviews, and guides.
70. Untrustworthy sort: WEASEL.
71. Run for fun, say: RHYME. This one took a moment to jog my memory.
72. Receive: GET.
Down:
1. Workplace accessibility issue?: ID BADGE. IDentification BADGE. In the abbreviation, I stands for I, and D stands for -dentification. Doesn't seem fair.
2. Society of Friends: QUAKERS. The Religious Society of Friends, or QUAKERS, is a 17th-century
English-originated tradition focusing on direct, personal experience of
God (the "Light Within") rather than rigid doctrines. They
believe everyone has capacity for divine access. Core beliefs
include spiritual equality, peace (pacifism), simple living, and social
justice. These seem like tenets that more of us should espouse, even if
we don't eat oatmeal.
3. Dry (up): SHRIVEL.
4. Porch party fixture: SOFA. I guess porch parties are a thing now, building community support and generating momentum about local causes. Part of it is providing comfortable outdoor seating for potential prospects and donors, hence a SOFA.
5. Match stopper, briefly: TKO. Technical KnockOut.
6. Former Portuguese Royal Court city: RIO. From 1808 to 1821, RIO de Janeiro served as the capital of Brazil.
The Royal Palace in Rio de Janeiro today
7. Dirt from a bug, perhaps: INTEL. Basic spycraft.
8. Walked the floor: PACED. Worked the floor: MIXED, and mingled.
9. Mexican cheddar?: DINERO. "We're having queso (cheese) for
DINERO (dinner)." Wait! That's not right. DINERO means money in
$panish, as you remember from watching Westerns over the years.
10. Swear (to): ATTEST. Yes, I can ATTEST that DINERO means money.
11. __/her pronouns: SHE.
12. Casual hellos: HIS. Not him/HIS.
13. Outskirts of New Haven?: ENS. A letteral clue. New Haven starts and ends with ENS.
14. Reggae kin: SKA.
19. Canal that runs 351 miles: ERIE. That's scary long.
20. Egg cell: OVUM.
24. Taproom pour: BEER. Taproom poor: BROKE.
"Maybe you should get the next round."
25. "Acoustic Soul" singer India.__: ARIE. India ARIE is an American singer and songwriter.
26. "Jane the Virgin" star Rodriguez: GINA. GINA Rodriguez is an American actress and producer.
27. "__ Maria": AVE. It's just down the road from Hallelujah Court.
28. __-Mex cuisine: TEX.
29. Contractor's no.: EST. An ESTimate is a price quoted for a job. If it's too high, the contractor gets a "No."
31. Explosive stuff: TNT. We've blown this up many times before, so I won't spell it out.
35. Some kitchen appliances: LGS. LG uses the tagline, "Life's
Good," but the Korean company's name is actually Lucky-Goldstar. Good marketing because otherwise it sounds like a Chinese restaurant.
36. Long. counterpart: LAT. Longitude and LATitude. My geography
teacher helped us keep them straight by saying that LONGitudes are the LONG
ones that go from pole to pole.
38. Oracle: SEER. I divined this answer.
39. Rat (on): NARC.
40. "Enough, I get it": OK OK.
41. Old console letters: NES. The Nintendo Entertainment System has a library of 1370 officially licensed games. I think I played Super Mario Bros. once.
42. Texas airport letters: DFW. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is the 2nd busiest in the U.S. behind Hartsfield–Jackson in Atlanta.
43. Abu Dhabi's fed.: UAE. Abu Dhabi's federation is the United Arab Emirates.
44. Tiny twisted molecule: DNA. Though this clue is twisted, the answer is straightforward.
46. Lego character, informally: MINIFIG. Short for a MINIFIGure,
it's a little plastic figurine that snaps onto Lego bricks. These guys
look familiar, but I can't quite place them.
47. Humor: INDULGE.
48. Voice opposition: DISSENT.
50. Proclamation: DECREE.
51. "Violeta" novelist Allende: ISABEL.
Violeta
(2022) is a sweeping historical novel by Chilean author ISABEL Allende.
52. Fatty tuna: TORO. TORO doesn't refer to the fish itself – just the fatty meat from the belly prized in sushi and sashimi for its buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich marbling. To me, TORO tuna sounds like a surf & turf entree - investment grade!
54. Vassal: SERF.
56. Shady garden spot: BOWER. New to me. Unlike a long, arched arbor, it's more akin to a covered garden seat.
57. God of Islam: ALLAH.
60. Unadulterated: PURE.
61. Use a Singer: SEW. Or HEM.
62. French article: UNE.
63. Book fair gp.: PTA. A Parent Teacher Association is a group that may run a book fair as a fundraiser. Maybe they should try a Porch Party!
64. Hesitant sounds: ERS.
65. Pigpen: STY.
66. Make shorter, maybe: HEM. Or SEW.
* The Bears only loss in
1985 was to Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins in an epic Monday Night Football
showdown. I was there in the old ORANGE Bowl and was so hoarse from
shouting that I could barely talk the next day. The thunderous noise
from the fans created unheard of game stoppages when Chicago had the
ball. The more the refs tried to quiet the crowd, the louder we got (with our players encouragement) and
helped preserve the 1972 Dolphin's perfect season - a feat no other major American league team in any sport has equaled.
heme: STRINGING ALONG or FACING THE MUSIC, or FEELING PLUCKY. The last word of in the language phrases is repurposed to suggest a guitar players activities.
20 A. *Some fruity sandwich spreads: RASPBERRYJAMS. Fruit jam is a spread made by cooking fruit, sugar, and lemon juice (for pectin and acidity) together until thick. It can be made with fresh, frozen, or foraged fruits, providing a concentrated sweet fruit flavor. In music a JAM session is a planned or impromptu event characterized by improvisation, that can exist in a variety of music genres, including those that feature guitars.
27 A. *Criticize harshly: RIP TOSHREDS. This means to severely tear or destroy a physical object, or to harshly criticize a person, argument, or performance. It indicates intense damage or total dismantling of something. It is also commonly used to mean completely refuting someone’s ideas in a harsh way. SHRED also means to play electric guitar with extreme speed, technical precision, and high-intensity, often using techniques like rapid alternate picking, sweep-picking, tapping, and legato.
36 A. *Long-handled, long-toothed combs: AFROPICKS. Specialized, wide-toothed combs designed to lift, volumize, and shape curly, coily, and afro-textured hair from the roots. They were symbols of black power/excellence, especially in the 70s as a rejection of euro beauty standards and showing acceptance and empowerment for black beauty standards and unity.
Also, a PICK, or plectrum, is a small, typically triangular, flat tool held in the hand to pluck or strum stringed instruments.
49 A. *Hollow floaties: POOL NOODLES. Cylindrical pieces of flexible, buoyant polyethylene foam. Pool noodles are used by people of all ages while swimming.
NOODLING on guitar [or trombone, c'mon] is the act of playing aimlessly, improvising, or messing around on the instrument without a specific goal, structure, or song in mind.
56 A. Stirs emotions, or how a guitarist might interpret the ends of the answers to the starred clues?: STRIKES A CHORD. As defined - affect or stir someone's emotions, or perhaps invoke a memory. The idiom originated in the early 19th century from music, metaphorically referring to striking a chord on a stringed instrument to produce a resonant, harmonious sound that mirrors human emotions. Here is how you strike 3 basic guitar chords.
Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here - as always, delighted to have a music-related theme to conduct. [Though I must admit the guitar thoroughly defeated me.] So let's tune up and get playing.
Across:
1. Tend the garden: WEED. Here, WEED is a verb, meaning to remove weeds from the garden and reduce the competition for soil nutrients.
5. Wound covers: SCABS. A protective, dried blood clot that forms over a wound within hours, acting as a natural, temporary biological dressing, it keeps out germs and debris while allowing new skin cells to form underneath.
10. Spanish 23-Across: NIΓO. A child - most likely a boy. A girl would be a niΓ±a.
14. Sicilian volcano: ETNA. An active stratovolcano found on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina and Catania, and in many crossword puzzles. It is located above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
15. CrΓ¨me de __: CACAO. A sweet, cocoa-flavored liqueur commonly used in cocktails, typically containing 20–25% ABV (40–50 proof) and made from cacao beans, vanilla, and sugar. It comes in white (clear) or dark brown varieties,
16. Superstar: IDOL. A person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.
17. Savoir faire: TACT. The ability to act or speak appropriately in social situations.
18. "Just Mercy" actor __ Jackson Jr.: O'SHEA. O'Shea Jackson Jr., [b. 1991] also known by the stage name OMG, is an American actor, rapper and songwriter. He is the oldest son of Ice Cube and, in his feature film debut, he portrayed his father in the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton.
19. Unhip type: NERD. A person passionately devoted to intellectual, technical, or specific niche pursuits, often characterized by high expertise in fields like technology, academics, or gaming. While historically used as an insult for someone socially awkward or unstylish, the term has evolved into a badge of pride for intense, knowledgeable enthusiasm.
23. Lad: BOY. A male child or youth [niΓ±o] originating from 14th-century Middle English boy/boye (servant, knave).
25. Pod unit: PEA. A pulse or fodder crop, but the word often refers to the seed or sometimes the pod of this flowering plant species. Peas are eaten as a vegetable.
26. Bother a lot: EAT AT. To gradually destroy, erode, or consume something, or to cause persistent worry and anxiety.
32. WSW opposite: ENE. Compass directions : west-south-west and east-north-east.
33. Informal "but": ALTHO. "Altho" is an informal, simplified spelling of the conjunction although, meaning "in spite of the fact that," "even though," or "though". It is primarily used in informal, casual writing or sometimes in American English, acting as a shortcut for the standard spelling.
34. Hawthorne Heights music genre: EMO. A style of rock music resembling punk but having more complex arrangements and lyrics that deal with more emotional subjects. Hawthorne Heights is an American rock band formed in Dayton, Ohio, in 2001.
35. Cold War initials: USSR. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. It was the world's third-most populous country, largest by area, and bordered twelve countries. A diverse multinational state, it was organized as a federal union of national republics, the largest and most populous being the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. In practice, its government and economy were highly centralized. As a one-party state governed by its Communist Party, it was the flagship communist state. Its capital and largest city was Moscow.
40. Throw out a line: CAST. To throw, fling, or propel something with force, in this case a baited hook, lure, or fly out over the water using a fishing rod and reel.
43. Number of orbits around the sun Neptune has completed since its discovery: ONE. The eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun, located about 2.8 billion miles (4.5 billion km) away. It is a vibrant blue ice giant with a thick, windy atmosphere composed of hydrogen, helium, and methane, featuring supersonic wind speeds up to 1,200 mph. Discovered in 1846, it was the first planet located through mathematical predictions rather than regular observation. Neptune takes approximately 165 Earth years (about 60,190 days) to complete one revolution around the Sun. It completed its first full orbit since its discovery in 1846 only in 2011.
44. Beer ingredient: YEAST. Yeast is a, if not the, crucial, single-celled microorganism in brewing that converts sugars in wort into ethanol (alcohol), carbon dioxide (carbonation), and aromatic compounds. The two main types are top-fermenting Ale yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for warmer, faster fermentation and bottom-fermenting Lager yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus) for cooler, slower, and cleaner fermentation.
48. Not cool: OUT. "Out" can indicate something is no longer in style, in stock, or currently available.
52. Carne option: ASADA. Spanish term meaning "grilled," "roasted," or "barbecued," commonly referring to thinly sliced, marinated beef (carne asada) in Mexican cuisine.
54. Middle-earth denizen: ENT. Ents are a race of ancient, sentient, tree-like beings in fantasy, most notably J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, known as "Shepherds of the Trees". Created to protect forests from dwarves and orcs, they are tall, deliberate, long-lived, and resemble the trees they guard. The name derives from an Anglo-Saxon word for "giant"
55. __ of luxury: LAP. In conditions of great comfort and wealth.
61. Hardy title character: TESS. Tess of the d'Urbervilles is a tragic novel by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1891, about a poor young woman, Tess Durbeyfield, who is victimized by two men, Alec d'Urberville and Angel Clare, and ultimately destroyed by the rigid social and sexual morals of Victorian England.
62. Dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt: PLUTO. Pluto is a cold, distant dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt with a surface of nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide ice. It has an average temperature of approximately --56 F. Its surface features a massive heart-shaped glacier (Sputnik Planitia) and mountains. With 5 moons, Pluto's gravity is very low, about 6% of Earth's gravity.
63. "Why the heck not" hashtag: YOLO. You Only Live Once - so why not do something profoundly stupid? It will make a good story when you get out of the hospital.
66. Actor Stoltz: ERIC. Eric Cameron Stoltz [b.1961] is an American actor, director, and producer. He's known for his roles as sensitive misfits in films like Mask, Kicking and Screaming, and The Waterdance. His portrayal of Rocky Dennis in Mask earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
67. Potpourri piece: PETAL. Potpourri is a mixture of dried petals and spices placed in a bowl or small sack to perfume clothing or a room. Petals are each of the segments of the corolla of a flower, which are modified leaves and are typically colored.
68. "The Celts" singer: ENYA. Enya, born Eithne PΓ‘draigΓn NΓ BhraonΓ‘in, [b. 1961] is a familiar crossword denizen and also an Irish singer and composer who has sold an estimated 80 million albums worldwide. Her distinctive style blends folk melodies, classical motifs, and synthesized backdrops, creating a sound that's closer to new age than her initial folk and Celtic influences. Here is MAY IT BE, from The Fellowship of the Ring.
69. City near Tahoe: RENO. Reno is 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.
70. Shape of some cocktail picks: SWORD. Swords are bladed weapons designed for cutting or thrusting, historically used for combat, self-defense, and as symbols of status. Cocktail swords usually hold olives or pieces of fruit.
71. Hunt for: SEEK. Attempt to find or obtain something.
Down:
1. Burrito option: WET. This is a standard burrito smothered in red or green enchilada sauce and melted cheese, requiring a fork and knife to eat. Often filled with ground beef, rice, and beans, it is baked until the sauce is bubbly, creating a saucy, comfort-food twist on the handheld version.
2. Landing hr.: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival at the air port.
3. Secure, as 4-Down, perhaps: ENCRYPT. Convert information or data into a cipher or code, especially to prevent unauthorized access.
4. Facts and figures: DATA. Raw, unorganized facts, figures, and symbols (e.g., numbers, text, audio, images) that, when processed, provide meaningful information for decision-making and analysis.
5. Checks (out) in advance: SCOPES. To examine, investigate, or assess something carefully, particularly to gain information, evaluate a situation, or prepare for a task. It is commonly used informally to mean looking over a place or situation to understand it.
6. "Rock the __": hit song for The Clash: CASBAH. A traditional North African fortress, citadel, or fortified quarter within older cities, notably in Algeria and Morocco. Historically, these served as residential and defensive structures, often with labyrinthine, car-free streets. I decided not to link the vid from 1982. You can find it on Youtube if you're interested.
7. Hurt: ACHE. A continuous or prolonged dull pain in a part of one's body.
8. Boxer Max: BAER. Maximilian Adelbert Baer Sr. [1909 - 1959] was an American professional boxer and the world heavyweight champion from June 14, 1934, to June 13, 1935. He was known in his time as the Livermore Larupper and Madcap Maxie. Two of his fights were rated Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. He also acted in several movies and made many TV appearances, including his own variety show.
9. Take to the sky: SOAR. Let's fly away.
10. Big name in small appliances: NINJA. Ninja products are made by SharkNinja, an independent, publicly traded company that designs and sells innovative kitchen appliances, outdoor cooking gear, and other household items, known for popular brands like the Ninja Foodi and Shark vacuums, with manufacturing primarily in Southeast Asia.
11. Conceptualizes: IDEATES. Forms an idea of something; imagines or conceives.
12. Conquerors of England in 1066: NORMANS. The Normans were a medieval people who originated from Norse (Viking) settlers in Northern France, establishing the Duchy of Normandy in 911 under Rollo. They adopted French language, culture, and Romanesque architecture, becoming fervent Christians. Famous for the 1066 Norman Conquest of England led by William the Conqueror, they also established kingdoms in Southern Italy, Sicily, and fought in the Crusades.
13. Golden-ager: OLDSTER. An older person. Older than what or whom is not specified. At any rate, I qualify.
21. Parody: SPOOF. A humorous imitation of something, typically a film or a particular genre of film, in which its characteristic features are exaggerated for comic effect.
22. "Absolutely!": YES. For sure!
23. Honeylove purchase: BRA. They make several types of clothing and intimate apparel.
24. Substance in the Hanukkah miracle: OIL. The miracle of the oil, central to Hanukkah, tells that when the Maccabees rededicated the Temple, they found only one small jar of pure oil, enough for one day. Miraculously, this oil burned for eight days, allowing enough time to prepare new oil, representing the triumph of light and faith.
28. Yonder thing: THAT. Used to identify a specific person or thing observed by the speaker.
29. Deter: REPEL. Drive or force an attack or attacker to back or away.
30. Queen's record label: EMI. EMI Group/Records was a major British music conglomerate (the "Big Four") that launched the Beatles, Queen, and Pink Floyd. Following its 2012 breakup, its assets are now held by Universal Music Group (recorded music) and Sony Music Publishing.
31. Grumpy friend: DOC. Grumpy and Doc are two of Disney's Seven Dwarves from the Snow White movie. Tolkien hated them, and anything Disney. Still, a nicely misdirecting clue.
35. Like most Facebook Marketplace items: USED. I believe the preferred term is "pre-owned."
37. Piglet pal: ROO. From the Winnie the Pooh stories. More Disney.
38. Subject of the song "Oh Yoko!": ONO. Yoko Ono [b 1933] is a Japanese artist, musician, activist, and filmmaker who has influenced the international art scene since the 1960s. A pioneer in performance and conceptual art, Ono's work often challenges perceptions of beauty, sexuality, and femininity.
39. Former capital of Japan: KYOTO. Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a city on the island of Honshu. It's famous for its numerous classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. It was founded in 794.
40. Bar mat: COASTER. A small tray or mat placed under a bottle or glass to protect the table underneath.
41. Spartan: AUSTERE. Severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.
42. Leads the cast of: STARS IN. Said of the skilled performer who has the most prominent roll in a production.
45. "Ta-da!": ALL DONE. The project is finished.
46. Lighthouse view: SEA. The ocean, possibly with ships.
47. Abbr. on a measuring spoon: TSP. Teaspoon.
49. Intl. cricket powerhouse: PAK. Pakistan. Cricket in Pakistan has a history predating the creation of the country in 1947. The first ever international cricket match in Karachi was held on 22 November 1935 between Sindh and Australian cricket teams. The match was seen by 5,000 Karachiites. Following the independence of Pakistan in 1947, cricket in the country developed rapidly and Pakistan was given Test match status at a meeting of the Imperial Cricket Conference at Lord's in England on 28 July 1952 following recommendation by India,[
50. Drink of the gods: NECTAR. This refers to ambrosia and nectar, the fabled food and drink granting immortality in Greek mythology. It is commonly used as a metaphor for an exceptionally delicious drink.
51. Waiting for a representative, say: ON HOLD. The bane of anyone seeking customer service by telephone.
53. __ fries: poutine kin: DISCO. A classic New Jersey diner comfort food, consisting of crispy French fries smothered in melted mozzarella cheese and hot brown gravy. Popularized in the 1970s as a late-night snack for people leaving clubs, this dish is similar to Canadian poutine but uses shredded mozzarella instead of cheese curds.
57. Comedian Mike of "The Upshaws": EPPS. Michael Elliot Epps [b. 1970] is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and philanthropist. He's known for his roles as Day-Day Jones in Next Friday and Friday After Next, and "Black Doug" in The Hangover films. Epps is also a boxing fan who recently partnered with former World Heavyweight Champion Lamon Brewster to open a boxing gym in Indianapolis. The gym aims to use boxing's fierceness and footwork to help young men and teens find new paths.
58. Boatload: SLEW. It is used informally to mean a large quantity, often with "a," e.g., "a slew of issues."
59. Part of an insurance bundle: AUTO. Sometimes bundled with home owner's insurance.
60. Marbled loaves: RYES. Marble rye is a visually striking, artisan-style bread made by twisting or layering light rye and dark pumpernickel doughs together to create a distinctive marbled swirl. Known for its mild, earthy flavor and chewy texture, it typically features caraway seeds and is a favorite for reuben sandwiches, toasted with butter.
64. Soap chemical: LYE. Lye, primarily sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, is a strong, highly caustic alkaline compound crucial for soap making, drain cleaning, and food processing like curing lutefisk, pretzels, and ramen noodles. It is a white, corrosive solid that dissolves fats, requiring strict safety measures, including gloves, goggles, and ventilation.
65. Barrel wood: OAK. Oak is favored for barrels due to its structural strength, ability to bend without snapping, and unique porosity, which allows for controlled micro-oxygenation. It is watertight, durable against warping, and imparts desirable flavor compounds like vanilla, spice, and coconut to wine and spirits. It also mellows tannins over time.
Well, that it's for another Wednesday. This puzzle hit all the right notes, and had both a bit of astronomy and a Tolkien based min-theme. Hope it didn't give you anything to fret about.
