google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Search results for Chris Gross

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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Chris Gross. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Chris Gross. Sort by date Show all posts

Jan 31, 2024

Wednesday January 31, 2024. Chris Gross

Theme Buried Culinary Treasures.  Common in-the-language phrases contain, that is to say, have room for,  tasty postprandial delights.

20 A. *Bakery employees who offer free samples?: CUPCAKE HOLDERS. The surface meaning is a person holding cupcakes to be distributed.  A CUP HOLDER is a device for holding a plastic cup or other drinking container, as in the console of a motor vehicle, or an item if furniture.  The hidden desert is a CAKE an item of soft, sweet food made from a mixture of flour, shortening, eggs, sugar, and other ingredients, baked and often decorated. And this fill is a CAKE holder in more ways than one. A bit involuted, but tasty.  Do those bakery folks have frosting on their fingers?

33 A. *Mistakes made while preparing a simple breakfast?: POPTART FOULS How wold one foul a Poptart?  By dousing it in pickle juice, perhaps. In baseball, a POP FOUL is a ball hit high in the air for not much distance that lands in foul territory.  Our dessert here is a TART - an open pastry case containing a filling.   Don't mess it up.

43 A. *Comfort food with a high price tag?: POTPIE OF GOLD.   I've heard of gilding the lily. Hmmm. Perhaps made with gold electroplated pastry dough? A POT OF GOLD is a large amount of money, especially one that is unattainable or illusory.  A dessert PIE is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savory ingredients.  As distinguished from a TART, the PIE has a top crust. Probably not made of gold, though

58. Question from a server, or what was needed to create the answer to each starred clue: ROOM FOR DESSERT.   Chris made room in each of these phrases to tuck in a sweet treat.  The server would be asking of you are too full to participate.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here, in the throes of a dramatic glucose spike.  Let's get going and work off some of those carbs.

Across:

1. Tracks: CUTS.  Album tracks.  Wasn't my first thought.

14. "Pronto" letters: ASAPAs Soon As Possible.  Take your time, but hurry.

15. Delight: ELATE. Make very happy.

16. Rachel Maddow's field: NEWS.   Information about current events.  What's happening now.

17. Simon or Garfunkel: NAME.  Ditto Smith and Jones.  Again, not what one would expect from the clue

18. Terra __: COTTA.  A clay-based non-vitreous ceramic, fired at relatively low temperatures.  Earthenware.

19. Small valley: DELL.  Often in a wooded area.

23. Purpose: USE.  The reason for which something exists.

24. Shed: LOSE.  Give off, discharge or expel.  During the hurricane my yard shed its shed.

25. Summer hrs. in Portsmouth: EDT Eastern Daylight Time

26. Some DEA employees: NARCS.  Slang shorthand for narcotics agent, who specializes in laws dealing with illegal drugs.

28. Smallest state in India: GOA.   Goa is a state in western India with coastlines stretching along the Arabian Sea. Its long history as a Portuguese colony prior to 1961 is evident in its preserved 17th-century churches and the area’s tropical spice plantations.

30. Stable staple: OAT.   A nutritious breakfast for both horses and people.

38. "Frozen" sister: ELSA.  Elsa is the Queen of Arendelle in the Disney cartoon feature, Frozen.  I think this clue should point to her sister Anna, since Elsa is the star of the show.

41. Misstep: ERROR.  Faux pas, Fingerfehler.  Oops.

42. Water waster: DRIP.  From a not-properly-shut-off faucet.

46. Back: AGO. In the past.

47. "The A-Team" actor: MR T.   Laurence Tureaud [b. 1952] is an American actor. He is known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team and as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III.

48. Abbr. before a year: ESTAB.  Established - referring to the year something was founded. 

52. Fundraising org.: PTA Parent-Teachers Association, a network of of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools.   

54. Gets faint: DIMS.   Reduces in brightness or image clarity.

57. Laundry brand: ERA.  A P&G product.

62. Soap brand: LAVA.  Lava is a heavy-duty hand cleaner in soap bar form manufactured by the WD-40 Company. Unlike typical soap bars, Lava contains ground pumice, which gave the soap its name. The soap and pumice combination is intended to scour tar, engine grease, paint, dirt, grime, filth, and similar substances from the skin.

63. French 101 infinitive: AVOIR.  Meaning to have.

64. Last remarks?: OBIT.  Not a last utterance, but funereal comments about the recently departed.

65. Improves in a cellar, say: AGES.  As wine or cheese.

66. Barbershop quartet part: TENOR.  Unlike choral harmony in which the parts from top down are soprano, alto, tenor and bass, with the melody usually in the soprano part; in barbershop harmony the tenor sings a harmony part that is consistently above the melody, which is sung by the lead.  Below that are baritone and bass.  So the voices from top down are tenor, lead, baritone and bass.

67. Soap brand: DOVE.  A brand of facial soap made by Unilever that comes in a variety of specialized uses.  Dove chocolate tastes better than any of them.

68. Pigeon fancier on "Sesame Street": BERT.  This was not a great success.




69. Adversary: ENEMY.  One that contends with, opposes, or resists.

70. Took a hatchet to: AXED.  Hewed or chopped.

Down:

1. Tourist destination on the Yucatan: CANCUN.   Cancún, a Mexican city on the Yucatán Peninsula bordering the Caribbean Sea, is known for its beaches, numerous resorts and nightlife. It’s composed of 2 distinct areas: the more traditional downtown area, El Centro, and Zona Hotelera, a long, beachfront strip of high-rise hotels, nightclubs, shops and restaurants. 

2. Chant for the red, white, and blue: USA-USA.  Often heard at the Olympics.

3. Mess (with): TAMPER.  Interfere with something in order to cause damage or make unauthorized alterations.

4. Job detail, for short: SPEC.  Specification - a detailed description of the design and materials used to make something.

5. Geico icon: GECKO.  I don't know which I hate more - the Geico adds with the gecko or without the gecko.

6. Medicinal plants: ALOES.   Aloe vera is a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but also grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.   The leaves of Aloe vera contain significant amounts of the polysaccharide gel acemannan, which can be used for topical purposes. Aloe skin contains aloin which is toxic. Products made from Aloe vera usually only use the gel.

7. Come clean?: BATHE.   Instead of admitting to some wrong-doing, here we make us of, for example, Dove or Lava soap.

8. "A Man Called __":  OTTO.  Tom Hanks film based on a Fredrik Backman novelm, A Man Called Ove.   When a lively young family moves in next door, grumpy widower Otto Anderson meets his match in a quick-witted, pregnant woman named Marisol, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world upside down.


9. Down-to-earth: REAL.   With no illusions or pretensions; practical and realistic.

10. Done: ENDED.  Finished.

11. Excursion where one might see something brewing?: BEER TOUR.   As you visit each brewery, you will learn how they differ from each other, and how their beers make them distinct from the others. You will also get to taste different kinds of beer and know each brewery's bestseller and award-winning beers.

12. Pointed tools: AWLS.    Tools with which holes can be punctured in a variety of materials, or existing holes can be enlarged. They are also used for sewing heavy materials, such as leather or canvas. They have a thin, tapered metal shaft, coming to a sharp point, either straight or slightly bent.

13. Designer monogram: YSL.   The initials of Yves Saint Laurent.  I will wear clothes with his monogram when he wears clothes with the RLT monogram.

21. To boot: ALSO.  The term comes from the Old English to bote, which was once used as part of a legal term in English law, meaning something extra that is added as part of a bargain or compensation.  
You don't hear this expression much here in the States.  But I watch a lot of hockey, and it seems quite common in Canada

22. Like many students at Gallaudet University: DEAF.  Gallaudet University is a private federally chartered university in Washington, D.C., for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing. It was founded in 1864 as a grammar school for both deaf and blind children.

27. Sleep apnea apparatus, initially: CPAP.   CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a machine that uses mild air pressure to keep breathing airways open while you sleep. Your healthcare provider may prescribe CPAP to treat sleep-related breathing disorders including sleep apnea.

28. High seas quaff: GROG.   A strong alcoholic drink, originally rum, mixed with water

29. Other, in Oaxaca: OTRO.   Spanish.

31. Wong of "Birds of Prey": ALI.    Alexandra Dawn Wong [b. 1982] is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director. She is best known for her Netflix stand-up specials Baby Cobra, Hard Knock Wife, and Don Wong. She has also starred in the romantic comedy film Always Be My Maybe, on which she also served as a writer and producer.

I think I'll pass

32. Recipe amt.: TSP.  Teaspoon.

34. Equal: PEER.   One that is of equal standing with another 

35. Relaxed pace: TROT.  A pace faster than a walk

36. Dog park sound: ARF.  Barking.

37. Likelihood: ODDS.  Probability that something will happen.

38. BEACH Act org.: EPAEnvironmental Protection Agency

39. Record: LOG.  Enter (an incident or fact) in the log of a ship or aircraft or in another systematic record.

40. Brief visit: STOP OVER.   To stay at a place for a short period of time on the way to somewhere else or before returning home.

44. Islamic leader: IMAM.   Any of various rulers that claim descent from Muhammad and exercise spiritual and temporal leadership over a Muslim region

45. "Not that much": LESS.  Comparatively not as much.

49. Place to drive: TEE BOX.   In golf,  the start of each hole where you take your first swing.

50. Show up: ARRIVE.  Reach a place at the end of a journey or a stage in a journey.

51. Part of RBI: BATTED.  RBIs are Runs batted in: a run that is scored as a result of a specific batter's hit, walk, sacrifice, etc. 

53. Canapé base, maybe: TOAST.  A canapé is a small piece of bread or pastry with a savory topping, often served with drinks at a reception or formal party.

54. Worker with a monotonous routine: DRONE.   a person who is obliged to do menial, routine or boring work 

55. Cold feet or hot seat: IDIOM.   A type of phrase or expression that has a meaning that can't be deciphered by defining the individual words. Appropriately, the word “idiom” is derived from the ancient Greek word “idioma,” which means “peculiar phraseology.”

56. Full of cheer: MERRY.  Cheerful and lively.

58. Breathe fire, say: RAGE.  Be extremely angry and vocal.  Another example of an idiom.

59. Inevitable end: FATE.  The development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.

60. Pizza place: OVEN.  Where it is cooked, not where it is eaten.

61. Bartender's supply: SODA.  Bubbly water.

62. Chocolate __: LAB.  The Hershey product research facility. No, wait -- The Chocolate Lab is a brown colored variety of Labrador Retriever,  a friendly, confident and loving dog with great character and huge appeal as a pet.



And on that friendly note we draw today's treats to a close.  We had some fun snacks and a few opportunities to clean up.  Hope you found it satisfying.

Cool regards!
JzB




Dec 24, 2014

Wednesday, December 24, 2014 Don Gagliardo

Theme:  All is calm, all is bright.  The circled letters, in order, spell the word NIGHT; and each letter is silent in both of the down and across words in which it appears.   If you didn't get the circles, I don't know how you'd deal with it.

Silent N:
20 A. Spreadsheet figure : COLUMN TOTAL.  Typical spreadsheet math.
6 D. "Ave Maria," e.g. : HYMNA religious song.

Silent I:
25 A. Take by force : SEIZE.  Suddenly and Forcibly take hold of something.
11 D. Stereo components : RECEIVERS.  They convert broadcast signals into visible or audible form.

Silent G:
33 A. Prosecutors, at times : ARRAIGNERS.  They bring someone [a perp, perhaps] before the court to answer a criminal charge.
10 D. Station identification letters : CALL SIGN.  Unique alphanumeric designations of  transmitting stations.  They are used in commercial radio, amateur radio, transportation and the military.

Silent H:
37 A. Cheering word : RAH.  Perhaps shortened from hooray/hoorah, 'cuz we're just that lazy.
32 D. Present day? : CHRISTMAS.  The day when Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus.  The Magi brought him gifts, and so we give each other gifts.  The "present" day can be either today, Christmas Eve, as we celebrate with the Bumpa clan, or Christmas day, as we celebrate with my mom and sister.

Silent T:
54. Clever remark : MOT.  Actually BON MOT,  the French designation for a witticism.
32 D. Present day? : CHRISTMAS.  Making a second appearance, 'cuz - why not?  It's that kind of day.

And the unifier:
55 A. Classic 6-Down suggested by this puzzle's circles : SILENT NIGHT.




One might quibble, perhaps, with the degree of silence some of these letters actually present.  But let's just go with it.  Who but Hard G Don Gagliardo could so exploit the vagaries of the English language, to bring us such a brilliant and timely construction?  This is his present day present to all of us.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here, happy to present you with Don's holiday greeting, and a whole bunch of music.

Across

1. Flexible lunch hour : ONE-ISH.  More or less 1 O'clock, kinda, sorta. 

7. PC speed unit : M-SEC.  Millisecond.  1/1000 second.

11. D.C. United's __ Stadium : RFK.  Home of the soccer team, named for former attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

14. Marvel Entertainment parent company : DISNEY.  Entertainment empire.

15. Cinders of old comics : ELLA.   Here is her introductory panel from 1925.  You might need to blow it up to make it readable.  Read more here.  Turn her name around to suss the inspiration.

16. Reef dweller : EEL.  Any of 800 species of elongated, mostly predatory fish.

17. Needing to be bailed out, maybe : IN A JAM.  Some sort of tough spot, possibly jail.

18. "Double, double, __ and trouble": "Macbeth" : TOIL.  "Fire burn and cauldron bubble." Witches' incantation.

19. DCIV ÷ IV : CLI.  Roman numerals.  604/4 = 151.   How did the Romans ever master division?

22. Individual : SSN :: corp. : __ : E I NEmployer Identification Number.

23. Hospital fluids : SERA.  Fluids separated from clotted blood, unlike plasma, which comes from unclotted blood.  Did anyone besides Marti know that?

24. "Impressive!" : OOH!  Like this puzzle.

27. Happen afterward : ENSUE.  Does this imply cause and effect?

29. Capital on the Dnieper River : KIEV.    Capital and largest city of Ukraine.  I've heard they have a Great Gate there.



30. Tot's recitation : ABC'S.   1-2-3's, too.

38. Nod from the maestro : CUE.  Indication you can start playing now.  And much appreciated after 179 bars of rest.

39. Short or gross measure : TON.   A short TON is the 2000 lb. measure we are used to in the U.S.   A gross TON is the same as a long TON, 2249 lbs. 

40. See 59-Across : RAP.
59. With 40-Across, trumped-up charge : BUM.  A BUM RAP is a false charge resulting in a miscarriage of justice.

41. Ones making the rounds? : BAR TENDERS.  Mixologists preparing rounds of drinks.  Clever!

44. "The Thin Man" pooch : ASTA.  Movie dog.


45. Dot on un mapa : ISLA.  A Spanish island.

46. Capital of Senegal : DAKARUn Mapa.

48. Debate subject : ISSUE.  Topic under discussion.

50. Bon __: Comet rival : AMI.  Scouring powders.

51. Sports fan's factoid : STATistic.

60. Holiday purchase : TREE.  Yo, Tannenbaum!

61. Remove all doubt : BE SURE.

62. A, in Oaxaca : UNA.  Spanish indefinite article.

63. Gremlins and Matadors : AMC'SAmerican Motors Corp. automobileS from the past.

64. Lustrous fabric : SATEEN.   A fabric made with satin weave structure using spun yarn instead of filament.

65. Mag staff : EDS.  Abbreviated editors.

66. "... be good for goodness' __!" : SAKE.    Pam provides the details, with  a little help from her friends.


67. Determined ahead of time : PRESET.

Down

1. Like many Keats poems : ODIC.   He wrote the most ODIC of odes.  Fortunately, most of them are neither odious nor oddities.

2. Bogotá boys : NINOS.  Boys in Bogotá speak Spanish.

3. Online transaction : E-SALE.   A unit of E-Tail.

4. Harms : INJURES.

5. Crew member : SEAMAN.  In the Navy

7. Copycat : ME-TOOER.  Conveniently constructed, but a welcome reprieve from the ubiquitous APER.

8. A deadly sin : SLOTH.  For those too lazy to indulge in gluttony and lust.

9. Oscar-winning director Kazan : ELIA.   Gentleman's Agreement, On the Waterfront.

12. "__ Navidad": Feliciano song : FELIZ.   Merry Christmas in Spanish.


13. Kevin of "Dave" : KLINE.



21. Took the show on the road : TOURED.

26. Poetic time of day : E'EN.  Even I know this is evening, thus eventually evening me with all of you.

28. Post-workout destination : SAUNA.  Steam bath.

29. Mall stand : KIOSK.

30. Wall St. hedger : ARB.  Slothful way of indicating an arbitrageur,  one who attempts to profit from price inefficiencies in the market by making simultaneous trades that offset each other and capturing risk-free profits.

31. Cote cry : BAA.

34. Transport in an Ellington classic : A-TRAIN.   The quickest way to Sugar Hill in Harlem.


35. Informant : RAT.

36. Hotel amenity : SPA.

38. Instruments that sound similar to glockenspiels : CELESTAS.  But with a softer and more subtle timbre.  It was invented by Auguste Mustel in Paris in 1886.  Tchaikovsky was the first major composer to use it in an orchestral setting, first in The Voyadova, then - most famously  - in the Sugar Plum Fairie's dance in The Nutcracker.  You can hear one starting at about 6:40 of this video.




42. The Tigers of the Ohio Valley Conf. : TSU.  Tennessee State University.

43. Attorney general under Ronald Reagan : ED MEESE.   Not related to Mickey, as far as I know,

44. Entertainer : ARTISTE.

47. Equally hot or cold? : AS NEAR.   I don't quite get this one.

48. Inspire deeply (with) : IMBUE.  As with a particular feeling or quality.

49. In good shape : SOUND.  Hale and hardy.

50. Smart guy? : ALECK.   My comrade at arms.

52. Fits of fever : AGUES.   Fever and shivering.

53. French hens count : THREE.   You know the song.

56. "__ la Douce" : IRMA.  The story of a Parisienne prostitute.

57. Recipe meas. : TBSPTaBle SPoon.  Alternatively, to make out in the kitchen?.

58. Hiker's shelter : TENT.  Portable lodging.

Beautiful start to the holiday with this brilliant puzzle from Don G.  Hope you all enjoyed it, and are happy, healthy and ready to dive into the new year.

Cool Regards and Feliz Navidad, Happy Kwanzaa, Fabulous Festivus, a not very Saturnine Saturnalia, or joy at whichever near-solstice celebration you prefer.




Note from Constructor "Hard G":
 
During this past July, I thought of the book title, “Silent Spring”, and decided to make a puzzle with circles where the circled letters are literally silent S-P-R-I-N-G.  After starting the puzzle, I realized that there was also the possibility of “Silent Night”, and that there was enough time to submit a Christmas-themed puzzle before the end of the year.  So I started looking for silent N-I-G-H-T letters in words, and came across CHRISTMAS as having a silent T.  Then it struck me that what a coincidence, the H is also silent, and these are the last two letters of the silent NIGHT.  It was then a matter of arranging CHRISTMAS so that I could place the other three silent letters higher up in the grid, and SILENT NIGHT would go in the bottom right corner.  It was a lucky day that I put all this together.


Nov 10, 2013

Sunday November 10, 2013 Gail Grabowski

Theme: "Working Overtime" - OT spans across each theme entry.

 27A. Chocolate source : CACAO TREE


29A. One working with hammers : PIANO TUNER. Don G is one.

49A. Pest-snaring device : MOSQUITO TRAP. Summer in MN is lovely, except the mosquitoes. Ferocious.

64A. Classroom reminder : NO TALKING

83A. Cold War concept advanced by Eisenhower : DOMINO THEORY

101A. Outdoor furniture piece : PATIO TABLE. The Amish guy at our Annadale flea market makes beautiful patio furniture.

104A. Martial arts maneuver : JUDO THROW

36D. "That Girl" actress : MARLO THOMAS. Wife of Dr. Phil. (Edited later: She's married to Phil Donahue. Not Dr. Phil. Thanks for pointing out my mistake, D-Otto and others.)

40D. Naval weapons launcher : TORPEDO TUBE. Argyle can tell you more about it.

Reveal entry:

109D. NFL tiebreakers hidden in this puzzle's nine longest answers : OTs

You probably noticed that nearly all theme entries start in Row 3. Gail started this one in Row 4, similar to her "Tee Time" puzzle here.



Many of Gail's weekday 15*15 grids feature the classic pinwheel design, two theme entries Across, two entries Down. And you'll always find two theme answers in Down in her Sunday grids.

Across:

1. Tournament exemptions : BYEs

5. Sourpuss : PILL

9. Evaluate : JUDGE

14. Leaves at the last minute, in a way : JILTS

19. Fly, at times : LURE. Fishing.

20. Trendy berry : ACAI. I love Organix. They have a shampoo with Acai berry ingredient.


21. Australian exports : OPALs

22. Cat Nation people : ERIES. Did not know Cat Nation. Carrie Nation, Yes.

23. Overlook : OMIT

24. Registered, with "in" : SANK

25. __ Bell: Emily Brontë pen name : ELLIS. Here is the first edition of "Wuthering Heights". Ellis Bell. Never knew this trivia.



26. Up to this point : SO FAR

31. Bold move : DARE. Love Spitzboov's Mark Twain quote last week: Explore. Dream. Discover.

32. Suit : BEFIT

33. Enthusiasm : VIM

34. Cath. church eponym : ST. MARY

37. Heart container : CHEST

39. Probate concerns : ESTATES

43. Qualifying races : HEATS

44. Scored 75, say : HAD A "C". This kind of HAD A B/C answer is always hard for me.

45. Stretched to the max : TAUT

47. "Don't think so" : NOPE

48. Spread unit : ACRE

52. Cartoon dog : REN

53. Flyers' org. : NHL. I had this in my LAT on Tuesday. Barry G did not like it as it's an Abbr. It's a perfectly fine entry to me,  and I won't hesitate to use any time. Same with MLB, NBA, NFL, PGA, etc.

54. Sealing supplies : TAPES

55. Museum opening? : ART. Art museum.

56. Gathered : REAPED

58. Anka song with the phrase "kiss me mucho" : ESO BESO

60. Shot with lots of English : MASSE. Here, English is the spin.

62. Underline, say : STRESS

63. Work on an arm, maybe : TAT (Tattoo)

68. Flaky fish : COD

69. African hot spot : SAHARA

72. APB targets : PERPS

73. Galena, for one : LEAD ORE

77. Big name in food safety : ECOLAB. Based here in MN. Huge.

78. P.I. : TEC (Detective)

79. Captain's reference : CHART. Sea captain.

81. Daly of "Wings" : TIM. Tyne Daly's brother.



82. CD-__ : ROM

87. Starkers, across the pond : NUDE. Dictionary says British use "Starkers" for "naked". Learning moment for me, Steve! I actually read the clue as "Stalkers".

88. Snap up : GRAB

90. Vessels at banquets : URNS

91. Golfer's choice : WEDGE. DRIVER, PUTTER, IRON, that's all.

92. Cotton thread : FIBER

93. Like attached baths, in Bordeaux : EN SUITE

95. Ends of the earth : POLES

96. Sunday best : FINERY

97. Retired boomer : SST. This clue always makes me smile.

98. Image Awards org. : NAACP

100. "What __ could I do?" : ELSE

109. Ripley's closing words : OR NOT

110. Cousteau's realm : OCEAN

111. Rush job letters : ASAP

112. O'Neill's daughter : OONA
 
113. O'Neal's daughter : TATUM. Nice pair of clues.

114. "I can't go all my life waiting to catch you between husbands" speaker : RHETT

115. Lowers : DIMS

116. Created fiction? : LIED

117. Whack, biblically : SMITE

118. Rainy day brand : TOTES. Umbrella.

119. Not a challenge : EASY

120. Fraternal group : ELKS. For Abejo. He's very active in volunteer work.

Down:

1. Voting coalition : BLOC

2. Arizona county or its seat : YUMA

3. Stonestreet of "Modern Family" : ERIC. Gimme for Bill G, who's a fan of the show, or maybe just the lady in red.


4. Begin wedding plans : SET A DATE

5. Baklava, e.g. : PASTRY. Its texture seems to be similar to that of moon cakes.


6. Comforting comment : I CARE

7. Roped-off pool area : LANE

8. Facebook option : LIKE

9. "Casino" co-star : JOE PESCI

10. Elevate : UPLIFT.  Terry Gross had a great interview with Chris Hadfield last week. Very uplifting. He lives what Mark Twain preached (Great quote last week, Spitzboov): Explore. Dream. Discover.


11. __ Lama : DALAI. Good guy, though I do strongly believe Tibet is part of China.

12. Sun-on-ocean effect : GLINT

13. Canadian pump sign : ESSO

14. Like Boston College, say : JESUIT

15. Certain triathlete : IRONMAN

16. "... a tale / Told by an idiot": Macbeth : LIFE. How sad!

17. Forgo scissors : TEAR

18. Outdated geopolitical letters : SSR

28. They're secured in locks : OARS. Great clue!

30. Emmy winners, often : TV STARS

32. Inamorato : BEAU

34. Western classic : SHANE

35. Geek Squad pros : TECHS. Costly.

37. Discounted buy : CASE

38. Command posts: Abbr. : HDQS. I just use HQ.

39. Where to leave Port. : EUR. OK, I saw the . after Port, so does Port. here refer to Portugal?

41. Duel tools : EPEES

42. Ships : SENDS

44. Biker's welcome : HOP ON

45. Many sculptures : TORSI

46. When some folks retire : AT TEN. To bed!

49. Postgrad degrees : MAs

50. They may be assigned : TASKS

51. Family adoptee : PET CAT

54. The classical elements, e.g. : TETRAD. Chinese had 5: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water  & Wood.

57. Yankee slugger, familiarly : A-ROD. Here are just 3 of his ex-girlfriends. He dumped Cameron Diaz.


59. False god : BAAL

60. Florida's __ Island, near Naples : MARCO

61. Wildspitze, for one : ALP. We had the same clue earlier this year.

65. Agree to join : OPT IN

66. Typical Nome winter highs : TEENS

67. Driving hazard : GLARE

69. Twilled fabric : SERGE. Left, not the fabric on the right.


70. Squash variety : ACORN

71. On the verge of doing it : ABOUT TO

74. Hatch back? : ERY. Hatchery. Did you read the story about that New Hampshire farmer who feeds beer to his turkeys? 

75. Subway patron : RIDER

76. Rough stuff : EMERY

79. Turn over : CEDE

80. Fails to share : HOGS

84. One of a G.I.'s three squares : MRE

85. Unsolicited opinion : TWO CENTS

86. Toolbar offering : HELP

87. Like a short golf round : NINE HOLE. Gail plays golf. So does Rich, who used to be a scratch golfer. 

89. Escape, as a con : BUST OUT

92. Ring weapon : FIST. OK, boxing.

94. "Am I the problem?" : IS IT ME

95. It's a matter of taste : PALATE

96. Sister of Peter : FLOPSY. Peter Rabbit.

 98. Chip with cheese : NACHO

99. Red as __ : A BEET

100. Coated cheeses : EDAMS

101. Bath buggy : PRAM

102. Foe : ANTI

103. Civil wrong : TORT

104. Shade of green : JADE. Cantonese girls like to wear jade on a red string.  Jade is supposed to bring you good luck.



105. Old Voice of America org. : USIA (United States Information Agency, 1953 to 1999)

106. Muddy up : ROIL

107. .62 mi., in a race : ONE K. It's clued as "Short run, for short" yesterday. You won't find identical clues for the same entry for at least a month in LAT puzzles.

108. Rolls of notes : WADS

C.C.


Apr 13, 2021

Tuesday, April 13, 2021 Brent Sverdloff

Stick Shift Choice.  The letters in the word Gears, shift around in each theme answer.  [NOTE:  See also 63-Down from yesterday's puzzle.]


17-Across. Orson Scott Card sci-fi novel: ENDERS GAME.  I am not familiar with this novel.


24-Across. Toon spouse with a blue beehive: MARGE SIMPSON.


39-Across. Park warning sign: KEEP OFF THE GRASS.


51-Across. Cheddar shredder: CHEESE GRATER.



And the Unifier:

63-Across. Go from neutral to reverse ... and a hint to each set of circles: SHIFT GEARS.  I learned how to drive on an automatic, but I later learned to drive a stick shift.  I really liked it, and a few of years ago, when I needed a new car, I specifically wanted a stick shift.  My current car, however, is an automatic.


Across:

1. King-sized: JUMBO.

6. Seat in un parc: BANC.  Today's French lesson.


10. Beer party staples: KEGS.


14. Scarlett of Tara: O'HARA.  //  And 55-Down. Scarlett's Butler: RHETT.  References to Gone with the Wind.


15. "Young Frankenstein" aide: IGOR.

16. Dark purple berry: AÇAÍ.  I learned of this berry from doing the crossword puzzles.  Then I found Açaí bowls at Trader Joe's.

19. Pinball no-no: TILT.

20. "Anger, fear, aggression: the dark side of the Force are they" speaker: YODA.


21. Adopted cat, say: PET.


22. Radiant pigment: DAY-GLO.


27. Hypotheticals: IFs.

30. Old Faithful's st.: WYO.  Old Faithful is in Yellowstone National Park, which is found in Wyoming.



31. "__ Baby": "Hair" song: ABIE.


32. Beat by a mile: CRUSH.
34. Couture initials: YSL.  Yves Saint Laurent (né Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent; Aug. 1, 1936 ~ June 1, 2008) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.


35. Ostrich cousin: RHEA.  Everything you wanted know about the differences between Ostriches and Rheas.

Rhea Pearlman (b. Mar. 31, 1948)

43. Hairy Himalayan: YETI.  Also the name brand of very expensive coolers.
44. Like King Cole: OLD.


45. Kind of node: LYMPH.

46. Filmmaker Ephron: NORA.  Nora Ephron (May 19, 1941 ~ June 26, 2012) was an American journalist, author and filmmaker.  She also makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.


48. Sch. north of Denver: CSU.  Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins, Colorado.


50. Bean used in nondairy milk: SOY.


56. Elizabeth Arden parent company: REVLON.


57. Coleridge's "before": ERE.

58. Harleys, familiarly: HOGS.
62. Burn balm: ALOE.

66. Kinds: ILKS.

67. Island near Mull: IONA.  Time for a geography lesson.  The Isles of Mull and Iona are islands in the Inner Hebrides off the coast of Scotland.


68. Vermont patriot Allen: ETHAN.  Ethan Allen (Jan. 1737 ~ Feb. 12, 1789) is an American Revolutionary hero.  He is considered one of the founders of Vermont State.  During the Revolutionary War, he was instrumental in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga.  He did not, however, start the Ethan Allen Furniture Company.

69. Leaves: GOES.

70. Sweet-talk: COAX.

71. Small earrings: STUDS.


Down:
1. Baby in a pouch: JOEY.

2. "Sorry, can't do it": UH, NO!

3. Alcohol awareness-raising org.: MADD.  Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

4. Another name for bluegill: BREAM.  A Bluegill is a freshwater fish native to North America.


5. Dinghy mover: OAR.


6. Conceitedness: BIG EGO.


7. Playground marble: AGATE.

8. When tripled, "Yum!": NOM.  Nom, Nom, Nom!


9. Ringing true: CREDIBLE.

10. "I Kissed a Girl" singer: KATY PERRY.


11. Vaping smokes, briefly: E-CIGS.

12. Ernest or Julio of wine fame: GALLO.  The fascinating and dark origin story of Gallo Wines.

13. Squelch: SIT ON.

18. Agile: SPRY.



23. Parisian pal: AMI.  More of today's French lesson.

25. Dr. Seuss' "Horton Hears __": A WHO.



26. Merit badge spot: SASH.  I earned many badges back in the day when I was a Girl Scout.


27. "Gross!": ICKY.  Sorry, Chris!

28. Liberate: FREE.

29. Christmas pudding fat: SUET.

33. Cowardly: SPINELESS.

34. Since Jan. 1: YTD.  Year-To-Date

36. Unlikely Oscar nominees: HAMS.


37. Hockey legend Phil, to fans: ESPO.  Phil Esposito (b. Feb. 20, 1942) had a long career as a professional hockey player.


38. Cinder-covered: ASHY.

40. Like much court evidence: FORENSIC.

41. "Flying" national symbol: FLAG.


42. Modeling adhesive: GLUE.

47. Bolivian bruin: OSO.  Today's Spanish lesson.  A bruin is a BEAR.

48. Website providing vehicle history reports: CARFAX.


49. "Don't delete" mark: STET.

51. Bond portrayer Daniel: CRAIG.  Daniel Wroughton Craig (b. Mar. 2, 1968) began his James Bond career in the 2006 film, Casino Royal.


52. Greeting word: HELLO.

53. Elicit: EVOKE.

54. Spanish queen: REINA.  More of today Spanish lesson.

59. Island with a U.S. state capital: OAHU.


60. One visiting an old prof, perhaps: GRAD.

61. Taxpayer IDs: SSNs.  As in the Social Security Number.

64. Boo-__: HOO.



65. Some appliances: GEs.  As in General Electric appliances.


Here's the Grid:




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