Monday April 23, 2018 Jeff Stillman

Theme: SANS (65A. Without ... or, as a plural, what the starts of the answers to starred clues are without?) - SAN can precede the first word of each name.
  
16A. *Actor who played Ché in the 1996 "Evita" movie: ANTONIO BANDERAS. San Antonio.

25A. *1990s-2000s Red Sox Hall of Fame pitcher: PEDRO MARTINEZ. San Pedro.

44. *Argentine who shared the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award with Pelé: DIEGO MARADONA. San Diego.

58. *20th-century Spanish dictator: FRANCISCO FRANCO. San Francisco.
 
Boomer here.  Hello everyone and happy Monday to all.  Mother Nature has finally decided it is Springtime in Minnesota, and we are able to see parts of our lawn.  Maybe golf courses will open soon?


Across:

1. Ejects, volcano-style: SPEWS.

6. Coin toss: FLIP. We lost Mr. Saunders 2 1/2 years ago. Great gopher and pretty good Timberwolves coach. 

10. Org. with a "Parliament" TV channel: BBC. I never watch although it is a selection on Direct TV.

13. Vietnam's capital: HANOI.

14. Loughlin of "Full House": LORI.

15. Hide in the soil: BURY.

19. Conked out: DIED.

20. Sign light: NEON.  Neon Deion Played for the Cowboys and Falcons and a couple other teams in a long career.  Had to believe he is currently 50 years old.

21. "Snowy" bird: EGRET. Don't regret it if you did not know this one.  I think it was Anne Murray who recorded "Snowbird".

22. Sobbed: CRIED.

24. Winter bug: FLU.  So many cases, uncomfortable.  Bad word for crossword.

32. Scratch or dent: MAR. You may MAR something if you RAM it.

34. With courage: GAMELY.

35. Actress Campbell: NEVE.  "Party of Five".

36. Leave out, as the "g" when saying "sayin'": ELIDE.

38. From __ Z: A TO. Clever little play on words to make something fit.

39. It's accessed via manholes: SEWER.  The snow is flowing swiftly through the sewers on its way to the Mississippi.

40. To boot: ALSO. I am also not a big fan of this clue.

41. End of a Seuss title about a mischievous feline: THE HAT. I actually met Mr. Ted Geisel (Dr. Suess) when I was three years old at the San Diego Library.  (My aunt Virg was a librarian there).  Of course I do not remember, but he signed my copy of "If I Ran the Zoo"

43. Good bud: BRO.  A bra for men.  Kramer called it a BRO, Mr. Costanza opted for Mansiere.

47. Rte. finder: GPS. Used by delivery drivers, but I think you can also (to boot) get one to tell you how far away the pin on the green is.

48. October birthstones: OPALS. Since I was born in October, I always know this.  Ask me any other month and forgetaboutit.

50. Tea variety: PEKOE. I've heard it called "Orange Pekoe".  Must come from Florida.

53. Extra: Abbr.: ADDL.

56. British slammer: GAOL. Pronounced "JAIL". 

61. Like small print: FINE.

62. Civil mayhem: RIOT.  "They're rioting in Africa, They're starving in Spain, There's hurricanes in Florida, and Texas needs rain."

63. Like Machu Picchu: INCAN.

64. Explosive stuff: TNT. Channel 245 on direct TV.  They are broadcasting some NBA playoff games (which I never watch since it is BASEBALL season!)

66. Winter melodies: NOELS.  The Valero golf tournament took place from San Antonio this weekend but Ernie did not participate.

Down:

1. Roe fish: SHAD.

2. Lose it in an emergency: PANIC.

3. "Star Trek" ship: ENTERPRISE.

4. Stereotypical surfer's wagon: WOODIE. - Not just for surfers. These station wagons were family vehicles back in the late 40s and early 50s.  Notably with woodgrain paneling on the sides.

5. Pride or envy: SIN.

6. Ice sheet: FLOE. - I saw on the news that Greenland and areas north are losing 300 million tons of ice each year.  Imagine how much Scotch you could go through with that.  (Sorry Argyle).

7. Gray wolf: LOBO.  I remember Rebecca LOBO, a basketball player for UCONN, and later in the WNBA.  She was an exceptional player.

8. Persian rug source: IRAN.

9. Sticker: PIN. Nope.  This is a funny shaped White thing with a red stripe that you knock over with a bowling ball.  I thought everyone knew that.

10. 1804 duel winner: BURR.  Shot Alexander Hamilton.  I think he may have been jealous and wanted HIS picture on the ten dollar bill.

11. Scottish hillside: BRAE. No Kramer, this is not an "E" bra.

12. Skin concern: CYST.

15. "Begin the __": Cole Porter song: BEGUINE.

17. Vedic weather god: INDRA.

18. Shoulder muscle, informally: DELT. Sorry, it's called a deltoid.  Never heard it cut in half.

23. Beat by a bit: EDGE. Also a little Ford SUV.

24. Cook in deep fat: FRY.

26. Nebraska city: OMAHA. Cornhusker city north of Lincoln

27. Parking __: METER.

28. Hawaiian welcome: ALOHA.

29. Puma competitor: NEW BALANCE.

30. Perpetually: EVER.

31. Celsius freezing point: ZERO.  Beetle Bailey's Friend with no last name.

32. Honeyed drink: MEAD.

33. "__ want for Christmas ... ": ALL I.

37. Danged: DOGGONE. This is not the postal abbreviation for DOGGO, NE.  (west of Omaha)

39. "Cut that out!": STOP. Okay, no more bad puns or jokes.

41. Many corp. logos: TMS.

42. First name from which the "Adi" in Adidas is derived: ADOLF. Never knew that.  The current boss is a guy named Kasper.  Not a friendly ghost.

45. Oil gp.: OPEC.

46. 1998 Olympics city: NAGANO. In Japan - held in February of that year.

49. Tinseltown region, familiarly: SOCAL. Southern California.  I don't think they ever get snow.

50. Fizzling sound: PFFT. I can also think of other things that sound like this. Stock portfolio? Tom Brady football?

51. Ireland, in verse: ERIN.

52. German thinker Immanuel: KANT.

53. Largest continent: ASIA. Huge.  I can't even try to name all the Asian countries.

54. Anti-rodent brand: DCON.

55. Things to connect: DOTS. I remember when we used to buy these at the movie theatre.  Sometimes if it was warm, they were already connected.

57. Chaney Jr. and Sr.: LONS.

59. Tax-auditing org.: IRS. We were reprieved until April 18th this year due to a weekend and a computer foul-up.  We'll see what might happen next year with the new law.

60. __ Tin Tin: RIN. Lassie competitor in the 50s.

Boomer

Note from C.C.:

Here is Boomer taking a walk yesterday. Still some ice on that lake.

Sunday April 22, 2018 Victor Barocas

Theme: "Number One Fan"- EGO  is hidden in the very middle each theme entry.

23. Neighbor of Montenegro: HERZEGOVINA.

34. Knew unfavorable things about: HAD THE GOODS ON.

43. Put the blame on: SCAPEGOATED.

56. In the "Other" column: UNCATEGORIZED.

67. Solving a problem boldly: CUTTING THE GORDIAN KNOT.

77. Tony Gwynn, notably: SAN DIEGO PADRE.

94. Ill-advised: MISBEGOTTEN

102. Complaint about monotony: HERE WE GO AGAIN.

117. Narcissistic trait exhibited perfectly by this puzzle's eight other longest answers: EGOCENTRISM.

In this type of hidden theme, often the hidden word span across two or more words. In today's case, we have a few one-word entries due to extra "centrism" layer.

Nice to see Victor Barocas' byline again. He's incredibly talented and self-effacing.

Left to right:

C.C., Tom Pepper, George Barany, Victor Barocas, Michael David & David Liben-Nowell. Missing David Hanson (Rosebud).

Across:

1. Jennifer Saunders Britcom: AB FAB. Absolutely Fabulous.

 
6. Supporting structure: TRUSS.

11. When tripled, "and so on": YADA. "Seinfeld".

15. Scandinavian language: SAMI.

19. PowerPoint unit: SLIDE.

20. Greek goddesses of the seasons: HORAE.

21. K.C. Royal, e.g.: ALER. American Leaguer. Gluey.

22. Snapchat co-founder Spiegel: EVAN. Husband of Miranda Kerr.

25. Gaiety: MERRIMENT.

27. Fleeced female: EWE.

28. Put up: ERECT.

29. Goalkeeper's success: SAVE.

30. Mournful melody: DIRGE.

31. Fleece-seeking vessel: ARGO.

37. Cabinetmaker's cylinder: DOWEL ROD. We also have 4. Carpentry tool: ADZ.

41. Obama : Bo :: FDR : __: FALA.

42. Pre-riot state: UNREST.

45. Bamm-Bamm's mom: BETTY. The Flintstones.

47. Like Chichén Itzá pyramids: MAYAN.

48. Harp constellation: LYRA.

49. Brought in: HIRED.

51. "Don't Bring Me Down" rock gp.: ELO.

54. Comparison phrase: IS TO.

60. Knuckler's lack: SPIN. R. A. Dickey was a Twin, ages ago.

63. T or F, maybe: ANS. The initial of our TTP.

65. Astronomer Hale: ALAN.

66. Japanese comics: ANIME.

73. Favorite's surprise: UPSET. Dupe with 126. Beginning: ONSET.

74. Learning method: ROTE.

75. Knee-injury initials: ACL.

76. Uncle __: BEN'S. Not BUCK.

82. Sailor's saint: ELMO.

84. U.N. worker protection gp.: ILO. International Labour Organization.

85. Normand of silents: MABEL.

86. Part of Q.E.D.: ERAT.

88. Port near Sapporo: OTARU.

92. Holy, to Henriette: SACRE. I have fond memory of this place.

96. "A Fish Called Wanda" actor: CLEESE.

99. Important pipe: MAIN.

101. German state named for a river, with "the": SAARLAND. The Saar River.

106. Audible alert: BEEP.

107. Greek marketplace: AGORA.

108. Plot measure: ACRE.

109. "Swell!": NEATO.

112. Caraway-flavored bread: RYE.

115. Exam for intellectual property lawyers: PATENT BAR. Debut entry.

120. Medical suffix: ITIS.

121. Actress Fanning: ELLE.

122. Eatery freebies: MINTS.

123. Command to attack: SIC 'EM.

124. Japanese PCs: NECS.

125. Useless, battery-wise: DEAD. Yay, my 11-year-old iPod came alive again.

127. Imitation: APERY.  Not a word I use.

Down:

1. 1975 Wimbledon champ: ASHE.

2. Botched: BLEW.

3. "Ask me anything": FIRE AWAY.

5. Wax maker: BEE.

6. "__: Ragnarok": 2017 superhero film: THOR. Chris Hemsworth.

7. Meander: ROVE.

8. Robert of "Vega$": URICH.

9. Resident of America's highest capital: SANTA FEAN. Hi there Owen!

10. Coral __: SEA.

11. Piano brand: YAMAHA.

12. Advil alternative: ALEVE. Boomer's hands sometimes have these spotty purplish spots. They often go away in a few days. His bowling buddy Don said it's due to various pain killers. Boomer had another bad fall a few weeks ago due to the stupid snow. Hurt his shoulder/elbow pretty bad. He had to take those pain killers.

13. Reduction of legal constraints, briefly: DEREG.

14. Part of ETA: Abbr.: ARR.

15. With a touch of sweetness: SEMI-DRY.

16. Opposed: AVERSE.

17. Tropical fruits: MANGOS. I once bought two mangoes that refused to ripen. Very weird.

18. What manslaughter lacks: INTENT. That would be murder.

24. Composer Telemann: GEORG.

26. Words of denial: I DON'T.

29. Mo.'s largest airport: STL.

32. Did some home maintenance: REPAINTED.

33. Narrow valleys: GLENS.

35. Pops: DAD.

36. Surpass: OUTDO.

37. Mil. award: DSM.

38. Plant also called a New Zealand yam: OCA. Still have not found these tubers in our local grocery stores.

39. Wuyi Mountains tea: OOLONG. Gimme for me.

40. It breaks in the morning: DAY.

44. Play about Capote: TRU.

45. Actress Vaccaro: BRENDA. Stranger to me.

46. Mind reader?: EEG.

49. Anaheim baseball cap feature: HALO.

50. Name dropped by TASS in 2014: ITAR.

51. Paperless periodical: E-ZINE.

52. Subpar car: LEMON.

53. "Waiting for Lefty" playwright: ODETS.

55. Earth tone: TAN.

57. Not free-range: CAGED.

58. Fled on foot: RAN.

59. Item gifted with a fountain pen: INK BOTTLE. I used to dread our calligraphy class.

60. "Pardon me, Giulia": SCUSI.

61. Post-larval: PUPAL.

62. "__ problem": IT'S NO. Tiny dupe: 68. "Lord, is __?": Matthew: IT I.

64. Dance floor flasher: STROBE.

69. What optimists don't give up: HOPE.

70. List-ending abbr.: ET AL.

71. Summer brew: ICE TEA. Or ICED TEA. Spring is finally here. Reaching 60s today. Our first 60s in five months.

72. Every one of: ALL.

78. Roast host: EMCEE.

79. Needlefish: GAR.

80. Controlling: REINING IN.

81. RN workplaces: ERS.

83. "S.W.A.T." star Shemar: MOORE. Unfamiliar to me.

87. Crunch targets: ABS.

89. Not for free: AT A PRICE.

90. Toon canine: REN.

91. Grand Forks sch.: UND. University of North Dakota.

92. One looking ahead: SEERESS. Great clue.

93. City near Lake Nasser: ASWAN.

94. Hamm of soccer: MIA.

95. Neighbor of Cameroon: GABON.

96. "Cat's in the Cradle" singer Harry: CHAPIN.

97. Papal representative: LEGATE.

98. Designed to light a fire?: EROTIC. Oh!

99. Damaged: MARRED.

100. Iron __: AGE.

103. Triangular building feature: GABLE.

104. City including the former site of a Seminole War fort: OCALA. Vowel-rich.

105. Glowing signs: NEONS.

110. Entr'__: ACTE.

111. Evaluate: TEST.

113. Flemish river: YSER.

114. One of 11 for Julia Louis-Dreyfus: EMMY.

116. Texas senator Cruz: TED.

117. Moody rock genre: EMO.

118. PreCheck org.: TSA.

119. Swindle, in slang: RIP.

I don't have any update on Argyle. I got overly optimistic last Sunday when he replied quite a few emails. Since then I have not been able to reach him. His friend Jennifer said he's doing OK and he's been using his computer. So let's hope he'll stop by the blog when he feels like it.

Thanks again for the well wishes and cards (weekly from Agnes!) you've sent to him.  And your tablet gift, D-Otto. And your ready-to-Amazon external keyboard, Anon-T.

Thank you so much for the kindness and generosity.

C.C.

Saturday, April, 21, 2018, Daniel Nierenberg

THEMELESS SATURDAY PUZZLE BY DANIEL NIERENBERG

On this National Kindergarten Day Daniel Nierenberg has provided us a very worthy test. For me, Husker Gary, this is my fourth blogging effort on a Daniel puzzle - three Saturdays and one Friday. As is my M.O. on his puzzles, I employed the hunt and peck method until the NEAT/NUBIA "N" appeared and I was done!

Now, in honor of my lifetime friend Janet who is retiring after 35 years of teaching Kindergarten, let's see what word play Daniel has for us in our literary sandbox today:


Across:

1. Classic dramatic device: FATAL FLAW - The most famous FATAL FLAW in literature?

10. Demonstration of power, perhaps: N-TEST - A-Bombs and H-Bombs are both really N-(Nuclear) Bombs. One splits nuclei and the other fuses them together 

15. Winter carnival attraction: ICE PALACE - A beautiful ICE PALACE constructed in St. Paul, MN a half-hour drive from C.C.

16. Mythical myrtle-and-roses wreath wearer: ERATO - A vowel-rich crossword veteran muse of poetry 

17. Updated "What a shame!": THAT BITES

18. Cane-carrying Mr.: MAGOO and 14. 18-Across and others: TOONS. Did Mr. Peanut enter your thoughts?

19. Country E of Cyprus: SYR - SYRIA - too much in the news

20. Marsh growth: REED.

21. Beauty aisle brand: REVLON - A childhood memory of REVLON. Do you remember the show, this woman who won the big prize and what her category was? (*Answer below the grid)

22. Virus eponym: BARR.

23. Assigns new rankings to: RESEEDS - NCAA Basketball teams are RESEEDED just before the season-ending tournament 

24. Narrow types: BIGOTS - Norman Lear's Archie Bunker made us look BIGOTRY right in the face

27. Caravan components: CAMELS

28. Parting word: ADIOS

29. 1848 classic song about an Alabama-to-Louisiana traveler: OH SUSANNA - "With a banjo on my knee"

32. Court pros: REFS - These pro REFS did not see traveling here in this exhibition game.

33. Lingerie specifications: D-CUPS - It took 33. Waiting room site: DEPOT gave me the correct cup letter

34. Hair products: GELS - Mass use

35. Uris WWII novel: BATTLE CRY 

37. Harass: BESET

38. "Help me out, bro": BE A PAL

39. Nissan compact: SENTRA

40. Actor's dream: STARDOM.

42. Cleverly planned, as a trick: NEAT - Now this is a NEAT trick!

43. Warn, in a way: HISS AT

44. Territory with a palm tree in its seal: GUAM - I did not know Guam's flag or capital

45. Onetime JFK arrival: SST

48. Like some casks: OAKEN - We BIG 10 football fans know Purdue and Indiana play for the Old OAKEN Bucket each year

49. Fate of Peter's father, in kiddie lit: RABBIT PIE - I had no memory of this sad part of the story

51. Sections: AREAS - In 2003, the CIA officially acknowledged that AREA 51 exists

52. Dell gaming brand: ALIEN WARE - At the left is the $4,900 model for serious gamers, uh, not for me

53. Barista's offering: LATTE 

54. Intimidating psychological tactics: HEAD GAMES



Down:

1. Makes sense: FITS - Oh that's where it FITS

2. Hurting: ACHY.

3. Run like the wind: TEAR - What JH kids do going to lunch

4. Liable: APT

5. Research subjects: LAB RATS - Our staff and kids were LAB RATS for "Open Concept" classrooms back in the 70's. Retrofitting was expensive after the experiment failed miserably

6. Message disseminators: FLIERS - Is that why they make windshield wipers?

7. Not as punctual: LATER 

8. Justified serious studying for: ACED - Having ACED a test is usually done by serious studying (ROTE memorizing?)

9. Former NFL receiver Welker: WES - After at least six concussions from hits like this, he has retired

10. Sinestro and Professor Zoom, in their respective universes: NEMESES - Here's one, you can google the other if you like. BTW, I'd wager that dime comic is worth a few bucks these days.

11. Tour coordinator: TRAVEL AGENT - My TRAVEL AGENT arranged my trips to Florida with the kids but she also accompanied us because once we got there, she knew I ran the show

12. Home on a high cliff, perhaps: EAGLE'S NEST -  Martin Borman's gift of The EAGLE'S NEST retreat to Hitler high in the Bavarian Alps is now a cozy restaurant 

13. Rose: STOOD.

21. Important player in the founding-of-Rome story: REMUS - He was killed by his twin Romulus and hence the name of the city is...

22. Child-raising technique?: BOOSTER SEAT - Declining the BOOSTER SEAT was a landmark for our kids

23. Rough-sounding: RASPY - Joe Cocker's RASPY rendition of  the theme of this show

24. Wire sticker: BARB - Those BARBS on wire helped change ranches into farms

25. What a raised index finger may indicate: IDEA - A more prosaic use

26. Present often mailed: GIFT BASKET

27. Lout: CHURL - I've heard of/used the adjective CHURLISH

29. "Law of parsimony" philosopher: OCCAM - Another school of thought by the co-discoverer of the DNA molecule

30. Brewer, e.g., briefly: NLER - National LeaguER

31. Cinema pooch: ASTA - Nick and Nora's doggy

36. Matisse work featuring hand-holding: LA DANSE.

37. Wearing a grin: BEAMING

39. Skate home: SEABED - Talk about your masters of disguises

40. Skimboarding hazard: SHOAL - I hit a STONE at first on my figurative beach skimboard

41. Top prom wear?: TIARA - Amy's dream come true

42. Abu Simbel's region: NUBIA- The pharaonic temples then and now located in the village of Abu Simbel in the most southern Egyptian region of NUBIA

44. Severe blow: GALE - We've had them here all spring

45. Filter target: SPAM - Tons of this is made here in Fremont, NE

46. "Game of Thrones" address: SIRE - I've never seen the show but Thrones and S _ _ _ address. C'mon...

47. Screen-printing targets: TEES - With b/w TV, I never knew what the Superman TEE looked like until mom bought me one

49. Sound from a fan: RAH - Football fan

50. Lindbergh Line airline: TWA - Can you find The Lindbergh Line in two places in this picture? 

A lovely credo for National Kindergarten Day:

With all these lessons in mind, SHARE your comments, BE FAIR and PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS:

DA GRID

*

a) Show - $64,000 Question hosted by Hal March and sponsored by Revlon

b) Contestant - Psychologist Dr. Joyce Brothers

c) Her category - Boxing