Friday, March 1, 2019, Robert E. Lee Morris

I think it is too late to vote, but here is a LINK to watch my baby boy mix his competition cocktail.


Title: X marks the spot.  White rabbit, white rabbit. my second first of the month in a row.

RELM is back for his 21st publication since the switch when the Corner began blogging the LAT. This is, however, my first time to write-up Mr. Morris. I tried to read about him and did not find much except he had 13 LATs prior to the switch, beginning in 2004, and 3 NY Sun puzzles. Today is a simple theme - add an "X" to the end of the second word of a two word 'in the language' phrase. With only 45 theme letters, there is lots of room for some lively 7 and 8 letter fill. LARAMIE, LYNETTE, REFUELS, UPSTART, FLAT TIRE, FOXY LADY, TEAR INTO and WINE LIST are the group. Showing off his 15 years of experience, we are presented with a pangram. I imagine if you are using an "X" as the centerpiece of a puzzle, you might as well get the rest of the letters in the grid.
Meanwhile, I just lost a significant part of my write up, so here I go again.

17A. Addition at the palace?: QUEEN ANNEX (10). A logical building going from QUEEN ANNE Furniture.

58A. Mole in the cat food factory?: INSIDE MANX (10). My mental picture of this CAT working as a spy in a cat food factory makes this my favorite.

11D. Missing watch?: LOST TIMEX (9). It was also nice to be reminded of the TIMEX watches which were the symbol of practicality and value in the 60s.

34D. Change in China?: ASIAN FLUX (9). At this time of year, with children in this country dying, I am not sure I want to be reminded of the INFLUENZA.

And the reveal

25D. Intangible quality responsible for four puzzle answers: X-FACTOR (7). If I were pretentious, I would say this is the je ne sais quoi for a person or event that has the most significant impact on the outcome. Instead, I will link a COMIC BOOK and a TV SHOW.

Okay then.

Across:

1. College Park Big Ten athlete: TERP. College Park, Maryland is the home of the State University. They are called the Terrapins, shortened to Terps.

5. Smarten (up): SPIFF. This was a bit if a struggle, especially after I entered the semi-verboten 5D. Brainpower: SMARTS.

10. Cutlass, e.g.: OLDS. Not a sword.

14. Big name in the cookie aisle: OREO.

15. "Rebel Without a Cause" actor: MINEO. The reverse of the earlier clue that gave us Sal. James Dean was the star, but Sal was a pretty boy.

16. Castle: ROOK. Chess piece.

19. Dot on a globe, perhaps: ISLE. This took a bit as well.

20. Surprising and sometimes annoying success: UPSTART. I needed this one to get going in the NW.

21. Felicity's "Desperate Housewives" role: LYNETTE. I never watched even though I am a Teri Hatcher fan. MS. HUFFMAN.

23. Somme summer: ETÉ. Our first of three accents from French.

24. Pringles alternative: STAX.

26. Trap fluff: LINT. I have told the story before, but my mother was a nurse working 12-hour shifts and never had owned a dryer. Our clothes were put outside on the line, or in the winter, my father dropped the clothes off to be washed an dried. Finally, as she became the boss in her work as the head nurse in the hospital, my father bought her a new washer and dryer. I was starting college and came home one day when she asked me to help because she could not understand how to deal with the flannel in the dryer. She was having trouble forcing it in to close the door. It was the lint, which kept growing.

27. "__ about time!": ITS.

28. Reason for road service: FLAT TIRE. How many have had to change one on a major highway?

32. Disreputable: SHADY.

35. "All in the Family" spinoff: MAUDE. The late great Bea Arthur.

36. Dallas NBAer: MAVerick.

37. Church service: MASS.

38. Zany: WACKY.

39. Ballet move: JETÉ. This is a jump in which a dancer springs from one foot to land on the other with one leg extended outward from the body while in the air. See also grand jeté, petit jeté.

40. Weapon in some action flicks: UZI.

41. Potsdam "please": BITTE. Our German lesson reminder.

42. Social gathering: MIXER.

43. Rip verbally: TEAR INTO.  I mean, mean.

45. Fall back: LAG.

46. Acknowledge: NOTE.

47. Woodwind musician's piece: REED.

49. CPR pro: EMT.

52. Gasses up: REFUELS.

55. University of Wyoming city: LARAMIE.



57. PC addresses: URLS. Uniform Resource Locators, colloquially termed as web addresses, is a reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it. Wiki,

60. Down: BLUE. Referencing one's mood.

61. Egbert __, aptly named W.C. Fields character: SOUSÉ. Classic humor.

62. Countertop material: MICA.

63. Alluring: SEXY.

64. Youngster of an awkward age: TWEEN. A portmanteau.

65. Bullring bravos: OLES.

Down:

1. Kitchen topper: TOQUE. The hat is back.

2. Release violently: ERUPT.

3. Shortstop alongside Robinson: REESE. The great Pee Wee Reese

4. Keats or Yeats: POET. Yes, but they were not as prolific as our own Owen KL.

6. 1492 sailer: PINTA. If you pay attention you will notice it is not a sailor but sailer. Great clue.



7. Lodging provider: INN.

8. Sense: FEEL. One of many normally called touch.

9. Jimi Hendrix classic: FOXY LADY. An amazing talent. He was the headliner at Woodstock.

10. Point in the right direction: ORIENT. I am proud I got this instantly.

12. Nimrod: DOLT. Mean words from my youth.

13. Arcade trademark word: SKEE. Skee ball.

18. Vile: NASTY.

22. Nick at __: NITE.

27. Passports, e.g.: IDS.

29. "Star Wars" hero: LUKE. Skywalker. One of Anakin's twin children.

30. Velocity, e.g.: RATE.

31. At any time: EVER.

32. "Give me __ and nothing but": Tom Lehrer lyric: SMUT. Classic humor.

33. Sunset obscurer: HAZE.

35. Actor LeBlanc: MATT. He has worked steadily but without any great success since Friends.
LINK.

38. It includes reds: WINE LIST. Red. Rose. White.

39. Lively dance: JIG. Would you like to know HOW TO?

41. Small meal: BITE.

42. Sierra __: MADRE.

44. Mixed martial artist Ronda: ROUSEY. She was undefeated and then she wasn't. LINK.

45. Heavy: LEADEN.

48. Beethoven dedicatee: ELISE. Für sure.

49. Inbox message: EMAIL.

50. Prepare, as garlic: MINCE.

51. __ Pete: hot sauce brand: TEXAS. This SAUCE.

52. Massages: RUBS.

53. Creator of Perry and Della: ERLE. I am about half way through my reading all of the books.

54. Winter coat: SNOW.


56. Magazine contents: AMMO. A magazine is a part of a firearm that is used to store ammo in until the weapon uses it

59. Go after, in a way: SUE.

Another Friday in the record book as we march (pun intended) to spring. My first RELM and another Friday are done. Lemonade out.

Thursday, February 28th 2019 Bruce Haight

Theme: Pun like a Pirate Day - the five theme answers all have a nautical punning groove going on:

17A. Spot to spread out a ship's map, maybe?: BRIDGE TABLE. The map of the ship itself, not a chart. Those already have a chart table to be spread on.

25A. Sailors dealing with a ship's cargo?: HOLD HANDS

37A. Awesome things near the front of a ship?: BOW WOWS

47A. Backwards glance on a ship?: STERN LOOK

57A. Strength measure of the ship cook's spirits?: GALLEY PROOF. Technically, a galley proof is a proof that's been printed out. Electronic versions are "uncorrected proofs", but no-one's going to argue if you call it a galley. Interesting that "galley" is also a type of ship in keeping with the nautical theme. Here's a Roman one;

I found this a little tougher going than the usual Thursday, it took me a little while to get a foothold in the top half, but then things started falling into place. I liked the puns by and large, I think HOLD HANDS was my favorite.

The grid is nicely done with the stacked 8's in the downs at the NE and SW and the fill is fresh and lively. Nicely done.

However, I do have one major gripe today, but we'll get to that in due course.

Across:

1. Hornet and Matador: AMCS. I didn't know this and needed all the crosses. 1970's vehicles manufactured by AMC.

5. Tech-savvy school gp.: A.V. CLUB. The Audiovisual Club.

11. Higher ed. test: G.R.E.

14. Fail to save one's skin?: MOLT. Nice clue, this one, it made me laugh.

15. Bring back to the firm: REHIRE

16. 35-state Western org.: O.A.S. The Organization of American States. All 35 independent states in the Americas are members of the organization.

19. "The Racer's Edge": STP. Originally, it stood for Scientifically-Treated Petroleum. Who knew?

20. "American Gods" actor McShane: IAN. He also starred in a gentle BBC comedy-drama Lovejoy in the 80's, he played the eponymous roguish antiques dealer.

21. Shell material: NACRE

22. Milk by-product: WHEY

23. Yale's Mr. Yale: ELIHU. Nailed it! Thank you, Crosswords Past.

28. Most warm: NICEST

30. Barbershop staple: RAZOR. I talked myself out of YAZOO, I was thinking along the musical lines at first.

31. Industry mogul: CZAR

32. Seedy abode: RAT HOLE. The first flat I lived in in London was above a sweatshop and had no hot water. A rooster lived next door, and the landlord would drop off a pound of bacon, a loaf of bread and two dozen eggs each week so that he could claim he was running a B-and-B (no rent control). We had breakfast, so we're a B-and-B? I moved, eventually, but after a lot of early-morning awakenings from the rooster. I was broke. I was working two jobs (marine insurance filing clerk by day, bartender in an Irish pub by night) but it still a struggle. We've all been there.

36. Sushi choice: EEL

38. Sweetie, in slang: BAE. Short for "babe" or "baby". I don't think you call someone a "bae", you describe someone as your "bae". I think. Check with your nearest teenager.

41. Snore: SAW LOGS

42. Numerous: MANY

43. Gave one's word: SWORE

45. Often recyclable tech products: EWASTE. Electrical or electronic devices.

51. Adams who shot El Capitan: ANSEL I have an Ansel Adams print in my home office of the memorial at Manzanar. He took some wonderful photographs of the camp and the internees.

52. Tiny parasites: LICE

53. Secluded valleys: GLENS

55. __ Lanka: SRI

56. Imaginepeace.com artist: ONO

60. Ref's call: TKO. I tried OUT first, was wrong.

61. "Her cheeks are rosy, she looks a little nosey" girl in a 1962 #1 hit: SHEILA. I'd never heard of this song by Tommy Roe. I'd never heard of Tommy either. This contributed to my gripe, of which more at the bottom.

62. Like crazy: A LOT

63. Sun, in Ibiza: SOL

64. Use a combine: THRESH

65. Soccer followers?: MOMS

Down:

1. Restaurant review factor: AMBIENCE

2. Get all preachy: MORALIZE

3. Kind of psychology: CLINICAL

4. Criterion: Abbr.: STD

5. Neighborhood: AREA

6. Climbing plant: VETCH. Part of Swansea City's old soccer ground, Vetch Field, was quite fantastically re-purposed to a wild flower haven when the club outgrew the facilities and moved to a new stadium. Usually these spaces are redeveloped for commercial or mixed-use properties. Kudos to Swansea for preserving some of the open space.

7. One-named "Hollywood Squares" panelist: CHARO

8. Defamation in print: LIBEL

9. Web address: URL

10. Spelling event: BEE

11. "Jeepers, I wouldn't think of it!": GOSH, NO!

12. Not for kids: RATED R. Be careful with R-RATED and RATED-R - I went with the former initially.

13. 2018 awards event hosted by Danica Patrick: ESPYS

18. African herd: GNUS. What do you call a herd of wildebeest that arrive two hours before midnight? The Ten O'Clock Gnus. I'll get my coat, thank you, I'm here all week.

22. GPS navigation app: WAZE. Is this a first in the LA Times? I can't find another reference.

24. QE2 designation: HER. I wanted "HMS" first. I was wrong. The QE2 was an ocean, later a cruise liner, owned by Cunard, based in Southampton. Her predecessor, the Queen Mary, is permanently-moored in Long Beach. We stayed on board a couple of years ago. My family went to wave her off from Southampton on her final voyage. I never thought all those years later I'd be staying on the ship in California. You never know what life will bring.

26. Drift off: DROWSE

27. Dutch artist Frans: HALS. When I was a kid, we had a print of "The Laughing Cavalier" in our entry hallway - odd because we had very few, if any, prints hanging on the wall. My mother said she "liked his smile".

29. Gardening tool: TROWEL

33. Punching tool: AWL

34. With 42-Down, like some bobsleds: TWO-man or four-man bobs.

35. Harley Davidson's NYSE symbol: HOG

37. Stable environment?: BARN

38. Jazz improv highlight: BASS SOLO. The drum solo is usually a good time to head to the bar for a refresher.

39. Waiting area: ANTE ROOM

40. Some cosmetic procedures: EYE LIFTS

41. Hot under the collar: SORE

42. See 34-Down: MAN

43. Hammered: STINKO. Drunk, badly (and slangily) - in the UK we were "paralytic" - not that I ever was, obviously.

44. "No hard feelings, dude": WE COOL Used in Pulp Fiction, one of my all-time-best-favorite movies. Not to everyone's taste.

46. Winged stinger: WASP

47. Vegas attraction: SLOTS. Took me a while to talk myself off STRIP.

48. Rubberneck: OGLER. Now this presumes that there is a noun for a rubbernecker - oh, wait, there is! It's "rubbernecker". To rubberneck is the verb. One demerit point for this.

49. Stan's slapstick pal: OLLIE. Abbott and Costello. No, wait - who's on first? Laurel and Hardy.

50. Naval bases?: KEELS. Nice clue, made me think a while.

54. Gloating word usually repeated: NYAH. Not NAH? I'm not a fan of these "spell it how you like" words. See also AHH/AAH.

57. Setting at 0 degrees long.: G.S.T.. So her we arrive at my gripe. I'm assuming that GST is supposed to be an abbreviation for Greenwich Standard Time, but that's the problem. The time at the zero meridian is Greenwich Mean Time, or GMT. The only reference to "Greenwich Standard Time" I can find is a source on the web that says it's the time zone in Iceland and Liberia, but when you search "Iceland Time Zone" it comes up as GMT. Ditto for Liberia, furthermore neither of which are on the zero meridian. So I'm calling this out as wrong. If SHEILA had been a little less obscure, maybe I wouldn't have minded so much, but this left me with a DNF, I just couldn't see past GMT.

58. "This is so relaxing!": AHH! Could equally be spelled AAH!

59. West Coast athlete: RAM. Los Angeles NFL player.

And to the victor, the spoils. Not me today, I was done in by GST, SHEILA and spell-it-how-you-like AHH.

Here's the grid!

Steve

Wednesday Febraury 27, 2019 Bryant Shain

Theme: SHUFFLEBOARD (54. Game played on a floor or table, and a hint to this puzzle's circled letters- Three types of boards are scrambled inside each theme answer.

20. Particular: HARD TO PLEASE. Dartboard.

28. Hospital bigwig: CHIEF SURGEON. Surfboard.

44. Formally accuse of wrongdoing: PRESS CHARGES. Chessboard.

Boomer here. 

Melissa lost her internet connection due to the bad weather, so Manager C.C. called me off the bench to pinch hit. Of course, Spring training baseball is in session but I looked out of the dugout and I did not see spring yet here in Minnesota. Continued snow and cold as March comes in like a lion but hopefully will go out like a lamb.  

One more note to follow up on Monday - I am not a big NBA fan however Timberwolves All-Star, Karl Anthony Towns survived a car accident when the car in which he was a passenger was hit from behind by a semi truck. Karl passed  concussion protocol and returned to the court Monday vs. Sacramento and scored 34 points with 21 rebounds, so it seems he is okay.  My bowling is getting better, but nothing over 600 yet.

Across:

1. Old Russian ruler: TSAR.  I think this a Bulgarian word for king.

5. Landlocked African nation: MALI.

9. Wedding registry category: CHINA.  C.C.'s native country. The wedding registry is DISHES.

14. Famous final question: ET TU.  How many eggs did you have for breakfast Caesar ?

15. "Ducky" Mallard's alma mater, on "NCIS": ETON.

16. Support people: AIDES.

17. Prefix in juice names: CRAN. "Raspberries, Strawberries, the good wine we brew." The Kingston Trio did not mention cranberries. Not close enough to Thanksgiving,

18. Tends to the lawn: MOWS.  I have heard of this, but we are shoveling the lawn here these days.

19. '50s four-wheeled failure: EDSEL. Strange name.  Edsel Ford was Henry Ford's son and Henry Ford II's father.  I believe the model came out in 1958, when I was a kid and everyone visited car dealerships to view the new models.  I remember some dealerships had canvas tarps over their new models until THE day! The Ford Edsel had a nose on the grill and did not seem to entice acceptance by the public. 

23. Kitchen counter?: TIMER.  I use mine frequently.

24. "__ thought": IT'S A.  __ bird, __ plane, it's Superman !

25. Place to unwind: SPA.

31. Gig gear: AMP.  Okay, but when I see this word, I think of electric current.

34. Lessen: EASE.

35. Tweak, as text: EDIT.

36. Some trucks: DIESELS. Actually auto makers tried to make cars run on diesel but it did not seem to catch on. 

38. The North Pole, for Santa: ADDRESS.  Every time we see Santa in a clue, we think of Argyle.  Interesting, the pastor of my church is father Tom Santa.  In a previous sermon he read some interesting mail that he received around Christmastime.

41. Opposite of endo-: ECTO.

42. Flat-bottomed vessel: SCOW.  I spell this BOAT.

43. Daisy Ridley's "The Last Jedi" role: REY.

49. Blue Jays' home: Abbr.: TOR.  My only touch in Toronto was a plane change on the way to New Hampshire.

50. Mimicked: APED.

51. Small lizard: GECKO. Not a car insurance ad.

57. Fluffy-eared "bear": KOALA. Not a soft drink.

60. Hair-removal brand: NAIR.

61. Vintage ski lift: T BAR.  I wish they had these on some of the golf courses that I have played.

62. Arouse, as wrath: INCUR.

63. Basic French verb: ETRE.  Still do not like foreign words in puzzles.

64. Theta follower: IOTA.  I am not sure if Greek letters are foreign words.  This one means a little bit.

65. Tank fish: TETRA.  You won't catch these fish in Minnesota's 10,000 lakes. I think this is another Greek prefix meaning four or five.  I think a TETRA blast would mean 5 strikes in a row, without leaving a TETRA pin.

66. "Keep it __": REAL.  This is a confusing word.  I see it in front of "Real Estate".  Is there a "Fake Estate"?

67. Provide job support for?: ABET.  Five dollars on the Pass Line please.

Down:

1. __ support: TECH.  Someone just called trying to sell me tech support.  I lied and said I don't have a computer.  That always makes them go away.

2. Classic Fender guitar, for short: STRAT.  Earlier this month we remembered the death of Buddy Holly 60 years ago on February 3, in Iowa.  Buddy made his Fender Stratocaster famous, Oh Boy!

3. Arcade pioneer: ATARI. Yup, I had a bunch of these old video game cartridges.

4. "Walk This Way" rap trio: RUN DMC.

5. Many a D.C. landmark: MEMORIAL. I have never visited D.C.  I bet it would be very interesting.

6. Perched on: ATOP. Old Smokie ?

7. Good-for-nothing: LOWLIFE.

8. Mini-maps: INSETS.  Sometimes on line, you can enlarge them.

9. 14-Across speaker: CAESAR.  He's the one who ET TU eggs.

10. Go underground: HIDE.

11. Cards checked at the door: IDS.  Saw this in a previous puzzle.  I've told you about the IDS tower - the tallest building in Minneapolis.

12. French word in bios: NEE. I think it means "Ma'am, what was your surname before you got hitched."

13. Syst. for the hearing-impaired: ASL.

21. Giggle: TE HEE.

22. Sun Devils' sch.: ASU.  I heard that it snowed this year in the state of Arizona.

25. Passover feast: SEDER.

26. Self-assurance: POISE.  There seems to be a lot of self-assured POISE going on in the MLB millionaires baseball camps this spring.  We shall see.

27. On pins and needles: ANTSY.

29. Curvy letter: ESS.

30. Berlin's home: Abbr.: GER.  How can GER be an abbreviation for Deutschland ?

31. Showing mastery: ADEPT.

32. Prefix with brewery: MICRO. If you like a craft beer. My keyboard says it can also be a prefix for soft.

33. Rocker Frampton: PETER. Pumpkin eater.

37. Scrubbing brand: SOS.  These are made from steel wool. Be careful.

38. Unlike this ans.: ACR (Across)

39. Technically flawed comic poetry: DOGGEREL.

40. Nerdy sort: DWEEB.

42. Tragic end: SAD FATE.  See the Buddy Holly story above.

45. Much of North Africa: SAHARA.  Formerly a casino in Las Vegas.  The Sahara Avenue is still there but the casino is gone.

46. PC brain: CPU.

47. Noted bunny lover: HEFNER.  The last of the Playboy mansions has closed and Hugh left us in 2017.  Quite a story.

48. Nova __: SCOTIA.

52. Skewered meat: KABOB. Shish ?

53. Give a political speech: ORATE. Did not care much for the orations at the Oscars. Nobody thanked me.

54. Put-down: SLUR.

55. Turkey bacon?: LIRA.  Old Italian bacon as well.

56. "Well, shoot": DRAT.

57. Modeling convenience: KIT.  I loved these things when I was a kid. Glued together a lot of planes and cars.

58. Tip jar bill: ONE.  This is an expensive task for our government to print these bills. They have tried Susan B. Anthony, Sacagawea, and President golden dollars, but nothing catches on.  People stubbornly continue to fill their wallets with dollar bills that last about two years, and scorn the coins which will last a lifetime.

59. Perform: ACT.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

The 42nd American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (March 22 to March 24) will be held at the Stamford Marriott in Stamford, Connecticut. For those who attend, don't miss the Cru Dinner organized by the great Mike Alpern, who welcomed his first grandson a few months ago.

The Cru Dinner (6 pm to 8 pm, Friday, March 22)  officially kicks off the tournament and is a great opportunity to meet with constructors and fellow solvers. The space is limited, esp this year, so be sure to contact with Mike as soon as possible.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 Peter Koetters

"SMILE"


17. *Wonderland feline known for disappearing: CHESHIRE CAT.

56. *Da Vinci's "La Gioconda," to some English speakers: THE MONA LISA.

11. *"Have a nice day" graphic: HAPPY FACE.

33. *Celtic peepers of song: IRISH EYES.  "When Irish eyes are smiling, sure, they steal your heart away..."

JJM's children.  Smiling Irish eyes !

48. Expression shared by the answers to starred clues: SMILE.
 
I hope that Peter's puzzle brought a smile to your face. 

Across:

1. Brewery in Golden, Colorado: COORS.  Looks like a pretty big operation.

6. Fast-food package deal: COMBO.

11. Color variant: HUE.

14. Gelatin garnish: ASPIC.

15. French word of farewell: ADIEU.

16. 24-hr. cash source: ATM.  Mixed messages here:

19. Nonstick spray brand: PAM.

20. "Hints from" columnist: HELOISE.

21. Weaken from disuse: ATROPHY.

23. Manhattan area to the right of Central Park, on maps: EAST SIDE.

 NYC Maps and Guides

25. __ a soul: NARY.

26. Corp. symbols: TMS.  Trademarks.

27. Stopgap remedy: QUICK FIX.

31. Small jazz groups: TRIOS.

34. "Designing Women" actress Delta: BURKE.   She played Susan Sugarbaker.

 Where are they now ?

35. Senate approval: AYE.

36. One of a bath towel pair: HERS.

37. Rocky outcroppings: CRAGS.

38. Capone facial mark: SCAR.   Chicago's Public Enemy # 1 in 1930.

39. Prefix with dermis: EPI.

40. Laundry slide: CHUTE.

41. 7-Down and such: POEMS.

42. Virus-transmitting insect: MOSQUITO.   The most dangerous creature on earth.

44. __ Francisco: SAN.   Capone spent four and a half years at a little island off the San Francisco coast.  

45. Sting or smart: HURT.

46. Musical wrap-ups: REPRISES.

51. Free sample restriction: ONE EACH.   “1.46 pounds of summer sausage and beef stick samples.”

54. Title savant in a 1988 Oscar-winning film: RAIN MAN.   The movie won four Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role for Dustin Hoffman as Rain Man (Raymond).  CSO to Rainman (Ray Hedrick) on this blogspot who co-constructed crosswords with C.C. and Mark McClain.

55. Invest in: BUY.

58. Scratch (out): EKE.

59. Dog-__: folded at the corner: EARED.

  

Poll Results: Do You Dog-Ear Pages In Books?

60. In finer fettle: HALER.

61. "Absolutely": YES.

62. Swiped: STOLE.

63. Gothenburg native: SWEDE.

Down:

1. Secret stash: CACHE.

2. "Straight Outta Compton" actor __ Jackson Jr.: O'SHEA.   "The son of  O'Shea Jackson, Sr., actor __ Jackson Jr."  would have made the answer too obvious.

He played his father in the movie.

3. Some German cars: OPELS.

4. Italian rice dishes: RISOTTOS.

5. Religious rifts: SCHISMS.

6. Gave a darn: CARED.

7. Neruda wrote one to common things: ODE.

• Ode to things
• Ode to the table
• Ode to the chair
• Ode to the bed
• Ode to the guitar
• Ode to a violin in California
• Ode to the dog
• Ode to the cat
• Ode to some yellow flowers
• Ode to a cluster of violets
• Ode to the gillyflower
• Ode to a bar of soap
• Ode to a pair of socks
• Ode to the dictionary
• Ode to a pair of scissors
• Ode to a box of tea
• Ode to the spoon
• Ode to the plate
• Ode to the orange
• Ode to the apple
• Ode to bread
• Ode to the artichoke
• Ode to the onion
• Ode to the tomato
• Ode to French fries.

He must have been getting hungry towards the end.

8. Layered mineral: MICA.

9. '50s-'60s nonconformists: BEATNIKS.

10. Run faster than: OUT RACE.  No woman has ever run faster than Florence Griffith-Joyner.   She ran the women's 100 meter dash in a world record 10.49 seconds in 1988.   She also set the 200m world record that year. 

In 2009, Usain Bolt set the men's world record for the 100 meter dash with a time of 9.58 seconds.     He was clocked at at an amazing 27.58 MPH - fast enough to get a speeding ticket in a school zone !   He also set the 200m record that year. 

Those four records still stand.   But when it comes to running fast, no land animal can out race a cheetah.   It can go 0 to 60 MPH in about 3 seconds.   That's faster than most production cars.    

12. Great Salt Lake state: UTAH.

13. TV award: EMMY.

18. Egyptian fertility goddess: ISIS.

22. "Mork & Mindy" planet: ORK.

24. Largest ring of latitude: EQUATOR.

Imaginary Circles and Notable Latitudes

28. Hard-to-ignore impulse: URGE.

29. Start of Popeye's existential maxim: I YAM.

30. Gen-__: post-boomers: X'ERS.

31. The bad guys: THEM.

32. Auctioned auto, perhaps: REPO.  A repossession for an unpaid loan. 

34. Champagne choice: BRUT.

37. Idle talk: CHIT-CHAT.   Small talk.  Fiddle-faddle.   In the study of languages, the phrase chit-chat is an example of reduplication.   Other examples would be ding-dong,  zig-zag,  boob-tube, hip-hop and kitty-cat.  Thought Co: Reduplicative Words

38. Kin by marriage: SON-IN-LAW.

40. Oversees, as a gallery collection: CURATES.

41. Social outcasts: PARIAHS. 

43. "__ Sera, Sera": QUE.  Such a pretty voice.


44. Stretch across: SPAN.

47. Slowly wear down: ERODE.

49. Relaxed, as rules: EASED.

50. Hunter's trap: SNARE.

51. Do as you're told: OBEY.

52. Zap for dinner: NUKE.

53. Courageous one: HERO.

57. Country singer Tillis: MEL.  Let's have some honky-tonk music with a steel guitar.  "You walked across my heart like it was Texas."   Ah, sing it Mel.

 
Note from C.C.:

The prostate cancer surgery for Nina's (Inanehiker) brother is now re-scheduled to 12:30 today at the VA hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Please continue keeping him in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you!

Monday February 25, 2019 Ed Sessa

Theme: 50. WHERE'S THE FIRE. ("What's your hurry?" ... and a literal hint to what's hiding in 20-, 27- and 42-Across)

20. Tricolor flier in Dublin: FLAG OF IRELAND.

27. Quality sound reproduction: HI-FI RECORDING.

42. "And suppose my answer is no?": WHAT IF I REFUSE.

Boomer here.

Hello Everyone from the frozen tundra. It's been a rough February here in Minnesota, We have shattered the old February snow record and received about four feet of new snow just this month! It is piled high wherever the plows can find room, but it makes driving a bit treacherous because it's hard to spot ongoing traffic. I have spent 69 of my 71 years here so I guess I am up to it, but I don't think C.C. is liking it too much. We are keeping warm in our igloo.

Across:

1. Sources of nuclear energy: ATOMS. An atom is so tiny and yet you can split one and blow something up.

6. Wolf call: HOWL.  Our Timberwolves had a howl moment this past Friday.  Karl A. Towns was injured in a car accident.  Not sure how long he will be out.

10. Banned pollutants, briefly: PCBS. Nasty chemicals.  I cannot spell the name poly something or other.

14. Exodus mount: SINAI.

15. Author Wiesel: ELIE.  Author of 57 books.

16. "I smell trouble": UH OH.

17. Tavern mug: STEIN.  "Here's to the fellow who couldn't think small …" Ode to Billie Sol.

18. Get off the lawn, as leaves: RAKE.  Don't have to rake leaves here yet.  Please pass the shovel.

19. Noncurrent currency of Italy: LIRA.  It would take 1700 lira to buy one dollar.  ( I am not that smart, I Googled it. )

23. Longtime forensic drama: CSI.

25. The first "T" in TNT: TRI.  I thought it was "TURNER",  I watch a lot of TV.

26. Bitcoin, notably: E MONEY.  I never did understand the bitcoin phenomena. I know a lot of money was made - or lost.

31. Prefix with violet: ULTRA.

32. Shipshape: NEAT. Order of 86 proof Scotch.

33. Mineral hardness scale: MOHS.

34. "The game is __": Sherlock Holmes: AFOOT.  When is a sock not a sock ?

36. "Alas!": AH ME.

40. Waves to ride on: SURF. "Let's go surfin' now, everybody's learnin' how"  Beach Boys.

41. Hit that barely gets over the infield: BLOOP.  Spring training has started. "Batter up !"

46. Panini cheese: ASIAGO. Sounds like a night club across the Pacific "Asia a Go Go"

48. "Alice" diner owner: MEL.  Not a diner I would like to have a meal.  In fact I don't think I would like any place called a "Diner"

49. "That's all __ wrote": SHE.

54. Stereo preceder: MONO.  Right on.  I am old enough to remember mono players.

55. Length times width: AREA.

56. Erode: EAT AT.  Not at Mel's Diner.

59. Blue dye: ANIL.  Never heard of this.

60. Storm-producing weather systems: LOWS. And when the storm hits it produces depression.

61. Wharton's Ethan: FROME.

62. Must have: NEED.  I need a shovel.

63. Crafter's website: ETSY.  Never bought anything from them, I wonder if they sell etsy betsy teeny weenie bikinis

64. Brown-toned photo: SEPIA.

Down:

1. Stubborn animal: ASS.  Blame the poor donkey.  I could think of better clues, but I won't. 

2. Chickadee relative: TIT.  I could think of better clues, but I won't.

3. 20% expressed as a fraction: ONE FIFTH.  A bottle of liquor.

4. Snail or junk follower: MAIL. Newman says there is no junk mail.

5. "New York, New York" crooner: SINATRA.  "Start spreadin' the news."

6. Valiant: HEROIC.

7. Disney snowman: OLAF.  We have a famous St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN.

Olaf

8. User-edited site: WIKI.  Known for their leaks.

9. Eyed wolfishly: LEERED AT.

10. Don, as boots: PULL ON.  I don't wear boots.  Socks are tough enough to pull on.

11. China's __ Kai-shek: CHIANG.  "Civil rights leaders are a pain in the neck.  Can't hold a candle to Chaing Kai shek.  How do I know? I read it in the Daily News."  -  Tom Paxton.

12. Carried: BORNE.

13. Shielded from the sun: SHADY. There's a Shady Oak Lake in Hopkins, MN, and a Shady Lady Saloon in Sacramento, CA.

21. College sr.'s exam: GRE.

22. Send out: EMIT.  Doesn't seem right.  Did you "EMIT" Christmas cards?

23. Buddy: CHUM.  I remember Chum Gum, (You could share with a friend.)  and goofy Chum Lee on the "Pawn Stars" show.

24. Grain storage area: SILO.  Lot of silos in Minnesota full of soybeans, waiting for prices to rise.

28. Tax-collecting agcy.: IRS. Yes, I've heard of them. Just sent them about five pages.

29. Like most light switches: ON/OFF.  You cannot have both.  Pick one.

30. Classic roadster: REO.

34. Used car lot event: AUTO SALE.  I keep seeing these "Carvana" ads.  Order a car or sell a car online.  Has anyone tried them ?

35. The "F" in TGIF: Abbr.: FRI.  Okay - Is the "G" for God or Goodness ?

36. Furry sitcom ET: ALF.

37. Landing site for Santa's sleigh: HOUSETOP. "Up on the housetop reindeer paws, out jumps good old Santa Claus."

38. Dance in a pit: MOSH.

39. Olympic fencing event: EPEE.  So, if there is a lot of people with swords, is that an "epeedemic"?

40. Wise one: SAGE.  Also a spice you put in turkey stuffing.

41. Opinions: BELIEFS. "I believe that children are our future.  Teach them well and let them lead the way."  Whitney Houston - "Greatest Love of All".

42. Dog at a cookout: WIENIE.  A teenie one could be a bikini.

43. Ramis of "Ghostbusters": HAROLD.  Liked him better with Bill Murray in "Stripes".

44. "Doesn't bother me at all": I'M EASY.

45. NFL official: REF.  And NBA and NHL.  But MLB has UMPs.

46. "Oh, no, bro!": AW MAN.

47. Dazzled: SHONE.

51. Relaxed running pace: TROT.  We have a trotters track in the Northern suburbs.  I have never been there.  Horses are unpredictable. I prefer Dice.

52. Fells with an ax: HEWS.

53. Steak order: RARE.

57. Mate, across the Channel: AMI. Or -- could be the end of a chess match.

58. Tazo product: TEA.  C.C. favorite thirst quencher.

Boomer

Notes from C.C.:

1) Dave 2 called me yesterday. He is finally back to his assisted living apartment, but he has no internet connection yet. He was so happy that his friends missed him! Hopefully he's back online soon.

2) Please keep Nina's (Inanehiker) brother in your thoughts and prayers. He's having prostate cancer surgery today down at the VA hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

Sunday February 24, 2019 Gail Grabowski

Theme: "Prep-positioning"-  Different prepositions are inserted into eight theme entries.
 
23A. Revenue for a monarchy?: KINGDOM INCOME. Kingdom come.

39A. Kids nagging parents about lack of air conditioning?: HOT OFFSPRING. Hot spring.

58A. Bungalow inundated with vacationing relatives?: OVERRUN HOME. Run home.

85A. Funny BBQ scene that got cut?: SPIT OUTTAKE. Spit take.

101A. Unlikely winner of a trite joke contest?: CORN UNDERDOG. Corn dog.
 
123A. Group unhappy with election results?: DOWNCAST PARTY. Cast party.

16D. Preview from St. Peter?: AFTERWORLD TOUR. World tour.

52D. "You're a big girl now"?: MATURITY UPDATE. Maturity date.

Such a simple but fresh theme. There's an art to Gail's simplicity, whether theme choice or grid design. She works hard to avoid uncommon abbreviations or strange names to make her entries easy.

I don't recall seeing 146-word Sunday grid. Looks like Rich allows it now. Great news.

Across:

1. Cheese companion: MAC.

4. Brewery fixtures: VATS.

8. Minute dispute: SPAT.  Small "minute".

12. Sandal features: T STRAPS.

19. "Barefoot Contessa" cook Garten: INA. An Instagrammer I know bumped into her in Paris a few months ago.

20. Journalist Larson: ERIK. Learning moment for me.

21. Pro shop purchase: POLO.

22. Group bar orders: CARAFES.

26. Crêpe cousin: BLINTZE. With blackberry sauce.

27. "My mom is gonna kill me!": I'M DEAD.

28. San Simeon family: HEARSTS. Hearst Castle.

30. Sleep __: MODE.

31. Running total: TALLY.

32. "The Hurt Locker" backdrop: WAR.

33. Upscale automaker: AUDI.

35. It might be generic: DRUG. When I was a kid, we paid about 0.15 cents for each doctor visit. Drugs were free. How China has changed!

38. Novelist Waugh: ALEC.

44. Which one: WHO.

45. Predator and Iconia computers: ACERS. My monitor is Acer.

47. Jack Reacher creator Child: LEE.

48. Dept. formed under Carter: ENER.

49. Bread grain: OAT.

50. Agassi rival: SAMPRAS (Pete)

53. Muses' domain: ARTS.

55. Massage offering: OIL RUB.

57. Important span: ERA.

63. __ column: concrete-filled steel support: LALLY. Another learning moment for me.

64. Rope in: ENTICE.

66. Quite a stretch: EONS.

67. Freshly stained: WET.

68. Dr. Leary's turn-on: LSD.

69. Sullen: DOUR.

70. Old Venetian coin: DUCAT.

72. Capital that's home to the Potala Palace: LHASA. Dalai Lama used to live in the Potala Palace.

74. "This is my __": STOP.

77. Dodge logo critter: RAM.

79. Poor, as excuses go: SAD.

80. Ghee-brushed bread: NAAN. Xi'an style Naan. The Muslim Quarters has the best food.

81. Unwitting victim: STOOGE.

83. Puts the worm on: BAITS.

88. It's often bookmarked: URL. This is what I love about Firefox. Very neat bookmarking system.

89. Be there: ATTEND.

91. Decorative jug: EWER.

92. It may be lit during the holidays: FIR TREE.

94. Withdrawn: SHY.

95. They may be wireless: BRAS.

98. Ristorante suffix: INI.

99. Links army leader: ARNIE. Arnie Palmer.

100. Loan letters: IOU.

104. Vicksburg soldiers: REBS.

108. One of Tom Brady's three: ESPY. Guess how many Tiger Woods has?

110. "JAG" spin-off: NCIS.

111. Has too much: ODS.

112. Piazza De Ferrari city: GENOA.

113. Humorist Barry: DAVE.

115. Takes care of a toy?: PET SITS. Nice fill/clue.

119. "To conclude ... ": LASTLY.

120. Govt. water-testing sites: EPA LABS.

125. SoCal daily: LA TIMES. Oh, hey, shout-out.

126. Pre-calc course: TRIG.

127. Rich deposit: LODE.

128. Job ad abbr.: EOE.

129. Pose a greater climbing challenge: STEEPEN.

130. "I'll get this one": ON ME.

131. Chuck: TOSS.

132. Chekov's orig. "Star Trek" rank: ENS.

Down:

1. NHL Hall of Famer Stan: MIKITA. Stranger to me.

2. Dog or dogie: ANIMAL.

3. It may be scented: CANDLE.

4. WWII surrender celebration: VE DAY. Victory in Europe Day.

5. 2016 MLB retiree: A-ROD.

6. Virginia senator Kaine: TIM. Clinton's running mate.

7. Vail toppers: SKI HATS.

8. Gp. advocating adoption: SPCA.

9. Substandard: POOR.

10. Charity: ALMS.

11. Line dance step: TOE TAP.

12. On the job, initially: TCB. Taking Care of Business.

13. "Rebel Without a Cause" actor: SAL MINEO. With James Dean and Natalie Wood.

14. The Bee Gees, e.g.: TRIO.

15. New-product div.: R AND D.

17. Candy invented in Austria: PEZ. There's a guy in our flea market who specialized in Pez dispensers.

18. Dallas-to-Houston dir.: SSE.

24. Easy pill to swallow: GEL CAP.

25. Pianist Peter: NERO.

29. Confident: SURE.

32. Less favorable: WORSE.

34. Unpleasant noise: DIN. I love the quietness in winter.

36. DIY mover: U HAUL.

37. Sidestepped: GOT BY.

39. Flung with force: HEAVED.

40. Put on conspicuous display: FLAUNT.

41. Seedless plants: FERNS.

42. Green of "Robot Chicken": SETH. Read more about it here.

43. Question doggedly: GRILL.

46. Shoe with lots of holes: CROC. Never tried Crocs.

50. Tourney ranking: SEED.

51. River of Pisa: ARNO.

54. "Who cares?": SO WHAT.

56. Roundup catcher: LASSO.

59. Postgame staple: RECAP.

60. Band aide: ROADIE.

61. Should have said: MEANT.

62. Area 51 creatures, it's said: ETS.

65. Doggone mad: IRATE.

71. Battleship letters: USS.

72. Hugh of "House": LAURIE. Also a novelist.

73. "Just __": ASKING.

75. Fiend of fantasy: OGRE.

76. Legendary soccer star: PELE.

78. "Morning Joe" network: MSNBC.

80. Ad infinitum: NO END. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

82. Hatcher of "Desperate Housewives": TERI.

83. Jazz count: BASIE.

84. Pal of Aramis: ATHOS.

86. Relative who shares your birthday, perhaps: TWIN. Our blog twins.

Joann's sister Joyce, their mother Martha and Joann

87. "Hair" styles: AFROS.

90. Queen's mate: DRONE BEE.

93. Mother canonized by Pope Francis: TERESA.

96. Hammer throw trajectory: ARC.

97. Impudent sort: SNIP.

99. Pasta water prep instruction: ADD SALT.

102. Did, but doesn't now: USED TO.

103. Campus recruiting gp.: ROTC.

105. Dining selection: ENTREE. Do you have Port of Subs in your area?

106. Balladeer Michael: BOLTON. "How can we be lovers if we can't be friends?"

107. Give the okay: SAY YES.

109. Bush or Clinton, once: YALIE.

112. Rubbernecks, with "at": GAPES.

114. Seductive sort: VAMP.

116. Struggling to decide: TORN.

117. Triathlon component: SWIM.

118. "Picnic" playwright: INGE (William)

119. Bygone Fords: LTDS.

120. 2015 Payne Stewart Award honoree Ernie: ELS.

121. Touch gently: PAT.

122. Return ID: SSN.

124. Great Lakes' __ Canals: SOO.

C.C.

I failed to reach Fermet Prime on Friday and Saturday. Her friend Malcolm said she might be released from the hospital next Monday February 25. He said "The hospital would like Lorraine to go to a rehab situation, they object to her going back to her house unless she has twenty-four hour help."  

In the meantime, we can send cards to:

Lorraine Foster

8735 White Oak Ave.

Northridge, CA 91325

C.C.