google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Amy Johnson

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Showing posts with label Amy Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amy Johnson. Show all posts

Mar 25, 2024

Monday March 25, 2024 Amy Johnson

  

Happy Monday, everyone! sumdaze here. My calendar is telling me today is a XWD favorite holiday -- Holi. Best wishes to all who celebrate!

Veteran constructor Amy Johnson recently collaborated with Katie Hale on this Sunday puzzle. Today she is back with a solo contribution I am calling: 

Wishful Thinking

All is explained at the reveal:

56 Across. Words said over a lit birthday cake, and upon the start of 17-, 26-, or 42-Across: MAKE A WISH.  
Isn't she fun to watch?!

17 Across. Box office attraction: STAR POWER.  Jiminy Cricket sang about this in Pinocchio (1940).  
(Watch at 1:19 min. there are side-by-side pictures of crooner Cliff Edwards 
next to his animated alter ego.)

26 Across. Ancient vintner's quaff: DANDELION WINE.  
Why People Wish on Dandelions

42 Across. Makeup bag contraption: EYELASH CURLER.  If you see an eyelash on your friend's face, you can put it on the tip of your finger and tell your friend to make a wish then blow it away.
If you didn't know, this is an EYELASH CURLER.
No wonder eyelashes want to flee after being caught in one of these contraptions!  

The three themers give us three things upon which we can make a wish:  STARDANDELIONEYELASH. Amy did a fine job of crafting her idea into a 9-13-13-9 pattern grid. Let's see what else she included:

Across:
1. "The __ of the Furious": film sequel also known as "F8": FATE.  Hand up for filling this with FAST then later looking at 1-Down and thinking, "Huh?"
How did I miss the F+8=FATE ? I obviously went too fast

5. Orange juice bits: PULP.

9. Former Speaker of the House Pelosi: NANCY.  Nancy Patricia Pelosi (b. March 26, 1940) served as the 52nd Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007-2011 and 2019-2023.

14. Atmospheric glow: AURA.

15. Teri's "Young Frankenstein" role: INGA.  Here is Teri Garr reminiscing about making the 1974 film with director Mel Brooks and co-stars Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, and Madeline Kahn.

16. Honolulu hello: ALOHA.  

19. Like an area with many farms: RURAL.

20. Tee or cami: TOP.

21. Suffix with oct-: -ANE.  so much more info.

22. Letters sent by plane: AIRMAIL.  

24. Scott Turow work: ONE L.  
25. Timely blessing: BOON.

31. __ and pestle: MORTAR.  Mine gets a lot of use grinding flax seeds to add to the bread I bake. My tip is to add whatever salt a recipe calls for to the MORTAR at the same time.  

32. Dr. Jekyll creator's monogram: RLS.  Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh on November 13, 1850 and died 9,460 miles away in Samoa on December 3, 1894.  

33. Celestial sphere: ORB.

35. Belgium money: EUROS.

36. Heaven knows where, for short: MIA.  Missing IAction  

37. Subway in Washington, D.C.: METRO.  
I rode the Orange line to the Farragut West station for three years.

39. Flight safety org.: TSA.  

40. Casual hellos: HIs.

41. Lox fish: SALMON.  Lox is a fillet (or strip) of brined SALMON. Brining means to cure food with salt.  lox-a more about lox

46. Part of speech: NOUN.

47. Classic TV role for Ron Howard: OPIE.  Ron talks in depth about this period of his life in his book The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family (2021).

48. Millennium Falcon pilot: HAN SOLO.  Anyone with an iota of Star Wars background knew this one.
Harrison Ford, back in the day
BTW, Harrison Ford and Ron Howard acted together in American Graffiti,
a 1973 George Lucas film about cruising in Modesto, CA.

51. Surgery ctrs.: ORS.  Operating Rooms

52. Gain a lap: SIT.  This was my FAV clue today!  Not a lap on the track!

55. Renowned baseball family: ALOUS.  Here is the story of how three brothers from the Dominican Republic made MLB history by forming the first all-brother outfield back in 1963.  

59. Word after dime or dollar: STORE.

60. Early school yrs.: ELEM.  "Years" is abbrevieated, so is "ELEMentary".

61. __ and hearty: HALE.

62. Game piece: TOKEN.  

63. County fair attraction: RIDE.

64. Sign of the future: OMEN.

Down:

1. "The __ and the Furious": action film franchise: FAST.

2. Car: AUTO.  
AUTOs in The Fast and Furious  (2001)

3. U-shaped part of a drainpipe: TRAP.  
4. Spot for an AirPod: EAR.

5. Trailblazer: PIONEER.

6. Not feeling up to par: UNWELL.

7. Size up from med.: LGE.

8. Curve in algebra class: PARABOLA.  
This diagram shows why we say a PARABOLA is a conic section 
(the curve you get when a plane intersects a cone's surface).

9. Not wide: NARROW.

10. School reunion attendees: ALUMNI.

11. "Julie & Julia" writer/director Ephron: NORA.  

12. Spiced tea brewed in milk: CHAI.

13. Southern collective pronoun: Y'ALL.  I hope Y'ALL got this one correct today.

18. Bamboo-eating bears: PANDAS.  

23. Atomic particles that carry charges: IONS.

24. Hardly fooled by: ONTO.  ONTO is a preposition that can mean on top of or fully aware of.  

26. Drench: DOUSE.  This is that disgusting MAYO video we were talking about last week.  WVU coach gets DOUSEd in MAYO after bowl win

27. Wide variety: ARRAY.

28. From Donegal: IRISH.  CSO to our lovely IM☘

29. "Get anyone else": NOT ME.

30. Infielder's blunder: ERROR.

31. "Have we __?": MET.  

34. "__ voyage!": BON.

36. Inappropriate handle: MISNOMER.  The slang definition of "handle" is a person's name or nickname. We all use one on The Corner.

37. Oscar winner Tomei: MARISA.  She won for My Cousin Vinny in 1993.  
Love this styling!!
38. French feminine pronoun: ELLE.

40. Heist booty: HAUL.

41. Highest in rank: SUPREME.  
Stop! In the Name of Love
The Supremes (1965)

43. Big name in nutritional shakes: ENSURE.  

44. Undo a bit, as a tie: LOOSEN.

45. Not raw: COOKED.

48. Biblical verb: HAST.  archaic second person singular present of "have"

49. Voice range for some boys: ALTO.

50. Cozy reading spot: NOOK.  31 Dreamy Reading Nook Ideas to Curl up with a Book in 2024

52. Thailand, once: SIAM.  CSO to Lily, Husker Gary's SIAMese cat.  

53. Cruise ship stop: ISLE.

54. Back in the day: THEN.

57. "Sting like a bee" boxer: ALI.

58. "Doctor __": BBC series starring Ncuti Gatwa: WHO.  Ncuti was born on October 15, 1992 in Rwanda. He is the 15th incarnation of the Doctor. Here he is with the latest sonic screwdriver.  

Here's today's completed grid:

Thanks in advance for your comments! I'll be off-line this week but I'll see you next Monday. I wish you a good day!

Mar 3, 2024

Sunday March 3, 2024 Amy Johnson & Katie Hale

Theme: "Academic Clubs" - Each group-ending common phrase is punnily rephrased as if it's a club for some majors.

23A. Club for music majors?: INSTRUMENT PANEL.

36A. Club for geology majors?: HEAVY METAL BAND.

56A. Club for astronomy majors?: HEAVENLY BODY.

80A. Club for paleontology majors?: SKELETON CREW.

99A. Club for philosophy majors?: REFLECTING POOL.

116A. Club for botany majors?: FLOWER GATHERING.

15D. Club for genealogy majors?: BIRTHDAY PARTY.

55D. Club for urban planning majors?: TRAFFIC CIRCLE.

Good to see Amy's byline again. She was a frequent Sunday constructor a few years ago. For those who are new, Katie Hale is the assistant to Patti Varol. She has been generously helping many constructors with their themes and grids. Here's Katie (picture from Gary's blog)

Patti allows Sunday theme queries. Some of Amy's original theme entries probably did not work for Patti. Then she suggested some new ones. Then Amy & Katie brainstormed more and got the current set. Katie probably also added the extra clue layer to further tighten up the set also.

Across:

1. Sorrowful sigh: ALAS.

5. Crude cartel since 1960: OPEC.

9. Blue, in Barcelona: AZUL. Alliteration.

13. Shady plot: ARBOR.

18. Actress Sorvino: MIRA. She speaks Chinese.



19. City in Victor Hugo novels: PARIS.

21. "Catch ya later!": CIAO.

22. Jazz singer Cleo: LAINE.

26. Agent concerned with spots: AD REP.

27. Heredity units: GENES.

28. Causing shudders, maybe: EERIE.

29. Key holder, often: JANITOR. Nice clue.

31. Was successful in: WON AT.

32. YouTube alternative: VIMEO.

34. Stage name intro: AKA.

35. "How tragic": OH NO. And 33. "How tragic": IT'S SAD.

40. Still in the sack: ABED.

42. Monogram on some high-end handbags: YSL.

43. Many corny jokes: PUNS.

44. Go on the lam: BOLT.

46. Biblical name of ancient Syria: ARAM. Root of Aramaic spoken in "The Passion of the Christ".

48. "__ Christ Superstar": JESUS.

49. Makes a connection: TIES IN.

51. Howled loudly: BAYED.

53. Wasatch Mountains ski town: ALTA.

59. Standard: PAR. And 60. Standards: NORMS.

62. __ jockey: DISC.

63. Rough guess: STAB.

64. Vague quantity: ANY.

65. Like extreme measures: DRASTIC.

68. Reebok rival: ASICS. Dr. Nina's favorite brand.



71. New citizen, perhaps: EMIGREE.

73. NFL flag thrower: REF.

74. Dull pain: ACHE. 76. Treat 74-Acrosses, maybe: SOAK.

78. Wee: BITSY.

79. Christmas helper: ELF.

85. Storage unit: BYTE. Computer storage.

86. __ station: WEIGH.

88. Music industry drama series starring Taraji P. Henson: EMPIRE.

89. NAACP __ Awards: IMAGE.

91. Cold, slushy treat: ICEE.

92. Nemo's home: REEF.

93. Mystery writer Paretsky: SARA. From Ames, Iowa.



94. Victoria's Secret purchase: BRA.

97. Haggler's concern: COST.

104. Middle Eastern title: EMIR.

106. Short greetings: HIS.

108. How tempura is fried: IN OIL. I  love shrimp tempura the most.


109. Scrooge visitor: GHOST.

110. Come really close to: VERGE ON.

112. African language family: BANTU.

114. Square: PLAZA.

115. Spanish folk hero: EL CID.

121. Pass along: RELAY.

122. British aristocrat: EARL.

123. Changed direction, nautically: YAWED.

124. Uber Eats display: MENU.

125. Many first-time voters: TEENS.

126. Some bourbons: RYES.

127. Cincinnati ballclub: REDS. Pete Rose continues to bet in Las Vegas. Signing autographs at Mandalay Bay. His full-time job there.


128. Chariot-riding god: ARES.

Down:

1. "Who __ to judge?": AM I.

2. Legalese and computerese: LINGOES.

3. Longtime Tottenham football rival: ARSENAL.

4. GPS tech: SATNAV. Satellite Navigation.

5. Bloom County penguin: OPUS.

6. "I Said a Prayer" singer Tillis: PAM.

7. Browning's before: ERE. I love love stories.


8. Show place: CINEMA.

9. Smoothie berry: ACAI.

10. Online pub: ZINE.

11. Abu Dhabi's fed.: UAE.

12. Texter's "I didn't mean that :)": LOL JK.  Just Kidding.

13. Rickman of "Die Hard": ALAN.

14. Time of Roosevelt's fireside chats: RADIO ERA.

16. Walk result, maybe: ONE ON.

17. Brief copy: REPRO.

20. Kind of drum or guitar: STEEL.

24. Enter again: RE-TYPE.

25. "Not my __": PROB.

30. Moody's top bond rating: AAA.

31. Question of motive: WHY.

32. Wedding planner's concern: VENUE.

34. Freestyle raps: ADLIBS.

37. "Go faster, huskies!": MUSH. A few sled dog races in Minnesota were canceled due to our warm weather. Odd winter.

38. Genesis figure: ABEL.

39. Like some neighbors: NOSY.

41. Highchair wear: BABY BIB.

45. Safe IRA option: T NOTE.

47. Most lowdown: MEANEST.

48. Some spreads: JAMS.

49. Hardy title character: TESS. "Tess of the d'Urbervilles".



50. Sharp front tooth: INCISOR.

52. Systane target: DRY EYE.

53. "Bizarre Foods" host Zimmern: ANDREW. He's based in Minnesota.



54. Singing nymph of the Rhine: LORELEI.

57. Passing through: VIA.

58. Three Gorges structure: DAM. Called San Xia in Chinese. San means "three".



61. Stockpiles: STASHES.

66. "I'm not eating that!": ICK.

67. Merriment: CHEER.

69. Baskin-Robbins treat: CONE. And 111. "Grand" ice cream: EDYS.

70. Word with ink or egg: SAC.

72. Barb: GIBE.

75. Sticky brand: ELMERS.

77. Governor Noem of South Dakota: KRISTI. She looks like a TV news host.

81. Olympic sword: EPEE.

82. Petty squabble: TIFF.

83. Inbox buildup: EMAIL.

84. Alert: WARN.

87. Architectural style between 1714 and 1830: GEORGIAN.

90. Bunch of honkers: GAGGLE.

94. Stronger, as mixed drinks: BOOZIER.

95. Cash of country: ROSANNE.



96. Ctrl-__-Del: ALT.

98. Albeit, briefly: THO.

100. Dash or slash: LINE. Love this clue also.

101. Diary passage: ENTRY.

102. Mountain lion: COUGAR.

103. Big __: drug industry, colloquially: PHARMA.

104. Tennis great Chris: EVERT.

105. Fracas: MELEE.

107. Conclude: INFER.

112. Cause of some nodding: BORE.

113. Shoemaker's tools: AWLS.

114. Many profs: PHDS.

117. Install, as brick: LAY.

118. Bedazzle: AWE.

119. Sam player on "Cheers": TED.

120. "Breaking Bad" villain Fring: GUS.


Nov 22, 2023

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 Amy Johnson

Theme: Let's Tie This Thing Up - Maybe Like A Turkey?

17 A. "Get lost!": GO FLY A KITE.  The phrase originated in the 1940s and was very popular at that time and for the next few decades. Its meaning is derived from its literal meaning: A person would probably need to go away to actually fly a kite.  And what would s/he hold on to -- hmmm.


23 A. Hands-on creation?: SHADOW PUPPET. These are figures that are placed between a light and a screen. Moving them creates the illusion of moving images on the screen. An experienced puppeteer can make figures appear to walk, talk, fight and dance. Shadow puppetry is a popular form of entertainment in countries all over the world.  But there are other puppets manipulated in a different way.

46 A. Home of SpongeBob SquarePants: BIKINI BOTTOM.   Bikini Bottom is the main setting in the SpongeBob SquarePants series. It is an undersea city where SpongeBob and his friends live. According to Nickelodeon's program summary, Bikini Bottom is located in the Pacific Ocean, beneath Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.  Were they just stringing us along?  Here is the other kind.


57 A. Actress who completed her EGOT with a Grammy for the audiobook "Finding Me": VIOLA DAVIS.  Viola Davis [b. 1965]  is an American actress and producer. Davis is one of the few performers to have been awarded an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. She is the sole African-American to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting as well as the third person to achieve both statuses. Alternatively, the VIOLA is a string instrument that is bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.

And -- the unifier -- 36 A. What some favors and one part of the answers to 17-, 23-, 46-, and 57-Across come with?: STRINGS ATTACHED.   If something such as an agreement or special offer has strings attached, it involves special demands or limits.  These are metaphorical strings. But each of the other theme fill have an alternate meaning in which it is literally attached to a string - and in each case a different kind of string.

Hi Gang, JazzBunpa here to pull your strings today.  Let's dig into this puzzle and see it we can put a bow around it.

Across

1. "Sounds cool, man": I'M HIP.  OK. by me in jive talk.

6. Antioxidant-rich berry: ACAI.   Açaí berry is a fruit from a palm tree found in South America, mainly in the Brazilian Amazon. Because the tree does not grow outside its natural habitat, and the fresh Açaí berries are very perishable, they are usually available outside Brazil only as a juice 

10. Protrudes: JUTS.  Sticks out.

14. Background tunes for a tree-trimming party: NOELS.  Christmas Carols.  Nope - still too soon.


15. Quarterback's setback: SACK.   In gridiron football, a sack occurs when the quarterback (or another offensive player acting as a passer) is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before throwing a forward pass, when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and without clear intent, or when a passer runs out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage due to defensive pressure.

16. "Just __!": A SECond.  Request for someone to wait for a brief moment.

19. "You Bet Your Life" host Jay: LENO.  James Douglas Muir Leno (born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, writer and comedian. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's The Tonight Show from 1992 until 2009.  Since 2021 he has hosted the revival of You Bet Your Life. 

20. Industrious insect: ANT.   Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22,000 species have been classified.

21. "If I Could Turn Back Time" singer: CHER.   Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industry. Known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in numerous areas of entertainment, as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances.


22. Knight game: JOUST.   Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game or hastilude between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism. The term is derived from Old French joster, ultimately from Latin iuxtare "to approach, to meet."  You can learn about it here.  [Embedding was not allowed]

26. Small parts for big names: CAMEOS.  A CAMEO is a small character part in a play or movie, played by a distinguished actor or a celebrity.

29. Lamarr of the silver screen: HEDY.   Hedy Lamarr [born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, 1914] was an Austria-Hungarian-born American actress and technology inventor. She was a film star during Hollywood's Golden Age.


30. Particle with an orbital system: ATOM.    An atom is a particle that consists of a nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by an electromagnetically-bound cloud of electrons. The atom is the basic particle of the chemical elements, and the chemical elements are distinguished from each other by the number of protons that are in their atoms. 

31. IRS convenience: E-FILE.  Electronic filing, also known as e-filing, is a process of submitting documents to a court or government agency. You typically do this via the internet or other electronic means. 

33. Brownie __ mode: ALA.  Topped or garnished with ice cream.

40. L.A.-to-NYC dir.: ENE.  East-North-East - the direction or compass point midway between east and northeast..

41. Tiny bits: IOTAS.  Extremely small amounts.

42. Set the pace: LEAD. Set the initiative in an action; be an example for others to follow, have first place in a race..

43. Brittney Griner's org.: WNBA.  Women's National Basketball Association.   Brittney Yevette Griner ( born October 18, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA.)] She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. women's national basketball team and a six-time WNBA All-Star. She was additionally named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023.

44. Little rascals: SCAMPS.   Person, especially children, who are mischievous in a likable or amusing way.

51. Dark wood: EBONY.  Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus Diospyros, which also includes the persimmon tree. Few Diospyros species such as macassar and mun ebony are dense enough to sink in water.

52. Portal: DOOR.   Entrance way.

53. Itinerary info: ETA.  Estimated Time of Arrival.

56. "Sounds cool!": NEAT.  Slang phrases for approval or agreement.

60. Story: TALE.   a fictitious or true narrative or story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted.

61. __-Alt-Del: CTRL.  A PC key combination.  The function of the key combination differs depending on the context but it generally interrupts or facilitates interrupting a function. 

62. Leaves out: OMITS.  Leaves out or excludes (someone or something), either intentionally or forgetfully.

63. Actor Sharif: OMAR.   Omar Sharif [born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub, 2015). was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. He began his career in his native country in the 1950s. He is best known for his appearances in American, British, French, and Italian productions.

64. "Black-ish" star Tracee Ellis __: ROSS.  Tracee Joy Silberstein (born October 29, 1972), known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress. She is known for her lead roles in the television series Girlfriends (2000–2008) and Black-ish (2014–2022) receiving nominations for five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the latter.  She is the daughter of actress and Motown recording artist Diana Ross and Robert Ellis Silberstein. 

65. Windbreaker fabric: NYLON.   Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers with amide backbones, usually linking aliphatic or semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are white or colorless, and soft; some are silk-like. They are thermoplastic, which means that they can be melt-processed into fibers, films, and diverse shapes.  The properties of nylons are often modified by blending with a wide variety of additives.

Down:
1. Pulitzer-winning architecture critic Saffron: INGA.  Inga Saffron (born November 9, 1957) is an American journalist and architecture critic. She won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism while writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

2. Once in a blue __: MOON.  This indicates a rare event.  More precisely, a blue moon is an additional full moon that appears in a subdivision of a year: the third of four full moons in a season.  This happens every two to three years (seven times in the Metonic cycle of 19 years)

3. Lift with effort: HEFT.  As defined.

4. Ailing: ILL.  Sick.

5. Film set at the Bates Motel: PSYCHO.  Psycho is a 1960 American horror film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay, written by Joseph Stefano, was based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The film stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Martin Balsam. The plot centers on an encounter between on-the-run embezzler Marion Crane (Leigh) and shy motel proprietor Norman Bates (Perkins) and its aftermath, in which a private investigator (Balsam), Marion's lover Sam Loomis (Gavin), and her sister Lila (Miles) investigate her disappearance.

6. Made inquiries: ASKED.  Said something in order to obtain an answer or some information.

7. Tahrir Square city: CAIRO.  Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the city-state Cairo Governorate, and is the country's largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metropolitan area, with a population of 22.1 million, is the 12th-largest in the world by population.   Tahrir Square; English: "Liberation Square", also known as Martyr Square, is a major public town square in downtown Cairo, Egypt. The square has been the location and focus for political demonstrations. The 2011 Egyptian revolution and the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak occurred at the Tahrir Square.

8. "__ your age!": ACT.  Behave in a manner appropriate to someone of one's age and not to someone much younger.


9. Actor Barinholtz: IKE.   Ike Barinholtz [b. 1977] is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer. He is best known for his starring roles in the comedy series MADtv (2002–2007), Eastbound & Down (2012), The Mindy Project (2012–2017), Bless the Harts (2019–2021), The Afterparty (2022), and History of the World, Part II (2023). In February 2023 he won the inaugural primetime season of Celebrity Jeopardy!, winning US$1,000,000 for charity.

10. Bucket of bolts: JALOPY.  An old car in a dilapidated condition.

11. Burn through: USE UP.   Use or consume all of a stock or supply of something.

12. Tied up in knots: TENSE.  Become emotionally upset, typically through anxiety or nervousness.

13. "House of Gucci" director Ridley __: SCOTT.  Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English filmmaker. He is best known for directing films in the science fiction, crime, and historical drama genres. His work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades throughout his career, including the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2018, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. In 2003, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

18. Cries of discovery: AHAS.  Used when you are expressing pleasure or surprise that you have understood something or found something out

22. King Herod's realm: JUDEA.  The Herodian kingdom was a client state of the Roman Republic ruled from 37 to 4 BCE by Herod the Great, who was appointed "King of the Jews" by the Roman Senate. When Herod died, the kingdom was divided among his sons into the Herodian Tetrarchy.

23. Service plaza rig: SEMI.  A semi tractor-trailor vehicle used for hauling freight.

24. Tiny bits: WHITS.  Iotas, and a clecho.

25. Linus Van __: "Peanuts" kid: PELT.  Linus Van Pelt is a fictional character in Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts. He is the best friend of Charlie Brown, the younger brother of Lucy Van Pelt, and the older brother of Rerun Van Pelt. His first appearance was on September 19, 1952, but he was not mentioned by name until three days later. He was first referred two months earlier, on July 14. Linus spoke his first words in 1954, the same year he was first shown with his security blanket. Linus is named after Schulz's friend Linus Maurer.



26. 12 bottles of wine: CASE.  A box or receptacle for holding something, often a specific quantity.

27. Env. directive: ATTN.  Mail routing instruction within an office or business.

28. Extra: MORE.  But, wait . . .

31. Founded: Abbr.: ESTAB.  Established - the date when a business was started.

32. Drone-regulating org.: FAA.   Federal Aviation Administration.

33. "Excuse me ... ": AHEM.  Feigned throat clearing sound, used to get someone's attention.

34. __ year: LEAP.  A year, occurring once every four years, that has 366 days including February 29 as an intercalary day.

35. Stirs in: ADDS.   If you add one thing to another, you put it in or on the other thing, to increase, complete, or improve it. For example: add the grated cheese to the sauce. 

37. Nincompoop: NINNY.  A foolish nitwit.

38. Asian desert: GOBI.   The Gobi Desert is a vast, cold and arid region in northern China and southern Mongolia. It's known for its dunes, mountains and rare animals such as snow leopards and Bactrian camels. In the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, the Khongoryn Els sand dunes are said to sing when the wind blows. The park also features the deep ice field of Yolyn Am canyon. Dinosaur fossils have been found at the red "Flaming Cliffs" of Bayanzag.

39. Chowder morsel: CLAM.  Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve molluscs. The word is often applied only to those that are edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the seafloor or riverbeds.

43. Time for cold feet?: WINTER.  Literal.  I've been wearing socks to bed for a few weeks.  Figuratively,  having cold feet is to be too fearful or timid to undertake or complete an action.

44. Greek portico: STOA.  A classical portico or roofed colonnade.

45. Le __ Bleu: Julia Child's alma mater: CORDON.   Literally "blue ribbon," indicating a high level of achievement. 

46. Lunchbox type: BENTO.  A bento is the Japanese iteration of a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal, often for lunch. Outside Japan, it is common in other East and Southeast Asian culinary styles, especially within Chinese, Korean, Singaporean, Taiwanese cuisines and more, as rice is a common staple food in the region. 

47. Steel girder: I-BEAM.   An I-beam is any of various structural members with an I or H-shaped cross-section. Technical terms for similar items include H-beam, w-beam, universal beam, rolled steel joist, or double-T. I-beams are typically made of structural steel and serve a wide variety of construction uses. 

48. Souvenir toy from Australia, say: KOALA.   A stuffed animal toy replica of the koala

49. Landfill emanations: ODORS.  It's garbage.  It smells bad.

50. Road trip expense: TOLLS.  A charge payable for permission to use a particular bridge or road.

53. Mean business?: EVIL.  Profoundly immoral and wicked.  Clever misdirection.

54. "Mambo King" Puente: TITO.  Ernest Anthony Puente Jr., [1923 -2000]commonly known as Tito Puente, was an American musician, songwriter, bandleader, timbalero, and record producer. He composed dance-oriented mambo and Latin jazz music. Puente and his music have appeared in films including The Mambo Kings and Fernando Trueba's Calle 54.


55. Trade gp.: ASSN.   A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry.

57. Bygone TV attachment: VCR.  Video Cassette Recorder.

58. Skater Midori: ITO.   Midori Ito [b. 1969] is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 1989 World champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist. She is the first woman to land a triple-triple jump combination and a triple Axel in competition. 


59. "Doctor Who" role for Karen Gillan: AMY. Karen Sheila Gillan (/ˈɡɪlÉ™n/; born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress and filmmaker. She gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for playing Amy Pond, a primary companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the science fiction series Doctor Who (2010–2013), for which she received several awards and nominations. Her early film roles include Ally in the thriller film Outcast (2010) and Jane Lockhart in the romantic comedy film Not Another Happy Ending (2013). She also worked on the stage while in Britain, appearing in John Osborne's play Inadmissible Evidence (2011).

That wraps up this Wednesday.  Hope I didn't string you along.  Have a joyous, blessed and food-filled Thanksgiving.  See you all in January.  Go Lions!

Cool regards!
JzB




Aug 17, 2020

Monday April 17, 2020 Amy Johnson

 Theme: In a Zone - Zone can follow the first word in each theme entry.

18A. Baked mac and cheese, for many: COMFORT FOOD. Comfort zone.

28A. Hit pay dirt: STRIKE IT RICH. Strike zone.

47A. "Aladdin" song whose title lyric follows "You ain't never had a": FRIEND LIKE ME. Friend zone.

62A. Buried record for future generations: TIME CAPSULE. Time zone.

Reveal:

68A. With 60-Down, on one's game ... and hint to the start of this puzzle's longest answers: IN A.

60D. See 68-Across: ZONE.

Boomer here. 

I used to bowl at the Brunswick Zone, however, some company purchased them and renamed them to Bowlero. Never Mind, I still use my Combat Zone, a reactive ball that works pretty well. Now I am waiting for a vaccine. Both of my teams have voted for a delay in the start of bowling. The Big 10+4, the PAC 12, and the SEC cannot be wrong.




Across:

1. Storied December shelf dweller: ELF.  Santa's helper

4. Kind of gun that catches speeders: RADAR. Fortunately, I have never been caught.  Maybe it's because I do not speed.

9. Burning crime: ARSON.

14. Pooh pal in a pouch: ROO.  Roo Roo the Kangaroo.

15. Spanish month: ENERO.  January.

16. Colorful tank fish: TETRA.  Nice looking fish.  I think they are foreign.  I've never seen one in a Minnesota lake.


17. Cow call: MOO.  I seem to remember that this was a Sorority in "Animal House".

20. When an after-lunch meeting might start: AT TWO.  Or a tee time?

22. Blender maker: OSTER.  I think it was a pioneer and most famous.  Graybar sold thousands of them back in the 70s.

23. Deux halved: UNE.

24. Ones paid to play: PROS.  I guess the loot is coming from TV ads this year.  No tickets have been sold.  Bar owners of locations around stadium are hurting.

26. Something that affects a result: FACTOR.  I guess Aaron Judge's 9 home runs are a FACTOR


33. Issue, as light: EMIT.

34. Memo opening words: IN RE.  I have seen and heard it but it seems redundant.  Wouldn't "RE" be enough.

35. Kid's bear: TEDDY.  Also a face on Mount Rushmore.

39. Willy Wonka portrayer Wilder: GENE.  Famous movie star.  My favorite was "Blazing Saddles."

40. Doctor's order?: SAY AH.  I thought only dentists say AH.  My doctor has me pull up my shirt so the lady can give me a needle shot in my stomach.  It doesn't hurt much.

42. __ avis: RARA.

43. Leading the league: ON TOP.  The Twins were there last week.  Then they dropped four in a row so I'm not too sure now.

45. Plant stem joint: NODE.  "Deal or NO DEal".

46. Of the mouth: ORAL.  Now SAY AH !

50. Social blunders: GAFFES.

53. Carded at the door, briefly: ID'ED.  Never happened to us.  C.C. and I do not patronize those questionable places.  Or maybe we are too old to be carded.

54. Christian sch. in Tulsa: ORU.

55. One way to read: ALOUD.  Grade school chore, mostly.

59. TV host Gibbons: LEEZA.



65. OED book, e.g.: VOL. Volume.

66. Newborn's lack, usually: TEETH.  But they still say "AH".

67. Big name in racing: UNSER.  Bobby, Al, and Al Jr.  are all millionaire race drivers that go real fast.

69. Analyze, as ore: ASSAY.

70. Fills fully: SATES.

71. "__ Misérables": LES.

Down:

1. Funny Bombeck: ERMA.  I used to like her stuff when published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  She was a clever humorist. We lost her in 1996 due to kidney problems.


2. Pirate's take: LOOT.

3. Clue in the mud: FOOTPRINT.  "in the Heat of the Night" - Lonnie Jamison makes cement casts to catch criminals.

4. Fix dinner?: RE-COOK.  Usually cooking once is enough.

5. 15-Across starts it: ANO.  Another Discover card commercial.

6. Free game version, maybe: DEMO.  Do car dealers still let customers take out DEMOs?

7. Lab greetings: ARFS.

8. Word with square or cube: ROOT. Add an "S".  I enjoyed that movie.

9. What opposites do, it's said: ATTRACT.

10. NBA official: REF.  They finally got their job back.

11. Dark beer: STOUT.

12. Maine campus town: ORONO.  We also have an ORONO city in Minnesota. Very exclusive.  Multimillionaire Irwin Jacobs who owned Grain Belt Brewery and a stake in the Vikings was known to commit a murder - suicide on his wife and himself in April of 2019.


13. Consumer advocate Ralph: NADER.  A consumer protection guy.  He went after GM's Chevy Corvair and Ford's Pinto.

19. APR-reducing loan: RE-FI.  Okay to lower your interest rate, but there are probably closing costs and other fees.

21. Bad loan, to an accountant: WRITE OFF.

25. Cinco y uno: SEIS.  "Two and two are four, five and one are six, and ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP.  So What did you learn in school today, dear little boys of mine??  Tom Paxton.

27. Nation within Oklahoma: CHEROKEE.

28. Utah lily: SEGO.

29. IRS enforcers: T MEN.  They would scare me.

30. Silly: INANE.

31. Test for fit in the changing room: TRY ON.  Tough for me to find pants that fit.  All are too big or too small.

32. Double-check, as totals: RE-ADD.  I have to RE-ADD our checkbook every month because I never write the numbers after the decimal point.  Over .50 round up and under .50 round down.

36. Stunt double, e.g.: DAREDEVIL.  Remember Evel Knievel??


37. Wee bit o' whisky, say: DRAM.  I thought it might be SHOT.

38. Clinton's alma mater: YALE.

41. Prefix with pad: HELI.

44. Holier-than-thou: PREACHY.  My priests have still not invited me back.  I guess churches are borderline safe.  I do not miss the PREACHY sermons though.

48. Puerto Rico, por ejemplo: ISLA.

49. Loafers: IDLERS.

50. "I __ go!": "Ciao!": GOTTA.

51. Astrological Ram: ARIES.  Not a Los Angeles Football player.  ARIES shows up on the first day of spring.

52. Running on __: weary: FUMES.  When the needle hits "E" you better stop for gas.  (Less than $2.00 per gallon here in Minnesota.)

56. Numbered work: OPUS.

57. Ensign-in-training inst.: USNA.  US Naval Academy producing officers for the Navy. Like Spitzboov.

58. Tidy up a bit: DUST.  If you want to "Tidy up" you might want to remove the dust.

61. Woeful cry: ALAS.

63. LAX calculation: ETA.

64. "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper: LEE.  "Shoot all the Blue Jays you want, but it's a sin to Kill a Mockingbird."  Harper Lee.

Boomer