Monday, January 1, 2024 Jeff Stillman

  

Happy New Year, everyone!

Today's theme is:  

sumdaze here with the first blog in 2024. Woot!

Our constructor, Jeff Stillman, gives us three sets of circles, highlighting the fact that the letters Y, E, A, and R have been scrambled. Eventually, he puts them in order at ...

51 Across. Celebratory shout heard before "Auld Lang Syne" is played, and an apt title for this puzzle?: HAPPY NEW YEAR.  

I put up the Rolling in the New Year image because it sort of feels like the letters in the circles are rolling into their proper place. I really cannot say if that is what Jeff had in mind. Perhaps he is simply saying that 51-A was a "new" way to arrange the letters from the circles. If there is another layer, I missed it. Whoosh!  

Nonetheless, I am a fan of holiday-themed puzzles so I am giving Jeff's puzzle a thumbs up. 👍 Notice that his circles always span two words. Additionally, it is nice to see two 15-letter answers on a Monday puzzle.  Here's the grid:  

There are 4! = 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 = 24
ways to arrange the letters Y, E, A, and R.

Let's keep on rollin' with the other clues:

Across:
1. Underground areas explored by spelunkers: CAVES.  A spelunker is someone who makes a hobby of exploring CAVES.  

trailer for Ancient Caves, a 2020 IMAX documentary

6. Car-buying necessity, for many: LOAN.

10. Degs. for some entrepreneurs: MBAS.  Master of Business Administration degrees

14. Stuffy "Me too": AS AM I.  I started with AS do I, but perps told me that choice was an outlier.

15. Competent: ABLE.

16. Noble rank above viscount: EARL.

17. Stuck in the muck: MIRED.  

That poor duck had bad luck!

18. French champagne brand: MOET.  a nice fit for a New Year's grid

19. "Well, would you look at that!": MY MY.  

20. Make a polite visit: PAY RESPECT TO.  

23. "__ whiz!": GEE.

24. Runs easily with long strides: LOPES.  

Watch as British equestrian Ben Maher keeps his horse, Explosion W, in an smooth LOPE

between jumps to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

27. False start punishment, in football: FIVE YARD PENALTY.  False start is when an offensive player does it. Offsides is when a defensive player does it.  Do the players get fined?

34. County Clare's nat.: IRE.  I did not know this one but "County Clare" just sounds like it lies in the nation of IREland.  (Hi Irish Miss! ☘)

35. Internet letters: EMAILS.  This was my favorite clue because I fell for the "letters" misdirection and was trying to think of an initialism.

36. "The Banana Boat Song" opener: DAY-O.  as in "It's New Year's DAY-O"  

This one never gets old.

Harry Belafonte released Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) in 1956.

37. Trails behind: LAGS.  To LAG behind is to fail to keep pace with one's peers.

39. Color TV pioneer: RCA.  I think of Misty when I see RCA in a puzzle because she has such fond memories of her father. I can feel her smile through the internet.

40. "Barbie" actor Liu: SIMU.  He is a Canadian actor born in Harbin, China on April 19, 1989. Last week CanadianEh! reminded us  about his book, We Were Dreamers:  An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story. It's on my library queue.

Simu Liu rocks the Ken hair.

41. La __: Real Madrid's division: LIGA.  European fútbol

42. Frank on the grill: WEENIE.  

the Oscar Mayer wienermobile

45. Naught: NIL.  Those on Santa's naughty list get NIL for Christmas.

46. Incredibly hard to hold: SLIPPERY AS AN EEL.  

Wow, this one took me on a trip down memory lane to Bozo Under the Sea, a 78 RPM record I used to listen to at my grandmother's house while reading its accompanying book. I remember this picture of him touching an electric EEL.   

49. Photo app filter shade: SEPIA.  Last Friday, ZDL's puzzle had a good clue for this word -- Retro tone.

50. Time period often named for a monarch: ERA.

58. Crèche trio: MAGI.  Most western Christian churches celebrate Three Kings' Day on January 6.

Click to expand.

61. Moisturizer brand: OLAY.

62. Missouri River tributary: OSAGE.  

63. Minnesota representative Ilhan: OMAR.  Minnesota has eight congressional districts. Rep. Ilhan Omar's district is #5 (Minneapolis).  

64. Junction point: NODE.  I knowed this one. Did you knowed it, too?

65. Spoke wildly: RAVED.  I was trying to make ranted fit.

66. Sheepherding pig in a 1995 film: BABE.  

67. Smack: SWAT.

68. Austin Powers player Mike: MYERS.  Canadian-American actor Mike Myers made three Austin Powers movies. They were released in 1997, 1999, and 2002. Here's the trailer from the first one, Austin Powers:  International Man of Mystery.  

Down:
1. Training __: NFL preseason practice time: CAMP.  This link goes to the 2023 training CAMP details for every NFL team. Scroll through it to get a feel for the whens & wheres.

2. Tibet's continent: ASIA.  This 3:22 min. video lists four reasons to visit Tibet. You might also find these 2024 Tibet travel restrictions interesting.

3. "Your mileage may __": VARY.  In other words, you might have a different experience in a particular situation.  

The Proclaimers  I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) (1988)

Yes, they're twins.

But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles
To fall down at your door

4. Come to light: EMERGE.

5. Judgmental glance: SIDE-EYE.  The term is about a physical act that communicates any number of things (e.g., suspicion, scorn, annoyance, jealousy, and veiled curiosity).

Here is some serious 17th century SIDE-EYE.

Detail from The Fortune Teller
French artist Georges de La Tour (circa 1630)

6. Bedside light: LAMP.

7. Double-reed woodwind: OBOE.

8. Actor Guinness: ALEC.  (1914-2000)  his IMDb page

9. Invasive plants with stinging hairs: NETTLES.  description & uses

10. Note-worthy purchases?: MEMO PADS.  "Note-worthy". Good one!

11. Green __, Wisconsin: BAY.  IIRC, unclefred is a Packers fan.

12. Escort's offering: ARM.  

13. Devious: SLY.

21. Tailor's line of stitches: SEAM.

22. Freight weight: TON.

25. "Seinfeld" character who worked for Pendant Publishing: ELAINE.     and     53 Down. When tripled, phrase spoken by 25-Down: YADA.

This is the clip (1 min.):  

"No, I mentioned the bisque."

26. Really frustrate: STYMIE.  Def.:  (verb) to prevent or hinder the progress of.

27. Jam-packs: FILLS.  This reminded me of the well-known story about the jar with rocks. Here is a 2 min. version:  

28. Vowel-shaped track segments: I-RAILS.  

Is this an I-RAIL? The cross section of the rail resembles a letter "I".

29. Carrot or celery, informally: VEGGIE.  

30. Not so common: RARER.

31. Hazardous: DICEY.

32. Initial strategy: PLAN A.

33. "__ be sorry!": YOU'LL.

38. Blue gem: SAPPHIRE.  Note to self:  2P's

42. Some cards in the board game Clue: WEAPONS.  Can you name all six? (*answers below)

43. "Now it's clear!": I SEE.

44. Overly catchy song: EARWORM.  Here is an aptly named EARWORM:  

Kylie Minogue Can't Get You Out of My Head (2001)

La-la-la, la-la-la-la-la

47. Actress Zadora: PIA.

48. Come out against: NAYSAY.  

52. Furrow former: PLOW.

54. No, in Russian: NYET.

55. Icicle site: EAVE.

56. Ripening agent: AGER.  When used on some apples, the result is a Golden AGER. 😜

57. Cincinnati MLB team: REDS.  The team name originated from the high red socks or stockings the team wore with its knee-length pants.  

58. Unruly crowd: MOB.

59. GP's gp.: AMA.  General Practitioner and American Medical Association

60. Chitchat: GAB.  

my friend Julie & me at lunch yesterday 😀

*The six CLUE weapons are:  wrench, lead pipe, rope, knife, revolver, and candlestick.

That's all for today. Wishing everyone health & happiness in the new year!

Friday, February 17, 2023, Jeff Stillman

 

Good morning, cruciverbalists.  Malodorous Manatee here with today's puzzle recap.

Let's jump right into things with the reveal:

36 Across:   Ones fated to fail, or what the answers to the starred clues are, initially?: BORN LOSERS.

At four successive places in today's grid, starred for our convenience, our puzzle setter, Jeff Stillman, has removed the letters B, then O, then R and finally N from otherwise well-known brand names.  So, taken together, we lose BORN.   In each case, the Stillman-omitted letter "stands alone" in the name in that all but a single letter of a word has been omitted in the brand name itself.  So first, the marketing departments pared words down to a single letter, or initial if you will (in two of the four cases, the letter coincidentally also happens to be the initial letter of the word).  Then Jeff came along and removed those vestigial letters.   It is far simpler than I have made it sound.

Coincidentally, BORN is an appropriate word of the day as we will see at the end of this recap.

Here are the themed clues and answers:

*18 Across:  Children's apparel company: OSH KOSH GOSH.  Bye, bye B for By.

*27 Across:  Candy with a bee on its wrapper: BIT HONEY.  No O for Of here.

  

*51 Across:  Superstore for new parents: BABIES US.  That backwards R for aRe has been banished.

*61 Across:  Snack brand with Buttery Toffee and Almond Supreme flavors: CRUNCH MUNCH.  No N for aNd to be found,

Across:

1. Metric unit: GRAM.  Back in the sixties and seventies I became quite adept in working with the metric system.  I told my mother that I had learned it all in chemistry class.

5. Some workplace discrimination: Var.: AGISM.  Often spelled with the e not removed.  AGEISM.

10. Icy street risk: SKID.

14. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" detective Diaz: ROSA.  A TV show reference.

15. Good-natured teasing: BANTER.  BANTER is often modified, as in the clue, with the descriptive "good-natured".

17. Pre-stereo: MONO.  An audiophile reference.  Then came quad and surround sound.

20. Swivel around: SLUE.

21. Avenue that's the eastern border of Midway Airport: CICERO.  Easier if you knew your Chicago geography.  Not too hard to figure out even if you did not.  Thanks, perps.

22. Basilica recesses: APSES.

24. Consumed: ATE.

25. Bewitches: ENAMORS.

Ella - Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

29. Russo of "Thor": RENE.  A frequent visitor - or is that Magritte?

30. Shampoo ad buzzword: BODY.  A somewhat undefined term.  Not here.  In shampoo marketing.

32. Campus security?: TENURE.  Not security as in physical safety.  Job security.

33. QB stats: YDS.  A football reference.  QuarterBack is abbreviated so YarDS is also.

34. Sunday seating: PEWS.  A Sunday-go-to-meetin' reference.

35. Dealer's inventory: AUTOS.  Ah, it's not a drug reference.

40. Like some diets: VEGAN.  Hand up for first thinking of the trendy PALEO diet.

43. Barrels into: RAMS.

44. Half of cuatro: DOS.  A Spanish and math lesson mashup.

47. Roma locale: ITALIA.  An Italian lesson.  ROMA not ROME so ITALIA not ITALY (which would not fit in any event).

49. Remain undecided: PEND.

50. Landlord's income: RENT.

53. Herbal drink: SAGE TEA.  Personally, this is a type of tea that I have never (knowingly) tasted.

55. Kid: RIB.  Not a baby goat this week.

56. Math functions: SINES.

58. File menu option: SAVE AS.  It is always a good idea to periodically save one's work.

59. "C'est la vie": ALAS.

63. Jamboree shelter: TENT.  A scouting reference.

64. Put under: SEDATE.

65. French 101 verb: ETRE.  In French the verbs are conjugated with either ETRE (to be) of Avoir (to have).

66. Voiced: ORAL.

67. Jumps up and down to music: POGOS.

Paul Reubens Shows Us How

68. Origin: SEED.  As in the germ of an idea.  Both are biology metaphors.

Down:

1. Grub hub?: GROCERY.  Nice word play.  A nexus for food.

2. Prepared for use, as a violin bow: ROSINED.  Or a fiddle.

3. Depth charges, in navy slang: ASH CANS.  I learned this term as a child from watching WWII movies.  Manatees are not fond of depth charges.  Wait a minute.   Do manatees watch movies?

4. Defiant response: MAKE ME.

5. Shock __: ABSORBER.  Hand up for first trying something along the lines of Shock and Awe.  An automobile suspension parts reference.

6. "This is a disaster!": GAH.  Today's punt,  GAH!

7. "Young Frankenstein" role: INGA.

8. Visit: STOP BY.

9. 2022 World Cup Golden Ball winner Lionel: MESSI.

10. Texting letters: SMS.  Short Message Service is a protocol used by cellphones to send and receive text messages.

11. Caffeine source for some soft drinks: KOLA NUT.

12. Prenatal: IN UTERO.  Also, a Nirvana album.

13. Makeup trend that imparts an innocent look: DOE EYES.

16. "Country Again" Grammy nominee Thomas: RHETT.  I wonder if he has a butler.

19. Spanish gold: ORO.  Another Spanish lesson.

23. Shrub cutters: SHEARS.  Garden SHEARS are cutting hedge technology.

26. Scattered, as seeds: SOWN.

28. Heavy load: ONUS.

31. ISP option: DSL.  Internet Service Provider.  Digital Subscriber Line.  For transmitting digital data over telephone lines.

34. Stable figures: PONIES.   A bit of word play.  Stable as in, well, a place to house horses.  Not as in a stable economy.

36. Island east of Java: BALI.

37. Redstone in Minecraft, e.g.: ORE.  Minecraft is a video game franchise.

38. __-serif: SANS.  Fonts without the little dashes at the ends of each letter.

39. Punctuation marks that set off a series within a phrase: EM DASHES.

40. Singer's wavering tone: VIBRATO.

41. Entity with net income?: E-TAILER.  Not net income as in what's left over after costs and taxes.  Net as in internet.

42. Dolce & __: GABBANA.  An Italian luxury fashion house.

44. Cold War warmup: DETENTE.  Not as in warming up before starting something,  Warmup as in a thaw or easing.

45. Plot size, perhaps: ONE ACRE.

46. Hidden: STASHED.

48. #LiveUplifted sneakers brand: ASICS.

49. Not genuine: PSEUDO.

50. Some Broadway fare: REVUES.  REVUES are variety shows with topical sketches, songs, dancing and comedians.

The New Zoo Revue

52. General Assembly figure, for short: UN REP.  United Nations REPresentative

54. Whale group: GAM.

57. Hitch: SNAG.

60. Mo. city whose MLS team will play its first game in 2023:  STL.  Missouri and Major League Soccer are abbreviated in the clue.  Therefore the answer is, too.  Jeff is also riffing on the name of the team with the "Mo. city" bit because the soccer team is calling itself the Saint Louis City Soccer Club.  More often, STL is clued with reference to the SainT Louis Cardinals baseball team.

62. Exec at a gaming startup, e.g.: CTO.  Chief Technology Officer.  EXECutive is truncated in the clue, therefore . . . .

Here is the completed grid:

That wraps things up for today . . . except for one last thing.  A usually reliable source informs me that today is the birthday of my fellow Friday blogger (I tried to come up with something alliterative but could not), Chairman Moe!  Thirty-nine, right?

____________________________________________

Notes from C.C.:

1) As Joseph mentioned, today's the Chairman Moe's birthday. A big milestone. Happy 70th birthday, Chris! Here he is with his love Margaret.

2) Big Easy just sent me this picture of him and his wife Diane at their Mardi Gras pickleball tournament.

3) Happy 57th anniversary to our incomparable Husker Gary and his wife Joann. Here's a picture of them with their grandson Hawkin three years ago.