Friday, July 26, 2024, Katherine Baicker, Laura Dershewitz

Good morning, Cruciverbalists, Malodorous Manatee here with today's recap.  It  is morning where this solver is but it's 5 o'clock somewhere which is a good thing because today's puzzle by Katherine Baicker and Laura Dershewitz requires a bit of experience with the language and customs of drinking whisky (or whiskey if you prefer potables other than Scotch). 

Let's start with the reveal:

61 Across:  "Straight up, please," to match 17-, 25-, 37-, and 51-Across?:  MAKE IT NEAT.  In drinker's jargon, "NEAT" (or straight up) means with no ice.   At four places within the grid our co-constructors have removed the ICE in order to form creative and amusing answers to the clues.

Let's see how this gimmick is applied:

17 Across:  Orientation for new senators?: POL ACADEMY.  A learning place for politicians (POLs).  Before the removal:  POLICE ACADEMY

25 Across:  "Margaret won't be in the comedy showcase!"?: YOU HAVE NO CHO.  Comedienne Margaret Cho has scratched from the showcase.  Before the removal: YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

37 Across:  Exclamation when a product lives up to the hype?: THE PR IS RIGHT.  The public relations blitz was not just a lot of hot air.  Before the removal:  THE PRICE IS RIGHT

51 Across:  Tables and chairs that wobble?: OFF FURNITURE.  The furniture is not right.  It's a bit off.  Before the removal: OFFICE  FURNITURE

Here is what the completed grid looks like:

Here are the rest of the clues/answers:

Across:

1. Light melody: LILT.

5. Singer Del Rey: LANA.  A frequent visitor these days and, yet, someone about whom this solver remain totally ignorant.  However, while walking around Venice,CA with Valerie I did see these posters:

9. Photographer Adams: ANSEL.  Nice shot.

14. Nice companion: AMIE.  Nice as in not mean?  No.  As in the French city.

15. Sister of Castor and Pollux: HELEN.

16. Raises or rises: REARS.  Here, Trigger REARS (rises).  I wonder if Trigger raised his children to do the same.

19. Possessed: OWNED.  Not a demonic reference.

20. "Way cool!": SO DOPE.  Slang.  Why does BITCHEN or GROOVY, or even PHAT, seem okay but not this?  Wait, don't answer that, please.    In an homage to the Seven Dwarfs, DOPEy is now followed by "What's Up, Doc".

21. "Wabbit" hunter: FUDD.  Elmer was too long.

22. AQI monitor: EPA.  Air Quality Index in the clue.

29. New England state: VERMONT.

31. Conclude: END.

32. __ Lingus: AER.  The Irish airline.

33. Theme park serviced by the Disney World monorail: EPCOT.

34. Took to court: SUED.  I SUED the airlines for losing my luggage.  I lost my case.

36. IRS IDs: SSNS.  We are often asked to supply this even though we're told to never share it.

41. Pupil's place: IRIS.  Not a schoolhouse reference.  An eyeball reference.

43. Wee bit: IOTA.  A constructor's friend.

44. Needed a sick day: AILED.

47. Boxing Day mo.: DEC.

48. Part of a pod cast?: PEA.  Not a tech reference.  PEAs in a pod.

49. Q-Tip and Ice-T: RAPPERS.  Not the swab and the beverage.  Does Elmer listen to wappers?

55. Circular __: SAW.

56. Scull pair: OARS.  Before a surgery the anesthesiologist asked the patient if she'd like to be knocked out with gas or be hit over the head with a canoe paddle.  It was an ether/oar situation.

57. Reptiles in the logos of some dojos: COBRAS.

59. Muddle: MIXUP.

65. Shampoo brand since 1947: PRELL.

Pam Dawber - 1973

66. Correct spelling, say: EMEND.

67. Beltmaking tools: AWLS.  Not as in the old saying "ALLS well that ends well, I suppose."

68. Source of waste: HASTE.  As in the old saying "HASTE makes waste."

69. Movie night rooms: DENS.  Often clued with an ursine reference.

70. Nerd (out): GEEK.  Used as a verb in the clue although I am not sure why as the noun forms of each would have worked out the same.

Down:

1. Cozy cat seat: LAP.

Laptop Cats

2. "Sez me": IMO.  In My Opinion

3. Smaller than sm.: LIL.  This one was a bit of a stretch.  Thanks, perps.

4. Bitter brews: TEAS.  Hand up for trying to make ALES work out. . . and it did at 63 Down.

5. Showed the door: LED  OUT.  Don't let it hit you.

6. First Hebrew letter: ALEPH.

7. Mythical lion's home: NEMEA.  The NEMEA lion was a legendary creature in Greek mythology that ravaged the area of Nemea. Its fur was impenetrable by the weapons of humans and hence, was unstoppable. It was considered to be the child of Typhon and Echidna, father and mother of all monsters.

8. "__ minute now ... ": ANY.

9. Word with poke or push: AROUND.

10. Fresh cut: NEW DO.  A hair style reference.

11. Beach homes?: SAND CASTLES.  With a tip of the hat to Jimi Hendrix.

12. Afore: ERE.

13. Acid initials: LSD.  Did you hear about the guy who got LSD and LDS mixed up?  Instead of going on a trip he went on a mission,.

15. Wore: HAD ON.  

18. University of South Dakota athlete: COYOTE.  Something of a universal mascot in SoCAl these days.

 

21. Italian luxury brand: FENDI.  PRADA and GUCCI would also have fit the allotted space.

22. Morn's opposite: EVE.  Morning / EVEning

23. Pizzazz: PEP.

24. Permafrost predators: ARCTIC FOXES.

26. Turn sharply: VEER.

27. __ of the woods mushroom: HEN.  Thanks, perps.

28. Alternatives: ORS.

30. Hardness scale name: MOHS.

34. Prepare for takeoff, maybe: SIT.  Huh?  Okay, no one stands for takeoff but this one is a huge stretch.

35. Katie Ledecky's team: Abbr.: USA.  An American Olympic swim team member.

36. Pickup alternative: SHIP.  A choice familiar to those who use, for example, Target or Walmart's websites.

38. Docking stations?: PIERS.  Not a tech reference.  A ship reference.  Nice placement.

39. Reddish horse: ROAN.

40. Watch in wonder: GAPE AT.

41. "Who wants cake?" response: I DO.  More often clued with a matrimonial reference.

42. Slo-mo reviewer: REF.  REFeree

45. Time worth studying: ERA.

46. Bargain footwear chain: DSW.

48. Red and blue: PURPLE.  Not the colors alone.  The colors together.

49. Flemish painter Peter Paul __: RUBENS.

50. Extra Extra Dry brand: ARRID.  A deodorant reference.

52. Server error?: FAULT.  A tennis reference.

53. Beginning of a famous boast: I CAME.  If Caesar spoke English.

54. Part of NFT: TOKEN.  Non Fungible TOKENs Explained

58. Unexpected hitch: SNAG.

59. Speed letters: MPH.  Miles Per Hour

60. Rollover subj.: IRA.  Individual Retirement Account

61. Larger than sm.: MED.  Small . MEDium / Large  The last of ten abbrevaitions (your criteria may vary) to be found in today's puzzle.

62. Fleece source: EWE.

63. Bitter brew: ALE.

64. Judgy sound: TSK.  We initially do not know if it'll be TSK or TUT.

Well, it's time now for yours truly to go grab a glass of ju and maybe eat a sld apple.  Have an n day, everyone.  Slainté !

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Thursday, May 19, 2022, Katherine Baicker

 

Good morning, Cruciverbalists . . . and what a nice morning it is here!  What's happenin' wordsmiths?  What's in store for us today?  What's with this puzzle?  Exactly.

Malodorous Manatee here with the post-puzzle recap.  Today's puzzle setter, making (I believe) her LAT debut, is the highly accomplished Katherine Baicker.  Here is a link to her Wikipedia page:

Katherine Baicker Wiki

Despite the obvious depth and breadth of her experience, here, today, Katherine asks only a single, simple question.  That question is not Who, Why or Where (except, maybe, for 27 Across) but, simply, WHAT.  The reveal is found at 39 Across:

39 Across:  Rhetorical strategy of countering an accusation with another accusation, and an apt description of the answers to the starred clues: WHATABOUTISM.  It means to twist criticism back on the initial critic.  The short version:  "I know you are but what am I?"

The word WHAT is split evenly in half and the WH and AT bracket the multi-word themed answers.  The word WHAT could be said to be ABOUT the answers (as in "There are challenges all about (around) us.")  The structure of the theme is similar to last Thursday's puzzle but today's is simpler because the identical broken-up word pattern is repeated.  When I saw the IS of WHISKEY I thought, for a brief moment that we would find ISM in the middle of the bracketing.  That would have been quite impressive but 'twas not to be.

Here are the starred clues/answers:

18 Across:  *Easy order for a bartender: WHISKEY NEAT.  Nothing simpler to pour.  Straight.  No ice.  No mixer.  No lime wedge.  No umbrella.

27 Across:  *The place to be, informally: WHERE IT'S AT.  Let me show you . . .

The Dave Clark Five - 1965

55 Across:  *Toast choice: WHOLE WHEAT.  Not a wedding tradition.  Bread.  Not money bread but food bread.

64 Across:  *"Is it almost time for dinner?": WHEN DO WE EAT.

And now, with apologies to Paul Harvey, for the rest of the story:

Across:

1. First lady Biden: JILL.  Not to be confused with the first lady.  Eve.

5. Homeopathic treatment for bruises: ARNICA.

11. "Say that's true ... ": IF SO.  "Let's suppose . . ."

15. On a cruise: ASEA.  What do the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and reading have in common?  Both are literacy (litter ASEA).

16. Couple: PAIR UP.  Used as a verb.  To become a couple.

17. "Mon __!": DIEU.  Today's French lesson.  OMG!

20. Rare blood type, briefly: B NEG.  "Briefly" tips us off that neither NEGative nor POSitive will be called for.  Also, we can be pretty sure that the answer will start with A, B or O.

21. B'way passes: TIX.  Slang for tickets.

22. Blasting material: TNT.  TriNitroToluene.

23. "Oh, brother!": YEESH.  Just a wee bit of a punt.  Still, easier to suss out than its crossing partner, 23 Down.

24. "It __ meant to be": WASN'T.

29. "Invisible Man" novelist: ELLISON.

31. Galoot: OAF.

32. Bygone airline: TWA.  So many from which to choose but few with three letter.

33. Online journal: BLOG.  Meta?

34. __ Eats: UBER.  The food/restaurant delivery service.

37. "Happy now?": SEE.  "I told ya!"

43. Up to, in ads: TIL.  UnTIL

44. U2 lead singer: BONO.  A well known celebrity.

45. Mall event: SALE.  The sporting goods store at my local mall recently had a big SALE on rowing implements.  It was quite the oar deal.

48. Overly: TOO.  "Oh that this too, too solid flesh would melt."  Hamlet.

51. Tattle (on): RAT. . . and 69. Tattled (on): TOLD.  The first of two sets of clues paired this way.

53. Early stage: INFANCY.

59. Paul of "Bewitched": LYNDE.  Also known for his appearances on Hollywood Squares.

60. Some map dots: ISLES.

61. College domain: EDU.  An internet reference.

62. Playpen party: TOT.  Not party as in a celebration.  The party of the first part.

63. Lee with a posthumous cameo in "Avengers: Endgame": STAN.

70. In demand: WANTED.

71. Fragrant herb: SAGE.  Parsley?  Rosemary?  Thyme?

72. Mani-pedi spots: SPAS.

73. "What a shame": IT'S SAD.  Might this refer to the number of things-people-could-say clues used today?

74. Fig or olive: TREE.  TREE, clued this way, could have been clued with approximately sixty thousand other words.  Fortunately, we've seen this gimmick before.

Down:

1. Moose __, Saskatchewan: JAW.

Mac The Moose - Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

2. "Give or take": ISH.  Punt

3. Floral wreath: LEI.

4. Yesterday evening: LAST NIGHT.

Traveling Wilburys

5. Climber's goal: APEX.  ACME was also a reasonable guess.

6. Blu-__ Disc: RAY.

7. Closer's inning: NINTH.  A baseball reference.

8. Adler called "the woman" by Sherlock Holmes: IRENE.  A not infrequent visitor.

9. Dos y dos: CUATRO.  Today's Spanish and math mashup.  2 + 2 = 4

10. Suitable: APT.  Anyone presently looking for an APT 2-bedroom apt.?

11. "__ on it": "You can be sure": I'D BET.

12. Best: FINEST.

Winston Churchill

13. Experience schoolyard highs and lows?: SEESAW.

The Moody Blues - Not 1968

14. Should, informally: OUGHTA.

19. Hobby shop buys: KITS.  Sometimes clued as young foxes.

23. Liu who plays the title role in 2020's "Mulan": YIFEI.  What?  Who?

24. Organic flytrap: WEB.  Spider WEB.

25. More than most: ALL.  All is certainly more than most.

26. Boring: SLOW.  If I had a dollar for every time someone called me a boring nerd I'd have a mean daily income of $6.54 with a standard deviation of $1.25.

27. Sparks org.: WNBA.  Women's National Basketball Association

28. Singer Sheena: EASTON.

30. Ban: OUTLAW.  Used as a verb.

35. Tidal movement: EBB and 54. Tidal movement: FLOW.  The second set of clues paired like this.  Brava.

36. Joey of kiddie lit: ROO.  Kanga's child.  A joey is a baby kangaROO

Kanga and Roo

38. Final thoughts?: ESSAY TEST.  A final exam might have an essay component.

40. Buenos __: AIRES.  Argentina.  Neither NOCHES, nor TARDES nor DIAS would have fit.

41. Hand or foot: UNIT.  Cute.  Body parts, too.  A hand is a unit, now standardized at 101.6 mm but based on the breadth of a human hand, used to measure the height of horses.

42. "Mental Illness" Grammy winner Aimee: MANN.

46. HDTV choice: LCD.  Liquid Crystal Display.  It could have been a brand name (e.g. NEC, JVC, RCA).

47. __ shadow: EYE.

48. Unexpected endings: TWISTS.

49. "I'm blushing!": OH STOP.

50. "Fancy!": OOLALA.  More often spelled this way:

52. Southern California chain known for pastrami: THE HAT.  I'm a native of SoCal and I have spent more than a few hours at the (pellet) grill but I had never heard of this restaurant.

Photo and Pastrami by MM

56. Lets use for now: LENDS.

57. Ideal places: EDENS.

58. Some matriarchs: AUNTS.

62. "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck: TODD.  The show debuted in 1947 and there have been only eleven permanent moderators in all this time.

64. 1910s conflict, for short: WWI.  World War (Roman Numeral) One

65. Narc's org.: DEA.  Two

66. Unit of corn: EAR.  Three

67. Get on in years: AGE.  Four

68. Simple shirt: TEE.  Five.  The last of five three-letter answers to (almost) wrap things up.

_____________________________________________________

and to complete the theme and wrap things up . . .

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