Friday, August 23, 2024, Wendy L. Brandes

Good Morning Cruciverbalists, Malodorous Manatee here with the lowdown on a Friday puzzle by Wendy L. Brandes.  Not unlike the puzzle we solved two weeks ago, our constructor (and editor) have elected to go with a bit of "letter play".  In this instance, as is often the case, the key to figuring out what is going on lies within the reveal.  Today, that is located at:

52 Across:  Cheer heard in the Bronx, or a phonetic hint for making the starred clues match their answers: LET'S GO YANKEES.

Well, that's crystal clear.  Not!  First, this solver, a lifelong Dodgers fan and son of a Brooklyn-born mother had to get past the fact that the answer is something that would never, ever pass my lips.  Second, it seems to mean absolutely nothing.  Of course that is never the case with these things.  Okay, then, what does it mean?  After a bit of head scratching the light bulb began to glow, albeit dimly.  The first step was to notice the EA letter combination in each clue.  Perhaps the key was there.  While the EA thing did prove to be something of a dead end it at least set this solver's feet on the right path.  It's the E!  Get rid of the E.  YANK the EES!  Or, if you prefer, Let's Go Yank EES.  Without the Es in the clues, the relationship between the clues and the answers does make sense.  Here are the three places where this bit of legerdemain is employed:

20 Across. *Bean poles: STRIKE LEADERS.  Bean Poles morphs into Ban Pols when we YANK (delete) the E's.  Ban Politicans is roughly equivalent to Strike (as is delete) your Leaders.  Bob Dylan said it best.

27. *Beat poet: WITCHES CAULDRON.  Beat Poet morphs into Bat Pot when we yank the E's.  Witches reportedly use bats (not in the baseball sense), or parts thereof, as ingredients when concocting their brews in their caldrons (large pots).

43. *Came clean: PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB.  Came Clean morphs into Cam Clan.  In this case a Clan (group) of Camera enthusiasts.

This how it all appears in the grid:

And, here, now, the rest of the story:

Across:

1. Like dumping someone via text: COLD.  A bit of slang to start.  Neil will explain.  It should not require an Astrophysicist to explain the first clue/answer but, hey, resources are resources.

5. Send to a specialist: REFER.  Within my HMO trying to get a needed REFERal sometimes leads to a case of REFER madness.

10. Chris elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021: BOSH.  Has Ch. Moe been keeping something from us?  No.  A proper noun that we either knew or perp'd.

14. Healing plant: ALOE.  We apply quite a lot of this when solving puzzles.  It often helps ease the pain.

15. Musical set in Argentina: EVITA.

16. Biblical preposition: UNTO.  And lo, an angel appeared UNTO the prophet Isaiah, and said:

Angel: "Behold! I exceed ninety degrees!" 
Isaiah: "Uh... what?"
But the angel gave no explanation and then vanished.
Isaiah muttered: "What an obtuse angel."

17. Feature of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign: NEON.

18. Green energy option: SOLAR.   Green as in eco-freindly.

19. Not superficial: DEEP.

23. Leave speechless: AWE.

25. Drink suffix: ADE.  As in lemonaADE or GatorADE or PowerADE.

26. Another name for bingo: BEANO.  New to this solver.

32. Zones: AREAS.

33. Word on Rhode Island's flag: HOPE.

34. 525,600 minutes: YEAR.  Anyone bother to check the math?

35. Starts bubbling, maybe: BOILS.

37. Slumps: DIPS.  Hand up for first thinling SAGS.

41. "It's __ real": BEEN.

42. Greeting on a name tag: HELLO, my name is....

49. __ Hebrides: OUTER.  See also 63 Across.

50. Assistance: AID.

51. G7 member: USA.  The Pols change, the countries remain the same.

57. "Holidays Symphony" composer Charles: IVES.

58. "Inferno" poet: DANTE.

59. Pride constituent: LION.  Not a reference to sexual preference.  Here, kitty, kitty.

62. Actress Spelling: TORI.

63. __ Hebrides: INNER.  See also 49 Across.  The southernmost of the INNER Hebrides is Islay, famous for its peated whisky.

64. Movie concessions purchase: SODA.  Popcorn was far too long to fit.

65. Latin infinitive: ESSE. 

66. "Yikes!": EGADS.  Something that someone might say.  Thanks, perps.

67. Concludes: ENDS.

Down:

1. "__ you not?": CAN.

2. Chant heard at Angel City FC games: OLE.  A soccer (football) reference.  Often clued with a Spanish or Mexican flavored reference.

3. Leaves to steep: LOOSE TEA.  Not as in departs for the kitchen.

4. Impress accidentally?: DENT.  An automobile accident will often create quite an impression.

5. Dwell: RESIDE.  Someone told me as a kid that huge reptiles RESIDE in the sewers...What a croc that turned out to be.

6. Brings to mind: EVOKES.

7. Single __: FILE.

8. Bibliography abbr.: ET AL.

9. Like white peacocks: RARE.  True but . . . .

10. Blossomed: BUDDED.

11. In __ and out ...: ONE EAR.

12. Omelet bar burner: STERNO.

13. Boards: HOPS ON.  As in she HOPS ON the bus.  Another one . . .

21. Fan sounds: RAHS.  E.G. sports fans.  Not something to cool the room.

22. Qualified: ABLE.

23. On vacation: AWAY.  Okay, but next Yuletide are we going to sing "On vacation in a manger..."?

24. Medium of many a Calder mobile: WIRE.

28. Mustang, for one: CAR.  Not a (direct) horse reference.

29. Home of the Terracotta Army: CHINA.  This solver first thought of XIAN but it was too short so settled for the less specific answer.

30. Email pioneer: AOL.  Remember all of those free floppy discs?

31. FedEx rival: UPS.

35. Plead: BEG.  As a youngster, my daughter BEGged me to play as a horse. I begrudgingly agreed...I didn't really want to be a neigh sayer.

36. Not 'neath: OER.

37. Human Rights Day mo.: DEC.  Only twelve from which to choose (as long as the editor sticks with English) so a single perp'd square usually let's us know.

38. Sleight of hand: ILLUSION.

39. Asset: PLUS.

40. Udon kin: SOBA.  When it's just a noodle reference we have to figure out which of these two it is going to be.

41. Five-time Wimbledon winner Björn: BORG.

42. __ Park: University of Chicago locale: HYDE.  Often clued with an FDR reference.

43. Like someone who writes thank-you notes: POLITE.

44. __ rancheros: HUEVOS.  I understand that blanquillos is often the preferred word as HUEVOS has another meaning in some contexts.

45. Playful paddlers: OTTERS.

46. "Kitchen Confidential" actress Santiago: TESSIE.  

47. Cooled off like an overheated boxer?: PANTED.  Not a prize fighter reference.

48. Ones on a path to the top?: HIKERS.  Hiking puns can be hillarious.

53. Garfield frenemy: ODIE.

54. Yin and __: YANG.

55. "Object Lessons" novelist Quindlen: ANNA.

56. Alternatively: ELSE.

60. Quirky: ODD.  You know what's ODD?  Every other number.

61. Rapper on the "King's Disease" trilogy of albums: NAS.  As a frequent visitor, NAS is always my first guess for three-letter rap-related answers even though I am completely unfamiliar with the body of work.

That will conclude the chain yanking for today except, perhaps, for a parting shot below.

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GO DODGERS !

GO DODGE RS

CART TRAIL

Friday, August 09, 2024, Ed Sessa

Good Morning, Cruciverbalists.  Malodorous Manatee here asking the question of the day:  What the H is going on here?  Let's try to answer that.

Today's puzzle setter is the prolific and always entertaining Ed Sessa.  In today's puzzle, Ed has dropped the H sound from the SH start to the first words of four common two-word expressions and, thereby, morphed the expressions to provide fitting answers to the clues - at least phonetically.  Here is where he has done this:

17 Across:  Principle behind "speak softly and carry a big stick"?: SUBTLE DIPLOMACY. From Shuttle Diplomacy.  Drop the H and we get "SUTTLE".  Correct the spelling and we get the answer.  Shuttle Diplomacy is the action of an outside party in serving as an intermediary between (or among) principals in a dispute, without direct principal-to-principal contact.  Personally, I never thought there was much subtlty involved in TR's advice/approach.

31 Across:  Grumblers left holding the bag?: SOUR CADDIES.  A golf reference.  From Shower Caddies.  Drop the H and we get "SOWER" which works phonetically if we retain the pronunciation from SHOWER and don't decide to start a garden,  Again, correct the spelling and, well, you get it.

40 Across:  Some Lakota winter supplies?: SIOUX STORES.  From Shoe Stores.  Many moons ago, this reviewer watched a TV sitcom in which an Eastern European and a Native American went into the retail business together.  They opened a shop called The Sew And The Jioux.  I wonder if Ed saw that same show.

56 Across:  Item in a moth-infested closet?: SUIT FULL OF HOLES.  From Shoot Full Of Holes.

Here is a look at the completed grid:

Here are the rest of the clues and answers:

Across:

1. Gymnastics event, informally: BARS. (Uneven) parallel bars.  As used at the Olympic Games.

5. Soccer star Kelley who hosted a "Just Women's Sports" podcast: OHARA.  Might have been clued with a GWTW reference.

10. Cobbler's item: SOLE.  Not a baking reference.  Cobbler's material would have let this solver first think of something other than AWL (too short, anyhow).  Speaking of close but not quite (homophone-wise):

Yardbirds - 1965

14. Cyan kin: AQUA.  See also 49 down.

15. Lavender kin: LILAC.  A reference to the color (not the plant).

16. "Metamorphoses" poet: OVID.

20. When doubled, very affectionate: KISSY.

21. Superlative ending: EST.  Anyone remember Erhard Seminars Training?

22. Perambulates: WALKS.  For pleasure.

23. Fictional archaeologist Lara: CROFT.

25. Hair salon supply: GEL.  DYE would have fit.

26. Church ensemble: CHOIR.

28. Law expert: JURIST.  By definition.

34. __ sale: TAG.  AKA garage sale.

36. Cartoon corporation: ACME.  Wile E Coyote's supplier of choice.

37. Maze features: TURNS.

38. The Met __: annual NYC fundraising event: GALA.  Formerly called the Costume Institute Benefit, the Met GALA is the annual fund raising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The GALA has been highly publicized in recent years.

39. Extinct New Zealand bird: MOA.  For extinct birds they sure do appear regularly.

42. Peppers used in mole: ANCHOS.  Today's Mexican cuisine reference.

44. Gouges: SOAKS.  Hand up for first thing of something to do with cutting a groove in a piece of wood.  Colloquialism for taking advantage of someone financially as in price gouging.

45. Lady bird: HEN.  Not a reference to LBJ's spouse.

46. Fingerprint feature: WHORL.

48. __ New Guinea: PAPUA.

51. Sci. course: BIO.  Several to choose from.  Thanks, perps.

52. Split up: APART.

59. Long-winged sea eagle: ERNE.  Sometimes we see TERN.

60. It means a lot: MUCHO.  One of today's Spanish lesson and not the first of several possible answers that came to mind.

61. Lustrous fabric: SILK.  Two SILK worms had a race.  They ended up in a tie.

62. "The Jellicle Ball" musical: CATS.

63. Like a loud crowd: AROAR.  A sound often heard in our puzzles.

64. __ Pueblo, New Mexico: TAOS.  Located north of the modern city of TAOS, TAOS Pueblo has a thousand-year history.

Down:

1. Enjoy the sun: BASK.

The Sunrays

2. Here, in Spanish: AQUI.  Another Spanish lesson.

3. Spice blends: RUBS.  This confirmed BBQ smoker liked this one.

4. College admission factor: SAT SCORE.

5. Flamenco shout: OLE.

6. Like most TVs: HI DEF.  HIgh DEFinition 

7. Top tier: A-LIST.

8. Spellbound: RAPT.

9. Knee injury initials: ACL.  Anterior Cruciate Ligament

10. Mogadishu resident: SOMALI.  Mogadishu is the capital city.

11. Like some rugs: OVAL. There were quite a few possibilities with this one.

12. Guitar riff: LICK.  Everybody has thier personal favorites.

13. Ice cream brand: EDY'S.

18. Melodious: LYRIC.  Shouldn't this be LYRICal?

19. People in debt: OWERS.  Has anyone ever heard this useage?

24. Special delivery?: ORATION.  Not a USPS reference.  Delivery of a speech.

25. "I suppose": GUESS SO.  Something that someone might say, I suppose.

26. Swiss Miss product: COCOA.  Not a reference to Heidi.

27. Not perfect: HUMAN.  To err is Human....

28. "We said the same thing!": JINX.  CSO!

29. Unembellished: STARK.  How refreshing to see this clued without a "Game of Thrones" reference.

30. Chaucer collection: TALES.

31. Heughan of "Outlander": SAM.  Unknown to this solver.  Thanks, perps.

32. Olympic badminton teams, e.g.: DUOS.  There are other, less obscure, ways to clue this but (a) it is topical and (b) it is Friday.

33. R&B's __ Hill: DRU.

35. Mini mover: GAS.  A bit of a stumper at first.  The clue seems to refer to the Mini Cooper automobile.

38. End zone upright: GOAL POST.  Often used in a metaphor.

40. Wheat bundle: SHEAF.

41. Bat mitzvah scroll: TORAH.  The first five books of the Hebrew Bible.

43. Half of a board game: CHUTES.  Cute clue.

46. "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" indie band: WILCO.  Being unfamiliar with the band this one was a bit difficult.  The NATO alphabet and radio lingo answer (Will Comply) seem to go well to gether.

47. Rumpus: HOO-HA.  I am pretty certain that I recall this word being used in a quite different context on "Two And A Half Men".

48. Min. fraction: PSEC.  Often, we get NSEC.  PicoSECond.  One trillionth of a second.

49. Energy field: AURA.  See also 14 Across.  According to ancient Japanese lore, the colour of a person’s aura changes when they leave the room.  Cyan-aura.

50. Pub order: PINT.

51. Cloudiness: BLUR.  Not sure if the forms of the clue/answer match up?  It's a bit of a BLUR.

53. Et __: and others: ALIA.  Sometimes we get ALII.

54. Move for one's co., say: RELO.  RELOcate.

55. Clucking sounds: TSKS.  Sometimes we get TUTS.

57. Thurman of "Red, White & Royal Blue": UMA.

58. Pro: FOR.  Not anti / against.

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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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