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

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Showing posts with label Tuesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tuesday. Show all posts

Mar 26, 2024

Tuesday, March 26, 2024 Ed Sessa

Slo-MO.  The Modus Operandi of today's puzzle was to have each theme answer be a two-word phrase where the first word begins with M and the second word begins with O.  Working this puzzle, however, was anything but Slow.

17-Across. *  Consider carefully: MEDITATE ON.


21-Across. *  Transformative beauty treatment: MAKE OVER.


54-Across. *  Talk back (to): MOUTH OFF

59-Across. *  Divvy up: MEASURE OUT.

And the unifier:

36-Across. Plan of action, as "initially" found in the answers to the starred clues?: MODUS OPERANDI.  The phrase Modus Operandi is a Latin phrase meaning Method of Operation.  I would narrow the definition provided in the clue to mean an established habit of working.  It is frequently in the context of a business or criminal endeavor.  Modus Operandi, or MO, is often used in detective/cop television shows.


Across:
1. Goal of much medical research: CURE.

5. Like a baby with pudding, probably: MESSY.

10. Floor model, e.g.: DEMO.

14. "That'll be the day!": AS IF.

15. Jazz great Earl "__" Hines: FATHA.  Earl Kenneth Hines (Dec. 28, 1903 ~ Apr. 22, 1983) was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was considered one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano.  He apparently earned his nickname "fatha" after giving a drunken announcer some "fatherly" advice to limit his drinking.  [Name # 1.]


16. Woeful word: ALAS.

19. Home in the sticks: NEST.  Cute clue.


20. Fluster: ADDLE.

23. Fancy timepieces: ROLEXES.


26. Luthor of DC Comics: LEX.  He is the supervillain and archival of Superman.  His full name is Alexander Joseph Luther.  [Name # 2, fictional.]


27. Stand-up comedian Shaffir: ARI.  I am not familiar with Ari David Shaffir (b. Feb. 12, 1974).  [Name # 3.]


28. Undivided: ONE.

29. Removes soap from: RINSES.

31. Tic-__-toe: TAC.


32. Maytag sister brand: AMANA.  How the two companies are related.  [Name adjacent.]

34. Tusks, e.g.: TEETH.

40. Writer Sir Arthur __ Doyle: CONAN.  Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (May 22, 1859 ~ July 7, 1930) is best known for being the creator of Sherlock Holmes.  Doyle tried to kill Sherlock Holmes, but his readers protested so much that Holmes was resurrected.   [Name # 4.]


41. Still-life pitchers: EWERs.

42. GOP gp.: RNC.

43. Bearded spring blooms: IRISES.  Vincent van Gogh (Mar. 30, 1853 ~ July 29, 1890) was known for his numerous paintings of Irises.  If you are ever in Amsterdam, a visit to the Van Gogh Museum is well worth a visit.

46. Many an email attachment: PDF.  Portable Document Format.

49. Earlier: AGO.

50. Intentionally mislead: CON.

51. "Don't let that woman get away!": STOP HER!


57. Garlicky mayonnaise: AIOLI.  This vowel-rich condiment is fast becoming a crossword staple.

58. Angry: SORE.

62. Rae of "Insecure": ISSA.  Issa Rae (née Jo-Issa Rae Diop; b. Jan. 12, 1985) makes frequent appearances in the crossword puzzles.  She had her own television show, Insecure, which ran from 2026 until 2021.  [Name # 5.]

63. Industry honcho: BARON.

64. Surrender, as territory: CEDE.

65. __-do-well: NE'ER.


66. "You __ sweet!": ARE SO.


67. Potato buds: EYES.




Down:
1. Chevrolet that will be discontinued in 2024: CAMARO.  The Camaro was first sold in 1966.  It had a long run.  [Name adjacent.]

2. Applied to: USED ON.

3. Brain-breaking question: RIDDLE.  Here's an ancient riddle that dates back to 18th Century BCE in Samaria:  There is a house.  One enters blind and comes out seeing.  What is it?  For the answer, you must read this article.  

4. Paperless option for taxpayers: E-FILE.  We just had our annual visit with our CPA.

5. Curator's deg.: MFA.  Master of Fine Arts.

6. Take in: EAT.

7. Women in __: educational advocacy org.: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  

8. Sandbars: SHOALS.  This makes me think of the Isle of Shoals, which are a group of small islands and tidal ledges situated approximately 6 miles off the east coast of the United States that straddle the border of the states of Maine and New Hampshire.  Writer Anita Shreve (Oct. 7, 1946 ~ Mar. 29, 2018) wrote The Weight of Water, a historical novel about a murder that takes place on the Isle of Shoals


9. Big Apple MLB player: YANKEE.


10. Paul of "The Batman": DANO.  Paul Dano (né Paul Franklin Dano; June 19, 1984) portrayed the Riddler in the 2022 version of Batman.  [Name # 6.]


11. Like some beachside homes: ELEVATED.


12. GranTurismo automaker: MASERATI.  Maserati is an Italian manufacturer. The company was established in December 1914 in Bologna, Italy.  [Name adjacent.]


13. Bird with a powerful kick: OSTRICH.


18. __-Mex cuisine: TEX.

22. Celeb who's no longer in the limelight: EX-STAR.

24. Important ages: ERAs.  Taylor Swift (née Taylor Alison Swift; b. Dec. 13, 1989) is on her Eras Tour.




25. Chinese: Pref.: SINO-.

30. Kitten-lifting spots: NAPES.

32. Oral health org.: ADA.  American Dental Association.


33. German city that hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics: MUNICH.  The 1972 summer Olympics were overshadowed by the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes.  



35. Napkin corners?: ENs.  I suppose this means that the word Napkin begins and ends with the letter "N".  Rather like last Friday's clue about Label Edges = ELs.  I didn't care for that clue, either.

36. Ferretlike carnivore: MONGOOSE.


37. Proceeding as planned: ON COURSE.

38. Lambs' moms: EWEs.

39. Take a break: REST.

40. Adds to an already full suitcase, say: CRAMS IN.



44. Saucer-shaped vacuum: ROOMBA.


45. With trepidation: IN FEAR.

46. "Nuts!": PHOOEY.

47. Intentionally mislead: DELUDE.

48. Steak __: bistro dish: FRITES.


52. Rowboat blade: OAR.

53. Component: PIECE.

55. Run like heck: TEAR.

56. Cab charge: FARE.

60. Letters sent in emergencies: SOS.


61. Game with colorful cards: UNO.  This game has become a crossword staple.




Here's the Grid:


חתולה




Mar 19, 2024

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 Adrian Johnson & Taylor Johnson

The Screaming Meemies!  The word Me is found at the end of one word, and then immediately Repeated again at the beginning of the next word.


17-Across. Permanent patrons: LIFETIME MEMBERS.



23-Across. Line at zero degrees longitude: PRIME MERIDIAN.


44-Across. Drastic actions: EXTREME MEASURES.

And the unifier:

51. "I'll say it again," and what 17-, 23-, and 44-Across literally do?: LET ME REPEAT.

Across:
1. Pose a question: ASK.


4. "__! Humbug!": BAH.


7. Word before brow or blow: LOW.

10. Cal. neighbor: ORE.  Oregon is just north of California.

13. 1950s prez: IKE.  [Name # 1.]  Dwight David Eisenhower (Oct. 14, 1890 ~ Mar. 28, 2969) served as the 34th President of the United States.  He served two terms from January 1953 until January 1961.


14. "My mind is blown!": I'M IN AWE.

16. Guinea pig or teacup pig: PET.




20. "Say cheese!": SMILE.

21. In vitro cells: OVA.  Today's Latin lesson.

22. Impressive spread: ARRAY.

An Impressive Array of Spices in the Old Market in Jerusalem.

26. Ray gun sound: ZAP.

27. Green vegetable in samosas: PEA.  Samosa are fried South Asian pastries with a savory filling, that often includes peas as well as other ingredients, such as spiced potatoes, onions, meat, or fish.


28. Nightclub: CABARET.


32. Uses a buddy system: PAIRS UP.

36. "Beef" Emmy winner Wong: ALI.  Ali Wong (née Alexandra Dawn Wong; b. Apr. 19, 1982) has recently become a frequent guest in the puzzles.  She is probably best known as being an X-rated stand-up comic.  [Name # 2.]


37. Florida home of the Ernest Hemingway House: KEY WEST.  You can visit Hemingway's home, complete with his six-toed cats, any day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  [Name adjacent.]


39. Con's opposite: PRO.

40. Text status: READ.

42. Avocado center: PIT.


43. Iced dessert: CAKE.


49. Hummus ingredient: TAHINI.  Tahini is a Middle-Eastern condiment that is made from toasted ground sesame seeds.  

50. Entirely: PURELY.

55. Raised, as livestock: BRED.


57. Poker declaration: I CALL.

58. Bits of advice: TIPS.

61. Glissade garb: TUTU.

62. Valparaíso's country: CHILE.  Valparaíso is a port city on Chile’s coast. It's known for its steep funiculars and colorful, clifftop homes.  It's a 14.5 hour flight from my home.


63. Sandwich cookie: OREO.  A crossword staple.

64. Mourn, maybe: WEEP.

65. Shoe bottoms: SOLES.


66. Rip apart: REND.

Down:
1. Isn't 100%: AILS.

2. Pinch pennies: SKIMP.


3. Fermented milk drink: KEFIR.  Everything you wanted to know about kefir but didn't know to ask.

4. Evidence of a vampire attack: BITE MARK.
5. French friend: AMI.  A French boy friend.

6. Shoutout to a parent: HI, MOM!


7. Quarterback Jackson who was the NFL's MVP in 2019 and 2023: LAMAR.  Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. (b. January 7, 1997) plays for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. [Name # 3.]

8. Carry a balance: OWE.

9. Cry at the end of a long road trip: WE MADE IT!


10. "The Phantom of the __": OPERA.  The Phantom of the Opera is a 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux (né Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux; May 6, 1868 ~ Apr. 15, 1927).  It was later made into a musical.


11. Aired again: RERAN.

12. Crafts website: ETSY.


15. "Scream" star Campbell: NEVE.  Neve Adrianne Campbell (b. Oct. 3, 1973) is a Canadian actress best known for her portrayal in horror films.  [Name # 4.]


18. Schuyler sister who married Alexander Hamilton: ELIZA.  Eliza Schuyler (Aug. 9, 1757 ~ Nov. 9, 1854) married Alexander Hamilton (1750s ~ July 12, 1804) in 1780.  He was killed in a duel in his late 40s.  She never remarried and lived until age 97.  [Name # 5.]


19. Prickly shrub: BRIAR.

24. Fencing blade: ÉPÉE.  A crossword staple.

25. Some hoppy brews, briefly: IPAs.  This beverage appears often in the puzzles.  In fact, I provided the history of the brew just last week.

28. "Insert this" symbol: CARET.


29. Name often said in a smart home: ALEXA.  Everything you wanted to know about Amazon Alexa but didn't know to ask.  Alexa appeared in yesterday's puzzle, too.  [Name adjacent.]






30. Winter Olympian with a rifle: BIATHLETE.  A Biathlete competes in a biathlon, which is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

31. Do some screen writing?: TYPE.  Cute clue.

32. Tennis great Sampras: PETE.  Pete Sampras (b. Aug. 12, 1971) is an American is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time.  [Name #6.]

33. Attachment on the back of a Jeep: SPARE TIRE.

34. "Did I do that?" TV nerd: URKEL.  A reference to a 1990s television sit-com.  [Name # 7, fictional.]


35. Sonnets, odes, and the like: POESY.   The difference between a poem and a poesy.

38. "Buena Vista Social Club" director Wenders: WIM.  Wim Wenders (né Ernst Wilhelm Wenders; b. Aug. 14, 1945) is a German filmmaker.  Some of his other films include Paris, Texas, which starred Harry Dean Stanton and Nastassja Kinski, and Wings of Desire.   [Name # 7.]


41. Evaporated: DRIED UP.

43. Art collection custodian: CURATOR.
45. Tonsillitis doc: ENT.  As in an Ear Nose Throat doctor.

46. Copies: MIMICS.

47. Genius Bar computers: APPLES.


48. Bring legal action against: SUE.

52. Sound that rebounds: ECHO.  Hi, Charlie!

53. Banister: RAIL.


54. French fashion magazine: ELLE.

November 1945 issue

55. "Just so you know" shorthand: BTW.  Textspeak for BThe Way.

56. Deeply regret: RUE.  Also the French word for Street.

Street signs in Lafayette, Louisiana.

59. Bic product: PEN.  These were the pens of choice when I was in junior high school.
60. Landscaping roll: SOD.


Here's the Grid:




חתולה