Tuesday, November 18, 2025

QOD:  Don’t ask what the world needs.  Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.  .  ~  Howard Thurman (né Howard Washington Thurman; Nov. 18, 1899 ~ Apr. 10, 1981), African-American civil rights activist and theologian

The Doors.  The last word of each theme answer is a device that protects a door.

16-Across. Linked-together homemade decoration: PAPER CHAIN.

24-Across. Noisy flash of lightning: THUNDER BOLT.

49-Across. Tool needed for some needlecraft: CROCHET HOOK.

58-Across. Arm-twisting wrestling hold: HAMMER LOCK.

And the Unifier:

35-Across. Quaint warning of impending danger, and a hint to the implements at the ends of 16-, 24-, 49-, and 58-Across: KATIE BAR THE DOOR.  What does really mean?

Here's the Grid so you can see the door safety mechanisms:

Across:

1. Short-term office workers: TEMPS.

6. __ and weave: BOB.

9. Installs turf: SODS.

13. Brownstone porch: STOOP.

14. Not false: TRUE.

15. Slip-on shoe: CROC.

18. The Chicago Marathon, for one: RACE.  The Chicago Marathon takes place in October.  It is one of the seven World Marathon Majors.  Can you name the other 6 cities?

19. Native of New Zealand: MĀORI.  A history of the Māori.  Street signs in New Zealand are written in both English and the Māori language.

20. Add to the mix: PUT IN.  Not to be confused with Vladimir.

21. Black's opponent in checkers: RED.

27. Hypercorrect "Yes, indeedy!": IT IS SO.

29. From __ Z: A TO.

30. Hi or low follower, in graphics: RES.  As in Resolution.

31. Staircase part: STEP.

32. Geometric figure with no sides or corners: CIRCLE.

41. Sparkling toppers: TIARAS.

42. Division word: INTO.  Today's Math lesson.

43. Weep loudly: SOB.

46. Test for Ph.D. hopefuls: GRE.  As in the Graduate Records Examinations.

47. Sharp-witted: ASTUTE.

53. Name on a box by the sink: SOS.  //  And 9-Down. Clean with effort: SCRUB.

54. Grown-up: ADULT.

55. Belly button type: INNIE.

57. List of dishes: MENU.

63. Walk off one's anxiety, perhaps: PACE.

64. __ vera gel: ALOE.

65. Consume fully: USE UP.

66. Snow glider: SLED.

67. Beaver creation: DAM.

68. Uncool sorts: NERDS.

Down:

1. Recipe amt.: TSP.  As in a TeaSPoon.

2. GPS prediction: ETA.  As in Estimated Time of Arrival.

3. Cleaning tool that may be dry or wet: MOP.

4. Bard's creation: POEM.

5. Nursery rhyme couple with restricted 23-Downs: SPRATS.  //  And 23-Down:  23. Food regimen: DIET.

Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean; And so between the two of them, they licked the platter clean.

6. Cranium organ: BRAIN.

7. French "yes": OUI.  Today's French lesson.

8. Filmmaker Affleck: BEN.  Benjamin Géza Affleck (b. Aug. 15, 1972) first gained recognition for his 1997 film Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote with his friend Matt Damon (b. Oct. 8, 1970).

10. Grand speaker: ORATOR.

11. Like animals in a petting zoo, ideally: DOCILE.

12. Aromatherapy choices: SCENTS.

14. Drive-__ car wash: THRU.

17. Pacific salmon: COHO.  Coho salmon are a species of Pacific salmon that live in both fresh and saltwater.  

20. Member of the working class: PROLE.  The word comes from the Latin proletarius, "citizen of the lowest class," used in ancient Rome to describe the group of people who didn't own property and whose only contribution to society was having children.

21. Investment consideration: RISK.

22. "At Last" singer James: ETTA.  Etta James (née Jamesetta Hawkins; Jan. 25, 1938 ~ Jan. 20, 2012) makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

25. Pub game with sharp projectiles: DARTS.  Seems like a safe game to play while consuming vast quantities of alcohol.

26. Inscribe with acid: ETCH.

28. Barbecue rod: SPIT.

32. Proofreader's insertion mark: CARET.

33. 401(k) kin: IRA.

34. Prepare to publish: EDIT.

36. Number of legs on some arthropods: EIGHT.

37. Naked: BARE.

38. Burden: ONUS.

39. Miranda of "Homeland": OTTO.  Miranda Otto (b. Dec. 16, 1967) didn't appear in Homeland until season 5.  She portrayed Allison Carr, the Berlin chief of station.

40. Some sushi toppers: ROEs.  Yummers!

43. Little rascals: SCAMPS.

44. Trying experience: ORDEAL.

45. Name on a box by the dryer: BOUNCE.

47. Top-notch: A-ONE.

48. Aspen trail: SKI RUN.

50. Like some word puzzles: CLUED.

51. Greeting to a parent: HI, MOM!

52. "Looks like the joke's __": ON ME.

56. "If all __ fails ... ": ELSE.

58. Consumed: HAD.

59. Pie __ mode: À LA.  More of today's French lesson.

60. Above, in odes: O'ER.

61. Cattle chew: CUD.

62. Mil. mess duties: KPs.  As in Kitchen Patrol.  Probably not as fun as it sounds.

*  Berlin, Boston, London, New York, Sydney and Tokyo.

חתולה

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 Robert S Gard

QOD:

Smile and Say Cheese!

17-Across.  *  Belt taken with lime and salt:  TEQUILA SHOT.

24-Across.  *  Challenge for an antsy toddler:  SITTING STILL.

39-Across.  *  Problematic backward pass in football:  BAD SNAP.

51-Across.  *  Spotted pattern on faux fur, say:  LEOPARD PRINT.

And the unifier:

62-Across. Close call in a race, or what the answer to each starred clue has: PHOTO FINISH.  The word that "Finishes" the two-word phrase in each of the theme answers is related to a photograph.

Across:

1. Blue Ribbon lager:  PABST.

6. Source of some memes:  IMGUR.  No a clue!  Apparently, Imgur is an online image-hosting and  sharing community founded by Alan Schaaf (b. Oct. 21, 1987) in 2009. It allows users to upload and share photos, GIFs, and images.

11. Sandwich known by its initials:  BLT.  

14. Shady picnic spot:  ARBOR.

15. Stop: CEASE.

16. Use oars: ROW.

19. Here, en français: ICI.  Today's French lesson.

20. Slotted fastener: HASP.

21. Useful connections: INs.

22. To be, en español: ESTAR.  Today's Spanish lesson.  I believe there are two forms of the verb "to be" in Spanish ~ Ser and Estar.  The former describes formal characteristics and the latter is used for temporary conditions and emotions.  I'll let Lucina expound on these subtleties of these two verbs.

28. Mapped biological sequence: GENOME. A Genome is the complete set of genetic material in an organism.

31. Specks: IOTAS.

32. Revise, as text: AMEND.

33. Numerous: MANY.

35. Poet's "by way of": THRO.

38. Jaguar competitor:  BMW.  //  And 67-Across. Jaguar competitor: LEXUS.

42. As __ usual: PER.

43. Simple: EASY.

45. Fix, at the vet:  SPAY.

46. Piano exercise:  ÉTUDE.  More of today's French lesson.

48. One measurement of a rectangle: WIDTH.  //  And 2. Length x 48-Across, for a rectangle: AREA.

50. Owie: BOO-BOO.

55. Marketing dept. employee: AD REP.

56. [facepalm]: OOF!

57. Beers like Smooth Hoperator, briefly: IPAs.  A brief history of India Pale Ale.

61. Satirist's gift: WIT.

66. Unspecified degree: NTH.

68. Inspirational word or phrase: MOTTO.

69. Reluctant to socialize: SHY.

70. Simply be: EXIST.

71. Actor/activist Davis: OSSIE.  Ossie Davis (né Raiford Chatman Davis, b. Dec. 18, 1917 ~ Feb. 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist.  In 1948, he married fellow actress Ruby Dee (née Ruby Ann Wallace, Oct. 27, 1922 ~ June 11, 2014).

Down:

1. Off the beaten __: PATH.

3. Patio cookouts, casually: BBQs.

4. "Grub's up!": SOUPS ON!

5. Prefix with -athlon: TRI-.

6. Terse turndown: I CAN'T.

7. Soccer star Lionel: MESSI.

8. "Oh, come on!": GAH!

9. GI show gp.: USO.  As in the United States Organizations.  When I see USO, I think of Bob Hope.

10. Give an exam again: RE-TEST.

11. Spot to order bangers and mash: BRITISH PUB.  You can bet a pint of 57-Across to go with your bangers and mash.

12. Train that makes lots of stops: LOCAL.

13. Spin, as a baton: TWIRL.

18. With fewer calories, on a label: LITE.

23. "Pronto!": STAT.

25. Film buff's online resource: IMDB.  As in the Internet Movie DataBase.

26. Doofus: NINNY.

27. Spanish painter Francisco: GOYA.  This artist usually goes by just Goya, although is full name is Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (Mar. 30, 1746 ~ April. 16, 1828).

28. "Welcome Back, Kotter" actor Kaplan: GABE.

29. Stone of "Poor Things": EMMA.

30. Interesting enough for the front page, say: NEWSWORTHY.

33. Hybrid grad program for physician-scientists:  MD-PhD.  As in a Medical Doctor and a Doctor of Philosophy.

34. Loose __ goose: AS A.

36. Start over: REDO.

37. Dunk Club cookie: OREO.

40. Subj. for Neil deGrasse Tyson: ASTR.

41. Low-level worker: PEON.

44. "Eek!": YIPE.

47. Big name in pizza snacks: TOTINOS.

49. Make a pattern using light and shade: DAPPLE.

A Dapple Dog.

50. Punch, slangily: BIFF.

51. Mower targets: LAWNS.

52. "The Buccaneers" writer Wharton: EDITH.

53. Exec. branch head: POTUS.  As in the President of the United States.

54. Hen's perch: ROOST.

58. Cherry centers: PITS.

59. Sparkling Italian wine: ASTI.

60. Croc, e.g.: SHOE.

63. Malicious spell: HEX.

64. __Clean: stain remover: OXI.

65. Texter's "I'd say": IMO.  Textspeak for In My Opinion.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

QOD:  What sane person could live in this world and not be crazy?  ~  Ursula K. LeGuin (née Ursula Kroeber; Oct. 21, 1929 ~ Jan. 22, 2018), American science fiction author

Baby Animals.

18-Across. Animated Disney film set in an arcade: WRECK IT RALPH.  A KIT is the term used for a baby Fox.  Babies of rabbits, raccoons, minks and groundhogs are also referred to as KITs.

25-Across. Hole in an argument: LOGICAL FALLACY.  Baby animals that can be called a CALF include cattle, elephants, giraffes, whales, bison, moose, and hippopotamuses.

40-Across. Rock group with flashy outfits: GLAM BAND.  A LAMB refers to baby sheep.

53-Across. "Consider this ... ": NOW LET'S SUPPOSE.  An OWLET refers to a baby owl.

And the unifier:

64-Across. Feeling like age is just a number, and an apt description of 18-, 25-, 40-, and 53-Across: YOUNG AT HEART.  The circles spell out the names of a baby animal which is in the "heart" of the answer.

Across:

1. Asian country that dominates badminton in the Olympics: CHINA.

6. Expert who works with both feet and meters?: POET.  Everything you ever wanted to know about poetic feet and meters.

10. Cape __, Massachusetts: COD.  Cape Cod is a hook-shaped peninsula in Massachusetts formed by the Laurentide Ice Sheet during the last ice age. Extending 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape's geography includes diverse features like salt marshes, freshwater ponds, sand dunes, and beaches, all subject to constant change from ocean currents and storms.  The Cape has a very interesting cultural history.

13. Clumsy: OAFISH.

15. Sandwich cookies: OREOS.  A crossword staple.  We learned last Wednesday that the Oreo was preserved in a vault as part of a 2020 publicity stunt.

17. São Paulo salutation: OLÁ.  São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil.  The city was founded in 1554 by Jesuit priests.  It is the largest Portuguese-speaking city in the world.

20. Brief "I don't need the details!": TMI.  Textspeak for Too Much Information.

21. "Peter Pan" pirate: SMEE.  This pirate makes frequent guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

22. In really good condition: FIT.

23. Turkey-roasting aid: BASTER.

29. __ fide: BONA.  Today's Latin lesson.  The term means In Good Faith and is used to describe something as real, sincere and real.

30. Replacement car: LOANER.

31. In really good condition: LIKE NEW.

34. Letter between zeta and theta: ETA.  It's Greek to me.

35. Pass over: SKIP.

39. Notable time: ERA.

43. Boise's st.: IDA.  Boise is the capital of Idaho.

44. Ice cream brand: EDY'S.  This ice cream brand along with the OREO are frequently the desserts of choice in the puzzles.

46. Night before: EVE.

47. Knocked to the ground: LAID LOW.

49. Rise: ASCENT.

52. Boring: DULL.

58. Pencil end: ERASER.

59. "Oh wow!": GEE.

60. "__ bien!": TRÉS.  Very Good!  This is today's French Lesson.

63. With 31-Down, "Life of Pi" director: ANG.  //  31-Down: See 63-Across: LEE.  Lee Ann (b. Oct. 23, 1954) is a Taiwanese filmmaker and he will celebrate his 71st birthday on Thursday.

68. Rob __ cocktail: ROY.  A Rob Roy is a classic cocktail made with Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters, garnished with a maraschino cherry or lemon peel. 

69. Writer Proulx: ANNIE.  Annie Proulx (née Edna Ann Proulx; b. Aug. 22, 1935) is an American novelist and journalist.  She has written many books, but the only one I have ever read is The Shipping News, which takes place in Newfoundland, Canada.

70. Belgrade's country: SERBIA.  The Danube River runs through Belgrade.

71. Early Beatle Sutcliffe: STU.  Stu Sutcliffe (né Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe; June 23, 1940 ~ Apr. 10, 1962) was the original bass guitarist with the Beatles.  In addition to playing guitar, he was a painter, which was one reason he left the band.  He began studying art in West Germany.  Sadly, he died at age 21 of a brain hemorrhage.

72. Auction cry: SOLD.

73. County of southeast England: ESSEX.

Down:

1. Ranch ruminants: COWS.  The baby is a CALF.

2. "No __, no foul": HARM.

3. "Doing all right": I FEEL OKAY.  I feel better than just Okay.

4. "Good job!": NICE ONE!

5. Request: ASK.

6. Door: PORTAL.

7. Pop singer Rita: ORA.  Rita Ora (née Rita Sahatçiu; b. Nov. 26, 1990 ) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.  She was born in Kosovo.

8. Snakelike fish: EEL.

9. Big enchilada: TOP BANANA.

10. Terra-__ tiles: COTTA.  Today's Italian lesson.  Terra-Cotta is an Italian phrase that means Baked Earth.

Terra-cotta warriors in Xi'an.

11. Native of Veracruz: OLMEC.  Technically the OLMEC were an ancient civilization in Mesoamerica, flourishing from approximately 1500 to 300 BCE along the Gulf Coast of Mexico.

12. No-no for a vegan: DAIRY.

14. Classic LP player: HI-FI.  Short for High Fidelity sound on a record player.

16. Sedimentary rock: SHALE.

19. __-tac-toe: TIC.

24. Some camera shop buys, for short: SLRs.  As in Single Lens Reflex camera.

26. Crew: GANG.

27. "Stay" singer Lisa: LOEB.  Lisa Anne Loeb (b. Mar. 11, 1968) first made the music scene with her hit Stay.

28. Like some programming errors: FATAL.

29. Feathered friend: BIRD.

32. Subatomic particles with a negative charge: ELECTRONS.

33. "... amber __ of grain": WAVES.  America the Beautiful

36. Core muscles to die for: KILLER ABS.

37. Venerated object: IDOL.

38. Furry foot: PAW.

41. Department store section: MEN'S.

42. First queen of Carthage: DIDO.

45. "Do the Right Thing" pizza place: SAL'S.  Do the Right Thing was a 1989 Spike Lee film that addressed racism in Brooklyn.  Sal Fragione was the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. Non-Italinan  neighbors became upset when they saw that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors.

48. Fluffy cleaners: DUSTERS.

51. Yanked: TUGGED.

53. Approaches: NEARS.

54. "... up to you, though": OR NOT.

55. Japanese cattle breed: WAGYU.  Their babies are referred to as 子牛 or Koushi.

56. Word after "chick" or before "hen": PEA.  A Chickpea is a legume, also known as a garbanzo bean.  A Peahen usually refers to a female peacock.

57. Feathered or furry friends: PETS.

61. Cleveland's lake: ERIE.  Whenever I see Erie in the puzzle, I think of our friend Abejo.

62. Lay's chips in a tube: STAX.

65. __, due, tre: UNO.  Today's Spanish math.

66. Soccer zero: NIL.

67. Tee-__: HEE.

50-Down. "Toodles!": SEE YA.  I will be out next week, but I am confident that you will have a fantastic substitute.

חתולה