Friday, April 22, 2022 / Earth Day

QOD:  History is a symphony of echoes heard and unheard.  It is a poem with events as verses.  ~  Charles Angoff (Apr. 22, 1902 ~ d. May 3, 1979), American journalist

 

Thursday, April 21, 2022

QOD:  Silence is of different kinds, and breathes different meanings.  ~  Charlotte Brontë (Apr. 21, 1816 ~ Mar. 31, 1855), British novelist

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

QOD:  Without optimism, we have already failed.  ~  George Takei (né George Hosato Takei, b. Apr. 20, 1937), American actor and political rights activist

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

QOD: The bad news is time flies.  The good news is you’re the pilot.  ~  Michael Altshuler, American entrepreneur

What's your Super Power?  Today's puzzle requires knowledge of pop culture.  Do you know your  X-Men (some of whom are women).  I have heard about the X-Men movies, but never seen them, so was unfamiliar with the names and traits of these mutants with special abilities and super powers.

17-Across. *  Extremely hostile situation: BELLY OF THE BEAST.  Beast has superhuman strength, agility, speed, and dexterity.

33-Across. *  Toyota RAV4 alternative: NISSAN ROGUE.  Rogue was originally a villain in the comics, but later joined the X-Men.  She has the ability to "absorb memories, powers, personality traits, physical talents, and strength."  She looks mean.

42-Across. *  Offensive in the First Gulf War: DESERT STORM.  Storm is also a woman.  She has the ability to control the elemental forces that control the weather.

59-Across. *  Netflix series about a chess prodigy: THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT.  Gambit has the ability to charge things and blow them up.

And the unifier:

67-Across. Marvel Comics mutants, four of whom can be found at the ends of the answers to the starred clues: X-MEN.  Everything you ever wanted to know about the X-Men, but didn't know to ask.

Across:

1. Mark that may be covered by a tattoo: SCAR.  Here are some creative examples of a tattoo covering a scar.

5. Craigslist caveat: AS IS.

9. Andalusian poet García __: LORCA.  Frederico García Lorca (né Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca; June 5, 1989 ~ Aug. 19, 1936) is not your usual Tuesday guest.  I am not familiar with this Spanish poet.  He was apparently politically active and was killed by the Fascist forces at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.

14. Folk singer Guthrie: ARLO.  Arlo Guthrie (né Arlo Davy Guthrie; b. July 10, 1947) is probably best known for his rendition of Alice's Restaurant.

15. "The Flintstones" pet: DINO.  I watched The Flintstones as a kid.

16. Retired NBA great Shaquille: O'NEAL.  Shaquille O'Neal (né Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal; b. Mar. 6, 1972) also played basketball for LSU.  He still has strong ties to Louisiana.

20. "Farewell": ADIEU.  Today's French lesson.

21. Pixar character: 'TOON.

22. Notion: IDEA.

23. __ sequitur: NON.

24. Loops in, in a way: CCs.  Originally, CC denoted that a document was Carbon Copied and dates to the era of the typewriter.

26. 2019 N.L. MVP Bellinger: CODY.  Cody James Bellinger (b. July 13, 1995) plays baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

28. Blackjack card: ACE.

29. Broke, as a law: VIOLATED.

37. Have bills to pay: OWE.

38. Mine extractions: ORES.  A crossword staple.

39. Wyoming's Grand __ National Park: TETON.  More of today's French lesson.

40. Miracle Mets outfielder Tommie: AGEE.  Tommie Agee (né Tommie Lee Agee; Aug. 9, 1942 ~ Jan. 22, 2001) was also the Rookie of the Year in 1966 when he played for the Chicago White Sox.  Sadly, he died at age 58 of a heart attack.

41. Legged it: RAN.

44. Sporadically: IN SPURTS.

46. French summer: ÉTÉ.  Our French lesson continues.

47. "The Time Machine" race: ELOI.  A crossword staple.

48. "Dude!": BRO.

49. Comm. for the hearing-impaired: ASL.  As in American Sign Language.

52. Toni Morrison title character: SULA.  Sulu was first published in 1973.

54. Cardamom-infused tea: CHAI.  You, too, can make Chai tea.

57. Winnie-the-Pooh's creator: MILNE.  A.A. Milne (né Alan Alexander Milne; January 18, 1882 ~ Jan. 31, 1956) was a writer and playwright before he created Winnie-the-Pooh in the 1920s as stories for his son, Christopher Robin Milne (Aug. 21, 1920 ~ Apr. 20, 1996).

62. Come after: ENSUE.

63. Perched upon: ATOP.

64. Automaker with a four-ring logo: AUDI.

65. Walk casually: MOSEY.

66. Microscope part: LENS.

Down:

1. Alabama head football coach Nick: SABAN.  Before going to Alabama, Nick Saban (né Nicholas Lou Saban, Jr.; b. Oct. 31, 1951) coached football at LSU.

2. Belief system: CREDO.

3. Bold poker play: ALL IN.

4. Function: ROLE.

5. Hubbub: ADO.

6. Uses a sieve: SIFTS.

7. Gaga over: INTO.

Lady Gaga

8. NYC nabe: SOHO.  SoHo is a neighborhood in lower Manhattan in an area South of Houston Street.

9. Soft toss: LOB.

10. New York lake near Utica: ONEIDA.  My flatware is made by Oneida.

11. "Shall we head out?": READY TO GO?

12. 12 bottles of wine: CASE.

13. Utah ski resort: ALTA.

18. New Mexico's state flower: YUCCA.  It's a pretty flower.

19. Meet: ENCOUNTER.

25. Hockey face-off spot: CENTER ICE.

27. The Grand __ Opry: OLE.  Loretta Lynn's 90th birthday bash was at the Grand Ole Opry.

28. Donkey: ASS.

29. Casts a ballot: VOTES.

30. Composer Stravinsky: IGOR.  Igor Stravinsky (June 17, 1882 ~ Apr. 6, 1971) is best-known for his ballet The Rite of Spring, which caused quite a riot when it premiered in Paris in 1913.

31. Vase-shaped jug: EWER.

32. Consider to be: DEEM.

33. Seaweed for sushi: NORI.  Yummers.  I am a big fan if sushi.

34. Tehran's country: IRAN.

35. Foolish: SENSELESS.

36. "I __ my case": REST.

40. Had for dinner: ATE.

42. She & Him, e.g.: DUO.  Hand up if you knew that this was an actual musical duo.

43. Leaf pore: STOMA.

45. Memorial tablet: PLAQUE.

48. Badlands bovine: BISON.

49. Scrapbook: ALBUM.

50. Slyly cutting, as a remark: SNIDE.

51. Open the door for: LET IN.

52. Wineglass part: STEM.

53. "Hmm ... I doubt that": UH ... NO.

55. Recover: HEAL.

56. Start the poker pot: ANTE.

58. Big name in theaters?: IMAX.

60. Driver's turn, for short: UEY.  Just one of several spelling variations in the crossword puzzles.

61. Driver's aid, for short: GPS.  As in the Global Positioning System.  How did we ever live without it?

Here's the grid:

חתולה

To Anonymous-T:  The "Souvenir" of which you spoke.

Monday, April 18, 2022

QOD:  Money amplifies our tendency to overreact, to swing from exuberance when things are going well to deep depression when they go wrong.  ~  Niall Ferguson (né Niall Campbell Ferguson; b. Apr. 18, 1964), Scottish historian

Sunday, April 17, 2022 // Easter Sunday

QOD:  Hope, like faith, is nothing if it is not courageous; it is nothing if not ridiculous.  ~  Thornton Wilder (né Thornton Niven Wilder; Apr. 17, 1897 ~ Dec. 7, 1975), American playwright and author