Friday, May 27, 2022

QOD:  To love existence is to love what is indifferent to you.  ~  Frank Bidart (b. May 27, 1939), American poet

Thursday, May 26, 2022

QOD:  When you do anything too long, you either wear it out or lose interest.  Miles Davis (né Miles Dewey Davis, III; May 26, 19926 ~ Sept. 28, 1991), African-American jazz musician

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

QOD:  Fame is proof that people are gullible.  ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 ~ Apr. 27, 1882), American essayist and philosopher

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

QOD:  There are worse crimes than burning books.  One of them is not reading them.  ~  Joseph Brodsky (né Iosif Aleksandrovich Brodsky; May 24, 1940 ~ Jan. 28, 1996), Russian-born recipient of the 1987 Nobel Prize in Literature

Come Out and Play:  The word Play can proceed the first word in each theme answer to give us a common phrase.

17-Across. *    Hunting-and-fishing official: GAME WARDEN.  Play a Game.

24-Across. *     End a relationship: PART WAYS.  Play a Part.

35-Across. *     Slouch: HUNCH OVER.  Play on a Hunch.  This phrase seems awkward to me, but it is legitimate  idiom.

48-Across. *     Adorn with lots of bling: TRICK OUT.  Play a Trick.

And the unifier:

56-Across. "How clever of you!," and a hint to the first words of the answers to the starred clues: WELL PLAYED.  I wasn't keen on today's theme.  If you see some deeper meaning, please share.

Across:

1. Fail to interest: BORE.

5. Bundle of papers: SHEAF.

10. Needs no hemming, say: FITS.

14. "My life. My card" card co.: AMEX.  American Express credit card.

15. World Heritage Site in Jordan: PETRA.  Petra is on my bucket list.  Maybe I will get there on my next trip to Israel this Fall.

16. Law school newbie: ONE L.  Also the title of the 1977 book by Scott Turow about his experience as a first year law student at Harvard.

19. Just good enough: OKAY.

20. Sport that made its Olympic debut in 2021: KARATE.  Here is a fascinating history of Karate.

21. Personal histories: PASTS.

23. Supermarket conveniences: CARTS.

27. Poses a question: ASKS.

28. Tire filler: AIR.

30. Boot tip: TOE CAP.

31. Filmmaker Craven: WES.  Wes Craven (né Wesley Earl Craven; Aug. 2, 1939 ~ Aug. 30, 2015) was known for his slasher films.  He created the Nightmare on Elm Street films.  Sadly, he died of a brain tumor shortly after his 76th birthday.

Wes Craven, center.

32. ATM key: ENTER. 

34. Like voices after a loud party: RASPY.

37. Audition hopeful: ACTOR.

40. Lots and lots: HEAPS.  //  And 52. Lots and lots: OODLES.

41. Mont. neighbor: IDA.  Idaho is Montana's neighbor.  Hi, Montana!

44. Reacted to head scratches, maybe: PURRED.

46. Most junk mail: ADs.

47. Amanda Gorman creation: POEM.  Amanda Gorman (b. Mar. 7, 1998) was the first National Youth Poet Laureate.  She delivered one of her poems at the inauguration of President Biden in 2021.

50. "In what way?": HOW SO?

51. Pandemonium: CHAOS.

54. Start of a story: IDEA.

59. Like kids at a magic show: RAPT.

60. Luxury watch: OMEGA.  I'm sure they are nice watches, but I can think of better uses for my $10K.

61. Romance novelist Roberts who writes mysteries as J.D. Robb: NORA.  Nora Roberts (née Eleanor Marie Robertson; b. Oct. 10, 1950), writes under several names, in addition the two cited in this clue and answer.  Some of her books are also published under Jill March and Sarah Hardesty.  I have never read any of her books.

62. "Let It Go" singer in "Frozen": ELSA.  I saw a stage production of Frozen just a few months ago.

63. Bicycle part: PEDAL.

64. Jury __: DUTY.

Down:

1. Duffel or tote: BAG.

2. Sushi experience curated by the chef: OMAKASE.  Not a Tuesday word.  The word roughly translated means Chef's Choice.  Everything you wanted to know about the Omakase experience, but didn't know to ask.

3. Comments: REMARKS.

4. Applies, as influence: EXERTS.

5. Petty quarrel: SPAT.

6. Attendance answer: HERE.  Due to Covid, class size in my yoga class is restricted, so we have to register in advance and attendance is taken.  Recently, the class just spontaneously began answering in foreign languages.

7. Liftoff approx.: ETD.  As in Estimated Time of Departure.

8. Tapas corncake: AREPA.  Another non-Tuesday word.  Hi, Lucina!

9. Tribute pieces by devotees: FAN ART.

10. Shoes: FOOTWEAR.

11. Glands in squids and cuttlefish: INK SACS.  Everything you wanted to know about ink sacs in giant squids, but didn't know to ask.

12. Sweet __: TEA.

13. Crafty: SLY.

18. "Now, where __ I?": WAS.

22. Mall map units: STORES.   Now, where was I?

23. Crow's call: CAW.

24. First word in many a baking recipe: PRE-HEAT.

25. Sharp bark: YAP.

26. "Harriet the __": kid-lit classic: SPY.  Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh was first published in 1964.  

28. Novelist Patchett: ANN.  Ann Patchett (b. Dec. 2, 1963) has written many books.  My favorite Ann Patchett book is Bel Canto, which was based on the Lima, Peru hostage crisis in 1996.

29. Symptom targeted by an oatmeal bath: ITCH.

32. "Mystery solved!": EUREKA.  Do you think Archimedes was taking an oatmeal bath when he had his Eureka Moment?

33. Street: ROAD.

35. Cinnamon-y rice milk drink: HORCHATA.  Definitely not a Tuesday word.  Hand up if you knew about Horchata. 

36. Corp. execs: VPs.  As in Vice Presidents.

37. Just right: APT.

38. Mean mutt: CUR.

39. Upper arm muscle: TRICEPS.

41. Words of gratitude: I OWE YOU.

42. Sweet course: DESSERT.

43. "Yo te __": AMO.  Today's Spanish lesson.  Hi, again Lucina!

45. Some a cappella singing: DOO-WOP.

47. Central European country: POLAND.

49. "I'm here to help": USE ME.

50. "Good" cholesterol initials: HDL.  As in High-Density Lipoprotein.

52. "Black Widow" actress Kurylenko: OLGA.  Olga Kurylenko (b. Nov. 14, 1979) is a Ukrainian-French actress.  Black Widow was a 2021 movie based on a Marvel Comic superhero.  We haven't been following movie releases since Covid, so I wasn't aware of this movie.

53. Iridescent stone: OPAL.  Everything you wanted to know about opals, but didn't know to ask.

54. Rage: IRE.

55. __ makhani: lentil dish: DAL.  Looks tasty.

57. Acted as tour guide: LED.

58. Calendar square: DAY.

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Monday, May 23, 2022

QOD:  It is only the blind eye of the adult that finds the familiar uninteresting.  ~  Margaret Wise Brown (May 23, 1910 ~ Nov. 13, 1952), American children’s book author

Sunday, May 22, 2022

QOD:  If teachers are going to affect you as role models, there’d be a lot of nuns running around the streets today.  ~  Harvey Milk (May 22, 1930 ~ Nov. 27, 1978), American politician