Friday, December 9, 2022

QOD:  I want to do everything.  Life is short, and I hate the idea of turning down anything.  You never know what interesting experience might happen.  ~ Joshua Bell (Joshua Bell; b. Dec. 9, 1972), American violinist and conductor

Thursday, December 8, 2022

QOD:  There are two kinds of light ~ the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.  ~  James Thurber (né James Grover Thurber; Dec. 8, 1894 ~ Nov. 2, 1961), American cartoonist and author

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

QOD:  Having the critics praise you is like having the hangman say you’ve got a pretty neck.  ~  Eli Wallach (né Eli Herschel Wallach; Dec. 7, 1915 ~ June 24, 2014), American actor

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

QOD:  A wise man will take a woman’s advice even if he doesn’t understand it.  ~  Agnes Moorehead (née Agnes Robertson Moorehead; Dec. 2, 1900 ~ Apr. 30, 1974), American actress

Give 'em the old Razzle-Dazzle!  Today's theme is exemplified in 4-Down: Really wowed: DAZZLED.

17-Across. Thelma's "Wow!"?: GEEZ LOUISE!  A reference to the 1991 movie Thelma and Louise.

24-Across. Astronomer's "Wow!"?: OH, MY STARS!

39-Across. Saint's "Wow!"?: GOOD ONE!

48-Across. Safari guide's "Wow!"?: THAT'S WILD!

60-Across. Chameleon's "Wow!"?: OUT OF SIGHT!

How else are we dazzled today?

Across:

1. Gave money to: PAID.

5. Shawkat of "Being the Ricardos": ALIA.  Alia Shawkat (née Alia Martine Shawkat; b. 1989) also portrayed Maeby Fünke in Arrested Development.  She has made occasional guest appearances in the puzzles.  [Name # 1]

9. Bygone Swedish automaker: SAAB.  Saab Automobile was founded 1945 and ceased operations in 2016.  The name comes from Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget (Swedish for Swedish aeroplane corporation), a Swedish aerospace and defense company.  

13. Icelandic saga: EDDA.  Everything you wanted to know about the Icelandic saga, but didn't know to ask.  //  Not to be confused with 67-Across. Whirlpool: EDDY.

14. Code creator: MORSE.  Samuel Morse (né Samuel Finley Breese Morse; Apr. 27, 1791 ~ Apr. 2, 1872) was known as a portrait painter before delving into creating the eponymous code that was the  social media of his time.   [Name #2.]

16. Canyon comeback: ECHO.

19. Site with handmade goods: ETSY.

20. Ilana of "Broad City": GLAZER.  Ilana Glazer (b. Apr. 12, 1987) is also a stand-up comedian.  [Name # 3.]

21. "__ Lot": Stephen King novel: SALEM'S.  Salem's Lot is a horror story about a little town in Maine where the residents become vampires.  Not a fan of Stephen King's writings, but he is a graduate of my alma mater, albeit, he attended several years earlier.  A Stephen King novel also appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.  [Name adjacent.]

23. Raises one's voice: YELLS.

27. British prep school: ETON.  This school appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.  Prince William (b. June 21, 1982) and Eddy Redmayne (b. Jan. 6, 1982) were classmates there.

29. Property manager's sign: TO LET.

30. Like memories to smile about: FOND.

33. Badminton target: BIRDIE.  Also known as a shuttlecock.

37. Fertility clinic cells: OVA.

38. Smog watchdog org.: EPA.  As in the Environmental Protection Agency.

40. Religious sister: NUN.  Hi, Lucina!

41. Bolivia neighbor: Abbr.: ARG.  Both countries in South America.

42. File manager menu option: RENAME.

43. Requirement: NEED.

44. Stark daughter played by Sophie Turner on "Game of Thrones": SANSA.  Sophie Turner (née Sophie Belinda Jonas; b. Feb. 21, 1996) made her acting debut as Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones.  [Name # 4.]

46. Canadian gas brand: ESSO.  Hi, CanadianEh!  This gas brand has become a crossword staple.

52. Scarecrow innards: STRAW.

56. "Jinkies! That's out of the question!": GOSH, NO!

57. Loosen, as a corset: UNLACE.

58. "Lip __ Battle": SYNC.  Hand up if you knew that Lip Sync Battle is a television musical reality competition.

62. Enjoy a bath: SOAK.

63. "Me too": DITTO.

64. Change direction suddenly: VEER.

65. Pulls (at), as heartstrings: TUGS.

66. Gentle throw: TOSS.

Down:

1. "__ Sue Got Married": PEGGY.  Peggy Sue Got Married is a 1986 film that starred Kathleen Turner (née Mary Kathleen Turner; b. June 19, 1954) and Nicholas Cage (né Nicolas Kim Coppola; b. Jan. 7, 1964).  [Name Adjacent]

2. "Rolling in the Deep" singer: ADELE.  Adele, whose given name is Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (b. May 5, 1988), appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.  [Name # 5.]

3. Like a best-case scenario: IDEAL.

5. Spanish for "love": AMOR.  Today's Spanish lesson.  Hello, again, Lucina!

6. Singer Rawls: LOU.  Lou Rawls (né Louis Allen Rawls; Dec. 1, 1933 ~ Jan. 6, 2006) released over 60 albums.  [Name # 6.]

7. Notre Dame Fighting __: IRISH.  Hello, Irish Miss!

8. Tea region of India: ASSAM.  Did you know where it was located in India?

9. Appear that way: SEEM TO.

10. Has no help: ACTS ALONE.

11. Tonsils-checking sounds: AHS!

12. Son: BOY.

15. Too wiggly to hold: EELY.  Everything you wanted to know about eels, but didn't know to ask.

18. "__ we forget": LEST.

22. Cosmetician Lauder: ESTÉE.  Estée Lauder (née Josephine Ester Mentzer; July 1, 1908 ~ Apr. 24, 2004) cofounded the eponymous cosmetic company in the 1940s.   [Name # 7.]

24. Scallion kin: ONION.  Do you know the difference?

25. Variety show: REVUE.

26. Kiosk: STAND.

28. Orchestra pitch setter: OBOE.  Did you ever wonder why the Oboe is used to tune the orchestra?

30. Sumptuous meal: FEAST.

31. Media mogul Winfrey: OPRAH.  [Name # 8.]

Oprah Gail Winfrey (b. Jan. 29, 1954)

32. "I heard you the first dozen times!": NAG!  NAG!  NAG!

34. Dietary guideline letters: RDA.  As in Recommended Daily Allowance.  A brief history on the RDA.

35. Like some all-weather stadiums: DOMED.  The Superdome in New Orleans is now known as the Caesar's Superdome.  A few years ago, it was the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.  It's all about the money.

36. Trésor spokesmodel Sastre: INÉS.  Inés Sastre Moratón (b. Nov. 21, 1973) is a Spanish model.  She was the face of one of Lancôme's signature perfume, Trésor, back in the 1990s.  She succeeded Isabella Rossellini as the perfume's spokesperson.  A pretty obscure clue for a Tuesday.   [Name # 9.]

39. Wimbledon playing surface: GRASS.  Why Wimbledon uses a grass court.

43. Prerecorded: NOT LIVE.

45. Wall Street investments: STOCKS.

47. IRS IDs: SSNs.  As in Social Security Numbers.

49. "__'ve thought it?": WHO'D.

50. Arctic natives: INUIT.

51. Numbers game: LOTTO.

53. Threw a fit: RAGED.

54. Had sore muscles: ACHED.

55. Humble reply to "Great work, team!": WE TRY.

57. Sci-fi hoverers: UFOs.

58. Old ultrafast plane, briefly: SST.  A crossword staple.  Everything you wanted to know about the SST but didn't know to ask.

59. "__ and me both!": YOU.

61. Bonus WNBA periods: OTs.  As in Over Times

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

It's that time again of year again.  Stay warm, folks.

Monday, December 5, 2022

QOD:  We are well-advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not.  ~  Joan Didion (Dec. 5, 1934 ~ Dec. 23, 2021), American writer

Sunday, December 4, 2022

QOD:  Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.  No feeling is final.  ~  Rainier Maria Rilke (né René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Marie Rilke; Dec. 4, 1875 ~ Dec. 29, 1926), Austrian poet