Friday, December 16, 2022

QOD:  Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.  ~  Margaret Mead (Dec. 16, 1901 ~ Nov. 15, 1978), American cultural anthropologist

Thursday, December 15, 2022

QOD:  In modern politics, polls often serve as the canary in the mine ~ an early warning signal of danger or trends.  But polls can also be used to wag the dog ~ diverting attention from something significant.  ~  Donna Brazile (née Donna Lease Brazile; b. Dec. 15, 1959), American political strategist

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

QOD:  Reality is hard.  It’s not walk in the park, this thing called life.  ~  Patty Duke (née Anna Marie Duke; Dec. 14, 1946 ~ March 29, 2016), American actress

 

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

QOD:  The secret to keeping moving is keeping moving.  ~  Dick Van Dyke (né Richard Wayne Van Dyke; b. Dec. 13, 1925), American actor

Sewing Class:  Pick your fabric patterns and let's get sewing.  The circles spell a type of fabric pattern.

16-Across. Burlesque act: STRIP TEASE.  Stripe.

22-Across. Truck seen during a power outage, maybe: CHERRY PICKER.  Checker.  The most recognized Checker(ed) dress is probably Dorothy's.

47-Across  Ricotta-filled pancake often served on Shavuot:  CHEESE BLINTZ.  Chintz.  Everything you wanted to know about Chintz, but didn't know to ask.

Shavuot is a Jewish Biblical holiday that occurs in the Spring.  It is one of the three Pilgrimage Festivals.  The book of Exodus refers to it as the wheat harvest.  (Exodus 34:22)  Traditionally, Shavuot is considered the day that the Torah was revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai.  Dairy foods are also traditionally served on Shavuot, hence, the Cheese Blintzes.

57-Across. Serves as matchmaker: PLAYS CUPID.  Plaid.  Everything you wanted to know about Plaid, but didn't know to ask.

And the unifier:

36-Across. Flight paths above busy airports, and what the sets of circled letters literally are?: HOLDING PATTERNS.

Here's the Grid, so you can how the circles form our fabric patterns.

I found this to be a challenging Tuesday puzzle.  What did you think?

Across:

1. Game played with a bouncing ball: JACKS.  I had forgotten about this game, so needed the perps to job my memory.  I had a set of Jacks back in the day.

6. Cavort: ROMP.

10. "For shame!": TSK.

13. "We feel the same way": US, TOO.

14. Cooking initialism popularized by Rachael Ray: EVOO.  As in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Everything you wanted to know about the difference between EVOO and Regular Olive Oil but didn't know to ask. [Name Adjacent.]

15. "Good point": TRUE.

18. Wrath: RAGE.  //  And 40-Across. Wrath: IRE.

19. "__ we meet again": 'TIL.

20. Rower's blade: OAR.

21. Four-door car, usually: SEDAN.

27. Part of, as a private joke: IN ON.

28. GI show gp.: USO.  As in United Service Organization.

29. Roast hosts, briefly: MCs.  As in Master of Ceremonies.

31. Like 11-Down: SWEET.  //  And 11-Down. Sucrose-rich stalk: SUGAR CANE.  Lots of sugar cane fields in South Louisiana.  You don't want to be behind a cane truck during harvest season.

34. "Yeah, don't think so": UM, NO.

35. Energizer size: AAA.

41. After-bath powder: TALC.  Everything you wanted to know about Talc, but were afraid to ask.  You can even get lavender-scented powder.

42. Sushi bar beverages: SAKEs.  Sake is an alcoholic drink made from fermented sakemai rice.

43. Payroll service co.: ADP.  As in Automatic Data Processing, Inc.  Hand up if you knew of this company.

44. Cell service initials: LTE.  Hand up if you knew that LTE stood for Long Term Evolution.  I've seen it, of course, but never questioned what it stood for.

45. Navigates bunny slopes: SKIS.

51. Surfer's plank: BOARD.  

52. "Way cool!": RAD.

53. Freezer buildup: ICE.  Hi, Tinbini.  I hope you are well.

56. Organ with lobes: LUNG.  Ears also have lobes.

61. Not fooled by: ON TO.

62. __ Matthews Band: DAVE.  [Name # 1.]

63. Like-mindedness: UNITY.

64. "Dynamite" K-pop group: BTS.  This band appeared in last Sunday's puzzle.  Had it not appeared recently, I would not have had a clue.  [Name # 2.]

65. Used a hatchet on: AXED.  Paul Bunyan (whose birthplace is really in Bangor, Maine), wields a mighty AX.

66. Reusable grocery bags: TOTES.

Down:

1. Equitable: JUST.

2. Italian sparkling wine: ASTI.  Everything you wanted to know about Asti wine, but didn't know to ask.

3. PC key combo for "copy": CTRL C.

4. Colorful pond fish: KOI.

5. Soak (up), as sauce: SOP.

6. Gain back: RE-EARN.

7. Fallopian tube neighbor: OVARY.

8. Wks. and wks.: MOs.  Weeks and Weeks make up Months.  52 weeks make up a year.

9. Writer for whom the Edgar Award is named: POE.  Murders in the Rue Morgue, which was published in 1841, was written by Edgar Allan Poe (1809 ~ 1849).  It is considered to be the first modern detective story.  The Edgar Award is an annual award that honors the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, television, film, and theater of the year.  For a list of the 2022 Edgar Award recipients, check out this list.  [Name # 3.]

10. Corporate symbol: TRADEMARK.

12. Eager (to): KEEN.

15. Difficult journey: TREK.  Hi, Picard!

17. Lawn care brand: TORO.

21. Makes room on a pew, say: SCOOTS IN.

23. Made haste, quaintly: HIED.

24. Having the right (to): ENTITLED.  I had an employee once who felt entitled to come to work late because she lived far from the office.

25. Mountain cat: PUMA.  Did you know the Puma has many names?

26. "This __ about you": ISN'T.

30. Back talk: SASS.

31. Branch of Islam: SHIA.

32. Requirement for some school essays: WORD COUNT.

33. Mammals with tusks and trunks: ELEPHANTS.

34. Scannable bars on mdse.: UPC.  As in Universal Produce Code.

The UPC Explained

37. D.C. MLB team: NATS.

38. Utter joy: GLEE.  Glee was also a musical comedy-drama about a high school glee club.

39. Opposite of west: EAST.

45. Crushed it in a drag show: SLAYED.

46. Baby goats: KIDS.

Baby Goat Yoga

48. Thus: ERGO.

49. Courageous: BRAVE.

50. "Quiet!": ZIP IT.

51. Splotch: BLOB.

54. Include in a bibliography: CITE.

55. Sherbet brand: EDY'S.  Edy's has become a crossword staple.  Sherbet or Sorbet?

57. Kissing on the subway, e.g.: PDA.  As Personal Digital Assistant?  Just kidding, it's short for Public Display of Affection.

This was high-tech about 20 years ago.

58. Permissive: LAX.

59. Use scissors on: CUT.

60. Game with Skip and Reverse cards: UNO.

חתולה

I appreciated all the birthday wishes last week.

This will be my last commentary for 2022.  Hubby and I are taking off for a trip to southeast Asia.  We'll be gone for several weeks, but will return again sometime in January.  I know you will be in good hands while I am gone.

Happy Chanukah and Merry Christmas.

Monday, December 12, 2022

QOD: The older we get, the more we appreciate the continuity of friendship ~ the fortunate gift of sharing the present with the nostalgia.  ~  Helen Frankenthaler (Dec. 12, 1928 ~Dec. 27, 2011), American artist and abstract painter

Sunday, December 11, 2022

QOD:  Tears are the silent language of grief.  ~  Voltaire (né François-Marie Arouet, b. Nov. 21, 1694 ~ d. May 30, 1778), French writer