Friday, February 17, 2023

QOD:  You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.  ~  Michael Jordan (b. Feb. 17, 1963), American professional basketball player

Thursday, February 16, 2023

QOD:  The more we see our parents fully, see them as the world does, the better our chances to see the world as it is.  ~  Richard Ford (b. Feb. 16, 1944), American novelist

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

QOD:  All families are about love overcoming emotional torture.  ~  Matt Groening (b. Feb. 15, 1954), American cartoonist and creator of The Simpsons

Tuesday February 14, 2023 // Valentine's Day

QOD:  When you love someone, you love the whole person as he or she is, and not as you would like them to be.  ~  Leo Tolstoy (Sept. 9, 1828 ~ Nov. 20, 1910), Russian novelist 

I get by with a little Help from my Friends!  The first word of each theme answer is the surname of a singer or actor and the second word provides "support" for the celebrity.  Note that the first and last theme answers are males and the middle two names are females; and the first two are musicians, and the last two are actors.

For those who don't like seeing names in puzzles, here's your due warning that this puzzle might not be for you, since the theme itself is all 22-Down.

17-Across. Support group for singer-songwriter Neil?: YOUNG PEOPLE.  [Name # 1.]  In addition to a solo career, Neil YOUNG  (né Neil Percival Young; b. Nov. 12, 1945) has been associated with the band Buffalo Springfield and on and off with Crosby, Stills & Nash, making the later to be sometimes known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.  Sadly, his sometimes bandmate, David Crosby (né David Van Cortlandt Cosby; Aug. 14, 1941 ~ Jan. 18, 2023) died last month.

David Crosby (left) and Neil Young

28-Across. Support group for singer-songwriter Ruthie?: FOSTER FAMILY.  Ruthie FOSTER (née Ruthie Cecelia Foster; b. Feb. 10, 1964) is known for her blues, gospel, and folk music.  Her birthday is this Friday.  [Name # 2.]

49-Across. Support group for actress Glenn?: CLOSE FRIENDS.  Glenn CLOSE (née Glenda Veronica Close; b. Mar. 19, 1947) has been in numerous movies, but I mostly associate her with the 1987 movie, Fatal Attraction.  [Name # 3.]

65-Across. Support group for actor Jude?: LAW PARTNERS.  Jude LAW (né David Jude Heyworth Law; b. Dec. 29, 1972) has also been in numerous movies as well as television series, including The Young Pope and The New Pope.  [Name # 4.]

And here is a bonus "hint" to today's puzzle:

22-Down. First entry on many a form: NAME.

Across:

1. So last year: PASSÉ.

6. Home on the "I" page of many ABC books: IGLOO.  This clue threw me for a moment, until most of the letters were filled in by the perps.

11. Beer cask: KEG.  //  And 18-Down. Places with cold drafts: PUBS.  The latter is a nice misdirection.

14. Communion site: ALTAR.  Also the site of many weddings.

15. __ of salt: GRAIN.

16. Nest egg acronym: IRA.  As in an Individual Retirement Account.

19. Pen tip: NIB.

20. Mailed: SENT OUT.

21. Burns a bit: SINGES.

23. Reggae-like genre: SKA.  Everything you wanted to know about Ska, but didn't know to ask.

24. One who tweets a lot: BIRD.

27. Beaver creation: DAM.

33. Scatter, as seeds: STREW.

36. Route word: VIA.

37. LGBT rights activist Windsor: EDIE.  Edie Windsor (née Edith Schlain; June 20, 1929 ~ Sept. 12, 2017) was the lead plaintiff in the 2019 Supreme Court case of United States v. Windsor, which held that      Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional and that the federal government could not discriminate against married gay couples for the purpose of determining federal benefits and protections. [Name # 5.]

38. Shepherd's __: PIE.  Yummers!

39. Writing tablet: NOTE PAD.

43. Every bit of: ALL.

44. Fashion designer Schiaparelli: ELSA.  Elsa Shaiaparelli (née Elsa Luisa Maria Schiaparelli; Sept. 10, 1890 ~ Nov. 13, 1973) was a contemporary of Coco Chanel (née Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel; Aug. 19, 1883 ~ Jan. 10, 1971).  Her designs were avant garde and she collaborated with artists such as Salvador Dalí (May 11, 1904 ~ 1989). [Name # 6.]

46. In favor of: FOR.

47. Greek fable writer: ÆSOP.  He appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle, too.  [Name # 7.]

53. Veto: NIX.

54. Emperor during the Great Fire of Rome: NERO.  Nero probably didn't fiddle while Rome burned.   [Name # 8.]

55. Slangy "How's things?": 'SUP.

58. Balanced state: STASIS.

61. Revolts: RISES UP.

64. Coif flattener: HAT.

68. Most of a snow cone: ICE.

69. Make official, as a statute: ENACT.

70. Estate units: ACRES.

71. Sci-fi escape vehicle: POD.  So that's what that thing is in front of my neighbor's house.

not my actual neighbor.

72. Sealy rival: SERTA.  Both are mattress companies.

73. Under attack from all sides: BESET.

Down:

1. Foots the bill: PAYS.

2. Medicinal houseplants: ALOES.  This has become a Tuesday staple.  Aloe has appeared in the last 3 Tuesday puzzles.

3. Did horribly: STUNK.

4. New Mexico's capital: SANTA FE.  Anyone here from New Mexico?

5. "So, logically ... ": ERGO.

6. "No need to elaborate": I GET IT.  I first tried I Got It.

7. Miracle-__: gardening brand: GRO.

8. Spot for a napkin: LAP.

9. Cooking liquids that may be herb-infused: OILS.

10. Lake near Syracuse, New York: ONEIDA.  //  And 12-Down. Lake near Buffalo, New York: ERIE.  The latter is one of the Great Lakes.  The former is the largest lake that is entirely within the State of New York.

11. Ruler with a golden touch: KING MIDAS.  King Midas is a Greek mythological character.   [Name # 9.]

13. Chews the fat: GABS.

25. Daydream: REVERIE.

26. Slow leak: DRIP.

29. Part of MYOB and BYOB: OWN.  Mind Your OWN Business and Bring Your OWN Booze.

30. Safe skies agcy.: FAA.  As in the Federal Aviation Administration.

31. Disney's "__ & Stitch": LILO.  This was a 2002 animated film.  [Name adjacent.]

32. Kennel cry: YELP.

33. On __: without a contract: SPEC.

34. Cash register: TILL.

35. Struck a chord: RESONATED.

40. Not quite right: OFF.

41. Of two minds: TORN.

42. Father: DAD.

45. Tag sale caveat: AS IS.

48. Basic quality: ESSENCE.

50. Banishes: EXILES.

51. List of editorial goofs: ERRATA.  Today's Latin lesson.  This is the plural of Erratum, which is just one mistake.

52. Pinot __: red wine choice: NOIR.  Everything you wanted to know about Pinot Noir, but didn't know to ask.

56. Patrons: USERS.

57. Blender setting for making baby food: PURÉE.

58. Carnival vessel: SHIP.  Kathy Lee Gifford used to be the spokeswoman for the Carnival ship line.

59. Tex-Mex order: TACO.

60. Rational: SANE.

62. Dueler's injury: STAB.  Some famous sword fights.

63. Soft summons: PSST.

66. Realm of Ares and Mars: WAR.  Ares is the god of war and Mars is the Roman counterpart.  [Name adjacent]

67. Fractional amt.: PCT.  As in Percent, although our friends on the West Coast might think of the Pacific Crest Trail, which is a hiking trail. 

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

Happy Valentine's Day!

Monday, February 13, 2023

QOD:  Democracy produces both heroes and villains, but it differs from a fascist state in that it does not produce a hero who is a villain.  ~  Margaret Halsey (b. Feb. 13, 1910 ~ Feb. 4, 1997), American writer

Sunday, February 12, 2023

QOD:  And in the end, it is not they years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years.  ~  Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12, 1809 ~ Apr. 15, 1865), 16^th President of the United States