Friday, June 2, 2023

QOD:  In this sticky web that we’re all in, behaving decently is no small task.  ~  Stacey D’Erasmo (b. 1961), American novelist and literary critic 

Thursday, June 1, 2023

QOD:  People who are drawn to New York are, for the most part, mentally ill.  ~  Amy Schumer (née Amy Beth Schumer; b. June 1, 1981), American comedian and actress

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

QOD:  If you’ve lived all your life in a prison camp, when you are let out, you do not become free.  That’s not what freedom is.  You’re just in another space.  ~  Svetlana Alexievich (b. May 31, 1978), Ukrainian writer and recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

QOD:  After you’ve done all the work and prepared as much as you can, what the hell, you might as well go out and have a good time.  ~  Benny Goodman (né Benjamin David Goodman; May 30, 1909 ~ June 13, 1986), American clarinetist and bandleader

It's the Small Things in Life that Count.

18-Across. One in a snuggly pair: LITTLE SPOON.

23-Across. Office fund for odds and ends: PETTY CASH.  I had a co-worker who complained that he caught his niece in an act of Petty theft.  It seems she had gotten up in the night and eaten a donut that was for breakfast.

53-Across. Insignificant weakness: MINOR FLAW.

59-Across. Without much warning, with "on": SHORT NOTICE.

And the Unifier:

34. With 36-Down and 38-Across, Blink-182 hit song, and a description of four long answers in this puzzle: ALL.  //  34-Down.  36. See 34-Down: THE.  38-Down. See 34-Down: SMALL THINGS.  Together we get the song:  ALL THE SMALL THINGS.  The first word of each theme answer describes something that can be small.

Across:

1. Fiat or Ferrari: CAR.  Both are Italian vehicles.  This article is 10 years old, but it explains a "weird" relationship between Fiat and Ferrari.

4. Greek letter after alpha: BETA.  The Greek alphabet often sneaks into the crossword puzzles.

8. Horrified: AGHAST.

14. "Should I take that as __?": A NO.

15. Lead off: OPEN.

16. Focus of a historic New Orleans museum: VOODOO.  The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum is a small museum located in the French Quarter.

17. Cold War gp.: KGB.  As in the Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti.  It officially ceased operations in December 1991.  //  63. Hush-hush org.: CIA.  As in the Central Intelligence Agency.

20. Marry in secret: ELOPE.

22. Arrive at: REACH.

25. Ties up at a pier: DOCKS.

30. Grammy-winning Grande: ARIANA.  Whenever I hear her name, I think of her donut-licking incident.  [Name # 1.]

31. Soccer great Long or basketball great Quigley: ALLIE.  Allie Long (née Alexandra Linsley Long; b. Aug. 13, 1987) plays as a midfielder for NJ/NY Gotham Football (soccer) Club. Allie Quigley (née Alexandria Quigley; b. June 20, 1986) plays for the Chicago Sky.  [Name # 2.]

Allie Long

Allie Quigley

32. Military advisory gp.: NSC.  As in the National Security Council.

33. Ultimate: LAST.

37. Duane __: NYC drugstore chain: READE.  I was not familiar with the Duane Reade drugstore chain, but then, I don't live in New York.  You can Read(e) [get it?] all about it here.

42. Sovereign: RULER.

44. Caustic cleaners: LYES.

45. Loan application ID: SSN.  As in Social Security Number.  A crossword staple.

48. Clog-busting brand: DRANO.

49. Sheepish "Good point": TOUCHÉ.

52. Picture book?: ALBUM.  Great clue.

56. Cobra pose, e.g.: ASANA.  Think yoga.  I practice yoga, but this pose is too much for me.

58. Area with trees: WOODS.

64. Game console with a Mii Parade: WII.  If you say so.

65. Culture of cuteness, in Japan: KAWAII.  Not a Tuesday word.

66. Bad to the bone: EVIL.

67. French word that indicates a name change: NÉE.  This French word has been making frequent appearances in puzzles recently.

68. Bug: INSECT.

69. Legit: REAL.

70. Prom gp.: SRS.  As in Seniors in High School.

Down:

1. Piece of bakeware: CAKE PAN.  They can come in all shapes and sizes.

2. Some folks who fish: ANGLERS.  Cute clue.

3. Place where engineers can do some machine learning?: ROBOTICS LAB.

4. Anne who was the mother of Elizabeth I: BOLEYN.  Everything you wanted to known about Anne Boleyn but didn't know to ask.  [Name # 3.]

5. Prefix with gram: EPI-.  As in Epigram.

6. Aquarium fish: TETRA.

7. Initial bets: ANTES.

8. "Sans" opposite: AVEC.  More of today's French lesson.

9. Dad-blasted: GOSH DARN.  Mild swears.

10. Move like a bunny: HOP.

11. Hubbub: ADO.

12. "Hamilton" Tony nominee Phillipa: SOO.  Phillipa Ann Soo (b. May 31, 1990) appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.  She portrayed Eliza Hamilton in the musical Hamilton.  [Name # 4.]

13. Load: TON.

19. "Well, __-di-dah!": LAH.

21. Sch. group: PTA.  As in the Parent Teacher Association.  A crossword staple.

24. Summon: CALL.

26. Cassini of couture: OLEG.  Oleg Cassini (né Oleg Aleksandrovich Loiewski; Apr. 11, 1913 ~ Mar. 17, 2006) became well known as being Jackie Kennedy's favorite designer.  If I remember correctly, there was a connection between Cassini and our Lemonade.  [Name # 5.]

27. Some attention-seeking students: CLASS CLOWNS.

28. Tease: KID.

29. "Understand?": SEE.

35. Farm pen: STY.

39. List of options: MENU.

40. Fragrant: AROMATIC.

41. Analogy words: IS TO.  I erroneously filled this in as As To, which gave me the theme song as All the Small Thangs, which could make sense.

42. Suggested intake, on some labels: RDA.  As in Recommended Daily Allowance.  More that you ever wanted to know about Dietary guidelines and are sorry you asked.

43. Clickable link: URL.  As in the Uniform Resource Locator.  A crossword staple.

46. Less reputable: SHADIER.

47. Musical with the songs "Carrying the Banner" and "The World Will Know": NEWSIES.  Newsies is a musical that is based on the true story of the 1899 Newsboys Strike in New York City.

50. "Animal Farm" writer George: ORWELL.  His given name was Eric Arthur Blair (June 25, 1903 ~ Jan. 21, 1950).  Much of his work can be categorized is being social criticism, opposition to totalitarianism, and support of democratic socialism.  We all probably had to read Animal Farm and 1984 when we were in high school.  I wonder if these books are now on the banned list.  [Name # 6.]

51. Blurry craft in tabloid pics: UFO.

53. Eponym of a Chinese tunic suit: MAO.  Andy Warhol depicted Mao in many renditions.  [Name # 7.]

54. Bury: INTER.

55. Easily duped: NAÏVE.

57. Sour mood: SNIT.

59. Winter runner: SKI.

60. __ Solo of "The Force Awakens": HAN.  [Name # 8.]

61. Cries of pain: OWS!

62. Singer Carly __ Jepsen: RAE.  [Name # 9.]

Here's the Grid:

חתולה

In memory of Tina Turner (Nov. 26, 1939 ~ May 24, 2023), I'll leave you with this video.

Monday, May 29, 2023

QOD:  An open mind, like an open mouth, should close on something.  ~  G.K. Chesterton (né Gilbert Keith Chesterson; May 29, 1874 ~ June 14, 1936), English author

Sunday, May 28, 2023

QOD:  If I wait for the genius to come, it just doesn’t arrive.  ~  Ian Fleming (May 28, 1908 ~ Aug. 12, 1964), British intelligence officer and author