Friday, June 30, 2023

QOD:  I am full of self-pity and I need it ~ it will come from nowhere else.  ~  Sir Stanley Spencer (June 30, 1891 ~ Dec. 14, 1959), British painter

Thursday, June 29, 2023

QOD:  It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.  ~  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (June 29, 1900 ~ July 31, 1944), French pilot and writer

 

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

QOD:  G~d help the army that must fight for an idea rather than an objective.  ~  Mark Helprin (b. June 18, 1947), American novelist

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

QOD:  Life is a daring adventure or nothing.  ~  Helen Keller (née Helen Adams Keller; June 27, 1880 ~ June 1, 1968), American author and political activist

Don't just sit there in the dark.  Turn on a light!  Today's puzzle gives us the anatomy of a lamp.

18-Across. *  Ocular opening: EYE  SOCKET.

23-Across. *  Noise blocker: EAR PLUG.

51-Across. *  Parachute opener: RIP CORD.

55-Across. *  Fall planting in a flower garden: TULIP BULB.

And the unifier:

35-Across. Facetious comment when turning on a device whose components end the answers to the starred clues: LET THERE BE LIGHT.

And a bonus clue/answer:

66-Across. Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi: WATTS.  [Name # 1.]

After completing the first two theme answers and seeing EYE and EAR, I thought we might be going for body parts, but we had that theme a week or so ago.

How many mystery writers does it take to change a lightbulb? §

Across:

1. Dangerous African snake: MAMBA.  Everything you wanted to know about the Black Mamba.

6. Test score: GRADE.

11. Anti-narcotics org.: DEA.  As in the Drug Enforcement Administration.  //  And 59-Down. 11-Across employee: Abbr.: AGT.  As in an Agent.

14. Make furious: ANGER.

15. Churchill Downs events: RACES.  Churchill Downs is the home of the Kentucky Derby.  It's been in the news a lot this year as numerous horses have been injured or died.

16. PC key near Ctrl: ALT.

17. Japanese noodle dish: RAMEN.  We saw the Ramen noodles two weeks ago when it was clued as Instant Noodle Option.

20. Misted (up): FOGGED.

22. Roam around: ROVE.

26. Paths to take: ROUTES.

28. Shoe bottoms: TREADS.  Because Soles doesn't have enough letters.

29. "All's __ in love and war": FAIR.  Do you known the origin of this phrase?

31. Hill-building insect: ANT.  //  Add a vowel, and you get 32-Across. Informal contraction: AIN'T.

33. Tablet alternative: GEL CAP.

41. Alpine warbles: YODELS.

42. Taunting syllable that's usually repeated: NYAH.  For future reference, you may be interested to known that Nyah is also the name of a town in Victoria, Australia.  I can see this being a clue/answer to a Friday level puzzle.

43. Chew the fat: GAB.

46. Perches in churches: PEWS.

47. Illinois county or its seat: PEORIA.  But will it play in Peoria?

49. Yearly pro golf event: US OPEN.

52. "No kidding?": IT IS.

53. Like many a coastal drive: SCENIC.  I highly recommend the scenic loop in Acadia National Park in Maine.

58. Lunar cycle part: PHASE.

62. Had some grub: ATE.

63. Vowel fivesome: A E I O U.  This vowel quartet appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.

64. Four pairs: EIGHT.

65. Rosy: RED.

67. Prominent: NOTED.

Down:

1. St. Patrick's Day mo.: MAR.  St. Patrick's Day started out as a religious holiday, but now is known for parades and festivities.  I live near the end of my city's St. Patrick's Day parade.

This is the street the morning after the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

2. Former "SNL" regular Gasteyer: ANA.  Although she has subsequently appeared in several sit-coms, Ana Gasteyer (née Ana Kristina Gasteyer; b. May 4, 1967) is best known for her tenure on Saturday Night Live.  She often portrayed Martha Stewart.  [Name # 2.]

3. __ Grand: Las Vegas casino: MGM.

4. Hamburger choice: BEEF PATTY.

5. Golfer Palmer: ARNOLD.  Arnold Daniel Palmer (Sept. 10, 1929 ~ Sept. 25, 2016) is regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers.  He is also known for "inventing" the Arnold Palmer drink, which is half lemonade and half iced tea.   [Name # 3.]

6. Actor Clark of Marvel films: GREGG.  Although I am not familiar with the Marvel films, I recognized the Clark Gregg (né Robert Clark Gregg, Jr.; b. Apr. 2, 1962) from other shows and movies.  [Name # 4.] 

7. "I Think About You" country singer Collin: RAYE.  I am not up on my country music singers, so am not familiar with Collin Raye (né Floyd Elliot Wray; b. Aug. 22, 1960).  He is also known as Bubba Wray.  [Name # 5.]

8. Scored against, as on a tennis serve: ACED.

9. __ Moines, Iowa: DES.  The history of the city.

10. That, in Spanish: ESO.  Today's Spanish lesson.

11. Actress Fanning: DAKOTA.  Dakota Fanning (née Hannah Dakota Fanning; b. Feb. 23, 1994) got her start as a child actress.  [Name # 6.]

12. Late news hour: ELEVEN.  I live in the Central Time Zone, so local news comes on at 10:00 p.m.

13. Swear (to): AT TEST.

19. French wine classification: CRU.  Today's French lesson.  Everything you wanted to know about Cru but didn't know to ask.

21. Gloomy __: pessimistic one: GUS.  [Name adjacent.]

23. "And others" abbr.: ET AL.  Today's Latin lesson.

24. Singer India.__: ARIE.  India.Aire (née India Arie Simpson; b. Oct. 3, 1975) released her first album, Acoustic Soul in 2001.   [Name # 7.]

25. Tenant's monthly payment: RENT.

26. __ and beans: RICE.  A Red Beans and Rice is staple in South Louisiana.

27. Face-to-face exam: ORAL.

29. Has a hunch: FEELS.

30. Clerical robes: ALBS.  A brief history of the Alb.

33. Got larger: GREW.

34. Geppetto's boy: PINOCCHIO.  “Centuries ago there lived… ‘A king!’ my little readers will say immediately. No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood.”  The true story of Pinocchio.  [Name # 8.]

36. Partner of faith and charity: HOPE.  A Biblical reference from the New Testament (1 Corinthians 13).   Faith, Hope and Charity is the name of a vineyard in Oregon.

37. Paradise: EDEN.  Paradise is not Lost this week.

38. Greek lamb wrap: GYRO.  Yummers!

39. Tresses: HAIR.  Also the name of a Broadway musical that was later made into a movie.

40. Jazz trumpeter Jones: THAD.  Although born in Michigan, Thad Jones (né Thaddeus Joseph Jones; Mar. 28, 1923 ~ Aug. 20, 1986), moved to Copenhagen, Denmark in the late 1970s, where lived the rest of his life.  He even has a street named for him in Copenhagen.  He is considered one of the best jazz trumpet player of his time.  [Name # 9.]

43. Rock instrument: GUITAR.

44. Sharp-witted: ASTUTE.

45. Heated to bubbling: BOILED.

47. Code entered by a debit card user: PIN.

48. Hand-held allergy treatment: EPI-PEN.

50. Tire inflation abbr.: PSI.

51. Puzzle with symbols: REBUS.  A is a puzzle device that combines the use of illustrated pictures with individual letters to depict words or phrases.  ‡

53. Spades, but not shovels: SUIT.

54. Thicken, as cream: CLOT.

56. Friendly dog's offering: PAW.

57. Actress Arthur: BEA.  Although best known as an actress, Bea Arthur (née Bernice Frankel; May 13, 1922 ~ Apr. 25, 2009) joined the Marine Corps just days after that branch of the military began accepting women into their company.  [Name # 10.]

60. "Murder, __ Wrote": SHE.  Murder, She Wrote was a long-running cozy mystery series about mystery writer and amateur detective, Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury (née Angela Brigid Lansbury; Oct. 16, 1925 ~ Oct. 11, 2022).  She lived in the tiny village of Cabot Cove, Maine, which must have been the most dangerous town in the United States because a murder occurred there every week for 12 years.

61. Gate update: Abbr.: ETD.  Estimated Time of Departure at the Airport.

Here's the Grid:

§  Two ~ One to screw it in most of the way in and the other to give it a surprise twist at the end. 

What is your favorite light bulb joke?  Please share.

‡    51-Down.  The answer to the rebus is Up For Grabs.

חתולה

Many thanks to C.C. who stepped in for me last week.

Monday, June 26, 2023

QOD:  There is, of course, a difference between what a man seizes and what he really possesses.  ~  Pearl S. Buck (née Pearl Sydenstricker; June 26, 1892 ~ Mar. 6, 1973), American novelist

Sunday, June 25, 2023

QOD:  The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.  ~  George Orwell (né Eric Arthur Blair; June 25, 1903 ~ Jan. 21, 1950), British novelist